SB Nation Houston - Kubiakgate 2010-2011: Culture Of Complacency Intact!https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46691/houston-fave.png2011-01-03T15:08:44-06:00http://houston.sbnation.com/rss/stream/16400842011-01-03T15:08:44-06:002011-01-03T15:08:44-06:00Frank Bush Fired, Gary Kubiak Will Be Retained
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<p>In news that <a target="new" href="http://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/22008389122920449">was first broken</a> by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the <a href="https://www.battleredblog.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Texans</a> have fired defensive coordinator Frank Bush. Bush was the architect of one of the worst defenses in <span class="caps">NFL</span> history, the 2010 Texans, and his supposedly good defense in 2009 was a mirage caused by a weak schedule and terrible opposing quarterbacks.</p>
<p>The Houston Chronicle’s John McClain<a target="new" href="http://twitter.com/McClain_on_NFL/status/22028324389785600"> is reporting</a> that Gary Kubiak will be retained, and it will be announced officially at this afternoons press conference, which takes place in about 20 minutes from the time I write this. This jives with all of the non-Barry Warner rumors coming out of Reliant Park for the last week or so, so it’s not a real surprise to anyone. The fans turned solidly against Kubiak this year, but Bob McNair’s patience has won out again.</p>
<p><span>David Carr</span> thinks keeping Kubiak is a great idea!</p>
<p>In sadder news, Gary Kubiak <a target="new" href="http://twitter.com/McClain_on_NFL/status/22031026444312576">will lead the party </a>that will search for the defensive coordinator. Again. Because that worked out so well the last two times.</p>
<p><b>EDIT: </b>In addition to Bush, linebackers coach Johnnie Holland, defensive backs coach David Gibbs, and assistant linebackers coach Robert Saleh <a href="http://twitter.com/HoustonTexans/statuses/22041936806289408" target="_blank">were all let go </a>by the Texans.</p>
https://houston.sbnation.com/houston-texans/2011/1/3/1911715/frank-bush-fired-gary-kubiak-will-be-retainedRivers McCown2011-01-02T08:17:37-06:002011-01-02T08:17:37-06:00Report: Gary Kubiak Will Stay
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<p>ESPN’s Adam Schefter is <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5981055" target="new">reporting</a> that Gary Kubiak will be retained as head coach of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.battleredblog.com/">Houston Texans</a> despite an incredibly disappointing season.</p>
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<p>Despite the fact that the Houston Texans have lost four in a row and eight of their past nine, owner Bob McNair will not make a change at head coach and Gary Kubiak will return for another season, according to league sources.</p>
<p>McNair believes that if Kubiak can make certain changes to his defensive coaching staff, then he will be able to create a winning atmosphere, and no change at head coach would be needed, the sources said.</p>
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<p>Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows are apparently what Texans fans get for the new year. Enjoy it!</p>
<p>Really at this point, there’s nothing left to do but marvel at the situation. As has been pointed out to me a few times before, only one coach has gotten five years to get a team to the playoffs despite just one winning record to his credit since the merger: Bart Starr. He happened to have won a couple of other championships for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/">Packers</a>, so I doubt they minded quite as much.</p>
<p>It’s hard to come up with many jobs at this point that have better job security than Texans head coach. Lets hope this extra year plan works out better than it did in 2005, when the Texans brought back Dom Capers and Charlie Casserly to finish what they started and they instead went 2-14.</p>
https://houston.sbnation.com/houston-texans/2011/1/2/1908721/report-gary-kubiak-will-stayRivers McCown2010-12-31T01:56:11-06:002010-12-31T01:56:11-06:00'Indications Are' Wade Phillips & Gary Kubiak Will Be The Combo
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<p>The Houston Chronicle’s John McClain <a href="http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/7360542.html" target="new">actually got some sources</a> for this one, and now we have anonymously sourced proof that the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.battleredblog.com/">Texans</a> will keep Gary Kubiak barring a disastrous blowout at the hands of the Jaguars next Sunday. McClain’s exact words:</p>
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<p>Indications are that Texans owner Bob McNair plans to keep Gary Kubiak as his head coach and hire Wade Phillips as defensive coordinator.</p>
<p>Unless something like a blowout loss to Jacksonville in Sunday’s game at Reliant Stadium causes him to have an 11th-hour change of heart, McNair will bring back Kubiak for his sixth season, two people familiar with the situation said Thursday.</p>
<p>McNair has declined to comment on Kubiak’s job situation since Dec. 15, but three people close to the owner said he’s angry, disappointed and frustrated with the Texans’ 5-10 record that includes eight losses in nine games.</p>
<p>They say, however, that McNair believes the offense is in good hands with Kubiak overseeing it,</p>
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<p>The Texans are really tempting their fans hard here. On one hand, rooting for a higher draft pick appeals to the masses (even despite the well-documented <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=QLI3JJ9CD5QC&pg=PA184&lpg=PA184&dq=the+winners+curse+nfl&source=bl&ots=jeIQj1czrf&sig=9H5kqpruvtUr-WqcR114C3UBm-8&hl=en&ei=IIwdTaiTCcH38AbbmvzFDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CDIQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=the%20winners%20curse%20nfl&f=false" target="new">Winner’s Curse</a>), and on the other hand, a win will keep Gary Kubiak here. I don’t know if they’ve seen polls and approval figures, but it sure seems like they’re doing everything in their power to make sure this last home game involves lusty booing of the Texans and cheering of our conquering heroes, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigcatcountry.com/">Jacksonville Jaguars</a>.</p>
<p>Go <span>Trent Edwards</span>?</p>
https://houston.sbnation.com/houston-texans/2010/12/31/1905590/indications-are-wade-phillips-gary-kubiak-will-be-the-comboRivers McCown2010-12-30T14:01:27-06:002010-12-30T14:01:27-06:00Wade Phillips Is John McClain's Latest Cause
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<p>Houston Chronicle writer John McClain, still just days after he said that he thought the entire staff would be fired, <a href="http://blogs.chron.com/nfl/2010/12/what_do_you_think_about_a_kubi.html" target="new">now believes</a> Wade Phillips is going to join Kubiak as the new defensive coordinator.</p>
<p>Phillips, on the surface of things, would be a fine defensive coordinator. His defenses have always been pretty solid. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.battleredblog.com/">Texans</a> would have to change to a 3-4 to accommodate his philosophy, but after the season they just had defensively, I doubt anyone will be complaining.</p>
<p>It’s looking more and more like we’ll have Gary Kubiak to kick around next year. The culture of complacency that grips Kirby Street is strong. So Wade, if you do wind up being the next defensive coordinator of the Texans, don’t bet on getting any new shiny toys right away. <span>Zac Diles</span> just needs one more chance.</p>
https://houston.sbnation.com/houston-texans/2010/12/30/1904584/wade-phillips-is-john-mcclains-latest-causeRivers McCown2010-12-29T14:06:41-06:002010-12-29T14:06:41-06:00Gary Kubiak Survives...Today On As The Texans World Turns
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<p>Yesterday the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.battleredblog.com/">Texans</a> coaching wheel went from the dumb (<a href="http://houston.sbnation.com/houston-texans/2010/12/28/1900475/zierlein-gary-kubiak-fired-gm-rick-smith-to-hire-new-coach-texans-coaching-rumors" target="new">Rick Smith staying, Kubiak going</a>) to the bizarre (<a href="http://houston.sbnation.com/houston-texans/2010/12/29/1901816/texans-coaching-candidate-list-im-not-buying" target="new">Barry Warner’s infamous list</a>)</p>
<p>Today, the drama appears to have hit the most Texans note of all: complacency. John McClain led things off by flip-flopping on his original thoughts, as he now <a href="http://twitter.com/McClain_on_NFL/statuses/20173793775325186" target="new">thinks that </a>Kubiak will stay while Frank Bush gets the axe. Or as it’s otherwise known: his position since Week 12.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, national writers agreed with him. Adam Schefter tweeted that he <a href="http://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/20175162271862785" target="new">was hearing</a> the same thing, Finally, Jason La Canfora reported that <a href="http://twitter.com/JasonLaCanfora/status/20186447017418752" target="new">he’s hearing</a> that Kubiak will stay while ex-<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Cowboys</a> coach Wade Phillips will be brought in to run the defense.</p>
<p>The good news? We’re still at the rumor phase. But the Texans have not come up with a single rumor so far that has made their fanbase happy. That is troubling.</p>
https://houston.sbnation.com/houston-texans/2010/12/29/1902682/gary-kubiak-survives-today-on-as-the-texans-world-turnsRivers McCown2010-12-28T15:42:01-06:002010-12-28T15:42:01-06:00Mortensen: Houston Texans Coaching Candidate...Mike Sherman?
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<p>The speculation ball is rolling with coaching changes and Gary Kubiak firings. Of course, Houston fans and media are brandying about Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden, Jeff Fisher, and Tony Dungy, but ESPN's Chris Mortensen drops a new name into the speculative mix - Texas A&M head coach Mike Sherman.<br><br>Citing his previous stint as <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.battleredblog.com/">Texans</a> offensive coordinator, being well-liked by Texans owner Bob McNair, and his own past stint as Green Bay head coach, Mort says people shouldn't be surprised if Sherman did end up coaching in Houston. <br><br>Perhaps it's just me, but that is a surprise I do not want because it really wouldn't be a change from the current Kubiak and Friends status quo that has this franchise home for the playoffs again. Hopefully, Sherman will shoot down this early speculation before his Aggies play in the Cotton Bowl.</p>
https://houston.sbnation.com/houston-texans/2010/12/28/1900774/espn-chris-mortensen-houston-texans-coaching-candidate-texas-am-coach-mike-shermanSportsDC2010-12-28T13:06:48-06:002010-12-28T13:06:48-06:00Zierlein: Gary Kubiak To Be Fired, GM Rick Smith To Remain?
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<p><i>Houston Chronicle</i>'s Lance Zierlein <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/#!/LanceZierlein/status/19827647408242688">tweeted out</a> information that he heard from the agent grapevine, as he put it.</p>
<blockquote>The word on the agent grapevine is that Rick Smith will remain as GM and be in charge of hiring a new head coach for the Texans</blockquote>
<p>The prevailing thought amongst Houston media has been that Smith or Kubiak would go, but it was hard to see both going.<br><br>This thought was even further driven home when Spencer Tillman, on ABC-13's "Inside the Texans," discussed possible dissension between Smith and Kubiak - especially regarding the fact that Kubiak wielded more power than Smith on decisions.<br><br>Of course, no one will know if this is true until after Sunday's game against Jacksonville. That's when we'll really see what Bob McNair is really thinking. This is just more fuel to the speculative fire.</p>
https://houston.sbnation.com/houston-texans/2010/12/28/1900475/zierlein-gary-kubiak-fired-gm-rick-smith-to-hire-new-coach-texans-coaching-rumorsSportsDC2010-12-26T22:26:32-06:002010-12-26T22:26:32-06:00McClain: Gary Kubiak Will Be Fired
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<p>In a series of Tweets, John McClain made it very clear that he has changed his tune on whether the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.battleredblog.com/">Texans</a> coaching staff will be back next season after an embarrassing comeback win by the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.milehighreport.com/">Denver Broncos</a> occurred Sunday evening. He now <a href="http://twitter.com/McClain_on_NFL/statuses/19242489839878145" target="new">seems</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/McClain_on_NFL/statuses/19242740030119940" target="new">to think</a> that the coaches will be goners:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Wow. Texans are in a flex scheduling game. The Jax game is 3:15, which just prolongs the agony of a staff that’s going to be fired. After the way the Texans blew Denver game leading 17-0 at halftime and 23-10 in the 4th quarter, I’ll be stunned if the staff isn’t fired.</p>
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<p>I don’t say this very often, but: you and me both, John. You and me both. There’s absolutely no way this team can justify keeping Kubiak as a head coach after the trainwreck that this team has pulled over the past two months and the utter disgrace that their defense has been this season.</p>
<p>The Texans, notoriously quiet on these matters, have not tipped their hand at all on what will be done at the end of the season. But it’s clear that the fan backlash of keeping Kubiak would be felt at a time when season ticket renewals already have the added question of a lockout to deal with.</p>
https://houston.sbnation.com/houston-texans/2010/12/26/1897777/mcclain-gary-kubiak-will-be-firedRivers McCown