The Bailout The Texans and Bob McNair
By Staff
The AP reported that the word “bailout” is the word of the year. Apparently, trepidation, precipice, and turmoil were also on the AP list because of the number of times they have been looked up online in 2008.
Bailout is the term currently being used in a financial sense to get the economy back on the road to recovery. Following the 1996 football season, the Houston Oilers would not play another football game in Houston. Bud Adams, the owner of the Oilers and now the Titans was moving his team to Tennessee. He took with him many of the great memories of Bum Phillips, Earl Campbell, and the Luv Ya Blue Era. Losing football in Houston was a cut that many Houston fans never thought would be healed. How in the world was Houston going to get another football team?
Houston’s football bailout came in the form of current Texans owner, Bob McNair. In 1999, Houston was awarded a football team that would become the Houston Texans. Prior to that, Houston was a football desert desperately leaving fans in want of water. No more football in Houston was an incredible thing. Once the Astros seasons ended during those football dead years, Houston fans had to wait until the Houston Rockets began play before another hometown rooting interest could be established.
In 2002, the Texans began play whippping the Dallas Cowboys 19-10 to get the franchise off to a 1-0 start. It seems that sense then, there hasn’t been a whole heckuvalot to get excited about. The best record that the Texans boast of is 8-8. Early on the Texans went 2-14 when a winning season was highly anticipated.
I say that’s alright. I can still remember those 5 long years without football. No team to root for. Sure, some Houstonians began to root for the Tennessee Titans. Some still continue to do so. What? I wish y’all would move to Tennessee. That’s a story for another day. There was no reason to anticipate NFL football games. I really stopped following the NFL and I’m sure that I’m not alone. If I can’t root for my hometown team, I’m not rooting for anybody…especially the Titans. How is it now? I look forward to seeing the team improve itself through the draft and free agency. I look forward to seeing the development of Mario Williams and Andre Johnson. Someday, the Texans will get into the playoffs and the Super Bowl.
For now, I’m happy that Houston has NFL football once again, and I’m thankful that Bob McNair is the Texans owner.