DGDB&D: a Texans blog.

Sam Adams seems like a man who likes BBQ

Jun 2, 2007 Jacoby Jones is unheralded, Non-NFL football, Pacman Jones' gunrack, Sam Adams, Teams that aren't the Texans

Some random Texans-themed nuggets from around the web for your Saturday afternoon perusal.

***From Len P’s latest Tip Sheet (Insider only):

The Texans met this week with defensive tackle Sam Adams, recently released by the Bengals, and will stay in touch with the 13-year veteran as he continues to rehabilitate from arthroscopic surgery to clean out some debris from his knee.

Finally, some word about the whole thing. Still, this seems pretty vague. My inkling is that the Texans don’t want to tip their hand regarding their level of interest in Sam, which would both jack up Adams’ asking price and make other teams looking at Adams bump up their offers out of the gate. I mean, if they weren’t interested in Big Sam at all, why would they “stay in touch” with him after the fact?

Then again, I am probably reading a LOT into this blurb because of how much I want to see them sign Adams.

***A somewhat-tedious-to-read explanation for why the UFL is not likely to succeed. I only include this link because the author uses Jacoby Jones to make her (his?) point.

For example, you know who Keyshawn Johnson is if you’re even a causal fan of the game. But do you know who Jacoby Jones is?

Who?

See that’s my point. Jacoby Jones is a wide receiver from tiny Lane College, drafted by the Houston Texans in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. That’s one of the rounds Hambrecht and Cuban say they’re going to “compete” with the NFL for players. That’s great for the player and for the NFL, because the NFL doesn’t have to worry about paying that player who may have dropped to the lower rounds for weird reasons more than a third round pick, and the player at least has another place to go, but don’t think there’s going to be a bidding war — in fact, I predict the opposite.

The Jacoby Jones [sic] of the world may try to use the UFL as a negotiating ploy, and wind up not being signed by the NFL team. It’s basic math — there are more “third round level” players, than first round level players, so someone else who fell past the eyes of NFL scouts may look better in free agency than the third round pick using an upstart league to cause a bidding war. So Jacoby Jones goes to the UFL and gets the same money he would have earned as a third round pick by the Houston Texans. Fine, so he’s happy. Meanwhile, the UFL gets a player no one ever heard of, and no one save for his family, friends, and the curious, will come out to see or turn on the TV to watch.

An interesting angle, I suppose. I don’t know that I can imagine any draftee going into a GM’s office and saying “yeah… I don’t know about this offer… I mean, the UFL is going to give me almost double.” Methinks that, in most cases, the GM is going to warn the player not to let the door hit him in the ass on the way out. Which is sort of what the author was saying, I guess, but I don’t believe the UFL will give Johnny Third Round any sort of leverage to being with. If you want to play in the NFL, the UFL is going to have to come with some dollars that the NFL wouldn’t even consider before you are jumping ship.

Plus, even with third round players, I assume that many (most?) of them assume that they will become NFL stars. With that mindset, do you take slightly more to go to the UFL and hope that (a) they pay you as much as a comparable NFL star would be making in eight years or (b) hope you can pull a Warren Moon and jump over to the NFL, or do you sign on the dotted line with a team someone has heard of before? I know what I would do.

***Self-professed “foul-weather fan” (he likes both the Bengals and Texans) Dustin McKeehan offers an entertaining new blog, “Odell, Where Art Thou?” I’m not usually one to pimp other blogs, especially those about other teams, but I really enjoyed this one.

***The inimitable guys over at Battle Red Blog have a quick and dirty discussion of why Goodell’s latest act is just plane dumb.

The Commish is taking things to a whole new level, one that is analogous to smashing a gnat with a sledgehammer. Prohibiting cold beer on an NFL flight or at a team function is absolutely absurd.[...] No one from the League will complain publicly, I imagine, because clearly it is a politically incorrect position to take, but I for one find this to be an abuse of power that will solve nothing.

I have to agree; this is ridiculous. It’s almost admitting “well, I can’t prevent them from going to strip clubs, but I need to show some sort of control.” The irony, of course, is that such a stance will likely cause players to go out upon the plane’s landing, thereby increasing the likelihood of drinking and driving or being intoxicated in public. Strippers everywhere should be worried.