DGDB&D: a Texans blog.

Credit where credit is due?

Sep 14, 2007 Casserly blows goats... I have proof, Dunta Robinson, Gary Kubiak, National Media, Reggie Bush, Super Mario

On the list of “Things That Make Me Happy,” getting an email from a reader with the subject line “CBS gives Casserly oral” would be way up there near the top.

Reader Grayson sent along this link along with the observation that it “looks like someone at CBS has Casserly’s wang in their mouth.”

Casserly defied conventional thinking in taking Williams, and that led to an uproar around the league, and especially in Houston. He was vilified on the talk-show circuit.

People love offensive highlights, which Bush and Young provided in college. They don’t get excited for defense. “We took a lot of abuse for that pick,” Casserly said.

That might change now. And here’s why: The Texans indeed picked the right player

I like the gist of the article–the Mario Williams was the right guy–but I don’t know how much credit we should give ol’ Chuck. I mean, the general consensus is that Kubiak pushed for Mario as much or more than Casserly, right?

I know, I know… if people were going to bag on Casserly when Mario seemed to be playing poorly, then he should get credit for the success Mario seems to enjoy now. Fair enough–if you believe he was the impetus behind the pick. If not, then both the derision and the praise are/were misplaced. The majority of the articles I read after the fact–at least those written by people who would be “in the know”–suggested that this pick was made primarily because Gary Kubiak was sold on Mario (and possibly though Domanick Williams (nee Davis) would be back).

UPDATE: Tman makes a good point in the comments–that one great game does not equal redemption. I don’t argue with that. My bigger point here is just that, whether Mario succeeds or fails, the credit/blame should not go to Casserly for this pick. He’s relegated to his other good works (Andre Johnson, Dunta Robinson) and his other flops (see, generally, 2002-2005).