04/18/24
January 01, 2014
Houston Texans Hire Bill O'Brien as Head Coach: Bill O'Brien has been chosen as the Houston Texans' third head coach in franchise history, moving on from the top job at Penn State University after two seasons. O'Brien was an offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots before being hired by the scandal-rocked Nittany Lions. He was 15-9 in that job. The Texans have the first overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.
O'Brien was getting fed up at Penn State, according to an off-the-record rant he told a journalist in early December who is now burning his source:
"You can print that I don't really give a ---- what the 'Paterno people' think about what I do with this program. I've done everything I can to show respect to Coach Paterno. Everything in my power. So I could really care less about what the Paterno faction of people, or whatever you call them, think about what I do with the program. I'm tired of it. For any Paterno person' to have any objection to what I'm doing, it makes me wanna put my fist through this windshield right now. ... That's why, in probably about a month, they're gonna be ----ing looking for a new coach."
posted by rcade at 04:31 PM on January 01, 2014
That rant's a shame given O'Brien was brought in to bring the football program back from the NCAA sanctions. I believe he was doing a great job considering the circumstances, but there still will be some folks who believe Paterno was wronged by the university, and that's not O'Brien's fault.
posted by jjzucal at 04:58 PM on January 01, 2014
I don't get what all the remorse is all about, I think in the short term what happened at Penn State worked out pretty well for everybody. O'Brien got on the fast track to the NFL, Penn State saved a lot of face with a good coach and they ended up with the same record as Michigan (suck it Wolverines) under heavy sanctions and with a dearth of talent.
O'Brien probably could have taken a "This is my fucking house now" attitude at Penn State and dug his heels in and probably could have done an amazing job there. Both his decisions to stay at PSU, and then move, were really deftly executed.
Which of course leads you to starting thinking about.. wait for it, the character of the school and the community. The administration. The athletics department. The alumni. The fan base. I think O'Brien did a good job mostly keeping his opinions to himself, but you really have to wonder what's in store for the school in the years ahead. Where is, and where was, the leadership? There are sports scandals, and then there are sports scandals. You might almost think the worst days are yet to come. Feels like a real shitshow over there.
posted by phaedon at 07:01 PM on January 01, 2014
They also interviewed Lovie Smith which covers the Rooney Rule
And Smith just signed with the Suckaneers, probably with an option to take over the Man Utd job when the Glazers' patience with Moyes runs out.
posted by etagloh at 11:00 PM on January 01, 2014
Moyes must have really started sweating once Schiano was ousted since that meant the end of "Hey, at least no one has MRSA" defense.
posted by yerfatma at 09:31 AM on January 02, 2014
A profile of O'Brien's likely first pick, Teddy Bridgewater.
posted by yerfatma at 11:14 AM on January 02, 2014
They also interviewed Lovie Smith which covers the Rooney Rule, and Wade Phillips which covers the Just Shoot Me Rule.
I feel bad for PSU, and hope they can can find a way to maintain the vibe and momentum that O'Brien established.