Here's some good stuff about the whole cluser****
Pasquarelli
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft06/colu..._len&id=2428160
• Orchestra seats:Virtually every franchise in the league provides at least an assortment of free munchies for the media covering the two-day proceedings at team complexes. And, perhaps fearful of losing their media membership card, just about every reporter partakes. No word as to what they were serving at the Houston Texans facility, but we're betting that Kool-Aid was among the beverages on the menu. How come? Because a lot of folks with laptops and mini-cams were certainly drinking the Kool-Aid when it came to the spin that the Texans were privately offering up for media consumption. At least in their public stance, that the decision to choose defensive end Mario Williams over tailback Reggie Bush was based on football needs, the Texans were more forthcoming. But the Texans brass, which at times has questioned the media over matters as incidental as a misplaced comma, was pretty shrewd in manipulating the press during negotiations with Williams and Bush last week. And certainly after the deal was done, when they quietly planted the seed that the Bush camp had been seeking a prohibitive contract, the Texans orchestrated one of the best misinformation campaigns in recent draft history.
The end-game to Houston's master strategy began Wednesday when the Texans leaked word that, because of a breakthrough negotiating session on Tuesday night, they were on the verge of completing an accord with Bush to become the draft's top pick. But there was no marathon session on Tuesday and, clearly, no breakthrough. In fact, the leak served to prod Williams and agent Ben Dogra, who had been reluctant to enter into substantive talks because they felt they were only being used for leverage, to get serious about negotiations. Great irony, huh, given that everyone thought the Texans' interest in Williams was a contrived charade meant to scare Bush into a deal. Actually, it was the reverse, with Bush the guy used to nudge Williams into negotiations.
As for the media contentions that Bush and agent Joel Segal had been seeking an exorbitant $30 million in guarantees, and that they "blew it" by not jumping at the offer Williams subsequently accepted? Well, the Bush camp, which had been working on proposals for a month and had counseled with NFL Players Association officials about the restrictions posed by the collective bargaining agreement, knew that $30 million in guarantees was essentially unattainable. The top end for guaranteed money in a deal for this year's first pick was in the $28 million range and that was Bush's target. Never was there a proposal for $30 million. Nor, as Houston owner Bob McNair claimed on Saturday, did his team make the same offer to both candidates for the top spot. In fact, a calculation error, a technical matter that reduced the total guaranteed money proposed to Bush, means he never received an offer as high as the one Williams accepted. When Segal phoned the Texans to point out the error, he was told that the club was suspending negotiations with him. The next time the two sides spoke was 10 minutes after Houston officials distributed the press release announcing the Williams agreement.
As for who made the call on Williams over Bush, well,
it's hard to believe that general manager Charley Casserly was the primary catalyst on that one. Casserly has historically toed the "chalk" in the high rounds, typically selecting the proven commodity over the guy with potential. That wasn't the case this time around which lends credence to suspicions around the league that first-year coach
Gary Kubiak has more sway in personnel matters than predecessor Dom Capers ever did. And that McNair, despite protests to the contrary, was scared to death of the off-field issues that swirled around Bush last week.
• By the numbers: As for the Texans' contention that they chose Williams over Bush because their needs were more on the defensive side, consider this: Williams played on a North Carolina State unit that in 2005 statistically ranked as the ACC's third-best defense. Fourth in defense versus the run, fourth in defense against the pass, and No. 3 overall. Among his teammates were a pair of fellow first-round selections, defensive end Manny Lawson (San Francisco) and defensive tackle John McCargo (Buffalo), along with linebacker Stephen Tulloch, who was chosen by Tennessee in the fourth round. And the team's record, despite having four defenders chosen among the top 116 players in the draft, was 7-5 overall and 3-5 in the conference.
