-- Gado to be #3 RB --
Thu Sep 14, 2006 --from FFMastermind.com
#
The Houston Chronicle reports once new Texans RB Samkon Gado is ready to go and is activated, he'll be the third back behind RB Wali Lundy and RB Ron Dayne, who is expected to play this week. He'll get some playing time. That'll be three backs thrown into the mix.
This is misleading in that no one is really reporting anything here. It's a blog by a Chronicle columnist, and he rambled on about all kinds of things before getting around to mentioning Gado. It was pretty clear to me that he was simply giving his own opinion, just as everyone in this thread is, about how things will shake out. He didn't indicate he was reporting anything offered by the team, and so there's nothing new here that we didn't already know - which is basically to wait and see how it all goes.
McClain Blog
Is there a Dr. Gado in the house?
Gang,
Before we discuss a column I wrote in Wednesday's Chronicle — tongue in cheek, by the way because a few of you didn't get it — and analyze the trade with Green Bay for running back Samkon Gado, I need your help, please.
Sports Radio 610 asked me to participate in a Friday afternoon segment with Marc Vandermeer and Rich Lord in which I'm being set up to be embarrassed. Many of you might say I set myself up to be embarrassed every day, but that's another story.
On Friday afternoons at 5, I go against Vanessa Mares in a segment called "Chick's Picks" in which she checks out my picks in Friday's Chronicle and then disagrees with five of them. Vanessa is a sports fanatic who's a senior at Sam Houston State and works for our sister station, CNN 650 AM Radio News. While working toward her degree in communications, Vanessa has interned in the sports departments at Ch. 2 and Ch. 39 and has worked at KTRH.
Anyway, she's taking this thing very seriously because we have a contest going. To find out what it is and to check out Vanessa, go to the station's web site, sportsradio610.com. Now, here's where I need your advice: I'm in a no-win situation. I'm supposed to beat her, of course, and I did the first weekend, 4 to 1, by the way. But that's just one weekend, and it's a long season — geez, I'm beginning to sound like the Texans, huh?
I'd like to find a way to get readers and listeners involved in some sort of contest in which I — or Vanessa — have to pay up. For instance, when I subbed for John and Lance on Labor Day, Vanessa and I made two bets: One, she bet me the Astros would make the playoffs. I said that when I got home and turned on my computer and checked my e-mail, the first five I received that responded would go to lunch with Vanessa and me. Well, I'm taking 37 of you to lunch whether the Astros make or miss the playoffs. Then, Vanessa said the Texans would finish at least 8-8. I said they wouldn't. The loser washes the other's car.
Do any of you remember "Cool Hand Luke" starring Paul Newman. Yeah, you know what I'm talking about. And if you haven't seen the film, check it out.
Right now, I feel like I'm taking candy from a baby. A 4-1 start, the Texans not finishing at least 8-8. The Astros not making the playoffs. Man, should I feel guilty?
Anyway, please give me some suggestions for a contest during the season that she or I have to pay up after the season. The winner — or winners — could get another lunch with us. I could throw in my Texans season tickets for a game, but I'm afraid you might throw them back.
But I'm open to suggestions. It'll be on me — not the station or the Chronicle — just like the lunch will be once the Astros are officially in or out. And thanks very much ahead of time. I love to meet football fans and talk ball. I do it all the time. So come up with a contest for Vanessa and me so we can get together over lunch with you and talk ball.
Now, the column I wrote in Wednesday's Chronicle about Bob McNair selling the team to Bud Adams after he fired Gary Kubiak and waived David Carr and Mario Williams obviously wasn't true. But I'm amazed at the few e-mails I got from readers who blasted me because they thought it was. A couple got it and blasted me, anyway, because they just didn't like the column, and that's fine. I have no problem with that. I appreciate all of you reading and taking the time to write me.
My point was for many of you who have been so critical of the Texans after one game to perhaps take a look at what you've actually suggested. I've gotten e-mails demanding McNair sell. A couple even said Bud is a better owner. Then, there are many of you who already know Williams is going to be a huge bust.
Hey, check out what Tony Dungy and Dwight Freeney said about Mario in a story in Sunday's Chronicle by Dale Robertson. If you don't believe us, the media, or the Texans about Mario, perhaps you'll believe Dungy and Freeney. They're not saying he's a great player at this point because he's not. They're just saying he deserves a chance to improve and become the kind of defensive lineman just about everyone in the NFL has predicted. They say fans should be patient and try to understand what it's like for a rookie pass rusher.
We're also running a chart showing what 10 of the NFL's premier pass rushers did in their first start compared to Williams. You might be surprised. For all of you who already know he's a bust after getting in on three tackles in his first start, Julius Peppers had one assist and that's it. He's developed quite nicely, hasn't he? Anyway, it'll be interesting reading. Check it out.
Now, on to Samkon Gado. Why did the Texans covet the second-year native of Nigeria who started only two games at a Division II college and was undrafted and out of work at this time last year? First of all, assistant head coach Mike Sherman strongly recommended him. Sherman coached him at Green Bay last season when Gado went from the practice squad to the starting lineup because of injuries to the first three backs. He was the NFL offensive player of the month for November after having three 100-yard games.
What an incredible success story. Out-of-work medical student with two starts at Liberty College is signed off the street for the practice squad six weeks into the season and ends up starting five games and leading the Packers in rushing before suffering a sprained knee ligament that ended his season with two games left. His hero is Christian Okoye, the former Kansas City running back.
Ahman Green is healthy. He rushed for more than 100 yards in the Packers' opening loss to Chicago. New coach Mike McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson wanted a smaller back like Vernand Morency. The Packers liked Morency coming out of Oklahoma State. The Texans got him in the third round with the pick they acquired from Dallas for quarterback Drew Henson. The Packers wanted more speed, quickness and shiftiness.
The Texans wanted more size. Gado, 23, is 5-10, 226. Now that he's coming to Houston, he'll have to put his stethoscope on the shelf for a while. He should help with blitz pickup, which was never one of Morency's strong points.
Wali Lundy is still the starter. Ron Dayne will come off the bench against the Colts. If one of them plays better than the other, he'll get more playing time. Once Gado is ready to go and is activated, he'll be the third back. He'll get some playing time. That'll be three backs thrown into the mix.
I imagine right about now many of you are shouting, "And they could have had Reggie Bush! What's wrong with these people?" And you're right, of course, but no matter how much you complain, he's still going to be with the Saints.
It's very early, of course, but I'm going to go out on a limb and make a prediction about the 2007 draft — running back will be a priority.
The Texans' schedule is tough, and they may need all three backs.
What Kubiak wants is for one of the backs to separate himself from the pack. We'll have to see if that happens. It should have been Domanick Davis, of course, but that's another story.
At the facility today, almost all the talk centered on the Colts, especially Peyton Manning. Remember when Bob McNair justified the Mario Williams pick by saying to beat the Colts they needed a pass rush to get to Manning? Well, here's Williams' chance. The problem is that hardly anyone gets to Manning. The Texans have a better chance of giving him a Wet Willie like his brother, Eli, on that SportsCenter commercial than actually sacking him two or three times.
The Texans' defensive players talked about what a difference it is to watch the Colts on film and not see Edgerrin James in the backfield. Not only is James a great runner, but he's an outstanding receiver and excels at blitz pickup. When they play one back, he's got to pick up the blitz to protect Manning. Veteran Domanic Rhodes and rookie Joseph Addai, the Houston native who played at LSU and was the Colts' No. 1 pick this year, don't intimidate anyone when they line up. James did.
That puts more pressure on Manning to control the clock with his passing game. The only way the Texans have a chance to win this game and break their eight-game losing streak to the Colts is if Manning is kidnapped on the way to the RCA Dome. That might not even be enough unless the kidnappers could take Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and Dwight Freeney with them.
Speaking of Freeney, you just know he's licking his chops to go against a rookie left tackle like Charles "Big Nasty" Spencer. Big Nasty's going to find out that it's no exaggeration when teammates tell him that Freeney plays at another speed than other pass rushers. No matter what they tell him, he's going to be shocked the first time Freeney blows by him like he's been shot out of a cannon. Poor David Carr.
Okay, that's enough for tonight. If you've read this far, thanks very much.
And don't forget to e-mail me some contest suggestions, please.
I have posted my opinion in this thread.
everyone always has rose-colored glasses when it comes to RBs they take a flier on
And while I'm posting I guess I'll be one of the few who gives kudos to PFT for once again beating everyone to the punch. As an FYI to those clamoring for a "reputable" confirmation, if it isn't obvious to you already PFT is a reputable source of info. HTH
