Every-Thing Sports
Bill O'Brien is that one uncle or friend everyone has
"You can't choose your family. They are God's gift to you as you are to them."- Desmond Tutu
"Everyone knows you can't choose your family, but you can choose your friends."- Unknown
Both of these quotes are true. Both should also be taken in context. Both can be proven wrong as well. You see, some family members are toxic and some friends are like family. I've experienced all of this in my lifetime. Then, there are those family members and/or friends that make you shake your head while wondering "how the hell did we get here with this fool?" I'm sure you've got a family member, or friend, or both that will give you headaches, confuse you, make you laugh at their stupidity, and question how they managed to live this long being that dumb or reckless.
This perfectly describes Bill O'Brien. He's managed to amass the kind of power and influence in the Texans' organization that would require a military coup, or a conniving genius. But is he capable of either? Some of his actions would suggest the answer isn't just a no, but a HELL NO! So what type of family member or friend is O'Brien? Here's a few examples:
That one uncle
Everybody has that one uncle. He's the most talkative at family functions. Usually, he's talking trash. He's always got something to say about everybody and what everybody is doing. He doesn't mind criticizing things or people, but when it comes to him, he will lose his mind if you turn the tables (snide remarks to honest post-game questions)! When he's the butt of the jokes or critical talks, he has been known to grab his malt liquor and go home angry (yelling at a fan at halftime while getting blown out by the Broncos). There will even be times when he gets drunk, starts randomly fussing about the most mundane things, then acts out (trading DeAndre Hopkins and Jadeveon Clowney).
The friend you distance from
There are friends you'll have that will test the power of the friendship in numerous ways. They will act like they know everything and be stubborn enough not to ask for help. You'll watch them struggle from afar, and they'll suffer rather than admit they need help (calling plays instead of getting an offensive coordinator). Sometimes, they'll even get a promotion at their job you know they attained by nefarious actions (named general manager 17 months after his guy, Brian Gaine, was hired for the same job). When their skills in the new position don't match the title, you wonder how can they live with themselves. Everyone in your circle knows they aren't good at it and take advantage of them (Hopkins and Clowney trades). Finally, you have to distance yourself from them in order to keep your own sanity and find a new avenue with new friends and opportunities (Mike Vrabel).
There are times in our lives in which we will encounter these kinds of people. Be it a family member, or a friend. The question is: how do we handle it? Do we have an intervention? Do we let them figure it out? Do we drop gentle hints and hope they get their act together? In this instance, O'Brien needs an intervention. The only people who can do so, The McNairs, are the same ones who've supplied him with all the ammo he needs to think he's Teflon. It's like a drug dealer having to bring the addict to rehab: it won't work or end well. Until then, we'll have to see if he will figure it out. Hopefully for Texans fans, I hope he figures it out soon.
