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Texans fans have gone through enough lately. The come from ahead playoff loss to the Chiefs was enough. Yet this fan base has been nothing but loyal and supportive through it all. Despite their loyalty, It seems as if the Texans don't give a damn about what the fans think, as long as they're footing the bill. Not only did the fans weather the storm of that debacle in Kansas City, but they were rewarded with Bill O'Brien getting more power! And what does this dumbass do? He trades the best wide receiver in Texans' history!
What did they get in return
Simple answer: not a thing that's worth a damn. The actual answer: running back David Johnson, a 2nd round pick, and a swap of 4th round picks. Johnson hasn't been a real factor in the last three seasons. The 2nd rounder and 4th round swap should've included a 1st rounder, if not more. To get so little in return was like rubbing salt in the wound while pouring alcohol on it, then wrapping it in sand paper.
Stunting Deshaun Watson's growth
Having a receiver like Hopkins is a quarterback's best friend. He's relaible because he runs immaculate routes and catches anything remotely close to his catch radius. He may not have the blazing speed, but he will win most one on one battles for the ball. The only thing fans can hope for is for the team to take a receiver in the draft that can fulfill some of the Grand Canyon-sized void Hopkins leaves behind. Without a 1st rounder, that will be tough. Watson no longer has his security blanket, which will hurt his growth because he no longer has that one guy he can rely on to make the tough catch in a critical time.
O'Brien's history of buffonery
Getting what he got for Hopkins feeds the narrative of him being a dumbass as a GM. Extending Whitney Mercilus, Ka'imi Fairbairn, Nick Martin, and Bennardrick McKinney were all boneheaded moves for one reason or another. Trading Hopkins, Jadeveon Clowney, and Duane Brown for quarter waters, half-smoked cigarettes, and leftover wing dinners adds uel to the dumpster fire that he's been as a personnel guy. O'Briwen is the type of GM that would not fill up his gas tank during hurricane season, only to run out of gas trying to leave the city, then get flooded in his vehicle because he get stuck in a high water area because he tried to drive through it. He's woefully inept at many of the hats he wears, yet the McNairs seem to be okay as long as the bottom line is in the black instead of the red.
Only one thing stops this madness
More and more I'm hearing Texans' fans say they're fed up. Whether they show it when it counts is another thing. The only way this type of behavoir is deemed unacceptable is if it starts to hurt the bottom line. When the team starts to lsoe money, the McNairs will finally listen. I was told by a very trusted source that only six to eight teams every year actively pursue winning a title. The others are solely out to make a profit. Should they happen to win, that's just an added bonus. The Texans are proving to be one of those profiteers.
There are moments in which a sports fan won't forget where they were or what they were doing when they heard the news. When Mark McGuire hit 62. The time Deion Sanders played in a World series and NFL game on the same day. How about the time Magic Johnson announced he was HIV positive? Or the day we all found out Kobe Bryant had passed away? Some memories are fond. Others are painful. But the common thread is a memory you won't forget. For the next couple years, Texans fans have to hold out hope that this egotistical idiot knows what he's doing. They must rely on a guy who's head is so far up his own ass, his ears are clogged poop so he can't hear the logic others are trying to reason with him. All he sees and smells is his own crap so he's fully convinced it's the only way to go. Hopefully one day these fans are treated to a respectable franchise instead of a laughingstock. Unfortunately, that day seems so far off, our kids may not even get to enjoy it.
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The Houston Astros have looked like one of baseball’s most dangerous teams in recent weeks, riding a hot streak fueled by dominant starting pitching and a red-hot offense that’s erupted for double-digit runs in four of their last eight games. But behind the current success, there are fair questions about whether this pace is truly sustainable as the grind of the season continues.
Yes, the Astros are winning — and winning big — but context matters. Many of their recent victories have come against struggling clubs like the White Sox and Athletics. Even matchups against the Twins and Guardians, while respectable, don’t exactly represent championship-caliber tests. That soft stretch of the schedule has certainly helped Houston pad its win column, but it may not be the best predictor of long-term performance. Houston will be tested in the upcoming series against the Phillies and Cubs.
On the pitching side, the numbers have been impressive, but how repeatable is it? With Lance McCullers Jr. sidelined for at least a couple of weeks, the Astros are relying on a patchwork rotation that includes unproven arms like Colton Gordon, Ryan Gusto, and Brandon Walter. While each has shown flashes, asking them to shoulder the load deep into the summer may be a tall order.
Offensively, Houston is firing on all cylinders. But scoring 10 or more runs every other game simply isn’t sustainable over a 162-game season. Regression is inevitable; the question is how the team responds when the bats cool down or the bullpen is asked to carry more weight.
Amid all this, rookie third baseman Cam Smith continues to shine. Just a few months into his major league career, Smith is producing at a level that suggests he’s not just a key piece of the future — he’s already one of the team’s most valuable players. His batting average sits just a point behind Jose Altuve’s, and his OPS is even higher. If the Astros were forced to choose two players to build around long-term, factoring in youth and contract status, the logical duo might be Smith and breakout pitcher Hunter Brown.
So what about the big picture? Is this team a true World Series contender?
Oddsmakers currently have Houston with the seventh-best odds to win it all, and only the Yankees and Tigers rank higher among American League teams. The core is still there, the experience is undeniable, and if the pitching continues to hold — especially with the anticipated return of Spencer Arrighetti and a healthy McCullers — the Astros have every reason to believe they’ll be in the mix deep into October.
But that’s a big “if.” The ceiling is still high, and with Cam Smith emerging as a star in real time, this team might just have another gear. Whether they can reach it when the competition stiffens, that remains to be seen.
There's so much more to cover! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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