EVERY-THING SPORTS
Deshaun Watson should fire his whole team, here's why
Apr 7, 2021, 3:03 pm
Whether you're famous or not, you have a circle around you. Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.
Deshaun Watson is embroiled in a serious controversy. He's at the point of no return now. Things have gotten so out of hand, it's hard to keep track of all the allegations, civil suits, and now there's an active investigation by the Houston Police Department. Now that there's a criminal investigation and the first alleged victim has come out and put a name and face to her civil suit, this thing has taken on a new life of its own.
When the details came out that he could've settled this before it all got out and opted not to, I was shocked. Sure it may look like an admission of guilt, but that's why you have a team around you. That team of handlers or representatives is supposed to prevent this kind of stuff from: A) happening in the first place, or B) cleaning up the fallout. Watson's team did neither. Not only did they sit idly by while he indulged, but they didn't help him clean this mess up quietly. Now his once pristine image has been damaged, perhaps permanently, and his team is partially to blame.
When you have a fetish or vice, it can take you down. When you have a team around you, they're supposed to shield you from the things that will take you down. Whether that's stepping in to stop you from ruining things before it gets bad, or it's stepping in to help clean up the fallout of your mess-ups, that is what a REAL team does! Lawyers, friends, managers, public relations, and family members are all part of your team as a celebrity. Those are the people that failed Watson. He failed himself. I'm not absolving him from anything. But those around him have done and continue to do him a disservice. Fortunately, he hired Rusty Hardin and he's an excellent attorney. Whatever he's paying him, he should add 25% because Rusty will make sure he navigates this situation to the best of his ability.
At best, Watson is a creepy deviant who deserves whatever trouble he gets. At worst, he's a criminal and deserves as much jail time as he can possibly get. We will never know all the details of every encounter Watson has had with these women. In my opinion, the details we do know are too much as it is. Watson clearly has a fetish for a certain type of action. His team should've stepped in and done something to set him up for success by getting him help, or finding a way to feed his fetish more safely. Because they didn't, he's now in position to lose everything. They in turn will lose everything. Who wants to be associated with the people who allowed a guy with the world in the palm of his hands to blow it all away?
This is a lesson everyone can learn from. Whether you're famous or not, you have a circle around you. That circle is meant to keep you in line and keep you safe. Part of my circle has helped inspire articles like this one. They've kept me sane throughout one of the most insane times in my life. I can't thank them enough. If Watson had a circle like mine, he wouldn't be in this mess. He should fire them all and replace them with people who want to see him succeed in life because these idiots clearly don't give a damn. That, or they're too chicken sh*t to say anything. Hey Deshaun! I'm here if you need me! I won't let you down!
It’s May 1, and the Astros are turning heads—but not for the reasons anyone expected. Their resurgence, driven not by stars like Yordan Alvarez or Christian Walker, but by a cast of less-heralded names, is writing a strange and telling early-season story.
Christian Walker, brought in to add middle-of-the-order thump, has yet to resemble the feared hitter he was in Arizona. Forget the narrative of a slow starter—he’s never looked like this in April. Through March and April of 2025, he’s slashing a worrying .196/.277/.355 with a .632 OPS. Compare that to the same stretch in 2024, when he posted a .283 average, .496 slug, and a robust .890 OPS, and it becomes clear: this is something more than rust. Even in 2023, his April numbers (.248/.714 OPS) looked steadier.
What’s more troubling than the overall dip is when it’s happening. Walker is faltering in the biggest moments. With runners in scoring position, he’s hitting just .143 over 33 plate appearances, including 15 strikeouts. The struggles get even more glaring with two outs—.125 average, .188 slugging, and a .451 OPS in 19 such plate appearances. In “late and close” situations, when the pressure’s highest, he’s practically disappeared: 1-for-18 with a .056 average and a .167 OPS.
His patience has waned (only 9 walks so far, compared to 20 by this time last year), and for now, his presence in the lineup feels more like a placeholder than a pillar.
The contrast couldn’t be clearer when you look at José Altuve—long the engine of this franchise—who, in 2024, delivered in the moments Walker is now missing. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Altuve hit .275 with an .888 OPS. In late and close situations, he thrived with a .314 average and .854 OPS. That kind of situational excellence is missing from this 2025 squad—but someone else may yet step into that role.
And yet—the Astros are winning. Not because of Walker, but in spite of him.
Houston’s offense, in general, hasn’t lit up the leaderboard. Their team OPS ranks 23rd (.667), their slugging 25th (.357), and they sit just 22nd in runs scored (117). They’re 26th in doubles, a rare place for a team built on gap-to-gap damage.
But where there’s been light, it hasn’t come from the usual spots. Jeremy Peña, often overshadowed in a lineup full of stars, now boasts the team’s highest OPS at .791 (Isaac Paredes is second in OPS) and is flourishing in his new role as the leadoff hitter. Peña’s balance of speed, contact, aggression, and timely power has given Houston a surprising tone-setter at the top.
Even more surprising: four Astros currently have more home runs than Yordan Alvarez.
And then there’s the pitching—Houston’s anchor. The rotation and bullpen have been elite, ranking 5th in ERA (3.23), 1st in WHIP (1.08), and 4th in batting average against (.212). In a season where offense is lagging and clutch hits are rare, the arms have made all the difference.
For now, it’s the unexpected contributors keeping Houston afloat. Peña’s emergence. A rock-solid pitching staff. Role players stepping up in quiet but crucial ways. They’re not dominating, but they’re grinding—and in a sluggish AL West, that may be enough.
Walker still has time to find his swing. He showed some signs of life against Toronto and Detroit. If he does, the Astros could become dangerous. If he doesn’t, the turnaround we’re witnessing will be credited to a new cast of unlikely faces. And maybe, that’s the story that needed to be written.
We have so much more to discuss. 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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