PAST HIS PRIME

Patrick Creighton: It’s time for Bob McNair to ride off into the sunset

Patrick Creighton: It’s time for Bob McNair to ride off into the sunset
Bob McNair continues to make bad comments. Bob Levey/Getty Images

It’s almost like a really bad film is being made on the self-destruction of Texans owner Bob McNair and we are all extras in it.

Bob McNair made his fortune in the city of Houston, became a member of the Texas Business Hall of Fame, and is a noted philanthropist who has founded the Robert & Janice McNair Foundation, and the Robert & Janice McNair Educational Foundation.  McNair has been on the Board of Trustees of Rice University, Baylor College of Medicine, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Grand Opera, and more.

Bob McNair is also the man most responsible for the return of the NFL to Houston.

Unfortunately, it’s his involvement as owner of the NFL team that is causing him to come unraveled right before our eyes.

In his latest media faux pas, Bob McNair actually recanted his apology from October of last year.  

“The main thing I regret is apologizing,” McNair told the Wall Street Journal.  “I really didn’t have anything to apologize for.”

Clearly McNair just doesn’t get it.  His apology to his own team fell flat on the players. Johnathan Joseph even said so.   His insistence that he was really referring to the NFL league office and not the players with his comment about “inmates running the prison”is believed by no one but the man Bob McNair sees in the mirror each day, and that could be debatable.

After all, if McNair was really referring to the boys at 345 Park Ave, NYC, as the inmates, why give the man who would have to be considered the lead inmate – Roger Goodell – a new 5 year, $200M contract extension 18 months early?  Bob McNair was a member of the six man Compensation Committee that green lit the deal, and did so a week before the December owners’ meetings in Irving, Texas that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was supposed to get the floor at to discuss slowing down the process on that extension.

Does it make sense that a man would give a $200M contract to someone he feels is an inmate trying to run his prison?

McNair also went out of his way to call Duane Brown a liar, and in the process only gave further evidence that the reason the team would not negotiate a new deal with Brown and so hastily shipped him off to Seattle last season was because Brown had previously protested racial injustice during an anthem by raising his fist.

McNair denied Brown’s contention that the owner addressed the team following the election of President Obama.  

“I don’t go into meetings and express views like that,” said McNair.  “I never said that. He (Brown) has no problem saying things that are not true.”

Here’s the problem: McNair absolutely had this meeting, and multiple players before and after Duane Brown have confirmed this.  In fact, former Texans TE Owen Daniels appeared on ESPN Houston 97.5 with John Granato, Raheel Ramzanali & Del Olaleye on Thursday and said he was surprised McNair would make such a statement because the meeting did happen, and McNair did address the team about his dismay over the election of President Obama in 2008.

McNair got caught calling Duane Brown a liar, with a lie.

McNair further tried to disparage Brown by blaming his former Pro Bowl left tackle for the team rejecting his apology for the inmates comment.

McNair claimed he “just tried to tell the truth” to his players to help them understand what he truly meant, but that he couldn’t crack the locker room because “all Duane was trying to do was be a troublemaker.”  Brown was traded days later to the Seahawks for draft picks.

He further went on to compare players exercising their expression to a McDonald’s worker handing out burgers and telling people to be vegetarians, because clearly if players weren’t playing football, they’d be flipping burgers.  

Professional sports are unlike any other business, but why the burger joint analogy?  He could have chosen so many other businesses to compare but went for the lowest unskilled worker comparison.  I don’t think that was completely by accident. It falls in line with the idea players should be seen and not heard.  Players should obey and not think.

McNair continues to disservice himself, the team, and the league by continually putting his foot in his mouth to the media.  He’s quickly destroying the good will he’s worked hard to earn in the city he’s made his fame and fortune in.

I really don’t want to see Bob McNair wind up in eternal disgrace, the way his pal Jerry Richardson will (you will recall McNair tried to explain away Richardson’s sexual harassment and racist comments by saying that the Panthers owner was probably just joking).

You’re a very rich man Bob; go enjoy the rest of your life away from the media, away from the scrutiny, on a beach somewhere with Janice being treated like royalty.  Don’t continue to undo your legacy by being out of touch with modern times and social mores.

No one wants to continue to be a part of this film where you self-destruct, Bob.  People want to remember the Bob McNair who returned the NFL to Houston, not the one who was responsible for increased racial tensions between players and owners.

Before it’s too late, Bob, turn the keys over to Cal and ride off into the sunset.  

 

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Christian Walker is starting to provide some thump! Composite Getty Image.

The Houston Astros are hoping their ace can help them build momentum.

After taking the series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the AL West–leading Astros (58–42) send left-hander Framber Valdez to the mound Tuesday night looking to stretch their edge and get back on track following a rocky 10-game stretch.

Valdez (10–4, 2.75 ERA) has been steady all season, and Houston needs another big outing. The Astros have dropped seven of their last ten despite strong efforts from their starting rotation. But Valdez, with a 1.12 WHIP and 125 strikeouts, remains the club’s most consistent option, and his ability to navigate Arizona’s home run, heavy lineup could be the key to another series win.

The Diamondbacks (50–51), meanwhile, sit just under .500 but have shown flashes, especially at home. Arizona averages nearly 1.5 homers per game, led by Geraldo Perdomo and Corbin Carroll. But left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (3–6, 5.94 ERA) has struggled in his first season with the club and draws a tough assignment against one of the AL’s top on-base units.

Just in the nick of time?

Christian Walker, who hit a clutch double against is former team in the opener, is finally giving the Astros the middle-of-the-order power they hoped for when they brought him in. Walker has 13 doubles, a triple, 13 home runs and 51 RBIs for the Astros. With the Astros' rash of injuries, they need Walker's production now more than ever. He has 4 RBIs and 1 dinger in his last 3 games.

Houston enters Tuesday with a narrow edge in the series and on the betting line (-126), but they know there’s little room for error. While Arizona has split its last ten games and actually outscored opponents during that span, the Astros are still trying to shake off a slump that’s seen them hit just .234 with a 4.83 ERA in their last 10.

With the trade deadline looming and the division race tightening, every game — and every inning Valdez can give them — matters a little more.

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Astros -126, Diamondbacks +105; over/under is 8 1/2 runs.


Game 2 lineup

 

What are the big takeaways from Tuesday night's lineup? Cam Smith is leading off again, even though many have been pleading with Joe Espada (me included) to leave him in the cleanup spot. Altuve is in the two-spot and serving as the DH.

Hey, at least Christian Walker isn't hitting fourth! (We'll take the small victories when we get them)! Walker is hitting third, followed by Yainer Diaz (C), and Chas McCormick (CF). Game 1 hero Brice Matthews is hitting six and playing second base, followed by Mauricio Dubon (3B), Cooper Hummel (LF), and Zack Short (SS).

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