GRADE GARY KUBIAK'S PRESS CONFERENCE QUESTIONS

Written by: Lamont Mann
11-23-2010

ARE THE MEDIA ASKING THE QUESTIONS YOU WANT TO KNOW AT THESE PRESS CONFERENCES.

There is no surprise here, I simply don't think the media is asking Gary Kubiak the questions fans would like to hear.  As I listen to all of the radio shows and I gauge the temperature of the fans, I try to get a sense of the questions being ask by the media.  Normally I am busting the media's balls but in these instances dealing with "what was Kubiak thinking", is the one time I have to side with them because you simply don't know what Gary is thinking.  As I listened to Kubiak's (Jets) press conference, there were a few questions that needed to be asked.

• Why did you come out throwing the HOG in the first series?
• Is Frank Bush going to be fired?
• What happened at the end of the first half (no timeout)?
• Coach in the past I heard you say "you want to have a chance to win at the end of games" but do you think the other teams have this same philosophy.
• According to Webster's dictionary, accountability means what you did to Moats, Slaton, and Brown when they continuously put the ball on the ground, what does accountability mean in terms of defense.  I like to follow up, are you fundamentally weak in defensive aspects therefore you are at the mercy of what some one tells you like Mr. McNair receiving information from you and Rick Smiths?
• If you were Mr. McNair would you make changes?
• What's the deal with the Matt Turk?
• Why is Jacoby Jones looking like he's at City Streets before punt returns?
• Is Matt Schaub having problems with his vision because he's throwing "Ground Balls" to Andre Johnson
• Were you thoroughly impressed with Rex Ryan's clock management on the Texans' last series. Ya know the way he instantly called timeout after Foster went down.
• Coach are you happy about Tannahill and the Aggies (my only softball)
• If Fisher were to resign or get fired in Tennessee, any chance you would bring him in as an assistant interim consultant soon to be head coach or whatever Texans fabricated title Jamie Roots can muster
• Coach I know John McClain is your favorite media person in Houston but who comes in second
• Coach as I looked at the fan running on the feel, I noticed Rex Ryan was happy and the Texans were looking clueless, did you think the fan was going deep on Allen or Jackson

Some of these questions are satirical but most are serious.  I wanted to hear how many would be asked and I am also grading them on how the questions were presented (tone and follow up).  Lately I have noticed, when a heated question needs to be asked, the media will often qualify it by saying "the fans want to know",  At this point I am nit picking but I am a MANN and I think I can ask Kubiak a question from my point of view not the fans.

I have only listen to the interview twice and now I'm about to listen again and I will have a range of grades for each question asked.  I will not bother to elaborate on Kubiak's answers because it's the same since 2008.

John McClain
On the 42 yard play to Edwards, Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison were in the Pre Game Show talking about how they were playing on the wrong side because if he makes the catch they could run out of bounds, and they should have been playing on the outside, and they blamed it on the coaches.  I want to know how you respond to that?

• Excellent
• Good
• Softball
• Who Cares
• WTF

This could have been an Excellent question but it receives a WTF because John McClain did not present the question from his point of view in addition to it being an obvious question Kubiak would not answer because he has repeatedly said "he don't listen to shows".  What really makes it WTF, John McClain is one of the biggest sports names in Houston.  In reality, this question is what John McClain wanted to know but he present it with the cover of Dungy and Harrison.  Also, it was not the Pre Game it was the post game.

John Granato
Coach on the 4 yard line, Braylon Edwards is lined up, Brice McCain is 2 yards deep in the in-zone, you bring 6 guys, leaves the middle wide open, easy slant touchdown.  On the 41 yard line Santonio Holmes same thing easy slant touchdown.  Is that how McCain is taught to play when you are bringing six guys and the middle of the field is wide open.  Then he asked if anything is happening with Frank Bush today, how could you justify keeping him after how your defense has played?

• Excellent
• Good
• Softball
• Who Cares
• WTF

This was an excellent question that I forgot to put on my list.  This was not only puzzling for me but for the TV Commentators as well during the game.  Granato did not appear to "punk out" of the question but asked it straight up and it was an exchange between the two as Kubiak raised his voice and asked if Granato could repeat the question.  The Frank Bush follow up question nailed it.

John McClain
You got the best pass rush you had all year from start to finish but you still gave up 300 something yards passing, are there any defensive backs on the team playing well now?

• Excellent
• Good
• Softball
• Who Cares
• WTF

Who cares about this question, REALLY?  You open up with how pathetic the Texans DBs are and then ask him to praise the least pathetic?  That question was a waste of time.  Collectively the secondary is awful and in the last 2 weeks we have learned that not only is Kareem playing horrific but he was only setting media picks for the other trash on the team.

John McClain
On that last drive where you kicked the field goal, where you were trying to get him to use his timeouts, is that why you ran three in a row because people say you didn't  want to score a touchdown.

• Excellent
• Good
• Softball
• Who Cares
• WTF

OK I had to choose the WTF but John McClain actually created an additional criterion and that's "Easy Out Coach Kubiak and clear the record".  This is no more of John McClain tossing Kubiak a softball to clear up what Matt Schaub said earlier in the day.  Matt Schaub apparently said they were not looking to score, they were trying to make them utilize timeouts.

Barry Warner
Gary, how does an experienced veteran like Eugene Wilson on a second year Quarter Back, fake him out and make him bite on a pass play to the middle of the field and not do what he suppose to do and come over and help out on top.

• Excellent
• Good
• Softball
• Who Cares
• WTF

 Good question BW, it would have been excellent but asking Kubiak the rationale of the players almost gives him a way out.  It's simple, Wilson messed up.  The question was executed in a way that instantly shifts the blame on Wilson with no reason to feel Kubiak was at fault, but I liked the question in addition to it not being on my list.  By rule of emotion, Barry's question has just been elevated to excellent because he followed up by asking Gary "What did Wilson say to you since he didn't speak to the media" although I feel Barry's question is again shifting blame, his "east coast bar room" vernacular makes the question sound tough and stern.

Barry Warner

Gary when you take a look, you got a pass rush yesterday, Mario came to play, that's the first time since I believe since the Washington Game, he came out and played like a big time player,what is it about him that he doesn't do that for 4 quarters every Sunday.

• Excellent
• Good
• Softball
• Who Cares
• WTF

 This is only a good question because I want to know the same thing but truthfully Kubiak can't answer this.  In my opinion Rich Lord should have asked the question on the sideline.  I like the question but Kubiak cannot answer questions about players motors because it's not him.  OMG, I feel like Bob McNair.  I just thought of another question though, why is it, no audio of Mario Williams when he's playing sorry but when he comes out like the incredible hulk, we get audio?  Please talk to him on his down days as well like you do everyone else.  Truth be told, he will end up with 13 or 14 sacks and next year the media will throw these numbers at us in his defense not realizing it's the same as his senior year in college when half of his sacks came against the University of Maryland.  I said I wouldn't elaborate on Kubiak's response but he said Mario is getting double, triple teamed.  THATS BULL, I have watched every game at least 3 times and Mario is not getting that as much as people like to say.  Next week, that lie won't hold water and they will go back to his shoulder. 

John McClain

You guys are giving up almost a hundred yards a game passing than year, when you analyze it, why is that

• Excellent 
• Good
• Softball
• Who Cares
• WTF

 Very good question because I want to know this as well as do alot of fans.

John McClain
Have you thought about going "up tempo" the whole game?

• Excellent
• Good
• Softball
• Who Cares
• WTF

Good question, why not go with what works.  It's weird because I was saying this last year about the passing game when Kubiak was stuck on getting the running game to go.  This is odd because Schaub threw for nearly 5,000 yards but I felt they were forcing the run and in this case if the up tempo works, stick with it.  SWOT ANALYSIS. Strengths Weakness Opportunity Threats.  Play to your strengths.

Matt Jackson
Gary on the two minute offense in the first half was there a reason the timeout wasn't called?  In general other than the field goal under 2 minutes in the 2nd, but before that you had been 0-14 in the 2 minute offense, is there anything you can put your finger on in terms of what has not gone well with the two minute offense this year.

• Excellent
• Good
• Softball
• Who Cares
• WTF

Good to excellent question because that's the first thing I wanted to know as I came home from rabbit bb gun shooting and I wanted to know WHY.  Why not use your timeouts, but the coach own'd it so im good but knowing how upset Matt Jackson is with this organization he delivered it with the MATT voice.  The question was good because Kubiak actually engaged Matt on the the 0-14 stat as Matt told him that's the graphic the networks put up and Kubiak said he would check it out.

Dan Matthews (I think)
Matt Schaub looked pretty good with his mobility yesterday, did he suffer any setbacks with his knee injury

Excellent
Good
Softball
Who Cares
WTF

Who cares the season is over.  I want to believe we still need him but in the cold reality of HMW, ITS OVER.

 
Dan Matthews (I think)
How is OD IS progressing?

Excellent
Good
Softball
Who Cares
WTF

Who cares, the Texans have like 12 Tight Ends.

John McClain
Both corner were covering Andre, and he didn't have another good game, was he getting open and they didn't find him or was he not getting open.

Excellent
Good
Softball
Who Cares
WTF

It was a good question but John McClain saw what I saw, Schaub was throwing Andre ground  balls.  To be more blunt, Schaub was throwing the ball at Andre's feet as he have done all season long.

John McClain
For the fans that are exasperated and given up on the season what do you tell them.

Excellent
Good
Softball
Who Cares
WTF


I think this a Jamie Roots or McNair question.

Media Dude (don't know this person)
Gary in general how did Jason Allen look yesterday

Excellent
Good
Softball
Who Cares
WTF

Who cares, he got smoked like sausage.  Technically it was a good question, but the dude gave up a huge play as well.  WOW, he really became a part of the team Sunday.

Media Dude (don't know this person)
What do you say to Frank Bush in terms of where you at.  In lack of better terms, encouraging him.

Excellent
Good
Softball
Who Cares
WTF

Man, WTF.  This question started off excellent and quickly went to the WTF variety.  Encouraging Frank Bush?  Yea, encourage his ass to fly out of town.  He's not even worthy of flying out of Hobby or Intercontinental it's Uncle Joe's School of Crop Dusting for you buddy.

 Media Dude (don't know this person)
Gary, Will Eugene Wilson continue to start?

Excellent
Good
Softball
Who Cares
WTF

Good straight to the point question
 

Adam Wexler
Gary how did your linebackers grade out?

Excellent
Good
Softball
Who Cares
WTF

It was a good little softball.  Good because I was interested in his feedback on Sharpton but Softball because I know Adam could have delivered the body blow

Adam Wexler
Do you look at your players and the relationship you have here as something that's still good and believe in something can happen even though you are 4 and 6.

Excellent
Good
Softball
Who Cares
WTF


Love the question because I think theres beef in that locker room.

 
Overall, I was really surprised with the questions.  John McClain was the only person that use another entity to present his question, but he rebound with some solid questions.  I believe the conference was a little more heated than normal.  As stated earlier, I am not concerned with Kubiak's answers and Lord knows I was spot on.  Same answers, Same hope, SAME CRAP.

Lamont Mann
HMW
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