» Bill O’Brien’s emotions can help and hurt his team’s chances.
Bill O’Brien’s intensity is his worst enemy — and just might be his greatest asset
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — One wonders how Bill O’Brien will handle the heat of the biggest game of his coaching career a couple of days after video of him berating an irate fan became public. • If the way he has carried himself in his entire tenure as the Texans’ head coach and the semi-apology he gave Friday when he met the media to talk about Sunday’s playoff game against Kansas City are any indication, it won’t be a factor. • O’Brien angrily cussed the fan in the stands at NRG Stadium while heading to the locker room at halftime of the Texans’ Dec. 8 game against Denver. Houston, an eight-point favorite, trailed 31-3 at the time. • It was the worst hole midway through a Texans home game that O’Brien had ever faced. He did not act like he had been there before.
After the fan suggested that
O’Brien “stinks” — to be fair to the fan, O’Brien’s team was stinking up the joint — O’Brien unleashed an elementary school retort of “You too,” along with a slew of colorful cuss words.
It was comical. And pure O’Brien. In the heat of the moment, the poor guy agreed with the heckler’s assessment of his relative stink level by saying “too.”
Interestingly, I’m pretty sure the only time O’Brien’s predecessor, Gary Kubiak, felt the need to apologize for cursing was after a PG-13 locker room celebration when the Texans clinched their first playoff appearance.
Funny thing is, O’Brien’s volatile personality could be the reason the Texans lose to the Chiefs or the reason they beat them.
NFL games are fast-moving affairs involving a host of decisions that must be made quickly and smartly. Emotion can hinder clear thinking in such high-pressure situations.
O’Brien’s nature surely contributes to his glaring mistakes under fire.
Yet that intensity has produced a staff that demands excellence, and a team of players who know they are going to be held accountable for every missed assignment, every mistake.
That their coach is super-sensitive and perhaps a bit nuts doesn’t bother any of the Texans players I have talked to.
O’Brien isn’t a players’ coach in the classic sense — he isn’t buddy-buddy with them — but he works hard to develop strong relationships with them.
He laughs. He listens. He learns. His relationship with Deshaun Watson, the most important player on the roster, is in large part why he is still employed by the team. It could one day make him a champion.
The Texans’ swagger, their confidence, their belief in what they are capable of, originates from their head coach. It is real because of their quarterback.
O’Brien did his darnedest to make his team believe in Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett and Brock Osweiler and Tom Savage. That didn’t work.
The Texans believe in their quarterback. Watson believes in his head coach.
The fan fracas wasn’t out of character for Fire Marshal Bill. He has had similar blowups with members of the organization. But he’s high enough in the franchise hierarchy to put out this fire.
Several players on the Texans’ roster might have been released had they gone after a fan with such a verbal assault.
Others would have been fined or forced to offer a sincere apology, knowing full well that their reputation would take a permanent hit were they caught being that nasty to a paying customer.
But O’Brien, who shouted at the fan to “go the (blank) home,” isn’t a player. He is management. Upper management, in fact.
He isn’t going to sanction himself. In his short tenure running the team, Cal McNair has shown that he would prefer to keep most of the team’s business proceedings quiet and remain behind the scenes.
If the Texans advance to their first AFC Championship Game, at most expect a leak that McNair was not happy with O’Brien’s vulgarity. Otherwise, it isn’t likely to be addressed.
O’Brien’s petulance as displayed at that moment should be an embarrassment for the franchise, but will be much less of one if the Texans pull off the upset at frigid Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday.
Winning doesn’t cure all, but it obscures plenty.