Houston Texans Crush Walmart, Broncos & Excuses with DeMeco Ryans Coach Hire

And now? Coach DeMeco Ryans is coming. No more hand-me-downs, no more interim "maybes'' and no more amateurism. The Houston Texans didn't blow it.

Somebody inside the Houston Texans organization got scared.

Scared that somehow this front office would blow it. Again.

Scared that the Texans might have to hire an inferior leader. Again.

Scared that DeMeco Ryans might see ghosts of the past instead of potential in the future.

How else to explain the noxious notion - surely designed as a preemptive warning-shot excuse in case this organization really did botch the Ryans "homecoming hire'' - that the Walmart-family-financed Denver Broncos might "outbid'' the McNair "paupers''?

Instead, the McNairs chose to beat the "big guy'' and to be the "big guy,'' right to the end, sealing the deal on the culture-changing Tuesday hire even amid rumors that the Broncos circled back to the hot-shot coach one more time to get him to call off the wedding

Sidebar I: NFL Network is reporting the circle-back. It makes sense, as the Broncos' "settle'' choice, Sean Payton, is going to Denver under the terms of a trade that costs the Broncos a couple of premium draft picks.

Those sacrificed picks would be reason enough to pass on Payton.

Sidebar II: The guys in Bristol are countering the NFL Network report by insisting the circle-back never happened, that "the timing of the two hires is completely coincidental - the Broncos were zeroed in on Sean Payton.''

There is water to be carried at ESPN, we suppose.

And ... somebody in Houston was prepared to do the same for the Texans, positioning Cal McNair as "The Poor Little Rich Boy'' who wasn't going to lose out on first choice Ryans because the Houston franchise is run by boobs, but rather ...

Because the McNairs, who are worth in the neighborhood of $4 billion, might not be able to financially match the Walmart Broncos' offer.

It was respected Houston sportswriter John McClain who floated this, but it deserves more scrutiny. Why could the McNairs not win a bidding war? On what planet can billionaires not buy things or afford employees?

Fortunately, this is a dead issue now. Ryans, 38, has roots in Houston as a former player here. His wife Jamila is from here. This is football country, and the Texans suddenly have building-block assets. There are plenty of reasons for the Texans to want him, and there are plenty of reasons for him to want the Texans.

And he has a six-year contract. ... that obviously, the McNairs can "afford.''

So there goes the "can't afford him'' excuse.

And now? No more hand-me-downs, no more interim "maybes'' and no more amateurism. The Houston Texans didn't blow it.

It's a start.

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