C.J. Stroud and Casting Out the Demons of Deshaun

I still love making the joke that someone in the city of Houston circa 2017 decided to sell their soul. Houston sports have always been prone to causing immense amounts of pain for no discernible reason. In a blog about the Texans, I have to remind everyone about the Chiefs game. Houston is a city filled with sports despair with little bright spots that allow some glimpse of hope. I genuinely believed there for a while I would never see a championship. I am now in a divine pact where I am not allowed to get mad at sports until 2025.

But Houston has seen a lot of sports despair. The 2018 Game 7 against the Warriors where the Rockets somehow forgot how to shoot a 3 and were completely against easy layups (Daryl Morey and his consequences). We can also talk about that one Chiefs game where the Texans forgot how to play football. But now we’re at this place where I feel kind of hopeful about Houston sports, and I think CJ Stroud is the biggest part of that.

Casting Out A Demon

I actually feel badly for Deshaun Watson. Now before you wonder what 4chan forums I’ve been frequenting, I still think he’s a prime candidate for a divine ACL tear (maybe throw in an MCL if we’re dealing with the Old Testament). I feel badly for him because I don’t think his affinity for rub ‘n tugs was any sort of secret to those in the know. He was probably going to be allowed to gallant in the off season harassing unaware masseuses. But then he decided to commit the only crime that’s truly punishable in this country: fucking with billionaire’s money. (There are certain things I believe happened behind the scenes, but I do not have the funds to defend against a lawsuit from a certain mayoral-aspiring attorney).

With that said Deshaun is the personification of everything wrong with how we treat athletes in their respective school years. Not to say that athletes are psychopaths, I just imagine being told since you’re a child that you are above everyone else can be somewhat damaging to a healthy ego. You can only imagine the free passes he’s gotten in his life because of the fact he’s a good quarterback. And to be fair, he still is with that $230 million contract.

Deshaun’s casting out was a weird saga of watching a man’s perception fall to that of R. Kelly, while being courted throughout the NFL like he was an aging QB and the Colts have an opening. He was a black hole in Texans football while Jack Easterby was running a Bible study. And it felt like all of Houston sports was affected. The Dynamo couldn’t sell tickets. The Astros made it to the World Series, only to be humiliated by the Braves (but we got a Zack Greinke hit). The Rockets were trying to deal with the Tilman acquisition. And Davis Mills was the Texans flagship (they could have at least brought Case Keenum back).

And then Deshaun left, taking with him the baggage of the hopes and dreams of a franchise under a butt-chinned man.

Stroud Houstonian

I wrote a week or so ago that Houston is lacking a football identity, and I still believe that’s true. It doesn’t really help that UH had the potential to define itself under Tom Herman, but is now suffering under the human embodiment of a vodka Red Bull. During the Deshaun tenure, I believed we’d once again find some sort of footballing glory. I mean we made it to the playoffs; the second paragraph obviously explains what happened. I think CJ Stroud is actually what the Texans have been looking for – a young QB who genuinely loves his craft.

I don’t think I need to delve into what CJ Stroud is to the Texans thus far. There have been more than a thousand tweets and blogs about his situational awareness, his football IQ, and his ability to not throw interceptions. And it’s not like he’s working with the Eagles offensive line either, which is incredibly impressive. And again, he’s doing that as a rookie. CJ Stroud is genuinely getting some interest in the MVP conversation. Now, of course, I’m pulling for Tua (expect us), but I’m just happy a Texans player is included.

Ever since CJ Stroud was drafted, it feels like we’re in the middle of a Houston sports revolution. The Dynamo are in the playoffs. The Rockets have Dillon Brooks who seems to actually be that guy right now (Jalen Green, not so much). The Texans have found a guy, and are winning games (weird). The Astros hired a manager who wasn’t Brad Ausmus. While, sure, they may be more factors, this all seems to be CJ Stroud’s doing. Deshaun was the demonic curse on Houston sports.

In my headcanon, CJ Stroud is in an eternal struggle with Deshaun for the soul of Houston sports. And for now, he is winning.

Follow Moon Stamp Sports on Twitter/X and Instagram.