Standing on the banks of Lake Whatawedonow?

O.K., armchair-owners... What do we do now?

Our firstround, first-pick overall career-underachieving defensive SuperStar Mario Williams has shut it down for the remainder of the year. And for the past two months, save a victory over the Titans, Matt Schaub has conducted post-game interviews with eyes as red and teary as my wife after a back-to-back viewing of Steel Magnolias and Beaches.

The league's best wide receiver Andre Johnson continues to toil in his team's regular season mediocrity, revealing to the NFL's top rusher Arian Foster an unpleasant glimpse into his future of stats, awards, recognition, and respect... but seasons that end in week #17, nonetheless.

So, what do we do now?

Is it a matter of a missing piece on defense that was all that held up this team from finally achieving post-season participation? Is it a matter of a GM that can adequately find that piece? Is it an issue of coaching, and all that goes with it: effective preparation, motivation, and leadership?

Probably all of the above.

Bob McNair can decide right here, right now, whether he wants to join the ranks of this city's other professional sports teams that disappoint their fans, but alleviate the pain of failure with books that show a profit. The problem is, Drayton McLane's baseball team that went to the World Series just 5 years ago is now suffering a fate that is the worst of all: people aren't the least bit interested in them.

And I haven't even mentioned Leslie Alexander's ball-dribblers. They have become such a disgrace that they are irrelevant by Thanksgiving. And although they won back-to-back World Championships, that was when today's newly licensed drivers were born! When's the last time you heard someone complain about them? They don't. People instead discuss the great play of other teams and their players.

That's the problem. For a few years fans vent with frustration and anger about their team not performing. Then, they just stop caring. That results in less revenue and the diminished ability to run the team profitably. The Houston Texans have with great pride announced at each and every game how once again they have a capacity crowd. But that won't continue. Not if ownership continues to demonstrate the same apathy regarding not winning that will soon be met with a reciprocal sentiment by the fans illustrating their disapproval with a profitable but losing organization.

Bob McNair does not have as much time as he thinks...He better act now!