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| Saturday, January 13 Associated Press | |||
| HOUSTON -- The name alone is enough to evoke this city's NFL
nostalgia: "Phillips."
This time it's son of Bum, Wade, coming in for consideration as
head coach of the expansion Houston Texans. Bum Phillips became a
cult figure in Texas, leading the Oilers to the brink of the Super
Bowl in the late 1970s.
"I was here at the time, and those were great days and great
memories," Wade Phillips said Saturday after talking with the
Texans. "But I think they are starting a new era with new memories
for everybody here.
"Hopefully, they'll start a new team and do well and have the
same kind of memories we had in the Luv ya Blue era, which I will
always cherish."
Phillips, an assistant to his father with the Oilers, who have
since become the Tennessee Titans, became available after he was
fired Monday as head coach of the Buffalo Bills. Still, being a
native Texan doesn't make him a shoo-in with the Texans, who begin
play in 2002.
"Coming home certainly has to be a big factor but that's not
the only factor. You have to be the right fit," Phillips said.
"It has to be right for them and for me too. There are certain
things I have to have as a head coach that make it right for me."
Phillips was the fifth coach interviewed by the Texans. General
manager Charley Casserly plans to interview Denver offensive
coordinator Gary Kubiak on Monday. Kubiak also has Texas ties as a
former quarterback at Texas A&M.
On Wednesday, the Texans interviewed Ted Cottrell, Phillips'
defensive coordinator at Buffalo. The Texans earlier interviewed
Jacksonville defensive coordinator Dom Capers, University of Miami
coach Butch Davis and St. Louis assistant head coach Jim Saunders.
The Bills had a 29-19 record in three years under Phillips, but
owner Ralph Wilson fired him for refusing to fire special teams
coach Ronnie Jones.
"That was pretty much it, but it's never that simple. There are
always more issues than one thing or another," Phillips said.
"Ralph gave me some great opportunities that furthered my career.
We won a lot of games there so I'm proud of what we did there and I
think we will see each other at league meetings.
"I know he feels like I did a good job for him."
Phillips says he thinks success as a head coach makes him
attractive to the Texans.
"There aren't many guys with head coaching experience that have
won," Phillips said. "We won 29 games. There are only five teams
that have won more games in the last three years so I think I bring
something that way."
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