Denver Broncos assistant general manager Rick Smith visited Houston for his second interview for the vacant general manager position. Following are his comments to the media.
(on this visit) "It was different; we got a little bit more specific in terms of the organization and my plan and what I might want to add to the organization, so it was a good visit."
(on if the job has been offered to him) "No, we're not at that point now. We're discussing some of the things that Mr. McNair might want or what I might want. We'll get back to that as time goes."
(on the interview being tougher) "I would categorize it as more informative. It was more detailed; we talked in detail about a large number of issues. It was a much more informative interview."
*(on how it went) *"I thought it went well. I'm excited to be here. I think with this franchise and this owner and this head coach, this team is headed in the right direction. For an opportunity to be a part of that is very exciting. My wife loves the city. We got in last night and had a good dinner and she's excited about the opportunity to be here. We're happy."
(on if he was told about the Texans' timetable for making a decision) "I think what's going to happen now is we're going to continue to talk and see if there is an opportunity for us to meet and get this done."
(on if he hoped to be offered the job today) "No, I didn't have any expectations, actually. I just wanted to come back
down. I was excited to be invited for a second interview since I had come the
first time. It was always understood that they would be bringing back the top
two candidates, and that's certainly a possibility as well, so I was just excited
to be in the second round of interviews."
(on if he would want final say on personnel issues if he took the job) "I have no predisposition on what the responsibility needs to be or how it needs to be structured. I think that what's most important is that everybody's on the same page and everybody buys into whatever it is that we're trying to get done. So that's what's important to me."
(on bringing his wife with him on this interview) "I think it was actually an excellent decision by the Texans organization to invite her. I think it was smart. She gets an opportunity to see the city and if it comes to a point where we are having to make a decision in terms of if a job is offered, then it certainly helps that she has been here and has seen what the city has to offer."
(on if he was given a timeline by the Texans) "No timeline. I think what we'll continue to do is discuss the situation and discuss what they're looking for and what I might add, and we'll see what happens."
(on if Thursday night's dinner was more of an informal setting) "Absolutely. It was just an opportunity for us to sit down in a social environment and have dinner and have some good discussion for everyone to kind of get to know each other. They were able to meet my wife, and it was enjoyable. We had a good time."
(on the suggestions he made for what he'd like to see) "I think what's been my message since I've been here is that there's a system that I come from that's been successful. Certainly, to a large degree, what's been done here, there's some successful elements that are here, so I think that there's a marriage there that could take place between what I know and certainly what's been done here, and I think that could be successful."
**(on if he goes back to
today) ** "Yes."
