The Horns are the #3 in the first AP poll for Hoops this year. Not surprisingly, knowing the scheduling tendencies of Rick Barnes, the Horns are facing some pretty tough competition this year.
They get #1 Kansas in conference play.
They host #2 Michigan State in the non-conference December game of the year.
They meet defending National Champion #6 North Carolina in Arlington.
Pretty sweet schedule. I guess the pundits won't be bashing the strength of schedule for Barnes' team like they do Mack Brown's football squad.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Va Tech should let UNC score here. Two minutes to go, and UNC just got a first down at the Va Tech 9 yard line. Not sure what Beamer is thinking here - the UNC kicker is lining up for a chip shot. Put the ball back into your offense's hands and try to push the ball up the field. Odds are - this kick goes through, and Va Tech, everyone's preseason ACC favorite falls further into obscurity.
Kick is good. Do you think Va Tech will be ranked still? Is #13 a true indication of this team? They just lost at home to UNC (who just got their first conference win of the season). They lost to Alabama. They lost to Georgia Tech. And their big win over Nebraska? How does that look - the same Nebraska team that has lost back to back home games, including Iowa State last weekend. With 8 turnovers!!! OVERRATED Hokies (obviously)
I guess this means the ACC will be sending another 3 loss team to the Orange Bowl once it's all said and done.
Kick is good. Do you think Va Tech will be ranked still? Is #13 a true indication of this team? They just lost at home to UNC (who just got their first conference win of the season). They lost to Alabama. They lost to Georgia Tech. And their big win over Nebraska? How does that look - the same Nebraska team that has lost back to back home games, including Iowa State last weekend. With 8 turnovers!!! OVERRATED Hokies (obviously)
I guess this means the ACC will be sending another 3 loss team to the Orange Bowl once it's all said and done.
NBA Book
I want to read Tom Delaney's book. It would be a good read. I promise, I won't buy into the conspiracy theories, I just think it would be interesting. If the NBA would come out and say the book was a work of fiction, it would still be interesting.
By the way, the book addresses the NBA's direction to its officials to keep certain games close (2003 LA Lakers vs. Sacramento Kings, 2005 NBA Finals Mavericks vs. Heat, 2000 Portland vs. LA Lakers) in order to get improved ratings and keep marquee teams in the finals to increase ratings.
Currently, the NBA has put pressure on publishers nationwide to avoid getting the book printed. Still, there are excerpts available online for those interested. It's an interesting story, whether you believe the refs are cheaters are not...click here for info
By the way, the book addresses the NBA's direction to its officials to keep certain games close (2003 LA Lakers vs. Sacramento Kings, 2005 NBA Finals Mavericks vs. Heat, 2000 Portland vs. LA Lakers) in order to get improved ratings and keep marquee teams in the finals to increase ratings.
Currently, the NBA has put pressure on publishers nationwide to avoid getting the book printed. Still, there are excerpts available online for those interested. It's an interesting story, whether you believe the refs are cheaters are not...click here for info
UNC beating Va Tech?
Two things: 1) Carolina blue and the colors of Va Tech (is that poop brown and bright orange?) on the same screen should be illegal - especially in 1080i HD.
2) Does Va Tech struggling with UNC at home mean that Alabama is still a great team? Remember, everyone loved the Crimson Tide after the beatdown of the Hokies to start the year. Current score - Va Tech 17 UNC 14.
And why not, a comment on the referees? 3) That ACC ref, the black guy, is pretty intense. "After FURther review, the RUling on the field....STAnds"
2) Does Va Tech struggling with UNC at home mean that Alabama is still a great team? Remember, everyone loved the Crimson Tide after the beatdown of the Hokies to start the year. Current score - Va Tech 17 UNC 14.
And why not, a comment on the referees? 3) That ACC ref, the black guy, is pretty intense. "After FURther review, the RUling on the field....STAnds"
World Series Reaction
I' m sorry, but even through the midst of one of the greatest pitching performances in the recent history of the World Series, I couldn't help but find myself switching to reruns of "The Office" last nig during during Game 1 between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies. As a self-proclaimed sports nut, it shouldn't even be a question that I would marvel at the unreal performance of Phillies starter Cliff Lee (6 hits, double digit Ks, a near shutout) on the game's biggest stage, but I can't lie - baseball is just plain boring.
The ratings for this year's World Series will be saved by the fact that the MLB's most marketable team is playing for the game's grandest prize. But the reality is baseball has become an old man's game. Fans of the facebook-twitter-smartphone-internet-blog-myspace-ipod age are not interested in a game that appears to move slower than a Jeff Fisher starting QB coaching decision. We want quick action (football), life threatening activity (NASCAR), or superior athletic ability (basketball). Baseball is a game designed to be seen in person with your dad while you keep score on a sultry August night before school starts back up. It's not for late October, wedged between the start of the NBA season and the in the heart of the NFL and college football seasons.
The game takes too long. There are far too many deadtimes (side note - a really fun drinking game is to take a sip whenever a ball player adjusts his crotch. You'll be smashed before the 3rd inning). Pitchers are on "pitch counts" which means we get teams pulling marquee pitchers in favor of hundred of no-namers to close out games in the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th innings. Batters are no longer juiced up, so homers are fewer and farther between. Commentators spend time scanning the crowd for views of the local beauties, while fans at the game are more interested in doing the wave or bouncing a beach ball than watching a game trudge its way through the 5th inning. Fans wait 3-4 hours for about 25 seconds worth of relevant action, including runs being scored or a high pressure strikeout. In short - the game is just plain slow and boring.
Don't get me wrong, baseball has its time and place. The issue is whether or not that place is NOW, in late October. Baseball should consider shortening their seemingly endless regular season. Owners don't want to lose this revenue? Then play double headers throughout the season. Teams in the early years of MLB did this rather frequently.
The sport's day as the national pastime has faded in favor of football. The argument can be made basketball, with the revival of the Boston Celtics and L.A. Lakers, has overtake baseball as well. Television ratings don't lie. In order to adjust correctly, baseball people have to figure out that the MLB playoffs and World Series need to end in late September (not early November) when fans are still living on the high of the summer days and not fully engaged in the high pace excitement of the NBA, NFL, and college football.
Without the Yankees in the Fall Classic every year, you may find that more and more casual finds like myself are more interested in the antics of Michael Scott than the brilliance of Cliff Lee.
The ratings for this year's World Series will be saved by the fact that the MLB's most marketable team is playing for the game's grandest prize. But the reality is baseball has become an old man's game. Fans of the facebook-twitter-smartphone-internet-blog-myspace-ipod age are not interested in a game that appears to move slower than a Jeff Fisher starting QB coaching decision. We want quick action (football), life threatening activity (NASCAR), or superior athletic ability (basketball). Baseball is a game designed to be seen in person with your dad while you keep score on a sultry August night before school starts back up. It's not for late October, wedged between the start of the NBA season and the in the heart of the NFL and college football seasons.
The game takes too long. There are far too many deadtimes (side note - a really fun drinking game is to take a sip whenever a ball player adjusts his crotch. You'll be smashed before the 3rd inning). Pitchers are on "pitch counts" which means we get teams pulling marquee pitchers in favor of hundred of no-namers to close out games in the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th innings. Batters are no longer juiced up, so homers are fewer and farther between. Commentators spend time scanning the crowd for views of the local beauties, while fans at the game are more interested in doing the wave or bouncing a beach ball than watching a game trudge its way through the 5th inning. Fans wait 3-4 hours for about 25 seconds worth of relevant action, including runs being scored or a high pressure strikeout. In short - the game is just plain slow and boring.
Don't get me wrong, baseball has its time and place. The issue is whether or not that place is NOW, in late October. Baseball should consider shortening their seemingly endless regular season. Owners don't want to lose this revenue? Then play double headers throughout the season. Teams in the early years of MLB did this rather frequently.
The sport's day as the national pastime has faded in favor of football. The argument can be made basketball, with the revival of the Boston Celtics and L.A. Lakers, has overtake baseball as well. Television ratings don't lie. In order to adjust correctly, baseball people have to figure out that the MLB playoffs and World Series need to end in late September (not early November) when fans are still living on the high of the summer days and not fully engaged in the high pace excitement of the NBA, NFL, and college football.
Without the Yankees in the Fall Classic every year, you may find that more and more casual finds like myself are more interested in the antics of Michael Scott than the brilliance of Cliff Lee.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Tim Tebow
Quite a weekend of college football. I've spent the last few days listening to how the media can't seem to find a complete team out there to latch onto. Alabama's win over Tennessee wasn't all that impressive, and there are still questions about the Texas offense. Iowa needed a last second slant pattern to beat Michigan State this weekend. Even the mighty USC allowed an overmatched Oregon State team to hang within 6 points in their home win over the Beavers. And then there is Florida. And finally, it seems the media has penetrated the previously impervious coat of Godliness that surrounded Florida QB Tim Tebow for the last 3 1/2 years.
Following his very un-Heisman like performance at Mississippi State (he threw 2 INTs that were returned for TD's, one in the Bulldogs red zone), the Football Jesus refused to address the media and take his share of the blame for the uninspiring Gators win.
What? No speech about playing harder than we've ever seen? No promise that he'll play harder than anyone in the country? No "God Bless" to close his comments and send the 13 year old girls swooning? Is this the same player who apologized after last year's loss to Ole Miss and then had his post game press conference speech forever attached to the walls of the Swamp? (Seriously - take a look: vomit).
What a punk. What a crybaby. Man up, my dear friend. If I have to listen to the media spend the better part of 4 years talking about your toughness, your greatness, and mention you as one of the greatest to ever play to the college game, then you can bet I expect a senior to be man enough to face the fire after a unexplainable lackluster performance. Maybe Tebow can't come to grips with the fact that without his speedy weapons from previous seasons (Percy Harvin, where are you??!??!??), his bull headed rushing style just looks, well, pedestrian. And God knows (can I say that? I mean, it is His son who's quarterbacking this Florida team) Tebow can't cut the mustard with his passing.
Maybe the media and SEC blowhards can come to grips with the idea that - gasp!- Tebow isn't the player they thought he was. Running for 13 yards on 2nd and 15 against Alabama in the 2008 SEC Championship game in the 4th quarter shouldn't entitle anyone to legend status, must less a guy whose bought into his hype so much that he can't stand the thought of facing the media for tough questions following a pitiful performance against an inferior team.
My guess - Florida loses before heading to the SEC Championship. And they'll lose there too. And the legend of Tebow can finally go quietly into that great night, where Football Jesus can return to saving the lepers of the world with his daddy.
Following his very un-Heisman like performance at Mississippi State (he threw 2 INTs that were returned for TD's, one in the Bulldogs red zone), the Football Jesus refused to address the media and take his share of the blame for the uninspiring Gators win.
What? No speech about playing harder than we've ever seen? No promise that he'll play harder than anyone in the country? No "God Bless" to close his comments and send the 13 year old girls swooning? Is this the same player who apologized after last year's loss to Ole Miss and then had his post game press conference speech forever attached to the walls of the Swamp? (Seriously - take a look: vomit).
What a punk. What a crybaby. Man up, my dear friend. If I have to listen to the media spend the better part of 4 years talking about your toughness, your greatness, and mention you as one of the greatest to ever play to the college game, then you can bet I expect a senior to be man enough to face the fire after a unexplainable lackluster performance. Maybe Tebow can't come to grips with the fact that without his speedy weapons from previous seasons (Percy Harvin, where are you??!??!??), his bull headed rushing style just looks, well, pedestrian. And God knows (can I say that? I mean, it is His son who's quarterbacking this Florida team) Tebow can't cut the mustard with his passing.
Maybe the media and SEC blowhards can come to grips with the idea that - gasp!- Tebow isn't the player they thought he was. Running for 13 yards on 2nd and 15 against Alabama in the 2008 SEC Championship game in the 4th quarter shouldn't entitle anyone to legend status, must less a guy whose bought into his hype so much that he can't stand the thought of facing the media for tough questions following a pitiful performance against an inferior team.
My guess - Florida loses before heading to the SEC Championship. And they'll lose there too. And the legend of Tebow can finally go quietly into that great night, where Football Jesus can return to saving the lepers of the world with his daddy.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Good Grief OU
Found this link through the Austin American Statesman.
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf/2009/10/how_oklahoma_intends_to_play_b.html
Pretty interesting that we had to listen to OU fans and the national media spend the better part of a year dogging Mack Brown and Texas for "lobbying" for votes during the final weeks of 2008 in order to try and get the Longhorns into the Big 12 Championship game. Even funnier that the OU Athletic Department press release brags about losing on the road or at neutral fields. If I remember right, didn't Texas lose on the road last year to Texas Tech? And beat the Sooners on a neutral field? And still get jobbed in the rankings? Kinda funny how the Sooners feel the need to try and "lobby" their way into holding onto at top 25 ranking at the current moment...
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf/2009/10/how_oklahoma_intends_to_play_b.html
Pretty interesting that we had to listen to OU fans and the national media spend the better part of a year dogging Mack Brown and Texas for "lobbying" for votes during the final weeks of 2008 in order to try and get the Longhorns into the Big 12 Championship game. Even funnier that the OU Athletic Department press release brags about losing on the road or at neutral fields. If I remember right, didn't Texas lose on the road last year to Texas Tech? And beat the Sooners on a neutral field? And still get jobbed in the rankings? Kinda funny how the Sooners feel the need to try and "lobby" their way into holding onto at top 25 ranking at the current moment...
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Blake Gideon
He missed 6 tackles on his own against OU on Saturday. 6. Whatever academic advisor allowed Christian Scott to become ineligible needs to have his or her job title removed...
Monday, October 19, 2009
Updated Top 5
Interesting weekend with some "powerhouses" getting knocked off. The updated top 5:
1. Alabama - looked more steady in their home win over a ranked team than SEC counterpart Florida did in the their home win over an unranked team.
2. Florida - I can hear it now: Tebow is suffering the after-affects of his concussion and will continue to do so until annointed by God to beat Alabama in the SEC Championship game.
3. Texas - A win over OU is a win over OU, even without Bradford and a terrible game by the Texas offense. The D looks tougher than it has since the last time national title was decided in the Rose Bowl (2005). Earl Thomas is making a strong case for defensive back of the year, and should enter defensive player of the year talk if his playmaking continues at this rate.
4. Iowa - Still undefeated from a real conference. The Ohio State loss to Purdue will hurt Iowa perception wise. Of course, if Vanderbilt had beaten LSU in the SEC, the win would be a indication of how tough it is to play in the SEC week in and week out. Purdue beats Ohio State, and it's an indication that a high ranked team in a supposed subpar conference is overrated. The SEC bias is pretty daunting. I doubt they'll be hear much longer, but for now teams should be rewarded for not losing.
5. TCU - A BCS buster is needed, and this is an unbeaten team with some quality wins on the radar and more top 25 challenges coming up. Instead of Boise State, who played my old high school last week, props should be given to TCU and their always sturdy D. Assuming they win out, a trip to the Fiesta Bowl should loom for the Horned Frogs.
5b. Cinncinatti - No one wants to see the Bearkats in a BCS bowl any less than I do, but Chip Kelly is doing a heck of a job up there. If they win out, and you have 2 one loss SEC teams, a one loss Texas or USC, you can expect debates will begin anew regarding the BCS and whether a Big East Champ should play for the National Title. Can you imagine - a team from a major BCS conference denied a right for the title because of strength of their conference? Maybe then we'd get that playoff everyone seems to want so bad.
1. Alabama - looked more steady in their home win over a ranked team than SEC counterpart Florida did in the their home win over an unranked team.
2. Florida - I can hear it now: Tebow is suffering the after-affects of his concussion and will continue to do so until annointed by God to beat Alabama in the SEC Championship game.
3. Texas - A win over OU is a win over OU, even without Bradford and a terrible game by the Texas offense. The D looks tougher than it has since the last time national title was decided in the Rose Bowl (2005). Earl Thomas is making a strong case for defensive back of the year, and should enter defensive player of the year talk if his playmaking continues at this rate.
4. Iowa - Still undefeated from a real conference. The Ohio State loss to Purdue will hurt Iowa perception wise. Of course, if Vanderbilt had beaten LSU in the SEC, the win would be a indication of how tough it is to play in the SEC week in and week out. Purdue beats Ohio State, and it's an indication that a high ranked team in a supposed subpar conference is overrated. The SEC bias is pretty daunting. I doubt they'll be hear much longer, but for now teams should be rewarded for not losing.
5. TCU - A BCS buster is needed, and this is an unbeaten team with some quality wins on the radar and more top 25 challenges coming up. Instead of Boise State, who played my old high school last week, props should be given to TCU and their always sturdy D. Assuming they win out, a trip to the Fiesta Bowl should loom for the Horned Frogs.
5b. Cinncinatti - No one wants to see the Bearkats in a BCS bowl any less than I do, but Chip Kelly is doing a heck of a job up there. If they win out, and you have 2 one loss SEC teams, a one loss Texas or USC, you can expect debates will begin anew regarding the BCS and whether a Big East Champ should play for the National Title. Can you imagine - a team from a major BCS conference denied a right for the title because of strength of their conference? Maybe then we'd get that playoff everyone seems to want so bad.
BCS
The BCS standings came out last night, and to no surprise the top 3, in order were Florida, Alabama, and Texas. Each team controls its fate - win and they're in the National Championship. The Gators and Tide appear headed for a collision in Atlanta for the SEC Championship in December, while the Horns face two challenges over the rest of October before their schedule gives them a breather. We all know how the BCS means little to nothing at this point, and each of these teams has glaring flaws that could cause a slip up on the road to Pasadena.
For Florida, the problem is the reliance on Tim Tebow to run the offense. Along with Texas's Colt McCoy, Tebow has failed to live up to preseason Heisman hype and provide a dominant statistical performance on the field. His game winning drive on Saturday against Arkansas may impress the voters, but the fact that the Gators offense is sputtering under his and coach Urban Meyer's direction in 2009 is a surprise. It looks like the speed and misdirection provided by Percy Harvin in 2008 may have been more of a factor in determining Florida's success than the "brilliant" play by Jesus (ooops - I mean Tebow). Unless the running game from UF can get more consistency, Florida's sub-par passing attack will falter when the Gators need it most. Tebow has minimal effectiveness as a true passing QB, and this deficiency will become more glaring as the season progresses.
For the Alabama Crimson Tide, the misstep could come just in the difficulty of schedule remaining. For Nick Saban, getting through the SEC west unscathed will take tremendous focus from a staff that usually slips up sometime during the season. The passing attach leaves something to be desired as well, but all their QB has to do is keep defenses honest while Mark Engram (the new Heisman favorite) pounds out 150-200 yards a game. If they can get Julio Jones back healthy for legit deep ball threats, Alabama should have the inside track on Florida. The question is can they make it to Atlanta without a loss?
Texas seems to have the easiest approach. Simply win out and one of the two teams ahead of the Horns is bound to lose. The trip-up could come at Missouri this week or at Oklahoma State Halloween night. Texas's offense has been synonymous with inconsistency in 2009, while the defense continues to shine (the exact opposite of the 2008 season, where the offense led the way to a 12-1 season). The biggest problem? Play-calling. The Horns and media have talked constantly about getting a running game going, but refuse to utilize their best offensive weapon with his feet in Colt McCoy to open the game up. In what seems to be an effort to avoid getting McCoy banged, Texas has gone to what appears to be a zone read offense with no actual read - McCoy just hands the ball from the shotgun. Play action passes from this formation have looked half-hearted at best. Teams realize their has been no threat from McCoy to run (save for the 2nd half against OU this year, McCoy has rarely taken off down the field in 2009) and are thus able to key in on the stable of UT running backs. In addition, offensive coordinator Greg Davis has apparently refused to get McCoy out of the pocket and on the run to make plays down field, a skill set that the seniors accuracy makes him well suited for. Until the offense gets McCoy moving, he will continue to struggle with turnovers - he sometimes looks lost and out of sync. Expect Missouri and especially OK State to capitalize on this until Mack Brown and the gang change it up.
All this said - those 3 teams have clearly distinguished themselves up to this point by remaining unbeaten. At this point, it looks like we're going to get Alabama vs. Texas for the Championship. I don't see Florida beating Alabama in the SEC title game until their running game gets moving. Despite their troubles, Texas just beat the best team on the schedule in the Cotton Bowl on Saturday, and should have just enough talent to get by OK State on the 31st. From their it should be clear sailing to Pasadena.
For Florida, the problem is the reliance on Tim Tebow to run the offense. Along with Texas's Colt McCoy, Tebow has failed to live up to preseason Heisman hype and provide a dominant statistical performance on the field. His game winning drive on Saturday against Arkansas may impress the voters, but the fact that the Gators offense is sputtering under his and coach Urban Meyer's direction in 2009 is a surprise. It looks like the speed and misdirection provided by Percy Harvin in 2008 may have been more of a factor in determining Florida's success than the "brilliant" play by Jesus (ooops - I mean Tebow). Unless the running game from UF can get more consistency, Florida's sub-par passing attack will falter when the Gators need it most. Tebow has minimal effectiveness as a true passing QB, and this deficiency will become more glaring as the season progresses.
For the Alabama Crimson Tide, the misstep could come just in the difficulty of schedule remaining. For Nick Saban, getting through the SEC west unscathed will take tremendous focus from a staff that usually slips up sometime during the season. The passing attach leaves something to be desired as well, but all their QB has to do is keep defenses honest while Mark Engram (the new Heisman favorite) pounds out 150-200 yards a game. If they can get Julio Jones back healthy for legit deep ball threats, Alabama should have the inside track on Florida. The question is can they make it to Atlanta without a loss?
Texas seems to have the easiest approach. Simply win out and one of the two teams ahead of the Horns is bound to lose. The trip-up could come at Missouri this week or at Oklahoma State Halloween night. Texas's offense has been synonymous with inconsistency in 2009, while the defense continues to shine (the exact opposite of the 2008 season, where the offense led the way to a 12-1 season). The biggest problem? Play-calling. The Horns and media have talked constantly about getting a running game going, but refuse to utilize their best offensive weapon with his feet in Colt McCoy to open the game up. In what seems to be an effort to avoid getting McCoy banged, Texas has gone to what appears to be a zone read offense with no actual read - McCoy just hands the ball from the shotgun. Play action passes from this formation have looked half-hearted at best. Teams realize their has been no threat from McCoy to run (save for the 2nd half against OU this year, McCoy has rarely taken off down the field in 2009) and are thus able to key in on the stable of UT running backs. In addition, offensive coordinator Greg Davis has apparently refused to get McCoy out of the pocket and on the run to make plays down field, a skill set that the seniors accuracy makes him well suited for. Until the offense gets McCoy moving, he will continue to struggle with turnovers - he sometimes looks lost and out of sync. Expect Missouri and especially OK State to capitalize on this until Mack Brown and the gang change it up.
All this said - those 3 teams have clearly distinguished themselves up to this point by remaining unbeaten. At this point, it looks like we're going to get Alabama vs. Texas for the Championship. I don't see Florida beating Alabama in the SEC title game until their running game gets moving. Despite their troubles, Texas just beat the best team on the schedule in the Cotton Bowl on Saturday, and should have just enough talent to get by OK State on the 31st. From their it should be clear sailing to Pasadena.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
TEXAS WINS 16-13
DESPITE THE LACK OF GOOD PLAY BY THE HORNS (AGAIN) THEY PULLED IT OUT. NEXT GAME COULD BE A CHALLENGE. BUT LET'S ENJOY 4 OUTTA 5 AGAINST THE SOONERS.
ALSO - THE PASS INTERFERENCE IS A SIGNE OF PPOR COACHING BY OU. THE PENDALUM HAS FINALLY SWUNG UT'S WAY. GREAT GAME UT D. TERRIBEL GAME UT O. THIS GAME BALL GOES TO THE TEXAS D, SPECIFICALLY AARON WILLIAMS AND EARL THOMAS. I LOVE WILL MUSCHAMP.
ALSO - THE PASS INTERFERENCE IS A SIGNE OF PPOR COACHING BY OU. THE PENDALUM HAS FINALLY SWUNG UT'S WAY. GREAT GAME UT D. TERRIBEL GAME UT O. THIS GAME BALL GOES TO THE TEXAS D, SPECIFICALLY AARON WILLIAMS AND EARL THOMAS. I LOVE WILL MUSCHAMP.
WOW
WE HAD THE BALL ON THE OU 12 ITH 3RD AND 2. SHOTGUN. PASS MCOYY INT TO OU. WOW. CALL A FREAKING RUN!!!!!
16-13
TEXAS UP. JUST PUNTED. CAN'T GET THE RUNNING GAME GOING AND WE HAVE 1001 PENATLIES THIS GME. OU JUST TOOK OVER WITH 831 TO GO ON THEIR OWN 6. DEFESE NEEDED. CANT TUPE GOOD.
PS - IF THIS GAME WAS ON CBS AND FEATURED SEC TEAMS IT WULD BE A "DEFENSIVE STRUGGLE" SINCE ITS THE BIG 12, THEY ARE ATLKING ABOUT HTE LACK OF OFFENSE ON THE PART OF OU AND UT. FUNNY. STUPID SEC
PS - IF THIS GAME WAS ON CBS AND FEATURED SEC TEAMS IT WULD BE A "DEFENSIVE STRUGGLE" SINCE ITS THE BIG 12, THEY ARE ATLKING ABOUT HTE LACK OF OFFENSE ON THE PART OF OU AND UT. FUNNY. STUPID SEC
4th q
HORNS DRIVING. OU SCORED BECAUSE TE HORNS DONT WRAP UP ON D. 40 YD TD ON A MISSED TXAS TACKLE. 13-13. GOING TO THE 4TH CCODY JOHNSON IS RUNNIGN WELL FOR TEXAS ON THIS DRIVE. AT THE OUT 41 GOING INTO 4TH.
texas 13-6
We finally figured it ot. got rid of the tide end set and went 5 wide. drove down the field, exposed the middel, and scored on a screen to marquis goodwin. texas up. hey greg davis - figure this out in th first quarter. 13 straight points texas
6-6
hunter lawrence 40 plus yard field goal. the ut drive stalled. and so did my consumption of jack. stupid jack. i am switching to burnt oragne beer. and OU sucks beer (and yes, this is real beer)
where is taylor swify when you need her?
where is taylor swify when you need her?
texas 3 OU 6
mccoy fumbled on the ou 4 going into the endzone to end the half. tx is drivingstart of 3rd. ou d looks good, or tx is really not that outstanding. mccoy, again = SIMMMS today.
Texas 0 OU 6
we've hurt bradford. we just hurt Trent Williams. Demarco murray is limping. And they are still winning. we can't get anyone open on the pass, and the run is going nowhere. Still, OU can't score in the redzone. Horns should wake up in the 2nd half, btu for now McCoy looks like (gulp) Chris Simms circa 2002.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Whatever happened to good commentators?
Watching some classic UT football today, I began to wonder whatever happened to good play by play commentators. UT vs Washington in 2001 featured Mike Tirico on play by play with Kurt Herbstreet and Lee Corso on color. Greatness.
Dear Musberger,
Take note - Tirico is the best there is.
Dear Musberger,
Take note - Tirico is the best there is.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
High School Football
Just flipping through the channels (thank you God for DirecTv) and found a Duncanville vs. Cedar Hill high school football game. Thought I heard Craig Way calling the game, and realized I was right - he's in Dallas for the Texas OU game. Just giving a heads up for all the UT fans out there, if you wanted a preview for "Say goodnight to this one!"
Cinci vs. South Florida
936PM
South Florida has cut the lead to 7 against Cinci. The commentators are already talking about either of these teams finishing undefeated and playing for the BCS Championship. Vomit.
Also - the white pants on USF are much better than their normal golds. For Cinci - like Texas Tech, I'd recommend you NOT wear video game looking costumes if you want to be taken seriously. Seriously - are those "bearkat" claws on their pants????
944PM
Jessie Palmer's favorite phrase is "pound the ball". Not pound the football, just pound the ball. Creepy. Just like his hair's inability to move...
947PM
I want Jerome Murphy on my football team. Great tackle on the screen, and awesome one on one deep coverage. He's number 10 for South Florida - very nice.
951PM
Awesome. Every time a player doesn't catch a ball on offense, we get a flag. New offense for all you coordinators. Throw a 20 yard jump ball on every play - your receiver will get the call and you get 15 yards.
South Florida has cut the lead to 7 against Cinci. The commentators are already talking about either of these teams finishing undefeated and playing for the BCS Championship. Vomit.
Also - the white pants on USF are much better than their normal golds. For Cinci - like Texas Tech, I'd recommend you NOT wear video game looking costumes if you want to be taken seriously. Seriously - are those "bearkat" claws on their pants????
944PM
Jessie Palmer's favorite phrase is "pound the ball". Not pound the football, just pound the ball. Creepy. Just like his hair's inability to move...
947PM
I want Jerome Murphy on my football team. Great tackle on the screen, and awesome one on one deep coverage. He's number 10 for South Florida - very nice.
951PM
Awesome. Every time a player doesn't catch a ball on offense, we get a flag. New offense for all you coordinators. Throw a 20 yard jump ball on every play - your receiver will get the call and you get 15 yards.
A take on Rush
I love it. Rush Limbaugh lures in the media like a big ol' redfish and they bite hook, line, and sinker. It's the fall ratings season, and you can bet his nationally syndicated show got a huge hit from this week's incessant coverage of his reported attempt to buy a minority share of the St. Louis Rams.
Seriously, I doubt there was ever any real intent on becoming a football owner. Limbaugh makes too much money instigating near riots as it is. What was funny was the "main" stream media's reaction to his reported involvement. They flipped. Like he expected.
One guy from CNN went so far as to declare, "It's not fair to the black players in the league who don't want to play for a racist." He went on to whine about how players in the NFL are drafted, and, unlike other jobs, cannot select who they work for. In essence, he said, if the Rams drafted a black kid who thought Rush was a racist and who didn't feel like he should play for Limbaugh, the kid was just stuck. The CNN commentator made it sound just horrible to have to play for the NFL.
Aside from the obvious (i.e. how bad can it be to play in the NFL regardless of the circumstances? Oh wait, I forgot we were talking about the Rams), I'd like to point out to news cronies such as CNN that this concept is just not true. Players are not REQUIRED to play for the team that drafts them. They have every right to refuse to sign a contract and return to the amateur draft the next season. They are only obligated to sign with the team that drafts them that year until the team determines it will give up the rights to that player. For example, the San Francisco 49ers drafted Michael Crabtree from Texas Tech this season. He wanted more money, so he refused to sign with the team. All indications pointed to him actually sticking to his guns and re-entering the 2010 draft, until the 49ers anted up and paid the man.
The point is, the argument that players have to play for Limbaugh regardless of their personal opinion of the man is ridiculous. If he wanted to buy the team, he should have that right. Just like if the NFL owners wanted to deny him the right to purchase the team, they have that right. And just like his minority partners denied him the right to remain in the purchasing group once they realized he was in it for the attention.
Lovely how these things work themselves out.
Seriously, I doubt there was ever any real intent on becoming a football owner. Limbaugh makes too much money instigating near riots as it is. What was funny was the "main" stream media's reaction to his reported involvement. They flipped. Like he expected.
One guy from CNN went so far as to declare, "It's not fair to the black players in the league who don't want to play for a racist." He went on to whine about how players in the NFL are drafted, and, unlike other jobs, cannot select who they work for. In essence, he said, if the Rams drafted a black kid who thought Rush was a racist and who didn't feel like he should play for Limbaugh, the kid was just stuck. The CNN commentator made it sound just horrible to have to play for the NFL.
Aside from the obvious (i.e. how bad can it be to play in the NFL regardless of the circumstances? Oh wait, I forgot we were talking about the Rams), I'd like to point out to news cronies such as CNN that this concept is just not true. Players are not REQUIRED to play for the team that drafts them. They have every right to refuse to sign a contract and return to the amateur draft the next season. They are only obligated to sign with the team that drafts them that year until the team determines it will give up the rights to that player. For example, the San Francisco 49ers drafted Michael Crabtree from Texas Tech this season. He wanted more money, so he refused to sign with the team. All indications pointed to him actually sticking to his guns and re-entering the 2010 draft, until the 49ers anted up and paid the man.
The point is, the argument that players have to play for Limbaugh regardless of their personal opinion of the man is ridiculous. If he wanted to buy the team, he should have that right. Just like if the NFL owners wanted to deny him the right to purchase the team, they have that right. And just like his minority partners denied him the right to remain in the purchasing group once they realized he was in it for the attention.
Lovely how these things work themselves out.
Updates from TX OU
Heading to Dallas for Texas vs. OU this weekend. These 11am kickoffs are killer, mostly because I am not really a Bloody Mary drinker. So I guess burnt orange beer canned Bud Light with breakfast tacos it is. I plan to update continuously throughout the game - the closer it gets, the more sober I am. The bigger the blowout, the funnier the typing may be...stay tuned.
Mid Season Report
MID SEASON Report
Time to review the start of the 2009 college football season. Unlike the polls, I decided to wait until we’ve had a chance to review the results before analyzing which teams and players are leading the way through the first 7 weeks of the season. Mind you, next week we may have a slightly different view based on the large number of season changing games coming up this weekend.
First up, my Top 5 (cause honestly, who cares about the rest…)
1. Alabama – played the tougher schedule based on their win over Virginia Tech to open the season. They look the most complete at this point, but their inability to move the ball down the field on the deep pass will be their undoing against better defenses. The win at Ole Miss last weekend may be a bit overrated, considering how fast everyone’s preseason darling in Oxford has fallen.
2. Florida – I’m not sold on Tim Tebow (more on that later) but at this point, they are still undefeated, have won the biggest test on the road of any team this year, and still have those 11 returning starters on defense from the National Champions from 2008. Honestly, who doesn’t want a Florida vs Alabama SEC Championship game?
3. Texas – The questions will be answered this month with games against OU,
Missouri, and Oklahoma State. If the Horns find a running game to match their improved defense, and figure out why Colt McCoy keeps turning the ball over, they should find themselves matched up nicely to play Nebraska in the Big 12 title game with a BCS Championship birth on the line.
4. Iowa - I hate the Big 10, we all know this. However, this is an undefeated team from a legitimate conference with wins over teams from other big conferences. Granted they tried to lose to some FCS (formerly I-AA) schools a few times, but until they lose, they belong here. Assume the 3 teams above them all lose and Iowa finishes undefeated. They deserve the spot in the title game.
5. Virginia Tech – The best one loss team out there. Why? Because their loss came to the #1 team. Other than that, don’t expect much from the Hokies. Going forward, I anticipate a loss somewhere. Their win over Miami looks pretty good for now.
There are some obvious omissions here. First of all – where is USC and Ohio State? Where they belong, out of the top 10. USC beat Ohio State in Columbus (by the way, whatever happened to Ohio State not losing at home after dark?) then went to Washington and laid an egg. Conclusion? Both of these teams just aren’t that good. If their names were Notre Dame or Iowa, they’d be lagging outside the top 25.
Second – where is Cincinnatti? There has been heavy talk about the Bearkats running the table, winning the Big East, and getting a National Championship shot. Two thoughts here: 1) Based on how the BCS works, if Cinci runs the table and everyone else loses once, they absolutely HAVE to be in the title game. The Big East is still a BCS conference, and if voters refuse to acknowledge their unblemished season with a birth, the BCS would surely fall. 2) If Cinci runs the table and makes it into the BCS title game, it would be the worst thing to happen to college football since the great Auburn hosing of 2003. Cinci plays in the Big East. The weakest conference out there! The Mountain West boasts better teams than the Big East. You can rest assured BCS Conference commissioners are cheering for a loss from every team in the Big East as the season moves along (as are the head honchos at ESPN and ABC who will carry the BCS games this year).
Time to review the start of the 2009 college football season. Unlike the polls, I decided to wait until we’ve had a chance to review the results before analyzing which teams and players are leading the way through the first 7 weeks of the season. Mind you, next week we may have a slightly different view based on the large number of season changing games coming up this weekend.
First up, my Top 5 (cause honestly, who cares about the rest…)
1. Alabama – played the tougher schedule based on their win over Virginia Tech to open the season. They look the most complete at this point, but their inability to move the ball down the field on the deep pass will be their undoing against better defenses. The win at Ole Miss last weekend may be a bit overrated, considering how fast everyone’s preseason darling in Oxford has fallen.
2. Florida – I’m not sold on Tim Tebow (more on that later) but at this point, they are still undefeated, have won the biggest test on the road of any team this year, and still have those 11 returning starters on defense from the National Champions from 2008. Honestly, who doesn’t want a Florida vs Alabama SEC Championship game?
3. Texas – The questions will be answered this month with games against OU,
Missouri, and Oklahoma State. If the Horns find a running game to match their improved defense, and figure out why Colt McCoy keeps turning the ball over, they should find themselves matched up nicely to play Nebraska in the Big 12 title game with a BCS Championship birth on the line.
4. Iowa - I hate the Big 10, we all know this. However, this is an undefeated team from a legitimate conference with wins over teams from other big conferences. Granted they tried to lose to some FCS (formerly I-AA) schools a few times, but until they lose, they belong here. Assume the 3 teams above them all lose and Iowa finishes undefeated. They deserve the spot in the title game.
5. Virginia Tech – The best one loss team out there. Why? Because their loss came to the #1 team. Other than that, don’t expect much from the Hokies. Going forward, I anticipate a loss somewhere. Their win over Miami looks pretty good for now.
There are some obvious omissions here. First of all – where is USC and Ohio State? Where they belong, out of the top 10. USC beat Ohio State in Columbus (by the way, whatever happened to Ohio State not losing at home after dark?) then went to Washington and laid an egg. Conclusion? Both of these teams just aren’t that good. If their names were Notre Dame or Iowa, they’d be lagging outside the top 25.
Second – where is Cincinnatti? There has been heavy talk about the Bearkats running the table, winning the Big East, and getting a National Championship shot. Two thoughts here: 1) Based on how the BCS works, if Cinci runs the table and everyone else loses once, they absolutely HAVE to be in the title game. The Big East is still a BCS conference, and if voters refuse to acknowledge their unblemished season with a birth, the BCS would surely fall. 2) If Cinci runs the table and makes it into the BCS title game, it would be the worst thing to happen to college football since the great Auburn hosing of 2003. Cinci plays in the Big East. The weakest conference out there! The Mountain West boasts better teams than the Big East. You can rest assured BCS Conference commissioners are cheering for a loss from every team in the Big East as the season moves along (as are the head honchos at ESPN and ABC who will carry the BCS games this year).
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