Why Texas MUST Win Saturday

by Peter Bean on Oct 3, 2006 1:08 PM CDT in Texas Longhorns Football

Beyond the obvious - the absolute need to beat Oklahoma at everything, every time - this game is critical on another fundamental level. Take a look at our esteemed Blog Poll founder Brian's draft Top 25 for this week. Note the Texas tumble. Note the perception that Texas got beat "decisively" by Ohio State. Note the lack of respect for anyone Texas has defeated thus far.

Some of that is fair, I think. Ohio State won decisively by a fair definition of that word (not the extreme definition). Iowa State's not a world beater. And the rest of Texas' opponents were cupcakes.

And now think if Texas loses to Oklahoma. Painful as it is, imagine it.

Do you know what next Monday's going to be like? Do you know what the next twelve months are going to be like?

If you're having trouble imagining it, let me walk you through it. The national title with Vince Young? It'll be a footnote. A small little footnote that says Coach February only had a little Vince Young hiatus. The headlines will be all about Big Game Bob's return. They'll be discussing country clubs and their prominent location on the Texas athletics facilities.

We'll plummet in the polls and, really, when you get down to it... we'll be right back where we were two years ago. With more doubters than believers. There are too many non-Texans that want the Longhorns to fail. There are more Mack Brown haters than there are Mack Brown lovers - and we aren't a small crowd.

A Texas loss would be so frustrating to those of us who follow this program closely. The rational among us can understand that a loss this Saturday doesn't mean all the Big Things people would inevitably write. But we're a much smaller crowd.

So get your marbles out, Horns fans, and place 'em all in the outcome of the game in Dallas this Saturday. The rest of this season can be a lot of fun as we try to fight our way to another Big XII title and a BCS game. Or it can be the beginning of an agonizing stretch of listening to the rest of the world put us back in the same category they thought we'd permanently reside in under Mack Brown.

Win, Texas. Win. Beat the f*@%ing hell out of OU.

Me, on Saturday. I want a win badly.

--PB--

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Comments

Sporting News

had an interesting comment. They believe the pressure is all on OU, because their future success is more dependent on the outcome than Texas.

True, in the short-term Texas will take it's lumps, but Mack has put together two stellar classes and continues to assemble a great coaching staff. The next few years are pretty bright for UT.

Cats and dogs sleeping together.

by EYESofBEVO on Oct 3, 2006 1:22 PM CDT reply actions

Note

Note the difference in what I'm saying, though. I'm not saying the pressure's on Mack and Texas. The program is positively rolling.

What I'm saying is that, as fans, it's going to be such a brutal twelve months if we lose this game. Just total harrassment. Deserved or not.

by Peter Bean on Oct 3, 2006 1:23 PM CDT up reply actions

Agree

It will be difficult to take the criticism.

Cats and dogs sleeping together.

by EYESofBEVO on Oct 3, 2006 1:35 PM CDT up reply actions

The Sporting News has a point.

Put yourself in OU's position. They have been down a couple of years now, and although it is hard to see it as a Longhorn, they have been disappointing in big games for quite some time (KSU, LSU, USC, etc). If they lose this Saturday, you might see the beginnings of a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately / Larry Coker effect begin with Bob Stoops. It sounds far-fetched, but it has been 6 years since the MNC, and statistically, the program has declined every year since, without much of a rebound in sight as AP leaves after this year. Its worth consideration. I don't think a loss will do as much to Mack Brown, because, to echo what what was said above, "the next few years are pretty bright for UT."

by BrooklynHorn on Oct 3, 2006 1:48 PM CDT up reply actions

any one else dislike the ass add from bodogg?

it is kind of a manly ass, or something is wrong with it.
fyi - if you click on the link, there are T's to go with that A.

Crystal Balls

by MMHorns on Oct 3, 2006 2:21 PM CDT reply actions

Totally agree

I sat for a good 20 seconds, deciding whether to click through on the ad. I'm glad I did, but they really need to rethink their RA (Representing Ass). The current model could be a tranny. Which is scary.

by Peter Bean on Oct 3, 2006 11:57 PM CDT up reply actions

That add

is not so good for those of us at work and trying to read the blog. Bordering on the NSFW territory.

by Wells on Oct 4, 2006 10:58 AM CDT up reply actions

Being fixed

They are going to rotate the picture to something else soon.

Apologies for the troubles.

by Peter Bean on Oct 4, 2006 4:18 PM CDT up reply actions

oh yeah

beat the F#$K out of OU

Crystal Balls

by MMHorns on Oct 3, 2006 2:22 PM CDT reply actions

Are you trying to hurt me?

I'm nervous enough as it is. I'm trying (in vain) to work. I don't need the added pressure. My plan is to somehow not think about it until it's here (and because of work I have to do that mostly without the help of alcohol).

by hornbone on Oct 3, 2006 2:53 PM CDT reply actions

Peter, you're seriously hyperventilating!

You guys can relive that title forever; it won't be a footnote to anyone, ever. Anyway, my shpiel on why that's the case is over at ATVS. In short, games like LSU-OU from 2003 will be the ones that are easily forgotten. The one you guys took 9 months go won't be for a long, lonnnnng time, if ever.

by GeauxTigers on Oct 5, 2006 12:05 AM CDT reply actions