Well, Saturday night's big win over a very good Missouruh football team was a night of vindication, chest thumping, smack talking, and downright fun but it was mostly one to remember for one main reason, I dont know that I ever recall being #1 in the regular season. Which left me asking my wife, "How do I  act when it comes to this 2008 Longhorn team and the success that they are having?" 

Let me give you a background of where I am coming from.  I went to a litlle military college in Charleston, South Carolina called The Citadel.  Unique in more ways than one; pulling for your team from back home made the time go by faster.  We didnt have the best football team and at the D-II level, it was hard to rally behind the ole' team in the way that we all know and love saturdays and BIG TIME college football.  I, having been born and raised in Corpus Christi (which I am sure to this day, everyone still refers to it as the Coast if your from North of Bexar County) , naturally cheered for my team, the Texas Longhorns.  I would wear it loud and proud.  I remember hearing about Route 66 over the loudspeakers at a football game my Freshman year and just hung my head.  The guy next to me asked, "Dude, whats so bad with Texas losing to UCLA like that?"  If your like me than you know what I must have felt inside when I heard that.

In 2000, we got routed during OU sucks week.  I remember being so fired up in 2001 and I firmly believed we were gonna win in a come from behind winning drive led by Chris Simms.   I talked so much crap to my peers from the armpit of the country that week and they actually thought that Texas was gonna win too.  It was not to be as I remember Roy Williams leaving his feet, flying in at #2 and just thinking, "thats it...its over".  and it was.

I again, talked crap to my peers as we backed ourselves into Dallas that December evening against a surprising Colorado team that we had routed earlier in the season.  My wife, (fiance' at the time) and I were in a hotel room in Quantico, VA finding an apartment to rent as I was coming on active duty for the Marine Corps soon.  There we sat glued to the TV, her holding on to my arm, saying how nice #2's patent leather shoes looked in which she also added "they better win with shoes like that or he's gonna feel real dumb!"  We know what happened.  I went to bed that night thinking, if only Major had 2 more minutes I know he could've done it. 

Disappointment after disappointment after near fisticuffs with other cadets saying Mack brown sucks and he cant win the big one.  My first few years on active duty, all the Longhorn stuff in my office, Marines stopping by and asking, "Sir, what happened this weekend?"  I wanted to go POSTAL!  I knew we had a good program. Everyone knew we had a good program.  But so much frustration over how good.  Were we good enough. Heartache.  So close.  Damn

THEN 2005 BABY

I never talked so much crap in my life in one season.  I loved every minute of it.  I felt so good...and my wife, a South Carolina southern belle, enjoyed seeing me enjoy that season. (I think she really likes Texas even though she says that August through January she is a football widow).  #2 most of the year and then winning the Rose Bowl for all the marbles.  It all came together at the end. 

this is the part where any one not associated with the program says, dude get a life, how can you be so hooked on this team.  But ya'll know!

I have been on a high ever since that season.  We have been a contender ever since but were chasing that goal again.  Sure we have had issues and ups and downs but we were still in the nations elite as always but with a validation with a recent BCS championship.  The one thing that was always there; that bag of bricks that we all toted around for so long; we were never #1 in the regular season.  We were always chasing the bouncing ball.

I'm not sure how to act now.

Most of ya'll say dream big.  Enjoy it.  Celebrate.  Keep it calm though.  Dont get out of hand.  we havent won anything yet. Hold your breathe. "Yes, I will ride this roller coaster ride again, thank you".

I have seen a lot of games and a lot of players.  Anybody remember where you were when Shea Morenz was starting at QB?  I do.  How about when when our receiver got knocked into the Miami Hurricane sideline at the Cotton Bowl and those guys started kicking him as he was down and the cameras caught it but not the officiating crew?  Yup, me too

Someone please tell me how to act.  These eyes have seen too much.  But man, if we run the table.  Imagine.  The Heisman.  The recruiting power.  Big XII CHAMPS. The NATIONAL TITLE. The stamp on this decade. My wife wearing burnt orange and smiling with me.  My 4 year old daughter singing the eyes of Texas.  My son finally having enough coordination in his right hand at 15 months to hook em'.

Here I go again, someone tell me how to act.