Somehow knowing in advance that Oklahoma would go to the Big XII title did not soften the blow of it becoming reality.  All my - "it was a helluva year" cheer is now completely bankrupt.  To get through my now clinical depression, I looked ahead to 2009 to see if there was a reason to put down the revolver.

Who will leave early/stay Assumption

• Colt McCoy will return to Texas for 3 reasons.  He wants a MNC, he wants a Big XII title, and he wants to be the first QB in history to win back to back Heismans.
• Kindle will also return for 3 reasons.  One, the NFL drafts LBs in the first round as often as Stoops showers.  Only 2 or 3 total, and this year's Seniors will occupy those slots.  Secondly, this year he had to share tape with Orakpo - not good.  Come back under Will and dominate Sergio.  Finally, I think Jamal Charles cost himself some long term coin - and that point will be made.
• Shipley will win his medical redshirt appeal.

Who will transfer

• The WR depth and DB depth is ridiculous, and the Horns will be hit somewhat here.  2 of Webber, Payne, Grant, Hales will transfer.  Not sure that impacts us at all. 
• DB transfers will hurt a little more.  We will lose at least one of Brewer, Wells, Monroe - and these guys may have higher upside than Gideon.

Now the Math

• Offense (QB,RB,Rec,OL) and defense (DLint, DE, LB,DB) is each divided into 4 components.
• Scores range from -2 significantly worst to +2 or significantly better than 2008.  8 points = 100% improvement for each unit.

The Scoring - Offense is +4

• QB is zero - as how does Colt improve on virtual perfection.
• Rec is +2 due to Irby return and Malcolm Williams maturity.  We will for sure be asking Limas Who?   With an outside shot at Roy who.  Collins, Kirk, Buckner will give us an explosiveness beyond even this year's group.
• OL is +1 and to me this is more of a reflection of how disappointing the OL was this year.  3rd and a yard and a half cannot be a passing down at the University of Texas.  In addition, Colt took a beating against some mediocre teams.  It just looks as if this group has not been taught how to hold as well as other Big XII teams.
• RB is +1 basically just because we know Vondrell and Fozzy better and won't have as much experimenting.  They will be designed in during the off season.

The Scoring - Defense is +1

• DT and Interior is at -2.  Roy Miller is just a disruptive beast.  The cupboard is bare behind him in terms of beastiness. 
• DE is at -1.  Orakpo is another beast that cannot be replaced.   Acho and Jones are very solid - but if they have the speed they do not have the strength and vice versa.
• LB is at +2  Look for Sergio to be next year's Rey Maluaga.  The real key is that Muschamp moves a slightly beefed up Muck to the middle and gets Keenan Robinson on the field with Kindle.
• DB is at +2 Earl Thomas will be on All American list next year.  Williams and Browns make Beasley pick splinters out of his rear.  Scott hits everything in sight and this will rival the 2005 team as the best secondary in UT history.

Overall Inane Conclusion

• The Horns will be 30% better than this year.
• Sooners lose entire OL
• Big XII title and MNC appearance virtually guaranteed.
• I still don't feel better

Lets be honest, in the big picture, it is grim.  An Oklahoma win next week will push them by our belowved Horns.  So we are left to grasp at straws.  Which one of these scenarios do you think is most likely to happen:

1.  Easiest to Understand - Baylor Beats Texas Tech.  Horns go to the Big XII championship and the additional Mizzou win gives us the computer strength to go to Miami.

2.  Okie State Beats OU, Texas Tech goes to Big XII title in tie breaker and proceeds to lose against Mizzou.  Horns Go despite the lack of a Big XII title.

3.  One of Florida/Alabama loses to Florida State/Auburn and the loser then wins the SEC championship.

4.  Horns, TT, and Oklahoma win and Texas holds its computer lead over Oklahoma to go to Big XII championship.

The total is now 2 outspoken ESPN talking heads that are firmly in Texas' corner on the BCS rankings.  Earlier Colin Cowherd jumped on the Horns bandwagon and now this from Mel Kiper on this morning's Mike and Mike:

1.  Basically, everyone of the Big 12 Powerhouses have held serve on home field with the exception of Missouri who lost to Okie Lite.  (Is Mizzou a Big 12 Power or just the best team from the North Division?)

2.  What distinguished Texas is that they beat Oklahoma on a neutral field by double digit points.  No other team can make this claim.

3.  If Oklahoma goes ahead of Texas, it is taking a giant step backwards from the results on the field.  The game in Dallas was the key, and all else is just a beauty contest.

Keep talking Mel.

I am in SoCal this week and I picked up the morning edition of in the Herd.  It is the hour or so before he goes national with ESPN.

Colin, who is more football savvy than most talking heads said that if Texas, TT, and Oklahoma end up in a 3 way tie - the Horns are the logical, and deserved higher ranked BCS team.  His logic on the round robin of games played by the Big 3:

• Texas Tech would have defended its home field - and lost on the road.
• Oklahoma would have defended its home field and lost at a neutral site.
• Texas would have beat the Sooners by 10 on a neutral site - and come within one second of beating the Red Raiders on the road.

Makes sense - keep promoting the Horns Colin!

First the bad news.  Our chances of the Big XII title virtually died with Okie State on that West Texas Prairie Saturday night.    Now the good news, we actually have a better shot at the BCS title game in Miami.

First of all, we only have 2 chances to go to the Big XII title game (Slm and none).  Scenario I is TT losing to both Baylor and Oklahoma.   Don't hold your breath. 

Scenario II is a 3 way tie with TT and Oklahoma.  Unfortunately, that scenario requires Oklahoma to beat both TT and Okie Lite.   If they accomplish that, they will almost certainly represent the Big XII South, because they lost their game earlier in the year on that glorious afternoon at the Cotton Bowl.  And don't say they could lose to Okie lite - as that would doom us to a two tie with TT advancing.

So how in the hell do we go to the MNC without winning the Big XII title?  The key is the Missouri Tigers.  Let the 3 way tie send Oklahoma - or the 2 way tie send TT.  If Mizzou can whack em - they now are a 2 loss team.  Then the fun begins:

• The strength of the Big XII schedule puts us ahead of USC - most definitely.
• Penn St LMAO.  No one wants a Big 10 Little11 team in Miami.
• The Horns would then go to Miami to play the winner of the Florida/Alabama SEC championship.
• An Auburn (unlikely but still a huge rivalry game) upset followed with a Bama SEC title sends the Horns vs. USC in a rematch.

I may be wrong - but that is the way I see it.

In the interest of full disclosure, I am the eternal pessimist.  Glass half empty?  Hell - I'm thinking the damn glass will break and someone will step on it and require stitches.  So needless to say I am petrified of the upcoming Texas Tech matchup.

This year's Horns have now surpassed the 2005 MNC squad as my all time favorite.  Why?  That bunch was immensely talented, while the 2008 season almost seems like a Rocky sequel.   They are blue collar, fired up, and have to win games more with effort and commitment than just overwhelming the opposition with divine greatness.

To help settle my pregame angst I have read all the posts and these 4 areas or  statistics really scare me on this Halloween night:

1.  TT number 1 passing offense vs. the 104th ranked Horns defense.

Thank God we have the Will to overcome this.

2.  "12 Missed tackles generated generated 125 YAC vs. Okie State

Was this a Kendall Hunter deal?  Was this a bad day?  My hunch is that this will create such a focus this week that it will not recur against TT.

3.  Texas Tech has allowed 3 sacks all year?  WTF - they throw every down.

They have not dealt with an "Orakpo" like talent - but my hunch is that the pressure will have to come from Kindle and up the gut.  Okie St had 4 sacks all year and Texas sacked them 5 times.

4.  Raiderville starts on Tuesday?  Population at an all time high.

Saturday night - crazed rednecks - biggest night of their red neck lives - will the home crowd be a huge edge?

Hi PB -

First of all, thank you for your blood, sweat, and tears associated with your first 2 releases of the Eyes of Texas.  The publication has been thoroughly enjoyed in the past, and is now eagerly anticipated.

Last year it was possible to purchase the magazine through Amazon.  Is that being worked on for this year?  It is not currently listed as available on their site. 

Thanks again and best of luck to you.

Let me first say that I have always hated the NBA and loved the college basketball game.   I hate the NBA for a host of reasons but I think these are the key drivers of my hatred:

1.  Grown millionares seem to just go through the motions and lack the passion of the college kids.

2.  Liberal rule interpretations on key basketball fundamentals.

3.  Always seemed like the games were fixed a la WWF and Vince McMahon.  Heck, they had a referee on the take and their overall officiating is so bad that he did not even stick out on their officials evaluation!  Let the fact that he was a top rated official sink in for a few minutes.

Now I have even a new reason to hate the NBA - they are killing the college game.

Continue reading this post »

Ominous note from ESPN today on one of my all time favorite Horns - Roger Clemens.  Apparently, this scumbag McNamee kept all the vials, and needles that he used to inject Roger.  He is claiming there will be physical presence of Roger's DNA on the needles, and HGH in the vial.  (Is this the male equivalent of Monica Lewinsky's nasty blue dress?)

If this physical evidence exists, this would be a HUGE fall for Clemens, both in the court of public opinion, but more importantly if he perjured himself to Congress.  That has criminal implications.  

I am not ashamed to admit that I am really disappointed with the decision by Darrell Scott and I think it is a big deal.  To me - he is an Adrian Peterson type of talent that we simply do not have on the roster.  I can already hear the comments on how the recruiting game is only part of the situation and they are 18 year olds - blah blah blah.  Check the records on the top 5 star RBs and Ath QBs over the last 10 years - you will be shocked by their impact.  Add the  the pedestrian nature of the running backs and I have the concerns below:

Continue reading this post »