Friday, February 24, 2012
Ah Lee Corso, will you ever win?
I admit, I love Lee Corso so I am going to take this latest blurb with a grain of salt. At the Doak Walker Awards, Mr. Corso was asked about former University of Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert, and how he will fare at SMU, Corso said he would probably receive better coaching at SMU than at Texas. The first thought I had, of course, was WTF? Seriously though, Gilbert will most likely fit in with the Mustangs' offense. Because the SMU Mustangs are less high profile than Texas, he probably will grow by leaps and bounds. I am all for it. I hope he does well, I really do. What I don't get is this: Why would Lee Corso take a shot at the Longhorns, not to mention their coaching staff, for no reason? I think that Lee Corso sometimes has no filter. It is part of what makes him special and entertaining. Corso must know that coming into a high profile situation (like the quarterback position at Texas) is a challenge. Gilbert was trying to fill some very big shoes. I propose this: when you are the starting quarterback at The University of Texas, you better be able to take the pressure. You have to be prepared mentally and physically because no one is going to hold your hand. If you choose to step into that spotlight, you have to deliver. So, yes, he may get a little more "hand holding" at SMU than he did at Texas, and that's fine. I know this for sure: when you put on the burnt orange and white, you are expected to play at a higher level on the national stage, because this is TEXAS and it's no cake walk.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Same shit different day
*cue eye roll* I am going to say this one more time...I am so sick of hearing about how good OU will be..every season, on every national sports page, etc. Enough is enough. I know I am totally biased, I have said it before, and I will continue to say it. In fact, I revel in my bias. I know that other teams in the Big 12 conference feel the same way about UT as I do about OU, but c'mon people. Really? I realize this may sound like a "sour grapes" edition, but I have done some research, and this is the result.
Since 2000, Oklahoma has been ranked in the top 10 ELEVEN times. During those same years, OU has finished in the top 10 EIGHT times. I would be a fool if I didn't admit that this is an impressive run. Oklahoma's football program has been to 12 bowl games, 8 being BCS bowls. Of the 8 BCS bowl games played, OU has a record of 3-5. I can give credit where credit is due..8 BCS bowl appearances since 2000 brings deserved accolades to a talented program, especially when you factor in the ever-changing landscape of college football. However, I would be remiss if I didn't add that appearances are great, but if you are unable to win the big games, are the accolades warranted? This may sound like a plea for a playoff system, and it should. Crazy things happen in college football during the regular season. If a playoff system were introduced, would OU still retain it's BCS appearance record? Who knows? We may never see a playoff system introduced, so that argument is moot.
Since 2000, Texas has been to 11 bowl games, 5 which were BCS bowl games. Of the 5 BCS bowl games, Texas is 4-1, losing it's second shot at the national title against Alabama. I will say this until the day I take my last breath: had Colt McCoy not been sidelines due to an injury in the 1st quarter, I believe Texas would have won their second title in 4 years. In 10 of the past 11 seasons, Texas has been in the preseason top 10 TEN times. They have finished in the top 10 SEVEN times.
What I am trying to get at is this: when Texas finished the 2009 season at 5-7, there were many people who believed Texas was on it's way out. Forget the fact that they had just played in the title game a year before, been to 4 BCS games in 6 years, they were done. They were done, Mack Brown needed to quit or be fired, and their place among the perennial top football teams was over. At least Mack Brown has delivered. So OU has 7 national championships, their last one was 11 years ago, they have had several opportunities to add to that list. They haven't. Why do they keep getting the benefit of the doubt? I cannot understand why Texas is always made out to be the "flash in the pan" team that people love to hate, yet OU has underachieved for YEARS, and Bob Stoops and his visor remained untouched. I read every year that OU has "reloaded" for next season, picked to win the Big 12, and vie for the title. EVERY YEAR. Yet Texas has one losing season out of 14, and are rebuilding. Whatever.
Like I said before, I know fans of Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and the rest of the Big 12 probably feel the same about both UT and OU, so I cannot fault OU. I am just wondering when the rose colored glasses will break, and people can give credit where it is due, not based on name, reputation, or history.
Since 2000, Oklahoma has been ranked in the top 10 ELEVEN times. During those same years, OU has finished in the top 10 EIGHT times. I would be a fool if I didn't admit that this is an impressive run. Oklahoma's football program has been to 12 bowl games, 8 being BCS bowls. Of the 8 BCS bowl games played, OU has a record of 3-5. I can give credit where credit is due..8 BCS bowl appearances since 2000 brings deserved accolades to a talented program, especially when you factor in the ever-changing landscape of college football. However, I would be remiss if I didn't add that appearances are great, but if you are unable to win the big games, are the accolades warranted? This may sound like a plea for a playoff system, and it should. Crazy things happen in college football during the regular season. If a playoff system were introduced, would OU still retain it's BCS appearance record? Who knows? We may never see a playoff system introduced, so that argument is moot.
Since 2000, Texas has been to 11 bowl games, 5 which were BCS bowl games. Of the 5 BCS bowl games, Texas is 4-1, losing it's second shot at the national title against Alabama. I will say this until the day I take my last breath: had Colt McCoy not been sidelines due to an injury in the 1st quarter, I believe Texas would have won their second title in 4 years. In 10 of the past 11 seasons, Texas has been in the preseason top 10 TEN times. They have finished in the top 10 SEVEN times.
What I am trying to get at is this: when Texas finished the 2009 season at 5-7, there were many people who believed Texas was on it's way out. Forget the fact that they had just played in the title game a year before, been to 4 BCS games in 6 years, they were done. They were done, Mack Brown needed to quit or be fired, and their place among the perennial top football teams was over. At least Mack Brown has delivered. So OU has 7 national championships, their last one was 11 years ago, they have had several opportunities to add to that list. They haven't. Why do they keep getting the benefit of the doubt? I cannot understand why Texas is always made out to be the "flash in the pan" team that people love to hate, yet OU has underachieved for YEARS, and Bob Stoops and his visor remained untouched. I read every year that OU has "reloaded" for next season, picked to win the Big 12, and vie for the title. EVERY YEAR. Yet Texas has one losing season out of 14, and are rebuilding. Whatever.
Like I said before, I know fans of Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and the rest of the Big 12 probably feel the same about both UT and OU, so I cannot fault OU. I am just wondering when the rose colored glasses will break, and people can give credit where it is due, not based on name, reputation, or history.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Signing day amandment
Texas has now passed Alabama to control the number 1 spot for it's recruiting class. Texas scored a mini-coup when linebacker Dalton Santos switched his commitment from Tennessee to Texas.Additionally, Daje Johnson, a defensive back from Pflugerville, Texas, switched his commitment from TCU to The University of Texas. HOOK'EM
Sunday, January 29, 2012
'Bama vs. Texas: Recruiting 2012
Alright folks,
As I have said before, I am an Orangeblood for life! If you do not know what that means, I will enlighten you. I am a graduate from The University of Texas at Austin, and I BLEED burnt orange! So, now that we have that out of the way...WHO'S EXCITED FOR SIGNING DAY??? That's be me, my friends! This recruiting class is unbelievable, and it lands Texas at number 2, slightly behind the defending national champs..Alabama. Although Texas boasts 5 five-star high school recruits (Alabama has 3), Alabama gets the nod for landing two number one ranked high school athletes. In a nutshell, The University of Texas and Alabama will most likely be dangerous for quite sometime.
What this proves to me is this: although Texas has had two lackluster seasons in a row (by their standards), it has not deterred top recruits from signing with Texas. The history and tradition of the Texas Longhorns will always remain among the elite in college football programs. Alabama, coming off two national championships in 3 years, is at the top of it's game. Texas, having slipped a bit in the last couple of seasons, still holds sway as it is consistently in the top 5 recruiting.
The fact that these two schools are neck in neck is no surprise. Both teams boast head football coaches that have proven their worth, and have secured their spots among the coaching elite. Mack Brown and Nick Saban have lengthy contracts which provides stability for incoming athletes. Kids want to play for these coaches because of the programs they lead and the way they lead them. It doesn't hurt that Texas and Alabama have a plethora of prospects coming from the south, which is known to be one of the top regions for high school and college football.
When you break it down, Texas has 5 five-star commits, 12 four-star commits, 7 three-star commits, and 1 two-star commit. Alabama has 3 five-star commits, 13 four-star commits, and 11 three-star commits. All of the commits for both schools are nationally ranked. Perhaps the most celebrated recruit for The University of Texas is running back Jonathan Gray (Aledo, Tx). He is ranked number 5 nationally, according to Rivals.com, and number 1 nationally for running backs. He is ranked number 2 in the state of Texas. He posts a 4.4 40, and has unbelievable stats for his senior year. Gray ran for 3,891 yards in 346 attempts, averages 11.2 yards per carry, and scored 65 touchdowns. What this means for Texas: Mack Brown can continue to strengthen the running game which should present a more balances and prolific offense. (If we can settle the quarterback situation) Texas does, in fact, have a four-star quarterback commit in Conner Brewer. Rivals.com has him ranked 10th for his position, and 5th in the state of Arizona. Rivals.com does not have him ranked nationally, but Scout.com has him ranked 11th nationally. This is good news for Texas, as it has struggled to find a quarterback that can comfortably lead this team. I believe that the maturity of the offensive line will enable whomever fills those shoes, to step up and compete on a higher level.
If you are like me, you need numbers. It's all well and good to say you have the number one or number two recruiting class for 2012, but I need to know why. I will start with Texas. After an abysmal 2010 season, the Longhorns finished the 2011 season with a respectable 8-5 record. (mind you, this is Texas, and 8-5 simply will not do) The Longhorns are only losing 13 seniors, meaning the 2012 season has extremely high expectations and potential. Of the 13 seniors lost, five held offensive positions, while the remaining eight held defensive positions. Of the 24 seniors lost for Alabama, thirteen held offensive positions, while the remaining eleven were defensive.Alabama has 11 offensive commits, 15 defensive commits, and one kicker. Texas has 8 offensive commits, 16 defensive commits, and 1 kicker. Both teams are proving to maintain their hold on their respective conferences, with Texas edging out Alabama in longevity of starting players.
It is an exciting time to be a college football fan, to say the least. The level of athletes emerging from high school football teams nation wide, presents the fan with many more unforgettable seasons. So, whether you Roll Tide or Hook'Em Horns, you can bet on outstanding athletes who choose to play for these storied schools, and guarantee these two schools a solid foothold in the arena of college football.
As I have said before, I am an Orangeblood for life! If you do not know what that means, I will enlighten you. I am a graduate from The University of Texas at Austin, and I BLEED burnt orange! So, now that we have that out of the way...WHO'S EXCITED FOR SIGNING DAY??? That's be me, my friends! This recruiting class is unbelievable, and it lands Texas at number 2, slightly behind the defending national champs..Alabama. Although Texas boasts 5 five-star high school recruits (Alabama has 3), Alabama gets the nod for landing two number one ranked high school athletes. In a nutshell, The University of Texas and Alabama will most likely be dangerous for quite sometime.
What this proves to me is this: although Texas has had two lackluster seasons in a row (by their standards), it has not deterred top recruits from signing with Texas. The history and tradition of the Texas Longhorns will always remain among the elite in college football programs. Alabama, coming off two national championships in 3 years, is at the top of it's game. Texas, having slipped a bit in the last couple of seasons, still holds sway as it is consistently in the top 5 recruiting.
The fact that these two schools are neck in neck is no surprise. Both teams boast head football coaches that have proven their worth, and have secured their spots among the coaching elite. Mack Brown and Nick Saban have lengthy contracts which provides stability for incoming athletes. Kids want to play for these coaches because of the programs they lead and the way they lead them. It doesn't hurt that Texas and Alabama have a plethora of prospects coming from the south, which is known to be one of the top regions for high school and college football.
When you break it down, Texas has 5 five-star commits, 12 four-star commits, 7 three-star commits, and 1 two-star commit. Alabama has 3 five-star commits, 13 four-star commits, and 11 three-star commits. All of the commits for both schools are nationally ranked. Perhaps the most celebrated recruit for The University of Texas is running back Jonathan Gray (Aledo, Tx). He is ranked number 5 nationally, according to Rivals.com, and number 1 nationally for running backs. He is ranked number 2 in the state of Texas. He posts a 4.4 40, and has unbelievable stats for his senior year. Gray ran for 3,891 yards in 346 attempts, averages 11.2 yards per carry, and scored 65 touchdowns. What this means for Texas: Mack Brown can continue to strengthen the running game which should present a more balances and prolific offense. (If we can settle the quarterback situation) Texas does, in fact, have a four-star quarterback commit in Conner Brewer. Rivals.com has him ranked 10th for his position, and 5th in the state of Arizona. Rivals.com does not have him ranked nationally, but Scout.com has him ranked 11th nationally. This is good news for Texas, as it has struggled to find a quarterback that can comfortably lead this team. I believe that the maturity of the offensive line will enable whomever fills those shoes, to step up and compete on a higher level.
If you are like me, you need numbers. It's all well and good to say you have the number one or number two recruiting class for 2012, but I need to know why. I will start with Texas. After an abysmal 2010 season, the Longhorns finished the 2011 season with a respectable 8-5 record. (mind you, this is Texas, and 8-5 simply will not do) The Longhorns are only losing 13 seniors, meaning the 2012 season has extremely high expectations and potential. Of the 13 seniors lost, five held offensive positions, while the remaining eight held defensive positions. Of the 24 seniors lost for Alabama, thirteen held offensive positions, while the remaining eleven were defensive.Alabama has 11 offensive commits, 15 defensive commits, and one kicker. Texas has 8 offensive commits, 16 defensive commits, and 1 kicker. Both teams are proving to maintain their hold on their respective conferences, with Texas edging out Alabama in longevity of starting players.
It is an exciting time to be a college football fan, to say the least. The level of athletes emerging from high school football teams nation wide, presents the fan with many more unforgettable seasons. So, whether you Roll Tide or Hook'Em Horns, you can bet on outstanding athletes who choose to play for these storied schools, and guarantee these two schools a solid foothold in the arena of college football.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
The Extinction of Social Etiquette
I want to comment on the state of human interaction, compassion, and social norms. I am aware that technology plays a huge role in how we, as sentient beings, interact with one another. It is now perfectly acceptable to enter an establishment whilst talking on a cell phone, basically ignoring the person in front of you. I will give an example: I work in the restaurant industry, and it has become more common to have someone walk up to the counter, bark an order (without even making eye contact), without a pause in the phone conversation. I realize that this is a very small symptom to a much larger problem. Physical interaction is being lost among technology trends, and it shows on a much bigger level. For example, my roommate came home two days ago to tell me that she noticed a two year old standing on the side of a busy highway. It was so baffling to her that she stopped just to get her bearings. In front of her, a school bus driver noticed the child and pulled to the side to block the infant from crossing the road. It was then that my roommate saw a man, presumably the child's father, stroll to collect the child. There are several issues with this incident, the obvious being the parent's total disregard for the safety of the child, but also the fact that several cars zipped by with no concern.
A couple of weeks ago, I was in the drive-thru at a McDonald's for breakfast when my car died. I got out to tell the lady behind me to go around because my car would not start. Since my car was on an incline, I could put it in neutral and coast out of the line. However, I had to put the car in neutral and physically push my car out of the way. It would not be that big of an issue to me had it not been for the 7 plus cars who saw me pushing my car, and drove right past me in order to get in line. My car is a 2003 Volkswagen Jetta, and I am 5'2' about 120 lbs. I pushed the car as far as I could, and just sat in the driver's seat crying. Still, no one came to my assistance. It was about 15 minutes later when two gentlemen pulled up and asked me if I needed a jump.
To me, this is an unacceptable trend in society.We, as a society, are so caught up in our own lives, trying not to get involved, that we are alienating ourselves from what truly makes us human.
We are spoon fed everything these days. If it is not readily available, we don't want it. When it is readily available, we ask when will it be available faster and better. I watched comedian Louis C.K. the other day, and he touched on something that I, too, am guilty of..no patience. He was commenting on cell phones today, and how they are simply amazing, yet if we can not upload, download, send an email, or watch a video immediately, we consider our phones pieces of shit. I still remember try to write a program in DOS for my Computer Science class in high school. If you were successful, you got to wait for the dot-matrix printer to complete the printing process, then you got to tear the perforated edges off! We have memory blockage these days, and it most likely stems from almost everything done for us.
I know technology is only going to advance, thus isolating us further from each other, but I believe that human interaction is very important to separate us from machines. What happens if and when all of this collapses? Don't we need something to fall back on?
A couple of weeks ago, I was in the drive-thru at a McDonald's for breakfast when my car died. I got out to tell the lady behind me to go around because my car would not start. Since my car was on an incline, I could put it in neutral and coast out of the line. However, I had to put the car in neutral and physically push my car out of the way. It would not be that big of an issue to me had it not been for the 7 plus cars who saw me pushing my car, and drove right past me in order to get in line. My car is a 2003 Volkswagen Jetta, and I am 5'2' about 120 lbs. I pushed the car as far as I could, and just sat in the driver's seat crying. Still, no one came to my assistance. It was about 15 minutes later when two gentlemen pulled up and asked me if I needed a jump.
To me, this is an unacceptable trend in society.We, as a society, are so caught up in our own lives, trying not to get involved, that we are alienating ourselves from what truly makes us human.
We are spoon fed everything these days. If it is not readily available, we don't want it. When it is readily available, we ask when will it be available faster and better. I watched comedian Louis C.K. the other day, and he touched on something that I, too, am guilty of..no patience. He was commenting on cell phones today, and how they are simply amazing, yet if we can not upload, download, send an email, or watch a video immediately, we consider our phones pieces of shit. I still remember try to write a program in DOS for my Computer Science class in high school. If you were successful, you got to wait for the dot-matrix printer to complete the printing process, then you got to tear the perforated edges off! We have memory blockage these days, and it most likely stems from almost everything done for us.
I know technology is only going to advance, thus isolating us further from each other, but I believe that human interaction is very important to separate us from machines. What happens if and when all of this collapses? Don't we need something to fall back on?
Ok folks,
Riddle me this? Why is it that when The University of Texas signed a deal with ESPN to create the Longhorn Network, everyone freaked out and two members of The Big 12 Conference jumped ship crying "No fair!"? But when Oklahoma (or, the little darlings of the Big 12 and Division 1 college football perennial underachievers) ink a deal with Fox Sports Southwest, it's okay. According to John E. Hoover, Sports Day DFW:
"To see the OU network -- or whatever it will be called -- OU fans can turn on Fox Sports Southwest, Fox Sports Oklahoma or another Fox Sports channel, then look for whatever Sooner programming might be scheduled around the network's other programming, which includes a vast menu of professional sports and other collegiate properties."
The pairing of OU and Fox Sports will only show 1000 hours of OU programming per year, compared to LHN with over 8000 hours per year. I argue this, if this network pairing between OU and Fox Sports will already be available to 10+ million people at the onset, then they are already going to be seen by far more viewers than The LHN, which can only be seen on Verizon and special regions of Texas. When OU's network begins they can be seen via cable or satellite throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. That is already a huge advantage for OU. As it stands now, cable companies would have to absorb what amounts to around 40 cents per customer to show LHN. Eventually, cable companies would have to raise their prices to carry the channel, and this is a lengthy process.
The deal has yet to be finalized, and it is reported that the OU themed station complies with the Big 12's tier rights, in that they get to keep money paid to them by Fox Sports, as does the LHN. Revenue sharing with the other schools in the Big 12 only occurs when games are shown on Tier 1 (over air) and Tier 2 (cable).
Currently, The University of Texas is paid 300 million by ESPN over 20 years, with UT allowed to show two games per year. However, when the network featuring OU airs in the fall, they have the advantage to show more first-run programs and less re-runs due to the fact that they only have 1000 hours per year with which to play. While this network will eventually be dwarfed by the LHN, the immediate disparity is obvious. Longhorn fans can't watch their own network, but will be able to flip on a TV and have OU rubbed in our faces. Hypocrites, much?
Riddle me this? Why is it that when The University of Texas signed a deal with ESPN to create the Longhorn Network, everyone freaked out and two members of The Big 12 Conference jumped ship crying "No fair!"? But when Oklahoma (or, the little darlings of the Big 12 and Division 1 college football perennial underachievers) ink a deal with Fox Sports Southwest, it's okay. According to John E. Hoover, Sports Day DFW:
"To see the OU network -- or whatever it will be called -- OU fans can turn on Fox Sports Southwest, Fox Sports Oklahoma or another Fox Sports channel, then look for whatever Sooner programming might be scheduled around the network's other programming, which includes a vast menu of professional sports and other collegiate properties."
The pairing of OU and Fox Sports will only show 1000 hours of OU programming per year, compared to LHN with over 8000 hours per year. I argue this, if this network pairing between OU and Fox Sports will already be available to 10+ million people at the onset, then they are already going to be seen by far more viewers than The LHN, which can only be seen on Verizon and special regions of Texas. When OU's network begins they can be seen via cable or satellite throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. That is already a huge advantage for OU. As it stands now, cable companies would have to absorb what amounts to around 40 cents per customer to show LHN. Eventually, cable companies would have to raise their prices to carry the channel, and this is a lengthy process.
The deal has yet to be finalized, and it is reported that the OU themed station complies with the Big 12's tier rights, in that they get to keep money paid to them by Fox Sports, as does the LHN. Revenue sharing with the other schools in the Big 12 only occurs when games are shown on Tier 1 (over air) and Tier 2 (cable).
Currently, The University of Texas is paid 300 million by ESPN over 20 years, with UT allowed to show two games per year. However, when the network featuring OU airs in the fall, they have the advantage to show more first-run programs and less re-runs due to the fact that they only have 1000 hours per year with which to play. While this network will eventually be dwarfed by the LHN, the immediate disparity is obvious. Longhorn fans can't watch their own network, but will be able to flip on a TV and have OU rubbed in our faces. Hypocrites, much?
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