Monday, October 31
Young or Bush?
Travis has started a little controversy here. He says the Heisman is Vince’s to lose. The Heisman Pundit, who spends a great deal of time studying the science of Heisman voting, says Bush is the man to beat right now. Much of the disagreement comes over whether or not Vince Young had a “Heisman Moment” on Saturday, with his game-changing 80 yard touchdown run. Student Body Right is arguing that Travis is over-stating the importance of such moments.
We can run in circles debating this, and to be fair, I think all three pundits are making some legitimate arguments. While a “Heisman moment” may not be a prerequisite for winning the award, Vince Young certainly turned some positive attention his way with his sick run (and even sicker total game stats.)
With all that said, this may just be a lesson in Flavor-Of-The-Day-ism. It’s the cousin of What-Have-You-Done-For-Me-Lately-isms, and when the voters send in their ballots, their votes will likely be cast by what these outstanding players do last. If Young has an abysmal game against Texas A&M, or chunks the Big 12 championship game, he can kiss the trophy good-bye. If Bush fumbles away a USC perfect season against UCLA, he’ll be similarly dinged.
So while all the informal polls will show Young and Bush slightly ahead of one another from week to week, in the end it will come down to how these two studs perform at the end, when all are watching. On Friday of Thanksgiving week, Texas gets the spotlight against A&M in the one of the only games available for viewing. Similarly, when USC and UCLA square off at the end of the year, the eyes of the nation will tune in to see these two Pac 10 leaders collide. If Bush dominates the Bruins like he did the Irish, he can win it right then.
The wild card in this race is Matt Leinart, who, should he blow up with amazing stats down the stretch, could steal some of Bush’s thunder and split USC votes. In that case, Young could finish the winner, even, perhaps, without having the most first place votes.
I think Mike Holt said it best, though. At least for Texas, the Heisman Trophy is an afterthought—fuel for debate on blogs like this one. USC’s had their national title. We have not. That’s the real prize and the only one that counts.
--PB--
We can run in circles debating this, and to be fair, I think all three pundits are making some legitimate arguments. While a “Heisman moment” may not be a prerequisite for winning the award, Vince Young certainly turned some positive attention his way with his sick run (and even sicker total game stats.)
With all that said, this may just be a lesson in Flavor-Of-The-Day-ism. It’s the cousin of What-Have-You-Done-For-Me-Lately-isms, and when the voters send in their ballots, their votes will likely be cast by what these outstanding players do last. If Young has an abysmal game against Texas A&M, or chunks the Big 12 championship game, he can kiss the trophy good-bye. If Bush fumbles away a USC perfect season against UCLA, he’ll be similarly dinged.
So while all the informal polls will show Young and Bush slightly ahead of one another from week to week, in the end it will come down to how these two studs perform at the end, when all are watching. On Friday of Thanksgiving week, Texas gets the spotlight against A&M in the one of the only games available for viewing. Similarly, when USC and UCLA square off at the end of the year, the eyes of the nation will tune in to see these two Pac 10 leaders collide. If Bush dominates the Bruins like he did the Irish, he can win it right then.
The wild card in this race is Matt Leinart, who, should he blow up with amazing stats down the stretch, could steal some of Bush’s thunder and split USC votes. In that case, Young could finish the winner, even, perhaps, without having the most first place votes.
I think Mike Holt said it best, though. At least for Texas, the Heisman Trophy is an afterthought—fuel for debate on blogs like this one. USC’s had their national title. We have not. That’s the real prize and the only one that counts.
--PB--
ATL Top 25
1. Texas (Barely. Another slip and we’re bumping USC back up)
2. Southern Cal (If defensive improvement sticks, look out)
3. Virginia Tech (Will get their chance to make a case this Saturday vs Miami)
4. Alabama (Utah. State. Shrug.)
5. Miami (The running game is there. The passing is not.)
6. LSU (This team mystifies us)
7. UCLA (Yikes. They keep playing with fire. USC won’t be so kind)
8. Ohio State (Starting to really roll. The offense is clicking)
9. Florida State (Still looking for consistency)
10. Georgia (Shockley loss is so unfortunate; tough, tough break)
11. Notre Dame (Creeping closer to a BCS bowl)
12. Penn State (What a turnaround for Joe Pa)
13. Wisconsin (Calhoun just another great Badger runner)
14. Oregon (Steadily improving)
15. TCU (Our token mid-major vote)
16. Florida (Would not have beaten UGA with Shockley)
17. West Virginia (I guess)
18. Boston College (Not up for VT’s defense)
19. Texas Tech (Decent win against Baylor)
20. California (They don’t look like they can beat USC)
21. Fresno State (Could they challenge USC? No)
22. Auburn (They're going to be good next year)
23. Michigan (Wolverine fans must be frustrated with this team)
24. Colorado (They’re not bad. They’re not good.)
25. Georgia Tech (See: Colorado)
2. Southern Cal (If defensive improvement sticks, look out)
3. Virginia Tech (Will get their chance to make a case this Saturday vs Miami)
4. Alabama (Utah. State. Shrug.)
5. Miami (The running game is there. The passing is not.)
6. LSU (This team mystifies us)
7. UCLA (Yikes. They keep playing with fire. USC won’t be so kind)
8. Ohio State (Starting to really roll. The offense is clicking)
9. Florida State (Still looking for consistency)
10. Georgia (Shockley loss is so unfortunate; tough, tough break)
11. Notre Dame (Creeping closer to a BCS bowl)
12. Penn State (What a turnaround for Joe Pa)
13. Wisconsin (Calhoun just another great Badger runner)
14. Oregon (Steadily improving)
15. TCU (Our token mid-major vote)
16. Florida (Would not have beaten UGA with Shockley)
17. West Virginia (I guess)
18. Boston College (Not up for VT’s defense)
19. Texas Tech (Decent win against Baylor)
20. California (They don’t look like they can beat USC)
21. Fresno State (Could they challenge USC? No)
22. Auburn (They're going to be good next year)
23. Michigan (Wolverine fans must be frustrated with this team)
24. Colorado (They’re not bad. They’re not good.)
25. Georgia Tech (See: Colorado)
News and Notes from the Weekend
After a wild weekend of traveling, which included missed flights by me and canceled flights by the airlines, I’m back. For those that are interested, the wedding was perhaps the best I’ve ever been to.
On to the notes:
*Heismanpundit takes issue with Travis’s “Heisman Moment” post. As much as I’d like to agree with Travis, I think HP makes a good point. I’m not sure enough people saw the game, and I’m not sure that the first half struggles won’t be weighed in against VY.
Not to pile on my good friend Travis, whose contributions to this blog are invaluable, but Student Body Right makes an excellent counterargument as well. I think a lot of us have some vivid memories of Mr. Bush's runs against Notre Dame. I'm not sure I've EVER seen runs like some of those. Hey, we will pat ourselves on the back when we say something people like (or blast others when we think they're wrong), but we also try to point you the readers to other viewpoints, even when they contrast with our own.
*The consensus picks failed to get over .500 again, going 2-2-1. Thanks again to Andrew and Joe for making guest picks.
*USC’s defense is coming around—scary news for Trojan opponents. It’s not terribly surprising, as Pete Carroll has always been a good defensive coach. If their defense is making plays at the end of the year, it’s going to be awfully tough for anybody—Texas included—to beat them.
*Speaking of which, there cannot be any more lapses like the one that occurred in the first half versus Oklahoma State. The Texas roaring comeback was impressive, but it’s one thing to pound OSU after being down, and quite another to do so against a team like USC, or Virginia Tech.
*The first half slip against Oklahoma State also highlighted the other problem such games create for Texas: the potential erosion of human votes to USC and/or Virginia Tech. If Texas loses ground in the computers, they won’t be able to afford to lose ground in the human polls, too. Texas must impress in their remaining games to keep their place in the BCS title game.
*Teams that impressed me this week: USC, Virginia Tech, Ohio State.
*Teams that made me wonder: Texas, UCLA, Florida State, Miami.
*Speaking of Virginia Tech and Miami, there’s a pretty big game in Blacksburg this weekend. Based on what I’ve seen, Virginia Tech should be the favorite. Miami’s lack of a passing game may hurt them. Still, I expect the Canes to give the Hokies their stiffest test yet. Shit, their only test yet. Virginia Tech still hasn’t beaten an elite team. Here’s their chance.
--PB--
On to the notes:
*Heismanpundit takes issue with Travis’s “Heisman Moment” post. As much as I’d like to agree with Travis, I think HP makes a good point. I’m not sure enough people saw the game, and I’m not sure that the first half struggles won’t be weighed in against VY.
Not to pile on my good friend Travis, whose contributions to this blog are invaluable, but Student Body Right makes an excellent counterargument as well. I think a lot of us have some vivid memories of Mr. Bush's runs against Notre Dame. I'm not sure I've EVER seen runs like some of those. Hey, we will pat ourselves on the back when we say something people like (or blast others when we think they're wrong), but we also try to point you the readers to other viewpoints, even when they contrast with our own.
*The consensus picks failed to get over .500 again, going 2-2-1. Thanks again to Andrew and Joe for making guest picks.
*USC’s defense is coming around—scary news for Trojan opponents. It’s not terribly surprising, as Pete Carroll has always been a good defensive coach. If their defense is making plays at the end of the year, it’s going to be awfully tough for anybody—Texas included—to beat them.
*Speaking of which, there cannot be any more lapses like the one that occurred in the first half versus Oklahoma State. The Texas roaring comeback was impressive, but it’s one thing to pound OSU after being down, and quite another to do so against a team like USC, or Virginia Tech.
*The first half slip against Oklahoma State also highlighted the other problem such games create for Texas: the potential erosion of human votes to USC and/or Virginia Tech. If Texas loses ground in the computers, they won’t be able to afford to lose ground in the human polls, too. Texas must impress in their remaining games to keep their place in the BCS title game.
*Teams that impressed me this week: USC, Virginia Tech, Ohio State.
*Teams that made me wonder: Texas, UCLA, Florida State, Miami.
*Speaking of Virginia Tech and Miami, there’s a pretty big game in Blacksburg this weekend. Based on what I’ve seen, Virginia Tech should be the favorite. Miami’s lack of a passing game may hurt them. Still, I expect the Canes to give the Hokies their stiffest test yet. Shit, their only test yet. Virginia Tech still hasn’t beaten an elite team. Here’s their chance.
--PB--
BCS Rankings Halloween
Texas dropped to number 2 in this week's BCS rankings but is still solidly in front of Virginia Tech. As we all know, if the season were to end today, Texas would be in the Rose Bowl. As long as Texas keeps winning it will be very difficult for Virginia Tech to leapfrog the Horns.
Highlights:
--The computers still love the Horns. Texas is ranked first in all six computers.
--USC and Virginia Tech have the same computer strength.
--Penn State is ranked fifth by the computers but tenth and eleventh in the polls.
--Notre Dame is moving closer to a BCS berth as the 14th ranked team this week, up another place from last week.
--Four Big 12 teams are now ranked in the BCS with Colorado at 22 and Oklahoma at 25.
--AW--
Highlights:
--The computers still love the Horns. Texas is ranked first in all six computers.
--USC and Virginia Tech have the same computer strength.
--Penn State is ranked fifth by the computers but tenth and eleventh in the polls.
--Notre Dame is moving closer to a BCS berth as the 14th ranked team this week, up another place from last week.
--Four Big 12 teams are now ranked in the BCS with Colorado at 22 and Oklahoma at 25.
--AW--
Road to Pasadena Halloween
We are down to just five unbeatens. And I think only three are for real. Another Saturday with limited upsets. Maybe we shouldn’t rank teams until October. Then we wouldn’t have so many surprises in August and September when teams are still trying to find their true identities. Anyway, USC, Texas and Virginia Tech all win and give us more to talk about for another week.
Tier 1—The Favorites
1. USC—cruised past Washington State at home. Leinart had an excellent game. Could he siphon enough votes from Bush for a Vince Young Heisman victory? Next up those pesky Stanford Cardinal before a tough stretch to finish the season with Cal, Fresno State, and UCLA.
2. Texas—it was the best of times. It was the worst of times. Texas played like two different teams on Saturday night. The Horns suffer slightly in both polls, but will still be in the top 2 in the BCS. Is anyone extremely uncomfortable with Lou Holtz’s pro-Texas babbling on ESPN? Next up a “road” game in Waco vs. Baylor.
3. Va Tech—got a half-statement win on national tv on Thursday night. The Hokies have another huge chance to impress voters and the computers when Miami visits this Saturday. Even if they get past the Hurricanes a perfect season is long from assured. Games with Virginia, North Carolina, and probably Florida State remain before bowl season.
Tier 2—The Contenders
1. Alabama—cruised past Utah State at home, 35-3. Another weak opponent in Mississippi State this week before the Tide face their true tests in LSU and Auburn. Still betting heavily against an undefeated season.
2. UCLA—won again in the fourth quarter at Stanford. Can someone please tell the Bruins when the game actually starts? Late game comebacks are fun to watch but too tough on the stomach. Bruins are correctly ranked below some one loss teams.
Tier 3—Need Help
1. 1 Loss Teams—Best one loss teams in order: Miami, LSU, Florida State, Georgia Penn State, Wisconsin, and Oregon.
2. 2 Loss Teams—Notre Dame: the computers still hate them. A BCS berth may rest in the land of computer code. The Irish should easily win out though. Anyone else shocked by a Charlie Weis’ ten year deal? Ohio State: gets Illinois this weekend after outscoring Minnesota on Saturday. Three more wins and the Buckeyes most likely grab a BCS berth.
--AW--
Tier 1—The Favorites
1. USC—cruised past Washington State at home. Leinart had an excellent game. Could he siphon enough votes from Bush for a Vince Young Heisman victory? Next up those pesky Stanford Cardinal before a tough stretch to finish the season with Cal, Fresno State, and UCLA.
2. Texas—it was the best of times. It was the worst of times. Texas played like two different teams on Saturday night. The Horns suffer slightly in both polls, but will still be in the top 2 in the BCS. Is anyone extremely uncomfortable with Lou Holtz’s pro-Texas babbling on ESPN? Next up a “road” game in Waco vs. Baylor.
3. Va Tech—got a half-statement win on national tv on Thursday night. The Hokies have another huge chance to impress voters and the computers when Miami visits this Saturday. Even if they get past the Hurricanes a perfect season is long from assured. Games with Virginia, North Carolina, and probably Florida State remain before bowl season.
Tier 2—The Contenders
1. Alabama—cruised past Utah State at home, 35-3. Another weak opponent in Mississippi State this week before the Tide face their true tests in LSU and Auburn. Still betting heavily against an undefeated season.
2. UCLA—won again in the fourth quarter at Stanford. Can someone please tell the Bruins when the game actually starts? Late game comebacks are fun to watch but too tough on the stomach. Bruins are correctly ranked below some one loss teams.
Tier 3—Need Help
1. 1 Loss Teams—Best one loss teams in order: Miami, LSU, Florida State, Georgia Penn State, Wisconsin, and Oregon.
2. 2 Loss Teams—Notre Dame: the computers still hate them. A BCS berth may rest in the land of computer code. The Irish should easily win out though. Anyone else shocked by a Charlie Weis’ ten year deal? Ohio State: gets Illinois this weekend after outscoring Minnesota on Saturday. Three more wins and the Buckeyes most likely grab a BCS berth.
--AW--
Sunday, October 30
The Perfect Storm
It was another scary first half for the Horns against Oklahoma State, as the stars aligned perfectly for the Cowboys and allowed them to open up another big first half lead. But like last year, the large deficit didn't hold, as Texas finished the game with a 38-0 run to win once more.
Still, it was a concerning game. The defense couldn't stop the run in the first half, and the offense was flat. It was partly Texas being bad, and partly Oklahoma State putting everything together for a half. From the great runs, to the Texas mistakes, to the crazy deflected touchdown catch, everything went the Cowboys way for a half. It looked like the perfect storm was gathering that could wipe out Texas' dream season.
And yet, by the end, it was a 19 point victory for the Horns. Had they played with the same focus and intensity at the beginning of the game that they had at the end of the game, they would have won by 50. Why Texas was so flat is a mystery, and Mack Brown and Gene Chizik need to figure out why Texas stumbled out of the gate. There won't be any coming back from down three scores to a team like USC.
We'll discuss this game much, much more on Monday. For now, it's another win, an impressive comeback, and another memorable night for Vince Young. Let's throw this out for discussion in the meantime: does last night's game help, or hurt, Vince Young's Heisman resume?
--PB--
Still, it was a concerning game. The defense couldn't stop the run in the first half, and the offense was flat. It was partly Texas being bad, and partly Oklahoma State putting everything together for a half. From the great runs, to the Texas mistakes, to the crazy deflected touchdown catch, everything went the Cowboys way for a half. It looked like the perfect storm was gathering that could wipe out Texas' dream season.
And yet, by the end, it was a 19 point victory for the Horns. Had they played with the same focus and intensity at the beginning of the game that they had at the end of the game, they would have won by 50. Why Texas was so flat is a mystery, and Mack Brown and Gene Chizik need to figure out why Texas stumbled out of the gate. There won't be any coming back from down three scores to a team like USC.
We'll discuss this game much, much more on Monday. For now, it's another win, an impressive comeback, and another memorable night for Vince Young. Let's throw this out for discussion in the meantime: does last night's game help, or hurt, Vince Young's Heisman resume?
--PB--
Friday, October 28
Texas BBall Preseason # 3
The 2005-2006 Texas Longhorns men's basketball team opened as the third ranked team in the first ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. Duke sits atop the poll followed by UConn. The Blue Devils received 28 of 31 first place votes. Texas picked up two first place votes with Villanova snagging the other. The Horns play Duke on December 10th in New Jersey and Villanova on January 14th in Austin.
Texas opens the season with an exhibition game against St. Mary's on November 2nd at 7 PM. First regular season game is November 15th against Southern in the Guardians Classic in Austin.
My season tickets just arrived!!
--AW--
Texas opens the season with an exhibition game against St. Mary's on November 2nd at 7 PM. First regular season game is November 15th against Southern in the Guardians Classic in Austin.
My season tickets just arrived!!
--AW--
Dropping the ball
I suck. I really, really suck. I pulled a Selvin Young, misread my airline ticket, and thought I was leaving this evening. It was this morning. Ran straight into the pile and fumbled. My suit for Joe's wedding won't be ready until this afternoon, and now I'll be forced to try to Stand By my way to Austin this evening. Cross your fingers...
Oh, also: I suck.
Shit.
--PB--
Oh, also: I suck.
Shit.
--PB--
Thursday, October 27
Skip Bayless Is (Still) An Idiot
Skip Bayless is an idiot. Go ahead and Google it. You’ll quickly see this is not an original thought of mine. Bayless has made a career out of saying all the wrong things—the things that get under people’s skin. Whatever his motivations, the words “Skip Bayless is an idiot” have their own place in the dictionary. The guy has managed to be called an idiot more times than Jessica Simpson.
I think Football Outsiders said it best: “Skip Bayless columns are like fish in a barrel.”
Some of Skip's lowlights, just from the last year:
*The Eagles only choice is to get rid of T.O. (Riiiiight.)
*Deion Sanders is more deserving of the best athlete ever than Lance Armstrong (Seriously, he said that.)
*Kevin Garnett is not a man because he didn’t slug Anthony Peeler after Peeler swung at him. (Level-headedness, apparently, is not a quality real men possess. Ron Artest, we can safely conclude, is a REAL man.)
*Lebron James faked the flu to avoid the dunk contest (Bayless offers no real evidence; just wild conjecture—his specialty)
We could go on and on and on. I actually had fun with my little Google search. It’s pleasing to see how many sentences contain “Skip Bayless” and “idiot.”
Today, Skip Bayless is at it again, dismissing the Longhorns and—this is where it gets retarded—saying that Ohio State could give USC a better game than Texas could. I can’t fathom any justification for that statement, and Bayless doesn’t offer any. It’s just yet another idiotic thing he says that we’ve all come to expect. Personally, I think he should be quite a bit higher on this list.
--PB--
I think Football Outsiders said it best: “Skip Bayless columns are like fish in a barrel.”
Some of Skip's lowlights, just from the last year:
*The Eagles only choice is to get rid of T.O. (Riiiiight.)
*Deion Sanders is more deserving of the best athlete ever than Lance Armstrong (Seriously, he said that.)
*Kevin Garnett is not a man because he didn’t slug Anthony Peeler after Peeler swung at him. (Level-headedness, apparently, is not a quality real men possess. Ron Artest, we can safely conclude, is a REAL man.)
*Lebron James faked the flu to avoid the dunk contest (Bayless offers no real evidence; just wild conjecture—his specialty)
We could go on and on and on. I actually had fun with my little Google search. It’s pleasing to see how many sentences contain “Skip Bayless” and “idiot.”
Today, Skip Bayless is at it again, dismissing the Longhorns and—this is where it gets retarded—saying that Ohio State could give USC a better game than Texas could. I can’t fathom any justification for that statement, and Bayless doesn’t offer any. It’s just yet another idiotic thing he says that we’ve all come to expect. Personally, I think he should be quite a bit higher on this list.
--PB--
Texas vs Oklahoma State Preview
Oklahoma State 15 Montana State 10
Oklahoma State 23 Florida Atlantic 3
Oklahoma State 20 Arkansas State 10
Oklahoma State 0 Colorado 34
Oklahoma State 31 Missouri 38
Oklahoma State 23 Texas A&M 62
Oklahoma State 10 Iowa State 37
Average score: Oklahoma State 17 Opponent 28
Wow. That's including the three puff cakes they played at the beginning of the year. Folks, this is a bad football team. I'm not sure how you lose to Iowa State by 27 points. I'm not sure how you only beat Montana State by 5 points.
Is there anything to preview here? Not really. A loss here would be the biggest upset in the last ten years, easily. So, rather than breakdown how much better we are than them, here are a few questions in my mind this week:
*Will Quan Cosby assume the punt returning duties permanently? (He looked great against Tech)
*How healthy is Jamaal Charles?
*How far back has Selvin Young really come?
*Will Texas cover the 37 point spread and move to 8-0 ATS for the year?
*Does Bevo ever get full?
*How nervous will Joe be at his wedding? How drunk will I be?
As you can see, my attention span for this game is limited. I expect nothing short of a total blowout. Anything under a 30 point shellacking will be a disappointment. Joe picked a good weekend to get married, after all.
--PB--
Oklahoma State 23 Florida Atlantic 3
Oklahoma State 20 Arkansas State 10
Oklahoma State 0 Colorado 34
Oklahoma State 31 Missouri 38
Oklahoma State 23 Texas A&M 62
Oklahoma State 10 Iowa State 37
Average score: Oklahoma State 17 Opponent 28
Wow. That's including the three puff cakes they played at the beginning of the year. Folks, this is a bad football team. I'm not sure how you lose to Iowa State by 27 points. I'm not sure how you only beat Montana State by 5 points.
Is there anything to preview here? Not really. A loss here would be the biggest upset in the last ten years, easily. So, rather than breakdown how much better we are than them, here are a few questions in my mind this week:
*Will Quan Cosby assume the punt returning duties permanently? (He looked great against Tech)
*How healthy is Jamaal Charles?
*How far back has Selvin Young really come?
*Will Texas cover the 37 point spread and move to 8-0 ATS for the year?
*Does Bevo ever get full?
*How nervous will Joe be at his wedding? How drunk will I be?
As you can see, my attention span for this game is limited. I expect nothing short of a total blowout. Anything under a 30 point shellacking will be a disappointment. Joe picked a good weekend to get married, after all.
--PB--
Horns Increase Lead in Master Coaches Survey
The sixteen former college coaches voted again this week, and once again put Texas in the top spot. This week the Horns received 13 of 16 first place votes to increase their lead over USC marginally.
It's a meaningless poll, but still nice to see Texas getting some love from these former college coaches. The #1 rankings are piling up, and it brings up an interesting question. I was having dinner with my Dad last night and he suggested to me that the Horns should hope to be #2 going into the Rose Bowl (should they get there). My initial reaction was to agree, though I'm not sure it makes much difference. He insisted that the pressure of being #1 is a real factor and that Texas really would be better served coming in at #2, as the challenger to the reigning champion.
It's interesting food for thought, and a potential legitimate justification for why USC should be ranked #1. He agreed with most of my arguments about why many of the justifications you hear for USC being #1 are bogus, but suggested that the pressure of being #1 is a legitimate factor and one that should be considered when ranking teams.
Readers, please chime in with your thoughts on both subjects:
(1) Is Texas better off entering a potential Rose Bowl showdown with USC ranked #2?
(2) Is there a real pressure of being #1 that should be taken into account when evaluating USC?
--PB--
It's a meaningless poll, but still nice to see Texas getting some love from these former college coaches. The #1 rankings are piling up, and it brings up an interesting question. I was having dinner with my Dad last night and he suggested to me that the Horns should hope to be #2 going into the Rose Bowl (should they get there). My initial reaction was to agree, though I'm not sure it makes much difference. He insisted that the pressure of being #1 is a real factor and that Texas really would be better served coming in at #2, as the challenger to the reigning champion.
It's interesting food for thought, and a potential legitimate justification for why USC should be ranked #1. He agreed with most of my arguments about why many of the justifications you hear for USC being #1 are bogus, but suggested that the pressure of being #1 is a legitimate factor and one that should be considered when ranking teams.
Readers, please chime in with your thoughts on both subjects:
(1) Is Texas better off entering a potential Rose Bowl showdown with USC ranked #2?
(2) Is there a real pressure of being #1 that should be taken into account when evaluating USC?
--PB--
Wednesday, October 26
College Hoops Preseason BlogPoll Released
Success Defined
What is a successful season? For the past five years, Texas has won nine, nine, eleven, ten, and eleven games. But all five of those seasons were tainted by losses to OU. We have cleared that hurdle this season. We are 7-0 with two victories over top 10 teams and the presumptive favorites for the Big 12 title and a berth in the national championship game. So far we have had nothing but success. Given the scenarios below would the season be successful?
A) Loss at Texas A&M followed by victories in Big 12 Championship Game and in the Fiesta Bowl over Notre Dame.
B) Beat Texas A&M but lose in the Big 12 Championship Game. Receive an at-large BCS berth and beat Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
C) Beat A&M. Win the Big 12 Championship but are left out of the Rose Bowl by the computers. Win the Fiesta Bowl over Penn State.
D) Beat A&M. Win the Big 12 Championship. A berth but a loss in the Rose Bowl to USC.
E) Win out for a 13 – 0 season and a national championship Rose Bowl victory.
I would say A & B are unacceptable at this point in the season. C would be a successful season. D would be successful but difficult to stomach. And obviously E is the goal.
What do you think?
--AW--
A) Loss at Texas A&M followed by victories in Big 12 Championship Game and in the Fiesta Bowl over Notre Dame.
B) Beat Texas A&M but lose in the Big 12 Championship Game. Receive an at-large BCS berth and beat Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
C) Beat A&M. Win the Big 12 Championship but are left out of the Rose Bowl by the computers. Win the Fiesta Bowl over Penn State.
D) Beat A&M. Win the Big 12 Championship. A berth but a loss in the Rose Bowl to USC.
E) Win out for a 13 – 0 season and a national championship Rose Bowl victory.
I would say A & B are unacceptable at this point in the season. C would be a successful season. D would be successful but difficult to stomach. And obviously E is the goal.
What do you think?
--AW--
Barnes adds to recruiting class
Rick Barnes’ recruiting class just keeps getting better. Having already landed the #2 prospect in the country in Rockville, MD star Kevin Durant, among others, Barnes yesterday secured a commitment from 6’10” center Matt Hill, of Lincoln, Nebraska. Hill also had scholarship offers from Oklahoma State, UCLA, Gonzaga, Purdue, and Utah, but chose Texas. “I’ve picked a proven program,” Hill said.
Scout.com ranked Hill the #74 prospect in the country.
--PB--
Scout.com ranked Hill the #74 prospect in the country.
--PB--
Tuesday, October 25
Another #1 ranking
Texas is gaining ground in just about every poll. They picked up votes in the AP, Coaches, and Harris Polls. They moved up a spot (for now) in the BCS. And now, in the granddaddy of them all, they’ve pushed ahead of USC into the #1 slot in the FanBlogs.com poll.
Next up? The BlogPoll, which will be released tomorrow. We’ll check in on that one tomorrow.
--PB--
Next up? The BlogPoll, which will be released tomorrow. We’ll check in on that one tomorrow.
--PB--
Texas Quarterback Name Game
In honor of incoming quarterback Colt McCoy, as well as former quarterback legend Major Applewhite, it’s time to have a Texas quarterback naming contest. It’s pretty tough to beat Colt McCoy, but we’ll throw out a few nominations of our own and invite you to offer your own.
Texas quarterbacks we’d like to see:
Whip McGee
Clayton Bronco
Buddy Winchester
Hoot McCormick
Chris Simms
Davey Sergeant
Bucky Cartwright
Irwin M. Fletcher (we wish)
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Texas quarterbacks we’d like to see:
Whip McGee
Clayton Bronco
Buddy Winchester
Hoot McCormick
Davey Sergeant
Bucky Cartwright
Irwin M. Fletcher (we wish)
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Looming Computer Problems?
The national pundits are starting to come around. Texas picked up first place votes in both polls that go into the BCS on Sunday. We even picked up two first place votes in the AP poll, not that it matters. We are even number one in the latest BCS rankings. Dennis Dodd of CBS Sportsline, Pat Forde of ESPN, and Lee Corso of ESPN College Gameday already have the Horns in the Rose Bowl. The computers love us. The pollsters love us. The Rose Bowl officials want us. This is the best Texas team most of us have seen in our lifetime. Is there any reason to worry? Bear with me. There is a small one. Consider this the ATL Devil’s Advocate.
The BCS computers really love us. Right now our six computer rankings are first, first, first, first, first, and second. And at least for a week, Texas is the number one overall team in the BCS. If we keep winning and winning handily, it is extremely doubtful that pollsters would drop us to number 3 behind Virginia Tech. Lucky for us, the polls account for 2/3 of the BCS number. So, we should have a mathematical advantage over Virginia Tech in at least two of the three BCS components for the rest of the season. We could however suffer from this point forward in the computers.
Our next three opponents are bad. Actually, they are horrible. We will likely be favored by more than 35 points in each of our next three games. Oklahoma State, Baylor, and Kansas have a combined 1-11 record in the Big 12. According to the latest Sagarin Elo-Chess rankings (the ones used for the BCS), our next three opponents are the 12th, 9th, and 11th best teams in the Big 12. Also, according to Sagarin, our strength of schedule is currently 30th. USC’s is 24th and Virginia Tech’s is 55th. All six BCS computers value who you play and who you beat. Some use the date and location of the game as well. Some don’t. Our computer strength and lead over Virginia Tech is likely to slip. It won’t matter if we win our next three games 150-10. The computers will be judging our whole season that will now include very bad teams. As we slip, Va Tech is likely to rise, if they keep winning. The Hokies play Boston College, Miami, Virginia, and North Carolina to close the season. Current Sagarin Rankings of those opponents 17, 12, 43, and 40 respectively. Our last four are ranked 81, 53, 64, and 29. And don’t expect A&M to stay that high. They should beat Iowa State at home to go 6-2. But then the Aggies travel to Lubbock and Norman before we visit to end the season. A&M will most likely be 6-4 with one win coming over Texas State. Virginia Tech could also be helped by an ACC championship victory over Florida State more than Texas would be with another victory over Colorado or Missouri.
So what does this all mean? Likely, nothing. Texas should win out, including the Big 12 championship game and remain a solid number two in the polls. Given that it would be very difficult for Virginia Tech to jump us in the BCS. BCS expert Jerry Palm said the other day that Va Tech would have to average two spots ahead of Texas in the computers for it to be close. Currently, Va Tech is about two spots behind us in most computer rankings. And if USC and/or Va Tech drop a game, which is not that unlikely, then Texas can book nonrefundable tickets for Pasadena. But if all three win out, there is a small chance Texas would be headed to the Fiesta Bowl. More likely, Virginia Tech would be this year’s Auburn only adding kindling to the playoff fire. Georgia and Alabama have outside shots of winning out. But without Shockley, I don’t see Georgia doing it. And I still think LSU is better than Alabama and will represent the SEC West.
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The BCS computers really love us. Right now our six computer rankings are first, first, first, first, first, and second. And at least for a week, Texas is the number one overall team in the BCS. If we keep winning and winning handily, it is extremely doubtful that pollsters would drop us to number 3 behind Virginia Tech. Lucky for us, the polls account for 2/3 of the BCS number. So, we should have a mathematical advantage over Virginia Tech in at least two of the three BCS components for the rest of the season. We could however suffer from this point forward in the computers.
Our next three opponents are bad. Actually, they are horrible. We will likely be favored by more than 35 points in each of our next three games. Oklahoma State, Baylor, and Kansas have a combined 1-11 record in the Big 12. According to the latest Sagarin Elo-Chess rankings (the ones used for the BCS), our next three opponents are the 12th, 9th, and 11th best teams in the Big 12. Also, according to Sagarin, our strength of schedule is currently 30th. USC’s is 24th and Virginia Tech’s is 55th. All six BCS computers value who you play and who you beat. Some use the date and location of the game as well. Some don’t. Our computer strength and lead over Virginia Tech is likely to slip. It won’t matter if we win our next three games 150-10. The computers will be judging our whole season that will now include very bad teams. As we slip, Va Tech is likely to rise, if they keep winning. The Hokies play Boston College, Miami, Virginia, and North Carolina to close the season. Current Sagarin Rankings of those opponents 17, 12, 43, and 40 respectively. Our last four are ranked 81, 53, 64, and 29. And don’t expect A&M to stay that high. They should beat Iowa State at home to go 6-2. But then the Aggies travel to Lubbock and Norman before we visit to end the season. A&M will most likely be 6-4 with one win coming over Texas State. Virginia Tech could also be helped by an ACC championship victory over Florida State more than Texas would be with another victory over Colorado or Missouri.
So what does this all mean? Likely, nothing. Texas should win out, including the Big 12 championship game and remain a solid number two in the polls. Given that it would be very difficult for Virginia Tech to jump us in the BCS. BCS expert Jerry Palm said the other day that Va Tech would have to average two spots ahead of Texas in the computers for it to be close. Currently, Va Tech is about two spots behind us in most computer rankings. And if USC and/or Va Tech drop a game, which is not that unlikely, then Texas can book nonrefundable tickets for Pasadena. But if all three win out, there is a small chance Texas would be headed to the Fiesta Bowl. More likely, Virginia Tech would be this year’s Auburn only adding kindling to the playoff fire. Georgia and Alabama have outside shots of winning out. But without Shockley, I don’t see Georgia doing it. And I still think LSU is better than Alabama and will represent the SEC West.
--AW--
Monday, October 24
BREAKING NEWS: TEXAS #1 IN BCS
Texas is your new #1 team in the BCS, folks. The week two rankings, released moments ago, have Texas ahead of USC by the slimmest of margins, thanks to a #1 ranking by every computer ranking system used in the formula. Texas’ computer rankings will dip as they play out the remainder of their schedule against weak competition, but for one week at least, the Horns are #1. Virginia Tech, Georgia, Alabama, and UCLA all sit a good distance behind front-runners USC and Texas.
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USC-Texas watch
Longhorn Fan Rooting Guide, Week 9
Horns fans, it’s time to start our selective cheering, as the quest for a Rose Bowl berth gains focus. Up this week, a slew of games to take an active interest in:
Group One: Remaining Unbeatens
Root for FLORIDA over GEORGIA
Root for BOSTON COLLEGE over VIRGINIA TECH
Root for UTAH STATE over ALABAMA
Root for STANFORD over UCLA
Root for USC over WASHINGTON STATE
That last one may have you scratching your heads, but we’re on record saying we want a piece of USC. We’re not changing our tune now. Virginia Tech has an outside chance of passing Texas, so a loss from them against BC this week or Miami next week would be nice. The SEC teams have a tough hill to climb, as they aren’t likely to close the human voter gap enough to give Texas a scare. UCLA and USC cannot both remain undefeated, so we’re not too concerned there, either.
Group Two: Big 12 Madness
Root for TEXAS TECH over BAYLOR
Root for MISSOURI over KANSAS
Root for COLORADO over KANSAS STATE
Root for TEXAS A&M over IOWA STATE
Root for OKLAHOMA over NEBRASKA
From here on out, we’ll basically be rooting for all the teams that Texas has beaten, or will play in the remaining games. Of particular interest to Horns fans should be Colorado and Texas Tech. If those two can finish strong, the Texas victories over those two teams will be worth more.
As painful as it is to root for the Aggies and Sooners, we've got bigger fish to fry this year, Horns fans. So sack up, swallow your pride, and do it. Then take a long, hot bath and scrub yourself clean of the filthiness you're feeling.
Group Three: Others
Root for RICE over UTEP
Root for OHIO STATE over MINNESOTA
Root for LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE over TROY
Horns fans need to pull hard for Ohio State to win out, as the higher they climb in the polls and BCS standings, the more the Texas victory bolsters the Horns resume. Next time you see a Buckeye fan, raise your Horns in the air, laugh uncontrollably, and then quietly say, "Hey, I hope you beat Minnesota this week."
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Back to Hornsblog Home Page
Group One: Remaining Unbeatens
Root for FLORIDA over GEORGIA
Root for BOSTON COLLEGE over VIRGINIA TECH
Root for UTAH STATE over ALABAMA
Root for STANFORD over UCLA
Root for USC over WASHINGTON STATE
That last one may have you scratching your heads, but we’re on record saying we want a piece of USC. We’re not changing our tune now. Virginia Tech has an outside chance of passing Texas, so a loss from them against BC this week or Miami next week would be nice. The SEC teams have a tough hill to climb, as they aren’t likely to close the human voter gap enough to give Texas a scare. UCLA and USC cannot both remain undefeated, so we’re not too concerned there, either.
Group Two: Big 12 Madness
Root for TEXAS TECH over BAYLOR
Root for MISSOURI over KANSAS
Root for COLORADO over KANSAS STATE
Root for TEXAS A&M over IOWA STATE
Root for OKLAHOMA over NEBRASKA
From here on out, we’ll basically be rooting for all the teams that Texas has beaten, or will play in the remaining games. Of particular interest to Horns fans should be Colorado and Texas Tech. If those two can finish strong, the Texas victories over those two teams will be worth more.
As painful as it is to root for the Aggies and Sooners, we've got bigger fish to fry this year, Horns fans. So sack up, swallow your pride, and do it. Then take a long, hot bath and scrub yourself clean of the filthiness you're feeling.
Group Three: Others
Root for RICE over UTEP
Root for OHIO STATE over MINNESOTA
Root for LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE over TROY
Horns fans need to pull hard for Ohio State to win out, as the higher they climb in the polls and BCS standings, the more the Texas victory bolsters the Horns resume. Next time you see a Buckeye fan, raise your Horns in the air, laugh uncontrollably, and then quietly say, "Hey, I hope you beat Minnesota this week."
--PB--
Back to Hornsblog Home Page
Even computers bullish on Horns
The Longhorns were ranked #1 by five of the six computer rankings used in the BCS formula, allowing them to leapfrog USC to the top spot in the BCS by the slimmest of margins. Texas remained ranked #2 by Jeff Sagarin’s computer ranking in the formula used by the BCS, but in his rankings that take margin of victory into account, the Horns are ranked #1.
A stellar week for Texas and further momentum for their push to the Rose Bowl. If Texas continues to blow out their competition, they're headed to Pasadena. The chances of Texas being this year’s Auburn are growing slimmer by the week.
--PB--
A stellar week for Texas and further momentum for their push to the Rose Bowl. If Texas continues to blow out their competition, they're headed to Pasadena. The chances of Texas being this year’s Auburn are growing slimmer by the week.
--PB--
Weekend Picks Recap
It wasn’t a bad week of picks for ATL. Travis Richmond broke the bookies, going 5-1 against the spread. Andrew Wiggins struggled again, going 1-5 against the spread. Drew's poor record was surprising, however, as he went a perfect 9-for-9 in the ESPN College Pick ‘Em league. Guest contributor Michael Holt went 3-3 against the spread, while guest contributr Alex Ernst (1st place in the Pick ‘Em league) went 4-2. Peter Bean went 3-3, and the consensus picks broke even as well, also at 3-3. The ATL Mortal Lock of the Week, Texas -16.5 over Tech, was an easy win. Texas is now 7-0 against the spread on the year.
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Vince Young's Pro Future
This guest article is contributed by the authors of TripleOT, an all-sports blog that you can read here.
General pro scout consensus has our pride and joy, Vince Young, converting to a wide receiver when he enters the 2006 or 2007 pro draft (hopefully the latter, for Colt McCoy's sake). While this isn't something new (think Antwaan Randle-El, Matt Jones, or Hines Ward), it may come as a surprise to the Longhorn faithful.
As pro scouts look at Vince Young's performance through last year's Oklahoma State game, we can't really blame them for wanting to convert Young. Can any reader really remember a phenomenal pass or passing performance before the Oklahoma State comeback last year? Since then, however, Vince has been proving that he can do it through the air just as easily as he does it on the ground. Sure we know of Vince's great runs since then, especially the Kansas run and those ridiculous Michigan runs, but we now have some memories of Vince going through the air, such as his pass to Limas Sweed to win the Ohio State game. More importantly, the pro scouts now have memories of Young winning it with his arm, and that's going to help him immensely come draft day.
The way Vince is playing of late, NFL teams would be foolish not to breed him into a pro QB. Not to only compare black QBs with black QBs, but this was really the best comparison I could come with: Vince is showing the obvious physical gifts of Mike Vick, but the absolute grit and determination of Donovan McNabb. Is there any doubt that Vince Young could succeed in Atlanta's run-first offensive set right now? Heck, with the right talent around him, Vince Young could easily run a West Coast offense as successful as Steve Young – dropping back for a short pass but always threatening to take off towards the endzone. Regardless of what position Young is drafted, he has the critical factors that will lead him to success on Sundays – immeasurable physical talent and that drive that you can see in his eyes that leave other coaches awake at night. So enjoy it while you can Longhorn faithful, we're being graced here by rare talent.
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General pro scout consensus has our pride and joy, Vince Young, converting to a wide receiver when he enters the 2006 or 2007 pro draft (hopefully the latter, for Colt McCoy's sake). While this isn't something new (think Antwaan Randle-El, Matt Jones, or Hines Ward), it may come as a surprise to the Longhorn faithful.
As pro scouts look at Vince Young's performance through last year's Oklahoma State game, we can't really blame them for wanting to convert Young. Can any reader really remember a phenomenal pass or passing performance before the Oklahoma State comeback last year? Since then, however, Vince has been proving that he can do it through the air just as easily as he does it on the ground. Sure we know of Vince's great runs since then, especially the Kansas run and those ridiculous Michigan runs, but we now have some memories of Vince going through the air, such as his pass to Limas Sweed to win the Ohio State game. More importantly, the pro scouts now have memories of Young winning it with his arm, and that's going to help him immensely come draft day.
The way Vince is playing of late, NFL teams would be foolish not to breed him into a pro QB. Not to only compare black QBs with black QBs, but this was really the best comparison I could come with: Vince is showing the obvious physical gifts of Mike Vick, but the absolute grit and determination of Donovan McNabb. Is there any doubt that Vince Young could succeed in Atlanta's run-first offensive set right now? Heck, with the right talent around him, Vince Young could easily run a West Coast offense as successful as Steve Young – dropping back for a short pass but always threatening to take off towards the endzone. Regardless of what position Young is drafted, he has the critical factors that will lead him to success on Sundays – immeasurable physical talent and that drive that you can see in his eyes that leave other coaches awake at night. So enjoy it while you can Longhorn faithful, we're being graced here by rare talent.
--CH--
Mandel Praises Entire Texas Team
SI.com's Stewart Mandel introduces America to Vince Young's supporting cast in this excellent article. Mandel gives an excellent overview of all the contributors to Texas' remarkable run this year, concluding with a prescient thought:
Mack Brown says, "The team is enjoying the ride. I told them, 'You don't get in this position many times in your life."
And you certainly don't get in this position by being a one-man team.
Oh so true. Even when Vince Young isn't his best, this Texas team is playing excellent football. Next up: Oklahoma State.
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Mack Brown says, "The team is enjoying the ride. I told them, 'You don't get in this position many times in your life."
And you certainly don't get in this position by being a one-man team.
Oh so true. Even when Vince Young isn't his best, this Texas team is playing excellent football. Next up: Oklahoma State.
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Road to Pasadena Oct. 24th
Six unbeaten teams now remain. This Saturday felt tame compared to the last one with nearly all the top teams marching on. Only Michigan State and Virginia were toppled. Texas dominated a “top 10” Tech team while Virginia Tech struggled in the first half against an unranked Maryland squad on national tv. The computers and polls will love the Horns this week. More BCS stuff to come.
Tier 1—The Favorites
1. USC—won handily out west against the terrible Washington Huskies. If you didn’t see it, you are not alone. This one was on opposite our game as part of ABC’s regional telecast. Only Pac 10 land got this feed. Four of their last five are at home, including Washington State this weekend.
2. Texas—still hasn’t played in a close game in the second half since Ohio State. Just as we all thought, Texas gave up yards but not points and easily avoided the Gameday curse. No real challenges until January for the Horns. However, we must continue crushing opponents and impressing voters. Next up: at Oklahoma State.
3. Va Tech—allowed Maryland to stay close for awhile before turning it on in the second half. Marcus Vick made some uncharacteristic mistakes in the first half. Disaster looms if the Hokies’ turnover woes continue in the upcoming weeks vs. Boston College and Miami.
4. Georgia—survived in Athens against the bad Arkansas Razorbacks. The health of QB DJ Shockley will determine the rest of the season. I don’t see Georgia beating Florida, Auburn, and Georgia Tech without him.
Tier 2—The Contenders
1. Alabama—proves that kickers matter. For the second straight week, the Crimson Tide win with a field goal. The road gets easier for Bama with Utah State and Mississippi State upcoming. The season ends with LSU and Auburn though. 9-2??
2. UCLA—won again at home. Am I the only one who isn’t taking this team seriously? Their rise in the polls will continue with games against Stanford and Arizona the next two weeks. Holiday Bowl anyone?
Tier 3—Need Help
1. 1 Loss Teams—Best one loss teams in order: Miami, LSU, Florida State, Boston College, Penn State, Oregon, and Wisconsin.
2. 2 Loss Teams—Notre Dame will likely grab an at-large BCS berth if they win out, and the computers don’t hold them back. Only one tough game remains against Tennessee in two weeks. Ohio State ran away from Indiana Saturday morning. The Big 10 is nuts but the Buckeyes should win the league if they win out.
--AW--
Tier 1—The Favorites
1. USC—won handily out west against the terrible Washington Huskies. If you didn’t see it, you are not alone. This one was on opposite our game as part of ABC’s regional telecast. Only Pac 10 land got this feed. Four of their last five are at home, including Washington State this weekend.
2. Texas—still hasn’t played in a close game in the second half since Ohio State. Just as we all thought, Texas gave up yards but not points and easily avoided the Gameday curse. No real challenges until January for the Horns. However, we must continue crushing opponents and impressing voters. Next up: at Oklahoma State.
3. Va Tech—allowed Maryland to stay close for awhile before turning it on in the second half. Marcus Vick made some uncharacteristic mistakes in the first half. Disaster looms if the Hokies’ turnover woes continue in the upcoming weeks vs. Boston College and Miami.
4. Georgia—survived in Athens against the bad Arkansas Razorbacks. The health of QB DJ Shockley will determine the rest of the season. I don’t see Georgia beating Florida, Auburn, and Georgia Tech without him.
Tier 2—The Contenders
1. Alabama—proves that kickers matter. For the second straight week, the Crimson Tide win with a field goal. The road gets easier for Bama with Utah State and Mississippi State upcoming. The season ends with LSU and Auburn though. 9-2??
2. UCLA—won again at home. Am I the only one who isn’t taking this team seriously? Their rise in the polls will continue with games against Stanford and Arizona the next two weeks. Holiday Bowl anyone?
Tier 3—Need Help
1. 1 Loss Teams—Best one loss teams in order: Miami, LSU, Florida State, Boston College, Penn State, Oregon, and Wisconsin.
2. 2 Loss Teams—Notre Dame will likely grab an at-large BCS berth if they win out, and the computers don’t hold them back. Only one tough game remains against Tennessee in two weeks. Ohio State ran away from Indiana Saturday morning. The Big 10 is nuts but the Buckeyes should win the league if they win out.
--AW--
Texas 52 Texas Tech 17
Texas Tech outgained the Longhorns in total yards, had 29 first downs to Texas’ 21, owned the time of possession 36:01 to 23:59 and passed for 369 yards. They also lost, 52-17.
Texas did what great teams do, smothering inferior competition in every way that mattered, dominating with big plays and an overall deflating defense. It was just another sign that this year’s Texas team is special and a notch above previous years’ Longhorn teams.
You can read a recap of the game here or check out the box score here, so we’ll just touch on some of the important notes from the game:
*Vice Young threw two interceptions early in the game, but this year’s maturation showed itself once again as he rebounded to perform solidly after the two mistakes. Young finished 12-22 for 239 yards and two touchdown passes.
*Billy Pittman has emerged as a legitimate stud. Pittman turned his three catches into 138 yards, including two touchdowns, one for 75 yards. With Aaron Ross ailing, Pittman also handled the punt return duties, and while Ross has been solid this year, Pittman easily outperformed him. The switch should be permanent.
*ATL whipping boy Selvin Young was quietly effective, gaining 77 yards on 16 carries. He wasn’t Jamaal Charles, but he did what was needed of him and found the end zone twice.
*All Points Bulletin: Any university seeking a head coach should put Gene Chizik at the top of their list. Horns fans are just hoping we get a national title out of him before he takes over somewhere. The man is really, really good at what he does. In fact, all our offensive weapons aside, he’s the number one reason why I think we’re the favorites to win it all.
*Texas Tech coach Mike Leach pulled a Mack. Looking like the old Mack Brown against a top five team, Leach got conservative in the first half, electing to try to draw Texas offsides when his team was driving in Texas territory, instead of going for it on 4th down. Playing not to lose against a team that’s better than you is a bad idea. Trust us, we did it for years.
*Texas crushing win, coupled with Virginia Tech’s lackluster win over Maryland should move the Horns even more comfortably into the #2 spot in the polls and BCS standings. Only a Texas stumble can derail the Horns train to Pasadena at this point.
--PB--
Wiggins' Gameday Notes
Texas exposed the previously undefeated Texas Tech Red Raiders 52-17 on Saturday afternoon. There's really no other way to put it. One one side of the field was the best team in the country and there was a top 20 team on the other. This was another no-contest. Don’t let the arrival of Gameday and their top 10 ranking fool you. This was the neighborhood pickup game between big brother and his friends vs. little brother and his friends. You can play all afternoon and the youngsters are never going to win.
That said, give Mike Leach credit. The Red Raiders compete with Texas, OU, and A&M every year and occasionally spring a huge upset. They simply don’t have the talent to win, though. Coaching can only get you so far. You have to have the pl,ayers, too. Tech lands west Texas and Dallas high school products who are of no interest to Texas or OU. So, when you don’t have the talent, you have to come up with another way to win. Mike Leach has done so: a gimmick offense.
Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics: Tech had eight more first down, gained 468 yards (24 more than Texas), and dominated the time of possession 36 minutes to 24. Hodges was 42/64 for 369 yards and two touchdowns. Looking at only those stats, some would have thought Tech won, and no one would have predicted a 35 point blowout loss. But that is exactly what happened.
Last week, Texas played the best team from the Big 12 North, Colorado, and the game was over after the first quarter. This week, we played the next best team in the Big 12 South, and the game was over after the second quarter. Tech will continue to beat non conference pansies by 50+ points to start the year. They will continue to beat teams without solid defenses in the Big 12. They will continue to put up mind boggling statistics as long as Mike Leach is the head coach. And they should easily finish 10-1 with a long shot at a BCS berth. But until you focus on all three aspects of football--offense, defense, and special teams--there is no way Texas Tech can compete on a national level. Tech didn’t lose by 35 points because of their offense. They lost because they couldn’t stop Texas’ offense and they couldn’t execute in special teams. Their first punt went 19 yards. Their second was returned inside the 15 yard line. And their last before halftime was blocked leading to another UT touchdown and realistically ending the game.
Texas is the best team in the country, and made Tech look silly for much of the afternoon. The Horns are the only team in the top 10 nationally in offense and defense. I don’t care how many games USC has won in past seasons: this season Texas is the best team. We have the best offensive line in the country, the best quarterback, and the best freshman running back. We have a smothering defense with stars like Wright, Harris, and Huff who are all up for national awards. And our special teams are improving. Greg Johnson’s kickoffs are deeper and higher, and, consequently, our kick coverage has improved. Pino has been solid with field goals and extra points and McGee is solid enough punting when our offense happens to get stopped. USC may have a slightly more explosive offense, but overall the Horns are better. Let the debates rage.
--AW--
That said, give Mike Leach credit. The Red Raiders compete with Texas, OU, and A&M every year and occasionally spring a huge upset. They simply don’t have the talent to win, though. Coaching can only get you so far. You have to have the pl,ayers, too. Tech lands west Texas and Dallas high school products who are of no interest to Texas or OU. So, when you don’t have the talent, you have to come up with another way to win. Mike Leach has done so: a gimmick offense.
Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics: Tech had eight more first down, gained 468 yards (24 more than Texas), and dominated the time of possession 36 minutes to 24. Hodges was 42/64 for 369 yards and two touchdowns. Looking at only those stats, some would have thought Tech won, and no one would have predicted a 35 point blowout loss. But that is exactly what happened.
Last week, Texas played the best team from the Big 12 North, Colorado, and the game was over after the first quarter. This week, we played the next best team in the Big 12 South, and the game was over after the second quarter. Tech will continue to beat non conference pansies by 50+ points to start the year. They will continue to beat teams without solid defenses in the Big 12. They will continue to put up mind boggling statistics as long as Mike Leach is the head coach. And they should easily finish 10-1 with a long shot at a BCS berth. But until you focus on all three aspects of football--offense, defense, and special teams--there is no way Texas Tech can compete on a national level. Tech didn’t lose by 35 points because of their offense. They lost because they couldn’t stop Texas’ offense and they couldn’t execute in special teams. Their first punt went 19 yards. Their second was returned inside the 15 yard line. And their last before halftime was blocked leading to another UT touchdown and realistically ending the game.
Texas is the best team in the country, and made Tech look silly for much of the afternoon. The Horns are the only team in the top 10 nationally in offense and defense. I don’t care how many games USC has won in past seasons: this season Texas is the best team. We have the best offensive line in the country, the best quarterback, and the best freshman running back. We have a smothering defense with stars like Wright, Harris, and Huff who are all up for national awards. And our special teams are improving. Greg Johnson’s kickoffs are deeper and higher, and, consequently, our kick coverage has improved. Pino has been solid with field goals and extra points and McGee is solid enough punting when our offense happens to get stopped. USC may have a slightly more explosive offense, but overall the Horns are better. Let the debates rage.
--AW--
ATL Top 25
1. Texas (Won by 35 despite subpar game)
2. Southern Cal (Offense still nation’s best)
3. Virginia Tech (A notch below TX, USC)
4. Georgia (Shockley injury could be fatal)
5. Alabama (Defense keeping Tide alive)
6. Miami (Game vs GA Tech postponed)
7. UCLA (Another great Pac 10 offense)
8. LSU (Les Miles STILL sucks)
9. Ohio State (Offense coming around; look out)
10. Florida State (Beat Duke; hooray)
11. Boston College (Big game vs Va Tech this Thurs)
12. Notre Dame (Rolled over BYU)
13. Penn State (Ron Zook sucks)
14. Wisconsin (The Big 10 is weird)
15. Oregon (Got by Arizona)
16. TCU (Only one loss for Horned Frogs)
17. Florida (Big game vs GA this week)
18. West Virginia (The Big East is baaad)
19. Texas Tech (Exposed by Texas defense)
20. Fresno State (Can they challenge USC?)
21. Northwestern (Nice to see them playing well)
22. Tennessee (Squeaked by Auburn)
23. Auburn (Heartbreaker)
24. California (Don’t look like they can beat USC)
25. Minnesota (See: Wisconsin)
2. Southern Cal (Offense still nation’s best)
3. Virginia Tech (A notch below TX, USC)
4. Georgia (Shockley injury could be fatal)
5. Alabama (Defense keeping Tide alive)
6. Miami (Game vs GA Tech postponed)
7. UCLA (Another great Pac 10 offense)
8. LSU (Les Miles STILL sucks)
9. Ohio State (Offense coming around; look out)
10. Florida State (Beat Duke; hooray)
11. Boston College (Big game vs Va Tech this Thurs)
12. Notre Dame (Rolled over BYU)
13. Penn State (Ron Zook sucks)
14. Wisconsin (The Big 10 is weird)
15. Oregon (Got by Arizona)
16. TCU (Only one loss for Horned Frogs)
17. Florida (Big game vs GA this week)
18. West Virginia (The Big East is baaad)
19. Texas Tech (Exposed by Texas defense)
20. Fresno State (Can they challenge USC?)
21. Northwestern (Nice to see them playing well)
22. Tennessee (Squeaked by Auburn)
23. Auburn (Heartbreaker)
24. California (Don’t look like they can beat USC)
25. Minnesota (See: Wisconsin)
Friday, October 21
Parting Shot
Inside the Numbers: Texas Defense Edition
*43.6—percent of Texas’ opponents drives that are three plays and out
*16—number of sacks recorded by Texas’ defense this year
*11—number of games it took the UT defense to record 16 sacks last year
*147.7—yards per game passing allowed by the Texas defense
*8—number of opponent drives starting inside the Texas 40 yard line
*2—number of touchdowns scored by opponents on those drives
*240—total yards allowed per game by Texas defense (#3 nationally)
*11—turnovers forced by Texas’ defense this year
*3—number of those turnovers returned for scores
*63—points scored off those 11 turnovers
*19—points allowed by Texas’ defense on Texas’ 10 offensive turnovers
*14—points per game allowed by Texas defense
*46.3—percent of opponents’ pass attempts completed
*67.4—percent of Vince Young pass attempts completed
*0—losses by Gene Chizik defense-coached teams in last two season
*0—percent chance of Texas Tech winning
Hook ‘Em Horns! Beat Texas Tech!!
--PB--
*16—number of sacks recorded by Texas’ defense this year
*11—number of games it took the UT defense to record 16 sacks last year
*147.7—yards per game passing allowed by the Texas defense
*8—number of opponent drives starting inside the Texas 40 yard line
*2—number of touchdowns scored by opponents on those drives
*240—total yards allowed per game by Texas defense (#3 nationally)
*11—turnovers forced by Texas’ defense this year
*3—number of those turnovers returned for scores
*63—points scored off those 11 turnovers
*19—points allowed by Texas’ defense on Texas’ 10 offensive turnovers
*14—points per game allowed by Texas defense
*46.3—percent of opponents’ pass attempts completed
*67.4—percent of Vince Young pass attempts completed
*0—losses by Gene Chizik defense-coached teams in last two season
*0—percent chance of Texas Tech winning
Hook ‘Em Horns! Beat Texas Tech!!
--PB--
Duke vs Texas tickets
Smoke and Mirrors: Texas Tech Edition
ESPN Gameday is coming to town. The pundits are devoting thousands of words to the game. It’s a game featuring the #2 and #7 teams in the College BCS standings. And yet, here at ATL, we’re just not that worked up.
It’s a must-win, as they all are, but it’s so hard to envision Texas Tech even covering the spread in this game, let alone winning it. For one thing, Texas Tech’s 6-0 record is largely window-dressing. They haven’t beaten anyone in the Top 25. Christ, they haven’t even played anyone in the Top 25. They’ve beaten three mediocre teams from the Big 12 North (Kansas, Nebraska, Kansas State), and three colleges you’ve never heard of.
While Texas’ schedule hasn’t been particularly brutal, it’s been nothing like the Cupcake City that Tech has scheduled. The only reason Tech has gotten as much love as they have is that they play a crazy pass-attack offense predicated on fast scores and 200 throws a game. Well, when you play for 60 minutes against Appalaichan Florida International Tech for the Blind, it’s no wonder you win 80-10.
What is mystifying, however, is why some people have bought into the hype. For the seventh straight game, Texas is being underestimated, this time courtesy of other people’s fascination with shiny objects. In this case, Tech is a Lamborghini. Unfortunately for them, they’re entered in a Monster Truck steel cage death match with a ten ton truck. Does anyone really think Tech can gimmick their way to a win here?
We sure as hell don’t. Texas contained Tech last year, and Gene Chizik will do the same this year. Cody Hodges is going to get hammered to the ground just the way Joel Klatt was last week, and he’s going to get real uncomfortable real quick after a few of those vicious blows.
Throw in the fact that Texas Tech’s pass-happy offense means more possessions for the opposing team, too. Does anyone really want to stake any money on Tech being able to contain the Texas offense? Vince Young dominated Tech last year, and he’s only better this year. Seriously, somebody please explain to us how Texas Tech can win this game. We don’t see it happening. The only real suspense on Saturday will be watching to see if Lee Corso dons a Bevo mascot head when he picks Texas.
Our official prediction is a Texas blowout, 58-20. Feel free to chime in with your own predictions for Saturday’s “Game of the Week.”
--PB--
It’s a must-win, as they all are, but it’s so hard to envision Texas Tech even covering the spread in this game, let alone winning it. For one thing, Texas Tech’s 6-0 record is largely window-dressing. They haven’t beaten anyone in the Top 25. Christ, they haven’t even played anyone in the Top 25. They’ve beaten three mediocre teams from the Big 12 North (Kansas, Nebraska, Kansas State), and three colleges you’ve never heard of.
While Texas’ schedule hasn’t been particularly brutal, it’s been nothing like the Cupcake City that Tech has scheduled. The only reason Tech has gotten as much love as they have is that they play a crazy pass-attack offense predicated on fast scores and 200 throws a game. Well, when you play for 60 minutes against Appalaichan Florida International Tech for the Blind, it’s no wonder you win 80-10.
What is mystifying, however, is why some people have bought into the hype. For the seventh straight game, Texas is being underestimated, this time courtesy of other people’s fascination with shiny objects. In this case, Tech is a Lamborghini. Unfortunately for them, they’re entered in a Monster Truck steel cage death match with a ten ton truck. Does anyone really think Tech can gimmick their way to a win here?
We sure as hell don’t. Texas contained Tech last year, and Gene Chizik will do the same this year. Cody Hodges is going to get hammered to the ground just the way Joel Klatt was last week, and he’s going to get real uncomfortable real quick after a few of those vicious blows.
Throw in the fact that Texas Tech’s pass-happy offense means more possessions for the opposing team, too. Does anyone really want to stake any money on Tech being able to contain the Texas offense? Vince Young dominated Tech last year, and he’s only better this year. Seriously, somebody please explain to us how Texas Tech can win this game. We don’t see it happening. The only real suspense on Saturday will be watching to see if Lee Corso dons a Bevo mascot head when he picks Texas.
Our official prediction is a Texas blowout, 58-20. Feel free to chime in with your own predictions for Saturday’s “Game of the Week.”
--PB--
Street Wins TSN AL Rookie of the Year
Former Texas’-current Oakland Athletics closer Huston Street was named The Sporting News’s AL Rookie of the Year on Friday. Horns fans were not surprised to see Street transition smoothly to the big league level, but few could have predicted he’d be this successful. For those that aren’t baseball fans, let’s put this in perspective a bit.
Mariano Rivera, who everyone knows, had a truly dominant season. He’s likely to receive a number of Cy Young votes, and could very well finish in the top three. To give you an idea of how good Street was this year, let’s turn to Baseball Prospectus’s advance metric for measuring pitchers’ value, VORP (Value Over Replacement Pitcher). Rivera managed an outstanding 32.3 VORP, second best among all relievers in the American League. The only relief pitcher with more VORP was Street, with 33.3.
VORP increases the more innings you pitch, so dominant starters can rack up higher VORP easier than relievers. That Street accumulated a 33.3 VORP in just 78.3 innings is remarkable, and a testament to how good he was when he was on the mound. Congratulations to Huston Street.
Mariano Rivera, who everyone knows, had a truly dominant season. He’s likely to receive a number of Cy Young votes, and could very well finish in the top three. To give you an idea of how good Street was this year, let’s turn to Baseball Prospectus’s advance metric for measuring pitchers’ value, VORP (Value Over Replacement Pitcher). Rivera managed an outstanding 32.3 VORP, second best among all relievers in the American League. The only relief pitcher with more VORP was Street, with 33.3.
VORP increases the more innings you pitch, so dominant starters can rack up higher VORP easier than relievers. That Street accumulated a 33.3 VORP in just 78.3 innings is remarkable, and a testament to how good he was when he was on the mound. Congratulations to Huston Street.
Even using traditional metrics, Street was outstanding, going 5-1 with a 1.72 ERA, with 72 strikeouts and 23 saves in 78 innings.
--PB--
#1 vs #2 Showdown Looms for Horns
There’s nothing quite like a #1 vs. #2 showdown in college sports, Horns fans. I hope you’ve been saving your money and are already making your travel plans for this year’s big showdown. No, no—I’m not talking about a potential USC versus Texas Rose Bowl showdown. That would be next year. No, this time we’re talking about college hoops and the December 10 contest between preseason 1-2 Duke-Texas.
Ten years ago, when Tom Penders was still flailing around the courtside and Texas was busy not playing defense, you would have been hard pressed to find many Horns fans who could have envisioned Texas becoming one of the elite programs in the country. Somehow, Rick Barnes has done just that, doing what Mack Brown has done so well—getting the state’s top talent to stay at home.
It started with T.J. Ford, the charismatic point guard that took Texas to the Final Four and awakened many Austin sports fans to the joys of college basketball. Ford is still my favorite UT athlete of all time, though Vince Young has charged up that list to a close #2.
Ford wisely (given his health concerns) bolted for the NBA, but his legacy remains, luring top basketball players both in-state and around the nation to Austin to play for Barnes. This year’s group is deep, talented, and gaining experience. And people are noticing. Should they win the Guardians Classic, they’ll likely enter the December 10 showdown with Duke in East Rutherford, New Jersey undefeated. Duke, too, will likely be unbeaten.
I’ll be heading up to the Meadowlands to watch the game, and I hope some of you Horns fans can make the trip, too. If it’s cheaper for you to get to Washington—fly on in and you can drive up with me. Hell, let’s get a whole caravan. We’re all dreaming of the Rose Bowl, but the football team’s not the only team with a chance for glory this year. The dream of the Ultimate Trifecta is still alive. The baseball team did its job. The football team is still in the race. And the basketball team, believe it or not, has the talent to go to the Final Four. Would you rather be a sports fan of any other university? Me neither.
--PB--
Ten years ago, when Tom Penders was still flailing around the courtside and Texas was busy not playing defense, you would have been hard pressed to find many Horns fans who could have envisioned Texas becoming one of the elite programs in the country. Somehow, Rick Barnes has done just that, doing what Mack Brown has done so well—getting the state’s top talent to stay at home.
It started with T.J. Ford, the charismatic point guard that took Texas to the Final Four and awakened many Austin sports fans to the joys of college basketball. Ford is still my favorite UT athlete of all time, though Vince Young has charged up that list to a close #2.
Ford wisely (given his health concerns) bolted for the NBA, but his legacy remains, luring top basketball players both in-state and around the nation to Austin to play for Barnes. This year’s group is deep, talented, and gaining experience. And people are noticing. Should they win the Guardians Classic, they’ll likely enter the December 10 showdown with Duke in East Rutherford, New Jersey undefeated. Duke, too, will likely be unbeaten.
I’ll be heading up to the Meadowlands to watch the game, and I hope some of you Horns fans can make the trip, too. If it’s cheaper for you to get to Washington—fly on in and you can drive up with me. Hell, let’s get a whole caravan. We’re all dreaming of the Rose Bowl, but the football team’s not the only team with a chance for glory this year. The dream of the Ultimate Trifecta is still alive. The baseball team did its job. The football team is still in the race. And the basketball team, believe it or not, has the talent to go to the Final Four. Would you rather be a sports fan of any other university? Me neither.
--PB--
Thursday, October 20
Drawing the line
This rant comes after my email inbox was bombarded with mp3 files of the USC Trojan band by this hack job, Julie Ellis. You can read her worthless sales pitch here
Dear Ms. Ellis,
I went to your company’s website, and saw your little sales pitch. I guess I shouldn’t be terribly surprised, considering you’re a USC fan, and you’re operating out of Costa Freakin’ Mesa, California (what a hellhole). Can I be honest with you? I mean, apparently we’re on a friendly enough basis where you can bomb my email inbox with mp3 files of the USC Trojan band, so I’ll take the liberty of assuming that you’re up for a little constructive criticism.
For one thing, the thing is written at about a 9th grade level. In Costa Mesa, that may be considered a compliment, but I assure you, in this context it is not. Seriously, it’s the most unimaginative hack job I’ve seen in quite some time. But beyond being painful to read, and well beyond the issue of whether I’d ever consider taking a loan from someone with a business pitch as bad as this one, it’s got some basic errors that you should really consider fixing.
The message opens with: “You know what it takes to succeed. Hard work, sacrifice and dedication. Which has in turn allowed you to buy a house and make it your home.”
Julie, I hope you’re a better loan officer than you are a writer! Your first sentence is fine, but the next two are what we call ‘fragments’ – they aren’t complete sentences. Second, hard work, sacrifice, and dedication don’t allow you to buy a house. Money does. I know lots of hard working, dedicated folks who sacrifice a lot, but can’t afford a home. And I know a hell of a lot of lazy, selfish bums who are home owners. I’m splitting hairs a bit, but hey, you picked this fight.
Look, I know you patted yourself on the back for sending a Longhorn fan the Trojan fight songs via email. I guess I’ll pat myself on the back for being so annoyed by it that I’m taking the time to deconstruct your worthless sales pitch.
So as I sign off here, let me offer my own sales pitch to the homeowners of Costa Mesa, California who might need a loan: Don’t choose ASAP Equity. If they can’t be bothered to write something even remotely compelling, or at the least grammatically correct, then they probably aren’t to be trusted with money.
--PB--
Dear Ms. Ellis,
I went to your company’s website, and saw your little sales pitch. I guess I shouldn’t be terribly surprised, considering you’re a USC fan, and you’re operating out of Costa Freakin’ Mesa, California (what a hellhole). Can I be honest with you? I mean, apparently we’re on a friendly enough basis where you can bomb my email inbox with mp3 files of the USC Trojan band, so I’ll take the liberty of assuming that you’re up for a little constructive criticism.
For one thing, the thing is written at about a 9th grade level. In Costa Mesa, that may be considered a compliment, but I assure you, in this context it is not. Seriously, it’s the most unimaginative hack job I’ve seen in quite some time. But beyond being painful to read, and well beyond the issue of whether I’d ever consider taking a loan from someone with a business pitch as bad as this one, it’s got some basic errors that you should really consider fixing.
The message opens with: “You know what it takes to succeed. Hard work, sacrifice and dedication. Which has in turn allowed you to buy a house and make it your home.”
Julie, I hope you’re a better loan officer than you are a writer! Your first sentence is fine, but the next two are what we call ‘fragments’ – they aren’t complete sentences. Second, hard work, sacrifice, and dedication don’t allow you to buy a house. Money does. I know lots of hard working, dedicated folks who sacrifice a lot, but can’t afford a home. And I know a hell of a lot of lazy, selfish bums who are home owners. I’m splitting hairs a bit, but hey, you picked this fight.
Look, I know you patted yourself on the back for sending a Longhorn fan the Trojan fight songs via email. I guess I’ll pat myself on the back for being so annoyed by it that I’m taking the time to deconstruct your worthless sales pitch.
So as I sign off here, let me offer my own sales pitch to the homeowners of Costa Mesa, California who might need a loan: Don’t choose ASAP Equity. If they can’t be bothered to write something even remotely compelling, or at the least grammatically correct, then they probably aren’t to be trusted with money.
--PB--
The Magnificent Seven
Fanblogs offers a tidy breakdown of the seven remaining unbeaten teams in college football, their remaining schedules, and their most challenging tests. Critical reading for the BCS addicted/afflicted.
--PB--
--PB--
Masterful Voting by Former Coaches
We’re inching up in the coaches poll. We’ve gained a little ground in the Harris Poll. We picked up one vote in the Blog Poll. Despite USC playing in several close games, the fact remains that Texas isn't gaining much ground. Voters seem content voting the Trojans #1 until they lose (which is understandable).
Well, almost all the voters. One group of voters has changed course. I speak, of course, of the coaches that are voting in the Master Coaches Survey—a poll consisting of 16 former college football coaches, including 10 Hall of Famers. This week, for the first time, Texas was voted #1, receiving 10 of the 16 first place votes. USC checked in at #2 with six first place votes.
Say what you will about a poll that includes R.C. Slocum among its ranks; it’s still nice to see the Horns atop at least one poll besides our decidedly partisan ATL Top 25.
--PB--
Well, almost all the voters. One group of voters has changed course. I speak, of course, of the coaches that are voting in the Master Coaches Survey—a poll consisting of 16 former college football coaches, including 10 Hall of Famers. This week, for the first time, Texas was voted #1, receiving 10 of the 16 first place votes. USC checked in at #2 with six first place votes.
Say what you will about a poll that includes R.C. Slocum among its ranks; it’s still nice to see the Horns atop at least one poll besides our decidedly partisan ATL Top 25.
--PB--
Lessons from the Rose Bowl... Errr... Comment War
Well, our open letter to USC sparked a nice little comment war. 445 comments in all—not a bad turnout. And we certainly learned a lot from all the comments. To sum:
*In the last three years, USC has won 0, 1, 2, or 3 national championships, depending who you ask.
*There are a LOT of people who definately don’t know how to spell.
*There are an equal number of people who strongly believe that the best line of attack is another man’s sexuality.
*There are a lot of SEC fans who apparently thought USC referred to the Gamecocks, not the Trojans.
*George Bush is a pretty unpopular dude.
*So is Arnold Schwarzenegger.
*Laguna Beach is awesome.
*Laguna Beach is NOT awesome.
*Best comment exchange:
USC fan: “You Texans are as dumb as your horses.”
Texas fan: “My horse is smarter than your honor student.”
*Worst comment exchange:
USC winner: “Hey Texas fans has Pujols ball landed yet????? Houston.....we have a problem!!All you yahoo's out in Texas enjoy that big WHINE.....oops I mean win against OU (OVERATED UNIVERSITY) because the rest of the ink you will be getting in another big game will be how SC smack daddied you.............” [sic]
Texas winner: “Hey California, does your catcher know how to tag a runner out on a third strike?”
Many of the comments were amusing, some were even informative, but too many were just tasteless rants by seemingly pre-adolescent fans. Fortunately, life is not a Jim Rome Smack Down death match. If Texas and USC can get to the Rose Bowl, it will be settled on the field.
Until then, we’ll keep on jawing… right clones?
--PB--
*In the last three years, USC has won 0, 1, 2, or 3 national championships, depending who you ask.
*There are a LOT of people who definately don’t know how to spell.
*There are an equal number of people who strongly believe that the best line of attack is another man’s sexuality.
*There are a lot of SEC fans who apparently thought USC referred to the Gamecocks, not the Trojans.
*George Bush is a pretty unpopular dude.
*So is Arnold Schwarzenegger.
*Laguna Beach is awesome.
*Laguna Beach is NOT awesome.
*Best comment exchange:
USC fan: “You Texans are as dumb as your horses.”
Texas fan: “My horse is smarter than your honor student.”
*Worst comment exchange:
USC winner: “Hey Texas fans has Pujols ball landed yet????? Houston.....we have a problem!!All you yahoo's out in Texas enjoy that big WHINE.....oops I mean win against OU (OVERATED UNIVERSITY) because the rest of the ink you will be getting in another big game will be how SC smack daddied you.............” [sic]
Texas winner: “Hey California, does your catcher know how to tag a runner out on a third strike?”
Many of the comments were amusing, some were even informative, but too many were just tasteless rants by seemingly pre-adolescent fans. Fortunately, life is not a Jim Rome Smack Down death match. If Texas and USC can get to the Rose Bowl, it will be settled on the field.
Until then, we’ll keep on jawing… right clones?
--PB--
Mostly Dumb with a Chance of Showers
Watch Texas Tech coach Mike Leach give the weather report on the local Lubbock television station.
Now try to imagine him coach football. (We're laughing, too.)
--PB--
Now try to imagine him coach football. (We're laughing, too.)
--PB--
Blue Ribbon Slots Texas at #2
Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, the most comprehensive college basketball publication in the world, returns for its 25th season bigger and better in 2005-06. Most importantly to Horns fans, this year's preseason rankings have Texas slotted in at #2, their highest BRY preseason ranking ever.
This year's annual is shipping October 25th, so order your copy today, Horns fans.
This year's annual is shipping October 25th, so order your copy today, Horns fans.
Wednesday, October 19
Selvin Young To Start
Mack Brown announced on Wednesday after practice that Selvin Young will start at tailback against Texas Tech. He will have more information about Jamaal Charles on Thursday. Here is what he said about Selvin.
What does this mean for the Horns? The game was already more likely to resemble a track meet than a football game. Now without our star tailback, Tech may be able to key more on our passing game. Colorado made a conscious decision last Saturday to stop the run. They loaded up near the line of scrimmage and dared VY to beat them through the air. We all know how that turned out. Will Tech scheme their defense similarly? Probably, and it won't matter. Texas Tech's defense is not good enough to prevent us from scoring. So, if they load the box, it could be Colorado all over again. If Tech takes advantage of not seeing Charles in the backfield, VY and Selvin will have success on the ground. We would love to see Jamaal in the staring lineup, but ATL is not worried as long as we have Vince Young.
--AW--
"Selvin gets better every time he goes out there. We felt like since he broke the left ankle last year and he sprained the right ankle this year that he is having to go back and get confidence pushing off both ankles again. When he has worked so hard on the right one, the left one got weak again so he has had to go back and rehab. There were four times Saturday where he looked like the old Selvin to me when he planted and really made a great run. He played fantastically without the ball, so what we have to get him to do is to get the confidence back that he can plant on either ankle and turn up field and be aggressive. He has looked better this week than he did last week. He will start the game."
What does this mean for the Horns? The game was already more likely to resemble a track meet than a football game. Now without our star tailback, Tech may be able to key more on our passing game. Colorado made a conscious decision last Saturday to stop the run. They loaded up near the line of scrimmage and dared VY to beat them through the air. We all know how that turned out. Will Tech scheme their defense similarly? Probably, and it won't matter. Texas Tech's defense is not good enough to prevent us from scoring. So, if they load the box, it could be Colorado all over again. If Tech takes advantage of not seeing Charles in the backfield, VY and Selvin will have success on the ground. We would love to see Jamaal in the staring lineup, but ATL is not worried as long as we have Vince Young.
--AW--
Barnes Lands Another Top Class
Basketball season hasn't even started yet, and the Horns just keep getting stronger. Coach Rick Barnes is quietly securing yet another top recruiting class. On Monday, 6-10 forward Dexter Pittman verbally committed to Texas. If you think Mike Williams is big, wait until you get a look at Pittman. According to Scout.com, Pittman is a solid 320 pounds and is listed as the 51st best high school senior. The official signing period does not begin until November 9th, so all commitments thus far are only verbal, and therefore non-binding.
Texas has already secured four commitments: Kevin Durant, Justin Mason, Harrison Smith, and Pittman. Scout.com has Durant as a five star recruit and the top high school small forward in the country; Pittman and Smith as four star recruits; and Mason as a three star recruit. This season, Texas is the pre-season second ranked team, with a legitimate shot at the Final Four. Horns fans want to cut down the nets this March, but if we don’t reach our ultimate goal this season, hope will be resurrected with these four guys joining the squad next season.
--AW--
Texas has already secured four commitments: Kevin Durant, Justin Mason, Harrison Smith, and Pittman. Scout.com has Durant as a five star recruit and the top high school small forward in the country; Pittman and Smith as four star recruits; and Mason as a three star recruit. This season, Texas is the pre-season second ranked team, with a legitimate shot at the Final Four. Horns fans want to cut down the nets this March, but if we don’t reach our ultimate goal this season, hope will be resurrected with these four guys joining the squad next season.
--AW--
The Pac 10 is down!
Tired of all the Big 12 bashing you hear these days? So are we. With Oklahoma down and Texas A&M flailing, the conference is decidedly weaker than in most years. But is it really as bad as everyone says? Not quite.
Let’s turn to Jeff Sagarin’s computer rankings for a glimpse of how the conferences stack up against one another. Sagarin ranks the conferences two ways: first, using a simple average (averaging the rank score of every team in the conference) and second, by way of “central mean.” (In a central mean ranking, more weight is given to the middle teams of each conference, with weight diminishing outward both ways to the best and worst teams in the conference. Thus, for a 12 team conference, the weighting goes like this, from worst team to best team: 1-2-3-4-5-6-6-5-4-3-2-1).
Using central mean, the conference standings are:
1) Big 10 (81.38)
2) ACC (78.21)
3) SEC (76.96)
4) Big 12 (76.37)
5) Pac 10 (76.18)
6) Big East (72.27)
Using simple average, the Big 12 moves up a spot:
1) Big 10 (80.52)
2) ACC (78.05)
3) Big 12 (77.31)
4) SEC (76.95)
5) Pac 10 (76.66)
6) Big East (72.26)
What should we draw from this data? For one thing, the Big East sucks. They have no business sending anyone to a BCS bowl. For another thing, the Big 12 may be down, but so is the SEC. And lastly, for all the hoo-ing and ha-ing you hear from Pac 10 aficionados, their conference ain’t that grand, either. No matter how you slice and dice the numbers. Add in that they don’t bother with a conference championship game (West Coast pansy-ness at its finest), and we get a much better perspective on all this.
People’s perception of the Big 12 may be down, but when you get down to it, it’s not the basement people think it is. It’s clearly, clearly not up to its usually high standards, but it’s neither the dump bin that the critics claim it is.
Yes, yes, this is just one set of data. But it’s still instructive. And it’s part of the reason why Texas is so comfortably in the #2 position in the BCS standings. Big 12 nay-sayers be damned.
--PB--
Let’s turn to Jeff Sagarin’s computer rankings for a glimpse of how the conferences stack up against one another. Sagarin ranks the conferences two ways: first, using a simple average (averaging the rank score of every team in the conference) and second, by way of “central mean.” (In a central mean ranking, more weight is given to the middle teams of each conference, with weight diminishing outward both ways to the best and worst teams in the conference. Thus, for a 12 team conference, the weighting goes like this, from worst team to best team: 1-2-3-4-5-6-6-5-4-3-2-1).
Using central mean, the conference standings are:
1) Big 10 (81.38)
2) ACC (78.21)
3) SEC (76.96)
4) Big 12 (76.37)
5) Pac 10 (76.18)
6) Big East (72.27)
Using simple average, the Big 12 moves up a spot:
1) Big 10 (80.52)
2) ACC (78.05)
3) Big 12 (77.31)
4) SEC (76.95)
5) Pac 10 (76.66)
6) Big East (72.26)
What should we draw from this data? For one thing, the Big East sucks. They have no business sending anyone to a BCS bowl. For another thing, the Big 12 may be down, but so is the SEC. And lastly, for all the hoo-ing and ha-ing you hear from Pac 10 aficionados, their conference ain’t that grand, either. No matter how you slice and dice the numbers. Add in that they don’t bother with a conference championship game (West Coast pansy-ness at its finest), and we get a much better perspective on all this.
People’s perception of the Big 12 may be down, but when you get down to it, it’s not the basement people think it is. It’s clearly, clearly not up to its usually high standards, but it’s neither the dump bin that the critics claim it is.
Yes, yes, this is just one set of data. But it’s still instructive. And it’s part of the reason why Texas is so comfortably in the #2 position in the BCS standings. Big 12 nay-sayers be damned.
--PB--
The Consensus Grows: Week 8 Picks
The ATL trio scrapped their way to a 3-3 consensus weekend last Saturday. Travis and Peter held their own, going 4-2 last week, but Andrew struggled, going 1-5 and bringing down the consensus average. We still believe that the stronger the consensus, the better the information, so we’re bringing in two guest contributors this weekend.
The first guest contributor is Alex Ernst, who is the current champion of the ATL Pick ‘Em league. His picks have been so good, in fact, that he’s ranked in the top five percent of all ESPN users. We’re hoping for some money picks from him this week.
Our second guest contributor is our Best Partisan Commenter Awardee, Mike Holt. We’re confident that these two will help the ATL consensus nail the picks this week. This is the week Andrew turns it around. On to the picks…
Top BCS Threat Line of the Week
Virginia Tech -10.5 @ Maryland
PB—This is the week Virginia Tech finally plays a close one. The Terps are improving. Tech wins, but not by that much. Pick: Maryland
TR—If VaTech can win, they’ll cover. Why? Because Beamer knows he’s got to impress voters and the computers, so he’ll try to up the margin. Pick: Virginia Tech
AW—Ralph’s club scares the Hokies but they survive. Pick: Maryland
MH—No so fast. Despite my desires otherwise, the Hokies defense is too strong. Pick: Virginia Tech
AE—This is a tough one. I’m confident the Hokies will win, but can they pull off an eleven point win in Maryland? I believe that they can. Pick: Virginia Tech
Consensus: Virginia Tech (3 votes to 2)
Top Preseason Overrated Teams Line of the Week
Michigan +3 @ Iowa
PB—Iowa hasn’t lost at home in a long, long time. Michigan can’t get it together. Gimme the Hawkeyes. Pick: Iowa
TR— Iowa’s only real loss was at Ohio State. (Tate was injured for Iowa State.) But the Hawkeyes let Indiana throw all over them last week. Pick: Michigan
AW—Iowa won eight straight to end last season. They could do it again. Pick: Iowa
MH— Based on the pattern of W and L’s for Michigan you would have to say this is an L week. Pick: Iowa
AE—Can I pick a tie? I can see Iowa winning by a field goal, just to spite me. I predict that there will not be a letdown for the Wolverines this week as they hang in there with the Hawks. I had the stones to say that ISU would top the Hawks….I say Iowa gets more than they bargain for yet again…. Pick: Michigan
Consensus: Iowa (3 votes to 2)
Top SEC Heavyweights Game of the Week
Tennessee +3.5 @ Alabama
PB—Two BCS contenders fall this week. Tech and Bama. The Tide offense can’t score enough to win without Prothro. Pick: Tennessee
TR— Alabama does nothing for me. Pick: Tennessee
AW—survives again but won’t run the table. Pick: Alabama
MH— That Bama v. Ole Miss game was so ugly and Florida was overrated when they beat them and still are. The Tide is washed up. This is my pick of the week: Tennessee
AE— I swear Brodie Crolye’s been around the last eight years. After struggling to win against Ole Miss, I cannot go with the Tide. Pick: Rocky Top
Consensus: Tennessee (4 votes to 1)
Top You Know Your Team Really Sucks When This Is Your Line Game Of The Week
Texas A&M -3.5 @ Kansas State
PB—Poor Aggies. Another lost year. Should be able to manage this spread, though. Right? Pick: A&M
TR— No way A&M wins on the road. Lock of the century. Pick: K-State (by at least 20)
AW—The Aggies can’t be that bad. Wasn’t Franchione suppose to resurrect this program? He hasn’t but Kansas State is worse. Aggies in a close one. Pick: A&M
MH— What went wrong with these programs? Whatever happens to UT this year, you can always be thankful we will never drop this low. Yawn Pick: TAMU
AE— Well, just to make the North suck even more, and to give Cyclone fans false hope of having a chance to contend…. Pick: Texas A&M
Consensus: Texas A&M (4 votes to 1)
Top Battle of Unbeatens Game of the Week
Texas Tech +16 @ Texas
PB—Are you serious? This one is going to be a blowout. Pick: Texas
TR— Give me Texas -30. Pick: Texas
AW—Over / under: four hours thirty minutes. Texas wins going away. Pick: Texas
MH— Horns have been doubling me up all year. I can’t wait. Pick: Texas
AE— Maybe, just maybe, if the game was at Tech, I’d give them consideration. To be fair, Sam Houston State……actually, there’s no excuse for their crappy scheduling. Pick: Texas
Consensus: Mortal Lock of the Week – Texas (5 votes to 0)
Top Try to Figure Out the Pac 10 Game of the Week
Oregon -9.5 @ Arizona
PB—Oregon is improving, though I like Arizona’s defense. I’ll take the points at home. Pick: Arizona
TR— You’ve got to adjust Pac-10 lines for West Coast inflation. Since they always score in the 40s, a line of 9.5 is like a line of 4 for teams that score in the 20s. Arizona’s nothing. Pick: Oregon
AW—Mike Stoops’ club just lost at home to Stanford. Arizona can’t score enough points. Pick: Oregon
MH—Arizona sucks. Pick: Oregon
AE— Any team that loses to Stanford at home will get no mention. Pick: Oregon
Consensus: Oregon (4 votes to 1)
--PB--
The first guest contributor is Alex Ernst, who is the current champion of the ATL Pick ‘Em league. His picks have been so good, in fact, that he’s ranked in the top five percent of all ESPN users. We’re hoping for some money picks from him this week.
Our second guest contributor is our Best Partisan Commenter Awardee, Mike Holt. We’re confident that these two will help the ATL consensus nail the picks this week. This is the week Andrew turns it around. On to the picks…
Top BCS Threat Line of the Week
Virginia Tech -10.5 @ Maryland
PB—This is the week Virginia Tech finally plays a close one. The Terps are improving. Tech wins, but not by that much. Pick: Maryland
TR—If VaTech can win, they’ll cover. Why? Because Beamer knows he’s got to impress voters and the computers, so he’ll try to up the margin. Pick: Virginia Tech
AW—Ralph’s club scares the Hokies but they survive. Pick: Maryland
MH—No so fast. Despite my desires otherwise, the Hokies defense is too strong. Pick: Virginia Tech
AE—This is a tough one. I’m confident the Hokies will win, but can they pull off an eleven point win in Maryland? I believe that they can. Pick: Virginia Tech
Consensus: Virginia Tech (3 votes to 2)
Top Preseason Overrated Teams Line of the Week
Michigan +3 @ Iowa
PB—Iowa hasn’t lost at home in a long, long time. Michigan can’t get it together. Gimme the Hawkeyes. Pick: Iowa
TR— Iowa’s only real loss was at Ohio State. (Tate was injured for Iowa State.) But the Hawkeyes let Indiana throw all over them last week. Pick: Michigan
AW—Iowa won eight straight to end last season. They could do it again. Pick: Iowa
MH— Based on the pattern of W and L’s for Michigan you would have to say this is an L week. Pick: Iowa
AE—Can I pick a tie? I can see Iowa winning by a field goal, just to spite me. I predict that there will not be a letdown for the Wolverines this week as they hang in there with the Hawks. I had the stones to say that ISU would top the Hawks….I say Iowa gets more than they bargain for yet again…. Pick: Michigan
Consensus: Iowa (3 votes to 2)
Top SEC Heavyweights Game of the Week
Tennessee +3.5 @ Alabama
PB—Two BCS contenders fall this week. Tech and Bama. The Tide offense can’t score enough to win without Prothro. Pick: Tennessee
TR— Alabama does nothing for me. Pick: Tennessee
AW—survives again but won’t run the table. Pick: Alabama
MH— That Bama v. Ole Miss game was so ugly and Florida was overrated when they beat them and still are. The Tide is washed up. This is my pick of the week: Tennessee
AE— I swear Brodie Crolye’s been around the last eight years. After struggling to win against Ole Miss, I cannot go with the Tide. Pick: Rocky Top
Consensus: Tennessee (4 votes to 1)
Top You Know Your Team Really Sucks When This Is Your Line Game Of The Week
Texas A&M -3.5 @ Kansas State
PB—Poor Aggies. Another lost year. Should be able to manage this spread, though. Right? Pick: A&M
TR— No way A&M wins on the road. Lock of the century. Pick: K-State (by at least 20)
AW—The Aggies can’t be that bad. Wasn’t Franchione suppose to resurrect this program? He hasn’t but Kansas State is worse. Aggies in a close one. Pick: A&M
MH— What went wrong with these programs? Whatever happens to UT this year, you can always be thankful we will never drop this low. Yawn Pick: TAMU
AE— Well, just to make the North suck even more, and to give Cyclone fans false hope of having a chance to contend…. Pick: Texas A&M
Consensus: Texas A&M (4 votes to 1)
Top Battle of Unbeatens Game of the Week
Texas Tech +16 @ Texas
PB—Are you serious? This one is going to be a blowout. Pick: Texas
TR— Give me Texas -30. Pick: Texas
AW—Over / under: four hours thirty minutes. Texas wins going away. Pick: Texas
MH— Horns have been doubling me up all year. I can’t wait. Pick: Texas
AE— Maybe, just maybe, if the game was at Tech, I’d give them consideration. To be fair, Sam Houston State……actually, there’s no excuse for their crappy scheduling. Pick: Texas
Consensus: Mortal Lock of the Week – Texas (5 votes to 0)
Top Try to Figure Out the Pac 10 Game of the Week
Oregon -9.5 @ Arizona
PB—Oregon is improving, though I like Arizona’s defense. I’ll take the points at home. Pick: Arizona
TR— You’ve got to adjust Pac-10 lines for West Coast inflation. Since they always score in the 40s, a line of 9.5 is like a line of 4 for teams that score in the 20s. Arizona’s nothing. Pick: Oregon
AW—Mike Stoops’ club just lost at home to Stanford. Arizona can’t score enough points. Pick: Oregon
MH—Arizona sucks. Pick: Oregon
AE— Any team that loses to Stanford at home will get no mention. Pick: Oregon
Consensus: Oregon (4 votes to 1)
--PB--
Bet the farm: Texas vs Texas Tech Preview
The last two gameday previews have focused on pivotal matchups where something had to give. Against OU it was their run defense versus our run offense (win for Texas), and against Colorado it was their pass offense versus our pass defense (win for Texas again). This week? There’s literally only one question about this game: will Tech’s vaunted passing attack be successful this week?
The answer is yes and no. Will they complete 25-30 passes? Probably. Will they accumulate 300 yards of passing? Probably. Will the passing offense be successful enough to keep up with Texas and keep Tech in the game? Not a chance.
The one element of Saturday’s game that Texas must focus on is field position. So long as they make Texas Tech start from inside their own 30 yard line all day, there’s no way Tech can win. Absolutely no way. The only chance Texas Tech has is if the Longhorns gift them good field position and they can get points off short drives. Otherwise, the Texas defense will keep Tech from scoring enough to win.
On the other side, there’s simply no way for Tech to stop the Texas offensive attack. Vince Young scored four touchdowns and had 300 yards of total offense against them last year. And the Vince Young of last year is a shell of this year’s version. Texas is going to score and score often. Tech’s quarterback this year, Cody Hodges, is decidedly better than last year’s, Sonny Cumbie, but he hasn’t seen anything even remotely resembling the Texas defense.
For all intents and purposes, Texas Tech is 3-0. They’ve beaten Kansas, Nebraska, and Kansas State. There are about sixty NCAA teams that could do that. They’ve yet to face anyone with a real defense and for that matter, they’ve yet to play anyone with a real offense. Why the spread is 16 points is beyond me. If you have some money lying around, bet on the Horns. They’re a lock to improve to 7-0 against the spread this year.
We’ll keep previewing this game throughout the week, but let this serve as notice: we’re predicting a Texas blowout. Our initial prediction? Texas going away, 58-20.
--PB--
The answer is yes and no. Will they complete 25-30 passes? Probably. Will they accumulate 300 yards of passing? Probably. Will the passing offense be successful enough to keep up with Texas and keep Tech in the game? Not a chance.
The one element of Saturday’s game that Texas must focus on is field position. So long as they make Texas Tech start from inside their own 30 yard line all day, there’s no way Tech can win. Absolutely no way. The only chance Texas Tech has is if the Longhorns gift them good field position and they can get points off short drives. Otherwise, the Texas defense will keep Tech from scoring enough to win.
On the other side, there’s simply no way for Tech to stop the Texas offensive attack. Vince Young scored four touchdowns and had 300 yards of total offense against them last year. And the Vince Young of last year is a shell of this year’s version. Texas is going to score and score often. Tech’s quarterback this year, Cody Hodges, is decidedly better than last year’s, Sonny Cumbie, but he hasn’t seen anything even remotely resembling the Texas defense.
For all intents and purposes, Texas Tech is 3-0. They’ve beaten Kansas, Nebraska, and Kansas State. There are about sixty NCAA teams that could do that. They’ve yet to face anyone with a real defense and for that matter, they’ve yet to play anyone with a real offense. Why the spread is 16 points is beyond me. If you have some money lying around, bet on the Horns. They’re a lock to improve to 7-0 against the spread this year.
We’ll keep previewing this game throughout the week, but let this serve as notice: we’re predicting a Texas blowout. Our initial prediction? Texas going away, 58-20.
--PB--
Tuesday, October 18
Who's got the worst mascot?
ATL readers: we want your help picking out the worst mascot/surname in all of college sports. Inspired by the dumbass tree of Stanford, I’ve been trying to think of other equally awful mascots and surnames.
The big puffy Orange of Syracuse is ridiculously lame.
That hapless leprechaun that hops around Notre Dame games is part mega-creepy, part retarded.
If you’ve ever been unfortunate enough to go to an Oregon game, you know all about the psycho Donald Duck look-a-like. And the horrific duck calls. And the ugly colors. Geez, add it all up and Oregon may be our winner.
I can’t say that the raging inbred freak that West Virginia trots out on the football field is particularly inspiring. I mean, come on, at least try to pretend you’re not a redneck. Embracing it? Yikes.
We would be remiss if we didn't gig Texas A&M in this space. The only thing worse than the school's surname is its football team.
Alas, while all the aforementioned are worthy nominees, there simply cannot be a worse name than the Fighting Rainbows of Hawaii. I think of rainbows, I think of Care Bears. There’s simply no place for rainbows in sports of any kind. Not even women’s sports.
Time for the readers to weigh in. Cast your vote for the worst mascot in college sports, or nominate another of your own.
Back to Hornsblog Home Page
--PB--
ATL Preseason Hoops Top 25
1. Texas (Partisan vote? Sure. Could Texas win it all? Yep.)
2. Duke (Sheldon Williams is a college beast. He'll be a lousy pro.)
3. Villanova (Look out. Returning everyone.)
4. Connecticut (Rudy Gay is really, really good.)
5. Arizona (Is anyone more consistent than Lute Olsen?)
6. Michigan State (Izzo always has a strong team)
7. Oklahoma (Boooooo. They’ll be thugtastic once again.)
8. Memphis (Great, great athletes. Need to be better ball players this year.)
9. Gonzaga (A perennial top 10 team. Impressive.)
10. Kentucky (Could be special this year.)
11. Syracuse (The Orange will struggle early, but should come on strong.)
12. Boston College (Solid, bruising team.)
13. Louisville (Pitino is a college mastermind.)
14. Stanford (I hate their former coach, Mike Montgomery. A lot.)
15. UCLA (Big step forward for Bruins this year.)
16. Iowa (Was close to being very good last year.)
17. Texas Tech (Knight has done well to make them Top 20. They can’t go higher.)
18. Kansas (Young and loaded. A year away from title contenders.)
19. West Virginia (Returning much of last year’s team.)
20. Alabama (Should be strong in the SEC.)
21. Illinois (Dee Brown is back.)
22. Ohio State (See: Kansas)
23. Georgetown (Jeff Green is the best young forward you’ve never heard of.)
24. Oklahoma State (See: Kansas)
25. Maryland (Gary Williams turns water into wine.)
This ballot is the official ballot of ATL in the BlogPoll Top 25, which will be run by friend of ATL and Iowa State blogger, Alex. Visit his site, and the Blog Poll (not yet up), here.
--PB--
2. Duke (Sheldon Williams is a college beast. He'll be a lousy pro.)
3. Villanova (Look out. Returning everyone.)
4. Connecticut (Rudy Gay is really, really good.)
5. Arizona (Is anyone more consistent than Lute Olsen?)
6. Michigan State (Izzo always has a strong team)
7. Oklahoma (Boooooo. They’ll be thugtastic once again.)
8. Memphis (Great, great athletes. Need to be better ball players this year.)
9. Gonzaga (A perennial top 10 team. Impressive.)
10. Kentucky (Could be special this year.)
11. Syracuse (The Orange will struggle early, but should come on strong.)
12. Boston College (Solid, bruising team.)
13. Louisville (Pitino is a college mastermind.)
14. Stanford (I hate their former coach, Mike Montgomery. A lot.)
15. UCLA (Big step forward for Bruins this year.)
16. Iowa (Was close to being very good last year.)
17. Texas Tech (Knight has done well to make them Top 20. They can’t go higher.)
18. Kansas (Young and loaded. A year away from title contenders.)
19. West Virginia (Returning much of last year’s team.)
20. Alabama (Should be strong in the SEC.)
21. Illinois (Dee Brown is back.)
22. Ohio State (See: Kansas)
23. Georgetown (Jeff Green is the best young forward you’ve never heard of.)
24. Oklahoma State (See: Kansas)
25. Maryland (Gary Williams turns water into wine.)
This ballot is the official ballot of ATL in the BlogPoll Top 25, which will be run by friend of ATL and Iowa State blogger, Alex. Visit his site, and the Blog Poll (not yet up), here.
--PB--
Lose-Lose?
I’m having a tough time picking up on what the rest of the country thinks of Texas Tech. It’s starting to feel like a lose-lose situation for the Horns this weekend. If they lose to Tech, or barely win, it will be seen as a sign of weakness for Texas. But if they win, the Texas Tech “Fraud City” charges will just get blown up further. Clearly, the latter option is preferable, but it’s hard to see Texas being able to make any “statement” from this game. The best we can hope for us total demolition of Tech. Something like 66-3. Much more on this game throughout the week.
--PB--
--PB--
Monday, October 17
Quotes from the Colorado Game
On Vince Young
“Vince’s performance was the best today that I’ve ever seen him.”
--Mack Brown--
“So much for hangovers. I was worried about it all week ... He [Young] just breaks teams backs.”
--Mack Brown--
“He makes anything he wants to happen on the football field.”
--Offensive lineman Jonathan Scott--
“He just takes off and adds another dimension, and it kills us.”
--Colorado linebacker Jordan Dizon--
“We did not underestimate his throwing ability at all. His receivers made great plays, he made great throws, and we didn’t get any pressure on him.”
-- Colorado coach Gary Barnett--
“I don’t care if I have to run 100 times or pass it 100 times. Whatever it takes to win is all that matters to me.”
--Vince Young--
On the Notre Dame-USC game
“There’s no disappointment. We just won a game. They're doing their job, we're doing ours.”
--Vince Young--
On the Texas defense
“They just flat stopped us. Our game plan got shut out.”
--Colorado running back Hugh Charles--
On Texas' dominance
“Vince’s performance was the best today that I’ve ever seen him.”
--Mack Brown--
“So much for hangovers. I was worried about it all week ... He [Young] just breaks teams backs.”
--Mack Brown--
“He makes anything he wants to happen on the football field.”
--Offensive lineman Jonathan Scott--
“He just takes off and adds another dimension, and it kills us.”
--Colorado linebacker Jordan Dizon--
“We did not underestimate his throwing ability at all. His receivers made great plays, he made great throws, and we didn’t get any pressure on him.”
-- Colorado coach Gary Barnett--
“I don’t care if I have to run 100 times or pass it 100 times. Whatever it takes to win is all that matters to me.”
--Vince Young--
On the Notre Dame-USC game
“There’s no disappointment. We just won a game. They're doing their job, we're doing ours.”
--Vince Young--
On the Texas defense
“They just flat stopped us. Our game plan got shut out.”
--Colorado running back Hugh Charles--
On Texas' dominance
"We got outplayed and outcoached today. We would have to play almost perfect to win the game today."
--Gary Barnett--
On rankings
I felt like Texas was a more dominant team than the Miami team we played three weeks ago. I voted Texas number one and that's not going to change. They are a great team, and Vince Young is a heck of a football player."
--Gary Barnett--
--PB--
Seth Davis Previews the Hoops Team
Andrew tipped off the ATL basketball coverage last week with his excellent season preview. We’ll continue to cover the hoops team as the season approaches. For today, check out this preview from SI.com’s Seth Davis, who made Austin the first stop on his preseason hoops road trip. It's a great preview and provides excellent insight into why Barnes is such a good coach.
--PB--
--PB--
BCS Rankings Week 1
The first BCS rankings are out and they are filled with good news for the Longhorns. As we already knew, Texas holds a significant lead over third ranked Virginia Tech in both polls. What we did not know was how our computer rankings would stack up. Texas is first, second, second, second, third, and fourth in the six different rankings. Those are more than strong enough for a solid second. In fact, Georgia, not Virginia Tech, is the third ranked team according to the computers. The season is only half way done and anything can happen. Fortunately, the future is bright from our present seat.
--AW--
--AW--
Texas herds Buffs, runs them over cliff
After such a spectacular weekend of college football, with so many great games and so many storylines, we’ve yet to cover Texas win against Colorado. Part of that is because of the emerging national stories, but part of it was because there’s not a whole lot to say. There’s certainly little to criticize, despite the fact that Texas didn’t bother playing in the second half. And why not? The game was over in the first quarter.
The real story of the game was Vince Young, who was just about perfect. His line—25 of 29, 336 yards with 2 TDs and 10 rushes, 58 yards, 3 TDs—was PlayStation-like. He was outrageously good in the first half and allowed Texas to coast to an easy victory. There was a lot of drama on Saturday, but none in Austin.
The other big story of the afternoon for Texas was Limas Sweed’s big day. Seven(!) catches for 88 yards, including two touchdowns? It was the first time all year he’s looked like a big time, go-to receiver. Was it a fluky day or a sign of things to come? We’ll certainly find out, but at least for one week, he was great. If his emergence is permanent, look out. The Texas passing attack is quickly catching up to the running attack, making our offense, well… a lot like USC’s.
Next up? Texas Tech. We’ll take a look at the Red Raiders all week here at ATL and breakdown how Texas will keep the winning streak going. The short of it is: there is absolutely nothing Texas Tech can do to keep us from scoring, short of a Tonya Harding-esque attack on Vince Young. Much more to come all week.--PB--
The real story of the game was Vince Young, who was just about perfect. His line—25 of 29, 336 yards with 2 TDs and 10 rushes, 58 yards, 3 TDs—was PlayStation-like. He was outrageously good in the first half and allowed Texas to coast to an easy victory. There was a lot of drama on Saturday, but none in Austin.
The other big story of the afternoon for Texas was Limas Sweed’s big day. Seven(!) catches for 88 yards, including two touchdowns? It was the first time all year he’s looked like a big time, go-to receiver. Was it a fluky day or a sign of things to come? We’ll certainly find out, but at least for one week, he was great. If his emergence is permanent, look out. The Texas passing attack is quickly catching up to the running attack, making our offense, well… a lot like USC’s.
Next up? Texas Tech. We’ll take a look at the Red Raiders all week here at ATL and breakdown how Texas will keep the winning streak going. The short of it is: there is absolutely nothing Texas Tech can do to keep us from scoring, short of a Tonya Harding-esque attack on Vince Young. Much more to come all week.--PB--
Bring it on
Dear USC,
We took a little shot at you on Saturday night because we wanted to see you stumble and because we want to make sure that Texas gets in the Rose Bowl. Now that the BCS standings have Texas looking okay so far, we’re changing our tune.
You haven’t lost since 1988 or something ridiculous like that, and as of today, we are officially your biggest fans. We want to see you win out and we want to face you in the Rose Bowl. We want to be the ones to end your streak. And after watching both you and Texas play on Saturday, I think we’re better.
Our quarterback is better. Our running back, Jamaal Charles, is eerily similar to your boy Reggie Bush. And now that Mack has kicked the Bob Stoops monkey to the gutter, we’re as confident as anyone. And before you start up with that Pac 10 smack, read this. Your conference is hovering dangerously near Big East territory.
There’s a new show in town, and Vince Young is the conductor. So please, get your act together, Boys from Troy. We want to see you in Pasadena. Longhorn Nation will be there. Will you?
All the best,
All Things Longhorn
P.S. Please teach your fans how to talk smack. With a football team as good as you've got, you'd think you'd have some decent smack to talk... Your fans are making the Sooner fans look educated.
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We took a little shot at you on Saturday night because we wanted to see you stumble and because we want to make sure that Texas gets in the Rose Bowl. Now that the BCS standings have Texas looking okay so far, we’re changing our tune.
You haven’t lost since 1988 or something ridiculous like that, and as of today, we are officially your biggest fans. We want to see you win out and we want to face you in the Rose Bowl. We want to be the ones to end your streak. And after watching both you and Texas play on Saturday, I think we’re better.
Our quarterback is better. Our running back, Jamaal Charles, is eerily similar to your boy Reggie Bush. And now that Mack has kicked the Bob Stoops monkey to the gutter, we’re as confident as anyone. And before you start up with that Pac 10 smack, read this. Your conference is hovering dangerously near Big East territory.
There’s a new show in town, and Vince Young is the conductor. So please, get your act together, Boys from Troy. We want to see you in Pasadena. Longhorn Nation will be there. Will you?
All the best,
All Things Longhorn
P.S. Please teach your fans how to talk smack. With a football team as good as you've got, you'd think you'd have some decent smack to talk... Your fans are making the Sooner fans look educated.
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The People's Heisman Trophy Poll
Vote in the People's Heisman Trophy poll, set up by the incomprably Boi From Troy over at, you guessed it, www.boifromtroy.com. You can vote in the poll over on his home page, or head to the left hand column of this blog and cast your vote.
As we've said before, we think it comes down to Reggie Bush versus Vince Young. Weigh in for yourself, though.
--PB--
As we've said before, we think it comes down to Reggie Bush versus Vince Young. Weigh in for yourself, though.
--PB--
Leinart for Heisman? Not a chance
Vince Young may not have quite the resume that USC’s Matt Leinart has, but he’s been his equal, if not superior, thus far this year. And no, we don’t just mean “once you factor in his running.” You heard a lot of non-Texas fans unfairly criticize Vince as a running back playing quarterback. Well, if he’s a slouch throwing the ball, then so is Leinart. Ladies and gentlemen, their 2005 stats:
Leinart: 125 completions of 198 attempts (63.1%), 9.83 yards per completion, 12 TDs, 5 INTs, 105.3 QB rating
Young: 93 completions of 138 attempts (67.4%), 9.83 yards per completion, 12 TDs, 5 INTs, 113.1 QB rating
The least you can say is that Leinart and Young have been equally effective. The most you can say is Young has been better. Regardless, this is still before we even look at their rushing abilities. Young has rushed for 413 yards and 5 touchdowns, while Leinart has stumbled to only 22 yards and 3 scores. Tell me again: who’s the better Heisman candidate?
I will say this, though. Reggie Bush is a BEAST. Now there’s a guy who might be more deserving than Vince Young for the Heisman. But please, spare me the Leinart hype. We’re not buying it. You shouldn’t either.
--PB--
Leinart: 125 completions of 198 attempts (63.1%), 9.83 yards per completion, 12 TDs, 5 INTs, 105.3 QB rating
Young: 93 completions of 138 attempts (67.4%), 9.83 yards per completion, 12 TDs, 5 INTs, 113.1 QB rating
The least you can say is that Leinart and Young have been equally effective. The most you can say is Young has been better. Regardless, this is still before we even look at their rushing abilities. Young has rushed for 413 yards and 5 touchdowns, while Leinart has stumbled to only 22 yards and 3 scores. Tell me again: who’s the better Heisman candidate?
I will say this, though. Reggie Bush is a BEAST. Now there’s a guy who might be more deserving than Vince Young for the Heisman. But please, spare me the Leinart hype. We’re not buying it. You shouldn’t either.
--PB--
Blogpoll Roundtable
1. What would it take for you to vote someone other than USC #1 in the poll? If you already are, what would it take for USC to regain the top spot on your ballot?
We’re already voting Texas ahead of USC. The fact is, they’re playing better. We’re waiting for USC to put together a dominant performance from start to finish. They’re either coasting, or flawed. A dominant win over Notre Dame would have bumped them back up. After barely escaping again, we’re not sure they’re going to win out. We’ve watched Texas and USC all year. Lately, Texas has looked like the better team. We’re hoping for a showdown in the Rose Bowl.
2. Which of the undefeateds is most likely to remain so? Who is least likely?
We think Texas is the best bet to stay undefeated, as whatever challenges were on their schedule have been safely put away. We just don't think Texas Tech can win in Austin. Period. The Ohio State night road game and the Oklahoma rivalry game were reasons to pause, but a loss now that those have passed would be a huge upset. We don’t think Alabama can remain unbeaten with Prothro out. The next to fall, though, of course, is Texas Tech. Brian's right, it's Fraud City.
3. If you were running the BCS system, would you let the computer rankings factor in margin of victory? Why or why not?
We’re strong supporters of letting computers play a prominent role in the BCS and are disappointed that the BCS is so gun-shy of them. Sure, there’s something to be said for the human element, and it’s inherently challenging to rank teams that don’t play each other. Nevertheless, a good computer system must take into account margin of victory, with diminishing returns on points run up against bad teams. In other words, after you’re up by 40 points against Rice, each successive touchdown you pile on adds little to the impressiveness of your victory. We hate that the BCS doesn’t allow margin of victory in its calculations and want to see it reinstated immediately.
These questions are part of a series of discussions for participants in the Blog Poll, which you can view here. It's just one part of what is an excellent Michigan sports blog.
--PB--
ATL Top 25
1. Texas (Playing better than USC)
2. Southern Cal (Team of destiny? Or destined to lose?)
3. Virginia Tech (DNP)
4. Georgia (Not dominant, but quietly effective)
5. Alabama (Prothro absence showed in close win)
6. Miami (Best defense in country, with apologies to VA Tech, TX)
7. LSU (Les Miles sucks)
8. UCLA (We’re not big believers, yet)
9. Texas Tech (See: UCLA)
10. Ohio State (Santonio Holmes is a stud)
11. Florida State (That’s more like it)
12. Notre Dame (They were the unlucky ones on Saturday)
13. Boston College (Lucky to beat Wake)
14. Auburn (Yawn)
15. Tennessee (Yawn)
16. Penn State (Williams injury is end of Cinderella run)
17. Oregon (Decent team, but nothing special)
18. Wisconsin (Winning ugly counts, I guess)
19. TCU (Gotta have one non-major conference in here, right?)
20. Florida (Chris Leak is not an Urban Meyer guy)
21. West Virginia (Solid, if unspectacular, team)
22. Virginia (Huge win for potentially reeling Cavs)
23. Michigan State (The offense is special; the defense is forgettable)
24. California (Not the same as last year)
25. Nebraska (An improving team; will be solid next year)
Road to Pasadena Oct. 17th
Exhale. Everyone take a second and give thanks for the best Saturday in recent memory. We started the day with nine unbeaten teams. We begin this week with only seven. The number could have been much lower. USC, UCLA, and Alabama all survived close ones. There were other thrillers and heartbreakers too. Michigan wins on the last play to ruin Penn State’s perfect season. Florida State stumbles at Virginia for the first time in a decade. Louisville loses in triple OT further propelling West Virginia to a BCS bowl. LSU salvages a shot at the SEC championship with a late touchdown. Wisconsin proves that special teams make for special games blocking a punt for the game winning TD. And there were more. Who is left standing?
Tier 1—The Favorites
1. USC—proved why they are the two time defending champs. Notre Dame is good. The Trojans are excellent. They still must face Cal and UCLA but ND was the best team left on their schedule. Sorry Vince, Reggie Bush’s performance makes him the Heisman frontrunner.
2. Texas—won handily again. I must admit I was a little scared of this one: good CU passing game, hangover game, no Jamaal Charles. I am happy to be proven very wrong. This was the Horns’ best performance to date. The game was over in the first quarter. Next up Texas Tech, a second top 10 opponent. Who would have thought it would be the Red Raiders?
3. Va Tech—now faces the meat of their schedule. At Maryland this week, then at home vs Boston College and Miami, then back on the road vs. Virginia. The computers will love them if they come away unscathed.
4. Georgia—beat up on Vandy on Saturday night. The Dawgs get Arkansas at home before traveling to Jacksonville for their annual meeting with Florida. Florida is searching for its offense making Auburn the toughest test left on Georgia’s schedule.
Tier 2—The Contenders
1. Alabama—finally played another road game. Is there a reason the Crimson Tide have seven home games and ten of their eleven games are in Alabama or Mississippi? Good luck recruiting nationally. Tennessee visits this Saturday.
2. UCLA—big win late Saturday in Pullman vs Washington State. The Bruins trailed most of the game but once again found a way to comeback. Will a Pac 10 team ever have a great defense and only an okay offense?
3. Texas Tech—it pains me to put them in this category. They are undefeated but they haven’t exactly played anyone. For now we will call them champions of the Big 12 North after defeating Kansas, Nebraska, and Kansas State in successive weeks. They will test our defense on Saturday but don’t expect 600+ yards of passing again
Tier 3—Need Help
1. 1 Loss Teams—Best one loss teams in order: Miami, LSU, Florida State, Boston College, Auburn, Penn State, Oregon, and Wisconsin. Cal, Florida, Louisville, and Michigan State all fell out of contention with losses.
2. 2 Loss Teams—even with multiple losses Notre Dame and Ohio State have legitimate BCS bowl hopes.
--AW--
Tier 1—The Favorites
1. USC—proved why they are the two time defending champs. Notre Dame is good. The Trojans are excellent. They still must face Cal and UCLA but ND was the best team left on their schedule. Sorry Vince, Reggie Bush’s performance makes him the Heisman frontrunner.
2. Texas—won handily again. I must admit I was a little scared of this one: good CU passing game, hangover game, no Jamaal Charles. I am happy to be proven very wrong. This was the Horns’ best performance to date. The game was over in the first quarter. Next up Texas Tech, a second top 10 opponent. Who would have thought it would be the Red Raiders?
3. Va Tech—now faces the meat of their schedule. At Maryland this week, then at home vs Boston College and Miami, then back on the road vs. Virginia. The computers will love them if they come away unscathed.
4. Georgia—beat up on Vandy on Saturday night. The Dawgs get Arkansas at home before traveling to Jacksonville for their annual meeting with Florida. Florida is searching for its offense making Auburn the toughest test left on Georgia’s schedule.
Tier 2—The Contenders
1. Alabama—finally played another road game. Is there a reason the Crimson Tide have seven home games and ten of their eleven games are in Alabama or Mississippi? Good luck recruiting nationally. Tennessee visits this Saturday.
2. UCLA—big win late Saturday in Pullman vs Washington State. The Bruins trailed most of the game but once again found a way to comeback. Will a Pac 10 team ever have a great defense and only an okay offense?
3. Texas Tech—it pains me to put them in this category. They are undefeated but they haven’t exactly played anyone. For now we will call them champions of the Big 12 North after defeating Kansas, Nebraska, and Kansas State in successive weeks. They will test our defense on Saturday but don’t expect 600+ yards of passing again
Tier 3—Need Help
1. 1 Loss Teams—Best one loss teams in order: Miami, LSU, Florida State, Boston College, Auburn, Penn State, Oregon, and Wisconsin. Cal, Florida, Louisville, and Michigan State all fell out of contention with losses.
2. 2 Loss Teams—even with multiple losses Notre Dame and Ohio State have legitimate BCS bowl hopes.
--AW--
