Suffer through the Losses to Enjoy the Wins

There was an interesting post on Burnt Orange Nation today which listed the worst Texas losses under Mack (there are 21 total). Of the top 9 losses I was in attendance at 7 of the games.

9. NC State 1999
8. @Tech 2002
7. OU 2002
5. @ A&M 1999
3. OU 2000
2. OU 2003
1. Colorado 2001 Big XII Championship

After last years National Championship it was interesting to think back to some of those games and remember how hard it was to take. It truly made the Championship that much sweeter.

The View From Forney Top 25

1. Ohio State
2. USC
3. Michigan
4. Florida
5. LSU
6. Louisville
7. Arkansas
8. Oklahoma
9. Wisconsin
10. Rutgers
11. Auburn
12. Virginia Tech
13. Wake Forest
14. Boise State
15. West Virginia
16. Nebraska
17. BYU
18. Texas
19. Tennessee
20. Cal
21. Notre Dame
22. Georgia Tech
23. Texas A&M
24. Boston College
25. TCU

Quickhits:
-Today was one of those days where I wish my day job was sitting around reading and talking about college football. There were firings and hiring's today, the most important one being that Texas DC Gene Chizik is taking the Iowa State job. It is believed that he will take assistant DC Duane Akina with him and that Alabama DC Joe Kines will fill the same position at Texas. I'm sure there will be many more developments throughout the week.
-There was also a lot of Bowl talk today. Texas could go anywhere from Cotton to Alamo. Ivan Maisal has Texas vs Auburn in the Cotton which would be great from a fan standpoint. SI.com has us playing Iowa in the Alamo. The Gator is also in the discussion with the Horns matching up with an ACC team. Wherever we go and whoever we play we need to take this as an opportunity to gain some momentum for next season.
-The Skeeters lost in a shootout to Allen 59-42. With a young team and losing the starting QB in the middle of the season this year, Skeeter fans should be in for a good season next year.
-More on Texas/A&M later, I'm going to watch the game later this week. I had to listen to the first half on the radio, but saw the 2nd half. Hopefully, my DVR will produce a different outcome.

The View From Froney Top 25

It was a little more difficult this week due to the fact that some teams had buy weeks, but here we go:

1. Ohio State
2. USC
3. Michigan
4. Arkansas
5. Florida
6. LSU
7. Notre Dame
8. Texas
9. West Virginia
10. Oklahoma
11. Wisconsin
12. Louisville
13. Virginia Tech
14. Rutgers
15. Auburn
16. Georgia Tech
17. Wake Forest
18. BYU
19. Nebraska
20. Cal
21. Boise State
22. Tennessee
23. Boston College
24. Clemson
25. TCU

Dropped Out: Maryland

Quickhits:
-I don't know if you were watching the pregame show last Thursday, but Granny Holtz was going on and on about how Notre Dame will play in the Championship. We were eating dinner and I didn't think she was paying attention, but Courtney said "your only saying that because you use to coach at Notre Dame." I was proud!
-I thought it was great that they showed Script Ohio before the start of the game. I hate when they just show the guys talking in the booth when you can hear the crowd going crazy in the background while the band is playing or the team is coming out on the field. I love seeing the traditions that make each school special.
-We need to pull together and hope for a Boise State loss to Nevada. I will be sick in Texas has to play them in the Fiesta Bowl (note: Texas has a lot of business to take care of first) because it is a lose/lose situation for the Horns. If you win, well you should win, if you lose, ya'll lost to who?
-ACU lost in overtime when their game tying field goal was blocked, hopefully this was the first of many Wildcat playoff games.
-The Skeeters handled Skyline, they face Allen next which will be a tough task
-O yeah, I was going for Michigan, Bama, and Cal and Courtney picked OSU, Auburn, and USC.

What are your Weekend Predictions?

Michigan 24 - Ohio State 21
Auburn 14 - Bama 13 - although it wouldn't shock me if Bama won
Cal 35 - USC 28
OU 42 - Baylor 10
Wake 24 - Va. Tech 17
ACU 45 - West Texas A&M 42 - Go Wildcats!!!!
Mesquite 28 - Dallas Skyline 14

Have a great weekend.

Kansas State 45 - Texas 42

This game brought back painful memories of 2001 when Tennessee beat Florida, to give Texas a chance to go to the MNC. Four turnovers and a ruffing the kicker did the Horns in against a good Colorado team, in what turned out to be the best game I've ever been to that ended in a Texas loss. I was getting my hopes up all day thinking that things were falling into place for the Horns, but it was not to be this year. As disappointing as the loss was, we still have all of our goals ahead of us. A few thoughts:

-This was a "trap" game, but I didn't think the Horns came out flat. That first drive was great, and showed that they came to take care of business.
-Our power running game has been one of the most disappointing phases this year. If we punch the ball, maybe Colt doesn't get hurt.
-Billy Pittman finally had a great game with 6 catches for 102 yards
-We had Bi-polar special teams play. Good: Blocked Punt, Stuffed the fake punt. Bad: They blocked a punt, gave up a big punt return, horrible onside kick.
-Limas has caught a TD in 7 straight games
-What was Marcus griffin doing on the half back pass for a TD? He was in position, but instead of finding the receiver, he stood flat-footed on the goal line and didn't break until the ball was thrown.
-I thought Sneed played great. Give him credit for being ready to play and the coaches credit for having him ready to play.
-We have got to hang onto the ball!! Remember last year how many of our own fumbles we recovered, we are not always going to get those types of breaks.
-I was extremely proud of our boys. When the game was 42-21 the easy thing to do would be to call it a night. They kept playing hard and got back in the game, to give us a chance to win. Also, I've read that there was a great moment after the game. After things calmed down on the field, the team came back out of the locker room, walked all the way across the field, and sang "The Eyes". Only in college football!!
-Give K-State credit for playing a great game and taking advantage of opportunities. Prince looks like he has the program headed in the right direction, which would be great for the Big XII.
-This game hurt, we made mistakes, but we fought hard and still have a lot to play for. Remember, if "ifs" and "buts" were candy and nuts, we would all have a merry Christmas.

Weekend Thoughts:
-Was it just me or did Fran look like he was trying to prove a point to the A&M fans. After being criticized for not running J-train the week before, he was presented the same situation. He lined up in the shot gun, sent J-train in motion, and through a pass. If you really think a passing play is best then at least run a play action. If he really was trying to prove a point, that's Bush League!! Have some balls, and just tell the fans to shut-up, it's your team, but don't cost your team a chance to win, by showing that you do things your way.
-Great win for Rice over Tulsa. Keep your eye on Todd Graham and Major, they could both be in the running to coach the Horns one day.
-Not from the weekend but last night on Friday Night Lights Abilene was referred to as "the city of opportunity." Thought that was kind of funny.

Any other thoughts about the Texas game or the weekend?

BCS Question?

It was brought up in a comment over at EDSBS, is the BCS taking joy away from fans? The post included a YouTube video of the final blocked kick that Florida had against South Carolina. (Hopefully one day I can get Aaron to show me how to link YouTube videos). The video showed the Gator faithful go into a frenzy after the play, and the players jumping into the crowd to celebrate. Everyone should experience that type of emotion at least once in their lifetime. Those feelings are great, but after the celebration the fans are forced to think, "how did this win look to the voters?" Does all the focus on the BCS standings take the focus off the field, take some of the joy out of the wins, and magnify the losses?

-Florida has to worry about style points, in stead of pulling out another win in the SEC.
-Oklahoma has to play the "what if" game (and they deserve to), in stead of enjoying this team that has overcome adversity and injuries.

There are plenty of other examples to go along with these two, and I know there is going to be controversy in any system. It just seems like the BCS makes people focus on the negative. Is there anything that can fix this problem and focus on the all of the great games we are treated to week in and week out? I'm really not sure what could be done. What do ya'll think, does the current BCS system rob fans of some of joy they should experience?

The View from Forney Top 25

1. Ohio State
2. Michigan
3. Florida
4. Arkansas
5. USC
6. Rutgers
7. LSU
8. Notre Dame
9. Wake Forest
10. Wisconsin
11. Texas
12. Oklahoma
13. Louisville
14. Cal
15. West Virginia
16. Virginia Tech
17. Auburn
18. Georgia Tech
19. BYU
20. Nebraska
21. Maryland
22. Boise State
23. Tennessee
24. Clemson
25. Reader's Choice

Dropped Out: Oregon, Oregon State

Kansas State/Weekend Review coming Tues. or Wed.

A few more Tennessee Quickhits:

-The Vols have a great PA man, he begins the game with "It's football time in Tennessee". They also announce the starting line-ups during pregame warm-ups. I don't know why Texas doesn't do that.
-Some might be wondering from the picture what is the Tiger Pimp Nation all about? It is a group of about 40 to 50 guys that dress up like that for one road game a year. I read about them last year in a book and was hoping that they would be at the game. It's quiet a sight. As the book described them, they are mostly lawyers, a few doctors, and other professionals, but for that one weekend they become rock stars. We talked to a couple of them, they are very friendly, and they play the part by acting like they are someone famous. Inside information-they will be at Ole Miss next year.
-The lady sitting next to me was useless as this was here first game since 1985.
-There were two drop dead drunk fans sitting in front of us (one Vol, one LSU) and it was quite a scene. They weren't too out of control, but the LSU fan was dropping "bs" and "kick their a". Luckily they moved a section over after halftime. The funny thing was after the first LSU touchdown, the Vol fan came back from the bathroom and the LSU fan laid a huge kiss on him. It wasn't a gay kiss but more like a too drunk to care kiss. Either way it still horrified a few lady's in the area.
-We ate lunch at a place called Moe's and had burritos. Pretty good, but no where close to
Freebirds.
-LSU fans hate Les Miles

The View from Forney Top 25

1. Ohio State
2. Michigan
3. Florida
4. Texas
5. Cal
6. Louisville
7. Arkansas
8. Auburn
9. USC
10. LSU
11. Notre Dame
12. Oklahoma
13. Rutgers
14. Wisconsin
15. Tennessee
16. Wake Forest
17. Boise State
18. West Virginia
19. Georgia Tech
20. Virginia Tech
21. BYU
22. Oregon
23. Nebraska
24. Maryland
25. Oregon State

Dropped Out: Boston College, Texas A&M, Clemson, Washington State

LSU 28 - Tennessee 24

For those who don't know, my Dad and I traveled to Knoxville this weekend to take in the Tennessee/LSU game (thanks Andy!!). As a fan of college football, seeing a game at Neyland Stadium is very high on the list of things to see, and it didn't hurt that the game matched two top 15 teams. The trip was great. We were lucky to see such a great game that went down to the wire, and Tennessee gamedays are truly a great experience. From the atmosphere, fans, and band, to the tailgating, stadium, and campus, it was amazing trip. Here are a few observations:

Setting: Neyland Stadium might be the most picturesque setting in college football. Knowing how big the stadium is, I was fully expecting to be able to see it from the highway, but it is tucked away on the back side of campus. It was so cool driving through downtown, you can see the campus, and then boom, there's the stadium. It's built into the side of the hill, and is perfectly placed next to the river.

Stadium: From inside the stadium, it's hard to believe that there is going to be over 100,000 people in there. Don't get me wrong the stadium is huge, but you feel like you are right on top of the action. We had end zone seats, but still had good views and felt apart of the action. The outside of the stadium has a lot of character to it. The steel beams and ramps are exposed and you can see some of the old brick that made up the original facade. There are plans for a new brick facade and concourse to surround the stadium.

Fans: Much like all southern football fans Vol fans are classy, passionate, and take pride in their team. It's awesome when the fans sing Rocky Top because you can tell that song holds a special place in their hearts. During the game, I heard many of the same comments that I hear at Texas games. As loyal as fans are they are never completely satisfied (myself included). It was good hearing the Tennessee fans complain about their running game and poor tackling, so I know not to be hard on Texas fans when I hear them complain. It was neat seeing so many LSU fans at the game. I believe that visiting SEC schools get 10,000 tickets. Although I didn't witness anything more than fun heckling between fans, it just adds another element to the game when their are so many visiting fans in attendance.

Bottom Line: A gameday at Tennessee has a lot to offer. I would love to be able to go again and if you ever get a chance to go, don't miss it. I plan on attending many more college football games across the country, but I think Tennessee will always hold a place in my Top 5.

Sights from Rocky Top

Salute to the Hill
LSU fans

Vols take the field (above)





Power T (above)
Single T before the Vols take the field (Top Left)


Band takes the field (Left)
UT (above)

Best Endzone in College Football



View from Seats



Pep Band at Vol Walk



Me and Dad



Vol Walk



The Hill



Tiger Pimp Nation




Downtown Knoxville

Texas 35 - Texas Tech 31

Due to a family event I was forced to TiVo the game. I hate watching Texas games like this (although TiVo could go down as the greatest invention of mankind) because I feel like I have no control over the game. Although I know I don't really have an impact on the events on the field, when I watch the game, live I can give inspiring pep talks, switch seats, change the volume on the TV to get a turnover, and other rituals that I feel help the team. I had to sit there helplessly as Harrell tore our secondary to shreds. Although I was saying outloud "just don't get blown out", deep down I knew we had a comeback in us. The Horns have done it so many times over the past couple of years, that I really never think we are going to lose. After the tOSU game, I thought that we might lose at least one of the past two games, but we escaped with wins and I believe this team has more than exceeded expectations. Nationally, Texas is taking some heat for beating "just Tech", but I think we can all agree that it is very tough to win night games at Tech. I heard Jones Stadium referred to as the "Bermuda Triangle" of the Big XII, and I think that's a fitting description. Even though the Horns are still in the National Title hunt, our main goal should be winning the Big XII and playing in a BCS game. I would like to be able to defend our Title, but a lot of things would have to happen for the Horns to be worthy of the NCG. This team still has many areas to improve upon, but it is a pleasure watching this team fight, learn to win, and win.

Quickhits:
-A Tech record of 56,158 witnessed the game
-Colt had 68 (net) huge yards rushing and was 21-31 for 265 yards, with 4 TD and 1 Int.
He continues to impress and is having a record year for a Freshman QB at Texas, but I think under no circumstances should he be metioned in the Heisman race. He is not the type of dominating player that it takes to be considered as a Freshman (Hershel Walker, Adrian Peterson, ect.).
-10 different Tech receivers caught passes, they killed us with the screen, we need to play the ball on the deep passes
-We had another quick strike after a turnover (45 yard TD pass to Sweed)
-The brick around Jones Stadium looks very nice, it will be interesting to see if they expand the stadium in the next couple of years
-Quan Cosby had a huge game, Jermichael Finley could be the greatest tight-end in Texas history by the end of his career, rushing defense continues to do its part
-Give Greg Davis credit for putting Colt under center and running the ball north/south. That also opened up the play action pass.

Next Game: Oklahoma State
This game got a lot scarier after the Cowboy's performance last week. The Horns will also have to deal with the TBS curse. Texas has outscored OSU 118-0 in the second half the past three seasons.