Ever have one of those weeks that starts out looking really horrible and ends up being...sorta kinda...alright? I had one of those weeks last week. On Spring Break here a lot of my family trickled down to Mazatlan to enjoy the relaxing sun and surf. Been going there for years. This year the newest addition to the family...grandson...joined us. He is 14 months old and was quickly the hit of every place we went to for dinner...or anything else for that matter. While I only stayed a week because of work the rest of them stayed for two weeks. When the little guy got home he bagan running a high fever. Last Monday...after seizuring from a 104.8 degree temperature...we spent the day in the emergeny room with him. Six hours later we were told he had a viral infection that they couldn't pin-point. So...a prescription for Motrin to control the fever...and out the door to the house (he lives with us). Not a good start to the week.
The Mazatlan factor was at work again as my wife and a very close friend of hers drove back home from there. They spend most of the winter down there so they drive down and drive back. Well...the close friend got extremely ill the last week they were there and when they arrived in Dallas...where this woman has children living...they admitted her into the hospital. My wife was stranded...in Dallas...say it isn't so!!! Because of a variety of reasons putting her on an airplane was not an option so...yours truly...had to make a trip south. Fortunately for me...my dad went down to Dallas and picked up my wife and brought her back to Oklahoma City. The original plan was to go get her and make a quick turn around and come right back home. Plans change.
The Sooner end of spring football scrimmage...the Red-White game was this past weekend and...well...being down there already...we stayed and took in the game. At the same time I got caught up on some other Sooner football things.
We remember WR Malcolm Kelly for a number of things. His ability to get open and catch many key passes in his OU career. His speed in the open field after the catch. The classic touchdowns he has scored over the past couple of years. The attention he received last year which allowed Juaquin Iglesias to have a breakout year. The two Fiesta Bowls he didn't play in due to injury. HIs leaving OU for the NFL after his junior year. All good..right? Wrong. As he did not participate at the NFL Combine as the result of his latest injury he was expected to work out for scouts in Norman last Wednesday...which he did. And now we can remember Malcolm Kelly for another reason. After running a sluggish...the local paper called it a "pedestrian" 4.68 in the 40 yard dash...Kelly lashed out at...everyone but himself. He had been working out for the past month on astro turf. On Wednesday morning the NFL scouts switched the field for the workout and...doggone it...nobody told Malcolm. So, Kelly lashed out at OU strength and conditioning coach Jerry Schmidt. "Certain people have tried to hold me down, and they know who they are," Kelly said after the workout. "I wouldn't say the whole OU coaching staff, but certain people, I would say that." And that wasn't all Malcolm needed to get off of his chest. The OU medical staff misdiagnosed his thigh injury last December which kept him from participating in the Fiesta Bowl and from training for the NFL Combine until a month ago. He also claimed that the OU staff basically told him to suck it up and play through it. Had he done that the risk of further injury would have threatened his NFL career which he also accused the OU staff of doing intentionally.
Here is what happened during the diagnosis. He WAS initially diagnosed with a deep thigh bruise. Within 48 hours of that diagnosis his status was upgraded to a deep thigh STRAIN. OU's treatment of a partial quadriceps tear and a quadriceps strain are virtually the same thing...inactivity. Rest and rehab and doing nothing that a WR does daily in order to help the injury heal...is...from my past injury history (which is sort of lengthy)...fairly standard practice.
Head Coach Bob Stoops called Kelly's remarks unfair. "I don't think that is fair," Stoops said. "A lot of deep tissue injuries take a while to figure out. Our doctors do as good a job as anybody in the country. Regardless of what his injury was, misdiagnosed or not, it was a deep tissue injury. He never played. It isn't like he played a game and re-hurt it. He would not have done anything different than he's done, which is to rest it for a long period of time, which he did, and rehab it." Kelly claimed that had it been diagnosed correctly two days before then he would have been able to play. Stoops said that comment is off base. "He didn't do anything the whole time before we went to the Fiesta Bowl. He didn't practice once," Stoops said. "He didn't practice at the Fiesta Bowl, even though we tried to warm him up. Its not realistic for that injury to heal that fast."
So...apparently Kelly's poor showing for NFL scouts last Wednesday wasn't because he isn't emotionally tough enough to handle a change of location (albeit a different...slower surface) but because the University of Oklahoma coaching and medical staff tried to screw him over. It had nothing to do with the fact that the NFL scouts ordered the change of location (to a surface more in line with the surface at the combine) but that Jerry Schmidt personally tried to ruin Kelly's chances on this particular day. QUESTION FOR YOU MALCOLM. Why would you train on a faster surface instead of one that simulates the surface at the combine? The scouts are going to make adjustments to your time on that surface anyway. Maybe your trainer, Chip Smith, should have worked you out on another surface as well. And maybe by Saturday he had given Malcolm Kelly some good advice. On Saturday morning Kelly was quoted in the Daily Oklahoman as saying, "I can't say I was as prepared as I should've been. I hadn't ever run on that surface as far as my training goes." Other quotes attributed to Kelly in the Saturday paper went like this. "Oklahoma did put me on the field, they gave me an opportunity for scouts to see me on film. So I can't take that away from Coach Stoops. He believed in my ability to go out there and play. I was a Sooner when I got up there and I'll be a Sooner when they put me in my grave." Kelly said his concern at the time he lashed out was for his family and his parent's, who he doesn't want to have to ever work again. Malcom, I understand your concern. Hopefully you have just become man enough to take the next step. You accepted responsibility for the poor time and the poor training and admitted you went about this the wrong way. Now I can say, Good luck to you.
As for the game. WINDY. A hard steady wind with 30 to 40 mph gusts made it a "not so much good offense" kind of a day. That and the fact that Adron Tennel, DeMarco Murray, Chris Brown were among others who did not participate in the game...or in spring football for that matter. All of the above are recovering from injuries in one form or another so they haven't participated so far. That left three running backs healthy enough to handle the load during the game. Moissis Madu rushed 11 times for 31 yards, freshman Justin johnson carried the ball 20 times for 44 yards and Matt Clapp added a few nice runs at the end of the scrimmage. So the news odf the day from the offensive standpoint was passing, passing and more passing...and it was almost all of it...offensive. Sam Bradford tossed 3 interceptions and 1 TD pass. The QB's on the day threw 6 interceptions and had 3 of those returned for touchdowns. It would have been four but Bradford...apparently not having learned from the Texas Tech game...made a bone jarring tackle (his own) after one of his interceptions. ON the day Bradford went 12 of 25 for 191 yards on top of the other previously mentioned numbers. Joey Halzle, Keith Nicol and Landry Jones combined to hit on 9 of 33 passes for 112 yards, 2 touchdowns and three interceptions. Madu had 6 receptions and was the only player to record more than 2 catches on the day. Jones impressed me with his arm even if he did only complete 1 of 5 passes. Three of the incompletions were drops and his one comjpletion was a 50 yard TD . While the wind was obviously a factor in the offensive play the defense stepped it uop a looked very good.
Losing Curtis Lofton, Reggie Smith, Marcus Walker, Lewis Baker and a host of others from the Sooner defense was cause for concern going into this year. Well...start looking out for these names. Dominique Franks...picked off 3 passes and returned one of them 57 yards for a TD. Brian Jackson and Jonathan Nelson who took a Keith Nicol pass 81 yards the other way for a score. Sam Proctor and Lendy Holmes combined for 19 tackles on the day from the safeties positions. Jackson broke up passes all day and tipped a ball that DE Alan Davis picked off. DT's Gerald McCoy and Demarcus Granger continually plugged holes on the inside giving the D line a strong showing on the day. This is great considering All Big 12 DE Auston English didn't dress. As for the linebacking...Curtis Lofton and Lewis Baker have moved on and it is now time for Ryan Reynolds, Austin Box and Keenan Clayton to take over. Clayton is a safety who has been transformed into a linbacker during his redshirt sophomore season. He didn't think he played very well during the Red-White game but he was the one player that Stoops and defensive coordinator Brent Venables singled out as having an excellent day.
Special teams were minimally effective and a lot of that had to do with the wind. Incoming kicker Jimmy Stevens kicked 3 field goals in 3 attempts and made 4 extra points. The punting game struggled all day due to the wind factor.
So...all in all..with many key players absent...it was a decent enough game but the sun being out and being surrounded by family made it a special day. The Sooners should be formidable when they get key personnel back and if the performance of the defense is any indication of things to come. So...lets play some football.
And the little guy...my grandson...was eventually hospitalized when I was in Oklahoma picking up my wife. Seems he picked up Salmonilla poisoning in Mexico. But, after a few days in the hospital getting antibiotics through an IV he started this week back at home...where my wife and kids and grandkids are now all at home...safe...and for now...sound. So...a weird and whacky week...turned out alright after all.
Andy Roddick helped eliminate France from Davis Cup play this past weekend. Actually, as well as Andy is playing...the French helped. Seems their number one player figured Andy was too good for him...so they played someone else against him. Roddick hammered Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 for the deciding victory in a best of 5 quarterfinal match. Richard Gasquet, France's top player, begged out of the match. "He felt Roddick was playing too good for him and he probably had no chance," French captain Guy Forget said of Gasquet. Guess what Richard...conceding someone was playing too good for you...and saying you "probably" had no chance...spells out quitter. Unless someone tells me that you were too injured or ill to compete then I wouldn't want you anywhere near my team...especially if you were the best I had to offer...and second best at least put forth an effort. PLease tell me there is a real reason for begging out of the match with Roddick. I haven't jumped all over the French are this or that bandwagon...but I'm starting to think...well...maybe those negative comments ain't all that far off.
I haven't posted anything but comments on other posts for awhile because I've been very busy with hockey season and new responsibilities at work. Also, there hasn't been much going on that I felt like writing about. But lately tings are getting heated in a few areas and I can't hold my tongue any longer. Those of you who have been enjoying my absence will probably wonder why I had to come back. Those of you who have missed me...well...at least you can give a guy his delusions. Anyway...
...Clemens vs. McNamee and the need for Congress to be involved. ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME? Doesn't our government have more important things to do? Isn't there anything they can do about gas prices, health care costs, social security, the budget or troop movement in Iraq? Well, obviously, they have either done all they can do, or all they are going to do, about those issues so they now need a new issue to work on until after the election. Frankly, I couldn't care less what Roger Clemens had injected into his hind quarters, why he had it injected, who injected it, if his wife did it, with or without his consent or if all of his kid's names start with a K. Really! Has this become so huge that it needs government attention? Why do we really care if Clemens did HGH or steroids or lidocaine or B-12 or shot saline solution into his rump. Because we feel like we, as baseball fans, are being cheated? Who is being cheated? Baseball fans or students who don't have the necessary tools and teachers to help them get a decent education because money is mis-spent in education. Or pulled from education for other things. Who is being cheated? Baseball fans or the elderly whose health care costs are so high that any kind of retirement income they worked all their lives for is taken from them so they can live out their lives living in assisted living centers or nursing homes with inadequate health care and services that don't supply them with what they rightfully earned during their lives. Well, of course it is the baseball fan. ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME? I couldn't care less if Roger Clemens is guity or innocent as long as any family members I have fighting in a war most of the nation doesn't believe in are home safe and sound. I would rather see the elected officials that I put in office work on something meaningful and helpful to this country. Worrying about what Roger Clemens or Barry Bonds or Chuck Knoblauch (Chuck Knoblauch for cryin' out loud???) had shot into their bodies or who shot it. ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME?
Speaking of the strong work our politicians are doing! Thank you Senator Arlen Spector ( if I spelled it wrong...so what?) for making sure you get all over the Commissioner of the NFL for destroying taping evidence of New England Patriot's coach Bill Belichik...after he fined him and the team. AE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME? The Commissioner caught the team and the coach and disciplined them. Why is this still an issue? Move on and do what you should be doing. My guess is the glorious senator at one time or another lost money because of this practice by Belichik. In the meantime your little investigation is costing money. Whose money? Well, Mr. Senator, I'm once again going to guess that it is me and my fellow countrymen who are footing the bill for this wasted, a$$inine investigation. I can't sell my house for what it is worth right now Mr.Senator because the economic situation in this country is not conducive to buying a house...or selling one. Why might that be? I'm sure I will be told it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that our elected officials are spending way too much of thier creative resources on HGH/Steroids and cheating in major sports leagues. ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME?
Back to baseball for a second. Bud Selig and George Mitchell got together and did their own investigation about performance enhancing drug usage in their sport which is MLB. When they conspired to do this they included Selig's predecessor, Faye Vincent, in order to get his support. Vincent is on record as saying he supported the investigation under certain conditions. One of those conditions was that the need for an investigation was to determine how wide spread the use of performance enhancing drugs were in MLB but, it was not to identify those who had used them. I wonder how Faye Vincent feels today about the state of his sport which is MLB. Pressured by the infamous Court of Public Opinion and virtually every sportswriter (I'll try not to waiver and remind you of what I think of them) in the free world names started flying out of this investigation at a record pace. ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME? In my humble opinion, Selig didn't need to take any pressure from anyone because it was his intention all along to make sure that the names of the players involved was public knowledge. His legacy to his sport will always be that he ruled the game during the steroid era. Coming on the heels of contraction, embezzlement, cancelled season, no World Series and a tie in an All-Star game one would think things couldn't get much worse for Bud. Knowing that the two guys who revitalized your sport for the public by swatting record numbers of HR's, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, may have been using performance enhancing drugs wasn't much of a concern. Until Barry Bonds starting getting close to the coveted all time HR crown the performance enhancing drug usage was only whispered about in the private recesses of conference rooms across MLB. When it broke and it was Bonds then Selig had a fawn to blame. Bonds is not well liked and apparently doesn't like too many people anyway. Bonds became Selig's crutch to limp into the steroid age on. He is using the Mitchell Report and the player's who weren't supposed to be identified to scream through it under the radar. Problem is that his ego won't let him keep quiet. He now claims, again, that MLB can police itself. ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME? Obviously it can't. See, United States Congress. I will always wonder if Bud had stayed within the guidelines Faye Vincent suggested if this would have been handled effectively and quietly. Now you have players who, right or wrong, are compelled to lie to protect their legacy in their sport. Now you have slime balls creeping out of the woodwork who, while knowing they were wrong, still supplied and injected performance enhancing drugs into professional athletes. Now you have a situation where MLB and the MLBPA bicker and argue about who is at fault and cannot come together on a cohesive plan to monitor and eliminate the use of performance enhancing drugs in this sport which is MLB. You have a Commisssioner whose legacy won't be record revenues, expansion and great new stadiums to play in but will be that he ruled the sport in arguably it's darkest days. I often think Bud is alright with that.
Bloggers are a strange breed, aren't they? We have on our site here a contributing writer to Fox Sports who kind of built a major following by being a woman and writing, rather knowingly, about college football. Often times we agree with what she writes and there are times when we don't agree with what she writes. She is a huge and very passionate fan of the USC Trojans. I, on the other hand, am a huge and passionate fan of the Oklahoma Sooners. She, we, have written things that we do agree on and that we don't agree on in the context of our passions for these teams. She likes to stir the pot now and then and she will get me going when she lets Sooner coach Bob Stoops have it for one thing or another. She recently wrote a post about Bob's brother Mike the head coach at Arizona. I responded as I generally do and asked he if she would perhaps be able to rip Papa Stoops (meaning Bob and Mike's dad) to which she responded as she generally does. Making her point and moving on. As usual I was willing to let it go and did. A few days later I went back to that post and couldn't believe the personal assaults on her character and suggestions that she remove certain things from her mouth. The majority of these were from proclaimed Sooner fans. ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME? Most of the Sooner fans I know carry themselves with class and have some kind of evident dignity. Some of these people did nothing but give the rest of us a bad name. It's a freakin' blog people! While you may feel it is a venue to express your opinions and feelings that is fine. When you feel it appropriate to assault someone's character and suggest she take certain parts of anatomy from her mouth you look ridiculous and ignorant. No wonder people llike kellyscott (not trying to offend you kellyscott just making a point) can't get past OU-UO game a couple of seasons ago. People like the ignorant OU fans that make comments here give him ample reason to carry on. Blog here all you wish...just have a little class and act like you didn't come from the gutter or the back room aat some sleazy stripper joint. Oh, and Lisa, while I respect you as well...comments about the Sooners or the Stoops boys, particulary Bob, will generate a response from gcoach. No matter how you spin it. AWAYS!
Viking head coach Brad Childress just reassured every Viking fan that rookie phenom Adrian Peterson can still get better. Thanks, Brad! ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME? Of course he can still get better. He was a rookie. Hey, Brad, why don't you worry about your QB situation and leave the RB's to Eric Bienemy, the guy you hired to do that job. And after making that fantastic comment make sure you keep him surrounded by big, fast linemen who will help him get better. Hey, Brad, would you get upset if Peterson told the media not to be too hard on you because, "Coach Childress can still get better." Coach your football team and quit talking to the media. So far you have told us that all the player's can get better. Is it all on them or can their coach get better as well? Just curious.
Richard Zednik almost lost his life in a National League Hockey game last week when he was accidently cut in the throat, through his carotid artery (not completely or doctors said it would most probably have been fatal), by a skate. Fortunately, after surgery it sounds like he will survive. A report last night was that he is awake and alert. This is fantastic news. Where am I going with this? Right after the incident the calls for new rules on equipment went way over the top. Based on this incident people all over the place are talking about new neck wear to protect player's throats. ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME? This game of hockey, the great game of hockey, has been played on skates for longer than any of us has been around to watch it. It is fast and wreckless and that is the pull for many who play it. It is physical and demands great skill. Other reasons why people play it. Injuries like this are rare in the grand scheme of the game. While frightening it is again...rare! Why do we feel the need to change the world and re-invent the wheel whenever we see an injury like this? And it isn't even that we change the wheel...we demand that it be changed. Why don't we just let those that feel threatened make accommodations to protecting their throats. I have to wear a helmet now when I coach kids in our youth program because some guy got a wild hair up his #### and pitched to USA Hockey that 6 coaches in some outlandish period of time had either been seriously injured or killed during practice of their youth teams. We're talking lke 20 years or so...across North America. While hockey may not be the most prominant sport in North America that is still a significant number of youth programs and hockey playing communities. No mention of the skill level of the 6 coaches in question. Like were they parents with no experience or skilled skaters. See what I mean. There was no real support for his argument. Now, I wear a helmet when I play because the level at which I play is conducive to protecting my dome. In practice...not so much. So, having skated for roughly 45 of my 50 years...why should I wear, or be forced to wear, a helmet while I coach? When playing I understand the need. In coaching I find it uncomfortable and confining. Why can't I just sign a waiver stating that I understand the risks of skating without a helmet and will hold no one responsible for any injury, or death, that I may suffer because I don't want to wear a helmet when I coach.
Could it be that we don't trust anyone anymore? Could it be that some people need to feel like they are the great creators of change and couldn't care less about what they are a changing. Could it be that their way has just got to be better than the way it has always been...even if they aren't always right? Change isn't always a good thing just like it isn't always a bad thing. I don't have all the answers but I think I know who does...especially for things like this. Just let me call my congressman...they'll get to the bottom of it all.
Nooch and I had a brief conversation yesterday the gist of which was that the "experts" have already determined in many instances who will play in conference championship games...who will win conferences...who will play in the National Championship games...and in some cases...who will win the National Championship. I don't really care who plays in the National Chamionship game so long as they are playing Oklahoma. Am I taking on the roll of an "expert" and picking OU to play in the National Championship game. Not on your life...my life...the lives of any family members...or even on the lives of people I don't know. It isn't because I wouldn't dare to pick OU to play in the National Championship game. It is because I am realistic and take things into consideration that the "experts"...apparently...do not!!!
We get to witness on television or read in the paper the "experts" views on who will wind up where. Whatever! What continually astounds me is the lack of common sense things these "experts" don't take into account when making these bold claims. We hear about SOS (strength of schedule) for those who haven't bothered keeping up with NCAA FB or colege football this year. We hear about conference strength and we hear about BCS computers and coaches polls and this poll and that but, we rarely hear about things like rivalry games and road games and toughest venues to play in or any of the intangible things that don't seem to get any thought process from the "experts." I'm sick and tired of hearing about all of the standard ####. If I were playing one of the "top" teams in the country I would only need to open the paper or turn on ESPN to get all the motivation I would need to beat a"top" team. In this year of upsets...maybe that is all these coaches have done...open the paper or turn on the tube. "Guy's! Look at the lack of respect you are getting from the college football "experts" (done with two hands up and two fingers on each hand moving up and down)!!! Use that for your motivation!"
The bad things about letting the "experts" determine things before they are played out is this. When a bunch of "experts" picks your team to finsih so high...get to the conference championship game (if your conference has one), get to the National Championship game..etc., etc., etc. and your team doesn't make it...too bad so sad! Watch how fast you tumble out of the picture...especially if you haven't been in that picture before. If one the other hand you are picked to lose...and you win...all hail the conquering heroes...until the shoe is on the other foot. What am I getting at? Here we go.
I am so sick and tired of the "experts" annointing OU the Big 12 South Champions...with 2 games to play...that I can't stand it.
I'm so sick and tired of the "experts" annointing Oregon the PAC 10 Champions...with 3 games to play...that I can't stand it.
I'm so sick and tired of the "experts" annointing LSU the SEC Champions and in many cases the National Champions...with 2 games to play...that I can't stand it.
The only conference championship that hasn't been annointed yet is the Big 12 North. The "experts" are at least using "if" when they talk about this one. Missouri and Kansas play on Nov. 24th and that may decide the Big North...if something else doesn't happen by then. And in this year of the upset...well...you never know. And that is why I am getting tired of the "experts" and their annointings.
LSU has yet to play Mississippi and Arkansas. Yet...those two teams can't possibly stand in the way of LSU's march to a National Championship. No UPSET possibilities there???
Kansas plays Iowa State this weekend and then Missouri. While we don't expect trouble this weekend for Kansas the Cyclones are much improved and have played pretty well the seond half of the year. I'd turn on the tube and purchase a ton of newspapers for my team.
Missouri gets Kansas State tihs weekend. Yea, we all know the lowly Cornhuskers blew Kansas Stae away but the Wildcats have played some inspired ball this season at times. Do we expect issues...naw! Let's just go straight to the 24th. Again...more ESPN and the black and wide and occasionally color of the local written press.
Oregon plays Arizona on Thursday night. No problems here right? Well...typical Mike Stoops team needs the entire first half of the season to get ready to play ball the second half of the season. On an odd night on the road. Upsets do happen when schedules change. But...we shouldn't consider ay of that and Oregon rolls. That's just dandy. Because they follow that up on the road with UCLA. The same UCLA that started in the top 10 or 15 (depending on what "expert" you follow) this year. Well...they aren't that good now. Consistently...maybe...but at home...with another teams season to crush. Naw...no problem...Ducks cruise! And to top that off they follow UCLA with Oegon State...in-state rivalry game. And we all know that NOTHING out of the expected ever happens in those games. What the hell am I thinking? There is nothing standing in Oregon's way. Silly me.
OU goes to Lubbock, Texas this weekend to play Texas Tech. Tech blows! Well...except for the high powered offense and a QB named Graham Harrell. This kid throws for 500 yards a game against solid secondaries. The verdict is still out on OU's secondary. Not to mention that Tech plays OU hard in Lubbock and some of OU's stumbles have come...in Lubbock...against...Texas Tech. Not this year. OU rolls...so say the "experts." Then the Sooners travel back to Norman to play the Oklahoma State Cowboys. This would fall under the "in-state rivalry" game (see Oregon-Oregon State) but this poses no problems for the Sooners and they will be the Big 12 South Champion heading to San Antonio to play with Kansas or Missouri. But the Cowboys have become famous for knocking OU from the ranks. Never mind...still not an issue. Thank the "experts" for that.
There is a lot of football to play and the "experts" who are already annointing champions are not giving any of the opponents of these teams and freakin' credit. They don't consider things that come into play when we are talking UPSETS in the year of the UPSETS. The "experts" can ramble on all they want but PLEASE use some kind of intelligence and give these other teams some kind of credit. But they won't and don't and that makes no sense to me. And it could continue to make no sense to me and I wouldn't freakin' care...so long as the ramifications of the upset weren't so harsh. I mean...we all know upsets will happen. Hell, that's why we play 'em on the field. But you have teams that go into hostile environments to play in-state rivalry games and if the lose...the fall is catastrophic. Why? Because the "experts" give no consideration to intangibles that have bearings on the outcomes of some of these games. There is absolutely no way OU should EVER lose to Colorado. On paper I might agree. On the road in a different atmosphere with a HISTORY of these kinds of things happening...I don't think it is realistic to assume that the Buffaloes should NEVER beat OU. This happens all over the country between the "top" teams and the...not so top teams. Especially this year when upsetting top teams is so...for lack of a better phrase...common place!
Personally...Texas Tech worries me this weekend and I probably won't get any satisfaction out of the next two weeks unless OU actually does end up in the Big 12 Championship game. If I were an Oregon fan I would be concerned with all three of our remaining games. I know Nooch has some concerns. If I were Kansas and Missouri I would take heed to thisseasons history and not take this weeks opponents lightly...in any way. Same for LSU who...in my humble opinion...has been winning "lucky" lately and...well...sometimes the luck runs out.
I don't really care if these "experts" continue to ramble on and on about who will be here and there based on who SHOULD be here and there. I base my opinions on being as realistic as I can possibly be...and that's why I could NEVER be a college football "expert."
Has anyone ever read the AP posts here or the Fox updates and then read the comments section at the end of them? The running blogs somewhat like we have here. I do but I never comment on them because the comments range from the benign to the incredibly ignorant...by the majority of the commentors. Whereas here we only seem to have a few of those that go to the other side of the moon when commenting. As is my usual pattern I got up yesterday morning and pulled up the OU-Baylor gametrax and read the follow-up article and then some of the comments that followed. I'm not going to give them any form of recognition here but if you ever want to look them up...well...feel free, but there was a conversation between two people (as is generally required unless you are kellyscott talking about last years OU-Oregon game...whoops....just messin' with ya ks) regarding OU's defensive effort against Baylor. One commentor said that Brent Venables can't handle the pressure of his job and that OU's secondary better figure things out before their trip to Lubbock, TX this weekend for their game against Texas Tech. The other person commented that this person was not a true fan of OU for saying what they said. I strongly disagree with that line of reasoning. As for me...I call 'em as I see 'em...and...it doesn't make me any less a fan than the proverbial "butt-kissing my team can do no wrong" fan.
I call 'em as I see 'em and I agree that the Sooner secondary...well...actually the entire defense...better get it together before they play another game...ANOTHER GAME...or all the help they have gotten to get back into the BCS NCG picture will be wasted. Baylor's QB threw up 280 yards against the Sooner secondary on Saturday night and 2 TD's. Brandon Whitaker, Baylor's RB from OU, carried the ball 15 times for 149 yards and a TD. Hey there boys...that's almost 10 yards a pop!!! Here are some comments from Sooner coach Bob Stoops and some of the players after the game.
"Defensively, we had some breakdowns and gave up a lot of yards. I'm glad I do not have to see us give up that many yards every week. IT HASN'T BEEN US, and we'll see some things we can do better. The obvious one was the one before the half. We busted coverage. We were supposed to be playing four deep and one of our safeties didn't communicate well and was playing in the flats. IT HADN'T HAPPENED BEFORE, and we can't let it happen again. A couple of the runs early we just didn't recognize the blocking schemes and they busted a couple. Bylor did a nice job of executing, give them credit. In the end, we came up with enough stops and turnovers and took advantage of opportunities when we were given them." - Head Coach Bob Stoops
"We broke down in some areas where someone has the Quarterback on the option and ran past him. That happens, and there were some areas where we could have been better." - Head Coach Bob Stoops
"It was ugly. We gave up a lot of stuff that we shouldn't have, busting coverages and missing tackles, things like that. These are things WE HAVEN'T BEEN DOING ALL YEAR." - OU CB Reggie Smith
"Getting interceptions have definately changed the momentum of the game and helped the offense. But, overall, we have to play better as a defense. As the defense, we want to come out and slow them down. But I don't think we did a good job of that today. It was a bend, don't break defense. We need to just get better, and be better on our pass coverage." - OU LB Curtis Lofton
OK!!! So what is wrong with an OU fan sharing their opinion about a defense that didn't play up to it's capabilities on Saturday? Not a damn thing. I'll take it farher than that because I call 'em as I see 'em. See all the words in BOLD above regarding comments to the effect that WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT BEFORE? Well...yes you have. Can you say Tulsa? Can you say Colorado? Can you say Missouri? I can and the big plays against have been way too numerous...ALL YEAR LONG!!! Over committing in the secondary...jumping coverages on corner routes...have been common for this OU defense this year.
And with all of that said they still sit at #3 in the AP and #4 in the BCS. Why? Surely with a defense that porous they shouldn't be there, gcoach. So why are they there? Because defensively they have made huge plays when they need them and the offense has so many options that even Kevin Wilson's conservative play calling can't slow them down.
Need examples...Lofton's fumble recovery against Missouri. D.J. Wolfe's endzone interception against Iowa State. Get the point? I've said all along that the offense was very, very good. But the major strength of this team coming into this season was supposed to be the secondary. The questions...QB...defensive ends...and the linebackers. Defense!!! This team has MAAAD talent on both sides of the ball. So what is it that makes the defense a bend but don't break defense? I'm thinking attitude. I think they are very young and they think they will befine every night...even after they have been proven wrong. For this much physical talent talent it has to be the mental side. Can it be fixed? Sometimes it doesn't look like it is broken. Inconsistent is more the pattern. But, yes, it can be fixed. How, gcoach, tell us how? Simple. Walk the walk don't just talk the talk.
For Saturday pay heed to one of your own.
"This game gave us a wake-up call; we definately have to work on some things and make some adjustments on pass coverage. We need to get in the film room and learn from this game. We need to asess our weakneses and get ready for a good passing game from Tech." - OU LB Curtis Lofton
We heard a lot of this after the Colorado game out of the Sooners and they won a couple of big games against Texas and Missouri and then WENT TO Ames, IA and had to have a big 4th quarter to win there...looking horrible in doing so. Don't talk the talk unless you FULLY INTEND to walk the walk!
Oh...and in their defense...Auston English has to be able to play and contribute. He is having a monster year and has made one of the questions on defense...the DE question...much less of a concern. A stress fracture held him ut of the Baylor game...but WE Sooner fans better hope he is available on Saturday night.
"Auston is such a great player and it makes them have to send two guys, leaving someone open. Not having Auston out there hurts a little bit." OU LB Curtis Lofton
I think it hurts alot. Another reason the Sooners sit at #3 or #4 is the offense.
While Auston English has helped answer the DE concerns and Curtis Lofton has donethe same with the LB question...nobody has had a better answer to the questions than Sam Bradford at QB. He hit the 300 yard mark for the first time on Saturday and his efficiency was outstanding. He went 20 for 25 for 353 yards and 3 TD's along with an int. This kid is the real deal. Fortunately for the Sooners his worst game was against Iowa State and the Sooners survived that.
DeMarco Murray had another big game touching the ball 18 times and scored 4 touchdowns...one on a 91 yard kickoff return that didn't start out so well. But it ended great. Manuel Johnson entered the picture as another receiver for OU that showed potential big game stuff catching 4 passes for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns. Malcolm Kelly added a TD catch and the receiving corps is showing that the Sooners don'y need to play the pitch and catch between Bradford and Juquin Iglesiais they have done in the past.
All in all this is still a very, very good football team with a world of very young talent on both sides of the ball. Stepping it up defensively is going to be huge at the end of the year. Aside from a big game in Lubbock this weekend they follow up with Oklahoma State in Norman. This means they need to show they can play big on the road (which they really haven't done yet) and control their in-state rivals in the last game of the regular season. Virtually everyone I read or talk to has OU in the Big 12 Championship game in San Antonio. Keep the offense rolling...and shore up the inconsistent play from the defense and I think they will be there as well. However...this OU FAN is realistic as well. Too cocky and lackadaisical on the defensive side and it won't happen. Beware of Lubbock. Even though we didn't get the correct call and lost there a couple of years ago...this is a pretty good team with a very potent offense.
It's been a while since I actually posted anything other than some random comments here and there. But a few things have happened recently that have left me thinking. And lately that can be a very scary proposition. But what the heck...I'm in a sharing mood today.
ME THINKS...that going into this weekend the Oregon Ducks are the best team in college football...consistently...on both sides of the ball. Dixon and Stewart are lighting it up and the defense is making huge plays when they need to. And that's what it's all about...ain't it?
ME THINKS...that Boston College is NOT the second best team in college football whether they are undefeated or not. When they lose they will fall almost as fast as South Florida did. I do think they have a pretty good QB but...it won't last.
ME THINKS...that the Ohio State Buckeyes have a great BIG TEN defense and an offense that is conducive to BIG TEN defenses. I think they will have problems when speed teams and quicker teams appear before them. The offense...while coming along to support that great defense hasn't faced a quality defense playing well yet this year. Don't misunderstand. This is a quality college football team whose quality of oppnent has been suited to their style of play. Same story as last year? We'll see.
ME THINKS...that the Oklahoma Sooner football team needs a huge effort on both sides of the ball this weekend. They can't afford another peformance like the one they gave us in Ames, IA a couple of weeks ago. I wasn't at the Colorado game when the Sooners lost but I was at the Iowa State game and some of the Sooner fans there made the trip to Colorado and said they looked exactly like they did against the Buffaloes. They can win out...but if they are barely getting by and everyone ends up with one loss...they will be out of the National Championship picture because quality of wins is important in the BCS and polling picture. That said...They should win out at home but the Texas Tech game in Lubbock looms very large. Can the Sooners play on the road? A questionable proposition so far this year. But...what the heck...I love my Sooners! BOOMER SOONER!!!
ME THINKS...the goalie on the Women's USA soccer team that left the team and made such a commotion when she didn't start based on the coach's gut feeling...is a spoiled brat and the concept of teamwork has never occured to her. Yea, I know this was a while ago but...like I said...it has been awhile since I posted. Argue all you want on her motivation but coaches in every sport make changes all the time based on their "gut feelings." If I'm not mistaking this team and coach only lost one or two games in his tenure and he got fired for losing this one. The prima donna goalkeeper didn't help matters. Oh I long for the days when a coach could make a decision and not get chastized or ridiculed in the press and by his own players in public. Me also thinks those days are gone forever. And people wonder where quality coaches have disappeared to and why they disappear.
ME THINKS...the Minnesota Wild need to monitor their strength and conditioning program or personnel a bit better. At one time this year they had up to 5 players out with groin issues including...again...Marion Gaborik. If this guy ever plays a full season at this pace it will be considered miraculous. Take the numbers he has posted in the games he has played and only Dany Heatley has a better goals per game ratio than Gaborik. Last year he would have totalled something like 53 goals and 97 assists in a full schedule. How can you have this guy getting hurt all the time? His stride or his change of direction pace or his core strength...whatever...they need to figure out a way to keep this guy on the ice.
ME THINKS...in this age of performance enhancing drugs...Martina Hingis is accused of using cocaine. What is the song..."Champagne don't make me lazy and cocaine don't make me crazy...and it's nobody else's business but my own." It ain't nobody else's business. But in this day and age...aparently it's everybody else's business. Retire Martina...you did it before. Only this won't go away until the vultures have been satisfied.
ME THINKS...Barry Bonds is acting like the only mature person in his latest public comments. He is absolutely right when he says the HOF should NOT display his 756th HR bal with an asterisk on it...or anything else with an asterisk on it as well. What a freakin' joke. I said before that I would quit watching MLB and would never set foot in the HOF if they took the ball with an asterisk on it...regardless of the votes of the public that some wealthy #### put up. I'm boycotting MLB and the HOF alng with Bonds. The saddest part of that is that I am the paying public and this is just further evidence that the actions of the loud affect the enjoyment of the quiet. Go Barry!!!
ME THINKS...that the Japanese photographer who took "secret" photos of Maria Sharapova's #### is a ####. But "secret" photos? What was he supposed to do...whisper to her #### that he was going to be taking pictures of it. The guy is pathetic. And now Maria will probably be wearing jeans or sweatpants in every photo shoot. Of course...it ain't like she dressed like Anna Kournikova anyway!
ME THINKS...that Brad Childress is NOT head coaching material in the NFL. Any coach who has someone like Adrian Peterson on their roster...and has to write himself a note to make sure you get him the ball 25 times a game is...well...to be blunt...a total ####. So far he continues to prove this on a game to game basis.
ME THINKS...running the score up on everybody or not...the New England Patriots will beat Indianapolis this weekend and will then run the table and we will have another team join the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only undefeated teams IN NFL history. Belichek is like a woman scorned...as in "Hell hath no fury like..."
ME THINKS...that all of this is moot when you get down to real life and death stuff. Like a young man who I have known since he was 8 years old. Who played hockey for me. Who dealt with adversity in athletics all his life. Who worked hard and never showed his teammates the disappointment he felt at times when things were hard for him. Who came to the rink and went to class to be the best he could be. Who would work my goalie camps and had EVERY kid in those camps wanting him to work with them and hanging their heads when he wasn't at camp for a session. A kid who everybody loves because he thinks about others first and foremost. A kid who at 21 years of age...when things are supposed to be getting going for him...was diagnosed with stomach cancer. Who has had surgery to remove a couple of walnut sized tumors and is just finishing up his last round of chemotherapy which drains him and fatigues him to the point that whenever I talk to him it saddens me and often brings me to tears. A kid who said to me...after his first surgery..."It's nothing, Coach...just another obstacle I'll get over like we have in the past." A kid who wants to continue to work in the sports world in an adminstrative position who looks on-line and applies for jobs on-line fully expecting to beat this opponent like he has less dangerous ones. The prayers and thoughts of those who love him coun't much more than any of this other stuff. I love this kid and the smiles from his face and the faces of his teammates that project themselves from pictures on my walls help me to remember when things were fun for him and not so dangerous. They remind me of those that love him like I do and how we have talked about him and those times since he was diagnosed. I want more of those types of pictures with him and these friends...I wouldn't even mind a new one say...twenty years from now. I love Sooner football and hope they play in the BCS National Championship game. But I have more important things to pray for right now. Like the opportunity to get that picture twenty years down the road.
See if you can guess who said this. "They outplayed us and outcoached us in the second half. It's disappointing. We're not a very smart football team right now." In his 9 years at the University of Oklahoma I have never heard Bob Stoops state the obvious so...eloquently! Do ya think,Bob? But I have to disagree with Coach Stoops on one point. He states this occured in the second half. I don't know what he was watching but I think they were outplayed and outcoached from the opening kickoff to the final gun. This game is a disaster for OU no matter how you look at it. But...let's look at it anyway.
Freshman QB Sam Bradford had the worst day of his short career completing like 8 passes for 1112 and something yards. The 2 interceptions he threw that Colorado converted into points...are not entirely his fault. I'll explain in a moment. Allen Patrick carried the ball 18 times for 96 yards. But he only touched it 19 times all day. DeMarco Murray...6 touches all day. Chris Brown...1 touch all day. And where, oh where, has Malcolm Kelly gone? Offensive genius Kevin Wilson had so little confidence in his players and his game plan that he abandoned it...on the first series of the game. Two interceptions by the OU defense accounted for 2 touchdowns for the Sooners who, clearly, had other things on their minds on Saturday. Was it the upcoming Red River Shootout with Texas this weekend? Was it the air? Perhaps it was the fact that comments about how good they WERE went straight to their heads. They played with no psasion and no intensity...from the coaching staff on down. At one point in the game the commentator said Coach Stoops is very angry. You wouldn't have known it from the look on the normally extremely passionate Bob Stoops' face. Brent Venables just waved his arms alot. He normally screams alot but not on this day. The vaunted OU defense...was manhandled by a less talented offense...largely because Wilson's offense was so pathetic the defense was on the field...the entire second half.
Break it down. Bradford was not sharp but all we've heard all year was that he doesn't need to be sharp all the time. He has so many offensive weapons to get the ball to that he just needs to limit mistakes. So...where were all of these weapons on Saturday? The offensive line that averages like 322 lbs. was never given the chance to establish its normal domination. Allen Patrick has proven in his time at OU that he, much like his predecessor Adrian Peterson, gets better the more he sees the ball. That means more than 19 or 20 times a game. And if that isn't working then you get DeMarco Murray into the game. Murray touched the ball 6 times on Saturday. Was he hurt? NO! I can find nothing about any injury to Murray. The only injury I saw was that linebacker Ryan Reynolds payed the second half with numbness in his shoulder. Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson had the same numbness...in his head...the entire game. I understand that Malcolm Kelly was double teamed alot on Saturday...but they never even tried to get him involved...in any way. And Kevin...while Juaguin Iglesias has been a pretty steady go to guy for you...someone else needed to get involved. Gresham with one catch...Finley with 1 catch...Johnson with 1 catch...what the hell were you thinking? On those interceptions that Bradford threw...Iglesias resembled a Tyrannasaurus Rex short-arming both of them. Dropped balls were another issue. A lack of creativity has always been one of the knocks on Wilson. Another one showed up on Saturday. Lack of commitment to a plan and to this stable of great offensive talent OU has. I'm about giving credit where credit is due...and Colorado did what they needed to do to win. But the lack of intensity,the lack of commitment, and then the lack of willingness to adapt to what the Buffaloes were doing are the primary reasons OU got it's collective butt kicked on Saturday. And that foks...is coaching...pure and simple.
Stoops says they aren't a very smart football team right now. OK...the entire nation knows that now. What was Iglesias doing on the kickoff return where he ran from side of the end zone to the other touching the line with his foot prompting Colorado coach Dan Hawkinsto call for a review thinking Iglesias had brought the ball out? What was Reggie Smith thinking on the muffed punt from his knees with Buffaloes all around him? Fair catch it...get to it...or let it land and get the hell out of the way! Yea coach...the Sooners aren't a very bright bunch right now. But don't tell us...like you did...that the players need to listen to the coaches. I would say they did on Saturday. You and your staff were obviously way too passive with a game plan and your actions on the sideline. Your offensive coordinator doesn't trust your offensive weapons except in the perfect world. Your defense was on the field so long because of this that the normally volatile Venables looked like a #### cat on the sidelines waving his arms around. They do listen to you coach...you and your staff. And this one was on you and that staff. Part of coaching and preparation is getting the players up to play. We have a dropped ball here on that account.
Now, of course, this is one mans opinion. And I am a huge Bob Stoops fan. What he has done at OU has been fantastic over a 9 year period. But if this staff takes the same aproach to Texas in the Red River Rivalry game that it took against Colorado because they got hammered at home by 20 points to Kansas State...this team will be playing in the Who Gives a Crud Bowl (except for OU fans) on December 13th. I would prefer to think that won't be the case and that Stoops and all will rebound strongly. The only saving grace for the Sooners, if there is one, is that 5 of the top 10 teams in the countryl and 7 of the top 13 lost this weekend. The Sooners lost on the road...Floridat home...West Virginia on the road...Texas at home...well...it is college football...and that is why I love it so much. Pick it up Sooners and maybe you'll get another shot at the Buffaloes in San Antonio. Then you can use this as motivation.
"A lot of my friends at Boise got after them last year, and I was a little upset that I didn't get a piece of Oklahoma." - Colorado head coach Dan Hawkins referring to Boise State's Fiesta Bowl win over OU last year. Hawkins was the head coach at Boise State...before they were good.
Some teams got beat that I didn't think would get beat. Some teams struggled that I didn't expect to struggle. And my Top 4 didn't change...however...my Top 5 did! So, without further ado hear comes another Top 25 effort from...Oh, yea...me!
LSU - They played a solid game against a very good team with a shifty old coach and won it in double digits. No reason to change this pick this week and probably not after they play Tulane this week.
USC - They cruised against Washington State and have Washington coming up. It will probably be a little more respectable but there is a reason USC is my pick for number 2...they are are pretty good football team.
Oklahoma - Like I said...until they play like #### against a team they should dominate or lose I see no reason to move them lower than 3, regardless of what Florida does. Right now they are doing what they should be doing and they are doing it very well. Another road game in Colorado. We'll see what happens on the road.
Florida - I didn't get all jiggly when they beat Tennessee a couple of weeks ago because Tennessee is...well...no where on the map right now. And I didn't get all jiggly the other way when the young D struggled against Mississippi on Saturday. A solid pick at number 4. I don't think they will struggle against Auburn this week either.
West Virginia - powerful offense got a little help from the defense this week as well. With Penn State falling this is the next best team around. They play a team that actually plays a little defense this week in South Florida. Might be interesting.
Rutgers - didn't play and I won't hold that against them. They have Maryland this week.
California - rolled over vaunted Arizona D of Mike Stoops (oops! that was last years D) to keep it going. Oregon this week at Oregon. Strange things happen there...and thats all I'm sayin' about that.
Ohio State - Buckeyes movin' on up. Defense carried them early and now the offense is playing. This will be as high as they go for a couple of weeks unless someone in front of them drops or...they hang 100 on the Golden Gophers...and that's actually possible.
Texas - the Longhorns finally kicked 'em some opponent butt this week...albeit it was Rice...but they did it right. Kansas State is up next...which Texas team shows up?
Boston College - no problem with Army and shouldn't be any problem with Massachusetts.
Wisconsin - I do not like this team any where near as much as I did earlier. A 4 pt win over Iowa with a "inadvertent whistle" to aid the effort. I'm not as much in their corner as I was and am actually looking forward to them against Michigan State.
Oregon - one bad quarter does not a season go. They lost a little focus against Stanford and regrouped and won going away. Sometimes that is what it takes. Dixon and Stewart are worth the price of admission and Nooch is my man.
Clemson - they keep winning, Hawaii played Charleston Southern (?) and they ain't as good as Oregon at this time. See if Georgia Tech finds the right direction or if Clemson is really good.
South Carolina - the Old ball coach and the boys dropped a tough one against LSU. When you play the best you need to be your best...and they were a touch off...but still agood football team. Stick around this week and see what Mississippi State brings to the table.
Virginia Tech - they finally tattooed someone this week...but not enough to leap frog them past South Carolina. North Carolina this week.
Penn State - upset by Michigan...or was it. The Wolverines have the Nittany Lions number so to speak. Is Michigan that much improved in 2 weeks or was my faith in Penn State wrong? I'm guessing Illinois won't like Penn State this week..
Hawaii - I want to feel sympathetic to their struggle to strengthen their schedule...and they do hammer everyone they play...well, almost...but their 2nd string QB threw for a ton of yards and scores against Charleston Southern (?). Who, what and where? Colt Brennan didn't need to take warm-ups even for this. Idaho this week...you know...the one USC "struggled" with in their opener this year.
Kentucky - Two big wins in a row and something like 9 of their last 10. This team is hot and Woodson is still the real deal. But ain't nothin' hotter than their number one fan...bluegrassLady. Florida Atlantic on the spit for this week.
Georgia - played well on the road...but they always do...and slowed the Saban bandwagon just a bit. They get the same Mississippi team that lost to Florida by 6 this week. Could be good.
Missouri - They still put up a ton of points and give up a bit as well. They haven't needed much D until now. The Cornhuskers show up for what may be a great Big 12 North game.
Alabama - Crimson Tide seeing red after falling to Georgia. Someone please tell me I mis-heard Saban say he didn't have them ready to play. They have Florida State this week. Maybe they shouldn't wait on 4th quarter heroics and try playing all 4 of 'em.
USF - they play defense...yes, they play defense! And they'll have to with West Virginia next up on the schedule.
Michigan State - OK...they aren't supposed to be where they are. New coach...hot QB prospect bolting for southern climate location...but they are. My sister is an MSU alumni and it is fun watching her scream and rave about the Spartans. Let's see how they stack up against Wisconsin this week.
Arizona State - I'm all for giving an old coach props. Erickson does this wherever he goes.
Nebraska - sfter losing to USC a couple of weeks ago the next game needs to be a statement game. Ball State wasn't unless the statement was " We lost to USC so now we're done" or "Callahan ain't ever going to get that quality win...and he may not get past Ball State." The Cornhuskers need to get it figured out like right now or the Big 12 North will be gone for them...this weekend against Missouri.
There's the snap...the hold...and the kick...and just like that you send Texas A & M, Georgia Tech and Louisville down the road. A & M melting down and turning the ball over to a very decent Miami team on Thursday night didn't help them at all. And I am convinced that if you pressure Stephen McGee he becomes more and more one dimensional. But when you turn the ball over like they did you get spanked...and they did. I figured Miami was good for this one only because they were at home. I certainly didn't figure 17 points better. Even if A & M were at home for this one with the "12th man"...they/he would have fumbled too.
Georgia Tech had all those returning starters on both sides of the ball and played really good football...for a while. And then...Zap...Bam...Bloowie...it's all going up in smoke. Let's see how they fare against Clemson.
Louisville...Louisville...Louisville! What can you say about Louisville? Their QB can throw for 9 miles in a game and 17 scores...and the defense will give up 18. Classic example of not always being able to outscore your opponent to win so you don't need D. Maybe the Cardinal's defensive coordinator should take a page out of the Texas Tech defensive coordinator's book...and resign. Wait...maybe not...they could always schedule the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Hey, what can you say about a team that can block a field goal attempt, recover the ball and sprint for a touchdown...even the last possible tackler slowed down the pursuit...except you fumble the ball on the 15 yard line and the kicker (who has slowed down) recovers the ball. And the fumble wasn't caused by the other team...you did it transferring the ball from your good arm to your other arm...never really knowing why!!! Tim Brewster is the second coming of Jim Whacker. Way too nice a guy!
Question of the week.
I am an NFL head coach who doesn't play the most potent offensive weapon I have in the final 2 minutes o####ame my team is losing because he has some problems with blocking assignments. Of course, were I to put him in the game to block I'd need my head examined anyway. I should be getting him the ball. Who am I?
Yea, yea, yea...whatever. So Oklahoma goes on the road on Friday night and beat the team with the 4th ranked offense in the country...Tulsa. Yea, yea, yea...OU's QB Sam Bradford put up the same kind of numbers on the road that he does at home...16 for 22 for 244 yards with 3 TD's and 1 interception. Yea, yea, yea...Allen Patrick is over his sprained ankle and rushed the ball 19 tmes for 145 yards and 2 TDs. Yea, yea, yea...DeMarco Murray showed his dual quality skills by rushing for 2 TD's and returning a kickoff 81 yards for a TD. Yea, yea, yea...Juaquin Iglesias is apparently Bradford's kind of guy as he hauled in 7 passes for 141 yards and 2 scores. Yea, yea, yea...the defense had 3 picks and 6 sacks and held the Golden Hurricanes to 56 yards rushing. But there were some interesting and apparently, unexpected, things that happened on Friday night in Tulsa as well.
I mentioned last week that I figured OU would be fine but that I thought Tulsa had enough firepower to keep it interesting for a while. The reason for that belief was a hurry up, no huddle offense led to perfection by Tulsa QB Paul Smith. Apparently I am the ony one willing to give credit where and when credit is due. Then again, I guess I'm kind of odd that way. But if anyone else saw this game and could appreciate anything from it...maybe it would be the play of this kid. An Oklahoma kid who didn't get recruited by OU or Oklahoma State he settled in Tulsa and...you know what...this kid can play. When OU started poorly and Bradford threw his second interception of the season...Smith calmly led Tulsa right into the end zone with a great pass...across his body...on the run. And he zipped the ball. You could hear it whistle when he released it...from the couch in my living room...in Minnesota.
Even though this game turned into a route it clearly wasn't a question of their leader letting them down. He went 22 for 33 for 351 yards and threw 2 TD's and ran for another. Part of the problem for the Sooners was early confusion, a few blown coverages and some questionable tackling after some of his completions. But the thing I liked about this kid was the fact that he never quit. I have been coaching kids for 20+ years and there is one thing I have come to admire above everything else. You can have a kid with all the skills in the world. You can have a kid who is scary smart. But if you don't have a kid with any of that...give me a kid with HEART! Paul Smith played with a ton of it on Friday night. And on top of that...he is smart and he has skills. I follow my Sooners...but I'm going to start following this kid also. I give credit where credit is due...unlike a lot of others. Doesn't make me anything special...just realistic.
And apparently that is somethig the local print media here can't do. In summarizing the AP's Top 25 on Sunday morning the Minneapolis Star Tribune jumped on the NCAA bandwagon and took away a Sooner victory...from this year. Yea, yea, yea...well Gcoach...they haven't played anybody so you should be happy they get credit for 3 wins. And besides, hammering Miami was nothing...even if everybody told you to wait and see how they did against the Hurricanes and their defense. The BCS isn't out yet and all the "experts" or the "wannabe experts" are already ripping OU. Two weeks of highly impressive followed by two weeks of...yea, yea, yea...but! Again, it is not so much who they have beaten as how they have beaten them. How can OU jump back to number 3 in the country? They didn't have big issues with Tulsa like Florida did with Mississippi! Give cedit where credit is due...OU is 4-0 and Paul Smith played one helluva football game on Friday night!
Short and sweet this week. I have a meeting in an hour. Last week the Sooners continued the dominance of their opponents. Yea, yea, yea...who have they played and all of that. Well, before they played them we were told to wait and see how they do against Miami. 51-13 and now we have to wait until they play someone. Whatever.
Sam Bradford started out the game against Utah State with 11 straight completions giving him, to that point, 21 in a row following the 10 in a row at the end of the Miami game. But, alas, we see he is human after all. He threw the first interception of his college career last week. He finished 19 of 26 fr 255 yards and 3 TD's to go along with his interception. On the season he is 59 for 74 for 823 yards with 11 TD passes and 1 interception. A fairly nice start to his collegiate career. Behind Bradford is Joey Halzle who is 8 of 9 an Keith Nicol who was 1 of 6 last week in the mop-up roll. Sooner QB's this year are 68/89 for 972 yards and 12 TD's to go along with the 1 interception. However, perhaps one reason the Sooners didn't score in the 4th quarter last week was that Nicol looked very shaky running the offense. But on the whole...so far so good. Bradford's first road game is this Friday.
Carrying the ball for the Sooners is DeMarco Murray who hit the 100 yard mark last week on 4 carries including a 92 yard run that left defenders falling behind. This kid can go. He has scored 6 TD's this year, although 5 of them were in the first game. Allen Patrick, who filled in so admirably for an injured Adrian Peterson last year, showed that he may be over the ankle injury that has slowed him this year. Patrick carried the ball 8 times last week for 113 yards and looked very good oing it. Juaquin Iglesias got in on the act last week as well going 35 yards for a score aside from his receiving duties. These guys, supported by the likes of Chris Brown and Mossis Madu have carried the ball 122 times for 780 yards and 10 TD's. My nephew would never forgive me if I didn't mention the small in stature but big in ability Jacob Guttierez in this group.
Catching the ball for the Sooners ar the aforementioned Iglesias who leads the team with 19 ctches for 302 yards for a 15.9 ypc average. Followed by Malcolm Kelly with 14 catches for 301 yards and a 21.5 ypc average. Not to mention that half of Kelly's receptions have been for TD's. Joe Jon Finley, Jermaine Gresham and Adron Tennell are just a few other Sooners assisting young Mr. Bradford so far this year.
The Sooners defense have picked 5 passes this year and have returned 2 of them for scores long with a 61 ard fumble recovery return for TD against Miami...the D is looking good. The Sooners have outscored their opponents 184 to 26 this year giving them roughly a 61 points a game to 8 difference. Outscoring your opponent on avrag of roughly 53 points a game is...well...impressive...I don't care who you play.
So now that e have visited history lets look to the future.
This weekend...Friday night actually...the Sooners travel up the road a piece for their first road game against Tulsa. Yea...everybody says..."Tulsa...Tulsa....!!!" We'll maybe we should look at something. They are much improved and are 2-0. Granted they beat Louisiana-Monroe 35-17 and BYU 55-47 but I look to the fact that they have put up 90 points in 2 games. They run a no huddle offense that QB Paul Smith runs to near perfection. Last week against BYU he completed 21 of 35 passes for 454 yards and 5 TD's. IN 2 games he is 43 of 66 for 761 yards with 8 TD's and 2 interceptions. He is quietly having a very good year.
Rushing the ball for Tulsa is Tarrion Adams who has carried the rock 46 times for 208 yards for a nice 4.5 yard average and 2 TD's. Following him is JamadWilliams with 19 carries for 102 yrds and a 5.4 yard average. IN 2 games the Golden Hurricanes have rushed the ball 85 timesfor 340 yrds for a 4 yard average and 3TD's. But Mr. Smith likes to throw the ball and when he does it is to these guys.
Charles Clay and Cameron Clemens each ave 8 catches for 92 and 79 respectively. They also have some big play types like Corey Heintz with 3 catches for 98 yards...a 32.7 ypcaverage...and 3 TD's. Trae Johnson has 6 catches for 136 yards...a 22.7 ypc average...and 2 TD's while Brennan Marion has 3 catches for 171 yards...that's a 57 ypc average and 1TD.
On the other side of the ball Roy Roberts returned an interception 49 yards for a score last week. LB Nelson Coleman had 17 tackles and the defense forced 5 turnovers. Of course, they gave up 537 passing yards. Another guy to look out for is LB Chris Chamberlain who made 10 tackles...picked off a pass, forced a fumble...and ran for 8 yards when he lined up at QB. Playing both ways...effectively...I love it...so long as itdon't hurt the Sooners.
Bottom line is that Tulsa has some skill. OU still fumbles the ball too much. They fumbled twice and lost them both last week. Do I think Tulsa will win? No! But I think they might have enough to keep it interesting for a while. This may be the best offense theSooners have seen this year. Running out of a hurry up, no huddle offense could prove interesting...especially if Smith stays hot. It will be interesting to see if Stoops has the boys ready, especially on defense. He sounds like he is getting a little tired of hearing everyone tell the team they are due for a let down.
He keeps telling reporters that they are taking things slow and one game at a time. They are spending great amounts of time reminding playrs that they have to play the season one game at a time and to stay focused on the next opponent. So far that seems to be working...
You all know that I don't consider myself an "expert" at this. And not being an "expert" could be one of the reasons this is becoming so much fun. Last week I said I was going to get this is early. Mere minutes after I posted Hogfan had his post up. So, I'll try to get it in earlier...at least a couple of hours earlier. With each pick I'll leave a little comment so you can see what I'm thinking. Comment if you wish and I'll keep having some fun.
LSU - they are just so dominating on both sides of the ball that I think they are the best team in the country...not USC.
USC - of course, these guys are right up there. After "struggling (?)" against Idaho a couple of weeks ago they absolutely destroyed Nebraska on Saturday night. Alas, I think Nebraska helped them out a lot. SLSHusker already mentioned the poor tackling shown all night by the Cornhuskers and, of course, there are the Keller turnovers. USC would have won this one anyway...but maybe not by quite so much.
Oklahoma - Two weeks ago everyone was talking about how North Texas was a nobody nd wait until they face real defense in Miami. After hammering Miami 51-13 people were impressed. Last week they hammered Utah State 54-3 and now all I see are "wait until they play someone." Whatever! Until OU plays one of the teams like most of therest of thecountry is...or until they lose...they stay at #3 here. They are hmmering these teams the way you re supposed to hammer them. Friday night may be different. They play on the road against a team that can put points on the board. Check out Tulsa's scores and see wht their QB did to BYU.
Florida - I'm not ready to concede anything to Florida except this...Tim Tebow is making believer out of me and the young D is playing very well.
Penn State - they re dominating their opponents...and they can play some D...not sure about West Virginia in that dept.
West Virginia - Slayton carries them very well but as I previously mentioned...I'm not sure about their D.
Rutgers - this team looks very good to me and a 59-0 romp moves them up. Largely because after the first 4 or 5 in the country...it's all melting pot...kind of.
California - They are playing well and not struggling against teams they shouldn't struggle against.
Wisconsin - I am not as sure about the Badgers as I once was. They just aren't doing things to their opponents like they should be doing.
Texas - same thing with the Longhorns. Late rally's and big 4th quarters will come back to haunt them...at least I hope so when they play OU. That said...they still worry me.
Ohio State - The offense finally got involved against Washington and the D is very, very good.
Oregon - the Ducks and Dixon and Stewart re playing incredibly well right now. Blast your opponents when you should and they are.
Boston College - they just took Georgia Tech to school all night long. QB was outstanding.
South Carolina - the old footbll coach has 'em playing well...very well.
Clemson - OK...they are getting it done right now. As well, if not better, than some others.
Hawaii - Colt Brennan and only Colt. I looked at their next opponent and while I think they have met some stumbling blocks in improving their schedule...next week ain't one of them.
Virginia Tech - this is about where they should be and if they keep winning by 10 or so this is about where they will stay. They need to flat out bust someone up.
Louisville - losing to Kentucky is not so bad, especialy when your offense still contiues to roll. But when your defense can't shut down the other team these things happen.
Texas A & M - I saw somewhere that someone said A & M is not impressive. well, they are 3-0 and thy hammered their opponent last week. Impressive enough for week 3.
Georgia - an up week for the Bulldogs. Let's see how consistent, or inconsistent, they will be this year.
Nebraska - As I mentioned...as good as USC is...the Cornhuskers really didn't help themselves. Callahan is still looking for that big win against big time opponent.
Alabama - I'll bite if only for the fact that they came back to win after having a huge lead evaporate on them.
Kentucky - Woodson is the real deal. And besides that...I told bluegrassLady that if Kentucky won I'd put them in my top 25. I think they deserve it!
Missouri - they can surely score...and so can everyone else. If their D improves they may move up.
Georgia Tech - outmanned by Boston College which was a surprise to me. I still think this is a very good football team.
UCLA took a big hit from me because I'm not so sure they were really there after giving up 44 points to Utah. No offense Utah fans. Those 20 returning starters from UCLA played like they were returning tennis players...non-contct sport...you know! And after Auburn turned the ball over 5 times again this weekend...Souht Florida will sit at the brink of the top 25 becasue they did, after all, take advantage of the turnovers.
Like it or not...agree with it or not...this is my Top 25 after 3 weeks.
I missed the Hogfan College Football poll last week so I'm gettin' in early this week. Rip me if you will, that is fine...admittedly I am not an "expert." So if you are looking for an "experts" offerings...go find Jay Mohr or one of the other FOXSports guys with contracts and payments in hand. I ain't one of 'em. Some of my picks may leave you wondering, snickering, or wondering where I come up with one or more of these teams in a Top 25 poll. But I'm fairly certain that you won't lookat this the way you looked at Demon's last week when Hogfan posted it. At least I don't think you will. But even if you do...I'm more than alright with that because...again...I ain't no "expert." Now that the ramble is out of the way...on to the poll.
AFTER TWO GAMES (for most of the teams)
1 - LSU - I commented early in my first poll that I knew they would be good on D but thought they would miss Jamarcus Russell too much. OK - I was wrong on that point. They miss Russell less than the Raiders do. This is a fantastic football team and after 2 games should be ranked at the top spot.
2 - USC - Virtually everyone has, or had, them at number one to start the year. They have played 1 game. Did they struggle against Idaho? Probably from an expectation standpoint but they stil
