Working hard these last couple of weeks has taken its toll on my blogging time, but I still found time to vote early. After two hours in a line that wrapped around the block, IT WAS WORTH IT. I must say though I haven't rang a cowbell in days now and I am jones'n a bit. Go Rays!
A few words on this weekend's debacle at the top of the polls. Alabama is NOT the #1 team in the country. They don't play like it and they haven't won as impressively as Texas Tech nor Penn State. Let's talk about Texas Tech. Any doubts about the defense was put to rest Saturday night and this team is playing on a whole new level this year. They didn't surprise Texas and this was no fluke game.
Texas was out played, out matched, and out coached plain and simple. What the game did prove is that the Big 12 is the strongest conference in the country and the top four teams in the South would be undefeated in any other conference.
I wish I could say the same about the North, but alas Mizzou is the only great team in the North. I still believe they would make mincemeat out of Alabama. With that said, Florida is playing the best out of the SEC schools despite Georgia revealing once again how overrated they really are this year.
The Texas bandwagon gets derailed Saturday in Austin. Put down those ugly #### burnt orange pom poms and get the black and gold back out of the closet.
As we have learned in the Big 12, there is no such thing as home field advantage. Sure it helps, but with the quarterback stockpile in the conference it is clear that it takes more than one good game to make a season.
Will it be a shootout? Absolutely, but more than likely the game will be decided on the last possession.
We could see 90 points scored in this game, but folks thought that about the OSU game as well.
On another note, is it just me, or is Chase Daniel the fastest chubby little ####ker in the world or what? Perhaps that is part of his success, the defense sees his beer belly and think that he's a slow lumbering fullback. Then he zooms by and has a 30 yard rush.
No offense to Chase intended, I had similar comments made about me as a player. (not at Mizzou in case you're wondering) I was to busy working my way through school. As you can see from my new avatar, my job had some perks.
Anyway.
As disappointed as I am by last week's debacle in Columbia, the Tigers never showed up on offense and didn't play even a third as well as we can. Ever see Varsity Blues? Remember when the gang went out and hung out at the strip club and pulled an all nighter the night before a game? Yeah, but the grumbling around town has other acquisations flying around as well.
Hell, I remember partying during the Brocky IV year at Mizzou with many a player in the VIP section of a few spots downtown. But that was after we carried the goalposts to Harpo's after beating Texas. Was it that year???? ####, things are fuzzy from the Larry Smith years nowadays.
The Big 12 North will be the champion division this year. It begins again this Saturday. Then when OSU beats Texas and sets up the Redemption Bowl II, this year Mizzou will finally live up to it's talent level.
For all you Johnny-come-lately peeps that try and say that Mizzou is a fluff team that just came on the scene last year haven't been watching the Big 12. Our last QB is playing on Sundays, though as a receiver I'll grant you. But catching passes from Brett Farve has got to be fun.
But Chase will be playing at the next level despite his size. Then again Chase and Chase will be there as well. And Jeremy Maclin, of course.
Well, conference play is in full swing and the games should be GREAT this weekend. The biggest game on the college football menu this weekend of course is the Red River Rivalry.
#1 vs. #5. By the end of the weekend there will no longer be three Big 12 teams in the Top 5, so all you haters will be happy for a couple of weeks anyway.
By Monday, I believe we will have a new #1 in the major polls.
While it is early and I may ultimately watch as the Big 12 simply implodes just as every other conference is doing this year, I think the first two weeks have illustrated how dominant the Big 12 North will be the next few years. Sure the SEC is strong, but neither the East or West has as many programs on the rise.
Sure the same rants that SEC haters spout relentlessly with a good measure of Big 12 hate sprinkled in will certainly spill over the comment section, but hey, at least take a look at the facts.
The Fact is that The Big 12, The SEC, and The Pac 10 are the best conferences in the country.
The fact is that those three conferences are the only three deserving of an automatic BCS bid. Right now, the SEC is a little weaker than it has been in a while but the fact is a doormat in the SEC would be considered a decent team in the Big East.
Though the Big 12 has seen a lot of South Champs dominate in recent years, the fact is that the athletic programs of the Big 12 North realized to compete they actually have to spend money. And spend they did.
Missouri alone has built a state of the art athletic complex, new basketball stadium, gave a multi-million dollar facelift to Memorial Stadium and Faurot Field, etc..
Then they raided Texas for recruits and drained other former powerhouse recruiting grounds with promises of starting instead of riding the pine three deep in Austin.
Kansas and Missouri followed the similar plans to that of Kansas State in the late 90's and you can see the fruits of their labor now.
What you see down south is a few once proud programs walking in circles. The same old models being followed year after year and no progress in site.
Sorry Texas A&M, tradition only sells so much. Ask Notre Dame.
While Kansas may be a 9 win team this year, so too may be the Kansas State Wildcats. We'll see if I may be right when they meet Louisville.
Nebraska has a favorable non-conference schedule, with Virginia Tech being the toughest (cough) opponent. The Cornhuskers could also be a 9 win team with wins over VT, Texas Tech, and Kansas although they will likely be the underdog in each game.
Colorado is a tricky call. I'm not sure if the new coach has the boys up to Big 12 standards. They seem a bit Mountain West at times. We'll see how they stack up as they meet West Virginia and Florida State in the next couple of weeks.
Iowa State has neither Oklahoma or Texas on its schedule. Aside from Missouri, Oklahoma State, Kansas and Nebraska they could win 7 or 8 games.
The Big 12 South on the other hand has no hope when looking at Baylor, or Texas A&M. Texas Tech still has no defense, Texas is over rated, but at least Oklahoma is Oklahoma... well, until bowl season arrives.
The surprise of the South could be Oklahoma State, not the Red Raiders.
Looking at the ACC, Big East, and Big 11 I find it hard to see how they claim to be anywhere near the elite quality conferences of the Big 12, SEC, or Pac 10.
Sure I'm holding out hope that the Big 11 is going to have an "up" year with the resurgance of Wisconsin and Penn State.
I know, you hate me now. I said it. You other guys are just fighting for scraps.
But before you throw the rotten tomatoes, do you really think that Wisconsin or Penn State could beat USC. Don't give me that "any given Saturday" ####.
The answer is no. And as we'll see Ohio State won't be able to either.
Do you really think Georgia Tech or Wake Forest are really as good as the 2-0 SEC teams? Hell, Vandy vs. either of them is a toss up.
Do you really think South Florida has a chance at RJ Stadium this Friday? The Big East's best against the 4th best team in the Big 12. Did you even SEE that UCF game last weekend? I did.
That's not to say I won't be at the game Friday. Hey, I can suspend disbelief after tailgating for a few hours.
Of course, I'll be wearing my glorious Mizzou attire for all you KU schmucks. Meet me at the Buccaneers pirate ship for a pint. Gotta love the party deck.
While not the most impressive NFL stadiums, the games are sure fun at the home of the Tampa Bay Bucs. (Where you can still get $10 tickets from the scaplers!)
I have been blogging here for so long, I forgot my old password and had to set up a new blog this year. BOO!
Anyway, my old space was at community.fox sports.com/bl ogs/brianblac k in case you think you've heard the trash talk before... It's the same this year as it was last year... Mizzou is #1!!!!!!! Go Cowboys! Go Rays!
www.myspace.c om/revbrianbl ack
They seem a bit Mountain West at times. We'll see how they stack up as they meet West Virginia and Florida State in the next couple of weeks.
