Big 8+4 – 2008 «

Big 8+4 – 2008

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Big 12 athletic websites:

Kansas State Wildcats Texas Longhorns
Nebraska Cornhuskers Texas Tech Red Raiders
Iowa State Cyclones Texas A&M Aggies
Kansas Jayhawks Baylor Bears
Colorado Buffalos Oklahoma Sooners
Missouri Tigers Oklahoma State Cowboys

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January 24, 2009

This adds to my point on good programs keep winning: Scout.com: Top 10 football recruiting powerhouses

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January 16, 2009

It’s been a while and much has happened during my blog page absence. K-State, or as FB aptly puts it Kansas Snyder University, has name several qualified assistant coaches. Two of which are coming from the highly successful,2009 undefeated Utah football season to run the Wildcat offense. Amen! No more junior college playbooks in Manhattan.

Also – and I’m still trying to figure this out – the University of Auburn hired away Iowa State’s most successful losing football coach, Gene Chizac. ISU is still thanking the football gods for that I’m sure. BTW, I spoke with an avid Auburn alum yesterday and when simply (and innocently) asked about this hiring, I didn’t know whether I was gonna get punched in the nose or have to offer up a crying shoulder….

The NFL released today the 43 names of the students too dumb to realize the long-term value of a F-R-E-E college education. The stupid Big 12ers so far are:

Michael Crabtree (WR) Texas Tech
Josh Freeman (QB) Kansas State
Jeremy Maclin (WR) Missouri
Brandon Williams (DE) Texas Tech
Russell Okung (OT) Oklahoma State – like a young kid, he changed his mind…he’s back at OSU next year

Is it me or is the pattern here that the premier programs of the league are keeping their talent…at least for another year. Note to AD’s: perhaps that is why the good get better and the average never can consistently compete with the good.

DMN Staff writer Chuck Carlton thinks the South division will finish…next year…out on a shaky limb here Chuck..like this:

Texas
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Texas Tech
Baylor
Texas A&M

He typically doesn’t do the North (apparently it frightens him or something) but the point is, and made with Chuck’s South prediction: The good programs (Texas, Oklahoma) get better because they retain their talent longer; the rest of the league look for the short-term solutions to help them today but not tomorrow (because they offer little to their student-athletes to look forward to?).

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The 12 legends were recognized at the Big 12 Legend’s Reception on Friday prior to the game, while the legends were honored on the field as part of halftime festivities of the Big 12 Championship Game.

The 2008 Big 12 Legends:
Grant Teaff- Baylor
Joel Klatt- Colorado
Matt Blair- Iowa State
John Hadl- Kansas
Bill Snyder- Kansas State
John Kadlec- Missouri
Will Shields- Nebraska
Lee Roy Selmon- Oklahoma
Derrel Gofourth- Oklahoma State
Priest Holmes- Texas
John David Crow- Texas A&M
E.J. Holub- Texas Tech

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December 9, 2008

One refreshing thing about K-State firing Ron Prince/hiring back a Saint is diehard fans might at least get a few quality assistant coaches now that know something about major college football. Hat’s off here: one thing Synder could do was mentor talented coaches. His hiring continues with the additon of one Vic Koenning.

Koenning is a former Clemson defensive coordinator that is coming back home – Vic was a 3-year starter and team captain in the early 80’s (before the first coming of our Saint in Manhattan – I remember him playing when I was there…oh my Vic and I are nearly the same age!). He has been named “assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator”. Maybe he will be the prodigal son that returns home to take the reins in 5 years.

Long-time K-State assistant Mo Latimore (25 years and 4 coaching regimes) has been “retained” to coach defensive linemen. He is a former All-American K-State alum from back in the 70’s. With this hiring, The Saint says their defensive staff is now in place.

There is sure a noticable population of former K-State players starting to add up on the coaching roster. I wonder if Bill is thinking of fielding a squad of former players come Spring to take on or run off Prince’s recruits.

Don’t y’all just love knowing all this about K-State? I promise…this will (might) all stop soon

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December 8, 2008

SOUR GRAPES

Mack Brown is upset at his own failed lobbying efforts this year with this 11/28/08 shot at the Big 12, the BCS, and OU:
On not running up the score against A&M late in the game:
“That’s what we always do,” Brown said. “I can’t sit here and act like we really believe in sportsmanship and sit there and throw it every snap at the end. If the difference between 49-9 and 56-9 is going to make the difference in whether we go to Kansas City or not, then the system is more screwed up than I think it is. If it takes 56 points to get somebody to vote for you, then, folks, we’ve got a bad system.”

DMN staff writer Chuck Carlton: “Oklahoma fans blamed everyone from Texas coach Mack Brown to ESPN – renamed TSPN by Oklahoma talk radio callers for its perceived Longhorn bias.” And then the counter punch: “Some people south of the Red River, noting Texas’ double-figure wins over OU and Missouri, have started calling today’s contest the Big 12 JV game.” (now I don’t care who you are, that’s funny…that would be from some Cable Guy).

From the “this kid has a future a head of him” breaking news department: Texas A&M tailback Mike Goodson is going into the NFL draft and fore go his Aggie senior year. He’s coming from the worst Big 12 rushing offense and ran for only 406 yards/5 touchdowns all season. I would wager a guess here…I bet his draft order will be somewhere in the larger three digit range.

From the “I would expect that from you” department: Texas Tech Mike Leach said “the three-way tie should be decided by each school’s football graduation rate, which Tech happens to rank higher in than Texas and Oklahoma.” Yeah right Mike, we are still talking football here aren’t we?

And we’ve all heard by now that many private aircraft pilots have been busy flying messages over Big12 football stadiums, certain campuses, and who all knows where else. I thought that was a nice touch the first time…now its stupid and probably won’t stop, unfortunately, for a while.

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December 8, 2008

COMING SOON: BIG 12 SEASON RECAP

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December 8, 2008

COACHING SHUTTLE PASS

OSU’s defensive coordinator Tim Beckman has taken the head coaching job at (Holy) Toledo.

Mack “BCS” Brown has a come up with a new term: Head Coach Designate. This means “stick around and bank $900k won’t you?”. Defensive guy and should-have-been-KSU head coach Will Muschamp is doing just that…for now.

K-State’s assistant football coach Tim McCarty is taking a D-2 head coaching job at East Central (Oklahoma) – I wonder when he saw that coming….

Bill Snyder is quick on the job rebuilding a coaching staff this winter. K-State has made 3 new hires: 1) former KSU assistant coach Chris Cosh from Maryland to take over as assistant head football coach and c0-defensive coordinator – is he the Snyder replacement to be groomed? 2) rehired current special teams coach Jeff Rodgers, and 3) Kansas native, former Wildcat, former assistant coach Joe Bob Clements (sounds Texan to me) has been hired to make the once proud defensive ends respectable again.

In an attempt to keep Mike Leach in Lubbock, Texas Tech is throwing money at the guy and asking him to stay around 3 additional years. They have offered a $7 million extension through 2013 and make him the 3rd highest paid B12 coach (need I say behind who?). His average salary will be $2.42 million per year.

Okie State’s Mike Gundy gets to grease windmills for 7 more years…to the tune of $15.7 million. T. Boone must now like the guy for the time being.

PLAYING WITH HONORS

Big 12 Conference first and second teams offense/defense was announced Friday by the Dallas Morning News. 49 players received recognition – only 12 from the North division (Hmmmmmmm). The North had 2 on the first team offense, 3 on first team defense, 3 on the second team offense, 4 on the second team defense. Of the 12 conference teams, Iowa State is not represented on either the first or second teams. KSU, Colorado, and A&M each has 1 player, Nebraska has 2, KU & Baylor has 3, Missouri and O-State somehow managed 5 each, Texas Tech has 6, Texas with 9, and Oklahoma’s 13 players top the list.

The Big 12 Conference released their selections on 12/2/08. 38 of the 60 kids honored are from the state of Texas. 6 of the 9 individual honors go to kids from the state of Texas as well. 1 of the 2 coaches of the year call Texas home. Saint Snyder…please make note of this!!!!!

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December 7, 2008

Oklahoma-Missouri: The Big 12 Chumpionship game. I truly think the North division needed to sit at home and watch the game – the South should have duked it out on their own. Mind you, I chose to go to and enjoy my company’s Christmas party Saturday night and not TiVo the championship game. I just didn’t get a warm fuzzy about this being a game worthy of watching, remembering, taping, etc. Now had it been the Texas-OU repeat…or a Texas Tech-Texas do-over…or maybe an OU invitation to Tech to try it again…I might have reconsidered my Saturday actions. Thanks go to football pal JaiJai for keeping me posted on quarterly scores throughout the night even though she’s been puny lately.

Did anyone give Mizzou directions back to Columbia? I hope they went home in the middle of the night and have laid real low ever since. Did Chase cry this year? His redemption talk to the press the week before (thinking Missou’s loss to KU was ok because they were going to the conference championship and “not Kansas, not Kansas State, not Baylor” – somebody grab Chasey by both helmet ear holes, give him a good shake and knock his head on the ground around mid-field. He’s just dumb. I thought he was dumber than dirt but I’m thinking I’m being a little hard on dirt with that statement) sure sounds prophetic huh? (maybe I should say pathetic).

All I can say is Oh My Sooners. Watching OU play football this year has been fun, more so than Texas or Tech. Now I only hope Texas beats Ohio State by 50 in the Fiesta Bowl. That ought to keep the “We should-have-been-in that-game” conversations going well into the new year…and then maybe President Obama (did I really say that?) can send a CFB playoff bill to Congress for a vote…or at least call the three Big 12 south teams to Washington (in a hybrid Big 12 private jet) to testify, punch each other, or deliver Beebe to the wolves – hey and then maybe the 6 North teams could get into Texas for some recuiting for a few days without ’dem guys shooing ’dus away.

I predicted several weeks ago Bradford would win the Heisman and I still think he will. Tebow had his glory last year. 60+ points scored in the last 5 games – that should get him a few extra Heisman votes. We will see if that’s the case come Sunday (wouldn’t I be the soothsayer amongst us all if that happens).

Chuck Carlton, a Dallas Morning News staff writer, is a favorite of mine having an enjoyable sports writing style, humor, and perspective. He made a 12/5/08 comment in the DMN that summed up why OU has been so productive on offense this year: “…an offensive line that could double as a national monument,….”. Look out Florida and your so-called SEC defense.

Final Chumpionship Score: 62-21 (that is Missouri with 21 points - 3 redemption touchdowns: one for Kansas, one for Kansas State, and one for Baylor – Chase is just such a thoughtful young man)

TBO’s prediction record for the week #15: 0-1. I predicted way back in August Missouri would beat Texas Tech in the Championship game. Well Missouri in that game I had right…. Through Week #15, Tbo is 72-21. Any takers next year predicting wins and losses?

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December 7, 2008

Big8+4 readers…I’m back. The depression realized from my alma mater’s shananigans is beginning to fade now…I think.

The long arms (or cold hands) of BS system has reached inside the jock straps of the Big 12 and fumbled around. And we now have a new lunch buddy with K-State’s AD (Krause) - Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe. Lord have mercy on the stupids of this conference….

I find it funny and ironic that OU President David Boren said whoa guys, let’s not jump to conclusions on this BS tie breaker system. Does he think the rest of us are stupid? I wonder what he would say had the Big 12 had the Big Kohonas and Texas was to play for the Championship? Regardless, he’s officially off the lunch invitation list with Krause and Beebe this year because he’s not quite dumb enough to join them.

OK, thanksgiving week saw a handful of games I never recapped. So here we go, after the fact:

Texas-Texas A&M: ho-hum turkey day disappointment. Final Score: Stubhorns 49, Maggies 9

Kansas-Missouri: roll over and play dead Ms. Kitty. J-Birds 40, Tigg-”ers” 37

Oklahoma-Oklahoma State: wind turbines in Stillwater stopped for 4 1/2 hours – I’m not sure they’re back up to full speed yet. Final Score: Crooners 61, Pokemen 41

Texas Tech-Baylor: Tech starts flat, ends up with a flat (Crabtree and Harrell), and still manages to pull off a win. Final Score: Black Raiders 35, Cubbies 28

Colorado-Nebraska: this week’s Who Cares Bowl. Final Score: Cornmuskers 40, Dungaloes 31

Suckclones were packing up the locker room for another season – Final Score: loser; Weenycats were busy packing up Prince and his coaching staff’s offices…and moving Snyder back into his old dig – Final Score: have forgotten what bowls look like from the inside.

TBO’s prediction record for the week #14: 3-2. Through Week #14, Tbo is 72-20.

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November 24, 2008 (again)

I am going to reach out a bit here (please join in if you’re so moved) and do an on-going list/dialogue. I have 2 blog-story lines to list today regarding the absolute idiocy of Kansas State University Athletics and it’s hiring of an AD and men’s sports head coaches over the past 3 years. This has been a recent happening to a proud university, and it’s been done by people outside the K-State fold. But despite the stupidity in Manhattan, here’s my take and continuing dialogue on K-State (Big8+4) Football (and you guys, if any other Big12 school decides to be stupid, rest assured – cause I won’t – I will devote an equal amount of the blogspace on that as well):

Snyder is hired again: Regardless of the lameness of this decision, lets consider a conspiracy theory here. The facts: Saint Snyder retired 3 years ago (2005); Saint Snyder became a “special assistant” to the Athletic Director after his retirement; Saint Snyder has been active in fundraising for the KSU library system; this entire season/year, KSU has been over-marketing DVDs, apparel and other memories of the “Glory Days” of Saint Snyder’s era; Prince was given a contract extension in the spring and then seemingly OK with his job firing this fall, even staying on to coach the final 3 games after his firing. The Theory: this was a set up coaching switch-a-roo scenario from the start of the season. Snyder, while doing his charitable fundraising work with the KSU library discovered his continued coaching legacy at K-State might be in jeopardy if Prince was allowed to be successful, and not be chronicled properly in the annals of KSU. This revelation occurred because Synder had publicly questioned the Prince hiring 3 years ago, feeling slighted by having very little say-so in the decision process. Saint Snyder started using his “special assistant” position to influence the yes-directors and coaches of K-State’s athletic department, even getting Prince to accept the conditions of losing his own job. Part of Prince’s compensation for going along with the squeeze-me-out play was to get a contract extension in the spring that had a big fat payoff if he lasted the season. In the mean time, K-Staters everywhere following the Mildcats via kstatesports.com and email updates were constantly bombarded with highlights and promotions of seasons passed, preparing them - energizing the base faithful – for the return of the prodigal son Synder. So there it is: Prince gets his cash for staying on after being fired with 3 games left in the season, Snyder gets his job back to rewrite K-State’s football history for this century (thank you Barry “who’s got my pistol” Switzer), KSU gets national attention for a couple days on the way things used to be in the “glory days”, and the next coach groomed for the Wildcats will be Bill’s son Sean…oh yeah, he’s been working in the AD office the past few years, now he will probably move down to the sidelines with Dad next fall and learn how to run an entire major university wearing goofy looking earphones all the while standing around in fake green grass with a giant numbered yard signs.

BTW, I predict Sean will become a highly successful, tenured head coach, athletic director, and university president at K-State, winning several national championships making so very proud his father who will eventually be buried at mid-field of the family plot…I mean stadium. The Snyder legacy will endure for years to come, all roads will lead to Manhattan via Synder Family Kansas highways, and all will be remembered in Wildcat land (your commemorative copy for only $49.99).

101 Reasons (not there yet) the Snyder Re-hire was Stupid

He’s 69 years old
This game has literally “passed” him bye (see #3)
He favors the Power I formation (which I ran when I played high school football)
His idea of a passing game was the perfect execution of the shuffle pass to Darren Sproles cutting behind the offensive center
The KSU football program was in decline when he hired on in 1988
The KSU football program was in decline when he retired in 2005
The KSU football program is still in decline when he returns in 2008
He never really retired, always hanging around KSU athletics and university
He’s destined to be a Michael Jordan, Mohammad Ali, Annika Sorenstam playing past their prime and making an athletic embarrassment of themselves even though they remain a lovable fan favorite
K-DOT will have to spend $$$ removing highway signs bearing his name until he retires again
He’s 69 years old
KSU will have to spend $$$ removing the family name on the stadium until he retires again
Junior College football programs across the country have all sent congratulations to KSU
He’s a grandfather 8 times
KSU needs to look to the future
KSU is looking to the past with this hire
KSU did not get a federal bailout for $$$ to pay quality coaches to come to Manhattan
1st year AD Bob Krause is an idiot
Snyder’s true AD-in-disguise job is now in jeopardy
WWDDD (What Would DeLoss Dodds Do)
He’s 69 years old
University of Kansas (we really need someone to beat these guys)
University of Oklahoma
University of Colorado
University of Nebraska
University of Missouri (they have no business being the North division champ ever again)
University of Texas
Texas A&M University
Texas Tech University
Baylor University
Oklahoma State University
Iowa State University
He’s 69 years old
Greatest Turnaround in College Sports…a decade ago
Coach of the Century…last century
Reminds me of George 41 and 43
Gary Patterson could of/should of had a chance at this job…if he really wanted it
Former Assistant Bob Stoops will beat him when played
Former Assistant Mike Stoops will beat him if played
Former Assistant Jim Leavitt will beat him if played
Former Assistant Mark Mangino will beat him when played
Former Assistant Dan McCarney is still looking for a job on his own, not one handed to him
Former Assistant (now unemployed) Phil Bennett has football and emotional ties to Manhattan (and he couldn’t beat him if they ever played)
Former Player Gary Patterson will beat him if played
Former Player Brent Venables doesn’t want to carry Snyder baggage for a few years
Former Player & Former Assistant Dana Dimel will beat him if played…but he wanted the job in ‘05…and he still wants it today (unlike Patterson)
He’s 69 years old
Snyder describes K-State as “blue collar, lunch pail environment” (today’s press conference)
President John Wefald gets dumber the closer he gets to retirement age
Mark Mangino: 6-year KU coach, 52 years old
Bob Stoops: 9-year OU coach, 48 years old
Bo Pelini: 1st year NU coach, 40 years old
Gene Chizik: 2-year Iowa State coach, 46 years old
Dan Hawkins: 3-year CU coach, 48 years old
Gary Pinkel: 8-year Mizzou coach, 56 years old
Mack Brown: 11-year UT coach, 57 years old
Mike Leach: 9-year TTU coach, 47 years old
Mike Gundy: 4-year OSU coach, 41 years old
Art Briles: 1st year BU coach, 52 years old
Mike Sherman: 1st year TAMU coach, 53 years old
He’s 69 years old
Average age of Big 12 football head coach (Snyder excluded) is 49
Average football head coaching tenure in the Big 12 = 5 years
He will be the fourth oldest active coach in CFB – Joe Paterno (81), Bobby Bowden (79), and Howard Schnellenberger (74) are the only guys older than he (think they called him today? – probably not, they couldn’t get their rotary land-line phones to work)
Krause and Snyder are both silver headed; Wefald is lacking hair. Shouldn’t these guys be drinking coffee and relaxing in former-VIP luxury boxes on game day?
AD Krause didn’t even talk to any other coach about this job. Makes you wonder when the trigger was really pulled on Prince
He will be 74 when his 5-year contract is up
KSU media campaigns will still be riddled with”glory days” propaganda
Will we ever be done with the Synder history lesson of the K-State football turnaround
Maybe his PowerCat logo patent was due to expire with a massive balloon payment owed by KSU
Nebraska coaches are now going to have to deal with the ghost of Bob Devaney, again - Devaney wanted K-State kicked out of the Big 8 and put “on a slow boat to the Missouri Valley (Conference)” back in the 70’s…jerk (that’s really not a reason, it just pisses me off everytime I read it)
The AD should have never brought Bob Huggins to Manhattan, but then he did, and he couldn’t keep him for more than 1 year…and he could then only hire 2 honyacks with nice suits and NO head coaching experience to run a D-1 program (RIP Jack Hartman). What more could you expect from an AD with a football coach hire
A 69 year old man with a “fire in his belly” may have a medical condition
During today’s press conference, he said “Ron Prince is a good, good, good man, and I feel badly for Ron Prince. I feel badly for his family. I feel badly for his staff.” Now if he had a “fire in his belly”, he would be saying “get your sorry #$^&* out of here”.
Wefald used today’s press conference to promote the 8th K-State Rhodes Scholar in 22 years and a National Professor of the Year for the Nations Doctoral Research Universities…oh and by the way ya’ll, Bill’s back.
And then Wefald starts in on the K-State football history that only a university president could understand.
Wefald compared Snyder’s age to Ronald Reagan’s 2nd term (but he left out the fact Ron slept through most of that term)
Wefald stated Republican nominee John McCain, at 72 years of age, ran for president (somebody send Mr. Wefald the collector edition headlines from November 4th – he doesn’t know McCain’s age was one reason he wasn’t elected)
He will be 70 years old on October 7th next year. That falls on a Wednesday in between the Iowa State game to be played in Kansas City and the Texas Tech away game. HBD early, Bill.
Harley Day at K-State will become Scooter Day instead – senior citizens get in free
HEY K-STATE. LET’S TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE FOR A CHANGE
K-State’s band director needed the job. According to OFB & OFSIL, at least our band was good when we played in Lawrence this year.
Sports Illustrated’s label of K-State as “Futility U” some 20 years ago may now be misinterpreted as “Fertility U” with all the Viagra that could get passed around like candy
He was successful when old fashion Big 10 football played well in the Big8/12. In a raised voice “They now throw that ball with the 2 pointy ends through the air….”
KU has graciously offered a gereactrics team of med students to be on the sidelines for each home game
Stadium name will change to “The Old Guy’s Stadium”, “The Family Guy’s Field”, or “Glory Days Greener Patures”
Instead of the dot race, Wildcat scoreboard will contest “Are You Smarter than Certain Big 12 Athletic Director” – the winner gets to choose our next head football coach within the next 17 years.

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November 24, 2008

OU-Texas Tech braggin’/arguein’ facts:

OU has scored on its opening drive in 10 of 11 games
Tech Micheal Crabtree’s 13-game touchdown pass reception ended Saturday against OU
Tech did not score a TD in the 1st quarter for the 1st time this season
Since the Longhorns held OU to 48 yards rushing in the Cotton Bowl earlier this year, OU has since averaged 193 rushing yards per game.
Stoops, in the last 10 games against Top 10 competitition, had lost 7 times going into the Tech game
“Big Game Bob” needed that Tech win to restore his nickname credability after the past couple of BS Bowl appearances.
OU’s Sam Bradford has thrown for 300+ yards in 9 of 11 games this season
In this 3-way Tech-OU-Texas B12 South division tie, OU did not have to play in an opposing team’s stadium.

Predictions:

Sam Bradford wins the Heisman if OU beats Okie State in Stillwater/Windyplains this weekend…in convincing fashion.
Tech’s soft schedule this year finally caught up with them – and the OU loss has compounded their season by costing them (and the B12) at least $14 million in Bowl money. Appropriately enough, Tech might just be picking West Texas Cotton in Dallas on January 2nd. Heaven help the bank account should they have to settle for a Bowl in Houston or San Antonio….

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November 23, 2008

OU…Oh My! And how about a Bronx cheer for the Lubbock Raiders who are Red with embarrassment. Pitiful football game and once again all that game day hype lives down to expectation. Did anyone make that wakeup call to Tech’s hotel yesterday morning? Stoops once again proves he’s is rarely out coached during conference play…but put him in a meaningful Bowl, well…that’s another story.

K-State…So Long Ronny! The Cats sent Prince packing with a win against Iowa State. That my football friends is the highlight of KSU’s season this year…and with the stupidity displayed by the athletic and administration folks in Manhattan, why do I have a sinking feeling in my gut the idiots are still in town. Poor ISU – those guys, are the most lovable losers in the league.

The Big 12 was the Puny 2 this weekend. Only 2 league games as I’ve already started. So I direct your attention to “Noteable Games” and “Saturday Football” for other CFB stuff this weekend.

Oklahoma-Texas Tech: That was the Open A Can of Whup Bowl played in Norman yesterday. Where has that OU defense been all year? It’s about time that car dealership in Norman gave OU football players a little time off (with pay I’m sure) on game-day. Texas Tech had scored 30+ points in 15 previous games; Tech had scored 40+ points in 4 of the last 6 conference games; Tech’s previous lowest scoring output was 35 points. O-Stoops held the Red Raider to just 21 points. Tech generated 406 measley yards compared to 625 for the Sooners. 5 OU touchdowns in the 2nd quarter had me watching the Encore Channel (aka Last-Chance-for-Lousy-Movies-to-Make-a-Few-Bucks Channel) for the rest of the evening. Tech supposedly had a decent defense coming into this game – perhaps while in Norman they went and tried to get the OU jobs from the car dealership during the game. Had a few DFW kids do well in this game – that’s always cool to see (note to K-State…recruit in Texas for crying out loud). Now the hype will be who is higher ranked and who wins the B-12 South. Texas beat OU, Tech beat Texas, OU beat Tech…let’s give the title to Baylor just for grins and for being the most improved program whatda ya say? Final Score 65-21

Kansas State-Iowa State: My first year at K-State, both KSU and ISU were being NCAA punished for – get this – recruiting violations. When we played each other, we called the game the Probation Bowl. There were even t-shirts to be had (they probably got more $$$ from those sales than they did tickets back then). This season reminds me a little of the late 70’s…only now we can call the game the Pity Bowl. Once again, KSU proved it can surrender yardage to their opponent as good as anyone in the country. ISU had 586 total yards of offense. Since this exciting contest was blacked out across the entire globe, I guess the Cyclones lost because of 2 interceptions, they didn’t want to break their 17-game road winless streak, and451 yards K-State generated. Prince leaves Manhattan with an unimpressive 17-20 record in 3 years…anda program that hasn’t seen the bottom of its “rebuilding”. Final Score 38-30. Thankfully, the season is over for bothschools – K-State drama continues with finding a head coach that actually wants this job…Chiznik may have to report to the principals office to see what’s going to happen with ISU football and when.

TBO’s prediction record for the week: 1-1. Through Week #13, Tbo is 69-18.

“Noteworthy Games” has now been moved to the “Saturday Football” page on this blog

Week 14 Games of Interest

The Neutral Dirt Bowl: Kansas against Missouri at Arrowhead Stadium
The Texas A&M plays Texas in Austin
The Red Dirt Bowl: Oklahoma travels to Okie State
The Blowing Dirt Bowl: Colorado at Nebraska
The I’d-Rather-Not-Play-Tech-This-Week Bowl: Baylor is in Lubbock
Sportswriters’ “Rivalry Week” in college football continue. Rivalries played this week are: Alabama-Auburn, Florida-Florida State, USC-Notre Dame, Georgia-Georgia Tech, Oregon State-Oregon, LSU-Arkansas

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November 18, 2008

KSU will pay ridiculous salaries for wanna-a-be, shoulda-have-been, and will-never be coaches – but do you think they would do anything like what the Shorthorns are doing? Muschamp to take over Texas when Brown retires – I think probably not. K-State ought to throw an ungodly amount of money at this guy and see what happens. They will probably bring back Saint Snyder and his pound the ball offense. Oh the agony………

November 17, 2008

That was a weekend of some real yawner, ho-hum Saturday college football. Who was suppose to win, won. Who was suppose to lose, lost. I was hoping for more of a climax to conference play than what we got this past Saturday. I even watched most of the Yale-Princeton game I was so bored – they at least play football like it used to be played…real grass, raining, uniforms muddy. Boise State and Utah continue their BS busting ways. Check out my “Saturday Football” page – I have interesting college football trivia shared. Here’s my take on the Little12 for Weak12 (not a typo here):

Texas-Kansas: Shameful J-bird performance Final Score 35-7

Baylor-Texas A&M: Shameful Maggie performance Final Score 41-21

Nebraska-Kansas State: Shameful KittyKat perfomance Final Score 56-28

Colorado-Okie State: Shameful Duffalo performance Final Score 30-17

Missoui-Iowa State: Shameful Suck-clone performance Final Score 52-20

Texas Tech: Kooshy scheduling. Bye week

Oklahoma: Kooshy scheduling. Bye week

Winning teams scored a total of 214 points; losing teams scored a combined total 93 points; making the average score of the 5 games played, 43-19. Average length of nap for the fans, per game = 3 quarters.

At this win-loss, national ranking rate I just might have to rename this blog page Big4+8.

TBO’s prediction record for the week was as “shameful” as the games played: 2-3. Through Week #12, Tbo is 68-17.

Noteworthy Games for Weak 12:

Lake Dallas High Schoollost in the first round of playoffs. Aledobeat them soundly 31-14. The season ends with a 7-5 record and much to look forward to next year.
Bible Football losers: SMU, Texas Lutheran, S. Nazarene, Presbyterian, Ohio Wesleyan, Sacred Heart, Muhlenberg, St. Francis (Pa), St. Lawrence, Midland Lutheran, Mount St. Joseph
Bible Football winners: East Texas Baptist, Holy Cross, Case Reserve, Defiance, Nebraska Wesleyan, St. John’s (Minn), St. Olaf, St. Thomas (Minn), Thomas More, Notre Dame, Boston College, Baylor, Liberty.
Our military schools in battle had Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force all losing; Army was idle
Odd school winners & losers: winning were Marist, The Citadel, Ohio Domenian, Moravian, Ithaca, Lycomming, Wilkes; losing were Lafayette, Widener, Bluffton
BS (BCS) Busters Boise State and Utah both won;
Northwestern beat Michigan
K-State gave up 610 yards of offense, at home to Nebraska…just who is suppose to be in a start-from-the-goal-line rebuilding program? arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. A Bowl is completely out now, unless Prince’s farewell shindig is held at Manhattan Alley and Lanes
Mizzou clenched the Big12 North title anda trip to the Big12 Championship game with its win of Iowa State (half my “Saturday Football” preseason prediction is true about the championship game participants).
Unranked Houston unloaded on #25 Tulsa 70-30…oh my!
Tennessee did not play which means the did not lose
Florida took the game out of the cocks: Gators 56, So. Carolina 6
Auburn played…and lost…again
North Texas did not lose, nor did they win
Yale-Princeton game was on Versus – the color analysis was Arizona-reared, SMU-alum, ex-Cowboy deep-snapper Dale Hellestrae…I think he was a wee bit smarts intimidated
The Dallas Morning News has their AP wire wound too tight. They are reporting games not realized in this blog’s ”Saturday Football”. Besides last weeks odd games/schools (Maine Maritime, Coast Guard, N.Y. Maritime, andBecker), winning teams this week include Bethune-Cookman, Hampden-Syndney, Tusculum, Tuskegee, Bloomsburg, C.W.Post, Cortland St., Edinboro, Husson, Kean, King’s Pa, Lebanon Valley, Muhlenberg, St. Amselm, Stonehill, Stony Brook, Anderson, Ashland, Dickinson St., Defiance (great name don’t ya think), Case Reserve, Middlebury, Wabash, Morningside
The DMN crackpot sports intern reports Tusculum beat Alabany St. (Ga.), Alfred beat St. John Fisher, Gettysburg beat Franklin & Marshall, Grove City beat Thiel, Washington & Jefferson beat Waynesburg, and Heidleburg beat Muskingum.

Week 13 Games of Interest

The Sportswriter’s Prelude to the BS Championship Bowl: Texas Tech travels to Oklahoma. If TTU wins, they’re in the B12 Championship…if OU wins, Texas goes to the championship (I think)
The Mormon Bowl: BYU versus Utah. This will determine conference championship and BS busting is on the line
The Forever Enemy Bowl: Kansas against Missouri at Arrowhead Stadium
The Hmmmm That’s Interesting Bowl: Penn State plays Michigan State
Sportswriters like to call the next couple weeks “Rivalry Week” in college football. Rivalries played this week are: Michigan-Ohio State, Tennessee-Vanderbilt, NC State-UNC, Washington-Washington St., Akron-Ohio, Stanford-California, LSU-Ol’Miss,

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November 9, 2008

Re-reading my Saturday Football predictions and in particular the individual summary for Kansas State, I stated that my Mildcats would go 4-8 and Prince would be “gone come December”…does anyone want to buy some ocean front property I have in Kansas?

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November 9, 2008

Shake, rattle and roll…the College Footbal BS standings are getting tossed about. Penn State loses, Tech continues their roll, USC wins unimpressively, Texas is on cruise control, ‘bama needed overtime, OUmaybe hitting their stride, Florida…watch out for these guys, Boise State and Utah are lurking in the shadows just waiting to bust up the elitist party come January 1, 2009. But that conversation is probably best suited for my “Saturday Football” page – Big 12 here we go:

Texas-Baylor: Just when we thought the Cubbies were entering puberity, along comes cattle and poops on their improvement parade. Sports writers are saying Mac and his players needed this week to recover from a brutal schedule – I say suck it up Mac we’re playing D-1 conference football now, you can start your whining in a few weeks when bowl selections are being considered. Depsite the endurance pity parade, McCoy had what is becoming a typical performance again, this time it was against the Baptists. Baylor lost its 11th consecutive game to UT, and ushered in their 13th consecutive losing season…but at least their future is brighter than the cellar-dwellers of the North right now. Final Score 45-21

Oklahoma-Texas A&M: I’m not so sure Bob Stoops knew his team was playing football Saturday. It seems he was gritching, complaining, and crying about the BS selection process (funny how he didn’t do so a few years back when his 2-loss Sooners were picked over several better record schools to play for the national championship…must be a Republican). Fortunately for OU fans, his players remained focused. 653 yards racked up for OU, only 278 for A&M. 6 fumbles and 4 turnovers have the Aggies, like the Wildcats, only hoping for a quick end to the season. Final Score 66-28

Missouri-Kansas State: For the Bonehead Bowl, why is Prince still on the sideline for the Cats? $1.5 million that’s why. Prince gets that for standing on the field (game and practice) for the next 14 days and looking disinterested (as if that’s any different now than before). Once again, K-State gives up 500+ yards of offense. Missouri had a field day – and they actually let 2 other QB’s run up the score for a change. Mizzou Jeremy McClain gets 278 yards offense and pactically beats KSU singlehandedly (Wildcats had 363 yards offense). The Tigers roll and look good against Kitty State (got that from a disgruntled TCU fan). Here’s the ultimate in positive thinking…if K-State wins out, they are bowl eligible…andifthat were to happen in conjunction with monkeys escaping a body orifice, what would the Cats have Prince do? Final Score 41-24

Colorado-Iowa State: The Who Cares Game of the Week had the Buffaloes backup coach’s son rallying his team to win in the last 2 minutes. The only ones Who Cared? the fans that showed up for the Bowl. The “I” in I-State is for impotent - can’t wait until the KSU game in 2 weeks…we’ll need Bob Dole’s secret blue pill weapon, I just hope we take it before kickoff and it lasts for more than 4 hours. Final Score 28-24

Kansas-Nebraska: The sandwich man “I’ll have that Bird toasted” Pelini got the Cornhuskersbowl eligible with a win over Kansas Saturday. Who would have guessed that being done in his first year? KUcertainlywon’t be drinking orange juice this year – in fact they’re not even standing close to the orchard. Jaybirds may have to settle for a mid-December bowl, along with the suddenly excited Cornshuckers. KU has now gone 40 years (20 games) without a win in Lincoln. Final Score 45-35

Texas Tech-Okie State: The Calm Wind Bowl was all hype and plenty of hogwash. T-Bone’s windmills went still Saturday…Tech is for real, and on a roll to the Big 12 championship game against Missouri (did I mention I predicted that back in July). 629 yards offense vs. OSU’s 368 – and 7 consecutive possesion touchdowns. Andaquestion goes out to the “bang-bang finger pistol” TTU fans: “Why do R-e-d Raiders wear B-l-a-c-k uniforms?”. The Black Raiders have to get past OUin2 weeks. Let’s hope it’s not a Big Whup Bowl in Norman with only 1 team showing up to play. Final Score 56-20

TBO’s prediction record for the week: 5-1. Through Week #11, Tbo is 66-14.

Noteworthy Games for Week 11:

Fort Hays State lost to Central Missouri 24-21, their season ends with a 2-9 record
Lake Dallas High School lost in the last 20 seconds, on Seniors Night, to The Colony 34-33, but head to playoffs next week.
Protestant Football: SMU, TCU, Baylor, Valpariso, West Virginia Wesleyan, Presbyterian, Wesleyan (Conn), Ohio Wesleyan, SW Baptist, and Illinios Wesleyan all lost…thank heavens for Trinity (Conn), Muhlenberg College, and Kentucky Wesleyan – they won
Catholic Football: Notre Dame, St. Francis (Pa.), and Scared Heart lost; Boston College, Holy Cross, St Francis (Ind.), St. Joseph (Ind.) St. Xavier won
BS (BCS) Busters Boise State andUtah both won; TCUhasdropped out with their Thursday loss to Utah and possible loss of a head coach to KSU.
Northwestern and Minnesota both lost – their bid for Big 10 glory this year is over
Tennessee lost…again, this time to Wyomingat home – goodbye Mr. Fulmer
Auburn won, but who told them they could play Tennessee-Martin at this time of year?
North Texas’ win streak ended at 1
Harvard, Brown, and Penn are all tied for 1st in the Ivy League
The Dallas Morning News has their AP wire wound too tight. They are reporting games not realized in this blog’s ”Saturday Football”. Besides last weeks odd games/schools (Maine Maritime, Coast Guard, N.Y. Maritime, andBecker), winning teams this week include Bethune-Cookman, Hampden-Syndney, Tusculum, Tuskegee, Bloomsburg, C.W.Post, Cortland St., Edinboro, Husson, Kean, King’s Pa, Lebanon Valley, Muhlenberg, St. Amselm, Stonehill, Stony Brook, Anderson, Ashland, Dickinson St., Defiance (great name don’t ya think), Case Reserve, Middlebury, Wabash, Morningside
The DMN crackpot sports scores intern has Saturday’s losing odd schools as: Hampton, Huntington, Carson-Newman, Lane, Campbellsville, Mass. Maritime, Cheyney, Millersville, Kutztown, Alfred, William Patterson, Lycoming, Rowan, Ursinus, Pace, Bentley, Minot St., Bluffton, Tiffin, Dordt, Hiram, Briar Cliff. I have neither the time, energy, desire, or dedication to figure out these “odd” football schools (knowing they all probably boast outstanding academics), and whether their version of college football is comparable to little more than organized intramurels.
Has anyone heard of any of these schools…besides the DMN intern from the east coast?
And speaking of East Coast, East Carolina has had themselves another nice season. They are 6-3 after beating We-Are-Marshall in OT on Saturday. Remember their sky-rocket-rise and gravity-take-hold demise in the polls earlier this season? BTW, I’m still waiting on that ball cap….

Week 12 Games of Interest

Lake Dallas High School take on powerhouse Aledo at Bedford Pennington Field Friday night
Who Cares Whether We Win Bowls this week: Missouri at Iowa State, Nebraska at Kansas State, and Texas A&M at Baylor.
We Care Whether We Win Bowls this week: Texas at Kansas, and Okie St. at Colorado.
The What’s Up With That Bowl goes to Texas Tech vs. OU for scheduling a late season bye week to slow any momentum they have built and diminish their national attention.

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November 8, 2008

Sorry gang – K-State has taken up the last 5 posting. But when Dumb AD and his fellow Dumber KSUadministratorsmatch the screw ups with their lousy, present-day, former football regime, it make for prime blog ridicule. Who will my almamaterCats come up with? Here’s today’s skinny: Who are the Leaders

For the sake of Wildcat Land Pride, lets allow Snyder to continue his retirement in the Flint Hills of Kansas and not bring him back to coach a game that has most likely passed him by. Heck if we need to, we could name the west stadium parking lot after him (or a family member), name the scoreboard post after a grandkidofhis, or a sidewalk around the stadium after a cousin twice removed. I love the guy for what he did for K-State football but we have to do something, anything to keep him retired…for the love of Willie (did I really just say that?), please no more sidelines for Snyder.

The Patterson deal may be done (or screwed) (PurpleMenace). I like the Venables consideration but Dumb and Dumberwould have to hurry with Clemsonalso looking at him. Muschamp (Texas) would be a true gift to Wildcatters everywhere but the likelihood of that happening is about the same as Prince beating KU had he stayed in Manhattan.

From the sidelines, the Cats need youth (ages 35-50) to recruit talent, energy to inspire teenage athletes, smarts to coach young kids, good looks to attract the press…that will help recruit, experience to share, and initative to succeed. Hopefully Dumb AD Krausecan/will play the intelligence card sometime soon – we don’t need a head coach with”experience”, we need a head coach that can practice his title, and oh yeah, recruit. As a nice change of pace, wouldn’t it be nice to get several high school kids from Texas, Florida, and/or California to sport the Powercat on their football gear.

I don’t buy into the “can’t recruit to Manhattan because of its location, so we can’t attract talent (coaches or athletes)” arguement. Manhattan is a tough place but it is no different than recruiting to Big 12 towns like Stillwater, Lubbock, College Station, Lincoln, or to a certain extent Waco or Boulder. Pay the bucks, get someone to Manhattan that can and wants to compete…a successful athletic program in today’s society translate to an even greater, successful university – K-Stater’s only deserve the best. Go Cats!

And to think all this football “wisdom” comes from a KSU landscape architecture degree…. (really I’m kidding here gang- kind of like the Dumb and Dumber decisions of late – I have very little wisdom whether it comes down to football or something else…and that’s no reflection on my college education mind you).

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November 7, 2008

Black Coaches need to pick the right jobs – Kansas City StarJason Whitlock article referencing Ron Prince’s mistakes…which ones?

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November 6, 2008

Kansas State Collegian

Kansas State Collegian – Fans call for change

Who Could Replace Prince

Prince Won’t Return As Kansas State’s football coach

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November 5, 2008

All one has to do is write publicly about a lousy head coach and see what happens: Prince Will Not Return for 2009. Either K-State reads my blog or Obamahashired him as his new Treasury Secretary with all the KSUmoneyhe’s taking with him….

KSU’s band director has been named the interim head coach – he will have the Cats dancing-in-pads to the Wabash Cannonball this Saturday.

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November 3, 2008

I may have to start another page on my blog for K-State gritching….. The O-bit may be started for KSU’s Prince-lost-his-Charm and his staff. Kansas State Collegian, The Manhattan Mercury, The Manhattan Mercury2, The Manhattan Mercury Reader Forums, Coaches Hot Seat, Hot Seat Ron Prince, Coaches Hot Seat Blog, Kansas City Star No Quick Fix, there’s lots more, but a favorite is Bring on the Cats….

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November 2, 2008

At least for a couple games, that was a Saturday worth of college football.

Texas-Texas Tech: In what was their first test against a varsity team this season, the Red Raiders showed that 8 games of B-team practice can pay off huge in games that count (just ask KU about last year…but don’t ask Missouri about it this year). Raider fans show up in record numbers to witness a home team first half dominance that de-horned the Horns. Marines and a bicycle champ couldn’t motivate Texas enough this week – having played their 4th top 10 opponent in as many weeks didn’t help either. Mac was worried about not being able to shake Leach’s hand after the game – he should be thankful a goal post didn’t hit him in the head or that he get trampled by Raider fans that turned the field of play black. It was an interesting final play – TTUkickingoff from the 8 yard line…Longhorns lateraling the ball in a lame attempt to salvage their 1/2 half of the football game. An enjoyable college football game, in prime time, that had the #1 team in the nation fall flat. Final Score 33-32 Texas with 0:01 left in the game…39-33 Texas Tech at the “horn”.

Oklahoma-Nebraska: Nebraska has as much a rebuilding effort ahead of them as K-State does…but at least they have something to look forward to with a coach that can do just that. Final Score 62-28

Kansas-Kansas State: This game was over after the first quarter…then emphasized it’s finality at half time…and just to be sure, the third quarter had the Jayhawks telling KSU that they had no business being in Lawrence yesterday. OFB and OFSIL were at the game (thanks for the non-invite BTW guys) and the textedme at half…within seconds of each other: “K-State’s bandsureis good”. My response: “maybe the band director can coach the football team next year”. I’m not sure what makes me more amazed: KSU’shead-first dive into the bottom third of NCAA football ranks, blind faith in keeping a grossly underqualified head coach, and/or a total administrative disregard for a football tradition brought to Manhattan by Saint Snyder (no wonder why DeLoser Dodds high-tailed it to Texas). Whatever it is, I owe my OFB a fine cigar – congrats KU (and hopefully thanks for getting Prince fired). Final Score 52-21

Okie State-Iowa State: ISU’s secondary didn’t make the team bus out of Ames – OSU enjoyed target practice against one of the two worst teams in the conference (they could have been one of the three worse teams but TAMUdecidedto win this weekend). This game only proved that Okie State is still the best team to bet a win against all their lesser talented teams scheduled this year. The upcoming Lame Schedule Bowl against Texas Tech might be an interesting game…or it might not be. Final Score 59-17

Missouri-Baylor: How ’bout them Bears giving Mizzou just about everything they wanted (including a nice pass to a linebacker in the closing minutes of the game). How ’bout them Tigers proving they ain’t as good as they thunk they is…. Final Score 31-28

Texas A&M-Colorado: The Who Cares Game of the Week had plenty of offense – there is still a APB out for the 12th Man at Kyle Field however. Aggie defense continues to give up chunks of offense each week – even to puny QB-less offenses like Colorado’s. Final Score 24-17

TBO’s prediction record for the week: 5-1. Through Week #10, Tbo is 61-13.

Noteworthy Games for Week 10:

Fort Hays State lost to Nebraska-Omaha 27-14 (rumor has it Missouri, KU, Texas Tech, and/or Okie State will be looking to schedule one of these 2 teams next year)
Lake Dallas High School spanked DentonHigh School (whichever above teams don’t get FHSU or Neb-Omaha, might get a scheduled game against LDHS)
Navy has accepted a bowl invitation already – yup, it’s the EagleBank Bowl at RFK Statdium on 12/20/08…I kid you not Naval Academy Accepts Bid to EagleBank Bowl. The question is: will they throw a pass in the game?
Alabama beat Aggie-slayer Arkansas State to remain unbeaten
Bible Football: TCU, SMU, Presbyterian, Trinity (Conn), Central Methodist, Martin Luther, Ohio Wesleyan all won; East Texas Baptist, Trinity (TX), Wisconsin Lutheran, St. Mary’s (KS), Evangel, St. Xavier, St. Scholastica (great name), St. Francis (Ill.), Kansas Wesleyan all lost; Catholics were 2-1 this week…Sacred Heart and Holy Cross won…Notre Dame lost in 4 OT’s.
BS (BCS) Busters Boise State andUtah both won; TCU has entered into this conversation-now 9-1
Northwestern beat Minnesota with a last second(s) interception return for touchdown
SMUunloadedsome of their bottled-up frustration with 70 points scored against UAB
Auburn and Tennessee lost…again
North Texas won their first game, beating Western Kentucky 51-40
Odd games/schools – Protect Our Shoreline Bowl and the Who Knew Bowl: Maine Maritime beat Coast Guard, N.Y. Maritime beat Becker

Week 11 Games of Interest:

FHSU is at home for the last game of the season against Central Missouri
Lake Dallas High School has Senior Night Friday night against The Colony High School – last regular season game…but they have made the playoffs!
Who Cares Bowl1: Iowa State at Colorado
Who Cares Bowl2: Kansas State at Missouri
Who Cares Bowl3: Kansas at Nebraska
Who Cares Bowl4: Oklahoma at Texas A&M
Who Cares Bowl5: Baylor at Texas
Who Cares Lame Schedule Bowl: Okie State at Texas Tech
TCU at Utah
Ohio State travels to Northwestern (could be a winner-to-the-Rose Bowl game)

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October 30, 2008

Huge weekend for conference rivalries – Texas- Texas Tech, Nebraska-Oklahoma, Kansas-Kansas State. Check out Big 12 Fearless Predictions, Nov. 1

October 26, 2008

Big12 Week 9

This weekend, Big 12 teams from the state of Texas went 3-1; the state of Kansas went 0-2; the state of Oklahoma went 1-1; the states of Nebraska, Missouri, Colorado, and Iowa tried to gain some respect.

CasualitiesofBig 12 conference play: Kansas drops out of the Top 25 leaving only 5 conference schools with national rank recognition.

Texas – Okie State: This truly was the game of the week…any where in country. It really chaps me that OSU is as good andconfidentas they are. T-Bone’s semi-pro ball club is really starting to come around. McCoy had himself another Heisman-qualifying game and the Longhorn defense saved the day (and#1 national ranking). Mac has surrounded himself with a few solid coaches this year and they’ve gotten the Horns believing they are good or something (maybe KSU will come calling after the first week in January). Oh…and Gundy still has not gotten mad in a press conference this year. Final Score: 28-24
Oklahoma – Kansas State: my oh my, KSU actually made of a game of it against the Sooners until half way through the 2ndquarterhaving a tied game with the #4 team in the nation. I wonder if that was just a Stooping courtesy playing on the road andback in one of his old stooping grounds cause then it got a bit ugly from there. 83 points scored in the first half by bothteams; only 10 points scored in the second half (and the OU 2nd string wasn’t playing). KSUagain gives up over 500 yards offense andgivesthe ball up twice…but they still manage to out-offense the #4 by 22 yards. Freeman out-does Bradford except for getting the most important thing…a win. What’s wrong with this Manhattan picture? Final Score: 58-35
Texas Tech – Kansas: The scirmmage in Lawrence had the Jayhawks thinking (or hoping) the horn at the end of the first quarter was the endofthe game – it was all down hill from there. Tech is on a roll – even playing defense - going into this week’s game with Texas. Final Score: 63-21
Missouri – Colorado: Mizzou was mad and glad…they finally had an unranked opponent to beat up on andtoprove their #14 ranking to themselves (someone remind me I ought to be impressed). They skunked the Buffaloes. CU managed only 199 yards of offense. Final Score: 58-0
Nebraska – Baylor: The tale of two halves. Baylor ahead at half time, Nebraska ahead at the end of the game. The only excitement this game offered was to Cornhusker and Bear fans – it almost qualified for this week’s Who Cares Bowl. Final Score 20-17 Baylor at half, 32-20 Nebraska final
Texas A&M – Iowa State: This week’s Who Cares Bowl had the Aggies playing football for a change…granted it was agains ISU, but it was football none the less. In a rare display of productive offense, the Aggies racked up over 500 yards (but gave up 574 yards to Iowa State…but Who Cares since that didn’t get the Cyclones a win). Final Score: 49-35

TBO’s prediction record for the week: 6-0. Through Week #9, Tbo is 56-12.

Noteworthy Games for Week 9:

Fort Hays State lost to another ranked team (#13) Pittsburg State 34-7
Lake Dallas High School lost to a lesser talented opponent in Wichita Falls Rider
Navy beat SMU without ever throwing a pass
Alabama whupped Tennessee
Penn State finally beat Ohio State
Bible Football: Sacred Heart, Texas Lutheran, Notre Dame, Holy Cross, Kansas Wesleyan all won
BS (BCS) Buster Boise State won; Utah did not play
Auburn lost…again
North Texas is 0-8

Week 10 Games of Interest:

FHSU travels to Nebraska-Omaha
Lake Dallas High School takes on its former head coach on the road against Denton High
KU/K-State rivalry game for state bragging rights
Colorado at TAMU (this is the Who Cares Bowl game of the week)
Game of the Week: #1 Texas on the road versus #6 Texas Tech
Mizzou at Baylor
Iowa State will give Okie State no game what so ever
It used to be a huge game: Nebraska-OU, but not so much of late…in Norman

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October 21, 2008

Per Rivals.com: Ranking them all, of the 120 D-1 schools the Big 12 teams are ranked as follows:

#1 Texas
#4 Oklahoma
#8 Okie State
#9 Texas Tech
#19 Missouri
#21 Kansas
#49 Nebraska
#63 Colorado
#69 Baylor
#83 Kansas State
#84 Iowa State
#87 Texas A&M

93% of the nation’s teams are ranked lower than UT, OU, OSU, and TTU AND70% of the nation’s teams are better at this game played on Saturdays in the fall than KSU, ISU, and TAMU

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October 19, 2008

Interesting article read in the Sunday Kansas City Star: Texas high schools have become a mirror image of Big 12 football

B12 Week 8

Texas-Missouri: Let’s all join in withthe Longhorns fans as we sing Missouri out of the state of Texas witharousing rendition of the second verse to “Overrated”…. Did Chase cry? Anybody? I’m a bit concerned about how bad Mizzou has looked the last couple of Saturdays since I have them W-I-N-N-I-N-G the Big 12 (based on my blog readership of late, I bet if I revised that prediction no one would know/care). Texas is looking mighty confident right now – running up the score from kickoff to final score, or in rabid football fan jargon “whenever they can”. And last I heard Mac is looking for an endangered specie to lobby a lame Congress on it’s behalf since he’s still #1 in the polls this week and has nothing to complain about. Missouri drops how many places in 2 weeks? Final Score: 56-31
Oklahoma-Kansas: KUjust kindofhung around during this game until late…then I don’t know where they took off to. This game was a pass-fest, holy cow, having the football tossed about for +800 yards between the two of them. Then the two teams decided to rush the ball for 340 more yards when their arms and legs got tired of all the post patterns run. I was beginning to think OU may have peaked too soon in the season; KU might have peaked last year…but now I think not. OU is a contender, KU is a good football team. Final Score: 45-31
Okie State-Baylor: last year it was the Jaybirds, this year it’s T-bone’s little professional team in Stillwater that gets all the smack from me. The Cowboys ran andpassed for about the same amount of yardage as they schooled Baylor in believing – all the other stuff a Bible schoolpromotes: religion, mercy, faith, they could have cared less about. This game was over at half time. Somebody pass the offering plate over to Baylor fans so they can take money out; somebody tell OSU that their Cowboy communion on lesser opponents is not endearing. Final Score: 34-6
Colorado-K-State: The Buffalosapparently foundawinner with a freshman quarterback – andthat’sabout par for the course with the Wildcats; they let just anyone beat them. The good news for Cat fans is they only gave up 353 yards offense Saturday. Final Score: 14-13
Texas Tech-Texas A&M: At halftime, the Aggies went in search of a local tavern to celebrate 5 first half scores, and then decided they were too tired to chase Harrell and Crabtree. Tech, once the got out of the Kyle Field funk, rolled. Final Score: 20-23 at halftime, 43-25
Nebraska-Iowa State: the Who-Cares bowl was played in Ames Iowa. I heard the tailgate Bratwurst was outstanding andsharedall afternoon with the Cyclones…in the parking lot. ISU has no reason/excuse for making Nebraska look that good. Final Score: who cares

TBO’s prediction record for the week: 5-1. Through Week #8, Tbo is 50-12.

Noteworthy Games for Week 8:

Fort Hays State lost to #5 Northwest Missouri State (they might be on Mizzou’s schedule next year) 56-7
Lake Dallas High School dominated a much bigger (and slower) Denton Guyer 41-15
TCU buried BYU – it wasn’t even a game!
The protestants lost (Presbyterian & SMU), the Catholics (Notre Dame) didn’t play. Thank heavens Holy Cross was triumphant.
Alabama continues to play high Tide football
I think JoePaisbeginning to find his pressbox pass very comfortable.
Vandy’s flash-in-the-pan has been extinguished.
LSU decided to go ahead and win their game with So. Carolina
Utah and Boise State – BS (BCS) kickers!
An Auburn coach did not lose his job (only because they were idle)
Northwestern and Minnesota are cinderellas in the Big 10 – one of them can certainly mess up the BS Bowl invites this year
North Texas lost another football game but won a student vote for a new stadium (I guess that means they can get beat in style then)

Week 9 Games of Interest:

FHSU plays #13 Pittsburg State in Hays America
Lake Dallas High Schoolishost to state ranked Wichita Falls Rider Friday night (this should be the game of the weekend…let me know if anyone wants a pressbox pass – I have connections)
Missouri hopes Colorado will go easy on them
KSU welcomes Sam Bradford to BSFS-OU may set another record for offense
Tech travels to Kansas for another pass-fest Saturday
Okie State takes on the #1 ranked Longhorns (T Boone is supposedly paying for a windy Saturday in Austin hoping the hum of the portable windmills he imports from the panhandle will bring bad carma to Colt, Quan, and Company)
A&M goes looking for a Big12 win at Iowa State (and just might find one…maybe)
Nebraska has yet another home game, this one against Baylor

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October 14, 2008

So sorry gang…I’ve been a bit remiss in my duties here, but now here it is for your indigestion:

B12 Week 7

Texas-OU weekend was, for a change, everything it was hyped up to be. Mac is on a roll against Stoops winning 3 of the last 4 meetings at The Texas State Fair (Cotton Bowl) – who would have ever guessed that (not I for one). My sarcasm is limited on this game – it was truly a fun college football game to watch (tons better than what everyone had the USC-Ohio State game as the “national championship” game being). I think the Longhorns and Sooners ran just about every play ever devised by a coach, a few bizarre undesigned plays, anddespite questionable officiating bothteamslived up to their Top 5 ranking for the week. Mac lobbied for the #1 ranking this week in both polls, OU dropped to #4 in the AP-#6 in the Coaches. My hat is off here. Final Score: 45-35
Thank you Okie State (I thought I would never say that) for spanking Chase Daniels and the Mizzou Tigers. Perhaps the Tigers thought their “reputation” and ranking would win the game without really having to show up to play. Has anyone heard whether Chaseycried or not? Worth noting: the season is half over and Gundy has yet to go ballistic this year in a post-game interview. It was probably the year’s supply of taco chips delivered to the OSU locker room for being a co-winner of the TostitosFiestaBowl National Team of the Week (along with UT – go Big 12!). I know the North (except for Nebraska) hopes Mizzou is on a tailspin for a few more weeks. OSU jumped 9 rankings this week to become a top 10 team…now whether they’re that good, we’ll have to wait and see. Final Score: 28-23
Nebraska gave to Texas Tech everything both schools didn’t know they had. The Red Raiders did not play like a Top 10 team Saturday, taking overtime to win against the Subway Shop boys from Lincoln. But win they did in not so glamorous or dominating fashion. I’m a bit concerned here – if you recall, I have TTU playing for the Big12 championship in my Saturday Footballpredictions. The Red Raiders can obviously score on offense, but find it hard to keep the other guys (except for K-State) from doing so as well – all the while using time off the clock…but hey! the Red Raiders outscored the Cornhuskers in about 1/2 the time Nebraska had ball possession (that’s a trivia fact for all you finger gun bang bangers). Final Score: 37-31 (OT)
Go Cats! K-State actually wore jock straps on Saturday beating Texas A&Mat Kyle Field (home of guy cheerleaders and literally standing room only). And the Cats even had an impressive goal line stance that turned into a 98-yard scoring drive…and yet another blocked punt for touchdown. Sorry Aggie faithful – I had this guy try to sell me one of those maroon ”12th Man” towels today that read “12th Place” – your season is only half over. The good news (maybe) is 3 of the next 5 games for the Ags are at home. Final Score: 44-30
Colorado was absolutely hapless against Kansas- holy cow (or should I say Buffalo steer) Dan can we please see some offense besides at the press conference. Thanks for benching your son…finally. The Buffalos are in a skid, KU beats average football teams. Were the Jayhawks good? Or were the Buffaloes bad? I think the Buffs were more bad than Jayhawks were good this day. Final Score: 30-14
Just when you think Iowa State is starting to play football, they don’t. Baylor simply put it to them Saturday. The Bears out-passed, out-rushed, out-possessed, had half the penalties, half the punts…but they did tie in number of field goals. Pitiful play by the Cyclones gave the Bears a chance to see what the other side of a scrimmage game feels like. Final Score: 38-10

TBO’s prediction record for the week: 3-3. Through Week #7, Tbo is 45-11.

Noteworthy Games for Week 7:

Fort Hays State was skunked by Missouri Southern (didn’t Mizzou beat them this year) 28-0
Lake Dallas High School had the ball last, and beat Denton Ryan in the last 2 minutes of the game
LSU lost, Tennessee did as well
Texas-OU game
Vandy lost for the first time this year
SEC contender favorite Auburn losses - again - this time to Arkansas (which coach will Turbeville fire this week?)
Holy Toledo whupped Lowly Michigan
Penn State vs. All-Comers

Week 8 Games of Interest:

Lake Dallas High School takes on undefeated and oversized Denton Guyer
Missouri travels to Texas (oh no for Mizzou)
KSU is on the road at Colorado (but who knows who will be CU’s QB)
OU welcomes back Coach Mango and his Jayhawks (ABC televised no less)
Tech hops a bus to Kyle Field for a scrimmage…
OkieState’shomecoming is against Baylor (a scheduled homecoming game only a high school could appreciate – come on Cubbies!)
Nebraska at Iowa State (this is a “pick” game in my opinion)
BYU vs. TCU (horny toads at play on Thursday)
UConn-Rutgers (touch football in the northeast)
Vandy at Georgia (we’ll see if Vandy is for real)

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October 5, 2008

Finally! Big 12 Conference play has started. And because of that, my non-conference “played up”, “played down”, “applause”, and “shame” commentary (of Big 12 teams at least) is replaced by game recaps. The Big 12 is thepower conference in college football this year and none of the teams now have cushieopponents (perhaps with a couple exceptions) from here on out.

B12 CFB Week 6had me doing the TiVo thing, channel surfing, andhavinga text message conversation with JaiJai’s throughout the Tech-Mildcat game.

Missouri spoiled Nebraska’s undefeated home schedule (I wonder when the last time any other major football program had their first 5 games of the season played at home). Missouri only proved to me their offense, scoring 8 out of 10 times they had the ball, was better than Nebraska’s pink-shirt defense. It also proved how far Nebraska has yet to rebuild as the Tigers gave to Cornhuskers one of their worst lopsided defeats in its program history. Missouri did not punt in this game…oh my…and Chase whined (or should I say cried) that a Nebraska play spit on him before the game (what were they doing having a tailgate beer or something?). Final Score: 52-17.
Kansas had a come-back win on the road at Iowa State. Now most novice CFB fans would note that as remarkable or a character of a contender. Well slap your face Jayhawk fans – it was against Iowa State. The Cyclones had KU beat and then choked. Iowa State owned the ’Hawks in the first half, KU kicked some butt in the 3rd quarter to take the lead, and the 4th quarter was a ol’ fashion college football shoot out…apparently. At this rate Iowa State will beat out K-State for the North cellar and KU might be watching game films of their putz opponents already beaten. Final Score:38-36.
Oklahoma scrimmaged Baylorin Waco, then left town with the #1 ranking still intact and wanting the Longhorns. OUscoredtheir first 4 times with the ball running up a first quarter 28 point lead. That was just the beginning of their 92 plays-594 yards of offense. Stoops is on a roll; Baylor is left looking for postives and wishing KSU was on their schedule. Final Score: 49-17.
Oklahoma Statehad T-Bone’s windmills were on high speed Saturday in Stillwater. Texas A&Mneeds someone to tell them they can’t score if they can’t hold onto the football (3 fumbles, 2 interceptions) – maybe the don’t coach that in Green Bay. Somehow the Aggies did manage to out-offense the Cowboys 402 total yards to 401. If not for lowly Army and New Mexico, can you imagine all the Aggie faithful leaping off the top row at Kyle Field if they stood (or should I say “fell to”) 0-5 right now. Final Score: 56-28.
Texas whupped Colorado. Mac out-coached Hawkins this year and all Colorado could muster was being bummed about missing 3 field goals – hey Dan, you need to score touchdowns to win in this here game of college football. I like Dan Hawkins, and not just because he benched his son’s lousy play after 3 quarters (even though the game was already out of reach). Well wishes go out to Mac Brown’s wife Sally who broke her arm on a mountain trail before Saturday’s game. Final Score: 38-14.
Texas Tech unloaded on a hapless Kansas Statepowder-puff team. In the last three games K-State has played, the defense has given up…wait a minute let me get a calculator…1,715 yards of offense. Tech’s 629 yards and 89 plays dominated this game. Somebody please explain to me KSU’sgameplan logic of running the football when they’re behind by 5 touchdowns…perhaps a reason why in untypical K-State fashion, the 4th quarter was played in front of a half-empty stadium (KSU needs a bailout plan and Prince does not get a golden parachute damn it). Final Score: 58-28.

TBO’s prediction record for the week: 5-1 (10-2 if I get to count the picks twice). Through Week #6, Tbo is 42-8 (51-9)

Noteworthy games for Week 6:

Fort Hays State University lost to Missouri Southern 31-28.
Lake Dallas High School won big on the road against Wichita Falls 42-21.
Michigan lost again…this time to Illinois
Auburn is on a slid – Vanderbilt (who would have guessed) is on a roll after beating 2 Top 25 teams in a row (the mid-season East Carolina)
Great Grandpa Joe Paternoand his Crickety Lions. They be 6-0.
Pitt’s beating of South Florida
Hawaii winning against Fresno State…without June Jones
Ohio State’s play-well-enough-to-win attitude (beat Wisconsin by 3)
Utahquietly becoming a BCS buster
North Carolina’s convincing win over UConn(and we’re not talking basketball on this blog…yet)
Hays High School won their homecoming game against Wichita South 24-10
UNT lost, again

I do need to give out a least one shame winner this week: the Wisconsin Marching Band.

Week 7 Games of Interest:

Lake Dallas High school hosts perennial power Denton Ryan
Texas-OU weekend at the Great State Fair of Texas
Colorado at Kansas
K-State travels to A&M (this might be an interesting game for someone, somewhere)
Nebraska’s first road trip heads to Texas Tech (oh no for Cornhusker fans)
Iowa State Twisters visits the Baylor Bearcubs
Missouri is host to OkieState(will the wind blow for the Cowpokes in Columbia?)

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October 2, 2008

Separating Big 12 Wheat from the Chaff…someone else’spredictions going into conference play this weekend.

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September 30, 2008

Ya gotta love this game, and all the ups and downs that go with it.

CFB Week 5foundmeaway from the television all weekend. Wouldn’t you know it, nine Top 25 teams were upset (and they lost too). That sounds like the college bowl season. I’m glad I had zero confidence points on the games…this week. It may be the proving strategy of the Big 12 to play lame opponents in non-conference, and let the Big Boys beat themselves…and maybe rankings will then be given to the lesser challenged by default. Hmmmm.

Big 12 teams that played up this week: Colorado, in the best Big 12 game of the week, lost to Florida State – yet another tough opponent that the other Little 11 teams really don’t want to play; Nebraska kept pace with Virgina Tech for a while…then lost it…then got it back…then the clock ran out…and they now look forward to their 5th home game of the season (maybe the team bus will be fixed in time for the Lubbock game in two weeks).

Big 12 teams that played down this week: Kansas State - and they nearly lost to a French school; Texas A&M - the Corp kept Reville from pooping on Army boots. Oklahoma- they weren’t very Christian against TCU; Texas- because we all expected a better game from the Razorbacks, and not near the game Colty had; Oklahoma State – well of course they played down and their sugar daddy T-Bone bought them a spot on all the major polls this week.

Big 12 Applause winners for the week: Missourifor having a bye and not playing St Louis VoTech; Kansas for having a bye and not inviting Texas A&M-Galveston to Lawrence; Texas Tech for having a bye and not playing a New England junior college; Baylor for not playing; Iowa State for having a week’s rest so we wouldn’t have to hear about how well they played in a losing effort…again.

Shame winners for the week: Every Big 12 team that played, except for Colorado

Week 5 Results:
Nebraska l. Virginia Tech
Iowa State BYE
Missouri Bye (Chase Daniels is crying on the sidelines – he didn’t get to pad his stats)
Kansas BYE (next lame opponent = Iowa State)
Kansas State d. Louisiana Lafayette (and a DB got kicked off the team for not telling his name to police)
Colorado l. Florida State (thanks for playing another worthy opponent)
Baylor BYE
Oklahoma d. TCU- these guys are starting to scare me
Oklahoma State d. Troy
Texas d. Arkansas
Texas Tech BYE
Texas A&M d. Army

TBO’s prediction record for the week: 7-0. Through Week #5, Tbo is 41-7

Noteworthy games for Week 5:

Fort Hays State University lost their homecoming to Truman State 27-7 (yes there really is a Truman Stateand it’s in Kirksville MO…and yes there really is a Kirksville MO – northwest of St. Louis (maybe the Missouri Tigers will schedule them next year).
Lake Dallas High School won their homecoimng against the Little Elm 49-26.
The winners of nine games – Oregon St., Alabama, Ole Miss, Michigan, Navy, Maryland, Penn St., Houston, Oklahoma – that beat ranked teams

Week 6 Games of Interest:

Big 12 conference play begins, lead by Texas at Colorado, Missouri at Nebraska
Pittsburgh at South Florida and Oregon State at Utah (both on Thursday)
Penn State at Purdue
Kentucky at Alabama
Illinois at Michigan
Arizona State at California
Florida State at Miami
Connecticut at North Carolina

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September 22, 2008

OK, so I’m a bit tardy with my recap for Saturday. But then with the ho-hum schedule of games played by the Little Bitty 12, all I have to say is “well there you have it”….

CFB Week 4 remained for the most part…nothing more than high school football. However a few teams played competition, a few teams let competition play them, Missouri continued to pad Daniel’s stats for the Heisman, and another hurricane hit in southeast Texas. With the exception of the Colorado game, the best games played this week were outside the Big 12.

Teams that played up this week: Kansas State showed the Big 12 how below-average they are against Louisville; Texas A&M got run over (or should I say ‘run by’ or ‘run around’ or even ‘bowled over’) but either way were blown away by a yet-to-be-named Miami Hurricane; Colorado, in the best Big 12 game of the week, looked very solid beating West Virginia; Baylorshould have beat UConn and had they, just might have given CU a run for “best game of the week”.

Teams that played down this week: Missouri as usual - played Buffalo for crying out loud; Kansas, Texas, and Texas Tech – shouldn’t even get mention for their display of lameness.

Applause winners for the week: Colorado for playing and beating a ranked team; Nebraska for not having a home game this week; Baylor for being competitive against a equally competitive foe (did I use competitive too much?).

Shame winners for the week: Every team that played down this week and any of their fans that paid full price to see the games; Also Iowa State for losing to a school best known for their one season of basketball and NCAA rules violations.

Week 3 Results:
Nebraska had a BYE so they could re-condition their Field Turf after the first 3/for the next 5 home games
Iowa State l. UNLV (I’ve got nothing here…I’m folding and all crapped out)
Missouri d. B-u-f-f-a-l-o (you go Chase Daniels! Beat ‘em good why don’t ya)
Kansas d. Sam Houston State (oh for the love of (Ph)Fog Allen why was this game played?)
Kansas State l. Louisville (absolutely pitiful game…I thought tackling was a major for some JUCO transfers)
Colorado d. West Virginia (thanks for beating a worthy opponent)
Baylor l. UConn (you guys just wait till basketball season…not)
Oklahoma BYE to reload – these guys are starting to scare me
Oklahoma State BYE that had a team effort to replace the rubber bands on T-Bone’s campus windmills
Texas d. Rice (somebody tell Mac that the SWC is history!)
Texas Tech d. UMass (I didn’t even know they played football up there)
Texas A&M l. Miami (the Maggies made them look good)

TBO’s prediction record for the week: 7-2. Through Week #4, Tbo is 34-7

Noteworthy games for Week 4:

After upseting a ranked team last week, Fort Hays State University lost to Emporia State 24-13 extending their road losing streak to 15 (that’s makes it about 2004 the last time they won on the road)
Lake Dallas High School had a bye week to get ready for HOMECOMING against the Little Elm Lobos Friday night.
Colorado-West Virginia was great college football, as was Auburn-LSU
East Carolina (I’m still waiting on one of their caps) was upset by North Carolina State
Boise State traveled to Eugene and Duck blind-sided Oregon
Holy Toledo almost pulled one over on Fresno State
Watch out for Alabama gang
Penn State beat Temple in this week’s Who Cares Bowl
Notre Dame got beat…again (might as well get knee surgery now Charlie)
Bobby Bowden and FSU got beat…again (time to pack up the office Bobby)
TCU continues their role/roll (OU is up next, in Norman), Minnesota is on one as well (but Big10 play starts now)
Navy sank Rutgers’ battleship
Virginia Tech outlasted North Carolina
North Texasdid not lose

Week 5 Games of Interest:

Nebraska at home against Virginia Tech
Missouri, Texas Tech, and KU get a well deserved BYE (they have just got to be exhausted, yeah right)
Colorado at Florida State
OU vs. TCU
Alabama and Georgia, hmmmmm that ought to be a TiVo game.
Arkansas in Austin – Longhorn fans might be too cocky about this game after Razorback’s lousy play in week 4

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September 15, 2008 (third posting of the day)

So I go on the web pages of the three Week 3 BYE teams to get insight, revelations, and inspirations on each team’s additional days for prepartation of Week 4. I will leave the understanding of each coach’s press conference comments to each of you….

KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY: Head Coach Ron Prince (Opening statement…)
“We are real pleased to be 2-0 and be in the situation that we are in right now. We wanted to go into this game 2-0, to have as many people participate and as healthy as possible so we can put on the best performance that we can. We think this is a great game for our program and for our university to be able to share the national stage with an opponent. There is no other team in town, so everyone will be watching. For that reason, it is important for us to put on a good performance and that is what we will work on in the next 10 days. We are real excited about it. We know we have some things we need to work on from a special-teams standpoint. We are still not we want to be or where we could be, but we had some terrific individual performances and a couple units that performed real well. Defensively, we can tackle better and improve our play at linebacker. We can improve our offense, particularly the running game and with our offensive line. Other than that, we are about where we expected or hoped to be, but we will know a lot more about our team when we come back from playing this game.

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY: Head Coach Mike Sherman
How do you gameplan for a defense as quick as Miami is?
“Well, they’ve done a nice job not only recruiting but schematically as well. they’ve got a good defensive coordinator and they have had the offense together for a little bit here. They do have very good speed as evidenced by how well they played against Florida. There are certain plays you want to emphasize over others, whether it’ll be zone cut-back type plays or what not, but we’re going to have to be able to handle that part of the game, there’s no question about it. They do have a lot of speed on defense and on offense.”
How do you feel the open week benefitted your team?
“I wouldn’t have ever picked to have the off week this week of the season. But as it turned out we probably wouldn’t have played the game anyways if we had scheduled a game here at home. There’s a good chance it would have been cancelled. It was somewhat fortuitous on our part to be able to have the bye week this week. It’s helped us to a degree because we have had a lot of nicks and bangs and bruises and to be able to recover from that is good. That’s not to say in week six or seven we won’t have the same things. But we did have them at this point. We also need to get better. We need to improve as a team, and it gave us a chance to really isolate in practice some things that we need to work on. I thought we did get better in a lot of different areas in regard to our football team. But we’ll continue to work on that.”
What has been the biggest challenge moving from the pros back to college?
“I think the biggest challenge for any pro coach coming back to college is the limitation on the time you have with your players, where you go from a minimum of a 40-hour week to a maximum of a 20-hour week. I would say that’s one of the major challenges you have. And if you don’t figure that out you’re going to be behind the 8-ball.”

UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO: Head Coach Dan Hawkins
I don’t think he knows about my blog needing his press conference notes…

BTW, each of these 3 teams are playing up this week. KSU travels to Louisville (ESPN2 on Wednesday), Coloradois host to West Virginia (ESPN on Thursday), and A&M plays Miami at Kyle Field (ABC – 2:30 kickoff).

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September 15, 2008 (second posting of the day)

To honor the person without a constructive purpose in their life, I post the helmet schedule I received last week for the Big 12 (double click for a larger version – it is pretty cool)

)

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September 15, 2008

CFB Week 3kind of got overshadowed, blown over, and rained on by Hurricane Ike in the midwest. Venues got changed, games postponed, Friday football andafew games started early…almost seemed like it wasn’t really a Saturday full of rah rah college football. Regardless, here we go with my recap.

Teams that played up this week: Iowa State was slapped around, scored 5 points, and lost to a cross-state rival. Baylor…kind of, but not really.

Teams that played down this week: Missouri played Nevada and padded more team stats. Nebraska“will they ever leave the state” Cornhuskers went up against the New Mexico State Hatch Chilies. Oklahoma at least went on the road to play the lame dogs from Washington.

Applause winners for the week: Kansas for playing a non-conference ranked team even though they lost. Baylor won, and in convincing fashion!

Shame winners for the week: Oklahoma Stateshould be absolutely embrassed for even scheduling Missouri State let alone playing them, unless of course Missouri State agreed to air T-Bones infomercial in their student union 24-7. Texas Techvs. Death Row SMU…need I say more?

Texas-Arkansas game was postponed due to a storm that never arrived.

Kansas State, Texas A&M, and Colorado had bye weeks – already?

Week 3 Results:
Nebraska d. New Mexico State
Iowa State l. Iowa
Missouri d. Nevada
Kansas l. South Florida
Kansas State had a BYE, BYE for Ron Prince
Colorado also had a BYE
Baylor d. Washington State
Oklahoma d. Washington
Oklahoma State d. Missouri State
Texas waits to play Arkansas at a later date
Texas Tech d. SMU
Texas A&M d. needed a BYE

TBO’s prediction record for the week: 6-2. Through Week #3, Tbo is 27-5

Noteworthy games for Week 3:

Fort Hays State Universityupset #18 Washburn at home 17-7
Lake Dallas High School put it to the West Mesquite Wranglers 38-21
Oregon Ducks-Purdue Boilermakers was the best game of the weekend, followed closely by Wisconsin-Fresno State. Buffalo-Templewas the best high schoolgame of the weekend,
Maryland upset Cal in the Who Cares Bowl
Michigan’s best football happened to be on the play that put a shot on Charlie Weis’ knee (I guess he’ll do anything to keep his job).
TCU is on a role/roll
Baylor won, be it a non-conference game and all (there you go Queenie, your Cubs are “Noteworthy”)
East Carolina won again, barely
Auburn beat Mississippi State 3-2 in the first game of their double header. Maybe the second game they will decide to play football
North Texas scored 3 points against LSU

Week 4 Games of Interest: TBD

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September 7, 2008

CFB Week 2 was predictable in that it saw the entire Big 12 win all the games against 12 of the putz teams in the nation.

Teams that played up this week: None

Teams that played down this week: the entire Big 12

Applause winners for the week: Nebraska, OU, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and Okie State (reluctantly mentioned) had respectable opponents that Bowled last year. Any one have a clue why the North can’t schedule semi-worthy nonconference opponents? We certainly don’t want the South to smack talk the North all season long, do we?

Shame winners for the week: The entire Big 12. Three directional schools were played…two D2 schools took on the mighty Big 12…four 2007 Bowl teams were Big 12 opponents (Cincinnati, Houston, Nevada, New Mexico).

Kansasgets a shameful nod for the second week in a row for letting Reesing pad his stats for the entire game, for crying out loud, against lowly La. Tech (even my Mildcats pulled Freeman midway through the 3rd quarter).
Missouri is simply pitiful for playing in-state D-2 power and rival(?) SE Mo. St.;
Kansas State…what’s up with that D-2 opponent? (from the msubobcatsweb site “A capacity crowd in Manhattan on Saturday would be the third-largest ever to see a Montana State football game”) – just the kind of savior opponent for Prince, should he be able to win 4 more games this year;
Baylordoes a complete schedule flip-flop from Week 1 to Week 2…but they needed a win for sure…somebody (Quennie JaiJai) tell me where Northwestern State is from;
Iowa State, come on guys…Kent State?…ISUneeded some kind of recruiting win I guess;
Colorado gets a confidence win against an eastern school from the northwest;
Texas- did not get UTEPped on in the Pity Bowl.

Week 2 Results (FoxSports rankings yet to be listed):
#__ Nebraska d. #__ San Jose State
#__ Iowa State d. #__ Kent State
#__ Missouri d. #__ Southeast Missouri State
#__ Kansas d. #__ Louisiana Tech
#__ Kansas State d. #__ Montana State
#__ Colorado d. #__ Eastern Washington
#__ Baylor d. #__ Northwestern State
#__ Oklahoma d. #__ Cincinnati
#__ Oklahoma State d. #__ Houston
#__ Texas d. #__ UTEP
#__ Texas Tech d. #__ Nevada
#__ Texas A&M d. #__ New Mexico

TBO’s prediction record for the week: 11-1 (thanks Nebraska). Through Week #2, Tbo is 21-3

Other Noteworthy Games for Week 2 (in my feable mind at least):

Fort Hays State lost to Colorado School of Mines 37-17. FHSU had 405 yards of total offense, compared to 226 for Mines’. And they lost by 20…go figure that. If interested, FHSU vs. Colorado Mines.
On the June Jones “wake and watch”, Hawaii beat Weber State and SMU finally won a game whupping up on FS’ alma mater Texas State.
Michigan is in the win column by defeating powerhouse Miami (Ohio). Rodriquez has a job for another week.
Ya just gotta scratch your head on Washington’s stupidity against BYUthis weekend. Celebrate A-F-T-E-R the game, fellas! For the love of Martin Gramatica….
How ’bout them East Carolina Pirates? Somebody send me one of their caps.

Week 3 games of interest:

USC vs. Ohio State. Set your TiVo espicially if Wells can play at full speed
Texas is host to Arkansas. An old SWC rivalry is reborn
Kansas vs. South Florida, in Florida. This could be a test on just how far the Jaybirds have come
Notre Dame vs. Michigan. I will be rooting for the Wolverines- somebody borrow me a Michigan cap, flag, pennant, anything - as they travel to Notre Dame to take on the Girly men, lead by Charlie “bottom of the heap” Weis…oh yeah, and his supporting cast of helmet heads.

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September 3, 2008

CFB Week 1is in the books. And I might add I got 10 of the week’s 12 Big-12 team predictions right. OkieStateproved that if T-Bone throws enough money around the Stillwater campus, they might just win a game…even on the road…against a much lesser opponent. Now A&M…oh my…they’re probably already interviewing new head coaches in College Station and Mike (un-Sherman) hasn’t even got his web site up and running yet. Rumor has it that Jackie might be persuaded back to Kyle Field. I have one Week 1 question to the MAggiefaithful: What the wide, wide world of college sports was that?

Applause winners Missouriand Baylor for being the only Big 12 teams that played somebody – the rest of the league “played way down” and needs to be wear their helmets all week due to public and poll embarrassment, especially those that with a top 20 ranking. Baylor Bears was the only team that “played up”. Shame winner of the biggest opponent rank gap this week is the Kansas Jayhawks: a rank difference of 108 places. Iowa State, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech are not out of the woods for Week 1 shame either…once I find a poll (any poll) that lists their Week 1 opponents I will modify the Shame.

Week 1 Results (AP ranking listed):
#60 Nebraska d. #91 Western Michigan
#67 Iowa State d. ??? South Dakota State
#6 Missouri d. #20 Illinois
#11 Kansas d. #119 Florida International
#62 Kansas State d. #116 North Texas
#39 Colorado d. #86 Colorado State
#90 Baylor l. #23 Wake Forest
#4 Oklahoma d. ??? Chattanooga
#45 Oklahoma State d. #69 Washington State
#11 Texas d. #94 Florida Atlantic
#12 Texas Tech d. ??? Eastern Washington
#34 Texas A&M l. #111 Arkansas State

Jai Jai Diehl, on September 3rd, 2008 at 7:46 pm Said:

Beautifuly done…looking forward to this weekend…I think THE BIG 12 will actually have more than 3 televised games.

By the way poodle, if you haven’t noticed in the last decade or so…we are called the BIG 12…maybe work on that with saying University of Kansas. I know how that K-State education can be lacking.

Queenie

tmay82, on September 4th, 2008 at 3:37 pm Said:

Now Queenie, the only thing my Big 8 K-State education lacks is tolerance for poll rankings, the BS (BCS) system, and whimpy schedules played by the “favoreds” each year…and that’s a retroactive intolerance that includes KSU’s non-conference scheduling dating back to the 90’s (when they were much better than they are today).

Jai Jai Diehl, on September 5th, 2008 at 9:41 am Said:

I think the Kansas people in your family would disagree with you. The only reason that you are calling this The Big 8 + 4 is because you want to show your new counting skills…and you are looking back at the glory days of the Big 8…just as I look back at the glory days of the SWC…damn Arkansas!!!

tmay82, on September 5th, 2008 at 6:12 pm Said:

Nope…don’t think they would. And I double checked my arithmetic – I even had to take one shoe off to count the 4 other schools on my toes (BTW the thumbs nor the big toe was not used in the counting skills practice).

Jai Jai Diehl, on September 8th, 2008 at 1:23 pm Said:

First of all it’s QUEENIE not Quennie…and for your information…Northwestern is from Natchitoches, La. I don’t understand why it’s okay for others to play Montana State and run up the score…and that’s okay…because “hey we’re the north!”, but the rest of us take advantage of the easy gimmee’s and we are taking candy from babies. Pick a horse…either be with the rest of us and say “Goodie one more win towards a bowl” and celebrate by tossing a ball…or start scheduling the toughest schedule you can come up with…Oh and one last comment…I think Baylor has earned just one easy win considering we are in the catagory for Top 5 hardest schedules in the Country.

tmay82, on September 8th, 2008 at 1:36 pm Said:

QUEENIE! Thanks for the spell check and the geography lesson. The only Top 5 category your Bears are in is for Loiusiana hurricane evacuees…which explains your scheduling: “come to Waco before you drown…oh, and while you’re here, how ’bout a pick up football game?”

Jai Jai Diehl, on September 8th, 2008 at 1:45 pm Said:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/preview08/columns/story?columnist=schlabach_mark&id=3552115

That’s all I need to say…Spank you very much!

tmay82, on September 10th, 2008 at 6:24 pm Said:

But why do I get the feeling that’s not ALL you’re going to say throughout this CFB season.

Perhaps I should blog this Schlabach guy.

Briles and his Cubs will soon see the scheduling light and join the rest of the Little12 in the practice of Schlabaching puny D-2 opponents during non-conference play, at home, for 3-4 weeks in a row.

Jai Jai Diehl, on September 11th, 2008 at 8:59 am Said:

I did not say that I was going to maintain radio silence for the rest of the season…I said that the subject of the top 10 toughest schedules in the nation was closed with my proof that we were number 5 on the list according to espn.com. IF you want to challenge espn.com I’m sure you can sit next to Lou Holtz …and I will look forward to watching you every Saturday.

One last thought…if you play with the bad boys…eventually you will become one of the bad boys…hence our schedule. Sic ‘em!!! Maybe Juco-State should look at that?

tmay82, on September 11th, 2008 at 4:16 pm Said:

What a pregnant idea. I would welcome a chair at ESPN or even a guest writer on espn.com would be pretty way cool. As for Lou Holtz…he irritated me on the sideline, he does more so on the tube. I would have to plant an elbow to the chest, pushing him backwards, causing him to land on his head, and perhaps knock some sense into him…but all that would probably only make him talk slower, more slurred, and really make us say “huh?” when he’s done talking. Where’s my TV brick?

As for the #5 toughest schedule – at least that’s one battle cry the Cubs will have this year….

Jai Jai Diehl, on September 11th, 2008 at 4:37 pm Said:

At this point…we take ANY battle cry we can…before this we were starting to talk about the Alamo.

By the way…there is a group of us that has decided that ESPN doesn’t really have Lou Holtz up there on camera…Disney did one of those anamatronic jobs…and that’s how we have Holtz on t.v. tan and blonde.

Jai Jai Diehl, on September 18th, 2008 at 9:03 am Said:

It sure is quiet from the mild cat side…

tmay82, on September 18th, 2008 at 1:39 pm Said:

Kansas State Head Coach Ron Prince Quotes
Released 09/18/2008 by Kansas State University

Opening statement…

“What we did accomplish tonight is that we were able to take our team out on the road in front of a big crowd, a national audience and face a really good running team and a good defensive team. Obviously, with the outcome we failed miserably. We had our moments at times where we showed that we could do some things in all three phases, but we couldn’t put enough consistent plays together. I want to give credit to Louisville because they have terrific coaches, and players they had a great plan. I don’t want to sit up here and lament what we did wrong without saying that they did an awesome job. The truth is we had the opportunity tonight to have some tackles for loss and have some consistent plays and it just didn’t happen because their players did a terrific job.”

“We need to do better, I need to coach better and I need to make our team understand how these teams need to be played. I’m not happy about it. The game plan was pretty clear coming in and we knew what we had to do. From the first drive it looked like we had some things going positive, then we go down and snap the ball over the quarterback’s head. We obviously can’t do that if you want to go on the road and win. With that said, we tried to coach very aggressively tonight, even faking a punt in our own end. We thought we had the look, thought it was there during the week. We had it earlier in the game, Jeff asked me earlier if he had the green light and I said absolutely. I want the players to understand that we’re going to coach aggressively, try to coach smart, but we’re not going to play and coach scared. I thought tonight we didn’t play the kind of football that would reinforce that kind of approach and that’s unfortunate. In one single play, we missed five or six tackles. So, it came back to bite us. They did a good job of running the ball in a variety of ways, multiple ways. Not just the traditional inside and outside zone and really break the defense down. We know we’ll face a lot of those looks in the future. Offensively, I couldn’t be more disappointed in our inability to protect the quarterback. I thought in the kicking game we were very average.”

Jai Jai Diehl, on September 19th, 2008 at 8:45 am Said:

Synopsis of what I just read…”We showed up…looked really good in our uniforms…actually came back on the field after half-time…but we didn’t play, coach, tackle, or protect the quarterback…but the kicking game was average.” Am I off here?

tmay82, on September 20th, 2008 at 11:13 pm Said:

Yes you are off…what is being said is K-State has announced for the next 8 weeks, for 6 days a week, the national Punt, Pass, and Kick organization is coming to Manhattan to teach football fundamentals to the Mildcats and their coaches. There will be one test per week – hopefully open book – on each Saturday. If KSU passes the tests, they will get a reward at the end of the 8 weeks…they all get to go bowling?!!? If they don’t pass…well…all the players get sent back to JUCO and the coaches will probably get 5 additional years on their contract.

Jai Jai Diehl, on September 23rd, 2008 at 10:34 am Said:

The kudos toward Baylor are much appreciated by the Queenie this morning. (I will take you to lunch soon) I am extremely encouraged by our current football situation. It was a heartbreaker on Friday night…I bet Gettis still doesn’t know what planet he’s on after a certain hit in the first half. At this point it’s about progress not perfection.

Just to let you know…Texas v. Arkansas is a HUGE game. Before the days of the Big 12, it was one of the biggest rivalries in the SWC. Arkansas was also the school who “had enough” and left for the SEC causing the Big 8 to add 4. I think it’s extremely interesting that someone who tells others Texas v. Rice “somebody tell Mac that the SWC is history!” Somebody tell Tim May the Big 8 is history! It’s the Big 12 now!!!

Much adoration,
Queenie

Jai Jai Diehl, on September 30th, 2008 at 10:34 pm Said:

Wow! So much I don’t even know where to start!!! Because I’m tired…playing with nieces and nephews…entertaining parents and grandparents…oh and driving 400 miles northwest…I will end this run on sentence with the following…the polls speak for themselves. We will see in the next month how the mighty fall as conference starts this weekend. Hopefully our gracious host will watch a game or two so we can have that colorful commentary that we all love.
-Queenie

Jai Jai Diehl, on November 3rd, 2008 at 10:16 am Said:

Queenie has returned!!! After a long “vacation” in windy Pampa, Texas…I have returned to the land of internet and not having to look at good ole T Boone.
I hope all is well and look forward to more commentary that the boys and I can discuss.

tmay82, on November 3rd, 2008 at 10:39 am Said:

Glad you’re back to internet land – you and I are the only two that seem to read & write about college football….

Jai Jai Porter-Diehl, on November 24th, 2008 at 11:37 am Said:

Okay after losing tonsils…the Queenie is back from here long silence! Whew did my family’s raiders take a beating on saturday night…if it weren’t for the pain killers…not sure everyone would have made it through. Okay big weekend coming up for fooseball. After watching that team in red and black on saturday night…I think my mighty bears actually have a chance in lubbock! I hope briles and company watched the game on saturday night! Congrats to the mild cats! It looks like yall are stealing from TCU this time for a head coach. Something from the horned frogs…they couldn’t get into the Big 12 by kicking Baylor out…so they send their Head Fooseball coach? Interesting manuver. Hopefully he will correct the ways of the juco. Well Timmy it looks like we’re back in the loser bowl again this year. Did we decide what treats we are fixing this year? I was curious after last years fiesta nacho debacle. Are we doing orange bowl punch? or fried coke?

Jai Jai Porter-Diehl, on December 10th, 2008 at 4:23 am Said:

Amen Brother Tim!!! I think it would be an understatement to say we have a broken system. I will take you up on your challenge for next year. I’ll stick my bear neck on the line with you.

Jai Jai Porter-Diehl, on January 15th, 2009 at 3:53 am Said:

I understand this comment might be a bit late…but I noticed that the legend representing K-State is Saint Snyder…is he trying to be the Keith Richards of College Football? Let it go already!!!

Tyler and Tammy, on January 24th, 2009 at 12:14 pm Said:

Chuck Carlton and I don’t talk about the North for the same reason. It is a little pointless to determine which 5-7 team is the best. Especially when they all lose by 30 points every time they play a team in the South division.

Jai Jai Porter-Diehl, on February 5th, 2009 at 6:25 am Said:

No coverage of National Signing Day on here either? I tell you what! Either KSU’s class is THAT bad or you’re under a rock. I don’t know which to go with…help me out here.

Milestones to toss about « TMay82: Now what’s he talking about?, on April 19th, 2009 at 9:14 am Said:

[...] Big 8+4 [...]

Jai Jai Porter-Diehl, on June 30th, 2009 at 9:16 pm Said:

Dude! Seriously…football talking time!!! HELLO!!! Your test is over…let’s get on with the fun! Time to redo with ‘09 season…or are you going at the speed of Mild cat Retirement Villa?

tmay82, on July 1st, 2009 at 12:15 am Said:

Stop that smack right now Missy or I just might have to pick your Bears to be in their customary, perennial Big8+4 doormat position again this year.

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