What We Learned -- This Weekend

Well, folks, it was a busy weekend in the 40AS world, which held a number of important lessons for all of us. First and foremost: DO NOT HIT on 13 when the dealer is showing a five. And if you're going to do it, don't do it after a minute of deliberation with three of your buddies watching. Looking back, that actually pretty much sums up the weekend. There was some good (dealer showing 5) and a lot of bad (that dude repeatedly taking his bust card). Thinking about it:

• Texas basketball nearly won a game in Lubbock that it had no business winning. A win would have been HUGE, all but locking up a one-seed. As we thought about it, the loss could be conceivably good for the Horns if it leads to a spot in the Houston regional. Either way, the team showed a lot of moxie in making the comeback. We feel that Texas was due a loss like this after a perfect February, so there's no reason to fret too much. With a 13-3 conference record in sight, March is still looking to be a fun month, and April play is still not out of the question.
• Texas baseball did not perform up to snuff in Houston, dropping two games to quality opposition. Early struggles are not surprising considering how green this club is. Of course the nine errors through the first two games is pretty shocking, and hopefully not a sign of things to come. Also, the disastrous play of Kyle Walker is worrisome to say the least. Encouraging signs are plentiful in Texas' 8-7 (10 innings) win over Houston. Freshmen Connor Rowe (game winning single in the 10th), Cameron Rupp (3-5 with 4 runs), Cole Green (6.2 IP, 4 hits, 4 runs), and Slayton Thomas (1.2 IP, 0 hits, 2 k's, winning pitcher) were all fantastic.
• We were busy this weekend, but we'll try to take a closer look at the Horns before their mid-week series with TAMUCC this week and weekend series against Stanford.
• The women's basketball squad beat #10 Oklahoma in Norman, but you can finish this sentence already knowing our sentiments.
• It was a GREAT weekend for Aggy bashing. They scored 10 points in the first half in Norman, Peter Bean did a guest post at EDSBS in which he nailed our most pressing question of to what extent would Mike Sherman "prefer the world be more like it was in the 1880s than it is today?" Also, Richard Justice made our day by reminding A&M fans that "Texas has a better coach and a better facility and a better city. Texas has a better tradition."
• The Saints got Gay and Jonathan Vilma in free agency, but failed to acquire what would have been the biggest catch in Lance Briggs. Either way, it was a positive weekend for the Who Dats.
• And finally, the Red Fish Grille was fantastic, but there was WAY too much food. At the end there was a plate full of jambalaya and neither of us wanted to eat it. We had become everything we have always hated.

Oh, also, there's this:

What We Learned -- Whatever Week This Is

We went to our first Red River Shootout in 2003. Texas took the kickoff, ran two unsuccesful plays, and then Chance Mock threw an interception inside the Texas 20. Texas lost 65-13.

As though the mind numbing margin of defeat weren't punishment enough for us, as Oklahoma racked up big play after big play on the Texas defense, one of our dates kept repeating "it's okay guys, it's okay!"

But, you know what?

She was right.

It is okay.

Here's why:

• Oklahoma lost.
• We could be seeing the beginning of the John Chiles era, although we feel 100% that Colt is still the man.
• Vince. Young.
• Tulane led LSU for just over a minute in the second quarter. It really was a beautiful moment for one of us.
• Boston Red Sox: 2007 AL East champions.
• It could still be the offseason.
• We get the shock of losing our first game of the year now instead of next week. Should make next week go down easier, no?
• Notre Dame is 0-5, that's always awesome.
• One of us got the LSAT out of the way this morning, hopefully he did "Georgetown good."
• At least Oklahoma lost.

What We Learned -- Week 4

It was Rice, but that sure as heck felt good. In reality, not since beating Rice in week 3 last season has Texas come in and thoroughly dominated a (I-A) opponent from start to finish. After playing poorly in 5 of their first 6 halves, the Horns came out and took advantage of the fact that Texas players were bigger, stronger, and faster. Here's what fasting during week four taught us:

• Appy State lost to Wofford. That should close that argument.
• Cross Florida off the untested list. Only USC, LSU and OU have shown thus far to be a cut above the rest. The great thing about college football, however, is that Florida and Texas both get their shots on October 6th to replace LSU and OU atop the national standings.
• Notre Dame is 0-4, and that makes us really happy.
• LSU has, statistically, the worst red zone defense in the country; think about that one for a minute.
• Arkie St gave Tennessee a scare and UCF blew out Memphis. See what Texas playing crappy the first three weeks has reduced us to?

Our Texas lessons:

• Ryan Bailey, wow. We didn't think he had that in him.
• We know that it was Rice, but Texas needed put a large number on the scoreboard in the worst kind of way. Hopefully Limas found some of his old form, and we really hope this will transfer into next week.
• Speaking of next week, this should be an emotional revenge game for the Horns. Here's to putting up another large number on the scoreboard (just like last year) with KSU putting up a considerably smaller number (unlike last year).
• The best part of this week by far is that Texas found its vertical passing game. Sure, it was Rice, but Texas had been unable to successfully throw down field against Arkie St or UCF either.
• Finally, apparently Texas does have some backups on the roster. John Chiles is fast and elusive, but there probably isn't going to be that much of a role for him in the offense...yet. We knew Vince Young as a redshirt freshman and John Chiles is not yet VY at that stage. That said, we suspect that no matter what happens on October 6th, many Horn fans will decry Greg Davis for not using Chiles as though he is some sort of golden bullet. We REALLY liked that all 11 Longhorns on the field were freshmen or redshirt freshmen on offense for a few series. Hopefully Chiles and Vondrell McGee can get a few touches against KSU.

What We Learned...Week 2

What a spectacular weekend of college football! Texas just about gave us heart attacks in the first half, but played perhaps the best second half they've shown since the 2004 game against Okie State, when Vince led a comeback to win 56-35 after trailing 35-14 at the half. The lessons!

• For the first two weeks, LSU and Oklahoma have been head and shoulders above everybody else. We are happy about the former and decidedly unhappy about the latter. We are currently conducting research as to how it is possible that the Sooners can play this good and yet the fact remains that ou sucks. We are using our college experience from 2002-2004 as a basis for our research. The Horns and Sooners look good, Aggy looks bad...all seems right in the Big XII.
• LSU could be the best team in America. Virginia Tech has a really good defense and the Tigers hung 597 yards on them. And that LSU "D" looks pretty scary as well. Whether that offense remains successful in the SEC will make or break the Tigers' season.
• There's something wrong with the water in the Midwest. For all our Southern homerism, we recognize that it's unusual for the entire Big Ten plus Notre Dame to be so thoroughly unimpressive (with the possible exception of Penn State; the jury is still out). Ohio State was not great against Akron. Wisconsin struggled with UNLV. And with Michigan and Notre Dame both entering next week's contest 0-2, with 4 bad losses between them, we can only scratch our heads and wonder, "how?" Not so much for ND, whom we expected to be no good. But Michigan? This is weird.
• The Washington Huskies have been lights out through two weeks, ending Boise State's 14 game win streak in impressive fashion. If the Huskies can take two of three from Ohio St, UCLA and USC (their next three games), it would be a huge step for Ty Willingham's program.

Our Texas Lessons:

• Huge props to the coaching staff for making adjustments at halftime. TCU was up 10-0 at the half but really wasn't outplaying Texas. The offense got in a rhythm, getting Colt out of the pocket being especially effective, the defense continued to dominate, and the better team won.
• The offense benefits from involving Chris Ogbannaya and Vondrell McGee. Both backup RBs provide a different look from that of Jamaal Charles, give JC a chance to rest and can inject some energy into the offense. In the third quarter, for example, Ogbannaya had a routine 3-yard run. But it took 7 TCU defenders to stop him, and they never did get him on the ground--they just stopped his forward progress. The way Ogbannaya celebrated this feat, you'd have thought he scored a touchdown. That clearly provided a spark to the offense. McGee may not get a ton of carries this season, but he can make a big contribution as a goal line and short yardage rusher.
• If the Texas team that you saw in the second half is the one that is going to show up for the rest of the season, you can officially color us Optimistic Orange. (Alliteration! Yes!) These guys could be dangerous.
• The O-Line really seemed to jell in this ballgame. They started to give Colt more time in the pocket in the second half, and he began to show the brilliance he displayed so often last year. Some of the credit for the improvement has to go to the coaches, who clearly adjusted the blocking scheme at halftime. That's the kind of performance we will need up front from the hog-mollies all season.
• Utica, MS correspondent Scott Price suggested that, since Mack Brown just signed a contract extension through 2017, it's possible that the next Longhorn coach could conceivably be Major Applewhite. He is already the Alabama OC, so it's within the realm of possibility that he'd get a pretty good head coaching job in the next 6-7 years and be deemed ready to take over for Mack in 2018. That would be cool.
• One of us was at DKR this weekend, and has a few observations. For current students, this is not your slightly older sibling's DKR. Godzillatron and the new North End Zone seats could make DKR a unique and much improved football venue. What's more, the Horns regained the swagger that seemed to depart the team in Manhattan last season. Texas has a potential trap game in Orlando next week, followed by Rice and a revenge game against KSU.
• Finally, just because it feels good to laugh again, below is a reason to laugh at Aggies, who are apparently having trouble selling out but still want to bring the noise in overtime.

What We Learned...Week One

Well, folks, week one is in the bag. One week closer to the 2008 offseason. Texas is 1-0, and to be completely forthright, we wrote this sentence on Thursday (although in retrospect, we kinda wish we hadn't). The lessons from this week:

• If this is an indication of the rest of the season, it's going to be a great 4 months! If you needed to be reminded why college football is the best sports season of all, you got it this week. Michigan's season is over; it is now playing for moral victories (AKA the "Big Ten Championship"). We were shaking following the end of a random game between two teams we don't regularly follow. You don't usually get that feeling watching the last two minutes of a Redskins vs. Jets game.


• Michigan will not win a title this season (duh), but we really like Mike Hart and could see him winning the Heisman. Stat of the week: Michigan is now 0-1 all time versus I-AA teams.


• Sorry to focus on Michigan, but (thankfully) it is the big story of the week. Their fans have been taking it all like champs. We hope we take it as well should we drop the opener to TBA in 2009.


• Va Tech's offense is very likely to get stomped by LSU's defense. We suspect LSU's offense was simply rolling with a vanilla game plan not to give Frank Bemer anything to look at. If that's not the case we could be looking at a 10-7 football game next Saturday. If it is the case, things could get ugly for the Hokies.


• Oklahoma's Sam Bradford looked like Colt McCoy out there. Playing that well in his first game is impressive no matter who the competition is.


• Our pledge (mostly to ourselves) for this football season: We're just going to enjoy it. Texas may win a title (OSU pretty much looked like this for an entire season) or they may finish third in the Big XII (hopefully no worse). We won't attempt to give detailed game analysis as BON has that angle more than covered. Let's just enjoy football season and hope for the best.

Our Texas lessons:

• Jamaal Charles is special. Poor scheming and blocking makes us even more appreciative of a great effort against Arkie St.


• Games that we can't get on TV and are forced to follow via only radio don't turn out well. The last time that happened? KSU last season. Hopefully the Horns will be readily available on TV the rest of the season.


• This team is much different than the one that got burned at the end of last season. You don't see a confused secondary, an offense incapable of establishing any consistent rhythm, poor red zone offense, non-existent linebacker play, etc. Wait a second...


• During the 2005 Rose Bowl one of our buddies decried Mack Brown for the positive attitude he portrayed toward VY after throwing a terrible interception, suggesting he should get mad at Vince, even scold him on the field. Even if Texas has a 6-6 season this year, we will not be that fan calling for Mack to publicly throw a college athlete under the bus in order to light a fire. That's not what got Mack here and he's a better coach for it.


• The TCU game is essential right now. A victory sets everything straight in our world, and a loss...would suck.