… just a thin slice – three teams and their games.
UK and KU both proved that they were truly basketball schools on Saturday. Don’t think I’m picking on them. I pulled for both of those teams to win and establish themselves. That’s good because parity is a good thing and we all love an underdog, right? Right.
Anyway, Kentucky proved that it didn’t know how to finish late in the game when, in regulation, they were first and goal on the 2 with 18 secs left and couldn’t win the game. Then, in their second overtime, they intercepted Tennessee’s pass down the sideline meaning all they had to do is score any points to win. They got overly conservative and played not to lose. They took a loss of yards on the first play from scrimmage and ended up assuming a field goal would take them home – which was promptly blocked. Not that you could see that from the end zone camera, because the angle was such that it looked like it was headed for the uprights. Even the announcers didn’t realize it was blocked. Anyway, Tennessee, a football school – though not exactly the greatest football school, still had the chops to play for the win. Which they got.
Kansas, going against a good looking Mizzou squad, also could easily have won their game. Replays of the interception at the goal line show that there were two very open Jayhawk receivers streaking in parallel to the intended receiver, but they were ignored. Instead of an interception, that could have, and should have, been a TD. On top of that, the first quarter also held not one but TWO easily makable Jayhawk field goals that were not converted. Combine those 16 points early in the game and not only would it make up the difference in the score overall, but it would have shifted the entire process of the game. Kansas isn’t the team that is pressing, but Missouri is playing from behind.
I know, I know. You’re thinking, “Wait just a cotton pickin’ minute. Shoulda, coulda, woulda, but they didn’t do any of that.” And you know what? You’re right. They didn’t.
But they couldn’t help it. They’re basketball schools. They don’t know, yet (hopeful?), how to win the big game when you just have to get the job done.
The other team that had two great things happen this weekend, followed by an almost immediate let down…
My beloved Aggies of Texas A&M first beat Texas and then had their coach resign. Both are major victories. Beating the steers of tu will always sooth – to some degree – even a very jangled season. Getting rid of a coach that invited NCAA attention because of his stupid insider newsletter to boosters, but also never had the ability to play for the win when he really needed to do so, was also a major victory.
Not having the guts to play for the win… case in point, OU fans should be able to admit that A&M should’ve beat them last year, but Bob Stoops is a man who knows how to play for the win. Fran, however, played not to lose, which is exactly what he got. Maybe he’s really a great coach for a basketball school. *sigh*
Which brings me to the let down. Rather than taking a little time, A&M immediately hired Mike Sherman. Sherman is the former Offensive Line Coach for the Aggies and currently serves as the Offensive Coordinator for the Houston Texans. At the press conference, he recited several Aggie traditions and everyone was fired up about his ties to Aggieland.
I hope that all goes well for Sherman. I am afraid, though, that he may not be what we need. I suppose, that will be seen in the coming year. Nevertheless, he’s a football coach at a football school, and that’s not all bad.
![[del.icio.us]](http://images.del.icio.us/static/img/delicious.small.gif){kind=small}
John Stickley
on Nov 27th, 2007
@ 9:57 am:
Did you see the same Mizzou game I saw? The Tigers laid a beat-down on the Jayhawks, outplaying them in all phases of the game. Were it not for the Mizzou defense going into a weak prevent late in the game and the offense going somewhat conservative in the final quarter, the game wouldn’t have even been close.
The Big 12 Championship should be VERY interesting.
Kevin Bussey
on Nov 27th, 2007
@ 10:31 am:
Since Coach Fraud left A & M I like them again.
Art Rogers
on Nov 27th, 2007
@ 10:44 am:
Well, Kevin, Aggie fans (and UK Wildcat fans) share something in common with you: Bear Bryant. He went from a basketball school to a football school to a football is everything school – which is where he stayed, for good reason.
John,
No. Obviously, I watched a game very different than the one you watched, since my perspective was not skewed with blind loyalty to Missouri. :) Kansas is a basketball school, which was my point, and was not ready for the moment. We’ll see how they do next year.
Don’t think the Big 12 Championship will be all that interesting. It’ll be within two touchdowns, I suspect, but I think OU is going win. You didn’t watch the Bedlam game, did you? OU finally showed up and played like Sooner fans have wanted them to do all year. This team could have been playing for the National Championship, but they are playing for a BCS bowl, which they will not get if they lose to the Tigers.
Missouri is playing a lot better than they were when they were beaten by OU for their only loss. The problem is that OU is playing a lot better also.
In case you are wondering, I’ll be rooting for the Tigers in that game. I just don’t think they will pull it out.
Sorry. :)
John Stickley
on Nov 27th, 2007
@ 11:10 am:
Blind loyalty? From me? You apparently don’t read the posts I write about my beloved KC Chiefs every week, do you?
Don’t count on OU winning by much, if at all. Mizzou is firing on all cylinders now, and I just don’t see the Tigers beating themselves like they did earlier in the year.
CHASE DANIEL FOR HEISMAN! :)
Art Rogers
on Nov 27th, 2007
@ 11:14 am:
They won’t have to beat themselves. OU will do it for them.
Pam Blume
on Nov 27th, 2007
@ 11:39 am:
Dude, don’t forget us lowly 1-AA people. Appalachian State won against James Madison Saturday and is on the way for an attempted “Three-peat” of the National Championship. You may have heard that in our first game of the season, we beat some team called Michigan. Coach Moore is an outstanding Christian gentleman and sets high standards for his boys.
Go Apps!
Pam
Art Rogers
on Nov 27th, 2007
@ 11:47 am:
Yes, indeed. Congrats. :)
Mike
on Nov 27th, 2007
@ 12:38 pm:
You’d think with all the warnings about red dye, people would stop slurping the red koolaid.
MIZZOU 34 O-Who 24
Art Rogers
on Nov 27th, 2007
@ 12:52 pm:
Mike,
If I were you, I would stop slurping the red Kool-Aid. You are clearly affected. :)
Paul
on Nov 27th, 2007
@ 12:52 pm:
Texas A&M is a football school? ;)
I think I saw the same game John saw. I was underwhelmed by Kansas and thought Missouri controlled that game throughout. I also agree with him that the Big XII championship game will be very close. OU played well against OSU, but it was a home game against a .500 team.
Art Rogers
on Nov 27th, 2007
@ 12:54 pm:
BTW, I would remind those in MO, despite the fact that I LIVE in OK, I will be pulling for the Tigers.
Good grief. Just look at what a little unbiased perspective will do for you… :)
Art Rogers
on Nov 27th, 2007
@ 1:01 pm:
I never said we were a GREAT football school. We are certainly not a basketball school. :)
Joe Ball
on Nov 27th, 2007
@ 2:38 pm:
I am just glad that you can put by beloved KY Wildacts in a conversation about football. It has been a long time since we have even been able to be apart of this discussion. Yes the loss to Tennessee was tough, and you assesment is right on target. It is as if we took a deep breaeth and loss our concentration after the interception in overtime. 22 years of futitaty is hard to overcome. But 7 wins 2 years in a row…. That is rare territory.
As for the Big-12 It will be Mizzou over OU in the finals and then OU and LSU can play in a non-bcs bowl.
Mizzou and West Virgina in the national championship game?
FOX execs must be pulling their hair out.
jasonk
on Nov 27th, 2007
@ 6:52 pm:
I remember several years ago, when A&M came to Skelly Stadium, and Tulsa beat them. Aggies were ranked in the top 25 that year, weren’t they? That was a great day for Golden Hurricane fans.
We were pulling for the Aggies last weekend, not because they were playing Texas, but because Lyle Lovett and Robert Earl Keen are products of A&M. That’s good enough for me. And how can you argue against a team whose fans kiss the girls on each touchdown. Gives a whole new meaning to the term “scoring.”
OU will beat Missouri, I predict. I agree with you Art, that Mizzou is going to run into a heap of trouble on Saturday. I didn’t drink any kool aid, I only graduated from there. And I love the Sooners.
Is Missouri a football school? Or a basketball school? Seems to me they are neither one :>)