The VIIIth
10/5/2006, 08:38 AM
World Picks: Picker wonders where Tulsa's fans went
By TULSA WORLD PICKER
10/5/2006
View in Print (PDF) Format
Picker wonders where Tulsa's fans went
Are you people out of your minds? Seriously.
Has the late-season heat wave caused you to be woozy? Are you depressed over the cost of college tuition? Did the housing bubble stick you?
Approximately 789,450 of you didn't attend TU's nationally featured football game Tuesday.
That's the population of greater-plus Tulsa.
Attendance was listed at 20,000 and loose change.
Twenty thousand!
Twenty thousand people are in the Utica Square Starbucks on Sunday morning, looking to be seen. Twenty thousand are at the Jenks Riverwalk on Saturday night. Twenty thousand are walking their designer dogs in Maple Ridge on Thursday evening.
Twenty thousand at the TU home game against Southern Mississippi was worse than disgusting. It was an affront. More than 20,000 have gone to high school football games. It was rude.
TU is the city's team.
Or it should be.
The school did its part. The students were there. The game was beautifully scheduled early on a weeknight when there was no competition. ESPN was there with its one excellent broadcasting crew featuring John Saunders, Doug Flutie and
Craig James.
There were so few people in the east stands when the game began, ESPN had to put into use its Hooterville-Cam.
The Hooterville-Cam is used for tight shots of the field when it covers games at places where not enough people give a hoot.
The Hooterville-Cam shows tights shots of the field and players and tries to blur the empty seats.
This is not a castles-in-the-stream proposal.
It's not a fantasy league.
TU football is real. More of you should be.
The Picks
SATURDAY
OU versus Texas (-5) in the Cotton Bowl: Bad facility, but who cares? Most everybody is hungover.
You can hear the beer cans opening across the nation when the zebra on the field throws a close call up to replay booth.
Notice the instant has been taken out of the description.
We tried to handicap the replay booth for you but couldn't find a list of the home towns of the officials working Saturday.
The answer to this question should determine the winner: Can OU's Venables coach a lick of defense?
Sometimes it's like the secondary is playing Simon Says.
It's as though they haven't seen a screen pass all year.
It's like the coaches are yelling Tornado! when the coaches call out Screen!
Texas is good, not great.
It won't put 11 men on the defensive line but will put 10 there.
Toss-up: OU by 3.
Oklahoma State (-3) at Kansas State: Said to be the most important game in OSU's recent history. What the? How can playing the worst team in the conference be so important?
Basketball seasons starts for somebody Sunday morning.
OSU by 6.
Arkansas at Auburn (-16 1/2) : Just exactly what has Arkansas coach Nutt done to convince the rich element that he's a good coach?
The Razorback quarterback was passing over Chicken Feathers High at this time last year.
Auburn by 17.
Texas A&M (-2) at Kansas: Both coming off broken hearts, losing a week ago in the last seconds. Aggie coach Frannie continues to fill out his resume on sidelines during games. Mangino to carry defensive starts off on his shoulders.
KU by 6.
Navy at Air Force (-3): Battle of the bands of brothers.
Air Force by 6.
LSU at Florida (-2): This conference is so good, it's unfair to be in it.
LSU by 2.
Baylor at Colorado (-4 1/2): Is Hawkins this year's Mike Stoops?
Colorado by 7.
Nebraska (-6 1/2) at Iowa State: Hey Callahan, take a note: Put your pencil and pad down and watch the game, you're behind.
Nebraska by 1.
Missouri at Texas Tech (-4): Is Missouri better at anything besides scheduling?
Tech by 3.
Tennessee (-2) at Georgia: Dog Dogs dog Vols.
Georgia by 2.
SUNDAY
Redskins at the Giants (-4): Giants appear to hate their coach. No news there.
Giants by 3.
Miami at New England (-9 1/2): Another college coach, Miami's Saban, is being driven batty by pro punks.
New England by 10.
Kansas City (-3) at Arizona: Somebody please pass the offense.
Kansas City 9, Arizona 7.
Cowboys at the Eagles (-2): Would love to see the Burger King jump onto the field and take out T.O.
Eagles by 13.
Steelers at San Diego (-3): Steelers rusty. SD's Marty couldn't coach our dog to a fire hydrant. Home team by 1.
MONDAY
Baltimore at Denver (-3 1/2): Theismann dedicates a poem to Michael Vick.
Denver by 7.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[email protected]
By TULSA WORLD PICKER
10/5/2006
View in Print (PDF) Format
Picker wonders where Tulsa's fans went
Are you people out of your minds? Seriously.
Has the late-season heat wave caused you to be woozy? Are you depressed over the cost of college tuition? Did the housing bubble stick you?
Approximately 789,450 of you didn't attend TU's nationally featured football game Tuesday.
That's the population of greater-plus Tulsa.
Attendance was listed at 20,000 and loose change.
Twenty thousand!
Twenty thousand people are in the Utica Square Starbucks on Sunday morning, looking to be seen. Twenty thousand are at the Jenks Riverwalk on Saturday night. Twenty thousand are walking their designer dogs in Maple Ridge on Thursday evening.
Twenty thousand at the TU home game against Southern Mississippi was worse than disgusting. It was an affront. More than 20,000 have gone to high school football games. It was rude.
TU is the city's team.
Or it should be.
The school did its part. The students were there. The game was beautifully scheduled early on a weeknight when there was no competition. ESPN was there with its one excellent broadcasting crew featuring John Saunders, Doug Flutie and
Craig James.
There were so few people in the east stands when the game began, ESPN had to put into use its Hooterville-Cam.
The Hooterville-Cam is used for tight shots of the field when it covers games at places where not enough people give a hoot.
The Hooterville-Cam shows tights shots of the field and players and tries to blur the empty seats.
This is not a castles-in-the-stream proposal.
It's not a fantasy league.
TU football is real. More of you should be.
The Picks
SATURDAY
OU versus Texas (-5) in the Cotton Bowl: Bad facility, but who cares? Most everybody is hungover.
You can hear the beer cans opening across the nation when the zebra on the field throws a close call up to replay booth.
Notice the instant has been taken out of the description.
We tried to handicap the replay booth for you but couldn't find a list of the home towns of the officials working Saturday.
The answer to this question should determine the winner: Can OU's Venables coach a lick of defense?
Sometimes it's like the secondary is playing Simon Says.
It's as though they haven't seen a screen pass all year.
It's like the coaches are yelling Tornado! when the coaches call out Screen!
Texas is good, not great.
It won't put 11 men on the defensive line but will put 10 there.
Toss-up: OU by 3.
Oklahoma State (-3) at Kansas State: Said to be the most important game in OSU's recent history. What the? How can playing the worst team in the conference be so important?
Basketball seasons starts for somebody Sunday morning.
OSU by 6.
Arkansas at Auburn (-16 1/2) : Just exactly what has Arkansas coach Nutt done to convince the rich element that he's a good coach?
The Razorback quarterback was passing over Chicken Feathers High at this time last year.
Auburn by 17.
Texas A&M (-2) at Kansas: Both coming off broken hearts, losing a week ago in the last seconds. Aggie coach Frannie continues to fill out his resume on sidelines during games. Mangino to carry defensive starts off on his shoulders.
KU by 6.
Navy at Air Force (-3): Battle of the bands of brothers.
Air Force by 6.
LSU at Florida (-2): This conference is so good, it's unfair to be in it.
LSU by 2.
Baylor at Colorado (-4 1/2): Is Hawkins this year's Mike Stoops?
Colorado by 7.
Nebraska (-6 1/2) at Iowa State: Hey Callahan, take a note: Put your pencil and pad down and watch the game, you're behind.
Nebraska by 1.
Missouri at Texas Tech (-4): Is Missouri better at anything besides scheduling?
Tech by 3.
Tennessee (-2) at Georgia: Dog Dogs dog Vols.
Georgia by 2.
SUNDAY
Redskins at the Giants (-4): Giants appear to hate their coach. No news there.
Giants by 3.
Miami at New England (-9 1/2): Another college coach, Miami's Saban, is being driven batty by pro punks.
New England by 10.
Kansas City (-3) at Arizona: Somebody please pass the offense.
Kansas City 9, Arizona 7.
Cowboys at the Eagles (-2): Would love to see the Burger King jump onto the field and take out T.O.
Eagles by 13.
Steelers at San Diego (-3): Steelers rusty. SD's Marty couldn't coach our dog to a fire hydrant. Home team by 1.
MONDAY
Baltimore at Denver (-3 1/2): Theismann dedicates a poem to Michael Vick.
Denver by 7.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[email protected]