The Day at the Fair

[TexasLidig8r]

So, got to the Fair, hours before kickoff. (That back way avoiding I-30 is the bomb).

Fletcher's Corny Dog (the original NOT the new one with Jalapenos and cheese)... several beers, a pre-game cigar.. Texas-Ex tent, watching my 17 year old son's eyes pop out of his head as the Texas cheerleaders and pom squad walk past us about 2 feet away from him....

Walking around the Fair.. a relatively sedate pre-game crowd except for the usual college aged drunken kids... Saw ALOT of people in electronic wheelchairs including an elderly woman who, as God as my witness, had a friggin' beard!

The usual t-shirts from the college aged kids (some had a schooner upside down with the words underneath, "We're Clever Too, F*ckers." Kids!

On to the game, first half back and forth with OU dominating the second quarter after Texas got the ball at the OU 45.. and then proceeded to go backwards 20 yards.

I'll trade smack with you good folk all day, but what I won't do is disparage talent. Peterson's touchdown run and kick off return were things of beauty. What a special talent. Will be happy to see him long gone after this year.

The second half, it appeared as if the Texas coaches made adjustments and OU did not. OU's quick 3 and out after the second half kickoff was a harbinger of things to come. Texas offense scored on its first two drives of the second half because Texas opened up its offense a bit more. (Newspapers are reporting that Mack told Greg Davis to open it up more for Colt)... and...

The Texas defense came to play. Hard hits, great intensity. Peterson in the second half, was limited to 38 yards rushing...and after the controversial lateral, it was simply a matter of keeping everything in front of you on defense and running the ball and burning clock on offense.

For questions and remarks about Mack.. that he can't win the big game, that he can't beat OU.. then... he can't win without Vince... those doubts have been erased.

This great rivalry has been marked by streaks... it very well may be Texas' turn now.

Peterson is a special player.. enjoy him for the rest of the year and good luck in the rest of your games.

[Dances with Possums]

This great rivalry has been marked by streaks... it very well may be Texas' turn now.


I completely agree.

As I said on this BBS before the season started, were Texas to win the game against OU, it would mark a sea change in the series.

Given that OU loses its QB, AD, and the heart of its defense next season and given that Mack has really done well, recruitingwise, both last year and this year, I believe that Texas is set for awhile. The talent that Mack is stockpiling is obscene.

And, yes, Peterson is a great player ---- better than I thought he would be when he came out of high school, which is amazing since I thought he would be a badass.

I was very impressed with the physical nature of Texas' defense yesterday. There was some hitting going on down there.

[FaninAma]

Before you go too far out on a limb just remember that at some point you guys will have to replace some of your assistant coaches. I really want to see how Mack does when he has to replace Chizick.

Greg Davis' performnce yesterday would make me very nervous if I were a horn fan. He looked just like the Greg Davis of old.

UT has tremendous offensive and defensive lines. We'll see how they do next year when they lose several on both lines.

It was only as recently as 2004 that I read a lot of post from your fellow whorns who were wondering of UT would beat OU as long as Stoops was at OU and Mack was at UT. Then you went out and hired Chizick. UT may very well run off 2 or 3 more but I seriously doubt it.

[Dances with Possums]

It was only as recently as 2004 that I read a lot of post from your fellow whorns who were wondering of UT would beat OU as long as Stoops was at OU and Mack was at UT.


The two situations are not analogous. Mack is sitting on a natural talent pool that is as big as any in the nation and, over the last two years, has effectively shut OU out. Historically, OU has only done well when it has recruited Texas well. Coach Stoops has to recruit nationally and, with the bloom now off the rose, will find that harder and harder to do. Norman is just not that attractive compared to places like Miami, Los Angeles, or even South Bend.

Now, you guys may surprise me. At my age, I realize that nothing is impossible. But as Lidigater said, I do think that we are seeing the turning of the tide.

[goingoneight]

I see GC going away unless he wants Mack's job someday... Something tells me Arizona's gonna wait it out on Mikey, so we ain't getting him back unless he really Frans things up. And even Fran is getting too much time given his advantages at aTm. Great coaching staffs dissolve with time, remember Frank Broyles's staff? Barry Switzers staffs?

[FaninAma]

DWP, please look back at OU's past national championships. They were not dominated by players from Texas but from Oklahoma. Yes, we need some players from Texas to stay competitive with UT but we don't need to be able to sign 15 or 20 out of the Texas Top 100 every year to stay competitive.

Plus, Mack has signed great classes since he's been there but it's was only after he found the right combination of assistant coaches tht he started doing anything with that talent.

Mack is not great X&O's coach. A head coach doesn't need to be. He needs to be a good CEO and have great assistnts. The key to Texas staying on top will be measured by how they replace their really good assistant coaches.

A really, really good run in college football now is 2 or 3 years. You guys are on your 3rd year of a really really good run. You have some major holes to fill on your OL and DL. Throw in having to replace an assistant like Chizick and your season next year could turn quickly.

One other thing, if you guys go to Nebraska and you offense only generates 233 yards, you will be in trouble unless the Huskers implode like the Sooners did yesterday.

I think you are smart enough to realize that success in D-1 college football can be fleeting. Just ask Florida State and Miami. Those dynasties looked like they would never end but coaching turnovers have done them in.

In fact, I am fairly confident that you guys are on the down hill side of your run.

[Dances with Possums]

I think you are smart enough to realize that success in D-1 college football can be fleeting. Just ask Florida State and Miami.


Again, the situations are not analogous. Imagine Miami, FSU, or Florida with all of the state of Florida's talent (essentially) to themselves. Those teams have to compete for Florida's talent with not only each other but with Georgia, Auburn etc...

Mack has effectively sewn up the state of Texas. Given the talent he recruited last year and this year, it's not hard to believe that Texas will be very, very good for a long time.

There are kids in the 2008 class who are already banging down the door to get to Austin.

Again, I'm not saying that this is the way it WILL be, just the way that I think that it most likely will be.

[FaninAma]

DWP, now you're just being stupid. What advantage does Texas have now that they haven't always had? They've always been the primier program in Texas with their choice of talent yet you went over 35 years without a title.

You can't sign all of the talent out of Texas. Texas will always get their share of talent. You still have to have the coaches to coach them.

Now, if you are telling me that Texas has been historically one of the most underachieving progams in the country over the last 50 years then I might just agree with you.

[salth2o]

That back way avoiding I-30 is the bomb
Lid...which route would that be?

[Dances with Possums]

What advantage does Texas have now that they haven't always had?


A coach who can recruit like nobody's business coupled with a very weak recruiter over at A&M.

[FaninAma]

Lid...which route would that be?

Northwest Highway and Loop 12 then you come up from the east side of the fair.

DWP, there'sone other little concept you need to wrap your mind around.....scholarship limits.
This isn't 1970. There will be years whan you have busts and recruits don't live up to the hype. Then the scholarship limit comes up and bites you in the butt. Besides the coaching staff turnover, OU has been hurt by hyped recruits washing out or not qualifying. Our 2002 and 2003 recruiting classes have come up short of their hype. It will happen to the horns, also.

[FaninAma]

A coach who can recruit like nobody's business coupled with a very weak recruiter over at A&M.

How old are you? I can remember when TAMU sucked as bad or worse than they do now and Texas had 40 scholarships to give away yet you still couldn't win any titles in the 70's or 80's.

You haven't even tried to rebut my contention that Mack's always been able to recruit but didn't reach the level he's at now until the whorn's started raiding the coaching staffs at Auburn and other programs. Plus, UT has actually done better with lower ranked recruiting classes. The difference? Better assistant coaches.

[FaninAma]

DWP, still the same old "Hit and Run" poster.Get back to me next year when UT is working with a retooled OL, DL and defensive backfield and Chizick is gone.

If UT is still riding high then I may begin to give your arguement some credence.

[Sooner Eclipse]

Again, the situations are not analogous. Imagine Miami, FSU, or Florida with all of the state of Florida's talent (essentially) to themselves. Those teams have to compete for Florida's talent with not only each other but with Georgia, Auburn etc...

Mack has effectively sewn up the state of Texas. Given the talent he recruited last year and this year, it's not hard to believe that Texas will be very, very good for a long time.

There are kids in the 2008 class who are already banging down the door to get to Austin.

Again, I'm not saying that this is the way it WILL be, just the way that I think that it most likely will be.

Football is cyclical, and this is the exact same crap you idiots were spewing in 98 and 99. :texan:Texas, we're arrogance.:texan:

[Dances with Possums]

DWP, still the same old "Hit and Run" poster.


Hilarious. I went out on a training ride on my bicycle with my outrageously beautiful girlfriend. It was a fantastic day, weatherwise, here in Austin. Or had you convinced yourself that I would hang out at my computer all day, breathlessly awaiting your next post?

I stand by my statement, by the way. What we have now that we didn't have for most of the preceding 35 years is an incredible recruiter and a weak recruiter over at A&M.

Your statement, that you can remember when "TAMU sucked as bad or worse than they do now and Texas had 40 scholarships to give away" doesn't contradict that at all, Faninama.

[footballfanatic]

Again, the situations are not analogous. Imagine Miami, FSU, or Florida with all of the state of Florida's talent (essentially) to themselves. Those teams have to compete for Florida's talent with not only each other but with Georgia, Auburn etc...

Mack has effectively sewn up the state of Texas. Given the talent he recruited last year and this year, it's not hard to believe that Texas will be very, very good for a long time.

There are kids in the 2008 class who are already banging down the door to get to Austin.

Again, I'm not saying that this is the way it WILL be, just the way that I think that it most likely will be.

Mack Brown has not sewn up the state. Not even close. AD, Mizzou QB, plus the QB at Georgia, plus a lost star tailback to USC. That's not quite sewing up the state, IMO.

[colleyvillesooner]

Mack Brown has not sewn up the state. Not even close. AD, Mizzou QB, plus the QB at Georgia, plus a lost star tailback to USC. That's not quite sewing up the state, IMO.

Ho-lee ****, a rational, logical horn fan, who da thunk it? ;)

[OKC-SLC]

Lid, congrats on the win. Sounds like you had a good time, and I can only hope that your lunch date on friday cost you an arm and a leg, even if only $2 at a time (heh).

DWP, I suppose I will congratulate you on the win as well. But please don't forget that only 11 kids get on the field at a time, and even the high school kids from texas (as high, mighty, and supreme as they are) know this.

You're starting to sound like whoever the whorn was on the Kasey Studdard thread with the 'obscene' talent, etc.

[GottaHavePride]

Lid, congrats on the win. Sounds like you had a good time, and I can only hope that your lunch date on friday cost you an arm and a leg, even if only $2 at a time (heh).

DWP, I suppose I will congratulate you on the win as well. But please don't forget that only 11 kids get on the field at a time, and even the high school kids from texas (as high, mighty, and supreme as they are) know this.

You're starting to sound like whoever the whorn was on the Kasey Studdard thread with the 'obscene' talent, etc.


Woot!

http://www.bondjournal.com/images/VisitingFriends.jpg

[FaninAma]

DWP, you're the worst type of hooorn fan. You only show up when the horns win. We never see you're sorry *** around here when they lose.

BTW, what sex is you "girlfriend"? I'm guessing it might require a DNA test to know for sure.

****ing loser.

[OKC-SLC]

Woot!

http://www.bondjournal.com/images/VisitingFriends.jpg
you're so money and you don't even know it.

[horninokc]

DWP, you're the worst type of hooorn fan. You only show up when the horns win. We never see you're sorry *** around here when they lose.

BTW, what sex is you "girlfriend"? I'm guessing it might require a DNA test to know for sure.

****ing loser.

Another brilliant post from FaninAma. His girlfriend is relevant....how? That's how you can tell when someone has truly reached the bottom searching for a response. As for me, I just need to decide on my best entry when I go back to work Tuesday (for OU, as you remember). I'm searching for that delicate balance between irritating the hell out of the sooners (less than half the instructors) and getting fired for being obnoxious. I'm leaning towards just wearing a Texas national championship dress shirt and letting my grin do all the talking. That should work.

[Octavian]

which department do you work for?

[FaninAma]

HorninOKC,

DWP is the one who brought his girlfriend into the conversation.

And if you're trying to tell us the true reason you post on this board is not just to irritate the Sooner regulars here then you're a lying bastard. Which is it?

[horninokc]

HorninOKC,

DWP is the one who brought his girlfriend into the conversation.

And if you're trying to tell us the true reason you post on this board is not just to irritate the Sooner regulars here then you're a lying bastard. Which is it?

I never said that was not one of the pleasures coming over here. Usually I try to keep it light and just mildly taunting back and forth. Every now and then I can have a truly intelligent exchange with one of your sooner brethren and that is pretty cool. Unfortunately, I realize the possibility of me or anyone else ever having one of those exchanges with you is nill.

Now, I must go to the SWA website so I can print my boarding pass for my flight back to OKC tomorrow. Can't wait to get back amongst you folks.

BTW, you noticed your plea for sooner fans to not abandon the cotton bowl when things turned bad was pretty much ignored, I assume.

And thanks for another patent FaninAma post.

[Octavian]

I never said that was not one of the pleasures coming over here. Usually I try to keep it light and just mildly taunting back and forth. Every now and then I can have a truly intelligent exchange with one of your sooner brethren and that is pretty cool. Unfortunately, I realize the possibility of me or anyone else ever having one of those exchanges with you is nill.

Now, I must go to the SWA website so I can print my boarding pass for my flight back to OKC tomorrow. Can't wait to get back amongst you folks.

BTW, you noticed your plea for sooner fans to not abandon the cotton bowl when things turned bad was pretty much ignored, I assume.

And thanks for another patent FaninAma post.

which department do you work for?

[OldGuyinStudentSection]

I see a Texas squad that loses its 3 best OL, starting TE, 2 NFL first day DE's, possibly their best DT and 3/4 of the secondary.

I see OU returning its 4 best OL, all WR's and TE's, all DT's and all of the secondary.

Perception is reality. My perception of yesterday's game is that OU outgained Texas by 100yds and without penalties and turnovers would have won the game. Kudos to Texas on the victory, but there was nothing in the game yesterday to indicate that a huge shift has taken place in the Big XII or that there is a talent disparity between the two programs.

[crawfish]

I see a Texas squad that loses its 3 best OL, starting TE, 2 NFL first day DE's, possibly their best DT and 3/4 of the secondary.

I see OU returning its 4 best OL, all WR's and TE's, all DT's and all of the secondary.

Perception is reality. My perception of yesterday's game is that OU outgained Texas by 100yds and without penalties and turnovers would have won the game. Kudos to Texas on the victory, but there was nothing in the game yesterday to indicate that a huge shift has taken place in the Big XII or that there is a talent disparity between the two programs.

I agree with this. The difference between us winning and losing was probably a few better-thrown passes. Our receivers were wide-open all day long and PT had time to pass...too many times they were thrown where either the defense could disrupt it or the reciever had to stop/slow down to get the ball.

[Soonerus]

Go check the Texas record book and see how many games they have won with just 232 yards, let alone win by 18 points...lucky......

[TexasLidig8r]

I see a Texas squad that loses its 3 best OL, starting TE, 2 NFL first day DE's, possibly their best DT and 3/4 of the secondary.

I see OU returning its 4 best OL, all WR's and TE's, all DT's and all of the secondary.

Perception is reality. My perception of yesterday's game is that OU outgained Texas by 100yds and without penalties and turnovers would have won the game. Kudos to Texas on the victory, but there was nothing in the game yesterday to indicate that a huge shift has taken place in the Big XII or that there is a talent disparity between the two programs.

Neal Tweedie is merely serviceable at best at TE. His back up is a better athlete and with another year under his belt, will be an improvement.

On the offensive line, Mack and McWhorter play back ups quite a bit and have a regular rotation. Whereas the 3 OL will certainly be missed, the reserves this year, who will be starters next year, will have significant game experience.

The DEs will be missed... although Orakpo is getting significant playing time and in fact, has even started a few games and the best HS DE last year is on the depth chart this year.

Secondary will be an issue next year with Aaron Ross, T. Brown and Mi. Griffin being gone. Perhaps that is why the younger DBs are being rotated in during every game as well. And quite frankly, with our secondary play be spotty at best this year, how much of a drop off will there be?

All WRs back... running backs, except Selvin Young back, depth at QB. This year is in essence, a mini-rebuilding year for us.

[colleyvillesooner]

Secondary will be an issue next year with Aaron Ross, T. Brown and Mi. Griffin being gone. Perhaps that is why the younger DBs are being rotated in during every game as well. And quite frankly, with our secondary play be spotty at best this year, how much of a drop off will there be?


Well, since the guys backing the starts up are presumably not as good (or they would be on the field) I'd say the drop off could be bigger than you think. :D