2010 College Football Thread...

[Sandy]

As previous OU bowl history has shown, such as Boise State and West Virginia, the Sooners aren't a sure thing in this one either.

Arizona had some real struggles toward the end of their season, losing some key players in the Stanford game, and then losing two of their last three by a missed field goal. They ought to be healthy by the time the Alamo Bowl rolls around, and that ought to be a close, exciting matchup.

[T. D. Webb]

As previous OU bowl history has shown, such as Boise State and West Virginia, the Sooners aren't a sure thing in this one either.

Arizona had some real struggles toward the end of their season, losing some key players in the Stanford game, and then losing two of their last three by a missed field goal. They ought to be healthy by the time the Alamo Bowl rolls around, and that ought to be a close, exciting matchup.

Sandy, you are kerrect, and the Sooners can't take U. Conn. for granted (Your reminder of OU's nightmare games with the Bronchos and the Mountaineers is soooo on point. . . ), especially since Kevin Wilson is exiting to be Indiana's Head Coach. I agree that If both the Cowboys (Blackmon, in particular) and the Wildcats are healthy, the Alamo Bowl should be closely contested. Both games will be fun to watch, and may the best teams win!

[David Flick]

I'm excited for the Pokes to get the Wildcats for a bowl opponent. It looks as though the OkState came out on top with the bowl picks for Oklahoma teams. They'll get to play a real football team whereas the poor sooners will get a cupcake in their bowl game.

Well, William's "favorite Okie" finally came out of hiding and bravely claims excitement that his Pokes, who came up short once again against the Oklahoma Sooners two weeks ago, have the advantage of the "poor Sooners" in bowl opponents. Let's see: Whereas Arizona has lost its last 4 games of the season, is 7th in its conference, and is not ranked in the top 25 of any national poll with its 7-5 record this year, Connecticut has won 5 straight games and defeated both teams (West Virginia and Pittsburg) with which it tied for the Big East Championship in an 8-4 year. . .and is ranked #25 in the AP poll. Moral Question: If Connecticut is a "cupcake", does that make Arizona a "twinkie"?

My fellow Okie has on at least four occasions has admitted that he barely graduated from the 3rd grade but was an honor student in the 2nd grade (here, here, here, & here). I would like to ask him a simple third-grade level question. Q: Has my fellow Okie taken the time to compare the strength of the two conferences from which the opponents of the two Oklahoma teams (Connecticut & Arizona) come??

Let's examine the strength of the two conferences (Big East & Pac 10) on the 3rd grade level. First let us examine the Big East Conference. The Big East Conference has but one ranked team in ranked in the final BCS poll (#22 West Virginia). Connecticut, the Big East Conference champion, did not even make the top 25 in the BCS poll.

Looking up and down the list, the Big East Conference is mostly a bunch of nobodies in NCAA football. Credit West Virginia for being sort of a "somebody" in the scheme of things, but the Big East Conf. is a basketball conference rather than a football conference. While Connecticut (8-4) did win the right to represent the Big East in the BCS Championship series by defeating West Virginia (9-3), they are far from being the strongest team in said conference. UConn is still a small cupcake that barely squeaked into BCS series. Most 7th graders know that the Big East Conference is a 97-pound weakling trying to swim with the big boys. To my knowledge, the Big East Conference has never produced a National champion in football. Is the Big East a strong conference? Hardly... Only a sooner fan who barely graduated 3rd grade might conclude such.

As Dave Ruthenberg, sports writer for the Enid News & Eagle (the newspaper for whom I work) posted an opinion piece about OU's upcoming bowl, "UConn is the biggest New Year’s Day fraud since the advent of New Year’s resolutions." I can't improve on Dave's commentary, which, in part, was the following:

... But what about the Sooners’ opponent, the Connecticut Huskies?

The Huskies, who finished 8-4 overall this season and aren’t even ranked in the final regular season BCS standings, earned their way into the Fiesta Bowl opposite the Sooners by emerging as champions of the Big (L)East, a conference that somehow maintains its status as an AQ, by defeating South Florida 19-16 on a last-second field goal.

The Huskies’ season resume hardly seems worthy of a New Year’s Day bowl appearance. Along their way to finishing 8-4, the Huskies were soundly defeated (30-10) by a mediocre Michigan squad; lost to Temple – a team that finished with an identical 8-4 record but has to sit home this bowl season due to not being part of the anointed class – by two touchdowns (30-16); lost 27-24 to Rutgers for Rutgers’ only conference win of the year and were shutout 26-0 by 6-6 Louisville.

Two of the Huskies’ wins this year came against those noted football powerhouses Eastern Kentucky and Arkansas State. All of which makes UConn the biggest New Year’s Day fraud since the advent of New Year’s resolutions.

This doesn’t portend well for the Sooners who are in a tough spot with this game.

A blowout win only confirms UConn did not belong, a close win, as much as an OU loss, would be considered victories for UConn. There really is nothing to gain for the Sooners in this contest.

For OU, the Fiesta Bowl is really the Can’t Win Bowl. No matter the outcome, the Sooners are not likely to garner much positive out of this contrived matchup.

Now for a look at the Pac 10 Conference. Strength of the conference is not in question. Examining the teams in the west coast conference, one will observe very strong teams up and down the list. The Pac 10 Conference is loaded with schools who have a long history producing Heisman Trophies and National Champions in football. Most of the cellar dwellers in the Pac 10 could beat the snot out of UConn. Oregon, which won the Pac 10 this year and is ranked 2nd in the BCS, is most likely the next National Champion. In fact, Arizona, OSU's bowl opponent, could easily beat UConn. No question about it...

When it comes to comparing the strength of the two conferences, there's really no question which is the stronger. So to my fellow Okie (who barely graduated from 3rd grade), William's favorite Okie (who went from 4th grade to 5th on probation and gained steam thereafter, finally reaching a terminal degree in ministry), declares UConn may well be a tiny twinky rather than a small cupcake. Bottom line is that the Pokes face a much stronger opponent than the poor sooners in this year's bowl season. No question about it... Not debatable...

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Says who that Flick can't talk trash with the best of them?...

[T. D. Webb]

My fellow Okie has on at least four occasions has admitted that he barely graduated from the 3rd grade but was an honor student in the 2nd grade. I would like to ask him a simple third-grade level question. Q: Has my fellow Okie taken the time to compare the strength of the two conferences from which the opponents of the two Oklahoma teams (Connecticut & Arizona) come??

When it comes to comparing the strength of the two conferences, there's really no question which is the stronger. So to my fellow Okie (who barely graduated from 3rd grade), William's favorite Okie (who went from 4th grade to 5th on probation and gained steam thereafter, finally reaching a terminal degree in ministry), declares UConn may well be a tiny twinky rather than a small cupcake. Bottom line is that the Pokes face a much stronger opponent than the poor sooners in this year's bowl season. No question about it... Not debatable...

David, it is with indescribable fear and trepidation that this Okie would so much as even attempt to refute your "salient" trash arguments (though, as refuse, one wonders from what kind of "dump" they were retrieved. . . ). Moreover, it could be credibly asserted that to further submit my primary school education resume to the withering blasts of condescension from a person whose higher education credentials are impeccable. . .is foolhardy, at best. Nevertheless, our intellectual hero from Enid engages this semi-literate Okie in requesting an answer to what is defined by the Enid prodigy as a "3rd grade level question". The short answer to your query, David, is . . . . . "Yes". However, there is an "infinitesimally minor detail of fact" that appears to matter little with you, David. In short, the bowl games to which we are referring will not be the case of any "conference" taking the field. Rather, it will be the teams in question who will validate our respective positions, or conversely invalidate our constitutionally protected opinions as just so much garbage. Therefore, the respective teams of young men will, themselves, be the "proof of the pudding" . . . just as it was the last 8 times your Pokes faced the Sooners with the Cowboys going down to defeat in 7 of those 8 clashes. One with significantly fewer logical faculties than you possess might even pause and question the strained rationale you propound . . . especially when said assertion is followed by the revelation of such prideful self-acclamation and bravado displayed in the comment, "Says who that Flick can't talk trash with the best of them?... " David, one cannot say with any confidence that you suffer from lack of self-esteem. . .especially when such a statement comes from one who appears to be challenged in even spelling the word, "twinkie", correctly.

[Chris]

Yes. It's embarrassing that OU has drawn Connecticut (ranked #54 by Sagarin). That game isn't worth watching. I've never considered the Fiesta Bowl a legit bowl anyway (a johnny-come-lately). There are far too many bowl games....a result of GREED on the part of TV networks.

The post season should be a pool of only eight teams *** picked by a computer program.....no human voting by coaches or sportswriters. First weekend: 4 games; second weekend: 2 games; third weekend: one game for all the marbles. All seven games would get tremendous ratings. For the seven sites, use Pasadena, Miami, New Orleans, Dallas, Jacksonville, Atlanta, and one rotating site. Alternate the championship game between those 7 cities.

Go Oregon!

***This puts Notre Dame (the sportswriters' and TV networks' favorite team) on an equal level with everybody else.

[David Flick]

David, it is with indescribable fear and trepidation that this Okie would so much as even attempt to refute your "salient" trash arguments (though, as refuse, one wonders from what kind of "dump" they were retrieved. . . ). Moreover, it could be credibly asserted that to further submit my primary school education resume to the withering blasts of condescension from a person whose higher education credentials are impeccable. . .is foolhardy, at best. Nevertheless, our intellectual hero from Enid engages this semi-literate Okie in requesting an answer to what is defined by the Enid prodigy as a "3rd grade level question". The short answer to your query, David, is . . . . . "Yes". However, there is an "infinitesimally minor detail of fact" that appears to matter little with you, David. In short, the bowl games to which we are referring will not be the case of any "conference" taking the field. Rather, it will be the teams in question who will validate our respective positions, or conversely invalidate our constitutionally protected opinions as just so much garbage. Therefore, the respective teams of young men will, themselves, be the "proof of the pudding" . . . just as it was the last 8 times your Pokes faced the Sooners with the Cowboys going down to defeat in 7 of those 8 clashes. One with significantly fewer logical faculties than you possess might even pause and question the strained rationale you propound . . . especially when said assertion is followed by the revelation of such prideful self-acclamation and bravado displayed in the comment, "Says who that Flick can't talk trash with the best of them?... " David, one cannot say with any confidence that you suffer from lack of self-esteem. . .especially when such a statement comes from one who appears to be challenged in even spelling the word, "twinkie", correctly.

Ah, Tom, you missed my point. Probably that 3rd grade thing. I was talking about UConn being an insignificant nobody in college football. You know, like,

"Twinky twinky little star.
How I wonder what UConn are.
Twinky, twinky, little star
Down below the big boys oh so far..."

[Blake]

The post season should be a pool of only eight teams *** picked by a computer program.....no human voting by coaches or sportswriters. First weekend: 4 games; second weekend: 2 games; third weekend: one game for all the marbles. All seven games would get tremendous ratings.

All seven games probably would not get tremendous ratings because they could come from a very small set of locales. Also, I doubt people would be as inclined to watch a game that was picked by computers. There's something to arguing with fans and sports writers that furthers the passion and pageantry of college football. Besides, the algorithms needed to get accurate results of games are incredibly difficult to impossible. How do you quantify how worked up a team is to win the game they are about to play? How do you take into account how much individual players contribute or don't contribute if serving suspension or is injured? How does changes in momentum during the game get accounted for? What about the level of difficulty playing in front of certain crowds can bring? All of these matter during the game and I doubt any computer can incorporate these nuances accurately or fairly. I prefer at least a 16 team playoff akin to what Yahoo writers have been suggesting.

For the seven sites, use Pasadena, Miami, New Orleans, Dallas, Jacksonville, Atlanta, and one rotating site. Alternate the championship game between those 7 cities.

How about no. You obviously think a computer can more fairly pick teams but want to favor Southern crowd attendance? Locations need to be reconsidered in bowl season. They should do this one of two ways. They can either match up the teams and find a stadium that is as close to the middle between the two teams home stadiums that could handle the crowd and play there. Or they can figure out what percentage of all the teams are from north of the IA-MO border (the truest North-South differentiator) and make sure at least half of those teams get to play on their side of that border.

[Sandy]

I think all the talk about one conference being strong from top to bottom, and another being weaker is a bunch of hooey. The Big East is a smaller conference, usually anchored in football by West Virginia, Pitt and sometimes Louisville or Cincinnati. But, their BCS deal was negotiated, and the contract signed, when Virginia Tech, Miami and Boston College were members. Head to head, taking the top three Big East teams and placing them againt the top three Big 12 teams, it would be an even match this year. And there's always the head to head matchup, when the Mountaineers turned out to have a bigger gun than the boomer Sooners did.

The SEC is also an inflated propaganda balloon. The conference is full of cupcake teams. Usually, there's one tough team in the east, and a couple of schools duking it out in the west but this year, even Alabama was a weak sister, and South Carolina was pitiful. They earn their reputation because most of the bowl games their teams get are in their own back yard and its like having home games nearby. That's why they do well in bowl season, and their reputation carries them along at other times.

OU traditionally hasn't done well in the Fiesta Bowl, even from their first appearances there. I think they need to keep their heads on straight if they're going to beat UConn.

[T. D. Webb]

Flicker, Flicker

Flicker, Flicker football cheers,
Bill’s Okie fav is fickle,
Loves his Pokes, but Sooners jeers,
Dave’s sorta’ in a pickle.

You see his Cowboys lost again,
Sending Flick a stressing,
Changed subject’s name, if not the game
Instead of just confessing,

His Aggies didn’t make the grade,
Despite Boone Pickens’ spending,
He bought the house, the bills he paid,
And still they are not winning,

“Bedlam's” gone beyond his grasp,
Poor David whines in sadness,
With moans and groans, and futile gasp,
While Sooners bask in gladness!

Boomer Sooner! ! !
Big XII Champions, 2010

[Chris]

I doubt people would be as inclined to watch a game that was picked by computers.

It has to be that way to be fair. People aren't objective (especially coaches). Computers are objective.

How do you quantify how worked up a team is to win the game they are about to play? How do you take into account how much individual players contribute or don't contribute if serving suspension or is injured? How does changes in momentum during the game get accounted for? What about the level of difficulty playing in front of certain crowds can bring? All of these matter during the game and I doubt any computer can incorporate these nuances accurately or fairly.

I can't think of many things less important than the four you mentioned above. "Certain crowds" -- are you kidding? Momentum should be left out of it. Otherwise the games at the beginning of the season don't mean as much as games at the end.

How about no. You obviously think a computer can more fairly pick teams but want to favor Southern crowd attendance?

Northern locations. Detroit and Minneapolis have domes. They could be considered. BUT NOT TODAY! I picked the locations of the oldest bowl games (for tradition sake). They just happen to be in the south, because it's still warm there in January.

They can either match up the teams and find a stadium that is as close to the middle between the two teams home stadiums that could handle the crowd and play there.

We wouldn't know which teams are playing until the second week of December. The sites would have to be picked long before that so that the hotels could jack up their prices. And this has nothing to do with "border" rivalries. Where did THAT idea come from? Never mind. I don't want to know.

[Chris]

And another thing! Must we have rock concerts and country concerts at half-time?. Let the music fans go to their events and the football fans go to/watch their events. The two don't mix.

The thinking at FOX, NBC, CBS, ESPN is that "we're going for the younger audience." That's who Toyota wants to sell cars to. then let Toyota buy air time in a Janet Jackson concert. The half time show at the Super Bowl and Orange Bowl often lasts as long as the first quarter did.

I lose interest in the game if the half-time show is still on when I get back from the bathroom.

Football is football. Rock is rock. Don't mix 'em.

[Blake]

It has to be that way to be fair. People aren't objective (especially coaches). Computers are objective.

Football is kind of like art. You can only tell the best teams through a kind of connoissership. TCU supposedly has the best defense in the country, but they play pansy teams most of the season. I have no doubt that they may have a top 15 maybe top 10 defense, but I bet they are more like Ohio State than not. In which case the Badgers will run right through them. Numbers can't tell everything. Computers are only as "objective" as the programmer designs the algorithm to be.

I can't think of many things less important than the four you mentioned above. "Certain crowds" -- are you kidding? Momentum should be left out of it. Otherwise the games at the beginning of the season don't mean as much as games at the end.

Are you really a college football fan or do you just dabble and argue to pass the time? I can't think of many factors that are greater deciders in a game. I knew for a fact Iowa was going to beat Michigan State this year. Not because Iowa is the better team, but because Iowa is good enough and in this case motivated enough to not lose two in a row at home. Motivation had everything in the world to do with that win. Motivation has everything in the world to do why AA teams occasionally beat A teams.

Northern locations. Detroit and Minneapolis have domes. They could be considered. BUT NOT TODAY! I picked the locations of the oldest bowl games (for tradition sake). They just happen to be in the south, because it's still warm there in January.

Tradition is overrated. Tradition is why the system is unfair and biased. Screw the domed stadiums. Big Ten football got the reputation for big, slow, physical football because we play in different weather conditions. You've got to be big and physical to play and succeed in the dead of winter during a blizzard. The SEC teams wouldn't stand a chance against even our mediocre teams if they had to play a bowl at Lambeau in January. I don't consider it to be proper football weather until there's at least four inches of snow on the field.

And this has nothing to do with "border" rivalries. Where did THAT idea come from? Never mind. I don't want to know.

I'm not talking about border rivalries. I'm talking about the kind of crowds that attend the games. Southern crowds are different from Northern crowds. Teams from the North should have equal opportunity to have a majority of their kind of people at the game than what the Southerners get. You want to be fair and objective but your unwilling to be empirical in every aspect of the game. Crowds provide team motivation and can help swing the momentum. You don't believe me, but probably wouldn't be willing to send Alabama, Florida and Arkansas north to play at Michigan State, Penn State and Ohio State, respectively. If the crowds don't matter then there is no good reason why we shouldn't be playing in the North to begin with.

[Blake]

And another thing! Must we have rock concerts and country concerts at half-time?. Let the music fans go to their events and the football fans go to/watch their events. The two don't mix.

The thinking at FOX, NBC, CBS, ESPN is that "we're going for the younger audience." That's who Toyota wants to sell cars to. then let Toyota buy air time in a Janet Jackson concert. The half time show at the Super Bowl and Orange Bowl often lasts as long as the first quarter did.

I lose interest in the game if the half-time show is still on when I get back from the bathroom.

Football is football. Rock is rock. Don't mix 'em.

AMEN!!

[William Thornton]

Congratulations to My Favorite Okie, and Favorite Cowboy, David Flick on his team's thrashing of their bowl opponent: Oklahoma State 36 - Arizona 10.

In his honor, I'll even resurrect last year's nifty photo of David in his spiffy OSU shirt and hat holding a hapless bulldawg:

[T. D. Webb]

This Okie also sends congrats to OSU for the win over a lackluster Arizona kitten team that had the lead on Oregon at the end of the first half during the regular season. While anything can happen in a bowl game, it looks like Auburn has a good chance of dining on roasted Ducks in the BCS Championship Bowl. One wonders if Oregon is insured by AFLAC

[Stephen Fox]

Eventually:

http://www.goupstate.com/article/201012 ... /101239998

I know the difference between football and Basketball, but didn't want to start a new thread.

Meanwhile, I cannot believe Dr. Flick hasn't made a comment about the ESPN 30/30 documentary about Marcus Dupree who kept Barry Switzer on the map fall of 1982.

[Sandy]

This Okie also sends congrats to OSU for the win over a lackluster Arizona kitten team that had the lead on Oregon at the end of the first half during the regular season. While anything can happen in a bowl game, it looks like Auburn has a good chance of dining on roasted Ducks in the BCS Championship Bowl. One wonders if Oregon is insured by AFLAC

I don't think the Arizona-Oregon game, and the Alamo Bowl last night can be compared as apples to oranges, so to speak. When Arizona played Oregon, they were only missing one offensive starter, and no defensive starters. Injuries in that game, and in two games following, depleted their offensive firepower. They lost two starting wide receivers, two starting running backs, and the starting QB was out for at least two games. They also lost three starting defensive linemen. OSU played a great game, and I'm not taking away anything from that. I did notice that Arizona had Nic Grigsby back, first time since Oregon, but the Wildcat team that faced OSU last night had been through an awful lot since it played Oregon.

And in addition to that, OSU is a program that has consistently improved since Mike Gundy's been there, and a BCS bowl and Big 12 (or whatever it will be called now) championship may well be right around the corner for them. Mike Stoops is doing the same at Arizona, but they're not quite as far along.

This particular Oregon team, aside from being the best one they've ever put on the field, is the result of a dozen years of hard work. I don't think Auburn will be able to keep up the scoring to stay on the field with them. Actually, head to head, I think OSU might give Auburn a run for its money. Oregon is head and shoulders above that.

[T. D. Webb]

I don't think the Arizona-Oregon game, and the Alamo Bowl last night can be compared as apples to oranges, so to speak. When Arizona played Oregon, they were only missing one offensive starter, and no defensive starters. Injuries in that game, and in two games following, depleted their offensive firepower. They lost two starting wide receivers, two starting running backs, and the starting QB was out for at least two games. They also lost three starting defensive linemen. OSU played a great game, and I'm not taking away anything from that. I did notice that Arizona had Nic Grigsby back, first time since Oregon, but the Wildcat team that faced OSU last night had been through an awful lot since it played Oregon.

Sandy, you are correct that it could be an "apple to oranges" situation in comparing the two games, but one wonders how long it will take for the Arizona players to recover from their injuries. They have not played a game in just about a month, and OSU had several injured players as well, and others not playing up to their potential (Blackmon, for one) due to injuries. Most of the Arizona troubles stemmed from mistakes (quarterback - receiver timing problems) and turnovers (fumbled punt, interceptions, etc.) rather than lack of physical conditioning. They actually outgained the Cowboys in first half yardage. I wish Mike Stoops and Arizona the very best in the future. That said, the rumor around these parts is that Stoop's tenure as Head Coach at Arizona is in jeopardy. I hope not, because I think he is building a creditable program there.

[Ed Pettibone]

Congratulations David. we where wondering if you made it to the game.

Tomorrow we will be watching So. Florida and Clemson. According to the national polls Clemson is the fans favorite. We are kicking our selves for not planing to go to Charlotte.

[Sandy]

I don't think the Arizona-Oregon game, and the Alamo Bowl last night can be compared as apples to oranges, so to speak. When Arizona played Oregon, they were only missing one offensive starter, and no defensive starters. Injuries in that game, and in two games following, depleted their offensive firepower. They lost two starting wide receivers, two starting running backs, and the starting QB was out for at least two games. They also lost three starting defensive linemen. OSU played a great game, and I'm not taking away anything from that. I did notice that Arizona had Nic Grigsby back, first time since Oregon, but the Wildcat team that faced OSU last night had been through an awful lot since it played Oregon.

Sandy, you are correct that it could be an "apple to oranges" situation in comparing the two games, but one wonders how long it will take for the Arizona players to recover from their injuries. They have not played a game in just about a month, and OSU had several injured players as well, and others not playing up to their potential (Blackmon, for one) due to injuries. Most of the Arizona troubles stemmed from mistakes (quarterback - receiver timing problems) and turnovers (fumbled punt, interceptions, etc.) rather than lack of physical conditioning. They actually outgained the Cowboys in first half yardage. I wish Mike Stoops and Arizona the very best in the future. That said, the rumor around these parts is that Stoop's tenure as Head Coach at Arizona is in jeopardy. I hope not, because I think he is building a creditable program there.

I don't think Mike Stoops' tenure at Arizona is in any particular jeopardy at this particular point. I think there might be some staff changes, though several of his key coaches have been raided by other schools over the past couple of seasons. This season was his second with "his" recruits, having finished 8-5 last year, and having been in bowl games each of the past three seasons. When he arrived at Arizona, the program was reeling. Dick Toomey took them to an 11-1 record and a #2 national ranking in 1999, got a huge raise and a contract renewal, and produced nothing after that. They made the gigantic mistake of hiring John Mackovic as his replacement, and that was the low point of the program. When he left, they didn't even have a full compliment of scholarship players. Stoops basically has had to rebuilt the whole program bottom up. He's come a long way, given where football was when he got there. The goals were simple--bowl games, season and ticket sale increases, revenue increases and winning seasons, and lay the foundation for BCS runs and Pac-10 titles. They've basically sold out a 60,000 seat house for three years now, doubled the season ticket sales, been to three bowls and had three winning seasons in a row. In addition, he's 4-2 against Arizona State, the hated rival, has a win against USC under his belt and has beaten the Ducks three times. The Zona Zoo, which is the student ticket section, leads the nation in student ticket sales, and puts 15,000 screaming students in the sections immediately behind the visitor's bench. The atmosphere at Arizona football games is not unlike what you would experience in Norman, and he's two years into contract renewal at a salary not many dollars under his brother Bob, so I don't think he's in any real danger in Tucson at the moment.

[Ed Pettibone]

Congratulations Syracuse! Big East is now 2 for 3

Although I was yelling for Syracuse, I thought the 15 yard penalty for excessive celebration assessed to Kansas on their last touchdown, was in itself excessive.

[T. D. Webb]

That's good news, Sandy. Thanks for the heads-up on Stoop's status. Happy New Year and God bless!

[KeithE]

Congratulations Syracuse! Big East is now 2 for 3

Although I was yelling for Syracuse, I thought the 15 yard penalty for excessive celebration assessed to Kansas on their last touchdown, was in itself excessive.

I agree Ed. All he did was salute.

[David Flick]

Congratulations to My Favorite Okie, and Favorite Cowboy, David Flick on his team's thrashing of their bowl opponent: Oklahoma State 36 - Arizona 10.

In his honor, I'll even resurrect last year's nifty photo of David in his spiffy OSU shirt and hat holding a hapless bulldawg:

Thanks, William. I didn't get to watch much of the first half of the game due to working at the YMCA. I'm a building supervisor, which is a glorified title for the guy walking around the place maintaining order, i.e. picking up loose towls, checking the doors. I carry a pedometer and cover about 5 miles distance during the 6 hour shift. There are scores of TVs on the various exercise machines and there's a TV in the men's locker room. I carried a small radio and listened the game. But I was home at the beginning of the second half. Indeed it was an enjoyable game for me to watch.

This was a record-setting year in many ways for the Pokes. One that surprised me was that the Pokes had the top offense team in the nation. We were picked to finish at the bottom of the Big XII South and came in tied for the Conference championship. I'd like to see Weeden & Blackmon come back for another year. Most OkState fans think that not going to happen.

Since the middle of May, I've not had a lot of time to devote to BL.Com. Working so many hours at the paper & the Y has limited my time on the computer.
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[David Flick]

Well, I think a first-time meeting is going to occur in Bowl season, under the roof in San Antonio at the Alamo Bowl, looks like my Arizona Wildcats will be meeting up with the Oklahoma State Cowboys. This one might be the better of the Pac-10-Big 12 matchups between a couple of evenly matched teams.

1I know Flick hangs with the Cowboys. OSU will have a chance to beat the other Stoops brother. I'll take Arizona in a squeeker.

2I'm excited for the Pokes to get the Wildcats for a bowl opponent. It looks as though the OkState came out on top with the bowl picks for Oklahoma teams. They'll get to play a real football team whereas the poor sooners will get a cupcake in their bowl game.

1) Wasn't a squeaker after all. (Oklahoma State - 36; Arizona - 10)

2) Been watching bowl games all day long. For me the best game of the day was the Rose Bowl. TCU hanging on to defeat Wisconsin a squeaker. It was a classic among Rose Bowl games (TCU 21, Wisconsin 19).

10 minutes to in the 3rd quarter and Oklahoma leads UConn 34-10. Very boring game. Sooners can score at will and should double or triple the score on the hapless Huskies. It's like watching a college team play a high school team... Sorry, Tom, but UConn isn't even half as good a team as was Arizona. Gonna go watch the Oklahoma City Thunder play the San Antonio Spurs on channel 37. That''ll keep my interest.
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