Last Week: 2-4 ATS 4-2 SU
For the Year: 3-9 (.250) (-$690) ATS 7-5 (.583) SU
What we learned last week: We learned that while we tried to give them credit, Tennessee has a long ways to go before they are back among the nation’s elite. And that starts at the quarterback position. Jonathan Crompton: 93 yards passing, 3 interceptions? Cody Hawkins called, he wants his stat-line back…..We learned that Charlie Weis is probably one of those guys that doesn’t punt in football video games. A lead on the road, your opponent is down, and you let them back in the game by throwing the ball not once, but twice on their final drive, allowing Michigan to keep their time-outs? Are you kidding me? This one goes into the Rich Kotite Hall of Fame of Bad Coaching Decisions. That is a lot of bust……We learned that the national media loves to hear themselves talk. USC beat Ohio State on the road, yes, but that had little to do with Matt Barkley, who looked less that average for a majority of the night, and all to do with Joe McKnight. He’s not a miniature John Elway, not even close. Hell, he might not even be the best quarterback on the team, as Aaron Corp will likely get his shot to start this week after Barkley injured his shoulder Saturday night……We learned that we can forget the Sports Illustrated curse, what about the Oklahoma State curse, as in they can’t handle success? The only thing more disturbing about giving up 500 yards to an albeit good Houston Cougars offense is that you still have Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Texas Tech and others on the schedule……..We learned that Taylor Potts is another good one in a long series of Texas Tech quarterbacks after throwing for 456 yards and 7 touchdowns against Rice. And he easily beats Landry Jones for the best mustache in the Big 12 (see above)…….And finally, we learned that Justin Tucker is the ballsiest punter in the nation.
Anyhow…
“Revenge is for suckers.” – Paul Newman as Henry Gandorff, in The Sting.
You’ve seen it a million times by now. Harrell to Crabtree, one second left on the clock in Lubbock last fall, the Tech fans rushing the field before they even had a chance to kick the extra point, the workers at Jones AT&T Stadium taking down the goalposts before the extra point as well.
That would give Texas their one loss last year, and we all know what happened down the stretch as Oklahoma advanced to the Big 12 Championship game on a tiebreaker, leaving Texas on the outside once again.
One word permeates the landscape of Austin this week as these two teams prepare to meet again Saturday night in Austin. It comes up over and over from Texas fans.
Revenge.
And I am here to say it is all a load of crap. Revenge is overused in the sports world, and believe me, I have found out the hard way.
Revenge for what? Graham Harrell is in Saskatchewan trying to figure out Canadian Football League defenses, while Michael Crabtree is sitting on his rented couch, checking the time on the Rolex he still needs to pay for, waiting for the NFL Sunday Ticket to come on and see who he thinks which guys he thinks he should be making more money than this week. Tech coach Mike Leach is still there, but he was probably inebriated the whole second half and doesn’t remember it anyhow.
And what exactly do we get if we win this game on Saturday? Do we get a chance to go back to December and play Missouri for the Big 12 title and then Florida for the national title? No, we get UTEP next week, win or lose. Nothing wears me out more than seeing a commercial for the two Super Bowl teams meeting the next pre-season and hearing “Team A looks to avenge their Super Bowl loss to Team B, Thursday night on FOX!”
No, Team B is still the world champion. There is nothing that anyone can do about that.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I want to beat Tech by 50 points and send them back to the high plains realizing that they were a one hit wonder that will never have their “best season ever” again. I want Mike Leach to pay his own way for job interviews at other schools again, knowing that he’ll never win the South with Texas and Oklahoma in his way. I want Michael Crabtree to call Deion Sanders and tell everyone why he is worth more money than Matthew Stafford, and then tell Deion about how bad Tech got their ass beat last night and how he’s glad that he’s not there anymore. But that doesn’t have anything to do with last year and a need to exact revenge. It’s just plain dislike for Texas Tech.
Revenge should be left to William Wallace in Braveheart, or for Annie Le’s fiancé at Yale (I would tell the police that they’d better find the bastard before I do or they’re going to have two murders on their hands) or for Ted Kennedy having to share an apartment in the sky with DJ AM and his loud parties.
Because, like the great Henry Gandorff said in The Sting, revenge is for suckers. The only reason that we need to remember last year is because when you allow yourself to falter even once in this system, it allows for outside variables to control your destiny, which we found out the hard way last year.
Of course you don’t have to remind me that in the end, Gandorff wins, gets his revenge for his buddy and rides into the sunset. But it wasn’t the revenge that satisfied Gandorff. It was the winnings.
So the Longhorns need to take care of business on Saturday. And then they need to take care of business against UTEP. And Colorado. And Oklahoma.
Keep doing that, keep winning, and you’ll have something better than revenge. You’ll have redemption.
FACEBOOK NEWS FEED
Tate Forcier has joined the group Ann Arbor Chicks Dig Me.
Tressel-ball and Ohio State Fans are no longer in a relationship.
Ron Prince is smiling his ass off.
Texas College has given up its football program.
Dan Hawkins is thinking about putting my house on the market.
Kanye West wrote on Charlie Weis’s Wall: “I’m gonna let you finish, but the run is really the best play here.”
Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have denied the friend request from Courteney Cox in “Cougars”.
Texas wrote on Serena Williams’s Wall: “We needed you last year in Lubbock.”
The Week That Will Be and Good Picks Against the Spread are no longer in a relationship.
On to the games...
Georgia Tech @ Miami -4.5:
3/14. That’s what Georgia Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt was in last week’s win over Clemson. With two interceptions, so he almost completed more passes to the other team than his own.
But of course Georgia Tech is all about the running game, and last year they ran all over Miami to the tune of 472 yards, as Georgia Tech won that one 41-23 in a game they were leading by 31 going to the fourth quarter.
This one all depends on Jacory Harris, the Miami quarterback. If he’s really the next big thing in college football, then Miami can force Georgia Tech to get out of their game plan. If he struggles, then Georgia Tech likely controls the ball and the game.
I like Georgia Tech’s coaching staff, their running game ability and the fact that they have won four in a row in this series. I also see Miami as an inconsistent bunch who probably has been reading too many of their own headlines the last two weeks.
Georgia Tech 37 Miami 31
ATS – Georgia Tech
SU – Georgia Tech
Tennessee @ Florida -29.5:
Can Monte Kiffin slow down the Florida attack? Probably not. The Volunteers’ defense has been impressive so far this year, only allowing 134.5 yards a game, but Florida is a different animal than UCLA and Western Kentucky.
The Gators have owned this series, winning the last four and seven of the last ten. With Tennessee still learning, and injuries on their offensive line, this one could get ugly, and quick.
Florida 51 Tennessee 10
ATS – Florida
SU – Florida
Georgia @ Arkansas -1:
Arkansas is looking for their first win against Georgia since 1993, but will have to show some more offense to get it done on the road. Georgia’s offense is currently ranked 101st in the nation, which isn’t going to win you many ballgames.
You have to wonder how much Georgia has left in the tank after a tough game in Stillwater and an up and down game against South Carolina last week. Arkansas, meanwhile, was off last week and has been looking forward to this game since spring practice.
It’s dangerous picking against a Mark Richt team on the road in the SEC, but look for a fired up Arkansas team that will be better in its second year under Petrino.
Arkansas 31 Georgia 17
ATS – Arkansas
SU – Arkansas
Tulsa @ Oklahoma -17:
Oklahoma had a nice exhibition game last week to get Landry Jones some real live snaps, but this week they play a Tulsa team that is battle tested and will be amped up to play the big boys in the state.
It is rare that Tulsa has the better quarterback of the two teams, but Texas transfer GJ Kinne has completed 67% of his passes this year, throwing five touchdown passes and has yet to throw an interception in 55 attempts.
Unfortunately for Tulsa, they have beaten two of the weaker teams in the FBS, and due to a weird scheduling quirk, this is also their third road game of the year. Look for Oklahoma to struggle at times, but get the job done rather easily.
Oklahoma 37 Tulsa 14
ATS – Oklahoma
SU – Oklahoma
Nebraska @ Virginia Tech -4:
This is the year that many Nebraska fans are looking to return to the top of the Big 12 North, and so far they have looked the part, beating up on two sisters of the poor in Florida-Atlantic and Arkansas State.
They’ll face a veteran Virginia Tech squad that dominated the Cornhuskers in Lincoln last year, and I look for more of the same here. If Nebraska pulls off the upset here, watch out for them the rest of the way.
Virginia Tech 28 Nebraska 21
ATS – Virginia Tech
SU – Virginia Tech
Texas Tech @ Texas -17.5:
Colt McCoy hasn’t looked as sharp this year compared to last year, but if you look at the numbers, they are comparable.
2009: 51/76 (.671) 650 yards 5 TD 2 INT
2008: 44/58 (.758) 504 yards 7 TD 1 INT
McCoy will need to be his 2008 self to beat Texas Tech if this turns into a shoot-out. But of course, when playing Tech, you’re always more worried about what your defense is going to do.
And while Taylor Potts certainly looks the part of other Texas Tech quarterbacks, throwing for 7 touchdowns against Rice last week, there is a major difference in the offense this year for Tech.
They’re only averaging 46 yards per game on the ground for an average of 2.8 yards per carry.
Graham Harrell was adept at checking into running plays at the line of scrimmage, and Tech doesn’t have the explosive runner that they have had in recent years. If Tech goes against a Will Muschamp defense expecting to be one-dimensional, Taylor Potts might not survive the night.
Mike Leach has lost all four times his teams have played in Austin, allowing 59, 52, 43 and 42 points.
He’ll leave having lost all five tries.
Texas 52 Texas Tech 24
ATS – Texas
SU – Texas
Random Hot Dallas Chick
For entertainment purposes only. Save your money for the Kanye West/Taylor Swift duet CD.
For the Year: 3-9 (.250) (-$690) ATS 7-5 (.583) SU
Anyhow…
“Revenge is for suckers.” – Paul Newman as Henry Gandorff, in The Sting.
You’ve seen it a million times by now. Harrell to Crabtree, one second left on the clock in Lubbock last fall, the Tech fans rushing the field before they even had a chance to kick the extra point, the workers at Jones AT&T Stadium taking down the goalposts before the extra point as well.
That would give Texas their one loss last year, and we all know what happened down the stretch as Oklahoma advanced to the Big 12 Championship game on a tiebreaker, leaving Texas on the outside once again.
One word permeates the landscape of Austin this week as these two teams prepare to meet again Saturday night in Austin. It comes up over and over from Texas fans.
Revenge.
And I am here to say it is all a load of crap. Revenge is overused in the sports world, and believe me, I have found out the hard way.
Revenge for what? Graham Harrell is in Saskatchewan trying to figure out Canadian Football League defenses, while Michael Crabtree is sitting on his rented couch, checking the time on the Rolex he still needs to pay for, waiting for the NFL Sunday Ticket to come on and see who he thinks which guys he thinks he should be making more money than this week. Tech coach Mike Leach is still there, but he was probably inebriated the whole second half and doesn’t remember it anyhow.
And what exactly do we get if we win this game on Saturday? Do we get a chance to go back to December and play Missouri for the Big 12 title and then Florida for the national title? No, we get UTEP next week, win or lose. Nothing wears me out more than seeing a commercial for the two Super Bowl teams meeting the next pre-season and hearing “Team A looks to avenge their Super Bowl loss to Team B, Thursday night on FOX!”
No, Team B is still the world champion. There is nothing that anyone can do about that.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I want to beat Tech by 50 points and send them back to the high plains realizing that they were a one hit wonder that will never have their “best season ever” again. I want Mike Leach to pay his own way for job interviews at other schools again, knowing that he’ll never win the South with Texas and Oklahoma in his way. I want Michael Crabtree to call Deion Sanders and tell everyone why he is worth more money than Matthew Stafford, and then tell Deion about how bad Tech got their ass beat last night and how he’s glad that he’s not there anymore. But that doesn’t have anything to do with last year and a need to exact revenge. It’s just plain dislike for Texas Tech.
Revenge should be left to William Wallace in Braveheart, or for Annie Le’s fiancé at Yale (I would tell the police that they’d better find the bastard before I do or they’re going to have two murders on their hands) or for Ted Kennedy having to share an apartment in the sky with DJ AM and his loud parties.
Because, like the great Henry Gandorff said in The Sting, revenge is for suckers. The only reason that we need to remember last year is because when you allow yourself to falter even once in this system, it allows for outside variables to control your destiny, which we found out the hard way last year.
Of course you don’t have to remind me that in the end, Gandorff wins, gets his revenge for his buddy and rides into the sunset. But it wasn’t the revenge that satisfied Gandorff. It was the winnings.
So the Longhorns need to take care of business on Saturday. And then they need to take care of business against UTEP. And Colorado. And Oklahoma.
Keep doing that, keep winning, and you’ll have something better than revenge. You’ll have redemption.
FACEBOOK NEWS FEED
Tate Forcier has joined the group Ann Arbor Chicks Dig Me.
Tressel-ball and Ohio State Fans are no longer in a relationship.
Ron Prince is smiling his ass off.
Texas College has given up its football program.
Dan Hawkins is thinking about putting my house on the market.
Kanye West wrote on Charlie Weis’s Wall: “I’m gonna let you finish, but the run is really the best play here.”
Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have denied the friend request from Courteney Cox in “Cougars”.
Texas wrote on Serena Williams’s Wall: “We needed you last year in Lubbock.”
The Week That Will Be and Good Picks Against the Spread are no longer in a relationship.
On to the games...
Georgia Tech @ Miami -4.5:
3/14. That’s what Georgia Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt was in last week’s win over Clemson. With two interceptions, so he almost completed more passes to the other team than his own.
But of course Georgia Tech is all about the running game, and last year they ran all over Miami to the tune of 472 yards, as Georgia Tech won that one 41-23 in a game they were leading by 31 going to the fourth quarter.
This one all depends on Jacory Harris, the Miami quarterback. If he’s really the next big thing in college football, then Miami can force Georgia Tech to get out of their game plan. If he struggles, then Georgia Tech likely controls the ball and the game.
I like Georgia Tech’s coaching staff, their running game ability and the fact that they have won four in a row in this series. I also see Miami as an inconsistent bunch who probably has been reading too many of their own headlines the last two weeks.
Georgia Tech 37 Miami 31
ATS – Georgia Tech
SU – Georgia Tech
Tennessee @ Florida -29.5:
Can Monte Kiffin slow down the Florida attack? Probably not. The Volunteers’ defense has been impressive so far this year, only allowing 134.5 yards a game, but Florida is a different animal than UCLA and Western Kentucky.
The Gators have owned this series, winning the last four and seven of the last ten. With Tennessee still learning, and injuries on their offensive line, this one could get ugly, and quick.
Florida 51 Tennessee 10
ATS – Florida
SU – Florida
Georgia @ Arkansas -1:
Arkansas is looking for their first win against Georgia since 1993, but will have to show some more offense to get it done on the road. Georgia’s offense is currently ranked 101st in the nation, which isn’t going to win you many ballgames.
You have to wonder how much Georgia has left in the tank after a tough game in Stillwater and an up and down game against South Carolina last week. Arkansas, meanwhile, was off last week and has been looking forward to this game since spring practice.
It’s dangerous picking against a Mark Richt team on the road in the SEC, but look for a fired up Arkansas team that will be better in its second year under Petrino.
Arkansas 31 Georgia 17
ATS – Arkansas
SU – Arkansas
Tulsa @ Oklahoma -17:
Oklahoma had a nice exhibition game last week to get Landry Jones some real live snaps, but this week they play a Tulsa team that is battle tested and will be amped up to play the big boys in the state.
It is rare that Tulsa has the better quarterback of the two teams, but Texas transfer GJ Kinne has completed 67% of his passes this year, throwing five touchdown passes and has yet to throw an interception in 55 attempts.
Unfortunately for Tulsa, they have beaten two of the weaker teams in the FBS, and due to a weird scheduling quirk, this is also their third road game of the year. Look for Oklahoma to struggle at times, but get the job done rather easily.
Oklahoma 37 Tulsa 14
ATS – Oklahoma
SU – Oklahoma
Nebraska @ Virginia Tech -4:
This is the year that many Nebraska fans are looking to return to the top of the Big 12 North, and so far they have looked the part, beating up on two sisters of the poor in Florida-Atlantic and Arkansas State.
They’ll face a veteran Virginia Tech squad that dominated the Cornhuskers in Lincoln last year, and I look for more of the same here. If Nebraska pulls off the upset here, watch out for them the rest of the way.
Virginia Tech 28 Nebraska 21
ATS – Virginia Tech
SU – Virginia Tech
Texas Tech @ Texas -17.5:
Colt McCoy hasn’t looked as sharp this year compared to last year, but if you look at the numbers, they are comparable.
2009: 51/76 (.671) 650 yards 5 TD 2 INT
2008: 44/58 (.758) 504 yards 7 TD 1 INT
McCoy will need to be his 2008 self to beat Texas Tech if this turns into a shoot-out. But of course, when playing Tech, you’re always more worried about what your defense is going to do.
And while Taylor Potts certainly looks the part of other Texas Tech quarterbacks, throwing for 7 touchdowns against Rice last week, there is a major difference in the offense this year for Tech.
They’re only averaging 46 yards per game on the ground for an average of 2.8 yards per carry.
Graham Harrell was adept at checking into running plays at the line of scrimmage, and Tech doesn’t have the explosive runner that they have had in recent years. If Tech goes against a Will Muschamp defense expecting to be one-dimensional, Taylor Potts might not survive the night.
Mike Leach has lost all four times his teams have played in Austin, allowing 59, 52, 43 and 42 points.
He’ll leave having lost all five tries.
Texas 52 Texas Tech 24
ATS – Texas
SU – Texas
Random Hot Dallas Chick
For entertainment purposes only. Save your money for the Kanye West/Taylor Swift duet CD.
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