Fantasy Football Champion

I would like to congratulate myself on winning the fantasy football league. I made it in as a wild card and dominated the playoffs in truly impressive form.

Dkhale pulled the usual Dallas routine and choked in the playoffs. In the Championship game I channelled my best Saban and put Farve in. The rest is history.


Thanks Brett Farve, and Jonathan Stewart..

Big 12 Bowl W/L Predictions

With the bowl season quickly approaching it's time to make the predictions for how well the Big 12 will fare this time around. With only one Big 12 team getting invited to the big money BCS bowls (Texas) it's clear most of the country believes the Big 12 is not as strong this year as it traditionally is. With that being said, this would be a great time to prove to the country that even when the Big 12 is supposedly down, it's still hosts more competitive teams than the overrated big 11 and pac 10 teams (like Iowa...give me a break). No matter what the rankings are at the end of the regular season, I'll always question the major conferences who don't have to play a conference championship game. It's so weak. Nevertheless, here are the predictions for the Big 12 teams in the upcoming bowl games:

Independence Bowl, Aggies vs Georgia:
It's hard to pick against the Aggies, but when I do they usually win. I'll take Georgia in a higher scoring game 35-31

BCS National Championship Game, Texas vs Alabama:

This match up will showcase Alabama's great defense against a Texas Offense. The winner will be the team with the best run game. My pick goes to Alabama - The Heisman curse gets broken. Final score 24 - 13

Cotton Bowl, Oklahoma State vs Ole Miss

OSU will be looking to take out some revenge after a disasterous game in Norman. I'm taking OSU 31 - 24

Holiday Bowl, Nebraska vs Arizona:

Assuming Nebraska's Offense accidentially finds a way to score a touchdown (probably the result of being set up by the defense), Nebraska could win. But, that's probably not going to happen. Arizona wins in a low scoring game. 16 - 10

Sun Bowl, Oklahoma vs Stanford:

Oklahoma stops the run and wins. 27 - 17

Alamo Bowl, Texas Tech vs Michigan State:

It's hard to match up against Tech unless you play them every year. I'm taking tech 38 - 27

Insight Bowl, Iowa State vs Minnesota:

ATM beat ISU; however, Minnesota does play in the big 11. I'm taking ISU in an ugly game 24 - 21

Texas Bowl, Missouri vs Navy:

Missouri wins 31 - 21

Counting up the results puts the Big 12 at 5 wins and 3 losses

It Is December

And that can only mean a few things:

It being dark outside by 6:00.

Cold days and nights

Christmas lights strung on roof tops

Santa Clause bringing children toys

Christians celebrating the birth of our savior

Jews and Muslims doing whatever they do

The Dallas (or is it Arlington) Cowboys not being able to win football games.

So sit back by a fire, drink some Bourbon to keep warm, think about baby Jesus and let the glow of the Christmas tree shine upon your face as you watch Romo and the boys fumble away their Superbowl aspirations.

Heisman Curse

As everyone prepares for the Heisman ceremony on Saturday some of the Texas fans have to feel a little conflicted. You would think that McCoy making the top 5 would be something to celebrate (same being said for those Ingram fans); however, things aren't always as they seem. You see, since 2000 only two Heisman winners have gone on to win their respective bowl games while the other 7 winner's teams have suffered a defeat in college football's post season. This interesting statistic has gone on to be known as the Heisman Curse (not to be confused with the Madden Curse).

In the last 20 years, only Danny Wuerffel (1996) has won the national championship game after winning the Heisman Trophy. Since 2000 there have been a total of 7 losses by Heisman winners. The most recent defeat came in Jan '09 at the BCS championship game when the Gators beat Sam Bradford and the Oklahoma Sooners. Out of the 7 losses following a Heisman win, 6 of those games came in the National Championship. It is also a coincidence that in 6 of these instances either the losing team – with the Heisman winner – has scored 14 points or the winning team has scored 41 points. Even more bazaar, the two winners who went on to win their respective bowl games (Leinart and Palmer) and avoid the "curse" were both from USC, both quarterbacks, both 6'5", and both won the Orange Bowl. With all this evidence you have to ask yourself if this curse could be real.

There's no doubt that there is something to this supposed Heisman Curse. It's not nonsense like the famous baseball curses—the Curse of the Bambino and the Curse of the Billy Goat—which can be explained by poor teams and other circumstances. No, this curse has to be for real. If not, how else can you justify all of the coincidences?

Headed for Independence

It looks like the Aggies have accepted the bid to play in the Independence Bowl on December 28th. Here, the Aggies will be matched up against a very talented underachieving Georgia Bulldog team. The match up with the Georgia Bulldogs is probably the toughest opponent the Aggies could have drawn (others being Auburn and Navy). Again, I personally would have rather taken the Missouri spot to play in the Texas Bowl at home in Houston against an easier opponent in Navy; however, if the Aggies are going to return to the success of the past, they need to start winning these types of match ups. It's not enough just to make a bowl game, at some point you need to climb over the hump and start winning. Nevertheless, it will be good for some of our young players to go up against the size and speed of an SEC defense.

For this game it has been reported some of the UGA staff will not be participating due to conflicts with other job opportunities. I for one do not completely understand why the coaches would need to skip the game; however, I support anything that could potentially give the Aggies some extra help.

UGA D statistics from 2009:
Allow 328 yds/game
Give up 200.6 passing and 127.8 rushing

ATM D statistics from 2009
Probably worse

Texas or Independence?

As the bowl season gets closer most predict the Aggies will be going to either the Texas Bowl against Navy or the Independence Bowl against Auburn or Georgia. I, for one, would like to see the Aggies matched up against Navy here in the great state of Texas. Although the Texas Bowl is scheduled to be played on New Year's Day amongst the other bowl games and would not get the national appeal of the Independence Bowl against an SEC opponent, I feel the Texas Bowl would be best for the Aggie program.

First, there would be a ton of ATM fans in and around the stadium. The Aggie Fan Base travels well no matter where the game is located. With that being said, I can only Imagine the amount of Aggie support you would see for the bowl game if it was hosted in Houston. Plus, there is a good amount of Aggie players who are from Houston, and they would probably like nothing better than to come back and play at Reliant Stadium.

Also, I believe it is really important for the Aggies to get a win. As briefly mentioned earlier a national television win against an SEC opponent would do wonders for recruiting; however, with the Aggies, you really never know what you are going to get. Call me crazy, but I am real skeptical about our ability to win against an SEC opponent no matter what their record or ranking. If there is one thing the SEC knows how to do it's to play defense. You know, that thing ATM fans have not seen in a couple of years (especially this year). Navy gives us the chance to gain some confidence going into next year. I think it would be the perfect cap stone after the near upset in Aggieland on Thanksgiving.

Bowling

With 8 Big 12 teams becoming bowl eligible this season and most likely 7 to 8 spots open, it will be interesting to see which teams get picked to attend which bowls. Although records do matter somewhat in these selections, the final decision on where to place each team (other than auto bids) depends on one thing, Money. These bowl selection committees only care about butts in the stands and eyes on the TV screens. With ATM playing Texas close last week and having a key win against a bowl eligible texas tech squad, the Aggies chance of making it to the post season look all but certain (despite not having a known defense).

Here is a look at projected bowl match ups involving the Bowl Championship Series and schools from the Big 12:
BCS title game: Florida vs. Texas
Cotton Bowl: Oklahoma State vs. Tennessee
Holiday Bowl: Nebraska vs. USC
Alamo Bowl: Texas Tech vs. Michigan State
Sun Bowl: Oklahoma vs. California
Insight Bowl: Missouri vs. Minnesota
Independence Bowl: Texas A&M vs. Auburn
Texas Bowl: Iowa State vs. Navy

So Close...

A fumble by C. Michaels, a missed field goal, a kickoff return for a touchdown, and an interception in the red zone...all things you cannot do when you are trying to beat the number 3 team in the Nation.

Click on the picture. It's an actual commercial for Shake Weight. Also, make sure you check out the Shake Weight Parody.

More to follow...

Aggie Thanksgiving

It's time again for one of the greatest traditions in college football...The TAMU/Texas game gets a prime time spot on Thursday night which is perfect for capping off that food induced coma. You don't have to look back too far to see that this rivalry has little to do with win/loss records (lucky for TAMU) and more to do with emotion and desire. The Aggies are playing for their third win over Texas in the last four years and also to guarantee an overall winning season by defeating their arch rival. Although lately the Aggies have not fared well when they have been put on National TV, this is their chance to rebound after the last tv disaster (I'm not going to mention the specific game but everyone knows which one i'm talking about). Other than the regular benefits to paying well during this game, such as recruiting and exposure, the Aggies get the added bonus of trying to knock off a Texas team destined for the National Championship.

The University of Texas leads the Big 12 in scoring offense with 42.5 points per game, and is second in scoring defense, while A&M is third and last (BIG SURPRISE - our defense sucks), respectively.

I hope everyone enjoys their thanksgiving and remembers to say their Aggie prayers for the game before going to bed.

Coaches worse than Sherman

Things have heated up again in the last two weeks as the Aggies have had less than impressive showings on the football field. Both of the embarrassing losses suffered to Colorado and Oklahoma have brought back plenty of people not only questioning the choice of Sherman as the Head Football Coach but calling for his job.

Being the Aggie I am, I have decided to look at the bright side of things and list 4 coaches that make Mike Sherman look like Urban Meyer. That's right, originally I was going for 5 coaches, but I could only come up with 4.

4. Eric Mangini - Coach of the Cleveland Browns
Most recent bone head move - On the very last play of what could be called the most boring Monday Night Football Game in history Coach Mangini decided to run a trick play. That move alone probably not a big deal; however, it ranks as bone headed when you are down by 16 points. Last time I checked there was not a 16 point touchdown. You don't need to be an expert on the NFL to know you're asking for trouble when you run a desperation play down by 16 points. The result from the play - about 20 yards and a receiver in the hospital.

3. Tyrone Willingham - Former coach of Notre Dame and Washington
Spoiler Alert!!! He's not the only coach from Notre Dame that made the list...
Why he made the list - After 7 successful years and a Rose Bowl appearance with the Stanford Cardinal, Willingham was given the chance of a lifetime to cement his legacy with one of the most historic teams of all time. His first year started off with some promise when the Irish began 8-0. Three years later he was fired from the Irish Head Coaching Position and picked up by Washington. In his final season the huskies, Willingham led his team to a winless 0-12 season.
What he will be remembered for - Being the catalyst to the nightmare that is the current Notre Dame Football program.

2. Dennis Franchione - Former TAMU and TCU coach
Say what you want about Sherman being a bad coach, but I will take him any day of the week over Franchione. I've personally had to watch too many games led, or better yet, destroyed by Fran. It didn't take much for opposing chaches to scheme against this guy's offense because they only had to defend against 3 plays (option to the short side of the field, rollout right and throw out of bounds, or fat kid up the middle). Where is he now - Jobless

1.5 Mark Mangino - Coach (for the moment) at Kansas
Why he made the list - Apparently he eats his players

A quick search on google estimates his weight at around 475 LBS

1. Charlie Weis - Coach of the Notre Dame Mediocre Irish

Current Ranking on coacheshotseat.com - #1

Days until he loses his job - Approximately 1 week

Most recent Award - Named Turkey of the year by Sports Illustrated

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0711/2007.turkey/content.5.html

Upsets happen in college football, but somehow Weis has managed to make losing at Notre Dame a commonality. Weis, who did experience two years of success, has struggled to a 16 - 20 record the last three years with the Irish.

Most impressive feature - His FUPA

Bonfire

I stole this from a great Aggie Website. This is what being a Texas Aggie is about and why we are better than everyone else. God Bless.

Guys,

I wanted to share with you a story that I really haven’t shared publicly of one of the most amazing kids I have ever met. It is in by no ways a story about me, but of the bravery, courage, and loyalty of Tim Kerlee, Jr. I hope that we all pause and remember the 12 that passed away 10 years ago tonight.Jay Sartain ’00As a side note, Tim Sr. and Janice Kerlee are two of the finest people you will ever meet. Here are two people would could have blamed and despised A&M, but not only did they not do that, they moved to College Station to minister to Aggie students and form an endowed scholarship in Tim Jr.’s honor. Tim Sr. is now retired, but Janice has gone on to get ordained as a United Methodist Minister. If you ever see them on campus, please stop and tell them hello…truly inspirational people. I would also recommend the following book that was written by Janice and tells the story of Tim (you can find online); A Chance to Say Goodbye, By Janice Cross Kerlee.

The Night I Met Tim Kerlee Jr.It had been a long day for me and I had just fallen asleep in my rack in Dorm 9. All of the sudden, I hear a broken voice come over my TAMU EMS radio saying that stack had collapsed. I had first thought I was dreaming, but shortly after the first communication had come in the “tone outs” had begun and the reality of what I was about to see started to stir in my mind. I was officially off duty that night, but as any medic/police/fire personnel will tell you, one is never off duty when a major event occurs in your district. I jumped out of my rack, quickly told my old lady that stack had collapsed - check on our outfit, and ran for my car in the Southside garage. On the drive over to bonfire site I began to think maybe no one is seriously injured and maybe we just have a few injuries; some broken legs, bruises, and scrapes. Not until I arrived on location did I truly realize the seriousness of the situation. It would later be reported by many that they had heard screaming from the stack and they saw chaos, but for me it was an eerie silence I was experiencing in the darkness. I made my first pass around the stack, where I encountered my fellow medics who had already began to triage patients. It was then when I realized that there were some kids that didn’t make it.Recognizing I should move on and begin to help elsewhere, I found myself on the back side of stack where I came upon a young man who wasn’t concerned about himself. I didn’t know his name, but recognized his distinct Charlie Brown outfit that one of the Squadron outfits had their fish wear.

Here was a kid, by all my training would tell me, shouldn’t be talking to me due to the seriousness of his injuries. Unconcerned about himself, he demanded I help his buddies in the fallen stack below before I helped him. It was truly a quick moment in time, but it is something I have carried with me since that early morning. Everything else to me seems like a blur in time. In fact, my next memory is talking to my Dad from the site on a borrowed cell phone to tell him I was ok. The sun had already come up and the news helicopters were already circling. In the days that would follow, I got to learn about who really was the kid I talked to on the stack. It was Tim Kerlee, Jr. and he had lived long enough to let his parents make it in from Tennessee and tell him it was ok to leave and meet God. Tim and I had allot in common, he was an Eagle Scout, member of the Corps of Cadets, and a United Methodist. Word had gotten out in the media that Tim was directing emergency workers to help his buddies before helping himself (I would later learn that Tim told this to at least one other fellow medic).

Somehow my name was brought to the attention in the A&M administration and I was asked to write a letter in support of Tim receiving the Boy Scouts of America’s highest honor ? the Medal of Merit. It was probably the fastest and hardest thing I have written in my life, but the words flowed out with ease as I didn’t even have to think what to say. I only had to pause to wipe away tears that were staining the paper. I had submitted the letter to the National office of the Boy Scout’s with one simple request ? please let me know the decision on the award. It was just a week later I received word that my letter caused the Boy Scout’s to approve Tim for the Medal of Merit the fastest in its history. In my mind, there was no question that Tim deserved it.In March 2000, I was contacted by the Boy Scout’s and asked to come to Tennessee to help present the award to Tim’s parents (Janice and Tim Sr.). Dr. Southerland’s office (VP for Student Affairs) was gracious enough to arrange all the travel for myself and several of my fellow medics to go up for the ceremony. It was in Memphis, I had the first opportunity to meet Tim’s parents and tell them how great a son they raised. It was that night I realized how truly precious life is.In closing, what I want people to gain from this story is that you must live everyday like it’s your last; devote yourself to help others in your community…live life like Tim would have.Gig'em and God Bless

10 Years to The day, Bonfire Collapsed

For 90 years it was tradition for Aggies from all over to gather every year in College Station around thanksgiving and have a bonfire for the reason, as stated by the 1947 Texas A&M freshman handbook, of symbolizing two things: “A burning desire to beat the team from the University of Texas, and the undying flame of love that every loyal Aggie carries in his heart for the school.”

What started out as a wood and trash pile in 1909 grew into a stack that in 1969 set a world record for the height of a bonfire at 109 ft, 10 in. Due to safety concerns the school regulated it back to around 55 ft tall and is what it stayed at for many years.

On November 18, 1999 at 2:42 a.m. the Aggie Bonfire collapsed, killing 12.

On this day I think it would be fitting for a post in remembrance of the 12 that died. They are:

Miranda Adams, Christopher Breen, Michael Ebanks, Jeremy Frampton, Jamie Lynn Hand, Christopher Lee Heard, Lucas Kimmel, Bryan McClain, Chad Powell, Jerry Don Self and Nathan Scott West and Timothy Kerlee Jr., who a day later would pass in the hospital.

I was never part of bonfire due to the school stopping all on campus bonfire activities after 1999 and me being in school there from 2003 to 2007. It is one thing I wish I could have taken part of. Some others have at least got to see it burn due to going up with their families but I never even saw that. I am the first of my family to have gone to A&M but I am the first in what will be a long line of family tradition.

So on this day I ask that you read the names of the fallen that I posted and take the time out of your day to give them and their families a quick thought.

Fire Bill Byrne

He looks like a fat troll and is the reason A&M sucks in football. He is a all that is wrong with the world and I hope he runs his new BMW into a light poll. I do not hate Mike Sherman, he and everyone else knew he was not qualified for the job. He seems like a decent person.

Here are my issues with the POS i call BB.

This information is public domain under the Freedom of Information Act and can also obtained via Channel 3 and the B/CS Eagle. Some thoughts regarding the implications will follow. I would like to hear what you think.1) Back in March, the Texas A&M Athletic Department projected a 2009 fiscal year deficit of $3 million. The Division of Finance and an external consultant hired by the 12th Man Foundation have identified potential budget savings. These efforts have resulted in a reduction of the deficit to $1 million. [Fiscal 2009 ends 08-31-09]

2) Per Interim Texas A&M President R. Bowen Loftin, the 12th Man Foundation has agreed to provide one-time funding to offset any 2009 fiscal year deficit. Loftin says the Division of Finance will continue to provide direct oversight for the financial operations of the Athletic Department. "During the past three years, very few, if any, measures have been implemented by athletics to significantly reduce operating costs," Terry Pankratz, CFO, wrote to then-president Elsa Murano in February. "Had cost-saving measures been implemented during the past three years, athletics may have some reserve balances to address the renovation costs or there may be some funding available through the line of credit Dr. Gates authorized."

3) Bill Byrne, Director of Athletics, and Dr. Gates arranged an interest-free line of credit in the fiscal 2005-06, when the football team had been struggling and energy prices were skyrocketing. Byrne informed Dr. Gates of predicted $4 million deficits in each of the next four years. The Athletic Department [with obvious “help”] has proposed a 2010 budget which includes $1.6 million in loan repayment ($1.6 million/year X 10 years) and an operating surplus of ~ $34,000. Bill Byrne was charged by the University to reduce the department's budget by $4.5 million. On 07-02-09, Byrne announced that the Athletic Department was eliminating 17 positions to balance the budget. "If we had been selling out Kyle Field, you would not be asking me these questions," Byrne told The Eagle last week. "We would be operating in the black." [No kidding?]

4) Actual Athletic Department budget for 2008 was:Revenues $73,231,625Expenses $73,340,421Operating Income less Debt ($108,796)

5) Projected budget for 2009 was:Revenues $71,910,221Expenses $66,344,308Income $5,565,913Operating Income less Debt ($1,002,151) [To be paid by the 12th Man Foundation]

6) Projected budget for 2010 is: [Prepared before the 2009 football season]Revenues $66,839,400 [Obviously scrubbed and revised downward by the CFO’s office]Expenses $60,337,063Income $6,502.337Operating Income less Debt $33,890

7) The LoC didn't need BoR approval, and several Regents didn't know about it until an April memo from Elsa Murano. "In retrospect, it is inconceivable to me how this situation was allowed to fester for so many years without proper action being taken," Elsa Murano wrote in an April memo to Regents. Financial officers cited poor revenue projections, a lack of interest in oversight or controls, and an inability to control rising expenses. After discovering that no contract had been signed when the LoC was given, Murano had one drafted and signed on April 4, 2008.

8) A 2007 Athletic Department five-year plan projected an increase in football ticket revenues of 10 percent each year, reaching $25.9 million by 2008. Ticket revenue for 2008 actually dropped to $19 million [The Sherman hire obviously did not energize the fan base]. 2009 sales dropped another 12 percent [~$2.3M]. The men's basketball team was projected to bring in about $3.7 million in ticket sales by 2008, but earned only $2.4 million. 2010 projections by the Athletic Department predicted that overall revenues would remain about flat, which University financiers questioned. "I think that is pretty aggressive after a 4-8 football season, men's basketball not enjoying the same level of success in prior years, potentially lower donations with individual market losses in a Texas and national economy that we have not seen in many years," Grant Trexler, Finance Department, wrote in a February e-mail to Pankratz. Byrne has requested University funding to help pay for non-revenue-generating women's athletics. All sports currently are paid for with athletic revenue, most of which comes from football and men's basketball. "This is something that I have asked for since my arrival here," Byrne said in an e-mail. University officials rejected his funding idea, saying they wanted the department to be financially self-sufficient. The Department spends $20 million on women's sports for every $1 million those teams bring in.

9) Byrne's personal salary increased 42 percent in August 2008 -- from $486,000 to $690,000. In 2008-09, he also received $178,500 in bonuses for the success in both basketball programs and track and field. "We are working on revising the policy for the next fiscal year, but we have issues with other schools recruiting coaches away from us right now, and coaches not being paid under our current extra-pay-for-extra-work policy is working against us," Byrne told Pankratz in a June e-mail [Huh?]. The bonuses were paid, and it cost the program slightly over $1 million "due to the great success achieved by our teams," Byrne said, referring to teams such as track and golf that compete in the spring.

10) The university denied Byrne's request for help in funding the Athletic Department's move from John Koldus to offices in Reed Arena and elsewhere across campus to facilitate MSC renovation. The move eventually cost $1.77 million -- $370,000 more than estimated. The Athletic Department had sought forgiveness of the $16 million loan forgiven in exchange for Athletics moving out of Koldus. "If it's true ... the request is completely out of the question," wrote Pankratz, referring to the loan forgiveness, in November 2008.

11) "People scoffed at the notion that Texas A&M could compete on a head-to-head basis with that school in the state capital," Byrne said in June. "In the first year of competition in the Lone Star Showdown, we were beaten 14.5 to 4.5. We won the trophy last year and held on to it this year by tying with 9.5 points each." Last season, Texas' athletic department brought ~$120.3 million, according to Streets and Smith's SportsBusiness Journal.

Bitch Slapped in Norman

I believe I'm at a loss for words when trying to explain what happened last Saturday in Norman. The only saving grace was that I didn't have to be there in person. I not surprised at the fact that we lost as much as the way we Laid down and died midway thought the game. What is with our constant need to look so terrible when we are on national TV? How do you go from being in the game at the end of the 1st quarter 14-10 to being down 42-10 a quarter later? It is unexplainable. The Sooners play well at home, everyone knows that, and we are a young team; however, at some point the excuses have to stop. Our defense (or lack of a defense) was atrocious. The Sooners were able to rack up 640 yards of offense against what looked to be our JV defense. The Aggie defense (again, i use the term lightly) has the innate ability to make any player on the offense look like a Heisman Contender. We let a freshman QB pass for nearly 400 yards and 5 touchdowns - it's inexcusable. This OU team, although good, is not like OU teams of the past. This game reeked of the same stink that was shown against K-state and Arkansas. It showed an immature team that let some of the early mishaps effect our play the rest of the game. What happened to handling a little adversity? We have not shown improvement over the past couple of weeks. If anything, I'd say we have even digressed.

Looking back on the season there have been some bright points, but I'd venture to say there have been twice as many moments that leave you scratching your head. There better be a different team show up this week against Baylor otherwise we could be in for some major problems. Both teams are coming off embarrassing losses so it will be interesting to see how both teams respond.

A side note - i didn't see Bob Stoops taking a knee when they were beating us by 40 like we did when we were only up by around 30 against ISU.

Bowl Games in College Football - Are there too many?

Now that the Aggies are entering the last part of the season the stakes are raised as they try to reach the all important 6 win mark on the season to become bowl eligible. The Aggies, standing at 5-4, do technically have 3 shots to get that sixth win; however, anyone close to the Aggies knows the Baylor game is probably our only shot. Baylor, who is playing without their best player at QB, still is playing hard, but they are not nearly the team they were with Griffin in the backfield. Yes, OU is down this year and we do find ways to somehow beat Texas every now and then, but the odds are not in our favor of those two games. If the games play out like everyone expects, the Aggie Football Team will finish 6-6 and be bowl eligible.

This brings me to my question: Are there too many bowl games in College Football?

Ok, so having six wins does not guarantee you will receive a bowl bid, but, come on, does six wins in a season really justify a team making the division IA "post-season?" This is especially true now that most teams are scheduling complete "cup cake" games to start the season. When did we start celebrating mediocrity? I want the Aggies to do good and go to bowl games, but I also want them to deserve it. I don't believe a 500 record shows a team who deserves it. We have had one signature win against tech, who is not playing their best football this year, and I just don't think that alone is enough to make the cut. I understand it all comes down to money in the end; however, it's this type of thinking that gives you some of the ridiculous bowl games we've come accustom to today. Names like the "California Raisin Bowl" or "Meineke Car Care Bowl" (these are actual bowl games) have plagued college football for too long. It's not long before we end up seeing the Preparation H bowl or the Vermont Viagra Bowl, it's too much. Bottom line, receiving a bowl bid should be a privilege and a reward after a successful season. It should not be just another vehicle to make money.

November Bar- Bourbon and Branch

Bourbon and Branch is truly a bourbon connoisseur's paradise. The bar is also known as The Anti-Saloon League of San Francisco. To enter the bar you must posses a password to enter the locked door. Quick note...Nanci Pelosi is not the best answer to give. With that said few places posses as skilled bartenders as this little setup. The library themed bar has multiple rooms linked via secret doors.

Thanks to A&M sucking and losing to Dan "intramural" Hawkins, we were able to sample the robust bourbon menu. This place was mentioned by several prominent Aggie's as a the go-to place in the bay area. I must agree as few bars have the classic feel of this joint. Another plus is this place tends to attract the more normal crowd in a city full of nutjobs. When in San Fran you should stop by this bar before dinner at either Scoma's or Harris'.

Ouch...Colorado, Really???

Well, it looks like the roller coaster continues... Some weeks they play great and others they are pretty awful. I do take some fault for the earlier bold prediction

Once again someone must have given the Texas Aggie Defense the wrong directions on Saturday because they definitely did not show up at the game. 35 points to arguably the worst offense in the Big 12, Really? The performance was flat out embarrassing to say the least. I can see if we were playing a power house offense and the game was expected to be a shootout, but that was clearly not the case. No, we were outscored by the 98th ranked offense. Forgetting about the points we left on the field, 34 points should have been enough to win the game against Colorado's sub-par offense. Nevertheless, this does not excuse the Aggie Offense. On 4th and goal early in the game man up and put the damn ball in the end zone. It's missed opportunities like these that end up killing you in the end.

Positives from the game:

Jerrod ties the single season TD record

Von Miller gets 2 sacks

-Who are we kidding, it's a real stretch to find positives when you lose to Colorado.

After suffering this loss the Aggies face a must win coming up against Baylor in 2 weeks to gain bowl eligibility. Yes, OU did also lose last week but come on, what are the chances. I'm not completely counting the Aggies out, but the odds are not looking good (OU opened up as a 16 point favorite). OU has a recent history of success against the Aggies (especially in Norman). Plus, I'm pretty sure they will be pissed off looking to rebound after their own poor performance last Saturday.

Predictions for Saturday

The game this Saturday will showcase two storied programs on opposite tracks. For Texas A&M things seem to be looking up. As I've said all along, we are not out of the woods by any stretch of the imagination, but we have made noticeable improvements. We have young talent at key positions on the offense, but naturally struggle with consistency. For the second game in a row the OL was opening huge holes for our running backs who, if given the chance, can do some serious damage. Jerrod is only 2 touchdown passes away from breaking his single season passing TD record. Our defense misses A LOT of tackles and can sometimes look like last year's unit where the first guy never makes the tackle. Nevertheless, they do have their moments where they look tolerable. On the other hand, Colorado looks to be just trying to play out the rest of the season. They have some serious problems and frequently stink up the stadium. Their coach is on the hottest of hot seats and will probably lose his job after the season. Colorado fans are even threatening to boycott and protest the garbage they call their football team.

The Aggies have always struggled at Boulder, but this season seems to be the season to break losing streaks. I haven't felt this way in a long time, but the biggest worry the Aggies should have should be to not beat themselves or play down to the level of their competition.

Saturday's Predicted Outcome: Aggies 38 - Buffalos 24

******UNRELATED NOTE: Be sure to check out this video of New Mexico's Womens Soccer. This chick does not take losing lightly. She's a beast.

Sportsmanship

At the tail end of the game against ISU the Aggies decided to take a knee on 4th down late in the 4th quarter in the name of sportsmanship. Most of the announcers commended them on the gesture; however, I was not totally convinced a knee was the best move.

First off, it's the defense's job to stop the offense. I would understand taking a knee if the Aggies were playing against a division II team or they were up by 60 points (Oklahoma comes to mind) but that was not the case. It almost seemed taking a knee showed up the opponents more than going ahead and punching in one last touchdown. I'm not saying we should of had the starters in and unleashed an all out aerial assault, but that was the perfect opportunity for Sherman to put in the backups for some quality game experience. Besides, some of the backups might not ever have the chance to score another touchdown. If we were to put in our third string, move the ball with basic run plays, and still be in a position to score, I feel the opposition deserves to be scored on. It's not about class, it's about the opposition having enough pride to stop the backups.

Trick or Treat in Aggieland

I'm not sure where to start with "Dorthy". You come across things in life that cause you and everyone else in a two section area to stop and ask yourself, "what the hell is going on." I did it alot during the Fraud years, but your speacial trick or treater stole the show. Not only did he have fun playing with his ginger braids, he had fun with his dress. If you look close there is a stuffed collie in his little basket.

I'm all for dressing up and drinking whiskey for haloween, just not at a Big 12 football game. I expect multiple restraining orders to be filed from a 2-3 section area. We are lucky that a couple of aggeates in the area captured this on their Iphones....be sure to check out Youtube in the coming days. I will have my thoughts on the game after I drink this image out of my head. This guy does not have a ring and I doubt he went to A&M....maybe one of the A&M System schools.

God Bless the aggies.

Quick Recap: Aggies Lay One On ISU

Quick Recap from Saturday:

Never really in doubt, the Fighting Texas Aggies picked up a solid and convincing win against Iowa State this Saturday in Aggieland. Iowa State, who rolled onto an impressive win the week before against Nebraska, looked like they left most of their starters in Lincoln. The Aggies jumped out to an early 21-0 lead in the first half and never looked back. Johnson added 234 passing yards and accounted for 4 total touchdowns as the Aggies gained a total of 501 yards of offense on the way to their second straight win. Although this victory came against a beaten and battered ISU team, this win answered the question of how the Aggies would respond after an emotional win the week before against tech.

Thoughts and Stats from the Game:

ATM - Over 500 yards Offense

CBs - 2 picks

ISU - Sucks at Offense. Needs to join another conference

ATM DTs - Need some work. They were getting blown off the ball

Offensive Line - Controlled ISU's Defense. Looked good for the most part

Tailgate Time Again

Finally another home game in Aggieland and finally another excuse to make it through the work week. This Saturday at 2:30pm the Fighting Texas Aggies will take on the Iowa State Cyclones in hopes of building on their impressive victory against tech the previous week.

Tailgate will resume this week at the same location near Reed with a limited menu . More details to follow...

Which Offensive Line Will Show Up Against the Cyclones?

This Saturday brings the opportunity for the Texas Aggies to have a statement game. Unfortunately, it also gives the opportunity for the Aggies to fall into the same old familiar trap. The major question: Which offensive line will show up?

In one week we went from -13 yards rushing and 6 sacks given up to 321 yards rushing and 1 sack given up. The offensive line, who against Kansas State looked like they had cement around their feet, looked like the old SWC power football line of year's past. I know there were some changes and shifts in the guard position, but was this the main factor? Did the running backs run harder/smarter? Did moving some personnel around really account for an increase of 330 yards in the rushing game and 5 less sacks? Or, is this the natural progression of young linemen stepping up and essentially growing up?

I know M. Sherman probably had some choice words for his lineman after the K-State beating, and I'm not ready to anoint the line as better because of one game; however, it is nice knowing what they are capable of. Now, Iowa State is the perfect opponent for Texas A&M to prove last week was not a fluke performance. ISU is ranked around 60th as far as rush defense which gives ATM a good opportunity to put up some good numbers against a Big 12 opponent. With that being said, ISU will not be a rollover victory as they are on a little bit of a roll after beating Baylor and Nebraska in the past two weeks.

V-I-C-T-O-R-Y: Aggies Bounce Back in a Major Way

What a difference a week makes. Out at K-state the Aggies went up against a very beatable football team and were handed an embarrassing defeat. The next week a completely different team shows up and breaks one off in Texas Tech. It's times like these when you just sit back, scratch your head, and think what if. What if the Aggies could be more consistent? What if the Aggies could avoid the games where it looks like they brought out the JV. What if the Aggies could string together some quality wins and start to look like the football team they are capable of? Then again, this has been their M.O. One week they will look like a division I team that deserves to be in the BIG 12 and the next week they'll look like a bunch of idiots. It kinda makes your head hurt to think about it. Regardless, this victory was great and should be celebrated.

I'll be the first to admit we're not fixed or on the road to greatness just yet; however, beating the tech tards at home did bring the kind of joy that cannot be explained but only understood by other Aggies. It's the happiness that comes with marching into a stadium you haven't won at since '94 and coming out with a lopsided 52-30 victory in front of all their asshole fans. I may get some pushback, but i personally enjoy a victory over tech more than any other team on our schedule (Texas and OU included). One of the main reasons i feel this way is because of their previously mentioned asshole fans. This week alone i read and heard about stories where ATM fans were escorted out of the stadium because they were being harassed by the Tech Tard fan base. I challenge anyone to find fans that are worse than the tards (it's a fool's errand).

Quick Thoughts: Why I'm Glad I'm not a Raider

I had a couple of free minutes yesterday so I decided to read through some of the old posts/comments left on this blog. One that immediately caught my attention was posted by cosaggie titled "Why do I love being an Aggie." I could immediately relate since some of the reasons mentioned in this post were some feelings I still currently have as an Aggie. To supplement this list I've decided to add my personal top 4 reasons why I'm glad I'm not a Raider. We may not have the best team on Saturday; however, we're definitely better overall.

4. Lubbock Stinks. I believe the expression, "the wind blows almost as hard as the city" sums everything up pretty nicely. Also, the whole town smells.
3. If you don't like going to bars everynight there is nothing to do. Plus, they have the bell ringer guy (Please feel free to click on the picture to witness the greatness that is the bell ringer).
2. The women at tech are beautiful, there's no denying that. However, they are not exactly the type of women you would want to introduce to your parents. Plus, they should all come with a coupon and a map to the closest clinic.
1. Community Colleges are great for some people, but I figured it was in my best interest to go to a four year school as prestigious as TAMU. The education and connections available at TAMU are unparallel to any other school.

Cooks Kitchen - Jalapeno Poppers

In light of the potential Ass Beating Round 2 in Lubbock this weekend I'd like to offer up a delicious gameday appetizer. Because it's not inconceivable for Tech to drop 100 Saturday, you'll need something to keep your mind busy, if only for a little while. Below should be what you need to Gameday off right with some Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers.

You'll need:
24 whole jalapenos
1 1/2 cups shredded Jack Cheese
8oz Cream Cheese
24 Bacon Strips
toothpicks
Some sort of Meat

Step 1 - Start the grill
Step 2 - Prepare the jalapenos by cutting off the stems and the tops of the peppers
Step 3 - Remove the seeds from the peppers and cut the peppers in half
Step 4 - Cut the meat into slices the lenght of the peppers
Step 5 - Combine the 8 oz of cream cheese, the 1 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, and the salt and pepper to taste in a large mixing bowl
Step 6 - Fill the halves with the mixture
Step 7 - Combine the jalapenos with the sliced meat, securing them together with the bacon and a toothpick
Step 8 - Place on the grill

Aggies Lose Another Close One - Sherman on Hot Seat

The Aggies found themselves playing for pride (AGAIN) on Saturday when they faced off against the Kansas State Wildcats. However, even pride was in short supply as the Aggies found themselves on the wrong side of a 62 - 14 Ass Kicking. Luckily I was not able to watch this disastrous game, but it did get me thinking about the direction the Aggies are heading. Sure, the 3-0 start seemed promising on paper, but the undefeated record left out the fact those wins came against three of the worst ranked teams in College Football. The second loss, like the first loss, came against a formidable opponent in OSU, but to lose this bad against a K-State team is at the very best embarrassing.

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All of this brings me to my question: How Long Should We Stick With Mike Sherman?

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I understand when a new coach comes to town the need to give them some time to do recruiting and rebuilding; however, I personally feel Sherman has had adequate time to try and erase the piss poor performances of Coach Fran. There needs to come a time where the blame starts to fall on the new coach, and I believe the time is now. I'd be more than happy to stick with Sherm if we were in the MAC or WAC (or Big 10) conferences, but we're in one of the most competitive conferences in the the NCAA (second only to the SEC) . Hell, I'm pretty sure I could be brought into the coaching position if piss poor results would suffice. Clearly the students and the Aggie Nation should have higher expectations from a school so rich with football history. At this point I think it's pretty hard to build a case for Sherm.

62-14

Speechless. You know it sucks when you wonder to yourself "if we were in a conference with SFA, UNT, Texas State, Lone Star College, Concordia, Texas Southern, Prairie View A&M, University of Texas San Antonio and South Texas School of Law could we win the conference?"

The answer is no. We have too many freshmen playing of course. Too many cancers in the locker room. And we would never be able to find that elusive head coach that can actually coach worth a shit AND GET Texas A&M. They are hard to find. And by all means if we have to choose between having someone win at all cost and someone who knows what the hell Elephant walk is then by all means give me the guy that gets E-walk 10 times out of 10.

Football sucks anyway. I like things that don't involve sports.

Rivalry Games in College Football

In the spririt of this weekend's rivalry game, the Red River Shootout taking place in the beautiful city of Dallas, I started to think about some of the best rivalrys in college football. Most likely your opinion on this matter largely depends on where you grew up. Do you think someone who went to Navy would reference any other game except the Army-Navy Game? If you are from the left coast you might say the best rivalry game is when a team like USC matches up against a solid Notre Dame squad. Likewise, if you are from the mid-west you may site the Michigan-Ohio State game as the best rivalry in college football even though lately the Big 10 has been the red headed step child of the major conferences. It works that way anywhere you go. Ask any football enthusiast in the state of Alabama his or her thought on the question. If they don't respond Auburn-Alabama, I'd be shocked.

For me personally it's hard to argue against the Red River Shootout between Texas and OU. The two teams are always highly ranked and there are usually National Championship Implications on the line. As an alumni from TAMU it's hard to admit this with all of the TAMU rival opponents; however, I challenge anyone to dispute the greatness that takes place at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

NFL teams from Texas

Scene - Kansas City: Picture this...two titan teams going toe to toe slugging it out for a much needed early season victory. Tied at the end of regulation the two teams prepare to meet in a winner take all final quarter. Just when it looks like both teams are at a stale mate and the game might end in a tie, Miles Austin catches a pass from America's QB and exploded down the right side line toward the endzone. What soon followed was an after-the-buzzer, no-holds-barred end-zone mob scene. That moment was a clear indication of 53 individuals coming together as a team to celebrate a great victory. Ok, so the chiefs aren't exactly a force to be reckoned with, but still, the last few moments of the game were beautiful.

So in summary:

Dallas Cowboys, AKA America's Team = Future superbowl champs

Houston Texans, AKA Texas' Double A football team = At least you can cheer for Dallas