Another week in the books as this season cruises by. Each week I will be offering up some personal thought and random (very) observations regarding the weeks play. The Big 12 and the SEC are probably the two conferences I follow the closest. As always I want to emphasize that I have no agenda here. I will just call it out like I perceive it. Hell guys just think about it. I am a devoted Missouri fan, why would I be throwing stones at any program considering our own state of affairs.
Once again this week I am starting things out with the Kansas Jayhawks. No, they did not win their game but they did scare the snot out of TCU. I about dropped when I saw KU was up on Patterson's club 23-14 in the fourth quarter. You have to understand that in mid missouri openly pulling for Kansas in any sport in like attending a halloween party in New York city dressed like Osama Bin Laden. There are just certain things you simply don't do. But I did find myself hoping they could hang on. I've just always been for the underdog. But deep down I knew that the Kansas fans were just getting teased, again. In the end TCU escaped Lawrence with a narrow 24-23 victory. This week the Jayhawks travel down to Waco to tangle with the Bears. As I type this thing they are getting a whopping 35 points. Hmm. If Art Briles was still down there in run up the score mode this would make more sense to me. That's a HUGE load for Baylor to carry. I actually like Kansas getting this boat load of points guys.
I expected a shoot out in the little apple between Texas Tech and Kansas State and they came though with flying colors. The Red Raiders got the back door cover with Snyder's team winning the game itself 44-38. I have to admit I am a little startled at the play of that Wildcat defense. They are better than this. Jesse Ertz looked pretty good overall but it is hard to put much stock in a performance against that Texas Tech defense. I had high hopes of a pretty good sized play this week on Snyder as a double digit dog in Norman but that defense makes me pause. Kansas State is a tough team to get a handle on. As for Tech they have a huge encounter this saturday with unbeaten West Virginia coming down to Lubbock. I am not a believer in the Mountaineers yet, not on any national scale anyway. But this would no doubt be a quality road win for them. West Virginia can creep slowly into more serious conversations if they pull this one out. Frankly I am skeptical. I expect a typical high scoring game and whoever has the ball last will likely win this thing. Some people really get off on that brand of football. Not me. I like teams with balance. Those are your serious contenders on the big stage.
Oklahoma and Texas got together and renewed their rivalry and Texas hung tough. The Sooners were hell bent on getting some pay back but the Long Horns competed. But in the end a 45-40 win for Stoops club. Yeah, another defensive battle. That season opening win against Notre Dame has lost it's luster now that we all see the spot light of truth has shown the Irish to be a shell of the team they were projected to be. Charlie Strong is back is deep crap in Austin. I do scratch my head myself at the play of the Texas defense. Is it some infection that goes around Big 12 campuses afflicting conference defenses. God it's just depressing to watch. Texas resides in the most fertile recruiting land in the freaking world and they cannot put a defense on the field any better than this? As for Oklahoma they got their MUCH needed win. No, they did not rub the Horns faces in the dirt like they wanted but they won the game. This week they welcome as I mentioned earlier Bill Snyder and his Wildcats to Norman. I am seeing the Sooners laying ten and the dreaded hook. I want to take the Cats so bad I can taste it. But their defense concerns me. God, I am getting sick of bitching about defenses in the Big 12. Wasn't always like this. But seriously, I think this game will be one of the best of the entire weekend.
Last week I said I expected Oklahoma State to struggle up in Ames against the Cyclones and they did exactly that. Man they were fortunate to escape town with that win. The Cyclones held a 31-14 lead at home in the third quarter and lost this thing. Those poor fans. Iowa State is so much better than national perception. As Texas will discover this weekend. Well winning is a culture, a habit and so is losing. Just is. You see that in college and NFL ball. The teams like Iowa State will compete and show flashes and tease their fans dangling victories under their noses only to find a way to lose in the end. Some call them moral victories. Well, that is nice but that song get's stale really, really quickly. Kind of like the Browns in the NFL. They have to learn how to win. How to close, seal the deal. Finish. Oh well, you get the idea. I sincerely hope they get it turned in Ames, those are fantastic loyal fans who deserve a winning football team.
That will be a wrap for this week in the Big 12 guys. I will do likewise for the SEC tomorrow. On the business front I have little frankly to report presently. I do have a featured release going in the college game tonight. My clients know I most certainly have proven I do not publish featured releases in all the prime time games. But I see a good spot tonight and went for it. I cashed another baseball playoff game last night. Have hit on 6 of my 8 baseball post season selections including a pair of Triples. I am still working on this weekends football, college and pro. As well as the baseball. Lot of stuff to get done if you do it right. So sorry if this was cut a little short this week. Back at it and as always for clients I will tweet it out as soon as I make a call.
Good luck this upcoming weekend guys.