Big 12 South Update – Armageddon in Lubbock

As the official Big 12 Correspondent for YesMSG, people are always asking me:  What is up with the Big 12 South?  Are they really that good?

Ok, people aren’t really asking me that much.  Most of the college football fans out here in Seattle were barely roused from their Husky/Cougar induced coma this week with the announcement of Willingham’s resignation and the hope that perhaps competitive football could return to the state in 2-3 more years.

But it’s my duty to report, and report I shall.

In case you haven’t noticed, the South division of the Big 12 currently has 4 of the top 10 teams nationally.  It has produced two of the best games of the season this year in the OU-Texas and Oklahoma St.-Texas games.   It promises at least four more instant classics as these teams play each other as the season goes on.

After beating the Sooners, Texas is currently and tragically ranked #1 in the nation.  As an Oklahoma alum and a huge fan from my earliest memories, nothing causes greater pain than an Oklahoma loss to the evil horned devils from Austin.  But it happened this year.  The end of the world cannot be far off.   Though Oklahoma only dropped to #4 in the rankings, so with a few key upsets we can be right back in the mix.  And Oklahoma still gets to play Texas Tech and Oklahoma State to cement its high ranking and possibly eliminate a team ahead of it.

This weekend is the last serious chance for Texas to get beat during the regular season.  They go to Lubbock to play the nearly as hated Texas Tech Red Raiders who also happen to be undefeated.  The game should be a war.  It’s certainly one where I’ll feel a little bad that one team actually has to win.  I really hate them both.  But Tech must win.  If the Red Raiders fail this weekend, it truly is time to stock up on canned foods and ammunition.  The end is coming.

Oklahoma has a nationally televised game against Nebraska this week.  Back in the day when Barry Switzer consistently confounded Tom Osborne, this was usually THE game of the season…not so much any more.  After OU put up a school record 55 points in the first half against Kansas State last week, look for Nebraska to get a similar embarrassment in Norman.  I’ll be watching this, and flipping back to the Texas Tech game during commercials

 I guess they play football in other places this year.  But let’s face it, the center of the football universe is the Big 12 South.  Enjoy.

Final Pre-Election Thoughts

With only a little over a week to go, the end of our two year nightmare is almost over.  The Presidential Election is longer than the NBA Playoffs, if that is possible.

Speaking of that, as aptly stated in TMQ, how do Obama and McCain get away with essentially not doing their jobs for two years as they campaigned, but still get paid by the respective taxpayers of Illinois and Arizona.  Seriously, I would like to go pursue some higher goal, get paid while I do it, and do my job when I feel like it, or when there is an opportunity for me to look good.

So we are in the fnal lap, and there are still undecided voters.  Really?  The past two years has not been enough?  You expect to hear something in the next week that will help you make up your mind?  Well, let me help you with what is the Yes MSG take on the Presidential Election from my conversations with my extensive readership.

Before I begin, I want you to know that my readers cross the political spectrum:

- Republicans from “Real” America

- Democrats (aka Coastal Elitists)

- Republicans from “Fake” America

Leaving out my lack of knowledge of “Real” America, because according to would-be-VP Palin (which is an acronym for Plain), I am an un-patriotic elitist, I can at least present my statistically significant breakdown of the electorate.

However, before I do that, one quick reference to an op-ed in the NY Times, which might surprise some of you.  In fact, this quote represents how I feel:

Here in Seattle, it’s become a one-party city, with a congressman for life and nodding-head liberals who seldom challenge a tax-loving city government. It would be nice, just to keep the philosophical debate sharp, if there were a few thoughtful Republicans around.

Now on to the analysis.

Obama Voters

• Are sick of Bush
• Don’t believe in the War
• Don’t believe in the economic policies
• Hate Tax and Spend, but find it less deceitful than Spend and Tax Cut (and don’t give me the crap that the Repubs are small gov types who will not spend — they just spend on different things)
• Believe that Barack will, despite his lack of experience, surround himself with good people, and make decisions based on thorough, reasoned logic, not politics
• Are concerned that McCain, a 70+ Cancer survivor, chose a woman who is indisputedly not qualified to be President
• Try not to think about Reid and Pelosi

McCain Voters

• Believe Bush, not Republicans are the problem
• Don’t mention the War, but certainly fear Obama sending our troops on humanitarian missions even if the USA’s interests are not at stake
• Believe in lower taxes (regardless of our spending)
• Did I mention the tax cut
• Believe that Barack is at best a socialist, and at worst, a Manchurian candidate representing Radical Muslims
• Believe that Palin is equally, if not more, qualified to be President since she has executive experience, is a “Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaverick” and took on entrenched interests in Alaska (and harbor no fears that a) her lack of curiosity does not reek of W, or b) she would have McCain offed in order to be President and bring about the End of Days)
• Are rightfully fearful of Reid and Pelosi

But in the end there are two truths that will affect the ability of either candidate to be even remotely effective:

1) There is no flexibilty in the budget.  Even if we only covered Medicare and Social Security, and other mandates, we would essentially be at our financial limit.  So cutting all the bridges to nowhere will do next to nothing.

And since no candidate wants to figure out how to control medical costs or raise the retirement age despite that fact that when Social Security was founded people did not live an average ten years past retirement, we have little chance of anything less than deficit spending.

2) Congress is run by self interested idiots.  I use Wet Noodle Reid and Glam Pelosi as the current examples of a fantastic lineup that includes Tom DeLay, Jim Wright, and Phil Gramm, but in the end, the names change but the ‘effectiveness’ remains the same.

As Yes MSG says: Those who don’t watch where their dog craps, are bound to step in it!

My version of “Those who do not study history are bound to repeat it.”  You like?

Could This Be a Bad Omen

Not looking like a good week for White Haired Residents of Arizona:

First, Lute Olson steps down as Coach of UA Hoops

Second, John McCain…….??????

What Kind of GM are You?

Andrew Friedman – Tulane 1999 (THAT IS NOT A TYPO    I hate you Friedman)

 

Jack Zduriencik (who cares, he looks Old, but makes me feel young!  There is still time for Yes MSG to be a success.  Go Jack!)

Religiosity

There is a Higher Order, although we had mixed signs of proof this weekend:

- Proof there is:

• Rays won Game 7.  Seriously, I respect the Red Sox, but could not stand more ‘nation.’  And I am equally impressed with Rays’ pitching staff, who followed up the Game 5 self-immolation with a combined 4 earned runs in Games 6 and 7. (The Sox only gave up 5, so Lester and Beckett were equal for sure)
• Manny Not Rewarded with WS Appearance. Admittedly, not his fault as his Reg and Post Season stats were the best I have ever seen.  But now the Dodgers HAVE to tie up $100+M at least in him — good for SF Giants fans.  Also, his old team did not get to WS either, and I think they would have if Manny were being Manny in Boston.  Is he worth a victory in Game 7 — you betcha!
• Dallas Cowboys lost.  Crushed by the Rams — broken pinkie?  Roy Williams – no catches?  Sweet!

- Proof there might be or might not be:

• Notre Dame did not lose.  Sure, they did not play either, showing God’s neutrality?  But it would have added to the weekend if they had lost.  Maybe against the Washington Huskies this week.

- Proof there is not:

• Mack Brown and the Longhorns #1 in the BCS

I Don’t Condone Violence, but…

Before I get to the Heading, let me first ask for assistance.  Every sportswriter has some pithy name for their thoughts:

- On the Mark (if you are Kriegel of Schlabach)

- Cup of Joe (Theisman)

- Cheap Shot, Thoughts and Bon Mots (Ostler)

- This Week’s List (Keown)

I need one.  What do I call it?  Perhaps I go with something related to MSG, the Flavor Enhancer.  but kind of a stretch.  However, the Ajinomoto Company, which was formed to create MSG, means ESSENCE OF TASTE in Japanese, so that seems to align well with Yes MSG. 

Therefore, and herewith, the First Yes MSG Essence of Taste:

1. The Red Sox make me sick.  We all appreciated the 2004 dethroning of the equally detestable Yankees, and even respected the 3-1 comeback against the Tribe last year, but this is too much.  Sure, I respect their ability to fight back from a 7-0 deficit in the 7th, but now we will be inundated with all this talk about them – Again!
2. Look, I am tired of Red Sox nation.  What does Boston have — 600K population; even throw in the other 3M in the “Greater Boston Area” and I still see more fair weather fans than all teams other than the Yanks and Manchester United.  Seriously, how do they pack stadiums in places like Cleveland?  Do lots of Bostonians move to Cleveland cause they like the Lake? (Yes MSG is skeptical of any fan who chooses a team that is not a) their hometown; b) where they live; c) has a significant family tie.  Cute uniforms and / or ‘they are good’ do not count.
3. Boston fans (outside of those who live in Boston and the Sports Guy) remind me of Stanford fans — could care less about sports, and have LOW LOW LOW SIQ (Sports Intelligence Quotients) unless the team plays well.
4. Shouldn’t Red Sox nation be a little more sympathetic to other (non-NY) fan bases?  They constantly whine about the Yanks, but have no compassion for teams like the Indians — and let’s be honest, who needs a championship more — Boston or Cleveland?  (Just like the Sacto Kings and the Buffalo Bills deserve titles – the rich getting richer is no fun)
5. In fact, speaking of Championships, let’s do a little exercise:  Assume the length of a sportsfan ‘life’ is 35 years — from 15 years old (before that you don’t understand the importance of sports) to 50 (at which point you should recognize the unimportance of sports — no, this will not apply to me).  So since 1973, Boston has had: 6 NBA titles (and 2 more finals appearances), 3 Super Bowl Victories (and 3 losses), and 2 World Series Titles (and 1 more loss).  Holy Titletown Batman — who matches this?  NY has no titles in hoop, and if you are a J-E-T-S fan, well…; Chicago — if you like the White Sox, not bad, but no one likes the White Sox except Obama and Scoop. Surprise entrant — Oakland — Raidahs have 3 Super Bowl Wins, A’s have 3 World Series Titles, and even the Warrior sneak in with the 1975 NBA Title.  But nevertheless, quit bitchin’ Boston, you have 6 Titles since 2001. 

   Which leads me to conclude that while I don’t condone violence, any Boston fan caught whining, celebrating overly zealously, or rubbing it in….well, a judge is likely to understand your assualt charge as Self-Defense.  Or feel free to yell Bucky Dent, Buckner, Aaron Boone!

6. So let’s hope that the comeback only leads to greater heartbreak, like the NY Giants crushing the hopes of the 19-0 season.
7. What will happen?  Well, I think that Tampa Bay can take solace in other teams that lost a heartbreaker and then came back to win later; for example:
   - 1986 Angels who lost game six to Boston and then……oh forget it, they lost
   - 1986 Red Sox who lost the Bob Stanley / Buckner / Mookie game but then won
   - 2001 Sacto Kings, who got robbed against the Lakers in Game 6, but went on to win Game 7 — oh, no they didn’t
   - 2002 Giants who totally blew game 6 (5-0 in the 7th) when the original bullpen auto-destruction took place — Felix Rodriguez, Tim Worrell and Rob Nen (long before Balfour, Wheeler and Howell) – but went on to WAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
   - 2005 Astros, who blew it against the Cards when Pujols hit that 800 foot homerun against Lidge, but the Astros, behind Oswalt, won the next game.  HEY, this really happened.
8. So if James Shields can do his best Lee Harvey Oswalt, then the Rays are ok. No pressure though, as you only have to carry a shell shocked young team through the first few innings and hope you can get a lead in order for the team to settle down.  Conversely, if Beckett regains anything like his normal post season form, and the Sox get out to an early lead, well, then I would not want to bank on a game 7 with Lester on the hill for the Sox.
9. And lastly, in the interests of conspiracy theories, did Bud Selig call David Stern in the 6th last night and say, “hey, you rigged the draft for Ewing, you got the Lakers into the NBA Finals in 2001, totally screwing the Kings in the process (and depriving them, and Webber of a legacy), you had Donaghy blow a game with the Spurs and Suns (although not sure why) and you suspended Amare and Boris because you don’t like their names, so how can i get the Red Sox into the Series?Stern, reputedly, but not confirmed, then dictated that the Rays would 1) play their outfield in; 2) not protect against doubles; 3) pitch righties against lefties Drew, Ortiz and Kotsay.  Sure enough – Game 6 on Saturday.
10. I figured I needed a 10th — Go (Cal) Bears v Arizona in the desert.

Go Rays — puhllease.  It would be nice to have two teams we can root for; not one we have to root against.

Yes MSG’s Cold Feet

So I think I am getting cold feet on the election.  You can read David Brooks or Bob Herbert to see why we seem to be in trouble.  Like it might not matter who is in charge. It probably does though, more than we want. I used to be of the school of thought that the Prez could not affect a ton of things, and the best thing he could do would be stay out of the way.  The last 8 years taught me that this is not true.  So now we are faced with the following (and again, that familiar refrain — a country of 300M and this is the best we can do):

• Obama — has no real experience and potentially eaten up by the skilled political infighters.  Also, the more I listen to him the more it seems that Government is the solution to everything.  He is kind of a socialist.  I am fine with that socially, but not financially.  Which is problematic as if anyone blows more money than the goverment with less accountability, I would like to know who it is.

  We, for instance, spend a ton of money on education, but the issue is that we cannot evaluate or fire crap teachers.

  Unfortunately, the current Prez has little choice with the current financial crisis.  More oversight might have mattered, but the reality is greed is human nature for most, and that is hard to control.  Kind of like Olympic Athletes and the Drug Tester, the bad guys are usually ahead of the good guys.

  I hope he surrounds himself with good advisors and uses his Checkbook as a metaphor.  We all have to balance our check book; just because the USA can print money or borrow $500B a year from the Chinese (at present) does not mean we should.  I am all for getting rid of earmarks, but he is going to have to tell Seniors “sorry, when Social Security was founded, life expectancy was in the 60s, not the 70s, so we are 1) raising the retirement age, and 2) means testing.  Yo The Donald, no SS check for you.”

  More frightening perhaps is that Obama will have to rely on the assistance of Pelois and Reid, two of the most pathetic leaders I have seen.  ANd I doubt they ever saw a spending program they did not like.  Reid makes McCain seem like a spry 20 year old, and Nancy is too buisy posturing to ever think about doing what is right for all Americans — and this is the team — as the Captain said when had to send Maverick (Tom Cruise not McCain) and Goose to Top Gun — “God Help Us All.” 

• McCain — a man deserving of our respect, but who seems to have lost it.  Sorry for my aged readers, but 70+ is just a bit too removed.  Has no knowledge of the web, while Al Qaeda uses it as a recruiting tool, to site one example.  Then he chooses a VP, well, I will get to that.

  Would have been a good Prez 8 years ago with a GOP Congress and Senate.  Now, maybe Elder Statesman / Talking Head, or Commissioner of Boxing.

• Palin — (hey, McCain is a 70+ year old cancer survivor, she could be President.  Plus, I still contend that Johnny Mac has a bad pretzel experience if ever alone with Sarah Barracuda.) 

  I am sorry, I cannot take this End of Days woman seriously.  She recently claimed that she always knew who Bill Ayers of the Weathermen terrorist organization was, when she could not even tell Katie Couric what papers she read, what leaders she could name and what Supreme Court decisions she disagreed with, but she knows an obscure terrorist from the 60s.  <unprintable thoughts>

  Oh, and can I go off on her family?  I have no problem with the five kids, having the down syndrome baby — totally admirable.  But having little Bristol marry this redneck, who has decided to drop out of high school, HIGH SCHOOL, to work on a rig to provide for his family is ridiculous.  Maybe they don’t want to appear non-Joe-sixpack, but no kid should drop out of high school, especially one who is marring the daughter of the governor.  2 months after this election, this kid miraculously ends up back in school.  Sarah might want to stress education, even in the face of an unwanted pregnancy, as a surer way of providing for your child.

  Of course, Second Dude (as Bristol’s hubby would be) has stated that the plan was always to get married, regardless of the baby.  WTF?  17 year olds should not get married.  We are hardly an 18th century agrarian society.  I am not being elitist, but kids change as they enter their 20s, 30s, 40s, and getting a college education or a vocation makes more sense at 17.

  Now if you are offended by what I said above, ask yourself this: If I had written the above about the Obama family, would you have felt the same way?  Be honest.

  So we are left with, like in 1988….

• A VP candidate that probably would be the best Presidential Candidate — Joe Biden.  OK, this is addition by subtraction, so he is probably not the best, but being long winded and a plagiarizer seems rather quaint comparatively.

Regardless, this is a one term presidency.  The problems are too great and the financial situation too dire to survive 2012, is my guess. 

Yes MSG Prediction: Obama wins, proves ineffective when pitted against his own Congress, Dems lose majority in 2010; 2012 Hillary runs against the incumbent, but loses, while Palin runs, but is beaten by a qualified Republican — Gov Jindal, Pawlenty, Sen Hagel, Graham, Grassley — who becomes President.

Check back in 4 years (just on this prediction, not this blog, I need the viewership).

Amazing Hockey Stat

I see that the New York Rangers are off to their best start in a quarter of a century — 5 and oh.

But what I find most surprising is that the NHL has already played FIVE GAMES.  Who knew.

This is the professional sports equivalent of “if a tree falls in the forest…”

Bad Week to be a Yes MSG Correspondent

The only good from this football weekend was Dall-ass and Notre Dame losing.  Other than that, tough.

My Big 12 Correspondent, GeneB, watched his Sooners go down hard (said in Schwarzenegger voice) against the hated (by all) Longhorns. 

And the long season that it is turning out to be for Chris Fowler of Auburn fame (and SEC Correspondent) got even longer with the home loss to scumba_ Bobby Petrino and his Razorbacks.

Let’s Review the AP Top 10.

1) Texas — have to give it to them, but have Missouri, TTech and OK State in succession.  Brutal.  They win this and even I would have to say that Mack WHINER Brown has best team in USA.

2) Alabama — did not play but until they blow it.

3) Penn State — only have to beat Ohio State, and hope they do and hope they don’t.  Not really sure, but the Big 10 is so uninspriring.

4) Oklahoma — not a far fall, and probably run the table to justify it, but D has to improve.

5) Florida — lose at thome to Ole Miss then WORK LSU.  Go figure.  Not built for the long hall though if Percy Harvin cannot stay healthy.

6) USC — rebounding well from Oregon State loss, but Strength of Schedule will kill them unless Cal wins out.

7) Texas Tech — hard to believe in this program, especially when barely gets by Nebraska.  Beat someone first.

Oklahoma State — see #7, but good if they stay around just for the “I’m a man; I’m 40″ references. 

9) Brigham Young – I guess if they beat Utah and TCU, then OK, but hard for me to accept a Mountain West (is there a Mountain East?) team full of 24 year olds.

10) Georgia — looked good against Tennessee, but who doesn’t.  Short of the $700B bailout, the contract that UT gave to Fulmer before this season was the worst example of fiscal malfeasance.  (First time I have used that word in a sentence.)

Bonus – 11) Missouri — came up small when it counted, so see if they can all do us a favor and beat down Colt McCoy and the Longhorns.

Double Bonus – 25) California — umm, not sure what to say.

Back to Sports

OK, I am going back to sports.  All this political stuff got us sidetracked.  And as my friend, Dr. Eastwood (he is an ortho in Carmel) said:

In the end, they are all idiots in Washington.

So with the exception of this interesting Op-Ed by David Brooks of the NY Times on why the Republicans have trouble with ‘elitist coastal’ types, let’s do a wrap of what is going on in the World of Sports:

1) The NHL season started.  I would link to the announcement, but cannot find it.

2) The Red River Shootout (which has had its name changed to Red River Rivalry as “Shootout” was considered too violent.  WTF, this is a football rivalry between two states that are renowned for guns — One Ranger One Riot type of stuff.  Rivalry — sheesh!) is tomorrow at a wonderful West Coast 9am — get out of bed and watch OU embarrass Mack Brown and the whiny Longhorns

3) LSU – Florida.  Never a dull moment with the SEC and a Les Miles coached team.

4) Missouri v I’m a Man, I’M 40:  Final warm up before 2008 Heisman Winner Chase Daniel faces a real test in the Longhorns

5) The OJ Award (aka – Athletes Gone Bad!)

 who knew that OJ running through the airport for Hertz was a harbinger of things to come.

Now you remember that Yes MSG did recount the stories about such luminaries as Kenny Anderson, who spent $60M, and Travis Henry, who fathered 9 kids by 9 women.  Well, more headlines:

a) Travis Henry was cut by the Broncs, so to care for his brood, he decided to deal cocaine.  Looks like Parental Visitation Rights will take place in the slammer.

b) Lawrence Phillips, who blew numerous chances in the NFL, and was the 6th pick in the draft I believe, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for running his car to some teenagers after becoming angry following a pickup football game.  Pickup?

c) PacMan Jones may not be penalized for fighting with one of his FOUR Cowboys paid bodyguards, in the bathroom of some hotel, but he is getting on the list above shortly.

Maybe we should start an arrested/bankrupt pool — sort of like a Dead Pool, but financially based.

Enjoy the games (oh, Baseball later).