Monday Non-Cowboys Links

I think it seems pretty obvious when looking at the video below that the Sooners got robbed. No doubt. But, as you know, I like to see Sooners fans mad. They remind me so much of Spurs fans that it is really no surprise that in some cases they are the same people. You know. They are all “in your face” telling you how they are the best ever. And when they lose, it is not their fault. It is a conspiracy to keep them down.

Here is Sooner Columnist …

When I saw the replay Saturday on the Autzen big screen, I thought, uh, maybe. By Sunday, I saw all the replays you saw and know the Sooners got rooked.

I know this was another game OU lost via dubious means, similar to Texas Tech a year ago, though frankly the Sooners deserved that one more.

Play defense the way OU did Saturday and officiating complaints lose some oomph.
But still, funny how technology or poor eyesight felled the Sooners for the second time in a span of six games.

Maybe there's an explanation. Maybe there's a perfectly good reason Riese looked at Oregon's onside kick and decided everything was kosher.

I don't see what it could be, but you never know. Fuzzy TV screen. Laryngitis. Bad headsets. True story: an OU fan e-mailed Saturday night that the only possible explanation is that the replay official in the booth said "Oklahoma ball," and the referee, holding his headsets to dim the Autzen noise, thought he heard, "Oregon ball."

We're open-minded. We're willing to listen.

But no one is talking.

And here is Sooner TV telling us how the Sooners were robbed.

Further visual evidence of the goofy call in Oregon:



And of course, last year in Lubbock it wasn’t their fault, either.



Look, you got screwed. But, isn’t there an opportunity to get a stop still? Didn’t Oregon still have to go 55 yards? Just like the Spurs fans, Sooners fans are blinded by the rage at the refs, but at the end of the day, they do not ask their team to make plays to overcome the unpredictable nature of officiating. Don’t be afraid to get a stop, Sooner.


Coach Fran with a goofy decision that was only canceled out by Bobby Ross’ equally goofy decision to call a run play on 3rd and goal with no timeouts and :09 left in the game.

Then came A&M's last possession, when Franchione opted to go for it on fourth-and-1 from his own 31.

It was a decision you could spend a week dissecting.

The easy call would have been to punt. A&M was averaging 40 yards a punt, which would have left Army roughly 81 yards to negotiate in 2:55.

The Black Knights needed 7:22 to drive 56 yards on 14 plays for their field goal on the previous possession. Army does not have a quick-scoring offense.

So why didn't Franchione punt?

He obviously thought his offense would put the game away. Unfortunately, his offense had become two-headed, which worked against the Aggies on their final offensive play.
Quarterback Stephen McGee and running back Jorvorskie Lane had combined for 96.9 percent of the team's total yardage at that point. McGee and Lane had been almost unstoppable, so there's no qualms with the game plan, but Army's defense could focus on just those two.

A&M sorely missed the threat of injured tailback Courtney Lewis on that play.

Actually, I believe it says what Fran thinks about his Wrecking Crew’s ability to get a stop.

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TCU gets it done ...

Now TCU is talking, after taking care of payback on the field.

Just minutes after the No. 16 Horned Frogs held Texas Tech without a touchdown in a 12-3 victory Saturday night, avenging a 10-touchdown assault by the Red Raiders in a 70-35 loss two years ago, coach Gary Patterson started venting.

While TCU's 13-game winning streak is the longest in NCAA Division I-A, with a 4-0 record against Big 12 teams since the start of last season, Patterson doesn't think people are giving the Frogs (3-0) enough credit.

"All I hear about is do you think you belong," Patterson said.

"People have been underselling our kids for years. All everybody wants to talk about is the Big 12," he said. "I'm telling you right now. We're not the Big 12, but just a Texas team playing with Texas players."

When the Southwest Conference broke up after the 1995 season, the Frogs weren't included in the group that went to the Big 12. Half of the SWC's Texas teams - Texas Tech (2-1), Texas, Texas A&M and Baylor - went to the new power conference.

The Frogs have since been in three different leagues. They have won or shared titles in the WAC, Conference USA and the Mountain West, where TCU made its debut last season winning all eight conference games.

"People overlook TCU and kind of treat us like a Division II school until the end of the year when we come out of nowhere," said linebacker Robert Henson, whose blocked punt set up the third of TCU's four field goals against Texas Tech.

Even with an expanded opportunity this season for a spot in the Bowl Championship Series, TCU knows it can't make a mistake. The Frogs have a good start, but still must pull off another MWC sweep and win their remaining non-conference game at Army.

The only other time the Red Raiders didn't score a touchdown in Mike Leach's 79 games was in a 56-3 loss to Nebraska in 2000, the coach's first season. They scored less than 10 points only one other time, a 42-7 loss at Texas in 2001, and averaged 41 points in non-conference games.

Here is an important email:

This is not directed to you personally...but, let's start talking a little more TCU Football--the kids, coaches, school deserve some airtime--regardless of what conference they are in. Less money than the BSC schools, smaller fan base, mid-tier conference, yet Gary Patterson still produces Wins and takes the team to Bowl Games. It's one thing for the National Media to not give a S*** about TCU, but let's locally start caring and at least showing them the respect they deserve. Just like the Ticket started small, us locals supported The Ticket, and now look at you, you're all of the Metroplex (hell, almost the Nation) b/c of the fan base. Spread some love to TCU and give them some airtime. If you watch/observe this team every week/year, you can tell the team is committed to one thing--winning. My biggest fear is that GP will eventually get fed up and leave b/c the damn Metroplex only cares about the Cowbo ys (and of course, The Ticket is committed to the Cowboys.) However, TCU is spending millions on upgrading their facilities to continue to attract Texas talent--even without it, they are producing. BTW, have you ever been to Amon Carter for a game? Great environment for family/kids w/out a bunch of drunks like the Cowboy Games.

On another note, "quite frankly," I could care less about the Cowboys (honestly, who give a S*** about Vanderspank, TO, Bledsoe and the rest of the Boys...b/c, they could give a S*** about Dallas.) They won't keep their roots here.

The TCU/Tech game was amazing. I had some friends from other schools (i.e., OU, UT, etc.) and they said this was one of the loudest games they have ever been too.

Have a good one...thanks for letting me T-Off.

JonC

Meanwhile, in further arbitrary links on a busy Monday morning:



My boys suck …Saints 34, Packers 27…

Chelsea 1, Liverpool 0 … on the amazing goal by Drogba. Liverpool should have had a better result, but you only get credit for goals if they actually find the back of the net. Crossbars and close calls do not count.



Arsenal 1, Manchester United 0 …Without Henry??? At Old Trafford??? This, is a shocker.

Everything else will have to wait until tomorrow-

Sports.