Ketch's 10 Thoughts From the Weekend (The nine-letter dirty word)

[Cdun]

Originally posted by Ketchum:

Originally posted by cdunagan051:

Ketch.

The entire game was set up for Swoopes to pull away from Heard in front of the entire fanbase. Let's look at what took place:

Swoopes plays with the entire first team offense, as well as having J-Gray as his running back in the opening drive. Swoopes plays against the entire 2nd-3rd stringers on D. (I'll give you Malik was a haas). But Swoopes was throwing against some DB's who will never play a single snap for Texas in the fall (Strickland and Boldt. Boldt has the INT against Swoopes. Yes, a walk-on picked Swoopes off). Swoopes went against the first team defense ONCE. One that possession, he was sacked (They didn't call the sack for some reason... hmmm i wonder why?) And he threw 2 incomplete passes, for a 3-and-out.

Heard played with the entire team of backups (although he did get Duke as his RB for the first series, which he took down the field against the 1st team Defense and scored a TD). His RB for the rest of the game was a WALK-ON. He was throwing to a couple of WRs that will never see the field this season. He was going up against the 1st team D for the majority of his snaps. On his only chance to play with the ones, against the ones, he led them to a FG.

So, in this game, Swoopes was given every advantage, and Heard was given no chance (Ricky Williams said "Give him a real running back. Give him a chance"). In this game both got one series where they played with the ones, against the ones, and Heard got 3 points out of it. Swoopes went 3-and-out.

Given all this information, maybe Swoopes looked better to you from the eye test. But knowing that he had every advantage that Heard didn't have, shouldn't Swoopes have blown you away with how far ahead he is of Heard? Did that happen? It continues to baffle me how many excuses people will try to make in order to keep Swoopes ahead of Heard.

To quote Mugatu, from Zoolander: "I feel like I'm taking crazy pills."

This post was edited on 4/19 11:31 PM by cdunagan051

waaaaaay too much focus on a glorified scrimmage.

 

[o5prey]

Ketch,

I agree with cdungan 100% here. This is the same kind of action we saw before when they were trying to prevent controversy when they'd decided to give Gilbert the job. In retrospect you'll call it - when a scrimmage is cancelled after Gilbert showed well.

I'm not even talking about the analysis of whom should start here. But what the coaches put in front of the fans - that speaks volumes to their intentions.

 

[Hookem24jt]

Originally posted by Ketchum:

Originally posted by Hookem24jt:

"… Ho hum, Anthony Davis piled up 35 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks in his playoff debut. This is not hyperbole … he is the best player in the NBA and if he had better teammates around him, he probably wins the MVP."

Slow your role Ketch..... For the next 1-2 years (at least) it is hyperbole to say anyone is better than LeBron, sorry but it's true. I respect your opinion, and I will say without question Anthony Davis is very much on his way to becoming the best player in the NBA, but right now it is still LeBron.

Anthony Davis just posted the 11th best season in NBA history in terms of PER, a number that James has surpassed three times, but only once in the last five seasons.

His win shares per 48 minutes destroyed James this season.

As a fan of advanced metrics I understand where you're coming from, but you're still not giving enough credit to LeBron. Cleveland was absolutely pathetic without LeBron while he was injured (went 1-8 and that team still had 2 All-Star caliber players too), and although Miami dealt with injuries this year, they're still a team that went from 4 straight NBA Finals appearances to not even in the playoffs in the very weak Eastern Conference. LeBron no longer has to carry the lion's share like he did in years past (and what Davis is doing now) because he has better teammates the last 5 years, but it's still premature to say anyone has overtaken LeBron quite yet.

 

[hankmartin]

We will win at least 7 games, and I project 8-4 season [ losing to TCU, OU, at Notre Dame, at Baylor ].

Agree that we will see both Tyrone Swoopes and Jerrod Heard at Quarterback. My expectations are that we will see
Heard a lot against Tech Tech, Oklahoma State, Rice and Kansas.

Alternating the two Quarterbacks will definitely keep the speed of the UP Tempo Offense going !

 

[UTJRod7]

Originally posted by Ketchum:


******* WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD ***********

******* WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD ***********

******* WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD ***********

******* LAST CHANCE TO TURN AWAY ***********



g. Danny just can't win. Watching her run things is like watching me run Orangebloods at times.

Dany is the worst leader ever, behind Joffrey and Lysa, you sure you want to be in that company?

 

[BurnleyFC]

It looks like a 5-7 type of season is a very real possibility. I don't ever recall having such little talent combined with glaring deficiencies at so many key positions on any team before. OL, DL, QB, WR, ST and possibly RB are all light years behind where the need to be.

 

[Bevo Strong]

I'm trying to look at your Garth archives but many of the archives are no longer available....

 

[Prosperity]

I see you working, trying to appear diverse, but not putting Tell Me Something Good on Chaka's Top 10 is a serious omission.

Or was that track not available on Spotify?

 

[abard124]

Originally posted by Ketchum:

No. 5 - Bottom line: How many wins are you projecting for the 2015 Longhorns ...

Right now I have this team going 7-5.

Wins: vs. Rice, vs. California, vs. Oklahoma State, vs. Kansas State, at Iowa State, vs. Kansas and vs. Texas Tech

Losses: at Notre Dame, at TCU, vs. Oklahoma, at West Virginia and at Baylor

Word of caution: I don't think the 2015 team is better than the 2014 team, so my projections might be slightly optimistic. I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt in a few of those wins.

I'm more concerned that we are a better team this year (certainly on offense) but we'll have fewer wins. I'm not sure I buy us beating OK-State. Maybe all the stuff about Mason Rudolph is just hype, but if it's not, they could come in and hand it to us, particularly is our secondary is all freshmen. Cal could also be lose-able depending on how they are, and although it would be horribly embarrassing to lose to Iowa State, they've held it to us two years in a row and we're playing them in Ames, so I wouldn't even count them out. And K-State may not have a team this year, but they do still have Bill Snyder, so I would never count them out. I have also learned to never try to predict the OU game.

The one interesting thing about this list, though, is this:
Wins (according to Ketch): Home, Home, Home, Home, at ISU, Home, Home
Losses (according to Ketch): at ND, at TCU, in Dallas, at WVU, at Baylor

So really, in the games that we'd need an upset to win, the crowd won't be doing us any favors. That worries me. But I do like the idea of winning all the games I go to (which does include OU, by the way).

 

[YodelingHorn]

Damn, Ketch, you've really embraced that Liverpool-supporter malaise like a child embraces their teddy bear... I'm going to type this only one last time - that is, it's not too late to switch your loyalty to another EPL club... Ketch, following a new sport, especially from such a great distance, should be fun - not painful... My fear for you is that it won't get any better because, well, Liverpool just simply isn't a big club anymore... They're based in a terrible city that nobody of quality really wants to play in - and that's a simple fact... Basically, they are the Cleveland Browns of the NFL... Therefore, instead of being content every season to battle with the Tottenham's and the Everton's of the league for fourth spot, why not begin supporting a big club - like Manchester United (especially while they're rebuilding) - and have a little fun... You can be sure that ManU will open the checkbook again this offseason, so even better times are ahead... Again, you're too new of an EPL fan to support a has-been team like Liverpool - you'll be off the bandwagon and off European football entirely by your third year at this rate... Signed, A very content Chelsea supporter...

 

[Anwar Richardson]

Originally posted by abard124:

Originally posted by Ketchum:

No. 5 - Bottom line: How many wins are you projecting for the 2015 Longhorns ...

Right now I have this team going 7-5.

Wins: vs. Rice, vs. California, vs. Oklahoma State, vs. Kansas State, at Iowa State, vs. Kansas and vs. Texas Tech

Losses: at Notre Dame, at TCU, vs. Oklahoma, at West Virginia and at Baylor

Word of caution: I don't think the 2015 team is better than the 2014 team, so my projections might be slightly optimistic. I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt in a few of those wins.

I'm more concerned that we are a better team this year (certainly on offense) but we'll have fewer wins. I'm not sure I buy us beating OK-State. Maybe all the stuff about Mason Rudolph is just hype, but if it's not, they could come in and hand it to us, particularly is our secondary is all freshmen. Cal could also be lose-able depending on how they are, and although it would be horribly embarrassing to lose to Iowa State, they've held it to us two years in a row and we're playing them in Ames, so I wouldn't even count them out. And K-State may not have a team this year, but they do still have Bill Snyder, so I would never count them out. I have also learned to never try to predict the OU game.

The one interesting thing about this list, though, is this:
Wins (according to Ketch): Home, Home, Home, Home, at ISU, Home, Home
Losses (according to Ketch): at ND, at TCU, in Dallas, at WVU, at Baylor

So really, in the games that we'd need an upset to win, the crowd won't be doing us any favors. That worries me. But I do like the idea of winning all the games I go to (which does include OU, by the way).

Strong was 7-6 his first two years at Louisville before the program took off. 7-6 seems about right if there is a youth movement this season

 

[HuffTex]

Agree completely, right now, on Daje. He appears to be DJ Monroe, Part Deux. Both extremely talented in the open field, the challenge with both has been, what do you do to get them the ball there, and can you weather the storm of them not playing their positions correctly outside of being extremely fast with the ball in their hands. The problem with each of these players wasn't only that they weren't all that good at the other responsibilities of their positions, they were actually liabilities, which limited them to being brought in pretty much ONLY when they were getting the ball. Reminds me of Pop Warner where every time a certain kid came in, every coach on the other sideline is yelling "#2.....watch #2...he's gonna get the ball!!!" Well, that works pretty good in Pop Warner, but gets harder in middle school, harder still in high school, and really is an issue in college. Charlie Strong isn't one to mince words, so when he tells Daje, "you haven't made a play since the OU game (2013)," there is a not so subtle message there....

 

[VALonghorns]

Heard is a better throwing Taylor Martinez

Jay Norvell has to be so disappointed in his WR`s. Daje and DLeonard had rough days. Think it can only get better.

 

[HuffTex]

Originally posted by VALonghorns:

Heard is a better throwing Taylor Martinez

Jay Norvell has to be so disappointed in his WR`s. Daje and DLeonard had rough days. Think it can only get better.

I think this might be a good thing. Hearing and seeing the film from Saturday's scrimmage cannot hurt the effort these young WR's are going to have to give to stay on the field this fall. Coach Norvell in their ears isn't going to sound nice over the next few months....

 

[MuggyMug]

We are going to see a lot of teams attack us and blitz us from the left (our right).

 

[wesbearden]

Why is everyone picking us to lose against West Virginia? Not even a chance we might win? Is Clint Trickett still there? Are we expected to get torched by him or what?

 

[Rex Manning]

Originally posted by Ketchum:


… Speaking of English soccer teams, huge props to Chelsea for proving that its EPL title this year is far from a lucky fluke or an early hot spurt. Beating white-hot Manchester United sent a message to everyone in the league … back the hell off … the title is theirs.

Did you really see that going any other way? Mourinho thrives in these games. Go Blues!

Next up is Arsenal. They win that one or tie they will be unbeaten against the Top 4 this year.


You should watch that one Ketch for the game but also because Mourinho and Wenger hate each other. Got into a funny confrontation the last time the two played.

This post was edited on 4/20 8:34 AM by Don Brodka

 

[ball911]

Originally posted by Ketchum:

Originally posted by longhorn4444:
Your prediction of attrition might turn out to be right, but there's been a material change in coaches over your "scientific" period of examination. Therefore, what happened in the past may or may not be a reliable indicator of the future.

There's no way there's not going to be high turnover in the next 16 months, especially as the young kids start vaulting over older players on the depth chart.

It's clear to me...and so its obviously clear to Charlie...that he doesn't have enough playmakers to beat the good teams on his schedule. The answer is to flip the roster he inherited as quickly as possible. That started last year and will continue this season....a metaphysical certainty.

 

[Ketchum]

Originally posted by o5prey:
Ketch,

I agree with cdungan 100% here. This is the same kind of action we saw before when they were trying to prevent controversy when they'd decided to give Gilbert the job. In retrospect you'll call it - when a scrimmage is cancelled after Gilbert showed well.

I'm not even talking about the analysis of whom should start here. But what the coaches put in front of the fans - that speaks volumes to their intentions.

I agree that the coaches want Tyrone to look good because they don't want to start Heard from the jump.

 

[ball911]

Originally posted by BurnleyFC:
It looks like a 5-7 type of season is a very real possibility. I don't ever recall having such little talent combined with glaring deficiencies at so many key positions on any team before. OL, DL, QB, WR, ST and possibly RB are all light years behind where the need to be.

You sir are correct. Look at Ketch's review of 2012...15, count'em 15....transfers out of the program. Right now the program basically didn't recruit in the year that should be the core of the current program. Just a total f'ed up disaster!

 

[Ketchum]

Originally posted by Hookem24jt:
As a fan of advanced metrics I understand where you're coming from, but you're still not giving enough credit to LeBron. Cleveland was absolutely pathetic without LeBron while he was injured (went 1-8 and that team still had 2 All-Star caliber players too), and although Miami dealt with injuries this year, they're still a team that went from 4 straight NBA Finals appearances to not even in the playoffs in the very weak Eastern Conference. LeBron no longer has to carry the lion's share like he did in years past (and what Davis is doing now) because he has better teammates the last 5 years, but it's still premature to say anyone has overtaken LeBron quite yet.

LeBron hasn't been the best player in the league in either of the last two seasons. Not the same as Jordan in the 90s at all, which is what some want to suggest.

 

[Ketchum]

Originally posted by UTJRod7:

Originally posted by Ketchum:


******* WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD ***********

******* WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD ***********

******* WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD ***********

******* LAST CHANCE TO TURN AWAY ***********



g. Danny just can't win. Watching her run things is like watching me run Orangebloods at times.

Dany is the worst leader ever, behind Joffrey and Lysa, you sure you want to be in that company?

It was a joke. I'm allowed to poke fun at myself, right?

 

[Ketchum]

Originally posted by Bevo Strong:
I'm trying to look at your Garth archives but many of the archives are no longer available....

I'll see if I can relocate that one and link it for you today. Any others you see missing?

 

[Craben]

Originally posted by cdunagan051:

Originally posted by Ketchum:


Buy or sell: Heard is the starter by the beginning of the conference center schedule.

(Buy) I mean … I guess. There's no way anyone can be convinced Swoopes will hold the job for 12 games at this point.

This says everything, don't you think? Is there anyone out there who thinks Swoopes will be our starting QB by week 6, 7 or 8? Why are we going to waste time, and wait until we've lost a couple of games before we turn it over to Heard? He's about even with Swoopes and he's been here for less than half the time Swoopes has been here.

Is this going to be the 2nd season in a row where we give the majority of first team snaps to a QB who is not even our starter by week 2?

Until Heard gets some playing time under his belt, not having the pressure of being the starter will allow him to progress more rapidly than throwing him into the fire early in the season behind a struggling OL and without playmakers at WR or TE.

 

[Ketchum]

Originally posted by Prosperity:

I see you working, trying to appear diverse, but not putting Tell Me Something Good on Chaka's Top 10 is a serious omission.

Or was that track not available on Spotify?

I listened to every album she's made, so it garnered a listen. Don't really recall it.

 

[Ketchum]

Originally posted by HookemUK:
Damn, Ketch, you've really embraced that Liverpool-supporter malaise like a child embraces their teddy bear... I'm going to type this only one last time - that is, it's not too late to switch your loyalty to another EPL club... Ketch, following a new sport, especially from such a great distance, should be fun - not painful... My fear for you is that it won't get any better because, well, Liverpool just simply isn't a big club anymore... They're based in a terrible city that nobody of quality really wants to play in - and that's a simple fact... Basically, they are the Cleveland Browns of the NFL... Therefore, instead of being content every season to battle with the Tottenham's and the Everton's of the league for fourth spot, why not begin supporting a big club - like Manchester United (especially while they're rebuilding) - and have a little fun... You can be sure that ManU will open the checkbook again this offseason, so even better times are ahead... Again, you're too new of an EPL fan to support a has-been team like Liverpool - you'll be off the bandwagon and off European football entirely by your third year at this rate... Signed, A very content Chelsea supporter...

I can't bail now. If my fate is to forever live in disappointment, then so be it. I'm attached.

 

[Ketchum]

Originally posted by wesbearden:
Why is everyone picking us to lose against West Virginia? Not even a chance we might win? Is Clint Trickett still there? Are we expected to get torched by him or what?

I didn't say Texas doesn't have a chance. 55-45 game right now IMO.

 

[Rex Manning]

Originally posted by Ketchum:

Originally posted by HookemUK:
Damn, Ketch, you've really embraced that Liverpool-supporter malaise like a child embraces their teddy bear... I'm going to type this only one last time - that is, it's not too late to switch your loyalty to another EPL club... Ketch, following a new sport, especially from such a great distance, should be fun - not painful... My fear for you is that it won't get any better because, well, Liverpool just simply isn't a big club anymore... They're based in a terrible city that nobody of quality really wants to play in - and that's a simple fact... Basically, they are the Cleveland Browns of the NFL... Therefore, instead of being content every season to battle with the Tottenham's and the Everton's of the league for fourth spot, why not begin supporting a big club - like Manchester United (especially while they're rebuilding) - and have a little fun... You can be sure that ManU will open the checkbook again this offseason, so even better times are ahead... Again, you're too new of an EPL fan to support a has-been team like Liverpool - you'll be off the bandwagon and off European football entirely by your third year at this rate... Signed, A very content Chelsea supporter...

I can't bail now. If my fate is to forever live in disappointment, then so be it. I'm attached.

You know that all too well being a 76er fan.

 

[Ketchum]

Originally posted by Anwar Richardson:

Originally posted by abard124:

Originally posted by Ketchum:

No. 5 - Bottom line: How many wins are you projecting for the 2015 Longhorns ...

Right now I have this team going 7-5.

Wins: vs. Rice, vs. California, vs. Oklahoma State, vs. Kansas State, at Iowa State, vs. Kansas and vs. Texas Tech

Losses: at Notre Dame, at TCU, vs. Oklahoma, at West Virginia and at Baylor

Word of caution: I don't think the 2015 team is better than the 2014 team, so my projections might be slightly optimistic. I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt in a few of those wins.

I'm more concerned that we are a better team this year (certainly on offense) but we'll have fewer wins. I'm not sure I buy us beating OK-State. Maybe all the stuff about Mason Rudolph is just hype, but if it's not, they could come in and hand it to us, particularly is our secondary is all freshmen. Cal could also be lose-able depending on how they are, and although it would be horribly embarrassing to lose to Iowa State, they've held it to us two years in a row and we're playing them in Ames, so I wouldn't even count them out. And K-State may not have a team this year, but they do still have Bill Snyder, so I would never count them out. I have also learned to never try to predict the OU game.

The one interesting thing about this list, though, is this:
Wins (according to Ketch): Home, Home, Home, Home, at ISU, Home, Home
Losses (according to Ketch): at ND, at TCU, in Dallas, at WVU, at Baylor

So really, in the games that we'd need an upset to win, the crowd won't be doing us any favors. That worries me. But I do like the idea of winning all the games I go to (which does include OU, by the way).

Strong was 7-6 his first two years at Louisville before the program took off. 7-6 seems about right if there is a youth movement this season

If he finds ananswer at quarterback, the schedule shapes up nicely in 2016.

Home vs. Notre Dame, TCU and Baylor.

All about that position until it's not.

 

[Ketchum]

Originally posted by ball911:

Originally posted by Ketchum:

Originally posted by longhorn4444:
Your prediction of attrition might turn out to be right, but there's been a material change in coaches over your "scientific" period of examination. Therefore, what happened in the past may or may not be a reliable indicator of the future.

There's no way there's not going to be high turnover in the next 16 months, especially as the young kids start vaulting over older players on the depth chart.

It's clear to me...and so its obviously clear to Charlie...that he doesn't have enough playmakers to beat the good teams on his schedule. The answer is to flip the roster he inherited as quickly as possible. That started last year and will continue this season....a metaphysical certainty.

yup