Has anyone noticed the prices this year! Lower endzone are around $2,500, a seat PLUS BS FEES! Looking for a friend...

Thinking about doing a last minute spring break ski trip to Tahoe mid March. I’ve never been and don’t even know where to start. Which mountain should I choose? Any resorts that you recommend will be greatly appreciated. Thinking of flying to Sacramento. Any other food or activity recs? You’ve never failed me on vacation advice before OB thanks!

Byron Murphy is projecting to be a much higher draft prospect than T’Vondre Sweat. But during the season, Sweat definitely got more recognition. Is this just a case where college and pro games are different, talent grades differently, etc? Or did we all sleep on Murphy a bit because of how great a year Sweat had?

Let’s call this an acclimation period: By now everyone should be aware the SEC is getting rid of divisions, adding Oklahoma and Texas and participating in an expanded College Football Playoff. But do we know what this will all look and feel like?

Many reading this weren’t alive the last time the SEC didn’t have divisions (1991). Maybe a few were alive the last time there were this many teams: 1931, the last year of the Southern Conference before the SEC schools split away. There were 23 teams that year. Tulane was the conference champion, finishing 8-0, but didn’t have to face second-place Tennessee in a championship game. Third-place Alabama and fourth-place Georgia didn’t have a 12-team Playoff to play in.

Things are about to be different. To show how different, we (meaning me, with input from a few colleagues) made game-by-game predictions for each of the SEC teams. The result was an unexpected first-place team, a three-way tie for second and a complicated picture for both who would play in the SEC championship and the CFP.

Let’s go wild. But not too wild. Generally, the effort was to defer to conventional wisdom and home-field advantage and pick who would be favored in each game. A couple of upsets were thrown in there, such as an unbeaten Texas losing its long-awaited return to College Station. And plenty of picks could go either way, especially with plenty of time left in the offseason. The main purpose is to give everyone an idea of how this season will look.
Here you go:
Predicted results

Alabama
Wins: Western Kentucky, South Florida, at Wisconsin, at Vanderbilt, South Carolina, at Tennessee, Missouri, Mercer, at Oklahoma, Auburn.
Losses: Georgia, at LSU.
Record: 10-2 overall, 6-2 SEC.

Jalen Milroe and the Alabama Crimson Tide are coming off a College Football Playoff season in 2023, but they will have a new coach in 2024, Kalen DeBoer. (David J. Griffin / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Arkansas
Wins: Arkansas Pine-Bluff, UAB, at Mississippi State, Louisiana Tech.
Losses: at Oklahoma State, at Auburn, vs. Texas A&M (Arlington, Texas), Tennessee, LSU, Ole Miss, Texas, at Missouri.
Record: 4-8, 1-7.

Auburn
Wins: Alabama A&M, California, New Mexico, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, UL-Monroe, Texas A&M.
Losses: Oklahoma, at Georgia, at Missouri, at Kentucky, at Alabama.
Record: 7-5, 3-5.

Florida
Wins: Miami, Samford, Texas A&M, Kentucky, UCF.
Losses: at Mississippi State, at Tennessee, vs. Georgia (Jacksonville), at Texas, LSU, Ole Miss, at Florida State.
Record: 5-7, 2-6.

Georgia
Wins: vs. Clemson (Atlanta), Tennessee Tech, at Kentucky, at Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi State, vs. Florida (Jacksonville), at Ole Miss, Tennessee, UMass, Georgia Tech.
Loss: at Texas.
Record: 11-1, 7-1.

Kentucky
Wins: Southern Miss, South Carolina, Ohio, Vanderbilt, Auburn, Murray State, Louisville.
Losses: Georgia, at Ole Miss, at Florida, at Tennessee, at Texas.
Record: 7-5, 3-5.

LSU
Wins: Southern Cal (Las Vegas), Nicholls State, at South Carolina, UCLA, South Alabama, Ole Miss, at Arkansas, at Texas A&M, Alabama, at Florida, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma.
Record: 12-0, 8-0.

Ole Miss
Wins: Furman, Middle Tennessee, at Wake Forest, Georgia Southern, Kentucky, at South Carolina, Oklahoma, at Arkansas, at Florida, Mississippi State.
Losses: at LSU, Georgia.
Record: 10-2, 6-2.

Mississippi State
Wins: Eastern Kentucky, Toledo, Florida, UMass.
Losses: at Arizona State, at Texas, at Georgia, Texas A&M, Arkansas, at Tennessee, Missouri, at Ole Miss.
Record: 4-8, 1-7.

Missouri
Wins: Murray State, Buffalo, Boston College, Vanderbilt, at Texas A&M, UMass, Auburn, Oklahoma, at South Carolina, at Mississippi State, Arkansas.
Loss: at Alabama.
Record: 11-1, 7-1.

Oklahoma
Wins: Temple, Houston, Tulane, Tennessee, at Auburn, South Carolina, Maine.
Losses: vs. Texas (Dallas), at Ole Miss, at Missouri, Alabama, at LSU.
Record: 7-5, 3-5.

South Carolina
Wins: Old Dominion, Akron, Texas A&M, at Vanderbilt, Wofford.
Losses: at Kentucky, LSU, Ole Miss, at Alabama, at Oklahoma, Missouri, at Clemson.
Record: 5-7, 2-6.

Tennessee
Wins: UT Chattanooga, vs. NC State (Charlotte), Kent State, at Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi State, UTEP, at Vanderbilt.
Losses: at Oklahoma, Alabama, at Georgia.
Record: 9-3, 5-3.

Texas
Wins: Colorado State, at Michigan, UTSA, UL-Monroe, Mississippi State, vs. Oklahoma (Dallas), Georgia, at Vanderbilt, Florida, at Arkansas, Kentucky.
Loss: at Texas A&M.
Record: 11-1, 7-1.

Texas A&M
Wins: McNeese State, Bowling Green, vs. Arkansas (Arlington, Texas), at Mississippi State, New Mexico State, Texas.
Losses: Notre Dame, at Florida, Missouri, LSU, at South Carolina, at Auburn.
Record: 6-6, 3-5.

Vanderbilt
Wins: Alcorn State, at Georgia State, Ball State.
Losses: Virginia Tech, Missouri, Alabama, at Kentucky, Texas, at Auburn, South Carolina, at LSU, Tennessee.
Record: 3-9, 0-8.

Projected SEC standings
LSU
8-0
Georgia
7-1
Missouri
7-1
Texas
7-1
Alabama
6-2
Ole Miss
6-2
Tennessee
5-3
Auburn
3-5
Kentucky
3-5
Texas A&M
3-5
Oklahoma
3-5
South Carolina
2-6
Florida
2-6
Arkansas
1-7
Mississippi State
1-7
Vanderbilt
0-8

Pros vs cons? Thinking about dropping direct tv like 2nd period French class

One one super blue chip defensive tackle prospect since 2017 (Marvin Wilson)

That's David Hicks (2023) at Texas A&M.

You can make a case that the rare availability of these in-state's bad ass interior linemen makes Bellville's DJ Sanders the most valuable and important prospect in the state in 2025.

Login to view embedded media

In the three major sports:
Volleyball - National Champion
Basketball - #3 in the country
Softball - #2 in the country

Add in Tennis, Golf, Track, Rowing, Swimming
No better women's program in the country.

Count me in for this one

Bob Marley: One Love

Nope

Login to view embedded media

QB: +

- Quinn a year older, and Arch as the clear number 2. Really depends on Quinn staying healthy, and taking a step in his development.

RB: +

- Losing Brooks hurts, but he was only healthy for part of the season. Our team was better when he was healthy. A year of maturity for Baxter and Blue could result in a better room. Red, Wisner, Clark, and Gibson add depth.

WR: =

- X, Ad, J-Whitt are out. Bond is elite. Golden and Bolden are talented and experienced transfers. Cook and Moore should be ready for reps. Wingo could make an early impact.

O-Line: +

We return everyone except Christian Jones, and Cam Williams should take his place. Lot of young talent providing depth.

TE: -

Jt sanders was a freak. Gunnar and Niblack should be a solid combo, maybe even as good as JT collectively.

DE/Edge: ++

Sorrell and Burke return a year older. Finkley and Tapp as well. Trey Moore and Simmons give this room new elite talent.

DT: - -

Sweat and Murphy were beast NFL level DT’s. Al Collins and Broughton need to take step. Sydir and Bledsoe have potential, but are young with little experience. Savea is a transfer that provides veteran depth. Maybe Bryant and January surprise early. Biggest concern on the team.

LB: -

Ford was a team leader and great player. Big question who fills his shoes. Gbenda, Blackshire, lefau, Blackwell. Ant Hill is a monster. Could end up being a solid room depending on who steps up.

Corner: +

Watts was good. Barron, Brooks and MM should be better. Lot of young talent on the roster that should compete for reps.

Safety: ++

Derek Williams and Taafe a year older. Add Mukuba and elite freshman. This group should be much better.

Planning on taking the wife for a 4 day weekend. We are flying into Louisville Thursday afternoon, drive into Indiana (edge of Louisville) and staying at the Ceasars that night; Friday drive to Nashville (need to figure out what sites to hit), downtown Nashville Friday night; Saturday game and back downtown after; Sunday fly home. Get to knock three states off the wife's list and two for me. Expecting the drive to be nice that time of year.

Questions -

1) When to buy football game tickets? Selection pretty thin on stubhub right now. I think it's just season ticket holders selling now.
2) Any must sees in/around Louisville or on drive to Nashville?

Cliffs Notes: With the biggest game of the season looming in a few days in Norman, the No.5 Texas Longhorns roared past Central Florida 87-56 behind five scorers in double figures.

The Participants: No.5 Texas (26-3, 13-3 Big 12) and Central Florida (12-14, 3-13 Big 12)

Pre-Game NET Rankings: Texas (No.4) and Central Florida (No. 82)
Pre-Game RPI Rankings: Texas (No.10) and Central Florida (No.113)

Game MVP: Freshman Maddison Booker scored 22 points and dished out 5 assists to lead the Texas attack.

Key Stretch: In a total beatdown like this, there probably wasn't a single key stretch, but if we count a 23-4 advantage in the second quarter that turned a 16-14 game into a 39-18 game.... that 10-minute spell was probably it.

Unsung Hero: Senior Deyona Gaston continues to star off the bench for the Longhorns, as she scored 12 points on a perfect 6 of 6 shooting from the floor.

Hustle Stats: The Texas defense drew five charges against UCF and forced 21 turnovers.

Good Guard Play: Senior Shaylee Gonzales and senior Shay Holle combined for 27 points on 12 of 17 shooting (3 of 5 from downtown), while grabbing 8 rebounds and dishing out 7 assists.

ESPN Bracketology: The Longhorns have moved into a No.1 seed in the latest Bracketology, which means that when the Longhorns go to Norman on Wednesday, they'll be playing for more than a share of a conference championship. A regional semi-final against LSU would be something...

I have a friend that swears it's about to blow up. I'm skeptical but he has made a lot of money with it in the past. Explain it to me like I'm in 9th grade math class. What's the best way to buy it and store it? Now that I'm getting about 10 years from retirement I want to invest a little more than just my Gov TSP account.

Adam Loewy is one of the top personal injury lawyers in Austin. Adam is a proud graduate of the University of Texas School of Law and started his law firm in 2005. Adam helps people who have been injured in car crashes, slip and falls, dog bites, and other assorted ways. He is actively involved in every case he handles and is always available to talk or text. If you or a loved one has been injured, call the Loewy Law Firm today at (512) 280-0800.

From the moment I arrived in Austin and did not realize Mopac and Loop 1 were the same roads, the Longhorn pre-draft process has been anticlimactic.

I was working at Yahoo Sports and covering the NFL in 2014. After attending the combine, I covered the NFL Draft a few months later. Jadeveon Clowney was the No.1 overall pick. The Jacksonville Jaguars made Blake Bortles the No.3 overall pick (I attended his Pro Day at UCF). The biggest story that year was former Missouri defensive end Michael Sam’s sexual orientation. If you think Arch Manning is clickbait, Sam was a lightning rod that year.

After the draft dust had settled, the Texas Longhorns were on my mind. Ketch and I began discussing the possibility of me working for Orangebloods in mid-April of that year. The Longhorns were on my radar. That is why something seemed weird to me as the third day of the draft was nearly over. I noticed not one Longhorn had been drafted. Sure enough, not long after writing the 325th story about Sam, I wrote about Texas not having a player selected. Yes, Longhorn fans are going to love me.

Finally, there is a reason to care about the pre-draft process.

Steve Sarkisian is developing talent.

If you barely read my columns or watched any video I have appeared in for nearly 10 years, I scoffed at the notion that the key to Texas having more success on the field was acquiring more 5-star players. Year after year, I was told that was the key to success. Each time I heard it, I rejected it like Dikembe Mutombo in his prime.

Not in my house.

I could not buy that argument because Oklahoma State, TCU, and Baylor were having success in the Big 12 without 5-stars. Heck, we saw TCU advance to the playoffs without ever recruiting on the level of Texas.

In addition, those programs were consistently sending guys to the NFL. In 2023, TCU sent nine players to the combine. In 2020, TCU sent seven players to the combine. The reason behind that success is that TCU, along with other programs, was great at developing talent.

Coaches such as Gary Patterson and Mike Gundy had a unique gift. They recruited “their guys” who would be a perfect fit. Their respective staffs knew how to get the most out of each player. It was not about taking the easy way out and simply saying, “We need more highly recruited players.” Instead, they developed talent.

Sure, it was not at the level of Georgia and Alabama.

However, it was more impressive than what was occurring at Texas.

Until now.

Sarkisian has been a phenomenal developer of talent.

In 2022, Texas sent Josh Thompson and Cameron Dicker to the combine.

That was it.

In 2023, Texas sent five players to Indianapolis.

Texas is sending 11 players to the NFL Scouting Combine this week.

Take that, Bama.

The NFL invited 321 players to participate in the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. Michigan will have the most players in Indy. However, Texas is in the top five of invites.

Michigan (18 players)
Washington (13)
Florida State (12)
Texas (11)
Georgia (11)
Alabama (10)
Penn State (10)

This is what talent development looks like.

“I'm a firm believer team success is what ultimately then provokes individual accolades, awards, and honors,” Sarkisian said. “In year one, we go 5-7, and that was a difficult season for everybody, but was needed. It was needed. But at the end of that year, that that resulted in zero players getting drafted in the NFL Draft. We come back in year two, we make some improvements, we make some adjustments. We go 8-5 and we had five players get drafted into the NFL Draft. Okay, we continue to try to evolve and improve and get the right pieces to the puzzle, the culture, all the things that we've talked about. We go 12-2, we win the conference championship, we make the CFP, and now we're staring at what could be 10 to 12 players drafted into the NFL Draft. Some of those leaving early to go to the NFL draft to get drafted.

“I think that that just speaks to our players like, man, if I can really commit to this team, and commit to the developmental process, whether it's in the weight room, whether it's in the classroom, whether it's in the community, whether it's with my position coach, and the more that the team has success, the better opportunity I might have a to win, A, to win a championship, B, fulfill my dreams of playing in the NFL, and C, having a life after football with some of the resources and things that we have here at Texas. That's the plan that we're on.”

And that plan has been executed.

I give Sarkisian a lot of credit.

To this day, Sarkisian never complained about the team inherited. Most coaches throw the previous staff under the bus. Sarkisian has never uttered a negative word about his predecessors and fully embraced his team.

There was never a “Sarkisian’s guys” vs. “Herman’s guys” debate.

Sarkisian never said he needed three seasons to bring in his guys.

He decided to develop the talent he had, strengthen the roster, and not complain about the task.

Sarkisian is sending a great mix of highly-ranked players and three-stars to Indianapolis.

Check out their Rivals.com rankings as high school prospects:

TE Ja’Tavion Sanders (5-star/6.1 rating)
WR Jordan Whittington (5-star/6.0 rating)
WR Xavier Worthy (4-star/5.9 rating)
RB Jonathon Brooks (4-star/5.8 rating)
RB Keilan Robinson (4-star/5.8 rating)
WR Adonai Mitchell (4-star/5.8 rating)
DB Ryan Watts (4-star/5.8 rating)
DT Byron Murphy II (3-star/5.7 rating)
OL Christian Jones (3-star/5.6 rating)
DT T’Vondre Sweat (3-star/5.6 rating)
LB Jaylan Ford (3-star/5.5 rating)

Robinson and Whittington were role players at Texas, but are NFL prospects.

In addition, Ford was the lowest-rated prospect in the 2020 Longhorn class.

Sarkisian and his staff developed “that guy” into an NFL prospect.

“Maybe those reporters got it wrong?,” Ford said while laughing when I asked him about it before the Sugar Bowl. “ No, seriously, I always tell (Jeff) Choate, credit to him for sticking it out with me and helping me develop. He'll tell me it was always there or that’s not the case. But I truly believe having coaches like Sark, Choate, and PK (Pete Kwiatkowski), guys that took the time and developed their players. We had the right scheme. And for me, I was just so hungry to get on the field and make a name for myself. All the pieces just kind of fell in the right place. I just saw the success and that goes along with everybody else out there, including Sweat. I think the key message is just trusting the process, and you'll definitely get what you want.”

Sarkisian is giving players what they want.

He is also giving this program what it needs.

Sarkisian is developing talent.

Funniest Things You Will See This Week

Karen, we appreciate your honesty
Login to view embedded media
When “pay it forward” goes wrong (bad language alert)
Login to view embedded media
If you like dad jokes, this is for you
Login to view embedded media
Why is she not focused on those two flavors of wings?
Login to view embedded media
Sports On A Dime

1. As Longhorn fans prepare to enjoy the combine this week, I thought about the top five quarterbacks in the 2024 season.

Here is my list:

1. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
2. Quinn Ewers, Texas
3. Carson Beck, Georgia
4. Dillion Gabriel, Oregon
5. Will Howard, Ohio State
Login to view embedded media
2. The Orange-White Game will be the last football game produced by LHN before the network folds. Good luck to those employees of LHN who have not found a landing spot yet.
Login to view embedded media
3. ICYMI
Login to view embedded media
4. The NCAA is worried about players receiving candy and cookie cakes as the SEC and Big Ten are preparing to tell the organization to kick rocks. The NCAA is collecting huge amounts of money and enforcing unnecessary rules. Remember that when the SEC and Big Ten combine and create and replicate the NFL with divisions.
Login to view embedded media 5. Speaking of the SEC, here is an interesting recruiting calendar change that could occur in the future, via Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger:

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — SEC leaders are exploring a way to unclutter the month of December.

In a concept that the league is socializing with other conferences, the entire month of December would be a dead period for recruiting and the early national signing day would move up about two weeks to the early portion of the month, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey told Yahoo Sports on Thursday.

The plan originated from SEC athletic administrator meetings and has the support of coaches, who reviewed the concepts last week. The potential December changes are now being socialized across the country.

The proposal implements a new dead period over the first 17 days of December, a month that is already dead in its final two weeks. Coaches cannot contact or visit recruits during dead periods.
In the plan, the early signing period — now in the middle of the month — will move to the first week of December: the Wednesday before conference championship game weekend.
There is urgency to change the December schedule ahead of the implementation of the new 12-team College Football Playoff, whose four first-round games will be played on the Friday and Saturday in the third weekend of the month. That is Dec. 20-21 this year.

December, already a busy month, is marked by coaching turnover, for one. Teams are also preparing for bowl games, recruiting athletes out of the open transfer portal window and, now, competing in the playoffs.

“Putting signing day in the middle of December with playoff games no longer works,” Sankey told Yahoo Sports. “Move it to early December, the Wednesday before championship games. That is the concept. It’s, in part, out of respect to high school football. You’ve heard some want the signing day in June. No one has done any work on what that means for high school football. We have a responsibility to listen to the high school coaches. What we’ve heard out of the Texas group is that they do not at all support that. Everybody has to be attentive to that.”
Login to view embedded media
6. In other words, expect the college football playoffs to include 14 teams starting in 2026. Nobody involved will turn down the opportunity to make more money by adding two more teams.

And, once again, just getting to the playoffs, especially in a 14-team format, will become the lowest expectation for Steve Sarkisian’s program. How far Texas advances will determine if it is a successful season.
Login to view embedded media
7. Once again, it was great when college football teams could pay players under the table. Teams only had to pay a handful of players. Parents would list their refrigerator on Craigslist, and someone would show up with a brown paper bag full of money. However, now that players can get paid legally, old-school coaches believe there needs to be reform. Cry me a river.
Login to view embedded media
8. I have a serious question for the Austin natives. Was the Armadillo World Headquarters a music stable at one time? Austin FC is embracing it this season and I wanted to know if it was a big deal in your opinion.
Login to view embedded media Login to view embedded media
9. According to Yahoo, “Floyd Mayweather, 46, and Manny Pacquiao, 45, and Mayweather, 46, could fight each other on a Rizin card in Japan. Rizin is a Japanese mixed martial arts promotion.”

Boxing is dead
Login to view embedded media
10. On a positive basketball note, congrats to the Cedar Park High girls basketball team for advancing to the state tournament. Hope Edwards is like a niece to me and I am super proud of her.
Login to view embedded media

for bat flip.... yeah little showy but do you agree or ump is a clown?

Grand Canyon vs corn aggy. 8-4 game tying slam in 5th. Ump tosses kid after he crosses plate.

Login to view embedded media

I drive daily from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm here in Fresno. I drive seven days a week. My earnings this week were: $1,163.95. Prop 22 really has benefited us, because we get a guaranteed hourly rate, and 31 cents a mile for gas on guaranteed driving hours. Plus, every three months, we get a medical insurance reimbursement. Mine will be $700.00. I am retired and get a pension, plus social security, but this side hustle has really helped too. I just started Dec. 15. February has been my first serious full month on this schedule. It took a while to figure it out.

Login to view embedded media


Login to view embedded media



Just an inkling of critical thinking told you it was a bad idea to get it.

But the weak-mined just lined up like sheep for slaughter.

Even practice has to be brutal :

" Login to view embedded media "

Go check out Amigoprovisions.com and USE PROMO CODE: 'OBLOODS' for 15% off your order!

******



Texas in a strong position for speedy WR Kelshaun Johnson

Hitchcock wide receiver Kelshaun Johnson recently dropped a top 10 list of schools, and to no surprise the Texas Longhorns made the cut. The Longhorns have been a program that’s been high on Johnson’s list for some time now, and in January he took a visit to UT for a junior day, his only college visit so far this year.

“When I first got there, coach (Chris) Jackson pulled me in his office,” Johnson said. “We were looking at some clips of what kind of offense they run, how they use Xavier (Worthy) and stuff.”

Showing Johnson clips of Worthy makes sense. The 5-11, 160-pound Johnson has been compared to Worthy by the UT staff in previous conversations due to their similar styles of play and the Texas coaches have let Johnson know he’s a priority for them in the 2025 class.

“I know they really want me,” Johnson said. “They’re really pushing me to commit.”

Up next, Johnson will make a return trip to Austin on April 6. He’ll get to take in a Texas spring practice on that trip and is excited to get to see coach Jackson in action.

“I just know coach Jackson told me to come. H wants me to see how he coaches the receivers, talk to the players,” Johnson said.

Recently, Johnson cut his list to 10 schools, with Texas, Southern Cal, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Penn State, Tennessee, Florida, Kansas and TCU still standing.

“I’ll probably take my OVs, take my spring visits and then narrow it down from there,” Johnson said of his plans to continue to trim his list.

The Texas trip is the only one on the schedule, but Johnson is also working to set up stops at Texas A&M and Southern Cal. Though he doesn’t have a formal pecking order among his top 10, it’s safe to say that the Longhorns are one of the strongest contenders for Johnson’s commitment.

“They’re definitely near the top, definitely have a big impact,” Johnson said. “I like how they develop their players.”

Johnson is ranked as a four-star prospect by Rivals.com and checks in at No. 183 on the Rivals100. He plans to commit before the start of his senior season.

Login to view embedded media

Login to view embedded media
And Shane Gillis is hilarious.

Because this chick is never getting married.

Login to view embedded media

You can't hear the Enzyme.

Dallas > Houston....Congrats Dallas on the victory.

KD is now 22 points away from passing Carmelo Anthony (28,289) and moving into 9th place on the all time NBA scoring list. KD and the Suns are at Houston tonight.

If KD can remain healthy, he will pass Shaq by the end of season.