Ketch's 10 Thoughts From the Weekend (A historical comparison you might like...)

[North Texas Golfer]

Ouch ... so we all need to keep this in mind when we start hoping, wishing, predicting that we'll beat OU this year.

Or you could look on the flip side of the coin and think it might not be as dire as some might think.

A team with that much returning talent was only up a touchdown at halftime and only up by 3 on us at the end of the 3rd quarter. Then, with 1:49 left in the game, we were an onside kick recovery away from the chance of tying the game up.

 

[Craben]

There hasn't been a game in the past two years you didn't think Texas had a chance to win because of Sam.

Talk about sweeping generalizations. Any objective observer watching the entire course of our games against LSU, OU and Baylor couldn't help but conclude they were more convincing losses than the scoreboard indicated because of some cosmetic last minute scores. The ugly reality is that Ehlinger had a 130 QB Efficiency Rating over the last 8 games of last season and his offense was ranked #99 in most 3-and-out drives. You can't ignore stats like that regardless of how much you want to pump up some local player.

 

[Buda Horn]

I'm basically at a loss for words over the last two weeks that the Texas basketball team has put together, specially following a week in which it beat both West Virginia and Texas Tech by double digits and has firmly placed itself onto the NCAA Tournament bubble after living in the rubble for most of the month that predated the last two weeks of February.

Who knew that all Shaka Smart's team needed was a Tweet questioning its ability to win a single game after losing a handful of its best players?

All I know is that I want to tip my cap to Smart and his players for stepping up big when all seemed lost, but at the same time I don't want to offer too much praise because ...

a. There's still work to do in the next two weeks in an effort to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
b. I don't want to jinx my reverse jinx.
c. It doesn't change the bottom line of Smart's five-season tenure in Austin.

As Crash Davis once said, "Never **** with a winning streak."

So, I won't.

Would you believe me if I told you Shaka has not had a 3 game Big 12 conference winning streak since his first year in Austin and he has never had a 4 game Big 12 conference winning streak until the last four games?

 

[Jacket Horn]

Waiting in the Weeds doesn’t get the love it should since it wasn’t released until 2007, but it’s one of my favorite Eagles tunes

 

[Ketchum]

Still can't agree it was high but I'll damn sure agree with you on Downtown James Brown!

I'll take any common ground I can get!

 

[Ketchum]

Ouch ... so we all need to keep this in mind when we start hoping, wishing, predicting that we'll beat OU this year.

OU isn't going to suck.

 

[Ketchum]

Interesting take on Epps. Definitely a head scratcher that he would take those snaps last season. Seems to me Marcus Washington the better choice there. He looks electric with the ball in his hands.

It's curious that they would so strongly believe he deserved those snaps as a redshirt freshman and then two months later could believe he's so expendable.

 

[Ketchum]

I thought it was close. Definitely a ball but it wasn't like it was in the dirt... I think that's the idea of the backdoor curve; leave it on the outside (for lefties). Catcher did a good frame job too. Definitely a ball, agreed on that.

Fair enough.

 

[styrbjorn]

Not to pick nits with your original topic, but I'd be curious how many conference championships OU has won without "insanely talented" teams. It's not like they have out-recruited us by that kind of margin over the last 25 years.

Personally, I think Mack and Charlie got pretty consistently out coached by Stoops, and the jury is out on Tom but so far it's not promising.

 

[North Texas Golfer]

Talk about sweeping generalizations. Any objective observer watching the entire course of our games against LSU, OU and Baylor couldn't help but conclude they were more convincing losses than the scoreboard indicated because of some cosmetic last minute scores. The ugly reality is that Ehlinger had a 130 QB Efficiency Rating over the last 8 games of last season and his offense was ranked #99 in most 3-and-out drives. You can't ignore stats like that regardless of how much you want to pump up some local player.

The Texas-LSU was a 2 point game at the end of the 3rd quarter and 6 point game with 3:59 left. The game was definitely still in doubt at that time. It was not until LSU scored with 2:27 left that the outcome of the game was pretty much determined. Not sure how you define that game as a convincing loss.

The Texas-OU was a 7 point game at half time and a 3 point game at the end of the 3rd quarter. And Texas would have had a chance to tie the game had they recovered an onside kick with 1:49 left in the game. Plenty of time. Outplayed for sure but, again, not sure about the convincing loss thing in this one either.

Baylor was a convincing loss no ands, ifs, or buts about it.

 

[Ketchum]

Would you believe me if I told you Shaka has not had a 3 game Big 12 conference winning streak since his first year in Austin and he has never had a 4 game Big 12 conference winning streak until the last four games?

barely.

 

[Ketchum]

Waiting in the Weeds doesn’t get the love it should since it wasn’t released until 2007, but it’s one of my favorite Eagles tunes

They actually have a few really, really great songs in the last 25ish years.

 

[Ketchum]

Not to pick nits with your original topic, but I'd be curious how many conference championships OU has won without "insanely talented" teams. It's not like they have out-recruited us by that kind of margin over the last 25 years.

Personally, I think Mack and Charlie got pretty consistently out coached by Stoops, and the jury is out on Tom but so far it's not promising.

Texas has generally been its best when it is obscenely talented and not really close to that when it hasn't been.

 

[styrbjorn]

Texas has generally been its best when it is obscenely talented and not really close to that when it hasn't been.

I agree. I'm just pointing out that we shouldn't require a huge talent advantage in order to be competitive. I don't know if it's game day coaching, evaluations, development or culture but over the last 25 years it's pretty hard to argue against the premise that this program has underperformed for the amount of talent it has had.

 

[RLong68]

And he also threw for less than 50% his senior season. Sam has 10 more TDs and 15 fewer INTs in one less season, without having the benefit of having either Priest Holmes, Ricky Williams, or Shon Mitchell lining up behind him.

James Brown would have been a monster in today's offenses? He rushed for 411 yards over 4 seasons, for a scintillating 2.1 ypc. He never passed for more than 2,500 yards in a season, or 20 TDs in a campaign. He threw for less than 55% accuracy in his career, and had 2 entire seasons where he threw for less than 51% accuracy. So if you mean by being a fairly inaccurate QB, who was pretty pedestrian in the open field, and didn't win as much as Sam, I guess I see it. He should get credit for a GREAT game vs. Nebraska, but you don't move into the top 5 based on a couple of games. He had the benefit of playing 2 seasons in a SWC that was a joke nationally. Again, he wasn't even superior fo Simms or Applewhite, so the idea that he would be amazing in "today's offenses" is in your head, because it dang sure isn't on paper. And I watched every game that kid played. He went 4-6 as a senior, threw for less than 50%, and had 6 more Ints than TDs. No thanks.

In addition: Sam is 3-0 in bowl games, James was 1-2, with no bowl game his senior losing season.

That completely discounts the differences in today's offenses than those 25 years ago, particularly for a QB, not to mention the training HS QBs are afforded in today's game. Brown was a better QB then you give him credit for. As for Simms and Applewhite, Brown had a bigger pair than both of them combined.

 

[RLong68]

Even if Sam doesn't win a Big 12 title, I'll always give him credit for being a program changer. Swoopes vs. Buechele produced a five-win season. Ehlinger has been a difference maker.

Mmm, sorta depends on how the season ends. I mean, if we win 8 or 9 games, again, has he really been a program changer? I guess technically you could argue he changed the program from crap to above average.

 

[Anwar Richardson]

Mmm, sorta depends on how the season ends. I mean, if we win 8 or 9 games, again, has he really been a program changer? I guess technically you could argue he changed the program from crap to above average.

My definition is turning it from a 5-win program to a team that can win every game. Obviously, that is the expectation at Texas. We know that was not the reality for multiple years.

 

[HuffTex]

That completely discounts the differences in today's offenses than those 25 years ago, particularly for a QB, not to mention the training HS QBs are afforded in today's game. Brown was a better QB then you give him credit for. As for Simms and Applewhite, Brown had a bigger pair than both of them combined.

True, but the defenses were also much more elementary back then, as well, particularly at the college level. Brown was great in a couple of big games, but I don't know that would brag about him having bigger balls. He was on one 10 win team. And he was not the best player on any of his teams.... he won something like 20-22 games as a starter, and he had 2 borderline HOF backs behind him most of the time. I didn't say he wasn't good...I would rather roll Sam out tomorrow vs OU than James Brown, any day of the week.

 

[TexicusMaximus]

I need to meet Lenny.

\m/

 

[HkmTxsLnghrns]

a. I think he does better in the Mackovic offense than Sam, although neither offense was really designed for their talents. James was ahead of the game from a skill set standpoint. He's have been awesome in the modern spread game.

b. Nebraska was a 21-point favorite because they were ****ing awesome.

c. Neither Sam, nor Chris, nor Major win that game in College Station in 1995 or against Nebraska in 1996.

Major beat Nebraska in Lincoln to end a long home winning streak, so I am not so certain.

 

[sua sponte]

55.4 percent of the poll on the matter agree with me. 26.8 percent believe it was just outside.

I, like others, am questioning your definition of a strike zone..... by rule, at or just above , the belt is not HIGH ( non strike, thus a called ball)

 

[Califashorn]

I am back enjoying the NBA. There are incredible players balling right now. The playoffs are going to be fantastic.

 

[RLong68]

Major beat Nebraska in Lincoln to end a long home winning streak, so I am not so certain.

That '98 NU team was a significant drop from their '96 & '97 teams. In '98 they only 5-3 in the Big 12 and ended up with 4 losses on the season.

 

[RLong68]

True, but the defenses were also much more elementary back then, as well, particularly at the college level. Brown was great in a couple of big games, but I don't know that would brag about him having bigger balls. He was on one 10 win team. And he was not the best player on any of his teams.... he won something like 20-22 games as a starter, and he had 2 borderline HOF backs behind him most of the time. I didn't say he wasn't good...I would rather roll Sam out tomorrow vs OU than James Brown, any day of the week.

That's fine. But I would probably roll with JB.

 

[echeese]

​

In the quarter-century history of the Big 12, the boys in burnt orange have won the conference in football an underwhelming three times - 1996, 2005 and 2009.



]

UGH

There should be more.

Mack was 1 play away in 3 years from racking up 3 more, 4 years if you count his last BigXII game. . .1 stinking play. . .. . but that is coulda/shoulda/woulda

​

No. 3 - The stakes are high in 2020 for Sam Ehlinger ...

It is my opinion that Sam Ehlinger enters the 2020 season as the No. 6 quarterback in the history of the Texas program.

It is also my opinion that in order for Ehlinger to crack the top five, he'll need to do more than break most of Colt McCoy's passing records to get there.

It's going to take him winning a championship. Based on the overwhelming results of a Twitter poll taken this weekend, it appears my opinions are shared by the majority of the Texas fan base.

I don't know if I've ever seen this many people agree about anything related to Texas football.

View embedded media

Yep, , , and love me some Sam but no title, no Top 5. . . .

​

As Crash Davis once said, "Never **** with a winning streak."

So, I won't.




]

Crash was Da Man

​

No. 9 - The List: Top 10 The Eagles songs ...

Forty-five years ago today, The Eagles had their first-ever No. 1 US hit with "Best of M y Love," which was the third single from the 1974 album "On The Border."

With the band touring in Texas this weekend and throughout the next week, I thought a top 10 list for the group was a good idea.

Rest in peace, Glenn Frey.

10. The New Kid in Town
9. Peaceful Easy Feeling
8. One of These Nights
7. I Can't Tell You Why
6. Already. Gone
5. Take It To The Limit
4. Take It Easy
3. Heartache Tonight
2. Desperado
1. Hotel California

Quick thought - I will die on the “Heartache Tonight” is one of the most underrated songs in history hill. It’s absolutely one of the all-time club banger rock songs of all-time. Glenn Fry is at his the top of his "swag" game". He even shit talks twice during the song to punctuate it. Don Henley's drum work might be the best of any song he ever did. Bob Segar is in the chorus. Seriously, just go listen to the drums. It's got awesome guitar play. By the end of it, Fry is in a fever-pitch and has me ready to jump out of my skin every time. It was never meant to be an all-time great song, but it has aged as well as any song in the group's playlist outside of Hotel California.

This is the limb I'm standing on.

=A]

Found myself listening to the Eagles Sunday night trying to ease the sting of putting down my beautiful girl.

I can find 10 other songs worthy of Top 10 consideration, those guys were AMAZING.

Witchy Woman
Tequila Sunrise
Seven Bridges
James Dean
On the Border
After the Thrill is gone
Lyin' Eyes
In the City


As I mentioned in another thread, my 1st concert was the Eagles warming up for Jethro Tull. . . I'm not going to list the year.

 

[MB-HORNS]

n the quarter-century history of the Big 12, the boys in burnt orange have won the conference in football an underwhelming three times - 1996, 2005 and 2009.

Truly sad... Maybe someday we will get tired of being ou's bit**

 

[Ketchum]

I agree. I'm just pointing out that we shouldn't require a huge talent advantage in order to be competitive. I don't know if it's game day coaching, evaluations, development or culture but over the last 25 years it's pretty hard to argue against the premise that this program has underperformed for the amount of talent it has had.

No argument here.

 

[Ketchum]

My definition is turning it from a 5-win program to a team that can win every game. Obviously, that is the expectation at Texas. We know that was not the reality for multiple years.

The five win teams "could" win any game, they just lost most of them.

 

[Ketchum]

True, but the defenses were also much more elementary back then, as well, particularly at the college level. Brown was great in a couple of big games, but I don't know that would brag about him having bigger balls. He was on one 10 win team. And he was not the best player on any of his teams.... he won something like 20-22 games as a starter, and he had 2 borderline HOF backs behind him most of the time. I didn't say he wasn't good...I would rather roll Sam out tomorrow vs OU than James Brown, any day of the week.

elementary?

As opposed to what is seen in the Big 12 right now?

 

[Ketchum]

Major beat Nebraska in Lincoln to end a long home winning streak, so I am not so certain.

That only happened because James paved the road. That 1996 team loses by five touchdowns if James doesn't instill the confidence that team needed. He did that No one else. Just ask his teammates.

 

[Ketchum]

I am back enjoying the NBA. There are incredible players balling right now. The playoffs are going to be fantastic.

I don't disagree with any of that. It just doesn't have me right now.

 

[Ketchum]

UGH

There should be more.

Mack was 1 play away in 3 years from racking up 3 more, 4 years if you count his last BigXII game. . .1 stinking play. . .. . but that is coulda/shoulda/woulda



Yep, , , and love me some Sam but no title, no Top 5. . . .



Crash was Da Man



Found myself listening to the Eagles Sunday night trying to ease the sting of putting down my beautiful girl.

I can find 10 other songs worthy of Top 10 consideration, those guys were AMAZING.

Witchy Woman
Tequila Sunrise
Seven Bridges
James Dean
On the Border
After the Thrill is gone
Lyin' Eyes
In the City


As I mentioned in another thread, my 1st concert was the Eagles warming up for Jethro Tull. . . I'm not going to list the year.

a. I secretly love Witchy Woman.

b. I'm sorry about your loss. Beautiful dogs.

 

[Anwar Richardson]

The five win teams "could" win any game, they just lost most of them.

Tyrone Swoopes, Jerrod Heard, and Shane Buechele could not win any game. I doubt we ever predicted a 10-win season for any of them. We have shown way more confidence in Ehlinger, and that's the difference.

 

[Ketchum]

Tyrone Swoopes, Jerrod Heard, and Shane Buechele could not win any game. I doubt we ever predicted a 10-win season for any of them. We have shown way more confidence in Ehlinger, and that's the difference.

It's just that he hasn't completely repaid that confidence.

Frankly, it was hard to know from week to week what you were getting with Sam in his junior season. Some of that was injuries. Some is on the coaching. Some is on him.

 

[Anwar Richardson]

It's just that he hasn't completely repaid that confidence.

Frankly, it was hard to know from week to week what you were getting with Sam in his junior season. Some of that was injuries. Some is on the coaching. Some is on him.

To be fair, Sam was playing with a bad rib injury last season. It was downplayed by everyone in public, but we know that injury was an issue for him. TCU and Baylor were his only bad games. If I remember correctly, he actually sustained the rib injury against TCU since that was before the second bye week.

Ironically, Sam threw for more yards, had more passing touchdowns, more rushing yards, and a higher passer rating in 2019 than in 2018. He had more interceptions and less rushing TDs, but you still believed Texas had a chance to win every game, which couldn't be said during that three-year time span before he stepped on campus.