As the rumor mill worked overdrive this weekend in the aftermath of Charlie Strong being named as a “critical witness” in what appears to be quite an ugly family court proceeding in the state of Kentucky, I found myself stopped cold by the reality of this very private matter playing out in a very public manner.
In reality, nothing that went on inside the marriage of Jonathan and Tracy Blue is any of our business, especially any role that Strong might have played. There are innocent people close to all of the parties involved who will find themselves sucked into the vortex of this story and it’s quite possible that their worlds flipped upside-down over the weekend.
You’d like to think there would be room for everyone involved to have a little time and privacy to sort through all that needs sorting through, but that went out the window the moment Jonathan Blue’s attorney filed a motion asking for a subpoena of Strong, while requesting phone records, text messages, travel records and even a Movado watch in the process.
That the motion was filed on Friday and its details were soon made very public was not an accident. The achieved goal was to make it look like there’s an issue with the relationship between Tracy Blue and Strong, while never quite coming out and specifically stating anything.
Instead, it relies on the human imagination to run wild with reckless innuendo and speculation.
As one source close to the program told me on Sunday morning, “Divorce court is dirty and it rarely stops to consider the collateral damage it creates along the way.”
Once this genie was released from the bottle, getting it back inside becomes a very tall order.
So, where does this go from here?
As it relates to Strong and his family, this is between them and we need to stay out of the way. If this is nothing more than an angry husband looking to embarrass his soon-to-be-ex-wife by any means necessary while they go through a custody case, then Strong will have to explain that to his family and they will move on as best they can from there. If there’s more to this situation than that, again, they’ll have to deal with it the best way they can.
Regardless, my heart goes out to Strong’s family because I can only imagine how all of this unfolded in real time for them over the weekend, as the story started to make the rounds. Even in a best-case scenario, this probably won’t ever be a weekend remembered in a fond light.
As it relates to Strong and his job as the head football coach at Texas, I still mostly view this as a very private matter between him and his family, but when you’ve built the ethos of your program on a foundation of “core values,” one of which is respecting women, you have to know conversation about any potential hypocrisy will follow.
Considering Strong’s promotion of his core values, it’ll be interesting to see if he takes the matter head on with a very vocal and stern denial of any wrongdoing or if he simply refuses to engage in any discussion of such a private matter. I think everyone reading this would understand him wanting privacy, but if Strong hasn’t done anything wrong and is simply getting caught up in a bitter divorce court tsunami, getting out in front of this as best as possible should be given serious consideration.
When given a chance to set the record straight with a statement released on Sunday afternoon, Strong played it pretty delicately by saying nothing that he would never have to take back.
"I was recently given information regarding a marital dispute between a couple I know in Louisville. I'm not a party to their divorce and have received no court order in this case,” Strong said. “I certainly respect the legal system, and if I do receive a court order, I will review it and respond then. Since this is a legal case, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to say anything further at this time. I do want Longhorn fans and supporters to know that this will not affect my focus in any way. My number one priority is getting this team ready to compete at the highest level. We are doing that now and will continue to do so.”
Is that firm enough? Probably for some, but those who had questions about his role in this ongoing civil matter probably still have the same questions. After all, there certainly wasn't a strong denial of any wrongdoing. Of course, technically, no wrongdoing has been accused.
One thing that I do know with certainty is that the eyes of Texas are upon this situation and at the moment they really don’t know what to think.
No. 2 – Coaching with pressure in 2016 …
There are three things everyone needs to know about former offensive line coach Joe Wickline’s two-year stint in Austin.
a. It was a horrible fit. Between the lawsuit, the spotlight that comes with the job, the Austin traffic or singing the Eyes of Texas, things just didn’t work out and both sides are probably better off having moved on.
b. He recruits like a guy going through a root canal.
c. He actually did a pretty damn good job on the field, piecing together a fairly decent meal, despite working with nothing more than bread and water.
I know I’ve written about this before, but you can make the case that Wickline did the best job with his position group of any assistant coach on last year’s staff and when we have discussions about the upgrades made in the newly hired coaching staff members, it’s important to note that new offensive line coach Mike Mattox might be able to run circles around Wickline in a recruiting capacity, but we don’t have any proof that the same will be true on the field.
Outside of a one-year stint at Eastern Illinois, two years at Tulsa and a heavy JUCO background, there’s not much to lean on in terms of reputation or achievements. He’s not here because he’s viewed as one of the best offensive line coaches in the country, he’s here because he’s very tight with new offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert and the two were connected at the hip in the hiring process.
With two weeks to go until the start of sprig practices for the Longhorns, there’s little question that most of the attention will be focused on the quarterback competition, but a very viable case can be made that what happens with the development of the 2016 offensive line will be every bit as important. One of the goals in the off-season is to emerge with the kind of offensive line that makes life easier on its quarterback, not harder.
It helps that sophomores Connor Williams and Patrick Vahe return, along with senior tackle/guard Kent Perkins, but there are still a couple of starting positions to sort out and the two-deep at the position is a major question mark, which translates to potential trouble if the injury bug bites a guy like Williams or Vahe.
Enter Mattox.
In his first season of coaching at a major program, nothing less than an exceptional performance is expected because if the line struggles for consistency and isn’t a team strength, what is the upside of this season? Given the stakes of the 2016 season, inconsistency simply cannot be a theme for this group, which means that Mattox has to be on his A-game very quickly.
Progress must be made. This group must be a team strength. Mattox must deliver at a rate that's at least on par with the work Wickline did in the last two seasons, something that is easier said than done.
No pressure.
No. 3- As far as the Hardee McCrary hire is concerned …
Loved it.
Understand that in the grand scheme of things, this won’t impact the won-loss record in the 2016 season and perhaps it will have a minimal impact on the 2017 recruiting haul.
So, why excitement over his newly created role as high school relations director?
It’s real easy, as one of the tasks of the Texas job that Strong probably has the least amount of desire to perform is the back-rubbing and scalp-massaging of the Texas high school coaches that must take place. Strong is pretty open about the fact that he’s not going to automatically tap dance for anyone, especially not when it’s nothing more than tap dancing for the sake of tap dancing. Charlie just don’t play that.
Now he won’t have to.
McCrary can be the tap dancer and work as the middle-man for Strong, alerting him to any scenarios that need to be addressed along the way. I’ve been an advocate of Strong improving in the finer details of his job and a hire like this has a chance to help accomplish exactly that.
No. 4 – Pop-quiz ...
If you were to take all of the perceived skills, reputations and accomplishments of the Texas assistant coaches, how would you rank them from 1-9?
Personally, I think my top five would look like this:
1. Linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary
As the two-time defending Big 12 Recruiter of the Year, there’s not a more important member of the staff when it comes to recruiting. On the field, BJM is an extension of Charlie Strong and has developed a good reputation for developing players at his position. It’s only a matter of time before more opportunities start to present themselves to him.
2. Offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert
It has to be him, right? The resume might be somewhat light and he’s clearly still in the infancy of his career, but he has the keys to Pandora’s offensive box and that is supposed to be worth its weight in gold.
3. Defensive coordinator Vance Bedford
Oh, I know many are frustrated with the results from the defense in his first two seasons, but I’m a believer in him as a high-level defensive coach. There’s a reason why Charlie has had his back at every turn.
4. Wide receivers coach Charlie Williams
My expectations for Williams are similar to my expectations for Joe Wickline. While I don’t expect him to be a star recruiter, I do expect him to be one of the best teachers at his position in the sport. Every young receiver on campus should be incredibly excited.
5. Tight ends coach Jeff Traylor
An elite-level high school coach who is starting to prove himself as a dynamic recruiter, you get the sense that in a year or two, he might top any list that he’s on. Am I alone in being curious in why he wasn’t promoted to a more important role on the staff? It feels like it’s a waste to have him at the position.
No. 5 – Texas men’s basketball this weekend in a gif ...
No. 6 – Scattershooting on the Longhorns ...
... The Longhorns finally missed Cam Ridley in a big way on Saturday.
... All things considered, it wasn't a bad weekend for the Texas baseball team. Sure, you'd love to have seen a sweep of UNLV this weekend, but responding with back-to-back wins by a combined 18-2 score is hardly anything to be ashamed of. Chalk it up to a weekend with more positives than negatives, and a few teachable moments along the way.
… We’re a week away from the Texas women’s basketball team getting its rematch with Baylor and I really don’t have a feel for whether the team is any more ready for that kind of moment now than it was the first time the two teams played. I do know that turning the ball over less has been a critical area of needed improvement and in the last few games the team has taken better care of the basketball, as evidenced by the nine turnovers committed against West Virginia. For a team that’s 24-2, there’s still a lot of areas on this team about which I have questions.
... Interesting comments from Art Briles on Sterlin Gilbert in a Dallas Morning News article by Chuck Carlton:
"I was happy for him, but knew they were getting a guy who could certainly fulfill what they're looking for on the offensive side of the ball," Briles said. "From a professional side, not that tickled. Personally, I was happy for him."
... The Longhorns have emerged as a leader for big-time defensive lineman Robert Beal, who de-committed from Notre Dame over the weekend, but I would advise everyone to prepare for a long and eventful recruitment full of twists. The Longhorns aren't pulling a kid like that from Georgia by shooting from the layup line.
No. 7 – Buy or sell …
(As always, these are questions submitted by Orangebloods subscribers)
BUY or SELL: Texas beats Notre Dame on opening day?
(Sell) I’ve yet to cover a Texas/Notre Dame game that has witnessed the Longhorns emerge as the winning team and I’m at the point now where I’ll believe it when I see it. The Irish will arrive as the more accomplished team with a huge edge at quarterback.
BUY or SELL: First: The recruiting style seen by the 2016 Texas recruiting class with a large number of last minute commitments seemingly coordinated by the students behind the scenes is a new standard in recruiting and will be seen regularly in college football recruiting?
Second, similar: Waiting until late in the recruiting cycle to provide offers to players was done purposefully by Strong and company to evaluate the talent (and player progression trajectory) that they want and will be the new standard in recruiting at Texas as long as Strong is head coach?
(Sell and Buy) I’m not sure you can count on the dynamics that were in play at the end of this recruiting cycle becoming the new standard in college football recruiting. I’ll need a larger sample size than the incredibly small one we’ve seen thus far. That being said, Strong was completely comfortable and inside his element with the way things played out and I don’t think he ever wants to enter a season with more than half of his class committed, in part because he’s much better served as the pursuer instead of the baby-sitter.
BUY or SELL: The issue with Charlie/ Louisville blows over within a week never to be heard of again?
(Sell) Maybe … just maybe … but that sounds like wishful thinking.
BUY or SELL: We will not witness another performance from Shaka's team like we did Saturday this year?
(Buy) Texas was just all kinds of out of sorts on Saturday and I’m somewhat confident that we won’t see that kind of disaster again.
BUY or SELL: Alex should have separated coaches on a hot seat into those hired to win at any cost and those hired to change the culture at any price on the way to winning of course?
(Sell) There’s more than enough data involved for him to make the ultimate case that he made. No offense, but the excuse-making for the first two seasons tastes a little stale over here.
BUY or SELL: Texas will be among the final three teams with a hat on the table for Dylan Moses commitment ceremony on NSD?
(Buy) Assuming that the current staff is still in place, I’ll buy a top three finish for Moses. That kid digs him some UT.
BUY or SELL: Every year the Academy Awards fails to even nominate a great performance and this year they screwed up big time by not recognizing the masterful acting job of Jacob Tremblay (Room) as the little boy Jack?
(Buy) What he did in that role is almost unthinkable. I wonder if he’ll ever come close to delivering another performance like that in his lifetime.
BUY or SELL: The issues raised in the movie Concussion and the progressive understanding of the effects of concussions on football players will start to erode Texas High School Football participation by 2018?
(Sell) I reserve the right to change my mind on this one.
BUY or SELL: Re: Anwar's Sunday Pulpit "many within the building believe (Swoopes) is good enough to run Gilbert’s offense."
B/S They are right?
B/S If they aren’t right, they will fall victim to the "Swoopes is great in practice but not when the lights come on" we heard about the last couple of seasons?
(Buy and sell) Context matters significantly and everyone really needs to come to terms with the limited personnel group with which the Longhorns have to work. Within the context of the group they have to choose from, Swoopes might very well be the best short-term option. I don’t believe for a second that anyone in the program has ever fallen victim to believing Swoopes has ever been truly great in practice or any other time since he’s been at Texas.
No. 8 – Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
… As far as humiliating promotional disasters are concerned, the Bellator 149 fight between Kimbo Slice and Dada 5000 was such a farce that no one who watched it could have been surprised to hear that one of the participants went to the hospital from exhaustion. Honestly, it might have set MMA back 100 years.
… One of these days, the entire sports world is going to be obsessed with Anthony Davis. This kid is just that damn talented, as his 59 points and 20 rebounds on Sunday clearly demonstrated.
… Geez, OKC, you didn’t even put up a fight against LeBron and Co. on Sunday afternoon? What in the world are we supposed to make of this team?
… Damion Lillard’s 51 points seemed to serve as a wake up call for the Warriors because they looked woke in whipping the Clippers in Los Angeles the following night, moving their record against the Spurs, Thunder, Cavs, Clippers and Raptors to a perfect 9-0.
… In the aftermath of Joseph Randle’s fifth arrest in less than two years, I am reminded that he was the team’s starting running back for most of the first half of last season. Good grief.
… I meant to watch the end of the Daytona 500, but I ended up napping through the second half of the race. Sounds like I missed quite a finish. Anyone know what Ricky Rudd is up to these days?
No. 9 - T-minus 6 days until the Oscars ...
With this serving as the final column before the Academy Awards ceremony next Sunday, here’s a final look at who I think will win and who I think should win the major awards.
Feel free to use my picks at your Oscars viewing party pool.
Best Picture (based on movies I have actually seen)
Will win: The Revenant
Should win: Spotlight
Confidence level in pick: 70 percent
Best Actor (based on the movies I have actually seen)
Will win: Leonardo Dicaprio (The Revenant)
Should win: Leonardo Dicaprio (The Revenant)
Confidence level in pick: 95 percent
Best Actress (based on the movies I have actually seen)
Will win: Brie Larson (Room)
Should win: Brie Larson (Room)
Confidence level in pick: 90 percent
Best Supporting Actor (based on the movies I have actually seen)
Will win: Sly Stallione (Creed)
Should win: Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies)
Confidence level in pick: 65 percent
Best Supporting Actress (based on the movies I have actually seen)
Will win: Kate Winslet (Steve Jobs)
Should win: Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl)
Confidence level in pick: 45 percent
Best Director
Will win: Alejandro González Iñárritu (The Revenant)
Should win: Lenny Abrahamson (Room)
Confidence level in pick: 80 percent
No. 10 - And finally … 100 Words or Less Movie Review: Zoolander 2 (D)
I knew it had awful reviews going in and I told myself that it was possible that the reviewers were all wrong … nope. In fact, the sequel to the original is so awful that it makes the original look like Citizen Kane by comparison. How in the hell do you have 15 years to think about a sequel and this is the mess that was made?
In reality, nothing that went on inside the marriage of Jonathan and Tracy Blue is any of our business, especially any role that Strong might have played. There are innocent people close to all of the parties involved who will find themselves sucked into the vortex of this story and it’s quite possible that their worlds flipped upside-down over the weekend.
You’d like to think there would be room for everyone involved to have a little time and privacy to sort through all that needs sorting through, but that went out the window the moment Jonathan Blue’s attorney filed a motion asking for a subpoena of Strong, while requesting phone records, text messages, travel records and even a Movado watch in the process.
That the motion was filed on Friday and its details were soon made very public was not an accident. The achieved goal was to make it look like there’s an issue with the relationship between Tracy Blue and Strong, while never quite coming out and specifically stating anything.
Instead, it relies on the human imagination to run wild with reckless innuendo and speculation.
As one source close to the program told me on Sunday morning, “Divorce court is dirty and it rarely stops to consider the collateral damage it creates along the way.”
Once this genie was released from the bottle, getting it back inside becomes a very tall order.
So, where does this go from here?
As it relates to Strong and his family, this is between them and we need to stay out of the way. If this is nothing more than an angry husband looking to embarrass his soon-to-be-ex-wife by any means necessary while they go through a custody case, then Strong will have to explain that to his family and they will move on as best they can from there. If there’s more to this situation than that, again, they’ll have to deal with it the best way they can.
Regardless, my heart goes out to Strong’s family because I can only imagine how all of this unfolded in real time for them over the weekend, as the story started to make the rounds. Even in a best-case scenario, this probably won’t ever be a weekend remembered in a fond light.
As it relates to Strong and his job as the head football coach at Texas, I still mostly view this as a very private matter between him and his family, but when you’ve built the ethos of your program on a foundation of “core values,” one of which is respecting women, you have to know conversation about any potential hypocrisy will follow.
Considering Strong’s promotion of his core values, it’ll be interesting to see if he takes the matter head on with a very vocal and stern denial of any wrongdoing or if he simply refuses to engage in any discussion of such a private matter. I think everyone reading this would understand him wanting privacy, but if Strong hasn’t done anything wrong and is simply getting caught up in a bitter divorce court tsunami, getting out in front of this as best as possible should be given serious consideration.
When given a chance to set the record straight with a statement released on Sunday afternoon, Strong played it pretty delicately by saying nothing that he would never have to take back.
"I was recently given information regarding a marital dispute between a couple I know in Louisville. I'm not a party to their divorce and have received no court order in this case,” Strong said. “I certainly respect the legal system, and if I do receive a court order, I will review it and respond then. Since this is a legal case, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to say anything further at this time. I do want Longhorn fans and supporters to know that this will not affect my focus in any way. My number one priority is getting this team ready to compete at the highest level. We are doing that now and will continue to do so.”
Is that firm enough? Probably for some, but those who had questions about his role in this ongoing civil matter probably still have the same questions. After all, there certainly wasn't a strong denial of any wrongdoing. Of course, technically, no wrongdoing has been accused.
One thing that I do know with certainty is that the eyes of Texas are upon this situation and at the moment they really don’t know what to think.
No. 2 – Coaching with pressure in 2016 …
There are three things everyone needs to know about former offensive line coach Joe Wickline’s two-year stint in Austin.
a. It was a horrible fit. Between the lawsuit, the spotlight that comes with the job, the Austin traffic or singing the Eyes of Texas, things just didn’t work out and both sides are probably better off having moved on.
b. He recruits like a guy going through a root canal.
c. He actually did a pretty damn good job on the field, piecing together a fairly decent meal, despite working with nothing more than bread and water.
I know I’ve written about this before, but you can make the case that Wickline did the best job with his position group of any assistant coach on last year’s staff and when we have discussions about the upgrades made in the newly hired coaching staff members, it’s important to note that new offensive line coach Mike Mattox might be able to run circles around Wickline in a recruiting capacity, but we don’t have any proof that the same will be true on the field.
Outside of a one-year stint at Eastern Illinois, two years at Tulsa and a heavy JUCO background, there’s not much to lean on in terms of reputation or achievements. He’s not here because he’s viewed as one of the best offensive line coaches in the country, he’s here because he’s very tight with new offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert and the two were connected at the hip in the hiring process.
With two weeks to go until the start of sprig practices for the Longhorns, there’s little question that most of the attention will be focused on the quarterback competition, but a very viable case can be made that what happens with the development of the 2016 offensive line will be every bit as important. One of the goals in the off-season is to emerge with the kind of offensive line that makes life easier on its quarterback, not harder.
It helps that sophomores Connor Williams and Patrick Vahe return, along with senior tackle/guard Kent Perkins, but there are still a couple of starting positions to sort out and the two-deep at the position is a major question mark, which translates to potential trouble if the injury bug bites a guy like Williams or Vahe.
Enter Mattox.
In his first season of coaching at a major program, nothing less than an exceptional performance is expected because if the line struggles for consistency and isn’t a team strength, what is the upside of this season? Given the stakes of the 2016 season, inconsistency simply cannot be a theme for this group, which means that Mattox has to be on his A-game very quickly.
Progress must be made. This group must be a team strength. Mattox must deliver at a rate that's at least on par with the work Wickline did in the last two seasons, something that is easier said than done.
No pressure.
No. 3- As far as the Hardee McCrary hire is concerned …
Loved it.
Understand that in the grand scheme of things, this won’t impact the won-loss record in the 2016 season and perhaps it will have a minimal impact on the 2017 recruiting haul.
So, why excitement over his newly created role as high school relations director?
It’s real easy, as one of the tasks of the Texas job that Strong probably has the least amount of desire to perform is the back-rubbing and scalp-massaging of the Texas high school coaches that must take place. Strong is pretty open about the fact that he’s not going to automatically tap dance for anyone, especially not when it’s nothing more than tap dancing for the sake of tap dancing. Charlie just don’t play that.
Now he won’t have to.
McCrary can be the tap dancer and work as the middle-man for Strong, alerting him to any scenarios that need to be addressed along the way. I’ve been an advocate of Strong improving in the finer details of his job and a hire like this has a chance to help accomplish exactly that.
No. 4 – Pop-quiz ...
If you were to take all of the perceived skills, reputations and accomplishments of the Texas assistant coaches, how would you rank them from 1-9?
Personally, I think my top five would look like this:
1. Linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary
As the two-time defending Big 12 Recruiter of the Year, there’s not a more important member of the staff when it comes to recruiting. On the field, BJM is an extension of Charlie Strong and has developed a good reputation for developing players at his position. It’s only a matter of time before more opportunities start to present themselves to him.
2. Offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert
It has to be him, right? The resume might be somewhat light and he’s clearly still in the infancy of his career, but he has the keys to Pandora’s offensive box and that is supposed to be worth its weight in gold.
3. Defensive coordinator Vance Bedford
Oh, I know many are frustrated with the results from the defense in his first two seasons, but I’m a believer in him as a high-level defensive coach. There’s a reason why Charlie has had his back at every turn.
4. Wide receivers coach Charlie Williams
My expectations for Williams are similar to my expectations for Joe Wickline. While I don’t expect him to be a star recruiter, I do expect him to be one of the best teachers at his position in the sport. Every young receiver on campus should be incredibly excited.
5. Tight ends coach Jeff Traylor
An elite-level high school coach who is starting to prove himself as a dynamic recruiter, you get the sense that in a year or two, he might top any list that he’s on. Am I alone in being curious in why he wasn’t promoted to a more important role on the staff? It feels like it’s a waste to have him at the position.
No. 5 – Texas men’s basketball this weekend in a gif ...
No. 6 – Scattershooting on the Longhorns ...
... The Longhorns finally missed Cam Ridley in a big way on Saturday.
... All things considered, it wasn't a bad weekend for the Texas baseball team. Sure, you'd love to have seen a sweep of UNLV this weekend, but responding with back-to-back wins by a combined 18-2 score is hardly anything to be ashamed of. Chalk it up to a weekend with more positives than negatives, and a few teachable moments along the way.
… We’re a week away from the Texas women’s basketball team getting its rematch with Baylor and I really don’t have a feel for whether the team is any more ready for that kind of moment now than it was the first time the two teams played. I do know that turning the ball over less has been a critical area of needed improvement and in the last few games the team has taken better care of the basketball, as evidenced by the nine turnovers committed against West Virginia. For a team that’s 24-2, there’s still a lot of areas on this team about which I have questions.
... Interesting comments from Art Briles on Sterlin Gilbert in a Dallas Morning News article by Chuck Carlton:
"I was happy for him, but knew they were getting a guy who could certainly fulfill what they're looking for on the offensive side of the ball," Briles said. "From a professional side, not that tickled. Personally, I was happy for him."
... The Longhorns have emerged as a leader for big-time defensive lineman Robert Beal, who de-committed from Notre Dame over the weekend, but I would advise everyone to prepare for a long and eventful recruitment full of twists. The Longhorns aren't pulling a kid like that from Georgia by shooting from the layup line.
No. 7 – Buy or sell …
(As always, these are questions submitted by Orangebloods subscribers)
BUY or SELL: Texas beats Notre Dame on opening day?
(Sell) I’ve yet to cover a Texas/Notre Dame game that has witnessed the Longhorns emerge as the winning team and I’m at the point now where I’ll believe it when I see it. The Irish will arrive as the more accomplished team with a huge edge at quarterback.
BUY or SELL: First: The recruiting style seen by the 2016 Texas recruiting class with a large number of last minute commitments seemingly coordinated by the students behind the scenes is a new standard in recruiting and will be seen regularly in college football recruiting?
Second, similar: Waiting until late in the recruiting cycle to provide offers to players was done purposefully by Strong and company to evaluate the talent (and player progression trajectory) that they want and will be the new standard in recruiting at Texas as long as Strong is head coach?
(Sell and Buy) I’m not sure you can count on the dynamics that were in play at the end of this recruiting cycle becoming the new standard in college football recruiting. I’ll need a larger sample size than the incredibly small one we’ve seen thus far. That being said, Strong was completely comfortable and inside his element with the way things played out and I don’t think he ever wants to enter a season with more than half of his class committed, in part because he’s much better served as the pursuer instead of the baby-sitter.
BUY or SELL: The issue with Charlie/ Louisville blows over within a week never to be heard of again?
(Sell) Maybe … just maybe … but that sounds like wishful thinking.
BUY or SELL: We will not witness another performance from Shaka's team like we did Saturday this year?
(Buy) Texas was just all kinds of out of sorts on Saturday and I’m somewhat confident that we won’t see that kind of disaster again.
BUY or SELL: Alex should have separated coaches on a hot seat into those hired to win at any cost and those hired to change the culture at any price on the way to winning of course?
(Sell) There’s more than enough data involved for him to make the ultimate case that he made. No offense, but the excuse-making for the first two seasons tastes a little stale over here.
BUY or SELL: Texas will be among the final three teams with a hat on the table for Dylan Moses commitment ceremony on NSD?
(Buy) Assuming that the current staff is still in place, I’ll buy a top three finish for Moses. That kid digs him some UT.
BUY or SELL: Every year the Academy Awards fails to even nominate a great performance and this year they screwed up big time by not recognizing the masterful acting job of Jacob Tremblay (Room) as the little boy Jack?
(Buy) What he did in that role is almost unthinkable. I wonder if he’ll ever come close to delivering another performance like that in his lifetime.
BUY or SELL: The issues raised in the movie Concussion and the progressive understanding of the effects of concussions on football players will start to erode Texas High School Football participation by 2018?
(Sell) I reserve the right to change my mind on this one.
BUY or SELL: Re: Anwar's Sunday Pulpit "many within the building believe (Swoopes) is good enough to run Gilbert’s offense."
B/S They are right?
B/S If they aren’t right, they will fall victim to the "Swoopes is great in practice but not when the lights come on" we heard about the last couple of seasons?
(Buy and sell) Context matters significantly and everyone really needs to come to terms with the limited personnel group with which the Longhorns have to work. Within the context of the group they have to choose from, Swoopes might very well be the best short-term option. I don’t believe for a second that anyone in the program has ever fallen victim to believing Swoopes has ever been truly great in practice or any other time since he’s been at Texas.
No. 8 – Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
… As far as humiliating promotional disasters are concerned, the Bellator 149 fight between Kimbo Slice and Dada 5000 was such a farce that no one who watched it could have been surprised to hear that one of the participants went to the hospital from exhaustion. Honestly, it might have set MMA back 100 years.
… One of these days, the entire sports world is going to be obsessed with Anthony Davis. This kid is just that damn talented, as his 59 points and 20 rebounds on Sunday clearly demonstrated.
… Geez, OKC, you didn’t even put up a fight against LeBron and Co. on Sunday afternoon? What in the world are we supposed to make of this team?
… Damion Lillard’s 51 points seemed to serve as a wake up call for the Warriors because they looked woke in whipping the Clippers in Los Angeles the following night, moving their record against the Spurs, Thunder, Cavs, Clippers and Raptors to a perfect 9-0.
… In the aftermath of Joseph Randle’s fifth arrest in less than two years, I am reminded that he was the team’s starting running back for most of the first half of last season. Good grief.
… I meant to watch the end of the Daytona 500, but I ended up napping through the second half of the race. Sounds like I missed quite a finish. Anyone know what Ricky Rudd is up to these days?
No. 9 - T-minus 6 days until the Oscars ...
With this serving as the final column before the Academy Awards ceremony next Sunday, here’s a final look at who I think will win and who I think should win the major awards.
Feel free to use my picks at your Oscars viewing party pool.
Best Picture (based on movies I have actually seen)
Will win: The Revenant
Should win: Spotlight
Confidence level in pick: 70 percent
Best Actor (based on the movies I have actually seen)
Will win: Leonardo Dicaprio (The Revenant)
Should win: Leonardo Dicaprio (The Revenant)
Confidence level in pick: 95 percent
Best Actress (based on the movies I have actually seen)
Will win: Brie Larson (Room)
Should win: Brie Larson (Room)
Confidence level in pick: 90 percent
Best Supporting Actor (based on the movies I have actually seen)
Will win: Sly Stallione (Creed)
Should win: Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies)
Confidence level in pick: 65 percent
Best Supporting Actress (based on the movies I have actually seen)
Will win: Kate Winslet (Steve Jobs)
Should win: Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl)
Confidence level in pick: 45 percent
Best Director
Will win: Alejandro González Iñárritu (The Revenant)
Should win: Lenny Abrahamson (Room)
Confidence level in pick: 80 percent
No. 10 - And finally … 100 Words or Less Movie Review: Zoolander 2 (D)
I knew it had awful reviews going in and I told myself that it was possible that the reviewers were all wrong … nope. In fact, the sequel to the original is so awful that it makes the original look like Citizen Kane by comparison. How in the hell do you have 15 years to think about a sequel and this is the mess that was made?
