With two games to go in the 2015 Texas Longhorns football regular season, it’s hard not to look ahead at the 2016 season, which begins in a little more than nine months and will almost certainly prove to be a prove it or lose it season for Charlie Strong.
In between now and then, we’ll see the conclusion of this season, a change of coaching personnel, the addition of the 2016 recruiting class, spring workouts and an entire off-season worth of workouts.
Still, there’s an urge to peek way down the road.
With back-to-back throwaway seasons to begin his career at Texas, the stakes will be every bit as high for Strong as they were for Mack Brown in 2013, which means the wiggle room will be minimal. While it’s probably tough to find a consensus for what would register as a successful season for the Longhorns in 2016, it’s safe to say that merely qualifying for a bowl won’t be enough.
So, while I fully acknowledge that it’s impossible to schedule-watch and definitively come away with an accurate portrait for what awaits in what will rank as one of the most important seasons of the decade, I’m going to do it any way.
Game-by-game, I’m taking a peek.
September 3: vs. Notre Dame
Early projection: Assuming that Will Fuller and Jaylon Smith both turn pro, the Irish will likely arrive in Austin with about 11 returning starters from this season’s possible college football playoff squad, which means Notre Dame will be quite a different team than the one that slaughtered Texas in South Bend this season. Still, even with the high turnover on both sides of the ball, the Irish will return DeShone Kizer at quarterback (as well as injured season-opener starter Malik Zaire) and will probably rank as a pre-season top-10 team.
Verdict: (Loss) This has a chance to be a highly competitive game, but it’s hard to give the Longhorns the benefit of the doubt.
September 10: vs. UTEP
Early projection: The Miners will return 15 starters from a team that is currently 4-7 in Conference USA, but barring a complete collapse, this is one of the few slam dunk wins on the schedule.
Verdict: (Win)
September 17: at California
Early projection: With Jared Goff almost certainly headed to the NFL and most of the firepower on that explosive Bears offense headed for graduation, it’s expected that the team the Longhorns will face on the road in Berkley won’t be anything close to the group that Texas faced at DKR this season. Perhaps most important is the fact that the Bears will be breaking in a new quarterback with very little, if any, experience. A team that is 6-5 heading into its 2015 regular-season finale might be 4-8 or 5-7 quality a year from now.
Verdict: (Win) If Texas can’t win this game, Strong won’t have a chance to return in 2017.
at Texas Tech
Early projection: This will likely be a late September game, as the Horned Frogs and Red Raiders flip-flop positions on the Thanksgiving Day game schedule. While Texas Tech does return Patrick Mahomes at quarterback, the Red Raiders do lose four of their five starting offensive linemen and their entire front four on defense.
Verdict: (Win) I’ll probably pick the Red Raiders to win on Thanksgiving night, but the Longhorns have dominated this series for the better part of the last two decades and I think Texas will simply be the better team.
at Oklahoma State
Early projection: The Cowboys will practically bring back their entire starting line-up from the 2015 season, as 10 starters will return on offense and another nine on defense. Although the Longhorns probably should have beaten the Cowboys this season, the game will likely have a different feel in Stillwater.
Verdict: (Loss) I’ve given a horrible 2015 road team the benefit of the doubt twice on the road thus far, but I can’t do it here.
vs. Oklahoma
Early projection: Speaking of teams that bring a ton of returning starters back to the table, the Sooners will have eight on offense and nine on the defensive side of the ball making their way back in 2016. Outside of Sterling Shepard and Eric Striker, the team that is challenging for a spot in the college football playoff will return intact.
Verdict: (Loss) It’ll be a four-quarter slug-fest if the last two games in this series mean anything, but the game in Dallas this season was an anomaly for both teams and the Sooners project as the better team on paper at this point.
At Kansas State
Early projection: This is a bad team that loses four of its five starting offensive linemen this year, lacks playmakers and doesn’t have an answer at quarterback.
Verdict: (Win) The days of Kansas State being a thorn in UT’s side might be over.
vs. Iowa State
Early projection: Like Kansas State, Iowa State will look to replace four of five offensive line starters, but for the most part, the team that dominated the Longhorns just a few weeks ago will return in 2016.
Verdict: (Win) I’m assuming the Longhorns are going to be good enough to win this game a year from now.
at Kansas
Early projection: Still wretched.
Verdict: (Win) If the Longhorns can get through the Oklahoma schools, the schedule really opens up.
vs. West Virginia
Early projection: The Mountaineers return 10 of 11 starters on offense, but will have to rebuild much of the defense that did a number on the Longhorns a year earlier.
Verdict: (Win) As someone who picked Texas to lose in Morgantown eight months ago, I’m going to give the Longhorns the benefit of the doubt here with the game in Austin.
vs. TCU
Early projection: Gary Patterson might have a nice little team on his hands by the time November rolls around, but the Horned Frogs lose almost all of their 2015 identity to graduation, which means 2016 will be a rebuilding year and potentially a rough one if the last three weeks are any indication.
Verdict: (Win) Don’t look now, but the Longhorns could be on a five-game win streak after the Oklahoma game.
vs. Baylor
Early projection: A lot will depend on whether Corey Coleman and Andrew Billings return for their senior seasons. If they don’t, this will be a team looking to replace four starters on the offensive line and the entire front four on defense. Of course, Jarrett Stidham, Shock Linwood, K.D. Cannon and Davion Hall give the offense a strong foundation with which to work.
Verdict: (Loss) Until the Longhorns slay the Baylor offensive dragon, I’m going to have to keep picking the Bears.
Overall, the presence of four possible top 10-level opponents on the schedule means the Longhorns will have their hands full if they want to have a truly successful season, but it’s not a tricky schedule by any stretch. Outside of the four huge games on the schedule, there’s not much on the ledger that would instill fear in anyone. The only true road game that looks imposing is the trip to Stillwater, as visits to Berkley, Lubbock, Manhattan and Lawrence don’t represent any kind of murderer’s row.
The question is whether an 8-4 type season without wins against the Big Four on the schedule represents enough improvement to warrant giving Strong another season. Under normal standards, eight wins in year three simply isn’t enough, but it’s possible that eight wins in 2016 doubles the amount of wins from 2015.
In what might be the most ironic of all possible scenarios, it kind of feels like that Baylor game that could conclude the season is pretty similar to the Baylor game that ended the 2013 season and Mack Brown’s career in Austin.
Would a win over the Bears and a 9-3 record be enough?
I’d bet a grand that it would.
Would a loss and a 8-4 record leave the fan base grumpy and unfulfilled?
I’d probably bet a grand that it would.
No. 2 – Scattershooting on the Longhorns …
… Since Jerrod Heard’s record-setting night against California (September 19th) in week three of the season, he’s a look at the passing game yards: 119, 122, 55, 99, 85, 299 and 162.
… The current team passing efficiency is 125.7, which if that number holds, it would represent the fifth time in six years that the team passing efficiency number has been below 130.0. In the current age of college football, that’s almost impossible to achieve.
… Few would have believed after the Cal game that it could be possible, but Tyrone Swoopes is currently averaging more than two yards per carry more than Heard.
… To hive you an idea of what kind of threat John Burt can be down the field, the true freshman currently has a higher YPC (20.6) than Baylor’s Corey Coleman (19.8). As a freshman, Coleman only averaged 15.1 yards per receptions.
… It’s been easy for some to nitpick true freshman punter Michael Dickson, but did you know that opponents have only racked up 50 yards on punt returns all season and average 3.8 yards oer return? To put that in perspective, Duke Thomas has 55 punt return yards on two attempts this season. Man, if you could just bottle that up and use it each season.
… The longest kickoff return against the Longhorns this season has been 46 yards. You’ll pretty much take that each season as well.
… Nick Rose leads the Longhorns in scoring with 57 points. Back in the year that John Mackovic was fired, Ricky Williams led the nation with 152 points.
… Peter Jinkens has more sacks this season (6.5) than Hassan Ridgeway, Shiro Davis and Malik Jefferson combined. The only linebacker in the Big 12 with more is OU’s Eric Striker (7.5)
… Of the 18 players that have started at some point on defense this season, 14 are scheduled to return in 2016.
No. 3 – A few thoughts on Shaka Smart’s first win in burnt orange...
It’s hard to learn much in the second game of the season against Texas A&M Corpus Christi, but here are a few things that stood out in a 67-56 win.
So much has been expected of the expected improved guard play under Smart, but the new coach and his assistants have been a blessing for Cameron Ridley, who literally looks like a new man after an off-season with Strong. Coming out of last season, I was of the opinion that Ridley had maxed out as an ok college player, but he’s showing early signs of having a higher ceiling than I expected of him coming into the season.
2. The freshmen are a work in progress and should be viewed as such. Tevin Mack isn’t going to have a lot of 0 for 6 nights in his career, but it’s not a shock that something like that might happen in game No.2 of his career. Mack, Eric Davis and Kerwin Roach are going to have some ups and downs this season like most freshmen, but eventually there is going to be more good than bad. Patience, grasshoppers.
3. Texas played fairly well on defense, but it only created three steals in 40 minutes, a shockingly low number when you consider Smart’s preferred style of play. This stat is another example of this team just trying to feel its way out through the early part of this season. There’s zero reason to panic.
No. 4 – Buy or sell …
(As always, these are questions submitted by Orangebloods subscribers)
BUY or SELL: OB will experience 2013 level of meltdown whether CS stays or goes, due to the distinct division among the fan base?
(Sell) I’m not sure there will ever be a meltdown quite like the one that was experienced after the Red Banquet. That reaction literally changed the course of history for the program.
BUY or SELL: If Strong wins 4-5 and gets canned, they make a big run at Herman and he accepts the job and is Texas' head coach in 2017?
(Sell) No disrespect to Herman, but the Texas big money and leadership has a year to get their ducks in a row should a change be made and I find it impossible to believe they would aim lower than the last hire.
BUY or SELL: Big 12 votes to require all teams to schedule only P5 teams in order to improve conference reputation?
(Sell) lulz.
BUY or SELL: If you were Gary Patterson, would you have gone for 2?
(Buy) You’re on the road, you’ve got momentum and you probably shouldn’t even be in a position to win the game. Being just a couple of yards away from a win, I’d take the risk like he did.
BUY or SELL: Texas has a new OC by January 1, 2016?
(Sell) I think there’s an instinct to rush to a resolution, but I think it takes a little longer to get all of the ducks in a row. I’ll say it goes down the week of the national title game.
BUY or SELL: Heard only needs an excellent QB coach to be a successful QB?
(Buy) Heard is still a young guy and he has a ways to go before he’s an elite player at this level, but what he needs more than anything is a coach who will build an offense that truly fits his skill set. You can’t convince me he’s not better than 2013 Trevone Boykin.
BUY or SELL: Charlie Strong is one of the top five coaches in the Big 12?
(Buy) I’ll rate Stoops, Briles, Patterson and possible Gundy ahead of him, but that’s as far as I’ll go.
BUY or SELL: Charlie Strong will go down in Longhorn History as a better coach than Fred Akers or Jon Mackovic?
(Sell) Strong has a long ways to go to even be mentioned in the same breath as those two, especially Akers.
BUY or SELL: You seem to be on the side of giving Charlie a third year because it would be best for the program?
(Sell) I’m open to a third year because I don’t believe the decision-makers are ready to make a move that truly lifts the program up. Change for the sake of change is poor change.
BUY or SELL: It would be better for the long-term health of the program if Texas has a losing season in 2016 than for it to go 7-5 and perpetuate the Charlie Strong era?
(Buy) I don’t think 7-5 is good enough to justify keeping him.
BUY or SELL: No one from Texas gets drafted in the upcoming draft?
(Sell) I’m going to go out on a limb and say Duke Thomas gets drafted on day three.
BUY or SELL: Based on only first two games, the basketball team is in for a 14-16 win season?
(Sell) It’s November. I think this team will be much better by the time conference play rolls around.
BUY or SELL: Eddie Redmayne wins another Oscar for his role in The Danish Girl?
(Sell) I’m not sure the movie as a whole will register well enough with voters to give him the push he needs. He’s a sure-thing for a nomination, but the movie isn’t currently projected to be a Best Picture film and I think that will hurt his chances.
BUY or SELL: Your wife thinks you are as nuts as the rest of OB for lusting after Miley?
(Sell) My wife knows that while I think Miley is attractive, the word “lust” is simply too strong to describe my stance on the matter.
No. 5 – Week 2 CFB Randomness ...
… If I had a vote that mattered …
1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Notre Dame
4. Oklahoma
5. Michigan State
6. Iowa
7. Baylor
8. North Carolina
9. Florida
10. Michigan
… Remember when everyone thought I was crazy for having the foresight to rank Alabama No. 1? The Tide might not win the national championship, but it’s far from crazy to have them No. 1 right now and assuming they make the field of four, the Tide will be the national champion betting favorite.
… If you couldn’t see that Baylor butt-kicking of Oklahoma State coming from a mile away, you haven’t been paying attention to these two teams this season. The Cowboys have been living on their ninth life all season and it was only a matter of time before that team got cornered and exposed. Baylor just has better players all over the field and that usually matters if a team comes to play, which you knew Baylor would after its performance against Oklahoma.
… Oklahoma’s season flashed before its very eyes against TCU, but its playoff dreams are still alive, which means you can bet that Baker Mayfield will be on the field against Oklahoma State for Bedlam, even if he’s seeing two of everything.
… Man, the SEC is hot garbage. I’m guilty, like so many others, of giving too many teams in that league too much credit.
… I’ve doubted and hated on Michigan State all season, but that team deserves a ton of praise for going into Columbus and winning with its back-up quarterback. Suddenly, the Spartans are two wins away from the playoff and their win over Oregon in non-conference play suddenly has increased value because of the Ducks’ recent run.
… While it’s somewhat surprising that Ohio State didn’t handle its business at home, that team hasn’t looked the part of a true playoff team for a couple months, so maybe it shouldn’t be somewhat surprising at all. In the aftermath, the dissention in the locker room is yet another reminder of just how hard it is to win at an elite level every season. As it stands, I might be somewhat surprised if Michigan doesn’t beat the Buckeyes because if there’s one thing I feel certain of about Michigan, it’s that that team has heart. I’m not so sure we can say the same thing about the Buckeyes this week.
… I thought it was pretty cool that Notre Dame played a home game at Fenway Park against Boston College.
… Iowa is the No. 3 team in the nation and nobody really believes in it at all, which kind of make it a perfect school and season for former Longhorn offensive coordinator Greg Davis.
… I’m going to miss Les Miles in Baton Rouge.
No. 6 – One down, six more to go ...
Tony Romo is back, baby, and never before has 3-7 ever looked so good to a Dallas Cowboys fan.
I guess.
Don’t get me wrong, it felt good to see Romo throwing, McFadden running, Dez catching and the defense creating some points, but the reality of the task that awaits the Cowboys is a sober reminder of the waste this season has become and I just can’t shake it.
It’s especially hard to shake that reality when you consider that undefeated Carolina is coming to town for the Thanksgiving Day game and whatever wiggle room that exists today might be gone in seven days if the Cowboys lose to the Panthers and the Giants beat Washington coming off of the Giants' bye week.
As nice as it was to have the gang all back together again, trailing by three games with five to play is a death sentence.
So, you’ll forgive me if I don’t get too excited about Sunday when the entire season will probably be on the line on Thursday.
No. 7 – Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
… Scattershooting on week 11 of the NFL
a. Don’t look now, but the 2015 Houston Texans have woken up and revealed themselves to be the 2014 Houston Texans! What I mean by that is that they’re a pretty good team with major quarterback deficiencies, but they’ll likely compete for a playoff spot all the way down to the season finale. The team has no chance to truly compete for a championship and it'll win too many games to get into a position to take a top quarterback. Basically, the Texans are a No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference of the NBA.
b. Please, Washington, please give Kirk Cousins an extension.
c. Imagine how scary the Panthers would look right now if Kelvin Benjamin was healthy.
d. Atlanta is collapsing right before our very eyes. At what point does Matt Ryan start feeling a little bit of heat? Or does no one care because he plays for the Falcons?
e. Has anyone ever seen Peyton Manning and Wally Pipp in the same room?
f. Ryan Fitzpatrick is exactly who we thought he was.
g. Revis Island is now property of the Republic of Hopkins.
h. Aaron Donald is a baaaaad dude.
… As a suffering Sixers fan, am I allowed to adopt the Warriors as my team because the team used to play in Philly? I think this should be allowed.
… I interviewed Freddie Roach last week about the Canello/Cotto fight and he was so certain that Cotto would make short work of Canello and pretty much everything he said turned out to be wrong, as Canello dominated Cotto over the course of 12 rounds. Oh well, on to the next fighter and the next big prediction.
… Really hoping to see a Canello/GGG fight in May of next year. If that goes down, who wants to go to Vegas with me for an early 40th birthday bash?
… Scattershooting on week 13 of the Premier League
a. Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!
b. Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!
c. Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!
d. Do you get the sense that I enjoyed Liverpool’s domination of Man City very much?
e. The evolution of Jamie Vardy and the emergence of Leicester this season has been a hell of a lot of fun to watch, so you long-time EPL fans let me know, when does everyone begin to take them seriously?
f. You guys can keep doubting Tottenham all you want, but that team is playing as well as anyone in the league. Whether they can keep it up in three months remains to be seen, but right now, the Spurs are a load to deal with.
g. West Ham without Dmitri Payet isn’t the same West Ham.
No. 8a – 100 Words or Less Movie Review: Room (A)
One of the best movies I’ve seen this year. A tale with two acts, the combo of (mother) Brie Larson and (son) Jacob Tremblay will walk you through almost every human emotion over the course of the film. The movie is dark and at times completely hopeless, but there’s heart and soul behind the acting and directing that makes this a special film.
No. 8b – 100 Words or Less Movie Review: The 33 (B-)
Man, the pieces were seemingly in place for a monster of a movie and it comes up a little short because it's a bit too conventional in its making. Antonio Banderas is terrific and really keeps the entire film together with one of his best performances of his stellar career. As good as he is in this role, it’s not enough to make you overlook the fact that the movie leaves you feeling a little empty. In fact, my wife wanted to leave 10 minutes early and I wouldn’t let her.
No. 9 - The perfect picture with Santa ...
For the very first time, I took my 20-month old twins to see Santa Claus at the mall.
You know what they say about a picture being worth a thousand words?
Enjoy.
No. 10 - The List: Chris Stapleton ...
A couple years ago, an Orangebloods poster sent me a link to an acoustic performance from a country music singer that absolutely blew my mind.
The song ranked among my favorites in all of 2013, yet few seemed to know much about him.
Two years later, he’s dominating the country music industry and some are calling him the guy that can change the industry by directing it back towards its roots.
Therefore, it seemed like a pretty good time to put together a list for my favorite current country singer.
Let’s get to it.
10. Whiskey and You
It's amazing he's written songs for the likes of George Strait, Adele and Sheryl Crow over the course of the last decade-plus, but only in the last year has the spotlight been on him.
9. Inside Your Head
One of two songs from his stint with the Jompson Brothers that make the list.
8. Daddy Doesn't Pray Anymore
At last month's CMA Awards, Stapleton won honors for Best Male Vocalist, New Artist of the Year, and Album of the Year for Traveller
7. Fire Away
One of six songs from Traveller on the list.
6. When the Stars Come Out
Over the course of the last week, this song has been in my head a lot.
5. Where Rainbows Never Die
My choice for his best song during his time with the Steeldrivers.
4. Barely Alive
My favorite song from his pre-solo days.
3. Traveller
Random fact: He attended Vanderbilt for a year.
2. What are you Listening To?
My personal choice for No. 1, it's the song that turned me on to Stapleton.
1. Tennessee Whiskey
This is the song that sent him into the stratosphere.
Archives List
Blues/Jazz: Eva Cassidy (Listen via Spotify ), John Coltrane (Listen via Spotify ), Janis Joplin (Listen via Spotify ), Norah Jones (Listen via Spotify), B.B. King (Listen Via Spotify), Leadbelly (Listen via Spotify), Amos Lee (Listen via Spotify),Toni Price (Listen via Spotify) and Stevie Ray Vaughan ( Listen via Spotify )
Classical: Johann Sebastian Bach ( Listen via Spotify) and Beethoven ( Listen via Spotify)
Country: Gary Allen (Listen via Spotify), Brooks and Dunn (Listen via Spotify), Garth Brooks, Johnny Cash (Listen via Spotify), Patsy Cline (Listen Via Spotify), Merle Haggard (Listen via Spotify), George Jones (Listen via Spotify), Robert Earl Keen (Listen via Spotify), Natalie Maines (Listen via Spotify), John Michael Montgomery (Listen via Spotify), Willie Nelson (Listen via Spotify), Reba (Listen via Spotify ), Kenny Rogers (Listen Via Spotify), Chris Stapleton (Listen via Spotify), Gary Stewart (Listen Via Spotify ), George Strait (Listen Via Spotify), (Keith Whitley (Listen via Spotify), Hank Williams Sr. ( Listen via Spotify). ) and Dwight Yoakam ( Listen via Spotify )
Electronic: Daft Punk (Listen Via Spotify)
Funk: Chuck Brown, James Brown (Listen Via Spotify) , Kool and the Gang and Prince (Listen Via Spotify (Part I), Listen Via Spotify (Part II - After Hours)) and Red Hot Chili Peppers (Listen Via Spotify (Part I)
Metal: Metallica and Pantera (Listen Via Spotify)
Pop: Hall and Oates (Listen via Spotify), George Michael (Listen via Spotify), Billy Ocean ( Listen via Spotify ), Rihanna (Frank Sinatra ( Listen via Spotify )
Punk: The Clash (Listen via Spotify) and The Ramones (Listen via Spotify)
Random: Best of 2013 (Listen via Spotify), Best of 2014 (Listen via Spotify), Cartoon themes, One-hit Wonders from the 1990's (Listen via Spotify) and TV Themes
Rap: 2-Pac (Listen via Spotify), 8-Ball and MJG, Beastie Boys (Listen via Spotify), Biggie Smalls (Listen via Spotify), Drake (Listen via Spotify), Eminem (Listen to Spotify), Ice Cube (Listen via Spotify), Jay-Z(Listen via Spotify), Kool MoeDee (Listen to Spotify), Kendrick Lamar (Listen via Spotify), NWA (Listen to Spotify), Outkast (Listen via Spotify), RUN-DMC (Listenvia Spotify), Scarface (Listen via Spotify), Snoop Dogg Listen via Spotify , A Tribe Called Quest (Listen via Spotify), UGK (Listen via Spotify), Kanye West (Listen via Spotify) and Wu-Tang Clan (Listen via Spotify)
R&B: Aliyah, Aretha (Listen via Spotify), Boyz II Men (Listen via Spotify), RayCharles (Listen via Spotify),Sam Cooke (Listen via Spotify), Al Green (Listen via Spotify), Chaka Kahn (listen Via Spotify), Whitney Houston (Janet Jackson (Listen via Spotify),Jodeci (Listen via Spotify), Mo-Town (Listen via Spotify), R. Kelly (Listen via Spotify), Gerald Levert (Listenvia Spotify), Otis Redding
(Listen via Spotify), Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson (Listen via Spotify), TLC (Listen Via Spotify), Jackie Wilson (Listen via Spotify) and Bill Withers (Listen via Spotify)
Reggae: Bob Marley (Listen via Spotify)
Rock: AC/DC, Listen via Spotify), Arcade Fire (Listen via Spotify), ArcticMonkeys (Listen via Spotify), Beach Boys (Listen via Spotify), The Beatles, Bon Jovi (Listen via Spotify), DavidBowie (Listen via Spotify), Jeff Buckley (Listen via Spotify), The Cars (Listen via Spotify), CCR (Listen via Spotify), Eric Clapton (Listen via Spotify), DaveMatthews Band (Listen via Spotify), Gary Clark Jr. (Listen via Spotify),Listen via Spotify), The Eagles, Joe Ely (Listen to Spotify), Foo Fighters (Listen Via Spotify), Genesis (Listen via Spotify), Guns N' RosesListen via Spotify), Heart (Listen via Spotify), Jimi Hendrix (Listen via Spotify), Don Henley (Listen Via Spotify), (Billy Joel (Listen via Spotify), Elton John (Listen Via Spotify), Journey(Listen Via Spotify), Led Zeppelin, Little Featt(Listen Via Spotify), John Mayer (Listen via Spotify), Stevie Nicks (Listen Via Spotify), Nirvana (Listen via Spotify), Roy Orbison (Listen via Spotify), Pearl Jam (Listen via Spotify), Tom Petty (Listen via Spotify), Pink Floyd, Elvis Pressley (Listen via Spotify), Queen (Listen via Spotify), Reckless Kelly (Listen via Spotify), Lou Reed ( Listen via Spotify ),TheRolling Stones (Listen via Spotify), Bob Seger, Bruce Springsteen (Listen via Spotify), Steely Dan (Listen Via Spotify), TheStrokes (Listen via Spotify), U2 (Listen via Spotify), Van Halen ( Listen via Spotify ), Velvet Underground ( Listen via Spotify ), Jack White ( Listen via Spotify ) and ZZ Top ( Listen via Spotify )
In between now and then, we’ll see the conclusion of this season, a change of coaching personnel, the addition of the 2016 recruiting class, spring workouts and an entire off-season worth of workouts.
Still, there’s an urge to peek way down the road.
With back-to-back throwaway seasons to begin his career at Texas, the stakes will be every bit as high for Strong as they were for Mack Brown in 2013, which means the wiggle room will be minimal. While it’s probably tough to find a consensus for what would register as a successful season for the Longhorns in 2016, it’s safe to say that merely qualifying for a bowl won’t be enough.
So, while I fully acknowledge that it’s impossible to schedule-watch and definitively come away with an accurate portrait for what awaits in what will rank as one of the most important seasons of the decade, I’m going to do it any way.
Game-by-game, I’m taking a peek.
September 3: vs. Notre Dame
Early projection: Assuming that Will Fuller and Jaylon Smith both turn pro, the Irish will likely arrive in Austin with about 11 returning starters from this season’s possible college football playoff squad, which means Notre Dame will be quite a different team than the one that slaughtered Texas in South Bend this season. Still, even with the high turnover on both sides of the ball, the Irish will return DeShone Kizer at quarterback (as well as injured season-opener starter Malik Zaire) and will probably rank as a pre-season top-10 team.
Verdict: (Loss) This has a chance to be a highly competitive game, but it’s hard to give the Longhorns the benefit of the doubt.
September 10: vs. UTEP
Early projection: The Miners will return 15 starters from a team that is currently 4-7 in Conference USA, but barring a complete collapse, this is one of the few slam dunk wins on the schedule.
Verdict: (Win)
September 17: at California
Early projection: With Jared Goff almost certainly headed to the NFL and most of the firepower on that explosive Bears offense headed for graduation, it’s expected that the team the Longhorns will face on the road in Berkley won’t be anything close to the group that Texas faced at DKR this season. Perhaps most important is the fact that the Bears will be breaking in a new quarterback with very little, if any, experience. A team that is 6-5 heading into its 2015 regular-season finale might be 4-8 or 5-7 quality a year from now.
Verdict: (Win) If Texas can’t win this game, Strong won’t have a chance to return in 2017.
at Texas Tech
Early projection: This will likely be a late September game, as the Horned Frogs and Red Raiders flip-flop positions on the Thanksgiving Day game schedule. While Texas Tech does return Patrick Mahomes at quarterback, the Red Raiders do lose four of their five starting offensive linemen and their entire front four on defense.
Verdict: (Win) I’ll probably pick the Red Raiders to win on Thanksgiving night, but the Longhorns have dominated this series for the better part of the last two decades and I think Texas will simply be the better team.
at Oklahoma State
Early projection: The Cowboys will practically bring back their entire starting line-up from the 2015 season, as 10 starters will return on offense and another nine on defense. Although the Longhorns probably should have beaten the Cowboys this season, the game will likely have a different feel in Stillwater.
Verdict: (Loss) I’ve given a horrible 2015 road team the benefit of the doubt twice on the road thus far, but I can’t do it here.
vs. Oklahoma
Early projection: Speaking of teams that bring a ton of returning starters back to the table, the Sooners will have eight on offense and nine on the defensive side of the ball making their way back in 2016. Outside of Sterling Shepard and Eric Striker, the team that is challenging for a spot in the college football playoff will return intact.
Verdict: (Loss) It’ll be a four-quarter slug-fest if the last two games in this series mean anything, but the game in Dallas this season was an anomaly for both teams and the Sooners project as the better team on paper at this point.
At Kansas State
Early projection: This is a bad team that loses four of its five starting offensive linemen this year, lacks playmakers and doesn’t have an answer at quarterback.
Verdict: (Win) The days of Kansas State being a thorn in UT’s side might be over.
vs. Iowa State
Early projection: Like Kansas State, Iowa State will look to replace four of five offensive line starters, but for the most part, the team that dominated the Longhorns just a few weeks ago will return in 2016.
Verdict: (Win) I’m assuming the Longhorns are going to be good enough to win this game a year from now.
at Kansas
Early projection: Still wretched.
Verdict: (Win) If the Longhorns can get through the Oklahoma schools, the schedule really opens up.
vs. West Virginia
Early projection: The Mountaineers return 10 of 11 starters on offense, but will have to rebuild much of the defense that did a number on the Longhorns a year earlier.
Verdict: (Win) As someone who picked Texas to lose in Morgantown eight months ago, I’m going to give the Longhorns the benefit of the doubt here with the game in Austin.
vs. TCU
Early projection: Gary Patterson might have a nice little team on his hands by the time November rolls around, but the Horned Frogs lose almost all of their 2015 identity to graduation, which means 2016 will be a rebuilding year and potentially a rough one if the last three weeks are any indication.
Verdict: (Win) Don’t look now, but the Longhorns could be on a five-game win streak after the Oklahoma game.
vs. Baylor
Early projection: A lot will depend on whether Corey Coleman and Andrew Billings return for their senior seasons. If they don’t, this will be a team looking to replace four starters on the offensive line and the entire front four on defense. Of course, Jarrett Stidham, Shock Linwood, K.D. Cannon and Davion Hall give the offense a strong foundation with which to work.
Verdict: (Loss) Until the Longhorns slay the Baylor offensive dragon, I’m going to have to keep picking the Bears.
Overall, the presence of four possible top 10-level opponents on the schedule means the Longhorns will have their hands full if they want to have a truly successful season, but it’s not a tricky schedule by any stretch. Outside of the four huge games on the schedule, there’s not much on the ledger that would instill fear in anyone. The only true road game that looks imposing is the trip to Stillwater, as visits to Berkley, Lubbock, Manhattan and Lawrence don’t represent any kind of murderer’s row.
The question is whether an 8-4 type season without wins against the Big Four on the schedule represents enough improvement to warrant giving Strong another season. Under normal standards, eight wins in year three simply isn’t enough, but it’s possible that eight wins in 2016 doubles the amount of wins from 2015.
In what might be the most ironic of all possible scenarios, it kind of feels like that Baylor game that could conclude the season is pretty similar to the Baylor game that ended the 2013 season and Mack Brown’s career in Austin.
Would a win over the Bears and a 9-3 record be enough?
I’d bet a grand that it would.
Would a loss and a 8-4 record leave the fan base grumpy and unfulfilled?
I’d probably bet a grand that it would.
No. 2 – Scattershooting on the Longhorns …
… Since Jerrod Heard’s record-setting night against California (September 19th) in week three of the season, he’s a look at the passing game yards: 119, 122, 55, 99, 85, 299 and 162.
… The current team passing efficiency is 125.7, which if that number holds, it would represent the fifth time in six years that the team passing efficiency number has been below 130.0. In the current age of college football, that’s almost impossible to achieve.
… Few would have believed after the Cal game that it could be possible, but Tyrone Swoopes is currently averaging more than two yards per carry more than Heard.
… To hive you an idea of what kind of threat John Burt can be down the field, the true freshman currently has a higher YPC (20.6) than Baylor’s Corey Coleman (19.8). As a freshman, Coleman only averaged 15.1 yards per receptions.
… It’s been easy for some to nitpick true freshman punter Michael Dickson, but did you know that opponents have only racked up 50 yards on punt returns all season and average 3.8 yards oer return? To put that in perspective, Duke Thomas has 55 punt return yards on two attempts this season. Man, if you could just bottle that up and use it each season.
… The longest kickoff return against the Longhorns this season has been 46 yards. You’ll pretty much take that each season as well.
… Nick Rose leads the Longhorns in scoring with 57 points. Back in the year that John Mackovic was fired, Ricky Williams led the nation with 152 points.
… Peter Jinkens has more sacks this season (6.5) than Hassan Ridgeway, Shiro Davis and Malik Jefferson combined. The only linebacker in the Big 12 with more is OU’s Eric Striker (7.5)
… Of the 18 players that have started at some point on defense this season, 14 are scheduled to return in 2016.
No. 3 – A few thoughts on Shaka Smart’s first win in burnt orange...
It’s hard to learn much in the second game of the season against Texas A&M Corpus Christi, but here are a few things that stood out in a 67-56 win.
So much has been expected of the expected improved guard play under Smart, but the new coach and his assistants have been a blessing for Cameron Ridley, who literally looks like a new man after an off-season with Strong. Coming out of last season, I was of the opinion that Ridley had maxed out as an ok college player, but he’s showing early signs of having a higher ceiling than I expected of him coming into the season.
2. The freshmen are a work in progress and should be viewed as such. Tevin Mack isn’t going to have a lot of 0 for 6 nights in his career, but it’s not a shock that something like that might happen in game No.2 of his career. Mack, Eric Davis and Kerwin Roach are going to have some ups and downs this season like most freshmen, but eventually there is going to be more good than bad. Patience, grasshoppers.
3. Texas played fairly well on defense, but it only created three steals in 40 minutes, a shockingly low number when you consider Smart’s preferred style of play. This stat is another example of this team just trying to feel its way out through the early part of this season. There’s zero reason to panic.
No. 4 – Buy or sell …
(As always, these are questions submitted by Orangebloods subscribers)
BUY or SELL: OB will experience 2013 level of meltdown whether CS stays or goes, due to the distinct division among the fan base?
(Sell) I’m not sure there will ever be a meltdown quite like the one that was experienced after the Red Banquet. That reaction literally changed the course of history for the program.
BUY or SELL: If Strong wins 4-5 and gets canned, they make a big run at Herman and he accepts the job and is Texas' head coach in 2017?
(Sell) No disrespect to Herman, but the Texas big money and leadership has a year to get their ducks in a row should a change be made and I find it impossible to believe they would aim lower than the last hire.
BUY or SELL: Big 12 votes to require all teams to schedule only P5 teams in order to improve conference reputation?
(Sell) lulz.
BUY or SELL: If you were Gary Patterson, would you have gone for 2?
(Buy) You’re on the road, you’ve got momentum and you probably shouldn’t even be in a position to win the game. Being just a couple of yards away from a win, I’d take the risk like he did.
BUY or SELL: Texas has a new OC by January 1, 2016?
(Sell) I think there’s an instinct to rush to a resolution, but I think it takes a little longer to get all of the ducks in a row. I’ll say it goes down the week of the national title game.
BUY or SELL: Heard only needs an excellent QB coach to be a successful QB?
(Buy) Heard is still a young guy and he has a ways to go before he’s an elite player at this level, but what he needs more than anything is a coach who will build an offense that truly fits his skill set. You can’t convince me he’s not better than 2013 Trevone Boykin.
BUY or SELL: Charlie Strong is one of the top five coaches in the Big 12?
(Buy) I’ll rate Stoops, Briles, Patterson and possible Gundy ahead of him, but that’s as far as I’ll go.
BUY or SELL: Charlie Strong will go down in Longhorn History as a better coach than Fred Akers or Jon Mackovic?
(Sell) Strong has a long ways to go to even be mentioned in the same breath as those two, especially Akers.
BUY or SELL: You seem to be on the side of giving Charlie a third year because it would be best for the program?
(Sell) I’m open to a third year because I don’t believe the decision-makers are ready to make a move that truly lifts the program up. Change for the sake of change is poor change.
BUY or SELL: It would be better for the long-term health of the program if Texas has a losing season in 2016 than for it to go 7-5 and perpetuate the Charlie Strong era?
(Buy) I don’t think 7-5 is good enough to justify keeping him.
BUY or SELL: No one from Texas gets drafted in the upcoming draft?
(Sell) I’m going to go out on a limb and say Duke Thomas gets drafted on day three.
BUY or SELL: Based on only first two games, the basketball team is in for a 14-16 win season?
(Sell) It’s November. I think this team will be much better by the time conference play rolls around.
BUY or SELL: Eddie Redmayne wins another Oscar for his role in The Danish Girl?
(Sell) I’m not sure the movie as a whole will register well enough with voters to give him the push he needs. He’s a sure-thing for a nomination, but the movie isn’t currently projected to be a Best Picture film and I think that will hurt his chances.
BUY or SELL: Your wife thinks you are as nuts as the rest of OB for lusting after Miley?
(Sell) My wife knows that while I think Miley is attractive, the word “lust” is simply too strong to describe my stance on the matter.
No. 5 – Week 2 CFB Randomness ...
… If I had a vote that mattered …
1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Notre Dame
4. Oklahoma
5. Michigan State
6. Iowa
7. Baylor
8. North Carolina
9. Florida
10. Michigan
… Remember when everyone thought I was crazy for having the foresight to rank Alabama No. 1? The Tide might not win the national championship, but it’s far from crazy to have them No. 1 right now and assuming they make the field of four, the Tide will be the national champion betting favorite.
… If you couldn’t see that Baylor butt-kicking of Oklahoma State coming from a mile away, you haven’t been paying attention to these two teams this season. The Cowboys have been living on their ninth life all season and it was only a matter of time before that team got cornered and exposed. Baylor just has better players all over the field and that usually matters if a team comes to play, which you knew Baylor would after its performance against Oklahoma.
… Oklahoma’s season flashed before its very eyes against TCU, but its playoff dreams are still alive, which means you can bet that Baker Mayfield will be on the field against Oklahoma State for Bedlam, even if he’s seeing two of everything.
… Man, the SEC is hot garbage. I’m guilty, like so many others, of giving too many teams in that league too much credit.
… I’ve doubted and hated on Michigan State all season, but that team deserves a ton of praise for going into Columbus and winning with its back-up quarterback. Suddenly, the Spartans are two wins away from the playoff and their win over Oregon in non-conference play suddenly has increased value because of the Ducks’ recent run.
… While it’s somewhat surprising that Ohio State didn’t handle its business at home, that team hasn’t looked the part of a true playoff team for a couple months, so maybe it shouldn’t be somewhat surprising at all. In the aftermath, the dissention in the locker room is yet another reminder of just how hard it is to win at an elite level every season. As it stands, I might be somewhat surprised if Michigan doesn’t beat the Buckeyes because if there’s one thing I feel certain of about Michigan, it’s that that team has heart. I’m not so sure we can say the same thing about the Buckeyes this week.
… I thought it was pretty cool that Notre Dame played a home game at Fenway Park against Boston College.
… Iowa is the No. 3 team in the nation and nobody really believes in it at all, which kind of make it a perfect school and season for former Longhorn offensive coordinator Greg Davis.
… I’m going to miss Les Miles in Baton Rouge.
No. 6 – One down, six more to go ...
Tony Romo is back, baby, and never before has 3-7 ever looked so good to a Dallas Cowboys fan.
I guess.
Don’t get me wrong, it felt good to see Romo throwing, McFadden running, Dez catching and the defense creating some points, but the reality of the task that awaits the Cowboys is a sober reminder of the waste this season has become and I just can’t shake it.
It’s especially hard to shake that reality when you consider that undefeated Carolina is coming to town for the Thanksgiving Day game and whatever wiggle room that exists today might be gone in seven days if the Cowboys lose to the Panthers and the Giants beat Washington coming off of the Giants' bye week.
As nice as it was to have the gang all back together again, trailing by three games with five to play is a death sentence.
So, you’ll forgive me if I don’t get too excited about Sunday when the entire season will probably be on the line on Thursday.
No. 7 – Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
… Scattershooting on week 11 of the NFL
a. Don’t look now, but the 2015 Houston Texans have woken up and revealed themselves to be the 2014 Houston Texans! What I mean by that is that they’re a pretty good team with major quarterback deficiencies, but they’ll likely compete for a playoff spot all the way down to the season finale. The team has no chance to truly compete for a championship and it'll win too many games to get into a position to take a top quarterback. Basically, the Texans are a No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference of the NBA.
b. Please, Washington, please give Kirk Cousins an extension.
c. Imagine how scary the Panthers would look right now if Kelvin Benjamin was healthy.
d. Atlanta is collapsing right before our very eyes. At what point does Matt Ryan start feeling a little bit of heat? Or does no one care because he plays for the Falcons?
e. Has anyone ever seen Peyton Manning and Wally Pipp in the same room?
f. Ryan Fitzpatrick is exactly who we thought he was.
g. Revis Island is now property of the Republic of Hopkins.
h. Aaron Donald is a baaaaad dude.
… As a suffering Sixers fan, am I allowed to adopt the Warriors as my team because the team used to play in Philly? I think this should be allowed.
… I interviewed Freddie Roach last week about the Canello/Cotto fight and he was so certain that Cotto would make short work of Canello and pretty much everything he said turned out to be wrong, as Canello dominated Cotto over the course of 12 rounds. Oh well, on to the next fighter and the next big prediction.
… Really hoping to see a Canello/GGG fight in May of next year. If that goes down, who wants to go to Vegas with me for an early 40th birthday bash?
… Scattershooting on week 13 of the Premier League
a. Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!
b. Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!
c. Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!Klopp!!!!
d. Do you get the sense that I enjoyed Liverpool’s domination of Man City very much?
e. The evolution of Jamie Vardy and the emergence of Leicester this season has been a hell of a lot of fun to watch, so you long-time EPL fans let me know, when does everyone begin to take them seriously?
f. You guys can keep doubting Tottenham all you want, but that team is playing as well as anyone in the league. Whether they can keep it up in three months remains to be seen, but right now, the Spurs are a load to deal with.
g. West Ham without Dmitri Payet isn’t the same West Ham.
No. 8a – 100 Words or Less Movie Review: Room (A)
One of the best movies I’ve seen this year. A tale with two acts, the combo of (mother) Brie Larson and (son) Jacob Tremblay will walk you through almost every human emotion over the course of the film. The movie is dark and at times completely hopeless, but there’s heart and soul behind the acting and directing that makes this a special film.
No. 8b – 100 Words or Less Movie Review: The 33 (B-)
Man, the pieces were seemingly in place for a monster of a movie and it comes up a little short because it's a bit too conventional in its making. Antonio Banderas is terrific and really keeps the entire film together with one of his best performances of his stellar career. As good as he is in this role, it’s not enough to make you overlook the fact that the movie leaves you feeling a little empty. In fact, my wife wanted to leave 10 minutes early and I wouldn’t let her.
No. 9 - The perfect picture with Santa ...
For the very first time, I took my 20-month old twins to see Santa Claus at the mall.
You know what they say about a picture being worth a thousand words?
Enjoy.
No. 10 - The List: Chris Stapleton ...
A couple years ago, an Orangebloods poster sent me a link to an acoustic performance from a country music singer that absolutely blew my mind.
The song ranked among my favorites in all of 2013, yet few seemed to know much about him.
Two years later, he’s dominating the country music industry and some are calling him the guy that can change the industry by directing it back towards its roots.
Therefore, it seemed like a pretty good time to put together a list for my favorite current country singer.
Let’s get to it.
10. Whiskey and You
It's amazing he's written songs for the likes of George Strait, Adele and Sheryl Crow over the course of the last decade-plus, but only in the last year has the spotlight been on him.
9. Inside Your Head
One of two songs from his stint with the Jompson Brothers that make the list.
8. Daddy Doesn't Pray Anymore
At last month's CMA Awards, Stapleton won honors for Best Male Vocalist, New Artist of the Year, and Album of the Year for Traveller
7. Fire Away
One of six songs from Traveller on the list.
6. When the Stars Come Out
Over the course of the last week, this song has been in my head a lot.
5. Where Rainbows Never Die
My choice for his best song during his time with the Steeldrivers.
4. Barely Alive
My favorite song from his pre-solo days.
3. Traveller
Random fact: He attended Vanderbilt for a year.
2. What are you Listening To?
My personal choice for No. 1, it's the song that turned me on to Stapleton.
1. Tennessee Whiskey
This is the song that sent him into the stratosphere.
Archives List
Blues/Jazz: Eva Cassidy (Listen via Spotify ), John Coltrane (Listen via Spotify ), Janis Joplin (Listen via Spotify ), Norah Jones (Listen via Spotify), B.B. King (Listen Via Spotify), Leadbelly (Listen via Spotify), Amos Lee (Listen via Spotify),Toni Price (Listen via Spotify) and Stevie Ray Vaughan ( Listen via Spotify )
Classical: Johann Sebastian Bach ( Listen via Spotify) and Beethoven ( Listen via Spotify)
Country: Gary Allen (Listen via Spotify), Brooks and Dunn (Listen via Spotify), Garth Brooks, Johnny Cash (Listen via Spotify), Patsy Cline (Listen Via Spotify), Merle Haggard (Listen via Spotify), George Jones (Listen via Spotify), Robert Earl Keen (Listen via Spotify), Natalie Maines (Listen via Spotify), John Michael Montgomery (Listen via Spotify), Willie Nelson (Listen via Spotify), Reba (Listen via Spotify ), Kenny Rogers (Listen Via Spotify), Chris Stapleton (Listen via Spotify), Gary Stewart (Listen Via Spotify ), George Strait (Listen Via Spotify), (Keith Whitley (Listen via Spotify), Hank Williams Sr. ( Listen via Spotify). ) and Dwight Yoakam ( Listen via Spotify )
Electronic: Daft Punk (Listen Via Spotify)
Funk: Chuck Brown, James Brown (Listen Via Spotify) , Kool and the Gang and Prince (Listen Via Spotify (Part I), Listen Via Spotify (Part II - After Hours)) and Red Hot Chili Peppers (Listen Via Spotify (Part I)
Metal: Metallica and Pantera (Listen Via Spotify)
Pop: Hall and Oates (Listen via Spotify), George Michael (Listen via Spotify), Billy Ocean ( Listen via Spotify ), Rihanna (Frank Sinatra ( Listen via Spotify )
Punk: The Clash (Listen via Spotify) and The Ramones (Listen via Spotify)
Random: Best of 2013 (Listen via Spotify), Best of 2014 (Listen via Spotify), Cartoon themes, One-hit Wonders from the 1990's (Listen via Spotify) and TV Themes
Rap: 2-Pac (Listen via Spotify), 8-Ball and MJG, Beastie Boys (Listen via Spotify), Biggie Smalls (Listen via Spotify), Drake (Listen via Spotify), Eminem (Listen to Spotify), Ice Cube (Listen via Spotify), Jay-Z(Listen via Spotify), Kool MoeDee (Listen to Spotify), Kendrick Lamar (Listen via Spotify), NWA (Listen to Spotify), Outkast (Listen via Spotify), RUN-DMC (Listenvia Spotify), Scarface (Listen via Spotify), Snoop Dogg Listen via Spotify , A Tribe Called Quest (Listen via Spotify), UGK (Listen via Spotify), Kanye West (Listen via Spotify) and Wu-Tang Clan (Listen via Spotify)
R&B: Aliyah, Aretha (Listen via Spotify), Boyz II Men (Listen via Spotify), RayCharles (Listen via Spotify),Sam Cooke (Listen via Spotify), Al Green (Listen via Spotify), Chaka Kahn (listen Via Spotify), Whitney Houston (Janet Jackson (Listen via Spotify),Jodeci (Listen via Spotify), Mo-Town (Listen via Spotify), R. Kelly (Listen via Spotify), Gerald Levert (Listenvia Spotify), Otis Redding
(Listen via Spotify), Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson (Listen via Spotify), TLC (Listen Via Spotify), Jackie Wilson (Listen via Spotify) and Bill Withers (Listen via Spotify)
Reggae: Bob Marley (Listen via Spotify)
Rock: AC/DC, Listen via Spotify), Arcade Fire (Listen via Spotify), ArcticMonkeys (Listen via Spotify), Beach Boys (Listen via Spotify), The Beatles, Bon Jovi (Listen via Spotify), DavidBowie (Listen via Spotify), Jeff Buckley (Listen via Spotify), The Cars (Listen via Spotify), CCR (Listen via Spotify), Eric Clapton (Listen via Spotify), DaveMatthews Band (Listen via Spotify), Gary Clark Jr. (Listen via Spotify),Listen via Spotify), The Eagles, Joe Ely (Listen to Spotify), Foo Fighters (Listen Via Spotify), Genesis (Listen via Spotify), Guns N' RosesListen via Spotify), Heart (Listen via Spotify), Jimi Hendrix (Listen via Spotify), Don Henley (Listen Via Spotify), (Billy Joel (Listen via Spotify), Elton John (Listen Via Spotify), Journey(Listen Via Spotify), Led Zeppelin, Little Featt(Listen Via Spotify), John Mayer (Listen via Spotify), Stevie Nicks (Listen Via Spotify), Nirvana (Listen via Spotify), Roy Orbison (Listen via Spotify), Pearl Jam (Listen via Spotify), Tom Petty (Listen via Spotify), Pink Floyd, Elvis Pressley (Listen via Spotify), Queen (Listen via Spotify), Reckless Kelly (Listen via Spotify), Lou Reed ( Listen via Spotify ),TheRolling Stones (Listen via Spotify), Bob Seger, Bruce Springsteen (Listen via Spotify), Steely Dan (Listen Via Spotify), TheStrokes (Listen via Spotify), U2 (Listen via Spotify), Van Halen ( Listen via Spotify ), Velvet Underground ( Listen via Spotify ), Jack White ( Listen via Spotify ) and ZZ Top ( Listen via Spotify )
