Three days into a 2015 Texas Longhorns season that looks more fascinating by each passing day, two things seem to be assuredly true.
For better or for worse, Tyrone Swoopes is going to be the starter at quarterback for the Longhorns.
Oh, and Charlie Strong might have the youngest team in the country on his hands, at least if we’re talking about the two-deep on each side of the ball and on special teams. However, before we get too deep into Thing No.2, let’s establish what’s going on in the quarterback battle.
The narrative was so obvious coming out of Sunday’s practice that you almost felt like there’s something to the mystery story that you’re missing, like the possibility that the coaches are sandbagging their plan for later in the month by having Tyrone Swoopes take EVERY first-team rep in every possible setting through the first time. The lukewarm reception to the obvious is such that you can’t help but imagine a secret plan that somehow explains the fact that if you’re right about the secret plan, the plan itself follows a path that suggests the secrecy is more important than those incredibly valuable and limited practice reps.
Except this team isn’t that good. Especially at quarterback.
With less than four weeks to go until this team puts its newfound swagger to the test in South Bend, it’s hard to believe that Jerrod Heard would be failing to get work with the first-team offense if the coaches believed there was really a decision to make.
Here’s the other thing and it seems kind of important… Swoopes is just better right now.
While Heard has absolutely improved from this same time a year ago, Swoopes still has a major leg up on him in the passing game. While Heard can make more plays than Swoopes in the running game, that component of his skill set almost certainly doesn’t matter more than Swoopes’ edge in the other phase.
When Charlie Strong mentioned the other day that it might not take him long to know who his starting quarterback is, there was a buzz that Heard’s move on the depth chart was about to take place.
It looks like the opposite is true and the signs have been in front of us for a while?
Who is the quarterback that took almost all of the first-team reps in the spring? It’s Swoopes.
Who is the quarterback that took all of the first-team reps in the spring game? It’s Swoopes.
Who is the quarterback that received a lot of praise for his improved leadership efforts throughout the off-season? It’s Swoopes?
Who is the quarterback that was front and center in the Under the Lights event, positively chatting up the kids that were participating? It’s Swoopes.
Who is the quarterback that has looked better through three days? It’s Swoopes.
Who is the quarterback that has received all of the first-team snaps in the first three days of camp? It’s Swoopes.
Understand that none of this speaks to any thoughts I might have on what happens once he takes the field in South Bend because I don’t have the slightest clue what improved play from him even means, but when it comes to the guy this staff is clearly preparing to take the lionshare of the reps in week one, let’s stop pretending.
Don’t get me wrong, Heard is going to play in the first game, just like Strong said he would. However, what does that mean? The redshirt freshman could take the third series of the game and Strong’s words will have been fulfilled.
The question is how much beyond a series is he going to play unless Swoopes is completely unfunctional, which has to remain one of the possible outcomes after what transpired last season? Unless something occurs that the current first weekend of allotted snaps doesn’t indicate that anyone is planning for, you’d have to think that the likely game-plan in four weeks will likely center around one person at the position in particular.
It’s…
No. 2 – About the other obvious thing about this team ...
Holy smokes, this team is going to be young.
Hardly a whopper of a proclamation for sure, but as much as we’ve discussed the possible youth movement that could take place this season for the last eight months, I’m not sure that any of us truly had an idea of how dominant this storyline would look through three practices.
Consider the following:
John Burt was working with the first-team offense on the first day of camp on the opening snap and hasn’t slowed down.
DeAndre McNeal is already working with the second-team at tight end and has been the story of camp thus far. Only in a world in which he’s not healthy is he not on the field against Notre Dame.
Connor Williams is the starting right tackle and Patrick Vahe is already taking reps on the second-team offensive line at guard.
Malik Jefferson looks almost 100-percent locked in as a starter at linebacker for Notre Dame, while Anthony Wheeler and Cecil Cherry are already working with the second-team defense.
Assuming good health holds, Kris Boyd, DeShon Elliott, Davante Davis and Holton Hill all project as guys that will play in South Bend, both in defensive and special teams capacities.
All those names and I haven’t even mentioned Aussie punter Michael Dickson, Chris Warren, Kirk Johnson, Ryan Newsome, Charles Omenihu, P.J. Locke or a few other names that could easily see game action early on.
It also doesn’t include any of the second-year players in the program who own such important roles.
Y-o-u-t-h.
The bottom line is that the Longhorns will almost certainly start three freshmen in the opener and could end up starting as many as four or five… in game one.
If this is what it looks like in the first week, what in the world is the two-deep going to look like in December when this class of youngsters actually gets comfortable?
No. 3 – Scattershooting on the Longhorns…
… With all of the drops by the receivers in the first three practices of the season, maybe it’s time for everyone else on the team do push-ups when a receiver drops the ball, Full Metal Jacket-style. If self-punishment isn’t enough, maybe the best way to stop these drops is to get the attention of everyone else on the field because if I had a nickel for every time I heard “dropped pass” this weekend, I’d at least have a healthy start on buying a cup of coffee on Monday.
… My favorite thing reported this weekend arrived via Jason’s breakdown of Sunday’s practice:
"F&*k his ass up! What was that?!? You have pads on!" - Brian Jean-Mary to a LB who didn't finish a contact drill the way he wanted.
I have a feeling I could be friends with BJM.
.... Am I the only one that finds the energy, thirst and demand from this current staff incredibly refreshing? They’re raw, but real, and I’ll take that after years of watching polished and pretending.
… Be prepared to hear the word “swag” or “swagger” about 5,000,000 times this season.
… My favorite part of John Burt starting on offense from jump-street is recalling the things that some folks said about him after it looked like he wasn’t going to come to Texas. While some were quick to pile on and question his talent, I’ve been saying for six months that I thought he’d start against Notre Dame, so I’m kind of secretly hoping for that one to happen.
… Outside of Armanti Foreman and Marcus Johnson, I’m not sure there’s a returning receiver on the team to get thrilled about after three days, which has to disappoint Strong and wide receiver coach Jay Norvell. Everyone has dropped passes, but at least those two have made some plays.
… I don’t know what to make out of the positive buzz surrounding the offensive line, but I’d by lying to you if I told you I believed it.
No. 4 - The biggest compliment I can give Gary Patterson and Charlie Strong...
I’m a Gary Patterson believer.
As an evaluator, I think he’s one of the best in the nation and when he offers a kid that no one else has offered, I always assume he knows more than the rest of us. He’s like E.F. Hutton, when he offers, I pay attention.
As a developer of talent. he takes guys completely under the radar and turns them into bad-ass college players/NFL prospects.
In a world where each of those elite-levels skills are worth its weight in gold, Patterson has two-elite skills, which is one of the reasons I think he’s on the short list of college coaches just behind Urban Meyer and Nick Saban in the second-tier of the best coaches in the nation.
When I look at Charlie Strong, I essentially see Gary Patterson, which means that the two might as well be brothers from another mother (Note: I’m not sure if Patterson is the white Charlie Strong or if Strong is the black Gary Patterson).
Over the course of the next two years, I’m fascinated at the thought of watching these two compete against each other in the same conference because the two are so much alike.
No. 5 - BUY OR SELL ...
(BUY or SELL) The offensive line is the worst unit on that side of the ball?
(Sell) Until we see actual results on the field in games, I’m not sure how to decide between the line, the quarterbacks and the tight ends, although the presence of DeAndre McNeil almost has me willing to take the tight ends out of the discussion… barely.
(BUY or SELL) If the over/under for picks thrown by the combination of QB's is 16 for the season, you’ll take the over?
(Sell) The final two games of the 2014 season distorted the fact that Tyrone Swoopes was mostly very safe with the football through the first 11 games of the season, only throwing six interceptions in his first 10 starts.
(BUY or SELL) Devonnaire Clarington gets approval from the NCAA Clearinghouse and makes it into UT?
(Sell) Clarington’s transcript includes multiple transfers, including some during his senior year, and there was always fear during his recruitment that qualifying would be tricky as a byproduct. I’ve said it all summer, but treat any arrival by Clarington as found money.
(BUY or SELL) Word is spreading in the HS circles that something special is being in Austin and the top Offensive Players are not ducking for cover when UT comes calling.
(Sell) While high school coaches are warming to Charlie Strong and his staff, there’s still very much a wait-and-see attitude in play.
(BUY or SELL) This team is more likely to gel, develope and go 9-3 than struggle and go 6-6?
(Sell) Assuming the three losses are to Notre Dame, Baylor and TCU, getting to 9-3 requires an incredibly young team with quarterback and offensive line issues to have zero slips the rest of the way. Considering the trickiness of the schedule, that seems like a rather tall order in my mind with four weeks to go until the season opener.
(BUY or SELL) UT would have won 8-9 games last year with Case McCoy at QB if he had red-shirted his freshman year?
(Sell) Tyrone Swoopes is a better player than Case McCoy.
(BUY or SELL) Malik Jefferson is B12 Defensive Newcomer of the year.
(Buy) It might be a runaway.
(BUY or SELL) TCU and Baylor both miss the playoffs again this year.
(Sell) TCU is going to play in the national title game.
(BUY or SELL) The entirety of the coaching staff makes it to the 2016 season?
(Sell) Just a hunch.
(BUY or SELL) The Texas defense gives up LESS than 30 points to Notre Dame. (They only allowed more than 30 points, 3 times last season).
(Sell) I’ve for the Irish scoring 31 points in the opener… for now.
(BUY or SELL) JJ Watt breaks single season sack record with help of Wilfork picking up a lot of double teams.
(Sell) But, I love your ambition and I don’t discount Watt’s ability to break the record, especially in a division that will allow for four games against Marcus Mariota and Blake Bortles. Too bad he can’t play the Texans.
No. 6 – Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
… Charles Haley’s Hall of Fame speech was everything that I had hoped it would be. It was raw, it was contrite. It was all Charles. For a guy that was known as being a pretty big handful during his playing days, Haley was open about his failures as a man and his efforts to strive to be better than those failures forever more. I’ll never forget being in Texas Stadium on the night that Haley made his debut against the defending world champion Washington Rs on Monday Night Football to open the 1992 season, which occurred just a week or so after the Cowboys had acquired him. For a franchise that had gone 15 seasons without a championship, his arrival on the Dallas defense was a total game-changer and the crowd that night was as good any I’ve ever experienced at a Cowboys home game. I’ve got that game on VHS tape somewhere… I might need to watch that bad boy before the season starts.
… It was Jerome Bettis night in Canton on Saturday, which is ironic because he’s one of the least deserving candidates I think I’ve ever seen enter the hall. You can call that shade, but I call it the truth. I know he’s the 6th all-time leading rusher in the league, but his career YPC was 3.9 and only four times out of 13 seasons was his YPC better than his career number. Put him in the Hall of Very Good, but only once in his last eight seasons was he better than 3.8 yards per carry. If I were to tell you right now that your favorite NFL team would rush for 3.9 yards per carry this season, you’d freak the hell out in a bad way.
… Not exactly the start I expected for Cole Hamels through his first two starts as a Texas Ranger, but I would preach patience to anyone concerned about his 5.93 ERA through 13.2 innings.
… And just like that… the Yankees’ lead over Toronto in the AL East is basically gone.
… One of these days, Cyborg is going to get into the Octagon with Ronda Rousey, but she might want to find another manager because it seems pretty obvious that Dana White views Tito Ortiz as a lying amateur and would prefer not to do “negotiate” with him.
… Dear Greg Hardy, focus more on not beating women and then paying them off, and less on flying banners over at Philly’s practice.
No. 7 – The evolution of an English Premier League fan...
My, oh my, how things can change over the course of the stretch of a calendar year.
Coming out of last year’s World Cup, my goal last summer was to extend my thirst for the game of soccer by becoming a fan of the EPL, despite the fact that I didn’t have a favorite team, didn’t really know any of the players and wasn’t exactly sure what the hell I was getting into.
A year later, I’ve become a dyed in the wool Liverpool fan and I’m helping organize a money-fantasy league amongst fellow Orangebloods EPL fans, so while my training might not yet be complete, the obsession has become very real.
Here’s a look at an array of things that crossed my mind while watching more soccer from over the weekend than I did in the first 30 years of my life combined:
a. Thank goodness for the Little Magician. Liverpool’s start to the season began where it unceremoniously ended 11 weeks ago and while the Reds were never in danger of losing in the same type of fashion, a fairly unmemorable 0-0 tie seemed to be looming until Phillipe Coutinho unleashed some fire from hell off of his right foot to help secure a much-needed 1-0 win. With so many new players on the pitch for the Reds, it’s going to take some time to put all of the pieces together as one, but Sunday was a big step forward towards putting last season behind everyone… at least, that’s what I hope.
b. Without question, the most surprising outcome of the weekend was Arsonal’s 2-0 loss at home to West Ham, despite the fact that Petr Cech represents the kind of upgrade at goalie that many think can help the Gunners get back into championship contention. With all of those weapons in the midfield and amongst its strikers, Arsenal just couldn’t get it cooking, while the Hammers played one heck of a complete game, negating Arsenal’s attack and taking advantages of its own opportunities.
c. Chelsea was lucky to get out of Dodge with a 2-2 tie against Swansea City at home. Red card in the second half or not, Swansea was giving the defending champions all it wanted and more.
d. Memphis Depay didn’t exactly do much to impress in his opening appearance for Man U. Yes, I know it’s early, but I was hoping to be wowed right away because I’m selfish and I put him on my fantasy team. Come on, Memphis!
e. I’ll be interested to see how Man City looks on Monday because none of the top-level teams in the league looked championship-caliber in week one. I’ve got my popcorn ready.
No. 8 – Youtube Video of the Week ...
Pop quiz: What is your favorite black and white TV series of all-time?
While I might have missed the shows when they first aired, being a child of the 1980s that watched more Nickelodeon than should probably be humanly possible.
My mornings were spent watching Lassie, Mr. Ed, My Three Sons and The Donna Reed Show over and over and over.
Yet, one show stood out more than any other and if you’ve ever seen my Twitter avatar, you know where I’m going with the answer to my own quiz.
No. 9 – True Detective Season Two: Does anyone survive?
For the record, I've got everyone dying in this episode, except for Ani. I'm talking Ray. I'm talking Frank. I'm talking about half of Vinci.
Ok, let's do this.
******WARNING: TRUE DETECTIVE SPOILERS BELOW******
******WARNING: TRUE DETECTIVE SPOILERS BELOW******
******WARNING: TRUE DETECTIVE SPOILERS BELOW******
a. My goodness, who would have ever guessed that Ray and Ani would be more soulmates than lovers? Those two are meant for each other in so many messed up ways that it almost feels romantic.
b. I'll give the show credit for really tying up loose ends when the clock was running out. It's all making sense, I suppose.
c. I'll also give the Birdman credit for holding off on killing Nipsey Russell until he revealed that his sister was Casper's kid. Things got a little unruly after that.
d. Frank's successful raid of the Russians assures us of his demise, right? Might Ray make it out of this? This show just doesn't feel like it's going to have a happy ending, otherwise it kind of curves away from the mission statement at the end and isn't true to its self.
e. Nope, Ray is doomed. The phone call to Ani pretty much cements that.
f. Stay on the highway, Ray! Stay on the gosh-darned highway! Ignore the exit! GO TO ANI!
g. Uh oh, all the way around.
h. Did the show just copy the end of Training Day? Did th show just copy the end of The Thin Red Line?
i. RIP Ray. RIP Frank.
j. Oh snap? Ani was pregnant with little Ray? Wait, did the show just copy the end of The Sopranos?
k. Paul got a highway named after him? How ironic is that?
l. I give the show a B at the end. Not too shabby.
******END OF WARNING: TRUE DETECTIVE SPOILERS ABOVE******
******END OF WARNING: TRUE DETECTIVE SPOILERS ABOVE******
******END OF WARNING: TRUE DETECTIVE SPOILERS ABOVE******
No.10 - And finally....
My kids turn 17 months this week and they are not only walking up a storm, starting to talk and slam their little fingers in doorways/drawers, but they graduate classrooms in school this month.
The terrible 2s are around the corner.
Buckle up.
For better or for worse, Tyrone Swoopes is going to be the starter at quarterback for the Longhorns.
Oh, and Charlie Strong might have the youngest team in the country on his hands, at least if we’re talking about the two-deep on each side of the ball and on special teams. However, before we get too deep into Thing No.2, let’s establish what’s going on in the quarterback battle.
The narrative was so obvious coming out of Sunday’s practice that you almost felt like there’s something to the mystery story that you’re missing, like the possibility that the coaches are sandbagging their plan for later in the month by having Tyrone Swoopes take EVERY first-team rep in every possible setting through the first time. The lukewarm reception to the obvious is such that you can’t help but imagine a secret plan that somehow explains the fact that if you’re right about the secret plan, the plan itself follows a path that suggests the secrecy is more important than those incredibly valuable and limited practice reps.
Except this team isn’t that good. Especially at quarterback.
With less than four weeks to go until this team puts its newfound swagger to the test in South Bend, it’s hard to believe that Jerrod Heard would be failing to get work with the first-team offense if the coaches believed there was really a decision to make.
Here’s the other thing and it seems kind of important… Swoopes is just better right now.
While Heard has absolutely improved from this same time a year ago, Swoopes still has a major leg up on him in the passing game. While Heard can make more plays than Swoopes in the running game, that component of his skill set almost certainly doesn’t matter more than Swoopes’ edge in the other phase.
When Charlie Strong mentioned the other day that it might not take him long to know who his starting quarterback is, there was a buzz that Heard’s move on the depth chart was about to take place.
It looks like the opposite is true and the signs have been in front of us for a while?
Who is the quarterback that took almost all of the first-team reps in the spring? It’s Swoopes.
Who is the quarterback that took all of the first-team reps in the spring game? It’s Swoopes.
Who is the quarterback that received a lot of praise for his improved leadership efforts throughout the off-season? It’s Swoopes?
Who is the quarterback that was front and center in the Under the Lights event, positively chatting up the kids that were participating? It’s Swoopes.
Who is the quarterback that has looked better through three days? It’s Swoopes.
Who is the quarterback that has received all of the first-team snaps in the first three days of camp? It’s Swoopes.
Understand that none of this speaks to any thoughts I might have on what happens once he takes the field in South Bend because I don’t have the slightest clue what improved play from him even means, but when it comes to the guy this staff is clearly preparing to take the lionshare of the reps in week one, let’s stop pretending.
Don’t get me wrong, Heard is going to play in the first game, just like Strong said he would. However, what does that mean? The redshirt freshman could take the third series of the game and Strong’s words will have been fulfilled.
The question is how much beyond a series is he going to play unless Swoopes is completely unfunctional, which has to remain one of the possible outcomes after what transpired last season? Unless something occurs that the current first weekend of allotted snaps doesn’t indicate that anyone is planning for, you’d have to think that the likely game-plan in four weeks will likely center around one person at the position in particular.
It’s…
No. 2 – About the other obvious thing about this team ...
Holy smokes, this team is going to be young.
Hardly a whopper of a proclamation for sure, but as much as we’ve discussed the possible youth movement that could take place this season for the last eight months, I’m not sure that any of us truly had an idea of how dominant this storyline would look through three practices.
Consider the following:
John Burt was working with the first-team offense on the first day of camp on the opening snap and hasn’t slowed down.
DeAndre McNeal is already working with the second-team at tight end and has been the story of camp thus far. Only in a world in which he’s not healthy is he not on the field against Notre Dame.
Connor Williams is the starting right tackle and Patrick Vahe is already taking reps on the second-team offensive line at guard.
Malik Jefferson looks almost 100-percent locked in as a starter at linebacker for Notre Dame, while Anthony Wheeler and Cecil Cherry are already working with the second-team defense.
Assuming good health holds, Kris Boyd, DeShon Elliott, Davante Davis and Holton Hill all project as guys that will play in South Bend, both in defensive and special teams capacities.
All those names and I haven’t even mentioned Aussie punter Michael Dickson, Chris Warren, Kirk Johnson, Ryan Newsome, Charles Omenihu, P.J. Locke or a few other names that could easily see game action early on.
It also doesn’t include any of the second-year players in the program who own such important roles.
Y-o-u-t-h.
The bottom line is that the Longhorns will almost certainly start three freshmen in the opener and could end up starting as many as four or five… in game one.
If this is what it looks like in the first week, what in the world is the two-deep going to look like in December when this class of youngsters actually gets comfortable?
No. 3 – Scattershooting on the Longhorns…
… With all of the drops by the receivers in the first three practices of the season, maybe it’s time for everyone else on the team do push-ups when a receiver drops the ball, Full Metal Jacket-style. If self-punishment isn’t enough, maybe the best way to stop these drops is to get the attention of everyone else on the field because if I had a nickel for every time I heard “dropped pass” this weekend, I’d at least have a healthy start on buying a cup of coffee on Monday.
… My favorite thing reported this weekend arrived via Jason’s breakdown of Sunday’s practice:
"F&*k his ass up! What was that?!? You have pads on!" - Brian Jean-Mary to a LB who didn't finish a contact drill the way he wanted.
I have a feeling I could be friends with BJM.
.... Am I the only one that finds the energy, thirst and demand from this current staff incredibly refreshing? They’re raw, but real, and I’ll take that after years of watching polished and pretending.
… Be prepared to hear the word “swag” or “swagger” about 5,000,000 times this season.
… My favorite part of John Burt starting on offense from jump-street is recalling the things that some folks said about him after it looked like he wasn’t going to come to Texas. While some were quick to pile on and question his talent, I’ve been saying for six months that I thought he’d start against Notre Dame, so I’m kind of secretly hoping for that one to happen.
… Outside of Armanti Foreman and Marcus Johnson, I’m not sure there’s a returning receiver on the team to get thrilled about after three days, which has to disappoint Strong and wide receiver coach Jay Norvell. Everyone has dropped passes, but at least those two have made some plays.
… I don’t know what to make out of the positive buzz surrounding the offensive line, but I’d by lying to you if I told you I believed it.
No. 4 - The biggest compliment I can give Gary Patterson and Charlie Strong...
I’m a Gary Patterson believer.
As an evaluator, I think he’s one of the best in the nation and when he offers a kid that no one else has offered, I always assume he knows more than the rest of us. He’s like E.F. Hutton, when he offers, I pay attention.
As a developer of talent. he takes guys completely under the radar and turns them into bad-ass college players/NFL prospects.
In a world where each of those elite-levels skills are worth its weight in gold, Patterson has two-elite skills, which is one of the reasons I think he’s on the short list of college coaches just behind Urban Meyer and Nick Saban in the second-tier of the best coaches in the nation.
When I look at Charlie Strong, I essentially see Gary Patterson, which means that the two might as well be brothers from another mother (Note: I’m not sure if Patterson is the white Charlie Strong or if Strong is the black Gary Patterson).
Over the course of the next two years, I’m fascinated at the thought of watching these two compete against each other in the same conference because the two are so much alike.
No. 5 - BUY OR SELL ...
(BUY or SELL) The offensive line is the worst unit on that side of the ball?
(Sell) Until we see actual results on the field in games, I’m not sure how to decide between the line, the quarterbacks and the tight ends, although the presence of DeAndre McNeil almost has me willing to take the tight ends out of the discussion… barely.
(BUY or SELL) If the over/under for picks thrown by the combination of QB's is 16 for the season, you’ll take the over?
(Sell) The final two games of the 2014 season distorted the fact that Tyrone Swoopes was mostly very safe with the football through the first 11 games of the season, only throwing six interceptions in his first 10 starts.
(BUY or SELL) Devonnaire Clarington gets approval from the NCAA Clearinghouse and makes it into UT?
(Sell) Clarington’s transcript includes multiple transfers, including some during his senior year, and there was always fear during his recruitment that qualifying would be tricky as a byproduct. I’ve said it all summer, but treat any arrival by Clarington as found money.
(BUY or SELL) Word is spreading in the HS circles that something special is being in Austin and the top Offensive Players are not ducking for cover when UT comes calling.
(Sell) While high school coaches are warming to Charlie Strong and his staff, there’s still very much a wait-and-see attitude in play.
(BUY or SELL) This team is more likely to gel, develope and go 9-3 than struggle and go 6-6?
(Sell) Assuming the three losses are to Notre Dame, Baylor and TCU, getting to 9-3 requires an incredibly young team with quarterback and offensive line issues to have zero slips the rest of the way. Considering the trickiness of the schedule, that seems like a rather tall order in my mind with four weeks to go until the season opener.
(BUY or SELL) UT would have won 8-9 games last year with Case McCoy at QB if he had red-shirted his freshman year?
(Sell) Tyrone Swoopes is a better player than Case McCoy.
(BUY or SELL) Malik Jefferson is B12 Defensive Newcomer of the year.
(Buy) It might be a runaway.
(BUY or SELL) TCU and Baylor both miss the playoffs again this year.
(Sell) TCU is going to play in the national title game.
(BUY or SELL) The entirety of the coaching staff makes it to the 2016 season?
(Sell) Just a hunch.
(BUY or SELL) The Texas defense gives up LESS than 30 points to Notre Dame. (They only allowed more than 30 points, 3 times last season).
(Sell) I’ve for the Irish scoring 31 points in the opener… for now.
(BUY or SELL) JJ Watt breaks single season sack record with help of Wilfork picking up a lot of double teams.
(Sell) But, I love your ambition and I don’t discount Watt’s ability to break the record, especially in a division that will allow for four games against Marcus Mariota and Blake Bortles. Too bad he can’t play the Texans.
No. 6 – Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
… Charles Haley’s Hall of Fame speech was everything that I had hoped it would be. It was raw, it was contrite. It was all Charles. For a guy that was known as being a pretty big handful during his playing days, Haley was open about his failures as a man and his efforts to strive to be better than those failures forever more. I’ll never forget being in Texas Stadium on the night that Haley made his debut against the defending world champion Washington Rs on Monday Night Football to open the 1992 season, which occurred just a week or so after the Cowboys had acquired him. For a franchise that had gone 15 seasons without a championship, his arrival on the Dallas defense was a total game-changer and the crowd that night was as good any I’ve ever experienced at a Cowboys home game. I’ve got that game on VHS tape somewhere… I might need to watch that bad boy before the season starts.
… It was Jerome Bettis night in Canton on Saturday, which is ironic because he’s one of the least deserving candidates I think I’ve ever seen enter the hall. You can call that shade, but I call it the truth. I know he’s the 6th all-time leading rusher in the league, but his career YPC was 3.9 and only four times out of 13 seasons was his YPC better than his career number. Put him in the Hall of Very Good, but only once in his last eight seasons was he better than 3.8 yards per carry. If I were to tell you right now that your favorite NFL team would rush for 3.9 yards per carry this season, you’d freak the hell out in a bad way.
… Not exactly the start I expected for Cole Hamels through his first two starts as a Texas Ranger, but I would preach patience to anyone concerned about his 5.93 ERA through 13.2 innings.
… And just like that… the Yankees’ lead over Toronto in the AL East is basically gone.
… One of these days, Cyborg is going to get into the Octagon with Ronda Rousey, but she might want to find another manager because it seems pretty obvious that Dana White views Tito Ortiz as a lying amateur and would prefer not to do “negotiate” with him.
… Dear Greg Hardy, focus more on not beating women and then paying them off, and less on flying banners over at Philly’s practice.
No. 7 – The evolution of an English Premier League fan...
My, oh my, how things can change over the course of the stretch of a calendar year.
Coming out of last year’s World Cup, my goal last summer was to extend my thirst for the game of soccer by becoming a fan of the EPL, despite the fact that I didn’t have a favorite team, didn’t really know any of the players and wasn’t exactly sure what the hell I was getting into.
A year later, I’ve become a dyed in the wool Liverpool fan and I’m helping organize a money-fantasy league amongst fellow Orangebloods EPL fans, so while my training might not yet be complete, the obsession has become very real.
Here’s a look at an array of things that crossed my mind while watching more soccer from over the weekend than I did in the first 30 years of my life combined:
a. Thank goodness for the Little Magician. Liverpool’s start to the season began where it unceremoniously ended 11 weeks ago and while the Reds were never in danger of losing in the same type of fashion, a fairly unmemorable 0-0 tie seemed to be looming until Phillipe Coutinho unleashed some fire from hell off of his right foot to help secure a much-needed 1-0 win. With so many new players on the pitch for the Reds, it’s going to take some time to put all of the pieces together as one, but Sunday was a big step forward towards putting last season behind everyone… at least, that’s what I hope.
b. Without question, the most surprising outcome of the weekend was Arsonal’s 2-0 loss at home to West Ham, despite the fact that Petr Cech represents the kind of upgrade at goalie that many think can help the Gunners get back into championship contention. With all of those weapons in the midfield and amongst its strikers, Arsenal just couldn’t get it cooking, while the Hammers played one heck of a complete game, negating Arsenal’s attack and taking advantages of its own opportunities.
c. Chelsea was lucky to get out of Dodge with a 2-2 tie against Swansea City at home. Red card in the second half or not, Swansea was giving the defending champions all it wanted and more.
d. Memphis Depay didn’t exactly do much to impress in his opening appearance for Man U. Yes, I know it’s early, but I was hoping to be wowed right away because I’m selfish and I put him on my fantasy team. Come on, Memphis!
e. I’ll be interested to see how Man City looks on Monday because none of the top-level teams in the league looked championship-caliber in week one. I’ve got my popcorn ready.
No. 8 – Youtube Video of the Week ...
Pop quiz: What is your favorite black and white TV series of all-time?
While I might have missed the shows when they first aired, being a child of the 1980s that watched more Nickelodeon than should probably be humanly possible.
My mornings were spent watching Lassie, Mr. Ed, My Three Sons and The Donna Reed Show over and over and over.
Yet, one show stood out more than any other and if you’ve ever seen my Twitter avatar, you know where I’m going with the answer to my own quiz.
No. 9 – True Detective Season Two: Does anyone survive?
For the record, I've got everyone dying in this episode, except for Ani. I'm talking Ray. I'm talking Frank. I'm talking about half of Vinci.
Ok, let's do this.
******WARNING: TRUE DETECTIVE SPOILERS BELOW******
******WARNING: TRUE DETECTIVE SPOILERS BELOW******
******WARNING: TRUE DETECTIVE SPOILERS BELOW******
a. My goodness, who would have ever guessed that Ray and Ani would be more soulmates than lovers? Those two are meant for each other in so many messed up ways that it almost feels romantic.
b. I'll give the show credit for really tying up loose ends when the clock was running out. It's all making sense, I suppose.
c. I'll also give the Birdman credit for holding off on killing Nipsey Russell until he revealed that his sister was Casper's kid. Things got a little unruly after that.
d. Frank's successful raid of the Russians assures us of his demise, right? Might Ray make it out of this? This show just doesn't feel like it's going to have a happy ending, otherwise it kind of curves away from the mission statement at the end and isn't true to its self.
e. Nope, Ray is doomed. The phone call to Ani pretty much cements that.
f. Stay on the highway, Ray! Stay on the gosh-darned highway! Ignore the exit! GO TO ANI!
g. Uh oh, all the way around.
h. Did the show just copy the end of Training Day? Did th show just copy the end of The Thin Red Line?
i. RIP Ray. RIP Frank.
j. Oh snap? Ani was pregnant with little Ray? Wait, did the show just copy the end of The Sopranos?
k. Paul got a highway named after him? How ironic is that?
l. I give the show a B at the end. Not too shabby.
******END OF WARNING: TRUE DETECTIVE SPOILERS ABOVE******
******END OF WARNING: TRUE DETECTIVE SPOILERS ABOVE******
******END OF WARNING: TRUE DETECTIVE SPOILERS ABOVE******
No.10 - And finally....
My kids turn 17 months this week and they are not only walking up a storm, starting to talk and slam their little fingers in doorways/drawers, but they graduate classrooms in school this month.
The terrible 2s are around the corner.
Buckle up.
