Forget everything that has happened to this point.
Forget both Georgia games. Forget about the A&M coronation. Hell, forget about the Sooners, too, since it appears that almost their entire roster has.
On Saturday, the Texas Longhorns will host their first-ever NCAA Tournament game at DKR. I don't know about the rest of you, but I find this to be a pretty damn cool situation.
The ultimate stakes ... win and move on ... lose and spend Christmas wondering about what went wrong.
Although many of you like to think of me as the Grinch who stole Quinn Ewers' Christmas, you couldn't have me more wrong if you tried. The truth is that Saturday's showdown with long-time quarterback rival Cade Klubnik affords Ewers a chance to pull off the kind of signature victory at DKR that has eluded him in the last three years.
That's not to say that he doesn't have his fair share of signature wins as the starting quarterback at Texas, it's just that most of them have occurred on the road or in the Cotton Bowl.
Saturday represents a chance at eternal glory and I'm here for it. At the end of the day, my favorite thing about Ewers is that he's good people. For whatever criticisms might exist of Ewers' play on the field, his merits as a human being are never questioned. He's easy to like. He's easy to root for.
Hell, I'll be rooting for him on Saturday to have the game of his career, which would set the state of the chance to have the next biggest game of his career.
The beauty of this new moment in college football is that everything that has happened up until now is mostly insignificant. Just win, baby! Four times. Just win four more games as the starter for this program and passer ratings will never be mentioned again.
Legendary status is there to be grabbed by someone. It would be a hell of a thing if it turned out to be Quinn.
No. 2 - About the other quarterback in this game ...
You guys know I dig me some Cade Klubnik, but as someone who has watched a lot of the Clemson quarterback this season and believes he will eventually become a first-round quarterback in the NFL draft ... let me say this.
a. He's not ready for this Texas defense.
b. He's not ready for the moment
Of the two quarterbacks in this game, the guy that I believe this specific moment was made for will be wearing burnt orange.
I'm going to be shocked if the Texas defense doesn't do a number on Klubnik.
No. 3 - Early Portal Grabs ...
The 2025 Texas football team took some steps towards improvement over the weekend with the addition of three portal grabs. Let's inspect them all.
P Jack Bouwmeester - Where was this guy this year? Never mind. All that matters is that the Longhorns have turned their weakest area of the team in 2024 into an absolute strength by adding a two-time all-conference player in two different leagues. He kicks the ball far, he downs a bunch of them inside the 20-yard line and his success isn't predicated on kicking in thin air. An inspection of his home/road splits in the last few years doesn't show a guy with limitations. It shows him to be a weapon.
LB - Brad Spence - The Longhorns were looking for a depth piece that could fill the void of the departing David Gbenda and they probably upgraded in landing a player in Spence that they had an interest in as a high school player just a few seasons ago. This is a dude who's been very productive and brings pass rush skills to the table (4.5 this season) that Gbenda hasn't really brought to the table. He improves the linebacker room.
DT - Cole Brevard - The first of what is expected to be several defensive tackle additions from the Portal. There's not a lot about this addition that is sexy, but he'll play a lot of snaps, bring a proven pedigree to the table and give this team a bedrock to lean on in the interior of the defensive line.
No. 4 - Updated Scholarship Board...
Here's an updated look at the scholarship board as things stand on Monday. This updated version doesn't include the seniors who will be departing once the season is over.
No. 5 - Question I've had rolling around in my head ...
Given what we know about the state of the defensive tackle position going into the 2025 season, is it possible that whatever five-star Justus Terry was given in the way of NIL was a steal?
What would be too much? Is there a number?
No. 6 - An oldie but a goodie ...
It occurred to me that a decent number of you might not have ever seen this play. Even if you have ... enjoy.
No. 7 - No storybook ending ...
Sometimes fate can be a funny thing. You see ... the things that are supposed to happen and the things that actually happen.
That's how fate works.
For a Texas Volleyball program that was chasing immortality in becoming only the second team to ever three-peat as national champions, there was something that felt a little unfair about the way the team was dispatched by Creighton in the regional semifinals
Surely, this group had another outcome waiting for it than to simply be dusted off the court by a better team that doesn't remotely own the type of history that the Longhorns bring to the table. Yet, that's what happened. The end for an all-time great player like Maddi Skinner warranted a little more pizzaz, but that's simply not what fate had in store.
Now the program has to pick up the pieces and go back to the drawing board. This team lacked something all season long and no one could be surprised that the season ended short of anything memorable.
No. 8 – BUY or SELL …
(Sell) I think we know what this staff is made up. The post-season will write new narratives, for sure, but I think we know that Texas has one of the best staffs in college football.
(Buy) Soon ...
(Buy) I had doubted this staff. They've shoved that doubt down my throat.
(Sell) It's Quinn's game as far as I can tell.
(Sell) Huh? Did you think this up in your head or are people wondering about this?
(Buy) Probably.
(Buy) Yet...
(Buy) I'm not sure it's even close.
(Sell) Make it 33 and I'm down.
(Sell) I've got all chalk this weekend.
(Buy) Even when I have the flu, you can't get me off the site.
(Buy) If he's interested, certainly, but I have to think he will have an eye on the NFL after the season he's had. But, yeah, back up the Brinks.
(Sell) Quinn is never being benched again.
(Buy) Owens can win you games if needed.
(Sell) I still believe in DeBoer.
(Buy) Please, please, please give us that player for the next month.
(Sell) I find this to be silly. Nothing that Ewers has gone through is remotely in the same galaxy as the stuff that Simms went through. It's ridiculous. Despised? Despised by who? People want him to play to a high standard and a lot of people have Arch-mania, but to suggest Ewers is under-appreciated? He's the No .3 quarterback in the modern era of the program. That's just being appreciated.
(Sell) I think this team is in the playoffs next season.
No. 9 – Scattershooting all over the place …
... Good for Travis Hunter. That young man is a worthy Heisman winner.
... Are there Dallas fans that actually enjoyed that win over the Panthers? Why won't that team just tank? Why is Cooper Rush playing over a player that we've invested a premium pick in?
... Xavier Worthy needs three more touchdowns this season to hit double digits
... What is the ceiling for this Texans team? Conference semis?
... I didn't think anyone could walk into Detroit and punk the Lions the way the Bills did. That team has my attention.
... Get better, Pop.
... Movie Review #1 (Conclave) - One of the best movies I've seen all year. Plenty of great acting. Plenty of intrigue. An ending I wasn't ready for.
... Movie Review #2 (The Substance) - Not all of the Demi Moore nudity in the world (and there is a LOT of it) could get me to me to watch this again. You've been warned.
... Movie Review #3 (A Different Man) - Maybe Sebastian Stan's best work. I was absolutely entranced by the story and I honestly can't believe his character was forced to go through all of that. It just proves how far we will go in the name of chasing a woman.
No. 10 – The List: Michael McDonald
Yes, I watched the Yacht Rock documentary this weekend and yes that means that I have been jamming to Steely Dan, Kenny Loggins and..... wait for it... Michael Freaking McDonald.
A top 10 list is long overdue. So, let's get right to it.
Honorable Mention: Here to Love You, I Can Let Go Now, Take It to Heart, You Show Me, Bad Sneakers, I Gotta Try, Npthin but a Heartache and It Keeps You Runnin'
10. The Tracks of My Tears
This is a sneaky selection for the Top 10, but McDonald did a pair of Motown albums and while all of the tracks are sensatonal, this is my favorite.
9. I Can Let Go ow
McDonald at his power ballad best.
8. You Belong to Me
One of several Dooboie Brothers tracks that make the list.
7. Yah Mo B There
I freaking love James Ingram, so this was definitely going to be on the list.
6. Sweet Freedom
This song is considered to be the final song of the Yacht Rock Era.
5. On My Own
A great duet with the all-time great Patti LaBelle
4. Minute by Minute
This song was going to be in the top 5, it was just a matter of where.
3. I Keep Forgetting
It's a jam all by itself, but that it later became one of the most sampled songs in the history of samples... REGULATORS!!!
2. Takin' It To The Streets
Yes, I was introduced to The Doobie Brothers by this episode of What's Happening.
1. What a Fool Believes
It jams. McDonald sings from the heavens. It's perfection.
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