Goodness gracious.
Let me start by saying I've never been more ready for a football game to be played in my life than I am for Sunday's season-opener. I feel like I'm Helen Foley in The Twilight Zone and I've been taken into Anthony's home.
Rather than write this in story form, I'm going to list the important points made one by one that I received in a conversation in the last 30 minutes with a very high-level source within the Texas football universe food chain. I don't know how else to portray the source other than to say I considered this person to be an EF Hutton of sorts.
1. I was told rather emphatically that Charlie Strong did not meet with any players last night to discuss the starting quarterback discussion. In fact, I was told that after concluding his weekly radio show at Pluckers late Thursday afternoon/early evening, he went straight home and didn't return to the football facilities. According to the details I was given, Strong and his staff have not met with the players yet to discuss the issue.
2. As crazy as it sounds, it is very possible that Strong won't tell anyone about his decision until Saturday or possibly Sunday. From what I was able to gather, I'm not sure an official plan is in place when it comes to the notifications of the decision. Personally, I believe there is a decision, but the source I spoke with was curiously very noncommittal.
3. This is probably the best news of the day for Texas fans. In speaking with this source, it was indicated that Shane Buechele has responded exactly the way he needed to in the last two weeks to put himself in contention to win the job. If it wasn't close two weeks ago, it sure as hell is now.
In fact, I was discussing with the source about what Anwar will have to do in terms of facing the heat that will come if Buechele starts over Tyrone Swoopes and the source interrupted me to say, "When he reported that two weeks ago, it was right. He wasn't wrong. If Buechele starts, that doesn't mean that he's wrong,. It just means that Buechele came back and won the job."
Let's just say we debated perception vs. reality for a few moments after that comment was made. Overall, I'd say we didn't see eye to eye on the part involving Anwar, but it was absolutely an indicator that Buechele has turned this into a real discussion, after it was being positioned quite differently a little more than two weeks ago.
4. It was conveyed to me that there is concern within the football offices about the treatment Swoopes would receive if he starts. What I thought was interesting is that the perception appeared to be that the reaction wouldn't be connected to whether he plays and fails, but instead the fear was what it might sound like if he starts. I can't say that I was able to spend a lot of time with the source to cross-examine this line of thinking, but I feel like it was said for a reason and maybe with the purpose of me passing it along.
5. I was not given an emphatic answer, one way or another, when it comes to who starts. What's curious about this noncommittal tone was that it flies in the face of the very committal tone from the last two weeks that supported the idea of Swoopes emerging as the starter.
All things considered, the conversation kind of felt like when a girl tries to tell you that she doesn't want to talk to you anymore without actually saying the words, which currently has me crossing back over every word in the conversation in an effort to read between the lines.
So, what am I reading?
Sounds like there is a very good chance that Shane Buechele could be the starter Sunday night. If nothing else, it's clear that the decision has become much more difficult than what was believed just a couple of weeks ago. From my perspective, I'm not quite sure what to think, at least not exactly. The fact that this source seemed so noncommittal about it all when he could have just as easily given me a stronger heads up if he knew that Buechele was going to start was more than a little curious.
This is my attempt to keep you as informed as possible based on every single word I've personally received on the matter. I'll keep you updated when more information comes in.
Let me start by saying I've never been more ready for a football game to be played in my life than I am for Sunday's season-opener. I feel like I'm Helen Foley in The Twilight Zone and I've been taken into Anthony's home.
Rather than write this in story form, I'm going to list the important points made one by one that I received in a conversation in the last 30 minutes with a very high-level source within the Texas football universe food chain. I don't know how else to portray the source other than to say I considered this person to be an EF Hutton of sorts.
1. I was told rather emphatically that Charlie Strong did not meet with any players last night to discuss the starting quarterback discussion. In fact, I was told that after concluding his weekly radio show at Pluckers late Thursday afternoon/early evening, he went straight home and didn't return to the football facilities. According to the details I was given, Strong and his staff have not met with the players yet to discuss the issue.
2. As crazy as it sounds, it is very possible that Strong won't tell anyone about his decision until Saturday or possibly Sunday. From what I was able to gather, I'm not sure an official plan is in place when it comes to the notifications of the decision. Personally, I believe there is a decision, but the source I spoke with was curiously very noncommittal.
3. This is probably the best news of the day for Texas fans. In speaking with this source, it was indicated that Shane Buechele has responded exactly the way he needed to in the last two weeks to put himself in contention to win the job. If it wasn't close two weeks ago, it sure as hell is now.
In fact, I was discussing with the source about what Anwar will have to do in terms of facing the heat that will come if Buechele starts over Tyrone Swoopes and the source interrupted me to say, "When he reported that two weeks ago, it was right. He wasn't wrong. If Buechele starts, that doesn't mean that he's wrong,. It just means that Buechele came back and won the job."
Let's just say we debated perception vs. reality for a few moments after that comment was made. Overall, I'd say we didn't see eye to eye on the part involving Anwar, but it was absolutely an indicator that Buechele has turned this into a real discussion, after it was being positioned quite differently a little more than two weeks ago.
4. It was conveyed to me that there is concern within the football offices about the treatment Swoopes would receive if he starts. What I thought was interesting is that the perception appeared to be that the reaction wouldn't be connected to whether he plays and fails, but instead the fear was what it might sound like if he starts. I can't say that I was able to spend a lot of time with the source to cross-examine this line of thinking, but I feel like it was said for a reason and maybe with the purpose of me passing it along.
5. I was not given an emphatic answer, one way or another, when it comes to who starts. What's curious about this noncommittal tone was that it flies in the face of the very committal tone from the last two weeks that supported the idea of Swoopes emerging as the starter.
All things considered, the conversation kind of felt like when a girl tries to tell you that she doesn't want to talk to you anymore without actually saying the words, which currently has me crossing back over every word in the conversation in an effort to read between the lines.
So, what am I reading?
Sounds like there is a very good chance that Shane Buechele could be the starter Sunday night. If nothing else, it's clear that the decision has become much more difficult than what was believed just a couple of weeks ago. From my perspective, I'm not quite sure what to think, at least not exactly. The fact that this source seemed so noncommittal about it all when he could have just as easily given me a stronger heads up if he knew that Buechele was going to start was more than a little curious.
This is my attempt to keep you as informed as possible based on every single word I've personally received on the matter. I'll keep you updated when more information comes in.
