I am really watching this? It's Saturday night, the National TV primetime game, which at one point was supposed to be a potential #1 vs #2 Matchup between USC and Cal. Instead, its Kansas vs. Oklahoma State. All week long, the #4 Jayhawks have been hearing talk that this is the week the magical season ends. Oklahoma State's got a great offense and Stillwater is always a tough place to play. I'm gonna tell you the truth here, while I am a KU grad and as you all well know a die-hard supporter of the basketball program, I have not exactly followed the Football program closely. In fact, tonight is the first game I have watched start to finish in ten years. The way things are going as I blog this, I won't need to stay up until the end. See, I am watching an offensive juggernaut at work. With six minutes left in the third quarter, KU is up 33-14. QB Todd Reesing runs Mark Mangino's spread offense almost to perfection. As of right now, Reesing has 25 TD's and just four Interceptions. Of all 130-plus Division one Football teams, KU is the least penalized team in the county. They are also second nationally in turnover margin.
That is impressive. Can it be that my alma mater is just three games away from a potential shot at a national title? With Ohio State losing tonight, KU is the last of the BCS conference to be unbeaten. If they win out, there is now way they can be denied their title shot, regardless of how good LSU and Oregon are.
One quick note from tonight's telecast; how many more fat jokes does Mark Mangino have to take? During the open, Brent Musburger referred to him as "Big Mark Mangino" and that hopefully he has some "tricks for Oklahoma State up his very ample sleeve." Then in second quarter, they showed Mangino up close and Kirk Herbstreit said something about Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches. Musburger retorted "now there's a guy who isn't eating PB&J's, he's eating steak and baked potatoes. I would love to get together with Mangino and Rick Majerus. That would be something." As much as I love Brent, that's just bad form.
Which brings us to another fat coach, Charlie Weis. Notre Dame lost yet again today to a service academy; this time Air Force 41-24 in South Bend. Notre Dame is now a sorry 1-9. If someone else was coaching the Irish, I would actually feel sorry for him, but i have no sympathy for Weis. This guy came into South Bend acting as if he owned the place and nobody could tell him what to do. It was his way or the highway. When he came in his first year, any criticism he took, he would essentially place blame that he wasn't coaching "his players," essentially blaming ousted coach Tyrone Willingham. Yet when he won, it was because of what Weis called "a schematic advantage."
Here we are in year three of the Weis era and we've hit rock bottom. A 1-9 record and getting blown out often in the process. The genius head coach last week decided against a potential game winning 35 yard field goal and ended up in OT where he lost. His supporters keep telling everyone who will listen that this is a "young team." You know who else is a young team? Florida. I don't see them with nine losses, do you? Weis has brought in back to back top 10 ranked recruiting classes, but where is the talent and the "schematic advantage?"
Sorry, but I have no sympathy for this arrogant prick, and evidently, neither do a lot of the famous alumni who are starting to come out of the woodwork critically against Weis. Former All-American lineman Bob Kuchenberg ripped Weis to shreds this week in a radio interview. peep some of these quotes:
"I want to start the movement-Charlie's last name is four letters, and so is ogre, because that is what he is. This man has not been a good...human being might be a little broad...but this man has not been good to anybody who came to Notre Dame. Within the Notre Dame family, when former All-American players say to a man that this guy's an (expletive), and for no reason, to me its karma that he's getting his ass handed to him."
" I was up there two weeks ago for the Michigan State game. He has insulted people. It doesn't matter if your an ex-football player, a regular alumni, what have you. He's been abusive and totally, unnecessarily arrogant to the Notre Dame family itself and it's all coming back in his lap."
“He’s been rude to them, curt and abrasive. The Notre Dame student-athlete is held to a higher standard, so what’s with the coach? Hello -- you’re the leader. Act like one.”
How good is that? As a friend of mine said to me earlier today, Weis deserves all the negative karma in the world. Couldn't be happening to a nicer guy.
Meanwhile, in typical patterns for my teams, the minute I write the other team off, Oklahoma State has scored twice to cut the lead to 33-28 with 10 minutes left. I hope I didn't jinx it. Wait, Reesing just hit Marcus Henry and KU is now at the Ok State 15. Henry is over 180 yards receiving.
OK, I feel better now. Reesing to Henry for six. 40-28 Jayhawks. I'm gonna watch the end of the game in bed.
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