Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Sorry Longhorns

...but it appears that you're losing your cadre of T-Shirt fans.

(A&M merchandise sales spike day after upset win over Alabama, Brent Zwernaman, Chron.com)
According to Fanatics.com, a leading online retailer of officially licensed merchandise, A&M for the week of Nov. 5-11 ranked fifth in college logo-branded sales behind Notre Dame, Alabama, Oregon and Ohio State. Texas was ninth.

The gaggle of people wearing burnt orange T-shirts, polos etc. when the 'Horns are on top is now dwinding as aTm rises to the top of the Texas college football pile.  Next thing you know they'll be learning the Aggie War Hymn and Saw Varsity's Horn's Off.  Just remember, if you see them swaying at a bar they could be just really drunk and not a REAL Aggie.

Fear not Horn fan, these things are cyclical.

Monday, November 12, 2012

College Football: Up, (Way) Down and...Meh...

Coming off an exciting week.


Up: aTm (obviously) Take a win over the consensus number one team in all the land, mix in a Freshman QB with a propensity for big plays, a cool nickname and a coach who's looking like a genius and you have:  The buzz in college football today.  I'll listen to the Johnny Manziel for Heisman talk now, but I still think the far less flashy (and more consistent doing it all year) Optimus Klein will win. Manziel should be there however.


Meh: UT-Austin - OK, the wishbone tribute to the late, great Darryl Royal was well played, and a win is a win is a win, but your fans attempts to pooh-pooh the Aggies good fortune smackes of this:  But....But....Longhorn Network!!!!  I'm not saying we're at the dawn of a new Aggie reign over Texas football, but right now you're third place in the 3rd best conference in the Nation.  The Ags just beat the best team in the best conference in the Nation, and they did it on a Network everyone gets.


(Way)Down: UH (prayers to DJ Hayden) - The Hayden tragedy was bad enough, then you follow it up by playing a non-competitive game against Tulsa?  This coaching staff is hardly ready for prime time, and they probably wouldn't do well in the MAC.  The remaining sports aren't in great shape either.  Time for a full house cleaning that includes a new AD, new coaches for almost all sports, and a new athletic department entirely.



Other stuff:  K-State is currently number one in all the land, but there's no way the voters let things stay that way if both Oregon and ND remain undefeated.  A 1-loss 'Bama team will get some run (from CBS) for the B(C)S Championship game but it's not clear (to me) that they deserve it.  SEC homers aside, I'm not convinced that two of the current three unbeatens are going to lose.  I think two survive and the SEC is on the outside looking in.


And no, Texas, even if you win out you're not getting in a B(C)S bowl. The voters are not going to forget 63-21, they're just not. Take the Cotton Bowl and see if DeLoss Dodds can pull enough strings to keep the Aggies out of it.  The last thing you want is to end your season w/a humiliating loss to Johnny Football & Co.


We'd like to thank Auburn and Arkansas for at least showing up to every game this season.  At least, your uniforms did.  Good luck to the two of you on your new head coaching search.  I hear Vince Dooley might be available.


Finally:  Michigan.  Just Yeesh, OK?  Go Blue.