Scattershooting - QB1, a new mascot, and a new trophy

Scattershooting while wondering whatever happened to Bubby Brister...

- All of the good and bad from the Clemson game has been thoroughly hashed out. I was extremely impressed with the spirit of the 12th Man on Saturday night. Kyle Field was rocking and despite the weather, the crowd hung in there and made it an incredible atmosphere. After Saturday night, I’m much more confident that big time wins at Kyle Field are soon to follow.

- One of my personal takeaways is having our QB situation settled at this point. Kellen Mond is without a doubt the undisputed QB1 for this program now. And as a true sophomore, this means our starting quarterback position is finally settled for at least this season and next. Ever since the spring of 2014, when Kenny Hill was found passed out in a planter at Northgate, the A&M starting QB position has been in a state of flux. We went through a few weeks of Kenny Trill, which turned into 59-0 Alabama. Then we dealt with the Kyle-Kyler saga of the 2015 season. Then we had Trevor Knight and injuries and Hubenak filling in as best he could. And finally last year, more of the same frustrations with young and inexperienced QBs, while also dealing with injuries. But Mond worked his ass off this offseason with the new staff and looks amazingly improved in year two. Mond has “something”. As the great Steve McCroskey said in Airplane II...”And I can sum it all up in just one word: courage, dedication, daring, pride, pluck, spirit, grit, mettle, and G-U-T-S, *guts*. Why, Kellen Mond’s got more guts in his little finger than most of us have in our large intestine, including the colon!”

- I really feel like ULM is missing out on a perfect opportunity to have one of the best mascots in the NCAA. As Whoopy explained to us on Monday, ULM changed their name to the Warhawks in 2006 in honor of the P-40 Warhawk Airplane flown in WWII, and the pilots that trained in Monroe, LA at Selman Field. And yet they have stuck with Ace the Warhawk, a hawk, as the mascot. There are countless other bird mascots in the NCAA. But if ULM embraced the P-40, how badass would that be? Slap the Flying Tigers paint scheme on the helmet and football field. Have a vintage P-40 flyover at the start of every home game. Get rid of the Hawk mascot on the sideline and replace him with “Old Leatherface” in honor of one of the greatest P-40 aviators, Claire Lee Chennault. Come on ULM. Embrace this idea.

Rivalry Game of the Week

- We are a little bit limited in Week Three with Rivalry Options, but we are blessed to have the RIO GRANDE RIVALRY. That’s right. America’s favorite but least talked about football rivalry played in the middle of September. New Mexico vs New Mexico State. This in-state series dates back to 1894 with 108 meetings total in that time. The larger state school, New Mexico leads the series 70-33-5, but in the last 10 meetings, the series is tied at 5-5. Pro-Tip: Take the Aggies at home and the 5 points on Saturday. New Mexico State is playing as an independent now and this is their Super Bowl. Three of the last four games have been settled by 3 points or less. #CashinTickets. The only thing this rivalry needs is a good trophy. Which is why I am proposing the “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Meth” Trophy. When you think of the state of New Mexico, most people immediately think of Meth. Which is why everyone will be pleasantly surprised that this trophy is actually a giant Hatch Chile Pepper with a Native American Turquoise necklace hung around it. So be sure to find the radio feed online Saturday night so you can listen to the Battle for the “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Meth” Trophy.

Food Fight

- We handled the pork on a smoker last week, but it’s still tailgating time this weekend, so let’s talk about Chicken on a Stick (or Chicken Satay for you culinary experts). You can do these on a propane grill or a nice bed of hot coals. I suggest the smaller chicken breast tenders and some boneless and skinless chicken thighs. Cut into smaller pieces that can slide right onto some bamboo skewers for the grill. The marinades are up to you. Teriyaki, soy and peanut sauce, barbecue, etc. I’d suggest at least three different flavors for guests. Marinate overnight in a bag, then throw them on the bamboo and lay some high heat to them. It’s a grab and go meat on a stick, so it’s perfect for standing around at a tailgate. In honor of our guests from Monroe, let’s pair it up with a beer from the Flying Tiger Brewery there in Monroe, the War Hawk Kolsch. Prost!