Scattershooting - Week 13

Scattershooting while wondering whatever happened to Tshimanga Biakabutuka...

• Let’s have a quick blind resume test. In 2012, two coaches started coaching a power 5 team in a new conference. Here are the results:

  Coach A – 39-22 overall record (.639) with a 10-11 record vs Top 25 teams, and a 2-1 record in bowls.

  Coach B – 44-19 overall record (.698) with a 12-12 record vs Top 25 teams, and a 3-1 record in bowls.

  Coach A is widely considered a top tier coach and there have been zero mentions of "hot seat" regarding his position in the last 5 years, even with a losing season mixed in during 2013, and a .500 record in 2016. I'm sure you figured out Coach B is Kevin Sumlin. Coach A is Gary Patterson. To add to it, before TCU transitioned to the Big 12, they were coming off double digit wins in 6 of the prior 7 seasons. Kevin Sumlin took A&M into the toughest division in college football after 9 years of being mired in mediocrity with Fran and Sherm.

• Seeing those snow and winter weather games this weekend was just perfect.  I'm a sucker for that stuff.  Maybe it comes from growing up in Texas (non-panhandle) where snow happens about once every few years, and its really sleet, but we'll call it snow because its white and we're desperate.  Maybe its just a sign that the holidays are near as well.  That favorite time of year where we drink and avoid family members.  By the way, if you're needing to get out of a family gathering this holiday season, its okay to make up an illness.  Just make sure it sounds bad.  Like "retinal skrimshattia".  Sounds awful right?  Nobody wants to hang around eating turkey with someone that's got a bad case of retinal skrimshattia.  It always helps if you can incorporate the word "ooze" into the symptoms too.
• Due to the success of the Hamilton musical, I've decided to open up a kickstarter campaign to fund my new musical "Charlie" about a deaf, dumb, and blind coach that plays a mean game of Ping-Pong.  "He's a Ping-Pong wizard, there has got to be a twist, a Ping-Pong wizard, after Kansas he won't be missed".
• This week in Crappy-MS-Paint:

  

• Before you give up on the possibility of A&M beating LSU Thursday night, pause to remember that this is college football.  Every damn week stupid, crazy things happen in this sport.  Like a 3-7 Oregon team winning on the road at #12 Utah.  Or a 5-4 Iowa team taking down a far superior Michigan team.  We have 3-4 more hours of college football at Kyle Field this year.  E.T.R.
• I know Texas wants to throw a truck load of money at Tom Herman because they think he might be the next Urban Meyer. But the smart play would be to convince Mike Gundy to finally leave his alma mater.  He has the most wins in program history.  He works his tail off at recruiting, and still brings Texas kids to Stillwater (which isn't near as easy as he makes it look).  He's consistently had Oklahoma State in the top 3 of the Big 12, at a program with almost zero history of success prior to his arrival.  And he's already having to deal with a billionaire donor with an ego.  And in his mind, he probably realizes he's taken that program to its maximum level of success that can be sustained.  You know what?  Forget everything I just said.  Just go hire Herman.  Leave Gundy and his magnificent mullet where he is.
• This is rivalry week in college football.  And yes it comes with all sorts of cliché's like "throw out the records" and "this game just means more".  But you know what?  Those are pretty much true.  One of the things we love so much about this sport is the hatred you can have for another team and its fanbase for one day of the year.  Year long bragging rights.  And even when your team is having a crappy season, a win can wash away the pain for at least one day.  Hopefully sooner, rather than later, we can get our real rival back on the schedule.  Until then, Beat The Hell Outta lsu!  I hope all of you have a great Thanksgiving week, and travel safely.