Bulldawgs, Wronghorns, Jackasses and More
This fall the college football season has proved to be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory. Sure there have been upsets every year, but certainly this season it isn't so much about the upsets as it is about the huge disturbance in the force. Not since Grand Moff Tarkin and the Death Star blasted Alderaan to bits have we seen tremors like this.
My beloved Georgia Bulldogs started the ball rolling, or rather tumbling off the cliff with an astoundingly awful 1-4 start. Coach Richt, who is simply the winningest coach in the history of UGA football, found himself on the proverbial hot seat in short order. Quickly Bulldawg Nation began to lose faith, and to wonder who they could lure in to reverse their fortunes. Thankfully, calmer heads prevailed. The Dawgs have not carved a path of destruction through the rigors of the SEC, but they have at least reversed their fortunes of late. Currently they have fought their way back to 4-4 as they approach their annual battle with the Jackasses, err sorry Gators, of the University of Florida.
Speaking of those vile specimens from Hogtown, they themselves are in a downward spiral, having lost 3 straight games for the first time since 1988. Chief Wiener Oscar Meyer probably wishes he had retired last winter and spared himself the health toll of watching his team's ranking drop like the Dow Jones Industrial Average in the fall of 2008. All those Top 5 recruiting classes were supposed to help the Gators simply reload, not have to rebuild. But alas, 5-star recruit rankings don't take into account character, or more appropriately the lack thereof. They have no leaders, lots of character issues, and a clear lack of cohesion. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the Urban Legend not getting himself committed to an institution already, just to spare himself the agony of watching his Gator empire come crumbling down around him. I had long theorized the real reason Urban Meyer had success came as the direct result of having Dan Mullen to run the offense and Charlie Strong to run the defense. Now both are gone. And so is the anointed one , Mr. Tebow. Losing all that in just 12 short months has left a huge void.
But, perhaps no fall is as epic this season as the crash of the 2010 Texas Longhorns. They have played more like the Taxes Wronghorns. Confused. Passionless. Leaderless. Careless. This past weekend, they laid a golden turd at home against the powerhouse Cyclones of Iowa State. Yes, the same Cyclones team who had never beaten Texas, ever, and had just completed losing their past two games by the combined score of 27-120. Yes, Texas lost to UCLA a few short weeks ago. That same UCLA team which battled Oregon to a 13-60 outcome.
I could add USC, Penn State, Georgia Tech and Pitt all as teams whose present status ranks far below expectations. What does it all mean in the big picture? Success is fleeting in college football. Leadership and character aren't measured in recruiting rankings, although they are certainly just as important as physical tools. Enjoy your team's ride while you can, because with each rise to the top, a subsequent drop is coming.
This year's crop of talented athletes at all these fine schools have learned an important lesson. You can't win by simply showing up. You have to earn your place at the top each and every week, not just in October; but in February, March, April, May, June and July. You have to build yourself a foundation before you can hope to build success on it.
As for my beloved Dawgs, I have no idea what the outcome of the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party will be, but at least I know my coach isn't going to panic, break rules, lose his way or leave in a straightjacket. It takes calm in the midst of the storm to right the ship and get back on course. So Dawgs, Gig Those Gators, and send Chris Rainey a nice message, "It's Time To Lose, #$%@%!"
My beloved Georgia Bulldogs started the ball rolling, or rather tumbling off the cliff with an astoundingly awful 1-4 start. Coach Richt, who is simply the winningest coach in the history of UGA football, found himself on the proverbial hot seat in short order. Quickly Bulldawg Nation began to lose faith, and to wonder who they could lure in to reverse their fortunes. Thankfully, calmer heads prevailed. The Dawgs have not carved a path of destruction through the rigors of the SEC, but they have at least reversed their fortunes of late. Currently they have fought their way back to 4-4 as they approach their annual battle with the Jackasses, err sorry Gators, of the University of Florida.
Speaking of those vile specimens from Hogtown, they themselves are in a downward spiral, having lost 3 straight games for the first time since 1988. Chief Wiener Oscar Meyer probably wishes he had retired last winter and spared himself the health toll of watching his team's ranking drop like the Dow Jones Industrial Average in the fall of 2008. All those Top 5 recruiting classes were supposed to help the Gators simply reload, not have to rebuild. But alas, 5-star recruit rankings don't take into account character, or more appropriately the lack thereof. They have no leaders, lots of character issues, and a clear lack of cohesion. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the Urban Legend not getting himself committed to an institution already, just to spare himself the agony of watching his Gator empire come crumbling down around him. I had long theorized the real reason Urban Meyer had success came as the direct result of having Dan Mullen to run the offense and Charlie Strong to run the defense. Now both are gone. And so is the anointed one , Mr. Tebow. Losing all that in just 12 short months has left a huge void.
But, perhaps no fall is as epic this season as the crash of the 2010 Texas Longhorns. They have played more like the Taxes Wronghorns. Confused. Passionless. Leaderless. Careless. This past weekend, they laid a golden turd at home against the powerhouse Cyclones of Iowa State. Yes, the same Cyclones team who had never beaten Texas, ever, and had just completed losing their past two games by the combined score of 27-120. Yes, Texas lost to UCLA a few short weeks ago. That same UCLA team which battled Oregon to a 13-60 outcome.
I could add USC, Penn State, Georgia Tech and Pitt all as teams whose present status ranks far below expectations. What does it all mean in the big picture? Success is fleeting in college football. Leadership and character aren't measured in recruiting rankings, although they are certainly just as important as physical tools. Enjoy your team's ride while you can, because with each rise to the top, a subsequent drop is coming.
This year's crop of talented athletes at all these fine schools have learned an important lesson. You can't win by simply showing up. You have to earn your place at the top each and every week, not just in October; but in February, March, April, May, June and July. You have to build yourself a foundation before you can hope to build success on it.
As for my beloved Dawgs, I have no idea what the outcome of the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party will be, but at least I know my coach isn't going to panic, break rules, lose his way or leave in a straightjacket. It takes calm in the midst of the storm to right the ship and get back on course. So Dawgs, Gig Those Gators, and send Chris Rainey a nice message, "It's Time To Lose, #$%@%!"
Comments
Post a Comment