Football Articles
The Red and The Black
Posted by HenryJames on October 31st, 2008 under Football
There once was a time when humans entertained themselves by reading novels. Attention spans were longer back then. Stendhal was a 19th century French novelist mostly remembered today (by those with attention spans) as the author of The Red and The Black. The novel is about a young man of common birth who attempts to elevate his station in life through various means.
Texas Tech is trying to elevate its historically plebian football team. Their colors are red and black.
Tech used to be happy with their place in society. They’d beat A&M and go to a bowl game. Not the Outback Bowl mind you, but it was the equivalent of eating at the Outback Steakhouse. That’s fine dining. For some. But that’s no longer enough for some Tech fans. They want more.
“I summer in Balmorhea.”
“We’ve gotten beating Texas A&M down pat now, and so now it’s all eyes on beating Texas,” says Stephen Spiegelberg of Red Raider Outfitter.
The quickest way for Tech to gain respectability is to win what is undoubtedly the biggest game in their program’s history this Saturday in front of a national television audience.
Escaping their humble origins will not be easy though. It’s a mindset. To wit:
“A&M isn’t that much of a challenge any more,” Lubbock resident Missy Stringer said. “So our biggest rival is Texas. It’s the national championship. I’ll be happy with whatever happens if we just beat Texas.”
How very Aggie of you. Btw, my incarcerated business partner’s retarded gay niece went to Texas Tech. What year did you graduate?
It’s possible they will beat Texas on Saturday. But beating Texas isn’t the same thing as being Texas.
Let me give you an example. When we finally allowed dedfischer to sit at the adults’ table in the BC cafeteria the other day, he proceeded to pour molasses all over his food like Walter Cunningham in To Kill a Mockingbird. Our sardonic barbs caused him to leave the table in tears. Then we laughed like people do in chardonnay commercials.
Trips Right
As with all cautionary tales, there are voices of, uh, restraint?
“While beating Texas is important, it is just a step in the process for this program and this team,” Lubbock radio host Ryan Hyatt warns. “You beat Texas and you haven’t won a thing, just given yourself a chance to.”
You only get one chance at this, Red Raiders. Don’t fuck it up.
“Can I get a do over?”
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Activity
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dick commented on the blog post Early NCAA Tournament Bets 3 minutes ago
I’ll post all of my first day games tonight.
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srr50 wrote a new blog post: Now THAT’S Taking One For The Team 2 hours, 23 minutes ago
Aggie Corp with “Squeeze Army?”
POSERS
Texas Tech forward Darko Cohadarevic doesn’t just talk the talk — he walks the walk.
Tuesday night Tech faced Seton Hall in a first round NIT contest. With the game tied at 10, Seton Hall forward Herb Pope delivered two below-the-belt blows to Cohadarevic.
After Pope was ejected, Tech went on
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Kevin Berger commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 4 hours, 6 minutes ago
Louisville has a great chance if Jerry Smith is healthy.
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Kevin Berger commented on the blog post Final Four Prediction 4 hours, 8 minutes ago
Good team that took number 1 seeded Louisville to the wire in last year’s tournament. Start 3 seniors and two juniors, very athletic. Solid pass first point guard. Their leading scorer was player of the year in the conference.
Good club that plays multiple defenses.
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ghostofagroundgame commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 4 hours, 32 minutes ago
I just took Baylor going to the Elite 8. It’s a crazy mixed up world we live in.
Is it just me, or does it pain anyone else to not be able to determine who is going to beat Duke early? It’s bound to happen, but who will it be?
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Art Vandelay commented on the blog post Final Four Prediction 4 hours, 35 minutes ago
By “we” I meant the Horns. Kevin, why should I take Siena over A&M?
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Kevin Berger commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 4 hours, 49 minutes ago
colorado ag, Utah State is as athletic as Nebraska. You’ll be fine as long as they don’t go 16 for 31 from three.
Siena, on the other hand, is going to beat you like you stole something. Maybe not, but the Saints should win.
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Kevin Berger commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 4 hours, 53 minutes ago
Great article Scipio. Also, thanks for the dime.
Looking at the Tournament futures market, Vegas is telling us what they think about Onuaku’s health. The Orangemen have the easiest region and road to the fianl four, yet they’re +700 to win it all, while UK and Kansas, teams with much tougher roads, are +250
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Art Vandelay commented on the blog post Final Four Prediction 4 hours, 58 minutes ago
My brackets are pretty much locked down except the South. Can’t get myself to take Baylor, and Duke doesn’t feel right. Nobody seems to be high on Nova. It’s all about the Big East and Big 12 this year.
It’s a crying shame we suck so bad. We are in a good
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James commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 5 hours, 8 minutes ago
Scip, like a peaceful Indian in the 1800’s, I never trust a Mormon that can shoot. Utah State has me worried.
If we escape the first weekend, things get very interesting with a potential Sweet 16 match-up with Duke. Ugly up the game and guard like hell on the perimeter in front of a
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Scipio Tex commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 5 hours, 38 minutes ago
CJD -
Possibly. However, I’m telling you – the beauty of these intergame lines is that when you see that all-too-familiar big early game lead that you know will evaporate down the stretch as soon as the team starts regressing to their 3 point shooting mean, there’s some money to be made.
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Scipio Tex commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 5 hours, 40 minutes ago
uthookem-
I’d say you have your priorities straight.
colorado -
Anytime. How far do you think the Aggies go? A lot of people think Utah State is the most dangerous pure shooting team in the tournament.
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uthookem commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 5 hours, 51 minutes ago
Last year in Vegas, Friday morning, stumble to the line at 8:30 to make my bets, put $20 on a four-team parlay on the four 9:00 am games, nailed it! Three of the four games’ spread was determined in the final 0:30. Walked away with $220.
Yeah, so what if that is the only
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James commented on the blog post Sending Aggies to the NFL 5 hours, 52 minutes ago
Jordan, all just wild, premature conjecture. I’d hedge that only a third of that 2013 list ever makes an NFL roster. It is picking which third that is the tough part.
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James commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 5 hours, 54 minutes ago
Very interesting piece. These games can’t start soon enough. Thanks, Scip.
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Scipio Tex commented on the blog post Final Four Prediction 6 hours, 4 minutes ago
I have:
Syracuse
Kansas
West Virginia
BaylorThese will all likely change 3-4 times before tomorrow morning.
I don’t have as high an opinion of Ohio State as you do. Evan Turner is fantastic, but I don’t like their odds of taking down Georgetown and KU back-to-back.
Baylor scares me. They have no idea what
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Kevin Berger wrote a new blog post: Final Four Prediction 6 hours, 8 minutes ago
Arinze Onuaku’s injury has forced me to turn this year’s bracket prediction into a “Multiple Endings” story. Don’t get me wrong, we’re not hyper-geeks playing Dungeons and Dragons here. We may be wasting billions of dollars in worker productivity, but we’re not killing Orcs with plus 10 vorpal swords of magic.
So, in
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Kevin Berger wrote a new blog post: The Definitive Bracket: 63 Guaranteed Winners! 6 hours, 13 minutes ago
But only if you call now! I’ve gone 85 percent against the numba for the last two decades!! So picking straight up winners is, bada-boom bada-bing, easy! Only Sammy “the nose” Pistachio and Billy “buttercups” Birmingham can approach this many winnaz! It’s ridiculoso, hermoso!!
Call now and we’ll throw in an opening round N-I-T super-dupa live dog
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Scipio Tex commented on the blog post Making it Official: Tighter Officiating’s Effect on the Tournament 6 hours, 14 minutes ago
Awesome write up.
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Scipio Tex wrote a new blog post: Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 6 hours, 21 minutes ago
So I’m listening to Bill Simmons’ podcast and he has on Chad Millman, Vegas Insider. Basically, Chad’s job is to interact with the guys who set the line, professional gamblers, sharps, and wise guys. He had some interesting comments about the tournament:
By the end of the year, markets are fairly efficient as
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Bob Jones commented on the blog post Math… Everyone’s favorite subject 7 hours, 12 minutes ago
As a Baylor fan I loathe math: it’s either inexorably against us or when favorable, completely inapplicable.
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Kevin Berger commented on the blog post Making it Official: Tighter Officiating’s Effect on the Tournament 7 hours, 54 minutes ago
Should have that up soon, ts.
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Nate Heupel wrote a new blog post: Oklahoma Sooners – Recruiting So Far 7 hours, 54 minutes ago
I was reading a thread on OUInsider whining about how a beat writer for a UT website seemed to favoring UT recruits. Get the hell out of here with that nonsense. Next, you’re going to tell me that Oklahoma sports media coverage is slanted towards OU.
While Ketchum’s rankings seemed to be
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J Rog commented on the blog post March Mad(nba)ess! 8 hours, 1 minute ago
EVERYTHING would be different. Great post!
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James commented on the blog post Two Loops & A Hooey – Herm Edwards Edition 8 hours, 2 minutes ago
ha, nice Tim burn.
I was wondering where you went Ded. I got sick of looking at the same article everyday for 2 weeks. I’ve been up to Taos a few times this season, but it’s not that far from ABQ. I am absolutely convinced that everyone in Texas has been to Angel
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Brownbear commented on the blog post Math… Everyone’s favorite subject 8 hours, 28 minutes ago
Atleast I was wearing flannel when I wrote it.
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admin commented on the blog post Math… Everyone’s favorite subject 8 hours, 39 minutes ago
Same source or just similar facts: http://fantake.com/forums/topic.php?id=876#post-5197
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admin commented on the blog post Bracket Analysis: The Beasts of the East 8 hours, 41 minutes ago
I think I’m riding the Huggy bear to the Final Four.
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ursa major commented on the blog post Math… Everyone’s favorite subject 8 hours, 53 minutes ago
“in the history of baylor basketball this has never been in discussion”
except for that pesky final four appearance we made…
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Sancho commented on the blog post All Signs Point to March Madness Expanding to 96 Teams 8 hours, 56 minutes ago
I just had diarrhea in my pants thinking about how many horrible teams would allowed to play
Texasholdem said:
October 31st, 2008 at 5:44 am
The Biggest loser in all of this is, as usual, Aggie. They can’t even keep a rival.
In three years the Chronicle will have a quote from Kate in Waco saying, “A&M isn’t that much of a challenge any more,” she said.
Already forgot said:
October 31st, 2008 at 6:16 am
Nice one holdem, What does Betty in College Station say about the tu game since you have lost to them 2 years in a row.
NateHeupel said:
October 31st, 2008 at 6:18 am
FROM “Big 12 Group Therapy”
Kansas State: Hey, A&M, what’s the capital of Texas?
Texas A&M: Unicorns.
Kansas State: And what’s your school’s mascot?
A&M: Burt Reynolds.
Counselor: A&M? Jesus, what happened to you?
A&M: We hired Mr. Fran, and he said that we were gonna be real good, and then he made us not real good, and then he beat our program with a brick until we was retarded. Then we hired Mr. Sherman, and he picked up the brick and started beating us until we gots more retarded.
Counselor: I don’t think I can help you.
A&M: That’s okay. You gonna eat them sparkles?
(A&M starts eating glitter…)
RomaVicta said:
October 31st, 2008 at 6:25 am
Nice one holdem, What does Betty in College Station say about the tu game since you have lost to them 2 years in a row.
Read the article. Beating Texas isn’t being Texas. For A&M the last few years, it was more like being K-State. Congrats on the wins, but you’re still nobody beyond the state of Tex– er, the village of College Station.
Kriess said:
October 31st, 2008 at 6:25 am
Who the hell is TU? I’ve heard of a TAMU but who cares about Tulane University? Unless you mean THE University OF Texas, because I know about them. I just don’t get it…
Big Satan said:
October 31st, 2008 at 6:31 am
I prefer it when it’s called “The Scarlet and the Black.” All you “red and the black” Stendahl charlatans can shampoo my crotch.
Already forgot said:
October 31st, 2008 at 6:40 am
Nate that was a funny write up on K-states website. But come on write your own stuff.
And you guys are right we are not Texas (in the 80’s and 90’s you were not A&M) I would trade those two wins for a MNC. But, it is nice to have the score board even if it is only for one more month. Altough we are improving and at least we are not Iowa State or Baylor.
Lacey Underall said:
October 31st, 2008 at 6:47 am
Ahoy polloi!
dusk_till_dawn said:
October 31st, 2008 at 6:49 am
I will be stoked if we beat Texas, but it will mostly be because of championship (big12 or NC) implications, not that their jerseys say UT. I will be pissed if we win this week and then fold the next two games to Oklahoma teams….I guess I don’t share the same thoughts as under achieving whats-her-nuts from Lubbock.
I’m getting two Weimaraners.
Whoa! Dream big!
Horncasting said:
October 31st, 2008 at 6:49 am
“at least we are not Iowa State or Baylor.”
New mantra? I like it. Get some shirts made up and you can “Not Iowa State or Baylor”-out the Colorado game.
dusk_till_dawn said:
October 31st, 2008 at 6:52 am
“At least we’re not A&M”
-Baylor
dusk till dawn said:
October 31st, 2008 at 6:53 am
dont censor me! it’s unconstitutional
Texasholdem said:
October 31st, 2008 at 7:17 am
Not to go off topic, but if we come back and beat A&M last year, is Akina still the D-coordinator?
Tim said:
October 31st, 2008 at 7:32 am
So, you got quotes from two shumcks that talked to a reporter and you decide that’s how the entire fan base feels?
That would be like a reporter walking down 6th street and sticking a Mic in the face of some guy with a mullet wearing a burnt orange t-shirt and asking them about the Tech/UT game. On second thought that would probably be a more accurate representation of your fan base.
The vast majority of Tech fans see UT standing in the way of a Big 12 title; that’s it, that’s all.
4th and 5 said:
October 31st, 2008 at 7:34 am
Akina had already shown incompetence on several levels of defensive play calling, I think he still goes regardless. We shouldn’t have even had to “come back” against them. Let us not speak of that “defense” ever again.
4th and 5 said:
October 31st, 2008 at 7:38 am
BTW, I’ve been reading this blog for some time now. To all the Barkers, this (along with BON) is my favorite UT blog out there. Well done gents. Keep the dry wit and analysis coming, please.
NateHeupel said:
October 31st, 2008 at 7:43 am
Already forgot, there’s a reason I cited to the original. And, just sometimes, you don’t need original material when the point has already been made to perfection.
“I have a dream…”
“Ask not what your country can do for you…”
“Four score and seven years ago…”
“…he beat our program with a brick until we was retarded”
You don’t try to improve upon perfection, sir. You just don’t.
Vasherized said:
October 31st, 2008 at 7:46 am
Then we laughed like people do in chardonnay commercials.
Ded’s Lament
HenryJames said:
October 31st, 2008 at 7:50 am
Scipio again with the ponytail.
Vasherized said:
October 31st, 2008 at 7:54 am
The meme machine is right outside those curtains, he just leaves it running, gives him a quiet confidence …
dedfischer said:
October 31st, 2008 at 7:59 am
Shit, that’s funny, Vasher. Well done.
dedfischer said:
October 31st, 2008 at 8:22 am
I keep picturing Scipio and Sailer Ripley every time I look at that.
Chooky said:
October 31st, 2008 at 8:32 am
Scipio’s hair is out of control. It just keeps getting worse and worse. It’s irresponsible of all of us for just sitting idle while he does this to himself.
Vasherized said:
October 31st, 2008 at 8:34 am
They should be out of their Manscaping class shortly.
dedfischer said:
October 31st, 2008 at 8:36 am
Somebody put Vasher out, he’s on fire.
dedfischer said:
October 31st, 2008 at 8:37 am
Save File As:
(A) DedsLament
(B) ScipioSailer
I went with B.
lowery said:
October 31st, 2008 at 8:41 am
Awesome.
Doperbo said:
October 31st, 2008 at 8:56 am
Is anyone else going to point out how disturbing that Longhorn in the crotch thing is or are you going to continue pretending you didn’t notice.
dedfischer said:
October 31st, 2008 at 9:00 am
It looks like Scipio’s wearing a thong underwear of some type.
BK said:
October 31st, 2008 at 9:02 am
Doperbo,
She’s reaching for his horn so you take the good with the bad, I suppose!
Chooky said:
October 31st, 2008 at 9:03 am
I’m too busy pretending that I didn’t notice how disturbing it is that Sailor gets so amused when Scipio puts his hand on his chest.
Doperbo said:
October 31st, 2008 at 9:06 am
Having hung out with both of them all I can say is that picture is dead on.
Facebook User said:
October 31st, 2008 at 9:14 am
From Sorel to sodomy – Only at Barking Carnival.
Already forgot said:
October 31st, 2008 at 9:29 am
Oh thats a longhorn, I thought he just drew in that guy’s uterus and ovaries.
Chooky said:
October 31st, 2008 at 9:40 am
From Sorel to sodomy …
Just as Beyle once stated, “the Romantic era was for fags, man.”
Facebook User said:
October 31st, 2008 at 9:42 am
Dude’s a realist, not a romantic. Sheesh.
Tim's Bleeding Vagina said:
October 31st, 2008 at 9:57 am
I’m still in need of a tampon here. Can someone help me out?
Chooky said:
October 31st, 2008 at 9:58 am
Yes, hence his ficticious slander of Romanticism, you gaper. Now go Parma your Charterhouse. :)
Dunstan Pearl said:
October 31st, 2008 at 10:03 am
Tim> go get your fucking shinebox.
Tim said:
October 31st, 2008 at 10:45 am
Dunstan- That’s a good way to end up in the trunk of an El Camino.
Tim said:
October 31st, 2008 at 10:46 am
(waiting for the first guy to say “El Camino’s don’t have trunks”)
Dunstan Pearl said:
October 31st, 2008 at 10:47 am
Is that underneath the truck bed?
Tim's Tranny said:
October 31st, 2008 at 11:10 am
So Tim drives a El Camino – I always thought it was a Ranchero