Willie Earls Longhorn Blog

Given the late hour that the Sugar Bowl Over/Under questions were posted, there was an excellent participation rate. We appreciate your patronage.

Like the Dallas Cowboys in 1971 and unlike the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings, Clayton Frink shed the, “Always a Bridesmaid Never a Bride” mantle by winning the Sugar Bowl Over/Under with eight correct answers.

Greg Swan, David Frink, and Mitchell Frink tied for second with seven correct answers.

Mark Adams, who needed a Sugar Bowl win to have a chance for player of the year honors, had six correct answers.

Greg Swan is the only player with three wins in 2018 and is your Over/Under 2018 Player of the Year.

Congratulations Brother Swan!

W.E.

When I was seven, my brother Clayton took me to the first football game I ever attended. His school’s (Albert Einstein High) junior varsity was playing an away game.  I have no idea who the other team was.  I do remember liking Einstein’s white uniforms. We were sitting on the top row of the bleachers and at one point Clayton directed my attention to the opposing school’s varsity which was practicing on a field behind the stadium.  It was easy to notice that the players practicing were bigger than the players in the junior varsity game we’d come to watch.  Clayton explained me the team practicing was the varsity as opposed the younger and smaller junior varsity teams we were watching.  He also told me, in a self-deprecating manner, that Einstein’s J.V. team was all they had since Einstein was a brand new school that didn’t have a junior and senior class yet.  His inference was clear to me.  Einstein’s J.V. team would get slaughtered if they played the varsity team we were observing practice.

Watching Alabama dominate Oklahoma and Clemson demolishing Notre Dame, I couldn’t help but notice those games looked like the Varsity crushing the jayvees.  Georgia looks like the varsity to me. At the end of this evening, I hope the Longhorns don’t look like the jayvees.

HooK ‘Em,

W.E.

Here are your 2018 Over/Under Results to date.  Going into the Sugar Bowl, there is a battle between Mark Adams and Greg Swan, for “Player of the Year” honors. Greg, with three wins, will clinch the title with a win. He also takes the title if Mark Adams doesn’t win. He clinches at least a tie with a second place finish. Mark needs a win and a finish below second by Greg to take the title outright. If Mark wins and Greg places second they will share “Player of the Year” honors. Learn it, know it, live it.

David Frink could finish the year in second place for the year with a win.

Clayton Frink has secure hold on the mythical, “Always a Bridesmaid Never a Bride” title with three second place finishes but no wins. Will he risk his title by playing in the Sugar Bowl Over/Under?

And of course, the coveted Sugar Bowl Over/Under Championship is up for grabs for any and all comers.

Reviewing this list is akin to a Willie Earl, this is your life.

W.E.

In a result that’s sure to raise eyebrows, David Frink and Clayton Frink tied for first with seven correct answers in the first ever Big 12 Championship Over/Under Contest.  David won in the tiebreaker by picking winners with Ohio State and Georgia. Clayton picked losers in Northwestern and Georgia.

Wade Wallace and Mark Adams tied for second with six correct answers.

The average score was 4.4.

W.E.

Last weekend, I had talked myself into being so satisfied that the Longhorns had just qualified for the Big 12 Championship game that I didn’t want to seriously consider whether they might beat Oklahoma again.

On Monday I noticed that Las Vegas had made Oklahoma an eight point favorite over Texas on a neutral field.  As the week wore on I couldn’t help but see that the national media that cover college football—for the sake of their College Football Playoff discussions—were assuming that Oklahoma would beat Texas.  Colin Cowherd, who has a nationally syndicated daily radio and television show, has been a strong advocate for Oklahoma (after they avenge their loss to Texas) being more qualified than Ohio State to be the fourth team selected for the college football playoff.  Now my hackles were starting to rise.

Then I started hearing the mantra that it’s hard to beat a team twice in the same year.  Is that right?  When was the last time that the New England Patriots didn’t beat the New York Jets twice in the same season or the last time the Steelers didn’t beat the Bengals twice in the same season?   When was the last time Kansas didn’t beat Texas in basketball twice in the same season?  Anyway, it’s a feeble minded mantra that isn’t borne out by facts.

It’s time for a reality check. In October Texas beat Oklahoma 48-45. It wasn’t a fluke.  Texas led at the end of the first, second, and third quarters. Texas dominated Oklahoma during most of the second and third quarters. The only thing that was fluky about the game was Oklahoma scoring 21 points in six minutes during their furious fourth quarter rally that tied the game.

So what has changed since October 6 that has fueled the notion that Oklahoma beating Texas tomorrow in Arlington is a done deal?  I guess it’s because Oklahoma has averaged nearly 53 points a game since October 6 and that Kyler Murray has been a human highlight reel. Never mind that Oklahoma has given up an average of more than 46 points again over their last four games.

Maybe the sharps in Las Vegas know something about Sam Ehlinger’s right shoulder that we don’t.  Other than that, the eight point line favoring Oklahoma—in the words of Alan Greenspan—is based on an irrational exuberance over Kyler Murray and Oklahoma’s offense.  As far as Colin Cowherd’s and other members of the sports media opinions are concerned, it’s just pack mentality conventional wisdom disguised as expert analysis.

I’m not in the prediction business but don’t be surprised if the Horns come out on top in this one 41-31.

Horns Down

I’m probably as annoyed as any Texas fan when an opposing player flashes the Horns down but I don’t think flashing the Horns down sign alone should be penalized.

Texas fans who publicly take offense at the Horns down sign should ask themselves if they approve of Texas fans chanting—may I say exuberantly—“OU makes a small partial vacuum with its mouth.”

As we used to say a long time ago, BEAT THE HELL OUT OF OU!

HooK ‘Em,

W.E.