Uninspiring

The uninspired play of the Longhorns against Kansas last Saturday left this reporter uninspired. Were the uninspired Longhorns uninspired because the opponent was uninspiring? How many times can I use uninspired or uninspiring in one paragraph?  The answer to the former remains to be seen, the answer to the latter is seven. 

One player that did impress me against Kansas is running back Malcolm Brown. When healthy, he’s a tough runner who finds even the smallest of holes.  Now we’re beginning to see why he was such a hot property coming out high school. The Longhorns really need him to stay healthy.

I know a longtime and very knowledgeable Longhorn football observer who was so unimpressed with the Horns victory over Kansas that he’s predicting a loss to West Virginia by a score of 31-21. He doesn’t think the Horns will be able to run the ball which will force Case McCoy into some big mistakes. McCoy has thrown four interceptions and only one touchdown pass in the TCU and Kansas games. If Texas does lose to West Virginia the chances of Mack Brown returning in 2014 will be slim to none.

Speaking of which.

The irresistible force versus the immovable object

Some of you have probably been reading the same blogs and newsletters that I have that guarantee that Mack Brown will definitely resign or be forced out at the end of this season. The theory—and I’m calling it out as a theory because it is authored by the same theoreticians guaranteeing that Oliver Luck would be the next AD—is that the big money donors, IMG and ESPN have so much money invested in the program that they will not let the Mack Brown mediocrity continue. This could set up some high drama if the Longhorns win the Big 12 and go to a BCS Bowl.  I’d pay big money to see that show but it will be free to attend. So I got that going for me….which is nice.

Stoopes Over/Under Question

I tried to give everybody a freebee with the question concerning how many passes Tyrone Swoopes would throw in the Kansas game but more than half the contestants whiffed. Congratulations to those who got it right. The rest of you need to pay better attention.  If you’ve been doing your Willie Earl homework you would have known that Mack Brown is not going to give a backup quarterback meaningful playing time. Not in this lifetime anyway.

I will use the rest of this space to apologize for the tardiness and paucity of this column. Sometimes advertising intrudes in my life even more than it does in yours. Go figure.

See you in about 52 hours.

HooK eM,

W.E.

Over/Under Results

Mark Adams is hot again. He wins for the second time in three weeks with seven correct answers. His victory was set up by answering the Tyrone Swoopes question correctly.  That answer provided the edge over Helen Frink and Mike Frank who tied for second place with six correct answers. Mark placed out of Willie Earl 101.