Sometimes the internet is a great thing. Such as when it dishes up the wonderful read provided by Cormac McCarthy in his preview of the Big 12.
His name sound familiar? McCarthy is the notable author of the novel No Country for Old Men. He received the Pulitzer Prize for his novel The Road in 2007.
McCarthy masterfully applies his gifted writing style to our favorite subject like we’ve never seen before. It makes the rest of us who blog college football seem so….well, pedestrian.
“…A glimpse of Oklahoma from across the field, a company of madmen streaked with crimson and pale gore….”
If, after reading his preview, you don’t drop your jaw in awe and desire to get on a horse and ride onto the football field to do battle (or at least scream with blood lust at your TV), then you are probably dead.
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If you wonder how things are in un-Happy Valley, check out the readers’ comments to last week’s post by Soonerguy Tommy, where he reminisced about the 1984 Oklahoma-Penn State Orange Bowl clash and The Boz’ encounter with some guy named Jerry Sandusky.
A bit testy those Penn State folks are.
Reminded us of the Penn State t-shirts seen in the Philadelphia airport a few weeks ago: “We are . . . Pissed Off!”
(Thanks to Pennlive.com for sharing the link to all those cult-like hordes of Nittany Lions who these days are just looking for walls to punch. Oh, did we say cult? Dang. Here they come again.)
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Bless his heart, but it’s time for Lee Corso to go. We know it’s not politically correct and a bit unkind to point this out but the effects of last year’s stroke makes it painful for viewers to watch him on ESPN’s College Gameday.
ESPN would do well to take him off the Gameday set and use him in some limited fashion – such as bringing him out at the end of the show to slip on a mascot’s headgear and rile up campus crowds. Which is what he was useful for any how.
Or, even better, pair him up with Lou Holtz in a public speaking contest to see who best pronounces their “th’s” and “g’s”. (Speaking of which you must check out @pretendlouholtz. It is a wicked indulgence well worth the look).
Still, we like Corso. He’s an Oklahoma fan.
“The Stoops brothers are back. They need that guy (Mike Stoops). He’s got fire and he’s got drive,” Corso said on ESPN’s college preview show, voicing his opinion that the Sooners are among the best all-around teams in the country.
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Forgive us if we watch less of the ESPN guys (Corso or not) this year and instead tune into College Football on FOX.
We’re suckers for a blonde in a red dress, especially when she knows her football. Erin Andrews is one such broadcast sports personality.
OK, think what you will.
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Encouraging trivia: Bob Stoops’ Oklahoma teams have never gone two consecutive seasons without winning the Big 12 championship. That’s dominance.
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There’s a dumb new rule in college football that anytime a player’s helmet comes off he has to stop and can’t engage in the play, otherwise he gets flagged. If the runner’s helmet comes off then he is down and the play stops.
We’re expecting some enterprising defensive coordinator to instruct his players to rip helmets off if they can’t make the tackle; and then coaches screaming at officials for penalizing players who instinctively make tackles after their helmets have been pulled off. Or something like that.
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Finally, with the first home game in Norman just two weeks away, we’re wondering if the Tailgate Gods have anything new in store for we members of the flock.
Last year the Texas State Fair served up fried salsa (to go with their fried beer). Could there be a Sooner version available?
Then again, if the salsa is fried, what do you dip it in?
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