Like Fine Wine
This issue doesn't have an expiration date. It's aged over the summer and fall and is now ready to be uncorked for a select few readers. Enjoy and Happy New Year!
Cargo Bike
"It fit in there this morning!" The bicycle wasn't cooperating as our hero attempted to put it back into the hatchback. A couple walked by and laughed at the puzzled cyclist trying to get the cargo back into the vehicle. "Quite a puzzle that's been created here." After about 15 minutes of angling, hoisting and bewilderment, logic took hold. There wasn't as much air in the tires this morning when the bike was loaded.
After letting some air out of the front tire and removing the entire front wheel for good measure, the bicycle was securely placed in the cargo bay. So, after bicycling, if the infernal machine refuses to cooperate, remember to let a little air out of the tires and see if that helps. This has been a public service announcement of the Crimson Pigskin e-Letter.
The R Word
Back in February, it was announced Southern Cal had extended a football scholarship offer to a 13-year old quarterback named David Sills. The youngster is a very talented player and has developed many skills which will help him be a successful player. FoxSports.com noted his personal coach has stated he's "never seen anyone his age do what he has been able to do".
Regardless of the young man's ability, poaching stars from junior high has its pitfalls. How many injury free games does Sills have to play before he ever gets on campus at USC? Does a program with the talent level of SC's need to dip below high school for athletes? How long will the media leave former Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin alone about this, taking into account he bolted from Knoxville after one year? Maybe this will divert sports fan attention from the Tangerine mob and place it squarely on a lad who can "break down NFL game film". Sills may not even want to play football any more by the time he's out of prep school.
In any event, someone at USC needs to invoke the 'R' word by taking Responsibility and telling the football program to wait until young master Sills is old enough to sign a letter of intent without breaking every NCAA rule known to man and let the kid complete puberty before he has to face a collegiate defensive line. As for the rest of the 13-year old phenoms out there,…they need to remain on window Sills until they're ready for college athletics too.
Sooner Breeze
For all the publicity surrounding Oklahoma's inability to win a bowl game, until December 31st, 2009 versus Stanford at the Sun Bowl, there was quite a draft in the room on April 19th, when three of the top five picks in last month's NFL draft were from OU. This was the first time in university history or NFL history for that matter this had happened.
As if Coach Bob Stoops needs any more recruiting tools to lure the best players in America to Norman, Oklahoma to attend college. It is a fairly safe assumption none of the three top five draft picks were promised spots on the team when they were thirteen. Incidentally, the Sooner breeze blowing across the NFL stage was on the anniversary of the Oklahoma Land Run.
Thunderous Run
The Oklahoma City Thunder made the NBA playoffs for the first time in franchise history which spans back all of two seasons. Thunder forward Kevin Durant scored more points than anyone in the NBA on the way to a best of seven series against the Los Angeles Lakers. A team this young making the playoffs is quite an accomplishment.
The Lakers won the first two games of the series, before the Thunder was able to win two games in Oklahoma City. Tied at two games to two, there was some hope Rumble T. Bison and the OKC youth could win game 5 in Los Angeles. The Lakers rose to the occasion and took a 3-2 series lead before returning to Oklahoma City for game 6 which the Lakers won by only one point.
What a year for a young team which expected to have Durant among others back this year, despite Durant's looming free agency, a contract was ironed out over the summer and since returning from playing overseas, Durant has continued to shine along with point guard Russell Westbrooke. So far, the Thunder is off to a 21-10 start this season. Oklahoma City hosts the Dallas Mavericks tonight at Oklahoma City Arena.
REMEMBER THE ALAMO!
Does anyone know if there is a Goliad, Arizona? The Oklahoma State Cowboys earned their way to the Alamo Bowl, sponsored by Valero (You know, those teal and yellow gas stations?) in San Antonio, Texas. The game, versus the Arizona Wildcats, kicks off Wednesday night at 8pm CST. For more information and a look at a very nice website, check out www.AlamoBowl.com. The game will be indoors. Weather will not be a factor.
Goliad was a town in the Republic of Texas that was routed by the Mexican Army, led by the ever-inhospitable General Santa Anna. This incident followed the unfortunate series of events at a mission called The Alamo. When first ordered to execute all those captured at Goliad, the Mexican Commander declined to do so but pressure from Santa Anna won out and Goliad became another grizzly incident which gave Texans another rallying cry as they eventually won their independence from Mexico.
Nowadays, The Alamo, a monument to bravery and the undying spirit of Texas is surrounded by parking lots and faces storefronts riddled with stairwells leading to the famed Riverwalk below. Since Christmas, Oklahoma State and Arizona football fans have been perusing the sights and sounds of San Antonio amid daytime temperatures ranging from the mid-50's to the low 70's.
This brings a close to the Texas History lesson and opens the game up to some prognostication. As Foxsports.com has noted, Mike Gundy and Mike Stoops, head coaches for Oklahoma State and Arizona respectively each have brothers on the University of Oklahoma coaching staff. Oklahoma was the last team to defeat OSU and has not played Arizona for a number of years.
Do you think Bob Stoops or Cale Gundy was in the more sharing mood this holiday? Probably Bobby. Arizona is more motivated to win and has seen plenty of game footage of a team stopping the OSU offensive onslaught (NU and OU). 'Zona 27, OSU 24.
FIESTA!
After defeating Nebraska in the Big 12 Conference title game, first Saturday in December, Oklahoma was invited to play the Big East Conference champ Connecticut in the Fiesta Bowl. Even though the desert has been anything but good to the Sooners, prevailing thought across college footballdom is OU is a can't lose team New Year's Day at 7pm CST.
Entering yet another New Year's bowl game after what many Sooner fans considered a so-so 10-2 season featuring a win over Texas in October (Texas won't be attending a bowl this winter due to their win-loss record. They may soon have a television network but if a university has a t.v. network and doesn't make it to a bowl game, will there be anyone watching it?).
The only way Oklahoma loses this game is if the bus breaks down and they are more than 3 hours from the stadium. UCONN will have all the motivation to win and Oklahoma will start flat but just like they played better all season, the team will improve throughout the game and once they settle in, they'll beat the Huskies. OU 45, UCONN 20.
This has been a limited circulation exclusive CPeL. Enjoy and Happy New Year to all!
Carlos
THE CRIMSON PIGSKIN e-LETTER
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Obama Urges Homeowners to Refinance
If you owe under $729k you probably qualify for Obama's Refi Program
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