Monthly Archives: November 2012
Baylor Stays On the Map
By JD
Last year was dubbed the year of the bear, as Baylor had a remarkable school year in athletics. Heisman trophies, elite eights, big 12 and national titles were all part of “The Year of the Bear”. Year of the Bear set the bar high in Waco Texas, and perhaps made the 2012-2013 school year the most important in Baylor athletics history. Baylor had to show that they were not a fluke, 1 year wonder, especially in football. Most people feel the men’s and women’s basketball programs are here to stay, and the baseball team should always compete in the big 12, but its football that runs this state, and it’s football that had the potential to fall back into the cellar of the big 12 in Waco.
The National media wrote off Baylor from the start, now that 2011 Heisman trophy winner Robert Griffin 3 is now playing for the Washington Redskins. It’s one thing to take your bumps, especially after losing the greatest player in your programs history, but Baylor and coach Art Briles had to keep Baylor competitive, if they wanted to keep landing top recruits in Texas. For the most part, Baylor has fought hard in every game, taking West Virginia and Texas to the wire. But even with Baylor’s high powered offense, the bears struggled to stop anybody on defense, and the signature win of 2012 had eluded them. Then came #1 Kansas State, with a Heisman hopeful of their own at QB, ready to storm Waco and leave the way they came in, #1.
Baylor rose to the occasion, scored all over Kansas State and scored their signature win. The entire nation watched as Baylor took down the #1 team in the country, and don’t think young recruits weren’t watching. One week after Texas A&M got their signature win against then #1 Bama, Baylor decided they’d match the Aggies and keep some of their momentum from the Year of the Bear. Now Baylor is 1 game away from being Bowl eligible again, with an in state rivalry game in Cowboys Stadium against Texas Tech. Beating Tech in the crown jewel of Texas stadiums would be another big step for Baylor, especially against a school that Baylor will continue to fight with for some of the state’s top recruits. Year of the Bear was nice, but the era of Coach Art Briles might just be getting started.
Texans Got a Punch
By JD
The Houston Texans have been riding high all season, playing all year like the best team in the AFC. Sunday night, the Texans passed yet another test, they won a tough, physical game against one of the toughest, most physical teams in the NFL, the Chicago Bears. And just for good measure, the game was played on a cold rainy night in the windy city. Even Mike Ditka has to be proud of the way the Texans punched the bears in the mouth, and knocked them out on NBC’s Sunday Night Football. The score ended up 13-6, not exactly the best football game ever played. But it was just what the Texans needed, a tough game against a really good team. We knew the Texans could beat up on the teams they’re suppose to beat, but after the Packers game many had doubts on whether or not the Texans could beat a top level team. Another concern was whether or not the Texans could play in cold weather, and get physical with a physical team. With the Ravens and Patriots in the same conference, this is a trait you need to get through the AFC come January. Well, the Texans answered the bell, and punched back so hard Jay Cutler might not play this week. It might be too early to book your trip to the Super Bowl Texans fans, but this season the Texans do seem like they will make a serious run at an AFC title, and have shown the backbone to fight with anybody for that title.
Aggies Show They Belong
By JD
When Texas A&M announced that they would leave the Big 12 for the SEC, two thoughts came across everybody’s mind. 1st, what will happen to the Texas/Texas A&M rivalry? 2nd, can the Aggies, who have never made any real noise in the Big 12, compete in what was known as the best conference in football, the SEC? Well, the Longhorns/Aggies rivalry may be dead, but the Aggies proved on Saturday that they can most certainly compete, as they shocked the world by beating #1 Alabama. Alabama had been compared to NFL teams this season; they were supposed to roll all the way to another national title. Coach Sumlin and Johnny Football had other plans, ruining bama and ironically the SEC’s title hopes, and let the nation know that Texas A&M has arrived. This is the signature win that the Aggies needed, not only to get out of UT’s shadow, but to let the SEC and America know that the Aggies weren’t a new punching bag for the SEC powerhouses, but in fact are a new SEC powerhouse in their own right. One week after UT replaced the Aggies with Texas Tech as their new big in state rival, A&M might have started their own SEC rivalry. Bama and A&M have a little history, Bear Bryant, Gene Stallings, and Dennis Franchione. So don’t be surprised if Bama does indeed become A&M’s main SEC rival. The Aggies must now keep this momentum up, finish the season strong, and win a big Bowl game. A&M has won big games before, only to let the rest of the season unravel and kill any momentum a big win like this can bring. A&M now has put themselves in the discussion for a BCS at large game, but even if they don’t land an at large berth they most likely would land the Cotton Bowl. The Cotton Bowl also picks a top Big 12 team, so if all the dominoes fall right, the Aggies might be ready to make another statement in cowboy’s stadium, by beating UT. And beating UT in the state’s premier bowl game might very well be the icing on the cake for this breakout season for coach Sumlin and Texas A&M.
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