Tag Archives: UMass

Pick It and Stick It: Coming Up Dry

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Last week wasn’t too hot for me but at least I had the Game of the Century of the Week called.  In fact, there were so many great games last week, I almost didn’t mind that I did pretty dang poorly in the picks.  Well, I hope this week I hit hard on my picks because the slate of games looks pretty dang dry.   Let’s see what we got. Continue reading Pick It and Stick It: Coming Up Dry

Football Feedings 2013 Week 03: Godzilla Gumbo

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So it’s the game of the century this weekend and I decided to kick it up a notch by cooking something that both Texas A&M and Alabama can share.  Well, also it’s a victory lap for Kansas State’s win over Louisiana-Lafayette.  Yup, I’m cooking some cast iron Godzilla Gumbo.   Maybe next week it will be some clam chowder for the Wildcats win over Umass.  Who knows?   What I do know is that the saison from South Austin Brewing Company made gumbo so sweet.  On to the ingredients. Continue reading Football Feedings 2013 Week 03: Godzilla Gumbo

KC College GameDay LiveBlog 2013 Week 02: LiveBlog of the Century

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Alrighty, after a quick hit at the gym and a scary finish to the Michigan vs Akron game and I’m ready to fire up the LiveBlog.  We have some slow cookin’ to do today but I will be there for the Game of the Century of the Week:  Texas A&M vs Alabama.  Also, I’ll fire up K-State.HDTV  for the Kansas State vs Umass game and perhaps the Mississippi State vs Texas game on the Longhorn Network.  Good times are ahead so let’s get it started.

Kansas State Football Preview 2013: Can The Champ Fall Back?

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So it’s getting amazingly close to the first whistle of the year and it’s time now that I take a moment and peer into the crystal punch bowl to predict Kansas State’s football season.  I’ve learned alot down here in Austin after living here for a little more than 3 years.  One of the things happens to be pride.   So I’m taking my pride in Kansas State and leaning on that hard coming into this year.  Everyone else says they will fall back down below the middle of the pack.  Is that the case?

Okay so yeah, they lose Heisman runner Collin Klein and a bunch of starters from last year, mostly on defense.  That makes it easy for the naysayers of last year to come back even louder this year and say that the Wildcats will be down.  Why are we even listening to this naysayers, er, sports media types?  Welp, they have the bullhorn by the horn and won’t let go.  They say that no one knows anything about the kids coming in to replace the starters.   Is it that bad?

Well typically when you lose starters, you lose a ton of experience which does count way more college football than in the pros.  So the argument might be pretty tight.  But this is a Bill Snyder coached football team.  He will find a way to get the best out of his youngsters at whatever position he plunks them down at.  How come we’ve never heard of Collin Klein, Darren Sproles, or Michael Bishop before they played Kansas State?  Because they get their name wearing the purple.  The naysayers never predict that.

Yet I couldn’t predict what is happening at the quarterback position.   Going into this year, I thought it was all Daniel Sams.  But then all of the sudden, this Jake Waters kid comes into the picture.  He had a career in the JUCO area not unlike a one Michael Bishop and his name was being talked about amongst the naysayers.  Ruh roh.  Do I smell trouble with this?  Maybe a little.  Coach Snyder announced him as the starter coming into this weekend.  That could mean it’s his all the way or it’s Sams to catch up and take.  I’ll be there at DKR to see who won.

Looking at the schedule, that big conference opening game will tell us alot.  It will tell us just how good the fresh new defense is.  It will tell us who the solid quarterback is.  It will tell us if Kansas State has a shot to repeat.  Thank goodness it’s against Texas.  That bottle is almost empty and the magic is about to run out.  I’m hoping for one more huge squeeze to give a go in my new-ish hometown of Austin.  Before I run down the rest of the schedule, let me talk a bit about the defense.

Yes, they lost a ton of kids.  But they also have some experience coming back, most notably Ty Zimmerman.  I’m not entirely dumb enough to think that the defense will actually be weaker this year, but for some reason I’m thinking it will be enough.  The two quarterback race tells me almost instantly that Kansas State may actually produce as much or even more than last year.  Especially if Waters can really throw.  So, yeah, they can be down on defense but the offense is already in motion to catch up.

No need to talk about the special teams.  It’s the best in the Big 12 period.  Thanks Tyler Lockett.

Now on to the schedule:  The first two games are actually tough.  They get North Dakota State and UL-Lafayette, both fairly tough tiny schools.  If they can come out of that alive, they can take out Umass.  I’m smelling a very heart attack inducing 3-0 start.  Next up is Texas.  They will beat Texas.  I will say that until it stops.  Oklahoma State will be tough and so will Baylor.  Kansas State gets Baylor at home.  Revenge for that one but I think they lose to the Pokes, it’s just too much.  West Virginia will want revenge but I think we take them.  Iowa State will be close as usual and seeing as its at home, I gotta give it to the Wildcats.  Texas Tech has a new coach so I don’t know what to expect.  I will go with Kansas State.  TCU and Oklahoma will beat Kansas State.  There’s too much defense and talent.  Finally, Kansas State beats up on Kansas again.

Final Prediction: 9-3 with a bowl spot again and win to be 10-3

The ones I’m not entirely sure of are Texas and Iowa State.  Those could go either way.  I’m sure I’ll eat crow on one of those.  But for the time being, it looks like the champ will fall back.  Just not as far back as others are claiming.  It’s time for another football season so let’s strap it up, EMAW Nation!

Purple Yeti Roar 72: Laid Back Summer Sunday

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I’m finally getting used to doing these Roars on Sunday.  In fact, it’s starting to get easy.  Laid back and easy.  So easy in fact, I breeze through topics like Kansas State, Big 12, Texas, Lousiana-Lafeyette, Umass, North Dakota State, Kansas, Hawaii, Wizard of Oz, SEC, Ole Miss, Longhorn Network, NCAA, Mark Emmertt, Ohio State, and Gordon Gee. Continue reading Purple Yeti Roar 72: Laid Back Summer Sunday

Crib Sheet: A Change Is Gonna Come, Oh Yes It Is

Ah yes, the college football season is officially over.  Time to rest up a bit, kick back, and reflect on what was great and what was terrible for the 2011-2012 college football season.  Go ahead, I’ll still be here. ….(time passes)…. OKAY.  So now that we’ve all mused about gridiron, let’s get down to brass tacks.  There’s winds of change a blowing and they will twirl the leaves around this here blog.  What’s going to happen?  Tune in next week.  We still have some Crib Sheet action to go over so let’s go right ahead and knock it out:

Continue reading Crib Sheet: A Change Is Gonna Come, Oh Yes It Is

Crib Sheet: The Winds of Change

With tornadoes blowing down south and southeast, wildfires burning all of Texas, rain and hail pelting the land, and Missouri levees falling apart, it seems like the whole world is falling apart. But it’s merely weather changing bits and pieces of the land. There can be bigger changes afoot across the land. I have one coming up very quickly. But first let me spit out a kind of late Crib Sheet. Take notes and then take cover: