The Big 12 South will have its fair share of exciting matchups this year, but do we think the ultimate victor of the South will be the same old character. . . .

 Baylor – well what can I say, they have already lost a game, and I still have not gotten this written.  With that said, it is too bad that they don’t have K-state on their schedule, or they might win a game or two in the Big 12.  I still bet they beat someone, and that someone might be an A&M.  Not much to talk about here, but if Prince in Manhattan falters, I would like to see Baylor’s current D-coord as the KSU next head man (Phil Bennet).  Prediction 3-9.  Art Briles should not have left Houston.

 A&M – well what is worse getting a coach that couldn’t cut it with Bret Favre as his quarterback, or coaching the Aggies with high expectations, but second rate talent.  There is a reason that Texas and Texas Tech are running away with the solid recruits and building bigger, better programs – it is because A&M has no excitement around their program.  (Maybe they should hire Bob Huggins?). . .  Anyway, given all that they do have a good back in Mr. Goodcents and a returning quarterback.  K-state will be hard pressed to beat them in College Station, but not many other teams.  Let’s go with 6-6.

Tech. – Same old same old, exciting high scoring offense, you go the bathroom during the break, you come back and they have the ball again (The other team has already scored).  K-state cannot seem to keep up with this type of game in the past 3-4 years, and it will probably be no different this year.  Tech won’t be able to win the South, because atleast twice this year a team will hold them under 40 points, and meanwhile have offensive lineman cramping up because they keep running up and down the field on them.  Prediction 9-3.

OSU – the Big 12 version has a man as their coach and an underdog mentality (tell that to old Boone).  Expectations are high, but I am not sure they should be.  I think they have a shot at the South, but they have to gain some momentum early.  Zac Robinson could be this year’s Reesing and I would not be the least bit suprised.  I would like to take them winning the South, but I just can’t see it, we will be optomistic and give them a 9-3 record.

Texas – there is only one team in the country that should win the national championship every year and/or be playing at the minimum a BCS game, but forgets that they have to actually play the game.  HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM, I am going to guess a 10-2 record due to a typical loss to a nobody, and their annual loss to Bob Stoops.  I could go on about Mr. Brown, but I will wait until after they struggle this weekend against a Florida Atlantic team (Go Schnellenberger – do I have the right team?)

OU – as usual is the cream of the big 12, but their time is limited – Bob Stoops needs to deliver another title game, or I could see his job getting stale and him wanting to find something different.  You heard it here first – Bob Stoops takes Marvin Lewis’ job at Cincinatti after a very dissappointing season in the NFL.  THEN the shocker is that OU goes and hires Josh Heupel as their new coach. . . . Okay, so that is not a huge limb I am on, but it has got to be bigger than me being President in 8 years, or Gov. Palin being the VP canidate for McCain (Oh wait that actually happened) she is just as I pictured a Soccer Mom VP would look like.  Hmmm which one is Obama?

So OU goes 11-1 (loss to Kstate), wins the South, probably the Big 12 championship, but I will hold out on that prediction until the game gets nearer.

 Enjoy this weekend of football, in between the Presidential Election coverage and Hurrican Gustav.  I will be enjoying the 2008 Ring of Honor ceremonies tomorrow evening in Bill Snyder Family Stadium, and hopefully a decisive victory over North Texas to get the season started in the right direction.  My son will be joining me, and I will have a detailed article coming out later this weekend, describing the weekend adventures.

Go Cats!

So, here we go . . . The big 12 north has the opportunity to be just as competitive as it has ever been.  Kansas is coming off an emotional momentum changing season that saw Mangino go from chopping block to all-day buffet.  Missouri who won the north, but was unfairly kept out of the BCS has Daniel Chase back, and continue to improve even with their Pinkel handicap.  Nebraska will be better, perhaps a lot better, but only time will tell.  Kansas State went from possible big 12 championship to losing season.  Iowa State is still Iowa State, and Colorado is once again attempting to have the toughest schedule in the country.

 Okay, (remember I am a bit behind on reading up on every program, so this is by memory, schedule viewing, and gut instinct)

Iowa State – good news I think they have the easiest South schedule available.  They play @ Oklahoma State, @ Baylor, and home against Texas A&M, the bad news is they might be lucky to start 2-2 and that is against South Dakota St., Iowa, UNLV, & Kent State.  So no bowl game for ISU, in fact a 5 win season would be an accomplishment.  They will reach up and beat at least one bowl bound team, but which one we will have to wait and see.  Prediction 4-8 with a win over Iowa.

Colorado – good news is they play Eastern Washington, the bad news is they play Colorado State, West Virginia, and Florida State.  Their south schedule is Texas, Oklahoma State, and @ Texas A&M.  I think they will be the suprise team in the North this year.  Prediction 8-4 and second place in the North. 

Kansas – bad news is this is not last year; good news is much of the team is back and Mangino still casts a cool shadow over half of the bench.  Kansas has really beefed up their schedule this year – no thanks to scheduling – just the rotation of the South competition just went up 5 notches.  With a game in Norman, and home against Tech and Texas – KU should be happy to get to 8 wins, but they won’t.  Prediction 5-7 and Reesing is as unsuccessful this year as he was last year.

Nebraska – Very good news for Husker fans – Callahan is out of town – and Nebraska opens with four straight home games.  The problem will be not how many points they can hang on Western Michigan, San Jose State, and New Mexico State, but how much confidence can be built on the defensive side of the ball before they play Virginia Tech.  Prediction if Nebraska beats Virginia Tech – they go 10-2 and win the Big 12 North – if they don’t – they go 8-4 tied for second with Colorado.

Missouri – The easy South schedule has made it to Daniel Chase’s door-step and they need to take advantage.  Missouri opens with Illinois – this game last year was a score fest that kicked off the season for both programs in the right direction.  This year it is vitally important for Missouri to get a win against Illinois – the Big 12 can be the talk of the country this first half of the season, but teams have to come through with some big wins.  This is one of them.  If Missouri wins – I predict the winner of the Nebraska – Missouri game on October 4 will fore-tell who wins the North.  Unfortunately, I don’t think it will be Missouri (I hate Nebraska).  Prediction Missouri 7-5 and Chase does not even get an invite to the Heisman ceremony.

Finally – Kansas State – I don’t know what to say – I know we went out and got 20-some Juco’s; I know our team fell apart in the second half of the season like a cheap tortilla; I also know that being skeptical gets us no where.  So, here is to believing that last year’s defensive issues were all based on the 3-4:  Ron Prince still needs to define himself as the head coach, some of us may have some opinions on his success or lack there of at this point, but an objective point of view would still not be decided.  K-state’s season will come down to momentum and the ability to maintain it.  Last year we lost it against KU and we were never able to recapture it.  This year Prince needs to take each win in stride and understand that it is not one win that defines a season, but the final win-loss record.  That being said, I think K-state could be more interesting to watch this year because of their new receiving tight end (pictured below), but our results will be similar.  Prediction 7-5 and a low-lying fruit of a bowl game.

South Preview to come. . . here is to K-state winning it all.

So in the offseason there is Life.  

It is hard to recognize without the Saturday morning Tailgate parties or the Sunday morning hangovers, but life does go on.  As time passes so changes how we deal with our off-season.  Some of us have gained responsibilities in life, others of us continue to live in the past.  For those of us who have seen our lives revolve into one big stress-ball of responsibility, the coming of football season is a welcome sight along the horizon.

 I must admit, I do not read the Athlon magazine articles about each team in the NCAA, or even the Big 12 for that matter, but I still feel like I have the same level of excitement as I had in my pre-life-happens years.  I may not have the same level of intensity, that leads to shouting matches over who will win what league, or who deserves a chance at the national championship, but get a few beers in me and you may recognize that person. 

Football seasons and the ambience that comes with each season needs to be savored.  Whether you watch football at a sports bar with some good buddies, at the sporting event live, or at home with your own children there are always things to take away from that experience.  Obviously some are more fun to read about then others, but they all tell a story about an American Sports Fan that can still remember the days in little league where there was a winner and a loser.

I will try to capture these events in writing and pictures and pass them along to you, often times because I am bored, but perhaps also in hope that there are others out there that too are living the dream that is an American Sports Fan.  You will quickly notice that I will tend to lean on the side of political incorrectness and choose sides more times than not – especially in football (my political background has yet to be laid). 

So, as my life in Salina (Part Deux) continues, feel free to read my quick bits on football viewing in the household, or my gameday excursions to Manhattan, or my attempt to find a sports bar in the land of few.

Final Food for Thought:  If there is already one of me, and I am successfully developing new little mes, than I don’t care what CNN says, the Good Guys are winning!