Are you ready for some football?

I sure as heck am. Stewie Mandel over at SI lists the top ten defining games coming up this season, two of which involve Texas:

4. Oklahoma vs. Texas, Oct. 11. While it’s no guarantee the two Red River rivals will make it to their Shootout unscathed — Oklahoma faces early challenges from Cincinnati, Washington and TCU; Texas faces old nemesis Arkansas — they’re still likely to be vying for no less than a Big 12 championship. Between them, the two schools have won five of the past six crowns (though the Sooners claimed all but one of those).

* * *

7. Texas at Texas Tech, Nov. 1. The schedule sets up favorably for the Red Raiders — who return QB Graham Harrell, WR Michael Crabtree and eight other starters on offense — to make a run at their first Big 12 South title, but to do so they’ll almost certainly have to snap their five-game losing streak to the Longhorns. The ever-outspoken Mike Leach claims poor officiating contributed to the past two defeats.

By the way, ESPN recently voted both Texas’s victory over USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl as the best BCS game ever (Texas also held the number 4 spot for its 2005 Rose Victory over Michigan), and Vince Young’s performance in that game as the best individual BCS performance ever (with his 2005 Rose Bowl performance against Michigan coming in third).

Speaking of his Vinceness, his coach, Jeff Fisher, used VY as an example at the NFL Rookie Symposium this past weekend of just how far the reach of the modern media is:

The first [picture] showed Young posing with fellow participants in a panel discussion during last year’s rookie symposium.

“You recognize the second guy from the left?” Fisher said. “He was here last year, and you know what he talked about? He talked about off-the-field (behavior) … how you guys have got to be really careful because … one little cell phone camera that sends out (photos or video from) here and it ends up here. And guess what? You’re embarrassed.”

Fisher then called for the next slide, taken from photos that recently circulated on the Internet. It was of Young, shirtless and partying. Additional slides showed the quarterback drinking what appeared to be tequila straight from a bottle.

Fisher’s point: The only time an NFL player has a chance to ever truly be considered “off the field” is when he is in the privacy of his home, without any cameras capturing him in compromising situations.

“You are ‘on the field’ when you walk out the front door,” Fisher said.

Thx to Texas Football, Stewie Mandel, and NFL.com

 

A federal order that would make the Southwest Conference proud

1963 UT Law graduate and U.S. Western District Judge James Nowlin issued a deposition scheduling order yesterday that is one of the best (if not the only) examples of football benchslappery I’ve ever seen.

Thx to Tex Parte Blog and Volokh

 

How Texas law schools should be ranked

The U.S. News & World Report law school rankings have long been criticized for numerous and valid reasons by people who know of what they speak (unlike myself), but I think Res Ipsa has crystalized what criteria should really be considerd when ranking law schools—if the purpose in ranking these schools is to help inform where an aspiring applicant will spend the next the three years of indentured legal servitude.

Namely, return on one’s dollar.

Most law school students could care less about most of the indices USNWR uses to rank law schools, namely the size of a school’s library, median entering GPAs or LSAT scores, per capita expenditures, or even the employment rate for graduates (because what does it matter that you have a job if that job pays far less than the amount of money you just shelled out for the privilege of securing said job). Of much more importance to most law school students is the relative assurance they have that a given law school will provide them with an education that will likely allow them to attain a positive net worth at some point in their lives.

There are only three law schools in Texas where a graduate will, on average, make more in their first year of practice than they paid in tuition for three glorious years of legal tutelage: UT, Houston, and Texas Tech.

However, I would add two columns to Res Ipsa’s excellent comparison chart above (and if I weren’t much lazier than Res Ipsa, I’d add in Thurgood Marshall’s numbers as well): the return ratio of these schools when you factor in room and board (which all of us know who survived law school grossly underestimates the essential “beer” portion of the “board” figure, not to mention all kinds of other significant costs like books, etc.).

Taking into account room and board, nobody makes enough their first year to make up for what they expended during law school, but some schools fall so woefully low on the this list that I think the fallacy of the USNWR ranking of these schools is revealed.

So, according to USNWR, SMU is the second best school in Texas, but according to the modified return rate ranking, it’s one of the very worst. Same with Baylor (third best according to USNWR, sixth out of eight schools measured according to the modified return rate ranking).

However, USNWR did accurately rank UT as the best law school in Texas, and came awfully close on both Houston (third versus second) and Texas Tech (fourth versus third).

So, all hype and boosterism aside, I think one would have a pretty hard time arguing UT, Houston, and Texas Tech are not the top three law schools in the state. Conversely, it’s hard to rank either Baylor or SMU in the top three when you consider how much longer it will—on average—take a graduate to make back their law school investment.

I freely and anectdotally admit however that—hands down—the most impressive and intellectually-imposing lawyers I’ve ever worked with, against, or for were largely SMU and Baylor grads.

All this aside, it goes without saying that if you graduate in the top ten percentile, have served on a journal (or better yet, been pubished in or been selected to the executive board of said journal), you will likely be able to secure a clerkship somewhere and then go on to make oodles of money in the private sector, if so desired.

* * * MEA CULPA UPDATE * * *

Having had some time this afternoon to reflect on this morning’s rant, I think I have to temper my enthusiasm for the modified return rate metric somewhat. Namely, I don’t think that it is as indicative of the best law schools in the state as it is merely a investment-value measurement.

While I believe that average starting salaries among Texas law schools are misleading because I would posit that SMU, Houston, and South Texas’s numbers are biased upward because most of schools’ graduates remain in either Dallas or Houston to practice, and St. Mary’s is largely as low as it is because a large percentage of its graduates remain in San Antonio to practice, average starting salary is still probably a greater reflection of school prestige than is a return rate index.

Under my reasoning put forward earlier today, Harvard, Yale, and Stanford would all likely have much lower return rate rankings than their state school brethren, but no one could argue that these schools are not the best in their respective states, if not the country.

Thx to Res Ipsa

 

Writ of please go away

This blog’s newfound buddy, Adam “[Gee, maybe I'm not so] Bulletproof” Reposa, is–unfortunately–back in the news.

Tex Parte Blog just came across the ad mentioned here a few months ago and used quite effectively by the prosecution as an exhibit at Reposa’s trial for demonstrating an alternative hand sign for “contempt.”

Reposa has filed a writ of habeas corpus with the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals complaining his 90-day contempt sentence is excessive. In his writ, Reposa alleges that he was denied due process and due course of law when “Judge Davis declined to follow criminal procedure in ascertaining applicant’s guilt” by allowing the state to introduce evidence of extraneous conduct, i.e., the ad mentioned above from something called Whoopsy magazine, which is apparently distributed in some Austin clubs.

Of course it is.

In a letter sent by one of Reposa’s attorneys to the State Bar’s Advertising Review Committee responding to the committee’s letter that threatened to report Reposa to the State Bar’s grievance committee, Reposa’s counsel justified the ad (presumably with a straight face) by stating:

If one was acquainted with Mr. Reposa when he was 11 years old, then they might connect this parody with him, but otherwise, no casual reader would regard this parody as an advertisement for a specific lawyer.

No, of course not. Except for the fact that the ad repeatedly mentions it references an Austin DWI attorney who has given himself the moniker, “Bulletproof.” It just so happens that there’s only one Austin DWI attorney–or any attorney in the state for that matter–who [in]famously holds himself out with the nickname “Bulletproof.”

Surely no one could connect those disparate dots?

Thx to Tex Parte Blog, Texas Lawyer, and Awesomeness For Awesome’s Sake

 

The turncoat gene

Few who read this blog may be old enough to remember Carole Keeton Strayhorn Rylander McClellan’s 1986 run for Congress, but I do.

Back in ‘86, Carole “Keeton McClellan”–as she was then known–made enemies of her Democrat compatriots when she abruptly resigned from the State Board of Insurance with a full three years left on her term, and promptly switched parties so that she could run against the revered and longserving District 10 congressional representative, J.J. Jake Pickle. It wasn’t so much that people begrudged her ambition, but that she would so brazenly and inelegantly attempt to displace an LBJ-era icon in Central Texas politics who was literally beloved by his constituents.

In fact, so deserving of his constitutents’ affection was Congressman Pickle that I remember a tale told at his 2005 funeral that, throughout his years in Congress, he kept his home telephone number listed in the Austin phonebook so he was always—literally—just a phone call away from those who elected him.

Well, the Washington Times reports today that, ‘lo and behold, Mama Carole may have had something to do with her son’s recent partisan about-face with his former boss, 43.

Lil’ Scotty’s on the left.

Thx to the Washington Times and the Austin Chronicle

 

Dynamic Duo

The two best running backs in UT history, and two of the best that ever took a handoff for that matter, played together at a golf tournament earlier this week.

Ricky reflected on his uneven professional career and revealed that Dolphins Executive Vice President of Football Operations Bill Parcells went out of his way to retain Ricky, much to the UT legend’s surprise.

Meanwhile, Earl had some sage advice for another great UT running back, Cedric Benson, and his recent boating adventures on Lake Travis (of note, Ricky revealed Cedric had invited him to join the merry mariners that Saturday, but Ricky declined):

I think at some point you have to stand up and take responsibility and realize that you not only represent Cedric Benson and the Chicago Bears and your family. It’s bigger than that …. You represent the university family. You as a man should have some pride in what you do …. Right now, everybody remembers Cedric Benson by what happened up on the lake. Nobody remembers what a great football player he is …. You’ve kind of got to start thinking, and you’ve kind of got to do it before you get 52 years old, you know?

Pretty sage advice from Earl. He more than anyone knows that when it’s all over with, former UT players are often more embraced and honored here in Texas for their contributions to the Longhorns than by the NFL fans of the teams for which they later played.

This reunion of UT greats reminded me of an interview the two did together about a decade ago, when UT was still routinely getting shellacked by nationally prominent opponents.

Now’s a good time to remember two of my favorite Earl runs, the first is from his UT days, and the second comes at about 1:13 from his legendary Oiler career. I don’t know if I’ve seen another running back who, from a standstill, could take one stutter-step and then knock an NFL defensive lineman on his backside.

Thx to Earl, Ricky, and the Statesman

 

Retentionally yours

Ever wondered what the retention rates are at Texas law schools? Glad you asked, Tex Parte Blog just so happens to have the rankings, care of Above the Law:

University of Houston Law Center: 1.79%
SMU Dedman School of Law: 1.81%
University of Texas School of Law: 2.13%
Texas Tech University School of Law: 2.99%
South Texas College of Law: 4.45%
Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law: 6.99%
Baylor University School of Law: 7.23%
Texas Wesleyan University School of Law: 10.15%

These numbers are pretty interesting. I wonder if the schools with higher attrition rates advertised themselves as being more prestigious than their students found them to actually be, or if some other causal factor is at work.

I must say that I’m fairly shocked that UT’s attrition rate is as high as it is (and only third best in the state). Where are UT students transferring to I wonder?

Thx to Tex Parte Blog and Above the Law

 

The Mack Brown Distinguished Chair for Leadership in Global Affairs

That’s right UT Head Football Coach Mack Brown has an endowed academic chair in global affairs at UT’s LBJ School of Public Affairs.

Now, the title doesn’t mean Coach Brown actually teaches at the LBJ School, but instead that a professor does whose salary is paid by the chair’s endowment.

Brown now joins two other legendary college football coaches–Joe Paterno at Penn State and Woody Hayes at Ohio State–as the only three in the nation to have academic chairs endowed in their name.

In fact, in two weeks Coach Paterno will be in Austin, along with NFL Hall of Famer Lynn Swann to headline a fundraising dinner aimed at raising the final $500,000 needed to fully fund Coach Brown’s chair. The athletic department donated an initial $500,000 to establish the chair, and the LBJ Foundation has raised another $1 million in the interim.

If you are interested in attending, dinner tickets are $1,000, tickets for the VIP reception are $25,000, and co-chairs sponsorships are $100,000.

Thx to Texas Politics

 

Yet another reason why Alamo Drafthouse is the best theatre chain in the country

My wife and I have long been fans of the Alamo Drafthouse for its great food, fantastic beer selection, and Austin ethic, but now we have even more reason to love the Alamo thanks to the TABC.

The downtown Alamo can now serve liquor!!!! Whooohooo!!!!

Now, I can actually watch Goldfinger while sipping on my very own shaken vodka martini. It just doesn’t get any better than that.

Thx to the TABC and the Alamo Drafthouse

 

Kim Possible

The sky is the limit for first-term Austin City Councilwoman Jennifer Kim. When it comes to allocating the $260,000 a year with which her office is endowed (nominally to pay for the member’s salary and that of their staff), Councilwoman Kim has appropriated generously.

Oh, not on salaries mind you or other public expenses that wouldn’t raise the eyebrows of Austin’s taxpayers, but on questionable items such as:

$921 for a three-night stay at the W hotel in Manhattan
$700 for a membership to Continental Airlines’ ‘President’s Club’
$550 for a Sharper Image air purifier
$400 for 20 copies of Discover Your Strengths
$232 in Crane and Company brand stationary
$86 in Vera Wang barware
$67 for a Steam Wizard from The Sharper Image
$59 each for “Executive Rollerball” pens from The Sharper Image.

Using taxpayer dollars to buy designer barware, and a stay at a trendy Manhattan hotel? Has she been reading the Pedernales Co-op’s guide to fiscal responsibility?

When asked about these expenditures by a local reporter, Kim defended her acquisitional judgment by saying, “I spend what I need to out of my budget to be able to do the job. And in the beginning, it was a brand new office, a brand new staff, there were a lot of things that we needed.”

Like Vera Wang barware. Riiiiight.

I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt on the pens (my Mont Blanc makes those look reasonable), the stationary, the suit steamer, the travel club membership, etc., but–despite being an Aggie–she should know enough not to use public funds to buy any of these items from expensive vendors, if at all.

This is not the first example of Kim’s poor judgment however. In early 2007, she created a furor by indignantly attempting to bypass airport security at ABIA, claiming nonexistent VIP status. When informed her status as a member of the Austin City Council conferred her no special security rights, Kim said “I didn’t know it was a [Transportation Security Administration (TSA)] issue, … I thought since it was our airport and we own it, and if we are pre-cleared, we could get through.”

Uh, ask anyone who has flown since 9/11 if they are aware TSA runs airport security.

As reported elsewhere, Kim’s antics have made her hard to work with, running through at least three executive aides since she took office in 2005.

Her airport shenanigans have even given her electoral opponent a campaign slogan, “I’ll be happy to stand in line with you at the airport anytime.”

Thx to KVUE’s Political Junkie, the Austin Chronicle, News 8 Austin, and PinkDome

 

The gift that just keeps on giving …

Just when you thought the Adam “Bulletproof” Reposa saga couldn’t get any more convoluted and strange, it does.

Turns out that Reposa’s former law partner, Bruce Garrison–who I assumed severed ties with Reposa after Reposa was sentenced to ninety days in jail for contempt of court–may have been given the boot by Reposa instead.

Back in November of ‘07, Garrison was charged with six felony counts of tampering with a government record and forgery relating to his alleged forging of several local judges’ signatures on bonds. Now, the best part, one of the judges whose signature Garrison forged was none other Benchslapper in Chief nominee Jan Breland.

That’s right, the same judge before whom Garrison’s former law partner later demonstrated the hand sign for “contempt of court.”

Small wonder she had little patience for Reposa’s antics in light of his former law partner’s demonstrated disregard for Judge Breland’s office. What is more, just days after Garrison was indicted for creatively obtaining judicial orders, he was indicted again for possessing marijuana, and possessing with the intent to deliver a controlled substance.

Apparently the two sets of indictments are related as described by one of the other judges whose signature Garrison forged:

Signing a judge’s name wouldn’t slow a drug addict down a bit[,] … [w]hen you have problems such as Mr. Garrison’s, you need money, and when you’re desperate for money, you’ll steal from your parents, you’ll steal from your friends, you’ll forge judge’s signatures on bonds.

Garrison’s illicit activities have resulted in the indefinite suspension of his law license by the Texas Bar. So, while it is still unclear how the two parted company, it is hard to fathom two lawyers more aptly suited to practice together.

Thx to Awesomeness for Awesome’s Sake, Tex Parte Blog, and KXAN

 

How does this man still have a law license?

Not only that, how did U.T. Law ever admit–much less allow to graduate–this buffoon? The depth and breadth of Adam “Bulletproof” Reposa’s idiocy is even greater than I feared.

* * * WARNING–NSFW language * * *

Can’t imagine why his former law partner, being “directed” by Reposa above, would have jumped at the chance to wind down the partnership once “jailbait” Reposa was thrown in the hoosegow.

Even more disturbing is a piece of evidence introduced at Reposa’s recent trial on contempt charges for making onanistic hand gestures in court. At the hearing, Assistant D.A. Randy Leavitt introduced a copy of a newspaper ad Professor Reposa actually ran here in Austin, entitled DWI Stud, which depicts him having sex with a woman dressed like a police officer and reads:

Check out Austin’s hottest DWI TAPES from cases where people were found NOT GUILTY. There are lots of DWI LAWYERS in town, but how many TAPES do they have? Who can put it down in the courtroom, and make them take it like he wants? BULLETPROOF, THE DWI STUD That’s who…You’d be a fool not to check out this man’s body of work. Watch him perform and then, you decide who you want.

If anyone had any question why his ninety-day sentence was more draconian than some might have expected, look no further than that ad.

Thx to Lowering the Bar and Awesomeness for Awesome’s Sake

 

Bucky and Bob

Last week, the venerable KVET morning show relaunched after the untimely departure of Sammy Allred from its airwaves with the ingenious pairing of former U.T. running backs coach Bucky Godbolt with KVET veteran Bob Cole.

After Sammy left KVET this past fall and Erin Hogan left the Buck on Sports back in January, my mornings just hadn’t been the same. I’m glad to report, however, that while I was and still am sad to see both Sammy and Erin go, the new pairing of Bucky and Bob is fantastic. They really complement each other, and I think the mixture of sports and Austin politics both broadens the show’s appeal and cements its ownership of the niche.

I look forward to listening to these two for many more years to come.

* * * UPDATE * * *

Governor Perry, who just announced he’ll likely run again in 2010, stopped by the show yesterday to chat with Bucky and Bob.

Thx to KVET and Bucky and Bob

 

Grutter v. Bollinger v. Fisher

Tex Parte Blog notes that a new race-based admissions challenge has been filed against UT, this time seeking to flesh out just how narrowly-tailored the “narrowly tailored use of race in admissions decisions” described in Grutter v. Bollinger, 539 U.S. 306 (2003) must be in order not to run afoul of the Equal Protection Clause.

It is interesting to note that the new case, styled Fisher v. Texas, is pending before Western District of Texas Judge Sam Sparks, who is the same judge who heard the last challenge to a U.T. race-based admission policy in Hopwood v. Texas, 861 F.Supp. 551 (W.D. Tex. 1994), overruled by Hopwood v. Texas, 78 F. 3d 932 (5th Cir. 1996).

Thx to Tex Parte Blog

 

Hook ‘Em Barack

Pretty cool deal for the players today in Austin, getting to pal around with the Democrat frontrunner.

And this, in a nutshell, is why Barack is doing so well. Do any of us think that Hillary or John McCain would be hanging out with the hometown football team just a few hours before a make-or-break debate on national TV? I certainly don’t.

And that is why Barack is so formidable to Republicans (and Hlllary for that matter), because he has the innate ability to connect with all kinds of people and almost has that George W. Bush quality (sacrilege to compare the two I know) of being a guy you’d want to hang out with and maybe throw back a beer with.

BTW, am glad that Colt looks like he’s ready to pummel some Sooner hide.

Thx to BevoBeat

 

Finally–Vince gets schooled

Guess what VY is doing this offseason? Vacationing in exotic locales, throwing his rookie millions away on some expensive frivolities? Nope.

He’s enrolled at UT for the spring semester working towards getting his degree as he promised he would when he left early for the NFL.

Kudos to Vince for keeping his word to the UT community (and to his mom by the way).

*** UPDATE ***

Video of the local media’s interview with Vince.

Thx to the Statesman

 

Farewell to a legend

Famed Longhorn legend Rooster Andrews passed away earlier this week. Read this excellent story in the Statesman for the full accounting of his life, but just know that Ausitn has truly lost one of its favorite sons.

I remember going into the Rooster Andrews off of Anderson Lane to get my first baseball and football equipment. Now that I have a boy of my own, it sure would be neat to take him into a Rooster Andrews to buy his soccer gear.

Our condolences to the Andrews family, and eternal thanks to Rooster for all he did for the City of Austin and the University of Texas.

 

Major returns home

In another encouraging offseason move, Mack Brown brought Major Applewhite back to Texas last week. Major elected to leave his position as OC for the Crimson Tide under Nick Saban to be the new running backs coach at Texas.

If nothing else, Major will bring some good mojo back to the Texas sidelines that we have sorely missed these last two, long years.

Thx to the Statesman

 

Who should have won

SI confirms what we all already know, VY should have won the 2005 Heisman. We here at SMSB have not been shy about pointing out how VY has owned Reggie Bush, from the 2005 National Title game, to winning the 2006 NFL Rookie of the Year, to whupping Reggie head-to-head earlier this season on MNF.

According to SI, not only was Bush’s 2005 Heisman bogus, Leinert’s ‘04 Heisman was as well because Adrian Peterson clearly should have won that year instead.

Thx to SI

 

From the Didja No file

Random Austin factoids.

Did you know Mia Hamm is married to Nomar Garciaparra?

And did you further know that they have eight month-old twin daughters, Grace and Ava?

And that Mia and Mack have been fast friends since their days together at UNC?

And finally, that Mia and Nomar live in Austin in the off-season?

Well, now you do, class is adjourned.

Thx to MackBrown-TexasFootball

 

May there yet be BCS hope for Texas?

If Stewie Mandel has anything to do with it, we just might. Texas hasn’t been in this at-large BCS berth position since the 2005 Rose Bowl invitation that led to the 38-37 victory over Michigan.

Thx to Stewart Mandel

 

The first UT highlight film worth watching in a long time

It has been a rough season thus far for the Longhorns, but Jamaal Charles gave us a glimpse of of some happier times this past Saturday. In rushing for three scores and 216 yards in the fourth quarter alone, Jamaal put the team on his back and rushed them to victory over the soon-to-be-in-the-market-for-a-new-head-coach Cornhuskers.

Thx to Bevo Beat and YouTube

 

This just in, Vince OWNS Reggie Bush

During my forced hiatus, a lot has happened in VY’s world. Since America’s sportswriters concluded their love-in with Reggie and awarded him the Heisman Trophy back in 2005, VY has made it his personal mission in life to upstage his diminutive colleague in every meeting.

No doubt, everyone remembers the greatest college football game ever played in which VY more than doubled Reggie’s rushing total (200 yds. to 82 yds.), and in which Reggie’s signature play was an ill-advised and unnecessary lateral to a surprised teammate. Well, add to that now VY’s dismantling of the once-mighty []aints on Monday Night Football last week by the score of 31-14.

Just this past Sunday on 60 Minutes, we gained some insight into perhaps why VY seems to save some of his best performances for when he plays opposite Reggie. During a revealing interview with Scott Pelley (who once attended Texas Tech by the way), VY admitted that he is still peeved at losing the Heisman to Bush, and so always feels the need to demonstrate why the award was wrongly bestowed. Just like Jordan, Vince remembers the slights and uses them to flat-out embarrass those who would dismiss him; gotta love it.

Eternal thx to VY

 

The Longhorns’ 2007-08 helmet honoring Lady Bird Johnson

The Longhorns will don bluebonnets on their helmets this year to honor the passing of Lady Bird Johnson.

While I’m generally against the concept of putting flower decals on football helmets, here, it is not only quintessentially Texan (for you out-of-staters, the bluebonnet is our state flower) but entirely appropriate in light of Lady Bird’s tireless efforts to beautify our Great State. I can imagine few better ways to honor one of Texas’ favorite daughters than by having our state’s greatest football team honor her memory.

Thx to BevoBeat

 

To kickoff the 2007-08 college football season, I give you …

The greatest college football game ever played (at least as far as I’m concerned).

Thx to YouTube

 

Texas preseason consensus no. 4

The AP poll came out yesterday (which no longer factors into the BCS formula at the AP’s own request, but which still crowns its own national champion at the end of the season), and Texas is in at no. 4, just like in the Coaches’ poll of a few weeks ago.

What’s great about the AP poll, as opposed to the others, is that you can see how individual voters cast their ballots. For instance, Texas’ hometown sportswriter, Kirk Bohls, only voted Texas no. 6.

However, showing no regional bias whatsoever, Oklahoma’s own John Hoover of the world-reknown Tulsa World, voted Texas no. 17, and Oklahoma no. 9.

Two-thirds of the ESPN Gameday crew voted Texas no. 2 (Fowler), and no. 6 (Herbstreit).

Thx to the AP Top 25 College Poll and ESPN

 

SI has Texas at no. 8

But that’s okay, because the BCS formula doesn’t include the SI poll, and the Coaches’ poll has Texas at no. 4.

Thx to SI

 

Texas in at no. 4

In the inaugural 2007 Coaches’ poll, Texas is ranked number four, behind USC (1), LSU (2), and defending champ Florida (3).

Thx to ESPN

 

According to ESPN, Texas is the third most dominant football program of the last ten years

Behind only USC and Ohio State. However, when you take a closer look at the numbers, a dang good argument can be made that UT should be first.

Mack (98-28 )has more wins than do Pete Carroll(90-35) or Jim Tressel(97-28), and Mack has a season’s worth of less losses than does Pete Carroll, and the same amount of losses as Jimbo.

Moreover, Mack has a better winning percentage both overall (.778) and in bowl games (6-4) than do Petie (.720; 4-3 ) or Tressel (.776; 5-4).

Eternal thx to Mack and begrudging thx to ESPN

 

Big 12 media pick Texas to win the South

Let’s hope Colt has been doing some neck work since last season.

Thx to the Statesman