The Show Me State: Addendum A

Well, let’s just say this most recent trip to Missouri didn’t “show me” what I wanted to see. Did it show me a pitiful display of University of Texas athletics? Yes. Did it show me that despite top ten recruiting classes for the last umpteen years, the coaches cannot substitute for an injured player? Yes.

Did it show me a win? No.

It is incomprehensible to me that an injured starter, or two, or three is a game crippling event. I can’t wrap my brain around it. Mack, Coach February, is one of the best recruiters in the country. What happens when these kids come to practice with the team?! Do they just hang out around the Gatorade and watch? Do they watch cartoons while the other players are learning routes? Why on earth don’t we have depth at these positions?

God knows the program has enough money and enough coaches to be able to teach every kid on the team how to play football to the extent that they can step in and play football when a starter is out of the game. What are we doing with these resources?

Seriously?

Grrr.  I'm Angry!

One interesting note from the game was watching Mack just completely flip his shit when we got tagged on a personal foul for an absolutely clean hit.  Of course, watching the game in the stadium is different than on TV, but we all were just flipping out.  To watch that many holding calls go un-called and then be nailed on a completely legit hit on an important 3rd down was upsetting.

Don't get me wrong, ref's callas are absolutely not the reason we lost that game, but within five minutes of that hit/personal foul call, I got about a dozen text messages telling me it was total crap. 

I've never seen Mack go nuts like that - he's usually so composed.  Not only did he get up in that ref's face, but he even went to talk to him when he came back from the half.  It's a rare Mack moment.  I thought he was going to go all Gary Patterson on him. 

Of course, Coach Brown didn't take it that far.  His post game mention of the play calling was as PC as always.  I guess wasn't really expecting anything different. 

Truly, Mack knows as well as the rest of us that the reffing was not the reason we lost that game.  We didn't need any help handling that.

If it wasn’t bad enough to lose to Mizzou (did you know that Pinkel, prior to the game, was 0-5 against Mack Brown?) during one of the quarter breaks, they did a stunning and painful salute to the St. Louis Cardinals and their victory over the Texas Rangers in the World Series. It was a little surreal to be sitting in the stands and look over to see the fans actually, literally taunting the Texas fans.

(Side note: During this strange taunting, I looked over and saw an old lady, who I feel was staring directly at me, laughing maniacally and throwing her Horns down. In the week since, twice I’ve dreamed about her and each time she was the old homeless lady in The Princess Bride – “So, bow down to her if you want. Bow to her. Bow to the Queen of Slime, the Queen of Filth, the Queen of Putrescence. Boo! Boo! Rubbish! Filth! Slime! Muck! Boo! Boo!” A little weird, right?)

One thing that I think is completely tacky, but I personally enjoy, is our band. I’ve observed at away games, our traveling band just being complete assholes and stomping all over the home team bands.

In fact, I first noted it the last time we went to Mizzou. We had won the game, and the players were all standing around in the endzone waiting for the Tiger’s alma mater to end so they could play The Eyes of Texas and get back on the freaking bus. The UT Band Director (Dr. Robert Carnochan - I believe this was his first year) finally had waited long enough and started playing The Eyes, right over the other band.

Dr. Crnochan - Rouge
Band Director

Was it arrogant and tacky? Yes. Did I love it? Yes. I won’t pretend otherwise.

In the last few years, I’ve found this happening all around the country when the team travels. That band director is going to lead that band whenever he feels like it. I guess his reasoning is that he only has with him a tiny traveling band, and a major university with their full band should be able to drown out anything he’s got this tiny traveling band playing. He may say that is his reasoning. But it’s not true and he knows it. And it’s awesome.

For instance, in Missouri, there was a big to-do about the Missouri waltz. I guess ol’ Dr. Carnochan doesn’t favor this particular waltz. About halfway through he just started playing some random Texas favorite. You think the Tigers jeered when the Cardinals were honored? They were practically spitting in our direction. Eh.

I guess if you can’t beat them, annoy them with Kashmir.