Everyone knows one. He's the richest guy on the block, in the company or even in your own family. He drives a car that was built in Germany, wears a diamond pinkie ring and Armani suits. It wouldn't be a problem at all, except the guy is nothing but a monumental prick and always reminds you just how well off he is and how your life pales in comparison. That, in a nutshell is Texas fan. The richest program in the NCAA, Big XII titles galore, and an athletic director that not only can go out and hire any coach for any sport that he desires but had the balls and the power to play both Larry Scott and Jim Delaney, commissioners of the Pac 10 and Big Ten respectively last year when they thought they were going to break up the Big XII and become the new power brokers in college athletics. What they got for their efforts was Utah, Colorado and Nebraska. Tough to be considered much of a mover and shaker when you're hanging out with Orrin Hatch and Larry the cable guy.
But all that power and all that success was what made last year so enjoyable watching Texas stumble to a 5-7 record and 2-6 in conference play. Particularly when they went on a 4 game skid, including losses to Iowa State, Baylor and Kansas State after beating the hicks in Lincoln. Well, things like that just don't happen to Texas without someone getting whacked. In this case it was both coordinators and both line coaches. After all, it had to be the coaching right? After all, Texas doesn't recruit players, they select them. Of course, this was the same staff that had the whorns in the national championship game just a year earlier. The important thing is that Mack Brown keeps making his 5 million dollar plus annual salary and nothing like standing up for men that he'd hired and trusted. The simple fact was, Texas discovered they were mortal and sometimes shit just happens to mortals.
At first glance, it looks like Texas will find out a lot about themselves early as their non conference schedule features home games against Rice and BYU before traveling to Los Angeles to face UCLA. I'm not that sold on either the Bruins or Cougars being all that tough and Rice perennially blows so we really may not know much about them until October 8th when they meet Oklahoma in the annual Red River Shootout, which for some reason is still being played at the Cotton Bowl. I'm predicting that to be their first loss of the season, but I think it's going to be followed by at least 3 others. Oklahoma State travels to Austin the following week and that's an extremely losable game for them. Road trips to Texas A&M, Baylor and Missouri are going to be really tough also. Texas will be back in a bowl game this year, and probably contending for conference and national titles again soon, as long as the impatience of their fans and athletic director cause them to make a series of rash decisions. It's the only problem I can see with having a lot of money. You always think you can just buy your way out of any problems.
Next time we'll talk about the little brother of Texas, the A&M Aggies.
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