Monday Grab Bag: Well, it could've been worse

Halloween's over, which means we can move on to the 2 month's long Christmas season. Egg nog for all! On with the bag...

Buffs Lose: What did you really expect from this game? If not for us playing in prevent defense from the opening kickoff, and Bob Stoops displaying some mercy by calling off the dogs early in the 3rd Quarter, OU could've racked up 75+ points and 700 yards of passing. I'm not kidding, we're that much worse than they are. As it was, OU racked up 488 yards through the air and 635 yards overall. The Buffs seemed reluctant to try and stop the Sooner offense, instead preferring to sit back and try not to be broken over the top. Time after time to Sooners ran the same swing pass to the running back to keep drives moving down the field (OU RB's combined for 14 catches) wihtout an adjustment by the CU defense, and, when they grew tired of that, our 4 quarters of prevent defense couldn't keep All-World WR Ryan Broyles from getting 9 catches for 208 yards and 3 scores.

While the defense was looking tired and indifferent, the offense was looking impotent. Finding less than 300 yards of offense on the evening, the Buffs were inefficient and non-threatening against a Sooner defense that had been the team's lone weak spot. Rodney Stewart was a singular bright spot gaining 90 yards on 19 carries, even keeping drives alive on some nice runs between the tackles.

I guess my point on this game is that it could've been worse. We knew it was going to be bad, and were in damage control from the opening kickoff. From what I saw, our gameplan was not to even attempt to win, but to keep the Sooners from completely embarrassing us; such is the state of CU football. We know from logical assumptions, press insinuations, and information from reliable sources that Hawk is gone at the end of the year; the decision is already been made, and that we are just waiting for the clock to run out. At this point all we are doing by keeping him around is getting the program embarrassed and kids hurt. With firing him, I think it takes the weight of his impending doom away from the season, and allows the kids to handle their own destiny. If we're going to fire him in 26 days, what good does it do to keep him around any longer?

(Hawk, staring metaphorically at his bleak future. From: The BDC)

Coaching Situation: I'm told that by keeping Hawk we're preventing terrible things from happening; that firing Hawk today, and not November 27th, would damage recruiting, and end any chance of getting to a bowl game. I would respond by saying that as currently coached the team will lose at least 3 more games, if not all 4, and that recruiting is certainly not helped by a man who knows he doesn't have a job come two days after Thanksgiving (In fact he could permanently damage the current recruiting class, if it hasn't been damaged already). If Hawk was delusional, running to the press with hyperventilated rantings of turning the ship around, never say die and all of that, I might buy that there is something to be gained from his continued employment for one more month, if only from the power of crazy. As it is, he's a beaten man who can't even get through a press conference anymore. I think Hawk hurts, both for his situation and for his team. He cares, a little too much, about the kids he coaches, as has been evidenced by his sticking with Goodman yet being too worried to watch his kick Saturday. (He couldn't bear to watch another Goodman failure because he truly cares about the kid; he knows Goodman is not up to the job, but sticks with him out of loyalty.) The overall situation cannot be good for him; as it is he has a hollow look to his eyes. This needs to end now, for everyone's sake.

I know Mike Bohn dislikes the idea of firing coaches in mid-season; his perspective is that it hurts the kids, and part of me wants to agree with that. But, in my opinion, the kids are being done a disservice by their current head coach. The team is spark-less and directionless; like a 18th Century Frigate with no "wind in 'er sails." That "wind" isn't going to come from a head coach that has nothing to coach for. Perhaps an interim coach could spark something, possibly even a true effort to get to a bowl game. Perhaps an interim coach would fight to gain some attention for the talent there is on the team. As it is, the 2010 CU Buffaloes are just going through the motions, and that is doing no one any good, and is only going to result is more losses and injuries.

Bowl!? I just hope we can win another game...: Former NFL head coach Jim Mora once had a famous rant where he mockingly disagreed with the insinuation that his team could still make it to the playoffs. It's similar to this current CU team; we ain't making it to a bowl, and I mockingly scoff at any insinuations to the contrary. While I love the talk of a bowl game for the simple fact that it shows that the players and Buff nation still have spirit, the fact remains that this team is going nowhere. Yes, there is still something to play for, but do you really expect this team, coached in this way, to win 3 of 4 games against Big XII opponents? I think we still have one more win in our bag of tricks, but that's about the extent of the fight left in the dog.

Lebron James rethinks decision: Hey, look, Lebron James has finally conceded that he made a mistake in dedicating an hour-long telecast to ripping the heart out of an entire city. I'm honestly surprised it's taken him this long to admit his mistake in playing-up his vicious backstabbing of the entire city of Cleveland. He's a good marketer, and I know he's noticed the decline in his nation-wide favorability, but shouldn't he have noticed this right away? I'm sure "The Decision" sounded great to him at the time, but any non-biased entity would've told him that it was a bad idea. ESPN certainly wasn't going to tell him no since they would reap rewards regardless how it was perceived by the public. That Lebron admits his mistake is a good step, I just think that it's a little late and the the damage to his public perception has been done. Viciously tweeting about your retribution schemes certainly doesn't help, either. Expect an apology for his twitter account in 3-4 months.

World Series: I've been pleasantly surprised by the Giants play. Lincecum beat the suddenly mortal Cliff Lee in game 1, and, after the awesome performance of Madison Bumgarner (!) last night, they are one win away from walking off with the franchise's first title since 1954. Besides the good pitching performances, they've played good D and have hit very well. I thought the Rangers would win for sure, but, with the Giants on the brink of a title, I'm moderately happy for them.

(These Giants are one win away... From: Fox Sports)

The NFL and Suicide Pools: I was glued to the Chiefs-Bills game yesterday; weird, I know. Had the Bills pulled the upset, I'd be sitting quite pretty in my NFL Suicide Pool (In a weak week, Most people had the Chiefs as their pick); as it is I am one of 117 left out of the original 1500 entries in my pool (big prizes on the line, btw). I think NFL Suicide Pools are the best fantasy game available; it's all up to you. In regular fantasy football, if you have a bad draft, your season is essentially over. With suicide pools, it's all on your shoulders to pick a winner each week, while saving strong teams for the rest of the season. Strategy, football knowledge, week-to-week intrigue; it's all there. Best. Fantasy. Invention. Ever.

Happy Monday!