Thursday’s With Raider: Unleash Your Awesomeness
Raider Thoughts
Do you see why being pessimistic is not only a default setting for Ute fans, but is an easy way to live?
For over a season now, the way to beat us has been simple: stop the run (aka John White), and make the warm body at QB beat you. Mind you, White getting 96 yards isn’t terrible, but “not terrible” bothers me in a game like that. And give Gary Anderson a ton of credit. Wynn, Hays and even Wilson to a certain extent all have some significant weaknesses, so of course you take the chance on Wynn either underperforming or getting hurt.
I won’t identify the people (as we both probably know them personally) who were lamenting the fact that Hays was so maligned by the fan base last year as though he’s this poor, sensitive delicate flower who just needs some warm milk and a plate of cookies. But I’m just old enough to remember the collection of QBs we have had that now currently reside in the Ute Island of Misfit Quarterbacks. Johnathan Crosswhite, Mike Fouts, T.D. Crowshaw, Tommy Grady, Corbin Louks, Lance Rice just to name several. Surely one would be kidding themselves if they didn’t believe that Hays and in turn Jordan Wynn doesn’t belong in this group somehow. Any of you can feel free to cuss me out for not having much hope for the remainder of the season with Hays but I’m not convinced that throwing Wilson to the wolves is the best idea either.
Moreover, whenever there’s a debacle or epic fail of this variety, every other huge embarrassing defeat flashes before my eyes. Kaneishiro. UNLV in 07. The four debacles to Boise State. Harline. Staley. 4th and 18. Andrew George. Ten years ago when we could have beaten Michigan in Ann Arbor if Lance Rice weren’t our QB. Last year against Colorado. All of those and then some came to mind when I stood there annoyed beyond all get out as the USU students stormed the field on Friday. Admittedly, I’m probably overreacting, but I cannot be blamed for it at this stage. Let’s get to the games this week before I dwell on this any further…well, that and so I can go out of my way to not analyze anything.
MAC Thoughts
Oh I don’t hardly think anyone blames you in the least. But I had a thought, if you ranked Crosswhite, Fouts, Crowshaw, Grady, Rice, Hays, Wynn, Arceneaux, Ratliff, Johnson, Smith essentially 17 years of Ute QB’s. What would it look like.
1. Alex Smith
2. Brian Johnson
3. Jordan Wynn
4. Brett Ratliff
6. Darnell Arceneaux
7. Jon Hays
8. Tommy Grady
9. Mike Fouts
10. Lance Rice
11. TD Crowshaw
I assume our friend Pat will weigh in on this subject. But to defend a couple of controversies. Brett Ratliff was a really really awful QB at times. The fact that he holds a clip board and can run the other teams plays in the NFL doesn’t negate what I saw with my own eyes. Darnell like Jordan just couldn’t stay healthy. If he could he’d have been one of the Ute greats.
Wazzu v. UNLV
Raider Thoughts
Looking ahead is a luxury of being a fan, but if we don’t beat Wazzu should it be time to just shut down the whole athletic department and simply devote our resources as a university to offering some of the finest vocational training and cosmetology learning in the entire state? No, I’m not done throwing a fit yet and there’s plenty more where that came from I’m sure.
MAC Thoughts
Honestly doesn’t this game intrigue you just a little. The bottom of our old conference vs the bottom of our new. No, Nothing, Nada… Yeah ok I get it I’m trying too hard.
Cal v. Ohio State
Raider Thoughts
Speaking of Gary Anderson, how soon before his name ends up being mentioned with the Cal job? Of course, this assumes a few things, like Cal having the money to buy out Jeff Tedford, that the Bears don’t all of the sudden rattle off 7 or 8 wins in a row, that USU doesn’t win the 10 or 11 games I believe they will, and that a couple of tectonic plates don’t get a wild hair between now and the bowl season. But other than that–and maybe the fact that Cal would probably not be happy unless it’s a bigger name head coach–will that happen?
MAC Thoughts
Hell I had assumed that Gary would be a lock to go to Corvallis, seems like a perfect place, then Mike Riley decided he wanted to coach again. Colin Cowherd who I normally don’t take advice from, said that if hippies can affect your football program, you’re not a real power. Oregon powered past the hippies but Cal seems stuck. I’m not sure they care who their coach is just that they wake up and learn they haven’t won for awhile again and its time to change.
Tennessee Tech v. Oregon
Raider Thoughts
The Ducks are going to roll, so I thought I would find out some various and sundry on the Tennessee Technological Institute. You have to love an institution that asks a potential student to apply so they can “Unleash Your Awesomeness”. That’s just a good rule of thumb for life, really. When in doubt, just unleash your awesomeness and let the chips fall where they may.
MAC Thoughts
So I went to find out what Tennessee Tech’s mascot is because it is one of the few I don’t know. They are the Golden Eagles and their mascot is named Awesome Eagle. But that isn’t the great part. From 1974-85, he was known as Evil Eagle in honor of Evil Kinivel. Seriously how cool and random is that.
Portland State v. Washington
Raider Thoughts
As with Oregon, the Huskies ought to win this one, so that gives me the chance to ask which city will be stuck reminiscing the 90s for the longest period of time, Portland or Seattle? I doubt I could ever live in either city and I’ve been to both several times.
MAC Thoughts
I’ve always enjoyed Portland far more than Seattle FWIW. Seattle seems ball-suckingly awful to me. But in lieu of this debate I will tell this story. A common friend of ours was attending Portland St. And I flew up to the Rose City to see the big battle between PSU and Montana. That year Civic Stadium was under renovations so they played the game way the hell in the western suburbs, 45 minutes by MAX. On the way back in a guy wearing a MENSA hat started loudly talking about the Titanic. He was some sort of self made expert on the accident. Since it was not too far after the film had come out, I started singing Celine Dion’s, My Heart Will Go On. Quiet at first, then louder to see if Titanic Boy will get it and shut up. He doesn’t. So I end up belting out a 10 minute version of My Heart Will Go On while this guy rambles on and on and two full MAX cars are in hysterics. I always like that story.
Arizona State v. Missouri
Raider Thoughts
Can we dub this game the “Perpetually Slightly Better Than Mediocre Bowl 2012” or am I not in a position to say that right now?
MAC Thoughts
It is always ok to make fun of Arizona State or Missouri. We’re still four years off of a BCS Bowl, so they can lick it.
USC v. Stanford
Raider Thoughts
When I made my moderately sarcastic 25 predictions for this season a few weeks ago, I made the prediction that USC will lose a game that they shouldn’t. I guessed that Arizona would be the game that they would lose, so I’m going to stay true to that prognostication and say that SC rolls in Palo Alto.
MAC Thoughts
I say USC rolls because Stanford just isn’t very good.
Colorado v. Fresno State
Raider Thoughts
I’m not a believer in karma for the most part. Quid pro quo just isn’t always that cut and dry. However, I can’t help but wonder if this malaise of the CU football program isn’t some form of divine payment for 5th down, their 1990 national title, and maybe for the entirety of the Bill McCartney era?
MAC Thoughts
As I’ve mentioned before I have an in with Jon Embree, the best in I’ve ever had with a college coaching staff. So I really really really want this to work. But Embree played for McCartney so maybe you’re on to something.
Houston v. UCLA
Raider Thoughts
Okay, so I was out on a date Saturday night and my date kept asking me why I was looking up at the Nebraska/UCLA game on one of the big screens. I said “don’t you think that UCLA might make a push for the South Division if SC stumbles?” Her reply: “oh I don’t know, honey, Nebraska is kind of overrated this year don’t you think?” Yep, football discussion is the sign that a date is going well.
MAC Thoughts
You had a girl, say that to you on a date? If I may give some advice, marry her now, you won’t do better.
South Carolina State v. Arizona
Raider Thoughts
Given what the Utes will be up to this weekend, I would ask if you would be attending this game, but we must get to the important matter of business this week…
MAC Thoughts
South Carolina St.’s mascot is the Bulldog. Also I’ll probably take this week off, as our two year old made the entire game vs Okie Light and I don’t want to chance it.
Utah v. BYU
Raider Thoughts
Hearken yourself back to 2005, when Brian Johnson got hurt in the New Mexico game the week before the Holy War. Our old friend Pat (who you gentle readers can follow on Twitter at @100ThingsUtah) made the comment that “we will probably lose. We might get blown out”. Do you get that feeling going into this one? Or do you have the hope and prayer that Jon Hays will become another legend among the many in the recent tales of lore in this rivalry? While I don’t necessarily believe that Riley Nelson could pick us apart the way that John Beck and Max Hall definitely could have, it wouldn’t surprise me if that was indeed the case.
MAC Thoughts
I’m so confused, I don’t know what to think. On one hand I believe in our defense. At Utah St., they essentially held them to two drives, one aided by about a million yards in penalties. They forced a few turnovers as well. If we don’t get the punt blocked or that weird Wynn didn’t know the snap was coming play never happens or that horrible GOD AWFUL Offensive PI call never happens, we still likely win that game despite not having an O-line. So maybe I’ve given myself hope. On the other hand, I have no idea what the offense will look like. Plus no matter what happens in this game our next four are at ASU, home vs USC, at UCLA, at Oregon St. That seems so horrible, the wind has really gone out of my sails for this game.
In conclusion, I have no read on this game at all.