By the time the A&M-Florida game began on Saturday afternoon, I had worked myself into a total frenzy of anxiety and, I admit it, hope. Why, oh why, did I listen to the "experts" (thanks for that, Drumski) or friends (Brenblas)? Oh, well.
As for the game, I was impressed by Manziel and the players on offense. I was surprised that the defense hung in, but fear for the future on that front. I was disappointed, however, that our coaches weren't able to respond to the adjustments that Florida made on defense in the second half. As Oxey noted, once Florida realized that we never threw up the middle, it shut down the sidelines and we were done. I sure wish we had not had to cancel the opener.
I still predict 6-6. And when we play Bama, I am going to relive the 1968 Cotton Bowl in my head.
Here's the thing. We lost narrowly in the second half to the now 18th ranked team in the nation. We will next have that much excitement, buzz, national attention, state envy ... actually never. The proportion of the loss is best measured by what was lost. All the above plus state recruiting dominance went from a probability at halftime to being as improbable as ever by game's end. So, I drank heavily and swore off A&M football until next week.
ReplyDeleteI still have hopes for the recruiting, Ohfor. We knew this would be tough.
ReplyDeleteIt has to help our chances that the interim Arkansas coach seems to be progressively unravelling at each press conference. Yesterday, he kept kneading his hands as he proclaimed that the team needed the support of "this state - if every person living in Alabama is with us, we'll get through this together and find a way to succeed." It would please me to see CMike rampaging through the line of scrimmage and into the Razorback secondary. He seems to be very much in Slumdog's disfavor currently.
ReplyDeleteJFF leading us to an SEC win this week would simplify things just as you point out. Now - one word in favor of the Rangers' wonderful Beltre. How clutch he has been. What a ballplayer!