NCAA Basketball – Kansas State stuns Texas Longhorns

They say that every good story worth telling has two sides to it. This might also hold true to a vast array of daily life circumstances. If you have made it past the play-for-fun stage and enter the realm of either recognizing that in sports there’s either winning or losing, you’ll know exactly what is happening in Austin, Texas.

For the Longhorns, both on college basketball and particularly in college football, there is always a huge deal of pressure set upon coaches, players, and even fans. The Texas Longhorns might not have the most ambitious educational program in the United States, but you can be quite certain that when it comes to collegiate sports, they are expected to pass with flying colors. Every season: no exceptions. Anything other then making it into the NCAA Tournament, or going for a BCS Bowl Game is considered failure.

Kansas State doesn’t really live up to the same expectations. At least they don’t have to. First of all because for decades now, the Wildcats have been overshadowed by the Kansas Jayhawks. Things are not as intense when it comes to NCAA sports in Manhattan as they are in Lawrence, Kansas. But this time around, it really seems as if the Wildcats are giving it their very best to change those expectations and perform against the odds.

Yes, for the most part, Kansas State had been somewhat of a disappointment. They started as the No. 2 team in the nation before the season kicked in, but surely but slowly the Wildcats were underperforming. But recently things began to click in. After a 75-70 win over the Longhorns, last night, the Wildcats have now recorded its 5th consecutive win and 7th in the last 8 games played. To really get things into perspective, the Wildcats have defeated 3 teams in the top 30 in this last streak.

Great games by Jacob Pullen and Rodney McGruder have pushed Kansas State to collect wins over Kansas, Missouri, and Texas just to name the latest wins against ranked teams.

The Texas Longhorns, on the other hand, are falling into a slurp just two weeks after some sports reporters had believed that they would have no trouble dominating the Big 12. Texas lost for the third time during the last 4 games, putting a very significant and lopsided end to an 11-consecutive-win streak that had prompted them into top 5 positions in the rankings.

Things have not been good in Texas. The Longhorns have not been able to rely on some of their key-players who have failed to live up to their expectations. For instance: Jordan Hamilton shot 5 of 18 from the floor on this last game. And it is not a matter of having just one bad game. Everybody has a bad night, but heck, it really seems as if Hamilton totally lost his aim. In the Longhorns last three losing games, Hamilton has gone 15-of-58 from the field.

An 11-0 start in conference play had the Longhorns among the top contenders for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Now they’re trying finding their way back to the top and not having to worry too much about how much down they are going to fall.

Kansas State is finally figuring out how to get back on the winning side of things. There are some signs that warn us about what this guys could do in March. For instance consider that this is the Wildcats’ fifth straight win and first on the road over a Top Ten team since 1994. We’ll take that as a good omen.

NCAA Football – Oklahoma defeats Texas in Red River Rivalry

If you have ever set foot on either Arlington, Texas or in Norman, Oklahoma, you can help but to notice what a huge part of these two towns, particularly Norman, are truly devoted to their College Football teams. If you do make it to the outskirts of the Gaylord Family Memorial Stadium you would notice that everything is Crimson and White, and be it from the LiqOUr Store in the eastern corner, to the College-Sports Bars at Main Street, everything has to do with Football. That is why, when the Red River Rivalry hits in every year, the tickets to the Cotton Bowl stadium are as hard to find as Willy Wonka’s golden tickets.

Now, Texas has been the dominating team in the last  5 games in the series, so it is nothing but short of exciting for both players and fans to see such a strong team as the Sooners come in and give the Texas Longhorns their second consecutive defeat of the season. After what we say in Arlington, Texas, last week, the expectations for the Longhorns to put on a big show against the Oklahoma Sooners were very high. Their unexpected 34-12 lost against UCLA last week, was nothing short from surprising and a bit disappointed for any fan of the Longhorns.

Let’s not forget for a second that despite their woes, the guys from Texas have been a dominant force in the last 10 years not only in the Big 12, where next to Oklahoma they have shared their domination over the rest of the teams.  But the Texas Longhorns have also been a very strong team nationally. As a matter of fact, despite its ups and downs, the guys from Texas have managed to sit in the Top 25 Nationwide AP Poll for a whopping 162 weeks. Just to but things into perspective, that is almost twice as many weeks as the second place in that regularity list: Ohio State with 89 games.

Actually this is the first time since 2007 that the Texas Longhorns lose two consecutive games. Back then it was both Kansas State and Oklahoma State who delivered the consecutive defeats. So does this victory come fitting very well to the guys from Oklahoma? Heck yes: The Sooners had not defeated Texas since 2007 and that is almost unacceptable in such a fierce rivalry.

Now to the game: Garret Gilbert completed 27 of 41 attempts and went for 265 yards in his Red River Rivarly debut. But there was not much help from his teammates. Three of Oklahoma’s four drives that ultimately ended up with a score were extended because of Texas’ penalties in third downs. And that was not good news for head coach Mack Brown, who knew that they had the game, but missed because of little mistakes, each and every chance his team had to turn the scoreboard around.

On the other hand, Landry Jones went for 24 of 39 with 236 yards. Just a tad behind Gilbert, but Jones managed to find two players inside the end zone and ultimately touchdowns are what make the difference in any football game. As of press time, the Sooners will try to keep up with their flawless mark in the NCAA football odds against the Iowa State Cyclones on Saturday October 16th. The Longhorns on the other hand, will go face to face against the Nebraska Cornhuskers that same day.

NCAA Football – Oklahoma and Texas in yet another Red River Rivalry

These two teams have been the Big12 dominant forces when it comes down to NCAA football. The series is considered to be one of the greatest rivalries in American sports. When it comes to the Big12 perhaps only the Rivalry that the Texas Longhorns hold against the Texas A&M Aggies, and the Rivalry between the Sooners and the Oklahoma State Cowboys can match the media attention and the crowds this event carries on.

Since 1945, the two teams have managed to arrive on this date ranked among the top 25 teams in the nation, which makes this even significant not only among the Big12 conference teams, but an important and nationally televised sporting event. Now, six of the last 10 Red River Rivalry games have included at least one team playing in the Bowl Championship Series, including the national titles won by the Sooners in 2000 and the Longhorns in 2005.

If placed under a National scenario, perhaps only the Navy-Army game and the Michigan-Ohio State series have a major impact on NCAA sports. It is always a game that attracts a lot of wagering action, as the teams are known to go out and give on the best show they possibly can.

As of press time, the Sooners are a -3

How the Texas Poker Bill Ended Up Dead in 2009

A recent bill that was presented to the state was allowed to just die off without even voting on it. It was unclear at first as to why they were allowed to just kill it off, but later realized it was a bureaucratic loophole in the system.

This new bill proposed, was going to allow poker games to be held at racetracks state wide. The House bill 222 called by most the “The Texas Poker Bill” was going to be closely monitored by the Texas Lottery Commission.

The original version of this bill allowed poker games at local bars and restaurants. The original bill was argued, some saying that it would protect player’s homes from thieves robbing an in-game session, or police raids as well. But after reviewing the bill extensively things had to be toned down a bit. This most recent bill that has been brought before the Texas legislature has been scaled down pretty significantly.

Initially, supporters of the Texas Poker Bill thought it had a good chance to pass. The state of Texas is facing a large budget deficit this year. Meanwhile, millions of dollars leave the sate every year when Texas residents cross the borders to gamble in Louisiana, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.

The bill was contested because the state loses millions of dollars every year due to Texas residents crossing the border to gamble in Louisiana, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. With that in mind the state of Texas is facing a very large budget deficit, and the extra taxed revenue would be huge for the state. Initially, supporters thought the Texas Poker Bill had a good chance at passing but couldn’t have been more wrong.

However, the bill just seemed destined to fail, as just before the bill was about to go up for voting, the government relieved the state of Texas of its budget deficit with federal stimulus money leaving no urgency for extra revenue for the state. Texas State Governor Rick Perry made it abundantly clear that he would veto any bill, expanding gambling with in his state. So really no matter had the bill gotten the 100 votes needed to pass, it would have not made much difference to the Governor.

There was another option. Jose Menendez a Texas State Representative and strong supporter of the bill came up with a possible solution. Menendez proposed a discussion, and vote re-introduce the bill on June 2nd 2009, ironically one day after the new legislation is set. He argued that because the bill had not been voted on that it was eligible to be re-submitted to the legislature a second time.

Unfortunately, the legislature only meets every two years. Which means this bill will not be able to be put up for vote until 2010 but more like 2011 before it is voted on and passed. Its seems as if there is still life in the bill but supporters will need the extra time to do everything they can to get it to pass in two years.

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