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A 2008 Big 12 Conference Performance Review

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At any job, the employees have to sit down quarterly, biannually, or annually for a performance review.

As a fan of the Big 12 Conference, it's high time I sit down to examine the highs and lows of each team, grading the regular season and postseason (where applicable) performances of the teams, from top to bottom.

Fellow writers on the site have pegged me as a "Big 12 elitist," to which I say that's true. I can be blinded by my own conference's success, only to be let down when the teams fail me in December and January.

So here's Monk's examination of the Big 12's season in 2008.

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22 comments Last one added 3 months ago — Leave a Comment

  1. James Williamson 5 months ago

    How can you hate Mack Brown? He is one of the nicest guys around.

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    • James Williamson 5 months ago

      I think Bradford is going into the draft Monk.

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    • SportMonk 5 months ago

      Mack Brown just irritates me. His personality rubs me the wrong way. Plus he's the head coach at Texas.

      And I'd heard somewhere that if Oklahoma lost to Florida, Bradford would come back for another year. I'm kinda hoping he stays. McCoy's staying.

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    • James Williamson 5 months ago

      I know McCoy and Tebow are, but Bradford has said nothing about it. I think he is going dude.

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    • Steven Resnick 5 months ago

      No he's not maybe he's gotten better recently, but when you whine and politic to get your team into a BCS game his character immediately gets questioned. Just ask Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers!

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  2. James Williamson 5 months ago

    Nate Davis huh. I'll get in touch with Jerry Jones, and see if we can draft him and make you a Cowboy fan. LOL.

    GO UT!!!!!!

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    • SportMonk 5 months ago

      Nate Swift. And yah, he's the man. I'd totally be a HUGE Cowboys fan if Swift was drafted by them. That would be perfect. Probably more perfect than if Swift were drafted by the Patriots.

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  3. Cameon Shiflett 5 months ago

    Monk,

    Yet again, I'm not surprised that this article was AMAZING! I mean really, can you write something poorly at least once in your life? Please... :) Now I will deifnitely have writers block just because I won't want to post something after you posted this.

    When I get finished with the one I'm working on...would you mind if I did something like this for the SEC? Kinda like a creature vs. creature since the debate is which one is better? Could be interesting. Just let me know. :)

    Again, great job. I will never understand the Iowa State thing either. But, hey, whatever. Kansas' coach...and I thought phil fulmer was bad. Wow!

    Roll Tide,
    The Bama Chick

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    • SportMonk 5 months ago

      Haha, thanks for the comments, Cameon. Your encouragement is always very welcomed. :)

      You are most certainly welcome to do an article in the same format for the SEC! In fact, you HAVE to do an article like this for the SEC because I'm curious to see what you'd say. Just be sure to let me know when you put it up, okay?

      Yah... Mangino's a...big guy, to put it very delicately.

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    • Cameon Shiflett 5 months ago

      Ok...I am on it! I was just waiting to get the go ahead. :)

      I'll let ya know when it's up. And you did put that very delicately...way more delicately than I ever could. Haha.

      Roll Tide,
      The Bama CHick

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  4. Daniel Howie 5 months ago

    I think annihilated is too strong to describe the latest Sooner bowl loss. We played pretty well, but Florida made the plays at the time they needed them. We'll also never know how Murray would have changed that game because Harvin certainly changed the game for Florida.

    Pass-happy offenses require precise timing, timing that is hard to regenerate after such a long layover. Strong defenses are easier to regenerate. This is not necessarily just a reason/excuse for the Big 12 South's losses (and yes, Texas, if Beanie hadn't been taken out on a precautionary concussion, you would have lost too.), but a new paradigm in the way I'm looking at future bowl seasons.

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    • Splash Daddy 5 months ago

      Coulda, shoulda, woulda is loser talk dude. Get some self respect.

      As for Beanie Wells, last year against LSU he makes a big splash right off the bat. Of course when LSU was methodically running off 31 unanswered points and OSU desperately needed a first down or two he was nowhere to be found.

      Against USC? He didn't play although his ankle looked fine as he ran around on the sideline and goofed-off. That ass-kickin changed your entire season.

      Against Texas, once again a good first half (no TD's though) but unable to play in the 2nd half. With Beanie in the game OSU scores two FG's in a half. Without Beanie OSU scores two TD's and a FG.

      Coulda, shoulda, woulda - pathetic.

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    • SportMonk 5 months ago

      DANIEL:
      In terms of the scoreboard, annihilated is a strong word. However, in terms of morale and momentum, it was an annihilation. There was moment where Oklahoma reached a point of no return, a make-or-break series that fell short, sealing the victory for Florida.

      In the most primitive sense, I agree with Splash's "coulda, shoulda, woulda" statement, in that even though I believe Oklahoma had all the ability to beat Florida, they didn't bring it and lost. But that's how it happened, unfortunately, and it's the way it will stand. The Sooners rushed the ball OK without Murray because Brown has some talent, but it came down to play-calling and execution where Oklahoma lost the game. Bradford did everything he could with what he was given to work with, in my opinion. Those two series that ended without a score inside the red zone were game-changers.

      SPLASH:
      That was Ted Ginn, Jr, not Beanie Wells, that returned the kickoff on LSU last year.

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  5. BabyTate 5 months ago

    You got your dig in at Texas Tech which must have pleased you to no end.

    Baylor did have that BlueBonnet Bowl win over LSU in 1963. They could be coming back any day now. Maybe Don Trull has a grandson.

    Here is what I think. I have written a preview article with Nebraska #3 in the country in 2009. That could change but, right now I think Nebraska's defense wins the Big 12 North and then they beat Texas to win the Big 12 title. I see Nebraska in the Fiesta Bowl next season. I don't think Oklahoma can do it in '09.

    The Oregon players, some reporters at the BCS Title Game, and at the Cotton Bowl commented on the fact that the Big 12 players seemed slow by SEC and PAC10 standards. I believe Nebraska has the quickness on defense to take over the Big 12.

    Entertaining review, good hard work by you.

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    • SportMonk 5 months ago

      Well, I hope you're right about Nebraska. Nothing would make me happier than an at-large BCS bowl game and a conference trophy for next year (besides a national championship). I'm confident we'll win the Big 12 North, but I'm not so sure we'll be good enough just yet to beat a Texas team that still has McCoy and Shipley (even though we came really close in 2006).

      Thanks for the read and the comment, BT.

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  6. Steven Resnick 5 months ago

    Thanks for giving me an idea for a piece on the Pac-10. Although, offensively Oklahoma was extremely talented their defense flat out stunk. So, holding Tebow down though was actually a surprise and they weren't dominated like they were against USC.

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    • SportMonk 5 months ago

      Well, you're quite welcome. When I originally sat down to write something, I was planning to go a totally different direction. But that slideshow format was just BEGGING to be used, so I went with it. And I'm glad people have taken a look at what resulted. Send me a link to your Pac-10 one when you finish?

      Thanks for the read and comment.

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  7. Ronnie Throneberry 5 months ago

    Sportmonk

    I'm sure Mack Brown has sleepless nights because you hate him. He is really depressed.

    However, you did a good job on your review.

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    • SportMonk 5 months ago

      Haha, I don't care much that Mack Brown could care less that I hate him. But that doesn't change the fact that I hate him.

      Thanks for the comment!

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  8. Aron Ochsner 5 months ago

    Love the review. Great job and GO BIG RED! Looking forward to next year under our young QB and Roy Helu Jr. Should be interesting in the North if Maclin leaves.

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    • SportMonk 5 months ago

      Thanks, man. I don't know if Jeremy Maclin staying changes much because I'm not sure the guy waiting to take over at Missouri isn't anywhere near as "talented" as Chase Daniel was at times. Though Maclin certainly has the ability to be explosive. However, I think we've got the edge to take the North next year and, according to BabyTate apparently, the conference title.

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  9. Tim Azevedo 3 months ago

    Good work, as usual. Sorry about the delay, but better late than never-- right?. I disagree with you on a couple points, however.

    First is that Baylor had a "C" season. It was a three-win season (four if you count Northwestern State). That is a "D" or "F," even though the schedule was admittedly very tough. The upshot is that several games were lost by 7 points or less, and Baylor has gotten back onto the national radar a little (mainly because of Griffin). Like the Minnesota Golden Gophers did this season, Baylor has a real opportunity to turn some of those losses into wins next season. (P.S. Although men's basketball has been grabbing headlines, Baylor also has women's basketball, baseball, men and women's tennis, track, and equestrain teams all in the top 10 nationally.)

    Second, is that Sherman is fixing Fran's mess. No, Sherman inherited a pretty decent team that he completely mismanaged this season. A&M fans have no sense of reality whatsoever; their expectations for their program are simply unrealistic. Fran was a fine coach and I told A&M fans they would regret firing him, as I now tell Auburn fans they will regret firing Tuberville.

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    • by SportMonk (Analyst)

    January 12, 2009

    212 reads

    22 comments

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