World, I'd Like to Introduce You to Baylor

Colby White — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 05:41:42 -0500

World, I'd like to introduce you to Baylor?

Do You remember last year's Texas against Oklahoma State game in Stillwater, Okla.?

You remember the Kevin Durant-Mario Boggan talk that led up to the game?

You remember both living up to the hype with 37-point nights for both (Boggan had 20 boards to Durant's 12)?

You remember Byron Eaton's ridiculous half court heave for three?

You remember a regulation that was only bested by the three nail-biting overtimes that followed?

You remember the "Instant Classic" designation the game received the next day?

Now take all that, substitute in a team that no one outside of the Big 12 has really heard of, make the other squad a team that has looked horrible the past few weeks and are desperately trying to hold a home-court edge, add two more overtimes, remove ESPN from the equation so no bandwagon fans are watching and what do you get?

Baylor 116, Texas A&M 110 in five overtimes, the new "best game in Big 12 history."

If you didn't realize the game would have fireworks, you haven't been paying attention (that includes ESPN, who aired Kansas' blowout of Iowa State on the main network and let, as Baylor's website noted before the game, "None" air the gem).

A team in the rise who has been constantly slept on this season (nationally, anyway) meets a team on an incredible decline. A squad looking to prove themselves on the road meets a team coming home to one of the few places they probably still had confidence.

And then the product actually met the hype of the storylines. How many times does that happen?

Odds are, the game will get the "Instant Classic" tag and somebody will re-air in its entirety over the weekend. YouTube already has the highlights so it's only a matter of time.

But until then, let it be known that the Bears are for real, have been since they almost upset Washington State back in November.

Personally, I think they're better than A&M, who can't win on the road, and Texas, who has a bad habit of turning it on and off when they feel like it.

Kansas State? I'm not sure if I can go that far and put Baylor on that level, but they're up there. Then again, I've been on the Beasley band wagon for the past couple weeks so maybe I'm a bit bias.

Either way, the Bears are a force. Remember that come bracket time.

Holiday Bowl Marred by Herbstreit and Musberger

Colby White — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 05:19:07 -0500

I chose not to pay much attention to the Holiday Bowl matchup of Texas and Arizona State.

After the season Texas had, I wasn't expecting any fireworks.

But after a couple of episodes off The Office DVD, I flipped back to see the Longhorns comfortably ahead with four minutes remaining.

That should have been a pleasant surprise for me—especially since I was expecting the Sun Devils to win it easily.

But, as usual, the four-lettered animal that has become the bane of my sporting experience ruined what should have been a three-minute celebration.

With less than four minutes left in the game, the ESPN duo of Kirk Herbstreit and Brent Musberger decided to spend what seemed like an eternity on the upcoming game between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants. Musberger hailed how great of a coach Tom Coughlin is, even though he's been on the hot seat in many fans' minds for years now.

Then there was the moment where Herbstreit literally said, “What else can we talk about? Mark Prior signed today.”

At first I just rolled my eyes at all this; just another flash-over-substance broadcast by ESPN. But then I realized there was an onside kick by Arizona State that was nearly successful.

The Sun Devil player was running around with the ball in his hand. If he had indeed recovered, it would have given Arizona State the ball in good field position, down by 11 with less than four minutes to play.

Herbstreit’s response?

“Did he get the ball?”

Replay later reveled he indeed did not recover it—Brandon Foster was down before he stripped the ball—but that's your response? Herbstreit was too concerned with Coughlin and Prior to pay attention to the game right in front of him.

The final minutes of the broadcast would include more frustrating blunders. I ended up watching the rest just to see how bad it would get.

In hindsight, I shouldn’t have been surprised. Herbstreit has been making a fool out of himself as far as I can remember.

It was only less than a month ago when he stated after Oklahoma ran through top-ranked Missouri, "We got to fix this thing," referring to the annual fiasco that is the BCS.

Less than 24 hours later, when it was announced that LSU and Ohio State would play for the national title, he was on SportsCenter with Lee Corso, saying the BCS "got it right."

Just another day in Bristol.

Bleacher Report - Articles by Colby White

World, I'd Like to Introduce You to Baylor

Holiday Bowl Marred by Herbstreit and Musberger