LongviewLobo01
Premium Members
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2013
- Messages
- 927
When we woke up today the first thing that everybody was worried about was Saban on Gameday. That was a perfect set up for him to announce an extension or at least make another denial that he's leaving Alabama. Instead he did what he was supposed to do. He talked about the Iron Bowl and previewed the big games on today and tonight's slate. Nothing that would even remotely cause Texas fans to be concerned.
Then we went straight into the Oklahoma State-OU game. Bedlam they call it. That was definitely the perfect name for that game. Oklahoma State entered without a doubt as the better team. They knew that a win means they win the Big 12, punch a ticket to the Fiesta Bowl and have a very outside shot of playing for more depending on how later events worked out for them. Instead, they allowed one of the worst QBs in the Big 12 to drive the length of the field right up their defense's ass to lose....again.
Oklahoma State's loss made the Baylor-Texas game into a Big 12 Championship game and put every Texas fan on pins and needles. We all knew how important the game was before the OSU loss, but now a Texas win would guarantee Mack his 3rd conference title and more than likely another year as HC.
Then the game happened. Bad weather or not, Baylor did everything they could to keep Texas in the game in the first half, but it wasn't enough. Eventually the better coached team took over in the 3rd quarter and possibly ended the tenure of the 2nd best coach in the history of the University of Texas.
So what happens now? Does Mack step aside, realizing that his rebuild project has been a failure? Does he try to call on his BMD friends to get one last hail mary chance? To me, this game was it. Mack came out of halftime tonight in a tie game knowing full well that the next 30 minutes could define the rest of his career. How did that 2nd half go? Baylor scores on their first 3 possessions and took full control of the game. If that's not a complete indictment of Mack's last 4 years I don't know what is. He controlled his destiny and when push came to shove his team completely wet the bed.
I've been highly critical of Mack over the last few weeks. I've believed that its time for him to step aside since BYU. Now that we are on the verge of Mack actually stepping down, I feel bad. I'm only 30 years old so the better part of my life and the best years of watching Texas football has been due to Mack. The ups and downs have been tough at times and super amazing at others. Mack brought a national title back to Austin and spending that night on 6th Street and seeing the happiness that engulfed Austin that evening is something I'll never forget. Then 4 years later, living in Louisiana while Texas made their next national title run was completely different because it was spent with people who don't love Texas as much as we do. And when Saban and his Alabama Crimson Tide lifted the crystal football that night after we lost Colt McCoy early in the first quarter I was as proud of Mack and his team as I've ever been. They battled and fought the entire night and it made me feel extremely lucky to say I'm a Horn.
Since then, things haven't been so great. It's been difficult ride. Mack has used up pretty much all of his ammunition. Now that the time has come for him to more than likely walk away, I feel like it's time for me to set aside my feelings toward Mack of the past 4 years and remember the Mack who put Texas back on the map. The Mack with a full head of brown hair who always remembered mine and my mother's name when he visited Longview, despite us being people with no influence on him or the program. He always made us feel special and that's how I want to remember him this evening. Thank you Mack and I hope you make the right decision and step aside so I can continue to think of the positives that you did for Texas.
Then we went straight into the Oklahoma State-OU game. Bedlam they call it. That was definitely the perfect name for that game. Oklahoma State entered without a doubt as the better team. They knew that a win means they win the Big 12, punch a ticket to the Fiesta Bowl and have a very outside shot of playing for more depending on how later events worked out for them. Instead, they allowed one of the worst QBs in the Big 12 to drive the length of the field right up their defense's ass to lose....again.
Oklahoma State's loss made the Baylor-Texas game into a Big 12 Championship game and put every Texas fan on pins and needles. We all knew how important the game was before the OSU loss, but now a Texas win would guarantee Mack his 3rd conference title and more than likely another year as HC.
Then the game happened. Bad weather or not, Baylor did everything they could to keep Texas in the game in the first half, but it wasn't enough. Eventually the better coached team took over in the 3rd quarter and possibly ended the tenure of the 2nd best coach in the history of the University of Texas.
So what happens now? Does Mack step aside, realizing that his rebuild project has been a failure? Does he try to call on his BMD friends to get one last hail mary chance? To me, this game was it. Mack came out of halftime tonight in a tie game knowing full well that the next 30 minutes could define the rest of his career. How did that 2nd half go? Baylor scores on their first 3 possessions and took full control of the game. If that's not a complete indictment of Mack's last 4 years I don't know what is. He controlled his destiny and when push came to shove his team completely wet the bed.
I've been highly critical of Mack over the last few weeks. I've believed that its time for him to step aside since BYU. Now that we are on the verge of Mack actually stepping down, I feel bad. I'm only 30 years old so the better part of my life and the best years of watching Texas football has been due to Mack. The ups and downs have been tough at times and super amazing at others. Mack brought a national title back to Austin and spending that night on 6th Street and seeing the happiness that engulfed Austin that evening is something I'll never forget. Then 4 years later, living in Louisiana while Texas made their next national title run was completely different because it was spent with people who don't love Texas as much as we do. And when Saban and his Alabama Crimson Tide lifted the crystal football that night after we lost Colt McCoy early in the first quarter I was as proud of Mack and his team as I've ever been. They battled and fought the entire night and it made me feel extremely lucky to say I'm a Horn.
Since then, things haven't been so great. It's been difficult ride. Mack has used up pretty much all of his ammunition. Now that the time has come for him to more than likely walk away, I feel like it's time for me to set aside my feelings toward Mack of the past 4 years and remember the Mack who put Texas back on the map. The Mack with a full head of brown hair who always remembered mine and my mother's name when he visited Longview, despite us being people with no influence on him or the program. He always made us feel special and that's how I want to remember him this evening. Thank you Mack and I hope you make the right decision and step aside so I can continue to think of the positives that you did for Texas.
