Monday, August 29, 2005
Texas Football: It's Game Week
Apologies for the three-month absence since my last post, and if there's another three-month absence after this post.
Last year I posted my Texas Football Pedigree. Basically it was a pedestrian excuse to list some of my favorite games and moments from Longhorn football history. Saturday the Horns take the field in pursuit of the Rose Bowl, so I thought I might update that post for 2005.
Record in games I've Attended: 57-17-1
Home: 48-10-1
Road: 7-7
Bowl: 2-0
v. Oklahoma: 2-3
v. A&M: 5-0
v. Nebraska: 3-0
v. Texas Tech: 3-3
v. Baylor: 7-4
First Game: 1986 @ Baylor L 13-18
If I recall correctly, this game was notorious for Texas QB Bret Stafford throwing the ball out of bounds to stop the clock on Texas' potential game-winning drive. Too bad it was already fourth down.
First Home Game: 1988 v. North Texas W 28-24
The Horns trailed 24-7 in the second half, and Kerry cash's game-winning TD catch (or was it Keith?) was made about two feet out of bounds. [sarcasm] Man, I do miss the glory days of Texas Football, when we needed home cooking to beat North Texas. [/sarcasm]
Best Game Attended: 1999 v. Nebraska W 24-20
When Nebraska's final fourth down pass fell incomplete, I turned to high five a complete stranger. I completely missed, and hit him in the face, knocking his glasses to the ground. He shook it off and grabbed me in a elated hetero victory embrace. Runner-Up: 1998 v. Texas A&M W 26-24 Ricky broke the record and a little freckled kid with not much else but grit made a legend out of himself, bringing Texas from behind for a late win.
Favorite Game Attended: 1990 v. Texas A&M W 28-27
My dad and I sat in the temporary South End Zone folding chairs. The seats weren't the best, but I got to witness Mark Berry stuff Darren Lewis' go-ahead two-point conversion run from about 50 feet away. Runner-Up: 2002 @ Nebraska W 27-24 The cold was bitter, but the fans were nothing but hospitable, and for the second time in four years, Texas broke a long Husker home win streak.
Worst Game Attended: 2006 v. Oklahoma (Dallas) L 13-65
$200 down the drain. How bad was it? OU fans tried to cheer us up on the way out. "It's okay, man, keep your head up." Runner-Up: 1997 v. UCLA L 3-66 Route 66 was the closest I've ever come to being embarrased to be a Texas fan. Ugly.
Least Favorite Game Attended: 1992 @ Baylor L 20-21
Worst. Officiating. Ever. I've never seen a more irate Texas crowd after a game. Vince McMahon couldn't have orchestrated a better screwjob that afternoon. Runner-Up: 1996 v. Oklahoma L 27-30: To date it's Texas' only overtime game. A 4th-quarter meltdown that included a surrendered punt return for a touchdown doomed the Horns in my first-ever trip to the Cotton Bowl.
Best Road Trip: 2002 @ Tulane W 49-0
I remember the game, at least vaguely. What I really remember was the the Burnt Orange deluge of Bourbon Street, a horse cop that flashed the Hoom'Em with us in a photo, and a street musician playing "The Eyes of Texas" as we passed him. Runner-Up: 2004 @ Arkansas W 22-20: They hate us in Fayetteville. But that's okay because we danced in the corner of their end zone and they went home unhappy.
Worst Road Trip: 2002 @ Texas Tech L 42-38
I think Wes Welker might still be running circles around the Texas secondary. Runner-Up: None No road trip has ever come close to that.
Game I Most Regret Not Attending: 2005 Rose Bowl v. Michigan W 38-37
VY's five TD's were amazing, and even had Dusty Mangum's last-second kick not sailed (ever-so-gingerly) through the uprights, I'd still kick myself for having missed this game. Two storied powers played in college football's most tradition-rich setting in a game that went to the final tick of the clock... and I wasn't there. Damn. Runner-Up: 1990 v. Houston W 45-24 In two-plus decades of watching Texas Football, I've never see a more dominant Longhorn win. Houston wasn't any old team. They were the #3 team in the country, and Texas flat-out whipped their ass.
Favorite Longhorn Moments:
1. Ricky Williams's 60-yard TD run to break the NCAA all-time ruhing record in 1998.
2. Dusty mangum's FG to beat Michigan as time expired in the 2005 Rose Bowl.
3. 4th and Inches: James Brown to Derek Lewis in the 1996 Big XII title game.
4. Tony Jones' miracle catch to beat Arkansas on the final play in 1987.
5. Berry's play against A&M in 1990.
6. Stonie Clark's goalline stop to preserve a 17-10 Texas win against OU in 1994.
7. Bubba Jacques' fumble return for a TD to beat OU, 10-7, in 1991.
8. Phil Dawson's 50-yard game-winner against Virginia in 1995.
9. Priest Holmes' "Superman" TD to beat North Carloina in the 1994 Sun Bowl.
10. Beau Trahan kneeling the PAT attempt to hold Texas at 44 on "Cole Pittman Day" in the 2001 UNC game.
|
Last year I posted my Texas Football Pedigree. Basically it was a pedestrian excuse to list some of my favorite games and moments from Longhorn football history. Saturday the Horns take the field in pursuit of the Rose Bowl, so I thought I might update that post for 2005.
Record in games I've Attended: 57-17-1
Home: 48-10-1
Road: 7-7
Bowl: 2-0
v. Oklahoma: 2-3
v. A&M: 5-0
v. Nebraska: 3-0
v. Texas Tech: 3-3
v. Baylor: 7-4
First Game: 1986 @ Baylor L 13-18
If I recall correctly, this game was notorious for Texas QB Bret Stafford throwing the ball out of bounds to stop the clock on Texas' potential game-winning drive. Too bad it was already fourth down.
First Home Game: 1988 v. North Texas W 28-24
The Horns trailed 24-7 in the second half, and Kerry cash's game-winning TD catch (or was it Keith?) was made about two feet out of bounds. [sarcasm] Man, I do miss the glory days of Texas Football, when we needed home cooking to beat North Texas. [/sarcasm]
Best Game Attended: 1999 v. Nebraska W 24-20
When Nebraska's final fourth down pass fell incomplete, I turned to high five a complete stranger. I completely missed, and hit him in the face, knocking his glasses to the ground. He shook it off and grabbed me in a elated hetero victory embrace. Runner-Up: 1998 v. Texas A&M W 26-24 Ricky broke the record and a little freckled kid with not much else but grit made a legend out of himself, bringing Texas from behind for a late win.
Favorite Game Attended: 1990 v. Texas A&M W 28-27
My dad and I sat in the temporary South End Zone folding chairs. The seats weren't the best, but I got to witness Mark Berry stuff Darren Lewis' go-ahead two-point conversion run from about 50 feet away. Runner-Up: 2002 @ Nebraska W 27-24 The cold was bitter, but the fans were nothing but hospitable, and for the second time in four years, Texas broke a long Husker home win streak.
Worst Game Attended: 2006 v. Oklahoma (Dallas) L 13-65
$200 down the drain. How bad was it? OU fans tried to cheer us up on the way out. "It's okay, man, keep your head up." Runner-Up: 1997 v. UCLA L 3-66 Route 66 was the closest I've ever come to being embarrased to be a Texas fan. Ugly.
Least Favorite Game Attended: 1992 @ Baylor L 20-21
Worst. Officiating. Ever. I've never seen a more irate Texas crowd after a game. Vince McMahon couldn't have orchestrated a better screwjob that afternoon. Runner-Up: 1996 v. Oklahoma L 27-30: To date it's Texas' only overtime game. A 4th-quarter meltdown that included a surrendered punt return for a touchdown doomed the Horns in my first-ever trip to the Cotton Bowl.
Best Road Trip: 2002 @ Tulane W 49-0
I remember the game, at least vaguely. What I really remember was the the Burnt Orange deluge of Bourbon Street, a horse cop that flashed the Hoom'Em with us in a photo, and a street musician playing "The Eyes of Texas" as we passed him. Runner-Up: 2004 @ Arkansas W 22-20: They hate us in Fayetteville. But that's okay because we danced in the corner of their end zone and they went home unhappy.
Worst Road Trip: 2002 @ Texas Tech L 42-38
I think Wes Welker might still be running circles around the Texas secondary. Runner-Up: None No road trip has ever come close to that.
Game I Most Regret Not Attending: 2005 Rose Bowl v. Michigan W 38-37
VY's five TD's were amazing, and even had Dusty Mangum's last-second kick not sailed (ever-so-gingerly) through the uprights, I'd still kick myself for having missed this game. Two storied powers played in college football's most tradition-rich setting in a game that went to the final tick of the clock... and I wasn't there. Damn. Runner-Up: 1990 v. Houston W 45-24 In two-plus decades of watching Texas Football, I've never see a more dominant Longhorn win. Houston wasn't any old team. They were the #3 team in the country, and Texas flat-out whipped their ass.
Favorite Longhorn Moments:
1. Ricky Williams's 60-yard TD run to break the NCAA all-time ruhing record in 1998.
2. Dusty mangum's FG to beat Michigan as time expired in the 2005 Rose Bowl.
3. 4th and Inches: James Brown to Derek Lewis in the 1996 Big XII title game.
4. Tony Jones' miracle catch to beat Arkansas on the final play in 1987.
5. Berry's play against A&M in 1990.
6. Stonie Clark's goalline stop to preserve a 17-10 Texas win against OU in 1994.
7. Bubba Jacques' fumble return for a TD to beat OU, 10-7, in 1991.
8. Phil Dawson's 50-yard game-winner against Virginia in 1995.
9. Priest Holmes' "Superman" TD to beat North Carloina in the 1994 Sun Bowl.
10. Beau Trahan kneeling the PAT attempt to hold Texas at 44 on "Cole Pittman Day" in the 2001 UNC game.
Longhorn Sites
Astros Sites