Frogs open at #1

Get the hype machine cranked up: the TCU baseball team is ranked #1 in the preseason rankings put out by Collegiate Baseball. I realize we're all still in football mode right now, but it's nice to know that we've got this to look forward to. The season starts February 18-20 with a home series against Kansas.

Rose Bowl Preview: Offensive Line.

So he's not still on the team, but Herb Taylor's Gridiron Rec Specs?

NEVER FORGET!

Staying on the topic of never forgetting, if you'll remember, a couple of weeks ago I more or less wrote this article. Or, at least, I laid the groundwork for what will become this article. And we've all heard about big and bad and ass kicking Wisconsin's offensive line chalk full of future NFL stars is. So really, this preview is going to be pretty mailed in. At least you've been warned.

Wisconsin O-Line:

LT: Gabe Carimi (6'7", 325 lbs)
LG: John Moffitt (6'5", 320 lbs)
C: Peter Konz (6'5", 315 lbs)
RG: Kevin Zeitler (6'4", 317 lbs)
RT: Josh Oglesby (6'7", 330 lbs)

LT: Marcus Cannon (6'6", 350 lbs)

LG: Kyle Dooley (6'3", 315 lbs)

C: Jake Kirkpatrick (6'3", 305)

RG: Josh Vernon (6'2", 300)

RT: Zack Roth (6'6", 315)

Underinformed Analysis:

Wisconsin has a lot of large men across it's offensive line, yes. They have Outland Trophy winning lineman Gabe Carimi, he of the 6'7", 327 lb. frame. All of their starters are over 300 pounds. But, TCU has Rimington Award winning center Jake Kirkpatrick, as well as All American Left Tackle Marcus Cannon, he of the 6'6", 350 lb. + frame. Both of those guys are All Americans... Cabrini is the only All American on the Badgers O Line, unless you count tight end Lance Kendrick. Wisconsin's O Line has paved the way for the 12th ranked rushing offense in the entire country. TCU's O Line has paved the way for the 8th ranked rushing offense in the entire country. TCU's offensive line has allowed 9 sacks on the year. Wisconsin's offensive line has allowed 12 sacks on the year. Wisconsin's offensive linemen pee sitting down. Ok, so I may only be speculating on that last one, but at least it's what I hear.

I think it should be pretty clear where I'm going with this.

Look, Wisconsin has a very, very good offensive line, one of the best in the country. But so does TCU. If you really want to see how I genuinely feel about it, take a look at the post I linked to above, but I'm going to go ahead and call this one a genuine push.

Edge - Push.

Lessons in SMU Hate: The Armed Forces Bowl.

Mustang Nation,

On behalf of our coaches, student-athletes and staff, I want to thank you for your support this year. You have played a vital role in our climb back to national prominence.

Our final game of the year is the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl against Army on December 30^th. The game will be played right here in Ford Stadium, and we need the Mustang Nation to Pony Up and show up in force.

A few seats are still available through the SMU Athletics Ticket Office. If you have already purchased your tickets, thank you.

If you haven't purchased tickets, please do so and come cheer on your Mustangs. If you can't attend the bowl game, buy tickets through our ticket office and donate them to our Mustang Community Program. To place your order, call the Athletics Ticket Office at 214-768-4263 or go on-line to http://smumustangs.cstv.com/tickets/smu-tickets.html.

Let's finish this season strong. Together we can accomplish great things.

Pony Up!

June Jones
Head Football Coach
SMU

P.S. Don't forget the Boulevard on game day! Arrive early, bring drugs & booze.
Click here to register for the official SMU Mustang Bowl Game Tent.

Or, paste this link into your brow

ser: http://smu.edu/events/rsvp_form.asp?e=bowl

Well, at least June has a sense of humor, right?

What I've pasted above is verbatim - well, ok, so ALMOST verbatim - from a letter I, and any of you who have purchased TCU/SMU tickets through the SMU ticket office, received this past Friday regarding SMU's participation in the Armed Forces Bowl. And while I understand that attendance smack talk is the lowest form of schadenfreude... Are you kidding me, Ponies? Let's do the run down.

1. SMU has only been to one other bowl game in the past 25 years.

2. Said bowl game was last year in Hawaii on Chrimbus Eve. So I'm assuming that, other than hardcore fans and friends and family of the team, not many people got a chance to see that monumental feat in person.

3. This game is on December 30th, ample time to get return from the Christmas holidays and not conflict with any New Years Eve Plans.

4. The Armed Forces Bowl has been relocated to SMU's home stadium this year due to the reconstruction going on at Amon G. That means that Pony fans can BLVD. and do whatever else it is they do to create their gameday experience. Seriously, did you hear that guys - IT'S ONE MORE CHANCE TO HANG OUT ON THE BLVD.!!! Considering they use it as a marketing tool to get people to show up, I have to imagine this pertains to most of their fans interests.

5. SMU's home stadium seats 32,000 people.

6. SMU is playing Army in the game. Army has not been to a bowl game in seemingly as long as SMU. Army will bring a ton of folks because, you know, Army.

7. You don't even have to go!! They give you a link to donate your tickets to a charity program thru SMU, much like PPS.

8. SMU's home stadium seats 32,000!!! People. Did I mention that?

I'm not really even saying this to rag on them - it's just sad and actually makes me feel bad for that program. I guess it's hard for me to put it in complete perspective, but for a program that seems to have as many bandwagon fans as anyone, you'd think they'd all be jumping at the chance to see their team in a bowl game where they don't even have to travel. Sure, that's a bit of a double edged sword because part of the fun of a bowl game IS the travel/vacation aspect itself.... but when your program was left for dead less than 5 years ago and there were rumors - ok, we probably started them - that the school may do away with the football program entirely, I think this falls under the "beggars can't be choosers" category. I keep hearing how SMU is going to turn our rivalry with them on its head starting next year, and I think it'd be pretty fun if they at least made it competitive... but then they go and do something like this, and totally redeem themselves as a joke program.

Come on Ponies, go see your dad in white collar prison,get him to fork over a nice, crisp Benjamin for a pair of tickets and, for 3 hours at least pretend you're a legitimate football program. For the kids.

Morning Dump

Football:
Frogs prominent on post season honor roll GoFrogs.com

UW Football: Is this year's o-line one of the team's best ever? Madison.com
Recruiting:
Future Frogs earn awards Waxahachie Daily Light
Basketball:
Be a fly on the wall for a TCU basketball road trip Star-Telegram