Texas 3, OU 14

THE STAGES OF GRIEF (after a Texas loss):

1) SHOCK - "Not sure, but I think Bob Stoops just hijacked a chuck wagon and drove it straight through my heart."
2) EXPRESSION OF EMOTION - "Thanks for stopping by the State Fair, would you like to try one of our scrumptious"....."Eat Shit."
3) DEPRESSION & LONELINESS - "Now I know how Tiny Tina, the world's smallest horse feels...."
4) PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS OF DISTRESS - "Two funnel cakes, three corndogs, one turkey leg and 4 turnovers - I think I'm gonna be....whoooaaaaahhhh."
5) PANIC - "I can never show my face at work again. Oh gees."
6) GUILT - "This is all my fault. I knew I shouldn't have washed my lucky underwear."
7) ANGER & RESENTMENT - "Coach Brown, thanks for the apology, but next time, write it down on a piece of paper and WIPE YOUR ASS WITH IT!!!!"
8) RESISTANCE - "Well you can just tell the Longhorn Foundation where they can stick my donation."
9) HOPE - "Yes, I'd like to confirm my hotel reservation in Pasadena and go ahead and book me on one of those super savor flights to LA, non-refundable of course."
10) AFFIRMATION OF REALITY - "Believe it or not, Texas actually lost. They're out of the national championship hunt and most likely the Big XII Championship too. Chris Simms isn't perfect and Mack Brown isn't the second coming. But life goes on and fortunately for us, there's a lot more football to be played."

As I exited the Cotton Bowl, the shock of another loss to OU became all the more real as I waded through a jubilant sea of crimson and creme. When I finally got to my car, I wondered why the Oklahoma fans hadn't teased or taunted me. When I looked in the rearview mirror, I realized why. Anyone could see my heart breaking just by looking in my eyes. Putting it all into perspective, one would probably argue that it's wrong to mourn the loss of a football game as you would the loss of a loved one, but somehow it all seems to hurt just the same. Fortunately for us, no one's ever died from defeat and believe it or not, life does go on. The season isn't over and the tide will turn. It always does. Just remember the pain you feel today because it will make the next win just that much sweeter. Three-hundred and sixty-two days and counting. Is there anything worse than losing to the Sooners?

THE GAME
Unlike last year, the reasons for Saturday's loss couldn't be more evident. Four Texas turnovers while failing to establish a running game and adapt the passing game to Oklahoma's zone defense invariably lead to the Longhorns' demise. Give Bob Stoops and the Sooners credit. They did what they had to do to win. But with OU's offense nursing injuries on the sideline, Texas could have, and should have won that game. Simply put, Mack Brown got out coached and Chris Simms, with all his talent, couldn't make up the difference. Inevitably people will ask the question, would Applewhite have made a difference? Maybe. He seems to read defenses better than Simms and since OU wasn't giving up the long ball, Major certainly could have been effective against their prevent defense. But we'll never know because Mack wouldn't play Major now, if the game depended on it. He can't afford the speculation. Though I find it ironic that Mack always seems to refer to Simms as the quarterback of the future. Well I got news for Mack, the future is here, Chris Simms is a junior and if he can't get the job done now, he probably never will. Regardless of which quarterback was playing, I still have a hard time believing Texas didn't win with all that talent. Was Corso right, do the Longhorns lack heart? Personally, I don't think heart had anything to do with it. The defense left it all out on the field. They never quit and I commend them for their effort. If the Longhorns lacked anything, it was knowledge. So....

WHERE DO "WE" GO FROM HERE?
Make no mistake about it, that was a monumental loss. That game meant everything to the players, the fans and most importantly, the BCS. I'd like to say the National Championship will just have to wait until next year. But when you take a look at Texas' schedule for the next few years, you realize just how much of an opportunity was lost on Saturday. This loss will probably go down in history right next to the muffed punt against Georgia in the '84 Cotton Bowl. The question now, how much resolve does Texas have to come back? Last year was one of the worst losses in the history of Texas football, but the Horns came back the next week to beat Colorado and finish the rest of the season undefeated. With their schedule, they could very easily do that again. Say what you will about Mack Brown and his game preparation and field management, but the one thing the man can do is motivate. If anyone can get this team back on track, he can. Kansas State quit in my opinion. Colorado has a good football team, but they're not better than Kansas State. Those Wildcat players couldn't get by the Oklahoma loss. Texas can. It starts this week with the....

NEXT GAME
First up on the road back to the promised land, the Oklahoma State Cowboys. By all accounts, not a very good team. The Cowboy's defense has some talent and seems to do well against the run, but the offense is in a constant state of flux. Aso Pogi, who showed promise as a true freshman, has yet to live up to his preseason billing. He's lost some control and has been susceptible to turnovers. The big concern for Saturday is how will Texas react to the loss. If they come out fired up and ready to play, I think you'll see an offensive explosion and a consistent game from a tired, but otherwise motivated defense. Or, you could see an apathetic Texas team, who believes they have nothing to play for, come out flat and resort to finger pointing and dissension. Personally, I think Texas has too much depth for that and Mack won't let that happen. So what's it going to be? Here's the....

UNPREDICTABLE PREDICTION
"Whoa, whoa! Nobody's giving up on this season, no sir, this is a full blown, 4-alarm emergency here. We're going to press on and have the hap, hap, happiest football campaign since Coach McWilliams shocked the nation with Peter "fucking" Gardere, and when those Oklahoma State Cowboy fans arrive at Lewis field on Saturday, they're going to find the jolliest bunch of assholes this side of the Red River." Texas 31, OSU 17

TAILGATE UPDATE
Stillwater, Oklahoma (it's ok) is just over 7 hours by car from Austin (but only 20 minutes from the House of Mud). Besides Oklahoma State University (OSwho), Stillwater is also known for it's semi-world famous bar (souvenir shop really), Eskimo Joe's (that's Inuit you honky). For a couple of bucks ("saw my pimp today"), you get to choose from a variety of funky-colored (don't drop the tope), plastic cups filled with beer that promises half the alcohol (3.2 on the liver scale) and twice the number of trips to the restroom (it burns when I pee). If you're going to the game (get your shots first), this is the only place to meet (who run Barter Town?) before or after the game. Try the cheese fries (pot luck) and don't forget to pick up a T-shirt (100% rip off).

QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"I asked this girl in my class if I could get her number. She said, not until you beat OU." - Marcus Tubbs, DL