No, this is not about Donald and Hillary, though some of it is just about as silly. One of my favorite cartoon characters, Popeye, summed it up pretty well when he said, “That’s all I can stands. I can’t stands no more!”
North Dakota State, the “Little Engine That Could”, got a lot of “cred” for their recent defeat of the U. of Iowa football team. They have become the little school that none of the big boys want to play. They are 8-3 all-time against the FBS teams and are currently in the midst of a 6-0 streak against them. Who’s next?
Ever wonder why football is considered so important in conference realignments? Consider the situation in our Sunflower State. Kansas, which has won 12 Big 12 titles in a row, made $19,144,222 in basketball revenue during the 2014-15 school year. Even with a football program on the skids, Kansas made $25,986,540 in football revenues. Kansas State generated more revenue in football alone ($46,345,877) than Kansas did in football and basketball combined ($45,130,762). That, in a nutshell, is why folks on Mt. Oread are desperate to get this football program turned around!
Speaking of bad football, how do you explain one Big Ten team losing to another by 78 points? Michigan 78, Rutgers 0. That’s true disparity folks!
If the FBS National Playoffs were held right now, the Big 12 would most likely be left out. Only undefeated Baylor and West Virginia probably have a shot if they both run the table and remain undefeated. That’s not likely. Meanwhile there will be a lot of noise made for two Big 10 teams to get in the 4-team playoff if Ohio State and Michigan are undefeated except for their game against each other. If that game is close, expect the publicity grinders from the Big 10 to promote for both of them to make the field.
Former All-Pro and coach of “Da Bears”, Mike Ditka on the current hoopla about concussions in football: “What, you wanna play touch football? Football is football. It’s blocking and tackling. It’s physical, people get knocked out. I think it is part of the appeal of the game. Probably will get worse before it gets better.”
There’s a new “Bad Boy” in the NFL’s AFC West. The Oakland Raiders are playing energetic and inspired football and are beginning to elbow their way into the gap between the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs. The Broncos were brought back to earth by the resurgent Atlanta Falcons and the Pittsburgh Steelers pointed out the flaws in the Chiefs. This Sunday’s game at Oakland has a ton of early-season pressure for the Chiefs to make a statement. Lose and fall to 2-3 and the doubters will be out in force!
Kansas at Baylor? KU is better but not that much better. Bears 44, Jayhawks 21........Kansas State has won their last two games in Norman but I don’t think they will have the offensive agility to hang with the Sooners this year. Stoops’ troops on the rebound. Oklahoma 39, K-State 24....... All games count in playoff consideration so Coach Erin Beck will have his Black Panthers avoiding a letdown at Liberal. Great Bend moves to 7-0, 41-15......... Moving on to a perfect regular season, Hoisington begins District play at Ellsworth. Bearcats no match. Hoisington 48, Ellsworth 13....... Also in District play, Larned is at Lyons. Two 0-6 teams looking for answers. Larned will find more answers than Lyons. Indians 30, Lyons 13....... Speaking of locker rooms, former Michigan State football coach, George Perles, had this to say on allowing women reporters in the locker room: “I think we probably expose our players to the media as well as anybody!”
Buddy Tabler is a guest columnist for the Great Bend Tribune and his views don’t necessarily reflect those of the paper. He can be reached at budtabler@gmail.com