I apologize for the title, but I just didn’t know what and owl’s foot was called. If you know, please pass it along. Oh, and I know this game was three days ago…blame that one on Bellwether for posting six minutes before me yesterday. So…
Hey Temple fans. What’s up? I just wanted to let you know that I understand. I really do. You were picked to finish a mediocre (at best) eighth in the Atlantic 10 conference. I am sure that hurt. You hadn’t received a single vote in either of the major polls. Insulting, right? You must have felt disrespected. You were 8-2, and one of those losses was to #20 Georgetown by one on the road. And then, to top it all off, you just upset the number three team in the county, Villanova, by 10! So yeah, I understand your arrogance a couple of weeks ago.
November 19, 1999 Des Moines, IA. The Iowa State Cyclones are visiting the Drake Bulldogs. Iowa State is expected to contend for the Big XII championship. The Dawgs are expected to hope for a berth into the MVC Tournament at best. Low and behold, Drake beat the mighty Cyclones 48-44. They beat Marcus Fizer. They beat Jamal Tinsley. They beat the team that would be ranked #6 in the country at the end of the season. I, along with 5 other people, stormed the court. Later on, we decided that Drake could make a NCAA tournament run. You know what happened? They went 11-18 overall, 4-14 in the conference, and managed to lose 9 of their last 10 games.
I wasn’t thinking clearly after that game, and you weren’t thinking either when you chanted, “we want Kansas!” You thought that if you could beat a team like Villanova, then you could beat anyone. In this case, it appears you bit off more than you could chew. The old eyes were bigger than the stomach trick. It happens.
You were holding people to 53 points per game. Your defense would surely stifle the Jayhawks, who were averaging 90 points per game. What you didn’t think about was that you had absolutely no one who could play inside with Cole Aldrich, “Marquise” Morris*, Thomas Robinson, or even Xavier Henry.
*That’s my name for the player named Morris who somehow is allowed 10 fouls per game.
Your best player, Juan Fernandez, came in averaging 21 points. Surely he could help you keep up with Sherron Collins, or Aldrich, or Marquise, or Robinson, or Taylor, or Morningstar, or Reed, or Withey. Oh, it didn’t. Crap.
Like I said, I understand. We all get a little out of hand after a big win. Maybe you thought you could beat Kansas. I mean, KU may have been #1, but they hadn’t played anyone. Through some scheduling quirks, teams like Memphis, Michigan, and UCLA were having down years. Plus, KU you had encountered some trouble against this cupcake schedule. Yes, I get the “We want Kansas!” chant two weeks ago.
But here is where your misguided arrogance goes wrong. Prior to the game with the Jayhawks, you chanted “Overrated!” at KU while they were warming up. Why would you do that? What in the name of John Cheney were you thinking?? I mean, I am sure you already had the attention of the Jayhawks. Everyone heard the original chant. But now you are going to piss off the “best” team in the country 3 minutes before tip off. That’s why Sherron lit you up. That’s why your only lead was 3-2. That’s why you got ripped on your home floor by 32.
So Temple, again I understand where you were coming from. I had even been in that same spot. However, I didn’t chant anything at Iowa State until we had actually won. Maybe go with the “Overrated!” chant aimed at Villanova after you beat them. Or maybe just chant things like “We want UMass!” or “We Want St, Louis University!” Or you can jump on the band wagon and chant “Rock Chalk Jayhawk!”
January 12th, 2010 at 1:03pm
I believe the title of your post is what is now known as “Pulling a Harry Reid.”
January 12th, 2010 at 1:57pm
It’s okay. The NAACP is backing me. Or was it the NCAA? I can’t remember. At least I don’t write with a cracker dialect unless I want one.