NBA Drafts Baylor's Isaiah Austin

((HT: ESPN/NBA))

The HQ told you that Baylor's Isaiah Austin was diagnosed with Marfan's Syndrome about a week ago. The college star that had built a career after losing the sight in one eye has to stop playing altogether.

In another classy, stand-up move by new NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, the league did something very special for Austin at this year's NBA Draft.


The HQ thought that the only thing better would have been for the World Champs to pick him up in the Second Round themselves.

But a classy move nonetheless...

Isaiah Austin's Career Over After Marfan Diagnosis... A Team Should Draft Him Anyway

((HT: ESPN))

Isaiah Austin has overcome a lot to be a tremendous college basketball player- losing the sight out of an eye at the age of 8 and having to deal with all the stigma that comes with it. But keeping the loss of sight out of the public discussion until only recently has reinforced the public opinion that the Baylor player really is someone that is to be admired.

After his red-shirt sophomore season, he declared for the NBA Draft. But a diagnosis of Marfan's Syndrome has taken his dream and stopped it four days before the draft.

Here's Holly Rowe's interview with Austin after his mother broke the news to him


The HQ hopes that a franchise will draft Austin in the second round and make him an ambassador of the sport for their franchise.

San Antonio would make a great example of it...

Just thinking out loud...

HALF COURT BUZZER BEATER: By KU's Andrew Wiggins

Kansas freshman Andrew Wiggins nails a half court shot against Baylor.

Thanks ESPN:

UK-Baylor Goes For 263 Points... In Women's Hoops...

((HT: ESPN))

The Kentucky-Baylor doubleheader at Jerry World took a little longer than it would have normally...

Because the women's game went 4 overtimes and was good for 263 points total in the 133-130 win by 5th-ranked Kentucky...

Here's the highlights...


Odyssey Sims was good for 47 and Jennifer O'Neill poured in 43 to lead both squads...

The previous high for a Division I women's game was 252 points in SMU's 127-125 win over TCU, also in four overtimes, on January 25, 1997. The two schools combined for 84-of-198 from the floor and 82-of-112 from the foul line on 80 fouls...

Baylor Takes Care Of Bid-Ness, Knocks Off Big Game Bob...

((HT: Newsok.com))

The first quarter of the Baylor-Oklahoma game last night was what most folks thought it would be... the Sooners slowing down Baylor's offense and hamstringing them to normalcy- especially after the safety, free kick return, and a 5-3 lead...

Which might have been the beginning of the end for the Sooners... getting three instead of seven...

From there, Baylor and their black shirts outscored Oklahoma 38-7 on their way to a dominating, 41-12 win where Baylor took advantage of mistakes and capitalized quickly...

Very quickly...

Here's Damon Fontenot- very, very late last night talking about all the problems...
The Oklahoman's Berry Tramel thinks that both Josh Heupel and Blake Bell are in trouble where their jobs are concerned... From Tramel: Two years ago, after Robert Griffin torched the Sooners for a 45-38 upset, Stoops was motivated to switch his defensive leadership. Within six weeks, Mike Stoops was in and Brent Venables was out. So the Heupel watch officially has begun. Bob Stoops went 13 years without firing a coach. Now he's fired four and demoted another in the last two seasons. Stoops has proven he's got a guillotine and will use it.
Must read for Sooner types...

Do You Believe Baylor Is For Real Now? Bears Deliver A Whooping On Oklahoma 41-12

Does and ole fashioned butt whipping on one of the Big 12's brand names make you a believer in the Baylor Bears?

Baylor leads the nation in total offense with 718 yards per game and scoring with 64 points per game.  The Bears are outscoring opponents by 48 point margin yet not much respect was coming Baylor's way.

You have to admit Baylor's 41-12 win over Oklahoma was really impressive.

Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty threw for 204 yards and three touchdowns.

Running back Shock Linwood rushed for a career high 182 yards.

Baylor outrushed Oklahoma 255-87.


"It's a very special team." Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty said. "Our defense played outstanding tonight, and I think it's one of the best games I've ever seen them play."

Baylor's defense held Oklahoma to 237 yards of total offense.

"I think that we showed we can play defense and compete with any team in this conference and in the nation."  Baylor defensive end Chris McAllister said. "When we have a game plan and put our minds to it and guys execute, we can play with anybody, and I think that's what we showed tonight."

Baylor is now 8-0 for the first time in school history.

When the BCS standings are released Sunday night, will Baylor be that number four team in the conference.

That December 7th showdown with Texas is looking really big right now.

Can Anyone Derail The Baylor Offense? Bears put up over 70 points again.

Right now Baylor head coach Art Briles is the resident offensive genius in college football.

Heading into the West Virginia game Saturday the Bears led the nation in total offense averaging a staggering 751.3 yards per game while putting up almost 70 points a game.

Even Oregon's offense can't compete.

Saturday in front of 45,467 fans at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco, Texas Baylor padded those stats.

Baylor put up a Big 12 Conference record 864 yards of total offense and put up over 70 points to defeat West Virginia 73-42. In face Baylor's 73 points is a Big 12 conference record too for most points in a single game in a conference head-to-head match-up.

Enjoy the offensive show.




Saturday against West Virginia was Bryce Petty's fourth start as the Bears quarterback and once again Petty put up big numbers.  He threw for 347 yards and two touchdowns.

“It’s a team win." Petty said.  "We’re all smiles right now and we should be."

Damn right you should smile after that performance.

Next week Baylor travels to the "Little Apple", Manhattan, Kansas to face the K-State Wildcats.

It might be a little tougher to put up 70 there.

Kim Mulkey Gets A Suspension

Okay...

How many of you remember this from the Final Four weekend...???
((HT: ESPN/NCAA))


The HQ didn't, but the folks in Indianapolis did...

So, as a result... the Baylor head coach has been given a one-game suspension for the March post-season tournament. The folks who run the college game also are holding the Bears championship per diem for the regional round...

Which, probably hurts more than the suspension does...

Mulkey, in the eyes of the NCAA, is a repeat offender. She was reprimanded in 2011 for criticizing the NCAA when they put texas A&M in her bracket- a team it had faced three times that season. Texas A&M won the game in the tourney and the national title.

"The committee unanimously felt that the behavior of Coach Mulkey was unacceptable and has no place in the women's basketball championship," said Carolayne Henry, committee chair and senior associate commissioner for the Mountain West Conference.

And there you go...

OSG High: West, Texas... With The Comma

When Interstate 35 west winds its way, for those travelling that way, toward the merger with I-35 it's near the town of Hillsboro, Texas. The towns click off every ten miles or so- Alvarado, Itasca, Hillsboro, and then, West. A lot of people are genuinely confused over the name. But the first postmaster of the town of 2,800 in McLennan County was a guy by the name of T.M. West.

Thus, the name... and it has nothing to do with direction or time and place...

Everyone knows now that the death toll in a catastrophic mill explosion is now 14 with dozens still listed as missing- 7 fatalities from volunteer fire departments inside the state.

“It is by far one of, if not the worst, (disasters) we have seen in the state of Texas,” said Assistant State Fire Marshal Kelly Kistner.

There will be regulatory issues and safety issues that will come up over the next while over the West plant- especially after the idea that those who ran the plant maintained that there would never be any kind of catastrophic event like the one that happened. It would only be a ten second release of ammonia gas- and that would be it.

But it wasn't... and it won't be for a while...

It's a part of the state where, if drivers don't like the traffic pattern, they'll high-step their cars and trucks over the grass medians and plow over to the roads that run parallel to the freeway. It's a part of the state also known as much for its Czech influence. There are restaurants in Hillsboro and in West where you can pick up a mean kolache and, now, they're places for remembering who is gone and who remains.

Buildings have been obliterated... and I don't even think that is giving the word justice. Schools in the blast zone are not safe and superintendents have had to give advice from all around the state to figure out how to make the last month of school... "normal..."

Students will resume classes on Monday. Some students will start their new lives in neighboring Connally ISD, while some students will go to West Elementary School, which Crawford said was the only campus not affected by the explosion...

Translation... "the only school left standing where we feel safe putting people."

Everyone short of 6th grade goes there. The middle and high schoolers go to an abandoned school in Connally.

“Our goal for the next 30 days is to make sure (students) have a great experience, that we could put back a little normalcy and consistency in the kids’ lives,” West ISD Superintendent Marty Crawford said.

And the kids had to try...

The calm at Hillsboro High. Thoughts are still 15 miles south.

In Hillsboro, the Eagles were set to play a double-header against Burnsville-Eddy Friday. The JV game went by the boards and the two schools were set to play one game in the newly-constructed softball and baseball stands. Their number one fan, who was there way too early for first pitch was asked the simple question of "How are you doin'...?"

"We're here..."

And that sums up the mood of the whole region...

Over at the county fairgrounds, kids from fraternities and sororities made their way from Baylor to help unload trucks and cram everything they got from 18-wheelers into cardboard boxes and get them to West as soon as they could.

"We're more organized now than we were at the beginning," one Phi Chi told me. "If a truck comes in and it's a fork-lift truck, we really can't do anything. But if it was hand-packed, you see what we're able to do."

And that translated into about 20 college students moving around to fill boxes on four hour shifts waiting for the next group to take over.

"There are three different fraternities here," he continued. "No one cared what frat you were when you showed up. And that's not always necessarily the case."

Justin Lewis came to the fairgrounds in a blue blazer, white dress shirt, and beige power tie complete with blue jeans and boots. He seemed to be the one orchestrating what needed to be put where and how quickly. His day job is that of a Hill County judge, but his focus was on turning around every gifted piece of aid and getting it to West.

The Hill County Fairgrounds- where Baylor came to help

"We've got a Wal-Mart's worth of material," he admitted as the pile grew behind him. "Places like H.E.B. (a local department store chain) and Farmers are helping out with their trucks. And our job is to sort, inventory, re-box and be a distribution point. If someone calls and says 'I need toilet paper,' then I can go 'Okay, we'll get you a palette.' If someone calls and says, 'I need clothes.' Then, we can go 'Okay, we'll get you a palette of that.' and so on... That's what we're doing here."

But, it's not all optimism. You get the sense, though, that the work is keeping him from focusing on what he lost.

"It's bad. Real bad... it's ugly down there" and all he could do is look down and shake his head briefly before regaining focus on the job he and everyone else in the fairgrounds was working on. "I've lost friends and I can't find others. But, right now, we're running on adrenaline. They're family. And that's what you do..."

And the 18-wheelers just kept coming... a good thing for everyone- those who needed it to get their lives back on track and for those who needed to help so they could regain a part of theirs.

Baylor Has The Balls To Play at Louisiana-Monroe, And Win 47-42

Louisiana-Monroe has established themselves as a pain in the ass to the SEC and college football's Cinderella.  The Warhawks defeated Arkansas two weeks ago and damn near beat Auburn last Saturday with both games going overtime. 

While those games were on the road Baylor had the stones to actually play ULM in Monroe, Louisiana at the Warhawks home Malone Stadium.

A record crowd of 31,175 jammed every nook and cranny of Malone Stadium and saw high scoring shootout.

Down 35-34 in the fourth quarterback Baylor quarterback Nick Florence proved that in a hostile situation he can lead his team on a game winning drive.

Florence lead the Bears on a 14 play, 73 yard drive that put the Bears up for good and with an insurance 22 yard touchdown to Terrence Williams put the game out of reach for the Warhawks as Baylor won it 47-42.

"It was a dogfight.” Baylor head coach Art Briles said.  “They are an extremely hot football team right now that has a tremendous amount of confidence.We walked into an environment that we knew would be a great football atmosphere to begin with.”

“It was good for us to win this game on the road,” Baylor quarterback Nick Florence said. “It’s good to fight through this because next week is going to be tough, too. You’ve got to make plays when you need them. That’s the name of the game.”

Nick Florence final numbers against ULM were impressive.  26 of 39 passing 351 yards and a career high four touchdowns, he did throw 2 interceptions.

ULM’s Kolton Browning finished 25-39 for 272 yards and two touchdowns. Browning also rushed for 49 yards and a rushing touchdown.

Here’s the highlights from Baylor’s win over ULM. (Thanks BaylorAthletics)

The win over Louisiana – Monroe is the ninth straight for Baylor.  It’s the second longest streak in the FBS, TCU has won 10 in a row.

Life Without RG3 Is Fine At Baylor. Bears Crush Mustangs In 2012 Season Opener

The post RG3 began Sunday night with the Bears crushing former SWC rival SMU 59-24.

The honor to take over the starting quarterback position goes to Nick Florence, who received and encouraging text for Griffin before the game.

"He just told me to be myself," Florence said. "I learned a lot from (Griffin). He's done a lot for our program. Just because he leaves, doesn't mean anything different happens here."

What happened was the Baylor offense looked just as good as last year.  Florence final numbers against the SMU was impressive completing 21 of 30 passes for 341 yards and four touchdowns. 

"I thought it was a good performance, but I want to get better.”  Florence said.  “I wanted zero incompletions. I thought it was a great first start, but I want to keep getting better. I had a blast out there."

"Nick was Nick, and that's what you are going to love about him.”  Baylor head coach Art Briles said.  “He's an intelligent, passionate, driven player that places himself second.”

Here’s a game story from KWTX-TV, Waco, Texas

Erin Andrews Gets A Bath In Waco, Texas.

Three are some things you just shut up and let the pictures do the talking. This is one of them. (Thanks Awful Announcing)



Yes the blue Gatorade that was splashed on Robert Griffin III of Baylor also engulfed Erin Andrews from the 4-letter.



Those of us at the OSG HQ are happy that Ms. Andrews didn't wear white. It tends to get nippy in Waco, Texas in late November.

We also remember another famous Gatorade bath 19 years ago. This one wasn't appreciated by Tim McCarver. Enjoy the flashback.



Damn I miss Charley Steiner doing "Sportscenter".

TWTW: Bee-Cee-Ess In Upheaval... Oke State, Clemson, Baylor, Oregon

Just when you thought everything would calm down for a weekend...

Nah...

Where to start...???

With Oke State already losing, that left things in the hands of Oregon...
And a lot of people were just rooting against Lane Kiffin and that toque he sported last night that made him look like he just celebrated his bar mitzvah...

USC went out to a big lead and held on as Alejandro Maldonado hooked a field goal attempt as time expired...
Nick Krupke goes into detail...
((HT: KVAL-TV))


The loss snaps a 21-game winning streak for the Ducks (now 9-2, 7-1 Pac-12) at Autzen Stadium, which was the longest in the nation. It also stopped Oregon's winning streak in conference games at 19.

NEXT!!!

If RG3 isn't back in the college football MVP trophy chase, we don't know what will make it happen...

479 yards passing, which broke his own single-game school record, and 551 total yards of offense in a completely ridiculous performance for a 45-38 win over Oklahoma.

Jenni Carlson and Travis Haney discuss...
((HT: newsok.com))


The ACC thought they had something in Clemson, but Dabo threw in a clunker of biblical proportions getting blown out by NC State...

The win for the Wolfpack ended Clemson's seven-game winning streak in the series, which dated back to 2004. (Thanks ACC Digital Network)



"I was really disappointed in the way we played," Swinney said. "There are no excuses. They wanted it more than we did. It is that simple.

"In the game of football, when you do the things that we did, you are going to get beat."

Like giving up 27 in the second...???
((HT: WSPA-TV))


And the HQ is throwing this one in because we can...
Apparently, Eff-Ess-Yew head coach Jimbo Fisher can't locate his offense...
Up early against Virginia, the Seminoles blew the lead and lost to Virginia 14-13 as a last-second field goal attempt went wide... (Thanks ACC Digital Network)



Gee... that NEVER happens to Florida State...
Here's some Mike London post...
((HT: Newsplex.com))

National Title Dreams Die For Oklahoma Thanks To Baylor. Bears Upset Sooners

Was it a Heisman Trophy night for Baylor QB Robert Griffin III?

All the talented Baylor Bear quarterback did on Saturday was throw for 479 yards and four touchdowns. The fourth, a 34-yarder to Terrance Williams with 8 seconds left, was the clincher in the Baylor's 45-38 upset win over Oklahoma.

“It’s another day at the office for Robert." Baylor head coach Art Briles said in a post game press conference after the game. "He’s been doing that for three or four years. When the ball’s in his hands good things happen because he’s very intelligent, very gifted.“

Here's the highlights from Waco, TX. (Thanks Big 12 Digital Network)



The loss to Baylor kills Oklahoma chances of a national title.

“We just didn’t play well enough to win." Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones said. "We had too many turnovers and too many penalties. That’s about it.”

Here's The Oklahoman's Damon Fontenot at Waco with a full report of the game. (Thanks newsok)

It's Official: A And M To The Ess-E-Cee, Waco Silent For Now...

It was a thirty-minute ((or so)) press conference that had a lot of whooping, hollering, and yelling. It almost reminded the HQ of one of these every time either the Texas A&M President or any subsequent presenter at the College Station, Texas lectern...
((HT: WWE/SpikeTV/youtube))


But, it is official... Texas A&M, Yell Leaders and all, are the third addition to the Southeastern Conference in the 78 year history of the Ess-E-Cee...

There was the perfunctory amount of pomp and circumstance...
And it was a Texas-sized party- complete with house band...
((HT: KBTX-TV))


And the HQ will give the news operation credit...
They pursued even the places where you could grab Ess-E-Cee gear in College Station...
And they even got Waco, Texas' reaction- no word on Ken Starr's feelings at present, thanks to our friends at KWTX-TV in Waco...

In unrelated news, Baylor University is purchasing the property on the Hotel Waco site, fueling speculation that the school is closer to the idea of building their own on-campus barn for football and any other sport that they can fit in on the grounds...

OSU Denies Any Big 12/10/9 Shenanigans

((HT: KWTX-TV Waco, Newsok.com))

Mike Sherman's Open Mike blog at Newsok.com has the newest angle in all of this eventual Texas A&M moving to the Ess-E-Cee despite protestations of a school (probably Baylor) and possibly the addition of other schools in some nebulous lawsuit that has no bearing and wouldn't hold up in any court of law...

Oklahoma State's Gary Schutt released the following statement... since they played Arizona and he knew everyone was going to ask...

"Speculative reports using unnamed sources implying Oklahoma State University would join others in a lawsuit against the SEC and Texas A&M were incorrect."

Here's team coverage on Baylor's blocking of the whole deal- it's all about looking out for number one, yo...


And any news of a so-called "Group of 6" or "Gang of 6"- Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, K-State, Missouri, and Texas Tech- is news to OU- according to Berry Tramel... since OU is supposedly the lynchpin of any movement that gets Baylor's "okay" after analysis including Texas A&M...

Got all that...???

Jenni Carlson talks to Travis Haney about Oklahoma's angle in all this...


And, oh by the way, Iowa State is retaining legal counsel on the off chance they think they'll need it...