Sunday, December 25, 2005

The Agony Of Defeat in the Hawaii Bowl

        

One thing I've learned in sports is the difference between the pros and the student-athletes.  And no matter what sarcastic comment you can make about the "student" athlete...these guys are still kids whose emotions run like a roller coaster.  I don't mind a pro team piling on another pro team.  But I do mind college teams doing that.  There is no reason that a program like Texas should pummel a program like Baylor 70-0.  These are kids...and you've proven your point with the win.

That's why I feel so bad for Matt Prater.  Prater is the kicker for Central Florida.  Dude hit a clutch kick late in regulation...a 46-yarder...against Nevada in the Hawaii Bowl.  But in overtime...Nevada had the ball first and took a 49-42 lead.  Two plays into the Golden Knights' overtime possession, they score a TD to make in 49-48.  The obligatory extra point would put in into a 2nd overtime....but Prater pushed it wide right.

And while the Nevada players stormed the field....the Central Florida players stood stunned.  And all you can do as a kicker is put your head down....and swallow that guilt. 

He should keep his head up.  They all should.  It was a great comeback in a great bowl game to watch.  Last year, UCF finished 0-11 and in the basement of the Mid American Conference.  This year, their first in Conference USA, they finish 8-3...won the East Division...before losing to Tulsa in the C-USA title game and Nevada in Hawaii.  It was an amazing season and a great story.   

....and an amazing game!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

What the heck does this have to do with Texas-Baylor?
And oh by the way, let's don't mention USC either.....it's called BCS Sportz.

Man if it's not one thing it's another with you.

Of course the natural rivalry with the Cowboys and redskins,

Then you switch your loyalty to USC at the last minute,

Then it's the Texans and the conspiracy draft theory..

Why don't ya just come out and say you hate Texas teams and quit cheesing around it in your posts?

Geeze....and of course, we never get a response from the great Sportz because we are in Texas.

Anonymous said...

Geez...Lew, why are you so bent???  I used the Texas-Baylor analogy just because Baylor's athletic program is in shreds and Texas is the best progam in their conference [I wanted to use Spurrier's Florida teams as an example...but he isn't there and South Carolina isn't that good].  

As for picking USC...here is your reason.

(A) To me...the USC offense is better than Texas...and the Texas offense is better than USC's.  So, to me, there are pretty even.  So.....
(B) The Trojans are playing, essentially, at home.  They've won their last 5 games in the Rose Bowl...and looked good doing so.  And the fact the game is so close to home....they cannot get too caught up in the entire pagentry of the Rose Bowl or the BCS title game.  They can stay in their normal routines.  
(C) The Trojans have played in this national championship type atmosphere the last 2 years...including a mauling of the last Big XII team that blew thru the conference.  
(D) And as the season has gone on...I've moved toward USC over Texas.  Yes, I love Texas....but watching USC beat UCLA, at Notre Dame, at Oregon and Fresno State have impressed me more as a body of work than what Texas has done this season...despite that huge, huge, huge win in Ohio State.  

The game will end with USC winning by around 4.  31-27.  50-46.  USC by 4.  That's my pick.  Sorry you don't like it.  

-Sportz

Anonymous said...

*(A) To me...the USC offense is better than Texas...and the Texas offense is better than USC's.  So, to me, there are pretty even


I mean Texas' defense is better than USC

Anonymous said...

"Why don't ya just come out and say you hate Texas teams and quit cheesing around it in your posts?"

Hate Texas??

In my bowl picks....

....I picked Houston to beat Kansas in the Ft Worth Bowl [in which I lost]
....I picked UTEP to beat Toledo in the GMAC Bowl [in which I lost].  
....I picked TCU to beat Iowa State in the Houston Bowl.
....I picked Texas Tech to beat Alabama in the Cotton Bowl.

The ONLY Texas team I picked to lose in a bowl game was the Longhorns who are playing the defending two-time champions in their hometown!

-Sportz