Football, Fair and Brady

Catch that football game on Saturday? I thought they were out of it, outmatched, overpowered, especially when they fell behind, but it's hard to keep the 'ol Golden Hurricane down.

Tulsa 37, SMU 31

Wait, was there another game?

I've seen my share of football, both at the high school and college level, and I have to say that the UT/OU clash was one of the better battles I've ever witnessed. True, we were 41 rows up, tucked discreetly in the end zone, and the sun was so in our eyes during the first half that my face is still stuck in a Luke Perryesque squint. But there was nary a cloud in the sky, we were nestled in a sea of burnt-orange crazies and the good guys prevailed, so what wasn't to love?

Though I used to dissect games for a living, I'll try to spare the analogies. It was somewhat surprising that turnovers didn't play much of a role (in fact, there were but three miscues, none of which factored heavily). And that Texas actually beat the Sooners at their own no-huddle game, with a pair of pip squeaks at wide receiver. The shocker, though, was UT's ability to run the ball late in the game, especially for Chris Ogbonnaya's 62-yard, game-clinching escape. During that one, a sixtyish woman sitting one row back was essentially giving me a Heimlich as Ogbonnaya galloped down the sideline. Good times.

The fair's fare was predictably of the fried variety. At any one stop, you could nab a fried funnel cake, fried (chocolate!) bacon and/or fried cheesecake. Me, though, I'm a tried-and-true corny dog guy, and my Fletcher's Dog at 9:14a, coupled with the day's debut brew, proved a most tasty breakfast.

For the first time, I lost the annual Gay T-Shirtathon (see 10/7 entry). So I paraded proudly through the masses sporting a Tee that had our mugs within a rainbowed frame that proclaimed "What Dreams Are Made Of." My brothers woulda been so proud.

If airports employed the same security measures as the crack staff outside the State Fair, then there would have already been 30 or so more 9/11s. I might as well have done a shot with the lady upon entering. In fact, I can easily envision this conversation:

Security Girl: "Excuse me, sir, do you have a flask?"
Fan: "Why yes, yes I do."
Security Girl: "Okay, good. Carry on."

Spotted Jason Castro, the dreadlocked wonder from last year's "American Idol," prowling the UT sidelines. Guess his 15 minutes isn't up quite yet. Think I spied William Hung on the OU side.
In the food court following the game, apparently all one needed to do was walk in the entrance with arms upraised in the Hook-Em position to receive a rousing ovation from those already positioned therein. I noticed this and took full advantage, making three U-turns out of the joint and then back in triumphantly. I felt like a omnipotent game-show host.

Though the upcoming Mizzou game lost a bit of luster, courtesy of the Tigers' upset loss to Okie State, Saturday night's showdown should still be a good one. Though scarcely taller than Danny Devito, Mizzou QB Chase Daniel is a magician of the spread offense, and Jeremy Macklin, UM's star wideout, is slicker than oil. Still, I'll give the nod to UT and its momentum, 45-27.

As the Horns were winding down, my Buckeyes were winning ugly, 16-3, against Purdue. Ohio State has a freshman QB built frightenly along the same lines as Vince Young - 6-5, 240 - but the kid is still really raw. Dreading the Penn State game - the Nittany Lions have apparently decided to treat Coach Joe Pa's 100th birthday as a season to remember.

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I'm a man of simple pleasures. I enjoy reading my Sports Illustrated on Thursday evenings. I like to play guitar on the back patio. Watching McCoy (both McCoys, really) play. Old movies late at night.

And I like this guy; he makes me happy...
.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60og9gwKh1o

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Marcia, Marcia, Marcia.

Just saw that Maureen McCormick - aka Marcia Brady - is releasing a memoir in which she tells tales of her trading sex for drugs, partying at the Playboy Mansion and dating Michael Jackson...
Guess it wasn't just her hair that she was stroking 500 times a day...