SMU vs. Texas
Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2001 2:45 pmI was in Austin this weekend to visit some relatives, and we went to the Oklahoma-Texas game. Some thoughts:
* UT is overrated -- SMU would spank the Horns. We lost to OU by what, one point? UT lost to OU by about 15, and looked horrible in the process. They easily could have lost by 25 or 30. The SMU perimeter guys (Sasser, Q Ross, Hancock) would toy with the UT guards. And while UT has more size than we do, they only have one interior guy (power forward) who would give us any trouble. He's big and athletic - the rest of them are stiffs.
* Moody is a nicer venue than the Erwin Center. Smaller, sure, but much more intimate. In Austin, the front row of the seats is a mile away from the court, not right on top of the game like we are at Moody.
* You know how some people make fun of SMU fans? The UT fans are worse. There is no pro team (except UT football) to compete for the sports entertainment dollar, yet the place was half empty for a matchup of two allegedly top-25 teams. UT was playing a school they supposedly consider a rival, OU. But the place looked like a practice at Kentucky - about as many empty seats as full. And when the Sooners were way ahead in the second half, everyone split. The arena was damn-near empty when they did that "Eyes of Texas" thing at the end of the game. And don't ever think SMU fans have cornered the market on silence - I've never seen an arena that big get that quiet.
* Got to give it to UT on the cheerleaders. Theirs are excellent -- strong dancers, look great, and do acrobatics I've never seen at Moody. Their baton twirler also is amazing. Granted, I hear she's working on her 51st graduate degree and has been twirling there forever, but she might well be the best in the country.
* Moody has better hot dogs.
* Parking is better at Moody, too, believe it or not.
* UT has a great band, but SMU's is getting much better in recent weeks.
* Rick Barnes is a decent coach, but he's no Mike Dement.
* UT is overrated -- SMU would spank the Horns. We lost to OU by what, one point? UT lost to OU by about 15, and looked horrible in the process. They easily could have lost by 25 or 30. The SMU perimeter guys (Sasser, Q Ross, Hancock) would toy with the UT guards. And while UT has more size than we do, they only have one interior guy (power forward) who would give us any trouble. He's big and athletic - the rest of them are stiffs.
* Moody is a nicer venue than the Erwin Center. Smaller, sure, but much more intimate. In Austin, the front row of the seats is a mile away from the court, not right on top of the game like we are at Moody.
* You know how some people make fun of SMU fans? The UT fans are worse. There is no pro team (except UT football) to compete for the sports entertainment dollar, yet the place was half empty for a matchup of two allegedly top-25 teams. UT was playing a school they supposedly consider a rival, OU. But the place looked like a practice at Kentucky - about as many empty seats as full. And when the Sooners were way ahead in the second half, everyone split. The arena was damn-near empty when they did that "Eyes of Texas" thing at the end of the game. And don't ever think SMU fans have cornered the market on silence - I've never seen an arena that big get that quiet.
* Got to give it to UT on the cheerleaders. Theirs are excellent -- strong dancers, look great, and do acrobatics I've never seen at Moody. Their baton twirler also is amazing. Granted, I hear she's working on her 51st graduate degree and has been twirling there forever, but she might well be the best in the country.
* Moody has better hot dogs.
* Parking is better at Moody, too, believe it or not.
* UT has a great band, but SMU's is getting much better in recent weeks.
* Rick Barnes is a decent coach, but he's no Mike Dement.