BevoAbyss

Attn: thatguy. So you are a "Philosophy major." Good for you. Really, that's good. Sign up for a logic course and aesthetic course when you get the chance. Your hyper-empiricist (movement by movement of each play and player) analysis refuted absolutely nothing I said about the aesthetics inherent in Sark and his play-calling. In fact, it reinforces it, because your analyses revealed the ugliness/ridiculousness/absurdity of the player execution. Sark's design backfired. A tragedy of errors. You called it. Spot on. Also, what random UT fans would have said about various Sark play calls refutes zero of anything I actually said about the inherent aesthetics in Sark's play calling, beautiful and ugly, sublime and ridiculous. Zero! But it is pointless for this dialogue to continue. You do your football. I know aesthetics/design in the cultural world (including football), been around it all my life, and part of my career involves aesthetics/design. So, adios.

Hey thatguy: When you take a break from from the stupor of Adam Sandler's Top 10 films, spend a few minutes in Amazon. There are numerous books on topics like "Sports and Philosophy" and "Aesthetics and Sports." Nah, never mind, that might make you smarter. Aesthetics and philosophy have long been topics in sports analysis and appreciation. Even came up in a philosophy course I took at UT. If there is no analogy between architecture/aesthetics/design and football, then why are so many long bombs and great plays called "beautiful"? The anti-intellectualism and closed minds among some in the football threads is truly amazing. And depressing.

Thanks. I screwed up and left out this very example. Tried to insert, but was too late! My bad. Aesthetic designs/decisions can be very subtle, not always flashy. Such was the goal-line calling at OU 1. After Whittington got to the 1, Sark trotted out the specially designed goal-line offense rather just lining up and scoring with the players on the field, while OU was on the rebound from the big play. Instead, OU had a chance to regroup, which they did. The aesthetic impulse was to have a specially designed "smash mouth" team try to score, rather than the team that got to the 1-yard line. That's an aesthetic design decision, in essence. The play calling on the next three plays reflected that aesthetic/design commitment, a commitment only abandoned with the 4th down pass to Worthy. Too late. The form superseded the function. No TD. No win.

CTJ's post, for amusement or not, remains accurate. The very winnable OU game was lost twice, with 4 shots from the 1, lost again when playing for FG at the end. Classic choke, one of the biggest/saddest in UT history. Cause of choke: over coaching via over design. Here me out. Sark (whether he is consciousness of it or not) thinks of himself as a football artist or flashy play-calling architect, enamored of the aesthetics of play design and play calling. His personal fashion taste even suggests as much. (Not a judgment, I like fashion, coolness, avant-garde designs, and know it is part of human culture.) Architects, unchecked with no budget constraints or timid clients, will often over-design buildings such that the form can overtake or supersede the function. The seduction of the aesthetics (in appearance or structural design) can be utterly irresistible. This does not mean the entire building sucks, but it can venture into ridiculous and distract from the function/appearance of the structure. Such aesthetic over-design is why @Nicole44 and others are correct, Sark is either HC or OC, but likely not both. As it is, there is no one to reign in his aesthetic impulses. That's what can make ridiculous buildings, that's what can make ruined seasons. Just concepts to think about.

"We have all stared into the abyss after this Saturday. I weep for the remainder of our cursed existence." -- LonghornMatt "Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you." -- Friedrich Nietzsche

For what's worth, here are the records of Texas coaches vs OU since Royal era (during which I was born). Sark 1-2 Herman 1-4 Strong 1-2 Mack 7-9 Mackovic 3-2-1 McWilliams 3-2 (including winning 3 straight) Akers 5-4-1 (including winning 3 straight) Royal 12-7-1 (including winning 9 straight and losing 5 straight) -- Hell, 3 coaches that UT fired had winning records vs. OU (Akers, McWilliams, Mackovic) BROWN to SARK: 10-18 -- Clear disadvantage for UT in Dallas ROYAL to MACKOVIC: 23-15-3 -- Clear advantage for UT in Dallas. Since 2000? Bottom line, I guess: -- At the State Fair, Stoops (12-8 vs Texas) and Riley (4-1) were the better coaches. With Venables, it remains to be seen...

Another solid, fact-filled ad hominem. You're right. Post less is a sound option, as there's zero point in analyzing anything for the true believers in Sark World. But, keep on hoping, keep on guzzling that Fireball Kool-Aid. A world of football wonders awaits. Adios.

i said this a year ago. Sark is Mackovic #2. -- Great recruiter, flashy risk-taking offense, big highs/wins and looks like the GUY. But also provides deep lows/inexplicable and horrifying losses. -- Of course, Sark is a nicer, more likable coach than arrogant Mackovic. MACKOVIC: -- HIGH: "Roll Left" v Nebraska for Big 12 title, stopping Huskers chance for repeat MNC. -- LOWS: "Rout 66" a mere three games after "Roll Left." (Rout 66 is the infamous 66-3 home loss to UCLA for those too young to have lived through it.) -- Big wins over OU and blowing 21-point lead versus OU. Losing to freaking Rice on national TV at night after beating ranked OU a week earlier. Mind-numbing, inexplicable losses. -- Had at least 4 losses in five of his six season as coach. Won more than 8 games only once at UT (10-2-1 in 1995). -- Mackovic managed to win Big 12 title in 1995 and 1996, yet collapsed in 1997 with Rout 66 and was fired. SARK: -- HIGHS: 49-0 and win over Bama. -- LOWS: massive chokes vs OU in 2021 and 2023, TCU beatdown from Sonny Dykes. -- Yes, the 4 shots from the 1 is one of the biggest chokes in Longhorn history. -- Never had less than 4 losses, never more than 9 wins in career. MACKOVIC record in year 3 (1994) after OU game: 15-11-1 (55%). SARK record in year 3 after OU game: 18-13 (58%). ------------------ We'll see what SARK does.... I hope he wins huge. But, I also see a clear likely fate. So far he looks almost exactly like MACKOVIC ... the GUY ... who isn't the GUY.

Here's why. This is the underlying pattern supporting all the analyses here, pro-Sark or anti-Sark. In essence, there are two types of well-meaning and long-suffering UT fans here. 1. HOPE. Those who have hope that Sark (or Herman, Strong) is the GUY, no matter the counter-evidence right before everyone's eyes. The extreme example of hope is believing 2023 team compares well to 2005. -- They will always have a comeback or counter to justify their hope. After 15 years of suckitude, it is totally understandable to want to have hope. I get it. 2. FATE. Those who accept fate that Sark (or Herman, Strong) is NOT the guy, given the key evidence: wins, losses, inexplicable losses, epic losses, massive choke losses, etc. -- We can see Sark is NOT the guy after massive blown leads in year 1, five losses in year 2, including a beatdown from TCU with Sonny F*cking Dykes on national TV. Washington shut Sark down, too. The HOPE faction calls the FATE faction a bunch of pussies for not being true believers in Sark. Before that it was Strong and Herman. No matter the epic or inexplicable losses and screwups from these dudes, it took years for many to give up hope. -- The FATE faction knows we're screwed (winning no big titles) until we roll the dice on the next coach. And still may be screwed then, given our recent track record. I accept this fate.

Good call, davi. Tech 08 is not forgotten. Indeed, a catastrophic loss, one of the biggest chokes (Gideon dropped INT and defense on last drive) in UT history. Right up there with yesterday. Terrible and embarrassing losses, for sure. But, those were not "chokes" (in the typical meaning of the term) as UT was never close to winning those games. Just more Mack/Davis playing scared and conservative. I'll say it again. 4 shots at the OU 1-yard line is one of the biggest chokes in past 50 years. Playing for the FG and defense collapse just adds to the level of massive choke. It is what it is.

Here's the sublimated big fear lurking in these threads: -- We have Seven-Win Steve, who will lose or choke away 2-3 inexplicable games per year. His record is what it is .. until it isn't. John Mackovic 2.0, Tom Herman 2.0. -- OU has their Stoops 2.0. I hope not, but OU is winning 10-12 games this year. Already have 6. We can deny all we want, but that is the ultimate issue after today's choke job.

And, yet, somehow, Sark can't get one yard with 4 shots from OU 1. And plays for long FG when it was obvious a TD was needed (or at least a first down on 3rd and 9). That's a Sark world loss. One of the great passing games by a UT QB and we still lose. To f*cking OU of all teams.

Here's an overreaction for ya. Since I was a kid, I have been watching UT football for 50 years (dad was alum and so am I). The two biggest big game CHOKE jobs in those 50 years have come with Sark vs. OU. -- blowing an 18 point lead with 17 minutes left in 2021. -- can't score with 1st down on OU 1 yard line. That's where the game was lost today. Sark is nice guy with a great story, but he ain't the guy to win national or even conference titles.

Why are so many smart people under the delusion SEC refs will be more fair than Big 12? They won't be. Geez.

Game was lost on OU 1 yard line. One of the biggest chokes in Longhorn history.

Whittington balling out today. Brooks, too!

Agree with your post. That said, there is a great thing that happened in the Big Bend area. -- The "Greater Big Bend International Dark Sky Reserve" was certified last year by the International Dark Sky Association. Largest dark sky reserve in the world, by far! 15,000 square miles of Texas and Mexico. -- Pioneered by UT's own McDonald Observatory and the Big Bend National Park, along with dark sky enthusiasts in Mexico and other smaller organizations in the area (Big Bend Conservation Alliance). -- As you can see, the Reserve spans into Mexico, thus providing a totally different model for the Texas-Mexico border. Imagine, an eco-model for the border, protecting the one thing we all share: the night skies, site of humanity's true origins and destiny. -- The Reserve was absolutely needed because the Observatory would be rendered useless by the light pollution coming from the northeast, as seen in the other image. That's light pollution from the Permian fracking fields, which run 24/7 and the energy companies/workers and 99% pof citizens in the big cities don't give a crap about light pollution. Yep, it is those fracking fields which send billion$ to UT-Austin., -- The Greater Big Bend International Dark Sky Reserve is truly an incredible accomplishment.

100% spot-on Roma. Climate change is FAR too inadequate to describe the destruction being wrought. Climate cataclysm ... climate catastrophe ... eco apocalypse, etc. And it is not just "global warming." -- We have plastic inside our bodies, in landfills, lakes, rivers, oceans, and now in the freaking clouds. -- More than 100 million pieces of space junk are orbiting our planet. -- SpaceX is launching 40,000 low orbit telecom satellites, which reflect light back to Earth, thus interfering with astronomy and gazing at the Milky Way. While at the UT-McDonald Observatory, I saw some SpaceX satellites launched from California. Cutting right through the night sky. Musk ain't no visionary. -- Many other firms from around the world are planning on launching tens of thousands of similar low orbit light polluters. Imagine thousands of constellations of satellites marching in all directions across the night skies. -- We are effecting a 6th extinction event as development invades all eco-systems on Earth. -- Our civilizational detritus is already turning into fossils. We are transforming all the ecosystems on Earth. -- Scientists call this a new epoch: The Anthropocene. Botton line: Humanity's cosmic narcissism --- believing we are the center of all value, meaning, and purpose --- is encasing our planet in junk and pollution, all while pretending to be a mighty species. Meanwhile billions still believe an imaginary God has their back and ordained them to trash and rule our tiny speck of a planet and solar system hurtling through the Milky Way at 492,000 mph for billions of years. Any enlightened ETs would totally avoid our mess. A complete cosmic laughingstock (except for our greatest art and science). Rant//Over.

Thanks for catching that. After losing the starting QB job to James Street to run the wishbone, "Super Bill" Bradley converted to DB his senior year and instantly became a Badass DB. My dad said Bradley intercepted 4 passes in 1968 Aggy game. Was also awesome punter. One of the great all-around athletes in UT football history. Played starting DB with Eagles for many years.

Lulz. USC Preacher Boy's sermon has more holes in it than the USC defense. No CR.

Nutz indeed. Easily, the most delusional takes I have seen in my 33 years online (as I posted upthread). Everyone has talked about how stacked the roster for 2005 was v. 2023. Let's look at records and coaching. For all his maddening flaws, Mack prior to 2005 had seasons of 11-2, 11-2, 10-3, 11-1. Flawed seasons to be sure, but the coach and team were building confidence and learning how to win 11+ games, setting the table for 2005. The coach for the 2023 team has never had a 10-win season nor less than 4-losses in a season. Nothing would more fantastic for long-suffering Horns' fans than for Sark run the table. I hope it happens. But history says otherwise ... until Sark does otherwise and wins 10+ in a season. Starting in 2001, Mack was 55-8 going into the title game with a 20-game win streak. Currently, Sark is 17-12 with a mighty 4-game streak. After 13 years in the desert, one would hope there would a huge amount of humility here. But, nope, not here, not with some of these posters. Never a good idea to tempt the football gods. They will mock you.

The GQP cultists who believe Covid/Vaccines are a hoax ... also likely believe the ETs in Mexico are real. Similarly, those who believe the election was stolen ... also likely believe scientists stole the ETs from Roswell and are hiding them. It's not certain that our education systems and democracy can overcome all this idiocy this long-term. It's like scientists, some professors/educators, and a few skeptics against the global systems of TV, Hollywood, Netflix, conspiracy theorists, YouTubers, religious fanatics, and grifters -- all metastasizing like Stage 5 brain cancer on the social media platforms.

Let me get this straight: Sark and the Horns now have a mighty 4-game winning streak, scoring 34 points per game, and beat one good team (a down Bama team). So not only is Texas "back" from the desert, this team now rivals the 2005 team? Huh? The 2005 team had a 20-game winning streak, averaged 50 points per game (could have been 70 points per game if Mack kept the foot on the gas). Won two Rose Bowls, beat Top 5 Ohio State in the Shoe, won Big 12 title 70-3 and it could have been 100-3. Beat the Trojans in perhaps the greatest college game of all time. The list of superlatives is endless, as previous posters pointed out. Simply put: 2005 Texas is simply one of the top 3 greatest college football teams of all time. Comparing the 2023 team to 2005 is likely the most delusional take I've ever seen in 33 years online. It's so delusional, I fear the football gods will reanimate Seven-Win Steve to gut punch every one of us ... back to reality.

If Rome existed in the 21st Century, it would be called America. No CR. And DKR is a 21st Century Roman Colosseum, battles of tribal conquest, complete with ear-splitting sound, clouds of smoke, and massive electronic/media spectacle. All right in the middle of a Top Shelf research university. Same with many other stadia spectacles, especially the Super Bowl, as seen in Katy Perry's Halftime Show (below) and many others. This is where we are in American Rome. Deal with it.