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BevoAbyss

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  1. At the end of the day, the January 6 televised hearings will amount to very little. I hope I am wrong. How can we expect TV screens, the very media system that destroyed any notions of objective reality, to provide a serious corrective for January 6? After all, it is TV that converted daily existence into an accumulation of spectacles, endless performances commodified into corporate profits and converted into platforms for endless idiocy, narcissism, and entertainment. All of this been amplified via the screens of social media by a factor of 100. It is TV that, for decades, has flouted facts—trivialized truth—encouraged tribalism—degraded public discourse—spread conspiracy theory—celebrated pseudoscience and superstition—trumpeted American war propaganda—worshipped celebrities, athletes, billionaires, and Mafia gangs while championing militarized police and badass cops—let fact-free televangelists endlessly exploit believers with donation scams and faith-healing—bombarded our consciousness with endless ads for junk—conflated endless consumption with utopian salvation—and fostered the overall ideology of what’s true is what sells, what's good is what people will accept. No matter what the facts are, no matter what the science says, no matter what's good for our collective species. Narcissism and entertainment TRUMP knowledge and enlightenment. Aside from a few exceptions (Sagan’s Cosmos, Tyson’s Cosmos, Attenborough docs), TV has powered a nonstop assault on a rational, reasonable, and sane shared worldview. All this is central to the idiotic, fact-denying, violent fascist culture that produced January 6.
  2. Why I am pulling for TCU: When I was a little kid, my dad (UT alum) took me to the 1970 TCU-Texas game in which Eddie Phillips and Jim Bertelsen ran the wishbone all over TCU 58-0. Awesome! I grew up and went to UT with Texas slaughtering TCU on the reg. 25 straight wins at one point. I can't stand TCU and all that Christian holy roller nonsense (no CR) in west Fort Worth. And it is there! However, the last 13 years have been unbelievably bad for Texas, as we all know. Yet, I am pulling for the Hypnotoads to win for one reason. Maybe, just MAYBE Hartzell, CDC, and Eltife and any idiot-minions will take off their burnt orange shades, shed some arrogance, and realize UT football sucks big time and is no longer the top team in the state. Over the past 13 years, that team is TCU. Sad fact. And the Horns are nowhere near getting back to the top of Texas, especially heading into the SEC and 3-5 losses per year with Sark. Maybe a TCU win will inspire better decision making on the next coach..... Hope is all we got. But Fate rules for now. (Sorry for the bummer post.)
  3. Apologies for the cross post, but this goes here. With all due respect, the idea that GQP can't or doesn't want to govern is naive. The long-term goal is to cause chaos, instill fear, impose religion, stack the courts, seize total power (legally or otherwise), and take America backwards. Way backwards! By any dictionary definition: the "Freedom Caucus" is the Fascist Caucus. Founded in 2015, with origins in the Tea Party, the Fascist Caucus is little more than a legislative brigade for MAGA, Trump, and theocrats. McCarthy’s concessions only empowered the fascists even more—19 of the 20 holdouts were from the Fascist Caucus. If the data below from Wikipedia is accurate, the Fascist Caucus is gaining power/membership among Republicans in the House. 2016: 36/241 R seats, which equals 15% of elected Republicans. 2022: 53/222 R seats, which equals 24% of elected Republicans. Fascism is here and 40-45% of Americans are ready for it, regardless of whether the prez nominee is Trump or DeSantis. Anyone who thinks American-MAGA-GQP fascism is non-existent or going away soon is naïve. Blindingly naive.
  4. With all due respect, the idea that GQP can't or doesn't want to govern is naive. The long-term goal is to cause chaos, instill fear, impose religion, stack the courts, seize total power (legally or otherwise), and take America backwards. Way backwards! By any dictionary definition: the "Freedom Caucus" is the Fascist Caucus. Founded in 2015, with origins in the Tea Party, the Fascist Caucus is little more than a legislative brigade for MAGA, Trump, and theocrats. McCarthy’s concessions only empowered the fascists even more—19 of the 20 holdouts were from the Fascist Caucus. If the data below from Wikipedia is accurate, the Fascist Caucus is gaining power/membership among Republicans in the House. 2016: 36/241 R seats, which equals 15% of elected Republicans. 2022: 53/222 R seats, which equals 24% of elected Republicans. Fascism is here and 40-45% of Americans are ready for it, regardless of whether the prez nominee is Trump or DeSantis. Anyone who thinks American-MAGA-GQP fascism is non-existent or going away soon is naïve. Blindingly naive.
  5. Might as well toss in the Paranormal stats to compare with Conspiracy. They often go together. Evidence that a huge swath of this country is in a knowledge free-fall, an intellectual collapse in the wake of the failure/rejection of science and secular education.
  6. From 2016, but very revealing about how conspiracy has permeated American consciousness, with Q being the latest incarnation.
  7. Two years have passed and—in terms of fundamentals—not much has changed since the violent insurrection and attempted coup on January 6. Here's what I see. 40-45% of Americans are ready for fascism, even if they are utterly ignorant of history due to the widespread failure/rejection of secular education. Thus, they turn to the sacred scrolls and social media. And Q. MAGA is still running amok, Trump is still a free man, and Garland/DOJ are apparently in no hurry to do much of anything. Meanwhile, American women are living in The Handmaid's Tale. Reproductive rights and contraception are in serious danger. Border walls and busing migrants shows the racism. The rights of people of color and LGBTQIA communities are in danger. Books are being banned. MAGA-Q are planning on overturning key elections. The list of targets will keep expanding. Non-believers in religion, get ready, they're coming. Science and sanity are under siege, with pseudoscience and idiocy everywhere, from evolution to Covid to climate disruption to anti-vaxxers to Ancient f*cking Aliens. TLDR: American democracy is still in deep trouble. Sanity may not prevail.
  8. Correction. They are fascists and theocrats. The believe a mythic God has their backs, they believe in a mythic America ruled under the sacred scrolls of the Bible, they believe they should have total state power to implement that vision. They are nowhere near nihilists. As for their plan, I summarized it upthread: "They have American women living in The Handmaid's Tale, they are coming for all reproductive rights and contraception, they are still working on the border wall, they are humiliating migrants by busing them to cities, they are coming after the rights of LGBTQIA communities and people of color, they are banning books (the burning of books is coming), they are planning on overturning elections, they are in denial of climate disruption (we are way beyond merely "changing" the climate), they are attacking science with complete idiocy, from evolution to Covid. The list of targets will keep expanding. Eventually, they'll be coming after the non-believers in religion. It's only a matter of time."
  9. With all due respect, this is inaccurate on many levels. This is part of the problem in America, for you can't stop or fight what you don't see. The GQP has a plan and platform. It is called fascism and theocracy. They have an aim. They've already stacked the Supreme Court. They are getting election deniers in place at the local level. They have policy positions. They have American women living in The Handmaid's Tale, they are coming for all reproductive rights and contraception, they are still working on the border wall, they are humiliating migrants by busing them to cities, they are coming after the rights of LGBTQIA communities and people of color, they are banning books (the burning of books is coming), they are planning on overturning elections, they are in denial of climate disruption (we are way beyond merely "changing" the climate), they are attacking science with complete idiocy, from evolution to Covid. The list of targets will keep expanding. Eventually, they'll be coming after the non-believers in religion. It's only a matter of time. Yes, the GQP has clearly has a plan: taking America backward into a fascist theocracy.
  10. Agree. Texas is one of those blue blood, iconic teams that fires up the opponents/fans like almost no other. Same with Southern Cal, Notre Dame, Bama, and a few others. Plus, like California, Texas is a giant mythic state and the Longhorns symbolize that no matter what. Add on iconic helmet and burnt orange, iconic Bevo, and a general winning tradition/legacy with titles (despite the current desert). When UT heads to SEC and shows up on Saturday in the Deep South, every stadium will be packed, jacked, and rocking. The city/campus will be rocking for a few days before. Opposing coaches/players will be fired up massively. It will not be just another game. Big, bad, arrogant Texas is in town and the locals will be in a frenzy to break off Bevo's horns and mount them on their goal posts.
  11. You're welcome. Here's a quick prototype for ya! Good project for the off season.
  12. Sad fact is: TCU has had the better overall football program in Texas since 2010. Accept it. In 1970, when I was a boy, my dad took me to see Texas v. TCU at a chilly Amon Carter Stadium. Eddie Phillips ran the wishbone all over TCU to the tune of 58-0. It was one in a streak of 25+ wins in a row over the Frogs, until John Mackovic's first year, when he lost to TCU because .... you guessed it ... he did not have the players for his system. Lulz. It's the exact same excuse we hear for Sark. Lulz again.
  13. Now wait a second, troph. I dig my weirdo status. I worked hard for it. The PhD at UT wasn't for nothing!
  14. Nicole is 100% spot on. Sark ain't winning the SEC or the CFP ... or getting to 10 wins too often (if ever) ... and certainly not 10 years in a row. Lulz. However, Sark will be here another 3-5 years, barring a meltdown season or two. The Big 12 will be sending teams to the 12-team playoff long before Texas ever gets in, buried in the SEC with 3-4 losses per year. No need to argue about Strong v. Herman v. Sark v. Mack. The Texas big cigars have made three bad FB coaching hires in a row. That's all there is to it. Accept that and realize we are likely headed for a 15-20 year desert stroll, outside an outlier like Herman's Sugar Bowl year. We have already tied the 13-year desert between Akers and Mack. We are repeating the McWilliams-Mackovic era, during which I was at UT. All this sucks, but it is what it is.
  15. Like I said, HOPE always has various extenuating circumstances to keep Sark: "stability" is one of them. I am on the FATE side and I agree 100%. I would not be surprised at 5-6-7 years for Sark (barring a meltdown 3-9 season or two). Wins enough to inspire HOPE. A few big wins (like over OU), perhaps a big upset, all countered by inexplicable losses and dismal big game performances (like TCU) and no titles. We are somewhere between McWilliams and Mackovic, minus the conference titles.
  16. As i mentioned earlier, the battle continues between those with HOPE for Sark vs. those accepting our FATE with Sark. HOPE for Sark: saviors to come, excuses and extenuating circumstances, etc. Failsafe: attack Mack Brown or Tom Herman. FATE: saviors won't matter, evidence of Sark's lousy record, list possible new coaches--all while knowing Sark is here for 2-4 more years at least (barring a 3-9 meltdown season) and will win nothing of significance. And Meyer ain't coming. Is there any doubt, CDC and the big money boosters are on the HOPE side?
  17. In general, there are two types of Surly posters here regarding the tenure of Sark. Those who find HOPE and those who accept FATE. (These patterns were true with Strong and Herman and are likely true for all fan bases.) HOPE These posters always find something to give them hope, no matter how much the counter evidence. The future will be brighter and Sark will take the Longhorns to the promised land and win titles. -- Usually, the hope involves a savior of some type. A five star QB, Ewers and now Manning. A new stud RB. A new coordinator to transform the offense or defense. If not a single savior, then it is collective savior of recruiting boatloads of 4-5 stars and “getting his players” with time to “learn the system.” -- In addition, there must also be a handful of bad players/evil dudes (quitters, lazy, bad attitude, etc.) preventing Sark and Texas from winning more games. -- Finally, to counter the FATE posters below, there is a list of excuses and extenuating circumstances for why the team is 13-12 after two seasons, only two wins more than Strong. FATE These posters look to the empirical evidence of Sark’s record and realize the future is doomed to repeat the past, with no promised land and zero titles in sight. -- The fate involves accepting that Sark is no offensive guru, no savior (Manning, etc.) will overcome the problems. No recruiting influx or portaling of the “bad/evil” players will change anything long-term. -- They can only hope that CDC and boosters (or whatever primo “search committee”) will find the next great coach. But, they look forward to the next coaching search with trepidation. They know we have the freedom to find a great coach, but fear the pattern will be repeated for a fourth time and we will be fated to “wander the desert” for almost 20 years. It’s 13 years and counting. Of course, some posters fluctuate between HOPE and FATE, depending on recent games. There is not much that can resolve the differences between HOPE and FATE except a massive amount of evidence either way: a 3-9 season or making the CFP and winning conference/national title. Bottom line: It’s HOPE vs. FATE, the faithful vs. the existentialists (or believers vs. atheists, no CR).
  18. Can we please dispense with notion that Christianity (or perhaps any other brand of religion, but that is another topic) is all about peace, love, and charity? That’s a huge, counterfactual myth perpetrated by propagandists, from the Pope to local preachers. Christianity might be about peace and love, but only after they have colonized, conquered, and converted everyone in sight, usually after a bloodbath. Just look at the factual, empirical, historical record of North, Central, and South America since 1492: genocides and ethnic cleansing were perpetrated on the Indigenous peoples by the Christian (and capitalist) conquerors to get total control of all the lands and surviving people who converted to stay alive. Peace, love, and charity comes only after the Other has been been conquered, only after the bloodbath, not before. After its founding, God-fearing Texas was the site of a massive ethnic cleansing program to steal the lands from Native Americans. So, in the long-term view, Abbott's hateful behavior is the norm, not the exception.
  19. Agree. For 2005 title, add on the Bush lateral and Carroll leaving Bush on sideline for 4th and 2. I was just lamenting that the ratio of titles was not higher than 4 of 9 (very close possibilities). No one wins them all, but 6 or 7 out of 9 would be sweeter!
  20. My dad said Royal's teams were one play away in 1961 (TCU, missed TD pass) and 1964 (Arky, failed 2-point). Add on the 1963 MNC and Royal would have had 3 in 4 years when his teams went 40-3-1. Plus, the two wishbone titles in 1969-70, Royal would have 5 MNCs. With the one Fred missed and two Mack missed, Texas easily could have had 8-9 titles. Fact is, we let several titles slip away. That's a bummer.
  21. For the Cotton Bowl, if Fred had come out of halftime with Morschell as QB the entire 2nd half, we would have won the game scoring at least one TD and one FG or two FGs. Wouldn't have been pretty, but Georgia was 100% jacked up to stop Rick. 15 to 10 or 16 to 10 final would have given us another NC. Y'all are both correct. Dredging up some bad Longhorn memories. Man, that was a massively bungled game: 2 missed FGs, 2 INTs, 4 fumbles (2 lost), muffed punt, and Fred's overall offensive conservativism and indecisiveness. McIvor lit up the Aggies (45-13), but was wildly inaccurate in the Cotton Bowl (8 for 26). If Moerschell plays QB in the second half, UT wins. Moerschell was clutch. Watched that game on a small portable TV at the furniture store (long out of business) where I worked part-time that year. Since my UT girlfriend was in California visiting her parents, after work I think I wandered into to Chuy's on Barton Springs and drowned my sorrows in margaritas and fajitas. Haven't lived in Austin 30 years, anyone know if that Chuy's is still there?
  22. As I have said elsewhere: the goal for Abbott, MAGA, and the GQP is a violent, fascist, evangelical theocracy. This has been the goal since Reagan and Falwell laid the foundations in the 1980s. Everything else is a smoke screen, always has been. The aim is overturn godless secularism: to create an America ruled by the sacred scrolls. It's happening right before our eyes in the Lone State State and America, experiencing a massive, long-term intellectual collapse among 40-45% (or more) of the citizens/voters. We see the outright celebration of lies, idiocy, conspiracy, and anti-science on epic scales, a culture going backward by decades and centuries. Hell, we are still watching these no-mask, no vaxx idiots enable a medieval-style mass death via Covid. Just look at Abbott, Paxton, Cruz, and their legions of hateful, ignorant fans/voters. Apparently, most Texas voters are okay with fascism and mass death (92,000 Texans dead from Covid). Their votes show that. Beto never had a chance against Abbott. The elephant in the room is not mere "extremism," it is fascism and theocracy, at least according to any dictionary not tossed out of the library of a Texas high school.
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