Throughout history, there have been questions with no good answer:
- Should we ally with Communist Soviet Union or Nazi Germany?
- How do we fix this economy?
- George W. Bush or Al Gore?
- George W. Bush or John Kerry?
- Why does a car drive on a parkway, and park on a driveway?
- Does my butt look fat in this?
And this Saturday night, I give you, “Texas Tech or Oklahoma?”
Yesterday I discussed what a win by each side means for Texas. But who am I rooting for?
On the one hand, Texas’ best shot at playing for a national championship, and only chance at a conference championship, come with a Tech loss. Yet their best chance to plan in a non-national championship BCS game come with an Oklahoma loss.
And, Texas Tech’s rushing the field not once, but twice before the game with Texas was even over, and their continual destruction of their own stadium, show just how intolerable they’ll be if they actually win the national championship. Yet, they’re still Texans, albeit strange ones from barren West Texas.
It’s a hard call, but it comes down to this:
In 2003, Texas had a chance to go to their first BCS bowl game. It was virtually guaranteed if top ranked Oklahoma simply won the Big Twelve Championship game. OU was undefeated while Kansas State had dropped three games, limping into winning the Big Twelve North.
The Sooners were heavily favored, and everyone knew they would roll the Wildcats.
Instead, Big Game Bob Stoops takes his team in unprepared and gets rolled 35-7. In reality, it wasn’t even that close.
Kansas State gets the automatic BCS bid for the Big Twelve and loses to Ohio State in the Fiesta. Oklahoma holds onto the #2 BCS spot, gets an at large bid, and loses to LSU in the national championship.
Texas gets sent to play Washington State in the Holiday Bowl. They go in flat, and lose 28-20.
After OU dropped that egg in the Big Twelve Championship, I swore I would never hope for Oklahoma to win again.
As it’s impossible for both teams to lose, and hoping for a meteor to hit the stadium shortly after kickoff doesn’t seem like a very nice thing to do, I’ll be cheering for the Red Raiders.
Begrudgingly.
Brian,
I think you’re not looking at this Tech v. OU v. UT thing clearly. I say the following as a proud UT alum. This is not a hard call at all.
Tech has the most innovative and interesting game in football today. They are a joy to watch. Of course, we want Tech to roll up the Sooners. OU still sucks! And they always will.
How could you even question your loyalties here? Short term gain this season? Against a tradition of despising OU? And potentially favor OU because UT lost to their opponent? Sir, you lose perspective.
Tech by 10.
Andrew
While I’ve gone through some soul searching on this one, I think that deep in my heart of hearts, I’ve always known that cheering for the Land Thieves was not even a viable choice, much less an ethical one.
I’ll be trying hard to see the good in either outcome, but I still think OU wins by two touchdowns.