The Fake Lonnie Finch

When's the last time we said something like that about our lines? This coaching staff is doing a good job. Indiana was being coached by a former OU coordinator, with plenty of skins on the wall as well. McCarney outcoached him.

From the end zone, the IU kick returners looked as if they didn't want to be there. Little energy, emotion. Jogged out and took their place. Most kick returners you see jumping around and energetic before the kick. These guys just kind of stood there and waited for the kick. Our wedge buster - Marshall, #15 - blew up their kick return blocking all night long.

Well, I think we can all be happy that at least it doesn't look like another blow out. We have enough positives, and TU has enough negatives, that we can steal this one. I've believed that since the spring. To me, the main factors were going to be containing Damaris Johnson and G.J. Kinne. TU misfortune with those two has kind of played into our hands. But, as others have said, we know what it's like to be in that position. Last year, by game five, we were down to our third string QB and center. That game five was the 28-27 loss where Lousiana blocked our PAT at the end of the game. We were so close in many games. Game six was Chase Baine going at QB, and we lost 24-19. Injuries wreck a team without depth. But, our situation last year was ridiculous. Not many teams get down to QB #4 and center #3.

Tulsa is nice. Hilly and green. The west side by the refineries ain't pretty; but that's across the river. TU is on the other side of Tulsa. My biggest problem in Tulsa was the hilly roads after snow and ice. Plus, it took their city council a looooooong time to expand roads. Up by where I lived, Jenks and the Union areas were really growing, yet roads were still two lanes, one each way. So, if someone had to take a left, it stopped up traffic behind it. There were few turn lanes. Since I graduated in 2003, they've done some road widening. Old Tulsa Money folk wanted to keep Tulsa small. In that regard, surprisingly, Oklahoma City, thought to be more blue collar, was more progressive infrastructure-wise through the 1990s and early 2000s. That's why OKC got the NBA team. They had the facilities already to house it. And, the business leaders and city council wanted it. Tulsa also got a new arena, but it was a little late. What Tulsa needs is the kind of mayors and business leaders OKC had in the 1990s and 2000s. Tulsa really is the prettier city.

Carter did well against OU. In fact, had he more speed, he'd have scored three times. I guess after tape of him getting wide open against OU got out, the other schools made sure he was accounted for. At times, it seemed like OU totally ignored him. You just rarely see guys as wide open as he was that game.

I look down there and still can't believe I'm seeing Dan McCarney and Clint Bowen in green and on our sideline. It's still crazy to me to have landed those guys.

TU's got two really good safeties; it's the inexperience at CB that is killing them. The safeties can't cover everyone. And, to compensate for the lack of experience at CB, they can't blitz as often. Weatherdemon, I got my grad degree at Tulsa and went up to the OU game during UNT's bye week. Seemed to me like the defense was less aggressive than it was under Graham. Was that just because it was OU, or has that held true for the other three games as well? J.C. Watts' son seems to be a pretty good player for you all. Figured OU would have offered him a scholie on his name alone! We had one of Thomas Lott's sons play for us. Last year was his senior year.

It's not a bad place to visit. My dad's entire family still lives there, and part of my mom's. They both grew up there. Tulsa is a nice place to visit, has some unique areas. Brookside is like Lower Greenville Lite before all the crime hit lower Greenville. The drawback for me was the traffic. It's maddening because there really are no highways through the city; they're all around the city. So, if you don't take a freeway or tollroad, get off on the edge and fight traffic lights into where you need to be, you just fight traffic lights down into where you need to be. It really sucks. Although, the neighborhoods near the stadium will take money to let you park...like at normal schools. ODD FACT: Bama Pie is headquartered in Tulsa. It began in Texas. It's on 11th Street right up the street from TU and the Stadium.

You have to have someone to throw to in order to torch a secondary. Like Indiana, Tulsa does not have a go to receiver. Their go to guy is Charles Clay's replacement, Willie Carter. Cover him, assign a shadow to Kinne and we're good. Their corners are new, and have been eaten alive all season. Milton Howell is a JUCO QB they've throw in at corner in desperation. Justin Skillens is a WR they switched to CB last year. This will be his fifth career start. I'm telling you, Tulsa can be had.

I'm giving OU douche a huge benefit of the doubt for the first two games - both Houston and Indiana are coached by former OU OC's. But...if this guy shows up to FAU with the OU lid, then he's hopeless. Also, Kevin Wilson's offense looks different with Indiana players running it than when they OU players were running it. I'm just sayin'.

Solution - set up a huge TV screen and show Texas-OU game on The Hill.

Oklahoma State and Boise State ran up big leads on them before calling off the dogs. G.J. Kinne is gimpy, can't run. Damaris Johnson is gone. Charles Clay graduated. Both starting corners out. Leading tackler from two years ago out. Todd Graham and the more experienced coaching staff is gone. I'm telling you, TU is there for the taking. Play a game like we did on Saturday, and we will route Tulsa at their house.

Important to note geographically in Tulsa: South = good North = bad East = old, mix West = bad If you've got kiddoes and time to kill, check out the Oklahoma Aquarium up near Jenks. They've got one of those things where you walk under the sharks as they swim around - pretty eerie. http://www.okaquarium.org/ If you're the artsy type, Tulsa has two pretty good museums: The Philbrook - http://www.philbrook.org/ - It's an old oil baron's mansion now filled with art; nice gardens as well The Gilcrease - http://www.gilcrease.org/ - If you're looking for flavor, this one more for you. It's got the world's largest collection of Western and Native American art. Almost all of Remington's bronzes are housed there. Personally, I'm not the farty art type, so I like the Gilcrease a little better. It is Indian territory, so there are a couple of real casinos, if you like to gamble and whatnot: http://www.creeknationcasino.com/Pages/Home.aspx - This one's banks of the Arkansas River http://www.osagecasinos.com/ - Not the best part of town. Go at your own risk and whatnot. http://www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com/Pages/default.aspx'>http://www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com/Pages/default.aspx Live music and whatnot: BOK Center http://www.bokcenter.com/ Cain's Ballroom http://www.cainsballroom.com/ Hard Rock Cafe/Casino http://www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com/Pages/default.aspx'>http://www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com/Pages/default.aspx Full Moon Cafe http://www.eatfullmoon.com/ - Dueling pianos and hamburger-type food set-up, patio chill-out type place Fishbonz https://www.facebook.com/bonztulsa - local band-type flavor. Cross Canadian Ragweed played there a ton when I was in law school. Weird: The giant praying hands at the entrance of ORU on South Lewis...7777 South Lewis, of course. Foodies - restaurants unique to Tulsa: http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Overview/3884/coney-ilander - If you like Coney's. There's one across the street from the campus/stadium on 11th Street. http://www.ronschili.com/ - Hamburgers and chili, pretty good. http://www.ikeschilius.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=57&Itemid=63 - Ike's Chili Parlor http://www.ikeschilius.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=58&Itemid=28 http://www.ikeschilius.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=59&Itemid=66 Ike's is my dad's favorite. An old Tulsa classic. http://www.billandruthssubs.com/ - Local sub shop that Subway and Quizno's haven't run out of business http://www.waterfrontgrilljenks.com/ - American steak place and whatnot,near the Aquarium http://www.pologrill.com/ - This is a fancy, make reservations place in Utica center, not far from TU. Steaks, Lobster and whatnot. I used to take dates to this place. Classy. Not a kid place unless they can really behave. http://www.tulsairishpub.com Kilkenny's Irish Pub and whatnot. Brookside By Day II - BBDII - The Duece: http://www.bbd2tulsa.com/ This is a breakfast place, if you're looking for Denny's/IHop/Waffle House-type without the franchisey feel. Great biscuits and gravy. Lived up the street from this place. If you're looking for bars and restaurants on a strip, it's Brookside,if you're looking collegey crowd. Here's the nice website for it, listing the bars, restaurants, pool halls, and whatnot: http://brooksidetheplacetobe.com/ If you've got the family in tow, and the wife likes to shop, it's Utica Square for sure - Polo Grill is in Utica and the Philbrook Museum is in this neighborhood as well. This area of Tulsa has many old homes that a pretty nice...like the Highland Park of Tulsa, I'd venture: http://www.uticasquare.com/shops/shops.asp Across the street from the stadium: Ed's Hurricane Lounge - motorcycles out front: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Eds-Hurricane-Lounge/144792425558504#!/pages/Eds-Hurricane-Lounge/144792425558504?sk=photos The Buckaneer - behind Burger King...this place is a true dive. Pool table or two, bar, some bars stools, beer. http://bestoftulsa.com/bars&clubs/buccaneer.shtml Campus Grill (Hardwood Bar & Grill back in the day): http://www.idine.com/details.htm?merchantId=105097 Golf? Southern Hill has hosted the U.S. Open twice. When I was in law school, it held the 2001 U.S. Open. Go to go. It was pretty sweet! Nice course: http://www.southernhillsgolfcourse.com/ If you're a redneck golfer, they've got a 3-par in the middle of the city, LaFortune Park: http://www.lafortunegolfclub.com/ LaFortune also has tennis: http://www.lafortunetennis.com/adults.html Tulsa State Fair begin this weekend at the Expo Square...where the Golden Driller is: http://www.exposquare.com/index.cfm?id=8 http://www.tulsastatefair.com/

We highly overrated the Indiana fans. Several in our section left at halftime. It's a basketball school anyway. Again, I know there are detractors to this mindset, but...one of our oldest rivals was Southwest Texas State. We should be afraid that they are trying to be big boys now under the Texas State moniker. Schedule in-state games with old rivals. Texas State. Sam Houston. SFA. Do it at home in Game #1. I think the game next year opening with Texas Southern is a start. In ensuing years, make that game a more traditional, former rival.

I spotted a TCU douche. He was all the way: t-shirt and hat. And, a Colorado douche at the game. At the Apogee opening, douche count was high - Texas, Tech, A&M. There's an OU douche in our section. He's worn his OU cap to both games.

Ditto on traditional/classic uniforms. I love the double striped pants - Alabama, Oklahoma - and triple stripes - Oho State, LSU.

UNM was never going to have as good and loyal a coach as they had in Rocky Long. Locksley caught lightning in a bottle because Illinois had a rare excellent season. You really have to be careful who you hire. A guy who has one good season or, as in Locksley's case, was part of a coaching staff that had one good season, shouldn't make them a candidate for head coach. To me, you've got to only consider guys who have done it for several years. Now, the other part of the equation is that we're talking about New Mexico. It's tough sell even to the best players in New Mexico. Albuquerque? Been there. Okay to visit. To spend four or five year of a college life there? Tough sell no matter who the coach is. I think the quirkiness of Leach would work in Albuquerque. Plus, they are very lucky to be in the MWC, which is always mentioned as a potential future BCS AQ conference. Leach and others might take the leap with that possibility alone.

Green jerseys and white pants...yes! Two thumbs up! It makes us look like a real college football team. Please stay with this look at home.

Hey guys...how about the kickoff coverage. It was great. Several times IU started inside their 20 because our guys got down there so fast. Olen also kicks a real high ball. Atterberry also buried IU deep a couple of times. Special teams cover teams were a weapon tonight.

I stand by what I say. Tulsa is desperate if they are running out a QB with a partially torn MCL. By the way, Kinne on ran once against Boise State. His thing is that he's a dual threat guy. Well, on his bad wheel, he threw four picks and Boise was up 34-0 before Tulsa hit the scoreboard with about five minutes left in the third quarter. If we go up there, and the defense hits like it did tonight, we'll beat Tulsa.

The 117 year old guy behind us said, "Watch for the onside" before the first onside as well. I was socked at how easy that one was for IU. We may have had a better angle on the pass interference call. He IU receiver got an elbow in the throat a couple of time down the field. He was impeded on the play. Sorry. Still. We had the option to cover of the next play...and, on the final touchdown. The final touchdown killed me because that WR was uncover and I was screaming my head off, "#13! #13!" Then, their QB hit the totally uncovered #13 for the score to put it 24-21. Awful.

...you would not believe the defense. Flying to the ball...knocking passes away...jacking up Hoosiers with some bone-jarring hits. I think this thing is coming together. And, Zach Orr...he's the leader of the pack, ya'll. He's in or near almost every play. He's the real deal.

I didn't care man. I didn't care that we beat spare Indiana. They're Big Ten, and the win felt good. I don't know how tall the end zone wall is, but I jumped down, then help my kids and wife down. Then, I ran to midfield with my five-year old son, put him on my shoulders and began hugging players, shaking their hands, and slapping their backs. We shook McCarney's hand and hugged him. Ditto Bowen. Aaron Fortenberry looks like a 6'4" leprechaun, and he said to us, "Thanks for coming out." No, problem, dude. We'll be back to watch ya'll whip FAU's ass in two weeks as well. But, we won't run onto the field again until the final canon blast of the Middle Tennessee State game when you guys wrap up your Sum Belt title. (We also fist bumped Babe Laufenberg. As we were exiting the stadium he and a guy were walking behind the student section entrances. I yelled, "Babe!" He turned around in his IU polo shirt and saw my extended fist...and did me the courtesy of a fist bump. Thanks, Babe, wherever you are.)

The student side was loud. Our end zone started to get loud as well. They guy in front of us started yelling too when his wife left to go to the bathroom. Before, they were quiet. I think people in the end zone are starting to get the hang of the advantage of the noise factor. As in the Houston game, Indiana had to burn timeouts deep in our end of the stadium. If we ever really fill that thing up, and people really do yell as loud as they can, it will be impossible to the opposing teams to communicate. Two thumbs up to the folks who design Apogee. The noise is a factor.