Quinn Ewers is still hurt, and the Austin press is getting impatient. How impatient? Let’s let Austin American-Statesman columnist Cedric Golden tell us:
In the interests of full disclosure, I must tell you that haven’t read the column. It’s paywalled, and every time I try to pay for it the are-you-a-robot device comes in and tells me I’ve failed because no human being should want to read this kind of thing. I say all that to say: I assume Golden acknowledges you shouldn’t make injured 19-year-olds play football, but it is really fun to imagine that he doesn’t acknowledge it. Really, really fun. “What’s this kid’s deal? Stop being hurt, dammit! Texas needs to jump from the First Responder Bowl to the Guaranteed Rate Bowl!”
There are other things about this that have caused me delight. Let me share them with you:
- West Virginia sucks. Might be the worst team in the Big 12. Bad football team. Texas can lose this, they can absolutely lose this, but the line is ten points and that’s with the assumption they probably start Hudson Card.
- West Virginia sucks. Sorry, but to elaborate in a different direction: If Texas needs Quinn Ewers to beat West Virginia, Texas is done anyway. The only thing left to play for is a shot at a Big 12 Championship appearance by way of unadulterated chaos in the upper half of the standings. I’m talking Oklahoma State going 9-0 and then four teams going 5-4 below them. And then four more going 4-5. And then West Virginia going 0-9. If Texas can’t beat West Virginia without Quinn Ewers, Texas isn’t going to be one of the 5-4 teams. Also, West Virginia won’t go 0-9, and that makes the whole thing fall apart.
- Texas’s offense was fine against Texas Tech. Everyone was fine, really, but we’ve seen one quarter of Ewers against a good team and it’s unclear he’ll be able to elevate this team from fine to good, even if that quarter was awesome and his mullet is dope.
- (I do like West Virginia, to be clear. I own a West Virginia hat and wear it at least a few times every year. But West Virginia sucks this year.)
- Golden published this like seven hours before Tua Tagovailoa’s soul left his body in the still of the Cincinnati night. Not a great time to be arguing for guys to play hurt, Cedric.
So, Texas hosts West Virginia tomorrow night. And Cedric Golden wants Quinn Ewers to play.
More Notes Tomorrow!
The Stu’s are struggling to keep up, and that means you get more notes tomorrow. What will I talk about? Fuck if I know. Really. I have way fewer topics than Joe. We need to fix that. We need to stop letting Joe know what’s going on in at least one sport.
(I’ll talk about Burnley a little, but I promise not too much, please still read.)
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Viewing schedule for the Friday:
2:20 PM EDT: Reds @ Cubs (MLB TV)
Cubs are hot.
9:40 PM EDT: White Sox @ Padres (MLB TV)
Joe Kelly still rocks.
7:20 PM EDT: Mets @ Braves (MLB TV)
8:10 PM EDT: Marlins @ Brewers (MLB TV)
deGrom vs. Fried, Alcantara vs. Burnes. You gotta give.
7:00 PM EDT: Maple Leafs @ Senators (ESPN+)
I haven’t consumed a single piece of Sens news in the last three days. Hopefully everyone’s still alive. Especially because this is going to look really insensitive if Nick Holden had a tragic bicycling accident.
10:30 PM EDT: Washington @ UCLA (ESPN)
Game of the NITe.
