When you think of ballads, which one really gets your attention? It’s pretty much the lottery and it’s a matter of personal preference.
Maybe the story captivates you. Maybe the flow of the song requires your attention. Maybe it’s something else.
For the RJB, it always comes back to The Eagles Lyin’ Eyes. From our standpoint, we can’t help but take notice of the description of the story. The words chosen create the picture. You can see it unfolding. That’s really hard to do.
So the late Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Don Felder and the rest put together a song that still carries an impact 42 years after it was released. And for whatever reason, it never made it to No. 1. It peaked at No. 2.
We give you what the RJB considers the greatest ballad ever.
It’s game week!
Those are the three words you have been waiting to hear since Dec. 28 when Baylor closed out its bizarre 2016 with 31-12 victory over Boise State in the Motel6 Cactus Bowl.
A new era in Baylor football begins at 6:00 p.m. Saturday as the Bears play host to FCS Liberty.
We’ve seen so much since that evening in the Arizona desert.
Wide receiver K.D. Cannon declares for the NFL draft. Unceremoniously, wide receiver Ishmael Zamora goes into the NFL hopper. Matt Rhule completes the hiring of his staff that includes the abrupt departure of Matt Lubick to Washington shortly after Glenn Thomas arrives.
Travon Blanchard , one of the bell cows for this program, sees his career at Baylor put on hold and ultimately end with a Title IX investigation over issues with his ex-girlfriend. Defensive end Brian Nance returns to the program following his academic suspension in 2016. Running back Johnny Jefferson, who was trying to get back into Baylor as he’s dealing with a heroin addiction, is denied a chance to return to Baylor.
Rhule and his staff incredibly put together the Rivals No. 34 class in 2017 in about seven weeks. The 2018 class is ranked in the 20s. Players are changing positions. Other players like offensive lineman Tanner Thrift are retiring.
Kyle Fuller is taken in the seventh round by Houston in the NFL draft. Zamora and Cannon are among those who sign free agent deals.
At least three sexual assault cases have been settled. Baylor hires a new president in Dr. Linda Livingstone. Other members from the old administration are transitioning out including senior vice president and COO Reagan Ramsower.
Baylor is still going through an NCAA investigation. The Big 12 is withholding 25 percent of the $34.1 million the athletic department received from its television revenue payout.
Lest we forget, Associated AD for football operations Sean Padden races a robot at the end of a fall camp practice, beats it and then gets knocked down by it after declaring victory. Yes, he got his Andy Warhol moment.
There’s probably a significant moment or two that’s being left out. But since Aug. 15, there is no such thing as a quiet time within the Baylor football program.
It almost feels like the theory of life: IT’S ALWAYS SOMETHING!
Perhaps we can really see – and I mean really see – the light at the end of the tunnel. Yes, there have been some lulls in the calendar since it broke in August 2015 with the sexual assault case with Sam Ukwuachu.
Injuries you can deal with. That’s the game. Position changes you can deal with. That’s the game. Coaching changes you can deal with. That’s the game.
I mention seeing the light because the Blanchard story has its conclusion. It was almost like the last connection to the Briles era that really needed resolution before the season started. It looked like we were going to go at least one game into the season without knowing it.
Then Blanchard said enough was enough. He is moving on to finish his college career at Texas A&M-Commerce and see if what he does will help him in the 2018 NFL draft.
I’m not making this about Blanchard. The connection I am making is that given the history of stories involving Baylor players and their treatment of women – and by all accounts the Blanchard situation isn’t anything close to the others because of what has been leaked and discussed within the Baylor community – that the university just wanted a clean slate.
Whether you think the new Title IX department was looking to make an example of someone and set the precedent of what’s going to happen moving forward, you certainly have that right.
History teaches us that when some entity or organization is involved in something that’s extremely negative, it cleans house with everybody and does a 180 and then some on policy just to show the public that it’s serious about cleaning up its act.
There’s political pressure out there. The university has been under siege for the last 24 months. Its image has been dragged through the mud. A book about the sexual assault scandal have been written.
When the negative press against the positive press is at a ratio of 10 to 1 (that’s a guess), it matters. Baylor is on an endless timeframe to rehab his reputation. You know the story that it takes years to build a good one and only one bad thing to ruin it. That’s what this is.
And the byproduct in this is that there are casualties in this crossfire. The timing of Blanchard’s episode could not have been worse. He was ready to make the change from the nickel back to defensive back. He was excited about it. Then all of this pops up in February, and he’s suspended pending the outcome of an investigation.
At the time this happened, there were two emotions. First, there was shock because you couldn’t believe it was Blanchard. Second, you were fatigued by frustration and disgust because it happened AGAIN!
This roster still has the Briles footprint all over it. It will for a couple of more years. Those players recognize the opportunity with a staff that is changing the culture every second of every day. That’s a process too.
Opening night Saturday against Liberty will have a liberated feel to it. Opening night in 2016 was awkward and tense.
There’s a new voice. There’s a new direction. This program needs to play a football game in the worst way. There has been eight months of a lot of stuff since that night in Phoenix. And the stuff needs to stop at some point.
We’re getting there.
Look to the light. It’s so close you can touch it
****
Other thoughts:
>Like you, I’m really intrigued when the 2-deep chart for Liberty is released. Without knowing anything, I could see your quarterback situation with both Zach Smith and Anu Solomon in bold as the starter. In an “exhibition” game like this, everybody should be receiving a healthy amount of snaps. We may not know who the starter is until he steps on the field Saturday.
>The other positions that I will look at are in the secondary and linebacker. Because of what happened to Grayland Arnold Saturday, it’s going to be a total crapshoot. Heck, Matt Rhule talked about Arnold being a starter and now it’s time for Plan B. The secondary has move to the front of the line as my chief concern about this team.
>At linebacker, it’s not so much the starters but the depth. That’s a pretty young group. With Deionte Williams moving to defensive end, that changes the rotation. That’s probably going to be Lenoy Jones. If Eric Ogor is actually listed with the ones or even on the 2-deep, he’s another story that deserves recognition just like Nance did.
>I’m over it talking about the offensive line. We have an idea who is going where and how that’s going to look there.
>I will give the big prediction for 2017 on Tuesday, break down the offense on Wednesday and the defense on Thursday.
>As far as the outstanding sexual assault cases and NCAA investigation, those two stories have been compartmentalized. They're still there. Something will pop up every now and then. They aren't the distraction they were. Now, the NCAA investigation will only become that should it materialize into something bigger. Time will tell.
>Just when you think you’re doing something good or trying to help, there’s always unhappiness. Late Sunday evening I quote tweeted something about texting a donation to the American Red Cross to help the flood victims in Houston.
I simply said. Passing along…they’ve been there in times of need. Then someone replies with, “Not them. Use the Salvation Army of Texas. Red Cross has abused funds and mismanaged every major event in recent history.’’
Really?
For a lot of us, I don’t know if we really kept a beat on the Red Cross’ track record over the years when it comes to handling disasters monies. If you have, then good for you. Maybe Clara Barton’s baby has made some major mistakes with recent storm relief efforts. That doesn’t mean that they’re showing up at these events with the intent of trying to screw it up even worse.
Do people want to be angry all the time? Does that bring fulfillment?
The bottom line: whatever you think you can do to help those down there in whatever way you feel is appropriate, just do it.
****
Now, a look at other Baylor sports
>Volleyball went 2-1 over the weekend at the Hampton Inn & Suite Invitational. The Lady Bears lost the opener to Florida State and then defeated Illinois State and UC Santa Barbara. Baylor travels to Pullman, WA for the Cougar Challenge. In this round robin event, the Bears will meet Washington State Thursday, Quinnipiac Friday and College of Charleston Saturday.
>Just before Hurricane Harvey made its arrival, Baylor (2-0-1) soccer played Rice on Thursday and finished in 0-0 tie. The scheduled game with Houston Baptist, originally set for Saturday in Houston and moved to Baylor on Monday, has now been canceled and won’t be re-scheduled. Baylor plays host to UTSA Friday (7:00 p.m.) and Ball State on Sunday (noon).
>Baylor cross country gets its season started on Friday with the Bear Twilight Invitational at 7:00 p.m.
>Baylor men’s golf is No. 4 in the preseason Bushnell Golfweek Coaches Poll released Friday, giving the Bears their highest preseason ranking in program history.
Baylor received 398 points in the preseason poll, trailing only No. 1 Oklahoma State (507), No. 2 Vanderbilt (467) and No. 3 Oklahoma (460). The Bears are followed by No. 5 Illinois (397), No. 6 Texas (376), No. 7 LSU (368), No. 8 USC (365), No. 9 Oregon (332) and No. 10 Florida (309). Texas Tech is No. 22, giving the Big 12 Conference five preseason top-25 teams.
Baylor enters its fourth season under head coach Mike McGraw, and the Bears are coming off back-to-back NCAA Championship appearances for the second time in program history. BU returns four of its top five players from last year’s squad that achieved the program’s first No. 1 national ranking.
The Bears were co-champions at the 2017 NCAA Stanford Regional, claiming the first regional title in BU men’s golf history. Baylor advanced to match play for the first time in program history at the 2017 NCAA Championship, finishing tied for fifth place after falling in a quarterfinal playoff against eventual national champion Oklahoma.
Let’s make it a great week!
Maybe the story captivates you. Maybe the flow of the song requires your attention. Maybe it’s something else.
For the RJB, it always comes back to The Eagles Lyin’ Eyes. From our standpoint, we can’t help but take notice of the description of the story. The words chosen create the picture. You can see it unfolding. That’s really hard to do.
So the late Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Don Felder and the rest put together a song that still carries an impact 42 years after it was released. And for whatever reason, it never made it to No. 1. It peaked at No. 2.
We give you what the RJB considers the greatest ballad ever.
It’s game week!
Those are the three words you have been waiting to hear since Dec. 28 when Baylor closed out its bizarre 2016 with 31-12 victory over Boise State in the Motel6 Cactus Bowl.
A new era in Baylor football begins at 6:00 p.m. Saturday as the Bears play host to FCS Liberty.
We’ve seen so much since that evening in the Arizona desert.
Wide receiver K.D. Cannon declares for the NFL draft. Unceremoniously, wide receiver Ishmael Zamora goes into the NFL hopper. Matt Rhule completes the hiring of his staff that includes the abrupt departure of Matt Lubick to Washington shortly after Glenn Thomas arrives.
Travon Blanchard , one of the bell cows for this program, sees his career at Baylor put on hold and ultimately end with a Title IX investigation over issues with his ex-girlfriend. Defensive end Brian Nance returns to the program following his academic suspension in 2016. Running back Johnny Jefferson, who was trying to get back into Baylor as he’s dealing with a heroin addiction, is denied a chance to return to Baylor.
Rhule and his staff incredibly put together the Rivals No. 34 class in 2017 in about seven weeks. The 2018 class is ranked in the 20s. Players are changing positions. Other players like offensive lineman Tanner Thrift are retiring.
Kyle Fuller is taken in the seventh round by Houston in the NFL draft. Zamora and Cannon are among those who sign free agent deals.
At least three sexual assault cases have been settled. Baylor hires a new president in Dr. Linda Livingstone. Other members from the old administration are transitioning out including senior vice president and COO Reagan Ramsower.
Baylor is still going through an NCAA investigation. The Big 12 is withholding 25 percent of the $34.1 million the athletic department received from its television revenue payout.
Lest we forget, Associated AD for football operations Sean Padden races a robot at the end of a fall camp practice, beats it and then gets knocked down by it after declaring victory. Yes, he got his Andy Warhol moment.
There’s probably a significant moment or two that’s being left out. But since Aug. 15, there is no such thing as a quiet time within the Baylor football program.
It almost feels like the theory of life: IT’S ALWAYS SOMETHING!
Perhaps we can really see – and I mean really see – the light at the end of the tunnel. Yes, there have been some lulls in the calendar since it broke in August 2015 with the sexual assault case with Sam Ukwuachu.
Injuries you can deal with. That’s the game. Position changes you can deal with. That’s the game. Coaching changes you can deal with. That’s the game.
I mention seeing the light because the Blanchard story has its conclusion. It was almost like the last connection to the Briles era that really needed resolution before the season started. It looked like we were going to go at least one game into the season without knowing it.
Then Blanchard said enough was enough. He is moving on to finish his college career at Texas A&M-Commerce and see if what he does will help him in the 2018 NFL draft.
I’m not making this about Blanchard. The connection I am making is that given the history of stories involving Baylor players and their treatment of women – and by all accounts the Blanchard situation isn’t anything close to the others because of what has been leaked and discussed within the Baylor community – that the university just wanted a clean slate.
Whether you think the new Title IX department was looking to make an example of someone and set the precedent of what’s going to happen moving forward, you certainly have that right.
History teaches us that when some entity or organization is involved in something that’s extremely negative, it cleans house with everybody and does a 180 and then some on policy just to show the public that it’s serious about cleaning up its act.
There’s political pressure out there. The university has been under siege for the last 24 months. Its image has been dragged through the mud. A book about the sexual assault scandal have been written.
When the negative press against the positive press is at a ratio of 10 to 1 (that’s a guess), it matters. Baylor is on an endless timeframe to rehab his reputation. You know the story that it takes years to build a good one and only one bad thing to ruin it. That’s what this is.
And the byproduct in this is that there are casualties in this crossfire. The timing of Blanchard’s episode could not have been worse. He was ready to make the change from the nickel back to defensive back. He was excited about it. Then all of this pops up in February, and he’s suspended pending the outcome of an investigation.
At the time this happened, there were two emotions. First, there was shock because you couldn’t believe it was Blanchard. Second, you were fatigued by frustration and disgust because it happened AGAIN!
This roster still has the Briles footprint all over it. It will for a couple of more years. Those players recognize the opportunity with a staff that is changing the culture every second of every day. That’s a process too.
Opening night Saturday against Liberty will have a liberated feel to it. Opening night in 2016 was awkward and tense.
There’s a new voice. There’s a new direction. This program needs to play a football game in the worst way. There has been eight months of a lot of stuff since that night in Phoenix. And the stuff needs to stop at some point.
We’re getting there.
Look to the light. It’s so close you can touch it
****
Other thoughts:
>Like you, I’m really intrigued when the 2-deep chart for Liberty is released. Without knowing anything, I could see your quarterback situation with both Zach Smith and Anu Solomon in bold as the starter. In an “exhibition” game like this, everybody should be receiving a healthy amount of snaps. We may not know who the starter is until he steps on the field Saturday.
>The other positions that I will look at are in the secondary and linebacker. Because of what happened to Grayland Arnold Saturday, it’s going to be a total crapshoot. Heck, Matt Rhule talked about Arnold being a starter and now it’s time for Plan B. The secondary has move to the front of the line as my chief concern about this team.
>At linebacker, it’s not so much the starters but the depth. That’s a pretty young group. With Deionte Williams moving to defensive end, that changes the rotation. That’s probably going to be Lenoy Jones. If Eric Ogor is actually listed with the ones or even on the 2-deep, he’s another story that deserves recognition just like Nance did.
>I’m over it talking about the offensive line. We have an idea who is going where and how that’s going to look there.
>I will give the big prediction for 2017 on Tuesday, break down the offense on Wednesday and the defense on Thursday.
>As far as the outstanding sexual assault cases and NCAA investigation, those two stories have been compartmentalized. They're still there. Something will pop up every now and then. They aren't the distraction they were. Now, the NCAA investigation will only become that should it materialize into something bigger. Time will tell.
>Just when you think you’re doing something good or trying to help, there’s always unhappiness. Late Sunday evening I quote tweeted something about texting a donation to the American Red Cross to help the flood victims in Houston.
I simply said. Passing along…they’ve been there in times of need. Then someone replies with, “Not them. Use the Salvation Army of Texas. Red Cross has abused funds and mismanaged every major event in recent history.’’
Really?
For a lot of us, I don’t know if we really kept a beat on the Red Cross’ track record over the years when it comes to handling disasters monies. If you have, then good for you. Maybe Clara Barton’s baby has made some major mistakes with recent storm relief efforts. That doesn’t mean that they’re showing up at these events with the intent of trying to screw it up even worse.
Do people want to be angry all the time? Does that bring fulfillment?
The bottom line: whatever you think you can do to help those down there in whatever way you feel is appropriate, just do it.
****
Now, a look at other Baylor sports
>Volleyball went 2-1 over the weekend at the Hampton Inn & Suite Invitational. The Lady Bears lost the opener to Florida State and then defeated Illinois State and UC Santa Barbara. Baylor travels to Pullman, WA for the Cougar Challenge. In this round robin event, the Bears will meet Washington State Thursday, Quinnipiac Friday and College of Charleston Saturday.
>Just before Hurricane Harvey made its arrival, Baylor (2-0-1) soccer played Rice on Thursday and finished in 0-0 tie. The scheduled game with Houston Baptist, originally set for Saturday in Houston and moved to Baylor on Monday, has now been canceled and won’t be re-scheduled. Baylor plays host to UTSA Friday (7:00 p.m.) and Ball State on Sunday (noon).
>Baylor cross country gets its season started on Friday with the Bear Twilight Invitational at 7:00 p.m.
>Baylor men’s golf is No. 4 in the preseason Bushnell Golfweek Coaches Poll released Friday, giving the Bears their highest preseason ranking in program history.
Baylor received 398 points in the preseason poll, trailing only No. 1 Oklahoma State (507), No. 2 Vanderbilt (467) and No. 3 Oklahoma (460). The Bears are followed by No. 5 Illinois (397), No. 6 Texas (376), No. 7 LSU (368), No. 8 USC (365), No. 9 Oregon (332) and No. 10 Florida (309). Texas Tech is No. 22, giving the Big 12 Conference five preseason top-25 teams.
Baylor enters its fourth season under head coach Mike McGraw, and the Bears are coming off back-to-back NCAA Championship appearances for the second time in program history. BU returns four of its top five players from last year’s squad that achieved the program’s first No. 1 national ranking.
The Bears were co-champions at the 2017 NCAA Stanford Regional, claiming the first regional title in BU men’s golf history. Baylor advanced to match play for the first time in program history at the 2017 NCAA Championship, finishing tied for fifth place after falling in a quarterfinal playoff against eventual national champion Oklahoma.
Let’s make it a great week!
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