Daily Bullets (Sept. 14): ESPN Has The Pokes in New Year’s Day Games, Fan’s Eye View of Cowboy Football’s Biggest Problem

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Couldn’t be more proud of the work Mrs. Bullets did – our third kiddo (Lucy Claire) arrived Thursday (9/11), everybody is healthy, happy, and usually hungry.

It’ll feel strange to celebrate every year on 9/11 but we’re eager to share with her about what some spectacular folks did to save lives on that day.

OSU Bullets

• I liked this nugget from the OKC Dave survey polling fans about OSU sports – what’s the biggest problem within the Cowboy Football program? 

Fans were asked what they perceive as the biggest problem within the program.
Gundy’s lack of connection within the program: 65 percent.
Other: 18 percent.
There is no problem: 16 percent.
Racism: 1 percent.
On the other, some were about recruiting, some about entitled players, some about Gundy (aside from the Hubbard flap) and some about societal issues in general. [NewsOK]

For (us) outsiders to take a shot at what’s wrong would be a spot we’re unqualified to speak to but it’s interesting. I was in that 65 percent. But something that caught me off guard, last week when program mainstay Johnny Barr was a casualty of budget cuts, one thing he made efforts to point out is how much Gundy “loves those kids”. 

My perception is there’s a way Gundy likes to run a program, build a culture… and that’s different than what “kids these days” are used to. Mix that in with a whirlwind of changes in cultural perception and you’ve got a cultural fixture that seems like a bit of a bad fit. 

• Two of ESPN’s best have the Pokes in New Year’s Day bowl games after week two of college football

• Berry T. eulogizes a woeful Saturday for the Big 12 and points out an unfortunate result for the Pokes and other topfeeders in the league.

The losses cripple an already-shaky Big 12 reputation. The Big 12 has had a putrid record against fellow Power 5 opponents in recent years. Now, the Big 12 is 0-3 against the Sun Belt, without even playing against Appalachian State, the Sun Belt’s best program.

This hurts the Big 12’s playoff hopes, if we actually get to a post-season in this pandemic-stricken season. A 10-1 OU or a 10-1 Texas or a 10-1 OSU likely still would be included in Football Four. But 9-2? Probably not, even if there’s no Big Ten or Pac-12 contender. [NewsOK]

OSU against Tulsa and now Baylor against Houston will have a solid opportunity to wave the flag against some AAC teams this weekend.

• Reports are out that nine Cowboy Football assistants refused a pay cut due to COVID – my two cents: taking game checks for every game coached doesn’t feel unfair. Bill Haisten has even more color around the situation here.

• This sentence about Chuba Hubbard’s Heisman odds caught me off guard: 

Hubbard enters the season as Oklahoma State’s best Heisman Trophy contender since receiver Justin Blackmon finished fifth in 2010. [NewsOK]

• Really hoping this isn’t true – prayers up for Cowboy alum Blake Jarwin:

After evaluation, Cowboys fear that TE Blake Jarwin has suffered a torn ACL, source said. An MRI to reveal injury's full nature but the team's belief is Jarwin has been lost for season. Injured right knee in second quarter.

— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) September 14, 2020

Non-OSU Bullets

• I’ve waited a long time for an article like this – “How Home Renovations Point to Heart Renovations” (faith-based)
• Esquire had a great, old piece on 9/11 about “the falling man” – prepare yourself

This end-of-game play in a high school game over the weekend was unreal. Almost Central Michigan-esque.

You’re not going to believe the end of the Hillcrest win over Wetumpka. pic.twitter.com/ulmOKUVcOt

— Michael Casagrande (@ByCasagrande) September 12, 2020

I like this Warren Buffett quote:

“Diversification may preserve wealth, but concentration builds wealth.”