Morning Fade – 12.21.10

Jenni on Broderick Brown’s YouTubeness – “Brown is sure to be nominated for play of the year when ESPN’s annual awards show rolls around. Even though he might be trumped by what Philadelphia Eagles return man DeSean Jackson did this past weekend with his last-second, game-winning punt return for a touchdown, the Cowboys are having some fun with Brown’s newfound fame.”

Sittler on why the Big XII needs a big postseason performance – “The “new” Big 12, meanwhile, can use the bowl games to get a jump start on bolstering its image as a 10-team conference. A woeful Colorado team isn’t going bowling, so give Nebraska the quickie divorce it wants from the Big 12 and move on.”

Tramel with a piece on Jean-Paul Olukemi – Even though it’s not the most well-written column, I like being introduced to basketball players I don’t know anything about.

Great post by Ubben on what a game between the North and the South would look like – First, great idea for a post. Say what you want about Ubben, but he does a good job producing consistently intriguing material. Second, the South wins this in a ROUT. Their offense would abuse the North defense and with Jeremy Beal and Von Miller holding down the South D, the North wouldn’t be able to do very much.

Dr. Saturday says OSU was 2nd most overachieving team in 2010 – “The Cowboys were supposed to finish at or near the bottom of the Big 12 South in the wake of massive attrition from the 2009 team, arguably the most hyped outfit Stillwater has ever produced. In one swoop, Oklahoma State lost a prolific three-year starter at quarterback; a 1,200-yard rusher in the backfield; first-round draft picks at wide receiver and left tackle; six of its top seven tacklers on defense; and, with them, the brief window for an on-field breakthrough after years of raising the stakes off of it. By Phil Steele’s count in his annual “experience ratings,” the Cowboys began the season as the greenest team in America, bound for a third or fourth-tier bowl game for 6-6 stragglers at best, and mega-booster T. Boone Pickens’ trigger finger was beginning to twitch, ever so slightly. Instead, the offseason decision to bring in former Mike Leach protégé Dana Holgorsen to resurrect an offense that imploded at the end of ’09 has paid off with the most prolific attack in the nation and, with one more ‘W’ in the bowl game, the most prolific win column in school history.”

Stewart Mandel picks the Pokes – “The Alamo has seen some offensive fireworks over the years (remember Drew Brees’ last-minute touchdown pass to beat Kansas State?), and this one will be no exception. Nick Foles, Juron Criner and the Arizona attack will exploit Oklahoma State’s 115th-ranked pass defense. But the Cowboys lead the nation in total offense (537.6 yards per game) and are too potent and balanced to fall behind.”

Andrea Adeslson interviews Blackmon