While I've been tough on the Oklahoma Sooners this year, I would not suggest this season has been a failure. Given that we had a new quarterback and that we had lost Adrian Peterson, a 10-2 record at this point is quite pleasant.

Given how quickly we started though and the opportunities we had late, such as against Texas Tech, there have been disappointments this season. True. But the year has largely been a big, big success.

(Still doesn't change my opinion of Venables.)

What Oklahoma has the opportunity to do on Saturday is win a Big 12 title, which would be its fifth since Bob Stoops arrived in Norman some nine seasons ago. The Sooners also have the chance to make a case for a spot in the BCS title game.

If West Virginia loses.

If LSU loses.

The first of these will not happen. West Virginia will massacre Pittsburgh, so let's just forget the what-might-have-been. Let's focus on a back-to-back Big 12 title, a championship I firmly believe Oklahoma will win on Saturday.

Even though Mizzou is No. 1, it's a soft No. 1. The only impressive win they have is Kansas, and I'm not convinced the Jayhawks are any better than Liberty Bowl material. Furthermore, Mizzou couldn't beat Oklahoma when it had the chance.

Oh, that's right. OU lucked out. That's what Missouri players said this week in preparation for the Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship game in San Antonio on Saturday. And, I think it was a big mistake.

Bob Stoops' Sooners have always reveled in the underdog role. Yes, Oklahoma is favored in this game, but given that Mizzou is No. 1 and talkin' smack, the Sooners can rightfully "feel" like the proverbial dog in this game.

Back in 2004, when Oklahoma last faced No. 1, the Sooners got drilled by USC, 55-19. However, that was a great Trojans team, one of the best of all time. Secondly, Oklahoma was No. 2 and feeling pretty cocky itself.

This is different. OU has nothing to lose in this game, nothing whatsoever. If the Sooners lose, they are headed to the Cotton Bowl and a game against Arkansas, and it will certainly be a better game than the 2002 snooze fest that saw OU beat the Hogs 10-3 and saw me sick as a dog trying to die in the Cotton Bowl stands.

If Oklahoma wins, they get Arizona State in the Fiesta Bowl, presuming Arizona State beats Arizona. If not, OU could get Hawaii. OU could get Georgia. Theoretically, OU could get Kansas.

However, what the Sooners are aiming for on Saturday is respect, and after two losses that brought our team's character into question -- and rightfully so -- Oklahoma has a lot to prove. Primarily a defensive challenge, will the Sooners be able to stop the Tigers at all?

The question, my friends, is will the Tigers be able to stop OU?

Sooners quarterback Sam Bradford has 32 touchdowns to 33 for Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel. But, Bradford also has two fewer interceptions. It brings a point to mind that Oklahoma fans will need to understand sooner rather than later.

Barring injury or suspension, Sam Bradford will likely be Oklahoma's greatest quarterback of all time when it's all said and done. Personally, give me Heupel. The guy was a total winner. For most people, it's Jason White, who is mechanically the best quarterback in Big 12 history.

And Bradford will be the difference in San Antonio.

Look, don't take my analysis here to contradict anything I said about the Tech loss. It all stands, and I firmly expect Oklahoma to give up between 30 and 45 points because we can't rush the quarterback, we can't cover people in open field and Daniel decides to throw to whomever Ryan Reynolds is covering.

However, even without DeMarco Murray, OU can name its score against Missouri. Expect Kevin Wilson to be super creative this week. Expect Oklahoma to go for the jugular. Expect Oklahoma to be the better team.

Again.

52-35.

Of the 25 songs on this year's Top 25 list, only 17 I'd estimate were hits. By hit, I mean that the song was a commercial success relative to radio play, video play, pop culture saturation and chart position.

And, introducing the other tunes to you is something I get a big kick out of.

Take the tune at No. 22 -- "Colorful" by Rocco De Luca & The Burden. Not a chart hit by any stretch, I heard this blues-inspired tune just a couple months ago on iTunes somewhere, perhaps on one of its in-program radio stations.

This isn't to say that Rocco DeLuca and his band won't be successful. They were discovered and signed to an indie label by none other than Kiefer Sutherland and Jude Cole. Sutherland of "24" fame, and Cole of "Start The Car" fame.

OK, so you probably have no idea who Jude Cole is.

All you need to know about DeLuca is that he's played with John Lee Hooker. He's played with Johnny Cash. His specialty is the dobro, and he plays a mean slide guitar. For you blues aficionadoes, DeLuca's work would probably sound best live.

However, I'm a guy who appreciates the perfected package, production and all. And this tune, "Colorful," had to grow on me. But when it did, I realized that I had stumbled upon a gem of a musician. This song is simple but sophisticated, bluesy yet friendly to the ear that loves its pop.

My gut hunch says this is a song I love well beyond the season, something I point to as a hidden gem of this decade. For now though, relative to my vast array of criteria for the 2007 Top 25, "Colorful" will have to settle for No. 22.

See others:

No. 25 - Everyday America - Sugarland

No. 24 - Le Disko - Shiny Toy Guns

No. 23 - Famous In A Small Town - Miranda Lambert

Most of you who know me today would be stunned to learn that I was, in fact, a metal head in high school.

Sure, I rocked the mullet, but I never really lived the lifestyle. Didn't go to Crue concerts and get wasted off my arse. Didn't get in trouble at school a bunch; I was no rebel. However, once a month, Mom would pick me up a copy of Circus magazine and a box of 'Nilla wafers from the grocery store.

My appreciation for 1980s heavy metal was two-fold:

1. While loud and rooted somewhat in punk, heavy metal was always legitimately musical. Its melodies were quite pop in structure, and a typical metal guitar solo was practically textbook classical technique. Furthermore, metal is campy and escapist, a showy combination of 1970s glam with 1980s rock.


2. In the days before TMZ.com and 500 channels, American Idol and The Hills, metal was pretty much the pop culture subject of choice for small-town and suburban white kids.

Yes, my musical taste is all over the place, but it's not random or indiscriminate. While to keep up with heavy metal back in the day was a means of keeping up with 1980s pop culture, the genre was also rife with talent, infinitely more so -- in my opinion -- than the junk the Li'l Waynes and Akons of the world put out today.

Long story short: I'm sure most of you saw that Kevin DuBrow was found dead on Sunday. DuBrow, 52, was found dead in his Las Vegas home on Sunday.

DuBrow was primarily known as the lead singer for Quiet Riot, one of 1980s better metal bands, the first to score a No. 1 album on Billboard's album chart. There is no word on a cause of death, but people who know him said he was in great shape.

Of course, what my friends and I joked about today was that if DuBrow died at 52, he had to have been only 28 when "Cum On Feel The Noize" was released in 1983. We got a laugh out of that considering DuBrow looked like he was nearing 50 at the time.

That tune was a Top 10 hit for Quiet Riot, but it was a remake of a 1973 Slade tune -- one of two Slade remakes from DuBrow's band. There actually was a third version of this song done up by Oasis, and I have to say that I liked it better than Slade's version, which featured mostly a campy, 1970s sound.

Quiet Riot's version of the song blows either out of the water. Now, if I put together a Top 10 metal bands list, I'm not sure Quiet Riot would make that Top 10, but for those of us whose impressionable years in music were founded upon the early 1980s, there's no doubt that Kevin DuBrow was an icon.

Now, for those of you who noticed that the song's title contains a vulgarity, I thought I'd note that the original version from Slade also contained it. It's not like it was a 1980s bastardization.

On the other hand -- and this is a total tangent -- does anybody get at least a bit creeped out anytime they pass a Kum n' Go convenience store?

As far as I know, there are only a few in Oklahoma, primarily in the eastern part of the state (Okmulgee). However, given that my late-night blog post was at least sorta about "cum," I figured I'd post this video I found on YouTube done up by some guy who just had to talk to a Kum n' Go store clerk himself. Forgive the poor audio synching; I didn't create it. Just wanted to offer some video evidence of these things called Kum n' Go.

While all the guys are off rapping or putting on eyeliner for their rock band, women have slowly but surely comandeered the songwriting scene.

Outside of a few alt-country writers and some folks you've never heard of, the best composition in 2007 came from the ladies, a handful of them in particular. One of them is featured at No. 23 in my Top 25 of 2007: "Famous In A Small Town," by Miranda Lambert.

She placed in the Top 5 in the first season of Nashville Star, so Lambert is another reality contestant gone good. While she's best known for her hit, "Kerosene," from a couple of years back, Miranda is getting high praise from critics.

Her 2007 album, "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend," is tabbed by metacritic.com as the 18th best album of 2007 in any genre. Metacritic tabulates reviews from a wide variety of critics to come up with their list. Heck, they didn't even have to twist my arm. I had already heard the CD.

It has spunk, small-town sophistication. Solid wordplay. Great storytelling. Musicianship. Personality.

Check out these other high praises:

Slant Magazine: Brash, insightful, wry, and, above all else, smart, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend confirms that Miranda Lambert is far more than just the latest in a long line of bad girls: She's a country music legend in the making, and the most vital artist Music Row has produced in a generation.

Stylus Magazine: Miranda Lambert is at a very rarified place right now, turning her songs into vehicles for a persona that transcends background narrative and personal history. This is Jagger, Bowie, Debbie Harry, and early MJ territory.

New York Times: Backed by ragged, loud guitar work and production that is full but not slick, Ms. Lambert sounds like a brash rabble-rouser, an emotionally insightful spark plug.

Village Voice: A conceptual wonder.

Frankly, I don't think "Famous In A Small Town" is worth all the high accolades. There are a couple of other tunes on her album that are, and you can bet I'll at least touch on them throughout the rest of my Top 25 if not rank them.

No, this tune is way more in tune with what Nashville listeners expect in terms of musical structure and lyrics, and it sure is heck isn't as angry and feisty as some of Lambert's other work. However, as a big fan of John Mellencamp, I'd say this tune encompasses small-town America about as good as anything since Mellencamp released "Smalltown" 22 years ago.

It's a gem, and even if Miranda Lambert is but a two-album wonder, she has set a standard for other aspiring Nashville artists to reach.

See others:

No. 25 - Everyday America - Sugarland

No. 24 - Le Disko - Shiny Toy Guns

One of the perks of my gig that I enjoy is being in front of a television all day. However, that also means I have to see a lot of programming I'd otherwise never watch.

Take Oprah, for example.

I could never guarantee that I wouldn't watch her, but nine times out of 10, I wouldn't even sniff the boob-tube at that time of day (4 p.m. CST in Oklahoma City). However, it's a pop culture must that we watch her on those two or three times a year when she does her My Favorite Things shows.

For those of you who don't know how it works, Oprah doesn't announce her My Favorite Things episode. She springs it on an unknowning but adoring audience, who knows that its mere mention means thousands of dollars worth of schwag they'll get to take home.

On Tuesday, her latest victims were in Macon, Georgia. Now, I don't have the foggiest idea why the big O was there, but as soon as the audience learned it was a MFT episode, there was more cacklin' than at a country hen house.

What Oprah does for an hour is show off products she likes, giving them away to audience members. In reality, Oprah is showing off products from companies that have paid to have their stuff hocked on her show. I'm not so cynical to believe that Oprah doesn't actually like the products she's gushing over; it's just that I've never seen a show so full of product placement.

Heck, Oprah even touted the greatness of FedEx as delivery drivers handed out goods to the cackling masses.

What has made this a pop culture spectacle though is Oprah and the way her audiences react to her. It's super easy to do a vocal caricature of how Winfrey over-enunciates her love of certain products. Likewise, the religious fervor held by her followers is equally predictable.

Not that I wouldn't love to walk away with a new camcorder, a popular book or some really comfy body butter. I actually thought Oprah was giving away her body butter and quipped, "How gross."

I was politely corrected.

Anyway, Saturday Night Live had a great, great parody of one of these MFT episodes, and it's so right on and funny. Enjoy.

Don't forget, I'll be continuing the Top 25 of 2007 countdown this week with No. 23 through 20. However, I'd like to close the evening with a little something I call Word on the Street.

Big Brother Returns Early!

Word on the street has it that the WGA strike has caused CBS executives to begin casting for Big Brother 9 right now, as in last week. As in tomorrow. As in immediately.

Allison Grodner and company are feverishly looking for a BB9 cast in anticipation that the next edition of CBS' hit summertime reality show might come back as early as February. Given that my life is so Idol-centric from January to May, I might as well write my 2008 goodbye letter to you all now.

Dear Friends,


I have decided to take leave of you in exchange for three months of reality show bliss, cultivating my addiction to watching bitchy strangers live in a house with cameras everywhere in a quest for $500,000.


Combined with my annual five months of bad auditions, kitschy guests and "shocking results" from American Idol, I might not see many of you again. In fact, I might very well need some of you to check in on me from time to time, just to ensure that I haven't suffered a live-feed induced Big Brother stroke.


Godspeed, one and all.

As if Big Brother 8 were like years gone by, here's a little reminder of how good this past season was. This is perhaps the reality show video clip of 2007. Brilliant.

Don't Count On Sam

Word on the street has it that there is no way Sam Bradford plays this week for OU.

Yes, the Sooners starting quarterback took some snaps in practice on Monday. However, most people watching the tube don't realize just how bad Bradford was concussed. It would be irresponsible to bring him back without multiple medical opinions clearing the kid to play.

Look for Oklahoma to break out Kid Nichol this week. The Michigan freshman, Keith Nichol, will get his chance to shine and will likely alternate time with Joey Halzle, who was not nearly as bad as everybody made him out to be. No, he wasn't nearly as good as Bradford, but it's not like Halzle was 0 for 41. He still threw for almost 300 yards. No, his passes weren't pretty, and those that were off were way off. However, I still blame coaching strategy all year long for not getting Halzle more snaps in blowout wins and for not lining up and running the ball.

I said it to a colleague today, and I believe it even more the more I think about it. Oklahoma would have gone 6-6 in the SEC this year at best. The Big 12 is having a good year at the top; however, from top to bottom, it's still a second-tier conference. Average SEC teams would have given the Sooners major problems this year, and the Sooners might have lost virtually every road game they would have played in that league.

Things are so down right now that I'm leaning heavily toward picking OSU to beat the Sooners this Saturday. Without Bradford or DeMarco Murray and with the same type of play calling that cost us wins in Lubbock and Boulder, we'll be lucky to score 20 on the Pokes, and I assure you Oklahoma State's passing attack can put up 21.

Just in time for Thanksgiving, I was given this tasty recipe for Oklahoma Sooners cookies!

Directions:

Put OU in a bowl, and beat it for three hours.

Becoming a star doesn't require television or movies anymore, and an appearance on American Idol isn't required either.

YouTube has made a few people household names, at least among those of us who surf the Web as a primary source of entertainment. We're familiar with folks like Renetto (Paul Robinett) and William Sledd and Michael Buckley and Tay Zonday.

Add to that list a 26-year-old Ames, Iowa, resident named Leslie Hall.

Truth is, she had garnered some popularity on the Web before YouTube became the sensation it is. She started making "gem sweaters," bedazzled sweaters she would find at places like Goodwill. She's pretty funny, and this was all kind of tongue-in-cheek, including an appearance she recently had on G4TV, in which she talked about her gem-sweater fame.

However, where she's going to become an international sensation is on the music front. Leslie apparently has a band -- Leslie and the Ly's -- and its music is campy electro pop rap from the perspective of a 200-pound white woman.

There's not a darned bit of social commentary from Leslie, just a lot of campy, campy humor. Given that her latest video was featured by YouTube on Sunday, I suspect more of you will hear of Leslie Hall than will have ever wanted to hear of her.

However, if you have an appreciation for electro pop music and appreciation for really dry humor, then you're in for a treat. Leslie is like Tracy Turnblad with a 2007 sensibility, shiny gold pants and a vast collection of gem sweaters.

You might think I'm nuts for saying this, but I actually enjoy the heck out of this video. It is wonderfully creative and funny, and it's sure to annoy the 90 percent of our population who doesn't get it, which to me makes it all the more entertaining.

And, then there is this, an original tune Leslie calls "Zombie Killers."

Even with my last-minute boost of optimism, I had thought Oklahoma would have a tough time in Lubbock.

However, I never imagined the Sooners would get blown out.

Make no mistake. Regardless of the 34-27 final score, this was a blowout win for Texas Tech. Those dastardly Red Raiders controlled the line of scrimmage and the ballgame, having taken a 34-13 lead in the third quarter before OU made a decent comeback.

While I've been somewhat critical of Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables in the past, I had always fallen short of calling for his job. However, that's done.

Brent Venables should be flat-out dismissed as defensive coordinator.

Help find him a head-coaching gig. Let him resign with dignity. Just make sure we have somebody hungry for this job next season.

Frankly, Oklahoma might have three national titles in the Stoops era instead of one if it hadn't been for Brent. In 2004, when OU was beaten 55-19 by USC, the Sooners' defense was just terrible. Pee wee league bad.

And then this year.

Yes, I know coach Bob Stoops and Brent are buddies going back to their Kansas State Miracle-in-Manhattan days. Perhaps it's not such a good thing that Stoops hired a pal for such a crucial position. However, Stoops also gets somewhere close to $3M a year, so he needs to deal with it.

When Mike Stoops shared co-defensive coordinator responsibilities with Venables, Oklahoma had an aggressive, risk-taking defense that produced huge plays, including one of the most memorable plays in college football history -- Roy Williams' leap at the Cotton Bowl.

Since Mike left for the Arizona desert and started sucking as a head coach, Brent managed to suck all by himself as a defensive coordinator. Oklahoma plays a soft zone with a three-man front, can't produce a pass rush, can't break up passes and can't tackle.

I heard WWLS' Al Eschbach cackling over the notion that some Oklahoma fans would have rather had Bo Pellini as a defensive coordinator than Venables. And, I admit to cackling along with Al because Pellini stinks as badly as Venables does, a good reason why LSU could easily lose a national title game. They'll give up 25 to 40 points on any given day.

What's just as bad for the Sooners is that their offensive coordinator isn't much better. While Kevin Wilson has shown flashes of creativity this season, he still insisted on using a three-man running back rotation, when against Tech, clearly, the only effective back was DeMarco Murray.

Coaches told Sports Animal hosts that they were "very happy" with the running back situation, making me wonder again what sort of drugs are available to the Oklahoma athletic department.

The difference between a 9-2 team and a 7-5 team, to me, are zip. It's the same thing: Go to a bowl game without a shot for a national title.

Seriously. We love Bob Stoops here in Norman-land and hope that he stays here a long, long time, raising his family and living in the comfort $3M a year can provide for him.

Whether the man is Oklahoma's football coach for that long, long time is another thing.

Bob needs to make some tough decisions in the off-season this year.

He needs to fire his pal, Brent Venables.

Less than eight hours before Oklahoma's biggest game of the 2007 season, and I wanted to put together a recipe for Sooners success against Texas Tech. These ingredients, with no turnovers added, will spell an Oklahoma win.

Cooking this delicacy any other way will make me crazy.

Ingredients include:

DeMarco Murray

Jermaine Gresham

Malcolm Kelly

Phil Loadholdt

Manuel Johnson

Auston English

Curtis Lofton

These are the most important seven ingredients for an Oklahoma win in Lubbock tonight. If each of these guys has a good game, I will guarantee an OU victory.

1. Don Juan DeMarco. Why he's not playing more is beyond comprehension. Coaches say he's great when Bradford throws to him, yet we never see it. Either all this talk is an elaborate ploy to strike fear in opponents or it's designed to piss me off. If I see Chris Brown for more than three carries tonight, I will go crazy.

2. Jermaine Greshman. Honestly, I think he's our offensive MVP so far. He's got great hands, and he can create big plays from basic ones. Oklahoma will use Jermaine quite a bit tonight, I'd imagine, but will they be creative if needed? We're all still waiting for the TE reverse a la Keith Jackson.

3. Malcolm Kelly. Yes, he's been the invisible man much of the year; however, when given the opportunity, Kelly has only been partly up to the challenge. Sure, he's had some good catches, but he hasn't been the game changer we've expected. Good but not great. He's not Mark Clayton yet.

4. Phil Loadholdt. This guy is touted as OU's biggest player ever at 6 feet 8 inches and 350 pounds, so it's time he played up to his size. Based on my limited knowledge of the o-line but on my extensive watching experience, it seems Phil's best game was against Texas, when we just dominated the line of scrimmage in the second half and Murray went off, all over the left part of the line. Phil needs to make a Red Raider defensive end his girlfriend tonight.

5. Manuel Johnson. Is it me, or was Manuel Johnson really impressive against Baylor? I realize he was coming off a bad injury in 2006, but I think I'd like to see more of this guy than of Juaquin Iglesias. Sure, Juaquin has been a dependable receiver early-on, but he's also prone to turnovers and pouting. Manuel's catches last week, in particular the sideline go route was a thing to behold, and it's that type of speed and precision that will help Oklahoma score points in a hurry.

6. Auston English. Word is that our li'l defensive end who could might not be back tonight. After being cleared for the Tech game, English had a procedure late this week that has made him day-to-day. If English can't go, we need somebody to step up and get pressure on the Tech QB. A big game from English really is super important tonight.

7. Curtis Lofton. You know who Curtis reminds me of? Ontei Jones. If you'll recall 2000, Jones had already been around the program awhile, but he had turned into the heart and soul of the defense, even if he wasn't the man. Lofton is a bit closer to being the man in OU's defensive backfield; however, he is definitely its heart and soul. A couple big plays from Curtis could be huge tonight.

In fact, I'll call it. Watch for Curtis to have a Torrance Marshall-esque interception return for a score.

Another thing I'll call: An Oklahoma win. Texas Tech definitely scares me, and I think if we win this game, our shot at a national championship is looking brighter and brighter. However, the Sooners are in a position we haven't been in since 2000.

We're one of the underdogs trying to get a piece.

Dude, listen to me. Bob Stoops is brilliant in these types of games. The entire 2000 season was built on these games, and we really haven't been in this exact position since.

I expect a game very similar to the OU-Kansas State game in 2000, so with that in mind ... give me Oklahoma 41, Texas Tech 31.

Great news from Tucson, Ariz., on Thursday night, as Arizona took care of No. 2 Oregon 34-24 -- a win that I called in the newsroom just hours before, and I have three credible witnesses who can back me up without kickback.

Mike Stoops' teams at UA have always played well in November and terrible at any other point in the season. That a win over the Ducks would help Oklahoma probably didn't factor into things, relative to coaching decisions. However, there's no denying Mike's happy for OU's opportunity.

In fact, if I were Bob Stoops, I would have a phone call from brother Mike piped in to the Oklahoma locker room before kickoff on Saturday night in Lubbock, Texas.

All Mike would need to say is: "Alright, men. We did our part."

Now, Bob Stoops is not one to go for that rah-rah stuff. The antics of Georgia's Mark Richt -- having the entire Bulldogs team storm onto the field after a score and then allowing his club to wear black jerseys for the first time in the modern era -- were seen as sophomoric by many in the coaching fraternity.

Oklahoma's Stoops has always said his men don't need that sort of baloney. They know the stakes. They know what to do. They're men.

I fall on Richt's side though. Football is an emotional sport, and the riverboat gambler mentality Bob brought to Oklahoma has been lost to a robotic, unemotional approach to a game that's supposed to be fun. When Bob told Lynn Swann before the 2001 Orange Bowl that what he told his players before kickoff was "between me and my men," I was sure we had the second-coming of Barry Switzer on our hands.

Don't get me wrong. Bob Stoops is an excellent coach. However, here again sits another opportunity for his Oklahoma ball club to win a national title. Will they seize it? And, what will he do to help them seize it?

For now, I think Bob's planning and strategy and the basic defensive adjustments we've made in other close games this year will suffice, at least this week. I still wouldn't bet the farm that we beat Texas Tech at Jones Stadium.

However, I'm feeling slightly better about it and predict we'll win 41-31.

What I would say though is that at some point, if Oklahoma plans to win a national title this season, Bobby's going to need to reach in his bag of motivational tricks and be a bit more like Mark Richt and a bit less like Gary Gibbs.

***

In other OU notes:

Oklahoma's men got beat by No. 3 Memphis 63-53 in New York City on Thursday night, the semifinals of the 2007 Coaches Vs. Cancer tourney. My general impression of the team is that they are way overcoached, working on set plays instead of "balling."

Blake Griffin has potential, but nothing about his game tonight made me think he was in the same league as Derrick Rose. Griffin reminds me a bit of Ryan Minor.

Oklahoma's offensive possessions were painful to watch. Too much passing. Not enough shooting. And there was way, way, way too much insistence on getting the ball inside to a mediocre Longar Longar when there was no doubt that somebody like Joey Dorsey would block his weak s***.

At some point, if you plan to beat a team you know is better than yours, you have to play unconventionally. Allow the athletes to be athletes and shooters to be shooters. Right now, Oklahoma doesn't have many shooters; however, it doesn't mean we have to waste 30 seconds every possession passing the ball around just for the sake of passing it around.

A colleague of mine said last year Capel would be lucky to be brought back to OU for a third season. He noted his very average teams at VCU, and I just said we should give him a chance. I still believe that, and I think Capel is a smart, capable guy.

However, he's doing way, way, way too much right now and should just let this club ball until something works. When it works, he should be able to recognize it and adjust. Personally, I think OU should play small ball, run it up and down the court, shoot first and pass second and park Longar in the lane and let him scoop up boards.

We've got nothing to lose right now because no way this is an NCAA tournament team. They're 18-11 and an NIT bid club at best.

***

As for the Oklahoma women, I only got to watch the last 5 minutes. However, the Sooners showed heart against Candace Parker and the Lady Vols, who happen also to be the defending national champs.

Sheri Coale's club had a shot to win the game in the end, but like with the men, Coale opted for a set play to Courtney (how obvious) instead of adjusting to what the Tennessee defense gave them. Personally, while I think the world of CP3, she doesn't strike me as a "gamer."

Courtney's a bit soft when the game's on the line (except on the free throw line, when she mysteriously becomes a wonderful shooter late in games). Of course, other teams player her closer. They double-team, and she doesn't really get the weak-side help she needs to get the Sooners out of jams.

That's why Coale should rely on her guards and shooters a bit more.

Oklahoma isn't really much better than they were last year, if they are at all. This is a Sweet 16 club at best unless our guards step it up. I would turn Jenna Plumley into Steve Nash. Make her the quarterback of the team, and let her run what she wants pretty much. Take things on instinct.

Like with Jeff Capel, Sheri Coale (a wonderful coach) just seems to be doing a bit too much thinking for my taste.

This is basketball. It's about rhythm and streaks and who's hot and blocking out and hustle.

Anyway, it's way past my bedtime. I can literally feel the weight on my eyes.

One of the statistics about this year's Top 25 that I failed to note is that three of the songs are from Oklahoma-based artists.

What will probably stun you to no end is that No. 24 is one of them.

Now based in L.A., the alternative goth-electro band Shiny Toy Guns was founded by two guys from Shawnee, Okla., in 2002. I heard of them for the first time this year when Le Disko was featured in either the semis or the finale of "So You Think You Can Dance?"

I've always held good alternative, techno music in high esteem. One of my absolute favorite songs of the past five years came from a band called She Wants Revenge, a tune called "Out of Control." When contrasted with my entry at No. 25, this choice of Le Disko will certainly seem dissonant.

However, the tune is a great club feel. It's edgy, a bit different, and you can be sure that it wasn't a chart hit anywhere this year. Best it did in America was No. 114 on the Billboard singles chart. The point I'm making is that this is not the most radio-friendly material ever.

On the other hand, if I were to have had one too many and were to be in the middle of a smoky, hazy nightclub somewhere in the middle of a big city, surrounded by lots of goth chicks ... well, this would be the exact song I'd want to hear.

See others:

No. 25 - Everyday America - Sugarland

Jennifer Nettles is sexy, and she kicks off my Top 25 for 2007.

She's the lead singer of the pop-country duo Sugarland, who just last week won the CMA for best country music group or duo, beating out Brooks & Dunn. They had won it for the past 39 years, it seemed.

While the 34-year-old Georgia native has a gospel and jazz background, she's also a singer-songwriter by trade. According to her bio, she traded in the brooding introspection of her solo work for the lighthearted fun of her duo.

She also traded in her Jewel starter kit for cash. Lots of it. Sugarland is about the second or third hottest thing going in country music right now, behind Carrie Underwood and maybe Taylor Swift. However, there is a positive, feel-good vibe about Sugarland that makes you like 'em and makes you hope they're around for years.

Nettles caught my attention when she scored a giant hit with Bon Jovi on "Who Says You Can't Go Home?," one of my favorites from 2006. There is something about her voice and her vibe that completely attract me to what she's doing.

And, I think it's that super positive vibe that has been the foundation of Sugarland's success. Yes, the song at No. 25 -- "Everyday America" -- is pure pop-country schmaltz. However, it is very well crafted and very simple.

Oh, everybody's dreamin' big

Oh, everybday's just gettin' by

That's how it goes in everyday America

A little town, and a great big life

One of the artists in my year-end countdown ranks among the best storytellers or lyricists of this generation. Compared to his sophisticated writing, this is big-print, remedial stuff. However, when paired with Sugarland's catchy melody and Nettles' personality, it's absolutely one of the best songs of the year.

What's telling about this list, this year, is that in my estimation, about 10 of the songs on my list are only very good while the upper 15 or so are great. So, "Everyday America" must settle for just being very good.

However, there is art in simplicity and making people feel good, and to me, Jennifer Nettles can do no wrong.

Behind closed doors, I finalized my Top 25 for 2007 tonight.

It's the third year for such a countdown on ryanwelton.com, but this time we'll take each song one by one for the next month. And, unlike the two years I've done this before, I kept a journal of songs I heard throughout the year and consulted a list of 2007 singles.

Seriously: I spent about five hours putting this list together and listening to each song. My criteria are pretty easy:

1. It has to be well crafted. Great hook. Great words.

Because we're talking about songs and not albums here, I'm not so much interested in production music unless it's out-of-this-world good. And, there were 2 songs I'd label as production hits to make my list.

2. Did the song make a mark on 2007 pop culture?

I'd say there are four or five songs on this list with a specific mark on the year in pop culture, and one song is possibly the most relevant pop culture song, for a given year, in our lifetime. Well, if you're 37.

3. I had to love it.

There isn't a song on this list, which I'll detail over the next month, that I wouldn't put on a 2007 end-of-year mix CD. What's weird about 2007 is that, to me, the singles were way better than the albums. However, this was probably the best year for pop singles in the past decade.

Overall, 16 of the spots are taken up by women. I still say women are releasing vastly superior music than men. Why? Most men are in rap, country or rock, all of which -- right now -- are inferior genres to pop. Each genre has it's day, and right now it really is pop's.

Five of the spots went to country artists.

Five artists have two songs on this countdown.

Two of the tunes have rap in them, but only one of them could even be considered rap.

Six songs emanate from artists who got their start on reality shows.

One of the songs, I assure you, we'll all despise in 10 years.

One of the songs, in the Top 10, 95 percent of you will never have heard.

Most folks would consider only two of the songs in this countdown to be "rock." I'd label about eight of them as that.

One of the artists in the Top 25 this year is the Bob Dylan of this generation.

One of the artists very well could be dead by the time I finish the countdown.

Think you know who's who? Jot your thoughts in my comments list or add your own Top 25 for the year. It gets underway Tuesday night, so look for No. 25 on Wednesday morning.

There is only one thing stopping Adrian Peterson from becoming the best running back in the NFL: frailty.

Results from an MRI are in, and it turns out, the former Oklahoma star tore a knee ligament against Green Bay. The good news is that he'll only be out a week.

The bad news is, "Here we go again."

As much as I like A.D. as a back and as a person, he has Fred Taylor written all over him, and I just have a hunch he'll never achieve what he could because of injuries.

Wow, what a difference a weekend makes.

After I noted that we might as well not bother rooting for Ohio State to lose, what happened? Ohio State lost -- and, get this. They fell to No. 7 in the BCS.

The Buckeyes are out of the mix.

Oklahoma handled its business, 52-21, against Baylor and moved up to No. 4 in the BCS, one behind Kansas and one ahead of Missouri. The top two positions are Oregon and LSU, and while I'd love to see LSU lose, I don't see Mississippi, Arkansas or Tennessee (SEC title game) doing it.

On the other hand, Arizona has decided that Mike Stoops will return next year, meaning the Stoops for Brent Venables trade is off the table. However, Stoops could really do Oklahoma a big favor by knocking off Oregon on Thursday. The Ducks are everybody's fashionable pick as best-team-going, and they sit at No. 2.

In Stoops' tenure at Arizona, they have started slowly each season but gotten stronger later, and the Wildcats are particularly formidable at home. My gut of guts says Arizona will hang in there against Oregon this week, and brother Bob has already talked with Mike about how big this could be for Oklahoma.

Let's just say this out loud. I think if Arizona pulls off the upset on Thursday, Oklahoma will win in Lubbock. If Oregon rolls, I like Texas Tech in an upset. It's all about focus and discipline this time of year, and Jones Stadium is far too tough a venue for OU to be thinking about BCS scenarios.

While I thought Venables made some good adjustments on Saturday, I also know that Baylor's version of the spread is junior varsity compared to Tech's. For some reason, we are still using Ryan Reynolds to cover middle-of-the-field receivers.

I don't want to bag on the kid, but has there been a bigger disappointment this year than Reynolds? Touted as the next great linebacker coming out of Las Vegas, he's managed to miss two years to injury and spend the rest of his time giving up huge pass plays. Reynolds has made it easy on opposing quarterbacks who know to throw to whomever is in his coverage zone.

Reggie Smith had a big interception early, but I put him in the same category of disappointment. Of our cover guys in the Stoops era, Reggie is by a mile the most overhyped relative to ability. He got a Thorpe Award nomination, and a colleague very, very familiar with the Sooners said, "Why? He has not had a good year."

The key for Oklahoma success defensively comes down to pass rush and line penetration. To me, Auston English and Gerald McCoy are key. If they get off against Tech, then watch out. Furthermore, redshirt freshman Adrian Taylor was very impressive last week. That kid needs to play more.

So, I'll give Venables some props for some very basic adjustments that kept us from getting embarrassed by the worst team in the Big 12. However, there are issues and problems bigger than the Grand Canyon on Oklahoma's defense, and it has zero to do with talent. It's schemes and discipline and focus.

At the half, for the first time I can ever remember, Bob Stoops told FSN's Emily Jones that "defensively, we were just bad."

Is our visor-wearing leader having an epiphany?

Like other criticisms we fans make, Oklahoma's defense isn't nearly as bad as I make it. However, those who defend him vociferously (like Al Eschbach) are equally full of hyperbole. Fact is, Oklahoma wore down Baylor physically, but the Sooners still have more holes than that New York chick on VH1.

In other sports notes from the weekend ...

***

Oklahoma State's defense is still terrible, and I'm still not that impressed with Kansas. Missouri scares me more. And, ABC's football crew Saturday night kept talking about the Big 12 Championship in "Kansas City," which had me super concerned considering I was sure it was in San Antonio.

I was correct on that one, fortunately. Kansas and Missouri might not impress me all that much, but either of them probably beats us at Arrowhead.

***

Oh, by the way, everybody who thought the Big 12 was crappy in football this year should start eating crow. With three teams in the BCS Top 5 and four teams in the Top 15, the Big 12 is arguably the best conference in football this year.

Yes, I think LSU, Florida, Auburn, Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky, etc. would all beat Kansas, but at this point, the only real thing we have to go on is record and ranking. Sorry, Big 12 is best this season.

***

Oklahoma's women opened up with a 76-66 loss to No. 4 Maryland in Chapel Hill, NC. With Carlee Roethlisberger getting to play and with Jenna, Ashley and Courtney returning, the Sooners will be very strong. However, this loss just showed that we're not quite with the big teams yet. The game was actually almost a 20-point Terp lead with 2:00 left.

It will be a major disappointment if OU doesn't win the women's national title while Courtney Paris is here, and right now, there is nothing that makes me think we will. Crap, I'm Debbie Downer.

Speaking of Debbie Downer, how about a little of the brilliance who is Rachel Dratch ... This is absolutely one of my favorite SNL recurring sketches of all time.

I'm a sucker for a good cause, but I'm not a save-the-whales guy, a feed-the-children guy, a give-blood guy, a race-for-the-cure guy or a livestrong-yellow-bracelet-wearing guy.

No, I'm a creative guy, a member of the so-called creative class. Actually, technically, the "creative class" was intended to incorporate a wide variety of vocations, such as architects and programmers. I should probably say I'm a member of the super-creative class.

Anyway.

I write for a living -- albeit online news stories -- but I write nevertheless. However, I also produce (online) videos, write for and manage blogs, write music, produce music, write lyrics and play multiple instruments.

Ever since I matured to the point I knew what I wanted (which didn't really happen until my 30s), I have been fortunate enough to be able to work in a creative industry, and whether it's my day job (as managing editor of koco.com, the Web site for the No. 45 market's ABC affiliate) or my the-rest-of-the-time jobs (blogs, videos, music, etc.), I work in a world predominantly shifting toward the Web.

And that's why I adamantly support the Writer's Guild of America in their quest to be compensated for their work, as it's used online. The precedent that would be set in all industries if this group chose to acquiesce to Hollywood's power brokers would be devastating to the super-creative class, to those of us who create content.

No, I don't mean that I should be paid based on the number of views one of my news stories gets. My passion for this has nothing to do with the day job, really. It has a ton to do with how I spend the rest of my time, which is developing content for various media that ends up on the Web, somehow, some way.

Let me offer you an example of how this affects me.

About five years ago, five of my songs were commissioned by the maker of an MP3 player to be demos on his products. All the music was produced at home, and some of it even got radio play. However, I am so low on the musical food chain that I had no choice but to basically give this dude my music for his players if I wanted that exposure.

No money based on player sales. No nothing. And, I was cool with that. Somewhere, there is some kid deleting my music from his Joe Blow MP3 player, and I take pride in that.

On the other hand, if I went to coolsite.com and saw an ad from this company, promoting his player and using my music to do it, I'd be peeved. Our agreement, even if implied, was that Joe Blow MP3 player company guy could use my songs as content on his products, to be listened to for free by end users. Using my music as part of an ad campaign would be a breach of that agreement.

In the same way, television and film writers want to be paid for work that is being posted on the Web. For example, Universal has this new site called hulu.com, and on hulu.com, you can watch episodes of The Office, and watching them a billion times nets the show's writers not one penny.

Furthermore, let's say you buy a copy of "The Office" on DVD. That might net its writers a residual totalling about one-seventh of one percent. Because they know and we all know the center of the entertainment universe is relocating online, writers made some demands.

Big, scary demands.

Like pay us anything for our work on the Web. One cent. Two cents. Whatever.

Oh, and pay us at least two-sevenths of one percent for DVDs.

While I don't begrudge network executives their big salaries at all, I can't see the resistance to paying the people who made them rich. The beauty about being part of the super-creative class is that, regardless of our individual levels of success, our work is what you remember at the theater, on the boob-tube, on the radio -- and, yes -- on the Web.

There is a ton of power in that, and it's why the writers will eventually win this war for the benefit not only of their guild but to the benefit of anybody who creates content that gets purposed or repurposed online.

Enjoy Tim Kazurinsky's segment on WGN explaining the situation:

We did a live segment tonight on a new section on koco.com: Toy Troubles. It has information about recalls and resources for holiday shoppers.

The father of Marie Osmond died this week, adding to Osmond's already compelling story on ABC's "Dancing With The Stars," what with the fainting spell and all. She's in the Final 6, and she is a heavy, heavy underdog.

Makes me want to watch and pull for her. However, just not enough hours in the week.

On the other hand, an interview she had this week with Access Hollywood's Billy Bush, in which it seemed as if he was asking her out, made me realize ... she's a good-lookin' woman. I'm not sure that I dug her look back in the 80s. It was too, uh, Osmondish.

But she's 48 now. She's single, and she's ranking among this new generation of 40-plus women (and eventually 50-plus women) who really look terrific.

So, Marie, if you're out there and need a date -- not to the funeral or anything (that would be weird) -- but just in general, I am so available. Call me.

Embarrassingly enough, I really, really, REALLY liked her 1980s music though. Very poppish country. Nice hooks. Easy on the ears. This is one of my favorites, a little-known tune called "There's No Stopping Your Heart".

While I am not a big believer that the Oklahoma Sooners will survive Lubbock in two weeks, I still realize we have a shot at the national title. But what has to happen for us to get a shot in the championship game?

Yes, we have to win. One more loss, and the national title dream is over. It's like we are in the playoffs now and cannot lose again.

However, OU is ranked No. 5 in the BCS right now. Ohio State tops the list, with LSU in second. Oregon is third, and Kansas (egad, Kansas!?) is fourth. We have to jump three of them to get a spot in the Jan. 7 BCS title game in New Orleans.

Either Ohio State or LSU must lose, and preferably LSU. Why? They already have one loss, and a first loss for the Buckeyes might not knock them out of title contention, particularly if they lose to a surging Michigan team. In other words, don't get too excited rooting for the Wolverines in a couple of weeks.

This means LSU must lose, and it's totally possible, particularly as close as their games have been recently. However, they won't lose to Louisiana Tech this week, nor will they fall to Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss., the next week. This means we must root for Arkansas big time on Nov. 23.

If that doesn't happen, we have to hope for a loss in the SEC title game. But it's totally possible, and in fact, I'm not sure that it won't happen.

As great as Oregon has been playing recently, you might think they have no shot at losing. Well, they play Arizona in Tucson, UCLA in Pasadena and Oregon State to finish out their regular season. You know who I think is dangerous there?

Arizona. They've been coming on as of late. They beat UCLA last week, and Mike Stoops knows this would help OU tremendously. No, the Wildcats won't be playing for the Sooners, but Mike is a go-for-it sort of guy. If Oregon is snoozin', they might be losin' that game.

OK, if either Oregon or LSU loses, or if they both lose, then what else do we need to happen?

Simple. Kansas must win.

They must beat OSU this week, and hopefully, they do it handily. They must beat Missouri, and I am hoping for a rout. But, then we must crush them in the Big 12 title game in San Antonio.

Given that Oklahoma's primary flaw in the BCS standings right now is in its computer score, and given that Kansas' primary strength right now in those standings is its computer score, the Sooners could theoretically jump both LSU and Oregon in a final poll if Kansas wins out and OU wins convincingly.

Kansas jumped from No. 8 to No. 4 this week on the strength of its 76-39 win over Nebraska in Lawrence last week. The computers have them at .8800 and us at .7400, and it's the only reason they're ahead of us in the BCS standings.

In fact, Oklahoma kills them in the Harris and coaches' poll portion of the formula. By this logic, we would stay super high in those two facets of the BCS with a convincing win over Kansas in the Big 12 title game.

However, if they're undefeated when we play them, they'll probably be No. 3 or No. 2 in the BCS come time for the Big 12 title game. Seriously. They might not jump LSU, but they can jump Oregon before Dec. 1.

If that's the case, and OU wins, let's say, 38-17, we'll at least have a shot for No. 2 in the BCS standings, which would mean a national title date versus Ohio State on Jan. 7. Even if LSU and Oregon win out, Kansas' computer strength is so far ahead of ours that given the CPU's weight on impressive victories, which this would be, we could vault just like the Jayhawks did this week.

To make it certain, we should hope for LSU and Oregon to lose. No doubt. If we have to pick either-or, hope for LSU to lose because I think we can pass Oregon without the loss.

Now, Oklahoma must win out. No doubt about that, but outside of that, the most important thing we need right now is for Kansas to win and win big. The Jayhawks play Oklahoma State this week, and every Sooners fan needs to hope KU blows them out.

Sorry my orange-clad brethren. It's just business.

Perhaps the biggest enigma in modern music history is Michael Jackson. His life has spiraled so far downhill over the past decade or two, and yet his musical influence is unparalleled.

Michael Jackson is the standard-bearer for every modern pop and r&b soloist in terms of entertainment value. Can you sing? Can you dance? Can you write? Can you perform?

Yet while Michael was talented, for sure, so was the brains behind his ascension -- Quincy Jones. An argument could be made that virtually all of the credit for Jackson's success in the early 1980s falls onto Q's shoulders. Jones is pretty much the most accomplished, the finest music producer in history, and his work during that era, again, is untoppable.

However, while the planet saw fit to gobble up the album "Thriller" in record numbers, there has always been a collection of us music fans who thought 1980's "Off The Wall," also produced by Quincy, was superior. And that leads me to my No. 1 song for the year 1980.

It was but one of four Top 10 hits for Michael from this album; however, it has become a standard. Written by Rod Temperton, "Rock With You" is one of the greatest pop songs of our generation, and I hereby crown it the greatest hit song of 1980.

No. 1 -- "Rock With You," Michael Jackson

Here's a reminder of the rest of my Top 10 for 1980:

No. 10 - "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)"

No. 9 - "Give Me The Night"

No. 8 - "The Biggest Part of Me"

No. 7 - "The Tide Is High"

No. 6 - "Refugee"

No. 5 - "You May Be Right"

No. 4 - "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"

No. 3 -- "Brass In Pocket"

No. 2 -- "Ride Like The Wind"

When Seattle Sonics owner Clay Bennett filed paperwork to bring his NBA team to Oklahoma City, I decided I would jump on the blogospheric bandwagon first.

To that end, I have started ocitysonics.com, where I'll blog about each game, document the relocation process and help get Okies a bit more familiar with their future team as well as communicate to the rest of the world why the NBA would want to have a presence in Oklahoma.

Anyway, give the site a visit, and if you know an NBA fan in Oklahoma City, send 'em a link.

Rarely was a college football game so easy to predict.

My prediction: OU 41, Texas A&M 14

Final score: OU 42, Texas A&M 14

The big win was a routine win, and in the grueling jaunt to a national championship, you gotta have some routine big ones. However, before I foretell OU's fortune the rest of the way out, I'll make some observations from Saturday night's win.

1. Sam Bradford isn't nearly as good as we thought he was.

Oh, he's adequate, and he'll only get better. However, the notion that Sam was ready for his Heisman pose as a freshman is ludicrous. Against the Ags, he looked downright pedestrian, missing open receivers and not nearly as sharp on the long ball as he was early in the season. It's still like Malcolm Kelly is the invisible man.

No, I'm not calling for Keith Nichol to step in. That's crazy. But we have to recognize that Sam's youth and inexperience at quarterback are a liability right now. On the other hand, he's still darned good for a freshman.

2. Big kudos to Kevin Wilson.

It damn near brought a tear to my eye. Our offensive coordinator had a speck of creativity. All ribbing aside, Wilson has been pretty solid about adding a couple of twists and turns to the scheme, and putting DeMarco Murray at QB with the option to handoff or run is really, really smart.

Furthermore, the three-tight-end formation was a killer against the Aggies. I would need to watch the film to see if Sam went to Gresham (who had four scores on Saturday), Finley or Eldridge each time that formation was used, but if we will be sure to do multiple things from this formation, it could be deadly.

Predictions:

You asked for them. You'll get them. So, how will the rest of Oklahoma's season play out?

First, I should note that I'm typically terrible about predicting games, at least in terms of score. Second, no wagering allowed. If you bet based on what I say, you're crazy.

Baylor at OU. Last time the Bears came to Norman, they pushed us to overtime. Baylor had just commissioned new uniforms and helmets, which they unfortunately abandoned, and they played like world-beaters on Owen Field. We were lucky to win.

However, if you'll recall last season's win in Waco, it was ugly. Ugly. Ugly. Ugly.

Athletically and in terms of offensive scheme, I think Baylor is more talented than A&M. That's a real indictment of the Ags, and that Guy Morriss is a better coach than Franchione could mean we'll face a more creative game plan.

However, I think our secondary can withstand it, and I don't think our offense will have any problem scoring. A 51-10 win sounds about right.

OU at Texas Tech Three weeks ago, I would have told you there was no way we beat the Red Raiders at their place. Mike Leach's bunch though hit a rough patch, losing to a mediocre Colorado team in Lubbock.

Still, I am fairly confident Oklahoma's shot at a national title ends in two weeks. Three reasons: a) Oklahoma is terrible on the road this year. Terrible. b) The spread offense is too much for our pass defense. c) Mike Leach is a brilliant play caller, and -- again -- my level of confidence in Brent Venables' ability to make in-game adjustments against somebody two steps ahead of him is limited.

On the other hand, a tip here, a bounce there, and Oklahoma could find a way to win the turnover battle in Lubbock. That would be a life-saver, and it is most certainly possible. We've gone into Jones Stadium before and fought off a worthy Tech attack; however, our last trip there still stings something fierce.

Let's just say this: We'll be super lucky to get out of West Texas with a win. However, it's possible. For the moment, give me Tech 30, OU 27.

OSU at OU Texas' comeback against Oklahoma State effectively ended the Pokes' shot at a BCS bowl. Sure, they would have had to win the Big 12 to get there, but the improvement shown by the Cowboys gave their fans a bit of faith.

And while the Bedlam rivalry is something to behold in Oklahoma, I don't fear the Pokes. As much as I bitch and moan about our defensive coach at times, I really believe OSU's liability is at head coach. There is a real lack of focus with this OSU team, and the dropoff from Les Miles to Gundy, to me, is stunning.

Not up for Troy. Up for Tech. Up for Texas but can't maintain focus. The Pokes are just all over the place, and what's scary is that they have the athletic talent to compete for the Big 12 title. In fact, in an e-mail I can document if requested, I said OU and OSU would play for the Big 12 South title this year.

That theoretically would still happen if Tech beats us and OSU wins out. A fired up OSU team is generally to be feared. However, on the road, in front of our fans, I just don't see the Pokes hanging with Oklahoma for more than a half.

My gut hunch says we're up 14-7 at half. We score a field goal on an early third-quarter possession to make it 17-7, and we get a defensive TD to make it 24-7. That's when OSU folds. We score two late and win 38-7.

Right now, OSU is finding ways to lose. But athletically, just in terms of talent, the Pokes are absolutely on par with the best of the conference.

Kansas vs, Oklahoma Well, at this point, we'd be playing in the Big 12 Championship Game against, more than likely, Kansas. If Kansas beats Missouri, and we lose to Texas Tech, the Jayhawks could be playing the Sooners for a shot to play for a national title.

However, before we cringe at the thought of losing to Kansas in a Big 12 title game, let me point out a couple of opinions about KU. First, they're scarier defensively than offensively. I haven't seen how their stats have played out this year, but I know that last year, they were like in the Top 5 nationwide defensively.

And while Kansas scored 76 on Nebraska, Mark Mangino's offense isn't that scary. They're effective and efficient, but it's not like they're running the Missouri spread. That's the crap that will kill Oklahoma. Bottom line, if Oklahoma takes care of the football, we can win this game -- which is played in San Antonio and NOT Kansas City -- using just our base offense and defense.

Going with the proverbial gut hunch, I like Oklahoma to win that match up 27-17.

What sucks is that we're again in the position to play in the Fiesta Bowl against an up-and-comer, which means we won't be playing a glamorous team. We'll play another Boise State-like team, meaning we'll be very vulnerable to the embarrassing upset.

The two most likely matchups?

Oklahoma vs. Hawaii. Oklahoma vs. Connecticut.

Seriously. I think that sucks, and there has to be something done such that other bowls share the burden of having to take on these lesser football schools. Hey, you might say, why is this a problem? It's not like Oklahoma could beat Boise State last year.

You're right. However, beat the Boises of the world, and everybody says no biggie. You should have. Lose to them, and everybody gets a chuckle at your expense. The Fiesta Bowl should be renamed the no-win bowl.

Quick football non-sequiturs:

I'm dead serious when I say this. If Oklahoma could work out a deal to join the SEC, I think this would be a prime time to do it. Trade Arkansas for Oklahoma straight up. It would be more challenging, but I think OU athletics would benefit from it significantly.

***

College football writers will have to look closely at Lloyd Carr for national coach of the year if Michigan beats Ohio State. Having lost to Appalachian State 36-34 in a game that actually took some of the burden off Oklahoma for having lost to Boise State last season, Michigan was the laughing stock of college football.

But after starting 0-2, they have rolled off win after win after win. Michigan might decide to fire Carr after this season; they might have already decided. However, I think it's a big mistake unless they were able to land Les Miles, who is a terrific coach. Fact is, Michigan could end up the year with only two losses, a Top 5 finish (theoretically) and back-to-back 11-2 years.

***

So, who do I think will end up playing in the national title? Well, LSU is a master of good fortune, and they have won the close games. All except one. Heck, it seems as if LSU is in a battle for their lives each week. On the other hand, I think Ohio State has proven itself to be the best team in the country. A year after losing Ted Ginn and Troy Smith, the Buckeyes are actually better.

My wet dream would be Oklahoma vs. Oregon for all the marbles. Believe you me, Oregon does not want that. If you know the back story, then you'd understand.

However, destiny is destiny, and I think Ohio State and LSU play for it all, and the Buckeyes win.

So, them's my predictions. Your thoughts?

Can you blame a Sooners fan if he's not that excited about Saturday's matchup between OU and Texas A&M?

It's a night game, televised on ABC with national championship implications, conference title implications, and all I can think is, "Ho-hum."

First, that's because Oklahoma should manhandle the Texas Ags, a beating I never tire of. Having lived in Texas for more than a decade, I can say without reservation that the hardcore A&M supporters are the most unbearable lot of sports fans on the planet. That's not to say I didn't and don't have lots of Aggie friends; I do.

But those folks weren't very sports zealous, and that always made for a great relationship. I could be hardcore annoying with my love for the Oklahoma Sooners, and they could shut up.

Kidding. However, I understand that every team's most hardcore fans can be a pain in the butt. Duly noted.

Nevertheless, I don't fear Dennis Franchione's Ags in the slightest. This isn't the same team he brought into Norman while with Alabama five years ago, a team that should have beaten us if not for a bit of Sooner Magic. He's not the same coach either; he'll be fired by the end of the month without a miracle finish of his own.

On the other hand, this is an Oklahoma team whose multiple personalities on the field have worn thin with some of us. The first few games, they came out like world-beaters. Ever since, they've come out like the junior varsity, lo for a solid win over Texas.

So, which Oklahoma team shows up?

Given that they've had two weeks off and that this is a night game at home, I'd guess that we're do for a blowout. C'mon, the same Miami team that OU blew out turned around and blew out A&M. That spells a certain blow-out, right?

Well, a couple years ago, we were blowing the Ags out before OU went to sleep and let them back into the game. Only twice in Bob Stoops' tenure have we blown out the Aggies at all, one of them being a 77-0 masterpiece that could have been 105-0 in all honesty. We knelt in the fourth quarter, and not late in the fourth quarter. Like at the end of the third quarter.

However, Bob Stoops is a really solid on the field tactitian in terms of game preparation in advance. I have never ever felt that our schemes were inferior coming into a game. Unfortunately, our in-game adjustments aren't nearly as good. Look to our performance against Colorado and Iowa State as prime examples.

So, given that we've had two weeks to prepare and that the boys won't be looking ahead to Baylor, I'd guess we win this one going away. We score early and often and then coast.

Prediction: Oklahoma 41, Texas A&M 14.

Talk about fleeting glory. Few pop artists ever have had the success that Christopher Cross had in the early 1980s only to disappear off the face of the planet.

Only he didn't disappear. He still plays and still records and writes and collaborates and all that. He's simply not uber-famous anymore, like he was after winning like seven Grammy Awards for his work in 1980. He was the best new everything that year, riding high off several hit singles, particularly "Sailin'".

To actively like Christopher Cross in pop culture circles is to really come close to the abyss. However, you'll find that among songwriters and musicians, he is very well respected. However, for me, one of his hits is a classic.

"Ride Like The Wind" was a giant hit in 1980, reaching No. 2 on the charts. Cross dedicated it to a member of the band Little Feat who had died in 1979, according to wikipedia. It featured Michael McDonald on backing vocals and a young Eric Johnson on guitar.

I'm not sure this tune stands the pop culture test of time, but it pleases my ears musically like few others of the piano pop era of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Great groove. Great melody. Great hook. Great words. Great guitar solo. I'll just wallow in my dorkdom and love this song, my No. 2 for all of 1980.

No. 2 -- "Ride Like The Wind," Christopher Cross

Before we get to No. 1 for 1980, how about a quick look at the rest of my Top 10:

No. 10 - "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)"

No. 9 - "Give Me The Night"

No. 8 - "The Biggest Part of Me"

No. 7 - "The Tide Is High"

No. 6 - "Refugee"

No. 5 - "You May Be Right"

No. 4 - "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"

No. 3 -- "Brass In Pocket"