Call me ENlightened, or at least something that's printable in mixed company. For the benefit of any readers who might happen to be my bosses, this is a for-free effort that in no way is meant to be representative of any views expressed in a certain South Texas newspaper. Thank you. For more on Texas football and my love of it, please check out my home page.

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Texas 41, Colorado 7
Texas 35, Missouri 16
Texas 49, Baylor 10
Texas 59, Kansas 0
and all that

I have been a bad, naughty correspondent. And I really can't even explain why.

Maybe it's been the general lack of excitement. As evidenced by the scores above, the Longhorns haven't exactly been in any nailbiters the past month or so. And while this is a good thing, it makes it kinda hard to get too worked up. I haven't wanted a change in offensive coordinators in weeks now, for example.

Maybe it's been the resulting lack of excitement on the BBS itself. I posted before the Baylor game that it had been the most smack-free week I'd ever seen on HornFans. The one that followed was even worse. Now don't get me wrong ... I am not into trash talking. What's the point? Still ... it does help enliven things.

Part of it is ego; I won't lie. This effort doesn't tend to get a lot of feedback, good or bad, and I'll admit that I wouldn't be writing it now if several good folks hadn't emerged from the shadows wondering where it was. I thank them. Having said that, I'll confess to having been saddened when my last effort (posted on a BBS thread rather than in this form) was followed by, in its entirety, the friggin' Rusty saga. I found it funny, too, but inappropriate. Self-pity, thy name is ENlightened.

Enough of that. The key point here is that all is well in Longhorn land, and we all should be quite happy. I know I am. I have been attending Texas football games for 32 years, and there is no question in my mind that this is the most talented Texas team, top to bottom, I have ever seen. There have been others with better individual components -- the '69 and '70 offenses, the '83 defense -- but none as well-rounded. Last week vs. Kansas (granted, a bad, disheartened team), we saw how beautiful it can be when all the parts are in synch.

It would be criminal if that kind of a team would be exiled to the Cotton Bowl. That one game way back in October is threatening to take the shine off an entire season truly is sad, but without some help, that's the way it will be.

Let's assume for a moment that the Longhorns do as they should and win handily at Collie Station. You're looking at a 10-1 team that presently averages winning by a score of 40-10, has a superbly balanced offense and a defense that, statistically, is unmatched in the country (others outrank it in specific categories, but none is as high in as many). Who wouldn't want that team in their major bowl game?

I am just pessimistic enough to have all but given up hope for the Rose Bowl. It still can happen, but too many variables are in the way, and it didn't help that Oregon limped past a UCLA team playing without its best player and still moved two spots ahead of Texas in the BCS list (yeah, makes sense to me). But I believe the Sugar Bowl would be a fitting reward for this team if it finishes the job it's started. To me, the opponent wouldn't matter. Remember: Miami used last year's Sugar Bowl as a dress rehearsal for this season, and look where it's got the Hurricanes.

Next week (yes, I promise), I'll go more into A$M. What can be said about the Aggies offense could fit on a postage stamp, but that's for another time.

Thanks for listening.