The Morning Fade – 1.5.11

Berry Tramel on the Big XII and TCU – “These Frogs are 36-3 the last three seasons. One loss was 17-10 to Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. One loss was 35-10 at Norman to Sam Bradford in 2008. One loss was 13-10 at Utah in 2008; the same Utah team that went 13-0 and beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Here is naked truth. TCU would not bring more television sets to Big 12 football, which already has the Dallas-Fort Worth market covered. But TCU would bring more television viewers to Big 12 football, because football fans like good teams and good games.”

John Helsley with some good questions on the hoops team – “And a new question, posed by the play of UTSA Monday night, could be critical: Can teams effectively shut down Keiton Page? The Cowboys’ long-distance dialer has now been held to two points in back-to-back games, after the Roadrunners slowed him with the same approach Gonzaga used in its win over OSU last Friday night. Both teams devoted a man to fronting Page, effectively limiting his touches, and thus, his offensive opportunities as a shooter.”

Haisten breaks down the Leach as OC situation – “OSU fans are surely anxious to learn the identity of the Cowboys’ new offensive coordinator, but they’ll have to be patient. A hire won’t occur until Gundy knows the status of quarterback Brandon Weeden and wide receiver Justin Blackmon. Gundy and any coordinator candidate will want to know whether Weeden and Blackmon are staying in school or entering the 2011 NFL draft. The Weeden and Blackmon decisions will be announced on or before Jan. 15.”

James Royal on why 2011 is going to rock for Oklahoma sports – I love how he mentions Landry for the Heisman but not Weeden or Blackmon…

Sports Illustrated on college hoops at the midway point – Apparently this Jared Sullinger character is a decent to good college basketball player.

I thought this tweet about Terrelle Pryor last night was pretty funny.

Tony Allen and OJ Mayo came to fisticuffs on a plane – Your daily “this professional athlete who played college ball at OSU and is making a fool of himself now” update! As Bill Simmons says, every feud between pro athletes is over either a card game or a girl. This fits the bill.

OSU girls won by 50 last night