Pac-10 Partisan Writes -- Koala Bear Roars ... News at 11

Hey Kari,

Couldn't help but notice in the comment files that you have been receiving some grief over your KSU's loss at the hands of Marshall. In the off chance some of our loyal readers don't know, the score was Marshall 27 KSU 20. Was that too mean? 8-) Yes, you can shoot back Oklahoma 59 UCLA 24 but of course, my gutty little Bruins weren't supposed to win!

Anyway, since our readership are largely Big-12 and Big-10 partisans, I have to make some attempt to be a Pac-10 apologist and combat the East-Coast and Mid-West bias! So here goes with all seriousness aside and full knowledge in a few weeks and certainly by bowl season everything I've written here will be ... err ... inoperative?

Regarding the high and mighty Big Ten. Yes, I'll grant that Ohio State is doing pretty well. But beyond them, what have the Big Ten really done so far? Who have they beaten? And some of the top tier teams have some pretty embarrassing non-conference losses. I mean the Oregon DUCKS beat U of Michigan?! And the 5-0 Minnesota Gophers? What kind of S.O.S. have they got???

Then there is the Big-12, your beloved conference. Yes, Oklahoma rolled my Bruins. Look, I'm a fan of my beloved Bruins but I'm not delusional. Oklahoma hasn't really beaten anybody of note to my understanding ... and yeah, I admit that means even my Bruins. But I'm a clear-eyed sports fan not biased by the press clippings the East coast mouthy monopoly media types impose on the fans. Then there is the storied Nebraska program that is 4-0. But WHO tell me WHO have these guys beaten? Ok St? Okay, maybe a decent team. Penn State? I hate to say it but Jo Pa has had a good career and needs to hang 'em up. Then there is Texas, who lost to Arkansas, the only serious team they have played. And finally there is your KSU. Look ... you know what we have all been saying about them: strength of schedule ... what's that?

I admit the Pac-10 flopped at bowl time last year. But this is a new year and as usual, our teams are beating each other senseless in conference games and scheduling serious teams for non-conference games. I don't know the numbers but I would guess the S.O.S. of the top tier teams of the Pac-10 are probably as good as or better than most. Wazzu beat up on Colorado and Oregon on the road and suffered a tough loss on the road to the golden domers of Notre Dame. USC (and you know I find it hard to say anything nice about them) went down to Auburn and smoked an SEC team 23-zip. As I mentioned before the DUCKS took down the #2 team in the Big-10. I'm guessing nobody in the Pac-10 gets out of conference play undefeated. Makes for exciting conference games but hurts us in the BCS. I'm sure the Pac-10 will be in the forefront of messing with the BCS the next go around. Again, painful as it is for this UCLA fan to say, but can anybody argue with the fact that USC at the end of last year was probably as good as anybody in the country? They would have loved a playoff system last year. Of course, I still would have rooted for them to get beat but, hey, clear-eyed reporting objectivity can only go so far. 8-)

So there, this Bruin partisan and Pac-10 apologist is woofing it up!

Go Pac-10 and Go Bruins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yours truly,
Rene