Yet another slow news day for Baylor athletics just as the past few have been. The most noteworthy article I can find is one from USA Today talking about the overall success of our athletic department in 2011. The article says that spirits are "finally soaring for Baylor athletics," which I think is definitely true given the events of the past few months. If you read nothing else I link today, let it be that article.
The biggest news on the Baylor horizon is that today is rumored to be the day of the big meeting between RG3 and Baylor's coaching staff. Throughout the process, Robert Griffin III has stuck to his guns in saying that the decision has not yet been made. He said that even before the ghastly Sugar Bowl, where he was honored as part of the All State Good Works Team for 2011. Some have surmised that he has already made his decision and will be telling the Baylor coaches today, which is certainly possible but would require him to have lied repeatedly over the last week or so, but I believe him when he says he will take the guidance of his coaching staff into consideration.
The word "guidance" is something I want to dwell on for a second. I think a lot of people expect that Briles and company will necessarily try to convince Robert to come back to school for his senior year. While I'm sure everyone involved would love to see him go that way, I don't think that assumption is accurate. Robert Griffin III has been at Baylor with Coach Briles and his staff for four full years. He's not just a football player, a tool with which they do their jobs, to them anymore. He's an outstanding student, a soon-to-be husband, and a Baylor representative no matter where he goes or when. If they are the men of integrity and responsibility that we believe them to be and hope that they are, they will tell him their honest opinions absent selfish motivations about the future of Baylor football. These men care about Robert and his future. I have to believe that they will help him make the right decision for him, regardless of what that means for their jobs (which are obviously easier if he stays versus if he goes) or our program.
I don't expect that we're going to find out anything today about how the meeting went; even the "insiders" whose opinions I crave probably won't know anything until everyone else does or maybe shortly before, but we're inching closer and closer to that January 15 deadline. The waiting game will soon end no matter what. I'm on record as saying he will probably, and should probably, go to the NFL now while his stock is at what has to be an all-time high, even though I would love to watch him play another year.
Now about those links...
- To stay talking about RG3 for a moment, Tony Dungy (who coached Peyton Manning, if you recall) said yesterday on the Dan Patrick show that he would draft RG3 over Andrew Luck. I doubt there are that many in the pro football world that agree with him-- Mel Kiper obviously does not-- but it's good to hear anyway. Steve Meunch of ESPN's Scouts Inc. agrees with Kiper.
For those that don't want to click, here is the pertinent quote from Kiper about Luck vs. RG3.
[Luck is] bigger. He has an excellent arm. He's accurate. Precise. He makes good decisions. He's just better. What makes a QB great is how he performs. He has everything a QB needs to have. He has the mind for the game, the passion. He has everything you want attribute wise. He's a more athletic Peyton Manning. Manning can't beat a defense with his legs. Luck can extend plays. He can run for first downs. He's not RGIII, but he's more of a pocket passer. He's the best QB I've graded since John Elway in 1983. He has a significantly higher grade than RGIII. There is no one close to him in the draft.
Should I respond to this? I really don't think I should, lest I be accused of ridiculous homerism... but screw it. Ok.
- I don't see how it is possibly a point in Luck's favor that he can "extend plays" when compared to RG3, one of the greatest athletes to ever play the position. Kiper has literally just ignored RG3 completely in this part of the answer in favor of comparing Luck to Peyton Manning, who wasn't even part of the question. Kiper brings it back to the comparison at hand when he admits that "[Luck's] not RGIII" but doesn't address what now seems like a positive in RG3's favor.
- It is tautological, when asked about why Luck is better than RG3, to say "he's just better." And it is lazy. I realize this was an online chat and that time was of the essence but don't take the question unless you plan on giving an answer better than "he's just better." He goes on to say that Luck has "a significantly higher grade than RGIII." Granted. The question was why, Mel.
- Other than where Kiper said Luck was bigger at the very beginning of his answer, the purpose of which was to ostensibly compare the two quarterbacks, Kiper didn't really compare the 2 QBs at all. He began by saying that Luck is precise, accurate, and that he makes good decisions. Was he trying to say that RG3 is imprecise, inaccurate, and makes poor decisions? Those things don't seem supportable.
- Moving on, in what should surprise absolutely no one, Kordell Stewart loves him some RG3. (video). I'm not sure why Chris Broussard is even involved in that video, to be honest. He is an NBA analyst.
- I'm going to separate an article by Jemele Hill from the previous point, even though she agrees with Tony Dungy and goes into much more detail about why, because I simultaneously agree with her logic and think that it is a terrible way for the Colts to make a decision. I'll let you read it to see what I mean.
- Speaking of the Draft, I'm somewhat torn again on what I want for RG3 should he declare. Obviously my number one goal is to keep him from the Redskins. Because screw the Redskins. But I also want him to go to a team where he can be successful and I can selfishly feel good rooting for him. That's why I want him to go to the Chiefs! Most recent mock drafts I see, though, have him going #4 to the Browns. I'm ok with it because they're not the Redskins and it would mean replacing the golden boy from Austin, which would be somewhat hilarious, but the Browns? They could screw up a wet dream.
- In case you didn't see a Kevin Steele-led Clemson defense roll over into the fetal position on the field last night in Miami, our scoring record for a bowl game lasted less than a week. Thanks a lot for that, Clemson. Now we have to worry about WVU and Dana Holgerson ripping through Big XII defenses next year. I'm seriously hoping this was just a case of Clemson's defense sucking hind tit and not WVU flipping the sweet into HAM mode.
- Scott Drew got a bit of a backhanded shoutout on Grantland today through a comparison to Bob Huggins. I guess all publicity is good publicity? The Alamo Bowl also made the list as being better than the Alamo. I agree. An exciting bowl game is better than a massacre. Speaking of Scott Drew and Baylor MBB, they have another chance to move up in the rankings since Duke lost last night.
- Going with a little miscellaneous news, in honor of Baylor's 10-win season and RG3's Heisman, the athletic department is offering select season tickets for only $103 for a limited time.
- Finally, the Baylor Streak is now 34-0 after the WBB team demolished Missouri last night by 44 points. If you want to watch highlights, you can click here for a video and Baylor's official recap of the game.