Lunchtime Read: SportingNews on Art Briles and the Rise of Baylor Football to Big 12 Power

Traffic 'round the blog is always a bit slow on Friday for obvious reasons: people are more interested in getting through the end of the week for BAYLOR FOOTBALL than they are in devouring the same things they've already devoured.  It's hard enough already to go 6 full days without watching our Bears.  By this time, people just want to get to tomorrow and be done with it.

Today, however, there is something out there that warranted an entire post of its own: an article in the SportingNews covering Baylor Football, its rise from doormat to power, and the process that resulted in a ~$300 million football palace on the banks of the Brazos.  It's absolutely worth a read, if only for the following quote, which comes after a lengthy discussion of the New Baylor, a team that is fast, powerful, and exciting to watch, both in the way they play and the way they look:

"I like to think Oregon," Briles says, "is the Baylor of the Northwest."

Ooooooo, that rustles the jimmies right there, but in a good way. Possibly the best way.  The article goes on to talk at length about Baylor Stadium and the changing perceptions around the Baylor program, with quotes from Lache Seastrunk and Bryce Petty, probably the two biggest names on the team right now.  It ends with this, a quote from Baylor's Athletic Director that I think you should file away.

Meanwhile, in the here and now, Baylor is unbeaten and if all goes as planned, will be playing host to—seriously, how perfect is this? – Texas on Dec. 7 to win the Big 12 and, who knows, maybe a spot in the biggest game of all.

"This is what Art has created," McCaw said. "He has turned Baylor into a destination job."

Well-played, Ian.  Well-played.