Talking Dez, Defense and Dunks
By John Helsley
Did the NCAA really suspend Dez Bryant for the rest of the season? Really?
Because he lied to cover up, what exactly? No violation (that we know of). No wrongdoing. Just lied, basically because he was scared he might have done something wrong.
Seems severe.
Curious, why did Alabama’s Jerrell Harris only get a six-game suspension this season for lying during an NCAA investigation, when there were also “impermissible benefits” involved? Wouldn’t that qualify as a precedent?
Don’t get it. But then, I often don’t when it comes to the NCAA.
Lots of talk about the Texas defense this week, and rightfully so.
The Horns are good, No. 1 against the rush good. And we all know how much the running game means to getting OSU’s offense untracked.
But what about the Cowboys’ D? Coming off the best stretch of defense in recent program memory, spanning six quarters, OSU’s defense is clearly improved under first-year defensive coordinator Bill Young.
Improved enough to handle Colt McCoy and the Horns? TBD.
From Baylor and Mizzou to this is a leap in competition. And OSU’s one game against a strong offense, Houston, didn’t end so well, although the defense’s part in that was overplayed with the offense coughing up four turnovers.
Still, there are reasons to believe that a shootout isn’t the only winning scenario for the Cowboys this weekend. Defense could play a part, with a group of solid veterans putting together career-best seasons in the right spots: Andre Sexton, Donald Booker and Pat Lavine at linebacker, Perrish Cox at corner.
Zac Robinson and the offense still must produce, but don’t discount the defense’s impact.
Booker and Sexton get rough
Travis Ford found himself getting all fired up about dunks driven home by James Anderson in early practices.
“He has had some of the most ridiculous dunks,” Ford said. “You won’t believe the energy level and the peppiness he is playing with.”
Eventually, once the seven newcomers adjust to the pace — and it’s a frenetic pace — the Cowboys will play faster this season.
That’s right, faster.
And they should play higher, too, as in above the rim. With little height a year ago, the Pokes weren’t exactly a pound-the-paint team, preferring to pump in long-range shots instead.
This team will still fire away from the arc, but they’ll look inward, too, to Anderson and Marshall Moses and Matt Pilgrim, one newcomer creating much optimism around Gallagher-Iba Arena. And expect more dunks on the fly as well.
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Comments
All u people who think the year long susp. is ok then u dont get it! He lied, ok he deserves to lose some games, but if lieing is all he did, then this is a joke! And if the NCAA found anything else they would of said it in this stupid letter. How can players accept money and other goods and only have to pay it back and come back after 3 to 6 games. This is all about the OSU baseball player who sued and won, period! This whole thing is a JOKE!!!! Just like the NCAA. He lied, he didnt take money or goods, the NCAA is telling kids you can take money or goods just dont lie about it!
The Harris Alabama ruling is what gets me more than anything. What is the difference?