Wednesday news and notes: Houston Week

So, I was totally planning on adding another motivation clip last night. First idea failed because I can't find Gene Hackman's Hoosiers speech online. The second idea failed because I couldn't find Russell Crowe's speech to the roman army in Germania from the beginning of Gladiator. Then I was going to post one of two speeches from "The Warriors," the underrated gang movie from 1979. Then, I was talked out of those because as my buddy said of the first speech ("Can you dig it?!"): "Doesn't that guy get shot to death at the end of that speech?" And then I nixed "The Warriors" altogether because my friend said, "Doesn't nearly everybody in "The Warriors" die at the end?" I'll be back tomorrow with a vengeance.


The DMN on the next three games:

"I would venture to say it's been maybe 22 years since November has been this important to SMU's football program," Bennett said. "I told them on Sunday, 'Let's have fun with this.' To have fun is to accept the challenge, prepare yourself both mentally and physically, and take your best shot."
Not that anybody's saying it's going to be easy. If Houston wins out, it's headed for the championship game. Tulsa has lost two games all season. Rice has won three straight. But SMU's thrilled it has a chance.

Also, the DMN says Mapps to see his role increased; Martin has a bruised shoulder, but will play.

Bennett also correctly diagnoses SMU's offensive problems. Against UAB there were a lot of third-and-shorts that ended drives. If SMu had done better, that game would have been a blowout early.

"[We haven't] put the ball in the hands of the guy that I wanted it in," Bennett said, "and we're going to change that."

The SMU Daily Campus discusses the bowl picture as well.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal looks at the befuddling question of who will play in the Conference USA championship game.

With back-to-back home games against West leaders Houston and Tulsa over the next two weeks, perhaps no team is better placed to make a late title push than SMU. The Mustangs have won five of their past seven after an 0-2 start.

"One of the things we wanted to do is be in control of our own destiny," SMU coach Phil Bennett said. "Our goal was to be in position to win the West Division. We've got three games to go and we're in that position. We don't have to depend on anybody else."

SMU student section is being expanded. One has to wonder if this is being done with a wink and a nod. The first fifteen rows behind the visitor's bench are supposed to be reserved for season ticket holders. I guess they don't want the students taunting and flinging little plastic red footballs at the visiting team, not that SMU students ever did that to Houston. But are there actually season ticket holders there? Will the yellowshirts keep the students out of the first few rows? And if the SMU response to Conference USA is anything other than "We will try to keep the students out of those rows in the future and are looking at things to implement next season to fix the problem," I am going to be very upset.

It doesn't look like there will be a "Scouting Houston" post this week. I can't find anything online worth looking at. If any Houston fans want to make a recommendation, feel free-Look through the earlier "scouting" posts, to see what I am talking about.

A battle of Dallas and Fort Worth institutions is being waged in Southlake: Snuffers vs. Kincaid's. Whose cuisine will reign supreme?