Red Whine by flickr user DRB62 used via a creative commons liscense.First off: A hearty congratulations to the UH football team. It was a good win against a team that I had beating them soundly when I was putting together the records this year. Now the question becomes whether or not this team can handle properity. Obviously Oklahoma State could not. Whether or not UH can will depend mightily on the coaching staff*, and the character of the current crop of players.
However, if wouldn't be a UH win if there wasn't a fair amount of grousing from the fanbase....(from the comments of the story)
LloydBentsen wrote:
Is this some sort of joke? Houston is ranked lower than OSU? Houston is unranked in the Coaches' Poll?
and
It_is_so_simple wrote:Unfortunately comments like that only detract from the win, and lead to the perception of the Cougar faithful as living with a perpetual case of the sore ass.
I can't believe Miami is higher than Coogs!
Here are the facts:
1. Despite the big win UH is nowhere near the front of many people's College football mind. Especially the pundits. Now, granted, it's fair to question the impartiality (and reality-basis) or ANY poll based on that fact, but until there's a playoff there's no way today's sportswriters can be expected to keep tabs on every D-1 (sorry no FBS, or FCS here) team in the country. Houston hasn't been there, they haven't done that, and most voters are probably waiting to see if they can do it again.
2. The polls are, in large part, based on what voters think teams can do, especially this early in the season. In the eyes of most voters, Okie State is still a better team than UH, just one that lost a game in an upset. Those of us who follow UH understand that the 'fluke' factor in this win was relatively small as far as upsets go. 9 out of 10 times Michigan beats Appelachian State, OSU maybe beats UH 6 out of 10 times, if that.
3. The coaches poll is worthless. It's name is even a misnomer since it's filled out by each University's SID while the coach works on the gameplan. That it's held up as some standard of relevency in the bizarro-world that are the B(C)S rankings only goes to show you just how messed up the current system is.
You want respect UH fans?
Go out and beat Tech, beat Tulsa and beat East Carolina and you'll have a heaping amount of it.
Of course, if you win those you might end up in a B(C)S bowl and be the subject of Richard Justice's ire instead of his praise.
Hey, it could happen.
*Note to AD Rhodes: You had better start to get your coaching succession plan in line today. It's not likely that Sumlin is going to be around much, if any, longer after the end of this season. This week is an off-week and Sumlin will have a little time. I'd talk about a raise, and also about having him prep one of the assistants to take over the ship once he departs.