Tough Luck

It's gone from "Sic 'em" to "I'm Sick" for Baylor football fans, as starting sophomore quarterback Robert Griffin's season is done because of a knee injury. And to be truthful, I'm sick for them--to a point.

Make no mistake: the 2009 Bears are Griffin's team, and with him going down, the Bears will likely also go down when Big 12 Conference play commences. There's simply nobody else at QB that matches Griffin's combination of athleticism and leadership. I think the Bears bowl hopes just went to the sidelines with Griffin.

And more truth that may hurt Bears fan a little bit more: this should serve notice that one should not brag after the first game of the season. Yes, Baylor fan, I know you're hungry for a winner. I know you're hungrier for a bowl game. And, I know you're even hungrier for BU's legitimacy as an overall athletic program that a successful football program would deliver. But some Baylor fans were showing their lack of experience of following wins when they declared that the Bears had not only arrived after beating Wake Forest on the road to kick off 2009--but some had actually gone so far as to say that BU had carried the Big 12 in that first week of the season. Newsflash, BU fan: it was one game. And, now 2-games later--your star player and leader gets sidelined. That's how fast things can go south in the mighty Big 12 South--and the rest of major college football.

Look, I'm not looking to pile on here on a bad day for Baylor football. Not at all. I'm just reiterating something I've said since I made Central Texas my home 6-years ago: you can't be satisfied with a couple of key victories here and there. Injuries happen. Bad player and/or coaching decisions happen--and all three can ruin a season. Just as the 2005 Bears after "The Terrance Parks Experiment" that in my opinion cost them a shot at a bowl game and ultimately cost then head coach Guy Morriss his job. Stuff happens. And a big "stuff" just blindsided Baylor's bowl hopes for 2009 with the loss of Griffin. And, that's why one doesn't brag after ONE GAME--and that game being the season opener. All that victory did was make you 1-0, not 6-0 and bowl eligible. Leave the bragging until after your program REACHES a bowl game--or better yet, a New Year's Day-or better bowl game (perhaps even a couple of years in a row). That's what the big boys do. And, BU fan, you do want to be one of the big boys, don't you? Well, the big boys don't put bronze statues of coaches who win 53% of their games outside their stadiums, and they're disapppointed when they reach The Holiday Bowl! Sorry, folks--I know that's going to chide some, but don't let the facts get in the way of, well, the facts.

But, to be fair, I know earning big boy status is a process--most of the time years long. I truly felt that BU was in the beginning stages with the hiring of Art Briles and the arrival of Robert Griffin. And, I still feel that it can still continue--just not this season. And that is truly nothing more than tough luck.