Any college football fans?

[Betsy]

Can someone tell me what this is all about? I don't know the whole story...but something about this being flown over Austin, TX at noon?

[Livia]

Here's the article from today's paper...I think it's very mean-spirited, to kick us when we're already down.

LONGHORNS FOOTBALL
Air attack on Mack
Plane tows banner tweaking Texas coach.

By John Maher
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Friday, December 05, 2008

A retaliatory air strike was launched Thursday in what has become a battle of the banners among college football fans.

For two hours around lunchtime in the bright blue skies over Austin, a Korean War-era Bird Dog circled Royal-Memorial Stadium and the University of Texas campus, towing a red banner that urged, "Hey Mack, quit whining U knew the rules."

The message was a response to one that some University of Texas fans sent to Stillwater, Okla., last weekend reminding Oklahoma fans and —ESPN's "College GameDay" crew — that Texas had beaten Oklahoma 45-35 in October.

In the end, the Texas PR air war and some late lobbying by Longhorns coach Mack Brown came up short, as Oklahoma won the votes needed to edge Texas and Texas Tech in a three-way tiebreaker for a spot in the Big 12 championship game.

Matt Parks, a UT senior who set up the Web site www.45-35.com as part of the Texas campaign, said the Stillwater flyover had stuck to the score of the Texas-OU game and didn't disrespect the University of Oklahoma or its coach. He had a different view of Thursday's flight over Austin.

"It's hard not to take it in a negative light," Parks said.

The man who piloted the plane Thursday didn't see it that way.

"I'm a real big UT fan. I would never pull anything that would put down UT," said Don Arsenault, owner of Aerial Advertisers of Round Rock.

Arsenault said that he wouldn't pull a banner that urged the firing of a UT coach, for instance, and that Thursday's banner was humorous.

On the UT campus, many students walked about oblivious to the plane, not looking up. Among the Austinites who did watch, the first assumption was that the banner was the work of retaliation-minded Oklahoma fans. But was that banner Oklahoma crimson or was it Texas Tech red?

Both contingents had reason to tweak Texas. At the Tech-defending Web site www.39-33.com, named after "the game that Texas Longhorn fans seem to have forgotten," the word was that a Texas Tech alum had called for the air strike.

For his part, Arsenault declined to identify the buyers and said the flight had been arranged through another firm, National Sky Ads in Long Island, N.Y. The owner of that company, Ted de Reeder, said, "It was a rebuttal."

De Reeder said that the buyers wanted to remain anonymous but that they were from Texas. "A couple of them used to be Oklahoma boys," de Reeder added.

Arsenault declined to say how much the flight cost but said rates were usually $350 to $400 per hour.

Arsenault's plane used to have a bigger presence at UT games, but after Sept. 11, planes have not been allowed to fly closer than three miles to stadiums on game days and can't be in the air an hour before or after the game.

A spokesman for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport said Arsenault stayed at the appropriate altitude Thursday and didn't violate the airport's airspace or break any rules.

Of the recent upturn in business, de Reeder said, "We love to fly rebuttals. We'll fly them anywhere. It doesn't have to be Austin. It could be Miami or Maine."

For the Big 12 South, 2008 has been a year of rivalries contested on the field, in the polls and now, in the skies.

http://www.statesman.com/sports/cont...05banners.html

[Betsy]

I have been sick and not watching TV. I didn't find out until last night that OU plays Missouri for the Big 12 championship.

I thought it was gonna be Texas in that game not OU....for the simple reason that Texas beat OU.

Thanks for the article Livia....but I think Texas got robbed.

[DavidMn]

Ok so it's gonna be Florida VS Oklahoma for the BCS title. Interesting matchup. But ponder this college football fans. What if Florida beats Oklahoma by like 3 points and Texas destroys whoever they play? Its not over yet.

[Livia]

Texas will probably end up playing Ohio State at the Fiesta Bowl. Whoever wins the national championship game should be #1, regardless of the point spread.

Go Gators!

[JWS]

Originally Posted by Livia

Texas will probably end up playing Ohio State at the Fiesta Bowl. Whoever wins the national championship game should be #1, regardless of the point spread.

Go Gators!

No. USC still has an outside shot by pounding Penn State in the Rose Bowl and if Florida wins ugly.

[iamnotafraid]

Stinking Gators!

[skcin]

YEAH! UB! Finally! Go Bulls!

http://www.buffalorising.com/story/u...c_championship

[estranged4life]

No matter how crappy life is, I can ALWAYS count on my beloved USC Trojans to win!!! 3 straight Rose Bowl wins!!!

[Steviefan49]

Originally Posted by Livia

Texas will probably end up playing Ohio State at the Fiesta Bowl. Whoever wins the national championship game should be #1, regardless of the point spread.

Go Gators!

Amen!!! GOOOO GATORS, and GOOOO HORNS for Monday night! I'm SOOOOO hoping our Horns come through and beat Ohio State!

[Livia]

I just saw the highlights of the Texas Tech/Ole Miss game. (Nelson from the Simpsons voice) - HAAA HA!

[estranged4life]

'Bama's tide got rolled by the Utes and the GREATEST named QB in the NCAA!!!

Now, I am praying for about 70 points (Minimum) being scored on Blow-U by the Gators.

[Betsy]

So far...it's been a great holiday!

Buffalo didn't beat Connecticut 20-38 -- darn, darn, darn (Buffalo's Coach is none other than Turner Gill, ex-quarterback of Go Big Red fame.) I used to watch him play at NU.

Nebraska Beat Clemson 26-21 (Go Big Red! I love you Joe Ganz! I was worried when you got hurt!)

Way to go Utes (Utah ) by beating Alabama!

USC's win over Penn State ----- after seeing the 60 Minutes segment on Pete Carroll, I kinda like the fella. Joe Pa - you sound like an angry old man...

Now...for Ohio State and Texas.....Hook 'em Horns! Beat 'em big with a huge score!

(Translation ----overshadow the OU-Florida game...)

[estranged4life]

Minus Boise St. choking in the second half against TCU (As did Okla.St against the Oregon Sucks, I meant Ducks) I have been enjoying the bowl games...ESPECIALLY the Rose Bowl!!!

[Street_Dreamer]

I loved watching USC roll over Penn State, and it was almost as great to watch Nick Satan get rolled over by Utah. I wonder if that loss rings in comparison to 9/11, which is what Satan compared one loss to last season.

Matt