Ut Humiliter Opinor

Yesterday was my sixth time to attend an OU-Texas game - and the first time I have witnessed an OU loss to the Horns in person. After the last few years of handing the Horns their backsides, they got to return the favor.

45 - 12. Ouch.

The first time Vince Young played in the RRR (65-13 in 2003), I saw him slip through our defenders throughout the game. I knew he could beat us once he got experience. However, I thought he’d do it with his legs, not his arm.

OU’s freshman QB, Rhett Bomar, showed the same type of problems yesterday in his first outing. He could run, but he couldn’t throw. At this point, with the season approaching disaster at 2-3, now it’s the Sooners that are in the position of saying “Wait til next year” on Bomar. What struck me about Bomar was how much he was trying to force things. He keeps throwing to well-covered receivers (credit the Longhorn D for that) hoping to make a play. His accuracy wasn’t that great, either. It’s hard to make plays as an offense when the Quarterback is in such a state.

Mack Brown finally has the monkey off his back. The only good news I can see about this is that since the North and South divisions keep alternating years in the Big XII Championship, Mack Brown may still be denied his conference championship

Okay, after a nearly a week of reports on the explosion last weekend, we still seem to know very little. Many of the blogs are already condemning Hinrichs as an American Islamic convert who turned suicide bomber. The MSM has not been following up very extensively.

Here’s what we know:

1) An explosion happened, killing Hinrichs 2) The explosive has been identified, but not the method (was it a pipe bomb? an explosive vest? a bottle? a timer?) 3) Hinrich was apparently seeking counseling for depression 4) Hinrich lived with a Pakistani roommate who was held and released 5) No ties to extremist groups have been identified 6) Like many engineers, Hinrich was very introverted, and liked playing with gadgets 7) An indeterminate amount and type of explosives has been found at his apartment 8) There is a sealed search warrant.

Putting all this together and you have a few options:

A) This was a serious accident from an experiment gone bad. B) This was an intentional suicide with no harm meant to others C) This was an attempt at mass homicide with a device that prematurely detonated. D) This was an attempt at a joint suicide/homicide with a devide that prematurely detonated.

C & D also have the possibility of political/idelogical motives.

Before 9/11, the assumption likely would have been A or possibly B. These days, B is considered the most likely and is the view most common in the mainstream media, with C/D being considered in many corners.

The parents consider B the most likely option, resisting all attempts to paint Joel as an extremist. I still wonder why A is not getting at least some consideration, however.

I suppose, on balance, I’m leaning towards B. The parents and the depression are compelling enough. I’m still not convinced enough by the rumor mill that this was an attempt at homicide as well.