New Mexico Football Report

"Never put money down on the UNM Lobos... never!, it's a sucker's play, a losing prop."

(Advice from a gypsy at Bally's sports book while watching Lobos choke against Rice in 1997.)

The Yelp of a Beaten Curr

Will the wolf survive the 2011 college football season? All attempts to re-introduce the Lobo back into the wilds of Div. One (FBS) football have failed. Nothing underscores this fact like a 42-28 loss to instate rivals NMSU. The Lobo's fate was sealed upon the opening kick off. Aggie second stringer Matt Christian played like Willie Joe Namath, I shudder to think what Andrew Manley would have done to the Lobo secondary.

Upon a bright October afternoon, in the wax and wane of seasonal change, the Aggies of Las Cruces strode in from the range. They were not an awe inspiring bunch in their tacky crimson and seemed to mockingly court ridicule with their pistol toting cheesy mustachioed mascot. Yet! on this day, this glorious football Saturday, the tillers of soil and feeders of livestock burned their brand onto the hindquarters of our beloved native canines.  

If UNM's only hope is to "keep on bucking failure till you've worn the piker out!" then this season will wind down to its inevitable conclusion. Failure is and has been a familiar creature on the gridiron of University Stadium and those cocky Aggie shitkickers are more than happy to throw another load on the backs of the Lobos. "Sweet are the dreams of college life, before our faith is nicked-" before the college game kicks us in the teeth, before reality sets in and we realize that no matter how hard we cheer, our hopes always fall on deaf ears.  

"Div. One football... my ass!, this is Pop Warner...  this is bullshit... New Mexico.. fuckin' Lobos can kiss my ass.... motherfuckers!"

(spoken by angry drunken bettor at Bally's sports book as he tore up his betting ticket)

Har, Har sayeth the magpies as they laugh and caw, the Aggies... oh! brother, are better after all.

"No more remembered thunder sweeps the field, No more the cowering scribes hear the call

To one who wore so well both frown and scowl, we bid farewell.

The Big Guy left us standing in the dark, having failed to re-ignite the dying spark.

The shadows creep where night falls deep, but like a babe Mike Locksley sleeps.

What more is there for us to say? for we have cursed his memory away

We are the Lobos hear us howl, and before we learn to win, we must learn to crawl"

*Quotations unless otherwise noted are from Grantland Rice, most of which I altered and modified to fit my selfish needs.

The Tumult and the Taunting

UNM  28    NMSU  42

Last week the NMSU Aggies were the great cure all for what ailed a sagging San Jose St. football program. This week it was The UNM Lobos providing the miracle salve that cured the Aggies of their gridiron doldrums.  I quote Teddy Feinberg, sportswriter for the Las Cruces Sun-News "Yes, the University of New Mexico football team is bad - very bad.  Heads up Lobos, this is bulletin board material "The Lobos are hands down the worst team NMSU has played on their schedule to this point."  

Oh! the Aggies are feeling it, and rightfully so the win on Saturday makes it three in a row for NMSU. The margin of victory for the Aggies was their largest since 1968. The woes for the Lobos amount to a catalog of the obvious. Poor execution, failure to rush the passer, poor secondary play and that's just on defense. Under George Barlow the Lobos will play out the string and nothing more. A realistic look at their remaining schedule tells us that the winless season that UNM has avoided the last two years will be unavoidable this year. 

Christian was 16-of-27 passing  for 296 yards and 4 td's. (3 in the first quarter) while rushing for 106 yards on 15 carries. The Aggies gained 242 yards on the ground on 48 carries, with Kenny Turner going over 100 yards again as well (109 yards on 24 carries). With Taveon Rogers out with a hip injury, Christian went to true freshman Austin Franklin (5 recs. 115 yds.) as his go-to receiver. 

The Lobo offense coming off a high scoring shoot-out with Sam Houston St., was unable to match the Aggies blow by blow. With Tarean Austin out, B.R. Holbrook was 22-36 passing for 265 yds. WR.Deon Long had 6 recs. for 94 yds. and Ty Kirk added 11 recs. for 90 yds, neither receiver made it into the end zone. Crusoe Gongbay, who is shaping up as the Lobo's only productive running back had two touchdown runs, on 10 carries for 54 yds. 

New Mexico Qb. B.R. Holbrook summed up the day and mindset of the Lobo side: “Some of the higher-ups made some decisions and as players it affects us greatly, but at the end of the day, we cannot control their decisions.” When Mike Locksley was fired, I hoped against hope that the Lobos would rally 'round George Barlow and salvage the season. The ingredients needed to make that happen (talent, heart, desire, courage) are sadly missing.  At the end of the day, The Aggies were just a better football team.

"Keep coming back, and though the world may romp across your spine, let every game's end find you still upon the battling line"