Sports
 

Cougar football fans will see familiar season

By Barrett Goldsmith
The Daily Cougar

I peeled off the wrapper, then the next wrapper, then the security device -- and opened up the game. 

After sitting through the endless opening credits and the awkward cut-scene promoting EA Sports, I finally reached the opening menu and the moment of truth. 

I selected the "play now" option and cycled through what seemed like every academic institution in the Western hemisphere, until at last I heard the familiar strains of the Cougar fight song and breathed a sigh of relief. 

NCAA Football 2005 did not let me down. The UH football team, though certainly not a juggernaut, had been rewarded for its success in 2003. 

The pre-season polls don't matter, the various "watch" lists don't amount to much, and Sports Illustrated's preview issue has featured the likes of Andy Katzenmoyer, Rick Mirer and Keyshawn Johnson on its cover. 

But the rankings on NCAA are tangible; they're right there for you to use and play with, and they stay that way all season. In NCAA 2004, the Cougars had a D+ ranking and lost nearly all their games during the computer simulation.

In this year's edition, UH carries a B grade, which is not a powerhouse but is certainly respectable. Kevin Kolb, or QB 4 as he's known under the game's nomenclature, is one of the top 10 or so quarterbacks in the game, and HB 6 (Anthony Evans) is a speedster with some nifty moves. 

The computer usually gives the team about an 8-5 or 9-4 record, good for bowl appearance. The games against Oklahoma and Miami are seldom close, though on one occasion UH pulled out a come-from-behind victory over the Hurricanes. 

So is this a realistic expectation for the 2005 Cougars? Does EA Sports have it right, or will UH fans be brought back down to earth after a return to the same old Cougars of the last 10 years? 

If I were a betting man -- and I was until I lost about $200 playing blackjack in Las Vegas -- I would say that the Cougars will do about as well as last season, but not much better. Art Briles engineered a remarkable turnaround last season, and he deserved all the praise that came his way. 

But Brile's primary achievement was instilling a winning attitude, which in itself accounted for a handful of wins. Now the Cougars must take it a step further; they must match the "want to" with the "able to." The luster of last year's surprise season will have worn off by next season, and UH fans will be expecting the team to travel on the same upward arc as last season. 

That may indeed happen, but fans should allow some growing pains. As the Cougars mature from a novelty to an entity -- no one has any illusions about the "d" word -- there will be downs with the ups. 

The team's talent is solid but not top-flight, and it will take a few more seasons like 2003 to start recruiting some of the elite Houston high schoolers who are still opting for Austin, Norman and Baton Rouge over their hometown school. 

These things take time. 

In a few years, Houston may indeed be a national heavyweight. A Cougar could grace the cover of SI, and ESPN's Gameday crew could broadcast the show from outside Robertson Stadium. 

But for now, fans should just be patient, and give Briles and Co. some time and space. 

And select LOLB 44 on defense. That guy can make plays.
 

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