Orangebloods.com - Ketch's 10 Thoughts From The Weekend

September 3, 2012

Geoff Ketchum
Orangebloods.com Publisher

Is the glass half-full or half-empty?

That seems to be the prevailing question for the Longhorns following a sometimes impressive and sometimes concerning 20-point win to open the season. The answer to the question will likely determine the likelihood of you enjoying this season as a fan because no matter what was going to happen on the field Saturday night, the narrative for this team remains unchanged.

It doesn't matter that the offensive line isn't comprised of five players ready to earn all-Big 12 status. It doesn't matter that the defense didn't tackle as well as it needed to. It didn't matter that the Longhorns had two 100-yard rushers and it wouldn't have mattered if the number had been twice that.

While all of those issues are important, they only serve as subplots to the reality that is the elephant in the room for the 2012 Texas Longhorns. The elephant in question?

This team is going to go as far as young David Ash is capable of taking it. Period.

One of the toughest aspects of breaking down last night's game was trying to decipher what was going on in the passing game because it was a mixed bag and then some. On one hand, David Ash seemed clearly ahead of where he was at all stages last year, as he limited his mistakes and executed what was asked of him by the coaches for the most part. On the other hand, the Longhorn passing game is still running on training wheels and lags far, far behind Texas' chief contemporaries in the Big 12.

Are you half-full or half-empty?

Progress is going to arrive this season as the games continue, but how much and how soon is impossible to call. Two things seemed fairly certain heading into week two.

1. The coaches don't look completely comfortable and turning Ash loose, as evidenced by the fact that they seemed to appear more comfortable with a reverse pass from Jaxon Shipley in the red-zone rather than simply dropping Ash back in the pocket.
2. The intermediate and deep layers of the passing game were all but non-existent and until that changes, the Longhorns are going to see a lot of boxes full of defenders.

Want that offensive line to look better? Let it block a front seven that isn't doing the equivalent of pinning its ears back against the run. Just as Colt McCoy made the 2008-09 lines look better than they were, the opposite can take place when the quarterback play is in an infancy stage of development.

It's why the No. 1 storyline in every game this season will be Ash's play no matter how much the coaches try to wish it away. When games against the likes of Geno Smith, Landry Jones and Collin Klein are played, you can't expect to win if the quarterback match-up is grossly one-sided. Expecting as much goes against every piece of conventional thinking.

All we can do now is wait and watch. If there's more under the engine than we witnessed on Saturday, the sky can become the limit for this team. If not, eight or nine wins is likely going to be the high mark.

That's the reality for the 2012 Texas Longhorns and there's no getting around it.

So, I ask the question one final time ?

Is your glass half-full or half-empty?

No. 2 - Scattershooting on the Longhorns ?

? For those wondering, here's a look at how all 10 of the Big 12's starting quarterbacks fared in week one (listed from greatest quarterback rating to worst)

209.50 rating: Nick Florence (Baylor): 21 of 40 for 341 yards and 4 TD
200.92 rating: Geno Smith (West Virginia): 32 of 36 for 323 yards and 4 TD (65 yards rushing)
185.73 rating: Wes Lunt (Oklahoma State): 11 of 11 for 129 yards
142.13 rating: Collin Klein (Kansas State): 19 of 28 for 169 yards and 2 TD (54 yards rushing)
134. 83 rating: David Ash (Texas): 20 of 27 for 156 yards and 1 TD
133.79 rating: Steele Jantz (Iowa State): 32 of 45 for 281 yards, 2 TD and 1 INT
128.47 rating: Landry Jones (Oklahoma): 21 of 36 for 222 yards and 2 TD
120. 64 rating: Seth Doege (Texas Tech): 23 of 34 for 199 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT
97. 27 rating: Dayne Crist (Kansas): 17 of 36 for 169 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT

? It's the kind of thing everyone might be losing his or her mind over if it had gone the other way, but I can't say enough about the first game discipline of this Longhorn team in terms of playing a clean game. Outside of one botched snap, the ball didn't touch the ground, passes weren't tipped or touched, and there were only three penalties. If you're going to be a team that wins with a running game, great defense and above average special teams, you better play clean ? and this group did on Saturday.

? Shame on me for not giving Alex King some love in my initial round of thoughts on the game. He wasn't a major factor in the game because he wasn't called on much, but he averaged 53.3 yards and had a net of 52.3 yards on the night.

? Wyoming averaged 11.0 yards per return on four kickoff returns. That was easily the best coverage play I can ever remember seeing in an opener under Mack Brown. Usually, there's a few busted coverages early in the season, but the Longhorns were pretty much flawless on night one.

? Both of Texas' young safeties (Mykkele Thompson and Josh Turner) learned lessons the hard way in their first taste of plays that matter on the defensive side of the ball. As ugly as the Carrington Byndom/Adrian Phillips disaster was on the long touchdown, the truth is that Turner was right there to make the play and tentativeness killed him on the play. As for Thompson, he was on the field for about five seconds before he was being tested down the field, forcing him to take a smart pass interference penalty. Those two will learn.

? New starters Brandon Moore, Steve Edmond and Adrian Phillips had quiet debuts, which probably shouldn't be shocking. As they get comfortable, their talent will blossom in live game settings. I would bet we see that Saturday against New Mexico.

? Joe Bergeron, Malcolm Brown and D.J. Monroe each averaged more than seven yards per carry on Saturday. Do with that what you may.

? Top 9 reasons why you should feel positive about the offensive line play

1. Donald Hawkins is significantly better at left tackle than game one starter Tray Allen was at this time last year. The fact that nobody has really even mentioned his name in the aftermath of his opening performance is a major plus. His play-in and play-out opponent recorded zero solo tackles and zero quarterback pressures.
2. Josh Cochran is significantly better at right tackle than Trey Hopkins was at the same position as the day one starter last year. I didn't think Cochran played his best game, but the guy he faced off with on almost every play didn't record a single tackle of any kind behind the line of scrimmage and only registered one quarterback pressure.
3. There were times when Mason Walters looked as good as he ever has in a Longhorn uniform, even if that level of play wasn't always consistent.
4. In a season-opening game in which three starters were making their debut in new positions for the Longhorns, the group was charged with a single false start penalty.
5. Against Rice last season, the Longhorns averaged 4.8 yards per carry, gave up two sacks and allowed three tackles for loss on the day. Against Wyoming on Sunday, the Longhorns averaged 6.0 yards per carry, gave up zero sacks and allowed only one tackle for loss.
6. This is the most athletic Longhorn line since 2006 and possibly even further back. That's not to say that they are better than the 2006 group (not by a long shot), but the athleticism across the board represents an upgrade in that area.
7. I think every guy on the line made at least one really nice play in space into the second level of the defense or beyond. The counter-game and screen game has a chance to be very good before the season is over.
8. Despite the fact that it was 105-degrees on the field with the heat index and there was very little rotation amongst the players, the starting group got stronger as the game went on and wore down the Wyoming front line in the second half.
9. To that point, the Longhorns had eight explosive runs (gains of more than 12 yards) in the opener this year. It took the Longhorns nearly two quarters to record a single explosive run in last year's opener and that didn't happen until Garrett Gilbert made it happen on a scramble. The second was a Jaxon Shipley reverse. They didn't get an explosive run from a running back until DJ Monroe picked up one in the fourth quarter.

No. 3 - Opening impressions from the first weekend of action in the Big 12 ?

BAYLOR: The Big 12's new Texas Tech? The Bears are very questionable on the defensive side of the ball, but they have athletes for days at the skill positions. How could you not be impressed with their explosiveness?

Learn the name:He's no RGIII, but Nick Florence was pretty good in the opener to say the least, completing 21 of 30 passes for 341 yards and four touchdowns.

IOWA STATE: There was good news and bad news for the Cyclones on Saturday. Let's start with the latter, which surrounded the boys from Ames falling behind 16-7 at the end of the first quarter, but you have to chalk up the contest as a solid opening win when you consider that they responded with 24 straight points in the second and third quarters.

Learn the name: Junior running back Shontrelle Johnson hasn't broken 300 yards in any season, but he was extremely good in the opener, as he rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.

KANSAS: The Charlie Weiss era starts off with a fairly commanding win over South Dakota State.

Learn the name: Senior safety Bradley McDougald has been one of the better Jayhawk defenders the last few seasons, but he was the best player on the field against the Aztecs, recording six tackles, two interceptions, a tackle for loss and another pass break-up.

KANSAS STATE: Somehow their fame vs Missouri State is a game that was tied 9-9 in the middle of the third quarter and somehow the Wildcats scored 35 fourth quarter points to eventually run away in a 51-9 win.

Learn the name: Junior Tramaine Thompson averaged less than two catches and 26 yards per game last season ? oh and he scored one touchdown all season. In the opener, he caught five passes for 51 yards and a touchdown, while adding an 89-yard punt return for a touchdown.

OKLAHOMA: What in the world care we supposed to make of that? If UTEP wasn't absolutely awful at quarterback, it might have beaten the Sooners. The good news for OU is that Kenny Stills played like a No. 1 receiver, the bad news is that Justin Brown and Trey Metoyer were just kind of okay. Frankly, they just looked like they didn't have a lot of speed and playmakers on Saturday. Maybe the most concerning news of all for the Sooners was that they were gashed in the running game by Nathan Jeffery, who averaged 8.4 yards per carry.

Learn the name: Damien Williams is a JUCO transfer that saved what was a running game in shambles for a lot of the night. Williams finished with 104 yards and a touchdown on nine carries, with six of the carries coming in the decisive fourth quarter.

OKLAHOMA STATE: Why did they even play that game against Savannah State? What am I to make of an 84-0 win that could have been 150-0? I guess they might be really good, I don't know what to say.

Learn the name: True freshman Austin Hays from San Antonio Reagan led the Cowboys with eight receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown.

TEXAS TECH: Believe it or not, the most exciting element of this game for the Red Raiders was their defense, which limited Northwestern State to 13 yards rushing and 71 yards passing. The offense didn't exactly dominate, but the Mike Leach days are over and we all knew that.

Learn the name: Former Lake Travis quarterback Michael Brewer might have been better than Seth Doege, as he completed 10 of 13 passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns in his debut.

WEST VIRGINIA: Wow, talk about making a first impression. I can't tell you if Marshall is worth a damn, but I can tell you that West Virginia is the closest thing to Oregon that you'll find east of the Grand Canyon. Geno Smith looked like a legit Heisman contender and it seemed like they had playmakers everywhere. That defense is going to be troublesome all season, but they might be able to outscore anyone they play.

Learn the name: If you don't know Stedman Bailey, you better learn it fast because he's the most underrated receiver in the country because of the buzz that goes deservingly to Tavon Austin. His nine receptions for 104 yards and two touchdowns suggest he'll be the best No. 2 receiver in the Big 12.

Post-Week 1 Big 12 Power Poll

1. West Virginia
2. Oklahoma State
3. Texas
4. Oklahoma

5. Baylor
8. Kansas State
7. TCU
8. Texas Tech
9. Iowa State
10. Kansas

No. 4 - College football thoughts: From A-to-Z ?

A: All my ex's live in Texas: Among the former Lone Star prep standouts that opened the season with a bang were Auburn wide receiver Emory Blake (4 receptions for 109 yards and a TD), Nebraska running back Rex Burkhead (3 rushes for 68 yards and a TD before spraining his MCL) and Alabama wide receiver DeAndrew White (1 receptions for 51 yards and a TD)

B: Bold prediction coming out of the weekend: There are four national championship caliber teams and the rest of the country is playing for fifth place.

C: Can we get Oregon star De'Anthony Thomas more touches? There might not be a more electrifying offensive player in the country and he received seven touches on offense this weekend in a 57-34 win over Arkansas State. He finished with three rushes and four receptions for a total of 119 yards and three touchdowns. Yeah, I'd have a rule if I were a coach that he can't touch it less than 15 times per game.

D: Did someone say Greg Davis?

E: New rule: There has to be an early morning game every weekend of the college season. I don't know about the rest of you, but I enjoyed the hell out of waking up and having a game at 8 a.m. to watch, even if it was a blowout between Notre Dame/Navy. Speaking of the Irish, I've been kind of hard on Brian Kelly in the last 12 months, but it seems pretty clear that the program is taking steps forward. Outside of a pass defense that is going to give them some real problems, that looked like an Irish team with more speed and skill than I can remember seeing in a while.

F: Freshman debut of the day: Alabama freshman T.J. Yeldon wowed the nation in his debut for Alabama, rushing for 111 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. Just what the Crimson Tide needed, another running back that can alter the way defensive coordinators have to game-plan. Of course, it helps when the offensive line in front of you is a monster. Dear Mr. Yeldon, you need to know that this isn't the way the rest of the world lives.

G: How can you not give it up to the MAC? The conference went 3-10 on the weekend, but Ohio upset Penn State, Buffalo played Georgia off its feet, Toledo lost in overtime on the road at Arizona, Northern Illinois lost to Iowa by a point and Bowling Green scared the hell out of Florida in the Swamp. Can we give the MAC the BCS slot currently reserved for the Big East?

H: Heisman Tracker After Week 1 1. Marqise Lee (WR/USC) 2. Geno Smith (QB/West Virginia) 3. Le'Veon Bell (RB/Michigan State) 4. Andre Ellington (RB/Clemson)

I: If I had a vote that mattered? 1. Alabama 2. LSU 3. USC 4. Oregon 5. West Virginia 6. Arkansas
7. Georgia 8. Florida State 9. Michigan State 10. Clemson

J: If you didn't see Tennessee JUCO Monster Cordarrelle Paterson make his college debut on Friday night, you missed some serious fireworks. I don't know how good the Vols are going to be this season, but that guy looked like a potential special talent. You'll be hearing more from the 6-4, 205-pound Hutchinson JC standout in the coming weeks, trust me.

K: You might want to keep an eye on Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller. Yes, it was only Miami (Ohio), but the sophomore quarterback looked silky smooth in completing 14 of 24 passes for 207 yards and a pair of touchdowns, along with 161 yards and a touchdown on the ground, in the win. I have a hunch that Urban Meyer is going to create some great things with that young man.

L: Lou Holtz zinger of the night: (On Savannah State's 84-0 loss to Oklahoma State) "They got all this money (for playing the game), I hope it covered the hospital bills."

M: In the modern era of college football coaching, are we getting close to the point where we can safely declare Nick Saban the best of them all? He's already won three national titles and done it at different locations, all within the dog-eat-dog world of the SEC. It's not as blasphemous as you might think.

N: Nobody wants to hear this, but if Auburn is the 8th best team in the SEC as some have suggested, then that league is going to dominate the 2012 college football season. Clemson is the defending ACC champions and possibly still the class of that league, but they were played off their feet by Gene Chizik's Tigers. Seriously, I feel bad for Texas A&M is that's what No. 8 in that conference looks like.

O: One of the best one-man gang impressions from the weekend occurred on Friday night when Michigan State running back Le'Veon Bell carried the Spartans to a critical 17-13 win over a Boise State team that is clearly in a bit of a rebuilding mode. That was Lorenzo White stuff.

P: Play of the weekend: You might not see a better catch than this one all year .

Q: Question of the college football weekend: Did Oregon upgrade at quarterback? Marcus Mariota looked like the real deal on Saturday against Arkansas State, completing 18 of 22 passes for 200 yards and three touchdowns. You'll take a 200.3 rating every day of the week and twice on Saturday.

R: Run of the weekend: Andre Ellington was sick against Auburn, but never more than on this play

S: Something that happened this weekend that I never would have guessed going in: Northwestern/Syracuse became must-see TV early Saturday afternoon. Seriously, it was the best game all day. It also featured the only roughing the passer penalty all weekend that was a worse call than the one handed to DeMarco Cobbs on Saturday night.

T: A wonderful blonde-haired poet once said, "To be the man, you have to beat the man" and when I'm looking at a No. 1 right now in college football, it begins and ends with Alabama until someone knocks them off. What they did against Michigan was borderline criminal, as they choked the life out of the Wolverines in embarrassing fashion? 31-0 in the second quarter? Yikes. Denard Robinson and Co. simply had no idea what they were getting themselves into.

U: My personal Underrated Moment of the Weekend might have occurred in Gainesville when Will Muchamp basically dared Mack Brown or any other coach to one-up him in the handling of his quarterbacks. Not only did he name two starters for the position before the game, but he made sure they were in equal spots in the huddle before the offense came out for the opening drive and then he made sure to have both quarterbacks on the field together for the first snap of the game. Oh my God, can you imagine if Mack had done that on Saturday? DKR would have imploded. As it turned out, sophomore Jeff Driskel took the majority of the snaps and looked like the player who will emerge as the starter, but 10 of 16 for 114 yards was nothing to get overly excited about. Meanwhile, the Gators were played off their feet by Bowling Green in the Swamp and my guess is that the seat Musvchamp currently sits on is going to become fire-hot before this season is over.

V: Vote of confidence in Oxford: Remember Bo Wallace, the UT quarterback that never was? Well, he completed 20 of 24 passes for 264 yards and two touchdowns, while leading the team in rushing with 82 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries in his debut as a starter for the Rebels. Oh man, is that game in Oxford going to be interesting, or what?

W: Every quarterback that plays USC this season will stand on the opposing sideline this season and ask this about Matt Barkley: "Where does he get those wonderful toys?" For my money, the best and most exciting player in the country on Saturday was USC sophomore receiver Marqise Lee, who caught 10 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown, while mixing in a long kickoff return for a touchdown. Perhaps this is me making a bold declaration in the heat of the moment, but Lee looks like the most exciting, dominant receiver the Trojans have had since Keyshawn Johnson was still on campus.

X: X-Factor of the weekend: Once upon a time, we all used to scoff at the passing ability of Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez, but that dude has really evolved over the last couple of seasons and his day of completing 26 of 34 passes for 354 yards and 5 touchdowns was one of the best performances that nobody will be talking about on Monday. Nebraska can win a Big 10 title if he's going to ball anywhere close to that each weekend.

Y: You. Were. Penn State. Good for Frank Solich and the rest of the Ohio football program for going into Happy Valley and slapping the taste out of a Penn State program that shouldn't even be playing football right now. While I don't have anything against the current players, mom always told me you have to be careful with the company that you keep and I'll be damned if I'm rooting for any scenario that allows that proven twisted football culture to enjoy a fun Saturday in the fall less than 12 months after the very same twisted culture allowed for a known monster to live free until the football coach could get his record. Sorry, Happy Valley, but I don't forgive and forget so easily.

Z: My Zoolander Look of the Day occurred when I saw the Texas-State/Houston score. 1. Right on for the Bobcats. 2. Did that really happen? 3. Bwahahahahaha

No. 5 - It's the sport of kings, better than diamond rings, That's why we're here to sing, football Sunday in the snow, referee's whistle blows, We've been warriors toe-to-toe?

We're less than three days away from the start of the NFL season, so now is probably a good time to go on the record with some predictions. Therefore, let's not waste any time?

NFC East Champion: NY Giants (10-6)
NFC North Champion: Green Bay (13-3)
NFC South Champion: New Orleans (11-5)
NFC West Champion: San Francisco (10-6)
NFC Wildcards: Detroit (10-6) and Atlanta (10-6)

AFC East Champion: New England (13-3)
AFC North Champion: Baltimore (10-6)
AFC South Champion: Houston (11-5)
AFC West Champion: Denver (10-6)
AFC Wildcards: Pittsburgh (9-7) and San Diego (9-7)

NFC Championship: Green Bay over New Orleans
AFC Championship: New England over Houston
Super Bowl: Green Bay over New England

NFL MVP: Drew Brees (New Orleans)
NFL Defensive Player of the Year: Jason Pierre-Paul (NY Giants)
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: Andrew Luck (Indianapolis)
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year: Mark Barron (Tampa Bay)
NFL Coach of the Year: Chuck Pagano (Indianapolis)

No. 6 - Six more pieces of sports randomness ?

I. His name is Jurickson Profar. Get to know the name.

II. Remember when Louis Oosthuizen won the 2010 Open Championship and we all wondered if he was another flash in the pan? Yeah, well Shrek can golf. He'll win at least one more major before he's done, maybe more.

III. Any way Tiger can make things interesting in the final round of the Deutsche Bank Championship? Nah, that would be too good to be true.

IV. It's going to be fascinating watching the Nationals once Strasburg is shut down.

V. Can Baltimore really only be two games back of the Yankees with 28 to play, despite there being 122-run differential between the two?

VI. Maurice Jones-Drew punked out by calling off the hold out a week before the season started. If he had waited three more weeks, he might have forced them into giving him a new contract with a horrific start (see Emmitt Smith's 1993 holdout), but instead he made the new owner look like a man not to be messed with moving forward.

No. 7 - Tweet tweet: The best on my timeline this week ?

10. " Clint Eastwood on the phone with Obama now: "It all went according to plan,sir." #RNC #GOP2012"
@chrisrockoz

9. " Somebody let Jerry Jones rap, but Des Bryant is the one who needs a babysitter?"‬‬
@JeromeSolomon

8. " Kim Kardashian is slowly but surely making me want to renounce Kanye And all his works......."
‏@cthagod

7. "im going to alabama in 3 weeks. do i need any special vaccines before i go? trying to plan ahead"
@giventofly41

6. "Does anybody else momma call them by their other siblings names when they get mad/excited?"
@BunBTrillOG

5. "On a related note, #Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill thinks the Sugar Land Skeeters are in the NFC South."
@RoFloESPN

4. "Just realized I didn't get Fleener, was outbid. No clue why I thought I got him."
@rivalsmike

3. "I went to McDonald's this morning, then read the paper. Am now nine credit hours closer to a UNC degree"
‏@GreggDoyelCBS

2. "College football is here and Craig James is not. That pretty much makes today Christmas, New Year's, & Thanksgiving all wrapped into one."
@awfulannouncing

1. " That awkward moment when you realize you're not on Madden13 and have to create yourself... "
@ochocinco

No. 8 - Pop goes the culture because the culture goes pop.?

? Movie Trailer of the week: I smell an Oscar for Joaquin Pheonix

? WTF Headline of the weekend: William Henry Oller Sr. Pleads No Contest To Shooting Son Over Bad Karaoke Singing.

? Stevie said what?: Frank Ocean might just be confused .

? Sign that the apocalypse is upon us: Leann Rimes Calls Twitter Stranger & Bashes Brandi.

? Declaration: I have a soft spot in my heart for Kate

? Hottie of the Week: Mercy, Candice. Mercy.

? 100-Words Movie Review: Killer Joe (B)

Twisted and uncomfortable the entire way. I went in expecting as much, but that doesn't mean that you're completely prepared for what's behind door No. 1, especially when a bucket of KFC is involved. I don't know that I can say this is Matthew McConaughey's performance of a lifetime, but he's mesmerizing in his role, his second-straight scene-stealing performance this year. There were moments in the movie when I could hear gasps coming from older audience members and I don't think I heard a word from anyone when the theater emptied out. The NC-17 is absolutely earned. It's well-acted, brutal cinema.

No. 9 - The List: One-hit wonders from the 1980's

You can thank me later.

and Subscribe to the 1980's one-hit wonders list on Spotify

10. Rockwell: "Somebody's watching Me

Michael Jackson's guest vocals are enough all by themselves to get this song on this list.

9. Ollie and Jerry: There's No Stopping Us

Breakin' is a movie that's in my DNA. My world of music was opened in part by the world of dance.

These were the girls that were blowing o

8. Katrina and The Waves: Walking on Sunshine

God, I love this song. It makes me smile and it makes me think of Michael J. Fox in Secret of My Success and it makes me think of Miss Sunshine from WCCW .

7. A-Ha: Take On Me

I'm not sure there are many songs that are more flat out 1980's than this track. Admit it, you've tried to hit that high note at least 100 times in your life.

6. John Waite: Missing You

Say it with me? Power?Love? Ballad. The final 45 seconds of this song are pure power ballad greatness. If only Steve Perry had been given this song.

5. Soft Cell: Tainted Love

I'm pretty sure the closest I'll ever to come to becoming a gay man is when this song comes on. I'm practically Danny Noriega on this song when it's karaoke season.

4. The Jeff Healy Band: Angel Eyes

Two things? First, I have this group's greatest hits CD and I only know one of their songs, even though I dig the band. Second, this might be the best pure chick song of the 1980's. It's absolute masterpiece of a song and it makes me want to watch Roadhouse.

3. Billy Vera: At This Moment

Some songs are meant to be performed by one person and one person only. This is Billy Vera's song and when you hear him sing it, you believe every single word of it. This is another song that I murder in all the wrong ways every time I hear it.

2. Dexys Midnight Runners: Come on Eileen

I'm guessing it's a consensus No.1 for many, but one of the all-time group sing-a-longs comes in at No.2 on the list, but believe me when I tell you that I absolutely appreciate the greatness of this song. There's not another song like it.

1. Johnny Lee: Looking for Love

At the age of four, this is the first song that I ever learned from beginning to end. For a million reasons, it holds a special place in my heart.

Previous Lists: 2-Pac, Beastie Boys, Beethoven, Biggie Smalls, Boyz II Men, Chuck Brown, Jeff Buckley, Cartoon themes, Eva Cassidy,Phil Collins, Sam Cooke, Joe Ely, Al Green, Guns N' Roses, Hall and Oats, HBO Shows, Jimi Hendrix, Whitney Houston, Kool and the Gang, Metallica, George Michael, Mo-Town, Bill Murray, Willie Nelson, Stevie Nicks,Pink Floyd, Prince, Outkast, Queen, Otis Redding, The Rolling Stones, Scarface, Sexiest Women of All-Time, Snoop Dogg . Gary Stewart , George Strait, TV Themes, UGK, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Hank Williams Sr.

Previous Lists on Spotify: 2-Pac, Beastie Boys, Beethoven, Biggie Smalls, Boyz II Men, Jeff Buckley, Phil Collins, Sam Cooke, Joe Ely, Al Green, Guns N' Roses, Hall and Oats, Jimi Hendrix, Whitney Houston, Metallica, George Michael, Mo-Town, Willie Nelson, Stevie Nicks,Prince, Prince (After Hours), Outkast, Queen, Otis Redding, The Rolling Stones, Scarface, Snoop Dogg . Gary Stewart , George Strait, UGK, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Hank Williams Sr.

No. 10 - And finally ?

Countdown: 13 days until the start of Boardwalk Empire Season Three