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Smells like …

Yes, it’s election time!The Democrats and President Obama

are convinced a four-year track record of hard work and certain successes are enough to keep them on top for another term. They are the defending champions and must be knocked off if another party is to seize power. The Republicans are represented by two new-comers — Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan — who feel new ideas and a renewed focus on game-plans for the economy is the recipe for victory. Before it’s all over, we will see mudslinging, name-calling, spinning and venom spit-ting unlike any we have ever witnessed. We will see some strange things, for sure. And we might see some strange things in conference football this year as well.

The Big 12 has a few interesting oppor-tunities all its own. It bears a name that belies its membership, for one. Ten teams will battle it out under the banner of a name that “used to be,” and perhaps hints at what’s to come.

A new power has proven itself by win-ning a conference championship and threatens to lay claim to a permanent spot among the previously unchallenged league “elite.” Those who used to lie comfortably on top are considering new

strategies and new personnel to reverse their fortunes. Fans, pundits and prog-nosticators alike have had plenty of time to develop sound theories and justifica-tion for previous transgressions. In their eyes, all will be returned to normal as a new season begins.

We’ll see. The new mixture within the conference may create ebbs and flows for a more balanced playing field. Only time will tell. Don’t let anyone tell you differ-ent. The variables have forever changed.

We will see some strange new sights. Purple-horned toads (who knew?) from Fort Worth will remind us of Southwest Conference days gone by. These bullies of the Mountain West may recognize some of the school colors in the fall, but the similarities to the teams associated with them in their previous incarnations will end there.

Coon-skin caps and muskets will follow. Old gold and blue Mountaineers traverse from the hills. The beasts of the Big East will arrive on the scene to prove that “Big” is just as powerful among the 12 (or 10 as the case may be ... is this new math?). They, too, may find the new neighbor-hood tough sledding.

Can John Denver be heard west of the Blue Ridge Mountains? Maybe. The first line to the Mountaineers favorite song begins with: “Almost heaven, West Virginia ...” Their home field may seem like heaven, but the other locales around the Big 12 may more closely resemble the

“other” place after a few losses.One thing is for certain. Regardless

of new strategies or old, the best teams will be the ones who perform the funda-mentals: blocking, tackling, a good kick-ing game and ball control.

Perhaps the world of politics should take a page from that particular play-book. It’s all about the fundamentals.

We will see all shades of color and changing momentums this fall. Some in football, others in politics. Just remember, there are red states and blue states ... but the state of Oklahoma is Orange!

GO POKES.

KYLE WRAYVICE PRESIDENT ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT & MARKETING

IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN, when the colors and pageantry of the fall come to life all across the country. Autumn’s armies place peace aside and mount all out fronts on others. The lights and cameras come on and test the mettle of focused participants. Offseason work is called into question as players get down in the mud, dirt and grime. Huge gatherings of people are whipped into frenzies. Historic powers are challenged by non-traditional upstarts. New and age-old strategies are honed and implemented.

SEPTEMBER 2012