View from the Streets of Kansas City: Houston Cougars

For this week’s game, I have conflicting engagements. Obviously, I plan to watch the KU football game. Friends also want to go on a mini brewery tour in the Crossroads in downtown KC. I do not pass on this invitation. So I will be monitoring the game on my phone, I can watch the ESPNU on my phone so we are covered. My friends are Nebraska fans so we set the departure time to be when the OU-Nebraska game ends. This should give us just enough time to get to our first stop before the kickoff of the KU game. My friends are Nebraksa fans that are relieved the Huskers have fired Scott Frost, but they are still dismayed the Sooners beat them so badly today. They do have familial connections to KU, so they cheer for KU especially since KU is the better of the two teams this season. I am willing to let any and all bandwagon fans join in the fun this season has been so far. The entire beer tour crew wants to know what is happening in the game, so monitoring the game is a go.

A note on the crossroads district breweries. If you visit Kansas City or live in the area, it is a great area to visit if you like craft beer. Within a walkable distance (6 or 7 blocks), you can hit a least six breweries and one or two distilleries.

Pre-game

The OU-Nebraksa game comes to a merciful end and it is time to head out. The timing seems to be good, we should get to the first stop about kickoff time, but it will be close. As we make our way to Torn Label, we talk about the Husker game, and who the next coach might be. We the possibility of Lance Liepold comes up, I roll my eyes and voice my homer opinion that it is “too soon” for Lance to leave for another job. I do believe this, but know if the offer is right nothing is “too soon”. We stumble into the talk of Husker board rumors on the topic. The Nebraska board's dream candidate is Urban Meyer. The best rumor around Urban coming to Lincoln is a janitor has spotted Urban Meyer on campus this week. I laugh at this, but completely believe the dream of the fans on the Husker board wanting him to be the next coach. Who is Trev Albert going to hire? I have no idea and I do not really care as long as it is not my Lance.

First Quarter

• We are just about at the first stop, but kickoff is upon us.
• Dang. Three and out before we can get to the front door of Torn Label.
• Touchdown Houston as we sit down, 7-0 bad guys.
• I go with the Dummy Line Kolsch. I am needing a break from IPAs I normally have. I give it a thumbs up.
• As I get the game running on my phone, I get a notification of an RCT tweet. How are we down 14-0 so quick? Damn.

• KU’s offense seems to have recovered, touchdown Jalon. 14-7.

• 9 plays, 3 for greater than 10 yards plus 1 pass interference penalty. Chunk plays!!
• Still watching on phone. What happened? Kenny interception! Yes, needed that.

• Touchdown. 14-14, smelling like last week, but Houston is better so I am not comfortable with this. Love the quick score after the turnover.

• Maybe next week we can avoid the 14-0 hole and just start out by scoring first/early.

Second Quarter

• A defensive hold!!
• Jalon with a big run followed by Skinner reception. Loving this!
• Was that an int? No

• The game was suspended on second and goal. Damn!
• On to Double Shift.
• The guy behind the bar asks if KU is on TV. Yes, they are on ESPNU. He gladly changes the channel on several TVs so we can watch. Unfortunately, much of the time we are here the game remains in a weather delay.
• I stick with a Kolsch style and order Jas Hans, a jasmine rice Kolsch. I like it, but unlike Mikey, I like everything.

• The game is back, and the moment I have been worried about since the delay began. Will the delay catch KU flat-footed, kill the drive, and force a field goal?
• Nope, KU scores!!!

• Houston is shooting itself in the foot, so nice that it is not us.
• If KU can score before half that would be huge. 14 point lead with Houston getting the ball coming out of halftime would be a nice cushion.
• Yes!!!!!!!!! Touchdown to 12, who is that? Locklin, good for him.

• 7 plays including 2 for over 10 yards including 60 to Locklin for the touchdown.
• Halftime has arrived after harmless possessions by both teams.
• The defense may not be solid yet, but they play well enough to allow a 28-0 run by the offense.

Halftime

Since halftime is going on and lunch was light, we decide to head to dinner while the game is at halftime. It will take a while to get to dinner since we are heading to the Waldo area for dinner.

Third Quarter

• Missed Houston TD 28-21 while we make our way to Summit Grill. But again, I am very happy we got a two-touchdown lead before halftime.
• Just saw the 4th-down play. A good call to go for it, but I am not sure about the play call. It is great because it worked, but I would have been questioning it if it failed. Right now everything is working, so I will roll with it.

• Touchdown Jalon. Way to dig for it. 35-21

• It is September 17, do high schools do homecoming this early? There are serval high school age girls dressed up like maybe schools do. I say ‘No’, but I have no way to know because I am not asking them.
• Turn over. Man, see that happen to KU a few times in the past decade.

• Touchdown, 42-21 for KU legend Jared Casey.

• Houston is killing themselves with penalties on that drive after turnover. The longer the game goes the more I see post-Mangino, pre-Leipold KU teams in this Houston team.
• Houston scores TD as the quarter expires and misses PAT. Breaks are going our way. 42-27.
• The sentiments of many

Fourth Quarter

• Hishaw fumbled forward to the 7 and a recovery, Breaks continue to go our way.
• Two weeks in a row with a Hishaw fumble and Hishaw recovery. Clean that up, man.

• What just happened? Did we score? Why did we go to a commercial break?
• Timeout KU, ok. Trying to keep track is tricky right now since it feels like we are going to win.
• Field goal. I will take it. Up 18 points. 3-score lead. 45-27
• The Cougars will score on this drive but there are only 6 minutes left. Field goal 45-30
• We will win. There is no collapse in sight.

• The field goal is made.
• Almost pick 6. Kalon Gervin just miss out.
• Houston trying but it does not matter.
• Jayhawks win and time to head home.

• Dinner was great, and now it is time to go home.
• I had “The Ultimate” Grilled Cheese. Braised Beef, 5 kinds of cheese, and horseradish cream. Mmmm.