Finley feels the hate
Published: 10/2/2006 9:30 PM
Last Modified: 10/2/2006 9:30 PM
From the second he set foot on campus, Oklahoma tight end Joe Jon Finley has been compared to Trent Smith.
Same position, same skinny build, same dark hair, same silky hands and same quick smile.
Well, chalk up another likeness.
"When you live in Texas, you either love Texas or you hate Texas," Finley, an Arlington native, said Monday night. "I was one of those guys that grew up hating them."
Smith didn't care much for the burnt orange either. He had this knack for making Texas know about it, too, even landing on the cover of Sports Illustrated after one particular touchdown catch down in the Cotton Bowl.
Now it's up to Finley, with two shots at the Longhorns left, to do the same.
He scored a fourth-quarter TD in Red River '05. The score at the time, however, was 38-6.
The idea, obviously, will be to play a more timely role come Saturday. And to play a more timely role than the past two games, in which he has been shut out as quarterback Paul Thompson has looked to wide receivers to find his groove.
Maybe Thompson comes back to Finley this weekend. Maybe Finley repeats his 4-catch-for-79-yard performance from the season opener against UAB. Maybe he makes Smith proud.
You've got to know old #88 was smiling over Finley's Monday night bullet directed to the despised Longhorns.
Now it's a matter of backing those words with actions.
"No way are we scared of them," Finley said of the defending national champions. "We're ready for the challenge."
-- Guerin Emig
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
