Houston Cougars: Number 2020

Jackson Pollock, the Cougar interpreter

Jean Hellon, a French abstract painter, admired the American abstract expressionist painter, Jackson Pollock’s, work because, “[i]t filled out space going on and on because it did not have a start or an end to it.” Then again the art critic, Robert Coates, politely described Pollock’s work, “as mere unorganized explosions of random energy, and therefore meaningless.” Assume for a second that these critics aren’t  analyzing Jackson Pollock’s work but rather the 2020 College Football Season.  Both quotes would be accurate.  Actually, Pollock’s paintings may be best at depicting the saga that is the 2020 University of Houston football season.

I think I see North Texas scheduled?

Autumn River: Number 30, painted in 1950, does not necessarily expressly illustrate the Houston Cougars, but the way in which Pollock went about painting, it does. The Cougars were technically supposed to have played three games by now, but instead have played none. In fact, the Cougars have had more cancellations, five, then there have been weeks in the 2020 College Football Season. Originally the Cougars were to play Washington State on September 12, but that was cancelled when the PAC-12 cancelled their season (which is now back on because supposedly the virus is gone??). Houston rebounded and was able to schedule their opener with Rice University on September 3. That would be cancelled in August due to COVID on the Rice sideline. So, it looked as though Houston would be opening the season against in conference foe – Memphis. However, that would be cancelled after Memphis’ football team experienced a COVID outbreak due to its players deciding to party on a “party bus” (who would have guessed?). In an effort to salvage the weekend, the Cougars quickly scheduled with Baylor University (who had an open week that week) but it wasn’t until the day before the game that Baylor announced it could not field a team due to too many of its players being effected by the virus or under supsension. Houston’s head coach, Dana Holgorsen, expressed his frustration on a local radio show the Monday after the Baylor game was to be played by stating, “Unfortunately, those games weren’t played but it’s 2020, and we’re used to that crap. So, we’re gonna get ready to go play North Texas.” Dana spoke too soon as North Texas would succumb to the virus and have to postpone the game.

So what does this have to do with a painting? Although difficult to tell, Autumn River: Number 30, started out with linear framework, similar to Houston starting out with a set football schedule. The painting, like the Houston football schedule, would be strewn with colors, thick and thin lines until the framework is hardly visible. Some say Pollock was trying to show the clash between control and chance, which, just like on the field, seems to indicate chance wins.

D'Eriq King, "to stay or not to stay?"

Guardians of the Secret, painted in 1943, in and of itself does not mean anything to the Houston Cougars, but its message may spark up some buried resentment. Although Houston fans once again were unable to watch their team embark on their 2020 crusade, they still had the ability to watch one of their former players – D’Eriq King. King, now the starting quarterback of the University of Miami Hurricanes, began his college career as a Houston Cougar. Houston believed that King was their “chosen one” and, in fact, several pundits had King picked as a Heisman contender. That all came to a crashing halt when D’Eriq King unexpectedly decided to redshirt his junior year (2019) after starting four games for the Cougars. The reason it was important for King to play no more than four games in 2019 was due to a relatively new NCAA rule in which a player can maintain that year of eligibility if they play in no more than four games that season. In other words, by King “redshirting” his junior year, he had two years left of eligibility. Many fans initially thought that King had quit on their beloved Cougars, but King assured Houstonians that, “[He] came . . . to play football for the University of Houston and that is not changing.” However, it did in fact change, which is why, this past Saturday, Houston fans had the chance to watch their past quarterback dismantle Florida State, as Miami went on to win 52-10.

He chose "not to stay"

So, what does this have to do with a painting? Guardians of the Secret, “is often interpreted as a metaphor for the emergence of unconscious impulses into conscious thought.” Here, King probably envisioned himself as playing for the Cougars, but somewhere along the line he began to think of leaving the program. There most likely was moral ambiguity as he subconsciously wrestled with deciding on how to act. Eventually those subconscious arguments erupted into action – redshirting and subsequently leaving Houston for Miami.

Time will tell, if the West is best

Going West, painted in 1934/35, is one of the few Jackson paintings in which its image actually expressly illustrates the Houston Cougar story. At the end of the 2018 College Football Season, Dana Holgorsen left as the head coach of West Virginia to take the helm as the head coach of Houston. Like Pollock’s painting, Holgorsen was seeking better lands, a brighter future, by going west. In his first season the Houston Cougars finished a disappointing 4-8. This year was looking to be more promising, but and as the blog has already mentioned, the Houston 2020 campaign has yet to launch. To make matters worse, Holgorsen has not been able to completely leave his West Virginia era behind. Holgorsen was found to be responsible “for over $22,000 worth of damage, unpaid rent, and late fees” regarding certain rental property in Cheat Lake, West Virginia”. To make matters worse the “damage was reported. . . to have been by Holgorsen’s ex-wife . . ..” Holgorsen’s rental property fiasco is depicted in Going West with detached wagons in the East.

Thinking about Cheat Lake or the game?

The good news is that Houston’s quandary can be cured by playing and winning games. With several conferences not even starting their seasons until late in October ,and even some in November, Houston doesn’t have the immense amount of pressure to “catch up” or be “left behind.” Once Houston gets their season going, they must win. This will remove the heartbroken feelings their fan base remembers as ESPN continues to air D’Eriq King and the Hurricanes. Finally, Holgorsen’s legal issues will only be used against him if the fan base needs a reason to turn on him and the university is looking to fire him for more reasons then just “losing games.” Pollock enjoyed expressionism because it allowed the medium to speak for itself.  Houston should do the same when they (eventually) take the field.