Big 12 Schools: Shark Week Edition

Since this is Shark Week, I only find it appropriate to label each Big 12 football team as a type of shark. So after watching a couple hours of Shark Week and doing some personal research I have come up with a good match for each school. I am by no means a marine biologist so this isn't necessarily scientifically matched, but rather what just seems right.

Baylor: Tiger Shark

The tiger shark is arguably one of the coolest sharks and definitely one of the most dangerous sharks in the sea because of their all around aggressive hunting style. They have a really sweet exterior with their rare tiger-like stripes along their body, they have good size, and an overall clean look. The interior of a tiger shark however is not so appealing. Tiger sharks are known to eat just about anything from sea turtles and dolphins to oil cans and tires making their interior one of the messiest in the ocean. Baylor...well let's just leave it at that for now. Tiger sharks have excellent hunting abilities and are one of the most feared predators in the ocean, but this species of shark is beginning to rapidly disappear just as fast as they came onto the scene due to over fishing.

Iowa State: Nurse Shark

The Nurse Shark is definitely not one of the most popular sharks in the ocean. Really nothing too mesmerizing about the shark as it basically just blends in with it's environment. Nurse sharks are bottom feeding sharks that only seem to come out at night. These sharks just take what they can get and don't really expect anything big. They lure prey in at night and sometimes catch them by surprise.  Also they are one of the smaller sharks in the sea, which makes them easy to overlook. But they aren't something to completely forget because that is when their prey is most vulnerable.

Kansas: Bluegrey Carpetshark

Yes this is actually a type of shark. This is a poorly known species that is easily forgotten when it comes to any shark conversation because this shark shark just isn't anything to talk about. This is another shark that is known as a bottom-feeder, but it is even below the bottom-feeders because these sharks are literally blind! So how these guys manage to stay alive is a question I don't have the answer to at the moment. Bluegrey's get a meal every now-and-then but they don't need much to stay in existence. Like the nurse shark this shark only seems to come out at night and is known to hangout near shipwrecks which I find quite ironic.

Kansas State: The Greenland Shark

The Greenland shark is one of the most popular sharks in the ocean, not necessarily for how flashy they are but because they are one of the biggest, oldest, most respected sharks. The Greenland shark generally lives underneath the icecaps in Greenland. They aren't aggressive by any means because they find other ways to meet their needs. Since they live in a deep, cold environment they are relatively slow, but they are methodical and not a shark to take lightly. They are known to eat huge mammals like polar bears and moose. They use wisdom rather than ability to take down prey, which seems like the philosophy of Bill Snyder's Wildcats.

Oklahoma: The Great White

The Great White is known as the "king of the ocean". Great White's are the most popular shark for many reasons. They are the most dangerous shark in the ocean not only to other fish but humans as well. Also, they are one of the biggest sharks averaging about 5,000 pounds. Great White sharks come fully loaded in nearly every aspect of what makes a shark deadly. They have the teeth, the size, the ability, and the brain. These sharks are capable of eating pretty much anything in their environment including other sharks. Instead of chewing their prey, they typically just rip them apart into pieces and swallow them whole. Oftentimes these sharks can get too ahead of themselves and find themselves in situations that they never prepared for. Nevertheless Great White's are the undisputed rulers of the sea.

Oklahoma State: Hammerhead Shark

The Hammerhead shark is also a popular species in the ocean. They are dangerous in their own ways. Since they don't have as great athletic abilities compared to other sharks of their size, they resort to different tactics with their huge hammer-like head to seek out prey. These sharks typically feed on the bottom-feeder fish, but are definitely capable of making large predators their prey. The hammerhead shark is not as prestigious as the great white shark, but they are capable of taking down prey other sharks can't quite handle.They usually make a grand appearance every know and then and cause some waves in the ocean.

TCU: Blacktip Reef Shark

Not the first shark that comes to mind when you think of the most dangerous, but it should be considered. They are one of the most consistent sharks when it comes to threat towards humans, ranking in the top 10 for several years, but they have recently gained attention making appearances on several shows during Shark Week. Although small, Blacktip's are very athletic and energetic. For unknown reasons these sharks will seemingly jump out of the air and attack their opponents by surprise. These sharks can easily take down other fish and smaller sharks, but when Blacktip's get a feeding frenzy going they can definitely take down the biggest fish in the sea.

Texas: The Bull Shark

The Bull Shark is the second most deadly shark in the world only to the Great White, but this sharks ranks number one in terms of ego. These sharks aren't as athletic as most sharks it's size, but they are stocky (like a bull) and extremely strong. They are known to be very aggressive as they are irritated by just about anything that swims near them. This shark is known to eat anything, which gives it a sketchy interior, but most people don't bother to look. Since they are one of the most dominant sharks in the ocean they are definitely capable of taking down large prey. Often overrated because although they are technically the second most deadly shark, their attacks often aren't fatal and most are simply provoked by prey to test it's ability. Nonetheless this is a powerful, historic shark that is never taken lightly by any fish in the sea.

Texas Tech: Mako Shark

Not one of the most popular sharks in the world, but the Mako is in fact the fastest shark in the world, which sounds like a great moral victory in my opinion because as they say "speed kills". The Mako is one of the bigger, most dangerous sharks, but they aren't quite as big or dangerous overall as other sharks in the sea. They make up for this with their extreme athleticism and speed. Like the Blacktip Reef shark, the Mako is famous for attacking by jumping out of the water and using an air raid tactic to take down prey. Mako's have eyes that can pick up light in the darkest of areas, which makes them a scary predator after the sun goes down. Often underrated because of bigger, more popular sharks, the Mako is a great hunter and can attack as well as any shark in the ocean. Clearly this shark isn't at the top of the food-chain and they don't have all the abilities bigger sharks have, but if this shark is looking to attack there isn't a species of fish in the ocean that is safe no matter how big they are.

West Virginia: Cookiecutter Shark

If you want to have nightmares look up a picture of this shark. It looks like something out of a cheesy horror movie. Looks aside, this shark is another type of beast. The cookiecutter shark is a bottom feeder but it can take down prey much larger than itself. Cookiecutter's use defense as their attack style. They bury themselves in sand and then by surprise they take a hefty bite out of their predators and quickly turn them into the prey. These aggressive creatures are not fun to come by if you are looking for a nice day on the beach. They aren't known to be the most fancy or cool, but they are gritty and are willing to get dirty to get a meal. So any fish traveling to the bottom of the ocean better come safely prepared.