Outback Steakhouse: The Duke Basketball of Chain Restaurants

After a week of debating and voting, Outback Steakhouse has returned to the finals of The KSR Food Bracket.  Before fans make the mistake of voting it to the top, there's one thing you must know: Outback is the Duke basketball of chain restaurants. A consistent contender, Outback has a way of making it to the finals by default.  The committee gives them an easy draw before the officials set them up for success. There's no denying each are led by remarkable individuals.  Coach K is one of the greatest of all-time and Outback was founded by a UK grad, Chris Sullivan.  You can appreciate their talent, but you must despise their style of play.  Duke finds their success in floor-slappers who jack three-point shots.  Outback serves up average sirloin and a unique appetizer. Outback's signature app receives a ton of credit (from people who must have never had an onion ring before).  The Bloomin' Onion dominates opponents, but about once every three or four years it will throw in a clunker and fall in the first round.  Exhibit A: It's easy to understand why an Average Joe would like Duke or Outback.  They produce a consistent, satisfying product, but for Kentucky fans, all they do is hand out heartbreak.  Do I need to remind you what happened in 1992?  I think I do need to remind you what happened in 1999. Hal Mumme and Tim Couch guided Kentucky to their first New Year's Day Bowl game in 47 years.  Taking on Joe Paterno's Penn State, the Nittany Lions could not handle the Air Raid offense.  Kentucky surged to a 14-3 first quarter lead in the Outback Bowl.  Then, Outback decided to break the Big Blue Nation's heart. Penn State used a 56-yard touchdown pass to claw within one at halftime, but Outback would not permit the Cats to score again.  Kentucky lost 26-14 and it's completely Outback's fault (not the UK defense's). You might like Outback's sirloin, their bloomin' onion and their black bread (even though bread is not supposed to be that color), but it is un-Kentuckian to cheer for the heart-breaking Dukies chain steakhouse to win the KSR Food Bracket. [mobile_ad]