How I See It

The Showdown Or The World Series

2011-10-28T09:45:00.000-07:00

For the 1st time in the history of the AHS /CHS game, a majority of the fans in town are having to ask themselves, "Do I go to Shotwell Stadium for the Crosstown Showdown, or do I stay at home and watch the World Series?"

I never thought that folks would be asking that question, but here we are. My daughter even ask me on the way to school, "How many people do you think will blow off the game to stay at home and watch the World Series?"

That's a tough one. "I don't know" was my answer. There are life long Rangers fans who have been waiting their entire lives for the Rangers to be this close to winning a World Championship. There are also people that bleed Black & Gold and Red & Blue.

This is a great problem for folks to have. I am excited that the Rangers fans are getting enjoy a Game 7 with their team in the game. I am excited that Abilene High and Cooper fans are looking forward to winning the Crosstown Showdown and claiming the District 3-5A title. This is a GREAT night for sports fans in Abilene, but what in the world are we going to do?

Here's my best guess. Most folks that have tickets to the Crosstown Showdown will go to Shotwell Stadium, as planned, but they will be, either, watching the World Series on their phone or listening to the game on the radio.

Here at the station, I will be watching both. I am more of a football fan than a baseball fan, so the Crosstown Showdown has most of my attention, but this World Series is right there.

The Future Of The Big XII

2011-10-07T14:51:00.001-07:00

What is the future of the Big XII? I don't think it's so bright. Losing Texas A&M is not the real problem for the conference. The real problem is the Longhorn Network.

This not how this works in the rest of the country. The conference is in charge of the network, not a single school. This give the single school an advantage over the other schools in the conference.

It is great for the University of Texas. They get the advantage, and if history tells us anything, they will take the advantage.

Why in the world did the other members of the conference lets the Longhorns have their own network? If Texas insists on keeping the Longhorn Network to itself, it will kill the conference. The rest of the members of the Big XII are going to get tired of that thing, and they will revolt. It is not a question of if, it is a matter of when.

It's great that the conference is going to add TCU, but until that Longhorn Network problem is solved, the Big XII is in trouble.

Trip Down Memory Lane

2011-06-10T11:46:00.000-07:00

I took a trip down memory lane on Wednesday morning starting at 7am. I got up early to head south to cover the Stamford Bulldogs in the Class A State Baseball Tournament.

I haven't gone to that tournament in years, but because of a short staff, I got to make the trip to Round Rock.

A few things hit me on the way down to and back home from the Austin area.

1)The older you get the harder it is to get up in the morning.
-- The last time I went, I hoped right out of bed and hit the road with no trouble. This time around, it was harder to get my 43 year old bones out of bed.

2)Don't drink a 16 ounce bottle of water and a 20 ounce Diet Coke and then a 32 ounce Diet Coke from McDonald's and another 16 ounce bottle of water on the way.
-- I already knew that in theory, but no I know for fact. It makes the trip longer.

3)I am bad luck for Big Country baseball teams.
-- I have never witnessed a victory in the State Baseball Tournament. Stamford's loss to Johnson City continued a long bad history for me and our teams. It started with the Gorman Panthers in 1991, and it continued in 2011 with Stamford. I am guessing that Big Country teams will be paying me to not go to their games at the State Tournament.

4)Problem with #3, I really enjoy going to the State Baseball Tournament. It's the best baseball in the state of Texas. Who doesn't enjoy a day at the ballpark?

Just A Few Thoughts

2011-03-03T07:06:00.000-08:00

It's been a while, so I am going on a stream of consciousness.

-I am frustrated with the world that we live in these days. Does it bother anyone that there are people out there that will shoot you for cutting them off? Does is bother you that someone shoots the "finger" at you when they make the driving mistake?

People are so hot headed these days that they can't even stop for a second to contain their emotions.

Why is that? I will tell you. It seems that a good chunk of our society stops developing emotionally at the age of 5. If things don't go there way, they pitch a fit like a 5 year old. Problem is, these emotional 5 year olds have guns and are driving cars and motorcycles.

How about we all GROW UP! Grown ups know how to walk away from a difficult situation. Grown ups know that it's smart to just let the guy that cut us off drive away from us. Grown ups know that people make mistakes on the road on occasion, and the grown ups in the room let it go. Grown ups are not looking to fight someone around every corner.

On to more pleasant topics.

-Cooper is about to hire Todd Moebes to be the next head football coach. Moebes has never been a head coach, but he told me on Monday that he is ready for the job because he worked for coaches like Mike Spradlin and Katy's Gary Joseph. I am anxious to see how Moebes handles not only the head coaching duties but the job of athletic coordinator.

There are many examples of hiring from within not working. However, we have 2 great examples of it working right here in Abilene.

Hugh Sandifer was already the basketball coach at Wylie when he was hired to be the head football coach. I would say that 1 state title and 2 state runner-ups make that a good hire.

Steve Warren was an assistant at Abilene High when he was hired to lead the Eagles. 12 straight appearances in the playoffs, 6 district titles and a state championship are good enough for me to call that a success.

Coach Moebes takes over a program that is in much better shape than either Warren or Sandifer took over. He is set up for success, and I hope he has a great deal of success.

-ACU's Edmond Gates really impressed at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis on Sunday. He tied for the fastest 40 yard dash time for wide receivers. Add to that, Gates was 2nd in the broad jump and 5th in the vertical jump. I still question his pass route running ability, and most scouting reports say he can't get off the line of scrimmage if pressured, but he is going to get drafted. F-Y-I, when asked which bird was the fastest, Gates knew that it was the Perigrine Falcon, so he's got that going for him.

-The Wylie girls are back in the State Tournament, and Peyton Little is leading the way. Little, who verbally committed to play for the University of Texas, is easily the best girls basketball player to come through this part of the state since Lynn Corn led Wylie to the state championship in 1990. For the 2nd year in a row, Little has taken the Lady Bulldogs on her back and carried them to Austin. Here's the crazy part. Little is just a Junior, and this Wylie team has just 1 senior. You can look for another trip to Austin in 2012.

Welcome Home

2011-01-28T20:44:00.000-08:00

Coming home.

For me, coming home means I am back at the house after working a 10 hour shift at the television station.(It might be longer during the football season) It is nice to be home, but I was there just 10 hours earlier. I was there earlier in the day, and I will be there tomorrow.

On Friday, I had the opportunity to welcome home 1 of my best friends from fighting in our War on Terror in Southwest Asia. Andy has been gone from his house, his wife, and his family for 6 months. In that 6 month period, his son started high school, his oldest daughter is 6 months closer to starting school, and his youngest started walking.

Coming home for Andy and the rest of the 9th Bomb Squadron is a BIG DEAL.

The scene in the hangar as we waited for Andy and the rest of the deployed 9th was electric. The husbands and wives were almost beside themselves, and the kids couldn't wait to see dad or mom, again. Folks like Conni and me were excited about seeing our friend coming home safely.

The cheers went up when the door opened on the plane at Dyess Air Force Base. Families were calling out the names of their loved ones. Hugs, kisses, and tears of joy were in abundance.

This is the 2nd time I have welcomed my friend Andy back from the war, and it is just as special as the 1st time. For the 2nd time, I am glad he is back with his family, and for the 2nd time, I am glad to have my friend home safe and sound.

WELCOME HOME to the 9th Bomb Squadron at Dyess Air Force Base. May your spotlights shine bright and your bombs always hit their target.

My 1st Christmas Gift Of 2010

2010-12-23T18:29:00.000-08:00

Christmas came early for me on Tuesday morning. I went by AHS head coach Steve Warren's office that morning to catch up and just talk about things, and he told me he didn't get the Angelo State job.

I knew he wanted the job in San Angelo, so I kept calm, but I was absolutely giddy. Coach Warren is a real treat to work with, and I didn't want him to leave. For the media, he is easy to work with on a daily basis during the season. For fans, he is putting a winner on the field each and every season, and for the players, he is helping them become better players and people.

Professionally, the Rams may have blown it by not hiring Coach Warren. I know at least 2 people whose opinions I value, that he would have been a great choice for the school. Steve is a great salesman, and that is part of the job in college football. You have to sell your program to the kids you are recruiting, and it's hard to sell the Concho Valley. Coach Warren could have done it. He is not a man that is stuck in his ways. The Eagles offense changed from the Wing-T to a Spread to pass offense to a Spread to run offense.

Personally, the Rams may have blown it because they had a guy wanting the job who loves Angelo State, and a guy that would do anything to help turn his alma matter into a winner, again.

I am glad Steve is staying with us in Abilene. Merry Christmas to me, and Merry Christmas to all of the Abilene High fans.

The Football Trip II(a.k.a. The Tuba Principle)

2010-12-05T05:09:00.000-08:00

My dad and I continued our trip around the metroplex on Saturday. We were in search of high school football, and we found 2 more games.

Southlake Carroll and Denton Guyer played in the 1st game we went to see. Most you know that Guyer and Carroll are the teams that knocked Cooper and Abilene High out of the playoffs in the 3rd round. I wanted to see who would win between the 2. I thought Guyer was better, and I was right. The wind was blowing 30 to 40 miles per hour through out the game, and the team with the wind in the 4th was going to win. Guyer had the wind and won by 10. By the way, I still haven't met anyone that had anything good to say about Guyer head coach and former Merkel Badger John Walsh.

Dad and I shared a press box suite with the scouts for Longview and Mesquite Horn. I learned 3 things.
1)Scouts work hard during the course of a game, at least the Longview scouts do. They were constantly talking to each other about the formations and the personel in those formations.

2)The Tuba Principle: The team with the most tubas will win the game. That stat is a part of every scouting report the Longview scouts do, and they say it's about 80 percent accurate. It didn't work in the Guyer/Carroll game, but it did work in the Tatum/Cameron Yoe game later that night. Cameron 2 tubas to 1 over Tatum. Yoe won, 28-14. On Friday night, it worked, again. Mart won the tuba battle 4 to nothing, and won the game 58-7. I promise I will be paying attention to that little detail until the day I die.

3)Our press box suite was next to the Southlake Carroll assistants, and it is a kick to watch the assistant coaches in the press box. I mean those guys put on a show like no other. Counters in the coaches' box have to be reenforced somehow. The Carroll assistants put that counter through a workout. The were pounding on that thing at least 2 times per series. They shout up there like someone on the playing field can hear them. I know that they are connected to other coaches, but these guys were shouting at the top of their lungs like what they were saying was somehow going to magically get to the ears of the player they were yelling at in the middle of the field.

The final game of the trip was played in Ennis. As I mentioned earlier, Cameron Yoe beat Tatum in a very good Class 2A Div. I quarterfinal game. The game was good, but the food in the press box was worthy of note. We had stew and chicken soup, sandwiches, and cookies. Everything was homemade, and everything was good. I don't think I have ever been in a press box that had homemade food. It was a real treat and the ladies that made the food were huge football fans and a delight to be around. Our visit to Ennis was a great way to end the trip this year. Good football and good people make the trip even better.

So here's a recap...

-Mart was a lot better than Muenster, and I think it helps defend my belief that there are too many teams in the Class 2A and A playoffs now that they are divided up into divisions.
-Assistant coaches in the press box are a HOOT to watch.
-Scouts really do work.
-THE TEAM WITH THE MOST TUBAS WINS THE GAME. The theory was 2-1 on the trip.

The Football Trip

2010-12-04T06:59:00.001-08:00

For those of you just entering my life, the 1st weekend in December is the weekend for my annual football trip with my dad. We find football games in the metroplex and sit in the stands or the press box and watch. Watching football isn't something I get to do very often so it's a real treat for me.

We started with a Class A Div. I game between Mart and Muenster. It's the 1st time we've watched a Class A game on the trip, but since my dad grew up playing 6-man football for Klondike, we were looking forward to seeing the game. Turns out, Mart was a lot better than Muenster, and they beat them 58 to 7.

The real story of the night happened on the way to the hotel. That's when we started listening to the game between Euless Trinity and Coppell. It was a real back and forth game that came down to the final play of the game. Coppell led Trinity by 5 with 3 seconds to go in the game. Trinity was at the 3 yard line. It was a real nail-biter. The final play, Trinity lines up... and then the radio broadcast went silent. No kidding. Nothing. They lost the signal. The game was gone. Commercials started playing and dad and I sat there and waited. Nothing on the game. NOTHING! Unbelievable. We got out of the car with nothing.

Turns out Trinity scored to win the game 41-40. They move on, Coppell goes home.

That's the way it goes in the playoffs. 1 game down. 2 to go.

We Are Going To Miss You Coach

2010-11-16T15:52:00.000-08:00

The Jimmie Keeling era is over at Hardin-Simmons University, and what an era it was. Coach Keeling led the Cowboys to 10 conference championships and 20 playoff games. He won 172 games and lost just 53. The Cowboys program went from nonexistent in 1989, to a national power by the end of the 1994 season.

The school picked the right guy to lead the Cowboys program, if the were looking for a guy who could take a group of football players and make them a team, but that's not all they got.

Keeling was a great example for the players. You have no idea how many players I have come across after their playing days were over who said, "Coach Keeling was like a father to me." Former Cowboy quarterback Justin Feaster said, "For the last 5 years, Coach Keeling has been the most influential person in my life. I have the utmost respect for Coach Keeling and everything he stands for."

When we asked him to talk about 1 of his stars, he always started with, "First of all, he's a really good kid." He loved having good football players, but he expected his guys to be "good kids", first.

Jimmie Keeling was more than a football coach. He was a life coach. Coach Keeling shaped players for his entire career. He showed the men on his team how to live with his example, and then helped them become productive members of society.

He was also a trainer of coaches. Countless former players and graduate assistants are coaching right now in the high school or college ranks because Coach Keeling gave them a shot on his staff.

Jimmie Keeling won over 500 games as a head coach in high school and college, but that was not his greatest area of impact. He made the people around him better people, and that's why HSU is going to miss Coach Keeling.

That's why I am going to miss Coach Keeling.

The Rangers And The Little Southwest Conference

2010-10-07T22:09:00.001-07:00

I know it's really football season, but I have to talk a little about the Rangers. Some of us never thought it would happen. The Texas Rangers have won 2 games in a series for the 1st time in franchise history. Big bats and great pitching have led the Rangers to the brink of a berth in the American League Championship Series. Cliff Lee and C.J. Wilson got the job done on the hill, and the offense scored 11 runs in 2 games. Game 3 is Saturday. Let's hope they can put the Rays away on Saturday and move on to the ALCS.

Now to high school football. It is time. The Little Southwest Conference opens play today. What a treat for everyone in West Texas. The last 2 years were a little more empty without the Abilene, Midland, and Odessa schools getting together every Friday night to decide the District Championship. Great traditions, great stadiums and passionate fans. Both Steve Warren and Mike Spradlin said this week that if you don't come to play on any Friday night in this district, you will probably go home with a loss in the books.

The top matchup of the week looks to be between undefeated Cooper and undefeated Midland Lee. I am looking forward to seeing how the Cougars will do in a game against tougher competition for the 1st time since the 2nd week of the season.

Abilene High opens district against Odessa High. The Broncos are a running football team, and if history tells us anything, it tells us that if you bring a one dimensional team up against the Eagles, you will lose.

It is great to have the old district back together, again.

That's not the only great district in the Big Country. District 5-3A looks like it's going to be a dogfight this year. Well, at least a dog and cat fight. The Brownwood Lions are most likely the favorite as the top ranked team in the state in Class 3A, but Snyder, Wylie, Sweetwater, and Big Spring will be right there on their heels. It's a good district and it will be fun to see which 3 teams come out and head to the playoffs.

Now let's sit back and enjoy the fun. The fight for the high school football playoffs is here.

I Tweeted!

2010-09-13T14:09:00.000-07:00

So there I was watching the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins on Sunday night, and I decided to do something I haven't ever done. I tweeted on BCH Sports Twitter for the entire game.

Yes, the guy that was scared to death when KTAB finally got computers in the newsroom back in 1999. My wife even came into the living room and asked me who I was texting with. I said, "I am tweeting about the game." She answered, "I bet you never thought you would say that phrase in your life, did you?" "You have no idea", I replied.

I am what you call "old school". I am usually about 2 years late on most trends, especially when it comes to technology. But that was me, on my couch with my cell phone "tweeting". I can finally see that Twitter is good for things like Sunday night's game between the Cowboys and the Redskins. If you aren't able to watch the game, you can get info from a person or organization like Big Country Homepage Sports on Twitter.

I end this by saying it is hard to teach an old dog new tricks, but it is not impossible. This old dog used Twitter for 3 hours, and I even enjoyed myself.

Things Have Changed In 20 Years

2010-08-14T05:31:00.001-07:00

Personally, I am about to celebrate my 20th anniversary at KTAB. That is a great accomplishment because many folks were not sure I would last 1 month. None of the high school athletes we cover were born when I got my big break at KTAB on September 4th.

A lot has changed in 20 years. Let me take you back to the football scene in Abilene in 1990. Abilene High and Cooper each won just 1 game and lost 9. Wylie was the good team, but they were not WYLIE we know now. The Bulldogs advanced to the 3rd round for the 1st time in school history that year. College football, HSU restarted their football program and won 4 games. That's good for a 1st year program and it was the best of any Abilene university. Like AHS and CHS, ACU and McMurry each won 1 game and lost 9.

In 1990, Abilene high schools and universities were 16-47.

In 2009, Abilene high schools and universities were 57-18. AHS won state, Wylie went to the championship game, and ACU went to Division II playoffs.

It's been a great 20 years and I am looking forward to more down the road.

Football practice is rocking and rolling and preparations for the 2010 season are going all over the Big Country and that includes Big Country Homepage Sports. Manny and Tyler are traveling all over the area talking to the coaches and the players of our Big Country schools.

In just 2 weeks, we've been to: Abilene High, Cooper, Wylie, Brownwood, Bangs, Albany, Clyde, Cisco, Eastland, Snyder, Rotan, Roby, Anson, Hawley, Jim Ned, Breckenridge, Sweetwater, and Roscoe. In short we've been busy. All of that on top of the fact that we are planing a Tailgate party at Double Dave's on August 21st to get the season started in the right way. We will be playing games and giving away prizes from 4:30 to 7 that Saturday night to get the rest of you as excited about the new season. We will cap the night with a live television event from 6pm to 7pm at the Tailgate party when we will preview the upcoming 2010 season.

One more thing, the next time you see Manny Diaz out and about be sure to congratulate him on his marriage to his new wife Candace.

Why Are We Doing This Again?

2010-06-24T13:34:00.000-07:00

Why are we doing this again?

The United Baseball League is bringing another test series to the Big Country to see if there is a market for minor league baseball.

This is the 3rd time a league has tried to bring minor league baseball back to the Key City and the Big Country since the Abilene Prairie Dogs of the Texas-Louisiana League folded. The previous tries at Driggers Field and in Sweetwater were failures. Why are we doing it again? Why are people going to come to ACU's Scott Field to watch 2 teams they don't have anything invested in?

Simply, they aren't going to come and watch the games. That may be an over simplification. Some people will come watch baseball no matter who's playing. The organizers, 1 of which is former Prairie Dogs general manager Byron Pearce, are hoping for at least 1500 people per game. If that happens, Pearce has said that he might start the process of bringing a team back to Abilene. Let me say the United Baseball League and Pearce the trouble, 1500 people will not come to Scott Field to watch the games.

I think it's great that people want to bring professional baseball back to the Big Country, but until we get someone to bring an affiliated minor league baseball team with a new baseball stadium, minor league baseball is not going to work in Abilene.

May 21, 1988: "THE DAY"

2010-05-20T08:28:00.001-07:00

As nice as it would be to remember every detail of every day, there are certain days in your lifethat stick out more that others. That's just a fact of life. Athletes have championships. Historians have July 4th. Teachers have the last day of school. Accountants have April 15th.

I call them, "1 of those days." They are the days that I will always remember.

-September 8th, 1994 and March 14th, 1996 are 2 of "those days" because they are the days my daughters were born.

-Texas A&M beat Texas in 1985, 42 to 10 for the Southwest Conference championship. I was at Kyle Field. That was "1 of those days".

-ACU beat West Texas State in 1987 for the Lone Star Conference basketball championship. I was in the 2nd row of Section F of Moody Coliseum. That was "1 of those days".

-I got to cover Abilene High's victory over Katy for the State Championship in 2009. That was "1 of those days".

-On September 4th 1988, I met Conni Birdwell for the 1st time. That was "1 of those days" that led to THE day.

All of those are great, but the most important day of my life was May 21st, 1988. That is the day my wife, Conni, and I tied the knot. That day was "THE DAY" for so many reasons. That day shaped how my life was going to go.

"THE DAY" helped motivate me to complete my college education and get a job.

I am working at KTAB now because I got married to Conni on "THE DAY." When I was in college I wasn't the most motivated person in the world. I would hear about jobs and not pursue them because I was lazy. After we got married, I heard about a job doing stats for David Bacon during high school and college football games. 2 years later, David got me a job at KTAB, and the rest is history.

I am sure I am a better person because I married Conni on "THE DAY". She has a heart of gold, and I am driven to be like her as far as her compassion for others, her passion for life, and her drive to live a life that would please God.

Conni helped me get through the death of our oldest daughter, Hillary. As you can imagine, our world was rocked when she died shortly after birth because of a heart defect, but Conni and I had each other to help us get through it.

My marriage to Conni on "THE DAY" helps me be a good father to our daughter, Allison. Conni has a tender touch as a mother, and I try to emulate that touch in my approach. I am driven to be a good dad because I want our daughter to grow to be a Christian and a good person who will be a leader for her generation, and I want to please my wife.

Everyone's life is changed the day they got married, so I don't want to say mine was changed more that anyone else. I'm just saying, not everyone is as keenly aware of how important their wedding day was for them, as I am.

May 21, 1988 was "THE DAY". The most important day of my life, and I am so fortunate that God put Conni in my life.

Happy Anniversary, Bun.

Mock Draft For 2010

2010-04-21T15:25:00.000-07:00

The NFL Draft is coming up, so I decided to take a shot at who will pick who in the 1st round. Remember, I am guessing just like everyone else, so cut me some slack.

2010 NFL Draft

1. St. Louis: Sam Bradford, QB, OU

2.Detroit: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska

3.Tampa Bay: Gerald McCoy, DT, OU

4.Washington: Russell Okung, OT, OK State

5.Kansas City: Trent Williams, OT, OU

6.Seattle: Eric Berry, S, Tennessee

7.Cleveland: Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland

8.Oakland: Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa

9.Buffalo: Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame

10.Jacksonville: Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama

11.Denver: Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech

12.Miami: C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson

13.San Francisco: Dez Bryant, WR, Ok. State

14.Seattle: Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida

15. N.Y. Giants: Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee

16.Tennessee:Joe Haden, CB, Florida

17.San Francisco: Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers

18.Pittsburgh: Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame

19.Atlanta: Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise St.

20.Houston: Earl Thomas, S, Texas

21.Cincinnati: Taylor Mays, S, USC

22.New England: Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan

23.Green Bay: Sergio Kindle, DE/OLB, Texas

24. Philadelphia: Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri

25. Baltimore: Jermaine Gresham, TE, OU

26.Arizona: Brian Price, DT, UCLA

27.Dallas: Charles Brown, T, USC

28.San Diego: Ryan Mathews, RB, Fresno St.

29.N.Y. Jets: Markuis Pouncey, C/G, Florida

30.Minnesota: Matthew Cody, DT, Alabama

31. Indianapolis: Mike Iupati, G, Idaho

32. New Orleans: Everson Griffen, DE, USC

Also:

-I think the Browns will take Texas quarterback Colt McCoy in the 2nd round.

-Former ACU Wildcat lineman Tony Washington will be taken by the Cowboys in the 3rd round.

-Look for Tim Tebow to be selected somewhere in the 2nd or 3rd round.

Tiger says, "I am sorry."

2010-02-19T08:21:00.000-08:00

An apology, no questions, and he's gone. I have a statement, an apology, another statement and I'm gone.

Tigers apology:

Tiger Woods finally spoke to the world today. He didn't say much about the affairs that he had on his wife, but he did acknowledge that he had affairs. He let people know that he is sorry for the pain he caused his wife and children. He went on to say that his wife and his children were the most important things in his life.

Tiger went further in apologizing to fans, co-workers, and the students in his foundation for his "irresponsible" behavior.

My statement:

It sounds like he has turned a corner. We will see. A tiger doesn't change his strips easily, and we will see if Tiger is the exception to the rule.

I have a real problem with Tiger not letting people ask his questions. He says most of this issue is a private matter, but I am not buying it. He is a public figure. He put himself on the world stage. He made his "private life" public in the profession he chose.

You want to control the story anyway you can, and Tiger is the ultimate control freak. I get it, it is the smart thing to do. However, it would have shown me more if he had spent the morning in front of camera's and reporters for 2 hours answering questions.

My apology:

I am sorry that Tiger apparently didn't know that fooling around on his wife was wrong. I am sorry that Tiger was amoral for most of his adult life. I am sorry that his friends did not see that his arrogance was going to get him in trouble.

Another statement:

I am a Tiger Woods golf fan. I will watch this guy play golf as long as he plays golf. My dad had Jack Nicklaus, and I have Tiger Woods. However, I will not look at him the same. I made the mistake of putting him on a pedestal. I tell my daughter not to do that in relation to celebrities. I should have listened. I am a fan of his golf. I hope to be a fan of his life one day.

UIL Realignment

2010-02-01T18:46:00.000-08:00

I am glad that Cooper and Abilene High are back in the same district. The last 2 years have been fun with CHS in Class 4A and AHS in a different Class 5A district, but it going to be fun to go back to the future.

The Cougars and the Eagles are headed west to play the teams from the Little Southwest Conference. For you young'uns, the Little Southwest Conference is Abilene High, Cooper, Midland High, Midland Lee, Odessa High, and Odessa Permian.

Abilene High dominated the old district with 3 district championships in 4 years, and their State Championship in 2009 means they will probably be the favorite to win the District 3-5A championship.

The Cougars are vastly improved from their last season in Class 5A, but don't forget, the Cougars went to the playoffs after the 2007 season, which was their last in Class 5A.

Based on what happened the last few years, Abilene High and Cooper will be among the favorites to go to the playoffs in 2010. The Cougars return a good number of their skill position and defensive players. Abilene High has 1st team All-American Herschel Sims back in the backfield with his cousin, Ronnell Sims, at quarterback to lead the Eagles into the defense of their State crown.

When you think about West Texas football, you think about Abilene, Midland, and Odessa.

You think about the Little Southwest Conference.

It's GOOD to have the old district back together, again.

My Football Weekend Pt. 3

2009-12-06T06:56:00.000-08:00

Just so you guys will know. This weekend isn't just about football. This is a time for me to hang with my dad and do what we used to do when I was young. Football has always been an important part of our relationship. I didn't play, but we watched football together. We still watch football together, and it's one of the things I look forward to most in the year.

Usually, we make our way into a press box when we go on this trip, so we don't have to sit in the cold. No such luck for the 3rd and final game of the trip.

Dad and I were out in the cold, and I do mean cold for the Class 4A game between Waxahachie and Longview. The winner will face Guyer in the quarterfinals.

Dad and I were all bundled up in 5 layers and ready to watch some football, and we saw a game that we will not forget for a long time. We saw a 20 point lead get blown. We saw hard hits. We saw the longest pass play in high school football history. We saw a team get dominated down the stretch.

Longview was not ready to go when the game started. Waxahachie jumped out to a 20-0 lead 7 minutes into the 1st quarter, and we thought we were going to freeze for nothing.

Wait just a minute. That's when Longview woke up from their winter nap. The Lobos scored 21 points before halftime to take the lead for the 1st time.

The 2nd half is when it go really interesting. Both teams were pounding on each other and delivering hard hits in the 3rd and 4th quarters.

3rd quarter, Longview pins Hachie at their half yard line, and that's when we saw the longest pass play in Texas high school history. How about a 99-yard touchdown pass for the Indians that put them back in front by 5, 26-21. Beautiful pass and run. It was probably a tie for the longest pass play, but the longest none the less.

Then Longview took over. They ran the ball over, through, and around the Waxahachie defense to the tune of 29 unanswered points.

Longview wins 50-26 after trailing to start the game, 20 to nothing. What a turnaround. Dad and I almost forgot we were cold. WOW!

So the football part of the trip was over, or so we thought. We got in the car to head to the hotel, and heard the final play of the Big 12 Championship game. Bonus football on this weekend from heaven! Texas wins on a last second field goal and they are headed to the BCS National Championship game.

What a day! What a weekend! Now it's over, but it's just 364 days until it starts, again.

My Football Weekend Pt.2

2009-12-06T06:52:00.000-08:00

I Forgot to explain how this all started. My friend Jason, who didn’t get to come this year, is the guy that introduced me to the thrills of the 1st weekend in December. We saw a tripleheader at Texas Stadium in 1996, I decided right then and there that I loved watching high school football.

Before he had kids, Jason traveled all over West Texas to find football games during the playoffs. Now, I make sure the 1st weekend in December is open so I can go watch football.
Originally, the trip was a day trip, but the older we got, the more we liked the idea of not driving back to Abilene in the middle of the night. So, now the wives, kids and my parents come on Friday. The guys go watch football, and the ladies go shopping.

The 1st game on Saturday features 2 of the best 4A schools in the state with 2 of the best quarterbacks in the state.. Denton Guyer and Denton Ryan met at C.H. Collins Stadium in Denton. These 2 teams are both ranked in the top 10 in the Harris Ratings, and they finished 1 and 2 in district play.

Guyer quarterback J.W. Walsh is a cherished recruit for every team in the state, and Ryan quarterback Scotty Young is headed to play at Texas Tech.

The 1st half was sloppy. Guyer fumbled 4 times, and Young threw 2 interceptions for Ryan. Guyer returned the interception 72 yards for a score. The Wildcat led, 14 to 6 at the half.
As sloppy as the 1st half was, the 2nd half was even worse. Young threw 3 more interceptions.

Guyer ran out of bounds with the lead and kicked an ill-advised onside kick in the 4th quarter that kept Ryan in it. Not a great game, but still fun to watch.

Denton Guyer stays alive with a 28-25 victory over rival Denton Ryan.

Dad and I are off to the next game between Waxahachie and Longview.

My Football Weekend Pt. 1

2009-12-04T17:27:00.000-08:00

This is the week of my annual high school football trip. Usually, we are at the Texas Stadium on the 2nd Saturday of December and the UIL brings us 3 football games.

This year, no such luck. So, my dad and I are spending the weekend driving all over the metroplex to get our football fix. We will watch a game in Arlington, Denton, and south Dallas.

It started Friday night at Maverick Stadium. The number 1 ranked Abilene High Eagles taking on Arlington Bowie.

Herschel Sims started the scoring with a 2 yard touchdown run in the 1st quarter. The score capped a 17 play, 98 yard drive for Abilene High. Abilene High led the game, 7-0 at the end of the 1st quarter.

The Eagles never looked back on this Friday. Sims scored touchdowns on the next 3 possessions and Abilene High was on its way. Sims carried the ball 37 times for 212 yards. Tony Curtis added another touchdown to give the Eagles a 28 point lead.

Abilene High is on to the next round with an easy 35 to 7 victory over Arlington Bowie.

My dad and I are off to the next game. We will be in Denton to watch the Denton Ryan/Denton Guyer game on Saturday.

Key Games In Week 10

2009-10-30T06:38:00.000-07:00

District 3-5A

13)AHS Eagles vs. Richland

We start with the Abilene High Eagles and their matchup with the Richland Rebels. This is the toughest test the Eagles will face in the district schedule. The Eagles are 4 and 0 so far in District 3-5A. Richland is 3 and 1 after losing to Weatherford last week. Abilene High can clinch a share of the title with a victory tonight. The district championship would be their 2nd in a row and 5th in the last 6 years. Abilene High and Richland meet at the Birdville Fine Arts and Athletic Complex at 7:30.

District 4-4A

19)CHS Cougars vs. Frenship

The Cooper Cougars are in exactly the same place they were 365 days ago. They are preparing to play Frenship with a district championship on the line. The Cougars are the only 3 and 0 team left in District 4-4A, and they will earn their 1st championship since 2003 with a victory. Last year, Frenship beat the Cougars at Shotwell Stadium and won the District title outright. This year, Frenship is fighting for their playoff lives with a 1 and 2 record. The Cougars and Tigers play tonight up in Wollforth.

District 2-3A

3)Wylie vs. 15)Graham

The Wylie Bulldogs are playing for their 11th straight district championship. The seniors on this team were 7 years old when the current streak started. The Bulldogs have to slow down Case McCoy and the Steers high powered offense in order to claim a share of that title tonight. Wylie and Graham are comparable as far as stats are concerned. Wylie scores just over 34 points a game. Graham scores 35. Wylie gives up just over 14 points a game. Graham gives up just over 15. They play in Graham.

15)Brownwood vs. Sweetwater

Breckenridge vs. Snyder

District 6-2A

Eastland vs. 12)Cisco

The Eastland County War will settle the district championship in District 6-2A this week. Both the Cisco Loboes and the Eastland Mavericks are unbeaten in district play, and the winner of their week 10 matchup will be the champion. Cisco head coach Brent West says the rivalry has been friendly since he got there, but this week's game will be for all the marbles.

Merkel vs. Anson

Hawley vs. Clyde

District 7-2A

Colorado City vs. Ballinger

Colorado City needs a win this week to set a possible championship game with Wall next week. The Wolves enter tonight's game with a 3-0 record in District 7-2A. Colorado City is winning their games by 8 points a game. Ballinger enters the game still looking for their 1st district win of the season.

Jim Ned vs. Grape Creek

District 8-2A

San Saba vs. Comanche

Early vs. Coleman

District 9-A

Archer City vs. 17)Munday

District 11-A

Haskell vs. Hamlin

The District 11-A title is on the line tonight in Hamlin. The Pied Pipers and the Haskell Indians are both unbeaten in district play. Hamlin's offense is putting 30 points a game on the board in District 11-A play. Haskell is scoring 38 points in district. The differnce in this one comes on the defensive side of the ball. The Pipers allow just 13 points a game this year while the Indians are allowing 23 points.

Roscoe vs. Rotan

Stamford vs. Roby

District 12-A

Cross Plains vs. 7)Albany

The Albany Lions are the 7th ranked team in the state, and they can earn a shot at the outright district title next week with a win this week. The Lions are 8 and 0 overall this season, and 3-0 in district play. If they beat Cross Plains at home this week, Albany will take on Bronte for the District 12-A crown.

Winters vs. Baird

District 15-A

Deleon vs. Tolar

Gorman vs. Santo

Ranger vs. Perrin-Whitt

District 25-A

2)Goldthwaite vs. Meridian

TAPPS 6-man

ACHS Panthers vs. Grabury Happy Hill Academy

Key Games For Week 9

2009-10-23T07:56:00.001-07:00

District 3-5A

AHS Eagles vs. Haltom

The Abilene High Eagles are back on the field this week after last week's open date to take on Haltom. The Eagles are tied at the top of the district with a 3 and oh record, and they lead Haltom by a half game. Statistically, this one is not a contest. The Eagles are averaging 45 points a game and Haltom averages just 18 per game, and Abilene High beat the Buffaloes last year, 70 to 6. Head coach Steve Warren says his team can clinch their 11th playoff berth in a row with a win at the Birdville Fine Arts and Athletic Complex in North Richland Hills.

District 4-4A

Big Spring vs. CHS Cougars

The 2-0 Cooper Cougars and the 2-0 Big Spring Steers meet for the District lead at Shotwell Stadium for the game of the year in District 4-4A. Offensively, the 2 teams are really even. Cooper averages 41 points a game. Big Spring averages 42 points per game. Both teams average just over 7 yards per play. Big Spring has found the endzone 41 times in 7 games. Cooper has scored 40 touchdowns. The game for the district lead is at Shotwell Stadium at 7:30.

District 2-3A

Graham vs. Brownwood

The Brownwood Lions picked up their 1st win in district play last week, they try to make it 2 in a row this week against Graham. Brownwood head coach Bob Shipley and Graham head coach Brad McCoy are best of friends, but coach Shipley says once the game starts they will be arch rivals. Graham is led by UT commit Case McCoy at quarterback and they are ranked 10th in the state. The game is set for Gordon Wood Stadium in Brownwood.

Breckenridge vs. Wylie

Snyder vs. Sweetwater

District 6-2A

Merkel vs. Eastland

Merkel and Eastland are set to meet in Eastland this week, and in a surprise, both teams are 2-0 in district play. Merkel has wins over Clyde and Hawley, while Eastland beat Hawley and Anson to open the district. Eastland is scoring 48 points a game in their last 2 games as compared to the 37 points Merkel is scoring. The Badgers have a marque victory over Clyde on their resume.

Cisco vs. Hawley

Anson vs. Clyde

District 7-2A

Wall vs. Jim Ned

The Jim Ned stumbled last week in their game with Colorado City, and they are trying to get back in the winner's circle this week against 2-0 Wall. The Indians enter the night tied with Coahoma for the final playoff berth in the district. They need a victory to maintain their place in the standings. Wall and Jim Ned meet in Tuscola at 7:30.

Colorado City vs. Coahoma

Ballinger vs. Grape Creek

District 8-2A

Comanche vs. Early

Coleman vs. Brady

Dublin vs. Bangs

District 11-A

Roscoe vs. Haskell

A good matchup in the district this week. The Roscoe Plowboys, who are 2-0 in District 11-A, are set to face the Haskell Indians, who are also 2-0. Both teams enter the game with victories over Stamford in the 1st 2 weeks of the district schedule. The winner of the game will remain at the top of District 11-A.

Hamlin vs. Stamford

Rotan vs. Roby

District 12-A

Albany vs. Winters

The top ranked Albany Lions are back in action this week, but they are on the road for the 1st time in District 12-A. The Lions are averaging 52 points a game in district play, and they have allowed just 2 touchdowns. Winters is tied with Cross Plains with a 1-1 record. They can really enhance their chances of a berth in the playoffs with a victory over the Lions.

Miles vs. Baird

Bronte vs. Cross Plains

District 25-A

Valley Mills vs. Goldthwaite

The 3rd ranked Goldthwaite Eagles look to improve to 2-0 in district play this week in their home game with Valley Mills. The Eagles survived their toughest test of the season last week when they beat Chilton, 38-30. With the exception of that game, the Eagles have allowed just 4 touchdowns. They try to get back on track at home in a battle of Eagles at 7:30.

District 9-A

Munday vs. Windthorst

District 15-A

Perrin-Whitt vs. Deleon

Tolar vs. Gorman

Santo vs. Ranger

Top Games In Week 8

2009-10-16T06:18:00.000-07:00

District 4-4A

The Cooper Cougars are trying to go 2-0 in District 4-4A for the 2nd year in a row. The Cougars host San Angelo Lake View at Shotwell Stadium tonight. Cooper's "D" will get another good test from another spread offense, but they responded well in the district opener against Hereford. The defense allowed the 2nd best offense in the district in the end zone just 2 times last week. This week they face a mirror image of themselves. Lake View Head coach Sterling Gilbert is a former Cooper assistant under head coach Mike Spradlin, and he runs, for the most part, the same offense and the same defense.

District 3-5A

Abilene High is off this week.

District 2-3A

The Wylie Bulldogs are facing another tough road game in District 2-3A. They head north this week to face the Snyder Tigers. Wylie started district with a 20-point victory over Brownwood, and Snyder lost to Graham by 2 touchdowns last week. Coach Sandifer says his 3-ranked Bulldogs have a challenge on their hands with the Tigers. Sandifer and Snyder coach Chad Rogers have been coaching at their schools longer than any other coach in the district.

Brownwood vs. Breckenridge

Sweetwater vs. Graham

District 6-2A

District 6-2A features a rematch of one of last year's top games. The 10th ranked Cisco Loboes are set to host the Clyde Bulldogs. Last year, Clyde beat Cisco and went on to be the district champs. This year, Cisco enters the game undefeated. Clyde lost their district opener last week to Snyder. The Bulldogs enter the game short-handed after the injury to quarterback Landon Liles. Cisco has given up just 6 points in their last 3 games.

Hawley vs. Merkel

Eastland vs. Anson

District 7-2A

Colorado City and Jim Ned top the list of games in District 7-2A. Both the Wolves and the Indians won their district opener's last week. Colorado City kicked a field goal on the last play of the game to beat Grape Creek. Jim Ned beat Coahoma in a scoringfest. The Indians 37 points in that game is a season best. They play in Colorado City.

Coahoma vs. Ballinger

District 8-2A

The Brady/Comanche game in Comanche is the best matchup of the night in the area. Both the Bulldogs and and the Indians are undefeated heading into the game. Brady is ranked 8th in the state, and they are scoring 41 points a game in district play. Comanche is averaging 39 points a game, and they are giving up just 8 points a game.

Bangs vs. Coleman

Early vs. San Saba

District 11-A

The state-ranked Stamford Bulldogs try to get things going again this week in Roscoe. The Bulldogs lost their district opener to Haskell last week. Roscoe is 1-0 in district play after beating Roby by 20 points. The Plowboys are trying to beat Stamford for the second year in a row in District 11-A.

Roby vs. Hamlin

Haskell vs. Rotan

District 12-A

The Albany Lions continue what most expect to be a leisurely stroll through their 1st 4 district games against Baird. The Lions are scoring 49 points a game, and they have allowed just 3 touchdowns in their last 2 games.

Winters vs. Bronte

Cross Plains vs. Miles

District 9-A

2007 Class A State Champion Munday will be at home for game 2 of District 9-A play against Electra. The Moguls won their district opener with Seymour, and they are riding a 3-game winning streak. In that streak, Munday is averaging 35 points a game.

District 15-A

DeLeon at Santo

Gorman at Ranger

District 25-A

Goldthwaite vs. Chilton

Be sure to watch KTAB Football Extreme on Friday night on KTAB at 10:20.

Week 7 Top Games

2009-10-09T06:23:00.001-07:00

District 3-5A

The Abilene High Eagles start a 4 week road odyssey this week against the Weatherford Kangaroos. They will be on the road against Weatherford, Haltom, and Richland with an open date thrown in on October 16th. The Eagles are 2-0 in District 3-5A play with victories over Burleson and Fort Worth Paschal. Weatherford is 1-0 with a 7-point victory over Paschal. The Eagles have to stop the 'Roos running game to win their 18th straight regular season game. They kickoff at 7:30 in Weatherford.

District 4-4A

The Cooper Cougars are back in action this week after last week's open date, and they start District 4-4A play up in Hereford. The Cougars finished their non-district with 3 straight close loses to good Class 5A schools. Head coach Mike Spradlin's team opens up against the undefeated Hereford Whitefaces up in the panhandle. The Whitefaces feature the 2nd best passing offense in the district, and Cooper's offense is the best in the district. Cooper and Hereford open District 4-4A in Hereford at 7:30pm.

District 2-3A

4)Wylie vs. 18)Brownwood

The state-ranked Wylie Bulldogs and Brownwood Lions are set for their District 2-3A opener. Wylie enters the match-up with a 4-0 record and they are the 4th ranked team in the state. Brownwood is 4-1 and ranked 18th in Class 3A. The Bulldogs are trying to open District 2-3A by beating Brownwood for the 2nd year in a row. The 'Dogs and Lions get together at Gordon Wood Stadium tonight.

Snyder vs. 9)Graham

Breckenridge vs. Sweetwater

District 6-2A

Anson vs. 8)Cisco

The Cisco Loboes are ranked 8th in the state and they are the only undefeated team in District 6-2A. They open district play against the Anson Tigers. The Tigers are 1-4 heading into this game. Cisco's offense is rolling over opponents so far this season. They are averaging 38 points a game, and the Loboes defense has allowed just 6 touchdowns in 5 games.

Merkel vs. Clyde

Eastland vs. Hawley

District 7-2A

Colorado City vs. Grape Creek

Colorado City opens District 7-2A against Grape Creek. The Wolves lost their final non-district game to Cisco, but they are ready to put that behind them this week against Grape Creek tonight. Colorado's offense is led by running back Jamarcus Brooks. The Wolves and Eagles kickoff at Grape Creek at 7:30.

Coahoma vs. Jim Ned

Ballinger vs. Wall

District 8-2A

Comanche vs. Bangs

The top matchup in District 8-2A features a team that is trying to keep it's roll going, and a team that is trying to rebound. The Comanche Indians travel to Bangs to take on the Dragons. Comanche is undefeated and averaging 37 points a game, and they just scored 62 points last week. Bangs is coming off their 1st loss in district play to San Saba. The Dragons have lost 2 of their last 3 games.

Coleman vs. Dublin

San Saba vs. Brady

District 9-A

Seymour vs. Munday

A good matchup in District 9-A tonight in Munday. The Moguls have just 1 loss heading into their game with undefeated Seymour. The Panthers are outscoring their opponents by 3 touchdowns in every game.

District 11-A

Miles vs. 1)Albany

Defending District 11-A champ, Albany, opens district play against Miles tonight. Albany is led on the ground by running back Elijah Hudson, who has already passed the 1-thousand yard mark in leading his team to a 5-0 record and a #1 ranking.

Bronte vs. Baird

Cross Plains vs. Winters

District 12-A

Haskell vs. Stamford

Roscoe vs. Roby

Rotan vs. Hamlin

District 15-A

Ranger vs. DeLeon

Perrin-Whitt vs. Gorman

Be sure to watch KTAB Football Extreme tonight at 10:20pm on KTAB.

Something New For David: SURGERY PART 2

2009-08-14T11:35:00.002-07:00

I had my surgery on Thursday, and got some good news.

My rotator cuff was not torn. They just had to do a little cleaning up in that area.

I'll be in a sling for 10 days or less, and then, hopefully, I'll be as good as new.

The one thing I did learn is it's a lot harder to wake up than go to sleep. When they gave me the stuff that makes you go to sleep, I was out in five seconds. It took four hours to get me awake enough to go home.

Alot of people wanted video cameras to record the procedure. It's good thing for me that didn't happen because it was not my finest hour.

I do want to say that the nurses and the doctors took good care of me, and they were incredibly patient.

My arm hurts, but that's what happens when you let folks cut on your arm.

Rehab starts on Monday, and unless something weird happens, I will be back on the anchor desk later that night.

I thank you for your prayers, and I ask you to continue praying that my recovery goes smoothly.

I will keep you updated.

Something New For David: SURGERY PART 2

2009-08-14T11:35:00.001-07:00

Something New For David: SURGERY

2009-08-12T13:52:00.000-07:00

I am about to go under the knife for the 1st time in my life. I report to Hendrick at 12:30 Thursday afternoon to undergo shoulder surgery.

This is going to be a new experience for me, so I am just a little nervous. What I mean by that is, I am REALLY nervous. I am in the capable hands of Dr. Britton, but I am still concerned.

The worry stems from the unknown more than anything else.

1)How much is it going to hurt?

2)How long is it going to hurt?

3)How long will I be one-armed?

4)How in the world am I going to do my job?

Here are the answers:

1)A lot

2)for a long time

3)4 weeks or so

4)I have no idea

I am sure everything is going to be okay. I know I have the prayers of many people. You should really be praying for my wife. For 1, I am not the best patient in the world, additionally, Conni is about add being my nurse to being a mom for our daughter and a teacher for your kids.

I will keep you updated.

Dallas Cowboys: Not Quite Good Enough

2009-07-30T12:46:00.000-07:00

The Dallas Cowboys are officially getting ready for the 2009 season down in San Antonio, and for people like me, that means the football season has started.

Most everyone is wondering how the Cowboys are going to do this season, and I tell them, they have the personnel to go to the playoffs and maybe even make some noise. There is a problem, and he's pretty far up the food chain.

1st the personnel. Tony Romo is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and now that he doesn't have to worry about T.O. and Jess, his mind is free to think on football matters and football matters alone.

3 running backs. I think that says it all. Most teams would kill to have 2, 2008 showed us that the Cowboys have 3. Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice are back to take the pressure off Romo and the receiving corps. If you take a look at last season, the offense started to sputter once Jones was injured. Keep that guy healthy, and the Cowboys will score points by the bucket load.

Defensively, the Cowboys are led by Demarcus Ware at outside linebacker. He's good, and Bradie James is a play maker. However, the rest is a bit of an unknown. That said, head coach Wade Phillips is a good defensive coach, so I am pretty sure the Cowboys "D" will be a force to be dealt with for other teams.

Now we come to the problem. While Phillips is a good answer for the defense, his style as a head coach may be the thing that keeps this team out of the playoffs.

Phillips has a history. Because he's a "players coach", the team he takes over does better his 1st year as the head coach, but "players coaches" do not demand discipline, and that means they fall off in his 2nd year. That happened last year in Dallas. This season is a little different because this is the 1st time an owner has given him a 3rd year.

I hope Phillips will lead the Cowboys to a deep run in the playoffs, but I am a skeptic. I don't trust that Phillips can get the job done. Games usually come down to the little things. Phillips style doesn't encourage a team to worry about the little things.

Here's the pick, I think the Dallas Cowboys will go to the playoffs this season, but I don't think they will win a playoff game for the 13th season in a row.

Sports Thoughts: Quincy, Taylor Co. QB's, and Wimbledon

2009-07-04T21:42:00.000-07:00

1)Shocking development. Quincy Carter let his team and himself down, again.

Everyone that is surprised that Carter was no show for the Abilene Ruff Riders next to last game of the regular season stand on their head. I expected this kind of thing all season, and here it is. Carter was in and out of jail this season, and he showed up for practice and other team activities when he decided to show up. I am glad the team finally showed some backbone and sent this fella packing. See ya', Quincy. I wouldn't want to be ya'.

2)I am really excited to watch 3 quarterbacks that grew up in Taylor County play major college

football.

Colt McCoy(Jim Ned) is back for his 4th year as the Longhorns starting quarterback. Taylor Potts is the leading candidate to take over record-setting Graham Harrell at Texas Tech, and Case Keenum begins his 2nd season as the Houston Cougars full-time starter.

3)I just finished previewing all of the Texas teams in the Big XII and other conferences.

Did anyone else notice, the teams from the Lone Star State are picked to win all 3 conference titles. Dave Campbell's Texas Football Magazine says The University of Texas will win the Big XII, Houston is picked to win the Conference USA title, and Texas Christian University is expected to win the Mountain West Conference.

4)Saturday was the 30th anniversary of Breakfast at Wimbledon on NBC.

I remember the 1st one like it was yesterday. I was 11 years old, and I watched Bjorn Borg beat Roscoe Tanner for his 4th straight Wimbledon title. I became a Bjorn Borg fan. As a matter of fact, I am still a Bjorn Borg fan, and the Men's Wimbledon final has been a very important part of my life since that day.

A Changed Life

2009-06-09T19:56:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how fast your life can be changed.

1 example is when you become a parent. Without kids, you worry about yourself. With kids, you worry about them, and you are willing to give your life for their's.

Shelby Miller is finding out how fast your life can change right now.

The former Brownwood High School pitcher was drafted in the 1st round of the Major League Baseball draft, and he is facing some life changing decisions.

Last week, Miller's biggest concern was getting his team through the Class 3A Quarterfinals.

Now, he's has to decide if he is going to go pro after being the 19th player selected in the draft, or if he is going to take his 97 mph fastball to Texas A&M in College Station.

Odds are, Miller will become a member of the Cardinals organization this summer, and he will start playing baseball for money. That's when the changes really start.

Miller is a teenager who is about to have alot of responsibilities.

He will have more money than he knows what to do with. He will have people hanging around for his money, and he will have to decide who his real friends are.

I am excited for Miller and his family, but I am also praying that he will make the right decisions along the way.

Shelby Miller's life has changed, and now it's up to him if it changed for the better or worse.

When You Play With Fire...

2009-05-11T21:27:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, Abilene Ruff Riders quarterback Quincy Carter was arrested on Sunday here in Abilene. He didn't do anything new, but he was picked up for an outstanding warrant in the D/FW area for a parole violation.

So, where do I begin?

I will start by saying, I want Quincy Carter to succeed here in Abilene with the Ruff Riders, and I want him to become a productive member of our community. However, I don't see that 2nd part happening.

Carter knew he had a warrant out for his arrest for a parole violation. Why on earth didn't he go and take care of the matter? The best explanation I can come up with is that he is a 12 year old little boy in a man's body, and he forgot, or he thought it would just go away. I don't know how many of you have had pre-teens, but most of them need adults to remind them to pick their clothes up off the floor, or to make their bed, or to take their dirty dishes to the kitchen.

That's what we've got here. Carter is supposed to be an adult, but he clearly isn't. He is a pre-teen that can't handle the responsibilities of adult life.

You know the Ruff Riders are embarrassed each and every time their franchise quarterback does something less than smart. This kind of thing puts the team in a bad light because he is representing the team. TV stations do stories about Quincy Carter, and they start those stories with, "Abilene Ruff Riders quarterback Quincy Carter". This doesn't help the team build a good reputation with the community.

The signing of Quincy Carter was a high risk, high reward kind of deal for the Ruff Riders. If he keeps his nose clean and he plays well, Carter puts people in the stands. If he keeps doing less than intelligent things that land him in jail, Carter will help keep people out of the stands.

Message for Quincy Carter:

IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO GROW UP!

Message for the Abilene Ruff Riders:

When you play with fire, sometimes you get burned.

Honesty and Life

2009-04-26T05:59:00.001-07:00

I was at a tennis tournament this weekend, and I witnessed something that just boggled my mind. A 7th grader was not playing an honest game against her opponent.

At 1st, I was stunned. I mean after all, this was a 7th grade tennis match. It wasn't Wimbledon or the U.S. Open. Upon reflection, I realize that somewhere down the line, a person told this 7th grader that winning was the most important thing in the world. Don't get me wrong, I know that winning is the goal and it is important, but honesty and ethics can not be thrown out the window when they get in the way of winning.

We can't live in the world where the slogan for life is, "Get what you can, anyway you can." That little slogan is how we end with Barry Bonds and his gigantic head lying about using steroids. That slogan gives you point shaving scandals in sports. That slogan gives us Bernie Madoff and his billion dollar "Ponzi" scheme. Somewhere along the way, these folks were told that winning is the ONLY thing.

I am not that kind of person. My wife is not that kind of person. My daughter is not that kind of person. We compete at our jobs and at school, but we are going to be honest and ethical in that competition. If we win, that is just great. If we lose, we will try again.

I am no Pollyanna. I know that that's not how a lot of the world thinks. I say, that's too bad because "get what you can, anyway you can" works for a while, but eventually, it jumps up and bites you. Everybody knows that Bonds is a liar, and Madoff and the point shaving guys almost always go to jail.

Live life to the fullest, and live your life honestly. You may not get everything you ever wanted, but you will be respected and known as an honest person.

Well, There's Always Next Year

2009-03-30T13:30:00.001-07:00

I just want to start this by telling you, I am a genius. In a manner of speaking.

I predicted at the start of the NCAA Tournament that 2 number 1 seeds, a number 2 seed, and a number 3 seed would advance to the Final 4 in Detroit. Genius, right?

Now to the manner of speaking part. I predicted that Pittsburgh, Louisville(both #1 seeds), Memphis(#2 seed), and Syracuse(#3 seed) would go to the Final 4. North Carolina, UConn(#1 seeds), Michigan St(#2 seed), and Villanova(#3 seed) are the teams headed to Detroit this weekend.

So really, not so much the genius.

The regional semi's and finals were great for this tournament because it was going to much to form in the first 2 rounds for my liking. I know I said last week that it's good for ratings, but that doesn't mean I like it.

Villanova's appearance in the Final 4 brings back memories of the Wildcats upset victory over Georgetown in the NCAA Finals back in 1985. That is still considered one of the biggest upsets in sports.

Common sense tells us North Carolina and Connecticut will play for the NCAA Championship on KTAB on April 6th, but basketball is a funny sport. You should not be surprised if you are watching Michigan State and Villanova on the 6th.

The Final 4 is this Saturday in Detroit. Michigan St. and UConn start the night at 5:07. The 2nd game between North Carolina and Villanova tips at 7:47.

Enjoy the games on KTAB.

Okay Through 2 Rounds

2009-03-22T22:33:00.000-07:00

After the 2nd day of the NCAA Tournament on KTAB, I was thinking about throwing my bracket away, but the weekend made me rethink.

I missed 10 games in the 1st round, but I picked it up in the 2nd round. I picked 13 of the 16 games correctly. I am proud of that, and more importantly, I go to the 2nd weekend with all of my Elite 8 teams still alive and kicking.

Contrary to popular opinion, I am not doing well because I am a genius. The tournament is going pretty much according to form. The lower seed won just 7 times in the 1st 48 games of the Big Dance. Arizona is the lowest seed at #12. Purdue is next with a 5th seed. Every 1, 2, and 3 seed are in the Sweet 16.

While that may be kind of boring for casual viewers, it works out pretty well for those of us who are trying to pick these games.

It also works out for the folks at CBS. When the top teams advance, more people watch the tournament. People say they like the underdog, but almost without exception, ratings are higher when the top teams like Louisville, Kansas, North Carolina, and UConn are playing. The top teams are the names you know, they are the teams with more fans, and they are the teams that get better ratings.

CBS is loving this tournament because they have the big names from the big conferences playing in the Sweet 16. I am loving this tournament because I have a great chance to do well on my bracket. It's a win, win for us.

We start to knock it down to the Elite 8 on Thursday on KTAB. Enjoy the tournament.

It's Madness

2009-03-19T10:49:00.000-07:00

The MADNESS is here. Basketball, basketball, basketball and more basketball.

The 1st weekend of the NCAA tournament is being played in 8 cities around the country. 64 teams started the day with a shot at the national championship. I say that, but that's 1 of the myths of the tournament, not all 64 teams had a legitimate chance to win the tournament. American, Northern Iowa, Binghamton, and the like DON'T have a shot at the championship.
They MIGHT win a game in the tournament, but they are not going to win the whole thing.

That said, it's still fun to watch teams like Akron and Morgan St. take on the teams from the Big 6 conferences to see how they do. Sometimes those teams surprise us. Sometimes, they prove they belong among the top teams in the nation.

Or do they? Are they that good, or are the teams from the Big 6; Big East, Big 12, Big 10, SEC, Pac-10, ACC, and SEC, over-rated? Probably a little of both. Quite often, good or bad, teams get seeds based on their conference or reputation.

I love watching the little guy win games in sports, that's one of the reasons I love the NCAA Tournament. The little guy gets a shot, and they come thru every now and then.

F.Y.I., I picked Louisville, Memphis, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse to go to the Final 4. I picked Louisville to beat Pitt for the title.

Enjoy the tournament. I know I will.

Put the Popcorn Down

2009-03-05T09:24:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since I wrote on my blog, but leave it to the NFL to give me motivation.

The Dallas Cowboys are releasing Terrell Owens, and I say good. I have been a T.O. apologist for the last 2 years. I believed that his antics were worth the headache since he could produce so well on the field.

Now, the antics are a distraction and Terrell is old. In the past, T.O. could take a swing pass to the sidelines, make the first guy miss, and get 10 to 20 yards. That is not the case anymore. He can still give you the big play, on occasion, but they are not nearly as common.

The Cowboys are sending him out the door along with his troublesome ways. I am sure some team will pick Owens up, but he's not the same player. He is older, slower, and weaker. That's a bad combination if you are a receiver in the NFL.

How I See ACU's Probation

2009-02-13T08:48:00.000-08:00

The ACU football and track teams were put on 2-years probation for violations of NCAA rules. The violations range from letting a prospect use a coaches computer for an on-line course to a Sunday morning Bible class, that I am a member of, giving foreign athletes Christmas gifts.

Before you guys start saying, "I knew they were up to something", I want y'all to know that Jared Mosely is not running a renegade program over on Judge Ely Blvd. The Wildcats violations, by the NCAA's own admission, are considered minor, but there were so many of them, the NCAA had to punish the school in some manner.

EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION.

The primary problem at ACU in this case is many of the coaches were not as well versed on the rules as they should have been. For example, we were asked by A COACH to bring food and Christmas gifts to the Christmas party mentioned in the NCAA's report. The members of my Bible class were not trying to gain an advantage for the school with these gifts. They were taking care of some kids who couldn't go home for Christmas.

I believe that in most of the cases mentioned in the report, the coaches weren't trying to cheat, THEY WERE NOT AWARE that what they were doing was against the NCAA rules. This where ACU dropped the ball, and they are working to pick it back up. Coaches are being required to attend rules seminars held by the NCAA. I know, sounds like a hoot, but it's important to do, so the school doesn't have to suffer thru another day like they did on Thursday.

Bottom line, the ACU track and football teams broke the rules, and they should be punished in some form or fashion. Even though these were minor infractions, they were infractions. We don't want the NCAA to subjective. I believe if you break a rule, you should suffer the consequences.

Upside for ACU:

1)They were honest. Once the violations were known, the school reported itself to the NCAA.

2)The penalties are not too severe. They give up 2 scholarships for 2 years on the track side and the football team has to take 10 victories off the record from 2007. Really no big deal.

3)The school will now be monitoring the athletics program more closely, and that means that the Athletic Director will be monitoring the individual sports more closely, and in turn, the head coaches will be monitoring themselves and their assistants more closely.

Quick Points About A-Rod, Tony, and NASCAR

2009-02-09T21:08:00.000-08:00

Why is anyone surprised that Alex Rodriquez tested positive for performance enhancing drugs? Really folks. Let's get in the game. A-Rod was one of 104 that tested positive for banned substances back in 2003. He is one of many. No one should be surprised. On average, each team had 3 players that tested positive. This is not a surprise anymore. Players in this era use performance enhancers.

Tony Romo talked to Babe Laufenberg about the Terrell Owens situation. Romo said he expects receivers to complain about not getting enough passes thrown their way, so when T.O. does it, it's no big deal. Really, no big deal. It's a huge deal. T.O. is a locker room breaker. That guy makes enough noise for 20 players combined, and he gets people to follow him. The Cowboys need to get rid of Terrell Owens. He's a malcontent, and he's getting older and easier to cover.

By the way, if you listen to reports, Tony Romo is part of the problem in Dallas, too. He evidently needs to worry more about his practice habits and less about having fun.

Finally, I have come to the conclusion that I am a NASCAR fan. This realization kind of snuck up on me this past weekend while I was watching the PRACTICE for the Bud Shootout and the PRACTICE for the Daytona 500. For some reason, I am intrigued by the different drivers personalities, and I like the way the engines go "VRRRRROOOOOMMMM". I still don't know an awful lot about the strategies, and I don't watch races from start to finish. I do, however, enjoy NASCAR. There, I said it. They say admitting you have a problem is half the battle.

SUPER Bowl 43

2009-02-01T20:19:00.000-08:00

Now that's what I'm talking about. When the 2 best teams in the NFL get together in the Super Bowl, I want to see the kind of great show the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers put on in Super Bowl 43. I want the Super Bowl to come down to the last 15 minutes of the game, and for the 2nd year in a row, I got exactly what I wanted in the Steelers 27-to-23 victory over the Cardinals.

The Cardinals showed great heart in the final quarter, and they scored 16 points in the first 13 and a half minutes of the 4th quarter to take the lead, 23-to-20. However, Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers offense answered the call. Pittsburgh drove 78 yards in 8 plays to retake the lead 27-to-23 on a Roethlisberger to Santonio Holmes touchdown pass for the game winner. Not only was it the game winner, Holmes made a great catch in triple coverage for the score.

The stars came out to play and played a major role in this one:

-Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw for 256 yards and the game-winning touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes.

-Holmes, the Super Bowl MVP, caught 9 passes for 131 yards and the game-winning touchdown.

-Steelers linebacker and NFL Defensive MVP James Harrison set a Super Bowl record for the longest play with a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown.

-Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner threw for 377 yards and 2 touchdowns.

-Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald caught 7 passes for 127 yards and 2 touchdowns.

This is what the Super Bowl should look like. A great game that comes down to the last few seconds with all the stars making big plays for their team. The my wife has always said the Super Bowl should be a close game. Well, that's what happened this year in Tampa, and they are beginning to be close more often than not. Super Bowl 43 is the 4th championship game in the last 6 years to be decided in the last minute of the game.

The NFL's championship game is finally becoming a SUPER BOWL.

Hayes Finally Runs Into Hall of Fame

2009-01-31T20:10:00.000-08:00

"Bullet" Bob Hayes was elected posthumously to the Pro Football Hall of Fame(PFHOF), and I say, "IT'S ABOUT TIME!"

Most athletes can't say they changed the sport in which they played, but former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver "Bullet" Bob Hayes can say that he changed professional football.

Hayes won the gold medal in the 100 meter dash and the 4x100 meter relay in the 1964 Olympics. The Cowboys drafted the fastest man in the world in the 7th round and unleashed his speed on the NFL in 1965. Speed that the rest of the league could not handle.

NFL defenses typically played man-to-man in the secondary. Hayes scored 25 touchdowns and averaged over 20 yards a catch against that man coverage his first 2 years with the Cowboys. The rest of the league got wise and started playing more zone defense, and defenses in the NFL are still playing zone whether the team they are playing has a guy as fast as Hayes, or not. By the way, Hayes scored 20 more touchdowns the next 2 seasons against zone defenses.

His final numbers, 371 receptions for 7414 yards and 71 touchdowns, are not eye-popping like Jerry Rice's, and he doesn't have as many Super Bowl rings as Lynn Swann, but he still leads the Cowboys in TD receptions, and neither one of those guys fundamentally changed the game of football.

Sammy Baugh changed the game of football. He was in the 1st class of the PFHOF. Lawrence Taylor changed the way outside linebacker is played. He was elected to the PFHOF on the 1st ballot. Bob Hayes changed the way the NFL plays defense. He was FINALLY elected to the PFHOF 29 years after he was eligible and 7 years after his death.

It took 29 years, but The Bullet is in the Hall of Fame.

Top 10 Things I Expect On Super Bowl Sunday

2009-01-24T06:58:00.000-08:00

Well, it's that time of the year, again. It's time for sports guys like myself to make our predictions about Super Bowl XLIII.
Well, here are a few for you:

1)There will be a coin-flip, and the Steelers will call heads or tails.
2)Peyton Manning will be in at least 3 commercials.
3)John Madden will say, "That's what it's all about", 10 times.
4)I will marvel at the "1st down line" that the network's superimpose on the field.(Greatest innovation in televised sports since the instant replay, by the way)
5)The network will find Kurt Warner's wife in the stands and put her on television 1,000 times.(That never gets old.)
6)The Steelers Troy Palamalu and the Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald will compare hairstyles.
7)Some company, we've never heard of and will never hear from again, will have a commercial in the game.
8)Somebody at your Super Bowl party is going to say, "Now, who's playing this year?"
9)Cowboys fans and 49ers fans will be pulling for the Cardinals to win because they don't want the Steelers to be the 1st team with 6 Super Bowl titles.
10)The Pittsburgh Steelers will beat the Arizona Cardinals.

That's How I See It.

Birds Take Flight

2009-01-12T19:11:00.000-08:00

Everybody knows, that birds have no trouble being on the road in the Winter. So, we should not be surprised that all 3 road teams with bird mascots in the NFL Playoffs won their games this past weekend.
The Arizona CARDINALS went to number 2 seed Carolina and beat the Panthers.
The Baltimore RAVENS went to number 1 seed Tennessee and beat the Titans.
The Philadelphia EAGLES went to number 1 seed New York and beat the Giants.
This is clearly the year of the bird in the NFL. 4 bird mascots made it to the post-season, and 3 of those are still alive, and bird teams are 6 and 1. Even more impressive, the birds are 5 and 1 on the road in the playoffs, and that lone loss by the Atlanta FALCONS came to the CARDINALS.
So, we've got the Philadelphia EAGLES at the Arizona CARDINALS in the NFC Championship game, and the Baltimore RAVENS at the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship game.
These are not my official picks, but you've got to think that the RAVENS and the EAGLES are headed to Super Bowl.
Granted my whole "the bird is the word" philosophy is not science, but I am guy who looks at history. Recent history tells me we are looking at our first-ever all bird Super Bowl.

I Don't Like the BCS

2009-01-09T19:43:00.000-08:00

I don't like the Bowl Championship Series. Yeah, I know, no real shocker there. What college football fan likes the BCS? Well, I don't like the Bowl Championship Series for a different reason that most. I miss the the excitement of New Year's Day. The BCS took the most important bowl games away from me on January 1st under the premise that we would get an undisputed national champion. Well, that didn't happen this year, and the bowl games on New Year's Day, with the exception of the Cotton Bowl, were of no interest to most people. I loved getting up on January 1st to watch the parades, and then I spent the day watching the Cotton Bowl, the Sugar Bowl, the Rose Bowl, and the Orange Bowl. It was the best day of the year for college football fans. We don't have that anymore, and we don't have an undisputed national champion. I say that's a lose-lose for college football fans. I don't want a playoff in Division 1 football. I want the old bowl system. I want the excitement of New Year's Day back in my life.

Missing Texas Stadium

2008-12-18T16:43:00.000-08:00

The Dallas Cowboys are closing Texas Stadium. The final regular season game between the Cowboys and the Ravens ended an era that spans most of my life. I grew up watching Dallas play it's home games at "The House with the Hole". I saw my first game at Texas Stadium back in 1975 when Bob Lilly became the 1st former player to be inducted into the Ring of Honor. I was also there when Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin became the last players on the Ring of Honor.
Texas Stadium was the host for numerous great high school football playoff games. The 1st Saturday in December is special for me because that's my weekend to go watch football at Texas Stadium. I saw Graham Harrell lead Ennis to a come-from-behind victory over Highland Park, I was there when Abilene High snapped Southlake Carroll's 57 game winning streak against Texas teams, and this year, I watched Allen beat #1 ranked Euless Trinity.
Texas Stadium has a special place in my heart, and I will miss "The House with the Hole".