So much for freedom of expression around Texas Tech.
Texas Tech coach Mike Leach has banned his players from using Twitter after several unflattering things about him and his program seeped out from players’ comments after the Red Raiders’ 29-28 loss to Houston Saturday night.
The self-styled “Pirate of the High Plains” might be facing a mutiny unless he can right his ship very quickly. Squelching their comments on social networks appears to be his first step.
The most surprising move came Sunday when senior offensive guard, Brandon Carter, a team captain and frequent team spokesman, was indefinitely suspended for an undisclosed violation of team rules.
Leach left the door open -- barely -- for the return of Carter, a preseason All-America selection who didn’t allow a sack last season. Carter’s attitude was infectious with his tough playing disposition, tattoos, and spiked hair.
“Anything he needs to do to get back is pretty much between him and me,” Leach said.
The discord continued after the Red Raiders returned to Lubbock and Leach apparently was late for a meeting with his team Sunday afternoon. Senior linebacker Marlon Williams was especially vociferous about Leach's leadership on his Twitter account.
"Wondering why I'm still in this meeting room when the head coach can't even be on time to his on [sic] meeting," Williams wrote on his "Kos 39" Twitter account. The tweet has been taken down as silence has spread over the Red Raiders’ program.
Leach fired back at the disgruntled players Monday on the Big 12’s weekly coaches’ teleconference.
“Anyone who is a malcontent doesn’t stay around here long,” Leach said. “We’ve got a full group of players who are ready to take (his) place. And interestingly enough, he doesn’t have a Twitter page anymore.”
The sniping across Cyberspace is the last thing the Red Raiders needed after the disappointing losses to Texas and Houston -- their first back-to-back losses since midway through the 2007 season.
“That game left a bad taste in everybody’s mouth,” senior cornerback Jamar Wall said. “We’ve got to come back ready to go.”
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Story courtesy of www.espn.com
September 30, 2009
FELIX JONES OUT NEXT WEEK VS. BRONCOS
IRVING, Texas -- Cowboys coach Wade Phillips wouldn't say it, but the reality is backup running back Felix Jones will miss Sunday's game at Denver with a sprained posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, according to multiple sources.
Phillips said he's had players come back quickly from a sprained PCL in the past but doesn't know when Jones would return.
Jones will be evaluated this week and next to determine if he can play Oct. 11 at Kansas City, but Cowboys officials believe Jones, with rest and treatment, will have a more realistic shot of returning Oct. 25 against Atlanta.
"It's possible, yeah," Phillips said of Jones coming back sooner. "It depends on how bad the sprain is when he comes back."
Jones was hurt during the Cowboys' 21-7 victory over Carolina on Monday night at Cowboys Stadium. After a 40-yard run in the third quarter, Jones went to the sidelines and told the trainers he had some discomfort in his left knee.
He did return to the game, but it was clear he was gimpy and was seen riding a stationary bike trying to loosen up his leg.
It's the second consecutive season Jones has been bothered by injuries. Last year, he was placed on injured reserve with a big toe injury suffered as he rehabbed from a hamstring.
As of now, Tashard Choice is the Cowboys' only healthy running back. Choice finished with 82 yards on 18 carries in the victory over the Panthers.
Marion Barber is close to returning from a bruised left thigh injury. Barber could play this week against the Broncos, depending on his rehab work. Phillips said Barber's injury was originally diagnosed as a 10-day to two-week injury.
His return for Sunday's game at Denver is also undetermined. Barber lobbied to play against the Panthers but was denied by the medical staff the day before the game.
"If we have to go with more, we'll have to see, and it depends on where our two guys are," Phillips said. "It depends on where Barber is and how healthy he is and if Felix happens to come back, we could have three."
Story courtesy of Calvin Watkins at www.ESPNDallas.com.
Phillips said he's had players come back quickly from a sprained PCL in the past but doesn't know when Jones would return.
Jones will be evaluated this week and next to determine if he can play Oct. 11 at Kansas City, but Cowboys officials believe Jones, with rest and treatment, will have a more realistic shot of returning Oct. 25 against Atlanta.
"It's possible, yeah," Phillips said of Jones coming back sooner. "It depends on how bad the sprain is when he comes back."
Jones was hurt during the Cowboys' 21-7 victory over Carolina on Monday night at Cowboys Stadium. After a 40-yard run in the third quarter, Jones went to the sidelines and told the trainers he had some discomfort in his left knee.
He did return to the game, but it was clear he was gimpy and was seen riding a stationary bike trying to loosen up his leg.
It's the second consecutive season Jones has been bothered by injuries. Last year, he was placed on injured reserve with a big toe injury suffered as he rehabbed from a hamstring.
As of now, Tashard Choice is the Cowboys' only healthy running back. Choice finished with 82 yards on 18 carries in the victory over the Panthers.
Marion Barber is close to returning from a bruised left thigh injury. Barber could play this week against the Broncos, depending on his rehab work. Phillips said Barber's injury was originally diagnosed as a 10-day to two-week injury.
His return for Sunday's game at Denver is also undetermined. Barber lobbied to play against the Panthers but was denied by the medical staff the day before the game.
"If we have to go with more, we'll have to see, and it depends on where our two guys are," Phillips said. "It depends on where Barber is and how healthy he is and if Felix happens to come back, we could have three."
Story courtesy of Calvin Watkins at www.ESPNDallas.com.
WITH BATCH BACK IN FORM, TECH GAINS GROUND
For three games this season, his Texas Tech teammates might not have recognized Baron Batch, and not because of his bushier-than-usual hairstyle. Certainly, the fans wondered what had become of the hard-running guy who topped 1,200 yards rushing and receiving last year with a blend of power and speed.
Well, it looks as if he’s back.
After an early season slump that might have had something to do with a preseason elbow injury, the junior from Midland carried 19 times Saturday night for 114 yards and two touchdowns in a 29-28 loss at Houston.
“I think it was kind of just our tempo,’’ Batch said. “Everything started to click. I knew eventually it would. A lot of people have been doubting our ability to run the ball. It was never that. It was just everybody getting on the same page. (Saturday night) we clicked, and everybody did get on the same page.’’
Others, especially Harrison Jeffers, pitched in and the Red Raiders finished the night with 163 rushing yards at 5.1 yards a carry. Tech got used to that kind of production last year when the Raiders ran for 100-plus yards in each of their first 10 games.
The first three games this year, they averaged about 29. Total. As a team.
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Story courtesy of www.redraiders.com
Well, it looks as if he’s back.
After an early season slump that might have had something to do with a preseason elbow injury, the junior from Midland carried 19 times Saturday night for 114 yards and two touchdowns in a 29-28 loss at Houston.
“I think it was kind of just our tempo,’’ Batch said. “Everything started to click. I knew eventually it would. A lot of people have been doubting our ability to run the ball. It was never that. It was just everybody getting on the same page. (Saturday night) we clicked, and everybody did get on the same page.’’
Others, especially Harrison Jeffers, pitched in and the Red Raiders finished the night with 163 rushing yards at 5.1 yards a carry. Tech got used to that kind of production last year when the Raiders ran for 100-plus yards in each of their first 10 games.
The first three games this year, they averaged about 29. Total. As a team.
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Story courtesy of www.redraiders.com
September 29, 2009
TEXAS RANGERS: HOW THE WEST WAS LOST
Needing a miracle, the Rangers had vowed to fight to their final gasp as they opened a last-stand four-game series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim here Monday night. They never dreamed the Angels wouldn’t even give them room to breathe.
It wasn’t painless, but at least it was quick.
The Angels clinched the AL West championship by burying the Rangers, 11-0, forcing them to watch glumly from the visitors dugout as they celebrated in front of more than 40,000 fans at Angels Stadium.
In the Rangers’ postgame clubhouse there was no talk about the strides the team made this year, no satisfaction over staying in the race until the final week of the season.
“To be honest with you, the first thing that crosses my mind is just being [hissed] off,” said Michael Young, who returned to the Rangers’ lineup at third base for the first time in two weeks and only the second time this month. “I don’t care about the future or what our team shapes up like next year. I don’t care about that. I care about winning now.
“In the big leagues you either go to the postseason or you go home. We didn’t get it done and that’s not a good feeling.”
The Rangers began this final seven-game road trip knowing they had to win all seven games and then get some help from the A’s. Instead, they never had a chance.
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Story courtesy of www.dallasnews.com
It wasn’t painless, but at least it was quick.
The Angels clinched the AL West championship by burying the Rangers, 11-0, forcing them to watch glumly from the visitors dugout as they celebrated in front of more than 40,000 fans at Angels Stadium.
In the Rangers’ postgame clubhouse there was no talk about the strides the team made this year, no satisfaction over staying in the race until the final week of the season.
“To be honest with you, the first thing that crosses my mind is just being [hissed] off,” said Michael Young, who returned to the Rangers’ lineup at third base for the first time in two weeks and only the second time this month. “I don’t care about the future or what our team shapes up like next year. I don’t care about that. I care about winning now.
“In the big leagues you either go to the postseason or you go home. We didn’t get it done and that’s not a good feeling.”
The Rangers began this final seven-game road trip knowing they had to win all seven games and then get some help from the A’s. Instead, they never had a chance.
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Story courtesy of www.dallasnews.com
September 28, 2009
COWBOYS OVERTAKE PANTHERS: WIN 21-7
The Cowboys opened their first Monday Night Football game in the new Cowboys Stadium with a win over the Carolina Panthers 21-7. It wasn't the prettiest win, but a win is a win, so I won't complain too much. The Cowboys are now 2-1 and tied for 2nd place in the NFC East [I know, it's still a little early in the season to look at the standings but the Cowboys really had to win this game]. Below are some additional thoughts on the game:
THE GOOD:
- Felix Jones is Awesome! [when he is not getting injured!]. He is explosive at the line and averages over 8 yards per carry. It seems like every time he has the ball something special happens. However, he went out in the 3rd Quarter with a knee strain - lets hope it is not too serious...Choice is also becoming a reliable option that shows he can carry the load when Barber and Jones can't. Last night was the 2nd consecutive week we have had over 200 rushing yards. Let's hope the continue to pound the running game on future teams - if it ain't broke, don't fix it...
- Cowboys "D" Shows up: The Cowboys finally get the sacks and takeaways that have been missing this season. First, Jenkins intercepted Delhomme in the 2nd Quarter to give the Dallas defense their first turnover of 2009. This end the ugly streak of 207 snaps without an interception. Then in the 3rd Quarter Ratliff netted the first Dallas sack of the season [finally!]. Terrence Newman added to the mix by jumping in front of a pass intended for Steve Smith for the 2nd interception of the game and returning it for a defensive TD. Finally, Victor Butler came off the bench in the 4th and provided another sack and a caused a fumble that the Cowboys recovered, which all but sealed the game for them.
- Cowboys' Run "D": The Dallas Run Defense continues to look solid tonight as they did against the Giants. So far they have managed to contain the potent Carolina running game of DeAngelo Williams. We finally managed to put some pressure on the QB and Brooking did a nice job filling in the gaps and applying pressure.
THE BAD:
- Special Teams: Nick Folk snapped his streak of 16 consecutive made FGs tonight when he shanked a 40 yd attempt in the first quarter. This makes me especially mad since Folk in on my fantasy team and I am currently in a tie with my opponent...come on Nick, I need some help here!
- Penalties: The penalties last night did not come back to bite them, but they did contribute to stalling several offensive drives. False starts are understandable on the road in loud hostile environments, but to get those at home are embarrassing. I am still waiting to really see this offense get on a roll instead of sputtering as they have so far in 2009.
- Still No Offensive Rhythm: This is the first time since Nov. 19, 2006 that the Cowboys have not scored in the 1st half of a game as they are held to "0" tonight against the Panthers. Things improved in the 2nd Half by utilizing an effective running game and taking what the Defense gave them [Tony Romo - Bus Driver QB?]. The one thing missing the past 2 weeks has been the offensive explosion we were used to seeing in Dallas the past few years. I know TO is no longer here, but we still have 3 or 4 other receivers that should be able to split the workload, so why do we ignore them?
- Poor Tackling: It is very frustrating to watch the defense be in the correct position to make a play, then have poor tackling and continuously give up 1st downs. I think the Defense has really stepped up on the line after the running debacle in Tampa Bay and are committed to stopping the run, now if everyone else will attempt more that arm tackling we can really stop some offenses.
- Just my observation, but did we really punt with 5 seconds left in the half; why not go for it and see if we can get something started offensively???
THE GOOD:
- Felix Jones is Awesome! [when he is not getting injured!]. He is explosive at the line and averages over 8 yards per carry. It seems like every time he has the ball something special happens. However, he went out in the 3rd Quarter with a knee strain - lets hope it is not too serious...Choice is also becoming a reliable option that shows he can carry the load when Barber and Jones can't. Last night was the 2nd consecutive week we have had over 200 rushing yards. Let's hope the continue to pound the running game on future teams - if it ain't broke, don't fix it...
- Cowboys "D" Shows up: The Cowboys finally get the sacks and takeaways that have been missing this season. First, Jenkins intercepted Delhomme in the 2nd Quarter to give the Dallas defense their first turnover of 2009. This end the ugly streak of 207 snaps without an interception. Then in the 3rd Quarter Ratliff netted the first Dallas sack of the season [finally!]. Terrence Newman added to the mix by jumping in front of a pass intended for Steve Smith for the 2nd interception of the game and returning it for a defensive TD. Finally, Victor Butler came off the bench in the 4th and provided another sack and a caused a fumble that the Cowboys recovered, which all but sealed the game for them.
- Cowboys' Run "D": The Dallas Run Defense continues to look solid tonight as they did against the Giants. So far they have managed to contain the potent Carolina running game of DeAngelo Williams. We finally managed to put some pressure on the QB and Brooking did a nice job filling in the gaps and applying pressure.
THE BAD:
- Special Teams: Nick Folk snapped his streak of 16 consecutive made FGs tonight when he shanked a 40 yd attempt in the first quarter. This makes me especially mad since Folk in on my fantasy team and I am currently in a tie with my opponent...come on Nick, I need some help here!
- Penalties: The penalties last night did not come back to bite them, but they did contribute to stalling several offensive drives. False starts are understandable on the road in loud hostile environments, but to get those at home are embarrassing. I am still waiting to really see this offense get on a roll instead of sputtering as they have so far in 2009.
- Still No Offensive Rhythm: This is the first time since Nov. 19, 2006 that the Cowboys have not scored in the 1st half of a game as they are held to "0" tonight against the Panthers. Things improved in the 2nd Half by utilizing an effective running game and taking what the Defense gave them [Tony Romo - Bus Driver QB?]. The one thing missing the past 2 weeks has been the offensive explosion we were used to seeing in Dallas the past few years. I know TO is no longer here, but we still have 3 or 4 other receivers that should be able to split the workload, so why do we ignore them?
- Poor Tackling: It is very frustrating to watch the defense be in the correct position to make a play, then have poor tackling and continuously give up 1st downs. I think the Defense has really stepped up on the line after the running debacle in Tampa Bay and are committed to stopping the run, now if everyone else will attempt more that arm tackling we can really stop some offenses.
- Just my observation, but did we really punt with 5 seconds left in the half; why not go for it and see if we can get something started offensively???
LEACH INDEFINITELY SUSPENDS CARTER
Texas Tech offensive lineman Brandon Carter, the day after a frustrating last-minute loss at No. 17 Houston, has been suspended indefinitely by head coach Mike Leach, an athletic department spokesman said Sunday evening.
‘‘Brandon Carter has been suspended for a violation of team policy by coach Leach,” said Blayne Beal, Tech associate media relations director. ”His suspension is indefinite.’’
Beal said Leach would have no further comment.
A few hours before, Carter had told followers of his social networking account that he’d been suspended and stripped of his captaincy.
A Sunday afternoon dispatch on Carter’s Twitter account said, “I am not a captain anymore and will not be playing this week. Good luck red raiders ill still be cheering on my family from the stands!!:)”
Tech hosts New Mexico at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Jones AT&T Stadium.
Tech dropped to 2-2 with a 29-28 loss Saturday at Houston in which the Cougars scored the winning touchdown with 49 seconds left at the end of a 16-play, 95-yard drive. The loss was Tech’s second in a row, this one in especially hard-to-take fashion.
That touched off angst among some of the Red Raiders’ most prominent players.
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Story courtesy of www.redraiders.com
‘‘Brandon Carter has been suspended for a violation of team policy by coach Leach,” said Blayne Beal, Tech associate media relations director. ”His suspension is indefinite.’’
Beal said Leach would have no further comment.
A few hours before, Carter had told followers of his social networking account that he’d been suspended and stripped of his captaincy.
A Sunday afternoon dispatch on Carter’s Twitter account said, “I am not a captain anymore and will not be playing this week. Good luck red raiders ill still be cheering on my family from the stands!!:)”
Tech hosts New Mexico at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Jones AT&T Stadium.
Tech dropped to 2-2 with a 29-28 loss Saturday at Houston in which the Cougars scored the winning touchdown with 49 seconds left at the end of a 16-play, 95-yard drive. The loss was Tech’s second in a row, this one in especially hard-to-take fashion.
That touched off angst among some of the Red Raiders’ most prominent players.
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Story courtesy of www.redraiders.com
September 27, 2009
TEXAS TECH VS. HOUSTON - GAME SUMMARY
THE GOOD:-
- Tech's running game back on track: The Red Raiders finally remembered they have a running game against Houston as the combination of Batch, Jeffers, and Stephens combined for 163 yards and 3 TDs. Baron Batch had a exemplary showing with a career high 114 yards and 2 TDs. The only question I have is with this much success early on, why did we not continue to run it down their throats in the 4th quarter?
- Early Defensive Stand: After giving up the early TD following the Potts fumble, the Tech defense settled in and limited this high scoring offense for much of the game. They held Houston to 3 punts and 4 FGs [2 made, 2 missed] before allowing another TD in the 3rd. Anytime you make an offense settle for 3 instead of 7, I think you are doing your job. The final stats won't show this, but my impression was that until that final drive, our defense succeeded in not allowing them in the endzone.
THE BAD:
- Killer Turnovers: Although it was early in the game, Potts hit and fumble in the 1st Quarter directly led to the first Houston score of the night. With a good offensive team like Houston, you can't give them the easy TDs. Then, right after we scored in the 3rd to go up 28-20, our defense forced a Houston 3-and-out and a punt that Zouzalik returned to the Tech 45 yard line [great field position]. Batch followed with a great run to the Houston 33, then Stephens fumbled and lost the ball on the next play. This ended with another Houston FG that helped them one-step closer to victory. Basically, our 2 turnovers directly resulted into 10 points for Houston.
- Where did all the Timeouts go?: Our coaches used 2 of our 3 second half timeouts in the 3rd Quarter [both defensive] and the final timeout was used with 12 minutes in the 4th. Granted, this is in hindsight, but we could have probably gotten to FG range there at the end if we could have used one of these timeouts to stop the clock.
- Wasted Opportunities: Besides not coming away with points from the 1 yard line [more on that below], the Red Raiders missed another great opportunity to put the game away with the Ford Interception with 7 minutes left in the game. We had the chance to run down the clock and get another score; instead we got a quick first down before going 3-and-out and punting back to Houston with 5:47 left on the clock.
- The Final Houston Drive: After kicking the and forcing Houston to start from their own 5 yard line. They steadily marched up the field, eating up yards and clock. Houston even went for it on 4th and 3 and got it, probably due to our defense being out of gas and cramping up from the humidity...the one time we needed either a stop or a quick score to get the ball back, and we got neither. This hurt at the end as we just didn't have enough time [or timeouts, see above] to get into FG position to win the game.
THE UGLY:
- Not scoring the 1 yard TD: Alot of fans are up in arms about Leach deciding to go for it early in the 4th quarter instead of playing it safe and kicking the field goal. The field goal would have extended the Red Raiders lead to 8. However, I don't really have a problem with Leach gambling...we were on their 1 yard line and there was still over 10 minutes left in the game.
The problem I have is with the play call itself. As large as our O-Line has been over the years, one thing we have never excelled at is the QB sneak [now I am having flashbacks of our 2 failed QB sneak attempts vs. Texas in 2006]. Our RBs had been dominant all night, so why Potts decided for a QB sneak at this point was baffling. Not scoring here was the beginning of the end and what I feel was the turning point in the game.
What were your thoughts of tonight's game? Should we have played it safe and kicked the field goal? Please leave your comments below...
- Tech's running game back on track: The Red Raiders finally remembered they have a running game against Houston as the combination of Batch, Jeffers, and Stephens combined for 163 yards and 3 TDs. Baron Batch had a exemplary showing with a career high 114 yards and 2 TDs. The only question I have is with this much success early on, why did we not continue to run it down their throats in the 4th quarter?
- Early Defensive Stand: After giving up the early TD following the Potts fumble, the Tech defense settled in and limited this high scoring offense for much of the game. They held Houston to 3 punts and 4 FGs [2 made, 2 missed] before allowing another TD in the 3rd. Anytime you make an offense settle for 3 instead of 7, I think you are doing your job. The final stats won't show this, but my impression was that until that final drive, our defense succeeded in not allowing them in the endzone.
THE BAD:
- Killer Turnovers: Although it was early in the game, Potts hit and fumble in the 1st Quarter directly led to the first Houston score of the night. With a good offensive team like Houston, you can't give them the easy TDs. Then, right after we scored in the 3rd to go up 28-20, our defense forced a Houston 3-and-out and a punt that Zouzalik returned to the Tech 45 yard line [great field position]. Batch followed with a great run to the Houston 33, then Stephens fumbled and lost the ball on the next play. This ended with another Houston FG that helped them one-step closer to victory. Basically, our 2 turnovers directly resulted into 10 points for Houston.
- Where did all the Timeouts go?: Our coaches used 2 of our 3 second half timeouts in the 3rd Quarter [both defensive] and the final timeout was used with 12 minutes in the 4th. Granted, this is in hindsight, but we could have probably gotten to FG range there at the end if we could have used one of these timeouts to stop the clock.
- Wasted Opportunities: Besides not coming away with points from the 1 yard line [more on that below], the Red Raiders missed another great opportunity to put the game away with the Ford Interception with 7 minutes left in the game. We had the chance to run down the clock and get another score; instead we got a quick first down before going 3-and-out and punting back to Houston with 5:47 left on the clock.
- The Final Houston Drive: After kicking the and forcing Houston to start from their own 5 yard line. They steadily marched up the field, eating up yards and clock. Houston even went for it on 4th and 3 and got it, probably due to our defense being out of gas and cramping up from the humidity...the one time we needed either a stop or a quick score to get the ball back, and we got neither. This hurt at the end as we just didn't have enough time [or timeouts, see above] to get into FG position to win the game.
THE UGLY:
- Not scoring the 1 yard TD: Alot of fans are up in arms about Leach deciding to go for it early in the 4th quarter instead of playing it safe and kicking the field goal. The field goal would have extended the Red Raiders lead to 8. However, I don't really have a problem with Leach gambling...we were on their 1 yard line and there was still over 10 minutes left in the game.
The problem I have is with the play call itself. As large as our O-Line has been over the years, one thing we have never excelled at is the QB sneak [now I am having flashbacks of our 2 failed QB sneak attempts vs. Texas in 2006]. Our RBs had been dominant all night, so why Potts decided for a QB sneak at this point was baffling. Not scoring here was the beginning of the end and what I feel was the turning point in the game.
What were your thoughts of tonight's game? Should we have played it safe and kicked the field goal? Please leave your comments below...
COWBOYS CATCHING PANTHERS AT THE RIGHT TIME
Cowboys coach Wade Phillips didn't provide any further details regarding Marion Barber's left quadriceps injury, but as we reported Friday, it's unlikely he'll play against the Panthers on Monday. Meanwhile, Carolina will be without starting linebacker Na'il Diggs (rib), who missed his third straight practice Saturday.
The Panthers will also be without fullback Brad Hoover, strong safety Chris Harris and defensive end Everette Brown. I think Harris' injury is the most worrisome to coach John Fox. He's one of the smartest players on the team and he would've been responsible for keeping track of the Cowboys' talented tight ends Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett. Obviously the Panthers will do everything they can to keep the Cowboys' offense off the field Monday. The best way to do that is to run the ball with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.
The Cowboys were gashed in the running game by the Bucs for 174 yards in Week 1. Williams is one of those rare talents who can beat you inside or outside. The Cowboys have done a poor job on run blitzes at times. Players such as safety Ken Hamlin have to be under control when they blitz. Sometimes Hamlin comes too wide on the blitz, allowing big gains.
Everyone in the Cowboys' secondary has to do a better job of tackling this week. Safety Gerald Sensabaugh had a decent game. Everyone else really struggled. If you let Williams break a tackle, he's capable of taking it the distance on you. The Cowboys can't be quite as aggressive as they were in defending Brandon Jacobs last Sunday. Williams has a lot more wiggle, so you have to play under control.
I'm anxious to see the Steve Smith vs. Terence Newman battle. Smith burned Newman repeatedly in a 2003 playoff game, but Newman's come back and played well against Smith since then. I'm sure the Cowboys will roll coverage toward Smith in an effort to slow him down.
Story courtesy of Matt Mosley at www.espn.com
The Panthers will also be without fullback Brad Hoover, strong safety Chris Harris and defensive end Everette Brown. I think Harris' injury is the most worrisome to coach John Fox. He's one of the smartest players on the team and he would've been responsible for keeping track of the Cowboys' talented tight ends Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett. Obviously the Panthers will do everything they can to keep the Cowboys' offense off the field Monday. The best way to do that is to run the ball with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.
The Cowboys were gashed in the running game by the Bucs for 174 yards in Week 1. Williams is one of those rare talents who can beat you inside or outside. The Cowboys have done a poor job on run blitzes at times. Players such as safety Ken Hamlin have to be under control when they blitz. Sometimes Hamlin comes too wide on the blitz, allowing big gains.
Everyone in the Cowboys' secondary has to do a better job of tackling this week. Safety Gerald Sensabaugh had a decent game. Everyone else really struggled. If you let Williams break a tackle, he's capable of taking it the distance on you. The Cowboys can't be quite as aggressive as they were in defending Brandon Jacobs last Sunday. Williams has a lot more wiggle, so you have to play under control.
I'm anxious to see the Steve Smith vs. Terence Newman battle. Smith burned Newman repeatedly in a 2003 playoff game, but Newman's come back and played well against Smith since then. I'm sure the Cowboys will roll coverage toward Smith in an effort to slow him down.
Story courtesy of Matt Mosley at www.espn.com
HOUSTON RALLIES LATE TO BEAT TECH 29-28
The Houston Cougars don’t play in the Big 12 Conference South Division. If they did, they’d be calling themselves contenders for the Big 12 championship game.
UH quarterback Case Keenum led a late 16-play drive, then capped it himself with a 4-yard touchdown run as No. 17 Houston beat Texas Tech 29-28 Saturday night, the Cougars’ second big win in a row over a Big 12 South team.
“I thought both teams played really hard,’’ Tech coach Mike Leach said. “I thought both teams slugged it out. What Houston did better than we did was play key situations.’’
No situation was more critical than Houston taking over at its own 5-yard line after a punt, down 28-23 with 5:47 left. To that point, the Cougars had mounted several lengthy drives, having to settle for field goals three times.
This time, they weren’t going to be denied.
Houston maneuvered 95 yards in just under five minutes, taking the lead when the slippery Keenum ran in a quarterback draw with 49 seconds left. The crowd showed up early at Robertson Stadium and swarmed the grass field moments later when time expired.
There were 32,114 on hand, the most since UH returned to playing full-time on campus in 1998.
“It was the loudest I’ve ever heard that place,’’ said Keenum, who had 435 yards on 38-for-58 passing. “Tech had a lot of fans out there, too. It was just a great atmosphere.’’
Those fans – and the Cougars – had had a week off to collect themselves and build back up after Houston upset then-No. 5 Oklahoma State 45-35 on Sept. 12 in Stillwater, Okla. They got to celebrate a second straight pulsating victory, while Tech had to digest its second tough road loss in a row.
“The last two games we played are extremely good teams on the road,’’ Leach said, “and Houston was off the week before, so it certainly helped their preparation and (helped them) physically. But it was there for us. It was there for us. We had our chances. They made more of theirs than we made of ours.’’
Houston (3-0) converted two third downs and a fourth down on the winning drive as Tech (2-2) wore down in the heat. On third-and-4 from the Houston 11, Keenum found split end Patrick Edwards for 7 yards. On third-and-10 from his 34, he kept for 10. But the backbreaker came on fourth-and-3 from Tech 49.
Keenum bought time running to his left, waiting for Edwards to come open late before he delivered on target for 7 yards.
“We were just trying to focus on getting the stop and getting off the field,’’ said cornerback LaRon Moore, who gave up the fourth-down pass. “It was kind of hard, because we didn’t have any timeouts. We were trying to dig down. We got them in a situation we wanted, but the quarterback scrambled and made a play.’’
A 23-yard pass from Keenum to inside receiver Tyron Carrier moved the ball to the Tech 7 as the clock ticked toward the one-minute mark. The Cougars went for two after the touchdown, and Tech cornerback Jamar Wall intercepted.
After the kickoff, Tech crossed midfield to the Houston 43 with the help of a couple of Taylor Potts passes to Alex Torres. But instead of a 60-yard field goal, the Raiders opted for a hail mary pass that was knocked down.
Keenum, a junior, had his sixth career 400-yard passing night, but it looked as if it might be in vain when Tech nickel back Will Ford intercepted him with 7:12 left. But the Raiders couldn’t run out the clock, leaving Keenum one more chance.
For Tech, that was one chance too many.
“None of us panicked,’’ UH coach Kevin Sumlin said. “I’ve been around him long enough to know he was upset after the interception, but I told him, ‘We’re going to have an opportunity to win the game.’ I said, ‘It’s going to be a lot more interesting to win,’ with seven minutes left. We have great confidence in him and the people around him.’’
Houston’s 97th-ranked rushing defense proved to be just what Tech needed to awaken its slumbering rush offense that had averaged less than 29 yards in the first three weeks of the season. Baron Batch ran for two touchdowns in his first career 100-yard rushing night, knocking a couple of Cougar helmets off along the way.
Harrison Jeffers, a non-factor last week because Leach worried about his pass-protection ability against Texas’ talented front, added another touchdown on a 13-yard run.
Potts got away with a couple of ill-advised passes, but his 24-yard touchdown strike to Tramain Swindall was good for a 28-20 lead with 4:19 left in the third quarter.
Tech had a chance to all but put the game away with 11 minutes left, but the Raiders’ inability to score from close range – a sore spot this season – reared its head again. Potts was stonewalled trying a sneak on fourth-and-goal from the 1.
Actually, he was stonewalled and then Batch and Jeffers shoved him over the goal line. But line judge Walt Coleman signaled emphatically that Potts’ forward progress was stopped before the help came in.
“In hindsight, we should have kicked it, which was a fairly big botch on my part,’’ Leach said.
Tech was up 28-23 at the time. Leach said the sneak was his call, not a play Potts checked into.
“If the field goal team’s out there at that point in the game, that’s a better thing to do, and I didn’t do it,’’ Leach said.
Keenum terrorized Tech with a mixture of mid-range and deep passes to his wide receivers and dump-offs to his running backs. Freshman running back Charles Sims caught 10 passes for 122 yards. Carrier caught eight passes for 99 yards. James Cleveland and Edwards each nearly made it to 100 receiving yards on eight and seven catches, respectively.
In a lot of instances, Tech forced UH into field goals – Jordan Mannisto attempted five and missed two.
But there was none of that on the drive that mattered. Leach said he thought both teams were worn down, but linebacker Bront Bird didn’t buy the alibi.
“I’m not going to blame anything on humidity or anything,’’ Bird said. “We had a couple of guys cramping up. But we should have won this game and we didn’t, so we’ve got to live with it.’’
Story courtesy of Don Williams at www.redraiders.com
September 25, 2009
WEAKLY RETORT: WEEK 3
PsychoAg joins us again for another edition of the Weakly Retort. A fan favorite since 2005, the Retort takes a light-hearted look at the college football landscape, with a specific emphasis on the Big 12.
Introduction:
This week brought us the joy of the first game of conference play, a close matchup of ranked opponents, and another week of otherwise paintdryingly boring nonconference games. Still, with each passing week, we get closer and closer to full-on conference schedule, which means I only have to think up six witty comments each week. Have I mentioned before how much I hate pansy nonconference games? Almost as much as I hate spiders, In fact, I hate just about everything with eight legs. And that includes barbershop quartets and a dinner party with Ryan Seacrest and the Kardashians. If you want a see a spider get his butt whipped by a wasp, check this out. But if you want to get a vague idea about what happened in the Big XII this past weekend with about as much sports information as SNL’s Weekend Update has news, then keep reading.
20/20 Hindsight:
Kansas 44 - Duke 14
Jayhawks quarterback Todd Reesing leads a route of the Duke Blue Devils as he throws for 338 yards and a trio of touchdowns, while adding another 51 yards on the ground, in an effort that led to him referring to last Saturday as “the greatest day he’s had all year.” Unless you count that one Tuesday back in March where he Out-Whataburgered Coach Mangino. I mean, come on, that’s saying something.
Missouri 52 - Furman 12
The Tigers pop open an icy cold six-pack of touchdowns, including four in the second quarter alone, as they make short work of an unfortunate team whose name sounds like something on Glen Quagmire’s license plate.
Colorado 24 - Wyoming 0
How bad had things gotten in Colorado? Apparently Marcus Burton, the senior captain, was called out in class by a geology professor. I can only imagine what witty gem was hurled toward the beefy linebacker. “You may think you are igneous, but lately, your play has been nothing but sedimentary. Hahahahaha. Bully for me. Oh, I so love rocks.” But they were able to get their first win of the season against Wyoming, whose two claims to fame are being the sort-of home of Dick Cheney, and almost leading the Longhorns for half a game.
Oklahoma 45 - Tulsa 0
The two secrets to surviving life without your Heisman-candidate quarterback are 1) don’t allow the other team to score and 2) play Tulsa. I’m really not sure which seemed more out of place, the Tulsa offense or their mascot, the “Golden Hurricane”. I’m pretty sure the only other more mismatched mascot to its location is the Utah Jazz. Short-timer backup redshirt freshman Landry Jones, who is one “u” away from actually being a red shirt, sets a school record with 6 TDs.
Virginia Tech 16 - Nebraska 15
Air Husker runs into a bit of a roadblock (okay, that doesn’t make sense, but I am leaving it) as the Hokie defense holds them to 11/30 passing with only 136 yards and two interceptions. Yet, still the Cornhuskers were able to stay in the game, even while staying out of the endzone, on the leg of kicker Alex Henery, who booted five field goals, despite having to carry the weight of the extra “e” in his surname.
Connecticut 30 - Baylor 22
The Baylor Bears, a team that everyone picked to be a rising star in the Big XII South came crashing back down to the town from Footloose as they fall to the UConn Huskies.
Oklahoma State 41 - Rice 24
The OSU Cowboys got their revenge by beating up on the other team from Houston, and the only college named after a food that I know of. The game was played in Stillwater at T. Boone Pickens Stadium, which sounds like a made up name from a spaghetti western to me. Still, my former former boss the sportstard went there and I relish in the fact that he is not enjoying the win because he probably has no idea it is even football season.
Texas A&M 38 - Utah State 30
The Aggies rolled out to a comfortable lead behind the tandem of Jerrod Johnson and Uzoma Nwachukwu, a name that totally rocks in Scrabble and is actually easier to pronounce than former runningback Jorvorskie Lane’s. Unfortunately, it got very dicey in the fourth quarter as Utah State scored twice with just over five minutes to play and actually recovered an onside kick with a chance to go down and tie. I’m sure the tension in the stadium was not adequately conveyed via my Blackberry as I sat and watched the screen refresh in 30 second increments, however I simply could not endure the mental gymnastics required to follow a game called by Dave South where both teams are the Aggies.
Iowa State 34 - Kent State 14
In a game that had more turnovers than that little mirrored shelf at Arby’s, the Iowa State Cyclones finally broke their road losing streak by taking down the Kent State Golden Flashes. Other than that, nothing really all that interesting happened. Seriously. Even the guy from ESPN that wrote the game summary could only manage a couple of paragraphs. And he’s a professional.
UCLA 23 - Kansas State 9
My how the mighty have fallen. Despite the return of “Juco Aficionado” subscriber Bill Snyder, the Wildcats are looking more like the LOLCats as they continue to struggle, dropping to 1-2 on the season.
I have a feeling that for KState fans this is kind of like getting back together with your ex-girlfriend, only she has gained about 40 pounds, has a moustache, and suddenly won’t shut the hell up about Scientology.
Texas 34 - Texas Tech 24
In a game where everyone expected fireworks, both teams went into halftime without scoring an offensive touchdown. In fact, even after all was said and done, the young lad from the centerfold of Musburger Weekly had a very pedestrian outing with the Colt throwing two picks and only one touchdown. I don’t know which is more disconcerting, the fact that Brent’s middle name is “Woody” or that he has an action figure.
After the game, McCoy chalked his poor performance up to missing practice with “flu-like symptoms”, while Tech quarterback Taylor Potts was able to put up stout numbers, passing for 420 yards and three touchdowns despite suffering from “roughing-the-quarterback-like symptoms”.
Click here to continue reading...
Story courtesy of psychoag at www.raiderpower.com
Introduction:
This week brought us the joy of the first game of conference play, a close matchup of ranked opponents, and another week of otherwise paintdryingly boring nonconference games. Still, with each passing week, we get closer and closer to full-on conference schedule, which means I only have to think up six witty comments each week. Have I mentioned before how much I hate pansy nonconference games? Almost as much as I hate spiders, In fact, I hate just about everything with eight legs. And that includes barbershop quartets and a dinner party with Ryan Seacrest and the Kardashians. If you want a see a spider get his butt whipped by a wasp, check this out. But if you want to get a vague idea about what happened in the Big XII this past weekend with about as much sports information as SNL’s Weekend Update has news, then keep reading.
20/20 Hindsight:
Kansas 44 - Duke 14
Jayhawks quarterback Todd Reesing leads a route of the Duke Blue Devils as he throws for 338 yards and a trio of touchdowns, while adding another 51 yards on the ground, in an effort that led to him referring to last Saturday as “the greatest day he’s had all year.” Unless you count that one Tuesday back in March where he Out-Whataburgered Coach Mangino. I mean, come on, that’s saying something.
Missouri 52 - Furman 12
The Tigers pop open an icy cold six-pack of touchdowns, including four in the second quarter alone, as they make short work of an unfortunate team whose name sounds like something on Glen Quagmire’s license plate.
Colorado 24 - Wyoming 0
How bad had things gotten in Colorado? Apparently Marcus Burton, the senior captain, was called out in class by a geology professor. I can only imagine what witty gem was hurled toward the beefy linebacker. “You may think you are igneous, but lately, your play has been nothing but sedimentary. Hahahahaha. Bully for me. Oh, I so love rocks.” But they were able to get their first win of the season against Wyoming, whose two claims to fame are being the sort-of home of Dick Cheney, and almost leading the Longhorns for half a game.
Oklahoma 45 - Tulsa 0
The two secrets to surviving life without your Heisman-candidate quarterback are 1) don’t allow the other team to score and 2) play Tulsa. I’m really not sure which seemed more out of place, the Tulsa offense or their mascot, the “Golden Hurricane”. I’m pretty sure the only other more mismatched mascot to its location is the Utah Jazz. Short-timer backup redshirt freshman Landry Jones, who is one “u” away from actually being a red shirt, sets a school record with 6 TDs.
Virginia Tech 16 - Nebraska 15
Air Husker runs into a bit of a roadblock (okay, that doesn’t make sense, but I am leaving it) as the Hokie defense holds them to 11/30 passing with only 136 yards and two interceptions. Yet, still the Cornhuskers were able to stay in the game, even while staying out of the endzone, on the leg of kicker Alex Henery, who booted five field goals, despite having to carry the weight of the extra “e” in his surname.
Connecticut 30 - Baylor 22
The Baylor Bears, a team that everyone picked to be a rising star in the Big XII South came crashing back down to the town from Footloose as they fall to the UConn Huskies.
Oklahoma State 41 - Rice 24
The OSU Cowboys got their revenge by beating up on the other team from Houston, and the only college named after a food that I know of. The game was played in Stillwater at T. Boone Pickens Stadium, which sounds like a made up name from a spaghetti western to me. Still, my former former boss the sportstard went there and I relish in the fact that he is not enjoying the win because he probably has no idea it is even football season.
Texas A&M 38 - Utah State 30
The Aggies rolled out to a comfortable lead behind the tandem of Jerrod Johnson and Uzoma Nwachukwu, a name that totally rocks in Scrabble and is actually easier to pronounce than former runningback Jorvorskie Lane’s. Unfortunately, it got very dicey in the fourth quarter as Utah State scored twice with just over five minutes to play and actually recovered an onside kick with a chance to go down and tie. I’m sure the tension in the stadium was not adequately conveyed via my Blackberry as I sat and watched the screen refresh in 30 second increments, however I simply could not endure the mental gymnastics required to follow a game called by Dave South where both teams are the Aggies.
Iowa State 34 - Kent State 14
In a game that had more turnovers than that little mirrored shelf at Arby’s, the Iowa State Cyclones finally broke their road losing streak by taking down the Kent State Golden Flashes. Other than that, nothing really all that interesting happened. Seriously. Even the guy from ESPN that wrote the game summary could only manage a couple of paragraphs. And he’s a professional.
UCLA 23 - Kansas State 9
My how the mighty have fallen. Despite the return of “Juco Aficionado” subscriber Bill Snyder, the Wildcats are looking more like the LOLCats as they continue to struggle, dropping to 1-2 on the season.
I have a feeling that for KState fans this is kind of like getting back together with your ex-girlfriend, only she has gained about 40 pounds, has a moustache, and suddenly won’t shut the hell up about Scientology.
Texas 34 - Texas Tech 24
In a game where everyone expected fireworks, both teams went into halftime without scoring an offensive touchdown. In fact, even after all was said and done, the young lad from the centerfold of Musburger Weekly had a very pedestrian outing with the Colt throwing two picks and only one touchdown. I don’t know which is more disconcerting, the fact that Brent’s middle name is “Woody” or that he has an action figure.
After the game, McCoy chalked his poor performance up to missing practice with “flu-like symptoms”, while Tech quarterback Taylor Potts was able to put up stout numbers, passing for 420 yards and three touchdowns despite suffering from “roughing-the-quarterback-like symptoms”.
Click here to continue reading...
Story courtesy of psychoag at www.raiderpower.com
RANGERS DIRTY DOZEN: 12 THINGS LEFT TO SETTLE THIS SEASON
The Rangers have reached the 150-game mark in the season and technically they are still alive in both the AL West and the AL wild card races. Technically, yes. Realistically? Not so much.
Despite all that, there are still things worth paying attention to over the final 12 games. Here’s a dozen things worth paying attention to over these final dozen games:
1.90 wins: The Rangers now need to play .667 baseball (8-4) to reach the 90-win mark for only the fourth time in club history. At the start of the month, it looked likely. Now? It’s going to be really difficult. Nine of the final 12 games are on the road, including two more at Oakland, which just happens to be one of the hottest teams in the AL right now. Also, the Rangers are just 3-5 in Oakland this season. After three games against Tampa Bay in Arlington, they go to Los Angeles for four and Seattle for three. The Angels series may mean nothing by the time they get there, but Seattle is a different story.
2. Second place: Why is the trip to Seattle a different story? Because the Mariners, who won two of three from the Rangers in Texas at the start of this swoon, enter the day just 3.5 games back of the Rangers. If they can shave another two games off that lead in the next week, the final series of the season might come down to a battle for second in the West. Three weeks ago, was there any way you could imagine the Rangers falling to third? Now, that might take the shine off this otherwise fabulous year.
3. A 20-game winner: RHP Scott Feldman, who starts Thursday in Oakland, figures to also start Tuesday at Los Angeles and the season finale at Seattle on Oct. 4 if the Rangers keep him on his current schedule. Winning out would make him the fourth 20-game winner in club history, allowing him to join Ferguson Jenkins (25 in 1974), Kevin Brown (21 in 1992) and Rick Helling (20 in 1998). Feldman isn’t going to win the Cy Young award, but winning out might make him the first 20-game winner in MLB history who didn’t begin the season in his team’s rotation.
4. ERA Amendment: The Rangers arrived at the 150-game mark with a 4.31 ERA. If they can get through the next 12 games averaging less than five earned runs allowed, they should finish with an ERA below 4.50. It would mark the first time they’ve gone below 4.50 since Nolan Ryan retired. The Rangers finished Ryan’s final season, 1993, with a 4.28 mark then moved into Rangers Ballpark. In the new stadium, they haven’t had anything less than a 4.53 ERA (2004).
5. The 30-30 Club: 2B Ian Kinsler entered September with 28 homers and 28 stolen bases and becoming the second player in Rangers history to reach 30-30 seemed a foregone conclusion. It’s not such a foregone conclusion anymore. Kinsler has one homer and one steal in the first three weeks of the month. He hasn’t homered since Sept. 1 and stole his first base of the month on Sept. 19. He’s sitting at 29-29 right now. Kinsler has three RBIs to get to 80 for the year with 89 runs scored. Of the 53 30-30 seasons in history, only eight have happened with fewer than 90 RBIs and only 10 with fewer than 100 runs. Only three have included less than 90 RBIs and less than 100 runs.
Click here to continue reading...
Story courtesy of Evan Grant with http://insidecorner.dmagazine.com
Despite all that, there are still things worth paying attention to over the final 12 games. Here’s a dozen things worth paying attention to over these final dozen games:
1.90 wins: The Rangers now need to play .667 baseball (8-4) to reach the 90-win mark for only the fourth time in club history. At the start of the month, it looked likely. Now? It’s going to be really difficult. Nine of the final 12 games are on the road, including two more at Oakland, which just happens to be one of the hottest teams in the AL right now. Also, the Rangers are just 3-5 in Oakland this season. After three games against Tampa Bay in Arlington, they go to Los Angeles for four and Seattle for three. The Angels series may mean nothing by the time they get there, but Seattle is a different story.
2. Second place: Why is the trip to Seattle a different story? Because the Mariners, who won two of three from the Rangers in Texas at the start of this swoon, enter the day just 3.5 games back of the Rangers. If they can shave another two games off that lead in the next week, the final series of the season might come down to a battle for second in the West. Three weeks ago, was there any way you could imagine the Rangers falling to third? Now, that might take the shine off this otherwise fabulous year.
3. A 20-game winner: RHP Scott Feldman, who starts Thursday in Oakland, figures to also start Tuesday at Los Angeles and the season finale at Seattle on Oct. 4 if the Rangers keep him on his current schedule. Winning out would make him the fourth 20-game winner in club history, allowing him to join Ferguson Jenkins (25 in 1974), Kevin Brown (21 in 1992) and Rick Helling (20 in 1998). Feldman isn’t going to win the Cy Young award, but winning out might make him the first 20-game winner in MLB history who didn’t begin the season in his team’s rotation.
4. ERA Amendment: The Rangers arrived at the 150-game mark with a 4.31 ERA. If they can get through the next 12 games averaging less than five earned runs allowed, they should finish with an ERA below 4.50. It would mark the first time they’ve gone below 4.50 since Nolan Ryan retired. The Rangers finished Ryan’s final season, 1993, with a 4.28 mark then moved into Rangers Ballpark. In the new stadium, they haven’t had anything less than a 4.53 ERA (2004).
5. The 30-30 Club: 2B Ian Kinsler entered September with 28 homers and 28 stolen bases and becoming the second player in Rangers history to reach 30-30 seemed a foregone conclusion. It’s not such a foregone conclusion anymore. Kinsler has one homer and one steal in the first three weeks of the month. He hasn’t homered since Sept. 1 and stole his first base of the month on Sept. 19. He’s sitting at 29-29 right now. Kinsler has three RBIs to get to 80 for the year with 89 runs scored. Of the 53 30-30 seasons in history, only eight have happened with fewer than 90 RBIs and only 10 with fewer than 100 runs. Only three have included less than 90 RBIs and less than 100 runs.
Click here to continue reading...
Story courtesy of Evan Grant with http://insidecorner.dmagazine.com
September 23, 2009
TECH FOOTBALL: 2 RETURN, 2 STILL OUT
Texas Tech defensive ends Brandon Sharpe and Ryan Haliburton, both of whom missed Saturday’s game at Texas, returned to practice Tuesday night, the first team’s first heavy workday of the week.
Tech workouts are closed, but Sharpe and Haliburton were both in pads like their teammates as they left the field.
Meanwhile, defensive end Ra’Jon Henley and safety Franklin Mitchem, both starters, apparently are not back yet. Both were doing conditioning work in the treadmills area of the Tech football facility as the practice was winding down.
Story courtesy of www.redraiders.com
Tech workouts are closed, but Sharpe and Haliburton were both in pads like their teammates as they left the field.
Meanwhile, defensive end Ra’Jon Henley and safety Franklin Mitchem, both starters, apparently are not back yet. Both were doing conditioning work in the treadmills area of the Tech football facility as the practice was winding down.
Story courtesy of www.redraiders.com
RED RAIDERS: STRONG SHOWING OR NOT, A LOSS IS STILL A LOSS
Texas Tech lost its Big 12 Conference opener on Saturday night, but it was hard to tell if you paid attention to some of the reactions from various media outlets and even a segment of Red Raider fans.
There seemed to be a consensus that, despite the 34-24 defeat at Texas, the Red Raiders did themselves proud.
Playing in front of the largest crowd to witness a football game in the state of Texas, and with a national television audience tuned in, many said Tech played the second-ranked Longhorns closer than they had expected, perhaps earning the program a greater measure of respect. And for several Tech fans who I spoke with over the weekend, or who posted comments to our stories on redraiders.com, that was satisfying enough.
And there’s been praise all around for quarterback Taylor Potts – who was making his first start on the road, withstood several hits in the pocket and still gave Tech a chance to win – as well as for how the defense performed without two regular ends and a starting safety.
The bottom line, though, is the Raiders are the only team with a Big 12 loss, and they already have as many regular-season losses as they did all of last year.
“I would rather play good and win at the same time,” Tech defensive lineman Richard Jones said on Monday. “I would just rather win and call it a win instead of a moral victory.”
The Red Raiders certainly can’t afford to be patting themselves on the back, because they’ll likely be 2-2 if they don’t bring the same sort of toughness, intensity and execution to Houston on Saturday night. They might need to play even better to beat a 17th-ranked Cougars squad that’s coming off one of the most significant wins in school history and a bye week.
Tech also will be thrust into another hostile environment as Houston is expecting a record crowd at Robertson Stadium, where the Cougars have won 10 in a row. Another national TV audience will come away with an impression of the Red Raiders, whether it’s good, bad or somewhere in between.
“We really respect how they play and what they’ve done,” Tech coach Mike Leach said of the Cougars, who have a former Tech assistant coach (Dana Holgorsen) and a former Tech quarterback (Kliff Kingsbury) on their staff. “We’ve got to go out and play well. We have to get a week better this week.”
Instead of singing each other’s praises for going toe-to-toe with the Longhorns – at their place, no less – the Red Raiders should be concerned with fixing the problems that contributed to the loss. A punt return for a touchdown by Texas’ Jordan Shipley might have ultimately made the difference, and Tech rushed for negative yardage while committing two fourth-quarter turnovers and a few drive-killing false start penalties.
Leach and those in the Tech camp are undoubtedly doing just that, and they’re probably anything but overconfident as they prepare to face the Cougars, who are favored by one point.
Tech fans should hope that’s the case, anyway, and that the Red Raiders haven’t been listening to everyone who’s telling them how good they are
Story courtesy of www.redraiders.com
There seemed to be a consensus that, despite the 34-24 defeat at Texas, the Red Raiders did themselves proud.
Playing in front of the largest crowd to witness a football game in the state of Texas, and with a national television audience tuned in, many said Tech played the second-ranked Longhorns closer than they had expected, perhaps earning the program a greater measure of respect. And for several Tech fans who I spoke with over the weekend, or who posted comments to our stories on redraiders.com, that was satisfying enough.
And there’s been praise all around for quarterback Taylor Potts – who was making his first start on the road, withstood several hits in the pocket and still gave Tech a chance to win – as well as for how the defense performed without two regular ends and a starting safety.
The bottom line, though, is the Raiders are the only team with a Big 12 loss, and they already have as many regular-season losses as they did all of last year.
“I would rather play good and win at the same time,” Tech defensive lineman Richard Jones said on Monday. “I would just rather win and call it a win instead of a moral victory.”
The Red Raiders certainly can’t afford to be patting themselves on the back, because they’ll likely be 2-2 if they don’t bring the same sort of toughness, intensity and execution to Houston on Saturday night. They might need to play even better to beat a 17th-ranked Cougars squad that’s coming off one of the most significant wins in school history and a bye week.
Tech also will be thrust into another hostile environment as Houston is expecting a record crowd at Robertson Stadium, where the Cougars have won 10 in a row. Another national TV audience will come away with an impression of the Red Raiders, whether it’s good, bad or somewhere in between.
“We really respect how they play and what they’ve done,” Tech coach Mike Leach said of the Cougars, who have a former Tech assistant coach (Dana Holgorsen) and a former Tech quarterback (Kliff Kingsbury) on their staff. “We’ve got to go out and play well. We have to get a week better this week.”
Instead of singing each other’s praises for going toe-to-toe with the Longhorns – at their place, no less – the Red Raiders should be concerned with fixing the problems that contributed to the loss. A punt return for a touchdown by Texas’ Jordan Shipley might have ultimately made the difference, and Tech rushed for negative yardage while committing two fourth-quarter turnovers and a few drive-killing false start penalties.
Leach and those in the Tech camp are undoubtedly doing just that, and they’re probably anything but overconfident as they prepare to face the Cougars, who are favored by one point.
Tech fans should hope that’s the case, anyway, and that the Red Raiders haven’t been listening to everyone who’s telling them how good they are
Story courtesy of www.redraiders.com
COWBOYS' DEFENSE LACKS DIRECTION
Wade Phillips has well-documented issues that make me question his ability to succeed as the Cowboys' head coach, but he's always been an outstanding defensive coordinator.
Until now.
These Cowboys can't stop the run. Or the pass. At least not in the same game.
Here's the problem: The players don't know what they're supposed to do.
After giving up 174 yards to Tampa Bay's group of average runners, Phillips told us the Cowboys did a poor job of run blitzing. He said the defense hadn't practiced it much during training camp to avoid injuries during blitz drills, so the players weren't sure what gaps they were supposed to plug.
On Monday, a day after Eli Manning passed for 330 yards and two touchdowns, and a couple of average receivers such as Steve Smith and Mario Manningham combined for 20 catches, 284 yards and two touchdowns, Phillips said it was in part because the secondary didn't understand its defensive concepts.
Phillips cited Manningham's 22-yard touchdown catch late in the first half as an example.
The Cowboys blitzed, which meant Terence Newman, should've known the receiver was either going to run into the end zone or run a slant because Manning wasn't going to have time to throw anything else.
"Once our whole group understands the whole concept of what they can do, and we get a strong rush, we can take away some things better than we've been doing," Phillips said.
Are you kidding me? What a joke
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Story courtesy of www.dallasnews.com
Until now.
These Cowboys can't stop the run. Or the pass. At least not in the same game.
Here's the problem: The players don't know what they're supposed to do.
After giving up 174 yards to Tampa Bay's group of average runners, Phillips told us the Cowboys did a poor job of run blitzing. He said the defense hadn't practiced it much during training camp to avoid injuries during blitz drills, so the players weren't sure what gaps they were supposed to plug.
On Monday, a day after Eli Manning passed for 330 yards and two touchdowns, and a couple of average receivers such as Steve Smith and Mario Manningham combined for 20 catches, 284 yards and two touchdowns, Phillips said it was in part because the secondary didn't understand its defensive concepts.
Phillips cited Manningham's 22-yard touchdown catch late in the first half as an example.
The Cowboys blitzed, which meant Terence Newman, should've known the receiver was either going to run into the end zone or run a slant because Manning wasn't going to have time to throw anything else.
"Once our whole group understands the whole concept of what they can do, and we get a strong rush, we can take away some things better than we've been doing," Phillips said.
Are you kidding me? What a joke
Click here to read story...
Story courtesy of www.dallasnews.com
RANGERS BLOWN AWAY BY A'S 9-1
One thing that manager Ron Washington won’t do is admonish one of his players for giving maximum effort while trying to make a play.
That’s what Nelson Cruz was doing Tuesday night as he tried to get the Texas Rangers back in the dugout in the second inning.
A line drive was headed toward him in right field. A catch would end the inning. A dive and a miss, though, and Oakland would likely break a scoreless tie.
Cruz did miss, and the Athletics wound up with two runs on the play after an errant throw home. That sequence proved to be the key element in 9-1 loss at McAfee Coliseum.
Oakland scored five runs in the seventh to break open a 3-1 game that could have been a tied contest had the second inning played out differently.
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Story courtesy of www.dallasnews.com
That’s what Nelson Cruz was doing Tuesday night as he tried to get the Texas Rangers back in the dugout in the second inning.
A line drive was headed toward him in right field. A catch would end the inning. A dive and a miss, though, and Oakland would likely break a scoreless tie.
Cruz did miss, and the Athletics wound up with two runs on the play after an errant throw home. That sequence proved to be the key element in 9-1 loss at McAfee Coliseum.
Oakland scored five runs in the seventh to break open a 3-1 game that could have been a tied contest had the second inning played out differently.
Click here for rest of story...
Story courtesy of www.dallasnews.com
CATCH-UP ON THE RANGERS: MONDAY'S GAME VS. OAKLAND
Sorry, been busy at work so I am a bit behind on some blog recaps.
Kevin Millwood allowed one unearned run in seven innings, and he topped the 180-inning barrier to secure the fifth year in his contract in the Rangers' 10-3 victory. The right-hander will pitch next season for $12 million.
The beleaguered Rangers offense banged out 15 hits and reached double-digits for the 13th time this season. They had scored only nine runs in their previous seven games. Three players -- David Murphy, Julio Borbon and Hank Blalock each had three hits and drove in two runs.
Back to Millwood, who said that some mechanical adjustments since his last start helped him locate his fastball against Oakland. He hadn't had success with his heater in many of his past five starts, and that helped him build a 7.62 ERA in that stretch.
But on Monday he looked like the Millwood who should have been an All-Star and the pitcher who many believe was the Rangers' MVP of the first half. The stark difference between the first-half Millwood and second-half Millwood has turned people against him, even though his overall numbers (11-10, 3.79 ERA) are pretty darn good.
Some say he has run out of gas when the Rangers needed him most. But if he hadn't gone seven, eight or nine innings in the vast majority of his first-half starts, the Rangers wouldn't have been in a position to need him -- or any other starter -- in August and September. After watching him pitch the previous two seasons, there's a large chunk of the fan base and probably some within the organization who would have gladly taken 11-10/3.79 at the beginning of the year.
It remains the contention here that Millwood on the staff for 2010 is a good thing. Without him, the veteran of the rotation would be Brandon McCarthy. Nothing against McCarthy, but he hasn't had anywhere near the experiences Millwood has had in his career. The perceived lack of second-half stamina can be addressed during a second straight off-season in which he again gets in shape for a new season. A lot of positives came out of the start tonight heading into next season.
Story courtesy of www.dallasnews.com
Kevin Millwood allowed one unearned run in seven innings, and he topped the 180-inning barrier to secure the fifth year in his contract in the Rangers' 10-3 victory. The right-hander will pitch next season for $12 million.
The beleaguered Rangers offense banged out 15 hits and reached double-digits for the 13th time this season. They had scored only nine runs in their previous seven games. Three players -- David Murphy, Julio Borbon and Hank Blalock each had three hits and drove in two runs.
Back to Millwood, who said that some mechanical adjustments since his last start helped him locate his fastball against Oakland. He hadn't had success with his heater in many of his past five starts, and that helped him build a 7.62 ERA in that stretch.
But on Monday he looked like the Millwood who should have been an All-Star and the pitcher who many believe was the Rangers' MVP of the first half. The stark difference between the first-half Millwood and second-half Millwood has turned people against him, even though his overall numbers (11-10, 3.79 ERA) are pretty darn good.
Some say he has run out of gas when the Rangers needed him most. But if he hadn't gone seven, eight or nine innings in the vast majority of his first-half starts, the Rangers wouldn't have been in a position to need him -- or any other starter -- in August and September. After watching him pitch the previous two seasons, there's a large chunk of the fan base and probably some within the organization who would have gladly taken 11-10/3.79 at the beginning of the year.
It remains the contention here that Millwood on the staff for 2010 is a good thing. Without him, the veteran of the rotation would be Brandon McCarthy. Nothing against McCarthy, but he hasn't had anywhere near the experiences Millwood has had in his career. The perceived lack of second-half stamina can be addressed during a second straight off-season in which he again gets in shape for a new season. A lot of positives came out of the start tonight heading into next season.
Story courtesy of www.dallasnews.com
September 21, 2009
MORE CRABTREE DRAMA UNFOLDS
Despite their 2-0 start, it seems the New York Jets are still desperate to add a wingman for rookie QB Mark Sanchez.
The (New York) Daily News claims the San Francisco 49ers have filed tampering charges against the Jets in connection with unsigned first-round pick Michael Crabtree.
Crabtree, a Texas Tech wide receiver selected by San Francisco with the 10th pick of April's draft, is the lone remaining first-round holdout.
Though the Jets denied the allegation, head coach Rex Ryan addressed it on ESPN radio's Mike and Mike in the Morning today, saying: "We'll let the NFL figure that one out.
"I think it's ridiculous, personally."
After losing WR Laveranues Coles to free agency (Bengals) in the offseason, the Jets have used Jerricho Cotchery and Chansi Stuckey as their starters.
But they explored trading up in the draft to obtain Percy Harvin (ultimately taken by Minnesota), considered Plaxico Burress before it became clear he would serve time in jail and were also linked to unhappy Broncos WR Brandon Marshall, which drew the ire of the Broncos, though they did not formally charge the Jets with tampering.
The 49ers could deal Crabtree's rights prior to the Oct. 20 trade deadline. If they do not sign him before Nov. 17, they will lose his rights, and Crabtree will be eligible to be selected by any team in the 2010 draft. -- Nate Davis
Story courtesy of www.usatoday.com
The (New York) Daily News claims the San Francisco 49ers have filed tampering charges against the Jets in connection with unsigned first-round pick Michael Crabtree.
Crabtree, a Texas Tech wide receiver selected by San Francisco with the 10th pick of April's draft, is the lone remaining first-round holdout.
Though the Jets denied the allegation, head coach Rex Ryan addressed it on ESPN radio's Mike and Mike in the Morning today, saying: "We'll let the NFL figure that one out.
"I think it's ridiculous, personally."
After losing WR Laveranues Coles to free agency (Bengals) in the offseason, the Jets have used Jerricho Cotchery and Chansi Stuckey as their starters.
But they explored trading up in the draft to obtain Percy Harvin (ultimately taken by Minnesota), considered Plaxico Burress before it became clear he would serve time in jail and were also linked to unhappy Broncos WR Brandon Marshall, which drew the ire of the Broncos, though they did not formally charge the Jets with tampering.
The 49ers could deal Crabtree's rights prior to the Oct. 20 trade deadline. If they do not sign him before Nov. 17, they will lose his rights, and Crabtree will be eligible to be selected by any team in the 2010 draft. -- Nate Davis
Story courtesy of www.usatoday.com
AN OBJECTIVE LONGHORN'S THOUGHTS ON THE GAME
Please welcome Dave, my guest blogger for the week. Below are his impressions of the Tech/UT game from a Longhorn's perspective. Do you agree/disagree with Dave's assessment. Feel free to post comments below.
Contrary to popular belief, there are Texas fans out there who actually attended and graduated from UT. I am one of those fans. Now, I'm as die hard a Texas fan as you'll find, but I happen to think I'm pretty fair and objective when it comes to recapping their play. I have many friends, including the best man at my wedding, who went to Tech that would attest to that. With that said, here are my thoughts regarding my Horns 34-24 victory over Tech on Saturday.
First, my Horns:
-Something is wrong with Colt McCoy. That's not to take away from the Tech defense (more on that later). There were stories out of Austin that Colt was sick all week with flu-like symptoms and didn't practice until Thursday. If Colt were a frosh, I may buy that as an excuse, but not here, he was just off. I've never cared too much for the Heisman, as I think its the most over hyped award in sports, but unless he lights it up every game the rest of the way out, including a decisive victory over OU, he can forget about winning the Heisman. I honestly couldn't care any less if Colt wins or not. Sure, it would be nice, but I'd rather Texas win all their games. Colt was throwing high all night (both picks were on him due to high throws, although you could argue the receivers still should have made those catches) and just seemed out of sync. I can only hope this is a fluke and not a trend, or Texas will be in trouble this year.
-Yes, they gave up over 400 yards. Yes they gave up 24 points. And as usual, the Tech offense made the Texas defense look downright stupid at times. But I haven't seen a defense from Texas that attacks the line of scrimmage this well since the championship season of '05. I love this defense. When you play Tech, you know you're going to get gashed through the air. But the big difference between this year and the classic last year was two things: stopping Tech's running game and getting pressure on the QB, both of which Texas did a great job of. In my opinion, the Texas D won the game.
-I'm still disappointed in Texas' running game, or lack thereof. However, I love this kid Tre Newton. We'll see if he can take the pressure off of McCoy, who was Texas' leading rusher last year (sadly).
Secondly, for Tech:
-The biggest shocker to me was Tech's D playing at the level they played at. They were the reason the game was as close as it was. I was one of those fans who thought this would be a 3 TD victory for Texas, but only because the Tech D line was coming into the game completely demolished. I was very impressed with how they stepped up.
-Taylor Potts is now my 2nd favorite Big XII QB. The one thing I hated about Graham Harrell, whether deserved or not, was that he didn't seem to take getting hit very well--meaning he would complain a lot. Perhaps not fact, but that's how I saw it. TP was getting destroyed by Texas' D linemen, and all he did was get off the turf, walk to the line, run the next play (usually for a 1st down, much to the chagrin of my Horns' D). No trash talk, no complaining, just all business. He's going to be fun to watch. I just hope he's sick for our game next year and can't play.
-If Tech wants to beat OU and other top teams, they need to find a consistent running game, and fast. Obviously, -6 yards isn't going to cut it, but the main reason Tech was able to pull off the upset last year was their presence of a competent running game.
-WAY too many penalties for the Red Raiders. Now, I know this is a touchy subject for the Lubbock faithful (more on that below), but most the penalties were things like false starts which are easily avoided.
-No need for the onside kick in the 3rd quarter. You're on the road and just scored a TD to get to within 7. With an offense as potent as Tech's, and the opponents Heisman candidate QB clearly struggling, coupled with the excellent play of your defense, there's no need to gamble and give a team like Texas starting field position at midfield.
Finally, the penalties (or the refs, depending on who you talk to):
As I said above, this is a very touchy subject for some TT fans. There are a lot of TT fans who are 100% convinced that every ref in a UT-Tech game is on Deloss Dodds' payroll. I don't have much to say to these people, I liken them to the 9/11 "truthers". Questionable calls are made in every game in both directions. In my opinion, fans that blame every loss on refs are not worth mentioning, much less arguing with.
With that said, I think the game was called well. Not perfect, but well. A lot of holding on Tech wasn't called. The offensive facemask that was called on Tech early was weak. The personal foul against Texas 2 plays before the Potts fumble was also weak. The call at the end of the half when Potts' knee never went down was actually correct--in college you can't simulate taking a knee like you can in the NFL. I will concede one horrendous call by the officials that went in Texas' favor - the offensive PI called on Tech's final drive when they had the ball 1st and 10 on Texas' 48. I've watched the replay 5 times and can't understand where the PI took place. That was a bad call. However, most Tech fans will point to what is becoming known as "The Hit":
I'm certainly not going to change anyone's mind, but I think it was a clean hit. A lot of Tech fans are decrying the hit, saying Kindle is dirty, etc., but if you see the replay closely, he does what every defensive player is taught to do, and that is to put your face on the opponent's chest or ball, then drive through them into the ground. It is unfortunate that Kindle's helmet ended up going into Potts' chin, but football is a violent sport. Of course, I'm glad it was a no-call, and I'd be livid if a flag was thrown, as it would in my opinion contribute to the "pussification" of football. But trying to convince some Tech fans that hit was legal is like trying to convince Barack Obama and Nancy Peolsi that nationalized health care will bankrupt the country.
All in all, the game was much closer than I anticipated, but it was an excellent game. Of course I'm glad the Horns won, but I expected more out of our offense. Defensively, if you would have told me Tech would score 24 points, I'd have taken that in a heartbeat. If Tech can play defense like that and find a running game, they're looking at another 11 win season, and likely BCS bowl. For Texas, if McCoy reverts back to last season's form, which I think he will, Texas should be in Pasadena come January. But somehow, some way, OU will find a way to take their spot. It's science.
Contrary to popular belief, there are Texas fans out there who actually attended and graduated from UT. I am one of those fans. Now, I'm as die hard a Texas fan as you'll find, but I happen to think I'm pretty fair and objective when it comes to recapping their play. I have many friends, including the best man at my wedding, who went to Tech that would attest to that. With that said, here are my thoughts regarding my Horns 34-24 victory over Tech on Saturday.
First, my Horns:
-Something is wrong with Colt McCoy. That's not to take away from the Tech defense (more on that later). There were stories out of Austin that Colt was sick all week with flu-like symptoms and didn't practice until Thursday. If Colt were a frosh, I may buy that as an excuse, but not here, he was just off. I've never cared too much for the Heisman, as I think its the most over hyped award in sports, but unless he lights it up every game the rest of the way out, including a decisive victory over OU, he can forget about winning the Heisman. I honestly couldn't care any less if Colt wins or not. Sure, it would be nice, but I'd rather Texas win all their games. Colt was throwing high all night (both picks were on him due to high throws, although you could argue the receivers still should have made those catches) and just seemed out of sync. I can only hope this is a fluke and not a trend, or Texas will be in trouble this year.
-Yes, they gave up over 400 yards. Yes they gave up 24 points. And as usual, the Tech offense made the Texas defense look downright stupid at times. But I haven't seen a defense from Texas that attacks the line of scrimmage this well since the championship season of '05. I love this defense. When you play Tech, you know you're going to get gashed through the air. But the big difference between this year and the classic last year was two things: stopping Tech's running game and getting pressure on the QB, both of which Texas did a great job of. In my opinion, the Texas D won the game.
-I'm still disappointed in Texas' running game, or lack thereof. However, I love this kid Tre Newton. We'll see if he can take the pressure off of McCoy, who was Texas' leading rusher last year (sadly).
Secondly, for Tech:
-The biggest shocker to me was Tech's D playing at the level they played at. They were the reason the game was as close as it was. I was one of those fans who thought this would be a 3 TD victory for Texas, but only because the Tech D line was coming into the game completely demolished. I was very impressed with how they stepped up.
-Taylor Potts is now my 2nd favorite Big XII QB. The one thing I hated about Graham Harrell, whether deserved or not, was that he didn't seem to take getting hit very well--meaning he would complain a lot. Perhaps not fact, but that's how I saw it. TP was getting destroyed by Texas' D linemen, and all he did was get off the turf, walk to the line, run the next play (usually for a 1st down, much to the chagrin of my Horns' D). No trash talk, no complaining, just all business. He's going to be fun to watch. I just hope he's sick for our game next year and can't play.
-If Tech wants to beat OU and other top teams, they need to find a consistent running game, and fast. Obviously, -6 yards isn't going to cut it, but the main reason Tech was able to pull off the upset last year was their presence of a competent running game.
-WAY too many penalties for the Red Raiders. Now, I know this is a touchy subject for the Lubbock faithful (more on that below), but most the penalties were things like false starts which are easily avoided.
-No need for the onside kick in the 3rd quarter. You're on the road and just scored a TD to get to within 7. With an offense as potent as Tech's, and the opponents Heisman candidate QB clearly struggling, coupled with the excellent play of your defense, there's no need to gamble and give a team like Texas starting field position at midfield.
Finally, the penalties (or the refs, depending on who you talk to):
As I said above, this is a very touchy subject for some TT fans. There are a lot of TT fans who are 100% convinced that every ref in a UT-Tech game is on Deloss Dodds' payroll. I don't have much to say to these people, I liken them to the 9/11 "truthers". Questionable calls are made in every game in both directions. In my opinion, fans that blame every loss on refs are not worth mentioning, much less arguing with.
With that said, I think the game was called well. Not perfect, but well. A lot of holding on Tech wasn't called. The offensive facemask that was called on Tech early was weak. The personal foul against Texas 2 plays before the Potts fumble was also weak. The call at the end of the half when Potts' knee never went down was actually correct--in college you can't simulate taking a knee like you can in the NFL. I will concede one horrendous call by the officials that went in Texas' favor - the offensive PI called on Tech's final drive when they had the ball 1st and 10 on Texas' 48. I've watched the replay 5 times and can't understand where the PI took place. That was a bad call. However, most Tech fans will point to what is becoming known as "The Hit":
I'm certainly not going to change anyone's mind, but I think it was a clean hit. A lot of Tech fans are decrying the hit, saying Kindle is dirty, etc., but if you see the replay closely, he does what every defensive player is taught to do, and that is to put your face on the opponent's chest or ball, then drive through them into the ground. It is unfortunate that Kindle's helmet ended up going into Potts' chin, but football is a violent sport. Of course, I'm glad it was a no-call, and I'd be livid if a flag was thrown, as it would in my opinion contribute to the "pussification" of football. But trying to convince some Tech fans that hit was legal is like trying to convince Barack Obama and Nancy Peolsi that nationalized health care will bankrupt the country.
All in all, the game was much closer than I anticipated, but it was an excellent game. Of course I'm glad the Horns won, but I expected more out of our offense. Defensively, if you would have told me Tech would score 24 points, I'd have taken that in a heartbeat. If Tech can play defense like that and find a running game, they're looking at another 11 win season, and likely BCS bowl. For Texas, if McCoy reverts back to last season's form, which I think he will, Texas should be in Pasadena come January. But somehow, some way, OU will find a way to take their spot. It's science.
MIKE LEACH SHOWS METTLE IN DEFEAT
So America will see that Texas won by just 10 points, and maybe America finally will get it.
America almost never gets it where Mike Leach is concerned, but maybe now America will. He has to earn his respect every year, and when he does it one year, he has to do it all over again the next year.
No other coach in college football is better. Leach complains about being overlooked, but he may secretly love it.
Even as he rolls out another new version of college football’s best offense, even as he plugs in new players and keeps rolling, he loves the underdog role.
This was a game second-ranked Texas was supposed to win easily. Inside the UT program, some thought the Longhorns would hang 70 points on the outmanned Red Raiders.
The game was nothing like that. Texas won 34-24 on Saturday night but was pushed to the edge. That Texas Tech is unranked is beyond ridiculous. These two teams are really close, and this was a heavyweight bout from start to finish.
“I thought it was one of the harder-hitting football games I’ve been around,” Texas coach Mack Brown said. “I thought it was a great football game.”
Raiders not going away
Texas fans will fret about Colt McCoy’s poor throws and about a defense that gave up 414 yards. They’ll do everything except understand that what Leach has built at Texas Tech is here to stay.
They’ll have trouble admitting that for all his shtick, Leach is smarter and better than almost any other coach in America. Texas punched and punched. Texas kept landing punches, too. Texas did things that would have beaten almost any other opponent.
Texas Tech’s players did what really good, really tough players almost always do. They kept getting back up and counterpunching, refusing to give in.
The Red Raiders put themselves on the national map with that last-second victory over the Longhorns a year ago. Yes, that was Leach’s finest hour.
This was a pretty good hour, too. Leach came to Austin with a quarterback making his third career start, his first on the road. Leach brought one healthy defensive end.
He scrambled to fill holes here and there, and in front of a crowd of 101,297, Texas Tech did itself proud.
Leach brought his team to one of the toughest, loudest places in the nation, to a place were Brown’s teams are 61-6 overall and 23-1 against the Big 12 South.
Texas Tech didn’t win, but when it ended, the Longhorns were thrilled to walk out of Royal-Memorial Stadium with a victory, any victory
Click here to read full story...
Story courtesy of Richard Justice at www.chron.com
America almost never gets it where Mike Leach is concerned, but maybe now America will. He has to earn his respect every year, and when he does it one year, he has to do it all over again the next year.
No other coach in college football is better. Leach complains about being overlooked, but he may secretly love it.
Even as he rolls out another new version of college football’s best offense, even as he plugs in new players and keeps rolling, he loves the underdog role.
This was a game second-ranked Texas was supposed to win easily. Inside the UT program, some thought the Longhorns would hang 70 points on the outmanned Red Raiders.
The game was nothing like that. Texas won 34-24 on Saturday night but was pushed to the edge. That Texas Tech is unranked is beyond ridiculous. These two teams are really close, and this was a heavyweight bout from start to finish.
“I thought it was one of the harder-hitting football games I’ve been around,” Texas coach Mack Brown said. “I thought it was a great football game.”
Raiders not going away
Texas fans will fret about Colt McCoy’s poor throws and about a defense that gave up 414 yards. They’ll do everything except understand that what Leach has built at Texas Tech is here to stay.
They’ll have trouble admitting that for all his shtick, Leach is smarter and better than almost any other coach in America. Texas punched and punched. Texas kept landing punches, too. Texas did things that would have beaten almost any other opponent.
Texas Tech’s players did what really good, really tough players almost always do. They kept getting back up and counterpunching, refusing to give in.
The Red Raiders put themselves on the national map with that last-second victory over the Longhorns a year ago. Yes, that was Leach’s finest hour.
This was a pretty good hour, too. Leach came to Austin with a quarterback making his third career start, his first on the road. Leach brought one healthy defensive end.
He scrambled to fill holes here and there, and in front of a crowd of 101,297, Texas Tech did itself proud.
Leach brought his team to one of the toughest, loudest places in the nation, to a place were Brown’s teams are 61-6 overall and 23-1 against the Big 12 South.
Texas Tech didn’t win, but when it ended, the Longhorns were thrilled to walk out of Royal-Memorial Stadium with a victory, any victory
Click here to read full story...
Story courtesy of Richard Justice at www.chron.com
September 20, 2009
COWBOYS FALL TO GIANTS: LOSE 33-31
Last night was the home opener for the Dallas Cowboys and their new $1.2 Billion dollar stadium. It was a beautiful September night in Dallas as over 105,000 fans packed into the new venue to cheer on the Cowboys [largest crowd ever to witness an American Football game]. With the stadium and the fans all hyped up, all the Cowboys had to do was come out and play football and get a win for the home crowd. Well, they came out to play, but it wasn't all pretty as the Cowboys lose to the Giants 33-31 with a last second Field Goal by NY. What were some good things or bad things you saw last night? Read some of my thoughts and then let me know your thoughts in the comments section below:
THE GOOD:
- Running game excelled last night. Man, I haven't seen Marion Barber have a dominant game as he did last night in over a year. He seemed to run at will against the Giants and found big holes for huge gains. Felix Jones and his breakaway speed is the perfect complement to Barber's pounding style and the duo worked well together along with Choice to gain 251 yards rushing.
- WTG Run Defense - After the poor showing at Tampa Bay last week, a huge emphasis was placed on the run defense against the Giants monster duo of Jacobs and Bradshaw. Watching last night, I felt the Cowboys completely dominated the line of scrimmage and the Giants ended the night not even clearing 100 rushing yards, and with 4 tackles for a loss.
THE BAD:
- Romo's off night - Romo continues to struggle so I am not sure what is going on with him. Last week in Tampa he started slow in the first half before finding his rhythm in the second half with those 3 long TD bombs. Last night he still looked out of place, unfortunately, he never found his comfort zone as we watched him struggle all night with passing. He frequently was throwing over or behind receivers and ended the night with only 127 yards passing with 3 INTs. In the NFL, you simply cannot get away with that many turnovers and expect to win.
- Secondary always one step behind tonight As dominant as the front line defense was last night, the secondary was equally soft. We showed lots of blitzes and pressure on the line, yet gave the NY receivers enough cushion to catch the ball and get 1st downs, especially on that last drive. I have high expectations for this defense, and when you pressure at the LOS, then your secondary has to have better coverage and jump routes and try to force turnovers when the QB is throwing under pressure like Manning was last night.
THE UGLY:
Witten kicks ball to defense for INT. This was one of the strangest plays I have ever seen. Witten was running a crossing route and Romo's throw was slightly behind; Witten deflected the ball and it bounced off his foot and into the hands of the defender who promptly ran it in for a TD. The TD didn't count because the play was whistled dead, but the INT stood since the ball never hit the turf. That's a new one...
THE GOOD:
- Running game excelled last night. Man, I haven't seen Marion Barber have a dominant game as he did last night in over a year. He seemed to run at will against the Giants and found big holes for huge gains. Felix Jones and his breakaway speed is the perfect complement to Barber's pounding style and the duo worked well together along with Choice to gain 251 yards rushing.
- WTG Run Defense - After the poor showing at Tampa Bay last week, a huge emphasis was placed on the run defense against the Giants monster duo of Jacobs and Bradshaw. Watching last night, I felt the Cowboys completely dominated the line of scrimmage and the Giants ended the night not even clearing 100 rushing yards, and with 4 tackles for a loss.
THE BAD:
- Romo's off night - Romo continues to struggle so I am not sure what is going on with him. Last week in Tampa he started slow in the first half before finding his rhythm in the second half with those 3 long TD bombs. Last night he still looked out of place, unfortunately, he never found his comfort zone as we watched him struggle all night with passing. He frequently was throwing over or behind receivers and ended the night with only 127 yards passing with 3 INTs. In the NFL, you simply cannot get away with that many turnovers and expect to win.
- Secondary always one step behind tonight As dominant as the front line defense was last night, the secondary was equally soft. We showed lots of blitzes and pressure on the line, yet gave the NY receivers enough cushion to catch the ball and get 1st downs, especially on that last drive. I have high expectations for this defense, and when you pressure at the LOS, then your secondary has to have better coverage and jump routes and try to force turnovers when the QB is throwing under pressure like Manning was last night.
THE UGLY:
Witten kicks ball to defense for INT. This was one of the strangest plays I have ever seen. Witten was running a crossing route and Romo's throw was slightly behind; Witten deflected the ball and it bounced off his foot and into the hands of the defender who promptly ran it in for a TD. The TD didn't count because the play was whistled dead, but the INT stood since the ball never hit the turf. That's a new one...
RANGERS FALL TO ANGELS: PLAYOFF HOPES FADING
Frankly, I am too depressed to blog about another Rangers loss. Good news is we actually got some hits in this game and led halfway thru the game; the bad news is the pitching fell apart and the game ended with a 10-5 loss. Read below for the game summary from the Dallas Morning News:
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Gary Matthews Jr. snapped out of his September slump with a tiebreaking homer and a two-run single for the Los Angeles Angels in a 10-5 victory over the Texas Rangers on Sunday.
Howie Kendrick drove in five runs with a two-run homer and a bases-loaded triple for the Angels (89-60), who won two of three in the series. Juan Rivera and Chone Figgins also homered.
Closing in on a third straight AL West title and fifth in six years, the Angels stretched their lead to 71/2 games over second-place Texas with 13 to play.
The Rangers (81-67) wrapped up a 2-7 homestand during which they had four shutout losses and dropped 21/2 games in the division standings.
Boston leads the Rangers by eight games in the AL wild-card race. Texas' loss also meant that the New York Yankees could clinch a playoff berth Sunday with a victory at Seattle.
Matthews was 1 for 13 in his seven games this month before a two-run single in the second that got Los Angeles to 3-2. His baserunning mistake led to an inning-ending double play, but he made up for that with his two-out solo homer in the sixth that broke a 5-all tie and chased rookie left-hander Derek Holland (7-12).
Kendrick's two-run homer tied the game earlier in the sixth. He finished with three hits and is batting .420 (34 of 81) in his last 20 games.
An inning later, after Los Angeles loaded the bases following two quick outs, Kendrick hit a liner that glanced off the stretched-out glove of center fielder Marlon Byrd and rolled to the wall.
Texas, after scoring only four runs combined in its previous six games, took a 3-0 lead in the first off John Lackey (11-8), who had allowed only three earned runs in his previous four starts. But Los Angeles immediately responded with runs each time after the Rangers scored.
Lackey allowed five runs, four earned, in six innings with four strikeouts and two walks.
Holland gave up six runs while losing his fifth consecutive start.
Hank Blalock had an RBI single in the Texas first before a two-run single by Nelson Cruz, who was 3 for 30 in his previous nine games. David Murphy had a leadoff double and scored on Kinsler's sacrifice fly in the third, but Rivera's solo homer came in the fourth.
Byrd's RBI single in the fifth put Texas up 5-3, but the Angels homered twice in the following inning to go ahead for good.
NOTES: The first pitch was moved up 2 hours from the originally scheduled start time because of the Dallas Cowboys' home opener Sunday night at their adjacent new stadium. The 12:08 p.m. CDT start matched the earliest at Rangers Ballpark, in its 16th season. ... Lackey's 102nd victory with the Angels matched Frank Tanana for fourth on the team list. ... Angels starters have a 2.20 ERA over their last 22 games. ... Rangers 3B Michael Young acknowledged that he aggravated his strained left hamstring when he returned early. He has missed 15 of 16 games, with the only appearance since getting hurt on Sept. 1 being his one at-bat Tuesday.
Story courtesy of www.dallasnews.com
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Gary Matthews Jr. snapped out of his September slump with a tiebreaking homer and a two-run single for the Los Angeles Angels in a 10-5 victory over the Texas Rangers on Sunday.
Howie Kendrick drove in five runs with a two-run homer and a bases-loaded triple for the Angels (89-60), who won two of three in the series. Juan Rivera and Chone Figgins also homered.
Closing in on a third straight AL West title and fifth in six years, the Angels stretched their lead to 71/2 games over second-place Texas with 13 to play.
The Rangers (81-67) wrapped up a 2-7 homestand during which they had four shutout losses and dropped 21/2 games in the division standings.
Boston leads the Rangers by eight games in the AL wild-card race. Texas' loss also meant that the New York Yankees could clinch a playoff berth Sunday with a victory at Seattle.
Matthews was 1 for 13 in his seven games this month before a two-run single in the second that got Los Angeles to 3-2. His baserunning mistake led to an inning-ending double play, but he made up for that with his two-out solo homer in the sixth that broke a 5-all tie and chased rookie left-hander Derek Holland (7-12).
Kendrick's two-run homer tied the game earlier in the sixth. He finished with three hits and is batting .420 (34 of 81) in his last 20 games.
An inning later, after Los Angeles loaded the bases following two quick outs, Kendrick hit a liner that glanced off the stretched-out glove of center fielder Marlon Byrd and rolled to the wall.
Texas, after scoring only four runs combined in its previous six games, took a 3-0 lead in the first off John Lackey (11-8), who had allowed only three earned runs in his previous four starts. But Los Angeles immediately responded with runs each time after the Rangers scored.
Lackey allowed five runs, four earned, in six innings with four strikeouts and two walks.
Holland gave up six runs while losing his fifth consecutive start.
Hank Blalock had an RBI single in the Texas first before a two-run single by Nelson Cruz, who was 3 for 30 in his previous nine games. David Murphy had a leadoff double and scored on Kinsler's sacrifice fly in the third, but Rivera's solo homer came in the fourth.
Byrd's RBI single in the fifth put Texas up 5-3, but the Angels homered twice in the following inning to go ahead for good.
NOTES: The first pitch was moved up 2 hours from the originally scheduled start time because of the Dallas Cowboys' home opener Sunday night at their adjacent new stadium. The 12:08 p.m. CDT start matched the earliest at Rangers Ballpark, in its 16th season. ... Lackey's 102nd victory with the Angels matched Frank Tanana for fourth on the team list. ... Angels starters have a 2.20 ERA over their last 22 games. ... Rangers 3B Michael Young acknowledged that he aggravated his strained left hamstring when he returned early. He has missed 15 of 16 games, with the only appearance since getting hurt on Sept. 1 being his one at-bat Tuesday.
Story courtesy of www.dallasnews.com
BREAKING DOWN COWBOYS VS. GIANTS
Below are some quick takes on the matchups when the Cowboys meet the New York Giants at Cowboys Stadium:
When the Cowboys run
This could be a big game for Felix Jones because of his speed, and he did not play against New York last year. Is his quadriceps bruise OK? The Giants have a deep defensive line and stout linebackers but allowed 4 yards a carry in the season opener. Plus, Marion Barber is healthier than he was in last meeting.
EDGE: Even
When the Cowboys pass
The Giants will be without starting corner Aaron Ross for the second straight game, which helps the Cowboys' diverse attack. Tony Romo was sacked once a week ago but the Giants got him four times in their last meeting and have Osi Umenyiora in the lineup.
EDGE: Cowboys
When the Giants run
Tampa Bay averaged 5.6 yards on the ground a week ago and the Giants have a better offensive line. In the last two games the 264-pound Brandon Jacobs has played against Dallas he has gained 117 and 95 yards. The key is to get him moving sideways.
EDGE: Giants
When the Giants pass
Eli Manning has thrown more touchdowns against the Cowboys than any team he has faced (16). That's the good news. He's also been intercepted more (11) and sacked more (26). He was sacked eight times in the last meeting. The Giants' wide outs are still in a prove-it stage.
EDGE: Cowboys
Special teams
There is a feeling the Cowboys have turned the corner with this group but things can change quickly. Don't look for much in the punt return game vs. Jeff Feagles because of his hang time, but the kick return game gives the Cowboys an advantage.
EDGE: Cowboys
Intangibles
The feeling last year was that there was no way the Cowboys could lose the final game at Texas Stadium vs. Baltimore. Now there's a feeling there's no way they could lose the first game at Cowboys Stadium. The Giants come in with the "homecoming foe" chip on their shoulder.
EDGE: Giants.
Story courtesy of www.dallasnews.com
When the Cowboys run
This could be a big game for Felix Jones because of his speed, and he did not play against New York last year. Is his quadriceps bruise OK? The Giants have a deep defensive line and stout linebackers but allowed 4 yards a carry in the season opener. Plus, Marion Barber is healthier than he was in last meeting.
EDGE: Even
When the Cowboys pass
The Giants will be without starting corner Aaron Ross for the second straight game, which helps the Cowboys' diverse attack. Tony Romo was sacked once a week ago but the Giants got him four times in their last meeting and have Osi Umenyiora in the lineup.
EDGE: Cowboys
When the Giants run
Tampa Bay averaged 5.6 yards on the ground a week ago and the Giants have a better offensive line. In the last two games the 264-pound Brandon Jacobs has played against Dallas he has gained 117 and 95 yards. The key is to get him moving sideways.
EDGE: Giants
When the Giants pass
Eli Manning has thrown more touchdowns against the Cowboys than any team he has faced (16). That's the good news. He's also been intercepted more (11) and sacked more (26). He was sacked eight times in the last meeting. The Giants' wide outs are still in a prove-it stage.
EDGE: Cowboys
Special teams
There is a feeling the Cowboys have turned the corner with this group but things can change quickly. Don't look for much in the punt return game vs. Jeff Feagles because of his hang time, but the kick return game gives the Cowboys an advantage.
EDGE: Cowboys
Intangibles
The feeling last year was that there was no way the Cowboys could lose the final game at Texas Stadium vs. Baltimore. Now there's a feeling there's no way they could lose the first game at Cowboys Stadium. The Giants come in with the "homecoming foe" chip on their shoulder.
EDGE: Giants.
Story courtesy of www.dallasnews.com
TEXAS TECH VS. TEXAS - GAME SUMMARY
THE GOOD:Congratulations Taylor Potts! This was the first game I actually got to watch on TV and I was impressed by several of his drives and his toughness, especially after that nasty head-shot he took in the 4th Quarter. Tonight was his first road game as a started in front of a hostile crowd of over 100,000 fans. He went 46/62 for 420 yards [insert joke here] and 3 TDs. He wasn't perfect, but he made me believe good things lie ahead for the Red Raiders.
WTG Defense! When I heard that we would be without several of our defensive starters for the UT game (due to injuries or disciplinary action), I was worried that we would get hammered. So I was very pleased to see our Defense step up and play almost lights out in this game. They forced some turnovers and stalled several scoring drives for UT. The defense held Heisman contender Colt McCoy to a pedestrian 205 passing yards and 2 INTs. I love Ruffin McNeal's approach to keep the system simple and be aggressive. Since he took over I can really tell a difference in our attitude and I love it!
Newcomer Stephens impressed me tonight - For a new kid I hadn't seen play before tonight, I thought he did a pretty good job fielding kickoffs tonight. He ended up with 182 all purpose yards and looked explosive at times...I just wished he could have broke one free to make up for the Shipley return we gave up...oh well...
THE BAD:
Onside kick = bad idea - When your team just marched down the field and scored to keep a big game within 7 points [and on the road, no less], you don't need to onside kick the ball. It was unnecessary and took all the momentum from our scoring drive and handed it along with great field position back to the UT offense. We all know that Mike Leach likes to gamble and keep everyone on their toes, but this was a real head-scratcher...
Stupid Penalties and Turnovers - whether most were deserved or not, the fact remains that Tech repeatedly shot themselves in the foot with penalties tonight. The odds are already stacked against you on the road and to get 14 penalties for a 108 yards is bad, real bad... It seemed like every time our offense would get into a rhythm we would get hit with penalties that disrupted the flow of our game. And if it wasn't penalties, then it was turnovers. As everyone knows, turnovers can make-or-break close games, and that is exactly how it went down tonight. We had 3 turnovers on the evening [2 fumbles and 1 INT], but when and where they occurred ultimately influenced this game. I believe both the INT and the Potts' fumble happened inside the Longhorns 20, which gave them excellent field position that they capitalized on. Everyone knows that rule #1 is to protect the football and tonight we didn't do that.
THE UGLY:
What is up with the Tech Running game - no jokes please if you say "Tech has a running game?". Last year we were able to supplement our air raid attack with some explosive running that would keep the defenses honest and allow our offense to click (with last year's OU game being the exception). We ended tonight with -6 rushing yards. Even in a Leach run offense, this is simply unacceptable. Add to that multiple times our RBs fumbled the ball (even though they only lost it once), and the results weren't pretty.
What were your thoughts of tonight's game? Please leave your comments below...
FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 2: INJURY UPDATES
Note: This does not include DEF or OL Players, only FF direct impact players [such as QB, RB, WR, TE]
OUT:
GB - RB Brandon Jackson
HOU - WR Andre' Davis
IND - TE Tom Santi
IND - WR Anthony Gonzalez
JAC - TE Zach Miller
NO - TE Darnell Dinkins
NYG - RB Danny Ware
NYG - WR Hakeem Nicks
OAK - WR Nick Miller
OAK - WR Chaz Schilens
PIT - WR Limas Sweed
SD - RB LaDainian Tomlinson
DOUBTFUL:
CHI - TE Desmond Clark
PHI - QB Donovan McNabb
SF - WR Brandon Jones
TB - WR Antonio Bryant
TEN - TE Bo Scaife
QUESTIONABLE:
ARI - WR Anquan Boldin
ARI - WR Steve Breaston
ARI - WR Early Doucet
BAL - TE L.J. Smith
CLE - RB James Davis
CLE - RB Cedric Peerman
CLE - WR Mohamed Massaquoi
HOU - RB Vonta Leach
HOU - WR Kevin Walter
IND - TE Gijon Robinson
KC - QB Matt Cassel
NE - WR Julian Edelman
NE - WR Matthew Slater
NE - WR Wes Welker
NO - RB Pierre Thomas
NYJ - WR Wallace Wright
OAK - WR Johnnie Lee Higgins
SEA - WR Deion Branch
TB - TE John Gilmore
TEN - TE Jared Cook
PROBABLE:
ARI - WR Sean Morey
BUF - TE Derek Fine
CAR - RB Jonathan Stewart
CIN - RB Brian Leonard
CLE - RB Jerome Harrison
CLE - RB Jamal Lewis
CLE - TE Steve Heiden
DAL - QB Tony Romo
DEN - QB Kyle Orton
DEN - RB Knowshon Moreno
DEN - WR Jabar Gaffney
GB - WR Greg Jennings
MIN - TE Jim Kleinsasser
NE - QB Tom Brady
NO - TE Jeremy Shockey
NYJ - QB Kellen Clemens
NYJ - RB Shonn Greene
PHI - WR Kevin Curtis
PHI - WR DeSean Jackson
SEA - WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh
Injury Report last updated on 9/19/09 courtesy of www.cbssports.com/nfl/players
OUT:
GB - RB Brandon Jackson
HOU - WR Andre' Davis
IND - TE Tom Santi
IND - WR Anthony Gonzalez
JAC - TE Zach Miller
NO - TE Darnell Dinkins
NYG - RB Danny Ware
NYG - WR Hakeem Nicks
OAK - WR Nick Miller
OAK - WR Chaz Schilens
PIT - WR Limas Sweed
SD - RB LaDainian Tomlinson
DOUBTFUL:
CHI - TE Desmond Clark
PHI - QB Donovan McNabb
SF - WR Brandon Jones
TB - WR Antonio Bryant
TEN - TE Bo Scaife
QUESTIONABLE:
ARI - WR Anquan Boldin
ARI - WR Steve Breaston
ARI - WR Early Doucet
BAL - TE L.J. Smith
CLE - RB James Davis
CLE - RB Cedric Peerman
CLE - WR Mohamed Massaquoi
HOU - RB Vonta Leach
HOU - WR Kevin Walter
IND - TE Gijon Robinson
KC - QB Matt Cassel
NE - WR Julian Edelman
NE - WR Matthew Slater
NE - WR Wes Welker
NO - RB Pierre Thomas
NYJ - WR Wallace Wright
OAK - WR Johnnie Lee Higgins
SEA - WR Deion Branch
TB - TE John Gilmore
TEN - TE Jared Cook
PROBABLE:
ARI - WR Sean Morey
BUF - TE Derek Fine
CAR - RB Jonathan Stewart
CIN - RB Brian Leonard
CLE - RB Jerome Harrison
CLE - RB Jamal Lewis
CLE - TE Steve Heiden
DAL - QB Tony Romo
DEN - QB Kyle Orton
DEN - RB Knowshon Moreno
DEN - WR Jabar Gaffney
GB - WR Greg Jennings
MIN - TE Jim Kleinsasser
NE - QB Tom Brady
NO - TE Jeremy Shockey
NYJ - QB Kellen Clemens
NYJ - RB Shonn Greene
PHI - WR Kevin Curtis
PHI - WR DeSean Jackson
SEA - WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh
Injury Report last updated on 9/19/09 courtesy of www.cbssports.com/nfl/players
RANGERS GET MUCH NEEDED WIN AGAINST ANGELS
NOTE: I was watching the Texas Tech vs. UT game tonight so I missed the Ranger game, and wouldn't you know it - they actually won! So this recap is courtesy of the Dallas Morning News:
The run-scoring double credited to Chris Davis on Saturday was nearly nabbed at the edge of the infield grass.
The single by Elvis Andrus that brought in the second Texas Rangers run somehow made it through two infielders.
To a struggling offense, both hits looked like heaven.
A pair of hits that traveled no more than 250 feet between them broke the Rangers' club-record scoring dearth, and a 407-foot solo homer by Hank Blalock gave the Rangers just enough offense for a 3-2 victory before 46,595 fans at Rangers Ballpark.
But they had to sweat out a nerve-racking ninth inning against division-leading Los Angeles to snap a five-game losing streak and ensure their first non-losing season since 2004.
The Rangers had scored only once in 48 inning and had been shut out in 25 straight before scoring in the third inning – on what will probably go down as the shortest double of Davis' career.
"I felt like maybe things were about to change," manager Ron Washington said. "We got a run right there, and when Elvis tied the ballgame ... I said, 'We're going to win this ballgame.' Then, Hank hit the home run. "
The victory cut the Rangers' deficit in the American League West to 6½ games, but it also inspired talk of building momentum in their chase of the Angels over the final 15 games.
A little offense could do wonders the way the pitching staff has performed the last three games. Scott Feldman shined again for the Rangers as he outdueled fellow right-hander Jered Weaver.
Feldman went 6 2/3 innings for his 17th win this season, the most for a Rangers pitcher since Kenny Rogers won 18 in 2004. Feldman has three starts remaining.
He was given a lead in the third after Nelson Cruz drew a lead-off walk and stole second base. Davis then sent a cue shot past Weaver and toward shortstop Maicer Izturis, who attempted to bare-hand the ball and throw to first.
But he whiffed as he grabbed it, and Cruz took off as the ball trickled into the outfield. He didn't stop running until he was in the dugout, and Davis was on second.
"I'll take it," Davis said.
The Angels countered with two-out runs in the next two innings, but another well-placed single pulled the Rangers even in the fifth. Andrus' two-out grounder kicked off third baseman Chone Figgins' glove and past Izturis – just far enough for Ivan Rodriguez to score.
Blalock, who started at first base as Davis moved to third, broke the tie in the sixth with his 24th homer of the season.
"It was as much of a must-win game as we've had all year," Blalock said. "The streak we've been on, and the timing of it, has been really hard on us."
So was the ninth, when Frank Francisco faced a one-out, bases-loaded jam and fell behind in the count 3-0 to Howie Kendrick. After taking two strikes, Kendrick hit into a double play to end it.
Story courtesy of www.dallasnews.com
The run-scoring double credited to Chris Davis on Saturday was nearly nabbed at the edge of the infield grass.
The single by Elvis Andrus that brought in the second Texas Rangers run somehow made it through two infielders.
To a struggling offense, both hits looked like heaven.
A pair of hits that traveled no more than 250 feet between them broke the Rangers' club-record scoring dearth, and a 407-foot solo homer by Hank Blalock gave the Rangers just enough offense for a 3-2 victory before 46,595 fans at Rangers Ballpark.
But they had to sweat out a nerve-racking ninth inning against division-leading Los Angeles to snap a five-game losing streak and ensure their first non-losing season since 2004.
The Rangers had scored only once in 48 inning and had been shut out in 25 straight before scoring in the third inning – on what will probably go down as the shortest double of Davis' career.
"I felt like maybe things were about to change," manager Ron Washington said. "We got a run right there, and when Elvis tied the ballgame ... I said, 'We're going to win this ballgame.' Then, Hank hit the home run. "
The victory cut the Rangers' deficit in the American League West to 6½ games, but it also inspired talk of building momentum in their chase of the Angels over the final 15 games.
A little offense could do wonders the way the pitching staff has performed the last three games. Scott Feldman shined again for the Rangers as he outdueled fellow right-hander Jered Weaver.
Feldman went 6 2/3 innings for his 17th win this season, the most for a Rangers pitcher since Kenny Rogers won 18 in 2004. Feldman has three starts remaining.
He was given a lead in the third after Nelson Cruz drew a lead-off walk and stole second base. Davis then sent a cue shot past Weaver and toward shortstop Maicer Izturis, who attempted to bare-hand the ball and throw to first.
But he whiffed as he grabbed it, and Cruz took off as the ball trickled into the outfield. He didn't stop running until he was in the dugout, and Davis was on second.
"I'll take it," Davis said.
The Angels countered with two-out runs in the next two innings, but another well-placed single pulled the Rangers even in the fifth. Andrus' two-out grounder kicked off third baseman Chone Figgins' glove and past Izturis – just far enough for Ivan Rodriguez to score.
Blalock, who started at first base as Davis moved to third, broke the tie in the sixth with his 24th homer of the season.
"It was as much of a must-win game as we've had all year," Blalock said. "The streak we've been on, and the timing of it, has been really hard on us."
So was the ninth, when Frank Francisco faced a one-out, bases-loaded jam and fell behind in the count 3-0 to Howie Kendrick. After taking two strikes, Kendrick hit into a double play to end it.
Story courtesy of www.dallasnews.com
September 19, 2009
WRAPPING UP ANOTHER RANGER LOSS...
It was very quiet in the clubhouse following Friday's loss. Marlon Byrd believes the losses of Michael Young and Josh Hamilton are starting to catch up with the team. It's certainly not helping the offense. The Rangers have scored one run in the last 46 innings and have been shut out in four of the last five games.
The losses are taking on historic proportions. Here's a look at a few of the ugly numbers.
The Rangers are the sixth team since 1954 to score one run in a span of five or more games.
The last team to accomplish that ugly feat was the Washington Senators, who did it in 1964. At least they're keeping it in the family.
It's the first time in Texas history they've been shut out four times in five games.
The Rangers haven't scored in the last 23 innings.
They were 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position Friday and are 0 for 27 in the five-game slide.
The scoreless streak is the longest since they went 25 innings without a run Sept. 1-4, 2004. They are five innings from matching the longest scoreless streak in club history.
They face 15-game winner Jered Weaver Saturday.
Story courtesy of www.dallasnews.com
The losses are taking on historic proportions. Here's a look at a few of the ugly numbers.
The Rangers are the sixth team since 1954 to score one run in a span of five or more games.
The last team to accomplish that ugly feat was the Washington Senators, who did it in 1964. At least they're keeping it in the family.
It's the first time in Texas history they've been shut out four times in five games.
The Rangers haven't scored in the last 23 innings.
They were 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position Friday and are 0 for 27 in the five-game slide.
The scoreless streak is the longest since they went 25 innings without a run Sept. 1-4, 2004. They are five innings from matching the longest scoreless streak in club history.
They face 15-game winner Jered Weaver Saturday.
Story courtesy of www.dallasnews.com
September 18, 2009
WILL HOLIDAY BE A GOOD OMEN FOR TOMORROW'S GAME
Many agree Texas Tech needs all the good karma it can dredge up to have a shot at beating Texas this weekend in Austin.Since it just so happens that Saturday is International Talk Like a Pirate Day, Tech coach Mike Leach will take it as some sort of sign. After all, what sports figure outside of Pittsburgh seems more pirate-obsessed than Leach?
“I think that definitely has the potential to be a good omen for us,” Leach said, tongue in cheek. “So really, I think on behalf of our program, we feel very confident as a result of that.”
International Talk Like a Pirate Day, though not an official holiday, has brought some fame the way of its creators, a couple of Oregon residents named John Baur and Mark Summers. They nicknamed themselves “Ol’ Chumbucket” and “Cap’n Slappy,” fired up an extensive, humorous Web site and wrote books about pirates.
That was sometime after they hatched the idea innocently enough in 1995 while playing racquetball.
As they described it on their Web site, TalkLikeAPirate.com:
“Anyway, whoever let out the first ‘Arrr!’ started something. One thing led to another. ‘That be a fine cannonade,’ one said, to be followed by ‘Now watch as I fire a broadside straight into your yardarm!’ and other such helpful phrases.
“By the time our hour on the court was over,” Baur and Summers went on, “we realized that lapsing into pirate lingo had made the game more fun and the time pass more quickly. We decided then and there that what the world really needed was a new national holiday, ‘Talk Like A Pirate Day.’ ”
What began as a small annual celebration among friends in 1995 was elevated in awareness in 2002 when Baur and Summers pitched it to nationally syndicated humorist Dave Barry as column material. Barry obliged, giving the day some publicity, and now the movement has taken on a life of its own. Its founders have done the Web site, radio and TV appearances, an e-mail newsletter and books, such as “Pirattitude: Unleashing Your Inner Pirate.”
Click here to read story...
Story courtesy of www.redraiders.com
RED RAIDERS WILL MISS 2 DEFENSIVE STARTERS THIS WEEKEND
Crap! This is terrible news...
Defensive end Ra’Jon Henley and safety Franklin Mitchem were not on the travel roster Texas Tech released Thursday, meaning the Red Raiders won’t have a couple of regular defensive starters for Saturday’s game at Texas.
Neither practiced this week. Henley has been in a protective boot for a left ankle injury, and Mitchem has had his left arm in a sling.
Tech’s depth at defensive end took another hit Wednesday when Ryan Haliburton suffered an injury, the nature and extent of which were not disclosed. The redshirt freshman from Frenship was a depth option behind starting defensive ends Brandon Sharpe and Daniel Howard, but Haliburton is not on the travel roster.
Jonathan Brydon, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound junior squadman from San Antonio Clark, could be another consideration. Brydon played a few snaps last week against Rice. Though listed on Tech’s roster at linebacker, he has trained at defensive end since preseason camp started.
Defensive tackle Pearlie Graves is on the dress roster for the first time this season, though it remains to be seen whether he will be used. Tech coaches kept him off the field the first two games, keeping alive a redshirt possibility for the true freshman from Tulsa, Okla.
Inside receiver Detron Lewis, who suffered a right hamstring injury in last week’s win over Rice, returned to practice Wednesday and is on the travel roster.
Story courtesy of www.redraiders.com
Defensive end Ra’Jon Henley and safety Franklin Mitchem were not on the travel roster Texas Tech released Thursday, meaning the Red Raiders won’t have a couple of regular defensive starters for Saturday’s game at Texas.
Neither practiced this week. Henley has been in a protective boot for a left ankle injury, and Mitchem has had his left arm in a sling.
Tech’s depth at defensive end took another hit Wednesday when Ryan Haliburton suffered an injury, the nature and extent of which were not disclosed. The redshirt freshman from Frenship was a depth option behind starting defensive ends Brandon Sharpe and Daniel Howard, but Haliburton is not on the travel roster.
Jonathan Brydon, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound junior squadman from San Antonio Clark, could be another consideration. Brydon played a few snaps last week against Rice. Though listed on Tech’s roster at linebacker, he has trained at defensive end since preseason camp started.
Defensive tackle Pearlie Graves is on the dress roster for the first time this season, though it remains to be seen whether he will be used. Tech coaches kept him off the field the first two games, keeping alive a redshirt possibility for the true freshman from Tulsa, Okla.
Inside receiver Detron Lewis, who suffered a right hamstring injury in last week’s win over Rice, returned to practice Wednesday and is on the travel roster.
Story courtesy of www.redraiders.com
NEW COWBOYS STADIUM: A TRIBUTE TO EXCESS
by Matt Mosley-ESPN
Click Here to read full story....
OK, here's my list of features that will blow your mind about new Cowboys Stadium:
Until you see it in person, you can't truly appreciate JerryVision: I find myself studying the steel wires that are holding the enormous video boards suspended from the ceilings. It's a surreal experience to look up there and see this monstrous scoreboard -- and it's in HD. When I was at Giants Stadium last week, the video boards in the corners seemed like 50-inch Curtis Mathes TVs by comparison. It's fun to watch players walk out for warm-ups and just stare at the video board. And yes, every punter is going to try to nail that thing before the game. Bradie James confronted former Tennessee Titans punter A.J. Trapasso before the game and asked him why he was trying to bang kicks off the scoreboard. "Because it's up there," responded Trapasso.
There's a lot of wow factor associated with the stadium, but the scoreboard is the most memorable feature. There's nothing quite like it in the world -- not even at Celine's old place.
The players enter the field through a bar: Actually it's called the Miller Lite Club. After leaving the locker room, the players make their way to the field while surrounded by hundreds of screaming fans. There's nothing close to this around the league. Jones wants this to be an interactive experience -- and he's succeeded. But is it a good idea to give a bunch of fans beer bottles after the Cowboys have played a horrible first half? We'll see. Asked about entering the stadium through a bar, Australian punter Mat McBriar joked that he was "tempted" to stop for a drink.
The nighttime views from outside the stadium are stunning: Jones didn't cut any corners on all that fritted glass. On one side of the stadium, the glass wall is inverted at a 14-degree angle. For whatever reason, that allows thousands of lights to create a shimmering effect. At the base of all that glass is some limestone rock that has a Texas feel to it. The lead architect on the stadium, Bryan Trubey, told me recently that he wanted to create an "airy" feel to the stadium. So even when the roof's closed, all the glass makes fans think they're in an outdoor environment.
You have to love the Party Pass approach: I think the feature that excites Jones the most is the $29 Party Pass that allows an additional 20,000 fans to have standing-room only tickets. Jones envisioned it being like the pavilion areas at PGA Tour events. In the end zones, fans will be able to mill around sipping on $8 beers while watching the game. There could be 100,000 fans at the Giants game. Jones studied the other NFL stadiums and he talked about how Buccaneers fans loved the ship at Raymond James Stadium.
"They were on it like they were going after chum," Jones said of Bucs fans.
The Cowboys have the most expensive seats in the league, but the $29 Party Pass provides a much better price for fans on a budget. On Sunday night, Jones will roll out his prized possession for the world to see.
And don't ask him to raise the scoreboard.
Story courtesy of Matt Mosley's NFC East blog at www.espn.com
Click Here to read full story....
OK, here's my list of features that will blow your mind about new Cowboys Stadium:
Until you see it in person, you can't truly appreciate JerryVision: I find myself studying the steel wires that are holding the enormous video boards suspended from the ceilings. It's a surreal experience to look up there and see this monstrous scoreboard -- and it's in HD. When I was at Giants Stadium last week, the video boards in the corners seemed like 50-inch Curtis Mathes TVs by comparison. It's fun to watch players walk out for warm-ups and just stare at the video board. And yes, every punter is going to try to nail that thing before the game. Bradie James confronted former Tennessee Titans punter A.J. Trapasso before the game and asked him why he was trying to bang kicks off the scoreboard. "Because it's up there," responded Trapasso.
There's a lot of wow factor associated with the stadium, but the scoreboard is the most memorable feature. There's nothing quite like it in the world -- not even at Celine's old place.
The players enter the field through a bar: Actually it's called the Miller Lite Club. After leaving the locker room, the players make their way to the field while surrounded by hundreds of screaming fans. There's nothing close to this around the league. Jones wants this to be an interactive experience -- and he's succeeded. But is it a good idea to give a bunch of fans beer bottles after the Cowboys have played a horrible first half? We'll see. Asked about entering the stadium through a bar, Australian punter Mat McBriar joked that he was "tempted" to stop for a drink.
The nighttime views from outside the stadium are stunning: Jones didn't cut any corners on all that fritted glass. On one side of the stadium, the glass wall is inverted at a 14-degree angle. For whatever reason, that allows thousands of lights to create a shimmering effect. At the base of all that glass is some limestone rock that has a Texas feel to it. The lead architect on the stadium, Bryan Trubey, told me recently that he wanted to create an "airy" feel to the stadium. So even when the roof's closed, all the glass makes fans think they're in an outdoor environment.
You have to love the Party Pass approach: I think the feature that excites Jones the most is the $29 Party Pass that allows an additional 20,000 fans to have standing-room only tickets. Jones envisioned it being like the pavilion areas at PGA Tour events. In the end zones, fans will be able to mill around sipping on $8 beers while watching the game. There could be 100,000 fans at the Giants game. Jones studied the other NFL stadiums and he talked about how Buccaneers fans loved the ship at Raymond James Stadium.
"They were on it like they were going after chum," Jones said of Bucs fans.
The Cowboys have the most expensive seats in the league, but the $29 Party Pass provides a much better price for fans on a budget. On Sunday night, Jones will roll out his prized possession for the world to see.
And don't ask him to raise the scoreboard.
Story courtesy of Matt Mosley's NFC East blog at www.espn.com
WEAKLY RETORT: WEEK 2
Introduction:
A lot of drama in week two as the upsets start popping up around the country. Still, it is the time of year you muddle through a lot of games that suck in hopes of finding the rare jewel that doesn’t. And hopefully that jewel doesn’t turn out to be just a middle eastern guy that is immune to fire like in that horrible sequel with Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas. Well, let’s get ready to plunge knee deep into the Retort and see if we can’t find some diamonds in the poo-poo. (Obscure Emmitt Smith quote reference.)
20/20 Hindsight:
Texas 41 - Wyoming 10
Attitude faced off against altitude as the Longhorns head from 7000 feet below normal to 7000 feet above sea level to face off against the Cowboys of Wyoming. Never mind that the entire state of Wyoming has just over five times as many people as the capacity of Joe Jamail Taco Bell Field at Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium, this one was much closer than the score indicates. The Longhorns only led 13-10 at the half after a failed fake punt and a failed fake field goal left them exuding fake confidence. Still, the target of Brent Musburger’s sinful thoughts was able to rally his team back to a large win and calm the nerves for the millions of people that own Longhorn t-shirts that missed the second half after they kicked a Birkenstock shaped hole in their plasma TV.
Toledo 54 - Colorado 38
Oh dear. Things are not going so well for 4th year coach Dan Hawkins after he predicted “10 Wins and No Excuses”. This is going to be especially difficult given that they only have 10 games remaining on their schedule. Of course, who knows, maybe a team that can’t beat Toledo can win out with a schedule that includes four ranked opponents. Hudson Hawkins also made the astute observation that “There were just too many big plays.” When your opponent averages TEN yards per play, I’m pretty sure the problem is also that there weren’t any small plays.
Kansas 34 - UTEP 7
The Kansas defense was the story here as they held the Mike Price’s Miners scoreless until late in the 4th quarter. Mike Price is of course, the coach best known for losing the Alabama job before he even started after getting caught with his pickaxe in a Florida stripper. Between he and Mangino, they have 2/7 of the deadly sins covered.
Iowa 35 - Iowa State 3
In a world with no major professional sports teams. Where middle school boys giggle at the sound of the word “caucuses”. Where people look forward to taking a break from a long week of producing ethanol and tests of basic skills. Brother will stand toe to toe against brother as the battle rages on for control of the state none of you have ever visited. Except Tom, who grew up there. It is, IOWAR! Unfortunately, like most films with Ben Affleck, this one didn’t live up to the preview. The Cyclones turn the ball over six times en route to a thrashing. (Threshing?)
Nebraska 38 - Arkansas St 9
For two schools that are almost anagrams of each other, this game was quite the mismatch. The Cornhuskers jumped out to an early lead and didn’t look back as they roll over the Red Wolves from Arkansas State. Of course, that is what you get when you name yourself after a really lame beer from the late 90s.
Missouri 27 - Bowling Green 20
In another game where the Big XII team started off sluggish and then roared back, the Missouri Tigers actually trailed Bowling Green 13 – 6 at the half before finally rattling off 21 points in the second half to take the win. I tried to come up with some joke about “Bowling Green.”
Oklahoma 64 - Idaho St 0
This is the kind of game that makes me hate non conference. Not only did Oklahoma beat up on a team from I-AA (I refuse to call it the Football Championship Series Division), they beat up on a I-AA team that was 1 – 11 last season. This was only slightly less of a ridiculous matchup than in UFC 54 when Kimbo Slice took on that girl from Little Miss Sunshine. The Sooners scored more points than their opponent had total yards (44 yards), but didn’t prove anything about how well they bounced back after having their quarterback’s eyes knocked straight. During the midweek, Stoops plans to go have a limbo contest on “Shaq vs.” where the winner has to wear a stupid visor.
ULaLa 17 - Kansas St 15
I don’t think anyone has been this surprised by an ULaLa since Marty McFly finally retrieved his sports almanac from Biff Tanner in Back to the Future II, only to find that all but the cover had been replaced by a fictitious 1950s skin mag. Yes, I realize I referenced this last week, but this is what the paid ones in the industry refer to as a “call back”. It’s supposed to be funny.
Texas Tech 55 - Rice 10
In a matchup that proves the equation: Football Prowess = 1 / Admission Standards, the Red Raiders pounded the Rice Owls in Lubbock. Oh, c’mon. It’s been FIVE YEARS, give me ONE before you clog up my inbox. The good news for the Tech offense is that Potts bounced back from a lackluster first outing to throw 7 TDs and 456 yards with no interceptions. Lucky for Tech, their offense will be hungry again in a couple of hours.
Houston 45 - Oklahoma State 35
Definitely the most intriguing game of the week. I said this one had derailment potential, but I didn’t actually think it would happen. Houston hang tough with the Oklahoma State Bearded Dennis Hoppers and go ahead for good on a 4th and 7 play that was tipped by the defender before being caught in the end zone. I don’t think a group of young Cowboys have been this upset by a group of Cougars since the lights came on at closing time down at the Dry Tumbleweed. After the game, Cougar coach Kevin Sumlin actually said, “For us as a program, this is a big win because it legitimizes our university.” Somewhere, this led to a scrambling e-Chancellor from University of Phoenix to issue a press release bragging about how they had won 6
straight championships on dynasty mode in NCAA 2009.
Click here to continue reading story...
Story courtesy of Psychoag at www.raiderpower.com
A lot of drama in week two as the upsets start popping up around the country. Still, it is the time of year you muddle through a lot of games that suck in hopes of finding the rare jewel that doesn’t. And hopefully that jewel doesn’t turn out to be just a middle eastern guy that is immune to fire like in that horrible sequel with Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas. Well, let’s get ready to plunge knee deep into the Retort and see if we can’t find some diamonds in the poo-poo. (Obscure Emmitt Smith quote reference.)
20/20 Hindsight:
Texas 41 - Wyoming 10
Attitude faced off against altitude as the Longhorns head from 7000 feet below normal to 7000 feet above sea level to face off against the Cowboys of Wyoming. Never mind that the entire state of Wyoming has just over five times as many people as the capacity of Joe Jamail Taco Bell Field at Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium, this one was much closer than the score indicates. The Longhorns only led 13-10 at the half after a failed fake punt and a failed fake field goal left them exuding fake confidence. Still, the target of Brent Musburger’s sinful thoughts was able to rally his team back to a large win and calm the nerves for the millions of people that own Longhorn t-shirts that missed the second half after they kicked a Birkenstock shaped hole in their plasma TV.
Toledo 54 - Colorado 38
Oh dear. Things are not going so well for 4th year coach Dan Hawkins after he predicted “10 Wins and No Excuses”. This is going to be especially difficult given that they only have 10 games remaining on their schedule. Of course, who knows, maybe a team that can’t beat Toledo can win out with a schedule that includes four ranked opponents. Hudson Hawkins also made the astute observation that “There were just too many big plays.” When your opponent averages TEN yards per play, I’m pretty sure the problem is also that there weren’t any small plays.
Kansas 34 - UTEP 7
The Kansas defense was the story here as they held the Mike Price’s Miners scoreless until late in the 4th quarter. Mike Price is of course, the coach best known for losing the Alabama job before he even started after getting caught with his pickaxe in a Florida stripper. Between he and Mangino, they have 2/7 of the deadly sins covered.
Iowa 35 - Iowa State 3
Nebraska 38 - Arkansas St 9
For two schools that are almost anagrams of each other, this game was quite the mismatch. The Cornhuskers jumped out to an early lead and didn’t look back as they roll over the Red Wolves from Arkansas State. Of course, that is what you get when you name yourself after a really lame beer from the late 90s.
Missouri 27 - Bowling Green 20
In another game where the Big XII team started off sluggish and then roared back, the Missouri Tigers actually trailed Bowling Green 13 – 6 at the half before finally rattling off 21 points in the second half to take the win. I tried to come up with some joke about “Bowling Green.”
Oklahoma 64 - Idaho St 0
This is the kind of game that makes me hate non conference. Not only did Oklahoma beat up on a team from I-AA (I refuse to call it the Football Championship Series Division), they beat up on a I-AA team that was 1 – 11 last season. This was only slightly less of a ridiculous matchup than in UFC 54 when Kimbo Slice took on that girl from Little Miss Sunshine. The Sooners scored more points than their opponent had total yards (44 yards), but didn’t prove anything about how well they bounced back after having their quarterback’s eyes knocked straight. During the midweek, Stoops plans to go have a limbo contest on “Shaq vs.” where the winner has to wear a stupid visor.
ULaLa 17 - Kansas St 15
I don’t think anyone has been this surprised by an ULaLa since Marty McFly finally retrieved his sports almanac from Biff Tanner in Back to the Future II, only to find that all but the cover had been replaced by a fictitious 1950s skin mag. Yes, I realize I referenced this last week, but this is what the paid ones in the industry refer to as a “call back”. It’s supposed to be funny.
Texas Tech 55 - Rice 10
In a matchup that proves the equation: Football Prowess = 1 / Admission Standards, the Red Raiders pounded the Rice Owls in Lubbock. Oh, c’mon. It’s been FIVE YEARS, give me ONE before you clog up my inbox. The good news for the Tech offense is that Potts bounced back from a lackluster first outing to throw 7 TDs and 456 yards with no interceptions. Lucky for Tech, their offense will be hungry again in a couple of hours.
Houston 45 - Oklahoma State 35
Definitely the most intriguing game of the week. I said this one had derailment potential, but I didn’t actually think it would happen. Houston hang tough with the Oklahoma State Bearded Dennis Hoppers and go ahead for good on a 4th and 7 play that was tipped by the defender before being caught in the end zone. I don’t think a group of young Cowboys have been this upset by a group of Cougars since the lights came on at closing time down at the Dry Tumbleweed. After the game, Cougar coach Kevin Sumlin actually said, “For us as a program, this is a big win because it legitimizes our university.” Somewhere, this led to a scrambling e-Chancellor from University of Phoenix to issue a press release bragging about how they had won 6
straight championships on dynasty mode in NCAA 2009.
Click here to continue reading story...
Story courtesy of Psychoag at www.raiderpower.com
POTTS TRIES TO FOLLOW QB SUCCESSION
In just his third collegiate start, Texas Tech quarterback Taylor Potts will be facing the nation's No. 2 team on the road ... at night ... in front of national TV ... with ESPN's College GameDay in the house.
That's all. No pressure, really.
For those worried how Potts will survive Royal-Memorial Stadium and more than 100,000 stoked Texas fans wanting payback, his high school coach says Potts will be just fine.
"I've known him for a long time," Abilene High coach Steve Warren said. "I don't think these surroundings are going to bother him. He's a take-charge guy, and I think his focus will be just right. I know there will be a lot of things going on, but I'm confident he can handle it."
While Potts' first two college starts have come against overwhelmed competition at friendly Jones AT&T Stadium, he has mixed experience in charged atmospheres.
Call it the learning curve of the Texas high school quarterback, with two major playoff showdowns.
Back in 2004, as a junior, Potts led Abilene against Southlake Carroll, at the peak of its dynasty with quarterback Chase Daniel. Almost 35,000 fans watched the showdown at Texas Stadium, with Abilene pushing Carroll before losing, 35-30.
Of course, the next season wasn't quite a ringing endorsement. In a matchup of Tech commitments at the time, current Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy led Carroll to a 52-0 win over Abilene and Potts before 33,000 at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco.
So far this season, everything has fallen into place as Potts has replaced Graham Harrell after three years of watching and learning.
Potts experienced predictable nervousness in his initial start against North Dakota, with 405 yards and two touchdown passes offsetting three interceptions.
Against Rice, he was near-perfect, especially in the second half, throwing for 456 yards and seven touchdowns.
Potts looks like another success as Tech coach Mike Leach replaces one record-setter with another.
"He's the same guy. Just change the numbers. They all have confidence," Texas coach Mack Brown said, crediting Leach.
Click here to continue reading story...
Story courtesy of www.dallasnews.com
That's all. No pressure, really.
For those worried how Potts will survive Royal-Memorial Stadium and more than 100,000 stoked Texas fans wanting payback, his high school coach says Potts will be just fine.
"I've known him for a long time," Abilene High coach Steve Warren said. "I don't think these surroundings are going to bother him. He's a take-charge guy, and I think his focus will be just right. I know there will be a lot of things going on, but I'm confident he can handle it."
While Potts' first two college starts have come against overwhelmed competition at friendly Jones AT&T Stadium, he has mixed experience in charged atmospheres.
Call it the learning curve of the Texas high school quarterback, with two major playoff showdowns.
Back in 2004, as a junior, Potts led Abilene against Southlake Carroll, at the peak of its dynasty with quarterback Chase Daniel. Almost 35,000 fans watched the showdown at Texas Stadium, with Abilene pushing Carroll before losing, 35-30.
Of course, the next season wasn't quite a ringing endorsement. In a matchup of Tech commitments at the time, current Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy led Carroll to a 52-0 win over Abilene and Potts before 33,000 at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco.
So far this season, everything has fallen into place as Potts has replaced Graham Harrell after three years of watching and learning.
Potts experienced predictable nervousness in his initial start against North Dakota, with 405 yards and two touchdown passes offsetting three interceptions.
Against Rice, he was near-perfect, especially in the second half, throwing for 456 yards and seven touchdowns.
Potts looks like another success as Tech coach Mike Leach replaces one record-setter with another.
"He's the same guy. Just change the numbers. They all have confidence," Texas coach Mack Brown said, crediting Leach.
Click here to continue reading story...
Story courtesy of www.dallasnews.com
WEEKEND SERIES COULD MAKE OR BREAK RANGERS PLAYOFF HOPES
Even though they are on a four-game losing streak and have scored once in 37 innings, the Rangers' playoff hopes haven't been squashed.
Three games at home this weekend against the Los Angeles Angels will tell the Rangers what they will be playing for over the final two weeks of the season.
Two wins or a sweep of the AL West leaders could breathe life into the Rangers' postseason chances.
Anything less, and the Rangers, 6 ½ back in the West and six behind Boston in the wild-card race, will have to wait until next year.
As the race has unfolded, with the division and wild-card leaders pulling away, the Rangers' best shot at the playoffs is overtaking the Angels to win the West crown.
"We're still thinking about winning the division," first baseman Chris Davis said. "I think it's a lot easier for us to sit back and control our own destiny in our division. We are still in reach of winning the division."
Click here to continue reading story...
Story courtesy of www.dallasnews.com
Three games at home this weekend against the Los Angeles Angels will tell the Rangers what they will be playing for over the final two weeks of the season.
Two wins or a sweep of the AL West leaders could breathe life into the Rangers' postseason chances.
Anything less, and the Rangers, 6 ½ back in the West and six behind Boston in the wild-card race, will have to wait until next year.
As the race has unfolded, with the division and wild-card leaders pulling away, the Rangers' best shot at the playoffs is overtaking the Angels to win the West crown.
"We're still thinking about winning the division," first baseman Chris Davis said. "I think it's a lot easier for us to sit back and control our own destiny in our division. We are still in reach of winning the division."
Click here to continue reading story...
Story courtesy of www.dallasnews.com
September 17, 2009
GIANTS WARY OF COWBOYS OFFENSE THIS WEEKEND
The big mouth may be gone from the Dallas Cowboys' offense, but the big play is obviously still there.
That's what jumped out at the Giants Wednesday, when they got their first look on film at the new-look Cowboys. Terrell Owens and his popcorn may be in Buffalo, but what he left behind in Dallas was enough to light up the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for 462 yards last Sunday. That includes four plays that accounted for 232 of those yards.
And the Giants just know the 'Boys plan to dial up a few more big plays for the big opening of their new, palatial, $1.15 billion home.
"Obviously Dallas displayed its big-play ability," Tom Coughlin said. "You look at the big-play production, all the way along. They had an 80-, a 66-, a 42-yarder. The ball was spread around. A lot of people touched the ball."
"They had 400-something total yards as an offense," added linebacker Danny Clark. "At the end of the day, we know it's going to be a big challenge."
Whatever the reason, Tony Romo seemed to have little trouble without Owens - who for all the problems he caused still had three seasons of at least 69 catches, 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns in Dallas. Romo, who completed 16 of 27 passes, ripped the Bucs' defense for 353 yards and three touchdowns. He hit six different receivers, and the Cowboys rattled off six plays of 20 yards or more.
Click here to read rest of story...
Story courtesy of www.nydailynews.com
That's what jumped out at the Giants Wednesday, when they got their first look on film at the new-look Cowboys. Terrell Owens and his popcorn may be in Buffalo, but what he left behind in Dallas was enough to light up the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for 462 yards last Sunday. That includes four plays that accounted for 232 of those yards.
And the Giants just know the 'Boys plan to dial up a few more big plays for the big opening of their new, palatial, $1.15 billion home.
"Obviously Dallas displayed its big-play ability," Tom Coughlin said. "You look at the big-play production, all the way along. They had an 80-, a 66-, a 42-yarder. The ball was spread around. A lot of people touched the ball."
"They had 400-something total yards as an offense," added linebacker Danny Clark. "At the end of the day, we know it's going to be a big challenge."
Whatever the reason, Tony Romo seemed to have little trouble without Owens - who for all the problems he caused still had three seasons of at least 69 catches, 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns in Dallas. Romo, who completed 16 of 27 passes, ripped the Bucs' defense for 353 yards and three touchdowns. He hit six different receivers, and the Cowboys rattled off six plays of 20 yards or more.
Click here to read rest of story...
Story courtesy of www.nydailynews.com
...AND THE PARTY IS OVER - RANGERS LOSE YET AGAIN
Rangers lose again...and that pretty much sums it up. I don't think we will be digging out of this hole anytime soon, and there are not enough games left. It was a good run and I still support the team and want them to do good, but I am close to calling off this season and looking to build for next year. This team has the winning formula if they can find more consistency [hard to expect right now with the youngsters on the team right now]. They haven't been battle tested enough to pull themselves out of this funk....I didn't feel like posting my real thoughts today, so here are a couple of comments courtesy of www.dallasnews.com on last nights game:
- Texas' starting pitching - which has been far better than expected this season and the reason for the team's playing meaningful games in September - is failing them now. Only Tommy Hunter and Scott Feldman have remained consistent. Kevin Millwood, Derek Holland, Dustin Nippert and Brandon McCarthy are putting the team's struggling offense in a bad position.
- Oh, man! One-hit tonight in a 4-0 loss and swept by the A's. This team appears to be going, going ... Resiliency has been a strength of the Rangers this season, but the fire seems to be out. Must be all the rain....
- Fun Facts: It's just the second time in club history that the Rangers have been shut out three times in a four-game span. It's the lowest run total in a four-game span since the club moved to Texas in 1972. The 10 shutouts are the most by a Rangers team since the 2003 squad was blanked 11 times. It's the third time this season the Rangers have been one hit. It's happened twice at Rangers Ballpark. Before this year, it had never happened at RBIA.
Red Sox had a walk-off win against the Angels last night, so the standings are:
AL WEST
Angels --
Rangers 6.0
AL WILD CARD
Red Sox --
Rangers 6.5
- Texas' starting pitching - which has been far better than expected this season and the reason for the team's playing meaningful games in September - is failing them now. Only Tommy Hunter and Scott Feldman have remained consistent. Kevin Millwood, Derek Holland, Dustin Nippert and Brandon McCarthy are putting the team's struggling offense in a bad position.
- Oh, man! One-hit tonight in a 4-0 loss and swept by the A's. This team appears to be going, going ... Resiliency has been a strength of the Rangers this season, but the fire seems to be out. Must be all the rain....
- Fun Facts: It's just the second time in club history that the Rangers have been shut out three times in a four-game span. It's the lowest run total in a four-game span since the club moved to Texas in 1972. The 10 shutouts are the most by a Rangers team since the 2003 squad was blanked 11 times. It's the third time this season the Rangers have been one hit. It's happened twice at Rangers Ballpark. Before this year, it had never happened at RBIA.
Red Sox had a walk-off win against the Angels last night, so the standings are:
AL WEST
Angels --
Rangers 6.0
AL WILD CARD
Red Sox --
Rangers 6.5
DOES EARLY TECH-UT MATCHUP = LESS HYPE?
Texas Tech coach Mike Leach said the decision to move the Texas game earlier on the schedule to accommodate ABC might mean less hype than the much-anticipated meeting on Nov. 1 last season.
Plus, he wondered how seriously the Longhorns might be taking the Red Raiders.
"That was a later game," Leach said, "and then I imagine that Texas has their focus on all the ranked opponents that they are going to play down the road. So I imagine we are going to be another game for them."
Saturday's game will be the earliest meeting between Texas and Tech since 1955, when the teams met Sept. 17.
Story courtesy of www.dallasnews.com
Plus, he wondered how seriously the Longhorns might be taking the Red Raiders.
"That was a later game," Leach said, "and then I imagine that Texas has their focus on all the ranked opponents that they are going to play down the road. So I imagine we are going to be another game for them."
Saturday's game will be the earliest meeting between Texas and Tech since 1955, when the teams met Sept. 17.
Story courtesy of www.dallasnews.com
September 15, 2009
RANGERS STRUGGLES CONTINUE: LOSE AGAIN TO A'S
What is going on, Rangers? You are in the middle of the playoff hunt, the closest to making September relevant since 2004 [and making the first postseason appearance since 1999] and you pick this moment to stop swinging the bats and play lackadaisical defense. I know we have a lot of young players to contend with on this year's squad and injuries have kept our key players in our rotation, but this is not the time for excuses.
If you can't tell by my tone, the Rangers lose again to the A's; they have now lost 3 in a row and 4 of the last 5, while the Red Sox have won 6 in a row...it is not looking good for our Rangers unless they can get this ship turned around.
- Brandon McCarthy did not look confident tonight and clearly had no confidence in his fastball and resorted to off-speed stuff. It left McCarthy struggling to find the zone and out after just 3+ innings. Not good.
- Where is the offense? With the exception of the solo home run by Murphy tonight, the Rangers have gone scoreless in the last 27 innings. I know we don't have Hamilton or Young in the lineup, but where is the rest of the team? We don't even need homeruns, we need timely hitting, aggressive running, and scores. It is very frustrating to watch, especially since we are playing at home.
- Hello and Goodbye Michael Young. He returned to the lineup tonight but lasted just one at-bat,before Nelson Cruz replaced him. The report from the Rangers was that Young didn't have a physical setback. He just decided that it was best if he waits another day or two before returning.
- Errors. The Rangers made two of them in the first inning and it proved costly. Pudge Rodriguez's throw hit Rajai Davis as he tried to steal. The ball went into center field, allowing Davis to go to third. He scored on a ground ball. Esteban German cost Brandon McCarthy some pitches when he couldn't glove a ground ball with two outs.
Red Sox beat the Angels tonight, which helps and hurts our cause [depending on how you look at it]. The standings are:
AL WEST
Angels --
Rangers 6.0
AL WILD CARD
Red Sox --
Rangers 5.5
If you can't tell by my tone, the Rangers lose again to the A's; they have now lost 3 in a row and 4 of the last 5, while the Red Sox have won 6 in a row...it is not looking good for our Rangers unless they can get this ship turned around.
- Brandon McCarthy did not look confident tonight and clearly had no confidence in his fastball and resorted to off-speed stuff. It left McCarthy struggling to find the zone and out after just 3+ innings. Not good.
- Where is the offense? With the exception of the solo home run by Murphy tonight, the Rangers have gone scoreless in the last 27 innings. I know we don't have Hamilton or Young in the lineup, but where is the rest of the team? We don't even need homeruns, we need timely hitting, aggressive running, and scores. It is very frustrating to watch, especially since we are playing at home.
- Hello and Goodbye Michael Young. He returned to the lineup tonight but lasted just one at-bat,before Nelson Cruz replaced him. The report from the Rangers was that Young didn't have a physical setback. He just decided that it was best if he waits another day or two before returning.
- Errors. The Rangers made two of them in the first inning and it proved costly. Pudge Rodriguez's throw hit Rajai Davis as he tried to steal. The ball went into center field, allowing Davis to go to third. He scored on a ground ball. Esteban German cost Brandon McCarthy some pitches when he couldn't glove a ground ball with two outs.
Red Sox beat the Angels tonight, which helps and hurts our cause [depending on how you look at it]. The standings are:
AL WEST
Angels --
Rangers 6.0
AL WILD CARD
Red Sox --
Rangers 5.5
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