NAME-CALLING
[Note by Seth C, 10/27/11 7:15 AM CDT ] I am updating this since I am just now getting around to reading the comments here where there are at least two instances of people calling other people names. I want to be clear and give everyone fair warning, but the one rule I have, without question, is that there be no name-calling in any form or fashion. Not even in joking terms. Name-calling leads to petty arguments and that's not what DTN is about. And I've tried to make this incredibly simple, no name-calling of any kind is allowed on DTN. Even if you think that the name that you're calling someone isn't a "bad" name or a curse word, it doesn't matter. NO NAME-CALLING!
DOG UPDATE
I received a handful of emails yesterday and I can't thank everyone enough (I didn't have time to respond to the emails today, but will try to do so tonight. Thank you again!). Last night I talked to my brother who said that he would take Blue full-time and this is the best possible scenario because Blue gets to stay in the family. My brother is single and has no kids and he always watches the dogs when my wife and I go out of town and absolutely loves Blue. The next step is building a fence for Blue at my brother's place. Will still look into the dog training for Blue, but wanted to add that this is what makes DTN so great is that you guys and gals care and that makes me feel good.
ODDS AND ENDS
Tumblr - Double-T Nation
There are times when I want to post something on DTN, but I can't. I bought a fancy new phone (Android based) and realized that I could update to Tumblr much easier than I could do DTN, so I created a Tumblr blog (it's sorta like a combination of Twitter and a full-fledged blog) to fill the gap. Don't look for constant updates there, but more or less during the times where I may be out of town and want to post updates.
Totally Texas Tech: Campus Coffee Table Book Update - Christmas Deadlines and Also Now Offered as an eBook
This would be a terrific holiday present for your favorite Red Raider. TTU Red always takes great photos.
With The Verge, SB Nation looks beyond just gadgets - Fortune Tech
How about that? SB Nation is getting into the gadget blog business.
After Two Months The Longhorn Network Is Headed Towards A Disastrous Rookie Campaign | October
Wasn't sure where to put this, but Ben Koo has his pulse on the media in terms of televisions and blogs and it's a pretty damning look at the LHN (I recommend reading the entire article):
The most glaring issue is outside of the Texas fan-base, there just isn't a lot of interest in the channel and in fact the mere existence of the network has more than likely hurt the brand of Texas nationally more than it's helped it.
CONFERENCE REALIGNMENT
Big 12 still torn between Louisville, West Virginia and Louisville vs. West Virginia | Upon Further Review and Big 12 May Admit Louisville, Not West Virginia - NYTimes.com and Hance likes Louisville for Big 12 | Red Raiders
Lots of stuff here as apparently the "West Virginia to the Big 12" is on hold until everyone in the Big 12 agrees on whether it should be West Virginia or Louisville, or both. Chancellor Kent Hance got into the action, as he's quoted in the NY Times article (as well as the LAJ article):
"If a United States senator has done anything inappropriate or unethical to interfere with a decision that the Big 12 had already made, then I believe that there should be an investigation in the U.S. Senate, and I will fight to get the truth," Senator Joe Manchin III, Democrat of West Virginia, said in a statement. "West Virginians and the American people deserve to know exactly what is going on and whether politics is interfering with our college sports."
Hance said that he would welcome West Virginia if it were to become the league’s 10th team, but that Manchin’s comments sounded like a politician seeking re-election.
"Mitch McConnell talked about the merits of Louisville and nothing else," Hance said. "Why shouldn’t he be sticking up for Kentucky? I think the guys from West Virginia got caught flat-footed not sticking up for West Virginia."
Hance said he understood that West Virginia offered greater television appeal than Louisville, but said that Texas Tech was concerned about travel difficulties.
"The opposition to West Virginia had to do with the distance," he said. He added, "All this TV stuff is important, but it’s not as important as the student-athlete."
I find the travel issue to be a non-issue and think that this is egos (surprise!) at play. This is from the AAS article:
A high-ranking official a third Big 12 school said the league was divided about whether to invite West Virginia, based on its premier football program and greater athletic success, or opt for Louisville, a marquee basketball school in closer proximity to all Big 12 members.
He said he believes Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Baylor and Iowa State favor Louisville while Texas is one of the schools that prefers West Virginia.
COUCH BURNING ORDINANCES OF THE BIG12: A Handy Guide Of City Fire Codes For West Virginia Fans - Cowboys Ride For Free
Well of course we need to know if we can burn couches.
LADY RAIDER VOLLEYBALL
Red Raiders, Flora Earn First Big 12 Victory Over Baylor - Texas Tech Red Raiders Official Athletic Site
Woot! First conference win for the Lady Raider volleyball team in conference play! Outstanding work ladies.
TEXAS TECH BASEBALL
Texas Tech set to name Oklahoma’s Tim Tadlock an Assistant Coach and Tadlock leaves OU baseball for position at Texas Tech | NewsOK.com
This was somewhat confirmed by LAJ's George Watson on Twitter and College Baseball Daily (the first link) the other night , but I didn't see any sort of article from Watson, but apparently, OU hitting coach and recruiting coordinator, Tim Tadlock, a former Red Raider, will be taking a position with Dan Spencer as associate head coach. This is, apparently, a huge get for Spencer.
Football links are after the jump.
TEXAS TECH FOOTBALL
Tuberville Named To Bryant Coach Of The Year Watch List - Texas Tech Red Raiders Official Athletic Site
Coach of the year!
Former Tech star chosen for hall of fame | Red Raiders
Congrats to former Red Raider, and overall #1 pick in the NFL draft in the 1964 NFL draft, Dave Parks, for being chosen to be inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame! Well deserved honor. Here's Parks:
"Anything that has to do with sports in Texas I think is great," he said. "Whether I believe I belong in that group has nothing to do with it. Sometimes I’m kind of embarrassed. It’s been so long and all.
"Being in the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, they don’t have to put my picture up. It’s just a great honor."
Red Raiders Football Notebook: Corker at corner | Red Raiders and Notebook: Tuberville talks Cyclone QBs, Shawn Corker - The Daily Toreador: Sports
Interesting in that apparently WR Shawn Corker is being tried out at cornerback. Here's head coach Tommy Tuberville from the LAJ:
"We’re just looking for a place to play him," Tech coach Tommy Tuberville said after Wednesday’s workout. "We’re looking for maybe two or three weeks down the road, just getting some time out of him. With Derrick Mays injured and some other guys beat up a little bit, we’re looking for bodies."
And in the DT, Tuberville talks about Iowa St.:
"What they do best now is they’ve got a quarterback who can run," Tuberville said following Wednesday’s practice. "(It’s) a lot like Kansas State. You know, they run a quarterback lead (play) and they run zone plays and he does a good job with play action. You know, he’s just a more athletic type of quarterback. Now, we expect the other quarterback to play some. This guy gives them an option of running in and out of the pocket.
"You got to be careful losing contain — all those things that you do on a normal quarterback who is going to try to do a lot with his legs."
Linebacker Cobb kicked off 21st birthday with big upset of Oklahoma | Red Raiders
Nice article about how LB Daniel Cobb, demoted from 1st and 2nd team earlier in the year, has worked his way back into a role on this team:
"It was nobody’s fault but mine," Cobb said Monday. "I didn’t do what I needed to do to be in the position to start. I had it. I lost it. My mindset became just to work and good things will happen."
And watching film and studying, something he didn't do before arriving at Texas Tech, has helped Cobb:
"Watching that film allowed us to line up and get the fronts called and go to where they were going to go before they got there," Cobb said. "We were lining up so fast and watched so much film that we got them out of their NASCAR (offense), We had them behind schedule on their track."
Iowa State Football: Houston-native cousins reunite on Saturday in Lubbock | The Des Moines Register | DesMoinesRegister.com
Interesting in that RT Mickey Okafor and Iowa St. OG Kelechi Osemele are cousins.
Cyclones turn to freshman QB from Garland | Red Raiders
The Cyclones will be starting freshman QB Jared Barnett, a freshman from Garland, rather than Steel Janz:
"We’ve lost four games in a row," Rhoads said of the reason he made the switch. "We have not played productively as an offensive football team and a good part of that is your quarterback play. Steele has not played at a level that we see him continuing on as a starter."
Barnett, a 6-foot, 200-pound quarterback from Garland, has now seen time in two games, playing extensively in losses to Missouri and A&M.