Texas Tech Football:
There's really no news out there today, which sorta stinks, and this is the first time in a long time that this has happened. Lucky for you, you have all of the content here on DTN and you now also have The Tortilla Retort which is written by dedfischer, formerly of Barking Carnival. Great analysis by dedfishcer.
The Chron's Jerome Solomon says that it's not that crazy that Texas Tech will eventually be #1. This is a good editorial, the main point being that if you win, the accolades will follow, including a national championship:
There is much too much football remaining to start talking about the national championship, but that has never stopped fans from doing so. Since we’re going to have those discussions, it’s time for Texas Tech to be included in them.Tech is one of only 10 unbeaten teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision. As Mack Brown likes to say, it’s in the conversation.
In college football, the national championship might be on the line every week. Isn’t this fun?
"On a certain level, you play for it every week," Leach said. "You don’t know what you’re going to run into from one Saturday to the next, so the challenge is to prepare like heck and survive. All the talk every week is the upsets, and we’re not one of ’em, so it was a good week."
The premise is accurate, each game, no matter who you are, is an elimination game, especially for a team like Texas Tech, that doesn't have the national credibility of USC or Florida. Win, and it all works out.
Aggie receiver Ryan Tannehill, his father played for Texas Tech in the mid-eighties, grew up being a Red Raider, but now isn't proud of it. Memo to McBath, Charbonnet, and Wall: post on locker door.
Big 12 Happenings: The FWST looks at the Big 12 slate this weekend . . . The Chron's Joe Duarte's Big 12 Notebook . . .
Texas Tech Basketball:
I was going to post this in a FanShot, but thought it deserved Morning Notes attention. LAJ's Jeff Walker writes that the men's basketball team is currently flying under the radar, which could be to their advantage. Walker notes:
The Big 12 Conference coaches have picked Tech to finish 10th and that’s fine with Knight. He’ll gladly guide his team under the radar and that’s just where this team is right now - under the radar. Sure, Pat will constantly draw comparisons to his legendary father - like he did when I wrote about the last time Tech was picked to finish 10th … Bob Knight’s first season in Lubbock, which concluded with a 23-9 record and an invitation to the NCAA Tournament.
I should also encourage you guys in Lubbock to go out and support Pat Knight, a.k.a. Junior Knight, to the first practice, Friday night at 5:00 p.m. (doors open at 4:00 p.m.) at the United Spirit Arena. I'm going to try and touch on some basketball next week, but this is from the official release:
The Raiders return nine players from the 2007-2008 group and welcome six new players for the 2008-2009 campaign. Rogdrick Craig, Michael Prince, Esmir Rizvic, Damir Suljagic, and Alan Voskuil return as seniors. Trevor Cook is only returning junior this season. Sophomores John Roberson, D'walyn Roberts, and Mike Singletary successfully made the transition from high school to college last season.Newcomers Darko Cohadarevic (CHO-ha-DAR-eh-vitch) and Nick Okorie are Red Raider juniors this season. Wally Dunn enters Texas Tech as a sophomore walk-on. Tyree Graham, Robert Lewandowski, and Corbin Ray are Red Raider freshmen.
Meanwhile, in other Knight news, Bob Knight says that he might coach again:
"I got nothing else to do. It would just depend on the circumstances," the former Army, Indiana and Texas Tech coach told host Mickey Maurer on "Mickey's Corner" on Indianapolis public TV station WFYI.
That and he also says that if you get caught cheating you should be shot:
"In college basketball, if you get caught cheating, they should shoot you because you're too dumb to be alive," he said.
Who else thinks he's talking about a former Sooner and Hoosier head coach?