Double-T Nation Daily Diatribe :: 03.12.10

Birthday Gifts:  This DTN DD is obviously a complete distraction from Mike Leach's colorful language after the Kansas and Baylor games.  In any event, I've been wanting to switch over from a Mach 10 razor to a safety razor and my wife gave me a Merkur razor (it arrived a few days late) and I can now say that I'm incredibly glad I'm making this move.  No cuts or razor burn.  A close shave and it will be a fraction of the cost with replacement blades.  My wife also got me this Catcher in the Rye t-shirt.  This will go down as a win on my 2010 birthday.

Texas Tech (8-6) vs. TCU (9-2)
Location: Lupton Stadium : Ft. Worth, TX
Radio: Affiliates

Outfield:
LF - Michael Reed (Sr.); CF - Taylor Ashby (Sr.); RF - Barrett Barnes (Fr.)
Infield:
SS - Joey Kenworthy (Sr.)     2ND - Nick Popescu (Jr.);
3RD - Justin Berry (SO.)                                  1ST - Stephen Hagen (Jr.)
C - Jeremy Mayo (So.)
DH - Scott LeJeune (So.)

*Click on the score for boxscore. Texas Tech series preview (pdf).

Tough Series with the Horned Frogs:  The Red Raiders are set to take on a highly ranked TCU squad and LAJ's George Watson writes that head coach Dan Spencer is concerned about his rotation, especially now that Chad Bettis and Louis Head have been moved back to the bullpen, Bettis being the team's closer, like last year:

"I am a little concerned with the front of the rotation," head coach Dan Spencer said Tuesday after making the moves. "This gives us a chance if we can hang around and be in it at the end of five (innings), then we can fire our bullets. I think this gives us our best chance to win a series on the weekend, a lot like last year. We have a couple more pieces, but we also need a couple more to join the party."

DT's Adam Coleman writes that team wants to avenge the loss last week to the Frogs:

Tech’s Bonham Hough knows beating TCU may be a tall order, but he said if the Red Raiders can play the way they’re capable of, they should leave Fort Worth with a series win.

"TCU kind of put it on us there in game one at Minute Maid and that kind of left a bad taste in our mouths," he said. "We’re going to go there and we’re going to try and give them a little payback."

Result :: Loss : 68-80 : SB Nation Box Score
Record :: 17-15, 4-11
Big 12 Standings :: 9th (tied with Oklahoma and Iowa St.)
Television :: ESPN 360 : Big 12 Network

NIT Hopeful:  I did watch the game last night and for 3/4's of the game, it was a close game for the most part.  I don't know if I'll have time to get coherent thoughts up today (probably not), but there's still a chance that after this weekend, the basketball team will play in the NIT, and although it's not what this team wanted to be playing for at the end of the year, it's better than nothing. 

Live From Kansas City:  I had no idea that Rock M Nation was actually reporting from the Big 12 Tournament, but if you're looking to follow the rest of the Big 12 Tournament, then this is a great option.  Also, don't forget that if you have the means, you can watch the games on ESPN 360 (if your internet service provider allows for it) or through the Big 12 Network (both linked above).  It's Friday and you're not working anyway.

Close Game:  LAJ's Courtney Linehan writes that the team played the #1 team in the nation very close, are disappointed in the outcome.  Here's PG John Roberson:

"I hate how the score ended up," Roberson said. "We lost by 12 but we were in there the whole game. We were right there. I just wish we could have hit some shots."

Linehan also writes that the team is hopeful for a NIT bid:

Without knowing his team’s fate, Knight said the players will have Friday off from practice while the coaching staff focuses on recruiting. While the rest of Texas Tech’s students begin spring break, the basketball team will practice Saturday and Sunday before finding out if its season will continue.

"I know it was a rough three weeks but we’ve done enough to at least earn that," Knight said. "You’ve got to go down fighting and show hey, those guys are a good team, and it would be nice to have them in our tournament."

Laying It on the Line:  DT's Mike Graham writes that the team wanted to play well this week:

"It always feels good to get back that winning taste in your mouth," Singletary said about Tech’s win against Colorado on Wednesday. "We just wanted to come out in this tournament and just play hard and just put out everything, lay everything on the floor. And I think we did that in the two games, we gave Kansas all they could handle."

Both Pat Knight and Bill Self had good things to say about the Red Raiders' performance:

"Now instead of being in a slump that we had for three weeks, we now have some momentum going into the NIT if we get selected," he said. "So I’m proud of these guys. They played their butts off today and many kids would have quit after the three weeks they had."

Kansas coach Bill Self saluted the Red Raiders’ effort as well.

"I thought they played better than us for sure in the first half," he said. "We were fortunate we were up two at the half. And our energy level, it wasn’t very good."

And PK is looking forward to continuing to work with his team:

"They’re my kids," he said. "I look forward to next year. We’ll have six seniors, a great core returning. Yeah, should we have won more games? I think so. I think we could have won three or four more in this league. And I got lucky as a coach. I keep getting better, just like my players."

Tuberville on Austin Radio:  Someone sent me this link of head coach Tommy Tuberville on the 104.9 The Horn in Austin.  I've listened to the first part of it, but I had to get the Leach post up and watch yesterday's basketball game last night.  I'll give it a listen this weekend.

Pro Day Results:  DT's Alex Ybarra writes that almost everyone had a good day at yesterday's Texas Tech Pro Day:

The 6-foot-5, 325-pound Carter represents a sliver of players in the nation who use college pro days to improve on Combine results, but other former Tech players were in the spotlight for the first time. Notable players who participated were receiver Edward Britton, center Shawn Byrnes, tackle Marlon Winn, cornerbacks Jamar Wall and Brent Nickerson, defensive ends Brandon Sharpe, Ra’Jon Henley and Daniel Howard, linebacker Marlon Williams and defensive tackle Richard Jones.

One of the top corners in the Big 12 Conference throughout his career, Wall wowed scouts with a 40.5-inch vertical jump, building the anticipation for his 40-yard dash. Unfortunately, Wall pulled up 15 yards into his run. A scout for the Green Bay Packers announced that Wall felt tightness in his left hamstring. He ended up running the rest of the drills later but never returned for a second try at the 40.

And the two defensive ends that were spectacular for Texas Tech and the Big 12, Daniel Howard and Brandon Sharpe, also had a good day:

Sharpe, who recorded a school-record 15 sacks last season, jumped 35 inches and ran an unofficial 40-time of 4.6 seconds. His counterpart during the 2009-10 season, Daniel Howard, impressed as well. He got 31.5 inches off the ground and clocked unofficial times of 4.7 and 4.8 seconds. 

From the entire Double-T Nation, we wish all of you the best in the accomplishment of your goals.