Merry Christmas

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Pictures updated!

I updated the pictures page with pictures from this years' festivities. I only had about 30 pictures, so please submit your additions to the collection.

Magnum

New War of Words?

Asked about dealing with the altitude in A&M's upcoming game in Boulder, Aggie coach Mike Sherman replied, "Well, Lubbock is a pretty good altitude up there. There's a lot of hot air up there too."

FYI:

My new Mac Book Pro departed it's Shanhai assembling area yesterday morning at 10:35 am, via FedEx. Scheduled Austin delivery is this Monday morning. Will have plenty of thoughts to share once it's here.

Ouch...

This one definitely left its mark...

I knew the streak could not possibly last forever, but I certainly did not believe this year would be the year. Apparently, I was not alone in that regard either.

At any rate, aggy showed up, played hard for 4 quarters, and deserved this victory. Congratulations.

Aggies 52 Red Raiders 30

Joe with Midnight Matador

Photo taken by the "Masked Rider"

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Updated BCS Top 5:

1) Florida - not too tough to figure this one out

2) Alabama - wonder how McElroy would've fared in the HUB had he kept his oral com

3) Barack Obama - the Linguistic Wizard could leap frog 'Bama by inserting a few more powerful words into his repotoire

4) UT - Colt has been mediocre this year thus far

5) TCU - need some Christians to offset all of the Jews in this poll

High Five: Texas Tech-Texas A&M | Texas A&M Aggies News | Sports News | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News

High Five: Texas Tech-Texas A&M | Texas A&M Aggies News | Sports News | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News

08:46 AM CDT on Wednesday, October 21, 2009

From staff reports

Texas Tech wins

Oct. 7, 1995, Red Raiders 14, Aggies 7, in Lubbock: Texas A&M entered the game as the No. 8 team in the country and enjoyed a 29-game conference winning streak. But with the score tied 7-7 with 30 seconds left and the Aggies driving, Texas Tech linebacker Zach Thomas picked off a Corey Pullig pass and returned it 23 yards for the winning touchdown for the unranked Red Raiders.

Oct. 5, 2002, Red Raiders 48, Aggies 47 (OT), in College Station: Unranked Texas Tech rallied from 18 points down in the fourth quarter to push No. 23 Texas A&M into overtime. Dustin Long had seven touchdown passes for A&M and Kliff Kingsbury had five for Tech, but two kicks determined the difference. John Pierson missed his OT extra-point try, and Robert Treece made his.

Oct. 2, 1999, Red Raiders 21, Aggies 19, in Lubbock: With tailback Ricky Williams unable to go, Texas Tech coach Spike Dykes moved fullback Sammy Morris to his spot. Morris gained 170 yards rushing against No. 5 Texas A&M and its top-ranked run defense, and the Red Raiders rallied from 10 points down to score all 21 of their points in the second quarter for the upset.

Sept. 30, 2006, Red Raiders 31, Aggies 27, in College Station: Trailing with 2:12 left and 80 yards ahead of him, Texas Tech sophomore quarterback Graham Harrell went to work. A drive that included an interception overturned by replay and an 11-yard catch by Jarrett Hicks on fourth-and-5 ended with Robert Johnson's 37-yard touchdown catch with 26 seconds left for the win.

Oct. 25, 1997, Red Raiders 16, Aggies 13, in Lubbock: With 19 seconds left, unranked Texas Tech had a chance to break a tie with No. 20 Texas A&M with a successful field-goal attempt. But Texas Tech senior kicker Tony Rogers, a backup until Jaret Greaser was injured the week before, had to try a 47-yarder with a tricky 24 mph wind. His kick glanced off the left upright and went through.

Texas A&M wins

Nov. 13, 2004, Aggies 32, Red Raiders 25 (OT), in College Station: For the second time in three years, Texas A&M and Texas Tech were going to overtime in College Station. Courtney Lewis went 25 yards on an option play to give Texas A&M the lead on the first play of overtime. Then, on fourth-and-9, Byron Jones knocked down Sonny Cumbie's pass to the end zone to secure the win.

Oct. 3, 1992, Aggies 19, Red Raiders 17, in College Station: Texas A&M kicker Terry Venetoulias was having a tough day. He had missed a 43-yard field goal attempt and an extra-point attempt earlier to keep unranked Texas Tech in the game. But with one second left and down by one, Venetoulias made a 21-yard field goal to keep No. 5 Texas A&M undefeated.

Oct. 1, 1994, Aggies 23, Red Raiders 17, in College Station: Texas Tech turned two interceptions by Zach Thomas and Marcus Coleman into 10 points and scored on a fake punt to lead No. 10 Texas A&M 17-7 at halftime. But the Aggies rallied with two 1-yard touchdown runs in the second half. Texas Tech's final shot to the end zone went through Field Scovell's hands to end the upset threat.

Oct. 6, 1990, Aggies 28, Red Raiders 24, in College Station: Texas A&M senior halfback Darren Lewis rushed for 232 yards and the Aggies had almost twice as many first downs as the Red Raiders, yet Texas Tech was still in it until the end. With 2:12 left and Texas Tech facing fourth-and-13, Texas A&M defensive back Kevin Smith picked off Robert Hall to secure the win.

Oct. 24, 1998, Aggies 17, Red Raiders 10, in College Station: No. 25 Texas Tech scored its 10 points off of two fumbles by Aggies quarterback Randy McCown, but the defense saved the day for No. 8 Texas A&M. Texas Tech quarterback Rob Peters was sacked five times and his offense managed only 205 yards. The Red Raiders' last hope was a pass to Donnie Hart that he caught out of bounds in the end zone.

Let The Streak Begin...........

Sherman was the aggy offensive line coach in 1995 when Pullig threw the pick that was heard 'round the world. The game was tied with less than a minute to go when Zack returned it 23 yards for the win.

"Yeah, I remember throwing a pick to Zach Thomas," Sherman said. "I threw the same pick [at Green Bay] when he was in the NFL when we played against him at Miami. He's kind of been a nemesis for me over the years, and just someone I really respected, starting back with his days at Tech."

This $@%* is Real

Leach is 7-2 versus aggy, and unbeaten at home. In fact, none of the current seniors have ever lost to aggy.

Says Marlon Winn: “My redshirt (freshman) year, the first year we traveled down there, I remember the touchdown catch Robert Johnson made in the end zone to seal the game (31-27). I felt the rivalry between the two teams and how we just snatched the air out of the stadium. I enjoyed the feeling. They come here the next year, and kind of the same thing happens. It’s something that, when you go into practice that week, you remember those kind of things, and you don’t want to be the team that ends up losing to Texas A&M, who of course is a great team."

Sheffield out two to three weeks with foot injury | Red Raiders

Sheffield out two to three weeks with foot injury | Red Raiders

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Uh oh.....

if head to head is any accurate barometer....

Texas Tech is to K-State (66-14) as K-State is to Texas A&M (62-14).

I don't think head-to-head is necessarily a good predictor, but clearly Tech is pulling it together, following back to back losses with the K-State blowout and a dominating win over ranked Nebraska in Lincoln, while A&M is still struggling.

With a night game in Lubbock looming, the Aggies had better put this lost behind them and get ready to correct the "funk" they found themselves in in Manhattan.

Leach 101

Is it possible that I am paying more attention to recent "Leach-speak" than Bake?

Asked about his "game-time decision" to start Taylor Potts or Steven Sheffield vs. Nebraska, Leach commented that the media should not "do anything to diminish the excitement and anticipation of a game-time decision, because I think that would screw up the whole thing, and then we'd be less big-time around here and that would certainly be disturbing to everybody."

Wine + Mac Book =

Muy malo....

Will be up and posting a lot of garbage pertaining to the White Jumpsuit Gang asap!

Night game in Lubbock!!

Official kickoff time of 6 pm has been announced for RoosterBowl XII.

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Roostermobile in the house!

Got the Roostermobile booked today. It's a DOUBLE slide-out with bunk beds! Check out the specs HERE.

Mangini = Rocket Scientist?

So Crabs had to enlist the brilliance of MC Hammer to, uh, hammer out the details with the 49ers?

Really? The MC Hammer? Maybe Vanilla Ice was all booked up.

(And I don't exactly remember Hammer being remembered for his financial wizardry)

Seriously though - this is a good thing for both parties. SF needs a big threat receiver, and Crabs needs some dough so he can start paying his handlers back. He also needs to get back onto the field where he simply dominates.

Being somewhat of a cynic, I have always wondered if this ridiculous hold-out had anything to do with his injury. Maybe he needed the rehab; fully knowing that he would essentially get the same amount of money a few months later with a better-healed foot. Who knows...

At any rate, hopefully his foot is good enough now that he can get into playing shape and contribute. Singletary emulates everything that is good about the NFL, and he has SF looking pretty decent thus far.

Here's to a bunch of Crab-Grabs late in the season!

Fuller Expected Back In Two To Three Weeks

Looks like A&M will have our best receiver, Fuller back in time for RB12!

Fuller Expected Back In Two To Three Weeks

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Glory days

Ran into Coach Slocum today at a pre-game party!

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Beat the Hell Outta Arkansas!

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A must read for any football fan

I'm a huge fan of A&M's QB, Jerrod Johnson. Maybe I was a fan for all the wrong reasons. What an incredible story.

TEXAS A&M QUARTERBACK JERROD JOHNSON'S STORY IS THE BEST YOU'VE NEVER HEARD

Then and Now

I'm as disappointed as any other Tech fan for losing to Houston, but I also realize it's not the end of the world either. It's not like losing at home to North Texas, or on the road in Albuquerque. Coug High is a pretty good team. I really enjoyed watching its offensive execution. With that said, Tech definitely blew it, and unfortunately, as "trap" games go, there's usually controversy and a possible fallout when the end result is not what was expected.

Potts was subpar at best. I guess if I wanted to, I could suggest he was suffering from post-concussion syndrome (ala John Mackovic 1994...) from being hit helmet to helmet the week before, but I won't. He just isn't there yet. He hasn't had the experience, and he just made a lot of poor decisions, and unfortunately, those decisions did not do much to help the offense.

This reminds me of where Harrell was in 2006, his first year to start. I was at the Mizzou game, and he was awful. Back to back picks returned for TDs. There were a few boos when he walked off the field, so he decided to throw his helmet and flip off the crowd. He completely lost his cool, and was benched for a series. Todd steps in, and immediately leads the team down the field to score. Harrell returned, but really shouldn't have, in my opinion.

Potts was rattled much the same way. He was frustrated, and lost his cool after the failed 4th and goal. It was obvious. Near the end of the game when the Coogs were about to score, the cameras caught him standing on the sideline with that deer in the headlights look. In fact, another player had to grab him to get him to go find his coach to prepare for the final drive. I knew after that camera shot, it was over. It seemed to me that Potts had already conceded - like they were down 20 points instead of just 1.

Harrell would have been at Leach's side already - chomping at the bit. Not the Harrell of 2006; the Harrell of 2007-08.

Key words here: maturity as a player.

This was only Potts' 4th game to "play" in quite a few years - 4 to be exact. This level is much faster, and adversity can come at any time, and against any foe. He's learning how to respond every single week. He'll get better - in fact, I truly believe he'll be better than Harrell once he settles in. Unfortunately, we're 1/3 into the season, and there's not really any time left for error. These next 8 games are crucial.

Death Star

Aggies meet Arkansas Saturday night at the "Death Star" in Arlington. Locals in DFW have started referring to the new Cowboys Stadium as the "Death Star". I believe this was started by the great Gordon Keith.

Leach 101

is it okay for me to make a contribution to Bake's "Leach 101" series? I hope so, so here goes. This is my first, and may be my last....

"I think that a guy who plays college football gets enough attention," he said. It's "a bunch of narcissists that want to sit and type stuff about themselves all the time. We'll put mirrors in some of their lockers if that's necessary but they don't have to Twitter."

Mutiny! Players turning on Leach?

Mike Leach suspended "indefinitely" a team captain yesterday. Senior lineman and all-American candidate Brandon Carter was suspended and stripped of his captain status for "violation of team policy". There could also be pending action against senior LB Marlon Williams, who used his Twitter account to take a shot at Coach Leach for being late to a team meeting on Sunday.

LINK

UPDATE: apparently, Williams is not too fond of Crabtree either. Here's one of his tracks called "Crab is Scary": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qmyAI6vfyo&feature=related

Cougar High avoids "trap"

Maybe this was a "trap game".

The #17 Houston Cougars were a slight favorite (-1) in their home game against Texas Tech on Saturday night. Still flying high from their upset of #5 Oklahoma State on the road in Stillwater, the Cougars were definitely vulnerable heading into a "trap game" with the dangerous Red Raiders coming to town, ready to right the ship after last week's loss in Austin. It took a Case Keenum touchdown in the final minute to beat Texas Tech 29-28, and move to 3-0 on the season. With back to back road losses to ranked opponents, Tech falls to 2-2 for the first time since 2002.

Roosterbowl lore

Bake left me a voicemail this morning, and his message reminded me that tonight's matchup between Texas Tech and Cougar High has some Roosterbowl history woven in. What Bake mentioned, was that UH offensive coordinator Dana Holgorson was previously the offensive coordinator under Mike Leach at Tech. What Bake failed to remember (or mention), was the significance of UH head coach Kevin Sumlin in Roosterbowl history.

During the 2002 season, Kevin Sumlin replaced Dino Babers as A&M's offensive coordinator. Sumlin was the mastermind of the famed "Gulf Coast Offense", and his first game as OC was in Roosterbowl V, Cinco de Rooster....also known as "the Shootout", which Tech won in double overtime, 48-47.

this is weird

short lived, I'm sure....

Leach 101

Hey Mike - how lucky was Tech that Blake Gideon dropped that interception on that final drive on the play before Crabtree scored?

"I didn't think he would catch it, for one," Leach said. "And for another, it's always interesting to me that they highlight that play because I can probably rattle off 10 other things that would have allowed us to win by more. So I don't see that as particularly significant."


For starters, the clip that wasn't called that freed Shipley for a TD on a punt return.

season predictions by Magnum

Yes, after several years of resistance, I am fully embracing the "Magnum" moniker. Now that the chest hair has gotten even fuller, and is sprinkled with gray, and impossibly, I have gotten even more handsome, it is just unavoidable.

2009 is finally here (no, I don't operate on a "calendar" year. My year begins on the first Saturday in September), and this is the year we will begin to see the turnaround for the Aggies.

9/5: New Mexico
This one is already in the bag. A 41-6 victory for the Aggies

9/19: Utah State
This is a softie visitor to Kyle, and a nice tuneup win

9/26: UAB
See above

10/3: Arkansas
Officially this is the "Southwest Classic". The first in a 10-year neutral site series at the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. I've also heard it called ham & Ags or Bacon & Ags, which I think it kind of funny. A&M will shock the world to go 4-0 with a close victory over this SEC foe.

10/10: Oklahoma State
Hmm, seemingly unwinnable even a couple of days ago, but Okie Lite was dropped by Houston in Stillwater yesterday. They are beatable, and the Aggies could pull this one out at Kyle. Ags will be very confident by this time, and pull out another win at home to go 5-0.

10/17: @Kansas State
Easy win over the Wildcats in Manhattan to go 6-0, and earn their first ranking of the year.

10/24: @Texas Tech--ROOSTERBOWL XII
Undefeated Texas A&M travels to Lubbock to play undefeated Texas Tech (yes, Tech will beat whorns in Austin) on national TV in a night game in Lubbock. Ranked, Nighttime, Lubbock stacks the deck against the Aggies, but they will defy the odds to go home 7-0.

10/31: Iowa State
Win, 8-0

11/7: @Colorado
Win, 9-0

11/14: @Oklahoma
No, I'm not this optimistic. Aggies come back to earth with a loss in Norman. 9-1.

11/21: Baylor
Don't even think about it. Aggies bounce back in the Battle of the Brazos to move to 10-1.

11/26: t.u.
Aggies win again on Thanksgiving night, moving to 11-1. OU loss costs us the South title.

No, I haven't been smoking anything, but the Maroon Colored Glasses are thick.

Looking forward to a great season!

Guv Goodhair & His Gang = Hard At Work

Texas Tech regent Mark Griffin was asked to resign his position from the university system's Board of Regents last week because of his support for U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's campaign for governor, The Avalanche-Journal has learned from multiple sources.

Rice/Tech 1985

What an ugly game.

12 combined punts, Rice coach Watson Brown gets caught picking his nose on the Raycom broadcast, and James Hamrick kicks a 57 yard field goal with 18 seconds left to lift the Owls to a 29-27 victory before 28,000 disgusted fans.

Moore no more...

Leach 101:

So, how balanced is a team that opens up its season with 405 of 445 total yards through the air?

"I'm proud to say we're probably the most balanced team in the nation. Balance has virtually nothing to do with rushing as opposed to passing. It has to do with your ability to get the ball in all your players' hands. We had 10 receivers touch the ball and three running backs. So if you run across anybody any more balanced than that, I'd like to meet them."

2009 Red Raiders:

Although I believe Tech will be better overall than last year, that may not factor into its final record.

Losing early in September and staying focused for the rest of the season is more desirable than winning every game until November, and then completely falling apart.


Sept. 5, 2009 University of Mother Teresa
A cream puff to open up with - what's new really?
Hopefully a good way for Potts to shake the butterflies.

Sept. 12, 2009 Rice
More of a stiff test before the first road game to Austin.
Final opportunity to work out kinks before Horns game. Expect
to be pushed for a quarter.

Sept. 19, 2009 at Texas
Am really happy this game moved up to September - Austin
traditionally is deflating, and I'd rather lose early here
than in November. (see Horns 2008) I do, however, believe
Tech can win this one - UT has EVERYTHING to lose.

Sept. 26, 2009 at Houston
A good road-test in front of what seemingly should
be a predominately scarlet/black filled stadium. This
one could prove to be a beartrap if the Horns game gets
out of hand - or even if it doesn't, and the unexpected
happens.

Oct. 3, 2009 New Mexico
Final pre-season game - after this one, we'll
know for sure who can do what. This one should/will get
out of hand.

Oct. 10, 2009 Kansas State
Expect a game much like 2005 - tight early, but the
Cats are in over their heads this year.

Oct. 17, 2009 at Nebraska
Another tough road game - could come down to
the end like in 2005.

Oct. 24, 2009 aggy
The streak won't continue forever, but it is
safe for now. Big win.

Oct. 31, 2009 Kansas
Tech is better than KU at home even if Reesing has
a monster game.

Nov. 14, 2009 at OK State
This is the one we really need - haven't beaten
these choads in Stoolwater in a while. An important
game that could very well decide which direction this
team goes headed into the home stretch.

Nov. 21, 2009 Oklahoma
Although still a beast, I like Tech at home against
Blow U. Jones T&A will prove to be the difference.

Nov. 28, 2009 at Baylor
Could very well be a lot of points scored by both teams - Tech is the better
team and should win big.

Arrgh!

Who needs a tax-free weekend to kick off the new school year when you can just get a freshly customized parking spot instead?

(I still think it should say "Admiral Leach", however...)

#25

Baron Batch is coming off a season in which he carried 113 times for 758 yards and seven touchdowns and caught 45 passes for 449 yards and a TD.

“I’m ready to go, ready to rock and roll, to get it started,’’ the junior from Midland said - 2 1/2 weeks after suffering an elbow injury in practice.

Rooster Sighting

Finally feeling the football season coming on...

It took a trip to Aggieland, but I finally feel like it's football season. Yesterday morning I made an early drive to College Station, and got to campus in time to watch 2 hours of practice. I'm feeling pretty good about the team making some serious improvements over last year, even though I'm realistic enough to know it may not reflect much in the win column. The Dallas Morning News projects A&M to finish 5-7, with conference wins only over ISU and KSU. I am really hoping for 7-5 with a couple of upsets, but would honestly be okay with 6-6, if the wins were over the right teams.

I was very impressed with the offense. Jerrod Johnson is back at QB, with Tannehill and Fuller returning at wideout. Fuller is a beast, and will be one of the top receivers in the conference this year. I had no idea how massive JJ was until I was standing 20 feet from him. He is listed at 6'6", but I think he's taller than that. Tannehill was taking snaps at QB as well, but it seems decided that JJ will start at QB and Tannehill will play receiver.

Cyrus Gray and Bradley Stephens are both back at RB, and Gray is slotted to be the starter. He looked great in practice, but all the talk seemed to be about true freshman Christine Michael. Everyone is saying he is very special, and could be starting by October. Powerful runner with breakaway speed.

Offensive line looked good too, but maybe that was because they were blocking the Aggie defense. It's really hard to tell when it's Aggies vs. Aggies, but still, I'm ready for September 5th!!!!

September Texas Monthly Cover:

Should be an interesting read, although TM is a nothing short of a rag. I especially love the 75 pages of vacation ads in every issue.

All in all, pretty good pub for the HUB though.

Crabtree

I guess he should have just stayed in Lubbock....

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/colleges/texastech/stories/080709dnspocrabtree.39a1e40.html

Aggy on Aggy Crime

The culprit in a break in at the Texas A&M football complex has been found, but no charges will be pressed in the case.

The person, who University Police will not identify, admitted Wednesday morning to taking eight sets of the football pads and name plates from lockers in the A&M locker room. Surveillance footage was used to nab the suspect.

Authorities say there were no signs of forced entry, so the person involved had access to the facility via a key pad entry code.

The person agreed to return the property he still had, though two pads were reportedly thrown in a dumpster and can't be found. The culprit will repay the money for the lost pads.

Besides stolen property, powder was spread across the room and athletic tape was used to spell the phrase, "The Eyes of Texas Are Upon You," which are the first words in the University of Texas alma mater. A UT logo was also made using tape.

The tape job initially led to thoughts that Longhorn enthusiasts had been the perpetrators, but University Police Chief Elmer Schneider says the person was connected to Texas A&M in some way, and acted alone.

"It was a personal issue that the person chose to act out in an inappropriate manner," Schneider said, added that the person was upset over some set of circumstances.

The A&M Athletics Department has decided not to press charges.

let's play some American Football, eh?

Former Tech QB Harrell signs with CFL team

08:30 PM CDT on Thursday, July 16, 2009

Associated Press

REGINA, Saskatchewan – Record-setting Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell is headed to the CFL, having signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Thursday.

Harrell is the NCAA Division I career leader in touchdown passes but wasn't drafted by the NFL. His workout with the Cleveland Browns did not result in a contract.

Harrell had to fight the perception that his numbers were the product of Texas Tech's offensive system and he didn't have the arm strength to succeed in the NFL.

The Roughriders are already two games into their season and have three quarterbacks on their roster. Their starter is former North Carolina quarterback Darian Durant, who had only four career CFL starts coming into the season.

Alamo Mike's Last Stand?

A&M faculty vote 'no confidence' in chancellor
Rebuke of Mike McKinney adds new turmoil shortly after Elsa Murano was forced to step down as president.
By Ralph K.M. Haurwitz
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Thursday, July 02, 2009

When the chancellor of the Texas A&M University System addressed the Faculty Senate last week, he described the faculty as "the mind and conscience" of the university, with a voice that can open wounds or heal them.

"I have a sincere desire to see our relationship move beyond the adversity of the recent past," said Chancellor Mike McKinney, who went on to quote Scripture as well as Shakespeare as he urged faculty members not to reignite disagreement over A&M's leadership.

Despite McKinney's overtures, the Faculty Senate voted 55-9 Tuesday to approve a resolution expressing no confidence in his leadership. Earlier, an online poll by the senate found that, of more than 1,300 faculty members responding, 83.5 percent had no confidence in the chancellor.

The votes have no official impact. The A&M System Board of Regents has exclusive power to hire and fire the chancellor, who oversees a statewide network of academic campuses and state agencies, as well as a health science center.

The faculty's action nevertheless amounts to a sharp rebuke of McKinney and, indirectly, of the regents. Faculty Senate officials said this was the first time they had passed a resolution of no confidence in the chancellor, or even considered such a resolution.

Rod Davis, a spokesman for the A&M System, said Wednesday that McKinney and the regents would have no comment on the vote.

The developments come a little more than two weeks after Elsa Murano resigned as president of the College Station campus under pressure from the regents. Murano, the first Hispanic and first woman to lead the university, had taken issue with a sharply critical performance evaluation of her by McKinney.

Asked what prompted the vote of no confidence, Robert Bednarz, a geography professor and speaker of the Faculty Senate, said, "I think his statements about the nature of shared governance and how decisions are made are in opposition to what most faculty think is the most productive way to make decisions."

Shared governance is the practice of consulting closely with faculty members, staff members and other stakeholders before making major decisions. It is a widely accepted principle of higher education administration, but McKinney at times has essentially said he takes his marching orders from the regents.

Bednarz said some faculty members also thought the regents and chancellor didn't consult sufficiently with the faculty before expanding a rule on background checks for new employees and before trimming the list of financial firms with which university employees can place retirement money.

It's unclear what effect the no-confidence vote will have. McKinney, a physician and former state legislator, is a friend and former chief of staff of Gov. Rick Perry.

Regents Chairman Morris Foster — like the other regents, a Perry appointee — has said McKinney has "my full support."

"There's got to be communication and clarity of roles and purposes, as well as candor and openness, for faculty to feel comfortable that governance and leadership are in good hands," said Richard Novak, senior vice president of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges.

The search for a new president, assuming that it's not done in haste and that faculty members are part of the search committee, could heal wounds and rebuild confidence in leadership, Novak said.

Foster has said that faculty members would be involved in the search, which he hopes to complete within six months, a short timeline for such a search.

rhaurwitz@statesman.com; 445-3604

More From The Admiral:

Posted: May 12, 2009
Sporting News staff report

In an interview with BitterLawyer.com, Pepperdine Law School graduate and Texas Tech coach Mike Leach proposes a playoff system for college football that would essentially grant every team postseason play.

Acknowledging that his plan is "not one that anyone would probably go for," Leach told the website about his vision for a playoff system.

"This business of a four-team playoff or an eight-team playoff is just stupid. I think you have to cut the regular season to 10 games," Leach said. "Then I think you need to invite a lot of teams (maybe 64) into a playoff, but you'd let the rest of the teams continue in an NIT-type deal so that they could play another six games or so, which they need to fund their programs.

"The simple fact is that we act like a playoff system in college football is a unique idea. It's not. Bowls are unique. All levels of college football except for Division I have a playoff, and other sports do it, too."

Asked what other changes he might make to the game, Leach said he would like to see a speaker in the quarterback's helmet like the pros use. And in the NFL, he said, "they need wider hash marks."

Asked if he ever uses his law school training as a college football coach, Leach said, "Someone once put it to me like this, and I agree with this take. A law degree — and really any form of higher education, but especially a law degree — is all about problem solving. I use it every day in that sense. Because you don't always know the answer to something, but the great thing about legal training is that it teaches you how to solve the problem when you don't know the answer.

I Guess Deep Down Aggy Isn't That Bad...

Aggie spirit lives on even when the faithful are gone

Austin Soviet-Statesman
Tuesday, May 12, 2009

They're putting in a new cemetery space for Aggies in College Station, which makes you wonder. Since it's a tradition for Aggies to stand up through a whole football game, will they bury them upright and at attention?

Hey, this would be kind of a green move because it would conserve space and help fight global overpopulation.

They say there's no such thing as a former Aggie, and that once you are one, you're happily branded with that designation for life. Aggieness is harder to get rid of than a bad tattoo. But the new cemetery opening up in a few weeks proves you wear this badge for eternity.

I can hear St. Peter now. "Nice boots, pal. Really nice boots. What's the deal with the sheep?"

The Memorial Cemetery of College Station will have a section called the Aggie Field of Honor. The first phase will have 2,900 burial spaces, although non-Aggies are welcome there, too, if you really want to be buried in the middle of a bunch of Aggies. It's probably a good idea to mix, though. Nearly 3,000 burial plots — that's a lot of burr haircuts.

Some 350 spaces have already been sold. Former Aggie football great John David Crow has bought spaces, said Ross Albrecht, the marketing supervisor for the cemetery. Former Aggie football coach R.C. Slocum is planning to buy a spot, Albrecht added. He said they have yet to hear from Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who was an Aggie yell leader when he was in school.

Maybe Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison is going to buy his space for him after the Republican primary.

The Aggie part of the new cemetery is decorated with a circular, concrete, tilted A&M logo. Vaults holding cremains will be marked with a dark red, almost maroon granite, Albrecht said.

Wouldn't the cemetery be even more festive if they included one of those UT outhouses like they used to stick on top of the Aggie bonfires?

What surprises me about this is that nobody's come up with this before. If it says A&M on it, you can sell it to an Aggie. Why didn't I buy a couple of acres outside Bryan about 10 years ago and start digging? I could be rich by now.

Oh, the municipal cemetery will also have a non-Aggie section for those who would rather be buried away from the Aggies. A 4-foot-by 9-foot grave site runs $2,000 in the Aggie section, and just $950 in the regular municipal section.

So why does it cost an extra $1,050 to get planted in the Aggie part? "It's just really the prestige," Albrecht said. I wonder if Aggies can get a price break if they buy season tickets for the whole family? And why not? The football team has been playing dead for the past couple of years.

But the big fashion question becomes should an Aggie be buried there with his senior boots on or off?

Actually, this Aggie cemetery is a pretty good idea for College Station tourism. Let's face it. The night life out there at the graveyard will be on par with the current club scene in the rest of College Station. No offense to the Dixie Chicken, of course.

You know, it's easy to make fun of Aggies because their traditions seem pretty goofy to non-Aggies such as myself, who just don't get it. But let's give the Aggies their due and admit that they manage to show a spirit that simply isn't equaled by the University of Texas. Who else but Aggies would have buried their deceased dog mascots so they can see the football score inside the stadium?

On the other hand, why not a cemetery in Austin for UT fans who have shuffled off to that great OU Weekend in the Sky? How about a cemetery for Longhorn faithful where each grave is marked with a full-sized plaster Bevo? Or a high-dollar Mack Brown plaque, embossed in gold, that comes with a Nike swoosh on it?

John Kelso's column appears on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Contact him at 445-3606 or jkelso@statesman.com

My new hairdresser

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The Leach Apology:

“I never questioned the handling of the (A&M) players in any way and have always expressed the utmost respect for their coaching staff.

“I’ve always said that it is truly exciting to play Texas A&M - the quality of coaches they have, the great team and great tradition and, above all, the quality of players they have. I’ve always known A&M had great players. The fact that they have the luxury to put a third- or fourth-round draft pick on the bench, to me, identifies what a truly great team they are.

“It’s an honor for us at Texas Tech to have the opportunity to play them. There are numerous players on our team that will never get a look or play a down in the NFL, so you can imagine how exciting it is for me and them to go play a team the magnitude of Texas A&M and look over there on the bench and see third- and fourth-round draft picks.”

even MORE talk on the Leach embroglio

Dallas Morning News' Kevin Sherrington seems to agree with me.....

Tech's Pirate sails in his own direction - often into stormy seas

07:47 PM CDT on Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Kevin Sherrington

Straight up: If your baby is ugly, don't ask Mike Leach if he thinks it's cute. The Pirate says what he thinks, which is often entertaining as long as it's not your baby he's talking about. He's Miss Manners' worst nightmare. No tact, no governor, no regrets.

But just because he's crazy doesn't mean he isn't right occasionally.

Take the flap the last couple of weeks over a couple of his Texas Tech players and the NFL draft.

When a Cleveland media blog indicated the Browns had no interest in star receiver Michael Crabtree – the term "diva" was invoked – Leach said Crabtree has had a better career than the Browns' young coach, Eric Mangini.

And when the Raiders' record-setting quarterback, Graham Harrell, went undrafted, Leach noted that the NFL's history of drafting quarterbacks is "notoriously bad."

Of course it is. The NFL hits on quarterbacks at the same rate the Rangers are right on pitchers. But Leach couldn't leave it at that.

And that's what gets him in trouble.

Asked what he thought about the Cowboys drafting Stephen McGee, whose Texas A&M days looked like something out of a 1970s scrapbook, he said the Cowboys liked McGee better than his Aggies coaches did.

Even if it was clever stuff, Mike Sherman took exception, and rightfully so.

If it's any consolation, Leach said it's nothing personal. It never is.

People call. He answers.

Simple as that.

"In all my life, I've never been mad at Texas A&M about anything," he said Wednesday. "I've always respected their traditions and what makes the school special.

"It just seems like once every six months, they get upset with me."

Pretty much any time he says something about them, as a matter of fact.

The reason to call Leach on Wednesday was to ask if he ripped the NFL because it won't employ his quarterbacks, a trend that could pose a detrimental effect on recruiting.

A college recruiting primer: Most blue-chip quarterbacks pick programs that best prepare them for the NFL. Or at least they hope so. McGee was drafted out of a program that, for three years, used him as a battering ram. But if a kid thinks that the school doesn't help, or, worse, its "system" might even hurt, what's the incentive?

Leach wouldn't answer that question. Not directly, anyway. But he did say that NFL offenses look more like his spread every day.

And it's not as if any other college coach has a lot of quarterbacks in the NFL, either.

"I can't think of anybody that's got more than two," he said.

Even with all the recent rhetoric, Leach swears he bears no hard feelings toward the NFL. And why should he? The league just drafted four Tech players, more than had been taken in the first seven rounds any year in school history.

Not that it matters to him whether the NFL offers its stamp of approval. He pretty much does as he pleases, which doesn't always turn out well.

For the record: When Leach's contract negotiations became public this off-season, I came down on management's side. Not everything Leach says is the gospel. I never said he wasn't self-serving. He just can't bite his tongue.

Frankly, that's what makes him fun. Consider his take on the draft order of the state's top quarterbacks, which went Matthew Stafford, McGee, then Rhett Bomar, with Harrell and Chase Daniel bringing up the rear as free agents.

"I ranked them Harrell and then Bomar," Leach said. "Stafford I liked also."

For a few moments, he didn't say anything. But you could sense it coming.

And sure enough . . .

"You know, the NFL likes size so much, Brandon Williams should have been drafted as a quarterback," he said of his former defensive end, picked by the Cowboys. "He's tall, about 240 pounds, and he can throw it a real long ways. As a matter of fact ..."

Thanks for the time, Mike. As always, nice talking to you.

Again, I usually like this stuff from Leach. His comments about Brandon Williams as a QB are hilarious. It's trying to disparage the success of a player from a rival team to console his own bitterness that's out of line. He's worried about Cody Harrell following the footsteps of the rest of his QB's, all the way back to Tim Couch and Josh Heupel and the impact that will have on his ability to recruit QBs. I don't know why he would care. He seems to do fine with the guys he's had, and hasn't needed the blue-chippers like Harrell.

Benched

"Maybe if I went to Georgia I would have been a first-round draft pick."

"To be perfectly honest, it wasn’t my dream offense, it’s not necessarily what I wanted to be in as a throwing guy."


If it wasn't for his mouth, I would probably have liked McGee his whole career. He's tough, and he really got screwed over by both of his coaches.

His start to last season was so pathetic, even I wanted to see Johnson in the huddle. When McGee got hurt, it just helped Sherman out of a hole. He knew he had to do something to get aggy going, and Johnson was his horse.

Don't get me wrong, Johnson looks pretty good for a young guy. He shook things up, but he also made a lot of very poor mistakes. Anyone remember the Baylor game?

McGee, as much as I hate to say it, had earned his right to play this past year, and his coach kept him on the bench when he could have played. Sherman wants everyone to believe that McGee was in a body cast most of the year, and also developed rickets as the real reason he was on the bench, but we know it's not true. The fact of the matter is that every aggy knows it's not true either.

Sherman did what a lot of coaches would've done - only he's not man enough to admit it.

words continue between Sherman and Leach

Texas A&M's Sherman: Leach words are "bothersome"

11:49 PM CDT on Tuesday, April 28, 2009

By CHUCK CARLTON / The Dallas Morning News
ccarlton@dallasnews.com

Texas A&M football coach Mike Sherman has answered Texas Tech counterpart Mike Leach one more time in a verbal battle sparked by the NFL draft.

After Leach wondered in a SportsDay interview Monday where Sherman, a former NFL head coach, would have drafted former Aggie quarterback Stephen McGee, Sherman issued a statement Tuesday night:

"There is nothing Mike Leach could ever say that would offend me," Sherman said. "I do find it unfortunate, however, that a college coach feels the need to question the handling of a player by a staff particularly without any knowledge of the facts or the extent of a player's injury. It is equally bothersome that a football coach would question the draft status of a player. This doesn't make any sense to me.

"I have stated numerous times before the draft I thought Stephen McGee was a late third or early fourth-round pick. It is apparent the Dallas Cowboys felt the same way. It was a great pick."

Sherman and McGee take odds with Leach comment

Leach refuses to apologize, challenges Sherman to a saber duel
LINK

SHERMAN:

"I don't understand Coach Leach's comments about Stephen McGee," Sherman said Monday. "He was named our starter until he got injured. I've always believed in Stephen's character and I've always believed in his talent, and I always will. I see him having an outstanding NFL career.

"Coach Leach is in no position to comment about my relationship with Stephen McGee."

McGEE:

"I don't know where that comment came from or who it was directed at," McGee said. "But I am shocked because my time at A&M was very special to me. Obviously, I got injured, and many people think that Coach Sherman benched me. That's just not true.

LEACH:

"...based on all the fuss and commotion on this, I can't help but wonder what round Coach Sherman would have drafted Stephen McGee, given the fact he was once a head coach in the NFL."

"I'm not sorry for what I said," Leach said. "I'm sorry if they feel offended."

McBath and Vasquez

I can't say enough about McBath, really - I began to focus on him during the UTEP game a couple of years ago. My buddy, BJ, was doing color for FOX, and told me after the game that he would be a star some day. He was right - McBath was a huge part of last years D turnaround. In fact, he was in on just about everything at the end of last year.

I'm convinced that Dallas wanted him, but it just didn't turn out that way. McDaniels deserves credit for this one. The Broncos just started rebuilding its D in a major way as I believe McBath will continue to improve and impress.



Vasquez is one of those guys who just shows up for work. The guy took a back seat in the press to Reed, and it was no big deal. That's the guy you want. He's a moose, and I believe that he'll be able to contribute right away. Arguably, he may be a bit better than Reed, but only because of his health and longer shelf life.

The Chargers did well by taking him, and its fans will see soon enough that maybe that their GM Smith isn't that stupid after all - then again, people always underestimate Norv's ability to pick talent because they want to judge him on his head coaching record only.

Harrell Signs with Dallas?

Getting confirmation from an odd source, so unsure yet if it's true.

If it is true, it's going to be an even more fun pre-season than normal. Obviously, with both McGee and Harrell battling each other, the rivalry will spill over into the NFL.

At any rate, thank you, Football Gods, for ensuring all of us that baseball sucks it, and that pro basketball swallows it. Or is it the other way around?

More From Leach:

Love this guy - he absolutely pulls no punches.

Leach, apparently perturbed about Eric Mangini referring to Crab as a "diva", after a pre-draft interview, had this to say about the new Browns coach:

"Crabtree as a receiver has been more successful than that guy has been as a coach. I think he took it upon himself to figure that in a few minutes he had all the expertise on the subject of Michael Crabtree that he needed. And so we’ll see how those non-divas up there in Cleveland do this year.

Here’s the other thing: What’s interesting to me, a guy that really has not accomplished a great deal there at Cleveland or the Jets for that matter to publicly comment on A) someone he doesn’t even know and B) someone whose accomplishements speak for themselves and, within the specific field that Michael Crabtree’s in, Michael’s accomplishments speak louder than Mangini’s do."

He also had an interesting comment regarding McGee as well:

"I'm happy for Stephen McGee. The Dallas Cowboys like him more than his coaches at A&M did."

Funny stuff....

Stephen McGee and Brandon Williams drafted by Cowboys

I always love it when Roosterbowl veterans are picked up by the Cowboys. I think these were two good picks. Williams will be a solid player. Lots of questions will swirl about the choice of McGee, especially since Chase Daniel and Graham Harrell went undrafted. I believe NFL scouts were running from those guys, because of what I call "The Jimmy Klingler Effect". They put up gaudy numbers, but both were throwing 50 passes a game, and in this case, to great receivers who would just go up and get it. In Harrell's case, he put up gaudy numbers in the same system that also saw BJ Symons, Sonny Cumbie, and Cody Hodges put up impressive stats. What do those guys do for a living now? I think Hodges does color commentary for Texas Tech radio broadcasts now, and the other two guys are working at a carwash in Sweetwater. They also run everything out of the shotgun. Outside of taking a knee, I doubt either of those guys have lined up under center 1o times since junior high. You would have to be drafting them into a system that runs everything out of the gun, or be willing to build an offense around them, to even give them a shot.

McGee, on the other hand, has all the dimensions and the tools to be a good NFL backup, and maybe with some decent coaching, a starter. Good move by Jerry and Stephen.

Crabtree to San Francisco

The Draft:

It's hard to believe, but Crab will be the first Red Raider chosen in the first round since Gabe Rivera in 1980.

This should prove to be Tech's best draft since then, with 5 possible picks - Darcel McBath, Louis Vasquez, Brandon Williams, and Graham Harrell.

Will Leach be watching on TV?

"Oh hell no. I'm not watching it. I'd rather watch golf than that."

Taylor Potts?

Not sure about this guy.........not sure it matters. We couldn't beat Graham, but we struggled with Symons and that other spare too.......

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/colleges/texastech/stories/041709dnspocarltoncol.3de9ac7.html

Draft talk

the NFL draft is right around the corner, and I'm always interested, mainly to see what Aggies and Red Raiders are drafted, and of course, to see who is picked by the Cowboys. T-Ray enlightened me today about an interesting scenario that could play out, according to the Dallas Morning News draft board.

As you are well aware, two Roosterbowl vets are on the draft board at the QB position. Graham Harrell and Stephen McGee. The Dallas Morning News lists the top 15 QB's. Highland Park/UGA quarterback Matt Stafford is #1, as expected. Stephen McGee is listed at #5, and Graham Harrell at #15, and they project Chase Daniel to go undrafted.

THE TOP 15
Player	School	Ht.	Wt.	Noteworthy
1. Matthew Stafford	Georgia	6-2	225	25 TD passes in 2008
2. Mark Sanchez	So Cal	6-2	227	64 percent career passer
3. Josh Freeman	Kan St	6-5 ½	248	Only 8 INTs in 2008
4. Pat White	West Va	6-0	197	56 career TD passes
5. Stephen McGee	Tex A&M	6-2 ½	225	1,750 career rushing yards
6. Rhett Bomar	Sam Hstn	6-2	225	Transfer from Oklahoma
7. Tom Brandstater	Fresno	6-5	220	4.87 in the 40
8. Brian Hoyer	Mich St	6-2	215	6,159 career pass yards
9. John Parker Wilson	Ala	6-1 ½	219	Started 40 games
10. Drew Willy	Buffalo	6-3	215	65 percent passer in '08
11. Mike Teel	Rutgers	6-3	225	59 career TD passes
12. Julian Edelman	Kent St	5-10	195	1,370 rushing yards in '08
13. Hunter Cantwell	Louisvlle	6-4	235	1-year starter
14. Nate Davis	Ball St	6-1	226	74 career TD passes
15. Graham Harrell	Tex Tech	6-2	223	Unitas Award winner
Potential first-round picks in bold

Former Tech linebacker star dead at 44

BY DON WILLIAMS l AVALANCHE-JOURNAL

Brad Hastings was one of the most highly recruited football players ever landed by Texas Tech. By signing when he did — after the program had suffered four straight losing seasons — Hastings gave Red Raiders fans hope for brighter days.

Hastings, a three-time all-Southwest Conference linebacker who ended his career as Tech’s all-time leader in tackles, died early Monday at his mother’s home in Arlington, according to his father. Fred Hastings, who said his son had high blood pressure and breathing problems, said an autopsy was being performed later Monday.

“He was absolutely one of the most outstanding football players I ever was around,’’ former Tech coach Spike Dykes said. “He was a great leader, and he was a great player. I think had he not got his knee hurt before his senior year, no telling how long he would have played in the NFL.’’

Hastings was 44 years old. No. 44 also was the jersey number he wore from 1983-86, when he racked up 480 tackles, a total that still ranks second all-time at Tech. He had the record for 15 years until another middle linebacker, Lawrence Flugence, broke it.

Hastings was an honorable-mention all-American in 1985, his junior year, and a third-team all-American in 1986. He played in the Blue-Gray all-star game. But a recurring knee problem — he had five surgeries on the same knee, his father said — derailed his pro aspirations.

Lubbock businessman Bart Reagor, a former teammate, said he remembered Hastings having arthroscopic knee surgery on a Wednesday and playing three days later when the Red Raiders visited mighty Miami (Fla.) in 1986.

“As far as toughness goes, that’s a great testament to his toughness,’’ Reagor said. “The dadgum sutures (from the knee surgery) weren’t even healed. … He was just a lot of heart. He knew how to play the game.’’

Dykes, who had been head coach at Midland Lee, came to Tech as defensive coordinator in 1984 and was Hastings’ position coach his last three years.

“He was one of those guys that always practiced hard, but on game day, just stay away from him,’’ Dykes said. “He was zeroed in. He was unbelievable.’’

Coming out of Arlington Bowie High School, Hastings was a Parade magazine all-American and was listed among the top 20 recruits in the nation by the Dallas Morning News. It was considered a major coup that he signed with Tech in 1983, when the Raiders hadn’t had a winning season since 1978.

“He went out there, and he felt like he was at home,’’ Fred Hastings said. “He loved the campus and loved the coaches, especially Jerry Moore, who was the head coach at the time. He really did like him. He was recruited by everybody.’’

Around the same time, Moore signed several more talented players, especially on the defensive side of the ball, who went on to NFL careers. Though Tech wouldn’t break through with a winning season until 1986, Hastings and future pros such as Carl Carter, Roland Mitchell and Dwayne Jiles helped the Raiders build a solid defense.

“They were great football players,’’ Dykes said. “Brad was the leader of the bunch. When you’re the signal caller, the middle linebacker, you sort of inherit that position, and that’s what he was. He was the bellcow, no question about it.’’

Fred Hastings said a memorial service is planned for 1 p.m. April 19 at First Presbyterian Church in Arlington. Hastings’ survivors, in addition to his parents, include two children, his father said.

What is it about Lubbock

#10 A&M baseball team goes into Lubbock to face the lowly Red Raiders, and drops 2/3 in Lubbock. Unbelievable. Bake wins the little known "Rooster Cup".

Tech 88 aggy 83

"I have to say, these guys have got two things — they’ve got heart and they’ve got cahones. I think I can say that without getting into trouble. That’s what this team has. I don’t care what the record is, this team has those two things. I’m proud of them. I can’t say anything more than that. To come back like that, against a good team like that just says everything about these guys.” - Pat Knight

Aggies Earn Top Spot in Baseball America Preseason Rankings

For the first time in program history, Texas A&M will open the season as the top-ranked baseball team in the land.

2009 BASEBALL AMERICA PRESEASON RANKINGS

1. Texas A&M
2. LSU
3. North Carolina
4. Texas
5. Cal State Fullerton
6. Ole Miss
7. Rice
8. Baylor
9. UC Irvine
10. Missouri
11. San Diego
12. UCLA
13. Arizona State
14. Georgia
15. Stanford
16. Oklahoma
17. Pepperdine
18. Kent State
19. Clemson
20. Georgia Tech
21. Alabama
22. Arkansas
23. Louisville
24. Florida State
25. Oregon State

A&M QB McGee wins Bowden Award

Annual FCA award goes to exemplary Div. I student-athlete. Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Texas A&M senior quarterback Stephen McGee has won the Bobby Bowden Athlete of the Year award presented by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Named for the veteran Florida State football coach, the award recognizes the Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) player who "conducts himself as a faith model in the community, in the classroom and on the field." Nominees also must have at least a 3.0 grade-point average.

McGee, a product of Burnet High School, earned his undergraduate degree from A&M in slightly more than three years and is close to completing work on his master's degree.

The award will be presented today at the American Football Coaches Association's FCA breakfast in Nashville, Tenn. Other nominees were Marcus Freeman of Ohio State and Ryan McDonald of Illinois.

— Randy Riggs(Austin Soviet Statesman)