Coach Keeling is known for his crazy sayings and quirks. One of the first things you notice on his desk is a “Make The Big Time Where You Are” plaque. Those are the words of former Pacific Lutheran coach Frosty Westering and the title of one of his books. Those words were ringing home as I realized yesterday how great it is to be at Hardin-Simmons.
Anybody that really knows me knows that I am a die-hard Oklahoma State fan. I earned a bachelor’s from there (albeit with a gentleman’s D in Spanish), spent four years there (after two years at junior college), met my wife there, worked four years in the sports information office there. I totally enjoyed my time there and love the place.
However, today I am ashamed by the fact that is my school. They fired (don’t buy the resigned line) a legend’s son after two years with a winning record. No one in the history of Division I men’s basketball has been fired after two years with a 10 game over .500 record.
There are many reasons flying around about the reason for the dismissal. From everything I gather it had to do with a conflict between the athletic director and Eddie Sutton. Even if there are some long term grudges it makes little sense to take it out on Sean.
I could ramble on forever, but it just made me realize is the glamour of Division I what it is all about. If firing a coach because he did not make the NCAA Tournament with a roster that included only one senior that played and two juniors makes it the big time then no thank you.
I am blessed to work every day with hard-working coaches that could make a lot more money at “the Big Time” that make a lot of sacrifices to be at Hardin-Simmons.
I feel pretty confident in saying that you will not be fired at Hardin-Simmons if you have a winning record for two consecutive seasons for your job performance.
One of many things that makes Hardin-Simmons a great place, is that it is not all about winning, but winning is nice, too.
Around The Campus
Make sure to make it out to the baseball and softball fields as the two teams are fighting hard for postseason berths. Both teams are having solid seasons, but as I say in this blog a lot the league just keeps getting better and better.
The men’s and women’s tennis teams are through the rugged non-conference section of their schedule and now return to ASC play. Golf is winding down its season as well.
There is a chance for the second straight year all 12 HSU teams will qualify for some sort of postseason play. HSU became the first school in the conference for that to happen to last year.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
Spring Is Here
Spring has officially sprung and it is one of the busiest times of the year for our sports teams at HSU.
Coach Rita Jordan’s young softball team, that features 12 newcomers, is off to a 6-4 start against a very challenging schedule. The Cowgirls open league play this weekend at Schreiner. After that they will be home for a series Wednesday and Thursday against Sul Ross State.
It has been an amazing start to the senior year of All-American first baseman Sadye Hill. She is hitting .556 in the early going with two home runs and 11 RBIs. She has not struck out and has an on-base percentage of .625. She is also nearing the conference record for career hits, is the current leader in batting average and with five more home runs and 24 more RBIs will hold those records as well. She also is closing in on the walks record.
The key to the Cowgirls’ season will be how quickly the pitching staff develops. With three freshmen in the current rotation, all of whom have shown flashes of brilliance, this team will continue to get better as the season goes along.
The baseball team snapped a brief three-game losing streak with a come-from-behind win against UT-Tyler on Tuesday. Ryan Stepp and Wayne Pimpton hit back-to-back home runs in the eighth for the win. Kyle Barton continues to be unscored upon for the Cowboys this season in 19.2 innings of work.
They are home for a key three-game set with Mary Hardin-Baylor this weekend and then will play at ACU on Tuesday. Prior to that game on Tuesday, there will be a ceremony honoring Brad Coleman of HSU and Alec Sowards of ACU for their Rawlings Gold Glove Awards they won last season.
The tennis teams are set to embark on their Spring Break journey to California to get in some quality competition. The teams have extended their ASC winning streaks to 69 and 63 straight matches for the women and men respectively.
The men’s golf team will open its season on Monday and Tuesday at Texas Lutheran and the women just returned from a tournament in California, where they placed fourth. Ashley Luecke placed eighth for the Cowgirls.
Coach Rita Jordan’s young softball team, that features 12 newcomers, is off to a 6-4 start against a very challenging schedule. The Cowgirls open league play this weekend at Schreiner. After that they will be home for a series Wednesday and Thursday against Sul Ross State.
It has been an amazing start to the senior year of All-American first baseman Sadye Hill. She is hitting .556 in the early going with two home runs and 11 RBIs. She has not struck out and has an on-base percentage of .625. She is also nearing the conference record for career hits, is the current leader in batting average and with five more home runs and 24 more RBIs will hold those records as well. She also is closing in on the walks record.
The key to the Cowgirls’ season will be how quickly the pitching staff develops. With three freshmen in the current rotation, all of whom have shown flashes of brilliance, this team will continue to get better as the season goes along.
The baseball team snapped a brief three-game losing streak with a come-from-behind win against UT-Tyler on Tuesday. Ryan Stepp and Wayne Pimpton hit back-to-back home runs in the eighth for the win. Kyle Barton continues to be unscored upon for the Cowboys this season in 19.2 innings of work.
They are home for a key three-game set with Mary Hardin-Baylor this weekend and then will play at ACU on Tuesday. Prior to that game on Tuesday, there will be a ceremony honoring Brad Coleman of HSU and Alec Sowards of ACU for their Rawlings Gold Glove Awards they won last season.
The tennis teams are set to embark on their Spring Break journey to California to get in some quality competition. The teams have extended their ASC winning streaks to 69 and 63 straight matches for the women and men respectively.
The men’s golf team will open its season on Monday and Tuesday at Texas Lutheran and the women just returned from a tournament in California, where they placed fourth. Ashley Luecke placed eighth for the Cowgirls.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
It's Tourney Time
In case you haven’t noticed by the 80-degree temperatures outside that it has turned to Spring and as the basketball teams hit postseason play the spring sport teams are getting their seasons in high gear as well.
The basketball teams will play in their conference tournaments this weekend. I anticipate a pair of highly-competitive events. Both teams seem to be playing at a high-level going into the tournament and both have legitimate shots at the titles.
Anytime you don’t return a starter, a back slide is expected. That is not been the case with the Cowgirls, who once again have won 20 games. It marks the 10th straight year the Cowgirls have won 20 games, which is tied for the fourth longest streak in the nation. The young Cowgirls have continued to progress as the season has gone along.
If they play as well as they can there is no reason they won’t be cutting down the nets on Sunday. It is a tough road to get there. HSU has to play Mississippi College in the first round and the Choctaws have improved greatly since the first meeting. A date with Howard Payne is likely in the semifinals. There is no doubt that HPU is a great team, but HSU is not that far away. A well played 40 minutes could get the Cowgirls to the Championship, where a crosstown showdown would not be out of the question.
There are a lot of unknowns for several Cowgirls how they will play in their first ASC Tournament. The talent is there. Best of luck to Shanna Briggs and the ladies in their quest for a seventh ASC Tournament title.
The men’s tournament on paper looks as competitive as ever. A first round loss or a championship is not out of the question for any of the eight teams. The Cowboys have several players with experience of playing in the tournament and that should help their prospects.
HSU has won at least one game the two previous times in the tournament and last year went to the finals. A win would be a nice reward for the Jean brothers in their senior year. Mardochee has had one of the best careers ever by an ASC player and it would be nice to see him play in the NCAA Tournament.
If the Cowboys continue to hit shots, I expect them to be in need of a pair of scissors on Sunday as well. To do that they will have to beat a very tough UT-Tyler team, then probably Mary Hardin-Baylor on their home court. They have beaten both teams this season, so it is not like they go in as a underdog, but it won’t be easy either.
The baseball, tennis and softball teams are all on the road this weekend as well against quality opponents. Coach Steve Coleman’s Cowboys are off to a 6-2 start. The softball team swept a doubleheader last week and is 2-0 on the year and the tennis teams play at arch-rival Trinity and open league play at Texas Lutheran.
The basketball teams will play in their conference tournaments this weekend. I anticipate a pair of highly-competitive events. Both teams seem to be playing at a high-level going into the tournament and both have legitimate shots at the titles.
Anytime you don’t return a starter, a back slide is expected. That is not been the case with the Cowgirls, who once again have won 20 games. It marks the 10th straight year the Cowgirls have won 20 games, which is tied for the fourth longest streak in the nation. The young Cowgirls have continued to progress as the season has gone along.
If they play as well as they can there is no reason they won’t be cutting down the nets on Sunday. It is a tough road to get there. HSU has to play Mississippi College in the first round and the Choctaws have improved greatly since the first meeting. A date with Howard Payne is likely in the semifinals. There is no doubt that HPU is a great team, but HSU is not that far away. A well played 40 minutes could get the Cowgirls to the Championship, where a crosstown showdown would not be out of the question.
There are a lot of unknowns for several Cowgirls how they will play in their first ASC Tournament. The talent is there. Best of luck to Shanna Briggs and the ladies in their quest for a seventh ASC Tournament title.
The men’s tournament on paper looks as competitive as ever. A first round loss or a championship is not out of the question for any of the eight teams. The Cowboys have several players with experience of playing in the tournament and that should help their prospects.
HSU has won at least one game the two previous times in the tournament and last year went to the finals. A win would be a nice reward for the Jean brothers in their senior year. Mardochee has had one of the best careers ever by an ASC player and it would be nice to see him play in the NCAA Tournament.
If the Cowboys continue to hit shots, I expect them to be in need of a pair of scissors on Sunday as well. To do that they will have to beat a very tough UT-Tyler team, then probably Mary Hardin-Baylor on their home court. They have beaten both teams this season, so it is not like they go in as a underdog, but it won’t be easy either.
The baseball, tennis and softball teams are all on the road this weekend as well against quality opponents. Coach Steve Coleman’s Cowboys are off to a 6-2 start. The softball team swept a doubleheader last week and is 2-0 on the year and the tennis teams play at arch-rival Trinity and open league play at Texas Lutheran.
Monday, February 18, 2008
A Tip of the Hat To Four Seniors
Senior day is always one of those memorable events on campus in every sport. It truly is amazing the amount of work and dedication that our student-athletes put into their sports. We had the privilege of recognizing four seniors on Saturday at the Mabee Complex.
For the women Shelby Hodges and Rachel Cisneroz have been great ambassadors for the
the Final Four banquet. She has been a leader of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and is a great spokesperson for the school.
Rachel has one of the best voices I have ever heard. She does a great rendition of the national anthem. She has on a few occasions stepped in on no notice and belted out the anthem at events on campus.
I say all of that to say they are two of my favorite all-time Cowgirls since I have been here. Throughout their career they have been perfect role models and because of that I have also had them spend time with my daughter as not only a babysitter but just at games and to be honest I hope my daughter turns outs to be just like them. Not as an athlete, but as a person. I can tell you that my little girl looks up to those two like no one else and I am proud she does.
Now for the Jean brothers. I don’t think I have seen two players grow more in their time at Hardin-Simmons than those two. Mardochee and Dan came in as shy projects as freshmen and they are leaving HSU as mature men that are going to be productive members of society.
Saturday seeing the joy they brought to their entire family, and what a big family it is, when they would do something good on the court was something special. Getting to work with these type of people every day is what makes my job at HSU so special.
Mardochee has turned into one of the most well-spoken players on the team. I used to be worried when a reporter would ask to speak to him, but now I know he is going to give great answers to questions. He leads by example and has become an intense competitor every night. He will go down as one of the best, if not the best big men ever to play in the ASC. He has taken a team that had little experience and four starters to replace back to the playoffs and you never know, maybe they can get to the NCAA Tournament in a wide-open ASC race this season.
Dan came in as a freshman and he was a very raw basketball player. He had great athletic ability and came on down the stretch to make the travel squad. He transferred to McMurry as a sophomore in search of more playing time, but saw the light and came back to HSU for his final two seasons. There are certain teams that him and Mardochee together are an unstoppable combination.
Dan is a player that has to be challenged to bring out his best. He and I have had a good relationship. We like to talk smack to each other in a good way. During the preseason I walked in on the team in open gym and I saw Dan working on his 3-point shot. Let me tell you it needs some work. He got to the point in open gym that he thought he was a guard he was shooting so many 3-pointers. I challenged him to a 3-point shooting contest with one stipulation. If I beat him, he could not take 3-pointers for the rest of the year (because it is not like Coach Howard was going to let him shot any in the games any way). Well of course I beat him and now he just stays on the block and dunks on people.
I am so proud of the progress all four have made not only on the court, but off it as well. They are all four on course to graduate. It is amazing how fast four years go by.
News and Notes
I would like to welcome new track and cross country coach Rodney Smith to the campus. Track is something that has been discussed for years, but is finally a reality again.
Softball will finally get to open its season this weekend after weather caused delays last week. Baseball is back in action this week and tennis will finally play a dual that counts this week.
Where Are They Now
I heard from one of my all-time favorite Cowboys Ryan Smrkovsky this past week and he and his wife are expecting their first child any day now. He is living and working in Ozona. Smurf was an all-around good guy and unfortunately lost his senior year to a knee injury in a game at Menlo.
For the women Shelby Hodges and Rachel Cisneroz have been great ambassadors for the
the Final Four banquet. She has been a leader of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and is a great spokesperson for the school.
Rachel has one of the best voices I have ever heard. She does a great rendition of the national anthem. She has on a few occasions stepped in on no notice and belted out the anthem at events on campus.
I say all of that to say they are two of my favorite all-time Cowgirls since I have been here. Throughout their career they have been perfect role models and because of that I have also had them spend time with my daughter as not only a babysitter but just at games and to be honest I hope my daughter turns outs to be just like them. Not as an athlete, but as a person. I can tell you that my little girl looks up to those two like no one else and I am proud she does.
Now for the Jean brothers. I don’t think I have seen two players grow more in their time at Hardin-Simmons than those two. Mardochee and Dan came in as shy projects as freshmen and they are leaving HSU as mature men that are going to be productive members of society.
Saturday seeing the joy they brought to their entire family, and what a big family it is, when they would do something good on the court was something special. Getting to work with these type of people every day is what makes my job at HSU so special.
Mardochee has turned into one of the most well-spoken players on the team. I used to be worried when a reporter would ask to speak to him, but now I know he is going to give great answers to questions. He leads by example and has become an intense competitor every night. He will go down as one of the best, if not the best big men ever to play in the ASC. He has taken a team that had little experience and four starters to replace back to the playoffs and you never know, maybe they can get to the NCAA Tournament in a wide-open ASC race this season.
Dan came in as a freshman and he was a very raw basketball player. He had great athletic ability and came on down the stretch to make the travel squad. He transferred to McMurry as a sophomore in search of more playing time, but saw the light and came back to HSU for his final two seasons. There are certain teams that him and Mardochee together are an unstoppable combination.
Dan is a player that has to be challenged to bring out his best. He and I have had a good relationship. We like to talk smack to each other in a good way. During the preseason I walked in on the team in open gym and I saw Dan working on his 3-point shot. Let me tell you it needs some work. He got to the point in open gym that he thought he was a guard he was shooting so many 3-pointers. I challenged him to a 3-point shooting contest with one stipulation. If I beat him, he could not take 3-pointers for the rest of the year (because it is not like Coach Howard was going to let him shot any in the games any way). Well of course I beat him and now he just stays on the block and dunks on people.
I am so proud of the progress all four have made not only on the court, but off it as well. They are all four on course to graduate. It is amazing how fast four years go by.
News and Notes
I would like to welcome new track and cross country coach Rodney Smith to the campus. Track is something that has been discussed for years, but is finally a reality again.
Softball will finally get to open its season this weekend after weather caused delays last week. Baseball is back in action this week and tennis will finally play a dual that counts this week.
Where Are They Now
I heard from one of my all-time favorite Cowboys Ryan Smrkovsky this past week and he and his wife are expecting their first child any day now. He is living and working in Ozona. Smurf was an all-around good guy and unfortunately lost his senior year to a knee injury in a game at Menlo.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Seasons Change
Sometimes it amazes me how fast time flies once we get into a season. It seems like just a few weeks ago we were starting basketball season and now we have two weeks left. It was a good start to the baseball seasons this weekend as well...
Saturday I saw or heard a few examples of what I think is the most important deciding factor if teams win or lose or if players have individual success – confidence.
In the women’s game, Howard Payne All-American Meia Daniels played her final career game at the Mabee Complex. She is a great player, and It wasn’t her best all-around game on Saturday, but as HSU made a run at the undefeated Lady Jackets she buried a pair of back-breaking 3-pointers. You could tell leaving her hand she wanted the ball in crunch time and knew they were going down.
In the men’s basketball game, junior forward Charlie Pannell has struggled of late with his shooting. Seeing him every day in practice and in games he is a great shooter, but he seemed to have lost some confidence in his shot. His teammates and coaches have done a good job of encouraging him to keep shooting and on Saturday he came out and hit his first three 3-pointers and had his best game this semester. It’s amazing the difference after you make a shot or two how easy it is to get it going.
The third example, I heard was talking to coach Coleman and Holcomb after the games on Saturday and they were discussing they saw the turning point in starting shortstop Brian Weeks was when they told him he had won the starting job and the job was his. Weeks, a freshman, had a solid opening weekend offensively and defensively and looks to have answered some of the Cowboys concerns defensively at shortstop.
It is so easy for the kids to go the other way on the confidence spectrum. What I saw this weekend reminds of how the good things that can be accomplished when you believe.
Former Student-Athlete
I got a chance to catch up with former Cowboy quarterback Jordan Neal on Saturday. He is in his new position as the offensive coordinator at Howard Payne. After playing professionally in Sweden this past summer and fall Neal took over at Howard Payne in December. He was taking in the games between HSU and HPU and then caught some of the Cowboys baseball game Saturday night.
Saturday I saw or heard a few examples of what I think is the most important deciding factor if teams win or lose or if players have individual success – confidence.
In the women’s game, Howard Payne All-American Meia Daniels played her final career game at the Mabee Complex. She is a great player, and It wasn’t her best all-around game on Saturday, but as HSU made a run at the undefeated Lady Jackets she buried a pair of back-breaking 3-pointers. You could tell leaving her hand she wanted the ball in crunch time and knew they were going down.
In the men’s basketball game, junior forward Charlie Pannell has struggled of late with his shooting. Seeing him every day in practice and in games he is a great shooter, but he seemed to have lost some confidence in his shot. His teammates and coaches have done a good job of encouraging him to keep shooting and on Saturday he came out and hit his first three 3-pointers and had his best game this semester. It’s amazing the difference after you make a shot or two how easy it is to get it going.
The third example, I heard was talking to coach Coleman and Holcomb after the games on Saturday and they were discussing they saw the turning point in starting shortstop Brian Weeks was when they told him he had won the starting job and the job was his. Weeks, a freshman, had a solid opening weekend offensively and defensively and looks to have answered some of the Cowboys concerns defensively at shortstop.
It is so easy for the kids to go the other way on the confidence spectrum. What I saw this weekend reminds of how the good things that can be accomplished when you believe.
Former Student-Athlete
I got a chance to catch up with former Cowboy quarterback Jordan Neal on Saturday. He is in his new position as the offensive coordinator at Howard Payne. After playing professionally in Sweden this past summer and fall Neal took over at Howard Payne in December. He was taking in the games between HSU and HPU and then caught some of the Cowboys baseball game Saturday night.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Here Is To A Better Week
I have always said that there is something special about Hardin-Simmons that you just can’t explain. Maybe it’s the people I work with, maybe it’s the students I get to see every day, maybe it is the Christian environment that I get to work in every day. In athletics you hear all of the time about the It factor, whatever that is, Hardin-Simmons has it.
Since I have been at Hardin-Simmons the good weeks outweigh the bad ones by about a 15:1 ratio. Sometimes when you see what our kids put into not only their sports, but just being good students and doing the right things off the court, course or field, you hurt a little more when they don’t reach the success they want to reach.
The last time I had been in the football locker room, prior to last Sunday, was after the Howard Payne loss. There was hurt on the faces of so many young men in that locker room. They were suffering from a loss, it was a loss on the football field in a game. It was a scene I had seen before after a Cowboy loss, but it is something that usually passes in a few hours.
Last Sunday, I knew I witnessed what it is like to really lose. What real suffering from a loss means. When there was a memorial to a fallen teammate there was hurt and pain in that room. They were still trying to comprehend the loss of a teammate that was taken away from them early. There was hurt in the eyes of close friends, not close friends, coaches and administrators. The Cowboy family vowed to come together as one, to get through this trying time together. That kind of hurt doesn't go away in a few hours or days.
Coach Keeling was so brave and such a leader for his group of men in that service, but you could feel the hurt and pain in his voice. He is a great example of a leader of men. Brentdrick Walker is gone from this life, but he will never be forgotten by the HSU family.
Emotions were still running high throughout Monday and then of all things HSU was set to play McMurry in basketball that night. The Cowgirls gave a great effort, battling back from a large deficit to make it a game late, before falling. The men’s game was an instant classic as both teams laid it all on the floor. HSU led by 10 late in the second half and McMurry came right back to send the game to overtime. It went to a second overtime and eventually the Cowboys won the game.
What happened after the buzzer has been played and replayed on the Internet and newspaper. There is a lot out there that is so far from what really happened. Coach Howard will be the first to admit he over reacted and let emotions get in the way of the situation and could have handled it better.
I want to start out by giving my view of what happened underneath the basket as time expired. McMurry missed the 3-pointer and Mardochee Jean grabbed the rebound. When he cleared the rebound he pushed off on Robert Moreno. It is not something more than what you see when battling for a rebound 10-15 times a game. There was not a malicious elbow thrown. Moreno went down and Jean asked him if he was alright (not trash talk as has been thrown out there). Moreno said he was fine and things were fine.
Casey Jones then threw the ball at Mardochee and words were exchanged, but nothing really happened as far as punches being thrown or anything. In Jones’ defense, you could tell from the film that he immediately felt bad for what he had done.
Coach Howard was walking away from where the player’s had the incident, toward the HSU bench and you can plainly see Garza yelling something at Howard. Howard turns around and you can see Coach Howard and Coach Garza in a verbal exchange and there were things said on both sides that neither is proud of. Coach Howard had to be restrained, which he was, he went and celebrated the win with our student section (which was the best they have been in several years by the way) and went back to the locker room.
There is a saying in sports that says the film doesn’t lie. A lot of what has been said about the whole situation has been over the top. Howard and Garza aren’t monsters. Moreno, Jones and Jean aren’t dirty players. Are there people that wish it had not gone down the way it did? Absolutely! Were there things said and done that should not have been? Absolutely! For the most part, it was the emotions of big rivalry game that got to the best of a few people.
The thing that many people don’t realize about the whole event that was blown out of proportion is that during the whole verbal exchange between the coaches players on both sides were talking, hugging and embracing each other on a game well played. Moreno and Mardochee were part of that. There was mutual respect being shown on the court.
I can’t tell you for sure what kind of person that Moreno is, but from everything I have heard he is a great guy and leader for their team. I can tell you FOR SURE that Mardochee is one of the most polite, engaging people you will ever meet. Trash talk and throwing elbows would be well out of the norm for him.
The thing the whole incident did was take the spotlight off of one of the best games ever in the series.
Those two things were the start to an emotional week. Walker’s memorial service was held at the school on Thursday and his funeral was in Dallas on Saturday.
The basketball teams were on the road at Texas Lutheran and Schreiner and it was a clean sweep on the road, which was a good end to an emotional week.
I am ready for the good 15 weeks in a row now. Even though a down-and-back trip to Alpine is on the agenda, this week has to be better.
Since I have been at Hardin-Simmons the good weeks outweigh the bad ones by about a 15:1 ratio. Sometimes when you see what our kids put into not only their sports, but just being good students and doing the right things off the court, course or field, you hurt a little more when they don’t reach the success they want to reach.
The last time I had been in the football locker room, prior to last Sunday, was after the Howard Payne loss. There was hurt on the faces of so many young men in that locker room. They were suffering from a loss, it was a loss on the football field in a game. It was a scene I had seen before after a Cowboy loss, but it is something that usually passes in a few hours.
Last Sunday, I knew I witnessed what it is like to really lose. What real suffering from a loss means. When there was a memorial to a fallen teammate there was hurt and pain in that room. They were still trying to comprehend the loss of a teammate that was taken away from them early. There was hurt in the eyes of close friends, not close friends, coaches and administrators. The Cowboy family vowed to come together as one, to get through this trying time together. That kind of hurt doesn't go away in a few hours or days.
Coach Keeling was so brave and such a leader for his group of men in that service, but you could feel the hurt and pain in his voice. He is a great example of a leader of men. Brentdrick Walker is gone from this life, but he will never be forgotten by the HSU family.
Emotions were still running high throughout Monday and then of all things HSU was set to play McMurry in basketball that night. The Cowgirls gave a great effort, battling back from a large deficit to make it a game late, before falling. The men’s game was an instant classic as both teams laid it all on the floor. HSU led by 10 late in the second half and McMurry came right back to send the game to overtime. It went to a second overtime and eventually the Cowboys won the game.
What happened after the buzzer has been played and replayed on the Internet and newspaper. There is a lot out there that is so far from what really happened. Coach Howard will be the first to admit he over reacted and let emotions get in the way of the situation and could have handled it better.
I want to start out by giving my view of what happened underneath the basket as time expired. McMurry missed the 3-pointer and Mardochee Jean grabbed the rebound. When he cleared the rebound he pushed off on Robert Moreno. It is not something more than what you see when battling for a rebound 10-15 times a game. There was not a malicious elbow thrown. Moreno went down and Jean asked him if he was alright (not trash talk as has been thrown out there). Moreno said he was fine and things were fine.
Casey Jones then threw the ball at Mardochee and words were exchanged, but nothing really happened as far as punches being thrown or anything. In Jones’ defense, you could tell from the film that he immediately felt bad for what he had done.
Coach Howard was walking away from where the player’s had the incident, toward the HSU bench and you can plainly see Garza yelling something at Howard. Howard turns around and you can see Coach Howard and Coach Garza in a verbal exchange and there were things said on both sides that neither is proud of. Coach Howard had to be restrained, which he was, he went and celebrated the win with our student section (which was the best they have been in several years by the way) and went back to the locker room.
There is a saying in sports that says the film doesn’t lie. A lot of what has been said about the whole situation has been over the top. Howard and Garza aren’t monsters. Moreno, Jones and Jean aren’t dirty players. Are there people that wish it had not gone down the way it did? Absolutely! Were there things said and done that should not have been? Absolutely! For the most part, it was the emotions of big rivalry game that got to the best of a few people.
The thing that many people don’t realize about the whole event that was blown out of proportion is that during the whole verbal exchange between the coaches players on both sides were talking, hugging and embracing each other on a game well played. Moreno and Mardochee were part of that. There was mutual respect being shown on the court.
I can’t tell you for sure what kind of person that Moreno is, but from everything I have heard he is a great guy and leader for their team. I can tell you FOR SURE that Mardochee is one of the most polite, engaging people you will ever meet. Trash talk and throwing elbows would be well out of the norm for him.
The thing the whole incident did was take the spotlight off of one of the best games ever in the series.
Those two things were the start to an emotional week. Walker’s memorial service was held at the school on Thursday and his funeral was in Dallas on Saturday.
The basketball teams were on the road at Texas Lutheran and Schreiner and it was a clean sweep on the road, which was a good end to an emotional week.
I am ready for the good 15 weeks in a row now. Even though a down-and-back trip to Alpine is on the agenda, this week has to be better.
Monday, January 14, 2008
A Trip Down Memory Lane
In a little over a month I will have been at Hardin-Simmons for nine years. I can’t believe how fast the time has flown by.
I have always been a list guy. I don’t know why, but I have been. I am going to drop a list of my 10 favorite games since being at HSU. I don’t know how much it means, but for whatever it is worth here goes.
10. NCAA Sweet 16, 2000 -- I have to put the second game I saw at HSU on this list. The 2000 Cowgirl basketball team was a very good team. If the bracket had been cross bracketed I think they would have been in the Final Four. However, the game I remember is a knock-down-drag-out with McMurry in the Sweet 16. It was a packed house at the Mabee Complex and a great game.
9. 2005 ASC Championships For Soccer -- Both the men and women won the ASC on their home field. It was the first year at the new field and both teams had exciting wins.
8. 2004 Regular Season Football Game at UMHB -- The Cowboys dominated that game from the onset and Will Galusha was a man among boys in the contest. It was the last time we beat the Crusaders. I’ve always wondered if he had played in the playoff game if that would have been the Cowboys in the Stagg Bowl that year and not the Crusaders.
7. 2000 Baseball at McMurry – Shawn Bigham threw a two-hitter in a night game against Josh Duwe. I think it was a 2-0 Cowboy win.
6. January 12, 2002 WBB vs. Howard Payne – Kendra Anderson had the performance of the ages. She had 38 points and 14 rebounds, including the tying and go ahead basket in the final minute. HPU then retied the game and Anderson was double teamed and kicked out to Terri Robinson for the eventual game winner with nine seconds left. Then on the other end Anderson blocked away a potential game-winning 3-pointer.
5. December 2006 – HSU rallies from 13 points down and Zach Pickelman hits a 3-pointer to beat McMurry .
4. Where’s The Defense – NCAA Quarterfinals 2000. Hardin-Simmons and Trinity had gone up and down the field all day long and Trinity had the ball last. They threw a fade into the end zone and the Cowboys’ Melvin Dudley knocked it away to send the Cowboys to the Semifinals.
3. Opening Day 2004 – Craig Foreman threw a no-hitter on opening day in a 1-0 win over Lubbock Christian. I missed most of it waiting on my wife to get out of the hospital a week before the birth of our daughter.
2. The Cowgirls are Going To The Final Four – There was little drama when the Cowgirls advanced to the Final Four. HSU had just stomped Randolph-Macon to go to the Final Four. The outcome was not in doubt from about 10 minutes into the game. The best thing was to watch the reaction on the girls and Coach Briggs face when the buzzer sounded. I will always remember that big hug Briggs and I shared. I think it was more shock than anything.
About 20 minutes after that game was one of the funnier things I have ever heard from a fan. This mother was mad at us because we had called RMC’s post player, who was about 6-5 and big “the big girl” throughout the contest on the air. In Texas, she was a big girl. Anyway she comes over and asks Do you call yourself the Big Boy on the air. I just laughed, because heck we were going to the Final Four.
1. The top game for me is not a game, but a series of games. It was February 21, 2004. I will never forget the day. We had senior day for basketball, which is always a big day. It was also the first softball games at Hardin-Simmons and then we had two baseball games. I knew it was going to be a hectic day from the get-go. I had told my wife, who was ready to pop we thought a week earlier, she had to wait until after I was done from that day on Saturday. I got home about 10 that night and had a quick dinner. I hit the pillow and was about to be out, when Lori says I think my water just broke. Those words will wake you up in a hurry. Sure enough it had and off to the hospital we went. I couldn’t tell you how we did in any of the games, but it turned out to be one of the most memorable days. She had held up her end of the bargain by waiting and the next day our daughter was born and life has never been the same.
There are plenty more, but these came to the top of the melon.
Well it is already time for ASC West play in basketball and the spring sports will be hitting the fields, courses and courts soon. This is a big week for both teams so I hope to see you at the game. Also, be collecting your change and bring it to the games on Saturday and Monday for the 11th Annual Kiwanis Club of Abilene Basketball Shootout with McMurry on Monday.
I have promised some Where are They Now’s and these three are courtesy of former basketball coach Dennis Harp. He got to see three former players on a recent trip to Boulder. He was there to see his son Ryan, who is starting at SMU as a true freshman.
Phil Gates played two seasons at Hardin-Simmons University. He received his B.A. Degree in Public Communications with a Marketing Minor in the spring of 1986. Phil ranked 5th in the nation in field goal percentage during the 1985-1986 season shooting 58.5% from the field. The Cowboys who were NCAA Division 1 during that era played against the likes of LSU, Wyoming, and Hawaii.
Phil resides in Boulder, Colorado with his wife Diane and daughters Brittani and Madeline. He is a sales consultant in Boulder for YBE. The YBE organization specializes in consumer products for convenient stores. Phil has over 20 years of experience in the business. Brittani received a full scholarship for swimming at Indian River Community College in Florida. Madeline is an 8th grader who participates in basketball and track. Diane is the Chief Financial Officer for Interweave Incorporated in Boulder. She is also a member of the Boulder Marathon Running Association and has competed in the Boston and Chicago marathon. Phil and Diane will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary this year. You can email Phil at pgshouse@aol.com.
Justin Moore played basketball at Hardin-Simmons University during the 1995-1996 and 1996-1997 seasons. He was selected Academic All-Conference, 1st Team All Conference, Honorable Mention All-America, and was selected Co-Captain during his senior season. He scored a career high 34 points against Howard Payne University. Moore received his degree in finance in 1997.
Justin shot .557% from the field and .792 from the free throw line during the 1996-1997 season which both ranked high in the record books. During the 1996-1997 season Moore averaged 9 rebounds per game and 13.7 points per game.
Justin resides in Parker, Colorado with his wife Dawn and their two children Haden and Madisyn. Dawn is a former school teacher. Justin is employed as a financial advisor for US Bank Corporation Assets Management Company in Denver, Colorado. He is a registered investment advisor. He has been an investment broker for ten years. Justin can be reached via email at jemoore4@aol.com.
Shannon Wood was a stand-out basketball player at Hardin-Simmons University where he played for one season (16 games) after transferring from BYU-Hawaii for his senior season. Wood averaged 22.6 points per game, 5.4 assists, 1.6 steals, and shot 53% from the field, .429 from the three point line, and 77% from the foul line. His 22.6 points ranked him as one of the top's in the history of HSU basketball.
Shannon owned and operated Showtime Videos, a family owned business for several years. They had several locations throughout the Southwest United States. They sold the franchise and are currently in the commercial development business and fitness center business. Their fitness centers Fitness One have several locations throughout the Southwest.
Shannon and his wife of 21 years Paige live in Bloomfield, Colorado with their two sons Zach who is a freshman at The University of San Diego and Austin who is an 8th grader. Paige is a former cheerleader at Hardin-Simmons University. You may contact Shannon via email at shannonwood10@comcast.net.
I have always been a list guy. I don’t know why, but I have been. I am going to drop a list of my 10 favorite games since being at HSU. I don’t know how much it means, but for whatever it is worth here goes.
10. NCAA Sweet 16, 2000 -- I have to put the second game I saw at HSU on this list. The 2000 Cowgirl basketball team was a very good team. If the bracket had been cross bracketed I think they would have been in the Final Four. However, the game I remember is a knock-down-drag-out with McMurry in the Sweet 16. It was a packed house at the Mabee Complex and a great game.
9. 2005 ASC Championships For Soccer -- Both the men and women won the ASC on their home field. It was the first year at the new field and both teams had exciting wins.
8. 2004 Regular Season Football Game at UMHB -- The Cowboys dominated that game from the onset and Will Galusha was a man among boys in the contest. It was the last time we beat the Crusaders. I’ve always wondered if he had played in the playoff game if that would have been the Cowboys in the Stagg Bowl that year and not the Crusaders.
7. 2000 Baseball at McMurry – Shawn Bigham threw a two-hitter in a night game against Josh Duwe. I think it was a 2-0 Cowboy win.
6. January 12, 2002 WBB vs. Howard Payne – Kendra Anderson had the performance of the ages. She had 38 points and 14 rebounds, including the tying and go ahead basket in the final minute. HPU then retied the game and Anderson was double teamed and kicked out to Terri Robinson for the eventual game winner with nine seconds left. Then on the other end Anderson blocked away a potential game-winning 3-pointer.
5. December 2006 – HSU rallies from 13 points down and Zach Pickelman hits a 3-pointer to beat McMurry .
4. Where’s The Defense – NCAA Quarterfinals 2000. Hardin-Simmons and Trinity had gone up and down the field all day long and Trinity had the ball last. They threw a fade into the end zone and the Cowboys’ Melvin Dudley knocked it away to send the Cowboys to the Semifinals.
3. Opening Day 2004 – Craig Foreman threw a no-hitter on opening day in a 1-0 win over Lubbock Christian. I missed most of it waiting on my wife to get out of the hospital a week before the birth of our daughter.
2. The Cowgirls are Going To The Final Four – There was little drama when the Cowgirls advanced to the Final Four. HSU had just stomped Randolph-Macon to go to the Final Four. The outcome was not in doubt from about 10 minutes into the game. The best thing was to watch the reaction on the girls and Coach Briggs face when the buzzer sounded. I will always remember that big hug Briggs and I shared. I think it was more shock than anything.
About 20 minutes after that game was one of the funnier things I have ever heard from a fan. This mother was mad at us because we had called RMC’s post player, who was about 6-5 and big “the big girl” throughout the contest on the air. In Texas, she was a big girl. Anyway she comes over and asks Do you call yourself the Big Boy on the air. I just laughed, because heck we were going to the Final Four.
1. The top game for me is not a game, but a series of games. It was February 21, 2004. I will never forget the day. We had senior day for basketball, which is always a big day. It was also the first softball games at Hardin-Simmons and then we had two baseball games. I knew it was going to be a hectic day from the get-go. I had told my wife, who was ready to pop we thought a week earlier, she had to wait until after I was done from that day on Saturday. I got home about 10 that night and had a quick dinner. I hit the pillow and was about to be out, when Lori says I think my water just broke. Those words will wake you up in a hurry. Sure enough it had and off to the hospital we went. I couldn’t tell you how we did in any of the games, but it turned out to be one of the most memorable days. She had held up her end of the bargain by waiting and the next day our daughter was born and life has never been the same.
There are plenty more, but these came to the top of the melon.
Well it is already time for ASC West play in basketball and the spring sports will be hitting the fields, courses and courts soon. This is a big week for both teams so I hope to see you at the game. Also, be collecting your change and bring it to the games on Saturday and Monday for the 11th Annual Kiwanis Club of Abilene Basketball Shootout with McMurry on Monday.
I have promised some Where are They Now’s and these three are courtesy of former basketball coach Dennis Harp. He got to see three former players on a recent trip to Boulder. He was there to see his son Ryan, who is starting at SMU as a true freshman.
Phil Gates played two seasons at Hardin-Simmons University. He received his B.A. Degree in Public Communications with a Marketing Minor in the spring of 1986. Phil ranked 5th in the nation in field goal percentage during the 1985-1986 season shooting 58.5% from the field. The Cowboys who were NCAA Division 1 during that era played against the likes of LSU, Wyoming, and Hawaii.
Phil resides in Boulder, Colorado with his wife Diane and daughters Brittani and Madeline. He is a sales consultant in Boulder for YBE. The YBE organization specializes in consumer products for convenient stores. Phil has over 20 years of experience in the business. Brittani received a full scholarship for swimming at Indian River Community College in Florida. Madeline is an 8th grader who participates in basketball and track. Diane is the Chief Financial Officer for Interweave Incorporated in Boulder. She is also a member of the Boulder Marathon Running Association and has competed in the Boston and Chicago marathon. Phil and Diane will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary this year. You can email Phil at pgshouse@aol.com.
Justin Moore played basketball at Hardin-Simmons University during the 1995-1996 and 1996-1997 seasons. He was selected Academic All-Conference, 1st Team All Conference, Honorable Mention All-America, and was selected Co-Captain during his senior season. He scored a career high 34 points against Howard Payne University. Moore received his degree in finance in 1997.
Justin shot .557% from the field and .792 from the free throw line during the 1996-1997 season which both ranked high in the record books. During the 1996-1997 season Moore averaged 9 rebounds per game and 13.7 points per game.
Justin resides in Parker, Colorado with his wife Dawn and their two children Haden and Madisyn. Dawn is a former school teacher. Justin is employed as a financial advisor for US Bank Corporation Assets Management Company in Denver, Colorado. He is a registered investment advisor. He has been an investment broker for ten years. Justin can be reached via email at jemoore4@aol.com.
Shannon Wood was a stand-out basketball player at Hardin-Simmons University where he played for one season (16 games) after transferring from BYU-Hawaii for his senior season. Wood averaged 22.6 points per game, 5.4 assists, 1.6 steals, and shot 53% from the field, .429 from the three point line, and 77% from the foul line. His 22.6 points ranked him as one of the top's in the history of HSU basketball.
Shannon owned and operated Showtime Videos, a family owned business for several years. They had several locations throughout the Southwest United States. They sold the franchise and are currently in the commercial development business and fitness center business. Their fitness centers Fitness One have several locations throughout the Southwest.
Shannon and his wife of 21 years Paige live in Bloomfield, Colorado with their two sons Zach who is a freshman at The University of San Diego and Austin who is an 8th grader. Paige is a former cheerleader at Hardin-Simmons University. You may contact Shannon via email at shannonwood10@comcast.net.
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