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.
Monday, January 28, 2008
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.
Monday, December 31, 2007
On The Road Again
Happy New Year
I hope that you have had a great time during the holiday season and let me be the first to wish you a Happy New Year.
It’s been a whirlwind tour for me personally since the week before Christmas.
I drove to Shreveport on the night of Dec. 14th for the games on the 15th at Louisiana College. I set up shop in Shreveport for three days. On Saturday, I drove down to Pineville to call the two games. The Cowgirls pulled away late from the emerging Wildcats and then the Cowboys won on a last second shot by Steven Luckey. With it being an afternoon game, I drove back to Shreveport to file my stories to the media and also the web site.
I then had a day-and-a-half to kill in Shreveport before heading to Clinton, Miss., for the Monday night games. After the games, I drove all the way back from Clinton. I pulled into Abilene at about 5:30 a.m. Man, does that drive get longer every year.
After playing with my four-year old for a little bit and seeing my wife for the first time in four days, I was off to bed at about 7:30 a.m. and I did not wake up until 5ish in the afternoon.
I made it to work on Wednesday for a few hours and then started one of the few down times during the whole school year. My in-laws were here on Friday through Sunday and then on Monday I drove to Oklahoma for some more family time.
I came back to Abilene on Thursday and then went on to Georgetown on Friday afternoon to call the women’s game against Buena Vista. What an exciting game with Mollie Brawner hitting the game-winning 3-pointer with less than a second remaining. I then headed up the Interstate to Temple where I stayed the night. LaQuinta Inn and I have become good friends over the years. There seems to be one in about every town we stay in and if I can get in that is where I stay.
I got up on Saturday and drove to Arlington for the men’s game on Saturday. After the game. I went back to Oklahoma to pick up my wife and kid, who had stayed at grandma’s for a week. It was back to Abilene on Sunday and finally home and the normal travel schedule can get started.
I had started to feel like I was a long-haul truck driver. The Cowboys and Cowgirls return home for a Thursday night game against Ozarks.
It was good to see some former players on the road this weekend. I saw one of my favorite all-time Cowgirls Lauren Harris, who was in Georgetown to see sister Kristen play for HSU. I didn’t get to talk to here, but last I heard she was a strength coach at Ohio State.
I got see one of my all-time favorite Cowboy baseball players, Michael Popino on Saturday at UTA. He was there supporting the alma mater. He works in Plano now and always makes it out when we are in the Metroplex. It is nice to have those loyal alumni out there.
I hope to see you guys out at the game on Thursday against Ozarks. It is turning to crunch time for both teams as we are just three games away from ASC West play.
I hope that you have had a great time during the holiday season and let me be the first to wish you a Happy New Year.
It’s been a whirlwind tour for me personally since the week before Christmas.
I drove to Shreveport on the night of Dec. 14th for the games on the 15th at Louisiana College. I set up shop in Shreveport for three days. On Saturday, I drove down to Pineville to call the two games. The Cowgirls pulled away late from the emerging Wildcats and then the Cowboys won on a last second shot by Steven Luckey. With it being an afternoon game, I drove back to Shreveport to file my stories to the media and also the web site.
I then had a day-and-a-half to kill in Shreveport before heading to Clinton, Miss., for the Monday night games. After the games, I drove all the way back from Clinton. I pulled into Abilene at about 5:30 a.m. Man, does that drive get longer every year.
After playing with my four-year old for a little bit and seeing my wife for the first time in four days, I was off to bed at about 7:30 a.m. and I did not wake up until 5ish in the afternoon.
I made it to work on Wednesday for a few hours and then started one of the few down times during the whole school year. My in-laws were here on Friday through Sunday and then on Monday I drove to Oklahoma for some more family time.
I came back to Abilene on Thursday and then went on to Georgetown on Friday afternoon to call the women’s game against Buena Vista. What an exciting game with Mollie Brawner hitting the game-winning 3-pointer with less than a second remaining. I then headed up the Interstate to Temple where I stayed the night. LaQuinta Inn and I have become good friends over the years. There seems to be one in about every town we stay in and if I can get in that is where I stay.
I got up on Saturday and drove to Arlington for the men’s game on Saturday. After the game. I went back to Oklahoma to pick up my wife and kid, who had stayed at grandma’s for a week. It was back to Abilene on Sunday and finally home and the normal travel schedule can get started.
I had started to feel like I was a long-haul truck driver. The Cowboys and Cowgirls return home for a Thursday night game against Ozarks.
It was good to see some former players on the road this weekend. I saw one of my favorite all-time Cowgirls Lauren Harris, who was in Georgetown to see sister Kristen play for HSU. I didn’t get to talk to here, but last I heard she was a strength coach at Ohio State.
I got see one of my all-time favorite Cowboy baseball players, Michael Popino on Saturday at UTA. He was there supporting the alma mater. He works in Plano now and always makes it out when we are in the Metroplex. It is nice to have those loyal alumni out there.
I hope to see you guys out at the game on Thursday against Ozarks. It is turning to crunch time for both teams as we are just three games away from ASC West play.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Hoops Junkie
I am by admission a men’s college basketball junkie. It has always been my favorite sport to watch, follow and cover.
It used to be, I would get in trouble the week of Thanksgiving because back in the day when the Maui Tournament and the Great Alaska Shootout were the only two big preseason tournaments, I would watch all of the games until like two or three in the morning. Growing up I was (gasp!) the biggest OU Basketball fan. I know an OSU fan can’t be an OU fan, but I loved Billy Tubbs’ run and gun style. Believe me I came around to the right way of thinking.
I even got “punished” by the school one year when I was in junior high, because they refinished the floor every Christmas and it is about a week process. I tried to get on the court a day early and it was not totally dry. They had to put on another coat of finish. My punishment was to pick up the commodities for the school cafeteria from the county.
I have always been enthralled by the 3-point line. You wouldn’t know it by watching me shoot now, because I am somewhat out of practice, but I used to shoot more baskets than maybe anyone. I lived in the basketball gym. My parents never had to worry about me or where I was for the most part, because if you wanted to find me I was at the gym. Often times it would be after midnight when I would come home. I even had my own key, because the coaches got tired of me bugging them for it. I could shoot baskets for hours by myself.
I have watched many great players and games in person. I had the privilege of sitting court side at Gallagher-Iba, the No. 1 basketball venue in the country, for every home game for four years. The games were fun, but the biggest thrill of my basketball fandom is watching Eddie Sutton’s practices. I would sneak away from my cubicle in the Sports Information office to watch practice as often as possible.
I have never seen anyone mold a team like he did. They way he would tear them down and build them back up in the course of a practice. I have always loved practice more than the games. About every day at 3 o’clock you can find me in the gym during practice for at least part of it. I love being around the gym, being around the guys and just being around the game. I will even still play a few games of horse every now and then (Casey I will get you before the end of the year).
It takes a lot to impress me on the basketball court. Two games stick out in my memory. Brent Price hit for 56 points in a game for OU back in the early 1990’s. He hit 11 3-pointers and Randy Rutherford of OSU put up 45 points on Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse in 1995. I think he had 10 3-pointers.
All of that leads me to what I saw on Monday night and it goes toward the top of the list of the most impressive things I have seen on the basketball court. In the first 11 minutes of the game against Mississippi College the Choctaws, who had made 21 3-pointers in six games this season, made 9-of-10 from downtown. Three of them were banked in and the rest were nothing but net. They came from five different players.
Needless to say, HSU never recovered as MC hit 11-of-13 treys in the first half.
That said, I think it could be a good year for the Cowboys and Cowgirls. Both had many questions coming into the season, but I think the questions have been answered and I expect both to make deep runs in the postseason.
Both teams have had some big losses, but they have also shown some of the signs of good teams. Winning on the road, overcoming deficits and getting better as the season goes on.
It used to be, I would get in trouble the week of Thanksgiving because back in the day when the Maui Tournament and the Great Alaska Shootout were the only two big preseason tournaments, I would watch all of the games until like two or three in the morning. Growing up I was (gasp!) the biggest OU Basketball fan. I know an OSU fan can’t be an OU fan, but I loved Billy Tubbs’ run and gun style. Believe me I came around to the right way of thinking.
I even got “punished” by the school one year when I was in junior high, because they refinished the floor every Christmas and it is about a week process. I tried to get on the court a day early and it was not totally dry. They had to put on another coat of finish. My punishment was to pick up the commodities for the school cafeteria from the county.
I have always been enthralled by the 3-point line. You wouldn’t know it by watching me shoot now, because I am somewhat out of practice, but I used to shoot more baskets than maybe anyone. I lived in the basketball gym. My parents never had to worry about me or where I was for the most part, because if you wanted to find me I was at the gym. Often times it would be after midnight when I would come home. I even had my own key, because the coaches got tired of me bugging them for it. I could shoot baskets for hours by myself.
I have watched many great players and games in person. I had the privilege of sitting court side at Gallagher-Iba, the No. 1 basketball venue in the country, for every home game for four years. The games were fun, but the biggest thrill of my basketball fandom is watching Eddie Sutton’s practices. I would sneak away from my cubicle in the Sports Information office to watch practice as often as possible.
I have never seen anyone mold a team like he did. They way he would tear them down and build them back up in the course of a practice. I have always loved practice more than the games. About every day at 3 o’clock you can find me in the gym during practice for at least part of it. I love being around the gym, being around the guys and just being around the game. I will even still play a few games of horse every now and then (Casey I will get you before the end of the year).
It takes a lot to impress me on the basketball court. Two games stick out in my memory. Brent Price hit for 56 points in a game for OU back in the early 1990’s. He hit 11 3-pointers and Randy Rutherford of OSU put up 45 points on Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse in 1995. I think he had 10 3-pointers.
All of that leads me to what I saw on Monday night and it goes toward the top of the list of the most impressive things I have seen on the basketball court. In the first 11 minutes of the game against Mississippi College the Choctaws, who had made 21 3-pointers in six games this season, made 9-of-10 from downtown. Three of them were banked in and the rest were nothing but net. They came from five different players.
Needless to say, HSU never recovered as MC hit 11-of-13 treys in the first half.
That said, I think it could be a good year for the Cowboys and Cowgirls. Both had many questions coming into the season, but I think the questions have been answered and I expect both to make deep runs in the postseason.
Both teams have had some big losses, but they have also shown some of the signs of good teams. Winning on the road, overcoming deficits and getting better as the season goes on.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Crosstown Showdown Is Already Here
It has been a quick start to the basketball season as both teams have already played two conference games and THE BIG GAME is already on the horizon.
There is something special about the Hardin-Simmons and McMurry games. Not only is it a strong rivalry with all four teams having quality programs there is just something different about the two fan bases. McMurry fans get louder and at the same time, even when things are going good, Hardin-Simmons has had a more reserved crowd. That tends to lead to a view from the HSU fans that McMurry fans are loud and crude and the McMurry fans think that HSU fans are stuck up or uppity.
I don’t think either is the case. It is part of what makes this game such a different game than almost any on the Division III level. There is pride and passion on both sides and both teams will do whatever it takes to win.
When I first arrived at Hardin-Simmons in late February of 2000 I was totally oblivious to what Division III was all about. Honestly, I had never heard of McMurry and I even misspelled it the first release I wrote (who knew that there was not an a in the name). However, I got indoctrinated into the rivalry early on. I think it was the second week I was here we played McMurry in the Sweet 16 and the Mabee Complex was packed. I came from a place that did not support women’s basketball at all and to actually see a packed house was a shock to me. It was the fourth time the two teams had met that season and I found out quickly that both schools didn’t like each other (at least on the court).
Not every game has been as intense as that one, but for the most part they have been. McMurry made great strides in their women’s program and we made great strides in our men and now a series that was once dominated by the HSU women and McMurry men has again become the fierce rivalry because the teams are competitive. You can’t tell who is going to win the games with 95 percent certainty before the game.
This year there is another interesting story line. McMurry’s women are coached by Veronica Snow, who played at HSU and for the last five years has been a professor in the P.E. department. Veronica and I have had a good relationship, and I am even teaching her former class next semester. She was always nice to me and the fact that her office was right close to mine made our talks about athletics even more frequent. It is going to be different looking down to that McMurry bench and actually see someone that I like and respect. In fact, I want here to do well at McMurry except for when we play of course.
The men’s game will probably be another knock-down drag-out. If there is one thing that I can take away from Ron Holmes’ teams is every time they step on the court they play hard. The talent levels have varied, but every team that he has produced will play extremely hard. I expect that Saturday you will see his team play even harder than I have ever witnessed. With two straight losses on its home court, those boys from McMurry will be foaming at the mouth to get on the court against the Cowboys. Coach Howard’s team will have to be ready to respond.
It is only Tuesday and I am already amped up for one of my two favorite nights of the school year.
I am going to start ending my blog with an update on a former Cowboy or Cowgirl. This week’s update is Beth Ulrickson Jillson. Beth is in her first season as the head coach at Texas Woman’s University and is off to a 1-3 start. Beth had been an assistant for Julie Goodenough at Charleston Southern and prior to that was the Director of Basketball Operations at Oklahoma State. Beth is married to former Cowboy footballer Zane Jillson.
If you are a former athlete and would like to let me know what you are doing these days or you have something you would like to see covered in this blog or you just want to say hi please e-mail me at cgrubbs@hsutx.edu.
There is something special about the Hardin-Simmons and McMurry games. Not only is it a strong rivalry with all four teams having quality programs there is just something different about the two fan bases. McMurry fans get louder and at the same time, even when things are going good, Hardin-Simmons has had a more reserved crowd. That tends to lead to a view from the HSU fans that McMurry fans are loud and crude and the McMurry fans think that HSU fans are stuck up or uppity.
I don’t think either is the case. It is part of what makes this game such a different game than almost any on the Division III level. There is pride and passion on both sides and both teams will do whatever it takes to win.
When I first arrived at Hardin-Simmons in late February of 2000 I was totally oblivious to what Division III was all about. Honestly, I had never heard of McMurry and I even misspelled it the first release I wrote (who knew that there was not an a in the name). However, I got indoctrinated into the rivalry early on. I think it was the second week I was here we played McMurry in the Sweet 16 and the Mabee Complex was packed. I came from a place that did not support women’s basketball at all and to actually see a packed house was a shock to me. It was the fourth time the two teams had met that season and I found out quickly that both schools didn’t like each other (at least on the court).
Not every game has been as intense as that one, but for the most part they have been. McMurry made great strides in their women’s program and we made great strides in our men and now a series that was once dominated by the HSU women and McMurry men has again become the fierce rivalry because the teams are competitive. You can’t tell who is going to win the games with 95 percent certainty before the game.
This year there is another interesting story line. McMurry’s women are coached by Veronica Snow, who played at HSU and for the last five years has been a professor in the P.E. department. Veronica and I have had a good relationship, and I am even teaching her former class next semester. She was always nice to me and the fact that her office was right close to mine made our talks about athletics even more frequent. It is going to be different looking down to that McMurry bench and actually see someone that I like and respect. In fact, I want here to do well at McMurry except for when we play of course.
The men’s game will probably be another knock-down drag-out. If there is one thing that I can take away from Ron Holmes’ teams is every time they step on the court they play hard. The talent levels have varied, but every team that he has produced will play extremely hard. I expect that Saturday you will see his team play even harder than I have ever witnessed. With two straight losses on its home court, those boys from McMurry will be foaming at the mouth to get on the court against the Cowboys. Coach Howard’s team will have to be ready to respond.
It is only Tuesday and I am already amped up for one of my two favorite nights of the school year.
I am going to start ending my blog with an update on a former Cowboy or Cowgirl. This week’s update is Beth Ulrickson Jillson. Beth is in her first season as the head coach at Texas Woman’s University and is off to a 1-3 start. Beth had been an assistant for Julie Goodenough at Charleston Southern and prior to that was the Director of Basketball Operations at Oklahoma State. Beth is married to former Cowboy footballer Zane Jillson.
If you are a former athlete and would like to let me know what you are doing these days or you have something you would like to see covered in this blog or you just want to say hi please e-mail me at cgrubbs@hsutx.edu.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Are You Ready For Some Hoops?
I hope all of you and your families had a great Thanksgiving holiday. It is so hard to believe we are already into the Holiday season and another semester is coming to a close.
The basketball teams have jumped right into their season and it is a busy week for especially the Cowboys this week. HSU will take on regional foe Trinity on Monday and then go to Sam Houston State for a game against the Division I Bearkats on Thursday.
That game will give me a chance to see old friend and former HSU broadcaster John Wilson. Wilson is a Sam graduate and works in College Station. It seems impossible that he has been gone from here for nearly four years.
The Cowboys will return home and join with the Cowgirls to start conference play on Saturday afternoon against LeTourneau. The Cowboys split with LeTourneau last year including a win in the ASC Tournament. The Cowgirls will look to get back on the court after a 13 day layoff.
We are trying something new this year with most of our games being on at least an Internet broadcast, both home and away. We will be utilizing students for our home games this year and either myself or Al Pickett will handle the road games. The use of students is to get them some experience in broadcasting games, so bear with them as we use this as a teaching tool. When we get to West Division play our six games out of Abilene will be on the radio as well with Chad and Al. This is a new adventure for us, but we want you to be able to hear our games, even if you can’t be there in person.
We had a surprisingly good student crowd in the men’s opener on Tuesday. With the students out for Thanksgiving break, we were not expecting much as far as attendance. Those who were there were treated with a good game, as the Cowboys dominated from the opening tip. The Cowboys and Cowgirls are both playing up-tempo pressing styles this year and should be entertaining to watch, so we hope you will find your way to the Mabee Complex.
The academic All-ASC teams are out for the fall sports and once again HSU did quite well. We had 37 non-freshmen student-athletes in the four sports with 3.0 GPAs or better. That was the second most in the league to the 38 of ETBU and Miss. College, but both of those two have more sports with cross country teams. It always amazes me when I send in the nomination forms of the number of student-athletes that get it done in the classroom as well.
The basketball teams have jumped right into their season and it is a busy week for especially the Cowboys this week. HSU will take on regional foe Trinity on Monday and then go to Sam Houston State for a game against the Division I Bearkats on Thursday.
That game will give me a chance to see old friend and former HSU broadcaster John Wilson. Wilson is a Sam graduate and works in College Station. It seems impossible that he has been gone from here for nearly four years.
The Cowboys will return home and join with the Cowgirls to start conference play on Saturday afternoon against LeTourneau. The Cowboys split with LeTourneau last year including a win in the ASC Tournament. The Cowgirls will look to get back on the court after a 13 day layoff.
We are trying something new this year with most of our games being on at least an Internet broadcast, both home and away. We will be utilizing students for our home games this year and either myself or Al Pickett will handle the road games. The use of students is to get them some experience in broadcasting games, so bear with them as we use this as a teaching tool. When we get to West Division play our six games out of Abilene will be on the radio as well with Chad and Al. This is a new adventure for us, but we want you to be able to hear our games, even if you can’t be there in person.
We had a surprisingly good student crowd in the men’s opener on Tuesday. With the students out for Thanksgiving break, we were not expecting much as far as attendance. Those who were there were treated with a good game, as the Cowboys dominated from the opening tip. The Cowboys and Cowgirls are both playing up-tempo pressing styles this year and should be entertaining to watch, so we hope you will find your way to the Mabee Complex.
The academic All-ASC teams are out for the fall sports and once again HSU did quite well. We had 37 non-freshmen student-athletes in the four sports with 3.0 GPAs or better. That was the second most in the league to the 38 of ETBU and Miss. College, but both of those two have more sports with cross country teams. It always amazes me when I send in the nomination forms of the number of student-athletes that get it done in the classroom as well.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
So Long Fall
Sorry I have been out of the loop for a while, it has been an extremely busy two weeks, which means that it has been two good weeks for our teams. The changeover from one sports season to another is always one of the most trying times of the year in my office.
First of all congratulations to the women’s soccer team for winning the American Southwest Conference title for the fifth straight year. It amazes me how this team was able to preserve and stay on top with the amount of injuries it had. The Cowgirls played the conference final with five starters out with injury and were still able to come away with a rather easy 2-0 victory. HSU then defeated old rival Trinity in penalty kicks in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. All-American Christi Carr recorded two saves in the penalty kick session. The Cowgirls season came to an end with a 1-0 loss to Emory on Saturday in Atlanta, but it was still a year they can be proud of. The biggest disappointment you feel after the season is for the seniors, as they come to the realization that they will never strap on the boots again and play. Thanks to Laura Newbrough, Beth Craig, Jessica Flobeck and Regan Cappella for a great career, you had one of the best senior classes in school history and hopefully your time as Cowgirls will be remembered for all of the good times.
The men’s soccer team ended its season with a loss in the ASC Tournament to Mississippi College. The Cowboys had a good season in a rebuilding year. HSU only had two seniors on the team Colt McKee and Ryan Flanigan. Both were all-conference players, unfortunately Ryan’s season ended early with a broken shin earlier in the year. They will be missed as they were key parts of two ASC titles in their career.
The volleyball team advanced to the American Southwest Conference final for the third straight year and dropped a heartbreaking five-setter to Texas Lutheran. The Cowgirls lose two instrumental pieces in the turnaround of the HSU volleyball program – Chelsea Buetow and Megan Lawrence. Those two were here when the program was not very good and in four years changed the team to one that competes for the ASC title every year. They will be missed.
The football team finished its season with a 71-56 win over McMurry in the Wilford Moore Trophy game. The Cowboys have won all 10 meetings since the trophy was first presented. The game was a microcosm of the season as the offense was virtually unstoppable and the defense allowed 56 points and nearly 600 yards. The offensive numbers the Cowboys but up this year were amazing and the good news is the Cowboys will return seven starters on offense and will return nine starters on defense. HSU extended its string of winning seasons to 16 which is the 12th longest streak in the nation in all divisions with its 6-4 record. Mychal Carrillo had a brilliant year with over 1,000 yard receiving and Quinton Jones capped one of the best careers ever by an HSU running back with over 3,000 yards. Those two will be greatly missed along with Jordan Daniel and James Arnold on the offensive line. Defensively, the Cowboys lose Eric Daniels and Brice Johnson at middle linebacker, Randy Snyder and Derek Lewis at defensive end and Sid Gutierrez at defensive tackle. HSU will also miss backups Jordy Bernhard and Josh Sepeda at running back and Teddy Morgan in the secondary. That is not a lot of seniors to replace, although the quality is amazing. Coach Keeling always says one of the program’s goals is to have seniors. IF they can make it to be seniors that means they have persevered through the journey.
A hats off to all off the seniors in all of programs for a career well done and also congratulations go out to all of the players that have won All-Conference awards in the last few weeks. You are the best of the best and the awards should not be taken for granted.
Basketball season is right around the corner with the men opening the season one week from tonight at the Mabee Complex against Southwestern. The Cowgirls open this weekend on the road at the Trinity Invitational. Be sure to get out and see the teams in action, because both teams are going to be fun to watch this season.
First of all congratulations to the women’s soccer team for winning the American Southwest Conference title for the fifth straight year. It amazes me how this team was able to preserve and stay on top with the amount of injuries it had. The Cowgirls played the conference final with five starters out with injury and were still able to come away with a rather easy 2-0 victory. HSU then defeated old rival Trinity in penalty kicks in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. All-American Christi Carr recorded two saves in the penalty kick session. The Cowgirls season came to an end with a 1-0 loss to Emory on Saturday in Atlanta, but it was still a year they can be proud of. The biggest disappointment you feel after the season is for the seniors, as they come to the realization that they will never strap on the boots again and play. Thanks to Laura Newbrough, Beth Craig, Jessica Flobeck and Regan Cappella for a great career, you had one of the best senior classes in school history and hopefully your time as Cowgirls will be remembered for all of the good times.
The men’s soccer team ended its season with a loss in the ASC Tournament to Mississippi College. The Cowboys had a good season in a rebuilding year. HSU only had two seniors on the team Colt McKee and Ryan Flanigan. Both were all-conference players, unfortunately Ryan’s season ended early with a broken shin earlier in the year. They will be missed as they were key parts of two ASC titles in their career.
The volleyball team advanced to the American Southwest Conference final for the third straight year and dropped a heartbreaking five-setter to Texas Lutheran. The Cowgirls lose two instrumental pieces in the turnaround of the HSU volleyball program – Chelsea Buetow and Megan Lawrence. Those two were here when the program was not very good and in four years changed the team to one that competes for the ASC title every year. They will be missed.
The football team finished its season with a 71-56 win over McMurry in the Wilford Moore Trophy game. The Cowboys have won all 10 meetings since the trophy was first presented. The game was a microcosm of the season as the offense was virtually unstoppable and the defense allowed 56 points and nearly 600 yards. The offensive numbers the Cowboys but up this year were amazing and the good news is the Cowboys will return seven starters on offense and will return nine starters on defense. HSU extended its string of winning seasons to 16 which is the 12th longest streak in the nation in all divisions with its 6-4 record. Mychal Carrillo had a brilliant year with over 1,000 yard receiving and Quinton Jones capped one of the best careers ever by an HSU running back with over 3,000 yards. Those two will be greatly missed along with Jordan Daniel and James Arnold on the offensive line. Defensively, the Cowboys lose Eric Daniels and Brice Johnson at middle linebacker, Randy Snyder and Derek Lewis at defensive end and Sid Gutierrez at defensive tackle. HSU will also miss backups Jordy Bernhard and Josh Sepeda at running back and Teddy Morgan in the secondary. That is not a lot of seniors to replace, although the quality is amazing. Coach Keeling always says one of the program’s goals is to have seniors. IF they can make it to be seniors that means they have persevered through the journey.
A hats off to all off the seniors in all of programs for a career well done and also congratulations go out to all of the players that have won All-Conference awards in the last few weeks. You are the best of the best and the awards should not be taken for granted.
Basketball season is right around the corner with the men opening the season one week from tonight at the Mabee Complex against Southwestern. The Cowgirls open this weekend on the road at the Trinity Invitational. Be sure to get out and see the teams in action, because both teams are going to be fun to watch this season.
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