Feb 16
Ray PierceSports Aggies, change, coach, football, Mike Leach, Mike Sherman, Red Raiders, snub, Texas A&M Aggies, Texas Tech, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Texas Tech Red Raiders
I just read that Mike Sherman is on the hot seat if his staff overhaul this off season doesn’t translate into the wins on the field. Which I’m hoping comes true, but I digress.
The thought crossed my mind though that if the Texas A&M position came available after the upcoming season, who would fill it? Hrm…..? There’s a certain person, named Mike Leach, that’s probably going to be available. That would be the ultimate position for him to snub his nose at Texas Tech and “nah nah boo boo”. I’m just sayin’.
Like it or not, Texas A&M typically gets better recruits than Texas Tech. He’s familiar with the Big 12 and recruiting in Texas. Could you imagine Leach’s offense with better talent to execute it? While it pains me to say it, they have a tradition rich program and support their football teams well.
On the other side though, for Texas A&M it would be like kissing your sister. Then again, at A&M there’s been rumor that such things occur more frequently than one would think. Coach Leach has been at odds with A&M for sometime. I’m not sure how much of that water under the bridge if you can bring a winning team to the table, but there has been animosity in the past. Could they get past the previous transgressions to even take a serious look at Coach Leach?
Just some food for thought.
Feb 05
Ray PierceFood chili, cook-off, Food
Had a pretty decent day cooking chili for a work potluck. I ended up in 3rd place, but it was 1 vote different with second. I got a lot of complements on it from everyone, that always makes you feel good. You have to judge those comments against how much of your food was eaten as well to make sure they aren’t just giving you lip service. I’m happy to say that my pot was the first one empty. I thought 4 lbs of meat would be more than enough and would have extra, but I was wrong.
I don’t make chili all that often because of the amount you typically have to make to get the ingredients in the right ratio’s. It’s probably been 4 years since I made it last. So I was very pleased that it turned out as well as it did. Still took a lot of tweaking, and I still feel that I missed some ingredient that would have put me over the top.
One of the things that I noticed is that very few of the people who brought chili to the event even knew what a chili was (or at least Texas Chili). Most of them brought what was equivalent to chili flavored stews. I’m not a big fan of stews in general, but make it chili flavored and it gets a little better. Most were forgettable. Of the 12 entries, there were probably 4 that were head and shoulders above the others and something I wouldn’t mind eating again.
Jan 12
Ray PierceSports college football, football, Mike Leach, Ruffin McNeil, Texas Tech Red Raiders, Tommy Tuberville
Another World, Another Time… In the Age of Tuberville. It’s time for the Fan Base to be healed. (I know it’s a cheesy rip off of the Dark Crystal, but I just watched the movie again)
Texas Tech Red Raiders
I’ve stayed pretty quiet on here about Mike Leach’s dismissal. I was truly wanting to see the evidence come to light to exonerate him, but there’s so much misreporting and skewing of information. So here are some of my thoughts. I don’t think that the alleged offenses were nearly as egregious as the James family made them out to be. I don’t think that the almighty boosters were entirely happy that Leach didn’t even make attempts to hear their desires. I don’t think that Gerald Myer’s ever wanted to sign Leach’s extension to begin with and would have been more than happy to let him walk last year. I think that ESPN has not been very objectionable when it has been reporting on this story. I think there is truth to Leach’s claims that Adam James was lazy and entitled. I know there is truth in that he acted inappropriately towards Adam James. At the same time, James was not in the peril or isolation that he claimed. It’s football for Christ sake! I don’t think Texas Tech performed a thorough investigation into the allegations. I think that the boosters made some calls to Kit Hance, Guy Bailey, and Gerald Myers to say that this is our opportunity to get rid of him or we are pulling out donations. I think that Tech “needs” a new athletic director. I think there will be a new athletic director in 2010 after Myers unexpectedly decides to retire once this story has blown over.
We won’t ever have the entire truth, we will have a lot of mud slinging and drawn out in the courts. In my opinion Texas Tech will probably settle out of court with Mike Leach. I think that if it actually goes to court there’s not a lot of ground for the university to stand on. What they asked him to sign would effectively made him admit guilt and modified his binding contract. I think they really screwed up by going on TV and trying to justify their reasoning. I think that they should have remained silent, let Mike coach the Alamo Bowl game, paid the $800,000 bonus, and worked out a resignation deal that everyone saved face with after the bowl. We wouldn’t be in the situation we are now with lawsuits, fan base divided, Ruffen made a martyr, etc. etc. I’ve been told that if Leach wins his lawsuit and is awarded punitive damages, it will be three times the contract amount (I’ve not verified this). That would put Texas Tech’s payout to Leach around $37 Million. That’s just slightly above the $800,000 they were trying to get out of paying him.
But this is the bed we’ve made for ourselves and now we have to lie in it.
Texas Tech announced Sunday that they have hired Tommy Tuberville to succeed Mike Leach as their head football coach. I think given the circumstances surrounding Leach’s dismissal this is a great hire for the program. He’s a proven winner, and has an impeccable defensive pedigree. Although in the past he’s been a run oriented coach, he’s also tried to install a spread offense at Auburn. While it was successful, I think he’s used this last year out of coaching to figure out how to run it, how to recruit it, and how he puts his own wrinkles on it. I think over time it will trend more to a balanced run and pass offense, the current players still dictate a pass first approach. Ask yourself how many times you’ve yelled at the TV when Leach was passing the ball when all he needed to do is run out the clock? I think will might see a bit more traditional play calling late in the games. Don’t confuse Tuberville as vanilla though, he’s got a reputation for being a gambler albeit by SEC standards. You’ll still have the going for it on 4th down calls, etc. Probably just not as many.
Defensively, I think we will make huge strides in the next few years. Because of the personnel that we have it will be a work in progress next season. Tuberville is smart enough of a defensive guy that he’s going to put people in positions that they can excel, whether that is a 4-3 or a 3-4 defense. I think the defensive area will be one of the tear it down and reform it type of things. I would expect him to hit some JUCO’s for recruits to help get people that fit the scheme that he’s trying to implement since it takes a different set of people that what we have been running. I’m really excited about this aspect.
I know a lot of the fan base was behind Ruffin McNeil for the position. While I think that might have been good for the short term, I don’t think it would be good for the long term. Ruffin is a very likable guy, he’s got a very southern preacher warmth about him. A lot of the players have attachments to him because of that. I just don’t think that he really had the experience that Texas Tech needed. He’s been on Leach’s staff for 10 years. He only made defensive coordinator 2 years ago. Most head coaches sit at the coordinator position for quite a few years learning about how to manage the teams they coach, how to call the games, and how to utilize their personnel. Ruffin was afforded some cushion as he worked these things out because Tech could outscore a lot of folks. That’s not to say that he was a bad coordinator, he surely wasn’t. He made great strides from what he inherited, but he still hadn’t elevated Tech to feared defense. Tech has had individual talent at certain positions, but as a whole they were not a solid defense. Ruffin will land on his feet, he’s built enough of a reputation that he will get more shots in the collegiate ranks. He will probably land a coordinator position at a mid-major school and eventually make head coach several years down the line.
As for the other coaches, I would expect to start seeing them popping up on other people’s staff’s in the Big 12. They have an insight into some of Leach’s offense. I would also expect that once Leach get his next position, he will try to hire a bunch of them again. I think Tech will try to keep a few key coaches on offense. Lincoln Riley (inside receivers), will be key in my opinion, play calling verbiage, reads, etc. Clay McGuire (running backs), our entire offense hinges on the running back. Matt Moore (offensive Line) we’ve had great protection for our QB’s for a long time. That’s enough continuity and working knowledge of how things were done to put a great offense on the field. And not to mention that they probably come really cheap and the opportunity to work for a different proven coach is a resume builder. Make no mistake though, there will be a new offensive coordinator, they will have their own ideas on how to run the spread. Tuberville has had some great running backs (Ronnie Brown, Cadillac Williams) play for him in the past and he may have an eye for one of his former assistants to take on that role.
All in all, of the names even remotely considered as potential candidates by Texas Tech or the Fan Base, I think this is the best choice we could have gotten. While it’s not Leach, I think it will provide a very capable and possibly better head coach.
Wreck’em Tech!!
Jan 03
Ray PierceFood
by Ray
This is now the closest place to my house to eat. Great specials every night. The burgers are solid. They’ve even started doing beer flights with the numerous beers on tap. They aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel, but excute what they do well.
Opal Divine’s Penn Field
3601 S Congress Ave, Austin
(512) 707-0237
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