untcampbell

That makes a lot of sense, Rick. I noticed from the stat sheets that Craine was getting a higher number of fly outs, compared to the other pitchers (small n, but a trend). The defense has some work to do (pitchers only gave up 11 earned runs all weekend, 17 overall) but this is a young team and they overcame with a lot of clutch two out at bats. Also good to see the pitchers only gave up 5 BB's in 38 innings of work this weekend. GMG

Just looking from afar, I wonder if Coach Kee has regrets about throwing Monique Garcia into the fire a little too much last year and is adapting with Craine. It helps that Elder and Underwood have held their own pretty well. I am impressed with how Craine responded this weekend with both her appearances late in tight games. It appears Monique Garcia gave up softball and is a Manager with Tyler JC this season, by the way. GMG

Nice to see Freshman Lauren Craine get her first win. Coach Kee appears to be easing her into action now, after a challenging first tournament. But Craine worked a clean inning late in the first game against Liberty. She then picks up the win against Baylor, giving up a run and two hits over 3 1/3 innings. Team moves to 6-4 with four wins in the tournament. First home games Feb 27-28, playing two each against Sam Houston and Creighton. GMG

NT beats Liberty 1-0 in the second game (they lost to Liberty 1-0 yesterday). Both wins came with runs by NT in their last at bat. Baylor beat NW State 4-3 this evening (same score NT beat the Demons by in the first game of the tournament) to set up the championship game tomorrow at noon. Strong pitching by Elder and Underwood in both games today. GMG

A family that made a difference. Thanks for the insights, all. GMG

They have a pretty good program. They were 16-7 in conference last season. We took two of three from them, playing in Denton last year. They are strong at home and we are almost a completely different/new team from last year. You ought to go....the ladies definitely play to the final out and enjoy the game they play. GMG

Will be nice to have this guy back on campus, if he is attending: http://www.marcusfootball.com/index.php?cID=323

Sad one post, scared the next. So many emotions regarding circumstances over which you have no control. Or are these emotions kind of like LOL....no one really laughs out loud at internet BS, do they? GMG

This is what reasoned discussion looks like, "disagreement without rancor," as Nathan Hecht described one talent of Antonin Scalia. Thanks to Fly for starting it, and to those that have followed with insights and discord that provide reasonable people to come to reasonable conclusions. GMG

Two ladies sports take down OU this year. Softball next? April 13 in Norman. GMG

Loss to Purdue on Sunday, 6-1. Freshman getting lots of PT. End the first weekend 2-3. Baylor tournament coming this weekend, with 5 games against Northwestern State, Liberty and Baylor in Waco. GMG

Another split, losing to UCSB 6-3 and beating Southern Utah 6-5, coming back from a 5-1 deficit in the bottom of the 7th (last inning) on a walkoff single by Freshman Rhylie Makawe, the "other" Aledo signee. Congrats on the game winner, @r_makawe11. GMG

The ladies split a doubleheader last night in Tucson, losing to #13 Arizona 9-1 and beating Nebraska-Omaha 11-3. Today, we are playing UC Santa Barbara, up 1-0 heading to the third, and Southern Utah. It will be interesting to see how this team gels, after last season's roster purge (not the right word, as most, if not all, departures were voluntary). The team has 8 freshman and a total of 7 in all other classes, including two seniors. In today's opener, we are starting 5 freshman, two seniors and three juniors.

FYI Wag Tag, I used the information as 24/7 provided it. They have us listed as having 17 recruits (they didn't include the two transfers, I believe). GMG

Respecting UNT90's concern for the facts (and I am taking a quick stab at this looking at 24/7 so there may some discrepancies), here are some additional numbers behind the first SL and DM classes: There were 120 FBS teams in 2011 and 128 in 2016. NT ranked 105 in 2011 and 113 in 2016. NT had one 3-star recruit (of 25) in 2011 and 5 (of 17) in 2016. The average recruit scored a 70.94 in 2011 and a 78.67 in 2016. I defer to Billy See to assess if there is grade inflation or a different rating system now vs. then. Taking a quick look at the average recruit scores in 2011 and 2016, I found 15 school's with lower per recruit averages in 2016 (two ranked below us had higher per recruit averages), including #67 ranked UAB, and no schools ranked above us in 2011 with lower per recruit averages (two ranked below us had higher per recruit averages). With the caveat that my quick research may have missed something, the possibility of a different grading system in 2011 and 2016 and that I am not completely sure 2011 was DM's first class, one could argue that the first SL class outperformed the first DM class ON PAPER. Saying this, being ranked 105 or 113 is no bragging point, just what I believe to be the facts. I am sure we can reach entirely different conclusions using other recruiting sources. Please correct my inaccuracies so that we may compare the two classes on their merits. GMG

For a guy who is trying to get his investment in the program (club seats) back, you sure let a lot scare the hell out of you. You are writing off the program. Just shake your head and relax, dude. GMG

Not sure but it looks like UNC also got the Parade All-America POY (a QB). I would think SL had something to do with his recruiting. GMG

They have a ticket giveaway at halftime of the home football games. @Peacock won tickets to Penn and Teller during the home finale. Was kind enough to give me a couple. Good times. GMG

2 home games in September, October and November, with dates that are Farmers Almanac good weather days. I will celebrate a traditional neighborhood Halloween and family Thanksgiving weekend (in El Paso?). A mid-season bye. My family flights and hotel are booked for Army. Rice, UTSA and El Paso away games....may be mowing my yard mid-week a lot this year. GMG

HS stats, per Max Preps. A tackler. http://www.maxpreps.com/athlete/hayden-harrison/0xrRxQ85EeOZ5AAmVebBJg/gendersport/football-stats.htm GMG

HS stats: http://www.maxpreps.com/athlete/eji-ejiya/dScsvPTwEeKZ5AAmVebBJg/gendersport/football-stats.htm GMG

I love your music, Reverend All. GMG

I really enjoy seeing the coverage the Tulsa World has given both Fine and Pirtle. It was also nice to see the advance knowledge and player bios from the Times-Picayune that documented Tulane's official visits this past weekend. I would assume the T-P information was provided by the athletic department (but it could have been reporter legwork) and would love to see the new coaching staff give this type of access to our beat reporter(s), or even The Real_jayD. GMG

I was an ineffective manager....and it was my fault. Not my employees. Not my managers. I was fully aware and unhappy that I was not succeeding so I went back to being managed. I found it much more difficult to motivate and invigorate others than it was to motivate and invigorate me, and I was frustrated by anyone who didn't have enough respect for himself and his family to do his best regardless of circumstance. But I certainly had more respect for the art of managing people after I failed at it. One of my problems as a manager was I never put anything on my employees. If they weren't succeeding, I bore the burden and blamed myself for being unable to motivate and inspire them to do their best (not for me, but for them). My 4 outstanding reps loved me as a manager and thrived, having some of their best years while we worked together, but my 4 worst reps didn't like me at all (and I don't blame them....after trying everything else, I micro-managed until they were gone). Your line is often used by people who find it difficult to self-motivate or who are looking for reasons they didn't succeed (I am not trying to infer you fall into either category). Where, or for whom, I have not liked working, I did my best until I found something I liked better. Not doing my best only hurt me as I sold myself to my next potential employer. So bear with me as I unload some more crap on you: my attitude and my performance IS my responsibility. I am in control. It is up to me to rise above the obstacles that impede my success. I can see some work environments where that might not work as well...union shops or similar jobs where the boss's one goal is to see that his employees never climb past him. for instance. My dad told me his time at the post office was like that and it drove him to quit and pursue a career in real estate, where his success was directly related to the effort he put into it. I was blessed with a good mentor, in that respect. So that load of crap has served me well in my work life. I hope you have found a load of crap mantra that has served you well also. This lunatic will continue to believe that Coach L would favor my load of crap. What success he has here will be up to him and those he hires, recruits, manages and coaches. And if he doesn't succeed here, I will leave it to him to tell us whose fault it was. He may just keep it to himself but I am confident you will be here to tell us it was RV's fault, regardless. GMG

I have had a number of jobs and a number of bosses in my 43 years as an employee. I learned about 15 years in not to rely too much on my bosses for MY success or MY failure, but especially during the three years or so I was the boss. I don't give them much credit for my success, and I never blame them for my failure. I thank my Lord that I haven't had to mull failure and who to blame for it very often....I am lucky in that way. I contribute much more to the outcome of how I perform my job than my boss does, without exception. If that was not the case, he wouldn't have hired me and just done the job himself. Accountability is a liberating attribute, when used. It makes success that much more rewarding when it happens. From what I have seen and heard of Coach L, I think he may take full responsibility for his success or failure. Rick V may or not be the reason that Benford is failing and McCarney (and a host of other RV hires) failed, but I haven't heard either spend much time blaming their AD. And they are/were smart in that way...I saw enough of both to put it squarely in their laps. So I guess it is fine to put all of NT's past athletic failure on one guy. For now though, I will sit back and watch how this one plays out. And when Coach L succeeds, I promise I will give RV zero credit. And if it goes the other way, I won't have to worry about placing all the blame on RV. There will be plenty of posts and threads on this board doing so. Yours in pure lunacy, GMG