1989NDN

Nederland could do a lot worse, monumentally worse, than Delbert Spell as DC ... he does a tremendous job of putting his kids in position to make plays ... like Matt Burnett used to do for PN-G ... Delbert Spell schemes well, puts his kids in position to make a play, and makes adjustments to fit his personnel. What more can you ask for from a HS coach? A HS athlete's talent level, size, speed, heart, and character tend to make HS coaches look above average, average, or below average. PN-G made its changes ... it too, could do a lot worse than Matt Burnett. But, a change was made and I'm happy to roll with Coach Faircloth. The PN-G faithful are thankful for what Matt Burnett did for our kids ... he's a special Indian that stands for everything PN-G was, is, and will be going forward. Change happens. Time for a new chapter of Indian history with Coach Faircloth. My point is, schools like Nederland and PN-G could do a lot worse than Larry Neumann, Delbert Spell, Matt Burnett, etc. HS sports are cyclical ... enjoy the runs when you get them and work harder when your program is on the other side of the cycle. Looking forward to a great season in 2009. Go Indians. Peace.

DV - you mentioned that you played all sports as a kid until you became a teen and then you decided to specialize. Why are parents and coaches (both AAU/summer sports, club sports, and high school sports) wanting kids to specialize? Why not play all sports throughout junior high and high school? Very few kids will be good enough to get an athletic scholarship in any particular sport, so why not allow the kids to play them all and enjoy life? Serious question; I'm not a harsh poster. I favor spring football ... I'm not a basketball guy ... for me, there's football season and then there is football offseason, which encompasses track and field and weight lifting ... for some downtime from football, go ahead and play some baseball. And, if a kid wants to play some hoops, then go for it. I want my son and daughter to play all sports, enjoy music, dancing, and all the other stuff that kids should go and do. I'll encourage them to specialize in law school or medical school. But, while they're young, they need to just enjoy the variety of life. Life is way too short ... before you know it, you wake up and you're 40, 50, 60, etc. It goes by way too fast. Go Indians. Peace.

I will never bet against Tiger Woods. He is an amazing talent. A terrific role model and young man. Based on what Tiger did at the US Open last year (on one leg) and his win 2-weeks ago at Bay Hill, how can he not be the choice to win and wear another green jacket? Put me down for Tiger Woods. Go Tiger. Peace.

Saturday and Sunday at the SHO were great ... the wind on 18 was brutal ... the players that hit line drive stingers usually survived just fine off the tee box. The players that tried to shape shots and hit the ball high up into the wind, well, they usually found the water. When the ball got up into the air, the wind just made the ball/trajectory just die. It is something to attend a PGA event in person. The sound the ball makes when coming off the end of a pro player's driver is amazing ... it's a different sound; you can hear a difference when a PGA player really gets a hold of a tee shot. It was like a cannon went off when Couples hit a few drives. And, I'm not sure what Paul Casey looked like on TV, but the dude is rather short/small frame kind of guy, but he has huge forearms. He's like Popeye ... regular looking guy until you see his arms and forearms. He's got some guns for arms. He must hit the weights pretty regularly. And, the real-time swing tempo of Ernie Els and Fred Couples is perfect. Those guy hit the ball a mile, but they never look like they are amped up ... the easy back and forth tempo of those two guys was awesome to see. The folks at the HGA and at Redstone did a great job ... the Champions Pavillion area was great; the staff was nice, the golf was great, and the wind was brutal. I hated to see JB Holmes hit it in the water, but, the wind was wicked. Congrats to Paul Casey. He looked like he was crying after his wife greeted him on the 18th. Soft Euro ... Tiger never cries. And, Roger Maltbie (NBC Sports...) that guy lugs around some gear during a golf tourney ... microphone, electrical equipment, a spotter, notepads, etc. Pretty hefty dude to be walking all over and lugging some gear. Peace.

Nicklaus had several challengers throughout the 1960s and 1970s ... Arnold Palmer and Gary Player were in their prime during the 1960s ... Lee Trevino, Tom Weiskopf, Johnny Miller, Tom Watson, Seve Ballesteros, Ray Floyd, Tom Kite, Gary Player, and several others challenged Nicklaus during the 1970s. Duirng the early to mid-1980s, you saw great players like Ballesteros, Greg Norman, Nick Faldo (Faldo was more of the late 1980s and 1990s), Curtis Strange, Ben Crenshaw, Hale Irwin, and a young gun like Fred Couples. I hear the argument that Jack Nicklaus faced a deeper field during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s ... maybe, maybe not. It's hard for me to accept that players in the late 1990s and today, i.e., Vijay Singh, Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson, Geoff Ogilvy, Jose Maria Olazabal, Adam Scott, Retief Goosen, Sergio Garcia, Padrig Harrington, etc. are not as good --- or better --- than what we saw during the 1970s and 1980s. Jack faced some tough players. He won against some strong competition. However, you can make the same argument for Tiger. Who was playing better than Padrig Harrington last year? For my money, and I'm a huge fan of Jack Nicklaus, I'd say Tiger Woods is the best to ever pick up a golf club. His ability to grind it out, his shot making skills, mental toughness, focus, course management, and his ability to make/convert putts when money is on the line sets him apart. And, he does it against great players like Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Padrig Harrington, etc. I'm ready for a new set of young guns to come along and challenge a 30-something Tiger. Maybe, Rory McIlroy will pan out and be a challenger for Tiger? I'd like to see the next group of young talent --- the next Tom Kite, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, or Nick Faldo --- come along and challenge the current cast of greats like Tiger, Phil, Ernie, Vijay, et al. Peace.

I stand by my statement ... his skill set without juice is below average ... he hit 13 HRs last season, which was his lowest total since the late 1990s (i.e., before McGwire and Sosa revived baseball with their long ball battle, thanks to steroids). Tejada only had 66 RBIs last season; opposing pitchers do not fear Tejada without the juice. His OBP was .314, which is not terrible, but, nothing to fear. Most of Tejada's numbers and awards were a product of the steroids era. When Tejada used synthetic help, he was a good player and put up above average numbers in the batter's box. Without the "boost" last season and coupled with an aging body, his numbers -- power numbers -- fell off. In the field, he was decent last season despite his age ... no argument there. I do not need a sports figure like Tejada, John Daly, John Rocker, or countless others to be role model for me, my children, or anyone else. I've never asked anyone to raise my children. Like you, I'm not concerned with what pro baseball players inject into their bodies. It does not affect me or my children. But, as a season ticket holder, I prefer to watch athletes display their God-given skills and talents without lies, deceit, and steroids. I prefer to abide by honesty and accountablility ... but, to each his/her own. And, I have nothing against Tejada ... except ... he's a liar. But, he's owned up to his mistake. He deserves to move on with his life ... but, the Astros can move on without him. I'm not advocating banishment ... just the Astros should cut him and move on. He's below average without juice and his age is not doing him any favors. Peace.

Tejada is a liar ... he's lied about his age and now steroids. His skill set without the juice is below average. The Astros should cut him and just eat the salary, but, they won't ... or, can't ... we do not have anyone else to play SS. It will be interesting to see if the Astros will bring up Tommy Manzella from Round Rock to play SS? The bigger concern is the pitching rotation ... we have Roy O and what else? Not much. Still, a night at the ballpark is good stuff ... the wife enjoys baseball and so do the kids. Peace.

The better gossip regarding this story can be found in the NY Post. Ex-girlfriend tagged Alomar with a $15M lawsuit for, allegedly, intentionally exposing her to HIV/AIDS. Ouch. You know you're not having a good day when someone tags you with a life-threatening illness. First, we had MLB ballplayers juicing up, i.e., Clemens, McGwire, Giambi, Tejada, A-Fraud, etc. Now, we have allegations of MLB players sticking it to girlfriends while they may be carrying a deadly disease. Pasted below is the story from the NY Post. Peace. ALOMAR IN 'AIDS' SHOCK EX-LOVE SUES MET GREAT Comments: 46Read Comments Leave a Comment By KATI CORNELL Roberto Alomar Last updated: 1:38 pm February 11, 2009 Posted: 8:14 am February 11, 2009 Former Met star Roberto Alomar had unprotected sex with his ex-girlfriend while he had full blown AIDS, a sensational lawsuit charges. In the $15 million action filed in Brooklyn Federal court, Ilya Dall, of Queens, said the ballplayer tested positive for HIV in 2006 and a doctor later told him he had AIDS. Dall said she tested negative for the disease - but is claiming punitive damages for emotional distress. She also claims her children were exposed to the virus. Alomar, 41, a 12-time All Star, who retired from baseball in 2005, began dating Dall in 2002, and began having unprotected sex with her a short time later, according to the suit. Her suit does not claim that he knew he had AIDS when they were having unprotected sex - but he had reason to think he might because his doctors kept advising him to be tested. He procrastinated and told her he was disease free, the suit says. In 2004, she said, she noticed he had cold sores. The following year he was diagnosed with a blood disorder that's linked to AIDS, the suit says. Also in 2005, Alomar told Dall that when he once was raped by two Mexican men after playing a Ballgame in New Mexico, according to the suit. Other symptoms began to develop, she says, including erectile dysfunction , a chronic cough, and fatigue. A doctor insisted that the longtime second baseman take an HIV test, but Alomar continually refused, the suit charges. In January 2006, the suit alleges, he finally got tested and it was positive. Nine days later, doctors discovered a mass in his chest, and a spinal tap revealed that he had full blown AIDS. Alomar's two seasons with the Mets were considered disappointing , but he is considered a possible Hall of Fame candidate and may be elected when he becomes eligible next year. But he will forever be remembered for an ugly incident in 1996 when, as a member of the Baltimore Orioles, he spat in the face of umpire John Hirschback during an argument over a called third strike. He was suspended for five games. At the time there were allegation that the ump used a slur against Alomar, but that was never proven. Alomar's father, Sandy, is the Mets bench coach. His brother, Sandy Jr., is a Met instructor. Additional reporting by Ed Robinson

Central appears to be a team that is just brute strength ... the kind of team that just lines up and physically KOs the opponent ... when the Jags control the clock, tempo, and LOS, they seem to just wear out the opposition. They seem to be getting better each week and liking their identity of power football.

Coachcola - you predict a 15 pt W for LU; but, the score you predicted is a 14 pt spread (82-68). It's all good. Here's to a good/solid LU win. 8) Peace. P.S. I know, sports message boards are not English/grammar boards, and they're not math boards. My post is just a jab at humor.

Enrollment at Duke (private institution) is what? 5,000-8,000 undergraduates and perhaps 3,000-5,000 graduate students? Whereas, enrollment at UH is 40,000+. I don't think student enrollment is part of the criteria used in determining whether the media labels a program "mid-major". It's all about conference affiliation. If a university is in a BCS football conference, then regardless of the size of the institution, it will not be a mid-major in any sport. On the other hand, if a university is not in a BCS football conference, then the media labels it a "mid-major". The exceptions to the general rule appear to be Memphis, Gonzaga, and perhaps Virginia Commonwealth due to their recent successes in March Madness. Plus, Calipari's talented Memphis Tigers could probably beat the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies 1 out of 10 times, so you can't call Memphis a mid-major when they're a threat to win the NC. In college basketball, it's all about conference affiliation and "what have you done lately in the world of college basketball?" Peace.

The University of Houston has 5 Final Four appearances: 1967, 1968, 1982, 1983, and 1984. The first 2 were during the era of the Big E --- Elvin Hayes; and, the other 3 were during the Phi Slamma Jamma days with Clyde Drexler, Akeem (n/k/a Hakeem) Olajuwon, Michael Young, Benny Anders, Larry Micheaux, Rob Williams, Reid Gettys, David Rose (now the BYU HC), Alvin Franklin, etc. With 5 Final Four appearances, 2 games competing for the National Championship, The Game of the Centruy v. UCLA and Lew Alcindor in 1968, and a program with 3 of the NBA's greatest all-time players + several other greats (i.e., Ken Spain, Don Chaney, Otis Birdsong, Sweet Lou Dunbar, Dwight Jones, Bo Outlaw), it is hard to believe that the Basketball Hall of Fame has overlooked the legendary Guy V. Lewis. Let's honor Lou Carnesseca, John Chaney, and Euro coaches, but overlook Guy V. Yeah, right. Back on topic --- I guess the term mid-major applies to any program that hasn't done much lately in the world of college basketball. Tom Penders has awakened the tradition-rich program at UH. The Cougars are pretty good this season and we should make a decent run. We've got Arky-Pine Bluff this Saturday, then we're on the road for a tough game at UMass before we come home to play Arizona. If we can go 3-0 during this next stretch, we'll be a Top 20 team and the mid-major poll will no longer apply. We'll see. Go Coogs. Peace.

The NFL decided to forego almost $400,000,000 for 8 games from a current and widely distributed cable network (both Versus and TNT had bids that neared $400M) and put games instead on its own nascent network that has terrible programming other than the 8 games on the schedule. Then, because the NFL needed to "recoup" the $400,000,000 that it left on the table, it "told" cable operators that they would need to pay $.70 per subscriber per month for the privilege of carrying its network. The NFL "demanded" that the carriage be on a basic tier channel and not a digital or premium channel. Now mind you this is the same NFL that gave the middle finger to the same cable companies when it came time to renegotiate the Sunday Ticket package and kept an exclusive deal with DirecTV rather than opening up negotiations between DirecTV and the networks. The cable operators tried to put it on a premium package, but the NFL has won that legal fight against every operator other than Comcast -- and the NFL is appealing the ruling in favor of Comcast. So the next time Jerry Jones and his greedy friends, i.e., other NFL owners, try to make you believe that it's the cable company keeping the game from you, ask them why they gave up $400,000,000, which would have let you, me and everyone else watch the games now being shown on the NFL Network. Anyone think that NBC, CBS, FOX or ESPN are even remotely coming close to making money off their NFL deals? NO WAY. Check the numbers. But, they make sports programming available because they provide as reliable a ratings source as exists in the 21st century media landscape. I believe the term for their NFL contracts is "loss leaders." That is, they're money losing contracts, but the programming provides additional eyeballs to the respective networks, which can then promote their other programming and perhaps get a bump on that. The NFL doesn't understand the concept of a "loss leader" because since the advent of FOX, there has been one more major network than there has been TV packages. The NFL has seen rights fees escalate to unprecedented heights paid by networks that are starving for some semblance of past dominance. The NFL could have chosen to make another tidy profit off these 8 games by selling to the highest bidder such as TNT, ESPN, or maybe ABC (since they lost MNF). Instead, the NFL gambled that it was the bigger of the 800 pound gorillas. So far it has been proved wrong. But, it sure is heartening to see multibillionaires like Jerry Jones whining to the media and Congress and the FCC and whoever else unquestioningly reports his bitching and moaning. In this instance, the NFL made its bed. Now it should have to lie in it until the next contract renegotiations. And maybe next time, it won't look the gift horse of someone else's loss leader in the mouth. I'm not a cable subscriber, but, in this showdown, the cable company is less a pile of s#%! than the NFL and its greedy owners. Perhaps in 5 or 10 years all sports programming will be pay-per-view, and the price will be variable depending upon the game/match-up. That way, both the NFL and the cable/satellite provider can make a tidy profit. You'll be able to thank the NFL for that development. Peace.

LUFan - you're being short sighted and a tad harsh on the Cards. LU does not suck. You have new talent that is learning to play D-I basketball. It takes time. The coaches will blend the talent and find out who wants to play both ends of the court when the popcorn is popping and the fans pay money to watch the game. You can't replicate the speed and play of D-I basketball in practice or against DII, DIII, or NAIA schools. LU will be fine in the long run. Just roll with the ups and downs of the non-conference schedule. Get them ready to play the SLC league schedule. Just need to find kids who will be committed to playing defense, rebounding, and playing scrappy. Hang in there. Peace.

Now that LU is 4 games into the season, do you still think 19-11 is a biased prediction against LU? The Cards will get it together --- eventually. It will take some time for the LU coaching staff to figure out rotations for offense/defense, blend the chemistry, and find kids who will play fearless when the lights are bright. LU fans were optimistic and excited about their team (rightfully so), but this is D-I basketball, not HS. Other teams have good athletes and playmakers. Predictions of LU beating Wyoming and ORU were optimistic, but a little much of a tall order. LU has new talent to blend, it will take time and patience. For all the offense that fans want to see, it is defense and rebounding that will be most important for LU this season. The Cards will be fine when SLC play rolls around ... and that is when it matters most. LU fans should not go crazy after the Cards take their show on the road to UNO and Northern Illinois. LU fans just need to roll with the ups and downs of the non-conferenece schedule and be ready to fight it out in the SLC. I'll stick with 19-11. Good Luck LU. Peace.

In defense of the Lady Cougars from The University of Houston, our Women's HC -- Coach Joe Curl -- suffered a heart attack 2 weeks ago and he recently underwent successful triple bypass surgery. The Lady Cougars have not had much practice time over the past 2 weeks, and their minds have not been on basketball. No excuse, and I'm not taking away what the Houston Jags did ... they beat my Lady Coogs. Hopefully, the Lady Cougars will compete this season, but I foresee a 5-20 season. The Lady Cougars are in shock right now. I think they'll be in a funk for a while. I hope the Lady Cardinals play well ... get a win vs the Houston Jags ... and have a great season. Go Coogs -- Go Cards -- Peace.

19-11 Peace.

I've yet to see a tunal ... but, tunnel is a different story. I'm betting most posters on this message board will hype whichever tunnel his/her school uses. Just a subjective guess. Peace.

Questions for MB ... (if you're taking questions from the callers/audience): 1. How healthy are the Indians going into the homestretch of the District 22-4A race (vs. Vidor, Central, and Dayton)? 2. Are you surprised by how well QB Harrison Tatum played over the past 2 weeks (vs. Nederland and Lumberton)? Harrison managed the past 2 games very well, limited TOs, he threw the ball with confidence, and he is getting better going through progressions and hitting the 2nd or 3rd WR in the pattern. For a JR at the QB spot, are you surprised? 3. What prompted the offensive imagination over the past 2 weeks? The power run game mixed in with a flea flicker, WR reverse, throwing to the TEs, screens, crossing patterns, combination routes, getting Hemmings and Wright in the flats? The Indians are definitely improved on offense compared to weeks 1 and 2. The power run game is there, but seems like the offensive schemes have been imaginative over the past 2 weeks. True? 4. Great to have a DE (Schexnaider) at 6'4" or 6'5" coming off the end; LB Walker at 6'3" or 6'4" roaming the middle, and your son Clint Burnett at 6'2" 215 playing a hybrid DE/LB position. 2 or 3 kids rotate on the DL to stay fresh, and the secondary keeps improving week to week. Is this the best Indian defense in the past 10 years? Maybe not statistically, but at least on the field making plays? 5. Playing LaMarque and Crosby in the preseason prepared the Indians for district play? Will you continue the trend of playing a tough pre-district schedule in future seasons? Any chance WO-S returns to the pre-district schedule? PAM or West Brook? One of the Baytown schools? 6. Are you ready to break the all-time win record set by legendary PN-G Head Coach Doug Ethridge? What will that mean to MB? Are there any plans to have Doug Ethridge at the game when MB breaks the record? Have you kept in contact with Coach Ethridge? Go Indians. Peace.

Nice interview ... interesting response to the "plans after basketball" question. Accounting vs. Recruiting. I think I'd go with ACCT. If you're an accountant, you count money and make a lot of it. If you're a recruiter, you don't make much, but you hand out a lot of money to AAU coaches, prima-donnas, and parents who think their child will be the next all-world player. Emily, go with that ACCT plan. You'll be happy. Nice interview ... glad to see LU kids get some publicity ... all the media attention will increase the visibility of the university and men's and women's programs. Here's to hoping LU men's and women's BB teams have a great year. LC: What are your plans after you finish playing basketball? ES: I'm majoring in business, so maybe an accountant or a recruiter under coach Tidwell P.S. I see where the Lady Cards play Coach Joe Curl's Lady Cougars at UH. May have to go see that game. Go Coogs. Peace.

Port Neches - Groves Indians. 1. Richy Ethridge (Texas Tech) (won SC in '75; SF in '76) 2. Dustin Long (TAMU & SHSU) (played in SC '99) 3. Jeff Bergeron (UH) (unfortunately, played in Lil' Joe Washington era) 4. Gordon LeBoeuf (TAMU) (won SC in '55) TIE for 5th Ted Brack (TCU) (SF in '76; played in SC in '77) Robert Giblin (UH) 6. Matt Burnett (Lamar) (played in SF in '74) 7. Wilson Weber (UT) (SF in '74; won SC in '75) 8. Justin Eicher (unknown) (played in SC in '77) 9. Mike Simpson (UH) TIE for 10th Ron McGill (SFA, I believe) (QF in '89) Keith Waguespack (TAMU) (QF in '89) If my recollection of college choices is incorrect, one of the PN-G historians please correct. I know LeBoeuf, Simpson, Bergeron, and Giblin played in the NFL... but the teams/years will need to be looked up. Go NDNs. Peace.

BHFAN wrote: This little battle between BH and WOS is funny. No one is going to win this. it reminds me of my favorite qoute. "Winning this little battle would be like winning at the Special Olimpics, if you try real hard you might win, but your still retarded" Not really interested in the WO-S v. BH debate, but the Special Olympics quote is not funny. Not sure why that would be one of your favorite quotes? I'm involved with the Texas Special Olympics, and the participants I work with are all winners. If you would like to see first hand and experience the thrill of watching special competitors, I'll save you a spot at the next track meet, swim meet, or table tennis event here in the Greater Houston Area. We usually have over 750 participants at local events, and we could use some more volunteers. Peace.