Good morning West Texans and all you good, fine, friendly folks out there who wish you were . . .
- The Texas Tech Lady Raiders put together a solid road win last night at UCLA, giving fans more and more reason to believe not just in Santa Claus this Christmas, but in a team that seems to be making great strides this year. The Lady Raiders found a way to win on a night when Kierra Mallard was defended, when it got close late and when they had to hit free throws to get it done. That takes some guts and grit and it looks like this bunch has it. They aren’t in the NCAA tournament yet, but they are building a nice resume right now. You can’t get into the tourney in November and December, but you sure can play your way out and right now this Tech team is playing their way to a point where a .500 record in the Big 12 will get them a bid. That’s progress.
- Lubbock and Texas were both better off for Carl Isett having served in Austin. I hope he gets back into politics in the future. Now let the fun begin to see who chases his vacated spot.
- The Phineas and Ferb Christmas special is some of the best TV I’ve watched all year. Seriously. I love the fact that a cartoon for kids today actually embraces Christmas, Santa Claus and elves. How un-P.C.
- Former Texas Tech men’s basketball coach Bob Knight was right to rip on Kentucky coach John Calipari. He’s also right to rip on NCAA men’s basketball right now. Thanks to rules like one-and-done and the law of unintended consequences men’s college basketball is now the slimiest of sports in America. I don’t blame Knight for not wanting to be a part of it anymore.
- Of course the Big 12 commish thinks the Big 12 will stay intact. That’s exactly the kind of forward thinking that led to the demise of the SWC. Folks from Missouri are making it mighty clear they’d enjoy an offer from the Big 10 and would go if asked. They may or may not get asked but the big 12 needs to proceed as if they’re gone in order to protect the interests of the other 11 schools.
Re Isett – so who in the Texas Legislature will now be self-designated as “the smartest person in the room?” Possible replacements: Paul RRRR Beane, Tom Martin, Chris Winn, John Leonard, Christopher Winn, Mikel Ward, or Clifford Burnet?