There’s not much worse than getting sick around a holiday or a vacation. I hate it. Started feeling poorly Sunday night and it just kept getting worse. I get a bad cold or flu once every few years, so I guess this was my time. I used to schedule it for October, right before basketball season started so it wouldn’t affect my play-by-play. Now that I don’t travel with Texas Tech I guess it decided it can show up whenever. Thanks.

The worst part was not being able to stay up and watch the Stanford-OSU game last night. Sure, there’s DVR, but when you know the results it just isn’t the same. Throw-in the fact that the game is rendered meaningless under the current BCS system that tells us only one game matters and you have a great game in a vacuum syndrome. It was cool to watch, but means nothing in the grand scheme of things. Oh if it were the National Semi-Final Game! We’d be talking about that game last night for years to come. Instead, fans will largely forget about it in a few weeks nationally, which in Palo Alto is a good thing I guess.

That would be one thing I’d be talking about on the show tonight, except I won’t be there, so I’ve got to bang out a few words here and see what y’all think.

How much more attention would you have paid that game last night if it had been for the right to play in the National Title Game? If Alabama gets the win against LSU does Oklahoma State rightfully have a claim to a split-title this yr? Did the Cowboys really do anything last night to make you think they deserved a shot at LSU? ( A little defense would have been nice to see )

If we were on today we’d also recap the end of the Dallas Cowboys season. We all saw it coming, but for different reasons I think. I’m still surprised at how many people think Dallas choked this year. They continue to over-value the talent that the Cowboys have on both sides of the ball. In order to choke, you’ve got to have a decided advantage over your opponents and then do everything you can to make them win. That rarely happens in pro sports. Fans just like to throw that word around because it makes them feel like the other team isn’t really better, it’s just their team stinking it up.

Dallas didn’t choke, they’re just not that good. Slightly better than average talent in most spots and well below in other spots for sure.

Now the question becomes for some, do you give Rob Ryan more time on defense or does he become the fall-guy for this past season? I’d stick with him. Get better talent, give him a full off-season to work with players and I think you’ll see results. It ain’t the X’s and O’s in Dallas right now it’s the Jimmies and Joes. . .

Oh well, time for the meds to kick in. Y’all listen live tonite via www.1340thefan.com and get the latest on the Red Raider’s search for a defensive coordinator ( Art Kauffman anyone? ) as well as recaps of the bowls and more with Don Williams, Robert Snyder and Zack Kennedy. I’ll be back Wednesday if the creek and my fever don’t rise.

Hyatt

Just saw where the Powerball lotto is up around 150 million dollars. Not a bad little tax problem to have I must say for a dollar “investment”. I rarely play but for some reason it will occasionally grab my attention and dollars. I don’t even pretend it goes to public education any more. I just figure I’m buying a “dream” and paying a “stupid tax”.

Let’s say today though that you did hit the lotto and suddenly had the kind of millions to bestow on Texas Tech that many Red Raiders wish they had. I hear a lot saying that if Tech had a T. Boone Pickens the school would get a lot more out of it than Oklahoma State has so far. . .

So, what would you do with your cash? What would you fund at Texas Tech? Would it be sports-related? Would you do something for the school or college you got your major in? I’m interested to see how creative y’all can get with this today.

Don’t forget that if you live outside the Hubbaplex you can catch our show every day live via www.1340thefan.com where you can also download the smart phone app for SportsRadio 1340 The Fan. I also encourage all of you to give our podcast a FREE TRIAL right now. That’s the best way to never miss a segment, an interview or any discussions about your Red Raiders, Lubbock and West Texas news. Click on any podcast on the front page of our site and begin the journey.

Have a great Sunday and we’ll talk to you on the radio come Monday.

Ryan Hyatt

Here’s hoping your weekend is off to a great start and that you haven’t had to spend too much time fighting the Christmas shopping crowds! I’m lucky, my wife is averse to it as I am. . .

Yesterday on the show we had a great discussion with callers about who the next Red Raider football player should be to be given the honor of a retired number. As of right now, you’ve got #55 with E.J. Holub, #81 with Dave Parks and #44 with Donny Anderson. Other than that, no other Red Raider in the history of the program has received that kind of honor.

You can listen to the callers from yesterday and their thoughts by clicking the podcast link on the front page of our site. Enjoy the FREE TRIAL right now of our podcast and never miss a minute of our show!

So, we ask you today, going back to 1925 and right on up to today, who would you honor and why? We don’t stop there though as we also talked about the idea that instead of retiring a jersey number, why not make it a living tribute handed out when a player rises to the level of a Holub or Anderson type player.

Over the years I’ve come to back that idea simply more than retiring a number. You wouldn’t have to award the number every year. You might go years without a player being worthy. But, when the time comes it would make the honor even more special and would put the player from the past back in the limelight and the discussion.

For the record, I think Elmer “The Great” Tarbox would be a fine choice to start with. #21 in ’37 and ’38 was a huge part of an undefeated regular season team that would lose to St. Mary’s in the 1939 Cotton Bowl. Tarbox would be even more important to Lubbock as the years went on as a great philanthropist and more.

So, today give us the Red Raider you’d honor next and what you think the best way to honor those type player is. Have fun and be safe on the roads.

Ryan Hyatt

It’s nice to be back writing. We took some time off because our brain ran out of words. It happens. When you talk for a living, sometimes you leave all the good stuff in the studio. No promises that any of this will qualify as “good stuff”, but it is nice to find some time to write again and ( as always ) get your feedback. So, here goes. . .

1.  For two straight weeks Tony Romo has won games for the Dallas Cowboys that only he was going to be able to win. I’ve said in the past, and still maintain, that some guys have the “IT” factor and some don’t Romo doesn’t. But, big but here, he is showing signs as this season goes along of handling those situations better and making plays to win for his team vs. the other team. I still think he’s a better than average QB in the NFL, but not elite. That said, it is a proven fact you can win big in the NFL without an elite QB as long as they don’t hurt you. Perhaps, just perhaps, Romo is at that point in his career right now that he won’t be the problem if Dallas doesn’t win the division or make the play-offs. If you’re a Cowboy fan, the last two weeks should make you feel good. Those were games you lost in the last few years with or without a talent advantage. This time you won those two. That’s how you go from a 10 win team in this league to 12. Could this be the shift for Romo? You tell me.

2. Texas and Texas A&M officials can bluster and posture all they want but I firmly believe this series will be back on the schedule within a couple of years. Not from political pressure, not from ESPN pressure ( not even the all powerful yet never seen force known as The Longhorn Network ) but rather because the fan-bases will demand it. Same thing goes for Kansas and Mizzou particularly in basketball. Emotions will die down in a couple of years, new decision makers will be in place and these games will come back. Remember, once upon a time Alabama never played at Auburn. . . Things change.

3.  @DanBeebe is the best twitter account out there. @FauxPelini runs a close second. @TheOrangeCone is the best inanimate object I’ve ever had the pleasure of getting to know. It’s sad when fiction is better than reality.

4.  Those that don’t follow college basketball will see the score in the Texas Tech’s 60-49 loss to Indiana St. and think this is a sign that the Red Raiders are horrible. I mean really? Indiana St.? Ya, they’re good. They go to the NCAA Tournament and make teams work. They’re better than Texas Tech right now, but not by much. The Red Raiders put Indiana St. on the line way too many times. 25-31 vs. their 5-9. That is a sign that you’re either out of position or you are out-classed physically. Don’t think they were out-classed physically so you do the math. The good thing is that is a correctable problem. Bad news is that it may take a while to correct it. Lots of growing pains with this Tech team but I like their athleticism and hustle. The smarts will come. Oh, and feel free to be an impact player each night Lewandowski. Tech won’t win many games this year if he has more lines like today. He must be a difference maker each night.

5.  As we embark on the Christmas season let’s get this perfectly clear. “It’s A Wonderful Life” is the greatest holiday movie of all-time. There can be no debate.

Now, y’all get out and support local businesses and drive the economy. My wife can’t do it all by herself!

Hyatt

A few years back I went to Happy Valley, Pa. to call a basketball game. While there, I bought a Joe Paterno/Penn. St. shirt. It is what you do. Icon. College football mecca. Why not?

This week I realized I’ll never wear that shirt again. I thought about trashing it, but I decided with the help of some friends that we should turn this tribute to a mirage of a man into something good. Instead of merely tossing it aside, we decided to auction the shirt off, the highest bidder getting to destroy the shirt on-air on our show, and all the money going to CASA of the South Plains.

You see, CASA actually does things to help and protect abused and neglected children. They do all the things the sewer rats at Penn. St. should have done, could have done, but chose not to.

So, Let The Bidding begin! We’ll keep this post on the front page til Sunday midnight.

The bidding will start at $100 thanks to caller John from the show tonight. I figure that’s a fair start. Even if you don’t win the shirt, I hope you make a donation to CASA. Perhaps you can donate whatever your final bid on the shirt is. . .

Let’s turn this thing around and do what “We Are-Penn. St.” chose not to! Help a child!

Thanks for your time and help.

Ryan Hyatt

This week will get the winner set-up with a throw-back Gun Barrel City FB T-shirt as well as a Tech cap from Campus Design. You’ve got til 6 to get your picks and analysis in so have at it.

I’m taking the little ole Red Raiders 42-20. Not sure why, just sounds like a decent enough score. Don Williams nailed it yesterday when he said in each of the last three games for Tech the team that didn’t turn it over won. Wonder if that’ll hold true tonight. You tell us.

We’ve got all day to kill, the game has been analyzed to death and we don’t even have the Rangers and Cardinals during the day to take up time, so let’s have a little prediction contest and see who can nail the winner and the score right tonight for Texas Tech and OU.

I picked Oklahoma 49-21 Friday on the show so I’ll still with that. I’d like to see the Red Raiders not hand out any freebies via special teams meltdowns and offensive brain farts. If they can avoid that, they can avoid disaster on the scoreboard. If not. . .

Ok, have at it, give us your best score picks and your thoughts on what’ll happen tonight in Norman.

If anyone gets it right we’ll get you some BBQ from Rudy’s and we’ll also get you a throw-back Gun Barrel City Football T-Shirt as well. If no one gets it right we’ll draw from the entries and just hand it out like a welfare check… Have fun and be safe kids.
Hyatt

1. I’m amazed that some folks are still having trouble understanding why the SEC would want Texas A&M. The SEC set and watched the Big 12 and the Pac 12 pass them in TV contracts and that was unacceptable. Knowing he had to ring the register quickly, Mike Slive went on the offensive. That’s the biggest change from this time last year. In a sense, Dan Beebe and DeLoss Dodds brought this on themselves by making the Big 12 “work” last summer.

2. Instead of playing for a traveling trophy, the SEC should make Texas A&M and Mississippi State play in the Jackie Sherrill Bowl. The loser each year must devote 10 pages in their media guide to the Sherrill era at their school.

3. Texas Tech, Texas, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State will fit in nicely with the Pac-12.

4. Texas will roll the Longhorn Network into the Pac-16′s regional nets. Tech, OU, and OSU will share the other regional net in this part of the world. The Big 3-Bevo Free can be their slogan.

5. Larry Scott is the smartest man in the room once again.

Hyatt