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

Getting ready for the show today and I’ve got a few thoughts rambling around my head. Obviously Tim Tebow is a news-generator and for some a polarizing figure. I get that. What I don’t get is why some want to see him fail. After watching New England’s defense finally decide to tackle a few folks in the second half of their 41-23 win over Denver it didn’t take long for the posts on Facebook and the twitter traffic to begin to flow with thoughts of how this somehow “Proved” Tebow wasn’t “all that” as one wrote.

Why are so many so focused on taking joy in Tim Tebow’s team not winning? Why do they feel the need to see him lose in order to prove something about their own lives?

I also don’t buy it when I hear folks say they like Tebow but hate the media for all the coverage. I’ve been doing a daily call-in show for 17 years now and during that whole time I’ve heard the laments of those that hate the thug elements in sports, that can’t stand the glorification of “deviant” life-styles and a mocking of traditional values.

Well, a guy comes along that seems pretty decent and now folks don’t want to hear about it.

Interesting.

I think the reaction that folks have to a Tim Tebow-like celeb is more telling about themselves than anything about the media or Tebow. For some reason seeing a person like Tebow have success seems to make some feel either inadequate or less of a person than they either see themselves as or want to be known as. When he “fails” then they can laugh and say that,”see, even the Great Tim Tebow didn’t win with all the good he does and the character he has!” as if it somehow absolves them from their own failings.

It is an odd reaction to watch and I’m interested in what y’all are taking away from the “Tim Tebow Phenomenon” right now. Are you one that is upset with the attention he get? Do you think he is over-hyped, whatever that may mean or do you also think part of this is a reflection of a modern American society that doesn’t always want the “good guy” to win if he somehow makes them feel bad for their own lives?

Let me know.

Ryan Hyatt

McIlroy has all the makings of the young star golf needs right now. No matter what happens Sunday, he’ll be a big story.

That said, who are some of the other people in sports, athletes, coaches, announcers, owners, you name it; that you really find interesting? What is it about them that you find compelling?

Tell us here and we’ll use your best answers on the show come Monday.

In the meantime, enjoy your Saturday and stay out of the heat here in West Texas. Just brutal out there today!

Hyatt

Who are some of the other

It’s a busy day on the show this afternoon. We’ll get you started by helping you set your fantasy football line-up with the help of NFP.com’s Joe Fortenbaugh. If you’re not following him on Twitter, you should be by the way.  .  . great stuff.

After that Lady Raider Head Coach Kristy Curry joins us before the season opener at New Mexico this week.

We’ll also take a look at the Texas Tech defense and see if they can do to Oklahoma what they did to Missouri. Don Williams has the write-up in the A-J today on what worked so well last weekend.

There’s also that little Cam Newton story brewing in the SEC. It is just another reminder that the two slimiest sports out there ( after cycling ) are men’s college basketball and college football. Nothing else is even close. No matter what the truth is on the Newt0n-Auburn story is, all whole bunch of folks are lying somewhere and playing with fire. This will only get uglier. Of course, that’s just a normal Wednesday in the SEC.

Get your calls in today starting at 3 on The Fan by dialing 1-866-984-5326.

Hyatt

I know it might not seem like a good morning if you’re a Texas Rangers fan, a Dallas Cowboys fan or a Texas Tech Red Raider fan, but trust me, it is. Any day you get a chance to do something good and worthwhile is a good day, so take advantage of it. If you need some extra motivation, try this great site.

It’s a great day for us since we’ll be “working” the show over at Rudy’s Country Store and BBQ. Come on by starting at three and enjoy the buy one-get one free chopped beef sandwich special.

We’ll obviously be sorting through everything that happened over the weekend. For starters we will give Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville some free advice as to how to handle the rest of the season. Don’t miss it. I’ll have about 5 points that we’ll post tonight after the show. Remember, you can listen online by clicking the icon on front page. Don’t worry, it will include thoughts on who should start at QB vs. Missouri, what to tell the Tech fans and maybe how to handle the media. Don’t miss it.

We also look at the Texas Rangers. Do or don’t time tonight with Cliff Lee going to the mound. The equation is simple. Lee either pitches a complete game or Neftali Feliz comes in in the 8th and slams the door. If Ron Washington, aka Captain Crazy, doesn’t consider using Feliz for a two inning save in the next couple of games if situation dictates I’m going to puke. Oh, and Josh Hamilton. . . now is the time MVP’s show up at the Show Down. Either way, can’t wait for tonight. The Series has been a blast even if the Rangers aren’t winning.

As for the Cowboys, Jerry Jones must fire Wade Phillips or risk losing the fan-base going forward. He can’t afford not to at this point. In fact, a total house-cleaning must take place. The team has quit, this window has closed. I would trade Tony Romo and get what I can get and would move any high priced free agent in the soon-to-be-locked-out-offseason. It is over. With Jerry’s age he has one more chance to win big the way timing works in the NFL. If he doesn’t make the move now, he’ll end up making folks with Al Davis had bought the Cowboys.

Get your calls in on everything today starting at 3 on The Fan-1-866-984-5326. We’ll see ya at Rudy’s.

Hyatt

5 Things We Know On A Friday: 10/15/10

1.   Cliff Lee is the best pitcher to ever wear a Texas Rangers uniform. Better than Nolan, better than Fergie, better than Gaylord. The best. Period. No debate. Not even from Don Williams.

2.  Let’s see, two years ago Oklahoma State was bringing in an all-world receiver in Dez Bryant and he was gonna go catch-for-catch with one Michael Crabtree. How’d that go for the Cowboys. Now they’re comparing OSU WR Justin Blackmon to said Crabtree. I have a feeling history might repeat this Saturday at Jones Stadium.

3.  Gosh, I’d hate for Texas Tech profs to have to face the same scrutiny others in the workforce face on a daily basis. What ever will we do? Some folks run a business and some folks work for the business. Professors work for the business, they don’t run it. . .

4.  C.J. Wilson will beat C.C. Sabathia Friday night in game one of the Rangers-Yankees ALCS.

5.  By the way, it is still o.k. if you don’t want to wear pink to Jones Stadium Saturday. Last I checked it is a free country and you can support what you want, how you want. If  you choose to wear the pink, rock it proudly and have fun.

Hyatt

Well, it’s over. Like kids and dogs all Big 12 wins are precious. This 45-38 win over Baylor in the haunted ( I mean historic ) Cotton Bowl probably brought back fond memories for Red Raider fans of old. Memories of 2003 and B.J. Symons and an offense that could barely get out of the way of its counterparts on defense and special teams breakdowns.

We could go on all day about how fast and in attack-mode the Tech offense was and probably should. Taylor Potts, if he hasn’t convinced you yet of his talent and game–I can’t help your– showed why he’s so highly regarded right now by QB evaluators. 462 yards passing, the return of Alex Torres to the offense and a gashing running attack were just what we saw late in the ISU debacle and it certainly seems that Neal Brown has found something that will work the rest of the year. Tech fans were expecting this offense and it has arrived.

As for the defense, you knew it would be rough on a good day stopping Robert Griffin 3 and without DE Scott Smith and a limited Barr and Fehoko you just hoped you could contain him. You barely did. It was a rough outing for a unit that alternately looked gassed, confused and out-quicked. Is this the defense we’ll see all year? My guess says with a transition to the 3-4, lack of speed and a young secondary folks should get more used to this than what we saw the first three games of the year. Yikes.

Now, on to the brutality of special teams and game management. Tommy Tuberville should apologize to the team for putting them in a bad spot early with the onside kick call. Nevermind it was totally botched and that the players on the field obviously don’t know the rules, that kick never needed to happen. There’s no reason at that point in the game to try something you certainly didn’t look all that good doing last week. Couple that with the third successful fake punt of the year being run on the Red Raiders and you flat-out gave Baylor 14 points.

Special teams is all about coaching. It is all about attention to detail and preparation. For a coach that talked up that side of the ball in the off-season you’ve got to wonder what Tuberville is doing in practice and how they’re approach is. He said earlier this week he’d use more starters on special teams and that’s a step. The next step is not trying to get too cute and out-think the room. This team can’t handle many more “teachable moments”.

The game management at the end was also something that every young coach should have to watch on the “what not to do in this situation” tape. After a great day of play calling by Neal Brown suddenly Tech was averse to bleeding a little clock. That was compounded by a delay of game penalty coming out of a Baylor time-out. Seriously? Even before the delay either the wrong formation was sent in ( empty backfield ) or a horrible play was called by the sidelines. Either way it nearly cost you the game. . .

So, congrats on the win Tuberville is 1-0 vs. Art Briles now and perhaps should get credit for being 1-0 vs. Tommy Tuberville and staff’s decisions.

Only at Texas Tech in the year 2010 could you see a coach get a much needed win, roll up offense that would make even the best Tech fans blush and still find a way to come out of the game with fans wondering just what the hell’s going on…Lord I love college football!

We’ll have much more on this game coming up later on the site and we welcome your comments.

Hyatt

Busy day. We’ll preview New Mexico’s “talent” with National Football Post.com’s director of scouting Wes Bunting at 3:30 today. After the Lobo’s showing against Oregon talent might not be the word to use. We also look at a good Big 12(10) vs. Big 10(12) match-up in ISU and Iowa with Scott Docterman from the Gazette Online. We’ll find out if they play for a bucket, barrel, trophy or frozen pizza. Shaun Lenrose joins us in the five p.m. hour talking Rangers and Cowboys from the metroplex and the little ticket!

It’s Cultural Index Thursday on The Show so today we ask you who the greatest supporting character is all-time in sit-com history. Got the idea watching the Laverne and Shirley Reunion show the other night. Think Lenny and Squiggy.

Be sure and call in with your thoughts on all of this, the Red Raiders and whatever else is on your mind at 1-866-984-5326 and also try out our new live streaming by clicking HERE. It is in test mode right now so we’re looking for feed back from you. Let us know if it works or not for you!!!!

Be sure and post your answers to the Cultural Index Question here on the site so we can read them on air too.

Hyatt