It was a great weekend to be a golf fan. Whether you were rooting on former South African farm-boy Louis Oosthuizen, former Texas Tech QB Billy Joe Tolliver in the celebrity challenge in Tahoe or just the local guys in the Lakeridge Stampede you had plenty of great moments.

With Tiger Woods matching two of his biggest droughts without a major leaving Scotland without the Claret Jug or a top-ten finish we can ask today’s question. What is the toughest record in sports to break? Is it Jack Nicklaus’ 18 majors? Is it Nolan Ryan’s 7 career no-hitters? What about that little 56-game hit streak Joltin’ Joe had? Look around and tell us what you think the toughest record in sports is to break today and we’ll read your answer on the show tonight. Of course you can call-in from anywhere at 1-866-984-5326 starting at 3.

We will also look at Texas Tech’s decision to end the PSL program at the United Spirit Arena for Lady Raider and men’s basketball. A great move, to be sure, and maybe one that comes a year too late.

We’ll also check in on some early high school football with the A-J’s George Watson and we’ll look at a productive weekend for the Texas Rangers, even if Cliff Lee is learning what like was like for Nolan Ryan with the Astros in 1987 . . . and that ain’t a good thing.

We’ll see you at three!

Don’t miss interviews like today’s with Tech Pres. Dr. Guy Bailey and Tech A. D. Gerald Myers.

Take The Show where ever you go. Sign-up today and keep up with your Red Raiders and everything else you love about Lubbock and West Texas. You’ll be glad you did~

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There aren’t many times I’d say it is a great day to be in Kansas City in mid-March but this is one of those times. With the Tech men taking on #1 Kansas and the Lady Raiders getting Kansas State in the Big 12 Tournament for the first time since an emotional semi-final win in Dallas back in 2003 you’ve got a day of drama and hope.

With their win over Colorado yesterday the Tech men proved they haven’t quit or the season or their coach. It was an important win for Pat Knight to show that his team was still working hard and hadn’t tuned him out. It was debatable after last weekends no-show in Boulder when the Red Raiders looked like a team ready to go on Spring Break.

Now with a first round win in K.C. I think Tech’s played their way into the N.I.T. I hate the N.I.T. but someone from the Big 12 has got to play in it so it might as well be Tech.

As for their chances against Kansas, just look back to a year ago and what Baylor did with their upset. Since then the Bears have been on a tear. winning 30 games. Not saying Tech pulls off what might be the biggest upset in school history or at least since 1970, but anything can happen in March.

The Lady Raiders can take the confidence of having beaten Kansas State in Manhattan a few weeks ago before free-falling during their final three games and putting themselves firmly out of the NCAA Tournament going to K.C. Right now it would most likely take a win today and a win over undefeated Nebraska to get back into the NCAA Tournament picture. The bubble on the women’s side is just as soft as the men’s side when it comes to teams getting in. If Jordan Murphree, Ashley Roberson and Kierra Mallard all show up today Tech will get their shot at Nebraska. If not . . .

If you happen to be reading this in Kansas City I heartily encourage you to head over to Arthur Bryant’s BBQ for some great eats. They also have some of the best fries you’re going to get anywhere. Make sure you go to the original by the way. That’ll be one of the things I’ll miss most about the Tournament up there this year. (That and a certain craps table at Harrah’s, but that is a different story for another day!)

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HYATT

TEXAS TO THE BIG 10? SERIOUSLY.

Do you really think for a minute Texas is about to give up the sweetheart deal they have in the Big 12 to be just another “big” school in the Big 10? Forget it. There’s tons of “sources” out there right now saying that the Big 10 and Texas are talking and I’m sure they’re right. They just aren’t seriously talking about Texas joining the league.

The Big and Texas both benefit right now from having those stories out there however. For Texas, it sends a shot across the bow of the other Big 12 schools to remind them not to mess with the deal they made with the devil when it comes to revenue sharing. Elsewise the devil might get up and leave.

For the Big 10 having rumors out there that Texas is “interested” forces the school the league really wants to join to move faster and get on about the process. Nothing like a little sales pressure being applied to schools like Missouri or even Notre Dame it that’s the target.

Out west you’ve got rumors of the Pac 10 looking at Colorado. I can see that happening easier than a Boise St. getting elevated to Cal and Stanford status by the eggheads out west. They’ve got as much academic hubris there as the Big 10 does and they don’t want just anyone showing up at their club. Arizona State is bad enough but Boise? Come on.

Three years from now the Big 12 will very likely have two new partners. Replacing Texas won’t be a part of that equation though. They’ve got too good a deal to leave until they have to and that hasn’t happened yet and won’t happen until the BCS is dead.

HOW ‘BOUT THOSE LADY RADIERS

Back-to-back wins over top 15 teams for first time in I don’t know how long should be proof that this year’s squad has improved talent and certainly a base of youngsters like Monique Smalls, who did a stellar job on OSU’s Andrea Riley Saturday night, that Kristy Curry has this program moving forward. Getting pay-off wins in the Big 12 is rough when you’re growing. Just ask Pat Knight who saw his men’s squad give-one away to A&M over the weekend. The Red Raiders had just gotten that key road win they needed at OU only to give back the momentum at home. Tough league to get better in but I still believe both the men’s and women’s teams are vastly improved over a year ago. ‘Course fans in the microwave generation don’t wan to hear that. They’re the same people that would have run off Coni Yori at Nebraska a year or two ago before she could get the Huskers to 23-0. . .

BABY IT’S COLD OUTSIDE

I’m trying to get into the Winter Olympics. I really am. It just isn’t working. Sorry. Maybe next time around.

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HYATT

Link:
Double-T Nation Post-Game Report

The Red Raiders gave it a better run than most, including myself, thought they might last night before falling to Texas 95-83 at the refurbished Super Drum. I won’t pretend we have all the answers around here so I direct you to Double-T Nation’s write-up on the game. Great stuff.

Dang it, I’ve got to admit it. I really do love cold weather. I hate what it does to my old creaky bones, but I love the way it looks and feels. It puts me in the right mood for Christmas and even the ice doesn’t seem so bad today. Of course knowing it is going to be gone by lunch helps, doesn’t it?

Meanwhile…

The red Raider men’s basketball team finds itself back in the Top 25 after their win over then 10Th ranked Washington last week. That’s a big step for Pat Knight’s bunch and something that will help fans buy back into the program after a few down years. There were more than a few skeptics out there when Pat was bequeathed the team after Bob Knight abruptly called it quits a few years ago. Already Pat has shown he can upgrade the talent and get a few big wins. Now we’ll find out quickly if it can translate on the road with games against Wichita State and TCU looming.

Down in San Antone

Anyone thinking that Texas Tech fans might not be as excited to go to a bowl game this year after an up and down season were wrong as Texas Tech is moving tickets to the Alamo Bowl against Michigan State fast according to the A-J.

This says a lot about the Texas Tech fan of 2009 vs. the Texas Tech fan of a decade ago. Today Tech fans have by and large built into their budgets the idea of going to a bowl game each year. They don’t know when and where for sure but they’re used to going and having a good time. That’s something that the major programs that have always traveled well, read Nebraska, have done in the past. Texas Tech has a great reputation with bowl officials right now, more so than even the vaunted Huskers if you talk to the right bowl reps.

Most bowl reps will tell you that they can gauge how well a bowl game will do within 48 hours of the announcement of the pairings. If today’s news is any indication the Alamo Bowl is going to have a banner year thanks to Tech fans in a down economy. That may end up being the crowing achievement of this football season. Well played Tech Fans!

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We Need Your Help

First let me say thank you in advance for what I know you’re going to do today and next week. I can say that because I’ve witnessed the generosity that our audience has for the past several years with our annual Christmas charity programs. This year will be no different I’m sure.

I realize that times are tougher this December on the South Plains than maybe since the depression. I know that many families and businesses are fighting hard just to take care of the basics right now. I also know that when the folks in West Texas know they can make a difference, they will.

Today You Can Make a Difference

This year The Williams and Hyatt Show is partnering with Kidspace to help ensure that the families staying at Lubbock’s Ronald McDonald House next to UMC have a Christmas that won’t be just about sick and hurting family memebers, displaced kids and the worry and stress that having a child in the hospital creates, not just at Christmas but anytime.

This year we are asking our audience and friends to help us provide the families at the Ronald McDonald House with popcorn tins, disposable cameras and photo albums. At any given time there may be up to 17 families staying at the Ronald McDonald House for just a few days or several months. This year we want to help them create some better memories while they’re there but we need your help to do it.

The people at Ronald McDonald House provide a service for families that you can’t begin to imagine until you find yourself in those families shoes. For many of the families they’re not staying at the hospital from just down the block. They’re from miles and miles and hours and hours away. Separated from friends and families, away from home and all the while worrying about their child.

I know what that’s like.

My wife and I were lucky when our son was born. He spent his first week in N.I.C.U. with the wonderful doctors and nurses at UMC. We knew he would be out soon and he would be fine but it is still one of the most trying weeks in my life. I wish it upon no one. While we were there though we were blessed to get to know many other parents that exhibited the strength and courage of dealing with life-threatening situations for their own children. Many of those parents had been there for weeks and many would stay weeks longer. Many of them didn’t have the luxury like us of knowing for sure they’d be taking a healthy child home. Those memories will stay with me all my days.

Many of those parents and children benefited from the safe haven that Lubbock’s Ronald McDonald House serves as. This year, I feel the least we can do is try and help some of Lubbock’s best make life a little easier for some folks that would appreciate even the smallest of Christmas cheer!

So please, if you can, pick up some of the items we’re looking for today or next week and drop them off at our collection point. We’re taking in all donations today til five at Kidspace at 6028 82nd St and then again all next week.

You don’t have to stop with just the popcorn tins, disposable cameras and photo albums. The Ronald McDonald House has many other needs as well. Here’s just a sampling:

• Kitchen Items – Paper plates, Trash bags (8, 13, and 55 gallon), Plastic forks, Plastic Spoons, chip clips (various sizes), and Weiman cook top stove cleaner.
• Cleaning Items – Clorox Disinfectant Wipes, Lysol Disinfectant Spray, hand sanitizer, Spray Air Freshener, Furniture Polish, Pine Sol, all purpose cleaner
• For Our Guests – Movie, Dinner or Retail Store Gift Certificates, and Calling Cards. We are also going to begin scrapbooking with our families and would appreciate any scrapbook materials to get our families started.
• Miscellaneous – Powdered and liquid HE (high efficiency) Laundry Detergent, Bleach, Dryer Sheets, washable pillow protectors, and white wash cloths.
• Office Needs – 8.5 x 11 Copy Paper (White or brightly colored), Postage Stamps, Scissors, Masking Tape, Black Sharpies, yellow highlighters, AAA batteries, Laminating Paper, and Post-It Notes
• Snacks – We are in desperate need of individual packaged snacks such as granola bars, cheese and crackers, peanut butter crackers, cookies, fruit roll ups, peanuts, Easy Mac individual servings, beef jerkey, etc. We use these snacks in our House and all Family Rooms!
• We also need frozen cookie dough in plastic tubs or in individual packages (buttons). We love to have fresh cookies baking at the House and Family Rooms. Nothing says “home” like the smell of oven-baked cookies! Our families love them!

Kidspace is offering 10% off your purchase (some exclusions apply), when your drop your donation off at their location.

This year’s Christmas drive is very personal for me. I know you can help us. Thanks in advance.

Sincerely,

Ryan Hyatt

The Williams and Hyatt Show

SportsRadio 1340 The Fan