Wednesday is the last day of Big 12 Media Days and the confrence saved Texas for last. We at KXAN got a sneak peek of what Mack Brown might say when we interviewed him at the THSCA Division I coaches’ panel June 19. Brown talked about the need to find leaders on the team for 2009, and the emergence of some younger players who are going to fill those gaps.

Here’s some food for thought: What about his success stories of 2008? At the beginning of last season, the young secondary was one of the biggest concerns on the team. Now they have the chance to be one of the most cohesive groups in the Big 12. Greg Davis talked to the writers at media day in 2008 and said he thought he piled too much on Colt McCoy’s plate in 2007. How did the reflection and the adjustment work in 2008? Good, if you consider a 76.7% completion rate and a Heisman Trophy nomination successful.

Like any other team there are always going to be questions. The running back question is up for discussion again. The loss of Brian Orakpo and Roy Miller is a concern on the defensive line. The chemistry needed to reproduce a 2008 season is also a question. But maybe here’s a time where we evaluate a year later, and think, “hmm… that was pretty dead on.”

 As for Cowboys camp, I am glad to see it back in San Antonio. It’s a great atmosphere, even if the air temperature isn’t. Roy Williams said he was looking forward to seeing as many as 40,000 people at the team’s practices. Fans cheered Tony Romo and Jerry Jones as they arrived at the team hotel.

Jones and Wade Phillips gave the annual “state of the team” address this afternoon. My favorite quote? “It’s football time,” Phillips said.

Oh yes, it’s football time. Let’s roll.

As far as weeks go, this one has been a pretty good one in the sports reporting department.

Tuesday Colt McCoy had an interview session with the Austin TV media about his summer and getting ready for the fall. The now senior QB talked about the importance of being able to give back, like when he went to Peru on a mission trip, his appreciation for a few days of free time, the goals already being set in 7 on 7 practice and photo shoots, where he tried to not take himself too seriously.

McCoy is taking it all in stride, but of course doesn’t want to talk about the photo shoot portion of his summer too much. Who can blame him? It’s not easy all the time to say, “Hey, here’s how great I am and I’ve got these pictures in every newspaper/magazine to prove it.” He’s not that guy. Nor would he ever say anything along those lines. However, it comes with the territory. Mack Brown has talked before about how his job is as much about representing the University of Texas as it is about coaching, and McCoy’s celebrity has taken him to that status. The difference may be what McCoy is saying right now… how he’s asking himself and the team if they’re doing what they need to do to be in shape for fall, if they’re learning what they need to be learning, and do they have their goals in mind. These are the questions that we all forget to ask ourselves when it’s our respective offseasons.

Friday I spent time with players from the UT baseball team working out with strength coach Lance Sewell. I can’t divulge too much about this one yet but it’s going to be good. Instead of playing summer baseball, some very talented guys are working on conditioning instead. Not only is their offseason focus impressive, but these drills are crazy. Sewell is looking at each athlete and perscribing different exercises based on their positon, their body, and various other individual elements. The results are noteworthy, to say the least.

 And then there’s today, when I got to cover the start of one of my favorite weekends, the Texas High School Coaches Association Convention. I am a huge fan of high school coaches. They have made a difference in my life on a regular basis for literally half of it now, and this is a great time to talk to some coaches I’ve never met about sports and teaching and… life.

The basketball and football All-Star games this weekend are always fun. For some of these kids, this is literally their last competitive game of their lives. For others, it’s a prelude to a great career away from home, and many of them make friends for life.

Last year, I asked a wide receiver who played for Smithson Valley about a TD pass he caught, and he said, “When I’m much older, and a grandfather, my grandkids will never believe that their 5′7″ grandad caught a TD in an all-star Texas football game.”

That is what this weekend is all about.

The basketball game is Monday night at the Erwin Center at 7:30. The football game is the first on the new turf at DKR Texas Memorial Stadium on Tuesday night. Check out the games. Kids from 1A-5A face off against each other, and proud parents cheer. It’s a positive and fun atmosphere with some great stories…

 The best one I’ve found so far will be on the air Sunday night on Game Night.

The Texas Premier Football camp at St. Michae’s in Southwest Austin was a great chance for kids to meet former UT football players and talk football. it was also a great chance to see guys I’ve covered for years only to see them leave the UT campus and go on to be successful. It was also a great day to see life at work. The 200 or so kids who came to learn about how to play the game also had questions about life of their own. They heard Selvin Young talk about how important grades were — and after having to leave college and go to a Junior College, he came back to Texas and made the Dean’s list 4 semesters in a row not to mention then make it in the NFL . Roy Williams talking about the death of his grandmother. Eeriely similar to the death of my grandfather in that when I heard of his illness, I flew back to Texas from kentucky and the moment I landed in Dallas I felt the loss and he died almos to the minute I landed in Dallas. Roy went to Las Vegas and something told him to come home, he landed back in Texas at 3:23pm, his grandmother died at 3:23pm, as Roy said “she waited unitl I got back to Texas to die”. What an aweosome moment for those kids to share in a life experience with a member of the Dallas Cowbosy. Corey Redding told the kids to have respect and make the most of life and don’t waste getting involved with the wrong group. it was a break from the normal questions we ask about football. it was fun to sit and listen and well, learn more about life from the Texas football players I respect.

It was also a chance for me to say hello and give a hug to a group of athletes who are really making a difference, the names you might not hear everyday…like Tony Jeffries, Sloan Thomas, BJ Johnson and many many more.

I also ran into Michael Huff, and since my first name is Michael, why not talk to another Michael. We both find it kind of funny that I was doing an interview with my phone when he’s used to seeing my “big boy” camera.

Enjoy, cause it was a wonderful day to see all of the guys who are taking the time to shape the future and to see their maturity and if your son or daughter was out there today — they are in good hands.

The Texas baseball season will end tonight in Omaha.  The question is,  will Texas close it out with a dog-pile on the mound or with the disappointment of coming so close, but leaving with second place?

Texas sophomore Cole Green will get the start for the Longhorns, but other than Taylor Jungmann, the entire pitching staff will be ready to go.  As of 4:25 pm it is warm and sunny, but there is a chance of thunderstorms throughout the evening. 

Here’s a look at the Horns arrival to Rosenblatt Stadium at about 3:30 Central time.

The UT-LSU championship series game will be delayed because of thunderstorms in Omaha.  The game is scheduled to start at 6:10, but it looks like it will be at least 7:00 before they get started.

The Longhorns are trying to avoid elimination with a win over the Tigers and force a third and deciding game.

The Longhorns will try to extend their season tonight against LSU.  Texas will need to end the Tigers 14 game winning streak that goes back to May 20th in order to force a deciding 3rd game on Wednesday.  Horns hoping they have a little history on their side, two of the last three CWS winners lost their first game of the Championship series, Oregon State in 2oo6 in Fresno State last year.

Texas fans have not given up hope.  Check out the video below as fans lined up some 7 hours before 300 tickets went on sale for tonights game.

 

The heat is on the Longhorns and everyone else in Omaha.  It is smokin hot for the 2nd straight day.  I know its hotter in Austin, but maybe it feels so hot because its not supposed to be an oven up here. Actually its not that unusual for the temps to reach the 90’s this time of year, but after covering this event 8 times over the last 18 years,l I’m more used to 70’s and 80’s than high 90’s. 

We arrived at Rosenblatt Stadium around 11am and the fans are already lined up behind the outfield for those bleacher seats. Die hard.

LSU did to Texas what the Longhorns have been doing to other teams this entire post season.  LSU scored 2 runs in the top of the 9th with two outs to the tie the game 6-6.  Tigers won it with a two out rbi single from Mike Mahtook in the top of the 11th.  Horns face elimination for the 2nd time in the post season.  Horns won the third and deciding game against TCU in the Super Regional.  Augie Garrido it will be tough to accept this loss, but also said that if they Horns let this one linger on Tuesday, they have already lost the game. 

It’s great to be back in Omaha for the College World Series. There are a few things that make this one of the best sporting events ever and the CWS Statue is one of the reasons for this. I’ve seen more families take pictures here than any other place at any other sporting event that i’ve been to. I wanted to give you a sneak peak of where it is and how ESPN gets all of those cool shots.

ONe of the reasons I simply love this statue is because it represents the joy of the game. Not one single person or thing, but the emotion of winning, the joy of being number 1, the start of the dog pile…it’s awesome and if you can, you should get a picture taken in front of the CWS statue.

Texas arrived just after 3:00 to Rosenblatt Stadium for Game One of the CWS championship series.  LSU rolled in about a half hour later.  It was pretty clear based on the reception that unless the UT fans are late arriving, there will be more Purple than Burnt Orange in the stadium.  Even though the Horns are the number one seed, you get the feeling they are the underdog.  Texas has been battling all post season starting wtih that 25 inning win against Boston College in the 2nd game of the regional.  LSU has been red hot for a while.  Tigers have won their last 13 games.  You have to go back to May 20th against Vanderbilt for their last loss.  While LSU has won all five of their national championship games, they have never played in a best of three series for the title.  Texas is 1-1 in that format, losing two in a row to Cal-State Fullerton in 2004 and then beating Florida in two straight for the last title in 2005.

Here is some video from both teams arriving.