ChadHastings.com

Posts and Concrete

2010-07-17T00:59:00.002-05:00

The framing is almost done. Then the decking material can go up. To see more pics of this stage, click HERE

Again, big thanks to Austin Wholesale Decking for all their help, and to Mike Toupin for design and buliding assistance.

Deck time

2010-07-12T17:51:00.003-05:00

The deck is coming along. Thanks to Mike Toupin, Donovan, and Steve for getting us off to a great start.

Check out more photos on the station website - LINK

A ton of thanks to Z and the guys at Austin Wholesale Decking (Website ; 512-834-1200)

Texas Stadium Implosion

2010-04-12T14:48:00.003-05:00

Here's a link to theview from the NBC 5 chopper. Good stuff - LINK

Happy Birthday Texas

2010-03-02T13:47:00.003-06:00

The state of my birth turns 174 today. We'll talk about it on the show. Call 512-542-3376 and leave us "things you love about Texas" on the Driveby. Also, Geoff will be live at Longhorn practice at 4,5, and 6.

Hot Curling Pics

2010-02-24T15:25:00.002-06:00

Oh yes there is a Women of Curling calendar. Here are links to pics. Treat as NSFW http://tinyurl.com/yd4qus7; http://tinyurl.com/ydvvq8v

Do You Think I'm Sexy?

2010-02-22T13:41:00.004-06:00

Yes I do, Cheryl. This is the captain of the Canadian Women's Curling team, Cheryl Bernard. I had never really watched a lot of curling, but when a certain friend of mine says "You gotta turn to channel __", it usually leads me to some form of hot woman. Ding, ding. I can't watch Men's Curling. It does nothing for me. But Women's Curling has a sexy aspect that I can only compare to volleyball. I want to watch women do it. I don't want to watch men do it. The sexiness of Curling comes from the positions they have to get into to do it, and the things they yell at each other while competing. Before you dismiss it guys, just watch.

Here's a link to more Cheryl photos - LINK
Pay special attention to the one of her naked with a brush from behind. I need to find that calendar.

If you find more pics, please let me know. I am now officially obsessed.

Tiger...Oh My

2010-02-20T00:58:00.004-06:00

Lots of opinions on the show today as you can imagine. We got a female perspective from Samantha Steele of Fox Sports, and she really pulled no punches. It was good stuff. Check it out here - LINK

So a couple thoughts. Obviously he should have answered questions. For me that's a given. So today must be discussed with that in mind. First, I think Tiger did what he had to do. He fell on the sword. He took the blame. He didn't say other athletes have done it. He did not hide behind the word "addiction". He said things athletes usually don't say in those situations. He said he cheated, felt entitled, and thought he lived by different rules. I thought all that was good. He said he let people down. He said he let kids down. He owned it.

The questionable stuff - 1) I'm not sure if telling a largely Christian country that you are Buddhist is the best idea, but it did give us a bit of a window into how he is dealing with it. Religion helps people cope with many things. If it helps him, great. I think that one may have been for his mom as well. 2) I agree in principle to his attack of the media, I just wouldn't have gone there today. Save that one for Barbara Walters, or Bryant Gumbel, or Oprah. Of course it's wrong that the paparazzi follows his daughter to school, but don't poke that bear. You need that bear to be friendly. That bear is going to live in your bushes for a while. Plus, as a guest pointed out today, is Tiger in a position to tell someone what's ethical right now? Still, trying to protect Elin and the kids from that can't look bad in her eyes. Which brings us to the main point of today, Elin.

She will decide where this goes now. Can she actually forgive all that he has done? He cheated with multiple women, lied about it, only came clean when he got caught, and, if you believe a porn star, may have impregnated one of those women on multiple occasions. That would mean he opened his marriage up to not only destruction and ridicule, but possibly put his wife's health at risk. Wow. If she walks, you can hardly blame her. The issue will be about redemption. Do you think it exists? We had a couple female callers today take the "once a cheater, always a cheater" stance. If you believe he has lied before and will lie again, her choice is simple. But what if he can change? Is that possible? Can you go from 14 women on the side (allegedly) to Ward Cleaver in a couple months? And can you resist the temptation if you do go back out on tour? Elin has a lot to process.

Now to the one thing that is not getting lots of talk, the camera issue. About 9 minutes into the speech, the camera goes dark. Then, when the picture returns, instead of the face on shot you had, it's now off to the side to Tiger's left. This changed a few things. #1 - It changed the rest of the speech. He couldn't "look us in the eye" anymore even though he thought he still was. When he asked the media to leave his wife and kids alone, he thought he was looking right in the camera. He wasn't. It kind of distracted from the message. #2 - The angle change brought his mother into play. I did not even know she was there until then. Can you imagine having to give that speech in front of Mom? So for the last 4 minutes, we see her reactions. I'm sure she did not realize this. Lots of people have talked about how she did not look at Tiger. That's not an issue if camera 1 had come back on. And #3 -It gave hawk eyes the angle to see he was not wearing a wedding ring, adding another side story. It's funny how many stories you can create out of a camera angle. Oh, and to the people in charge of that camera, you really couldn't get it working again for 4 minutes? What happened, did Ernie Els sneak in and destroy it? Come on tech folks. Help a Tiger out.

Lastly, I wonder how sex addiction treatment works. You can't go cold turkey. You have to have sex. You just have to change your thoughts about sex. That's if Elin takes him back. What if she doesn't? If you're married, is it sex addiction, and if you're single, is it just being Derek Jeter? Maybe it's like food addiction. You have to eat, but you have to change the way you deal with food. I don't know. I'll leave that to the experts. Best of luck to Tiger and Elin as they try to do what's right for their kids.

And on a personal note, there are now 2 things I know I do better than Tiger Woods...giving and receiving high 5's and being a faithful husband. Scoreboard.

Tiger's Statement

2010-02-19T10:41:00.003-06:00

Audio of Tiger's Statement in online at www.espnaustin.com Here's the direct link to the audio LINK

Link to video - LINK

And the Curse of Tony Dungy is born

2010-02-08T12:42:00.005-06:00

You know what you don't want going into a football game? You don't want Tony Dungy saying the other team has no chance to be you. He said the Cowboys had no chance against New Orleans. Then Dallas went to the Superdome, used the comment as fuel, and won 24-17. The Saints could calm down, forget about 16-0, and rest players if they needed to. Then Dungy said his former team would beat the Saints in the Super Bowl, and it wouldn't be close. He said the Saints had no chance to win the Super Bowl. After their 31-17 win over the Colts, N.O. coach Sean Payton said when he heard the comment from Dungy, he knew they would be all right. Maybe Dungy was jealous of the Colts success without him, and dropped the curse on them. Either way, beware in the future when Dungy goes on a limb.

Now to the game itself. The Super Bowl gave us another classic. It was not a one score game, but if you watched, and you did, you know it played like one. As time goes by, don't forget about the second quarter. There were over 8 minutes in the quarter when Manning hit Garcon for that big first down. Oh wait, no he didn't. Garcon dropped the ball, and the next time Manning touched the ball, it was 1st and 10 from his own 1 yard line with about :40 left in the half. The Saints get a 3 and out and a field goal. Big momentum lift for a team that had just been stuffed at the goal line.

And then Sean Payton really went for the momentum. The first onside kick outside the 4th quarter in Super Bowl history was successful, and the Saints turned it into a TD. Now Manning and the Colts had to chase. Which they did with a TD drive of their own. That's when I turned to someone in the room and said "You give the MVP to the winning QB". They were putting on such a great show. They set a new record for completions in a SB, yet there was only one interference penalty and one turnover, both coming on the Colts' last drive.

And with all of that drama going on, the story took the one turn you never expected. Manning made the big mistake. The name Tracy Porter is now on the "Free drinks for life" list in every bar in the Big Easy. I just couldn't believe it. In that game, the first big mistake was going to cost you the game, and it did. The two oldest rules in football determined Super Bowl 44: Take care of the ball, and you've gotta make plays. The Saints made the plays and protected the ball.

Now to the stories. I've got to start with Brees since I'm in Austin. He is the first Texas born QB to start a Super Bowl, and he went to PURDUE. Texas, A&M, Tech, TCU, etc. None of them offered Brees a scholarship. Then his comeback after the injury in San Diego and his decision to embrace New Orleans will be the stuff of legend in the NFL for years to come.

But most importantly, congrats to Who Dat Nation. I had the pleasure of watching the game with a proud member named Linda, and she was sweating it out right up until the Saints made the final stop. But when they did, what a moment. The look on her face was 43 years in the making. The look said "The Saints are going to win the Super Bowl". She almost couldn't believe it. It took a while to sink in. But yes, Linda, your Saints are jokes no more. They can never take that Lombardi trophy away from you. There will never be bags on any one's head again. The Saints are the champs. Who Dat indeed.

Soul Music Only

2010-02-07T00:55:00.002-06:00

Those who know me will tell you I probably don't have a lot of religious experiences. I had one tonight. I saw the movie Crazy Heart. It is simply one of the best movies I have ever seen. First, the movie part. Jeff Bridges has given us the Dude and Bad Blake, two iconic roles that people will talk about and study for years. Whether he gets the Oscar or not really doesn't matter that much. Icons don't need Oscars. Now, to the religious part.

I know, how can I consider seeing a movie about a washed up country singer a religious experience? Simple, because it's more than music to me. I found this definition of religious: "appropriate to religion or to sacred rites or observances." Those who know me will tell you I consider music one of the most sacred things on Earth. And the music of Crazy Heart speaks to my spirit. It reminds me of why I discovered country music in the first place. See I grew up on rock and metal. That is the music of my youth. It's also my father's music. It's part of why we are close. But as I went through college, I also began to discover country music. That's my grandfather's music. It made me feel close to him after he died. In the movie, when I saw those denim button up shirts with the pearl snaps, I thought of him and nearly cried.

The movie made me think of 1997. I sat in an efficiency apartment at 44th and Ave A in Austin Texas. I put a CD in the player that would change my life. It was "Juarez" by Terry Allen, a wonderful musical gift. It opened up a world that let me know there was a connection between my grandfather's music and what would become mine. There was a line in the country music sand that ran from Bill Monroe to Merle Haggard to Randy Travis to Bruce Robison. And it all had one thing in common, soul. I found a plastic sign in a ditch when I was in Jr. High that read simply "Soul Music Only". I kept it. That's my only requirement for music. It has to have soul. Crazy Heart has soul.

So if you're a little like me, you might like this movie. I love a good song. I love a good album. I still call them albums. I have to listen to the songs in order the first time because that's what the musician intended. I listen to the song. The words, not just the tune. They become part of me. I want to know who wrote the song. I want to know why. I remember the first time I saw Billy Jo Shaver live. When I hear Willie Nelson's voice, I stop no matter where I am. I have spent nights at the Cactus Cafe in Austin watching one musician and one instrument stir more inside me than a 20 piece band ever could. And when I talk about my favorite Johnny Cash songs, sometimes I have to choke back tears. It's not just music. It's my soul. Crazy Heart is a movie about my soul.

Favre "Pants on the Ground"

2010-01-19T15:50:00.000-06:00

Don't be the person who hasn't seen it

It Comes Down to One Sad Story and The Most Important Thing

2010-01-08T14:39:00.003-06:00

Wow, where to start on Bama's 37-21 victory over Texas. Obviously there will be tons to say on the show today at 4:00. Let me just mention 3 things here that stood out.

1) The Colt injury. When the most irreplaceable player in the game is out on his 5th play, it is the story of the game. Alabama fans must acknowledge that while celebrating their title. It is certainly not an asterisk, but it is part of the story. In all the years I have watched football, I have never seen that scenario play out in the biggest game. My heart goes out to Colt as he tries to make sense of it all.

2) The answer to 2 of the biggest questions in the game was "no". Can the UT defense stop Bama's run game when they need to? Can the UT O line step up when they need to?

And 3) Texas did not make plays. Bama did. From the moment Colt went out, there were plenty of chances for Texas to keep the momentum, help Gilbert settle into the game, and have a chance to win. They just didn't make those plays. It took too long for the team to get over Colt's absence, and by the time they did, they had dug too big a hole. Congrats to Bama. Ingram was a stud. They were the better team last night.

2010-01-06T12:56:00.003-06:00

If you are rooting for Texas and want to get pumped for the game, check this out. Thanks to one of our listeners, Michael, who sent it to me.

I AM A CHAMPION

Aggie Football 2000-2009

2009-12-31T12:52:00.002-06:00

If you know me, you know I love numbers in sports. Sure they can lie, and sometimes they are for losers. But sometimes they tell the whole story. As I watched A&M get beat 44-20 by Georgia the other night, I was as upset as I have ever been as a fan. Then I realised why. I had seen this story many, many times. There are those who cover A&M trying to put a positive spin on this. They say it was a 24 point loss and you gave up 24 in special teams. So just fix that breakdown and you're done. Stop. Just stop.

With the decade at an end today, I took a look back at the past 10 years of Aggie pigskin. It better be headed somewhere, because the recent past is nothing special. Remember, these are not my opinions. These are the facts:

Record - 63-59 (52% win %) ; Record in the '90s - 94-28 (77% win %)
Losing seasons - 4
Season with a winning Conf. record - 3

Record vs UT - 2-8
Record vs OU - 1-9
Record vs TT - 3-7
Record vs OSU - 6-4
Record vs Baylor - 8-2

Record vs Ranked teams - 9-32

Games giving up 40 points in a loss - 29 (UT had 5 for comparison)
Average score in those games - 49-21
Number of those games with a one score margin - 2

Have I made a point yet? The Aggies are better than Baylor. They are almost as good as Ok. St. (who had 4 more wins and 2 more winning seasons in the decade) You are fooling yourself if you have them anywhere above that.

Now an opinion - I looked for big wins in the decade and found 5. that's it.

2000 - 26-10 over #8 K.St.
2002 - 30-26 over #1 OU
2006 - 12-7 over #10 UT
2007 - 38-30 over #11 UT
2009 - 52-30 over #21 TT

Please tell me if I'm missing one. I love my Aggies, and I always will. But I'm not ready to start counting moral victories after a 24-point loss. Maybe that's the big difference between me and some other Aggie fans. They know moral victories are all we have right now. I'm not ready to admit it.

TX/OU thoughts, numbers, and a pick

2009-10-16T14:56:00.007-05:00

You know what they always say, “Throw out the record books”. And you know what I always say, “Always look at the record book in this one. Because it tells the story”. The late ‘80’s and early ‘90s of this series got people thinking that anything could happen. And of course it can. But the numbers tell you it normally doesn’t. This is the 33rd ranked matchup since the AP started in 1936. The higher ranked team has won 22 of the previous 32 games (69%). So almost 7 out of every 10, the “better” team wins. It’s the 8th time they’ll be 10 spots or more apart in the rankings. Texas is 3, OU is 20. In the previous 7 games, the higher ranked team is 5-1-1. UT won as the lower ranked team in 1958. Oklahoma has never won such a matchup as the lower ranked team. Also, just for you super nerds, this is the first time either team has been 20 or lower in a ranked matchup. Yes, I know. It’s a wonder my wife ever gave me the time of day. In the last 23 games, just the team with the better record is 10-5 (8 games they had the same record going in). So again, always lean towards the better team in this game.
Before we get to my thoughts on this year’s game, another interesting stat. This is obviously a match up of a 2 loss team and an undefeated. How many times has that happened in the entire series? Only 11 times out of 103 games (11%). In those 11, the undefeated team is 8-3. In the 8 wins, the average margin of defeat is 31-7. In the 3 wins for the 2 loss teams, they won by 3 points, 6 points, and 2 points. So what does that tell us about this game? It suggests that Texas will win a blowout or OU will win a close one.

Now to this game. I like Texas because of the defense and the way they match up with this OU offense. The closest thing the Sooners have seen to this level of run defense is Tulsa. Texas is #1 in the country against the run. Plus I don’t think Bradford, that O line, and those WR’s can score enough to beat Texas. On the other side, everyone is talking about Texas and slow starts, or the running game. Here’s what everyone is missing. OU’s defense isn’t great. It’s good. The best offense they’ve played, BYU, beat them. Texas has too many weapons and will be the biggest challenge OU has faced. The 47th best pass defense will give up plays to Colt and that passing attack.
Lastly, this game is all about the Texas O line for me. If they play well, ball game. If not, OU will be in it until the end. So keep these last 2 numbers in mind from the OU perspective: turnovers and running game. The last 23 games in the series, if you win the turnover battle, you win 78% of the time (18 of 23). Texas can’t have the turnovers deep in their territory that have plagued them this year. If OU can get an early lead, they can withstand a Texas charge. To ultimately win, though, OU must run well. If you outrush the opponent over the last 23 years, you win 70% of the Red River Shootouts. And with Bradford’s options in the passing game, a running game is critical for the Sooners.

Ok, one last weird number. The only team in the last 23 games to lose turnovers and rushing and win – ’90 UT (14-13). Shock the nation indeed.

Again, I’m taking Texas. I’m trusting my eyes and the numbers. The better team normally handles business is Dallas. UT – 35, OU – 13.

An OU sucks song

2009-10-14T14:41:00.001-05:00

Found this on YouTube Longhorn fans. Enjoy:

Happy birthday Stacy Keibler

2009-10-14T14:34:00.003-05:00

She's 30 today. Wrestling fans, remember the first time you saw her? If you like women from the waist down, and you don't know who she is, enjoy.

Also check out chickapedia's gallery of photos : LINK For me, she's one of the hottest women on planet Earth.

The joys of working on the radio

2009-10-07T13:11:00.003-05:00

So yesterday I mentioned that my favorite moment of the NFL weekend is now Faith Hill in the black boots. If you have yet to catch the magic, here you go:

Wow, I can't miss it every week. Compared to that Hank and Frank Gifford are well... Hank and Frank Gifford. I love you Faith. You make me understand football even better. So after hearing my comments, an emailer named Casey sent me this shot of Carrie Underwood:

First of all, thank you Casey. I love it when the listeners get me. If you ever hear us saying anything that makes you think "Hey I should send Chad a picture of a hot woman", go with those feelings (thedrive@espnaustin.com ; chad@espnaustin.com). Secondly, Thanks to Shania Twain for bringing the black boots to country music. Remember the "Man I feel like a women" video? LINK That's where it started. No doubt there is a lot of crap in country music today, but the black boots are working. Miranda Lambert, can you hear me?

Quick thoughts on Carrie Underwood. How could Romo not make that work? Picking Jessica over her is like throwing to Sam Hurd covered by Champ Bailey...TWICE. And if A.I. had produced her and only her, it's still a success. She's so good, it's silly. And I'm a big Randy Travis guy, but when they sing "I told you so" as a duet, he just has a hard time keeping up. Not many can match pipes with Underwood. Much love Carrie.

Beware of the Mob

2009-09-16T13:47:00.002-05:00

This Leodis McKelvin story is so sad I almost don't know where to begin. If you missed it, the Buffalo Bills corner and return man had his yard vandalized following their loss to New England. An obscenity and the score of the game were painted on his lawn. McKelvin was the guy that had the ball stripped which allowed the Pats to get the game winning TD. When I read the story, I thought of a recent Youtube clip I saw of an Alabama fan watching the Va. Tech game. Watch if you haven't seen it.

NOT SAFE FOR WORK

Clearly there is a funny element to this. But it's also scary. How easily the racial slur comes out of his mouth is bad enough. But, to even consider the "threat" about blowing the officials head off is a reminder of how far fans sometimes go. And before you dismiss it as a crazy Bama fan, think about what you and your friends do and say during games. If your friends secretly taped you, what would we all see and hear?
The key word is, and will always be, boundries. Just know where the line is and don't cross it. And I think it's safe to say vandalizing a player's yard crosses a line. At least, to my knowledge, the Bama fan just yelled and acted like an idiot in front of what looks like 6 people or so.
So know the boundries, shout your opinions on the web, and stay out of players' yards. I feel for McKelvin's family, friends, and teammates. His fame does not give anyone the right to do that. It's just wrong. There's an old saying that when you get more than 2 guys in a room together, the IQ of the room goes down exponentially with every additional guy. So don't let the mob mentality take you over. It's sports. It's entertainment. If we let it go too far, do you know what we become? We become soccer fans. People that make a game so important they'll hit, scratch, maim, beat, kill, riot, and throw their own bodily fluids at each other over the outcome of a 0-0 tie. We can never let college football and the NFL get to that point. Today is not just about Buffalo fans. We should all be ashamed and mindful of the boundries.

You should never do this to your dog...ever.

2009-08-25T15:28:00.002-05:00

And let me be clear. The Steeler thing has nothing to do with it. This is animal cruelty no matter what team you like. This actually makes me feel sorry for a poodle. And that is sad.

Show today: Will Carroll at 4:40 talking baseball. 5:20 - Chip Brown to talk about UT basketball player J'Covan Brown being cleared to play & Steve Patterson(UGASports.com) to talk Georgia football. 5:40- Buy or Sell.Out at 6:00 because of Rangers @ Yankees. BTW, thanks to everyone for listening online at www.espnaustin.com

Thursday's show

2009-08-13T15:25:00.002-05:00

4:00 Plenty of Longhorn football talk including the loss of D.J. Grant.
4:40 and 6:40 - 3 Things I think I think

5:00-Jason Suchamel talking Longhorn practice

5:20-Newie Scruggs (NBC 5 in Dallas) talks Cowboys
Pitino story - Howie Lindsey (Cardinalsports.com)
PGA - Beau Edge ("The Edge on Golf" Saturday 9-10 am on 1530)

6:20-USC,VT,and TT injuries.

Tebow on top

2009-08-07T09:55:00.002-05:00

FL is #1 in the Coach's Poll. Texas is #2 with more first place votes than OU. The Orangebloods should be happy today. If you missed the Rolodex or Buy or Sell yesterday, they are in the Audio Vault at www.espnaustin.com

For those of you who like Buy or Sell, we'll try and have it online every day. Just sign in for free and you can listen to interviews, watch "The Sean and Chip Olympics", and our favorite sound.

You know it's football season when...

2009-08-07T00:54:00.002-05:00

...you have a preseason poll to talk about. Today is the day the Coach's Poll comes out. Will Florida be #1? Do OU and UT get 1st place votes? Is Texas ranked below the OU team they beat last year? We'll find out today and be talking about it starting at 4:00. Also if you missed yesterday's Rolodex or Buy or Sell, there are in the Audio Vault at www.espnaustin.com Remember, sign up for free and you can listen to all the stuff.

Happy Birthday A.T.

2009-08-06T15:07:00.004-05:00

4:20 today - UT Impact players - Vondrell McGee
5:20 - Rolodex
- Washington D.C. and a check in on Orakpo and Skins camp
- Chicago and if Henry Melton has made any noise
- St. Louis and an update on Chris Ogbonnaya
5:40 - Buy or Sell
6:20 - We'll check in with OU and FL as they begin fall practice.

Topic of the Day- What college and pro player do you think will have a break out year?

Plus, call the Driveby (512-542-3376) and wish A.T. a happy birthday.

The Magic Dancers...just because

2009-06-01T15:14:00.002-05:00

Whoever chose their pants needs a raise. The Finals start Thursday, and Orlando will be a much tougher matchup for L.A. than Cleveland would have been. Kobe will earn every jewel in ring number 4 if he gets it.

The bad news, the bad news, and the good news

2009-05-27T12:43:00.002-05:00

Clearly the first bit of bad news belongs to the city of Cleveland. What must that be like today? Your one hope for a title is all but lost, and that Lebron shot you were ready to bronze isn't worth the paper it was printed on. Remember that old argument about Lebron, the Knicks, being a global icon, etc.? It's back Cleveland. Throw in the Indians and Browns and, well, you know. Even if you want to claim Ohio State, you've got 2 national championship beatings to remember. Heck, if a certain official doesn't throw that silly pass interference flag, you'd have nothing to celebrate but the newest exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But at least they got to the final game. Sleep tight Cleveland and prey the King can save you.

The second piece of bad news is for all of us who wanted Kobe vs Lebron. If last night isn't a shot in the gut to all who believe the NBA is fixed, I don't know what is. Now Lebron has about a 5% chance to make the Finals, and David Stern can call Nike and cancel the new order of puppet commercials. Speaking of, Kobe and Lebron may end up being Dan and Dave. Sad thought, but that had lead up commercials, too. If you don't get that reference, check it out here. So if you're like me and you want that match up, let's hope Kobe wins tonight and Lebron pulls a miracle.

Now to the good news. It is real sports. Stan Van Gundy was right. It's not the BCS. It's decided on the court. And that is how it should be. If the Lakers and the Cavs don't get it done, then that's fine. It sucks, but that's sports. Real sports. Not the BCS. Not the WWE. It may be Magic vs Nuggets, but at least it's real. Remember what Mick taught us : "you can't always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need."

Oh, and by the way, if you only learn one thing watching the Lakers and Cavs, it's this: Scottie Pippen was great.

Where were you?

2009-05-23T07:33:00.002-05:00

Where were you the night Lebron James got his signature moment? Where were you the night the Kobe v Lebron Finals match up went from doubtful to still possible? Where were you the night Hedo Turkoglu became Craig Ehlo? What a shot. That, my friends, is why you just can't beat sports. That's why I have a job. And what a way to start the NBA Conference Finals. Two one-point games, a two-point game, and a three-point game. Lebron's not the happiest man in America. David Stern is. I can't wait to see what happens next. And congrats to Lebron. That was a big step in the process of shutting up all his critics. You know those NBA commercials where they replay a famous playoff moment with no people in the seats then slowly blend them in? How long will it take for you to see that shot done that way? I bet it's already done. Happy Saturday and God bless the NBA Playoffs.

The Golden Age of Super Bowls

2009-02-02T15:09:00.003-06:00

Wow, what a game. Again. If you are like me and root for the Cowboys, or maybe you are a Niners fan, yesterday wasn't fun. The Steelers now have 6 and are the class of the Super Bowl years. Congrats to the Black and Gold nation. There may be many that don't like you. But I can't imagine any that don't respect you.

But let's just step back for a second and talk Super Bowls in general. This is the greatest era of Super Bowls ever. Period. That is, of course, if you like close games at the end and lots of drama. Starting with Super Bowl 30(Cowboys/Steelers), 8 of the last 17 have been decided by 10 or less. Not bad, but it gets better. In 6 of the last 10, it's 7 points or less. That starts with the Rams stopping the Titans on the 1, and ends with last night and Santonio Holmes. But that's not it. In 5 of the last 8 Super Bowls, the margin of victory is 4 or less. Think about that for a second. There is no other 8 Super Bowl stretch that even competes with that. And now, for 2 straight years, people are saying it may have been the greatest Super Bowl they have ever seen. And you didn't laugh.

Lastly, 2 plays that will live forever. James Harrison, in my opinion, made the greatest play by a defender in Super Bowl history. Period. Put it all together, I don't think anyone comes close. Ty Law's pick 6 in SB 36 ended up being massive, but for a LB to do that is incredible. Then the Holmes catch. He made a tougher catch than Dwight Clark did for "The Catch" to win the Super Bowl. Was it a greater play overall than the Tyree catch from last year? I would say no. But was it the best catch in the history of the Super Bowl? Maybe. When you add it all up, no one has ever had to make that catch in that situation to win that game, and then done it. What a great time to be an NFL fan. I can't wait for next season.

Tampa fan gets beaned in the head after Game 5 in Philly.

2008-10-30T14:07:00.002-05:00

How much did this guy drink?

Practice your serve and forehand kids

2008-10-24T13:25:00.004-05:00

This lovely lady is the one time girlfriend of Novak Djokovic. You can make fun of me for liking tennis, but it's hard to argue with the eye candy.

Check out www.wagrankings.com for more hot wives and girlfriends of athletes

Cowboys host the Bucs this week

2008-10-20T14:09:00.004-05:00

Tampa is 5-2 after whipping Seattle, and the pressure they love to apply will be a huge test if it's Brad Johnson again. And in case you've forgotten, this is Jeff Garcia's wife, Carmella. Now, that's motivation. And will someone please show this picture to T.O.?...

How do you not love Gabrielle Union?

2008-10-16T14:17:00.002-05:00

Dwayne Wade went from rumors about Star Jones to Union. Hello upgrade.

For more pics of athletes' hot wives and girlfriends, www.wagrankings.com

It's enough to make you a Phillies fan

2008-10-15T14:45:00.000-05:00

This is Cole Hamels' wife, Heidi. Remember to check out my new favorite website, www.wagrankings.com and catch the Stripper DJ every day on the show at 5:20 (new time)

A pick me up for a Tuesday

2008-09-16T15:30:00.002-05:00

Shanna Moakler. Once engaged to Oscar De La Hoya. Need more info and pics, go to www.wagrankings.com Great site.

I'm on TV tonight in Austin

2008-08-19T13:43:00.002-05:00

For those of you that have ME television on your Austin Time Warner Cable, I'll be on for a few minutes talking sports with Josh Sheppard tonight in the 6:00 hour,and it will replay in the 10:00 hour. Thanks to Josh for the exposure. That's channel 15 if you have Time Warner in Austin. Here's their website - LINK

Update on Mom

2008-08-09T00:56:00.002-05:00

Our family got some great news at the end of July. My mom had a biopsy to make sure there were no lingering issues following her previous cancer surgery. Everything came back clear and good. My niece (in the pic) sang "Happy Lucky Day" to her that night, which I think is great. Thanks to everyone who has been sending their thoughts to my mother during this time. Sal in NYC asks about her a lot and I appreciate that, Sal. Thanks as well to all those people that didn't make it, but helped medical science learn something that led to my mom being OK. My mother-in-law, who I never met, died of breast cancer when my wife was 16. She and thousands of others paved the way for what we know now. Because of her, my wife began getting mammograms at an early age and has never had an issue. Because of her, new treatments were available for my mom and she has been able to use early detection to stop things before they become dire. In a way, she will help all four of the people in this picture to continue to grow happy and healthy.

Also, please send positive thoughts to one of my radio brothers who is going through his second battle with cancer. We all trust he can beat this thing like he did the first time. TQ, we love you.

And for everyone whose life is being challenged by cancer, my thoughts are with you tonight.

C.

Marcus Spears on 1530 today

2008-07-30T13:15:00.002-05:00

Chip and Sean will talk to him at about 2:20 today. Check it out: www.espnaustin.com

Never play golf with Darth Vader

2008-07-29T15:36:00.001-05:00

Astros Kimm sent me this one. Good stuff. Check it out.

Sable

2008-07-22T14:11:00.003-05:00

Need I say more?

Danica and Milka

2008-07-21T14:03:00.002-05:00

This is the driver Danica was so upset with over the weekend. Here's the video if you missed it.

To see more pics of Milka, click HERE

The Ichiro article

2008-07-16T22:36:00.002-05:00

If you missed the story we hit before the All Star Game about the pre game speech nobody knew about, here it is - LINK
Great article by Jeff Passan at Yahoo Sports. We'll try and get him on the show sometime.

The Dimitri messages

2008-07-03T09:39:00.002-05:00

For those of you who may have missed it on Tuesday, here is the Dimitri phone message thing we played. Ladies, you know you want him. Guys, you know you've left messages you regret. Thanks to everyone who's enjoying and spreading the word about the Drive. Catch the show today at 4:00 on 1530 in Austin (www.espnaustin.com). We've got 3 guests to talk Pac 10 football in the College Rolodex at 6:00, the Rolodex at 5:00, and Buy or Sell at 5:20. Plus for you sickos, the Stripper DJ at 5:40.

http://view.break.com/527579 - Watch more free videos

George Carlin

2008-06-24T00:47:00.002-05:00

I was starting a normal day on Monday when my wife called and told me George Carlin had died. It didn't hit me hard then. I started thinking about who I would call and how I might talk about it on the air. I had to call my parents. After all, they had allowed me to watch George at a pretty young age and didn't go on and on about how "bad" it was. They just hoped I knew not to use all the language at school and around most adults. And, of course, I knew. So I call my mom and start to tell her. And then it happened. I started to cry. You know that moment when the athlete starts to retire and realizes what he's about to say and it just overwhelms him? That's what happened. I could barely keep from crying telling someone a comedian had died. And from someone who never cries, what does that tell you about George Carlin? It tells you he was a lot more than a comedian.

Here's one of my favorites I still don't know the answer to: Why is prostitution illegal? By the way, these are George Carlin videos. They are unedited. So you will hear fully beautiful language. Click at the risk of opening your mind.

He took the things you weren't supposed to talk about, and then he talked about them. And then he made them funny at the same time. What a talent. Jerry Seinfeld was on Larry King tonight and talked about George's vast body of work. And that's the key. It could be argued this person or that person is funnier to you. But nobody has the resume of great stuff that George does. Nobody. His career spans 50 years. And some of his later stuff is his best. He didn't get old or stale or sell out. He went places no other comics would go right to the end. Like religion. Nobody dared hit it like George. The case in point is his brilliant take on the BS story of religion. It either makes you really upset or it makes you think. Either way, you have to react. See for yourself:

But that wasn't all he was about. My mom thought George was funny, too. And trust me, she didn't like George's religion stuff like I did. She loved when he looked at the world in a way you didn't. When he analyzed a word to the point of making it perfectly funny. Or maybe when he took apart the things you hear all the time at the airport and made it hysterical. This one is proof he just got better with age.

I could go on and on thanks to Youtube. But just one more for now. Since I do a sports show, the football/baseball deal is a must if you've never heard it.

I may put more up in the coming days to deal with the pain I felt today. I know I will be watching George stuff for a while and just soaking it up. Send me all your favorite George stuff if you like. And remember, you have the right to disagree with a Don Imus, or George Carlin, or Shaq if he's asking Kobe how his ass tastes. But we must never forget they have the freedom to say it. And George fought for that freedom. He went to jail for that freedom. He is the physical embodiment of that freedom for some of us. And maybe that's why I cried today. Not because the song is gone, but because the singer who first made me believe in the song is gone.

We'll miss you George. But we'll keep listening, laughing, and thinking.

A reason to play soccer

2008-06-19T14:29:00.003-05:00

Her name is Rosaria Cannavo. She's dating an Italian soccer guy. Wow.

Did they mean to bean the ump?

2008-06-05T15:30:00.001-05:00

Judge for yourself. But yeah they did. It's from Georgia, and here's the story - LINK

The Ana that does win tournaments

2008-06-05T13:36:00.002-05:00

If you've never seen her, here you go. Ana Ivanovic from Serbia. She's now #1 in the world and will play in the French Open final this Saturday. If this doesn't make you want to watch, I can't help you.

My new favorite website

2008-05-28T15:08:00.003-05:00

www.wagrankings.com

A site where you can see and rank the wives and girlfriends of sports figures. Don't you just love the internet?

By the way, here's the inspiration for today's stripper name. Her name is Natalia Fassi. Find out more on the site.

It's been too long

2008-05-22T23:00:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the distance between posts. Things have been pretty crazy. Let's get caught up. I've been at ESPN for a little over two months now, and I am starting to get some things figured out. Geoff and I started on March 17th, and Erin started the morning show in April. We've gotten good response from both, as well as for The Bottom Line with Sean and Chip from 2-4. We are just about to get some final word on our tower situation, and then we hope the station gets out to even more people. I think we have a good foundation to build on. Now we need to grow the thing into the monster we think it can be. Sponsors are starting to take notice, so keep spreading the word about 1530 ESPN Austin to anybody that asks.

The www.espnaustin.com website has been awful for a while, but we are working on it. Our new lineup is finally posted (thanks AK) and many folks are listening at work. The other stuff will come in time, so please be patient. I will use this as my web outlet until the other site is up and running. So check here for what's happening on our show and on the station...like...

We'll be out at Merkaba Lounge tomorrow like we are every Friday (I35 and Wells Branch Parkway) Come say hi, get some free stuff, and register for cool prizes, like Merle Haggard tickets.

Finally, thanks again to everyone who has supported me and the station. Thanks to the Orangblood folks that have given me a chance, and to the Aggies and others that have given Geoff a fair shake. We are much further along than I thought we would be after only 2 months. Geoff's say anything personality reminds me of Brian Jones at times, and the energy he creates is great. He proves each day that he should have been given a show much sooner. His ideas and goals for the show will keep us growing for a long time, and I am just trying to live up to the standard. I hope in time I can bring as much to the show as he does. Above all else, I think it comes across that we respect each other and have a good time. A guy called us today and said he listens on his drive from Ft. Hood to Pflugerville. That's great to hear. We know there are many others out there like that. Thanks for letting The Drive into your life and giving 1530 a listen.

And if you listened to the blog talk radio show in the past, stay tuned. I'm putting together a show to show off the station and rant a little on my own. I'll have more details later.

And then there were 8

2008-03-29T01:07:00.002-05:00

So much for DJ not having a big game in the tournament, huh? What a line. 10-18, 23 pts, 7 ass, only 2 To's. Plus I thought what Damien James was able to do against the Lopez boys was huge. Connor helped frustrate them on D as well. And how about Dexter's minutes? 10 to be exact. 4 pts, and 6 big boards, including a couple when they put it away after Stanford had cut it to 1. Plus I always check out Mason's line afterwords. 7 pts, 8 boards, 6 ass, 2 to's. The man just does his job.

Now the question is simple: Can Texas solve Memphis? All the talk about the Lopez twins proved to be hollow because Texas was the better all around team. Stanford couldn't hit from outside, and they got away from their game. Memphis doesn't do that. They attack you from the tip with a big, athletic team. This match up has concerned Texas fans because of what they saw when USC took Texas out last year. The big guards of USC gave them fits. Well here we go again. The starting guards for UT are 5'11", 6', and 6'2". Memphis starts 6'7", 6'3", and 6'6". Bottom Line, DJ must be fantastic. He has to find seems and press the action to create chances for others. A.J. has to get open and knock his shot down. But don't forget the match up down low in this one. Dozier and Dorsey are both 6'9" and super athletic. How will Damien and Connor match up? Can they get Dorsey out of his game? He has proven to be a hot head at times. Here's another question. Who does Justin Mason guard? Rose? So who guards CDR? Do you try Damien there at all? This is a tough match up for anyone, even a team as athletic as Texas. Tip time is 1:20 on Sunday. You can hear the Westwood One broadcast on 1530 in Austin or on www.espnaustin.com

Speaking of, thanks to those of you that have followed me to 1530 and checked out the show. We're still in the process of feeling it out, but I think the chemistry is good. We have a great time and I think that comes across. Add that to what Sean and Chip do 2-4, and I really like the product we put out from 2-7 every day. Check it out when you get a chance and let me know what you think. Enjoy the Elite 8

First show thoughts and an Ooops from the Aggies

2008-03-18T09:45:00.005-05:00

Thanks to those of you that sent along good wishes for my first show on ESPN. I thought it went well for a first show. The time seemed to fly by which is great, and I think Geoff and I will work great together.

A couple of reminders: Listen for how to win Houston Regional tickets this week. Sean and Chip give away a pair tomorrow and so do we. We've got two more pair at Joe's Bar and Grill where we'll be watching games on Thursday (5th St. and West Ave. kinda near Hut's). Then next Wednesday, they'll be a pair on Sean and Chip and a pair on our show. So keep your ears open.

Ok, on to the Aggies

If you're going to display something like this, shouldn't you check the guy's shirt in the bow and arrow shot? This was sent to me by one of my dad's best friends who, yes, lives in Lubbock and went to TT

Click on the picture if you need to. He's wearing a Tech shirt. Come on Army.

New Show starts Monday

2008-03-14T14:07:00.002-05:00

The full truth can now be told. Starting Monday, there will be an adjusted lineup on 1530 ESPN Austin. Chip Brown and Sean Adams are moving to the 2-4 slot. This will enable both of them to better cover the Longhorns and do all they need to do. The show is called "The Bottom Line". Then from 4-7, it will be me and Geoff Ketchum of Orangebloods.com on "The Drive". You could hear some stuff you heard on the old shows, and you'll hear plenty of new stuff. We are all excited about what it could become. Check us out on 1530 in Austin and on www.espnaustin.com

Phone 447-ESPN

Email Sean and Chip, thebottomline@espnaustin.com
Email me and Geoff, thedrive@espnaustin.com

Also, be listening at 5:30 on Monday for a chance to win tickets to anywhere Southwest Airlines flies in the continental U.S.

4 months and 13 days

2008-03-06T23:36:00.002-06:00

That's how long I was out of a full time job. I am happy to report that the reason I have been away from the web show for a few days is that I have been securing employment. Starting on Monday, I will be working for 1530 ESPN Austin in a variety of roles. Because of that, I am unable to finish out the basketball season calling the UT Women with Craig. I wish I could have finished the season, but when opportunity knocks, sometimes you can't tell it that the timing is bad. This is a decision that allows me to achieve the 2 goals I had when I got laid off: stay in radio and stay in Austin.

So if you're riding around Austin, check out 1530. Or catch it on the net at www.espnaustin.com

You can catch Geoff Ketchum from 2-3, and Sean Adams and Chip Brown from 3-7. Plus, stay tuned as some exciting changes are right around the corner.

Once again, thanks to all my supporters out there that have called, emailed, and just generally cared how I was doing. Special thanks to Astros Kimm and Sal in NYC for going above and beyond. I appreciate the support for the blog and the web show. I'm not sure what will happen with the web show right now, but stay tuned for that as well. I will try to blog often and keep things updated.

Fianlly, thanks to all those that have supported me over the years. I will try to call all those that need a call ASAP. Please be patient. A thanks also to those that will continue to support me in the future.

Big win

2008-03-02T22:34:00.002-06:00

I guess it was appropriate that on Texas Independence Day, Texas would score a big victory over Oklahoma. The UT women played a complete team game and got another big resume win for the committee to check out. They may still need to get to 20 wins to be in for sure, but this one gives them confidence they can hang with anybody anywhere. Also kudos to the group of fans that showed up at the airport to welcome the team. I know the coaches and players were pumped to see that. Remember, Erneisha Bailey's senior night is Wednesday night at the Erwin Center. Get out there and support this hard working team that has found new life.

Also, due to an illness and some personal matters, I will not be doing a web show tomorrow (Monday). We'll see about Tuesday.

Happy Leap Day

2008-02-29T10:50:00.000-06:00

Here's some random things for a Friday. How about parents that let a 36 year old live with their 16 year old daughter? It happened in England, and here's the STORY

Come on parents, stop trying to be friends, and start being parents. You know I'll hit this in stupid news today at around 11:40. By the way, no Lance Zierlein today. We'll shoot for next week.

Now onto the back court rule that I discussed yesterday. I found the 2006 rules, and I assume that rule won't change over time too much. In Section 28, it states:

"During a dribble from back court to front court, the ball shall be in the front court when both feet of the dribbler and the ball touch the playing court entirely in the front court."

So theoretically, you could dribble for a couple seconds with both feet in the front court and the ball in the back court. But to avoid the violation, you have to bring the ball into the front court before the :10 rule. I think you can even keep dribbling and put a foot back in the back court as long as the ball hasn't crossed. So again, I was right. It's like the NBA. You are not established in a court until both feet and the ball are in said court.

If you want to check it out for yourself, it's Rule 4, section 28 and Rule 9, section 12 of the OFFICIAL RULES

Allen Field House and the hot mayor

2008-02-28T10:24:00.003-06:00

It's always great to get to see this hallowed hall of hoops. If you have never been there and you love college basketball, you have to go. They have done a great job of making improvements without losing the old gym feel. Plus any place that names the court after Dr. Naismith and has Wilt's jersey number honored in the rafters is a cool place. Seeing a women's game there is weird because the atmosphere is practically gone. It would be like watching a high school football game at Lambeau. But it's still Allen Field House, so get there when you can. Plus, the new Sports Hall of Fame that's hooked onto it is awesome. Great old stuff with Naismith and Allen. Great new stuff with the Orange Bowl trophy, etc. And they just finished their wall of fame that could keep you busy for an hour by itself. In a quick walk through, I learned that Dr. Naismith not only gets credit for inventing basketball, but he invented the first football helmet as well. Cool stuff. Nice job Jayhawks.

Now to the game: That was a must have for UT. They made plays when they had to, and Erneisha Bailey's performance was key. Her 10 and 8 energized the team in the second half. The Horns hit big free throws down the stretch, and overcame some bad calls. Now it's on to Norman and another shot at the Paris sisters.

I know, you're asking "who is this woman?" She used to be the mayor of a town in Oregon. But not anymore thanks in part to this picture. Check out the STORY and I'll hit it in stupid news today. The question is who's stupid? Her or the town?

Combine stuff

2008-02-26T10:43:00.002-06:00

If you want to check out times, reps, etc. for Sedrick Ellis or anybody else at the combine, go to this NFL.com link

A random Thursday

2008-02-21T10:55:00.000-06:00

But not just any Thursday for me. Today is the day I met my wife 9 years ago. I'll never forget it. If you haven't heard the story and you want to, I'll hit it at the beginning of the show today. It's an East Texas love story for the ages.

Now to the Women's game last night. They just couldn't get enough offense to help Ashley Lindsey. They had a shot at the lead early in the 2nd half, but missed a layup. There were a few chances to cut a 4 point lead, but they couldn't convert. Andrea Riley didn't have a great game overall, but finished with 20 while three of her teammates ended up in double figures. By the time Texas got in a groove and hit some shots, it was too late.

Game Story
Box Score

Ok now a pet peeve. I took this pic because something has always bugged me about Ok. St.'s home. They put the word "Historic" right before "Gallagher" so it reads "Welcome to Historic Gallagher-Iba Arena Dedicated 1938". If it's been there since '38 and everybody knows about it, why have the word historic on there? We know it's historic. That's like putting "The Famous Augusta National Golf Course" up in Georgia. Don't use an extra word if you don't need it. Come on, Pokes.

But one thing they do have right is the flag. I took this picture with the intent of ripping the folks in Stillwater for their flag hanging, but they are right. This is how you are supposed to hang the American flag indoors. I thought you were supposed to hang it the other way like the Oklahoma flag is done here, so I looked it up. It seems wrong to me, but the rule is to keep the blue in the upper left. Just a helpful tip. If you really want to be a flag geek, I found your page - Flag Rules

Beautiful Stillwater and some other thoughts

2008-02-20T15:15:00.001-06:00

It's a big one tonight for the Texas Women's team. After the loss in Colorado, there's not a lot of room for error. Remember, they upset Ok. St. the first time, but that was in Austin. Ok. St. is now getting good crowds for their women's games, so the Horns will have to deal with a tough environment. Last time, Brittany Raven did a great job on Andrea Riley, and she will have to be big time again. Plus, rebounding has been a focus in practice after Colorado out boarded UT 50-29. Texas must rebound well tonight. As always, the game's on the Zone (1300 AM), 6:45 pregame, 7:00 tip. You can also listen at www.texassports.com

Elsewhere, the Jason Kidd deal is done now, and everyone has their thoughts. I have heard many who think it is a bad move for Dallas, but I think they have to think about the present. When I worked with Kevin Dunn, he predicted when the Sacramento Kings' window had closed. I think the Mavs door may be closing as we speak. Phoenix and LA have made big time moves, New Orleans is great, and the Spurs are the Spurs. And if they get through all that, they'd face maybe Boston or Detroit. The way they played to finish last year, and the way they have played this year doesn't make you believe they could stand pat and be ok. I like the fact that George is staying, and hopefully Stackhouse can get healthy for the playoffs. I read an article by Tony Mejia that said it best. You're not getting Kidd to take the last shot. You're getting him to run the last play. His job is to make Dirk, Howard, and Terry even more dangerous. He will give them the threat of penetration that they haven't had. I know losing Harris is big. But maybe if he had become the kind of point guard they needed him to be, the trade wouldn't be necessary. I know losing Diop leaves only Dampier as your true 5, but since when are the Mavs about true 5's? If Kidd gives them the fire, leadership, and toughness they have lacked, it makes sense. Plus, you take some load off of Dirk to be the only leader. He seems more comfortable sharing that. Bottom line is we may look back in a few years and say the Mavs missed their shot when they couldn't finish the 15 strong Heat. Their window may have only been open for one year.

Finally, more thoughts on baseball. No matter what Roger, Andy, McNamee, or a bunch of needles and gause pads in a beer can say, we are probably never going to know the truth. As strange as some of Roger's comments were at the hearing, I don't think you can prove purgery. It's really all about you. You have to reconsile the numbers, the era, and everything in your own head. If using HGH even once makes you a cheater, then I guess Pettitte's a cheater. But do you throw out the entire career or just the numbers after 2002? And if we never really know if Bonds or Clemens did take roids, what do you do with their numbers? Like I've said all along, for me there are just too many variables to know for sure that substance X helped player Y in game Z. But for you, it may be different. Let's put it this way: In 10 years, if I give you a Hall of Fame ballot, and it's got Bonds, Clemens, and McGwire on it, what do you do, Jack? What do you do?

We've got your Bevo Burger right here

2008-02-19T10:44:00.002-06:00

Now that was a blowout. A&M never led, it was never tied (other than 0-0), and I don't recall it going under 20 points in the second half. When it was 33-13, they could have called it. The Horns are finding themselves at a great time. Seven in a row, another win against a ranked team, and if they can get by OU, it sets up a mammoth matchup in the Little Apple next Monday night. That building is loud and those fans are crazy. If Texas gets that done, a 2 seed is probably a lock.

I'll hit the game on the web show today as well as talk about Pettitte and the continuing soap opera. By the way, it will only be today's show and Thursday's show this week due to travel, work, and family stuff. Hope everyone has a great week, and thanks again for all the support.

Happy V Day

2008-02-14T10:31:00.004-06:00

Yeah, it's a made up holiday so Hallmark can sell cards, but sometimes it helps things along. 9 years ago, I met my wife because of Valentine's Day. In fact we met a week after and have been together ever since. So good things can come out of it just like any other day. Just don't let yourself be sucked into it. Don't buy something just to buy something. Get them something that lets them know you know who they are. Just like many years ago when my grandfather gave my grandmother new pliers and work gloves for V-Day. That may sound dumb to you, but she loved it. She was a farmer's wife and had told him a few times she needed them. He listened and let her know he cared. They were married over 50 years by the way, and I never saw them fight. So they must have known something.

And for you single folks, enjoy today. You don't have to buy anything. There's no pressure. You can just hang with your friends, or go get hammered and make fun of the whole Valentine's thing. Or you might get to experience something none of us married folk ever will again. That feeling of meeting someone and going through all the sparks, fire, nervousness, anticipation, and wonderful feelings that new relationships can bring. One of my favorite Bruce Robison songs is called "Tonight". A line in it says "do you remember that feeling like anything might happen tonight?" So open your minds and souls singles, cause anything might happen tonight. And for those of you like me that have found what you are looking for, find a moment to rediscover all that you loved and love about them.

Who do you believe?

2008-02-13T14:59:00.003-06:00

So today was the day. It was Roger's day to make us all believe that he did not take steroids or HGH. I don't think he did that at all. Yes it is hard to disprove a negative, but the Pettitte stuff, the Mitchell Report stuff, and the new story about the former nanny do not paint Roger in a good light. One of the Congressmen said Roger was his hero, but he was hard to believe. I think a lot of people will be in that camp.

As far as McNamee goes, we know he lied over the last few years. He got hammered today for that a couple times. And not admitting he was a drug dealer was just stupid. But always keep in mind that when he started naming names, the names have backed up his story...except for Roger. If he's lying about Roger, why isn't he getting prosecuted? Are that many people out to get Roger?

And how about the end when Clemens has to be gaveled down and told that was not his time to argue? I was just never comfortable with Roger's answers to the Pettitte questions. He seemed unsure about most of that. The whole thing with his wife getting HGH and he didn't know about it was just odd. And having the Mitchell Report guy there did serve a purpose (other than separating Clemens and McNamee). He painted a clear picture of how they attempted to contact players. Either multiple people screwed Roger over by not telling him, or he's lying about it. Either way, I just find it hard to believe that the biggest name in the report had no idea what was in it, and that the people that made the report didn't do all they could to speak to that biggest name.

Bottom line, I wish Pettitte had been there. Most don't consider him a liar, and Roger would have been forced to answer even more questions about Andy's assertions than he was. Now we wait for the physical evidence and if it can connect Roger to roids. Plus, will investigators go after Roger at all?

I really want to get into the depositions and see all of what Pettitte and Knoblauch had to say. To read any of the testimony or depositions from the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform web site , click HERE
For a story on today's hearing, click HERE

Great game and a great win

2008-02-12T10:41:00.000-06:00

What a big win for Texas. Having 4 in double figures was the key. Atchley started the energy, A.J. hit big shots, D.J. was a leader despite not scoring a ton himself, and then Damion James brought the physicality that was missing in the first half. The role guys had solid contributions as well. Over all, just a great game to watch and cover. How about this number. Neither team had 10 turnovers the whole game. Good stuff. By the way, bravo to the Texas crowd. If you were like that every game, nobody would complain. Not that number every time, but that intensity every time. Is that too much to ask for a team this good?
Game Story
Box Score

On another subject, it's dog show time. Here's my favorite pic of Harley. This was right after we got her. She was 5 months old.

I feel like somebody shot my dog

2008-02-08T10:51:00.000-06:00

Holy Crap, Inside the NFL is done. If you haven't see the official story, here it is - LINK
I can't believe it's over, and I've got a bad feeling as to why. I'll talk plenty about it on the web show at 11 central. Check it out.

The Aggie ring I don't want

2008-02-06T10:52:00.000-06:00

Above is the Aggie Ring, a beloved symbol. I wear mine proudly. If you missed it, here's the order form for the Alamo Bowl rings - LINK

Who thought this up? An Alamo Bowl ring, but it has the Texas score on it? Why not make a "we beat Texas two in a row" ring? Aggies could get into that. Plus, unless it's a big time bowl, you shouldn't get a ring for a Bowl that YOU LOST. Just my opinion.

Top 10 Knight soundbytes

2008-02-05T10:43:00.000-06:00

There will never be another one like him.

A couple of videos for you

2008-02-05T00:58:00.000-06:00

First, the Danica Patrick "beaver" Super Bowl commercial for godaddy.com. The inuendo might be too much for work. Clever, though. Beaver, get it?

http://view.break.com/446036 - Watch more free videos

Then, a video of Chris Berman yelling at folks on the set of a Monday night game in 2000. This is probably old to many, but I had not seen it. The language is NOT SAFE FOR WORK so be careful. The rule in radio is treat every mic like it's always open. I guess this is the TV equivalent.

Kid Brother Silences the Critics

2008-02-03T23:15:00.000-06:00

All you can say is wow. This was a Super Bowl for the ages. It didn't have tons of points, but who cares. The largest lead was 4, the defenses were great, and the Giants just made a couple more plays. The Giants join the list of teams with 3 or more wins (SF,Dal,Pit,GB,Oak,Wash,& NE) and they will always be the team that beat one of the best we've ever seen. I've said it all season long watching college and pro football: Can you block people? It's that simple. The Giants pressure on Brady defined the game, and when he needed an extra second from his O line, Eli got it. And how about David Tyree? That escape by Manning and the catch by Tyree will be talked about forever. You just felt like it was their night when he caught that ball.

So congrats to the Giants for the win, and to the Pats for almost pulling off perfection. And to the '72 Dolphins for still being the only undefeated team. You deserve credit. We're just tired of hearing you give it to yourself all the time.

The web show is at 11 am central on Monday. I bet I hear from the folks in NY after the big win. Click on the link to the right, or go to www.blogtalkradio.com/chadhastings

Jenn Sterger and the Super Bowl

2008-02-01T12:30:00.000-06:00

Man, Jenn was so good on the show today. Lots of good stories, Super Bowl thoughts, and talked about her rise to fame. If you want to keep up with her, check out more pics, etc. go to her website jennsterger.com

As far as the game, I'm feeling like Pats 35-24. I think the 2 running games are huge, and the 2 D lines need to be great. The Giants particularly need to get to Brady if they have a shot. Either way, we see history. The Patriots will be perfect, or possibly the greatest team ever loses to a Giants team that will never be forgotten. Enjoy, and be safe at your parties. Get my thoughts on the game Monday morning at 11 am central on blog talk radio. You can download the interview with Jenn or any other old show at www.blogtalkradio.com/chadhastings

The Itunes thing is set up. Just log onto Itunes, click on the store (green bag icon), then type my name into the search box in the upper right hand corner. Then just click subscribe and you'll get today's show and future shows. Thanks to everybody that is supporting the blog and web show. Have a great weekend.

The Super Bowl

2008-01-31T09:01:00.000-06:00

A couple pics of Ines ("Miss Brady" from Media Day) to make your morning.

Man I love this game. And talk about some history. I went back and looked and found only 2 examples of what we are going to see on Sunday. The Pats are going for their fourth Super Bowl with "the same guys". It's only happened twice in history. Obviously, when Green Bay went for 4 in SB 32, the guys that played in SB 2 were long gone. When the Radiers faced the Bucs (who won that game again?), they hadn't been since # 18 over the Skins. Even the Cowboys can't claim it. The group that won SB 28 for their 4th overall was far removed from the team that beat the Broncos in 1978.

The only 2 times a team has gone for a 4th title with "the same guys", it was the Steelers and the Niners. And they both finished the deal. The Steelers won SB 14 31-19 to get their 4th in 6 years, and the Niners blasted Denver 55-10 in SB 24 (still the biggest margin of victory...damn you Don Beebe). Plus the only team to have a shot to go undefeated finished it as well. So the Giants are looking up at a lot of history.

Bottom line, if the Pats get it done, you can argue they , those Steelers, and those Niners would be the greatest dynasties in Super Bowl history. Oh, and they'd be 19-0.

To go back through all 41 previous games, check out this cool LINK

Quick show update. Will Carroll on today at 11:20, and Jenn Sterger looks like a go for 11:20 central tomorrow.

Full of sound and fury...

2008-01-30T09:51:00.000-06:00

This is the woman who asked Brady to marry her. She works for TV Azteca in Mexico. Her name is Ines Gomez with a little mark over the e in Ines and the o in Gomez. Anyway, Check out a gallery of her at this LINK

He's one of the few guys that can tell her "I can do better actually", and nobody really laughs that much. Compare for yourself. Ines - Gisele ; Gisele - Ines

And of course, you can't have a Super Bowl Media Day without Kellie Pickler. Apparently the word around the American Idol folks is she's had work done. Don't you just love the Super Bowl? Check out a Media Day blog HERE

As far as the show today, get ready to adjust your volume. Brian Jones will join me at 11:20 or so to talk Super Bowl, baseball, and whatever else pops into his head. I know the callers are sometimes much louder than me on the show. There's not a lot I can do about that, so I'm sorry in advance.

More Super Bowl talk today

2008-01-29T12:08:00.000-06:00

Lance Zierlein had tons going on today, so he didn't get on until 11:55. Sorry there's no Stripper DJ because of that, but I got a good five minutes from Lance. Plus a big batch of stupid news at 11:45 including another sick story involving soccer in England.

Will Carroll's coming on Thursday, and I'm trying to get Jenn Sterger(FSU hottie) on for Friday from the Super Bowl. Scroll down the page, you'll remember who she is.

Also, how about the New Orleans Hornets. That's 32 wins now I believe. Like the Southwest division needed to get tougher. For you Maverick fans, they are about to play 3 big time East teams on the road starting with Boston on Thursday night. It's on TNT at 7 central followed by Spurs at Suns at 9:30. Good stuff. The Mavs also play in Detroit and Orlando on the trip.

Check out the NBA standings

Federer loses in straights

2008-01-25T10:40:00.000-06:00

Here's the match story - LINK
Wow. Not a surprise that he lost to Djokovic, but how he lost. But Novak played the big boy points like a big boy. Congrats to him. If you've been waiting for a non-Federer, non-Nadal final, here you go. #3 in the world vs the surprising Frenchman, Tsonga. The Australian Open Final is at 2:30 am Sunday morning live and tape delayed later.

As always with the ending of a streak, I try to focus on the streak itself. Roger had gotten to 10 straight Grand Slam Finals. The previous record was like 5. That's just stupid. The last time he wasn't in a Grand Slam Final was 2005. He lost to Safin(AUS) and Nadal(French) that year and then Djokovic today. So in the last 13 Grand slams, he has won 8, lost 2 finals in Paris to one of the greatest clay-courters we've ever seen, and lost in 3 semis. Again, wow.

A great looking final

2008-01-24T10:17:00.000-06:00

If you know me, you know I love tennis. I know some of you love it, too. I also know some of you just love the women's game when the the hotties are playing. In an effort to get everyone interested, the upcoming women's final in Australia is one of the best looking matchups we've seen in a while from all perspectives. Not that Ivanovic/Hantuchova wasn't good, but Ivanovic/Sharapova in the final? Now that's a match that's easy to watch. For the record they are both 20.

I found tribute videos on Youtube. The Ivanovic one is from a dedicated Serb that wants you to know this beatiful woman is Serbian. Maybe a couple pics not for work, but no nudity. The Sharapova one is match video set to music. It has a couple words in it that might not be good for work. You can always turn it down. By the way, the match is at 8:30 central tomorrow night on ESPN 2. Watch for the tennis. Watch for the hottness. Just watch.

No show on Wednesday

2008-01-22T22:04:00.000-06:00

Something has come up that needs my attention. Back on Thursday at 11 am central.

The downfall of the Cowboys

2008-01-22T12:49:00.000-06:00

If you haven't seen this, it's great. If you aren't a Cowboys fan, you'll love it. And if you are, it might help ease some of your pain. The subtitles do contain foul language, so be careful at work. Enjoy.

East/West Pics

2008-01-22T12:31:00.001-06:00

It was a lot of fun to call the East/West Shrine Game on radio. I got to work with a couple old friends from Austin days past(Jon Madani and a great stats guy named Johnny). I met a couple new people as well, including Alan Pinkett who did color. He was great and added a lot. It was cool to have 2 sideline guys (Jorge and Matt) that could interview players throughout the game. Julie spotted for me and did a good job. Spotters are so important to play by play folks doing football. The next time you hear them mentioned, realize how important they are. Thanks Julie. I also met Dave Tepper for the first time. He used to be on 1530 in Austin. Seems like a good guy, and things are going well for him in Houston. Check out the Ticket in Houston if you get a chance. It's 97.5 FM.

When I was a kid, I loved these kinds of games because of all the helmets. And I still do. This is some East players during warm ups.

All 3 Longhorns(Lokey, Okam, and Derry) and the Aggie(Harrington) are in this shot. By the way, if you know anyone associated with this game, give 'em a quick idea for me. The West should be red. The East should be blue. East-cold weather = blue. West-warm weather = red. It drove me crazy all game long having to call the guys in blue jerseys the West. Come on Shriners, make the switch.

Goodbye Rooster

2008-01-22T09:56:00.000-06:00

Rooster Andrews died yesterday at the age of 84. If you love sports and ever lived in Austin, you probably know the name. I don't remember who introduced me to Rooster. What I remember is that the next time he saw me, he knew my name. In a cynical world, there are few real deals around anymore. Everybody wants something. Everybody has an agenda. Not Rooster. He was the real deal. He loved being a Longhorn more than anybody you have ever met. And he passed that feeling on to thousands of fans. When he would see current players, you would have thought he was a crazed fan himself, not a guy that played with Bobby Layne. His passion, smile, and energy were infectious. Longhorn Nation has lost their biggest fan. Godspeed Rooster.

Bill Little wrote a commentary for Rooster today - LINK

New Roger info

2008-01-21T12:03:00.000-06:00

If you missed it, an employee for Roger's agents may have met with Brian Mcnamee in 2004. Why? Because, Mcnamee's lawyer says, Mcnamee wanted to warn Roger that he might have steroids in his system that would show up in the new testing.

Read the story HERE

Also, we now know the order of depositions before the hearing on the 13th of February. Knoblauch goes first on the 24th of January, then Roger on the 26th, Pettitte on the 30th, Mcnamee on the 31st, and Radomski on the 1st of Feb. So that means all three players will be on record when the two guys that supposedly have the goods give their side. What will the committee's opinion of Roger and his side be when they face him on Feb 13th? Will they go after Roger or McNamee? Remember, the last time we did this, the image of a couple players changed forever. Whose image changes this time? I guess all they have to do is tell the truth.

Major's back

2008-01-17T14:34:00.000-06:00

Glad to see him in burnt orange again. If you want to read the story or watch the press conference - Click Here
One thing you'll never be able to say about Major is that he never built a resume. Wow, he's got some big time places and coaches on that list. Plus, I think it's safe to say he'll never bend down and try to pick up a ball on the sidelines. And even if he did, it would be the right decision. Sorry Chris. You know I love ya. Anyway, welcome back to town Major. Dinner's on everybody.

Oh the sickness

2008-01-15T11:29:00.000-06:00

No web show today because the kid gave me a cough, a little fever, and all kinds of good things. I'll plan to do one tomorrow at the same 11 central time slot.

Did you ever slide off the runway?

2008-01-09T12:00:00.000-06:00

We did last night. While we were taxiing, the plane lost all hydraulics and we went off into the grass on the left. A little scary, but no biggie. Let's just hope they get it fixed so we can come home. Everyone was fine, although Coach G and a few players were upset they didn't get to use the slides to get off the plane.

No show today since I'm in Lincoln, but I'll hit a quick story here. Looks like another big time university president is thinking about a playoff for college football. This time it's the guy from Georgia. I love it, but why is it always the guy that either got screwed or almost got screwed that brings it up. Last year, the Florida guy lost it, but only after they almost did not get in. Anyway, Georgia pres. is thinking 8 teams. He wants the four quarterfinals at the Sugar, Rose, Orange, and Fiesta. Miles Brand says they will bring it up at their meetings on Monday. Remember, the Fox deal ends in 2010, and the Rose Bowl deal with ABC runs through 2014. The PAC 10 and Big 10 will never go for it because of the Rose Bowl. But I'll bet you if one of their teams gets left out next year, they'll be the first one to bring it up at a meeting. Either way, I'm just glad some presidents are starting to see the light. Come on PAC 10. Come on Big 10. Walk towards the light. There's a lot of money over here. And you'll get a ton. Plus you can still have the Rose Bowl parade.

Big match up for the UT Women tonight in Nebraska. The Huskers are unranked, but good. Plus, we don't know how much Carla Cortijo will be able to go, if at all, because of the shoulder injury. Nebraska just got a starter back from a rib injury, so they are at full strength. Catch the game on AM 1300 the Zone in Austin, or online at texassports.com

Technical stuff

2008-01-08T12:09:00.001-06:00

Sorry if you tried to listen to the web show today and had problems. It's there on the archive. I'll try and blog while in Nebraska.

So what did you think about Roger?

2008-01-08T10:50:00.000-06:00

If you missed the 60 minutes interview, you can link to it HERE

Roger also filed suit against McNamee on Sunday night - STORY

If you missed yesterday's presser, here's that link - HERE

I'll also play some of the press conference and the phone call on the show at 11 am central (it'll run about 11:20 or so).

Roger's got a long way to go to prove to the cynical fan he never did anything. Just saying "it never happened" won't be good enough. If you do believe him, I think you have to like the attacking nature of denying it and doing a few interviews. Let's all remember though, Pete Rose lied for 14 years, and then the story changed. I think one of the most interesting things Roger said is "how do you prove your innocence?" Exactly. How do you? They told the trainer he'd face charges if he didn't tell the truth, and he ain't facing charges. So how does Roger prove it to us? That's where the phone call comes in. You can't listen to that phone call yesterday and feel better about McNamee as a strong witness, can you? I think Roger is putting up a decent fight. Jan 16th is huge though. He can't get mad like that at Congress. It'll be him, McNamee, and Radomski in the same room. Oh, and Mitchell, too. It should be good theater. At least it does not appear Clemens will go McGwire and just talk about the future. Call or email the show with your comments, or just comment on this post.

Sapp calls it quits

2008-01-04T15:26:00.000-06:00

You'll never hear me say a bad thing about Warren Sapp. I'm a Bucs fan and he help get them a ring. Plus I always root for former Bucs. He is definately one of the great DT's of his era, and one of the greatest talkers of all time. Plus, he seemed to love playing the game. The back and forth with Brett Favre always felt like two little kids that got to live out their dreams. Best of luck in whatever you do, Warren. Here's the story on him retiring

My apologies to the West Virginia defense

2008-01-03T12:15:00.000-06:00

They stopped OU on some big 2nd and 3rd and short plays. Congrats to Coach Stewart and his team. I thought the AD should give him an interview next week, not hire him today. It just feels way too quick. Take the time to interview a few guys. They cited what players said about him and the way he got them prepared. Check out the link here - Link
But it's still just one game. 3 years from now, is this a great move? We'll see.

Now to OU. Wow. That's 4 BCS losses in a row in case you are keeping score. I know they had injuries, but man they looked flat. 113 yards in penalties? Giving up 349 on the ground? The last time OU gave up 300 on the ground? 1993. Again, wow. Which brings us to world class stupid news from this one. No Kelly hurt them. Plus Murray's still hurt. But to lose Demarcus Granger the way they did is just sad for them and stupid for him. If you missed it, here's the link one more time - LINK

Talk about letting your team down. That's 35 tackles(from a DT no less), 3.5 sacks and 8.5 TFL to replace. And then the defense looks like that, doesn't tackle well all night, and made WVA look unstoppable. And all that for a jacket?! I was in that exact mall with the UT Women's team in December. Teams always go in together and usually dressed in their gear. Now I'm with the hoops team, representing UT, and I would be an idiot to try and steal something from a mall. This guy weighs 307 pounds and I am assuming he was wearing OU stuff. Talk about thinking you are bulletproof. I hope it was a sweet jacket, Demarcus. Nice leadership.

Fake bracket winners

2008-01-03T10:51:00.000-06:00

TN upsets Ohio St. ; WV beats KU ; Ga over Fl ; and Illinois upset OU

So it's Tn vs WV in the Sugar Bowl and Ga vs Ill in the Holiday Bowl

On the other side, it was:
LSU over Clemson ; USC over HI ; Mizzou beat Az St. ; and VT beat BC

So it's LSU vs USC in the Fiesta and Mizz vs VT in the Outback

If you want to help me play these out, just let your PS or Xbox play them and send me the results. Use 5 minute quarters.

Back from San Diego

2007-12-31T16:15:00.000-06:00

Great trip for Texas football and Women's basketball. Coach G really has this team buying in to what she wants. That 81-79 win was big. Tons to get to on Wednesday's show ( 11am central, click on the player on this page or go to www.blogtalkradio.com/chadhastings ) NFL playoffs, bowl games, coaching news, etc.

But today I'll just say Happy New Year. Please be careful tonight. Don't hurt yourself or anyone else. Thanks for supporting the blog and the show these last couple months. I wish I knew exactly what was going to happen to me in 2008. My plan right now is to finish out the basketball season while seeing if the show has wings enough to fly. After that depends on a lot of things. I'll keep spreading the word. You do the same, and we'll see what happens.

A game and a stepson

2007-12-28T17:00:00.000-06:00

I had a great time being down on the field for the Holiday Bowl. Plus I did not get trampled, which was a goal. Let's get a couple pics and a couple comments.

I love this shot. The Az St. O line is clear and the UT D line is a blur. That was the story of the game for me, The Texas D line got after Rudy Carpenter.

...and then there was the Chris Jessie play. The only way the play could have gotten weirder is if Coach Brown's wife had done the same thing. It says something about the game and the time we are in that after the game, ABC wanted to interview Chris and not a Texas player or coach. Oh well, it is entertainment. And you my never see a play that weird ever again. Congrats to Mack and the team for seven straight 10- win seasons.

In and Out

2007-12-26T12:40:00.001-06:00

Just enough time to type a little and then head off to San Diego. Hope everyone had a great Xmas. Thanks to the Bears for beating the Pack and giving the Boys home field. For the record, the Panthers got hosed on some big calls (I thought Smith caught that ball), and Tank shouldn't be fined a cent for that hit on Moore. What a rep flag that was. Perfect tackle. Nothing more. Anyway, look for me on the sidelines at the Holiday Bowl. I'll be the guy with the parabolic mic trying no to get killed by football players.

Have a great new year, and catch the next web show on the 2nd of January.

Merry Xmas from the family

2007-12-21T12:01:00.000-06:00

Everybody have a safe and happy holiday. Thanks for making the end of '07 a little easier to handle. Keep spreading the word and maybe we'll keep this train rollin' well into '08.

My best to your family.

C.

AZ pics

2007-12-19T22:53:00.000-06:00

Spring training home of the Angels

This is in the Az St. Sports Hall of Fame. In the baseball display, they did have a Bonds jersey, but look at what thy say about him. A successful career? You think?

Barry is on the bottom near the floor. Even sadder is that the black and white one on the right in the middle is Reggie Jackson. But at least you can argue he only played one year. He also has a big profile plaque on the wall that Barry does not have. I wonder how much this has to say about Barry's rep while at ASU, and how much it has to do with his rep in baseball. Maybe it's both. All I know is they have a whole case devoted to Terrell Suggs.

The game is tomorrow. I'll try and get more pics up before I head home for Xmas.

Items for your Xmas list...or not

2007-12-19T19:02:00.001-06:00

We're in Tempe getting ready for the UT Women's game tomorrow night at Arizona State. Remember to catch the game on AM 1300 the Zone in Austin. The pre game starts at 7:15, and the game tips a 7:30. You can also listen at www.texassports.com.

Ok, so we go shopping today at a mall in Tempe, and I saw 3 items for the NFL fan on your list. I thought they had everything with NFL logos on it, but I was wrong. The bronze medal goes to NFL tailgater tape. It's like police tape that you use to border off your tailgate site. Wow. Silver medal has to be the NFL measuring tape. If you have to have this, you're nuts and you should not be measuring anything. But without a doubt the dumbest thing I saw today was the NFL hammer. That's right, a hammer. It's got the logo on it, and the handle has the laces on it. Let me be clear about this. If you own the NFL hammer, or will ever consider buying it for anyone, you are a loser.

Check back later for pics from Arizona, including the treatment of Barry Bonds at the Az St. Hall of Fame. Pretty interesting.

I'll be on the radio Friday

2007-12-18T12:30:00.000-06:00

In addition to my web show Friday(11a) where Brian Jones will join me, I will be filling in for Craig Way during the 2-4 slot on AM 1300 the Zone. I may grab one guest, but I'd like to get a ton of phone calls. I'll throw out a couple topics I've been hitting on my show, and see what the fans think. Feel free to listen(www.am1300thezone.com) or call in (512-390-5483) And if you want to email during the show, just use chastings@mindspring.com. Thanks to the Zone for the opportunity. It'll feel good to get behind that mic again.

Also a quick word on the Roger Clemens discussion today on the web show. Astros Kimm was trying to give me info. on the High School Baseball Coaches Conference coming up in January. I thought she had seen a story about a Roger press conference where he would talk about the Mitchell Report. My bad. Sorry for that confusion. No press conference scheduled yet as far as I know.

Check back here for pics and Arizona thoughts the next couple days

Trail of Lights pictures

2007-12-17T14:15:00.000-06:00

Pettitte and others sound off

2007-12-17T13:40:00.000-06:00

I talked mainly football on the web show today, but I did want to make some comments on the Andy Pettitte story. If you missed it - Link - Andy says he only used HGH for 2 days in 2002 to recover from an injury. He says he then felt bad about it and stopped. Is Andy liked enough that we'll just believe him? Since there's no legal issue here, it may very well end right here. When people read that Barry Bonds testified he used the cream and the clear, didn't know they were steroids, then stopped because they didn't work, I don't feel like they believe him. But do you as John Q. baseball fan believe Pettitte? Let's say you believe Roger did. How are we to believe that Andy would train with them and not use the same stuff? Plus, do you buy this idea of using for recovery and not performance enhancement? That's a tough line, and I'm not sure where to draw it. But if you can get your mind around that line, and you convince yourself Andy was never on the wrong side, maybe you do believe him.

Other denials are coming out - Brenden Donnelly says he never used - Link

Alex Cabrera says he didn't do it - Link

Yeah, I bet that one has had you up nights.

The Orioles are just covering their ass - Link

And before you could ask A-Rod, Katie Couric did - Link

The Pettitte thing is tough. You want to believe him and Roger. Just like I want to believe Barry, even though I don't like the way he comes off sometimes. The difference with Barry is that the Balco raid got folders with drug schedules that can be logically connected to him. We have no such evidence with Roger or Andy. Until we do, all we have is their word and your beliefs.

The Mitchell Report

2007-12-13T15:01:00.000-06:00

You wanna read it all. Here you go. All 409 pages.

Here's the link - http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/mitchrpt.pdf

This is like the day when you find out the girl you always knew was cheating on you WAS cheating on you. There is so much in there that has been discussed, guessed at, or just supposed by baseball fans everywhere. The big question for Clemens and Pettitte is when and how to respond. Do you go into Big Mac hiding, or do you attack it Lance Armstrong style? Sounds like Roger is denying everything and Pettitte is waiting to see what the union will do.

NY Times article on Clemens' denial

How did I not know about this person?

2007-12-13T10:42:00.000-06:00

This is Delta Goodrem, an Australian singer. Wow is she beautiful. Plus she beat cancer in 2003. I'll try and get more pics up of her later.

Ok, it's later and I found like 40 shots of her. Check out the one it links to, then check them all out. Link to pics

A 16 team playoff, but I need you to run it.

2007-12-12T12:30:00.000-06:00

This didn't take me that long to figure out.

Dec 27th

(1) Ohio St.

Cotton Bowl ________

(16) Tenn.

(8) Kansas

GMAC Bowl ________

(9) West Va

(5) Georgia

Armed Forces ________

(12) Florida

(4) OU

Humanitarian ________

(13) Illinois

________________________________________________

Dec. 28th

(2)LSU

Sun Bowl ________

(15) Clemson

(7) USC

Music City ________

(10) Hawaii

(6) Mizz

Gator ________

(11) Az St.

(3)VT

Capital One ________

(14) BC

And that's your first round. You play on Thurs. and Fri to create 2 days of college and two days of NFL for a great weekend. The Quarters would be the 3rd and 4th of Jan. Don't worry tradition heads, there's plenty of bowls left over so you don't actually have to listen to your family on the 1st. Then play the Final Four ( I may cry) on the 10th and 11th. Then your title game is the Saturday before the NFL championship games on Sunday. Now that's a weekend kids.
Now to the technical part. I need a couple of nerds or maybe a few nerds to play these games out on P station, Xbox, whatever. Only 3 rules. Let the computer play it out. Use 5 minute quarters so you still have a life. And try to play it at the designated bowl site for extra effect. Then just email the result to me ( chastings@mindspring.com ) Email me and let me know if you can handle a game or 2 in the first round. I'll put the other bowls up if we get through round one.

ps- If you don't love the idea of OU having to go to Boise's home field to play, you are probably wearing a bowl jacket right now

Harley and Michael Vick

2007-12-11T01:45:00.000-06:00

Now how could Vick hurt that face? Ok, not fair. Nobody could hurt Harley. But I think when you hear this story, you think about your dog. How could anybody do that to a dog? But there's a lot more to it than that. Did Vick deserve 23 months? When you add it all up, I think it's about right. Remember, this isn't just about dogs. If he had done this only in Virginia, there would be no federal charges. It's about illegal interstate gambling, failing a drug test, and not telling the truth when a judge tells you to. The 2 questions for me are does he change after jail, and does he get a chance to play football again? I guess the first one's not that big a deal. I just hope as a dog lover he will be able to see what he did as wrong.
Remember a couple things though before you make Vick into Satan. At the core of this thing, it's about dog breeding. There are hundreds of breeds of dogs bred to do lots of things. Things like hunt, protect, and yes sometimes fight. If you train a dog to protect your family and attack intruders, you are teaching it to fight for you without regard to its safety. This has gone on for thousands of years, and while I don't want to see it, I can understand why it might be appealing to some. Boxing, cock fighting, and dog fighting are essentially the same thing. The only difference is that with the latter two, the athlete doesn't have enough sense to stop. They will actually fight to the death. I guess in some sick way, that's the nobility Vick and others see in this sport. It's pure sport on the most basic of levels. Win=life , loss=death. And think real hard for a second. What is it about a Ronnie Lott hit or an Emmitt Smith taking the pounding with a separated shoulder that makes us put them above other performances? Is it because we believe they have crossed that line where they don't care for their safety? Is it because they have made it as if it were life or death? But to bring it full circle, always remember the true beauty of Lott and Smith that was not found in Virginia. Lott and Smith chose how far to take it. The dogs never had that option.

A lesson for all of us...and don't forget John

2007-12-08T23:17:00.000-06:00

The lesson: don't edit/delete digital pictures from your camera right after a nap. I did that tonight and lost some good stuff. I wanted to put the pics I took in Corpus up, but no. I had the arena, the floor, and a shot of the ocean. I even had a shot of a ship that carries supplies to Iraq and returns with broken machinery to fix. I deleted sunset shots from on top of my house, and a couple of great pics of the kid. So you'll have to imagine all that. And now, so will I. How about a couple pics to make us all feel better...

This is from my honeymoon in Hawaii. It's the sunset from 14,000 ft on the Mauna Kea volcano. Seeing the sun drop into the clouds was pretty cool. The sunset pictures I deleted were not this cool.

The outside of Allen Field house. If you love college hoops, you have to see a game there. I have lots of good shots of this place. That makes me feel better.

And you can't go wrong with Cameron Indoor. What a great place. It's like a high school gym, a museum, and a church all in one. Ok so at least I gave you pictures, just not the ones I wanted.

Now for John. The 8th is not quite over. 27 years ago today, the world was trying to figure out why someone would get John Lennon's autograph, and then kill him an hour or so later. It was one of the greatest losses in music history. So pop in some Beatles or solo stuff and soak up the greatness. I'm going to go with LSD and Julia. Parents, raise your kids to love music. It is one of the greatest gifts you can give them. Like Andy says in Shawshank, they can never take it away from you. We love you John.