Goodbye G.J. Kinne

G.J. Kinne is transferring.

http://www.thedailytexanblogs.com/viewsfromthepressbox/?p=78

As much as I would have liked to blog it here first, now that the Daily Texan has its own blog I have to be professional and make sure they have it first.
Of course, it's not like I would have been scooping anyone anyway. It was an e-mailed press release.

And don't say I never tagged a blog post G.J. Kinne. That's really what I'll take from all this.

Texas downs Cowboys at Big 12 Tourney

KANSAS CITY, Mo., -- Texas beat Oklahoma State 66-59 at the Sprint Center to advance to the Semifinal round of the Big 12 Tournament.
Damion James came up huge with 11 points and 23 points while D.J. Augustin led the team with 24 points.










By Stephen Durda

Bobby Knight Retires

Texas Tech head coach Bobby Knight suddenly resigned earlier tonight.
I won't go over his career accomplishments or scandals as if you don't already know who he is.
His affect on Texas head coach Rick Barnes probably can't be overstated. Barnes loves Knight and isn't shy about it. He released a statement upon hearing of his mentor's resignation.

Statement from Rick Barnes on Bob Knight Retiring

"The best that has ever been has just walked off into the sunset. As
people reflect on his career, they will begin to recognize what Bob
Knight has been able to accomplish. He has affected countless numbers of
people with his teachings and ideas, people he could never realize that
he has touched. And that will continue in time as we pass down those
teachings to future generations. There is so much I admire about Coach
Knight. What I admire most is his willingness to share what he had
learned with anyone along the way, his reverence for the game, and his
respect for those who came before him. There is no question he has left
the game of basketball far better than he found it."

On Pat Knight taking over the head coaching duties:

"I've gotten to know Pat pretty well since he has been in Lubbock and I
respect him greatly. He has had the best seat in the house, having
played for his father and sitting next to him on the bench, so we know
he's learned some pretty important lessons along the way. Pat is more
than ready to be a head coach."

I'm just disappointed I only had one chance to see him up close. It came just a few days ago when the Red Raiders lost to Texas at the Erwin Center. In the post-game press conference Knight was curt but as polite as could be expected. He left suddenly after deciding he'd answered enough questions.

Gary Johnson Cleared to Play

Freshman Gary Johnson is finally going to play.
After being limited to practicing due to a heart condition, the Houston native will finally make an appearance at the college level.

"After a six-month process of monitoring, testing and evaluation by Dr.
James Willerson (President-Elect at the Texas Heart Institute and
President of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston),
Gary Johnson has been cleared to participate in all physical activities
at The University of Texas, including regular-season games, beginning on
January 1, 2008," UT athletic trainer Fred Burnett said in a statement released by the university. "Based on the team's schedule, the first game Gary can participate in will be the January 2nd home contest against TCU."

At 6-foot-7, 247 pounds, Johnson gives Texas more size that it's been lacking. After losing each of their last two games, the Longhorns can definitely use any boost he provides.

Matt Hill Done for Season

Matt Hill's season is over before it began.
Friday the six-foot-ten sophomore will undergo surgery on his injured left heel, and he won't recover in time to play this season. Hill hasn't seen any action yet this year because of the injury, and he missed a lot of time last year with injuries.
Texas already suffers from a lack of depth, and the return of Hill was seen as part of the antidote for that problem. Now the Longhorns will have to look elsewhere.
Rick Barnes could have used Hill to provide some size to an undersized lineup, but he'll have to wait for next season.
At this point in the season, Hill was one of three players yet to see action. Freshman Dogus Balbay is probably out for the year after being injured in a pickup game, and freshman Gary Johnson suffers from a heart condition which has precluded his opportunity to play thus far.

Rain Delay in Round Rock

Round Rock — The Texas Longhorns couldn’t UC Irvine’s seemingly inexorable march toward a Super Regional berth, but with flashes of lightning filling the sky and sheets of rain falling from it, the weather sure did.

The brief respite granted Texas could prove to be a lasting reprieve. Texas has exhausted its options on the mound, especially Joseph Krebs. Krebs has been brilliant, appearing in every game and leading the tournament in innings pitched with 9.2.

After working five innings and throwing 77 pitches earlier in the day against Wake Forest, the senior got back into action tonight, allowing only an inherited runner to score before getting the Longhorns out of a jam in the bottom of the sixth inning.

That run though, put the Anteaters ahead, and if Texas can’t come back, their season will end in the NCAA Regional once more.

Goldthwaite girl makes good, Texas town takes note

Jody Conradt, her team and a little town 2 hours northwest of Austin can finally breathe a long sigh of relief.

Conradt won her 900th game Tuesday night after losing six of her last seven, making her one of two coaches in the entire NCAA basketball landscape to reach that mark. Pat Summitt at Tennessee is the other. Conradt's left such legends as John Wooden, Dean Smith and Phog Allen in her wake.

While winning those hundreds of games - and a national title to boot - Conradt's earned attention and respect, receiving spots in multiple halls of fame. But no one's taken more notice of her than the people of Goldthwaite.

Goldthwaite boasts about 2,000 residents. It's the town where Conradt grew up, where she averaged more than 40 points a game during her four years in high school. And, according to Mayor Mike McMahan, it's the town she put on the map.

"We just feel fortunate she's from here, and we've known her all our life," McMahan said.

The 55-year-old McMahan has kept a close eye on Conradt's career, as has most of Goldthwaite's population. A sign near the city limits declares you're approaching her hometown.

Conradt's squad has struggled this season and will need a large dose of benevolence from the NCAA selection committee to compete in this season's tourney, but Conradt's accomplishment should not be overlooked.

Nor should the team. While the Longhorns have notched a modest 18 wins, they've beaten No. 11 Oklahoma and No. 13 Texas A&M. They've shown that when they put their minds to it, they can beat some of the top teams in the nation. With 64 bids to hand out, the selection committee just might be able to find a spot for the Texas team. ESPN's Bracketology currently projects the team as a 12 seed.

That was before they lost 67-58 Wednesday night against the Sooners. The ground these women stand on couldn't be any shakier.

"We're hopeful," Conradt said. "I think our team did everything they could do to try play themselves into the tournament."

But even if Conradt fails to put a team in the field of 64 for the second straight year, she knows she has loyal, albeit frustrated, fans in Goldthwaite.

"When we get beat, or when things are down, we all hurt," McMahan said.

"We all" is the 99.9 percent of town residents that he estimates know who she is. Their kids practice in the same gym that she started her basketball career in. Goldthwaite Eagles look up to her - their reminder that growing up in a pixel of a town doesn't mean they can't affect the world.

"Jody continues to be a role model," McMahan said. "Not only for girls, but for young men around here."

Birthplace of Basketball

Lawrence, KAN. -- Not too often you find yourself at the birthplace of basketball to see Texas fight for a share of the conference title. But here I am an hour and 20 minutes before tipoff at Allen Fieldhouse. The students are already filling up their allotted seats and the place is full of media. I'm here as a photographer. Pretty nice gig, in the second half I'll be next to an ESPN.com photographer with Getty Images and Reuters photogs next to him.

As usual, we had to drive up here, and we made it in about 11.5 hours. After being greeted with snow we headed out for a nice dinner at IHop before calling it a night. Now I'm in the media room, about to get lunch. This place definitely has a different feel than the Erwin Center, even an hour before the game starts. And it's nothing Texas could ever hope to change. This place is just special.

As far as the game goes, I'll predict 29 points from Kevin Durant and a 9-point, 70-61 loss for the Longhorns. Dallas Morning News columnist Chip Brown is predicting a double-digit defeat. Looks like giving Texas much of a chance in this environment isn't a popular move. Maybe we're all wrong.

NASCAR chat

So, I was watching the Auto Club 500 on Sunday, and I also had ESPN.com's race cast up where UT-grad Tim Cowlishaw -- formerly of the Dallas Morning News -- was leading a chat.

I couldn't think of any good questions, but I wanted to say hi from the Daily Texan, and earlier in the day I'd asked one of my co-workers, Eric Ransom, a question concerning Cowlishaw. So I took advantage of the unexpected opportunity, and asked my question.

Ryan Killian (Austin, TX): So, I'm sittin' here in the Daily Texan
office and wondering, when'd you get so into NASCAR?

TIM COWLISHAW: Good to hear from the Daily Texan, the school newspaper
of my alma mater. Late getting into it. Went to Daytona in 2000, been
into it ever since. Look forward to seeing Kevin Durant in person
Wednesday night. And, of course, Fourth Street after.

So there you have it, Cowlishaw's been doing NASCAR for a little while now. He'll be here today.

Too bad I'll be in College Station for Jody Conradt's first attempt a win 900. The Aggies are 15-0 in Reed Arena this season, but Texas beat them 64-45 earlier in the year and is coming off a win.
Could be a good and historic game.

SI Cover Curse?

Kevin Durant has earned himself a Sports Illustrated cover, and it comes out today.

Jinx?

Dating back to 1954 when the Milwaukee Braves' Eddie Matthews graced the magazine's first issue - and injured his hand a week later - the superstition has percolated that a stint of bad luck came with a spot on the cover. In the '50s alone, one athlete was killed and another paralyzed from the neck down while their cover issues were still on the news racks.

But take heart. Though Texas athletes have felt the curse, it's been only in the form of a loss. In 1970 and 1977 undefeated Texas teams lost their next games, and in 1998, after Ricky Williams made a cover appearance, the Longhorns lost to Texas Tech. If history holds, a loss to Baylor on Saturday is the worst we can expect. OK, maybe he'll fail to notch a double-double and be outscored by an injured Aaron Bruce too.

Point is, jinx schminx.

Look at Vince Young. All he did while on the cover of Sports Illustrated was win Texas a national title and lift his draft status somewhere just above the stratosphere.

T.J. Ford and Cat Osterman weren't slowed by their joint appearance on a cover in 2002, but then they were there in the off-season.

Chris Simms was also on that cover.

Five days later, the Longhorns fell 35-24 to the Sooners. Simms was sacked four times, and he threw three interceptions.

All of a sudden, that game against Baylor doesn't look so easy. They are on the road; Bruce is an All-Big 12 honorable mention.

But he's also from Horsham, Victoria, Australia.

Nevermind.

Besides, that was Chris Simm's second cover appearance. In his first, he was being leveled by Oklahoma's Jimmy Wilkerson. It wasn't the covers getting to him. It was the Sooners.

Texas' history of overcoming any perceived jinx is long. Running back Jimmy Saxton made a cover appearance in 1961 and finished a close third in the year's Heisman race. Running back/punter Ernie Koy was featured after Texas upset No. 1 Alabama in 1965, and he began a successful NFL career that same year. James Street parlayed his appearance into a national championship in 1969.

Durant will join their company soon and surpass them all eventually. There's nothing to worry about.

Then again, after T.J. Ford found himself on the cover before 2003's Final Four, he turned in one of the least remarkable performances of his career. Among Texas players, he finished fourth in points - tied with Brian Boddicker.

Did I mention the 6-foot-3-inch, 190-pound Bruce led NCAA freshmen in scoring his rookie season and was labeled a "Diaper Dandy" by Dick Vitale?

Texas hasn't got a prayer.