Friday, October 21
#1 vs #2 Showdown Looms for Horns
There’s nothing quite like a #1 vs. #2 showdown in college sports, Horns fans. I hope you’ve been saving your money and are already making your travel plans for this year’s big showdown. No, no—I’m not talking about a potential USC versus Texas Rose Bowl showdown. That would be next year. No, this time we’re talking about college hoops and the December 10 contest between preseason 1-2 Duke-Texas.
Ten years ago, when Tom Penders was still flailing around the courtside and Texas was busy not playing defense, you would have been hard pressed to find many Horns fans who could have envisioned Texas becoming one of the elite programs in the country. Somehow, Rick Barnes has done just that, doing what Mack Brown has done so well—getting the state’s top talent to stay at home.
It started with T.J. Ford, the charismatic point guard that took Texas to the Final Four and awakened many Austin sports fans to the joys of college basketball. Ford is still my favorite UT athlete of all time, though Vince Young has charged up that list to a close #2.
Ford wisely (given his health concerns) bolted for the NBA, but his legacy remains, luring top basketball players both in-state and around the nation to Austin to play for Barnes. This year’s group is deep, talented, and gaining experience. And people are noticing. Should they win the Guardians Classic, they’ll likely enter the December 10 showdown with Duke in East Rutherford, New Jersey undefeated. Duke, too, will likely be unbeaten.
I’ll be heading up to the Meadowlands to watch the game, and I hope some of you Horns fans can make the trip, too. If it’s cheaper for you to get to Washington—fly on in and you can drive up with me. Hell, let’s get a whole caravan. We’re all dreaming of the Rose Bowl, but the football team’s not the only team with a chance for glory this year. The dream of the Ultimate Trifecta is still alive. The baseball team did its job. The football team is still in the race. And the basketball team, believe it or not, has the talent to go to the Final Four. Would you rather be a sports fan of any other university? Me neither.
--PB--
Ten years ago, when Tom Penders was still flailing around the courtside and Texas was busy not playing defense, you would have been hard pressed to find many Horns fans who could have envisioned Texas becoming one of the elite programs in the country. Somehow, Rick Barnes has done just that, doing what Mack Brown has done so well—getting the state’s top talent to stay at home.
It started with T.J. Ford, the charismatic point guard that took Texas to the Final Four and awakened many Austin sports fans to the joys of college basketball. Ford is still my favorite UT athlete of all time, though Vince Young has charged up that list to a close #2.
Ford wisely (given his health concerns) bolted for the NBA, but his legacy remains, luring top basketball players both in-state and around the nation to Austin to play for Barnes. This year’s group is deep, talented, and gaining experience. And people are noticing. Should they win the Guardians Classic, they’ll likely enter the December 10 showdown with Duke in East Rutherford, New Jersey undefeated. Duke, too, will likely be unbeaten.
I’ll be heading up to the Meadowlands to watch the game, and I hope some of you Horns fans can make the trip, too. If it’s cheaper for you to get to Washington—fly on in and you can drive up with me. Hell, let’s get a whole caravan. We’re all dreaming of the Rose Bowl, but the football team’s not the only team with a chance for glory this year. The dream of the Ultimate Trifecta is still alive. The baseball team did its job. The football team is still in the race. And the basketball team, believe it or not, has the talent to go to the Final Four. Would you rather be a sports fan of any other university? Me neither.
--PB--
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Where does Major Applewhite fall on this list of UT all timers? I have to agree, it's tough to distinguish who exactly deserves number one.
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