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5/18/12
DWIGHT PERRY, Seattle Times: "STEPHEN A. SMITH has become a full-time commentator opposite SKIP BAYLESS on ESPN2's 'First Take'. Gentlemen, start your mute buttons."....Anyone interested in American history, baseball or the combination of the two will enjoy the recently-released "Summer of '68--The Season That Changed Baseball and America Forever" as author TIM WENDEL examines one of the more violent years the United States has ever experienced being soothed somewhat by "The Year of the Pitcher"....Sentimentalists of baseball in the late 1960s will also appreciate the look of the Houston Astros on Friday night as they wear their "shooting star" uniforms from that era against the Texas Rangers in the opener of a three-game series between the teams at Minute Maid Park....A group of 400 sidetracked soccer fans from Spain found themselves in Budapest, Hungary this week while their team was actually playing in Bucharest, Romania. BUDD BAILEY of the Buffalo (N.Y.) News comments, "Next up for the confused group is a trip to Madison Square Garden in New York to see JOSH HAMILTON and the Rangers."....Headline from sports satire website Sportspickle.com: "Injury-riddled NBA announces Finals to be played with 3-on-3 format."....Former Amarillo Giants and big league outfielder GARY MATTHEWS led the crowd at Chicago's Wrigley Field in the traditional singing of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" during the seventh inning stretch of Thursday's night's game between the Cubs and the Philadelphia Phillies. "The Sarge" is now a Phillies broadcaster and does not appear to be missing any meals....JON MARK BEILUE of the Amarillo Globe-News, reflecting on the election this week of former Texas Tech great GABE "SENOR SACK" RIVERA to the College Football Hall of Fame: "Tech was pretty mediocre during Rivera's day and sometimes fans would amuse themselves. I remember hearing from the press box after one particular tackle behind the line, 'Two bits, four bits, six bits, a peso. All for Rivera, stand up and say so.' "....This week in Panhandle sports history: In 1986, CHESTER DUNIVAN and JIM WILCOXSON became Amarillo Independent School District pioneers as they were named the first males to serve as head basketball coaches for a local girls high school program. Dunivan, a onetime hoops standout at Amarillo High School, was named coach at Caprock while Wilcoxson took the same position at Tascosa. In 1975, multi-sport standout SHERI HAYNES of McLean High School signed a letter-of-intent to play college basketball at national power Delta State College in Cleveland, Mississippi. McLean head coach JOEL NELSON said Haynes had received approximately 25 scholarship offers but had narrowed her choices to Delta State, Nevada-Las Vegas and her original preference--Wayland Baptist--but had not gotten an offer from the Plainview school. Haynes later transferred after one season at Delta State to Wayland and was a three-year starter for the Flying Queens. In 1965, a fired-up gathering at the Amarillo Sports Arena saw things go haywire during the North American Wrestling Championship conflict between DORY FUNK, JR. and JOE SCARPA as longtime Funk nemesis IRON MIKE DiBIASE appeared in the ring unannounced to rip up Funk's sports jacket and cowboy hat before going to the parking lot and bashing in the hood of the former West Texas State football player's Cadillac. A revenge-minded Funk then located DiBiase and bloodied him up with a boot before returning to his match with Scarpa, but the unruly DiBiase reappeared, distracted referee NICK ROBERTS and illegally assisted Scarpa in pinning Funk as most in the near-capacity crowd roared its disapproval....Unknown: "Anyone who agrees with everything you say is either a fool or preparing to do you ill."....With the European Chess Union announcing plans to begin enforcing a dress code, syndicated columnist NORMAN CHAD says, "Chess needs a dress code like Switzerland needs a navy. Poker needs a dress code. At the moment, all the twentysomething savants favor shades, baseball caps and hoodies, usually adorned in black. Card rooms these days look like funeral homes with chips."....Following reports that a group of scientists have located a gene linked to obesity, comedian ALAN RAY responded, "Tests on engineered lab mice proved inconclusive. All they wanted to do was lie around all day and play video games."....Overheard: "The biggest problem with stupidity is that it cannot be seen in a mirror."---
5/7/12
The late GEORGE "GOOBER PYLE" LINDSEY, a onetime high school football coach and a former quarterback at the University of North Alabama: "I approached one of my players once and asked, 'Son, do you think you can you pass this ball?' He answered, 'No, I don't even think I can swallow it.' "....Amid rumors the NFL will suspend its Pro Bowl all-star game and eventually eliminate it, GREG COTE of the Miami Herald says, "Fans of the Pro Bowl are outraged. Well, one fan is. I couldn't reach the other one."....Also from Cote: "NBC-TV had a three-hour Kentucky Derby preview show Saturday for a two-minute race. Unless the horses started talking, that strikes me as a bit excessive."....After the latest "Wrestlemania" drew a crowd of more than 70,000 to Sun Life Stadium in Miami, BRAD DICKSON of the Omaha World-Herald observed, "With America forced to go 18 months between ADAM SANDLER movies, we are starved for bad acting."....LILLIAN MUSIAL--wife of baseball great STAN MUSIAL--passed away on Thursday at age 91. The couple met as teenagers in their hometown of Donora, Pennsylvania and recently celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary....Amarillo High product VICTOR BLACK has come out of the bullpen 11 times this season for the Altoona (Pa.) Curve--class AA farm club of the Pittsburgh Pirates--and ranks second in the Eastern League in total pitching appearances....WILLIE MAYS turned 81 years old on Sunday....Former big league pitcher DENNIS "OIL CAN" BOYD reveals in his newly-released autobiography he smoked crack cocaine daily while with the Boston Red Sox in 1986. IAN HAMILTON of the Regina (Sask.) Leader-Post responded, "Maybe it's time for Boyd to change his nickname to 'Coke Can'."....Bumper sticker: "Always give 100%, except when donating blood."....A first in Major League Baseball took place last week at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati as the starting pitchers for both sides were taking the hill on their respective birthdays. Neither HOMER BAILEY of the Reds (age 26) nor RYAN DEMPSTER of the Cubs (age 35) were involved in the decisions as the Reds won, 4-3. Bailey later told MLB.com, "I was in the training room after the game and the Hall of Fame came in with some balls we were asked to sign. It's pretty neat. I guess if you are going to be in Cooperstown, there are worse ways you can get there."....LUKE MOGHADDAS-DAVIES of Sudbury, England stopped 800 yards short of the finish line while running in the recent London Marathon and proposed to his girlfriend YVETTE PAGE. NBC's JIMMY FALLON commented, "Unfortunately, a guy from Kenya had passed him and ended up proposing first."....A quote I'll never forget: Following Bowling Green University's 21-0 win over Los Angeles State in 1965, a Los Angeles State defensive player paid tribute to Bowling Green fullback STEW WILLIAMS --named a pre-season All-American by a number of publications--in stating, "He doesn't run over you, he scatters you." The following week, Williams and the Falcons visited Canyon's Buffalo Bowl to play West Texas State and he was a non-factor as the Buffaloes won, 34-0....DWIGHT PERRY, Seattle Times: "What do you get when you cross TOM OSBORNE with grunge music? We are about to find out. Nebraska just got an oral commitment from a linebacker named COURTNEY LOVE."....Overheard: "I didn't make it to the gym today. That makes seven years in a row."---MIKE HIGGINS
5/1/2012
Some quotes I'll never forget....LUCILLE BALL: "I don't know anything about luck. I have never banked on it and have always been afraid of people that do. Luck is combining hard work with knowing what an opportunity is and what isn't."....Asked by ESPN if he had been consulted by his alma mater of Texas Tech before the school hired BOB KNIGHT as its men's basketball coach in 2001, Pampa and White Deer product ZACH THOMAS, then with the NFL's Miami Dolphins, answered, "No, I wasn't. I seem to only hear from them when they want money."....RONALD REAGAN was highly critical of the 1960s counterculture movement when he was governor of California. One year he commented on the pre-season hopes of the Cal football in stating, "We are looking forward to a great season, but only if we can find a way to put cleats on their sandals."....Comedian ALEX KASEBERG: "Golfer JOHN DALY is 50 pounds overweight, chain smokes and chugs soda pops during his rounds. He has to be the only player on the PGA Tour whose four-round total is lower than his cholesterol count."....After the Dallas Cowboys chose LSU defensive lineman MARCUS SPEARS in the first round of the NFL draft, DAN DALY of the Washington Times commented, "Is that a great name for an offensive lineman, or what? It's like drafting an offensive lineman named FRED CLIPS."....Bumper sticker: "I would much rather be rich than stupid."....A.J. FOYT: "I feel a lot safer driving in a race than I do driving the freeways of Houston."....Offering an new way to stimulate interest in basketball, Notre Dame athletic director ED KRAUSE suggested, "Record all fouls on both teams, but have no free throws during regulation play. When the game is over, fans such as I can get up and go home. Everyone else can stick around and watch a free throw shooting contest."....FLOYD CHIFFER, former pitcher with the Amarillo Gold Sox and San Diego Padres: "Some of the best times I had playing professional baseball were in the minor leagues. We were young and didn't make much money, but we loved playing the game. My fondest memories of playing in Amarillo were horseback riding in Palo Duro Canyon, two-stepping at the Texas Moon Palace and having great fans that provided great Texas hospitality."....After Texas A&M hung a 73-10 football defeat on Baylor a few years back, Bears quarterback AARON KARAS was asked by a television reporter what the mood was like in the Baylor locker room. Karas answered, "We got beat by 63 points. What do you think it is?"....Baltimore Orioles outfielder DAVID NEWHAN, son of Los Angeles Times scribe ROSS NEWHAN, on the odds of a sportswriter reaching the major leagues: "Pretty long. Look at the genes I had to overcome."....After a Texas Tech-Texas A&M football game in Lubbock was moved to a 9:10 p.m. kickoff to accommodate Fox Sports television, DON WILLIAMS of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal said, "This will be the first time in history Aggie fans will have the opportunity to have midnight yell practice between the third and fourth quarters."....A 27-year old physical education teacher and golfer from Altoon, Illinois named RICHARD M. NIXON carded a hole-in-one and later told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "We turned it into the newspaper, but my friends said we would never see it published because they would think it was a joke.".....BRYAN MILLARD, former Dumas High School and University of Texas football standout, commenting on the aggressive style of linebacker FREDD YOUNG when the pair were teammates with the NFL's Seattle Seahawks: "I would rather rub sandpaper on the butt of a bobcat in a phone booth than to be tackled by Fredd."....With Dallas Cowboys quarterbacksand teammates QUINCY CARTER, DREW HENSON and CHAD HUTCHINSON all being former professional baseball players, ESPN commentator JOE THEISMANN said, "They are just one player away from having a hell of an infield."....Overheard: "Some choose to drink from the fountain of knowledge. Others choose to just gargle."----MIKE HIGGINS
4/25/12
Note to JON MARK BEILUE:
A Short Rutts anecdote made the Seattle Times again this morning. Unaccredited, but that's okay as I am not the story. What was gratifying was coming up with it on my own last week while parked in front on the television:
....A broadcast on Thursday of a Chicago Cubs-Miami Marlins game on WGN had play-by-play announcer LEN KASPER pointing out Marlins outfielder GIANCARLO STANTON is now going by his given first name after being previously known as MIKE STANTON. Color commentator BOB BRENLY added, "Being as he stands six-foot-five and weighs 245 pounds, I'll certainly call him anything he wants to be called."....
I almost got to be Brenly's clubhouse attendant for five days in 1980 when he was with the Shreveport Captains. I regret this as he seems to be a friendly and funny fellow. Unfortunately, he had suffered the dreaded "pulled groin muscle"--in his case getting hit with a foul ball in the most inconvenient of spots--and didn't make the trip to Amarillo.
Sincerely, MIKE HIGGINS
4/23/12
WENDEL SLOAN, Clovis (N.M.) News-Journal: "Don't panic if you forgot my birthday. You've still got time to order tickets online from the Texas Rangers, Dallas Cowboys or Dallas Mavericks or a gift certificate from HairClub."....With an increasing number of athletes marketing designer colognes, JASON GAY of The Wall Street Journal asks, "What man wouldn't want to walk into a department store and walk out smelling like DIRK NOWITZKI midway through Game Six?"....Amarillo resident HEIDT MELSON and wife DIANNA MELSON carry far more than a passing interest in the fortunes of the Los Angeles Dodgers and their ace pitcher CLAYTON KERSHAW. The Melsons' niece--the former ELLEN MELSON--met Kershaw when the pair were junior high school classmates in Dallas and married the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner in 2010....Memorial services were held on Saturday for former Amarillo Gold Sox player and field manager GALE PRINGLE and closed with the gathering taking part in a rousing rendition of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame"....MARK LEE, Amarillo Sox general manager and a former relief pitcher with the San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates: "My biggest sports thrill as a participant came when I made my big league debut for the Padres in 1978 against the Atlanta Braves at then-named San Diego Stadium. Our manager ROGER CRAIG brought me in to face eventual National League MVP DALE MURPHY in the 8th inning with two runners on and I struck him out. We went on to win 5-4 in 14 innings."....This week in Panhandle sports history: In 2005, the charter members of the Kids, Inc. Hall of Fame were honored as the organization celebrated its 60th anniversary with a banquet at the Amarillo Civic Center. Inducted were CAL FARLEY, RALPH DYKEMAN, BUS DUGGER, THE WARE FAMILY, JIM BROCK, KIM HUDSON, BETTY SOLIS, PHYLLIS SQUIRES, LEWIS BRAZIER and BRANDON SLAY. In 1988, BRITT ROBINSON of Tahoka, Texas, won the 15th annual Texas State Trapshooting Tournament, defeating 316 of his fellow competitors at the Amarillo Gun Club. In 1974, Canyon High School righthander ED LAIR threw a no-hitter as the Eagles defeated Caprock 4-0 in district 3-AAA baseball play. In 1963, the Lamar Bees edged the Whittier Spiders 32-31 in Kids, Inc. softball with Lamar's CURTIS ALEXANDER hitting two home runs and earning individual recognition for outstanding sportsmanship. Alexander went on to become an all-district 3-AAAA third baseman for Amarillo High School and is now a longtime Big 12 Conference baseball umpire. In 1955, BOBBY SANDERS upset defending champion J.R. BROWN to capture the Amarillo Country Club Men's Championship Golf Tournament. Sanders and Brown reached the final with wins over DAN HIGGINS and GENE EDWARDS....Friday's broadcast of the Chicago Cubs-Miami Marlins game on WGN had play-by-play announcer LEN KASPER pointing out Marlins outfielder GIANCARLO STANTON is now going by his given first name after being previously known as MIKE STANTON. Color commentator BOB BRENLY added, "Being as he stands six-foot-five and weighs 245 pounds, I'll certainly call him anything he wants to be called."....JIMMY FALLON of NBC on the launching of the Ultimate Frisbee League: "It's the only sport where the players are tested to make sure they use drugs."....An anonymous resident of New Jersey paid $1.2 million last week for a 1909 HONUS WAGNER baseball card. Comic TORBIN ROLFSEN says, "Now he just needs a JAMIE MOYER to finish the set."....Overheard: "With the NFL draft just days away, a busy MEL KIPER, JR. is still finding time to throw around the old spreadsheet with his daughter."---MIKE HIGGINS
4/17/12
Some quotes I'll never forget....Ohio State basketball coach FRED TAYLOR, analyzing a series of coaching resignations brought on by players with disciplinary issues: "You could put the brains of three hummingbirds inside those guys and they would still fly backwards."....J.C. SNEAD was an infielder in the old Washington Senators farm system before turning to professional golf. Comparing his ability as a baseball player to that as a golfer, the nephew of legendary linkster SAM SNEAD said, "I hit a long ball in baseball just as I do in golf. I just didn't hit it often enough."....Addressing the potential of rookie forward CHRISTIAN LAETTNER in 1992, Minnesota Timberwolves coach JACK McCLOSKEY remarked, "I think he will eventully have the credentials to back up everything he thinks of himself."....University of Kentucky athletic director CLIFF HAGAN on his relationship with the press: "I resent seeing in the papers that I was 'unavailable for comment'. I am always available for comment, even if 'no comment' is my comment.".....Pro football great GEORGE BLANDA on why he was still quarterbacking the Oakland Raiders at age 43: "I have to keep playing so everyone over 40 will have someone to root for on Sunday afternoons."....Colorful New York Mets radio broadcaster and baseball Hall-of-Famer RALPH KINER noted in a broadcast that STEVE TROUT of the New York Yankees was the son of former major league pitcher DIZZY TROUT and then stated, "There's a lot of heredity in that family."....SMU field goal kicker CHIPPER JOHNSON, asked what his qualifications were to serve as a weekend sportscaster on a Dallas television station: "I dress nice and I don't have any pimples."....After his University of Tulsa football team defeated Idaho State 58-0 in 1967, Golden Hurriance head coach GLENN DOBBS commented, "I have no apologies. I am not going to punt on first or second down."....MARIA MITCHELL: "We have a hunger of the mind which asks for knowledge of all around us. The more we gain, the more is our desire. And the more we see, the more we are capable of seeing."....Speaking at the Texas High School Coaches Association Convention when he was governor, JOHN CONNALLY told the gathering, "You are the only group of people that get more advice on how to run your business than we public officials do."....TIM BABB, head basketball coach at John Carroll University, commenting on the length of the Blue Streaks season: "I love basketball and I love my mother-in-law. But I wouldn't think of living with her for sixth months."....Actor SYLVESTER STALLONE on the broad appeal of arm wrestling: "You have guys from MIT and guys that can't even spell MIT."....Amarillo attorney MIKE MOORE was owner of the Amarillo Texans summer collegiate baseball team in the early 1990s and was once ejected from the stadium in Elkhart, Kansas for verbally abusing the umpires. He later told the Amarillo Globe-News, "I was not intoxicated. I had only drunk five beers, and I didn't drink them in the stands. I drank them under the stands."....ANNE BRADSTREET: "If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant. If we do not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome."....After aging boxer FELIX TRINIDAD went back into retirement after losing a bout to WINKY WRIGHT in Las Vegas, DAVID THOMAS of the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram wrote, "He should stay retired after losing a fight to someone named Winky."....Seattle Seahawks great STEVE LARGENT, asked what record he owns that he treasures most: "Probably The Beatles' 'White Album'."---MIKE HIGGINS
4/16/12
JIMMY FALLON of ABC on the New York Mets starting the season with four straight wins: "I don't want to say it's surprising, but today the Mets tested themselves for steroids."....The Baltimore Orioles' home opener on April 6 against the Minnesota Twins was disrupted when 26-year old MARK HARVEY streaked onto the field wearing no more than a Batman costume. Harvey then spent 13 hours in jail on a trespassing charge, was banned for life from Oriole Park at Camden Yards and later told Baltimore's WJZ-TV, "I don't recommend no one doing it. Trust me, they tackle you hard."....Note to BUD SELIG, Commissioner of Major League Baseball: The cancelation of the MLB-produced "This Week in Baseball" after 34 years is sad to learn and highly disappointing....Organizers of the London Olympics recently contacted management of The Who in hopes of having drummer KEITH MOON perform at the closing ceremonies of the upcoming Summer Games. They quickly dropped the idea after learning Moon died of a drug overdose in September of 1978....Pitcher FREDDY GARCIA of the New York Yankees threw five wild pitches in just 4 2/3 innings of work last week against the Orioles, prompting Yankees television commentator KEN SINGLETON to tell his audience, "Catcher RUSSELL MARTIN is getting to personally know all of the fans behind home plate."....It's an honor to welcome Southern Methodist University law professor and noted baseball author PAUL ROGERS to Rutthead Nation....A mini-reunion of West Texas State basketball players from the mid-1970s took place last week at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City as BRAD SHRECK of Wichita, Kansas and REGGIE RAMEY of Lawton, Oklahoma took in a Thunder game while visiting their former Buffalo teammate MAURICE CHEEKS, now an Oklahoma City assistant coach....This week in Panhandle sports history: In 1984, Laredo Junior College basketball coach and athletic director GARY MOSS was named the new head cage coach at WT, replacing the fired KEN EDWARDS. In 1974, a rambunctious evening before a near-capacity crowd at the Amarillo Sports Arena climaxed with the popular duo of DORY FUNK, JR. and DICK MURDOCH defeating the shady tandem of KUNG FU LEE and JIM DILLON when Funk crushed Lee with a sunset press at 16:35. An infuriated and unsportsmanlike Dillon then jumped in the ring wearing brass knuckles, threw Funk over the ropes, socked referee ALEX PEREZ in the face and slugged Murdoch on the side of his head. In 1959, Texas League baseball made its debut at The Ballpark Southwest of the Coors Distribution Center as the Tulsa Oilers defeated the Amarillo Gold Sox by a 3-2 score. Beyond baseball, the highlight of the evening for the crowd of 2,533 came when JOY KOTARA--earlier in the week named "Miss Gold Sox"--braved the pre-game temperature of 41 degrees and strolled to home plate in a bathing suit....Headline from sports satire website Sportspickle.com: "2012 Draft Class Preemptively Sues NFL for Brain Damage"....It will be "Pine Tar Day" on May 5 at Kaufman Stadium in Kansas City as the Royals hand out 10,000 miniature pine-tar bats in recognition of the famous home run hit by GEORGE BRETT--then nullified by umpire TIM McCLELLAND--in June of 1983 at Yankee Stadium. LEN BERMAN of ThatsSports.com comments, "Perhaps this will start a trend. How about 'Corked Bat Day' in Chicago in honor of SAMMY SOSA? Or 'Vaseline Night' to honor pitcher GAYLORD PERRY and his doctored baseball? Then there's 'Syringe Night', not limited to any specific team."....Overheard: "Why is the winner of the Miss Universe pageant always a resident of Earth?"---MIKE HIGGINS
4/12/12
JAMIE MOYER of the Colorado Rockies was the losing pitcher in his first start of the season last week against the Houston Astros. BRAD DICKSON of the Omaha World-Herald blames that fate of the 49-year old on "The AARP Magazine cover jinx."....JON MARK BEILUE, Amarillo Globe-News: "I wonder how different today would be if Miami Marlins manager OZZIE GUILLEN had wrecked a motorcycle with a girl on the back and former University of Arkansas football coach BOBBY PETRINO had said he loved FIDEL CASTRO."....From sports satire website Sportspickle.com: "A contrite Guillen has clarified his remarks about Castro in saying, 'He never accomplished half of what JOSEPH STALIN did.' "....Newsflash from the same site: "Inspired Marlins defeat Phillies after receiving pep talk from Castro via satellite."....CHAUNCEY SPENCER. senior pastor of First Street Church of Christ in Dumas: "My first sports heroes were JACKIE ROBINSON, WILLIE MAYS, MUHAMMAD ALI, JOHNNY UNITAS, ROGER STAUBACH, BOB HAYES, LEN DAWSON, FRAN TARKENTON and JULIUS ERVING."....Texas State University officially moves from the Southland Conference to the Western Athletic Conference in June. The Bobcats get a quick baptism into college football's highest level when they host Texas Tech on September 2 at recently-remodeled Bobcat Stadium in San Marcos....This week in Panhandle sports history: In 1976, cold temperatures and wind gusts up to 50 mph failed to prevent 734 fans from welcoming Texas League baseball back to The Ballpark Southeast of the Stockyards after a year's absence as the San Antonio Brewers outslugged the Amarillo Gold Sox, 16-10. There was only home run hit in the contest, that coming off the bat of San Antonio's RUDY JARAMILLO, now in his fourth season as hitting coach for the Chicago Cubs after holding the same position for many years with the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers. In 1967, a near-capacity crowd at the Amarillo Sports Arena did not hesitate to express its displeasure following the disqualification of DORY FUNK, JR. after the local favorite lost his cool and socked two referees and opponent THUNDERBOLT PATTERSON. Earlier, at 12:44 of the tag team conflict having THE MEDICS face LITTLE EAGLE and PAT O'CONNOR, Little Eagle attempted to dive at Medic No. 1 but instead hit his head on the knee of Medic No 2. Little Eagle was then put in a near-comatose state by Medic No. 2 as the masked villains retained the cherished championship on a controversial decision by referee KEN FARBER. In 1959, West Texas State's on-campus football stadium hosted its final game before the opening of ultra-modern Buffalo Bowl as coach CLARK JARRIGAN's Buffs closed out spring drills with the Maroons defeating the Whites, 36-22, before 2,000 fans and a television audience watching live coverage on KVII-TV....DWIGHT PERRY of the Seattle Times, suggesting a sure sign you live in a tough neighborhood: "A Little League batter charges the mound in T-ball game."....A quote I'll never forget: Baseball icon DON ZIMMER was approached for an autograph at a banquet by a man he didn't know nor recognize. Later, Zimmer asked a bystander who the fellow was and was told, "That's KEVIN COSTNER. You know, 'Dances With Wolves'." A bewilder Zimmer asked, "He does?"....Overheard: "Anyone who is considering getting a tattoo should be required to take a look at what a tattoo looks like on an old person."---MIKE HIGGINS
4/9/12
BOB MOLINARO of the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot: "Anybody who gets all tingly over the release of the NFL exhibition schedule should be required to actually sit through the games."....JIMMY FALLON of ABC: "Remember baseball? It used to be our national pastime before Facebook."....Amarillo High product CLAYTON COOK began his fourth full season as a pitcher in the Cleveland Indians farm system last week as the Opening Day starter for the Carolina Mudcats, Cleveland's advanced-class A affiliate in the Carolina League. He went five innings, gave up two hits and an earned run and was credited with the win in an 11-2 victory for the team based in Zebulon, North Carolina over the Winston-Salem Dash. Hereford's PARKER BRIDWELL began his third season as a pitcher in the Baltimore Orioles system Saturday by pitching five innings, striking out four and getting the win as his Delmarva Shorebirds scored an 8-2 win over the Asheville Tourists in class A South Atlantic League play. Amarillo High's VICTOR BLACK started his fourth year in the Pittsburgh Pirates farm system on Saturday with the Altoona (Pa.) Curve of the class AA Eastern League, throwing an inning of relief while giving up two hits and a pair of earned runs in a 12-1 loss to the Erie SeaWolves.....LSU cornerback MORRIS CLAIBORN scored a paltry 4 on the Wonderlic intelligence test given at the recent NFL combine. GREG COTE of the Miami Herald comments, "Things went downhill after he misspelled 'L-S-U'."....This week in Panhandle sports history: In 1976, THE MIGHTY CANADIAN used a series of backbreakers and a windmill leg press to defeat THE SUPER DESTROYER and capture the International Wrestling Championship before a near-capacity crowd at the Amarillo Sports Arena. The evening began with THE LAWMAN doing in DAN BURDICK with a bulldog hold at 7:35 and BOB JIGGERS putting away JOE PALARDY with a reverse neck breaker at 12:35. In 1971, retired Amarillo High School basketball coach T.G. HULL was inducted into the Hall of Honor of the Texas High School Coaches Association. In 1962, running back PISTOL PETE PEDRO scored three touchdowns as the West Texas State varsity of coach JOE KERBEL closed out spring football drills with a 26-0 win over the WT Alumni before 4,000 wet and cold fans at Buffalo Bowl. Guest coaches of the Buff exes were E.J. WEBB of Canyon High School and TOM LANDRY of the Dallas Cowboys....Headline from sports satire website Sportspickle.com: "ROBERT GRIFFIN III trying to enjoy his final weeks of happiness before becoming a Washington Redskin."....From the same site: "Piano sales spike as Masters begins."....The local roots of PGA tour member JOHNSON WAGNER run far deeper than was reported last week by the Amarillo Globe-News during his participation at the Masters. Wagner, born in Amarillo and a city resident until he was eight years old, is the great-grandson of M.T. "HAP" JOHNSON and a great-nephew of both NEIL JOHNSON and EDDIE JOHNSON, all residents of Amarillo following their days as football players at the University of Oklahoma. In addition to being a grandson of onetime Amarillo High quarterback, United States Golf Association treasurer and Panhandle Sports Hall of Famer M.T. JOHNSON, JR., Wagner is a nephew of both former Tascosa football great/OU defensive back MONTY JOHNSON and Tascosa/University of Houston golfer JAMES HERRING and a second cousin of former Golden Sandie football players EDDIE EDWARDS and JIM SHELTON....BRUCE DOWBIGGIN, Toronto Globe and Mail: "One thing Canadians do better than Americans is broadcast the Olympics. If proof were needed, it is offered by reports that NBC will be employing 'American Idol' host RYAN SEACRIST during this summer's London Olympics. No word yet on if STEVEN TYLER and RANDY JACKSON will be judges for synchronized swimming."....Overheard: "If we look back at anything with no regrets, it may well mean we simply didn't try hard enough."---MIKE HIGGINS
4/3/12
Some quotes I'll never forget....LEO BUSCAGLIA, motivational speaker, author and professor of special education at the University of Southern California: "Too often we underestimate the power of a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest complement or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the power to turn a life around."....After being elected president of the National Football League Players Association, defensive back DICK ANDERSON of the Miami Dolphins said, "I need this like I need another knee operation."....Late night talk show icon JOHNNY CARSON on the United States falling short in the number of Olympic medals earned to Russia over the years: "It is nothing to be ashamed of. We can be proud our wheat makes good athletes."....When outfielder DON DEMETER of the Detroit Tigers received an award in 1964 for being the outstanding baseball player from the state of Oklahoma, the product of Oklahoma City's Capital Hill High School commented, "I would like to thank MICKEY MANTLE for moving out of state, ALLIE REYNOLDS for retiring and WARREN SPAHN for getting old."....BILLY ALLEN, the son of SMU basketball coach SONNY ALLEN, was an all-state basketball player in high school. When the elder Allen was asked if he had offered a car to his son in exchange for signing with the Mustangs, he answered, "No, but I have considered taking one away if he doesn't.".... On being told the Oakland Athletics would be taking a commercial flight from Oakland to Toronto instead of a charter flight, outfielder WILLIE WILSON asked, "You mean we have to go with people?"....Unknown: "If we are irritated by every rub, how will our mirror be polished?"....GREG KAMPE became the youngest head college basketball coach in the country when he was hired by Oakland (Mich.) University at age 28. He then said, "I told my wife three years ago my goal was to be a head coach by the time I was 30. My goal now is to still be a head coach when I am 30."....Boxer AARON PRYOR on an impending comeback: "I wasn't retired. I was resting."....The Indiana Pacers of the NBA granted women's basketball great ANN MEYERS a tryout in 1977 but released the former UCLA and Olympic star after two exhibition games. Pacers coach JACK McCLOSKEY said, "She gave me a little peck on the cheek and a hug. It meant a lot to me. I've never gotten a kiss from a player who had just gotten cut.".....The Philadelphia Phillies traded pitcher ROGER McDOWELL to the Los Angeles Dodgers late in the 1991 season and immediately won 12 straight games. McDowell then commented, "They should have traded me before the season instead. They would be 120-0."....Actor JIM BOEKA, a former offensive lineman with the Dallas Cowboys: "I wasn't a 'bonus baby'. I went to coffee with a scout and he offered me $6,500. I not only signed, I bought the coffee."....Asked how he would like to be remembered, MUHAMMAD ALI replied, "That he took two cups of love and a one teaspoon of patience. One pint of kindness. One quart of laughter. Mixed it up and stirred it well. And then he spread it over the span of a lifetime and served it to every deserved person he met."....ABE LEMONS, legendary quipster and former basketball coach at Oklahoma City University, Pan American University and the University of Texas, showing concern over an explosion of wide-range recruiting: "One of these days the NCAA needs put in a rule that you have to have one player each year from your home state."....Offering thoughts on any personnel changes he planned with the trading deadline near and his Pittsburgh Pirates fading in the National League East race, manager DANNY MURTAUGH said, "I need a player who hits a home run every time he bats, a pitcher who strikes out every batter he faces and a player who is always thinking two innings ahead. The only trouble is for him to put down his cup of beer, come down out of the stands and do those things."....Cleveland Indians general manager PETER BAVASI, asked in spring training what American League team he feared the most: "Our own."---MIKE HIGGINS
3/30/12
JON MARK BEILUE, Amarillo Globe-News: "A friend of mine boarded a Southwest Airlines flight on Wednesday morning at Amarillo's Rick Husband International Airport. A flight attendant said over the intercom, 'Rest assured your crew has taken all its proper medication before boarding'."....Longtime Amarillo resident GALE PRINGLE passed away Wednesday at age 90. The Hollis, Oklahoma native finished a 17-year professional baseball career pitching for the Amarillo Gold Sox from 1956 through 1960 and went 14-3 for the Sox in 1958 while sharing managerial duties of the Western League team with EDDIE BOCKMAN. Pringle was with the Gold Sox in 1959 when our city joined the Texas League and was an affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles and again as he played his last season as a professional in 1960 when the Sox began a three-year run as the class AA farm team of the New York Yankees....North Carolina congressman BRAD MILLER recently expressed his devotion for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels by saying he would root against Duke "even if the Blue Devils were playing the Taliban". JIM LITKE of the Associated Press points out, "Guess who is not running for re-election."....SCOTT OSTLER of the San Francisco Chronicle: "I am no theologian, but I am pretty sure television evangelist PAT ROBERTSON offered God a bounty for a PEYTON MANNING cart-off."....MIKE TYSON struts down a new career path next month as he attempts to headline a Las Vegas stage show. Comedian JERRY PERISHO says, "It's all set to go just as soon as they find someone to play the part of EVANDER HOLYFIELD."....There are few good reasons for anyone to get out of bed in the middle of the night, but no baseball fan will regret doing so to watch "Inside Fenway Park: An Icon at 100" when the outstanding documentary produced by National Geographic airs on KACV-TV and PBS at 4 am this coming Monday morning....Unknown: "Everyone smiles in the same language."....PAT FORDE of Yahoo! Sports, reasoning why University of Kentucky basketball coach RICK PITINO looks older than his 59 years: "If you did as much in the past 25 years as he has, you'd look that way, too. In a peripatetic and melodramatic quarter-century, Pitino has been to six Final Fours, had five jobs, flirted with at least five other jobs, been a hero on three college campuses, written three books, taken two wildly divergent runs at coaching the pros, endured the sudden deaths of two brothers-in-law, grieved the loss of an infant son, coached the greatest second-half comeback in college history, lost the greatest game in college history, survived a scandalous extortion attempt and won one national title. He's been busy."....With SEN. DICK DURBIN calling for an investigation into the bounty situation hanging over the NFL, BRAD DICKSON of the Omaha World-Herald writes, "This may be a new low for the NFL: A politician from Illinois says you're dirty."....DALY DALY, Washington Times: "I'm all for MAGIC JOHNSON owning the Los Angeles Dodgers, especially if he puts pitchers and catchers on a 24-second clock."....As the Texas Rangers expand their concession options this season by introducing a $26 hot dog topped with shredded cheese, sauteed onions and chili, STEVE SCHRADER of the Detroit Free Press asks, "Hey, these days, do you know of a cheaper way to get gas?"....Overheard: "My life immediately got much easier when I finally decided to stop expecting people to make any sense."---MIKE HIGGINS
3/28/12
This weekend marks the 43rd anniversary of Amarillo hosting its only Major League Baseball exhibition game ever as the San Francisco Giants and Cleveland Indians squared off on April 1, 1969 at The Ballpark Southwest of the Grand Street Overpass....CHICK O'MALLEY, general manager of the Amarillo Giants--San Francisco's class AA farm club in the Texas League--made the announcement of the game's scheduling months earlier, bringing several media outlets to feel a need to point out the game would not be an April Fools Day joke....The game actually was in limbo four days before it was played as America prepared for an official "Day of Mourning" with the passing on March 28 of DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, our nation's 34th president....ROBERT ASHWORTH, superintendent of the Amarillo Independent School District, announced that students attending the contest would be given an excused absence for the day's sixth period in order to make the game's 3 p.m. start....I was not so fortunate at having an opportunity to experience Mr. Ashworth's grace. Due to low grades and ongoing mischievous behavior, my grandparents made me attend sixth period and endure the class and the often odd methods of teaching utilized by the enigmatic ANNA MAE McCUNE, longtime social studies teacher at Stephen F. Austin Junior High (now Middle) School. Miss McCune is remembered for many things, most of all her daily fashion statement of wearing chopsticks in her hair. In accordance with her mysterious ways, we watched "The Match Game" with host GENE RAYBURN on television in her class that day and it will always be the longest 30 minutes of my life....My grandfather and I finally got to the stadium in the fourth inning and didn't see future Hall of Famers WILLIE MAYS and WILLIE McCOVEY play for the Giants. They both played three innings and were done for the day. Mays had walked twice and was picked off first base by Cleveland pitcher MIKE PAUL....TOM WILSON, president and CEO of the Fort Worth-based Leadership Network, was an Austin health teacher/coach at the time and recalls, "My very first day to teach at Austin, Miss McCune told me to get out of the hall and get to class or I would have to report to the office of principal CHARLES DOUGLAS. I was young, but I didn't think I looked that young. She and I had the same prep period, and she asked me one day if I would mind going home with her during our off-period to help her light her floor furnace. I reluctantly agreed. The following morning, with the office full of teachers getting their mail, she said in her loud voice, 'Mr. Douglas, is it okay if Mr. Wilson goes home with me today and lights my fire?'. Teachers wbrere laughing so hard they scattered like a covey of quail, including Mr. Douglas, who went in his office and closed his door he was laughing so hard. I went with her, but for the record, I only lit her floor furnace."....HARLON VOYLES, longtime Austin physical education instructor: "Tom Wilson is telling the truth. We laughed for months and teased him unmercifilly the rest of the year."....One of the game accounts for the Amarillo Daily News and Globe Times was written by LES GILES, then in his second year with the publication. He retired from the now-named Amarillo Globe-News just last year and is an extra nice fellow.....Mays wasn't the only one to commit an embarassing blunder in front of the capacity crowd of over 5,000. KFDA-TV sports director DEAN KELLEY was filming the game down the left field line when a Cleveland batter hit a ball his way that landed in fair territory. Kelley thought the ball had landed foul, so he picked it and threw it back towards the infield. Umpires awarded the Indians hitter a ground-rule double.....DREW BERGEN, general manager of Amarillo's Zip Print: "I did not attend the game. I didn't even know they were playing. However, I do recall one time Miss McCune got her wig stuck in a fish hook that had been placed above her classroom door as part of a display.".....For reasons only known to him, longtime local sports columnist PUTT POWELL incorrectly reported for many years that Mays refused to play in the game because of the legendary poor condition of the stadium's playing field. Powell did, however, do an extensive feature in his column the following day on the football exploits of Cleveland third baseman MAX ALVIS, a Jasper, Texas product and former footballer under DARRELL ROYAL at the University of Texas.....DR. PAUL MATNEY, president of Amarillo College: "I was in attendance that day and the thought that two major league teams were playing in Amarillo was almost more than I could imagine. It was a tremendous experience for someone who loved baseball more than anything in the world. I would have gladly been the batboy for either team. I also remember when I was a student at Austin, Miss McCune got a pencil stuck in her teeth and she had to leave in the middle of the day to see a dentist and get it removed."....A rather obscure player was the star of the game in Cleveland outfielder RICHIE SCHIENBLUM. The native of Long Island, New York had a pair of key doubles as the Indians of manager ALVIN DARK defeated the Giants of skipper CHARLIE FOX by a 7-6 score....DAVID THOMAS, Albuquerque attorney and a former Austin student: "I did not attend the game, but Miss McCune was a freak, chopsticks and all."....JANICE HARSCH, recently retired Amarillo High School home economics teacher who was completing the first year of her 40-year career at Austin: "I went through lots of extensive training to hopefully become a good teacher, but nothing trained me better than having MIKE HIGGINS for homeroom my first two years to teach. May Miss McCune rest in peace. Oh, my. What are they going to be saying about me after I am gone?"---MIKE HIGGINS
3/23/12
SCOTT WOOD, North Carolina State junior forward, on the Wolfpack barely making the NCAA basketball tournament: "We were the last team picked. I definitely had to wash my drawers when I got home on Selection Sunday."....Bumper sticker: "If you want my opinion, go ask my wife."....The Amarillo community loses a great friend and one of its most passionate sports fans with the passing of BILL WARE. Concurrently, Rutthead Nation mourns the loss of an original and loyal citizen....New University of Kansas head football coach CHARLIE WEIS recently said he is publicly perceived as "some arrogant, obnoxious, loudmouth punk from New Jersey." BUDD BAILEY of the Buffalo (N.Y.) News responded, "Not so, Charlie. We didn't even know you were from New Jersey."....The Amarillo Sox open a three-game series against the Winnipeg Goldeyes at Shaw Field in Winnipeg, Manitoba on May 29, representing the first time our city's professional baseball team has played on foreign soil since the early 1960s. The Amarillo Gold Sox had a unique experience once during a trip to play the Mexico City Reds as they participated in the annual Pan American Series with Mexican League teams hosting Texas League teams. With the Gold Sox team bus having problems clearing customs at the Mexican border, field manager SHERIFF ROBINSON phoned team owner and city oilman JAY TAYLOR seeking assistance. Taylor then called on his close friend SEN. LYNDON B. JOHNSON in Washington, D.C., and within minutes the bus was across the border and on its way....A planned baseball stadium for downtown Amarillo isn't going to stop the Sox from continuing to upgrade The Ballpark Southwest of the Grand Street Overpass. Sox general manager MARK LEE told KVII-TV this week he is preparing for the team to play "another three to four years" at the storied but aged facility....Syndicated columnist NORMAN CHAD, offering his solution to the estimated cost of tickets, parking and concessions to attend a Sacramento Kings game being $250 per person: "What I would do is this: Get a bucket of Popeyes for 20 bucks and watch the game at Sears. If I get thrown out, I listen to the rest of it on the radio."....Newsflash from the sports area of satire website TheOnion.com: "PEYTON MANNING re-injures neck saying 'no' to Tennessee Titans."....Offering his take on Manning moving from the Indianapolis Colts to the Denver Broncos, REGGIE HAYES of the Ft. Wayne (Ind.) News-Sentinel says, "Turns out he will only play with teams that have horse-related nicknames."....BOB KNIGHT has no love lost for the basketball program at the University of Kentucky, nor for head coach JOHN CALIPARI. With Knight to the Wildcats only as "that team from the Southeastern Conference" during his duties as a commentator for ESPN, CHRIS CHASE of Yahoo.com comments, "When you watch Kentucky play on CBS this weekend, Calipari's vacated titles and shady recruiting practices will be glossed over. That's a far more egregious journalistic sin."....Overheard: "If I offended you with my opinion you should just be thankful for the ones I keep to myself."---MIKE HIGGINS
3/20/12
Some quotes I'll never forget....E.C. McKENZIE: "Close a door on the faults of others and a door of friendship will swing wide open."....Boxing promoter DON KING: "I never cease to amaze myself, and I say that humbly."....Asked what the ideal starter-backup quarterback tandem would be on a NFL depth chart, veteran general manager RUSS THOMAS answered, "A 24-year old quarterback with a 35-year old mind backed up by a 35-year old quarterback with a 24-year old body."....American League umpire MARTY SPRINGSTEAD on confrontational Baltimore Orioles manager EARL WEAVER: "The best way to test the durability of a Timex watch would be to strap it to his tongue."....Texas Tech defeated Oklahoma State 49-24 in a 2002 football game played at Lubbock amid wind gusts that reached 60 mph. BARRY TRAMMEL of The Daily Oklahoman wrote, "The tumbleweeds and the Cameros were racing down the Brownfield Highway and the tumbleweeds won. It was so windy the crop dusters around Jones Stadium turned on their windshield wipers and the dust won."....CASEY STENGEL: "I will always be thankful to my players for giving me the honor of being who I was."....A one-letter glitch on the message board at the Oakland Coliseum created this trivia question at an Athletics game: "Who hold the record for the most total babes in a single season--ROGERS HORNSBY, TY COBB, BABE RUTH or STAN MUSIAL?"....Athletics outfielder ERIC BYRNES once had a game where he lost one fly ball in the sun, had two drop for doubles and dropped yet another. He later explained, "The sun was rough out there, but it wasn't any worse than it has been at any other time over the last 10,000 years."....After 41-year old ROY TARPLEY applied for reinstatement into the National Basketball Association following several "lifetime" bans for substance abuse, BILL SCHEFT of Sports Illustrated commented, "He must be chasing his lifelong dream of becoming the first player in history to be suspended in three decades."....Journeyman pro basketball player TOM WORKMAN, comparing life in the National Basketball Association with that in the now-defunct American Basketball Association: "They tell you to join the NBA and see all the big cities--New York with all the lights, San Francisco with its night life and San Diego's sunshine. They also say join the ABA and see the USA. Unfortunately, I found this included Steubenville, Ohio, Cedar City, Utah, Biloxi, Mississippi and Amarillo, Texas."....After his football team at Pittsburgh's Keystone Oaks High School lost a game due to giving up a last-minute, two-point conversion, head coach JOHN DURHAM said, "I told my players, 'Watch the fake', and that's what they did, they watched the fake."....With a series of games against inferior opponants upcoming on the Boston Celtics schedule, guard SHERMAN DOUGLAS observed, "I don't want to shoot my mouth in the foot, but these are games we should win.".....Former Amarillo Gold Sox and major league pitcher DAVE DRAVECKY learned he would have to have his cancerous left arm amputated the same day the Chicago Bulls won the NBA championship in 1992. A headline in the San Jose Mercury-News declared: "Dravecky to lose arm; Bulls pull it off"....In the mid-1990s, pro golfer SANDY LYLE was asked what he thought of TIGER WOODS, an up-and-coming amateur. He said, "I don't know, I have never played there.".....Bucknell defensive lineman JOHN CAMPANA on his primary superstition: "I always make it a point to not jump out of tall buildings before games."----MIKE HIGGINS
3/19/12
PHIL MUSHNICK, New York Post: "The NBA fined DERRICK ROSE of the Chicago Bulls the same amount--$25,000--for knocking the referees as it did J.R. SMITH of the New York Knicks for tweeting a nude photo of one of his female friends. How much is the fine for tweeting nude photos of NBA referees?"....A St. Patrick's Day toast from JANICE HOUGH of LeftCoastSportsBabe.com: "May your troubles last as long as your perfect brackets."....Fox Sports Southwest provides live coverage Monday afternoon as heralded Texas Rangers rookie YU DARVISH gets the starting nod against the Milwaukee Brewers in Cactus League action at Surprise, Arizona. DAVE BARNETT provides play-by-play with TOM GRIEVE adding color commentary beginning at 3 pm CDT....Those watching the late innings of the two-game series in Las Vegas between the Rangers and the Chicago Cubs on FSSW over the weekend saw players destined to spend the 2012 season in the minor leagues wearing uniform numbers more suitable for football defensive linemen. This brings to mind Hall-of-Famer RICKEY HENDERSON once offering close to an accurate assessment when he said, "A player has no chance of making a team if the single digits of his spring training uniform number add up to anything between eleven and eighteen."....Newsflash from Fark.com: "San Francisco 49ers sign RANDY MOSS; Organization begins treatments for clubhouse cancer."....This week in Panhandle sports history: In 1987, the Arkansas Lady Razorbacks set several school and tournament offensive records in downing California 112-80 to win the National Women's Invitational Tournament championship at the Amarillo Civic Center Coliseum. In 1974, FRED MITCHELL of Palo Duro High School became the sixth player from Amarillo ever to be chosen to play in the Texas High School Coaches Association basketball all-star game. Mitchell--later a standout at then-named North Texas State University--joined fellow Dons GENE ARRINGTON (1956) and STEVE CARTER (1961) along with Amarillo High's JEWELL McDOWELL (1947), GIB FORD (1950) and MELVIN WRIGHT (1953) in being selected for participation. In 1971, a near-capacity crowd made its way to the Amarillo Sports Arena to watch THE SPARTAN, WAHOO McDANIEL and CYCLONE NEGRO square off in a round-robin conflict with the winner gaining an opportunity to face DORY FUNK, JR. the following week for the World Wrestling Federation championship. The Spartan earned the right after body-slamming McDaniel at 5:42 and then doing in Negro with an Indian death lock at 6:48. In 1968, Texas A&M junior forward RONNIE PERET of Plainview was named to the first team of the All-Southwest Conference basketball squad as chosen by SWC coaches. In 1957, local sporting goods dealer VANCE HALL announced the creation of the Vance Hall Sporting Goods All-Sports Trophy to be awarded to the top high school athletic program in District 3-AAAA based on an overall points system....DWIGHT PERRY, Seattle Times: "Yet another sport was rocked by scandal last week when Canada's JIM ARMSTRONG was suspended 18 months for failing a drug test. But enough about wheelchair curling."....After ANDREW WENGER of Duke University was made the top pick in the Major League Soccer draft, GREG COTE of the Miami Herald commented, "Wenger has great quickness but must improve his headers, according to ESPN soccer draft analyst CLIVE KIPER, JR."....With CBS bringing in $600 million in advertising revenue over the course of the NCAA men's basketball tournament, JIMMY KIMMEL of ABC asks, "Of that, the players receive--what is zero percent of 600 million?"....Overheard: "All things come to pass, they do not come to stay."---MIKE HIGGINS
3/14/2012
Some quotes I'll never forget....MARGARET LAURENCE: "In the eternal scheme of things we are all small, but we are also all unique and irreplaceable as are all human beings in the world."....CAM HUTCHINSON of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix following the death of Triple Crown winner SEATTLE SLEW: "He must have gone to horsey heaven smiling. His final foal was born just weeks before, giving him 1,096 offspring and a lifetime achievement award from the National Basketball Association."....From sports satire website Sportspickle.com: "KEVIN GARNETT has been fined $100,000 by the National Basketball Players Association for acting outside the union's behavioral code by not being a totally despicable human being, playing hard at all times, being active in his community, never chewing out his coach, not committing felonies, not fathering any children out of wedlock and not smoking marijuana. The money collected from the infractions goes into the league's stripper and pot fund."....BROOKE SHIELDS: "Smoking kills. And if you are killed you have lost a very important part of your life."....1977-78 Amarillo Gold Sox infielder STEVE SMITH had a career batting average of only .249 with just 14 home runs in over seven years in the minor leagues. The Canton, Ohio native and part-time Hollywood stunt man was asked his secret to hitting effective pop-up fungoes to his players during his time as a longtime minor league manager and big league coach. He explained, "I just imagine I'm back in my playing days and the bases are loaded with two out."....The late RED SPICER, accepting a Special Achievement Award from the Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame: "Most of all, I'd like to thank my ex-wife for divorcing me and giving me more time to train."....West Texas State running back MERCURY MORRIS broke the NCAA record for career rushing yards in his final college game as the Buffaloes defeated Colorado State 22-17 in 1968, but only with some assistance involving an official's oversight. Morris and a Colorado State player got in a fight and were ejected, but the referee failed to write down the numbers of the two players and they were allowed back in. Shortly after he was tossed, Morris was on the sidelines with the WT offense on the field and was immediately interrogated by head coach JOE KERBEL. "I've been kicked out," Morris told Kerbel. The fiery mentor shot back, "Get your ass back in there. I'll be the one to tell you whether you've been kicked out or not."....JERRY GREENE of the Orlando Sentinel: "If you can't wait for MIKE TYSON's next fight, it is either because he owes you money, your shrink won't see you anymore or you have a missing body part and you think he might have it."....E.C. McKENZIE: "The person that does his best today will be a hard person to defeat tomorrow."....Following the announcement that DENNIS RODMAN would have a reality television show, JIM ARMSTRONG of the Denver Post asked, "Since when did anything in his life have anything to do with reality?"....JERRY TARKANIAN and JIM HARRICK shared less than stellar reputations for following NCAA rules during their days coaching college basketball. Harrick actually once said of Tarkanian, "He is about as straight as the letter 's'."....Unknown: "If at first you don't succeed, well, so much for skydiving."....Overheard: "Environmentalism isn't about saving Earth. It is about saving us."---MIKE HIGGINS
3/12/12
BRAD DICKSON of the Omaha World-Herald: "Spring football practice is right around the corner. For those unfamiliar with spring practice in Nebraska, this is the time of year when the third-string defensive end's vertical leap takes precedence over the presidential election."....New York Yankees managing general partner HAL STEINBRENNER has declared he would like see at least a 20% cut in the team's payroll by 2014. He adds, "I am looking at it as a goal, and my goals are usually a requirement."....The Western Athletic Conference has named senior associate commissioner JEFF HURD its interim commissioner. He is recalled locally for numerous visits to our area during his days as sports information director at the University of Tulsa and later as Director of Public Relations for the Missouri Valley Conference....Best wishes to anyone thinking they can fill out what becomes a perfect bracket prior to the start of the NCAA basketball tournament. The odds of doing so are 9,223,372,036,854,755,808 to 1. To put that figure in perspective, consider every person on Earth could fill out one bracket and the odds of anyone getting every game right are still approximately 500 million to 1....Comedian TIM HUNTER: "A sure sign your husband has a bad case of March Madness is when he does the entire family tree in brackets."....Even before the University of Pittsburgh went uninvited to The Big Dance, senior guard ASHTON GIBBS told the Hackensack (N.J.) Record he would be content with an NIT bid in stating, "It's why we come to college. To play basketball."....Congratulations to Texas Tech University defensive back HAPPINESS OSUNDE on his induction into the Short Rutts Name Hall of Fame....Headline from the sports area of satire website TheOnion.com: "Players drink soda, wear sneakers, drive trucks on grueling first day of NFL Endorsement Combine."....From the same site: "Carolina Panthers admit paying bounties to any defensive player that makes a tackle."....Following a recent electrical fire at Fenway Park in Boston, JIMMY FALLON of NBC commented, "Instead of calling 911, Boston fans just heckled the fire until it left."....Bumper sticker: "I would gladly trade everything I own for more and better stuff."....Reflecting on becoming the first runner in history to run a four-minute mile in 1954, ROGER BANNISTER says, "It's amazing to me that more people have climbed Mount Everest than have run a four-minute mile."....Bannister's thought might be better understood if the outlook astronaut NEIL ARMSTRONG has on jogging is the norm. Although "The First Man On The Moon" has never climbed Mount Everest, he says, "I believe that the good Lord gave us a finate number of heartbeats, and I'll be damned if I am going to use up any of mine running up and down a street."....The Kentucky High School Athletic Association has announced bass fishing will be a sanctioned high school varsity sport in the state beginning next fall....New England Patriots wide receiver CHAD OCHOCINCO attended a charity event in Miami Beach recently and was urinated on by a caged lion. BUDD BAILEY of the Buffalo News commented, "That shows when you catch only 15 passes in a season, everybody is a critic."....Overheard: "I tried my very best to be normal once. It turned into the worst five minutes of my life."---MIKE HIGGINS
3/7/12
Some quotes I'll never forget....After his wife took up writing a weekly sports column for a Utah newspaper, Brigham Young University head football coach LaVELL EDWARDS commented, "She was an awfully lot more fun to sleep with before she became a sportswriter."....JON ARNETT, All-Pro running back with the Los Angeles Rams: "Calling someone a great runner isn't always a complement. You can be a great runner and still be dumb."....Infielder FRED PATEK was known for many years as being the shortest player in the major leagues at 5' 5" and said the distinction "felt a lot better than being the shortest player in the minor leagues."....Equally diminutive catcher TOM SHOPAY of the Baltimore Orioles: "I am the only catcher in baseball that can give the pitcher his signs while standing up."....Higher up on the measuring stick, 6' 5" Hope College basketball player BRIAN VRIESMAN was asked who had the most influence on his basketball career. He answered, "My six-foot mother."....Dallas sportscaster BILL MacATEE on his relationship with Cowboys head coach TOM LANDRY: "The biggest milestone in anyone's career is when he finally calls you by your first name. The first time it happened to me I almost changed my name to what he called me, which was 'Ray'."....Bowling great DON CARTER: "The main advantage bowling has over golf is that it is a whole lot harder to lose a bowling ball."....Asked why two inmate football teams at the Clinton Correctional Facilty in Dannemora, New York had such nicknames as "Assassins" and "Body Snatchers", recreation director TON CONDON explained, "What are they going to call themselves--the Twinkletoes?"....After attending a dinner at the White House, YOGI BERRA reflected, "There were so many people talking it was hard to have a conversation with anyone."....The Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association gave head coach JERRY REYNOLDS a two-year contract extension despite him having a 49-93 record in the middle of his second season with the team. Kings part-owner GREGG LUKINBILL stated, "We are committed to him, he is committed to us, and we all ought to be committed."....After being chosen as one of the sexiest men in America by a female newspaper columnist, 39-year old backup quarterback JOE FERGUSON of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers said, "My wife hasn't said too much about it. She's been too busy rolling on the floor and laughing."....Slugging outfielder MIKE ANDERSON was considered one of the top prospects in professional baseball as a Philadelphia Phillies minor leaguer in the early 1970s. Asked to assess Anderson's future, Phillies manager DANNY OZARK observed, "His limitations are limitless."....University of South Carolina athletic director KING DIXON once nixed a proposal for The Rolling Stones to perform a concert at Columbia's Williams-Bryce Stadium despite the hefty revenue doing so would have brought the Gamecock athletic department. Asked why he passed on the opportunity, Dixon answered, "I have actually opened the door for us to have other kinds of events, such as tractor pulls."....Los Angeles Dodgers manager TOMMY LASORDA: "Nobody has to tell RICHARD BURTON he is a good actor, nobody has to tell ROBERT WAGNER he is handsome, and nobody has to tell me I am a good manager."---MIKE HIGGINS
3/1/12
RICKY WILLIAMS, 1998 Heisman Trophy winner lately with the NFL's Baltimore Ravens, announcing his retirement from pro football last week on Twitter: "I did not retire. I graduated with a degree as a millionaire."....The passing of MIKE ZOFFUTO is sad to learn. While the former West Texas State football player had a long and successful career as a high school coach--primarily at Richardson's Lake Highlands High School--he will be remembered nationally for teaming with broadcasters DENNY GARVER and former KAMR-TV sports director EDDY CLINTON in their colorful coverage of the epic John Tyler-Plano East state playoff football game at Texas Stadium in 1994....From the sports area of satire website TheOnion.com: "Little League World Series to begin testing for mustaches."....Actress REESE WITHERSPOON popped up last week at Legends Field in Tampa, Florida as the New York Yankees began spring training workouts, prompting DAVID LETTERMAN of CBS to remark, "The Yankees are looking at her as a possible ALEX RODRIGUEZ girlfriend."....Statements made last week by MARIANO RIVERA of the Yankees indicates the future Hall of Famer will be playing his final year in 2012. His bullpen mate DAVID ROBERTSON has hope that might not be the case, saying, "He may be hinting, but you never know. He could BRETT FAVRE us."....Questions and answers with JIM LANGDON, head track and field coach at Amarillo High School and longtime assistant football coach with the Golden Sandies: First sports heroes? "BILL RUSSELL of the Boston Celtics, BOB LILLY of the Dallas Cowboys and my father FRED LANGDON, known as "The Farley Flash" when he was a basketball player at Farley (N.M.) High School. He was offered a scholarship to Eastern New Mexico, but turned it down to take care of his mother and to marry my mother. He later played for the Phillips 66ers of the AAU." Favorite sports nickname? "PAUL 'BEAR' BRYANT." Favorite athletes in the clutch? "MICHAEL JORDAN, JOE MONTANA and NOLAN RYAN." Sports events in history would like to have seen in person? "Green Bay Packers defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in the first Super Bowl and two college football "Games of the Century"--Texas beating Arkansas 15-14 in 1969 and Nebraska with JOHNNY RODGERS, JERRY TAGGE and JEFF KINNEY defeating Oklahoma with JACK MILDREN and GREG PRUITT 35-31 in 1971 at Owen Field in Norman." Biggest sports thrill as participant? "Coaching Amarillo High in the 'Snow Bowl', a 10-7 win over Odessa Permian in the 1993 class 5-A quarterfinals at Jones Stadium in Lubbock. The win put AHS in the state semifinals for the first time since 1950." Biggest sports disappointment as participant? "DOMINIC RHODES of Abilene Cooper scoring on a 57-yard run on the last play of the game as they beat Amarillo High 20-14 in the 1996 class 5A Division II bi-district game at Lowrey Field in Lubbock. Cooper went on to play in the state championship game and Rhodes later played in the NFL, rushing for 113 yards and scoring a touchdown for the Indianapolis Colts as they defeated the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI." Biggest sports thrill as observer? "Amarillo High winning the 1986 class 5-A state championship in boys basketball with several players I had previously coached as eighth graders at Bonham Junior High (now Middle) School. It was my first time to coach and they taught me a lot more than I knew." Most famous persons shaken hands with? "MICKEY MANTLE, MACK BROWN, GENE STALLINGS, BUM PHILLIPS, DAVID McWILLIAMS, SPIKE DYKES and CHARLIE JOHNSTON." Living persons would most like to have lunch with? "GEORGE H.W. BUSH, BARBARA BUSH and TOM OSBORNE."....Downplaying the emphasis pro football scouts place on the times quarterbacks show in running a 40-yard dash, BOB MOLINARO of the Norfolk Virginian Pilot says, "PEYTON MANNING and TOM BRADY can't outrun the cast of 'The Biggest Loser', yet they've done pretty well for themselves."....With Nike founder PHIL KNIGHT due to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, MIKE BIANCHI of the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel asks, "Since when do shoe salesmen get in the Hall of Fame? Who is next--AL BUNDY or BUSTER BROWN?"....Overheard: "I do not think you are stupid. I just think you have real bad luck when it comes to thinking."---MIKE HIGGINS
2/27/12
Short Rutts readers reflect on the life and career of WARREN HASSE, legendary West Texas State radio play-by-play voice who passed away last week at age 88....Buffalo football icon "PISTOL" PETE PEDRO of Lynn, Massachusetts: "It is hard to put into words how much Warren Hasse will always mean to me. He was a great man with an unforgettable and ongoing smile and was a great help to me when I got to West Texas and was adjusting to life in the Texas Panhandle. Shortly after my senior season in the fall of 1963, my teammate Ollie Ross drove my girlfriend Gloria Jean Quintero and me to Pampa as we attempted to elope. As a clerk at the Gray County Courthouse was processing our papers, he recognized my name and before we knew it Warren was running down the stairs of the courthouse to congratulate us. I think Warren was more excited than we were. By the time we got back to Amarillo, it seemed everyone we knew had found out we had gotten married."....Perryton native and former Major League Baseball player and manager MIKE HARGROVE: "I happened to be in Amarillo last week for the funeral of my aunt, and I got to wondering how Warren was doing. Now I know. He was a genuinely great man that will be sorely missed."....DON CARTHEL, West Texas A&M head football coach: "Warren will always be remembered for having such a great voice for radio. I listened to every WT football and basketball game on KGNC I could not attend while growing up in Friona, often past my bedtime with a transistor radio under my pillow. I often kept statistics off his descriptions that would make me feel like I was in attendance, and I still have stats I was able to record on Corky Dawson, Pete Pedro, Hank Washington, Mercury Morris, Albie 'Double-O' Owens, Duane Thomas, Simmie Hill, Dale Blaut, David Cole, Mike Mitchell and many other great WT athletes. WT and the entire Panhandle have been truly blessed by his giving back to us over the years, and our hearts and prayers go out to his family."....TERRY FUNK, professional wrestling legend, actor and a former Buffalo offensive lineman: "The Texas Panhandle and the sports world have lost the world's greatest announcer, bar none. Who in the hell knew he was that good? We did. In this day and age the world needs another Warren Hasse. He loved sports and the people of the Texas Panhandle, and announcing was not his job, but his love and passion. He was simply better than there is, was, and there ever will be. Not long ago a reporter asked me what I would like to be remembered for when I die, and I told him I wanted to be remembered as a good man. That is a hard thing to be. Warren was a good man and we all loved him for being just that."....STEVE OAKLEY, former KAMR-TV sports director and a 1965-66 WT football and baseball player: "What a gentleman and humorist. He called me 'Ole Number 44' for over 40 years. Naturally, the football era under Joe Kerbel at West Texas State was spoken of with great zeal. Warren and his longtime broadcast partner Dick Risenhoover were the smooth talking voices of the program, and it is a time and era that will always be cherished and honored in the history of WT athletics. Warren was never timid about vocalizing his tenderhearted feelings, and those of us that were lucky enough to have shared in any of his ventures are better for it. I thank a wonderful friend."....BRAD SCHRECK, Wichita, Kansas financial advisor: "Warren Hasse was a true gentleman and will always be a WT legend. When I was playing basketball there he was always a friend a young man a long way from home could count on. Since leaving the Panhandle, he has always been my connection to keeping up with WT and I always enjoyed our phone conversations about the goings-on. I feel very lucky to have seen him a few years back at the Cager Club golf tournament where he was the same Warren, always engaging and eager to know how my family was doing. I will always miss him a great deal."....DR. PAUL MATNEY, Amarillo College president and a former WT speech communications professor: "I became of fan of listening to Warren doing play-by-play during the eras of football coaches Joe Kerbel and Gene Mayfield and of basketball coaches Jimmy Viramontes, Dennis Walling and Ron Ekker. He was a consummate professional, a great broadcaster who conveyed the excitement with his descriptions. Whenever I would see him he would always ask about my uncle Homer Matney, who played baseball for the Pampa Oilers in the 1940s. I also admired Warren so much for being such a proponent of Pampa."....Perryton native SCOTT DOORES, 1969-72 Buffalo basketball player: "Warren Hasse was a great man that did great things. The manner in which he lived his life built good character into all of us that knew him."....BILL HAMILTON, head girls basketball coach at Amarillo's Ascension Academy and a WT graduate: "As a 15-year old growing up in Dumas, I was fortunate to pitch a no-hitter against the Spearman-Stinnett All-Stars in a Babe Ruth tournament played at Optimist Park in Pampa. Warren did the play-by-play of the game on KPDN in Pampa and my mother recorded it. I am sure she still has it somewhere. I later worked at WT with Warren's son John Hasse and had many nice conversations with him. He was a class act and a wealth of information, and will be greatly missed by many."....GARY PITNER, executive director of the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission: "I have great memories of growing up in the 1960s in Pampa and Amarillo and spending what must have been hundreds of hours next to my Montgomery Ward 'Airline' transistor radio listening to Warren Hasse and my Buffaloes. He was a 'big time' broadcaster when WT played 'big time' college athletics. Those fall afternoons and evenings filled with Mercury Morris, Duane Thomas, Buffalo Bowl and 'The Shamrock Network for West Texas State University Football' were the highlights of most of my weekends. The winter would roll around and Warren would speak to me from places like Peoria, Des Moines, Carbondale, Omaha, Memphis, Louisville, Wichita, Tulsa and Las Cruces as he called Missouri Valley Conference basketball. He brought it all to life right there on my transistor and none have been better at the broadcasting craft."....WT graduate BILL BANDY, owner/operator of the area Herff Jones graduation apparel franchise: "Anyone who grew up in the KGNC radio listening area during the era when the iconic Warren Hasse did WT games remembers the class, poise and professionalism he demonstrated. This was especially true for me while growing up on a farm in Panhandle. The radio on my tractor was my friend. He will always be 'The Voice of the Buffaloes' and was a great ambassador for my university. May God bless and keep Warren Hasse."....DR. KYLE SUNDERMAN, Lubbock chiropractor, Canyon native and a former Buffalo basketball player: "Warren was a true professional and not only 'The Voice of the Buffaloes', but the voice of the entire university."....KENT JOHNSON, WTAMU associate athletic director: "Listening to Warren's broadcasts of WT basketball on KGNC at my home in Fort Worth in the winter of 1983 gave them a 'big time' appeal and led me to look into attending college there. I then worked with him during my two years as a WT student in 1983-85. Warren's knowledge of WT's athletic history was the result of his absolute love for the university. Not everyone holds that desire, nor does every institution have someone with that kind of devotion."....EARL WOOD, 1965-66 Buffalo linebacker and later a WT assistant coach under Gene Mayfield: "Warren was a great advocate of all sports, not just football, at WT. He was always positive with his warm smile and enthusiastic voice, and we all thank him."....NEIL HORN, radio play-by-play voice of Buffalo football since 1999: "When I think of Warren Hasse, two words come to mind: service and passion. Warren served in so many ways, but the most visible were as "The Voice of the Buffaloes" and as a key driving force behind the Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame. He put in countless hours of service beyond what people even realize, feeling a duty to keep alive the memories of athletes and coaches from long ago. He developed lifelong relationships with most everyone he came in contact with, not just at West Texas, but all across the nation. Some of my fondest memories of him involve his hosting the WT Cager Club luncheons, interacting with such coaching personalities as Denny Crum of Louisville, Gene Bartow of Memphis State, Dick Versace and Joe Stowell of Bradley, Bob Ortegal of Drake, Ken Hayes of New Mexico State and Tulsa, Nolan Richardson of Tulsa, Bill Blakely of North Texas, Lou Henson of New Mexico State and Paul Lambert of Southern Illinois, just to name a few. I, like so many others, have been blessed by the life of Warren Hasse, and we have lost a passionate, one-of-a-kind servant that will be greatly missed."....JIMMY LACKEY, executive director of Kids, Inc.: "Warren Hasse was one of the finest gentlemen I have ever met, a true Christian and humanitarian. Mr. Hasse has successfully passed those traits on to his children. There is a great deal to learn about how to treat your fellow man by knowing the Hasse family, and may God bless them all."....MIKE MITCHELL, starting guard on WT's 1968-69 National Invitational Tournament team: "In the first round of the NIT, I missed a jump shot in the final 20 seconds of our 82-80 loss to Ohio University at Madison Square Garden. Who later came by my hotel room following the game to try to cheer me up? It was Warren Hasse. That was the type of man he was and I have such fond memories of him. Warren was always the 'life of the party' for our 'Hearts' games on long bus trips. He was present the day I was inducted into the WT Hall of Champions and I was very honored that he had made the trip from Pampa. I am sure I am just one of a huge number of people throughout the Panhandle whose lives were impacted in a positive way by him. He is truly one of those rare individuals about whom can be said, 'Gone, but not forgotten'."....Dallas resident DAVID COLE, retired executive with Southwestern Bell/AT&T and a teammate of Mitchell on the 1968-69 NIT team: "I first met Mr. Hasse in 1966. We have kept in contact since and he was a great friend. One day in 1980, I was working in Wichita, Kansas and he invited me to join him on the broadcast of the West Texas-Wichita State game. It was the first and last time I had the headset on. I talked to him one evening last year and to my surprise, a few days later he had sent me the 1966 UIL State Basketball Tournament program featuring the Austin McCallum High School 'Knights', a team I was a part of. He must have saved everything regarding sports. My fondest memory of him were the 'Hearts' games we would play while traveling. He loved the game, and he loved beating Mitchell and me. He will always be missed."....TERRY DEAN, Pampa native: "In the early 1970s, the Pampa High School band was invited to New York to perform at halftime of a New York Jets game and Warren served as the public address announcer as they performed on the field at Shea Stadium. When
they returned home the talk of the town was not of them seeing the Empire State Building or the Statue of Liberty, but of how great Warren was. He made them sound like the best band in the country.".....SGT. EVERETT GARDNER, U.S. Army, a key cog on WT's Missouri Valley Conference champion 880-meter relay team in 1977 and later an Amarillo radio personality: "When I was playing basketball for Amarillo High School and Mr. Hasse was doing radio play-by-play of the Pampa Harvesters, I later learned after one of our games against them he had unknowingly referred to me as 'Garner Everett' each time I attempted a shot, managed to somehow get a rebound or score a basket, or committed another foul. All is forgiven. It was a great honor to later experience his professionalism and kindness during the days I worked the 'studio board' for WT football and basketball broadcasts."....BOB SLOAN, 1968-72 WT baseball coach: "Warren was honest to the core and I cannot say enough good things about him. He never had a bad word to say about a player or coach, and he always took the time to encourage us and say how proud he was of us."....JOE RAY HALSEY, Buffalo baseball player and assistant coach under Sloan and later an inductee into the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame: "Warren had a way with words that would paint wonderful images of the action. All WT athletes respected him and liked him and he was always a trusted and welcome friend. I served on the WT Hall of Champions selection committee with him and he was our key to the past. His life represented all of what we want the world to be that is good and honest."....TOM SIMONS, Deaf Smith County judge and longtime radio voice of the Hereford Whitefaces: "In 1973, my second year in Hereford, we played El Paso Coronado in the state football playoffs and it was broadcast on the Shamrock Network. Warren did the play-by-play and I did the color. It was a great experience. I was a little in awe of him, but he was very nice. That was my only time to broadcast with him, but we were always friends after that day."....MIKE LORENC, multi-sport athletic standout at Tascosa High School and a 1976-80 Buffalo basketball player: "The 'Voice of the Buffaloes' was a gentleman and a great man, and I am grateful to have known him. We had great conversations on road trips. Occasionally, he would come to our practices and suit out, showing us how to execute the set shot from the good ole days."....JON MARK BEILUE, general interest columnist and former sports editor for the Amarillo Globe-News: "I don't know if people actually realize how really talented he was, especially doing basketball. In his heyday in the 1960s and 1970s he was a good as anyone in the country. It is ironic that two broadcasters about 100 miles apart were so exceptional at the same time for decades. Warren Hasse at West Texas State and Jack Dale at Texas Tech were as good as it got. It is sadly ironic that both gentleman died within six months of each other and both will be long remembered not only for their talents, but for the way they lived their lives."....Amarillo native and Austin journalist ADAM JONES: "My parents were never without Warren Hasse's calls on the Buffalo radio network. He had a smooth delivery on play-by-play, a baritone with just a touch of nasal that aped the unaffected tone of the Midwestern broadcaster. Very few people knew he was orginally from Wisconsin. He affected a slight Texas twang which assured anyone within radio tower distance that he was one of us. The Buffs would make a great play and my mother, perhaps touching up the baseboard paint in the family room, would break her estimable concentration and let out a "Way to go, Buff-a-lows !!" She remained the unconditional fan, and we would listen through the postgame show until Warren gave way to the Ruby Lewis Show on KGNC."---MIKE HIGGINS
2/21/12
ALICE COOPER, rock music legend and fan of the National Hockey League's Phoenix Coyotes: "You can go see baseball, football or basketball, but there is never a game where you jump out of your seat like at a hockey game. I keep saying the game should be called 'OOHH', because that's what I do twenty times a night: go 'OOHH'. It is by far the most fun sport to watch live."....Are you looking for an everlasting gift for a diehard University of Alabama football fan? Perhaps a burial plot near the gravesite of Crimson Tide football coaching legend PAUL "BEAR" BRYANT would fit the bill. Such is being offered by a cemetery in Elmwood, Alabama at a rate of $2,200 per plot....With the National Basketball Association's labor dispute meaning shortened time in training camps and a cramped regular season schedule, a rash injuries have plagued the league with the Denver Nuggets having four of their starters on the shelf at once. JEFF SCHULTZ of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution comments, "If the NBA altered its iconic logo right now, it would be a silhouette of JERRY WEST with a crutch under one arm, a sling around the other, ice bags taped to both knees, ankles the size of cantaloupes and a red light bulb on his nose, just like the poor schlep on the 'Operation' game."....A correction is in store here involving the story of a lovely lady: It was accurately reported here last week the sister of the New England Patriots quarterback--a man named TOM BRADY--is engaged to Boston Red Sox infielder KEVIN YOUKILIS, but inaccurately reported her name is JANET BRADY. With the lady and the fellow soon enabling the group to form a family, it should be noted the bride's name is actually JULIE BRADY. That's the way Short Rutts came to regret the error....Bumper sticker: "In case of emergency: Well, good luck."....A baseball signed by reality television star KIM KARDASHIAN and ex-husband KRIS HUMPHRIES of the NBA's New Jersey Nets has been put up for auction by the Minnesota Twins with the top bid currently at $1,500. By contrast, a ball signed by the late JIM PERRY--a former Twins pitcher and the 1970 American League Cy Young Award winner--has received a top bid of $60....Dallas Mavericks owner MARK CUBAN has forked out $40,000 of his own money in the interest of rescuing Dallas' financially-strapped St. Patrick's Day parade. He explains, "I figured if I have lost enough brain cells there, everybody else should get that opportunity, too."....New Miami Dolphins head coach JOE PHILBIN has a completed staff consisting of 21 assistant coaches. GREG COTE of the Miami Herald comments, "The Dolphins are now the only team with assistant coaches in charge of counting other assistant coaches."....Overheard: "Words cannot describe how I feel about you because I do not feel anything about you."---MIKE HIGGINS
2/16/12
BRAD DICKSON of the Omaha World-Herald: "The National Football league draft begins April 26. Right now, owner ROBERT KRAFT and head coach BILL BELICHICK are waiting to hear from GISELE BUNDCHEN who the New England Patriots will pick first."....Infielder KEVIN YOUKILIS of the Boston Red Sox is engaged to JANET BRADY, sister of Patriots quarterback TOM BRADY. Columnist DWIGHT PERRY of the Seattle Times states, "Now comes the hard part: Keeping sister-in-law Gisele out of microphone range if somebody drops the bridal-bouquet throw."....After New York Giants running back BRANDON JACOBS said supermodel Bundchen should "stay cute and shut up", RJ CURRIE of Sportsdeke.com responded, "Cute? Isn't that like calling The Great Wall of China a fence?"....Bumper sticker: "Happy Single Awareness Day. I am single, and now you are aware."....Sunday's passing of former Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers wide receiver/kick return specialist FREDDIE SOLOMAN is sad to learn. He is remembered locally as also an outstanding quarterback for the now-defunct football program at the University of Tampa, leading the Spartans against West Texas State in a 28-6 WT win at Canyon in 1973 and a 24-6 Buffalo victory at Tampa Stadium in 1974. Following the game in Canyon, the native of Sumter, South Carolina commented the turf at Kimbrough Stadium represented the first time he had ever seen grass that was brown....The Philadelphia Eagles have hired former 49ers and Washington Redskins defensive back TODD BOWLES as their secondary coach. Recalling what influenced his decision to retire after eight professional seasons in 1993, Bowles told the Philadelphia Inquirer, "When you start playing football, you can run through a brick wall. When you start counting the bricks, it's time to shut it down."....The re-named Miami (formerly Florida) Marlins play their first game under manager OZZIE GUILLEN and open their new stadium in Little Havana on April 4 with the shortest homestand in Major League Baseball history. They play one game against the defending World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals and rookie manager MIKE MATHENY before traveling to Cincinnati to take on the Reds the following afternoon....On the other end of the spectrum, the Worcester (Mass.) Tornadoes join the American Association in 2012 and will take what might be the longest road trip in independent baseball history which includes a visit to The Ballpark Southeast of the Stockyards July 3-6 for a series against the Amarillo Sox. After closing a homestand in Worcester on June 27, they travel to Laredo, Texas for a series against the Lemurs, come to Amarillo, then move on to El Paso for a series with the Diablos before returning to Worcester. According to Mapquest, the trek covers just over 5,639 miles....Ohio State assistant basketball coach JEFF SOALS on the aggressive play of center JARED SULLINGER: "Obviously, he's got a big butt and he uses it to his advantage."....Overheard: " 'Obssesed' is no more than a word used by the lazy to describe the dedicated."---MIKE HIGGINS
2/9/12
JANICE HOUGH of LeftCoastSportsBabe.com: "I can't wait to hear what TOM BRADY has to say about the other women if GISELE BUNDCHEN ever plays in the Lingerie Bowl."....It took over three years of work with more than 30,000 Legos for BRIAN ALANO of Bloomington, Indiana to construct an impressive replica of Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium. JIMMY FALLON of NBC responded, "And this is even cooler: He had enough Legos left over to build himself a girlfriend."....Bumper sticker: "Roses are red and violets are blue. Please be my Valentine because you're the best I can do."....Reminder: The Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame ceremonies on Sunday feature the inductions of Amarillo High School product and longtime Dumas High School head football coach BILL SPANN, Nazareth High School multi-sport/West Texas A&M basketball great LEONA GERBER-WILHELM and area girls high school basketball and track coaching legend E.J. "JEEP" WEBB. The festivities begin at 2 p.m. at Amarillo College's Ordway Auditorium with a reception to follow in the second floor of AC's College Union Building....PSHOF attendees can again count on JON MARK BEILUE doing an outstanding job as Master of Ceremonies. He told the PSHOF crowd several years ago, "I was once asked how long I would be up here doing this, and I told them it was just like joining the Mafia--because once you are in, you are in for life."....Additional reminder: In 2003, Childress High School football coaching legend CHARLIE JOHNSTON told a packed house as he was inducted, "I learned very early in my career to show up for this thing each year because if you didn't you would have to read about failing to do so in PUTT POWELL's 'Short Putts' column."....Note to LANCE LAHNERT, Amarillo Globe-News sports editor: The list you run of the PSHOF's "Baseball Athlete of the Year" has had the last name of 1970 honoree CHRIS SPEIER misspelled for many years. Speier is currently the bench coach for the Cincinnati Reds and earned the PSHOF honor as a 19-year old shortstop for the Texas League's Amarillo Giants before going on to play 19 years in the big leagues in addition to being a three-time starter at shortstop on the National League All-Star team....A quote I'll never forget: When running back CHUCK MUNCIE was traded from the lowly New Orleans Saints to the contending San Diego Chargers during the 1980 season, he said, "If I wanted to put a finger on New Orleans' problems, I would need six pair of hands."....Overheard: "Nothing is sometimes the right thing to do, and more often than not, it is also the right thing to say."---MIKE HIGGINS
2/7/12
BOB MOLINARO of the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot: "Just one time, I'd like to see those Winter X Games daredevils attempt their stunts on rented skis."....From sports satire website Sportspickle.com: "Cocky two-time Super Bowl champion/Most Valuable Player ELI MANNING will soon be legally changing his name to ELITE MANNING."....The West Texas A&M football program makes it's first-ever visit to the state of Georgia on October 27 as the Buffaloes take on the University of West Georgia at University Stadium in Carrolton, Georgia. The Wolves of head coach DARYL DICKEY are members of the Gulf South Conference and went 6-4 in 2011. The Buffaloes open their 2012 slate on Thursday, August 30 at Colorado State-Pueblo with their home opener coming September 8 against Western (Colo.) State....Is it a safe guess that new Texas Rangers pitcher YU DARVISH will be the first big league pitcher in history who is half-Japanese and half-Iranian?....NFL commissioner ROGER GODDELL recently compared the league's revenue sharing plan to socialism. Comedian ARGUS HAMILTON responded, "He's right. However, 600 guys splitting up $10 billion isn't exactly the way KARL MARX diagrammed the play on a chalkboard."....Questions and answers with WENDEL SLOAN, longtime Director of Media Relations at Eastern New Mexico University: First sports hero? "Quarterback DON MEREDITH of the Dallas Cowboys. We are both from Mount Vernon, Texas." Biggest sports thrill as participant? "Tagging out three base runners to make an unassisted triple play as a pee wee baseball player." Biggest sports thrill as observer? "Watching NOLAN RYAN pitch a no-hitter for the Texas Rangers." Biggest sports disappointment as observer? "Dallas Mavericks losing in the first round of the NBA playoffs when they were the top seed and the Warriors were the eighth seed." Favorite athletes in the clutch? "MICHAEL YOUNG of the Rangers and ROGER STAUBACH of the Cowboys." Sports event in history would most like to have seen in person? "BABE RUTH hitting the last three home runs of his career in one game playing for the Boston Braves against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Forbes Field in 1935." Favorite sports nicknames? "The Houston Astros original nickname of 'Colt 45s', University of Minnesota 'Golden Gophers', JIM "THE TOY CANNON" WYNN of the Astros and PETE "INKY STINKY" INCAGVILIA of the Rangers." Favorite cities outside of Texas and New Mexico? "Panama City Beach, Florida and Bangkok, Thailand." Living persons would most like to have lunch with? "Singers JIMMY BUFFETT and JOHN FOGERTY." Most famous persons shaken hands with? "Buffett and BILL CLINTON."....MIKE BIANCHI, Orlando Sentinel: "I am not saying I have been inundated with college football recruiting talk, but last week when my daughter asked me if I would help her with her homework, I gave her a 'soft verbal'."....After Los Angeles Clippers forward BLAKE GRIFFIN was criticized over a dunk that had him not even touching the rim, SCOTT OSTLER of the San Francisco Chronicle commented, "That's like saying VINCENT VAN GOGH was a fraud because he didn't paint any poker-playing dogs into Starry Night."....Overheard: "Why do I buy things I don't need with money I don't have to impress people I don't like?"----MIKE HIGGINS
1-31-12
Some quotes I'll never forget....HENRY FIELDING, 18th century novelist and dramatist: "Adversity is the trial of principle. Without it, a person hardly knows whether he or she is honest or not."....The late PHIL SMITH had an outstanding rookie season in helping the Golden State Warriors to the 1974-75 NBA championship and shortly afterwards married ANGELA BROWN, his college sweetheart from their days at the University of San Francisco. Just after being asked the key question by the minister performing the ceremony, Smith fainted. The minister then told the gathering, "There will be a short halftime intermission before we resume."....When a portion of the the Knight Commission on College Athletics released a portion of its report on academics, GREG COTE of the Miami Herald stated, "Analysts say the report's most surprising finding was that there actually are academics in college athletics."....DR. LESTER KEISER, M.D.: "We get so much in the habit of wearing a disguise before others that we eventually appear disguised before ourselves."....Media coverage across the country of a verbal spat between Texas Tech head basketball coach BOB KNIGHT and school president DR. DAVID SMITH reported the argument took place at an "upscale grocery store" in Lubbock. Comedian JERRY PERISHO offered, "You know you are in an 'upscale grocery store' in Lubbock, Texas when you ask where the Spam is and they direct you to the 'gourmet meats' section."....EARL CAMPBELL: "Someone will come along and break my records. What really counts is how I live."....Artist and writer ELBERT HUBBARD: "Everyone is a fool for at least five minutes every day. Wisdom consists in not exceeding the limit."....After rapper JAY-Z and basketball star LEBRON JAMES announced plans to collaborate on an album, television personality TOM ARNOLD asked, "What qualifies LeBron James to do a rap album? He's never even been shot."....University of Notre Dame administrator CHANDRA JOHNSON shaved her head in 2004 to protest the firing of Fighting Irish head football coach TYRONE WILLINGHAM. Ft. Worth Star-Telegram columnist DAVID THOMAS commented, "Win one for 'The Clipper'."....EDMUND BURKE, British political theorist: "Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting."....Unknown: "Those that complain about the way the ball bounces are usually the ones that dropped it."....Hockey great GORDIE HOWE: "I find that I can have piece of mind, enjoy myself, and sleep better if I know I gave one hundred percent--win or lose."....Longtime Panhandle area baseball fans recall DICK STUART hitting some of the longer home runs ever seen The Ballpark Southwest of the Coors Distribution Center while playing for the Western League's Lincoln (Neb.) Chiefs against the Amarillo Gold Sox in the mid-1950s. He went on to swat 228 homers over ten big league seasons but was perhaps more known for being far less than an even average fielder. Possibly poking fun at his nickname of "Dr. Strangeglove", the Redwood City, California native said, "I once picked up a hot dog wrapper off the field at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh and 30,000 people gave me a standing ovation."....Houston native LINDA ELLERBEE, veteran broadcast journalist and breast cancer survivor: "I have always felt that laughter in the face of reality is the finest sound there is and will last until the game is called on account of darkness. The best time to laugh is any time we can."....Now serving time in a Nevada prison on an armed robbery conviction after being controversially acquitted of two murders in 1995, the 1968 Heisman Trophy winner once said, "The day you make it to the top is the day you take complete responsibility for yourself and stop making any excuses."....Overheard: "I love giving others advice. It's the way I test it before deciding if I should use it myself."---MIKE HIGGINS
1/30/12
JAY PATERNO, eulogizing his father last week at a memorial service on the Penn State campus: "JOE PATERNO indeed had an indomitable will, with one exception: when his will ran counter to that of his wife and my mother."....Rapper 50 CENT says he won $500,000 betting on the New York Giants to defeat the San Francsico 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. BRAD DICKSON of the Omaha World-Herald responds, "I'd be tempted to say 50 Cent has terrific luck, except for the fact that he has been shot something like 37 times."....RULON GARDNER, winner of the gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 2000 Olympics, says he is in the process of losing fifty pounds with hopes to compete in this summer's Olympics in London. He explains, "I act young, I look old and I am crazy to be wrestling. How many 40-year old men are rolling around with other grown men?"....An Amarillo television station began giving long range weather forecasts last week for Indianapolis leading to the playing next Sunday of Super Bowl XLVI. Are station personel aware The Big Game will be played with the retractable roof closed at Lucas Oil Stadium?....Defenseman JUSTIN FALK of the National Hockey League's Minnesota Wild was born on October 11, 1988 in Snowflake, Manitoba, a place KEVIN PAUL DUPONT of the Boston Globe calls, "A town where no two people look alike.".....From the sports area of satire website TheOnion.com: "Green Bay Packers fans relieved to have more time to explore all Green Bay has to offer this winter."....A big win proved to come with a hefty price last week for Florence (Tex.) High School volleyball coach JOANNA HENSLEY. She defeated five fellow competitors in a oil wrestling match at a Georgetown bar but was later placed on administrative leave by the Florence Independent School District for her participation. Hensley later told Austin television station KVUE, "I approached the event as a competition, and I was raised to always believe you play to win, just as I encourage my student-athletes to do. I look forward to the future when life as normal will resume."....Last week's passing of SID BAYLESS is sad to learn. I'm confident the West Texas State University graduate and longtime Amarillo educator never participated in any oil wrestling matches, including during his time as assistant principal at Stephen F. Austin Junior High School, principal at Crockett Junior High School and later as assistant superintendent of personnel for the Amarillo Independent School District. I'll never forget running into Mr. Bayless at Dick Bivins Stadium once and commenting to him how much younger he looked several years after he had been my assistant principal at Austin. The former multi-sport athletic standout at Canadian High School modestly answered, "That's what that clean living will do."....Unknown: "When all else fails, use a bigger hammer."....DWIGHT PERRY, Seattle Times: "DIRK NOWITSKI, JASON TERRY and the rest of the Dallas Mavericks are sporting gaudy, new championship rings worth a reported $50,000 each. Or, worth roughly what the average WNBA player gets paid."....A report on ESPN.com says former Houston Astros and Phildelphia Phillies pitcher ROY OSWALT will meet with Texas Rangers officials this week and will sign with either the Rangers or the St. Louis Cardinals....After former Tennessee Titans head coach JEFF FISHER chose to take the head coaching job with the St. Louis Rams rather than the same position with the Miami Dolphins, MIKE BIANCHI of the Orlando Sentinel offered, "That's like choosing the beets over the Brussels sprouts."....Overheard: "Never underestimate the power of keeping your mouth shut."---MIKE HIGGINS
1/26/2012
Bumper sticker: "Life is hard and even harder if you are stupid."....BRENT MUSBURGER told his fellow sportscaster DAN PATRICK in October of 2008: "This is a tough one for me because I have to say up front that JOE PATERNO is a dear friend of mine. I will tell your listeners up front as to why he still coaches. He is fearful--and he looks back at BEAR BRYANT as the example--that he would not be with us if he stepped away. He doesn't fish, doesn't golf, and has no other interests beyond family and football. He is afraid what would happen with the rest of his life if he walked away."....Footnotes: Bryant announced his retirement prior to his Alabama team's 21-15 win in the 1982 Liberty Bowl and died four weeks to the day later. Paterno coached his last game at Penn State on October 29 before being fired and was dead in less than two months....Derek and the Dominos were a 1970s band remembered primarily for having rock music icon ERIC CLAPTON as their front man and their 1972 hit "Layla", a song Clapton wrote and sang in expressing his love for PATTI BOYD HARRISON, his future wife, eventual ex-wife and at the time the wife of his close friend GEORGE HARRISON. Following the signing by the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos of former South Dakota State linebacker DEREK DOMINO, Toronto Sun scribe STEVE SIMMONS asks, "I wonder if his theme song is 'Layla'. "....In other news from the CFL, an ESPN reporter recently offered an opinion that TERRELL OWENS could "name his salary" if he were to choose to take his game north of the border. RJ CURRIE of Sportsdeke.com responded, "Sure. Just avoid paltry or inadequate because they are taken."....It's hard to believe new Houston Astros owner JIM CRANE thinks team fans might approve of a nickname change when the Astros switch from the National League to the American League in 2013. Still, Crane has delighted Astros fans by announcing there will be no increases--and even in some cases, a decrease--in ticket and concession prices in 2012 and has also has hinted at the possibility of changing the style of the team's uniforms. The opinion here is that the Astros had among the best uniform designs in the history of the game with their "shooting star" look in the 1960s and later the worst with their multi-colored "rainbow"" look in the 1970s....Amarillo native GARY SCOGGIN, Texas City resident and a longtime Astros season ticket holder: "Every t-shirt I own is an Astros shirt. I hope he doesn't make my wardrobe obsolete. Actually, I like the fact he is bringing more Sabremetrics and advanced analysis into the organization, and all his personnel moves so far appear to have been good ones."....The Sacramento Kings of the NBA fired head coach PAUL WESTPHAL earlier this month and gave the job to assistant coach KEITH SMART on an "interim" basis. As a Minnesota Timberwolves fan heckled Smart in pointing out his temporary status during a 99-86 win for Minnesota on January 16 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Smart shot back, "But it's a real good part-time job--and pays really well."....Headline from sports satire website Sportspickle.com: "San Francisco 49ers head coach JIM HARBAUGH and Baltimore Ravens head coach JOHN HARBAUGH will meet in the Super Bowl--on XBox while drunk."....Former New York Knicks head coach JEFF VAN GUNDY tells HBO he was once so focused on his job he drove his car right through his closed garage door. He explained, "I am thinking GRANT HILL and I forgot to hit the button. I finally got in the garage, but not the right way."....Overheard: "All criticisms are byproducts of unmet expectations."---MIKE HIGGINS
1/23/12
RJ CURRIE of Sportsdeke.com: "Question: What is the difference between Australian Open tennis players LI NA and BARBORA ZAHLAVOVA STRYCOVA? Answer: Most of the alphabet."....GLENN "BIG BABY" DAVIS of the Orlando Magic was called for a technical foul last week for pulling down his shorts to protest a referee's call. MIKE BIANCHI of the Orlando Sentinel comments, "Yo, dude. I know your nickname is 'Big Baby', but let's keep the diaper on, okay?"....In additional news relating to bad basketball behavior, North Carolina-Wilmington head coach BUZZ PETERSEN was suspended for one game by the Colonial Athletic Association after being hit with two technicals during the Seahawks' 79-59 loss to Drexel on January 14. Petersen later said, "If I had gotten a technical in the first half and maybe one 10 minutes later, that's one thing. But to get them within four seconds? Heck, I was still on the same sentence."....In a similar but off-the-court matter, Dallas Mavericks assistant coach DARRELL ARMSTRONG was arrested last week on an outstanding debt of $37,500 to a Las Vegas casino....Former West Texas State sports information director BILL COUSINS: "I don't remember TED "THE MILLION DOLLAR MAN" DiBIASE playing much during his time as a WT football player as he was often injured. He may not have actually lettered, but he was on the team. He did not complete his eligibility, choosing instead to begin his professional wrestling career. I ran into Ted last spring at Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston as he was headed to his home in Jackson, Mississippi after an appearance in San Diego. We had a nice, long talk about the old days."....Note to JEFF QUINLIN: Former WT offensive lineman and longtime pro rassler KELLY KINISKI is not a member of the WWE Hall of Fame as his father GENE KINISKI is....With the Oakland Raiders searching for a new head coach to replace the fired HUE JACKSON, San Francisco Chronicle columnist SCOTT OSTLER asks and comments, "Is there another Harbaugh brother? Actually, no. However, JIM HARBAUGH and JOHN HARBAUGH have a sister named JOANI HARBAUGH. And the Raiders have never been afraid to break new ground."....A quote I'll never forget: In the early 1980s, ESPN baseball commentator CHRIS BERMAN utilized a portion of the lyrics from a song recorded by GENE AUTRY, LOUIS ARMSTRONG and most famously in 1956 by FATS DOMINO in nicknaming Chicago Cubs catcher DAMON "I FOUND MY THRILL ON BLUE" BERRYHILL....Pitchers FAUSTINO CARMONA of the Cleveland Indians and LEO NUNEZ of the Miami Marlins were both busted recently for using fake names and ages on federal documents. JANICE HOUGH of LeftCoastSportsBabe.com offers, "If they are ever traded for each other, it could be the first trade solely of two players to be named later."....Comedian TORBEN ROLFSEN: "Carmona must have told them he was DANNY ALMONTE."....A group from New Zealand is campaigning to make sheepshearing an Olympic sport. A headline in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazzette declares, "Baa, humbug!"....With the Disney Corporation reportedly interested in buying the Los Angeles Dodgers, laughman JERRY PERISHO says, "The Dodgers might still suck, but at least the restrooms will be clean."....Overheard: "My boss does not seem to care about what I do, at least not until I don't do it."---MIKE HIGGINS/20/12
Fark.com: "DEION SANDERS' wife has filed for divorce, saying he 'suffers from a narcissist personality disorder'. Well, duh."....Thursday marked the 75th anniversary of HOWARD HUGHES flying from New York to Los Angeles in 7 hours, 28 minutes and 25 seconds. LEN BERMAN of ThatsSports.com comments, "Or roughly the same length of the Super Bowl pregame show."....After the Indianapolis Colts showed head coach JIM CALDWELL the door following a 2-14 season, comedian JERRY PERISHO says, "That's just two more wins than you had, and you weren't even coaching."....Amarillo Globe-News sportswriter DAVE HENRY was called on the carpet in Short Rutts earlier this week over information he provided in his "Short List" column concerning former West Texas State football players that rassled professionally before becoming members of the WWE Hall of Fame. Henry responds, "If you read The Short List, you should understand it said 'lettermen', which means individuals that earned a letter in a respective sport. TED "THE MILLION DOLLAR MAN" DiBIASE is not listed as a WT football letterman, and neither is DUSTY "THE AMERICAN DREAM" RHODES. Therefore they were not included. MERCED "TITO SANTANA" SOLIS did letter and should have been included. Your inclusion of DiBiase and Rhodes is wrong, while I was wrong in not including Solis/Santana."....Note to MICHAEL McBROOM, West Texas A&M athletic director: While none of the WT athletic media relations directors over the years can be held responsible for inheriting inaccurate or incomplete information, there are numerous mistakes and inclusions in the WT Football Records Book. I am willing to guess that DiBiase not being listed as a football letterman is one of them....Headline from sports satire website Sportspickle.com: "STEVE SPURRIER endorses 4-star quarterback in South Carolina primary."....From the same site: "Green Bay Packers stock has plummeted to an all-time low of $0.46 cents per share."....As the Allen (Tex.) Wranglers arena football team announced the signing this week of TERRELL OWENS, team co-owner JOE FRANKEL actually said, "I want to make the Allen Wranglers the number one attraction in Collin County."....Unknown: "You do not get to destroy the Internet just because it doesn't fit your business model."....Analyzing the free throw style utilized by DWIGHT HOWARD of the NBA's Orlando Magic, SCOTT OSTLER of the San Francisco Chronicle observes, "Is that a follow-through or a karate chop? He is like a golfer who has a marvelous game, tee-to-green, then putts with an umbrella."....What could top former Tennessee Titans running back EDDIE GEORGE playing JULIUS CAESAR in a Nashville stage production as he is currently doing? ROBERT COX of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazzete suggests, "Baltimore Ravens linebacker RAY LEWIS for the role of BRUTUS."....Overheard: "With all these websites blacked out, I am quite confident the government's plan is working."---MIKE HIGGINS
1/17/11
RICK REILLY of ESPN.com: "KOBE BRYANT is still going strong at age 33--an irresistible force of nature, like an avalanche or JUSTIN BIEBER."....Alabama and LSU met in men's basketball at Tuscaloosa just two days after the Crimson Tide's epic defensive performance in their 21-0 win over the Tigers in the BCS Championship Game. An Alabama fan in the stands at the basketball game held a sign asking, "Will LSU cross half court?"....T.C. CHONG: "LSU total offense: 92 yards. LSU marching band: 200 total yards."....Headline at sports satire website Sportspickle.com: "Stop kneeling on my lawn: OREL HERSHISER invented Tebowing back in 1988."....Good news: The improving health of TROY BURRUS, former West Texas State basketball great and Panhandle Sports Hall of Famer....JIMMY FALLON of NBC on 'smart' televisions that change channels by voice command: "I'm not sure it works. When I yelled 'Crap!' during a football game, the television put on 'Jersey Shore'."....Note to DAVE HENRY, Amarillo Globe-News: Your list of former West Texas State football players that are members of the WWE Hall of Fame offered in your Tuesday morning "Short List" column was incomplete and thus, well, too short a list. You are correct that former Buffalo quarterback TULLY BLANCHARD of "The Four Horseman" will soon join former WT offensive linemen TERRY FUNK and onetime Buff linebacker DORY FUNK, JR. in the shrine. However, you failed to include TED "THE MILLION DOLLAR MAN" DiBIASE, TITO SANTANA and DUSTY "THE AMERICAN DREAM" RHODES. DiBiase and Santana--whose real name is MERCED SOLIS--were not only teammates on the Buffaloes in the early 1970s, both were WT tight ends with Blanchard as their quarterback. Rhodes--whose real name is VIRGIL RUNNELS, JR.--was briefly a WT football player in the 1960s and a teammate of the Funk brothers....Bumper sticker: "I know crazy and I know how to use it."....A new scientific study suggests there are as many as 160 billion planets in the Milky Way galaxy. CAM HUTCHINSON of the Saskatoon (Sask.) Express comments, "I am thinking DENNIS RODMAN has visited every one of them."....BRAD DICKSON of the Omaha World-Herald: "For those that don't follow politics closely, I'll put it in these terms: In the New Hampshire primary, MITT ROMNEY was Alabama in the BCS Championship Game, and everybody else was LSU."....Unknown: "Everyone won in New Hampshire according to everyone who didn't win in New Hampshire."....A quote I'll never forget: After second baseman JOE MORGAN of the Cincinnati Reds was named the National League's Most Valuable Player for the second straight season in 1976, he said, "This is like having children. The first is something, but you love them both just as much."....Overheard: "Knowledge is knowing tomatoes are a fruit. Wisdom is not putting them in a fruit salad."---MIKE HIGGINS
1/10/12
Some quotes I'll never forget....Actor DENZEL WASHINGTON: "When I was growing up in Mt. Vernon, New York, I played for a Boys Club football team called the 'Red Raiders'. While I was playing high school football I wanted to go to Texas Tech University in Lubbock because they were also the 'Red Raiders' and had uniforms just like ours."....BLACKIE SHERROD, legendary Dallas Times Herald and Dallas Morning News scribe: "Our neighbor Jones says he has learned to never believe anything until his old lady has denied it."....Also from Sherrod: "Professional golfer COREY PAVIN's nickname is 'Bulldog'. He looks about as much like a bulldog as MIKE TYSON does a violin teacher."....JOHN WOODEN: "The main ingredient for stardom is the rest of the team."....With a severe energy crunch gripping the United States in the mid-1970s, football great BOBBY LAYNE told the Washington Post from his Lubbock home: "Things are so bad down here, we Texans are having to wear two-gallon hats."....Asked why he was still playing professional golf at age 68, links legend and master quipster CHI CHI RODRIGUEZ answered, "Because when you retire, your wife gets twice as much husband but only half as much money."....Film critic REX REED: "SYLVESTER STALLONE has done for acting what LIBERACE did for pumping iron."....Questioned during spring training as to which team he would fear most during the upcoming season, Cincinnati Reds manager FRED HUTCHINSON said, "Mine."....The Chicago Tribune once offered a list of world events that had taken place since the Chicago Cubs last won a World Series including: "Halley's Comet has passed the Earth. Twice. HARRY CARAY was born and has died. The United States has elected sixteen presidents. Poles were erected on the Wrigley Field roof to fly World Series pennants, only to be taken down. And man has landed on the moon, just like a lot of home runs given up by Cub pitchers.".....Following the selection of Bristol, Virginia high school pitcher DOODLE HICKS by the Cleveland Indians in the Major League Baseball free agent draft, an unknown New York Post scribe asked, "How could the New York Yankees have passed on a player named Doodle?"....Bumper sticker: "I am single and looking. But not here."....When a labor dispute wiped out the entire National Hockey League season in 2004, MICHAEL HUNT of the Milwaukee Journal looked at the bright side in observing, "Just think, some kid in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan is spending his Saturday night reading a book."....GEORGE SANTAYANA: "Every wise saying has an opposite one, no less wise, to balance it."....After a football recruit at Miami (Fla.) was placed on probation and required to wear an ankle bracelet, CHRIS DEFRESNE of the Los Angeles Times stated, "And to think coaches once had to worry about their players wearing earrings."....GERTRUDE EDERLE swam 26 miles across New York Bay as she trained for her famous conquest of the English Channel in 1926. Forty-seven years later at age 66, she said, "I could do the same thing today, except I would just float across on the garbage."....As he approached his 65th birthday in 1978, Ohio State football coach WOODY HAYES was asked if he had any retirement plans. He said, "I will not quit. When I do leave, I'll die on the 50-yard line at Ohio Stadium in front of the usual 87,000 people. And if we aren't winning, I won't die."....Overheard: "Why don't you slip into something more comfortable, like a coma?"---MIKE HIGGINS
01/09/11
Bumper sticker: "I do not do Mondays."....Asked by The New York Times what he has learned since arriving in New Orleans to prepare for Monday night's BCS Championship Game against LSU, University of Alabama running back TRENT RICHARDSON answered: "Don't walk and text because horses are everywhere doing their business."....BRAD DICKSON, Omaha World-Herald: "Just a reminder. If the groundhog sees his shadow on February 2, it will mean six more weeks of college football."....Also from Dickson: "KIM JONG UN, the new leader of North Korea, is a four-star general. That's according to Rivals.com."....With the Orange Bowl and Federal Express rumored to be ending their longtime sponsorship aggreement, comedian TORBEN ROLFSEN says, "FedEx must have just thoughtlessly tossed the check over the bowl committee's fence."....I'm just as excited about ROMEO CRENNEL being named head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs based on his being a former Texas Tech assistant coach as I am of his having a twin sister with the birth name of JULIET CRENNEL....San Antonio attorney L. LAURENCE MACON completed 113 marathons last year at age 67. That adds up to running a total of just over 2,963 miles....Retired Amarillo Independent School District physical education teacher HARLON VOYLES of Littlefield is the grand prize winner in this year's contest sponsored by the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal for readers to pick the outcomes of football games throughout the season. He thus wins enough chicken dinners and pizza to feed his several grandchildren for at least a month along with a free weekly car wash for a year--a sure treasure for anyone living on the South Plains. Voyles also wins an expenses-paid trip for two to Las Vegas and $500 in spending money which he intends to utilize this week in celebrating his 53rd wedding anniversary with wife PAT VOYLES, also a former longtime AISD educator. Noting Voyles was also a longtime high school and college referee in both football and basketball, editor TERRY GREENBERG of the Avalanche-Journal says, "We are planning a March Madness game. Given Harlon's experience running up and down the hardwood, I wouldn't be surprised if we are talking to him again in a few months."....An unknown quipster: "I'd like to be young again if it weren't for algebra."....DWIGHT PERRY, Seattle Times: "The luckiest burglar in the world is that guy that broke into a Las Vegas hotel room, then fled when he heard the soozing occupant stirring. Who knew MIKE TYSON was such a light sleeper?"....Note to Amarillo native SLOANE CITRON of Menlo Park, California: The photos you shared from our YMCA baseball days were enjoyed by many. Ironically, the baseball field at Stephen F. Austin Junior High (now Middle) School in the background of the team picture from 1968 was torn down just last month....After the New Orleans Saints gained 626 total yards in their 45-28 win over the Detroit Lions on Saturday, STEVE SCHRADER of the Detroit Free Press stated, "Do you believe in, no, I can't say it. Do you believe in tackling?"....TNT studio analyst CHARLES BARKLEY on the so-called "Princeton offense": "I want my attorney to come from Princeton, not my players."....Overheard: "Too much money is just as bad as too little and there is no such thing as just enough."---MIKE HIGGINS
12/30/11
DJ GALLO of ESPN.com: "On any given Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs can beat the Green Bay Packers, the Indianapolis Colts can win a game, TIM TEBOW can fail to orchestrate a miraculous comeback, CHAD OCHOCINCO can catch a touchdown pass and NDAMUKONG SUH can go an entire game without committing a personal foul. That's why we watch sports. Anything can happen."....I seem to recall late columnist PUTT POWELL and former sports editor JON MARK BEILUE of the Amarillo Daily News and Globe-Times being very low key and professional over their having a vote for the Heisman Trophy. I don't recall Powell even mentioning he had one--much less whom he voted for--though he did display a small commemorate sticker on the bumper of his car that was given to voters. Beilue would write one column a year to reveal his selection and his reasons....MARK WHICKER of the Orange County (Calif.) Register offers some interesting predictions for 2012 that include: "In January, the Texas Rangers sign Japanese pitcher YU DARVISH but stipulates he must change his name to Y'ALL DARVISH plus the death of KIM JONG II opens the door for negotiations between North Korea and The Big East. In February, a tribute to the rebounding auto industry has a car jump over BLAKE GRIFFIN at the NBA All-Star Game. In May, using seven 6-irons and four putters, PHIL MICKLESON wins his fourth Masters championship, ANDREW LUCK is the first player taken in the Southeastern Conference football draft and signs with the University of Kentucky and FATHER CHRIS PAUL, who left the Los Angeles Clippers in midseason to join the priesthood, comes back to console his former teammates after they are eliminated by the New Orleans Hornets. In July, MANNY PACQUIAO loses a split decision to NEVADA INMATE NO. 865184, but HBO gives the win to OSCAR DE LA HOYA. In September, 42 of 43 cars crash at a NASCAR event in Atlanta but DALE EARNHARDT, JR. still finishes second. In October, EDDIE IZZARD, ENGLEBERT HUMPERDINCK and THE GEICO LIZARD lead Europe to a Ryder Cup victory over the United States. In December, DENNIS ERICKSON is the interim coach for both teams as Washington State upsets Arizona State in the Pac-12 Championship Game."....After 89-year old BETTY WHITE introduced the opening of this season's final "Monday Night Football" broadcast, STEVE SCHRADER of the Detroit Free Press commented, "Which made her the oldest performer on 'MNF' since BRETT FAVRE."....It's a pleasure to welcome Dumas native and KFDA-TV news anchor ALI ALLISON to Rutthead Nation....This week in Panhandle sports history: In 1968, Texas A&M linebacker and former Tascosa High School great BILLY HOBBS was named the game's Outstanding Defensive Player as the Aggies upset Alabama--featuring head coach BEAR BRYANT and quarterback KEN STABLER--by a 20-16 score in the Cotton Bowl. In 1976, West Texas State recorded arguably its biggest men's basketball victory in school history with an 84-80 overtime win over the University of Louisville in Missouri Valley Conference play at Freedom Hall in Louisville. The Cardinals of eventual Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach DENNY CRUM had reached the Final Four the previous season before losing in the semi-finals to UCLA in what became the next-to-last game in the storied career of Bruins head coach JOHN WOODEN....Former Washington Redskins offensive lineman JOE JACOBY graduated last week from the University of Louisville at age 52. He returned to the school he last attended over 30 years ago in 2010 and earned the 30 credits he needed for a degree in workforce management....It's little wonder why the University of Maryland topped the list of this season's worst college football uniforms at LostLetterman.com. The site added, "People would like the BCS more if the computer deducted points for looking stupid."....A quote I'll never forget: When Clemson University athletic director and master quipster FRANK HOWARD was approached by a group of students interested in starting a rowing team, he turned the group down and explained, "Clemson will never subsidize a sport where someone sits on their tail and goes backwards."....Overheard: "I would feel guilty about what little work I have done this week if only there were only enough people in the office to notice."---MIKE HIGGINS
12/29/2011
DJ GALLO of ESPN.com: "On any given Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs can beat the Green Bay Packers, the Indianapolis Colts can win a game, TIM TEBOW can fail to orchestrate a miraculous comeback, CHAD OCHOCINCO can catch a touchdown pass and NDAMUKONG SUH can go an entire game without committing a personal foul. That's why we watch sports. Anything can happen."....I seem to recall late columnist PUTT POWELL and former sports editor JON MARK BEILUE of the Amarillo Daily News and Globe-Times being very low key and professional over their having a vote for the Heisman Trophy. I don't recall Powell even mentioning he had one--much less whom he voted for--though he did display a small commemorate sticker on the bumper of his car that was given to voters. Beilue would write one column a year to reveal his selection and his reasons....MARK WHICKER of the Orange County (Calif.) Register offers some interesting predictions for 2012 that include: "In January, the Texas Rangers sign Japanese pitcher YU DARVISH but stipulates he must change his name to Y'ALL DARVISH plus the death of KIM JONG II opens the door for negotiations between North Korea and The Big East. In February, a tribute to the rebounding auto industry has a car jump over BLAKE GRIFFIN at the NBA All-Star Game. In May, using seven 6-irons and four putters, PHIL MICKLESON wins his fourth Masters championship, ANDREW LUCK is the first player taken in the Southeastern Conference football draft and signs with the University of Kentucky and FATHER CHRIS PAUL, who left the Los Angeles Clippers in midseason to join the priesthood, comes back to console his former teammates after they are eliminated by the New Orleans Hornets. In July, MANNY PACQUIAO loses a split decision to NEVADA INMATE NO. 865184, but HBO gives the win to OSCAR DE LA HOYA. In September, 42 of 43 cars crash at a NASCAR event in Atlanta but DALE EARNHARDT, JR. still finishes second. In October, EDDIE IZZARD, ENGLEBERT HUMPERDINCK and THE GEICO LIZARD lead Europe to a Ryder Cup victory over the United States. In December, DENNIS ERICKSON is the interim coach for both teams as Washington State upsets Arizona State in the Pac-12 Championship Game."....After 89-year old BETTY WHITE introduced the opening of this season's final "Monday Night Football" broadcast, STEVE SCHRADER of the Detroit Free Press commented, "Which made her the oldest performer on 'MNF' since BRETT FAVRE."....It's a pleasure to welcome Dumas native and KFDA-TV news anchor ALI ALLISON to Rutthead Nation....This week in Panhandle sports history: In 1968, Texas A&M linebacker and former Tascosa High School great BILLY HOBBS was named the game's Outstanding Defensive Player as the Aggies upset Alabama--featuring head coach BEAR BRYANT and quarterback KEN STABLER--by a 20-16 score in the Cotton Bowl. In 1976, West Texas State recorded arguably its biggest men's basketball victory in school history with an 84-80 overtime win over the University of Louisville in Missouri Valley Conference play at Freedom Hall in Louisville. The Cardinals of eventual Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach DENNY CRUM had reached the Final Four the previous season before losing in the semi-finals to UCLA in what became the next-to-last game in the storied career of Bruins head coach JOHN WOODEN....Former Washington Redskins offensive lineman JOE JACOBY graduated last week from the University of Louisville at age 52. He returned to the school he last attended over 30 years ago in 2010 and earned the 30 credits he needed for a degree in workforce management....It's little wonder why the University of Maryland topped the list of this season's worst college football uniforms at LostLetterman.com. The site added, "People would like the BCS more if the computer deducted points for looking stupid."....A quote I'll never forget: When Clemson University athletic director and master quipster FRANK HOWARD was approached by a group of students interested in starting a rowing team, he turned the group down and explained, "Clemson will never subsidize a sport where someone sits on their tail and goes backwards."....Overheard: "I would feel guilty about what little work I have done this week if only there were only enough people in the office to notice."---MIKE HIGGINS
12/27/11
JERRY PERISHO: "National Basketball Association commissioner DAVID STERN has announced he does not approve of KOBE BRYANT's divorce and that VANESSA BRYANT will be moving back in."....Among the least-Googled sports terms in 2011 on sports satire website Sportspickle.com: " 'Big East football highlights', 'funniest quotes from NICK SABAN ', 'Indianapolis Colts playoff tickets', 'REX GROSSMAN Quarterback Camp' and 'Boston Red Sox diet tips'."....CBS Sports presented an outstanding two-hour special on Christmas Day covering a variety of topics relating to pro football that had several NFL players--including Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman and Amarillo native ZIGGY HOOD--revealing if they ever believed in SANTA CLAUS. The former Palo Duro High School and University of Missouri star answered, "I sure did. In fact, I think I saw him once outside my bedroom window. I know it was either him or a burglar."....As controversy brewed over the inability of Montreal Canadians head coach RANDY CUNNEYWORTH to speak French, LEN BERMAN of ThatsSports.com says, "Nobody knew what CASEY STENGEL was saying, either, but yet nobody picketed Yankee Stadium."....Fans of sports quip mourn the retirement of DAVID THOMAS of the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram. He signed off in stating, "I am going to be spending more time with my family. You know what that means. Next year, I'll be the head football coach at Ohio State."....Recalling personal lessons learned from FRED TAYLOR--his college coach at Ohio State--BOB KNIGHT says, "I don't know what I would have become. I don't think it would have been a minister."....This week in Panhandle sports history: At 11:55 pm CST on Christmas Eve of 1992, legendary Amarillo Daily News and Globe Times sportswriter PUTT POWELL passed away at age 80. The final edition of his often-controversial but rarely-ignored "Short Putts" column ran in the Daily News just six days earlier....After a tabby cat with orange stripes named WAYLON was found in Colorado more than 2,000 miles from its Florida home, DWIGHT PERRY of the Seattle Times offered, "So what's the big deal? Just another TIM TEBOW follower."....A group of high school athletes in Long Island, New York were recently suspended after being accused of 'Tebowing'. REGGIE HAYES of the Ft. Wayne (Ind.) News-Sentinel reacted, "Luckily for administrators, the athletes decided not to Suh."....Note to SCOTT DOORES, Dallas: Many thanks for your kind note....Former college basketball sensation JIMMER FREDETTE is a rookie with the NBA's Sacramento Kings and the team has hired an additional two full-time employees just to process orders for jerseys featuring his name and number. GREG CONNORS of the Buffalo News says, "The kid hasn't even played a game yet, but he is already in the NBA Store Hall of Fame."....With former Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks head coach JIM MORA taking over next season at UCLA, CHRIS DUFRESNE of the Los Angeles Times advises, "The difference between defending offenses in the NFL and the Pac-12 is the difference between a state dinner and a potluck."....Overheard: "Whatever age you might be now is hereby declared the new 30."---MIKE HIGGINS
12/13/11
CARL STEWARD, Oakland Tribune: "The teams listed 6-7-8-9 in the final BCS standings (Arkansas, Boise State, Kansas State, South Carolina) are not going to BCS bowl games. Teams ranked 10, 13, 15 and 23 (Wisconsin, Michigan, Clemson, West Virginia) are. Makes complete sense to us."....Among the inductees into the International Boxing Hall of Fame next summer will be charismatic ring announcer MICHAEL "LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE" BUFFER....Sign outside bar: "We do not serve women. Please bring your own."....Note to ROBERT HUNTER of Chandler, Arizona: Virginia Tech was not included on my list of college football teams going to bowl games this year that have lost in the past to West Texas State/A&M because the Buffaloes have never beaten the Hokies on the gridiron. The schools have played twice with Virginia Tech winning 28-12 in 1958 at Roanoke, Virginia and again in 1959 by a 26-21 score at Canyon's Buffalo Bowl. The 1958 game was played away from Virginia Tech's main campus in Blacksburg in hopes of the school increasing exposure for its football program in the Roanoke area, but it took place in a driving rainstorm and drew only 11,000 fans....JANICE HOUGH of LeftCoastSportsbabe.com: "What greedy Denver Broncos fans now want from TIM TEBOW is for him to start turning water into beer."....It's an honor to welcome Plainview native WILLIE ANSLEY of Houston's Dare To Believe Outreach Ministries to Rutthead Nation....This week in Panhandle sports history: In 1995, Texas Tech linebacker ZACH THOMAS of White Deer and Pampa was named to the first team of The Associated Press All-America Football Team. In 1980, the West Texas State men's basketball team defeated the University of Pittsburgh 92-73 to finish in third place of the Eighth Annual Show-Me Classic Basketball Tournament at the Hearns Center in Columbia, Missouri. Buffalo guard EDDIE HARRIS led all scorers with 26 points while center SAM CLANCY paced the Panthers with 16 points. WT guard TERRY ADOLPH had 11 assists while playing with a sprained ankle suffered on the opening night of the classic in the final minute of an 88-70 loss to host Missouri and All-American center STEVE STIPANOVICH. Although not having played football at Pitt, Clancy went on to a ten-year career as a defensive end with the NFL's Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts. In 1975, BIMBO BIVENS converted a 27-yard field goal with 5:16 left in the third quarter and pulled in a game-saving interception with 51 seconds left in the game as the Groom Tigers advanced to the class B state finals with a 15-13 win over Celina at Lions Stadium in Vernon. The Tigers of coach DON SESSOM attempted just one pass on the afternoon with running backs JOHN KRIZAN gaining 103 yards on 13 carries, CHRIS BRITTEN having 100 yards on 13 attempts and THOMAS REED adding 82 yards on 18 tries....Bumper sticker: "Everything I ever needed to know, I learned in prison."....MIKE BIANCHI, Orlando Sentinel: "My Christmas tree is already shedding it's needles. I think HARVEY UPDYKE, that crazed Alabama fan, poisoned it."....JEN WILEY is a devoted University of Florida football fan and recently named her newborn son SPURRIER URBAN WILEY in honor of STEVE SPURRIER and URBAN MEYER, the two head coaches to have led the Gators to a national championship....Former New York Jets offensive guard DAVE HERMAN, asked during the prime of his nine-year career what he considered to be a good draft for the team: "Each year I look at a list of the players the Jets have picked. If there are not any offensive guards among them, it's a good draft."....Overheard: "I was going to ask you how old you are until I realized you probably can no longer count that high."---MIKE HIGGINS
12/12/111
STEVE SCHRADER of the Detroit Free Press after NBA commissioner DAVID STERN nixed a three-team trade involving LAMAR ODOM, CHRIS PAUL and PAU GASOL: "Prompting KRIS HUMPHRIES to ask, 'Where were you when I proposed to KIM KARDASHIAN?' "....Texas A&M informed MIKE SHERMAN he was no longer the school's head football coach via a cell phone call while he was standing in the driveway of a recruit. That seems almost polite compared to what happened to University of Akron head coach ROB IANELLO. He was told by the school he was out of a job with a cell call as he was droving to his mother's funeral....STU COWAN of the Montreal Gazzete did the math to figure ALBERT PUJOS will earn $69,585 every day of the calendar year over the next ten years following his signing with the Los Angeles Angels....From Fark.com: "Pujos is now an Angel in Los Angeles and a devil in St. Louis."....Major League Baseball has introduced a dress code for media covering games beginning in 2012 that will disallow flip-flops, visible undergarments, muscle shirts and ripped jeans. DWIGHT PERRY of the Seattle Times comments, "Veteran scribes gleefully report there will be no restrictions on wrinkles or gravy stains."....Plans for basketball's answer to the Lingerie Football League are on the horizon with players to be every bit as underdressed as their football counterparts. BRAD DICKSON of the Omaha World-Herald observes, "We have already had this. It was called 'the NBA in the 1980s.' "....This week in Panhandle sports history: In 1984, Palo Duro forward SAMMYE CAMPBELL made a tip-in with 14 seconds left as the Dons rallied to erase a five-point Amarillo High lead with less than a minute to play and gain a 69-67 win over the Golden Sandies in the district 3-5A opener for both teams at the AHS Gym. Palo Duro's RONNIE STIGER led all scorers with 25 points for the Dons of coach ED SMITH while KOY EDDLEMAN paced the Golden Sandies of mentor ALLEN SIMPSON with 19 points. In 1970, Amarillo's BILL GARRETT birdied three consecutive holes in the early stages of the final round of the Coral Springs (Fla.) Open Golf Tournament to pull away from co-leader LEE TREVINO and gain his first win after five years of playing on the PGA Tour. In 1962, an early chapter in the bitter rivalry between FRITZ VON ERICH and DORY FUNK, SR. was played out in a German Death Match before a near-capacity crowd at the Amarillo Sports Arena. With referee ALI ALI holding a clean handkerchief belonging to each wrestler to cover with his opponent's blood in order to earn the victory, Von Erich accomplished the feat after locating a soft drink crate and disassembling it over Funk's head and knocking him unconscious. Medical personnel revived Funk in time for him to trade jabs with both Von Erich and Ali, who was then struck by a metal chair thrown by a livid fan who was immediately interrogated and taken away by Amarillo police. In 1951, Rice University football player and Plainview native BILL HOWTON was named to the Associated Press All-Southwest Conference football team as both a defensive end and offensive end. Also making the first team as elected by SWC coaches were a pair of Texas Christian University teammates in sophomore running back RAY McKOWN of Dumas and KEITH FLOWERS of Perryton. Howton went on to play 12 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys, Flowers spent a season with the NFL's Detroit Lions and McKown was taken in the 1954 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles....Headline from sports satire website Sportspickle.com: "Defensive player accidently invited to Heisman Trophy ceremony."....With UCLA bringing a losing record in 2011 to play Illinois in the Fight Hunger Bowl on New Year's Eve at AT&T Park in San Francisco, BOB MOLINARO of the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot says, "Parents of young children will recognize what has happened. It's the collegiate version of giving out trophies for participation."....Overheard: "Life has no remote. We have to get up off our butts to change it."---MIKE HIGGINS
12/05/11
DEREK WILKEN: "The only loss Denver Broncos quarterback TIM TEBOW has experienced as an NFL starter has come against Detroit. Christians have never fared well against the Lions."....DAVID THOMAS, Ft. Worth Star-Telegram: "Bowl Selection Sunday is the day we find out which teams that shouldn't be going to bowl games are going to bowl games that shouldn't exist."....In a somewhat related matter, eleven college football programs are headed to bowl games this season that have been defeated on the gridiron in the past by West Texas State/A&M. They are Oklahoma State, Arizona State, BYU, Northern Illinois, Cincinnati, Louisiana Tech, Tulsa, Louisville, Western Michigan, Ohio, and Southern Mississippi....Headline at sports satire website Sportspickle.com: "URBAN MEYER's first recruit at Ohio State robs tattoo parlor."....With Facebook officials exploring the possibility of adding online gambling features, JIMMY FALLON of NBC comments, "It's a little weird. When you lose all your money, Facebook just repossesses your land on Farmville."....After a hunting dog in Utah shot his master, CRAIG FERGUSON of CBS said, "Police think it happened because the man was wearing a MICHAEL VICK jersey."....CONAN O'BRIEN of TBS: "The dog later apologized and said, 'Sorry, but you didn't neuter me.' "....The NFL has announced MADONNA will perform at halftime of the Super Bowl on February 5 at Indianapolis....TCU placekicker ROSS EVANS turned himself in to Denton police last week after a warrant was issued for his arrest on a criminal mischief charge for allegedly breaking into an apartment to retrieve his cell phone. Evans, a senior from Burnet, Texas who is the Horned Frogs' career scoring leader, is accused of getting through the door by--you guessed it--kicking it in....This week in Panhandle sports history: In 1993, DWAIN YORK resigned as head football coach at Amarillo's Highland Park High School to pursue business interests in the Abilene area. He had led the Hornets to their only two winning seasons in school history and only playoff berth in 1992. In 1974, MARK NIXON of Nara Visa, New Mexico--later head coach at Amarillo College and Texas-Arlington--scored 21 points and Amarillo High product TONY AIRHART pulled down 12 key rebounds in the second half and had 18 points overall as West Texas State's junior varsity basketball team edged Seward County Junior College of Liberal, Kansas by a 68-67 score at the Amarillo Civic Center Coliseum. In 1961, Amarillo High's JIM HILL hit a layup with eight seconds remaining before a shot by Hereford's DENNIS HODGES bounced off the rim at the buzzer as the Golden Sandies nosed out the Whitefaces 59-58 at the AHS Armory. Hodges led all scorers with 20 points while the Sandies of coach JOHNNY ETHERIDGE were paced by CHESTER DUNIVAN with 19 points with Hill adding 12 points....Bumper sticker: "Don't judge me by my past. I don't live there anymore."....The British Columbia Lions defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 34-23 last week to win the Grey Cup, symbolic of the Canadian Football League championship. With British Columbia players collecting $16,000 each for the game's winner's share and Winnipeg players pocketing $8,000 for the loser's share, CAM HUTCHINSON of the Saskatoon (Sask.) Express points out, "That's not bad when you compare it to a $15,000 winning share and a $7,500 losing share in the Super Bowl. The 1967 Super Bowl, that is."....Overheard: "I probably would not amount to a thing if I weren't so highly motivated by the great number of people that don't like me."---MIKE HIGGINS12/2/2011
Unknown: "Many a has-been thinks they were once something they never was."....JEFF GORDON of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch thought MIKE LEACH might have been a fitting candidate to replace the fired TURNER GILL as the head coach at Kansas before Leach accepted the same job at Washington State. Gordon suggested, "Unleash him in a full revenge mode, because he has unfinished business in the Big 12 Minus 4 plus 2 Conference."....Sports satire website Sportspickle.com offers possible reasons your fantasy football team is having a rough year, including: "You watch Monday Night Football in hopes your tight end or kicker can score 74 points, you always pick the Team Defense that is playing against your quarterback, and you are very productive at work, therefore earning a raise and a promotion."....After the bizarre incident where a New England Patriots fan accidently shot himself in the leg in the parking lot of Gillette Stadium, JAY LENO of NBC commented, "The guy's lucky. If his gun had gone off at an Oakland Raiders game, 50,000 fans would have returned fire."....A proposal is on the table to have female boxers at the upcoming London Olympics wear skirts in order for followers to distinguish them from the male boxers. LEN BERMAN of ThatsSports.com comments, "I can't wait to see those full-length female weightlifting gowns."....This week in Panhandle sports history: In 1982, University of Texas offensive tackle and Dumas product BRYAN MILLARD was named to the first team of the Associated Press All-Southwest Conference football squad. After being passed over in the 1983 NFL draft, the former Texas state high school shot put champion for the Demons then played one season blocking for quarterback DOUG FLUTIE and running back HERSCHEL WALKER with the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League before spending eight seasons with the NFL's Seattle Seahawks. In 1978, forward GEORGE SIMS scored 24 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to lead West Texas State to a 114-83 win over Wayland Baptist College at the Amarillo Civic Center Coliseum. Wayland's DONNIE SEALE led all scorers with 26 points, while Pioneers junior forward RICK COOPER--now in his 19th season as head coach of the Buffaloes--pulled down a rebound and scored two points in a reserve role for WBC. In 1965, the highly-anticipated professional wrestling debut of TERRY FUNK took place before a near-capacity crowd at the Amarillo Sports Arena that included almost all of Funk's former West Texas State football teammates. The opening bell of the tussle was delayed for several minutes as opponent SPUTNIK MONROE repeatedly kicked the ropes of the ring in attempts to prevent Funk's entrance before referee LEONARD MILLER intervened. Funk then pinned Monroe in a Sports Arena-record ten seconds. In 1962, the Texas Interscholastic League officially accepted Boys Ranch High School as a member with plans for the Roughriders to join class 1-AA for spring sports in 1963 and the football team--which had gone an impressive 27-11 in the previous four years under head coach PAUL STEWART--becoming a district member in the fall of 1964....Unranked UCLA backed into Friday night's Pac-12 Conference Championship Game against eighth-ranked Oregon at Autsen Stadium in Eugene due to USC being on probation and thus being ineligible to play in the contest after winning the league's South Division. GARY HOROWITZ of the Salem (Ore.) Statesman-Journal points out, "There are three top-10 teams in the Pac-12 this season. Unfortunately, only one of them is in the Pac-12 title game."....DWIGHT PERRY, Seattle Times: "The good news is that the National Basketball Association will kick off its season on Christmas Day. The bad news? It's this Christmas."....Overheard: "Using cheap materials in an attempt to save money is like stopping a clock in an attempt to save time."---MIKE HIGGINS
11/28/11
LOU HOLTZ: "I never had any problem calling plays from the sidelines when I was coaching because that's the only place I ever was when I was a player."....Bowl Championship Series executive director BILL HANCOCK said last week the system "wasn't intended to be a decisive event." JERRY GREENE of ESPN.com responded, "Yes, Bill, and the Titanic was never intended to sink."....Amarillo lost one its more popular citizens and West Texas A&M one of its biggest supporters--athletically, academically and otherwise--with last week's passing of DR. TOM GERALD. Amarillo Globe-News columnist JON MARK BEILUE comments in part, "Tom was a lover of people, the outdoors, chocolate, and beans and cornbread. In many ways, he was an inspiration and a treasure, never giving in to old age or tragedy. He would be the first to say he was fortunate and lucky, but sometimes you create your own fortune and how your life unwinds depends on how you deal with it. It would be hard to find a fuller life or one that came literally full circle."....New Houston Astros owner JIM CRANE said when he acquired the team last week he would "make some very, very, quick adjustments." He wasn't kidding, firing general manager ED WADE and longtime team president TAL SMITH on Monday. Will field manager BRAD MILLS be next?....This week in Panhandle sports history: In 1988, area girls basketball coaching legend DEAN WEESE recorded the 900th win of his career against just 143 losses as his Levelland Lady Lobos defeated Clovis High School 61-22 in the opening game of the Levelland Invitational Girls Basketball Tournament. In 1981, MICHAEL YOUNG scored 25 points and CLYDE DREXLER added 16 as the University of Houston defeated West Texas State by a 84-73 score at Hofheinz Pavillion in Houston. Playing in his first official basketball in the United States, Cougars freshman center AKEEM OLAJUWON of Lagos, Nigeria scored two points in limited playing time. In 1967, the board of regents at Eastern New Mexico University approved construction of a new $367,000 football stadium to be built halfway between Portales and Clovis and expected to be ready for ENMU's 1968 season opener. In 1961, controversy rose its ugly head after TONY BORNE appeared to have defeated DORY FUNK, SR. in a Texas Death Match before a near-capacity crowd at the Amarillo Sports Arena. After Borne pinned Funk, it was brought to the attention of distracted state wrestling commissioner STANLEY BLACKBURN that an innocent Funk had not performed at full capacity due to being clobbered over the head with a metal chair during the conflict by STAN KOWAISKI, one of ten wrestlers stationed around the ring by Blackburn in hopes of keeping Funk and Borne in check. When Blackburn ruled that Borne's prize money would be withheld pending further review, an infuriated Borne tossed Blackburn over the ring's ropes and ripped off his coat before his manager LEO NEWMAN nailed the commissioner over the head with his cane. Blackburn then fined Borne $350 fine and Newman $150 for their disrespectful antics. In 1940, the Amarillo High School football team spotted Wichita Falls a 7-0 lead in the first quarter before BOONE BAKER rushed for three touchdowns and quarterback MYRLE GREATHOUSE found SCUD REDUS with a 19-yard scoring strike as the Golden Sandies defeated the Coyotes 42-7 in bi-district football playoff action before an overflow crowd of 11,000 at Amarillo's Butler Field....CHARLES BARKLEY has taken up doing hot yoga--whatever that may be--in hopes of losing weight. He says, "Still, if you take a glass of water out of the ocean, it's still the ocean."....A quote I'll never forget: SMU quarterback CHUCK HIXSON was slow afoot but had rushed for five touchdowns in the Mustangs' first four games in 1968. He explained, "The defense I am facing can't tell if I am sprinting out or just going over to talk to coach HAYDEN FRY."....Overheard: "Just when I think I have my temper under control, I foolishly decide to go out and play golf again."---MIKE HIGGINS
11/22/11
MIKE BIANCHI of the Orlando Sentinel on the retirement of REGIS PHILBIN: "I hear he wants to spend more time with URBAN MEYER's family."....DAVE HENRY of the Amarillo Globe News reports West Texas A&M football players DUSTIN VAUGHAN and AARON MULLANE have been named to the Lone Star Conference's all-academic team with Vaughan having a 4.0 GPA and Mullane a 3.78 GPA. Henry also points out Vaughan and Mullane are pre-med majors in stating, "The pair aren't majoring in underwater basket weaving." That remark brings to mind the time JOE NAMATH was asked at a packed press conference in New York during his heyday as the Jets quarterback if he took basket weaving while at the University of Alabama. Namath answered, "No. Basket weaving was too tough, so I took journalism instead."....The Duke-Michigan State basketball game last week at Madison Square Garden set the stage for Blue Devils coach MIKE KRZYZEWSKI to successfully break the record for career wins by a Divison I men's coach previously held by BOB KNIGHT. The game had Spartans head coach TOM IZZO feeling he was in a no-win situation as he explained after Duke's 74-69 win in saying, "I was either going to be the pitcher that threw the record breaker to HENRY AARON, or I was going to be the guy that shot BAMBI."....Note to Amarillo native PHIL JONES of Arlington, Virginia: Thank you for your kind notes....The University of Arizona announced the hiring of new head football coach RICH RODRIGUEZ on Twitter. JANICE HOUGH of LeftCoastSportsBabe.com responds, "This makes sense, because one of the few printable things University of Michigan fans would say about Rodriguez is that he is a first class twit."....Senior RYAN RIPKEN of The Gilman School in Hunt Valley, Maryland is headed to the University of South Carolina on a baseball scholarship. The son of Hall-of-Famer CAL RIPKEN, JR. is a 6' 6", 200-pound first baseman, pitcher and outfielder....Unknown: "Always listen to your dreams because they just might be a whole lot smarter than you are."....IAN HAMILTON, Regina (Sask.) Leader-Post: "As part of their divorce settlement, Los Angeles Dodgers owner FRANK McCOURT has agreed to pay his ex-wife JAMIE McCOURT a sum of $131 million. Through force of habit, the New York Yankees have offered her $175 million."....A recently-completed study suggests overweight fathers are prone to have sons with the same issue. JIMMY FALLON of NBC comments, "In other words, if you get your dad's genes, you are also going to get his sweatpants."....On public apathy over the NBA lockout, comedian ARGUS HAMILTON cracks, "If LeBRON JAMES were in any less demand right now, his picture would be on Greek currency."....Overheard: "I was having a thoroughly splendid morning today until I woke up."---MIKE HIGGINS
11/21/11
Some quotes I'll never forget....Veteran NFL and college football coach DENNIS ERICKSON, currently at Arizona State, expressing his definition of a fan: "A guy who sits on the 40-yard line, criticizes the coaches and players all day, and has all the answers. Then he leaves the stadium and can't find his car."....CARL SAGAN: "The fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, they laughed at ROBERT FULTON, they laughed at ORVILLE WRIGHT and WILBUR WRIGHT. But they also laughed at BOZO THE CLOWN."....Asked if he would rather have receivers with quickness or speed, Brigham Young football coach LaVELL EDWARDS answered, "I'd like for them to have both, but if they had both they'd be at USC."....University of Oklahoma football coach GOMER JONES, addressing the pressure of replacing the legendary BUD WILKINSON at the helm of the Sooners: "I am actually doing this for the next coach. Think how easy it is going to be to follow me."....BARRY LATMAN, rookie pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels, on his future: "Right now I am the best 60-foot pitcher in baseball. If I can conquer those last six inches, I'll be on my way.".....As he wound up an interview with CASEY STENGEL during NBC's "Game of the Week", baseball broadcaster TONY KUBEK said, "Excuse me Casey, but I need to throw this up to our translators."....CYRUS CURTIS, pioneer newspaper publisher: "There are two kinds of people who never amount to much: Those who cannot do what they are told and those that can do nothing else."....Forward MAURICE LUCAS is remembered as one of the more physically intimidating players ever to play professional basketball during his time with the Portland Trailblazers and the Los Angeles Lakers. He commented, "If I had to play against myself and do the things I to to me that I do to others, I wouldn't like me, either."....Bumper sticker: "If you ain't different, you ain't normal"....Milwaukee Braves pitcher LEW BURDETTE once had a batted ball bounce off his leg and into the glove of third baseman EDDIE MATHEWS to retire the batter he was facing. He later recollected, "It wasn't my best assist. One time, I began a double play with my forehead."....PEYTON CONWAY MARCH, former Chief of Staff of the United States Army: "There is a wonderful mythical law of nature that the three things we crave most in life--happiness, freedom and peace of mind--are always obtained by passing them on to someone else.".....MIKE BIANCHI of the Orlando Sentinel, noting that athletes were missing playing time with what was labeled a "sports hernia": "Does this mean if they mowed yards for a living they would be out due to a 'landscape hernia'?"....After being invited to the White House and meeting president RONALD REAGAN, boxer RAY "BOOM BOOM" MANCINI said, "It was like meeting SANTA CLAUS. You go in, shake his hand, have your picture taken and leave."....Syndicated scribe NORMAN CHAD on ESPN promoting their "expanding" coverage of the National Football League draft: "Expanding? What are they going to do, start providing the DNA analysis of the players?"---MIKE HIGGINS
11/18/11
JAY LENO: "Why not let the Occupy Wall Street protestors occupy professional basketball arenas around the country? They aren't being used."....From Fark.com: "The city of Orlando is preparing to host the NBA All-Star Game with halftime entertainment featuring an appearance by THE EASTER BUNNY."....Sports satire website Sportspickle.com: "With the NBA lockout now costing the league's players their paychecks, some have headed overseas to play while others have taken jobs in the coaching ranks. The players are united on one front as all 450 members are expected to release rap albums this week. Among the unlikely players coming out with albums are Minnesota Timberwolves guard RICKY RUBIO, Philadelphia 76ers sharpshooter KYLE KORVER and Boston Celtics reserve CARLOS ARROYO, who confusingly collaborated with PITBULL on every track."....The basketball program at Dr. Michael Krop High School in Miami has been hit with a $35,000 fine and banned from post-season play for three years after being busted by the Florida High School Athletic Association for using an ineligible player. GREG COTE of the Miami Herald asks, "When Dr. Krop breaks the rules, do they call it malpractice?"....Bumper sticker: "Stop electing millionaires to represent us--because they won't."....This week in Panhandle sports history: In 1994, Dallas Cowboys special teams captain and defensive back BILL BATES visited Amarillo to help kickoff "The Spirit of Christmas" program and serve as keynote speaker at the annual Amarillo Chamber of Commerce banquet. In 1978, New Mexico State running back RAY LOCKLIN dashed 78 yards with the deciding touchdown in the fourth quarter as the Aggies wrapped up the Missouri Valley Conference football championship and the school's first winning season in 11 years with a 33-31 win over West Texas State at Canyon's Kimbrough Stadium. Senior running back BO ROBINSON of the Buffaloes gained 156 yards on 12 carries--including a 73-yard effort in the second half--to pass MERCURY MORRIS as WT's career rushing leader. In 1964, MARK TIFFANY caught a six-yard touchdown pass from quarterback BEN HANKINS before MIKE BREWER, LARRY McDANIELS and RICKY BELCHER added rushing scores as Amarillo High defeated Palo Duro 28-6 before 1,200 chilled fans at Dick Bivins Stadium. The Golden Sandies lost a chance for their fifth shutout of the season when Palo Duro quarterback MIKE VACHON hit halfback DAVID MAY on a 68-yard scoring strike with 53 seconds remaining....Satire website TheOnion.com: "The contract holdout of JOE THEISMANN has entered its 26th year."....Police found 225 kilograms of cocaine worth $4 million during a raid Wednesday on a house in Puerto Rico owned by boxer IVAN CALDERON. Armchair quipster BILL LITTLEJOHN of Lake Tahoe, Nevada observes, "The police obviously didn't buy the 'smelling salts' excuse."....Former University of Mississippi football great ARCHIE MANNING tells the Memphis Commercial-Appeal he has received numerous inquiries about the possibility of son PEYTON MANNING replacing the fired HOUSTON NUTT as head coach of the Rebels. Archie adds, "Peyton just says for me to tell them he has an 0-10 record as an assistant coach with the Indianapolis Colts."....Overheard: "I seem to always forget how poor I am at remembering."---MIKE HIGGINS
11/17/11
PARKER J. PALMER: "Community is that place where that person you least want to live always lives. And when that person moves away, someone else always arises to take his or her place."....Will an off-the-field distraction for the University of Missouri football team help Texas Tech pull out of its three-game slump when the Red Raiders and Tigers meet Saturday in Columbia? Mizzou head coach GARY PINKEL was jailed and released Wednesday night on DWI charges....Readers of the "Letters to the Editor" in the Amarillo Globe News and the "reader comments" on the publication's website know CHARLES PAUL STEPHENS as one of our area's more opinionated people. The Dumas resident's interest in sports has waned over the years primarily due to labor issues in professional athletics, but he understandably has a great deal of interest in the football fortunes of Colfax (Ca.) High School due to grandson HUNTER PEREZ being one of the top running backs in the state of California in leading the Falcons to an 11-0 record and a number eight ranking in the state according to the Sacramento Bee....CAM HUTCHINSON of the Saskatoon (Sask.) StarPhoenix: "The New York Yankees signed pitcher CC SABATHIA to a five-year, $122 million deal. That works out to $400,000 per pound."....This week in Panhandle sports history: In 1990, the Dumas High School girls volleyball team won its third consecutive class 4A state championship with a 15-12, 15-10 win over Austin Reagan at the Burger Center in Austin. Named to the all-tournament team off the Demonettes of coach JACK WILSON were CAMILLE MORTON, STEFANI CLEMENT and KIRAH COWLEY. In 1976, a 21-4 run at the start of the second half helped the Amarillo College men's basketball team make the debut of new head coach GARY CARDINAL a successful one as the Badgers defeated the Wayland Baptist junior varsity 95-60 before 800 fans at Badger Gym. MAURICE ROBERTSON of AC led all scorers with 21 points while teammate CARL WALTON added 16. In 1967, halfback ROY HAULCY gained 125 yards on 14 carries while fullback KIM MALONE added 92 yards on 14 tries as the Tascosa Rebels upset previously undefeated and state-ranked Amarillo High 34-7 in the district 3-AAAA championship game before 10,000 fans at Dick Bivins Stadium. The North Zone champion Rebels of coach JOHN McGUIRE--losers of three of their first four games at the start of the year including a 13-7 non-district loss to AHS--shut down an offense of the South Zone champion Golden Sandies that had previously averaged 350 yards in total offense and just over 30 points per game. AHS avoided being shutout with 15 seconds left in the fourth quarter when quarterback DICK GRAHAM scored from four yards out....Unknown: "Why did the chicken cross the Internet? To get to the other site."....American track-and-field stars MICHAEL MAI and DEIRDRE MULLEN were married in July but put off their honeymoon until after the recent Pan American Games. After Mai finished second in the hammer throw and Mullen fourth in the high jump, Mai explained, "Putting off our honeymoon was definitely worth it. Track has always been a huge priority in our lives. We would not have enjoyed our honeymoon as much if we had been in competition mode."....From Sportsdeke.com: "Northern Illinois linebacker JAMAAL BASS was suspended for one game after knocking down a piccilo player from the University of Toledo marching band. Would that have been a pic play?"....Overheard: "None of us alone comes even close to being as ignorant as all of us together."---MIKE HIGGINS
11/16/11
GEORGE FOREMAN: "All JOE FRAZIER wanted to do was beat up MUHAMMAD ALI just one more time. Maybe someday in heaven, he'll have a chance to do it."....Upon hearing TERRELL OWENS had a warrant out for his arrest, GARY BACHMAN of DailyComedy.com theorized the charges were "Six counts of throwing quarterbacks under the bus."....An unknown blogger comments on the 72-day marriage between reality television star KIM KARDASHIAN and KRIS HUMPHRIES of the NBA's New Jersey Nets: "Another relationship designed to last a lunchtime."....GREG CONNORS, Buffalo News: "Humphries is now the only NBA player who is locked out both at work and at home."....Questions and answers with STEVE CULWELL, assistant athletic director of the Amarillo Independent School District: First sports hero? "Quarterback JOHNNY UNITAS of the Baltimore Colts." Biggest sports thrill as participant? "Winning the district championship as head coach at Slaton High School in 1994." Biggest disappointment as participant? "Losing to Abilene Wylie in the state playoffs the same season." Biggest sports thrills as observer? "Denver Broncos winning Super Bowl XXXII over the Green Bay Packers 31-24 and the Texas Longhorns winning the national championship by defeating USC 41-38 in the 2006 Rose Bowl." Biggest disappointments as observer? "Four consecutive losses by the Broncos in the Super Bowl." Favorite sports nickname? "LANCE "BAMBI" ALWORTH, All-American wide receiver at the University of Arkansas and later a Pro Football Hall of Famer with the San Diego Chargers and Dallas Cowboys." Favorite all-time athletes in the clutch? "Unitas and JOHN ELWAY." Favorite city outside of Texas? "Denver, Colorado." Living person would most like to have lunch with? "MIKE SHANAHAN." Most famous persons shaken hands with? "TOM LANDRY, VINCE YOUNG and COLT McCOY."....Bumper sticker: "If you love someone, set them free--because the police have you surrounded."....This week in Panhandle sports history: In 1987, AMY CLABORN scored 14 points and TAMMY WEATHERLY added 12 to lead the Canyon High School Lady Eagles to a 60-43 win over Amarillo High in the season opener for both teams at the AHS Gym. Guard NICKEY ALLEN led all scorers with 15 points for AHS. In 1970, JOE KERBEL coached the last game of legendary career at West Texas State as the Buffaloes hosted Southern Mississippi at then-named Buffalo Bowl. The Golden Eagles took a 3-0 lead in the first quarter on a 30-yard field goal by RAY GUY before WT fullback RUSTY TUCKER answered with a 36-yard touchdown run. With Southern Miss clinching to an 11-7 lead in the fourth quarter, Tucker's 1-yard scoring plunge and a key interception by defensive back RAYMOND BROWN provided the Buffaloes with an 14-11 win. Guy went on to become the greatest punter in pro football history with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders while Brown spent nine years in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints. In 1965, MACK HOEL and FRANK SILVA brought back punts for touchdowns within two minutes of each other in the first quarter as Gruver blasted Panhandle 63-8 in a game that determined the district 1-A football championship....A quote I'll never forget: After basketball player RICK McCUTCHEON transferred from the University of Minnesota to Arizona State due to lack of playing time with the Gophers, he commented, "If I am going to be unhappy, I might as well be unhappy where it is warm."....As THEO EPSTEIN takes on the challenge of being the new general manager of the Chicago Cubs, satire website TheOnion.com says, "He's very disgusted to discover the Cubs play in an creaky, old stadium that has weeds growing on the outfield walls."....Overheard: "Ah, another divorce. Instead of getting married again, I am just going to find a woman I don't like and buy her a house."---MIKE HIGGINS
11/15/11
DWIGHT PERRY, Seattle Times: "ANGELA RYPIEN is the daughter of former Washington Redskins quarterback MARK RYPIEN and is the starting quarterback for the Seattle Mist of the Lingerie Football League. Fortunately, she has resisted the urge to give her offensive line a nickname."....Short Rutts celebrates its 10th anniversary this week with a reminder that the title and style of this literary effort are intended as neither an endorsement nor an indictment of the late PUTT POWELL and his "Short Putts" column....The late GENE HOWE, pioneer Amarillo newspaper publisher: "Columnists can go one of two ways. They can be absolutely dull and liked by everyone. Or, they can be honest and opinionated, liked by a few, despised by a few, and read by everyone."....I'm confident if Howe were around today he would also say, "A person with a computer may be forgiven for lack of wisdom, but never for lack of courage."....ROGER STAUBACH is portrayed in the current edition of the outstanding "Dallas Cowboys Legends" series on Fox Sports Southwest. A quick clip shows former West Texas State teammates JESSE POWELL and MERCURY MORRIS warming up together prior to their Miami Dolphins taking on Staubach and the Cowboys in Super Bowl VI. Former Tascosa great BILLY HOBBS is also shown as a Philadelphia Eagles linebacker, pursuing a scrambling Staubach during a 42-7 Dallas win at Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium in 1971....Note to JIMMY LACKEY, Kids, Inc. executive director: Thank you for the reminder that the iconic sports broadcasting career of the recently-passed WOODY VAN DYKE included a period doing radio play-by-play of West Texas A&M football in the early 1990s....This week in Panhandle sports history: In 1985, quarterback TOD MAYFIELD completed 35 passes on 56 attempts for 537 yards in leading West Texas State to a 55-25 win over New Mexico State at Aggie Memorial Stadium in Las Cruces. Mayfield completed passes to eleven different Buffalo receivers on his record-setting day and later said, "I had so much time to throw, there were times my lineman turned around to look at me and I still hadn't thrown the ball." In 1968, DORY FUNK, JR. and longtime nemesis LORD PATRICK squared off before a near-capacity crowd at the Amarillo Sports Arena. Funk won the first fall with a hammerlock at 12:32 before Patrick rallied to take the second, utilizing a figure-four leg lock at 9:42. Funk was declared the winner on a disqualification during the third fall after an unruly Patrick punched referee ALEX PEREZ in the face. The evening opened with GUILLOTINE GORDON putting away LUIS MARTINEZ with a backdrop at 7:41 and the aforementioned Perez making quick work of BOZO BROWN with a series of rope blocks at 5:44. In 1960, VANCE HALL of Amarillo was elected president of the Western States Sporting Goods Dealers Association at the group's annual convention in Los Angeles. In 1955, officials of baseball's Western League informed Amarillo Gold Sox officials the structure of aging Gold Sox Park would prevent the team from being admitted to the league. City voters passed a bond issue the following month to finance construction of The Ballpark Southeast of the Stockyards, setting the stage for the Gold Sox being becoming a Western League member when the facility opened in the spring of 1957....Headline at sports satire website Sportspickle.com: "Big East Conference kidnaps 12 teams at gunpoint"....With the Los Angeles Dodgers up for sale following the divorce settlement between previous owners FRANK McCOURT and ex-wife JAMIE McCOURT, comedian ARGUS HAMILTON says, "Former owner PETER O'MALLEY is interested in buying back the team, MARK CUBAN is interested in buying the team, and KIM KARDASHIAN is interested in marrying the team."....Overheard: "Before giving anyone a piece of your mind, make sure you have enough of it to spare."---MIKE HIGGINS
11/14/11
DAVID THOMAS, Ft. Worth Star-Telegram: "Polling company Poll Position conducted a survey that says 76 percent of Americans say they are doing just fine without National Basketball Association games. The other 24 percent say they are NBA players."....The West Texas A&M football team will have revenge on its mind when the Buffaloes play Central Missouri of the Mid-America Collegiate Athletic Conference in the Kanza Bowl on November 27 at Hummer Sports Park in Topeka, Kansas. The Mules jumped to a 28-0 halftime lead and defeated the Buffaloes 55-35 in the first round of last season's NCAA Division II playoffs at Walton Stadium in Warrensburg, Missouri....Police in Utah are hunting for a person who swiped a custom-made bicycle belonging to SHAWN BRADLEY, the 7-foot-6 former pro basketball player. TODD DEWEY of the Las Vegas Journal-Review says, "While 7-foot-4 MARK EATON has been ruled out as a suspect, police still plan to question GHEORGHE MURESAN, YAO MING, CHUCK NEVITT, RALPH SAMPSON and RIK SMITS."....This week in Panhandle sports history: In 1979, Amarillo High running back MARK MATHIASMEIER scored on a draw play from 22 yards out with 1:32 left in the fourth quarter to lift the Golden Sandies past the Pampa Harvesters 13-10 in a game deciding the district 3-AAAA football championship before 10,000 fans at Dick Bivins Stadium. In 1972, a near-capacity crowd at the Amarillo Sports Arena witnessed a Lumberjack Wrestling Match between CYCLONE NEGRO and MOOSE MOROWSKI played out with twelve of their fellow wrestlers surrounding the ring to guard against any potential unsportsmanlike behavior between the rivals. The conflict was decided at 11:10 of the first fall when Morowski attempted an atomic drop on Negro, who managed to kick the ring's top rope and cause both grapplers to fall onto the ring's canvas and into a semi-conscious daze. Negro then managed to reach over and place an arm over Morowski, thus earning the dramatic win. In 1969, the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce Sports Committee gave its monthly achievement awards to Palo Duro High School head football coach GEORGE KIRK and to ROONE ARLEDGE of ABC Sports. Kirk had led the Dons to an 8-0 record and a number-three ranking in the state in class AAAA, while Arledge was recognized for his role in ABC providing live coverage of the New Mexico State-West Texas State football game played two weeks earlier at Canyon's Buffalo Bowl. In 1958, MICKEY WRIGHT of La Jolla, California and KATHY WHITWORTH of Jal, New Mexico--both eventual members of the World Golf Hall of Fame--presented a clinic at Tascosa Country Club sponsored by Wilson Sporting Goods. Afterwards, Whitworth teamed with TCC pro JOHNNY AUSTIN to defeat Wright and partner HENRY WHITELY, JR. of Amarillo in an exhibition match....BRAD DICKSON, Omaha World-Herald: "It turns out there is an Occupy Green Bay Movement with one guy sleeping in a park. It turns out it was just BRETT FAVRE wanting his old job back."....Fox Sports pro football analyst analyst HOWIE LONG has been outspoken on NFL players overusing social media. He states, "I don't know if there is an Imodium A-D for Twitter, but some players have Twitter-rrhea."....Overheard: "You have the right to remain stupid. Anything you say can and will be ignored."---MIKE HIGGINS
11/09/11
GENE WOJCIECHOWSKI of ESPN.com on LSU's 9-6 win over Alabama: "If that was the 'Game of the Century', I want my 100 years back. So let's get this out of the way right now: These two teams deserve a BCS championship rematch like KIM KARDASHIAN deserves to keep her wedding gifts."....ARGUS HAMILTON: "National Basketball Association players are very close to agreement on percentage of profits, but they are hopelessly deadlocked over Kardashian-related income."....The passing of boxing great JOE FRAZIER is sad to learn. I'll never forget him handing MUHAMMAD ALI his first career loss on March 8, 1971 at New York's Madision Square Garden and listening to Amarillo radio icon CHARLIE BROOMHEAD relay slighty-delayed wire accounts of the bout live on KPUR....New York Giants running back BRANDON JACOBS brushed off fans booing his 10-yard rushing performance against the Miami Dolphins in stating, "I got a family at home and a fast-ass car being delivered on Tuesday. That's it."....Bumper sticker: "My bucket list consists of not trying to kick it."....KELLY CHIFFER of Seal Beach, California is a junior transfer on the Texas Tech volleyball team by way of UCLA and Cypress Junior College and is the daughter of FLOYD CHIFFER, a pitcher with the Texas League's Amarillo Gold Sox in 1979-80. Floyd went on to pitch parts of three seasons with the San Diego Padres, including in 1984 when he was one of numerous former Gold Sox as the team won the National League pennant before losing the World Series to the Detroit Tigers in five games....New York Jets head coach REX RYAN was spotted recently at a mall wearing a JOE NAMATH replica jersey. Namath reacted, "I am just stunned that number 12 jerseys come in that size."....The New York Mets have announced plans to move the outfield fences at their Citi Field home closer to home plate in 2012. KEVIN GLEASON of the Middletown (N.Y.) Times Herald-Record comments, "The Mets do know the other team also gets to play with the fences in, right?"....CONAN O'BRIEN of TBS, noting the move is being made to improve home run production by the Mets: "Call me old-fashioned, but isn't that what steroids are for?"....Comedy writer MARK RAGOVIN: "Now, if the Mets could only find a place to hide the scoreboard."....The University of Wyoming offered free admission to their game against TCU on Saturday to anyone who showed up and put in two hours of work on clearing snow away from Laramie's War Memorial Stadium....Golfer IAN POULTER: "I used to fly coach and didn't like it. And then someone suggested I start playing better."....A Los Angeles dentist has taken PETE ROSE to small claims court, demanding $2,915 he says Rose has owed him for almost two years....Comedian JERRY PERISHO: "On Tuesday, the Oakland Raiders signed wide receiver T.J. HOUSHMANDZADEH. On Wednesday, he finished writing his name on the contract."....Overheard: "Friday is 11/11/11, meaning it is one of the few days in history the entire world can agree on a way to write the date."---MIKE HIGGINS
11/07/11
Some quotes I'll never forget....ALVIN DARK, longtime big league infielder and field manager: "The good Lord taught me to love everyone, but the last ones I learned to love were sportswriters."....Shortly after his actual retirement in 1980, Dallas Cowboys center JOHN FITZGERALD revealed, "I called a press conference to announce my retirement last season. No one showed up, so I decided to play another year."....SPEEDY NIEMAN, Hereford: "Children do brightened up a room. Have you ever seen one turn off a light?"....Fair or not, ROY TARPLEY will always be recalled for his personal problems derailing his underachieving NBA career. He states, "The biggest room in the world is the room for improvement."....STEVE WOHLSCHLAEGER, North Mesquite High School football star, recalling the moment he decided to attend Texas A&M: "An A&M coach called, said he was SANTA CLAUS, and that he wanted me for Christmas."....Former Dumas, Caprock and Tascosa head football coach RON ROGERS has called it a career after 37 years. With the University of Texas and Tascosa sharing the same fight song, Rogers--a University of Oklahoma graduate--was asked how he differentiates the song. He answered, "When Tascosa scores, I hear the Tascosa fight song, and when Texas scores, I hear the Tascosa fight song."....The West Texas State basketball team of coach KEN EDWARDS lost a 121-67 game to University of Kentucky and mentor JOE B. HALL at Lexington's Rupp Arena in 1978 and the point margin is still the largest for a home win in Wildcats history. An Associated Press account of the game began: "Kentucky and West Texas State share the same fight song. That is where the similarities end."....E.C. McKENZIE: "People determine our character by what we stand for, fall for, and lie for."....When BOB DEVANEY was hired as the head football coach at the University of Nebraska in 1962, he expressed hopes for the future of the Cornhuskers grid program when he kidded, "I don't expect to win enough games to be put on NCAA probation. I just want to win enough to warrant an investigation."....Longtime NFL punter JEFF FEAGLES played one season for Scottsdale (Ariz.) Community College before transferring to Miami of Florida. With Scottsdale's "Artichokes" being one of the more curious nicknames in college sports, Feagles remembers, "We were known as the 'Chokes' for short."....Overheard: "I have gone away to find myself. If I should show up before I get back, please let me know where I have been."---MIKE HIGGINS
11/2/11
BRAD DICKSON of the Omaha World-Herald, responding to a pair of goats in Colorado being disqualified from competition due to testing positive for a banned food additive: "The Colorado State Fair is basically the Tour de France for goats."....From sports satire website Sportspickle.com: "Boston Red Sox pitcher JOHN LACKEY will miss the entire 2012 season after undergoing reconstructive surgery on his beer-drinking arm."....Following Nebraska's 24-3 win over Michigan State on Saturday, Cornhuskers offensive line coach BARNEY COTTON assessed the Spartan defensive line in stating, "They but their hands down, their butts up in the air, and they come after it."....Note to JACKIE SMITH, KACV-TV: Thank you for sharing the interesting article on TONY LaRUSSA....A recent piece in the Amarillo Globe-News on the history of the Amarillo High-Tascosa football rivalry featured a photograph from the Rebels' 15-14 win over AHS in 1973 showing THS quarterback RUSTY RALEIGH being pursued by Golden Sandie defenders TERRY HARGRAVE, CURT MEREDITH, ALAN GRAHAM, EDDIE EDWARDS, DAVID THOMAS and DAVID ARMSTRONG. Edwards, now an Oklahoma City businessman, says, "After 38 years, hopefully one of the six of us has finally been able to tackle him."....Former big league pitcher DAVE HEAVERLO provided color commentary on the University of Central Washington football radio network during the Wildcats' 49-35 loss to West Texas A&M on Saturday night at Canyon's Kimbrough Stadium. He had fond memories of spending the 1974 season with the Amarillo Giants and making the Texas League All-Star team prior to his seven major league campaigns with the San Francisco Giants, Oakland A's and Seattle Mariners....Heaverlo is recalled among connoisseurs of quip for suggesting an interesting promotion to increase the meager-sized crowds the A's were drawing at the then-named Oakland Alameda County-Coliseum while Californians were simultaneously enduring a gasoline shortage in 1979. He suggested, "Maybe we should just open a service station in centerfield."....Bumper sticker: "Attention all zombies. The human body contains no brain."....KEVIN GLEASON, Middletown (N.Y.) Times-Record: "In major college football news this week, everyone left a conference, thought about leaving a conference, or was asked to leave a conference."....CEDRIC GAGNE-MARCOUX of the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts recently switched positions on the team's offensive line and was asked by the Toronto Sun to comment on the mental side of the change. He pointed at his head and replied, "Trust me, the hamster up there is still paddling."....Following Stanford's 56-48 win on Saturday over USC in three overtimes, JANICE HOUGH of LeftCoastSportsBabe.com observed, "I went to a college football game and Game 6 of the World Series broke out."....Overheard: "I never take the time to interupt an adversary when they are busy making a mistake."---MIKE HIGGINS
10/21/11
The late PUTT POWELL, longtime local sports scribe: "I am not bothered by someone smoking in a press box. I am bothered by loud talkers and and gum chewers who pop their gum."....Will time prove the breathtaking defensive plays on Thursday night by shortstop ELVIS ANDRUS and second baseman IAN KINSLER were the turning point in the Texas Rangers winning the World Series?....The divorce settlement between former Los Angeles Dodgers co-owners FRANK McCOURT and ex-wife JAMIE McCOURT is said to be the most expensive in California history. Comedian ARGUS HAMILTON responds, "When asked to comment on the amount, MARIA SHRIVER would only say that records are made to be broken."....The passing of former KVII-TV sports director WOODY VAN DYKE is sad to learn. Most would agree he teamed with news director/anchor JIM PRATT, co-anchor ROGER DAVIS and weatherman LEN SLESICK to form the most effective group of journalists in area history beginning in 1968. The team remained intact well into the 1970s while putting up the highest newscast ratings in the country for a three-station market....Sunday's edition of the Amarillo Globe News will feature interesting insight by general interest columnist JON MARK BEILUE on the implications--athletically and beyond--of the 1973 relocation of Amarillo High School from its downtown building to its present Puckett Place site....Sports satire website Sportspickle.com offers "Official Drinking Rules for the 2011 Boston Red Sox" that include: "Taking one sip for every MARIAH CAREY-like flourish during the 'Star Spangled Banner', chugging for three seconds if the ceremonial first pitch is a ball but chugging for ten seconds if it is a strike, chugging for three seconds each time manager TERRY FRANCONA pats a player on the butt and drinking into a coma each time there is a ground-rule double over the left field fence at Fenway Park."....West Texas A&M and Eastern New Mexico renew their quest for the "Wagon Wheel Trophy" when the teams square off at Kimbrough Stadium on Saturday evening. Buffalo head coach DON CARTHEL was heavily involved in creating the trophy when he held the same position at ENMU in 1986 and has since gone a combined 8-2 as a head coach in the series. He was 3-2 against WT while at Eastern New Mexico and has not lost to the Greyhounds in five tries since taking over the Buffaloes in 2005...A quote I'll never forget: An announcement in 1964 brought the news that President LYNDON B. JOHNSON was closing Amarillo Air Force Base while simultaneous news had Texas League baseball returning to our city after a year's absence. Amarillo Globe-Times columnist TOMMY THOMPSON commented in his "Turnstile" column: "We are losing one base but gaining four."....Overheard: "I can only please one person a day. I am sorry to inform you that today I am choosing me."---MIKE HIGGINS
10/17/11
NORMAN CHAD: "If PEYTON MANNING is out for the season and the Indianapolis Colts go 0-16, will he win his fifth Most Valuable Player award?"....Alabama gained 389 rushing yards in its 52-7 win over Ole Miss on Saturday. Crimson Tide head coach NICK SABAN explained, "We are more like JOE FRAZIER than we are like MUHAMMAD ALI. We have to pound it."....Bumper sticker: "There is no excuse for being lazy, but I am working as hard as I can to find one."....After a 97-year old man in Wisconsin called 911 to report he couldn't find his remote as he was watching the Milwaukee Brewers in the American League playoffs, BRAD DICKSON of the Omaha World-Herald stated, "Considering he is 97 and how often the Brewers make the playoffs, I would say his call was justified."....While the vast majority of Texas Panhandle residents will be pulling hard for the Texas Rangers to win the World Series over the St. Louis Cardinals, that won't be the case with VESTER SMITH and wife MARTHA SMITH of Higgins, Texas. They are the grandparents of LESLEE HOLLIDAY, wife of Cardinals slugger MATT HOLLIDAY...Unknown: "We are all made entirely of flaws but stitched together with goods intentions."....West Texas A&M associate athletic director KENT JOHNSON worked with DAN WHELDON when Johnson was publicist for the Andretti-Green Racing Team and Wheldon was a driver with the group from 2003 to 2005. Following Wheldon's tragic death in Sunday's Las Vegas Indy 300, Johnson comments, "Dan was a tremendous, upbeat and cheerful man plus a great racer, competitor and person. Even in 'down' times he was able to pull off a joke or a prank that would get everyone smiling again. His unhappiest moment turned into one of his greatest triumphs as I remember how glum he was in 2005 at qualifying 16th for the Indianapolis 500. On the morning of the race he told his three teammates--TONY KANANN, DARIO FRANCHITTI and BRYAN HERTA--'wave to me when you put a lap down'. As it turned out, Dan and DANICA PATRICK put on the show of the decade with their final, 10-lap battle with Dan ending up drinking the milk in Victory Lane. Sunday's crash was the worst I have ever seen. Sometimes the benign incidents carry dire circumstances, but in this one you knew something very bad was happening. I am wearing my Indy 500 champion ring today with his name on it in tribute."....IAN HAMILTON of the Regina (Sask.) Leader-Post: "Memo to HANK WILLIAMS, JR: Turn out the lights. The party's over."....Overheard: "I don't know what I would do without you, but I do know I would do something incredibly amazing."---MIKE HIGGINS
10/7/11
BUM PHILLIPS: "I never solicited coaching advice from my wife. I don't help her cook and she didn't help me coach."....As Amarillo High School's football win streak over Lubbock High School reached 38 games on Thursday night with the Sandies' 52-6 win, JON MARK BEILUE of the Amarillo Globe-News puts a pop culture spin on the streak, noting the last two times the Westerners have beaten AHS at Amarillo/Dick Bivins Stadium the top pop songs on the Billboard charts have been "Tie A Yellow Ribbon 'Round The Old Oak Tree" by TONY ORLANDO and Dawn in 1973 and "Oh, My Papa" by EDDIE FISHER in 1954....JIM BOEHEIM, Syracuse basketball coach: "If conference comissioners were the founding fathers of this country, we would have Guatemala, Uruguay and Aregentina in the United States."....Homecoming activities at West Texas A&M this weekend include a 25-year reunion of players from WT's 1986 Lone Star Conference football champions. Many feel that Buffalo team would have won the NCAA Division II title had not the LSC champ not been an automatic qualifier for post-season play at the time....JACK FINARELLI: "Texas A&M has blown leads of 18 and 17 points this season. Who do they think they are, the Minnesota Vikings?"....Questions and answers with BILLY BEST, WTAMU offensive coordinator: First sports hero? "Offensive lineman BRUCE MATTHEWS of the Houston Oilers and Tennessee Titans." Biggest sports thrill as participant? "Beating Texas A&M-Kingsville 42-21 three weeks ago at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington for my first win as WT offensive coordinator." Biggest sports disappointment as participant? "Losing my last high school game as a senior center for Rayville (La.) High School in 1996. We made it to the third round of the Louisiana state playoffs to Shreveport Evangel Christian Academy, at the time the top-ranked high school team in the country. We hung with them and almost pulled it off." Biggest sports thrill as observer? "Watching my former offensive lineman J'MARCUS WEBB start at right tackle for the Chicago Bears against the New York Jets. My wife and I went up last Christmas to watch him play." Biggest sports disappointment as observer? "Texas Rangers losing the 2010 World Series. Maybe this is the year." Favorites athletes in the clutch? "GREG MADDUX, KEITH NULL and CHARLY MARTIN." Favorite sports nicknames? "Texas 'Rangers' and New Orleans 'Saints'." Persons would most like to have lunch with? "My wife JENNIFER BEST and our twins BRADY BEST and HANNAH BEST." Most famous persons shaken hands with? "REX RYAN and several other NFL coaches."....Seconds after closer MARIANO RIVERA of the New York Yankees set the career record for big league saves last month, Yanks announcer JOHN STERLING told his audience, "Are there tears in my eyes? Yet bet. But I cry at hockey scores."....Comedian TIM HUNTER on two countries setting aside a season to celebrate with alcohol use: "What Germany calls 'Oktoberfest', we call 'football season'."....After Detroit Tigers manager JIM LEYLAND let it be known he didn't change his underwear during a 12-game win streak in September, BRAD ROCK of the Salt Lake Deseret News comments, "This raises a disturbing question: Does anyone know if CAL RIPKEN, JR. was superstitious?"....Overheard: "The old-fashioned mother who used to have prunes every morning now has a grand daughter that has dates every night."---MIKE HIGGINS
9/22/11
E-Mailer: "I am now using Facebook to complain about all the new, confusing features on Facebook."....After Auburn University's eagle mascot crashed into a window of the Jordan-Hare Stadium press box prior to the school's season opener against Utah State, BRAD DICKSON of the Omaha World-Herald remarked, "He must have mistaken BRENT MUSBURGER's hair for his nest."....From website Fark.com: "Hefty San Francisco Giants slugger PALBO SANDOVOL has hit for the buffet cycle."....The University of the Incarnate Word football program makes its first visit to Canyon's Kimbrough Stadium on Saturday evening as the Cardinals play West Texas A&M, but it's the second visit to Kimbrough for UIW head coach MIKE SANTIAGO. He was the receivers coach at Lamar University in 1979 under head coach LARRY KEENAN when the Buffaloes of BILL YUNG hung a 55-16 loss on Lamar and was also on the Lamar staff the following year when the same schools fought to a 13-13 tie in Beaumont....Keenan's son KYLE KEENAN is an assistant coach under Santiago at Incarnate Word, as is tight ends coach and former NFL lineman LARRY MOORE along with offensive coordinator TONY MARCIANO, a cousin of boxing legend ROCKY MARCIANO....Amarillo native and Austin author ADAM JONES puts an insightful and often highly humorous twist on college football each week at jonestopten.com. His 2007 book "Rose Bowl Dreams" is a must-read for all University of Texas fans. The book also includes the many memories Jones has of growing up watching West Texas State football in the 1970s with his grandfather MITCHELL JONES, a legendary athlete and longtime professor at WT along with being a charter inductee in the school's Athletic Hall of Honor in 1987...From satire website TheOnion.com: "Busy referee regrets not finding time to throw around flag with son."....Note to RICK COOPER, head men's basketball coach at WTAMU: Many thanks for your kind note....Hard-hitting first baseman PRINCE FIELDER and relief pitcher FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ have played key roles in leading the Milwaukee Brewers to their most successful season in years but have not been shy in publicly stating their desires to play elsewhere in 2012. JIM LITKE of the Associated Press observes, "If you take the 'I walk' out of 'Milwaukee', all that is left is 'me'."....NASCAR officials have kicked off a campaign for its policies and its fans to "Go Green". CONAN O'BRIEN of TBS comments, "The most controversial idea is to have drivers carpool during the races."....Detroit Tigers manager JIM LEYLAND recently revealed he did not change his underwear during a 12-game winning streak. JANICE HOUGH of Leftcoastsportsbabe.com responded, "This might explain the Tigers outstanding pitching because no one wanted a visit on the mound."....Overheard: "I am an upstanding member of Exaggerators Anonymous. We are a trillion strong and still growing."
9/16/11
DAVID ORTIZ of the Boston Red Sox on the team's September slump: "Nobody is to blame except everybody." After that 59-year fan managed to bring a Taser to last weekend's Dallas Cowboys-New York Jets game, CONAN O'BRIEN of TBS commented, "He was arrested and immediately signed by the Oakland Raiders." DWIGHT PERRY of the Seattle Times added, "Don't look for him to be at this week's game. He is the first fan in history to be out with a stinger."....From sports satire website Sportspickle.com: "Cowboys quarterback TONY ROMO has received a vote of confidence from the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins and New York Giants."....After the Atlanta Falcons dropped their season opener 30-12 to the Chicago Bears, JEFF SCHULTZ of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution asked, "When the Falcons said they wanted to get more explosive this season, did they mean WILE E. COYOTE explosive?"....The West Texas A&M football program plays in a stadium that hosts or later hosted a National Football League team for the fifth time Saturday night as the Buffaloes take on Texas A&M-Kingsville in the nightcap of the Lone Star Football Festival at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. Previously, the Buffaloes lost to San Diego State 37-6 at then-named San Diego Stadium in 1972, lost 32-15 to North Texas State in 1973 at Texas Stadium in Irving, defeated the University of Tampa 24-6 at Tampa Stadium in 1974 and lost to the University of Houston twice at the Astrodome--50-7 in 1976 and 49-10 in 1979....New WT quarterbacks coach STEPHEN LEE is the father of current LSU quarterback JARRETT LEE and a nephew of the late DOUG McCUTCHEON, a standout running back at Texas Tech and later head football coach at Tascosa High School. The elder Best is also a former running back at Angelo State and helped the Rams to a 49-14 win over WT in 1989 and to a 52-14 win over the Buffs in 1990....This story hit the wires this week out of Auckland, New Zealand: "A parade of topless, motorcycle-riding strippers scheduled to take place in Auckland this month has been cancelled to preserve the Rugby World Cup's family atmosphere, organizers said Monday."....Oakland A's rookie MICHAEL TAYLOR hit a ball into right field that looked to be a sure single against the Kansas City Royals this week but was thrown out at first base by Royals right fielder JEFF FRANCOUER. Asked by the San Francisco Chronicle to comment on the play, Taylor remarked, "I hit a one-hooper to a guy with a cannon."....A's general manager BILLY BEANE attended the premiere of "Moneyball" last week in Toronto and watched himself played by BRAD PITT. Buffalo News columnist BUDD BAILEY says, "You'd have gone, too, just to make sure that Brad Pitt was playing you in a movie."...."Moneyball" hits theatres across the country next week and it will be interesting to see what attention is given to Beane's career as a player before he became one of the game's more innovative general managers in addition to a minority owner of the A's. A small portion of his minor league career took place at The Ballpark Southeast of the Stockyards when he played against the Amarillo Gold Sox for the Jackson (Miss.) Mets in 1982....Bumper sticker: "I need a sex change, from none to a lot."....DOUG BROWN is a 36-year old offensive lineman with the Canadian Football League's Winnipeg Blue Bombers and has some interesting coversations with 38-year defensive lineman GENE MAKOWSKY of the Saskatchewan Rough Riders when the teams meet. Brown: "We have all different cocktails for our arthritis we exchange with each other. We like to stack stuff. You take some Advil with Motrin and then you snort the Advil, and then you chase it with some Celebrex."....Overheard: "Right or wrong and for better or worse, our fingerprints never fade from the lives we touch."---MIKE HIGGINS
9/9/11
WENDEL POTTER: "The next two football games at Notre Dame will be delayed due to famine and pestilence."....A sign held by a Maryland fan during the Terps' 32-24 win over Miami last weekend declared, "Two Hurricanes. One Week. No Problem."....An unknown blogger: "Maryland's uniforms were so bad a Miami player said, 'You couldn't pay me to wear those things. Well, actually you could.' "....Comedian JERRY PERISHO on the 29th birthday of tennis star ANDY RODDICK: "The man is married to supermodel BROOKLYN DECKER. What could you possibly give him that would make his life better?"....Eastern Washington senior quarterback BO LEVI MITCHELL led Katy High School to a Texas state championship in 2007 and started 19 games at SMU over two seasons before transferring to EWU, leading the Eagles to the NCAA Division I national championship in 2010. He threw for 473 yards on Saturday in a 30-27 loss at Washington, tossing an interception in the Husky end zone with 29 seconds left. Noting Mitchell went to the air an amazing 69 passes on the afternoon, Seattle Times reader CHARLIE GAY asked, "Doesn't the Eastern Washington coach keep his quarterback on a pitch count?"....JON MARK BEILUE, Amarillo Globe-News: "The University of Texas needs more money like BILL GATES needs to have a garage sale."....Word is that KAMR-TV will provide live coverage of West Texas A&M's football games this season at Tarleton State, Abilene Christian and Midwestern State with negotiations ongoing among several parties and Dallas Cowboys owner JERRY JONES for television coverage to be provided of the Buffaloes-Texas A&M-Kingsville game scheduled next weekend as part of the "Lone Star Football Festival" at Arlington's Cowboys Stadium....This week in Panhandle sports history: In 1965, kick returner LARRY GATLIN of Odessa High School got the new season at Dick Bivins Stadium off to a rousing start with a 95-yard return for a touchdown as the Broncos took a quick 7-0 lead against Amarillo High. The Golden Sandies of head coach WARREN HARPER bounced back and won, 10-7. Gatlin went on to play wide receiver at the University and Houston and eventually gained wordwide fame as a country-and-western music star, teaming with brothers RUDY GATLIN and STEVE GATLIN to form "The Gatlin Brothers Band" and produce such hits as "All The Gold In California", "Broken Lady" and "Houston (Means I'm One Day Closer to You)". The band also featured Amarillo native and former Palo Duro High School football player PHILLIP FAJARDO on drums. Gatlin and Fajardo originally met when the pair were teammates at UH and involved in the original development of the innovative Veer offense under head coach BILL YEOMAN....As Indianapolis Colts quarterback PEYTON MANNING is on the shelf for 2-3 months with a neck injury, sports satire website Sportspickle.com states, "The Colts offensive coordinator is excited to actually have some of his play calls run."....University of Tulsa football player DAMARIS JOHNSON is in hot water after it was discovered his girlfriend--a clerk at Macy's--sold him over $1,200 in merchandise for 34 cents. BRAD ROCK of the Salt Lake Deseret News comments, "Rumor has it he is now looking for a girlfriend that works at a car dealership."....Overheard: "No one is perfect, at least not until you fall in love with them."---MIKE HIGGINS
9/2/11
Unknown: "One problem you can't solve by throwing money at it is being out of throwing money."....BOB RYAN, Boston Globe: "Indianapolis Colts quarterback PEYTON MANNING is so good he could make a 100-catch receiver out of a hat rack and a shovel."....Fewer than 300 brave souls of the 7,953 in attendance on Thursday night chose to take in West Texas A&M's 26-24 loss to Colorado State-Pueblo facing the scorching sun by sitting in the East stands of Canyon's Kimbrough Stadium. Among them was Lone Star Conference commissioner STAN WAGNON, taking in the perspective of the loyal fan rather than escaping to the comfort of an air conditioned press box....Lubbock sports radio personality RYAN HYATT was born in Amarillo and has spent his days since youth as a resident of The Hub City. He says, "As someone who grew up in tornado country, forgive me if I don't understand how folks can't get out of the way of a hurricane. I would have loved to have had several days of warning as our storms approach over the years."....JERRY GREENE of ESPN.com, suggesting a notion you don't live in a sports-crazed town: "Habitat for Humanity wins the bid to build your city's new stadium."....ALAN MOORE, a 61-year old Vietnam veteran, is the placekicker this season for the football team at Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama. DWIGHT PERRY of the Seattle Times comments, "Coaches can't decide whether to install the wishbone, the spread-option or the Tet offensive."....Palo Duro and Amarillo High meet in varsity football for the 59th time Friday night at Dick Bivins Stadium. The Dons and Sandies have combined for possibly the best--and quite possibly three of the worst--games in Dick Bivins Stadium history. After Palo Duro blew out AHS 33-0 in 1971 and again in 1972 by a 42-0 count, the teams met in 1973 in a snoozer that ended with an appropriate tie score of 13-13 when a field goal attempt by BARRY REYNOLDS of the Dons bounced off an upright on the game's final play. Recently-retired Amarillo Globe-News sportswriter LES GILES has called the stalemate "The worst football game ever played, ending just the way it should have because nobody won." Longtime Sandie football assistant coach JIM LANGDON was a senior offensive lineman for Palo Duro that season and says, "I have never been associated with a more poorly-played game as a player or coach." In 1989, the teams made up for those Blunder Bowls by playing to an unforgettably exciting 20-20 tie with star Dons running back MICHAEL WESTMORELAND later providing one of the more head spinning quotes in local sports history after injuring his knee in the third quarter as AHS came back to after trailing 20-3 at halftime. Westmoreland said afterwards, "If I hadn't gotten hurt, they wouldn't have won."....Bumper sticker: "Tomorrow is the second day of the rest of your life."....GREG COTE of the Miami Herald on the unlikely 5.8 earthquake felt in New York City: "REX RYAN was doing jumping jacks again."....At a cost of $6,000, the University of Michigan now welcomes marriages taking place at the 50-yard line of Michigan Stadium. R.J. CURRIE of Sportsdeke.com observes, "This puts a whole new spin on 'a costly midfield gamble'."....Overheard: "If we go quickly, we go alone. If we go far, we go together."---MIKE HIGGINS
DWIGHT PERRY of the Seattle Times, suggesting a name for the September 17 game between the embattled football programs at Ohio State and Miami (Fla.): "The Woes Bowl"....From sports satire website Sportspickle.com: "Miami expected to be aquitted in death-penalty case by Florida jury."....MICHAEL ROSENBERG of Sports Illustrated: "Cash payments, alcohol, strippers and hookers. No wonder the Hurricanes haven't won much lately--they're exhausted."....There is no question if the late PUTT POWELL were still around he would commemorate the start of the football season in his "Short Putts" column by declaring, "It's finally time to air up the balls."....Has Dick Bivins Stadium ever had a later ending of a regular season game than Tascosa's win over Palo Duro on Thursday? The final horn sounded on the 15-12 win by the Rebels at just short of 11 pm....This week's passing of MIKE FLANNGAN was sad to learn. Local legend has it the winner of the 1979 American League
8/26/11
Cy Young Award and key starter on the 1979 and 1983 World Series champion Baltimore Orioles was the first individual to ever successfully put away the "free" 72-ounce steak in less than an hour at The Big Texan....Note to DAVE HENRY, Amarillo Globe-News: Your statement that the Amarillo Civic Center was "built in 1964" is incorrect. Construction on it began in 1966 and it opened in early September of 1968 with a GLEN CAMPBELL concert....From satire website TheOnion.com: "The mouth of New York Jets head coach REX RYAN has officially opened for the season."....MARK LILLIBRIDGE played linebacker at Iowa State for three seasons in the early 1990s and says, "We were so bad we had to pay the boosters to come to the games."....This week in Panhandle sports history: In 1987, tight end DEVON KERSTETTER and running back J.R. COMPTON of West Texas State were named to the pre-season Division II All-America Football Team by The Football News. In 1978, TERRY FUNK proved to be his own worst enemy as the pro wrestling legend experienced a rare Texas Death Match loss before a near-capacity crowd at the Amarillo Sports Arena. The former WT football player was standing on the top of the ringside ropes and ready to fall on opponent ADRIAN ADONIS before he slipped and fell backwards onto the concrete outside the ring and was unable to continue. Earlier, THE SUPER DESTROYER defeated MR. POGO on a disqualification when Pogo's disruptive manager OLIVER HUMPERDINCK interfered with the conflict by entering the ring. Officials then allowed The Super Destroyer two unsupervised minutes with Humperdinck and he caused him further misery by applying him a series of head butts. Additional action had LARRY LANE make quick work of BILL ASH with a reverse flip along with RIP HAWK spoiling the local debut of MR. X with a flying body slam. In 1967, the 14 Boys Doubles Division championship of the Tri-State Open Tennis Tournament at the Amarillo Tennis Center was decided when Amarillo's BRUCE TILLEY teamed with CHIP WADE of El Paso to defeat the tandem of Amarillo's ROBERT GARNER and CRAIG TOLLESON in straight sets of 6-0, 6-2. In 1951, future Pro Football Hall of Famers DOAK WALKER and BOBBY LAYNE of the Detroit Lions and "SLINGIN' SAMMY" BAUGH of the Washington Redskins saw action as the Redskins defeated the Lions 10-7 in National Football League exhibition play at Amarillo (now Dick Bivins) Stadium. In the second quarter, a bizarre play took place as Baugh threw a pass that was batted back into his hands by a Detroit lineman before he scrambled and found receiver HUG TAYLOR for an apparent Washington touchdown, but it was disallowed....DAN SCHLERETH of the Detroit Tigers on serving up the pitch JIM THOME hit for his 600th career home run: "I felt kind of awkward. I didn't know whether to clap or what."....Officials at Bethany (Kan.) College have suspended the school's men's golf program for a period after three members of posed nude for a photograph with only golf clubs covering their private parts. JANICE HOUGH of LeftCoastSportsBabe.com comments, "Let's all pray this idea never occurs to JOHN DALY."....Overheard: "Football season is finally here. Therefore, I will be unable to attend any of my marriage counseling sessions until at least the middle of February."---MIKE HIGGINS
8/9/11
DAVID STEVENS, Clovis (N.M.) News Journal: "I wonder if a child that refuses to take a nap can be prosecuted for resisting a rest."....The agent for BRETT FAVRE has stated talk the quarterback will make still another comeback makes his client comparable to the late ELVIS PRESLEY. Fort Worth Star-Telegram scribe DAVID THOMAS comments, "Except for one difference, of course. We actually wanted Elvis to come back."....The Orlando Magic of the NBA have handed walking papers to STUFF THE MAGIC DRAGON, the team's longtime mascot. MIKE BIANCHI of the Orlando Sentinel says, "I am thinking he just didn't have the fire in his belly anymore."....Note to DAVE HENRY, Amarillo Globe-News: You recently wrote that new Amarillo Venom owner/general manager STEPHANIE TUCKER "is thought to be the first female owner of an Amarillo pro sports team in at least 30 years." I can assure you she is the first ever....As the Florida Marlins move into their new stadium next year, no one will miss the depressing site of them playing in front of thousands upon thousands of empty seats as they have for 19 seasons in the oversized-for-baseball home of the Miami Dolphins. A headline at satire site The Onion.com declares, "Marlins expect more sellouts next season at their new 8-seat ballpark."....Former West Texas State basketball player JERRY SCHAEFFER is the new principal at Panhandle High School. The Dimmitt native won state high school basketball championships as a player with the Bobcats and later as head coach at Abernathy High School...BOB MOLIANRO of the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, noting portly head coaches ANDY REID of the Philadelphia Eagles and REX RYAN of the New York Jets are starting their seasons under a great deal of pressure to finally win an NFL championship: "You wouldn't know it to look at them, but both are starving for a Super Bowl victory."....Newly acquired Texas Rangers relief pitcher MIKE ADAMS played both baseball and basketball at Texas A&M-Kingsville beginning in the late 1990s. It will be interesting to learn how the Sinton, Texas native did playing against West Texas A&M while competing for the Javalinas....Sports satire website Sportspickle.com offers some suggestions for customized bumper stickers used by a few select sports stars. They include DWIGHT HARRISON of the Pittsburgh Steelers: "Honk if you want me to run over ROGER GODDELL.", San Francisco Giants pitcher BRIAN WILSON: "I brake for attention." and NASCAR's DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: "If you can read this, you are probably in last place."....New University of Florida head football coach WILL MUSCHAMP has said the Gators "will be passing more this season." Comedian ALAN RAY responds, "Yes, they have gone out and hired many additional tutors."....Overheard: "It is a sure sign you didn't show up for training camp in shape if you play for the Cincinnati Bengals and can't outrun the cops."---MIKE HIGGINS
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