Category Archives: Native Texan

Wednesday, January 6, 2016 – Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport!

Posted on January 6, 2016 | 1 comment

Wednesday, January 6, 2016 – Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport! Or Some Puzzling Questions.

A most valued reader of Here’s What I’m Thinking left a football puzzle as a comment the other day. Thank you, Reader Reggie for reading and the comment. I do not know the answers so I am offering the puzzlers to others today. I can think of many D-I college football coaches that are considered donkeys, but I am going have to jump around online to research coaching kangaroos.

And now, jumping to our puzzle.

“Dear Madam Rose……… Now that most bowl games are behind us…….until 1/11 that is…… here are a series of bowl related puzzlers to ponder while waiting for the Ags to select a QB and/or OC.

A Div 1 bowl team is blessed with a kangaroo for a head coach. Can you name the coach & team ?

A different Div1 bowl team’s head coach has kangaroos on his résumé……..as well as the Hall of Fame. Can you name the coach?

Yet another Div 1 bowl team, in a record tying victory, utilized a QB who is a member of a kangaroo family. Can you name the team & QB ?

Hint….think Old Main.”

Initial thoughts.

# 1: Too bad it is not Kliff Kingsbury from Tortilla Tech. It would make such great alliteration.
# 2: Dear Coach Kingsbury, I know you love your alma mater, and you are cranking it up a notch, but just in case you have not heard, the Offensive Coordinator position is open at Texas A&M.
# 3: One QB has already selected the Texas Aggies and with high school signing day now less than a month I am sure others will select the Harvard on the Brazos as their choice. Meanwhile – SEC! SEC! SEC! ROLL TIDE!

Old Main? – Sam Houston State University once had a building called Old Main.

I shall seek intellectual guidance and stimulation at the local Academic Salon where all Aggies go to think deep thoughts.

Campus tour 7.5.2014 2014-07-05 098 (800x600)

If you can solve the puzzle, please contact Reader Reggie for your prize. I think it is a stuffed kangaroo.

1 Comment

Posted in College Football, Native Texan

Tagged Alabama, college football, Kliff Kingsbury, Roll Tide, Texas Aggies, Texas Tech

Monday, January 4, 2016 – The Last Monday After Saturday Football Awards for this Season

Posted on January 4, 2016 | Leave a comment

Monday, January 4, 2016 – The Last Monday After Saturday Football Awards for this Season

And then there was one. There is only one more college football game on January 11 between Clemson and Alabama for the National Football Championship. Then it is withdrawal until September, watching ESPN Classic on cable TV, or watching the 2005 National Championship game over and over on The Longhorn Network.

So today is my last college football awards until kickoff next Fall. And the winner is:

The backup to the backup to the backup … Quarterback. To the Jakes, Jarretts, Chrises, the Oregon back-up, all who stepped up when the guy in front of you left for whatever reason and especially to Bram Kolhausan from TCU: All of you win the Ready, Wait and Win Award. TCU – Thank you for a game for the ages. Thank goodness I flipped back to ESPN (who else?) just as the first of three overtimes began.

So if sports and athletics teach you about life, then learn from these back up players.

Be ready.
Never give up.
You are the best at what you do or you would not be where you are. But there is always somebody waiting just behind you who can take your place.
Regardless of how good you are, or think you are, you are not indispensable.

Photo by me – Cooper Landing, Alaska – 2014

Happy Monday. Roll Tide. Bye-Bye Coach Spavital. See if Uncle Will Muschamp needs any help at South Carolina.

Thursday, January 1, 2016 – HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Posted on January 1, 2016 | 7 comments

Thursday, January 1, 2016 – HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Did I not tell you that the Crimson Tide of Alabama would roll over the Michigan State Spartans like a Category 5 Gulf Coast hurricane blowing in during the night? I believe this hurricane was named Jacob. That is what you call a “storm surge.” One more game and Roll Tide. SEC! SEC! SEC! Then we can all go to the Wal-marts in Alabama to see the National Championship Trophy. I hope Larry Culpepper is there selling ice cold Dr. Pepper.

As for the Big 12 Conference – the good news was that a Big 12 team made the national playoff. The bad news was that the team was not from the state of Texas. Even worse news for some is that the school and team named Texas was not in any kind of playoff. And even worse than all of that, Oklahoma (OU) lost to Clemson.

However, it is a new year. Official high school signing day is slightly over than four weeks away. If you can run and throw a football, please call the Texas A&M Athletic Department. They are interested. If you can coordinate an offensive unit, please send your resume Attn: Texas A&M Football Program. If you are a realtor, the Sumlins would like to speak with you about future possibilities.

The Fedora brothers might just want to sign the entire Navasota Rattlers high team to the University of North Carolina. Bet you did not know the coaches for the two mentioned team are brothers, did you? I am so informative.

I hope today begins a wonderful and prosperous new year for you, your family and all the people you love.

Photo by me. The butterfly symbolizes transition.

Remember the goal of Here’s What I’m Thinking is to make at least one person smile, laugh and/or think every day. Thank you for reading, liking, and commenting.

ROLL TIDE!

And BTHO UCLA – Texas A&M opening game 2016!

7 Comments

Posted in College Football, Native Texan

Tagged 2015 College Football Bowl Games, Alabama, Big 12 Conference, Crimson Tide, National footbal championship, SEC, Texas A&M

December 31, 2015 – That Last Day of 2015 – The Hours are Slip Sliding Away

Posted on December 31, 2015 | Leave a comment

December 31, 2015 – That Last Day of 2015 – The Hours are Slip Sliding Away

And the sunset slowly sets on another year.

11.10.15 Veterans Park 2015-09-27 008 (601x800)

Photo by me. College Station, Texas 11.10.15

The Aggies were outscored and time ran out in the Music City Bowl. In spite of all the sour notes from Nashville, I am still proud of them as always.

I do have a question and a comment for the A&M coaching staff. I was wondering, like the entire Aggie nation, did you not watch any footage of the quarterback running to his left? I mean, he only ran it at least once in about every series. I actually kinda caught on to it about the third time and I do make enormous incomes as all of you do. And that change of cadence count at the line of scrimmage? Nice job, Louisville. I think that falls into the “Outcoached” file for A&M.

But let’s climb into the press box.

Andre Ware – we know where you attended college. (University of Houston, during the Southwest Conference days) Tom Hart, who are you?

Since both of you so subjectively offered your unwanted opinion on every topic from the broadcast booth, I wanted to share my opinion of both of you. I could wax and wane about your lack of objectivity when you only made positive comments toward The Cardinals. I could opine ad nausea as both of you did offering your personal and unwanted opinions regarding players, coaches, referees, the Fourth of July and the British royal family and the Kardashians having a cook out together that day. OK – I was just making up that last part.

I could go on and on about your commentary. However, let me just sum it up in two words – YOU SUCK! I did not think any two could be worse that Brent Mushburger and Old Florida quarterback, or the two idiots on CBS.

This just in from Aggieland – “I feel my hynie heating up.” Kevin Sumlin.

May the coming year bring peace, health, and happiness to all. Maybe it also bring several quarterbacks and at least a new offensive coordinator to College Station. And ROLL TIDE!

Happy New Year!

Wednesday, December 30, 2-15 – An Attack of Bureaucracy, Bears and Tigers and On My T-Shirt Soapbox

Posted on December 30, 2015 | 1 comment

Wednesday, December 30, 2-15 – An Attack of Bureaucracy, Bears and Tigers and On My T-Shirt Soapbox

But first – Who needs a quarterback when you can just run the football? Congratulations to Baylor and their record setting college football bowl game for most rushing yards. Run, Johnny, Run. Speaking of running and rushing, how about that Leonard Fournette? Geaux Tigers!

Texas Tech, the red shoes were working for you. They looked good on TV. Too bad you could not click your red shoes together three times and say “There’s no place like Lubbock.” You still have one of the best looking coaches and next year you will have a defense. Meanwhile, tie that quarterback down. He is a good one.

As I said, I had an attack of bureaucracy the other day when reading a Facebook post and decided to make up some rules to alleviate the attack.

The great, Kris Kristofferson sings the theme song of all bureaucracies “When you waste your time a talking to the people who don’t listen, who do you think’s gonna care?” Nevertheless, like all recovering bureaucrats, I am still going to respond. I told you I had an attack of bureaucracy, but I did not call together a committee or focus group. It is just my brain, as usual.

The individual’s post was the person’s reflection on college student athletes and their inability to articulate during an interview. The individual went on to say “perhaps the athletes should be required to take an English course to learn to speak.” I just happen to know the individual is a T-shirt wearer only and never attended college.

Here’s What I’m Thinking – There is a distinct difference between the individual who only wears the T-shirt of their favorite college or university and one who attended and earned it. We see the sacrifices from the inside not the outside. Unless one actually put in the sacrifices necessary to earn that T-shirt, one has a completely different perspective. This includes spouses’ and parents’ sacrifices so their husbands, wives, children and grandchildren could attend college and earn that T-shirt. An even better proof of sacrifice is the sheepskin with the funny looking letters written on it for the Baccalaurean Degrees (or other designated degrees) Sidebar: when is the last time you used “Baccalaurean” in a sentence? See what going to college can do?

Here are some thing for you to think about, FB Poster, before you criticize a student athlete and their skill sets.

Rule 1 – NEVER criticize the student-athlete. This is a young person who is performing in a classroom setting that just happens to have millions of people watching.

Rule 2 – Do not make judgements based on a single interview of an individual player.

Rule 3 – Be in the moment. Think back to when you were 18-to 21 years old. How articulate were you when a national reporter shoved a microphone in your face? Especially after the adrenaline rush of a football game you have just played. One just might be a paleontology major with a 3.0+ GPA who really does not like to speak in public.

Rule 4 – Ensure you have the correct course of study. Student athletes are required to take public speaking courses. Not English courses. They are not going to write a book or a poem or diagram a sentence. They not only take courses in public speaking, they are required to take seminars in professional dress and professional dining etiquette. This is not to mention job interviewing skills.

Rule 5 – One may criticize and/or critique the coaching staff, the refereeing squad and the so-called “professional” commentators. Most of these people should be criticized, critiqued and even fired for their lack of speaking skills and use of proper grammar and their inability to articulate. They are paid to be “professional.” The student athlete is not. He or she is just trying to do what they love and be the best at it.

I am so glad FB Poster loves college football and supports their team, but please think about this – the players may be 10 feet tall, weigh 400 pounds, or can out run the wind, but inside they are still kids.

Now, I am going to put on my T-Shirt for tonight’s Music City Bowl. Gig ‘Em, Aggies!

BTHO Louisville

Myles Garrett – Paleontology Major at Texas A&M with 3.0+ GPA. Oh yes, he is a pretty good defensive end too.

Coins for good luck at Sully’s Boots.

1 Comment

Posted in College Football, Education, Native Texan

Tagged Baylor, College Football; Texas Aggies, Johnny Jefferson, Leonard Fournette, LSU, Myles Garrett, student athletes

Monday, December 20, 2015 – The Second Quarter of the Forty College Football Bowl Games.

Posted on December 21, 2015 | 2 comments

Monday, December 20, 2015 – The Second Quarter of the Forty College Football Bowl Games.

“A horse!” A horse! My kingdom for a horse!” from Shakespeare’s Richard III, Act 5, Scene 4, lines 7-10.

Texas version. “A quarterback! A quarterback. My team for a quarterback!” From Texas’ Coach V, Teams 5 (schools), Scene 5, (Bowls and Championships), players 10+

The five teams Baylor, Texas A&M, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, and the Celina Bobcats (3A high school state championship lost the quarterback to a broken wrist on the first series played. Celina lost the game too.)

And now the Second Quarter of The Ridiculous Number of College Football Bowl Games that no one really cares about.

December 23

Bowl Number 11 – The GoDaddy Bowl begins at 8:00 PM on ESPN between Georgia Southern and Bowling Green. Go Daddy. This name offers so many directions. Let’s just say Go Daddy and leave the rest to TV commercials and social workers.

December 24 – Christmas Eve

Bowl 12 is The Popeye’s’ Bahamas Bowl that kicks off at noon on ESPN between Middle Tennessee and Western Michigan. I am not certain if the name of this bowl refers to the chicken franchise or the cartoon sailor. Who cares about the teams? One is in the Bahamas.

Bowl 13 is the Hawaii Bowl at 8:00 PM between San Diego State and Cincinnati on ESPN. Same criteria for Hawaii as Bahamas – who cares who is playing? Get me a drink with an umbrella in it.

December 26

Bowl 14 finds us in St. Petersburg to watch Connecticut and Marshall on our monopolistic favorite ESPN at 11: 00 AM. I would love to be in St. Pete again but only with J and R again.

Bowl 15 finds The Hyundai Sun Bowl between Miami and Washington State at 2:00 PM on CBS. Look you can change the channel to CBS.

Bowl 16 – is The I am so Bored Bowl. No wait. It is the Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl between Washington and Southern Mississippi on ESPN. The Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas? Are you kidding me? Back to The I am so Bored Bowl. Anyway it is at 2:00.

Bowl 17 – The New Era Pinstripe Bowl between Indiana and Duke. I thought these schools played basketball. Coming to you live from the Bronx and Yankee Stadium on ABC at 3:30. Wait – there is a football bowl game, named after a clothing pattern, played between two traditional basketball schools in a baseball stadium. I am so confused.

Bowl 18 – Give me a break. Really. There is a bowl game called The Camping World Independence Bowl? Guess there is. It is on ESPN at 5:45 between Tulsa and Virginia Tech. Does one have to camp out in the parking lot?

Bowl 19 is the Foster Farms Bowl. Is there a bowl game for Adopted Farms? This 9:15 kickoff on ESPN is between UCLA and Nebraska. Note: Nebraska has a losing record. Not to mention Nebraska fans wear giant yellow, phallic symbols of corn on their heads.

December 28

Bowl 20 is the Northrop Grumman Military Bowl at 2:30 on ESPN between Pittsburg and Navy. This one might be worth watching. Go Navy.

Bowl 21 is the Quick Lane Bowl – as opposed to the Slow Lane Bowl? This game is between Central Michigan and Minnesota at five o’clock on ESPN2.

December 29

Bowl 22 is Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl played between California and Air Force on ESPN at 2:00. Doesn’t Lockheed Martin make air craft?

Bowl 23 – In The Russell Athletic Bowl coming to us live from Florida at 5:30 on ESPN our teams are North Carolina and Baylor. Does Baylor get to wear one of its 10 variations of NIKE uniforms or is that a conflict of interest?

Baylor Band

Bowl 24 is The NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl between Nevada and Colorado State at 7:30 on Campus Insiders. Campus Insiders? That is what the schedule says. I think the ESPN people have been puffing in Colorado.

Bowl 25 is the AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl at 9:00 between LSU and Texas Tech on ESPN. Goodie this is between a team I love and a team I do not love.

Billy Cannon 8.10.2014 2014-08-10 005 (600x800) Tech (800x600)

December 30 – OMG – there are five more of these contests before we ever get to the next group.

Bowl 26 is The Birmingham Bowl at noon on ESPN between Auburn and Memphis. I wonder if Uncle Will Muschamp’s head will explode during this game prior to him becoming a Game Cock – which just adds more adjectives to describe Coach Articulate.

Bowl 27 is the Belk Bowl at 3:30 on ESPN (who else?) between North Carolina State and Mississippi State. What is the Belk Bowl?

Bowl 28 – The Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl. OK I must watch because this game is the Fighting Texas Aggies and Louisville. Mercy – talk about The 12th Man in action. We just might get to see somebody called out of the stands to suit up for this one. This bowl could be named so many things. How about “The We Mortgaged Kyle Field Renovations through Franklin American Bowl?” How about “The Ernest Hemmingway – A Farewell to Arms Bowl?” Oh hell, let’s just call it the Mucinex Bowl and expectorate and cough and Gig ‘Em Aggies. BTHO Louisville.

Corps (800x600)

BTHO Louisville

Bowl 29 – The Holiday Bowl between USC and Wisconsin in San Diego offers a vacation to the Badgers at 10:30 on ESPN and sleep for me.

And that takes us to December 31 – New Year’s Eve when finally there will be some teams and games worth watching.

Our winners of this round are:

ABC – 2

CBS – 1

ESPN2 – 1

ESPN – 15

Corporate/Military Sponsors – 19

Nike – TBD

Adidas – TBD

Under Armor – Maybe one team

Russell Athletic – Maybe

Campus Insiders – Who? What?

2 Comments

Posted in College Football, Misc., Native Texan

Tagged 2015 College Football Bowl Games, Auburn, Baylor, Baylor Bears, Big 12 Conference, college football, LSU, Texas A&M, Texas Tech

Saturday, December 19, 2015 – HOOK ‘EM HORNS! (For Today Only)

Posted on December 19, 2015 | Leave a comment

Saturday, December 19, 2015 – HOOK ‘EM HORNS! (For Today Only)

THE University of Texas at Austin, women’s volleyball team plays Nebraska this afternoon for The 2015 NCAA National Championship.

Photo by Martha

Let’s go ladies. Light that tower burnt orange.

And before we leave the orange …

LET’S GO BEARKATS. Sam Houston State University plays # 1 Jacksonville State in the semi-finals of Division I FBS.

Tuesday, December 15, 2015 – From the Texas A&M School of Engineering

Posted on December 15, 2015 | 2 comments

Tuesday, December 15, 2015 – From the Texas A&M School of Engineering

I took this the other day at Reed Arena on campus. Notice it is the passenger side of the vehicle. Gig ‘Em!

Aggie engineer (800x450)

2 Comments

Posted in College Football, Education, Native Texan

Tagged Aggies, Texas A&M

Monday, December 14, 2015 – Who Says I’m Not Festive or the Hippy Dippy Christmas Trees

Posted on December 14, 2015 | 3 comments

Monday, December 14, 2015 – Who Says I’m Not Festive or the Hippy Dippy Christmas Trees

Trivia – Who was the iconic standup comedian whose routines included The Hippy Dippy Weatherman? This is one of those that you either know it or you don’t – depending on your generation. Those of us who grew up in the shadow of the mushroom shaped cloud and The Cold War should know the answer.

I do like to decorate for the holidays. I AM FESTIVE! Just not in a traditional manner. My criteria – cheap and easy. That includes set up and break down. In fact, I actually overspent this year – almost $8.00 as opposed to the usual $5.00. That is because I was unable to find garland from last year. Of course I did find last year’s after I put these up these strands as I was looking for something completely unrelated.

Pkg (800x450)

And having lived the Keep Austin Weird tradition (I was probably born with it), the weirder the decorations, the better. Allens? Did the judges finally come to judge your yard? I am working on some outside ideas for next year, but I want to ensure I do not get thrown into the HOA Detention Pond. But it is good to know people in the legal field.

So while you are thinking of the name of the Hippy Dippy Weatherman, enjoy my Holiday “trees.” Note: “Holiday” as no political connotations. It is total holiday inclusive. It means these may not come down until Fourth of July.

The John Wayne – Merry Christmas, Pilgrim, Tree.

The Gig ‘Em Aggie Tree!

The Paddington Bear Family Tree.

Normally known as The Cline Shrine, but during Christmas it becomes “The Elvis – I’ll Have a Blue Christmas Tree.” Thank you. Thank you very much!

The Tripod Tree.

The Christmas Movie Reel Wreath.

Also – Movie Wreath also available in red.

Answer: The Hippy Dippy Weatherman was the incomparable George Carlin.

It went something like this – Think back to the 1960’s and The Cold War era. A weather forecast done by a “hippy” and “dippy” weatherman. This was the closing line of the routine.

“Like wow. There’s a line of thundershowers headed straight for Miami. There is also a line of Soviet ICBM missiles launched from Cuba, headed that way, so I wouldn’t sweat the thunderstorms.”

Today version: In George Carlin’s memory – “There’s a line of sandstorms headed straight for Syria. There is also a line of Russian bombers headed that way, so, Dude, I wouldn’t sweat the sandstorms.”

3 Comments

Posted in Education, Native Texan, Politics

Tagged Austin, George Carlin, Keep Austin Weird

Thursday, December 10, 2015 – Throw Back Thursday – Magnolia High School 1954

Posted on December 10, 2015 | 1 comment

Thursday, December 10, 2015 – Throw Back Thursday – Magnolia High School 1954

Let’s get in the Wayback Machine and go way back in time to 1954. In going through my father’s things, I found four rolls of negatives identified as “MHS Senior Trip, 1954.” I had them developed and share a few with you today.

Magnolia High School, Magnolia, Texas – Graduating Class of 1954 – Senior Trip

The class and their sponsors, one of whom was Mr. Duffey – aka Honeyboy, my father and another, head football Coach Swann went on the Senior Trip. My father must have been the official photographer while Coach Swann was the bus driver. I cannot recall the other two sponsors, but I am sure a few readers will be able to identify them along with members of the Magnolia Class of 1954.

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In New Orleans. The alligator is probably still there.

They drove in a school bus with stops in New Orleans, on to

Mississippi 78450014

and then to Florida.

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A quick show of hands – how many teachers/parents would like to take a group of “know it all” seniors on an unairconditioned school bus on an week long trip today?

Florida Frolicking – I think I see Giget and Moon Doggie.

As you look (and laugh) at the photos, look closely – they were styling for the times. They wore short shorts, cool caps, jeans rolled up over the ankles with bobby sox, cool sports coats, sunglasses that closely resemble today’s Ray-Bans, and struck some “I am pretty cool” poses. In fact, they look pretty awesome. So Happy Days to enjoy and remember.

How cool is this guy? James Dean had nothing on him.

The Ladies of the Class of 1954 showing the latest fashions of short shorts, Keds – the first leisure shoes for girls and obviously the most recent styles in ladies millinery. And sleeveless blouses! How scandalous.