Bama Rolling in Texas....

The Tide's top kicking target for the class of 2010 is Southlake-Carroll's Cade Foster, a 6-foot-1, 215-pounder who also doubles as a physical linebacker for the national powerhouse.

The Tide has competition primarily in the form of SEC rival LSU which is evaluating Foster for an offer.

Foster has been rated as one of the top kickers in the state for the 2010....

The "Big Dance" is down to the Sweet 16"

Well let me first start off by saying I HATE MARCH MADNESS!! You know I say every year that I'm not going to play the Tournament Challenge and this year was no different.

Because I had not got to follow the NCAA field this season, I really wasn't up on basketball like normal. However like the IDIOT that I am, I still jumped off into every dang bracket challenge I could. Oh, and by the way I still stink at picking the winner's.

Somewhere out there though someone still has a decent bracket, It's just not me. Hope you're "Sweet 16" teams are the ones that will compete for the "Elite 8" this weekend...

Here is the complete list....
1. Louisville. The close shave against Siena showed even the best tournament draw can be misspent.
2. North Carolina. If Ty Lawson is back for good, so is the most dynamic offense in college basketball.
3. Connecticut. These Huskies will never get back what Jerome Dyson delivered before he was injured, but who has all the ingredients?
4. Memphis. Only fourth on this list? John Calipari will be pinning this to the locker room wall. (You can print it out, you know.)
5. Oklahoma. Before Blake Griffin exploded against Michigan, he was looking like the Sporting News player of some other year.
6. Pitt. The Panthers seem content to make every game agonizingly close—another thing they have in common with the Steelers.
7. Michigan State. That the Spartans survived a brutal test from the USC Trojans said a lot about their fitness to continue playing.
8. Kansas. That coach of the year trophy is on the way, Mr. Self.
9. Duke. It’s too late for the Devils to go home early, haters.
10. Syracuse. With Eric Devendorf at last playing for Syracuse and not just at Syracuse, the Orange are a serious threat.
11. Gonzaga. Gonzaga has the offensive ability to win this thing, and a defense that could have gone home after Round 2.
12. Villanova. Can the Wildcats keep playing as well as they did against UCLA?
13. Xavier. The Musketeers got the maximum out of their ability in reaching the Sweet 16.
14. Purdue. Honestly, Boilers—it’s not you, it’s them. “Them” being the Connecticut Huskies.
15. Arizona. Interim coach Russ Pennell is living the dream, and is well aware that means the alarm will be buzzing soon.
16. Missouri. Every year, fans of the 16th team are angry. You know who feels worse? The 17th team.

65 reasons why we love March Madness

It's the Big Dance. It's March Madness. Call it what you want, but the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament is arguably the biggest event on the sports calendar. And whether you're a basketball junkie, a casual fan or watching college hoops for the first time, the NCAA Tournament has something for everyone to get excited about. The David vs. Goliath story lines, the drama of lose and go home, the buzzer-beaters and the brackets. We love it all and here are 65 reasons why.
65. The play-in game. Okay, we actually hate the play-in game, but since the tournament expanded by one, so did we. Nobody watches it, the loser doesn't even feel like they played in the tournament and the winner gets a date with the top seed. Have fun!
64. Listening to the pundits debate "Last four in … Last four out" for the last month.
63. Knowing baseball is just around the corner.
62. Watching future millionaires crying on the court as their national title dreams end. Adam Morrison, anyone?
61. Gleefully listening to big-conference programs cry that they didn't get an at-large bid after finishing below .500 in conference play. Win more games, suckers!
60. Watching the live look-ins on Selection Sunday as teams gather all across the country and nervously await their fate.
59. Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl's bright orange sports coat.
58. There's only so much Dancing with the Stars that this sports fan can watch.
57. Remembering when the Final Four was played in a real basketball arena instead of a mammoth football stadium.
56. The emotion of fifth-year seniors playing in their final game.
55. Winter is finally over.
54. Going online and debating the merits of the MEAC vs. SWAC.
53. The age-old quandary … cheer for your favorite team - or for your bracket?
52. Jim Boeheim's 2-3 zone.
51. Picking the champion out of a hat.
50. It's the Big Dance … and it's the only dancing we will do. Ever.
49. Seeing your alma mater go dancing for the first time (some of us are still waiting!).
48. Getting hypnotized by the sound of squeaking sneakers.
47. Scoring cheap tickets for the title game from distraught fans of losing semifinalists.
46. Downing a shot of Jagermeister every time we see a Viagra commercial … and being hammered by halftime of the first game.
45. Post-game press conferences that take on the look and feel of a White House press briefing after a failed stimulus bill.
44. It's the ultimate form of male bonding, just like when Loyola-Marymount's Bo Kimble shot free throws left-handed in honor of Hank Gathers. We hug … We cry.

43. Gus Johnson's memorable calls - like "And it's over. … The slipper still fits!"
42. Laughing at obsessed fans with painted faces - and fondly recalling doing the same back in college.
41. Watching every game - online - for free.
40. Picking the tournament solely based on mascots. Can a Bison beat a Jayhawk? Can a Turtle take down a Golden Bear? And what chance does a Zip have against a Bulldog?
39. Entering online bracket games that promise $1 million payouts for a perfect bracket. Who cares that the odds are better that you'll get struck by lightning while kissing a supermodel?
38. Knowing Kentucky super-fan Ashley Judd is home crying on Dario Franchitti's shoulder.
37. The Pep Bands …
36. … And the Spirit Squads …
35. … and, of course, THE CHEERLEADERS!
34. Does anyone remember Keith Smart?
33. Throwing on a shirt and tie and sneaking onto press row for a regional final as a poor college student. Just don't let the NCAA know, it will be our little secret.
32. Getting to use the terms "Mid-majors", "Bracket-buster" and "Sub-regional"… in everyday conversation.
31. Still trying to figure out why Jerry Tarkanian chomped on that towel.
30. The greatest hoops fraternity of all-time … Phi Slamma Jamma.
29. One Shining Moment. This might have earned a higher ranking because we love the concept. But that music? Ugh. Way too John Teshy for us.
28. Sitting on the couch from Thursday morning until Sunday night, only getting up to (Austin) Peay, refill on Keystone Light (insert your own crappy college beer selection here) and open another bag of pork rinds.
27. Frantically trying to figure out how many timeouts you have left. That's right, Chris Webber. We haven't forgotten about you!
26. Erin Andrews. Need we say more? What's that you say? She works for another network? That's OK … we'll imagine all the sideline reporters look like Erin Andrews.
25. The NCAAs ... where the Big Ten goes to die.
24. They play actual, honest-to-goodness defense.
23. Getting a first look at future Hall of Famers like Bird, Magic and MJ.
22. Dreaming of another perfect season like the one Bobby Knight had at Indiana once.
21. The classic David (George Mason) vs. Goliath (UConn) battles.
20. Wondering if this is the year Dick Vitale finally spontaneously combusts on air.
19. Gathering around a 13-inch TV in the office when a game goes down to the wire.
18. Betting a beer your buddies can't spell K-R-Z-Y-Z-E-W-S-K-I.
17. Pounding the punks in the office pool who only pick the higher seeds.
16. Sweet Sixteen … and we're not talking about your cousin Buffy's birthday party.
15. Remembering the first time a No. 15 seed beat a No. 2 (with apologies to Syracuse fans).
14. Helping the wife make her picks so she doesn't embarrass you in the office pool ...
13 ... losing to your wife in the office pool.
12. Trying to decide which 12-5 upset to pick. There's always one, it's in the NCAA rule book.
11. Water-cooler debates about the greatest tournament game ever played. If you don't think Duke over Kentucky in the '92 East Regional final, God help you.
10. Cutting down the nets.
9. Watching an underdog execute the game-plan to perfection like Gene Hackman's squad in Hoosiers (Rollie Massimino played the lead role in 1985 and Pete Carril reprised it in 1996).
8. The Elite Eight.
7. Waiting for the day when a No. 1 seed falls in the opening round. It's going to happen one of these years, right?
6. Celebrations that make grown men cry, like when Jim Valvano raced around the court searching for someone to hug after North Carolina State shocked Houston in '83.
5. Did we mention the cheerleaders?
4. The Final Four
3. None of the 65 teams are the KNICKS!
2. Brackets, brackets and more brackets. Did we say we love filling out BRACKETS!
1. Watching the tournament at work and knowing the boss doesn't care … he's watching too.

UIL boys basketball state tournament roundup

Class 5A final
DeSoto 59, Cedar Hill 47: Dominique Bennett scored 21 points as DeSoto won the 5A state championship Saturday night.
DeSoto (33-8) led 40-37 early in the fourth before the Eagles went on a 12-0 run keyed by a three-pointer from Darius Terrell and four points by Bennett to put the game away.
Terrell finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds and DeSoto won its second state title in seven seasons. The Eagles won Class 5A in 2003 and lost in the championship game in 2005.
Shawn Glover had 12 points and 14 rebounds for Cedar Hill (35-4).

Class 4A final

Houston Yates 94, Dallas Kimball 78: Just like seven years ago, Kimball's appearance in the state finals ended in tears Saturday. But it was a different feeling as the Knights walked off the court after a 94-78 loss to Houston Yates at the Frank Erwin Center.
In 2002, Kimball got beat by a 50-foot, double-clutch shot that was the definition of lucky. On Saturday, Kimball got beat by a team that could be defined as dominant. Yates has the best press defense I have ever seen....

Class 3A final
Dallas Madison 68, Lubbock Estacado 66 (OT): With his team holding a two-point lead with six seconds to go in a taut overtime period, Dominique Smith calmly sank two free throws for a four-point cushion, sealing the 3A championship for top-ranked Dallas Madison.
There were nine lead changes and seven ties in the game. Madison (33-4) built the biggest lead — seven points — in the third quarter, but Estacado battled back to cut the lead to two going into the fourth period.
Jourdain Irvin's three-point heave for Estacado tied the game at 53 with 18 seconds to play, forcing overtime.
Estacado led 55-54 in overtime, but Smith and Timothy Flentroy sparked a 7-0 run that put Madison ahead 61-55 with 1:42 to play. Smith finished with 19 points and Flentroy added 17.
Clarence Willard topped Estacado (34-3) with 17 points. Jamar Johnson and Kevin Wagner each scored 16 for the Matadors.

Class 2A final
Ponder 51, New Waverly 39: David Robertson scored all eight of his points in the fourth quarter to help Ponder win the program's second straight state title and its third overall.
Ponder ended the third quarter with a 30-28 lead, but New Waverly scored the first four points of the fourth period to take its lone lead. After Joel Garza's three-point play put Ponder ahead 33-32, Robertson scored eight straight points, knocking down two three-pointers and two free throws. Before the fourth quarter, Robertson was 0 for 4 from the field.
Ponder (40-1) was led by Garza's 14 points. Isaiah Boxell, selected as the game's MVP, had 13 points and five assists.
Kyren Watts had a team-high 13 points for New Waverly (32-4).

Class A, Division I final
Roscoe 52, Plains 48 (OT): Jared Villanueva scored nine points in the final three minutes of overtime to guide Roscoe to a championship in the Plowboys' first appearance at the state tournament.
Villanueva, a 6-foot senior guard who scored 28 points Thursday in Roscoe's semifinal victory over Tenaha, was held to six points through regulation Saturday. In overtime, he shook loose to hit three of four field-goal attempts and three of six foul shots. Villanueva was named the game's most valuable player.
Caden Smith had 17 points and nine rebounds for Roscoe (28-4). He tied the game at 41 to send it into overtime. Villanueva's twin brother, Jacob, chipped in 14 points and five assists.
Plains (32-2) was led by guard Tim Brock's 22 points.

Class A, Division II final
Elkhart Slocum 45, Nazareth 27: Game MVP Jared Lane nearly outscored Nazareth by himself in Slocum's win. Lane, a senior guard, scored 22 points for the Mustangs.
Up 21-18 in the third quarter, Slocum (29-8) turned a Nazareth turnover into a 13-0 run to put away the game.
Looking to win its sixth state championship, Nazareth (24-13) shot 21.3 percent from the field. The 27 points scored by the Swifts were the lowest in a Class A title game since Beaumont French scored 25 points in 1949.

UIL Boys State Basketball Tournament starts Thursday

UIL STATE TOURNAMENT
(at Erwin Center, Austin)
Thursday’s semifinals
CLASS A DIVISION I
Plains (31-1) vs. San Antonio Stacey (26-5), 8:30 a.m.
Tenaha (29-5) vs. Roscoe (26-4), 10 a.m.

CLASS 3A
Lubbock Estacado (33-2) vs. Sour Lake Hardin-Jefferson (37-6), 2 p.m.
Dallas Madison (31-4) vs. Stafford (30-5), 3:30 p.m.

CLASS 4A
Houston Yates (32-1) vs. Timberview (27-10), 7 p.m.
Dallas Kimball (30-9) vs. Austin LBJ (28-7), 8:30 p.m.

Friday’s semifinals
CLASS 2A
Ponder (38-1) vs. Santa Rosa (30-6), 8:30 a.m.
New Waverly (31-3) vs. Shallowater (27-5), 10 a.m.

CLASS A DIVISION II
Leggett (28-6) vs. Nazareth (23-12), 2 p.m.
Lipan (28-8) vs. Elkhart Slocum (27-8), 7 p.m.

CLASS 5A
Houston Strake Jesuit (37-0) vs. DeSoto (31-8), 3:30 p.m.
Cedar Hill (34-3) vs. Converse Wagner (32-7), 8:30 p.m.

Saturday’s finals
Class A Division I, 8:30 a.m.
Class 3A, 10 a.m.
Class 2A, 2 p.m.
Class 4A, 3:30 p.m.
Class A Division II, 7 p.m.
Class 5A, 8:30 p.m.

UIL GIRLS BASKETBALL FINALS

Summit takes down #1 Nimitz for Class 5A title

This may have been a suprise to most, but not the Lady Jaguars. Mansfield Summit has said all season that they were the team to beat in the State tournament and they proved it Saturday night. Led by TCU bound Starr Crawford, Summit handed No.1 Nimitz a 52-43 loss in front of 7,000 in attendance, at the Erwin Center in Austin.

Crawford scored 14 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and overshadowed the 6-foot-8 Baylor-bound Brittney Griner of Nimitz.

Timberview settles for silver medal in Class 4A

Mansfield Timberview got to the Class 4A state championship game by playing their best basketball of the season the last two weeks.
Unfortunately, for the Lady Wolves, that hot streak suddenly turned cold in the school’s first-ever state final. Timberview lost to Waco Midway 50-27 at the Erwin Center.
Timberview never had an answer for Midway’s big post, Cokie Reed, who finished with a game-high 17 points and 11 rebounds.
But the main culprit was Timberview’s shooting. The Lady Wolves made only 11 of 63 shots from the field as the 6-foot-4 Reed altered Timberview’s penetration in the paint. The Texas - bound Reed affected Timberview’s drives in the lane, but the Lady Wolves’ outside shots weren’t falling either.

Robinson takes out Argyle for Class 3A title

Rachel Hargis scored 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead Robinson over Argyle 49-33 on Saturday to win the Class 3A girls’ state championship in Austin.
The 6-foot-4 junior center dominated under the basket on both ends as Robinson held Argyle to just three field goals in the first half.
Mackenzie Roach added 13 points for Robinson (34-5), which won its second state title. Robinson’s other championship was in 1970.
Claire Pettibon scored 17 to lead Argyle (20-15). The Lady Eagles came in with the most losses in the state tournament, and their strong run through the postseason crashed hard in the first half when they went scoreless for nearly six minutes and hit just 3 of 17 shots.

Brock wins fourth state girls title in seven years

The Brock Lady Eagles won their fourth state basketball title in seven years Saturday, defeating Woodville 61-32 in the Class 2A final at the Erwin Center.
Kenisha Harris led all scorers with 27 points and the junior also grabbed 10 rebounds and had Woodville (32-5) scrambling to stop her in the paint. Harris was named the 2A tournament MVP.

Sudan wins 1A D-I title

Sudan’s Lacee Logan jumped on her sister’s back for a victory ride. A year after barely being able to run, she was being carried off the court as a state champion.
Logan led the Nettes to the Class 1A Division I girls title, scoring 16 points as Sudan rolled over Roscoe 71-38. That was after missing most of last season’s state tournament with a knee injury before playing just the final 11 seconds of Sudan’s loss in last season’s championship final.

Roby tops in 1A D-II

Tara Schroedter scored 15 points, and Roby held Neches scoreless in the first quarter, pulling away for a 44-34 victory in the Class 1A Division II girls final Saturday night.
Schroedter also had 10 rebounds. Kendra Pace added 15 points for Roby (34-3).

Girl's State Basketball Tournament underway in Austin

The UIL girls state basketball tournament is underway, at the Erwin Center in Austin. Semi-final rounds are set for three Classes. Below is the line up for today and we will have an update on todays game's later on this evening so please be sure to check back.

Here is the schedule:

CLASS A DIVISION I Semi-Finals
#14 Roscoe (30-5) vs. #8 Martin’s Mill (32-5), 8:30 a.m.
# 3 Sudan (33-5) vs. Normangee (23-5), 10 a.m.

CLASS 3A Semi-Finals
#10 Hidalgo (37-2) vs. Argyle (19-14), 2 p.m.
# 4 Waco Robinson (32-5) vs. #16 Lubbock Estacado (23-13), 3:30 p.m.

CLASS 4A Semi-Finals
#1 Timberview (34-3) vs. # 16 Cibolo Steele (30-8), 7 p.m.
# 15 Buda Hays (34-4) vs. #4 Waco Midway (33-4), 8:30 p.m.

FRIDAY'S SCHEDULE:

CLASS 2A Friday Semi-Finals
# 18 Woodville (31-4) vs. Salado (27-9), 8:30 a.m.
# 2 Bowie (36-2) vs. #8 Brock (30-8), 10 a.m.

CLASS A DIVISION II Friday Semi-Finals
#1 Roby (32-3) vs. #17 Vega (26-9), 2 p.m.
#2 Neches (34-3) vs. #14 Leggett (29-6), 7 p.m.

CLASS 5A – Friday Semi-Finals
#2 Houston Cy-Fair (35-3) vs. #6 Mansfield Summit (32-4), 3:30 p.m.
#1 Houston Nimitz (36-1) vs.#9 Pflugerville (32-5), 8:30 p.m

TO out in "Big D".....

The Dallas Cowboys told wide receiver Terrell Owens Wednesday night he was going to be released, the club apparently ending more than two months of off-season speculation.
But as of 10:30 a.m. (CST) Thursday, no team official has confirmed numerous reports of his release, although several of Owens' teammates said they received text messages last night from their teammate about the move. No press conference has yet to be announced to address not only Owens' release but that too of veteran strong safety Roy Williams, who also has been informed of being released.
Following the disappointing end to the 2008 season a number of team sources told various media outlets the organization was split on the controversial receiver's status. Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones downplayed speculation the club was discussing a potential release of Owens. As recently as last weekend Jones was shrugging off direct questions about the reports.
Apparently the team decided Owens' negative impact on the locker room weighed heavier than his three straight 1,000-yard, double-digit touchdown seasons. The outspoken receiver was often at the center of turmoil during his time in Dallas - from his first training camp with the team to the very end. Owens grabbed headlines for wearing a Tour de France-style cycling outfit while rehabbing a camp injury during his lone season with Bill Parcells in 2006, and most recently reports claimed he was irritated by quarterback Tony Romo's relationship with tight end Jason Witten.
Heading into the final year of his initial three-year contract with the team, the Cowboys inked Owens to a four-year, $34 million extension last summer that included a $13 million signing bonus. Owens' accelerated prorated signing bonus will count $9.6 million against the team's salary cap this year, sending the team's total of dead money for this season to nearly $15 million against the $127 million salary cap.
That number would soar close to $20 million with the expected release of strong safety Roy Williams, who would count another $4.4 million against the cap.
The Cowboys now have five receivers remaining on the roster. They traded three 2009 draft picks to Detroit for Roy Williams six weeks into last season, and still have five-year veteran Patrick Crayton, as well as two three-year veterans in Miles Austin and Sam Hurd. Isaiah Stanback is heading into his third year with the club.

Girls High School UIL State Basketball Pairings

The UIL, Texas High School Girls basketball tournament gets underway Thursday, at the Erwin Center in Austin. Below you will see the listings of games and the scheduled times.

CLASS 5A – Friday Semi-Finals
#2 Houston Cy-Fair (35-3) vs. #6 Mansfield Summit (32-4), 3:30 p.m.
#1 Houston Nimitz (36-1) vs.#9 Pflugerville (32-5), 8:30 p.m

CLASS 4A Thursday Semi-Finals
#1 Timberview (34-3) vs. # 16 Cibolo Steele (30-8), 7 p.m.
# 15 Buda Hays (34-4) vs. #4 Waco Midway (33-4), 8:30 p.m.

CLASS 3A Thursday Semi-Finals
#10 Hidalgo (37-2) vs. Argyle (19-14), 2 p.m.
# 4 Waco Robinson (32-5) vs. #16 Lubbock Estacado (23-13), 3:30 p.m.

CLASS 2A Friday Semi-Finals
# 18 Woodville (31-4) vs. Salado (27-9), 8:30 a.m.
# 2 Bowie (36-2) vs. #8 Brock (30-8), 10 a.m.

CLASS A DIVISION I Thursday Semi-Finals
#14 Roscoe (30-5) vs. #8 Martin’s Mill (32-5), 8:30 a.m.
# 3 Sudan (33-5) vs. Normangee (23-5), 10 a.m.

CLASS A DIVISION II Friday Semi-Finals
#1 Roby (32-3) vs. #17 Vega (26-9), 2 p.m.
#2 Neches (34-3) vs. #14 Leggett (29-6), 7 p.m.

Saturday’s finals
Class A Division I, 8:30 a.m.
Class 3A, 10 a.m.
Class 2A, 2 p.m.
Class 4A, 3:30 p.m.
Class A Division II, 7 p.m.
Class 5A, 8:30 p.m.

The Old Coach Ultimate Combine a Success

With THEOLDCOACH.com’s inaugural combine event in the books it was one for the records. The INVITATION ONLY Ultimate Combine, in Coppell (Texas), brought out the skill players in the rising sophomore and freshman classes and they dominated the one day event in both the testing and one-on-one drill work. Check out the PHOTO GALLERY, at THEOLDCOACH.com which includes the award winning top overall performers that will garner interest from DI college coaches in the very near future.