the score

2005's Second-Best Quarterback Comes Home

While Vince Young was celebrating his first pro start by spitting out the grass the Dallas Cowboys' defense had shoved into his craw, last year's second-best Texas college quarterback was all but forgotten.

If you don't know the name Barrick Nealy, you missed out on – next to Vince's win (yes, he did it himself) over USC in the Rose Bowl – the most exciting football in these parts, circa 2005. About now you're saying to yourself, "Sure, that's easy in I-AA ball." Don't tell that to the Texas A&M Aggies who should have lost to Barrick's Texas State Bobcats. And don't forget that I-AA has a playoff system Texas State almost blew through thanks to Nealy's pyrotechnics.

Almost. That should be the catchphrase for this Vince Young doppelganger. Read More | 4 Comments »

NCAA Football 2:17PM Fri. Oct. 6, 2006, Joe O'Connell

'And Now It's My Time (Now It's My Time) It's My Time to Dream (My Time to Dream)'

Good afternoon, sports fans. I just awoke from a nearly weeklong alcohol-induced coma, which I fell into after the St. Louis Cardinals clinched the National League Central. It was in celebration, yes, but it was also in relief. It was a release of sorts. Remember: We don't drink to forget; we drink to ... remember.

But we also drink to expedite the passing-out process so as to escape Godsmack's "I Stand Alone," which some turd at Fox Sports Southwest and/or in the Houston Astros' organization thought was an appropriate choice to accompany a season-ending montage of highlights upon last Sunday's loss to the Atlanta Braves.
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MLB 2:08PM Fri. Oct. 6, 2006, Shawn Badgley

UT and OU Fans Warned to Drive Safely (or Else)

DPS will increase patrols Friday and Saturday along I-35 between Austin and Dallas to monitor traffic headed to Dallas for the Texas-Oklahoma football game. Troopers will concentrate on finding aggressive drivers, as well as speeders and drunken drivers on their way to the game or on their way home. They'll also look for people who are not wearing safety belts. Any drivers caught carrying an Oklahoma driver's license will be asked to leave the state immediately. Read More | Comment »

NCAA Football 12:40PM Fri. Oct. 6, 2006, Mark Fagan

OU Sucks – I'll Drink to That

You already knew that, now Austin's Independence Brewing Co. has put it in a bottle. Run over to Central Market before supplies run out and get a 12-pack of their limited-edition "Oklahoma Suks" brand of beer. It will taste especially sweet while UT runs up the score. Read More | Comment »

UT Football 1:44PM Thu. Oct. 5, 2006, Lee Nichols

Vince Young Takes Unwatchable TV to the 'Next Level'

The Next Level, Vince Young's new reality show (airing Wednesdays at 8:30pm on BET), is the worst thing to happen to his career since he got drafted by the Titans. For someone so freakishly talented, Young sure is a dull, average guy off the field, or at least that's how he seems on TV. Most of The Next Level plays like home movies, with Young walking around his hometown of Houston, introducing everybody he's ever met, including (seriously) people he played peewee football with. In case you were wondering, Vince, the third pick of the 2006 draft who carried UT to a national championship, was a freaking awesome peewee ball player.
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NFL 12:42PM Thu. Oct. 5, 2006, Jeremy Martin

'Soccer Watch': Lady Longhorns and Euro 2008 Preview

Tough weekend for the Lady Longhorns: First they completely outplayed a good Oklahoma State team, only to lose, 1-0, on the Cowgirls' only shot on goal of the entire game; then they fumbled away a late two-goal lead and settled for a 3-3 draw with the 3-8 OU Sooners. The OSU game highlighted a persistent problem over the last few seasons: an inability to finish in close games or to turn big advantages in shot count into advantages on the scoreboard. The Horns have outshot every opponent this year except Penn State, often by huge margins. And in their three losses this year, each by a 1-0 count, UT has outshot opponents by a total of 43-14. So what's the solution? Hey, beats me. I don't really understand offenses; I'm more a defense-wins-championships kinda guy. For more soccer news and Euro 2008 Preview ... Read More | Comment »

Euro 2008 8:36PM Wed. Oct. 4, 2006, Nick Barbaro

Tales From the Juice Box: Hickey Firing Sparks Astros' Arms Race

The Astros sent an interesting message today, extending skipper Phil Garner's contract through 2008 and cutting pitching coach Jim Hickey loose, despite the general excellence of the pitching staff since Hickey replaced former Longhorn Burt Hooton two years ago. But it does make a certain kind of sense. Hickey, who came up from Round Rock (he and Hooton essentially switched), was a decent pitching coach, but how much coaching Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, and Roy Oswalt need is up for debate. Garner finally coaxed one of those late-season runs the Astros should patent at this point out of his club, although this year it came a game or two too late to get them into the postseason.
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MLB 5:57PM Wed. Oct. 4, 2006, Christopher Gray

'Off the Hook': OU Game Hype Heats Up

No game can stain a Longhorn season deeper, and make those perpetually envious Okies more insufferable, than a Sooner scalping in the Red River Shootout. Mack Brown's hide was in serious jeopardy because of those four straight losses before Vince Young bailed him out big-time last year. It's also worth remembering that Texas' last pre-Ohio State loss was hung on them by the crimson and cream in 2004's 12-0 shutout. It's true: Post-Vince, it's right back to anyone's ballgame, but still one Texas can, and probably should, win. "It's not about who's the best team, it's about who plays best on Saturday" Mack Brown said at his press conference Monday, encouraging words five days before freaking OU weekend. Read More | Comment »

UT Football 9:17PM Tue. Oct. 3, 2006, Christopher Gray

Time 4 Sum Aksion

Watching Marcus Mann and the McCallum Knights run up a 41-0 halftime lead against the Reagan Raiders at Nelson Field last Thursday night, I thought it was going to be a typical weekend of high school football here in Austin. Then on Friday night at House Park, the impossible happened. The Austin High Maroons, after 16 unsuccessful bids, finally stole a win from the Westlake Chaparrals. It’s been 16 years since Westlake has been beaten by another team from AISD (Reagan did it last in 1990). Granted the Chaparrals are still reeling from the forced retirement of star lineman Matt Nader, but the Maroons’ 31-24 victory will nonetheless go down as unforgettable to any Central Texas football fan long since tired of their team being drubbed annually by the Westlake juggernaut.

For more on high school football, the New Orleans Saints, and UT-OU ... Read More | Comment »

High School Football 4:05PM Tue. Oct. 3, 2006, Robert Gabriel

'Nasty Nate' Devours His Competition in Corn-Dog-Eating Contest

What would the State Fair of Texas be without people stuffing their faces with fried things? The Fourth Annual World Corny Dog Eating Contest commenced on Sunday afternoon during the opening weekend of the fair in Dallas. The sun beat down on 14 brave contestants, many of them competitive-eating-contest veterans. Supplied only with cups of water to drink and a pan of the deep-fried dogs, they had 10 minutes to stuff their maws. Toward the end of the competition the crowd began to chant: "Eat! Eat! Eat!" Tensions ran high as did the probability of imminent spewage. "Nasty" Nathan Biller of Wichita Falls placed first with 12 corn dogs; he also placed in the Lewisville World Tamale Eating Championship last month. Last year's runner-up Brent Ricord placed second with 11. American Idol runner-up Bo Bice was a last minute add, leisurely eating one corn dog. Other heart-smart delicacies at the fair include fried Coca-Cola, barbecue bologna, fried Oreos, and "Donkey Tails" – a hot dog stuffed with cheese, wrapped in a tortilla, and, of course, deep fried. Read More | Comment »

Fringe 3:57PM Tue. Oct. 3, 2006, Audra Schroeder

'Pig Skinny': Oklahoma vs. Texas

The Red River Shootout is this weekend, and as the Longhorns and Sooners players prepare for a dogfight, fans continue the relatively pointless argument regarding who has the better program. Unfortunately for Texas, numbers don’t lie. The Horns lead the all-time series of 100 games 56-39-5 (though since the end of World War II, the series is virtually even, with UT ahead 29-28-3), and are the defending national champions. Otherwise, UT has little to hang their 10-gallon hat on:

OKLAHOMATEXAS
National Championships73
Conference Titles3926
Heisman Trophies42
National Award Winners3317
All-Americans141115
Bowl Record24-14-1 (.628)22-21-2 (.511)
Weeks No. 1 by AP95 (No. 1)42 (No. 8)
Weeks Top 5 by AP342 (No. 1)248 (No. 7)

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NCAA Football 11:30AM Tue. Oct. 3, 2006, Taylor Holland

Wranglers & Deion Announce New Dancers/Free-Agent Signing of Nate Coggins

Our very own Arena Football League franchise, the Austin Wranglers, have had a busy offseason in preparation for a hopeful return to the playoffs. Smarting from an early exit in their first-and-only playoff appearance last year the Wranglers fired coach Skip Foster shortly after the season ended. Foster made some questionable play-calls in last year's tough playoff loss to Jon Bon Jovi's Philadelphia Soul and Austin definitely needed to head in a new direction.

The Wranglers opened the free-agent signing period buy adding former Georgia Force defensive specialist Nate Coggins. Read More | Comment »

Austin Wranglers 9:45AM Tue. Oct. 3, 2006, Mark Fagan

Smoltz Tomahawk-Chops the Astros' Playoff Hopes

Turn out the lights at the home that Enron built. The Astros slammed their own door shut with a 3-1 loss to John Smoltz and the Atlanta Braves on Sunday, stranding 11 runners and committing two costly errors. Oh, by the way, the Cardinals lost that day as well. While the Cardinals certainly don't deserve to win the Central, neither do the Astros. With an anemic offense, only two consistent starting pitchers (Roger Clemens and Roy Oswalt), and a faltering Brad Lidge losing his closer's role at the end of the season to Dan Wheeler, the Stros were lucky that they were in the running on the last day of the season. They finally turned on their engines for the last two weeks but it was too little and much too late.

Click below for a look ahead to the 2007 season.
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MLB 11:54PM Mon. Oct. 2, 2006, Mark Fagan

A Whole Lotta Tejada

While most normal baseball fans follow the successes and failures of their favorite teams, I’ve always been one to pull for my favorite individual players. This gets chalked up to there being no team based out of my hometown of New Orleans. While later stints in Houston, Los Angeles, and Oakland have at times gotten me caught up in certain pennant races, it’s still the joy of seeing a favorite player’s line in a box score that keeps me checking the sports section on a daily basis. Whether that be Kevin Mitchell playing all-purpose utility man for the ’86 Mets or Devon White slapping lead-off homers for the ’93 Blue Jays, it’s that quest for multiple-hit games and appearances on the leader board that keeps me most intrigued.

For the past eight years, it’s been Miguel Tejada who has dominated my interest in baseball.
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MLB 1:56PM Mon. Oct. 2, 2006, Robert Gabriel

Who Dat Indeed

The New Orleans Saints couldn’t have looked any better beating the Atlanta Falcons in the first game to be played in the Superdome since Hurricane Katrina. New Head Coach Sean Payton must be some sort of genius, leading a traditionally underachieving team to three straight wins and for the time being, the pole position in the NFC South. Apparently the newly acquired Drew Brees provides just the stable guidance that the Saints have lacked at quarterback for years. And who could scoff at the infinitely dynamic running back tandem of Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush? But by far, the biggest surprise has come from the defensive unit, currently ranked fifth in the NFL by yielding a mere 267 yards per game. A completely revamped corps of linebackers sets the tone as no longer can opposing teams simply run up the gut of the Saints defense with little to no resistance.
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NFL 11:06AM Mon. Oct. 2, 2006, Robert Gabriel

Remember the Titans ... Suck (aw, Snap)

I have to admit the Cowboys had me worried for a while there. For a few quarters, the Titans were looking like an actual threat. Not only was Vince Young getting his first NFL start, the game was in Nashville, and LenDale White was even guaranteed some playing time. That was all Dallas needed going into the game – two hungry rookies fighting for respect and position in front of a home crowd – especially this week, after the unique public relations dilemma that was that one guy who did some things. You may remember it from the front page of every newspaper in the state.
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NFL 12:51AM Mon. Oct. 2, 2006, Jeremy Martin

Williams Savors First NFL Win

Mario Williams had his coming-out party this Sunday at Reliant Stadium as the Texans narrowly defeated the Dolphins 17-15. Williams tallied his first career sack and then was credited with another half-sack on the following play as the crowd in Reliant Stadium went nuts. It was as if the Texans had secured a playoff spot or it was announced that there was free beer at the concession stand. I'm not sure who was more relieved, the fans or Williams himself. Mario also tipped RB Ronnie Brown's pass on Miami's trick-play two-point conversion that sealed the game for the Texans. Resplendent in his purple suit and alligator-skin shoes following the game, Williams acknowledged his progress while still admitting to the long road ahead of him before he becomes a pro-bowl-caliber defensive lineman.

Some other strong performances for the 1-3 Texans came from WR Andre Johnson and MLB Demeco Ryans ...
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NFL 7:21PM Sun. Oct. 1, 2006, Mark Fagan

Cardinals Down the Drain: To Night the Impossible Mare?

After the fold below are some text-message exchanges between a family member – one of the many St. Louis Cardinals fans I happen to be friendly with, as I was born and raised in that city and live and die with its team’s fortunes – and me during the past few days of baseball. To give you some idea of our state of mind, the transcript culminates with my pathetically paraphrasing St. Francis of Assisi's Serenity Prayer. We’ll start with those concerning Sunday night’s game at Minute Maid, which the Houston Astronauts won 7-3 to complete what now appears to be a sweep so deep that its impact is less broom cleaning floor than sword nicking several thoracic organs. We – this family member and I – suffered ourselves at that gimmicky monstrosity on Friday and Saturday.
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MLB 2:59AM Fri. Sep. 29, 2006, Shawn Badgley

Astros Down the Stretch: To Dream the Impossible Dream?

Here it is the last week in September and, although the chances they'll miss the playoffs for the first time since 2003 are still pretty good, the Astros are playing meaningful games for the fourth year in a row. That sentence is as bizarre to write as it was to consider even two weeks ago. Then came the eight straight wins, including a four-game sweep of the division-leading Cardinals; six of those victories, like Wednesday night's 15-inning 7-6 squeaker over the Pirates, came after the Astros trailed. Three in their final at-bat, something they'd hardly done all year. Read More | Comment »

MLB 4:38PM Thu. Sep. 28, 2006, Christopher Gray

Wells to Rockets at Bargain Price

Bonzi Wells, the prize of the late free-agent pool, agreed on Wednesday to a two-year, $5-million deal with the Houston Rockets.

Wells, a ninth-year swingman out of Ball State, turned down the Sacramento Kings' five-year, $36-million offer earlier this summer, apparently finding it insufficient compensation for his 23 and 12 performance against the mighty San Antonio Spurs during the first round of last year's playoffs. But Wells has a history of moodiness, recalcitrance, and volatility. He's been suspended at least three times during his career, once for cursing at a coach, once for spitting on another player, and once for his involvement in a post-game brawl with the Golden State Warriors. So, although several teams, including Detroit, Minnesota, and Charlotte, expressed interest, they apparently found the combination of Wells' bad attitude and his overvalued sense of self-worth (he was fishing for $50 million over five years) unwelcoming.

Enter Tracy McGrady ... Read More | Comment »

NBA 1:54PM Thu. Sep. 28, 2006, Josh Rosenblatt

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