Blogging Maroon & Gold (April 1st, 2011) - Spring Football

Well Bobcat fans, it’s been too long between blogs for yours truly, and with my editor hovering over me like a hawk, I have newfound inspiration to write my next blog! I suppose I could post daily musings here on the TXST site, but I don’t want to become the “Creed” (The Office) of the AD, and share my thoughts daily at www.brantthoughts.gov.www/blog.org/....whatever address Creed was using in the show. Anyways, let’s the get the ball rolling with the M&G Blog again, and what better topic than football?

Spring Practice is underway at Texas State, and I’ve got to tell you, I’ve been to quite a few practices in my eight years covering Bobcat Football, and there’s a noticeably different feel with this coaching staff. That certainly isn’t a knock on previous coaches at Texas State, it’s just that being around a Coach Fran practice, there’s a big-time, no-nonsense approach that’s pretty refreshing. Coach Franchione does a wonderful job in the public eye, and has a knack for marketing the program, and is an easy man to talk to. But he has a different persona with a whistle around his neck, and isn’t afraid to get after the players if they make a mistake.

One of the most interesting observations out at practice, and some have you have probably noticed this as well, is that there’s always someone on the sidelines throwing a white towel into the air after every play in practice. At first, I wondered if this was because there was a penalty on the play. Bill Culhane and I asked Coach Franchione about it afterwards, and he told us the reason for it, is that when coaches review practice tape, there’s no audio. They can’t hear the whistle on the tape. He and his staff want to make sure that the players are playing all the way to the whistle, and will catch them if they aren’t on film. Pretty neat, huh?

Other random observations from Spring Practice…

- Soph QB Tyler Arndt tore his ACL this past October. I’m not a doctor, but based on what I do know, is that ACL recovery takes anywhere from 8-10 months. He’s back on the field, practicing, throwing well, and remember, he was helped off the field just five months ago. It also looks like he added some weight, although the coaches say he still needs to get into game shape, understandable when you can’t put much weight on your knees for a prolonged period of time.

- Speaking of players coming back from injury, RB Marcus Curry, who tore his Achilles early in fall camp this past season, looks healthy and ready to go. He is such a dynamic, explosive player, just picture him doing this at Texas State over the next couple of seasons. Scary (fast forward to the :55 and 1:18 marks). Should also note he’s great to visit with in person, very friendly and looks to be a solid teammate.

- Lot of buzz about JuCo (Blinn JC) transfer Shaun Rutherford. He’s done everything from play QB, WR, and even punter. He’s just a pure athlete, who I would expect to see in certain packages throughout the season. Seen him make quite a few plays so far in the Spring…

- Devin Baker, who was recruited as a Tight End from nearby Smithson Valley High School, has been moved to Offensive Line. Remember how well Calvin Gore, another former SV grad played on the o-line at TXST?

- CB Darryl Morris is special. Was the best player in the secondary last season, and by the looks of it at practice, will be again in 2011.

By the way, don’t forget that the Maroon & Gold Spring Game is Saturday, April 16^th, Coach Fran will actually be joining Bill and I in the broadcast booth for the game, and serve as an analyst. Also that week, Monday, April 11^th, Coach Fran will be “Dining at Jones Hall” on the Texas State Campus. I’ll be blogging about all that as well, just go to www.brantsthoughts.gov.www...you know the address.

Eat ‘Em Up!

- Brant (reach me at txstradio@gmail.com)

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Asst. Volleyball Coach Sean Huiet Blogs about the team

Well, I can’t believe its March 31st and the semester is more than half over feels like we just started!! Spring volleyball season is in full go and it has been a great couple of weeks of training and working hard. Every spring it’s great to get back in the gym and see who is going to emerge as the leaders and what the identity of this “new” team will be. Well the 2011 Bobcats have decided it is going to be 110% effort every time you step into the gym, if you don’t show the desire to be the absolute best then you are not going to fit into our gym culture!! Well it has done wonders for our young Bobcats and we are making huge strides daily. It has been so fun to see Caleigh McCorquodale and Amber Calhoun take over and push their teammates to a level they never thought they could go. The sky is the limit for this team with this mentality. As a coach it has been so rewarding to walk into the gym and know without a doubt every person in there wants the same thing- to win!

This past Saturday we had an eventful day, we started off by doing the Heart Walk to raise money for the American Heart Association. The team participated in the 5K and had a really fun time supporting and did a great job raising money. That night the coaching staff got to participate in Bobcat Bonanza, which is the Texas State Department of Athletics’ largest annual fundraiser for student-athlete scholarships. It was a great time to interact with boosters and thank them for all the support they have given to us over the years. There is a live and silent auction and Coach Tracy and I always try to “win” something fun. This year I decided to bid on a Boot camp/personal training package to get myself in a little bit better shape- well I won and boot camp starts soon… YIKES!

Hope everyone is having a great week and always keeping up with the Bobcats. Great things are happening here at Texas State and I am so thrilled to be a part of it!!

Eat ‘em up!

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Spring Football Practice 3.29.11

Center #58 Steven Kenney chats after practice


Linebacker #6 Brian Iwuji chats after practice

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Football Spring Practice #5 3/24/11

Sophomore Quarterback Tyler Arndt talks about getting back in pads after Spring Break




Linebacker Brian Lilly talks about his role on the defense and getting back up to speed after the break

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Bobcat's Blizzard Blitz Beats Bears Blog

From the Mic - Bill Culhane

Bobcat's Blizzard Blitz Beats Bears Blog

All together now, "The weather outside was frightful...but a SLC road win was so delightful..." Here is an inside look at the Bobcats trek to Conway, Arkansas to take on the University of Central Arkansas Bears. Amid the snow, wind, and freezing rain, the Bobcats returned to San Marcos with a win and some bbrrr...eautiful memories.

Note: For your viewing enjoyment, I have included some pics.

Tuesday, February 8th, 11:20 AM. The Bobcats report to Strahan Coliseum to load up the backpacks, equipment, luggage, and hopes for a key road win in Conway, Arkansas.

Noon - The Bobcats arrive at Austin Bergstrom International Airport.

2PM - Southwest Airlines flight 445 from Austin>Dallas DFW>Little Rock, Arkansas. The guys over 6'4" hoping for precious and elusive aisle seats. Bad luck as our team got the Southwest "B", as in "b"ad seats, boarding passes.

4:30PM - On the ground in Little Rock. Anyone notice the sky is threatening? For sure the weather reports calling for an impending "snow event" are exaggerated. Our bus driver is Anthony Hopkins' (Silence of the Lambs) long lost twin brother.

5:10PM - The golden arches beckon on the horizon. The bus pulls in for a quick "snack". 22 Value Meals later, we are back on the bus. No, nobody ordered a Happy Meal.

6:15PM - 45 minute drive (note the time) north on I40 and we arrive at the Hilton Garden Inn in Conway (about a 10 minute drive (note the time) to the UCA campus). Flawless check in process.

6:45PM - Check in, drop off the bags, quick text, splash of water to the face, and back on the bus for our shootaround at UCA. Anyone notice the sky is threatening?

7:00PM - At the Ferris Center, home of UCA basketball, to get acclimated with the venue, rims, and all of the Scottie Pippen (former Bear great) banners and murals adorning the facility (see below). Although I am having trouble with my mid-range shots, the guys seem to like the Conway rims...hope that holds true 24 hours from now.

Pippen was a Central Arkansas Bear back in the mid-80's. You can see his jersey, which was retired last season. Notice in the background just a couple of the many Pippen recognitions throughout the Ferris Center.

Ryan White, Reid Koenen and Matt Staff getting a feel for the Ferris Center:

8:30PM - Get your eat on! The bus dropped us off at Chili's, a three minute walk from our hotel. The players sat together, coaching brain trust at another table, and Jason Karlik (basketball head trainer), Rick Poulter (SID), Brant Freeman (voice of Texas State athletics), and myself at another table. Interestingly, the player's table is voted unanimously by the Chili's staff as the best behaved table. Our table was voted second and the coaches table a far distant third place.

10:00PM - Back to the hotel to watch the local newscasts and the Weather Channel predicting a major snow storm for tomorrow, Wednesday, gameday. UCA and local schools already cancelled for tomorrow and Thursday! Conversations regarding moving tipoff from 7PM to earlier in the day on Wednesday, but Texas State and UCA agree to stick with 7PM. Afterall, it won't snow much, right?

11:00PM - Watching the weather channel. 7AM the blizzard will arrive! Gulp!

11:07PM - Watching the weather channel. Still reporting that the blizzard will arrive at 7AM! Gulp!

11:12PM - Watching the weather channel. Uh oh. Still reporting that the blizzard will arrive at 7AM! Gulp! Wait. I think they're serious.

Midnight-2AM - Monitoring the weather reports, watching the UCA Hoops basketball show, and happy we brought the cold weather gear. Clarification: My black and purple stocking cap is in homage to my Baltimore Ravens, not the UCA Bears...seriously?!

Game Day! Wednesday, 9AM - Always an exciting day. Looking out the window. Are we in Conway, Arkansas or International Falls, Minnesota? The snow is flying, not many cars on the road. 2" on the ground. Experts saying snow will stop at 5PM in Conway. Breakfast at the team hotel. Good gosh, every breakfast morsel you can think of! Interesting: Bear Coach, and former U of Arkansas and NBA player, Corliss Williamson, comes by to shake hands. He also tells us, since the UCA campus is shutdown, his team will also be eating at our hotel.

9:45AM - Team has pregame meeting to go over the scouting report and film on Bears v Bobcats. Coach Flaska is the assistant coach in charge of this scouting report (the assistants kind of take turns in prepping the scouting reports and Coach Davalos contributes to and gives the thumbs up to every report).

10:30AM - Load up the bus to head back to the Farris Center for pregame shootaround. 3" on the ground, but it will stop at 5PM, right? The drive that was about 10 minutes last evening is today a 25-30 minute drive. I40 is empty, very few on the road in Conway. One unlucky driver couldn't see the road and drove up onto and got wedged on a median. Oops. Two good samaritans and a police officer have stopped to render aid.

Senior Tony Bishop and some other Bobcats heading in to the Ferris Center. Do you think Tony sees through the lens that later tonight he will score a career high 22 points, Tony is #22, and the 'Cats will hold UCA to 22 points in the first half? Eerie, huh?

Noon - Head back to team hotel to kick the feet up. 4" on the ground, but it will stop at 5PM, right? Bus driver says he isn't sure if it will be safe enough for him to take us to the game tonight. Huh? We make alternate plans just in case.

12:30PM - You ever hear the story about the two smart radio broadcasters? No, me neither. Brant and I bundle up and head out into the blizzard. Are sneakers recommended footwear for 5+ inches of snow? An inch or two of ice underneath the snow, but luckily Brant and I have watched the NHL on television.

We go to a Starbucks for anti-freeze, uh, hot tea. An Exxon, Verizon store, and a Subway are about all else that are open. A Conway policeman on patrol spots us and thinks to himself, "Man, do I have one to tell everyone back at the station." People smile and tell us hello. We tell them we are on foot and they frown and slowly back away. Sigh. Our footprints from 45 minutes earlier are gone, but we make out our hotel in the distance and return safely. Free hot tea and coffee in the hotel lobby? Yes, maybe if you are an amateur.

2:45PM - Pregame meal at hotel. Grilled chicken, mashed taters, rice, and salad. Lots of it. Room is quiet as our Bobcats focus on the mission later tonight. 5" on the ground.

4:45PM - We were scheduled to depart for the game at 5:15, but Coach Davalos wisely decides to move the departure up. Bus driver reports for duty and we are off to Beat UCA!

5:30PM - Conway and the UCA campus are blanketed in snow, vehicles entombed, and we begin the predictions on tonight's attendance. We slide, err...arrive at the Ferris Center. 6" on the ground. Still coming down with no letup in sight...what happened to 5PM?

Outside of the Farris Center with the snow blasting. Note: The Ferris Center is literally across the street from UCA's Football Stadium. George to Bolden, TD Bobcats, 2009. Remember?



5:30-6:45PM - We get setup for the game, the guys are warming up, and our UCA friends tell us their stories about dealing with the storm. Brant and I choose to not tell anyone about our "walkabout". 15 minutes until tip and 20-25 fans on hand.

7PM - Tipoff.

7:42PM - Cats lead 31-22 at halftime. 150-200 hearty souls in attendance.

8:52PM - Light the Star on Jackson Hall! 'Cats win 85-61. Excellent early birthday present for Coach Davalos. Texas State will go to bed tonight in first place in the Southland. Winning at home is awesome. Winning on the road is a different awesome and there are many smiles in the postgame. Wrap up broadcast equipment, give our thanks and goodbyes, and sprint to the bus. 7" on the ground, letting up, but snow continues.

Click below for game details:

http://txstatebobcats.com/news/2011/2/9/MBB_0209113003.aspx

9:40PM - Back at hotel, but postgame pizza is cancelled. How bad was the snow? True story: All of the pizza joints in Conway, a college town, are shutdown. Coach Packer, our ops director, and Coach Davalos work their magic and we end up with ham, mashed taters, salad, fruit, cookies/brownies. Rest assured that the league leading Bobcats do not go to bed hungry.

9:58PM - Snow stops.

10:00PM-Midnight - Brant and I are assigned the job of monitoring the status of our flight scheduled to leave Little Rock at 8:50 tomorrow morning. You thought we just did radio, Inside Bobcat Football, BobCasts, the blog, and led expeditions in Alaska? Southwest Airlines and the Little Rock airport reporting that we are scheduled for an on time departure. Color me skeptical. I notify Coach Davalos and Coach Packer. We will do another confirmation in the morning so we don't have to sit around an airport for "x" hours.

Thursday, 4:46AM - Southwest Airlines and Little Rock airport saying we are a go for 8:50AM. I notify Coach Davalos and we spread the word to the Bobcats that, fellas we are headed home!

5:40AM - On the bus. Roads and highways are a mess. Our bus, with chains on tires, heads south on I40. A little old man on a tricycle speeds past us. Safety first and our bus driver does an exceptional job the entire trip.

Coach Chris Packer, our Ops Director, is responsible for all of the logistics for Bobcat basketball travel. He does a great job. You can see the Bobcats bundled up behind him as we make the slow, safe journey to the Little Rock airport. San Marvelous beckons! The fabric on the bus seats matches a sofa I had back in the early '80's.




7:00AM - At Little Rock airport. After 10 minutes, you've seen me, I convince the Customer Service Agent that I am not one of the players. I get the correct boarding pass and the Bobcats head to breakfast and boarding area. Everyone is in a "morning after a big win, looking good, feeling good, going home" kind of mood.

Team discussing the upcoming game with UTA, who is the video game champ, and getting ready to depart from the Little Rock airport. Notice man in foreground seeing on his computer that Texas State is in first place.





9AM - I lose another bet. We do indeed depart as scheduled. Flight Attendant was funny. She thanked "both people" for listening to the safety briefing.

11:30AM - After a quick stop at Love Field in Dallas, we arrive back in Austin. Bobcats get their luggage, load the bus, head south. Cold, but zero snow on the ground.

12:45PM - Pull into the Strahan Coliseum parking lot. Today, hit the books and lift weights.
Beat the UTA Mavericks!

Eat em up 'Cats!

Any questions or comments, let me know at lightthestar@gmail.com

Bill

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Welcome Back...

- From the mic with Bill Culhane

Welcome Back...

"Great day to be a Bobcat!", you proclaim. Well, I respectfully see your day and raise you a day. What an "unnnbelievaabbllee" (thank you Coach Wacker) 48-hour period we had in Bobcat Nation last week. After an extensive and thorough search, we enthusiastically welcomed back Dennis Franchione as our head football coach. At Strahan the following day, not only did the men's basketball team win their Southland Conference opener, the Bobcats shot the ball the likes of which these eyes haven't seen in a while. The details...

August 1994. I attended my first Bobcat football practice as the newly named color analyst for the Texas Sta...wait a sec...Southwest Texas football radio broadcasts. My son Cory, who just turned 5, in tow. Cory was excited about and preparing for kindergarten. Jim Bob Helduser, one of the nicest, most caring people I've ever known, was our head coach. Among the early details I learned was that Coach Helduser had been hired to replace his boss, a guy named Dennis Franchione, as the Bobcat head man. In those days, the "big game" for the Bobcat football team was, i.e, Texas A&M-Kingsville (yea, still Texas A&I to me too) or maybe Sam Houston State.

As the days, months, years, seasons moved along, I came to learn more about Coach Fran's records and success in San Marcos, and observed from afar his ascension through the regional, then national football world. However, it was always looking at Coach Fran via pages in a media guide, shots on television, and the memories of people here with Coach Fran for his two seasons.

We fast forward to January 2011. Cory is a senior in college. He's excited about and preparing for graduation. Texas State is looking to name the man who will help mold and lead our football team as we prepare for our entry into the world of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and our future home, the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).

Opinions, rumors, hints, ideas ensued and circulated. We all had them and/or heard them and the wait was interesting and exciting as anticipation enveloped Bobcat Nation. The selection committee did their due diligence and last Friday we were introduced to our new head coach, Dennis Franchione. Upon hearing the news, my initial thoughts were: well done, excellent hire. I fully acknowledged that my thoughts weren't worth a whole lot. The response from others was vastly more important to me.

As I walked into the Sac-N-Pac Room for the introductory press conference, the turnout instantly validated that there are many who agree this process was well done, an excellent hire. I sensed before and during the press conference, and it was confirmed afterwards, Coach Fran gives us instant "splash" throughout Texas and across the country. Support was also abundantly evident from the Board of Regents, many local people and business owners, former players, boosters, university faculty, staff, and students, current athletic department folks and football student-athletes, I35 corridor media...the lengthy list goes on. Yes, every group of people you could envision were there in support of Coach Fran and the future of Bobcat football. Welcome back Coach Fran!

I spoke with a few of Coach Fran's former Bobcat players and it is obvious that they love and respect him. Equally, it is clear that Coach Fran loves this university and respects the task in front of him in launching our football program forward. In the years to come, what will be the "big game" for the Bobcats, and 30,000 screaming fans at Bobcat Stadium? Navy, Wyoming, ??, or ??, ... Isn't the thought exhilarating? For the record, count me in and I cannot wait to help Coach Fran and our Bobcats achieve their goals.

Drive home from press conference. Finish game prep for the SLC opener. Eat. Sleep. Back to San Marcos for Bobcats v Demons. In summary, in the 299 men's basketball games that I broadcasted prior to Saturday, I don't recall many significant games where the Bobcats shot the rock like they did versus the Demons. Welcome back shooters! The Cats went 29-54, 53.7% from the floor, a scorching 9-14, 64.3% on three point attempts. You fully expected everything the Bobcat shooters put up to drop in...nearly did. Light the Star, Cats 84-71 victors. Robert Fisher, courtside with me on Saturday, and I had a difficult time selecting just two Bobcat "stars of the game" to join us for the postgame show. Akin to Saturday, that is usually a positive dilemma. Congratulations Bobcats.

The Bobcats travel to Burton Coliseum this Saturday, January 15th, for a 3pm tipoff with league leading McNeese State (2-0). Lake Charles, Louisiana has kind of been the "Bermuda Triangle" for men's hoops over the years. Tune into KTSW, 89.9 or txstatebobcats.com for the game to see if the Bobcats can change things. Brant Freeman and I will commence our pregame show at 2:45pm and witness a 2-0 start in league play for the Bobcats.

Special note: Brant and I have been doing a weekly BobCast (clever naming provided by John McElfresh, Texas State athletics) podcast to share our updates and thoughts on the world of Bobcat athletics.

Please visit http://txstatebobcats.com/podcasts.aspx?tab=podcasts for the shows.

Reminder: If you have any questions or feedback, you can contact me at lightthestar@gmail.com

Eat em up Cats!

Bill

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Blogging Maroon & Gold (January 7th, 2011)

Blogging Maroon & Gold (January 7th, 2011)

Bobcat fans and followers,

We’re a few days into the New Year, so I hope you had a happy and safe holiday! I know we’re all looking forward to what 2011 will bring us, and things are about to get pretty exciting around these parts with the hiring of a new head football coach coming soon (EDIT: Just as I was ready to send this, the news broke that Dennis Franchione had been hired, blog and podcasts on that coming soon!). Top 10 lists are cliché when looking back at the previous year, and to that I say so what? They’re fun and I wanted to do one anyway. And be honest, some of you watch David Letterman ONLY to see the nightly “Top Ten”. I know there are times I watch “Sportscenter” just to see the Top 10 plays. Just don’t be disappointed that my Top 10 doesn’t include anything from the Norwegian Man/Wife Games like Sportscenter seems to include every 3rd Wednesday. Without further ado, here’s my Top 10 stories/moments in Bobcat Athletics for the year 2010…

#10 – Increased Media Coverage
Yes, I’m a bit biased since I am the media per se, but there’s no denying Texas State ’s inclusion in nightly sportscasts, radio shows and headlines. How about all the news coverage as the Texas State athletic department prepared itself for the move to the FBS? This year’s coach’s show was moved to 104.9 FM ESPN Austin…the television show, “Inside Bobcat Football” was shown on News 8 Austin Non-Stop Sports Channel from 7 pm on Mondays every hour until 6 PM the next day, and was also shown state wide on Time Warner Cable’s “Texas Channel”. When the WAC announcement was made, the Bobcats were featured not only on local media outlets, but on ESPN.com and ESPN television as well. Expect similar exposure to come with Dennis Franchione as the next head football coach at Texas State .

#9 – Bobcat Men’s Basketball team defeats Sam Houston State in OT 101-97
The Bearkats destroyed the Bobcats earlier in the season by 31 points and had arguably the best backcourt in the Southland with Ashton Mitchell and Corey Allmond. Add big man Gilberto Clavell (35 points 10 rebounds this game) and Sam Houston was stacked. A 14-1 conference record going in, and the eventual tournament champs (blew out SFA in tournament finals, played Baylor, an elite eight team, tooth and nail in NCAA 1st round), the 14-15 (8-7 in conference) Bobcats didn’t stand much of a chance, right? Texas State erased a 10 point 2nd half deficit, overcame a quiet game from the bench (5 starters all scored in double figures, combining for 83 points) and got one heck of a performance from John Rybak in the senior’s final home game (25 points on 9-14 shooting, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks). Throw in the fact the game was on SLC TV, and it was one of the most memorable wins for the men’s program in the last 10 years.

#8 – Texas State Football defeats Southern Utah 42-28 at Bobcat Stadium
In a season full of low points, the win over the Thunderbirds was surely a high point for the Bobcats. One would think that a non-conference game against a team from Cedar City , Utah is just another game. But if before the season started, and you told me that Texas State would only win 4 games, but I got to choose who those wins came against, I would say: Houston (wishful thinking), SFA (more on that later), Sam Houston State…and Southern Utah. Since 2003, the Bobcats had played the Thunderbirds four times and were 1-3. None of those SUU teams were special, in fact, most of them were bad, and the Bobcats were arguably the better team each meeting (like the ’08 team, SUU finished 4-7 that year, TXST went to FCS playoffs). Sweet revenge came this year, as the Bobcats pounded the T-birds behind 224 rushing yards and a career night from WR Darius Bolden (5 catches, 108 yards, 1 TD). Texas State also held All-American WR (and future NFL player) Tysson Poots to 49 yards receiving. Ironically, the 6-5 Thunderbirds probably had the better team this time around. Go figure.

#7 – Women’s Golf Dominates the SLC
A program that tends to get overlooked, Texas State ’s golf team gave fans a reason to pay attention this season. 2010 SLC Coach of the Year (Mike Akers), SLC Freshman of the Year (Kristia Puisite) and the 2010 SLC Championship (coming from behind to defeat Sam Houston and Central Arkansas). And in the SLC Tournament, the Bobcats set a conference record with a score of 885, shattering the previous record by 22 shots. Enough said.

#6 – Bobcat Stadium Improvements
Durospine Pro Turf. Never heard of it before this last football season, but it sure looked nice didn’t it? Along with the announcement of 12,500 to be added at Bobcat Stadium’s North End, and with the removal of the track and Texas State ’s Football Stadium is going to look awfully impressive by 2012. Just in time for something I’ll get to in a bit…

#5 – Texas State Football defeats SFA in Nacogdoches 27-24
What a tough game to watch for 3 quarters and the first five minutes of the fourth. While the Bobcat defense was holding SFA’s explosive offense in relative check, the Texas State offense was doing next to nothing the whole game. Everyone seemed to be going through the motions at one point. Even when the Bobcats got their first touchdown, you figured it was just going to be a ho-hum 24-6 final, just another notch on the belt for the Lumberjacks. Then the following happened in the next 9 minutes of the game: fumble SFA, TD Texas State (2 point conversion), 3-and-out SFA, Da’Marcus Griggs punt return TD Texas State, fumble SFA, Hawkins to Dillard 28-yard TD Texas State (missed XP), SFA missed 47-yard field goal. It was just a game for 51 minutes. It was SFA’s only conference loss (in the last two seasons, SFA’s only losses came at SMU, at Texas A&M, Montana, Villanova and Texas State twice) and Texas State’s only conference win. If you’re only going to get one Southland win, make it count, right?

#4 – Bobcat Baseball/Softball teams win regular season titles
Softball: Co-championship with SFA (3rd straight title)…3 All SLC players (Chandler Hall, Leah Boatwright, Jenna Emery)…4 All SLC-Tournament players (Hall, Emery, McKenzie Baack and Anna Hernandez)…SLC Title game

Baseball: SLC Champs (2nd straight title)…5th round draft pick (Jason Martinson – Washington Nationals)…2010 Newcomer of the year & Pitcher of the Year (Carson Smith)…6 All SLC players (Smith, Martinson, Kyle Livingstone, Kyle Kubitza, Bret Atwood, Jeff McVaney)…5 All SLC-Tournament players (McVaney, Martinson, Kubitza, Tyler Sibley, Clint Vest)…SLC Title game

Call me when either of these programs loses its steam, as long as coaches Ricci Woodard (softball) and Ty Harrington (baseball) stick around, that’s not happening for sometime.

#3 – Bobcat greats now looking down from above
Texas State lost two of its most significant figures in 2010, Lewis Gilcrease and J. Garland Warren. Dr. Gilcrease lettered in football, basketball and track and field at Texas State (then known as Southwest Texas State ), earning nine letters. He was an NAIA All-American and selected in the 9th round of the NBA draft by the Boston Celtics, the first Bobcat player ever taken in the draft. He was a founding member and helped organize the University Bobcat Club, served on numerous Texas State University boards and was inducted into Texas State 's “T” Association Hall of Honor in 1978, and his basketball jersey was retired in 2004. Trust me when I say I’m leaving off more to save space. Warren was one of the great business men the city of San Marcos has ever seen, and was a tremendous supporter of Bobcat Athletics and was a member of both the Texas State Touchdown Club and the Bobcat Club. His initials were placed on the back of the football team’s helmets this past season. RIP Lewis Gilcrease and Garland Warren.

#2 – Karen Chisum wins #700
Not many early season wins over Prairie View A&M garner headlines. But Texas State ’s sweep over the Panthers on September 7th was pretty significant. That victory was the 700th in Head Coach Karen Chisum’s 31-year career (all at Texas State ), making her just one of six coaches to reach that milestone in Division I volleyball. In typical Coach Chisum fashion, she said after the game that she was glad it was over with and was ready to move on, giving all the credit to her players. By the way, she’s 84 wins shy of 800. Don’t put it past her.

#1 – WAC Announcement
If I were putting together a list of the Top 10 moments of the last decade this would still be number one. The WAC? Who envisioned this even when “The Drive” was initiated? Teams to have come through the WAC: TCU, Utah , Arizona , BYU, Air Force, Tulsa , Boise State , Hawaii … now Texas State . Football games have been scheduled against Navy and Wyoming (home and homes) recently, with more coming. Bowl games are the goal for football. The Bobcats will no longer be in a 1-bid conference for the Olympic sports. More games on ESPN in the coming years. I could go on. This is, without a doubt, the most exciting time in Texas State athletics. We Are Coming will soon become We Are Here. Just don’t call it the WAH in 2012.

Eat ‘Em Up!

- Brant (Comments? E-mail me at txstradio@gmail.com)

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