Odds and Ends

Extremely Slow

It's extremely slow this morning and I'm really grasping for content this morning.  Since most NFL teams are starting mandatory workouts, I've done some quick searches on some 2009 draftees and that's your notes for today.

[Note by Seth C, 06/16/09 6:21 AM CDT ] I've been meaning to ask this, but does anyone have a link to the Texas Tech football schedule in iCal?  I had a reader inquire and I meant to ask last week.  Leave a comment or shoot me an email.

Texas Tech Football

Red Raiders in the NFL

Up first, guard Louis Vasquez appears to be a player on the rise with the San Diego Chargers.  In fact, SB Nation blog Bolts From The Blue writes that Vasquez is the 5th most important player for 2009 success:

5. Louis Vasquez, RG  I know, I know.  Two impact rookies.  I'll admit, though, that I'm not sold on Kynan Forney.  Even as a project, if there wasn't something potentially wrong with his health long-term I feel that he would've gotten a better offer than what the Chargers signed him for.  I also think that if management trusted him to return to form, Vasquez would not have been drafted.  Now, onto Vasquez.  That is a big, strong boy.  Not Two-Ton Fonoti big either.  Louis Vasquez is a brick wall, which is exactly what you want out of your right guard.  He doesn't necessary need to have the best footwork, he just needs to be able to steamroll a defensive tackle when a running play is coming his way.  I love his potential and think he's starting in week 1.  Young offensive linemen can really help invigorate the group and provide offensive options that weren't there before.  The Chargers went from 9 wins to 14 wins in one season with the only changes being McNeil, McCree and Rivers.  I think we could see a similar situation in 2009.

LB Brandon Williams is making strides with the Dallas Cowboys as he converts from a 4-3 DE to a 3-4 OLB and is ahead of fellow LB, Victor Butler:

Third-year veteran Anthony Spencer will replace Ellis in the starting lineup on the strong side. Behind Spencer is a pair of fourth-round picks, Brandon Williams and Victor Butler. Both were 4-3 ends in college.

Head coach Wade Phillips has been impressed with Williams' improvement but admits Butler is "pretty far behind" after missing all of the OTA's while waiting to graduate. He and seventh-round pick Mike Mickens (graduation) returned to practice Monday.

S Darcel McBath is working with the startes with the Denver Broncos, although he has a long trek ahead to beat veterans Brian Dawkins and Renaldo Hill.

Texas Tech vs. Minnesota - #20 Most Memorable Big 12 Game

ESPN's Tim Griffin writes that Texas Tech's very memorable 44-41 win over Minnesota in the 2006 Insight Bowl was the 20th most memorable game of the Big 12.  Just think, at 8:39 p.m. I called (jokingly) the 28 point comeback.  And if you've never seen this video of Mike Leach during halftime of this game, as well as the highlights from the game. 

TEXAS TECH 2006 INSIGHT BOWL (via rjxavier2000)

Texas Tech Baseball

Kenworthy Playing Summer Baseball

The Victoria Advocate's Jack Molitor has an excellent feature on 2B Joey Kenworthy, who is playing in Victoria for summer baseball:

He's always been the shortest guy on the field at 5 feet, 4 inches. He is the youngest child in a family with five older sisters. And his parents didn't even know if he would play again after he broke his leg during his senior year of high school.

But Kenworthy has succeeded. He is heading into his senior year at Texas Tech as a starter, and he has become a key facet in the offense of the first-place Generals.

And he's done it with a smile and a positive attitude.