Odds and Ends

Blogging A Career?

This is a really interesting take from SB Nation Clippers blog, Steve Perrin of Clips Nation regarding whether or not blogging is something that can be done as a career.  If you ever wanted to know what's going on inside my head internally, then this is a pretty good place to start.  For those of you too lazy to click on over, just know that it's not even close to being a career, unless of course I have no bills and don't mind eating a can of tuna fish every day.  Maybe someday it will be something that can sustain a family (how awesome would that be?), but for now, it's still just a hobby.  And to be clear, I'm very thankful to have the platform that is SB Nation, which offers the best vision for the future, technical team and software. 

Birthday Shout-out

Because I have DTN I'm able to give a birthday shout-out to my little brother (a Longhorn) as he turns a very young 25 (I think).  Happy Birthday, TJ.

Writing Suggestions

Thanks for some of your writing suggestions from yesterday morning.  I do have two email interviews that just happened yesterday and last night that I think you guys are going to enjoy them quite a bit.  I'm also going to be going to the Texas coast for some fishing this Friday and won't be back in the saddle until Monday night or Tuesday morning.

Texas Tech Football

Ranking the WR's

AthlonSports.com's Steven Lassan is ranking all of the receiver and Detron Lewis checks in at #5 in the Big 12:

5. Detron Lewis, Texas Tech (JR) — Bye Week: 10 — No. 13 overall WR
With Michael Crabtree moving onto the NFL, the Red Raiders have a plethora of catches up for grabs. Lewis was a solid WR3 last year, catching at least five passes in the final seven games and falling just short of 1,000 receiving yards. Although there is no guarantee Lewis immediately moves into the No. 1 receiver spot for the Red Raiders, he is the most proven option on the roster. Fantasy owners should consider Lewis among the top-15 fantasy receivers with some upside in 2009, including a significant boost in touchdown receptions.

2008 stats - 142.4 fantasy points
Receiving: 76 rec., 913 yds., 3 TDs
Rushing: none

Lyle Leong checks in at #10:

10. Lyle Leong, Texas Tech (JR) — Bye Week: 10 — No. 35 overall WR
With the loss of Michael Crabtree, there are plenty of catches up for grabs in Lubbock this year. Detron Lewis is expected to be the No. 1 option, but there will be at least two other solid fantasy options emerge for the Red Raiders. Leong has only 33 catches in his career, with three of those going for touchdowns last year. Considering more fantasy options will emerge from this receiving corps, fantasy owners would be wise to gamble on one of them on draft day. Leong was also a high school teammate of quarterback Taylor Potts and should catch over 50 passes in 2009.

2008 stats - 47.6 fantasy points
Receiving: 18 rec., 206 yds., 3 TDs
Rushing: none

And the remainder of the list is scattered with Red Raiders, including Tramain Swindall, Edward Britton, Alexander Torres, Eric Ward, Adrian Reese, Adam James, etc.

Davis #10 Most Important Red Raider

Fox34 continues their countdown of most important Red Raiders and S Cody Davis checks in at #10:

More on Sam Harrell's Battle with MS

J. Louise Larson of the Waxahachie Daily Light (hat-tip Tim Griffin) has a lengthy article on Ennis High School head coach and father of QB Graham Harrell, Sam Harrell's battle with multiple sclerosis.  You should read the whole thing, but there were two passages that struck me this morning that I wanted to blockquote and feature:

"The thing that's kind of disappointing is that the neurologists here have nothing that really gives you much hope. All they can do is say keep on this medication and hope it slows down, hope it doesn't overtake your whole nervous system before they find a cure," he said.

Snip

Harrell says he's adamant about one thing he has never asked for: sympathy.

"People don't die from MS ... I don't want to make is sound like Poor pitiful me' ... a lot of people are facing tougher things than that.

"It takes away the things you do, but it doesn't take away your life," he said.

Scouting the Enemy

Tremendous work from Year2 of Team Speed Kills, what football was like in 1893.

Georgia Sports Blog Quinton McDawg takes a look at early non-conference opponent Oklahoma State's defense.

Barking Carnival's Scipio Tex previews the Big 12 North.

Tilting at Windmills' ponderos scouts the Nebraska defense.