Double-T Nation Daily Diatribe :: 03.09.10

Happy Birthday to Me and Captain Leach:  That's right, your intrepid blogger and the Captain both have birthdays today.  I always thought that this was some sort of karma that myself and Leach shared a birthday, but now I don't know what to make of it . . . just coincidence I guess.  I any event, I hope Leach has a great birthday and looks forwards to those tremendously fun depositions scheduled for Friday.

Still Needing Pitching:  LAJ's George Watson writes that although the team has improved (and I would agree that there is an upgrade in talent over two years ago) that this team still needs to find some pitching:

The only pitcher - and I mean ONLY pitcher - who has shown consistency on the mound in every single outing has been junior right-hander Bobby Doran. He's thrown three solid to outstanding games, including keeping Tech around in Saturday's 3-2 loss to Rice, and what does he have to show for it?

A record of 0-0. He's received three no-decisions in games Tech has gone 1-2 in, beating Michigan 4-2, losing to Washington State 6-3 and to Rice on Saturday.

Other than Doran, no pitcher has put together two solid outings.

Not Friday starter Chad Bettis, who has allowed 11 earned runs and 19 hits in 14 innings covering his last two starts.

Not supposed shut-down closer Jay Johnson, who sports an 0-2 record, a 6.10 ERA and who took the loss against Rice after opening the ninth with a walk and his fourth hit batter of the season that led to the eventual winning run.

Not Sunday starter Louis Head, who has thrown just 51/3 innings in his last two starts combined and giving up 10 earned runs and 11 hits in those two outings.

Watson's conclusion is that someone on the pitching staff needs to step up.  Good read.

Tough Spot:  DT's Mike Graham writes that due to this team's seven game losing streak, that it's put this team in a tough spot:

Okorie believes it was the result of a snowball effect.

"I just feel like we lost a couple, then a couple of players lost confidence in what they’re able to do," he said. "They got out of their row, they’re not doing what they normally do. I just feel like we have to take a step back and kind of talk to each other and just kind of figure out how we can get everybody back into their row."

Fortunately for the Red Raiders, their conference collapse only pushed them back to the No. 9 seed in the tournament where they will square off with their most familiar foe in No. 8-seeded Colorado at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday in Kansas City, Mo.

However, the losing streak has cost the Red Raiders almost all hope of postseason play.

Big 12 Tournament Preview:  Basketball Prospectus' Kevin Pelton previews the Big 12 Tournament and had this to say about Texas Tech:

9. Texas Tech: The Red Raiders got off to a 9-0 start this season and even cracked the polls at one point. But Tech enters the Big 12 Tournament on a seven-game losing streak. Tech might still salvage an NIT bid with a win over Colorado, but the Buffaloes can say the same thing. Pat Knight's team was subpar on both ends of the floor and his genetic abhorrence of three-point shots quells any hopes of overcoming Tech's lack of top-shelf talent. The Red Raiders, especially junior John Roberson, actually shoot the deep ball pretty well. They just don't take enough of them.

Brewer Has Big Shoes to Fill:  LAJ's Don Williams talks with newest commit, Lake Travis QB Michael Brewer, who has family history with UT and with Lubbock.  Brewer, who intends on graduating in December of next year and will be on campus in the spring (much like Beau Carpenter did this year) talks about the new and <sarc>completely revamped</sarc> Texas Tech offense what type of quarterback he is:

Brewer said among the pluses to joining Tech is that Brown’s offense is similar to what he’s been running at Lake Travis.

"I’ve briefly seen just a little bit of film on some of the stuff they’re going to be running,’’ he said. "It’s a really fast-paced, no-huddle, hurry-up offense. Running the ball. Throwing the ball all around the field. Rolling out. Running the quarterback — not a lot, but just enough.’’

Brewer also seems well-suited for Brown’s offense in the latter regard. He carried the ball 114 times for 615 yards and 23 touchdowns last season.

"I’m a pass-first and then run-second guy,’’ he said. "But if necessary, I can run the ball.’’

Leach Scheduled for Depositions:  A short article from the LAJ regarding Leach's scheduled depositions on Friday, but the big news appears to be that Leach's attorneys are wanting the school records of Tommy Tuberville's children from Frenship I.S.D.  I've said it a number of times, I'm an attorney, but not a trial attorney, but this seems a bit desperate on Leach's attorneys standpoint, but I think when you make requests for things, you throw out the casting net and hope like hell that you pull in something. Someone from the DTN Law Review who is more than likely much more qualified than myself can chime in with their two cents.

Success and/or Recruiting Success Breeds Recruiting Success and/or Success:  Football Outsiders' Bill Connelly (who also writes for ESPN and Rock M Nation) has a really interesting post about how vital recruiting success is to success on the field.  I won't try to summarize this, but just direct you to go read the whole thing.