DTN Daily Diatribe | Texas Tech News, Notes and Links | 2012-01-17

ODDS AND ENDS | I meant to post this yesterday, but forgot and then ran across this second post and figured I'd post them both here. Barking Carinval has the updates on the new changes to the NCAA rules, which include football scholarships remaining at 85, rather than 80, and the biggest rule change, at least to me, is that multi-year scholarships are available to be given out for the 2012 class. Coincidentally, Blutarsky found an interesting article yesterday that got a lot of play, including an excellent write-up by Dr. Saturday's Matt Hinton, about how a kid, RB Justin Taylor, committed to Alabama and head coach Nick Saban back in August and just now told the kid that he no longer had a scholarship available, but that Saban would sign a piece of paper to show that he is keeping his word and give Taylor a scholarship in December or next year. Taylor did miss all of his senior season with a knee injury. Taylor also said that Saban would help him find a job. Taylor said late yesterday that he was going to look at his other options and Taylor's high school coach, a former NFL player Stanley Pritchett, wasn't happy with how it all went down.

BC also has an update on the class action lawsuit against the NCAA for using the likeness of players without compensation. Basically, when a player first steps foot on campus they have to sign a waiver where they release the rights to their likeness for perpetuity. That's a long time and players have banded together to do something about this. I'll have more on the Collegiate Licensing Company in a week or two.

LADY RAIDER BASKETBALL | For those of you with All-Access, you'll be able to watch tomorrow night's Baylor vs. Texas Tech game. Woot!.

RED RAIDER BASKETBALL | The men take on the Oklahoma Sooners tonight @ 7:00 pm in Norman. Preview later this morning.

LAJ's Nick Kosmider writes that this team is hoping to pick up the offensive pace and here's head coach Billy Gillispie:

"We played two really good teams defensively," Gillispie said of Kansas and A&M, "so I have to give them all the credit, but as far as what we need to do, we need to take care of the ball, and in intiating our offense we need to do a better job of having some pace."

RED RAIDER BASEBALL | Congrats to the 18 baseball players that had a GPA of 3.0 or higher!

TEXAS TECH FOOTBALL | Not much out there this morning. I will have some football stuff up tomorrow, so be sure to be on the edge of your seat until that happens. I did run across this blurb where former Red Raider Jamar Wall (who I think may not have an NFL gig, perhaps he was with the Eagles?) held a charity basketball tournament to raise $1,700 for St. Jude's Children Hospital. I also ran across a Q&A with RB Aaron Crawford as he hopes to catch on with an NFL team.