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https://www.theplayerstribune.com/cj-baxter-ncaa-football-texas-longhorns To the Texas Brotherhood Nov 27, 2024 Everybody knows my mindset. I’m a simple guy. When I’m lined up in the backfield — no matter what the situation or how high the stakes are — my mind is usually pretty clear. I’m only ever thinking about three things: My alignment. My assignment. Executing the play. I’ve been playing football my entire life, so whenever I’m on the field, there’s never any fear or hesitation. I just feel like I’m where I belong. That was the case last August when I lined up to take a random snap during a preseason practice, and my whole life changed in a split-second. Honestly, at that moment, I was probably as confident as I’d ever been playing football. I came to Texas as the No. 1 running back in the nation out of high school. I learned the ropes from future NFL draft picks. And now, this season was going to be my turn. I was ready to be the next great Longhorns running back. When I got the ball, I hit the left B-gap, same as I have literally thousands of times throughout my life. But when I got tackled, I knew something was wrong. And it wasn’t the pain that scared me — I don’t even remember the pain that much. It was the sound. A pop. I’d heard about “the pop” many times — the sound a ligament makes when it snaps — but had never experienced it myself. I knew right away that all of the plans I had before I was handed the ball were out the window. One moment, I felt ready to take on the world. But as soon as I heard that sound — that pop — all I felt was fear. If the sound wasn’t enough of a hint, I knew things were bad when Coach Sark stopped practice. You have to understand, this program runs like a well-oiled machine. Every minute of practice is used up with specific intention — and nothing stops that, not even injuries. As a million thoughts went through my head, I heard one voice clearly — Coach Choice’s. “Breathe. Just breathe. It’s going to be OK.” I’ve never wanted to believe something so badly in my life. Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK Coach Choice was a big reason I decided to move away from Florida and attend UT. I’d been recruited since I was in 9th grade and had heard just about every pitch imaginable from different coaches. They are nice for stroking your ego, but my mom raised me to value genuineness over everything. And there was no other coach my family connected with on a genuine human level better than Coach Choice. His general approach to life and football is something that I immediately wanted to emulate. He’d played in college and the NFL, but that wasn’t what stuck out with me. I could tell he really cared about developing his players as people, and that really influenced my recruitment. And I mean, my visits to Austin didn’t hurt either. Bijan Robinson was there for all of my visits to the school, and one of the things I admired most was watching how he operated as a person. He was the best player on the team (maybe just the best football player ever?), a surefire first round pick — and he was also everyone’s favorite person to be around. Walking around campus, he always had a smile for you no matter who you were — not just for other players but literally every person he encountered. That was my first exposure to Texas’s culture, but it wasn’t until I enrolled my freshman year that I was given The Blueprint. I don’t think that’s the official term, but it’s the only name that fits. One day during lunch, Jordan Whittington — Whitt — sat down with me for a talk. He’s another player I looked up to — a Five-star recruit who battled through injuries and is now playing out there on Sundays. When I first came to Texas, Whitt let me take the number 4 from him so I could honor my cousin Greg Bryant — a great running back himself at Notre Dame, who tragically passed away a couple of years ago. We’ve always been cool since then. What Whitt broke down for me was essentially all of the things that usually go unspoken, but that make the difference between a team competing for a national championship and missing a bowl game entirely. He’d experienced both sides of it since he’d been at Texas. He told me from the jump what I did in high school didn’t matter anymore. Everybody at Texas balled out in high school — that’s why they’re a Longhorn. For a lot of players, it means sitting on the bench for the first time in your life. Lesson 1: Don’t complain and poison the locker room. Earn your spot on the depth chart. That ego hit can ultimately be too much for some guys. And if it is? There’s the door. Beyond that, as a Texas football player, the person you are matters. Lesson 2: You have a huge microscope on you all the time, and how you act around others leaves an impression. If how you represent yourself and the team doesn’t mean anything to you? There’s the door. There were more lessons to come. It was lessons on lessons, every day. But I think of all the things Whitt told me, the most impactful aspect of the blueprint was that it was another player delivering the message. Of course you never want to disappoint the fans or your coaches. But what elevates a team to the next level is when all of the players go all-out and sacrifice for each other. Not worrying about the outside noise, or the haters, because you already hold each other to the highest standard possible. The difference in these past few years came down to a change in culture. Of course, everybody in college football talks about “culture.” But are they walking the walk? Are they backing it up on tape? Everything Whitt told me during lunch that day was perfectly encapsulated by one play last season against TCU. You can check it out here. It was early in the game against a team we’d struggled with in recent years, and Quinn threw a pick. It’s the type of mistake that might have snowballed into other mistakes in past years. But on this play, Whitt decided that wasn’t happening. He hustled back and tackled the defender returning the pick, and he ended up causing a fumble that Xavier Worthy recovered. Lesson 3: Never quit on a play. Never quit on anything. That play is everything — sick athleticism, unreal effort and just having your teammates’ back. When two of the best players — not just on the team but in the entire country — are going that hard, what’s your excuse? The next deep ball Quinn threw was a perfect pass to Xavier, and we won that game. If you want to know what makes a winning team, there’s your blueprint. Trask Smith/Cal Sport Media via AP Images When I was named a team captain heading into this season, I took to heart what that really meant. Maintaining a winning culture, laying out the blueprint for the new guys coming in, that was on me now. And I was so excited about it. Until I heard that pop. When that happened, I was just filled with fear. By the time I made it back to my locker to let my parents know I was hurt, my phone had more messages on it than I’d ever seen before. It was clear news travels fast in Texas, even when you’re just at practice, and by now pretty much the whole state knew about it. One of the very first people who hit me up was Jonathan Brooks. We became really close when we shared the backfield last year, and he also happened to suffer a season-ending injury. So if anybody in the world understood how I was feeling, it was him. He told me I had a right to feel mad and frustrated — and also that it was important to let myself feel those emotions rather than bottle them up. I think all the attention kind of took my mind off of what happened because I was interacting with so many people. It was in the days and weeks later, after my surgery, when the messages kind of died down and I had a lot of time to myself, that I think the weight of everything hit. It’s a crazy thing to go from being a starting running back to having to learn how to walk and run again at age 19. There were a lot of days early on during rehab that it was tough to get out of bed. Both physically tough, but also mentally draining. Because playing running back, that was always something that came completely natural to me. Now I’m literally back at square one — doing these exercises moving my leg with the goal of increasing the range of motion just a few centimeters. That wasn’t natural at all. That was just pain. I think the biggest thought that consumed me was, “What if I’m not the same player?” One day in the facility, when I was doing my rehab, I got approached by Coach Gideon — our secondary coach. He’s a Texas Ex himself and always has an upbeat message. He recommended that I read this story in the bible, the Book of Job. It’s the story of a man who is given the ultimate test of faith. He has everything he values stripped from him: Friends, family, material wealth— I mean everything. Despite having all of these things stripped away, Job maintains his faith — the only thing that couldn’t be taken from him. It definitely hit me in a certain kind of way, at a time when I really needed it. Sometimes there isn’t a good explanation for why bad things happen, but what’s in your control is how you react. Even when your body is hurt, you can always lean on your faith. Tim Warner/Getty Images I’ve tried my best to look at my injury through the most positive lens that I can. All of my goals in life are still very much ahead of me. Next season, I know that I can still be the best running back in the country. I can still be drafted to play in the NFL and play alongside Jonathan, Bijan, Roschon and all the other amazing running backs this school has produced. And I’m going to be able to approach it all from a place of gratitude. Just loving football more than I ever have before — because I know what it’s like have it taken away. But right now, my goal is to be the best teammate I’ve ever been. Because even if I can’t be out there on the field against A&M, I know my voice holds weight. Whether it’s giving advice to the younger players or just keeping a positive vibe when things are tense, there’s power in taking ownership of the ways you’re able to contribute to the culture — even when you’re hurting. I’m so excited to watch my guys do their thing on Saturday. There’s a phrase that gets tossed around the building a lot…. “Culture + Talent = Dangerous” This school has always had the talent part down. Anyone who’s ever been to Austin understands why talented people kind of naturally want to be here. But now that we have a culture to match it, I mean, that’s just really, really bad news for every other team in the nation. We are back to where we belong. Playing for all the marbles. The Blueprint is there. Now it’s time to execute. Go out there and get one for your brother. Sincerely, CJ

Talk about a great sales pitch

Here is the whole article:

God, I love C.J. Baxter. Also, what Sark has done to the culture at Texas is incredible when you compare it to even three years ago. https://www.theplayerstribune.com/cj-baxter-ncaa-football-texas-longhorns We are back to where we belong. Playing for all the marbles. The Blueprint is there. Now it’s time to execute. Go out there and get one for your brother. Sincerely, CJ Article below:

Dang. The whole thing is inspirational, but this? Put that on the locker room wall.

"What Whitt broke down for me was essentially all of the things that usually go unspoken, but that make the difference between a team competing for a national championship and missing a bowl game entirely. He’d experienced both sides of it since he’d been at Texas. He told me from the jump what I did in high school didn’t matter anymore. Everybody at Texas balled out in high school — that’s why they’re a Longhorn. For a lot of players, it means sitting on the bench for the first time in your life. Lesson 1: Don’t complain and poison the locker room. Earn your spot on the depth chart. That ego hit can ultimately be too much for some guys. And if it is? There’s the door." That's the difference between guys who get it (Whitt, Baxter, etc.) and the guys that don't (Cook, etc.).

Sad to see this thunderdouche wearing our colors.

NSIAP. OMG THIS IS SOME NEXT LEVEL TROLLING BY ESPN! 🤣

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBG696jPHci/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Also, JRE reppin' Texas with Mike Rowe right now

Watching that JWhitt tackle that caused the fumble against TCU always gets me jacked up. He whiffed on his first attempt, got up, and ran the guy down from behind. Classic Whitt play.

I did last year. Delicious. Stuffed them with boudin and cheese.

Thank god ive stockpiled mezcal for the last 7 yeaes

Um, we homos would have nothing to do with those delusional dorks thank you very much.

So….The consensus on why A&M will win Saturday isn’t really about A&M’s team but rather the belief Texas won’t be able to handle the fans and the noise they’ll make because A&M has been waiting for this night for 13 years.

Interesting stat for this game Texas offense #3 in YAC (almost 2k) A&M defense #114 in YAC allowed (almost 1400)

That 2019 class was cursed, but it’s clear that Whittington and Roschon are two of the most important recruits we’ve signed in decades.

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/cj-baxter-ncaa-football-texas-longhorns

BuT tHe kIdS oNLy CArE aBoUT nIL! So SAd! -LeanderMan, certainly

Derka is banned from even viewing the site until the CCG, then after that he's banned from posting until Dec 31, after that he's on indefinite shadow banned status (hidden until approved posts). If you are wondering why you can look here.

I can't fathom a person calling Jan 6th an abomination then looking themselves in the mirror after voting Trump for a 3rd time. Unless they were fully committed to being a piece a shit.

Blast from the past.

I don't think bluesky is for me.

And Worthy. He was on the ground and got up and chased the play all the way back and ended up recovering the ball. That play and Bolden's recovery in the end zone against OU this year are both perfect examples of the culture Sark has created here.

Last night at the ranch was just me, my daughter, my 94 year old mom, and my dogs so it was pleasant. That all ended this morning when my MAGAT older sister came up. I’ve already been subjected to rants about how the only President worse than Carter was Biden. She also made fun of my daughter liking Taylor Swift because if she wasn’t so liberal she could get a man and wouldn’t have to only sing about her break ups. Also had to listen to rant about Talylor Swift being a bitch for telling my sister that she can’t drive an SUV while she flies around in a private jet. I’m not sure where the fuck that one came from. I’m getting reading to take my daughter into town to go to WalMart so we can be around less unpleasant people.

that's really well-written.

First thought upon seeing thread title: he's entering the portal.

Vivek is a fucking idiot

You sound like the aggies. Let’s just go get some rough country boys who want to be Longhorns and send ‘em to Junction to get tough and learn how to bleed burnt orange for their school! Fuck life changing money for them and their family! stupid fucking post. The cheating was always fucking there, it was just localized to 10-15 programs. NIL has evened it out for Texas. You want to go back to 2011-2022, do ya? Those years were full of great horns who bled burnt orange and loved their school so much they skipped the singing the Eyes after games. Go shake your fist at the sky and change your depends somewhere else, old man. I’m going to watch my team play in the playoffs.

Imagine thinking that literally anyone in the world has ever lied in any way close to the amount of lies that Donald Trump has told about the 2020 election, J6, his own felonies, and every other aspect of his disgusting life.

Aggy spending $1000+ a seat for a football game, while saying the price of eggs was a hardship; driving them to vote for Trump. uh.. yeah, we know why you didn't vote for Harris and it is not because of the economy.

Same here and I'm waiting for it. I also don't think he'll do much. I'm in Big Retail and the economy would collapse almost immediately if he deported anywhere close to what he's talking about. The Corporate Republicans won't allow that. Part of my hopes he does it, though, just to show people what happens if you fuck around.

This is what many of us (lawyers) have been saying, dude. What I'll suggest to you is that the legal profession is no more or less immune to the greater decay that is wrecking our society as a whole. The vast majority of attorneys are not just practicing in an ethical way that reflects their position as officers of the court, but most are also sounding the alarm, speaking as to the importance of the rule of law, and the like. But like any other element of society/the social order, it only takes a relatively low percentage of turds in the punchbowl to turn the whole thing into a bowl of shitpunch. There's always a bad actor here and there, in every facet of society. But so long as that element is a manageably low number, the system works. Once that element builds and hits a critical mass......it's shitpunch. None of our systems -- not a single one -- are equipped to handle a critical mass of people simply opting out of the social contract. That's all that EVERYTHING is -- our legal system, economic system and transactions, social dynamics, all of it -- it's just an agreement. A handshake deal. I'll sell you a widget with a price of $10, you pay me $10. I won't run a red light to kill you or me, I get to go through the intersection on green. When that breaks down, it is a total breakdown, across all systems. You are correct - we are experiencing a tragedy of the commons playing out on a grand scale. I'm not absolving my profession of responsibility. I'm just telling you that we're just as fucked as everyone else. Too many people want to be kings of the ashes instead of members of the merchant class of a prosperous country. And the past couple of decades have shown us that this is inevitable. No amount of warnings or examples of pain will even slow it down. And that's the fucking awful truth.

Who is the pussy now?

aggy didn’t lose, they just ran out of unconsciousness.

Holy shit, let me at the next brick wall I see. I've always wanted him to come back from this injury and succeed just as a Longhorn fan. After reading all of that, I hope he comes back and has as much success for himself in everything he ever does. Hook'em!

And, dumbass senator from dumbassistan doesn't understand that those tax dollars....were NOT sent to Ukraine, but were sent to places like his home state of Alafuckingbama. Money spent HERE. On American products, made by American workers. He may be he dumbest person to ever hold a Senate seat. And I'm including the Roman Senate in that.

"And I woke up kind of sad...but then I cheered right up. Cause I know we'll be aggy by WAY more than that!"

The senator from Ruzzia has thoughts.

Perfect post. It's entirely results-oriented Calvinball now. Bruen is the single worst-reasoned decision from SCOTUS I've ever read. It's a perfect mix of idiocy and jaw-dropping dishonesty, and it 100% means what it said -- Thomas reiterated that point. It elevated the Second Amendment above the entire rest of the Constitution, and formalized a method of "Constitutional Interpretation" that is complete nonsense, a recipe for disingenuous bullshit, and we've already seen that recipe followed. Rahimi didn't save shit. It's a band-aid on an era of SCOTUS that is going to make Dred Scott look like a work of genius in comparison. This is what the Federalist Society wants: a Court that does what it wants, whenever it wants, employing only the "guiding principles" that conveniently allow for the "whatever we want, whenever we want" outcome. If a court isn't regularly issuing rulings with a thought of "I really don't like this outcome, and really don't want to do this, but following the law and precedent, it's what I have to do," then it isn't a real court. The Supreme Court of the United States is no longer a real court. I've been a practicing attorney for decades....and I never thought I would say that, but here we are.

Texas beating OU 49-0 is one of the greatest days of my life. Fight me.