Hondo

Just swinging for the fences...

The stats link in the OP sends you to the final for the 9-2 to Texas A&M. Thanks for that reminder...

Gotcha, thanks. I missed most of the game, but caught the tail end and was quite surprised when Powell took his mask off after hosing the runner at 2nd. Powell looked pretty damn comfortable back there too. I get that he's a catcher-turned-3B, but still.

Seriously asking since I guessed I completely missed it yesterday or today...I know Galvan hurt his thumb and can't catch, so Schuessler has been behind the plate. He can't catch the ball for shit, but he's thrown out a few and has been hitting alright. What happened to get Powell at catcher?

Just tuned in for the last inning. Imagine my surprise at seeing Dee Kennedy at SS and Powell at catcher... What's going on?

Yep. "We're Texas" was good enough until everyone else caught up. Yep, that's been my point - it's conditional on getting the rest of our house in order. It won't stand alone anymore like it used to.

The "long hair, beards, and chains" isn't about the long hair, beards, or the chains. It's about "what are you focused on, yourself and all the peripheral bullshit, or the team, the game of baseball, and the goal of winning the last game of the season?" It's about cutting out distractions. It's about putting everyone on the same page so there are no individuals or competing interests, only a single cohesive unit pushing toward the same goal.* It's no different in the military and/or other paramilitary organizations. You don't get to be an individual until you get to the top. And even then, nobody's focused ON being an individual; they just aren't as focused on NOT being an individual. <--- There is a huge difference between those two things. . And when you're at the bottom or in the middle, that decision/distinction is made for you so you can worry about/focus on other things. *In the case of Texas Baseball, it's also probably a little bit about representing the University of Texas at Austin. Texas Longhorns represent the University of Texas. UT isn't some podunk, half-ass school. It's a top tier university, nationally and globally, and one of the top public universities in the country. There's more to UT than sportsball. Nobody even thinks about LSU or Mississippi State as universities, only as athletic programs. They are the Tigers/Bulldogs and nothing else.

Correct. That's got to change. Even more so if we retain the old school culture (which I want us to do).

We used to be the most extreme program culture-wise, but we were still aligned with baseball overall for the most part. Now in 2024, we're actually different than baseball culture as a whole...not because we changed, but because everyone else did. I don't think we need to change with them and "go with the flow", as long as we can compete in the other areas (facilities, stadium, etc., etc., etc.). If we're NOT on par with the major SEC programs in those areas AND we retain the old school "it's not about you, it's about the team/program, so cut your hair, shave your face, and lose the gold chains" culture, then we'll keep falling behind. In a perfect world, I'd like to see us maintain Texas Baseball as it was and still is, and make up for it by having the best of everything else.

This is "my reading comprehension sucks and I can't understand anything that's not broken down into easily digestible soundbites - but I really want to reply and since I'm unable to articulate my thoughts, I'll just be a dismissive little twat" shit.

People don't understand this and when someone brings it up, they misinterpret it as a knock on the program. It's not a knock on the program at all. In fact, it has nothing whatsoever to do with the program. It's a reflection of what young players in 2024 value. Texas Baseball hasn't changed, the kids have. Hell, you can see it at the root - in Little League/travel ball. Everything is all about individualism and style/swag. Walk up songs, rings for every f'n tournament, pictures, videos, stupid haircuts, etc. Baseball used to be about baseball; now playing baseball is only about 50% of it. The other 50% is about attention, hype, Instagramable moments, etc. It's more about being "special/unique", the kid's "personal brand", and less about the game itself. It's no wonder when they get to college, they gravitate toward places that are extensions of the same. Personally, I like Texas' "look/act like a professional" culture and I hope we never change. But we're going to have to make up for it in some other way, whether NIL, facilities, or something.

"Jack O'Dowd is the last chance for Texas here."

Well, it was a FB on the inside half of the plate. He wasn't going to hit it anyway.

Why is Flores reaching for his body instead of putting the glove in front of the bag?

5-7-1

Wind blowing straight in at 15mph and we're chasing shit up in the zone. It's a strategy.

It's okay, guys. Pierce always has them ready for the CWS.

Throwing 0-2 pitches over the heart of the plate isn't a great idea.

6 innings by LBJ, holding them to 2 runs and he can't get a f'n win out of it. Just unreal.

Catcher hits well. Catcher throws well. Catcher struggles with...catching.

...in a respectful manner and without raising our voices too loud so as not to disturb others.

It's women's' basketball where nobody really jumps and she's 6'9". "Stand over there with your arms up. If the ball is going up, swat it away. If it's coming down, grab it."

Cameron Brink and Shay Holle are both 1st round draft picks. If they're available, you take 'em. They're pretty good at basketball too.

19 point lead at the half. Y'all know what that means...prepare for a nail biter.

Interesting wardrobe and nail choice for the big game.