On Broadway: Veteran Leadership leading the way
The Red Raiders have one of the most senior-heavy starting lineup in the country going into the 2015 season. Just look through the projected starters. Le'Raven Clark, Alfredo Morales, and Jared Kaster maker up the left side of the offensive line, Pete Robertson, Rika Levi, Keland McElrath, and Branden Jackson are the entire starting unit for the defensive line, Micah Awe is the heart of the defense at mike linebacker, DeAndre Washington will lead the way in the backfield, and Jakeem Grant is the team's statistical leader at receiver.
That's 10 players that have played a whole, whole lot of football on the South Plains, too. Really, other than McElrath and Levi, the rest of the group have more or less started from the time they were freshmen.
To put it simply, the leaders on this football team have been through their fair share of wars, and now they're the elders, guiding the young core of talented players such as Pat Mahomes, Justin Stockton, Ian Sadler, Nigel Bethel, Tevin Madison, Breiden Fehoko, Derrick Dixon, and others.
I think that's a very, very good omen for this football team.
Awe, Kaster, Robertson, Jackson and Washington are five seniors that their younger peers will listen to, and they're a fivesome that have seen everything, good and bad, in the transition from Tuberville to Kingsbury. It's their last go around, and knowing the way they operate, I think it's safe to say they won't let a year like 2014 happen again.
The younger players will listen to them, and they'll dictate the attitude inside the locker room. So, if anything, I think you all as Red Raider fans should feel comfortable with the fact that the on-field leaders are as strong a group as Tech's had since 2012 and 2008-2009 before that.
Attitude can do a lot for a team, and as long as the right players make the right progress on the field and in the weight room this summer, I think there's potential brewing for a much better season than anyone might have thought six months ago.
Link Me, Bro.
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Ted 2 comes out this weekend, and here's a review if you were on the fence.
The Rangers allowed a cheetah onto the field on Thursday afternoon. Hooray for living, breathing death machines!
Power Rankings: Deadly Animals
Speaking of living death machines, and seeing as it's summertime (when many families take their kids to the zoo), I figured I'd go with my power rankings for animals that totally terrify me and could dethrone humanity from our position of power should they become intelligent beings.
5. Great white shark - The grizzly bears of the ocean, except they're faster and have more teeth. You essentially have no hope if you run into one of these bad boys while traversing the seas, and they contribute greatly to my fear of going any further than two feet into the water at the beach.
4. Cape Buffalo - Basically, if you look up and down this list, you figure out anything that roams the wilds of Africa is on a mission from hell to find you and kill you should you encroach the sands of the continent. Cape Buffalo are like bulls on steroids, except they've been known to kill people just because. For fun.
3. Rhinoceros - An armored tank that's living and hopes to trample your ass? Sure, slide on into the number three spot, big boy.
2. Bears -Polar, grizzly, black, or whatever kind they might be, bears are the holy terror that haunts the dreams of those that live within the immediate radius of anything that might even resemble a mountain. Have you ever seen a bear in person, in the wild? I have. No thanks.
1. Hippopotamus - Everyone growing up as a kid thinks, "Oh yeah, hippos are fat and funny and cool! Hungry Hungry Hippos is a lot of fun!" Well that's a big ole crock of malarkey, because they're gigantic cold blooded killers that can dominate on both land and sea. They're versatile, strong, and they hate you. Good luck here.
One More Thing...
On one last note, I just wanted to briefly share my condolences with the family of Jennie Bailey. If you've ever spoken with anyone involved in any way with Texas Tech football - or Tech athletics in general - you know what she means to so many athletes that have gone through the program. She was a mother away from home for hundreds of football players over the years, and she was a wonderful woman that was able to touch so many people in such a truly beautiful way. I know there are so many people hurting today, and I just wanted to say thank you so much to her for what she's done for Red Raider football.
The Red Raiders have one of the most senior-heavy starting lineup in the country going into the 2015 season. Just look through the projected starters. Le'Raven Clark, Alfredo Morales, and Jared Kaster maker up the left side of the offensive line, Pete Robertson, Rika Levi, Keland McElrath, and Branden Jackson are the entire starting unit for the defensive line, Micah Awe is the heart of the defense at mike linebacker, DeAndre Washington will lead the way in the backfield, and Jakeem Grant is the team's statistical leader at receiver.
That's 10 players that have played a whole, whole lot of football on the South Plains, too. Really, other than McElrath and Levi, the rest of the group have more or less started from the time they were freshmen.
To put it simply, the leaders on this football team have been through their fair share of wars, and now they're the elders, guiding the young core of talented players such as Pat Mahomes, Justin Stockton, Ian Sadler, Nigel Bethel, Tevin Madison, Breiden Fehoko, Derrick Dixon, and others.
I think that's a very, very good omen for this football team.
Awe, Kaster, Robertson, Jackson and Washington are five seniors that their younger peers will listen to, and they're a fivesome that have seen everything, good and bad, in the transition from Tuberville to Kingsbury. It's their last go around, and knowing the way they operate, I think it's safe to say they won't let a year like 2014 happen again.
The younger players will listen to them, and they'll dictate the attitude inside the locker room. So, if anything, I think you all as Red Raider fans should feel comfortable with the fact that the on-field leaders are as strong a group as Tech's had since 2012 and 2008-2009 before that.
Attitude can do a lot for a team, and as long as the right players make the right progress on the field and in the weight room this summer, I think there's potential brewing for a much better season than anyone might have thought six months ago.
Link Me, Bro.
Uh oh. This Chicago Little League team was accused of cheating, and now they're coming back with vengeance
Into rap music? Here are 10 mixtapes you should be listening to that you likely haven't heard.
The Kings are debating whether or not to fire George Karl over the debate to trade Demarcus Cousins.
Ted 2 comes out this weekend, and here's a review if you were on the fence.
The Rangers allowed a cheetah onto the field on Thursday afternoon. Hooray for living, breathing death machines!
Power Rankings: Deadly Animals
Speaking of living death machines, and seeing as it's summertime (when many families take their kids to the zoo), I figured I'd go with my power rankings for animals that totally terrify me and could dethrone humanity from our position of power should they become intelligent beings.
5. Great white shark - The grizzly bears of the ocean, except they're faster and have more teeth. You essentially have no hope if you run into one of these bad boys while traversing the seas, and they contribute greatly to my fear of going any further than two feet into the water at the beach.
4. Cape Buffalo - Basically, if you look up and down this list, you figure out anything that roams the wilds of Africa is on a mission from hell to find you and kill you should you encroach the sands of the continent. Cape Buffalo are like bulls on steroids, except they've been known to kill people just because. For fun.
3. Rhinoceros - An armored tank that's living and hopes to trample your ass? Sure, slide on into the number three spot, big boy.
2. Bears -Polar, grizzly, black, or whatever kind they might be, bears are the holy terror that haunts the dreams of those that live within the immediate radius of anything that might even resemble a mountain. Have you ever seen a bear in person, in the wild? I have. No thanks.
1. Hippopotamus - Everyone growing up as a kid thinks, "Oh yeah, hippos are fat and funny and cool! Hungry Hungry Hippos is a lot of fun!" Well that's a big ole crock of malarkey, because they're gigantic cold blooded killers that can dominate on both land and sea. They're versatile, strong, and they hate you. Good luck here.
One More Thing...
On one last note, I just wanted to briefly share my condolences with the family of Jennie Bailey. If you've ever spoken with anyone involved in any way with Texas Tech football - or Tech athletics in general - you know what she means to so many athletes that have gone through the program. She was a mother away from home for hundreds of football players over the years, and she was a wonderful woman that was able to touch so many people in such a truly beautiful way. I know there are so many people hurting today, and I just wanted to say thank you so much to her for what she's done for Red Raider football.
