Here's To The Huskies

Admittedly the focus of most "general" sports fans in this part of the world is on football. For those who prefer basketball as their #1, though, its a pretty good time to be paying attention.

Rice, Houston, Texas, Texas A&M are all off to nice early season non-conference starts. Houston Baptist is not, but no one expected them to be. HBU is still looking for its first win. No one, however, should accuse them of taking the easy way out on their road to success in Division I. The Huskies have already had an rough schedule. They have played Michigan, Rice, South Alabama, Northwestern State and Sacramento State. Not all of those teams, if any, will be national powers this year, but all play on a higher level than HBU right now.

It doesn't get easier. Memphis, Creighton and SMU are all on the schedule too. In many ways HBU is sort of like an expansion team. They have to establish their D1 program by taking a bunch of knocks. The school, which has only been around since 1960, has a long way to go. But the leaders are determined to make it work.

Odds N Ends... Very nice effort by Texas A&M in their ten point loss to Texas on Thanksgiving night. The offense was most impressive. One stop on a 3rd and 12 in the 4th quarter might have turned the game the other way, but the Longhorns not only got the first down, but the clinching TD on the same play. There WILL be Texas residents rooting against UT in the Big 12 title game. Most of them are in Fort Worth. A loss by the Longhorns is likely the only way TCU has a shot at the BCS championship game. Of course a good and close SEC title game could still scotch that if the powers that be decide a rematch in Pasadena would be best. Would they dare?... Rockets just don't seem to match up with Dallas at all... both games the two worst of the year for Houston. That's OK... just beat most everyone else... just a hunch, but with the lack of dominance by Indianapolis in recent weeks and the Texans now with their backs to the wall I feel a Houston win on Sunday. If that feeling turns out to be overly optimistic this season's goal to be over .500 and make the playoffs will be heading for life support.

It's not just because I've known Barry Warner since 1982 when he and I worked Rockets basketball telecasts on Ch20, but I am happy he is back on the air more with 610. Barry will antagonize some, but NO ONE in this town has more contacts in the sports world. He is always working them, too. He is just not talking off the top of his head. His opinions are not shared by all-especially some coaches, managers or owners-but they are at least a result of work by a guy who really does work... Saw Milo Hamilton and Junction Jack repping the Astros in the Thanksgiving Day Parade. Milo is proud of the number of stadiums he has broadcast from and the number of years he has been in broadcasting and baseball, but he should start counting his years as the Astros Thanksgiving Parade icon. He's been holding that post for a long time, too.

Reminder, the annual Mid-Winter Baseball banquet is January 21. Tickets are $75 each. Michael Bourn, Wandy Rodriguez and many others will be honored.