Stories Inside the Man Cave
Stories Inside the Man Cave
The Pass Rush with Stevie Lee & Clynch: #HookEm roster movement & CFP changes ahead
We weigh the portal era, opt-outs, and playoff politics against the need for a fairer path to a title. We lay out where Texas must reload, why bowl practices matter, and how expansion should reward ceiling over floor.
• portal and NIL shaping roster churn
• best wins over worst losses as playoff metric
• G5 access versus competitive credibility
• bowl practices as development and evaluation
• Texas roster needs at RB, WR, OL, safety, specialists
• culture and fit beating pure star power
• a Rose Bowl memory and why moments endure
• FCS pride, cold-weather road trips, and local HS powers
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Well, the Texas Longhorns will have to replace him at Kicker, Mason Crosby. He's exhausted his eligibility, and the list of Longhorns entering the transfer portal is growing by the hour, it seems, but hey, this is nothing new. You, the college football fans, should be conditioned to this. This is the NIL and Portal era. It's not a slight to a program for kids, prospects, um, to leave the program. This is just where we are. You know, this is what uh the portal is for. Uh, young men, young men and women's sports trying to seek other opportunities. Better suited for them. It's not a negative sign for either the young person or the program. We're gonna talk about that in episode 499, and we're going to finally, finally let go of the drama and debate that was the college football playoff, the one that Texas with three losses will not be a part of. And for the right reasons, but I will say, Texas is one of the top eight to ten teams in the country, regardless of record. Hey, Stevie is eager, and so am I. We got a lot to talk about, a lot of change. This is the month of change with the college football program to pass run to Stevie Lee, episode 499. Let's rock.
SPEAKER_04:You're gonna hear. Number one, Miami's in over Notre Dame. Miami beat Notre Dame. Head-to-head games have to matter. If they don't matter, why the hell are we playing them? Number two, if Alabama gets in, even though they lost their commerce championship game, BYU has to get in, even though they lost their commerce championship game. Here's why Texas should be in. Because if everything is comparable, don't tell me about the worst losses. Tell me about your best wins. Don't brag about how a team has a higher floor than another team. No. How high is your ceiling? The college football playoffs is about who can win the most games, not who's gonna lose the worst. Hell no.
SPEAKER_09:Hey, Manny Ocho had a point, Stevie. We're gonna put this to bed shortly, but are you glad this whole debate is over with?
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, um, it still needs to evolve a little bit. Full disclosure for Ocho, he's he has a dog in the fight, so that's why he was uh he was pretty passionate about Texas. Um man, going before the weekend, I knew that it was gonna be tough uphill battle for us to get in. So it wasn't a surprise for me, but there is there's debate um on what what should happen and what should have happened. Uh, and people are griping a little bit, rightfully so. And um, I mean, we have a college football playoffs, and I and and no offense to little the little um universities out there, but we have James Madison in. Like we gotta think about this. Like, like if it's the college football playoffs, are we letting people in that actually could go and compete for it, or are we letting people in um to show love to different uh divisions and uh and and conferences? So where are we? So that that has to be answered.
SPEAKER_09:Fair take. Fair take.
SPEAKER_05:Because I don't think anybody is choosing James Madison to win the championship.
SPEAKER_09:Nobody's choosing Tulane.
SPEAKER_05:No one's too choosing Tulane. Yes, they have a chance, but come on, come on. The the some of the three teams that y'all left out have better chances than those schools. You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_09:Yeah, I agree, and yeah, I and it's hard, and we're gonna get heavier into the criticism, but in a way in which we're putting it to rest as you should. Don't be bitter, don't hate on it. It's just how it's set up, and we have no control over it. It's like politics. We have our views, we can express them, but in the end, it's not gonna change for another year, for another season. Hey, in case you're not aware, I'm Sean Clint, the host of Stories Inside the Man Cape, co-host of this great series, The Pass Rush with Stevie Lee, the guy to the right, proud native of Shreeport, Louisiana, and proud former Longhorn who played for the great Mac Brown. Hey, be sure to follow us on all of our social media platforms, they're all listed right there, and you can subscribe for free to our YouTube page. And you are we m have much love for you and appreciation for you of just following along, commenting, and watching all of these episodes. Uh, we may be without the playmaker, Mike Adams. You know, we're all busy, and honestly, December, although short, for those working types, as we all are, we're trying to cram a lot into a few weeks because a lot of people will be unplugged here shortly. So we're trying to be productive during our work time, Stevie. Uh, we have to give love to our family, the hardgrove family who make this possible. And they just had their Christmas party in Houston, but that's because they love the great state of Texas and the state of Louisiana, and you are the man who says it the best about this great company.
SPEAKER_05:Hardgrove Roofing knows on your roof, and they know how to party too.
SPEAKER_09:No question. Celebrate life and celebrate this beautiful season that is Christmas. I will say change is inevitable. Um, and we're gonna get a little bit more into this um, this little subject matter, if you will, on what we would change, because there's a lot to criticize, but you know, it it has gotten better since it started, and it actually improved from when it expanded to 12 teams last year when they put the four highest rated conference champions as the top four. This year it's just the top four in the CFP. But the top five highest, the five highest rated conference champions get in to the CFP. That I will say I think you only allow G5 programs in if they're in the top 12. That's how I feel. That's how I feel.
SPEAKER_05:Gotcha.
SPEAKER_09:Do they deserve a spot at the table? Yes, if they're in the top 12.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah. I like it. I like it, Sean. I like that.
SPEAKER_09:Or, as I said on Sunday on a TikTok video when I was leaving the beautiful city of Nackydoches to come back home to Austin, I said, or expand to 16, but we're still gonna have the bitching and debating of who's 17, 18, 19, but still have that rule for the G5, or eliminate and have a bracket for the G5 alone to compete for a national championship, the G5 national championship. Have an 18 playoff for them.
SPEAKER_05:So then we have two national champions in NCAA. Actually, I guess we have more than that.
SPEAKER_09:Yeah, you go power four, power five, g5, fcs at the division one level. So it can go anyways, or you can just go with the FCS model invite 2014s and um eight playing or four playing games and go that route. That's just but but you're still going to have bitching and moaning. Well, who's a 25, 26, 27, 2018? You know, it's that's just how it is. Yeah, so with MA absent, I think we gotta bring in the Longhorns. They're going. I I I know they paid a lot of money, all these bowl games for their sponsorship. The cheese it citrus bowl. Um, Stevie, this is obviously you played in a four of these bowl games, mainly great games. Um, this is in Orlando, Florida. Um, it's also a time now with where we are. You've got kids opting out for the NFL, they're gonna wrap up their career, they're not gonna suit up for the bowl game. You have kids entering the NIL, or excuse me, the transfer portal, I think, which opens January 2nd. Um, and we're gonna kind of go through that. But these bowl games, I think Sark said it best, summarizing what it is. It it's it's gives the younger kids an opportunity to compete before they enter spring camp, which, as you know, is when the team's really molded.
SPEAKER_00:I'm sure it'll take a little bit of time to get to the to the final number of who may and who may not play, but that's okay. We've got a really young football team. We've got a lot of good young players that are that are chomping at the bit for their opportunity to play. We're gonna get a lot of extended practice time. Essentially, this is gonna turn into uh uh another spring ball for us where a lot of young players are gonna get an opportunity to show how much they've grown and developed over the season, um, and with the opportunity to potentially play in this game where this game doesn't count against their eligibility.
SPEAKER_09:Okay, so that that sums up that part where it's not gonna count against anybody's eligibility eligibility. It's the last game of the year. Um, first off, address what he said about that, then we'll get into the matchup. Um you you look at the the the movement, the movement on the roster. I mean, I know you guys experience a little bit, but now this is a regular annual occurrence. You it's good the you're gonna see a lot of people playing more minutes than you probably saw them during the season. I mean, what what is your thoughts on this? Because even though you and I are pretty much the same generation era, um, I'm still trying to wrap my head around the amount of roster changes during before a bowl game or CFP.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, it we and we didn't have it like that when when I played. Um I think uh a couple of guys should have uh sat out the bowl game, but didn't. There's one guy that sat didn't that played the bowl game and got really hurt and did not you know work out for NFL scouts and things like that. So that it's really unfortunate when you do get hurt as a senior going into um uh combines and and uh and pro days and things like that. Because honestly, if you're not in the college football playoffs, it's kind of a um useless uh game for you as a senior. Yeah, uh, but it actually works for you going into your spring. So I do like what coach said, uh getting the practices in, um basically three weeks of practice extra practices going into spring ball, showing what you can do, showing coaches what you can do. Um maybe somebody have a breakout um uh bowl practice, and and the coaches feel more confident about them playing next season to where they don't have to go out and get somebody in their position in the portal. So it's uh it's also evaluation time. Yeah, uh the Citrus Bowl is not a bad bowl. Uh yeah, it's a good bowl. And uh we're playing Michigan, and so it's good competition in that bowl. So all the underclassmen that are staying here and that's that's that's bought into the Texas system, just go out and have a great practice. Um have great three what three weeks of practices, um, and and show up at the game and uh and be professional. And uh that may earn your spot for next season, uh, and and definitely get momentum going into the spring ball.
SPEAKER_09:But when you look at this roster movement uh heading into the Citrus Bowl, which is on New Year's Eve, um, you know, you I think we knew this was coming. Um Sark, the recruitment of Anthony Hill, number zero, he flipped him from AM to Texas, and he has had a tremendous career. He made an impact immediately. Um, it's not a question to you, Stevie, of whether you agree or disagree. He's done. He's not playing another game for as a longhorn, and that's the bittersweet part of this, but I think he's done all he can. As far as NFL stock, right? Or do you think he could elevate it at all?
SPEAKER_05:No, I think that um at this point he has enough game film to where scouts can uh go and scout him and things like that. The the um the I agree with him not playing, uh just because I like I said, I lived it. Um a teammate of mine got hurt and did not go on to play in the NFL over a meaningless, meaningless, to him meaningless holiday ball, you know right? So um that person missed out on making potentially making millions just because he played in the holiday ball. Um, and so I think that um Hill is making a business decision, and we have to applaud him and support him in that. And and I know people are still out there like, man, I wish these guys was playing a bowl game and things like that. It's a business decision, guys. It really is. And yes, I want to see him suit up in a burn orange again, but he has to make the best decision for him and his family and for generational wealth that he can uh accumulate. So um I don't fault them for it, it just sucks the way it's set up right now.
SPEAKER_09:So continuing the roster movement, depending on when you're watching that, so far, the guys who have entered the portal for Texas, Trey Owens at quarterback, uh running back CJ Baxter, kind of a surprise, but that injury really derailed his, he just wasn't the same. Melvin Hills, the defensive tackle, Will Stone early in the year, the kicker, and then Connor Stroh, the offensive lineman. I believe he started five games for Texas. I mean, there is no criticism of any of these, any guys who are wanting to transfer out. But when you see this list growing and you look at what Texas may be returning, is there anything concerning for you? Because this is really when if you're looking at their 4D at their position, they just had an amazing signing class, early signing class. You know they're going to there's that thumbs up, um thumbs up for the CFP Aggies. Um, it did it again. Um when you look at you know they're gonna fill some spots in the portal. Sark and that coaching staff are gonna be have been and probably are shopping as we speak. What are we looking at? With this, you see who's entering the portal right now, and probably there's gonna be many more. Where do you go? Where do you what are you looking for in this portal?
SPEAKER_05:Well, I'm looking for a badass running back. I'm looking that for us uh a couple more offensive linemen. Um I know this line um is new, and we had a kid that got hurt in uh camp. Yeah, um, what was his name? I can't remember.
SPEAKER_09:Was it Will or is it Christian Clark?
SPEAKER_05:Uh yeah, I think so. So um he'll be back, you know, depending on how bad the injury was, but we still need some more depth. And um so we need a we need a running back, a little more depth on the O-line, and we need to go and find a number one receiver, like we did uh what's the kid that came from Georgia? Uh Golden?
SPEAKER_09:Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. You you gotta have a portal, a difference maker.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, a difference maker at running back and receiver. Now, do we have any holes at uh uh and on the defensive side?
SPEAKER_09:Maybe so we may need a safety, perhaps.
SPEAKER_05:Safety, I was gonna say safety, um, and outside linebacker to try to replace heel or um, but you know, everybody else is solid. I know we we're we're uh we're losing. Um who are we losing? Uh Taft, right? Yep. Yeah, so you know, some somebody that can kind of pull out pull that slack a little bit. So uh I mean we may have the depth on the depth chart already, but you those are the things that I would want to look for. Now we also need a kicker because um Shipley came in and took over Brooke Bert Auburn. Um and and and Shipley did very well. Now he's gone.
SPEAKER_09:So you need a we need a punter too.
SPEAKER_05:We need a punter, yeah, exactly. So like I said, though we we may have that on the roster already, but those are things that we need to look at, though the guys that are leaving.
SPEAKER_09:Yeah, you know, they it's it's it I think it will all work itself out. I think fans have got to be patient, but be excited too, because when you shop this portal, it there it's a fine line. You could go get a lot of talent, but you they've got to be a fit in into the program. You know, there's you know, I it makes me wonder if uh Wisner is gonna opt for the NFL.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, we'll see.
SPEAKER_09:They had two running back signees, uh Jet Walker out of Georgetown, and then Derek Cooper, who's a phenomenal back. I think he's rated five star running back. Um, and then you know, I think a lot of people are excited what to see what um Justice Terry is like as a sophomore. That is, he's at defensive line. You know, there's there's talent out there, but to your point, bring in a portal guy to help. Mature and grow these young men at these these certain positions. Um, but there are holes, and and and you gotta have a balance of dog and leadership mixed with these young young pups.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, I think that um Malik Mohammed is gonna be pretty good next year. Hopefully he But does he leave? Hopefully he stays. Hopefully he stays. Uh I think that he does need to stay, though. I I saw a lot from him, and he was great and making big plays, but um he can he can do better this season, next season. So hopefully he stays.
SPEAKER_09:Well, to put a wrap, and I know it's it's you know, Texas fans have got to realize listen, the politicking done by Sark and that entire staff and other programs did a phenomenal job, delivered some valid points um to get in. But I'm not asking you to agree with me at all. I just don't think three loss, a three-loss team belongs in the CFP. However, they kept Alabama in with three losses, the third loss being the conference sec championship game against Georgia. If you look at Alabama's resume, sketch, what they did, very similar to Texas. You know, they got hammered by Georgia, but they beat Georgia early in the year. Texas did not do that, but and but they also had a bad loss to Florida State. So there's some comparable resumes there. But when you look at this, I know that I just go to the 12 seed and the 11, the two G5s, because they were two of the five highest ranked conference champions. When you look at this bracket, who's your surprise? Or do you just see those top four moving on?
SPEAKER_05:I think Texas Tech is gonna get surprised by uh Oregon.
SPEAKER_09:Really?
SPEAKER_05:Yeah.
SPEAKER_09:Okay, for sure.
SPEAKER_05:Texas Tech, I don't know. I mean, they they're they're good and they on a high, but they're gonna they're gonna turn into Texas Tech after uh going into this college football playoffs. Um what I don't like is seeing Notre Dame and Texas being held out of the college football playoffs and James Madison and Tulane in. They have no chance against these powerhouses. None. And I think that um Texas and and Notre Dame has a chance. So put the the teams that have a best chance of getting to the national national championship game and maybe winning it. Um James Madison will have to go through you know Oregon, Texas Tech, either you know, Alabama OU or or uh Indiana. That's just not gonna happen, man. Yeah, it's not so you know if you're if you're in the room and you took the computers out of it, we don't have the BCS computer anymore, you know. So look at look at be, I mean, be human, you know what I'm saying? So yes, hats off to James Madison, but it's just I'm sorry, right?
SPEAKER_09:Yeah, no, I get it, brother. I really do. Yeah, I really do. Um, Notre Dame. I don't know what's up with that. They they they said as a team, no, we're not going to a bowl, we're turning it down. Um, and the jokes, the criticism, I mean, I think this is a a trend, but you can't help but dish out some humor. Usually that sign says, you know, um play like a champion. Play like a champion. Well, quit when things don't go my way. That's how it looked. You know, and I know there's a ton of criticism. I know there's people saying, hey, you know what? We're trying to that's basically they're protesting this college football playoff. Notre Dame started the year 0-2, lost to Miami. Who knew that that loss to Miami would be the decisive factor and would be the decision maker for their season into the CFP?
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, yeah, I don't know. And then then they came back and lost to um AM at home. So yeah, I mean, both their losses early in the season were to college football teams. Yep.
SPEAKER_09:CFP participants.
SPEAKER_05:CFP participants. And did James Madison play any?
SPEAKER_09:I have not studied. All I know is that old miss destroyed Tulane this year.
SPEAKER_05:Uh-huh.
SPEAKER_09:Ole Miss is in the CFP.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, man. I I hear you. So yeah, I don't know.
SPEAKER_09:It's the system's gotta change. I I would venture to say you gotta go to 14 or 16, and you can only have these G5s in if they're in the top 12. That's it. Bottom line. Or create, let the G5 succeed and create their own bracket because they're never gonna. I just don't see them winning a national championship in the CFP era. Um, so there's a growing list of teams which said, hell no, we don't want a game. Notre Dame is not alone, brother. Look at this list. Who turned down a bowl game? For various reasons, not all are the same. You know, Baylor, I understand. So, okay, let me let me add some context to this. Baylor turned it down, essentially, they have a losing record. These are teams that and Auburn turned it down because they've got essentially a losing record. I mean, that's we have too many bowls. Too many bowls. I mean, this is not a good sign for the future of bowl games. Do you see this happening?
SPEAKER_05:No, I don't. I don't like it. Um, I would love to know uh everyone's reasoning for why they turn down bowl games because one that there's money for the program at a bowl game, and two, those practices are invaluable, man. Yes, though practicing up to the bowl game, like that, those are very, very important to me. When when um when Texas went on its downward spiral back in those Charlie Strong days and early on in the um in the uh Herman days, trying to do trying to get real practices after your last game of the season, it's just can't happen. And then so you're behind the eight ball going into next season, I feel like. You know, I feel the same way. You don't go to a bowl, you miss about 15 practices. Am I correct?
SPEAKER_09:Well, most of them, but there's well, there's a couple of bowl games, which you know, there's one in like a week.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah.
SPEAKER_09:You know, it and it's uh if you go, I mean, I'm trying to find this information for you. So, like these teams, most of these have losing records. So they're this is this is their way, these bowl games, trying to find enough bowl-eligible teams with six wins. I mean, look at this the famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Washington State, Utah State, both six and six. It's just it's I don't know, man. And then UTSA got in. You know, they they reached full eligibility. But a lot of these teams, man, they just like here's here's another one: the Birmingham Bowl, Georgia Southern, six and six, taking on five and seven Appalachian State. Come on, man. All right, man. Indiana knocked off the sleigh the giant, number one seed now. They beat Ohio State. Man, I love their quarterback, and he was asked, uh, why or how does how has Indiana been able to do this this last two years?
SPEAKER_02:We can do it, we can deep because we need to go to the we're gonna stick together, the wicked funniest blue ever.
SPEAKER_09:Sounds just like their coach, Signetti.
SPEAKER_05:Somebody give that kid a job, man. He's gonna be in front of the camera one of these days.
SPEAKER_09:Indiana's that's a program built from nothing.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah.
SPEAKER_09:And Signetti has done an amazing job, and they call themselves Misfits. Knocking off Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game. What chance uh what percentage of a chance are you giving these Hoozers to winning the national title?
SPEAKER_05:Oh it's a high percentage. They can do it. Um they just look good. They look good. Um, let's see.
SPEAKER_09:Golly, I'm giving them a 40% chance.
SPEAKER_05:40%. I was gonna say 50, so it's it's almost losers or bust, almost.
SPEAKER_09:So uh well they'll play the winner, I believe. I think they'll play the winner of Oklahoma, Alabama.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, yeah. Golly, if I had to put money on it, I think I will put it on them.
SPEAKER_09:But you know, I'd be curious to see how OU's defense up against Indiana.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, I hear you. Actually, actually, I'm sorry, let me take that back because I'm I don't think I will bet against Kirby Smart right now.
SPEAKER_09:Georgia?
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_09:They flipped the switch.
SPEAKER_05:They did, they did, they turned it on, they beat Texas, they turned it on, and I see them getting better.
SPEAKER_09:That's a Kirby Smart traditional type team.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, they get better throughout the season. What the product you see at the beginning of the season is not the product you see at the end of the season.
SPEAKER_09:Well, let me ask you this is Ethan Mendoza win the Heisman.
SPEAKER_05:I'm a pleasure, I'm not sure.
SPEAKER_09:Are you are you pulling for your guy, Diego Papia?
SPEAKER_05:Excuse me. No, not Diego. I just don't like him or his family. His his brother really turned turned me the wrong way, rubbed me the wrong way. I don't know, man. And uh the the arrogance of him is is a little bit off-putting for me.
SPEAKER_09:Yeah.
SPEAKER_05:Um, but you know, we'll see.
SPEAKER_09:Um but he brought some swagger to Vandy, though. He did what? He brought swagger to Vandy.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, but you know, Vandy's gonna be again, just like Baylor became Baylor again.
SPEAKER_09:Well, they they just signed the number one quarterback in the country. They stole him from Georgia. Or flipped no, I flipped him from Georgia. Okay. I like Clark Lee, the head coach of Vandy. No pop no politic and no campaigning really. After the CFP was announced, he said, he said, well, we had our chances against Alabama and Texas, and we didn't do it. Yeah, I'll tell you who's not whining, and I and I know you're gonna hate me for saying this. Man, I really love watching the four seed, the Red Raiders, Texas Tech. They're scrappy, play with a lot of heart, and they have a linebacker who might win the Heisman. Um, so what is does Texas Tech have a chance? Well, ask BYU head coach, uh Kalani Sataki. They lost to Tech twice, and it wasn't even close. And Sitaki, after losing to Tech at the Big 12 championship, all he had to say was this tech team is for real.
SPEAKER_03:Well, I think if you look at Well, I think if you look well, I think if you look at what Texas Tech's done, uh they're the best team of the country for a reason. They their only loss cut came when they didn't have their starting quarterback, and so uh that's that's difficult and on the road. And but you look at when they're a full strength team, uh they're dangerous. And so um I'm not on the playoff committee, but I can tell you one thing who's played the best team in the country twice. We have. And uh does that mean that you're not one of the best 12? I have no idea. I'm not in that committee. I don't make the decisions, but um others will find out. That's the great thing about the playoffs. Everybody else will find out what we had to go against.
SPEAKER_05:Are you buying that? Uh I was up, I was with him until he said the best team in the country twice.
SPEAKER_09:He did, he sure did.
SPEAKER_05:That's his opinion. Yeah, that's his opinion, I guess. Uh, but no, I'm I I'm here for it, man. I'm uh I do hate Texas Tech. Uh, but uh if you are an objective football fan, you can see that they have something special in Lubbock right now.
SPEAKER_09:That it's not so much they have an abundance of talent at every position, they have football players, yeah. And they just have this it factor. I mean, they play for each other and they play uh these guys at tech are playing how coaches want each of their players to play. Hard, physical, execution. They don't make a lot of mistakes. They just don't need their quarterback to go down and get hurt because at one point both of them are hurt, yeah. Starter and the backup, but you know, they've they've got it running back from Austin, uh, another one from the Austin area. Uh coming up after Tosh Brooks. Now he's in the NFL. They got some dudes now, and you know, and people were talking about how much they spent on this roster. I don't care. You can spend all you want. If this you know it, you can bring all the talent in you in the world, but if you don't mix as a team and that locker room isn't straight, you're not doing anything.
SPEAKER_05:No question.
SPEAKER_09:That's it. Yep, Stevie. I got it. Since we're in we're about to enter bowl season, I got I gotta get a special story from you. Man cave story time. It's been a while for Stevie Lee. Is there any bowl game you remember that there's a funny, amusing story that you really haven't told a lot about or often?
SPEAKER_05:Oh man. I uh I guess let's go back to my last game playing against Michigan is fitting because we're playing Michigan again this year in the bowl. Uh, but we played them in the Rolls Bowl. My last game to January 1, 2005. Yep. Um, I was on uh the field goal team with Dusty Mangum kicked that field goal through the uprights. I was the left guard on field goal, and I I blocked um my man did not get any kind of push, and as I'm leaning on him, I look up and see the goal the ball go through the goalpost, and I just took off running. I don't remember anything after that. I think I came to when I was directing the band in front of all that's right. I don't remember anything else. My wife was a cheerleader at the time, so she was running all over the field doing her thing with cheerleaders. Apparently, I grabbed the flag, the huge longhorn flag from the cheerleader and was waving it in the middle of the field, and then I went to go direct the band. I don't remember any of that. You were riding highrenaline. I was on adrenaline running around the stadium, um, having a good time, yeah.
SPEAKER_09:As you should, yeah. Hey, when you get those pictures, please send to me, and we'll put them up on social media if you direct in the UT band.
SPEAKER_05:I will, I will.
SPEAKER_09:Stevie Lee, we're gonna take a quick break on the other side. Hey, there's a couple of Texas football teams at the Division I level who are two wins away from playing for a national championship. We'll see another side of this break.
SPEAKER_08:Honest is a strong word, and we all need honesty when it comes to plumbing and HVAC needs. Somebody who will take care of the repairs efficiently and with quality. Honest plumbing in air is who I trust, and they take pride in that word. Honest plumbing in air, where a handshake still means something.
SPEAKER_05:Biased. Love it. Bias, a little biased. Axem Jacks, baby. Axem.
SPEAKER_09:Hey, we got a tall task. Tall task Friday night. Stephen F. Austin travels to perennial FCS Power at Montana State, Bozeman, Montana. It's probably going to be 25,000 people there. 25,000 seats standing. It'll be on the ESPN Friday night.
SPEAKER_05:Oh wow.
SPEAKER_09:The other program, also purple, part of the AM system, SFA UT system. Carleton State is in this also survive.
SPEAKER_05:Wow. That's awesome.
SPEAKER_09:So man, it's beautiful. Are you going to Bozeman? Man, I thought about it, but I I you know me in cold weather. I it's gonna be 34 degrees at game time. I have no interest in that.
SPEAKER_05:That's beautiful, man. That's great, man. Just layer up and get in bundled up at the stadium, man.
SPEAKER_09:Look like the Stay Puff Marshmallow, man.
SPEAKER_05:No question.
SPEAKER_09:Speaking of layers, Coach Carthell saw me at midfield after the game, and he had uh he got me that this button-up shirt, it's a honey shirt, Q, QE, QE, QU, something of the the brand, and then had it embroidered with the SFA logo on it, and I wore it, and I had, to my defense, I had another layer underneath it. It's a short sleeve shirt, another long sleeve layer underneath it. And he looked at me and he goes, Man, we should have got you an XL. It's a medium. We should have got you an XL.
SPEAKER_05:Oh my goodness.
SPEAKER_09:That's funny. Oh man, so hey, good luck to Charlton and the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks, man. Let's make it to the Final Four. And maybe Nacadochis, and and we'll host another round of semifinal if they beat Montana State and if Montana loses at home, which chances of that happening, one percent. Texas high school football, Stevie. It's dwindling down even more. But man, some amazing teams from the Austin area are one win away from playing for a state title. Lake Travis going up against this two state powers, Galena Park North Shore out of Houston, Austin versus Houston, and then Vandergriff and C.E. King out of Houston. I I, you know, I think Hank Carter and that group and Lake Travis have done a phenomenal job this year. Vandergriff, I think Drew Sanders has done the best job defending state champions in 6A Division II. To get them back to one went away from playing at Ford again, man. I thought they were in a rebuilding year. And then Lano representing the hill country, and then Shiner, they win every year. Good beer down there. Good beer. Good beer.
SPEAKER_06:A Ben, tell me something good.
SPEAKER_09:It's always something good to talk about. You say you love the cold, you say layer up. Um go ahead, Stevie. Regardless of uh all the negativity and you being the king of positivity, tell me something good, my brother.
SPEAKER_05:Something good is this is the last week of uh school, and then uh everybody's out for uh Christmas break. I'm looking forward to it, man. This let's I want to get my kids home with me. My oldest one is on her way home on Friday from college, her first semester of college. She's on her way home and gonna be here. Uh, so I have everybody in my house again. So I'm I'm looking forward to that, man. That's something good for me. Is everyone's gonna be home for the holiday? My daughter is gonna be here for a month, and she goes back mid-mid around mid-January to uh Kansas City. Whole month. Wow, yeah, yeah. So it's gonna be great to have my family back with me.
SPEAKER_09:I love that for you and Summer and both your daughters. Man, that's beautiful. And you get to see the family again here in about a week or so, two weeks. All of them, all of them. I'll tell you something good, man. Well, you know, just for you, Longhorn fans and Notre Dame fans and others who, you know, you all have a case. The beautiful thing is things change. We probably won't be going through this again. The criticism of the CFP is just, but they have and they will continue to evolve and change this until it's near perfect. It's never going to be perfect. Texas fans remember this. There were a lot of holes on this offense. A lot to improve upon four new offensive linemen, a new tight end, and receivers thrust into being the top receivers, getting the majority of the snaps. You had a lot of NFL talent exit the program, which is a good thing. And you had CJ Baxter trying to heal. And in game nine, you also had this new guy, quarterback you probably heard of, March Manning. They evolved. Just like the CFP is doing. Texas evolved, and they were undefeated against their three rivals, OU, Arkansas, and Texas AM. Nine and three. And on the cusp of the CFP. You get a New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, weekend game. Nine and three. To me, that's something good because it shows that there are positive things happening. A rebuilding year at nine wins. Stevie Lee, I love you, bro. And to you and your family, and to you watching this, we appreciate you. And I know I'm long-winded sometimes, and thank you for bearing with me. We'll probably have the playmaker uh back on the next reel, uh, next uh reel. That's Instagram, next episode, and to the great city of Shreeport, home of Heart Grove Roofing, and the home of the Stevie Lee into Nacadosis, Texas, the uh home of my college alma mater, Stephen F. Austin, beat Montana State, by the way, to my beautiful hometown of Austin, Texas, and the on the edge of the Texas Hill Country doesn't get any better than that. And to each of you, wherever you are, much love to you and to the OG Man K boys. That being Harbaugh Hart, Big Mike, and the Coach Mo. What do we tell him, Stevie Lee?
SPEAKER_05:We out. I'm in my car in the kidding, kidding up. I said, get out.