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2021-22 Texas Tech Athletics Year-In-Review · Talkin' Tech

0:39
SPEAKER_04: Welcome in, everybody, to the Talk and Tech Podcast, powered by Guns Up Nation, part of the Guns Up Nation podcast network.
0:46
SPEAKER_04: I am your host, Steven Rodriguez, my co-host Tristan McGonagall.
0:49
SPEAKER_04: Tristan, sports have ended at Texas Tech.
0:54
SPEAKER_04: It's a sad time of the year, but a fun time of the year to reminisce.
0:59
SPEAKER_04: This is the Texas Tech Year in Review podcast.
1:03
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I'm so bummed that Texas Tech Sports are done.
1:06
SPEAKER_03: So rather than sitting in the AC watching TV on my butt on the couch, I uh I have to go outside into the 105-degree weather that we're all very much enjoying right now.
1:15
SPEAKER_03: We're all very pleased with how hot it is.
1:17
SPEAKER_03: It's what we all really look forward to in the Texas summer.
1:21
SPEAKER_04: Yes, yes.
1:22
SPEAKER_04: We have some fun stuff lined up for summer.
1:24
SPEAKER_04: Um, but you know, it's fun to look back and just see kind of it gives you kind of a different perspective.
1:29
SPEAKER_04: I think looking back at some of these sports, we were like in the moment, we were either disappointed or we were very happy.
1:35
SPEAKER_04: And then you look back at it and you're like, oh, what were we so happy about?
1:39
SPEAKER_04: What were we so disappointed about?
1:40
SPEAKER_04: You know, pretty good stuff.
1:41
SPEAKER_04: But um, you know, it's gonna be fun looking back at each of these sports and kind of just you know, recapping what happened and and you know, given we're gonna give a grade for each team uh on their seasons and you know what we can look forward to in the future.
1:55
SPEAKER_04: Uh, but first we need to start with a few things just off just off the top.
2:00
SPEAKER_04: Um, Texas Tech basketball looks like the roster may be finalized now.
2:05
SPEAKER_04: Uh, we pick up a commitment from North Carolina transfer Kerwin Walton, six foot five guard, uh, coming into Texas Tech.
2:13
SPEAKER_04: Um, this is a big one, man.
2:16
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I mean, it's it's great news.
2:18
SPEAKER_03: It's it's awesome getting a guy from uh blue blood of blue buds like North Carolina Tar Heel.
2:23
SPEAKER_03: So you know he obviously has something that teams want if he's over there on Chapel Hill.
2:28
SPEAKER_03: So I'm excited to see if maybe we can give him a bigger role, though, which is probably what he's obviously looking for at this point.
2:33
SPEAKER_03: Um, and I gotta say, it feels good to get that hair on the team.
2:36
SPEAKER_03: I mean, that's that's a very good afro.
2:38
SPEAKER_03: I'm glad that we finally have filled the afro gap on the team, and uh it's I look forward to seeing what he can do on the court.
2:44
SPEAKER_03: Some might call it the gaffro.
2:48
SPEAKER_03: I don't know about that one.
2:49
SPEAKER_03: You don't know about that one?
2:50
SPEAKER_03: Okay, it kind of sounds like you're saying gaff, and gaff isn't exactly a good thing whenever you make a gaff, which is what we do on this podcast all the time.
2:59
SPEAKER_03: Just say something stupid.
3:01
SPEAKER_03: So I don't want to put that on that poor young man.
3:05
SPEAKER_04: How about the GoPro?
3:06
SPEAKER_04: Okay, there you go.
3:07
SPEAKER_04: That works too.
3:08
SPEAKER_04: But you're right, we lost a lot of good hair on last year's team.
3:11
SPEAKER_04: Uh, you know, Adonis Arms had had great hair.
3:14
SPEAKER_04: Uh, Davion Warren, always a new hairstyle every single game.
3:18
SPEAKER_04: You know, so we lost some some good hair pieces, but we are gaining that with Kerwin Weldon.
3:23
SPEAKER_04: Uh, but no, seriously, he's a good shooter.
3:25
SPEAKER_04: That's really the most important part of his game.
3:27
SPEAKER_04: Uh, it's it's what North Carolina brought him in for.
3:30
SPEAKER_04: Um, he's an absolute sniper when he gets an opportunity.
3:33
SPEAKER_04: Fell back in the rotation last year.
3:35
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, but if you look back at his freshman year stats um under Roy Williams, you know, he got a he had a pretty big role, played about 14 minutes a game, had like um, I believe he averaged about eight points a game, so shot 40% from three.
3:50
SPEAKER_04: Um, and you know, during a coaching change, sometimes, which is what North Carolina had this past season, sometimes it just doesn't flow as easily as you'd like it to.
3:58
SPEAKER_04: Um, and that didn't happen for Kerwin.
4:00
SPEAKER_04: And I'm thinking, you know, this change of scenery, if he buys in to uh kind of the defensive mindset that Mark Adams instills on you, um, you know, he'll have some playing time because the intangibles are there.
4:11
SPEAKER_04: I mean, he's lengthy as heck.
4:13
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, he's pretty athletic and he's just got pure shooting skill, which is something we desperately need.
4:19
SPEAKER_04: So he can definitely carve his way onto a role this year.
4:22
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I remember the last time you and I sat across from this virtual table, uh, we were talking about how the transfers all have something in common, and that's the shooting ability.
4:30
SPEAKER_03: You know, really Mark Adams and Co.
4:32
SPEAKER_03: obviously identified where we were lacking.
4:34
SPEAKER_03: And I don't think it takes a very uh analytical fan to understand that was the problem on the DeMarc Adams team this past season.
4:41
SPEAKER_03: So I'm glad that we're we're getting guys that are capable of putting the ball through the hoop.
4:44
SPEAKER_03: And obviously, it's just kind of a more of now we're gonna start saying, can can Mark Adams grab those guys who aren't necessarily known for their defensive abilities and mold that into his system, you know, since they got this this key already, let's add another one.
4:57
SPEAKER_03: So hopefully we can make all the more complete players and make us another contender.
5:01
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, and that's exactly what he's doing with this guy because if you talk to any North Carolina fan, really they said the downfall of him was his defense.
5:09
SPEAKER_04: Um, and if Mark Adams can teach anything, it's defense.
5:12
SPEAKER_04: So um, you know, this is gonna be a project, I think, for him.
5:16
SPEAKER_04: Um, where he maybe was not a very good defender his first couple years in North Carolina, but you know, can turn you into something at least serviceable here at Texas Tech.
5:25
SPEAKER_04: Uh, we saw with Bryson Williams.
5:27
SPEAKER_04: Bryson Williams was never known for his defense at UTEP.
5:29
SPEAKER_04: And then all of a sudden, boom, he becomes, you know, a serviceable to pretty good defender here in his one year uh in the red and black.
5:37
SPEAKER_04: So hopefully that happens with Kerwin.
5:39
SPEAKER_04: Excited to get him on.
5:40
SPEAKER_04: Uh, if you want to hear more of what we kind of have to say about the basketball team, we went on uh with our buddy Connor um on the Beers and Buckets podcast.
5:47
SPEAKER_04: So go give that a listen whenever you get a chance.
5:50
SPEAKER_04: Uh, you know, we appreciate him for having us on, and it was a good time.
5:53
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, that was a ton of fun.
5:54
SPEAKER_03: And I'm glad that uh hashtag better kevin or hashtag best kevin is now starting to pick up steam.
5:59
SPEAKER_03: Um you know, and something I did want to bring up about Kevin O'Banner, obviously a good point Steven brings up on that episode just spoiled a bit, is how the most important returning piece is Kevin O'Banner.
6:10
SPEAKER_03: And I just wanted to add on to reinforce how great of a piece he's gonna be.
6:14
SPEAKER_03: Is can he can we give more props to the guy for hanging around after all the quote unquote leaders, veterans, and and stars left, but he remained.
6:24
SPEAKER_03: I just wanted to hit on that one more time before we moved on.
6:27
SPEAKER_03: And I just nothing but hats off to a guy that is obviously bought into the culture and isn't just here to uh make the most out of it, just for him, but just to be part of the team.
6:37
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, yeah.
6:38
SPEAKER_04: If you've been listening to this podcast a while, you know my love for Kevin O'Banner uh runs deep.
6:42
SPEAKER_04: So I super excited to get another year of him.
6:45
SPEAKER_04: Um, when I don't think a lot of people really expected it, and so it was that was a really nice surprise.
6:50
SPEAKER_04: He's gonna be a massive part of next year's team, obviously.
6:53
SPEAKER_04: But yeah, all the love for KO on this pod.
6:56
SPEAKER_03: A little a little far in advance, since obviously this is not the basketball preview episode.
7:00
SPEAKER_03: We have a few months, some would say, before that comes back around.
7:04
SPEAKER_03: Um, would you say that it's his team now?
7:07
SPEAKER_04: Uh, I don't know, I don't know if it's ever a players' team, you know, on Mark Adams, on a Mark Adams team.
7:12
SPEAKER_04: Uh he doesn't roll like that.
7:13
SPEAKER_04: You know, it's it's everybody is included, you know.
7:16
SPEAKER_04: There's not one guy that leads the way.
7:19
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, there's obviously vocal leaders, and and KO will be one of those guys in the locker room.
7:24
SPEAKER_04: Obviously, been with the system now for a year.
7:26
SPEAKER_04: Uh, you know, he's gonna be a big part of some of these guys' offseasons uh that are coming into the program.
7:31
SPEAKER_04: We have a lot of young players coming into this year's team, so I'm sure KO is gonna be uh, you know, a good voice in their ear.
7:37
SPEAKER_04: Um, and yeah, obviously he'll be he'll be a leader on this next next year's team because he just he's a senior, you know, he brings that kind of mentality.
7:46
SPEAKER_03: And we'll never turn away a leader better than like him, and we will never say no to a Kevin O'Banner shot.
7:53
SPEAKER_03: So on this podcast.
7:55
SPEAKER_04: Every time, take it.
7:56
SPEAKER_04: I'm fine with it.
7:59
SPEAKER_04: But yeah, so uh let's move on.
8:02
SPEAKER_04: Um, the brand finally wrapped up.
8:04
SPEAKER_04: Uh great kind of set of episodes here talking about Texas Tech spring football uh under Joey Maguire.
8:11
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, this this series kind of is what it is.
8:15
SPEAKER_04: It's kind of is what I thought it was.
8:17
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, they're not revealing a lot, which they shouldn't.
8:20
SPEAKER_04: Uh it's you know that you have to keep some stuff inside the program.
8:24
SPEAKER_04: You can't reveal everything to the people, but they're at least giving us a glimpse of kind of how Joey wants to go about this program.
8:30
SPEAKER_04: And that's what we got out of it.
8:32
SPEAKER_04: You know, we showed um they showed some really cool, you know, shots, some great catches in practice.
8:37
SPEAKER_04: Uh they kind of highlighted who are going to be the vocal leaders on this coming year's football team.
8:42
SPEAKER_04: Uh, and then you know, they gave the the assistant coaches, the coordinators, all that their kind of time in the spotlight.
8:48
SPEAKER_04: So um I, you know, this is a great, great kind of mini series there on ESPN Plus.
8:53
SPEAKER_04: I believe all the episodes are on YouTube if you want to go back and watch them, but good series overall.
8:58
SPEAKER_04: So that was the final episode.
9:00
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, they're only doing four.
9:01
SPEAKER_04: Is that is that a is this a season thing or are we done?
9:05
SPEAKER_04: I think that's it.
9:06
SPEAKER_04: I think that's it for wow, because I think it was just focused on spring ball.
9:10
SPEAKER_04: Now, I don't know if they're gonna bring it back for something in season, if they're gonna bring it back next off season, I don't know, but I think Joey's whole goal here was just to get kind of the program mentality out, you know, into the public eye and give Texas Tech kind of a spotlight, and that's what he did.
9:27
SPEAKER_03: I mean, how cool would it be if during the season that they they they were capturing a lot of footage during practices and locker rooms and and and all the training and all that, and then at the uh conclusion of the season, they put together kind of a a part two for the brand of you know, recapping the season, what we didn't get to see that wasn't just on Saturday broadcasts.
9:48
SPEAKER_03: Uh, that'd be pretty cool.
9:49
SPEAKER_03: I mean, so I'm kind of disappointed that this is this was this was it, but um, I mean, obviously it was cool to meet everybody, but I just kind of want more.
9:55
SPEAKER_03: That's the problem.
9:56
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, yeah, it always leaves you wanting more.
9:58
SPEAKER_04: You know, you wanted to get kind of a little more inside look on who potentially is going to be your starting quarterback, you know, that kind of stuff.
10:04
SPEAKER_04: But uh, you know, this TV show didn't really provide that, but it did provide you know some mentalities that the coaches have for how they're approaching, you know, the program.
10:14
SPEAKER_04: Uh, they had an offensive specific episode, they had a defensive specific episode, and then they had this last one was kind of a mini episode based on the spring game.
10:23
SPEAKER_04: So uh, you know, you got some good interviews from players that are obviously going to be your guys, you know, the the the big voices in the locker room, Miles Price, Rabbit.
10:33
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, this was it was fun.
10:35
SPEAKER_04: It was a fun little show uh for everybody.
10:37
SPEAKER_04: Didn't reveal a lot, which it should.
10:39
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, you know, it was really great hearing from the minds on the team, too, getting hearing from the coordinators and the trainers.
10:44
SPEAKER_03: It's just something that you would never get otherwise.
10:46
SPEAKER_03: So, all in all, awesome.
10:47
SPEAKER_03: I just want more.
10:48
SPEAKER_03: I just want I want more episodes, dang it, but uh hopefully they'll come back.
10:51
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, absolutely.
10:52
SPEAKER_04: So um, but another good thing that did happen with the football program is uh we have a coach on a uh magazine cover before he's coached the game here at Texas Tech.
11:01
SPEAKER_04: That would be Joey McGuire and uh Jeff Trailer, the UTSA coach, are gonna be on the front page of Dave Campbell's Texas football.
11:10
SPEAKER_04: Um, really cool, really cool idea, cool concept.
11:13
SPEAKER_04: Happy for Joey uh that he's getting you know as much recognition as he's getting uh before even coaching a game.
11:20
SPEAKER_04: It's actually pretty wild.
11:21
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, this is a a magazine cover made in heaven for Dave Campbell's Texas football because really the main focus of Dave Campbell's Texas football is high school.
11:30
SPEAKER_03: You know, they they put they put colleges on the cover to you know to really rope you in and they do preview the the college teams, but it's it's mostly there for the high school teams.
11:38
SPEAKER_03: Um, and so you whenever you have an opportunity to highlight two incredible high school, Texas high school coaches who have made the rare step to head coach at the top level in college football, that's so in the same state, like within the same state.
11:53
SPEAKER_03: That's so cool.
11:54
SPEAKER_03: So what it was the perfect opportunity, and it's so cool to see these guys who are obviously have immense respect for each other and who are great friends, be able to do it together.
12:01
SPEAKER_03: They just look like they're having fun in any shoot you saw.
12:04
SPEAKER_04: Oh, yeah, no doubt.
12:05
SPEAKER_04: It was really cool seeing like the behind-the-scenes stuff.
12:07
SPEAKER_04: And uh, I didn't realize that in kind of his initial one of his initial press conferences, he was like, uh Joey actually said, you know, call Dave Campbell's.
12:17
SPEAKER_04: We need to be on the cover, me and Jeff Trailer, and they did it.
12:20
SPEAKER_04: So they followed through with it, which was pretty cool.
12:22
SPEAKER_03: It's so funny how how another it's it's extra funny for Texas Tech fans because I know on this podcast that Jeff Trailer was a cut and away, far and away, before we even fired Matt Wells, uh, the the the the head first favorite to replace Matt Wells as head coach of Texas Tech.
12:39
SPEAKER_03: So it's kind of funny to see the guy who we wanted and the guy who we got.
12:43
SPEAKER_03: I mean, uh, who we obviously want now.
12:44
SPEAKER_03: We love Joey.
12:46
SPEAKER_03: So it's just it's just a funny the way the world works sometimes in that sense.
12:50
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, for sure.
12:51
SPEAKER_04: So definitely gonna be a magazine that I will have to put on the wish list, uh asking for, you know, just to put up and have because it's it's it's not very often you're gonna get a Texas Tech guy.
13:03
SPEAKER_04: I mean, we've had a few on these Dave Campbell covers before, like I know Mahomes and Kingsbury were on.
13:08
SPEAKER_03: That was a great cover.
13:09
SPEAKER_04: It was a great cover, but and we maybe had one or two more.
13:11
SPEAKER_04: But uh, you know, overall when they're putting the college athletes, yeah, they focus on UT, they focus on AM a lot of the time.
13:18
SPEAKER_04: You know, Baylor's obviously won a lot recently and all that, so they put them on the covers and stuff.
13:23
SPEAKER_04: But uh, it's cool to see Texas Tech recognized, and obviously a first for UTSA as well.
13:28
SPEAKER_03: So yeah, them as well.
13:30
SPEAKER_04: For sure, absolutely.
13:31
SPEAKER_04: So uh cool deal, but this is it, man.
13:34
SPEAKER_04: You're in review.
13:35
SPEAKER_04: We're sitting here June 15th right now.
13:39
SPEAKER_04: Uh, all the sports are done.
13:41
SPEAKER_04: This is sad, it's it's sad, man.
13:43
SPEAKER_04: But it's like obviously we have a lot of cool stuff happening for us personally this summer, bachelor parties, all that good stuff.
13:50
SPEAKER_04: But like, you know, there's no sports.
13:52
SPEAKER_04: I'm not glued to the TV.
13:53
SPEAKER_04: Uh, my fiance is thrilled.
13:55
SPEAKER_04: Um, but you know, it's just there's nothing happening.
13:58
SPEAKER_04: We don't we don't have much to talk about on this podcast, so we figured, hey, let's review everything all in one episode.
14:04
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, you know, the rest of this the rest of the offseason's gonna be all right.
14:07
SPEAKER_03: So, how do we stretch out uh content to get to football season?
14:11
SPEAKER_03: That way we get the other big 12 guys on and uh anyone we can interview.
14:14
SPEAKER_03: So that's probably gonna be the focus for y'all.
14:16
SPEAKER_03: Um, but you know, I I do it is it is kind of nice at the end of an academic year once sports are finally over.
14:23
SPEAKER_03: Because you know, at that point you're kind of like, all right, let's hit the refresh button and let's get ready for the next round.
14:28
SPEAKER_03: Because you know, obviously we're it's time to start getting excited about football.
14:31
SPEAKER_03: You know, once baseball wraps up, it's time to go ahead and get started for the cycle to rebegin.
14:35
SPEAKER_03: And the fun thing about this football season is it's a completely new start.
14:38
SPEAKER_03: So I'm not that mad that we are moving on.
14:40
SPEAKER_03: Uh, and it's just time to start looking forward to the future.
14:43
SPEAKER_04: Well, and you mentioned football.
14:44
SPEAKER_04: Let's go ahead and start with football because that's one of the first sports here uh in the fall of every academic year.
14:51
SPEAKER_04: So we'll start with football.
14:52
SPEAKER_04: Uh, just kind of recap seven and six on the season, uh, three and six in Big 12 play.
14:58
SPEAKER_04: Um, Jonathan Garabay, all Big 12 first teamer, uh, Eric Azukama, Dawson Deedon, Collins Schooler, Demarcus Fields, Austin McNamara, all Big 12 second teamers.
15:09
SPEAKER_04: Uh, we had two players drafted.
15:11
SPEAKER_04: We had four uh undrafted free agents assigned with teams, uh, also a basketball player assigned.
15:19
SPEAKER_04: Is that including MSS?
15:21
SPEAKER_04: That was not including MSS, but now I am including him right here, uh, signing with the Cleveland Browns.
15:26
SPEAKER_04: But um, you know, overall the season was a roller coaster.
15:30
SPEAKER_04: It really was.
15:31
SPEAKER_04: I mean, it was I I I remember I had really high expectations going into this season.
15:37
SPEAKER_04: We were like Matt Wells, third year.
15:40
SPEAKER_04: This is where it starts to turn around.
15:42
SPEAKER_04: We have a very experienced team, you know.
15:44
SPEAKER_04: We have Tyler Shuck coming in as this former four-star recruit, played at Oregon, you know, we're super excited about it.
15:52
SPEAKER_04: And then the Houston game comes.
15:55
SPEAKER_04: Oh my god, this is great.
15:57
SPEAKER_04: We just beat Houston at NRG, had an unbelievable second half.
16:01
SPEAKER_04: We were at the game 38-21, and then it just kind of went downhill from there.
16:07
SPEAKER_04: Yes.
16:08
SPEAKER_04: Uh, what what are kind of what are your kind of thoughts on football season as a whole?
16:12
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you know, it's kind of funny you're saying how you know we were like we had these high expectations.
16:16
SPEAKER_03: I think you and I were saying that we expect seven to eight wins.
16:20
SPEAKER_03: Was that what we were saying?
16:21
SPEAKER_04: I I think I predicted eight and four.
16:23
SPEAKER_03: Okay, and I I I probably was I was probably at like seven or something, yeah.
16:27
SPEAKER_04: You were at seven and five, yeah.
16:29
SPEAKER_03: Which is funny because that's where we ended, practically, you know, practically speaking, you know, and yeah, so in that sense, it's really not that much of a disappointment on paper, but you know, on paper isn't really how you usually look at this kind of stuff.
16:42
SPEAKER_03: There's a lot, there's a lot more to it, it's a sum of all parts.
16:45
SPEAKER_03: Uh, with football, let's just go ahead and say grades then.
16:48
SPEAKER_03: With football, I gave it a C.
16:50
SPEAKER_04: I gave it the same exact thing.
16:52
SPEAKER_03: No way, all right.
16:53
SPEAKER_03: Cool, cool, cool.
16:54
SPEAKER_03: I mean, and I think I think we're probably gonna agree on the reasons.
16:57
SPEAKER_03: Here is not they they they underachieved, but then they over-achieved.
17:03
SPEAKER_03: They did both in the same season, you know.
17:06
SPEAKER_03: It was a tale of tale of two different teams this season.
17:09
SPEAKER_03: Uh, they obviously Sunny Company pulled a heroic uh closer, you know, and going to beat Mike Leach, uh former god.
17:19
SPEAKER_03: Do not question the seasons of Mike Leach at Texas Tech Emperor.
17:24
SPEAKER_03: Uh, he slays him and puts it puts us at seven wins for the first time in years.
17:28
SPEAKER_03: First time we won a bull guy full game in years, and you just got to give credit for that.
17:32
SPEAKER_03: So if I was just grading Sonny Cumby's time, you at least get you'd probably give it like an A minus, honestly, with with without how you had to do.
17:39
SPEAKER_03: But if you have to pull out the average with Matt Wells, C plus, what are you thinking?
17:43
SPEAKER_04: Uh yeah, I mean, I went with the C plus, and that's just kind of when you look at the overall, it we you you started off high and you ended high, uh honestly.
17:52
SPEAKER_04: You know, you you had a great Houston game to start off the year, and then you had a fantastic bowl game against Mississippi State where you crushed Mike Leach.
17:58
SPEAKER_04: Um, between that time, you know, you got smacked by two of your biggest rivals uh in UT and TCU.
18:05
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, you had that unbelievable 62-yard field goal winner against Iowa State at home.
18:12
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, you got shut out against Oklahoma State.
18:16
SPEAKER_04: You know, you played a you played eventual Big 12 champion Baylor really tight in a game.
18:21
SPEAKER_04: I mean, it was just all over the place with this team this season.
18:25
SPEAKER_04: And I mean, I I overall I was happy that we let Matt Wells go when we did, so we could get Joey in here sooner to get a jump start on next season.
18:35
SPEAKER_04: And that's kind of what you get.
18:37
SPEAKER_04: But honestly, we won a bowl game.
18:39
SPEAKER_04: That's something we haven't, you know, been used to the past few seasons.
18:43
SPEAKER_04: Um, so you know, as of recent, yes, this was a successful season, but it was just all over the place.
18:51
SPEAKER_04: So many ups and downs.
18:53
SPEAKER_04: It just could have been so much better, you know.
18:54
SPEAKER_03: There were so many games that just weren't excusable, even the ones we won.
18:58
SPEAKER_03: Like the yeah, the uh yeah, Houston was great.
19:00
SPEAKER_03: Uh, we were we were luckily pulled it out.
19:02
SPEAKER_03: Houston was absolutely a better team than than Texas Tech was, and we somehow managed to pull it off.
19:07
SPEAKER_03: Um, and then you go and scare everyone yet again, Matt Wells, against an FCS team.
19:13
SPEAKER_03: Like in we we again an FCS game, we probably should have lost once more.
19:18
SPEAKER_03: It's the Houston Baptist game all over again against Stephen F.
19:21
SPEAKER_03: Austin.
19:22
SPEAKER_03: And uh you you take care of business against the G5 team, but then once you insert Big 12 play, it's a nightmare, it's an absolute nightmare of a of a of a sludge there because, like you said, you brought it up.
19:32
SPEAKER_03: I was at that UT game, horrific.
19:35
SPEAKER_03: It was and it just sucks to walk in there, not even have a chance, and it's not even something that uh was unique to that day.
19:42
SPEAKER_03: It the same thing happens in your own house against TCU, you know, and you not even a chance against like bad TCU, an even worse UT team, but also a bad TCU team who also fired their coach.
19:54
SPEAKER_03: So there's so much unexcusability in this season to bump up the grade.
19:59
SPEAKER_03: But like you said, the bowl game is what makes sure that they get to move on to the next semester, yeah.
20:05
SPEAKER_04: You you won you won seven games, uh, and you haven't done that since what 2015.
20:11
SPEAKER_04: So, you know, it by that standard, yeah, it's you know, kind of a successful year, but also there was those times where you're just like, What the hell is happening?
20:21
SPEAKER_04: Why are we losing to Kansas State after being up really late?
20:27
SPEAKER_04: There's no excuse for what happened then.
20:29
SPEAKER_04: Uh, losing to a five and seven UT team, 70 to 35.
20:33
SPEAKER_04: There's just you know that kind of stuff, not even scoring a point against Oklahoma State.
20:37
SPEAKER_04: Like, I know they had a fantastic defense, but really, guys, when's the last time Texas Tech got shut out?
20:42
SPEAKER_04: So, yeah, the the the lows were low and the highs were pretty good.
20:47
SPEAKER_04: So, you know, I'll I'll probably hit you with a C there.
20:50
SPEAKER_04: And I think that's a fair grade.
20:51
SPEAKER_03: Absolutely, man.
20:53
SPEAKER_03: I don't I think probably most people listening would agree with that as well.
20:56
SPEAKER_03: It's just there was an absolute lack of coach preparedness during the wells time, and that just switched when Sonny Cumbi was coach because in those games we had a chance, we were fighting in them, and they actually seemed to come in with a plan.
21:10
SPEAKER_03: So it's just obvious that just like like we always say, it was a tale of two teams in this in this past season.
21:14
SPEAKER_03: So C for sure.
21:16
SPEAKER_04: So hoping for better next season, uh Joey, please, because we're capable of better, to be honest.
21:22
SPEAKER_04: Like, you know, we're capable of having, and that team last year, better coaching would have been, you know, probably an eight-win team, uh, like we expected.
21:31
SPEAKER_04: So uh moving on to another fall sport in soccer.
21:34
SPEAKER_04: We didn't talk a lot about soccer this year.
21:36
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, we kind of slacked on a lot of the uh um, you know, non the non big three sports, uh, and we'll try to do a better job of that, you know, come next season.
21:45
SPEAKER_04: But um soccer overall, 11 6 3 record overall.
21:50
SPEAKER_04: Uh the Big 12, they went four, four and one.
21:52
SPEAKER_04: So I, you know, very average, uh, an average season by most standards.
21:57
SPEAKER_04: Um, no postseason birth.
22:00
SPEAKER_04: After losing 3-0 to TCU in the Big 12 tournament, but you know, you had some great players on this team.
22:05
SPEAKER_04: Uh Kirsten Davis, Big 12 offensive player of the year.
22:09
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, you it's overall first team all American.
22:13
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, first team all American.
22:14
SPEAKER_04: Like you've had better seasons from this soccer team, but overall, I think it was a pretty decent year.
22:21
SPEAKER_04: Well, I don't know what are you grading the soccer team?
22:24
SPEAKER_03: Kind of boring.
22:24
SPEAKER_03: I'm going with a C plus again.
22:26
SPEAKER_03: I'm kind of doing a C's get degrees thing.
22:28
SPEAKER_03: And the reason why soccer is getting a C plus, like on the face of it, they had a better season than football.
22:35
SPEAKER_03: It's just kind of at this point, it's just an expectations thing because uh Coach Stone has done a great job establishing a culture of being a winner in the Big 12.
22:44
SPEAKER_03: And to see us just struggle so mightily the whole time to only make it to a 500 record in conference and to do nothing in the postseason, it's just uncharacteristically low for tech soccer at this point, especially with some of the talented you have on the team, like a Kristen Davis, who's obviously one of the best players you've ever had in the program history for it to go out like that.
23:04
SPEAKER_03: It's just it's just low.
23:06
SPEAKER_03: So obviously, it's still a passing grade.
23:08
SPEAKER_03: And I think I can be talked into a B minus, but I'm going with C plus.
23:12
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I think there's kind of a theme, and this might just be with college sports in general, but with a lot of these teams, you know, you had below average years, but you had some great players that you hate to see them kind of they're not wasted, but kind of wasted on some of these teams.
23:28
SPEAKER_04: You know, you're losing Colin Schooler.
23:30
SPEAKER_04: This guy was unbelievable for tech football.
23:33
SPEAKER_04: You just wish he was there for next season, but unfortunately he's not.
23:37
SPEAKER_04: You know, Chris Kirsten Davis was one of those, and then like Jace Young for baseball, one of those that just kind of, you know, you you really want when you have those types of talents and you fall your, you know, to an average to you know, maybe a little above average team.
23:53
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, it kind of hurts to see.
23:55
SPEAKER_04: But uh, you know, overall, I gave this team a C minus strictly for not making the postseason.
24:00
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, that always sucks uh when you can't play, you know, in the uh past the Big 12 tournament.
24:06
SPEAKER_04: Um the good news is, you know, Coach Stone's still here.
24:10
SPEAKER_04: Uh we have nine players coming in in the 2022 recruiting class.
24:13
SPEAKER_04: It was a great recruiting class.
24:15
SPEAKER_04: Um, we also went undefeated in the spring for soccer.
24:18
SPEAKER_04: So, you know, you didn't play very stiff competition.
24:20
SPEAKER_04: You played ACU, Houston, Lubbock, Christian, West Texas AM, and New Mexico State, but five and oh, uh, you weren't scored on the whole spring.
24:28
SPEAKER_04: So I think there's a lot to look forward to with this team.
24:31
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, stinks to lose uh a great talent like Kirsten Davis, but uh still overall uh a good future for soccer team.
24:38
SPEAKER_03: I mean that's why we're giving them pretty low grade, like low.
24:41
SPEAKER_03: I mean, they're not failing, but you know, not you know, not great grades, is because we just the expectation from this team now is just there that it wasn't met, and it's not gonna happen every year.
24:51
SPEAKER_03: And I think we you and I but definitely accept that as a reality.
24:55
SPEAKER_03: Um, but it's just if you don't meet that expectation, you can't just fake it and say this has been as good as it was because it just wasn't.
25:04
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, no, I agree fully.
25:05
SPEAKER_04: So uh you went C plus, I went C minus for soccer.
25:08
SPEAKER_04: Um, hopefully next season we'll be seeing some uh some good soccer.
25:12
SPEAKER_04: Um moving on, volleyball finished overall 17 and 12, 7 and 9 in the Big 12.
25:20
SPEAKER_04: Um, first time in the NCAA championships since 2001.
25:24
SPEAKER_04: This program took a massive leap, in my opinion.
25:27
SPEAKER_04: Uh, you know, just getting that postseason birth for the first time in 20 years.
25:32
SPEAKER_04: Uh, Coach Graystone really has this program on the up.
25:36
SPEAKER_04: You had some really good players.
25:37
SPEAKER_04: Kenneth Sawyer was a uh all Big 12 first teamer.
25:40
SPEAKER_04: Carrington Jones was an all Big 12 second teamer.
25:43
SPEAKER_04: And then, you know, obviously Kirby Hoka noticed, hey, this volleyball program is doing well.
25:48
SPEAKER_04: So he decided to extend Tony Graystone through 2026.
25:52
SPEAKER_04: Um, great season for volleyball.
25:54
SPEAKER_04: What what do you have for him?
25:55
SPEAKER_03: I have a B.
25:56
SPEAKER_03: I give them a B.
25:57
SPEAKER_03: You know, they definitely get graded on the curve here because of how poor Texas Tech volleyball has been uh these past this past decade or so.
26:04
SPEAKER_03: Uh, so I definitely gave them a B for the progress of making the postseason.
26:07
SPEAKER_03: That gives you a big bump because it's only only a handful of teams get to do that.
26:10
SPEAKER_03: And if you're that good to be able to make that cut, then you obviously had a pretty good season.
26:15
SPEAKER_03: So I'm giving them a B uh because Coach Graystone has got this team in the right direction.
26:19
SPEAKER_03: And I hope next year, if I'm giving them a B, it's because they did even better, but just obviously not like winning trophies or anything yet.
26:26
SPEAKER_03: So I I just kind of kind of a kind of a curve benchmark here with a B, but I think it's a solid rate for him.
26:32
SPEAKER_04: That's absolutely fair.
26:34
SPEAKER_04: And I may just be too high on the you know, the way the direction this program is going.
26:39
SPEAKER_04: I gave them an A minus.
26:40
SPEAKER_04: This is the first time this team has made it to the postseason in 20 years.
26:46
SPEAKER_04: Like that is such a massive accomplishment for these ladies and this coaching staff.
26:51
SPEAKER_04: And you know, because I just remember when we were at tech, our volleyball team was nothing, like we just wasn't good at all.
26:59
SPEAKER_04: And it was tough to, you know, you didn't have people going to games, it was just tough.
27:03
SPEAKER_04: So to see kind of the turnaround this program is showing and to see, you know, them get recognized for this and be able to uh you know get that postseason birth and actually compete, you know, for something, it's really cool to see.
27:16
SPEAKER_04: Uh, I love Coach Scraystone.
27:18
SPEAKER_04: I think he's you know got this team going in the best direction possible.
27:21
SPEAKER_04: So uh I gave him an A minus because you know, first time in the postseason 20 years, you got to give him something for that.
27:26
SPEAKER_03: Absolutely, man.
27:27
SPEAKER_03: One step at a time with this kind of stuff.
27:29
SPEAKER_03: So, especially whenever they they start, he started out at the position he did.
27:32
SPEAKER_03: So we like the progress.
27:33
SPEAKER_03: We're not out for the world right now.
27:35
SPEAKER_03: For sure, absolutely.
27:36
SPEAKER_04: So on the up and up volleyball.
27:38
SPEAKER_04: Uh, let's go to women's basketball.
27:40
SPEAKER_04: Uh, not a great season for the ladies.
27:42
SPEAKER_04: Uh, this is um uh Coach Gerlicks' second season here at Texas Tech, uh 11-19 overall record, big 12, uh, four and fourteen.
27:51
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, I think I think all things considered, um, this team took some steps in the right direction.
27:58
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, they played uh some some really good teams really closely, uh, including a big win against UT this season, which should probably not have happened.
28:09
SPEAKER_04: But you know, Coach Curlick got our girls ready and we ended up beating them by I think 13.
28:13
SPEAKER_04: So you played uh a really good Baylor team pretty tight in one of those games.
28:17
SPEAKER_04: Uh, you know, you played a good Georgia team pretty tight.
28:20
SPEAKER_04: So there was some progress that was shown uh from first to second year in Coach Curlich's program, I think, in my opinion.
28:28
SPEAKER_04: Uh still obviously not a good record, not a good Big 12 record by any means.
28:32
SPEAKER_04: Um, but I think you know, taking a step in the right direction, uh, baby step, but you know, a step nonetheless.
28:38
SPEAKER_04: So, what do you think about women's basketball?
28:41
SPEAKER_03: I mean, I can't give women's basketball a passing grade this season.
28:45
SPEAKER_03: It's uh they're getting a D.
28:46
SPEAKER_03: Uh, I was this close to giving them an F, but I there's another sport we'll talk about that's flat out got the F.
28:52
SPEAKER_03: Um, but yeah, the thing about this D is you know, obviously everything on paper, very poor, everything that could signify an F.
29:01
SPEAKER_03: It's just that Coach Gerlich is is indeed moving them in the right direction.
29:05
SPEAKER_03: And I don't I believe that Coach Gerlich deserves more time to get this done.
29:10
SPEAKER_03: So I think rather than stamping a big fat red F that proves that you really don't think anything good is gonna come of this, uh, is there, I think D is fair for this current state.
29:20
SPEAKER_03: You know, it's not giving them too much credit, but it's not just saying that, you know, it was a wash of a season.
29:26
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, no, absolutely.
29:27
SPEAKER_04: There's no uh like I gave them a D plus, and that was basically just because they beat UT and they kind of played a lot of good teams tight.
29:34
SPEAKER_04: Um, but you know, this this was a program that was in the freaking gutter.
29:38
SPEAKER_04: So, you know, you're coming off a uh pretty big a couple coaching scandals.
29:43
SPEAKER_04: You finally got the right person in here.
29:44
SPEAKER_04: So I am I'm happy with Coach Gerlich, her staff being here and growing with them.
29:50
SPEAKER_04: Seems like we have a good coach here, a respectable coach, you know, not one that's you know mistreating players or anything like that.
29:57
SPEAKER_03: Her drip game is off the charts.
29:59
SPEAKER_03: Oh, she's the best dressed coach on campus.
30:01
SPEAKER_03: And it's like absolutely, absolutely.
30:04
SPEAKER_04: Uh, and she's got some good recruits like Bailey Maupin is a four-star recruit coming into Texas Tech.
30:09
SPEAKER_04: She has some uh some pretty good transfers coming in.
30:12
SPEAKER_04: So I'd if if tech basketball, tech women's basketball does this same kind of performance next season, then we can start talking a little harsher about this program.
30:21
SPEAKER_04: But you know, your third year as your head coach is kind of you know what a lot of people determine where your program is going.
30:28
SPEAKER_04: And I think this second year was uh, you know, a decent sign, obviously, lost a lot of games, but hopefully that turns around.
30:34
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and obviously Coach Gurlich, she's a hometown hero, and you always give your your own more benefit of the doubt.
30:40
SPEAKER_03: So I think we probably have rose glasses on with her as well.
30:43
SPEAKER_03: And but I think that's fair.
30:44
SPEAKER_03: I think you deserve a little extra time whenever you're you whenever you know she's committed to the program and doing things right and making making this into a contender again, like she said.
30:53
SPEAKER_03: So I I full belief in Coach Gurlich.
30:55
SPEAKER_03: I don't think she's going anywhere.
30:56
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, absolutely.
30:57
SPEAKER_04: So uh moving on to men's basketball, a great year for Mark Adams in his first season as head coach.
31:04
SPEAKER_04: Uh 27 and 10 overall record, uh 12 and 6 in the Big 12, undefeated at home, 18 and 0, uh, sweet 16 appearance, third in the Big 12.
31:15
SPEAKER_04: By all means, this is an A.
31:17
SPEAKER_04: By all means this is an A.
31:19
SPEAKER_04: I this was such an unbelievable turnaround from something that we did not expect to happen in Chris Beard leading.
31:30
SPEAKER_04: Uh, I don't think a lot of us expected it.
31:31
SPEAKER_04: I don't think Kirby expected it.
31:33
SPEAKER_04: I don't think maybe even Mark Adams probably didn't expect it.
31:36
SPEAKER_04: So when that happened, so kind of later in the year, April, you know, where you're you have half an offseason to kind of get everything ready and put a good team out there on the floor.
31:49
SPEAKER_04: And Mark Adams spent that time also getting a new staff, hiring all new guys to come to Lubbock while hitting the transfer portal, while also hitting the high school recruiting.
32:02
SPEAKER_04: And this man developed a Sweet 16 team and a team that was really close to beating a Duke team that had five NBA players on it, you know.
32:10
SPEAKER_04: So, by all means, this was a fantastic year for men's basketball.
32:16
SPEAKER_03: For sure, man.
32:16
SPEAKER_03: This is an easy A.
32:17
SPEAKER_03: And I think everyone listening would absolutely agree.
32:19
SPEAKER_03: I'm sure some are upset that we didn't say A plus, you know.
32:22
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, so that that's how good of a season it was.
32:24
SPEAKER_03: And talk about a tale of two different programs that play the same sport.
32:27
SPEAKER_03: Whenever we just talk about women's basketball and the in the in the gutter they've been in.
32:31
SPEAKER_03: Thankfully, Mark Adams was able to start with a lot built up already.
32:35
SPEAKER_03: You know, he wasn't exactly a uh the shed that Krista Gerlig had to walk into um with her side.
32:42
SPEAKER_03: So just an absolutely spectacular display of coaching and rebuilding and reloading and making make making an absolute statement to the Big 12 and the basketball world that sextech's not going anywhere.
32:53
SPEAKER_03: As you stated in uh in the Beers and Buckets podcast, we are in new blood, and I think we're trying to make our way into making sure that statement remains, and maybe we don't even have to say new anymore in front of it.
33:03
SPEAKER_03: So I think we were in great hands.
33:05
SPEAKER_03: We just re-signed Coach Adams for an extension on his contract.
33:09
SPEAKER_03: So obviously, I don't think any of us were scared that we'd have him until retirement.
33:12
SPEAKER_03: So all we are in good hands for a good long while, man.
33:15
SPEAKER_03: I'm very excited.
33:16
SPEAKER_03: Very excited.
33:17
SPEAKER_03: How could you not be excited about the future of college about our college basketball team?
33:21
SPEAKER_04: Some of the craziest highs that we've seen from this program happen.
33:25
SPEAKER_04: We saw, I think this is the craziest I've ever seen in fan support for Texas Tech, any sport, um, was this season in basketball.
33:34
SPEAKER_04: I mean, call it petty, call whatever you want, but there has never been an atmosphere like that Texas Texas Tech game in Lubbock.
33:43
SPEAKER_04: There just hasn't.
33:44
SPEAKER_04: I mean, when you talk about an entire program, an entire fan base, an entire team, coaching staff, everybody on the same page of hey, we're here to kick this freaking guy's ass.
33:56
SPEAKER_04: And then they go and do it and they accomplish so much.
33:59
SPEAKER_04: You go 18 and oh in front of your own fans.
34:02
SPEAKER_04: That is so massive for building a good foundation for the program.
34:06
SPEAKER_04: I mean, you uh it was us in Kentucky.
34:08
SPEAKER_04: That was the only two schools that went 18-0 at home.
34:11
SPEAKER_04: Now, some other schools went undefeated, 17, 16, all that, but we were the only ones that went 18 and 0 at home.
34:16
SPEAKER_04: And you know, you played well against the Good Gonzaga team.
34:20
SPEAKER_04: You beat the national champions, Kansas, you beat Baylor, the defending champs, twice, you beat Chris Beard twice, you know, just an unbelievable year all around.
34:30
SPEAKER_03: A storybook season.
34:32
SPEAKER_03: It will be one we never forget.
34:33
SPEAKER_03: It's just the ultimate timeline.
34:35
SPEAKER_03: Everything went right for us.
34:37
SPEAKER_03: I don't think there's anything you can complain about within that season.
34:40
SPEAKER_03: And we'll take a sweet 16 appearance every single year.
34:44
SPEAKER_03: So just spectacular stuff from our uh our young basketball program who's going nowhere but up, man.
34:51
SPEAKER_04: Yep, absolutely.
34:52
SPEAKER_04: So uh great year overall for the basketball team.
34:56
SPEAKER_04: Tennis, you I gave you the assignment of men's and women's tennis.
35:00
SPEAKER_04: Again, we haven't done a fantastic job of keeping up with these sports, but uh Tristan, what what do you got for the men's and the women's tennis seasons?
35:07
SPEAKER_03: So let's start with men's real quick.
35:09
SPEAKER_03: The uh the men's are getting a B.
35:10
SPEAKER_03: They they had a pretty solid year uh in Big 12 and overall.
35:14
SPEAKER_03: They would, you know, in Big 12 they went with a about a 500 record.
35:17
SPEAKER_03: Uh same with the women's, but see what sets them apart from the uh I'm gonna go ahead and say women's is B plus so I can talk about them together.
35:24
SPEAKER_03: Um, because they had very similar seasons.
35:27
SPEAKER_03: Uh you know, they both perform very solidly.
35:29
SPEAKER_03: We have a we have a solid tennis program that performs well every single year.
35:33
SPEAKER_03: Um the the only reason why they didn't get to go higher than that is one, usually you expect some accolades and some trophies to really push you up into the A.
35:42
SPEAKER_03: Uh, they made the postseason, and women's even made it past the first round of the postseason, which is why they get a B plus.
35:48
SPEAKER_03: Um, but men's went into the postseason and got knocked out first round.
35:51
SPEAKER_03: Uh solid season overall.
35:53
SPEAKER_03: I don't know how much you complain about that.
35:55
SPEAKER_03: You take those every year, but you'll take B's every year.
35:57
SPEAKER_03: At least we I know you and I would in college.
35:59
SPEAKER_03: So that absolutely an easy going B and a B plus for our men and ladies on the uh on the green uh green court there.
36:09
SPEAKER_03: Green court, clay court.
36:11
SPEAKER_03: I don't think that way I was gonna go with that.
36:18
SPEAKER_04: This this is a good season, and I I think it's kind of underrated how good the Big 12 is uh at tennis.
36:24
SPEAKER_04: I mean, UT, Baylor, TCU, all those teams are really, really good at tennis.
36:28
SPEAKER_04: Um, so this is a tough conference to be successful in.
36:31
SPEAKER_04: And anytime you make the postseason, you're happy.
36:34
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, shouts out to all those uh hardworking men and women there on the tennis team.
36:38
SPEAKER_04: You know, they're always working hard, so I've got to give them a shout out.
36:41
SPEAKER_04: Um, I took on the assignment of golf and golf, great years uh for both sides.
36:48
SPEAKER_04: Uh the men, I would probably give them an A.
36:50
SPEAKER_04: I would give the women a B.
36:52
SPEAKER_04: Um, the men advanced to the uh the golf champion, the NCAA golf championships for the third time in program history.
36:59
SPEAKER_04: So that's obviously a huge accolade.
37:01
SPEAKER_04: Uh they did fall to Vanderbilt in the quarterfinals.
37:04
SPEAKER_04: Uh Ludwig, our boy, the Swedish fish himself.
37:07
SPEAKER_04: Uh, he won the Ben Hogan Award and was a member of the all Big 12 team.
37:11
SPEAKER_04: Uh, so you had some really good golfers on the men's side.
37:14
SPEAKER_04: Uh on the women's side, they made the postseason as well.
37:18
SPEAKER_04: Uh, finished seventh in the in the Stanford regional.
37:21
SPEAKER_04: So, you know, just finished a little below the men, but uh, you know, you have some great golfers here at uh at Texas Tech, uh, men and women alike.
37:29
SPEAKER_04: So great seasons overall for both of them.
37:32
SPEAKER_03: What's fun about the golf program at tech is I feel like we only can go up with what we have.
37:37
SPEAKER_03: We have everything you need to have a really successful golf program.
37:42
SPEAKER_03: And I just think we have this, this, this, these roots that are being really ingrained in the school right now that are gonna form into some really powerful programs in the future.
37:50
SPEAKER_03: I think I think this is another program that's only going up and like really can really believe that.
37:55
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
37:55
SPEAKER_04: You also saw um in this isn't like Texas Tech specific, but uh Mito Pierra actually had a great run though over there in the uh in the US Open and almost won it for Texas Tech, former Red Raider golfer.
38:09
SPEAKER_04: Uh almost won the whole thing until you know the 18th came around.
38:12
SPEAKER_04: But uh that was fun to watch.
38:14
SPEAKER_04: Uh, you know, you can always kind of point that to another good golf anecdote here for this season.
38:20
SPEAKER_04: Um, but yeah, you know, good seasons overall, no doubt for uh the men and the women.
38:25
SPEAKER_04: We're always gonna have a solid, solid group here, um, here at Texas Tech.
38:29
SPEAKER_04: So let's pull up, let's move on to the sport that probably deserves an absolute, really, really, really low grade here.
38:38
SPEAKER_04: And that would be uh Texas Tech softball.
38:41
SPEAKER_04: Um, overall 22 and 27, uh, five and 13 in conference.
38:48
SPEAKER_04: Um you know, another another semi-scandal.
38:52
SPEAKER_04: I don't know if you can really call it a scandal, but it was sketchy.
38:55
SPEAKER_04: It was sketchy.
38:56
SPEAKER_04: It was definitely sketchy.
38:57
SPEAKER_04: Uh Sammy Ward in her second season uh and her entire staff let go um due to I I I you know unknown reasons right now, uh, for what you know you and me know, but uh definitely some mistreatment or I should say allegations of mistreatment um between you know some of the girls and uh just uh a horrible year record-wise and program-wise for Texas Tech softball.
39:26
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, just a tough, tough one.
39:29
SPEAKER_03: A big fat F grade on the softball.
39:32
SPEAKER_03: If anything, since we cleaned house completely, you could probably even say we dropped the course this semester.
39:38
SPEAKER_03: Uh it was it's just it's embarrassing how the the shape that our softball program has been in these past years.
39:45
SPEAKER_03: I mean, we we've been so bad for a while now, and it's just it's about time that we put together a decent softball program, and there's no reason to not be competitive.
39:53
SPEAKER_03: I mean, we're not asking for trophies right out the bat, but geez, let's at least not have a another scandalous coach for the love of God.
40:00
SPEAKER_03: But go, I just think it's I hope that Kirby Hokut was kind of in a rut of making poor hires with uh with the with our whole the way the women's basketball coach went down and the way the softball coach went back went down.
40:14
SPEAKER_03: I think he's learned some lessons.
40:16
SPEAKER_03: I think he's a little more focused in on how important it is to really vet these people out and find the right person.
40:22
SPEAKER_03: So I I hope I hope and pray that Kirby's gonna get this next one right.
40:26
SPEAKER_03: I mean, a it's his job, he's paid well to do it, and two, it's just it's enough of of whatever the heck is going on in the softball program, both scandal-wise and performance-wise.
40:35
SPEAKER_03: It's been awful.
40:36
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, for sure.
40:37
SPEAKER_04: So uh you managed to win two Big 12 series, which I think is actually surprising.
40:42
SPEAKER_04: Uh, you know, you beat Iowa State and you beat Kansas um in the in those series, but uh man, there were some some bad games overall.
40:50
SPEAKER_04: So uh definitely a season to move on from, and hopefully we get a good hire in here to fix the just the culture.
40:57
SPEAKER_04: There's just a stink in that program right now that needs to be fixed.
41:01
SPEAKER_03: It's for the what's for what it sounds like with those kinds of records, it sounds like the coach wasn't yelling at Adamir like she should have been with the way the season was going.
41:10
SPEAKER_03: It sounds like she was uh taking her frustrations out in the wrong way.
41:13
SPEAKER_03: So I'm I'm glad that we're moving on, closing this chapter, and we're dropping this course that is softball for the season.
41:18
SPEAKER_04: For sure.
41:19
SPEAKER_04: So that's a solid F for the softball team.
41:22
SPEAKER_04: Uh for the baseball team, much more fun.
41:25
SPEAKER_04: Uh way more fun, way more fun, despite some of uh some of the Twitter users out there that uh you know have stupid high expectations for Texas Tech every single year and want everybody fired after one bad series or what you're seeing that?
41:41
SPEAKER_04: Oh my god, it was all over dude, it was all over Twitter.
41:44
SPEAKER_04: Everybody wanted to fire not everybody, I should say certain people.
41:48
SPEAKER_04: Certain people wanted to fire the pitching coach or wanted to fire uh I don't know, J Bob, or was really questioning Tim Tad luck.
41:57
SPEAKER_04: It's like, guys, let's not act like we haven't been unbelievable for the past the best thing to ever happen to the program.
42:04
SPEAKER_04: Exactly.
42:04
SPEAKER_04: So, you know, one bad, not even a bad year, it was a good year.
42:08
SPEAKER_04: It was tech baseball.
42:10
SPEAKER_04: Like it was you made a regional, like this this is something all programs dream of making, yeah, is the regional.
42:17
SPEAKER_04: And yeah, you were a three seed.
42:18
SPEAKER_04: We've been hosting the last five straight years, yeah.
42:21
SPEAKER_04: Okay, you know, kind of down a little bit, but overall, 39 and 22 overall record, uh, 15 and 9 in conference.
42:29
SPEAKER_04: You won nearly every Big 12 series.
42:32
SPEAKER_04: Um, you finished second in the Big 12.
42:35
SPEAKER_03: You're one game away, yeah one game from getting another trophy.
42:40
SPEAKER_03: Dang it.
42:40
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, you're one game away.
42:42
SPEAKER_04: Um, Brandon Birdsell, the Big 12 pitcher of the year.
42:45
SPEAKER_04: Uh Josh Young, Brandon Birdsell, all Big 12 first teamers.
42:49
SPEAKER_04: Um, Hudson White, Cole Stilwell, Easter Morell, uh Kurt Wilson, Andrew Morris, all Big 12 second teamers.
42:56
SPEAKER_04: Um, Mel, what do you got?
42:58
SPEAKER_04: What do you got for tech baseball?
43:00
SPEAKER_03: This is the thing with tech baseball.
43:02
SPEAKER_03: I guess you could probably make the same argument with track and field, is they they're probably the most critical.
43:06
SPEAKER_03: Like we could be the most critical with them just from their unreal level of sustained success.
43:11
SPEAKER_03: I mean, you can make the same argument about basketball, but basketball's in a different situation since the transition.
43:16
SPEAKER_03: But this this was tough.
43:19
SPEAKER_03: I had to go with a B plus um because just just because you're you're this close to winning a Big 12 trophy one game away, and you don't make it out of the first round of uh postseason.
43:34
SPEAKER_03: And we we expect that now.
43:35
SPEAKER_03: So not doing that to say that we're not disappointed would be lying.
43:39
SPEAKER_03: And but it's still it's still a great season.
43:42
SPEAKER_03: And like I like I said about uh um I forget which sport I was talking about, how you and you and I accept oh soccer, you and I accept that not every single season is gonna be you're talking about a national title in the postseason every time.
43:54
SPEAKER_03: So um we obviously we had those hopes, but it's just it doesn't play out that way.
43:58
SPEAKER_03: That's how sports work, and but I I'm not gonna lie and say it's it's A grade because compared to their past work, it's a B grade.
44:05
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, that's absolutely fair.
44:07
SPEAKER_04: I mean, we've made college World Series 20, what, 14, 16, 18, and 19.
44:12
SPEAKER_04: So uh Tim Tadlock has set high expectations for this program, and we should have high expectations.
44:17
SPEAKER_04: But where I think a lot of people go wrong is you see a season like this that by all means is successful.
44:23
SPEAKER_04: You made a regional, you know, you finished second in the Big 12, you know, a good season, and you're calling it a nightmare or abysmal or whatever.
44:31
SPEAKER_04: And it's like, guys, come on, like let's let's let's mean the middle here.
44:35
SPEAKER_04: We had a good season, we had a lot of good players on this team.
44:38
SPEAKER_04: Yes, there were a lot of moments, you know.
44:41
SPEAKER_04: Sundays were rough at times to watch, you know, you got creamed by a lot of teams, you lost to uh you lost some midweek games that you just shouldn't have, you know.
44:49
SPEAKER_04: You lost, you ended up getting one of the tougher um, you know, regionals and had to play Notre Dame, who probably should have been hosting.
44:57
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, so uh you kind of got screwed over in a lot of things.
45:01
SPEAKER_04: Um there goes my alarm.
45:03
SPEAKER_04: But uh no, I mean, overall it was a great season for baseball.
45:07
SPEAKER_04: Yes, we expect more.
45:09
SPEAKER_04: Yes, we kind of want, you know, if we don't make it to Omaha, we're a little disappointed.
45:13
SPEAKER_04: Uh, but that just shows how good our program is and the state of Tim Tadlock's Texas Tech Baseball.
45:19
SPEAKER_04: So um overall, I'd agree with you.
45:21
SPEAKER_04: I'd probably put a B plus um just to kind of fight back some of the the naysayers and uh people, you know, saying that we should fire pitching coaches and uh, you know, get all this new crap, which is ridiculous.
45:35
SPEAKER_03: It well, that that's that's surprising to me to hear because you know there's sharks in the water circling our program at all times, waiting for Tim Tadlock to make a mistake, like let a coach go.
45:45
SPEAKER_03: So they they want that to happen, they want our coaches, and that's a good that's a good place to be in.
45:49
SPEAKER_03: So I mean I understand the frustrations, and Twitter will be what Twitter is.
45:52
SPEAKER_03: You know, it's the only emotions are on the moon or in the depths of despair.
45:58
SPEAKER_03: So there's there's no in between with a with a ton of with a ton of uh users.
46:03
SPEAKER_03: So for sure.
46:04
SPEAKER_04: Hey, and we're not perfect when it comes to that, you know.
46:06
SPEAKER_04: No, we're emotional.
46:08
SPEAKER_04: I'm not I'm not yeah, wasn't just discounting us for sure.
46:12
SPEAKER_04: So uh B plus for the baseball team.
46:14
SPEAKER_04: Uh, we're gonna still be competitive.
46:16
SPEAKER_04: Uh we're gonna have a lot of roster turnover come next season, so uh look out for that.
46:21
SPEAKER_04: But let's go to track and field.
46:22
SPEAKER_03: What you got for us?
46:23
SPEAKER_03: Track and field spectacular season.
46:26
SPEAKER_03: Uh, you know, it's uh Kitley has has just built a monster in West Texas, you know.
46:32
SPEAKER_03: Uh obviously one of our few national, a complete national team uh titles we have on campus a few years ago.
46:39
SPEAKER_03: Um, but uh both men and women's, they both received stellar A grades this year.
46:44
SPEAKER_03: Um, or are the championships here are just wrapping up for the NCAA championships track and field.
46:50
SPEAKER_03: Men's finish ninth overall in the championship, and I don't think anyone would complain about finishing in the top 10.
46:56
SPEAKER_03: And to put a cherry on top of that, we got a national title out of it.
47:00
SPEAKER_03: Uh, Mr.
47:02
SPEAKER_03: Moad Sahapi.
47:03
SPEAKER_03: I hope I'm saying that right, but he claims the 800-meter uh title for national champion, which is just obviously the highest trophies you could ever get.
47:13
SPEAKER_03: So congrats to him, congrats, Coach Kitley.
47:16
SPEAKER_03: Um, and to to wrap that up with the with the women's is they also finished with an A.
47:19
SPEAKER_03: They finished even higher than the men's in the championship.
47:21
SPEAKER_03: They finished seventh overall um with a runner up and triple and triple jump.
47:25
SPEAKER_03: So we're this close to grabbing a trophy with the ladies as well.
47:28
SPEAKER_03: But I mean, if this is what if this is what's happening in your track and field uh uh program, you are doing a okay, everything's going right.
47:37
SPEAKER_03: And you I don't know if how you can justify giving them less than an A with finishes like this.
47:42
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, absolutely 100% agree.
47:44
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, again, just to say uh there's a lot to keep up with when it comes to track and field.
47:49
SPEAKER_04: There's indoor, there's outdoor, there's men's, there's women's, there's big 12 championships, there's national championships, there's there's a lot of stuff to keep up with, and we admittedly have not done a great job of that.
47:59
SPEAKER_04: So uh, you know, come next year.
48:01
SPEAKER_04: Uh, this is too good of a program here at Texas Tech to not keep up with.
48:04
SPEAKER_04: We will do a better job of that.
48:06
SPEAKER_04: Uh, as of right now, I know tortillas and takes does a great job with uh, you know, keeping up with sports like softball and track and field.
48:13
SPEAKER_04: So uh I know they just came out with an episode about track and field, so go to listen to that if you want some real analysis when it comes to uh track and field.
48:21
SPEAKER_04: But yes, overall, great program.
48:23
SPEAKER_04: Uh, Wes Kidley has this as a powerhouse in West Texas.
48:26
SPEAKER_04: He's an all-time red raider.
48:28
SPEAKER_04: It's fantastic to uh you know see this team every year.
48:31
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I'm glad to have his uh son on board as well in a different uh program.
48:35
SPEAKER_03: So that doesn't stink either.
48:36
SPEAKER_03: Uh the championship blood runs through them.
48:39
SPEAKER_04: Absolutely.
48:40
SPEAKER_04: So, Tristan, I'm gonna ask you something that we didn't prepare for.
48:43
SPEAKER_04: What overall Texas Tech sports year, what's your grade?
48:50
SPEAKER_03: Oh my gosh, bro.
48:51
SPEAKER_03: Okay, so if I'm just looking at my my note sheet here, uh we probably even out at about a B minus.
48:59
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I was I was gonna say the same thing.
49:01
SPEAKER_03: Uh, which is which is great.
49:02
SPEAKER_03: I mean, that's that's a very solid year, you know.
49:04
SPEAKER_03: I'd probably be even I'd be okay with a C as well, you know, C's to get to get degrees.
49:08
SPEAKER_03: Um, but yeah, man, it's there's a lot of highs, yes, and but there will there's a lot of uh disappointing in the fact that there's just too good of programs to be performing like this, and obviously some gutter that it's just we can't really ignore.
49:22
SPEAKER_03: So I think B minus is a fair grade to give the academic year.
49:26
SPEAKER_03: Um, but plenty of fun memories come with it, too.
49:28
SPEAKER_03: That's not a knock on those seasons, I'd say.
49:30
SPEAKER_04: For sure.
49:31
SPEAKER_04: No, there's always goods and bads when it comes to this stuff.
49:34
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, and even with just specific sports, you can talk about football and the roller coaster of the season that was so um, you know, that I think football season is kind of a good representation of Texas Tech's athletic year as a whole, in terms of just you know, some really bad moments and some really great moments.
49:51
SPEAKER_04: Um, but Texas Tech's in as good a spot as ever, um, you know, in in the Big 12, I would also give it a B minus right here overall.
49:59
SPEAKER_04: Uh, and a lot of room for improvement still, you know.
50:02
SPEAKER_04: I can see some of these teams next season just being exceeding expectations and being even better than what they were this year.
50:08
SPEAKER_04: And that's really what you want as a program.
50:10
SPEAKER_04: You don't want to see digression, you want to see progression.
50:13
SPEAKER_04: So right.
50:13
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, we're we're hyped up about Texas Tech sports and athletics, and we're hyped up to give y'all all the best content we can around these sports, and we're gonna do a better job with the smaller ones, I promise.
50:23
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, great point, man.
50:24
SPEAKER_03: I I can't I'm having a hard time finding on this list where I think the program will just flat out be bad, honestly.
50:30
SPEAKER_03: You know, I I think I think the only sport you would you could see possible digression would be like a softball, only because it's a transition year, but it's hard to go lower than they are right now.
50:40
SPEAKER_03: So, yeah, other than that, man, I I think these programs are have great coaches at the helm and have nowhere to go but up and will support all the great things they do for us, even if if uh if it's not national championships every year, which I guess is what baseball is supposed to be now.
50:54
SPEAKER_04: So hey man, that's basketball, baseball.
50:57
SPEAKER_04: You know, you're rooting for the top of the top.
51:00
SPEAKER_04: We are, we are, we are rooting for that.
51:01
SPEAKER_04: We are.
51:02
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, football's getting there, track and field.
51:04
SPEAKER_04: You're always hoping for national championships now.
51:07
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, and and hopefully we'll get there with some of these other sports.
51:10
SPEAKER_04: But um, yeah, great good year overall for tech athletics.
51:13
SPEAKER_04: Fun to fun to recap as a whole, um, you know, the entirety of everything.
51:18
SPEAKER_04: So uh, but we'll kind of end it off here with some songs of the week on this week's episode.
51:24
SPEAKER_04: Tristan, what is your song of the week for the people?
51:28
SPEAKER_03: All right, this song of the week, I get it.
51:29
SPEAKER_03: I got a lady of country music, and she's kind of uh on the rise here.
51:33
SPEAKER_03: She's kind of made her waves through the alternative country scene.
51:37
SPEAKER_03: Her name is, I'm sure many will be familiar with her, Hailey Withers.
51:40
SPEAKER_03: Uh, she's done some projects with Flatline Cavalry and American Aquarium, some other people in the alternative country people you would recognize.
51:48
SPEAKER_03: Um, but the song I'm going with is a very charming, fun song.
51:51
SPEAKER_03: It's one of her more popular ones right now.
51:52
SPEAKER_03: It's called Everything She Ain't on her new album, Raise.
51:56
SPEAKER_03: So it's just it's just a fun two and a half minute song, just silly and talk about in an earworm.
52:03
SPEAKER_03: It'll get in your head and it will refuse to leave.
52:06
SPEAKER_03: And you'll just be sitting there cleaning dishes and singing the song in your head, and like while you're doing all that.
52:12
SPEAKER_03: So everything she ain't.
52:13
SPEAKER_03: Haley Withers.
52:15
SPEAKER_05: She's got a little style and a Hollywood smile, but believe me, honey, goodness, money in the bite.
52:23
SPEAKER_05: I'm everything she is, and everything she ain't.
52:33
SPEAKER_04: Please God to just not play, not stop playing.
52:36
SPEAKER_04: Uh Material Girl.
52:38
SPEAKER_04: Oh my god.
52:39
SPEAKER_04: Oh my why has that made such a comeback?
52:41
SPEAKER_04: Was it because of Stranger Things?
52:43
SPEAKER_04: It I don't know, but it's horrible.
52:45
SPEAKER_04: Oh, it's horrible.
52:47
SPEAKER_04: Oh, and I uh it's stuck in my brain.
52:49
SPEAKER_04: I got you all the time.
52:51
SPEAKER_04: This is a good earworm.
52:52
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, okay.
52:53
SPEAKER_04: This is a good earworm.
52:54
SPEAKER_04: I'm happy to get this song stuck in my head.
52:57
SPEAKER_04: Um, my song of the week, I'm throwing it back a little bit to kind of when we were younger, uh, our angsty teen days.
53:03
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, I'm gonna go with a little shine down, second chance.
53:08
SPEAKER_04: Great song, just something you could just blast in the car, uh, and you're loving it.
53:14
SPEAKER_04: It takes you back to those years of you know not knowing what to do, uh, asking out girls, and uh, you know, just really just hating yourself as a middle schooler, not listening to your own.
53:28
SPEAKER_04: Yes, just despising everything.
53:30
SPEAKER_04: Uh, shine down second chance.
53:32
SPEAKER_04: That's my song of the week.
53:53
SPEAKER_03: All right, man.
53:54
SPEAKER_03: I that's a rare time.
53:55
SPEAKER_03: I don't know what you're talking about.
53:56
SPEAKER_03: So uh angsty this I probably you're probably right.
53:59
SPEAKER_03: Um, but I can't wait to hear how angsty I am whenever you turn this on.
54:03
SPEAKER_04: It's it's a good jab.
54:05
SPEAKER_04: Oh, but I think that is going to do it here for this week's episode.
54:09
SPEAKER_04: Always fun recapping the year.
54:11
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, hopefully we got some stuff in the works for you guys, some cool interviews coming up.
54:16
SPEAKER_04: Hopefully, we'll be talking to some other Big 12 uh, you know, associated media members or whatever coming up, uh, you know, to kind of ride out the summer um until football season comes around again, it's gonna come at us um, you know, at the blink of an eye.
54:31
SPEAKER_04: So we're ready for that.
54:32
SPEAKER_04: But we're gonna end it off with some plugs like we always do here on Talking Tech Pod.
54:36
SPEAKER_04: You can follow both me and Tristan on Twitter.
54:37
SPEAKER_04: Tristan's at Tristy Mick.
54:39
SPEAKER_04: I'm at L underscore S underscore Rodriguez.
54:41
SPEAKER_04: You can follow the pod on Twitter at Talking Tech Pod.
54:44
SPEAKER_04: Follow our Songs of the Week playlist there on Spotify and Apple Music.
54:48
SPEAKER_04: You can uh follow Guns Up Nation for everything you want, Texas Tech related.
54:53
SPEAKER_04: Uh, they keep you up with recruiting news and all these good articles coming out about you know players coming in.
54:58
SPEAKER_04: Uh, now that it's the offseason, we're all focused on the future and all that good stuff.
55:02
SPEAKER_04: So um, you know, follow everybody associated with Guns Up Nation for that.
55:06
SPEAKER_04: Um, and you know, if you could rate, review, subscribe to the podcast.
55:10
SPEAKER_04: We are on every platform imaginable that you could ever think of.
55:14
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, and we just appreciate all y'all listening.
55:17
SPEAKER_04: As always, Wreck'em Tech.
55:19
SPEAKER_04: Wreckham Tech.
55:20
SPEAKER_01: Uh wow.
55:22
SPEAKER_01: First of all, uh got a lot of respect for Steven and Tristan.
55:27
SPEAKER_01: Uh their program, tough guys, just uh a lot of fun.
55:31
SPEAKER_00: I love the game of basketball, but I also love West Texas, and I love Steven and Tristan.
55:36
SPEAKER_00: So I'm extremely proud.
55:38
SPEAKER_00: Well, I don't know where we go from here.
55:39
SPEAKER_00: I'm I'm thinking I'm just gonna sit back down.
55:41
SPEAKER_00: It's just not getting better than this.
55:43
SPEAKER_02: I would like to thank uh Stephen and Tristan.
55:46
SPEAKER_01: This is incredible.
55:48
SPEAKER_01: These guys have a passion and a love for this school.