Category Archives: Other sports

Some long overdue reforms are looming for NCAA Division I member institutions. On the last day of the NCAA convention, the Division I Board of Directors approved the Academic Progress Rate (APR), the standard teams in every sport must reach … Continue reading → Continue reading →

In this article about the productive bench of the Rice Owls men’s basketball team, writer Moisekapenda Bower makes a strange assertion about Owl swingman Jamal Moore. His energy and stifling defense, intangibles statistics can’t quantify, are as valuable as [teammate … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I never knew that the University of Texas at Arlington had ever had football, but they did, up until 1985. Now they’re talking about reviving it, and this Star Telegram article details the story. A couple of bits to comment … Continue reading → Continue reading →

This is a shock. Reggie White, a fearsome defensive end for the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers who was one of the great players in NFL history, died Sunday, his wife said. He was 43. The cause of death … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Ken Pomeroy says that the NCAA is fixing to tinker with the RPI formula for ranking basketball teams. ESPN has the story. Road wins will carry more weight in the Ratings Percentage Index after unanimous approval by the NCAA championships … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Tired of reading about bad things in the athletic world? Read this article about Rice University senior guard Jason McKrieth and feel better about sports and life. Found on the Owlzone fan board. Continue reading →

In the midst of this article on the various Texas-based bowl games and how they position themselves in the market, Dale Robertson makes a remarkable (to me, anyway) observation: Understandably, the SBC Cotton Bowl and the Alamo Bowl have been … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Meet Ashley McElhiney, the head coach of the Nashville Rhythm of the American Basketball Association. At 23, she’s not only one of the youngest head coaches out there, she’s the only woman coach of a men’s professional team. McElhiney turned … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Mary Hardin-Baylor, which knocked off my alma mater Trinity in the opening round of the Division III NCAA football playoffs for their first win ever over the Tigers, makes me feel better about that loss by upsetting perennial powerhouse Mount … Continue reading → Continue reading →

This is good to see. Two men were banned from events at The Palace for what the Detroit Pistons say is their involvement in last month’s NBA brawl. John Green and Charlie Haddad were sent letters informing them of the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

With the college football season drawing to a close, we can turn our attention to our real favorite sport, the game of What’s Wrong With The BCS This Season? We’ve got a twofer this year, as one of three undefeated … Continue reading → Continue reading →

OK, so UT muffs an extra point attempt against Texas A&M. The ball, which was never held properly, is kicked into the end zone, where an Aggie falls on it. The refs then award UT a one-point “safety”, which apparently … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Ron Artest has been suspended for the rest of the NBA season for his role in the arena melee from the weekend. Indiana Pacers forward Ron Artest, who led the charge into the stands and sparked a near riot at … Continue reading → Continue reading →

A few weeks back, Penn State registered two safeties for its only points in a 6-4 loss to Iowa. Yesterday, after trailing UTEP 21-17 in the fourth quarter, Rice scored two safeties to tie the game before losing in double … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I know every right-thinking person is enraptured by the baseball playoffs at this time, but I want to note that I’ve enjoyed the Chron’s coverage of the Houston Rockets’ trip to China for two exhibition games against the Kings. This … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Hall of Fame basketball player Calvin Murphy, currently under indictment on several charges of sexual assault against five of his children, will not be part of the Houston Rockets broadcast team in 2004-05. Calvin Murphy’s leave of absence from his … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Ever since I spent a summer umpiring Babe Ruth League games back in college, I’ve thought the idea of using technology to help officiate sporting events was a good one. As far as I’m concerned, the so-called “human factor” is … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Meet Zippy Chippy, the world’s worst racing horse. Zippy Chippy, thoroughbred racing’s all-time loser, made it 0-for-100 Friday when he finished last in an eight-horse field at the Three-County Fairgrounds. The 13-year-old brown gelding’s awful record has made him something … Continue reading → Continue reading →

There’s a new study out which debunks the idea that there’s a connection between winning collegiate athletic programs and success at recruiting students. The study was conducted by Robert Frank, professor of management and economics at Cornell University, on behalf … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Rice 10, UH 7. Sweeeet. Shoulda been a shutout, but the Rice secondary finally got burned on the last play of the game for UH. Best defensive effort I’ve seen in a long time, and given how effective UH was … Continue reading → Continue reading →

College football gets started a day late for me, as the Rice Owls open their season today. I surfed through a few games on TV yesterday and was reminded often that for me, in many games involving a BCS program, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Tim Dunlop catches an unfortunate turn of phrase during one of the womens’ diving events. His commenters supply a bunch more, all of which are amusing. I’m reminded of a story from the late 1960s, when the New York Yankees’ … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Could Monday Night Football be in danger? It’s apparently a big money-loser for ABC, but their affiliates love it, and there are plenty of suitors out there if Big Mouse asks for a divorce. Read this LA Times article for … Continue reading → Continue reading →

History. The cost of building Minute Maid Park, Reliant Stadium and Toyota Center rose by $37.2 million this week when the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority voted to issue new bonds. Issuing the bonds was necessary to persuade one of the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Via Women’s Hoops and Off Wing Opinion comes this article from The Oregonian about how modern coaches are recruiting players to their college programs. Pam Stackhouse spent a recent workday making phone calls, writing letters and sending e-mails lobbying high … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I’ll echo Kevin in congratulating Rudy T for his new gig. Actually, I think it’s the Lakers that deserve the kudos, for having the good sense to hire a coach like Tomjanovich. It’ll be weird seeing him in LA, like … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Earlier this week, I said: Coming up next: Why (eventually) hosting an NCAA Men’s Basketball Regional at the Toyota Center will bring millions of dollars plus prestige and exposure to the City of Houston! Just bookmark this post for future … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Ohio State has hired Xavier’s Tommy Matta to be their new men’s basketball head coach. Rice’s Willis Wilson had been interviewed twice for this position, and the Chron’s John Lopez thinks that his current employer dissed him in the process. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

And so it goes. The Rockets’ long pursuit of NBA scoring champion Tracy McGrady was completed today with a seven-player trade that will send McGrady to the Rockets and Steve Francis to the Magic, sources close to the talks said … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Before anyone asks, no, this was not an option when we were considering baby names. PAMPA, Texas — A Texas couple who named their son ESPN after the cable sports network will soon be getting a visit from the toddler’s … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Well, the Francis/McGrady trade has not happened yet, and the word is that other teams, including Phoenix and Indiana, have upped their offers. So the Rockets are at least temporarily in the lurch. What will happen? Don’t ask Mark Cuban … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I don’t know if the Rockets will go forward with the reported trade of Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, and Kelvin Cato for Tracy McGrady, Juwan Howard, Tyronn Lue, and some spare parts, but I do know that after being so … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Congrats to the Detroit Pistons on their well-deserved NBA championship. Damn, but they kicked butt. Ben Wallace is the best natural rebounder I’ve seen since Moses Malone, and he had a lot of help. They were just the better team, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

The Chron has a nice lookback on the Houston Rockets championship team of 1994 as the ten-year anniversary of that title approaches, along with sidebar stories on the opponents they overcame and the bizarre OJ Simpson white Bronco interlude which … Continue reading → Continue reading →