Sideline to Sideline

You are now free to blog across the nation

2006-04-28T18:02:00.000-07:00

Southwest Airlines is the latest to join the blogosphere. Tired of laying in the (pardon the pun) wings and listening to people talk about his or her experience with the airlines, Southwest Airlines has decided to supply an outlet for customers and employees to communicate freely.
"There was a growing online community having conversations about travel and Southwest," said company spokeswoman Linda Rutherford. "We could watch that conversation, or become part of it."
Southwest launched its blog, "Nuts about Southwest," last week. Rutherford said about 20 employees, including a flight attendant, a pilot and a mechanic, have volunteered to write for the blog. She said Southwest will try to update the site at least three times a week.
This isn't the first time Southwest Airlines has thought outside the box. Years ago they were a part of a reality tv show, which involved cameras following their employees who had to deal with angry passengers.
They realize that negative comments are going to come. But they also realize that is just one of the components that makes a blog what it is.
"The general public doesn't know real people work there and have real thoughts and real opinions," he said.
Hopefully this blog will silence some of those thoughts.

Technorati tag: Southwest Airlines.

A few blurbs

2006-04-26T19:53:00.000-07:00

1. Brent Barry may have the nastiest chops in the league, but the brotha sure can shot the trey. I never, ever lose confidence in the Spurs, especially on our home court. But last night , I cam pretty close. Barry put up a 3 in the winding seconds of Game 2 with the Spurs down by 3. It clanked off the side of the rim, hit the front, went up and kissed the glass then came down and went through....thank god.

2. Favra coming back.
This is a confusing topic for myself. I really don't know what to think about it. For one, Favre left the Packers hanging too long. He made the announcment yesterday -5 days before the draft. Secondly, No. 4 has thrown more INTs than anyone in the league over the past three seasons...who did they get in the offseason to help him
get over that? So they picked by Charles Woodson, big whoop...he will get injured in Week 1 anyway.

blogide blog blog

2006-04-22T11:07:00.001-07:00

We hear them all the time and it never seems to really suprise me. But when I came across this figure today, I was a little taken back.
"Technorati currently tracks over 75,000 new weblogs created every day, which means that on average, a new weblog is created every second of every day - and 19.4 million bloggers (55%) are still posting 3 months after their blogs are created."
Um, wow.
This was found in a blog posting posted by Tecnorati founder David Sifry on his blog Sifry Alerts. He went on to say, "That's an increase both absolute and relative terms over just 3 months ago, when only 50.5% or 13.7 million blogs were active. In other words, even though there's a reasonable amount of tire-kicking going on, blogging continues to grow as a habitual activity."
Tire-kicking? All I am seeing is pure streaking around the track. This is just nearly unthinkable that this many blogs are being posted that often. And, clearly from the numbers Sifry has posted, it doesn't look like this is going to slow down anytime soon.
Here is a summary of what Sifry posted on his blog:
In summary:
Technorati now tracks over 35.3 Million blogs
The blogosphere is doubling in size every 6 months
It is now over 60 times bigger than it was 3 years ago
On average, a new weblog is created every second of every day
19.4 million bloggers (55%) are still posting 3 months after their blogs are created
Technorati tracks about 1.2 Million new blog posts each day, about 50,000 per hour

Those figures have got to wow you.

Technorati tag: State of the Blogosphere.

Silver and Black on the attack

2006-04-22T09:57:00.000-07:00

Ok, first of all I just can't see a basketball team winning a championship when their coaches first name is Flip. Hey, I understand the type of problems DEEEEtroit BASKETBALLLLll poses for people. They can do it on the offensive and defensive end as well as anyone in the league. But there is this team 45 minutes south of Austin that can do both of those things equally, if not better than they can.
Oh, and that team is also the reigning NBA champs.
For those non-believers who think Timmy D's plantheo plathawhatever is going to hurt our chances. Or for those haters who think this is Detroit's year, or even (laugh) dallas', I just have one thing to say: Don't hate the flambouant, hate the fundamental.
We (Spurs fans) have heard it all year long: Timmy D can barely even walk, our best post player this year is our point, Tony Parker. Our bench isn't capable enough. Hey, say what you want...we still won a franchise-record 63 games.
Ron Artest is promising that the Kings will win the series, saying that they are the favorite because of the way they have been playing. I think the nut has had too few many fun nights at the Palms because there is not way that is going to happen.
The playoffs are so much different that the regular season in that the games slow down to a half-court pace and the up-and-down game is virtually thrown out the back door.
Sure Ron Artest may be the best defensive player in the league, though I would give the nod to Bruce Bowen. But Artest's supporting cast is nowhere near that of what Bowen has to work with. The defensive clamps will be placed on Bibby, Miller and the rest of the Maloof's crew. Timmy D will dominate.
The Spurs will take the Kings best punch, but will prevail with ease.
Spurs in 4.

Austin is the right fit for Barnes

2006-04-11T11:56:00.000-07:00

When North Carolina State let go of head basketball coach Herb Sendek shortly after the Wolfpack's loss to Texas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, everyone's favorite name to step in and take over was Longhorns head coach Rick Barnes.
While Barnes, who is from Hickory, North Carolina, would have been going back towards Tobacco Road, Texas Athletic Director Deloss Dodds quickly restructured his contract. Barnes will see his annual base salary jump from $1.3 million to $1.8 million with a $125,000 incentive for reaching the NCAA Tournament.
Even if Barnes' contract would have reach a measly $1.5 million a year, why on earth would he leave Texas? This football school is slowly adding another sport to its label. While basketball isn't quite at the intense level found in say the ACC, there are several reasons that would suggest that Texas is headed in that direction.
For one, the Longhorns have the second largest Athletic budget in the nation. Yearly, the state of Texas dispurses some of the best talent of of high school. And a good portion of those kids have made their way to Austin.
The Longhorns also have the best practice facility in the nation. The recruiting tools are endless, the program is coming off of an Elite 8 appearance, and sooner than later this University will bring home a national championship. There is no reason for him to leave. This is where he belongs.

Technorati tag: Rick Barnes.

Worldwide leader of Podcasting?

2006-04-10T12:25:00.000-07:00

What won't they do? ESPN semi recently picked up Monday Night Football. It is the prime station for college basketball, MLB, bowling, cheerleading, and just about everything else that categorizes itself as athletic or sporty.
Now the Worldwide leader is sports is diving into the world of podcasting.
ESPN has been in the blogosphere for sometime now. But only recently have they conducted a site fully devoted to podcasting. Pod Center, as they call it, has listings from the likes of Dan Patrick, The Herd, and Mike and Mike. Fans have the option to listen to interviews on the go as well. Want to know the latest on Barry's pursuit of Sultain of Swat? How's the boss feeling about the Yanks early season slump out of the gates? What's the latest NFL mock draft look like? Pod Center allows you to access all of that in an easy to use webpage. I had a feeling, especially with ESPN's hunger for expanding their network, that they would pick up on this. So far, it looks like it was a good move.

Technorati tag: ESPN podcasting.

PHIL-ing Masterful

2006-04-09T17:17:00.000-07:00

It's hard to beat Masters Sunday. The competition, Augusta, Amen Corner, the Green Jacket presentation. It's the best day in golf. Today, it became even better when Phil Mickelson pulled off his second Masters victory in three years.
"I knew it was going to be a tough day," Mickelson said.
He made it look easy with his 3-under 69 in the final round. He finished at 7-under-par 281 and earned $1.26 million, putting him atop the PGA Tour money list. The victory also moved him up to No. 2 in the world ranking behind Tiger Woods.
The Sudnay was also spruced up by the play and character of Fred Couples, who finished tied with four others at 4-under. He was paired with Mickleson, and the two looked to have had as much fun for two people fighting for a major's championship as anyone could have in that situation.
All these things, plus the play of lesser known players like Chad Campbell and Tim Clark, made this Masters Sunday one to remember.

Technorati tag: The Masters.

Moblogging catching on in India

2006-04-09T15:09:00.000-07:00

By now, we should all know that the blogosphere has caught the United States' full attention. But, at least on my end, I remain a bit unsure as to how blogging has effected the rest of the globe. I know it is catching on, I know the U.S. was even one of the last countries to have been bit by the blog bug. But what about some of the other parts of the world?
According to this article -www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1669220,00020018.htm - it is estimated that there are approximately 7 million bloggers and 33 million blogs worldwide. The article, which was written in the Hindustan Times, also estimates that 250,000 of those bloggers reside in India.
“Blogging in India has moved from niche to mainstream. Nontechy people have also taken to blogging to share their viewpoints, common interests and even photos. We are now ready to move into the next level of blogging—on the mobile phones," Krishna Prasad, Head Programming, MSN India said.
Moblogging - "consists of content posted to the Internet from a cell phone or a portable device such as PDA and involves technology, which allows publishing from a mobile device" - is starting to catch on in India in hopes that it will get "like minded people to connect, share and express their views."
Moblogging may even work more so than blogging in India because the country is more mobile driven than Internet driven.
It is clear that the MSM and CJ heads in India are pushing extremely hard to get blogging to go mainstream, even more than it already is.
Apparently the world, especially places like India, are much farther along in this aspect than I first imagined...and I think that is a wonderful thing.

Technorati tag: moblogging in India.

But its only a scrimmage, right?

2006-04-03T08:28:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, April 1, the Texas Longhorns football team held their annual spring scrimmage at Darrel K. Royal Memorial Stadium to begin their trek at defending their national championship title.
Despite remodeling issues, one of the hottest days of the year, the 40 Acres Fest, and the Final Four taking place at the same time, Longhorn fans came out in full force to support their team. An estimated 41,200 showed up by games end proving that in Texas, it doesn't matter if it's a game, practice or team meeting. If it's open to the fans, the Longhorn faithful will show up.
In my photoblog I have captured some pictures of the fans during the scrimmage. Judging from the looks on their faces, they were ready for the season to begin.
Unfortunately this would be their only chance to see the team in a game type atmosphere until the season kicks off on Sept. 2 against North Texas.
Please feel free to view my photoblog. Hopefully you will get a feel for the type of commitment Longhorn fans have for their football team - even if it is only a scrimmage.

Podcasting made easy

2006-03-25T11:55:00.000-08:00

Ok, ok, I will admit - when it comes to technology and trying to keep up with its latest trends you can throw me in the stupid "man you don't have a clue," category.
As I was searching through yahoo.com the other day I stumbled upon an article that helped me clear up some confusion on at least one of the new terms - podcasting.
This page takes you through a step-by-step detailed tour of what a podcast is, how to find them, and how to listen to them. I suggest this page for anyone who may be as technically oblivious to these terms as I have been.
Its first step is simply coined "What is podcasting."
Think of a podcast as a radio show. Each show consists of a series of individual episodes that you can listen to how you want — on your PC, using your MP3 player, or with just a web browser. Here is what they had to say about this: "If you've never listened to podcasts, you're in for a treat. Sports, comedy, movies, food, politics, music, books, speeches, walking tours, whatever — you name the topic and you'll find podcasts about it. Not only do you have incredible choice, you can listen whenever and wherever you want."
You can listen to these episodes one at a time (say using your web browser) or you can 'subscribe' to the entire podcast series using software on your PC. When you subscribe to a podcast, all new shows will be automatically downloaded to your computer as they are published. And if you have an MP3 player, the next time you sync your device, your podcasts will be downloaded for listening on the go.
"When you enter the world of podcasting, you're stepping into a realm where anyone and everyone can have a voice and broadcast their opinions and imagination to the world. Have fun exploring, and perhaps you too may feel the urge to become a podcaster. If you do, it's easy. We've created a tutorial to tell you how."
The next page then takes you through some different phases. Those steps include, "Search," "What we like," "What you like - Top 100 lists," and "Main categories and popular tags."
Then the final page instructs you on how to listen to your podcasts.

Technorati tag: Podcasts.

Horns better start packing for Indy

2006-03-24T19:10:00.000-08:00

Opening thoughts from Atlanta:
I will admit, watching J.J. Redick walk off the floor in his last game as a Dukie was something that I will never forget. I have never really been a fan of his, for the simple fact that he torched Texas. But it was a somber moment watching one of the games best walk of the floor with his collegiate career just having been capped off.
In the press conference Redick was just as I thought he would be, distraught and heartbroken. But I do expect him to have a better than average NBA career if he gets settled in with the right team.
Now on to the Horns and the Tigers.
LSU was impressive in all fassets of the game against the Blue Devils. The most impressive player on the court was SEC Freshman of the Year Tyrus Thomas. Dude has hops that shouldn't be allowed.
But when it comes down to key matchups tomorrow, I think it is going to come down to two: LaMarcus Aldrige vs. Glen Davis and P.J. Tucker vs. Thomas.
Aldridge may have some trouble bodying Davis down low, Davis weighs 305. But L.A. will use his versatility and arm length to hold Davis, who played most of the Sweet 16 game in foul trouble.
Tucker had some trouble getting going inside West Virginia's 1-3-1 zone. But I dont expect him to have that same trouble against LSU. Thomas is long and extremely athletic, he had five blocks against Duke, and could pose as a threat to Tucker, who loves to settle himself down on the low block.
Tucker needs to establish himself as a force early. He is in my opinion the toughtest matchup in the country because he can take you off the dribble like a guard, but can also post you up as well as anyone in the nation. I think it would be a smart idea to settle in down low to begin the game and try to pick up some early fouls on Thomas and Davis. Also, he should go down low beacuse Thomas seems a little fragile.
Look for Mike Williams to continue his strong play off the bench, and hopefully Brad Buckman will return to form; he could be a vital part to holding Thomas and Davis down low.
When its all said and done, the Longhorns will be headed for Indy: Texas 73, LSU 67.

Horns to advance past W.V.U.

2006-03-23T16:40:00.000-08:00

First of all, I am sitting here inside the Georgia Dome directly behind LSU's bench, and let me just say "Big Daddy" Glen Davis is the biggest guy in college basketball, bar none. He could easily crush me in half with his pinky.
Now on to more important matters, most notably Texas' game vs. West Virginia.
In the team's first meetings of the season Texas was able to get by the Mountaineers 76-75 on two great plays by LaMarcus Aldridge.
While LaMarcus is going to be a key asset to this game, if Texas is going to have a chance to win, there are more important matters at; such as which Longhorns team will show up and play inside the Georgia Dome.
I think the guards, most notably Daniel Gibson, are going to have to step up and have key games for the Horns. The Longhorns had 24 turnovers in the two teams first matchup, which W.V. turned into 24 points. So taking care of the ball inside the Mountaineers 1-3-1 zone defense is going to be crucial.
I predict that is what is going to happen. The Longhorns need to control the perimeter on the defensive end and control the boards, which they should - W.V. is one of the worst rebounding teams in the nation, and Texas is the best.
P.J. Tucker will have another double-double. Daniel Gibson gets 14-plus and the Longhorns will win 67-60.

Technorati tag: Sweet 16.

Horns will go to Atlanta

2006-03-18T12:40:00.000-08:00

In my blog posting yesterday I predicted that Texas would beat Penn fairly easily and would go on to face Cal in the second round on Sunday. Wow, was I wrong on both accounts.
Despite shooting under 30 percent during the first half and getting dominated on the boards, the Quakers went into the locker room ahead by one. Everyone, and I mean everyone, including the Penn idiot sitting behind me was shocked. Though the Longhorns came out of the gate running in the second half, Penn managed to stay with the No. 2 seed until the very last minutes. Texas won the game 60-52.
In the game before Texas' yesterday, N.C. State suprised a partisan Golden Bear crowd and downed Cal 58-52. The Wolfpack and Horns will tango Sunday for the right to go to the Sweet 16.
Here are three things that Texas nees to do to get to Atlanta.
1. Get Daniel Gibson going early
Let him shoot. Give him the green light and let him show you why NBA scouts have him pegged as a first round pick in the upcoming NBA draft. Gibson was 0-fer in the first half against Penn. When he finally got it going in the second, despite four fouls, he lit the spark underneath the Horns that eventually got them rolling.
2. Perimeter defense needs to step up
The one thing that kept the Quakers in the game was their ability to hit shots from behind the arc. They hit 10 3's in the game compared to the pair the Longhorns made. Texas' zone defense has been their staple all season long - it has aloud guys like LaMarcus Aldridge and Brad Buckman to play more minutes. However, teams have found a way to get away clear open looks from the outside. Texas' guards need to do a great job of this to get by Herb Sendek and Co.
3. Play off of the crowd
Playing in Dallas is supposed to be a good thing for the Horns. Over half the crowd yesterday was clad in burnt orange, yet the Quakers and their hand full of fans managed to stick around. Several Longhorns were seen waving their hands in the air trying to get the crowd into the game. Hopefully they won't have to do so too much on Sunday. Let's hope the crowd gets into the game on their own terms.
I think Texas comes out of the gate early and P.J. Tucker and Daniel Gibson will have big games. Texas will be making a trip to Atlanta. Final score: Texas 67, NC State 54.

Six Apart trying to expand blogs

2006-03-17T09:58:00.000-08:00

I still feel like I am just tipping the iceberg on the use of blogs and all that they can be used for. In an article - http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-6050756.html - I recently stumbled upon, Six Apart, a provider of blogging software, seems to have taken a big step towards expanding blogs internationally. Some of their focal points for this expansion will hopefully broaden my knowledge about the use of blogs.
Six Apart said "that they recently received about $12 million in a third round of funding funding for use in new products, international expansion and growth."
The article also states that in total Six Apart has raised about $23 million since it founded four years ago.
One of the ways that the company wishes to improve blogs is by allowing office workers to talk with their co-workers, in contrast to personal blogs, where the audience mainly consists of friends.
I think this is a good idea. I am sure stuff like this happens over email and such, but a system that would allow everone associated with these blogs to see what everyone else has to say, which they might not be able to through email, would surely create new ideas and an easiler way to communicate with others.

Technorati tag: Blogs are growing.

Finally, its tourney time!

2006-03-17T09:38:00.000-08:00

Its been a long time coming for Texas. March Madness is here and the Longhorns could not be any happier. The loss to Kansas in the Big 12 Conference Tournament Championship only derailed Texas for about as long as it took them to get back to their locker room for the NCAA tourney selections - which took place about 20 minutes after the game was over. In talking to the players after it was said that they were a No. 2 seed in the Atlanta Regional, they all appeared very pleased with their position and they had, for the most part, already put their loss to the Jayhawks behind them. If you were curious,they could have cared less about Duke being the No. 1 seed in their regional.
Texas hosts Penn today at 8:50 p.m. or approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the Cal/ NC. State game. Though the Quakers are out of the Ivy League, where basketball may be the conferences strong point but still pails in comparison to other conferences, Rick Barnes knows that a tough game lies ahead for his club.
Shall Texas get by Penn, which should happen fairly easily in my opinion, the Longhorns will most likely face the Bears. That game would be Sunday at 1:15 p.m.
I'm sitting here inside the American Airlines Center watching No. 9 Bucknell and No. 8 Arkansas. No other time would you see a school with enrollement barely over 3,000 hanging tough with a major Division 1 team - currently leading them for that matter. March Madness is here. Let's just hope it doesn't get too "mad" for Texas.

Technorati tag: NCAA Tournament.

Big 12 Tourney projections

2006-03-07T19:18:00.000-08:00

The Big 12 Tournament starts on Thursday with a few teams auditioning for NCAA Tourney bids and a few others hoping to improve their seedings. Right now, I think it is safe to say that the Longhorns are looking at a 2 seed. Duke, UConn, Villanova, and Memphis are the head-on favorites to lock up the top seeds, though they need solid outings in their conference tournaments to hold those spots. If the Longhorns win the Big 12 tourney like I think they will, and Ohio State gets knocked off in the Big Ten tourney, Texas' stock could rise to a 1 seed.z
Texas A&M and Colorado are both fighting for their tickets to get punched in the tourney. The Aggies are going into the Big 12 tourney as the 4 seed, while Colorado locked up the 5 seed. Both are on the bubble right now and both need to fair well this week.
Here is how I think the Big 12 Tournament will unfold:
Thursday - Kansas State will beat Texas Tech; Colorado will beat Baylor; Oklahoma State will beat Iowa State in a close game; Nebraska will have no problem with Missouri.
Friday - Texas over Kansas State; Texas A&M over Colorado; Kansas over Ok. State; Oklahoma over Nebraska
Saturday - Texas over A&M; Oklahoma over Kansas
Sunday - Texas over Oklahoma

Technorati tag: Big 12 Tournament.

Spam, spam and more spam

2006-03-04T17:37:00.002-08:00

This is a part of blogs that I never really thought would come about, or at least one that had never crossed my mind: Spam showing its ugly head throughout numerous blogs.
Unfortunately, I believe this is a process that is going to continue to evolve. According to an article found on yahoo.com - http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/20060227/tc_pcworld/124822 -, Peter Shinbach the creator of Bach Door, his online-communications blog, has thought about shutting it down because of blogs.
"I'm not in this to spend hours a week cleaning up the mess spammers leave behind," Shinbach says.
Sorry to say Peter, but it looks like you might just have to get used to it.
The article also insists that "some spammers create dozens, if not hundreds, of splogs that link to the spammer's Web site, helping to artificially inflate its ranking in Google and other search engines. Another type of splog seeks to get visitors to click ads that link to sites that pay the splogger referral fees."
These splogs, short for spam-blogs, are growing by the minute.
Derek Gordon, spokesperson for Technorati, a blog-resource Web site, estimates that 10 to 15 percent of the 70,000 new blogs created daily are splogs. CipherTrust's Judge says he expects that percentage to grow in 2006.
This is a shame. I for one hate spam in my email with a passion. I don't think there are many things more annoying than that. I was not expecting to have to worry about it when I started my blog. Unfortunately, it looks like I may have to from now on.

Technorati tag: spam in blogs.

Upset City at Cameron Indoor on Saturday

2006-03-03T13:01:00.002-08:00

I am stretching my neck a little on this one: in the second meeting between Duke v. North Carolina this Saturday, the Tar Heels will spoil the Blue Devil's Senior Day.
That's right, you heard it here first. I know, I know, this is a bit extreme, especially given that it is the last time J.J. Redick and Sheldon Williams will ever grace the court of Cameron Indoor in a Blue Devil's uniform. But my money is riding on the shoulders of a coach who has my vote as the Coach of the Year and a freshman that will run away with the Freshman of the Year award in the NCAA.
Carolina coach Roy Williams lost his top seven scorers from last season's National Championship team. Yet he still has North Carolina right in the thick of things in the ACC and is a lock to go dancing in March; something few thought was possible at the beginning of the season.
Tyler Hansbrough, the best diaper dandy in the nation, has been the main reason for the Tar Heels success this season. Hansbrough is second in the ACC in scoring (20.5 ppg), fourth in field goal percentage (.569) and seventh in rebounding (7.4). As Seth Davis of cnnsi.com said, "He's so out in front in the national Freshman of the Year race that they shouldn't even bother giving out second place."
But it is going to take a lot more than a strong performance from Hansbrough to upset the Dukies. Solid outings by David Noel, Rayshawn Terry and Wes Miller are going to be key to N.C's success.
I just think the Tar Heels have the edge in this game. Though I think if they meet in the ACC tourney, Duke will upend Williams' club.
Final projection: North Carolina 76, Duke 74.

Technorati tag: North Carolina Basketball.

Interesting take from Dodgers' beat writer

2006-02-25T11:17:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles Times reporter Bill Shaikin, one of the more respected baseball writers in America, has covered the L.A. Dodgers for some time now. He has been through some tought times with the Dodgers, as they sturggle with managment and payroll, but he does not seem annoyed by the growing number of baseball blogs that are popping up around the country.
In an article written by Shaikin on all-baseball.com, he says the baseball blogs "fill a niche, serving an audience in a way that general interest newspapers cannot."
He says, "The baseball writers at the Times have argued to editors that baseball coverage (notes in particular) deserves more space in the newspaper. The editors don’t disagree, but our section probably won’t be adding pages any time soon, so space becomes a zero-sum game. Baseball fans might argue that the Times could add space for Dodger coverage by cutting some Laker coverage, for instance, but the basketball fans would disagree.
"The strength of baseball blogging, then, is that it expands a fan’s options beyond moaning about the newspaper coverage or calling a talk show and waiting on hold to deliver a 30-second opinion. Write your own analysis." Strong words from a guy who makes his living based on his writing.
Shaikin goes on to talk about the basics of what goes into a game story for the paper saying, " Newspapers today tend to start with the assumption that most fans will know who won the game - from radio, local TV, ESPN, FSN or the Internet - before they read the story. So we try to provide a story that tells who won and includes pertinent game details but also offers analysis and clubhouse reaction. We also try to put the daily result into the context of a 162-game season."
This is where bloggers can take things a step beyond that. Since newspaper reports are told what amount of space they have for their story, bloggers are free to write however long they want. This gives them an advantage and an opportunity to add different details to their story than say, Skaikin would not be able to. Things such as the weather, how the crowd was; unless these things may have played a role in the outcome of the game, they are likely not going to be mentioned in a newspaper story.
Shaikin says he likes reading baseball blogs. While I am just picking up on these blogs, I am sure I will as well.

Technorati tag: Baseball blogs.

Fans should show up for this one

2006-02-25T10:46:00.000-08:00

The table is set for this one and everyone should attend. Tonight's Big 12 showdown between Texas and Kansas has all the makings of an instant classic. But it needs a strong turnout to make it so.
I have always been disappointed with the Longhorns students section at Texas basketball games. Quiet Frankly, it sucks. The Longhorns are now a dominant force within the collegiate basketball world and it has one of the largest fan bases in the nation to draw support from. With that being the case, then why is our students section not filled to capacity night in and night out?
Against Baylor, granted it was Baylor and it was Valentine's Day, I could count the number of students on my two hands. That should never happen. Ever. Especially not with this team. This is arguably the best all around team in the history of the University.
Tonights game is the one that is to go in conjunction with ESPN's College Gameday. Dick Vitale, Jay Bilas, Andy Katz and Digger Phelps are in Austin for a reason. Let's just hope Texas' fans realize that and make it to the Erwin Center.
With both teams tied a top the Big 12 standings, the winner will take the decisive advantage as to who gets the No. 1 seed in the Big 12 tourney. Once again, the table is set, so show up.

Technorati tag: Texas Longhorn basketball.

Don't wait - Olympic blogs are here to meet your needs

2006-02-17T14:24:00.000-08:00

Did our men's hockey team beat Kazakhstan? Itching to find out if Sarah Hughes nailed her attempt at a triple axel, but distraught by the 6 hour difference between Italy and the U.S.? No worries, bloggers are here to meet your Olympic needs.
People from the United States are having to wait for the tape-delayed versions of many of these Olympic events. For those diehards, or possible family or friends of the participants who just can't wait that long, and are afraid of hearing results second hand, Olympic blogs have been created to fit your needs.
While the element of surprise may be effected by blogs, I really don't think it is an issue. First of all, those who are reading these blogs know what they are getting themselves into when they type in www.blogsaboutetc.com. We live in a world where the quickness of information is key. People want their news, and they want it now. Bloggers are blogging about everything, including the kitchen sink, these days, and the Olympics are certainly no exception. Want to know if Seth Wescott won yet another snowboarding event but are tired of waiting? Find out for yourself. Just click on the tag below

Technorati tag Olympic Blogs.

LaMarkable

2006-02-17T14:10:00.000-08:00

So there I stood, interviewing LaMarcus Aldridge. I really had no intentions on trying to get him to break his silence as to whether or not he would return for his junior season at Texas, or decide to test the waters of the NBA. But then again, you are never exactly sure what you are going to hear in an interview.
I wasn't sure how open to discussing this topic he would be. But the more I asked questions, the more he opened up.
In an article I wrote for the Daily Texan, Aldridge said that he isn't in too much of a hurry to get to the NBA, where people already have him penciled in as a potential lottery pick. He said he would like to stay all four years and develop under the current coaching staff, and is excited about the potential of the incoming class.
Imagine this line up for a second: A.J. Abrams at the point, Daniel Gibson at the off guard position, P.J. Tucker playing the 3, Kevin Durant (the No. 2 prospect in the nation coming in next year) at the 4, and Aldridge at the 5. That would give Texas and head coach Rick Barnes 4 legit NBA prospects, if Aldridge and Gibson stayed around.
Ladies and Gents, Longhorn basketball continues to show its brighter side. If LaMarcus decides to stay around, there are no boundaries to how much this program can accomplish.

Technorati tag: LaMarcus Aldridge.

Journalist in the line of fire?

2006-02-10T16:47:00.000-08:00

With the situation regarding American journalist Jill Carroll escalating by the minute, this one particular response to a blog entry on msnbc.com really rubbed me the wrong way.
In a nut shell, the comment was basically saying that "journalist should not be treated any better than any other citizen." "They are not in the military and should not be allowed in these areas [warzones]."
Is that cat serious? Well can you please explain to me how, without journalists in these places, the public is supposed to be informed and kept up to date on what is going on in these places?
As blogger Preston Mendenhall said, "It's up to you to chose who to believe - a government mouthpiece with an agenda thousands of miles from the frontline, or the likes of ABC's Bob Woodruff and Doug Vodt, riding shotgun with the 4th Infantry Division and the nascent Iraqi army, reporting with their own eyes."
If journalist don't go where the military is going, then who is really going to know what is going on?
Personally, I am glad that we have journalist brave enough to put there lives on the line to report the news and reveal to the world what is really going on. With that, let me say I hope Jill Carroll makes it home safe and sound.

Technorati tag: Journalists+over+seas.

Will we ever catch on?

2006-02-07T16:17:00.000-08:00

The best rivalry in college basketball, and quite possibly in all of sports, rekindals its old flame tonight. Of course, I am talking about Duke v. North Carolina. In thier first of two scheduled meetings this season, No. 2 Duke will travel the eight miles down Tobacco Road to Chapel Hills to take on their heated rival.
Carolina holds a 124-95 advantage in the competition that has been an annual even since 1920 — but Duke has won 15 of the last 18 games. Both teams are among the sport’s most accomplished, too. Duke has won three NCAA titles, including in 2001, and been in 12 Final Fours. North Carolina has won three national championships (including last seasons) and appeared in 15 Final Fours.
As Dick Vitale often says, "It's awesome baby, with a capital A."
Fans line up outside the arena's for this game weeks, sometimes months in advantce. The atmosphere inside these respected arena's is second to none.
So this begs the question: Will the rest of the nation, besides the East Coast, ever experience a rivalry as fierce and tense as this one?
Living in Texas, its obviously an unwritten rule that football is held at a higher level than all other sports. The rest of the nation, for the most part, holds the same sentiments towards football.
For the exception of Kentucky v. Louisville, and well, Kentucky v. Louisville, the rest of the nation other than out East seems to be lagging behind when it comes to fierce basketball rivalries. I am sure a select few have escaped my mind; feel free to correct me.
Before one goes into the likes of Texas v. OU, OU v. Ok. State, or UCLA v. USC, it would be best to stop before you get started. Sure Texas/OU has featured several nail-bitters, but those rivalries have yet to carry their fierce hatred to the hardwood. Bedlam has not been so on the basketball court. Those rivalries have never lived up to the hype of a North Carolina v. Duke, St. Joseph's v. Nova, or a Pittsburgh v. Notre Dame. Did I mention Syracuse v. N.D., Connecticut v. anyone, or Princeton v. Penn?
Watch the game tonight, or at least try to catch the matchup in Durham later in the season. It is electric, exciting, and one-of-a-kind. Who knows. Maybe one day, the rest of the nation, besides the baskteball-minded East Coast, will get to experience a bball rivalry like when the Blue Devils face the Tar Heels.

Technorati tag: Duke+North Carolina.

Blogger vs. Journalists is over. Really?

2006-02-05T13:20:00.000-08:00

Jay Rosen said it himself...Bloggers vs. Journalists is over - . He said that there were "plenty of people who hated the debate in the first place." He also went on to say of bloggers, "And so we know they’re journalism— sometimes. They’re even capable, at times, and perhaps only in special circumstances, of beating Big Journalism at its own game." He went on to point out the tsunami story as an example of this, making the case that Bloggers had the advantage because they were there to give you first-hand, more descriptive accounts that could have captured the readers attention more so than journalist were able to.
While I know I am being introduced to this argument at the "tail-end" of the debate, and my opinion may be a bit premature, I have to say that I am in disagreement with Mr. Rosen about this.
I respect his opinion, don't get me wrong, but if he says that bloggers "perhaps only in special circumstances, [are capable] of beating Big Journalism at its own game," then how can one say that the "war" between Bloggers vs. Journalist is over.
I have been a sports journalist for nearly 7 years now. I have had the opportunity to work side by side with some of the best in the business, and can tell you that getting that one defining quote, or being the one to break the news first have always been key components in what drives a journalist. While we all work together, in the same media room and we interview the same people, there has always been a sense of pride in the work room. To say that bloggers may be capable of beating Big Journalism at its one game, just does not sound to me as something someone would say if this so-called battle between bloggers and journalist was finished.
Feel free to bash me if I am wrong, by all means I could be. But in the years that I have worked in the sports journalism world, I have found it to be pretty intense once it comes down to getting quotes and writing your story. Sports journaist pride themselves on knowing more than the average joe. It would not sit well with many, if any, to say that bloggers may be better at an area of journalism than Big Journalist are. Well at least in the sports journalism field.

UT Basketball able to win in many different ways

2006-02-05T12:50:00.000-08:00

With LaMarcus Aldridge, the team's second leading scorer, on the bench against Texas A&M for 14 minitues in the first half, I was interested to see how Texas would respond without their best player.
While A&M's Joseph Jones began to get things going in the second half, scoring 23 points, the Longhorns bent a little but certainly did not break. As a member of the media assigned to cover the team, I have to stay "neutral" to both teams. But as the diehard Texas fan I am, I can honestly say I was never worried about losing the game; even when the Aggies cut the lead down to 6 with 4:00 left to play.
Junior forward P.J. Tucker, who in my opinion is one of the toughest one-on-one matchups in the nation, continued to play at the top of his game. He scored 25 points and played decent defense, keeping himself in line for the Big 12 Player of the Year.
Daniel Gibson, Texas' leading scorer from last season, finished with 13 points. But it was once again his defensive effort that stood out in my eyes. Game after game, Gibson has been put up against one of the opponent's best player and has practically shut each of them down. On Saturday he was in charge of stopping Acie Law, A&M's leading scorer, and held him to 15 points.
Kenton Paulino, Gibson's right-hand man, continued to play the quiet-but-deadly role. He finshed with 19 points, including 3-of-5 from behind the arc.
The veteran play of Brad Buckman, who finished with 11 points and seven rebounds, also played a large role in the victory. He came up with a crucial stop later in the game which fouled out Jones and put an end to A&M's rally. Read about the play in an article I wrote for the Daily Texan, at www.dailytexanonline.com.
The Longhorns were also helped out by their bench. A.J. Abrams continued to emerge as a solid backup point guard. He played 19 minutes. While Mike Williams played 18 minutes and supplied the Longhorns with a big body down low while Aldridge was on the bench.
It is clear that Texas, who is now 7-1 in conference play, can win in many different ways. That is something that coach Rick Barnes has stressed doing all season.
Let's hope they can keep up the winning Monday at Texas Tech.

Quite Frankly...

2006-01-29T20:20:00.000-08:00

There is really no in-between when it comes to discussing TV personality Stephen A. Smith. You simply like the guys straight-forward antics, or you despise the guy and think he is a loud mouth. I happen to be one of those who thinks his style of journalism is good for the business. Though he may sometimes seem arrogant, I have always found myself intrigued to hear the tough questions he asks his guests on his TV show "Quite Frankly" - http://espn.go.com/eoe/qf/ -, which is aired on ESPN. I think he is truthful in his beliefs unlike 1st and 10's Skip Bayliss. I've always believed that guy was just in love with his own voice, and liked to agree to disagree. It may take some time to get used to Stephen A.'s way of going about things, but, who knows, maybe you will find yourself intrigued just as I am.

Life is not so bad afterall

2006-01-29T16:12:00.000-08:00

So here I was, sulking in the disbelief that my beloved Texas Longhorns could not muster enough will power to get past Oklahoma in a basketball game on Saturday. Utter disbelief. However, as I was watching ABC "World News Tonight" - http://news.yahoo.com/fc/World/Media_Watch - today, the headline story was about co-anchor Bob Woodruff and a cameraman who were both seriously injured by a roadside bomb while on location in Iraq. Though the game still lingered in the back of my mind, it had suddenly become an afterthought. It was reported that they were both in stable condition following surgery at a U.S. military hospital in Iraq. While searching for more information about the subject, I came across a shocking figure: 150 journalists were killed in 2005 - the most ever for a single year. Eighty nine of the journalists were killed "in the line of duty" - http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060123/ts_afp/mediaifj_060123084055. While my interest with journalism solely circles around sports, the fact that 150 people in the same profession as myself have been killed in the past year is devastating. Here's to a fast recovery for Woodruff and his cameraman.

First pitch

2006-01-25T07:43:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone, this is William Wilkerson. Welcome to my blog Sideline to Sideline.