Around the Horned With Brian Estridge
Aug. 1, 2002
Well, with the summer finally behind us, it is time once again to crank up our periodic look behind the scenes at TCU Athletics. Let's see if we can share with you some things you haven't seen or heard since we last visited:
How 'Bout Some Football:
The topic on everyone's mind is the start of fall camp next week and the impending season opener in Cincy, which follows shortly. Gary Patterson's club has put in a record number of hours this summer in the weight room preparing for the grueling upcoming schedule. This year's freshman class reports August 7, while the veterans follow on August 10. The first full squad practice is set for August 12. Your first chance to meet the team up close and personal is scheduled for Saturday, August 24 at the annual "Meet the Frogs" event.
C-USA Football Media Day:
You would have been as proud as a Horned Frog to sit back and watch how LaTarence Dunbar and Adrian Madise handled themselves at the C-USA Media Event in Memphis. While the primary talk of the three-day session was regarding the unanimous selection of the Louisville Cardinals as pre-season conference champs, the Cardinal players were quick to point out that one of their number one goals for the season is avenging that shellacking here in Fort Worth last year. Just watching Dunbar and Madise react--I think they'll be up for the challenge. I am still not sure though if the rest of the conference's media members know what to make of the westernmost program in the league! One final note on this event, kudos to TCU Media Relations Director Steve Fink for having the largest, (and in the opinion of this radio wag,) and the best media guide in the league!
Men's Basketball Notes:
Neil Dougherty debuts his team this week with 10 practices in DMC before the Frogs head off to Australia for 13 days "down under." With six games and all of those practice sessions under their belts, (not to mention the 15-plus hour plane ride together) this team and new staff should benefit from the pre-season "bonding session"! When they get back, the new men's basketball locker rooms should be all but finished. The locker rooms will feature a players' lounge, juice bar and the all-important "shoe room," for which there will only be one key. And here's a hint to who holds that key--he has the initials "N.D."
Walking, Talking Energy Bar:
With the recent addition of Dave Borelli to the TCU coaching staff, (he replaces Roland Ingram as the women's tennis coach) the rest of the coaches may have to pick up their energy levels a bit to keep up! Borelli is a tireless worker with a strong passion for the game of tennis, which shows anytime you visit with him or when you look at his record at Southern California, where he won seven national championships! By the way, did you catch the USA Today article last week highlighting the 10 brightest young tennis stars in the country? Coach Borelli coached seven of them!
Frogments:
Kansas basketball coach Roy Williams was seen recently by Frog spotters dining with new TCU coach and former KU assistant Neil Dougherty at the Railhead Smokehouse on Vickery. I wonder if they were discussing a future series with the Horned Frogs and Jayhawks?...You think Coach Mittie is already looking forward to that recruiting class of 2010? If so, you may see his oldest daughter, Logan, make her way to TCU. Logan recently helped the Fort Worth Frogs, a 10-and-under All-Star team, place third at the BCI Nationals held in Dallas. Only a loss to the Arkansas Mavericks kept the Frogs out of the finals. Too bad they had to play a Mavericks team in Big D...I heard that some of our top coaches are meeting with the Dallas Morning News hierarchy in early August. If you want to see more TCU coverage in the DMN, let Dave Smith or Bob Yates know by emailing them at davesmith@dallasnews.com or byates@dallasnews.com...It looks like the two local television games for the Frogs this year with be at Northwestern and at Louisville, both of which will air locally on KFWD-TV 52. These come in addition to the already-scheduled ESPN games with Cincinnati and Southern Miss. And stay tuned, additional ESPN games could be selected as the season unfolds...Coach Patterson was one of the featured artists at a recent fundraiser for the Hip Pocket Theatre in Fort Worth. Coach P's concert of folk and country songs helped raise over $8,000 for the cause.
From the streets and avenues of North Texas to the information super highway, I'm Brian Estridge. We'll see you on the radio!
