Playmaker Magazine Dec./Jan. 2011

page 3Playmaker Magazine

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18

Dr Jekyll & Mr. HeisMan

CoMing Up roses

20 THe Big nowiTzki

29 CHanging THe gaMe

He went from Blinn College to becoming the biggest name in college football in a year. Playmaker Maga-zine chronicles how the 2010 Heisman winner has made waves on and off the field.

By Adam Sweeney

December/January 2010

6 The Six Shooter The Playmaker staff gives six bold thoughts on Texas Sports.

9 Out of Bounds with Tony Hawk Playmaker Magazine sits down with the skateboard legend.

10 Charting a New Course Looking for a new coach and joining a new conference, Texas States sets out on an uncertain path.

11 Orange Crush Javier Perez recounts the 2010 meeting of the Texas Longhorns and the Texas A&M Aggies.

23 Playmaker Holiday Gift Guide Our staff’s best bets for the sports fans on your list.

25 Dallas Cowboys & Houston Texans Holiday Wish Lists Editors Adam Sweeney and Bradford Harrison imagine what these two Texas teams will ask Santa for this year.

27 Runner’s Guide to Holiday Fitness Greg Neal outlines how not to pack on the pounds at your next holiday meal.

Unbeaten and still somehow relatively unnoticed on the national radar, the TCU Horned Frogs make their case as the best college football team in Texas.

By Adam Sweeney

The player who puts the “D” in Dallas Mavericks basketball is even better than you think. Really.

By Sandy Dover

With unparalleled energy and ambition, Ronald Oswalt and the San Marcos Academy Bears’ unique vision is shaping the face of private school athletics in Texas.

By Playmaker Staff

Photo by Javier Perez

Letter from the eDitorWelcome to the holiday issue, Playmakers. It’s the time of year where hearts grow softer, hope rings abundant, and we get to be close to the ones we love. Those same sentiments could be applied to the Texas sports arena.

The past year has allowed us to appreciate the greatness in many players, the type who give more than they receive, as is the case with Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks. You would think that people would be able to see his skills for what they are, especially since he’s the only seven-foot tall German on the court.

The TCU Horned Frogs football team has more reason than ever to be optimistic, as this holiday season brings them the opportunity to once again play on one of the largest stages in college football during the bowl season. BCS bowl dreams are dancing in their heads and we can only hope they will eventually get a chance to show they are the best in the nation.

For teams like the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Longhorns’ football team, the holidays will give them a chance to sit at home with their families, perhaps enjoying a cup of hot cocoa to shake the chills running through their bodies after a tremendously unsatisfying season. As the new year approaches, they can reflect on what went wrong, but also what they can do improve in 2011, because we all know the motto for sports teams and fans at large is “There’s always next year.”

Thank you again for picking up this issue of Playmaker Magazine. The holidays have brought us a renewed sense of humility and appreciation, and we hope this season brings you joyful spirits, thankfulness for all that we’re blessed with as a whole, and maybe a few blowout victories for your favorite team. Happy Holidays.

Adam SweeneyEditor-in-Chief

pUBlisHers

aDaM sweeney anD BraDforD Harrison

eDiTor-in-CHief

Adam Sweeney

sTaff eDiTor

Bradford Harrison

arT DireCTors

Tiffany Cunningham | James Wetz

sTory ConTriBUTors

Adam Sweeney | Bradford Harrison | Javier Perez | Sandy Dover | Greg Neal

pHoTo ConTriBUTors

Adam Sweeney | Bradford Harrison | Javier Perez | TCU Athletics| Greg Neal | Todd J. Van Emst/Auburn University Sarah Hall Productions | Don Anders | Beth Rasmussen | Rebecca Jolson

Copyright 2010 Playmaker Magazine. All rights reserved. Playmaker Magazine is published monthly. Views expressed in Playmaker Maga-zine are not necessarily the opinion of Playmaker Magazine, its staff, or its advertisers.

Playmaker Magazine does not knowingly accept false or misleading edi-torial content or advertising, nor is Playmaker Magazine responsible for the content or claims of any advertising or editorial in this publication. No content (articles, photographs, graphics) in Playmaker Magazine may be used for reproduction from the publisher. Playmaker Magazine is available free of charge.

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Playmaker Magazine Editor-in-Chief Adam Sweeney sits courtside at the Mavericks-Heat game/photo by Bradford Harrison.

Cover photo courtesy TCU Athletics

Cover inset photo courtesy Jody Morris

Page 5Playmaker Magazine

RISE OF THE KING

LeBron James takes flight against the Dallas Mavericks.

Photo by Bradford Harrison

1 tcu turns 2010 into Win-Win With big east move

Boise State did every non-BCS school a favor by losing before getting a chance to play for a national championship because the formula for success for any non-BCS college football program should be TCU’s formula, not Boise State’s. The Broncos will change conferences soon, but won’t be joining a BCS conference. While the Mountain West will provide better competition, they still need to play undefeated football to stay on the national radar. Otherwise, they fall off and everyone stops caring. By moving to the Big East, TCU will also face tougher competition, but they’ll make better money, will have better bowl ties and won’t have to play undefeated football to go to a BCS game and get the big payoff.

2 the spurs have tWo aLL-stars anD one isn’t tim Duncan

Tim Duncan is likely to get voted to yet another All-Star game because he’s the greatest power forward of all-time. But Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker are the ones deserving of a spot on the Western Conference roster. Through December, Parker and Ginobili are the unquestioned on-court leaders of a a team with the best record in the NBA and nothing appears to be slowing them down. It’s the season that every Spurs fan has been waiting for. The two international stars were rarely seen on the court together before this year. During crunch-time, with the game on the line is when Pop would throw them together. Typically, Ginobili would come in off the bench for Parker to run the 2nd unit and change the pace of the. Now Ginobili is a starter and both are playing at an All-Star level.

3 Jason garrett couLD stick arounD

Dallas hasn’t been playing like a Super Bowl contender since Wade Phillips got fired. One move wouldn’t turn things around dramatically like that, especially with Tony Romo injured. But they’re scoring points and competing with some of the best teams in the league. With Dez Bryant developing into a stud and Felix Jones finally clicking with the offense, Garrett is making his case to stay, something that was far from a forgone conclusion when he took over the helm. The defense, while still needing work, is coming up with crucial stops and key turnovers when they are needed the most. It’s not a selfish move by Garrett or the team to bring back Tony Romo for the last two games of the regular season if the purpose is to see what they’re capable of with all those pieces in place.

4 West texas thunDer

The most exciting and explosive college basketball player in the state of Texas might be Randy Culpepper, the tiny guard from UTEP. The reigning Conference USA Player of the Year finished off the month of November by scoring a game-high 24 points in a win against Michigan and then putting up 25 points in the 1st half of a win over border rival New Mexico State. Culpepper is already averaging more points per game than he did last year and has already shown signs of going off for big games like his 45-point masterpiece last season. And with Tim Floyd at the helm of a team that won 16 straight last year, Culpepper could be showing off his skills in the NCAA Tournament for the 2nd season in a row.

5 hamiLton’s mvp makes case for Lee

The American League MVP Award is the newest chapter in the unlikely story of Josh Hamilton as at least one Ranger finished off the 2010 season on a high note. Although it seems that little more than money will determine who Cliff Lee plays for in 2011, a big selling point for the Rangers has to be what their team is capable of when a top tier pitcher has two sliver sluggers (Hamilton and Vlad Guerrero) supporting him. Having already defeated the Yankees in the ALCS and with a young and talented offensive team gaining invaluable playoff experience this past year, maybe the Rangers will make the right choice to offer the farm for Lee so that the tale of the 2010 Rangers is just chapter one and not the end of a short story.

6 texans promising season enDs

You’ve got to love the NFL non-conference scheduling this year: AFC East vs NFC North, AFC South vs NFC East. But the Houston Texans didn’t care how entertaining their games were against the Redskins, Cowboys, Giants and Eagles because their 1-3 record in those games doomed their season and a loss in Philadelphia eliminated them from any playoff chances. If the Texans can find a way to win out, Kubiak may be able to keep his job, but that is unlikely. With an offense among the league leaders in most categories and a solid defensive line, a new coach would likely need to just concentrate on making the defensive backfield better to finally turn Houston into a playoff team in 2011, if there’s a 2011 season...

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By Adam Sweeney

Trying to put into words what Tony Hawk has meant to skateboarding is about as difficult as pulling off a 900 when you’ve never been in a Half-pipe before. To call him the Michael Jordan of skating isn’t giving enough praise, as basketball was thriving before Jordan entered the pros. Hawk revolutionized his sport and gave a face to an activity that was once considered little more than a hobby for outsiders. He took skating to a new level with his groundbreaking tricks and big air, and he brought it into homes with his video game franchise. Aside from his effect on the world of skating, he hosts Tony Hawk’s Demolition Radio and continues to change lives with his Tony Hawk Foundation, among other charitable works he is involved in. We spoke to The Birdman and got his thoughts on his game’s cutting edge technology, his son’s future in the sport and the current state of skateboarding.

Playmaker Magazine: You’ve become one of the most recognizable faces in charitable work with programs like your Tony Hawk Foundation and Athletes for Hope. Why is it so important to you to perform acts of philanthropy and what would you say to someone who wants to help out but doesn’t know where to start?

Tony Hawk: It is important for me to provide opportunities for underprivileged children because I was very lucky as a child to have support in doing something different. Most of my friends did not have the kind of support I did and they were discouraged from doing the sport they loved (skateboarding). Kids from other areas had no facility to practice their skills and stopped skating altogether. Through my foundation, I am providing safe, designated facilities for kids in challenging areas to participate in their chosen activity.

I also see how lucky my own kids are to have everything they need, so the least I can do is help less fortunate kids in whatever ways I can.For those that want to get involved, start at a local level and try to helpthose in need in your own community. These acts have huge resonance.

PM: You speak in your autobiography about how kids that skate often end up getting into trouble with law enforcement officials because there’s no place to ride. What would you say to anyone who has the misconception that skateboarders are “troublemakers,” and do you feel you’ve helped changed the unfair stigma that is sometimes attached to skateboarding?

TH: You have to look deeper than past misconceptions. Skateboarders were considered miscreants and/or outlaws in the past because they had no place to ride, so they created their own terrain in the form of backyard pools and the urban landscape. It wasn’t a rebellious act, just

one of necessity in order to keep doing what they love. N o w a d a y s , there is more support for skating and many facilities a v a i l a b l e . Parents see the positive impact skating has on their youth, like teaching self-confidence and self-motivation (and many artistic q u a l i t i e s ) , and they now encourage it.

PM: Your video games like Tony Hawk: Shred have taken skateboard gaming to a new level of interactivity with an actual skateboard peripheral. What are some ideas or gaming innovations that you dream will become possible for your franchise in the future?

TH: I believe we can use our board technology in conjunction with the latest body-motion sensors (like Kinect) to create a fully immerseive experience. There is also a lot of potential in portable gaming on smartphones and handheld devices.

PM: Your son, Riley, has burst onto the skate scene and we hope to see him in events like The X Games in the future. How has teaching him how to shred transformed your style of skating and changed your outlook as a parent?

TH: It is a humbling experience to see your son doing tricks that weren’t even invented when you were his age, and ones that you could never hope to do. Watching him has made me realize that skating will continue to evolve, and that It is more fun to watch him reach his potential in his own style instead of expecting him to follow my footstep exactly. I want my kids to follow their own passions without my interference.

PM

Photo by Rebecca Joelson

BoBcats venture into uncertain territoryAs Texas State prepares to join the WAC, a search begins for new head coach

By Bradford Harrison

Texas State announced on November 11th that it would be joining San Jose State, New Mexico State, Idaho, Loui-siana Tech, Utah State and University of Texas-San Antonio to officially begin Western Athletic Conference (WAC) play in the 2012-2013 season. The University of Denver will join the rest of the WAC for Men’s and Wom-en’s basketball. The WAC is shaping up to be a seven-team football league and an eight-team league in men’s and women’s basketball.

All this means more scholarships and a bigger payout for the Texas State Athletic Program. This move also means Texas State plans to ex-pand Bobcat Stadium to seat 30,000 fans. It now currently seats 15,000. This thirty-two million dollar expan-sion and renovation is expected to be completed by the time football sea-son starts in 2012-2013.

Some of the fanfare has faded, though, due to the fact that seven is a very small number. Seven is the number of schools that currently are set to begin playing football on Sep-tember 1, 2012 in the WAC, one less than is needed for a school to be a

NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS or formerly Division 1-A) conference. Texas State, no doubt, was looking to move out of its current Southland Conference which is in NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivi-sion (FCS or formerly Division 1-AA.) The WAC will have two seasons to get back up to eight members, but there are serious concerns about where they will find that eighth team. The WAC is involved in an intensive search, but there is no official word from the conference at the time this article was written.

Texas State also released head coach Brad Wright on November 22nd. Wright ended his tenure with a record of 23-23 in his four seasons, thus setting the stage for a new coaching search. Texas State hopes to announce it’s new hire by the first week of January, 2011.

One well known name in the mix is Dennis Franchione. Franchione came to San Marcos in 1990 and turned around a program that had suffered five straight losing seasons. After posting a 13-9 record in two years at the school known then as Southwest Texas State, Franchione moved up to the major college level, embark-

ing on a career that later took him to New Mexico, TCU, Alabama and Texas A&M.

Texas State will get at least two years in the WAC and if they land a big name like Franchione, the school is set to make a big jump. If they are to remain in the FBS though, the WAC must expand back up to eight members, or Texas State will be moving on too its third conference in four years come the 2014-2015 season.

PM

Senior DaMarcus Griggs/Photo by Bradford Harrison

By Javier Perez

I’ve been to many games between the Texas Longhorns and Texas A&M Aggies. Sadly, not all were wins for my Austin Alma mater. But the 2010 version of the Lone Star Showdown at Dar-rel K. Royal Memorial Stadium was different.

Every year before, the attitude amongst the fans was always the same. Sure, Texas fans would hedge their bets because they knew the Longhorns weren’t invincible. Aggie fans could exude confidence because the rivalry has been surprisingly even in the recent past despite their program’s troubles. But everyone expected Tex-as to win the game.

In the Mack Brown era, Texas A&M had been ranked higher than Texas going into the annu-al rivalry game just once: Brown’s first year in 1998.

Texas won that game, and it marked the be-ginning of what has been a golden age in Long-

horn football.

You could see that age coming to an end in the faces of Texas fans this Thanksgiving Day, though. They knew what was coming. They’d painfully watched this team lose four games in a row and six games out of seven already. The incredible victory over #5 Nebraska just over a month prior to this game might as well have happened in 2009 because the Longhorn team that won that game had not played to that poten-tial in any other game in 2010.

Luckily for the Longhorns, this game is spe-cial and it’s played on a special day every year. So the crowd was into it from the beginning. Otherwise there would have been far more Ag-gie fans in-house than there already were, and that was the most Aggie fans I can remember seeing at a game in Austin.

Texas fans couldn’t be happier with the way the first 24 minutes of the game played out: Up 7-0, no turnovers for the offense, the defense

improving on every drive, and the ball inside the red zone for the first time for either team. And then things began to unravel.

Two plays after Texas first snapped the ball inside the A&M 10 yard line, it was the Aggies, not the Longhorns, that had scored a touchdown to tie the game.

Any consolation that Longhorn fans got from being tied with the favored farmers at the half quickly disappeared when Texas turned the ball over twice in their first four offensive plays to dig themselves into a 10-point hole.

And Texas had to know that it wasn’t their day when, after finally catching a break on an A&M fumbled punt return and scoring a touch-down, the Aggies immediately returned the kickoff to mid-field and scored on their first play from scrimmage to take back their double-digit lead.

But the game, and most of the Texas sea-


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son, was defined by special teams plays including an indescribably bad result on one kickoff return in the 2nd half. After A&M took a 17-7 lead, Darius White returned the ensuing kickoff and appeared to have just two men to beat down the field if he wanted to score a touchdown. With the entire crowd ready to explode and cheering him on, seeing the seam he had to hit with a wall of blockers leading him perfectly... he tripped. He didn’t trip over his own feet, as they nev-er touched. He didn’t get his foot caught in the grass because noth-ing flew in the air and there was no mark on the ground. It was as if there was an invisible rope set up in front of him and he tripped and fell down when he crossed it.

Watching the replay on the Godzillatron, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and the crowd was stunned in silence. He tripped over nothing. And instead of a touchdown, or at least great field position, the offense started the drive at their own 32 yard line and punted the ball away four plays later.

Fittingly, the game and the

Texas season ended on a special teams play. Instead of guaran-teeing one more offensive play to try to tie the game, Mack Brown sent the house to try and block a punt for the 2nd time as opposed to keeping two returners back to fair-catch a pass. As a result, the Aggies got off a quick punt and let the ball roll until the clock expired. The stunned crowd and surpris-ingly shocked sideline threw their hands in the air as the season ended on a play that was so un-characteristically passive and yet so appropriate for the moment.

The Aggies celebrated yet an-other win in Austin over an op-ponent that gave them the game. Just 11 months removed from playing for a national champion-ship, the Texas season is over while Texas A&M clinched a share of the Big 12 South. And yet de-spite all of this, ask any Aggie fan and they’d tell you that they would trade places with Texas fans in a heartbeat because they know the Longhorns will be back on top just as quickly as they hit rock bottom on Thanksgiving in 2010.

PM

By Adam Sweeney

Cam Newton may not be high on his level of speed, but whatever word you want to use, the fact is he is special. The 2010 Heisman Trophy win-ner threw for 2,589 yards and 28 touchdowns in the regular season, making him the most efficient passer in the nation. Those numbers alone would open eyes but Newton has become the biggest threat in college football by also beat-ing teams with his feet to the tune of 1,409 yards rushing and 20 touchdowns, includ-ing a touchdown as a receiver. Those numbers are compa-rable to the hallmark seasons former college greats like Tim Tebow and Vince Young have had in the past.

Newton has been on a re-markable journey, marked by how closely it came to being

“I DON’T CONSIDER

MYSELF FAST. I

CONSIDER MYSELF

NOT BEING ABLE

TO GET CAUGHT.”


Photo courtesy of Todd J. Van Emst/Auburn University

derailed even before the 2010 season started.

Florida University was where Cam Newton was sup-posed to make his name, chomping up yards against SEC opponents as fans in The Swamp chanted his name. That dream was crushed when Newton was arrested on felony charges of burglary, larceny and obstruction of jus-tice after allegedly purchasing a stolen laptop from a student at the University of Florida. The Gators suspended Newton and he withdrew from the uni-versity. In January, 2009, New-ton made his way to Blinn Col-lege in Brenham, Texas. While many athletes would consider the switch as a disaster, it was exactly the wake-up call New-ton needed.

“It was right before the spring game,” Newton said “I had just gotten there. I thought how I used to be sit-ting back, drinking Gatorade and looking at NFL prospects. Now I am looking at guys that I never thought I would see in a huddle.”

Newton and his team-mates, who he still keeps up with to this day, won the 2009 NJCAA National Foot-ball Championship, learning important lessons that con-tinue to keep the future NFL pick humbled. One of those involved the team having to paint the bleachers of the sta-dium they played in.

“Our coach, Brad (Fran-chione), said the stadium is going to be what you make it out to be,” said Newton.

“He gave us plenty of paint brushes, and they weren’t the kind you get at Home Depot. These were the sample ones. It was bad. I was question-ing him and why I came there. I had a lot of things on my mind. Times like that keep me con-sistently humble. I think about that and remember where I came from.”

Newton trans-ferred to the Uni-versity of Auburn, where he has emerged as the clear cut number one player in col-lege football. But his team’s climb to the top of the BCS rankings almost came to a freefall when allegations were made that his father, Cecil Newton, sought up to $180,000 for his son to play at Mississippi State University. Newton was even-tually declared eligible to play, as the NCAA decided he wasn’t aware of his father’s efforts.

The reality is that Newton will be better for the adver-sity he has faced. Had he not ended up at Blinn, there is a definite possibility that he could have continued to live the life of an entitled would-be star. It’s a dangerous path to take, and has seen the fall of too many brilliant players to name. Newton’s aware that he wouldn’t be where he is with-out the hardships.

“Everything happens for a reason,” said Newton. “I am a firm believer in that. God is just using me right now and I’ve got to take advantage of it every chance I get. He’s the most important person in my life.”

While the media has been caught up in trying to catch the Auburn Tiger by the tail, as is evidenced by the witch hunt that took place in November, they have been partially blind-ed to one of the greatest per-formances by a college quar-terback of all-time. Say what you want about the off-the-field issues Newton has had, but he has persevered time and again and has the chance

to cap off the season with a na-tional title against the Oregon Ducks. A spectacular perfor-mance in the title game could catapult him to the top of the first round in the NFL Draft, as was the case with Vince Young when he destroyed the USC Trojans’ defense to the tune of 467 total yards of offense in the 2006 Rose Bowl. Newton doesn’t seem concerned with the NFL at the moment, how-ever. He is looking to the past, embracing the present and finally is becoming the player and person he wants to be.

“Every morning I try to pinch myself,” Newton said. ” I’m in a dream right now.”

PM


Photo courtesy of Todd J. Van Emst/Auburn University

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TCU’s incredible second-straight undefeated season finds them in their first ever Rose Bowl appearance. Success never smelled so sweet.


Photo by Adam Sweeney

Photo by Adam Sweeney Photo by Adam Sweeney

Photo courtesy TCU Athletics

By Adam Sweeney

Respect is hard to come by. That’s especially the case in college football. Just ask the TCU Horned Frogs. You would think an undefeated regular season for the second year in a row would be enough to get them into the BCS title game. However, fortune favors the Automatic Qualifiers such as Auburn and Oregon, who are in the SEC and Pac 10 respectively, and so TCU is on the outside looking in. While the Horned Frogs can’t stake claim to the 2010 national title, they can still smell the flowers with a Rose Bowl win against the punishing Wisconsin Badgers. They also can bask in the glory of knowledge that they, not the Texas Longhorns or Texas A&M Aggies, are the best college football team in the Lone Star State.

The 2010 version of the Horned Frogs’ football team might be the most balanced to come out of Fort Worth, Texas, a pretty impressive notion when you consider the team has featured greats like Sammy Baugh, Davey O’Brien and LaDainian Tomlinson. Andy Dalton, the senior quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate with a fiery mentality to match his red shock of hair, threw for 2,638 yards and 26 touchdowns in the regular season. When TCU wasn’t putting up points through the air, they relied on sophomore running back Ed Wesley to help them average 44 points a game, fourth best in the nation. So far no team has been able to figure them out.

However, while the team gets the most publicity for their offensive punch, this season represented a focus on defense, where the Horned Frogs allowed only 11 points a game, which was best in the nation. No matter what conference a team is in, and the Mountain West Conference is no slouch, a stat like that can’t be ignored.

You don’t put up stats like the Frogs do without great coaching. That starts with head coach Gary Patterson, a former National Coach of the Year recipient. While Mack Brown, one of the best coaches is college football, is coming under storm in 2010 after an underwhelming season for the Texas Longhorns, Patterson has finally begun to get credit for building a program from the ground up. Even more impressive is the fact that he hasn’t jumped ship for a perceived bigger boat like so many other coaches have recently. Loyalty is a trophy even more coveted than the Heisman Trophy these days, and TCU has it in Patterson. He runs a program without the worries of recruiting violations and has the Horned Frogs on the cusp of national prestige.

Some would argue that TCU’s current status as third in the BCS standings is an indication that they are starting to get the credit they deserve. Maybe, but consider the fact that the Boise State Broncos jumped TCU after the Horned Frogs in a week where they beat Nevada San Diego State, 40-35. On paper the game looked close. In reality, TCU led 34-14 by the half and let off the pedal as the game wore on. This is the sad reality of a non-automatic BCS qualifier like TCU. If they are down 14-0 to an opponent before pulling out a win, they are considered unworthy of a top ranking. If Auburn, on the other hand, is down 24-0 before barely beating the Alabama Crimson Tide they are applauded for a valiant effort. College football plays favorites like no other sport. TCU, at the moment, is not one of the chosen few.

The notion that TCU will forever be BCS outsiders is one of the

reasons the team elected to move to the Big East in 2012. Once that takes place, they can truly start to flex their muscle against superior competition. No disrespect to teams like the Wyoming Cowboys or New Mexico Lobos, but those teams don’t carry quite the same weight that a team like Pittsburgh or West Virginia does when you see them on TCU’s schedule. Most importantly, the move puts TCU in a conference that offers an automatic bid in a BCS bowl game.

With that said, the Horned Frogs don’t have to wait to get the respect of those who currently view them as more guppy than Godzilla. For TCU’s undefeated journey through the regular season, the BCS Gods have matched them in the Rose Bowl against the Wisconsin Badgers, the epitome of a smash-mouth football team in the Big Ten. A win in the Granddaddy of all bowl games would essentially allow them to place their flag in the same hallowed ground as the likes of BCS darlings, Texas.

Wisconsin is unquestionably the toughest opponent TCU will play this season. Their offense is a collective sledgehammer, putting up 43 points a game. They scored 83 and 70 points in two of their last three game. That type of scoring output is a lot to ask from the Wisconsin basketball team, let alone their team on the turf. The running back committee of John Clay, Montee Ball and James White have all scored over 13 touchdowns. There’s a good chance that the Horned Frogs’ jerseys won’t be the only things left purple by the end of the Rose Bowl, thanks to the brutal style of offense the Badgers play. How the Horned frogs fare against Wisconsin will go a long way towards determining where they rank in the eyes of voters.

The amount of travel the team will make in the Big East will take its toll, but the increases in exposure, talent level in recruiting and, in all honesty, revenue makes it well worth TCU making the jump. The TCU Horned Frogs have made their case as the best team in Texas over the past two years. It appears that it’s only a matter of time before they are competing in the title game for the BCS trophy. If and when that happens, nobody will be able to deny they belong.

PM

Big East 2012-2013 (2010-11 Record)

TCUWest VirginiaConnecticutPittsburgh South FloridaSyracuse Louisville Rutgers Cincinnati

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Mountain West 2012-2013 (2010-11 Record)

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8-48-48-43-93-9

2-111-11

NevadaBoise StateHawaiiAir Force San Diego StateFresno StateColorado StateWyomingUNLVNew Mexico


By Sandy dover

Dirk Nowitzki is the best Dallas Maverick to ever play.

He’s quite possibly the best active power forward in the game, if you consider him to be a real power forward. He may be the best true international player to ever play in the NBA (in his prime; Arvydas Sabonis would likely have been an all-time center in the league’s history). Dirk may also be the best shooting big man/forward in the history of the league, and he’s arguably one of the top five power forwards of all time, and yet, he receives love in quantities that continue to leave him underrated.

How can a 7’1 ½”(don’t believe his listed height of 7’—dude’s almost 7’2”) German combo forward whose ability to shoot threes and play in the low post with an endless array of moves be overrated? Some may play point at his style—he’s not overly flashy, he doesn’t do too much to draw attention to himself and pulling for jump shots frequently may not inspire too many to notice what he’s actually doing in the game; I assume this may have a small part in it; he’s don’t slash too much (although he can) and he dunks on occasion, but not with high frequency.

Maybe it’s Dirk’s ethnicity? After all,


many of America’s sports fans buy the poisonous thinking of believing that “white men can’t jump” and after all, since tall, athletic Saxons can’t play basketball, this clearly is a reason Dirk’s not getting of his due love. But seriously, be it ethnicity or nationality, Dirk seems to be one that would stand out just in his play. Culturally, it’s widely known that Europeans tend to play a different style of basketball than Americans do, and that may also figure into the equation, but does that really merit a slight lack of appropriate attention.

At the end of it all, championships mean the world to athletes and in the NBA, championships mean that you are legitimized, fair or unfair. The viewership that bore witness to the collapse of the 2006 Mavericks saw Diggler lose an opportunity to cement himself as the game’s “certified” best player at the time. While Kobe Bryant could very well lay claim to that unofficial honor in the same 2005-06 campaign, the title opportunity presented to Dirk a new chance to win hearts of the unknowing population of casual fans. Dirk lost an epic series against the Miami Heat and it bruised him badly.

Dirk does bruise, his reputation bruises, but it’s not really the case of him being at fault. Not speaking literally, but figuratively, he bruises in a way that gives him the illusion of weakness. He doesn’t have the borderline-insane fire that has made Kevin Garnett seem like a derelict. He’s not built like Karl Malone and more than anything, he really is a small forward who just so happens to play power forward, which has given him the false look of being a soft player. I can’t explain exactly why No. 41 doesn’t get the full amount of respect that he does outside of northern Texas, but I can only say what I feel about the man for the past 12

seasons I’ve watched him, ever since the 1998-99 lockout season.

I first saw the German as a teenager in 1998 in the Nike World Hoop Summit. It was the same tournament that he torched the U.S. team and where Charles Barkley said that he was basically the truth. I was intrigued immediately—a (then) 6’11” slashing forward who could easily stroke threes and penetrate defense for dunks? I felt immediately that he was special (and obviously, former Mavericks head coach Don Nelson felt the same way). Beyond not being able to watch the man play for two full years afterward until around 2000 or 2001, Dirk had the look of a superstar. Despite the conventional wisdom of basketball oldheads trying to suppress Diggs’ natural abilities, he eventually blossomed to grow into what he is today—he being a multi-talented, super-skilled basketball version of Germany’s Captain America on the hardwood. He can do everything and has virtually no weaknesses for players of his considerable size.

I can’t imagine why anyone watching the Mavs forward would even sleep on him. Without Nowitzki, Kevin Durant as we know him may not be. Without him, the concept of the “stretch 4” power forward might still be a theory and not a fact. With no Dirk, there would be no Dallas Mavericks, more conservative basketball and less of a reason to draft skinny, tall guys who clearly aren’t post players (and in many cases, were never meant to “go hard in the paint”). Without Dirk, what would San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns matchups mean for Dallas? Who would be able to help balance the adoration of the city’s beloved Cowboys football team?

Where would we be without Dirk Nowitzki??

PM



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Tony Hawk: SHRED $99.95 msrp (Bundle Including Board & Software), $59.99 msrp (Software Only)Rated “E” for everyone

Looking for a unique sports-themed gift to get your kids off the couch this holiday season? Check out the latest entry from the Tony Hawk franchise: Shred. Shred is out for all the major consoles (Wii, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3) and features a full-sized skateboard attachment that lets players attempt all of their favorite skateboard AND snow-boarding moves allowing player to visit and ride in exotic locales like the steep mountain peaks of Whistler, the French Alps and Beijing, China.

Shred is a continuation of the “Ride” series that was released last year, and this edition is squarely aimed at kids with its colorful visuals and downhill-style gameplay. Players can skate in a multitude of different parks from a local skate hangout to the famed X-Games. Players can also import their own skater profiles into the game via XBOX Live profiles or the “Mii” profiles on the Wii console, as well as skating as well know personalities such as Travis Rice, Torah Bright, and the legend Tony Hawk himself.

The skateboard peripheral is solidly con-structed and suitable for kids as young as six, but sturdy enough for teens and adults to enjoy the game as well. The board handles responsively, and while some tricks may be impossible to pull off due to the wheeless nature of the game’s periph-eral, the overall selection of tricks is impressive and lends itself to a wide variety of moves and improvisation.

Overall, Tony Hawk: Shred is a unique and fun entry in the burgeoning market of movement-based games.

EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp$99.95 mspr Rated “E” for every-one

Fitness and the holidays seem to be an oxymoron. Who wants to eat turkey one minute and run sprints the next? EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp for the Wii is betting you might if you are trying to catch like the Tex-ans’ Andre Johnson or tackle a digitized Dallas Cowboy like Marion Barber. This system uses the remote in concert with two new sensors. One sensor straps around your thigh and features an accelerometer. The other goes around your forearm, where it can track your heart rate. With these three sources of data, NFL Training Camp can track your movements in a number of differ-ent ways, giving you the feedback you need to have a more efficient and effective workout.

NFL Training Camp also tracks statistics to help motivate and improve your performance. Graphs representing calories burned and average heart-rate levels provide unique feedback, but in a nice acknowledgment to a gamer’s motivation, you will also earn points and achievements for your exertions. Not only can you compare these against the athletes in your house, but you can compete with the times posted online by other players on your friends list. Also, NFL Training Camp is hop-ing to capitalize on fan loyalty by creating public groups tied to NFL teams. By declaring your al-legiance, you can contribute your workout stats to represent your team online. Now all that remains is to see which team has the fittest fans (or at least the one with the most fanatical players).

With its focus on football and connections to professional trainers and teams, NFL Train-ing Camp is charting new waters in the expanding fitness-game genre.

The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to The Sports Guy

By Bill Simmons (Paperback) $11.99 msrp

ESPN monolith Bill Simmons’s The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to The Sports Guy is coming out in paperback for the first time this holiday season and provides an affordable and great read during the breaks of all those holi-day NBA games. Bill Simmons, whose exploding popularity is demonstrated by his much listened to podcast and huge fanbase, takes the reader on a tour of the history, present, and future of pro basketball. Starting from the Association’s earli-

est roots to updating his projections for players like Miami’s “Big Three”, this 700-page tome is definitely a book for the NBA junkie.

Simmons lays out who is the “best of the best” in the NBA: which teams, players, coaches, etc. played the biggest role in getting us to where we are today and in shaping our perception of what it takes to win in the NBA.

Filled with personal anecdotes and a text-book’s worth of stats included the author’s own ratings and well as fictional pop-culture box scores, The Book of Basketball: The NBA Accord-ing to The Sports Guy is a worthy addition to any NBA lover’s library and regular reading rotation.

By Bradford HarrisonThe holiday season is upon us, and whether you or your loved ones are basketball fanatics, gridiron devotees, or video game junkies,

there are gifts out there for every taste. Here are some great recommendations from the staff here at Playmaker Magazine.

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By Adam Sweeney

While the 2010-2011 NFL title will be decided in Dallas, there was nothing super about the Cowboys’ season. Expecta-tions were through the roof but the football Gods put the proverbial Crazy Glue to the organization, grounding them re-peatedly. But as we’re all about playing the role of Santa and not Scrooge, we are opening up our bag to give The Dal-las Cowboys three gifts that will surely put them back into good spirits and pushing towards the playoffs next season.

A Slice of Humble Pie for Jerry Jones

Believe it or not, but Jerry Jones is deserving of entry into the NFL Hall of Fame as an owner. If only he could stay out of the way of his team, the Cowboys could rise to the occasion more often. History shows that when Jerry lays low, good things happen. Remember the halcyon days of the early 90’s? But when Jerry thinks he is Boss Hogg, perhaps nostalgic for his playing days at the University of Arkansas, the team self-destructs. Owners should do just what their job description entails. Pay for the stadium, the players and make sure the stars on the helmets are nice and shiny. When it comes to actual football opera-tions, however, Jerry Jones should take a page from The Night Before Christmas and be a creature not stirring.

2 A Sparkly, Shiny New Belt

“Belts aren’t a part of the uniform, idiot,” you might be thinking. Well, welcome to the world of metaphors, my friends. The Cowboys aren’t losing from a lack of talent. They lose because they lack fo-cus and attention to de-tail to the little things, like holding onto the ball when a player is chasing you from behind. Cough, Roy E. Williams! Excuse me. What they really need is discipline, some-thing Wade Phillips

couldn’t provide them. Interim head coach Jason Garrett has instilled a no nonsense mentality for the time being but there are still clear issues in Big D. The only way to be sure the ‘Boys don’t act up is to keep a belt close by. We don’t believe in beatings but the rest of the NFL obviously does, as they had no problem whipping Dallas over and over until even the fans were crying for mercy.

A Life-Sized “Chucky” Doll

Jason Garrett has earned respect around the NFL for the turn-around he has made midway through the season, and will almost assuredly be given a head coaching posi-tion in the near future for some struggling team. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he is the best fit for the Cowboys. Who is? Jon Gruden, aka Chucky, would be the coach who could deck the Cowboys’ halls with boughs of holly and playoff victories. Gruden is a quarterback’s dream, as he is an offensive mastermind who brings as much ener-gy as any player on the field. He has a champion-ship pedigree and could mentor Tony Romo to the point where he can perform well on the field, not just in the dating circuit with the likes of Jessica Simpson, Carrie Underwood and Candice Crawford

PM


Roy Williams/Photo by Adam Sweeney

Tony Romo/Photo by Adam Sweeney

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By Bradford Harrison

The prevailing sentiment is that this is the season to count your blessings, reflect, and look forward to the New Year. Well, if the Houston Texans were to count their blessings from this year, it might just consist of one discovery: the best back in football, Arian Foster. Other than this not so insignificant revelation, the Texans might as well look to the bless-ings of next year and next season while continuing their nine year streak of sitting home during the playoff season. Here are three items that Houston may wish the holidays would bring them for the New Year.

A More Naughty Than Nice Head CoachTexans’ Head Coach Gary Kubiak is as well respected and upstanding as any coach in the NFL. That being said, five years is more than enough time to turn a major-market team with a great owner in Bob McNair, from an expan-sion doormat to a playoff contender. Texans fans can’t forever be content with 8-8 and 9-7 playoff-less seasons, and unimaginative offensive calls and middling-to-bad defensive manage-ment. If the Texans are to break through and achieve what the franchise has never achieved before, then a coaching change may be in order this off-season.

A Spirit of Unity for Both the

Running and Passing GameIn 2009, the Tex-ans boasted the most prolific pass-ing game in the NFL. Quarterback Matt Schaub lead

the lead in passing and wide receiver Andre Johnson had yet another pro-bowl season. Fast

forward to this season, where previous unheralded back Arian Foster explodes

as the league leader in all-purpose yards. One would expect that Houston

could rely on both facets on the game to beat opponents in a multitude of ways.

This season though, has been a confusing

mishmash to say the least. Week One of the NFL season showed the power of running Foster twenty-five plus times a game, and despite this revelation the Texans have never been able to grasp this concept, only giving him over twenty carries in five of the first thirteen games of the season. Worse, the passing attack, when needed the most to win close games, was plagued by dropped passes and interceptions. The Texans can only hope adding up the best of 2009 and 2010 will equal a brand new 2011 for the team’s offense.

A Secondary That Could Stop More Than the Jolliest of Holiday Revellers

While the Texans have never had a fearsome secondary at any point of their existence, 2010 was a true low point for the defense and the pass coverage unit in general. The Texans have been at or near the bottom of the league in pass defense for most of this season, and have recorded a measly ten interceptions as a team. Rookie corner Kareem Jackson and second-year man Glover Quinn have been worse than then some unholy combination of Gigli and Battlefield Earth. Play-maker Magazine realizes that Jackson and Quinn are young, but has there been a pair of corners more in need of seasoning and watch-and-learn time than these two? As long as Houston can’t stop the pass, it will always be at a huge disadvantage in close, throwing-situation games, and if the Texans can’t win those games, the playoffs with always be just out of reach for these NFL big-dreamers.

PM


Chris Meyers and Arian Foster /Photo by Adam Sweeney

Brice McCain and Dez Bryant /Photo by Adam Sweeney

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christMas DiNNer

Food For Thought: Eat a Hearty Breakfast

Strange but true: you go to bed feeling like a Butterball pinata yet still wake up ravenous the next day. Accord-ing to Tara Gidus,sports dietrician, that phenomenon happens after a huge meal because your body is so busy digesting that it enters your normal nighttime “hunger phase” in the morning. And the worst thing you can do is try to starve yourself in a vain attempt to make up for overeating. Instead, she recommends you get back on track by grabbing a smart breakfast, one that energizes your body with 300 to 400 calories and includes high-quality carbohydrates, low-fat dairy, and fruit. Gidus’s perfect pairings include yogurt with granola and berries; or whole-grain toast with cottage cheese and fruit.

Fitness Solution: Hit the Road for a Long, Slow Run

Alas, you really did get intimate with a gravy boat yester-day. On the bright side, however, your body is perfectly primed for a workout that can burn off a chunk of last night’s meal. “With all the potatoes and stuffing, Thanks-giving is a big carbo-load,” says McMillan. “That means the glycogen stores that fuel your muscles are full to ca-pacity.” In addition to lots of muscle-fueling carbs, your feast contained a good amount of protein, essential for rebuilding muscles that break down during a long run. Even better, you likely have the day off work, an invitation to forestall the mall pilgrimage for an hour (or more) on the move. Go slowly, enjoy the scenery, and keep mov-ing for as long as you’re able. “This is all about time on your feet, because you’ll burn more calories the longer you go,” says McMillan. The reward: 800-plus calories burned, a clear conscience, and an invigorating start to the holidays.

Dessert biNge

Food For Thought: Cut Out The Sugar

The least nutritionally balanced of all the splurges, this “meal” is brimming with simple carbohydrates (transla-tion: sugar) and fat. And as often happens after a dessert bender, you may find yourself hankering for even more sugar the day after. That’s because digesting loads of sugary carbs triggers a tidal wave of serotonin (the so-called feel-good hormone). When those serotonin levels dip, your body craves more sugar to keep the good times rolling. Fortunately, says Gidus, the solution is simple. Rather than trying to go cold turkey the next day, sate your sweet tooth with healthier treats like fresh fruit, all-fruit jams, and smoothies.

Fitness Solution: Get speedy

As far as your muscles are concerned, vanilla-swirl fudge still translates into a decent carbo-load. But un-like your turkey-and-sweet-potato buffet, the dessert binge doesn’t offer the body much else in the way of nutrients. That’s why McMillan recommends intervals to burn off those sweets in a hurry. The plan: Knock out six to eight 30-second repeats at about 90 percent of your top speed with two-minute recovery jogs in between. In other words, run fast for about 30 seconds! (Bookend your speedwork with two-mile jogs.) “When you do a hard track workout, you’re tapping into those carbohy-drate stores at a higher rate,” he says. “But since it’s a shorter-duration workout than a long run, you won’t break down the muscles as much.” The payoff? In less than an hour, you’ll torch about 700 calories.

By Greg Neal (with excerpts from Runner’s World Magazine)


Don’t sweat your next big feast -- we can show you how to get back on track after any holiday splurge. The good news: it’s prime time for holiday celebrations, turkey feasts, homebaked pies, and fruity little drinks in martini glasses. Truth is, if you add up the calories packed into just one potluck party, it ‘s easy to conclude that you’re on the road to a five-pound year-end bonus. When we crunched the numbers, we learned that a buffet dinner can easily top 2,000 calories.

Well, relax. You can overcome it and think like a runner, and your everyday eating and exercise habits will pull you through a few evenings of rev-elry. The key, of course, to dining and drinking without guilt (or weight gain) is to recover and bounce back from those indulgences.

Photo courtesy Greg Neal

Photo courtesy Greg Neal

By Playmaker Staff

When you think of private school athletics, the image that comes to mind is a more of the small and vanilla variety. The San Marcos Academy Bears are breaking those stereo-types in monumental fashion.

Sports marketing is defined as a subdivi-sion of marketing which focuses both on the promotion of sports events and teams as well as the promotion of other products and services through sporting events and sports teams. If you’re Ronald Oswalt, you take it a step further…and intertwine opportunities for corporate sponsors to network with one another and grow their businesses.

That’s exactly what Oswalt has done at the San Marcos Academy. In less than a year’s time, he has grown the SMA Bear Club, a club of corporate and individual sponsors, to over 100 members, generating thousands of dollars of revenue and services for the student-athletes of SMA.

Dr. John Garrison, President of the Acad-emy said, “Ron Oswalt has brought a world of new supporters to the Academy in less than a year on the job. His unique approach to fund-raising and friend-raising is inspirational and motivating to our marketing and development staff. I am amazed every time I look at the ever-growing list of names of new supporters of our athletic program.”

Oswalt is proof that hard work and pas-sion brew success. Born in Mississippi and abandoned as an infant, he was adopted at eight months old by a couple through their church. His childhood was no-frills, but it

was solid, and his adoptive family was a huge influence in his life. He credits his Aunt Lou and cousin Donnie McCarter for setting the bar for achievement. They were the first in the extended family to have a college degree. It spurred him on to become the first in his immediate family to achieve one.

Everything Oswalt does, he does with his trademark enthusiasm. This enthusiasm and drive has garnered a string of awards, from an Outstanding Alumni Award from the University of Southern Mississippi to being recognized as General Manager of the Year in 2009 when he managed the Austin Turfcats – a professional arena football team.

Managing the Austin Turfcats was a dream for Oswalt – and it started by walking in the door and meeting Bryan Blake, former AFL Coach of the Katy/Texas Copperheads. “One of the first people I met when I started my indoor football team was Ron Oswalt. He just walked in the office and asked if I needed any help. He seemed like an honest, hard-working person so I put him to work. He did a little bit of marketing, wrote press releases for me, took photos… He helped tremendous-ly in helping to get the word out about our team. He was able to drum up business and get people in seats.”

Oswalt’s work with the Copperheads led to a gig with the Beaumont Drillers of the American Professional Football League. He attracted enough attention there to be offered the chance to be Vice President / General Manager of the Austin Turfcats. “It doesn’t matter if you win or lose,” he says, “it’s the fan experience that matters most and the experience of the corporate partners.”

Changing the gameplayMaker MagaziNe spotlights roNalD oswalt’s big iDeas for saN Marcos acaDeMy aND the sMa bear athletics


Photo by Don Anders/andersphoto.com

San Marcos Academy became the first high school in the nation to wear pink football jerseys in honor of breast cancer awareness during a game against Texas School for the Deaf. Funds raised from the sale of the jerseys were donated to Central Texas Medical Center, an SMA Bear Club partner/Photo by Don Anders/andersphoto.com

Thom Hager, the President of South-ern Indoor Football League agrees. “Sports teams have four ways to market their team; mass, niche, direct, and permission. Ronald Oswalt has figured out that the most efficient campaigns are direct and permission mar-keting. Of all the elements he has brought to the table, his ability to target, reach, and “tickle” fans has been his trademark.”

When his tenure with the Turfcats ended, Oswalt’s professional life took a slightly more personal turn. His son, Aubrey, was attend-ing the San Marcos Academy, and Oswalt thought, “Why not do what I did with arena football at the high school level?” He started out last year doing a few press releases, getting a little more attention for the private school that many locals knew nothing about. By January 2010, he was Special Assistant for Athletic Development, generating buzz.

SMA became the first high school in the nation to hold a “Pink Out” night complete with pink football jerseys – not only creat-ing a media sensation, but making money for breast cancer services offered by Central Texas Medical Center. SMA also became the first high school in the nation to establish corporate naming rights. The football field, Ingram Field, became Ingram/A+ FCU Field, and the basketball court became Chick-Fil-A Court.

But it’s not all about corporate naming rights and fund-raising. There’s an element of philanthropy as well. Oswalt saw an HBO special on Gridiron Heroes, and realized that the founder of the organization, Chris Ca-nales, was a former SMA student, who had been paralyzed in a football game at SMA. In an emotional ceremony at the October 29th football game, Canales’ jersey, #9, was retired. The SMA team wore special green jerseys honoring the spinal cord injury foun-dation. Funds raised from the sale of the jerseys went to the Foundation.

One of the missing pieces in sports mar-keting, Oswalt felt, was the ability for the corporate sponsors to interact. “I thought, ‘why not mix in some networking opportuni-

ties, and help everyone generate business?’” And that’s exactly what he’s done. By creating the Bear Club, Oswalt not only generated at-tention and revenue for the school, but gave area business people an opportunity to meet one another in a fun atmosphere.

“Since becoming involved in the Bear Club, I have taken on several new clients – clients that I would probably never have had the opportunity to meet if it weren’t for Bear Club events,” said Christie Smith, CEO, The Quotable Quill, a writing and graphic design services firm.

It didn’t take long for Oswalt to realize he was onto something. The missing piece, the networking, was proving so successful, that the Bear Club is now one of the largest busi-ness networking groups in Central Texas.

But for Oswalt, one success leads to the desire for another. His target now – to repli-cate this successful formula in as many pri-vate schools in Texas as possible. He started Sports Marketing Experts (www.sportsmar-ketingexperts.com) that has already signed Faith Academy of Victoria. Taking some of his Bear Club members along with him, he has built a solid marketing team that will help other schools the way he helped SMA.

Oswalt is quick to point out that the staff at SMA is what has enabled all of this to hap-pen. “They have been wonderful to work with – a great group of professionals.” He also credits the support of his wife of 20 years, Machel, who patiently listens to yet another one of his “crazy” ideas – because she knows they aren’t so crazy after all.

With Oswalt at the forefront providing his passion and experience, along with the San Marcos Bear Club’s loyal support, the San Marcos Academy has proven that a marriage between the spectacle of big game sports and the community based nature of private school fundamentals can exist. The result is unlike anything the world of Texas sports has seen.

PM


Ron Oswalt takes time for family (from left: son Aubrey, wife Machel, and son Hayden) during this photo prior to the inaugural game of the Austin Turfcats. The team made it to the championship of indoor football in just its first year of existance.Photo by Beth Rasmussen

Don Anders/andersphoto.com

BROKEN HEARTS

Andre Johnson (far left) laments over a dropped pass in the Houston Texans’ loss to the San Diego Chargers.

Photo by Adam Sweeney


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