Archive for the ‘Andy Newberry’ Category

Rider had to hang on, but made big defensive plays when it had to. Read more in Saturday’s TRN.

Rider did a great job in two-minute drill to get a Connor Nutt field goal and go up 17-13 at halftime. The Raiders coughed up the ball twice in the third, but the defense rose to the occasion both times and Deron Royster’s second TD made it 24-13 as we play late in the third quarter.

Gage Sharp is having quite a game. He has caught two touchdowns and took a hit on a punt that gave The Colony an extra possession. His last catch, a 28-yarder on a slant route that Rider always has trouble covering, cut the lead to 14-13 early in the second quarter.

The start was delayed 30 minutes, but both offenses came out sharp in their first few plays. The Colony made first mistake with a fumble inside its own 20. Blake Brom recovered for Rider, leading to a 1-yard TD by Deron Royster.

Rider made the second mistake with a turnover of its own and the Cougars scored on a great catch by Gage Sharp in the end zone on fourth down from the 15. Rider could have backed TC up, but probably made the wise call to force a fourth down. It just didn’t work because Sharp made a great catch surrounded by three defenders.

Rider came right back, recovering an onside kick and using the short field to go up 14-6 after one quarter.

While I was interviewing Windthorst coach Bill Green on Friday night, getting my notes together to write a blowout football game story, the Texas Rangers were blowing a playoff game.

In Texas-sized fashion Ron Washington’s club gave up a 5-0 lead and lost 6-5. They entered the eighth inning  up 5-1 and left it down 6-5.

So I didn’t see it live, but I lived it later, watching the highlight shows and reading several commentaries and anlysis of the game. I’ve seen every play from the eighth inning now.

And I was so disappointed. The Rangers lost a playoff game  so surely the Yankees hit a key three-run homer off Neftali Feliz. Maybe they had four straight hits off Alexi Ogando

Poor Feliz, maybe he’ll bounce back. He’s got electric stuff, but if Alex Rodriguez or Robinson Cano got good wood on his 98 mph heater then let’s tip our hats to the Yankees.

But then I saw the highlights, again and again. I read the columns, most of which won’t take the lovable Washington to task. The Rangers carried a four-run lead into the eighth inning and somehow managed to lose the game without their best two relievers even throwing a pitch.

That should make Nolan Ryan want to throw up. It made me want to and I had a wonderful Ronnie’s Burger on Friday night.

If the roles are reversed and the Yankees haven’t used their closer in about a week and there’s a 4-run lead getting away in the 8th inning, I can guarantee you the Rangers don’t win without getting the winning hit off Mariano Rivera.

Feliz looks like he’s about half of Rivera’s age so surely he can go 4, 5 or even 6 outs in such a big game. And if he can only go 3, can’t he get the Rangers out of the 8th inning jam and then let one of the gasoline gang try the 9th.

To forfeit that lead without using your ace when you’re that close to the finish line is inexcusable. There will be jokes about the Ranger bullpen, but OliverOdayRapHolland should have never happened.

I’d much rather have seen a grand slam off Feliz. You don’t use your 9th, 10th and 11th pitchers in the ALCS and definitely not when you have a lead.

To manage the game like it was April 15th instead of October 15th made Washington look stupid. Even if most of the columnists in the Arlington press box wouldn’t call Washington on it.

Anyone letting him use the crutch of how he went with those guys all year long is enabling Wash’s mismanagement.

Why not let Andres Blanco play short and lead off? Is it too late to get Joaquin Arias back in uniform?

Rider played brilliant in the first half. Excellent work by the defensive line of Kiegan Hart, Blaine Townsend and Ben Schribner. I think that was the biggest key.

Offensively, Rider had an explosive play with an 81-yard TD run by Deron Royster out of the single wing. And the Raiders made some nice plays to avoid big mistakes, too.

My last district road game of last season was the same as my first of this year — a drive to Little Elm that always feels a little longer than it looks on the map.

Once here you see nothing but rooftops and water. Hopefully, I’ll see some good football soon.

I haven’t seen a really good football game all year. The best was probably Coyotes over Burkburnett in the TRN Kickoff Classic and it wasn’t that close. And we had a false impression of both teams at the time.

Little Elm has won so many tight games over the past couple of years that the Lobos think they should win. Rider has to get back to that mentality. That is the mental game tonight. I think Rider matches up fine physically.

On  a Monday night game in 1983, Danny White rallied the Cowboys from a 23-3 deficit to a 31-10 victory.

Makes Romo’s task seem pretty easy if the Cowboys get in gear.

For a half, my Redskins pick is looking good tonight. But I have a feeling Dallas has a charge coming. Should be interesting. The post-game shows in Dallas are priceless after losses. Kind of like they are in Norman, Okla.

Jason Garrett has 30 minutes to save himself a talk-show beating.

Some brief thoughts on the opening Sunday of the NFL. Defenses were ahead of the offenses in some respects I thought. And games I thought would be really good — weren’t — and some I thought would be clunkers were pretty entertaining or at least competitive.

Lions-Bears: I didn’t think I’d stop long on this channel, but two of my guests had fantasy players in the game and then the game had lots of drama. First, I hate the rule where you have to take the ball to your grave with you to make a catch in the end zone. If it’d be judged a catch at midfield, it should be a catch in the end zone. If Calvin Johnson had caught that ball at the 3 and reached for the end zone, he’d have been given a TD. Meaning, he caught the ball. If he’d caught it at midfield, they’d have called it a fumble. Meaning, he caught the ball. They need to change the wording of the rule.

2, for as little as first stringers play in the meaningless preseason, you would think the backups would be sharp. But Detroit had no plan at all for backup Shaun Hill. Until their last gasp chance, I don’t even think they had a first down in the second half.

3, Chicago had some strategy issues and turnover issues of its own and was very lucky to win. They have enough talent to win 8-10 games, maybe this break will help them.

Tennessee-Oakland

1, Chris Johnson is awesome, at least till injuries do him in. Very fun to watch.

2, Raiders are still the Raiders.

Neither team scored on first possession, but Dylan Sheffield had a beauty on his second drive. He checked left, checked right and then came back to Diondre Singelton over the middle, making the Highlanders pay for the tight coverage with a 76-yard touchdown.

But Mac has anwered with two scores to lead 14-7 late in the first quarter.

Mac also won the second period 14-7 to take a 28-14 halftime lead.

Some thoughts on the first half:

Dylan Sheffield is being rushed. He’s still making some good decisions, including a really special play on the first touchdown.  He’s thrown a couple in places he shouldn’t and got away with it.

His interception wasn’t such a play, but a great play from safety Jacob Warner of Mac.

Defensively, the Coyotes are in the right position, but not physical enough to make the stop.  Probably half of Mac’s 169 rushing yards are after contact. And it’s not because they are being out-schemed.