Stadium Update

I just got home from the Dallas Coaches Event, which was again a fantastic time. One of the topics on everyone's mind, the stadium renovations, was addressed tonight by both Associated AD Davis Babb and Gary Patterson.

According to Babb, the money has been raised and an official announcement will be coming shortly ocne the board of trustees has had a chance to meet and approve the project for construction starting in November. He said that is merely a formality, as the project is 100% ahead of time (most projects like this are built using borrowed money). Both he and Patterson seemed certain that ground would be broken immediately after TCU's last home game against San Diego State on November 13.

So that gives me a little peace of mind, although the official announcement will still be pretty sweet. Other than that, there wasn't a whole lot of earth-shattering news. Applications are coming into the school at a record-breaking pace...again, and the school's 450 student-athletes are continuing to excel on the field and in the classroom. Jim Schlossnagle was unable to attend (he's out on a recruiting trip), but he did send a text to the event's emcee, Brian Estridge, that said he's looking forward to being at TCU for a long time to come. After Patterson was giving a standing ovation, he asked the crowd to get back on their feet for the standing O that Schloss deserved.

First Annual Spitblood Golf Tournament Date Set

The Golf Tournament will be held on August 14th, at Whitestone Golf Course in Fort Worth, TX. The format is a 4 man scramble. You can pick your own teams or be assigned to one. Mark your calendar, and we will follow up with more details along with sign up information on Monday. All proceeds will go to The Purple People Seaters for this upcoming season.

If you are interested in signing up, give us a shout in the comment section. Any Frogs or friends of Frogs are welcomed, so tell your friends.

Jack Donnelly Original Khakis Giveaway

Fellow Horned Frog and former classmate of mine at the Neely School Of Business started his own clothing company, Jack Donnelly, several years back and has graciously donated a pair of their Dalton Pant Khakis for a Spitblood giveaway. They claim that the "Dalton" line has nothing to do with our very own AD, but I would like to think our favorite ginger had some sort of influence.

Built from their 8.5 oz. American made, 100% combed cotton twill with exceptional attention to detail and craftsmanship, the Dalton Pant arrives professionally pre-washed to ensure fit and has an unfinished bottom to allow the customer to tailor to their perfect length.

I have been testing out a pair for a week now, and these pants are legit. The comfort and quality is above and beyond any pair I have ever owned. Would I, THEFINCH, endorse a product that wasn't 100% bad ass, and 100% Horned Frog? I encourage you to check out what they have to offer.

The Rules of The Giveaway:

If/when you buy a koozie, your name is entered into the raffle. How many times your name is entered is dependent upon how many koozies you purchase. All of those who have already bought are entered into the raffle. The raffle ends on Monday, August 2nd, at which point a winner will be selected.

So, keep the koozie orders rolling in, and don't forget to capture a pic of your koozies in action. Still waiting for the first icing pic.

Incoming Freshmen Assigned Jersey #'s

I realize that this makes me a huge dork, but for the past couple of summers I've checked the football roster on gofrogs.com almost daily during the summer to see when they update it to include the jersey numbers of the incoming freshmen. Well, that day is today- so here are the numbers that the newest Frogs will be wearing this fall:

-Jonathan Anderson: #41 (guess they aren't retiring D-Wash's number)

-Matt Anderson: #19 (guess they aren't retiring Corderr...kidding. Matt is listed at both tailback and safety, by the way).

-Travaras Battle: #18 (he's been here since spring practice, but he has apparently now dropped the hyphen and the Smith from his last name).

-Matt Brown: #10 (which was his high school number at Allen).

-Stephen Bryant: #49 (listed at tight end)

-Curtis Carter: #36 (listed at tailback and wide receiver, and if there was ever a jersey number that screams "I'll only be wearing this for a year before switching to a single-digit", this is it)

-Sam Carter: #16 (listed at quarterback...for now?)

-Ethan Grant: #20 (listed only at tailback)

-Antonio Graves: #42 (listed at wide receiver and safety...#42 was worn last year by LB Justin Isadore, who is conspicuously absent from the current roster)

-David Johnson: #53 (he's been in since the spring, expect him to play this fall)

-Marcus Mallett: #54 (I was starting to like the concept of LB's wearing numbers in the 40s, but 54 will be good)

-Clifton Murphy: #98 (There are some big shoes to fill wearing that number, especially at D-End. Best of luck, Clifton!)

-Elisha Olabode: #22 (listed at corner and safety)

-Blake Roberts: #91 (listed at LB and DE, but at 6-4 and wearing #91, I feel like his future is on the line...at least in college).

-Dwight Smith: #24 (was originally listed at #39...wish I knew the status of his knee injury)

-Michael Thompson: #71 (listed at center)

-Nikiren Wellington: #79 (at "only" 6-6, he will look short wearing Nic Richmond's old number)

-Kevin White: #25 (listed at corner)


Missing from this list, as some of you that follow recruiting closely, is Chris Hawkins, the wide receiver from Channelview. I don't think it's my place to speculate on why he's absent, but I hope he makes it to campus in time to compete this fall.

There were two returning lettermen that are changing jersey #'s for the upcoming season: junior guard Kyle Dooley is shedding #72 in favor of #55, which was previously worn by sophomore defensive lineman DJ Yendrey, who will now wear #94. It should also be noted that both Aundre Dean and Skye Dawson are listed as wearing #30, so one of them will probably be switching before September 4th.

Horn Tootin'

I'm not sure what I'm ready to see come to an end more: all this NBA free agency nonsense or the soccer. If you happen to be really into one or both of those, then that's cool, but I'd rather watch all three Twilight movies than LeBron's "Ding Ding Ding, Look at Me!" TV special tonight, and don't feel the need to pretend to like soccer every four years just because every cab driver in Dallas can't shut up about it.

The one thing that has intrigued me a little bit about this whole soccer tournament, though, is the vuvuzelas. It's been kind of funny to hear fans complain about the noise that the plastic trumpets make because it drowns out their SINGING. Is this a summer camp for girls, or a sport?

Yes, they are annoying. I get that. But as Don Ohlmeyer of ESPN pondered in his long-winded column this morning- do they have a future in America? As Ohlmeyer mentioned, the UFC has already banned them, and I'd expect many leagues and stadiums to follow suit. But on the other hand, the Marlins have already had a promotion involving vuvuzelas this summer, so there's got to be someone else out there willing to go bush-league and use vuvuzelas to increase crowd noise, right?

So I'm giving you the chance to be prophetic here: which MAC or CUSA school will give their student section vuvuzelas for a Tuesday- or Wednesday-night ESPN2 game? I got dibs on U of H.

Purke Wins Again.

Matt Purke... or Osama Bin Laden?

For those of you who aren't in the know, Matt Purke put together an OK season for the Frogs this year. At least for a pitcher in the Mountain West Conference who doesn't face any real competition all year and plays for a small private school. I mean, the story was cute and all, but let's get serious: TCU? They're no Baylor, that's for sure. But, for some reason, the minds at Baseball Prospectus decided to take pity and name the poor guy as their Freshman Pitcher of the Year. I guess the major programs didn't have anyone of interest to toss out there this year. Tragic.

Personally, I would've given the honor to someone a LITTLE more respectful of the game than Purke, what with his mohawk, glasses and don't even get me STARTED on the way he wears his hat! Nevermind that it's the most comfortable way for it to fit his head and gives him better visual range when checking down base runners! All those balks this year? It's just the ghost of Teddy Ballgame and the Babe smiting him for his transgressions. I mean, the kid turned down $4 million because it wasn't enough money for him. Doesn't he realize there are starving people in Africa who are now also deaf due to overexposure to vuvuzuelas? Doesn't he realize that the country is in a recession and that normal Americans are working two jobs just to put food on the table? Isn't it just so foolish that Purke, rather than taking guaranteed money from a bankrupt organization that couldn't hold up their end of the contractual bargain thus bringing into question how much to trust them in the future, decided to go to college and develop his skills for two years so that when the majors are giving him big league money, they'll know they're paying a much more developed, big league ready talent? I mean, who wants to go experience college life with its endless buffet of temptations in the form of over-served sorority meat and $2 you-call-its anyway? Shouldn't Purke just quit baseball altogether after this insult? I'm just at a loss at this point. How does America not realize that, by giving Purke this award, the terrorists have truly won? Next thing you know we'll re-elect that anti-Christ Communist in the White House and bring forth the cataclysm of events set forth in the book of Revelations. And it's all thanks to Purke refusing to wear his hat forward. Don't you forget it.

This Public Service Announcement has been brought to you by Frank in Wichita, KS.

Morning Dump

Baseball:
TCU's coach Jim Schlossnagle's life after Omaha includes new contract Star-Telegram

Freshman of the year Purke lifted program to new heights Baseball America

Johnny Bench winner Bryan Holaday Tigers agree on contract The Detroit News

Volleyball:
Curtis Clay interviews TCU Volleyball's Irene Hester GoFrogs.com

Frog Alumni:
Two former Frogs competing in FW area GoFrogs.com

Former Horned LaDainian Tomlinson is a dad FS Southwest