Ketch's 10 Thoughts From the Weekend (Announcing some changes)

[Ketchum]

"… Canelo Alvarez isn’t the best fighter in boxing, but there are few guys I want to watch more when they enter the ring. His destruction of James Kirkland might be boxing’s signature moment of the year thus far."


Yet Mayweather beat Canelo as well. Canelo was supposed to knock Floyd out.

No, he wasn't. Most felt like he was too young to win a fight like that and he simply didn't have the quickness and speed to hang with Floyd.

12-round decision for Floyd was always going to be the result when they fought when they fought.

 

[Ketchum]

Until now I never even heard of TLC

I guesswe know what kind of music you don't listen to.

 

[Anwar Richardson]

His specialty has always been football. That's what we hired him for. I didn't think that was unclear. My bad.

 

[tecohorn]

I heard Randy Gregory is up to a solid 248 lbs from a playing weight of closer to 230lbs last season..

It sounds like he has been hitting the weights more than the herb..

He could make such a huge difference... Huge!

 

[Ketchum]

I get what you're saying, and if you want to blame reader apathy that's cool. But the bottom line is that basketball (and b-ball recruiting) coverage took a big hit when Gerry H left. I've been happy to see Dustin picking up the slack over time, and I'm even more encouraged to see him freed up to spend even more time on hoops. As you pointed out, with Shaka in town the timing couldn't be any better for OB to step up its game and become a juggernaut of Texas hoops coverage.

The old coverage of basketball wasn't nearly what you think it was. Game stories were turned in the next day at times. We'd go a month without any recruiting news reported. Very little in the War Room. etc...

 

[Ketchum]

Congrats on the 15 year mark Ketch.

As for the updates to the OB org, I understand the excitement around Smart and the obvious need to parlay that excitement with basketball coverage but I worry it'll come at a price on the baseball coverage considering the King of Ping is just one man apparently captaining two ships that sail during the same time of the year. Considering Augie's age and the state of the baseball program, I expect a hire that creates Smart level excitement for a program that's really a cornerstone of the Big 3 at Texas. I'm admittedly biased as I'm a football and baseball fan first and foremost but as I stated before, I understand the business decision to capitalize on the basketball content. I hope the wheels are turning in your head on how to do the same when the baseball excitement returns.

Less than 15-percent of the site reads baseball content on a steady basis, even when they've been championship good. The demand isn't what it needs to be. Like I said, this is an area still under consideration.

 

[RLong68]

I don't see a leap of faith in basketball. You didn't hire an analyst with any significant coaching or playing experience. DM is one of the best in baseball no doubt, but bball is another matter and it doesn't feel like a real commitment has been made to the sport

Wut? At the risk of downplaying what it takes to be a talent analyst, the main thing, assuming you have a working knowledge of what a player should play like, is simply time allocation. I have little doubt that a cat like McComas can watch 3 full days of elite HS hoops competition and come away with some VERY sharp player analysis along with interviews. The problem previously was simply not being at those events. I can't wait until he gets to places like Las Vegas and Orlando this summer or whatever spots where the major AAU tourneys are.

 

[Ketchum]

I don't see a leap of faith in basketball. You didn't hire an analyst with any significant coaching or playing experience. DM is one of the best in baseball no doubt, but bball is another matter and it doesn't feel like a real commitment has been made to the sport

I don't know if you've been paying attention to the content lately, but yes, a real commitment has been made. I'm sure McComas will use your words for motivation, so thanks.

 

[Ketchum]

You get to keep the red stapler.

 

[sendero95]

Less than 15-percent of the site reads baseball content on a steady basis, even when they've been championship good. The demand isn't what it needs to be. Like I said, this is an area still under consideration.

Just curious but what the current steady basis % for basketball?

 

[RLong68]

Less than 15-percent of the site reads baseball content on a steady basis, even when they've been championship good. The demand isn't what it needs to be. Like I said, this is an area still under consideration.

This. Look, I can understand the tradition of the Texas baseball, but the reality is that a FF hoops run will/would/does generate significantly more excitement to this board than does a run to the CWS.

 

[SmokeyTheCannon]

Love seeing my man Ant Geronimo getting some love here

 

[bexster]

Come on Ketch. Alvarez beat a one note fighter and now you give him a chance against a bigger stronger more skilled fighter than himself. Personally, I hope neither has to leave their comfort zone just to make a big fight happen.

Beat one note fighter?...first off...he destroyed a top notch boxer in 2 1/2 rounds... beat Mosely, Baldomir, Angulo, Trout, Josesito Lopez, and Lara... Alverez is the real deal..... He has all the skills to be a great champ and he is 24...

 

[RLong68]

What makes basketball recruiting coverage that much easier is the elite guys are going against other elite guys. We're not talking about a 300-lb OT dominating 5'10" 200lb DEs. We're talking the best going against the best in games.

 

[DustinMcComas]

Dissapointed it appears baseball is taking a back seat. Dustin does ut baseball coverage better than anyone, newspaper, internet, or otherwise. It's a shame to marginalize a strength.

Ill sorely miss the coverage of the away games not on tv. I guess I am in the minority though. From the sound of it, it's a well thought out decision. I can appreciate the process even if the results are what I would want.

I don't know if it's taking a back seat. It'll still be covered and we have a while to figure that out from an in-season perspective. My days of writing baseball content aren't over - it's just not going to be as day-to-day, frequent.

 

[DustinMcComas]

What makes basketball recruiting coverage that much easier is the elite guys are going against other elite guys. We're not talking about a 300-lb OT dominating 5'10" 200lb DEs. We're talking the best going against the best in games.

This is true. The one great thing about the AAU stuff is that now the big names are normally against big names all the time.

 

[DustinMcComas]

Love seeing my man Ant Geronimo getting some love here

Ant is the man.

 

[Ketchum]

Love seeing my man Ant Geronimo getting some love here

One of my favorite follows on Twitter. There's no one else on earth quit like Ant.

 

[sendero95]

This. Look, I can understand the tradition of the Texas baseball, but the reality is that a FF hoops run will/would/does generate significantly more excitement to this board than does a run to the CWS.

Not even the hard core Texas baseball nut would dispute that. That said, not even a run ending in a national championship in BB would cause me to want any less coverage for baseball because that's first my love of Texas sports. I realize I'm in the minority of Ketch's customers and I appreciate his candor and willingness to share the background on his decisions.

 

[Anwar Richardson]

After watching that interview with Left Eye, her craziness was evident. Bruises on her face, she lit a fire in the bathroom, and they're taking turns smashing each other's cars? She embodied "Crazy, Sexy, Cool"

 

[sendero95]

I don't know if it's taking a back seat. It'll still be covered and we have a while to figure that out from an in-season perspective. My days of writing baseball content aren't over - it's just not going to be as day-to-day, frequent.

I think the coverage on LHN combined with your frequent commentary and perspective here really started to blossom the last two years. There was really no reason to seek out other outlets. Will you still write for D1baseball.com?

 

[seanie punkin]

Not even the hard core Texas baseball nut would dispute that. That said, not even a run ending in a national championship in BB would cause me to want any less coverage for baseball because that's first my love of Texas sports. I realize I'm in the minority of Ketch's customers and I appreciate his candor and willingness to share the background on his decisions.

Exactly. Surely almost all the fans of college baseball, and particularly of UT's teams, know that the sport doesn't move the needle as much as football and basketball. But as individual subscribers there's also nothing wrong with us asking about coverage for that sport when it's something we feel passionately about. That being said, if it doesn't make business sense then no logical person can argue with the decision.
Sounds like Ketch et al are still working that angle though.

 

[Ketchum]

Not even the hard core Texas baseball nut would dispute that. That said, not even a run ending in a national championship in BB would cause me to want any less coverage for baseball because that's first my love of Texas sports. I realize I'm in the minority of Ketch's customers and I appreciate his candor and willingness to share the background on his decisions.

Again, baseball will becovered and McComas will be involved, but do I really need him on the Pan-Am game? Or the Texas state double-header? He's our Charles Jefferson of baseball. We fly him for the games and moments that matter.

 

[The Poopsmith]

Pretty good data on Charlie Strong recruits- hopefully they can showcase these numbers in a good way to recruits.

 

[bigdog1024]

Here's one suggestion for improving your content, or at least delivering it - Hire a proof reader...

 

[I Hear Voices]

we’re going to gamble that there’s real value having the best basketball coverage of any site that covers Texas athletics.

Hey, Ketch. You ain't gambling nothing by putting Dustin's hand on this tiller. You can feel the fresh breeze on your face and know the race has begun. Basketball and Dustin is just turning wisdom into action.

 

[Ketchum]

Hey, Ketch. You ain't gambling nothing by putting Dustin's hand on this tiller. You can feel the fresh breeze on your face and know the race has begun. Basketball and Dustin is just turning wisdom into action.

 

[bigdog1024]

Here's one suggestion for improving your content, or at least delivering it - Hire a proof reader...

 

[Ketchum]

Here's one suggestion for improving your content, or at least delivering it - Hire a proof reader...

Another area we will take steps to make improvement in.

 

[I Hear Voices]

Wisdom always comes at a great price, yet few know what they paid or can assess its value until years later.