Technical issues for Chad Hastings last night caused one of the funniest starts to a show I’ve ever produced…

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OB is a wealth of knowledge, so here I go...

About a month ago, I was rear-ended while at a stop light.

The car is at the shop and the estimates are coming upto 25K, and shop is pretty much letting me know that the insurance might just "total" the car. The car was driveable, with a slight dent in the back and there was no way I expected the costs to be this high. Now, I am still waiting for my insurance to come back to me with a reasonable CV for my car. I am out a great car that I probably cannot replace with the $$s the insurance is going to write me a check for, even though I am not at fault. The insurance for the driver at fault took a long time to assume liability (since it was a multi car collision and mine was last car to be hit) , so I had to go through my insurance (the route of subrogation)

To add to the mess, the shop says that they just cannot return the car to me the way it was dropped off, since they had to cut some panels to see the damage on the inside to provide the insurance with a complete estimate. They also let me know that they might not work on a car that the insurance might total (even if I was going to pay for it).

What are my options? Can I just pay the shop an amount that brings their bill to the insurance company to a number that will save the car from being totaled? Will the shop accept that?

I have been looking online and there aren't any options for a similar car with the same color, interior, exterior, etc. What steps do I need to take to make sure that I dont get screwed by these insurance company?

The shop has still not sent in their report to my insurance company. Do I talk to my claims manager now to learn about my options or or wait until the shop sends in their report?

Notes:

a. Plans to visit Oregon this week. That's still on. Do not discount the Ducks.

b. On his visit: “I was just impressed with everything there,” Muhammad told Tide Illustrated. “They have everything you need right in front of you. If you are someone who eats, sleeps and breathes football, it’s the place to be. I like Tuscaloosa. It’s kinda a small town, and I’m more laid, back so that was really nice as well.”

c. On what will make or break his decision: "“I’m just looking to find that place that’s going to be the best fit for me for my final eight or nine months,” Muhammad said. “Like I said before, stability is really big. I want to be around coaches who will understand my strengths and put me in the best position to reach the NFL. Then, obviously, I want to be in a program that can contend for that final 12 at the end of the season.”"

d. On Bama having other Washington players with him on the visit:
“Those are my guys, and it was good to see them and chop things up,” Muhammad said. “The season ended, and everything went so fast, so we didn’t really have a lot of time to talk. It was nice just catching back up with them and having a moment to talk about things.

“Obviously, it’s nice having friends on the team. I know those guys are excited, and I’m really happy for them. They are great players, and I know they’re going to do great things at Bama.”

I won’t steal the kids thunder, but the story is being written as they say. Should break sometime tomorrow.

One of the more creative birthday gifts I've received in a while. My team at work had my second favorite kicker of all time wish me a happy birthday.

Dicker the Kicker

Honest people don't destroy evidence.

They display/show it.

They make it available publicly for scrutiny so that it holds up and is proven to be the truth.

No matter who is in office this is at the core of our constitution, bill of rights, and who we are as a society.

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I thought it would be fun to go back to @Ketchum buy/sell column from one year ago (1/1/23) and see how accurate he was. It’s a tough gig, and he doesn’t just take softballs. 😊 . Some of these are of course still subjective, so opinions are my own obviously.




RobertGKemp said:

Texas plays for a B12 Championship on the way out the door


(Buy) It's a leap of faith, but I'll go that far at this point, even if there's some real skepticism in buying.



HIT

stevo888 said:

Is Sonny Dykes going to have a better record than Sark the next 2 years?


(Sell) I'm guessing they have a drop off to some degree in 2023, but does it matter? TCU is playing for a freaking national title. Unless something substantial arrives with that better record in the next two seasons, it would be the tiniest of moral victories at this point.



HIT

OMGanja said:

Happy New Year OB

B/S 8 wins next year or 10? B/S Ewers is the starting QB for two more seasons? Does the Manning competition push Ewers to new heights? Do the Mannings get upset if he sits for two years?


Ok, not all of these are buy or sell questions in format, but I’ll cut you some slack since you just sent me a check and I love your supplies. I'm sitting on 8 or 9 wins at this point, but I really need to see the schedule before being able to have a great feel for things. I think Ewers starts game one of 2023 and Arch Manning starts game one in 2024. Not sure what the hell happens in-between those two events. Yes, I expect the arrival of Manning to push Ewers to higher levels ... or else. Yes, the Mannings would not be delighted if put in a situation where Arch would need to wait until 2025. Texas likely wouldn't have been the pick (IMO) if the sales pitch was, "We'll get you in by your third year."



MISS



12 wins and not looking like Manning starts game 1 at this point. That of course can change in the next 2 weeks of QE declares.

CutaneousHorn said:

B/S: Sark is mismanaging the running back room. There will be portals.


(Sell) I believe he mismanaged it on Thursday night, but using a one-game sample size to make such a statement is completely unfair. I'm not sure there will be portals, but Jaydon Blue is probably not thrilled he didn't play against Washington.



I’m gonna say MISS. There were no portals from RB room that I recall, but not starting Brooks for 4 games is not managing that position well at all.

MikeCorleone said:

B/S - Casey Cain develops into a solid WR 3 next season.


(Sell) With all due respect to the game he had the other night, Texas needs a better and more dynamic No. 3 receiver.



HIT. Cain’s gone.

spikey76 said:

B/S Cook, Niblett, Moore and B Thompson are all in the WR rotation next year. Cook has the most production.


(Sell) No, I don't expect all four young players, which includes three freshmen, to be in the rotation.



HIT. None of those guys cracked the rotation and Cook did have the most production, if only a small amount.

BigSkyHorn said:

O/U - 3.5 more on current roster enter portal. You'll take the more.


(Buy) Yes, that feels like it might be too low of a number.



HIT (I think) not sure on the timing, but there were 16 total portal outs.

North Texas Buck Hunter said:

B/S: Given the hype we had by showing promise against Bama/early season success and the talent pool we had, this year’s off-season will be harder than other off-seasons for the fans.


(Sell) Disappointing seasons are disappointing seasons. I'm not sure why this one would make for a harder nine months than the others. The fact that Texas recruited so well in the last two years and will have two 5-star quarterbacks on campus probably will lead to more optimism than existed in a lot of past off-seasons.



HIT. Last offseason was no different. Now this years will be raised expectations. 😉

ColladorUT said:

B/S: Ced Baxter touches the football during the first quarter next year in Tuscaloosa.


(Buy) No-brainer IMO.



HIT. Baxter 11 carries for 31 yards.

Rotarran9116 said:

B/S - This board’s propensity to overreact is going to lead to a nine month long Sonny Dykes love fest


(Sell) This board does overreact, but I don't know that singing the praises of the work Dykes has done counts as overreaction. He's done what most would have deemed impossible.



HIT. Don’t remember much of a love fest with dykes. (pun intended)

LonghornLeghorn said:

Happy New Year Ketch!

B / S - One way or another, in 2023 we get the best QB play since Colt in 2009. And honestly looking at the QB metrics the last 13 years, that is a pretty low bar to clear. Basically, one of our three QBs would need to beat Ehlinger’s sophomore and junior years. Everything else varies from bleh to mediocre. I still wonder what Ash would have morphed into without the career ending concussions his junior year.

Click to expand...


(Sell) Although his passer rating was only 146.8 in 2018, Sam Ehlinger passed for nearly 3,300 yards and 25 touchdowns, rushed for 482 yards and another 16 touchdowns, while also leading his team to the Big 12 title game and a Sugar Bowl win over Georgia. Oh, and he only threw five interceptions.

QE has a passer rating of 158. 3479 yards, 22 TD, 6 Int AND a CFP appearance and Big 12 championship. Including missing 2 games. Gonna call this a MISS.

GuyPie9 said:

B/S - Ewers puts in the work this offseason.


(Buy) He simply has to.



HIT IMO

drunk randoke said:

The lack of a 2023 conference schedule is suspicious and interesting


(Buy) I'm waiting to see the screw-job that awaits.



MISS. We were 12-1 and the schedule wasn’t an issue.

bevojp said:

Sark’s game management and in game adjustments did not improve this year?


(Buy) I'm still waiting to be impressed in those areas.



HIT. Sark was better this year, but he certainly didn’t distinguish himself in the semi’s. I love Sark, but he’s too stubborn with his game plan.

opietaylor798 said:

Being an EE, Sark may have to play Manning


(Sell) "May have" to play the best player in the 2023 recruiting class? I kind of reject the notion of the question, especially when he has 4 games to tinker with if he wants to.



HIT. He didn’t have to play Manning, and really didn’t except for a brief appearance.

MauiHorn said:

B/S UT will not have a September QB controversy as to the starter.


(Sell) Nothing that is said in the summer will mean anything when the lights come on in September. That's when the job will really be won or lost.



MISS. QE had the job early

Loewy said:

B/S Quinn Ewers should improve his personal appearance (ie get a haircut and shave) before next season.


(Buy) Hey, it might just be the jealousy of an old, bald guy talking, though.



Big HIT.

Obvious_lee said:

B/S Sark needs to at the very least appear in a Big 12 championship game next year or he will be on the same track as the previous 2 coaches.


(Buy) As @Anwar Richardson said in the Pulpit today, it might be now or never.



HIT. He made it, and is on a path to contract extension.

beachin texan said:

In Mack's days he'd poach DCs with your next stop from here will be HC. Did he miss on a few, yeah. Buy or sell, no top coordinator will ever come here, cause this ain't the stepping stone it once was?


(Sell) I don't believe that at all. Hell, Pete Kwiatkowski was seen as a pretty great hire when that move was made two years ago. Pete Golding gave it serious consideration.



HIT IMO

ATRumbler said:

Buy or sell: hot dogs are inedible without pickle relish.


(Sell) What the hell are you talking about? Just put some mustard on it.



HIT on a questionable question.

TEXASFAN said:

Texas is primed to win the SEC championship when they join?


(Sell) Sir ...



HIT…420 anyone?

TexLex said:

B/S Ketch, this asks you to read between the line for some of this B/S....Sark at times in '22 played Ewers to develop him for future seasons. If he had played Card when Ewers struggled in certain games, the team would have had a better chance to win those games. This implies, Sark is building for future seasons which currently are more important for the long-term success of UT football instead of trying to pull-out all stops for the best record this year. It also suggests that to be able to do this Sark has the backing and assurance of CDC and Eltife that absent a Chris Beard-type incident or a terrible on-field performance (defined as 7-5 again) Sark's job is secure likely through his 1st season in the SEC. And this runs counter to a fan's measure of success. While Wins matter to us each Saturday and while Sark and CDC and Eltife want to win each Saturday, Sark's success is currently being measured by Sark's bosses by how they see his team's progression to UT's entry into the SEC....and that is a very foreign college football measure of a season's success.


(Buy) Sarkisian has a lot of slack, especially with his recruiting and all eyes are on what things will look like going into 2024.



Tough call. The future is NOW as proved by the results, but that wasn’t the intent of the question or answer. Sark continues to build. I’ll be generous and call this a HIT.





Final record, 17 HITS, 5 MISSES. Well done Ketch!

The family and I are likely moving out of state soon and I’m looking at a position in St. Louis. Anyone lived there that can provide some insight into good parts of town to look for a home? Not looking at pricey, elite areas, just solid, safe areas with good schools. Would be working in O’Fallon, so the Illinois side of things, not sure on tax implications, yet.

Also looking at Aspen if anybody has insight on good towns to live in around there. Thanks in advance.

The 5 Most Miserable Fan Bases In Sports Right Now

Story by Andrew Holleran • 15h

Being miserable and being a sports fan are pretty synonymous. Unless you're extremely lucky - or, really, a bandwagoner - you can't experience one without the other.

But which fans have it the toughest?

Following the latest weekend of NFL Playoff games, here are the most miserable fan bases in all of sports right now.



5. Cleveland Browns

The Browns have been looking better as of late - and this year was pretty fun, thanks to Joe Flacco - but they are still the Browns.

Until the Browns finally get over the hump and win a Super Bowl, they'll probably be on this list.



4. Texas A&M football

The Aggies like to act like they're a national championship program - and they've certainly spent like it - but that has not resulted in any legitimate success on a national scale.

Texas A&M gave one of the richest contracts in coaching history to Jimbo Fisher, but that failed miserably, leading to his firing.

Perhaps Mike Elko will change things around.



3. New York Mets

The Mets have a new owner who's willing to spend money in Steve Cohen, but that hasn't resulted in much happiness - yet, anyway.

Mets fans have had to deal with nearby Yankees fans experiencing several World Series over the past 25 years - though not too much lately - while failing to win any championships of their own this century.

This past season, the Mets had to watch two of their former pitchers - Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer - win a World Series in Texas.


2. Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings have maybe experienced more last-second heartbreak than anyone, with countless losses in huge moments, highlighted by some truly devastating field goal misses.



1. Buffalo Bills

The Bills' heartbreak mostly stems from the 1990s, during their infamous run of Super Bowl losses, but it's continued into the late 2010s and early 2020s.

Josh Allen and Co. have had some great teams, but they've failed to reach the Super Bowl.

At this point, it's tough to see them ever getting past the Chiefs.

The boy having a good time 😂

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Will be producing 600-650 TPD of beverage grade CO2. Talking to the CO2 pipeline guys but curious if anyone on here has the need, or clients with the need, for large volumes of CO2. Will be located in the Houston area.

I barely know who this chick is, but now know I can’t stand her. What a joke.

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Shocked that any women’s bball game had fans actually running on the court.

Golf

Was sent this video and thought I'd share with any interested parties... Some good golf and pretty views

When I'm bored... I venture to our free page, the Corral to see how close mankind is to its final day and sometimes tMB... but @Ketchum, @Anwar Richardson, @Suchomel, can we help a brother out?

hookem777

Riley Pettijohn

Alamo Heights 2025 ATH Michael Terry picked up a Texas offer. He said he talked to Tashard Choice and Steve Sarkisian today. He can do a little bit of everything on the football field and said no specific position was discussed, but he likes to think of himself as an offensive player. TCU visit next weekend. “Texas is definitely up there,” Terry said. Schools standing out along with Texas … TCU, Texas A&M.

2026 ATH London Smith said it was a great visit. Loved the atmosphere of the hoops game, said he really likes the message from Sark that was more about just football. Spent a lot of time talking to DB coach Terry Joseph. Texas would be in his top two, along with Oregon. “I really love Texas.” Interestingly, he said he and Kobe Black are cousins.

Seguin 2025 WR Carterrious Brown talked to Chris Jackson and some of the other coaches and said it was a really good trip. He likes coach Jackson’s straight-forward approach. Baylor next weekend and UTEP the first weekend of February. “Top five for sure,” he said of Texas.

Summer Creek DE Chad Woodfork said he enjoyed the entire visit. He’s open but said Texas is “up there for sure.” Dropped a top nine and said he’ll probably commit after he takes his OVs in the summer. Will probably take OVs to Texas, Texas Tech and USC. Will probably visit Baylor next weekend.

2025 OL Dramodd Odoms has a bunch of offers but Texas told him they want to continue to evaluate him a bit. “They wanted to let me know they’re very interested in me,” he said. Checked in at 6-6 and 271. Next week he’ll probably go to TCU or Oklahoma. LSU, Houston, Oregon, A&M are among the schools standing out.

Pflugerville Weiss 2026 OL JJ Mays said it was good to hear all of the coaches’ presentations on how they develop players and the depth of the program. He hasn’t been offered yet but got some time with coach Flood today for a brief conversation. Flood was by his school recently. Said Flood is one of his favorite coaches overall. Will be at A&M next weekend.

Dekaney WR Tanook Hines said the whole experience stood out, including going to the hoops game and the love showed by the Texas coaches. Said he’s looking at about 10 schools and Texas is definitely in that group. Loves the offense under Sark and he grew up watching Texas. Going to A&M and Baylor next weekend.

I believe Anthony “Deuce” Williams was the only UT commit at the junior day. He said it was great coming in as a committed player and he was busy working on some Houston-area guys. Said he’s ready to get to Austin and get to work already.

McKinney LB Riley Pettijohn said he loved getting to talk to coach Sark and Johnny Nansen. Liked the atmosphere of the basketball game too. The coaches let him know he’s a priority for them and said they were excited to get him back on campus. Texas A&M visit next week. Texas is in the top five. Loves that it’s close to home and has friends on the team.

Kamauryn Morgan has transferred from Red Oak to South Oak Cliff. Said it’s amazing people at Texas and everything went well. Got to sit down and talk with coach Sark. “Amazing guy. Love him.” Talked to Pete Kwiatkowski as well. Said Texas is “easily” a top five school. Facilities, success on the field, going to the SEC has Texas in a good position. Will be at SMU and Baylor next weekend.

Clear Springs DB Zach Parish may go to A&M. Said he loves that the UT coaches always show love. Mainly talks to Blake Gideon. No offer yet but Texas told him they’ll continue to evaluate him. Yale, UTEP, Texas Tech and A&M also have been talking to him.

Carthage 2026 RB KJ Edwards said he was impressed by the fans at the basketball game. Loves the all-around strength of the team … football, academics, fan base. Said he thinks he’d fit in well with UT’s offensive scheme. Baylor and SMU visits soon and Georgia sometime in the spring.

Tyler Chapel Hill ATH Demetrius Brisbon was one of two SMU commitments at the junior day. Brisbon already held a UT offer and said he’s keeping an open mind with his recruitment and exploring all options. Texas talking to him more as a DB. Has a young son so staying close to home is very important to him. Texas is in his top three and he plans to take an OV to UT.

The other SMU commitment was Brison’s teammate, RB Rickey Stewart, and he picked up a Texas offer today. Said he likes coach Choice a lot. Said the winning attitude of the program stood out and how it had a family feel. Committed to SMU but schools like Texas, Oregon, TCU, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State still coming after him. Supposed to go to Baylor next Sunday.

Bridgeland OL Jonte Newman said last summer when he picked up a UT offer that Texas was his dream school. The Longhorns are still in a really good spot. Got some time with the UT coaches, including Kyle Flood. Flood told him Texas is where he needs to go if he wants to get to the NFL. Will be at A&M and Houston next week. Texas, OU, Bama and USC are some of the schools standing out.

IMG LB Gavin Nix and his father really enjoyed the visit. Said he has a great relationship with Tashard Choice. First time to get to Texas and said he really enjoyed it. Plans to come back for an official visit. Former IMG teammates Jordon Johnson-Rubell and Jerrick Gibson talk to him a lot about Texas and how much there is to do in Austin beyond just football. He’ll be at Miami and Florida State in the next couple weeks. He doesn’t have an actual list of favorites but Texas made a strong impression.

Texas seems like it’s in a really good spot for Port Neches-Groves offensive lineman Jackson Christian. He’s trying to keep an open mind but it’s pretty clear Texas is a strong contender. Loves the culture and said it’s just great people at Texas. Likes that Texas has gotten better each year under Sark. Might go to TCU junior day next week. A&M on February 3. Texas is the first big school to offer prior to last year’s state championship and that carries some weight with him. Doesn’t have a firm timeline but also didn’t rule out an early commitment.

2026 QB Will Griffin (Tampa Jesuit) loved the visit. Got to sit down with coach Milwee and was very impressed with the presentation given by Sark. Said the stadium was very impressive, as are UT’s academics and Texas’ development of players. Texas takes its time with QBs to make sure they offer the right guys and he said he’s fine with that. He’s seen a lot of programs and wanted to see how UT compared. “Texas compares great to some huge schools and I definitely think they’re ready to play some SEC ball.”

DT Floyd Guidry said Texas is his leader, even without a DL coach. No, he wasn’t told who the next DL coach is going to be. Will probably commit in February or March so if the new DL coach pushes, this could be one to watch closely. Also likes LSU and recently was offered by Bo Davis there.

Pearland Shadow Creek wide receiver Jacorey Watson said it was a good experience, getting to hang out with the coaches and gets some time with them. They were talking about schemes, depth charts, things like that. Teammate Deuce Williams has been on him every day about getting him to join him at Texas. He’ll be at LSU next weekend. Feels like a UT-LSU battle to me. Ole Miss and Mizzou also in the mix.

Crosby RB Wesley Yarbrough doesn’t have a UT offer but the coaches told him to keep working and they’ll continue to evaluate him. Loved the message from coach Sark at the end of the junior day. Going to Georgia on February 3.

Bastrop 2026 DT Tiki Hola said it was a great visit. First time seeing Sark face to face, said he can really see what they’re building at Texas. Got some one-on-one time with Sark. He and his dad also talked to coach Nansen. No other visits on the schedule right now. “I love it here.”

North Crowley 2026 OL John Turntine said the entire experience was great. Got to see the campus and the facilities more than he had on previous visits. Talked to coach Flood, who told him to enjoy the experience he’s getting and soak it all in. Checked in at 298 pounds today on his 6-5 frame. Said Texas definitely stands out. OU, Miami also stand out early.

Bridgeland OL Ryan Fodge picked up a UT offer today. Said it felt good to get that offer. Said coach Flood and Sark are awesome coaches. Loved the facilities too. Will be at A&M and Houston next weekend.

Pearland Shadow Creek CB Cobey Sellers got a chance to meet with Terry Joseph and get some one-on-one time. Also met Sark’s wife today and said she kept it real with the recruits. Texas, Oklahoma and Georgia standing out and A&M making a push lately.

2026 RB Tradarian Ball (Texas High) said it was a great visit. Really likes coach Choice and feels he’s one of the best coaches in the country. Got to look around the whole school today and see things beyond just football. The coaches’ message was that if you come there, you’re going to have to work hard but they’ll prepare you for the NFL. Going to Miami on 27th and probably A&M on February 3.

Flower Mound 2026 OL Drew Evers likes coach Sark and his morals. Said he’s about character over talent. A&M visit coming up, will see SMU and maybe Baylor. Said he’s taking into consideration every school that has offered him. Said the facilities stood out the most today.

Jasper TE Kiotti Armstrong said he liked the environment and how the coaches interact with their players. Sark and Banks talked to him about how he could fit in their scheme. Saw former teammate Tyanthony Smith today, and Smith was recruiting him to Texas. Banks talked to him about being able to play off the ball and on the ball. Had a good conversation with Sark as well. He’ll be at Miami next weekend.

Lastly, I'll leave you all with this ...

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I’m involved with an NGO IN ETHIOPA. We are sending a group there in May. Travel is on Emirates through Dubai to Addis. One of the other leaders is extremely risk adverse. He has raised the issue of the dangers of flying Dubai to Addis with the Houthis and US firing missiles. I’m assuming that commercial flights are pretty much not at risk due to the altitude and the flight paths which would routed around any hot spots. I figure if they are flying the risk is has been determined to be inconsequentia. . Anyone have any experience with this type of situation?

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Rivals250 LB Gavin Nix loves his UT visit, hopes to return for an official

The Texas Longhorns hosted some top talent over the weekend at the program’s first junior day. One of the top players at the event, and one who traveled across the country, was IMG Academy linebacker Gavin Nix. The Rivals250 member out of Florida has been on UT’s radar for a while but said it was a good experience meeting the Texas coaching staff for the first time.

“It was great. I have a great relationship with Coach (Tashard) Choice. This was the first time I was able to see him down here at his place, so it was great,” Nix said. “It was also my first time coming out to Texas. I love just being able to come out here and experience it for the first time, so that probably was the thing I love the most. It's a great city.”

Coming in from Florida took some effort for the 6-0, 227-pound Nix, but he and Choice have developed a strong connection ever since Choice extended a scholarship offer back in January of last year. It was the connection with Choice that made Nix want to get to Austin to give Texas a closer look.

“The biggest thing was really coach Choice. He recruited me down there at IMG. He offered me last year, so over this past year, we’ve built a great relationship,” Nix said. “Obviously with coach (Jeff) Choate leaving, through all of that, he still made an emphasis for me to come out and get down here so that was a big reason for me to come down here and see everything.”

A former teammate of current UT freshmen Jordon Johnson-Rubell and Jerrick Gibson, Nix spent some time with the former IMG Academy standouts after the conclusion of the junior day to get their early impressions of student-athlete life in Austin.

“They just got done showing us the dorms and all that. The living situation is great,” Nix said. “Being in a big city like this, we just got done talking about the opportunities when you come to a city like this. Texas players really get a chance to capitalize on everything outside of football that's in the city, that’s the two main things being here.”

Prior to visiting Texas, Nix spent some time Friday visiting Texas A&M. In the coming weeks, prior to the February dead period, he’ll visit Miami and Florida State. A return trip to Austin at some point is a strong possibility as well.

“Most definitely. The next time I come back, I hope to be on an official visit,” Nix said.

Holding roughly 30 scholarship offers, Nix is keeping an open mind at this early stage of the recruiting process. He’s still getting out to see some new programs so he doesn’t want to eliminate any schools, but he does foresee a fairly early commitment.

“I don't have a for sure list yet. We just started seeing a lot of schools that we haven't (seen). So I want to make sure I see everything and then probably right after spring, before my season, that's when I’ll start narrowing things down and deciding where I want to go,” Nix said. “I want to make a decision before my senior year starts.

After last weekend’s visit, Texas should have a solid shot of making Nix’s favorites when he does eventually trim his list. The UT staff told him they like his versatility and feel he would fit in well with what Texas likes to do defensively.

“Really they see me as a WILL backer, a backer that can move around and do a lot of things – cover, blitz, do a lot of things,” Nix said. “I'm a very versatile backer and I take pride in that. That's how they see me fitting in. I love coach Nance. He just got in there and is a super smart guy. We talked football for about 30 minutes. Super smart guy.

“Today was actually my first day meeting him so I didn't know what to expect but he just dropped a lot of knowledge on me so I like that a lot.”

After taking only one linebacker in the 2023 cycle, the Longhorns will look to load up in 2024 and should present a pretty open depth chart. Early playing time will be a factor in Nix’s recruitment, as will finding a program that can maximize his talents.

“Wherever I go, I want to come in and make an impact. I want to come in and play. A big thing for me is coming in and being developed,” Nix said. “Being able to talk to coach Nance, he’s a really, really smart dude. So he’d be a great guy to come in from and learn a lot from and develop my game.

A four-star prospect, Nix is ranked No. 126 on the Rivals250.

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Are there any decent BBQ places in the Pearland area? I'm hosting some of my corporate guys next week and want to treat them to some good Texas BBQ.

Or not recruiting related?

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When nobody around you seems to be measuring up, it's time to check your yardstick.
~~~~~~~~~~~ Bill Lemley

In his book, Choosing Civility, author P.M. Forni reminds us that when we speak kindly to others, it helps us remember to keep them in mind as we speak. Far too often it's easy to catch ourselves being overly critical of those around us. Sometimes we practice controlled behaviors at work or out in public, only to unleash our pent-up criticism on the people we come home to.

On a regular basis, we'd do well to evaluate the status of our most important personal relationships. If we perceive that all or most of those friends and loved ones just aren't cutting it, it's time to realize that we might be the problem here. Are we also being too critical of ourselves, holding ourselves to a standard of perfection that can never be achieved? Golfers tell me that when they're having a bad day on the course, there's a tendency to grip tighter and swing harder, and that it never works. Well, it doesn't work in relationships either. Maybe if we can be a kinder and more understanding friend to ourselves, we can more easily extend that same courtesy to those we love.

It's worth a try.

Blessings to all, and thanks again for making yesterday's Gift a real keeper.

NT
Hebrews 10:24
Dedicated to Allen Jones, who practiced speaking kindly.

Monumental task this afternoon for the Texans coming in as big underdogs (-9.5), but the weather looks to be ideal all things considered.

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