Pretty much.
Going into last night's opening-round game in the Big 12 Tournament against Iowa State, I'll raise my hand and admit that I thought there was a very good chance Texas might lose the game.
For a team that can be quite uneven in its performance on the road, playing a desperate Iowa State team in its home away from home as it tries to extend its season by one more game was going to be a stiff challenge, sub-.500 record be damned. Knowing that the game was going to be tricky, I figured there was a very good chance that two things might happen:
a. The Longhorns might lose.
b. I'd get killed on the message board in the wee hours on a Wednesday night in March.
Yet, it didn't happen. This incredibly young and ... well ... young ... team handled its business and as a byproduct, it seems to have secured its ticket to the dance party that starts next week.
While the game lacked some style points and was far from easy on the eyes for 40 minutes, there were some really gutsy performances inside of it that are more than encouraging going into next season. The team that has closed out some gritty wins in the last two weeks is basically the same one that will return next season and I would contend that there's reason for optimism going into next year, once some of the babies aren't babies and turned into college basketball teenagers (sophomores).
However, next season is next season. There are still meaningful games to play this season. Last night assured everyone off that.
NUMBER 2
I've said it before and I'll say it again ... I love the guts and mental make-up of Matt Coleman.
The true freshman has hit some bumps in the middle of his freshman season, but the one thing that has remained the same all year is this - when the game gets into the final minutes, he's not afraid of the moment. In the final minutes of any close game, Coleman has no trouble at all in assuming responsibility.
This team is going to the Tournament because he thrived in more of those settings than he failed in. It happened again last night. In a game he struggled to find his groove in, he found his A-game in clutch time.
It's a hell of a thing to be as young as he is and still be comfortable with the knowledge that success or failure rests on what you do at the end of the game. Yet, it's in those moments when we've mostly seen the best of Coleman this season.
NUMBER 3
This team is better with Mo Bamba on the floor and in the line-up, but I think a strong case can be made that the best thing that happened to the 2018-2019 season is that Jericho Sims has had a chance to spread his wings late in his freshman season.
In the blink of an eye, Sims has gone from role player to difference maker.
As McComas pointed out, in the last four games with the season the line, Sims has averaged 12.0 points per game on 69.0% shooting, 9.5 rebounds, 1.0 blocks and 1.25 steals. Last night, he was a monster on the glass with 15 rebounds, including a few enormous offensive rebounds/putbacks.
From day one of the season through today, his development has been one of the most importantly positive things that has happened during this season. We're looking at a kid that has a chance to be a monster in the future.
NUMBER 4
I really am a fan of Chris Del Conte. He's basically the anti-Steve Patterson. Those inside the university that got the deal done with his hire deserve a lot of credit.
NUMBER 5
I'm expecting Saturday to be a party day for Texas football recruiting. The potential of adding its starting left tackle for the 2018 season (Calvin Anderson) and one of the top in-state prospects in the entire 2019 class could make it one of the best, if not the best, recruiting days of the year.
Get your popcorn ready. And maybe some bubbly while you're at it.
NUMBER 6
Quick little personal rant - If I see one more damned item promoting the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl win, I swear I'm going to start breaking some things. I'm living in a personal hell.
NUMBER 7
An update on my weight loss challenge.
I'm down another three pounds this week. There have been no Nilla Wafers relapses in the last week, or relapses of any cookie kind. The thing I'm working on right now more than anything else is controlling portions and drinking more water. It's not that I don't drink a lot of water, it's just that I need to drink more water. I'll get so busy during the course of a day that a couple of hours will have passed without me drinking any water.
I might have to turn into one of those people that carries a jug of water with him everywhere I go.
Once again, special thanks to the people at 3Xfatloss.net for approaching me with a detailed plan for a better, healthier lifestyle.
