As I stared across the felt, I could see his shirt rising and falling indicating his heart rate had shot up.
The flop was friendly for me, all low cards, and so I thought my pocket fours were probably good. I lead out for $25 in the $1-$3 game. But then the guy on the other side of the table re-raised to $75…making my lowly pocket pair shrink up like I just took a polar plunge.
But something about this guy’s move just didn’t make sense. I was the initial pre-flop raiser, pushing it up to $12 from the under the gun position and he just called meaning he likely didn’t have a premium hand. So what was it about this flop that really hit him? The only thing that made any sense would be that he also had a pocket pair and he flopped a set. But I didn’t believe him.
I had just arrived at the table it felt like he wasn’t re-raising for value, he was trying to put me to the test. So I took my pair and shoved all-in. The villain folded before I could even push my chips forward and just like that…my confidence in poker was restored.
I had been on a run of bad luck (and/or bad play) in poker and my confidence in the game had taken a hit. So this weekend’s trip to the casino was the first poker I had played in a couple of months. I needed the break to allow me to reset myself and hopefully have fun again.
The Texas Longhorns, coming off thrashing of an overmatched Texas Southern team, are getting a break this weekend too in order to allow the players to take their finals.
“Three days is a good amount of time for them to really get away, clear their minds, maybe have some fun,” said head coach David Pierce.
Time may allow Coach Pierce the opportunity to figure out what he wants to do with his pitching rotation and bullpen for the final five regular season games, the Big XII tournament and the post season.
The Horns trotted out five pitchers last night against Texas Southern.
“Those are guys that we feel like are going to pitch for us in the stretch run. We’ve got to get them clear-minded and right.”
And he still has to figure out his Sunday starter after shifting Lucas Gordon from the Sunday slot to Saturday. That move was necessary because he moved the struggling Tristan Stevens from his Saturday starting role to the bullpen.
“Working through some things with him and some of it is just hard to believe, the experience that he has,” said Pierce.
Stevens was nothing short of phenomenal last season. So unless he’s dealing with some undisclosed injury, you have to believe his struggles this season are between his ears.
Pierce talked about the pressure Stevens has put on himself, “It makes you understand what a lot of these guys go through because he’s fought some confidence and feels like he’s let the team down at times, especially in those Saturday starts.”
Stevens still has the talent, he just needs to get his mind right because he will be needed as the Longhorns transition to the most important time of the year.
REGIONAL HOSTING CHANCES
The Texas Longhorns (35-17) still have a very good chance to finish with 40 or more wins (when you include a win or two in the Big XII tournament). I still maintain that 40 wins makes them a lock to host a regional…and they’ll have a good shot if they’re just under at 38 or 39 wins.
Looking back over the last three tournaments, I have found only three teams from a Power-5 conference that had 40 ore more wins and did not host a regional tournament.
2021:
NONE
2019:
Michigan (41-18)
NC State (42-17)
2018:
Louisville (45-19)
Oklahoma State has already locked up a regional hosting resume but they’re the only Big XII team that can claim that so far. Texas and TCU would be the next best bets and Texas has a better RPI than TCU – although the Horned Frogs have a better conference record.
For the record d1baseball.com doeesn't like UT's chances at hosting a regional. They have the Horns projected as a 2 seed playing in Arkansas' regional. Personally, I think that's a bit pessimistic of them. I like UT's chances more than that. But i will saying, having to go through Fayetteville to get to the super regionals would be
absolutely disastrous.
2022 Field Of 64 Projections: May 11 • D1Baseball
Our latest Field of 64 postseason projections are out, and there are two new top eight seeds, along with two brand new Top 16 hosts.
Of course, the Longhorns could make it really easy on the committee if they were to go out and sweep the rest of their schedule and win the conference tournament. But…I don’t think I’m going all-in on that happening.
FROM HORSEHIDE TO PIGSKIN:
Jordan Addison making it into Austin for an official visit is nothing short of amazing to me. Here is the reigning Biletnikoff winner who has his choice of any program in the country and he’s in Austin. I know his former position coach is at Texas – and that helps. But there is NO chance Addison is in Austin if it weren’t for the respect that Steve Sarkisian has in college football as an offensive play caller.
Sark has proven he knows what to do when he has multiple toys to play with. Check out his embarrassment of riches with the 2020 Alabama squad.
RB: Najee Harris
WR: DeVonta Smith
WR: Jaylen Waddle
WR: John Metchie
TE: Jahleel Billingsley
Now compare that to what we could see roll out at DKR in the fall:
RB: Bijan Robinson
WR: Xavier Worthy
WR: Isaiah Neyor
WR: Jordan Addison (or Jordan Whittington)
TE: JT Sanders
Sark’s ability to get those guys open and get them the ball will all depend on two things, his quarterback play and his line play…and those two are connected.
@Ketchum's excellent reporting this morning shows just how important Sark’s play calling will be in Addison’s decision. It also shows just how important the QB position will be. Sark needs to show Addison that either Hudson Card or Quinn Ewers will be capable of showcasing his talents to the NFL.
That’s going to take a heck of a sales job because the two biggest competitors have bigger names to sell at QB in Bryce Young with Alabama and Caleb Williams at USC.
And speaking of quarterbacks, this week’s Arch Manning news is notable for one very important reason…it was Arch himself speaking and not a third party speaking for him.
Of course, the interesting thing about the Arch news is that he pretty much confirmed everything that those third party emissaries have been reporting to the recruiting sites.
The latest Manning prodigy is down to Texas, Georgia and Alabama.
I still can’t shake the belief that if Sark had won eight or nine games last season then this recruitment would already be over with Arch locking in his spot in Austin. Of course that’s a bit of a good news, bad news situation.
The good news is that if my assumption is true, then Arch really does love Texas and he’s looking for a reason to say yes.
The bad news is that if my assumption is true, then Arch may love Texas but he has nagging doubts that are preventing him from saying yes.
When you look at it, the biggest unknown left in his recruitment is Texas and how they will look on the field.
We know (or think we know) that Alabama and Georgia will both be one of the best teams in the country next year. But if being the best were his overriding factor then why hasn’t he already pulled the trigger for either of those schools?
So what is holding him back from making a decision? It HAS to be the questions surrounding UT.
Arch will get another chance to have those questions answered when he makes it into town for his official visit. It’s conceivable that Sark will be able to show him he has the answers. Or, maybe he’ll wait. Who knows?
“I’m looking forward to (making a decision) either before the season or during the season or after the season,” said Manning. “If I was ready I’d probably commit right now, but I’m not, so I’m just waiting.”
But if I were a betting man (and this column proves I am), then I like the hand Texas is holding better than any of the other schools.
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