Longhorns Take Game 1 in WCWS | NBA Finals Preview | NFL Teams Ready to Break Through

Today the guys talk about the Texas longhorn Softball 2-1 victory in game 1 of the Women’s College World Series over the Texas Tech Red Raiders. The NBA Finals is tonight what do we expect to see? What NFL teams who haven’t won a Super Bowl has the best chances of breaking through that ceiling? “The World’s Strongest Take!” Plus, conversations with Eric Henry of Horns 24/7, Texas Baseball Head Coach Jim Schlossnagle & Texas Softball Head Coach Mike White. You can hear it all here on “The Morning Kickoff Show!”

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
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Radio AM thirteen hundred The Zone. Good Morning, Austin, Ktown, Fluggerville, Htown.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
Pairland, Leander and Seals be Texas or wherever you may
be listening.

Speaker 3 (00:37):
This is a.

Speaker 1 (00:38):
Throwback Thursday edition of The Morning Kickoff right here on
Sports Radio AM thirteen hundred The Zone. Texas Softball takes
Game one now. They are one game away from softball's
first national title. NBA Finals start tonight, and the OKC
Thunder are huge favorites over the Indiana Pacers. Eric Henry

(01:01):
of Horns twenty four to seven joins us at seven
point thirty four talking all things Longhorns coach Jim Slosnegel
joins us at eight a m. To talk Texas baseball.
We got Texas softball coach Mike White joining us at
eight seventeen to recap last night's big matchup against Texas Tech,

(01:25):
and we'll talk a little football.

Speaker 3 (01:27):
I am your host, Mike Harball Hearts.

Speaker 1 (01:29):
My co host is a WWE Hall of Famer and
the world's strongest allergist because he just decides he needs sneaking.

Speaker 3 (01:38):
Man, I'm allergic to my own books. Show man. He
is the Mark Henry. Good Morning Austin, and of course
we have Marcus behind the boards.

Speaker 1 (01:47):
And if you want to be a part of the show,
all you gotta do is text to word Texas followed
by your message to eight one five three zero Standard
data and message rates may apply. That's the word Texas
followed by your message to eight one five three zero.

Speaker 3 (01:59):
Standard data rates may apply.

Speaker 1 (02:01):
And we want to make sure that you are using
that new and improved iHeart feature, you know, whether it's
the preset or getting ready to use that microphone after
we give you the keywords of the day to win
a pair of tickets. So make sure that you stick
around because we're going to give you a chance to
do that. Let's get right into it, because last night
Texas softball had their backs up against the wall and

(02:25):
they found a way to get it done. But it
was not without controversy. We won't lead with that, but
we will have you leading with a double play in
the first inning.

Speaker 4 (02:36):
One one rounded left side and be a scot up
with it goes to plate for one on the first it's.

Speaker 3 (02:41):
A double play.

Speaker 4 (02:48):
Five two three. They get the force at the plate
and then Reese Atwood on the money to first base.

Speaker 1 (02:56):
And it made it a little bit nervous because that
happened all in the first inning. Uh Teagan Cavan with
another great start. She continues to be dominant, but as
I said, it was not without controversy. As in the
top of the sixth inning, there was a play at
second base that left people kind of scratching their head.

Speaker 4 (03:16):
One one, there's pitch taken for a strike runner going
through it a second in plenty of time. Reese Thatt,
what guns are down, and Jerry Glasgow is going to
challenge something. I wonder if they thought that Jolie Mitchell
got in the way of Holloman trying to steal the bag.

Speaker 3 (03:35):
Here's the ruling.

Speaker 4 (03:38):
Oh my goodness, So Halloman is safe on second and listen.

Speaker 2 (03:44):
Let me nausea. That's all I can say. That's the
number one word that came to mind as a former infielder.

Speaker 1 (03:52):
The call was obstruction, and what that means is she
was blocking the path of the base runner to get
to the base.

Speaker 3 (04:04):
Two things have to happen.

Speaker 1 (04:07):
Number One, I have to actually block the actual base.
But the most important part is there's a throw coming
down from the catcher. I have to be able to
go and catch the ball. So sometimes my natural movement

(04:27):
will take me to a place that I might have
to run into the runner, but I'm not trying to
impede their progress to where their trains at go. But
the biggest part of this, when she was thrown out

(04:48):
by five feet, it wasn't obstruction. If anything, she was
doing her a.

Speaker 3 (04:55):
Favor because she met her halfway.

Speaker 1 (04:58):
So when that ruling came down, obviously you know what
ends up happening next.

Speaker 4 (05:06):
Remains one and two on Henry Kennedy back on the
rubber right hander to the plate line drive.

Speaker 3 (05:15):
This time, that's not the one I was looking for.

Speaker 1 (05:18):
They end up getting a base hit, they end up
scoring the go ahead run, and then Texas has to
come back. Obviously, people are losing their mind. They're upset
about it. Yeah, everybody's like, oh my god, what is happening?
What is happening? But then miss Henry comes to the
plate and she gets the rally started.

Speaker 4 (05:40):
Remains one and two on Henry Kennedy back on the
rubber right hander to the plate line drive, this time
a fair ball, one hop in front of the left
fielder elder so Caden with a two out hit. You're
in the sixth when the Longhorns have their second hits

(06:02):
only their third base runner of the game against Kennedy, and.

Speaker 1 (06:06):
Kennedy has been unbelievable. She's one of the top pitchers
in the country. We knew it was gonna be a
picture's duel. We went through the numbers, but Dan Henry said,
you know what I don't like first base.

Speaker 3 (06:18):
I need to make a move.

Speaker 4 (06:19):
First pitch taken for a strike right on the second
on a steal and Cayden's in there no need for
an obstruction call. To throw a little off to the side,
and the Longhorns have the potential run in scoring position.

Speaker 1 (06:34):
And of course Mia Scott, being the legend that she is,
she ends up getting on with a base hit.

Speaker 3 (06:40):
Infield is in. She gets the second base.

Speaker 1 (06:43):
Now, Reese Atwood had not had a hit the entire
World Series. She was zero for ten, but she's deadly,
so they were trying to intentionally walk her. And as
we're watching this, I saw the second pitch and it
looked a little bit too good, and if Reese was ready,

(07:06):
I think she would have jumped on it.

Speaker 3 (07:08):
Well, they get to three to zero and she stays on.

Speaker 1 (07:12):
Time and she was like, you know what, I'm gonna
pull a Kelly Leak from the Bad News Bears.

Speaker 3 (07:18):
That was the next pitch. Hits the ball in the
left field. She swung at the pitch that.

Speaker 5 (07:22):
Was close to the zone.

Speaker 3 (07:23):
Two run score. Texas takes the lead.

Speaker 4 (07:26):
A boss moment from Attwood, a three to oh intention
to be outside foot ball four and she hits it
in the left for a base hit.

Speaker 1 (07:37):
They kept it a little bit too close, kept it
a little bit too close, and she knows that it
is an intentional walk. Pitch was flat. She got a
pitch she could handle. Shortstop should have dove and tried
to keep it on the dirt, but she.

Speaker 3 (07:54):
Wasn't expected to get the pitch right because everybody was
thinking she was gonna bunt. They were thinking she was walking.

Speaker 1 (08:01):
She was just gonna walk it out, yes, yes, and
then all of a sudden smacks it gets to run.
And then Texas with the last inning, comes up with
big Teagan Cavan making another's quality pitch.

Speaker 4 (08:15):
The ball's two strikes outfield, straight up, medium depth, the
in fields three being in a step or two oh
two pitch pop up right side Jolie Mitchell along the
first baseline bow territory puts it away, and Texas is
one win from a national championship.

Speaker 3 (08:32):
That is awesome, awesome stuff. Don't forget.

Speaker 1 (08:35):
At eight seventeen, we we'll be talking to Mike White,
the head coach of Texas Softball, and we'll ask him
all about what was going on during that game. But
watching that game going into it, you knew we talked
about it. It was going to be a very very
intense pitch to pitch, play to play situation and for

(08:57):
Texas to be able to stay in there with that
controversial call, And they were talking about it on the broadcast.
They kept saying, the momentum is kind of stopped in
the Texas dugout because every pitch, everybody's all excited. Well,
then all of a sudden you're in a position to
where they scored a run on something and a Kennedy

(09:19):
is tough to go again. She's one of the best pitchers,
she was Player of the Year before, and she's a
big transfer move, so you know the runs are going.

Speaker 3 (09:32):
To be tough to come by.

Speaker 1 (09:34):
Marcus asked me a little while ago, He's like, man,
was she throwing a no hitter?

Speaker 3 (09:37):
At one point?

Speaker 1 (09:38):
She was pretty close, pretty close, pretty close, But you
start to look at the resiliency of this Texas softball team.
They try to intentionally walk her, and she said, if
this thing is close, and the rest the risk of
it all because there's a moment there that if she

(10:00):
does that and she pops it up, we don't know what's.

Speaker 3 (10:04):
Happening, right, you may not score it all because the.

Speaker 1 (10:07):
Next matter was Jolie Mitchell or she ends up popping
it up. So oh, she hits the ground ball and
she almost beats it out day in the inning. But
still you put yourself in a situation to where number
One coach Mike White has to trust you in that
moment because if you get out, he's not gonna be

(10:28):
very happy with you, he has to believe in the
fact that she was zero for ten. She was zero
for ten, so for her to rally lock in and
as he said, Andrew Haynes, the voice of Texas Softball, goes,
what a balls move?

Speaker 3 (10:45):
What a ball smove?

Speaker 2 (10:47):
You know that's that's a good confidence builder too. Absolutely,
I'm looking to see her in the next game.

Speaker 3 (10:54):
Get go to the play and be hot.

Speaker 1 (10:56):
Yeah, I'm really really excited about what Texas was able
to do. As always, Mia Scott being the veteran that
she is, coming up making plays starting that five to double,
five to two three double play in the first inning
and Texas settling in and.

Speaker 3 (11:15):
Pitch for pitch, pitch for pitch.

Speaker 1 (11:17):
Texas only had four hits, Texas Tech only had three hits,
so every moment was huge for that team. Coming up next,
we will have a conversation about the NBA Finals starting
to night. Why are the thunder such a big time favorite.

(11:37):
We'll talk about it right here on the morning kickoff
on sports Radio, and thirteen hundred.

Speaker 3 (11:42):
Is a coming up.

Speaker 1 (11:43):
In the next segment, we have our guy Eric Henry
of Horns twenty four to seven joining us. Make sure
you follow him at Eric c Henry Underscore for all
of your news. But coming up right now, we want
to talk a lot a lot about this NBA Finals,
the expectations, and let's just say that the whole thing

(12:07):
has kind of changed the view of a lot of people.
We talked a lot about the changes in New York
after the Pacers ended up ending the New York Knicks season,
and I wanted to get into this little stat as well,
because I had a conversation yesterday with a couple of
people that were trying to figure out if it was

(12:30):
a curse to be named Coach of the Year, and
I believe that it has turned out to be. If
you think about this, the Pacers have fired, got a
lot of coach fired. The coach that was fired before
after five days of losing to the Pacers was Sacramento

(12:51):
Kings head coach Mike Brown. Mike Malone, the head coach
of the Denver Nugget lost to the Pacers. He was
fired five days later. Tom Thibodeau lost to the Pacers.
He was lost three days later. He was fired three
days later. But here is some of the awards that

(13:15):
if you win it, you will probably get fired. Oh
this coach of the Year in the twenty seventeen twenty
eighteen year was Dwayne Casey, he was fired. Mike Bolden
booting her closer won the NBA Championship, he was fired. Goodbye,

(13:39):
Nick Nurse. Twenty nineteen, twenty twenty, he was coach of
the Year, he was fired.

Speaker 3 (13:45):
Tell your Story Walkin.

Speaker 1 (13:47):
Tom Thibodeau fired, Monte Williams be fired, and Mike Brown
all one coach of the year. Going back to twenty eighteen,
twenty nineteen, twenty twenty, twenty twenty one, twenty twenty two,
and twenty twenty three, all coaches were fired.

Speaker 2 (14:08):
So basically they told them, hey, y'all take a week
off and then quit the business.

Speaker 1 (14:13):
Well, basically they told them, hey, it doesn't matter what
you gotta go home, It don't matter what you did
before you and you're not winning here. And again, one
of the craziest things in this business is are are
you really building teams to win championships? Because you're firing

(14:35):
coaches that win championships.

Speaker 3 (14:38):
It just doesn't make sense there.

Speaker 2 (14:40):
But also you also gotta remember you you were a
dominant player before. If you have a problem with your
coach and your coach is not is looking at you like, well,
it's my decision to make. You're gonna have to gree
and bear that's not necessarily true. No more that you know,
they had the exit meetings all of the NICK players

(15:01):
and it came out Josh Hart was one of the
guys that said, Man, I don't I feel like I'm
burning my body. I feel like I'm I'm The plays
that we run, we run them sporadically. So I mean,
I'm not mad at Josh Hard to tell the truth,
true to cent you free Jayleen Bronson.

Speaker 3 (15:22):
He was pro having that coach stayed.

Speaker 2 (15:27):
But then you have guys, your star player, Jayleen Brunce,
So why wouldn't you go with what your star player
is talking about? Well, a star player also dad is
one of the really good friends of the head coach. Well,
so you gotta look at it like, players don't like
his dad. That's who they want it gone. And they succeeded.

(15:47):
They got it done.

Speaker 3 (15:48):
No, they want the dad gone. The dad's not gone.

Speaker 1 (15:52):
They're talking about him possibly being the head coach. And
if you think that he ain't gonna run that, have
you seen him. He's gonna run hot. So yeah, but anyway,
The point is the success is to be in the
in the championship. But is are all teams built to

(16:15):
do that? We've talked about that in football. Everybody, every
every team is not going to play for a championship.
They want to make money. They're not building for no championship.

Speaker 2 (16:28):
You know what, That's exactly what Shoddy said yesterday. He
basically said, in a nutshell, you know what, if it
gets to the point to where coach Schottenheimer of the
Dallas Cowboys, of the Dallas Cowboys, thank you for that,
if he was, if you're able to win, great, If
you're not, then you go home like everybody else that

(16:50):
didn't win. And and everybody's got to get to that point.
You're not gonna win every year. Every there's only gonna
be one winner, only one. So are you building two win?
Is the question? Well, the Knicks obviously haven't because their
bench nobody knew who anybody was exactly. That's one of

(17:12):
the reasons why they're in the situation that they're in
is they didn't have depth, and.

Speaker 1 (17:16):
They were not supposed to be in that situation because
they didn't think they had a team.

Speaker 3 (17:21):
To do that. Right.

Speaker 1 (17:22):
That team over exceeded the expectation, and a lot of
that had to do with coaching. And that is why
it's kind of crazy to me that you're now looking
for a coach that whoever you.

Speaker 2 (17:32):
Bring in, is it going to change now or not?
What do you mean, will they upgrade their bench next season?
I mean, obviously they're gonna have to. Right, that would
not have happened if he stayed. Why because that wasn't
the focus of his Why is it.

Speaker 3 (17:50):
Not the focus of the front office. That's why he
got fired.

Speaker 2 (17:54):
What they're not doing the right things by the organization
and by the players. But that's a gene, That's what
I'm But that's what I'm saying, Like he gm, thank you,
let's go there first. And the whole issue is now
you limited of what you can do because you know
salary cap implications.

Speaker 3 (18:14):
So you have to you what you only got the mid.

Speaker 2 (18:16):
Level exemption for the players on the bench, well to
bring in somebody bring in talent, you only got the
mid level and minimal contracts, or you gotta find somebody
in the draft.

Speaker 1 (18:28):
Let's put it like this. Rick Carlisle, who has been fired,
had to move around. He said when he first saw
that they had fired Tom Thibodeau. He thought it was
something that AI created. He thought it was fake because
the people around the league truly truly understand him as
a coach. This guy sacrificed everything in his life. Didn't

(18:50):
get married, didn't have kids, didn't do anything. He focused
on basketball. That's why there's not a lot of people
in the world that will give up all of that
to be able to be on a bench.

Speaker 3 (19:04):
He made that decision, though I don't.

Speaker 2 (19:06):
I don't look at that as being a big part
of sports. I think that's him. That's everything. I mean,
a lot of people do that. There's a lot of
people sports facet of the world. We're talking sports. But
he just falls into that category with me as a
person that chose to not do all the other things
that we all chose to do and and and just.

Speaker 3 (19:29):
You know, be a basketball coach.

Speaker 2 (19:30):
He might have other interests, but I guarantee you he's
not just a singular I'm only doing basketball. I don't
go to dinner, I don't take showers, I don't go
on vacation. The dude got the other interests. He's doing
other things. Don't give it.

Speaker 3 (19:46):
Don't give him all of that, he ain't that live?
What does that have to do about being live?

Speaker 1 (19:51):
That means that this dude is concentrated on what he
feels is something that he wants to be great at.
When people decide that they want to, you sacrifice, Mark.
That's why I'm always trying to figure out how you
go to that side when you gave up things in
your life because you were that driven by it.

Speaker 2 (20:10):
I had I got married, I had kids, and I
have other interests now.

Speaker 3 (20:15):
But then you.

Speaker 2 (20:16):
Back then, when I was doing individual things, I focused
in on that one thing.

Speaker 3 (20:21):
That's what he wants to be great at that and that's.

Speaker 2 (20:25):
When he succeeded, but not at the level to win
the championship. And if you don't feel like in management
that you're gonna all with the core players, your superstars
that have a short window like you, you may only
have this guy for three years on your team. You
gotta get it done right now.

Speaker 1 (20:44):
You fired him after your best run in twenty five years.

Speaker 3 (20:49):
I get it hard, I get it. Okay, year, are
they gonna win a championship? Next year? I doubt it
very likely they will not win the championship? Are we doing?

Speaker 6 (21:01):
So?

Speaker 1 (21:01):
What are we doing, especially with.

Speaker 3 (21:05):
What they're gonna be as good as they were this year.

Speaker 2 (21:07):
Next year, they will be as good next year because
I think they're gonna upgrade not only the bench, but
the players. There's a big chance that uh Kat.

Speaker 3 (21:18):
Might not be playing. Karl Anthony Towns may not be
on that team next year.

Speaker 2 (21:22):
Because of you know, the fact that he's a defensive
liability and he your second leading scorer. They're gonna have
to replace it. They're gonna have to replace that scoring.

Speaker 1 (21:33):
With with a three and D guy that ain't gonna
be able to do those types of things that you're
in your opinion that it's not fact not saying again the.

Speaker 2 (21:46):
Knicks are gonna be a liability in the scoring department.
They're gonna have to play defense, but they're also gonna
have to find somebody that can defend as good as
are better than calling in the town. He was the
liability in this last series. When we come back, we'll talk.

Speaker 1 (22:05):
To Eric Henry of Horns twenty four to seven, and
we might have to give some respect because we didn't
even end up talking about Indiana and Okay, see in
this matchup right here on the morning kickoff on Sports Radio,
am thirteen hundred the zone. It's been a long time.
You shouldn't have left me. That's right. Our boy, Eric

(22:26):
Henry of Horns twenty four to seven has been out
and about, been making trips and handling business all over.
So he is back at his regularly scheduled time. E.

Speaker 3 (22:39):
How you doing, buddy.

Speaker 6 (22:41):
Oh Man Man harsh good morning. Has always appreciate y'all.

Speaker 7 (22:45):
Yeah, I've been been a little busy summing here, I've
been on the road. It's back on the Florida for
a bit. I'm actually taking this call fellas to show
y'all how much I appreciate y'all for the opportunity and
y'all are family.

Speaker 3 (22:56):
I'm taking this call from the last.

Speaker 7 (22:58):
Day of my trip here in Toulon up early in
the morning to make sure I get up.

Speaker 6 (23:02):
With the fellas.

Speaker 1 (23:03):
Hey, mom, man, we appreciate that and well deserved vacation. Man,
you've worked your behind off. They don't understand the grind
that you guys go through as trying to make sure
that you get the stories and get everything brought to life.
So let's get right into it. Texas baseball season comes up.
Sure we're gonna have coach Slasnegel on at the top

(23:26):
of the hour to talk about what he thought the
season was like. But for somebody like yourself who got
a chance to cover this team, what were some of
your biggest takeaways?

Speaker 7 (23:38):
You know, it's really interesting. I actually wrote a piece
earlier this week up at Horns twenty four seven dot
com just talking about whether this season was the success
and for me, I think all the friends on the
prison that you want to view the first year of
the Jim Schlossnegle era through right. You know, we all
know this is University of Texas. The standard is the standard,
and that standard is infinitely high when it comes to

(24:00):
being on the baseball diamond. However, I still think he
has to kind of do it to this prison. This
is just my perspective. We're talking about a program first
year in the SEC, and I know we make a
lot of the SEC, but the proof is in the pudding.
While the league didn't stily have the best show up
in the NCAA Tournament, they still put the top four national.

Speaker 6 (24:21):
Seeds for SEC teams.

Speaker 7 (24:23):
Right, so for the long runs to go in to
be able to compete and have success the way they
did win a regular season title, I do believe it
is a successful season. However, I and I you know hard,
I had to hand to talk with you about this
off air. I asked Jim schlass Nagle this directly after
the team lost you know, one and done the set tournament.

(24:44):
I asked him, you know, kind of the role in momentum,
because if you remember, Texas had lost four out of
their laps, even me they lost them not a last eleven.
They're in four and seven entering the NCAA Tournament, and
Jim Schlasnagel said, you know, hey. He referenced getting a
text from Augie Garrito in twenty fifteen when the TCU
team that would go on to make the College World
Series were bouncing the first round of the Big Dwell Tournament, saying, hey,

(25:07):
coach Currito.

Speaker 6 (25:07):
Said that this is the best thing that ever happened
to you.

Speaker 7 (25:09):
I think the difference is if you remember that was
the third of what would be five trips to the
College World Series that Jims Flasingo made a TCU. This
was a Texas team that is still trying to find
their footing in the first year under his stewardship. So
I still think the season was a success. And I
think maybe the expectations may have been raised.

Speaker 6 (25:31):
With the success they had.

Speaker 7 (25:32):
But the end of the day, I think if you
had told Texas fan the type of season that the
Long Wars would have in totality before the year, they
would have taken it.

Speaker 2 (25:40):
That's exactly what I was going to say to you, Eric,
and see if you agree with that. Was with the
success that they had this year, it kind of moved
forward the fandom of the University of Texas fan base,
like now he'll be able to develop the team after

(26:02):
his image and go out and recruit as well as
bring in the guys that he wants.

Speaker 3 (26:07):
To fit his system.

Speaker 6 (26:10):
Mark, I'm glad you made that last point.

Speaker 7 (26:13):
I again, I don't think that Jim is being inherently dishonest.
I don't think that when I asked the question and
you said, you know, no, momentum doesn't play a factor.
Here's another question that I asked him earlier in the season.
It probably was, you know, I guess probably about a
month ago I asked and I said, hey, you know
now that this team is basically a full year under
you or you at a point where it's not necessarily

(26:35):
as much teaching and they know what's expected and they
can go out and do it. Or is it still
from time to time you have to kind of bring
some of the guys in and say, hey, this is
still the way we want to do things. And of
course Jim said, hey, you know, I know these guys
a veterans. You know, they know the expectation. They know
you know, they have an understand what is we want
to do. And I believe that they know the expectation.

(26:56):
But to your point, you still have necessarily a fully
recruited roster of guys who you believe can do the
things that you're asking to execute. Indeed, it's still new, right,
So I do think again when you take when you
take the season in totality, first year, this was a success,
and now you can build upon that, bring in certain

(27:16):
transfers and bring in certain recruits.

Speaker 2 (27:18):
Yeah, harje and I argue in the last segment about
uh development of the New York Knicks. I feel like
that's the same thing, like you need to have some continuity.
You have to have some understanding of what I want
to do and have the tools to do it with.
I don't feel like the Knicks had it, but also

(27:39):
don't feel like Texas had every piece that they needed
to make the run in the pitching game, as well
as a lot of the fumbling around and you know,
the the errors late in the game.

Speaker 7 (27:54):
Yeah, you know, you know, listen, I won't you know,
fully expose you off their conversation harder than I had.
But let's take some being as simple as kind of
the plate approach, right, there is a way that Jim
schockningle likes to do things. But also, you know, Wese
guys are still learning the way that for example, he
wants his hitters to approach in terms of taking pitches
and making sure the right guys are taking pitches.

Speaker 6 (28:14):
That all takes time.

Speaker 7 (28:15):
Right, So maybe you don't have a full roster of
you know, let's just call it, you know, twenty position
players who can execute it just in their natural ability
to do the things you're asking of them. Whereas year two,
year three, maybe you have that full complement of guys
who can have both the physical gifts and maybe the
mental makeup to do what it is and how it is.

(28:36):
Jim Schockingis happened to do it. So I would lean
more towards you in that sense.

Speaker 1 (28:40):
Mark, we're talking to Eric Henry of Horace twenty four
to seven.

Speaker 3 (28:44):
You can check them out at Eric C.

Speaker 1 (28:45):
Henry underscore e talking about transfer portal and guys that
are in it.

Speaker 3 (28:51):
Well, Texas went and.

Speaker 1 (28:52):
Made a move already getting a transfer from what the
news is telling us. Josh Livingston from Wichita State, big hitter,
did well fifteen home runs, ten doubles, and he's had
twenty six home runs over the last two seasons.

Speaker 7 (29:11):
Listen, in my mind, it's a classic Jim schlas Nagle
pick up. Right when you talk with Jim, he says
he's pretty candid about it. You know, he's not a
big fan of like smaller players. You know, this guy
who prefers, you know, big strong guys who can hit
for power. You can you know, really mash unless you're
a super fast guy. You know, he's not really a
fan of the smaller players. Obviously, you get to pick

(29:33):
up like this. It fits the mold of the type
of player he is looking for.

Speaker 6 (29:37):
And you know, kind of ten thousand foot view.

Speaker 7 (29:40):
You know, Mark and harje if you remember heading into
the Georgia series, you know, I asked Jim, you know,
kind of what stands out about that team, and of
course You're Georgia, a team that.

Speaker 6 (29:49):
Hit for a lot of power.

Speaker 7 (29:50):
Ryland ryland Zabranski. You know, I was top three foreign
nation in terms of home runs throughout the regular season,
and I kind of saw, you know, his face light
up and talk about you know, they're big, they're strong,
they're powerful, some the things they do, right, So a
pickup like this is just kind of you know, talking
about the seam of this hit him getting the guys

(30:11):
that he needs to be able to kind of execut
things he wants to do. I think in addition like
this this moment, also, you're gonna have some losses, right,
so it also took some immediate need of someone who
think you can plug and play day one.

Speaker 3 (30:21):
Yeah, no doubt about it.

Speaker 1 (30:22):
And that's why I'm looking even more so to what's
going to happen in this transfer portal. Next week we'll
talk college football and get your thoughts on all things
Texas Longhorns. As always appreciate you and thanks for spending
time on your vacation.

Speaker 3 (30:39):
A little anytime.

Speaker 6 (30:42):
Family. Appreciate y'all, no doubt, no doubt.

Speaker 1 (30:44):
Coming up next, we're gonna talk in FL. Got a
question for you, which team is closer to winning a
championship that has never won one. We'll talk about it
right here on the morning kickoff on Sports Radio AM
thirteen hundred on them great stuff by.

Speaker 3 (31:02):
Eric Henry of Horace twenty four to seven.

Speaker 1 (31:04):
Make sure you follow them at Eric c Henry Underscore
on social media.

Speaker 3 (31:09):
Coming up at the top of the hour, we.

Speaker 1 (31:11):
Will have Texas baseball coach Jim Slosnegel joining us and
we will follow that up at eight seventeen with the
head coach of Texas Softball, Mike White, as he talks
about his team and how close they are to a
national championship. But right now, speaking of championship, I wanted

(31:33):
to bring this up because I saw this article on
NFL dot com and the article comes across in the
headlines reads, what excuse me? Most likely to win their
first Super Bowl in twenty twenty five this NFL season?
There were twelve teams that were in there, but we're

(31:54):
only gonna give you six, and I believe that all
six of these teams are well one of them maybe not,
but there are six teams that are closer than we
may think. We'll start with the bottom, the Los Angeles Chargers,
justin Herbert, Jim Harbaugh. They were eleven and six last year,

(32:16):
a few plays away, dealing with injuries, just certain things
that need to happen. They have a chance to be very,
very special. They got the running game and Najee Harris
from Pittsburgh. He's there, and they drafted a Marion Hampton
out of North Carolina. And Herbert is the golden boy
for whatever reason. And Jim Harbaugh because he, I mean,

(32:40):
what has he done. Everybody's always talking about, oh, how
good he throws the beautiful ball, but he hadn't won anything.
They haven't won anything, but they but they want to
crown these guys. So yeah, it was like, come on, man,
let him win some stuff. First, does Houston Texans come
in at number five? See Stroud, he's entered in his

(33:01):
third year. Can they get over the hump? Can Demico
Ryans with that tough, tough defense make it happen. They
are a team that has never won a Super Bowl.
Cincinnati Bengals been to multiple ones. They come in at
number four. Nonetheless, they got some special special talent that
is there, but they haven't signed Tree. Harrit Hendrickson I

(33:23):
was just about to say, well, coming off that edge.
They got to figure out if they're gonna get a
new contract. They come in at number four. At number three,
this is the one that's kind of interesting to me,
the Minnesota Vikings. Last season they were fourteen and three.
They were close, and they did it with Sam Darnell.
Now Sam Darnald to resurrect in his career. Now he's

(33:43):
getting paid, he's in Seattle, and they're gonna go with
a rookie in JJ McCarthy. Well, it'll be a second season,
but he only played in one preseason game last year.
We'll see what ends up happening. Number two the Detroit
Lions fifteen to two. They have everything you can possibly want.
Aiden Hutchison is coming back from injury. Frank Racknow did

(34:05):
retire their center, so we'll see what ends up happening
with that if they're gonna be able to do They
drafted well this year, and of course we like Dan Campbell.
But the number one team with the MVP the Buffalo Bills.
They have made Super Bowl after Super Bowl, they've made
AFC Championship after AFC championship, but they can't get over

(34:30):
that hump.

Speaker 3 (34:31):
Josh Allen reigning MVP.

Speaker 1 (34:34):
Now he's got some different things that are happening around him.
He've picked up different players, they've added reinforcements, They've done
some different things.

Speaker 3 (34:44):
Can they get over the hump?

Speaker 1 (34:46):
And I do agree with number one and number two.

Speaker 3 (34:51):
Not I think Houston would be a good number three. Houston.

Speaker 2 (34:57):
You can move Houston up there. I don't think I
think that Minnesota is up there. I don't think Minnesota
should be a number three. I would agree with that.
I would think Cincinnati deserves to be up there. Cincinnati
actually went to the Super Bowl, so they have they
have seen what all the turmoil was Cincinnati and not signing.
They just don't spend money, like last year was marred

(35:19):
by the fact that they didn't want to pay Chase,
they didn't want to pay Higgins. Like it's always something
and it's always money related to them being cheap.

Speaker 3 (35:30):
Yea, Like.

Speaker 2 (35:32):
You can't win with that, Like sell the team to
somebody that's got a lot of billions that don't mind
putting money into The funny thing about that is they
did pay them, But the problem is is you end
up paying guys more than if you would have signed them.

Speaker 3 (35:47):
Sign The early.

Speaker 2 (35:49):
Hards gave you the template, give them the money up
front and then let them play for less of a
cap hit.

Speaker 3 (35:58):
But no hard they don't want to.

Speaker 1 (36:01):
I mean they that's their decisions. That's their decision. That's
what they gonna do. So we gonna see what they
gonna do. No, you already know, So we will see
what ends up happening as this team tries to find.

Speaker 3 (36:18):
A way to get it done.

Speaker 1 (36:19):
But I think the closest answer and the answer will
always be the Buffalo Bills because of the talent and
the things they have done some amazing things with that
squad and have have always always been able to handle
their business. So for me, looking at this team, making

(36:41):
sure that they.

Speaker 3 (36:45):
Keep it together.

Speaker 1 (36:46):
But my biggest question mark is Trey Hendrickson for Cincinnati
and him not being there. But Josh Allen got married
over the weekend. He is now focused, he has dialed
in and we will see what ends up happening there.

Speaker 3 (37:02):
But I think they can get it done.

Speaker 2 (37:04):
So if the Bengals, if the Bengals pay Hendrickson, are
trade him for something of value or way to go trade.
I'm not trying to trade trade. I don't want him
to trade trade Hendrickson. He's a dominant player. I want
the Bengals to just do the right thing. You know,
my wife is from Cincinnati, she's there right now. Like

(37:28):
I want Cincinnati to do well. But I know as
long as they have the ownership that they have and
their penny pension, yeah, it's not gonna ever be where
we think they should be.

Speaker 3 (37:41):
That's why I won't put him at third.

Speaker 1 (37:44):
Well, we're gonna end up seeing what's gonna end up
happening when this all plays out. But looking at the
way that that list has been created, the top two,
I'm all in. Yeah, one or two is because they
both have the ability and the talent to to make
that happen. So we'll see what ends up happening. But

(38:05):
I just don't know about the Chargers. I still don't
believe in them yet.

Speaker 3 (38:09):
I'm not I don't believe in him yet.

Speaker 1 (38:13):
Coming up next, we have the head baseball coach of
your Texas Longhorse, Jim Slasnagel, followed by coach Mike White
of Texas Softball. We're loaded in our number two, folks,
don't go anywhere. We're about to start that in just
a moment right here on Sports Radio AM thirteen hundred
The Zone. Welcome back to our number two of the

(38:36):
morning kickoff right here on Sports Radio AM thirteen hundred
The Zone. To open up the show, we talked about
Texas defeating Texas Tech in a World Series matchup that
will take place again tonight. Following this interview with Texas
baseball coach Jim Slasnagel, we will be followed up with
Mike White, the Texas softball coach. We also talked to

(38:59):
Eric Henry and we had some NFL talk, But right now,
let's talk to the Texas baseball coach, Jim Slasnagel. Coach,
what an unbelievable season. Unfortunately it came to an end
the other night. But looking back on this season and
the year that was starting from you taking the job
to where we are today, what are some of your

(39:21):
biggest takeaways from this year?

Speaker 8 (39:24):
Yeah, thanks for having me on. You know the probably
the biggest takeaway, Number one would be just the elite
human beings that we were fortunate enough to coach this
past year. They're going from barely having a roster put
together to everybody just getting to meet each other and
know each other, and then having the total buy in

(39:48):
from the players and the leadership group of this team,
and then how they performed, you know, in the first
year in the SEC. Well, something is something that will
never be you know, forgotten on my end, and I
don't think on their end either. So from where we
started to where we are, it's a really great positive
step for the program. But at the same time, it's

(40:12):
hard to get in the position where we were in
where you're hosting a regional and doing that even though
we knew we were a little bit on thin ice
from an injury standpoint, and it just felt like when
you get in that spot, you want to win, and
nobody wants to sit at home and watch other people
play on television. So disappointing, man, But I think we'll

(40:36):
look back on it and hopefully feel like it was
a massive building block and step forward.

Speaker 6 (40:41):
For the program.

Speaker 3 (40:42):
Coach two part Question one.

Speaker 2 (40:46):
With the season going the way that it did and
being as you said, you know, kind of rushed into
getting things, are you looking forward to being able to
have the time to put together the team and everything
the way you want it, And also, what is the
biggest point of interest for you this off season?

Speaker 8 (41:09):
Well, I would I would rather be I mean, we're
crazy busy right now trying to reshape the roster for
next year. I would rather be more more crazy busy
and still be playing and uh and figured it out
along as we go. But but yeah, it's.

Speaker 7 (41:26):
Uh, there's a little we're able to.

Speaker 8 (41:29):
Be a little more specific with exactly what we would
like to get in recruiting, whether it be the transfer
portal or holding on to the kids we've signed. So
we're I think it was like seven forty five in
the morning in the morning after we lost the other night,
and our office.

Speaker 6 (41:48):
Was full of people.

Speaker 8 (41:51):
Banging it out, trying to try and see who's going
into portal, see who's not. We had to have exit
meetings with our own players and see what they're plans are.
And so, as you know in college athletics, this this
is super important time of year. So we're going to
need to sign depending on the Major League Draft and
what some of our players decide to do. We're gonna

(42:13):
we have probably four or five position players to sign
and three to four pitchers, you know, in the transfer portal,
and all that is depending on Major League Draft and
what people are deciding to do.

Speaker 1 (42:26):
We're talking to Texas Baseball coach Jim Slosnagel recapping the
season and talking about moving forward.

Speaker 3 (42:34):
And coach you talked about it.

Speaker 1 (42:35):
You know, people don't truly understand what it's like during
this time of the offseason. Obviously you wanted to continue
to be playing, but now you have to flip the script.
As you said in your postgame interview with Roger Wallace
about how quick things need to turn around and the
movement players have entered the transfer portal, you guys have

(42:59):
to look and see who's leaving, who's coming in. It's
pretty much a non stop affair right now, right.

Speaker 8 (43:07):
Yeah, this is actually People say, wow, aren't you busy
during the season, And I mean we are with baseball
and practice and travel and games, but uh, the summer
and early you know, the month of June, July and
maybe the first week in August or the the busiest times.

Speaker 6 (43:22):
Of the year we have.

Speaker 8 (43:23):
It's not like we get to go on vacation when
the season's over. It's it's it's triple to work, honestly.
So you know, we sat down, I mean I sat
down with every player on our team and and the
honest thing to do is to give them an evaluation
of where we see them in the program and then
they can make a decision on what's best for them.

(43:45):
Uh and almost all those ninety nine percent of those
conversations are super positive. Young you know, there's young people
that want to want to stay and but they also
want the opportunity to play.

Speaker 6 (43:58):
And so we we.

Speaker 8 (44:00):
We look at each individual situation and give them the best advice.

Speaker 6 (44:03):
They can so they can make a decision. And then
and then.

Speaker 8 (44:05):
Obviously we're looking at seeing who's out who's out.

Speaker 6 (44:09):
There and wants to fill the needs that we have
at Texas.

Speaker 8 (44:13):
And and again we're still trying to hold on to
some of the guys that that we've signed in high
school that are that that'll be draftable players. The problem
is the draft is until July, right in the transfer
and the transfer.

Speaker 6 (44:25):
Portal closes the end of June.

Speaker 8 (44:27):
So it's a very delicate balancing act in which you
don't always know the rules. And we still don't even
know the rules for what next year is going to
look like because this this this house settlement hasn't been
decided yet. So imagine playing football and well, you know,
a first down might be ten yards, but it might.

Speaker 6 (44:48):
Be eight, but it could be team right.

Speaker 8 (44:51):
Uh, we'll we'll let you know.

Speaker 6 (44:52):
When we get there.

Speaker 8 (44:53):
So, I mean, and we we just literally don't know
the rules yet. So it's it's really tough. Honestly.

Speaker 1 (44:59):
You said that about the draft thirty five years ago. Yesterday,
I was drafted and the draft would go up to
I think it was forty to fifty rounds and now
we getting twenty rounds and then you got to deal
with those types of players. So I totally understand what
you're going through.

Speaker 2 (45:18):
Go ahead, Mark, coach, how do you deal with a
situation where you have a player and you know that
player needs to develop, but they want to play right now,
But you are like, I need to get somebody that
understands the way that I want it done right now,
because not only do we want to win right now,
I want to develop you into being the guy so

(45:41):
next year when that guy leaves, you're ready.

Speaker 8 (45:46):
Yeah, it's tough because you know, guys want to play,
and I get it. You know, my job is to
balance two things. We want to we do want to
develop our own players over the course of time, but
I'm also coaching at the University of Texas and we
are charged. You know, we're challenged to win and be

(46:09):
in Omaha, if not every year, pretty darn close to it.
And in today's college baseball, that's awful hard to do.
With abundance of young and experienced players. Doesn't mean it
can't happen. It just means it's a balancing act.

Speaker 6 (46:25):
So you know, we're going to try.

Speaker 8 (46:29):
The recruiting class that we've had the most impact on
is the twenty twenty sixth class, the guys that are
going to be seniors this next year. That class is
super talented. So we're probably going to have a pretty
decent portal class this year just to just to kind
of transition this over and then next year, if we

(46:50):
can hold on to even half of that twenty sixth class,
we really have the chance to change the direction of
the program from a talent standpoint.

Speaker 3 (46:57):
Do you don't have to have that conversation often?

Speaker 6 (47:02):
Oh?

Speaker 8 (47:02):
Yeah, yeah, I mean we I have it with each
individual kid and kind of give them an idea of
where they stand and then if they want to if
they want to stay and continue to develop and see
what happens they do, and sometimes they want to go
somewhere else and play, and that's okay too.

Speaker 6 (47:20):
There's nothing. There's nothing wrong with that.

Speaker 1 (47:23):
Well, especially the way that the the game, not the game,
but college athletics is set up, there will be plenty
of opportunity for all of these players to get a
chance to play.

Speaker 3 (47:35):
If there was one area of need.

Speaker 1 (47:39):
I think I know the answer to this, but I'd
be crazy not to ask you one area of need
that you will be focusing on that is in both
the class that you're talking about and in the transfer portal.

Speaker 8 (47:51):
It would be what, well, I don't know how you
replace them, but if you know, we just don't assuming
that Ryan Allen Galvan is going to sign, which we
don't know that, you know, we have to be really
good behind the plate.

Speaker 3 (48:08):
Yep.

Speaker 8 (48:09):
Same thing at shortstop with you know, replacing Jalen Florez
depending on what he wants to do, which you know,
those guys are still trying to get as money as
much information as they can. We obviously would love to
have him back, but you got to start in the
middle of the field. We got to replace We need
a corner at least one outfield corner bat and then

(48:31):
and then obviously pitching to fulfill the needs we have
so uh, but certainly catchers There's never been a good
baseball team without a good catcher.

Speaker 6 (48:39):
And a good softball.

Speaker 8 (48:40):
Team as we saw last night.

Speaker 3 (48:41):
Speaking of that, I just wanted to bring that up.

Speaker 1 (48:44):
You saw the situation number one, What did you think
of the crazy call as second base? But more importantly,
what did you think of Reese Atwood pulling a Kelly
Leak and going across and getting that big.

Speaker 8 (48:56):
Knob well on the play a second base? I don't
I'm not well versed on the rules of softball relative
to baseball. If that's a baseball play, I'm not making
it out of the game. I mean, that's just there's
no there's no chance that obstruction in no world, in

(49:17):
no world in a baseball game is that obstruction.

Speaker 6 (49:20):
But I don't know.

Speaker 8 (49:21):
The the softball rules with regard to that, so I
probably shouldn't say anything, but I already did so whatever
and then uh on the three on the three zero swing,
the first one was right down the middle, and so
I think, I don't know Reees. I don't know what

(49:41):
was going through her mind or if Coach White gave
her the green light, but she probably saw that first
one and said, hey man, this might if she throws
another one closed. This might be the best chance I
had to drive this running. And man, what that's so
stinking awesome man for to have the fear listeners to
do that right, because she could have swung at it

(50:03):
and popped it up and there would be fans saying,
what are you doing? They're trying to put you on
the base. But when you're in those moments, man, you
have to go for it and you can't play scared.
And man, that's so great and a great, great lesson
for our team.

Speaker 1 (50:18):
To learn from, no doubt about it. We were talking
about it, I said the same thing. I was like,
coach had to trust her to do the right thing,
and she did and it came up clutch.

Speaker 2 (50:29):
Sometimes it's best to ask for forgiveness and improvement.

Speaker 1 (50:34):
As always, coach, we appreciate you have a great off
season and we look forward to doing this more, maybe
even more during the summer.

Speaker 3 (50:44):
I'll make sure and stay in contact.

Speaker 6 (50:46):
Okay, take care guys, that great summer.

Speaker 3 (50:48):
Yeah, I appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (50:49):
Coming up next, we have Mike White, Texas softball coach
bringing us the juice and the tea. We're getting juice
and tea coming up next right here on the morning
kickoff on sports Radio and thirteen hundred The Zone. What
a legend in the locker room is all supposed to
be and that is why we have Texas softball coach Mike.

Speaker 3 (51:10):
White joining us and coach.

Speaker 1 (51:12):
Last night was one of those nights that everybody sits
back and they marvel at, especially when you start to
think about the pitching matchup and as a former pitcher yourself,
you know how important and how crucial these types of
games are supposed to be.

Speaker 9 (51:33):
Oh, without a doubt, I mean, you hit two of
the best going at it to last night and it
really showed.

Speaker 1 (51:38):
Yeah, Teak and Kavan has been a young lady that
every time she is given the ball, she shows up.
She fights through adversity, and she finds a way to
get it done. Last night she tied Kat Austerman's program
record for the most career wins at the Women's College
World Series.

Speaker 3 (51:58):
And tonight I'm not gonna.

Speaker 1 (51:59):
Add ask you who you're gonna pitch because you know,
I know last time you didn't want to give it up.
But your team has found a way to get it
done in so many different ways and fashions that you
have to be proud of what this group has achieved
thus far.

Speaker 9 (52:16):
All without a doubt, and especially when you look at
the fist, the things he had leaded bases and nobody out.

Speaker 3 (52:20):
There's a couple of first things that happened.

Speaker 9 (52:23):
But we're able to tend that double play with me
at the rees, Jolie at first base, and I was
a huge momentum builder for us.

Speaker 3 (52:30):
To be able to do that. And you know, of course,
you know, battled right down to the end.

Speaker 9 (52:34):
We had the obstruction call that we didn't quite figure
out how that happened, but it did, and uh, we're
able to bounce back from that one too.

Speaker 1 (52:42):
And you overcame a bunch of errors when you start
to look at it when you have a pitcher on
the mound. The one thing that I talked to Mark
about when you got a picture like Tigan, like Mac,
you have to be prepared and be on your toes
because you know the ball will be hit to you
and you got to make those plays. But then for
you guys to get out of those situations to still

(53:04):
have a chance against one of the nation's best pictures,
that is something that is barely short of amazing.

Speaker 6 (53:12):
Yeah, I mean it really is. I mean, it's like
reguling off the hook there a couple.

Speaker 9 (53:15):
Of times, but yeah, you got We always talked about
what happens at the bicity strikes and it's how you
respond to it that matter is the most.

Speaker 3 (53:21):
And we're able to respond pretty well.

Speaker 9 (53:23):
And obviously teak and kept her cool, and you know,
he made some big plays when we had to in
the infield and then continue to having an opportunity and
when and reache on that intentional wall, she was ready
for that.

Speaker 3 (53:33):
So that was gould hits up softball by her coach.

Speaker 2 (53:37):
We this is not our normal legends of the locker room.
Normally we have.

Speaker 3 (53:44):
The actual athlete, not the coach.

Speaker 2 (53:47):
But being that we're pointing out the coach being a legend,
I gotta give you this. On that last call, I
thought you were gonna come out looking like us. You're
already looking like a genius right now, but you were
gonna look more of like one if you'd have got
that call hitting the umpire and having both players go out.

(54:09):
But they ended up having her going back to first base,
Like what made you make that call to challenge that?
Because that that that was the boss move right there.

Speaker 9 (54:20):
Yeah, I mean, you know, looking back at reviewing, the
hitter clearly walked in front of our catcher, and I
get that clarified because I don't know why they didn't
call that out.

Speaker 6 (54:29):
If they're going to call it out on.

Speaker 9 (54:30):
The obstruction by the rule book, they should have called
that out by the rule book. So again, that's something
I'm going to have to review with the umpire dump
pause and figure out whether that was with the challenge
or all.

Speaker 1 (54:41):
Yeah, I wanted to ask you that too, because of
the play at second base. As a middle infielder, you
go where the ball takes you and for a bang
bang play, if you wanted to call that and she
slid into the young lady's foot at second base, I
can understand it. It was more it's more reasonable, but

(55:01):
for someone to be thrown out that far, that far
up the line and for them to call that obstruction
where it looked like the runner basically gave herself up
even because she knew she was out.

Speaker 3 (55:16):
What why do you think that call was made? You know,
that's a good question, and you know it's really need
clarification on. I mean, I think what's happening. They have
that fifth downpire, who's them?

Speaker 9 (55:26):
The ree booth and they're just going by the rule
book saying that you know, if that player receives the
ball plucking the leading edge of the base before it's received,
then technically it is obstruction. But you know, I mean
you've got to have some common sense here as well.
And you know, so we need to review that as
a rules committee to be able to kind of allow

(55:47):
some layway.

Speaker 6 (55:47):
I know that when we play at.

Speaker 9 (55:49):
Home home plate, yes, if the throw takes you into
the line of the runner, it's okay.

Speaker 3 (55:54):
So why is it not the same at second base?

Speaker 6 (55:56):
I just I just don't get that.

Speaker 2 (55:57):
Well, that's a great example for everybody to see if
y'all go into those meetings.

Speaker 3 (56:03):
Yeah, isn't Isn't that the truth? No doubt about it, Coach.

Speaker 1 (56:07):
I also, Mark brought it up, and you brought it
up a little while ago talking about the three year
old swing by at Wood the first pitch. I was like, oh,
I don't think she's used to doing this because that
first pitch looked like they could have called it a strike.
And then she gets another opportunity and she got a
flat pitch and when she took that swing, is there

(56:29):
like an unwritten rule for her or is there a
signal that she gives you that says coach, I might
have to take a swing at this.

Speaker 9 (56:39):
Well she she looked at Coach Singleton, the know, the
hitting coach and the dugout and said, you know, I
think I can hit this, and he kind of said
go ahead. So it was something that y'all wasn't a
pout of to tell you the truth, And you know,
we give Reese that leeway.

Speaker 6 (56:52):
I mean, she's a bedroom player for us right now.

Speaker 9 (56:55):
And if they make a mistake and they throw it
down the middle, hit it and you could tell the shorts.

Speaker 6 (57:00):
I wasn't ready for that either, you know.

Speaker 3 (57:01):
So it was he caught a lot of people by surprise. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (57:05):
I said the same thing earlier because as again, as
an infielder, you're taught, no matter what, be ready to
go because the picture is a picture, and especially one
like Kennedy who is probably not used to I think
that was her first intentional walk attempt in her career,
because I mean, if you got a picture like that,

(57:25):
don't you let them go at it and try to
uh win that battle.

Speaker 3 (57:31):
Yeah, with that without a doubt, I mean, you know
there's times though.

Speaker 6 (57:33):
You've got to you to put bravado. You know, he
put brains that hit the bravado.

Speaker 9 (57:37):
And uh, you know, maybe that was the time Jerry
wanted to do that. You know, he knew that that
was over for ten and that pointed there in the
World Series. But you know, like I've told other people,
she's just that much closer to getting a hit. So
he kind of felt the same way to try to
pull the ploy some strategy, but they ended up backfiring.

Speaker 3 (57:55):
So yeah, it was good for us.

Speaker 1 (57:56):
And coach, you know that this is uh, you got
to ask the quest question because you're one get one
win away from the first national championship at the University
of Texas, and I know that we don't put the
cart before the horse. We want to make sure that
you're focused on game number two. What was the mindset
of the team right after that ball game, knowing that

(58:18):
they got game number one and they got two chances
at a chance to be a national champion.

Speaker 9 (58:24):
Yeah, I feel like we need to, you know, come
out and just hunt right now. We can't get defensive
and think we have one more extra game to play with.
We really want to get after this from game game two,
right from the first innings and we'll be the visitor tonight,
you know, So they're going to have to go out
there on offense, and we're going to make sure we
have some quality at bats against here and show it
that we're not going to be fulled today. I mean

(58:45):
yesterday early she fooled us quite a bit. I mean
she ended up having I think seven eight strikeouts, you know, early,
And we've got to be a little bit better tonight.
So we've got to really kind of focus on what
we want, what we control, on what we do in
the approach.

Speaker 6 (58:58):
We take it.

Speaker 3 (58:58):
There's play to let you go with this.

Speaker 1 (59:01):
Me and Scott one of the smoothest, most calm controlled
players that I have seen in a very very long time.
Is she the one that comes in and just kind
of tells everybody, be cool, keep your mind strap, and
we'll get ready to go.

Speaker 9 (59:19):
Yeah, she's been doing a lot more of that. She's
been using her leadership, and early on she was very
quiet three, you know, staying into herself a little bit,
and we've kind of told her to be a little
bit of a leader and get out there and help
the picture be close. Because you're the closest one to
the picture and just give it here that support on
the circle. Yeah, and so she's doing that for us,

(59:39):
and I think she's doing a great job well.

Speaker 3 (59:41):
Coach.

Speaker 1 (59:41):
As always, we appreciate you, We're here, we're behind you.
And let me just tell you you got Your team
has played some of the most exciting softball games that
we have ever been able to witness. And lock it
up and let's have that tower limp by the end
of the weekend, my.

Speaker 6 (59:59):
Friend, let's do it. Holcome Horns baby.

Speaker 1 (01:00:03):
Coach Mike White getting ready for a big matchup tonight
seven o'clock ESPN, and of course we will have it
all for you tomorrow morning. Coming up next, we have
the world's strongest man bringing you his world's strongest take
right here on the morning kickoff on Sports Radio and
thirteen hundred the Zone.

Speaker 3 (01:00:24):
That's what he does. He breaks it down like no other.

Speaker 1 (01:00:28):
W W Hall of Famer and World's Strongest Man, Dee
Mark Henry brings you his world's strongest take.

Speaker 3 (01:00:35):
Take it away, big fella, right, what's up? You know
what time it is? What time is?

Speaker 2 (01:00:40):
It's time for the world's strongest take by the world's
strongest man. My guess back then they didn't know me.
Now I'm hot. They all on me, guys. I am
so tired of the narrative of small markets equal boring sports.

Speaker 3 (01:01:09):
I recall just a few years ago.

Speaker 2 (01:01:14):
One of those markets being the San Antonio Spurs.

Speaker 3 (01:01:18):
Small market, but they won championships. They had great play.

Speaker 1 (01:01:26):
And that's what I feel we're getting right now from
the Indianapolis Pacers and.

Speaker 3 (01:01:35):
The Oklahoma City Thunder. But what I keep hearing.

Speaker 2 (01:01:41):
From the stephen A Smiths, from the mad Dog Russos,
from all of these big time as we would call
them because they're on TV analysts.

Speaker 3 (01:01:56):
Well, New York is not in it.

Speaker 2 (01:02:00):
Chicago is you know that passed their time, Detroit, Los Angeles,
and Houston. All the teams Dallas, guys, only one team
is gonna win every year.

Speaker 1 (01:02:16):
And hard and I fussed about this earlier in the
day at the beginning of the show. Only one team
is gonna win. So everybody's gonna have to take what
you get.

Speaker 2 (01:02:29):
They earn their ways to get to these two spaces
in the East and in the West. Oklahoma City went
through all your favorite teams, all your favorite superstars, they
are there. The New York Knicks, they gonna fintion. They

(01:02:50):
get to go sketch up on all those movies that
they miss. Indiana Pacers are the team from the East.
They both have two unbelievable things in common. They both
have really structured coaches and systems. They both have really

(01:03:12):
prominent young stars that are leading them. And they're gonna
go to war. This is gonna be really good basketball
for a change. We're not gonna have all the antics,
the travels, the guys that are only leading by the
fact that they are athletic. These both of these stars,

(01:03:34):
Halliburton and Sga are brilliant minds and young guys in
the business, and both are guys that they talk about
being the new face of the league.

Speaker 1 (01:03:48):
Hard what say you, I'm a fan of this I'm
a fan of this.

Speaker 3 (01:03:58):
Series again, Marcus. We agreed again what we're doing. Yes,
we agreed. I'm a hug you in a minute. No
you're not.

Speaker 1 (01:04:10):
And the thing about it is, when you enjoy basketball,
it doesn't matter who's playing. You're supposed to enjoy the
game of basketball. And you're talking about there's no marquee players,
not you people people Shay Gilchris Alexander is the scoring

(01:04:31):
leader and so obviously some people must think he's pretty
dog gone good. Tyrese Halliburton, recommended as mister overrated, has
now shown people that how you feel, did you say
it with your chest?

Speaker 6 (01:04:48):
Here?

Speaker 3 (01:04:49):
I am his dad is back in the mix.

Speaker 1 (01:04:55):
Conversation that people love, so, I mean, they're there is
so many good things that are happening in this series.

Speaker 3 (01:05:06):
And Adam Silver.

Speaker 2 (01:05:08):
The vampire, He's not a vampire.

Speaker 3 (01:05:12):
You sure.

Speaker 1 (01:05:14):
The commissioner of the NBA kind of says the same thing.

Speaker 5 (01:05:19):
It's one thing I really admire about the NFL. I mean,
if if we were going into a Super Bowl and
it was Packers against Steelers, you guys would be celebrating that.
Nobody would Those would be storied franchises.

Speaker 3 (01:05:29):
People wouldn't be.

Speaker 5 (01:05:30):
Talking about, you know, the fact that Pittsburgh is a
small market. So we in fact, you know, I'm happy
whatever team ends up in the finals. But it's been
intentional from our standpoint to create a system, a collective
bargaining agreement that allows more teams to compete. And just
by way of background, you know, we're going to have
to go through a process of getting to the point

(01:05:53):
where people are accustomed to tuning into the Finals because
the two teams that deserve to be there and it's
the best basketball. Similar to again with the super Bowl.
If I asked somebody they were going to watch the
super Bowl, they wouldn't say who's playing. It's a national holiday,
and now that's nirvana. Yet I'm not saying we're anywhere
close to that yet.

Speaker 3 (01:06:13):
There's still if the.

Speaker 5 (01:06:15):
Knicks are in the finals, there's a segment of our
fan base that's going to watch that may not watch
if it's other teams. But my job is to get
people to love and follow this game and so that
if you're a huge basketball fan, you should want to
tune into the finals because that's the best basketball.

Speaker 3 (01:06:30):
Preach.

Speaker 1 (01:06:30):
Hey, you don't say no more man dropping Mike. That's
what it's all about. Man, You start looking. If you
like basketball, you're going to be watching it because there's
some nuances to the game that is being played.

Speaker 3 (01:06:44):
You you had mentioned it.

Speaker 1 (01:06:46):
These are two of the best defensive teams that is
out there.

Speaker 3 (01:06:50):
That's how they're there. That have great scorers on them.

Speaker 1 (01:06:53):
That have great scorers and of course I mean Miles Turner.

Speaker 3 (01:06:57):
I saw an interview with Miles Turner.

Speaker 1 (01:07:00):
He is the longest tenured Indiana pacer and this is
the first time that he's playing for a championship ten years.
I mean, this is what in the work that you
put in to get to this point. That's why the blood,
sweat and tears of being a loyal Indiana pacer, being

(01:07:20):
loyal to the organization.

Speaker 3 (01:07:23):
Now you get a chance to play, you win it.
You go. We say this in wrestling.

Speaker 2 (01:07:29):
You know who wins from this, the fans, right, the
fans win because now the fathers don't have to manufacture
good examples of how to play to their kids, to
their sons and daughters that are hoopers, right, they can
say watch these guys, they're fundamentally sound.

Speaker 1 (01:07:52):
They play structured ball. Do you see him playing hero ball?
How many times you see Indiana and this playoffs? Have
a guy go, oh, I'm just shooting random shots.

Speaker 6 (01:08:02):
Now.

Speaker 2 (01:08:02):
Last series against the Knicks, in Game two, Nate Smith
went off Nate Smith, but he hit like six threes.
But you give that guy the ball because you keep
feeding him because he's hot. There's a difference. It was
a method to the madness. These other teams a hard

(01:08:24):
to just taking random shots just disappoint me. And I'm
not interested. I'm interested in this game.

Speaker 1 (01:08:31):
This is going to be an exciting, exciting series back
and forth the way they get after it, and of
course they're gonna be intent as well. Another great take
by the world Strongest Man. Coming up next, we're gonna
close out the show and send you to Dan Patrick.
We will close out by talking NBA Finals, mister over

(01:08:55):
Redy versus MVP, and oh yeah, there's a national Championship
to be right here on the morning kickoff on sports
Radio AM thirteen hundred The Zone. If you missed any
part of the show, wow you missed a greg One
shout out to Eric Henry of Horns twenty four to seven,

(01:09:16):
shout out to coach Jim Slosnagel and coach Mike White
as they broke it down on all things Texas Longhorns Athletics.
And right now, we want to give you an opportunity
to win a pair of tickets to go see Breaking
Benjamin in three days Grace September third at the Moody Center.

(01:09:37):
All you have to do is get over to that
iHeartRadio app get over to AM thirteen hundred The Zone.

Speaker 3 (01:09:43):
You should be already there because you've got.

Speaker 1 (01:09:45):
Us number one on your preset and you're listening to
us right now, But just hit that red microphone and tap.

Speaker 3 (01:09:53):
In the word free. Free. Leave the word.

Speaker 1 (01:09:57):
Free for a chance to get a pair tickets fall
free for breaking Benjamin in three days Grace September third
at the Moody Center. Make sure you're listening to the
Craig Way Show this afternoon, where he and Cam Parker
break down all things Texas Longhorns and give you a
chance to win a pair of tickets for something else.

(01:10:20):
Texas Softball is on the move. They will play tonight
seven o'clock ESPN, and it is important to understand that
this run that they are on is something that has
never happened. We've had great pictures like Kat Austerman and
Teakan Kavan has been in the middle of all of that,

(01:10:43):
as she tied Kat's record for the most wins at
the College World Series with five. Now she has a
chance to break the record and lead Texas to a
national championship. I would not be surprised if mac morgan
didn't get a chance to get on the mound tonight
at some point. She has been awesome for this team.

(01:11:06):
She throws a lot of drop balls. So I don't
know if that's the direction that coach wants to go.
I learned the hard way not to ask him before
because he was like.

Speaker 3 (01:11:17):
Man, I can't give you that information.

Speaker 1 (01:11:18):
Come on now, you know I'm not gonna I don't
want to tip my hand. And so now Texas gets
a chance to go up against Texas Tech Red Raiders
have to win two games. Now Texas just have to
win one. So we will see what is going to
happen there. Somebody just gave a mea Scott appreciation tweet

(01:11:42):
just a second ago, and she is one hell of
a ball player. So I'm very happy for her and
hopefully she ends her career as someone that.

Speaker 3 (01:11:52):
Does get a championship.

Speaker 1 (01:11:56):
Also, I want to give a shout out to Texas
Texas to Round Row Express player Dustin Harris. He last
night for the Round Rock Express hit for the cycle.
He had four hits and five RBIs as they won
twenty one to two. Really hit in tax but yeah,
I guess you could do that. I guess you could

(01:12:16):
do that. That's a football score. Yeah, twenty one to two.
Gave up a safety, but they scored a lot and
he too, hit for the cycle. But I wanted to
bring this up because the NBA Mark you talked about
it in your take tonight's match up between the Indiana
Pacers and Oka See Thunder n Oka See okay. Se

(01:12:38):
has been the best team in the NBA all season long,
and it shows because Draft Kings shout out to DraftKings.

Speaker 3 (01:12:46):
One hundred gambler. If you have a gam win problem.

Speaker 1 (01:12:49):
But if you don't and you want to put some wagers,
get over the Draft Kings. Get over the Draft Kings.
Pick Sit a proud sponsor of this show. Yeah, well
he He's not gonna put the money on.

Speaker 3 (01:13:01):
This series, per se.

Speaker 1 (01:13:03):
But ok S is one of the most overwhelming favorites
in the NBA. They are minus six point fifty six
point fifty over Indiana, and Indiana is plus four point
fifty to win the series. I'm all about this, I'm

(01:13:23):
all about Indiana. I'm it's been exciting to watch what
OKC and the fun that they have together, the youthful
exuberation that they play with college absolutely elevated college field.
And it's not just the two stars where we mentioned
Halli Burton and SGA, butright you know, on the Oklahoma

(01:13:46):
City side, Williams and Hogren are two unbelievable players, all
star caliber players.

Speaker 6 (01:13:54):
Yep.

Speaker 2 (01:13:54):
And then you go to Miles Turner University of Texas
alum as well Nate Smith. They're in them hard who
won a national championship. Like, they have unbelievable talent on
the floor, which is why it excites me about this
team and how cool it is going to be when

(01:14:18):
you watch this team play against each other.

Speaker 3 (01:14:21):
I know it's gonna go over unders two thirty.

Speaker 1 (01:14:24):
I think that it is gonna be like that because
both of these teams can actually score. First game, it
might be under just because they're all trying to figure
each other out.

Speaker 3 (01:14:33):
It could be a little slower.

Speaker 1 (01:14:35):
But in that building and okay, see, it's gonna be loud.
They're gonna be celebrating because Texas will have been and
won a championship. They're gonna be turned up in that piece.
But uh, I'm excited for all all of this. And
then Mark, I wanted to ask you this too, because
there is.

Speaker 2 (01:14:56):
News that is out there that did bring snacks Kate,
Oh my goodness, I did. Oh that's that's what you
was talking about, them snacks that you're eating right now.

Speaker 3 (01:15:06):
That is breaking though.

Speaker 2 (01:15:08):
Yeah, okay, I brought some snacks.

Speaker 1 (01:15:12):
For those that missed the show yesterday, Well, let me
tell you, KD is in conversations to possibly be uh
a San Antonio spur so they are talking about it.
We'll see, that's what the rumor is. But here's the
biggest thing. For those that don't know, Mark has got
a problem with our frigerator. You do have a problem.

(01:15:35):
The problem is you can't quit opening it that because
you have brought zero. So I made the comment to
Mark yesterday about man.

Speaker 3 (01:15:44):
Why don't you just bring snacks up in here.

Speaker 1 (01:15:47):
Well, my man went to Trader Jones, came in with
a bag and he's got a bunch of snacks. But
the problem is he didn't put him out for everybody.

Speaker 3 (01:15:56):
He brought him into. He brought him into the studio.

Speaker 1 (01:16:01):
He sezing me on I got to because I've been
telling you from day one, put your name on it
and give those people snacks.

Speaker 3 (01:16:11):
Yes, he snacks up for all of us, but they
just started our studio.

Speaker 2 (01:16:16):
I'm just gonna keep him at miles unreal.

Speaker 1 (01:16:23):
That's your boy, Mark, Henry right there, folk. He does Hey,
he did share with the people. It's just them.

Speaker 3 (01:16:30):
People are not here here.

Speaker 1 (01:16:34):
For Mark Henry, for my guy Marcus on the boards,
for Eric Henry of Horace, when for seven, for coach
Jim Swasnago and Mike White.

Speaker 3 (01:16:45):
Tomorrow, Bench Young will be on the show seven point
thirty four.

Speaker 1 (01:16:50):
Make your plans now. We will have Ann Parker Coleman.
She will be in Oklahoma City. And we'll have Zach
Siam of Orange dot Com.

Speaker 3 (01:17:01):
For all those people and for you the people.

Speaker 1 (01:17:03):
As always, don't believe everything you see, because even salt
looks like sugar. Peace,