Texas Gets #2 Seed in Houston Regional!

by Horn Brain on May 26, 2008 12:45 PM CDT in Baseball Comment 33 comments

Good news, people. If I'm not as dumb as ESPN's web designer, then I think that this bracket has us in national seed Rice's regional, across from Texas A&M's regional. Why is this good?

We're in Houston, where we ought to get some good crowd support to help us get past Rice (though they'll probably have good fan support, too... probably...) and the other guys in our regional, #3 St. John's and #4 Sam Houston State.
A&M has been horrible lately, which gives us hope that they won't make it out of their regional, thus giving us a good chance to host a super regional if we make it out of Houston.
Second worst-case scenario (Worst being not making it out of Houston), Texas has to play in College Station for super regional action, a place that we haven't exactly had trouble with, 12th man and all, recently.

So there you go. Hopefully I'll get another chance to see the 'Horns in Austin, but even if I don't, I've got a really good chance to see them make the Aggies cry one more time on their home field. That's all fun to imagine for now, but first we should beat the crap out of Rice and friends.

[Note by Horn Brain, 05/26/08 1:16 PM CDT ] This is also a good place to talk about any interesting matchups you find in the bracket. Nebraska got UC Irvine as a #2 in their regional. Good luck with those darned Anteaters, Corn.

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Why it's not good?

Because it’s freaking Rice!

Get your ass going! You ain't hurt!

by Cyrus on May 26, 2008 1:04 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Rice

We just need to remember how to field. No more 5 error games.

by Texas Wahoo on May 26, 2008 1:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Aggies lucked out

Dallas Baptist, Houston and Illinois-Chicago. Seems like they got one of the weakest two seeds in the tournament, though you could argue that’s UCLA in the Cal State-Fullerton regional. (BTW, I wouldn’t be shocked to see 3-seed Virginia emerge from that foursome.) The NCAA really did aTm a favor, though I doubt it will do them much good.

Texas, on the other hand, has to deal with a very sturdy St. Johns team, who were tipped by some to host a regional of their own, and those pesky Rice Owls.

The end of this season has already exceeded my expectations, with the conference tournament championship, but I will be very pleasantly surprised if we do manage to escape Houston. Given how weak the aTm side of the Super Regional seems to be, I’d really like the Horns’ chances of getting to Omaha if they do.

Life is an Occasion. Rise to it.

by patienthornsfan on May 26, 2008 2:44 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

DBU is a very good baseball team

I expect A&M to make it out of their regional, but Dallas Baptist will not make it easy for them. They beat A&M once this year and beat Rice twice.

The Houston regional will be tough but not impossible. Of course Rice is a good team, but Texas has played them three times this season (all when the Horns were not playing nearly as well as they are now) and won one of those games (a 9-1 victory at Reckling), so they’re at least very familiar with the Owls and Reckling Park. Wayne Graham publicly admitted recently that Texas was the last team he wanted to see in his regional.

As for Sam Houston, they won the Southland Conference tournament, so they are evidently playing well right now, but I don’t think they will present much of a challenge for the Horns. St. John’s is a little scary simply because I don’t know much about them, but I’ve read that they rely very heavily on pitching and that they do not have much of an offense. They won the Big East regular season title and put together a nice record, but they have not played a tough schedule at all, and they were eliminated from the Big East tournament after 2 games (and got blown out in both), which means they aren’t playing good baseball right now.

And I really like a super regional matchup with the Aggies, regardless of the fact that it would be played at Olsen Field. Texas is in their heads now, and I don’t see them getting out of a 3-game series with the Horns.

by bassale47 on May 26, 2008 3:26 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

It's great to see

the basketball and baseball teams overachieve. Now it’s your turn football…

by goingforthecorner on May 26, 2008 5:16 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

The baseball team overachieved?

Seems like the first year in forever we’re not hosting a regional. Sure we finished the season strong, but you gotta remember mizzou scored something like 50 runs on us and we got swept at home by okie st (losing all 3 games in the 8th and 9th innings).

by the other Andrew on May 26, 2008 5:56 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

I wouldn't call it overachieving

... because this is a very talented team. But it’s also a team with a ton of new players (freshmen and transfers) playing key roles, and anyone who expected a cakewalk this year was just not being reasonable. I expected a better conference record and to at least be hosting a regional (though I never expected a national seed), but with their play down the stretch, the team is proving that they’re capable of big things. I think the past month for the baseball team is akin to what the football team did in the Holiday Bowl. If only both teams could have played like that all year …

by bassale47 on May 26, 2008 6:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Our regional

isn’t too bad. I watched Sam Houston State get clobbered earlier this year by atm. Their own coach admitted they didn’t have pitching to hang with a team like atm. I also went to the UT game in the hellhole known as college station when we finished our sweep off 2 Sunday’s ago. Can anybody tell me why the nerdy atm fans do the gator chomp when they score runs?....prolly not much explanation other than the fact they’re inbred douchebags…

by SneezyBeltran on May 26, 2008 10:19 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

good point

that is a logical explanation. You know I hear that they have to take AGGI 101: “Introduction to Sheep Fornicating” their first semester. That might explain the rampant, rampant College Station sheep fornicating occurrences that you hear so much about. And it also explains why they do so many dumb chants at their sporting events. Because you know; their brains must be fried from all the mindless small farm animal fornication. Makes sense to me!

by carsondude on May 27, 2008 12:10 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for explaining that...

... I always wondered what it was about you guys…

--Horn Brain--

by Horn Brain on May 27, 2008 12:13 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

no problem

now you know!

by carsondude on May 27, 2008 3:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Houston

I hope they do better in Houston than the b-ball team!

by Longhorns84 on May 27, 2008 8:17 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

TV

Has anyone seen word of any networks broadcasting this region? I believe ESPN has rights to the entire tournament, but I would hope that local affiliates (FSNSW or KVUE perhaps) would co-broadcast.

by amorphous on May 27, 2008 12:03 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

ESPN360.com

if you’ve got it, they are webcasting the softball and baseball tournaments.

Also, although I am not the biggest follower of baseball, two of my favorite moments in recent memory are the 2002 Champs winning ON my 40th birthday and seeing the 2005 Champs play in Tucson when I lived there (and then my father went to see then win in all in Omaha). Anyway, go Horns! This year’s team is certainly peaking at the right time.

Brown Control to Major Applewhite...

by bfaut86 on May 27, 2008 1:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Check the host school's athletics website

If I am not mistaken, the host schools are required to make any webcasts they do available to the public for free. I believe Rice is hooked up with CSTV to do their webcasts, so just check their website on Friday.

ESPNU is broadcasting the Miami and Fullerton regionals. I read a few weeks ago that they would be televising three regionals, but so far, the only definite word is on those two.

by bassale47 on May 27, 2008 3:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh Joy, Houston -- again

Once again we’re getting hyped up about going to Houston. Listen, Houston is a horrible place—awful traffic, rampant violence, oppressive climate, and bad fans. I would seriously consider a trip to College Station, but never Houston. As to whether a ‘home’ crowd helps the team, here I seriously doubt it. Houston crowds are even more passive than Austin crowds, and baseball does not have the emotional factor of football or basketball.

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. If they get mad, you're a mile away AND you have their shoes.

by Caradoc on May 27, 2008 1:41 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Well...

... at the least, we won’t get booed as much.

--Horn Brain--

by Horn Brain on May 27, 2008 1:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sadly, yes

It’s like Rio de Janeiro, but without the rumpshakers.

by amorphous on May 27, 2008 2:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't mind the traffic.

Yes, it is a pain in the ass, but traffic means people have jobs to go to and can afford to buy gas. Traffic is good.

I've been fuelin' my dreams eatin' greens and beans.

by 16thLonghorn on May 27, 2008 3:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Incredible spin

You must work for the Harris County government.

by amorphous on May 27, 2008 4:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Couldn't disagree more

I’ll be at the game routing on my team since I’m in Houston for the summer. I don’t really get the Houston bashing, I like Houston and I think it’s generally underrated for such a large city.

by Texas Wahoo on May 27, 2008 4:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

not really

Houston isn’t all that bad. And your last sentence implies you’ve never been to a Rice baseball game. Baseball is all they have. They are passionate fans. And Reckling Park is a great place to watch a game.

by BigTexBD on May 27, 2008 4:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry

I meant bad Texas fans. And Houston is that bad.

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. If they get mad, you're a mile away AND you have their shoes.

by Caradoc on May 27, 2008 11:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

By the way...

...not to get into a whole “Your city sucks! No, your city sucks!” thing, because I hate that crap. But where are you from?

I've been fuelin' my dreams eatin' greens and beans.

by 16thLonghorn on May 28, 2008 9:00 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Clearly...

... it’s a TRAP!

--Horn Brain--

by Horn Brain on May 28, 2008 9:57 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Me?

I was born in Houston.

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. If they get mad, you're a mile away AND you have their shoes.

by Caradoc on May 28, 2008 10:45 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well played sir.

by Wells on May 28, 2008 1:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

HAH!!!

Got me!

I've been fuelin' my dreams eatin' greens and beans.

by 16thLonghorn on May 28, 2008 1:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's walking distance from the house

so that sort of gets rid of the traffic and parking issues in one swell foop…and they serve cold beer. I haven’t been to the new UFCUDFF, but do they serve cold beer? Reckling is a great experience. No complaints there.

Being from Austin, I receive the Houston bashing on a regular basis, but somebody has to live here. To say anything further would probably start a political discussion, and we can’t have that!

Having my ‘horns here with me make me very happy. Find me at the games – I’ll be the one in the burnt orange shirt. (seriously, my email is in my profile, let me know if you wanna share a brewski in the left field beer tent!)

by horndude on May 27, 2008 5:53 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

can

they serve cold beer if it’s a NCAA-sanctioned event? I didn’t think that was allowed. Their own games, yes, but not tourney time. Am I wrong?

Go Big Red Nebraska!
Our Cobs Are Bigger Than Yours!

by Jon Johnston on May 27, 2008 8:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'll check it out and post tomorrow.

Am I really going to have mix Maker’s with my coke, again?

by horndude on May 27, 2008 8:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

From the Rice Ticket Office:

“Beer will be sold at a tent outside the ballpark on the first or third base line. Due to NCAA rules and regulations alcohol cannot be served at an NCAA event. If you have any further questions please let us know.” (emphasis mine)

Rice Athletic Ticket Office
(713) 348- 4068
www.riceowls.com

I guess it all depends on what your definition of the word at is?

[cue BON attorneys]

by horndude on May 28, 2008 1:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs