HornSports Staff
HornSports.com
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- Oct 20, 2013
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The point on a brisket is typically the fattiest cut. Pitmasters often trim the point (and select edges) off a brisket and return those pieces to the smoker.
Are burnt ends tough, chewy worthless cuts of meat, or are they heavenly bites of smoky goodness? It depends on who you ask...
Rather than discard the trimmings and fat, we choose to savor all the information that flows through the site. So, sit down and help yourself to some burnt ends.
This is a free site, so anyone can read this report. If you share it with someone, please take time to attribute the information to HornSports.
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Horn Sports has shared thoughts and information from some of the larger UT donors in previous editions of Burnt Ends and this week is no different…except the source is one we haven’t used previously. To legitimize his status as a major player in UT donor circles, suffice it to say that his net worth exceeds eight figures.
Luckily for us, wealthy Texas donors love to discuss UT athletics and Steve Patterson. Our first topic of conversation was a hot one in donor cliques because of the role they’re expected to play as financiers – the new basketball arena. While it would be sexy to tease new developments relative to Patterson’s efforts to find a suitable location for a new basketball arena, the fact is there are none. The main gist of the conversations jibes with what we reported in Burnt Ends last December - politics involving the City of Austin on this endeavor are delaying things significantly.
“Those that think this project is as simple as choosing a location and building are not being realistic.â€
Finding a suitable location that has adequate parking is definitely a challenge, but not one that can’t be overcome. The more significant issue, as we were told, involves UT’s past politics. To put it mildly, some of the former leadership at Texas did not do Patterson any favors in terms of how they dealt with the City. Don’t expect the arena development to be finalized in the immediate future – negotiations are going to be a protracted series of give-and-take while both sides work to repair old wounds.
Additionally, although The University of Texas is one of the most powerful and resource-laden colleges in the world, there are folks (outside UT) with ill intentions involved in the arena project. All signs indicate that those few people are prepared to test the depth of UT’s resources in every way possible.
Our conversation also shed some interesting light on another subject of interest, Texas baseball coach Augie Garrido. Readers of Burnt Ends know that this column reported expectations for the retirement of Garrido after this season.
According to this donor, Garrido has Patterson’s blessing to coach at Texas - for at least another year. We were told that there is no doubt that the ball rests in Augie’s court as to whether or not he returns next season. Point blank, this source told us vehemently, per Patterson, that Garrido holds the cards with respect to his immediate future in the dugout at Texas.
In closing the conversation, Patterson remained a topic of interest...
This donor opined that Patterson was not hired to be a “DeLoss Dodds†in terms of tenure. Instead he felt Patterson was at most a 10-year hire and was brought in specifically to deal with some of the more immediate needs of the university – a football program that grew stale, and the new basketball arena. As it was told to us:
“Patterson was hired to provide substantive and innovative change within the athletic department on the 40 Acres.â€
It was mentioned that many influential donors are indifferent with respect to their relationship with Patterson. But those same donors think Texas’ AD has the capacity to promote the University’s interests beyond a new basketball arena and new coaches.
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As expected, it’s reasonably quiet on the baseball front from our friends that have been telling us about Augie Garrido’s expected departure. Basically, things are in a holding pattern until the season concludes – no major changes are going to be announced while the team is still playing ball.
A couple of interesting notes from conversations with a few connected folks:
1. It won’t be public info, but we’re hearing that Garrido is contemplating using his retirement as a last resort motivator…as in, “I’m retiring. Let’s go win one more together.†That isn’t a big surprise, and neither is the fact that he’d leave it holstered until thinking it’s absolutely needed or necessary.
What is interesting is that we were told that he isn’t planning to use it in an effort to save his job (as in, “Win or I get fired.â€) The way it was couched to us is that Garrido really believes in this team’s talent, and their ability to win at the highest level. In other words, if Garrido uses his retirement in the locker room, it will be in a last ditch effort to get the team to play to their potential.
2. There are at least one or two names on the short list of candidates to be the next head coach at Texas that are expected to make deep postseason runs this year. That means that if the Horns’ season ends this week in Tulsa, Steve Patterson may be forced to wait for up to a month while teams are still playing before he gets an opportunity to interview the men he wants for the job.
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A prospect to get familiar with for 2017 is Mansfield Lake Ridge linebacker Loren Mondy. The Arizona State commit is one of the top defensive players in the state for 2017, and has been in contact with Texas recently. Mondy told HornSports that Brian Jean-Mary reached him through the Lake Ridge staff and indicated the Longhorns’ interest. Jean-Mary will be stopping by Mansfield Lake Ridge during spring practice to get a look at the big inside ‘backer.
Though Mondy gave an early commitment to the Sun Devils, this one sounds like it could get interesting if any of the in-state schools throw their hat in the ring. When asked about his commitment to Arizona State, Mondy replied:
“I’m strong with them, but you know having a home school could change some things if they were very interested in me."
Mondy seems to be pretty high on the Longhorns and mentioned that he actually met Charlie Strong shortly after he was hired. Growing up as a fan of Texas, Mondy has family that lives in the Austin area.
Even though he is receiving interest from Houston, Oklahoma, USC, Michigan, and Baylor, Mondy told HornSports he will definitely take a trip to the 40 Acres this summer for an unofficial visit.
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In our continued look at prospects in the 2016 HornSports Top 50, this week’s focus is on highly rated Christian Wallace of Katy Tompkins. A name Longhorn fans might want to get to know, Wallace told reporters that the Longhorns are out in front in his recruitment. Ranked 27th in our updated list, the four star athlete’s stock looks like it is about to skyrocket.
Wallace was previously committed to TCU, but opened his recruitment up in early spring and has tripped to Austin several times. At 6’2â€, 211 pounds, Wallace has an amazing athletic skillset that projects to multiple positions. Wallace told us shortly after UT’s junior day that Texas is recruiting him as a defensive back.
Wallace possesses the length that Charlie Strong looks for in a defensive back and has the fluidity to play safety or cornerback. With long arms and a physical style of play, many experts think his brightest future is at Safety. Wallace also possesses good speed and is a threat as a return specialist.
With a swagger and confidence that oozes from him when he’s on the field, Wallace is a natural on-field leader. These traits were on display this past weekend at the Carolina Classic 7-on-7 tournament where Wallace competed as a part of Team Texas Elite, drawing rave reviews as a standout performer.
The main competition in his recruitment is LSU followed by Mississippi State. Baylor and Oklahoma are also in the picture, but Wallace hasn’t been shy about telling people that Texas is out in front at this point.
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Over the weekend, Charlie Strong and Brian Jean-Mary got an unofficial visit from 2017 linebacker Baron Browning. From Kennedale (Kennedale HS), Browning has a great frame (6’3 ½â€, 220 pounds) for someone his age.
Browning was thought to be a toss-up between A&M and Baylor, but from his comments to HornSports on his weekend visit, that projection sounds premature:
"The best part was talking to Coach Strong. People don't know the real Coach Strong. On the outside looking in you think ‘man he crazy doing this or doing that’, but everything he do is for the sake of his players. He really does care about his team - making sure they're going to do the right thing."
Browning has offers from almost every in-state school, OU, Oklahoma State, as well as several Pac 10 programs. His offer list has exploded recently as reports about his shoulder rehab have been very positive (he missed most of his sophomore year due to injury).
247 ranks Browning as the No. 1 inside linebacker in the nation for the 2017 class and he has scholarship offers to play for at least one school in all of the Power 5 conferences. Needless to say, Browning will be a national-level recruit – it sounds like Strong and UT made a very positive first impression.
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DeAndre McNeal will be finessing his way to Austin in less than a month – he’s planning to move to campus one of the first three days in June.
That means McNeal will have the entire Summer to work on routes and timing with Tyrone Swoopes and Jerrod Heard. More importantly, he’ll be working against collegiate defensive backs for 2+ months prior to Fall camp.
We’ll have a full feature article on McNeal at the end of the month. Charlie Strong got a good’un when McNeal signed and we’ll set the stage for his arrival on the 40…
