Top of the Queue Volume VIII newsletter # 1 01/05/2024
TLSN is not associated with the UT Athletic Department, or any organization closely aligned with UT.
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Happy New Year, and welcome to the 8th year of the TLSN Newsletter. In 2023, the TLSN website and its other venues reached out to the Longhorn Nation with 690,000 impressions, up from 430,000 in 2022.
Over the past seven years, TLSN has provided grants ranging from $3,000 to $25,000 to qualifying former Longhorn student-athletes.
Additionally, through the “Eyes of Texas” Longhorn athletes, coaches, and media personalities, great moments in Longhorn sports history have been chronicled for present and future Longhorns.
As of January 2024, The TLSN website features 29 oral history podcasts, 21 individual interviews by Larry Carlson, 26 articles by Billy Dale, and 34 articles by various other authors.
However, the most detailed aspect of the TLSN Longhorn sports historical site is the research completed to chronicle the year-by-year history of most Longhorn sports from the inception of the sport until 2015.
“In 2024, TLSN content will be even better! There are exciting and significant changes to the website on the way.
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YOU CAN’T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT
Rolling Stones song in the link below.
TLSN’s Larry Carlson teaches sports and news media courses at Texas State University, and he is a member of the Football Writers Association of America.
Red zone Blues have beaten the Horns again. Esteemed football analyst Mick Jagger noted long ago that, “You can’t always get what you want.”
And Jagger, no doubt watching the Sugar Bowl from afar on this New Year’s night, likely nodded his head, empathizing with Longhorn Nation about one more game that – like in the seasons of 1961, 1964, 1977, 1983, 2008, and 2009 — while in reach, somehow got away. It is very hard to win a national championship.
But Jagger always tempered his axiom with a “glass half full” approach that particularly applies now to the UT football program and its burnt orange-blooded fans.
“But if you try sometimes, you just might find you get what you nee-eed.” Like a Big XII championship. Like a team that found multiple ways to win games, and consistently, doggedly showed grit and fortitude. Like a head coach who not only recruits extremely well but has found a way to sell young men on a “culture” that builds character, not characters, and bears fruit.
Like a promising, very challenging venture into the ultimate competitive hotbed of college ball, the SEC.
So it was, for the UT football program, another major leap forward, this trip to the College Football Playoff. There are never guarantees that football teams or fan bases can get what they want. But at long last, the Longhorns got something they needed for fourteen aching years.
The foundation is there. More concrete and infrastructure will be poured and forged during cold winter conditioning, passionate spring drills and steamy summer workouts. A noteworthy first season in the Southeastern Conference awaits in fewer than 240 days. And hope again will spring in the fall for getting what all Longhorns really want.
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Dave Cody
In 2024, a former Longhorn media personality, Dave Cody, will share his first-hand moments of Longhorn sports history with the Longhorn Nation.
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If you’re a Longhorn sports fan, Dave Cody is a name you will know. He is a legend in the Longhorn sports world, and some of his historical perspectives on Longhorn sports history will now be chronicled and saved for posterity on the TLSN website.
He has had extraordinary experiences that few others can match, including a discussion over dinner with Donna Lopiano when she was creating her successful strategy to raise money and awareness for the Longhorn women’s sports programs. He has golfed with DKR, Willie Nelson, George Strait, and Chi Chi Rodriguez, chauffeured DKR and Cactus Pryor to a PGA seniors event, and even broadcasted a few Texas football games.
Dave attended 28 straight Texas-OU games as a reporter. In addition, he attended Ricky’s 1998 Heisman Award ceremony and met with DKR and Bo Schembechler before the two handled the coin toss for The Rose Bowl battle in 2004.
He was “Cody on the spot” in the studio when Fred Akers was fired, getting the inside information as a CBS reporter interviewed Coach Akers, and he published one of the first official summaries of DKR’s life one day after Coach Royal passed away.
But in this newsletter edition, TLSN is honored to have Dave Cody introduce Coach Jody Conradt’s oral history podcast to the Longhorn Nation.
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Dave Cody was the sports director at KTBC-TV from 1985 to 2013.
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Dave Cody interviewing Edwina Bown late 1990’s
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Introduction to Jody Conradt’s oral history podcast by Dave Cody (Heat up the Grill)
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Dave shares a funny story with TLSN. He says “that in the 80s, they had Jody mic’d for a game at the Drum. During that time, Whataburger gave out free burgers when UT scored 100 points. Late in the game, Jody leaned over to her assistant coach, Colleen Matsuhara, and said, “Heat up the grill.”
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Dave says, “A two-point loss in the NCAA women’s basketball Tournament that denied UT an appearance in its own Regional would have been deflating for most, but when I turned on my Hyatt Regency TV during my job interview at KTBC-TV in late March 1985 I heard a well-spoken, well-coiffed woman putting a positive spin on the outcome and as tough as that was. It left me with a great first impression of Texas Women’s Basketball. Dave says, “I had worked as a TV sportscaster in Memphis where basketball meant something, and I knew Austin was the place for me. It would begin a 35-year friendship with the woman most simply called “Jody.”
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Dave Cody remembers the 34 and 0 season for Jody Conradt and her team. “KTBC-TV cameraman Jaime Ortiz and I accompanied the team to the women’s final 4 in Lexington, KY, taking a day trip to meet the great “Secretariat” at nearby Claiborne Farm, so the week was already a win. Then came the Women’s Coaches Convention Derby Party” with hot tubs under the big tents.
Jody and the UT coaches did not participate in Derby Day because the championship game against USN and Cheryl Miller was the next day. UT won the game, with freshman Clarissa Davis breaking out a stellar UT career. With their politically correct name in 1986, the Lady Longhorns returned to a raucous reception at their home arena.
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“The Pass”-It may have been a midweek game or a showcased tournament game, I don’t recall. But starting point guard Kamie Etheridgs made a wraparound pass to a fast-breaking Clarissa Davis on the wing, and “Clo” took it to the hole for the basket.”
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Jody made sure to interact with UT fans, renaming her post-game meetings for coaches and players “the Fast break room”.
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She allowed us to ride the team charter bus to TCU one year; I can still see that bus going up i-35 to the sound of Aretha’s Freeway of Love I used in the piece. The song is at https://youtu.be/Ip_pjb5_fgA
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Jody used to wear a long green coat during games at Baylor, her alma mater. When asked about it, she said, “HOT Coliseum is an old Rodeo barn; it’s cold.”
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Sherryl Hauglum, a TLSN Board Member and one of Jody Conradt’s basketball leaders in the early 1980s has special memories of playing for Coach.
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Sherryl says:
“ I had the privilege of playing basketball under the legendary Coach Conradt. Those days at The Erwin Center were filled with countless memories of camaraderie and spirited competition. The rhythmic squeak of sneakers on the polished gym floor became the soundtrack to our afternoons. Coach Conradt was the ultimate role model, and she set high expectations for us.”
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However, Coach Conradt “also led by example through her daily actions and commitment to winning. The victories were great, but it was the shared laughter during practices, study halls, and trips that I remember most fondly. Those were my formative years, defined by the love of the game and the mentorship of a coaching legend. ????”
Sherryl Hauglum
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Coach Jody Conradt
Coach Conradt’s influence extended far beyond basketball. She was a guiding force for the athletes she coached, helping them to navigate towards true North. Her goal was not only to teach her athletes basketball skills but also to impart lifelong skills that would lead to success, such as discipline and goal-setting.
Conradt’s impact on her athletes’ lives is a testament to her exceptional coaching abilities both on and off the court. Her unique and effective coaching approach has earned her a place among the greatest coaches of all time. She taught her athletes that their life journey should be treated as a sporting event that requires a team mentality, a strong work ethic, and self-reliance as the ultimate goal.
Head Coach Conradt’s Longhorn basketball journey is documented in three TLSN formats – oral history, photos, and a short synopsis of each season. Her story includes bitter defeats and exhilarating victories. Below is the link to her oral history podcast.
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1987 -1988 Amy Clayborn with Coach Conradt giving instructions that will last a lifetime.
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When Coach Conradt was asked why small-town coaches matter, she responded, “Because, more than anything a young person can do, sport teaches life skills. It teaches you how to win and how to lose, how to interact with teammates, and how to carry yourself with class – win or lose. It teaches you the value of commitment, the importance of intensity, and the value of seeing things all the way through.”
When Coach Conradt was asked about the significant change she has witnessed during her coaching career in Texas, she said, “Things that have changed, counting around the room, there are 11 media representatives here. If I could think back to when I first came here, if there were this many people in the stands, it meant someone’s family was in town.”
Conradt says, “They built Erwin Center “21 years ago, and obviously, it never occurred to anyone that the women would need a separate locker room. So, every room in this place had urinals.
“Now we have one of our own. Before one of our games, Coach Royal was kind enough to speak to my team. Before he left, someone asked what the biggest difference was between our locker room and all the others he knew from all his years of coaching.” Coach Royal said, “Offhand, I can’t remember anyone ironing anything before a game in one of our locker rooms.” The link to Jody’s oral history, text, and photos is at the attached link
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“You control a part of the puzzle needed for TLSN to accomplish its missions.”
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The TLSN Board of Directors’ goal is to complete the puzzle and fulfill The TLSN missions.
None of the members of the TLSN Board receive any compensation. All choose to give back blessings received so all donations are utilized for grants and expenses related to the TLSN missions, which include capturing the legacy of Longhorn sports and providing grants to eligible former Longhorns. We urge you to donate to TLSN so that we can continue offering grants and enhance the content related to the history of Longhorn sports. The donation link is provided below:
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In 1981, UT Women’s Volleyball won the first National Championship under AIAW. At that time, I was a junior on the team playing for Mick Haley and surrounded by teammates who, unbeknownst to me at that time, would become my lifelong friends. We worked hard to achieve the ultimate goal, the Natty, the first for UT Women’s Volleyball. There’s nothing like it!!
Since then, UT Women’s Volleyball has won Four NCAA National Championships, 2008, 2012, 2022, and 2023. Head Coach Jerritt Elliott has led the team to the last 3 National Championships, 2 of them back to back… that’s the hardest thing to do in any sport! Coach Elliott’s ability to lead his team by listening to his players, figuring out his line at the beginning of the season, and thinking long-term helped the 2023 team peak at the perfect time.
Congratulations to Coach Elliott, the coaching staff, and the entire Women’s Volleyball team!
Hook’em Horns!
TLSN Chairwoman Beth Coblentz
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Beth with Tyres Dickson at the Houston Touchdown Club in 2022.
TLSN was recognized by the Touchdown club for its 501 (c) (3) mission to help qualifying Longhorns, and Tyres was honored with a standing ovation as a former Longhorn football player. Tyres is a TLSN Grantee.
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As stated before, Coaches are the holy grail for athletes. What is learned from coaches is ingrained in an athlete’s heart forever. The lessons reveal that life is best traveled with a teammate mentality, a work ethic in tow, and self-reliance as the goal. Horns ???? Up!
Chris O’Connell wrote an article about Texas volleyball coach Jerritt Elliott in Alcalde magazine before the 2022 and 2023 championships. The article reveals some of the internal struggles and disappointments Elliott experienced as the head coach of the Longhorn volleyball team.
In addition, Cedric Golden wrote an article titled “Elliott Seeks Volleyball Title Redemption” that also mentioned Elliott’s internal struggles.
Austin American Statesman, December 17, 2022
OMAHA, Neb. —
Coach Elliott, as part of a unique Longhorn coaching circle, faced unrealistic fan expectations due to his team’s consistent winning but few national titles.
Other Longhorn coaches have faced similar challenges. Such as:
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Royal said, “Climbing is a thrill. Maintaining is a Bitch” as he struggled to maintain the winning formula.
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Abe Lemons said, “You build a monster (winning), and the monster eats you.”
The photo shows Lemons in his early years, learning his trade and looking for the best recruits to maintain the winning culture expected by fans.
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Mack Brown set a national record of winning ten games or more a year, but in seven years, he never won a Big 12 championship, so fans sniped that he was better in the living rooms of high school seniors than on the sidelines as a coach.
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Former women’s golf coach Pat Weis warned coaches that “winning (a national championship) simply cannot be a Coaches-only goal.”
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Coach Penick had the correct philosophical approach to his players winning and losing championships.
He viewed a coach’s primary responsibility to prepare an athlete for a high probability of success.
Penick drew a positive correlation between preparation and luck, believing that preparation gave luck a chance of winning.
In many of his writings, he mentioned Tom Kite as one of his students who gave luck a chance because he spent an inordinate amount of practice time preparing for a tournament.
The photo is of Ben Crenshaw and Coach Penick intently listening to Tom Kite.
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However, former Longhorn soccer Coach Dang Pibulvech offers the most crucial lesson for coaches struggling to reach the top.
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He warns coaches not to gauge success by winning a once-in-a-lifetime national championship. Instead, he instructs coaches to judge themselves based on building a program that gives his/her teams a lifetime of chances to win the national title.
Coach Elliott has accomplished that goal and more.
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Coach Elliott
Jerritt Elliott is a dedicated coach who lives and breathes volleyball. Despite winning 14 Big 12 titles and achieving early bracketology success, he has yet to be able to win multiple national championships. Elliott, who has been the head coach of the Longhorns for 22 years, keeps working hard to achieve greatness year after year. He believes that his relentless effort will eventually pay off, and it did.
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After almost winning national championships several times,
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His perseverance and good recruiting have now led to a national championship in 2022, and
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in 2023—Horns Up for Coach Elliott.
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Here are the links to Coach Elliott’s whole story
The ring is the 2012 volleyball national championship ring.
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TLSN is a 501 (c)(3) Longhorn Sports historical website with a compassionate component.
The TLSN website and newsletter are free to access, delivering educational, historical, and insightful Longhorn sports history as told through the eyes of those who created it.
Https://texaslsn.org
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