Frog-tied

TCU 31, Texas 9

Nov. 25, 2016 • DKR

I had the cutest little gummy frogs for this TEXAS, and I was optimistic that our team would really show up for Coach Strong.

But instead, our team was shown up. The gummies were extra-chewy, too.

 

Gummy frogs for the Horned Frogs

Waiting for the team in the rain

Love Hook ’Em’s coach attire

Still waiting for the team

Nice hats

Bevo’s 100th anniversary card

The front of Bevo’s card

The back of Bevo’s card

LOTS of well wishes…

…including one from me!

Longhorn legends

And the legend whose name is on the stadium

LHB

Bertha

TCU band

We’ll miss you!

SWOOOOOOOPES!

Hi, Matthew

LHB’s Bevo

I spy my signature!

Mighty Fine comfort food (while mourning Florence Henderson)

So that’s all she wrote on the Strong era, D’Onta’s Heisman that could’ve been, the loss of all that promise we felt on opening night after beating Notre Dame.

Here’s to fresh starts, stud recruits, and WINS.

Hook ’em.

Mounds of Trouble

West Virginia 24, Texas 20

Nov. 12, 2016 • DKR

I never buy Mounds or Almond Joy. Why would I waste a caloric splurge on anything with toenails, I mean COCONUT, in it? Disgusting! With West Virginia next on the schedule, though, I made an exception.

We Texans are quick to point out that the Mountaineers’ home state’s “mountains” aren’t so mountainous. The highest point in Texas is nearly 4,000 feet higher than West Virginia’s tallest mountain! To rub it in, instead of finding mountains, I spelled Texas with mere Mounds.

Almost as disgusting as coconut? Losing our first home game to the #11 Mountaineers.

Much sweeter? Having Katie surprise her brother when we picked him up for the game. 🙂 She drove in from Lubbock Friday night, and we left at early:30 to get Ryan and head to the stadium.

Why I don’t care for 11 a.m. kickoffs

Aren’t they cute?

I made them pose with their dad’s books. They were thrilled.

Hook ’Em dressed in camo for the armed services tribute.

Big fan of the flyover!

UT System Chancellor William McRaven honored.

Lifetime Longhorn Olympians were honored.

Then the LHB did its armed services medley, one of my faves.

Coast Guard

Army

Navy

Marines

Air Force

The Eyes Have It

Texas 27, Iowa State 6

Oct. 15, 2016 • DKR

After a three-game losing streak, all eyes were on Eye-owa State. Now that the Horns were finally back home, could they get back to their winning ways?

It had been more than a month since we’d won a game, so this victory was sweet! What made it extra special: It was my grand nephew’s first Texas game AND the Alumni Band performance, too!

 

A Brief History of Hook ’Ems

When Harley Clark, the creator of the “Hook ’Em, Horns” hand sign, died in October 2014, I posted a Facebook album in tribute.

To archive those photos (plus a few more favorites), I’m posting them here, too. Presenting, a brief history of “hook ’ems” in our family photos.

My UT graduation, May 1990

Our wedding, June 1994

Football picnic, 1999

At home, 1998

Football picnic at Memaw’s apartment, 2001

Meeting Coach Mack Brown, 2001

In DKR with Katie, 2003

At home, 2004

Big XII championship pregame at Reliant, 2005

Section 1 crew, 2005

Heading home after the Best Day Ever, Jan. 5, 2006

Best Day Ever, Jan. 4, 2006

At Dana and Kelley’s the night before the Best Day Ever, Jan. 3, 2006

Best Day Ever, Jan. 4, 2006

Best Day Ever, Jan. 4, 2006

DKR, 2008

DKR, 2008

DKR, 2008

With the Davey O’Brien trophy, 2009

Pregaming before the 2009 Fiesta Bowl

Tailgate, 2009

With Bevo XIV at the tailgate, 2010

With Bevo XIV at the Fort Worth University Co-op, 2012

Texas-ou, 2012

Spring game with the Laughlins, 2012

Tower of Terror at Disney Hollywood Studios, 2012

At Austin’s Donut Taco Palace, 2013

Reppin’ the colors in my classroom, 2014

With the NCAA men’s basketball trophy, 2014

At Ryan’s UT orientation, 2015

Halftime with LHB and LHAB, 2015

Soaking wet at the K State game, 2015

Celebrating an improbable win over ou, 2015

With Ryan at his first Texas-ou game, 2015

Space Mountain at Disneyland, 2015

Splash Mountain at Disneyland, 2015

Splash Mountain at Disneyland, 2015

Tower of Terror at California Adventure, 2015

Tower of Terror at California Adventure, 2015

At Kerbey Lane with Ryan, 2015

Splash Mountain at Disneyland, 2016

Seeds of Hope

Texas 59, Kansas 20

Nov. 7, 2015 • DKR

We spelled Texas with sunflower seeds for the sunflower state, but this game was anything but seedy. Our Horns did exactly what we expected them to do: ran all over the “But We’re a Basketball School” Jayhawks.

Coming just six days before the official premiere of My All American, this game featured a tribute to Freddie Steinmark, the Texas legend whose memory lives on years after he died of cancer. Earlier in the day, UT rededicated the scoreboard to Freddie’s memory.

Back in 2013 when I toured DKR with Katie and her friend, we got to see that scoreboard base up close. Even though it’s now topped with the giant Godzillatron and concealed by endzone bleachers, the scoreboard is still an important part of Texas football. Players touch Freddie’s picture before taking the field.

Other photo highlights:

LHB tribute to our armed forces for Veterans Day

Always a thrill to share the game with my babies!

 

We didn’t do much tailgating this time because we met some friends for a Capitol tour and late lunch before heading to campus. It was great to hang out with our friends from California, and getting to wander around the Capitol with the state’s preeminent historian was a big bonus!

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Good Kitty

Texas 23, Kansas State 9

Oct. 24, 2015 • DKR

KitKats are the fallback spelling medium whenever we face the Wildcats, and for this game, we had to keep it simple. The 100% chance of rain in the forecast all week turned out to be 100% accurate, so the kitty litter I’d planned to bring to the tailgate stayed in our (dry) home. Fortunately, unlike many of the times we’ve faced K State, we were spared from shouting, “GIMME A BREAK!”

Even in the rain, our guys, especially J Gray, racked up the yards, and the Horns came through with a big ol’ W. Coming after the upset over ou, this win made our losses to Cal and Okie State even more painful to recall, but whatcha gonna do?

Because this was our first game after Bevo XIV’s passing, the stadium’s mood seemed a little somber at times. But the rain, instead of exacerbating the gloom, actually helped alleviate it. The fans who endured the precip were having a blast. What’s a little water among friends? Besides, a little rain is all you need to distinguish between the true fans and the fair weather ones.

Some pics from the day:

Why I DON’T like 11 a.m. kickoffs.

Longhorn faithful

Bevo’s ranch family and Silver Spurs during pregame

Bevo’s halter and the Golden Hat

The sad, empty corner

Back to the Future halftime: DeLorean

Touchdown, Texas! SWOOOOOOPES!

Rain? WHAT rain?

Rain-soaked crazies

Horns up. Sing The Eyes.

Always in our hearts, Big Guy.

Sunday morning brunch at Kerbey

Kerbey Queso: The real deal

And a little bonus: Our favorite little Longhorn fans!

Pig Phooey

Arkansas 31, Texas 7

Dec. 29, 2014 • Texas Bowl • NRG Stadium, Houston

 

We could’ve been makin’ bacon out of those Hogs, but instead of taming the “Woo, Pig Sooie,” our team looked like chop suey. If I had to pick one photo to represent this outing, it’d be this:

What an exercise in futility! You know it’s not your day when your QB goes 13 of 25 for 57 yards and your leading rusher racks up a measly 25. Our one moment of glory came late in the first half, when down 17-nothin’, Swoopes scrambled for a touchdown right in front of us.

Oh, it was glorious!

Katie and I were even on TV during the big celebration. See us?

How about now?

To be down by 10 at the half seemed not-so-insurmountable. But of course, we couldn’t even hang on until the intermission before Arky scored again.

That’s pretty much how the game went: a few precious good plays completely undone by major lapses on offense or defense. Blech. Even when we lose, though, if my Horns are on the field, there’s no place I’d rather be. From Eyes to Eyes.

Hook ’em, Horns!

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