FWST: Meet the guy who kept LT on the bench

[ShadowFrog]

We're all free to like or dislike, and choose to read or not read, any writer. I learned that in a class or something.

Class?
Yeah but can you paint.....oh wait, nevermind.

 

[ShadowFrog]

I loved watching Batteaux run the option.

Patrick Batteaux will always be my definition of Frog Factor, doing what's asked/expected of him, team player, not flashy, manage the game, make the 10 yard passes, run for 6-7 when line disintegrates, keep moving forward, have some faith & believe, not going to NFL, goes to class, graduates, not a braggart, a gentleman, makes a life for himself after football.

More of them please in purple, thank you very much.

 

[TCUFROG1998]

I just wish we still had RB's of that size on our team. I know we've got Sewo but he is the only one over the past 6 years I bet

 

[Leap Frog]

I just wish we still had RB's of that size on our team. I know we've got Sewo but he is the only one over the past 6 years I bet

Pat Sullivan recruited both Basil and L.T.-- not exactly a bad situation for Franchione to step into. Not to mention some good linemen, too.

 

[TCU2002]

Broadcast sound was great...either there was a sideline mic in front of the band or the band was bigger (and therefore louder) or there were not enough fans to outshout the volume of the band....Anyway, you could hear the fight song when it was played....These days you might be able to hear the last few bars after a score....

I was in the band that day. We were much smaller than the present band - we probably marched no more than 100-110 that day. The USC band was impressively larger. There must have been a CBS mic in front of us.

It was a real logistical feat to get the band to that game. The final two regular season games that season were on the road. The Frogs were 4-5 heading into those games, and there really was no reason to expect a bowl invite even if they did win out to become bowl eligible. The marching season was effectively over, and no one had plans to be available during the week between Christmas and New Year's.

As I recall, the bowl announcment was made in early December, with only a few days left in the semester before finals, etc. I remember playing at a basketball game in December and we were all saying to each other, "Can you believe it?"

Again, as I remember, there were two group of band members. Those within a certain distance of Fort Worth would be paid to get to Fort Worth on December 26 and then we flew to El Paso on a charter flight out of Meachem Field. Those who were not spending Christmas that close to Fort Worth were flown directly to El Paso from wherever they were.

There were a number of people who marched that season who could not change their holiday plans, so some willing recent band alumni took their place. We had to practice our asses off in El Paso - really long rehearsals at Montwood High School so that we could all re-learn the show (and the alumni subs could learn it for the first time). It was really a lame week in that respect. I remember how unprepared I was for El Paso's dry air.

The result of the game itself was such a payoff for the crazy and tiring week. After the game, I stayed with my dad at the Camino Real hotel. Being that it was New Year's Eve, we could hear the gun firing in Juarez. Even with that noise, I was so tired that I slept like a dead man.

Postscript: The next day, New Year's Day, my Dad and I flew Southwest from El Paso to Houston Hobby. Getting off the plane at Hobby, the gate area was wall to wall Aggie fans. The plane we were on was continuing onto New Orleans, and all the Aggies were flying to that night's Sugar Bowl. There so many TCU fans on the flight, and Aggie fans were really quite proud of TCU. It is to this day the most decent Aggie fan moment I have experienced.

 

[NNM]

I never get tired of watching the Sun Bowl game.

We were told how Claiborne was Superman, the fastest, strongest human alive and he would single-handedly demolish us, flying sideline to sideline, in our backfield sacking and pillaging.

Roll tape please.

Our defense was awesome that day as well. Bent a little, but didn't break and made the key plays when it really counted.

But yeah, before there was LT, there was Basil.

What a day.

Well, Claiborne did have a better game that day than JJ Watt did a little over a decade later . . .

 

[Limp Lizard]

I wonder if the lack of wear and tear on LT's body his freshman and sophomore years actually helped him, related to the longevity of his NFL career.

Yeah, me too. Look at Peterson at OU, Hobbs at TCU...lots of carries their true Freshman year, but fought injuries for the rest of their career. Running backs take a beating, and a 20-21 year old body can take that better than a 18-19 year old body.

Hopefully that is true and will help Anderson and Olonilua down the road.

 

[Limp Lizard]

Patrick Batteaux will always be my definition of Frog Factor, doing what's asked/expected of him, team player, not flashy, manage the game, make the 10 yard passes, run for 6-7 when line disintegrates, keep moving forward, have some faith & believe, not going to NFL, goes to class, graduates, not a braggart, a gentleman, makes a life for himself after football.

More of them please in purple, thank you very much.

He was very smart and a quick thinker. He had that elusive "it" that you want your QB to have. Like I said he almost played a perfect game in the Sun Bowl.

 

[Frog DJ]

I was in the band that day. We were much smaller than the present band - we probably marched no more than 100-110 that day. The USC band was impressively larger. There must have been a CBS mic in front of us.

It was a real logistical feat to get the band to that game. The final two regular season games that season were on the road. The Frogs were 4-5 heading into those games, and there really was no reason to expect a bowl invite even if they did win out to become bowl eligible. The marching season was effectively over, and no one had plans to be available during the week between Christmas and New Year's.

As I recall, the bowl announcment was made in early December, with only a few days left in the semester before finals, etc. I remember playing at a basketball game in December and we were all saying to each other, "Can you believe it?"

Again, as I remember, there were two group of band members. Those within a certain distance of Fort Worth would be paid to get to Fort Worth on December 26 and then we flew to El Paso on a charter flight out of Meachem Field. Those who were not spending Christmas that close to Fort Worth were flown directly to El Paso from wherever they were.

There were a number of people who marched that season who could not change their holiday plans, so some willing recent band alumni took their place. We had to practice our asses off in El Paso - really long rehearsals at Montwood High School so that we could all re-learn the show (and the alumni subs could learn it for the first time). It was really a lame week in that respect. I remember how unprepared I was for El Paso's dry air.

The result of the game itself was such a payoff for the crazy and tiring week. After the game, I stayed with my dad at the Camino Real hotel. Being that it was New Year's Eve, we could hear the gun firing in Juarez. Even with that noise, I was so tired that I slept like a dead man.

Postscript: The next day, New Year's Day, my Dad and I flew Southwest from El Paso to Houston Hobby. Getting off the plane at Hobby, the gate area was wall to wall Aggie fans. The plane we were on was continuing onto New Orleans, and all the Aggies were flying to that night's Sugar Bowl. There so many TCU fans on the flight, and Aggie fans were really quite proud of TCU. It is to this day the most decent Aggie fan moment I have experienced.

I sat two rows behind the band that day, and I was never more proud of "The Show Window of TCU."

Go Frogs

 

[ShadowFrog]

There were a number of people who marched that season who could not change their holiday plans, so some willing recent band alumni took their place. We had to practice our asses off in El Paso - really long rehearsals at Montwood High School so that we could all re-learn the show (and the alumni subs could learn it for the first time).

Former band members stepping up to fill in when/where needed on little to no notice AND suddenly cancel holiday plans to travel to El Paso in '98. Glad to know this story tho few probably knew it back then or now. I graduated Dec '81 but was still in local area Fall '82 when their #2 bass drummer (who at the time was a drafted bass clarinet player dragooned into percussion since we don't march bass clarinets & we're short on drummers and he's on scholarship so suck it up....) came down with Mono & couldn't perform last 2 games, 1 home & final at college station. They called me & I found a way to attend practice twice a week & perform. Bonus: had a ShowGirl fall asleep on me on long bus ride back from CS. Niiice.

 

[Deep Purple]

We're all free to like or dislike, and choose to read or not read, any writer.

Agree. But for those who choose not to read: Why do they think our day revolves around their informing us that they Did Not Read? Is it ego?

 

[westoverhillbilly]

I'll never forget Sullivan speaking to downtown Rotary Club in late August of '97 and saying that there's a new kid in our camp that you've never heard of but you all will before he leaves TCU- that he's something special and his name is LaDanian Tomlinson.. I remember him coming in on goal line situations those first two years and being used to high leap into the end zone- it never failed..

Basil Mitchell was a hoss too- I remember him taking a screen pass to the house in Norman in '96 when we won our first Big 12 game when we had just entered the WAC..

 

[froglash88]

Agree. But for those who choose not to read: Why do they think our day revolves around their informing us that they Did Not Read? Is it ego?

So the people who don't want to get sucked into accidentally clicking his crap are aware.

It is amazing the number of Muck apologists on this board. Good job helping him keep his job!!!

 

[Frog-in-law1995]

Agree. But for those who choose not to read: Why do they think our day revolves around their informing us that they Did Not Read? Is it ego?

Ha. Good question.

(And just FYI, my post was in response to (and quoted) a since-deleted over-the-top post calling out folks for criticizing Engel's work. It made more sense and seemed less of a non-sequitur when that post was quoted above mine)

 

[Horned Toad]

So the people who don't want to get sucked into accidentally clicking his crap are aware.

It is amazing the number of Muck apologists on this board. Good job helping him keep his job!!!

I don't think anyone is apologizing for him, he publishes some crap at times, but at other times his articles can be good. This is one of them. I'll give him credit and blame where it's due.

 

[froglash88]

Some of us would rather not sift through the Muck. I've accidentally clicked a few times and wish I hadn't.

 

[toadallytexan]

Former band members stepping up to fill in when/where needed on little to no notice AND suddenly cancel holiday plans to travel to El Paso in '98. Glad to know this story tho few probably knew it back then or now. I graduated Dec '81 but was still in local area Fall '82 when their #2 bass drummer (who at the time was a drafted bass clarinet player dragooned into percussion since we don't match bass clarinets & we're short on drummers and he's on scholarship so suck it up....) came down with Mono & couldn't perform last 2 games, 1 home & final at college station. They called me & I found a way to attend practice twice a week & perform. Bonus: had a ShowGirl fall asleep on me on long bus ride back from CS. Niiice.

Funny, I have always the exact same effect on women.

 

[YA]

I never get tired of watching the Sun Bowl game.

We were told how Claiborne was Superman, the fastest, strongest human alive and he would single-handedly demolish us, flying sideline to sideline, in our backfield sacking and pillaging

Our defense was awesome that day as well. Bent a little, but didn't break and made the key plays when it really counted

What a day.

I love the history of Carson Palmer being abused by the TCU defense in the sun bowl and then years later Andy Dalton took his job in Cincy. I bet he dislikes TCU to this day.

 

[SnoSki]

Notice USC assistant coach Ken Orgeron trying to fix the defense on the sideline after Basil's long run in that clip, 2:00 mark. TCU's burned him for almost two decades.

Related to Ed?

 

[PurplFrawg]

Terry Donohue, former UCLA coach was the color guy. I always wondered if he enjoyed watching his old nemesis USC getting their ass whipped, or if his loyalty to the PAC 12 was the #1 emotion.