Meat pie mania

First, apologies for a quiet blog over the weekend. Technology got the best of us, but like the Demon football team, it's a whole new ballgame this week and we are rarin' to go!

A few quick notes from the weekend trip:

There's a meat pie mania sweeping Lubbock, thanks to a radio interview coach Scott Stoker did Thursday morning with a Lubbock radio station. Stoker -- whose interview got rave reviews from the hosts, who said they wished Big XII coaches were as easy to talk with and as insightful -- was asked at the end of the interview about meat pies, and his description got a big reaction.

Listeners called the show hosts wanting more info, and my counterpart at Texas Tech, Chris Cook, had me bring over some meat pies. Of course, I bought Natchitoches Meat Pies, made by the company operated by NSU Athletic Association president Donald Horton and his wife, Pat ....

...Texas Tech fans also enjoyed listening to the Demon Sports Network online webcast of the game, according to a fan message board. There was a long string of comments, nearly all complimenting our broadcast crew for its professionalism, lack of bias and description of the game. It's one thing for an opponent's broadcast crew to get good reviews from the other side; it's remarkable considering the blowout nature of that game, which is a tough call for any broadcaster to keep things lively and yet relevant. Well done, Patrick, E.P., and Britt! ....

...The Demon Sports Network team was one short this weekend but with the best possible excuse. Davey Antilley, whose volunteer role as engineer and stat man is vital each week, got married Saturday to the charming Janna Kay Batson. Davey said that if she had wanted to get married in Kisatchie Forest at midnight Monday, he would have done it, but a Sept. 29 wedding worked best for everybody (except Patrick and E.P., who had to set up in his absence). Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. Antilley, who are returning from their honeymoon in time for Davey to head to the Nicholls game on Saturday! ....

...Former Demon SID Tom Wancho and his wife Tracy were at the TTU game. Tracy is a Tech grad and was there for the alumni band performance (she was a twirler back in the day). Tom, who was at NSU from 1983-89, is doing great. They live in Austin. Tom had a kidney transplant three years ago and is leading as normal a life as a zany Tom Wancho could. No doubt he and NSU AD (and former intern colleagues) Greg Burke are pumped about the Cleveland Browns victory yesterday.

The Wanchos arrived in Lubbock Thursday afternoon. Tom heard the local radio sports talk show hosts raving about Coach Stoker's interview and how impressive he was, and said it really reflected well on NSU....

...Great also to see former Demon offensive lineman Brian Whaley, who lives in West Texas. He joined Greg Burke in the swanky visiting athletic director's box, along with www.goDemons.com daddy Don Harrison, the Montgomery native who is a great supporter of Northwestern....

...Fun visiting with Ben Barkley, who is the only Texas newspaper man who has action pictures of Sam Goodwin and Scott Stoker on his office wall. Ben was editor of the Leesville Daily Leader for several years and is now publisher of the Sweetwater Reporter, two hours south of Lubbock. Ben and his sports editor and another friend made the trip and will return when the Demons do on Dec. 29 for basketball....

...The Texas Tech sports information staff hosted the NSU media crew Friday night at The 50 Yard Line steakhouse. The hospitality was superior and if you are ever in Lubbock, The 50 Yard Line is No. 1 on your list of fine and fun dining, in my book....

...If you're wondering, the Demon team buses arrived home at 8:30 Sunday morning....

...Follow from the previous road trip: the Demons practiced on Friday before the Northeastern game at Harvard Stadium, the oldest college football stadium in the country. There were jokes about coach Stoker getting into Harvard, and coach Johnny Nagle having played in the stadium dedication game. BTW, NSU started the 2006 season at Memorial Stadium on the Kansas campus. That's the oldest stadium west of the Mississippi.

Doug Ireland, SID