The Demon basketball team arrived in Lubbock and immediately visited the beautiful 15,000-seat United Spirit Center to get the feel of the digs for Saturday afternoon's contest against Texas Tech.
The Demons worked out for two hours Friday morning in a gym on the Texas-Arlington campus before hitting the highway west to Lubbock. After a ride more than five hours, it was time to stretch the legs and get in some shots, but not spend too much energy 18 hours before tip.
That was left to others.
Coach Mike McConathy took the players back to the locker room for a little motivational message after about 20 minutes of shooting. It was a players and head coach only session, by design. Not that Coach Mike wanted to keep the rest of the staff outside, he just wanted to focus the team on the message he had.
Meanwhile, back on the court, a classic 3-on-3 matchup unfolded.
It was a runaway win for the "Six Million Dollar Boys" over the "Sless is Moore" threesome.
The family trio of assistant coach Bob Austin, his father Lou and Bob's younger brother Matt used superior everything to smack assistant coaches Mark Slessinger, Jeff Moore and student manager Rickey Doyle.
It was hardly full tilt basketball. It was pickup ball at its ... OK, it was a typical street clothes pickup game. And it was a blast to watch. Among the audience, Mrs. Lou (Joanne) Austin, who heckled her husband throughout.
I dubbed Team Austin as "The Six Million Dollar Boys" in tribute to their prowess and one of the best TV shows of my youth, showcasing Steve Austin, the "Six Million Dollar Man." No relation to these Colorado-based Austins, BTW. But let it be said that once Lou loosened up, he fit right in with his two sons.
"Sless is Moore," just a play on words leaving out Rickey, which is what happened on a lot of offensive possessions anyway. The rust on Slessinger and Moore was a pivotal factor. But the fun they had left us all chuckling, and it captivated the team as they returned to the court to pack up to check in at our hotel.
Hey, at least they were out there playing. Seeing as my knees have reduced my mobility to that of one of those stately oaks near the three columns on campus, I am a non-combatant in these sort of things.
On the other hand, Demon play by play man Patrick Netherton was meeting us at the hotel after traveling to West Texas with his dad, who has a hunting lease nearby. The 6-foot-4, Charles Barkley-esque (in terms of his build, not his game) Netherton was extremely disappointed he missed a chance to pound the paint, and doubtless will encourage another throwdown Sunday in Stillwater.
Life on the road ...
Doug Ireland, SID
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