The right stuff to know for Lubbock
February 1 is on a lot of Texas Tech sports fans’ calendars. It’s the day fans can scream at Chris Beard for leaving Lubbock last spring to lead the Texas Longhorns men’s basketball program. The game’s sold out. People will boo, yell insults and hold up signs to protest Beard bailing on Texas Tech, Lubbock, … Continued
A bunch of random thoughts the day after: The magic returned to Jones AT&T Stadium. Those bad calls. Why it must really suck to be a Longhorn. Why you’ll die if you keep holding your breath waiting for the resurrection of the Pirate on the South Plains. What does elite mean? ‘We’ve got to throw … Continued
Picture above: Brad Ralston stands on what will be the 10th tee box at Red Feather. Judge Smails and Brad Ralston would not be golfing pals. Smails – from the movie “Caddyshack” – represented the stuffy, formal, rules-laden country club chief who’d melt on the spot if he saw Ralston’s vision for a chunk of … Continued
Weeks have passed since that school in Austin and the one whose football coach is from Muleshoe told the Big 12 Conference they were going to play ball southeast of these parts. Fans of Texas Tech fans and the other Big 12 schools were upset Texas and Oklahoma did this in secrecy. There were also … Continued
In early 2007, then-new Texas Tech Chancellor Kent Hance visited the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal editorial board. I’d been editor a little more than six months. But I’d heard about the Permanent University Fund – the PUF – and asked Hance why it only benefitted the University of Texas and Texas A&M. Could that be changed? “Terry, … Continued
Heard about Southwest Airlines’ massive computer outage grounding flights across the country a few weeks ago? Here’s what it was like in the eye of that storm. I was home packing for a flight to Burbank, California, when a text popped on my phone from Southwest Airlines: “SWA Flight 2294 from LAS is cancelled,” telling … Continued
As I sit here Monday morning, it’s 2 degrees outside … wondering if it’ll get colder inside if we get hit with the rolling blackouts going across Texas because of the record cold weather affecting the state’s power grid. After that, I’m waiting for the locust and plague. Wait … we’ve been dealing with our … Continued
I walked into the Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences for the first time on Saturday night, January 23. After having my temperature taken. Since plans were announced for the now fully sprouted “Holly Hall,” I’ve been excited about going to an event. Odds were it would be a Lubbock Symphony Orchestra concert … Continued
One COVID-vaccine shot down, one to go and I know it’ll be next month. At a time where it seems almost everyone is ticked off about something in government, the City of Lubbock is doing a great job distributing the vaccine. So if you’re eligible now or when you are, get yours and do your … Continued
I’m always impressed with America’s presidential transfer of power, whether I agree or disagree with election results, The outgoing president is part of the inauguration process. Over the years, it told me we’re different than countries where bloody, violent coups take place or the power structure never lets go. Think Russia’s Vladimir “Oppose me and … Continued
Remember when coronavirus cases reached a few dozen a day in the spring? Then it dropped back down and at that point, almost all the Lubbock deaths were confined to nursing homes. We heard it could get worse, but hoping the worst was behind us. Those were the good old days … not to say … Continued
The Republican Party … at least nationally … has come to a fork in the road and it’s time to take the path away from Donald Trump. Assuming Joe Biden wins the presidency after all legal appeals and investigations have run their course, how long does the GOP enable Donald Trump’s childish rants and lies … Continued
I’m getting offended by constant posts on Facebook, emails and texts reminding me I still have time to vote. I voted days ago. Just like I’ve done in every election since turning 18 so long ago that classic rock was yet to be called classic. Democrats are urging people to do their duty and vote … Continued
The late Jack Anderson is considered one of the fathers of modern investigative journalism. He wrote a very popular column for years. I noticed after awhile, it seemed he was sometimes reaching. He’d built this reputation and some of his columns started to feel like he was pushing beyond fairness to keep his reputation. I’m … Continued
Cameron West had this idea in one of the notebooks he keeps — bringing back the West Texas Diner and honoring his famous grandpa. When Dirk’s opens soon on 13th Street, just east of Q Avenue … he’ll bring both together. “The old diners seem to be dying out, so I figured it was time … Continued
Sometimes I don’t get it. Why would anybody watch the ’90s TV show “The Nanny” with Fran Drescher and that voice? She may be a marvelous person … could not handle that voice. Refuse to watch slasher-type horror movies and believe these pieces of cinematic garbage have contributed to a cheapening of life. Flummoxed why … Continued