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March 2010
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Texas lost pair of sports icons in '08
Written by JEFF CARLTON   
Saturday, 27 December 2008
It was a year of bittersweet passings in Texas sports.
The state lost two icons when trailblazing UTEP basketball coach Don Haskins and TCU gridiron great Sammy Baugh died. But their deaths, at the least, permitted us a pause to celebrate their accomplishments.
Baugh was a Texan through and through — born in Temple, attended TCU and bought a ranch in West Texas that he returned to just as soon as he could.
But his retirement to ranching came only after establishing himself as one of the best pro football players in the game’s history.
Haskins was so much a Texan that he’s forgiven for being born in Oklahoma. He was an old-school coach whose team toiled in anonymity until 1966, when Haskins started five black players and won the NCAA title.
That was a first and it was a game-changer, creating previously denied opportunities for African-American players everywhere.
Here’s a look at Slingin’ Sammy, “The Bear” and some of the other top sports stories in Texas in 2008:
DON HASKINS: The Bear has always insisted he wasn’t trying to make a social statement; he was simply starting his best players — and they happened to be black. But when Haskins and Texas Western (now UTEP) won the 1966 NCAA championship with an all-black starting five, doors that had always been closed to black athletes began opening. Haskins died in September at age 78 in his beloved El Paso.
SAMMY BAUGH: Slingin’ Sammy Baugh was a cowboy and a quarterback, probably in that order. Perhaps the best all-around player in pro football history, Baugh once led the league in passing, punting and defensive interceptions in the same season.
After winning a national title at TCU and two pro championships with the Washington Redskins, Baugh retired to his West Texas ranch. He died in December in Rotan at the age of 94.
BOB KNIGHT: The Indi-ana and then Texas Tech coach did everything loud in his memorable career. He coached loud, argued loud, berated loud, lived loud. But he retired quietly, on a weekday in the middle of the season with almost no notice. He won three national titles and more games than any other Division I men’s coach. He’ll be remembered as a flawed genius.
NASTIA LIUKIN: It took an amazing effort to steal some of the spotlight from Olympic star Michael Phelps, but Liukin did it. The North Texas gymnast won the coveted all-around gold, helped the U.S. team win silver and picked up three more medals. She was graceful, elegant and — apparently unlike some of her Chinese rivals — of age.
BIG 12 FOOTBALL: It was a season to remember in the Big 12, and not without considerable controversy. Texas beat Oklahoma, Texas Tech knocked off Texas and Oklaho-ma shellacked Texas Tech. Each team finished with a single loss. How’d it shake out? With Oklahoma playing for a national title, Longhorn fans outraged and the Red Raiders demoted to the Cotton Bowl.
JOSH HAMILTON: It was a breakthrough season for Hamilton, who returned to a sober life of crushing baseballs after years of addiction to drugs and alcohol that included eight stints in rehab. The crowning moment came on national TV during the All-Star Home Run Derby. With the Yankee Stadium crowd chanting his name, Hamilton hit a record 28 homers in the first round, including 13 in a row and three that traveled at least 500 feet. “I got chills,” he said.
HIGH SCHOOL STER-OIDS: It was the nation’s lar-gest steroids testing program, and it was supposed to root out the cheats among Texas high school athletes. The good news: After testing more than 10,000 students, the program rooted out just two steroids users. The bad news: The testing cost $6 million — or about $3 million per cheater.
ROGER CLEMENS-STE-ROIDS: The pitcher’s trainer outed Clemens to baseball investigators last year as a steroid cheat. Trainer Brian McNamee even claims he has proof because he saved gauze, tissue and needles — which everyone can agree is just gross. The story got some, ahem, juice in 2008 because of ongoing developments in Clemens’ defamation lawsuit against McNamee. Stay tuned.
PACMAN JONES: Call it the saga of the would-be Cow-boys cornerback. He’s traded to Dallas but still suspended. He’s reinstated. He fights with his bodyguard. Oops, suspended again. Then reinstated. Then injured, maybe for the season. No wait, he’s back! That’s perhaps too much drama for a player with zero interceptions and a 4.8 punt return average.
TRACK STAR: Bon-nie Richard-son was the only athlete from Class 1A Rochelle to qualify for the state track and field meet. So she won the team title by herself. She won the high jump and the 200, took second in the long jump and the 100 and finished third in the discus. Richardson earned 42 team points for Ro-chelle, enough to edge team runner-up Chilton’s 36 points. The UIL says it’s the first time they can remember a single athlete winning a girl’s team title.
JASON KIDD TRADE: Kidd’s return to Dallas was supposed to energize the Mav-ericks. Instead, Kidd was outplayed in the playoffs by the new best point guard in the league, New Orleans’ Chris Paul. Kidd is still one of the top floor leaders in the world, but his best days appear behind him.
JUNE COMETH: The ubi-quitous billboards in the Dallas area heralded the arrival of new SMU football coach June Jones, fresh off a historic turnaround at Hawaii. The truth, however, was that June Loseth — a lot, as it turned out. The Mustangs went 1-11, no better than the previous season.
Last Updated ( Monday, 29 December 2008 )
 
 
 

Good Luck Mustang Baseball!!! Hope you have a
great season. We are proud of you all everytime you take the
field. Cotton,Benita & Ty Crain - Benita Crain
 
 A-U-S-T-I-N what does that spell Austin! Go Austin. - Nate Gamez and Trista Gonzales
 
Hey there hornets! Just a little something to let you all
know how very proud we are of you. You have never last hope or faith in your
abilities. No matter how this saturday goes, you are all winners both on and off the
field. We will be there rooting our hearts out loud and proud! All the way Big
Blue!!! - Ronnie, Brandy & Brentyn Covington
 
GO HORENTS!!!! WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU GUYS! - Kevin & Melissa Gillespie
 
Congratulations for an incredible season...I know some
Martin's and Pickett's who are "busting buttons" and glowing with pride...you're the
best!!! - Georgan Hausenfluke
 
C'mon Hornets.  Sting those Coyotes and send them home
howling in pain.  We know you can do it.  We are proud of you.  Keep up the good
work.  You are all winners!! - The Allreds
 
LUV YA BLUE!! Win or Lose, you boys have made our community
VERY PROUD!! Your sportmanship has been awesome this year!  What a wonderful group
of Christian Athletes we have.... SO PROUD!! What an honor it's been to shoot the
games right beside you this year!! ALL THE WAY!! GO GET THAT TITLE BOYS!!! Luv YA!
- Mitzie Johns
 
Congratulations Hornets!  We're proud of you and support you
all the way!  Good Luck! - Jarod & Abigail Bowen
 
Go Hornets!  We are so proud of you!! - The Taylor family
 
Just wanted to say how proud I was of the Highland Hornets
and their fantastic season. The team continues to surprise me with each game. Not
only have I been impressed with their athletic talent and the way they give their
all to the last second, I have been impressed with how they conduct themselves on
and off the field. Go gettem Saturday, Big Blue! - Kimberly Gray 
 
 Sweetwater Athletes, It is great to see the
number of athletes competing at the high school level, both boys and girls. Always
strive to be the best not only in Sweetwater but whereever you go.  A good attitude,
good work ethics, the desire to compete are three vital aspects of competing as an
athlete.  You can build strength, speed and quickness but you cannot build desire,
that comes from within.  Seniors good luck in  your ventures, underclass men/women,
work hard and prepare for the upcoming season.  GO MUSTANGS!!!!  - Coach G Palafox

 

Stang fans, keep the faith in your team and your head coach.
Slaughter and his staff will improve these kids abilities and have them ready for
district and the playoff. Go Stangs    Thanks, Downtown or as Stormy Allen would
refer to me as Browny - Eddie Brown
 
MUSTANGS!True Mustang Fans believe and support
you, no matter if you have a win or a lose.Believe in yourselves and
mostly in your team.You make us proud, by just taking the
field. - Benita Crain
 
 Mustang Pride! Every Friday Night!! Mustangs Win!!!
Fight Fight Fight!!!! - Ofelia Guzman
 
Go Mustangs! Win or lose, Sweetwater supports you
and is very proud of all of you. Hang in there! - Rachel Rivera
 
Mustangs though I am far away I still think about you Every
Friday Night!  I will always be a Mustang Fan!  Stay Proud and Fight Hard! Get out
there and HIT SOMEBODY! - Ajuan Fritz
 
 

 

 



 


 

 

 

 


 

 
 

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