FREAKIN' UNBELIEVABLE

I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it with my own blue eyes.

I sat down tonight to watch my Red Raiders take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the Insight Bowl out in Mesa, Arizona.

The first half was all Minnesota. I thought here we go just like in the 1995 Cotton Bowl. I mean Minnesota has the same colors as USC. For those who don't remember, TTU got their assess handed to them back in 1995 by the USC Trojans. I thought here we go again. Minnesota lead the Red Raiders 35-7 at halftime. I had already started flipping channels between the game and the movie Superman.

Minnesota lead 38-14 at the end of the 3rd quarter. Then something changed with my Red Raiders. It was as if a light switch at been turned on. The Tech defense definitely stepped it up in the 4th quarter. Tech kept chipping away at the score. The next thing we know Tech is within 10 points with 7:49 left in the 4th. Then they were within 3 points with 2:39 in the 4th. The Tech defense once again stepped up and forced the Gophers to punt the football. With a couple of seconds left in the 4th quarter, Alex Trlica kicked a 52 yard field goal to tie the ball game and send it into overtime.

The Red Raiders won the toss and elected to play defense first. This would allow the Red Raiders to see what they needed to win the game. Defense again came up big and held Minnesota to a field goal. Now it was the Red Raiders turn. And as I said at the beginning I wouldn't have believed if I hadn't seen it...MY RED RAIDERS SCORED A TOUCHDOWN AND WON THE GAME 44-41!!!!

This was the biggest comeback in a bowl game in NCAA history (31 point deficit)!!!!

I am still in shock. My Red Raiders never gave up in this game. I have seen them give up in a game like this. But they played with everything they had tonight.

CONGRATULATIONS RED RAIDERS!!!!!!

Adoption

Trixie radioed...

I don't usually talk a lot about my personal life here in The Park. If I do talk about those in my personal life I try to protect those who are stars of my posts. My job is OFF LIMITS here in The Park even though I have several stories that I could share that would make you laugh so hard you would pee your pants. I have seen the ramifications of what a blog can do to somone you work with. The Park is mainly about my passion for NASCAR. I do apologize for the not-so-NASCAR entries of late, but my focus has shifted a little bit in the last month. I am going to be pouring the passion I have for NASCAR into another passion of mine--being a mother.

Postman and I have tried for the last few years to have children of our own with no luck. Without going into any kind of detail, all efforts have not worked or they have become too expensive for us. We have decided there are kids out there that need a family and well...we want to be their family. We have started the paperwork process. I am very excited about this process. We have decided to go through the state of Texas for adoption. So I am crossing my fingers that Postman and I will have our own little family this time next year.

I hope everyone had a great 2006 and here's wishing everyone a wonderful 2007.

President Gerald Ford

Trixie radioed...

In Memorium


President Gerald Ford
1913-2006

President Ford became president on August 9, 1974 after President Nixon resigns over the Watergate scandel. About a month later President Ford gives Nixon a full presidential pardon. I can't say much about President Ford because I was just a little thing back then. I know that he became president at a tumultous time in US History--talk about jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. He survived two assassianation attemps in 1975. He was president during the fall of Saigon. He lost the presidential 1976 presidential election to Democrat Jimmy Carter. After returning to private life, President Ford was presented with the highest civilian award, the Conressional Gold Medal in 1999 given to him by President Clinton. He also received the Profiles in Courage award from Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg for his decision to pardon President Nixon. His health had been declining over the past few years. My thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family.

Rest in Peace Mr. President.

Merry Christmas

Trixie radioed...

I hope everyone got what they wanted for Christmas. I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.

A Knight To Remember

Trixie radioed...
The buzz around town has been the focus of Coach Bobby Knight nearing Dean Smith's all time NCAA win record.

I was able to score some tickets for the next three home games in Raiderland. My Red Raiders play Bucknell on Saturday. With a victory on Saturday, Coach Knight will tie Dean Smith's record at 879 victories. This means if the Red Raiders can secure a victory over UNLV on December 28, Coach Knight will become the all-time leader for NCAA Division I wins. I am hoping he will take care of the record while at home. And I will get to be there for all the games.

I have been a Coach Knight fan as long as I can remember. I watched him from the time I knew what a basketball was. I would watch games with my father. There was a time I wanted to be a basketball coach and part of me wanted to be a great coach like Coach Knight. I do remember the "Chair Throwing Game". I remember watching Coach Knight's Hoosiers win the 1987 NCAA basketball championship over the Syracuse Orangmen with a last minute jump shot by Keith Smart. Then of course who could forget his firing from Indiana University.

Raiderland has welcomed Coach Knight with open arms. He has made some headlines during his tenure in Raiderland, but all in all he has been good for my Red Raiders.

Here are some stats on Coach Knight...

He was a member of the 1960 Ohio State NCAA Championship team which included John Havlicek and Jerry Lucas. He began his NCAA coaching career at Army in 1963. While there he coached a fella by the name of Mike Krzyzewski. He then headed off to Indiana University beginning in 1970. While at Indiana he won 3 NCAA titles, 11 Big Ten titles, and had a record 662-239. He came to Raiderland in 2001. While in Lubbock, he earned his 800th victory.

He coached the Pan American team to a gold medal in 1979 and won Olympic gold in 1984.

He is one of only two coaches who both played and coached a national championship--the other??? Dean Smith.

His Indiana Hoosiers went undefeated in 1976.

He was enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame on May 13, 1991.

Congratulations Coach Knight! I will be there watching you make history.

**just a note--I have switched The Park over to Beta on Blogger. If you want to comment and don't have a goggle account, you can log on and comment using Anonymous--sorry for the incovenience on this**

USPS

Trixie radioed...

I just want to say I understand how things can be delivered to your house later than you wanted or not at all. I know with the amount of volume things can be damaged or broken--BUT--you would think this would not happen to me. I mean after all Postman works for the company. But sadly this is not the case.

I ordered a candle to help Ms. H with a fundraiser for one of her kiddos. I paid for the candle and when she told me it was on its way I was excited. It arrived last Friday, but was unable to retrieve it from where it was being kept. After work yesterday I picked it up and was hoping to light it last night. As I began to "break" my way into the box, I heard something rattle. I thought how sweet of Ms. H to include other things in my box. To my horror...that rattle sound was nothing so special. It was my candle. That's right...my candle was in pieces, well...not the candle but the container that actually held the candle.

I looked at the box and it wasn't damaged--that's a always a good sign. It had fragile on the outside of the box. Now, is this the postal code for throw it around like a rag doll? I am still convinced that "Do Not Bend" is code for "Bend the crap out of the thing and shove into your mailbox". Luckily Ms. H had insurance on the package and something can be done. I can still use the candle, but that isn't the point. I would also like to point out that I am married to a fellow postal employee and know lots of fellow employees too. They are all wonderful people who do their jobs every day, but I'm just saying...FRAGILE means FRAGILE.

This was not the last of my dealings with the postal service yesterday. I know I should have sent the packages sooner, but when you have people in your life who have majority of what they want and usually buy it when they want Christmas shopping can be a chore. So a lot of times we wait until the last possible moment, but come on 30 minutes in line with only 2 windows open??? I think not. And I would have thought Postman (who was still in his work uniform) would have some kind of edge. NOPE...NADA! Oh well...I would still rather send things USPS. I mean after all they do help pay the bills.

Merry Christmas ya'll.

Phenomenon

Trixie radioed...

This really isn't NASCAR related, but as well know this phenomenon does occur within the sport. What am I talking about? Whiners.

For those of you who know me very well, you know that I can't stand whiney ass people. I am surrounded by these kinds of people on a regular basis. I don't know if I have a sensitive whiner radar, but DAMN enough already.

No one, well that I can remember, has EVER said life was fair. Things happen to good people. It's how you deal with the bad in your life that makes you the person that you are. I believe in taking responsibility for your actions. The decisions you make have consequences. Sometimes your decisions result in wonderful things happening in your life while others not so much. If you screwed up, don't blame others, accept the fact that YOU screwed up and deal with it. If people have gone out of their way to help you, don't criticize their efforts when it just doesn't go the way you want it to. It just makes you look like an ungrateful person. Plus the next time you want someone to help you out don't expect that extra effort because we all remember who you are. You need to understand that you can only control the things you can control. The things out of your control are just that...out of your control. And if you are the type that has a big pole up your butt, see a proctologist to have it removed. I hear polectomys are pretty cheap these days. Plus don't lie if you know you are wrong and to blame. The truth eventually will rear its ugly head and you will just look like a DUMBASS.

This is to all of YOU PEOPLE and you know who you are...SHUT THE F&$% UP and GROW A PAIR!

Thank you and have a joyous holiday season

New Beginnings

Trixie radioed...

Looks like a little baby Gordon is on the way folks. Jeff and Ingrid are expecting a little bundle of joy in early July. Congratulations to Jeff and Ingrid.

Also, I see that Ward Burton will be driving for Morgan-McClure in the #4. It will be nice to see Ward back on the NASCAR circuit.

I have seen the new paint schemes for the #9 and #19. I for one like to be alble to see where on the track my driver is. I really liked the black and red of the #19 last year. It made it easier to spot Elliott on the track compared to Kasey's car. Now Elliott's car will have the following paint scheme while Kasey will have the opposite scheme.

Who Knew..

Trixie radioed...

Who knew I still had more to do this weekend....a couple of weeks ago I decided to change a few things in The Park. Well, I finished things today. The layout is pretty much the same, but I changed the colors along with the picture in the header and footer.

The picture is a close up of cars that are sitting in my NASCAR room. Notice which car is in the foreground??? Behind is Elliott Sadler's #38 and then Mark Martin. I used Gimp to change the color photo to what you see in The Park. I think it is pretty cool. I am still trying to figure out how to make the title look differently, but I am tired. I still have a few little things to work out, but I am saving them for next weekend. I mean I do need to pace myself with all this activity.

I did watch a little football...WTF happened to Indianpolis???? I did watch the New Oilers (aka Houston Texans) vs the Old Oilers (aka Tennessee Titans) play today. It was a pretty good game--went into OT. Vince Young (former UT Longhorn) scored the winning touchdown for the Titans. I don't care too much for UT (well because I would have to turn in my alum card to the TTU Alum Association), but Vince Young has some skills.

That's all for now in The Park.

Snap, Crackle, Pop

Trixie radioed...

Jimmie Johnson, your current 2006 NASCAR champ, broke his wrist after falling out of a golf cart during a charity golf tournament in Lecanto, Florida. According to the article I read on SI.com, he will not be able to drive for at least four weeks. Lucky for Jimmie it is his non-shifting hand. I guess if you are going to break something do it during the off season. In the words of Homer Simpson...DOH!




(photo credit: Toddy Warsaw/Getty Images)

Productivity

Trixie radioed...

It's week three without NASCAR.

I never realized how productive I could be without NASCAR. I woke up early this morning and began cleaning. I cleaned out the frigerator (needed to make room for some things), organzied cabinets and did a load of dishes. Side story--a glass fell onto the floor and broke into many pieces several weeks ago. I thought I got all the glass, but apparently there was a rebel shard of glass just waiting...waiting for the day to land in the middle of my foot. Damn...it hurt!!!

Next up on my road to productivity was making Oreo balls. I snagged the receipe from over at Education in Texas. The mixture is now chilling in the newly cleaned fridge. I will finish them up tomorrow. Can I just say...when making this yummy dessert, make sure you have a really BIG bowl. I mean when you try to mix 3 bags of Oreos and 4 boxes of cream cheese, it can get somewhat a little messy.

I then made my peppermint bark. I made this last year and it was a bit hit. Very yummy stuff. While waiting for the peppermint candy to harden, I headed to my next batch of candy...buckeyes. They sort of taste like Reese's Cups, but only...well...better. You make peanut butter balls and dip them in chocolate leaving on the top showing. They look like buckeyes. But you can eat these and you won't die. The real buckeye is poisonous.

And finally...I made sugar cookies using my gingerbread man cookie cutter. I thought they looked a little bare so I decided to decorate them with icing. I have never claimed to be the best cookie decorator, but they weren't half bad.

I then took a look at my kitchen...ugh...I wanted to scream! Pots, pans, dishes, and utensils everywhere. So I dove in and cleaned the kitchen AGAIN.

I haven't been that productive this week. I do know the game of musical crew chiefs is still in full force. Matt Borland will leave Penske and head on over to Michael Waltrip Racing to be crew chief for Dale Jarrett. And not to be outdone, Doug Richert will join Red Bull Racing as Brian Vicker's new crew chief. Best wishes to Greg Biffle who sustained a dislocated shoulder during a testing session at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Kudos to Kyle Busch for helping out Biffle.

Well...what will happen next weekend? How much more productive will I be? Only time will tell...perhaps I will take on that bedroom closet that that needs organizing.

2006 Banquet

Trixie radioed...

Another weekend without NASCAR and yes I survived. The BCS bowl games have been decided. Ohio State will play Florida in the championship game. GO BUCKS! My Red Raiders will be heading to Tempe, AZ to play Minnesota in the Insight Bowl. The Cowboys pulled one from the crevices of their butts. And gutsy move (in my opinion) on Jeff Fisher to kick the field goal insted of punting in the final seconds against Indianpolis. Tennessee won. Guess Sunday wasn't too kind to the Manning boys.

I didn't go the WHOLE weekend without NASCAR. I did tune in to the banquet that was televised on TNT Friday night. Sometimes you have to get your fix from whereever you can. Overall I would just like to say, a baseball bat to my head would have been less painful. I really don't like Jay Mohr. He was trying to force his jokes and I found several of them, well, just stupid and offensive. He did have a couple dingers, but as Postman says, a blind squirrel will find a nut every once in awhile. I switched channels and watched Nick at Night after Kevin Harvick's speech.

For the most part speeches were the same old same old. I did think it was funny when Kyle called his girlfriend by his brother's wife name. And how the other drivers made fun of it throughout the night. He will probably not live that down for awhile. Kasey looked scared to death. You could tell he was using the teleprompter and his cheeks were so red. I bet he was scared those crazy Kahne ladies were going to come up on stage or something. Note to Kasey...it's ok and you better get used to it because you will be making a return trip to the stage.

I did TIVO the thing just in case I need to overcome a severe case of insomnia.

I am in the processing of checking out Sirius radio. How can I not be a subscriber? I mean my boy Tony has his own show.

That's all from The Park.