AUSTIN (TX) -- “From the Swamp” is coming to you from Austin, TX where I am doing my small part to maintain the weirdness quotient. Haven’t been here in 6 years and they are throwing up buildings like they are afraid US Steel is gonna run out of girders. And they call that progress.
Anyway, as soon as I pulled into town I hit the first BBQ joint I encountered which just happened to be Stubb’s BBQ downtown. Good brisket, great sauce, but the Diet Coke tasted like Clorox. Took care of business at the trade show I am attending and then headed to Torchy’s Tacos for some Mex. I had read about Torchy’s which is a permanently parked food truck in a collection of about a dozen or so. I felt sorry for the other guys because Torchy’s had a consistently long line while the remaining trucks only attracted the occasional visitor. Austin sure loves them some food trucks and I can see why Torchy’s tops the list—the Baja Shrimp taco was amazing as was the Grilled Chicken Fajita taco.
Worked the trade show today and then me and my coworker hit the highway for Lockhart, TX home of 3 outstanding BBQ joints—Black’s, Smitty’s and Kreuz Market. We chose Kreuz Market and ordered a mess of brisket, ribs and sausage and couldn’t finish it all. The first rule in BBQ is come for lunch because by dinner time, the brisket has been drying out all day and that was the case with some of ours. The sausage was otherworldly and the ribs were suitably righteous, but there was no sauce in sight which I guess is considered a sacrilege with true Texas BBQ. We drove down to Lockhart on Route 130, which features an 85 MPH speed limit and thankfully the rental car had an EZ Pass, so we didn’t have to stop and pay tolls, which Texas is famous for almost as much as for BBQ.
That’s what I’ve been up to…speaking of sausage, how about a few links?
-- ICYMI, here are
“The Top Ten Plays” from UD’s 2014-15 season:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDTh...ature=youtu.be
-- You might want to re-familiarize yourself with Josh Cunningham, Kyle Davis’ Morgan Park HS and AAU teammate and current Bradley transfer candidate:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtXywffuL5o
-- Former Flyer Jim Wannemacher has died:
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/...s-at-70/nk8r4/
--
NBC Sports lowlights eight college basketball programs on the decline:
http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcspor...n-the-decline/
--
TSN Mike tackles the graduate transfer rule:
http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-bas...-i-rumors-ncaa
-- It appears that Men’s College Hoops is headed for a 30 second shot clock:
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...ittee-chairman
-- Michigan’s Austin Hatch will transition from player to Undergrad Hoops Assistant Coach:
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebask...oops-assistant
-- Larry Bird…
baseball player?
http://www.indystar.com/story/sports...rage/26884387/
-- Speaking of baseball, here is a long-form profile on the difficult life of Claudia Williams, the daughter of the greatest hitter who ever lived:
http://espn.go.com/espn/feature/stor...audia-williams
-- It ain’t as easy as it sounds, so here is a guide on how to work from home:
http://adequateman.deadspin.com/how-...ome-1699497243
-- How about a website devoted to “Bill Murray Stories?” As the title proclaims, “No one will ever believe you”:
http://www.billmurraystory.com/
That’s it “From the Swamp.”
You can email me at:
swampy@udpride.com