Rice Game Highlights

http://videos.utexasclan.com/view.php?id=7268

Given my newfound, work-in progress commitment to this place:

I was not able to watch the game live in-person or live on tv, yes I know I'm a bad fan. But after watching the game on dvr today, I feel a little better after initially hearing the final score was Texas 34, Rice 17. I understand what the coaches did yesterday and am holding back any criticism towards them at this point. However, I sincerely hope that the coaches analyze this game with realistic minds and have a serious discussion about the future of the offense.

Unlike a lot of the articles I read today, I'm not ready to abandon ship and hit the panic button on this team, ala 2007 post-mortem Arkansas State. I saw some very encouraging things this weekend; Garrett Gilbert's comfort in the pocket and excellent decision making, a fast and active front seven, a potentially explosive special teams unit (if we can settle on a punt returner who can catch), and a receiving corps that actually paid attention to Shipley the last 5 years and caught every pass with their hands. If a few things would of gone different the score could of easily been 48-6 and the masses wouldn't be flooding the blogospheres with panic.

However, my optimism for this season did take a hit after yesterday's game. If I were a betting man, I would be hedging my bets against any championship-type payouts for this season. Unless the coaches used this game as a glorified tryout to see if the offense can handle a pro-style attack, I have serious concerns about our ability to control the game by running the ball at will. The same issues that costs us from taking a 14-0 lead on Alabama in the BCS Championship are going to cost us at least 2 losses this year -- inability to execute when teams know what's coming. All championship teams have one thing in common; an unmistakable identity. Texas has one more week to figure out what kind of team it is going to be in 2010, because the "Vince Young on 2" days of play-calling are long gone.

Introduction: What is a Developer?

I'm back! I figured my "sabbatical" from the blogospheres had lasted long enough and I should sit down and write a new post. In my preparation leading up to this post, I decided I should use this page to share a little bit about the direction of my new career path. A lot of people have asked me questions recently about the program I'm in and more importantly, what will I do after I finish. Over the next two years, I will update this site with content that will (hopefully) provide insight into what a developer is and does. As for the latter question, only God knows that answer.

So what is a Developer and what does he/she do? The quick, textbook answer is: a person who coordinates the activities related to a development project and converts the ideas on paper into reality. However, it's what happens in between the vision and the final reality where I hope to enlighten you all (or should I say y'a'll).

For the most part, Developers create, imagine, fund, control and orchestrate the process of development from beginning to end. They take the greatest risks in creation or renovation of real estate, but also have the potential to receive the greatest rewards, if the project is successful of course. Real estate development is a long, and often strenuous process that takes a clear vision and strong leadership. Developers must be able to communicate clearly and effectively and have the ability to work with a wide variety of people because they are ultimately responsible for every omission and mistake.

In a typical development, there are often 8 stages that a Developer will go through:

1) Inception of an idea.

2) Refinement of an idea and site selection.

3) Feasibility (due diligence) and market analysis.

4) Contract negotiation and design.

5) Formal commitment including loan commitment.

6) Construction.

7) Completion and formal opening (marketing) and

8) Property management.

Throughout the next two years, I will be learning the steps to these processes and be given the opportunity to learn first hand how each of these work and how they are all interconnected. The one thing that I have learned so far is that real estate development is an organic process that takes time, but most importantly capital ($$$).

I'm very excited about the opportunity at hand and the possibilities that might stem from this.

Stay tuned!

New Southwest Conference?

The Oil Spill in Perspective

You can go to http://www.ifitwasmyhome.com/ to place the oil spill where you live so you can put it into perspective.

Fun Fact: Team USA Playing for more than Pride

According the the Wall Street Journal, the U.S. World Cup players are fighting for more than national pride this June — a clause inserted into U.S. Soccer's collective-bargaining agreement provides bonuses for each player. SportingIntelligence put the bonuses at at least $78,000 each even if the team doesn't get any first round points, and up to $895,000 apiece for winning the tournament. Let's hope that these new financial incentives will motivate team U.S.A to perform better than their 1 point disaster four years ago in Germany.

Drayton, are you hiring?

The Astros are terrible. That’s the uncompromising, unconquerable truth. It will take a Lazarus-type miracle for them to be in the pennant race by the time September rolls around. For reference: not only do the Astros have the honor of holding the worst record in the National League, but they also rank dead last in 8 key offensive categories (team batting average, OBP, walks, HR’s, Hits, XBH’s, Runs and AB’s). (Stats)

Somewhere inside Minute Maid Park, the whispers of the most successful owner in franchise history can be heard growing louder and louder. It is no secret that the Astros have made a laundry list of mistakes the past few years. Bad draft picks. Not signing draft picks. Stupid free-agent signings. Stupid trades. Unnecessary firings. Stupid hires. On the other hand, while the decisions made the past few years have led to the current downfall, the people currently inside the organization aren’t stupid. They know why the franchise went south, and they (hopefully) understand it won’t be fixed overnight. Have you checked the stats at Round Rock? Help isn’t on the way this year!

However, while the new management continues to search and groom for younger, promising talent, I offer up a suggestion to keep the fans interested THIS year. It is obvious that our fans want to see changes, so I would give them a change. I would implement a new policy centered on the team’s performance each night to try and build excitement inside Minute Maid, which would hopefully impede any mass exodus from the ballpark this summer.

My straightforward suggestion is to implement a ticket insurance policy for the rest of the season. Someone smarter than me can come up with the finer details, but for now we’ll say 10% of the original ticket price, and offer that as a hedge against an Astros loss. If you buy the insurance policy and the Astros lose, you get a voucher to attend another game at Minute Maid. This is a win-win scenario for Drayton and fans. With the way the Astros are playing right now, fans have the opportunity to purchase tickets for a game and more than likely will receive a 2^nd game for a minimal cost. On the other hand, if the Astros do win, Drayton rings the register on his insurance policies.

Now what if the Astros lose? And the Astros are losing on a regular basis right now. Won’t that end up being a financial burden on the club? Not necessarily. Like I said, I haven’t ironed out all of the details yet, but if the Astros lose and you buy the insurance policy, you will receive a voucher for another game you chose. At the very least, Drayton will be attracting the casual fans back into the stadium to sample another game. And we all know that once you’re inside the stadium Uncle Drayton can scrounge money off of anyone from the concession lines and souvenir shops. I would also propose that the vouchers be picked up from one of the participating sponsors locations throughout Houston. Having the fans pick up the vouchers at the local business might keep your sponsors from trying to renegotiate or pull the plug altogether.

With the current state of the economy and the dismal performance of the team on the field, I’m sure Drayton is looking for anything to heal the wounds. I’ve presented my idea and am willing to talk details if the phone rings!

Welcome Aboard

Chris Slovacek

Good morning ladies and gentleman. With me and my more than 80,000 disgruntled United employees, we would like to take the time to thank you for flying our depreciating airline. We want you to know that we take our job very seriously and that our labor unions will threaten a strike every quarter the company profits at least $1 Million. While Continental added clean, comfortable and efficient 737s and 757-300s with LiveTv, power connections and internet, chances are that you will now be flying a United Airbus 320 without any of these luxuries. Continental also brought over GE90 powered 777s equipped with a state of the art AVOD (audio video on demand) to the new combined airline, while United added the less efficient Pratt and Whitney powered 777s with a less desirable in-flight product. On the other hand, as part of the new United you will now have the pleasure of flying on one of United's dilapidated 747s on select transpacific flights that range up to 15 hours with no in-flight entertainment whatsoever.

Another part of our restructuring process includes the relocation of our headquarters from Houston to Chicago, which is a more expensive and less business friendly place to conduct business. We know deep down in our hearts that Houston would have been a far cheaper option for the combined airline, but we couldn't let a bunch of cowboys run the world's largest and most comprehensive airline. Plus we owe it to American people to help try and stimulate Obama's hometown economy. So I invite all of you to sit back, relax and enjoy the flight. Welcome Aboard.

Jeff Smisek