Academic All-Stars Team Selected

Our selection committee has spoken, and we'll announce the 1st-Annual Central Texas Academic All-Stars Team on Tuesday, May 3rd.

Special thanks to Casey Hartmann for her commitment and passion for this program. She's handled a lot of the tedious work in preparing the nomination process, contacting counselors, and working with our selection committee on the criteria and process.

We'll announce the twenty (20) member team during You Make The Call on Tuesday.

This program honors the elite student-athletes in Central Texas, student-athletes involved in extra-curricular activities, heavily involved in on-campus and community events and charitable organizations.

We'll honor these student-athletes on Wednesday, May 25th at 7:00pm at the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.

If you're interested in becoming a sponsor, donor or want tickets to attend the banquet, email me at your convenience.

David Smoak
Program Director
ESPN-Central Texas

Happy Easter, Family Love, Our gifted son Craig...

My wife of 29-years, Cindy, and our son, Craig, just left to drive back to Tyler. Our daughter, Jennifer, just left for her drive back to Plano.

Cindy and Craig have Monday off and will chill out and get some rest, Jennifer has to work first thing on Monday morning, as do I.

The four of us just had a memorable Easter Weekend, and I can't count the tears when they had to leave.

I miss all of them so much and we're as tight as a family as we've ever been. Although a person may be fortunate to have an endless number of friends, it's family that is everything. My family has been incredibly loyal through thick and thin, and I want to share a poem our son wrote on my Easter card.

You've heard me mention how incredibly talented and gifted he is---and even more so, what a caring young man he has always been.

Dad,

Pain comes with love,

Love comes with pain,

Things happen in life that we never can change,

We're better in forgiveness than we are estranged,

But, always having you here makes me know things will be okay,

I love you as a fighter, a father, a friend,

I'll stand toe to toe with you and battle til the end,

Sometimes in life things just aren't fair,

But the love our family shares can never be compared,

What happens will happen and their will be deal after deal,

Just know I truly love you forever and for real.

Happy Easter Dad.

Craig

Well, that says it all. I'm a very lucky husband and father.

David Smoak
smoaky@1660espn.com

Rangers, Texas Open, Melissa Jones, Perry Jones III

Let's start with the Rangers, currently 9-3 after losing their last two in Detroit, both in the bottom of the ninth-inning. Still a nice start and you get everything you can because who knows when Josh Hamilton might be out again? Well, he is, injuring his shoulder sliding home on a tag on a foul pop. Hamilton threw 3B coach Dave Anderson under the bus, horrible timing and just not sure what he was thinking, but frustration from the injury influenced an otherwise a pretty smart kid.

I was watching the first-round highlights from the Valero Texas Open and noticed Kevin Na got an unthinkable "16" on the Par 4, 9th-Hole. I wondered how that was possible until two things, one---I watched the highlights and his meltdown, and then I recalled a round I played at the very same course last summer covering Cowboys Training Camp. I came away from that round thinking I'd just played the most difficult course I've ever been on.

Kim Mulkey announced on Thursday night senior Melissa Jones will have an award named after her and no one will ever again wear Jersey #5, nice touch.

And, speaking of nice touch, the Perry Jones III Retribution Tour began on Monday afternoon when the freshman from Duncanville announced he'll return for his sophomore season at Baylor. Everyone immediately starting thinking about his impact on the men's basketball team in 2011-2012, I immediately thought his decision was a big middle finger to the NCAA. That's "MY" opinion, not Perry's, at least I don't think :)

David Smoak

The Masters @ Augusta National

Just watched extended coverage of The Masters on ESPN. Alviro Quiros and Rory McIlroy are two young studs, and they grabbed the first-round lead with -7 65.

Phil Mickelson's short game was tremendous and he pulled out a -2 70, Tiger Woods shot -1, 71, still amazed he has "NEVER" broken 70 in an opening round at Augusta National.

I just love watching The Masters, and maybe, if the weather holds up, I'll finally get a chance to play a round on Saturday morning, get home, relax, sit back and watch the third-round on TV.


David Smoak