Lynn Howden, Ben Crenshaw, One Heart Beat, Vera Ilyina, Laura Wilkinson,

The Eyes of Texas are Upon You Deep in the Heart of Texas.

Longhorn Basketball player Lynn Howden has passed away. Lynn was a three-year letterman for the Longhorns from 1969-1972. He still holds the school’s single-game record of 24 rebounds that he set as a junior against Florida State on Dec. 1, 1970. Texas greats Larry Robinson and Kevin Durant each had a game with 23 rebounds to rank second behind him. Horns UP!

Lynn’s celebration of life is at https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/lynn-howden

Lynn Howden

Tim Taylor shares his article about the Texas- O.U. game at https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/tim-taylor-football-gameday-analysis and reflects on the pending Baylor game.

Here is a snippet of his analysis of the O.U. game.

A brutal loss in a game that Texas sure needed to win, and which Texas was sure capable of winning. Just another mile marker on the Highway of Mediocrity on which the Longhorn football team seems to be mired. A surreal day at Fair Park. The shuttered midway, the masked Big Tex. A Cotton Bowl with 75% of its seats empty. A team that dug itself an early hole, then was pushed and pulled by Sam Ehlinger to a great rally to tie the game, to force overtime, only to lose in a Red River Rivalry record fourth overtime. One thing that wasn’t different about this 116th edition of the Red River Rivalry was the utter lack of class of the Oklahomans. Just despicable.

All of his Longhorn football articles are at www.AustinHornsFan.com

A team that plays with one heartbeat overcomes doubtful minds, ears that don’t listen, and eyes with no vision.

A coach once told me that winning in any endeavor requires, heart, passion, and talent – in that order. Individuals with talent and passion but no heart are destined for a quick burn-out. Over the long run, the heart is needed to motivate talent and direct passion.

One HeartBeat was written by Bill Little and edited by Jenna McEachern. “To be successful as a team, you must bring all the parts together and play as one heartbeat.” Bill Little said, “For it is in matters of the heart where courage and will, love and compassion- all of the attributes of caring and determination reside.” “It is there where dreams take hold. It is there where brotherhood and sisterhood and the magic of teamwork germinate.” The coach needs to be the band directory merging the team’s collective harmonic heartbeat into one.

In a team sport, no heart is left behind. When Cole Pittman #44 passed away, his teammates called Cole’s dad each night at 9:30 (just like Cole did). Cole Pittman’s spirit and his heartbeat were present in the Longhorn locker room with his uniform, helmet, and shoes carefully placed in his locker in preparation for each game.

Brad Hermes’ was a football walk-on with hearing issues. He could only hear “environmental sounds” but that did not stop him from fulfilling his dream of playing for the Longhorns. Coach Brown said about Brad, “once when talking to the player’s Brad was in the front row reading his lips. Mack said “As I pushed myself through my comments, I happened to glance down at his eyes. He was totally locked on me. It was as if he could see way down deep inside, and I could do the same with him. I remember thinking if, as a coach, you can touch one like that (coaching) is worth it.”

Horns up to DKR and Mack Brown and all other Longhorn coaches past and present who have built the Longhorn brand one heartbeat at a time.

In this Newsletter edition, Chris Doelle hosts Ben Crenshaw in a special podcast. Ben’s podcast is the 5th in a series of 13 that capture the history of Longhorn sports through the “Eyes of” those who created it.

Pending Podcasts include:

Jenna McEachern- editor and author ;
Richard Duncan- track champion in the late 1990s;
One member of the football team in the mid -1960s who will be named later; and
Tyres Dickson- a story of courage and faith.

There are still four podcast spots available. TLSN would like to add audio, visual, and textual history celebrating individuals in women’s sports –rowing, basketball, volleyball, softball, golf, track, and swimming, and men’s sports- baseball and basketball.

To know Ben Daniel Crenshaw starts with DKR’s saying, “the real mark of a man is how he treats people who can do nothing for him.”

Golf does not define Ben Crenshaw-never did. Ben Crenshaw is a winner, but not just because of the small numbers he wrote on scorecards or a impressive repeatable golf swing and a classic putting stroke. Ben is “the real mark” because he treats everyone he meets with respect.

Last year at the Stark Center, Sports Writer, Dan Jenkins was the guest of honor. All-time UT golf greats Ben Crenshaw and Tom Kite attended, along with many other Longhorns. After the event was over, I made my way to the podium to visit Ben. As I reached out to shake his hand, he smiled.

Ben’s handshake was firm and committed, his eye contact penetrating and curious. He was genuinely interested in what I had to say. And his smile –- yes, the smile — formed and permanently sculpted by decades of laughing is now the trademark of a man who in 2020 continues to smile and exhibit respect.

In the book “One Heartbeat,” book written by Bill Little, DKR and Mack Brown remind the readers that victory results from the “team” heart beating as one. Ben agrees, choosing to merge his heartbeat with his “team”– family, friends, fans, and community.

For more on Ben and his podcast go to the link

https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/ben-crenshaw

1986 Women’s swimming ????

Diving

In the “Cactus” author Laura McCloy states “Diving in not a power sport. It’s not an aerobic endurance event, either. A diver must combine athletic fitness including strength and flexibility with mental focus, then add a touch of finesse to create a dive that appears to be as much an artform as a sport.”

1998 COACH MATT SCOGGINS

Vera Ilyina wins the National Championship in the 1M and 3M dives in 1997 and 1998 , receives a NCAA post-graduate scholarship, is an Academic All American and 4 time All American.

1999 COACH MATT SCOGGINS

Laura Wilkinson wins the National Championship in the platform in 1997 and 1999. All American 6 times and Olympic Medalist 2000, 2004, and 2008.

Laura Wilkinson

TSDHOF inductee Laura Wilkinson won the Olympic gold medal in the women’s 10-meter platform event. This was the first Olympic diving gold medal for a U.S. woman in that event since 1964

TLSN is an independent organization celebrating Longhorn Sports History and assisting qualifying Horns who need temporary financial assistance.

The TLSN website and newsletter are free, educational, historical, and insightful sharing Longhorn sports history through the eyes of those who created it.