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Former Longhorn football player Todd Smith informed TLSN that Longhorn Hall of Honor inductee and All-American shot putter Eileen Vanisi is fighting for her life. Here is her Sentry link EILEEN VANISI (squarespace.com). Updates will be added to this link when new information is available.
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Spanky Stephens is rotating off the TLSN Board, and women’s basketball star Sherryl Hauglum has joined the Board. Spanky was the trainer for all of the head coaches in this photo.
A special thanks to Spanky for his positive influence on the TLSN Board over the last two years. TLSN has chronicled his accomplishments as the Longhorn head trainer in the link below.
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Please welcome Longhorn basketball great Sherryl Hauglum to the TLSN Board of Directors. One of her teammates said, “Sherryl is a very confident and positive role model, and anyone who has the opportunity to spend time with her will benefit from her zeal for life.”
Sherryl Hauglum was a three-year starter at Texas, compiling 1,100 points.
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1981- 1984 Women’s basketball
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Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Sherryl and her teammates were trailblazers setting the bar high for the 1985-1986 national championship team.
Building a trail takes more than talent. It requires a belief in self, a positive attitude, team chemistry, discipline, a work ethic, and a little luck. The Longhorn women’s basketball teams of the early to middle 1980s had all these qualities and much more.
As a result, Shery’s recruiting class is ranked as one of the best in the history of all collegiate team sports – both men and women- winning 125 games and losing 9. These victories resulted in one trip to the national championship and two to Elite 8.
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1983-1984 team – Sherryl top row second starting from the right.
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TLSN seeks two former-Longhorn student-athletes to join the TLSN Board. Preferably from golf, tennis, swimming, softball, rowing, or baseball.
As of 2/03/2023, the TLSN Board consists of two football players, one student-manager, one volleyball player, and one women’s basketball player.
The goal is to have a board consisting of seven members in 2023 and nine members in 2024. You can email me at Billydale1@gmail.com if interested in one of these positions. TLSN board responsibilities ARE NOT time-consuming!
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THE MOST SPIRITED, PASSIONATE LONGHORN EVER
by Larry Carlson ( lc13@txstate.edu )
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It was my good fortune to have enjoyed one of the trademark mint juleps with the prettiest girl in the world out on the patio of The Columns Hotel on stately, oak-lined St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans. It was just a few days before Christmas 2022, and the venerable site was adorned in garland. She pointed out a gentleman who was obviously an ardent Longhorn backer, sporting a UT cap and burnt orange jacket.
As we headed off the patio, I took a lateral step and patted the guy on the back, and said, “Hook ’em!”
“Hook ’em is right,” he beamed, and added “I played for the Longhorns.”
It was time for me to stop in my tracks and turn around. I asked him his name and was ultra-surprised that it was Pat Culpepper, one of the most storied players of the entire twenty-year Darrell Royal era.
I looked him in the eye and recognized one of the players I had idolized in third and fourth grade.
Holy cow!
Having mentioned my role as a chronicler of Longhorn football for TLSN, I expressed the desire for a future interview with Pat. His son, Johnny, assured me that he would make it happen. We all parted with smiles, hook ’ems, and Yuletide wishes. I got a pic of Pat with me. I gave the “Hook ’em” and Pat turned his horns around, telling me he wanted to show off his “T” ring.
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For Professor Carlson’s full story of meeting Pat Culpepper by accident at a restaurant in New Orleans, click on:
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Chuck Hartenstein passed away in 2021 but not before he finished co-authoring a book with sports broadcaster Mike Capps.
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Mike Capps is the primary inspiration for the storylines and the consummate storyteller in the book “Grinders.” Mike has interviewed some great Horns during his years as the play-by-play for Round Rock Express, including Keith Moreland, Kirk Dressendorfer, Spike Owen, Cat Osterman, John Langerhans, and Chuck Hartenstein.
Mike shares his story about his Longhorn affiliation in the research section of the TLSN website at RESEARCH (squarespace.com)
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General Hannibal said about crossing the snow-covered Alps into Italy with his elephants,
“I shall either find a way or make one”
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DEFINITION OF A GRINDER
Grinders are in all endeavors, but they are most visible in sports activities. Many athletes with dreams of glory are driven to excel by the words,
“I shall either find a way or make one.”
Grinders are good athletes but usually considered part of the supporting cast – the extras and the bit players- generally unnoticed and perform in relative obscurity.
Mike Capps and Chuck Hartenstein share stories about professional baseball grinders in their book. One focuses on Longhorn John Langerhans.
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In the “Grinders,” John Langerhans shares his compelling story of dealing with injuries and struggling to succeed professionally. A story that occurs to many whose dreams meet the competitive reality of professional baseball.
With a sense of sadness, John accepted his fate and left professional ball. However, destiny had better plans for Hall of Honor inductee John Langerhans.
With the help of Texas Assistant Athletic Director Coach Bill Ellington, John joined the coaching profession.
Ellington said, “John, what in the hell did you get your degree in coaching for? To work in the mail room at the state capital?”
The Austin American Statesman tells John’s story at
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Hall of Honor Longhorn inductee Chuck Hartenstein is a co-author of “Grinders”, but by his own admission at the professional level, he was a grinder.
Relief pitching for the Chicago Cubs, Pirates, Cardinals, Red Sox, and Blue Jays. After 15 years of pitching and 187 major-league appearances, he landed jobs with the Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers as a pitching coach.
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Some talent is necessary to play any sport at the college level, but there is still plenty of room for “Grinders” who make the team by sheer will, resolve, focus, determination, and character. Many, but not all walk-ons, are grinders, and from the author’s perspective that is a compliment to those who find a way or make one to fulfill a dream.
One of my favorite Walk-on stories is about a Horn who played in the game, then played his horn in the band during half-time, and then “grinded” his way through medical school.
Meet Doctor Shawn Izadi. His story is at:
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Update on Herkie Walls
He is now both a Minister and a Coach.
Herkies TLSN oral/podcast history is captured at
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The Orlando Predators are a professional indoor football team based in Orlando, Florida, with home games at the Amway Center. On September 16, 2022, the Predators announced veteran player Herkie Walls as their new head coach. The predators start play in April of 2023; Herkie will now have a sports talk show and online ministry.
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Herkie says coaching this new adventure “gives me an opportunity to impact young men on and off the football field with an attitude of gratitude.”
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My home on 2/02/2023 was hit pretty hard by the ice storm. If your home was also devastated by falling trees and tree branches, send me a jpeg photo, and I will post the four worst “tree attacks” in the 2/17/2023 TLSN newsletter. I am Billydale1@gmail.com
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The flamingos survived but they are not happy.
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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.
TLSN is not associated with the UT Athletics Department or any organization closely aligned with UT.
Https://texaslsn.org
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