Wednesday Morning Hangover

Image from Mack Brown Texas Football

College Football

Meet the Longhorns’ strength and conditioning coach

Madden is a big sponge. A really, really big sponge whose strong stature demands respect and commands the Longhorns’ state-of-the-art weight room. A former linebacker at Vanderbilt, Madden has been a strength and conditioning coach for 25 years and will be starting his 12th season at Texas when the Longhorns kick off. ‘He is one of the keys to our performance,’ said defensive tackle Lamarr Houston. ‘The reason we beat people is because we are in better shape, and he is the one who gets us there.’ And while Madden has remained a constant under the Mack Brown era, the role he plays in each of his athletes’ lives — like his training philosophy — is continually adapting. ‘I am a big brother to some, a daddy to others, for some I am the guy they go to with their problems,’ Madden said. ‘I am whatever someone needs me to be, while we work on getting them stronger and aggressive.’ “

Catching up with Colt McCoy and his summer “vacation”

“The Manning Camp was fun. Anytime you can go spend a weekend with Archie, Peyton and Eli, obviously, that’s pretty special. I had a blast. I got to work out with them, throw the ball with them. They definitely put us to work. There was a bunch of kids running through there we were coaching. But, at the same time, I learned a lot of stuff. I learned different techniques. I learned a lot about the mental side of the game, just kind of the things they do. It was pretty special.”

Taking a look at the Horns’ offseason

“Garrett Gilbert’s shoulder is healthy and ‘he was throwing lasers.’ He’s a legitimate 6′3″/6′4″ and weighs over 200 pounds. Not to mention he has a broad frame. He’ll most likely end up around 6′4″ and over 225 pounds when he fully matures. Although he won’t be a zone-read running threat at the college level, he’s mobile with good feet. GG was not known for having a particularly big arm in high school, but it appears that the shoulder surgery rehab has benefited him in terms of arm strength. He runs the drills with the backs and linemen before grabbing a few reps with the receivers when Colt lets him. Colt McCoy’s accuracy is off of the charts. His footwork has improved and his timing throws in the mid-range passing game is the stuff of Swiss watchmakers.”

Pro Soccer

The State Farm Copa Aztex takes place in Austin on Saturday night

“UT Athletics has teamed with the Austin Aztex professional soccer club to present State Farm Copa Aztex at Mike A. Myers Stadium. This year’s match, the first in a three-year engagement, pits Mexico City’s Cruz Azul against Tigres of Monterrey. Cruz Azul is one of the Big Four of Mexican soccer, along with Chivas, America and current champions Pumas UNAM. Steeped in tradition, Cruz Azul built its dynasty in the 1970s, and has won eight championships. Meanwhile, Tigres has only one championship but boasts one of the most loyal fan bases in the league. Tigres’ stadium is known as ‘El Volcán.’ ‘This is very special because the Hispanic community in and around Austin does not have access to a spectacle like this,’ said Dr. Rubén Pizarro-Silva, a noted sports broadcaster with Univision. ‘This is like Red Sox-Yankees, or Cowboys-Redskins.’ “