Welcome to Pop Quiz, a weekly test on Baylor sports taken by SicEm365 insiders. There are no wrong answers here, although some responses may leave you scratching your head. We may venture off topic at times, but hey … you may end up with a good burrito recommendation because of it.
The best high school player I’ve ever covered is …
Colt Barber: I only covered him a handful of times while he was at Whitehouse, but I did watch Patrick Mahomes play and put on shows at the high school level like he did in college and is doing in the pros. In fact, during my time covering Texas on 247Sports, I pushed hard to the national guys that Mahomes was more than deserving of a fourth star and he was arguably the top quarterback in the state at the time. He wasn’t even Texas Tech’s highest rated prospect in the class... think about that for a second.
Paul Catalina: I am truly split between Perrish Cox at University and Tanner Mordecai at Midway. I will go ahead and lean toward Mordecai. He was so good in the clutch and the team was dominant. And he has ice water in his veins. Outside of the first half of the state championship game, I never saw him have even a weak moment. Tanner was a dude.
Brian Ethridge: William Cole. He was special for Cedar Hill and did things you shouldn't be able to do. His ability never materialized at the college level, but I think it was due to going to the wrong system.
Ashley Hodge: I've been known to "discover" a lot of good high school basketball players at these AAU events. I say that tongue in cheek because by the time I "discover" them they usually have a host of power programs all over them. Luguentz Dort (ASU), Colbey Ross (Pepperdine) and Ty Jerome (Virginia) come to mind as some diamonds in the rough at the time. But the best high school player I've seen live is Jayson Tatum (Duke/Boston Celtics). He just had star written all over him with his ability to slash, hit 3s, take players off the dribble, defend and rebound. How Coach K couldn't win more with him and four other NBA players on that team just speaks volumes.
Jason King: Darren Sproles. I probably saw him play 15 times between his sophomore, junior and senior year at Olathe North High School near Kansas City. To this day I’ve never witnessed a high school tailback with his ability when it came to cuts and change of direction. I remember one night when the press box phone rang. It was Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez. He was lost and needed directions to the field because he and some teammates wanted to come watch Sproles, who was 16 at the time.
Craig Smoak: Patrick Mahomes. Hey, how about that timing? Before moving to Waco, I was part of the Whitehouse radio broadcasts for three seasons and was fortunate the final two featured Mahomes at QB. If you followed sports in East Texas closely, you knew of his MLB father going back to his Lindale HS days, but there was already plenty of buzz about Patrick Jr. and his prowess in multiple sports. He was the real deal and definitely flashed some of the same insane throws and plays he's now pulling off on Sundays.
David Smoak: As dominant at Reggie McNeal was at Lufkin, Adrian Peterson at Palestine or Rodney Thomas at Groveton … John Tyler's David Warren gets my vote. And, that should say it all beating out those three I listed (among 39-years of others I've covered since 1981). Warren was a grown-ass man when he was a freshman and his ability to change a game on either side of the ball was legendary. He didn't catch many passes at John Tyler, but imagine being a safety or linebacker and he lines up in front of you. And, even worse, imagine trying to deal with not only his size, but freakish speed, quickness, length and wingspan and keep him from disrupting a play and especially stopping him from destroying your quarterback. Warren, was a sophomore on John Tyler's unbeaten (16-0) 1994 Class 6-A State Championship Team. And, in the famous win against Plano East, Warren scored on offense and defense with a touchdown catch and fumble return. He was the Parade All-American Defensive Player of the Year in 1996 and won the district track meet in the 200-meters. Back problems kept him from dominating at the college level at Florida State, but still played a lot on their 1999 national championship team.
When I’m watching a college football or basketball game on TV, one thing that will cause me to hit the “mute” button is …
Colt Barber: It’s not always on the commentator, but any time a player is referenced by the wrong name I typically tune out the broadcast, especially when the player should be relatively well known to anyone who has done their homework.
Paul Catalina: Any mention of Tim Tebow. That’s the only thing that’s ever made me do it. With basketball. I’ve learned to put up with a lot. Billy Packer was on the air most of my life. And he was as annoying a broadcaster that there ever was.
Brian Ethridge: Dick Vitale’s voice. Just retire.
Ashley Hodge: A good Dickie V rant, for sure. But aside from that, if I am watching a Big 12 contest and I hear the commentators start going on about how great Chris Beard is or how Lincoln Riley is the best offensive mind in the history of the game or something similar, I am likely to hit mute for a while so as not to be influenced by the propaganda. I choose my propaganda carefully.
Jason King: I can’t handle Bill Walton. Can. Not. Handle. Him. I used to think his schtick was funny for a few minutes, and then it would get old. Kind of like a Saturday Night Live skit, or the movie “Austin Powers.” But now I have a hard time stomaching more than five minutes of him. It’s a total “act” and it completely distracts from the game. He makes himself the focal point of the broadcast, and tha’ts a no-no. Also, as a runner-up: I’m not a huge fan of announcers hamming it up about their playing days. Unless, you’re Tony Romo, I don’t really care. And ironically Romo is the last person to talk about his past. He is one of the best I’ve ever heard.
Craig Smoak: Drawn out official reviews. Spare me the endless replays, the shots of a ref looking at a monitor, and the chiming in of the Officials Expert that has become all the rage on TV networks. I'm not saying do away with reviews, and am fine biding my time during a commercial break, but it's only informative on occasion and a majority of the time it feels like we're making things far too complicated.
David Smoak: An over-talkative play-by-play or color analyst. On TV, it's about letting the game breathe, everyone can see what's going on...let the game happen and don't overdo it.
The quality about Mack Rhoades that I admire the most is …
Colt Barber: He’s not going to rush to give a politically correct answer which makes him a terrific source of accurate information. Too many times we see athletic directors who are scared to say “I don’t know” or speak in a way that they believe others will think less of them. Rhoades’ humbleness is key in his success, in my opinion.
Paul Catalina: His candor. He is not shy about addressing anything. Mack takes things head on. And that will make an athletic department far more successful than the opposite. Trying to avoid issues and hope they will go away without people finding out is a path to disaster. Mack will take the smart approach every time and that’s why he is so good.
Brian Ethridge: His calm demeanor in the face of a dumpster fire situation. He rarely gets rattled and there’s been only one instance when I've heard him break down, and that was amid the racial tension that followed George Floyd's death.
Ashley Hodge: Besides his eye for fashion which I definitely share, I admire the steadiness of his approach. I think he has a good combination of demanding and caring which is a much needed characteristic of a good AD. My interactions with him have always been great. He is transparent and he listens and is not afraid to confront someone when he needs to.
Jason King: I mentioned this in yesterday’s “True/False,” but I love how he’s a glass-half-full guy. He remains positive and upbeat in tough times, whether it’s during a coaching search or a global pandemic. I appreciate that. Also … let’s state obvious: the man makes great hires. Matt Rhule, Dave Aranda, Tom Herman, Kelvin Sampson. He’s got a great feel not just for talent, but for whether it will fit his particular athletic program.
Craig Smoak: His openness. Not many athletic directors across the country would be willing to do a weekly, year-round radio segment discussing all the highs and the lows of an athletic department, on and off the field, with such transparency. From dealing with scandal in the beginning to now dealing with COVID, Mack has been first-class all the way and I'm confident in Baylor managing just about any obstacle with him at the top.
David Smoak: Accessibility and honesty and here's why. Paul Catalina and I have been fortunate to interview Mack Rhoades almost every week since he arrived at Baylor in August of 2016. When it was announced he was coming to Baylor we had a Missouri blogger on our radio show who said, "You will never have much access with him. He is just not going to be available." By the end of that week, Mack debuted on what would become one of our most popular weekly segments at our previous station and now SicEm365 Radio. I don't think he's missed more than 4-6 weeks in any year and if he does it's due to Big 12 meetings or a rare vacation. If there's a time conflict (and special thanks to Jovan Overshown) there have been times he's recorded his segment with us to insure the segment happened.
The unheralded men’s basketball player who will have a breakthrough season is …
Colt Barber: Tristan Clark. Maybe he’s not unheralded, but I don’t think anyone is giving him much chance to return to form in 2020-2021. Will he ever return to the same level as his sophomore season? Unlikely, but if he’s a 10.0 points and 6.0 rebounds type of player, that is a huge boost.
Paul Catalina: Flo Thamba. I think he will get smoother during the offseason and will be an important part of the rotation. Someone needs to be physical under the basket. And I think he will get some good fouls and rebound the ball well when he gets his shot.
Brian Ethridge: The Baby Giraffe. It's his time to make an even bigger mark.
Ashley Hodge: With the word unheralded, I think of 3 candidates: Adam Flagler, JTT and Matthew Mayer. I don't think we can consider Davion Mitchell, Tristan Clark, Mark Vital, Macio Teague or Jared Butler as unheralded because they have all earned All Big12 honors. I keep hearing that there is no drop off between Flagler and our other 3 outstanding guards and I believe it because my eyes tell me so. JTT is going to be a guy we rely on to give us a lot of the same qualities as Freddie. But I have to go with Matt Mayer. He's had a taste of greatness and I think he puts it together in 2020-21 on a more consistent basis.
Jason King: Adam Flagler. As good as Baylor’s backcourt was last season, the addition of Flagler in 2020-21 will make it even better. I realize that’s hard to imagine, but it’s true. And for the record, I do expect Jared Butler and MaCio Teague to return.
Craig Smoak: Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua. Seems like forever ago he announced he was transferring from UNLV, and with a year of sitting out now behind him, I'm anticipating JTT will have an impactful return to play. I love what I've read about his athleticism and energy on the court, not to mention his prowess around the rim and on the glass.
David Smoak: Adam Flagler, a redshirt sophomore guard who sat out last season after transferring from Presbyterian College. Flagler is a two-way player who can score on three levels.
A country tune that makes me sing at the top of my lungs when I hear it on the radio is …
Colt Barber: Well, I guess I was wrong, I just don't belong. But then, I've been there before. Everything's all right. I'll just say goodnight. And I'll show myself to the door.
Paul Catalina: “Callin’ Baton Rouge” by Garth Brooks. Even stone cold sober, that song is straight fire. If you don’t like it, we probably won’t get along very well. (Also RIP Charlie Daniels. “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” will be a go to for me forever. Although, I am not sure who was judging that contest. I think it was a lot closer than the song indicates.)
Brian Ethridge: Either “Gin, Smoke, and Lies,” :Southbound 35,” or “Redneck Mother.” I've seen all performed live at one time or another during my life, and all have different levels of volume. All are classics and I'd almost say the entire Turnpike album can be high-volume songs. Red Dirt Country is about the only country I listen to and usually just on road trips of over three hours.
Ashley Hodge: I'll think of five or six I like better after I complete this, but two come to mind right now. “Ace in the Hole” by George Straight and “When You Say Nothing At All,” by Keith Whitley. I'm always turning it up loud and singing along with those two songs. Both are good songs when you are driving towards the Godforsaken places like Lubbock, Texas (no offense to proud Lubbocktonians!).
Jason King: They were farm kids, way down in Dixie … Joe Diffie’s “John Deere Green” never gets old. And I’m always in a better mood after I hear it. It’s amazing how good of a singer I become when that little ditty is on. I also like challenging myself to belt out every word of the fast-paced “Sold” by John Michael Montgomery. And when it comes to Sammy Kershaw songs, I know every word of “Cadillac Style,” “Don’t Go Near The Water” and “Anywhere But Here.”
Craig Smoak: Garth Brooks "Friends in Low Places". I can't recall the last time I heard that song, but whenever it comes on you better believe I'm belting it out and my mood is improving. "Neon Moon" would probably be my second choice. The original by Brooks & Dunn of course, although I do love me some Kacey Musgraves.
David Smoak: Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" and I noticed he just released an updated version with soldiers singing along with him. In this day and age of so much being said about our country, that one still gives me goosebumps when I hear it. Thank God no one can hear me singing along.
