Famous Alumni
John Hinkley
Famous West Texans from Around Lubbock
Buddy Holly
In 1959, I lived in the Southwest part of Missouri. One channel of TV that came in late at night. I was in 6th grade and when I went to bed I listened KAAY in Little Rock Arkansas to hear Ray Charles, Little Richard and Buddy Holly. In the days before air conditioning and Color TV's, AM radio was king.
We were driving my father to Joplin as we did every Sunday evening for him to catch the bus back to KC where he worked. As we rode, the news came on the radio that Richie Valens, The Big Bopper and Buddy Holly were killed in a plane crash near Mason City Iowa.
On the way home, The radio station out of Pittsburgh Ks. was playing a tribute to all three with their music. Buddy Holly had the most hits, so mostly his songs were played. I know that Don McLean in "American Pie", couldn't remember if he cried. I know, that night driving home on 71 highway with my mother that I cried.
I just realized how much Buddy Holly looks like Stephan Colbert.
Cagle's
The House that Bobby Knight Built
Back a few years, I would spent every other year visiting my brother in Lubbock when the Jayhawks would go on the road to play the Big 12 South teams. My brother was head of Ticket sales for the City of Lubbock and for the University.
So I was able to sit two rows right behind Bobby Knight. After an Angry time out by Coach Knight. He took his tall player out. When he sent the team back on the court I could hear every word the coach said because he can get really loud. Basically, what he said was, "I want you to sit on the bench and watch Nick Collison rebound and how he blocks out. You don't have to be tall or have great leaping ability, you just have to find someone to block out when the ball goes up on a shot. Sit and watch!"
Why live in Lubbock?
Glad you posted pictures of the dust storms. I was going to post this one myself:
I work in the asphalt construction industry, and a lot of my travel takes me all over Texas. Lubbock is by far my least favorite place to visit, and you can see why. Anyone who complains about I-70 in West Kansas being too flat, has never driven I-27 from Lubbock to the South end of Palo Duro Canyon. Amarillo fares much better than Lubbock in terms of dust, because the Amarillo area at least has some of its natural grassland in tact.
Good ol' Lubbock. One of the most isolated college towns there is because there is nothing within about 2 hours of Lubbock.
The reason people live there is because there is water in the middle of one of the driest places on earth. Vegas would not be there without water. In the case of Lubbock, they are part of the Ogallala Aquifer.
An underwater reservoir that allows many Plains State the ability to irrigate and grow crops.
Unfortunately, it is being overused. There is runoff that goes back into the soil, but the reserve can be used up and won't return for 6000 years after it is gone. Last year, it became lower by almost 2%.
Scientist say at this rate, the water will be gone by 2028. Fortunately, farmers and legislators in all of the plains states are using less to conserve as much as they can.
Fan Jeff Orr
They beat Texas, Minnesota and Richmond. They won 10 straight when they beat Texas. The were behind to ISU by four with 1:20 minutes left. It will be crowded at the United Spirit Center and Tubby, the man with a National Championship knows how to coach.
Thanks @wrwlumpy. Great work! I saw Delbert McClinton here in Austin back in the early 80's so many times at Antones. He was a regular here. Brings back memories. MORE COWBELL!!!!
You do terrific work @wrwlumpy. Thanks for what ya do!