True Orange Fax/E-Mail #58

---------------------- Forwarded by David M Gagliardi/TTG/HouInd on
06/27/2000 11:19 AM ---------------------------

"Michael Gagliardi" <mggagliardi@duke-energy.com< on 06/27/2000 07:48:44 AM

To: DGagliardi@reliantenergy.com, David_Ricks@GSDM.com
cc:

Subject: True Orange Fax/E-Mail #58

---------------------- Forwarded by Michael
Gagliardi/Hou-ComOps/EnergyTrading/PEC on 06/27/2000 07:57 AM
---------------------------

TruOrange@aol.com on 06/26/2000 07:37:20 PM

To: TruOrange@aol.com
cc: (bcc: Michael Gagliardi/Hou-ComOps/EnergyTrading/PEC)
Subject: True Orange Fax/E-Mail #58

True Orange Fax/E-Mail Service
Volume 8, Fax/E-Mail #58, Monday, June 26, 2000
Jerry Scarbrough's True Orange, P. O. Box 26530, Austin, Texas 78755 -
Phone
512-795-8536

Galena Park OL Switches from Aggies to Longhorns

Galena Park OL Mike Garcia, 6-3, 280, 5.2, who had committed to Texas A&M
several weeks ago, switched his pledge to Texas Monday and his coach, Mike
Coker, said the switch is final. "It's a done deal," Coker said.
Coker said Garcia and his mother visited the Texas campus last week on an
unofficial visit and met with some of the Texas coaches.
"He's a little embarrassed about the whole situation," Coker said, "but he
said he felt it was something he had to do." Coker said he discussed the
situation with coaches at Texas and A&M before announcing Garcia's change
of
heart. Garcia was the highest rated of the Aggies' three early commitments.
Coker said Garcia "felt very comfortable with Mack Brown, his staff and the
atmosphere at the University of Texas."
Garcia is the seventh high school player to commit to Texas this month. In
addition, Alfio Randall, a star OT at Blinn JC, says he will come to Texas
in
January after he graduates from Blinn.
The other high school players who have committed to Texas are OLs Jonathan
Scott of Dallas Carter, Abe Robinson of Houston Jersey Village, Roman
Reeves
of Livingston and Will Allen of Houston Cypress Falls and DBs Braden
Johnson
of Euless Trinity and Brian Carter of The Woodlands.
Scott and Robinson are on all of the early national top 100 recruiting
lists.
With six top offensive linemen already committed, counting Randall, the
Longhorns are on the way to signing an awesome group to fill their
greatest
need in this recruiting class. Top offensive and defensive linemen have
been
in short supply in Texas since Brown arrived, but this year's offensive
line
class is very deep in talented players.
The Longhorns are still in strong contention for two other top offensive
linemen

- Jami Hightower of Jacksonville and William Winston of Houston
Madison. Hightower drove to Nebraska for an unofficial weekend visit and,
after the 14-hour return trip, said today he had a great time and said
Nebraska, Texas and A&M are his big three. Winston also likes A&M and
Texas,
but is considering several out-of-state schools.
* * * *
BARNUM UPDATE: Greg Barnum, the great center prospect who left Tennessee
after his freshman year, took a tour of the Texas campus last week and he
liked what he saw. Vol coach Phil Fulmer has refused to give Barnum a
release so far, which would force him to pay his own way for a year if he
comes to Texas as things now stand. But Barnum's attorney has written a
letter to Tennessee officials demanding a release. NCAA rules require
colleges and their recruits to honor the letter of intent recruits sign for
one year. But the rules give the college coach a big advantage after the
first year in that he can refuse to renew the scholarship or, as in
Barnum's
case, refuse to allow the kid to get an immediate scholarship at another
school. The NCAA has some rules that probably violate the U. S.
Constitution,
and this would seem to be one of them. Back when colleges gave kids
four-year
scholarships, it might have been fair to give coaches the right to deny an
outright release to unhappy recruits, but when the rules were changed to
give
one-year scholarships that were renewable every year, the coach's power was
left unchanged. I don't think the NCAA or Tennessee will want to see this
come to court, so, if I was a gambling man, I would be willing to bet a
fair
amount that young Mr. Barnum gets his release if he keeps pushing. If he
comes to Texas, he will have to sit out a year, then will have three years
of
eligibility left.
* * * *
BASEBALL NOTES: The pros are still working to sign several current
Longhorns
and UT recruits, but only three juniors
- second baseman Tommy Nicholson,
relief ace Charlie Thames and shortstop Todd West
- have signed so far.
* * * *
BASKETBALL RECRUITING NOTES: Guard Carlos Hurt of Alief Elsik has committed
to Louisville. The Longhorns were recruiting him, but their primary target
for their lone remaining scholarship is still 5-11 T. J. Ford, who led
Fort
Bend Willowridge win the Class 5A state title. Ford, one of the nation's
top
point guards, is strongly considering the Longhorns. Texas already has a
commitment from 6-10 center Chris Wright of Redwater.
* * * *
My next fax will be whenever events warrant.
* * * *
The True Orange Fax Service includes at least 99 faxes a year and costs
$99 ($79 by E-Mail). The True Orange Newsletter includes 26 newsletters
and
is published weekly during football season and twice monthly during most of
the other months. It costs $45. Save by subscribing to both for $130 (or
$110
if you take the faxes via E-Mail or $99 if you take the faxes and
newsletter
via E-Mail). Send check to address at the top of page. I also update my
900 number
- 1-900-288-8839
- frequently with recruiting news. My E-Mail
address is: truorange@aol.com