----- Forwarded by David M Gagliardi/TTG/HouInd on 04/12/01 10:53 AM ----- 

	"Michael Gagliardi" <mikegag@msn.com> 
	
	04/12/01 10:44 AM 
		? ? ? ? 
		? ? ? ? To: ? ? ? ?<dgagliardi@reliantenergy.com> 
		? ? ? ? cc: ? ? ? ? 
		? ? ? ? Subject: ? ? ? ?Fw: True Orange Fax/E-Mail #47




----- Original Message ----- 
From: TruOrange@aol.com 
Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2001 11:32 PM 
To: TruOrange@aol.com; hramsey@intellimark-it.com 
Subject: True Orange Fax/E-Mail #47 

Editor's Note: No one else has this commitment right now because the kid tol=
d=20
me I was the only reporter who has called him. I would appreciate if it you=20
would refrain from discussing it on internet bulletin boards for several=20
hours. I'm sure you all saw the Rivals Network has spent $75 million and=20
still gone belly up. I haven't spent $75 million and I'm still going strong,=
=20
but it is very frustrating to get a scoop on a commitment and then have some=
=20
eager beaver slap it on an internet bulletin board five minutes after he get=
s=20
it from me like he is the one who spent hours tracking the kid down. =20
Recruiting gurus have to make money to keep being recruiting gurus. ?If=20
people insist on giving our stuff away, there will come a time when there ar=
e=20
no recruiting gurus to originate the information.

True Orange Fax/E-Mail Service
Volume 9, Fax/E-Mail #47, Tuesday, April 10, 2001
Jerry Scarbrough's True Orange, P. O. Box 26530, Austin, Texas 78755 - Phone=
=20
512-795-8536

Brownwood Lineman Becomes First Longhorn Pledge for New Class

The Longhorns, after wrapping up a top five national recruiting class last=20
month, got started on another bumper crop Tuesday when outstanding Brownwood=
=20
junior OL Bret Valdez. 6-4, 310, 5.1, confirmed he has committed to the UT=20
coaches.
Valdez, one of the state's great run blockers, said he went to the UT spring=
=20
game March 31 and really liked what he saw. He said the Texas coaches offere=
d=20
him a scholarship ?at the spring game.
"They told me I was the first offensive lineman they have offered this year"=
=20
he said. "I competed in the Texas Relays (he throws the shot and discus) las=
t=20
weekend, and, after I was through competing, I went over to the coaches'=20
offices and talked to coach (Mack) Brown and coaches (Tim) Nunez and (Mike)=20
Tolleson and told them I was ready to commit."
He said he also was being recruited by about 20 other schools including=20
Florida State, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Alabama and Notre Dame. "The first time=20
they can come see us is in May and Florida State, A&M, OU, Notre Dame and=20
Alabama coaches had all told my coach they were going to come down and see m=
e=20
then."
But he said he is firmly committed to the Longhorns and will tell any other=20
coaches who contact him that he is not interested.
"Texas has really been recruiting well every year and I think they have a=20
great shot at winning a national championship in the next year or two," he=20
said. "I like the way they emphasize academics, too."
He plays tackle in Brownwood's option offense, but said he probably will be=20
tried at guard at Texas.
"I think I'll have a good chance to start after a redshirt year," he said.
The Longhorns probably will sign only three offensive line prospects next=20
February, and the coaches have not offered scholarships to any other to=20
offensive line prospects I have been talking to, so they must consider Valde=
z=20
to be the state's top OL prospect.
Brownwood went 11-2 last year, and Valdez was the team's top run blocker. He=
=20
has thrown the shot 53 feet and discus 162-7.
On tape, Valdez is a very aggressive blocker who has an explosive start that=
=20
allows him to make quick contact and then he simply drives his guy backward.=
=20
He has the quickest start of any of the big offensive line prospects I have=20
seen this year.
One of the best things about him is that he is only 16 and won't turn 17=20
until June 15, but he already benches 320 and squats 600.
* * * *
RECRUITING NOTES: The Longhorns start their summer camps in just seven weeks=
=20
and they probably will pick up several more commitments at that time. Other=20
top prospects who list the Longhorns No. 1 right now are RB Albert Hardy of=20
Galena Park, QB Vincent Young and CB Donald Burgs of Houston Madison, DTs=20
Rodrique Wright of Alief Hastings, Earl Anderson of San Marcos, Lyle Sendlei=
n=20
of Scottsdale Chaparral and Kasey Studdard of Highlands Ranch, Colo., DE=20
Chase Pittman of Shreveport Evangel, CB Edorian McCollough (wind aided 9.96=20
100 meters and 20.97 200 meters last weekend) of North Garland WR Marquis=20
Johnson of Champaign, Ill., and LB Garnet Smith of Arlington Lamar. All of=20
the Texas kids mentioned above are ranked first or second at the their=20
positions among state prospects, and all of the out-of-state kids mentioned=20
are highly recruited top national prospects.
* * * *
SOFTBALL RECRUITING NOTE: Football and football recruiting are my main gigs,=
=20
as you all are well aware, but UT softball signee Cat Osterman is getting=20
mentioned in lots of national publications after striking out 33 and 31=20
batters in two extra-inning 1-0 victories last week. Her season stats are=20
mind boggling. She has given up 13 hits in 18 games involving 135 innings an=
d=20
has pitched 10 no-hitters this season. She has a 0.00 ERA. She also has=20
struck out 324 batters, which is about 2.6 strikeouts per inning.
* * * *
My next e-mail/fax will be whenever events warrant.
* * * *
The True Orange Fax Service includes ?at ?least ?99 fax/e-mails ?a year and=20
costs $99 ($79 by E-Mail). The True Orange Newsletter includes ?26=20
newsletters and is published weekly during football season and twice monthly=
=20
during most of the other months. It costs $45. Save by subscribing to both=20
for $130 (or $110 if you take the faxes via E-Mail ?or $99 if you take the=20
faxes and newsletter ?via E-Mail). Send check ?to address at the top of page=
.=20
I also ?update my 900 number =96 1-900-288-8839 =96 frequently with recruiti=
ng=20
news. My E-Mail address is: truorange@aol.com