Garrett Gilbert, Colt McCoy both lose while learning

What does the rest of the season hold for the Texas Longhorns after three football losses that didn't have to happen? Read my latest Austin Chronicle blog post.

TV series (even the failures like 'Lone Star') bring bucks to Texas

Here's my latest SHOT IN TEXAS column from The Dallas Morning News with the scoop on television in Texas and its economic impact.

Texas Longhorns slide toward home

Texas learns to coach and beats up on the unsuspecting Nebraska Cornhuskers to begin their season's second stanza. Can they pull it off again or is a stumble awaiting? I sort it out in my UT blog for The Austin Chronicle.

NBC orders full season of Dallas-shot 'Chase'

Lone Star may be gone, but one of its Dallas-shot brethren will live on, at least for a full first season. NBC announced the full season pickup of Chase (which is set in Houston) but wasn't specific on the number of additional episodes. We can assume it's the "back 9" episodes to go with the already-in-production 13.

More on this in my Dallas Morning News column on Friday.

Common sense sez Nebraska whoops Texas; history whispers different tune

My latest sports blog at The Austin Chronicle as the Texas Longhorns prepare to travel into hostile Nebraska Cornhuskers' territory.

Review of Carolyn Osborn's 'Uncertain Ground'

My review of Carolyn Osborn's novel appeared in Sunday's Austin American-Statesman.

NEWS FLASH: Texas Longhorns won't lose a football game this weekend

Of course, that's because they're not playing. Read more in my UT football blog for The Austin Chronicle.

'My Generation' adds to Texas TV jinx

Austin-shot My Generation became the second show of the new TV season to be canceled. The first was Dallas-shot Lone Star. Do we have a Texas TV jinx? At this point Dallas-shot and Texas-set The Good Guys and Chase survive, but neither is pulling in great numbers. It's more likely networks are too quick to pull the trigger and viewers rely on their DVRs and are thus less likely to latch onto a new show.

For my taste, Lone Star was a keeper, but I haven't yet been able to make it through an episode of dull, dull, dull My Generation.

While Dallas-shot Chase is looking like a survivor, The Good Guys (also shot in Big D) is in clear danger. Consider the week two ratings for My Generation: 3.9 million viewers and a 1.1 adults 18-49 rating (whatever that means). The Good Guys' in its second week on Fridays is way down from its summer numbers with 3.2 million, 0.7. Danger! Danger! Warning!

Bob Stoops is on line one!

The following message was left on my 1980's-era answering machine:

Joe! How they hanging, my scribbling bubba? Coach Bob Stoops here, if you want to be all formal. Just wanted to touch base before the big hoedown, my friend. You know I love the Texas State Fair and all that fried crap. Have you seen my gut lately? The wife is starting to complain.

I bet they’re complaining in Austin, too. Those surfers from UCLA pulled a number on the fellas in Burnt Orange again. I haven’t seen anybody do that since, well, me!

(read the rest on my Texas Longhorns football blog for The Austin Chronicle.

Matthew McConaughey joins Linklater's 'Bernie'

Yes, Richard Linklater and Matthew McConaughey are reuniting (it would be a lot cooler if they did). Linklater gave McC his big break in Dazed and Confused, now Double M is joining the cast of Linklater's Bernie, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

McC's other big early break was as an attorney in A Time to Kill. He's back to lawyering, this time as the district attorney out to nail Jack Black in the title role of Bernie Tiede for the murder of Shirley MacLaine as wealthy widow Marjorie Nugent.

Also joining the cast is Taylor native Rip Torn. The shoot is expected to start next month in East Texas. Wooderson, uh, McConaughey is from Longview.

You can see the real Bernie and Marjorie here.