Mack is Back

Former UT coach Mack Brown returns to college football as TV personality

Just because Mack Brown is retired from the sidelines doesn’t mean the former head coach of the Texas Longhorns is quitting the world of college football entirely. ESPN and ABC have confirmed that Brown will be joining both networks as a college football analyst when the 2014 season kicks off, appearing mostly on Saturday studio programs.

Brown landed one of the cushiest gigs in college football coverage — a fitting job for a coach who won two Big 12 championships and one BCS national championship. Brown will appear on ABC’s College Football Countdown alongside former Florida State quarterback Danny Kanell and host John Saunders. The program usually airs at 2 pm and leads into ABC’s popular Saturday Night Football, which will also feature Brown.

In addition to College Football Countdown and Saturday Night Football, Brown will cover all Saturday ABC game telecasts. And fans can bet they’ll see the former UT coach across the rest of the ESPN/ABC sports programs, including SportsCenter, College Football Live, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com and more.

Known for his media savvy and folksy charm, there have long been rumors Brown would head to television after he stepped down as head coach of the Longhorns. According to USA Today, ESPN began talks with Brown about his post-coaching career almost three years ago during the launch of the Longhorn Network. On Thursday, Brown tweeted his excitement over finally closing the deal on his new career.

I am excited to join ESPN/ABC this fall to share my passion for CFB with the fans. I look forward to giving a look "behind the scenes"

— Mack Brown (@UT_MackBrown)

July 24, 2014

ESPN also announced the hire of former coach Butch Davis as an analyst. Both Davis and Brown spent time as the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Brown is scheduled to make his first official appearance on ESPN on August 10 when he joins Kanell and studio host Rece Davis in a report from Ohio State.

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Baseball News

Texas Rangers and MLB set jam-packed schedule for All-Star week

Photo by Kelly Gavin / Courtesy of Texas Rangers

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The 2024 annual MLB All-Star Game, along with its accompanying All-Star Week festivities, were awarded to the Texas Rangers and the Cities of Arlington and Fort Worth way back in 2022.

The week has finally arrived, now with events taking place in Arlington, Fort Worth, and Dallas.

Also known as the "Midsummer Classic," the All-Star Game is an annual professional baseball game sanctioned by Major League Baseball (MLB) and contested between the all-stars from the American League (AL) and National League (NL).

The 2024 game will be played on Tuesday, July 16, at Globe Life Field in Arlington, for the first time since it opened in 2020. The last time the Rangers hosted an All-Star Game was back in 1995 game at their previous home, then known as The Ballpark in Arlington.

The schedule of events is as follows:

Friday, July 12: HBCU Swingman Classic at Globe Life Field, which highlights the history and legacy of HBCU baseball programs while also providing HBCU baseball players with the opportunity to showcase their talent on a national stage.

July 12-15: Two MLB youth tournaments, the All-Star Commissioner’s Cup and Jennie Finch Classic, both of which will be played at the Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy in Dallas.

The All-Star Commissioner’s Cup features teams of youth baseball players (ages 17 and under) from MLB Youth Academies from around the country and in Puerto Rico.
The All-Star Jennie Finch Classic features teams of youth softball players (ages 17 and under) from MLB Youth Academies and Jennie Finch softball programming.

July 13-16: The Capital One All-Star Village, a one-of-a-kind baseball theme park that will also encompass Esports Stadium and the North Lawn, will be open at Choctaw Stadium (formerly Globe Life Field in Arlington). It will feature a variety of family-friendly activities, including current and former player appearances.

July 14: MLB Draft Opening Night will take place at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth and will be open to the public. This is the fourth consecutive year that the MLB Draft will also take place during All-Star Week. The draft will continue on July 15 and 16.

July 15: The T-Mobile Home Run Derby will feature a variety of the best home run hitters in the league. Given his participation in the Derby in 2023, his performance in the 2023 playoffs, and this being a hometown game, don't be surprised to see Ranger right fielder Adolis García as one of the participants again.

July 16: MLB All-Star Game, at Globe Life Field in Arlington.

Event-specific ticketing and broadcast information will be announced in the coming months. For additional details, fans can go to AllStarGame.com.

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This story was updated on July 11, 2024.

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