North side of Student Center demolished

Another week, another part of the Brown-Lupton Student now in ruins.

The north side of the 53-year-old facility has been demolished to the ground. The connector building between the Student Center and Reed Hall is partially destroyed.

The remainder of this week should see the rest of the connector come down and the east side of the Student Center.

The TCU Physical Plant now reports that the front of the building, which faces Frog Fountain, is scheduled to be razed next Wednesday, July 10. But as we have learned, one cannot put a clock (or a calendar) on demolition work.

Yet it remains fascinating viewing daily. Two cranes with claws gobble away at the building bite by bite.

Inside, the structure is hollow. From the right angles, passers-by can see through the building.

--Rick

Camp LT brings young players to campus

LT was in the house.

Horned Frog gridiron great LaDainian Tomlinson was back on campus this week for his annual Camp LT, designed to build skills on and off the playing field.

In a Thursday morning speech to 163 campers, the San Diego Chargers star said he started the camp to give kids up-close-and-personal contact with the pros.

That kind of contact was life-changing for him. As a 12-year-old in Waco, he was able to attend a camp run by his hero, Emmitt Smith. “Meeting Emmitt gave me the confidence that I could do this,” he said of his dream of playing in the NFL. “I looked at him – he wasn’t that big. But I looked inside him and saw something. It was his heart.”

Tomlinson, who wanted to be a football player since he was 5, told campers making it to the top – in football and life – requires hard work and persistence.

“You’ve got to have the drive,” he said. “You want people to remember your name? You’ve got to work day after day after day. Hard work pays off.”

The chant, "Hard work, pays off," was a familiar one by the end of camp.

On Friday, he handed out awards to top players, recognizing those with the good grade as well as biggest heart, attitude, persistence and MVP.

"I'm still the best in the NFL," he said with a laugh. "At least until you guys get there."

The camp is just another way Tomlinson is giving back to the community. Through his Touching Lives Foundation, he and his wife and fellow TCU alum, LaTorsha, invite 21 kids from San Diego youth groups and non-profit organizations to attend a Chargers game as part of the “21 Club.” After that game, they get to go on the field and pose for photos, plus they each receive a goody bag filled school supplies, books and games.

To hear more of LT’s life lessons and football tips, check out the LT Videos section of his camp’s website.

http://clutchtimesports.com/index.php?option=com_seyret&Itemid=90

--Kathryn