HSOs from a Bitter P1
Um...one caveat...
Jan/13/2008 08:35 PM | Permalink
When I talked about the game yesterday, I should have
noted that there was one additional caveat to my
prediction...
That if Tony Romo throws the ball to his wide recievers, THEY HAVE TO CATCH IT!!!!
( Yes, I know I'm shouting...)
That if Tony Romo throws the ball to his wide recievers, THEY HAVE TO CATCH IT!!!!
( Yes, I know I'm shouting...)
|
What I Love About College Football
Nov/14/2007 08:16 AM | Permalink
What a bizarre season for college football.
Seems like nobody but Kansas has a chance at being undefeated. How strange is that? Two "number ones" have lost, about six or seven "number twos" have lost, and I'm not even sure anybody knows how many "top tens" have gone down. How strange is that?!!
On any given Saturday, it's at least theoretically possible that the best team in the land might lose to somebody nobody's heard of. (Can anybody say "South Florida?")
That's one thing I love about college football.
Another thing I love about college football is the passion. As much fun as the NFL is to watch, there is a...well...professionalism at that level that often lacks passion. Parenthetically, I think that's why folks love the Cowboys these days: because they actually seem to play with emotion. (Are you listening, Bill Parcells?)
In college football, the emotion of a crowd can actually change the course of a game. Like the Aggies say, crowds really are the 12th person. (Work with me here on the language...) In college football, one key turnover, one long pass or run, can change the momentum of a game long before the score does. In other words, there are intangibles that always keep you on your toes as a fan.
That's another thing I love about college football.
A third thing I love about college football is that so many other people love it. It's such a unifying cultural experience. Take away the big schools for a moment. I'm not talking about them. I'm talking about the "Austin Peay's" of the world. I'm talking about the "Colgate's"
Every Saturday, as you watch the scores scroll across across on SportsCenter, the names of tiny little schools nobody's ever heard of will flash by...
...Furman vs. Wofford
...Samford (no, not Stanford) vs. South East Missouri State
...Butler vs. Valpairiso
I just listed six schools I know nothing about. Couldn't begin to tell you what town's they're in. And I'm only confident about the state for one of them. But as those scores scroll, you get the sense that thousands of people in these tiny little towns have turned out to stadiums nobody's heard of, to scream at the top of their lungs at games nobody else will remember.
It really is not whether we win or lose, it's that we all play the game. We're all in this together on those Saturday afternoons, cheering on our teams, big and small, hoping against hope that this year will be "our year."
College football is a unifying experience that is not just about the "Top 25." It's about everybody else too. And that's another thing I love about it.
But the thing I love most about college football is that only in college football do things like the video clip below happen. Maybe you have seen this clip already, but maybe what you saw was the sideline camera. The clip below is an end zone shot, and I find it even more amazing.
As long as you live, you may never see another play like this. Check it out:
THIS is what I love about college football.
Seems like nobody but Kansas has a chance at being undefeated. How strange is that? Two "number ones" have lost, about six or seven "number twos" have lost, and I'm not even sure anybody knows how many "top tens" have gone down. How strange is that?!!
On any given Saturday, it's at least theoretically possible that the best team in the land might lose to somebody nobody's heard of. (Can anybody say "South Florida?")
That's one thing I love about college football.
Another thing I love about college football is the passion. As much fun as the NFL is to watch, there is a...well...professionalism at that level that often lacks passion. Parenthetically, I think that's why folks love the Cowboys these days: because they actually seem to play with emotion. (Are you listening, Bill Parcells?)
In college football, the emotion of a crowd can actually change the course of a game. Like the Aggies say, crowds really are the 12th person. (Work with me here on the language...) In college football, one key turnover, one long pass or run, can change the momentum of a game long before the score does. In other words, there are intangibles that always keep you on your toes as a fan.
That's another thing I love about college football.
A third thing I love about college football is that so many other people love it. It's such a unifying cultural experience. Take away the big schools for a moment. I'm not talking about them. I'm talking about the "Austin Peay's" of the world. I'm talking about the "Colgate's"
Every Saturday, as you watch the scores scroll across across on SportsCenter, the names of tiny little schools nobody's ever heard of will flash by...
...Furman vs. Wofford
...Samford (no, not Stanford) vs. South East Missouri State
...Butler vs. Valpairiso
I just listed six schools I know nothing about. Couldn't begin to tell you what town's they're in. And I'm only confident about the state for one of them. But as those scores scroll, you get the sense that thousands of people in these tiny little towns have turned out to stadiums nobody's heard of, to scream at the top of their lungs at games nobody else will remember.
It really is not whether we win or lose, it's that we all play the game. We're all in this together on those Saturday afternoons, cheering on our teams, big and small, hoping against hope that this year will be "our year."
College football is a unifying experience that is not just about the "Top 25." It's about everybody else too. And that's another thing I love about it.
But the thing I love most about college football is that only in college football do things like the video clip below happen. Maybe you have seen this clip already, but maybe what you saw was the sideline camera. The clip below is an end zone shot, and I find it even more amazing.
As long as you live, you may never see another play like this. Check it out:
THIS is what I love about college football.
Just So We're Clear...
Jul/13/2007 07:58 AM | Permalink
There is a guy who, in the coming weeks, will break
one of baseball's most hallowed records. I wrote
about him before in a blog entry you can still
find
here.
The closer we get to the date he will break that record, the less I am paying attention. I am turning off media reports that mention his name. (Note how I haven't mentioned it here...) Truthfully, I'm really not paying attention to baseball news at all right now, and part of it is precisely because I don't want to hear one word about this guy.
I don't want to know how close he is to the record right now (I am pleased to say that at this moment, I really do not know...) and I hope to not hear about it on the day he "breaks" it.
As I wrote before, he doesn't deserve the honor, the attention, or the accolades. I felt that when I wrote before, and nothing has changed about my feelings since.
As I understand, he stands a good chance of being booed on that day he "breaks" the record. Were I in the crowd that day --and I would hope as many people as possible will just stay home-- I'd try to boo louder than anyone.
So undeserving is he of this honor, such a great travesty of baseball history his "record" will be, that I hope to never mention his name again.
Therefore, when I fail to say a word about it down the road, please do not misinterpret my silence as forgetfulness or even tacit approval. I am not accidentally ignorant to this story, I am intentionally so.
Just so we're clear.
The closer we get to the date he will break that record, the less I am paying attention. I am turning off media reports that mention his name. (Note how I haven't mentioned it here...) Truthfully, I'm really not paying attention to baseball news at all right now, and part of it is precisely because I don't want to hear one word about this guy.
I don't want to know how close he is to the record right now (I am pleased to say that at this moment, I really do not know...) and I hope to not hear about it on the day he "breaks" it.
As I wrote before, he doesn't deserve the honor, the attention, or the accolades. I felt that when I wrote before, and nothing has changed about my feelings since.
As I understand, he stands a good chance of being booed on that day he "breaks" the record. Were I in the crowd that day --and I would hope as many people as possible will just stay home-- I'd try to boo louder than anyone.
So undeserving is he of this honor, such a great travesty of baseball history his "record" will be, that I hope to never mention his name again.
Therefore, when I fail to say a word about it down the road, please do not misinterpret my silence as forgetfulness or even tacit approval. I am not accidentally ignorant to this story, I am intentionally so.
Just so we're clear.
Glad for Jerry, Sad for Dallas
May/27/2007 08:33 PM | Permalink
As news of the Cowboy's winning bid for the
2011
Super Bowl
filtered out this week, I can't help but feel happy
for Jerry Jones, and sad for my city. And I find
myself having totally flip-flopped in my view of both
Jerry Jones and the new stadium.
You gotta give Jerry Jones some credit these days. The man works hard and clearly loves his team. Concerning the stadium deal, Jerry Jones just did what any person in business would do: he made the best deal he could for his team.
I used to hate this guy. I can remember when he bought the team how little respect I --and just about everyone else in this town-- gave him.
But, he's shown --through the way he spends on players, and the funds he's shelling out of this new new facility-- that he really does want to win. You gotta give the guy some props.
What I would give for the Rangers to have that kind of owner!! In fact, the only good reason to have the stadium in Arlington is that it will shine the bright light of contrast on the Cowboys and Rangers.
The Cowboys have an owner who is always looking forward, who really cares about his team, and who reinvests in his franchise constantly. The fans believe he wants to win, and they've changed their minds about him.
And the Rangers? Do they even have an owner? Do they have anybody over there who gives a flip?
Get ready Tom Hicks. Here comes Jerry. He's going to make you look bad. Real bad.
So, my thoughts about Jerry Jones have changed and I am surprised by this. I'm glad for him. He deserves every kudo he gets.
I am even more surprised, however, to find that my thoughts about the new stadium have changed too. In the beginning, I wouldn't say that I was against it. I was sort of agnostic about it.
I heard the arguments from those who said it would be the best thing to happen to Dallas since central heating and air. And I heard those who said it would be the worst thing to happen here since the Kennedy assassination.
OK, nobody said either of those things. But that was their level of passion. People either seemed to believe that it would be the greatest economic engine, or the worst tax-and-resource-drain, we've ever seen.
As I said, I was mostly agnostic. I probably leaned toward the "against it" side. After all, with so many looming city problems, how can you justify putting that kind of resources into a stadium?
Well, as I said, I have jumped off the fence, and into the camp of those who now believe that losing the stadium to Arlington is the single worst business move in Dallas' history.
And I base that change of heart on what I see happening down at the AAC.
Wow, is that area booming. Wow, is it completely awe-inspiring to see the new development, the new nightlife, and the new people who now populate that part of town! If you haven't been down that way for a year or so, do yourself a favor and just drive around some evening soon.
Between "Victory," the new "W," and the spankin' new "House of Blues," that part of town is hopping. Dozens of area restaurants sponsor nightly shuttle buses to take folks back and forth to the games. (both from downtown and Uptown...)
For a look at how that area has been transformed, click here to see some pictures of the construction over the past few years.
And having gone to a fair number of Maverick's games these past few years, you can't help but get swept up in it. Then, it dawns on you that this excitement is not just for Maverick games, but also for Dallas Stars' games, and for all the other concerts/events that the AAC hosts.
That arena has saved downtown. No question about it.
And it begs a really horrible question: just how desolate would downtown be right now WITHOUT that new arena? Would any of the development I just mentioned have happened?
Doubtful.
Now, I realize a football stadium is different. There are not nearly the total number of games each year. But, there are other events. Events like...oh I don't know...the SUPER BOWL!!! Throw in the Cotton Bowl, Texas-OU, the BCS Championship, and ten or twelve concerts a year (I'm probably low-balling here...) and you've got another huge economic engine. It's probably fewer total events. But you could argue it might end up being about the same total number of people.
Imagine all those people, streaming into downtown Dallas...
What a loss.
But! I have a theory, and it's a theory I'd like to see some research on. There are lots of studies claiming that stadiums are drain on local economies. But have they studied downtown stadiums as a subset?
You see, my theory is that --like any realtor will tell you-- only three things matter: location, location, location.
My theory is that stadiums are only great economic engines when they are located downtown or in a dense urban area. (Not even near downtown...right in the heart of downtown...)
My theory is that when they are too far out in the middle of nowhere (like the Ballpark and the new Cowboys stadium) there is not nearly the economic boom there would be otherwise.
I mean, there are some restaurants in Arlington, but there are no new hotels, and certainly no Victory-like development. Look at the area around the Texas Motor Speedway. A few hotels, here and there. But mostly, it's still cow pasture there. Did Irving see a dramatic number of new places popping up around Texas Stadium? Nope. Just UD.
It seems to me that for a stadium to be an economic engine, it has to be around other stuff people want to be near...like downtown, where there is pre-existing infrastructure and such.
So, that's my stadium construction theory. And I'd love to see some actual expert probe the difference not between "stadium-or-no-stadium," but between downtown stadiums and suburban ones. Because my hunch is that downtown ones are true powerhouses.
Which is why I am so sad for Dallas right now. Because when you see the energy around the AAC, when you see the great plans the Jones family has for the new Cowboys stadium, you can't help but feel a HUGE wave of regret that Dallas has missed a very big boat. Perhaps even an Ark.
Our Dallas City/County officials struck such a "take it or leave it" attitude about the whole thing, apparently assuming that it made no real difference one way or the other. In fact, they barely disguised their distaste for the whole process.
What a loss. It's a loss of a forty-to-fifty year opportunity. It will never come again in my lifetime. You don't get to go back and call "do over" on this one.
It still remains to be seen whether the new stadium will transform Arlington. I personally doubt it, for the reasons I've mentioned above. But I think it could have helped save downtown Dallas. All you have to do is see what the AAC is doing to its neighborhood, to feel the wave of regret for what will now never be in another part of downtown.
So, in this week when the Super Bowl selection is announced, when we begin to see just the first of many events that will move to Arlington, I can't help but be glad for Jerry Jones, and terribly, terribly sad for my city.
filtered out this week, I can't help but feel happy
for Jerry Jones, and sad for my city. And I find
myself having totally flip-flopped in my view of both
Jerry Jones and the new stadium.
You gotta give Jerry Jones some credit these days. The man works hard and clearly loves his team. Concerning the stadium deal, Jerry Jones just did what any person in business would do: he made the best deal he could for his team.
I used to hate this guy. I can remember when he bought the team how little respect I --and just about everyone else in this town-- gave him.
But, he's shown --through the way he spends on players, and the funds he's shelling out of this new new facility-- that he really does want to win. You gotta give the guy some props.
What I would give for the Rangers to have that kind of owner!! In fact, the only good reason to have the stadium in Arlington is that it will shine the bright light of contrast on the Cowboys and Rangers.
The Cowboys have an owner who is always looking forward, who really cares about his team, and who reinvests in his franchise constantly. The fans believe he wants to win, and they've changed their minds about him.
And the Rangers? Do they even have an owner? Do they have anybody over there who gives a flip?
Get ready Tom Hicks. Here comes Jerry. He's going to make you look bad. Real bad.
So, my thoughts about Jerry Jones have changed and I am surprised by this. I'm glad for him. He deserves every kudo he gets.
I am even more surprised, however, to find that my thoughts about the new stadium have changed too. In the beginning, I wouldn't say that I was against it. I was sort of agnostic about it.
I heard the arguments from those who said it would be the best thing to happen to Dallas since central heating and air. And I heard those who said it would be the worst thing to happen here since the Kennedy assassination.
OK, nobody said either of those things. But that was their level of passion. People either seemed to believe that it would be the greatest economic engine, or the worst tax-and-resource-drain, we've ever seen.
As I said, I was mostly agnostic. I probably leaned toward the "against it" side. After all, with so many looming city problems, how can you justify putting that kind of resources into a stadium?
Well, as I said, I have jumped off the fence, and into the camp of those who now believe that losing the stadium to Arlington is the single worst business move in Dallas' history.
And I base that change of heart on what I see happening down at the AAC.
Wow, is that area booming. Wow, is it completely awe-inspiring to see the new development, the new nightlife, and the new people who now populate that part of town! If you haven't been down that way for a year or so, do yourself a favor and just drive around some evening soon.
Between "Victory," the new "W," and the spankin' new "House of Blues," that part of town is hopping. Dozens of area restaurants sponsor nightly shuttle buses to take folks back and forth to the games. (both from downtown and Uptown...)
For a look at how that area has been transformed, click here to see some pictures of the construction over the past few years.
And having gone to a fair number of Maverick's games these past few years, you can't help but get swept up in it. Then, it dawns on you that this excitement is not just for Maverick games, but also for Dallas Stars' games, and for all the other concerts/events that the AAC hosts.
That arena has saved downtown. No question about it.
And it begs a really horrible question: just how desolate would downtown be right now WITHOUT that new arena? Would any of the development I just mentioned have happened?
Doubtful.
Now, I realize a football stadium is different. There are not nearly the total number of games each year. But, there are other events. Events like...oh I don't know...the SUPER BOWL!!! Throw in the Cotton Bowl, Texas-OU, the BCS Championship, and ten or twelve concerts a year (I'm probably low-balling here...) and you've got another huge economic engine. It's probably fewer total events. But you could argue it might end up being about the same total number of people.
Imagine all those people, streaming into downtown Dallas...
What a loss.
But! I have a theory, and it's a theory I'd like to see some research on. There are lots of studies claiming that stadiums are drain on local economies. But have they studied downtown stadiums as a subset?
You see, my theory is that --like any realtor will tell you-- only three things matter: location, location, location.
My theory is that stadiums are only great economic engines when they are located downtown or in a dense urban area. (Not even near downtown...right in the heart of downtown...)
My theory is that when they are too far out in the middle of nowhere (like the Ballpark and the new Cowboys stadium) there is not nearly the economic boom there would be otherwise.
I mean, there are some restaurants in Arlington, but there are no new hotels, and certainly no Victory-like development. Look at the area around the Texas Motor Speedway. A few hotels, here and there. But mostly, it's still cow pasture there. Did Irving see a dramatic number of new places popping up around Texas Stadium? Nope. Just UD.
It seems to me that for a stadium to be an economic engine, it has to be around other stuff people want to be near...like downtown, where there is pre-existing infrastructure and such.
So, that's my stadium construction theory. And I'd love to see some actual expert probe the difference not between "stadium-or-no-stadium," but between downtown stadiums and suburban ones. Because my hunch is that downtown ones are true powerhouses.
Which is why I am so sad for Dallas right now. Because when you see the energy around the AAC, when you see the great plans the Jones family has for the new Cowboys stadium, you can't help but feel a HUGE wave of regret that Dallas has missed a very big boat. Perhaps even an Ark.
Our Dallas City/County officials struck such a "take it or leave it" attitude about the whole thing, apparently assuming that it made no real difference one way or the other. In fact, they barely disguised their distaste for the whole process.
What a loss. It's a loss of a forty-to-fifty year opportunity. It will never come again in my lifetime. You don't get to go back and call "do over" on this one.
It still remains to be seen whether the new stadium will transform Arlington. I personally doubt it, for the reasons I've mentioned above. But I think it could have helped save downtown Dallas. All you have to do is see what the AAC is doing to its neighborhood, to feel the wave of regret for what will now never be in another part of downtown.
So, in this week when the Super Bowl selection is announced, when we begin to see just the first of many events that will move to Arlington, I can't help but be glad for Jerry Jones, and terribly, terribly sad for my city.
Not Robbed This Time
May/04/2007 03:34 PM | Permalink
A year ago on this blog, I started something of a
mini-internet sensation with my allegation that the
Dallas Mavericks were robbed of the NBA Championship
by sorry officiating and the Oscar-worthy acting
skills of Dwyane Wayde. You can read the original
post
here.
An amazing number of people still stumble on that blog post each month, even a year later now. That amazes me. An occasional visitor will still even leave an angry comment. That amazes me even more. And concerns me a little. Because I moved on a long time ago. I left my anger and "bitterness" behind. I embraced the possibility of a bright future.
And this year's Mavericks did everything in their power to prove that they had forgotten about it too. They blazed an ember-hot trail through the NBA, finishing first in the division acclaimed by everyone to be the most difficult, and earning the number one seed in this year's playoffs. I even wrote about it earlier this year, when they won sixteen in a row, and became the fastest sporting team to get to 51 wins within 56 games. (Not NBA team, but "professional sports team" Period. In other words: no sports team in the history of professional team sports has ever done this...)
Things were looking great for my Mavs.
But the playoffs ended for the Mavs last night. So after twelve or so hours to get over the shock, I feel the need to make one thing perfectly clear:
The Mavs Were Not Robbed This Time.
Not even close. Nobody, not even a "homer" like me, would be so bold as to claim otherwise.
No, this is much sadder and more pathetic story. The Mavs completely folded. They choked. They failed to fight back. They got off their game. They looked whipped and confused. Golden State played with heart, energy, and passion. Dallas played with....well, were they really playing?
Hear me when I say it: they deserved to lose.
If I'm going to allege that they were robbed last year, then I have to own up to a time when they completely crash and burn. And that's exactly what they did this past week. They failed to play anywhere close to the level of the team I saw with my own eyes several times this year.
Here's what folks are saying around town today:
-- This team seems to have no guts.
-- They seem to have some psychological issues with pressures of playoff basketball.
-- The man who might still be named MVP of the league this year (irony, huh?) completely choked. He looked like Shawn Bradley out there.
-- The bench, which everyone claimed as "the deepest in the NBA," was no help at all. (Save, Stackhouse)
-- And finally, they inexplicably got away from the game that got them all the way through this year, and allowed Golden State to play theirs.
That's what folks are saying here today. And it's hard to argue with any of that.
And so, now what do I do with myself? All of us around here assumed we'd be in these playoffs for a while. What do we do now?
I've already written about how I can't love the Rangers anymore. It's months from football season. And that didn't end too well of us around here either. What's a guy to do?
Sigh...
Well, just needed to say what needed to be said, so there will be no confusion whatsoever:
The Mavs didn't deserve to win.
Nuff said.
An amazing number of people still stumble on that blog post each month, even a year later now. That amazes me. An occasional visitor will still even leave an angry comment. That amazes me even more. And concerns me a little. Because I moved on a long time ago. I left my anger and "bitterness" behind. I embraced the possibility of a bright future.
And this year's Mavericks did everything in their power to prove that they had forgotten about it too. They blazed an ember-hot trail through the NBA, finishing first in the division acclaimed by everyone to be the most difficult, and earning the number one seed in this year's playoffs. I even wrote about it earlier this year, when they won sixteen in a row, and became the fastest sporting team to get to 51 wins within 56 games. (Not NBA team, but "professional sports team" Period. In other words: no sports team in the history of professional team sports has ever done this...)
Things were looking great for my Mavs.
But the playoffs ended for the Mavs last night. So after twelve or so hours to get over the shock, I feel the need to make one thing perfectly clear:
The Mavs Were Not Robbed This Time.
Not even close. Nobody, not even a "homer" like me, would be so bold as to claim otherwise.
No, this is much sadder and more pathetic story. The Mavs completely folded. They choked. They failed to fight back. They got off their game. They looked whipped and confused. Golden State played with heart, energy, and passion. Dallas played with....well, were they really playing?
Hear me when I say it: they deserved to lose.
If I'm going to allege that they were robbed last year, then I have to own up to a time when they completely crash and burn. And that's exactly what they did this past week. They failed to play anywhere close to the level of the team I saw with my own eyes several times this year.
Here's what folks are saying around town today:
-- This team seems to have no guts.
-- They seem to have some psychological issues with pressures of playoff basketball.
-- The man who might still be named MVP of the league this year (irony, huh?) completely choked. He looked like Shawn Bradley out there.
-- The bench, which everyone claimed as "the deepest in the NBA," was no help at all. (Save, Stackhouse)
-- And finally, they inexplicably got away from the game that got them all the way through this year, and allowed Golden State to play theirs.
That's what folks are saying here today. And it's hard to argue with any of that.
And so, now what do I do with myself? All of us around here assumed we'd be in these playoffs for a while. What do we do now?
I've already written about how I can't love the Rangers anymore. It's months from football season. And that didn't end too well of us around here either. What's a guy to do?
Sigh...
Well, just needed to say what needed to be said, so there will be no confusion whatsoever:
The Mavs didn't deserve to win.
Nuff said.
Sweet Sixteen
Mar/08/2007 07:21 AM | Permalink
There's lots of time left in the season, but it's
still nice to pause and consider what these Dallas
Mavericks have accomplished so far.
Charles and Mary
invited us to the game Tuesday night, which we knew
going in could be history-making in one respect. But
we didn't know at the time just how history making
the night would end up being.
Here, Dirk sinks one of his 22 points. This is the camera-phone view of Dirk's signature shot from our amazing seats. More and more all the time, heseems Bird-esque. Anyone else besides me think that's the best comparison? Maybe it's the closest, but Dirk is such a unique player (size/skill-wise) that it still doesn't quite capture all he can do. By the time Dirk is done, we may end up saying that Larry Bird was "Dirk-esque."
The game ended the way most Mavs games do this year: another victory. This time, it was a trouncing of the New Jersey Nets. Final score: 102-89. What was most amazing is that even when the Nets got close at one point in the third, it hardly seemed like a real threat. You got the feeling the Mavs were playing with them, like a cat with a chew toy. There was never any real sense of danger, or a feeling in the AAC that the Mavs might lose.
Check out this cell phone video from our great seats (sorry for the poor sound quality...):
Note how much this team passes around, and hustles for the offensive rebound, before going in for the kill.
This
is a team with swagger...a confidence that I
have not seen in them before. Dirk seems
supremely confident. But the person I noticed it
from the most was Erik Dampier, who was just
dominating. I used to detect a slight tinge of
fear in his eyes. When plays didn't go his way,
he'd let out a dejected sigh. Tuesday night, he
was defiant, and he had one of his best games of
the season. (12 points, 13 rebounds).
These Mavs spread it around. Even though they have several genuine superstars, as the video shows, they play like a TEAM. Tuesday night, they had five players with double digit scoring. But as amazing as all this is, none of this gets to the three records they set Tuesday night.
First, they won number sixteen in a row. That's a franchise record.
Second, they are now the first team assured of a place in the NBA playoffs. From what I can tell, that means they could actually lose every remaining game and still be assured of a playoff birth.
Finally, however, the most amazing stat of all...
With Tuesday night's win, the Mavs become the fastest sports team to ever reach 51 wins within 56 consecutive games. That right, not fastest basketball team, but fastest sports team. Ever.
According to ESPN, not only has no basketball team ever done this, but no NHL team and no Major League Baseball team, either. And, even though it's theoretically possible over several seasons, no NFL team has come close to a streak this long.
Gives you pause, doesn't it?
This is a very, very, VERY good team. A dominating team.
And it's fun to watch history being made before our eyes.
Here, Dirk sinks one of his 22 points. This is the camera-phone view of Dirk's signature shot from our amazing seats. More and more all the time, heseems Bird-esque. Anyone else besides me think that's the best comparison? Maybe it's the closest, but Dirk is such a unique player (size/skill-wise) that it still doesn't quite capture all he can do. By the time Dirk is done, we may end up saying that Larry Bird was "Dirk-esque."
The game ended the way most Mavs games do this year: another victory. This time, it was a trouncing of the New Jersey Nets. Final score: 102-89. What was most amazing is that even when the Nets got close at one point in the third, it hardly seemed like a real threat. You got the feeling the Mavs were playing with them, like a cat with a chew toy. There was never any real sense of danger, or a feeling in the AAC that the Mavs might lose.
Check out this cell phone video from our great seats (sorry for the poor sound quality...):
Note how much this team passes around, and hustles for the offensive rebound, before going in for the kill.
This
is a team with swagger...a confidence that I
have not seen in them before. Dirk seems
supremely confident. But the person I noticed it
from the most was Erik Dampier, who was just
dominating. I used to detect a slight tinge of
fear in his eyes. When plays didn't go his way,
he'd let out a dejected sigh. Tuesday night, he
was defiant, and he had one of his best games of
the season. (12 points, 13 rebounds).
These Mavs spread it around. Even though they have several genuine superstars, as the video shows, they play like a TEAM. Tuesday night, they had five players with double digit scoring. But as amazing as all this is, none of this gets to the three records they set Tuesday night.
First, they won number sixteen in a row. That's a franchise record.
Second, they are now the first team assured of a place in the NBA playoffs. From what I can tell, that means they could actually lose every remaining game and still be assured of a playoff birth.
Finally, however, the most amazing stat of all...
With Tuesday night's win, the Mavs become the fastest sports team to ever reach 51 wins within 56 consecutive games. That right, not fastest basketball team, but fastest sports team. Ever.
According to ESPN, not only has no basketball team ever done this, but no NHL team and no Major League Baseball team, either. And, even though it's theoretically possible over several seasons, no NFL team has come close to a streak this long.
Gives you pause, doesn't it?
This is a very, very, VERY good team. A dominating team.
And it's fun to watch history being made before our eyes.
The Last Play of the Cowboys Season
Jan/09/2007 07:35 AM | Permalink
Romomentum
Dec/05/2006 05:40 PM | Permalink
Six games
into this season, who woulda thunk-it?
Who would've dreamed --given their horrible start-- that the Dallas Cowboys would be atop the NFC East; with a record of 8-4, and a two game lead over the nearest competition?
Who could've imagined that this coming Sunday they'd be playing another 8-4 NFC team; and that the name of that team would be the New Orleans Saints?
Are you kidding me?!
And, most amazing of all, who even thought, just a few weeks back, that the guy who would lead them is this would be an undrafted quarterback who had never started in the NFL?
Although there are many factors that have led to the Cowboy's mid-season turnaround, there is no single factor touted more by the sport-punditocracy (feel free to use this fine new word) than the leadership of Tony Romo.
The Cowboys are 5-1 since Romo took over. And the "1" was the freakiest last-second loss you'll ever see. The punditocracy has gone from proclaiming the Cowboys' season over, to seriously suggesting they might end up in the Super Bowl.
Are you kidding me?!
Look around the NFC, and you'd be hard pressed to rule that out. In fact, just today, ESPN has released their "Power Rankings" for the NFL for Week 14. The first two teams are from the AFC. The top-rated NFC team?
The Dallas Cowboys.
Here in Big D, we're still pinching ourselves and rubbing our eyes about all this. We're knocking the side of our head, checking our ears for wax, and reading the sport pages twice, just to be sure. But it's all there, and it's all real. This team is hot. This team is on a roll.
And all eyes are on Romo.
What's been fun is to hear the old Cowboys--the wise, retired, generation-- talk about this young kid. I have now heard Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, and Charlie Waters all say that they think Romo is the real deal. During the radio broadcast of the last game, Waters said Romo's confidence reminded him a lot of Staubach.
And he said something else that I've felt while watching the last few games: even if the Cowboys are down, even if it's late in the game, with Romo in there you have the feeling that they still might come back and they still might have a shot. That's what we fans remember about the Aikman and Staubach years.
Romo is
able to scramble in the pocket; which, overnight, has
made the offensive line look like they're playing
better. But it seems to me they are
playing
better. It seems to me that Romo's attitude has made
the team want
to play
better. Heck, even T.O. is giving him compliments.
And I don't remember T.O. ever
being real
happy with his quarterbacks. Romo's Quarterback
Rating is a stunningly high 102.4. In addition to the
talk of the Cowboys making the Super Bowl, the
puditocracy is seriously mentioning his name in
connection with the Pro Bowl too. It's a lot to take
in.
So as you might imagine would be the case, there have been numerous stories written about Tony Romo the past two months. Lot's has been made of the fact that he was undrafted out of college. (Where is Eastern Illinois?!) Lot's has been written about his confidence as a player. There's even been the rumor that he's dating Richardson-native, Jessica Simpson. (Seems she could've used his confidence at the Kennedy Center Honors last two nights ago...)
But of all the factoids put out there in the past two months, the one that caught my eye was a story about his heritage. Setting aside the awkward jokes of Michael Irvin, the real truth is actually pretty interesting: Tony Romo is the grandson of Mexican immigrants.
Baptized "Antonio Ramiro Romo," raised in California and Wisconsin, and like many other Dallasites, Romo's family roots trace back through Texas and into Mexico. The best story on this is from the San Antonio Express-News, and ran just after Romo's first start a few weeks back. Here's some of what it said:
"Tony Romo's paternal grandparents sat in front of their TV alone Sunday night, holding hands.
Ramiro and Felicita Romo knew watching their grandson make his debut as the Dallas Cowboys' starting quarterback would be emotional, and they wanted to share the moment in solitude.
"There were some tears," Felicita Romo said. "No, a lot of tears."
It was a like a sueño, a dream, for the Romos, who lived in San Antonio for three years before moving to the East Texas town of Crockett in 1989.
But the image of No. 9 walking up to the line of scrimmage to take his first snap confirmed what they had known for days: Their nieto, grandson, was quarterbacking the team with the star on the helmet.
"I thought of how far we've come, not only as a family, but as a people," Ramiro, 73, said in Spanish this week via phone. "I remembered the hard times in Mexico and how I struggled when I first got here. It's like coming from zero to where we are today. All of that went through my mind." "
Romo's grandfather was born in Mexico in 1933 and came to Texas as a teenager. After five years in San Antonio, he ended up in Racine, Wisconsin. It was there that he met and married Tony's grandmother. Like many other grandsons/daughters of Mexican immigrants, the story points out that "Tony" has become quite assimilated into American life. It says:
Although Tony speaks very little Spanish — he can sing "La Bamba" with his grandfather accompanying him on the guitar — his abuelos and father said he takes pride in his ethnicity.
"That's a topic we've talked about a number of times," Ramiro Jr. said. "I've told Tony that there are some bad people out there who sometimes judge you, or get a certain perspective of you, by your name. But you shouldn't be ashamed of who you are.
"Tony is fiercely proud of being an Hispanic and carrying the Romo name. I've always told him, 'Be who you are and be proud of it.'"
So, in a year when a Dallas suburb passed laws against undocumented immigrants, in a year of Dallas' (and Texas') single largest protest ever --a protest of immigration policies that drew half a million people-- it's at least worth musing on how the new Cowboys' QB is a second-generation Mexican-American.
To me, it speaks to the enduring legacy of the American dream. To others, I hope knowing this might help them see the truth of what myself and many others often say: that immigrants always assimilate into America. It may take a generation. Sometimes it takes two. But, given a level...ahem....playing field, the children and grandchildren of Mexican immigrants can grow to do great things.
They can even grow up to quarterback "America's Team."
As you might imagine, Tony's grandparents --who now live back here in Texas-- are truly moved by their grandson's achievements:
"That a Mexican immigrant would someday have a grandson quarterbacking one of the most glamorous teams in pro sports, Ramiro and Felicita said, is a testament to the power of the American dream.
"I've always said this is a country of opportunities," Ramiro said. "If you don't get a job or an education, it's because you don't want to."
His parents' humble background, Ramiro Romo Jr. said, has made Tony's success more gratifying.
"Only in America," he said.""
Yes, only in America.
Who would've dreamed --given their horrible start-- that the Dallas Cowboys would be atop the NFC East; with a record of 8-4, and a two game lead over the nearest competition?
Who could've imagined that this coming Sunday they'd be playing another 8-4 NFC team; and that the name of that team would be the New Orleans Saints?
Are you kidding me?!
And, most amazing of all, who even thought, just a few weeks back, that the guy who would lead them is this would be an undrafted quarterback who had never started in the NFL?
Although there are many factors that have led to the Cowboy's mid-season turnaround, there is no single factor touted more by the sport-punditocracy (feel free to use this fine new word) than the leadership of Tony Romo.
The Cowboys are 5-1 since Romo took over. And the "1" was the freakiest last-second loss you'll ever see. The punditocracy has gone from proclaiming the Cowboys' season over, to seriously suggesting they might end up in the Super Bowl.
Are you kidding me?!
Look around the NFC, and you'd be hard pressed to rule that out. In fact, just today, ESPN has released their "Power Rankings" for the NFL for Week 14. The first two teams are from the AFC. The top-rated NFC team?
The Dallas Cowboys.
Here in Big D, we're still pinching ourselves and rubbing our eyes about all this. We're knocking the side of our head, checking our ears for wax, and reading the sport pages twice, just to be sure. But it's all there, and it's all real. This team is hot. This team is on a roll.
And all eyes are on Romo.
What's been fun is to hear the old Cowboys--the wise, retired, generation-- talk about this young kid. I have now heard Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, and Charlie Waters all say that they think Romo is the real deal. During the radio broadcast of the last game, Waters said Romo's confidence reminded him a lot of Staubach.
And he said something else that I've felt while watching the last few games: even if the Cowboys are down, even if it's late in the game, with Romo in there you have the feeling that they still might come back and they still might have a shot. That's what we fans remember about the Aikman and Staubach years.
So as you might imagine would be the case, there have been numerous stories written about Tony Romo the past two months. Lot's has been made of the fact that he was undrafted out of college. (Where is Eastern Illinois?!) Lot's has been written about his confidence as a player. There's even been the rumor that he's dating Richardson-native, Jessica Simpson. (Seems she could've used his confidence at the Kennedy Center Honors last two nights ago...)
But of all the factoids put out there in the past two months, the one that caught my eye was a story about his heritage. Setting aside the awkward jokes of Michael Irvin, the real truth is actually pretty interesting: Tony Romo is the grandson of Mexican immigrants.
Baptized "Antonio Ramiro Romo," raised in California and Wisconsin, and like many other Dallasites, Romo's family roots trace back through Texas and into Mexico. The best story on this is from the San Antonio Express-News, and ran just after Romo's first start a few weeks back. Here's some of what it said:
"Tony Romo's paternal grandparents sat in front of their TV alone Sunday night, holding hands.
Ramiro and Felicita Romo knew watching their grandson make his debut as the Dallas Cowboys' starting quarterback would be emotional, and they wanted to share the moment in solitude.
"There were some tears," Felicita Romo said. "No, a lot of tears."
It was a like a sueño, a dream, for the Romos, who lived in San Antonio for three years before moving to the East Texas town of Crockett in 1989.
But the image of No. 9 walking up to the line of scrimmage to take his first snap confirmed what they had known for days: Their nieto, grandson, was quarterbacking the team with the star on the helmet.
"I thought of how far we've come, not only as a family, but as a people," Ramiro, 73, said in Spanish this week via phone. "I remembered the hard times in Mexico and how I struggled when I first got here. It's like coming from zero to where we are today. All of that went through my mind." "
Romo's grandfather was born in Mexico in 1933 and came to Texas as a teenager. After five years in San Antonio, he ended up in Racine, Wisconsin. It was there that he met and married Tony's grandmother. Like many other grandsons/daughters of Mexican immigrants, the story points out that "Tony" has become quite assimilated into American life. It says:
Although Tony speaks very little Spanish — he can sing "La Bamba" with his grandfather accompanying him on the guitar — his abuelos and father said he takes pride in his ethnicity.
"That's a topic we've talked about a number of times," Ramiro Jr. said. "I've told Tony that there are some bad people out there who sometimes judge you, or get a certain perspective of you, by your name. But you shouldn't be ashamed of who you are.
"Tony is fiercely proud of being an Hispanic and carrying the Romo name. I've always told him, 'Be who you are and be proud of it.'"
So, in a year when a Dallas suburb passed laws against undocumented immigrants, in a year of Dallas' (and Texas') single largest protest ever --a protest of immigration policies that drew half a million people-- it's at least worth musing on how the new Cowboys' QB is a second-generation Mexican-American.
To me, it speaks to the enduring legacy of the American dream. To others, I hope knowing this might help them see the truth of what myself and many others often say: that immigrants always assimilate into America. It may take a generation. Sometimes it takes two. But, given a level...ahem....playing field, the children and grandchildren of Mexican immigrants can grow to do great things.
They can even grow up to quarterback "America's Team."
As you might imagine, Tony's grandparents --who now live back here in Texas-- are truly moved by their grandson's achievements:
"That a Mexican immigrant would someday have a grandson quarterbacking one of the most glamorous teams in pro sports, Ramiro and Felicita said, is a testament to the power of the American dream.
"I've always said this is a country of opportunities," Ramiro said. "If you don't get a job or an education, it's because you don't want to."
His parents' humble background, Ramiro Romo Jr. said, has made Tony's success more gratifying.
"Only in America," he said.""
Yes, only in America.
Rest in Peace, Buck...
Oct/19/2006 08:06 AM | Permalink
For all of
those who are regular readers of my blog, you may be
worried that I've fallen off the planet or something.
Nothing of the sort. But, with the election looming,
now eighteen-days-away, things are little hectic
around our household.
Every spare moment I have these past few weeks has been devoted to working Dennise's campaign. As such, I've been unable to post on a whole host of delicious news stories:
The death of Ann Richards...
T.O. Owens' "accidental" overdose...
The Mark Foley scandal...
The continuing war in Iraq...
The upcoming World Series...
And probably many other things that I'm forgetting off the top of my head right now.
But the thing I've been most eager to write about, believe it or not, is the death of Buck O'Neil. Buck died about two weeks ago now, and since that time I've had several hundred folks stop by to read my blog entry about Buck from last year. I'll refer you there, should you have no idea who Buck O'Neil is.
And all I can say right now is that Buck's death makes me extremely sad. Sad because now an injustice can never be corrected...at least not the way it should be.
Last year, Major League Baseball corrected one great injustice, but created another, when it voted to welcome many of the most famous Negro League figures into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The injustice that was created is that Buck O'Neil wasn't on the list.
I supposed that the special committee responsible for inducting the figures from the Negro League days might still get together and vote Buck in. But Buck deserved to be there in the first place, and he lived long enough to deserve to see it too.
Rest in peace, Buck. Millions of us are deeply saddened that you never got the honors you deserved.
Every spare moment I have these past few weeks has been devoted to working Dennise's campaign. As such, I've been unable to post on a whole host of delicious news stories:
The death of Ann Richards...
T.O. Owens' "accidental" overdose...
The Mark Foley scandal...
The continuing war in Iraq...
The upcoming World Series...
And probably many other things that I'm forgetting off the top of my head right now.
But the thing I've been most eager to write about, believe it or not, is the death of Buck O'Neil. Buck died about two weeks ago now, and since that time I've had several hundred folks stop by to read my blog entry about Buck from last year. I'll refer you there, should you have no idea who Buck O'Neil is.
And all I can say right now is that Buck's death makes me extremely sad. Sad because now an injustice can never be corrected...at least not the way it should be.
Last year, Major League Baseball corrected one great injustice, but created another, when it voted to welcome many of the most famous Negro League figures into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The injustice that was created is that Buck O'Neil wasn't on the list.
I supposed that the special committee responsible for inducting the figures from the Negro League days might still get together and vote Buck in. But Buck deserved to be there in the first place, and he lived long enough to deserve to see it too.
Rest in peace, Buck. Millions of us are deeply saddened that you never got the honors you deserved.
Oh Yezz....Oh Yezz....Oh Yezzz...Time for some
College Football!!
Sep/09/2006 10:54 AM | Permalink
I LOVE
college football. Next to pro-baseball, it's probably
my favorite sport. And, given my disdain for the
Rangers these days, I could
easily argue that I even love it more than
baseball these days.
There is just something about the pageantry, the emotion, the excess of it. Pro football feels too, well, professional for me. It's like the difference between a passionate street performer, juggling knives down in the West End, and clown with the Ringling Brothers Circus....the performers of the latter are all really talented people, but it always feels a little too...dare I say....scripted?
I mean, be honest, in most years the day the pro season starts, you can name the five to ten teams that will compete at the end of the year. And, sure enough, you'll be right on three to seven of your picks by years end. But in college ball? Most years anything can happen. Most years, anything does. Most years there's a big game way before the playoffs start.
In fact, Dale Hansen argues (and I can't believe I'm quoting Hansen here...) that in college ball every week is a playoff week. That's really true. Every week, for the true fan, there's a make-or-break game on somewhere. Every week, there's a bitter rival playing a bitter rival. Every week, a team everyone thinks is incredibly and should go all the way may get knocked off and have it all come crashing down around them.
It doesn't hurt that I've always been a UT fan, and it doesn't hurt that they are one of the marque programs in the country and defending national champions. Yes, my usual yearly excitement is a little higher than usual. But, even if they weren't contending this year, there's just something about college ball and how emotional, passionate, and unpredictable it is. It feels more honest and real than pro ball.
Having said that, I am looking forward to tonight's game between Ohio State and Texas. As I just mentioned, every week there's a big game. And this week, there's no game bigger than this. Tragically, one of these two great teams will find its run for the national championship seriously wounded at the end of the night. That's really a shame this early in the year.
On the other hand, it's often easier to get back in hunt later in the year, if you lose early...so, we'll see.
Lot's of folks are picking Ohio State for this one. They're pointing to the fact that last year, time after time, it was Vince Young who bailed out the Longhorns. Can't argue with that. I've waxed about Young so often that you all know I believed that was true last year. I think the reason a UT National Championship surprised so many folks was that they underestimated the incredible talent of Vince Young.
But, we should realize that Texas is an incredibly talented team even without him. I think Colt McCoy should do OK this year. We'll know a lot more after tonight on that. But the rest of the team is so quick, so strong, and so talented. And Vince's superhero talents sometimes overshadowed that fact.
So, with trepidation, here are my keys to the game:
Home Field: Advantage UT...and in college ball, this is a huge advantage...
Quarterback: Advantage OSU...and one of the things folks are predicting about this game is that Troy Smith shows us what a big star he is...we'll see.
Offense: Tie: they are both explosive.
Defense: Advantage UT....look at last week...a weak opponent didn't score much against OSU, but they ran up lots of yards. UT's defense crushed North Texas. People keep talking about how Young's loss hurts Texas, but they fail to admit how many losses OSU has had on defense. They could step up tonight, so I don't want to overstate this...but it would not surprise me for them to be weaker than folks think.
Overall depth: Advantage UT...do not underestimate this...
Secret Weapons: Advantage UT....OSU has one great reciever in Ginn. UT has four outstanding ones. But, I'm going to keep saying this name, as I did just after the last national championship game: watch out for Jamaal Charles. The dude slices through defenders just like VY did. If he has a break out game tonight, folks may forget all about VY. (assuming he has a break out game and doesn't drop the ball...)
The point of all this is that I can't say for certain Texas will win. But I don't expect Texas to get crushed, and will not be as surprised as others if we pull of the win, for all the reasons I've listed above.
One thing's for certain: I am still so pumped about last year that I really don't think I'll be crushed if UT loses. If we lose to OU...well, that's another story. But nobody can take last year away from us. And writers are still talking about how great it was.
Even if we lose tonight, we're still the national champs...
There is just something about the pageantry, the emotion, the excess of it. Pro football feels too, well, professional for me. It's like the difference between a passionate street performer, juggling knives down in the West End, and clown with the Ringling Brothers Circus....the performers of the latter are all really talented people, but it always feels a little too...dare I say....scripted?
I mean, be honest, in most years the day the pro season starts, you can name the five to ten teams that will compete at the end of the year. And, sure enough, you'll be right on three to seven of your picks by years end. But in college ball? Most years anything can happen. Most years, anything does. Most years there's a big game way before the playoffs start.
In fact, Dale Hansen argues (and I can't believe I'm quoting Hansen here...) that in college ball every week is a playoff week. That's really true. Every week, for the true fan, there's a make-or-break game on somewhere. Every week, there's a bitter rival playing a bitter rival. Every week, a team everyone thinks is incredibly and should go all the way may get knocked off and have it all come crashing down around them.
It doesn't hurt that I've always been a UT fan, and it doesn't hurt that they are one of the marque programs in the country and defending national champions. Yes, my usual yearly excitement is a little higher than usual. But, even if they weren't contending this year, there's just something about college ball and how emotional, passionate, and unpredictable it is. It feels more honest and real than pro ball.
Having said that, I am looking forward to tonight's game between Ohio State and Texas. As I just mentioned, every week there's a big game. And this week, there's no game bigger than this. Tragically, one of these two great teams will find its run for the national championship seriously wounded at the end of the night. That's really a shame this early in the year.
On the other hand, it's often easier to get back in hunt later in the year, if you lose early...so, we'll see.
Lot's of folks are picking Ohio State for this one. They're pointing to the fact that last year, time after time, it was Vince Young who bailed out the Longhorns. Can't argue with that. I've waxed about Young so often that you all know I believed that was true last year. I think the reason a UT National Championship surprised so many folks was that they underestimated the incredible talent of Vince Young.
But, we should realize that Texas is an incredibly talented team even without him. I think Colt McCoy should do OK this year. We'll know a lot more after tonight on that. But the rest of the team is so quick, so strong, and so talented. And Vince's superhero talents sometimes overshadowed that fact.
So, with trepidation, here are my keys to the game:
Home Field: Advantage UT...and in college ball, this is a huge advantage...
Quarterback: Advantage OSU...and one of the things folks are predicting about this game is that Troy Smith shows us what a big star he is...we'll see.
Offense: Tie: they are both explosive.
Defense: Advantage UT....look at last week...a weak opponent didn't score much against OSU, but they ran up lots of yards. UT's defense crushed North Texas. People keep talking about how Young's loss hurts Texas, but they fail to admit how many losses OSU has had on defense. They could step up tonight, so I don't want to overstate this...but it would not surprise me for them to be weaker than folks think.
Overall depth: Advantage UT...do not underestimate this...
Secret Weapons: Advantage UT....OSU has one great reciever in Ginn. UT has four outstanding ones. But, I'm going to keep saying this name, as I did just after the last national championship game: watch out for Jamaal Charles. The dude slices through defenders just like VY did. If he has a break out game tonight, folks may forget all about VY. (assuming he has a break out game and doesn't drop the ball...)
The point of all this is that I can't say for certain Texas will win. But I don't expect Texas to get crushed, and will not be as surprised as others if we pull of the win, for all the reasons I've listed above.
One thing's for certain: I am still so pumped about last year that I really don't think I'll be crushed if UT loses. If we lose to OU...well, that's another story. But nobody can take last year away from us. And writers are still talking about how great it was.
Even if we lose tonight, we're still the national champs...
Why I Can't Afford to Love the Rangers
Jul/06/2006 08:37 AM | Permalink
Why I
Can't Afford to Love the Rangers
Last week, Kevin Sherrington wrote this column about Michael Young (registration required). It was a good piece, and it asked a challenging question. Speaking directly to us fans, Sherrington asked this:
You loved Rusty Greer. Loved to watch him go after a ball at the wall or in the gap or fading in front of him and wonder if he'd come up with it, wonder if he'd even get up after he laid it all on the line.
You loved Pudge Rodriguez. Loved the smile, the electricity, the bolt of lightning to second.
You didn't have to know much about baseball to paper your kids' room with posters of Rusty and Pudge.
Question: What's it going to take for you to fall in love with Michael Young?
It's an excellent question. Michael Young, as Sherrington reminds us, has won the batting title. He's had back-to-back-to-back (that's three) 200 hit seasons. Which puts him in a list of names like Rose, Cobb, and Gehrig. He broke the club record for errorless games by shortstop.
In short, he's an amazing player. But when his All-Star selection was announced the other day (and btw, he had to be voted on the team...) Sherrigton says "you (the fans) provided an ovation that lasted, by my watch, all of three seconds."
So, what's the deal? Why haven't fans embraced Young like they embraced Pudge, and Greer, and the like?
Well, I can't speak for all of Ranger fandom. But I can speak for me. And the answer is simple:
I just can't allow myself to get close to these guys. I just can't allow myself to love them like I've loved all previous generations of Ranger teams. They've hurt me too many times.
Fool me once, shame on me.
Fool me twice, shame on me.
Fool me every year since 1972, and I have to ask myself: What kind of loser am I for sticking around?!!
Last week, Kevin Sherrington wrote this column about Michael Young (registration required). It was a good piece, and it asked a challenging question. Speaking directly to us fans, Sherrington asked this:
You loved Rusty Greer. Loved to watch him go after a ball at the wall or in the gap or fading in front of him and wonder if he'd come up with it, wonder if he'd even get up after he laid it all on the line.
You loved Pudge Rodriguez. Loved the smile, the electricity, the bolt of lightning to second.
You didn't have to know much about baseball to paper your kids' room with posters of Rusty and Pudge.
Question: What's it going to take for you to fall in love with Michael Young?
It's an excellent question. Michael Young, as Sherrington reminds us, has won the batting title. He's had back-to-back-to-back (that's three) 200 hit seasons. Which puts him in a list of names like Rose, Cobb, and Gehrig. He broke the club record for errorless games by shortstop.
In short, he's an amazing player. But when his All-Star selection was announced the other day (and btw, he had to be voted on the team...) Sherrigton says "you (the fans) provided an ovation that lasted, by my watch, all of three seconds."
So, what's the deal? Why haven't fans embraced Young like they embraced Pudge, and Greer, and the like?
Well, I can't speak for all of Ranger fandom. But I can speak for me. And the answer is simple:
I just can't allow myself to get close to these guys. I just can't allow myself to love them like I've loved all previous generations of Ranger teams. They've hurt me too many times.
Fool me once, shame on me.
Fool me twice, shame on me.
Fool me every year since 1972, and I have to ask myself: What kind of loser am I for sticking around?!!
I've been there beside this miserable team since the very beginning. It's not just that I've been attached to players like Pudge Rodriguez. It's that I've been attached to players like David Clyde. I've been attached to Jeff Burroughs (Had a poster of him up in my room as a kid...all the while knowing that he was nowhere near the stature of Aaron and Rose....the other guys I had posters of) I've been attached to Jim Sundberg, and Jim Fregosi. I've been attached to Toby Harrah, and Bump Wills. I was attached to Fergie Jenkins (my Mom bought me an autographed copy of his book for my birthday) and Bert Blyleven. I was attached to Buddy Bell, and Mike Hargrove.
I was attached to Nolan Ryan...
Holy cow, NOLAN RYAN was Texas Ranger!!! After all those names I just mentioned, it still seems like those were dream years. But they weren't. And soon after Nolan came a whole other group of players that I was REALLY attached to. Names of players who will one day be in the Hall of Fame:
Pudge
Raffi
Gonzo
Not only were they great players, they even had real baseball nicknames. They even went to the playoffs. Twice. Lost to the dreaded Yankees. (Yes, I went to those playoff games) And it seemed like the Rangers were finally digging themselves out of a twenty-year hole. They were finally winning. Sure, the pitching sucked. But the HITTING!!! It was amazing. We were so pleased to not be at the bottom of our division that we didn't know to complain about the pitching. It made all those years of being attached to Oddibe McDowell seem like they were somehow worth it. It was as if twenty-years of misery might finally be vanquished forever.
But something about winning a little makes you want to win even more. And so, those two trips to the playoffs simply made us all want for more. But it didn't happen. The club started to fall backward. Free agency meant that there was no way to keep the team's core together (at least, with this owner...). I kept thinking that if they'd just get a pitcher or two, it would all be better.
And every off season, I would chant what became my Ranger-mantra. It was a variant of the old Clinton campaign mantra:
It's the pitching, stupid.
It's not the hitting. It's the pitching. We've got to get us some pitching in here.
So, what do they do? With the core of the Rangers only good team falling apart, the new management signs Alex Rodriguez. I can hardly stand to say the name. I am still so mad at Hicks, still so disgusted that this selfish, conceited player was ever in a Ranger uniform. And even though he's now been gone a few years, we (or better yet, Hicks) are still, literally, paying for it.
So, the point is, sometime these last few years --between the trading/selling off of the incredible core of a good team, and the bonehead signing of A-Rod-- these owners lost me. They just lost me. They needed to take this team in a positive direction. They needed pitching, and they went for hitting. They HAD the core of a good, good team....the thirty-year support of fans like me....and they crapped it away. Just flushed it down the toilet.
So, yes, I cannot love this current team. I really cannot get into Michael Young, and it's totally not his fault. I can't afford to get too excited about Mark Texiera. I'm not even sure I spelled his name right, and I don't care enough to look it up.
The sad thing is? I vaguely realize that these guys play hard. I vaguely realize that they show up each and every game, and work their butts off. It doesn't matter. Because I don't think the owners want to win. I don't think the owners have the heart to win.
And, I've just poured my heart and soul into the Mavericks; and before them, my beloved Texas Longhorns.
Look at Cuban. I used to think the guy was an idiot. Now, I think he's a genius. Cuban knows two things:
1) He wants to win, and
2) He's nothing without the support of the fans.
Cuban may be crazy. But he admits when he's wrong. He'll be honest about when he's made a mistake. And he knows that his fans are everything...and that without them, nothing else matters.
How crazy was it for him, or for Avery Johnson, to say all year "we will not be satisfied until we're in the finals?"
THAT'S what you need from your owners/managers...you need them to believe you can overachieve (the Mavs DID this year...). You need them to help you believe. You need them to help your players believe.
Or, look at Mack Brown. Look how positive he was all season. We will not be satisfied until we are champions, he said. It's not enough to just beat OU this time.
It was GREAT to believe in those guys, wasn't it?! It was a great run with the Mavericks. And yes, they broke my heart. But they did it by breaking their backs. They worked their tails off, and I'm the happiest broken-hearted fan alive.
And now, all that dies down, and all I'm left with is what looks like the same old Texas Rangers.
And I just can't do it anymore.
You want to know how the Rangers can get me back? It's all on the management. There's nothing the players need to do. I am sure they are good players. I'm sure they work hard. But, as I said, it's not the players fault. It's the owners.
So, dear Rangers Management:
The following are my concluding thoughts on what you can do to save this franchise. And I do mean save the franchise, not just the season. I hope you realize how close you are to losing it all...not just this year...but close to losing an entire fan-base. This is the metroplex, remember. There's a lot to do around here. There are movie theaters on every corner. There's Six Flags. Heck, we fans might even go to "The Nasher." Realize, this is about keeping your franchise, not your season.
So, here are my suggestions to you:
1) Call Mark Cuban. Learn from him. He's a master. You don't have to be that over-the-top. But you need to learn how to care, or at least to look like you care. Cuban can help with this. Also, listen very closely when he tells you that the fans mean everything. They do. Think about it. And if you can't bring yourself to care, just find a way not to let us know that. We need to believe you care. We need to see it through not only what you say, but the money you put into the franchise. We need to see a couple of seasons of spectacular spending. That will probably just tick you off to hear me say that. But how you spend your money (or don't spend it) is a symbol for how much you care.
2) Admit when you've screwed up. Admit that A-Rod was a fiasco. Admit that it put this club back five-to-ten years, and that we're still recovering. Cuban would admit it. Cuban would apologize. And Cuban would take all that money that we're still paying to the Yankees each year and add it to the Rangers payroll...a luxury tax on himself to show good faith. We need to see you do something spectacular like that.
3) Pitching, pitching, pitching!!!! I don't care what you have to do. We need pitching. We need NUMBER ONE STARTERS. Two of them. (Yes, you heard me right: two) You keep getting us number two starters. We need TWO number one starters. That's what the great teams always have.
4) Finally, realize the depth of this problem. This is not about this season. This is not about the Mavs winning. (OK, that's part of it...) This like global warming. This is a decades-old problem. You need to recognize just how deep and serious this problem is.
Global warming started years and years ago. My Rangers global warming started about 1979. It was slow at first. It was still fun to love those lovable losers. The two playoff runs almost turned me around. But then, you owners screwed it up again. You traded off/gave away, the core a winning team. Now --and I think I can say this is a distinct possibility-- Pudge may win his SECOND World Championship with a team that's not the Rangers. You know how much that hurts?! That only adds insult to injury.
So, the glaciers are melting faster now. The hurricanes are of greater strength. You inherited a natural spring of goodwill that's now dry. And, like global warming, it's going to take decades to turn it around.
Admit it. Get busy fixing it.
But do it publicly and say it loudly when you do.
Because I'm not paying the close attention I used to these days, and I probably won't hear you otherwise.
I can't afford to love these Rangers anymore.
I can't afford to care.
--30--
Final Thoughts from a "Bitter" P1
Jul/01/2006 05:33 PM | Permalink
It's
definitely time to leave the whole "Phantom Foul"
thing behind. Besides this final entry, I don't plan
to talk about it anymore. (Although I'm sure it'll
turn up in my "blogs of the month" entry next
week...)
What a crazy, fun two weeks it's been. It goes without saying that this has been the busiest couple of weeks ever for my little blog. Here are the final statistics:
Total Visitors to my blog in June: 20,040
Average visitors to my website in an average month: 2,000-4,000
Total Readers of the "Phantom Foul" post: 26,268
Total Downloads of the five videos: 34,674
And, since it's July, I can now breathe easy since I didn't over-top my monthly transfer quota for my website... although it got close....very, very close. Had the finals been a day or two earlier in the month, I woulda been toast, and I'm sure my site would have disappeared for a few days. But all is well. All is good. And it's been quite fun.
What a crazy, fun two weeks it's been. It goes without saying that this has been the busiest couple of weeks ever for my little blog. Here are the final statistics:
Total Visitors to my blog in June: 20,040
Average visitors to my website in an average month: 2,000-4,000
Total Readers of the "Phantom Foul" post: 26,268
Total Downloads of the five videos: 34,674
And, since it's July, I can now breathe easy since I didn't over-top my monthly transfer quota for my website... although it got close....very, very close. Had the finals been a day or two earlier in the month, I woulda been toast, and I'm sure my site would have disappeared for a few days. But all is well. All is good. And it's been quite fun.
Thanks to Gordon Keith and Bob and Dan putting the link on their blogs. Bob and Dan's blog called me a "bitter P1." However, even as they change out much of the other info on their blog, they've kept the link to my post on their main page for well over a week.
Soooo, methinks they doth enjoy it a little more than they let on.
It's fine guys. I'm honored to do your dirty work for you.
And I still really don't think I'm bitter about all this. But I know the more I say that, the worse it looks. So I'm gonna stop saying it now.
Bottom line? I still don't think it's wrong to point out how Wade gets treated differently than other players.
A final special word to all you "bitter" San Antonio fans:
I'll simply ask you to look at the stats....the number of fouls called on Dirk stayed very consistent throughout the Dallas/Spurs series. So, even though you might argue a call here or there, on average it averages out and it's impossible to say that the foul calls given to Dirk made a significant difference overall.
However...
... when a player (Wade) gets 200 and 250 percent more free throw attempts in the final two finals games
... when his finals FTA average is 143 percent higher than his season average...
I think that does make a huge difference. And when some of the calls end up being so ridiculously bad, it just adds to the frustration some of us feel. But I'm over it, really. No, really....swear....
And while I am personally done talking about it, I do hope others keep this issue alive in the future. Because, to my mind, Wade will never be a great player unless the fouls called on him are in line with what others are getting.
Lots of you out there clearly agreed with me. Others of you didn't.
Overall, it's been a fun diversion this past week. But it IS time to move on now.
I've got lots more interesting things to blog about next week. Heck, I might even blog about the Rangers.