Tonight at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington the home team “regulars” won’t play. The Miami Dolphins will use their starters. Other than a juicy wagering opportunity, here are a couple things to keep your eye on as the Cowboys mercifully end the longest preseason in the history of professional sports: *Stephen McGee…
Home runs. RBI. Slugging percentage. Batting average. Fielding percentage. The best player on the best team. Seems everyone in baseball has a varying criterion on how to choose the most valuable player. Texas Rangers hitting coach Clint Hurdle’s standards are simple, yet a tad more subjective. “The MVP should be…
Sean Lee is good. But not good enough. Drafted in the second round to be a better Bobby Carpenter, the Penn State rookie has looked good in the preseason. But not good enough to earn the job as the Dallas Cowboys’ nickel linebacker. Spin it any way you want, this…
More importantly, you ever coming back? I said yesterday I’d give the playoff ball to C.J. Wilson over Cliff Lee. Saw nothing in last night’s 10-9 loss to Kansas City Royals that changed my mind. You? Thought I’d never write this: The Texas Rangers lost a game started by Cliff Lee in which…
In advance of this week’s Observer column on Texas Rangers’ outfielder Josh Hamilton I asked new owner Chuck Greenberg about signing his star to a new, long-term deal next winter. “With his bat and glove and legs and arm and heart, he’s our MVP and I think the best player…
Down at Dallas Cowboys training camp the reminder of May 1, 2009 was omnipresent. Coaches yelled. Players grunted. Fans cheered. And, day after day, Rich Behm rolled. In his wheelchair. Behm, the team’s scouting assistant paralyzed when the Valley Ranch indoor practice facility collapsed in a storm, has settled a…
Nope, not our Lord and Southpaw Savior Cliff Lee. C.J. Wilson. Why? Because at this point I trust him more. Because at this point he’s the best pitcher on the staff. No? Amazing for a pitcher who a couple years ago drew our ire when he disgustingly flipped the ball to…
The Texas Rangers are out of Chapter 11 and Tom Hicks’s hands, but that website devoted to the prepackaged bankruptcy remains alive and well weeks later. New filings are being added to Texas Rangers Baseball Partners Information Site every day, including two docs detailing how well the team’s doing –…
This isn’t a sports town, but more so a winners town. It’s substance over style. For all you I-love-the-Cowboys-but-wait-over-there-the-Rangers-are-winning-so-now-I-love-them- more fans, there’s a chance for you to be trendy. All season long the Rangers have celebrated big hits with a “claw” and acknowledged dapper base-running with “antlers.” Act like you’ve…
Last time I was out at Rangers Ballpark – which was Wednesday – it was a warm-n-fuzzy joint. Texas was winning three in a row from the Twins, fans were drinking “Blue Light Special” $4 beer. The Rangers were comfortably in first place. All seemed well. But now? Booing. Are…
10. Cowboys’ punter Mat McBriar kicked four times Saturday. He launched a 61-yarder in the third quarter, had a net average of 50.8 and pinned Houston inside the 20 twice. So much for the good news. 9. I understand this was a practice game. An exhibition. A glorified scrimmage. But it was also…
Live from Rangers Ballpark in Arlington … 10. News of Vladimir Guerrero’s imminent demise were, in retrospect, premature. His sixth-inning homer to left gave the Rangers their fourth consecutive win – another playoff-esque, 4-3 triumph over the Minnesota Twins – and dwindled their magic number to 29. “We never doubted Vlad,” says…
You can rag on the Dallas Cowboys’ drafts. There have been as many whiffs as hits, no? But before we condemn general manager Jerry Jones and his staff, along the way somebody’s doing something right. Mainly, the team’s scouting department. I know, it’s that same department that has produced some…
Question: Who was the first running back to throw a touchdown pass in Super Bowl history? Answer: The former Dallas Cowboy who on Wednesday afternoon was released from Baylor Medical Center after recovering from a stroke. Robert Newhouse, the “human bowling ball” of a fullback who for 11 seasons opened holes…
With a little help from Andres Blanco, your Texas Rangers beat the Minnesota Twins, 4-3, Tuesday night. They are now 71-54, their lead in the American League West is 8.5 games and their magic number to clinch their first division title this millennium dwindled to 27 over the Anaheim Angels and 30…
Either the recession is over or, perhaps, football is king in Texas. Duh. Seating is 18,000. The joint will include a $1 million weight room. Ground-breaking is September 16. The stadium will open for the 2012 season…
I always TiVo the Texas Rangers. But last night when I got home my roommate already had the game on and when I got home I heard TV voice Josh Lewin exclaim: “Hit record on your DVRs, you’re about to witness history!” Whoa, I exclaimed back, the possibilities running…
Add it all up and – with meaningless games at Houston and vs. Miami still on the horizon – this is the group I think Wade Phillips will take to Washington on September 12: QUARTERBACKS (2) – Tony Romo, Jon Kitna RUNNING BACKS (5) – Deon Anderson, Chris Gronkowski, Tashard Choice, Marion…
He’s converted 31 of 34 save chances. He struck out the side in Sunday’s important 6-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. He’s even gone to the dominating dreadlocks wrapped in a bandana. But when push comes to shove and the Texas Rangers need a crucial inning, do we trust Neftali Feliz? Yesterday…
I knew there was a reason I keep watching Entourage — to keep up with the parade of Dallas sports team owners parading through the office of Ari Gold. Jerry Jones has already appeared twice: once to tell Ari maybe he’s just the man to bring a pro football team…
10. I’m out of excuses/reasons/explanations. Any theories as to why – still – quarterback Tony Romo and receiver Roy Williams don’t seem to be on the same page? Sometimes it’s Romo overthrowing him and sometimes it’s Williams falling down. Whatever, they just don’t click. 9. Of all the linebackers drafted…
Long story short: Upon learning from Zac Crain this morning of the death of Jimmy Wehba — that’s Garland’s own Skandor Akbar to you and my grandfather, who spent every Saturday night tuned to wrestling on Channel 11 so way back when — I spent way too much time stumbling…
