Chicago Cubs

Dispatch From Chicago: Hunting For A Real Deal Gyro

My liver is limping. A five-day-long trip to Chicago threw so much meat at me I'm still in recovery, eating a strict diet of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Trust me I'm not complaining. While my body may be upset with me, my heart (at least the spiritual one) is filled to the brim with an over ... More >>

Exploring Texas Rangers' Options as Wheelin' and Dealin' Begins at Hilton Anatole

Photo by Sam MertenThe scene yesterday afternoon in the lobby of the Hilton Anatole.​Likely bracing for the departure of free-agent hurler C.J. Wilson, the Texas Rangers have already inked former Minnesota Twins closer Joe Nathan to a two-year, $14.5 million contract and announced Neftali Feli ... More >>

From Penn State to the Dallas Stars, the Good, Bad and Godawful News in This Day in Sports

Courtesy G ​Don't think for a second this small attempt to resurrect a sports blog is an afterthought. We'll get there ... sooner than later. But on a day like today: Where to begin? Penn State, no doubt, far from home for most but not for all, and certain top of mind on this day as news comes of ... More >>

The Conspirator: Redford Helms Another Dull History Lesson.

Platia Greek Kouzina: Fine Greek Food and Infectious Spirit Might Carry You Away

Fat Lady May Be Warming Up, But Rangers Haven't Won The West ... Yet

​I'll say it, Texas Rangers' fever is at an all-time high. Sunday night's 6-4 win improved Tommy Hunter to 8-0, allowed the Rangers to win three of four from the Anaheim Angels and pushed their lead to seven games with 63 remaining. More than 160,000 fans went to Arlington Thursday-Sunday. Wi ... More >>

Mark Cuban, Owner ... Texas Rangers?

​Say it is so. And, I'll be damned, it is. Taking three of four at Fenway for the first time in 15 years is impressive and acquiring Cliff Lee is intriguing, but the Texas Rangers luring Mark Cuban as a potential new owner is down right life-changing. (All I had to do was go on vacation and a ... More >>

As Rangers Look to Add Another Game to Division Lead Tonight, a Reminder of the Architect of This Surprising Bunch

Photos by Sam MertenAll-Stars Josh Hamilton and Elvis Andrus​As Richie mentions in this week's paper version of Unfair Park, the Texas Rangers could be headed toward their winningest season in franchise history, as they nabbed their 50th win of the season last night and increased their lead to ... More >>

Kill The Cubbies

'Roid Rage: Mark McGwire - Yawn - Apologizes to Baseball

​I guess the question at this point is, do you give a crap? About baseball players and their steroid use? During the 1998 Major League Baseball season I went to Houston a couple times as a reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram to cover the magical home-run chase between the St. ... More >>

Moves by Rangers at Winter Meetings Has Our Baseball Weenie Harden-ing

Meet the Rangers' new ace: Rich Harden​Despite the financial restraints stemming from the team's unresolved ownership situation, Texas Rangers general manager Jon Daniels skillfully inked the most dominant free-agent starter at this week's Winter Meetings in Indianapolis without adding payroll ... More >>

American Baseball, the European Way

​Even if European soccer owner Tom Hicks convinced Major League Baseball to inject the same screwy tables that govern soccer into America's pasttime your Texas Rangers wouldn't be a playoff team. But, alas, they wouldn't be relegated, either. If baseball were run according to European soccer ... More >>

Question Of The Week: Which Is More Important--Service, Atmosphere Or Food?

Both Leslie Brenner and I hammered the kitchen at Nick & Sam's Grill. But there's no denying the restaurant's popularity. Some people rank Mi Cocina amongst the city's top ten restaurants while others--myself included--consider it mediocre at best. Again, it turns out, those who favor the local ... More >>

10 Questions: Ryan Carbery

Patrick MichelsThe sous chef for David Gilbert's new venture, Lazare, has a cooking history extending back four generations.How's that? Well, Carbery's family owns nine restaurants in the St. Louis area, his uncle is a chef in Beverly Hills--he essentially grew up in professional kitchens, hauling b ... More >>

How 'Bout Them Knockers: Philly Connection

Philly Connection6334 Gaston Ave., Dallas214-828-9070Promised delivery time: "Around 8"Actual delivery time: 8:10Flawless execution of the scheduled delivery: 20Would not deliver beer, so I had to leave the house after all ("I'm sorry, they don't let me do that."): 0Genu-wine Philly-made Tastykakes: ... More >>

The Top 10 Best Current Rivalries in Sports

Tonight's the next chapter in one of sports' best rivalries. That's right, I said best.To be a true sports rivalry - more than just a plethora of games between teams in close proximity (see Chicago Cubs vs. St. Louis Cardinals) - the meetings between opponents must: *Take place at a ... More >>

Whitt's End 1.9.09

Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *First things first. If you plan to see this movie, or even think it looks remotely entertaining, please, leave these premises immediately. *Nothing official yet (UPDATE: Now it's official), but I hear E ... More >>

A Christmas List for Jon Daniels

Here in The Sportatorium, every now and then we like to talk baseball. I mean hard-core, balls-and-strikes baseball. By "every now and then" I mean this morning. And by "we", of course, I mean seamhead colleague Sam Merten. Sam, the floor is yours: For those of you distracted by Sean Avery's ... More >>

Dallas Mavericks' Owner Mark Cuban Charged With Insider Trading

Uh-oh. Breaking news this morning that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has charged Mavs' owner Mark Cuban with insider trading, stemming from a 2004 sale of stock in an Internet company. Me? I dunno the diff between "insider trading" and a "hot stock tip", but I do this ain't g ... More >>

Apparently, You Will Have to Spell Mark Cuban Without the "C-U-B"

Major League Baseball to Mark Cuban: Yer Out!

10 Steps to Fixing Your Texas Rangers

Actual Cubbies Love Cubes

Jane McGarry and Mike Snyder Just Got a Brand-New Boss

The Chicago Cubes

Past the Halfway Mark, the Rangers Look Like Contenders and Pretenders

Cuban and the Cubs: One Step Closer

The Chicago Cubans? Say It Ain’t So

They're Just Chanting "Tooooony"

I Miss Rick Reilly

Cuban Still in Running to Play Ball

Cuban Dancing

Of Cubes and Cubs

Chicago Loves Mark Cuban

Cuban’s Cubbies?

Sosa What

How Many Times Does a Guy Have to Say "No," Anyway?

Play It Again, Sammy

Can the Rangers' oldest rookie leave his diva days behind and deliver?

So-So Sosa

So, Mark Cuban's About To Buy...The Chicago Cubs? What Happened to the Pirates? So Confused.

Strong Arm? We Shall See.

The Texas Strangers

Small Ball, Big Balls

Wild Pitch

MLB 2K6 throws more chin music than strikes.

Peanuts, Popcorn and Mee Grob

Do baseball fans eat peanuts and Cracker Jack anymore?

Anywhere but here

1998 was a great year for sports...just not in Dallas

Big glossies and big platters

Maggiano's is more photo finish than finished food

A bush league of their own

Long before the Texas Rangers, major-league baseball was played in Dallas by a minor-league team called the Dallas Eagles

Country comfort

Crazy Horse offers urbane delights in Waxahachie

Old friends

Negro League ballplayers recall game's shameful, glorious past