Texas Tech University

Texas Country's Greek Row King Josh Abbott Is Cool with Not Being Cool

Earlier this week, Texas country singer-songwriter Josh Abbott wasn't feeling as well as he wanted to be during an interview. To be fair, the Texas Tech graduate-turned-festival headliner underwent a root canal the day before we spoke, a pain that many other artists would gladly accept before being ... More >>

The Nine Best and Funniest Moments from Saturday at ACL 2012

The return of terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad rain made Saturday a muddy but fun mess. Thankfully, the downpours didn't dampen the spirits of the crowd on day two of ACL, but it did seem to thin out the herds. Aside from remembering how to walk in inches-deep goop like we did back at the Dillo ... More >>

There's a New Push to Legalize Gambling In Texas. It Too Will Fail.

For a dozen years, John Montford was a powerful force in the Texas Senate. He subsequently did a stint as chancellor of the Texas Tech University System before moving on to the private sector, where he served as an executive at AT&T and GM. Now, he's found himself a new role as the public face of th ... More >>

At UTD, a Study of PTSD in Soldiers, Focused on One of the School's Own

Mike Rials is graduating from the University of Texas at Dallas, where he was not only a psychology student but also a participant in a PTSD study testing the effectiveness of a new treatment combination. The three-year study at the Center for BrainHealth is financed by a $3 million grant from the ... More >>

The City of Ate Interview: Union Bear's John Kleifgen

Dallas native John Kleifgen took his first job at a restaurant as a teenager because a gig carrying mulch at Calloway's didn't provide much entertainment. So, when a friend told him about a kitchen job for the Lakewood Country Club, he weighed his options and wisely chose a country club scene instea ... More >>

And the Winners Are ... You

Our 23rd annual Dallas Observer Music Awards showcase a scene ready for the spotlight.

Big 12 Conference Alive, if Not Well

​Call it the Pat 12. As in, no thanks to expansion, we'll stand. As in, the Big 12 -- all but buried by a lot of us dorks -- remains alive, like the muddy, bony, cob-webbed hand reaching up from the grave to snatch onto life. Again. Because it couldn't get assurances from Texas about a ... More >>

Kevin Glasheen Fought to See Innocent Prisoners Compensated, Then Fought To Take Millions For Himself

The Lubbock lawyer teamed up with Innocent Project lawyer Jeff Blackburn to see the state compensation for exonerees raised. Now both men are under fire from their clients.

Cowboys Stadium Getting Two New Voices in 2011

Roger Emrich: New 'Boys Voice​While the Cowboys cut familiar faces in an attempt to reshape their team on the field, the organization has also decided to give its stadium an audio makeover. Out as Cowboys Stadium public address announcer is Jody Dean, to be replaced by local award-wi ... More >>

The Tragic Tale of That Giant Santa Who Once Sat Upon Porter Chevrolet on Mockingbird

ViaSeveral Friends of Unfair Park also found this photo taken around the same time in 1953.​End of the day Friday I posted that photo of the enormous Santa Claus sitting atop Porter Chevrolet, taken some time in December 1953 and for sale, for one more day, on eBay. It was, I thought at the time, ... More >>

MasterMinds: Matthew Posey, Joel Hester and Karen Blessen Are Winners in Our Inaugural Creativity Awards

Over the Weekend: KISS, Daughtry, Pat Green, Drowning Pool, The Academy Is . . ., The Envy, Revengeance at Pizza Hut Park

KISS, Daughtry, Pat Green, Drowning Pool, The Academy Is..., The Envy, RevengeancePizza Hut ParkSaturday, September 18, 2010(Way) better than: getting drunk and watching KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park. Roger Caldwell"How 'bout a little Kiss?"​It was the same old KISS that showed up on Saturday ... More >>

It's the End of the Big 12 as We Know It

​R.I.P, Big 12? Certainly looks so, as the Pac 10 over the weekend empowered commissioner Larry Scott to proceed with plans for expansion. In other words, let the raiding of the Big 12 Conference commence. Last week, news surfaced of the Pac 10's plans, which center on adding Texas, Texas A&a ... More >>

Whitt's End: 3.27.09

Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *Dallas Police Chief David Kunkel can apologize all he wants for the indefensible actions of Robert Powell, but unless the officer is fired it will be a complete and utter injustice. Powell, who detai ... More >>

Didn't Take Zach Thomas Long to Get His Fill of the Cowboys

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Zach Thomas. Unlike Brad Pitt in the movie, Zach didn't exactly grow younger as he got older. But boy did he grow sick and tired in a hurry. This is how it was supposed to work: After a successful, yet ultimately unfulfilling career in Miami, Zach Thomas ret ... More >>

Whitt's End

Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *I got $1 for the first person who can show me - like Tony Romo did last week - any time that Terrell Owens has ever uttered the phrase: "This one's on me." Owens has every right to be jealous of Romo ... More >>

Don't Mess With Texas. Oh Crap, Too Late.

   I don't love Texas. I don't hate Oklahoma. But what transpired yesterday in the Big 12 is absolute bullshit.   I know life ain't fair, but college football should be. Or at least it should use common sense trying.   Let me apologize to Texas. I posted some of the bes ... More >>

Local Offensive Geniuses June Jones and Todd Dodge are Flunking Defense 101

My Round of Golf with Dorf's Taller, Wackier Brother

$30,000 Millionaires: Douchebags in the Mist

Venturing into the Dallas jungle in search of the elusive $30,000 millionaire: Is he myth or fact?

Chaos Amid Dallas Parochial League

A popular coach is pushed out of the Catholic sports league

Let's Just Get This One Out of the Way

A Farewell from His Friends

Ambassador Class

Marques Haynes should be wealthy and celebrated. He was always content just to be the best.

Wine, Loin and Kiddie Tech

Bin 555 is good for grownups too

Amazing Disgrace

Quincy Carter's fall from America's Team to Shreveport sideshow

High on the Hog

In Texas, shoot as many feral pigs as you like. Just don't let your dog bite them.

Fight Club

The first rule about Evander Holyfield's age is that you do not talk about Evander Holyfield's age

SMU Wins!

Billy and the Jets

Borderline Justice | Straight Poop | Loony Tuna | Swilly Reception | Zing

Air Apparent?

After three years of Tuna, it's time for a Leach

Cell Disease

Being sick in Dallas County's troubled jail can be a death sentence

Play Nice or Else

Plus: Unripe Banana Case

Clueless

No one knows who murdered Brent Gutheinz. Thanks to a sloppy investigation, it's likely no one ever will.

NFL Loves SMU CB

In this corner, pro football finds a hidden gem

Big Murk's Kids

Politics and mismanagement closed the books on the city's anti-gang program, but try telling this South Dallas fixture the problem's solved

:cueless

Buzz hacks through the past in search of the cool cats and fools of the year that was

Careless Wish

He's white

The truth is way out there

Jim Marrs believes that Kennedy was murdered as part of a vast conspiracy, that aliens vist us regularly, and that the Trialateral Commission controls our governement. So, what if he's right?

What's in a name?

Even without her startling moniker, artist Merry Fuhrer's work deserves a second look

Across the Bar

Deep-sixing Deep Ellum Records; The Tomorrowpeople play every song they know; Pleasant Grove gets Last Beat; Adventures of Jet hopes to be Born on the World Wide Web

Pickin' Cotton

While Dallas fools around with the Olympics, the Cotton Bowl crumbles

Easy pickings

In the Legislature this year, lawmakers may find that it's better to give than receive

One Fine Mess

Elected by no one, John Scovell and a clique of Dallas business leaders brought you DISD's most infamous cast of characters: Yvonne Gonzalez, Dan Peavy, Bill Keever, and Sandy Kress. Thanks a lot.

Hanging by a string

The cast makes Lyric Stage's Carnival more than fair

Buzz

Scenes from the class struggle

Kitchen Dog's Miss Julie examines the doomed affair of a mistress and manservant

BeloWatch

Anal attentive

Local CD for kids' charity backs into trouble over rape song