This Just In: Tell Laura Miller to Cancel the Rangers’ Parade

Sorry Rangers fans. It’s half-empty. No, really. I wanted to pen something positive and insightful and detailed and basebally about the Rangers’ most important series of the season. But I just couldn’t get past this: The last two nights against the team they’re “chasing” in the Wild Card race, the…

Hard Knocks: Week 2

Must-see TV. The five best moments from last night’s Hard Knocks: Week 2. Or did I miss something? 5. Former scout and Jason’s dad, Jim Garrett, “running” as slow – and as consistent – as humanly possible. 4. Linebacker Zach Thomas fielding punts as smooth as Patrick Crayton. Seriously now,…

Fine, I’ll Say It. Michael Phelps is Overrated

Over-hyped. Clap. Clap. Clapclapclap. Over-hyped. Clap. Clap. Clapclapclap. I know, I know. But hear me out. Michael Phelps, the U.S. Olympic golden boy, isn’t overrated athletically. He’s amazing, of course. In Beijing he’s 5-for-5. As in gold medals and world records. We’re all impressed down here on Earth. Inspired even…

Ben & Skin to do their new Radio Show in Spanish (Sólo bromeaba)

Skin has cash and, apparently, safety goggles. Ben’s the other guy. I’ve always loved, er, at least really liked Ben & Skin. The dudes are fast, funny, fresh, friendly, finicky and, best of all, freaky fans of friggin’ alliteration. But in the ramp-up to them taking over middays 11 a.m.-3…

Red Sox 19, Rangers 17

Artist’s rendering of Scott Feldman. You know how you know when you really, really suck? When you score two touchdowns and a field goal and still find a way to lose. Oh yeah, and you’re a baseball team! The Rangers’ horrific pitching sank to historic depths Tuesday night, turning the…

Your New Live 105.3 Midday Hosts: Ben & Skin

Bob and Dan vs. Ben and Skin. Delicious. Another radio industry source tells me just now that Live 105.3 is indeed shifting its midday focus toward sports and former Ticket hosts. But instead of Greg Williams and Mike Fisher, Ben & Skin have landed the gig. Commencing 8.25.08. — Richie…

“Big Dick” to, um, Enlarge

Careful Romo, next thing you know Jessica might leave you for a syndicated star. Back to sports after this short break for your weekly breaking radio news: Richard “Big Dick” Hunter, host of the always innovative and usually intoxicating Wild Ass Circus on Live 105.3, is going big time. I…

Chargers 31, Cowboys 17 vs. Terrell Owens Hearts Kenny G

He’s on T.O.’s iPod? Who knew? Aw, come on. You didn’t really think I was going to dissect a preseason game didja? Okay, maybe just a little. Felix Jones has an intriguing burst. Mike Jenkins is instinctive, if not technically polished. Pacman Jones’ performance better be his worst of the…

There’s No Joy In Mudville

Silver medals never tasted so bitter. Get those cards, flowers and strip-o-grams coming, I need a lil’ pick-me-up. Not because the Cowboys lost or the Rangers’ annual summer fade is in hyper-drive. Alas, my tennis team came this close to winning the USTA 3.5 Texas sectional championship and advancing to…

It’s Friday! Time for, um, Foreclosure Talk?

Ugliest kind of scoreboard. I realize this is waaaay off topic for our little sports blog extravaganza, but I think this is worth a bending the rules. In case you haven’t heard, our economy sucks. There’s a housing crisis. We put our house on the market last October and got…

Are You Ready For Some (Preseason, At Least) Football?

Tomorrow night this officially becomes last season. With about 50 of the team’s 53 roster spots locked in, there’s been little competition at Cowboys’ training camp. With coach Wade Phillips’ “Camp Marshmallow” approach, there’s been little hitting. And with team leaders like Terrell Owens, Tony Romo and DeMarcus happy, healthy…

Hard Knocks? Eh.

I expected a little more from the HBO crew. You? The boys at Deadspin have condensed last night’s first episode of Hard Knocks into four minutes. I, however, can name that tune in 40 words: T.O. on the beach. Witten changing diapers. Pacman dumps water on Felix Jones. Jason Garrett:…

The Olympics: Patriotism vs. Commercialism

Cool. Just wish he’d carve a Mavs’ logo in his scalp once in a while. Got into a teensy tiny debate last night/this morning over the Olympics. My friend – like NBC Sports president Dick Ebersol – says there’s nothing like wrapping yourself in the flag and rooting for try-hard…

Wading Through Doubt

Oxnard, California: This season will be Texas Stadium’s last hurrah. The same fate shouldn’t be reserved for Wade Phillips. It’s all—well, mostly—caviar dreams and champagne wishes at Dallas Cowboys training camp this summer. The team’s headquarters at the Marriott Residence Inn River Ridge complex is saturated with testosterone, yet somehow…

Ranger Danger

Shelved with bone spurs, maybe C.J. can contort himself into a career with Circque Du Soleil. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not coming in here to take up for C.J. Wilson. The dude has long been a clown who this year in spring training pissed off his teammates with his…

Hard Knocks, Followed by Some Soft Shoe

The Cowboys don’t open the preseason until Saturday night, but tonight arrives what most of you have been squirming for. At 9 on HBO: Hard Knocks. I was at camp in Oxnard last week and, trust me, there’s a camera everywhere everyone turns. Expect owner Jerry Jones to be a…

Jerry Jones: “Yes.”

Or bust? Everyone – from NFL Films prez Steve Sabol to gambling websites to this dork — is picking the Cowboys to go to the Super Bowl. But out at training camp in Oxnard, Calif., players, coaches and even owner Jerry Jones are being very careful to avoid hyping the…

Dallas’ Only Daily Breaks Ground with a, um, Ground-Breaking Idea?

Belo at its best. Dallas’ Only Daily sports columnist Jean-Jacques Taylor (wearing a white lab coat, v-neck sweater, bow tie, scruffy, proletarian mustache and Bluetooth earpiece, peculiarly speaking with a robust Irish accent): Ya know what I’ve been thinking? Dallas’ Only Daily sports columnist Tim Cowlishaw (wearing a white lab…

Byrd Watching

Amusing. Entertaining. Exciting. But magical? Nope, not yet. The Texas Rangers produced another dramatic climax last night, beating the Yankees on Marlon Byrd’s 9th-inning grand slam. With fans doing that retarded “Byrd Dance” where they girlishly flap their arms like a, um, ya know, bird, Byrd launched the first pitch…

Is it Bigger Than a Bread Basket?

Biggest Dallas sports ticket. Ever. Just got my grubby little hands on what will be one of the hottest tickets in Metroplex sports history – the final regular-season Cowboys game at Texas Stadium. As you can see, the Cowboys certainly think it’s big. The actual ticket to the Saturday, Dec…

Where’s Greggo, You Ask?

Coming to a station near you soon: The Ticket’s new head-to-head competition? As his old bunkmates revel in ratings success, Greg Williams is angling to become one of The Ticket’s head-to-head rivals. Though he’s been flirting with a weeknight gig at ESPN Radio for months, Live 105.3 is now the…

Post-Greggo, The Ticket Keeps Ticking

Better than ever? In this story, The Ticket didn’t seem to really miss their old colleague, Greg Williams. And in the radio ratings for Spring ’08, the station likewise seems as healthy as ever. The Ticket finished No. 1 in Dallas-Fort Worth for their target demographic – men 25-54 –…