From below, this pointed comment posted moments ago: "As a longtime fan, I am beginning to cautiously think that the Rangers
have a chance of being in the World Series this year." Not surprisingly, the Unfair Park in-box has been filling up World Series random notes this morning. Let's review.
Sabernomics tackles the myth that Rangers-Giants isn't much of a ratings draw:
First, while Dallas and San Francisco may not have the historical cache as big markets, they are not small markets. According to Nielsen, Dallas and San Francisco are the fifth and sixth largest television markets in the country. I didn't hear similar complaints when eighth-ranked Boston was in the Series.San Francisco Chronicle pop culture writer Peter Hartlaub begs Mayors Tom Leppert and Gavin Newsom to make a decent bet over the World Series, rather than yet another ho-hum food swap. Some of his suggestions are silly and involve getting naked (no thanks); others, more serious:
The loser has to panhandle in the winner's city ... for one day, on a median, with the proceeds going to the homeless shelter, soup kitchen or charity of the winner's choice. The winner gets to make the loser's sign. If San Francisco wins, I nominate splitting the money between Glide Memorial Church and The Trevor Project.No mention of Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief's involvement in this bet. Which is weird, because as far as the Los Angeles Times's Steve Dilbeck is concerned, that's the Rangers' hometown:
I don't know much about the Rangers, except they have Cliff Lee and the Dodgers don't. They play in Ft. Worth, like to call it Dallas-Fort Worth and call themselves the Texas Rangers. When you have that kind of identity crisis, it's no wonder you can't find you way to the postseason.And, according to this poll on ESPN, only 25 percent of the country gives a rat's about tonight's Cowboys-Giants game. In Texas, per the online survey, that number's even smaller. Heh.
