Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End:
*Times like these make me regret that I stopped referring to Wade Phillips as "Stumbledoofus." After missing two crucial field goals in two weeks, David Buehler should be on a short leash and a long watch. Wednesday he misses four field goals at practice and Wade blames it on - I'm not kidding - the wind. Then yesterday he doesn't kick during the part of practice open to the media. When asked about Buehler's performance, Phillips responded that "he worked on his craft." What the what? I'll say it again. The Cowboys will be a good football team this year not because of their coach, but in spite of him.
*Exactly 19,953 fewer fans attended Dallas' '10 opener than the '09 debut. Economy? Rangers? We're already bored by Cowboys Stadium? Or Giants > Bears?
*Lot of you are clamoring for radio ratings. Again, much tougher to get the data and disseminate it with Arbitron tightening its PPM rules and regs. I can tell you this: 1310 AM The Ticket remains king. But 105.3 The Fan is at least moving in the right direction. In the last four weeks the station's ratings (Monday-Sunday, 6a-Midnight, Men 25-54) have steadily climbed from 2.5 (19th in the market) to 3.2 (12th). Not saying it's necessarily better radio these days, but from a personal standpoint it's funner - that's right, funner - radio. Stay tuned.
*The Rangers will get to the finish line in the AL West, but boy are they ever limping to the climax. After finishing a perfect homestand and seven-game winning streak with an 11-run outburst against the Tigers September 15, they have managed just 14 runs on their seven-game road trip.
*Iron Skillet > Silver Boot > The Axe > Governor's Cup. I got that right? TCU-SMU tonight on ESPN.
*Hot.
*Not.
*I'm anxious to hear Jimmy Johnson's report on Fox Sunday morning as to what's wrong with the Cowboys. Betcha $1 he ain't coming back to Dallas though. Stop it.
*After all these years of "SHER-bert" I've realized it's "sher-BAY"? Of course, I'm the annoying dude who pronounces it "SAL-mon" and "ell-uh-NOISE" and "are-can-SAWS", so don't take my word for it.
*I think I have carpal tunnel syndrome. Either that or a broken right thumb/wrist. Any tips out there? (And yeah, I know, bring on your funny jokes.)
*If Game 1 of the ALDS is tonight who are you starting at first base? Chris Davis, Mitch Moreland, Jorge Cantu or ... Josh Hamilton?
*Allow me some hypocritical space here as I elbow folks outta the way to see Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps. Love me some Gordon Gekko. This, coming from the guy who repeatedly criticizes out-of-ideas Hollywood for mindless remakes and been-there-done-thats.
*The Cowboys started the season at 9-1 odds of making the Super Bowl. Today they are 18-1. Hollywood believes in comebacks. Vegas doesn't.
*Thanks for the support and positive response to this item. Especially to Mark at Dallas Scaregrounds. When you go to his haunted house (it opens tonight already) be sure and leave a donation in the jar for the orphaned daughters of Ernie and Elisa Santos. Thank you.
*Following a Rangers' loss this season C.J. Wilson is 10-5 with a 3.18 ERA. That, my friends, is what you call an "ace."
*Went to see Kings of Leon at Starplex last night. Came away very unimpressed, but there's something really cool about laying on a blanket with a hot chick and listening to live music while looking up at a full moon. Oh yeah, and then finishing the night off with some cold ones at the Double Wide. That ain't so bad, either.
*Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban on with Greggo and I today at 1:30 on 105.3 The Fan. Topics: SEC lawsuit, almost owning the Rangers, Entourage and, oh yeah, the Mavs start training camp on Monday.
*Not surprised that Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy. We're in an unprecedented era of laziness/convenience where a 7-minute drive to get a movie is wholly unthinkable. And I haven't tried this Red Box thing, either. Physically handling movies just seems so, well, antiquated.
*Must be Fall. Claritin is now a regular part of my morning routine.
*Thoughts, prayers and props to Jay Ratliff. Attending your grandparents' funeral on Thursday and then playing in a football game on Sunday can't be easy. Dude is a personal and professional stud.
*This weekend? Today I'll be at Vandergriff Honda in Arlington from 4-6 shaking hands and kissing babies. Tomorrow I'm trekking down to Ennis for some drag racing at Texas Motorplex. Sunday I'll be at Duke's for the Cowboys Post-Game Show on your friendly radio and, of course, I'll be keeping both eyes on Rangers-A's for next week's celebratory Observer column which will go something like this: It Is Indeed Friggin' Time!. Don't be a stranger.
