You know Tom Hicks owns the Texas Rangers, the Dallas Stars, the biggest house in town and yet only a smidgen of sports savvy. What you didn’t know is that he initially intended to short sell the Stars for profit, was one of Mark Cuban’s original Internet investors and thinks -- contrary to popular belief -- the windfall from his Liverpool soccer club will spill over into bigger spending on his hockey and baseball teams. Color me skeptical.
I have more about Hicks’ baseball plans and eating habits in this week’s paper version of Unfair Park. To fill in the rest of the blanks, tune in to Fox Sports Southwest Sunday night at 10 for the debut of In My Own Words: Tom Hicks. In a 30-minute show using only his running dialogue, Hicks candidly blasts this year’s Rangers, gushes over his University of Texas Longhorns and reveals Jerry Jones assisted his due diligence when buying Liverpool. He also talks about his days as a radio DJ in Port Arthur but, not surprisingly, doesn’t address not attending the Stars’ playoff elimination in Vancouver.
After watching a sneak preview, the highlights:
On the ’07 Rangers: “It’s like we caught the flu and we can’t get rid of it. We just don’t play good baseball. I’m very disappointed.” (Comment: You don’t know the half of it.)
On Jones and Cuban: “I’m very good friends with Jerry … I try to have lunch with Mark once a year ... I was fortunate enough to be one of his investors. I invested a couple million bucks and made 20 times my money. It was one of the greatest things that ever happened to me.” (Comment: Once I found an old $5 bill tucked inside a coat pocket. Take that!)
On Liverpool: “It’s a great economic model. People are worried that I might take money away from the Rangers to go to Liverpool. It’s just the reverse. Liverpool is going to pull off lots of extra money that if I choose I can use for the Rangers or Stars. (Comment: Is it just me, or did the words “if I choose” just try to stifle a giggle?)
On criticism: “I don’t listen to talk radio, but I do read the papers.” (Comment: Maybe he’s not so bad after all.) --Richie Whitt
