Pro Football Hall of Fame!

This weekend—the Pro Football Hall of Fame will induct players into the hallowed halls, and welcome them with their gold blazers and send them their Hall of Fame Rings for presentation in stadiums when the time comes.

The class of 2011 will have members entering that played the majority of their playing career with one team, and there are others that played with several teams… one in particular, the one man who can lay claim to have played in a Super Bowl and a World Series in the same year, he was able to change the game to a degree with offenses changing the way they throw the ball, or keep him away from the intended receiver, and with one phone call on a September day in 1994, he came to a team with a Star on the Helmet, and Stars that already were on the team, and just one more made it complete!

Neon- Deion Sanders! PRIME TIME! The man from Florida State, came to the Dallas Cowboys and propelled them to a Third Super Bowl Championship in four years, with a win in Super Bowl XXX over the Pittsburgh Steelers. This was after his former team the San Francisco 49ers beat San Diego in Super Bowl XXIX (too many X’s and not enough O’s)… so now Deion has TWO rings—and now has a Hall of Fame entrance to boot!

So what’s next? Does he enter the “RING OF HONOR” at Cowboys Stadium, interesting debate, only in the fact that Sanders has already stated that he is not interested in the Ring, and that he believes that it should be held for those who have played there their entire career! Politically correct statement from Sanders—however did he not provide for this team another Super Bowl Victory? Similar to that of Charles Haley, or Tony Casillas both of whom came to this team from others, Haley- from the 49ers and Casillas from Atlanta, and both contributed in major ways for the Cowboys to secure three Super Bowl Trophies!

So are they deserving of a place of honor in the Ring? Just wondering… personally speaking the ones that are missing from the RING today—Drew Pearson, other than having a problem with management some time ago—I would think that time heals all wounds… why is he NOT in the Ring so far? Good Question Mr. Jones… others that belong, why is Charlie Waters not in the Ring, why is Jay Novacek not in the Ring— Why not Everson Walls (just his gift of life for Ron Springs should be a huge reason, as well as his rookie accomplishments) However even with all these other names—the one that is missing is PEARSON! Number 88! The Original—the man on the other end of Roger Staubach’s Hail Mary pass in Minnesota in 1975… the man that caught Clint Longley’s MAD BOMB against the Redskins on a Thanksgiving Day—and the man that caught the game winning pass from Danny White in 1981 to send them to the NFC Championship game against the 49ers and when you look at that game- Danny White almost pulled that one off with Pearson leading the way!

Now with all of that, WHY is he NOT in the Ring? Mr. Jones? We can’t hear you! You’re not saying much—you’re not responding, only to say that it is a committee decision and that committee is ONE person—YOU! Isn’t it about time to burry the hatchet and put Drew Pearson into the Ring of Honor!

Just a thought!

The Big XII that’s really the BIG X

“X” sometimes marks the spot, and sometimes it misses the mark by a mile!

In this case, the Big XII Conference is made up of 10 teams, since both The University of Colorado and Nebraska have jumped the conference and made their way to be a part of two other conferences. 

By now you know the story, but for those of you that need a refresher course, here is the “Readers Digest” condense version.

Both of those aforementioned schools left the “12” to join, in Colorado’s case, the Pacific Athletic Conference—also known as the PAC 10 and now is the PAC 12… Nebraska joined the BIG 10 which really is the Big 12, but since that name was already taken—they will keep the title of “10” and let the BIG XII keep the “12” even though neither conference can count—AND this is suppose to represent the HIGHER education system of our country! REALLY? They can’t even count! How would “THE COUNT” of

Sesame Street

feel about that??? HMMMM????

Alright enough of the sarcasm…. The truth is, this is the time of year that coaches, and players, all gather in one location, and become a part of the circus that the media creates for two days in a hotel in Dallas.

All 10 teams come here with a choice players, and their head coach, their Sports Information Director (also known as a “SID”), and an entourage of people to handle their people! WHEW!

Each coach and player all say the same thing, because the same innate question gets asked to every single person that sits in front of the camera or microphone. And the same answer pretty much is given verbatim!

“How do you feel about the conference schedule, where you play everybody in the conference?”  REALLY? That’s the best you can come up with? This is what you got your degree in, and this is the best you can ask? TWELVE players and coaches stepped in front of the same group of cameramen and reporters and that question was asked to each and everyone one of them! That was original… or the other favorite one was asked to every University of Texas player..” Which is a bigger rivalry—The Red River Shootout (Texas vs. Oklahoma) or the Thanksgiving game with A&M (Texas A&M)?” Are you serious man????? Please.. any person who has stepped inside the Cotton Bowl on the second Saturday of October, and stood in the tunnel before they run you out onto the field, there you are standing shoulder to shoulder with the person you’re about to go into battle against, for the next three hours, 90 thousand people, screaming at the top of their lungs, half bathed in Crimson and Cream, the other half in Burnt Orange and White and right down the middle of the 50 yard line is the RED RIVER (metaphorically speaking)… the hair on your arms and the back of your neck just stood up because of the chills of this football tradition! No where can you match that intensity, maybe Army vs Navy, maybe Michigan and Ohio State, but truly…. Seriously… TEXAS v OU! Nuff said!

Then there’s the other game, the one that was brought on because of a land deal, the burning desire deep with in those who wear Maroon and White, the one’s that, once upon a time ago, showed that burning desire, by burning a Bonfire to prove that hatred! The Fightin’ Farmers, the Aggies of A&M! Now this game is based on pure, un-adulterated HATE!

Texas vs Texas A&M, the only two schools, who’s fight songs actually make reference to each other with in the lyrics, the rivalry is so rich in tradition, that when the tragedy of 1999, the fall of bonfire, and 12 Texas A&M Students were killed, the half time show alone, there was not a dry eye in the house, when the University of Texas marching band, showed that its one thing for the two schools to talk trash, but when it comes right down to it, the brotherhood of those two schools reaches well beyond the hatred.  The Longhorn band played Amazing Grace, they lowered their flags in homage, and a collective, wrapping their arms around their rival to let them know that they were there to help them heal when it counted most.

The RIVALRY—THE GAME! Texas vs A&M, whether its in Kyle Field or Darryl Royal Memorial Stadium, the sounds, the decibel level, the color—the tradition!

Now after reading all of that, which game is bigger???? REALLY? That’s the best you can come up with, with all the degrees of journalism in one room—those were the best questions to come up with?

You really have to wonder, why our youth, the future of our world, have no clue how to do communicate-  I was watching more people texting each other, while they stood no more than 10 feet from one another, we have lost the art of talking to one another, that’s for sure, and the best questions they could come up with were about the conference schedule and which was a bigger rivalry!

As for the real answer to the best question, which was fired off to Mac Brown the head coach of Texas, when he was asked about last years 5 and 7 season, Coach Brown looked right into the eyes of the person who asked the question, and informed him, that it was his “responsibility to prepare his team to win, and when they lose, it is his responsibility for not giving them the tools or the opportunity to win”… WOW! Taking on responsibility, what a refreshing idea, no blaming, no finger pointing, just flat out, its accountability!

Players all back their coach, and they will say the same thing, but for one young man—Senior Wide Receiver Jeff Fuller out of Texas A&M stated that he grew more mature with surrounding himself with people on the Aggie Team that were older, and able to teach him how to behave, and to keep his head about him, even when everyone was telling Fuller to for go his senior year, and jump to the Pros. I would bet, that his father, Jeff Fuller Sr, might have had something to say about that, the former All Pro Defensive back for the San Francisco 49ers and former Aggie, might have had a long talk with his son, about getting more seasoning, and that the NFL isn’t going anywhere.

Every one of these men, who play in this conference all believe that the 10 team schedule will work to their advantage and the best team coming out of the conference will play in a BCS Bowl, and possibly for the National Championship if they can run the table.

For now, the press conferences continue, and the questions are the same to each player and coach, and the answers are contrived and clichéd, but all in all—Every team is optimistic, and looking forward to a fun year of college football.

It’s just a thought!

For Those Who Went Before Us!

It’s a slogan that is used by an organization called, Guns & Hoses.

Now I know you read that, and immediately thought Guns & Roses… but nope its HOSES! As in Fire Fighters!

Guns & Hoses, is an organization that raises money for families of Officers and Fire Fighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

They have been in the Greater Metroplex for the past 10 years, with their major event being a Boxing Tournament held in the fall. Law Enforcement vs. Fire & Rescue, they put on the gloves and go at it inside the squared circle. There is a trophy that is delivered to the team that wins the tournament, and bragging rights for the year!

We bring this up, because they have added all sorts of events throughout the year to continue this fundraising.

In May, they have one of the largest Golf outings that have been brought to the North Texas area, with over 400 golf teams involved, (times that number by 4 per team, and you get an idea of how many people participate in this event), this past July 16^th, they held the first Annual Pig Skin Championship at Cowboys Stadium (yes you read that right as well) where the Fire beat the Police 8-7, and again bragging rights for one year, and later they will have their Second Annual Basketball Tournament at The Dr. Pepper Center in Frisco, and then in October, the Granddaddy of them all, the Boxing Tournament.

These Officers, and Fire Fighters, along with countless volunteers, and family members put their time and efforts to bring these events to you the public, but, there’s something missing! YOU! That’s right YOU the public, need to make an effort to come out and watch and participate, and get involved. Buying the tickets, or maybe even being a sponsor of an event, and bring more awareness to this organization.

This Foundation provides for those families who have lost their loved one in the line of duty, by donating a check immediately upon word that an officer has died, they take care of their children, with funds for just buying Christmas presents, or maybe helping with college funds for the children until they reach the age of 18.

When those who choose to wear a badge go out and protect and to serve our communities, they risk their lives to protect you and me, as a first responder, we know the perils that these men and women go through. We read it about it every day in the newspapers and on our television screens.

How many times have  we seen that someone has decided to go up against a police officer, and kill them, or they were killed in a traffic accident while they were protecting someone else at the same time. We know about the fire fighters who lose their life while battling wild fires, or a house fire where someone was lost in the fire while trying to save someone else.

We sometimes take these people for granted, that they are here all the time, but when one goes down, it doesn’t matter what community, or city, we all feel the lost.

In the 1980’s the Dallas Police Department lost several officers in that decade, and at one point, the community rose to support the Department when a local Grocer sent out bumper stickers with a “THUMBS UP and BACK THE BLUE”, we turned our headlines on to show our support, and were encouraged to just gesture officers driving around town with our own THUMBS UP to let them know we are behind them!

Here is another way to show that support! Yes we are having fun, with football games, basketball games, golf tournaments, and with boxing, but all in all, we are in this together. From Ft. Worth across to Dallas, and all the communities in between, there are hundreds of men and women who kiss their loved one’s good bye on any given day, and its when they don’t come home after their shift, that we are all touched.

That’s where Gun & Hoses steps in and takes care of their own, and we as a community should embrace them and help as well!

Getting involved is not that hard, a donation, or just buying a ticket to an event, and watching someone that you might not even know, but this is such a fun way to learn about them, and once again, showing them that THUMBS UP that you are backing the Blue as well as the Red for their efforts and their commitment to taking care of US in our time of need, and it’s a wonderful gesture to say “THANK YOU”!

Circle some dates on your calendar, August 27^th, 2011, the Basketball game in Frisco, and on October 22^nd, in Mesquite at the Resistol Arena for the Boxing Tournament.  What fun you can have for not a lot of coin to enjoy the event, and get to know these men and women who put their lives on the line to PROTECT & TO SERVE you and me!

It’s a great way to say THANK YOU!

Just a thought

Trying to Make Sense of it All!

Last night at Rangers Ball Park in Arlington, a baseball game was underway, the Rangers and the Oakland A's.

Earlier in the day, the A's were informed that their former manager, Dick Williams, the man who led them to back to back World Series Championships, had passed away.

So there was already an air about the game, and somewhere in the second inning, a screaming foul ball bounces off the stands and trickles into left field, where Josh Hamilton, the Texas Rangers' left fielder was playing, and as he picks up the ball, fans in left field scream for him to toss it into the stands, and like any other night, in any other stadium that has a baseball game going on, the player obliges the minion, he lifts the ball into the air for someone to catch it, and for that moment, that player is more than a ball player, he is now their hero, and a bit closer to them than before.

In the case last night, as this was unfolding, the fan, a father, a husband, and a fire fighter from Brownswood, Texas, about three hours drive southwest of Dallas, leaned over the railing, and lost his balance and fell down behind the electronic score board in left field, some 20 feet to concrete. There were fans standing next to this fan trying to catch him before he went over, their effort, valiant and all, but could not hold on to him, and with his son standing next to him, watched as he landed head first onto the concrete.

The Oakland A's bullpen just feet from where this unfolded, watched the man fall, and then witnessed the rush to his aid by paramedics and other emergency people. The reports from the players were, that the man was alert, and was asking about his son, and wanted to make sure he was alright. Then they transported to a local hospital, where he succumb to the injuries.

This is like the ripple affect of the pebble falling into the water. What sort of effect does this have on those that were directly involved?

For Josh Hamilton, the man who tossed the ball into the stands, as he has done countless times while he has worn a major league uniform, needs to know that it wasn't his fault.... He has survived his demons and he has accomplished so much in his return to his major league best over the last several years. His story has been talked about by not only himself, but by others. His faith, his sobriety, his ability to overcome all that he has done to himself, his a testament to his strength in faith, and those who he surrounds himself with. How will he deal with this in his head, only he can answer that question, but more so, his teammates, and the “Ranger Family, will all be effected and must come to each others aid to deal with this.

For other fans that watched this unfold, it will be something that everyone will have to deal with on their own. They are affected, they witnessed it, they know now, from news reports and video, of this tragedy, and will take from it what they will.

Baseball, is the one sport, aside from maybe hockey and Arena Football, that you can walk out of the stadium or arena with a piece of the game that was actually in use at the time that you were able to retrieve it. Think about it, a baseball, a hockey puck, and sometimes a football are items that are used, touched by those who we consider to be special people, heroes maybe, but just the same, we are able to take it from the field, along with the memory.

I have gone to countless games of baseball, and all the while I have come close to catching a foul ball only to have bounce away from me, or caught just before it was able to reach my hands. I did fight off a ball boy for a foul ball while I was working as a photographer once... at the old Arlington Stadium

Gary Ward was at bat, and he cued ball a foul tip to the first base dug out, where the photographer's well were, and the ball boys hands reached down, and mind slid in underneath and snagged the ball. NOW this really doesn't count, because the ball boy would have given me the ball anyway after the game, but it was just the same as I was able to secure the ball, and throw it into my photographer's bag for safe keeping.

I remember my Dad telling me, when we used to go to games, (before he passed away) that the fun thing while he was growing up in New York, was to see if they could get the player to sign the ball that was hit as a foul ball or home run, I took that to heart, and took that foul ball, and had a bunch of guys sign it, old timers that played the game, they had assembled for a promotion for Upper Deck trading cards, and I was able to get Hall of Fame, and future Hall of Fame players to sign it. That ball now resides in a plastic cube in my house.

I wonder, how this baseball that was so precious to retrieve for the young son of the fire fighter, who reached over and lost his balance, and passed away, where will that wind up, and what kind of memory will be kept with it, and for a moment in the sun, the boys dad was bigger than any hero, he was THE DAD!

Just the thought is that, those involved will find strength in their faith, and surround themselves with friends and family, and to get through this horrible moment, and find that the sun will rise again, and it will continue to do so, and that the game of baseball can, and will serve as a reminder that there is still good things to enjoy! But for now, we will remember, and hope that they will be alright!

Just a thought!

Returning to the Broadcast Booth!

Yes—a return to the booth, to broadcast baseball, Texas Collegiate Baseball… sorta where it all began!

Back in 2004, while broadcasting a high school baseball game at the Ball Park in Arlington, I was asked by someone if I would be interested in interviewing the General Manager of the Highland Park Blue Sox, where I naturally said “sure, why not.”… during the fourth inning of the game, this very young red headed guy comes into the booth, and we put a microphone in front of him, and start talking about this team and this league that no one had ever heard of, but they were going to start playing in June of 2004.

During the interview, I asked him “ where can people hear the game at?” To which he replied… “No where”… that’s when I decided right then and there that we would take on the task of broadcasting their games.

We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into… BUT!!!! WE were able to put it together and make it happen.  And by doing that, other teams fell into place with their own broadcast on the internet, and so we blazed a path for others to follow.

That first season, Texas had the wettest June on record.  I figured if you ever wanted to end a draught, just plan a new league or build a swimming pool in your back yard, and you are going to guarantee the Rain Gods will open up the heavens and make it pour. 21 days of rain! A lot of doubleheaders to make up, but we had fun. The first All Star game in Graham, Texas, with Jim Morrison (the Disney movie “The Rookie” starring Dennis Quaid) threw out the first pitch and we had a chance to interview him. Just a great time.

The Highland Park Blue Sox moved after the 2005 season to Plano, changed their name to the Plano Blue Sox, and that was the last year we did any broadcast for the TCL, but in some ways, it saved my life (that’s a long story, and I will have to tell that in another article when I have a grasp of it)

During the ’05 season we took on not just the Blue Sox, but we also took on the Coppell Copperheads and the Weatherford Wranglers, and we were blowing and going for the TCL. WE made them look and sound like a league that people were paying a attention to.

We then took on the Continental Baseball League in 2007 and in 2008… that was the last time we broadcast baseball.

Then comes an opportunity to work with the Coppell Copperheads again, for the 2011 season, and with some creative scheduling, we are back in the booth to finish out their season and give the listeners, not just the fans of the Copperheads but the other teams that travel into the area, to be heard.

This is more about having parents, family, friends, colleges, scouts and professional teams to hear about these young players, and see the future of the great game of baseball improve.

For those of you not familiar with the TCL, it’s a wooden bat league that is similar with the Cape Cod or Alaskan League, for college athletes to hone their skills with not just the bat but also pitching and fielding, and baseball fundamentals to take back with them to either their school or maybe increase their stock to be drafted in the future.

Our part is small in comparison to what the coaches do with these players, and we are proud to have that small part, but in the grand scheme of things, we also give a link for the players and their families to have the opportunity to showcase their skills and have some fun doing it.

So one more time we are basking in the summer sunshine, and we hope that you will log on to listen to the games, and hear the future of this game we love so much, and call America’s Past Time, and interact with us when you have a chance, because we do enjoy the feedback!

You can find the games listed on our website, http://www.davradioproductions,com/ , and when this season comes to an end, we will start up high school football for our 10^th season with the Richardson ISD, and we hope you will enjoy that as well!

We will thank you in advance, and appreciate you listening.

Just a thought

The Silver Boot Series

I-45—the stretch of road that connects North Texas to South Eastern Texas—or as we like to call it—Houston!

On your way south, you head pass towns like Madisonville, or Huntsville (real big stature of Sam Houston sits on the side of the roadway) there’s also a big prison there too—never understood who would build a car dealership right next door to the fence line of a state prison, but oh well.

Houston Texas, the first Texas city to have a MAJOR League baseball team in it, back in the 1962, the Colt .45’s were the original team, and name, they played outdoors at Colt Stadium at a  diamond that you could have saddled the mosquitoes and ride them for 8 seconds, and win something, but a future seeking man by the name of Judge Roy Hofheinz, teamed up with a man named David Carrier to create an indoor facility that would keep the Houstonians cool and comfortable, and of course so he could watch his team without swatting the flying dive bombers, they changed the name of the team and the name of the stadium and created an entire domain! THE ASTROS—short as you know for Astronaut- There was the Astrodome, Astrodomain which included Astroworld, AstroWorld Hotel, Astro hotdogs, and of course—ASTROTURF! Or as it is more commonly known as—carpet!

As the Astros were going, then comes along that was transferred from the Nation’s Capitol to North Texas and called themselves the Texas Rangers… the Astros, thinking that they were the only team in the Lone Star State, now have company, and it wasn’t until 2001 that the I-45 series began, actually it was Major League Baseball that installed inter-league play, and the Rangers and the Astros have battled it out for 10 years now, with the Astros holding a slight lead in wins, but the fact is, that Silver Boot has made a home for itself in North Texas for some time now.

Give credit to Executive Vice President of Communications of the Texas Rangers, John Blake for coming up with the award for the two teams… I mean he could have called it the Governor’s Boot or Hat or Shovel, or whatever, but the Silver Boot has some class to it…. Be it a little bias when you consider that the Lone Ranger used Silver Bullets in his gun as a calling card. The Silver Boot is close enough!

The series is really as close as this area gets to having an All Texas World Series, since we have seen both teams go to the Fall Classic, in 2005 the Astros beat the dreaded St. Louis Cardinals to win the National League Pennant, only to take on the Chicago White Sox and get swept in 4 games including the 14 inning marathon loss… but none the less the Astros were the first to make it to the World Series in Texas…. It took another 5 years for the Rangers to make it to the Series and be the ONLY Texas Team to win a game in the series—even though they lost to the San Francisco Giants in 5 games—just last October!

So the Silver Boot series for the 2011 season begins tonight—and there will be five more games to go—with two more in Arlington then at the end of the month they take their turn down in the bayou city—at Minute Maid Park….

Rangers lead the series over all 33-27—and for the last six years that boot has seen a lot of North Texas—most of the time fans can to the Texas Rangers office in Uptown off of

McKinney Ave

and

Pearl Street

—(shameless plug for the Rangers)

There are a lot of good things about inter-league play, but there are a lot of draw backs, mainly because it takes away what could be games against your division rivals that could put some distance between teams… the up side though is that fans get a chance to see players from the other league other than All Star Games, and those are far and between—the last time that Arlington held the Mid-Summer Classic was July of 1995… the next time that the Classic will be in North Texas will most likely be when Hell Freezes Over—oh wait it did… the Rangers already went to the World Series! And the Mavericks Won the NBA Championship! So I guess it will be here sooner than I think!

The Rangers and the Astros! Just Fun Baseball!

Just a thought!

NBA CHAMPIONSHIP TO DALLAS/FT WORTH!

It took 31 years-- its took 9 coaches-- a few owners-- countless players, and one magical night in South Florida for the Dallas Mavericks to "CLIMB TO THE NBA MOUNTAIN AND PLANT THEIR FLAG"! (Thank you Chuck Cooperstein for the quote).

The best part of the celebration however was not the realization that Dirk Nowitski was now vindicated as being one of the best players in the league! It was not the fact that the Dallas showed the rest of the league and the world that they were better than the experts thought of being ONE and DONE! as so many had predicted, it was more than seeing how the Mavericks were able to contain the BIG THREE of Miami (So hows that decision working out for you now Miami?), it WAS however, the moment when David Stern, the Commissioner of the NBA stood on the stage at center court-- at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, and proclaimed the NBA Champions Dallas Mavericks and handed the trophy to Mark Cuban who then immediately told the Commissioner to hand it to Donald Carter and his wife-- who were the original owners of this franchise in 1980!

NOW THAT WAS CLASS!

I worked with the Carters when they owned another sports franchise at the time, they were the Dallas Sidekicks, and to tell you, from the start, they were the best people to be around. I knew Mr. Carter back in the day because of his Mother, Mary Collins, who owned an interior design operation in North Dallas, Mrs. Collins was in the same Dale Carnegie class, (for those of you who do not know who Dale Carnegie is, read his book-- it will save your life in the business world)... as my father, so it was easy to be around Mr. and Mrs. Carter when they were at Reunion Arena. All those playoffs games in basketball against the Seattle Super Sonics, the Moody Madness, the Western Conference Finals against the Lakers only to come up short, then the move to American Airlines Center, and another trip to NBA History in 2006, only to come up short in that outing with the Heat, and then five years later the rematch that pretty much everyone wanted, even with the big 3 in the lineup, of James, Bosh, Wade.  We now see how that turned out... the O'Brien Trophy is coming to Dallas and that pretty much sums that up!

Mr. Jones over there in Valley Ranch will boast that they have FIVE Trophies, in their case,  Mr. Hicks will claim to have gotten to the top of the mountain first with their Stanley Cup win in 1999 over the Sabers in Hockey, the Rangers took the American League Pennant just 8 months ago! NOW the Mavericks can add to that number of championships to this community, this Metroplex!  The City of Champions! Now that has a nice RING to it!

Mr. Cuban-- you are a class act, a good owner, and a fair person when it comes to all the aspects of this team. I will congratulate you, and your team from Rich Carlisle, to Donnie Nelson, and the rest of the staff, it was an incredible year, and more so an incredible NBA Finals-- as someone said, it was indeed a Classic! One for the ages!

Just a thought!