Spring Time in Texas

Aside from the allergies that arise this time of year, and of course spring fever with young love, and lets not forget the longer days since we moved to daylight savings... its also BASEBALL TIME IN NORTH TEXAS!

I was out earlier today at Rangers Ball Park in Arlington, picking up credentials for the upcoming season and getting a chance to chat with some of the players before their debut for the 2011 season.

They all seem in good spirits, they all seem to want to get this thing started, and they all know that that they have a big 'ol target on their back, since they are the defending American League Champions!

Michael Young, who has been with this team longer than anyone else, and has had more "jobs" than anyone else on the team, let's see, Michael started out at short stop, then moved to second then back to short, then to third and recently was asked to be a DH, a utility infielder, and platoon at first base when needed and fill in once in a while back at third. WHEW!

During the first few days of spring training there was talk about Michael being traded, and having all sorts of rumors floating around about how the team needed to move Young once they were able to acquire Adrian Beltre, the All Star third baseman-- they also were able to get Mike Napoli from the Angels, so he will most likely be the back-up catcher and platoon at first a little as well, its putting his bat into the lineup that has most people concerned, but speaking to him earlier today, he is thrilled to be in Texas, and is ready to contribute anyway the Manager sees fit!

Mitch Moreland was another youngster that contributed last year, but during the off season he had to do some work on his own to get a bit better coming into spring training, he spoke about working on his hitting, being a bit more patient at the plate, especially on breaking balls and sliders, then he went to say about how he worked extra hard on playing his position at first base, and working on agility, along with his footwork!

The atmosphere in the club house is like a finely trained horse ready to break for the gate, restless, eager, and ready to take on the competition. Alright maybe that's a bit romantic when it comes to this team, comparing them to a race horse, but truthfully, this team has some unfinished business to attend to. They all agree beating the Yankees was a great step in the right direction for the post season, but they all had a taste of what its like getting to the big stage, the big Show as players like to call it, the World Series, and they are sure ready to get 162 games out of the way so they can get busy on the second season!

As for the grand lady herself, the stadium has new amenities... a new video board that sits high atop the Right Field Porch, brighter and better, and players need to be careful of their language if you can lip read.. it won't take much to see it on that screen, then they did an overhaul on the centerfield board, which was mono-chromed, they now have a full color moving board in that Coca-Cola scoreboard, the concessions are better, and more of them, the fan's experience will be better than in recent years. Prices have come down on hot dogs and beer, thats always a good thing, and of course the merchandise-- well lets just say , if you don't have enough WORLD SERIES things, you can still buy it at the Majestic Gift Shop in Centerfield!

Opening day-- less than 24 hours away-- the Boston Red Sox are in town, three days of exciting baseball, and its just April! 

Its just a thought

Same Old Song- Just Another Verse

Seems that we sit down once again, open up the newspaper or turn on the Television, and the lead story seems to be once again DEZ BRYANT!

My goodness—for this young man—the hits just keep on coming!

One day it’s about Dez and his friends being asked to leave NorthPark Mall in North Dallas, because of their apparel, the sagging pants and looking “gangsta”… the next minute there is a lawsuit brought by a jeweler, then another, then one more on top of that from a landlord in Stillwater, Oklahoma for pass due rent!

AND THIS IS JUST MARCH!

I have seen Dez out in public, working with kids and being surrounded by the fans, he seems to be kind and takes time to talk and sign autographs, however, this other behavior, the kind that makes headlines and such is not good for his image or for that of the team in which he plays for.

The question is, HOW DO YOU FIX THIS?

The answer, is not so easy! It’s about changing the direction of your decisions, and the paths in which you choose to go down.

I use the example of a player on the team, that signed a six year contract for multiple millions of dollars back in 2007, and you never hear about him in the news, or for that matter on the field of play, yet he has earned Pro-Bowl status 5 years in a row, and is an All Pro as well.

Why do we not hear about him? Mainly because he was well grounded, had a great up bringing, and knows what it is to be in the public and for that matter he doesn’t draw attention to himself when he is in public. I’ve actually heard him tell someone who approached him, if he was a football player, his response was “no… I dance ballet”… now really? Seriously, that is great!

He doesn’t say it to get rid of them—he says it so they grin or laugh and then he proceeds to let them off the hook—sign the autograph or take the photo—shake their hands and goes on his way. The only thing that he request is, don’t interrupt his dinner or his evening out with friends or family! That’s his time to spend with them, and not the stadium or personal appearance. Fair enough don’t you think?

Dez Bryant should, and Jerry should also make this mandatory, to sit with Calvin Hill, that’s why he is employed by the Cowboys in the first place, to show these young kids who have come from an income that is nowhere near what they have become a part of in a short amount of time.  Unless their parents were athletes, which if they were, they weren’t making this kind of cash when they played, they have no idea how to handle that kind of wealth. NOT everyone has this problem, not everyone goes into a mode of throwing themselves into an arena where they are constantly being hit by people that have come out of the wood work to claim to be a family member or long lost friend from way back when.

What some people don’t know about Calvin Hill, is that he is an IVY Leaguer, a graduate of Yale University, was a first round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 1969, and was the first Cowboy to rush for over 1000 yards. Though his degree is in business and finance, he understands what it takes to be successful on and off the field. Mr. Bryant—I highly suggest you talk to Mr. Hill and learn from one of the very best! Just look at his son, Grant Hill, he hasn’t done too bad for himself either.

Not to shift gears, but while we are on the subject of changing—there was a story that is out about the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona, that they might lose their BCS seating, and that because of the investigation that is underway about misguided funds by the CEO, and that there are some real discrepancies, a real possibility is that the BCS might bring the AT&T Cotton Bowl into the fold as a BCS Championship Bowl.

This would be huge for the Classic, and bring more attention to the Bowl that was one of the big four before the BCS took over.

Remember, back in the day, on New Years Day, there were four games played that had the prestige, such as the Rose, the Orange, the Sugar and the Cotton. The other fell into place shortly thereafter.

If you read between the lines, from comments from Rick Baker, and others with the Cotton Bowl, and the BCS committee, originally they thought that the Cotton could be the FIFTH Bowl on the rotation, now it might be the FOURTH! And that would be great for North Texas… oh and NO temporary seats to worry about! (sorry for the reference to a botched Super Bowl)

All in all, the common word in both of these thoughts are that a change has to be made, and in both cases, its for the better!

Dez Bryant—change your direction, and take care of the law suits, its not like you don’t have the money to secure this, and for the Cotton Bowl, the change would be great for the North Texas area, and be a nice feather in the hat to take away the stigma that the Super Bowl left behind, despite the fact that most of the problems were weather related.

Its just a thought!

The Americans Get Ready for Playoffs

The Allen Americans are getting in gear for their second run for the Ray Miron Cup, that is the trophy that is given to the champion in the Central Hockey League.

In only their second year of existence, this young team has already been to the finals once, last year as they lost to Rapid City in a best of seven series 4-2… But this year they have the slogan of UNFINISHED BUSINESS!

A couple of days before their opening round match up against Rio Grand Killer Bees at the Allen Event Center on Thursday, March 31^st, 2011 at 7:30PM. The match up will have the first seed playing the 8^th seed.

For the season the Americans have led the Perry Division for all of just a week, and after that, the Americans never looked back.

A little background about the Allen Americans for those of you that have no idea who they are, or what they are.

The Central Hockey League is sorta like the what the Texas League is to minor league baseball for North Texas, there has always been a team representing the North Texas area in the league. There is some old timers that remember the old Dallas Blackhawks and the Fort Worth Texans/Wings/Texans (take your pick of their nickname) later there was the Dallas Freeze and the Fort Worth Fire, then the Fort Worth/Texas Brahmas, which by the way, in 2009, won the championship themselves. Now there is the Allen Americans which have taken the mantel, and has run with it for two years in a row now.

This league has exciting hockey that is considered double A type of teams. The Americans are associated with the Dallas Stars, in that they can move players around to the Triple A club in Austin, Texas known as the Texas Stars, and a possible step up to the major team, the Dallas Stars.

Now that you have your brief history, this team has a great venue to play in up in Allen, the Event Center holds about 6000 thousand capacity, close to the action, and good family entertainment, for a good dollar value. Oh and FREE PARKING! That right there is worth the price of admission!

The hockey is good, the value is good, the venue is great, and there is not a reason for anyone not to make it to a playoff game this spring, if you are living in the Plano, Allen, McKinney, Frisco area of the Metroplex, even though there are people that come up as far away as south Dallas. Its just FUN!

Dwight Mullins, the head coach for the Americans, has Texas ties, even though he’s Canadian, he played for the Ft. Worth Fire back in the late 80’s early 90’s, then was named as the coach for this new bunch of guys, no expectations last year, and to find themselves in the Finals in their First year, now here they are again in the second year, they are right back in the playoffs.

This might sound like an ad for the League or the team, and in a weird way it is, but the truth is, this is a good hockey team!

The BEST record in the league, and for that matter with over 40 wins with just 11 losses and a couple of ties on the season! What’s the old adage, “It don’t mean a thing, with out that RING!”… and that’s what this hockey team, this community, and this portion of North Texas is looking for!

Its just a thought!

Playoff Time in North Texas

Has it really been 16 years since the Dallas Cowboys were in a Super Bowl? Has it really been 4 years since the Dallas Mavericks were in the NBA Finals?  And has it really been 12 Years since the Dallas Stars won the Stanley Cup?

My oh my! Lets see-- FC Dallas has been in the MLS Finals-- that's a good thing-- but as for the other teams-- its been slim pickings!

Last year-- in their first year-- the Allen Americans made it to the Ray Miron President Cup Finals in the Central Hockey League-- before that-- the Texas Brahmas won the whole damn thing!

Now with just a mere week or so away-- the Playoffs for the 2010-11 season is about to start for the Central Hockey League and the Allen Americans once again are in the thick of things.

Best record in the League-- they won the Governor's Cup... for that record-- they have over 40 wins this season-- however-- before we get ahead of ourselves-- many times-- we have seen this in other sports-- you might have the best record for the league-- but it don't mean a thing without that RING!

For those of you not familiar with the Allen Americans Hockey team, allow me to first tell you they play in Allen, Texas. Just north of the Dallas area and literally just north of Plano... they play in a beautiful facility called the Allen Event Center, they have a good fan base where they average just under 4000 a night in a 6000 seat capacity building. They are family friendly-- they also provide (hold on to your hats for this one) FREE PARKING to all events at the center.. there is an entertainment area , like restaurants in the immediate area, imagine that! And its cost effective for families to go and enjoy the evening!

WOW Does that sound like something that was tried to have been done in the Downtown Dallas area when they build the AAC and around that area called VICTORY PARK? Can YOU afford to go down there with a family of four? NOT!

In the North Texas area.. lets just say the Upper Metrocrest-- that includes-- McKinney, Frisco,  and Allen... there is enough entertainment in the area to enjoy with your family! IN Frisco alone you have the NBA "D" League-- Texas Legends coached by the legend herself Nancy Lieberman... along with the Frisco Roughriders of the Texas League and affiliated with the Texas Rangers-- you have the McKinney Marshalls and the North Texas Copperheads in the Texas Collegiate League at Craig's Ranch, you have the already mentioned, Allen Americans, not too mention the Texas Tornado (also hockey) the Allen Wranglers (Indoor Football) just to name a few!

People talk about not having anywhere to go for entertainment, that's a value to them and their family, I just named a bunch of sports teams, and to go along with that, concerts that are affordable or for that matter free at areas in and around that Plano/Allen corridor, how about the Eisman Center in Richardson, just south of what we have been mentioning, there are plenty of concerts, plays and performances there as well!

Its not all about sports! But lets face it-- when a sports teams makes their push to the playoffs, the fan base increases-- the excitement grows, and the word of mouth spreads!

Fairly soon the Texas Rangers will start back up, the Mavericks season will make their way to the Playoffs, the Dallas Stars are hanging on to one more spot for their shot at Lord Stanley's cup, and we still not sure what will happen in the National Football League!

So-- for now-- go and buy your tickets to the Americans Hockey Playoffs.. and enjoy the excitement of seeing the future of Hockey in North Texas-- the Americans by the way ARE affiliated with the Dallas Stars... wonder if we can exchange teams-- and see if these young lads can make a push to the playoffs--

HEY! Its just a thought!

Another Cowboy in Trouble

THERE'S A NO JIVE HEADLINE--

I don't mean to rail on a team that I have followed for many years-- but doesn't seem a bit ironic that since 1989--- the year that Jerry Jones purchased the Dallas Cowboys-- there have been more news coming from the players than any other time?

Oh wait-- before that time-- we did hear about Lance Rentzel-- Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson and Duane Thomas getting into little fracas-- even Harvey Martin was in a bit of trouble as well...  Bob Hayes was arrested on cocane possession,ok-- lets compare that list to the list of players since Jones took over shall we?

Hmmm-- where to begin-- alright there was Michael Irvin-- pretty obvious one with the drug charges and all-- we lost Mark Tuinei to drug over dose in the spring of 1999-- Pac-Man Jones was arrested at a downtown hotel for pushing one of HIS security people into a mirror and breaking it-- Dwayne Goodrich was arrested for vehicular manslaughter and convicted... Dexter Clinkscales was arrested for sexual relations with an 18 year old boy-- Nate Newton was arrested for transporting marijuana--and recently-- Bryan McCann was arrested for public intoxication and Rookie Wide Receiver Desmond "Dez" Bryant was cited at North Park Mall... FOR of all things-- Showing his underwear in public (his pants-- along with his friends) were hanging below the belt line! North Park has asked Bryant not to return to the mall for 90 days-- this is after two other incidents in the plush mall--

So the question begs to be asked-- WHY do professional athletes get into trouble??? ANSWER: They don't have anything better to do!

Let's face it-- during the off season there is nothing to do, because you made all this money during the season-- it's been sitting in the bank-- and now you have the time to spend it-- or better yet-- show it off.

Players of professional sports-- get a paycheck ONLY during the season in which the play-- for Baseball Players that's like six to seven months worth of pay.... same of Hockey and Basketball players-- long seasons mean that you are either traveling or practicing or playing! take your pick! For Football players-- they play once a week-- they work the rest of the week with practice and such... then it's game time! The NFL wants to expand the season by two games to make it 18 regular season games- now that means that the first game would be played around the Labor Day weekend and we will still end in the first week of February with the Super Bowl- Somewhere with playoffs we would be at 24 weeks of football that's almost six months!  See where this is going?

Keep em busy-- that way they can't get into trouble... believe me, they will find ways of getting into trouble given an opportunity to do so.

The latest bouts of indiscretion is more about not using their heads--  I knew Dez Bryant when he played in Lufkin, Texas at Lufkin High School for John Outlaw, he was a nice kid and all-- always with a "yes Sir-- No Sir" type of attitude-- never seemed to be the type to get into trouble-- though it happened to him at Oklahoma State, when he lied about spending time with Dieon Sanders-- another Lufkin Ex had a similar situation when he turned pro. Reggie McNeal played College football at Texas A&M, led the team to a Cotton Bowl birth-- then was picked up by the Cincinnati Bengals-- only to come back to Houston , Texas and get arrested-- the question now is-- WHERE is Reggie? Oh Wait! Canada-- playing for the Toronto Argonauts! That's special!

When are professional athletes going to learn that this is not an entitlement for them to go about and use their "celebrity" to avoid being like the rest of us. I don't think you see too many young men going into North Park Mall or the Galleria Mall with their pants hanging down low enough to see their underwear.  Its not sexy by the way guys-- BELIEVE ME-- ask any woman-- they don't think its cute they don't think you are the type of person to bring home to meet the parents!

SET the example-- change the atmosphere-- YOU Have the power! Young kids look up to you, they still have their heroes-- they want to wear your jersey-- they want to call your name out when they see you in public-- they want that little piece of yourself that you can give with a smile-- that's a simple signature!

Ya know-- if the athletes would flood the market with their signatures-- believe me-- you won't see them on EBay much-- because lets face it-- its not rare!

Bryan McCann-- the young man from SMU-- all I can do is shake my head and hope that this all works out for you-- for Dez Bryant-- I have heard and seen first hand-- your kindness to children and to fans--but is this really how you wish to be remembered? REALLY?

its just a thought! 

The Allen Wranglers Indoor Football League

Starting to hear the rumors milling around about the new indoor football team in Allen-- they are called the Wranglers-- the Indoor Football League placed a team there with their owner Jim Smith who once owned an indoor team in Arkansas... now the rumor is that he is looking to dump this team before this Friday night's game against the Brawlers (3-25-11) or they will fold completely.

The story goes that Smith could not make payroll for the team after they returned from Fairbanks, Alaska (yes you saw that right) last week, and there is an underlying current that there might be a munity of players walking out on the team.

They have had money troubles since the inception of this team, and with that, they are close to losing this franchise, there is a source that is close to the team that said that Smith is asking for either an out and out purchase of the team or at least a partner to help with the operational cost.

A week before their first game at the Allen Event Center, the team had no merchandise to sell, and what they had made for a team that is playing spring football and into the summer months, was all winter sweat shirts as well as hoodies!  The pricing for tickets is higher than the Arena Football League's Dallas Vigilantes (a second year team after the Dallas Desperados and the league halted competition for one year). The other rumor is that the Vigilantes are looking to move to the Allen Event Center for their games most likely next season.

Makes sense when you consider that the AEC is smaller (6,000 or so seats vs. 17,000 seats for the AAC). The rent would have to be cheaper and the concession would be more of a split, there is free parking at the AEC so no one controls that, unlike the AAC where the team makes absolutely nothing on the parking and has no merchandise in the "Team Store" at the AAC-- everything is a booth for the Vigilantes.

Sources also say that General Manager of the Allen Wranglers, former Dallas Cowboy Wide Receiver Drew Pearson put up personal money in the beginning, however that cash flow is all tapped out. No word if Pearson is going to stick with the team after this Friday if no new money is brought in, and what the future would be for Pearson.

The Wranglers are 0-2 on the season after losing their opening game at home and losing on the road in Alaska.

Just a thought

-30-

Get Well Soon Steve Sabol!

I read the news today-- oh boy.... sounds like the beginning of a Beatle song, and it might just well be! However, I did read the sad news that broke today (Sunday March 20th, 2011) that a stall worth of a man, a pioneer in an industry that his dad created with just a few movie cameras and an idea, and turned it into an Empire that one of the greatest sport leagues has ever come to know, to help promote and drive to fans, so they can become closer to the action like never before.

It started with a company in 1964 called Blair Motion Pictures, named after the founders daughter-- he called his son up who was going to school at Colorado State, and informed him that the only two things he knew that his son was doing, was going to movies and playing football, and that made him uniquely qualified for his new position with Blair Motion Pictures, the father was Ed Sabol, his son is Steve Sabol.

This past February, Ed Sabol, the patriarch was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, a little overdue I suspect, but none the less he is now being placed in the hallowed hall.  Steve was in Dallas to accept his fathers enshrinement, on his behalf.

Today, however, the news is grim, that Steve Sabol, all of 68 years young had a seizure while in Kansas City for a speaking engagement-- the diagnosis is not good, it was discovered that he has a brain tumor and it is on the left side of his brain.

Sabol will go under treatment with radiation, as well as other treatments to try and shrink the tumor, they (the doctors) have not used the words-- " Terminal" yet! However, if they have caught this early enough- with modern medicine anything is possible.

I remember growing up, and the program, This Week in the NFL would come on Saturday afternoons, and it was film footage of highlights from the games played the week before, and that you hoped to catch a glimpse of your team, hopefully winning over a rival or other team, and the slow motion that they developed was marvelous, how the cameramen kept that spiraling football in the frame as it nestled into the hands of a wide receiver, or the running back being able to burst through the line of scrimmage with those powerful-- piston- like legs to churn out the yards... or maybe it was linebackers zeroing in on the running back and destroying him as he came through the secondary.  All caught through the viewfinder of the NFL Films (what Blair Motion Pictures later became known as) Cameramen!

Steve Sabol was one of those cameramen, and he knew what was needed and took it upon himself to hire the best editors, and cameramen, and assistants, to make sure that the product was the best to be put out to showcase the NFL.

It would be a shame if we lost Steve Sabol, his dad is already in failing health at the age of 92, but Steve seems to be vibrant, and still full of life, and willing to talk to anyone and teach anyone the craft that has made NFL Films world renowned for its noir of photography!

My little piece is simple, just wishing Steve good health, and a recovery that will come quickly, and allow him to continue his good work!

Just a thought.