I love polls.  polls are great.  polls taste good with fava beans.

I love polls.  polls are great.  polls taste good with fava beans.

I love polls.  polls are great.  polls taste good with fava beans.

I love polls.  polls are great.  polls taste good with fava beans.

I love polls.  polls are great.  polls taste good with fava beans.

I love polls.  polls are great.  polls taste good with fava beans.

I love polls.  polls are great.  polls taste good with fava beans.

Poll

Will the Rangers finish above .500?

45%

Yes

50 votes

46%

No

51 votes

8%

Even Record

9 votes

110 votes | Poll has closed

The guys on the Ticket brought this up this morning and I thought it was interested.

We're so excited now about the future of the Rangers, almost sure of their dynasty run from 2010-2016 or beyond.  But how sure are we that 2009 and 2010 won't be 2005 and 2006 all over again.  What's really different in 2008 than in 2004?  Are we so sure that our great minor league system is better today than in 2004 (it seems likely, though).  Anyway, I'm not taking a side, but rather would love to read a discussion of more knowledgable people.

You gotta be kidding me!

The NBA acknowledged that a foul should have been called on the final possession of Game 4 in the Western Conference finals, when Derek Fisher made contact with the Spurs Brent Barry just before Barry would try a game-winning 3-point shot to tie the series.
"With the benefit of instant replay, it appears a foul should have been called," NBA spokesman Tim Frank said.

 

I'll say it again:  Go back and watch the final play of Game 4 on Youtube. It shouldn’t have even been a foul. Mark where Barry and Fisher are when Fisher jumps. Notice Fisher never enters the space where Barry is/was at the time of the jump. Barry initiates the contact by dribbling into Fisher while Fisher’s in the air. Barry could’ve been called for a charge, honestly.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/specials/fansurvey/2008/index.html?eref=T1

 

Ridiculous.  I can name at least 15 better parks.  The Ballpark is so freakin' great.  Obviously the number of Ranger fans voting was low.  What does everyone else think?

 

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Dirk didn't hesitate when asked whether the off-court drama took a toll on the Mavs during this series.

"Yeah," Dirk said. "Obviously, very disappointing what happened in the playoffs -- bad timing. I think in the playoffs it's really time to focus on basketball and not let distractions come up. So I'm very, very disappointed with the timing of the whole thing, but I still try to keep them all together, try to make everybody play as hard as they can. But it wasn't good enough."

Dirk didn't name names, but it was pretty clear he was talking about Josh Howard's strange decision to discuss his tendency to "partake in smoking weed in the off-season sometimes" on the radio the afternoon of Game 3.

At least one teammate thinks Howard's pot confession might have made the Mavs off-season come a little earlier.

So they're already making really bad excuses that have nothing to do with basketball. That's the talk of losers, plain and simple. They have to blow this thing up now. There's not a leader on the whole team. Dirk's great and all, but he's not a leader, and he needs to stop someone on defense sometime. I personally don't want to see any returnees except Wright and Bass.

"I think I've been here for a pretty long time and I deserve a fresh start somewhere else. It's not the most negative thing to me right now that this has happened. I'm excited about it."

Asked if he thinks he'll get back to the majors?

"I don't know. I think there's plenty of examples of people leaving the Texas Rangers and going on to really great things. There could be something huge in my future. Kind of an exciting moment."

 

Plenty of examples?  You've spoken true Bottsy.  I can't blame him.  He's funny.

Josh Howard admits to smoking dope in the offseason.  Unbelievable!!!  I'm not sure I want to be a fan of a team with an admitted drug user.  I've never heard on an NBA player that uses drugs.   Next you'll be telling me rap music is full of bad morals and sets a bad example for our children.  Unbelievable!

 

Seriously, why is this a story?  (Of course, I understand the irony of creating a fanpost about a story that I question whether it should be a story).

Poll

Okay, by request, who's smoked the Lucas?

63%

Hell's to the yeah

30 votes

0%

Sort of...didn't inhale

0 votes

36%

No...I actually paid attention in High School

17 votes

47 votes | Poll has closed

According to Evan Grant, Mendoza knew his shoulder was hurt prior to the game and even though the coaches asked him about it repeatedly, he never acknowledged the pain until he came out in the 2nd.

 

I think Nolan should demonstrate that we don't put up with this crap (as Jerry would say 'Stop this crap'), and not let Mendoza pitch again this year in the majors.  Probably too harsh, though, and a waste of a 40 spot.  Seriously, we've got to start playing with maturity.

The wife and I woke up at 4:00 am sharp here in Richardson to the loudest winds and rain I can remember (with living in Arlington most of my life, there's been some bad bad storms).  I looked out the window and about 4:02 there was a calming, then the sky turned bright, bright blue, then a dark grey, then the freight train sound blasted.   But, alas, I didn't see anything.  There were reports that South Richardson had a touchdown around Belt Line and Plano Rd, but we're up north near Plano.

Just wanted to make sure everyone was alright.  And to see if there were any cool stories for those that live in the area.