12.09.2013

Random Monday Morning Thoughts



  • What an insane ice storm. Those cars and trucks stuck on I-35 around Sanger overnight had my sympathy. What a nightmare. (And, man, there are a lot of trucks on our roads.)
  • I kept hearing about "cobblestone ice" on freeways.  I know exactly what they are talking about from past experience: It feels like every nut and bolt in your car is going to come off. 
  • And the power outages in Dallas and Collin were a problem.  The Ticket's Craig Miller had his power go off for three days and Richie Whitt was out of power for two. I told Mrs. LL that I could probably make it though one night then it would be Hotel City.
  • I didn't make it down to Waco on Saturday for the Baylor game, but I desperately wanted to. I spent a lot of the morning just looking out the window and contemplating a decision. But it sounds like lots of folks couldn't make it back up I-35 on Saturday night. Heck, I wasn't sure I could make it out of my neighborhood. 
  • The Fifth Grader in the House spent most of the afternoons playing with other kids in the neighborhood outside. But we had her dressed up like Randy in A Christmas Story.
  • We've DVR'd the new Bonnie and Clyde starring Emilo Hirsch.  Here's what the Star-Telegram looked like after they killed two troopers on 114 in Southlake. 
  • I'm stunned I haven't suffered from cabin fever. But if I have to be iced in, this wasn't a bad weekend for it to happen. 
  • Extended Sports:
    • A shocking list of 53 NFL players who have blown out their ACL this year. I keep thinking the sport won't exist in the future but then I think of Ultimate Fighting. 
    • The Washington Redskins are in so much disarray.  Look at the empty stands at the start of the third quarter after they were throttled yesterday.  Mike Shanahan will be fired before the end of the year. 
    • "The Washington Redskins are expected to target Baylor head coach Art Briles if they fire Mike Shanahan, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reported Sunday, citing league sources." You know, I actually had that thought at the first of the year if Chip Kelly's spread offense worked with Philadelphia. But with Briles' new contract and with his ties to the state of Texas, that story is beyond ridiculous. 
    • I thought the crowd would be small at the Kentucky/Baylor doubleheader at Jerry World on Friday and it was -- but they missed some pretty, pretty good stuff.  A four overtime women's game that set the record for most points scored in a women's game, and a Baylor men's upset of #2 Kentucky. 
    • No way I'm going to the Fiesta Bowl to see Baylor play Central Florida. (The early line is Baylor by 15.5). Interestingly, if OSU had beaten Oklahoma on Saturday, Baylor would be playing Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. 
    • But Central Florida's QB's girlfriend is a "Hey, Now". 
    • When Baylor went into its final five games, I predicted Baylor would score 30 on all of them. I went four out of five. So did Baylor.
    • Why did North Dakota State's coach leave for Wyoming? Seems like he could get a better gig than that -- he was 50-3 over the last four seasons. 
    • Fox Sports superimposing the yardage graphics over the snow in the Eagles/Lions game was cool, but I'm not sure I liked it. 
    • A photo of an outdoor cameraman in that game is fantastic. 
    • Before the freezing SMU game on Saturday, the video screen displayed a log burning fireplace
    • I've mentioned my growing disdain for the NFL, but the Minnesota/Baltimore game yesterday was high entertainment. And wasn't it great how the local Fox affiliate had to leave the game at the end due to "contractual obligations". (NFL mafia rules.)
    • Mrs. LL has become fascinated by football rules. She'll yell, "He broke the plane! He broke the plane" when a guy struggles to get in the end zone. 
    • I told her five years ago, "It sounds crazy, but Baylor will beat Texas again in my lifetime." Little did I know it would be three of the last four years. 
    • OU's fake field goal with the punter/holder throwing to the kicker for a TD may be my favorite play of the weekend. 
  • I had a senior lawyer in a big law firm I worked at one time tell me to never use the word "interestingly" when communicating with a client because the client will know whether or not the current subject is interesting. Idiot. If I'm talking to any professional (doctor, plumber, mechanic), I want him to tell me what he thinks is interesting/important. 
  • "This woman sideline reporter thing is an officially failed experiment." - A Mark Davis tweet that can only be defined as sexist. I think sideline reporters are silly, too, but he brought gender into it for some reason. 
  • I had no idea the Tea Party hated Nelson Mandela. Edit: (1) See comments. (2) Told ya.
  • The County Judge in Grayson County has declared a "local disaster" because of the ice. Not sure what exactly the implications are, if any. 
  • I watched The Today Show for the first time in a while this morning. Apparently some consultant told them they should all set at the same desk and yuk it up like they are having a good time. 
  • The Dallas Marathon was cancelled, and there will be no refunds. Proceeds go to the  Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children so it's kind of hard to gripe (I didn't register this year).  But I think the fee for the marathon was $100 and the half marathon was $80 with over 20,000 people pre-registered. That's a lot of cash. 
  • Remember that crazy New Mexico cop who opened fire on an SUV loaded with kids when the driver left a routine traffic stop? Fired