Fox 4's Max Morgan In Serious Health Crisis?

Max's condition has worsened over night. They are trying everything possible to get his liver to respond. pic.twitter.com/OA68RyoQGD
— Larry Rodriguez (@RodriguezLarry) September 19, 2014

High School Football That May Only Interest Me

Yesterday, someone commented with this link which is a fantastic high school football site chronicling the yearly record and coach at the time of every Texas high school football team.  I was looking at Bridgeport's records and then just happen to scroll down and saw Carrollton R.H. Turner's record over the last view years:

Look at that! How horrible. Five wins in nine years. Good grief. But then I recalled something different about this year. Look how they have started. Wow.

Decatur Shuts Down Downtown Street For 2:30 Parade

Temporary Police Order!

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• I'm afraid the story involving a local deputy has the potential to go viral. WFAA had it last night. The Ticket talked about this morning. 
• That Ron Washington press conference where he said he resigned because he was unfaithful to his wife was flat out weird.  There had been one blogger who had (controversially) said he had resigned because of a "sexual assault." Any chance there is a woman who will claim it was an assault but Washington is getting in front of the story by matter-of-factly portraying it as consensual? Perhaps. But why to admit to anything at all? Some speculated there's a baby. I'm not sure about that, but something isn't right. 
• Speaking of, the Star-Telegram had a riveting story yesterday involving a date rape trial going on involving two TCU students. I won't link to it because of the Star-Telegram's stupid paywall (which might ironically kill the paper.) I will tell you that alcohol was involved and there is no question the incident wouldn't have happened if it had not been. And it also would not have happened if both of them had just sat around and smoked weed. Yet we glorify alcohol consumption but put people in cages for marijuana. 
• Corporal punishment is a bit bizarre when you really think about it. We can do to a child what would be a crime if done to an adult? 
• I had a weird dream last night involving an old girlfriend, her sisters, and alligators. 
• Yesterday morning I read that England, which allows betting on anything, had odds on whether Scotland would vote to depart the UK. They were overwhelming in favor of the "no" result. I knew then there wasn't a a chance. 
• "A grandfather shot and killed his daughter and her six children Thursday in the town of Bell, Florida before committing suicide." Good grief. And stuff like this isn't the lead story on every newscast these days. 
• I bought some Fall mums for our flower bed. Big ones. I'm a fan of the outdoor Fall flower. 
• I always dog the BagOfNothing guy for hating Baylor football (although he denies that he does), but I finally found out why: Today he reveals that when Art Briles was at Stephenville, he harassed BagOfNothing from the sideline during a JV game. 
• "State Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples announced Thursday he will resign within the next two months to head Texas' primary oil and gas trade group." It looks like business as usual for Texas politics.
• Since I promote Blog Transparency, I want to remind everyone that I told you to bet the house and take the Under for the over/under line of Cowboys total wins at 7.5.
• There is no way Rick Perry or Ted Cruz can win the Republican nomination much less the Presidency. But I pray they try.

Texas Tech Just Fired Their Defensive Coordinator Because He Showed Up High?

Story.

Index - 8/14/59

This one isn't earth shattering but there are some fascinating aspects about it:

• The Index was doing a concept that Dave Campbell's Texas Football does to this day: List as many names of kids as you can so that their parents will run out and buy your publication.
• If you're a long time Wise County resident (and maybe if you're not), take a look at those names. So many of them are familiar. A future doctor. A future banker. And more. 
• Bridgeport and Decatur played each other in the season opener? 
• Loved how the guys had to bring their own towels, soap, and shoes. 
• One kid had dropped weight from 230 to 186. I would love to have known how he did that in 1959. I wouldn't rule out that he got sick. 
• Two local doctors had given all of the boys physicals for free.
• The coach channeled Jimmy Johnson when Johnson was just a baby by saying he plays favorites to kids who  work hard. (Actually, I think Jimmy said he played favorites to players who were good.)
• Side article: You get four traffic convictions in 12 months and you're going to get your license suspended.
• Edit: A commenter pointed out that the Bulls went 0-10 that year. The coach was gone after the season. 

I've Pulled For Bulls v. Man, And Now I Shall Pull For Sheep v. Man

With successful results.

Breaking Metroplex Media News: Lari Barager Leaving Fox 4 News

After 15 years with Fox 4, she is leaving the station tomorrow to become Director of External Communications at the Duncanville ISD.  She seemed to always be the go to person when Wise County made it news. She covered the Fake Ralph Hardy from Newark story, interviewed me for the great Courthouse Trash Can On Fire story in 2012, covered the crazy time when courthouse officials decided to play screeching bird sounds from the bell tower -- and incident which caused me to declare her my nemesis, and I thought she covered the great Wise County Courthouse Crab Scandal but I can't verify that.

I even covered her new hairdo in 2007.

Note: I am scooping Ed "Uncle Barky" Bark who is my new nemesis (after we got in a Twitter fight about the Beatles.-- he thought George Harrison was their greatest song writer.)

New Cover Of Time Magazine

Index: 1/23/70

And you guys dog the Messenger for front page car wreck photos.  (Source.)

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• Texas executed a Tarrant County woman last night who made reference to Darlie Routier in her final words. Two things: (1) The older I get, the concept of our government killing someone seems more and more insane, (2) Hey, Fox 4, Richard Ray: It's pronounced Roo-Tee-Air, not Roo-tear. He's been with the station since 1983 so you would think he would know that. 
• I wouldn't be surprised at all if Routier's conviction was overturned some day. (I somehow ended up representing her sister-in-law in a silly traffic ticket out of Bridgeport one time. I actually asked if she was related to Darlie when I saw the same last name. We spent more time talking about that case than her traffic ticket.) 
• Hey, guy who commented about the Improper Photography statute being overturned and asking if I was in favor of someone taking upskirt pictures of my wife: You're a moron. What I've always objected to is the legislature making it a felony for someone to take a picture of a hot girl in a public park (which is exactly what that dumb law did.)
• The lawyer for the Former Ardmore Exotic Dancer suing Jerry Jones is currently himself charged with Unlawful Restraint of his girlfriend. That doesn't necessarily mean it's a big deal since we live in a time of "arrest everyone for anything at every possible opportunity."
• Speaking of, per the Update there was a very quick "not guilty" verdict in our district court yesterday. 
• Apple says that its new mobile operating system will have an encryption that won't even allow the company to crack a person's password. Why? In the past, cops could get a search warrant for an iPhone or iPad which required Apple to use it's then existing technology to bypass a password. Not anymore. They will now simply say, "We can't do it."  Good for Apple. 
• Sports: (1) I feel bad for Texas QB David Ash on his decision to retire after a million concussions. But at least his brain isn't so damaged that he can't make smart decisions. (2) I'm really looking forward to Auburn at Kansas State tonight. (3) Jameis Winston is an idiot.  (3) A couple of NFL teams acted like Fox News with its talking points yesterday. They both uttered the phrase, "We have to get this right" a million times as they explained why players were being suspended. That had to come down from the NFL Office. (4) Jon Stewart last night: "Here's a note to any NFL player who is curious as to whether he is a child abuser: You can't do to a four year old what you can't do to a 300 pound defensive lineman." (5) Stewart also poked fun at how the NFL controversy used  to be that drafting an openly gay player would cause a "distraction". The NFL now refers to that time as "the good old days." 
• Fifty years ago today, the Beatles played their only concert in Dallas. Tickets were $5.50. The concert lasted thirty minutes.
• I really don't know much about Scotland voting on whether to become independent from the UK  but something doesn't seem quite right about it. 

And Another - Pennsylvania

Link.

My Ongoing Crusade Against The "Improper Photography" Statute Is Over

(Rest of that old post.)

The earliest one of my rants I can find is from 2007, but I know I did a couple a few years before that. And I sadly can't find the argument I had with then Williamson County DA John Bradley on a prosecutor message board about the constitutionality of the statute when it was first enacted. (I remember writing something along the lines, "I'm no constitutional scholar, but if exotic dancing and campaign contributions are considered 'speech', taking a photo in public should be protected speech as well.")

Today, the very conservative highest criminal court in Texas killed it for being unconstitutional.

In Idiocracy, It Was Called "The House of Representin'"

Seen on C-SPAN: @RepSpeier (D-CA) on House floor. Will share clip shortly. #NFL #BenchEm pic.twitter.com/rhqR0uZE3d
— CSPAN (@cspan) September 17, 2014

Random GIF

I have no idea what this is from, but I laughed every time I saw it last night. (That stop and zoom in editing was greatness.)

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• Even though we hear about Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson, no one mentions former Kansas City Chief Jovan Belker who murdered his girlfriend and then killed himself only two years ago. 
• I also thought about former NFL player Rae Carruth who assisted in the murder of his pregnant girlfriend in 2001.  If Wikipedia is correct, he's scheduled to be released from prison in four years. 
• Burying the lead in Bridgeport: The Messenger has a story today on page 7 under a headline about a fundraiser for a JV football player after "he suffered a heat stroke because he was dehydrated and had to run extra sprints after practice . . . . " He ended up in ICU at Cook's Children Medical Center for four days -- three of which were in a medically induced coma! He was running as a punishment having something to do with a vaguely labeled "List of Pain". Varsity coach and athletic director Danny Henson said as to why he was punished was something "I can't and don't want to talk about." This story should be on the front page with a different headline. 
• How is former Decatur High coach Kyle Story doing at his new gig at Frisco Independance? They have started 1-2, but the two losses came with scores of 62-21 and 52-0.
• Fox News has been giving time to some redneck Texas sheriff named Gary Painter. He has hot opinions about ISIS crossing the border with no proof other than he's heard they have found "Muslim clothing" and discarded copies of the Quran. (Which is laughable since Muslims treat the Quran about 100% better than Christians treat the Bible.) And he also has such gems as: “If they show their ugly head in our area, we’ll send them to hell." Oh, did I mention he's the Sheriff of Midland County. 
• I thinks its idiotic to send 3,000 U.S. military personnel to Africa to help in the containment of the Ebola outbreak. What are they going to do, shoot it? (That's a joke.)  But if you believe that the President is sending the troops there with the intention of them becoming infected so they can bring the disease  back to the U.S. in order to enhance the popularity of Obamacare, you are a certifiable nutcase. 
• "I was whipped with a switch and I turned out OK." You sure about that, buddy? 
• Someone explain Fan Duel to me -- the web site that lets you play Fantasy Football and win money on a weekly basis. They advertise everywhere and come across as a sports book. Is this not illegal gambling? 
• A hurricane it Cabo this week, but I was taken aback by a Fox 4 story of a Dallas man who was there on his bachelor party with nineteen of his buddies. 
• I said last week that sponsor pressure would be what cost Roger Goodell his job. And Anheuser-Bush began to rattle its sword yesterday. (They are in a sneaky great position: They can get a ton of press (= ad time) by pulling out as the "Official Beer of the NFL" and still advertise on all the networks.) His days have to be numbered.

Above The Fold

Tuesday Morning Pick Me Up: Sarah Palin