It's Bridgeport vs. Decatur Week

Check out this front page of the Index after Bridgeport beat Decatur for the first time in forever. So cocky.

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• A lawyer in Decatur wanted me to ask what you what you would think if he brought his dog to the office. Let's assume it is not a pit bull. What say you? Unprofessional? Funny bit? Understandable? Comforting?
• The great TV show Vice is after White Rose Women's Center in Dallas which misleads women by pretending to be an abortion provider, coaxes them in, and then hits them with anti-abortion material. Oh, and they are having a fund raiser at the Dallas Country Club in October with Rick Santorum being the speaker.
• I watched most of the Wendy Davis/Greg Abbott debate the other day. Wendy Davis is a horrible debater. It was like watching a Jason Garrett press conference. 
• The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled last week that if you call your neighbor six times over a twelve month period because you are angry that you can lawfully be charged with the crime of Harassment. "Is this Russia, Danny?"
•  On the other end of the spectrum, the Court granted relief for a guy who was wrongfully convicted, in part, because the State hid favorable evidence. Get this: “At the hearing, the lead prosecutor conceded, during this 2007 trial, that she was an alcoholic who was also taking prescription diet pills that affected her memory. She was later fired by the District Attorney . . . for unrelated ethical violations. During the … hearing, the prosecutor repeated seventy-two times that she did not recall or did not know the answers to questions concerning the investigation or trial of [the Defendant." Prosecutors often refer to themselves as "The guys who wear the white hats." Remember that. 
• I deal with a lot of people who are under lots of stress and with a life that is in a free fall sometimes. After dealing with one of them last month (tears shed), I told my assistant, "Sometimes I feel more like a counselor than a lawyer." Then I paused. "I guess I am technically a counselor."
• Random Weekend Texas High School  Football Score: Blum 116, Abbott 88.
• The inventor of the Slush Puppie died last week. I have only the very vaguest memory of the  Slush Puppie.
• I'm mad at myself for not watching The Roosevelts. 
• We lost TV access for a several hours over the weekend, and I ended up checking out HBO Go on the iPad. Let me tell you, watching a show on an iPad with headphones isn't a bad way to go. 
• Saw a car turn into Decatur High School this morning which had two bumper stickers. One was "Come and Take It" (Tea Party) and the other was "Keep Calm and Chive On." (Chive.com). For some reason I found that confusing. 
• I went to the Fellowship [Mega] Church in Grapevine yesterday morning to hear Mark Davis speech. Oh, man, do I have a lot of hot sports opinions to be forthcoming. But I do know this: If I had one wish, it would be to walk into that place with Jesus on the condition that he tell me everything he was thinking. 
• It's amazing that a guy was able to jump the fence and make it into the White House on Friday. There's no question there was a security guy who was simply bored to death at the time it happened. The fence jumper was an Iraq vet diagnosed with PTSD and paranoia. Was that war even worth that single man's life which is now in a death spiral? 
• From the Update: "State National Bank, which has a branch in Decatur, has announced that it will be acquired by east Texas-based Pilgrim Bank in the first quarter of next year. Lonnie 'Bo” Pilgrim'." Old Timers will remember that Bo Pilgrim once handed out $10,000 checks on the Texas Senate floor to try an influence legislation that would impact his chicken processing empire.  
• I watched the first half of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty last night. I loved it in the beginning because it was about a beaten down guy who wildly daydreams of being somewhere else and doing other things. [Looking in mirror.] Then is seemed to get off track. 
• Sports: (1) OU looks strong. (2) It is only fitting that the craziest season in Ranger history has them going 8 of 9. (3) I'm not worried about calling for Dallas to have less than 7.5 wins. They are horrible. Edit: My assistant just walked in and told me to be nice to the Cowboys.  (4) Sixth Grader in The House while watching the play in the opener where Jameis Winston leaped over his own player on a touchdown run in a win over OSU: "Wow!!! Who was that???" Me (with defeated voice): "Jameis Winston. He's an idiot." (She looked at me with that "What-do-you-have-against-him look). (5). Am I in the minority if I say that I think Gus Johnson is a fantastic play by play guy? (6). In the past, when a team was punting there was just one up back for blocking. Now there are always three. (7). So why did that lineman shove the Rams' quarterback on the sideline yesterday? (8). The Johnny Football fake-fight-with-the-coach-play was fantastic. (9). That Roger Goodell press conference on Friday was a Hail Mary for his job. Get rid of him. (10). Ticket Fans: ESPN's Dallas Jean-Jacques Taylor tweeted yesterday that the Cowboys would be right back in it if they could score after being down 14-0. I decided to be a smart arse and replied that the statement was obvious. He replied that I should go somewhere else for my sports talk. I might have replied that I had to go shove some wings in my face. Man, I think that guy has a big bag of nothing. 

You High Rolling Bettors: Explain This To Me

My biggest CFB bet of the day goes in 10 minutes. Rice (laying less than a TD is still out there) pic.twitter.com/488SIKmoMf
— RJ Bell (@RJinVegas) September 20, 2014

Rice is playing Old Dominion today, and this guy posted his Vegas bet ticket. I'm not a bettor and, oh, I have questions:

• Why is Old Dominion coded as "PLB"?
• I think the -110 means you have to bet $110 on Old Dominion -6 to win $100, but what is 372?
• How can I tell who this guy bet on? 
• What does "Win $3,000 to pay $6,300" mean? This is even more confusing since the ticket cost $3,300.
• Does a "straight bet" mean he's betting with the line or straight up? I'm guessing it's with the line. 
• When the guy walked up to the counter at the Vegas sports book, what did he say? "I'd like to bet [finish this sentence.]

Edit: Thanks for the responses. Good stuff.

Edit #2: The guy lost.

Slight Messenger Sports Funny This Morning

The last posts on their "live blog" covering last night's games:

Atta boy, Chico! Then you look down on the same page:

Two things: (1) The comment in the live blog about the Chico score wasn't Richard Greene. He was covering a different game and posted under his own name Someone else was posting under "WCMessenger." (2). That mistake is forgivable. If your job is to cover high school football on a Friday night, at 10:30 you could post "I'm about to launch this laptop out of this press box because I can't freakin' take it any longer!" and I wouldn't blame you. 

Above The Fold

Oh, No! I Don't Even Believe In Love Any Longer!!

Honey Boo Boo's Mama June & Sugar Bear have split! http://t.co/HlezX9CVOU pic.twitter.com/tq8eJIJVnT
— E! Online (@eonline) September 19, 2014

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.