Kid Doesn't Want To Go To Arkansas Games Because "They Always Lose"

Buddy, let an ol' timer set you straight. I may not have walked five miles to school in the snow, I may not have suffered through the Great Depression, and I may not have had to fear being drafted into Vietnam, but when it comes to college football, I know suffering.

Baylor Won/Loss Record

And you, kid, don't know suffering. Now get back to to Angry Birds or whatever if is you kids do.

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• One thing I regret while in El Paso was that I didn't have time to see the Bridge of the Americas. I wanted to do it because I could automatically trump anyone in an immigration debate by simply saying, "Let me tell you something. I've personally taken my own human body to the border. I've looked with my own human eyes across the the Rio Grande at Juarez. I may have even seen El Chapo in the distance."  That's all it takes to win, right? 
• I actually wanted to see it because I thought it was the bridge the Josh Brolin used to cross into Mexico in No Country For Old Men -- but I was wrong. But it was the filming location for the short lived FX series named, obviously, The Bridge.
• Does the first item in The Update have viral potential?
• Sports: (1) I finally got to watch the Texas/OSU game including the crazy defensive holding penalty on UT and the subsequent flag on Charlie Strong. The Evil Empire was wronged. But if the Evil Empire was wronged 20 more times over the next few years, they still will be ahead in the Official Wrong/Not Wronged Ledger. (2) As crazy as that TCU play was to win the game, the Tech Crazy Train Play that actually ended the game was 10 yards away from infamy. It started with a throw from the 32 yard line of Tech and ended at TCU's 10 after multiple laterals. That was 10 yards away from replacing California/Stanford's last play as the most insane play in college football history. And it could have happened. Don't get tackled! Launch the ball! You may lose on a fumble recovery but don't get tackled! Watch it here from a fan's video in the stands -- love these things.
• I got duped, right?: The people "camping out" to buy a home in a new development in McKinney have to be doing a bit and a publicity stunt. 
• DMN story from it's "Biz Beat Blog": "Forbes has just announced its annual roll call of the 400 richest Americans — and there are 36 Texans on this year’s list, with Walmart heiress Alice Walton yet again topping all of them with $36 billion. (And that’s before she sells her ranch outside of Fort Worth.)" Hey, I'm an idiot when it comes to business, accounting, and math, but the fact that the ranch hasn't sold yet has nothing to do with her net worth and being "rich".  I love to simplify things: If all a person has is a $150,000 house and is debt free, that person has a net worth $150,000. If he sells that home for the fair market value of $150,000, he now has a net worth of $150,000. 
• Also from the story: Mark Cuban's new worth remains at $3 billion. Exactly how much did he personally get when Yahoo.com ridiculously paid $5.7 billion in 1999 for his company, Broadcast.com, which had never turned a profit?
• I'll never hear the word "SMU" and "Death Penalty" without remembering me and four of my buddies as high-schoolers on the campus of TCU in the summer of 1979 checking out a cheer-leading camp. Out of the blue, we saw 18 year old Eric Dickerson walking around because, we discovered, he was there for a high school THSCA All-Star game. (Box score, anyone?) He was just walking around by himself but had a jersey on that had "Dickerson" across the back. Sport's Illustrated had just written that his college jersey would have "National Championship" on the front and "Heisman Winner" on the back when all was said and done. We had him sign his autograph five times on the back of an envelope and he used my back to do it on. We then carefully tore the envelope up and all took one autograph. I've still got mine. (My buddies, if my memory hasn't failed yet again, have the familiar Wise County names of Bilby, Clifton, McQuiston, and I think Ralls or Lawson. And I promise we listened to a new 8-track tape on the way there by a new group who had just released "My Sharona". We talked about whether The Knack was the second coming of The Beatles.) 
• And I just looked up that "Ralls" and noted that his mother died less than two months ago. 
• Dallas DA Susan Hawk has left treatment and plans to return to work on Thursday. My first reaction was that she needed to come into work at 5:00 a.m. to avoid all cameras. But upon further review, I think I'd tell the media I'm walking in the front doors at 8:00 a.m.  It's time for her to be on the offensive to save her job. 
• I'm often reminded of the line from Harrison Ford, as Jack Ryan, to the president in Clear and Present Danger when the President's long time friend had been found murdered on his yacht by the cartel after he had stolen some laundered drug money: The President was wondering how to respond if the press asks him if they were good friends: Ryan told him to say, "'No, not good friends. We were lifelong friends.' There's no sense defusing a bomb after it's already gone off."

I'm Issuing An Oklahoma Bee Alert

And I just had the craziest flashback:

Edit: We have a news update. A monkey in Florida for the win!

College Football: Official Stock Market Like Gambling?

I'm stunned by this, but I'm not sure why.

On the official* College Football Playoff site, there is a link to "pick your team" and  "reserve" your tickets.  This is a little insane: You pay for the "right" to purchase a ticket at face value if the team you pick makes the National Championship game. But the price is market based. For Baylor, it's $20 right now. For TCU, it's $10. For Ohio State, it's $72.  And once you pay, it is not refundable. If your team doesn't make the championship game, you're done.

But, wait, there's more.  As the season goes along, you have the right to sell your right to buy the ticket based upon the current market. Make sense? Say TCU goes undefeated into the final game and the market value for that "right" to buy the ticket goes to $150 or more. You can sell the right and pocket the cash. (At least that's what I'm seeing.)

All of this is fun and a great idea, but this is officially sanctioned by the entity that is the College Football Playoff?
___________
*That is the official site, right?

Random Tweets From Texas Supreme Court Justices Over The Weekend

They occurred back to back on my timeline.  The humor gave me Slumped Shoulders. (And that's the fourth time Willett has posted the same thing over the last few months.)

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• I'm finally a big believer in GPS for navigation.  I don't even look at the screen any longer -- I just listen to the directions. I might drive into a lake one day, but I'm still a big believer until that happens.
• A few things I forgot to mention on my hike to Texas' highest point: (1) About a mile into the hike, I came across a herd of deer. It was like time was frozen as we exchanged stares without moving a muscle. No one moved. One had a rack, and I tried to telepathically communicate with it by thinking, "You understand, don't you? I mean you no harm." Then all of them suddenly hauled arse. At least I think they were deer. They almost hopped like rabbits as they took off down the rocky slope. (2) The lady of the older couple I came across about three miles into the hike offered me a mint. A mint? (3) I had more anxiety walking to my car in a hotel parking lot in El Paso than beginning my ascent Into The Wild. (4) My biggest struggle during that isolated hike, or any walk or run for that matter, is to fight the thoughts of "if I could do it all over again." But that is wasted energy. The past cannot be changed. 
• "More than 100 people watched in horror as MTV star and extreme sports athlete Erik Roner" died during a skydiving accident. I've never heard of the guy, but I was watching a segment on Real Sports with the Senior In The House last week about those who cheat death via base jumping with wing suits. She said they were crazy. As a "responsible adult", I was forced to agree. But I really thought that if you know the risk and realize that you may die with every jump, it's your choice. More power to you. Except this guy had a wife and two kids. The wife? Girl, you accepted the risk when you married him. The kids? You have every right to blame daddy. 
• What a crash for the oil industry: Gas is below $2.00 a gallon (amazing), oil at $45 a barrel (equally amazing) and rig counts in Texas are at a 12 year low. It's the mid 1980s all over again. 
• And Texas real estate is next: "Collin County housing [market] is so hot, people are camping out to be 1st to snag lots in a subdivision."
• And the legal industry has already reached that point: "There's now 1 lawyer for every 157 people in Dallas County." This link with graphs is fantastic. Message: Don't go to law school for the money. Don't go to law school unless you love the field you want to practice in. 
• I've never understood things like this: "EDC PROJECTS APPROVED – The Decatur City Council yesterday gave its approval to a couple of Economic Development Corp. projects. One is a $10,000 incentive for A Ary HVAC for the hiring of four new employees and reimbursement for concrete work." (From Update.)
• Sports: (1) Are we entering into era of college football where the rules need to be changed? Look at the the offensive scoring and how defenses simply cannot stop it.  Seriously, you think Baylor, TCU, Tech, Oklahoma or basically any other good Big 12 team  can't get 10 yards with four tries? Does the first down marker need to be moved to 15 yards? I'm serious. (2) I said last week what the Rangers were doing was remarkable, and now the Liberally Lean curse might be striking them. (3) If Tech's quarterback is healthy, the Baylor/Tech final might be 70-71 and I have no idea who wins. (4) TCU play by play man Brian Estridge spent all weekend retweeting posts about how great his call of the final play was. Buddy, let the game come to you. (5) SMU basketball was just hit with a post-season ban by the NCAA.
• I continue to thank you for all the cards and calls I've received over the last two weeks. When I get an envelope with "DPS" in the return address area, get a gift card (you kidding me??!!) for a place I've never heard because the person thinks I'll enjoy the atmosphere, and receive cards from total strangers who live out of state but know me only because of Liberally Lean, I know I'm blessed. 
• Weird thing about me about airline takeoffs: Seconds into the air, the G force puts me too sleep. 
• I have nothing against "online universities" but for some reason I'm bugged about the fact that the new Fort Worth Police Chief has a doctorate in Business Administration from such a school? 

An Odd Email I Received But I'm Entertained

Sunday fun day at the 100 acres!
Posted by Shane Starnes on Sunday, September 27, 2015

Guys blow up an old refrigerator back in the day from a pizza joint in Boyd.

TCU Frat Reaction To Game Winning Play

Hey, I'm not taking anything away from TCU when I refer to that play as "lucky". There is not a single championship team in college football that didn't have luck along the way.

A view of the play from the end zone.

Uh, Get Me This Pope Baby?

Someone explain that first entry to me

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• I had an impromptu trip this weekend. On Friday evening, I was thinking about how for the last three years I had wanted to climb Guadalupe Peak -- the highest point in Texas. But I also wanted to combine it with a trip to the Sun Bowl for my stadium bucket list. I had planned and cancelled three trip multiple times.  Was there a flight to El Paso on Saturday? Yep. And it was available with a reasonable price. Was UTEP playing on Saturday? Yes. And a night game and against Incarnate Word --- a ridiculous future Baylor opponent that has caused the Bears nothing but ridicule. I could scout them! Hotel? Holy cow, there was one almost on campus and walking distance to the stadium. Would the National Park be open? Of course. Weather? Beyond perfect. I'd be late for work on Monday, any problems? It's Texas judges seminar week so it's slower than usual. It was the Perfect Storm.  Baaaum! I pulled the trigger. 
• I'll admit that BagOfNothing's post out of nowhere reviewing his climb to the peak a month ago really bugged me. Mom always thought I sat on my butt too much and would make her feelings known by telling me, "Live a little, boy!"
• Side note: And for those who are about to beat me down for being high tone, I drive a beater of a car (like I always have ) and haven't had a car payment for years so I can take these quick solo trips once every year or two and without guilt. So you can shut down the orchestra music. 
• But I started Saturday morning watching the Aggie Band and Corp of Cadets in downtown Fort Worth. Fantastic. (But someone needs to explain to me the different "groups" of cadets -- and there were a TON of them marching -- and their meaning.)
• Near the Tarrant County Convention Center, where I watched the last of the Aggie Band, there is the fairly new JFK memorial celebrating his visit to Fort Worth before heading to his fate in Dallas. It is so well done. 
• And I loved this photo which they have encased and is at least 8' tall. I love photos of crowds where I can look at the expressions on their faces. 
• It dawned on me I was looking at a statue of JFK, it was early in the morning, and I was about to go to Love Field. 
• And I made it to Love Field which is a great airport especially since all of the renovations (but I've got this weird flaw where I'll get lost in airport parking garages like nobody's business.)
• I finally made it El Paso and went with Enterprise rent cars again. Love them. So quick and easy. (Not an ad.)
• I was in my hotel room and watching the end of UT/OSU and Tech/TCU and forced myself to get to campus and stadium. Go see the Sun Bowl as the sun goes down.  I could always watch it on replay. Oh, my. What games. 
• UTEP campus: I am really impressed. 
• Sun Bowl: Holy cow! The place is small but may be one of my favorite stadiums in the history of ever. I had always seen the TV shots of the mountains in the background but they literally surround that place. And the one gap where there aren't mountains is a view of the lights of El Paso twinkling for miles. 
• I'm not complaining, but I think the crowd had a great segment of overweight women who just happen to be Hispanic and who looked like they had Saturday night off from their stripper job. But I mean no offense. 
• Oh, I forgot to mention that you can basically walk up and touch the football teams as they came out of the locker room although there was absolutely no interest in cheering them on by the masses. But one of the weirdest moments was when the visiting team walked out and one UTEP fans yelled, "Hey, Incarnate Word! You suck!"  (If I've ever had a Jim Halpert look on my face, I had one then.)
• The next morning I left at 6:00 and head 111 miles to Guadalupe Peak. I felt just like Walter White once I saw a speed limit sign of 75 and the road was empty and desolate. (And, like BagOfNothing, I saw at least one old RVs in the desert.) 
• That is, until I came across a border security checkpoint. It was just me and one guard motioning me to move towards him.  Beside me was a backpack with rope, duct tape, a knife, and zip ties. (Hey, you never know. I've seen 127 Hours.) He just asked one question: "Citizenship?" and looked through the window into my back seat. 
• I'll say this about hiking to Guadalupe Peak. It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. There is no question that I'd do two half marathons on back to back days before I'd do that again. And I'm leaning towards three. It was steep and hard going. I would keep looking up thinking I was near the top and then walk another 30 minutes only to find a new and higher peak. And even it wouldn't be the top. However, less than 24 hours later, I feel like I do after completing a half marathon -- I've gone from "I'll never do anything like this again" to "I loved every minute of it."  The peak was glorious. 
• For you hikers: It was 4.2 miles one way with a 3,000 elevation gain. That's pretty tough, right? And I felt like I was gasping for air but, with an elevation of 8,751, it's not exactly Pike's Peak. 
• Shout out to the greatness of Merrell shoes and a trekking pole.
• I came across very few people on my way to the top but one was an older couple who was resting. I told them this was harder that I thought. The guy said, "It's a beating." Ticket fan? 
• And maybe the weirdest experience of my life occurred within 15 minutes of my making it to the top of Texas. Of the six people I saw on my seven hour journey, I saw two people heading down and one was a fat boy with his shirt off singing, "I love a parade!"  I seriously thought I was hallucinating at that point, and I'm still not ruling that out. 
• Now I want to see Big Bend. Heck, I'd love to go into and camp for two or three days. But I would never do that without someone sitting me down and explaining exactly what to do and what to expect. 
• The following is from Sunday but it was a Football Miracle.

It's The Weekend: Let's Get Out Of Here

And one of my favorite old comic strip characters would be amused. That is, if Bill was capable of being amused.

Well, This Is Crazy

Possible bank robbery suspect steals car from BWI of Arlington... crashes during chase at W. Division & Crowley. pic.twitter.com/rNm6F39RP4

— FOX 4 NEWS (@FOX4) September 25, 2015

Not An Ad But I Do Accept Day Old Rolls As Compensation

Someone emailed me to point out that Texas Highways magazine had a story on a restaurant on the courthouse square in Decatur. The oddly named restaurant has been in existence for several years after replacing the institution known as Mattie's.

Fox News Doing A "Random Thought Girl" Bit

JESS SHOPS 'TIL SHE DROPS. Simpson sports skin-tight dress in Beverly Hills http://t.co/l2QP8i9gIG via @Fox411 pic.twitter.com/0pYdmGNNBJ

— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 25, 2015

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• Edit. Breaking: House Speaker Boehner will finally cave and resign at the end of October. 
• Bridgeport vs. Decatur will be replayed on TXA 21 at 10:30 tonight.
• The Update has a first entry about a horrible wreck that killed a man from Runaway Bay and involved a man from Boyd. It looks like both are very well liked in the county.
• I don't think I've mentioned the Rangers in months, but what they have done is nothing short of amazing. I don't know if these stats are accurate, but on 8/26 they had a 4% chance to win the AL West. Today they stand at 89%.
• For the guy who doesn't understand my reference of "pretty, pretty good", I suspect you wouldn't understand Curb Your Enthusiasm. 
• Tomorrow, Saudi Arabia will behead and then crucify (yes, crucify a dead man) for taking part in the Arab Spring.  Where were most of the 9/11 hijackers from? Oh, yeah. Saudi Arabia. What was the name of that book from 2004? Oh, yeah. House of Bush, House of Saud.
• We had an "Is the Aggie Band overrated" controversy break out in the comments section yesterday. Hey, I'm no Aggie fan, but it is the only band that has ever given me chills after hearing the first five seconds of their performance --- and they haven't even moved. 
• I turned on NBC Nightly News last night and saw the live coverage of the Pope going down Fifth Avenue and then going into St. Patrick's Cathedral. I've been to New York twice and went into St. Patrick's both times. If I ever go again, I'll walk through those doors yet another time. Love that place. 
• BagOfNothing mentioned Angry Birds this morning. One of the funniest moments of my life was being alone in the waiting area during an oil change and a little girl and her father came in. I was playing some golf game on my phone and she plopped down beside me and, in the loudest of voices and, with her face within six inches of mine, asked, "WHAT ARE YOU PLAYING?" I told her golf. "MY DAD GOLFS!" she said (and the dad is in the room ignoring her.) She then blasted out with intense eye to eye contact, "DO YOU LIKE ANGRY BIRD! I LIKE ANGRY BIRDS! YOU WANT TO SEE ME PLAY ANGRY BIRDS?!" And then I spent the next five minutes watching this little girl play Angry Birds. 
• Whenever you are on a jury and the judge tells you that you "are the sole judge of the credibility of the witnesses", take a look at the Good Morning America segment of the two high school football players who attacked a referee on the field and you will understand what that means. 

I Need Smart People To Tell Me What Is Going On Here

This gal just "Favorited" a tweet that my name was mentioned in last March. Very, very odd. I got an automatic notification from Twitter once it happened. Obviously, it is a fake profile, but what's going on?

You can see "her" twitter handle so you can look her up -- at least before "she" takes it down. (Nudity alert). And there is a phone number (I would use incredible caution if you are thinking about calling it as a joke.) Am I correct when I say the number comes back to Azle?

If you do look at her profile, do a Google image search on any of the images. They will lead to other profiles of the same "girl" on different sites but with different 817 numbers.

It's a scam. It's bait. But how does it work?

Edit: Someone said it's just "trolling". No it's not. There is an end game. What is it?

I Can't Believe I Didn't See This Coming

Sexy Donald Trump costume. It was inevitable. #halloween http://t.co/lMJfRo24DN pic.twitter.com/4rNSGTbmIZ

— Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) September 24, 2015