Texas should do the right thing for this state & keep playing A&M

Not a good sign: Mexican drug cartel violence has come to Houston. The Mexican cartels should learn from the history of the Colombian cartels in the '80s - don't alert the international community to your problem. 

A study by USC reports there is gender inequity in film. You needed a study to know this?

A good read from The Statesman's Kirk Bohls on the similarities between Bill Bryne of A&M and DeLoss Dodds of UT.

....

Tomorrow will be the last time Texas plays Texas A&M in football, thus ending a rivalry that began back in the 1800s. Both Bill Byrne, DeLoss Dodds and every single person involved in the upper levels at both Texas A&M and Texas should be absolutely ashamed that this happened on their watch.

This is nothing more than a sad case of ego run amuk.

Some things are bigger than you. Even you, DeLoss. This rivalry is not about you. It's not about Kyle Field. It's not about Mack Brown's ego, or Mike Sherman's job security. It's not about Bevo. It's not about the 12th Man. It's not about Bevo TV. It's not about the SEC.

This is about Texas, and Texans, and the cultural importance this games means to the people of this great state. It's about the people who attended both schools, and the millions who did not but like this game because it means something here. This is our game, and any person associated with Texas or Texas A&M should be ashamed that they collectively green lighted an end to it.

The conference breakup is done, but there is no reason Texas can't play Texa A&M any longer.

There are other examples of schools that maintain rivalries outside of their confernces. Georgia still manages to play Georgia Tech. Florida plays Florida State.  

DeLoss, put your ego down for a moment and call Bryne. Get this done. Tell your coaches they'll just have to deal with it.

Neither of you wants this one your professional gravestone.

 

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Quote of the day

STATLER: I wonder if there really is life on another planet.

WALDORF: Why do you care? You don’t have a life on this one?

 

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A quick look at Mark Cuban's new book

Add author to the growing resume of Mavs owner Mark Cuban. The movie producer, NBA owner and TV dancer has a new book out: How to Win At the Sport of Business. If I Can Do it, You Can Do It.

Here is a leaked copy of the book:

Chapter 1
Create a website that broadcasts sporting events over the web before anyone else. Develop your site and sell it at the top of the dot com market for $5.9 billion to Yahoo!.

Chapter 2
Buy lots of Mavs tickets and Mavs stuff ... when the NBA returns.

The End.

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The Dark Knight Rises ... (trailer) is coming

There is a new reason to see the latest Sherlock Holmes movie - the Google says that an updated trailer for The Dark Knight Rises will run before this latest effort to make Robert Downey Jr. disgusting rich.

Director Christopher Nolan has been pretty tight lipped about this highly, highly anticipated end to the reboot of this iconic character. Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who has a role in this new Batman, recently tweeted that shooting on this film has wrapped up.

Sherlock Holmes - Game of Shadows will release Dec. 16, 2011. There is a good chance the trailer of the Dark Knight Rises will be the best part of that entire evening.

Then ... on Dec. 21, a new six to seven minute prologue of the Dark Knight Rises will run to be attached with the latest Mission Impossible movie. I think this is, like, the 10th Mission Impossible flick.

I expect to see a loooooot of Bane in the new trailers.

According to several outlets, Nolan has said this new Batman will take place eight years after the last one ended. And that Bruce Wayne is not in a good place. Not sure what that means, but if it means Christian Bale changes his voice and chases around a bunch of really bizarre, twisted people dressed up as weirdos, I'm in.

The Dark Knight Rises is scheduled to open July 20, 2012. Just to ensure that I will get a seat to the first showing, I plan to hit the theater no later than tomorrow night to secure my place in line. Don't be critical; it's cute if kids do that to see one of the 15 Harry Potter movies but when a 38-year-old man who really looks 37 does it to see a comic book movie that makes me a loser. I'm sick of the double standard. 

 

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Dolphins own the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day

I don't expect a repeat of this on Thursday at Jerry World, but ... Fish vs. Cowboys on Thanksgiving has normally not gone well for the local professional football team. The Dolphins are 3-1 against the Cowboys on the holiday.

Nov. 22, 1973  Fish 14, Cowboys 7
Larry Csonka ran for 80 yards and a touchdown.

Nov. 25, 1993 Fish 16, Cowboys 14
The infamous Snow Bowl, and Leon Lett game. Cowboys led 14-13 until Lett touched that blocked field goal that Pete Stoyanovich turned into the game-winning kick. It was Jimmy Johnson's last loss as the head coach of the Cowboys.

If you care, this is too fun not to watch ...

 

 

Nov. 25, 1999 Cowboys 20, Fish 0
Dolphins QB Dan Marino threw five interceptions and was so bad he was replaced by Damon Huard. Troy Aikman threw for 232 yards and Emmitt Smith ran for 103 yards. 

Nov. 27, 2003 Fish 40, Cowboys 21
Cowboys were 8-2 entering this game in their first year under Bill Parcells, and their season derailed starting with this game. 

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Tuesday drive through: The most reliable performer alive will tour again in '12 - The Boss is back

This is funny - that Kardashian chic pre-ordered X-mas cards that included that guy who plays for the Nets. One thing nobody is mentioning - any chance she is going to re-unite with Ray-J?

Two of the greatest names in rock team together for a tax write off: Daughtery and Nickelback.

A good day for the NHL - Sidney Crosby is back.

...

Since I am a total sucker for over-paying to watch acts that maybe should have retired a long time ago, sign me up to watch Bruce Springsteen when he tours in 2012. He announced plans to reunite with the E-Street Band for another go next year. They are going to do another album, and the tour will start in Europe.

Click here for a story from Rolling Stone about the album/tour.

Paying to watch a concert is not that much different than paying to watch a sporting event; there is a degree of buyer beware attached to either. There is a 50/50 chance either show could be a dog. You just hope the performers in question are professional enough to be professional and actually try on that given evening.

Think about it long enough and you have likely paid to watch a live performance or a ball game or some other live performance and walked away feeling ripped off. 

Countless midseason NBA, MLB, NHL regular season game would fit the description. The NFL is pretty good about avoiding this problem because there are so few games, and the threat of a non-guaranteed contract normally inspires some degree of effort from the participants.

Just like the NBA player playing a mid-season game in Charlotte, other entertainers (and sports writers??) have to fight the human tendency to mail it in, too.

I saw Steve Miller in concert several years ago and felt that he would have better served the audience to just play his greteast hits CD and leave the stage. He had the energy of a sleeping dog. His opening act, guitarist Eric Johnson, should have been the main act.

If you are going to pay money to watch an act that you trust will bring it every night there is no surer bet than Bruce Springsteen. Hate his music if you must, but respect the man's effort. I have seen him five times, and I will pay to see him again for the simple fact he is reliable and consistent in effort to put on a good show for his customer.

Not sure how I feel about Bruce touring with the E Street Band without Clarence Clemons, who recently passed, but given this band's past efforts I can't imagine walking away from that show thinking the entire crew did not try and was anything more than professional.

 

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Quote of the day

Kristen Wiig: Ten years from now, I want to look back and have a body of work that I'm really proud of. And I want to have a body... like Gisele. A really amazing body.

 

 

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Thumbs up - Feliz to rotation; Thumbs down - two years for Joe Nathan

Moneyball may be full of it, but one thing A's GM Billy Beane nailed was to never, every pay big cash for closers. 
They blow hot and cold, and are usually pretty unreliable from one year to the next unless their names are Rivera, Franco, Smith and a precious few others. They aren't worth the big money.

As much as I like Joe Nathan's arm, I do not like the two-year, $14.5 million deal the Rangers gave the former Twins closer on Monday. Adding Nathan does not bring back Game 6.

This addition means Neftali Feliz is moving to the rotation, which is a good decision. This means both Nolan Ryan and Mike Maddux signed off on this part of the acquisition. As a closer, Feliz may have been burnt toast after Game 6.

And this also means the Rangers have seen the last of C.J. Wilson as a starter. 

Nathan will be introduced to the club on Tuesday morning at the Ballpark. Nathan missed all of the '10 season after Tommy John surgery in March. He returned last season and threw 44 2/3 innings in 48 games. He had a 4.84 ERA with 14 saves.

Pitchers normally need a full season after Tommy John surgery to be the same as they were before. Before this surgery, Nathan was automatic. In 2009, he had 47 saves with a 2.10 ERA; it was his sixth consecutive season of 35 or more saves. When healthy and right, his fastball is lethal.

The last time I can recall the Rangers blew big cash on a closer was John Wetteland after the 1996 season. Texas signed him away from the Yankees, and Wetteland's first two seasons with the Rangers he had 73 saves with a 10-3 record and an ERA right around 2.00.

The final two seasons his ERA climbed to over 3.60, and he had 77 saves. Hard to say that addition didn't work out.

We'll see if Nathan can do the same.

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Suuuuuure that Gatorade bath was not intended for Erin Andrews

Last thing I am going to do with this, but in the immediate aftermath of Baylor's 45-38 win against No. 5 Oklahoma on Saturday, ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews was trying to interview QB Robert Griffin III about the game.

Right before they went to air, someone dumped a bucket of Gatorade which mostly ended up on a member of the Baylor athletic media relations staff, Andrews and none on RGIII. She had a sense of humor about it. Wonder if she was the intended target? Historically, guys have a thing for wet t-shirts ... even at Baylor.

 

 

And in case you are a die-hard Bear, watch this, too: 

 

 

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RGIII sounds iffy on going to the NFL after this season

Robert Griffin III has his degree from Baylor, and has all of college football eating out of his hands after his performance on Saturday night against Oklahoma.

Any question that guy is a running back or a receiver dressed as a QB have been answered this season. He has consistently demonstrated he can throw the deep ball, and has adequate arm strength. Anyone questioning his mental capacity needs to have his own mental capacity questioned.

This season, RGIII is ... 251 of 335 for 3,572 yards with 33 TD and 5 INT. He has rushed 135 times for 561 yards.

If RGIII is not invited to New York for the Heisman it's more proof the trophy is junk.

The Bears could potentially finish the season 9-3 before their bowl game. This is all because of RGIII. Does he skip his senior season for the NFL draft? Depending on what you read, he could be a second round pick. It doesn't sound like he has made up his mind yet.

"It's something I have to decide," Griffin said today on a conference call with reporters. "I'll talk to Coach Briles, my family and anybody else out there I feel close to that could give me advice. I don't want it to be about money or draft status. I want it to be because it's the right time to go."

Selfishly, I hope he stays. It's fun to watch him tear up defenses.

 

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