Thursday, December 01, 2005

Gribble Scores!



I really enjoy Flake Boy’s bits. They are very rare, but I think he has the gift of guts. Anyway, 1920’s reporter guy made his second appearance last Friday, and we have video to prove it this time. Vince Young and Mack Brown are both confronted with the odd character. Watch how Mack doesn’t even flinch.

Well done, Gribbs.

Stars win again …beating a haphazard Sharks team, 4-1.


The Stars set a franchise record for victories in November at 10-3-0 and improved to 8-3-1 against division rivals.

They continued their domination of the Sharks. They have gone 10-1-1-2 against San Jose in their last 14 meetings.

Dallas' surge is putting distance between itself and the rest of the division, except for the Kings. And with the winner of the division earning one of the top three seeds in the Western Conference playoffs, you can never start playing well in the division too early.


Boston Globe’s reaction to Thornton …they don’t seem to concerned about losing him. I think they are high. I know it is cliché, but in a multi-player trade, always give the win to the team that got the franchise player. How do you trade a franchise center without getting one back??? The Bruins have been clueless for years…


Early on, second week of the season, he had a bad back. For two months, he rarely was spotted in front of the net, where the league virtually hung out a ''vacancy" sign this season, encouraging one and all to work the low slot. Thornton just never registered with the front desk. He was content, comfortable to set up shop behind the goal line or stand along the right half-board, looking to pass, clearly steering away from heavy contact -- or the places one might expect heavy contact.

Is that what we call Bruins? Hardly.

It was, quite frankly, puzzling to the point of disbelief.

It was that level of disinterested, even disconsolate play, that led general manager Mike O'Connell to wheel Thornton out of town. It was a combination of lack of play, real gritty and committed play, and a heavy paycheck, one that accounted for a sizable chunk of the club's $39 million salary cap.


TSN’s Bob McKenzie weighs in on the big deal

P1 Joe turned me on to these two excellent statistical studies about the NFL. I think they should be required reading, and you can expect a segment from these today or tomorrow:

5 statistical keys to winning

5 mythical stats that we are told lead to winning but really don’t

Hopkins v. Taylor 2 …Saturday night. I thought Hopkins would beat him the first time, so what do I know?

Irvin has a voucher


The pastor of one of the largest churches in Houston confirmed to The Dallas Morning News on Wednesday night that Michael Irvin recently sent a friend to a church-sponsored drug rehabilitation program there but the friend checked out within 24 hours.

"I can validate that Michael's friend came and didn't stay," said the Rev. I.V. Hilliard, pastor of the 20,000-member New Light Christian Center Church. "This guy would not abide by our program and left. He didn't stay a day."


Rangers offer Farnsworth a load of cash, set-up role

Tommy Hicks with a research project


The Rangers signed the contract Tuesday commissioning the same Canadian company that did the original wind studies for The Ballpark in Arlington back in 1992 to do the same thing again. The purpose is to determine how much of a change the addition of the Gold Club behind home plate has made and what can be done about it.

Now the Rangers didn't really need to pay a lot of money to figure this out. They could have asked me and I'd have been happy to clue them in, and all for free.

Not surprisingly, they opted for the research firm.

The addition of the Gold Club, which blocked off avenues for the southerly wind to filter out, has made a tremendous difference. And the best thing to do about it is exactly what colleague Randy Galloway suggested Wednesday -- hand every pitcher on the club a sledgehammer and let him go to work back there.

Sorry, but that's not going to happen. The Gold Club produces, through its Crown Royal sponsorship and what it takes in from customers, about $1 million a season in revenue. A steady revenue stream like that warms the cockles of Tom Hicks' heart.


Liverpool has quietly snuck from 15th to 4th in the Premiership since October 29th. 15 points in 5 games puts them behind only Chelsea (no one will catch them), Manchester United, and Arsenal as the big 4 assume the big 4 spots heading to December.

Liverpool 2, Sunderland 0 …Here come the European Champion Reds. Could a 2nd place be possible?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

as much as you guys bag on gribble, the man really does have guts. i gotta give mack brown respect for not getting shaken up by 20s reporter guy. and did i hear another reporter telling vince young that it was a bit?

Anonymous said...

Parcells likes to talk alot about "hidden" yardage, like not downing a put on the 2 and letting it bounce in for a touchback is a hidden loss of 18 yards. Maybe Tom Hicks should do likewise, Yes the Gold club is a steady revenue stream of 1 million a year, but the hidden $$$ would probably say it results in a net loss of $. Why? Due to the winds out at the temple the place has become pitchers pergutory. As a result you have to overpay pitchers to come here. How much do you think the Rangers would have to pay 3 free agents (2 starters and a bullpen guy) to come here rather than a more pitcher friendly environment? I would not be surprised one bit if it was well over 1 million a year. As a result the overpayment of pitchers - the revenue equals a net loss.

Bob and others, your thought?

meredith said...

I don't know Bob, I disagree about Thornton. I've always thought he was overrated. He has never, ever produced when it counted. He never had the grit or tenacity to camp out in front of the net. He lacked any kind of leadership ability. He's a nice player, but he's not a franchise player. Unfortunately for the Bruins, they paid him like one, which is exactly why they had to trade him.

Anonymous said...

Well, I know it is cliché, but in a multi-player trade, always give the win to the team that got a Sturminator.

Anonymous said...

Bob, are you saying that the Sturminator isn't a franchise player? C'mon, give the guy some credit. :)

Anonymous said...

Chelski might have a bobble and let United get them, at least I hope.

Anonymous said...

united catch chelsea?
no chance

Anonymous said...

"Myth No. 3: No. 1 conference seed advances to Super Bowl (50 percent)

Next to Myth No. 3 in Webster's Dictionary, you will find a picture of the snakebitten Pittsburgh Steelers."

C'mon, Bob. Gotta go with Dan on this. Any team that's even money in a field of eight is clearly the favorite with a proven advantage.

cheers,

gary