Friday, July 14, 2006

Please Welcome "Tex" to the Main Stage



Teixeira helps the Rangers drill the Orioles


Before the season's second half started Thursday, the Rangers discussed the importance of having the entire team contribute. Then, they went out and did just that – all in one inning.

On the way to a 15-1 thrashing of Baltimore that kept the Rangers tied for first in the AL West, Mark Teixeira hit three homers and drove in seven runs; Mark DeRosa reached base six times; Brad Wilkerson had a homer and four RBIs; and Vicente Padilla had another quality start.


Enjoy Padilla, says Fraley, because it isn’t going to be here long

"He's been a joy to watch," said Connor, who first worked with Padilla when he was a 17-year-old in the Arizona organization. "He's been more than what we thought he would be."

Visions of a big payday could be giving Padilla the motivation that he has often lacked.

Padilla can become a free agent after this season. When a club employee raised the subject of what next season might hold for him, Padilla said he would be with the club that pays him the most.

The Rangers accept the mercenary approach. They tread lightly around Padilla.
When Padilla wanted to go to Miami between first-half starts for a birthday, the club told him to have fun.

When Padilla wanted to return to his home in Nicaragua during the All-Star break, the Rangers reminded him that the second half started on the road.

The club held its collective breath for three days, but Padilla showed up in the visitors' clubhouse well in advance of the start. Letting him go home was worth it.


The Mavericks depth chart

Not that you care yet, (although I am gearing up for sure) but I was asked to make my picks for the Guys Guide to the Cowboys.

Here are my first NFL picks of the season (Expect another round near the end of training camps).

Dallas Record: 11-5

NFC Division Winners: Dallas, Chicago, Carolina, Seattle
NFC Wildcards: New York, Atlanta

AFC Division Winners: Indy, New England, Pittsburgh, Denver
AFC Wildcards: Kansas City, Cincinnati

Super Bowl: Carolina beats Indianapolis

Don Banks on the NFC North …and a few days ago, he did your beloved NFC East


Coach in the spotlight

BILL PARCELLS, DALLAS

This just in: The Tuna isn't getting any younger and may not coach forever. We are not going to play the Parcells-retirement guessing game again (and that goes for you, too, Brett Favre), but it's fair to speculate that he's gearing up for one last run at the big shiny silver trophy. We're not buying into the idea that Terrell Owens is the final piece of the puzzle in Dallas, but that doesn't mean his addition won't be a huge upgrade for the passing game. It's worth noting that Parcells has yet to endure three consecutive non-playoff seasons.


Phil Mushnick takes on perception and offers reality

The verdict drops in Italy


Juventus, Fiorentina and Lazio will all be demoted to Serie B for their roles in the match-fixing scandal that has tarnished Italian football, according to today's Gazzetta dello Sport.

The verdict of the long-running trial will not be officially revealed until 6pm this evening, but the newspaper claimed to already know the punishments that will be dished out.

"The verdict will be this: Juventus, Fiorentina and Lazio will be relegated to Serie B," claimed the Gazzetta confidently. "AC Milan will stay in Serie A but will not be allowed to take part in the Champions League."

Without disclosing its source, the newspaper went on to insist it even knew the point deductions that each club would receive. Juventus, it said, will begin their Serie B campaign on minus 20 points, while Fiorentina will be penalised 10 and Lazio six or seven. Milan, meanwhile, will be docked 10 to 15 points.

After the verdict is formally announced tonight, the teams will have three days to appeal to a federal court of arbitration; a final decision must be reached by July 24.

The confirmation that three of the clubs are to be relegated is likely to spark a feeding frenzy as Europe's biggest teams close in to snatch talents such as Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluca Zambrotta and Gianluigi Buffon from Juventus and last season's Serie A top-scorer, Luca Toni, from Fiorentina.


Although many of you may not have any idea what the above story means, just imagine the Yankees, Giants, and Mets being sent down to AAA for disciplinary reasons, thus making them lose all of their star players because their revenue streams would disappear. Guess they are getting serious about referee tampering in Italy. Kind of a World Cup buzzkill.

Classic Funny from Deadspin: Fake Steve Bartman with Dan Patrick

Ty takes over as I take vacation week #2 (of 3) next week. Prepare for bikinis.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

First?

Anonymous said...

Bring on the bikinis!

SAMO said...

Woot Woot! Go Tex!

Anonymous said...

Thank god Ty is back for some meaningful stuff. Bob on vacation? Say it ain't so. Wish I was a soft radio personality...

Anonymous said...

washington has qb problems.

Anonymous said...

Italy has a football team? Are they going to join the NFC East? I think they may be pretty good.

Anonymous said...

Fourteenth!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Hopefully this is the last year of the glorified gym teacher.

Anonymous said...

But Washington has to overcome their ap problems too.

Buy my book!

T.O.

hockalees said...

Fat Brad -

The Italians will HAVE to relegate at least Juventus, there is no way FIFA or UEFA will sit idly by and allow them to sweep it under the rug. They relegated teams in the 80's and didn't ruin the league, cheating seems to be cyclical in the Serie A.

Unknown said...

redskin fans drinking that kool-aid already?

Anonymous said...

HERE IS FLOZELL THE HOTEL ON WWW.DONTDATETHISGUY.COMhttp


GO LOOK, THEY HATE HIM!!





ALLEGED CHEATER

Flozell "Flo" Adams
Plays for the Dallas Cowboys and is from the Chicago area. He will come into your life with an innocent demeanor when, in fact, he's satan himself in the flesh! He'll swear that, regardless of his career, he's not "like that" and that you're the only woman that he's involved with both emotionally and sexually. I was merely one of the many or what I like to label myself as now is "the one in my city" that obviously got the most attention at the moment. He will swear to you that he has no kids when in fact (I did my research through the court files and you can too!), he has at least two kids that I know of (and has the audacity to be a role model to children, sponsor groups locally for children with disabilities, and sign autographs!). The latest victim was abandoned by him when she became pregnant with twins. THEN! Satan, I mean Flozell, walked away from the only twin that lived while fighting for her life AFTER asking her mother to see her and then telling her that he'd be there for her and how sorry he was for being a jerk about the whole abandonement. He later paid her off for child support (to keep out of the courts), and wrote off his rights to this little girl who is now 3 and that resides in Houston with her mother. The victim before her shut him out of her life and moved on with child abroad after the same type of experience as the latest victim. He'll tell you that his "family" or "friends" are reasons why you can't come over to his home (5201 Reflection Court) sometimes and how private he is when it comes to new relationships when, in fact, it's just a cover up for more victims!!! Not only is he a deadbeat (well, outside of paying off the mothers of his kids) but also has been known to spread a disease around. He never wore protection with me and because I thought he was loyal, I didn't insist that he did but he obviously doesn't use protection with anyone, hence the children! He's all over the internet on any dating site like Blackplanet, Yahoo personals, Match.com as either flowin76 or tackler76.
BEWARE of his nasty ass!!!!!

Age 31
Race Black
Height 6 ft 7 in
Weight 335
City Dallas, Chicago, Detroit, Miami, Las Vegas, DC, Houston
Country USA

Anonymous said...

that is truly greatness

Anonymous said...

Don't know if anyone checks on the weekend, but DMN.com is reporting that the Stars will sign Eric Lindros tomorrow for around $1.5 mil. This really either be a great bargain or another Doug Christie. I'm really hoping for the former.

Anonymous said...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2521239

SON OF A BITCH! WHAT THE HELL IS WITH THIS GUY!?!?!?

Anonymous said...

Uh....Ty? You are already dropping the ball!!!

I know it's monday and all....but, COME ON!!! (drop)