Texas Rangers's Texas Rangers friend's fan blogs

I think I can honestly say that everyone is quite relieved that we will have football to watch this year. I don't know what I would do after coming home from a blessed Sunday morning worship and have no football to watch. So it's a good thing we don't have to worry about that. Well let's talk some football, last year was very disappointing to say the least. But I saw some positive glimpses of hope. There is life in my Cowboys and woe to all of you Cowboy haters out there who are counting us out. True Champions never give up hope. I believe that Jason Garrettt has what it takes to rejuvenate that winning spirit back into the Cowboy locker room. There have been some serious cuts in the organization that were long overdue and I think they were positive cuts. I can't wait until the season starts and all of the football debates begin. I'd be interested to know who do you think will be the team to watch leading up to the start of the football season. I'm going with my Cowboys of course. Everyone always counts us out which is a terrible mistake. Just ask the NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks they were counted out too. You know I had to plug the Dallas Mavericks. I love my city and I support all the home teams.

Continue reading "What can we expect from the Dallas Cowboys led by head coach Jason Garrett?"

I'm not sure if the New York Knicks have all the pieces in place right now, but by adding Carmelo Anthony they are certainly one big step closer to being a NBA championship contender. Although considering the mismanagement over the last 10 years it's heard to believe they won't mess this up too.

Watch for the Knicks to make some strong stragetic moves during this off season to sure things up and make them a true Eastern conference powerhouse.

New York NY Direct TV can bring you all the Knicks action you want.

Continue reading "Are the New York Knicks real contenders with Carmelo Anthony on board?"

Two cities that produce NBA Eastern Conference contenders also have the two teams that are favored to win the Super Bowl as the NFL playoffs are set to begin this weekend.

NBA spread betting experts might recognize that Atlanta and Boston produce two East contenders and with the Falcons and Patriots, both cities have the Super Bowl XLV juggernauts as well.

Just as in the NBA’s East, Atlanta’s team is viewed with an eye of pessimism. The Falcons had a great regular season but don’t have a ton of playoff experience. They’re a young squad that is gaining it on the fly.

Meanwhile, Boston’s team - just like in the NBA – is experienced, savvy and has done it before. The Patriots are the odds-on favorites to do it all and considering they’ve won it three times this decade, why bet against them?

Continue reading "Patriots, Falcons Super Bowl Favorites"

Basketball betting is not quite as common as betting on some other sports, but if you do your research, take your time and keep accurate records, there’s no reason you can’t be as successful at betting on basketball as betting on anything else. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Top Basketball Betting Tip: NCAA vs. NBA

Of course you are welcome to bet both college and pro basketball (including the WNBA), like placing your bets in online video poker games, you need to be aware that each type of basketball may have very different factors in play. In college basketball, every game counts, whereas pro teams can afford to drop a few games here and there and still have a great shot at the championship. There may be a much larger disparity between two competing college teams. Know the league you’re betting.

Continue reading "Top Basketball Betting Tips"

I really like the direction this team is going but I'm not so sure they can really be a contender in the East this year.  The East has gotten a lot stronger over the last few years and while I think they can make the playoffs I don't really see any chance that they can really beat The Magic, the Heat, the Celtics, of the Bulls.  And I'm skeptical they can even beat teams like the 76ers or the Hawks.

What do you think? 

Continue reading "Can the Charlotte Bobcats be a contender in the East?"

After dropping two straight games to the last place A’s, we are left wondering just how much of a contender the Texas Rangers are for the post season. After falling to 59-46, the possibilities are looking more and more bleak.

 Many expected this team to be no different than previous teams from Arlington: mediocre pitching at best held together by tons of hits and homeruns. Lately it seems the opposite has been true, but it feels as if the normal end of season result is inevitable.

While the Ranger’s starting rotation, practically a revolving door of players, especially as of late, has done their part to make the team competitive, the same can’t be said for the offense.

            Since the All-Star break the Ranger’s bats have fallen silent, punctuated by scoring a whopping two runs over their last 18 innings.  Coupled with inconsistency at the closer position, this is starting to look like the Rangers we are used to seeing in August.

Continue reading "Will this Ranger's team make the playoffs?"

   Pittsburgh Pirates Mid-Season Analysis

     I moved to Western Maryland a couple of weeks ago and this is part of my ongoing attempt to learn about the sports interests here.  Baseball-wise it’s the Pirates, Orioles, and Nationals, and I wanted to get into the one with the best current chance of a playoff push.  The Nats are obviously out and the Orioles are 14 games behind first in a ridiculously hard division, so that leaves the Pirates, a tantalizing Homer-pick at 9.5 behind in the absurdly mediocre NL Central.  On paper it looks possible that any team could take it, and I hoped that statistical analysis would show some obscure Pirates advantage that could take them over the top, but I just can’t find it.  I’m not saying that an X-factor doesn’t exist, just that anyone who claims there is one is obviously from Pittsburgh.  In fact, this team so cries for the use of the “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” comparison that I spent ten whole minutes looking up how I could work it in.  And here it is:  Mario Brega, who played Cpl. Wallace, the big cross-eyed prison guard in the film who beat up Tuco to get the name of the cemetery the money was buried in for Angel Eyes ,died 15 years ago this month.  So to honor his memory, here’s a breakdown of the Pirates in the spirit of that great film (I resisted using a corresponding pirate-based ranking system, i.e.; Avast Ye Maties, Walk the Plank, and Totally Somalian because even I have standards).

Continue reading "Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star Break Analysis"

      Albuquerque Isotopes at Round Rock Express  June 12 2009

     So the battle for the Pacific Coast League American South Division is on.  After last night’s rainout, the series finally got underway, with both teams tied for first in the division at 28-32.  Albuquerque had been in a bit of a slump, going 3-7 in their last ten games, while Round Rock went 6-4.  Oddly, the teams had identical home and road records going into the series.  Offensively, the Isotopes overall stats looked better; they completely eclipsed the Express in home runs, RBIs, total bases, walks drawn and whiffed on fewer strike outs.  They also were way ahead in stolen bases and OPS (my new favorite stat).  Pitching-wise, Round Rock held a slight (and I mean VERY slight) edge.  For the most part the pitching was evenly matched concerning overall stats, but the Express were facing Charlie Haeger, who was 7-3 with an ERA just over 4, one of the better ones in the PCL.  And to give credit where credit is due, Haeger pitched a helluva game, good by any standards: he went seven innings, gave up four hits and one run, and only walked two.  Usually that’s more than enough for a win against Round Rock’s pitching, but Mark McLemore is improving very fast.  In his third start since returning from extended spring training, he only gave up three hits (all singles) in six innings, allowing no runs and getting four strikeouts while only issuing two walks.  After him, Casey Daigle and Brendan Donnelly got the hold and the save.  In three innings of relief, they combined to allow one hit and no runs while notching three strikeouts and doling no walks (Round Rock only gave up two walks the whole game, quite remarkable for team who throws more BBs than a shotgun).

Continue reading "Round Rock Express vs Albuquerque Isotopes: Battle for 1st"

     There are lots of guys like Burt Hooton. 

     Well, not at your local bar, or at church or the grocery store.  Unless former pro ballplayers hang out there.  Former pro ballplayers who won the clinching game of the 1981 World Series.  Against the Yankees.  What I mean by Burt being like lots of guys is that the annals of baseball have so many players we tend to remember mostly the Babe Ruths and Ty Cobbs and –insert random player name here- and so on.  But the game is larger than even the biggest stars.  The game consists of so many players, so many games, so many stats, that unless a player was on your favorite team he may only garner a fleeting memory, an “oh yeah, I kinda remember him” reaction.  If you followed the Cubs in the early to mid seventies, or the Dodgers from 75 to 84, you remember Burt Hooton.  He’ll never get into the hall of fame, but his career is worth a look; there are definitely enough interesting moments to warrant it.  This isn’t some guy who had one or two moments of fame; he had a career’s worth.  Currently he is the pitching coach of the Round Rock Express, the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros.

Continue reading "My Interview With Burt Hooton"

     Round Rock Express hitters were surely looking forward to this past weekend’s series against the Salt Lake City Bees.  Coming into the series the Pacific Coast League pitching rankings of the Bees were: last in ERA, first in home runs allowed, second most runs allowed, third most hits, and issued the fewest strikeouts and fourth most walks.  The Express definitely needed some soft pitching; they went into the first game of the series without having scored a run in 16 innings.  That  gutworm gnawing extended to 19 innings before Round Rock scored two in the third inning of the first game.  From there it was fine sailing for The Express, except for a game three hiccup that was more the fault of the pitchers.  The offense still managed five runs on eleven hits in that game. 

Continue reading "Houston Astros Triple-A Affiliate Round Rock Express Figure Things Out Against The Salt Lake City Bees"