Whether you're at the end of your coffee, your day, your week or even your rope, welcome to Whitt's End
*In sports, it's the coaches who get blamed. In sports radio, it's always the players. With the firing Wednesday of midday show Mark Elfenbein and Jane Slater, 105.3 The Fan bumbling program director Gavin Spittle has now canned his struggling station's two highest-rated shows in five months. (Some might remember
a certain afternoon show getting shown the door in April.) He's also fired the station's three female on-air hosts: Slater, Jasmine Sadry and Sybil Summers. So if Spittle's goal was to rid The Fan of its most recognizable personalities while also making it a considerably uglier station, mission accomplished. New lineup: Gavin Dawson, Chris Arnold and Mike Bacsik from 10a-2p and the KandC Masterpiece from 6-11p. Though seemingly unwarranted -
in the station's horrible August ratings, Elf & Slater was the only show to post a 2.0 rating for any time period - this move wasn't a big surprise. I surmised that Elf & Slater sat in wobbly chairs since
The Fan's almost acquisition of BaD Radio back in June. Don't know if the station will be any better, but it's a little different. And when you're embarrassingly No. 3 in a three-horse race, I guess any change is good.
*Tony Romo leads NFL QBs with a completion percentage of 72.5, but only nine of his 91 passes have traveled more than 20 yards. Why are the Cowboys so reluctant to throw downfield? My Deep Thoughts over at
NBC 5's Blue Star Blog.
*Joe Nathan, that Rangers' loss is on you. I know Jurickson Profar failed to turn a double play earlier, but all a team asks for is to get to its closer. And the Rangers got there. But armed with a 1-run lead and two-out, none out in the 11th, Nathan couldn't close the deal. Walking a guy in that situation proved a fatal flaw. That said, why was Joe Ortiz handed the ball for the 12th? He's obviously not ready for playoff baseball. Neftali Feliz was warming, but I guess Wash doesn't fully trust him yet? Deflating loss. Or, I should say,
another deflating loss.
*Personally, I'm sad over the firings of Elf & Slater. Though former program director Bruce Gilbert took an admitted gamble on a girl new to that genre of radio, she consistently worked to improve her craft. And Elf remains the most passionate, positive teammate I've ever worked alongside. I'll remember Slater for being my partner in crime on a Malibu beach and for a crazy night in New Orleans at last year's Super Bowl when she playfully slapped a hotel night manager with her hair weave. Serious. And I'll remember Elf for his smile, enthusiasm and ... Oh, who am I kidding? Cut the dramatic, twinkling piano. Sybil and I will have drinks with Slater within a couple days and I'll beat Elf's ass on the tennis court sooner than later. They're gone, but certainly not dead.
*And on Sept. 18, the Cleveland Browns gave up on the 2013 season. The team with the worst helmets this side of Jacksonville traded franchise running back Trent Richardson to the Indianapolis Colts for a first-round pick in next April's draft. The Colts are going to be good. Their pick is going to suck. And so are the Browns. Richardson was their marquee player, plastered on media guides and pocket schedules, etc. While Andrew Luck is gifted a runner with 12 touchdowns in his first 17 NFL games, the Browns are left to sell ... starting quarterback Brian Hoyer. Awful.
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*If you laugh hysterically and can't take your eyes off Jonathon Villar's face-first slide into Brandon Phillips' left butt cheek, then I'm pretty sure we watch baseball for different reasons. Though Sybil saying Villar must be an "Asstro" was kinda cleverfunny.
*One last thing on The Fan. Last week after the loss in Kansas City their veteran, respected Cowboys insider Mike Fisher went to the locker room, rode a team bus to the airplane and flew home with the team. But he never appeared live with any sort of report on The Fan's post-game show? What the what is going on at the station I used to love? For an outfit desperate for some credibility, that's a self-inflicted gaffe.
*You Betcha Week 4: As predicted, Alabama was rolling. Up 21 and with the ball in the third quarter last Saturday in College Station. Then they took their foot off the pedal, Johnny Goofball worked his magic and, bam, backdoor cover with a touchdown pass in the final 30 seconds. Yeah, ouch. But, never fear, the Cowboys will cover the 4 against the Rams Sunday. With Brian Waters more into the mix, Dallas found a team it can actually run against. Rams are 24th in defense. DeMarco Murray's 253 yards against them two years ago ring a bell?
STARTING BANKROLL: $10,000.
CURRENT BANKROLL: $9,575.
SEASON RECORD: 1-2.
LAST WEEK: 0-1.
THIS WEEK: Cowboys minus-4 over Rams, for $500.
*Speaking of gambling on a lackluster college football weekend with only one Top 25 matchup (Stanford-Arizona State), Miami is a 60-point favorite over Savannah State. SSU was a 65-point dog at Florida State last year and covered, losing
only 55-0.
*What's going on at my alma mater?
Four rapes and five fraternities suspended at UT-Arlington. Never understood the Greek thing and the need for an artificial circle of friends. Played tennis recently with a buddy I've known since 2nd grade.
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*In the wake of another mass shooting and more debate on gun control, a follower on Twitter actually said I was an idiot because I didn't fear what would happen to America if our freedoms were revoked and we became an unarmed citizenry. Ridiculous. I'm pretty sure if the U.S. government wanted to attack us they'd find a way around him and the pistol he keeps under his pillow. Drones, anyone?
*Tropicana Field is the worst venue in all of sports. Last night there were 14,000 fans at Rangers-Rays, and more than half left by the 7th because, well, they're senior citizens who need their rest. Playoff baseball. Wild-Card ramifications. 11 games left in the season. Extra innings. And the place was as quiet as a library. I haven't even mentioned that turf. Are those giant grease spots in the outfield? Looks like the field was used as a catch-all safety rug under cars in a giant oil-change garage.
*Me and Sybil were in the hot tub recently and ... nope, it ain't all fun and games. We actually devised a plan of action in case an airplane crashes in our neighborhood. Our house is in the flight path to DFW Airport, so you never know. A call to 911 is involved. As are DFWSportatorium, Twitter, KVIL and NBC 5. I guess that's a form of dirty talk, right?
*This season Daniel Tosh claims to be making subtle changes to his wardrobe in each episode of
Tosh.0. To my eyeballs he's wearing a pink(ish) button-down shirt, untucked, with the sleeves rolled up about mid-forearm. Every week. What am I missing? I want to know, but researching it would feel like such a waste of my time on this Earth.
*Today? A little run in the sun and maybe an afternoon movie with Sybil. Tonight it's more Rangers and Andy Reid's return to Philly. Don't be a stranger.
