WHITT'S END: 10.24.13

      Whether you're at the end of your coffee, your day, your week or even your rope, welcome to Whitt's End:

   *Cowboys to play in London next season? Book it. Jerry Jones wants to win in England, and this is the best scenario possible: Playing a horrible team without giving up a "home" game on the schedule. Cheers. Once upon time - August, 1993 - the Cowboys played a pre-season game in Wembley Stadium. As beat writers at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Mike Fisher and I had a jolly ol' time. And, yes, I do believe the incredible dork on the right is wearing a New Order concert T-shirt.

   *You can't go out, kick the ball around, commit three errors, let an infield pop-up go untouched and expect to win a game a Cactus League game in March. Much less Game 1 of the World Series. There's no stopping the Boston Beards is there?

   *If you don't believe me about Orlando Scandrick and Doug Free being the Cowboys' best defensive back and offensive lineman through seven weeks, go ask former NFL scout Bryan Broaddus. He'll tell you the same thing. @BryanBroaddus: “@CGio8: scandrick  seems to be one of the most underrated players in this team.  He's been rock solid .” Best of DBs thru 7 games. 6:32am · 23 Oct 13 · Twitter for iPhone. But knowing some of you guys y'all probably think you know more football than him as well. Right?

   *David Smoak is a good man, a great cook and a radio lifer. Until 2009 he owned East Texas via his hub in Tyler. These days he's the man in Central Texas. As of last week his show based on 1660 AM in Waco is being simulcast on ESPN affiliates all the way from Round Rock and College Station to Cleburne and Fort Worth (on 1460 AM). Good for him.

   *How far has Tim Tebow fallen? (And Vince Young, for that matter.) Instead of him, in the wake of Sam Bradford's season-ending injury the Rams called a 44-year-old grandfather who hasn't played football in three years. Yep, Brett Favre. And to think, I used to debate folks on here who tried to convince me that Tebow was a better quarterback than Tony Romo.

   *Hot.

   *Not.

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   *It's absurd difficult to re-invent yourself nearing age 50 and after 27 years in one career, but as of today I'm officially the co-owner of a functioning pizza restaurant. I'll always be first and foremost a writer at heart and will continue to operate this blog and do my best to pollute things over at NBC 5. This'll just spice things up a bit. Armed with a lot of free time and a little disposable cash in the wake of being fired from our gigs a high-school buddy and I decided to be our own bosses for a change, via the unique idea of delivering hot pizza and cold beer to Fort Worth. Check us out (PizzaBuzz.com). Pop in for a visit (5418 Basswood Blvd, Fort Worth). Or just pick up the phone (817-849-2211). We'll be in "soft open" mode through the weekend. So be gentle.

   *No particular affection for Greg Oden and I certainly despise the Heat, but I was happy for Miami's big man last night because I appreciate determination and perseverance. After a slew of knee injuries that would force 99% of to give it up, he played in his first NBA game in 1,418 days. And he dunked. Would be much happier if that story happened as a Mav, but nonetheless, pretty cool.

   *I push my fingers into my ... eyes!

   *You Betcha Week 9: Psst, wanna make some easy money? Bet against me. My picks are 2-6. I'm on a 4-week cold streak, punctuated by plopping down considerable cash last Sunday on a team (Eagles) that failed to score a touchdown. Like a desperate George Costanza on Seinfeld, I might wanna try the opposite of everything my brain and gut are telling me to do. Alas, like a good addicted gambler, the only important bet is the next bet. And with a virtual $3,000 to play with, there's still time to turn this Titanic around make enough loot to pay for that virtual wedding in Bora Bora come January. Wait, what? Give me Texas to win outright in Fort Worth Saturday night. The Frogs have zero home-field advantage and suddenly Mack Brown's team has something to play for: a Big 12 Championship.
STARTING BANKROLL: $10,000
CURRENT BANKROLLL: $2,925
SEASON RECORD: 2-6
LAST WEEK: 0-1
THIS WEEK: Texas plus+2 over TCU for $1,000.

   *Today? You know where to find me. I'll be the guy with the pizza in my hand and a smile on my face. Don't be a stranger.

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WHITT'S END: 10.23.13

      Whether you're at the end of your coffee, your day, your week or even your rope, welcome to Whitt's End:

   *Told y'all to chill on the Cowboys' salary-cap panic. I know the rest of the NFL wants to think Jerry Jones is such a financially-handcuffed dufus that he won't be able to even field a team in 2014, but the way out of their perennial predicament is - once again - not all that complicated. I explain over at NBC 5's Blue Star Blog.

   *I'm intrigued by the World Series. Best two fandoms in baseball, right? I've been fortunate enough to watch games in both Fenway and Busch, and those folks don't just love their baseball. They know their baseball. They live their baseball. DFW is a baseball town, sure. But Boston and St. Louis are baseball neighborhoods, much more passionate and close-knit communities of one. When a big, positive play occurs at Rangers Ballpark, the fans' nights just got better. When it happens in Fenway or Busch, those fans' lives just got better. And, for what it's worth, I don't hate either team enough to invoke Failure Jesus.

   *So does former PGA Tour member-turned-Golf-Chanel-analyst Brandel Chamblee think Tiger Woods is a cheater? Or not? I'm a little confused. He gave Tiger's five-win season a score of "100", yet a grade of "F." Said he got a "little cavalier with the rules" and cited four incidents. But in the wake of creating the controversy, Chamblee both stood by his story and apologized to Woods. How can it be both?

   *As expected, Chris Arnold returned to 105.3 The Fan Monday after a week's suspension for plagiarism. We all make mistakes, but usually they're innocent errors. Not pre-meditated, calculated theft. We accidentally knock the lamp off the nightstand; We don't scheme to steal our neighbor's chandelier. As a writer in this market for 27 years I've been wrong on predictions or breaking news, but never have I blatantly just copy-and-pasted somebody else's work and sold it as my own. Chris' job has survived. But I don't see how his credibility does.

   *I know this is weird, but the best Cowboys' offensive lineman through seven games has been Doug Free. And their best defensive back? Orlando Scandrick. I'd have lost that bet back in August. You?

   *Okay, maybe there is hope for this country after all. Despite some protests from ninny parents who erect statues for the kids when they finish half their morning juice, the Keller Youth Association football league is discontinuing the embarrassing and dangerous act of participation trophies. "Life makes you earn everything you get," the group says, causing anyone who's ever been screwed over by life to stop what they're doing and give a standing ovation. (Stopping. Standing. Clapping.)

   *Hot.

   *Not.

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   *Happy Humpdaaaay White Truck Wednesday. Was stuck in traffic on 121 in the Mid-Cities yesterday for the 19th consecutive day, and got caught behind a big you-know-what-color construction dump truck. On the back of its bed read this sign: "NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR BROKEN WINDSHIELDS!" Says who? I mean, just because you underline a word and use all caps accented by an exclamation point doesn't absolve you of spraying rocks all over the highway. Otherwise, why don't bad guys with guns just bust down a door, shoot up a joint and then walk away free men while pointing to a T-shirt that reads "Not responsible for death"? Putting that sign on that truck isn't a pro-active safety move, it's a lame attempt to cover the company's ass in the wake of lots of complaints from drivers who have driven behind it before and, sure enough, had rocks fly off it and break their windshields. That sign might as well have read "F*k You."

   *As I've said before I think the NFL overdoes it with the pink-for-a-month breast cancer awareness initiative. And this story says that only 8 percent of the total proceeds from pink items actually make it to the cancer research level. But a couple thoughts: How can you possibly have too much cancer awareness? And, unless you've given more than 8 percent to the cause, you have no right to belittle the NFL's effort.

   *An example of how Fantasy Football negatively affects the NFL: There are actually fans debating and writers actually analyzing a trade that would send Adrian Peterson to the Cowboys. Happens in Fantasy leagues all the time. Happens in the NFL none of the time.

   *Been inundated by the hype (Nov. 5 I think it is) for the next Call of Duty. As a guy who stopped playing video games the day I conquered Mario Bros. back in the early '90s, I no longer have a desire to just pretend to do stuff. But I was thinking how different life would be growing up as a 9-year-old in 2013 compared to my habitat in 1973. Nowadays kids have NFL Sunday Ticket. Whereas - I swear this is true - I actually spent considerable time as a punk waiting for the rain to stop so I could go outside have a grassboat race against my friend. A what-the-what you say? A grassboat race. We each picked a big blade of St. Augustine grass as our "boat", then placed them in the gutter that ran along the curb of our street and let the swift-moving water propel them through the neighborhood. We'd monitor and chase and cheer on those suckers for hours, until one of them crossed the "finish line" of our neighborhood creek. Yeah, try that idea on your 9-year-old.

   *Today? Final day of training camp at Pizza Buzz. Couple of pre-season games Thursday and Friday, then this weekend we start keeping score and playing for keeps. Don't be a stranger.

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WHITT'S END: 9.16.13

      Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End

   *Chiefs 17, Cowboys 16. My Top 10 Whitty Observations.

   *Worst kick-to-the-crotch homestand in Rangers' history? Gotta be close. Jockeying with the A's for the AL West lead when the week started, Texas went 0-6 against the Pirates and Oakland. Rangers didn't lead at any time in the six games. And they didn't hit a single homer, the longest dinger drought ever at Rangers Ballpark. Starting with a four-game series against the Rays tonight, the Wild Card - the playoffs - are suddenly in serious jeopardy.

   *Wait, did I miss CBS's "Johnny Cam"? Or, like Alabama's defense, could the network's solo camera simply not keep up with A&M's frenetic, fantastic quarterback?

   *Saw Toadies play an acoustic set Friday night in Fort Worth at a place called Panther Island on the banks of the Trinity River. Very cool. There's a big, grassy hillside or you can hop in the water on a tube, all with a gorgeous view of downtown. But why Panther Island? Turns out Fort Worth is sometimes called the Panther City. Worked at the Star-Telegram for 18 years and never heard that one.

   *I know it's early, but we may have already witnessed college football's Game of the Year. And I know it's a long shot, but after watching A&M 29, Alabama 24 last year and Alabama 49, Texas A&M 42 last weekend, I wouldn't mind seeing Round 3 in this year's BCS title game.

   *Hot.

   *Not.

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   *Feels so wrong to yawn at 45-0, but that's the brilliance of Floyd Mayweather. His personality is all flash and cash, but inside the ring he's a glitzy rope-a-dope master. No quick, dramatic knockouts. Just superior technical boxing, iced with impenetrable defense. Boring? He's the trash-talking football team that wins all its games 13-3.

   *Including Saturday vs. Oakland, Yu Darvish has lost four 1-0 games this season. Four. Nelson Cruz, all is forgiven.

   *That thud you heard Saturday night wasn't Canelo Alvarez in Vegas, but Texas' football program hitting rock bottom in Austin. In a week in which defensive coordinator Manny Diaz was fired and DeLoss Dodds will reportedly step down after the season, the Longhorns were outscored 27-0 in the second half of another embarrassing loss, this one to Ole Miss. Said Mack Brown, "We can win the Big 12 championship and be excited about that. At this point that's all we got left." Yikes.

   *Reigning Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco's wife gave birth to the couple's second child Sunday morning. The quarterback was informed as he warmed-up for Baltimore's game against the Browns. As I've said before, it's totally the right call. I took a lot of heat when I first broached this subject during Colby Lewis' paternity leave in 2011, but I think y'all are starting to come around on it now. We pay money to see great quarterbacks, not good Dads.

   *Bar. Car. Far. Gar. Jar. Mar. Par. Tar. In the English language we pronounce them all the same. As it should be. But then there's War. Totally different. Completely illogical. Instead of like the other members of its consonant-preceding-ar family, why the heck does w-a-r rhyme with o-a-r?

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   *A sign of things to come in Fort Worth. We're still hiring drivers at Pizza Buzz. Come on in. Or just say hello. Won't be delivering pizza and beer for another two weeks, but we're shaking hands and making friends daily at 5418 Basswood in Fort Worth.

   *After his blocked field goal in Kansas City Sunday, let's update the tote board of Orlando Scandrick's positive plays as a Cowboy. That's ... 1.

   *'Bama-Aggies drew a 9.0 on CBS, the networks's biggest college football audience since Miami-Notre Dame in 1990. Though they lost after leading 14-0, A&M earned a ton of respect. The Tide rolled into College Station and didn't feel comfortable about winning until their 49th point.

   *Why Whitt's End on a Monday? And tomorrow, on a Tuesday? It's like this. We've been in business here for three months now and in surveying my customers' habits, it's clear you guys gobble up my Friday wrap-up. If DFWSportatorium is a buffet, it's by far the No. 1 seller under the sneeze guard. I asked the boss in the mirror if we could experiment with the idea of a daily Whitt's End, so let's give it a try.

   *Today: I'm headed out to Pizza Buzz for some (more) last-minute tweaking. Sybil will be in Dallas tonight at House of Blues for the taping of Inside the Huddle with Jason Hatcher. Don't be a stranger.

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