WHITT'S END: 2.18.14

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

   *He's been to rehab. Been arrested. Gotten divorced. Banished overseas. We ready to call it even? ...

   *Texas Giant about to be gigantic loss for Six Flags because ...

   *The latest on the present - and future - of Pizza Buzz is ...

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WHITT'S END: 2.12.14

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

   *Come to think of it, yeah, he is a baseball polygamist ...

   *Until last night in Charlotte, Dirk Nowitzki had never ...

   *Kate Upton > Kate Hansen ...

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WHITT'S END: 1.6.14

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

   *Good teams beat good stories, and other reasons Florida State will destroy Auburn ...

   *Wait, Tony Romo watched Saints-Eagles where ... ?

   *The worst NFL analyst, by far, is ...

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WHITT'S END: 12.26.13

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

   *I'm retiring to spend more time with my family. I'm hopping on a plane on Christmas Day to take a temporary gig 2,100 miles from home ...

   *The man who ended Tony Romo's season two Decembers in a row ...

   *The worst Christmas gift you received couldn't have been worse than this ...

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WHITT'S END: 12.12.13

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

   *Let's go back to August. The Cowboys are preparing for their season when the ghost of football future (there is such a dude, right?) appears with this offer: Tony Romo will play so well that he throws 20 more touchdowns than interceptions (27-7) and to win the NFC East in 2013 your team gets to face five consecutive backup quarterbacks down the stretch. But if they don't beat them and make the playoffs, I take away your DVRs. Forever. We'd have taken that deal, right? Because, sure enough, look at who the Cowboys will face in the season's final five weeks: Quarterbacks who are injury replacements or who started the season as afterthought second- or even third-stringers. Matt McGloin (Raiders), Josh McCown (Bears), Matt Flynn (Packers), Kirk Cousins (Redskins) and Nick Foles (Eagles). There's a decent chance none of those teams make the playoffs. You can't say it wasn't all laid out lovingly and invitingly before the Cowboys. And, yes, if Tony Romo can't beat four of those five quarterbacks in this stretch then ... gulp.

   *You Betcha Week 16: For the year I'm now up $3,985. This week I'm going with ...

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WHITT'S END: 12.10.13

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

   *This is the kind of season it's been for your Cowboys. In games in which the defense has managed to "hold" opponents under 44 points, they're 7-3. That means of course that, yep, the Cowboys - for the first time in franchise history - have surrendered 45+ points three times in a single season. But, okay, tell me one more time that it's all Tony Romo's fault.

   *Not sure what's going on over at The Ticket, but ...

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WHITT'S END: 12.4.13

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

   *Spot-on suggestion by Mavs' TV voice Mark Followill last night as Dallas limped to a lethargic halftime deficit against the lowly Charlotte Bobcats: "They should just unplug the thing and hit re-start." The Mavs kinda did that. Dirk Nowitzki missed 9 of 10 shots in the first two quarters and then made 9 of 11 afterward as the Mavs survived, 89-82, for their ugliest victory of the season. Few things you can't count on in sports. But the Mavs beating the Bobcats is one of them. Dallas is now 17-1 all-time against Charlotte, the most lopsided series in the NBA. Unfortunately, the Mavs see them only once more this year and not until Feb. 11.

   *Click HERE to become a DFWSportatorium Member and access the rest of this story and the full site.

WHITT'S END: 12.3.13

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

   *And in the AL West the beat goes on. The Rangers steal headlines with the "blockbuster!" acquisition of Prince Fielder, a guy who will hit homers and set off fireworks and increase attendance and ... The two-time defending division champion A's, meanwhile, quietly acquire Scott Kazmir and Jim Johnson, two arms that will bolster even further their philosophy of pitching, pitching and more pitching. Johnson has 101 saves the last two seasons, most in MLB. Kazmir has re-discovered his fastball at the ripe old age of 29. While the Rangers said goodbye to catcher A.J. Pierzynski, who signed with the Red Sox, the A's will enter '14 without Grant Balfour and Bartolo Colon on their roster. Imagine your team believing it can upgrade from an All-Star closer who converted 44 consecutive saves and an 18-game winner? Knowing the A's, they just got better.

   *It's radio ratings you want? It's radio ratings you'll get. November's numbers/analysis will be right here tomorrow. In a specially-wrapped package. Sort of. You'll see. Stay tuned.

   *After last night's scary dismantling of the Saints, no doubt the NFC's road to the Super Bowl goes through wet and dreary Seattle. The Seahawks have won 14 straight at home, 8 of those by 20+ points. Russell Wilson is playing at an elite level and they've got physically intimidating athletes all over the defense. That said, they are a very easy team to hate. Earl Thomas gets up and plays a fake banjo after making a hard hit at the end of an 8-yard run. We've mentioned the 8 players suspended for drug use since '11. And then there's Pete Carroll, the most annoyingly arrogant coach in the NFL. Never instructing, he instead spends the game merely reacting. Everyone saw the lucky bounce that turned into a touchdown last night. Clear score, no questions. But as the ref explained the score after reviewing it, Carroll ripped off his headset, leaned dramatically forward and squinted, as if he really, really needed this information. And when the ref signaled what we all already knew - touchdown - Carroll pumped his fist wildly like he was the last one to know. Carroll is the cocky, gum-chomping friend you stopped inviting to parties years ago. Please join me in rooting against him. And, failure Jesus, get loose in the bullpen.

   *The crowd roar in Seattle reminded me of a time not that long ago when the NFL had a rule in place that was as weird as allowing smoking on airplanes. Once upon a time, as recently as the '90s, home teams could be penalized for too much crowd noise. Proof.

   *The Cowboys' best player this season? He's over at NBC 5's Blue Star Blog, waiting for your recognition and approval.

   *Icepocalypse II! After last week's swing-and-miss on the "Arctic Blast" that turned out to be merely cold sprinkles, our weatherfolks are at it again. Freezing rain! Snow! "Hard freeze" as soon as Wednesday night. In other words, find your light jacket and keep the umbrella handy. As for the snow chains? Fool us twice, shame on us. Swear I heard this from Fox4's Jennifer Myers on "Good Day" this morning: "This is going to be a big event ... I cannot stress enough, Thursday into Friday follow us until the event, because things could change." The Cowboys will beat the Bears. This is going to be a big event. But I cannot stress this enough, Monday night watch the game, because things could change.

   *Hot.

   *Not.

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   *Remember way back when Aggies were on pins and needles at the possible autograph suspension of Johnny Manziel? Without him, their season - projected as a Top 7 team with BCS potential - was doomed. With him, their season - 8-4 and headed to the Taxslayer.com Bowl? - was a dud.

   *I'm hearing some buzz over the new indoor skydiving joint in Frisco, iFly. Obviously there are advantages, as in a decreased chance of death compared to real skydiving. And obviously there are drawbacks, as in a decreased chance of death compared to real skydiving. I mean, for me the thrill of skydiving was the unknown, the risk and the adrenalin rush of voluntarily thrusting your life into momentary limbo. iFly looks fun and all, but it'd be like running a marathon ... on an indoor treadmill. Just not the same.

   *I've probably already seen Auburn's field-goal return for a game-winning touchdown 50 times. I can't look away. Probably because I've never seen a play like that before, and might not see one ever again.

   *You know why girls in boots make us do a double-take? Because girls in boots want us to do a double-take. It's the simple law of supply and demand.

   *Good times for the Great Northwest. Seahawks are monsters. And the Portland Trailblazers are legit. They're 15-3 with wins over the Spurs and the Pacers. LaMarcus Aldridge put up 28-10 last night as Portland gave Indiana only its second loss of the season. How the heck - given Aldridge and NBAers Daniel Gibson and P.J. Tucker - did Rick Barnes not coach the '06 Longhorns past the NCAA Regional Finals?

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   *Psst, hey buddy, wanna buy a watch Coke fridge? We have this perfectly fine Coke box that we purchased for the lobby of Pizza Buzz, then Pepsi comes to us with a bigger, new, free one. Alas, we're now Coke dealers. Anyone interested, make us an offer. Richie@PizzaBuzz.com.

   *Actually heard this from Cris Carter on ESPN's NFL pre-game show last Sunday: "It's not a must win, Boom, but they need to win." If I ever write or utter anything that hollow, feel free to leave and never come back.

   *Aaron Rodgers will have his broken collarbone re-examined today. If it's not fully healed, the reeling Packers might just shut him down for the season. In other words, the Cowboys will play their Dec. 15 game against the Packers today in some doctor's office in Wisconsin.

   *Speaking of Pizza Buzz, we exceeded our November projections so things are off and running. I'll scale back the bidness promotion because by now you know what we do (deliver hot pizza and cold beer) and you know where to find us (817-849-2211/pizzabuzz.com). As we eye stores 2-3-4 in 2014 there are investment/partnership opportunities available. Again, email me at Richie@PizzaBuzz.com if interested.

   *Today? Might jump on the bike with Sybil, as this may be one of our last 70-degree days for a long time. Tonight it's Mavs-Bobcats. Don't be a stranger.

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WHITT'S END: 11.25.13

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

   *Score one for Jason Garrett. The Giants did all the talking entering Sunday's game. Antrelle Rolle called it the Giants' Super Bowl. Jason Pierre-Paul promised New York was going to "put it on 'em" and that "blood will be spilled." And cornerback Terrell Thomas guaranteed a victory. Then in pre-game warm-ups the Giants altered their routine, even to the point of having the MetLife Stadium speakers blare dramatic music on cue as they attempted to intimidate the Cowboys at midfield. What did the Cowboys do? They shrugged. They executed. They played better football. And they won. That's why I don't get into identities or want-to or emotion when it comes to sports in general or football in specific. It's about execution. Garrett is calm and collected, and Sunday his team was the better team because of it. And boy does it feel good to shut up folks spewing false bravado.

   *Cowboys 24, Giants 21: My Top 10 Whitty Comments are over at NBC 5's Blue Star Blog.

   *Just as I feared, this "Arctic Blast!" followed perfectly our weatherfolks' blueprint for Overhype 101. They started talking about it a week ago, building interest - if not fear - in an attempt to create TV ratings. Then came the proverbial push-back, the "well, this front is moving slower than we expected." Meaning? The Apocalypse we predicted would arrive on Friday might not get here until Monday, so stay tuned all weekend! Then, of course, comes the Monday morning punch line: Reporters live by highways crowing about "ice forming on these signs!" as cars in the background whiz past at 70 mph. You shouldn't be surprised, but yet another dangerous, epic, newsworthy weather event was, in fact, just a couple days of cold rain.

   *On Sunday I officially became a Tweediot. That is, a person whose desire to talk outweighs the desires of others to hear him. Translation: I've now got more Tweets than Twitter followers. That should be the rule. As soon as you have a Twitter imbalance your account should vaporize. I know we've created this fake environment where we're convinced our every thought and meal and action is of international importance. But, no. If you have 10,742 Tweets but only 137 followers, give it up. No one cares.

   *The Packers and Vikings finished with the same number of points. They say ties are like kissing your sister. Unless your sister is Kate Upton. Then ties are much, much worse than kissing your sister.

   *Sybil mused Saturday night that - because of the cold - she was going to put an extra pair of pants but not an extra pair of shirts. Why are pants plural and a shirt singular, when they both cover two legs and two arms? These days on the bottom we're wearing sweatpants, but on top merely a sweatshirt? At our house these are the conversations that construct pillow talk.

   *Hot.

   *Not.

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   *In the wake of the Cowboys' win last night we heard clickclickclickclickclick ... quiet. It came from Tony Romo critics, first deleting their "Romo is a choker!" Tweets and blogs and then pouting silently in the corner with zilch to say. In Dallas' last two victories over the Vikings and Giants, Romo has led two game-winning drives in the final minutes. His combined stats on those drives? 12 of 17 for 157 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 field goal. Oh, and 2 wins.

   *Johnny Football, meet Johnny Humbled. After the demoralizing loss at LSU, the Aggies are just a 3-loss team and Manziel is a guy who was once in the Heisman Trophy race.

   *C'mon. Finding Bigfoot is a real TV show? And people actually watch it believing it's real?

   *Anyone else really, really enjoy the first quarter of the Cowboys game? That's because there were zero commercials in the game's first 15 minutes. Not sure how that happened, but I liked it.

   *Hunger Games > Delivery Man. Somehow, Sybil and I fought through the blizzard to see 'em both over the weekend. Vince Vaughn trying to be serious just doesn't work.

   *In the past couple weeks I've told you on here that Orlando Scandrick was the Cowboys' best defensive back, that Romo was playing at a Pro Bowl level, that the Giants' winning streak was a mirage and that the Cowboys would target Dez Bryant at least a dozen times vs. New York. You know what they say about blind squirrels ...

   *Today? May I suggest free pizza? It's Pizza Buzz's "CowBuzz" Special. Every day after a Cowboys' win it's buy a large pizza, get one free. Enjoy. And don't be a stranger.

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WHITT'S END: 11.22.13

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

   *Jerry Jones announcing that head coach Jason Garrett will be back in 2014 should surprise no one. Nor should anyone be shocked if he changes his mind. If you don't think the headline-grabbing pronouncement was a planned counter-punch to the Rangers' signing of Prince Fielder, then you don't know Jerry Jones. But before you start making reservations to meet Garrett in Oxnard next summer, just remember that once upon a time - known as 2010 - Jerry claimed that Wade Phillips' job was safe because "I've never changed coaches in the middle of a season, and I never will change coaches in the middle of a season." Two weeks later Phillips was fired. Despite Jerry's ploy on Thursday, Garrett's job should be - and is - on the line in this season's final six weeks.

   *How good has Monta Ellis been for the Mavericks? He's already the best free-agent signing in the Mark Cuban era. In the last three seasons no Mav had a game of at least 32 points and 8 assists. He's done it twice in this season's first 12 games. Ellis and Dirk Nowitzki, by the way, are the NBA's third most prolific duo. I'll give you the details over at NBC 5's Sports Blog.

   *Using next year's "Football Four" college football playoff and this year's teams, we'd be looking at semifinals of Baylor-Alabama in the Rose Bowl and Florida State-Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl, with the winners meeting at AT&T Stadium. Deliciously fake.

   *During a break from watching Sybil emcee an award-winning "What's In Your Pocket?" scavenger hunt at Blue Martini last night, I sneaked a peek at Stars-Rangers. As you know I don't watch a lot of hockey. And I was reminded why. In a 60-minute game there were 63 face-offs. Imagine if there were that many jump-balls in an NBA game.

   *Some self-anointed experts - like somebody at NFL.com named Adam Schein - predicted a Texans-Falcons Super Bowl this season. Those teams are a combined 4-17. My picks: Broncos-Niners. Still doable.

   *As usual the weatherfolks over-exaggerated this "Arctic Blast!" Expecting to go outside in sub-freezing temps and dig the car out from under a foot of wintry mix, instead I awoke in McKinney to zero precipitation, cloudy and 38 degrees.

   *Lots of right-wingers trying to compare Obamacare to Hurricane Katrina as an "American tragedy." Katrina - and a certain President's slow response to it - killed 1,800 people and did $80 billion worth of damage. Obamacare is good intentions plagued by a bad website. Please stop.

   *Hot.

   *Not.

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   *Where was I 50 years ago today when JFK was assassinated? In the tummy of my mom, who was working in the downtown Dallas office of Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance. Eight months later, in July 1964, I entered this world to someday be a pragmatic punk who simply believes Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone.

   *Wanna warm up on a chilly night? Cowboys Cheerleaders will autograph copies of their 2014 swimsuit calendar tonight 6-9 at the official launch party at the Gaylord Texan.

   *So let me get this straight, NFL. A player who celebrates a touchdown with an orchestrated dance on the ground is penalized 15 yards. But a player - like the Saints' Jimmy Graham last night - who celebrates a touchdown by hanging from the goal posts, yanking them crooked and delaying the game seven minutes while they're re-aligned isn't penalized at all? Yep, makes total sense.

   *As a snotty-nosed kid growing up in Duncanville I had a record player by my bed. Yep, an old-school "needle on the record" contraption that featured a turntable and vinyl. Two of my favorite 33s to fall asleep to: Johnny Cash Live at Folsom Prison and Bill Cosby I Started Out As A Child. Haven't listened to the Cosby record in probably 40 years, but when I pulled it up on YouTube this morning it's eerie how well I remembered it. Almost word-for-word. Our brains are weird, man. Wait, what was my point to all this? Oh yeah! I'm totally gonna watch the 76-year-old's new stand-up sit-down Far From Finished Saturday night at 7 on Comedy Central.

   *Fresno State and Northern Illinois are still undefeated. With four high-profile teams still yet to lose, those teams picked a bad year to have a good year.

   *Very cool that - in the wake of the founder's tragic death last summer - Kidd's Kids took a plane-load of children to Disney yesterday. Bravo!

   *Is it wrong that I take much delight in the demise of RG3 and the implosion of the Redskins? Good, because I do. I really, really do.

   *Crap we've invented but totally don't need in our cars: "Paddle shifters" and "Start/Stop technology." I've got the latter in my car and it works like this: Every time my car comes to a complete stop it automatically turns off. To re-start you simply turn the wheel or take your foot off the brake. But I can't imagine it's good for my engine and I'm 100% sure that it's completely annoying. Fortunately we've also got buttons to switch off these features. Carry on.

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   *Sports Illustrated says A.J. McCarron is "one of the best ever." Hard to argue against that, considering the Alabama quarterback has as many National Championships as losses. That's right, two each. I look at McCarron kinda like I did Duke's Christian Laettner. A great college player in the captain's chair of the peak of an epic dynasty, but whose talent won't translate to much of nothing as a pro.

  *Monta to the Mavs. Fielder to the Rangers. When's the last time the Cowboys made such a buzz with an acquisition? Maybe Brandon Carr in '12. Definitely Terrell  Owens in '06. I look into at NBC 5's Blue Star Blog.

   *You Betcha Week 13: Okay, back in the game. The Broncos' expected double-digit win over the Chiefs boosted our confidence and padded our account with a cool $3,000. There's hope for a profitable season yet. Most confusing outcome of the season is Oklahoma State losing at West Virginia. The Cowboys have plowed through Tech and Texas in recent weeks. They're playing at home, in a game that will likely feature wind and cold and precipitation. When I looked for the line on this game I expected it to be Baylor by a field goal or perhaps closer. I love Baylor. I think they'll win this game. But by 10 points? A 9-1 team playing at  home for a conference championship and getting 10 points is too good to pass up.
STARTING BANKROLL: $10,000

CURRENT BANKROLL: $7,825

SEASON RECORD: 5-7

LAST WEEK: 1-0

THIS WEEK: Oklahoma State plus +10 for $2,500.

   *He might have carried an arrogance to the wrong place at the wrong time, but Freddie Roach is a legendary boxing trainer suffering from Parkinson's disease. If you kick him and make fun of him, you're a weak, bad person who deserves zero respect. I'm talking to you, Alex Ariza.

   *Since hanging 49 points on the Cowboys, the Saints have mustered only 40 in their last two games.

   *Get this question a lot re: Pizza Buzz: "Why don't ya'll deliver to (fill in the Metroplex city)?" Well, as of today, we do! On orders of $200+ we'll deliver to anywhere in D/FW, from Denton to Duncanville to White Rock Lake to White Settlement. So keep us in mind for your Holiday parties, etc. Enjoy!

   *This exchange actually happened last night on our drive home at 11:37 p.m. Me: "Let's go to Whataburger!" Sybil: "No, but at home I've got some squash!!" Me: "What. The. What?!" We passed Whataburger, but I also passed on the squash. Call it a tie?

   *I don't like a lot of NFL analysts, but I love the retiring Dan Dierdorf. Much as I hated him as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals' nasty offensive line in the '70s - they were members of the NFC East back then - I like listening to him break down NFL games. He will be missed.

   *This weekend? Great for indoor activity. Today let's catch a couple movies - Hunger Games and Delivery Man. Tomorrow's time, grudgingly, to put up the Christmas tree. And Sunday, of course, is Cowboys-Giants. Don't be a stranger.

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WHITT'S END: 11.8.13

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

   *Baylor's high-flying offense sputtered early, scoring only three points and  surrendering two on its first five drives. Baylor's Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback Bryce Petty completed only 13 passes all night. "It wasn't our cleanest game," said Petty. "We struggled to find our rhythm most of the night." Sounds like the Bears lost, right? Nope. They trounced a Top 10 Oklahoma team, 41-12. Okay, I'm impressed. And America should be too. Yes, Ahmad Dixon, God can save a Hooker. And Baylor can win the Big 12.

   *Dwight Howard laughably boasts himself as "Superman." But did you see him last night? The Rockets' extremely mortal center was literally running scared from Lakers players, trying to avoid being intentionally fouled out of his fear of failure. Hack-a-Howard worked. He missed seven of 12 free throws in the fourth quarter of a one-point loss to his old Lakers team. Superman can leap over tall building. Howard can't even step over tiny puddles.

   *Wait, there are serious concerns about Dez Bryant having a bulging disc in his back? You don't say!

   *If Jonathan Martin needed evidence to support his claim that he was criminally harassed rather than being inherently soft, he got it last night in the form of Stanford 26, Oregon 20. Don't be misled by the final score skewed by a blocked field and an onside kick, this was a comprehensive mauling of the ballyhooed Duck Die-Nasty. The Cardinal played mean, nasty, tough football in keeping possession for 45 minutes and running the ball right down down the Ducks' bill most of the night. Martin, of course, played offensive lineman at Palo Alto.

   *Speaking of Martin and hazing in the NFL, read this article about former tight end Cam Cleeland and the vision he lost being forced to run the Saints' training camp "gantlet" allowed by former coach Mike Ditka. There's nothing cool about being fake tough.

   *I feel sorry for the family of slain former Cowboys' player Jerry Brown, but there's something wrong with hugging and forgiving Josh Brent while blaming - via lawsuit - the club in which Josh Brent got drunk enough to wreck his car and kill their son. You can fault Brent and the club, or just Brent himself. But no way you put all that responsibility solely on the club.

   *Matthew 5:5 - Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth. NFL 101: Yeah, but they won't play for the Dolphins.

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   *Now that's what I call a Happy Family! As part of our elongated grand opening, we're giving away free Pizza Buzz today in Fort Worth. That's right, F-R-E-E! Stop in for a slice. See you there.

   *Think college football has changed in 50 years? When Roger Staubach won the Heisman at Navy in 1963 he threw seven touchdowns, and seven interceptions.

   *You don't see this often: CBS' 60 Minutes admits a major gaffe in reporting.

   *You Betcha Week 11: After a slow start, Cowboys-Vikings got rolling last week and scored 51 points to give us another win. That's two in a row. I would quit while I was ahead, if I was still a good $4,000 behind. This week give me Texas Tech to bounce back from two humbling losses. I know the Raiders have lost two in a row and suddenly Kansas State has won two in a row after decent showings against Oklahoma State and Baylor, but the Wildcats haven't won on the road this season. Tech certainly won't blow out K-State, but they'll cover.
STARTING BANKROLL: $10,000
CURRENT BANKROLL: $5,925
SEASON RECORD: 4-6
LAST WEEK: 1-0
THIS WEEK: Texas Tech minus-3 over Kansas State for $1,000.

   *Since I bought some Twitter stock, do you Tweeters now work for me?

   *I remember vividly the day in San Antonio when we were interviewing Jerry Jones on the air at 105.3 The Fan and news broke of Nnamdi Asomugha signing with the Eagles. The owner was slump-shouldered and depressed. Cowboys fans were numb. Asomugha, then the jewel of free agency as the best cover corner in the NFL, has since been cut by both the Eagles and 49ers. If sports and life teach us anything it's to enjoy your time atop the mountain. Because, chances are, it won't last.

   *Saints 34, Cowboys 24.

   *For my takes on bullying in the NFL and Tony Dorsett's sad saga, check out NBC 5's Blue Star Blog.

   *This weekend? Dinner with old friends tonight. Tennis Saturday morning, followed by <> at night. Sunday is a lounging day of football on the couch, followed by Cowboys-Saints Sunday night. Don't be a stranger.

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WHITT'S END: 11.7.13

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

   *Heart-breaking news about one of my all-time favorite Cowboys. Tony Dorsett played 11 years for Dallas in a career that landed him in the Ring of Honor and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. These days the 60-year-old Dorsett carries not a football, but the burden of a degenerative brain disease found in more than 50 deceased former NFL players. It's the concussion syndrome, the baseline of the recently settled lawsuit between the league and former players and the reason for all the rules changes aimed at making football more safe and less violent. "My quality of life deteriorates every day," Dorsett says. He suffers from disorientation, depression and even thoughts of suicide. Next time you start to scream "Put a skirt on 'em!" or start yapping about the "Wussification of America", consider what a decade of helmet-to-helmet collisions has done to Tony Dorsett.

   *I'm hearing that the injury that kept Dez Bryant out of practice Wednesday is more serious than a "balky back." That in and of itself would be a concern. Elite athletes who just turned 25 shouldn't have balky backs. But there are whispers at Valley Ranch of ominous words like "bulging disc" and even "traction." Dez will play Sunday night in New Orleans, but this isn't one of those temporary spasms that flares up and goes away quietly.

   *Josh Brent retired from the Cowboys. But apparently he still works for the Cowboys. Guy who works at the team's merchandise warehouse off Highway 114 in Irving swears to me that Brent works alongside him. Critics of Jerry Jones had a problem with the owner employing Brent as a player. But what about as a warehouse worker?

   *I'm all for sending messages and the Mavs have to beat the Thunder before we're all convinced that they're legit. But I'm not sure the messenger should be Vince Carter, the message should be a flagrant elbow and the messagee recipient should be somebody named Steve Adams.

   *This happened last night at Blue Martini in Plano: A guy (shorter and skinnier than me and wearing a sleeveless puffy Parka) walks up to Sybil and begins flirting. With me within earshot and within 30 seconds he boasts that he plays "professional hockey" for "Dallas, you know, the Stars." Oh wow, Sybil says, asking his name. "Trevor ... Trevor Drkvozakdiadyivasm," the guy mumbles. I'm familiar with Trevor Daley and I think this year they had a 6-foot, 200-pounder named Trevor Ludwig, but no way this dude is either. For the sake of entertainment I let the guy go weaving his web of lies and cheesy pick-up attempt. Later a buddy and me quiz Trevor Drkvozakdiadyivasm a little more. "Weird that you guys played in Boston last night and flew home before going back to Detroit tomorrow night." Trevor: "Yeah ... what?" Just for fun, dug around the minor-league Texas Stars and, nope, no Trevor. Also, no player listed at 5-6, 145 pounds. But good luck to you "Trevor." Keep casting worms in the water. Sooner or later you'll get a bite.

   *Wait, Richie Incognito was considered an "honorary black man" by his teammates? So on the dysfunctional Dolphins a white dude is black but the half-black player (Jonathan Martin) is white? Got it? Martin, by the way, is considered "soft" by some black teammates because he is Stanford educated and the son of wealthy parents. America salivates for some black vs. white controversy along racial lines. But I don't think it's clear who roots for whom. Either way, while Incognito being an "honorary black man" is perceived as a compliment, I don't know many black dudes who desire to be an "honorary white man."

   *Hot.

   *Not.

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   *Don't understand all the whining over the uniforms Northwestern will wear Nov. 16 against Michigan. The look includes a distressed American flag critics say looks like splattered blood. But, um, aren't they honoring our Wounded Warriors?

   *Unless you have a farm of Daffodils in your back yard, the issue of a "frost warning" is the biggest weather over-hype of all. I'm guessing that less than 1% of folks who are warned about an impending frost actually lift a finger to do anything about it.

   *Okay, Blockbuster, now what am I supposed to do with these two videos I've had for a year. I mean, I was gonna return them today but ...

   *Dead 'n Gone: The Houston Astrodome. Hard to fathom now, but there'll come a day when AT&T Stadium will be old and cramped and outdated and dilapidated and, yep, torn down for something shiny and new that costs upwards of $5 billion to build.

   *Gotta give it to Toronto mayor Rod Ford. Dude has some big balls. In the wake of a video showing him using crack cocaine, he explains it away by adding that it merely occurred as part of a "drunken stupor." That's like admitting to your wife that you kissed her sister, but it's no big deal because it happened during a threesome with her mom. Shockingly, the guy won't resign. And somehow his approval rating has increased during the scandal.

   *Tired of hearing me carnival barking for Pizza Buzz? Fine. Let's let others do it for me today. Take it away, Dallas Morning News and Dallas Observer and Channel 8. Thanks for the support.

   *Today? Lunching with my ol' pal Bob Lovell of Home Marketing Services, then considering attending the grand opening of the new Top Golf in The Colony for a little driving range and dinner weaved around Baylor-OU. Don't be a stranger.

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WHITT'S END: 11.5.13

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

   *October's radio ratings (covering Sept. 12-Oct. 9) are in and while The Ticket remains dominant and ESPN is still clearly No. 2, the Cowboys' roller-coaster of mediocrity has finally breathed a smidge of life into the last-place Fan. The Ticket is No. 1 among the coveted demographic of Men 25-54 in morning (7.8), midday (6.8) and afternoon (6.9), comfortably ahead of ESPN's 3.4, 4.8 and 4.7. The Fan, which has struggled to get its nose above a 2.0 in any hour of any day part the last six months, enjoyed boosts in morning (2.6), midday (3.3) and afternoon (2.7).

   *Speaking of Richie Incognito's bullying and NFL hazing, you can criticize Dez Bryant for a lot of things but he doesn't take crap from anyone from his mom to Roy Williams. Remember as a rookie when he refused to carry the veteran receiver's pads to the locker room after a training camp practice in San Antonio? But, then again, he did once succumb to rookie tradition and pick up the tab for a team dinner. Tab? $54,896.

   *Cowboys will face Drew Brees Sunday night in New Orleans, ending a remarkable stretch of five consecutive games against opposing starting quarterbacks from Texas high schools: Robert Griffin III (Copperas Cove), Nick Foles (Austin Westlake), Matthew Stafford (Highland Park), Christian Ponder (Colleyville Heritage) and Brees (Austin Westlake). And next time you run into the self-proclaimed "Biggest Cowboys Fan EVER!", try this trivia on them: Name the 6 quarterbacks from Texas high schools who have started a game for the Cowboys. (Answer below.)

   *As the Adrian Peterson 11-yard touchdown run reminded us Sunday, it is perfectly legal - in the NFL anyway - for a teammate to push a ball-carrier from behind, even into the end zone. Peterson's run was epic, but I don't think he makes into the end zone without the assist from tight end Chase Ford.

   *I know this pains Romo haters, but No. 9 is a legit Top 10 quarterback. No? He's Top 10 in all the following categories: Attempts (1st), Completions (2nd), Percentage (5th), Yards (5th), Touchdowns (3rd) and Rating (7th). As far as Interceptions? 17th. Same number (6) as Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, and fewer than Drew Brees, Phillip Rivers, Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco and Ben Roethlisberger. I got the details over at NBC 5's Blue Star Blog.

   *Mavs-Lakers tonight at AAC. Chris Kaman is hardly an intriguing replacement for Kobe's absence.

   *Hot.

   *Not.

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   *At our website we have Pizza Buzz T-shirts for sale. This satisfied customer decided to wear one ... and nothing else.

   *Curious by all the hype, I tried to watch an episode of Duck Dynasty. Tried. Made it through about 10 minutes before I couldn't take it anymore. Really, America? We're really mesmerized by a "reality" show that couldn't possibly be more fake and scripted. I think the attraction is that Uncle Si and the boys are just regular guys, yet nothing they do on that show is authentic.

   *Sounds like DeMarcus Ware returns Sunday night in New Orleans, but don't expect Miles Austin or Morris Claiborne. But, seriously, isn't Orlando Scandrick making you forget about last year's overall No. 6 draft choice?

   *Not downplaying the role of the head coach, or am I? Here's betting the Broncos don't miss a beat with Jack Del Rio as their head coach instead of John Fox. As long as Peyton's in charge, they'll remain the best team in the NFL. Sorry, Chiefs.

   *Now that Aaron Rodgers is out three weeks with a fractured shoulder, I wonder if the Packers do what the Rams did and call up Brett Favre?

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   *Stared at it a while. Snapped a pic. Studied the pic. And still not sure what's so great - remember, it cost $14 million to buy and install - about AT&T Stadium's Sky Mirror. You?

   *Stranger: "Hey Richie, great to see you again!" Richie: "Hey ... (panicking because I have no clue who I'm talking to) ... man!" Happens at least once a week. I'll say it again, life would be better if everyone wore name tags.

   *Per Twitter's @ESPNStatsInfo, they're now attempting to clarify their numbers. Here's the exact Tweet from this morning: Cowboys are 17-1 vs teams below .500 (opp final win pct) since Jason Garrett's first game as head coach and 4-19 vs teams .500 or above. But like I do, don't most Cowboys fans consider Garrett being the "head coach" since he took over for Wade Phillips midway in 2010? If not, who exactly does @ESPNStatsInfo think coached the Cowboys the final eight games that year? And since Garrett was the coach then - interim or otherwise - his team lost to the Cardinals, who finished 5-11. This should be their Tweet moving forward: Under Jason Garrett, the Cowboys are 17-2 against teams that finished the season with a record under .500. There. Is that so hard?

   *Looking to rub elbows or maybe even bump booties with the buh-NAN-uz up in Plano/Frisco? Sybil's hosting a Wednesday night "Boots & Babes" party from 9-11 at Blue Martini. And she claims getting on the guest list is as easy as emailing her at Sybil@SybilSummers.com. See you there!

   *Trivia answer: Don Meredith (Mount Vernon), John Roach (Highland Park), Jerry Rhome (Sunset), Wade Wilson (Commerce), Clint Stoerner (Baytown) and Stephen McGee (Burnet).

   *Today? With Pizza Buzz up and running about as smooth as we could expect less than two weeks in, I've suddenly got a sliver of free time. Hello Lifetime Fitness, me and my love handles have missed you. Don't be a stranger.

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WHITT'S END: 11.4.13

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

   *Let me get this get straight: When Tony Romo throws a late-game interception against the Broncos he "always" chokes. But when he throws a late-game touchdown against the Vikings he's "lucky" he was playing a 1-7 opponent. Yep, seems like you're judging him on a totally fair and rational scale.

   *Cowboys 27, Vikings 23: My Top 10 Whitty Comments are over at NBC 5's Blue Star Blog.

   *A 30-year-old bullying a teammate? Threatening texts and racially charged voice mails? Where was all this drama in 2012 while we were all bored to death by Hard Knocks: Miami Dolphins? And, no, for those of you asking: Richie Cognito is not my nefarious alter ego. Yet.

   *Two of the worst words you can hear: "Let's talk." "It's flat." And, of course, "Fall Back." I love the NBA and I'm a kid at Christmas, but I'm always bummed this time of year by setting the clocks back an hour. We'll burn through the extra hour of sleep in a day or two, but the diminished daylight and looming cold weather will be here to stay for months. Can't wait until March 9, when we get to Spring Forward.

   *Hey, um, "baseball town", what gives? Last week's decisive Game 6 of the World Series drew only a 7.9 TV rating in Dallas-Fort Worth, ranking 38th out of the country's 56 metered markets. In Boston it earned a 55.5.

   *Hot.

   *Not.

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   *Had interesting chats with Tony Casillas and Chad Hennings over the weekend about life and the current state of the NFL. Both guys have multiple Super Bowl rings as Cowboys' defensive linemen in the '90s. And both guys are distinctly disillusioned by not only today's game, but today's breed of player. It's good-ol'-day syndrome, sure, but I think it's shared by a lot of us who remember enjoying a very different brand of NFL. Casillas, by the way, got a kick-ass cake at his half-a-hundred soiree.

   *Don't trust ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) on Twitter. Sunday morning it Tweeted the following stat: Since 2011, Cowboys are 16-1 vs teams under .500 .... Wow! But it didn't feel right, because it isn't. Actually since 2011 the Cowboys have lost to the 4-7 Cardinals ('11), the 0-1 Seahawks and 6-8 Saints ('12), and the 1-2 Chargers ('13).

   *Pamela Anderson ran the New York City Marathon Sunday. Which seems like great excuse to toast her impressive achievement by watching her give a lap dance to Howard Stern.

   *At the car wash over the weekend a couple of 30-somethings were chatting when one asked the other to hand her the newspaper. Her: "Do you have the comics?" Him: "What you do read? I read Dilbert and Family Circus and  ..." What. The. What?! People still read the newspaper? People still read the funnies?

   *You know what else I'm tired of? Everything NBA arenas chanting "M-V-P!" when their star goes to the free-throw line. Watched Mavs-Rockets Friday night - Game 2 of the season - and Houston fans were already serenading James Harden. Game 2. Of 82. A tad premature.

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   *Selena Gomez was at the game yesterday and she'll back to sing on Thanksgiving. She used to bang Justin Bieber. She's not as hot as a Cowboys Cheerleader. And, there, you've exhausted my knowledge of Selena Gomez. (And either that was a totally impromptu pic, or else a very confusing use of a trash can as background prop.)

   *As I've said, I'm intrigued by this year's Mavericks. But I can't help from having my enthusiasm dampened by watching Vince Carter shooting perimeter jumpers in crunch time. He's been a great player for a long time, but he's not part of the future and he shouldn't be a part of the game-deciding present.

   *Eight hand-offs in a game - 8! Cowboys have never had fewer in franchise history. You can beat the Vikings with that lack of offensive balance (51 drop-backs), but not the Saints.

   *Happy birthday Dez Bryant, who today is 25 ... going on 15.

   *A Cowboys' win = Free pizza. Today at Pizza Buzz it's our "CowBuzz" Special. Buy one pizza, get one free. Any size. Any style. Any toppings. And, yes, it's our good pizza. Not some skimpy version with sparse toppings because they beat only the Vikings. Bon Appetit.

   *Today? There's the engagement ring, and then there's the wedding band. The latter gets ordered today. Thank you for your continued patronage of DFWSportatorium.com. Mama needs food shoes shelter bling. Don't be a stranger.

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WHITT'S END: 11.1.13

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

   *The Cowboys have the best record in the NFL. You heard me. Heart-breaking losses be damned, they are a league-leading 7-1 in the only record that matters to a lot of folks - Against The Spread. Then: America's Team. Now: Las Vegas' Team. Let's investigate the numbers over at NBC 5's Blue Star Blog.

   *While I maintain he's trending toward T.O., there are some knuckleheads who want to believe Dez Bryant is merely channeling Michael Irvin. I was a beat writer for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram who covered every Irvin practice and game during the '90s and, trust me, he never ever never threw a sideline tantrum - founded upon positive language but laced with negative body language - like Dez did last Sunday in Detroit. Don't believe me? Fine, take it from Irvin himself. "I love Dez's passion," Irvin said this week on former teammate Tony Casillas' radio show in Oklahoma City. "But a thing you would never see me do is go after Troy. It's counter-productive. I'm not coming in Troy's face talking all loud and crazy."

   *We're three days into NBA and I'm already tired of something: ESPN continually salivating over the Clippers as "Lob City." I like watching Chris Paul feed Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan for dunks as much as anyone. It's just that I'm insulted by the lame nickname. no No NO! Not "Lob City." It should be "Lob Angeles." As in, the Los Lob Angeles Clippers. How are they missing on this one? Too easy? Seems like a, um, layup.

   *Don't understand all the uproar over the U.S.' covert spying on allies, adversaries and, yes, even us citizens via the National Security Agency. Information is a powerful weapon. (In fact, if they're passing out Superhero powers you can have flying or strength, I'll take mind-reading.) We need it. And, yes, I'll say it: Spy on me all you want. I got nothing to hide. Well, not much anyway. Of all our precious freedoms, the right to not be under surveillance is one I never much coveted.

   *I'll admit, for a brief moment - basically the first half of their first game back on Sept. 9 - I thought Chip Kelly and the Philadelphia Eagles had re-invented and revolutionized offensive football in the NFL. They were lightning fast. They were scary good. And now ... they suck. The same Cowboys' defense that surrendered 623 yards to the Lions limited the Eagles to just a field goal. And last week in a loss to the Giants, Philly's only points came on a botched New York punt-snap for a touchdown. Now the question is who's been worse: Kelly or Monte Kiffin?

   *Hot.

   *Not.

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   *There is very little, if any, jazz in Utah. L.A. isn't exactly littered with lakes. Not sure you'll encounter a pack of Grizzly Bears near Memphis. But I am certain that you'll now find this mascot at New Orleans' home NBA games. It's a Pelican. And he goes by Pierre. I'd trade Rowdy and a 7th for him right now.

   *What's up with all these freak finales in sports? In the World Series we had games end on an obstruction call and a pick-off, and last night - for only the third time ever - an NFL game ended on an overtime safety as the Dolphins sacked the Bengals. I blame the Obamacare website.

   *Two guarantees: Jay Ratliff will play football this year (Chiefs or Bears?). And the Cowboys will promptly launch legal action against them to recoup the millions they dumped on him.

   *I support President Obama. But I can't argue with his approval rating dipping to an all-time low. He's overseen some crap that's pushed him down to 42 percent. That said, I'd vote for him for a third term. Because I vividly remember his predecessor and the bad ol' days of 22 percent. Perhaps you'd conveniently forgotten?

   *Love me some Mark Cuban. And I hope the Mavs beat the Rockets tonight and jump to a 2-0 start. But the  owner whining that Dallas lost out on Dwight Howard simply because "he made a mistake a judgment" is just sour grapes. Howard coveted playing with James Harden more than he did 35-year-old Dirk Nowitzki. Much as it pains me to say it, I can't blame him.

   *Florida State 31, Miami 21. I wish I had $1 for every time I've seen "Wide Right" this week.

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   *When I screw up I admit it. And yesterday in my haste to transition from blog to pizza I somehow committed blasphemy. Dear Paul Stanley, I am fully aware you were a guitarist for KISS and not the drummer. I've honored you for three decades. Please accept my most sincere apology. Does the fact that I delivered an order of Pizza Buzz in your mask help or hurt my case?

   *Tough loss for the Bengals with Geno Atkins out for the season via torn ACL. He's a monster, probably the best defensive tackle in the NFL. But ESPN analyst Darren Woodson called him a "once in a lifetime player." Really?

   *While we're watching the Cowboys improve to 5-4, Sybil will be at Sue Ellen's in the Gayborhood hosting a Rock-A-Bully party benefiting her fave charity, DFW Rescue Me.

   *Cowboys 34, Vikings 17.

   *Why don't we all just open a casino in Vegas? It's a no-brainer. In September, Nevada casinos made a profit of $40 million off of legal sports betting. Wow! Impressive, no? Then consider this: In the same time those same casinos combined to rake in a profit of $216 million from ... penny slot machines.

   *Tony Romo became the Cowboys' starting quarterback on Oct. 29, 2006 and has held the position for seven straight years. In that same time frame, the Vikings have gone through 11 different quarterbacks: Brad Johnson. Tavaris Jackson. Kelly Holcombe. Brooks Bollinger. Gus Frerotte. Brett Favre. Joe Webb. Donovan McNabb. Christian Ponder. Matt Cassell. Josh Freeman. Yikes.

   *This weekend? Let's ring in November with a day at Pizza Buzz. Saturday morning is tennis, followed by former Cowboy Tony Casillas' 50th birthday party. Sunday, of course, is Cowboys-Vikings. And Sunday night I'll be yapping on TV about the Cowboys' high-scoring win on NBC 5. Don't be a stranger.

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