I'm Going Bowling!

No not the game involving pins, but the one with the pigskin. Yes, that's right, I will be attending the All-American Armed Forces Bowl on Monday. The game features Cal vs. Air Force. I am looking forward to seeing Cal in person because they might be the fastest team in the country with DeSean Jackson leading the way. He is easily one of the top 5 WRs in the nation and at QB is Nate Longshores who has battled injuries this year but is still a top-tier QB. Air Force has 25 guys from Texas on their roster including at least one guy from the Metroplex. It will be interesting to see how big the crowd is with two teams out of state and I have never been to TCU's football stadium so I will be making a report on that as well. I have only been to 3 college football stadiums: Floyd Casey Stadium (Waco), Kyle Field (College Station), and Razorback Stadium (Fayetteville). This week I will have a full report of the game along with some other games that peak my interest most notably the Rose Bowl!

Predictions sure to go wrong:

Cal 42, Air Force 24
USC 35, Illinois 17
LSU 27, Ohio St. 20

Rangers Offseason Report

The Rangers have done little to improve upon a struggling team from last year. I have to admit that I like the Josh Hamilton trade that went down last week, but other than that nothing gets me excited about next season. I talked to West great and former World Series hero, Scott Podsednik, about a return to Rangers organization late last month but he had not heard anything. Frankly I don't know where the Rangers would put him if they had him. They are stocked full of #4 outfielders and they don't need another one. As of right now the lineup looks like this:

C-Jarrod Saltalamacchia/ Gerald Laird
1B-Chris Shelton/Brian Broussard
2B-Ian Kinsler
3B-Hank Blalock
SS-Michael Young
LF-Marlon Byrd
CF-Josh Hamilton
RF-Milton Bradley (if healthy)
DH-Bradley/ Jason Botts

Bench
Nelson Cruz, Frank Catalanotto, David Murphy

Rotation
Kevin Millwood
Vincente Padilla
Brandon McCarthy
Kason Gabbard
Kameron Loe/ Eric Hurley, Others

Closer-C.J. Wilson

Notes: The Rangers management is saying there is a chance Milton Bradley will be healthy come opening day, but I am not buying that. Expect him to DH for the first couple of months with either Cruz in RF or Byrd and Catalanotto in LF. Keith Law from espn.com says that with the acquisition ofHamilton in CF, that he quickly becomes the best one we have had at that position in the last decade. We gave Volquez in return for him and though Edison showed some promise, he was not consistent enough. Hamilton is a bit of a risk with his troubled past and his injury trouble, but he can provide some power we were lacking in the middle of the lineup and he has a strong arm to play center. When it comes to the rotation with Volquez out, that now leaves a vacant spot and many fans would like to see Hurley fill the void. The thing with Hurley is that he lacks the experience and he struggled in AAA when he was called up there last year. I had hoped that a team would have been dumb enough to take Padilla's contract but that was just wishful thinking on my part so it looks like we are stuck with him for the next two years. The catcher position is still up in the air with Laird and Salty both looking to be the starter. Laird is a great defensive catcher and I had hoped he would be great trade bait but it did not pan out. If he had any offensive capabilities I would be screaming from the rooftops for him to start but alas he is just poor at hitting. Now there is also a question of just how good is Salty's defense and can he carry the load of handling the pitchers and throwing out would-be base stealers. Nobody questions if Salty can hit so maybe the solution is for him to play first and keep Laird as the starter, but Laird has to show that he can put up some offensive numbers. The Rangers are still looking at Bartolo Colon and Jason Jennings to fill a rotation spot but both are coming back from injuries and they are high risk possibilities. Sadly enough nobody should expect much from this team next year. The bullpen looks fine but there are too many question marks surrounding the rest of the team for them to compete with the Angels who are becoming the Evil Empire of the West.

Cowboys and Pats talk

The Cowboys play Sunday at 3:15 against Washington with the Redskins looking for a chance at the playoffs. As of earlier today, the Skins were a six point favorite and that sounds about right to me. Do not look for the Cowboys to come out and play their starters the entire game or the first half for that matter. Be looking for players Brad Johnson and Bobby Carpenter to get plenty of playing time and for Julius Jones to get at least 20 carries. After T.O.'s injury last week you can't expect Wade to play his starters for long in case of injury. It would be nice to see Terry Glenn get out there and get some reps but I don't know if they would even want to risk him in this case. The Cowboys have nothing to play for and should rest everybody. The risk is that the Cowboys will be rusty when it comes time to play in the playoffs, but they will be at home in front of a crazy crowd and there should be no problem being ready to play either the Bucs or the Seahawks.

Prediction: Washington 24, Cowboys 14

Should the Pats go for 16-0?

I think they should try to win the game, but much like the Cowboys they should and will rest their starters. The Giants will be doing the same thing since they are already have a lock on a playoff spot and therefore the Pats have a good chance at going through their season undefeated. Look for Matt Cassell (USC alum) to get plenty of playing time in replace of Brady and he is a viable backup that should be able to move the ball against the Giants J.V.

Prediction: Pats 17, Giants 10

I'm Back!

Thanks to the miracle that is a wireless network, I am back and will be writing more frequently. I have many things to talk about including what the Rangers have done this offseason and the success of the Cowboys. I will also touch on the crazy season that was college football and the Mavericks recent struggles. All of this will be covered in the near future. I am back with a vengeance!

BB Top 25

As of Week 6:

#1 LSU--6-0
#2 Cal--5-0
#3 Ohio St.--6-0
#4 B.C.--6-0
#5 OU--5-1
#6 USF--5-0
#7 Oregon--4-1
#8 Mizzou--5-0
#9 W.V.--4-1
#10 USC--4-1
#11 Florida--4-2
#12 South Car.--5-1
#13 Ariz. St.--6-0
#14 Hawaii--6-0
#15 V.T.--5-1
#16 Kentucky--5-1
#17 Cincinnati--6-0
#18 Illinois--5-1
#19 Wisconsin--5-1
#20 Kansas--5-0
#21 FSU--4-1
#22 A&M--5-1
#23 Auburn--4-2
#24 Purdue--5-1
#25 Texas Tech--5-1

In: #18 Illinois, #20 Kansas, #22 A&M, #23 Auburn, #25 Texas Tech
Out: #17 Georgia, #21 KSU, #22 Nebraska, #23 Rutgers, #25 Mich. St.

Breakdown by Conference

SEC--5
Big 12--5
Pac 10--4
Big East--4
Big 10--3
ACC-3
WAC--1

BB Top 25

As of Week 5:

#1 USC--4-0
#2 LSU--5-0
#3 Cal--5-0
#4 Ohio St.--5-0
#5 USF--4-0
#6 B.C.--5-0
#7 Wisc.--5-0
#8 Kentucky--5-0
#9 Florida--4-1
#10 OU--4-1
#11 Oregon--4-1
#12 West Va.--4-1
#13 Mizzou--4-0
#14 Hawaii--5-0
#15 Ariz. St.--5-0
#16 Purdue--5-0
#17 Georgia--4-1
#18 South Car.--4-1
#19 Va. Tech--4-1
#20 Cincinnati--5-0
#21 Kansas St.--3-1
#22 Nebraska--4-1
#23 Rutgers--3-1
#24 Florida St. 3-1
#25 Mich. St.--4-1

In: #21 Kansas St., #24 Florida St., #25 Mich. St.
Out: #8 Texas, #20 Alabama, #23 Penn St.

Breakdown by Conference

SEC--5
PAC10--4
Big10--4
Big East--4
Big 12--4
ACC--3
WAC--1

BB Top 25

As of Week 4:

#1 LSU--4-0
#2 USC--3-0
#3 OU--4-0
#4 Florida--4-0
#5 West Va.--4-0
#6 Cal--4-0
#7 Ohio St.--4-0
#8 U.T.--4-0
#9 Wisc.--4-0
#10 Oregon--4-0
#11 B.C.--4-0
#12 Rutgers--3-0
#13 Clemson--4-0
#14 Kentucky--4-0
#15 Georgia--3-1
#16 Hawaii--4-0
#17 Mizzou--4-0
#18 USF--3-0
#19 South Car.--3-1
#20 Alabama--3-1
#21 V.T.--3-1
#22 Arizona St.--4-0
#23 Penn St.--3-1
#24 Cincinnati--4-0
#25 Purdue--4-0

Dropped Out: #21 Texas A&M, #22 Louisville, #25 Nebraska
New this Week: #21 Arizona St., #24 Cincinnati, #25 Purdue

Breakdown by Conference

SEC-6
Pac10-4
Big10-4
Big East-4
Big12-3
ACC-3
WAC-1

Another Black Eye for Big 12

Miami 34, Texas A&M 17

The score doesn't indicate how bad the Ags played in this game. It was 31-0 at the end of the third quarter and the Aggie defense made Miami QB Wright look like a Heisman candidate. This is the same Miami team that was ran off the field by the Sooners 51-13 just a couple of weeks ago. Check the video to the left that has the Aggie defending Fran the WO-man. This is a spoof of a video blog by this guy named Chris Crocker defending Britney Spears. It is very well done and it explains what I have been talking about among family for weeks: If you are wanting a mediocre team, then Fran is the Man! But if the Ags ever want to get back to the R.C. Slocum days, they are going to have to look for another coach. If Fran stays, then get use seeing more games like last night and last year's bowl game against Cal.

BB Top 25

As of Week 3:

#1 LSU--3-0
#2 OU--3-0
#3 USC--2-0
#4 Florida--3-0
#5 West Va.--3-0
#6 Cal--3-0
#7 Ohio St.--3-0
#8 Penn St. 3-0
#9 Wisc.--3-0
#10 Texas--3-0
#11 B.C.--3-0
#12 Oregon--3-0
#13 Rutgers--3-0
#14 South Car.--3-0
#15 Clemson--3-0
#16 Alabama--3-0
#17 Kentucky--3-0
#18 Hawaii--3-0
#19 Missouri--3-0
#20 South Fla.--2-0
#21 Texas A&M--3-0
#22 Louis.--2-1
#23 Georgia--2-1
#24 Virginia Tech--2-1
#25 Nebraska--2-1

Out: #10 UCLA, #15 Georgia Tech, #20 Arkansas
In: #16 Alabama, #17 Kentucky, #24 Virginia Tech

The New Galloway and Company!

BB Top 25

As of Week 2:

1. LSU--2-0
2. Oklahoma--2-0
3. USC--2-0
4. Florida--2-0
5. West Vir.--2-0
6. Texas--2-0
7. Wisconsin--2-0
8. Cal--2-0
9. Louisville--2-0
10. UCLA--2-0
11. Ohio St.--2-0
12. Penn St.--2-0
13. Rutgers--2-0
14. Nebraska--2-0
15. Georgia Tech--2-0
16. Oregon--2-0
17. South Car.--2-0
18. Clemson--2-0
19. Boston College--2-0
20. Arkansas--1-0
21. Missouri--2-0
22. South Florida--2-0
23. Hawaii--2-0
24. Texas A&M--2-0
25. Georgia--1-1

Bring on the comments, but don't make them ignorant!

Big XII South Roundup

Texas 21, Arkansas St. 13

I am going to go ahead and say that this was the biggest surprise of the weekend. My Big XII champion struggles with a Sun Belt team. This week the Horns play TCU and if they play like they played on Saturday, look out Austin.

Oklahoma 79, UNT 10

At least Bob Stoops is consistent: He will never let off the gas on a team. I picked the Zeros to be 11-1 and this made me feel good about that pick even if it was against the Dodges. Fun fact: In Todd Dodge's first game as UNT coach, he gives up the school record for points in a game. Fun fact #2: That was Dodge's first loss since 2003 in the state championship game.

A&M 38, Montana St. 7

This one was closer than the score shows. At time A&M struggled against the same team that beat Colorado last year in Week 1. Eventually the Ags pulled away and made it look like a decent win. Fran survives for another week.

Georgia 35, OSU 14

I was hoping for a good Big XII upset with this one, but alas it did not happen. It was interesting for a little while but the Bulldogs were too much for the Cowboys.

Texas Tech 49, SMU 9

For all the talk that SMU has a good team this year and looking to go to a bowl for the first time in 25 years: This was a little bit of a shock. I expected to wake up this morning and find that it was a good game on national t.v. and the ponies held their own. If you have looked at my predictions for the year, Tech is a team I don't think too highly of this year but I still picked them to win this one. Look at Big XII South, Tech is scarier than I thought. They may not warrant a 5th place finish.

TCU 27, Baylor 0

Did I think that Baylor good pull off the upset? Not really. Did I think that Baylor would at least score and make it a decent game for national t.v.? Absolutely. Especially with Tommy Blake out of the game and RB Aaron Brown hurt in the first quarter. The Bears defense held the Frogs for the first half and the offense moved the ball at times but could not put it in the endzone. This is not the way to start off the year, but on the other hand look for the Frogs to make it a game against the Horns this weekend.

Big XII South Preview: Texas A&M

2006: 9-4--(5-3) 2007:BB Prediction 8-4--(5-3)

Offense
Returning Starters: 8
2006: 34th in Scoring, 8th in Rushing, 72nd in Passing, 18th Overall

The offense begins and ends with QB Stephen McGee (2,295 yds, 12TDs, 2INTs) but he has plenty of help this year. A&M has both RBs returning, thunder (Lane) and lightning (Goodson), and the rest of the offense is loaded with upperclassmen. They should be able to control the line of scrimmage, but the question remains: Will there be enough of a passing game to keep defenses from loading the "Box"?

Defense
Returning Starters: 6
2006: 44th in Scoring, 55th in Rushing, 44th in Passing, 46th Overall

Much like the offense, the defense is stacked with upperclassmen and the beasts up front lead the way. DL Red Bryant is a good NFL prospect and DE Chris Harrington is to the defense like McGee is to the offense. LBs Dodge and Tupe have experience in the middle and in the secondary CBs Gorrer and Peterson are back for 2007 along with FS Gregg.

Overall
A&M has a shot at the Big XII title, but their schedule is not favorable:

2007 Schedule Predicted:
S.1 Montana St.--W
S.8 Fresno St.--W
S.15 UL Monroe--W
S.20 at Miami--L
S.29 Baylor--W
O.6 OSU--W
O.13 at Texas Tech--W
O.20 at Nebraska--L
O.27 Kansas--W
N.3 at OU--L
N.10 at Missouri--L
N.23 Texas--W

Questions

Can McGee throw the ball enough to keep defenses at bay?
Is A&M capable of pulling an upset on the road against either Miami, Mizzou, Nebraska, or OU?
Does Fran keep his job after this year?
When will these Farmers ever be consider a top-tier Big XII team?

Big XII South Preview:OU

2006: 10-3--(7-1)--2007:BB Prediction 11-1--(7-1) Holiday Bowl

Offense
Returning Starters: 7
2006: 19th in Scoring, 17th in Rushing, 70th in Passing, 40th Overall

The offense starts with inexperienced redshirt freshman, Sam Bradford, but there is plenty of veterans surrounding him including potential All-Big XII WR, Malcolm Kelly (993 yds, 10TDs). Zero-U has an experienced O-line and also RB Allen Patrick (761 yds, 4TDs). He is not listed as a returning starter but has plenty of PT because Adrian Peterson was hurt for a good portion of last season. He is cut from the same cloth as AD and should fuel the OU offense.

Defense
Returning Starters:7
2006:19th in Scoring, 16th in Rushing, 41st in Passing, 16th Overall

The defense finds their strength in the secondary with potential All-Big XII players: CB Reggie Smith, CB Marcus Walker, and FS Nic Harris. Smith could be an All-American by season's end and Harris returns as the leading tackler and INT's from last year. The rest of the defense has some question marks but there is plenty of upperclassmen in those ranks.

2007 Schedule Predicted

S.1 North Texas--W
S.8 Miami--W
S.15 Utah State--W
S.21 at Tulsa--W
S.29 at Colorado--W
O.6 Texas--L
O.13 Missouri--W
O.20 at Iowa St.--W
O.27 OSU--W
N.3 Texas A&M--W
N.10 Baylor--W
N.17 at Texas Tech--W

2007 Questions

Will Bradford be able to drive the offense?
Will the bookends on the D-Line step up and put pressure on opposing QBs?
Will another WR be able to be a consistent #2 to offset Kelly?
Is this team capable of another BCS game?

Big XII South Preview: Texas

Longhorn 2007 Season Preview:

2006: 10-3 (6-2)---2007 BB prediction: 11-1 (7-1) Big XII Champion
Offense
Returning starters: 7
2006: 6th in scoring, 34th in rushing, 33rd in passing, 22nd total
The offense is led by one of the best quarterbacks in the country, Colt McCoy, (29TDs, 7Int last season) and has a great wide receiver corp: Sweed, Pittman, and Cosby. A little side note for you is that I played against Cosby and his brother all through my little league baseball years. In fact Quan Cosby walked me with the bases loaded once that won the game for my team. Anyways, Charles returns now as the #1 RB, but the O-line lost three key parts and that remains the only question on offense.

Defense
Returning starters: 7
2006: 26th in scoring, 3rd best run defense, 99th in passing, 22nd total
The defense has a new coordinator with Chizik going to ISU has the head coach, Duane Akina. He is Mack Brown's longtime secondary coach, the same secondary that helped the team become 99th in passing last year. FS Michael Griffin is the returning tackler from last year (90 total) but the rest of the secondary is unproven. I will say that the defense is loaded with upperclassmen.

2007 Schedule Predicted

S.1 Arkansas State--W
S.8 TCU--W
S.15 at UCF--W
S.22 Rice--W
S.29 Kansas St.--W
O.6 Oklahoma--W
O.13 at Iowa St.--W
O.20 at Baylor--W
O.27 Nebraska--W
N.3 at Oklahoma St.--W
N.10 Texas Tech--W
N.23 at Texas A&M--L

2007 Questions
Is the O-line going to be good enough?
Will the secondary improve?
With a weak non-conference schedule can the Horns sweep through the schedule?
Will any more players get arrested?

Bold Big XII Predictions

Here are my predictions for the Big XII:
South
UT 7-1--11-1
OU 7-1--11-1
A&M 5-3--8-4
OSU 4-4--7-5
Tech 3-5--7-5
Baylor 1-7--4-8

North
Missouri 7-1--11-1
Neb. 6-2--8-4
KSU 4-4--7-5
Kansas 2-6--5-7
CU 2-6--3-9
ISU 0-8--3-9

Big XII Championship: UT over Missouri

So here is how I see it play out. I have UT beating OU, but A&M beating UT for the second year in a row. Mizzou's lone conference loss is @ OU. This year the conference looks a little top heavy with Tech dropping off this year. Overall eight teams are still bowl eligible and all having at least 7 wins.
Next: I will be previewing each of the South division teams.

USC #1

We are quickly approaching the best time of the year: college football season. Questions to be answered as the season goes on: Will USC lose a game? Who will win the Big 12? Is the SEC the best conference? Who will play USC in the big game? Will A&M ever amount to anything?

These are the questions that are begging to be answered this season. One other note for you non-USC fans out there: Did they clone Reggie Bush? The answer is no, I think. The new BMOC is RB/WR/everything Joe McKnight who continues to impress every media mind from across the country that happen to watch a USC practice. This guy ran back 16 kickoffs for 6 points in high school and last Sunday ran back a 74-yard punt return for a touchdown in the USC scrimmage. He also left the #1 LB in the country, Keith Rivers, in his tracks and many others everyday in practice. The coaches for USC are trying to keep this guy under wraps, but is name is quickly spreading across the country. He is the next best thing for the Men of Troy.

If you want me to talk about your team, just ask and I will gather all my resources, but until then we will talk about the best team in the country.

Cows Win! Cows Win!

Cow fans are planning a trip to Arizona in early February after that win last night over the Colts. The 23-10 win looked fair considering it was a pre-season game and the fact that Manning played for eight snaps. The lone touchdown from the Colts was to none other than Trent Shelton, Baylor WR and North Crowley alum. I missed more than half of the game so I can't give much analysis so I look forward to some comments from y'all out there. I will be watching Bills-Saints 2nite.

Book' Em Horns

There is an article in the Austin American Statesman about trouble in Longhorn land. Eight players have been arrested since the 2006 Rose Bowl. Included in that is seven felonies from armed robbery to pointing a gun at a 14 year-old kid. Longhorn fans don't laugh at Zero-U fans because your program looks more troubled at the moment. The paper calls out Mack Brown to do something about his troubled program, but this is the same guy that didn't do anything about his two players arrested before the 2006 Rose Bowl game. I know, I know I am a USC apologist and I don't shy away from that but this is not USC country and so therefore I will talk more about the Big 12.

Big 12 could be Big 14

Rumor out there that Mizzou could be going to the Big 10 (which is the Big 11) and that would leave the Big 12 at eleven teams. Instead of adding one team, the Big 12 would add three teams. Who are these three teams?
TCU
BYU
Utah
Now as a Baylor fan I would be all for this because it waters down the conference. I am not talking about from a football standpoint but in all sports. For those ignorant fans out there, Baylor has finished in the upper echelon of the Big 12 four of the last five years in the All-Sports standings.

Eddie Jones to Mavs

The Mavs signed Eddie Jones to a two-year deal today. Jones played for the Grizzlies and Heat last year and while playing for the Heat he average 10 points and 4 boards. This signing does not get me excited and once again this means that another young player is sent to the curb.

Mavs sign Barea

Mavs have signed back-up PG J.J. Barea to the league minimum for this year which is something I have been waiting for. Barea has great potential to be a Steve Nash type of point guard in this league. In other news, Mavs are competing with the Suns for P.J. Brown. Brown is contemplating retirement which to me does not sound like somebody I would want. Lets keep our young players or get a C-Webb or a Matt Barnes but not a guy going into a retirement home.

Training Camp Talk

I went talk more about the Cows once the preseason games start, but for now I will occasionally talk training camp. WR Terry Glenn will be sidelined for the next two weeks and T.O. is not participating for the 2nd day in a row. First preseason game is next Thursday and that is when Cow Talk will start to heat up.

Daniels gets "A" for Trades

I recently posted a blog about Daniels lack of good trades, but now that seems like ages ago. Around the nation people are praising Daniels for the trades he made at the deadline. Rangers got 5 players in return for Tex and pitcher Ron Mahay. Then yesterday made a deal for the rent-a-player Gagne that brought back 3 players. One of those players is Kason Gabbard who immediately goes into the starting rotation and becomes our 2nd or 3rd best pitcher. He should get the start on Thursday and Salty starts tonight at first base. The Rangers now seem to have a plan and a future, something they have not had in a long time.

Tex to learn Tomahawk Chop

Tex and Left-handed relief pitcher, Ron Mahay, were traded today to the Braves for C/1B Salty, SS Elvis Andrus, RHP Feliz, and a player to be named later. The other player could be LHP Matt Harrison who has been named on this blog, but the hold up is his shoulder. He recently was sent down over a shoulder strain. According to Baseball America, Salty is the Braves' #1 prospect, Elvis is #2, Harrison #3, and Feliz #18. On the surface level this looks like a good trade for Daniels. In a previous blog I documented Daniels' trades in the past and they were not good. This trade looks very promising and what remains to be seen is how this will affect catcher Gerald Laird. One source from ESPN.com says that Salty is immediately a top 10 catcher in the AL, but for now he should play 1B.

Welcome Back Cruz

Nelson Cruz when he went down to AAA had these stats for the Rangers: .188AVG, 3HR, 12RBI. He goes down there and knocks the cover off the ball and comes back with a new batting stance and confidence. It showed in his first game back when he hit 2 home runs and 5 RBIs. This is the Nelson Cruz that we thought we were getting at the trade deadline last year and it's good to see him back. This is the biggest part of the Lofton trade because it gave us a roster spot for Cruz. The Rangers want to trade Sosa for the same reasons this time being Botts would come up from AAA.

Last note: Gagne might be traded after all to either the Yankees, Red Sox or the Mets.

To Appease My Fans

Well according to at least one source of mine, the baseball season is over in Texas. I would tend to agree, but trade talks are all sorts of fun for me and others. This is why I have focused my attention on the Rangers and I only talked about the Astros per request.

Mavs Talk

Yes it is true that C-Webb might be coming to the Metroplex, but I have mixed feelings on this matter. We already signed Brandon Bass, 6-8 PF from the Big Easy, which leaves Pops on the outside looking in. We only have so many spots on the roster for these free agents. Bass was impressive in Summer League, but I would have rather kept Pops and see what he could have done this year. Barea had a great summer league and the Mavs have until Aug.1 to sign him which according to Barea's agent it looks like they will. Now C-Webb is not getting younger and according to Mark Followill, Mavs T.V. play-by-play man, Webber played too many minutes with the Pistons last year and started to break down as the season progressed. If he can maintain a balance of 20-25 than he could be a productive player for the Mavs. He shoots the ball well and he is an above average ball distributor. It remains to be seen if he is signed who is left out to dry.

Cow Talk

With training camp just heating up there is not much on the Cow radar. "The player" is behaving himself and if I have to hear one more question to Wade about Bill I think I will go nuts. It's not fair to either one, yet the reporters keep poking that big stick into Wade's side. One of Bills' boys was cut the first day of practice, Matt Baker. A QB from UNC was one of the Tuna's favorites yet was shown the door early. I am excited to see what Hamlin can do to protect Roy in the secondary and we will see what kind of year Ware can have in this new and maybe improved 3-4 defense.

Keep sending in requests and I will do my best to come through for you.

Astros Talk for Kyle

The Astros have been in a dogfight (no pun intended for all those Vick fans) this year for the cellar of the NL central. This is the same NL central that is the worst division in baseball. Currently the Astros are 13 under .500 and 12 games out of first place. They have won 6 of 10 but lost yesterday 9-4 to the Fathers. Their 2B Mark Loretta is currently being shop around to many would be takers and there was talk of closer Brade Lidge moving but that has cooled as of late. Ex-Ranger Carlos Lee is having a great year batting around .300 and has 84 RBIs and has many people know Craig Biggio hit his 3,000 hit several weeks back. He also announce that his last game will be Sept. 30 in which he would like to play catcher one last time.

There is Astros talk and like I said in my first blog I will discuss topics that are brought up, but that might be my last Astros talk for awhile. Honestly, who likes the Astros?

Bonds hits #754

OK, with Bonds hitting #754 last night and one away from tying the great record, I felt he was finally worth talking about. I read Game of Shadows which is a great book and I learned a lot about steroids not only in baseball, but in all sports. I highly recommend reading it before anyone thinks Bonds is innocent. Despite Bonds juicing and enormous head size, he is an Hall of Famer. He has always been a great hitter but he used to be a 5-tool player and he has lost that over the last seven years. Bonds has over 2,900 hits, almost 2,000 RBIs, 2,500 walks, 514 stolen bases. The man that can barely run to first base does have over 500 stolen bases. Bonds in his heyday could play outfield with the best of them, hit with power, and had incredible speed. One can only speculate, but if Bonds had not done the drugs he still would have finished with over 500 home runs. He was caught up in all the hoopla surrounding McGwire and Sosa and he wanted a piece of that pie. It worked for him but not in a good way. Ask me what the single season home run record is and I will say, "61 by Roger Maris". I will treat the career record the same way, "755 by Hank Aaron". So when Bonds does hit #756, I will have to turn a blind eye.

Rangers get little in Return

The Rangers traded Lofton to the Indians for class A catcher Max Ramirez. He played in the Futures Game about a month back and his stats are promising: .303, 12 HR, 62 RBIs. One report I read said that this kid really doesn't have a position, but his bat is big league potential.

The latest Tex trade news is the Angels are coming on strong with their offers. The guys on the table are 1B Kotchman (.295/9/45-more walks than Ks), LHP Joe Saunders (4-0/2.87/6 starts), and one of many OF prospects. Originally they were offering Santana who has had success in the Majors, but the wheels fell off this year and he was sent back down to AAA. I am excited about Saunders since he is a lefty with a low ERA. The only thing is I don't want to see Tex play the Rangers 19 times a year.

Stay tune for the latest.

One last note: If they can't trade Sosa they will either bench or release him.

McCarthy-Danks Trade

With all these trade talks swirling around, who are we trusting to make the big moves? John Daniels is the man pulling all the strings for the Rangers. When hired he was the youngest GM in MLB history and so far his performance has been less than stellar.

The big moves he has made so far in his short tenure:

Soriano-Wilkerson=F--speaks for itself.

Adrian Gonzalez, Chris Young, Sledge---Otsuka, Eaton=Big time F--Young is now one of the best pitchers in the game and in fact I have him on my fantasy team and he is considered #1 starting pitcher. Gonzalez is one of the best young 1B in the NL and Eaton missed half the year last year for the Rangers. Otsuka has been great for us, but does not counter what Young and Gonzalez have done for the Priests.

Dellucci-Tejeda=C--Jury is still out on this trade because Tejeda started off this year hot but has since cooled and I can't remember the last time he won a start. Dellucci on the other hand was a fan favorite and did the little things for the Rangers much like a Rusty Greer, but since the trade he has moved from the Phils to the Indians and is batting .234.

Danks, Masset-McCarthy=??? Too early to tell, but so far it looks ugly.
Tale of the Tape:
Brandon McCarthy 2007: 4-7, 5.52ERA, 76+Innings, 46Ks, 36BB, 7-9 Team Record
John Danks: 6-7, 4.83ERA, 108 Innings, 81Ks, 42BB, 9-10 Team Record
Nick Masset: 2-3, 7.09ERA, 39 Innings, 21Ks, 26BB

The numbers say it all. As bad as those numbers look, McCarthy has been better since the first month and a half. As for Danks his numbers are far from impressive but he is younger and has less major league experience but look at the Ks/BB ratio. He has a lot more strikeouts and less walks per nine innings. The "other" guy in trade, Masset, has not done well for the Sox, but Danks is clearly overshadowing McCarthy so far regardless.

So there you have it, we are trusting are beloved Rangers to the same guy that made these trades. Are you wiping the puke off your mouth too? I think writing this blog has made me sick. Be back later.

Lofton to Cleveland?

I just heard on Espn Radio that Lofton was traded to the Indians but I do not know for whom and I am not finding any details. Stay tuned.

Other Rangers Moving?

Who honestly cares right now? Yes we could discuss Lofton to Cleveland or Gagne moving somewhere, Sosa to the Mets, and even possibly Aki to the Rockies, who cares? Everyone is talking about where Tex will go. Ken Rosenthal from Fox Sports within the hour reported that now the Braves are offering Salty, AA left handed pitcher Matt Harrison, and class A shortstop for ONLY Tex. These three are top prospects in the Atlanta Braves organization and Harrison's stats in AA run like this: 5-7, 3.39 ERA, 71Ks/116plus innings. I am a little disappointed with those numbers, but keep in mind that he is a lefty and the only lefty the Rangers have now close to majors is John Rheinecker who pitched this last Tuesday. We did have a good LHP in John Danks, but we threw in away (which I will discuss later). The guy in the Braves organization that I mentioned yesterday, Jo-Jo Reyes, has more impressive AA stats: 8-1, 3.56 ERA, 71Ks/73 innings, but he does not seem to be in the mix anymore. If the offer that I mentioned above is on the table I say, WHERE DO I SIGN? If you are the Rangers you do this now and Daniels would look so good doing it. There are even rumblings that Salty might play catcher, but where that leaves Gerald Laird who knows?
Stay tuned for the latest trade winds and coming up: Danks-McCarthy trade grade.

Ranger Trade Talk

I will cover most of the major sports, but in my mind the big thing in the sports world is the TRADING DEADLINE. The deadline is Tuesday July 31 I think around 3:00 p.m. CST. Espn.com has a countdown if you are dying to know down to the minute. Either way it is fast approaching and I am estastic! Rangers on the block are Tex, Aki, Gagne, Lofton, Sosa, Benoit, and maybe Wilkerson. Despite what some of you fellow sports geeks have heard: no, C.J. Wilson is not up for discussion. The Rangers would not get rid of a lefty that can throw 93-94mph and could be the Rangers closer in the future.
Who is most likely to be traded?
Tex, Tex, and Tex. The switch hitting power hitter is the most coveted player on the market leading up to the deadline and several teams are interested. The Braves and the Angels are leading the way with the Red Sox and the Yanks trailing behind. Many people say the Dodgers are in the hunt but with Loney (.362AVG, 4HR, 23RBI, 119ABs) playing the way he is at first, there is little or no chance they would want Tex.
What are we looking at getting in return?
The Braves would most likely put my Salty (.284AVG, 4HR, 12RBI, 141ABs), a switch hitting catcher that is attempting to play first base up on the block and a couple of prospects. Yes, I know I called him MY Salty because I have already fallen for this guy. Strictly in a manly sports way he is the MAN! The 22 year-old stud from Atlanta has lost some playing time with the addition of grandpa Julio Franco. No, is name is not Salty but it is really long and I am not going to spell it out for you. He is the Braves top prospect and we could get a young SS (for what reasons I don't know) and a solid pitching prospect. Hopefully fingers crossed, Jo-Jo Reyes.
What would we have to give up other than Tex?
Originally the Rangers were going to give Tex and only Tex in a deal with him, but lately talks are going on about adding Benoit or Ron Mahay, or yes even Gagne. Now if we give up Gagne and Tex to the same team they better give up their first born. Personally I want to keep Gagne and sign him to an extension and ship out Aki, set-up man.
Why have I spent time only on the Braves possible deals?
To me they are the only real players, but their owner is nortorious for not doing enough and that could hamper the deal. I mention the Angels and yes they are still serious contenders around the nation, but to me I don't see the Rangers shipping Tex in the same division and their first basemen, Casey Kotchman, is not as attractive prospect as Salty. The one thing the Angels have going for them is their owner is cut from the Mark Cuban mold and so he is willing to do what it takes to get somebody there if he wants them. That may bode well for the Rangers since GM John Daniels needs desperately to make this trade look right in the fans' eyes.
Tomorrow: Discuss other Rangers and possible deals and look back at Daniels debacle trade with the White Sox last off-season.

Why Post a Blog?

I will start the blog with one of the most obvious questions: Why bother?
Well, the simple answer is: Why not? I am an avid sports fan (especially DFW sports) and I would like my voice to be heard, but not just my voice but people I know and people who happen to stumble across this site. This will not just be my soapbox, but every body's soapbox. Feel free to put your two cents in while I put in two dollars. One rule when it comes to this blog: NO CUSSING! If you swear or use the Lord's name in vain I will delete your comment and your voice will not be heard on this website.
Next obvious question: What is up with the name?
Well I am of Czech descent and one of the regions in Eastern Europe is Bohemia and blah blah people from there are Bohemians. The other half of the title is the word banter. According to dictionary.com the word means "an exchange of light, playful, teasing remarks; good-natured raillery". How about that for a definition. That will sums up what usually comes out of my mouth referring to sports.
Next question: What are you going to talk about?
Since this is my blog, whatever I want to talk about, but if you have a topic or something that is of importance to you; I will consider it. One other thing, I do not care about proper English. As long as the spelling is close enough that is all we need. That remark will save my butt in the future and probably I should have put that comment in the beginning seeing how I am sure I have many mistakes already.
Next question: OK, so what are you going to talk about?
Oh yes, I didn't elaborate in the previous paragraph. I am a Cowboys, Mavericks, Rangers, Reds, USC Trojans, Baylor Bears (yes I said Baylor: Sic'Em Bears), Scott Podsednik, and any USC alumni fan. I think that about covers it, but I can and will surprise you. I know national sports and will blog about them from time to time whether it is the superhuman Bonds or PETA loving Michael Vick. Anything is Game.
With all that said I am very excited to get started and look forward to intelligent comments from everyone. YEAH RIGHT! If you say something stupid I will not hesitate to take your remarks out to the Woodshed!