I’m sports depressed these days. My Rangers have wrapped up their season after putting too much faith in the likes of the decrepit Lance Berkman and the suddenly season-long slumping David Murphy and the light-hitting for his position Mitch Moreland and the performance-enhanced and fifty game-banned Nelson Cruz.
Texas had the pitching, but they didn’t have the stix this year. Not that the head case Josh Hamilton would’ve added much if he’d stuck around. The Angels can have him. But, John Daniels was truly hoping for a best case scenario for this group of batters. Other than Adrian Beltre, the team had no power. And while you can scratch and claw and steal some runs here and there, you have to have a few bashers in the line-up to knock in the runs. Texas lacked that and it ultimately was their undoing. 90+ wins is a solid season and something to build on, but it still leaves me depressed after being spoiled with October baseball around here for the last few years.
This is the time of year when we’re a few games into the NFL season and that has me down in the dumps. One should never have to hate their favorite team, but I do. I’m a Cowboys lifer and I am so sick of hearing Jerry Jones proclaim every September that this team can go to the Super Bowl. It’s true. They can. If they buy tickets.
The Cowboys have been worse than bad, they’ve been mediocre. Even Jesus Christ said something about not being lukewarm. I would rather the Cowboys completely stink than keep up this win one, lose one trend.
I don’t know what it is with this team beyond the meddling owner who needs to stick to cutting deals with Pepsi and AT&T and Papa Johns and stay out of the team meetings. I know it sounds silly to tell the guy cutting the checks to butt out, but look at what Al Davis did to the Raiders with his insistence that he run the show.
I’ve always subscribed to the idea that you hire good people and get out of their way. It’s worked for years for the Patriots, Giants, Steelers and most other great football franchises. It would work with Dallas. Ah, but that’s a pipe dream. Jerry will only stop being part of football operations when the good lord dropkicks him through the goal posts of life. A fitting reward for his life would be having to watch an endless loop of Quincy Carter highlights.
So with the Cowboys in the midst of yet another suckfest, I’m left with the upstart Dallas Stars. They’ve not made the playoffs in years. They at least have promise with high profile new management and coaching and several young, new players. They’ll be fun to watch and provide some excitement, but until they get back into the post-season, it’s still just more wishful thinking for the Big D sports fan like me.
Then there’s the Dallas Mavericks. Basketball has always been my fourth favorite of the major sports and of course I was thrilled when Dirk and the guys finally go their championship a few years ago. But, admittedly, I’ll never be one to sit and watch every NBA game. In fact, I usually don’t pay much attention to it until the playoffs and usually only when the Mavericks are there.
I suppose there is one other favorite team I can try to lift me out of my sports depression…and that’s the Texas Longhorns. And yeah, not much hope their either. Time to show Mack the door.
Well there’s always my Sunday curling league.
That’s what I’m thinking.
Rick Hadley
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