Rangers Win AL West

The Texas Rangers are AL West champions again.

Josh Hamilton and Adrian Beltre hit long home runs and Craig Gentry had an inside-the-park homer in a 5-3 victory over Seattle on Friday night. About two hours later, the Rangers had their second consecutive division title after the Los Angeles Angels lost to Oakland.

The regular Friday night fireworks show went on as usual after the Rangers (91-66) finished their game.

Fans were then invited to stick around and watch the Angels on the stadium’s large video screen. Several thousand stayed and many of the Rangers players sat on the field with their families.

Rangers fans clapped and cheered on each of the Angels’ outs in the bottom of the ninth. Many of the players disappeared into the dugout when the second out was made, then charged out after the final out wearing AL West championship T-shirts while fireworks filled the sky again — this time in celebration.

It is the fifth division title for Texas, which last year went to its first World Series.

Si or No ?

Next season the Florida Marlins move to a new stadium in Miami and are taking a page from the California Angels who became the Anaheim Angels who became the Los Angeles Angels.

The Internet reeled in this week what the Florida Marlins aren’t denying will be their new logo in their new home, and we’d just like to point out that there are other fish in the sea.

Eliminated long ago from playoff contention, the Fish were more than likely looking forward to moving from Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., to their new home just down the road in Miami for the 2012 season. On Tuesday, a message board leaked what could very well be the team’s new logo, seen above right. ☀

¿Miami Marlins si or no?

☀The logo’s color scheme ads orange, yellow and white to the famed teal. Those new colors are being used in promotional material.

Texas Longhorns Continue to Oppose TCU in Big XII

With all nine Big 12 presidents announcing their intentions tonight to remain in the league, the latest development in conference realignment could become problematic for the Big East, which now has to be on guard for yet another raid on its membership — this one from the West.

In addition to remaining whole, the Big 12 said its expansion committee has been reactivated, with the first goal to increase the conference’s membership to 10.

Two Big East schools could be squarely in the Big 12’s sights: TCU, which isn’t scheduled to join the Big East until next year, and Louisville.

Geographically, TCU makes the most sense, but Texas’ long-standing opposition to adding the Horned Frogs could turn the Big 12 toward Louisville. The league already has a strong presence in the state of Texas (with Texas, Baylor and Texas Tech) and could extend its conference footprint by adding Louisville.

Orangebloods.com, a website that covers Texas and the Big 12, reported TCU “tops the list to be No. 10,” according to their sources.

But a leading college official with working knowledge of the situation told Tom Luicci/The Star-Ledger :

“Texas does not want TCU because TCU gives the Big 12 nothing they don’t already have and sharing money with a school that adds no value makes no sense.”

The requested anonymity because he is not authorized to speak on behalf of either side.

The Big East has been raided twice now in eight years (Boston College, Miami and Virginia Tech went to the ACC in 2003) and is down to seven football schools, including TCU.  UConn wants in the ACC; perhaps Rutgers does, too. If they go, you can count Big East football schools on one hand.

Army, Navy, Air Force and Central Florida are on the Big East invitation list. East Carolina has applied for membership. This is not pulse-pounding news and surely must have Big East officials steaming that they didn’t sign a new TV deal when they had a chance a year ago. If the league survives beyond the next two years, will it even retain the AQ status that means everything in college football?

Mac Brown told us earlier in the week that it’s all about the kids and the high school coaches. The Big XII needs to remain a regional conference yada yada yada.  Well, Southwest Conference teams TCU, SMU and Houston are available.  Invites would give the Big XII, TWELVE TEAMS!

But Texas doesn’t care about any of that bullshit that Mac Brown threw out there for mindless organge blood consumption.  All UT cares about is the power and control, which brings in the most money for the tea sips. 

The Longhorns are as low as you can go when it comes to integrity and trust in NCAA college football conference.  Tea Sips are greedy bullies who have undermined the viability and status of the Big XII. UT ran off Nebraska, Colorado and Texas A&M.  Oklahoma had enough of UT and was on the way out too.  But OU was left standing at the altar with their crimson and cream ass hanging out when the PAC-12 unanimously rejected them because of UT greed. It was PAC-16 or nothing for the PAC-12.

Texas has long been the sole entity keeping the Frogs out of the Big XII.  Acceptance of a new member requires a vote by the board of directors — presidents and chancellors of the league’s schools — with a 75% majority of yay’s.

Can the Big 12 build a consensus without Bevo’s blessing? Perhaps in the freshly unified nine-team Big 12, Texas makes concessions?  Methinks not.

Remember the frog who was afraid of being stung during a ride across the river? But the scorpion argued that if it stung the frog, the frog would sink and the scorpion would drown. The frog agrees and begins carrying the scorpion, but midway across the river the scorpion does indeed sting the frog, dooming them both.

“You fool!” croaked the frog, “Now we shall both die! Why on earth did you do that?”

The scorpion shrugged, and did a little jig on the drownings frog’s back.

“I could not help myself. It is my nature.”

Then they both sank into the muddy waters of the swiftly flowing river.

The behaviour of creatures like UT is irrepressible, no matter how they are treated and no matter what the consequences, the orangebloods will never go against their arrogant, greedy nature because they can’t help themselves.

IN-N-OUT Burger Opens Today in Arlington, Tx

IN-N-OUT Burger opens in Arlington, Texas before 10:00 a.m. this morning if the crowd is big enough.  Normal opening time is 10:30 a.m.  The newest Texas INO is by the Park’s Mall on the westbound I-20 service road between Matlock and Cooper. 

Make your first order a #2 Double Double Animal Style and you will be hooked.

A mustard-cooked beef patty with additional pickles, cheese, spread and grilled onions diced up and mixed together on the grill before getting dumped on your burger. This is probably the most famous secret menu item, and for good reason: it’s pure awesome on a bun. You can get any burger done Animal Style.

In-N-Out
1075 West I-20
Arlington, TX

Look for the Saltgrass parking lot, which will be empty. Plenty of parking where the Linen’s & Things used to be and in the hinterlands of the Lowe’s.  Hundreds of empty spaces good unused here everyday. But the LaQuinta and Saltgrass parking lots are DEFINITELY OFF LIMITS.

 Instant Rookie to Regular Crash Course In-N-Out Secret Menu

Animal Style Fries

All the same great stuff that’s on an Animal Style Burger, dumped on an order of fries instead. FourSquare Mayor

Update on Thursday, September 22, 2011 at 3:57PM by Bonzer Wolf

At 2:02 p.m. there was NO line inside with 3 cashiers taking orders.  Seating was available both in & out (pun intended).  Click on pics for full size view

As Foursquare Mayor, I highly recommend the newest DFW In-N-Out location on I-20 westbound Service road near Parks entrance (between Matlock and Cooper). West of Saltgrass, South of LaQuinta and Parking is available in the far south Lowe’s lot (east of LaQuinta/north of Saltgrass). The drive thru was busy but there was only a four to eight car backup between 2:05-3:00 p.m. 

All that will change tomorrow, because today was a “soft” opening with very little publicity.  All hell will break loose this weekend. 

In-N-Out combines quality, service and value.  It’s old school and so much better than Five Guys it’s ridiculous. Five Guys fries are a value. Everything else is over rated and over priced.

Bonzer Wolf is Foursquare Mayor of the Arlington In-N-Out Burger

Big XII Refuses to Die --- PAC 12 Standing Pat

Texas won’t give up.  Oklahoma is now saying they might stay but Big XII Commissioner Bebe must go.  Bottom line; Nobody knows and more and more are starting not to care. There is a serious effort being made, led by Missouri chancellor Brady Deaton, to try to save the Big 12, a high-placed administrator at a Big 12 school has told the mouthpiece of Texas,  Orangebloods.com

Meanwhile, the natives are becoming restless.  Just like when the NFL, NBA or MLB players and owners over the big bucks, it quickly becomes a battle of greed that the public doesn’t care to follow.  The public wants ball. Period.

I’m getting tired of it myself.  So here’s one last guess at how the Big XII may survive regardless of the numerous reports of its demise. Maybe it’s time to start writing about how bad Netflix killed the golden goose?

If Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech leave the Big 12 for the Pac 16, look for the depleted Big East to join the depleted Big 12 to form The Leftovers. Should Rutgers and Connecticut eventually join Pittsburgh and Syracuse in the ACC, the geographic edge goes to the Big 12.

Assume Missouri becomes the SEC’s 14th team. The “Mid” East might be Baylor, Kansas State, Kansas, Iowa State, Louisville, Cincinnati, South Florida, West Virginia, Texas Christian. Then bulk up by adding Boise State, SMU, Houston. Or maybe add some Rice to the mix.

This patchwork life raft might hold until the next big expansion wave. Or not.

Update on Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 6:52AM by Bonzer Wolf

The Pac-12 Conference is standing pat for now.  At least six Pac-12 presidents opposed further expansion, and Larry Scott needed nine of 12 votes to approve any new additions. It’s all about MONEY and why share with four more teams? Texas shill publications are reporting that the PAC-12 didn’t want Oklahoma without Texas, who had decided not to join the PAC.  I don’t believe this bullshit for a second.  This “Texas” attitude is exactly why the Big XII is down to nine and still may lose Missouri to the SEC.

Texas A&M confired that they were leaving the Big XII not matter what the rest of the teams did.

The league’s presidents and chancellors voted late Tuesday night to reaffirm their decision to stay at a dozen members. Commissioner Larry Scott says “after careful review we have determined that it is in the best interests of our member institutions, student-athletes and fans to remain a 12-team conference.”

Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech were among those considering a potential move from the Big 12. After expanding from the Pac-10 with new members Utah and Colorado last year, members of the new Pac-12 won’t give them the chance.

The league already negotiated a landmark 12-year television contract with Fox and ESPN worth about $3 billion. And it appears plenty happy at a dozen.