Articles for December 6th, 2012
Will Mr. Ranger, Michael Young, Accept a Trade to the Philadelphia Phillies, Ctd.
Not long ago a Twitter account belonging to @Evan_P_Grant_ Â tweeted that Michael Young has rejected the trade to the Philadelphia Phillies. Â I, and many other people following the story today (including MLB Network), believed this was a legitimate report from Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.Â
What we failed to note was that extra _ in the handle. Evan Grant’s actual Twitter account is @Evan_P_Grant and the Michael Young report was simply made up by somebody bored today. (Looks like Twitter has already deleted the fake account.) Â But before most people realized what was going on, upset Phillies fans were reacting to the (fake) news.
Take the jump to see what some of them had to say. Warning: Adult Language:
KDGE-FM Lays Off Program Director Josh Venable
I guess I should say, KDGE-FM lays off Josh Venable again, part of a nationwide culling of staff at Clear Channel.
After Josh was laid off five years ago, he went to L.A., where he worked for another Clear Channel station, 98.7 FM, working afternoon drive. Eventually, as music director, he helped 98.7 regularly beat the venerable KROQ in the ratings. That brought him back to Dallas — to the station at which he started when he was 19 years old — in July 2011, where he took over as program director. But now he’s out (again), as the radio business continues to shrink. (I should point out that Josh is my oldest and best friend, so drawing me offsides in the comments won’t take much work.)
Four Simultaneous Basketball Games, Side By Side By Side By Side, At Cowboys Stadium? It Could Happen
And it could happen soon, as in the 2013-14 college basketball season. Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis is working on it.
The details aren’t finalized, but here it is: Next year on Veterans Day weekend, there will be four — count ‘em, four — games taking place simultaneously at Cowboys Stadium, site of the 2014 Final Four. The games will begin 15 minutes apart and be held side by side (by side by side) in the giant facility. The purpose is to simulate the madness that takes place during the first week of the NCAA tournament. Only instead of the games taking place in four different cities, they’ll be played in one town, under one roof.
“We’re going to squeeze everything into a three-hour time period,” Hollis told me. “We’re talking with eight institutions right now that have a very high interest and have that weekend open, and we’re going to partner with the 12 [military] bases that are around Dallas, so we can make it a celebration for the guys at Fort Hood and others.”
I’ll go ahead and take credit for this. As always, you’re welcome, and I love you.
Will Mr. Ranger, Michael Young, Accept a Trade to the Philadelphia Phillies?
That’s what the Texas Rangers-loving world has been wondering even since word leaked out today that the Rangers and the Phillies have struck a deal to send the fan-favorite super-utility-guy to the Philadelphia Phillies, for whom he’d have a chance to be an everyday third baseman again. (He’ll likely see his playing time reduced substantially if he stays with the Rangers in 2013, because of the great young hotshots they’ve got on their team now: Jurickson Profar and Mike Olt.)
Young has the right to veto the trade, since he’s been in MLB for more than 10 years, and more than the last five years with the same team. (He’s only ever been a Ranger). So it appears to be entirely up to him.
How’s Twitter reacting to the possibility?
Ghosts of Dallas: Pearl Street, 1911
“Looking North along Pearl Street at Ross Avenue, the processional is leading to the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus for the Consecration of Bishop Lynch,” 1911.
Share your own Ghosts of Dallas.
Dallas Police Looking For Jewel Thieves
Yesterday, in the parking lot of the Hilton Anatole, a German jeweler was robbed at gunpoint of $700,000 worth of various gemstones. It was “very organized,” according to police. Could it be part of a pattern?
One week earlier, on November 28, a jeweler from Hong Kong was robbed – at gunpoint and at knifepoint – in the parking lot of the Hampton Inn on Composite Drive, near Walnut Hill Lane and Stemmons Freeway. Three men got away with $54,000 worth of gold-ring and earring mountings.
So, yes. Probably. You know what this means? Police are probably looking for the people behind the “Alphabet Crimes.” Now, then, if anyone needs me, I’ll be working the case with Taggart and Rosewood in my unorthodox but ultimately successful fashion. Cue the Seger and fetch me my Lions jacket.
Things To Do In Dallas Tonight: Dec. 6
Cute gift land.
Definitely watch this video. We knew the Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta Christmas album was going to be a disaster, but the video for a musical crime called “I think You Might Like It” has left me nearly speechless. Nearly. A few things of note: the weird unison toe-tapping in the driveway, the awkward running, the awkward hugging, the gross ball of facial hair clinging to half of John Travolta’s not-undersized chin. And why does it look like it was filmed at someone’s actual house? And yes, I get it. It’s what happens years after Danny and Sandy crashed the flying car they floated off in at the end of Grease into real life. Good grief, it is terrible.
Now, to scrub that out of your brain, you’ll want something akin to, say, Odd Future, performing tonight at Palladium Ballroom. I’m a little surprised that tickets are still available for this, but hey. Hip hop collective Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWGKTA, or, easier, Odd Future) is a rather large group of young rappers from Los Angeles loosely led by Tyler, The Creator. The group’s mixtapes are a signature cocktail of violence and nihilism, obscene lyrics and original beats. And if all this sounds a little familiar because you dig Frank Ocean, he’s part of the collective, too, even though he maybe doesn’t quite fit in with the rest. Earl Sweatshirt, the group’s youngest member, released a new video just a couple days ago. Good stuff.
Over in Oak Cliff, the Wigwam Holiday Pop-Up Shop, powered by and next door to Oil & Cotton, begins a weekend of gifts galore. Raya lets us know that you’ll find a collection of ethically made artisan wares, including leather handbags, jewelry (like jewels from Olivia k), sculptures, plants, blankets, scarves, and even beer. Plus, we’ve been promised tamales and cocktails. Drop in on Emporium Pies for something sweet after.  The seasonal Merry Berry pie sounds delicious.
For more to do tonight, go here.
Heart of Dallas Bowl Editorial Misses the Mark
There’s an editorial in today’s paper about the new Heart of Dallas Bowl, which will pit Oklahoma State against Purdue in the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day. I’ve met some of the people behind the Heart of Dallas Bowl. They’ve got an interesting concept, a nonprofit football game that gives its profits to nonprofit organizations in Dallas. The first beneficiary will be the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance.
So then. The editorial urges people to attend the game. Why?
Because of the million-dollar payouts to the competing schools, organizers need to sell tickets. They hope for 20,000 above the team allotments, but we can do better, can’t we? Every extra dollar goes to a worthy cause, and you get a good time at one of college football’s best stadiums to boot. Dallas’ game is the only one with a nonprofit’s name leading the marquee. That should be a point of pride and call to action.
No one is going to attend a bowl game because they feel its his civic duty. It’s hard enough to get people to vote, for goodness’ sake, and that’s a much bigger civic duty that requires far less commitment. The way you get people to attend a football game is to make the case that it’s going to be a great football game. Something like this: Oklahoma State had the second-most first-team All-Big 12 selections in the league (running back Joseph Randle, wide receiver Josh Stewart, offensive lineman Lane Taylor, and punter/kicker Quinn Sharp). They’re going to put some points on the board. Meanwhile, on the other side of the field, Purdue has a new head coach in Darrell Hazell. Even though he won’t be calling the plays on New Year’s Day (that’ll be receivers coach Patrick Higgins, acting as interim coach), his men will want to impress the new boss by showing their mettle, so look for them to play better than their 6-6 record might suggest. Should be a great contest. Get your tickets now. That’s how you talk up a game.
(Note: I know absolutely nothing about OK State or Purdue, except that No. 1 Notre Dame beat the latter by three points early in the season. The preceding information was gleaned from a very cursory internet search. But you get my point.)
Dallas Police Want You to Buy Seized VCRs For Your Loved Ones This Holiday Season
Direct from the city’s Business Development & Procurement Services office:
The City Store sells police confiscated property, found or lost property and City surplus property to the public. The City surplus property is sorted as it is received and placed on the City’s intranet for departmental notification. If the property is not transferred in a reasonable time, it is placed in the City Store for sale.
Sample list of items: mountain bikes, electronics, clothing, cameras, hand tools, TVs, VCRs, radios, cell phones, etc.
And, yes, the store (3131 Irving Blvd.) is open today, from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Grab me a mountain bike.
Why Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn Voted Against That U.N. Disabilities Treaty
This week the U.S. Senate voted down a United Nations treaty that would ban discrimination against disabled people–a population that includes roughly 1 in 5 Americans. It got 61 votes, but treaties need a two-thirds majority. This treaty is actually based on U.S. law, on the Americans with Disabilities Act, which you might remember was passed by a Republican president and later expanded by another Republican president.
It was clearly stated on the Senate floor that this treaty would not change any U.S. law. Rather, it would simply require other countries to adopt the same standards. The treaty even received bipartisan support, with Republican senators John McCain and Richard Lugar weighing in on the importance of a society that doesn’t discriminate against the disabled. Of course, both senators from Texas voted against the treaty.
Wondering why, I took to the internet to find out. (more…)
Leading Off (12/6/12)
Sheriff Lupe Valdez Acknowledges Murder Suspect’s Escape From Parkland a Security “Mistake.” During her briefing, Valdez also admitted that black is “a dark color,” water is “generally not dry,” and the last 20 minutes of You Got Served is “unbearably awesome.”
Security Footage Shows Thieves Backing Truck Into Texas Rangers Fan Shop In Uptown. In the video, the thieves are clearly out by at least two feet, but because baseball refuses to implement full instant replay, umpires did not review the play and the theft is allowed to stand.
Owner Of Hurst Dry Cleaner Found With Fraudulent CIA and Department of Defense Credentials. Also, Azeez Al-Ghaziani had assorted digital camouflage items, a body armor carrier, a raid jacket with duty belt, and half a gram of white powder that tested positive for methamphetamine. His lawyer at first tried to trick investigating officers into believing it actually belonged to them with Bugs Bunny logic, then wondered if there was still time to sell it as a Breaking Bad spec script.
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