Hello and Happy Sunday from cloudy and cool North Texas. May this day be a windfall to all taxpayers in the U.S. May you not owe too much.
Had a wonderful time in Coppell bartending for friends Saturday night. There was a wind advisory in effect until 7pm. There was a race to be run in Ft. Worth Texas. The first of two annual NASCAR stops at Texas Motor Speedway. The winds blew late into the evening. As I was preparing for a night of bartending I had a good idea...
Coming into yesterday's race Dale Earnhardt Jr. had gone 135 races without a win. It was here where Jr. won in April 2001. Ten months before the passing of Dale Sr. You might recall after this victory there was a moment where Dad and Son met, exchanged congratulations and 'I Love You's'. The number 135 took on more meaning.
Texas Motor Speedway is located in close proximity with the I35W Freeway. Maybe that's a sign that Dale Jr. gets a win. Alas 135W if you will. That was my hope. Alas it was not to be. The lay of the track and the fact that 16 different winners have donned the Lone Star track tells you the uniqueness of the 1 and a half mile track. Jimmie Johnson has had great success here.
The race was on in the background and I kept peering in every 45 minutes. Things being so windy with a threat of storms I envisioned a multitude of injuries. That was not to be. Surprisingly. Greg Biffle against all odds and weather conditions grabbed the 1st place rung with 30 laps to go and held off Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin. Last I looked Dale Jr. was tenth. Darnit!
I noticed how fast the race went and then it occurred to me: Not one caution flag or delay in the race for the last 234 laps. That's unheard of! Another Roush Fenway success story and another day of NASCAR has come and gone until mid November. If I wasn't bartending it would have been my first racing expedition. Let's see what lies ahead for November.
One of the great amenities of going out for a late afternoon cigar in Downtown Dallas is the occasional celebrity run-in you tend to attract.
Knowing what people look like certainly helps. Once I settled into my spot Uptown I spotted a familiar face. Longtime contributor to ESPN Sports and NFL Live.
Fellow New Jerseyan Trey Wingo had a moment with this New Jerseyan to say 'Hello' and some quick chat before the obligatory photo op. All I do is ask. Thanks, Trey! Keep doing what you do.
Hockey playoffs coming at you hot and hard. Second time in a week three overtime games happen on a given day. Some great series at play.
For physicality the Battle of Pennsylvania looks to have the most fireworks. With a few ex-Dallas Stars no less with Neal, Niskanen, and Grossman. Expect a chippy crowd in Philadelphia later today.
Mavericks at Los Angeles today. No Kobe so I won't watch. Glad to see the Mavs are 3-0 since the firing of Lamar Odom. This is not your 2011 Mavericks. Enjoy the mini-ride. Regular season winds down this week with home games against the Rockets and Warriors. Today may very well be a first round preview of the playoffs.
Wranglers lose at home to the Sioux City Storm. No word as to how Terrell Owens did. Weekend of May 5th I return to Allen. A Bye the week before and another Bye for next week. That's the way the scheduling goes.
This day in 1976 the renovated Yankee Stadium was reopened. Rudy May threw the first pitch. Dan Ford hit the 1st homer. The Yankees won by an 11-4 count. Thurman Munson would get the 1st Yankee homer 2 days later on a 90 degree day and a 10-0 shutout. I remember it well.
Make it a great day!
Over and out in Big D.
Mr. Will