Two great Fort Worth shows this weekend (Aug. 12-14th)

and both shows are happenin' beside one another off of Berry St...



Tonight (Fri.) - Collin Herring will be playing The Aardvark.

Tomorrow (Sat.) - The Chemistry Set will be doing a long set at the Moon Bar.

(btw HOP, thanks for taggin' along Wednesday, let me know if you be comin' in town)

(Currently listening to: Dave Matthews Band - Lie in Our Graves)

Bill Simmons of ESPN's Page 2 on Poker Pacts:

"1. Now that Jackpot Jay has retired, nobody can write any more poker columns. Stop writing them, stop reading them, just stop. We all know how to play at this point. We know that you can get screwed over on the river ... it happens. We know that you can get lucky on the river ... it happens. But if I have to read one more column about how the writer had three jacks, and he thought they would hold up, but then somebody else was going for a straight, and then when he saw that 7 of hearts, he knew it was trouble ... for the love of God, who cares??? It's poker!

When you're at a table where everyone knows how to play -- and by the way, just about everyone knows how to play now -- it's 90 percent luck! [maybe in the short-run] You might as well write columns giving the play-by-play of a scratch card you scratched off outside a convenience store. Enough. Please stop. I would rather read 200 holier-than-thou columns about Rafael Palmeiro over another poker column.

(And if you're going to keep writing them, at least make fun of everyone else at your table. Your average poker player looks like he should be holding a squeegee at a stoplight in Manhattan, scalping tickets outside of Edison Field, pushing a hot dog truck in Hartford or chain-smoking outside of a VD clinic waiting for his granddaughter to come out. This needs to be mentioned at all times. Repeat: All times.)

2. No more glorifying poker players. For instance, one of the more famous players has the nickname "Jesus," as you might have heard Norm Chad mention 65,234 times on that World Series show (when the guy really looks like Waingro from "Heat") [movie greatness]. Should a guy who devotes his life to deceiving other human beings with cards really be called "Jesus"? Shouldn't poker players only be allowed to have nicknames like "Fish Eye" and "Scumball"?

Also, how hard can it be to play poker for a living when Jennifer Tilly, Tobey Maguire and Ben Affleck have won major tournaments? Even in a sport like golf, when the celebrities play with the pros, they're clearly inferior (just watch HBO's excellent show about Ray Romano and Kevin James trying to make the cut at Pebble Beach). In poker, anyone can become a pro -- you just need enough cash to get started and a ton of time on your hands. I mean, have you seen Jennifer Tilly on a talk show? Not a Mensa threat. "

Greatness

Many polls and so-called experts have either Texas Tech or Texas A&M finishing 3rd in the Big12 South this year. As much as the 'smaller Okies' are concerned, this sums up your chances:

I'll try and post a big rundown of the upcoming NCAA season soon but I'll wait awhile until it gets closer...(but I will make this prediction: Texas is overrated this year as always and they'll lose their first game at Ohio State)

Rogers Reinstated?

Read about 20 minutes ago that Kenny Rogers (Rangers pitcher) will be reinstated and won't have to serve the full 20-game suspension. Something about the arbitrator stepping over his boundaries??? Not sure at this point... Does this really freakin' matter at all, hell, Texas is 8 1/2 games out of the wildcard.

Rogers' Reinstatement

Who wants to get hitched? Calling all males...no really I'm straight

I think this idea is pretty freaking great but has definitely sparked a debate in the gay community:

Heterosexual Men to Marry for tax purposes.

I really don't care what you do in the privacy of your bedroom but don't come asking me for special benefits/treatment/whatever because you play for the other team (not that there's anything wrong with that). Rant over...

In other crazy news it looks as though I'll be social again: I've got my first date in months because I'm a loser. Any of you crazies have a wheels-off idea for what to do other than the dinner-movie thing? Yeah, anonymous, you, save me from the sexual overtones. I know your bag...no really, I love you anonymous. Bloody mind...

(currently listening to Phish - Junta)

Music this Weekend (Aug. 5-7th)

If you're in Fort Worth on Friday, stop by where I'll be, listening to these jokers....Confusatron at The Moon Bar on Berry Street. Will be nice to see Lucas manning the traps again, been too long. After all, they were voted 'Best Jazz Band' by the Fort Worth Weekly.

Hey, no one can give you the live music scoop better than Cindy over at TexasGigs so give her Concert Calendar a look!

Offer on the Table

Yesterday I got the call I was waiting on. Folks, I be changing careers! I won't tell you it was all about money but more certainly helps. Maybe I've just needed an environmental change. Just keep me off the poker tables, especially if the peeps want to go play in Arlington. Just talked to a buddy that rolled into $350 last night there. Oh well, guess I've got to go apartment shopping soon but this new career stuff hasn't really started to hit yet...-J

(currently listening to: Outhouse Critic - 'Peter Pan Squared')

All This for a Slight Advantage

One of my favorite baseball players ever, especially when he was in Arlington, was Rafael Palmeiro. By all accounts, he respected the game immensely, did a lot for the community and simply had one of the sweetest swings ever in baseball. But is he also guilty of juicing? Apparently so. MLB gave him a 10-day suspension this morning for a first time steroid offense. I'm really disappointed to say the least. Doesn't this also make you question Pudge's weight-loss as well? I hate speculating, but when Palmeiro speaks to Congress about steriod use and flat-out denying that he ever used, I take offense.

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