Whether you're at the end of your coffee, your day, your week or even your rope, welcome to Whitt's End
*I'm not big into moral victories, but there are degrees of losses. I know some of you linear-thinking Neanderthals believe in only "dubya's 'n ellz, baybee", but there's more to it. There are bad losses. And, yes, like the epic 51-48 setback to the undefeated Broncos, there are "good" losses. I rank the Cowboys' Top 5 all-time over at
NBC 5's Blue Star Blog.
*While 105.3 The Fan inexplicably worries about trivial matters like who socializes with whom off the air, the station's alarming ratings plunge continues. The September PPM ratings are in and they show The Ticket as strong as ever (No. 1 in every daypart 6a-7p), ESPN saying goodbye to the 4th-rated afternoon show in Randy Galloway, and The Fan drastically losing listeners across the board from 2012. In the wake of
RAGE being fired for reasons other than ratings -
ring a bell? - program director Gavin Spittle lied that the move was indeed about ratings.
"We need to be more competitive in that time period," he told the Dallas Morning News in attempting to justify our termination. The same guy who thinks Tim Dobbins is more relevant than Emmitt Smith must also be a tad confused about the not-so-subtle difference between more and less. Because - no way around it - The Fan is less competitive with him at the helm. Much less. 105.3's morning show had a 2.3 rating in Sept. 2012, but in Sept. 2013 dipped to a 1.8. Middays dropped from 3.1 to 1.8. And while a year ago Greggo and I had a 2.5, our replacement,
Ben and Skin, last month posted their fifth consecutive sub-2.0 rating, this time a 1.7. In sports - and in sports radio - bad coaching can doom a team.
*Speaking of The Ticket, don't fret Collin and Denton County P1s. As part of the Cumulus-taking-over-ESPN deal 104.1 FM may be Dead 'n Gone, but The Ticket's simulcast is actually moving to a stronger signal on 96.7 FM. The frequency has been home to WBAP 820's simulcast, but it's now The Ticket's sister station to 1310 AM.
*Saw
Gravity last night. Didn't love it. But, I admit, my expectations were probably too high. I wanted
Castaway meets
Open Water set in outer space, but instead I got some cool special effects harpooned by too-cool dialogue and glaring plot holes. Like, I didn't believe George Clooney could just jet-pack his way from satellites in different orbits,
and turns out my skepticism was warranted.
*As for Sunday's media "fight" in the Cowboys' locker room that I first reported, yes I originally Tweeted that I was going to "name names" and I had full intention of doing so. Then I talked to a couple of the guys involved and became convinced their livelihoods were at stake. There was more to it than me being first with some cheap "breaking news." The parties involved admitted their mistakes, called each other to apologize and realized that, yes in fact, a little professional "growing up" was in order. The names are out there if you care. And if you wanna call me "pussy" or "coward" for backtracking and - after further review - not directly contributing to fathers with families losing their jobs, so be it. I can live with that.
*Try this experiment: Next time somebody says "Romo's a choker" jot down their career. Do it for the whole week. Come Friday I predict your results will show that those that use their brains for a living back Romo, and those that use their bodies for a living will be his critics. In other words, an air-conditioning repairman is more likely to say "time for Romo to go" than, say, a lawyer.
*
Hot.
*
Not.
(continued from page 1)
*The President's Cup was boring. Until a patriotic-sorta-hot-but-too-skinny streaker showed up. Then she left. And it got boring again.
*As a guy who had multiple partners, constantly changed time slots and was generally mediocre during five years in radio, I'm in awe of Galloway lasting 28 years. He debuted on WBAP 820 AM while I was still in college, way back in 1985. It takes a tough sonofagun to last that long in a tough industry, and ol' Randy's nothing if not tough. Kudos. Fittingly he was serenaded off the air by the country classic, "Happy Trails."
*
Crooked as it is, how long until Rays' closer Fernando Rodney just wears his hat totally sideways,
Max Patkin-style?
*Yes, you
can have too much pink. A week after having its referees throwing pink penalty flags, the NFL will return to yellow next week because of confusion between pink flags and players' pink towels.
*The Dodgers started the season 30-42. They are now in the NLCS. Reason? Yasiel Puig.
*Saw a Georgia receiver go head-first into a padded wall last Saturday at Tennessee. Scary. The pad saved him. Surprised we almost never a player collide violently into the padded goal post just beyond the end zone. Dangerous as they are now, hard to believe that until 1974 those things were in the middle of the end zone.
*Need a pick-me-up, Cowboys fans? Try this on for size. The New York "Football" Giants have allowed 182 points through five games, most since the Oakland Raiders allowed 187 in ... 1961. And you thought Monte Kiffin's defense sucked?
(continued from page 2)
*In 2010 we were horsing around playing basketball in my driveway. Buddy got "accidentally" body-checked into the fence and a piece of the board came loose, splintered and eventually fell off. No problem, replaced it with a new board. It, of course, didn't exactly match the color of the older, weathered wood on the rest of the gate/fence. But over the years the colors have grown closer and ... hey, what the what?! Last week - three years later - I get a card in the mail from my neighborhood's friendly HOA demanding that I, yep, make all the boards on my fence match in color. Um, no thanks. I'm good. If you haven't noticed by now, is it really a problem? HOAs suck. And the people that enforce their asinine bylaws need more hobbies.
*Let's admit it, through five weeks Doug Free has been a better offensive tackle than Tyron Smith.
*Obamacare has hit home. Got my Humana premium increase for 2014 and it'll be ... $16 a month. Yep, that's it. If that's what it takes to help millions afford health insurance, I'm in. That's like one trip to Taco Bell a month for me 'n Sybil. We'll be healthier anyway. Don't understand how people don't see that the Affordable Care Act might be more expensive to some, but it'll keep others alive and well. Like, for example,
these 10 folks whose lives were saved by ... Obamacare. Of course, all these good intentions don't mean squat
if they can't fix the website.
*From the Dept. of Humans Are Weird: Why do we hide our happiest moments? I mean, when we're
really enjoying ourselves we like to hide it. As in, crying tears of joy, piggin' out on a plate of food, sleeping or even, ya know, making out with ourselves. I guess we're trained to keep those moments private because, somehow, they're supposed to be embarrassing?
*My sympathies to bettors who had money on Northwestern +7 against Ohio State Saturday night. The Wildcats led a large part of the game and trailed only 34-30 with less than 10 seconds remaining. They tried some crazy lateral play and - oops - a fumble returned for a touchdown by the Buckeyes as time expired. Final score: Ohio State 40, Northwestern 30. Vegas oddsmakers say $4 million changed hands because of that play. Nauseating. Or, I suppose, exhilarating.
*Today? Off to Fort Worth to Pizza Buzz. Couple consultants coming in to tell us what we're doing wrong (and hopefully right) before opening. Don't be a stranger.
I use my body for a living (UPS driver) and I fall into the pro-Romo camp. Don't stereotype.
ReplyDeleteThere's 1.
DeleteHaven't listened to Galloway in years (don't listen the the Hardline either) but I respect his almost three decades on the air. He was fantastic in the WBAP days. I guess this means we're getting older. Haven't listened to the Fan in months, but I DO KNOW that Ben and Skin blow.
ReplyDeleteThe Romo haters went stupid this week, but I'm uncomfortable making the blue collar/white collar divide that you made, Richie. It does seem to be an unthinking crowd that blames Romo, but if you were a politician, you'd probably be backtracking on your original comment by the end of the day.
ReplyDelete"As a guy who had multiple partners..."
Didn't know where you were going with that one at first.
Good thing I'm not a politician huh?
DeleteIt's okay, The Ticket revealed the names of the media parties involved. Probably not scared to deliver the news.
ReplyDeleteWell way more people come to this blog than listen to the Ticket, so you can understand why he didn't want to name names.
DeleteIdk, maybe the best thing to do would to have not mentioned it? At least one mention a week of a former partner or business associate and how they wronged RW, but I guess those guys livelihood isn't a big deal.
Read my reasons again. Zero to do with being "scared."
DeleteRichie let's not talk about how bad other teams defenses are when our defense couldn't even force a punt Sunday (i don't care if it was Peyton Manning behind center).
ReplyDeleteCue troll to say Richie is just bitter about getting fired from the Fan in 5..4..3..2..
ReplyDeleteI don't believe Richie was attempting to stereotype, but let's all be honest there are those fans out there who live and die by Cowboys wins and losses and not many of them are Harvard grads because those grads realize that in the grand scheme of things there are way more important things in the world. In that the Cowboys game is a welcome distraction from those things.
ReplyDeleteSecondarily Richie, I'm glad the Affordable Health Care Act only cost you and Sybil 16$ a month, mine is schedule to increase 151$ a month in 2014, same reason not so same result. I am not by any means stating the afore mentioned act is all bad clearly there are some good things in it, but there are also some bad. I don't mind paying my fair share but when my insurance increases 80% I believe that is above and beyond, again my circumstances. My insurance is offered through the company I work for and my premiums are not based on coverage but based on income, the more you make the more you pay to help others.
I do not mind helping at all but there has to be a line drawn somewhere otherwise we will only need one tax bracket BROKE! Just my opinion
Shelley
Too bad you didn't take the high road where ugly and unfounded rumors about Kidd K were concerned after his untimely death. Sorry. Too late now. You lost all "high road" credibility.
ReplyDeleteReported them as rumors, not fact. And I'm pretty sure no one lost a job over it.
DeleteThat's not the point, Whitt. If you don't see that it's not, well, I feel sorry for you.
DeleteI hope your ability to analyze your small business is better than your ability to analyze the ACA.
ReplyDeleteOur company's premium increase is now 35% (it normally ran 12%-15% per year before the ACA), without an increase in claim history or average age. Since our employees can't afford for us to raise what we take out of their checks another 35%, and we can't remain profitabile covering it all for them, we will cover the increase three ways:
1) We will raise deductibles yet another $1,000.
2) We will make further cuts to prescription benefits and procedures covered, and
3) We're going to put off the 5 new hires we were going to bring on this year and use that money to cover premiums.
My girlfriend works as a PreK teacher. Their hours have been cut down to 4 days a week so their employer doesn't have to provide insurance for them.
So in your infinite wisdom as a business analyst, what is the cost again? Is it really $16? If you're one of the 5 people who aren't going to get hired, is the cost to them $16, or is the cost more months salary of remaining unemployed? If you're the employee who now faces another $1,000 on your deductible, is the cost really $16? If the cost was only $16/head/mo, do you not think our employees would be willing to pay it, or us cover it for them? If you're the PreK teacher at a day care center, and your hours have been cut 20%, is the cost only $16?
Economics and business really isn't the strong point of most sportswriters....
Don't get me wrong, if we as a society have decided this is what we want, then this is what we should do, but this whole thing where the people are trying to convey it can be done with minimal cost is balderdash. Those of us in the real world are seeing otherwise. There are no free lunches in life, and this is no exception.
Whitt is your typical bleeding heart liberal who glosses over the big picture with anecdotal tidbits that don't mount to a hill of beans. $16 impact of Obamacare: ain't it grand. Damn HOAs: even though they prevent his neighbor from painting his fence pink. Damn Romo haters: must be ditch diggers who can't think. Damn guns: just killing everyone. Me, I just read his other-than-sports drivel and have a good laugh.
DeleteAnd be sure and get you a nice hot slice of pizza buzz while you can. With each and every End piece, he's convincing most it wont last long. Oh, and all you blue collar shitbags who can't think for themselves, I'd get your pizza somewhere else. Whitt uses crow instead of hamburger meat.
Well said Rooster I couldnt agree more with the High cost ACA.
DeleteShelley
Very well said. My situation is very similar, but like you said, if this is where we want to go as a country, fine, but don't pretend for a minute that it doesn't cost anything and that there aren't real negative consequences as well.
DeleteThere are no free lunches, indeed. Happy to do my part and happy some of our most needy are getting help, but people shouldn't pretend there are others, who are also in need, being hurt by this.
Well said Rooster. I think RW just doesn't seem to unerstand that no matter how noble his stance may be, our government will eventually run out of money to give to those that do not contribute. Our government is basically running a giant Ponzi scheme....and no matter how well it works for awhile (ask Bernie Madoff), eventually it will collapase and the American people will be on the hook.
DeleteDave
There's anecdotal evidence of the costs on both sides. The current system is broken and something's gotta be done to fix it. Obama ran with this plan and America voted on it. Someone different will get voted in next time and something else will happen. That's just the way elections go.
DeleteThe real problem is that there cannot be civil discussion, agree or disagree. Agree and you're a bleeding heart liberal. Disagree and you're a right wing gun nut.
DeleteIF there were any semblance of civil discussion, D.C. would not be gridlocked and maybe, just maybe, there would be some form of affordable health care everyone could agree upon.
I'm old enough to know full well not everyone will get along, but Jesus I'm tired of the name calling and vitriol.
Jeremy America did not vote on it politicians voted on it in a rush having not had the time or opportunity to really read and understand what all 2300 plus pages had written into them. There are good things and bad things in it as with all things from Washington. I agree the current system is defunct and needs fixing but trading one bad system for another system we cant afford isn't progress its status quo, regardless of the author.
DeleteShelley
@ Shelley: Agreed; it would have been more appropriate to say that America voted for Obama after the passage of the ACA.
DeleteThen it stands to reason that a system that all or at least a majority of us - we the people- agree on is what's needed. Seems simple to me. No?
DeleteI think it's a HUGE stretch to insinuate Obama's re-election is an approval of the ACA by the American public.
DeleteThe American public doesn't have the slightest clue what this thing is costing, and neither does the guy who championed it, hence the reason he put off certain mandates because he didn't know the full effect.
Again, don't get me wrong, I think our healthcare delivery system is busted and needs to be fixed. I just think a better way to handle this would have been to design a system, communicate it's full cost, and then tweak accordingly.
I think legislation this huge, and telling the American people "Er um, it won't cost you anything. There will be savings that will pay for it even though they haven't been identified" was a bold faced lie (and yes, I realize lying with a straight face is page 1 of a politicians playbook - not just our president).
Everyone wants to fix the healthcare system, but I think we all have a right to know the true cost of what we signed up for rather than ramrodding a bill through you don't know the true effect just because you need to be able to say you accomplished something that legislative session.
What scares me @Jeremy is the same people you say re-elected Obama after the passing of the ACA don't even realize that the ACA and Obamacare are the same thing.
DeleteShelley
So let's get this straight: We "extend coverage" to X amount of uninsured people by forcing them to buy it even if they don't want to, creating a new source of demand for already Government-protected monopolistic insurers, allowing them (in fact, forcing them since they can no longer deny pre-existing conditions) to triple the price of health insurance, and in the meantime while every big industry, corporation or union lobby, and even Congress itself gets exemptions from the plan, we, the people, are subject to the moral imperative to participate because it's "for the common good".
Delete...How could this possibly go wrong?
That doesn't matter. The President didn't pass the bill by himself. And that certainly wasn't the only reason he was re-elected.
DeleteI most cases you have to have something in order to make it better. Whatever you choose to call the bill, it's what we have. Now, lets see those bloated toads in Washington, or for that matter at the state level, make it better.
Rooster is absolutely correct. The healthcare system is broke. And it requires a lot more attention than a hurried piece of legislation to fix it. You should be more concerned that those elected officials, regardless of party, either don't care or are clueless as to where to start.
Holding your breath until you turn blue (or in John Boehner's case a funky shade of brown) will neither get the healthcare bill repealed or the healthcare system fixed. It requires a dialog that includes the American people. And as things are now, that just ain't gonna happen.
I guess I'm supposed to be half-impressed/half-scared by all those numbers you throw at me, but doesn't change the fact that my premiums are going up only $16 a month. If yours are going up a lot more, you certainly have the right to bitch and moan and not like Obamacare. I won't begrudge you your opinion, nor tell you that your opinion is wrong. I'm just giving you one man's testimony.
DeleteRooster, why don't you just give the employees the money it cost for insurance? They can use it to buy insurance from an insurance exchange cheaper than your ignorant insurance company raising premiums.
DeleteThe cost of insurance is going up in the states that didn't set up healthy exchanges or enact the Medicaid provision. Insurance companies are shifting the cost of the Medicaid patients to the healthy because our governor refused to take the money from the fed gov.
DeleteTexas and other GOP run states were warned, by insurance companies, that not participating would be costly and like sheep the right thinking people in this state gave Perry an atta boy for holding his ground.
You were probably one Rooster and now you get to pay for supporting a nut.
I'm not trying to impress/scare, nor am I bitching and moaning about Obamacare. I never said a nationalized healthcare isn't a good thing.
DeleteI am saying there's a very distinct possibity you are WAAAAAAAYYYYY over simplifying what it costs
Why do the media need to be in the locker room to begin with, ie Women's tennis is unable to broadcast from there(no pun intended).
ReplyDeleteThe problem is not Romo. Whether you clean toliets or design rocket ships.....anyone can with 2 brain cells can see the problem. It is the vaunted Monte Kiffin defense. Just some numbers for you.
ReplyDeleteRob Ryan's Saints' defense has allowed an average of 14.6 points this year. Kiffin's Cowboys' defense has allowed 27.2. The Saints are 5-0 and the Cowboys are 2-3.
So what is different about Rob Ryan's defense with the Cowboys last year and the Saints this year??? The personnel is probably the biggest difference. Why is the tried-and-true Kiffin defense giving up 400+ yards per game?? The personnel. Who is in charge of the personel and hiring and firing of coaches for the Cowboys??
JERRY JONES
I realize Jerry doesn't run with the ball, throw the ball, cover receivers, and make tackles, but he is in charge of hiring the guys that coach those guys, as well as, having the final say on who those guys actually are. He and his EGO will continue to be the Cowboys biggest hurdle as they stumble and bumble their way to 8-8.....
Dave
Let Rob Ryan's defense play Denver and then let's make the comparison.
DeleteDenver did raise the Cowboys defensive average for points allowed, and they would probably raise New Orleans' average points allowed too...but my point is based on 5 games...not 1.
DeleteDave
Rob Ryan's defense here in Dallas was one of the worst in the league. Now that he's in NO (who had an equally poor defense last year), they're among the best in the league. Dallas is still pathetic. Hmmmmmm.......maybe it's the players? I know the GM doesn't think so and he's been such a good judge of talent.
Delete@6:29 I honestly think it's a mix of things on why it's working in NO. I think the reason Ryan didn't get the job in St. Louis was the he wouldn't change his philosophy. Payton is a strong head coach, I'm sure part of Ryan getting hired was that he would follow Payton's game plan, and not do his own thing. I could be wrong, but it's the only way I can see Ryan's defense working so well there.
Deletewhat in the what are you buying from taco bell? #HeyBigSpender
ReplyDeleteYou applauding Obamacare will last until you have to start covering your own employees.....
ReplyDeleteBut if it was called Bushcare or Cruzcare you'd be applauding right?
DeleteCruzcare.....I like the ring to that one.....Bushcare sounds like some kind of grooming proceedure......
DeleteWho cares what the name of the politician who gets it RAMMED through congress....what matters is that the government creates a law that is FAIR To EVERYONE....which includes single mothers on welfare and small business owners. The current law was rushed through without bipartisan support and without much thought on how it would affect the econmony at large.
No argument with fairness and the fact it was rushed. But, bipartisanship is gone. At least in my lifetime.
DeleteHad it existed, there would have been counter proposals and discussion and the name of the law would be something other that Obamacare like the National Healthcare Act. That alone tells you there was no discussion.
I'm still waiting for all those oppose to Obamacare to offer something of substance to replace it. I'm always up for a better idea or mouse trap.
Should say- all those opposed
DeleteI think we should just expand and fund the current county hospital system. If you are a drug dealer with no coverage and get shot, you go to Parkland (JPS in Ft.Worth) and they patch you up. If you are an unwed mother on welfare, you can still go to the Planned Parenthood clinic for your pre-natal exams and then to the county hospital for the delivery of the child. So basically, people, even the lowest of the low, will get medical care if they are in dire need. The government might even conside helping to subidize existing insurance providers to help low income people with no insurance...With that said, what we really need is insurance reform...not healthcare reform. Young healthy people, regardless of how much money they make or if they have health insurance or not, should not be FORCED to buy something they do not want or need. Give subsidies where they are needed, but leave the rest of us alone and let the free market system work as intended.
DeleteDave
Anon - Rick Perry gutted Planned Parenthood in Texas to such an extent that is is practically non-existent.
DeleteOperative words are young and healthy. My 84 year old mother-in-law who is as healthy as a mule and on a fixed income should be able to purchase affordable coverage to suit her needs. And yes, I'm fully aware of how messed up Medicare is.
DeleteIf this country was populated with only young and healthy folks, or as in Dave's example low income unwed pregnant drug users, there wouldn't be a need for any kind of reform of anything related to healthcare.
And insurance reform is only one part of a complicated problem. Frivolous malpractice suits drive up doctors costs which gets passed on to insurance companies which gets passed on to you and me.
Couldn't agree more about some HOA members. Give some people a little power and they'll complete abuse it!
ReplyDeleteJust like the government!
DeleteI don't care if I miss the Hardline these days either. I kinda like Galloway. There just isn't much to the Hardline.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see the crappy numbers for the Fan. I'm still pissed that they dropped you and Geggo. I say "tough dookey"
ReplyDeleteAnd I ... second that?
DeleteVery shitty if Spittle truly cares if you hang with Shan and RJ from time to time
ReplyDeleteThen it be very shitty indeed.
DeleteSpeaking of "cheap breaking news", you do realize that you kind of work for NBC5? They're kings of cheap breaking news. A house fire? BREAKING NEWS. A local company releasing their quarterly finances? BREAKING NEWS. A person contracted West Nile? BREAKING NEWS. Vomit.
ReplyDeleteObamacare - I do think in the end it will be great. All depends on which side of the aisle you're on. I lean left, but I've voted both R and D in my lifetime. I also think the Tea Party is going about all of this all wrong. I also think it's fair to say Obama ran on ACA. He might not have directly, but when Romney was hell bent on getting elected to do away with it, it played a big part in it.
Listened to Galloway as a kid. Thought of him as the goofy drunk uncle back then. As an adult, I couldn't stand him.
The Hungry Hippo
I'd love to see Whitt try and repair an air conditioner, but wouldn't want to waste the years to hang around to see if he ever got it done. What a snotty egomaniac.
ReplyDeleteJust because Ben and Skin suck doesn't mean you didn't suck too. Do you ever stop whining? Really unbecoming, especially for someone who is supposed to be a man.
As for the ACA, our premiums have initially gone up about 40% and the deductible gone up too from $5K to $7,500 per person for a family of five. Hard to see where the "Affordable" part comes into play. And also Whitt, you do realize that for people that can't afford insurance, the feds now have the authority to come after them with an additional tax, right? And of course this is for the people who can least afford more taxation.
I fixed air-conditioners and was a janitor and worked for Lawn Doctor when I was younger. No thanks.
DeleteWhat an effing prick. Insulting people who labor with their bodies rather their minds. Somehow pointing out that Romo continues to fall short when it counts the most makes you uneducated and incapable of critical thinking. Why do media people feel the need to insult people and be a dick to get your point across? Eff you.
ReplyDeletePretty sure you just added the exclamation point ... to my point.
DeleteAgreed, they make it so easy sometimes.
DeleteShelley
Richie.....you should really consider going into politics when this pizza place fizzles. You'd be a shoe-in. You're a condescending prick who knows exactly jack shit about anything, but think you know all there is to know about everything. That seems to be the prerequisite for getting elected in today's political landscape. See ya' on the campaign trail!
ReplyDeleteLOL.....I second the motion
DeleteDave
I think I'll make a better lawyer than a politician, but thanks for the feedback.
DeleteIn truth a lot of politicians are lawyers, so Richie maybe you could do both. Isn't funny how critical everyone is of your opinion's yet they keep coming back to read? Makes you wonder
DeleteShelley
Romo on the cross? Nice pic, dick.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts too.
DeleteMy pleasure. Thanks for being anonymous.
DeleteGracias, Danny.
ReplyDeletewhen you open your new pizza place I bet your singing a different story when you have to insure or pay a penalty for health care insurance for employees.
ReplyDeleteMan, there was nothing better than Galloways old Firing Line.
ReplyDeleteSaid it before, will say it again. Ben & Skin have never been nor will ever be strong enough to have large ratings. They are fine as fill-ins from time to time and they have a small group of fans but they will never pull in the large numbers that Spittle envisioned.
ReplyDeleteRichie-do you know when the switch to 96.7 will take place?Love the blog,thanks
ReplyDelete