Mavs Eye of The Tiger

“Last night I witnessed the sweet and innocent little boy, whom I've loved and defended since he came in to my life in 98’, finally grow into a cold-blooded ruthless killer. Dirk, I love you. You've made me proud. Do work son & always, always remember to shake those haters off….”
Now to be honest, I didn't write that… In the interest of full disclosure, I stole in fair and square from a friend’s Facebook status update. Sorry, I had to do it…This particular update perfectly sums up exactly how the city of Dallas is feeling right now as we watch the (newly crowned) Western Conference Champion Dallas Mavericks continue their improbable run this year. Dallas is officially Mavs Crazy! No matter what Mark Cuban said last night after the Mavs won, no one believed in the Mavericks. I sure as hell didn't!
On a recent Sports Daddy podcast, I compared this team to an ex-girlfriend. The one who sucks you back in and breaks your heart again and again. They have broken my heart so many times I was totally out on the team this year. I didn't want to watch! I already knew what was going to happen. It was a one-and-done type of season. If their season didn't end in the first round, the mighty Lakers would surely knock them off in the semis. Admittedly, I along with the rest of the Metroplex, was dead wrong on this team.
As of last night, for only the second time since the team's inception in 1980, the Dallas Mavericks are officially heading to the NBA Finals. This team is markedly different than the one who made a Finals appearance back in 06’. Rocky III. They have what Apollo Creed refered to and Survivor sang about. Yes I am talking The Eye of The Tiger.




Back in 06 The Mavs where young. Yes Dirk was still the franchise player but he wasn't as seasoned. You could even say he was naive. The team blew a chance to become the NBA Champions. The attitude was we are young and we will be back. Fast forward a long 5 years later and they are back. There are only two left over from that 06 team. Dirk and Jason Terry. Those two don't look like they have forgotten anything!

If you look at this 2011 Dallas Mavericks team it is full of chiseled veterans. Chiseled veteran future hall of famers with no rings. You have guys in the twilight of their career with no rings. That may change your attitude a little bit.For Dirk,Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion this maybe their last shot at a Winner.The time is now!

It looks like The Dallas Mavericks are heading on collision course with the Miami Heat again in 2011. It is Rocky vs Drago (Rocky IV reference). The veteran that no one believed in vs. the genetic engineered perfect competitor. Well the Heat better take notice because this Mavericks team is hungry. This Mavericks team has the refuse to lose attiude. This Mavericks team has the Eye of the Tiger....Tiger

Poker with God

So - I had a dream last night that I was playing poker with God. Hey - don’t judge me! Anyway, it was me and the Big Guy sittin’ around playing no-limit hold’em. Early in the game, I rivered a nut flush! Go Lar! I look down to check my hole cards - then look back at the table and God had changed the game to UNO! WTF??? Seriously, I was about to call BS, which was an extremely risky proposition given that I was asleep and wanted to eventually wake up! Then I realized: Hey, this dream wasn’t God’s way of telling me to stay off the poker tables and stick to playing UNO. It was his way of telling me to get my A** to Vegas or… at least write about it in My Blog.
The Summer is a great time for Vegas ! The pools are hopping and The World Series of Poker is in town. And, you have those Crazy Vegas Summer Nights. Like me 10 years ago, almost getting hitched to a woman from Chicago after knowing her for 3 hours. Are you wondering how I could remember this date with such precision? Well because this “almost shot gun wedding” was on my 21st birthday. Yes, this is a true Crazy Vegas Summer Night story!

With all the quotes from the Hangover flick still floating around - and let’s not forget to mention that God and I recently played a hand of poker – It seems more than obvious that I should DEFINITELY be giving out some Vegas Tips. Just in case you happen to make it out there this summer…
1) The Las Vegas Club Baby! — The Strip is fun, and even entertaining at first, but most of the service at the big hotels down there is God awful! (I eventually won the poker game with God and I get to use his name any way I want…even as an adjective). Check out the sites if you’ve never been, but stay downtown at The Las Vegas Club on Freemont Street – it comes highly recommended. The first time I walked into that place, many years ago, a bartender named Polo who worked there, invited me and my buddy to go fishing on his boat. We got our meals comp’d and the staff
was outstanding! I love that place! If you’re the type that needs the prestige of staying at a big strip casino, then there’s simply nothing I can write to make you change your mind. BUT, if you want excellent service and a great time, then think Las Vegas Club, Baby!
2) Seven come Eleven! — Play some table games. I know a lot of people who for some reason or another are intimidated by the tables. There’s no game funnier to watch and more fun to play in the casino than Craps! The money comes and goes so fast, it’ll make you sick. It’s an incredible rush. My mom and ex-girlfriend always had fun on the Roulette table. Roulette was never my thing. Blackjack is a nice way to kill an evening with friends. A lot of people go in on the BJ table with the “I’m going to lose” mentality, so that’s entertainment in itself.
If you’ve always wanted to play the table games, but have been scared to either A). Buy a “how-to-gamble for dummies” book and go play during the down time at The Casino. Or B). Foot the bill for your old pal Larry Stanley to go to Vegas with you. I’d personally hold your hand and teach you any game you want to learn!
3) Eat drink and be Wild Mary! — In Las Vegas you can find great food and drink everywhere! Not the watered down, “it takes an hour to get back to my table” drinks, either. Get out and explore! You’ll have some fun. Hey, I’d never have found the Las Vegas Club if I hadn’t left The MGM Grand. And very important….GUYS, stay away from “Circus Olay!” Yeah, I fell for that once. I wanted to slit my wrist when the fat grown man in the diaper, dressed like a baby was being chased by a clown in a midget car, that’s a little too much “Wild Mary”.
So - there you go degenerates! Go enjoy your stay in Sin City! Tell them God and his poker muse Larry sent you!

Hate mail goes here: Larry@BigBadSportsDaddy.com

New Texas Rangers' Fans

With the Rangers’ season in it’s infant stage I felt the need to pass along some advice to you new baseball fans. I know some of you are like me and go back to Pete O’Brien, Scooter Fletcher and Larry Parish. Some may go back even farther. This article isn’t directed at you. You could actually stop reading now if you fall into this category. However, if you are in this category and have some annoyances at the old Ballpark in Arlington, you may want to read on.

With the success of any team, a lot of new fans come in. Some people may call these folks bandwagon jumpers, but I will not. More fans may sound good at first, but there are pros and cons to this new popular choice. Yes it is good that the team is getting more support from the community. However, it is bad when the new fans irate the old fans! Like for example the guy who questions everything Ron Washington does. Hey guy...in Ron we trust. How many teams have you managed to a World Series? Score board!

One thing is for sure in the Metroplex right now - everyone and I mean everyone wants to talk Rangers Baseball. Whether I am walking my dog, sitting at The Cellar on Monday Night getting ready to watch The Larry Stanley Show on bigbadsportsdaddy.com from 7-9 pm (shameless plug), or hiking around Lake Carolyn, Rangers Baseball is the topic everyone wants to chat it up about. There apparently are lots of new Ranger fans these days!

The new fans however still lack the knowledge to carry on an in-depth conversation about baseball. For instance if someone tells you they have been following the Texas Rangers for a long time, but they don’t know who Kevin Kennedy or Johnny Oats is, I wouldn’t waste a lot of breath on them. Your fraud alarm should be going off like a tornado siren in a trailer park! There is no way you could debate the 2010 Texas Rangers or 1997 Texas Rangers with them.

I’ve already attended a few games this year so far and I am putting a few of you novices on notice. Yes I have seen you out there looking like a jackass! Please take these tips if you are not familiar with Ballpark etiquette.



1) THE WAVE!

It is the worst thing ever in sports! Don’t contribute. If for some reason you give in to the Idiocracy, don’t do it while The Rangers are batting! It is supposed to be distracting to hitters. If you are going to do the stupid thing make sure you get your timing right.



2) Wear The Right Gear

When you head to the ballpark you should wear your Rangers gear! It really is cool to see that much gear out at the ballpark. However when you do wear your gear, don’t mix and match it. I don’t want to see a Rangers jersey and Mets hat. You look like a baseball Lady Gaga. Rangers gear only if you are a Rangers fan.



3) Heckling

Heckling is a fun part of the game! When you do it please keep in mind to not get carried away, and keep it fun and clean. The best heckles are minor league references. Example: Holland I hope you haven’t missed the bus back to Round Rock.

Whether you are a new fan or old fan please use these tips. The Ballpark will be a much better place for everyone.

Whether you are a new fan or an old fan there is one thing we can all agree on and that is The Cotton Eyed Joe played during the 7th Inning Stretch sucks! We need to start a petition to get it replaced! Matter of fact, we have on the Sports Daddy’s podcast heard every Monday, Thursday and Friday on BigBadSportsDaddy.com (shameless plug #2 if you are counting along at home)! That song is an embarrassment to all Texas Rangers fans and has to go! We have suggested some possible replacements on the SD podcast. We like Tush, Life In The Fast Lane, and Fly like an Eagle as possible replacements. If you got a suggestion sound off! You can get a hold of me larry@bigbadsportsdaddy.com or on twitter @bigbadlarry.

Kentucky Derby Warning

The majestic pony thoroughbreds are getting ready again to run in that Kentucky Derby! There’s nothing like the thrill of standing on the start/finish line at your local track, yelling your lungs out and watching your trifecta get blown down the backstretch.
In case you are thinking about taking a date out to Derby Day Let me give you this warning: DO NOT TAKE YOUR GIRLFRIENDS with you to the track! Send them out with their girl friends for a girl’s night, but I repeat, DO NOT take them with you! I know it sounds like a good idea on paper, but don’t be a sucker! Here are some real life examples of what could happen to you, if you did choose to bring them.

When I was dating a young Texas lady named Leigh, about a month into the relationship we decided to go to Lone Star Park(our local spot). It was a gorgeous Saturday in May and my wager tickets were on fire! I couldn’t lose! I picked 5 winners in a row and hit two trifectas. Well, my new female friend was bored after the 5th race and wanted to go eat somewhere else. I tried to explain to her, you don’t walk away from the track on a hot streak like the one I was on and, not only that, Lone Star has great food. Unfortunately, she wasn’t buying what I was selling and after a bit of protest from me, we left. (And guys we all know why I gave in). She took me from a “can’t lose situation” to a “can’t win one in less time than it takes to run the Kentucky Derby.” She ruined my hot streak, my day, and our relationship the minute she got “bored”!

Then there was the “Courtney’s father’s incident.” Courtney decided I should meet her father for the first time at the track. This was not one of her best ideas and agreeing to this certainly wasn’t one of mine. I won’t go into all the details of what went wrong, but Courtney and I rode to the track together and she rode home with her dad. Another one bites the dust!


Heather talked me out of betting $300 on a great 5-1 that actually won! Then I told Heather I needed some time and space.

Amber said it was too hot. (Um, then I told Amber that we could just be friends.)


Melissa joined PETA after an evening at the track with me. She didn’t understand what I meant when I said “They need to send that Horse to the Glue Factory.” After I explained to her what that meant, she was not a happy ‘Lissa.

As fun as Derby Day or a Day at the track can be, it IS hazardous to relationships. Get it? You’ve been warned!