Daily Ticket: The Blog

Monday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. New England Patriots 20, Dallas Cowboys 16: Tom Brady's touchdown pass to Aaron Hernandez with 22 seconds remaining spoiled the Cowboys' upset bid.

2. Clarence E. Hill Jr.: Jason Garrett's conservative play-calling in the fourth quarter sent the message that he does not trust Tony Romo.

3. The Texas Rangers took Sunday off while watching their World Series matchup finalized. They will play the St. Louis Cardinals beginning Wednesday in St. Louis.

4. Gil LeBreton: It was far from easy for the Rangers to advance past the Detroit Tigers.

5. In the first BCS rankings, SEC schools LSU and Alabama are 1-2, with Big 12 schools Oklahoma and Oklahoma State third and fourth.

6. Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Casey Wheldon died in an accident during a race in Las Vegas.

-- David Thomas

Friday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Detroit Tigers 7, Texas Rangers 5: Two key moments around the third-base bag in the sixth inning turned the game into Detroit's favor and the series is headed back to Texas with the Rangers up 3-2. Game 6 is Saturday night.

2. Randy Galloway: Jason Verlander was the only big-money starter Thursday and this series is not over yet.

3. Gil LeBreton: The Rangers are headed home needing only one win in two games to advance to the World Series. Pressure? No, they say.

4. Dallas Stars 3, St. Louis Blues 2: Loui Eriksson scored a short-handed goal and Kari Lehtonen was big in goal as the Stars won in front of a home crowd of only 7,949.

5. Tony Romo said the Dallas Cowboys are going to win a Super Bowl. He didn't say when, but they will win one, he said.

6. Cowboys notes: DeMarcus Ware is seeing fewer double teams in Rob Ryan's scheme.

-- David Thomas

Thursday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Texas Rangers 7, Detroit Tigers 3 (11): Mike Napoli drove in the go-ahead run in the 11th inning, then Nelson Cruz followed with a three-run homer that has the Rangers one game from clinching another spot in the World Series. Game 5 is today in Detroit, although weather reports bear watching (3:19 p.m., KDFW/Channel 4).

2. Randy Galloway: This series' swing game proved to be a classic.

3. Gil LeBreton: Ron Washington's faith in his players is rewarded by Cruz and Michael Young.

4. Orlando Scandrick is back from an ankle injury, and the Dallas Cowboys are happy to have his attitude back on the defense.

5. Cowboys notes: Rob Ryan has a game plan in place for Tom Brady and the New England Patriots offense.

6. Big 12 Insider: Make no mistake about it, neither team is lacking motivation for Saturday's Baylor-Texas A&M game.

-- David Thomas

Wednesday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Detroit Tigers 5, Texas Rangers 2: The Tigers hit three home runs and Doug Fister stout 7 1/3 solid innings as the Tigers cut the Rangers' series lead to 2-1. Game 4 is at 3:19 p.m. today in Detroit (KDFW/4).

2. Randy Galloway: After missing out on a chance to tuck this series away, the Rangers now face a swing game in the series.

3. Gil LeBreton: It's time to drop Michael Young out of the cleanup spot.

4. Dallas Cowboys notes: The Cowboys face a New England Patriots offense that has scored at least 30 points in 13 consecutive games. The last team to hold them under 30 was the Cleveland Browns -- with Rob Ryan as defensive coordinator.

5. TCU will not simply replace Texas A&M on the Big 12 football schedule next year, and the Horned Frogs will receive their share of conference revenue on an increasing scale through 2015-16.

6. Big 12 interim commissioner Chuck Neinas said the Big 12 will be a 10-team league that includes Missouri in 2012-13 .

-- David Thomas

Wednesday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Texas Rangers 7, Detroit Tigers 3 (11): Nelson Cruz's grand slam in the bottom of the 11th sent the Rangers to Detroit with a 2-0 series lead. Game 3 is tonight, with Colby Lewis facing Doug Fister (7:05 p.m., KDFW/4).

2. Randy Galloway: The Boom Stick took care of the Tigers in Game 2, and now Lewis has the chance to lower the boom.

3. TCU accepted its invitation to join the Big 12.

4. Dallas Cowboys linebacker Anthony Spencer, in the last year of his contract, knows he needs to continue to play well.

5. Cowboys notes: The bye week is over and the players are back and healthier than when they left.

6. Dallas Stars 2, Phoenix Coyotes 1 (SO): Loui Eriksson tied the score with 28 seconds left in regulation, then Mike Ribeiro delivered the game-winner in a shootout.

-- David Thomas

Monday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Rainy weather postponed Sunday's Game 2 of the ALCS until today. The Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers will begin at 3:19 p.m. in Arlington (KDFW/4).

2. Randy Galloway: The rainout helps the Rangers, who would have been without Alexi Ogando on Sunday.

3. Rangers notes: The rainout means Game 2 starter Derek Holland can go through his regular routine two days in a row.

4. TCU has schedule a major announcement for Monday afternoon. It is believed that TCU will accept its invitation to join the Big 12.

5. TCU notes: The Horned Frogs' 27-14 win at San Diego State was another case of TCU playing its best on the road.

6. Jimmy Burch: Texas' young quarterbacks say they learned plenty from the Longhorns' 55-17 loss to Oklahoma. A date with Oklahoma State this weekend could provide more opportunities to learn. 

-- David Thomas

Friday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. TCU has been invited to join the Big 12. TCU's board of directors will meet soon, possibly today, to vote to join the league.

2. Randy Galloway: This opportunity for TCU is all good. The Big East isn't what it was when TCU signed up to join, and the Big 12 needs TCU.

3. Gil LeBreton: TCU should stay with the Big East. The Big 12 is the conference teams have been leaving and, even in the cases of some of its current members, wanting to leave.

4. Mike Napoli has become perhaps the Texas Rangers' best player. Napoli and the Rangers will host Detroit on Saturday in Game 1 of the ALCS.

5. Rangers notes: Players didn't have a preference to which team they would play in the ALDS, but they did like the idea of starting off at home.

6. Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops hasn't exactly been pumping the hype machine for Saturday's game against Texas, but he does say the game is special.

-- David Thomas

Thursday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. The Texas Rangers are no one-hit wonder. They have an organization that has been built to sustain success.

2. Randy Galloway: We hear little from the Rangers' new owners, but they are a group committed to keeping the Rangers winners.

3. Rangers notes: C.J. Wilson will start Game 1 of the ALCS and Alexi Ogando will remain in the bullpen. The order for the rest of the rotation will be determined after the Rangers' opponent is known.

4. Dallas Cowboys notes: After taking this weekend off, the Dallas Cowboys expect to be close to 100 percent when they return on Monday.

5. TCU notes: Gary Patterson did not back down from any of his comments about SMU, but he says he is through talking about the Mustangs.

6. Sporting News has ranked Dallas-Fort Worth No. 1 on its annual list of the best sports cities.

-- David Thomas

 

Wednesday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Texas Rangers 4, Tampa Bay Rays 3: Ian Kinsler led off with a home run and Adrian Beltre added three homers of his own as the Rangers clinched the ALDS. 

2. Gil LeBreton: Beltre's three-homer day, after a 1-for-11 start to the series, proves how the Rangers can beat an opponent from any spot in the lineup.

3. Rangers notes: Catcher Mike Napoli said it was a "clean play" when the Rays' Sean Rodriguez ran him over at home plate.

4. Dallas Cowboys rookie right tackle Tyron Smith already is drawing comparisons to Larry Allen.

5. Cowboys notes: Kicker David Buehler, who is expected to return from a groin injury after the bye week, said he feels pressure to perform after watching Dan Bailey make 11 consecutive field goals.

6. TCU football coach Gary Patterson takes issue with SMU and the officiating crew after Saturday's overtime loss to SMU.

-- David Thomas

Tuesday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Texas Rangers 4, Tampa Bay Rays 3: Colby Lewis pitched six shutout innings and the Rangers scored four runs in the seventh inning to take a 2-1 series lead. The clincher could come this afternoon in Tampa-St. Petersburg (1:07 p.m., TBS)

2. Gil LeBreton: The Rangers keep enjoying the benefits of Mike Napoli's magical year.

3. Jason Garrett again takes a public stance of defending Tony Romo.

4. Dallas Cowboys notes: Dez Bryant's thigh injury is the reason he has had a limited role in the second halves of the past two games.

5. The Big 12 board of directors has approved a plan by which conference members will share most of the league's revenues. Schools have agreed to sign a six-year contract, with Missouri the only holdout.

6. Big 12 notes: Mack Brown calls Saturday's Texas-Oklahoma game a "bowl game at mid-season." Bob Stoops calls it "another game."

-- David Thomas