The Texas Rangers once again are AL West Champions and with each new advance they bump it up a notch to take on a new challenger. My call is that the Tigers will beat the Yankees tonight which means the Rangers and the Tigers will face each other.
Both of these teams are quite good but I think Beltre showed us tonight just what kind of surprises the Rangers can put up when they need to. This Rangers team has the ability to spur each other into action when they need it the most and I think that is what you will see when the Rangers and Tigers face off with each other.
Hamilton remains the 3rd highest batting average with Beltre 2nd and Gentry having the highest in the AL Division Series. The Tigers will be a hard match up but I am sure there will be some big surprises once again.
To read more about the Rangers and their advance to the ALCS please read these very enthusiastic fans and bloggers of the Texas Rangers who both happen to live here in Tyler.
Here at Tyler TX Directory we maintain an informal connection with growing on- line, sports news magazine, and podcast site, The Hague Sports. In fact, a link to that site can be found to the right on this page. The site is operated by Nathan Hague, (also known as Neigh- neigh), and contains articles, headlines and links from the world of sports, particularly, but not exclusive to, Texas. Nathan, a journalism major from SFA, (and TJC prior to that), has been a sports writer for the Baytown Sun, and has worked around radio and broadcasting off and on for a number of years.
Just over two years ago Nathan decided to attempt something new, a sports talk podcast. It was mostly an opportunity for him to hone his understanding of broadcasting, but over the last couple of years the show has garnered something of a following. The format of the show is pretty simple: Nathan, accompanied by a few, mostly well informed friends discuss, complain about, debate and even occasionally mock, major events and individuals from the sports headlines. Ben Dieter host of his own baseball website and podcast, entitled The Ranger Report, is an almost weekly co-host. In fact, the two hosts have worked so closely together, that about six months ago they essentially merged their shows into one. Regular listeners can find the program at either www.thehaguesports.com or www.therangerreport.com .The name depends largely on which site listeners use to download the latest episode. Over the last two years, Neigh and Ben have interviewed numerous professional athletes and sports journalists including: Josh Hamilton, Michael Young, Derek Holland, Darren Oliver, Tom Grieve and numerous others.
For the first time, Nathan and Ben will be holding an on location, live broadcast at The Art of Coffee Café in Lindale Texas, starting at eight o’clock pm on Friday the 29th. Other regulars from the show will be present in person and on the phone. The Art of Coffee is located at 2808 S. Main Street, Suite G, in Lindale. For more info on the café, visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/artofcoffee?sk=wall . To learn more about The Hague Sports go to www.facebook.com/pages/The-Hague-Sports/133934019959450 .
The Hague sports started as nothing more than a blog written by a Stephen F. Austin State University student. As Nathan Hague, along with Luke Johnson, began to do podcasts, (internet radio shows) they began to expand, and they opened a new website www.thehaguesports.com.
The show started with Nathan Hague, the host of the show and sportswriter who prides himself on his many interviews of big named athletes. Along with Nathan was Luke “Ocho-Cinco” Johnson, who is known for his love of two things, the A&M Aggies and Brett Favre. Joining them later on were Stephen Todd, known for his self-proclaimed nickname Stevie-Westside, and Ben Dieter, one of Texas Rangers’ most loyal fans. Jason Hague is a frequent guest on the Hague Sports, who brings a little more sarcasm to the show, and has an ongoing argument with Luke Ocho-Cinco about who is the best quarterback of the NFL.
The Hague Sports covers many college and professional sports. The biggest subjects covered by the show are college and professional football, college and professional basketball, and professional baseball. One of the most popular traditions of the show is the “Drama Queen Award”. This award is given to someone involved in the sports world that starts drama or causes a fuss. A few of the cast members nominate a different person involved in sports and they vote on who has caused more drama, and crown them that weeks Drama Queen.
The show and articles on haguesports.com are quite entertaining, and always up to date with the news in the sports world. It is fun to tune in to hear the cast members give each other a hard time and place fun bets on game picks. The cast gives a whole new perspective on sporting events.
Well here we were the day before Halloween and I had yet to decide on a topic on which to write that coincides with the season, but along came Walmart. Now I realize the retail giant gets a lot of undeserved criticism, but in this regard I find the critics to be constructive. The store announced that they will now be selling caskets and urns on its website. I believe in capitalism, the open market, and making a buck. I also believe in saving a buck as a consumer, but this is an example of a product whose price I am fairly indifferent about.
I confess that I’m not sure why this story bothers me so much. I just find it strangely depressing that the last purchase of my life would be made at the same place I buy diapers, food and everything in between. I guess it’s kind of a circle of life thing. I’m starting to feel like just another resource for the department store to tap. If a product called Soylent Green appears on the shelves, here’s a hint, don’t eat it! It tastes just like people. I think death and mourning is probably not a good product for whole sale retailers. Buying urns in bulk, or dropping off and picking up your dead at the drive through window could prove just a little dehumanizing. I can hear it already, “Will the Hague family please report to isle five for your father’s wake.”
In all seriousness, I understand that fraud and scams in the funeral services are very real mine fields for grieving families to navigate. Largely for this reason, my own father sees it as perfectly acceptable for the department store to offer the on-line products. By the way, the caskets actually have product names like; “the executive,” (almost sounds like something one might prefer to test drive prior to purchasing), and “Mom and Dad remembered.” There’s nothing like a little manufactured sympathy. It comes down to this, I just don’t want to be considering end of life options while in the middle of it. And Dad, I don’t care what you say; I’m not burying you in a Walmart casket!
Instead of turning to a department store in preparation for the life to come, I suggest simply planning ahead. Find a funeral home and director you know to be honest, and make your wishes known to your family not your local Walmart. As I finish this piece I am reminded that I need to head to Walmart for more Halloween candy. Hey! Maybe I should pick up an urn to put it in!
To see the on line listings follow the links below.
