Do It Yourself Depot

We’re going to open up the thread tonight to talk. I’ll be in and out through the night. Jetted back from Cali this morning after the Rangers were officially eliminated from playoff contention. One bonus of all that: I got to dine at Bolsa tonight where I highly recommend the bruschetta sampler.

Anyway, go.

Welcome Your New InsideCorner Overlords

Hello, Zac Crain here. You may remember me from such Mavericks playoff game live blogs as this one. I’m here today to talk to you about the future of InsideCorner, a scary, post-Evan Grant land filled with basketball, hockey, and Bob Sturm. I’m here today to tell you everything is going to be just fine.

First off, yes, Evan was certainly our star attraction during his six months handling the Rangers beat for us. But, arguably, what has made this blog so strong is you, the community that lives in the comments. We aim to continue that in the coming months as our focus shifts to other sports and other people writing about those other sports. We are hoping you remain our Lost-style constant.

Why should you stick around? For one, Bob Sturm and his big sports brain. You’ve already read and enjoyed his Cowboys coverage, as he breaks down each game like a fraction, before and after. He’s still here, and he’ll continue chiming in on everything from Dallas’ pro teams to UFC to  maybe even the English Premier League (though he follows the wrong team from Liverpool, if you ask me).

Also, we’re just about to embark on the NBA and NHL seasons, and there is plenty to talk about there. Jeff Miller is in the crease for Stars coverage, and Eric Celeste and I will be the glue guys keeping you up on the Mavs’ end. What to expect: week-by-week previews, live blogs for big games, and plenty of game books. Among other things — top-secret, ineffably awesome things, that we are currently working hard to make happen for you.

Plus, we will have some new players joining the roster in the coming weeks. They’re not going to replicate what Evan did, and we’re not asking them to. They’ll be conversation starters, ready to mix it up in the comments with you guys. Hopefully, it’ll be like watching games with friends, if one of your friends has a dashing salt-and-pepper beard and is fond of yelling “I see you big German!”

More as events warrant. And never forget: I loved you, even when no one else did.

Linkin’ Park: Lurking Around The Web For You

The door closed on the Rangers’ chances at a division title on Monday with an ugly 11-0 loss in Anaheim. Last night, the Red Sox shut the window too. Had Boston lost their final six contests and the Rangers won out, Texas could’ve snuck into October as the wild card team in a scenario ESPN gave a 0.1 percent chance of happening. But the Rangers didn’t take long in extinguishing that option.

Just a night after the Angels celebrated their third straight A.L. West title right in front of them, Texas did what seemed all but a formality for the last week — they officially eliminated themselves from playoff contention. And now there’s not much left to do but commend the team for their most successful season in years and look to the future.

Probably the biggest question in need of an answer moving forward is who the Rangers will retain in the offseason. Both Marlon Byrd and Pudge Rodriguez figure to qualify as type-B free agents, meaning the Rangers would get compensated for losing either as long as they offer them arbitration. But Byrd, coming off a career year, will be looking for a big contract which could make it tough for the cash-strapped Rangers to bring him back, despite the fact that a few players are already publicly hoping for his return.

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Football 301: Decoding Garrett – Week 3

DISCLAIMER: This is not for everyone. It may not be for you. This is a statistical study of the Cowboys offense with lots of numbers that may make your head tired if you are not up to it. Read it only if it is something that is of interest to you.

The win versus Carolina resulted in many people who follow this team to suggest it was a disappointing night for the offense. After all, they had 0 points at halftime, and really only accounted for 1 TD and 2 FGs against a defense that does not stun you with its talent.

But, was the offense bad? And if so, how do we define that?

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Dallas Stars: Who Will Step Up in 2009-10?

Numbers of various origins – some statistical, some subjective – don’t paint a pretty picture for Stars fans going into the season that will start Saturday night at AAC against Nashville.

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