BUCK U
Intro to Accounting
The College Football Playoff has proved mostly a bust to this point — will the semifinals provide any relief?
BY BUCK D. ELLIOTT
I’ll never claim to be a math person. Nuance, context, and other shades of gray are where I prefer to live — and dress in, as it were. In the greatest sport on earth, rife with bizarre storylines, a convoluted “amateur” structure, and seeming chaos, we can always turn to the data to determine how competitive a season has truly been, divorced from how we may feel about it. The first expanded playoff has certainly been an exercise in averages, and though the selection committee probably didn’t intend it, the median has prevailed. The outlying seeds — in both directions — have all been eliminated, and now we’re left with four teams that would not have qualified for the last 10 years but are far from Cinderella stories.
Before this year, there were 20 total semifinal games (previously the opening round) played, and the average score of those contests was 39-21, with most of them two-possession or greater victories. The average score of this year’s opening round games was 36-17, just a one-statistical-point-greater difference from the established average from 10 years of playoff data thus far, which is reasonable for the introduction of lower-seeded teams. All lower-seeded, visiting teams (Clemson, Indiana, SMU, and Tennessee) lost handily to their hosts, the Mustangs suffering the worst defeat in Happy Valley, losing to Penn State 38-10. Fifth-seeded Texas played the closest game against Clemson 38-24, but the ’Horns held a 28-10 advantage at halftime and the final score is somewhat misleading. These pre-bowl games did retain the novelty of the first major playoff games ever hosted on campus, which somewhat redeemed the lack of competitiveness of the spats themselves.
The parallel drawn between TCU and SMU after the Mustangs were boat-raced after an otherwise remarkable season aren’t lost on me, though we Frog fans can sleep comfortably armed with the data that we
were the first Texas-based squad to both appear in and win a semifinal when TCU outlasted second-seeded Michigan what seems like 100 years ago. If my estimations are correct, TCU will retain that distinction after Ohio State beats Texas in Arlington on Friday, but more on that later.
Did the second-round quarterfinals prove any more intriguing or competitive than the round of 16? Yes, but less so than hoped. The most disappointing result came from Boise State, who, armed with Frisco product and Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty, fell flat against the Nittany Lions, who proved that if they focused solely on slowing Jeanty, the Broncos wouldn’t be able to execute a backup plan. Despite dropping into an early two-touchdown hole, Boise was able to move the ball and spent the majority of the contest within a score of the Lions. Three interceptions and two missed field goals separated the only mid-major qualifier from their chance at victory. The 31-14 final isn’t demonstrative of a game that was mostly close, but State’s defense proved the most superior unit on the field. This wasn’t the least competitive game by the numbers, but the advancement of a mid-major would have brought a fresh storyline and flavor to an otherwise bland postseason.
Notre Dame’s 23-10 victory over the once mighty Georgia Bulldogs (who finished the season with three losses) was a perplexing contest of who to hate more. Frog fans don’t need any additional reasons to despise the Dawgs, and then there’s the
The average score of this year’s opening round games was 36-17, just a one-statisticalpoint-greater difference from the established average from 10 years of playoff data thus far.
Disney darlings of South Bend with the grandfathered television deal and Rudy notoriety who won’t join a conference. The Irish stamped this game sealed and delivered after returning the second-half kickoff to paydirt, securing a 20-3 lead. The Bulldogs did manage one measly endzone appearance near the end of the third quarter but fumbled the ball away twice in the first half and were stopped on downs during their last three offensive series of the game. The Irish will meet Penn State on Thursday in the Orange Bowl and are, in my view, the easiest bet of the Final Four to appear in the national championship game.
Oregon, the only undefeated squad in major college football, was not prepared for the Buckeyes to exact vengeance for their 1-point early season loss to the Ducks. The cadre from Columbus jumped to a massive 34-0 lead before the Big 10 champs managed their first points as time expired in the first half. The rest of the game was a stroll to victory and an eventual 41-21 W for the eighth-seeded Buckeyes.
The redemption of the quarterfinals was old-versus-new Big 12 in the form of Arizona State against Texas and a tale of two halves. Sun Devil running back Cam Skattebo proved his mettle by passing for a touchdown, running for two more, and receiving for 99 total yards in an MVP performance. The Longhorns seemed firmly in control and went into the locker room with a 17-3 halftime lead before the ASU defense stabilized and Skattebo CPR’d his team into contention. The result was a
knotted score of 24 at the end of regulation after the Sun Devils failed to complete the upset on their final drive. ASU scored during the first overtime period before Texas’ offense responded in kind and added another touchdown that their opponents couldn’t match. UT had won the most exciting playoff game thus far and in overtime during a contest in which they were favored by almost two touchdowns, thus bringing the average quarterfinals score to an impressively average 34-19 final across all four games but closer overall than the statistical mean established by the previous 10 years of data, mostly thanks to the Austinites. My gut instincts, which apply only to college football and nothing useful like investing (damn you, Dogecoin), are that we’re rocketing straight toward an SEC-less Rust Belt showdown between the Buckeyes and Irish. The guys in Austin, while rostering one of the most impressive defenses in the country, haven’t proven themselves offensively for four or even three quarters consistently. The Buckeyes stumbled against Michigan, yet again, but are arguably the hottest and most complete team of anyone remaining in the playoffs. The Nittany Lions have dominated thus far but have driven the easiest route to this point and man the least proven roster in contention. I’m forecasting a runaway victory on Thursday for the Irish, who win by at least 17 points, and a 3-point victory for the Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl on Friday — OSU will trail Texas at the half but find their way to their first national title appearance since postseason expansion began more than a decade ago. Regardless of the final scores, one close game should still be considered a good round for a playoff that hasn’t been close as an aggregate, and if the two games’ average scores are a 10-point margin or fewer, that’s statistical greatness. l
UT will try to become the second Texas-based team to play for the national championship in the playoff era when they face the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl on Friday.
BOOKS
In from the Cold
In The Great Ice Cream War of Summer 2016,
big issues come in small, frosty packages.
BY E.R. BILLS
Ironic, but I picked up John A. Brock’s The Great Ice Cream War of Summer 2016 almost 60 years to the day that The New York Times reviewed Larry McMurtry’s The Last Picture Show. I dabbled at The Great Ice Cream War here and there for a few weeks, and then finished it just before the new year. It brought to mind some of the things I remember reading in the Times review:
Nothing much happens in Larry McMurtry’s third novel, The Last Picture Show. But then nothing much happens in Thalia, the small Western town he is writing about. A sorrier place would be hard to find. It is desiccated and shabby physically, mean and small-minded spiritually. Mr. McMurtry is expert in anatomizing its suffocating and deadend character. Although the town faces the open prairie, it has no horizons and is as joyless as a 24-hour movie house at 10 in the morning. It is a place in which a man can live all his life and end up feeling anonymous.
The town where Brock’s Great Ice Cream War takes place could be described in similar terms, but I think the Times review of The Last Picture Show lacks experiential context and comes off snarky, as if beneath the Times and the critic. To be fair, McMurtry himself called Last Picture Show a “spiteful” story designed to “lance some of the poisons of small-town life” that he endured as a youth.
The Great Ice Cream War corrects both views. If you grew up in a small town, you know some of these characters a little if not very, very well. And your life with or around them wasn’t “joyless” any more than your town was “desiccated.” It was simply smaller and farther out. Arguably just a micro-vision of the macro.
Ted and Sophie Stroud run an old ice cream shop he took over from his father. A new gelato food truck comes to town, making the Stroud place seem passé. The Stroud family’s struggle to compete with their new, more tech-savvy competitors is a story as old as West Texas. New towns replacing older
ones. Hometown skating rinks done in by arcades and malls. Drive-in theaters made obsolete by indoor cineplexes, indoor cineplexes being compromised by cable TV, and cable TV slowly kneecapped by streaming services. It’s become the way of the world, and it’s happening so fast we often don’t notice.
In The Great Ice Cream War, Brock, whose short fiction has appeared in numerous anthologies, takes measure a dozen different ways. I enjoyed some of the nostalgia: “Like the most memorable summer days, the rest of the afternoon passed by in a carefree blur.” I was struck by some of the sharp prose: “The deeper they drove into the new developments, the more the roads weaved and turned.” And I admired some of the profound though scant political commentary: “But this election seemed different, as if the fragile bridge between the two opposing political parties had fallen into the water below.”
It may be accurate to say that “nothing much happens” in Brock’s first work of longform fiction,
but in a small town, “nothing much” is a lot. And it’s still poignant and meaningful to the inhabitants (and the reader) subject to the ebbs and flows within a small community.
Willie Nelson is from tiny Abbott, Texas. Matthew McConaughey was born in Uvalde. Roy Orbison was reared in Wink. Robert E. Howard was from Peaster. McMurtry was a native of Archer City. Big things often spring from small places, and Brock, a Lubbock resident and the sales and marketing manager for Texas Tech University Press, has crafted a modest novella that explores some mighty big issues.
The Great Ice Cream War of Summer 2016 is a thoughtful, allegorical narrative with two scoops of heart and a happy ending that too many small Texas towns and their residents rarely find themselves on the receiving end of.
Fort Worth native E.R. Bills is the author of Texas Obscurities: Stories of the Peculiar, Exceptional & Nefarious and several other works of acclaimed nonfiction.
Cover art by the author
The Great Ice Cream War of Summer 2016,
Come break the rules and say “yes!” to new art experiences at the Carter’s Second Thursdays! Every Second Thursday is different than the last — mingle with fellow art lovers, make art, and meet visiting artists, sometimes with live music and always with themed cocktails. You’ll never think of museums in the same way again.
Experiment with a variety of printmaking techniques inspired by the creative explorations of two artists on view: Rufino
and Richard
EATS & drinks
ATE DAY8 a Week: No Substitute for a Home-Cooked Meal
BY ELAINE WILDER
Like many of you, I overdid it over the holidays, and I don’t just mean my caloric intake. I’m talking budgets. By Valentine’s Day, I’ll be ready to get out there and partake in food that other people cooked — maybe something fancy. Meanwhile, you can find me in my kitchen. Beyond some discount shopping at Town Talk, my search for budget-friendly ideas took me down a rabbit hole of ingredient substitutions. You’re welcome.
1.) Butter
Margarine is not butter. Do a deep dive into the invention of that product, and you’ll understand it is not a valid food choice. However, for many recipes, you can substitute nut butter, especially in desserts. When you find a good deal on peanut butter, stock up. Due to its long shelf life and generic appeal, it’s a popular food bank request, so consider sharing the love when you find it on sale.
2.) Buttermilk
If you know an old Southern man, you may have seen him enjoying some cornbread in a glass covered with buttermilk. Sounds terrible, but it is a real thing. If you’re drinking buttermilk in whatever weird way you choose, you will need to purchase actual buttermilk. However, if you need it for a recipe you’re cooking, save yourself a few cents and make it yourself. Simply pour 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into a measuring cup, then fill it the rest of the way to the 1 cup line with milk and wait a few minutes. The acid in the lemon juice will curdle the milk, creating buttermilk.
3.) Eggs
In baking, eggs are typically a binder and also add to the texture of the dish. Easy substitutions are applesauce, bananas, or carbonated water. Generally, you’ll need about a half cup of smashed bananas for each egg required. Egg sizes vary, which can affect volume. A “large” egg is about the middle of the egg size chart, and those are considered to be about 2 ounces if you’d prefer to measure by volume.
4.) Heavy Cream
While you could technically substitute milk for heavy cream, it won’t be as creamy as you may want. At least promise me you’ll use whole milk. A better idea is to keep a can of evaporated milk — or Crema Mexicana (table cream) — in the cupboard and use it undiluted.
5.) Self-Rising Flour
When your recipe calls for self-rising flour, but all you have is flour flour, you can add a few basic cooking items and rise to the occasion. Simply add 1.5 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt to each cup of flour needed.
6.) Soda vs. Powder
The key difference between baking powder and baking soda is that baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate, requiring an additional acid to activate its leavening properties, while baking powder already contains acid, so it needs only moisture to react and cause baked goods to rise. Essentially, baking powder is a preactivated version of baking soda. If your recipe calls for baking powder and you have only baking soda, add cream of tartar, which is an acid. For every 1 teaspoon of powder needed, add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar.
7.) Mayonnaise
For the most part, mayonnaise, sour cream, and yogurt are all interchangeable in recipes for dressings and sauces, whether hot or cold. #MindBlown If substituting sour cream and folding it into something hot, you’ll want to proceed with caution and lower the temperature while incorporating it. As it’s a dairy product, you don’t want things to get weird.
8.) Yeast
Unless you’re into breadmaking, you probably don’t keep yeast packets around. No worries. Simply combine 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice for each cup of yeast needed.
An added benefit is that, for the most part, these substitutions are healthier than the original ingredient. Using plain yogurt in place of sour cream in beef stroganoff, for example, brings the calories down significantly. For other cooking and lifestyle tips, follow Healthy Tips on Facebook (@FitzroyFitnesss).
Fort Worth Weekly
Crema Mexicana is not just for drizzling. It’s also an excellent substitute for heavy cream.
CLASSIFIEDS
TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
AMENDED CONSOLIDATED NOTICE OF RECEIPT OF APPLICATION AND INTENT TO OBTAIN PERMIT AND NOTICE OF APPLICATION AND PRELIMINARY DECISION
PROPOSED PERMIT NUMBER: 176766
APPLICATION AND PRELIMINARY DECISION. RPower LLC, 24 Waterway Avenue Suite 1460, The Woodlands, Texas 773803292, has applied to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for issuance of Proposed Air Quality Permit Number 176766, which would authorize continued operation of Electric Generating Units located at 455 Sansom Boulevard, Saginaw, Tarrant County, Texas 76179. This application was processed in an expedited manner, as allowed by the commission’s rules in 30 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 101, Subchapter J. AVISO DE IDIOMA ALTERNATIVO. El aviso de idioma alternativo en espanol está disponible en https://www.tceq.texas.gov/permitting/air/newsourcereview/airpermits-pendingpermit-apps. This application was submitted to the TCEQ on June 27, 2024. The proposed facility will emit the following contaminants: carbon monoxide, hazardous air pollutants, nitrogen oxides, organic compounds, particulate matter including particulate matter with diameters of 10 microns or less and 2.5 microns or less, sulfur dioxide and sulfuric acid mist.
The executive director has completed the technical review of the application and prepared a draft permit which, if approved, would establish the conditions under which the facility must operate. The executive director has made a preliminary decision to issue the permit because it meets all rules and regulations. The permit application, executive director’s preliminary decision, and draft permit will be available for viewing and copying at the TCEQ central office, the TCEQ Dallas/Fort Worth regional office, and at the Saginaw Public Library, 355 West McLeroy Boulevard, Saginaw, Tarrant County, Texas, beginning the first day of publication of this notice. The facility’s compliance file, if any exists, is available for public review at the TCEQ Dallas/Fort Worth Regional Office, 2309 Gravel Drive, Fort Worth, Texas.
PUBLIC COMMENT. You may submit public comments to the Office of the Chief Clerk at the address below. The TCEQ will consider all public comments in developing a final decision on the application and the executive director will prepare a response to those comments.
PUBLIC MEETING. You may request a public meeting to the Office of the Chief Clerk at the address below. The purpose of a public meeting is to provide the opportunity to submit comments or ask questions about the application. A public meeting about the application will be held if requested by an interested person and the executive director determines that there is a significant degree of public interest in the application or if requested by a local legislator. A public meeting is not a contested case hearing.
OPPORTUNITY FOR A CONTESTED CASE HEARING. You may request a contested case hearing if you are a person who may be affected by emissions of air contaminants from the facility. If requesting a contested case hearing, you must submit the following: (1) your name (or for a group or association, an official representative), mailing address, and daytime phone number; (2) applicant’s name and permit number; (3) the statement “[I/we] request a contested case hearing”; (4) a specific description of how you would be adversely affected by the application and air emissions from the facility in a way not common to the general public; (5) the location and distance of your property relative to the facility; (6) a description of how you use the property which may be impacted by the facility; and (7) a list of all disputed issues of fact that you submit during the comment period. If the request is made by a group or an association, one or more members who have standing to request a hearing must be identified by name and physical address. The interests the group or association seeks to protect must also be identified. You may also submit your proposed adjustments to the application/permit which would satisfy your concerns.
The deadline to submit a request for a contested case hearing is 30 days after newspaper notice is published. If a request is timely filed, the deadline for requesting a contested case hearing will be extended to 30 days after the mailing of the response to comments.
If a hearing request is timely filed, following the close of all applicable comment and request periods, the Executive Director will forward the application and any requests for contested case hearing to the Commissioners for their consideration at a scheduled Commission meeting. The Commission may only grant a request for a contested case hearing on issues the requestor submitted in their timely comments that were not subsequently withdrawn. If a hearing is granted, the subject of a hearing will be limited to disputed issues of fact or mixed questions of fact and law relating to relevant and material air quality concerns submitted during the comment period. Issues such as property values, noise, traffic safety, and zoning are outside of the Commission’s jurisdiction to address in this proceeding.
RESPONSE TO COMMENTS AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ACTION. After the deadline for public comments, the executive director will consider the comments and prepare a response to all relevant and material or significant public comments. If no timely hearing requests have been received, after preparing the response to comments, the executive director may then issue final approval of the application. The response to comments, along with the executive director’s decision on the application will be mailed to everyone who submitted public comments or is on a mailing list for this application, and will be posted electronically to the Commissioners’ Integrated Database (CID).
INFORMATION AVAILABLE ONLINE. When they become available, the executive director’s response to comments and the final decision on this application will be accessible through the Commission’s Web site at www.tceq.texas.gov/goto/cid. Once you have access to the CID using the above link, enter the permit number for this application which is provided at the top of this notice. This link to an electronic map of the site or facility’s general location is provided as a public courtesy and not part of the application or notice. For exact location, refer to application. https://gisweb.tceq.texas.gov/LocationMapper/?marker=-97.353167,32.855&level=13.
MAILING LIST. You may ask to be placed on a mailing list to obtain additional information on this application by sending a request to the Office of the Chief Clerk at the address below.
AGENCY CONTACTS AND INFORMATION. Public comments and requests must be submitted either electronically at www14. tceq.texas.gov/epic/eComment/, or in writing to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Office of the Chief Clerk, MC-105, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, Texas 78711-3087. Please be aware that any contact information you provide, including your name, phone number, email address and physical address will become part of the agency’s public record. For more information about this permit application or the permitting process, please call the Public Education Program toll free at 18006874040. Si desea información en Español, puede llamar al 1-800-687-4040.
Further information may also be obtained from RPower LLC at the address stated above or by calling Mr. Tony Mente, SVP Applications at (262) 409-5273.
Missing Cat
Dahlia was last seen on 12/22 at 10pm at the intersection of Avenue G. and Wesleyan Street
Cream and dark brown Siamese mix, with blue eyes and white spotted paws. No microchip but was wearing a blue Ravenclaw collar with an orange fish name tag.
Notice Issuance Date: December 11, 2024
BULLETIN BOARD
ADVERTISE HERE!
Email Stacey@fwweekly.com today.
CATTLE BARN FLEA MARKET
4445 River Oaks Blvd
Saturday & Sunday 9a-5p
All your favorite vendors will be there Glen, Mo and Zelda will be there. It’s the best place to be on the weekend!
Is Your Ride Winter Weather Ready?
CALL COWTOWN ROVER!
With our handy pick-up and drop-off services, having your car checked out could not be easier. www.CowtownRover.com 3958 Vickery | 817.731.3223
EMPLOYMENT
Accountant (Arlington, TX) Req Bach in Acct, Fin, Bus Admin or rel field & 1 yr exp in the job offered or rel occ in acct & fin sys. Fluency & strong comm & present skills in the Mandarin language, both oral & written. To apply, mail res to Howard Tseung CPA, 700 Highlander Blvd #310, Arlington, TX 76015.
EMPLOYMENT
Wabtec Manufacturing Solutions, LLC seeks Materials Planning & Execution Manager in Fort Worth, TX to provide materials management expertise and lead a team of lineside materials/planning specialists. Telecommuting permitted. Apply at www. jobpostingtoday.com Ref #64925
HANNAH in HURST
Take a break from the rat race & feel better fast! 30+yrs Pro Massage (mt4797). No outcalls. 817-590-2257
HISTORIC RIDGLEA THEATER
THE RIDGLEA is three great venues within one historic Fort Worth landmark. RIDGLEA THEATER has been restored to its authentic allure, recovering unique Spanish-Mediterranean elements. It is ideal for large audiences and special events. RIDGLEA ROOM and RIDGLEA LOUNGE have been making some of their own history, as connected adjuncts to RIDGLEA THEATER, or hosting their own smaller shows and gatherings. More at theRidglea.com
HORROR FILM FUNDING
Fort Worth young adult seeks funding for an independent horror project. For more information or to donate, visit IndieGoGo.com/projects/ the-mastermind-the-movie#/
KNOW YOUR HEALTHCARE RIGHTS
Did you know that hospitals in Texas are now required to ask patients seeking care about their citizenship status? You are NOT required to answer. Instead, you can simply say: “I prefer not to answer.” Hospitals CANNOT deny you care due to your citizenship status.
LIFE INSURANCE
Up to $15K of GUARANTEED Life Insurance! No medical exam or health questions. Cash to help pay for funeral and other final expenses. Visit Life55Plus.info/ FTWorth or call today!
844-782-2870
More books than, WOW!
The Published Page Bookstop (10 E Chambers St, Cleburne, 817-349-6366) is open 10am-6pm Wed-Sat and 1pm-6pm Sun. An authentic “Old School” bookstore on the courthouse square of Historic Downtown Cleburne, TX, just 20 minutes south of FW, it’s a true Texas treasure. For more info, visit PublishedPage.com or find us on Facebook (@BiblioTreasures).
NEED A FRIEND?
Ronnie D. Long Bail Bonds
Immediate Jail Release 24 Hour Service. City, County, State and Federal Bonds. Located Minutes from Courts. 6004 Airport Freeway.
817-834-9894
RonnieDLongBailBonds.com
Prepare for power outages with Briggs & Stratton® PowerProtect™ standby generators - the most powerful home standby generators available. Industry-leading comprehensive warranty - 7 years ($849 value.) Proudly made in the U.S.A. Call Briggs & Stratton 1-855-988-6789.
PUBLIC NOTICE
The following vehicles have been impounded with fees due to date by Texas Towing Wrecker, 205 S Commercial St, Fort Worth TX 76107, 817-877-0206 (VSF0000964): Barber-Greene, 2000, Asphalt Plant, $2,035.57; Chevy, 1970, C10, $867.85; Fruehauf, 1998, Pneumatic Bulk Trailer, $2,035.57; and Honda, 2006, CBR600, $645.76.
WHAT’S YOUR STORY?
We work with guest contributors to publish SEO articls and press release purpuses. Email today! Marketing@fwweekly.com
