What the Abilene Reporter-News liked and disliked: Congrats all around

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LIKES

1. Dak back vs. the Pack? The Cowboys are in the playoffs and have a home game. Hooray! Hope they are not providing a free seat for playoff villain Dwight Clark. Dallas plays San Francisco in the first round in the late afternoon game Sunday. This is a team that could be in the Super Bowl. Or not. It could be a Dallas vs. Green Bay matchup for the league title. Looking back, Dallas has won four of seven playoff games scheduled in January in the series (Dallas 1996, 1995, 1994 and 1983; Green Bay 2017, 2015 and 1967). That does not include the Ice Bowl, on Dec. 31, in 1967. The Pack won 21-17 in the game that started at minus-13 degrees. Earlier that same calendar year, Dallas lost the NFL championship Jan. 1, 34-27, to the Pack.

Michael Martin Murphy sings during his December visit to Pioneer Hall in Anson for the annual Texas Cowboys' Christmas Ball. The longtime entertainer has been honored by his home state again. Dec. 17 2021
Michael Martin Murphy sings during his December visit to Pioneer Hall in Anson for the annual Texas Cowboys' Christmas Ball. The longtime entertainer has been honored by his home state again. Dec. 17 2021

2. Surf and Murph. It was good to see and hear our longtime friend Michael Martin Murphey before Christmas at the Texas Cowboys' Christmas Ball in Anson. He recently was inducted into the Texas Trail of Fame, with a bronze marker placed at the Fort Worth Stockyards. Pretty good showing by America's favorite (Ustabe) Cosmic Cowboy ...

3. Lovin' it in Lubbock. Red Raiders sports fans are feeling good these days. The football team won its bowl game, 34-7 over Mississippi State, which is coached by former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach. Then, on Tuesday, in Waco, Tech edged No. 1 Baylor in men's basketball 65-62 to snap the defending national champs' 22-game winning streak. Baylor flags were seen at half-staff Wednesday ...

4. On the bright side ... Baylor finished No. 5 in the final AP football poll after its win over the other Mississippi team in the Sugar Bowl. The team was led by former Abilene High standout Abram Smith, who finished tied for fourth nationally in rushing with 1,601 yards and a dozen touchdowns. A fine end to that determined young man's career along the Brazos.

5. Money for Dyess. About $5.3 million in grants from the Texas Military Preparedness Commission's Defense Economic Adjustments Assistance Grant program (say that in one breath) were announced, including $375,000 for 5G and fiber expansion at Dyess AFB.

6. No, not the name of a Hogwarts professor. Congrats to the Abilene High School students involved in the literary journal Gallimaufry. AHS in the 2021 awards, announced via text message Wednesday, won first place among senior high schools with enrollments of 1,701 to 2,500. AHS was only Texas public high school to place in any category. In case you are wondering, "gallimaufry" means hodge-podge - the journal is a various collection of literary endeavors. Way to go, Eagles!

7. Rain but more shine. The little bit of rain we got helped settle the dust, but it made for hazardous driving - not raining enough to slow many motorists Tuesday. We got a whopping 0.13 of an inch to boost our 2022 total to 0.19. A quick look ahead shows no precipitation forecast, though another 'norther is due Saturday to chill us.

DISLIKES

1. Not off to see the "Wizard" or to school. Thursday's announcement that the junior production was canceled due to COVID was sad for many reasons. Sad for the youngsters who had put in work and were eager to shine, sad for those adults who made the show sparkle and sad for the Paramount, which cannot find a rhythm. But it's life during a pandemic. Which now includes the AISD taking a Omicron-induced break.

They were off to see the wizard before the Paramount Theatre's junior production was shut down due to a pandemic surge - from left, the Scarecrow (Brody Parris), Dorothy Gale (Julien Little), Tin Man (Micah Mallet) and Cowardly Lion (Jonah Holmes) get in step to travel the Yellow Brick Road, not to see an Elton John concert, but to the Emerald City to be given what each needs. =

2. Price not right. As of Thursday, H-E-B has hanging on by a percentage as the only pumps in Abilene seen offering unleaded gas below $3. Most places were $3.09. Another bite out of our paychecks

HMMM

1. Are you kidding? Did you see the news item that federal prosecutors were seeking to revoke a $1,400 stimulus check put in the account of convicted Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaey? They sought to use that amount for his million-dollar restitution bill. Well, that's the proverbial "drop in the bucket," but the larger question is ... really, a convict was sent a stimulus check?

2. Kandy Kaye billboards. We don't often see political billboards in Abilene but there are at least two promoting Republican Kandy Kaye Horn, including a west-facing one on North First Street. A check on Horn provides this: She is Baroness Kandy Kaye Horn, philanthropist and animal lover. Her Twitter posts also show she supported Democratic Party primary contender Beto O'Rourke in his 2018 Senate race against Ted Cruz: "I'm voting for @BetoOrourke and attending the Dallas meetings." (July 29, 2018). And, "I just donated to #BetoForTexas #Beto Please support him if you’re able. #VoteThemOut #GOPComplicitTraitors" (July 20, 2018).

3. It gets better ... Another Republican candidate for governor is Rick "Not That Rick" Perry. This Rick is from Springtown, and he probably hopes name confusion will be a springboard to Austin. Gotta love Texas politics. We elected Democrat Jesse James in 1941 as state treasurer (the office no longer exists because, we hear, he got off with all the money ...)

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: What the Abilene Reporter-News liked and disliked: Congrats all around