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UPDATE: Hate Chat is on hiatus in August while Jen covers the Olympics. Be sure and check out her blog, Jen and Charean's Excellent Adventure, for the latest from Beijing.
The Little Ball of Hate offers her unusual take on the Cowboys, Rangers, Mavericks, Stars and other North Texas teams from 1 to 1:30 each Tuesday. POST QUESTIONS AT ANY TIME.
Most Recently Answered Questions
Questions 31 - 40 of 221 (Page 4 of 23)Submitted by Mike from
Q: How impressed are you with the play of Ian Kinsler so far this year? He has quickly become one of the best all around players in the AL? You think he has a little Brendan Morrow in him? He kind of reminds me of Morrow in the way that he plays and the type of guy that he is.
Answered 07/08/08 13:21:26 by Jennifer Engel
A: First things first, Kinsler got jobbed by not being named a starter on the All-Star team. He should have been the guy. I love him, the way he plays, his attitude, everything. But I would hold off on the best-all-around label simply because of the errors. He needs to clean that up.Submitted by Jordan from
Q: Jen, I have enjoyed your columns about the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials. Are you going to get the opportunity to go to Beijing to cover the Olympics? If so, is that something you dreamed about doing since becoming a sports writer?
Answered 07/08/08 13:20:08 by Jennifer Engel
A: Thanks. I thought nobody was reading swimming coverage. I also considered adding Owner Jones name to every column, just in case. To answer your question, yes, I am going to Beijing. And, yes, I always wanted to cover a summer Olympics. I already did a winter in 2002. So now I just need to cover a World Series and a Masters and a Wimbledon and I will have covered every event that I ever dreamed of covering as a child.Submitted by Jake from
Q: So do the Mavs' offseason moves thus far inspire you? It looks like they want to bring back the same team they had the previous two years with some minor tweaks. Does this only reinforce the idea that Cuban and Donnie believe that Avery coached down last year's team and that a new coach will make it all better?
Answered 07/08/08 13:17:19 by Jennifer Engel
A: Bored is the best way to describe how I feel about their offseason. About the only one that has me somewhat fired up is Rick Carlisle. Because I do believe this team had stalled under Avery, possibly even backslid. I am just not sure he is enough to catch up to what has become a dangerously good West.Submitted by Kevin from
Q: How do you ultimately see this Brett Favre saga playing out? It seems like he wants to play again, but that the Packers are ready to move on and don't want him back. It could get ugly, but I can't see the Packers trading or releasing Favre so that he can play with another team.
Answered 07/08/08 13:15:12 by Jennifer Engel
A: Good gosh, am I the only one sick of Favre? I mean he's a great QB, really and truly, but he has become a drama queen. Retire. Don't retire. I do not care any more. And what is driving me even crazier is everybody knows he (or his people) are leaking these stories then he comes out and denies them. Seriously, dude, make up your mind and until you do, go away.Submitted by Mark from
Q: Jen, so I take it that you are pretty fired up about the Stars signing Sean Avery? He is obviously a really good all around player, but do you worry at all about how he's going to fit in the room? Brendan Morrow's clearly not a fan of Avery, but assuming they can bury the hatchet, will everything be cool?
Answered 07/08/08 13:13:11 by Jennifer Engel
A: Nobody is a fan of Sean Avery until he is on their team. Then what was once viewed as rude, crude and socially unacceptable behavior becomes Sean just being Sean. The thing is every Cup-winning team has one of these guys and, if Morrow does not like Avery, he can have fun losing to Detroit every year.Submitted by Craig from
Q: How do you see the changes made to the Cowboys defensive staff affecting the team? It seemed like there was some uncertainty about Brian Stewart's status and then the Cowboys added former coordinators in Dave Campo and Todd Grantham so do you think these guys will mesh well together under Wade?
Answered 07/08/08 13:10:11 by Jennifer Engel
A: TBD on this defensive staff because, frankly, I do not care if they mesh only that the play on the field lives up to the talent level. That said, the one thing I know for sure is Campo will do anything and everything to help Brian Stewart. He does not have a back-stabby bone in his body. He truly is about what is best for the team. Of course, he has the hardest job: Fix Bambi.Submitted by John from
Q: With training camp fast approaching, what do you think the major storyline will be this summer? Your "Camp Cupcake" nickname kind of took on a life of its own with the questions about a Wade training camp vs. a Parcells one coming to the surface so what will have the masses buzzing this year?
Answered 07/08/08 13:08:27 by Jennifer Engel
A: Mark me down for Camp Rehab, because we have a lot of players and a certain coach and really this whole team trying to rehab their images. Pacman: Is he changed? T.O.: Can he string together another brilliant year like last one despite not having a contract hanging on his head? Wade: Can he rehab his Cupcake image? This team: Can they rehab their image as soft in December and bad in the playoffs? And on and on ... Thanks, John, I think you just gave me an idea for my Sunday column. Email me your last name and I'll be happy to give credit where credit is due.Submitted by Jason from
Q: I know you have long been an A-Rod hater, but what do you think about his personal life becoming fodder for the New York tabloids? I know New York is different than the rest of the world as I imagine he wouldn't be covered like that if he still played here, but should his marriage be fair game or should that be off limits?
Answered 07/08/08 13:05:42 by Jennifer Engel
A: We were discussing this very question at the office this morning. Full disclosure: I am an ARod hater. He strikes me as a phony and, while talented, he does not make his teams better. Or win when important. He's big stats and not as big of impact as those stats should suggest. That said, you will not see me writing about his divorce. It is none of my damn business unless he decides to do an interview with me, about it and how it effects his game. I do not know when this changed for me. I used to be a big-time US Weekly reader/PerezHilton reader and that has waned for me, mostly because it all seems too personal, like we are peeking in people's windows at the worst times of their lives. And I know they are celebs. But that only gives us a right to judge their games/movies/songs not mock their personal stuff, especially when kids are involved. It seems to violate the old adage of do unto others ...Submitted by Sundberg Fan from
Q: Miss Jen, Every so often you need a goofy question so here goes. With the Rangers being 10 games over .500 since the horrid start, if they continue to play ball well, win series, and end up with something like an 87-75 record, is it even conceivable that Washington would be considered for mgr of the year? With the rag tag rotation he has had to put together on a daily basis and the youngsters getting playing time and playing well, the guy we were all wanting to fire in May seems to have the team playing semi-decent ball. Maybe my meds aren't working, but it'd be ironic as hell if that played out, or even if he was considered for the award.
Answered 07/08/08 13:00:24 by Jennifer Engel
A: Greetings and salutations LBOHers, and a happy Tuesday to all and one. Back from Omaha and still trying to unchlorinate my brain. I blame an OD of chlorine for not totally dismissing this Sundberg Fan. I mean we are talking about a .500 baseball team. But your point has some merit, how Wash has this team at .500 with this rag-tag pitching staff is unbelievable. Not to mention that he kept this team from quitting back when they were awful and so I can not dismiss. Neither can I endorse at this moment.Submitted by David B. from Fort Worth
Q: What do you see materializing this year on offense with Felix Jones now becoming an option. Do you see da' Boys playing more like last year when Julius Jones and Mr. Barbarian split carries? Or do you envision the Cowboys using Marion Barber as the WORKHORSE getting a majority of the carries & Felix "the Cat" being more like what Reggie Bush was for the Saints his rookie campaign. I envision J. Garrett "the Carrot" drawing up plays that have Barber & Felix on the field at the same time. I am betting Garrett is wanting to get Felix in space where he can make BIG PLAYS like he did in college for years. Your thoughts?
Answered 07/01/08 13:18:28 by Jennifer Engel
A: Barber will get more/a majority of carries but not LT/workhorse carries, if that makes sense. And Felix will in no way play a Julius role. For starters, he has better hands which allows them to be more creative with him, utilize his speed. So I look for him to be heavily involved just in a non-traditional way. Thanks, see y'all next week.