Nolan Ryan Smackdown

Seventeen years ago today, on August 4, 1993, Nolan Ryan and Robin Ventura got into a little smackdown.

If you've seen the video or remember the meeting between Ryan and Ventura, you know that Ryan taught Ventura that the mound was his and he better not approach it in ANY type of aggressive manner. If memory serves, people scored it Ryan 6, Ventura 0.

In a little over an hour, Nolan Ryan will have a different type of smackdown with this guy.

Mark Cuban, maverick Dallas Mavericks owner, was part of the only other group to meet the bid deadline to get in on the Texas Rangers auction. So starting at 9 AM central time, Cuban and Ryan will go head to head in the bidding war for the Rangers and when the smoke clears, the Rangers will be finally be out from under Tom Hicks ownership.

At this point, I love what Ryan and Jon Daniels have done with the team. I know Mark Cuban is willing to spend money, but I don't know if he would be able to, or want to, keep Ryan and Daniels in their current positions. What I do know is that it won't matter in a few hours.

The waiting will be over and the Rangers can get on with the season and the future.

(By the way, I'll be counting entries and let you know about the Contest results as soon as I get it together.)