Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

Ten years of the Pope. We don't have a lot of pope talk in this next of the woods. 

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• The search for the driver involved in the alleged road rage case which killed a Decatur motorcyclist took a turn yesterday when it was revealed that a cameras in Aurora had clear images of what authorities now believe to be the truck involved.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• But consider how the eyewitness(es) were wrong. The initial reports were that they saw a "water tank" on the flatbed. Authorities now believe it wasn't a water tank at all. But think about how wrong it could have all gone for you if you had just happened to be hauling a water tank on 287 that morning? 
• Hey, wait a second. A Devil's Advocate would say: What what if the initial accounts were right and it was a water tank and the images above are some innocent guy who was just working right off of 287 that day? 
• This Michael Irvin lawsuit, along with the press conference yesterday, is making me insane. 
  
  
  
• First, let's talk about the dismissal and re-filing of the case in Arizona state court. This is what is really going on: 
• The case was originally filed in Texas state court in Collin County.  But there is a constitutional "rule" that says a defendant in a civil case has an absolute right to "remove" the case to federal court so long as all the Plaintiff(s) and all the Defendant(s) are residents of different states.  That's what happened here. It was removed to federal court at Marriott's request.
• But here is the the important part: A Plaintiff, like Irvin, who is seeking money generally doesn't like being in federal court. State courts are a much more friendly venue. So Irvin came up a way to get back to state court.
• He filed a Motion to Dismiss the (now) federal case, refiled it in state court, but this time added a defendant who is a resident of the same state as Irvin. That's they key. So long as one Plaintiff and one Defendant are residents of the same state, the case can't be removed to federal court. 
• I asked a smart lawyer yesterday if Irvin's lawyer can do that -- escape federal jurisdiction with a dismissal and simply refile the case in state court by adding a new defendant. He wasn't 100% sure you could. And he pointed out this: The federal case case hadn't been dismissed  yet.  Irvin had filed the Motion, but that Motion hasn't been granted by the federal court. So everyone keep an eye on that. Getting out of federal court sometimes isn't as easy as as filing a Motion to Dismiss. Edit: Admittedly could be wrong about the need for an Order.
• The press conference itself yesterday made me want to scream. (Here is the YouTube video of the full press conference which also has the complete Marriott video.)
• Irvin's lawyer is a gaslighter. He tells you what the video will show before he plays it and then it shows nothing like he described.  He's trying to create his own facts.
  
  
  
• Irvin said he was so happy the video exists because it proves he didn't "commit sexual assault." Huh? Who says you did? No one. A Marriott employee says you said something offensive and the video is consistent with that.
  
  
  
• Irvin keeps painting himself as the victim. Buddy, who you are really mad at is your employer, the NFL Network, for sanctioning you for doing something you've done all your life: Hit on women. 
  
  
  
• This is the critical part everyone is ignoring. Irvin, and his lawsuit, are screwed because he called a Dallas radio station right after the NFL took him off the air and said this: 
  
  
  
• This isn't a "he said/she said" situation. This is "she said/I don't remember because I was drunk" situation.  It's over. 
• And, once again, Irvin is the one suing a hotel for $100 million! He's acting like he was wrongfully indicted by prosecutors for Aggravated Sexual Assault. 
• And didn't Marriott behave exactly like we would want? A female employee reported to her boss that a guest had offensively propositioned her and that the guest had told her he would "look for her" later in the week. And the employee said it made her very concerned. The manager reported it up the chain which is exactly what you would expect, and want, especially in corporate America.  Do you want management to ignore the female employee and risk something bad happening? Or do you want her bosses to protect her? 
• Rant over. 
• Quick hits on current events:
• Deep Ellum isn't helping itself. From last night:
  
  
  
  
  
  
• War Games. 
  
  
  
• Kids steal horses. Kids ride horses by highway. Horses get spooked. One kid and two horses die. 
  
  
  
• Politicians in Austin were falling down over Dennis Quad making a visit yesterday.  And a credible source is saying he was in Bridgeport last week filming his latest movie.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• The guy who has the greatest gig in the NFL is TCU's own Red Rocket. Never take a hit and make a fortune these days.
  
  
  
• I was told that people would be breaking down doors to throw money at Cowboy's backup Cooper Rush this off-season. That certainly hasn't happened yet. 
• Hey you Hayseeds! Sign up for the Liberally Lean Pick-Em Tourney. The deadline is tomorrow morning! You've got a chance to win no money, but you will achieve immortal fame. Which is nice. So far we have entries from . . . 
• Hunter Biden's Laptop
• Diggler 420 Smokelahoma 
• I'm Standing In Line At The Bank (current event guy)
• Barron Green (an incredible call back joke)
• Free Britney (a current events oblivious guy jokester)