SportsDay Rangers, Episode 11: The one with Rick Helling and PRIZES!

Six people were taken to a local hospital and nine people were treated at the scene by Dallas Fire-Rescue after a fire involving a DART train occurred Wednesday afternoon. Between 10 to 15 people were evacuated from one of the transit cars after a fire was reported on the train near the Pearl and Arts District station. In other news, a ban on retail products containing THC won overwhelming support for the second time this year in the Texas Senate on Wednesday, even as the shadow of another veto by Gov. Greg Abbott hangs over its passage into law; frustration over the way Texas uses computers to grade students’ essays on the STAAR test is building after Dallas ISD officials again saw more than one-third of the exams they submitted for review come back with higher scores; and a whiff of optimism has spilled into the Pleasant Grove community with improvements led by The Loop Dallas, a nonprofit that’s steering a mammoth 50-mile trail around the city. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Joe Hoyt discuss [1:07] the lack of progress in Micah Parsons' contract negotiations as well as Joe's pleasant surprises and concerns. Hint: Tyler Guyton's injury wasn't a good development for the offensive line, and you can probably guess in which category Mazi Smith falls. [25:43] Evan and Kevin analyze the upsurge in the Rangers' offense lately and how that might affect Chris Young's trade deadline plans. Evan says a power arm for the bullpen remains the primary goal. Plus, is Jacob deGrom tipping his pitches to the Angels? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the Rangers finish an 8-1 homestand and zoom back into playoff contention, the guys discuss what's gone suddenly right with the offense. Think: Less chase and more Sam Haggerty and how it may impact the looming trade conversation. Then former Rangers GM Jon Daniels, who led the team to five different playoff trips, joins to recount the stories of deadlines past. Which trade did he hate? Which was his favorite? And what was the toughest to make. Also: How John aggravated JD every deadline. Finally, the guys review the winners from the round of 16 of Rangers Madness, including how neither of them were there for Adrían Beltré's 3,000th hit. And remember, you can earn Rangers memorabilia by voting in the Rangers Madness tournament. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dallas-Fort Worth has officially hit 100 degrees. The first triple-digit day for the year arrived Tuesday just before 4 p.m. And it’s forecasted to get even hotter. The National Weather Service’s Fort Worth office has projected that today and tomorrow will both reach a high of 103. In other news, a  gag order was issued Monday in the Karmelo Anthony murder case. That’s according to Collin County court records. A gag order is typically issued in criminal cases to prevent parties in the case, such as lawyers or witnesses, from speaking about the case publicly;  a key Texas Senate Republican chairman leading congressional redistricting hearings in Austin said Tuesday he is skeptical about assertions by the U.S. Department of Justice that the current congressional district maps in the state violate voters’ rights; a former pastor and school volunteer who was booked into the Denton County jail in May has been indicted on possession of child pornography charges, according to court records; and the world’s largest online retailer could soon be coming to Terrell. On Tuesday, Hunt Realty Investments announced the sale of 120 acres in Terrell, 30 miles east of Dallas, for an international distribution center. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dallas Independent School District Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde on Monday said she is lifting a hiring freeze on central administration positions after the federal government gave billions of dollars back to public schools last week. In other news, McKinney has started construction on a passenger terminal at its airport, which city officials expect will support commercial flights provided by a low-cost airline by late next year; the U.S. Department of Justice announced 18 convictions from “Operation Grayskull”, a joint effort between the Department of Justice and the FBI that dismantled four dark web child pornography sites; and Big Tex’s boots WERE made for walking. His iconic cowboy boots are leaving Dallas and making their way on a cross-country road trip to Washington D.C. The State Fair of Texas is loaning a pair of boots from the 55-foot-tall icon to the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s upcoming exhibition “State Fairs: Growing American Craft” at its Renwick Gallery.. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you’ve noticed more police patrolling North Texas highways lately, you’re not imagining things. Law enforcement throughout the state have ramped up patrols to catch speeders as part of a Texas Department of Transportation campaign. Through Aug. 3, police will spend more time driving roads to demonstrate safe driving habits ― and issue tickets to drivers going too fast. In other news, in 2023, amid a national reckoning on issues of race in America, seven Army bases’ names were changed because they honored Confederate leaders. Now, those same bases are reverting back to their original names, this time with different namesakes who share Confederate surnames — the Army found other service members with the same last names to honor; For the third time this season, the Aces got the better of the Wings with a 106-80 win in front of a sold out crowd; nd more than 140 restaurants will participate in DFW Restaurant Week. The event, which runs from Aug. 4 through Aug. 31, gives diners a chance to revisit favorite spots or try new ones with special prix-fixe menus for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Texas Public Policy Foundation, an influential conservative think tank, notified Dallas on Wednesday it needs to repeal or amend local ordinances not covered by state law — or risk being sued. In other news, Robert Roberson asked Texas’ highest criminal appeals court to delay his October execution date so the panel can weigh new evidence in the “shaken baby” case;  U.S. Sen. John Cornyn seized on an Associated Press story that Republican primary challenger Attorney General Ken Paxton, with wife Angela Paxton, claimed three houses as their primary residence on mortgage paperwork; and the immersive Go or Glow is a new — and fun — challenge for the bold. In 75 minutes, compete in five adrenaline-pumping challenges at this Design District activity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

State lawmakers have been quick out of the gate to file bills to address the July 4 floods that have killed at least 135 people in Texas’ Hill Country. Gov. Greg Abbott said addressing the floods is his top priority for a special legislative session that began Monday. In other news, 67-year-old Rebecca Phillips faces a felony terroristic threat charge after part of Dallas Love Field was closed Tuesday evening. Police were called to Love Field at about 6:35 p.m. ; a state appeals court says Dallas still can’t enforce rules that restrict where short-term rental properties listed on Airbnb, Vrbo and other platforms can operate in the city, doubling down on a similar opinion from February; nd Texans looking for work could receive additional support under new state laws designed to reinforce the career training that has positioned Texas as a leader in workforce development. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Calvin Watkins discuss [1:55] the furor over Jerry Jones’ perceived slights of Micah Parsons and Dak Prescott. Bottom line: Just Jerry being Jerry. Calvin gives us his three big storylines going into camp, and Evan says the rankings mean there must be a lot of questions about the team. [38:40] Kevin asks Evan if the Rangers still have a playoff pulse, and Evan says it’s hard to tell. [54:00] But they can still make a move for a reliever before the deadline. The guys note Scottie Scheffler’s win in the British Open and the comparisons to Tiger Woods, which makes Evan crazy. [1:05:50] And the guys are down with WNBA players asking to get paid.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Evan and John try to sort through what winning 2 of 3 from Detroit means for this club's immediate future. Then Rick Helling, the most recent - and perhaps last ever - 20-game winner in Rangers history, joins the guys to talk about being traded from and to the Rangers twice in a two-year period, pitching through the Steroid Era and being one of the first voices to speak out against PEDs. He also takes us inside his current work at the MLBPA. In the archives, John revisits Kenny Rogers' perfect game and Rogers' weird reaction to it. And before we sign off, the fellas unveil the bracket for Rangers Regular Season Madness, an opportunity for fans to vote on the top 16 moments in Rangers regular season history over the course of the summer and be rewarded with cool memorabilia for participating. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices