Tampa

Houstonians, You Sorta Do Okay With Your Budgeting & Saving, But You're No Boston

You either get some OCD-like kick out of keeping your home finances in line, smiling as you balance your checkbook and budget for the upcoming month, or you run screaming from the mere idea of doing anything involving dollars and math. But it is important to not be heroically stupid when it comes t ... More >>

The 5 Best Shows In Houston This Week: Victor Wooten, Merchandise, etc.

Victor Wooten San Jacinto College Central Victor Wooten is the kind of musician who leaves other musicians, especially bass players, in awe. One of his four older brothers taught Wooten the four-string arts at age three, and he's gone on to a distinguished career that includes stints with both jazz ... More >>

New Lynyrd Skynyrd: What Have We Been Missing?

Though the plane crash that claimed the lives of singer Ronnie Van Zandt and guitarist Steve Gaines looms horrifically large over the history of Lynyrd Skynyrd, the band's legacy is as much about survival as it is tragedy. More than 35 years since the band was nearly snuffed out for good, their clas ... More >>

Law and Order: Top 10 Best (Or Worst) Musicians' Arrests

Nobody is above the law - not even musicians even though some of them may think they are. However, some of their outrageous behavior has become legendary. Others have spawned rumors, killed their careers and/or made them the butt of many jokes. In fact, this makes me wonder why there is not a cele ... More >>

The Astros Are Heading To The Promised Land -- The American League!

Say hello to Yankee Fan​As a major league sport, baseball has always done a fairly good job of keeping itself relevant throughout the calendar year. (Football is the king of year-round relevancy. Basketball is the court jester. Baseball lies somewhere in between.) November is normally a fun b ... More >>

Football! This Weekend's Best Bets

Tim Tebow, in the act of Tebowing​So I said last weekend that we were in the midst of one of the most dominant, and in turn most predictable streaks in college football. The top ten teams each week were crushing the books to the tune of covering the number about 80 percent of their games. Two ... More >>

Jordan Schafer (He's An Astro, People) Arrested On Weed Charge

Jordan Schafer -- who you can be forgiven for not knowing is a centerfielder for the Astros -- was arrested early this morning on felony marijuana-possession charges in Tampa, Flordia. Tampabay.com reports that he was nabbed in a Cheesecake Factory about 12:30 a.m. today. Schafer, 25, came to the ... More >>

Capsule Stage Reviews: Anna in the Tropics, Ether Dome, I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, Republic Day, A Texas Romance, Woof

Capsule Stage Reviews: Anna in the Tropics, Damaged Divas of the Decades, Ether Dome, Farragut North, Republic Day, Woof

Chef Chat, Part 1: Hicham Nafaa of Majorca Bistro & Tapas

Photo by Mandy OaklanderHicham Nafaa, owner/chef of Majorca Bistro & Tapas​The walls of Majorca Bistro & Tapas are deep red, accented with hand-painted bullfighting frescoes. Soft flamenco music pulses through the low-lit dining room. Majorca is Midtown's brand-new tapas restaurant, and from t ... More >>

Houston Led Nation in Population Growth in Last Decade, Rice Finds

Rice U video No city in America grew more in population in the last decade than Houston, a Rice study said today. And if you don't believe it, they put out the slick video above to erase any doubt. Houston added 1,231,393 residents between 2000 and 2012, the study of census figures said; the next ... More >>

RIP Macho Man: Randy Savage, Illest Rapping Wrestler Ever

None more awesome: "Macho Man" Randy Savage, 1952-2011​Rocks Off was heartbroken to hear that former WWF/WWE and WCW wrestling champion Randy "Macho Man" Savage died this morning after losing control of his car and striking a tree near his home in Tampa, Florida. According to our sister paper ... More >>

NCAA Day One -- Winners and Losers

Need some downtime for the NCAA tourney? Try a vasectomy.​Yes, you read that headline correctly -- yesterday was "Day One" of the NCAA Tournament. Not Tuesday! Despite what the NCAA propaganda machine will tell you, the greatest single two-week period of sports during the calendar year is not ... More >>

Nistylin' & Profilin'

Before departing for L.A., Karina Nistal releases her long-awaited second album.

Dallas Cowboys: America's Most Popular Team, To America's Discredit

Dallas Cowboys: America has no taste​The Neilsen Company, the people who give you TV ratings, have done an extensive study on how popular various NFL teams are.According to the Wall Street Journal, the study examined "each team's local and national TV rankings, how often they're mentioned on the I ... More >>

Ten Iconic Musical Nicknames, And 25 You May Never Guess

​You know what sucks? Getting saddled with a really awkward family nickname when you are younger and it following you until it takes a frenzied freak-out to stop it. We were once called "Pooter" by our mother until an eight-year-old Rocks Off gave her a terse look right before third grade star ... More >>

Game Time: Jim Rome Smack-Off 2010, A Five-Time Champ Weighs In

The Rome show may have mellowed, but the Smack-Off still delivers​If you're a sports fan in the Year 2010, you probably know who Jim Rome is. If you read my blog posts each day, you almost definitely know who Jim Rome is.For those who don't, I'll be brief with the history lesson -- Rome is a syndi ... More >>

Kyle Beltran Drops Shakespeare For Rap In The Infectious In The Heights

Photo copyright (C) Joan Marcus 2009Daniel Bolero, Natalie Toro and Kyle Beltran ​Kyle Beltran, who plays the lead role of Usnavi in the Broadway Across America version of the Tony Award and Grammy Award winning In the Heights, now showing at the Hobby Center, credits the musical for bringing "hip ... More >>

HISD Rejects Another New Source of Revenue, For Now

Photo courtesy HISD​Is the Houston ISD Police Department about to expand its drug interdiction efforts to include the seizure of teachers' and students' cars and trucks? No, HISD has no plans for that, a laughing district spokesman Norm Uhl said this morning. Last night the board approved two m ... More >>

Enter at Your Own Risk

The Alley's trip through Wonderland is a work in progress.

Your New Year's Weekend Sports-Viewing Guide

​So you stayed up a bit late last night doing the whole celebrating the New Year thing. Now your head's aching, the room's spinning, and you just want to flop on the couch and watch some sports. But you don't want to have to think about what sports to watch. That's where I come in. Here's a little ... More >>

Lonesome Onry and Mean: Lying Liars and the Songs Written About Them

​After South Carolina representative Joe Wilson's bush-league grandstander heckling of the President last night - imagine the hue and cry if Nancy Pelosi had done the same thing during one of W's inane lie-filled speeches! - what Lonesome, Onry and Mean needs is some songs about lies and liars. On ... More >>

Kill Bill

Readers respond to ill-defined proposed legislation.

Vinyl & Compilations

Alternatives to the full-Length CD are back with a vengeance.

Aftermath: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at Super Bowl XLIII

Part 1: "10th Avenue Freeze-Out" and "Born to Run" Score another one for the old folks. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's quarter-hour onstage at Super Bowl XLIII Sunday night may not have been the most contemporary booking the NFL could have landed - but, and we'll get to this in a minut ... More >>

Bruce Springsteen Confirms Second Houston Show in a Year

Alejandro Escovedo with Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band,"Always a Friend," Toyota Center, April 14, 2008 After last year's sold-out show that ended with both Alejandro Escovedo and Joe Ely duetting with the Boss, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are headed back to Houston for ... More >>

Notes on the Baseball Playoffs

Ike Spawns A Peace Treaty

John Royal's NFL Power Rankings

Tired of the Hype, But That's All There Is

Next month, Houston gets to be a cool kid. But only for a week.

Steroids, Roger Clemens and Congress: Did Someone Say Nanny in a Bikini?

Jason Friedman’s NFL Picks, Week 13: Are There Not 32 Men in This Country Worthy of Being Starting QBs?

Aubrey Huff Loves the Ladies, Part Two: Now with Video!

Jason Friedman’s NFL Picks, Week 11: Tough Week, But Take the Texans

Jason Friedman’s NFL Picks, Week Ten: Openly Defying the Gods Since October 2007

Sleepovers With Uncle Jeff

The cardiologist traded on his status as a doctor to fondle young girls

Ronny Elliott, Ramsay Midwood, Dan Colehour

Thursday, September 14, at McGonigel's Mucky Duck, 2425 Norfolk, 713-528-5999

Free Kicks

Once in a Lifetime remembers when soccer players lived like rock stars

Burr...He's Ice-Cold

Ace in Hand

Power Plays

Other options to nuclear have their own set of drawbacks

Fool's Gold

Desperate clients hand over thousands of dollars for a chance at a job

Ronny Elliott, with Ken Gaines

Thursday, June 23, at Anderson Fair, 2007 Grant, 713-528-8576.

Double Standards?

Plus: Defining Moment, Egg on the Face, Get Off Death Row!

Camera Ready

Chronicle staffers tout their stories on Channel 11

Around the Parks in 38 Days

The Summer That Saved Baseball

Let the Games Begin

A lack of lodging. Snarled transportation. Searing summer heat. No matter. Houston boosters say the Bayou City will be unbeatable in the bidding for the 2012 Olympics.

As Seen on TV

New Blues

Alternative rock robs pop's cradle