Pitchers, strippers, explosions, wrestlers, sick people, dying people, musicians, greyhounds, ferrets, catty hatin’ and chicken-fried steak — it was one helluva year.

This article appears in Dec 20-26, 2007.

The Houston Press is a nationally award-winning, 34-year-old publication ruled by endless curiosity, a certain amount of irreverence, the desire to get to the truth and to point out the absurd as well...