Twas some hours before Northcross
And all through city hall
The AC was cranked up
So asleep we would fall

The 2 o'clock briefing
On homelessness canned
To make room for zoning
20 cases, goddamn!

Richard Suttle rounded
The dais with care
At each members place
Placing a dossier
(What the shit is it? Naked pictures?)

Council finally emerged
From Executive Session
To yet another presentation
On upcoming legislation (yawn)

With proclamations and more
To still come, we're quite right
To say No-Doz for all,
It'll be a long night.

The Austin Wranglers announced today the creation of the first Lone Star Arena Football Classic which will take place on Friday, Feb. 23 at 7pm to be held at the Frank Erwin Center. This game will feature standout high school seniors from capital area football teams who will participate in this Arena Football League style all-star game. The AFL-style of play (not to mention the 50-yard playing field) mixed with the talented high school all-star rosters should make for an exciting one-of-a-kind game. There will be two teams of 30 players from the North and South (school districts from Georgetown to Seguin) with Westwood Head Coach Anthony Wood coaching the North and Lake Travis head coach Jeff Dicus coaching the South with assistance from coaches from the AFL's Wranglers and the Dallas Desperados. Players will be selected by notables such as Texas high school football guru Craig Way, the North and South coaches, sportswriter Rick Cantu, and other media types. The game will be broadcast on AM1300 the Zone with Craig Way and Erin Hogan working their commentorial magic. General admission tickets are $10 each and can be purchased by telephone at 339-3939, the Wranglers Box Office located at 2209 W. Braker, and throughout the community. Proceeds will be donated to the Austin Wranglers Foundation for purchase of Automated External Defibrillators for the capital area schools that are participating in the game.

In other Wranglers-related news ...

A few random musings:

– They really are sticking to their own 45-minute limit: On Item 81, the Big Box ordinance, 15 are signed in to speak, 123 signed in but not speaking; on Item 82, the Northcross discussion, 23 signed in to speak, 115 signed in but not speaking.

– Aside from its size and intensity, the noon protest was interesting for exposing some of the fault lines between the anti-Wal-Mart crowd and the Big Box ordinance's true believers. In passing the bullhorn around, some speakers had to be reminded that Big Box was up for passage tonight, and you could tell some Responsible Growth for Northcross members were a little confused to the whole thing. Council too, apparently – word was a late welter of amendments, some which would have gutted the ordinance's effectiveness, were being considered, but smart money has council just passing it on first and saving the rest for later.

– The Austin City Store is open for business today, a day early. No word on if Richard Suttle's infamous Austin Monopoly board game is up for sale. (Passed around City Hall as presents from his law firm, city legal said council had to return them.) Any readers with access to one, give it here. You can buy us off cheap!

At 2pm, two hours after more than 150 protesters descended on City Hall, it's finally quiet. Council has temporarily absconded behind closed doors into executive session, following a whirlwind of action and new developments in the Northcross/Wal-Mart saga. Not that it's over by half; with Supercenter foes Responsible Growth for Northcross still signing in to speak by the dozen, discussion of Wal-Mart's expansion plans, scheduled during council's 6pm public hearings, will likely stretch long into the night. This even despite a self-imposed 45 minute time limit, plus response, on the protesters' part – it's just that there's so much to say.

The biggest news currently is an announcement from Lee Leffingwell's office that Northcross developers Lincoln Property Group has joined Wal-Mart in their 60-day moratorium on building at Northcross. Wal-Mart's moratorium announcement yesterday left RG4N members cold, as it was developer Lincoln who stood to swing the wrecking ball. Their fears were seemingly confirmed by a story in today's Statesman, announcing Lincoln filed another site plan yesterday "to basically lock in the one it already has." The 60-day moratorium could conceivably grant Lincoln and Wal-Mart enough time to nullify neighbor's shaky legal arguments by renotifying all groups of the refiled site plan, this time with every conceivable legal failing fixed. But any hopes they had of the moratorium serving as a cool-off period look unfounded; if anything, judging from earlier, the heat can only build.

The live music capital of the world ain't no joke. Live music emanates from every nook and cranny of this town and sporting events are no different. The lovely and talented Sara Hickman will perform live following No. 23 ranked UT's Sunday Dec. 17 matchup with Tennessee at the Frank Erwin Center. The whole thing gets started at 12:30pm. Look for future postgame concerts from Ruthie Foster (Jan. 7) and Elana James (Jan. 21) with a series-concluding concert from Dave Navarro and Tommy Lee's favorite local rocker, Patrice Pike (Feb. 24).

UT (7-2) is coming off their second loss of the year (52-80 vs. Duke last Sunday) and are currently in the middle of the Big 12 pack in preconference play. For the third year in a row senior forward Tiffany Jackson was named one of five finalists for the Naismith Trophy (National Player of the Year honor) this past Monday. Through eight games she is averaging almost a double/double (19.8/9.3) and leads the squad in all major statistical categories including points per game, rebounds per game, and minutes per game (34.5).

You would've thought the KKK was back in town. More details to come shortly; for now, enjoy the camera-phone picture.

It's a Big-Boxapalooza in the print edition this week, with Katherine Gregor dissecting the latest Northcross foibles in Mart Growth, Michael King weighing in in Point Austin, and yours truly sweeping up the rest (and surprisingly, a few non-Mart matters before council) in Beside the Point.

If my ears are to be believed, Will Wynn just said Item 82, the Northcross timeline and discussion, will be scheduled for 6pm with their other public hearings, including the Big Box ordinance. The Responsible Growth for Northcross protest, by all accounts, still looks on for noon.

Council, begin girding of the loins ... now.

Roll into Irving and do your thing. Another 100-plus yard game for Deuce McAllister, Reggie Bush racks up 160 all-purpose yards, and Drew Brees throws for 384 yards and five touchdowns. Hell, even unsung stud fullback Mike Karney scores the first threee touchdowns of his typically blue-collar career. Defensive end Will Smith bounces back from injury to inflict a pair of sacks on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. And New Orleans coach Sean Payton looks like he owns his former Lone Star employers to the tune of a 42-17 Sunday-night route. As the 9-4 Saints continue their drive to the playoffs, a confidence boost provided by such a massive win might be just what the doctor ordered.

Meanwhile down in Houston, self-proclaimed Screw-head Vince Young took the most stupendous crap on Texans coach Gary Kubiak. The lifelong Aggie brought to H-town after decades spent killing brain cells in the rarified air of Denver just couldn’t bring himself to do the most logical thing last spring. Just draft Vince Young the local public implored. But the misguided newcomer insisted on not listening. Forget that Vince is an accomplished hometown hero. Forget that Vince is a once-in-a-lifetime performer. Forget that Vince wins wherever he goes. But never, ever forget that Sunday afternoon Vince Young made Gary Kubiak look like the dumbest decision-maker in the history of football. May a slowed-and-chopped replay of the game-winning touchdown forever haunt his sleepless nights.