By ZACH DUNCAN, Scripps Howard News Service

The Texas Rangers' second trip to the World Series hasn't lacked drama or excitement. Three one-run victories and a pair of extra-inning nail-biters provided plenty of that.

The postseason has also been a bit bizarre, considering what the franchise accomplished during the summer.

Sports can often be seen in either black or white.

Either the shot went in or it didn't. Either the baseball cleared the outfield fence or it didn't. Either a team won or it lost.

But often it's the various shades of gray that generate the biggest controversies and spark the most passionate emotions.

It was the same final score.

It was the same remarkable double-digit rally in the fourth quarter.

Only now the Dallas Cowboys know how the New York Jets felt one week ago.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell you why the Cowboys lost the opener and came out victorious in a must-win contest in San Francisco Sunday.

I've been happily married for seven years, but this past week's drama involving Texas A&M reminded me of an important lesson many single people have learned the hard way.

You better make sure the girl you're courting feels the same way about you before doing anything drastic like moving across the country or ditching a current flame.

Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington seems perfectly content to live and die with Neftali Feliz as his closer the rest of this season.

Two weeks ago with no realistic alternatives, that was fine by me.

Now, I'm not so sure that's the best plan with the Los Angeles Angels breathing down the Rangers' neck.

Bud Selig's saving grace from his steroid-stained tenure as the commissioner of Major League Baseball is that he instituted the popular wild-card format.

Now as Selig's days on the job are winding down -- he has mentioned before he wants to retire after the 2012 season -- the commish is intent on tinkering with his brainchild.

While Adam Scott was charging up a cluttered leader board on the back nine Sunday at the Masters, it looked like he was on the cusp of a breakout victory.

Scott's easy birdie at No. 16 briefly gave the Aussie a two-stroke lead before South Africa's Charl Schwartzel took over Augusta National with an unprecedented four-birdie finish to take the green jacket.

If you're a Green Bay Packers or Pittsburgh Steelers fan here in North Texas, I can understand the temptation.

Your favorite football team is playing in the biggest sporting event of 2011, and they'll be only two hours away.

Throw in the prestige of attending Super Bowl XLV in the monstrosity that is Cowboys Stadium, and the allure is certainly very appealing.

Desperation can reveal an untapped desire and shake out the doldrums.

It's a wake-up call no alarm clock can imitate.

Lose the season opener on the road against a rival. That's all right because the Bears were coming to our house the next week.

But the prospects of a crippling 0-3 start sent a jolt of energy through the Dallas Cowboys.

The Dallas Cowboys had a chance to win on the final play of their season opener in Washington on Sunday night.

Did they deserve to beat the Redskins? No.

But after all of the offensive sluggishness and momentum-killing penalties, they had a chance.

And they found a way -- in the most implausible fashion imaginable -- to muck it up.