Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Don't Sleep on DeShawn



by Scott Rozsa
srozsa1@swbell.net

While the Mavericks have been scrutinized lately for repeatedly giving up large leads this season, they still have only actually lost a handful of games this year. It's almost nitpicking. Haters feel the need to criticize the Mavs despite their owning the second-best record in the Western conference at 23-5 and winners of 16 of their last 17 games as they entered their Christmas break. Man, fans can be spoiled sometimes.


The trait most MFFL's are overlooking is the number of times this season that Dallas has rocketed out to sizable leads from the opening tip. I'm going to dub it the The Stevenson Effect. Ever since guard Deshawn Stevenson was inserted in to the starting lineup in the sixth game of the season against the Celtics back on November 8, the Mavs are 20-3. His physical presence has made them a better defensive team and his white-hot three-point shooting this season – 49.3%, a career high and 4th in the NBA - has made him a weapon that opposing defenses cannot ignore. His brashness seems to have rubbed off on his teammates as well as the Mavs have been confident and composed from the first moment they hit the court, especially on the road, where the Mavs are 10-1 for the season, best in franchise history. In addition, Dallas has led after the first quarter in 17 of the 23 games he has started.


The Mavericks have been dubbed The Streak Busters by NBA cognoscenti after snapping six opponent's winning streaks of five games or more (Boston, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Utah and Miami) and Stevenson has been a starter for every single one of those streak-ending wins. As a player who was best known before this season for his YouTube shooting contest against Gilbert Arenas, his on-court woofing with LeBron in past playoff match ups and the classic “I Can't Feel My Face” gesture after hitting a three, Stevenson has turned a corner this season and is playing with a maturity, work ethic and selflessness that many never thought he would reach.


Dallas has not allowed a team to shoot over 50% against them for the season, the only squad in the NBA who can make that claim. Stevenson has helped set the defensive tone at the beginning of each half for all but the first five games this campaign, and the Mavs were a mediocre 3-2 in those tilts. Granted, Tyson Chandler has to be given the bulk of the credit for the Mavs' defensive improvement, but Stevenson needs to be recognized as well.


Dirk, Jason Kidd, Caron Butler and Jason Terry receive headlines on a daily basis, but I say it's time to throw the Mav's own Junk Yard Dog, DeShawn Stevenson, a bone.

Top Trades in Stars History

Best Trades in Franchise History

by Scott Rozsa
srozsa1@swbell.net

Watching Mike Ribeiro and Stephane Robidas play against the Montreal Canadiens, the franchise that originally drafted them, and thinking how little the Stars gave up to get those cornerstones of their roster, I began grinding away to think of the best trades in Dallas Stars history. Are there any other trades that were as big a fleecing by Dallas as these two?


As a matter of fact, there are some that are even more one-sided than the Ribeiro or Robidas deals. As my Christmas gift to you, I give you the Top Trades in Dallas Stars History:


1. Stars acquire Sergei Zubov from Pittsburgh for Kevin Hatcher. Seriously. This happened. Zubov amassed 549 points in his twelve seasons with Dallas, three All-Star selections, a Stanley Cup and innumerable Gary Oldman comparisons. Hatcher only played five seasons after the trade and fell in to a well.


2. Stars acquire Guy Carbonneau from St. Louis for Paul Broten. The Broten name carries sizable weight in Stars franchise history, unfortunately for Paul it was his brother Neal that established that notoriety. As we all know, Carbonneau can essentially be credited with creating the winning culture around the Stars while Broten played just 17 games after the trade and was out of the league.


3. Dallas acquires Mike Ribeiro and a 2008 6th round pick for defenseman Janne Niinimaa and a 2007 5th round pick. Ribeiro has led the Stars in scoring in three of his four seasons here while Niinimaa is currently playing for something called HV71 in the Swedish League.


4. Stars originally acquire Stephane Robidas from Atlanta for a 6th round draft choice in 2002. They later sign him as a free agent after the lockout when it appeared no other franchise was interested. Robidas was an All-Star last year and has been the Stars best defenseman since Sergei Zubov left.


5. Stars acquire Kari Lehtonen from Atlanta for Ivan Vishnevskiy and a 4th round pick. It may seem a little early to rank this trade with the others, but the way Lehtonen has played so far this season, and the realization that he is still just 27, combined with the fact that Vishnevskiy hasn't even played an NHL game since the trade, make this swap a heist in favor of the Stars.

Brenden Morrow Leading the Way



The Dallas Stars are playing so well over the past month that it's almost become repetitive to keep blathering on and on about their improved penalty kill (88% in the last 15 games), formidable goaltending and scoring depth as the Stars have charged to the top of the Western conference.


In the past month, they are 11-3-2 and have climbed to a perch I never thought they'd reach when the season began. They're 10-0-2 in their last twelve at home and have seven more wins after 34 games than they did last season. Like their AAC co-tenants, the Dallas Mavericks, the Stars have provided their fans with almost nothing but winning hockey and it looks like patrons are realizing it and heading to the rink; attendance is ___ over the last ten home games.


They failed to pick up a point in a game only twice in their last fifteen games.

They've beaten division leaders Detroit and Montreal in succession.

Even their once anemic power play has rounded in to shape and scored goals in six straight games.


The squad is as cohesive and single-minded in purpose as any team in the league, and it has been the leadership of their captain recently that has really pushed them to the top spot in the conference. Brenden Morrow has been a beacon of determination and focus over the past five games; it's almost as though the puck that demolished his nose in the San Jose game propelled him to another level.. After surgery, Morrow was in the lineup against the Sharks just 3 days later and didn't miss a shift. In fact, he's scored three goals since getting his schnoz rearranged and donning the fishbowl.


Head coach Marc Crawford said it best: “There’s no two ways about it. He’s uncomfortable. We’re sore for him just watching him. But that’s leadership. He’s going out and leading by example. That really spirits on everybody else. You can’t help but be motivated when you see your captain come out and play the way that he does.”


It's no wonder that he's simply referred to as The Captain when Stars fans and announcers are discussing him these days.

By Scott Rozsa

srozsa1@swbell.net

Bowling for Swag!



If you're a player on a college team that's not either Auburn or Oregon and playing for a national championship, what bowl would be your next selection? Well, since these players allegedly don't get paid, I'm guessing they'd be happy ending up in the Beef O'Brady's St. Petersburg Bowl.


Why, you ask? Because they have the best swag! Participants in the Beef O'Brady's bowl take home an Xbox 360, Oakley Fuel Cell sunglasses, and Oakley backpack and a commemorative mini helmet. If you're a college student, that's a pretty sweet haul.


Just about very bowl game – there are thirty-five in all – shower the players with goodies to help soften the fact that they're actually being forced to play a meaningless game in El Paso or on a frozen field in New York. But how do the bowls compare when it comes to swag? See for yourself:


New Mexico Bowl, Albuquerque, (Dec. 18): Gift suite of electronics, Oakley Fuel Cell sunglasses, Oakley beanie & cap, Oakley Panel backpack, pen & Xmas ornament.


Udrove Humanitarian Bowl, Boise, (Dec. 18): Sony gift suite, New Era skull cap, waterproof parka, gloves, hand warmers, Ogio Fugitive back pack, football.


R&L Carriers Bowl, New Orleans (Dec. 18): Apple iPod Touch, Balfour ring.


Beef O'Brady's St. Petersburg (Dec. 21): Xbox 360 4GB, Oakley Fuel Cell sunglasses, Oakley Panel backpack, mini helmet.


MAACO Bowl, Las Vegas (Dec. 22): Electronics gift suite. (Hey, whadda ya want? They get to party in Vegas!)


San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl (Dec. 23): Best Buy gift card, Fossil watch, hoodie & cap.


Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, Honolulu (Dec. 24): Kicker EB41 ear buds, Oakley Fuel Cells, Pro Athletics custom shorts, commemorative t-shirt, visor, Oakley Surf back pack, beach towels, calendar.


Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl, Detroit (Dec. 26): Electronics gift suite, Timely Watch Co. watch, leather duffel bag, football.


Advocare V100 Independence Bowl, Shreveport (Dec. 27): Electronics gift suite, Timely Watch Co. watch, New Era hat.


Champs Sports Bowl, Orlando (Dec. 28): $420 gift card to Best Buy, Timely Watch Co. watch.


Insight Bowl, Tempe (Dec. 28): Sony gift suite, Tourneau watch, cap, Ogio Cooper backpack.


Military Bowl, Washington DC (Dec. 29): Sony Dash, Altec Lansing portable speakers, beanie, cap, duffel bag, blanket.


Texas Bowl, Houston (Dec. 29): Apple iPod Touch, Fossil watch, t-shirt, back pack, belt buckle (you know, cuz it's Texas!!)


Valero Alamo Bowl, San Antonio (Dec. 29): Xbox 360 with Kinect, $20 Game Stop gift card, Kicker 541 headphones, Apple iPod Shuffle, Fossil watch, mini helmet and team photo.


Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl, Dallas (Dec. 30): Sony gift suite, Timely Watch Co. watch, Ogio All Terrain duffel bag, football.


Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl, Nashville (Dec. 30): Skull Candy headphones, Apple iPod Shuffle, iTunes gift card, Fossil watch, Majestic fleece, Port & Co. long-sleeve shirt, Ogio backpack.


Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl, San Diego (Dec. 30): Best Buy gift card, Fossil watch, hoodie, cap.


Hyundai Sun Bowl, El Paso (Dec. 31): Electronics, Timely Watch Co. watch, Majestic fleece, Top of the World cap, Ogio Politan backpack, Helen of Troy hair dryer (HUH??), souvenir coin.


Autozone Liberty Bowl, Memphis (Dec. 31): Apple iPod Nano, Fossil watch, Nike shoes, sandals and sunglasses, Nike Air Jordan backpack, football.


Chick-Fil-A Bowl, Atlanta (Dec. 31): $250 Best Buy card, Fossil watch, Russell Athletic cap, Russell travel bag, Chick-Fil-A gift card.


Ticketcity Bowl, Dallas (Jan. 1): Electronics, Timely watch.


Capital One Bowl, Orlando (Jan. 1): $420 shopping spree at Best Buy, Timely watch.


Outback Bowl, Tampa (Jan. 1): $150 Best Buy card, Fossil watch, cap, Jostens ring, $25 gift card to Outback.


Gator Bowl, Jacksonville (Jan. 1): Fossil watch, Oakley sunglasses, leather duffel bag, Jostens ring, football.


Rose Bowl (Jan. 1): Electronics gift suite, Fossil watch, Oakley cap, Oakley Bugeye backpack.


Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, Glendale (Jan. 1): Electronics gift suite, Fossil watch, cap, Ogio Cooper backpack.


Discover Orange Bowl, Miami (Jan. 3): Electronics gift suite, Tourneau watch, New Era cap.


Allstate Sugar Bowl, New Orleans (Jan. 4): Sleek Audio headphones, electronics, Reactor Meltdown watch, New Era cap.


Godaddy.com Bowl, Mobile (Jan. 6): Nikon S70 touch screen camera, Timely watch, leather luggage, football.


AT&T Cotton Bowl (Jan. 7): would not disclose. It'll just have to be a surprise!


BBVA Compass Bowl, Birmingham (Jan. 8): Oakley watch, Oakley glasses, Oakley backpack, football.


KRAFT Fight Hunger Bowl, San Francisco (Jan. 9): Sony noise-canceling headphones, Fossil watch, cap, Ogio backpack, $100 Levi's gift certificate.


Tostitos BCS National Championship Game, Glendale (Jan. 10): Electronics gift suite, Fossil watch, cap, Ogio backpack.



Hey, if you made it all the way to the end of this list, you must surely agree with me now that there are WAAAY too many Bowl games!






Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Top 100 Sports Pictures of 2010 TotallyCoolPix


Top 100 Sports Pictures of 2010 TotallyCoolPix

Top 100 Sports Pictures of 2010 TotallyCoolPix

Mavs D Unlike Anything We've Ever Seen



Heading in to last Tuesday night's opening tilt in a six-game home stand against the lowly Golden State Warriors – losers of eight of their previous nine games – it is doubtful that you thought the Mavs would be required to play their ace card to win the game. But this season, Dallas has a nice shiny red button that they can't wait to push: one that activates their fourth quarter defense, and they happily slapped it again to squash the Bay Area bottom-feeders.


With the score 72-71 for the Warriors after three periods, the Mavericks were in the familiar position of having to pull out a game down the stretch with their late game D, the trait more responsible for their nine-game winning streak entering the game than any barrage of Dirk jumpers or timely Jet three-pointers. And this time, they didn't have defensive anchor Tyson Chandler to backstop their efforts as he was out with a stomach virus.


No problem. The Warriors became the first victim of Les Tours Jumelle (Twin Towers): Alexis Ajinca and Ian Mahinmi combined for 15 points and 16 rebounds, and Mahinmi was on the court for the entire fourth quarter after logging only 39 minutes all season. Mahinmi did a splendid imitation of Chandler, grabbing boards and either blocking shots or altering Warriors' attempts around the rim as he plugged in perfectly in the Mavs' fourth quarter defense and threw down his first double-double. Even non-rotation players are taking pride in defense.


The Mavs ended up forcing seven Warriors turnovers and blocked a pair of shots in the game's final 12 minutes and outscored Golden State 34-28 – a pair of garbage-time threes by Dorrell Wright and Vladimir Radmonovic allowed the Warriors to surpass Dallas' season average of fourth quarter points allowed – on their way to a 105-100 victory, their tenth straight.


Defense has become the Mavericks calling card this year and has been the primary reason the squad is 17-4 through the first quarter of the season and has San Antonio Spurs' head coach Gregg Popovich calling them “the best team in basketball.” They are currently the 4th ranked defense in the league in opponents' points per game (92.6) and 3rd in opponents' field goal percentage (.433), both vast improvements over last season when they ranked 15th in both categories (99.3 and .457).


Specifically, it is the team's fourth quarter defense that has become one of the story lines around the league. Heading on to the Warriors' game, the Mavs surrendered an average of 22 points per fourth quarter, tops in the NBA, and held opponents to 40.8% shooting in the final frame, 2nd in the league. They are now a league-leading 5-1 in games where they trailed going in to the fourth quarter.


It appears that head coach Rick Carlisle, in his third season at the helm, has finally got a stable of horses to carry out his defensive schemes – one that believes in the system and, more importantly, each other. The off-season addition of Chandler has been instrumental in the team's surge in defensive confidence; he has injected an enthusiasm and a swagger in the defense that Mavs' fans have rarely seen for extended stretches. And don't underestimate the insertion of DeShawn Stevenson in to the starting lineup on November 8 against the Boston Celtics, a move that put a pair of defensive aces on the court from the jump. Since Carlisle made that move, the team is 14-2.


During the current ten-game winning streak, the defensive numbers have been particularly strong:


-They have held nine of the ten teams below their season average in scoring, and limited five of the teams to 10 or more points below their norm.


-They have given up just 93 ppg and held their opponents to 43% shooting over the 10 game stretch that included wins over seven teams that average more than 100 ppg.


With three of the next five home games coming against New Jersey, Milwaukee and Portland, it's likely that we are only going to see these numbers continue to improve.


The bottom line is that the Mavericks have shot to the top of many experts' power rankings, and to within a half-game of the San Antonio Spurs, because of their much-improved defensive performance. They have defended at a high level in stretches before, but never have actually been recognized as a defensive force. That may change this year. According to basketball-reference.com, we are witnessing the best defensive team the Mavericks have ever fielded as their current defensive rate of 101.8 points per 100 possessions is far and away the best in franchise history! (Insert lame Don Nelson joke here.)







Monday, December 6, 2010

Dandy Don - Part II

I grew up in Dallas, but I was only a 2 years old when Don Meredith retired. My Mom said I learned how to cuss listening to my Dad yell at Meredith through the television, but that's another story for another day. Suffice to say I learned the lesson well. Anyway, I knew Meredith more, obviously, from his work on Monday Night Football, back when MNF was an event no matter how lousy that particular week's game might have been on the field. I knew Meredith had been in pretty bad health these last few years, so the news of his passing wasn't necessarily a surprise. But it was still a pretty shocking kick to the gut on a Monday morning. It's definitely a sad day if you're a Cowboy fan; it doesn't matter whether or not you're old enough to have actually seen him play. If you think Tony Romo took some heat for his trip to Cabo a couple of years back, that's nothing compared to the crap Meredith had to put up with around here. It had to have been pretty bad to force him from the game when he was only 31 years old. Thanks for the memories, Don. You will be missed.

A Tribute to "Dandy" Don Meredith - RRW #325

Farewell Dandy Don

The sad news came down Sunday, December 5th, Dandy Don Meredith passed away at the age of 72. Born in Mount Vernon, Texas Meredith was a very accomplished athlete gaining All American status as a quarterback for SMU in 1959, moved on to the NFL as a third round pick by Chicago Bears who then traded him to a young Cowboys franchise for future draft picks. It is an amazing fact that Dandy Don played high school, college and pro football only in the State of Texas...specifically North Texas. He also had a successful career in broadcasting and television/movies. Here is a video clip that is fitting in saying farewell.

Monday, November 29, 2010

TCU finds a new home

The news that TCU is heading to the Big East isn't a surprise, although it is sad that the Big 12 couldn't find a way to get them in. Maybe they could have brought BYU with them. While it looks good from a football perspective, the basketball team is going to get their asses handed to them on a regular basis. Not that they don't most days anyway, but it's going to be downright embarrassing. At least in football, they can lose two or three games and probably win the conference and get a BCS bid anyway. So they don't have to sweat as much to get a big BCS bowl payday. And that's what this is about after all - money. If any Frog supporter thinks this will make it easier for TCU to get into a national championship down the road, they'll be greatly disappointed. As of now, the caliber of play in that conference is really mediocre at best; they could run the table and still probably not get any higher than No. 3. It could actually hurt them in the long run. At least Utah was No. 5 at some point. I don't see a Big East team other than TCU even sniffing the Top 10 anytime soon.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Emmitt in the next issue

Was lucky enough to be invited to an event featuring Emmitt Smith last week and was able to interview for a pretty long time, asking him about life after football, the Cowboys' current sorry state, and, yes, tequila. That only makes sense, since the event was sponsored by Herradura. I had never had a tequila old-fashioned, but damn that's a tasty drink.

But I digress. We're planning to run the interview in next week's issue. Check it out.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Re-signing Cliff Lee

The Ticket's Bob Sturm was talking about a story he read from a New York writer about the risks involved with signing free agent pitchers to four-year deals. Basically, they don't work out the vast majority of the time. I didn't hear the rest of the segment, so I don't know if he was using that article to support his feeling that the Rangers shouldn't try to re-sign Cliff Lee. Take Bob out of the equation, since I don't know his opinion.

But if anyone thinks that, they're crazy. Sure, Lee is 32 and would be 36 or 37 (at least) at the end of the contract he's about to sign. If you want him, you'll have to give him a four-year deal at the very least. It'd more than likely be a six- or seven-year deal. That's just what you have to pay to play, in this case.

Anyone signing him won't be doing so with the expectation Lee will be anywhere near what he is now. They're signing him for two years of high expectations. Anything they get from him after that would be gravy. That's just the way it is, whether it makes fiscal sense or not.

The Rangers know that. The Yankees know that. Everybody else in the Lee derby knows that. Sure, this franchise was burned by the A-Rod deal, but Tom Hicks was a moron by paying that douche two times more than anyone else was willing to pay. The Rangers won't do that with Lee. They'll make a competitive offer -- maybe top whatever New York offers by a little bit -- but they won't break the bank for him. This new regime is too smart for that.

There's no need to over-think this. The Rangers need Cliff Lee. They know what he did in the stretch run and the playoffs, and they know his track record before he even came to Texas. Pay what you have to pay without being an idiot and bring him back. Hey, he may flame out; you never know. Nobody thought the Cowboys would be 1-7. But that's a chance I'd be more than willing to take.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Phillips Fired

Here we go again....another coach bites the dust. The headline should read "Phillips Fired Today...Another Scapegoat Bites The Dust". I am now convinced Jerry Jones will never realize he is the problem. Here is a brief run down of the coaching changes since Lord Tom was fired;

2006-2010 Wade Phillips 34-20-0
2003-2006 Bill Parcells 16-16-0
2000-2002 Dave Campo 15-33-0
1998-1999 Chan Gailey 18-16-0
1994-1997 Barry Switzer 45-26-0
1989-1993 Jimmy Johnson 51-37-0

This organization continues to be the laughingstock of the league.

Cowboys - When Will The Owner Figure It Out

As a fifth generation Texan, growing up a Cowboy fan was expected. The 70's were great and the players were role models. But when the franchise changed hands and the hillbillies from Arkansas showed up and fired the legendary Tom Landry, fan loyalty went out the window. Those fans not from Texas, or those recently moved to this great state that don't understand the legacy, stayed on board. The greatness of Jimmy and the Super Bowls in the 90's brought lots of fans back. However, the ignorance and arrogance of Jerry Jones has taken this team from the penacle of the NFL to the laughingstock. Jerry's attention to "whoring out" this brand has effected his ability to put a quality team on the field. His #1 objective is monetizing everything possible within the brand....to a point of alienating fans, media, sponsors, players and more. Some local media types labeled him a "marketing genius" because of his aggressive approach in selling every inch of real estate available, etc. What the local media failed to realize in attaching this label is that anyone who can figure out a way to purchase one of the most recognized brands in the world understands how to leverage that brand to maximize revenue. I'm not so sure that the label as "marketing genius" still applies to the kiss ass local media who started it....the only thing that Jerry has accomplished with his marketing approach is fielding a losing team and alienating his fan base.

He is getting what he deserves...and is the only one to blame. The only solution is to sell the franchise to an owner that knows how to build a winner or get the hell out of the way and let someone who knows football take over without the leash.

Check out this story.http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Jones-Heads-will-roll-in-Big-D-after-pathetic?urn=nfl-283321

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Dallas Mavericks 2010-11 Preview



Believe it or not, the 2010-11 Dallas Mavericks season is here.


With all the ink currently being spilled on the mind-blowing playoff run of the Texas Rangers and the illimitably frustrating turd that the Dallas Cowboys have become, the Mavericks – far and away the most successful Dallas sports franchise over the past decade – are flying far under the radar. Hey, at least they're not the Dallas Stars, who despite starting their season 4-0 have barely registered a blip.


The 2009-10 regular season was a rousing success. The squad won 50+ games for the 10th straight season – only the Spurs currently possess such a streak, they have 11 straight seasons – and won the Southwest Division and were the second seed in the Western Conference. They had home-court advantage over everyone but the Lakers in the West and looked like they would put their playoff demons to rest with a deep run.


Nope. One and done again.


The Mavericks' disappointing flop against the San Antonio Spurs in 6 games became yet another chapter in the lengthy tome of playoff disappointments. Head coach Rick Carlisle was roundly criticized during and after the series for some of his decisions, particularly his benching of Caron Butler in the second half of game 3 and his reluctance to throw rookie guard Roddy Beaubois in to the fray until game 6. The young Frenchman erupted for 16 quick points and was a key in erasing a 21-point deficit, but Carlisle sat him again for most of the fourth quarter and by then, the game and season were lost.


Entering the new season, there is reason for optimism and many NBA pundits are picking the Mavericks to win their division again over Houston (with Yao back) and the Spurs. While another division banner hanging from the rafters in the American Airlines Center would be nice, the Mavericks are judged solely by how they do in the post-season. Another first-round exit might spell doom for just about everyone involved as Mark Cuban would be forced to make sweeping changes.


With the climate now set, let's look at how this year's club sets up.


FORWARDS


The Dallas front court begins and ends with superstar Dirk Nowitzki. The 32-year-old power forward is as reliable a scorer and rebounder as there is in the league and last year averaged 25.0 ppg and 7.7 rpg. He is a matchup nightmare for opposing coaches and when he's on, is as close to unstoppable as they come, and well worth every penny of his recently-inked four-year $80 million contract. There has been one constant in the Mavericks' 10-year, 50+ wins streak, and that is Nowitzki. He practically never misses a game and unlike most of his Dallas teammates, Dirk takes his game to another level in the playoffs. His career playoff averages of 25.5 ppg and 11 rpg make him one of only three players in NBA history – the others being Elgin Baylor and Bob Pettite – to post 25/11's for their playoff careers. And Dirk will join them in the Hall of Fame as soon as he is eligible.


Shawn Marion, while maddening on the offensive end at times with his frequent point-blank misses, put up respectable numbers last year of 12.0 ppg and 6.4 rpg and is most effective when running the court with Jason Kidd. He's somewhat of a Swiss Army knife on defense as his size and athleticism allow him to guard anyone from point guards to power forwards. Veterans Brian Cardinal and Steve Novak will add toughness and outside shooting in limited minutes as the Mavs will most likely utilize guard Caron Butler at the three when Marion is out.


GUARDS


We've heard it repeatedly going in to this season: Caron Butler is the key to the Mavs' success this campaign. His arrival last season provided Dallas with what it hoped would be a highly talented sidekick to Nowitzki and a matchup problem for other teams due to his size, strength and ability to drive to the hoop. Instead, Butler settled for too many jumpers and averaged just 15.2 ppg as a Mav while shooting 44%. This is a contract year for Butler and he has slimmed down over the summer to make himself more explosive.


The seemingly ageless Jason Kidd is best known as one of the premier assist men in NBA history, yet he has quietly become one of the league's all-time great three-point shooters as well. He nailed a career-best 42.3% clip last year and was often called on to make big shots. Jason Terry had his worst season in a Dallas uniform, averaging 16.6 ppg on .438 shooting and .365 from three. While he is looking to reclaim his 2009 crown as NBA Sixth Man of the Year, it's likely that his minutes will be cut in to by Caron Butler (16.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg) seeing more time at two-guard when the Mavs go big, and predominantly by the young duo of Roddy Beaubois and rookie Dominique Jones. Both Beaubois and Jones have the athleticism and shot-creating abilities that the Mavericks have been looking for for years. While Beaubois won't be ready for the start of the season after suffering a broken foot at the World Championships last summer, all Dallas fans are eager to see if he can build on his memorable performance in last year's limited playoff minutes. Beaubois is the key to the season – if he can become a dependable scorer, the Mavs will excel.


Jose Juan Barea has carved out a useful niche as Dallas' backup point guard and at times ignites the team offensively. It's on the defensive end though where he gets victimized nightly by bigger opponents. Ideally, his minutes will decrease this season as Carlisle gains confidence in Beaubois. DeShawn Stevenson had a dreadful season in 09-10 and will likely be nothing more than a garbage-time minute eater.



CENTERS


Longtime fixture – literally and figuratively – Erick Dampier is finally gone. After Mavericks' tag team duo of Brendan Haywood and Tyson Chandler, acquired in the off-season from the Charlotte Bobcats, give the Mavs 14 feet of athleticism that few teams outside of the Lakers can match up with. Haywood's arrival in a mid-season trade last season was one of the factors in a 13-game winning streak as his improved offensive abilities (9.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg) over Dampier allowed Jason Kidd to actually look to the post from time-to-time and opposing defenses had to pay more attention to the paint. Here's a surprise stat for you: Haywood was actually second in the entire league in “and-one” bucket percentage; 6.9% of his attempts ended in a hoop and a free throw. Only Orlando's Dwight Howard had a higher frequency.


Haywood was an upgrade defensively as well, averaging 2.1 blocks per game. Throw in Chandler's average output of 6.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg and 1.1 bpg, and the Mavericks have their most promising pivot duo ever.


Health is a concern as Chandler has missed an average of 34 games the past two seasons so newcomer Ian Mahinmi, a 23-year-old from France, may get some burn.



COACHING


Head coach Rick Carlisle is regarded as a brilliant basketball mind and a coach who demands accountability from his players. In Carlisle's two years here, the team has a .640 winning percentage in the regular season, but that dips to just .438 in the playoffs. In his eight years as a head coach, Carlisle has won 50+ games five times, which is impressive, yet none of his teams have made it to the Finals. Still, he is one of the top coaches in the league and hopefully his recent collapse during practice isn't a metaphor for the Mavs' season.


PREDICTION


It is brought up ad nauseam that the Mavericks are one of the oldest teams in the NBA, yet with the potential emergence of Beaubois and Jones, and the arrival of Chandler, Dallas could dramatically decrease the average age of its rotation. The Dallas bench is regarded as one of the strongest in the league and they will have to use depth to overwhelm opponents. Bottom line, you know what you're going to get from Nowitzki, but in order for the Mavericks to make any serious noise this season – and that means success in the playoffs – Butler and Beaubois will have to contribute heavily.


I see them holding off San Antonio to win the Southwest division, gain the second seed in the playoffs again and making a run to the Western conference finals, eventually losing to the Lakers.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Uniwatch Meets Rachel Maddow

For years we have had the annual unveiling of whatever disaster the Oregon Ducks were sporting to lead the way in vomit-inducing college football apparel. Remember the corrugated steel pattern on the Ducks uniforms in the past? How about the time the names and numbers have been the same color as the jersey? Stupid and a complete failure, right? In a recent Sports Illustrated.com pictorial of college football's Ten Worst Uniforms, 7 of the 10 bore the Nike swoosh, with Oregon taking top prize.

Just when you think the apparently color-blind and cross-eyed designers who dream up ways to make college athletes look more and more grotesque have taken it as far as they can, they've managed to completely outdo themselves. This season, Nike has unleashed the Pro Combat Series of Dress, a completely superfluous collection of underwear, padded undershirts, jerseys, pants and helmets that is “the lightest ever” and will be used during selected “rivalry” games this season.

The University of Texas is one of the torch bearers for this complex uniform system, one in which Nike has apparently even made the D-ring on the players belts out of titanium to make it 66 percent lighter than previous D-rings, according to their press releases.

Unfortunately for the Horns, the ounce or two that they've shaved off of their belts won't be an exclusive advantage that will give them an inside track to a national championship. The Pro Combat designers have created identical technological super hero threads for Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Louisiana State University, Miami, Virginia Tech, Missouri, The Ohio State University, Boise State, Oklahoma, and TCU.

You may have seen the Horned Frogs debut their new regalia during their recent win against Oregon State at Cowboys Stadium and asked yourself, “Wait a minute, they didn't finish painting their helmets,” or “Are those scales on their pants?” Yep. They were. Real frogs don't have scales, but your gridiron warriors are wearing patterned pants that would make Shakira blush.

To make the unis even more super cool, Nike embroidered slogans inside the collar that only can be seen when the player is putting the jersey on. For Virginia Tech, it reads “Beamerball,” for Texas, simply”Pride.” Apparently the TCU players are big Tom Petty fans as their jerseys read “Don't Back Down.”

On the Nike website, all of the Pro Combat-wearing schools' uniforms are revealed in a slide show where a faceless caricature (think Marvin the Martian, but with muscles) flexes imposingly in a dangerous looking environment: the Florida player is emerging from a gator-infested swamp, the Pitt player is pounding his chest in a steel refinery surrounded by flames, etc. The most ridiculous is the red-helmeted Ohio State player standing on a bombed-out playing field with soldiers barely visible behind him through all of the smoke of battle and with World War II fighter planes overhead. It's one the most histrionic and utterly ridiculous images I've ever seen - as if college football is somehow equated with actual warfare.

Oh wait, Nike thinks it is. In the top left corner of all of the team's slides, Nike has included the tagline “Prepare for Combat.”

Is this really the time for Nike to use the term “combat” to describe their bombastic garments while using artwork that places football players in battlefield settings to promote their product? The uniforms are clearly a shout out to current shooter video games like Halo, and will appeal to young consumers and fans for this reason, but tying their identity to war at a time when over 4000 Americans have lost their lives and more than 30,000 have been wounded in combat comes off as disrespectful and garish to me.

In the artwork that Nike created for the West Virginia uniform, the faceless model is depicted as being in the middle of a mountaintop mine, donning threads that sport dull colors to create the illusion of being covered in coal dust and will have “29” stickers attached to the helmets as a tribute to the 29 miners that died in the Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster this year. It may have been well-intentioned, but Nike's attempt to salute those that died didn't go over so well.

In a recent commentary on The Huffington Post, activist Jeff Biggers accused Nike and WVU of dishonoring the hundreds of thousands of miners who have died while either on the job or from black lung.

“In an act of total disrespect, Nike claims the West Virginia University football players put their lives on the line every day, just like coal miners,” he wrote.

Luckily the suits at Nike were saved from sure embarrassment when USC was placed on probation, and thus not selected to be one of the Pro Combat schools as their marketing image would surely be a Trojan player menacingly standing in the middle of the L.A. Riots with the Watts Tower crumbling in the background.

Another event that confoundedly escaped Nike's consciousness is the 2007 campus shootings that left 33 people, including the shooter, dead. They thought it would be OK to put the “Prepare for Combat” tag on a black military vehicle and park it on campus. Nice.

Longhorn coach Mack Brown, after a visit to the troops in the Middle East put things in the proper perspective. “I learned that war is different. We shouldn’t compare football games to war,” Brown said. “We say ‘battles’ and ‘war,’ and it’s not. These young people are getting into helicopters and going out to work every day, but may not come back.”

Unfortunately, Brown didn't convey these thoughts to Nike.

I don't mean to come off like a tree-hugging, bunny-eyed liberal pansy, but Nike is a bunch of schlong-jammers. Thankfully, UCLA is still an adidas school, and adidas schools will be donning red, white and blue colors this weekend to commemorate the 9th anniversary of 9/11.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

NFL Mt. Rushmores



Alright football heads, time for a little debatin'!

It's 1:30am. You've just had your beer refreshed and one of your boys throws out, “OK. Name the four players that would make up each NFL team's Mount Rushmore.” A perfect way to navigate your way to last call.

“Just players? Or are coaches and owners eligible.”

“Just players. What do we care about the suits? Just give me the best players in each franchise's history.”

“Can we have two players that played the same position but in different eras?”

“Dude. I said THE FOUR FACESOF EACH FRANCHISE! I don't care what position they played or when they played.”

This actually happened to me the other night, and within minutes several other bar patrons jumped in to throw in their two cents, and it dawned on me that it might make a good column and argument starter. It's my list, so I don't feel the need to actually spending time defending each selection (and I'm too lazy too). But hey, if you want to call me out, I'm open for a little email tête-a-tête.

Arizona/St. Louis Cardinals: Jim Hart, Dan Dierdorf, Conrad Dobler, Jim Bakken. I considered my favorite player from when I was about 9-years-old, Terry Metcalf, but alas, he didn't make it.

Atlanta Falcons: Steve Bartkowski, Deion Sanders, Brett Favre, Tommy Nobis, Jeff Van Note.

Baltimore Ravens: Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Matt Stover, Jonathan Ogden.

Buffalo Bills: Jim Kelly, O.J Simpson, Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas (narrowly edging out Joe DeLamielleure).

Carolina Panthers: Steve Smith, Jake Delhomme, Kevin Greene, John Kasay.

Chicago Bears: Dick Butkus, Gale Sayers, Walter Payton, Mike Singletary. And yes, I did consider “Red” Grange.

Cincinnati Bengals: Anthony Munoz, Boomer Esiason, Cris Collinsworth, Ken Anderson.

Cleveland Browns: Jim Brown, Otto Graham, Ozzie Newsome, Lou Groza.

Dallas Cowboys: Roger Staubach, Emmitt Smith, Bob Lilly, Randy White. I know you Cows fans think that your Mt. Rushmore should have ten heads, but we have to keep things even. I decided to only take one QB, so no Troy.

Denver Broncos: John Elway, Floyd Little, Shannon Sharpe, Steve Atwater.

Detroit Lions: Barry Sanders, Bobby Layne, Doak Walker, Billy Sims.

Green Bay Packers: Brett Favre, Bart Starr, Ray Nitschke, Willie Davis, Forrest Gregg.

Indianapolis/Baltimore Colts: Peyton Manning, Johnny Unitas, Raymond Berry, John Mackey.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Mark Brunell, Tony Boselli, Jimmy Smith, Fred Taylor.

Kansas City Chiefs: Len Dawson, Willie Lanier, Jan Stenerud, Derrick Thomas.

Miami Dolphins: Dan Marino, Larry Csonka, Larry Little, Nick Buoniconti.

Minnesota Vikings: Alan Page, Fran Tarkenton, Brett Favre, Paul Krause, Cris Carter.

New England Patriots: John Hannah, Tom Brady, Adam Vinatieri, Sam Cunningham.

New Orleans Saints: Archie Manning, Sam Mills, Ricky Jackson, Drew Brees.

New York Giants: Sam Huff, Y.A. Tittle, Frank Gifford, Lawrence Taylor.

New York Jets: Joe Namath, Don Maynard, Brett Favre, Mark Gastineau, Curtis Martin.

Oakland/L.A. Raiders: Marcus Allen, Art Shell, Fred Biletnikoff, George Blanda. Honestly, the Raiders were the toughest team to narrow to four players – they have a truckload of Hall of Famers and memorable characters.

Philadelphia Eagles: Reggie White, Chuck Bednarik, Donovan McNabb, Tommy McDonald.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Terry Bradshaw, Jack Lambert, Mike Webster, Lynn Swann.

St. Louis/L.A. Rams: Eric Dickerson, Kurt Warner, Jackie Slater, Deacon Jones.

San Diego Chargers: LaDainian Tomlinson, Dan Fouts, Kellen Winslow, Lance Alworth.

San Francisco 49ers: Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott, Hugh McElhenny.

Seattle Seahwks: Jim Zorn, Steve Largent, Walter Jones, Cortez Kennedy.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Lee Roy Selmon, Mike Alstott, Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks.

Washington Redskins: Sammy Baugh, Art Monk, Joe Theismann, Darrell Green.

So there you have it. A little NFL talk while we anxiously wait for the season to start never hurts. Let me know if I left anyone out or if you have an argument against any of my selections – we can discuss it over a few beers sometime.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Greatness in our midst

Do you realize we have one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time among us? Last season, Tony Romo attempted his 1,500th pass. That qualifies him to be on the list of the most efficient passers in the history of the game. And he came in at third; ahead of names like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Kurt Warner and Drew Brees.

We sure do like to bitch about it when Romo throws an interception or fumbles at a critical moment in a game. And yes, he has a resounding one playoff victory on his resume. But sometimes you need to step back and appreciate talent when you're lucky enough to have it. Count me among those who'll be yelling the loudest if Romo screws the pooch in an important game this season. But at the same time, I'll try and remember that, even when he makes a mistake, Romo is still one of the very best in the game.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Ac/Dc - Walk All Over You(With Bon)(High Quality!)

I wanted to share this with all AC/DC fans. The greatness of Bon Scott what was probably 1979. I saw these guys 3 times with Bon Scott - 1977, 1978 and 1979. Awesome is the only way to describe it. I strongly suggest you catch Behind the Music on this band. It takes you back to the early days, very entertaining.


Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Slim pickin's

If I heard correctly, I believe yesterday and tomorrow are the only two nights of the entire year where none of the four major sports leagues (and yes, I still count the NHL as one of the Big 4) have any games scheduled. It's not quite enough time to get true sports withdrawals, but it's definitely an annoyance. And I don't really get that fired up about the Major League All-Star Game, either. So for me, that's basically three straight days of nothing. At least there's a two-hour Deadliest Catch I can watch.

RIP Yankee


Word just came down that long time Yankee owner George Steinbrenner passed away this morning from an apparent heart attack. Steinbrenner was at his home in Florida when the heart attack occurred last evening. He was 80. Steibrenner had owned the team since 1973 but turned the operations over to his two sons in 2007 as his health was failing. Just last week he was had visited the Yankees traing grounds in Florida and said he feeling "pretty good".

Yankee fans have now the second leg of the trifecta in place. Just last week long time, legendary stadium announcer Bob Sheppard passed away at the age of 99.

More to follow on this story.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Glad that's over

I'm just glad the Orioles are out of town and the Rangers can take a break for a few days. That was unbelievable. Friday was the biggest kick to the crotch Texas has suffered all season. And that it came at the hands of the worst team in the Major Freaking Leagues makes it that much worse. At least the Angels sucked worse the last week or so.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Rangers Trade Up


Is the report correct? Did the Rangers actually trade for a dependable pitcher? Damn right....you heard it and read it correctly. The Rangers made a brilliant move today trading up Smoak, Blake and Lawson for LHP Cliff Lee. Great news from a bankrupt ball club. This will add significant excitement to the fellas in Arlington. More to follow.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

LaBron Lost Luster Today


LaBron's reputation has officially changed. He is no longer out for everybody but himself. Some will say that a person should move on and explore, have other experiences.....which could make sense since LaBron is from Ohio. On the other hand, LaBron was a shining star, a real bright spot in Cleveland...hope that the city would experience a championship in something. The balloon has deflated. LaBron is going to Miami...a team that will now demand respect and get it.

I have to say I am disappointed...but not surprised. The excitement of South Beach beats the hell out of CLE...so does the talent. It will be interesting to watch as LaBron never won a championship in CLE. Will his chances improve now? Absolutely.

Fan's will look at LaBron differently now....the bright lights got em.

Monday, July 5, 2010

Jamarcus Russell....Cough Syrup?


Another Professional Football player is busted......this time it is cough syrup. What I can't figure out is how do you get busted for that? Did he purchase illegally and someone squealed? Was he drinking it in public trying to create a new trend in partying? Help me here. What a strange dude. Another one bites the dust .....i doubt he will see another NFL team. Hit link for more on the story...

Friday, July 2, 2010

ProFootballWeekly.com - Benson may face discipline because of assault charge


For those of you who have been out of touch the last few days, here is a report on former Longhorn running back Cedric Benson. I wish someone would help me understand why these dillrods can't stay out of trouble.
ProFootballWeekly.com - Benson may face discipline because of assault charge

Bruce Springsteen-Born In The U.S.A.

Time for a patriotic video as we approach the 4th of July weekend. Trying and challenging times are facing our country right now, embrace this holiday for it's true meaning. Faith and perseverance will pull us through. Have a great weekend!

The Week That Was

Tommy Tuberville made some interesting comments on a recent radio interview. Click on link below for full story.

The Week That Was: "Texas Tech head coach Tommy Tuberville speaks out; The New Orleans Saints offer a chance to feel like a champion and shout outs for last week's accomplishments."

Don Coryell: Be Passionate

This a a good video highlighting the career of Don Coryell. An innovator of the passing game in the NFL, Coach Coryell was passionate about winning. Throughout his career he took losers and made winners. It is hard to believe he never won a Super Bowl nor was he ever inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. RIP Coach.

You Can't Fix Stupid


Ok..you are a gifted athlete...football player at that. You are treasured your entire life because of your ability to win. Grades were secondary to the athlete and the school system. You are recruited by a top tier institution to play football and end up taking the University's athletic program to new heights which then results in being a draft pick in the NFL. As the BIG money is rolling in you decide that the law does not apply to you. You have several run ins then finally get busted in a dog fighting ring which results in prison time and suspension from the NFL. You serve time and get out. The NFL re-instates you in hopes you have been rehabilitate. A notable franchise signs you and gives you a chance. Even though the fans booed at first appearance, as the season went on you became more acceptable. Then you decide to have a birthday party for turning 30. The party goes late and someone ends up getting shot. Now you are scrambling to protect the millions you earn by making excuses about why this happened. Chances are you will never play another down in the NFL and for good reason. You can't fix stupid. Michael Vick will continue to end up on the wrong end of the law because that is his scene. He is too stupid to know any different. Sad but true.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Elin Norde-GREEN!

Run with that money Elin!

Tiger Woods' ex leading lady Elin Nordegren has proven it pays to keep your mouth shut. Rumor has it this sweet Swede agreed to keeping her mouth shut to all media forever. As long as she stays inside the country and does not move to Sweden, she will still receive full custody of the kids. Even though this is a rumor, the quoted amount for following basically these two agreements is $750 million. What is Elin demanding? According to the examiner.com "Elin is demanding that Tiger not expose their children to any of his female companions, “unless he is married to said person.” Basically, no hoochies around the children. Another agreement: only married women, not romantically linked to Tiger Woods, will be allowed around the children, and female members of Tiger’s staff that Elin personally knows.

Meystedt-News