Time to Win the Division Title

Go to a Mavericks game sometime, and look up. There you will see way too many Stars banners (why do you need 5 banners for 1999 alone?) and 1 cute Mavericks banner. It says Midwest Division Champion, 1986-87. Perhaps you remember that division title, despite the fact that it was 20 seasons ago in a division that does not exist anymore. Since then, The Mavericks have watched their neighbors win 19 titles without the Mavericks grabbing the division once.

Here they are:
San Antonio 9 times
Utah Jazz 6 times
Houston Rockets 2 times
Denver Nuggets 1 time
Minnesota Timberwolves 1 time.

So that is why I think the Mavericks should not get caught up in this idea that there is nothing left to accomplish before the playoffs. Sure, the ultimate prize is the NBA title, and in the big scheme of things division titles don’t mean that much, but let’s not kid ourselves. The last time the Mavericks beat the other teams in their division in the regular season, Devin Harris was 3 years old. So, while division titles don’t matter to San Antonio, this isn’t San Antonio.

This division title matters plenty. The obvious points are simple: You would have home court advantage for at least the first 3 rounds. You would host the Spurs in round 2, figuring both teams win in round 1, which would seem to be a lock.

But, let’s forget the obvious. How about the fact that despite the great runs of the last several years, never during the "Dirk Era" have the Mavericks finished higher in the standings than their Texas neighbors? Seems tough to win the league when you can’t win the state.

I think for morale that is huge. Again, it is not the big prize, but let’s not act like all of the other prizes have been won. You need to enjoy the journey, and part of that for the Mavericks is focusing on the final 34 games and trying to beat the Spurs to the finish line for once since the drafting of David Robinson.

It will make those other prizes more attainable.

It starts tonight against the Miami Heat …

With center Shaquille O'Neal back on the court, guard Dwyane Wade soaring and forward Antoine Walker doing his best Jerry Stackhouse impersonation, the overhauled Heat began a 20-9 run Dec. 11 -- not coincidentally the date of Shaq's return from a sprained right ankle.

Pat Riley returned as coach one game after Shaq's return, and, now, the Heat has won seven of nine and finally seems to be showing a glimmer of becoming more than an ill-conceived hodgepodge of individual talent.

"That's kind of the hope, anyway, from Miami fans," TNT analyst Steve Kerr said. "But, that may be wishful thinking. They just haven't given anyone a reason to believe that they can win the whole thing yet."

Tonight's game against the Mavs, who are 38-10 and going for their 13th victory in a row, and Sunday's first of three matchups left against Detroit provide a great opportunity for the Heat (30-19) to begin a more convincing run.

Miami is a miserable 1-10 against the current division leaders and is a combined 0-6 against the league's top four teams -- Detroit, San Antonio, Phoenix and Dallas. Shaq and Riley were on the scene for four of those six losses.

Meanwhile, Cuban Responds to Phil Jackson on his blog …

"I own Phil Jackson. Not literally of course. That thrill belongs to the smartest businesswoman in professional sports, Jeannie Buss. Figuratively however, the coach formerly known as the Zen Master must now be considered my bucket boy.

"This wasn't an acquisition I proactively pursued. There wasn't an official competition that I won, thereby confirming my dominance of his psyche. Instead Phil has initiated an ongoing commentary about me that started in his previous stint with the Lakers and was reinstated this year with his return, that proves I own the guy.
"For whatever reason, I have gotten to Phil so completely and thoroughly that every time he comes to Dallas he has to offer unsolicited comments about me to the media. I wonder if he dreams about me the nights he spends here in Dallas. Ok, I don't wonder. I'm curious about it.

And then Phil responds to Mark’s response …

"It's just fun to have Mark in the league," Jackson said with a wry smile before the Lakers played the Rockets on Wednesday night.

You won’t believe this, but Dr Z did not have patience for media day at the Super Bowl …

I got into only two near-fights this time. I was talking to the Steelers' ninth DB, Tyrone Carter (why, I'll never know ... working on some kind of weird angle, I guess) and some geek in a long black coat asked him who had the best beard on the team, and he told him, and then he asked him for the worst, and he mentioned someone else, and then the guy said, "Not Ben Roethlisberger?" and threw back his head and burst into a huge wave of laughter.

"Hey, it's not that funny," I said.

"Who the hell are you?" he said, not exactly addressing the point I had raised, and finally some league guy pulled us apart. Oh brother, and this was only Tuesday, with five more days to go.

Yes, I was waiting for the dreaded question, the one favored by idiot interviewers at all 39 Super Bowls I've attended, and I actually thought I was going to get away clean this time, without hearing it. But then a guy from FOX Radio (FOX Radio seems to have cornered the market on idiots) asked the Seahawks' Rocky Bernard, "What's the dumbest question you've been asked?" And I fell apart. "No, no, I can't bear it!" and the FOX guy said, "Something bothering you?" and I said "YOU'RE bothering me!" and once again, the situation had to be defused.

Sammy Sosa to Washington …to join Alfonso Soriano…

Sports Guy on the NBA Rankings from 30-8 …Top 7 is coming soon…

30. Charlotte
29. New York

The Bobcats have 13 wins and the Knicks have 14 wins. According to hoopshype.com, Charlotte's 2005-06 payroll is $33.4 million, while New York's payroll is $125.9 million. Not including team options on younger players, Charlotte has $21.8 million in guaranteed salaries committed for 2007; $14.2 million committed in 2008; and $0.0 million in 2009. New York's guaranteed money looks like this: $110.3 million (2007); $49 million (2008); and $45 million (2009). Also, the Bobcats kept all their first-round picks through the decade, while New York gives Chicago its 2006 lottery pick and switches first-rounders with the Bulls in 2007 (with the Knicks getting the lower pick).

To recap: For that one extra win, the Knicks spent four times as much money, killed their cap flexibility through 2009 and gave away any chance of having a top-five pick in the next two years. On the bright side, Eddy Curry has gained enough weight this season that he might start wearing jackets to cover his rear end during games, kinda like how Oprah dresses when she's in the middle of one of her eating binges. So that will be fun.

(God bless the Isiah Era. We'll be talking about this for decades. I really believe that.)

And now, the comedy “movie trailer spoof” section of the blog:
Grizzly Bear Man …

Brokeback to the Future …

The Shining …

And finally, P1 Brad made me laugh out loud, as he spoofed me eating McDonalds …Wow. That is wasting a lot of time, Brad…

Liverpool, we have a problem. Charlton 2, Liverpool 0 …This qualifies as a crisis for the Reds who have not been the same since Rio’s header on Jan 20th…

P1 Peter hates the Super Bowl …