First of all, sorry about the tardiness, I had a chance to sleep in for once. I took it. You would have done the same.
The Mavericks had two options last night as the palyed a hot Rockets team without Dirk. They could have spent 48 minutes playing with some desperation and defend their homecourt against a team that has not scored 100 points against you in 13 games. Or Dallas could have went to center court and take a massive deuce in the jump-circle. The latter happened at the American Airlines Center last night losing 113-98, and it wasn't even that close. T-Mac took over in the 3rd quarter as Houston outscored Dallas 35-20, somewhere in that period the Mavs raised the white-flag and went through the motions the rest of the way. Dallas was 25 and 3 at home before last night's debacle. They have sucked on the road all year, but managed to play with pride on their home floor. That was not the case Thursday evening.
Yes, I understand the MVP was serving a 1 game suspension for a flagrant 2 Monday night, but would it have really mattered with that effort from everyone else?? Give the Rockets credit, they are playing awesome TEAM BASKETBALL right now (unlike Dallas) ripping off 17 straight wins. Tracy McGrady is shouldering the leadership role, while they are getting a lot out of Rafer Alston, Shane Battier, and the very impressive young forward Carl Landry. They now put some space between themselves and the Mavs in the standings, and after watching what happened last night.....we need to adjust to the fact they deserve to be ahead of Dallas. And if the Rockets still don't concern you, the Spurs should.
I know that everyone (myself included) was happy about the Kidd trade, and I still am. With Josh Howard's game regressing the way it has over the past month, there is a huge weakness that has been magnified since the Kidd trade went down. That is the lack of a big 2 guard that can play a lick of defense and create his own shot. Having a small ass backcourt with Kidd and no defense playing Jason Terry is going to get you beat against a handfull of teams with doninant 2 guards (Rockets, Lakers, Spurs, and the like). Then on the offensive end nobody besides Dirk and maybe Kidd in a way has the ability to really create in the half court game. That equals a predictable ass offense, and when Dirk is absent it is an awful one.
The Mavs have 4 very winable games left on the homestand before the bigger boys come knocking, and this team has to look at itself and decide if they have the 'go' in the 'go for it'. Jean-Jacques agrees.
Out of the 20 games left there are just 9 I feel confident about. Here is the remainder of the regular season. Pray real hard.
The great Brett Favre said goodbye yesterday after retiring on Tuesday. I know you might have caught some highlights, but if not enjoy.....It's a tough thing.....
Bad news out of Surprise.....the closer situation is iffy to begin with. Now C.J. is having some biceps tendinitis. The club and pitcher are both saying it's not a major concern. But this is the Rangers we are dealing with here. The same training staff that allowed Brandon Mccarthy to picth for a month with a stress fracture in a shoulder blade last season. Remember how Akinori Otsuka was getting a weekend off to rest his wrist.....we saw how that turned out. I have siad it before, but I question the Ranger medical staff. Especially now that steroids and HGH are off the menu.
Texas did down the Whitesox yesterday 6-1 in Tuscon (notice who wrote the story - funny).
Just looking over the boxes so far this spring i have been impressed with what Ian Kinsler has done out of the leadoff spot hitting .438....Josh hamilton just might be a stud he is hitting a cool .538 (Please God let this one work out for us). As far as pitching goes it has been "hit or miss" with the starters. Padilla wasn't bad with 3 innings and 1 run, but some of the younger guys in the systems that could start one day have been knocked around over the past few days...Today the lanky Brandon McCarthy is making his 1st spring start today against the Brewers. McCarthy off to a slow start in camp due to some initial elbow soreness.....keep your fingers crossed.
Julius is trying to find a new gig in free agency....the back spent time this week in Detroit, then Tennessee. Now he is in the pacific NW talking to a team that could maybe use another back. The papers in Seattle are not too enthused about getting JJ, I guess they caught a Cowboy game or two last season.
If I were a team that were on the cusp of the playoffs and had a fair to spare back already I would sign him to a reasonable deal, but I wouldn't build around him. The thing is if he were not a feature back (which he isn't), there is no chance in hell he would ever be a special teamer.
The Cowboys aren't making huge headlines this off-season, which might be a good thing. Mickey Spagnola reminds us that the Cowboys never do anything wrong.
The weekend is upon us.....there are a few things to look forward to on the sports landscape. But for some reason I just can't focus right now.....Okay, moving on to some random Sports-Snorts.
Some of you might like Arena football. I don't care for it, but I will actually be interested in the Desperados for a while, as Flower Mound Marcus grad Chris Sanders is the QB for a bit as Clint Dolezell deals with a shoulder injury for the next few months. I was in Jr. High when he was with the Marcus Marauders leading them to a 5-A state finals appearance. Outside of Southlake's offense, they were the best I have ever seen in high school. In a 1995 playoff game at Texas stadium against Lake Highlands, I watched Sanders throw 6 TD's to move on to the state semi-finals. And no, I have never been to Wrigley.
A very Norm story.....
This makes me happy. Some of you probably won't really care, but Todd Dodge is building things north of the metroplex....go ahead and jump on board now and be ahead of the curve when this thing turns into something special in a few years. Okay, I am a bias alum....but things are getting fun on the college football scene locally. UNT and SMU will be getting to the level of TCU very soon.
No reason....just fun....
All right I am done filling in for Bob. I really enjoy doing this whenever Bob goes to 3rd world countries to bring a little light to the life of poor orphans. I do apologize to those in the Sturm army that has to fight through my blogging style. My Jedi skills are not that of Bob, but hopefully I can do my best to hold the rope until his trimphant return.
Before I say goodbye, I leave you with a little music to rock you stright into the weekend.....Love you all...Sea-Bass
9 comments:
Bob, get back as SOON as possible!!!
It's the high percentage shots in the paint that are killer. Real easy for teams to get high percentage shots. If you can't defend the paint you aren't a very good team.
The Mavs make the playoffs thanks to an offensive burst from Dirk down the stretch. But they don't get out of the first round.
The great Bruce Springsteen bones us in to the weekend with Thunder Road circa 1976. Great choice Sea Bass
Is Chris Sanders still as fat as he was in college?
And, will he ruin the game (like he did in the '95 5A champ game) by going out in San Antonio and partying the night before?
(disgruntled Marcus Grad)
Didn't know Bocephus was in Manfred Mann. I gotta get out more.
Come back any time sea-bass.
And bring your lady friends with you.
good to know someone at the ticket has good taste in music. I saw Jeff Tweedy in Marfa, TX and it was the best show I've ever been to, hands down.
I think he's getting paid per Sports-by-Brooks mention.
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