Machine Gun Monday

This is what you call a renegade post. A blogger that blogs on a blog like this is best to blog about 1 topic at a time. I can't do it. On Mondays, I anticipate a Tommy-gun like approach first thing most weeks to get this party started.

So, let's do this. If the D Media Empire slaps the blogging cuffs on me, you may never see this again. Otherwise, consider this "radio" guy filling out a radio show run sheet.

So what rocked my sports world this weekend? Muchas Cosas Interesantes Aqui:



1. I feel even more conflicted about My opinion from last week about how good Blake Griffin will be at the next level . He destroyed Syracuse on Friday, including a play where he hit his head on the backboard! ...

Then, against North Carolina, he looked like the only guy on the court for the Sooners that was ready for a street fight. The Sooners never had a chance, but with his 23 point/16 rebound performance, he certainly showed me what he could do with a constant double-team from a squad that has talent everywhere.

I still caution us all to remember how dominant Larry Johnson was at UNLV, Christian Laettner at Duke, Corliss Williamson was at Arkansas, Marcus Camby was at UMass, and even Kenyon Martin was at UCinn, before we go and claim that the NBA has never stopped anyone like Blake. They are all nice players, but none of them were "Change-the-franchise" types. Is he? I think he is a perfect 2nd or 3rd banana at the next level, but he did show his quality in defeat.

2. So, who here thought the Mavs were in a good spot up 35-20 in the early part of the 2nd Quarter yesterday in Cleveland?Sorry, but if you thought the Cavs were sweating for a second, it is possible you also believe that pro wrestling is real. The Cavs let the Mavericks feel good about themselves for a bit, and then they started to get after it. The ease with which they snapped the Mavericks' neck late in the 2nd and early in the 3rd was both decisive and depressing.

As I wrote 2 weeks ago this morning when the Mavs met a similar fate in their ABC game at Los Angeles, this team is short on offense and defense. If you want the specifics, go back and read what I wrote that day. This team is not bad enough to be caught by the Suns, not good enough to catch anyone in the #7 spot (I don't think).

They are lost in the sea of mediocrity. Neither fish nor fowl, they are the 2009 Dallas Mavericks. If ever a team needed to change their identity, it is this group - but I have been saying that for 24 months now, since that horrible week in Golden State. Still waiting.

3. Tiger Woods. I hope you realize what you are looking at with this guy. So, tell me, did Tiger adjust the entire NBC Sunday line-up? I promise you that my Tivo had golf on NBC until 5:00. NBC did not leave the air until 7:00. At 5:00, the leaders were making the turn. Was that a weather consideration, or did they just decide to haul off and move everything 2 hours for Tiger in prime time?

Oh, well. When my phone started receiving text messages at 6:30 from friends who realize that Tiger is the "stop whatever you are doing and run to your tv" guy of this generation, I think we all know that it should be in prime time. I never got a text message because Davis Love, III, is reeling in the leaders. Not once.

4. My cute little Dallas Stars are just playing out the string. It is a huge buzzkill after last spring and the thrilling month they gave us in the 2008 playoffs, but now, this team is trying to survive the last 2 weeks and preparing for a summer that could be filled with change. They are so beat up it is approaching comical stages. They lost 3 defensemen in the last 2 games to injuries, and the blue-line they put out tonight in Phoenix will in no way resemble an NHL blue-line.

5. The USA got a hard earned tie in El Salvador on Saturday night. It was cool to see them fight their tails off to pull even late after being down 2-0, but of course, one might ask why they were down 2 goals in the first place. They sit on top of the group right now, and play T&T in Nashville on Wednesday night. It is tough to tell where we are these days, because the USA is in a spot where they have pretty much shown what they can do against the Concacaf field, and the only thing that matters now is whether they can A) win in Mexico and B) stand up against the best of the world. So far, those are 2 questions that still seem very much in doubt.

By the way, it appears it might be a rough year at FC Dallas. 2 home games for 0 points to start '09.

6. Tell me if this is great? Awful? Or, the most hypnotic thing you have ever seen?