Week 14: Cowboys 28, Lions 27 (12-1)

That win yesterday must be placed right next to the Buffalo games as “Wins that could have been losses, but due to the unbelievable perfect storm of good fortune, big plays, and the QB who doesn’t seem to know how to fail – a victory was found”.

Detroit did a great job of stepping up. They were ready to defend their house, and give everything they had to knock the Cowboys off their perch. They did not turn the ball over. They did not allow a special teams touchdown. They outgained the Cowboys. They out clocked the Cowboys. They outsacked the Cowboys. And despite winning the game for just about 59 minutes, they still lost.

It may not be the Lions year. But, I think we also know it may just be the Cowboys year.

The following are the notes that were taken during Cowboys 28, Lions 27:

· Having watched NFC North football my entire life, allow me to assure you that Jason Hansen NEVER misses a 35 yard Field Goal. He is a hall of fame kicker, who generally makes all his field goals with amazing accuracy (the ball is almost always dead center). Perhaps this should have been our sign that the Cowboys were going to win that game. Hansen is the true definition of money. And yet, he missed a most important kick that would have likely secured the Lions a win they had to have to keep from a collapse right out of the playoffs.

· Jason Witten is awesome. I think the fairy tale had to end with him catching the Touchdown, right? 15 catches. He has to be beat up this morning physically. That number of catches had me looking up the all-time record for catches in a game. Who knew it was Terrell Owens in 2000 for the 49ers? Small world after all.

· Shaun Rogers is representative of why people cannot stand professional athletes. A guy who shows he can be as good as he wants to be. Then he demonstrates he doesn’t want to be very good. Then he plays hard to get his contract. They he gets paid. Then he loses interest. Then he falls out of shape. Then, when his team, who paid him $46 million because they believed in him, needs him most, he is huffing and puffing on the sideline. I remember how the Cowboys took Quincy Carter and Tony Dixon before him, and how that annoyed me so much. I saw him at Texas, and I knew what he was capable of. But, those days appear past, and he has never lived up to what he could have been. Rather, he is now a perfect poster boy for Detroit Lions football.

· Make sure you think a good thought about Paris Lenon today. That linebacker had the game won if he only would fall on the ball on the Cowboys final drive when Romo fumbled on 3rd down and no timeouts left. But, Lenon had delusions of grandeur and thought he would pick it up and run with it. That allowed the ball to take a Cowboys bounce to Kyle Kosier, and the rest is history.

· I am really not a fan of the Lions black jersey. It is another bad look. In fact, I am hard pressed to think of any alternate black 3rd jersey that looks good.

· So, I guess this is the portion of my review where I wonder what the heck the Cowboys defense was thinking about yesterday when they allowed the Lions to own them for about 3 hours. Let’s be honest, the Lions could have easily scored almost 40 points if they had been given the benefit of the doubt from the refs on the pass interference and made a 35-yard field goal. So all of the time and space wasted on the Kitna statements and then all of the revenge talk from Bradie James and Terrence Newman and that is what we saw? I was anticipating a demonstration of exceptional defense on Sunday, but I just didn’t see it. Where was the tackling? That was not a great statement made by them, especially after all of the jaw jacking.

· Mark Colombo is not right physically. He gave up the edge with relative ease, and he is better than that.

· Of all of the great throws from Tony Romo, where should we rate the pre-halftime Touchdown to Barber on the blitz. When the ball was thrown, it looked like he was throwing it up for grabs on what could surely be picked off. Well, he knew what he was doing as he hit Marion Barber in perfect stride on his way to the end zone. Just beautiful. How did he see that when Detroit sent everyone in Romo’s face? Jedi.

· DeMarcus Ware tried to break Kitna on that late hit. Wow, he will be fined handsomely. And, if he would have injured Kitna, I wonder if the league would consider a suspension. I know the point he was trying to make, but you cannot be so obvious.

· Ups and Downs for Ken Hamlin. Big whiff on the TJ Duckett touchdown run, but a big play to knock the ball out of Calvin Johnson’s hands on the jump=ball in the end zone.

· Pass Interference. Every week, it is tough to figure out. Is it contact? Last week, yes. In favor of the Cowboys. This week, no. In favor of the Cowboys. Sometimes it is just your year.

· Did the refs really need the cold-weather pants yesterday?

· I wonder if we finally found a defensive scheme that can limit Terrell Owens? It would seem to me that this is the only way to beat the Cowboys – to take Owens away, and make the Cowboys take 6 yards a play by dinking and dunking to Witten and Barber. It surely beats the alternative of giving up 58 yards on one play to Owens over the top. As we get closer to January, expect more of this if teams have the personnel to carry it out. I just didn’t think the Lions did. Incidentally, Owens didn’t look to pleased about his day. I know he said all the right things, but I would have been happier to see him celebrate just a smidge after the Witten Touchdown. He appeared to be about the only player not ecstatic.

· I am going to have to agree with Troy on the befuddling strategy of the Lions to avoid Miles Austin at all costs. I know he is good, but why would you concede the 40 or 45 yard line with the goofy short kick? The last thing the Cowboys need is great field position the way they have moved the ball this year.

· It has been 40 games since the Lions have had 3 rushing touchdowns in a game. It has been 30 games since Mike Martz was hired. Connected? Sorry, but I think Mike Martz may be second to only Norv Turner on the list of guys who have lived off the reputation they made as a hot assistant for about a 2 year span. In both cases, all of their subsequent appearances at other locales just don’t live up to the hype.

· On the play when the Cowboys took a delay of game penalty with the play clock, and then another one when Romo spiked the ball in disgust, how come they only were charged 5 yards? Is only one enforceable? If so, isn’t that a poor rule? So technically you can commit 8 delay of game plays on the same play and only lose 5 yards?

· Leonard Davis and Shaun Rogers were suite mates at Texas. Sounds like a sitcom waiting to happen. They could share clothes and everything.

· That final drive just demonstrates that the Cowboys appear to be up for any challenge in 2007. Romo leads this team into and through all the difficult spots, and as long as the Cowboys have him, you will never think the team has lost until the game is over. What a pleasure it is to find a QB.

· Now, on to the Eagles. 15-1 seems incredibly possible. Enjoy this run, and don’t look too far ahead. It will all get here in due time. Enjoy the journey.

Friday Blog

This is getting ridiculous!

Just when you thought the Mavericks were playing as bad as they could play…. They do something like this and totally redeem themselves …

The Mavericks' season has been herky-jerky, full of stops and starts.
On Thursday night, it was all that, but without the stops.

The defense couldn't keep Denver's whirling, Allen Iverson-led offense from piling up points and, in the end, a victory as the Nuggets peppered the Mavericks, 122-109, in a game that was a direct descendant of the shootout days of the 1980s.

By the time the crowd at American Airlines Center dwindled in the final minutes, it was clear these Mavericks are flat-out bad right now. They have lost six out of nine, including three of the last four. Too many players are playing below expectations.

"They're not very pretty right now," president Donnie Nelson said. "But they're ours, and we love them."

That was Nelson's way of saying there will be no overreaction to the Mavericks' disjointed play through the first quarter of the season. So drop those ideas of Kobe Bryant, Jason Kidd or Shaquille O'Neal.

Instead, the Mavericks will concentrate on what it's going to take to pull out of this dreadful tailspin. They surrendered a season-high in points, forced only eight Denver turnovers, suffered 19 giveaways of their own and shot only 33.3 percent in the fourth quarter, when the game was still undecided.

Dirk Nowitzki (32 points, 12 rebounds) and Jerry Stackhouse (23 points, seven rebounds, five assists) had strong games, but anything the Mavericks did on the offensive end was wiped out with their lack of defense.

"It was a layup drill out there," Nowitzki said. "They got whatever they wanted. At no point in the game I thought we could really stop them."

Least of all when they were still in the game. A Jason Terry 3-pointer cut Denver's lead to 90-89 with 1:44 to go in the third quarter. Yes, the third quarter – a testament to the sloppy defense on both sides.

The difference was Denver's defense actually got serious the rest of the way.

Denver scored on its last four possessions of the third quarter and four of its first five in the fourth quarter to go up, 107-94. The Mavericks got no closer than nine points the rest of the way. Iverson finished with 35 points, 12 assists and six steals. Carmelo Anthony had a poor shooting night, but ended with 23 points. Linas Kleiza had 23 points off the bench for the Nuggets.

"Just got to fight through it," coach Avery Johnson said of what the Mavericks have to do. "We got to take a little time and refocus and reenergize and get back after it. The men are up for the challenge. They're disappointed. We're all disappointed. They don't want to play this way, but they'll keep fighting."

Not all of the problems were on defense. With five minutes left in the first half, Nowitzki was 7-for-9 from the field and everybody else was 7-for-24. Josh Howard fought foul problems, and Devin Harris and Terry were a combined 7-for-21 from the floor.

But nothing could overshadow the soft defense.

"Another hot player kind of burned us off the dribble, and we just got to take a little more pride in getting that guy stopped," Johnson said. "We just don't have that consistent attitude on defense. That's something we've always taken pride in. Right now, we're just trying to get one thing we can hang our hat on."

The Mavericks are 12-8. At one point last season, they were 35-8, although that wasn't such a great omen of things to come, either.

"Obviously, this is not the way we wanted to start the season," Nowitzki said. "But we're looking forward to the rest of the season. It can only get better."

Meanwhile, SportsGuy doesn’t think the Mavs could do a Kidd deal …

Mavericks -- Impossible because Devin Harris just signed a big extension (making him impossible to trade) and I can't imagine why the Nets would want to touch Jason Terry's contract (five years, $48 million remaining) or Erick Dampier's contract (4 years, $41.5 million remaining). You could argue that "Terry + a giant expiring contract + two No. 1 picks would be a decent haul," but the Mavs don't have one of those Theo Ratliff-like expiring contracts and their No. 1 picks aren't appealing, anyway. So they're out.

Well, the Winter Meetings are over, and the Rangers Can congratulate themselves for not being price-gouged …And now they can explain to their fans how they plan to field a AAA team at Major League ticket prices…

The Rangers came to the Winter Meetings with one philosophical rule: They would not allow themselves to be price-gouged.

And, if had not been for those room service quesadillas, they might have been able to pronounce themselves completely virtuous for the week. While the club came away with role-player Chris Shelton and five minor leaguers (thanks to the minor league phase of Thursday's Rule 5 draft), they did hold to their philosophy.

General manager Jon Daniels did pony up for the quesadillas, but he wouldn't go to three or four years for center fielder Andruw Jones. He hasn't given up the guarantee of a second year to any of the free agent relievers or corner outfielders to whom he's talked with. He wouldn't give up a package of his top, most-advanced prospects to make trade talks for a young center fielder more likely. And he wasn't about to empty the farm system to get into the Johan Santana bidding.

Daniels checked on every young high-ceiling outfielder who might be available on the market, from Adam Jones to Josh Hamilton, without getting very far. Daniels said upgrading the outfield remains "on the front-burner." That said, if the Rangers make a move this week, it's more likely to be a one-year deal for a reliever.

The Rangers have handed out one-year offers to both La Troy Hawkins and Eric Gagne,
but neither has bitten. Daniels' comments Thursday suggested he has placed a deadline on accepting current offers.

"We're hoping to get some closure on some of these things in the next couple of days," he said. "Some things have started to pick up with some trades being made and signings being made."

Asked if "closure" meant that deadlines had been placed on offers, Daniels repeated the Rangers were hoping to get "closure" on those situations.

Besides, the Rangers have already offered Gagne a two-year deal and were turned down. They extended that offer shortly before trading Gagne to Boston in July. The offer included two guaranteed years and two option years.

"We're only planning on guaranteeing one year in this market," Daniels said of the free agent market in general.

The Rangers were more willing to do a two-year deal for Jones. But agent Scott Boras told Daniels the price for switching leagues from the NL to the AL had to include a longer commitment. The Rangers made it clear that Torii Hunter was the only center fielder on the free agent market in whom they were interested in on a long-term deal.

"On a short-term deal, he wasn't willing to go the American League," Daniels said. "He didn't want to change leagues and have that adjustment period."

The other outfield target in whom the Rangers might be willing to go beyond two years: Japanese right fielder Kosuke Fukudome. But he still hasn't officially announced he will play in the U.S. Fukudome is believed to already have an offer of at least three years for $10 million per season from San Diego. The Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox have also expressed interest.

In a game that leaves both teams with QB’s on carts, the Redskins stay alive, the Bears do not ….

Todd Collins kept waiting for another chance to play in the NFL. And waiting ... and waiting ... and waiting.

Forget about the five years without throwing for a touchdown. How about the three years without so much as attempting a pass of any sort?

Collins finally was called upon Thursday night by the weary Washington Redskins, and the perennial understudy performed brilliantly. Replacing injured starter Jason Campbell, Collins tossed two TDs to lead Washington over the fading Chicago Bears 24-16, ending the Redskins' four-game losing streak.

Making it even more special for Collins and the rest of the Redskins was the context of this win, coming as it did 1 1/2 weeks after the shooting death of safety Sean Taylor, and only three days after his burial.

"We've been through a lot. We really didn't have any practice time this week, dealing with the death of a teammate and a funeral," said Collins, 15-for-20 for 224 yards and his first two TD throws since 2002, when he played for Kansas City.

Said Redskins coach Joe Gibbs: "It seems like it's been forever since we won a game. This team's overcome so much. ... It's been an emotional roller coaster for us."

While the Redskins (6-7) consider themselves very much in the playoff chase in the so-so NFC, the Bears (5-8) were ready to concede they've followed up a trip to the Super Bowl with a dud of a season.

"It's pretty much over now," defensive end Alex Brown said.
Campbell departed in the second quarter with a dislocated left kneecap a few plays after hurting his throwing elbow, and Chicago quarterback Rex Grossman never returned from a left knee injury on his second drive.

Campbell will have an MRI exam Friday, and the Redskins said they would wait for those results before offering any prognosis.

Asked whether Grossman will play again this season, coach Lovie Smith said, "Don't know enough about it. You know, it didn't look good."

Cowboys – Lions

I have no belief that the Lions can stay with the Cowboys, as the Lions are in their normal seasonal tailspin that threatens the job security of its coaches (but never Matt Millen) and that sorry organization plays out the string. They have the tools, but given the events of last season in this meeting and the roll the Cowboys are on, I see a relatively clean, simple crushing of Detroit.

Dallas 34, Detroit 20

Lions doubt Martz knows what he is doing …

Coaches coach. Players play.

It's the unwritten rule in the Lions' dressing room even if players disagree with the Sunday game plan that is laid out before them. Most offensive players admit they want to run more. Offensive coordinator Mike Martz thinks otherwise. Yet players said they likely won't ask Martz to rethink his game plan as the Lions head into their 1 p.m. game Sunday against the Cowboys at Ford Field

The Lions (6-6) head in on a four-game losing streak. During the slide they've only rushed 56 times for 178 yards and two touchdowns. By comparison, opponents during that span have run 111 times for 461 yards and four touchdowns.

For the season, the Lions (926 yards) are the only NFL club to have rushed for fewer than 1,000 yards, and the only team that comes close to the Lions' league-low 234 carries is the 49ers (247).

The Lions are on pace to rush for 1,235 yards this season, slightly above the 1,129 they rushed for last season under Martz. The last time the Lions approached these numbers was in 1988 -- the year before Barry Sanders' rookie season -- when they rushed for 1,234 yards.
Center Dominic Raiola and left tackle Jeff Backus have said the Lions need to run more. Even wide receiver Roy Williams said the same.
But no one feels comfortable stepping forward to make suggestions.

"I firmly believe in running the ball," Backus said. "I think it has a lot to do with playing winning football. It establishes a lot of things for us offensively and defensively. There are a lot of pluses to it."

Backus said it's no secret that linemen love to run the football. However, he said he does not feel comfortable expressing his views to Martz
or the rest of the coaching staff.

"I don't think we are in a situation where we can," Backus said about suggesting plays. "We just need to do our jobs on the field and let them coach. Let them do their thing. I don't think the way we do things here it is not an atmosphere where as an offensive lineman we can make suggestions."

Romo rewrites Cowboys record book …

Romo's 2007 numbers project to rank in the top three in club history in seven major statistical categories – passer rating, attempts, completions, completion percentage, yards, yards per attempt and touchdown passes.

Danny White's 1983 season ranks in the top three in four of those categories.
The only other seasons that are top three in even two of those categories are Troy Aikman's 1993 campaign and Roger Staubach's 1971 season.

"I really haven't looked at it too much," Romo said. "I just think we're playing good football, and in that process, stats are going to be what they are. It's about winning football."

But while Romo deflects what could be coming, others are taking notice.
In Aikman's opinion, it's impossible not to.

"I would say it's by far the best season a [Cowboys] quarterback has had," Aikman said. "I understand those who would argue against that – well, the season's not over. Well, I think already, if you're just looking at a season for a quarterback, it's without question the best year."

And Aikman threw in this for good measure: "If you put my best two years together, I don't think you'd come up with the numbers that he's going to have at the end of the season.

"Unless Roger's got a beef with it [being considered the best], I certainly don't."

Stars have Ottawa tonight, so the Dany Heatley show rolls in…

In other hockey, Langenbrunner is named captain of New Jersey …

Jamie Langenbrunner was named the Devils' eighth captain, with John Madden and Paul Martin chosen as the alternates. Elias, Dainius Zubrus and Brian Gionta opened this season as triple alternates, when coach Brent Sutter declared that Elias' captaincy was up for grabs.

Langenbrunner took Elias out for lunch Tuesday to hash out the delicate situation.

"He could have sulked for a second, or taken a few nights off. But he took us on his shoulders in true Patty fashion," Langenbrunner said.

Elias helped spoil the homecoming of Claude Julien, the coach under whom he served as captain until Lou Lamoriello fired him with four games left last season.
Zdeno Chara, Glen Murray and Dennis Wideman had the half-full arena booing its streaking Devils after the first. Langenbrunner wasn't exactly Mark Messier between periods in his first opportunity.

"I was terrible in the first period. I took a lot of responsibility. The first goal was my fault," Langenbrunner said.

I helped vote Tim Tebow to the O’Brien …

Even with a soft cast on a broken right hand, Tim Tebow has no trouble lifting heavy trophies.

Thursday night he was clutching the 2007 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award. The Florida star was announced the winner during Thursday's ESPN Awards show, becoming the first sophomore to win the honor.

Saturday night, he's the favorite to become the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy. Any problems if you've got to lift a 22-pound stiff-arm statuette?

"Not at all," Tebow said with a laugh. "The adrenaline will be flowing."

Tebow was named the winner of the O'Brien over finalists Chase Daniel of Missouri and Dennis Dixon of Oregon.

Tebow, a 6-foot-3, 235-pound left-hander, had a remarkably productive season in his first year as a starter. He was second nationally in passing efficiency with 29 touchdown passes and 22 rushing TDs.

Tebow is the second Florida player to win the O'Brien. Danny Wuerffel won the O'Brien in 1995 and 1996 (and he also won the Heisman in 1996).

"I've always looked up to Danny Wuerffel," said Tebow, who is a Florida native. "It's a great honor to win an award that he won twice."

Tebow will be presented with the award at the annual 31st annual O'Brien Awards Dinner on Feb.18 at the Fort Worth Club.

It will be the night of the Gators; former Florida quarterback, coach and Heisman Trophy winner Steve Spurrier, currently head coach at South Carolina, will be given the Davey O'Brien Legends Award.
College football awards


Davey O'Brien (quarterback) Tim Tebow, Florida
Doak Walker (running back) Darren McFadden, Arkansas
Fred Biletnikoff (wide receiver) Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech
Maxwell (outstanding player) Tim Tebow, Florida
Camp (outstanding player) Darren McFadden, Arkansas
Bednarik (defensive player) Dan Connor, Penn State
Outland (interior lineman) Glenn Dorsey, LSU
Jim Thorpe (defensive back) Antoine Cason, Arizona
Lou Groza (kicker) Thomas Weber, Arizona St.
Ray Guy (punter) Durant Brooks, Georgia Tech
John Mackey (tight end) Fred Davis, USC
Dave Rimington (center) Jonathan Luigs, Arkansas
Lombardi (lineman) Glenn Dorsey, LSU
Nagurski (defensive player) Glenn Dorsey, LSU
Coach of the Year Mark Mangino, Kansas

don’t you want a list of all of the Bermanisms in one place? …


Robot Chicken’s Christmas Special approaches …

Email:

Bob,

As a Pats fan trapped here in Cowboy Country this is an exciting time. With the Green Bay game and the fact NE has suffered in 2 cold weather games, much has been made about homefield throughout the playoffs.

It has been bantered about that it was extremely beneficial for the Cowboys to secure it rather than travel to GB and NE to secure to force Indy into the cold weather. Ignoring the argument that maybe NE relies to much on the pass and is not the cold weather team they used to be.

So I researched the last 10 years of AFC/NFC Title Games. Guess what I found out. Apparently is doesn't matter. Its 10-10.

I can't think of anything to explain this except that in the instances of the visiting team winning, that it was the 2 best teams and homefield didn't mean much?

NFC
1997-98 Green Bay Packers 23 San Francisco 49ers 10 San Francisco 3Com Park

1998-99 Atlanta Falcons 30 Minnesota Vikings 27 Minneapolis Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

1999-00 St. Louis Rams 11 Tampa Bay 6 St. Louis Trans World Dome

2000-01 New York Giants 41 Minnesota Vikings 0 East Rutherford Giants Stadium

2001-02 St. Louis Rams 29 Philadelphia Eagles 24 St. Louis Edward Jones Dome

2002-03 Tampa Bay 27 Philadelphia Eagles 10 Philadelphia Veterans Stadium

2003-04 Carolina Panthers 14 Philadelphia Eagles 3 Philadelphia Lincoln Financial Field

2004-05 Philadelphia Eagles 27 Atlanta Falcons 10 Philadelphia Lincoln Financial Field

2005-06 Seattle Seahawks 34 Carolina Panthers 14 Seattle Qwest Field

2006-07 Chicago Bears 39 New Orleans Saints 14 Chicago Soldier Field

AFC

1997-98 Denver Broncos 24 Pittsburgh Steelers 21 Pittsburgh Three Rivers Stadium

1998-99 Denver Broncos 23 New York Jets 10 Denver Mile High Stadium

1999-00 Tennessee Titans 33 Jacksonville Jaguars 14 Jacksonville Alltel Stadium

2000-01 Baltimore Ravens 16 Oakland Raiders 3 Oakland Network Associates Coliseum

2001-02 New England 24 Pittsburgh Steelers 17 Pittsburgh Heinz Field

2002-03 Oakland Raiders 41 Tennessee Titans 24 Oakland Network Associates Coliseum

2003-04 New England Patriots 24 Indianapolis Colts 14 Foxboro Gillette Stadium

2004-05 New England 41 Pittsburgh Steelers 27 Pittsburgh Heinz Field

2005-06 Pittsburgh Steelers 34 Denver Broncos 17 Denver INVESCO Field at Mile High

2006-07 Indianapolis Colts 38 New England Patriots 34 Indianapolis RCA Dome


Home 10
Away 10

great work!

Click here to see some Wire short stories, including Omar in 1985 …

The Wire is returning soon!



Darius Miles doesn’t make sense here

Mavs in Free Fall

I went to the Stars game last night, and therefore did not get a chance to enjoy the nightly Mavericks train wreck until this morning. Question: What the heck are they doing right now?

Are they lost, or do they just appear lost? They don’t look like they have any sort of a sense of identity right now. They frankly look poorly coached, although I realize that would then call into question the infallible Avery Johnson. I am as guilty as anyone, but if I didn’t know better I would call the coach out for allowing shooter after shooter to inexplicably lose any Maverick Defender with a simple screen. Or, how about not figuring out how to use your MVP while he is guarded by a 6 foot point guard.

There is no question Dirk looks lost. I wonder if his resolve has been permanently damaged with the disaster last May and the subsequent backpacking expedition. I am wondering about the fire burning inside. But, he is now being joined by many of his mates, and his coach. They have repeatedly reminded us that the regular season is meaningless. And their performances show us they believe what they say.

They seem neither fish nor fowl. And to allow Manu to do whatever he wants while Duncan sits in street clothes must be enough to make Mark Cuban’s head spin.

The Spurs get it done …

Ninety minutes before tipoff Wednesday night, Manu Ginobili sat in the Spurs locker room, feverishly working on a text message.

Just to be on the safe side, the left-hander let his right finger do all the talking.

He knew something that, at that moment, few outside the locker room walls did: Before the night was over, he would have better uses for his shooting hand.
Shaking off a sore index finger he had injured two nights earlier, Ginobili celebrated his return to the starting lineup by pumping in a season-high 37 points to lift the Tim Duncan-less Spurs past rival Dallas, 97-95.

"There was no doubt in my mind I was going to help these guys tonight," Ginobili said. "Of course, I didn't think I would have a game like this."

Nursing a sprained right ankle, Duncan spent the game on the AT&T Center sidelines looking dapper — if slightly uncomfortable — in his league-mandated suit jacket.

The Spurs, still stinging from a 105-92 loss at Dallas in November that Ginobili called "embarrassing," weren't about to use the absence of their nine-time All-Star as an excuse.

Ginobili wouldn't let them.

He scored 16 points during the third quarter, practically willing the Spurs (16-3) out of a 10-point first-half hole and into the lead for good.

By the time Ginobili's third quarter was done, the Spurs held a seven-point edge.
His night ended after two last gasps by the Mavs. Francisco Elson swatted a Jason Terry layup attempt into the first row with two seconds left. Then Dirk Nowitzki missed what Dallas coach Avery Johnson called a "stone-cold, wide-open 3-pointer" as time expired that would have given the Mavericks the victory.

Instead, the Spurs won their 11th consecutive home game to start the season, extending a club record.

"I didn't expect anything less than what we got tonight," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "You could win or you could lose, but we knew the effort was going to be there."

Tony Parker finished with 23 points, and Michael Finley — moving to the bench so Ginobili could start — hit three crucial second-half 3-pointers as the Spurs broke a four-game losing streak to Dallas (12-7).

Nowitzki sleepwalked his way to 15 points on 4-of-11 shooting. A good part of the time, Nowitzki found himself defended by Parker, the Spurs' point guard, who offered a decent turn as the team's new resident "Dirk stopper."

Dirk is not even the Mavs MVP right now …

Dirk Nowitzki has done many wondrous things for the Mavericks. But their 1-2 road trip that ended Wednesday night with a thud in San Antonio will never make it on his personal highlight reel.

For the second time in three games, Nowitzki missed a wide-open 3-pointer that could have delivered the Mavericks a comeback victory. Instead, they got what they deserved – a 97-95 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, who played without Tim Duncan.

He spent the evening harmlessly in street clothes because of a sprained right ankle. And at the end, the Mavericks got the same from their MVP as the Spurs did from theirs.

It's hard to pin the loss solely on Nowitzki. He wasn't responsible for Manu Ginobili going off for a season-best 37 points.

But when Jason Terry keyed a fourth-quarter rally to get the Mavericks in position to steal a win, it was Nowitzki who came up empty.

In New Orleans, he missed a 3-pointer that could have avoided overtime in a game the Mavericks went on to lose. After a solid night in the win over Chicago, Wednesday's effort at AT&T Center was forgettable.

The last shot typified things. Without Duncan, San Antonio played a smaller lineup and swarmed Nowitzki when he got the ball. Too often, the ball never got to the open man on the weak side of the floor.

"I just got to be more aggressive when it's there and swing it if it's not," Nowitzki said. "I'm just finding my way of finding when to shoot and be aggressive and when to swing it and make my teammates better. Hopefully, we as a team, and I will get better from month to month, so we'll be there at the end."

As poorly as the Mavericks played, the last play could have salvaged the entire night. Terry had 10 points in a row to lead the Mavericks back. They trailed by as much as 10 late in the fourth quarter. But Terry's three-point play with 33.8 seconds left made it 97-95.

After Bruce Bowen missed for the Spurs, Terry had a drive blocked by Francisco Elson with two seconds left.

On the final play, Nowitzki went on the baseline, got pushed out of bounds, then found himself getting lonely in the right corner. The shot clanged badly off the front of the iron.

"I kind of messed up the play," he said. "I took the wrong route, and they messed up the switching, and I was wide-open. It looked good. It was on line, just a little short. It's a shot that I got to make."

Avery Johnson ran down a long laundry list of other problems the Mavericks had against the Spurs. But Nowitzki's play clearly wasn't MVP-caliber on the trip.
"He's still climbing up the mountain right now," Johnson said. "He's seen a lot of double- and triple-teams, and when he's getting some of those looks that he normally makes, they're just not going down as consistently as in the past. But he's going to get it going, and once he gets it going, we know what he can do."

Among other problems was the pitiful defense on Ginobili, who had 16 points in the third quarter, when the Spurs outscored the Mavericks, 31-17.

"We gave him all kinds of looks," Johnson said. "We even put three guys on him and when we did that, other guys made shots. We tried to get the ball out of his hands and when we did, he made the correct pass. And when he didn't pass, he got to the line or made shots."

"But we got the ball with two seconds left and had a stone-cold wide-open 3-pointer, but it just didn't go down."

Meanwhile, the Sharks are strong to quite strong …Joe Thornton is amazing…

On the scoreboard, the Stars were always chasing the San Jose Sharks.

It felt that way on the ice, too. And when Joe Thornton saw two plays no one else did, the Stars were trying to explain a 3-2 loss Wednesday in their homecoming from a six-game road trip.

"Our ability to make plays and pass and skate with the puck was really ineffective tonight and below average," Mike Modano said. "We just didn't have much puck possession. It seemed like most of the night we were chasing it around. By the time you get it, you're too tired to do anything with it anyways."

The Sharks outshot the Stars 28-19 and never trailed.

"Five-on-five, we just need to be better and get the pucks out of our zone and into theirs and create opportunities," Stu Barnes said.

The game had significant ramifications on the Pacific Division, more than the standings reflected on first glance.

The Sharks (13-8-4) moved within two points of the Stars despite having played three fewer games.

And the Pacific just got even more competitive. Defending Stanley Cup champion Anaheim got a boost with the announced return of defenseman Scott Niedermayer.
Thornton was the game's unquestioned dominant force and first star, with two assists and the game-winning goal at 11:24 of the third period.

He dumped the puck into the trapezoidal area of the Stars zone where goaltender Marty Turco was not allowed to play the puck.

Milan Michalek won the race to the loose puck and was able to shovel the pass to Thornton, who scored rumbling to the Stars' net.

"He's a rare combination of big and unbelievable skill, great hands, a great shot," Barnes said of Thornton, who has 34 points in 26 games. "A great player and a great game."

Kitna vs James/Newman rolls on …

The battle of pregame rhetoric started in January by Jon Kitna took another turn Wednesday, as the Detroit quarterback explained his side of things.

After the Lions' 39-31 win over Dallas in the 2006 regular-season finale, Kitna blasted the Cowboys' defense on a Seattle radio show, particularly linebacker Bradie James and cornerback Terence Newman.

About James, Kitna said: "We really felt like No. 56, sometimes I don't know that he knew where he was at."

And on Newman, Kitna said: "He's not [Seattle's] Marcus Trufant. He doesn't have that kind of ability."

Kitna passed on making his scheduled appearance with Dallas-Fort Worth reporters.
But he did address the comments he made in January to the Detroit media Wednesday.
"The media department here prepared me for that and told me about that. That was something that unfortunately has been taken as something that was serious," Kitna said. "It was something that I said to my hometown radio station after our season was over, and we were having a good time back there. It was really nothing that was a personal thing. Unfortunately, it's been used in a way that I was trying to degrade players and that's really not what it was about.... Are they going to want to hit me harder? I doubt it."

He might not be correct in saying that. James and Newman have taken exception.
During an interview on Sirius Satellite Radio this week, Newman said, "Basically what it boils down to is you've got to watch what you say. Your mouth can't write checks that your [butt] can't cash.

"He better just hope I don't blitz off the edge because I've got $15, $25, $30 [thousand], however much [money] it would be for a fine. I've got that much for one fine. Revenge will be sweet, definitely."

but Kitna was just kidding …right…

James seemed more upset.

"He talked about everybody on the defense, then he singled me out," James told reporters at Cowboys headquarters in Irving. "I'll be ready. I'm looking for it."
Kitna said Wednesday he wasn't being disrespectful to the Cowboys. In a file copy of the interview, Kitna's tone was lighthearted but analytical.

"That was something that, unfortunately, has been taken as something that was serious, something I said to my hometown radio station after our season was over," Kitna said.

"We were having a good time back there. It was nothing that was a personal thing. We were trying to have fun on the radio station back there. Unfortunately, it's been used in a way like I was trying to degrade players. And that's not really what it was about."

Kitna was effusive in his praise of this year's Cowboys.

"There's not much difference between them and New England right now, to be honest with you -- the way they're playing, the confidence they're playing with," he said. "For us, it's a game where last year we won that game probably playing a B-plus kind of game.

"A B-plus will not win the game for us this year. We've got to play our best game to date."

Marc Colombo could miss Sunday …

Two days after he was held out of practice as a "precaution," the diagnosis on Marc Colombo's left ankle changed Wednesday for the worse.

Coach Wade Phillips said the starting right tackle, who missed a second straight practice, will likely be a game-time decision Sunday in Detroit.

"It's commendable that he went back in and played, and he actually did a good job for us," Phillips said of last week's game vs. Green Bay. "But it bothered his ankle more than we thought. He's going to try to go some tomorrow and we'll see where he is."

Colombo was injured on a 21-yard screen pass to Julius Jones on the team's first possession, and missed the first play of the second possession, with second-year swing tackle Pat McQuistan subbing in at right tackle. Phillips said McQuistan would start if Colombo can't play Sunday, and that he'd likely activate rookie Doug Free, the team's fourth-round draft pick, for the first time this year to provide depth.
During the portion of practice open to media, Colombo limped on to the practice field with his ankle taped. He then spent time going through stretching exercises with associate trainer Britt Brown.

---

Road warriors: The Cowboys have won their first five road games for only the third time in franchise history, joining the 1968 and 1983 teams. The 1968 Cowboys, which finished 7-0 away from home, are the only one to reach 6-0.

"It says a lot about the tenacity of the team, which reflects coaching," owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. "And I think we have had games where we didn't play as well. You can criticize us for it, but we got back in there to make plays and overcome and win."

Since the NFL went to a 16-game schedule in 1978, the Cowboys have never been better than 6-2 on the road, which they were in 1983 and from 1992-95. A win Sunday in Detroit guarantees these Cowboys at least that.

"I think that's the sign of a mature team," linebacker Greg Ellis said. "This team, years-wise, is young. Got a young quarterback, a lot of young players playing key roles on this team. But they're mature for their age."

Aggie News = Felony for starting OLmen …

Two Texas A&M football players were arrested Wednesday in connection with an alleged armed robbery that occurred at an off-campus apartment complex Nov. 29.

Yemi Babalola, a starting offensive lineman from Bryan, Texas, was charged with aggravated robbery and possession of less than two ounces of marijuana. Aggravated robbery is a first-degree felony and is punishable from five to 99 years in prison and a maximum $10,000 fine.

Brandon Joiner, a defensive end from Killeen, Texas, was charged with possession of less than two ounces of marijuana. Joiner also was charged with possession of one to four ounces of the drug known as "Ecstasy" and possession of less than 28 grams of hydrocodone.

According to a College Station police report, officers responded to an armed robbery call at the Callaway Villas Apartments. A resident said two black men entered the apartment and struck the person who opened the door.

A second resident ran upstairs and escaped through a window. The first resident and a friend were bound with tape while one of the assailants pointed a semi-automatic handgun in their faces.

Several small items were taken, and the intruders fled on foot. One resident reported minor bruises to his face, the report said.

College Station police executed a search warrant of Babalola's residence Wednesday and discovered the drugs. A second warrant was executed at Joiner's residence and drugs were found.

Meet the Parents – lovely vase



Joe Thornton Mix Tape

Commitment to Mediocrity

Every year, I do my NFL Franchise Rankings , and it amazes me how pitiful the Detroit Lions have remained year after year, decade after decade since the 1950’s.

It is a mentality of losing, and it is showing no sign of changing…

Roy Williams wants to come back to Texas …

Neither player will say it publicly, but two of Detroits best offensive players -- receiver Roy Williams and running back Kevin Jones -- are counting the days until they can leave Detroit.

While the losing seasons have taken their toll on the two players, there are other reasons why they want to leave the Lions organization and their motives arent exactly the same.

Williams and Jones, who were both first-round draft picks in 2004, will become unrestricted free agents after next season and sources close to the players say theyve had enough and want out.

Williams, who could miss the final four games of the regular season with a knee sprain, is averaging almost three yards less per catch than he did last season his 16.0-yard average in 2006 is down to 13.3 yards this year.

At one time, Williams embraced the teaching of coordinator Mike Martz and even endured his sometimes abrasive coaching style, but that situation has changed. Williams has offered thinly veiled criticisms recently of Detroits offensive game plan and his role in it.Still, the overriding factor for Williams is that he simply wants to go home or get closer to it.

The one thing you learn about Williams very quickly is that he loves Texas and would love to return to his home state. Williams is a Texas guy and mentions it in nearly every interview and flies back to his home in Odessa to see his young child every chance he gets. If the Lions get two consecutive days off, Williams bolts for Texas. Theres absolutely nothing wrong with that, but it shows where his heart is.

Last week, Williams brought up his contract situation out of the blue and said he didnt know what his future holds. Williams quickly added that every player wants to stay with the team that originally drafted him but added Its hard to do now with free agency.

In classic Lions fashion, Calvin Johnson is not playing worth his pick …How is that possible? He is amazing. He is Superman! I have not been so sure a WR was going to be great in the NFL since Charles Rogers! Oh wait….

Now that the Detroit Lions have lost for the 10th straight time at the Metrodome, getting whipped 42-10 by the Minnesota Vikings in a game that wasn't even that close, the Lions are searching for answers to a season gone horribly wrong.

Here are some of those questions that need to be addressed:

It's time to ask again: Should the Lions have drafted Adrian Peterson instead of Calvin Johnson with the second overall pick?

Well, first things first. It's difficult to look through the Lions' recent draft history and find someone who they shouldn't have drafted instead. Peterson is an explosive talent, no doubt about it, but so is Johnson. The larger issue is why the Lions aren't getting the most out of him.

Once again, Johnson was a non-factor in the offense on Sunday. Before Roy Williams got hurt, Johnson was in and out of the lineup and wasn't a target in the passing game.

The Lions have made a huge mistake here, either in drafting a guy who didn't deserve to be the second overall pick or not effectively using a guy who did.

Meanwhile, to hoops:
Duncan and Manu could be out for the Mavs trip to San Antonio to play the Spurs …

If Tim Duncan's injury has dulled the shine of tonight's matchup between the Mavericks and Spurs, how much would the absence of San Antonio's Manu Ginobili further diminish the game.

Duncan is sidelined by a bruised right knee and sprained right ankle he sustained in a scary moment Sunday, overshadowing an injury to Ginobili's left index finger. Ginobili stayed in that game but whether he plays will be a game-time decision, potentially reducing the Spurs to Tony Parker and friends.

The Mavericks, who have been shuffling lineups all season, aren't keenly interested in who is and isn't playing for the opposition.

"At this point, where we're at, we've lost a lot of road games already," forward Dirk Nowitzki said, noting the Mavs' 4-5 road record. "We can't focus on who's playing, who's hurt. We want to take advantage of the situation and get a win and move on."

Injuries have scrapped Mavs coach Avery Johnson's rotation plans and inconsistencies have led to losses to Portland, New Orleans, Washington and Milwaukee. Meanwhile, the Spurs are 10-0 at home and 15-3 overall coming off a fourth NBA title in nine seasons. With back-to-back titles seemingly the lone triumph remaining to cement the Spurs as a bona fide dynasty, the Spurs are still sound defensively, allowing 92.1 points a game and winning by an average of 9.5 points, both second to Boston.

San Antonio has a three-game lead over Dallas and New Orleans in the Southwest Division, and has won seven of eight since losing in Dallas on Nov. 15. Once again, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich appears to be scripting the action perfectly for his cast to succeed.

Ginobili is having a career season coming off the bench, averaging 19.4 points, 4.3 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game. He's shooting 45.2 percent from 3-point range.
Parker, the 2007 NBA Finals MVP, is scoring team highs of 20.7 points (on 52.6 percent shooting) and 7.1 assists.

And, although Duncan, now in his 11th season and still the Spurs' defensive anchor, is averaging career lows of 32.3 minutes, 8.9 rebounds and 17.6 points, the Spurs appear as dominant as ever.

"Is it 17?" Johnson said. "It seems like 27 because, even though he's not averaging the numbers, it still feels like he's getting 27 and 15 [rebounds] every night because he draws so much attention."

The blueprint of using Duncan less to protect his 31-year-old body is not unlike how Johnson envisions this season for Nowitzki, 29 and in his 10th season.

Blockbuster! Tigers with a bold strike in baseball ….

The Florida Marlins and Detroit Tigers have agreed in principle on a trade that will send Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to Detroit for key prospects, sources told ESPN's Peter Gammons on Tuesday.

The Tigers would send outfielder Cameron Maybin, pitcher Andrew Miller, catcher Mike Rabelo and minor league pitchers Eulogio De La Cruz, Dallas Trahern and Burke Badenhop to the Marlins.

The deal is expected to be announced Tuesday night when the physicals and paperwork are completed.

"It's very serious, but nothing is finalized yet because some issues need to get worked out," Tigers manager Jim Leyland told The Associated Press.

Miller was Detroit's top pick in the 2006 draft and went 5-5 in 13 starts after being called up last summer. Maybin was the Tigers' first pick in 2005 and shot through the farm system, hitting .143 in 24 major league games, Rabelo batted .256 in 51 games, and 23-year-old De La Cruz appeared in six games for the Tigers, hitting 100 mph on the radar gun.

Willis was on vacation when he heard the news.

"I'm in Mexico right now with my family. I'm kind of busy," he told the AP.
Florida didn't even approach the Tigers until Tuesday morning. The Marlins told the Tigers they could have the two stars for those six players, then Detroit called back about two hours later and agreed.

Evan endorses the Rangers slow and steady approach …

Since the season ended, Jon Daniels has entertained lots of phone calls from his compatriots that include the phrases:

"What do you want for..."

"Hank Blalock"

And "Gerald Laird."

Those phone calls became text messages, e-mails and impromptu dialogue as the off-season swapping season started. They have only increased since the Texas Rangers management landed in Nashville.

Daniels would be wise to turn a deaf ear to such conversation.

It's simply not the right time to deal either one. Their values are at all-time lows. Blalock is coming off an injury-shortened season, which followed a sub-par 2006, which continued a downward trend in performance. It could be argued that the only full-time major leaguer who had a worse offensive season than Laird in 2007 was Minnesota's light-hitting Nick Punto.

To deal either right now would be to get less in return than could be expected. Those teams which have called Daniels are searching for bargain pickups. They are offering big salaries, aging vets or troubled teammates. It is not the kind of trade you want to be making, unless you are receiving the one piece you need to finish off a championship-caliber team.

Let's review once more: The Rangers are not currently a championship-caliber team. They may enter the 2008 barely qualified as a major league team.

Barely 27, there is no shortage of upside to Blalock. He still has the ability to be a .300 hitter with slightly above average power for a corner infield spot. His defensive reputation can't be anymore tarnished than it is. He is under control through 2009. Bottom line: There is plenty of room for improvement. Even if he doesn't show much improvement in 2008, the Rangers potential return won't slip by much. If he does rebound and the club can't sign him to a long-term deal, he will still be a more valuable trade commodity than he is right now.

Same goes for Laird. He'll be only 29 at this time next year and he'll still be controllable through 2009. His throwing skills, which make him attractive to a lot of clubs, aren't about to diminish overnight. His hitting can only improve after a season in which he batted .224 with a .627 OPS. He plays a premium position at which the Rangers have some depth. A year from now, if Taylor Teagarden is ready for the majors, the team could be demanding a whole lot more for Laird.

The Rangers may currently have a bad hand, but unlike poker, that's not the time to trade in for different cards. That's the time to hold on to what you've got.

Revo understands the Rangers not moving on Johan ….

Would the Twins even consider a package of Rangers prospects when, as rumor had it Tuesday, they were mulling over at least two attractive offers from the Red Sox, plus proposals from the Yankees and Angels? The Red Sox reportedly had two offers on the table, one with left-handed pitcher Jon Lester as the centerpiece, along with three other players, the other with center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury as the focal point, along with two other players.

"I'm not surprised the Twins are taking their time walking through it," general manager Jon Daniels said during the Rangers' media briefing late Tuesday. "You don't get to be in that position very often."

Washington confirmed that the Rangers' package would have to include right-hander Edinson Volquez, who is slated to hold down a spot in the Texas rotation next season, top pitching prospect Eric Hurley and top slugging prospect Chris Davis, among others. It might also have to include Elvis Andrus, identified by many scouts as the Rangers' top overall prospect, and very likely several others as well.
Other than Washington, Rangers officials shied away from talking about Santana.

"From what I've been reading and hearing, it sounds like [the Twins] are going to do a deal with Boston," assistant general manager Thad Levine said. "I can't be specific about [what players] we've talked about or what teams we've been talking with."

One Rangers official ranked Andrus No. 1 and Hurley No. 2 among Texas prospects, followed by Davis, young center fielder Engel Beltre and catcher Taylor Teagarden. Teams have constantly been asking Daniels about Texas' younger players.

"We're not interested in moving those guys," Daniels said. "It would have to be something very special for us to do that."

Santana, of course, definitely qualifies as something special.

The Twins have said that they want either a major league-ready starting pitcher, a center fielder, or both in any deal for Santana. The Rangers are looking for a center fielder themselves, so that's not something they can provide.
The addition of Santana would make the Rangers competitive on any day he pitches. It's the other four turns through the rotation that would worry me.

It's not likely to be something any of us have to worry much about, though. The Rangers' brass saw a bona fide ace on the market and couldn't resist the temptation to at least kick the tires and see what it would take to bring him to Texas.

It would be like you and me browsing through Neiman Marcus on a whim. You never know whether you can afford something until you see the price tag.

Now they know.

They can't.

Stars host the Sharks tonight, and Andrew’s looks at the New Stars …

It's no secret that the Dallas Stars have been a nice roll since owner Tom Hicks decided to make changes in the front office back on November 13. Here are a few statistical tidbits about the Stars, who are 8-2-1 since the changes.

The Stars are scoring at exactly the same clip - 2.82 goals per game - but there have been some noticeable changes in some other statistical categories, most notably the goals against department.

• Prior to the changes on November 13 the Stars were giving up 2.94 goals per game which ranked 20th in the league. They are now ranked 10th in the league with a 2.50 goals against average after giving up just 1.82 goals per game over the last 11 contests.

• They had been giving up giving up 29.4 shots per game, but that's dropped to 27.4 per game after giving up a little more than 24 over since the shakeup.

• The team save percentage was 90.0 prior to November 13, but that has climbed to 90.9 thanks to Marty Turco and Mike Smith stopping 247 of 267 shots (92.5%) over the last 11 games.

• The power play ranked 11th and the penalty kill was tenth at the time of the changes, but both of those have improved and have moved into the top five in the league.

How about 30 NHL Arenas in 30 Days? …

Classic Ref Giving the business



Mercury Morris



Carmina Burana (don't ask why this is posted)

12-0

I am not sure why, but I have really enjoyed rooting against New England the last two weeks, only to have them escape at the last second and get the win.

Normally, the 1972 Dolphins annoy me with their champagne celebrations that I root for someone to equal them and thus shut them up. But, I may be changing my mind.

My new sports dream as of this morning is for the Patriots to 16-0, only to lose in the playoffs, thus erasing the Mavericks from the category of biggest sports choke in sports history.

Pats sneak out of Baltimore …

The New England Patriots weren't kidding that they aren't perfect, no matter what their record through 12 games shows.

They looked mighty vulnerable Monday night, needing a late touchdown drive and some penalties that both sides complained about to beat the Baltimore Ravens 27-24 Monday night.

New England pulled off its great escape to become the sixth team in NFL history to start a season with 12 victories. For the second straight week, it was a struggle against a losing team, but the incredibly resourceful Patriots got Tom Brady's 8-yard touchdown pass to Jabar Gaffney with 44 seconds left to win it.

The winning drive in the final minutes covered 73 yards and required two fourth-down conversions, one on a defensive holding penalty 6 seconds before Gaffney beat Dawan Landry in the left corner of the end zone.

"We made enough plays at the end," Brady said. "A lot of questionable calls and we made some plays.

"There's a lot of room to improve in the final four weeks. There's things we could've certainly done better ... we kept clawing back."

Driven to distraction by a Baltimore defense at times reminiscent of the 2000 unit that led the Ravens (4-8) to a Super Bowl victory, Brady came through late -- as he always seems to.

"Most of it for three quarters didn't go in our favor," Brady said. "On the road, tough environment against a team that has won a lot of games in the last few years. It was tough."

Eight days after edging Philadelphia 31-28, the Patriots barely kept alive their pursuit of the only unblemished record in NFL history, Miami's 17-0 in 1972.
With Pittsburgh (9-3) up next, the Patriots must recapture some of their record-setting ways from earlier in the season to keep their flawless record intact.

Well, it has been 3 weeks since the firing of Doug Armstrong. Following a successful journey east, optimism is creeping around the rink…

Let’s look at a couple numbers.

Stars before the axe-
17 games, 17 points on (7-7-3)

After the axe:
11 games, 17 points on (8-2-1)

Before the axe:
51 goals against in 17 games (3.0)

After the axe:
21 goals against in 11 games (1.9)

As last night in Columbus indicated, if your goalie is your best player, you can win a lot of games. That is all we have ever wanted out of Marty Turco, and now Mike Smith.

What Doug Armstrong being fired has to do with these numbers, I will never know, but the truth is there in the numbers. The Stars are a different team.

I am still not convinced they are a playoff team come April, but this is much more like it. What a trip!

2 more points in Columbus …

Once again, Niklas Hagman supplied a big goal for the Dallas Stars when it was most needed.

Hagman's shootout backhander powered the Stars to a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday night.

Hagman, the 10th player in the shootout, swooped in on goalie Pascal Leclaire and may have surprised him with his move away from the forehand.

"I've tried it a couple of times in practice," Hagman said of the move. "Maybe it's something the goalies don't expect when a guy comes right in front of you and takes a backhanded shot, five hole. It managed to go in."

It was the latest bit of heroics for Hagman, who leads the Stars in game-winning goals with five, tying him with San Jose's Jeremy Roenick for the NHL lead.

"Nobody knew what Haggy was going to do, including us, and it turned out all right," coach Dave Tippett said.

The Stars have won both meetings with Columbus this season in shootouts at Nationwide Arena - the only wins Dallas has in three shootouts this season.

Chris Conner had the Stars' goal early in the third period, matching Nikolai Zherdev's first-period goal for Columbus.

Dallas was playing its last game of a season-long six-game road trip, while Columbus
was returning home after a Western swing to start a five-game homestand.
Marty Turco had 25 saves for Dallas, with Leclaire stopping 33.

"At one point in the third period, you think, 'This is a goalie duel.' And you try to hold up your end of the bargain," Turco said. "When we talk about goaltending around here, it's all about giving the team a chance to win. Most of all, it's a team effort and doing your part. And mine was to match it and keep it at 1-1 until we could find a crack - and we did."

Mavs win in Chicago …

Josh Howard scored 27 points, Dirk Nowitzki added 25 and the Dallas Mavericks hung on to beat the Chicago Bulls 103-98 on Monday night.

The Mavericks saw a 16-point fourth-quarter lead dwindle to three when Andres Nocioni hit three free throws to pull Chicago within 101-98 with 11.6 seconds left.
Jason Terry answered with two free throws, and Chicago's Kirk Hinrich shot an airball from the corner, bringing the game to a wild conclusion.

The league's reigning MVP, Nowitzki perked up after shooting just 5-of-15 in each of the previous two games. He was 9-of-17 against the Bulls.

Howard had 10 rebounds and six assists. Erick Dampier added 10 rebounds and six blocks, and Terry scored 18 points.

The Mavericks had to sweat this one out because of Nocioni and Hinrich.
Hinrich, who was benched in favor of Chris Duhon to start the second half, scored 14 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter.

Nocioni had 14 of his 30 points in the fourth, and his two free throws and jumper pulled Chicago within 93-87 with 1:29 left in the game.

What gets you fired up for baseball season like hearing the Rangers don’t have big plans? Well, maybe they are downplaying a bold strike. If they leave Nashville with Jason Bay or Fukkodome, we will be ready to get on board a bit…

TR Sullivan’s report …

The Rangers could bring back Eric Gagne as their closer or add LaTroy Hawkins to the mix of candidates for that job.

They are one of a number of teams that have asked about Pirates outfielder Jason Bay and they are still pursuing Japanese outfielder Kosuke Fukudome. They are checking the medical records of free-agent pitchers Bartolo Colon, Freddy Garcia and Jason Jennings.

They are preparing to go to Spring Training with Marlon Byrd and David Murphy as their center-field candidates while focusing more on their corner-outfield spots.
The Winter Meetings are under way here and the Rangers are addressing a number of areas of concern. Relief pitching is one of them and general manager Jon Daniels said Monday the Rangers have interest in bringing back Gagne as their closer.
Gagne led the Rangers with 16 saves this past season before being traded to the Boston Red Sox on July 31. He is a free agent and Daniels said the Rangers would like to talk to agent Scott Boras while they are here in Nashville. The four-day meetings continue through Thursday.

"Eric is on the list of guys we have expressed interest in," Daniels said. "He's the only guy we'd be interested in to be our closer. Anybody else would be added to the mix of potential closer candidates."

Hawkins would be another possibility in the Rangers' quest to add a veteran arm to the back of their bullpen and Daniels spoke to his agent, Larry Reynolds, on Sunday. Hawkins, 35, was 2-5 with a 3.42 ERA in 62 games in 2007 for the National League champion Colorado Rockies, who declined to offer him arbitration. The Detroit Tigers are also pursuing him.

Other names that the Rangers have considered are Shawn Chacon, Luis Vizcaino, Trever Miller and Octavio Dotel. The Rangers had interest in David Riske, but he's likely to get a three-year deal to sign with the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Rangers aren't willing to go that long with any reliever. The Rangers offered Gagne a two-year deal with two option years before he was traded to the Red Sox. But Daniels said the Rangers would likely go just one year guaranteed on any deal with a free agent reliever.

Center field was another area of focus for the Rangers but that's starting to fade. The Rangers have found the cost of acquiring a center fielder either through trade or free agency is too high, so they are moving on with the idea of Byrd and Murphy filling that spot.

"More likely than not," Daniels said. "Possibly that could change, but that's likely how it's going to go."

The Rangers had extensive talks with the Arizona Diamondbacks about Carlos Gonzalez, the New York Mets about Carlos Gomez and the Chicago Cubs about Felix Pie. But the Diamondbacks wanted top pitching prospect Eric Hurley, the Mets weren't interested in trading for catcher Gerald Laird and the Cubs have decided that Pie will be their center fielder.

Marlon Byrd for CF? …

Evan Grant on the scene …

While the rest of baseball will be scurrying about at the winter meetings that will start Monday at Opryland, the Texas delegation might just be sitting around not doing much of anything.

There is no Torii Hunter contract to discuss. There is no Kenny Rogers reunion to discuss. Considering the New York Mets have traded for two catchers in the last two weeks, there doesn't seem much need for the Rangers to talk with them about exchanging Gerald Laird for a center fielder. The Rangers aren't very interested in trading any of their young prospects.

None of the other free-agent center fielders or starting pitchers really interests the Rangers. And, unless the club makes a roster move quickly, there won't even be much need to stick around for the Rule 5 draft since a full 40-man roster means they'd be unable to select a player.

"We've talked about a lot of different things with clubs," general manager Jon Daniels said Friday. "This is an expensive market. Sitting here today, I don't know
if we are going to make any significant moves [in Nashville]."

The Rangers remain interested in upgrading the outfield, first base and the bullpen depth. But with Hunter out of the picture – thanks to a five-year, $90 million deal from the Los Angeles Angels – the Rangers are refocusing on free agents that won't require giving up a draft pick as compensation. And they aren't limiting themselves to center field.

There is only one potential impact outfielder on the market that might be worthy of a long-term deal and who wouldn't cost the Rangers a draft pick: Japan's Kosuke Fukudome. But Fukudome, who would probably play right field for Texas, still hasn't committed to leaving Japan for the United States.

The Rangers will probably have serious competition from the Chicago Cubs, San Diego and perhaps Kansas City if Fukudome does decide to test the U.S. market. Daniels acknowledged an interest in having the Rangers become bigger players in the Japanese market, but he declined to speak specifically about Fukudome.

The Rangers have checked on getting involved in the trade market for both Johan
Santana and Miguel Cabrera, but are long shots to end up with either. Such a deal would probably require trading at least one young major leaguer (Ian Kinsler or Jarrod Saltalamacchia) and a passel of prospects. The Rangers would have to be assured of getting a long-term contract extension done with the acquired player.
"We've checked on any of the impact players that might be available," Daniels said. "We're not really interested in trading our younger players. But where our system is right now, our players are probably a year away from being household names. And if you are going to trade a young player, you want to make sure you get the maximum value. I don't know that we are at the same point as some other clubs."

Funny Dale Hansen stuff …

First Death in MMA …

Regulated mixed martial arts has experienced its first casualty.

Sam Vasquez, who was stopped by Vince Libardi on Oct. 20 at the Toyota Center in Houston, died Friday at the age of 35, according to a report by TheFightNetwork.com.

The Harris County Medical Examiner, which confirmed Vasquez passed at 8:15 p.m. CT, has not yet released the cause of death, the report said.

After enduring separate surgeries to remove blood clots from his brain as well as a massive stroke, Vasquez was discharged from downtown Houston's Saint Joseph Medical Center Critical Care Unit and transferred to an area hospice on Nov. 26.

On Wednesday Sandra Vasquez, the fighter's wife, told Sherdog.com, "He's about to go." Two days later, Vasquez, the father of a 7-year-old boy, lost his battle with the apparent affects of a regulated mixed martial arts fight.

Vasquez joins Douglas Dedge as the second known fighter to lose his or her life due to complications stemming from a MMA bout. Following an unregulated contest in the Ukraine on March 16, 1998, Dedge collapsed and died.

Vasquez, who was licensed to compete by the Texas Boxing and Wrestling Program, took rapid combinations and a hard right punch to the chin from Libardi (4-3) in the third round.

In his third professional fight -- each of which were promoted by Saul Soliz, a veteran trainer who has worked with several UFC champions and a host of local Texas fighters, including the fallen Vasquez -- the referee allowed Vasquez (1-2) to stand after he was dropped. When the fighter subsequently collapsed the bout was called.

Repeated attempts to reach Soliz for comment went unreturned.

Eight minutes elapsed while Texas-mandated EMTs attended to the incapacitated Vasquez, who was eventually placed onto a stretcher and supported with a neck brace. His exit from the arena to Saint Joseph Medical Center was marked with a slight, occasional seizure visible to the cage-side audience.

My new Home …



If you are tired of Favre love, this won’t make you feel better …

Brett Favre's standout season for the resurgent Green Bay Packers has earned him the title of 2007 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year.

Favre said in the cover story of the magazine's Dec. 10 issue, due out Wednesday, that leadership was about finding ways to raise his team's level of play.

"You do that by setting an example, by doing things the right way. I've always shown up, I've always been prepared, I practice every day," Favre said.

Favre, 38, has started a quarterback-record 249 consecutive games, and this year surpassed Dan Marino for career touchdown passes.

The magazine also recognized Favre's history of philanthropy, including his Fourward Foundation that has donated more than $4 million to charities in Wisconsin and Mississippi.

iphree



My son’s newest obsession

Monday in Sportsville

Well, the sports weekend brought us the end of the regular season portion of college football’s 2007 campaign. Now, our little scholars can run to the library to prepare for Class Finals, while the Division 1-AA, 2, 3, and NAIA academic frauds ignore their finals to dive into their playoffs!

Ohio State – LSU it is …

Voters in the USA Today coaches and Harris polls looked at all the teams late Saturday and stacked up all the conference champions. Ohio State and LSU came out on top, and those two teams are headed to the Allstate BCS National Championship in New Orleans.

Virginia Tech came in third, and Oklahoma was fourth in the final Bowl Championship Series standings.

Virginia Tech landed in the FedEx Orange Bowl for a date with Kansas. The Fighting Manginos finished eighth in the BCS standings, and South Beach is a well-deserved reward for a team that reached never-before-seen heights this year.

"Dreaming is a passive state," KU coach Mark Mangino said. "We talk here all the time with our players, 'You can dream or you can pursue.' This is the product of our players and our coaches pursuing this goal and working hard to obtain it."

OU had to settle for the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and a date with West Virginia. The Mountaineers probably won't need a hook-and-lateral or the Statue of Liberty like Boise State did last year. They simply need quarterback Pat White's dislocated thumb to heal this December.

OU coach Bob Stoops had a legitimate gripe about coming up short. The Sooners won the Big 12 title by whipping last week's No. 1 team, Missouri, in San Antonio. But Stoops wasn't about to stir the BCS pot.

When asked if his team should have been in New Orleans, Stoops said, "It's a little bit too late for that. Things are what they are. ... In the end, we're excited to be in the Fiesta Bowl."

In the end, the voters got it right. They threw away last week's ballot and rearranged the teams in the proper order on their final ballot – the only one that truly counts.

And by proper order, I'm talking about stacking the conference champions on top.
That's what Ohio State coach Jim Tressel did. Tressel said he "got scolded pretty good" last year by Grant Teaff, the executive director of the American Football Coaches Association, for not turning in a final ballot.

The Games We Care about …some more than others…

Pacific Life Holiday
Arizona State vs. Texas San Diego Dec. 27, 7 p.m. ESPN HD

Texas
TCU vs. Houston Houston Dec. 28, 7 p.m. NFL

Valero Alamo
Penn State vs. Texas A&M San Antonio Dec. 29, 7 p.m. ESPN HD

AT&T Cotton
Missouri vs. Arkansas Dallas Jan. 1, 2008, 10:30 a.m. FOX

Gator
Texas Tech vs. Virginia Jacksonville, Fla. Jan. 1, 2008, 2 p.m. CBS

Tostitos Fiesta
Oklahoma vs. West Virginia Glendale, Ariz. Jan. 2, 2008, 7 p.m. FOX

FedEx Orange
Virginia Tech vs. Kansas Miami Jan. 3, 2008, 7 p.m. FOX

Allstate BCS Championship Game
LSU vs. Ohio State New Orleans Jan. 7, 2008, 7 p.m. FOX

Meanwhile, the NFL weekend isn’t the same without the Cowboys and Packers, but somehow the league went on. All NFC East teams had some portion of drama added to their seasons yesterday:

The Redskins honor Sean Taylor; but Joe Gibbs is not going to quiet his “the game has passed him by” critics this way …

In the final frantic moments of another close game after the most difficult week the Washington Redskins could remember, Coach Joe Gibbs sought help before making a key decision yesterday against the Buffalo Bills. It was Gibbs's leadership that had helped the Redskins move forward in the wake of safety Sean Taylor's death from a gunshot wound last week, but Gibbs needed someone to guide him while the Bills lined up for the second time to attempt a potential game-winning field goal.

Unsure about the rules regarding the use of timeouts in an attempt to "freeze" a place kicker, Gibbs said he consulted an official along the sideline, asking whether he could call another timeout after the one he had used a moment earlier, before Buffalo's Rian Lindell sent the ball through the uprights from 51 yards away.
Regardless of what the official told Gibbs, his decision to call consecutive timeouts in that situation led to a 15-yard penalty.

"To be quite truthful, I made a decision there at the end that very likely cost us the game," Gibbs said. "That's on me."

Put in position to make a shorter kick in the rain because of Gibbs's gaffe, Lindell connected again, this time on a 36-yard field goal with only four seconds remaining on the clock. The Bills rallied for a 17-16 victory in front of 85,831 at FedEx Field, writing an ending that Washington and its fans had hoped to avoid in the team's first game since Taylor's death. The Redskins got the ball back with three seconds left and ran two plays. Quarterback Jason Campbell's final pass landed incomplete and the Redskins had a four-game losing streak for the first time since Oct. 10, 2004.

"First off, we can't have consecutive timeouts. That's number one," referee Tony Corrente told a pool reporter. "Number two, if that timeout is called to freeze the kicker, it becomes unsportsmanlike conduct."

The Eagles realize Donovan isn’t so bad ….

The Eagles have mustered some momentum at various points during this increasingly disappointing season, and they firmly believed they were a massive force moving in a positive direction as they stepped on the field for a critical home game against the Seattle Seahawks.

Wrong again.

That strong effort in a losing cause against the powerful New England Patriots the week before became nothing more than a meaningless footnote yesterday as the Eagles wasted a gargantuan performance by Brian Westbrook and lost, 28-24, to the Seahawks on the soggy new sod at Lincoln Financial Field.

The loss left the Eagles at 5-7, which means they probably can't afford to lose again if they want to have any chance of making a second-straight postseason appearance.

A.J. Feeley, making his second start in a row, spared us all the possibility of a quarterback controversy this week by throwing four interceptions, including one in the final minute after Westbrook had put the Eagles in position to pull out a victory with a 64-yard punt return reminiscent of his magical season-saving moment at the Meadowlands in 2003.

"I thought I was going to score," Westbrook said. "In hindsight, maybe I should have tried to cut it back a little bit, but I knew I had a trailer behind me. I think the guys did a good job of blocking in front of me, and I was able to get out in space and try to make a play and give us an opportunity to win the game."

Like so many other times this season, the Eagles put the word missed right in front of the word opportunity.

And Eli gets it done somehow …

If the Giants had lost yesterday -- and for more than three quarters, their offense looked as if it wouldn't pick up a first down, much less points -- it would have been irreparable.

Even with the Giants at 7-5, Eli Manning's confidence would have been in the depths after another horrific game, and the second-half swoon that has become an annual occurrence under Tom Coughlin would have reared up again.

But as it turned out, there were no would-haves, no could-haves. Manning erased 49 .minutes of ineptitude with two brilliant scoring drives in the final 11:45 and the contributions came from everywhere, turning what would have been a .Manning-fueled loss into a team-building 21-16 win over the Bears.

Now 8-4, the Giants are two games clear of the crowd in the wild-card race and 5-1 on the road, where they would start the postseason. And the questions about their shaky, skittish quarterback can rest for at least a week.

"We came here to be 8-4," Coughlin said, "and by the grace of God, we are."

"This was a character win," Shaun O'Hara said. "We had plenty of opportunities to fold up the tent today. Our defense kept us in the game and we gave ourselves a big boost with the way we finished. Our confidence is back up after the blow we took last week."

Manning turned the ball over three times inside the Bears' 30, twice on interceptions and once on a fumble that slipped out of his hands without a navy blue jersey in sight. Derrick Ward had 154 rushing yards and a touchdown, but he fumbled twice, losing one, and then was lost for the season with a fractured left fibula.

But both of those offensive lightning rods loomed large in the Giants' fourth-quarter comeback. With the Bears up 16-7 -- the Giants were that close only because their .defense kept Chicago from piling up points off the numerous turnovers -- Manning finally got the offense pointed in the right direction. He led a 75-yard drive that ended with a Giants replay challenge on Amani Toomer's 6-yard touchdown catch with 6:54 left.

It initially was ruled incomplete, but Toomer convinced Coughlin to challenge, and the Giants got the call overturned. It was ruled that the diving Toomer had both hands under the ball and that it had not touched the ground, instead .ricocheting off a forearm into his chest.

The Bears, who had minus-9 total yards in their first three fourth-quarter drives, went backward, with Rex Grossman sacked by Justin Tuck and .Kawika Mitchell on third down.

The Giants had 4:55 and the ball at their 23, but no Ward, who suffered his injury on the previous drive. No matter. .Reuben Droughns had a couple of good runs and little-used receiver David Tyree had two huge catches on that final drive, including a 24-yarder that brought the .Giants to the Bears' 17 with two minutes left. Even in field-goal range, Manning kept .firing; he was 7-for-9 for 95 yards on the final two drives after going 9-for-18 for 100 yards through the first 49 .minutes.

Manning hit Plaxico Burress for 15 yards to the 2 and Droughns scored on a run around right end with 1:33 left.

Grossman, who started the game 8-for-8 and finished 25-for-46, drove the Bears to the Giants' 28. But James Butler fittingly batted away the final pass; the third-year safety was the most experienced player at his position yesterday thanks to a knee injury to Gibril Wilson, and Butler should have sat with a hamstring injury .suffered on the Bears' first play from scrimmage.

"The way it happened wasn't the prettiest," Manning said, "and at times it was flat-out ugly, but [in the end] it was sweet."

In Baseball, it is Winter Meetings Week. Johan is the story of the week …

With the Minnesota Twins insisting on center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury in any trade for pitcher Johan Santana, the Red Sox have altered their offer and have told the Twins they are willing to include the outfielder.

But sources say the Red Sox have also told the Twins they will not trade left-handed pitcher Jon Lester and Ellsbury together in the package they are offering.

The Yankees, meanwhile, have informed the Twins that they are going to pull their offer off the table soon -- perhaps by Tuesday at the latest -- unless they get an answer. The Yankees changed their offer on Friday, adding pitcher Phil Hughes after much internal debate, to go along with Melky Cabrera and a third prospect.

The Yankees have told the Twins they will not give them one of their top prospects as the third player in their offer -- not pitchers Ian Kennedy or Alan Horne, or outfielder Austin Jackson, for example.

It's possible that the Twins may find that the offers from Boston and the Yankees are not acceptable, and decide, ultimately, to keep Santana. But executives involved in the trade talks fully expect that the Twins will trade Santana, and that they will make a decision within the next 72 hours on what offer they prefer. If either the Yankees or the Red Sox were to pull out of negotiations, the Twins' leverage would be greatly diminished.

What the choice for Minnesota may come down to, in the end, is this: Do they prefer Phil Hughes as the centerpiece player in a deal, or Ellsbury?

If the Twins do agree to a tentative deal, Santana must still agree to waive his no-trade clause, and in order to do that, Santana likely will ask for a six-year extension worth something in the range of a $150 million; he would become the first pitcher ever to sign for a multiyear deal for at least $20 million a year.

Johan could grab around $25 million a year for 6 years. His commission should no doubt be sent to the Texas Rangers who last season contributed to his money by being dominated twice like no other team in baseball:

May 22 at Texas : 7IP, 4H, 1ER, 13K’s, Win

Aug 19 vs Texas : 8IP, 2H, 0ER, 17K’s, Win

But, you ask, What are the Rangers doing to improve? …

Doesn’t sound like much.

The biggest four days of the off-season have arrived, but not every team will have a prominent spot on the hot stove during the Baseball Winter Meetings.

Count the Rangers among the clubs that have holes to fill but won't likely be on a
front burner at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center.

The help the Rangers seek will probably only plug holes this season until a deeper free-agent market emerges or home-grown talent develops into major-league-ready players.

General manager Jon Daniels said the free-agent market is an expensive one, and trades might also prove too costly.

"In this market, there are probably more free agents who fit in short than long," Daniels said Friday. "Our system in general is probably a year away from maturing. I'm not sure it makes sense for us to trade three or four [young] players for a short-term fix."

Daniels' cellphone will remain on, just as it has been since the free-agent signing period began Nov. 13.

"We've had some conversations that have progressed further than others," he said. "It's tough to say whether something is going to happen quickly, by the end of the meetings or shortly afterward. I would expect that all of our conversations will continue to progress."

Outfield

Torii Hunter was the lone center fielder the Rangers were willing to offer a long-term, big-dollar contract. Now that he's out of the picture, the Rangers are looking for any outfielder who could make an impact either through free agency or via trade. The free-agent route might be too expensive. Management believes Marlon Byrd and David Murphy can hold down center for at least this season.

Possible targets: Japanese import Kosuke Fukudome, Aaron Rowand, Andruw Jones, Mike Cameron, Milton Bradley, Corey Patterson, Coco Crisp-x.

From GM Jon Daniels: "Given the asking price on some things, I don't expect to land a long-term center fielder at this point. I think with Marlon and Murphy we do have candidates to play center field. It allows us to look at both the corners and center as the priority."

Bullpen

While the Rangers are open to adding a starter this off-season, their first pitching priority is to find a veteran arm to fortify a bullpen full of younger ones. Some of the pitchers the Rangers could sign might look familiar and could come under the preferred circumstance of a one-year contract.

Possible targets: Jamey Wright, Eric Gagné, LaTroy Hawkins, Trever Miller, Jeremy Affeldt.

From Daniels: "That combination of high innings and [3.69] ERA, I think we had one of the most effective bullpens in the game. We've got some quality arms and guys who can step in and compete in those roles. But I do want some veterans guys to solidify that situation."

First base

As of today, the Rangers' first option at first base is Frank Catalanotto, but the club would also like to see him play some at left field and designated hitter. Switch-hitting veteran Tony Clark is a free-agent option. He has 244 career homers but has hit worse than .250 five of the past six seasons. The Rangers might wait a week or so to see which unsigned players aren't tendered contracts by their current clubs.

Possible targets: Tony Clark, Sean Casey, Mike Lamb, Adam Dunn-x, Ben Broussard-y.
From Daniels: "We've looked at the potential for that [non-tendered] list a little bit. It's hard to count on that. We are still looking into options. We've had some conversations with guys who could fill that role for us."

This is good stuff: True Hoop examines Bennett Salvatore’s role in the 2006 NBA Finals by talking to him …save some time, and look it over. It is very interesting stuff if you can stand the pain of Heat-Mavericks…

Trevor Daley trying to put his big boy pants on …

Trevor Daley had a great game Saturday night.

He needed it.

Daley, 24, has been struggling this season. Through the first 26 games, he was minus-9 and hadn't tallied a point since Oct. 27 – a span of 16 games.

So when he contributed two assists and was plus-2 in a 4-1 win over the Flyers on
Saturday, it was enough for Philadelphia writers to name him the first star of the game.

"It was nice to see," Stars associate coach Rick Wilson said. "He's had other good games, but this was one where the results were tangible. He had a couple of points. He was a plus player. Those are things that I think will help him."

Daley admits this has been a tough year. When Darryl Sydor wasn't re-signed in the summer, it was clear the Stars were hoping that Daley would take a lot of those minutes. Daley was paired with Sergei Zubov at times early and also was given time on the power play.

"Yeah, you definitely get to a point where you don't consider yourself a rookie anymore," he said. "This is my fourth season. I'm not a veteran, so much, but I guess I am a young veteran. You look at that and you want to take it to the next level, you want to be a veteran kind of guy that they can rely on."

The Stars believed this was going to be a breakout season for Daley, but his average time on ice (19:27) is almost identical to last season (19:23). His penalty kill time has gone up (from 2:38 to 2:47), but his power play time has dropped (from 0:43 to 0:39).

"I think the first thing we have to acknowledge is that Trevor is a top-four defenseman, he's dependable and he's playing a solid role on our team," Wilson said. "Would he like more? Sure, I think he would like more. There's some frustration with him, and he's fighting through that."

As with Antti Miettinen last season, Daley is being challenged to do more, to ramp up his game, to "take the next step" in his career. It's a natural challenge for young veterans.

"It's a challenge, but a challenge that a lot of players have faced," Stars coach Dave Tippett said. "This is an exciting time for him, a chance to grow as a player."

Some Parents are not cool …

Chico, now 2-4 for the season, got off to a spectacular start thanks to its defense. Punky Brewster, Brittany Spradlin and Andi Younger silenced the Pirates and allowed very little scoring chances.

Kevin Garnett – Craig Sager



Bryant Is a complete Fool