Always the horses, seldom the jockey...
Daily Commentary on the Dallas Sports Scene - By Bob Sturm - Sportsradio 1310, The Ticket - The Athletic Dallas - The Athletic - Bob Sturm
I said it before, and I will say it again: Vince Young is better than Mike Vick. He was in college, and he will be in the pros. Some will say that doesn’t mean much since Vick has had an uneven pro career, but my point is don’t bet against this kid. And PLEASE, do not put more weight on “pro day” than the Rose Bowl!
He threw a variety of passes, all from under an imaginary center. He took three-, five- and seven-step drops, something he didn't do his last two seasons at UT, and threw on rollouts, bootlegs and scrambles. He threw flare patterns and screen passes; quick outs and intermediate routes; deep posts, flags and go patterns. In between completing 52 of 57 throws — the consensus among the scouts on hand was that only two passes couldn't be caught — he clapped, shouted, "Yes sirrrr!" and played to the audience.
At one point, after a rollout took him close to the sideline, he looked up, smiled and said, "Hi, Grandma."
Houston's Gary Kubiak, one of two NFL head coaches on hand, said the Texans "are very open minded" about who they would select with the No. 1 overall pick in April's draft.
"We have a lot of homework to do between now and the draft," said Kubiak, whose team is still expected to take Southern California halfback Reggie Bush.
C.O. Brocato, the Tennessee Titans' national coordinator of college scouting, said Young showed "he's got the arm, and that's the big thing.
"We need to bring him along slowly, like we did with McNair," he said. "If we can — if whoever gets him can — give him a year to play behind the starter and learn, that would be best."
The Dallas Cowboys and city officials are close to an agreement that would bring the team's training camp to the Alamodome for at least a three-year period beginning in 2007, the San Antonio Express-News has learned.
The deal, negotiated by Mayor Phil Hardberger and Cowboys director of marketing John Hickman, includes an option for an extension, sources said.
"Discussions have been ongoing," Hardberger said Wednesday. "But there isn't a finalized deal, and no contract has been signed."
Cowboys spokesman Rich Dalrymple said the club had no comment.
It may have been four months ago, but it was a loss that shook the Mountaineers' confidence. To that point, West Virginia was a team that closed the deal at the end of games, not choked them away.
Beilein's team proved its mettle in the NCAA Tournament last year with a two-point win against Creighton in the first round, a double-overtime takedown of Wake Forest in the second round and a 65-60 victory over Texas Tech in the Sweet 16. Against UT, West Virginia missed the front end of three one-and-one free throw opportunities with a lead in the final 52 seconds. Five days later, the Mountaineers gagged a three-point lead with 56 seconds left and lost to LSU in overtime, 71-68.
In the loss to UT, LaMarcus Aldridge hit a putback with 3.6 seconds left and then blocked a shot by West Virginia forward Mike Gansey as time expired, allowing the Longhorns to steal the victory.
Jussi Jokinen continues to establish himself as the greatest rookie to play for the "Dallas" Stars and the best for the Minnesota/Dallas franchise since Mike Modano laced up the skates for the first time in the NHL in 1989-90.
Jokinen had a goal and two assists in a 4-2 win over the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night to crack the 50-point barrier, the best season for a rookie since the Stars moved to Dallas in 1993 and the best season since Modano had 75 points. Jokinen won't reach Neal Broten's rookie franchise record of 98 points in 1981-82, but he still is impressing people.
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Jussi Jokinen has the best season by a rookie since the Stars moved to Dallas in 1993. The top five:
Stars rookie, season Points Jussi Jokinen, 2005-06 50 Jamie Langenbrunner, 1996-97 39 Niko Kapanen, 2002-03 34 Brenden Morrow, 1999-2000 33 Jere Lehtinen, 1995-96 28
The Spurs were making the first stop of a five-game, 10-day trip, their longest since they spent 11 days in a row on the road from Feb. 25-March 6, 1993. They also knew they were walking into a buzz saw Wednesday.
While the Spurs labored to put away Golden State on Tuesday night, the Nuggets were enjoying their third day of rest, though many of them spent it on the training table.
Backup point guard Earl Boykins is expected to be out at least another three weeks after fracturing his left hand last week. Martin and Marcus Camby, both coping with knee injuries, were healthy enough to play Wednesday.
Despite their string of injuries, the Nuggets have taken firm control of the Northwest Division race. Anthony deserves a lot of credit for that. Ruben Patterson and Reggie Evans, acquired on the NBA's trade deadline four weeks ago, also have helped.
"It's even more of an intense, rock 'em, sock 'em group now," Popovich said. "I think they're one of the most physical teams in the league."
That wasn't good news for the Spurs, who, once again, looked like they were playing on dead legs. Denver ran out to a 13-4 lead in the first five minutes.
Seriously, there is something weird about the Spurs this year. They certainly aren’t a bad team, and in fact, they still may be the best team in the West. But there is something about them that has lost that luster. They don’t seem impossible to compete with anymore. We will know soon enough…
Phoenix Sun forward Amare Stoudemire, who hasn't played this season because of microfracture surgery on his left knee in October, said there's an 80% chance he will play tonight against Portland.
"If it feels good, then it's possible that I'll play," Stoudemire said Wednesday after joining five-on-five drills for the third time in four days. "I feel like I'm real close."
A second-tier American team left German fans in a first-rate tirade at halftime of Wednesday's friendly, which, to that point, lacked both goals and any signs of artfulness.
Then, in seconds, everything fell apart for the United States, and the jeers burst into applause of relief and exultant celebration by the 64,500 home fans, as Germany routed the United States, 4-1, easing the enormous pressure that has been building on Jürgen Klinsmann, the manager of the host nation, as the start of the World Cup approaches on June 9.
Forward Miroslav Klose scored a goal and collected two assists as the Germans healed some bruised self-assurance by exploiting the left flank and interior of a tattered and distracted American defense.
Disaster struck after the second-half kickoff, when the Americans played the ball backward and defender Steve Cherundolo committed a foul on the German captain Michael Ballack, leaving Germany with a free kick 25 yards from the American goal. Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, who had just entered, launched the direct kick, with Klose left wide open in front of the net.
The ball appeared to miss Klose's shin before it bounced and eluded Kasey Keller in goal, giving Germany a 1-0 lead only 21 seconds into the second half. This angered Bruce Arena, the American manager, who called the foul and its harmful result "very foolish, very poor play on our part."
An annoyed Keller said: "You can't just let balls bounce around in the box, because they'll end up in the back of the net. It started with a really stupid kickoff. It was our own fault. We put ourselves under a lot of pressure to start the half and it just got worse from there."
We were discussing this topic last night, and I still plan on my own research, but for now, here is Tom’s answer:
Bob,
After the T.O. signing my boss wondered out loud how many of Campo's guys are still with the team. So I went back and looked at the rosters from Jan 2003 thru 2006.
From 2003-2004 32 players survived the first year (out of 53)
From 2003-2005 20 survived
From 2003-2006 8 survive (this includes the departure of Larry Allen)
The Following represents a decent number of emails I have received over the last week regarding my opinions about Mr. Owens:
To: sturm1310@aol.com Sent: Tue, 21 Mar 2006 13:46:26 -0600 Subject: Consistency Bob,
I have to say that from a sports perspective you are, in my opinion, the best the Ticket has to offer. However there can only be one word to describe you behavior regarding T.O.; hypocrite. From calling him a cancer to thinking this is a good idea. You had a HSO, stick to it. Not that it matters to you or the station, but I think I?m like many P1s and have lost any respect we had for the Ticket and you with this most egregious flip flop.
Kevin Blair
Honestly, Kevin does speak for many of you. How could I possibly laugh when the Eagles signed him in 2004, and yet cheer when the Cowboys grab him in 2006??? What a hypocrite! Or am I?
From: sturm1310@aol.com [mailto:sturm1310@aol.com] Sent: Tuesday, March 21, 2006 1:53 PM To: Kevin Blair Subject: Re: Consistency
You are not alone in this view, which is why I have tried to explain my apparent "flip flop" on this issue.
Team A) On the brink of a world title, clearly one of the top 2 teams in the league was 1 player away. They had to outbid others and outmanuever others-
Team B) Not on the brink of anything, but can get the player at an enourmous discount, which if it works could make considerable gains on the league. The player also faces his compensation being tied to his behaviour- They can cut him at anytime, and aside from the $5 bonus, have nothing to lose if they tire of him-
I did not endorse team A's gamble because of what they stood to lose- I do endorse team B because they have very little to lose, and the price they paid was too much to pass up.
I hope this explains the difference-
Thanks for listening to BaD Radio!
Bob
Kevin continues his assault:
Bob,
Everything I have read (nfl.com, espn.com, AP, etc.) indicates that he is guaranteed $10 mil, not $5 mil as you state. Even at $5 mil who were they bidding against? This is A-rod or Chan ho at Valley Ranch, there is no indication they were bidding against anyone else, so why give $10 (or $5) million? More importantly, this misses the point of your initial cancer HSO, even at the league minimum your opinion was that he was a cancer, a plague on the team, that doesn’t change at any price. You were against him signing with Philly because (perhaps to simplify) he is a bad person, that hasn’t changed, so you should think this is a cancer on the Cowboys. Either that, or admit other pressures have mandated you change your stance. Some times we all just have to salute and carry our orders, but don’t whiz in our ears and tell us it’s raining. You’re better than that. Thanks for the response.
KB
His early comments need a response. For instance, regardless of what he read, Owens is only promised $5 million. They could cut him in training camp, and he only gets $5 million. (Only!). As I explained on the show (evidently, not everyone listens to every minute carefully) they were not bidding against Denver or Kansas City. If they were, they did overbid. But they were trying to find a price that would keep Owens happy. He is a difficult human being, and if you are to hop into bed with him, then you better offer him a contract that will keep him satisfied for an extended period of time. Let’s say you could get him for the minimum. He would likely take it rather than quit football, but he would feel insulted. At his first chance, it would be Philadelphia all over again. How does that make sense for Jones? Once you make the decision that you want him, and that you think he can carry you places you could not go without him, then you pay him what that is worth to you. The Cowboys decided 3 years/$25 million, and Owens was pleased, and told me that he will be happy for all 3 years when it comes to money. Can you believe him?
Also, I never once indicated that I would not take him at league minimum, as KB stated, but once again, allow me to differentiate the difference between Philadelphia’s situation and this one. Aside from what I already said, let’s remember that when he went to Philly, he had never been disciplined by the league, embarrassed at being suspended, shook into the reality that he is out of strikes, and altogether awakened from his insanity. Think of it as a criminal who is finally sent away to prison.
Will he act differently when he gets out? Some will, some won’t. But odds are that once you get a taste of prison, you will think twice before doing it again. I am betting that Owens will be on his very best behavior here BECAUSE of what happened in Philadelphia, not in spite of it. The fact is, as a repeat offender, this criminal may get the death penalty next time. In effect, he may never play football again.
Anyway, that was the response in my head. But once he pulled the same BS that many feel inclined to do these days, which is say that Jerry Jones is telling me what to say due to these broadcast rights, that was all I sent back.
From: sturm1310@aol.com [mailto:sturm1310@aol.com] Sent: Tuesday, March 21, 2006 2:21 PM To: Kevin Blair Subject: Re: Consistency please don't take the easy approach to possibly suggest that I am being influenced in my stance. That couldn't possibly be further from the truth.
Thanks for listening to BaD Radio!
Bob
To which Kevin sent:
Similarly please don't take the easy approach by avoiding the crux of the issue. You said he was a cancer based on his actions as a person, you now feel he's not a cancer. A person isn't a cancer at x dollars or in x situation and then not a cancer at y dollars or y situation. To be honest you either have to stick to your opioin or state that your cancer HSO was incorrect. Personally I think you were spot on with the cancer HSO. This debate is about intellectual honesty. Thanks. KB
Wow. What a mouthful he just threw at me! First, I did not say he is not a cancer now. He is most likely still a cancer, but a cancer that just got out on parole and will think twice. Again, I am not hiring him to watch my kids. I just want him to behave and catch Touchdowns. Because of the previous discipline, I expect that he can do that in the short term.
I am not sure why KB cannot get his arms around the concept that I have preached all along. The Eagles had too much to risk to bring in this guy to their mix, especially given that at that time, his price was expensive and he felt that no one could touch him. Meanwhile, the Cowboys have nothing to risk, really, they are a middle of the road team that did not even make the playoffs last year. If you rank the teams in the NFL, the Cowboys are somewhere between 13-18 most likely in the NFL. The risk is minimal. The price is minimal. And he has now been taught a lesson which is that he has about one more chance to enjoy the privilege of making a living playing football.
So, in closing, I believe I was right to be against the Eagles signing him in 2004, and I believe I am right to support the Cowboys taking a chance on him in 2006. It is about risk versus reward. Intellectual Honesty? Not so much. How about understanding a bargain. Would you pay $300,000 for a $275,000 house? No? How about $100,000 for a 275,000 house?
It is a bargain because you paid nothing to acquire him. You paid him a fair fee on a year-by-year basis. And you risk almost nothing as a team.
Hopefully, this makes sense to most of you. I am not asking everyone to agree, but hopefully you can at least comprehend my logic.
Oh, back to the flagship stuff. I promise the 3500 daily readers of this blog (our growth has kind of stalled here, so tell your friends how mediocre this blog is) a Bob Sturm exclusive. I promise to tell you if I am ever told to alter my opinions based on our arrangement with the Cowboys. I promise. But, I am confident it won’t happen, and those accusations that roll in this week make me crazy. What was an opinion that was born in my brain just 2 weeks ago, is now alleged propaganda straight from the desk of Jerry Jones. It really sort of drives me crazy, but I guess it goes with the territory. Hey, it is a nice problem to have I guess, since we now carry the Cowboys games, which is something everyone who works here is very proud of.
Guard Larry Allen, the team's longest-tenured player and the last remaining link to the Super Bowl titles of the '90s, is no longer a Cowboy.
The team released the 12-year veteran Tuesday for salary-cap reasons.
"This decision is a tough one for me personally," Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said in a statement. "Larry has been the best in pro football for a long time. His ability and performance set a standard for excellence at his position in the NFL for many years, and we are grateful for his contributions to the Dallas Cowboys.
"We have come to this crossroad today with concern for managing our resources with respect to the immediate and long-term financial structure of our team. Just as importantly, we give great consideration and respect to Larry's future and his ability to explore his professional options. We have also made it clear that the door is open for one of those options to include a return to the Cowboys.
"On behalf of all Dallas Cowboys fans, I salute a sure-fire Pro Football Hall of Famer, Larry Allen."
Allen was scheduled to count $7.55 million against the salary cap for the 2006 season and was due a roster bonus of $2 million on April 1. The Cowboys saved roughly $3.5 million in cap space by releasing him.
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Allen is the fourth veteran to be released by the Cowboys this off-season, joining defensive tackle La'Roi Glover, receiver Keyshawn Johnson and tight end Dan Campbell. None had Allen's history or rich Cowboys pedigree.
The Rockets are merely playing out the string until they can take their expense-paid trip to Secaucus, N.J., for the draft lottery. Considering what promise their season started with, it's a dismal way to finish. Their last 14 games may seem like jail time.
But that wasn't the Mavericks' concern. They still had to take care of business, which they did with authority, moving ahead by 17 points at halftime and never allowing the advantage to dip back below 10.
The Mavericks weren't sharp. But against the dullest blade in the NBA drawer right now (the Rockets have lost six straight), they didn't have to cut very deep. In their losing skid, the Rockets have scored more than 81 points once. The Mavericks swept the season series, 4-0, and won their 30th home game of the season, one more than last season.
Still, it's hard to get a handle on how well the Mavericks are playing when the competition is modest and they are short four key players.
"I think there's another level for us to go to," Johnson said. "We did some good stuff. We did some bad stuff."
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Keith Van Horn will be the first to return from the infirmary, probably by early next week if not Saturday in Atlanta. After that, it will be Adrian Griffin, Josh Howard and, lastly, Devin Harris, filtering back to the lineup, Johnson said Tuesday.
"I have a firm schedule," Johnson said. "The worst thing that could happen is if we bring one of those guys back and they [reinjure themselves], then they're in jeopardy for the playoffs. So we have a very conservative plan. The last five or six games, we're optimistic and hopeful to have everybody in uniform. That's what we're shooting for."
Less than a month after he purchased the Mavs, Cuban signed forward Dennis Rodman -- on Feb. 3, 2000. By March 8, the Mavs were fed up with Rodman's shenanigans, waiving him after only 12 games.
In the Cowboys' case, Cuban believes T.O. will pay dividends for owner Jerry Jones. "Bad boys usually tend to mellow over time," Cuban said. "At some point, particularly if they haven't won a title and if they are at the top of their game, they realize they can retain their personalities and have fun and avoid some of the drama and hassles they created in the past.
"I'm betting Jerry's timing is perfect and they get a great player who will help the team." ---
Mavs guard Darrell Armstrong was beaming after the Cowboys signed Owens. A devout Washington Redskins fan and Cowboy-hater, Armstrong believes Owens will eventually poison the Cowboys.
"The team killer," is what Armstrong calls Owens. "Does he seem cocky? Yeah, and a little arrogant.
"Him and the Cowboys, I hope all of them don't get along, just because I don't like the Cowboys."
With the Nationals off for the first time this spring, Soriano, a veteran second baseman acquired in an offseason trade with the Texas Rangers, did not report to the ballpark Tuesday, when only a few players trickled through.
Soriano told MLB.com that he would decide on Wednesday whether he will play second based on conversations with his wife and his agent, Diego Bentz. "I'm going to think about it," Soriano told the Web site. Jim Bowden, the team's general manager, said via e-mail that he spoke to Bentz, but declined to elaborate on the discussion. Two club sources with knowledge of the situation said Bowden and Bentz were scheduled to speak again late Tuesday night, but that no agreement was expected.
Bentz did not return several phone messages. One high-ranking official with knowledge of the situation said, "It's going to play out [Wednesday] on the field." Two other high-ranking club officials said they were relatively optimistic Soriano would play in left on Wednesday. There were, however, caveats. "We won't know until we see who goes out there," one of the officials said.
The club's position has not changed. The Nationals intend to write Soriano's name in the lineup as the left fielder for Wednesday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals in Jupiter, Fla. Should he not report for duty -- and there's a chance he won't even make the trip -- the Nationals would then attempt to put him on baseball's "disqualified list," which would mean he would not earn any pay.
On the day Taylor fired Murray, the day the Kings slipped out of a playoff spot, Taylor became the next figure on the firing line.
And don't think Leiweke will hesitate to pull the trigger if the Kings can't climb past Vancouver or the Mighty Ducks and salvage something from this sour season.
Taylor gave Murray enough time to find new ways to deliver his message after nearly seven seasons. He could not.
Taylor gave him time to revamp a poorly organized power play — please, no more dump-and-chase with a man advantage — but Murray, sometimes too ostentatious about his hard work and long hours, never found time to fix that crucial element. Nor did Murray take the power-play portfolio away from assistant John Van Boxmeer, who lacked creativity and vision and was also fired.
Taylor, and by extension Leiweke, gave Murray more time and resources than any King coach before him, but the wait for the Stanley Cup is 38 years and counting.
"It's probably the right decision, but in part, shame on the players," Leiweke said by telephone from New York, where he was tending to business involving another tentacle of the AEG empire.
"Shame on Jeremy Roenick for not sticking his nose in every night. Shame on the players who laid Andy out to dry. They'd better perform now.
"Dave had no choice. I'm not saying Andy did everything right, because he didn't. But it wasn't a lack of effort on his part. I want every player to look in the mirror, and only a few can say they gave 100%. We've got 12 games left and now what this does is it sends a message to Dave and everybody that we're not going to accept losing. You want to blame Andy? Andy's gone. I'm very curious to see what they say now."
By the way, the race for the final playoff spots in the Western Conference is really amazing. Vancouver, Los Angeles, San Jose, Anaheim, and Edmonton are fighting for 3 spots. It is really something.
The men's and women's tours have decided to phase in instant replay beginning at Key Biscayne. It will be used only on the stadium court, with disputed calls reviewed on video screens visible to the players, umpire and fans in a process expected to take less than 10 seconds.
''We're the guinea pig, which we're happy to do,'' tournament chairman Butch Buchholz said. ''I've got to believe the players are going to love this. You'd like to have a situation where you're not going to lose a tennis match because of a bad call.''
Not all players favor instant replay, though, and that includes traditionalist Federer.
''I hope I play on the outside courts so I don't have to face it,'' he said jokingly. ''I guess it's going to affect me the most, because I'll probably play many matches in the next few months on center courts.''
Keith Jackson has not retired from ABC Sports, but he is seriously contemplating it. He said last night that he planned to tell ESPN executives in discussions that begin today: "I'm retired. Talk me out of it.' "
He added: "My posture is, I consider myself retired. I can feel the fork. Fifty-three seasons is a long time."
Jackson said he did not expect to be persuaded to stay but would listen to any offer from ESPN, which operates ABC Sports. "Their approach has been, 'Tell us what makes you comfortable,' " he said.
But, he said, "I'm 77 and I feel it." He said he had made on-air mistakes, "and I hate it." Jackson planned to retire after the 1998 college football season but was asked to stay by Howard Katz, then the new head of ABC Sports.
Birmingham's hex on Rafael Benítez had always looked like a figment of the imagination. Not that anyone at St Andrew's could have imagined the Spaniard would inflict a first victory over Birmingham in such humiliating circumstances. Within four minutes the contest was over as Liverpool tore into their vapid hosts, though far greater pain followed as the European Champions exposed Birmingham's glaring deficiencies with alarming ease, running up comfortably their biggest win under Benítez.
Indeed, such was the misery of this thumping defeat that come the end Steve Bruce and not the Birmingham defence was most in need of protection. The Birmingham manager, sheltered by a significant police presence for virtually the entire second half, suffered the ignominy of an irate fan running in his direction before the interval. The supporter was belatedly stopped in his tracks though Liverpool most certainly were not.
Benítez's side, rampant throughout, cut through Birmingham effortlessly. This was nothing short of shooting practice for his side who cantered to their 22nd FA Cup semi-final and their first for five years.
Having gorged on the feast served up by Newcastle's and Fulham's benign defences, Liverpool arrived in buoyant mood. Two victories and eight goals in the space of four days imbued confidence in weary limbs; this was Liverpool's 53rd match of the season and their second in 72 hours following the triumph at St James' Park on Sunday, though they cannot have imagined that Birmingham would be so sympathetic to their cause.
Finally, I really don’t mean to sound gay here, but before I write anything about last night’s finale of my favorite show on TV, I really need to come to grips with it. Wow. That sounds gay.
Those of you who think this is some powder keg waiting to explode ... I don't mean to insult you, but you're high. It might explode in 12 months, when this whack-job Owens will find some demon in his head to go nuts about. But it will not happen this year. There's too much at stake for T.O. He knows the free world thinks he's nuttier than a fruitcake. (There's more than a little truth to that.) He knows he's got $15 million over the last two years of this generous three-year contract riding on his behavior and his performance in 2006. He might be a little bit off, but he's also smart ... smart enough to know there aren't many teams ready to give him another chance if he screws this one up. He won't. At least not in 2006.
I think Jerry Jones has had this moment in his head for 13 months -- ever since T.O. started to act like a jerk in Philadelphia. Jones is not afraid of confrontation, and problem children don't scare him. He took on Jimmy Johnson. He traded for Charles Haley. He let Deion Sanders take advantage of him for years until he couldn't play anymore. Jones wisely cut his losses when Sanders, though finished, wanted one more big signing bonus. He found a naive owner, Dan Snyder, to hand him one last huge paycheck, because Jones was too smart to give big money to a broken-down player. This isn't even a tough gamble for Jones, because the cap has risen $16.5 million over last year, and Owens, who will cost him 9.8 percent of his total cap dollars this year, could well be a bargain. I had one coach who was in the Owens derby tell me a couple of weeks ago, "I think Terrell could have the best season of any offensive player in football.'' Remember his first year in Philly? Until he stupidly opened his yap about some famous teammate being tired on the last drive of the game, he could have run for mayor in January 2005 and won in a walk.
The Cowboys aren't the only ones cashing in on Owens.
On Monday, publishing company Simon & Schuster announced that Owens is writing a book, tentatively titled Ineligible Receiver: The Real Story of My Journey from the Super Bowl to the Sidelines, about his two years in Philadelphia. The book is scheduled go on sale in late July, about when training camp begins.
"Finally, the real T.O. story can be told," said David Rosenthal, executive vice president and publisher of Simon & Schuster, in a release. "It's an important chapter in the long-term struggle for players' rights in the NFL."
Last month, Banyan Productions, producer of TLC's Trading Spaces, said it was putting together a reality TV series with Owens. The company said several networks are in talks to air the show.
Last I looked, the Cowboys were a football team and not a Boy Scout troop. Signed T.O. makes them a better team on Sundays even if Patrick Crayton was the giddy strawman pick.
Drew Pearson, on the other hand, disagrees. Here's what he told Sirius Radio's Gil Brandt this morning.
“I am (upset) because there used to be some pride. There are certain people that you knew would never ever be in a Cowboy uniform because they didn’t represent what the players represented, in other words what the coaching staff, the organization, was looking for. And there used to be a lot of pride in who wore that star on the helmet. Yes, it upsets me. He’s a former 49er. He’s a former Eagle. He’s a former bad boy and yes, it bothers me. Especially playing the position that I played. We tried to sanctify our positions by being out there on the field and doing what we had to do and trying to do it better that anybody else.
"And then off the field trying to do the right things to live up to the reputations that we developed because of how we succeeded on the field. So, yes, it does bother me. It does upset me. Hey, I’m old school and I want the same kinds of things to stay the same way sometimes. Unfortunately as we develop in society things don’t stay the same. Change is always going to come. And this change is something I never thought I would see.”
The friend said the Giants are expected to make a strong bid to sign Johnson and may strike a deal as early as this week. Johnson is said to be excited about the opportunity to return to the New York area, a place he never wanted to leave. "If the numbers are right, he could sign with the Giants (today)," the friend said. "Keyshawn thinks the Giants have a really good team and could contend for the Super Bowl. Besides, he loves the New York stage."
Johnson, 33, was released by the Cowboys last week when the club decided not to exercise a $1 million roster bonus and instead sign Terrell Owens. He was due to earn a $1.5 million base salary in addition to the bonus but made it clear he wanted more money and a multiyear deal.
Carolina, Seattle, Philadelphia, New England, Kansas City and Dallas, which would like to re-sign Johnson, also have shown interest.
Keyshawn on one side, Plaxico on the other, and Shockey down the middle? Eli is out of excuses…
Eight members of the Washington Nationals' starting lineup took the field last night at Space Coast Stadium. Alfonso Soriano did not, and that act of defiance turned this club's single biggest issue into a full-blown, highly convoluted mess.
In his first day back with the Nationals after participating in the World Baseball Classic, Soriano was penciled into manager Frank Robinson's lineup as the leadoff hitter and left fielder for an exhibition game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Soriano, though, refused to take the field, setting into motion a chain of events that could lead to the 30-year-old essentially being suspended by the Nationals and forfeiting his $10?million salary.
"We believe it is the club's right, based on the basic agreement, based on his contract, that a player needs to play the position that the manager wants to put him in to win, regardless of who that player is," general manager Jim Bowden said minutes after the start of last night's game. "He refused to do that today."
I think Jon Daniels deserves a raise just based on that trade. Meanwhile, for Bowden to trade for him without ever bouncing their plans off him is insane. I know we all think that management is in charge in sports, but isn’t this proof that the inmates are running the asylum? Stay tuned…
The official Minnesota Twin of BaD Radio, href=http://www.startribune.com/150/story/319962.html> Torii Hunter knows this could be his last year in a Twins uniform …interesting…local guy who plays centerfield and will be a free agent….hmmm….
Hutchinson will immediately improve the Vikings' once-proud offensive line, one that struggled last season after Birk underwent season-ending surgery. At 6-5 and 321 pounds, Hutchinson, 28, is known as a ferocious drive blocker and a fundamentally-sound technician.
He will team with Birk and left tackle Bryant McKinnie to provide a formidable left side. His arrival will further boost a free agent period that has seen the Vikings acquire running back Chester Taylor, linebacker Ben Leber and placekicker Ryan Longwell.
What Tippett likes most isn't necessarily the four-game goal-scoring streak Modano saw snapped in Monday night's game, or the eye-catching, spectacular goals he scored during the streak. It's the other, less noticeable but equally important, things Modano brings to the ice.
"Some of his plays have just been vintage Modano. The goals have been highlight-reel goals," Tippett said. "That's what get the attention. But the attention he gets from within the team has been from the little things he does and the minutes he plays, things other than the spectacular plays.
"As great as the spectacular plays are, it's the way he's playing his all-around game that has given our team a chance to be special."
Tippett ticked off the Modano assets on his fingers: he's part of the penalty kill; a key factor in faceoffs; he's stabilized the power play from the point; and, perhaps most importantly, his line plays against the other team's top line virtually every minute.
"Fans see him score a highlight goal and that's all they remember, but when you dig into the guts of the game in a team-success way, not just an individual-showcase way, that's where you find him making the most difference."
Even though his NFL Europe Rhein team jumped off to a good start, defeating the Frankurt Galaxy,10-6, in the season opener Saturday night, Cowboys quarterback Drew Henson didn't exactly start off the spring season like a ball of fire.
Henson, starting and finishing his first football game of any kind since the 2000 season at Michigan, drove his Rhein Fire to just one score in seven possessions on a muddy LTU Arena field in Dusseldorf, Germany, and at that, an inauspicious drive. In fact, it was a one-play drive, Henson handing off to wide receiver Chris Samp, who pulled up on an end-around to throw a 45-yard pass to Juan Wong on Rhein's first offensive play of the game for what turned out to be the only touchdown of the evening.
"That was a great way to start the season," Henson said. "We had the defense on their heels and the situation was good to run the play, so we executed it. It never looked that good in practice, but it worked when it counted."
Henson completed just five of 11 attempts for 58 yards and suffered one sack. He did not throw an interception. Backup Timmy Chang played the second quarter, hitting on six of 13 attempts for just 59 yards.
"These kinds of games are always tense," said a weary McBride, though with a smile, after a day to remember in Southwest London.
The truth is that for the league, these are the sorts of matches one hopes will fall against the grain: Entering the match, Chelsea had lost a grand total of two games in the league and still had a twelve point cushion. Fulham, on the other hand, is a scrappy never-has-been with a small, delightful stadium and big aspirations, but little depth.
McBride, who has been one of the surprises of the year in the EPL, had an active performance at both ends of the field in a game that saw a gritty Fulham team steal a goal and then hold on against a better-conditioned, if perhaps poorer sporting, Chelsea. For much of the first game, Fulham skillfully isolated Chelsea's Frank Lampard and did such a fine job in midfield that Chelsea's Mourinho made a drastic change just 25 minutes in with a double swap of Damien Duff and Didier Drogba for Joe Cole and a useless Shaun Wright-Phillps.
Find the Lie …featuring Hollywood’s Matthew McConaughey…
PGATOUR.com: What is your best golf moment?
McCONAUGHEY: This is right up there, man. The thing about this, this is four days. That is the difference between pros and amateurs. Here, we go out and we can have a great round or a great nine, but these guys do it four days in a row. This is golf, you've got to be solid all the way through. There's not much room for error or out there. This is up there. I had four holes-in-one. That’s up there.
And now, for your edification, here are two real pieces of email:
Bob,
I just saw something on the Stars broadcast about Modano closing in on most goals scored for an American born player. Do you think when it is all said and done, in ten years perhaps, that Modano will be considered the greatest American born player of all time? Or at least the greatest American born forward?
I can't really think of anyone else I'd put high on that list.
Matthew
There is no doubt that Mike Modano is on the brink of being thought of as the greatest American goal scorer ever. He should pass Joe Mullen in no time, and since Brett Hull is not technically an American, It is all about Mo- But, I would have a hard time considering anyone as the “greatest American-born hockey player of all-time” if their name wasn’t Chris Chelios. Chelios has been playing at a high level since the early 80’s when he dominated in college. He then went to the 1984 Olympics, and still captains the team in 2006. He has won Cups, awards, respect, and everything else anyone could ever want. Modano is in the top handful, but Chelios is the guy for me….
Bob,
I enjoy the humor of pulling the updog on an unsuspecting victim. But, how bad is it that I'm finding great enjoyment in unleashing the updog on my 4 year old daughter? She falls for it every time and it just doesn't get old.
Nick Van Exel. John Rocker. Hideki Irabu. Keyshawn Johnson. Claude Lemieux. Vernon Maxwell. Dennis Rodman. Carl Everett. Terry Glenn. Alonzo Spellman. Brett Hull.
Off the top of my head, this is a list (since 1998 when I arrived in Dallas) of players acquired by Dallas who were thought of as trouble-makers, selfish, or bad humans. Some were thought of as all 3. On the airwaves and in the newspapers the righteous media told us that they will destroy our teams and we will never forgive ourselves for allowing these guys into our town.
Well, with the exception of them not being very good players in most cases (except Nick, Keyshawn, Glenn, and Hull) they all came and left without much of an impact. But none of them brought this city to its knees with regret.
Do you know why? Because even the worst guy in the world realizes that he has to act better or he will never earn again. I said Saturday that every batter acts differently with 2 strikes against him. I think that sums up my prediction for Terrell. He will behave (by his standards) and the Cowboys will be a better team. In fact, if he doesn’t, he won’t get 80% of his money. Good times.
Perhaps someday the Eagles will find a way to explain how they allowed Owens to land in their own division, scheduled to go against them twice a season, perfectly positioned to prevent them from advancing to the postseason. Perhaps someday they'll favor us with an explanation.
Out of respect for their four consecutive trips to the NFC championship game, one trip to the Super Bowl, and years of quality play and decision-making, the temptation was to give the Eagles the benefit of the doubt by saying nothing until they did something and told us about it.
Time's up!
It's March. T.O. is gone. And all we see is Reggie Brown, Greg Lewis and a franchise player in quarterback Donovan McNabb, still injured by the way. Physical? Psychological? It remains to be seen.
So it's time to see some action. Or get some kind of explanation.
What have the Eagles been doing all these months anyway? Did Joe Banner and Andy Reid go on vacation and forget to tell everybody? Or did they just forget that their 6-10 finish last season put them in last place in the NFC East, mired in mediocrity for the first time since Reid took over this franchise, forced to rebuild their identity now, not just their roster?
No one can legitimately say they have confidence in this team right now. Not while the Washington Redskins added receivers Brandon Lloyd (from the 49ers) and Antwaan Randle El (Steelers) to their roster before T.O. arrived in Dallas on Saturday. And now that T.O. is a Cowboy - essentially for a one-year, $10 million deal, bloated with future incentives - the Cowboys, Redskins and divisional champion New York Giants are all better.
Owens' temperamental behavior aside, the Eagles are actually worse. "I'm a star among stars now," Owens said, gleaming while sitting beside Cowboys owner Jerry Jones during a news conference. "I'm going to put [problems of the past] behind me. They can only make a man stronger, wiser. For me, that's what it's done. I'll be a better teammate, a better person, a better man in life. I'm looking forward to this opportunity."
No one in Philadelphia should be happy about this.
We can't reasonably expect Roderick Hood or Sheldon Brown to stop Owens, any more than we can expect Reggie Brown, Lewis or Darnerien McCants to replace him. And there were too many occasions last season when the Eagles' defense - dare we say it? - was less than reliable.
It's bad enough this is not the same team it was two years ago, but when you consider the noticeable regression coupled with improvements everywhere within the division - plus the fact that Owens, with this new contract, has the potential to earn $5 million more in Dallas over the next three years than he would have made in Philadelphia through 2008 - the Eagles lost out in a variety of ways.
They lost out in talent, certainly in execution, and now a legitimate argument can be made that their image took a hit.
Jones may be desperate, having won just one playoff game since 1995, but, unlike the Eagles, he wasn't responsible for T.O.'s dirty laundry being aired in public. That's never been his style. He's the guy willing to take a chance and surrender some dollars.
The word may be out on T.O., but it's also out on the Eagles. While proudly and effectively frugal, they also have shown a tendency to be spiteful.
Once upon a time, we all thought it would catch up with them via free agency, attrition or just plain bad luck.
With T.O. in Dallas, a more direct approach has been adopted.
"Seven teams aggressively pursued T.O.," Owens' agent, Drew Rosenhaus, quipped.
Yet Owens is in Dallas now.
I wonder why!
I pretty much posted the whole column, but I thought it was worth your time. Reggie Brown and Greg Lewis? I am so afraid…
Dallas took the risk. Jerry Jones said so as he sat next to wide receiver Terrell Owens during Saturday's lovefest of a press conference as the Cowboys officially introduced Owens as a member of that team, as the intensity of the Eagles-Cowboys rivalry raised a full notch, as the news that everybody expected once Owens was released here came down.
Talk about great theater. Eagles fans, frothing at the mouth I'm sure, now have even more reason to dislike everything about the Cowboys now.
As Dallas begins its relationship with Owens and makes one of the most ironic moves in the history of this game, you have to understand what it means to the Eagles. He certainly makes Dallas' offense a more lethal attack in the air. Owens is a great talent, no question about it. He'll be fueled with fire.
So on the surface, on paper, Owens makes Dallas a better team. We'll see how the players and the organization react to the constant circus -- did Owens really say, "I've always been a good teammate" during his press conference? -- and the things he says and the way he works with people.
From a pure football standpoint, hey, Owens is another weapon to contend with in the NFC East. Jim Johnson has seen him in the passt, has schemed against him, knows that he will have to give a cornerback help against Owens' size, strength and speed. From a pure drama standpoint, it doesn't get much better than Owens playing for Dallas, in the NFC East. I imagine the Cowboys' trip to Lincoln Financial Field in 2006 will be one of the hottest regular-season tickets ever (the schedule should be out in the next couple of weeks) and the shadow of Owens will loom large nationally.
But I can also tell you that Owens to Dallas will have no other impact for the Eagles. From an on-field football sense, yes, of course. The Eagles defense has two meetings with the Dallas offense.
I figured you are beaten down with all of the Dallas papers’ stuff. So, there is some Philly thoughts. Enjoy.
Meanwhile, here is some email that was good strong:
I just had to comment again after hearing your post conference comments. 'Surreal' totally sums this up!
This is like Charles Haley, but bigger. This is like Deion, but different. All came from our arch nemesis, S.F.. Owens had to pay a higher price to the football gods for his disrespect to the star (no shit, I believe it for real). His penance was a promise of gold and riches and a Super Bowl win. What could be worse than leading in a Super Bowl and then lose it, and then called selfish for playing on the injured leg, while taking a pay-cut and the loser QB who blew it in the Super Bowl gets a raise and the glory? It was a punishment.
Now he is where he was always meant to be. Where all great 49ers come to become even greater. The biggest show on earth. And he is now hardened even more than those others, with his trip to purgatory in Philly.
The New Jersey Nets jumped on the Mavericks early and didn't stop stomping until a 100-89 victory was secure at Continental Airlines Arena. The Mavericks finished the road trip 2-1 – good, but not good enough to keep pace with San Antonio, which continues to win and owns the best record in the West.
The Mavericks had won 11 consecutive games against the Nets, but they never were in it Sunday.
"We were climbing uphill from the start," coach Avery Johnson said. "We didn't have it. They did have it."
The Nets won their fifth game in a row in spite of a 37-point effort by Dirk Nowitzki. It was a performance you'd never have seen coming if all you watched was the first half.
You know it's a bad day for the Mavericks when Nowitzki isn't the best 7-foot international player on the court. That honor -in the first half, anyway – went to Nenad Krstic, the Nets center from Serbia-Montenegro who needs to buy a vowel but didn't need anything added to his game. He had a double-double early in the second half and finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds.
Liverpool have apologised to Manchester United for the behaviour of their supporters during last month's FA Cup fifth-round tie at Anfield.
The club and Merseyside police conducted an investigation into disturbances, during which objects, including human excrement, coins and food, were thrown at United supporters in the Anfield Road stand. Liverpool's stadium and operations manager Ged Poynton has written to United admitting standards had "fallen short".
He said: "We deplore what certain fans have done. I class anyone who wants to throw a coin or something else when they are leaving as cowards. I am ashamed to admit in one case excrement was thrown. How low can you get? We did what we could, we tried to brush people down and compensated those involved. But I have never seen anything like it before."
No hard feelings, Manchester United, right? By the way, good luck in the FA Cup…Oh, sorry…I forgot you got eliminated. Well, then good luck in the Champions League…Oh sorry again…Well, good luck in winning the premiership….Oops…
Somehow, this implosion in Fort Worth was off my radar until it was too late. I swear I would have been there had I known they were taking down a 38 story building…. Video 1 of Landmark …
It is up to you, the reader of this blog, to make me aware of news stories I might care about… Spike TV syndicates the Shield starting this week! …So, if you have always wanted to catch up, here is your chance! Remember on Friday when we called Ireland and found Lauren? she plugged Copper Face Jacks …apparently the finest place to party in Dublin….
In closing, perhaps, I should congratulate myself on predicting the dreaded and feared "Tony dream sequence" episode from last night's Sopranos. The Shield would never pull this garbage...
It is done. Terrell Owens is in the fold. Book it. I am hearing from too many places that it is done, including a few that I determine to be reliable sources. Press Conference by Tuesday, I predict.
Word began leaking out of Valley Ranch last week that Owens would be a Cowboy in 2006. When Philadelphia released Owens and the Cowboys released Keyshawn Johnson – sort of a T.O. starter kit in every sense of the word – it all started to fall into place.
Makes too much sense in a Jerry sort of way, even if it makes no sense in a football or team chemistry sort of way.
Doesn't make any sense in a Parcells sort of way, though. You really think at age 64 he wants to coach this guy, regardless of talent?
Parcells thought Antonio Bryant was too much of a headache. That's the Bryant who, by the way, just signed a four-year, $15 million deal with the 49ers.
So after this move takes place, if anyone out there is still trying to sell the line that Parcells calls all the football shots for Dallas, consider that person either uninformed or insane.
You can expect Owens to be a Cowboy this season and you can expect Parcells to be an ex-Cowboys coach in 2007. The contract extension Jones gave him at the end of a failed 2005 season means nothing other than Parcells getting more money out of the owner, and the owner having no idea where to turn once Parcells heads for Saratoga. The Cowboys apparently are not worried about competition for Owens' services.
Parcells met with Owens' lovable agent, Drew Rosenhaus, at the combine in Indianapolis, and it's likely that the Jones family has already worked out terms on a new deal that will keep T.O. happy until at least the third week of training camp in Oxnard.
Despite Rosenhaus' denials however, a source close to Owens told FOXSports.com that the receiver has in fact agreed to a three-year deal with the Cowboys — a deal that likely won't be announced until the weekend in order for owner Jerry Jones to be available in Dallas to properly make the announcement.
And now the next 48 hours will tell who's telling the truth.
Owens was finally released by the Eagles on Tuesday, and his release was timed so that the Eagles could avoid paying him a $5 million roster bonus due Wednesday. In addition to Dallas, Denver, Kansas City and Miami were said to be interested.
But the Cowboys talk heated up when, soon after Owens was released, the Cowboys cut receiver Keyshawn Johnson to avoid a $1 million bonus. Johnson was scheduled to make only $1.5 million this season, but was seeking an extension and a raise.
Owens is two years younger than Johnson and more dynamic, with defenses fearing him deep and across the middle. He has also been disruptive to his own teams, leaving bad feelings in San Francisco and wearing out his welcome even more quickly in Philadelphia, albeit after helping the Eagles get to the Super Bowl.
"I don't mind a little tension on a good team," Johnson said. "But on a struggling team, it will destroy you. And in the long run on any kind of team, it's not good.
"With Terrell, he's going to be disruptive. He's going to be yelling at Drew [Bledsoe], he's going to divide your locker room. It may be sooner, it may be later, but it will be a negative for your team. "If you want his talent, you've also got to be willing to accept that."
Chris Walker should've been intimidated. Two years ago, his basketball glory consisted of winning an intramural championship on a rec center court.
Every one of Texas A&M's players should've been intimidated. None of them had ever played in an NCAA Tournament game – or even a truly meaningful March matchup – until a couple of weeks ago.
So how do you explain Walker, the walk-on from Grapevine, fearlessly taking and making two early 3-pointers that forced Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim to call a timeout Thursday night?
How do you explain anything about this improbable season, which will last at least two more days after the Aggies, in their first NCAA Tournament since 1987, upset the 2003 national champion? A&M, the No. 12 seed, grinded past fifth seed Syracuse, 66-58, before a packed house at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena.
You may know Chris Walker from that, but as we pointed out on March 1st, we know Chris for his singing and dancing:
If Juan Dominguez wants to be the Rangers' fifth starter, now is the time to show the club why.
The right-hander gets the start against the White Sox in Tucson today as the race for the final spot in the rotation enters the next phase. Less than two weeks of Cactus League games remain, meaning innings are difficult to come by and the evaluation period is shrinking. Pitchers must make the most of their opportunities, and that especially applies to Dominguez.
"He's got some things he's been working on," Rangers manager Buck Showalter said. "Hopefully it will come into play [today] if he's going to stay in this competition. It's that time of spring where a guy should start locking in on what they're able to show you. We're far enough along in this process that we need to see it in games."
Now is the time? What about last August and September when they handed him the ball repeatedly, and repeatedly he handed them quality starts? Look, it is no secret that Buck doesn’t care for this guy, and many of you agree with him. We all know that over-sleeping is a felony in most states, but if you are trying to convince us that a start on St Patrick’s Day against a line-up with many minor leaguers in it can tell you more than what you already know, I am not buying it.
You may remember this from the December 17th blog, where I calculated his work in 2005:
Comments: 60% Quality Start Percentage??? If he isn’t in the opening day rotation, this team needs its head examined. Dominguez may have his warts, but he also has the ability to be a dominant starter.
"Yeah, it would be great to have the No. 1 seed and have home court throughout the playoffs," Jerry Stackhouse said. "But that could all be gone in one game. We got to worry about hopefully having our guys come back and trying to have enough games to get them in a good rhythm going into the playoffs with some continuity.
"The goals came easy to them, and that is frustrating," Kings coach Andy Murray said. "You like to make it more difficult on your opponents. We need to simplify our game with the lineup we have right now and be grittier and a little tougher to play against."
Barnes, who replaced the injured Bill Guerin on Arnott's line with Brenden Morrow, ended a personal eight-game points drought. He assisted on both of Arnott's goals in addition to scoring his 14th of the season. But he was stopped on a penalty shot by Garon, depriving him of his second career four-point game.
"Playing on a line with them, I think the big thing is just making sure you stay out of their way and maybe try to create some turnovers for them and let them do their thing," Barnes said of Arnott and Morrow.
"They're not only big guys who not only can set up in front of the net, but they can work hard in the corners and they've got the hands and the skill to go along with it. So if they do get the opportunity on a puck in front, they can bury it in the net."
Barnes replaced Guerin, who was busy with his “just say no to visors” campaign. I kid, I kid….
Willie McGinest, gone. David Givens, gone. Christian Fauria, Matt Chatham and Andre Davis, gone, gone, gone. Adam Vinatieri? Going, going, almost gone.
What in the name of Tully Banta-Cain are the New England Patriots doing in free agency?
Pretty much what they always do, to no great surprise. Sticking to their plan amidst all the hand-wringing by fans and the media. Refusing to break their carefully crafted business model and overpay. Keeping emotion and nostalgia for past successes in check and out of the decision-making process.
Hey, one of these days that formula isn't going to work like it has in the past. Eventually New England's free-agent losses are going to turn into regular-season losses, and not even savvy mid-level signings, shrewd trades and consistently strong drafts are going to be enough to offset all the defections on both the personnel and coaching fronts. It's the law of the NFL jungle.
But until it does, it's hard to quibble with the results, no? Nobody ever said the Patriot Way didn't require a healthy dose of patience and perspective, especially when there's a gaudy $20 million to spend under the salary cap and New England has yet to make a free-agent addition to counterbalance its subtractions.
Quarterback Brett Favre's $3 million roster bonus is due from the Green Bay Packers on Monday, but all indications are that the deadline for paying it will be pushed back while he considers whether to retire.
Under terms of the contract, Favre would become an unrestricted free agent if the Packers did not pay the bonus. But the sides have an understanding that the payment deadline will be pushed back if Favre needs more time to decide on his future.
According to a National Football League source with knowledge of the deal, the payment is due 10 days after the start of the new salary cap year, which began Saturday. It is unclear whether that was the date originally placed in the contract or an adjustment made later.
Packers officials have denied an ESPN report that Favre told them he would return if the club became more active in free agency and they have been adamant that they plan to attack the off-season in a way they think will best serve the long-term plans of the organization.
OK, here is the deal. It is a beautiful day. One shining moment. The memories come rushing in on my feelings of the NCAA tournament. It is a wonderful event. I will watch, and I will enjoy. But, I will NOT offer predictions of the games because predictions suggest I have some idea of what might happen based on hours of research and hundreds of games viewed.
I have not conducted hours of research on the NCAA tournament. I have not watched hundreds of games this season. Maybe 10.
Therefore, no predictions from me.
But, a few educated picks are ok, right? Educated on how good these programs have been in passed years, not this year, since I really haven’t watched this year.
The Mavericks won for the fifth time in six games, moving to 51-14 to keep pace with the San Antonio Spurs in the race for the best record in the Western Conference. More important, they are hanging tough while missing four key players for the second game in a row.
"Rawle Marshall's contributions were big," Johnson said. "He's a rookie, and you never know what he'll do in the next game. Right now, nobody knows his name. Let's keep it that way."
Marshall finished with 12 points and a couple of important steals. His play has led the Mavericks to cool on the idea of bringing in another player unless they get a roster exception, for which they have not yet applied.
More likely, Marshall will continue to get his chances.
Tuesday's 91-87 come-from-behind victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers was nothing new for the Mavericks.
It marked the sixth time this season that the Mavs rallied and won a game after trailing by 17 or more points. But it's not one of those trends Avery Johnson is fond of repeating.
"Hopefully, we won't be in that situation much more this season," Johnson said. "Again, it shows that there's no quit in our team, and that's a good thing. "You don't want to be down, but if you're in that situation there's something that you can refer back to in your memory to say that we've come back before."
Out for a run last Sunday, Texas A&M's men's basketball coach started reminiscing about a local radio appearance he made not long after he was hired. His interview over, he had tuned in to hear what the hosts had to say.
"Man, that guy looks like he's convinced he's going to win here," one of them marveled. "I've been around here for a long time – I don't know if he knows what he's up against."
No NCAA Tournament appearances since 1987. No Big 12 victories the previous season. Apathetic fans. Locker rooms Gillispie calls "the worst I've seen in Division I basketball."
"A lot of people had that thought process," Gillispie said, as if they were the crazy ones, not him.
Then again, you can claim anything you want when it's Selection Sunday and your team's name just appeared in a bracket.
At a school where 20-loss seasons were a regular occurrence, Gillispie has surpassed 20 wins in each of his two years. The craziest assertion he's making these days is that his coaching methods aren't different than anyone else's.
“I gotta get a QB. I’ve never really had that guy. I’ve gotta get that guy for one time. I had Brad [Johnson] and we went to the Super Bowl, which was wonderful. So there are some interesting teams that could possibly be courting me. I haven’t heard from anybody. It’s only been a day and my cell phone is off so I haven’t heard from anybody. There are a few interesting QBs like the Eagles QB and you’ve got Trent Green, you’ve got Hasselback, you’ve got Tom Brady. Those are some pretty good QBs to be involved with. You’ve got Jake Delhomme and Steve Smith would be a hell of a receiver to play opposite of.”
Hockey Night in Canada is as big as Hockey gets. It was a great day when Directv started carrying it a few years back. Well, after the Stars when in Vancouver the other night, Mike Modano was featured on After Hours …and if you like Mike, it is worth the viewing…Some funny stuff including video of Mike falling out of his stretcher after the famous Messier hit…
Some NHL players will be in the pink this weekend on the ice.
In a tribute to hockey moms and to raise awareness of breast cancer, hockey players such as Tie Domi, Mats Sundin, Steve Yzerman, Sidney Crosby and Ed Belfour will use pink sticks during games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the Chatham Daily News reported Wednesday.
Equipment manufacturer TPS Hockey is spending an estimated $50,000 for the initiative, which sprouted in the Gretzky family home in Brantford, Ont., shortly after the death of Wayne Gretzky's mother, Phyllis.
"It's a tribute to hockey moms," said Brad Janson, TPS' director of pro hockey. Janson said the deaths of Phyllis Gretzky to lung cancer, and TPS' new owner Paul Walker's sister to breast cancer motivated the charitable effort.
There was some snickering coming from Cleveland and beyond in August, when the Dallas Mavericks signed DeSagana Diop to a three-year, $7 million contract.
From his ex-teammates, media members and certainly fans who watched Diop through four years of injuries and letdowns. The Mavs, loaded with talent, have been known to toss lots of billionaire owner Mark Cuban's good money after bad. To those who had seen Diop for four years, it looked like another example.
But after long being underwhelming, an ultra-slim and expectation-free Diop showed up for duty this season and now all the laughter is coming from the Lone Star State. Not only is Diop playing the best ball of his career, but also he's become a key player on a championship-caliber team.
It's the sort of impact the Cavaliers had dreamed of when they drafted him with the No. 8 overall pick in 2001.
Diop's numbers don't look astounding: 2.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game after averaging 1.6 points and 2.6 rebounds in 193 games in his career with the Cavs. But he's averaging 1.7 blocks and giving the Mavs a big and active defensive presence. Early in the season, he even worked his way into the starting lineup, and the Mavs have gone 24-4 since. ---
This question to LeBron James came from a Dallas radio ``reporter'' before Tuesday's game: ``Champ, champ, what's the key to hitting on all sixes tonight and making the boys from big D yell applesauce?'' LeBron: ``I have no idea what you're talking about, boss.''
In the “things only interesting to Bob, and yet he insists to put it on the blog” category, here is a list of the 1999 NHL Draft 1st round. The other night we started discussing the Sedin Draft where the Canucks grabbed the Sedin twins at #2 and #3 in the draft. You will notice that aside from the Sedin twins, there are almost no players of consequence in the first round. Martin Havlat in the late stages to Ottawa is about it…
I guess I don’t quite understand football. When you cut Keyshawn Johnson with no alternative signed, it shows that I must have no idea what I am talking about. It wasn’t like he was expensive ($2.5 million), and it wasn’t like he hasn’t demonstrated he can still play.
He can play plenty. Two years with the Cowboys, 2 70-catch seasons for Key. I recognize the guy need a raise, because who doesn’t these days, but wasn’t there some level of supply/demand in this situation?
Couldn’t the case be made that the Cowboys needed to add another WR to the Glenn-Keyshawn duo for 2006? Now, they subtract him? So, anything short of the gamble that is Terrell Owens plus a fairly high draft prospect means the Cowboys will enter 2006 with a very thin, untested WR group. What else is new?
Keyshawn will be missed. There is still an outside chance the Cowboys could re-sign him, but without Owens replacing him, I am not sure who is going to make the tough catch on 3rd and 8 for this team going forward. Someone may have to explain this one to me…
The amazing turn of events transpired during a third quarter in which the Cavs were outscored, 27-8, and they shot a miserable 18.8 percent (3-of-16) from the field. The fewest points scored in a quarter by the Cavs were four against Boston on Nov. 28, 2000.
The Cavs (36-29) led by 19 early in the third, but a quick spurt by the Mavericks (50-14) cut the Cavs' lead to 12.
Erick Dampier provided the Mavericks with a huge spark when he blocked Drew Gooden's dunk. That sparked a 16-4 Mavericks run that tied it at 61-61 at the end of the quarter.
"They made their run, and we couldn't contain them," Ilgauskas said. "Their crowd got into it, and it just snowballed from there."
Dirk Nowitzki scored eight of his 30 points during the incredible third. Marquis Daniels also scored eight. The Mavericks made only one 3-pointer during the quarter. They scored 12 points in the paint, and they had 11 second-chance points.
The league's off-season shuffling went into overdrive yesterday, when several marquee quarterbacks and other big-name players switched uniforms. The biggest deals involved Brees and Culpepper, former Pro Bowl quarterbacks who are recovering from operations to repair major injuries: Brees from a torn right labrum and Culpepper from three torn ligaments in his right knee.
The Cowboys intensified speculation that Terrell Owens could be headed to Dallas when they released Johnson, a veteran wide receiver who was seeking a bigger contract. As expected, Owens, the controversial wide receiver, was formally released yesterday by Philadelphia, making him a free agent.
In less than 15 months since the playoff win in Lambeau by the Vikes, Randy Moss, Mike Tice, and Daunte Cullpepper have all escaped from Minnesota against their will. Wow.
Perhaps at 3:00 yesterday, you heard the grand debate about talking about a story that we thought was garbage, but couldn’t prove it either way…Well, it was about the death of Will Ferrell which was garbage, but proves what kind of media world we live in…
It would appear that someone out there has a poor sense of humor. Apparently some internet lowlife seems to be spreading around a link to a fake and extremely poorly written press release claiming that Will Ferrell has died in a paragliding accident.
This is what the release says: 'Los Angeles -- Actor Will Ferrell accidentally died in a freak para-gliding accident yesterday in Torey Pines, Southern California. The accident apparently happened somewhere near the famed paragliding site after a freak wind gush basically blew Ferrell and his companion towards a wooded area where they lost control before crashing into the dense foilage.
Once again, to reiterate: Will Ferrell has NOT died.
According to 'Regret The Error,' reports: 'As of about 4:10 p.m. EST today Will Ferrell was on set at a movie he is shooting in Montreal. This was reported by a source who was standing just a few feet away from the not-dead actor. Ferrell apparently has all of his limbs and was not wearing paragliding equipment. All signs point to him being alive. Which means this mysterious press release was full of hooey.'
And like Defamer points out: '..fans of Ferrell might remember that his funeral-haunting character in Wedding Crashers mocks a hang-gliding accident, an irony that would be too obvious for even the most malevolent of gods to inflict on Hollywood.' i-Newswire has since removed the release, and the story link on Google takes you to a page that reads, "The content of this press release was removed or moved to another location. Please use our search function to search for the new location or enter a search string to find similar items." A site search on Ferrell's name comes up with nada on the i-Newswire site.
I promised mock drafts so here is the latest from Don Banks:
Pick Team Pos. Player College Class Ht. Wt.
1 Houston RB Reggie Bush USC Jr. 6-0 200 The bottom 31 slots in this first round might wind up looking vastly different between now and the April 29 draft, but I'm convinced Bush and the Texans are a marriage that's going to last. At least until I start hearing that Houston is seriously entertaining offers to trade down.
2 Jets (trade) QB Matt Leinart USC Sr. 6-5 225 Now that the Saints have signed Drew Brees and don't need the best quarterback available at this spot, look for the Jets to move up and get the former Heisman Trophy winner. Although they did work out a deal with Chad Pennington, this is too good an opportunity to turn down.
3 Titans QB Jay Cutler Vanderbilt Sr. 6-4 228 Nobody had more buzz coming out of Indy than Cutler, and I'm sticking with the idea that the hometown Titans are intrigued with keeping the Vandy star in Nashville. But having Mario Williams sitting there for the taking is going to really test Tennessee's belief in Cutler.
4 Saints (trade) DE Mario Williams N.C. State Jr. 6-7 285 Since the quarterback spot seems to be settled, the Saints need to replace free-agent defensive end Darren Howard, who signed a big deal with the Eagles. Williams is a rare physical specimen who could be a matchup problem for opposing defenses.
5 Packers DT Haloti Ngata Oregon Jr. 6-5 345 With the Packers re-signing defensive end Aaron Kampman, they now turn their attention to the defensive interior, where the run-stuffing Ngata is the best the draft has to offer. Taking the draft's blue-chip offensive tackle, Virginia's D'Brickashaw Ferguson, would also be a sound top-five strategy.
6 49ers OT D'Brickashaw Ferguson Virginia Sr. 6-5 295 We can't think of a better way to aid in the development of second-year franchise quarterback Alex Smith than a cornerstone left tackle to protect his backside for the foreseeable future.
7 Raiders QB Vince Young Texas Jr. 6-5 235 Given that the Raiders have failed at landing Daunte Culpepper, this move makes too much sense. As crazy as it would have sounded on the morning of Jan. 5 after his Rose Bowl showing, if Young slips past the Raiders, it's possible he could fall entirely out of the top 10.
8 Bills LB A.J. Hawk Ohio State Sr. 6-1 240 In London Fletcher and Jeff Posey, the Bills have a couple of starting linebackers who are past their 30th birthdays. Hawk had great showings at both the combine and his pro day, and he's an impact addition for a defense that tumbled a long way in the league rankings in 2005.
9 Lions DB Michael Huff Texas Sr. 6-1 205 We're going to go out on a limb and predict that the Lions won't be taking a first-round receiver for the fourth consecutive year. Huff is a versatile talent who had a solid top 10 ranking coming out of the combine. If the Lions get tempted by anyone on offense, it'll be Maryland tight end Vernon Davis.
10 Cardinals TE Vernon Davis Maryland Jr. 6-3 250 The Cardinals didn't wait until the draft to land their No. 1 running back, splurging instead on Edgerrin James in free agency. So no DeAngelo Williams or LenDale White for them. Davis put on a virtuoso performance in Indy, and he'll give balance to an offense that already has a ridiculously potent passing game.
18 Dallas WR Chad Jackson Florida Jr. 6-1 205 Jackson's combine 40 time of 4.34 got everybody's attention, and it makes him one of the more obvious climbers in the bottom half of the first round. The Cowboys are old at receiver, but they also need help at offensive tackle, should Eric Winston linger or Auburn's Marcus McNeill tempt them.
If you want T.O., you must come to grips with this piece of history …and yes, we are trying to book George Teague…
Stars winger Bill Guerin is scheduled to have surgery Thursday for a fractured orbital bone and will probably be out for about a week, Stars coach Dave Tippett said Tuesday.
Guerin was high-sticked by Vancouver's Brendan Morrison in the first period of a 4-2 Stars victory Monday and left the game with a swollen eye. The injury was revealed when Guerin was examined by an eye doctor Tuesday.
"He'll get that taken care of and then take a little time to get it healed," Tippett said. "The good thing is, he's seeing clearly."
Rupe appeared to be the leader in a tight race for the fifth spot in the rotation. But Rupe's velocity dropped in his three innings against Seattle on Sunday, and on Monday he complained of elbow soreness, prompting the MRI.
That leaves Juan Dominguez, Edison Volquez and maybe knuckleballer R.A. Dickey and lefty C.J. Wilson as in-house contenders for the final rotation slot.
Dan Campbell is a very good signing by the Lions. As y'all know I've been living down here in Dallas Cowboys Country these last 18 years (still a die hard Lions fan).
Campbell is not a great receiver but a pretty good blocker. Great, great locker room guy. So well respected by his Cowboy teammates that he was voted the Cowboys offensive captain. Real down to earth guy. The Lions will get their money's worth. Not flashy but a solid performer. This past year he had a regular spot on the local radio sports show. Funny as hell, and he's not afraid to give his opinion. If at all possible, I urge you Lions fans to get him to do a radio spot on one of the shows up there.
Here is a pretty cool hockey blog: Hockey Populace …And I am so into hockey right now…
First of all, pardon the length of this e-mail, but I think you will find it to be worthwhile (or not....but I like it).
My theory on this Soprano thing is concurrent with yours - I think that they showed us the end first, and the remainder of the season will go back to show us how everything got to that point. Do remember when Carmela and Tony are eating out, and he mentions how hard this last year has been? Carmela agrees, and it's supposed to be a given that the last year has somehow been VERY stressful....but they never say why. There was never anything in the last season's "cliffhanger" that would show us why.
Also, I would encourage you to head on over to Hbo.com and check out the video for the "clips" trailer (under the "video" section of the Sopranos home page - entitled "The Sopranos: 2006 Clip Trailer"). HOWEVER, re-watch it keeping in mind everything that happened in this most recent episode (watch it as though Tony has just been killed). We haven't seen Pauly Walnuts yet - however, in the clip trailer, he is seen running for his life once, and also crying once. We also see Phil Leotardo tell Tony "Johnny wants 'him' gone. Does this mean that sometime in the last year (prior to Tony getting shot), Pauly has been whacked? Several other things - in the trailers, A.J. has relatively long hair, but in this first episode, his hair is VERY long....almost as if he's spent the last year growing his hair, and the product of that is the VERY long hair we see in episode 1 of Season 6. In this past episode, we also see a lot of people very "distraught" looking.....and an entire new character introduced AND killed in the same season? I don't buy that. My point is simple: I think we've seen the END, now we're going to see the MEANS to that end.
Of course, I could be completely wrong, and this theory could be completely irrelevant. Stranger things have happened.
P1 Adam
And then this one:
i was watching "The Sopranos" again trying to figure out what where they may be headed. I've got a couple observations
1. First scene of the show is the FBI agent in the car who says something to the effect of "The american public will buy anything if you dress it up" .Every other season has started with Tony picking up his paper.
2. Many of the characters were confronted with how their life would be better without Tony. Carmela meets with Big P's widow and notices how well she is doing...the guy who hung himself and his wife were discussing life without Tony. Vito openly discussing being the possibility of him being the future boss of the family.
3. Uncle Junior was crazy......or was he... yeah probably
Now onto the shield. 1. HOLY CRAP!!!!!!
Godspeed,
P1 Paul
Finally, this email of vindication from Matt with regards to the Rick Reilly column controversy:
I read the Wyoming State article and it didn’t even occur to me that it wasn’t real. You’re not the only moron. Matt
In closing today, a good p1 sent me this picture from his buddies. I believe they are posing for this picture for comedy purposes, but nevertheless, the question GNG popped up…
I raised a firestorm of controversy yesterday when I stated my claim that I would give strong consideration to signing T.O. when he becomes available today. Many, many emails filled the box, and honestly, the majority 60-70% were wanting me to be drug tested. But, I do think that under the right circumstances he can work. Here they are:
1) – Bill Parcells is your coach. He will be in charge, and T.O. can either deal with that or be released.
2) – His contract is constructed with behavior clauses, so that he can be released at the first sign of trouble.
3) – His contract is short term.
With these three stipulations, I think it might be worth the trouble. And make no mistake, he can still be considerable trouble, but I think he might be on his very best behavior as he tries to regain his ability to make a living. Like Keyshawn Johnson, I expect that at least for 2006 and maybe even 2007, you will see Owens as the biggest angel he can be.
But, most think I am out of my mind. One NFL Personnel guy who heard the show yesterday has advised me to “put my crack pipe down”. He also indicated that if this happens it is 100% Jerry Jones and 0% Bill Parcells. That would concern me greatly, of course.
He is still about as talented a WR as there is in this league, and the Cowboys still struggle to score points. I am not saying Owens is your only option, but this offense must get a playmaker and I would think that given the circumstances, he should be considered strongly.
Of course, the theme of many emails is that no Cowboys fan would endorse a move to acquire the man who once desecrated the Star. Maybe not, but touchdowns heal many hurt feelings. Time will tell…
The NHL’s attempt to create rivalries by scheduling consecutive games against the same opponent appeared to work Monday. Playing the Canucks for the second time in three nights, the Stars were definitely annoyed. Vancouver tried valiantly to get into Marty Turco’s head, and Turco responded by being the catalyst in a penalty-filled second period. Stars defenseman Trevor Daley received a total of 22 penalty minutes (some coming from his first two NHL fights) while defending Turco, and a skirmish between Turco and Vancouver’s Alexandre Burrows resulted in three players receiving 10-minute misconduct penalties.
Burrows was trying to clear snow away from Turco’s crease during a long stoppage in play while officials were sorting out several penalties.
"I take exception to people clearing snow that’s already been cleared," Turco said. "That’s my house and I want to take care of it."
Modano was once again dominant last night. The stat of the night was provided by the Stars PR department:
Modano through 64 games last two seasons (entering last night's game): 2003-04 - 13 goals, 23 assists = 36 points -18 2005-06 - 23 goals, 37 assists = 60 points +25
One way or another, Terrell Owens' tumultuous two-year tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles is almost certain to end Tuesday, likely with the team releasing the exiled wide receiver who played in only seven games in 2005.
The seven-year contract that Owens signed with the Eagles in 2004 stipulates that the team is to pay him a $5 million bonus if he is on the roster for the fifth day of the "league year." Because of the delays necessary to negotiate an extension to the NFL's collective bargaining agreement, the league year began Saturday instead of March 3 as originally scheduled, and that makes Wednesday the due date for the bonus. If Owens is still on the roster on Wednesday morning, the Eagles are on the hook for the roster bonus. To avoid paying the $5 million, they must release him by the end of league business hours Tuesday -- or no later than 4 p.m. ET Tuesday -- so that he is on the official transaction document disseminated to all 32 franchises.
I assume by now everyone saw the Sopranos who was going to. Therefore, discussion time can commence. Most of the talk is about whether they have killed Tony. It appears that I am in the minority here, too. I think he is dead. But, I think that this columnist has the right theory of what happens next.
Perhaps — and this is all mere speculation — the remaining episodes will play out post-Tony, as “Six Feet Under” did after one of its lead characters died. Or maybe viewers just watched the very end of “The Sopranos,” and remaining episodes will flash back to the year’s worth of stories that lead up to his death at the hands of Uncle Junior.
More likely, Tony will emerge from this a changed man, and those changes will affect the way his life plays out over the rest of the series’ life. Or perhaps he’ll survive and things will remain the same, just as they always have.
I bolded the theory that I believe…discuss amongst yourselves…
Why do European hockey players automatically have to prove that they are not pansies when it comes to physical hockey? Because, they grew up playing soccer, and they are pansies for the most part. But, I will provide evidence of how the Euro fights …How do you like the stick swinging?
