NBA Finals Game 1: Dallas 90, Miami 80

The Mavericks have now won every game in franchise history that they have played in the NBA Finals! Doesn’t it feel good? Game 1 was deposited in the Win Bank with a stifling effort on the defensive end for the better part of the final 3 quarters, as the Mavericks allowed just 49 points in 36 minutes of basketball. If the Dallas offense looked sloppy and out of sync, it is because it was. The Mavericks were never fully comfortable with the ball, but the saving grace continues to be the theme of the 2005-06 championship run – DEFENSE.

This game was a meat grinder. This game required you to go strong to the rim or not to bother going at all. It was played with desperation on both sides, and sets up for a very competitive series, albeit one that might not be pleasing to the eye.

And there to save the day for the Mavericks on a night when Dirk and Josh Howard needed to be saved was Jason Terry. Terry who admitted to having a very rough experience in the Western Finals against Phoenix just absolutely torched the Heat. He looked like he was insulted with Jason Williams trying to guard him early, and then as the night went on must have been shocked that they decided to not guard him at all so he stuck another 3. What a performance for JET, and without him you could make the claim that there is no chance that Dallas wins Game 1.

Various other quick hits from Game 1, the NBA Finals:

• Dwayne Wade is amazing. I really enjoyed watching him at Marquette (Well…) and I thought there that he was easily the best player I had ever seen play there, but the way he has actually improved as he has entered the NBA is tough to believe. Usually, a player dominates far less at the pro level than he does at the college level, but I think Wade is much better now than he was. It appears he can get to the rim anytime he wants, and the big man trying to protect the rim has almost no effect on him. If I am the Mavs, I instruct his defender to play off him and hope that he settles for jump shots, but I really don’t think you will stop him from driving no matter how you defend that kid. Wow.

• OK, Dirk had 0 points in the 4th Quarter. And went 4-14 in the game. Lucky they won, or everyone would be ready to jump on him. I must admit it is weird to see Shaq and Dirk as supporting cast members last night. I am sure that will not continue for 7 games, but last night you could make the case that Antoine Walker made as much an impact as Shaquille. That is crazy even to type.

• It does look like Dirk was given plenty of trouble by Udanis Haslem. His physical style of defense and James Posey’s Bruce Bowen impression are going to make the Mavericks work for their points, and Dirk needs to adjust and figure out how to score against this new look. I am pretty sure I still like his chances to really torch Miami in this series, but Haslem certainly deserves credit for never allowing Dirk to be comfortable in the game.

• 1-9? I am pretty sure of the 20,000+ in attendance, at least 19,000 of them could nail 1-9 from the free throw line as Shaq accomplished. If you would have told me in 2002 that Shaq would actually get worse from the line, I might not have believed you. But it is official, he is worse. Also, the Heat go 7-19 from the line, which you could say helped the Mavericks enjoy good fortune and that if the Heat may have hit some free throws they would have won, but that is the Heat, kids. They do this all the time. In Game 5 at Detroit, the Heat hit 6-20 free throws. They just can’t hit them.

• Have you ever missed a player less than you miss Antoine Walker? Now he did hit a few huge shots last night including that 3 off a Dirk bad pass at the end of the 1Q, but his 6 turnovers were killers, and if he is going to shoot 19 times, there are no worries for Dallas. You got to almost love Walker hitting a few early shots because that will get him thinking that he is a scored. Advantage Mavericks.

• Erick Dampier did a great job last night. 27 minutes of causing Shaq some resistance. Nothing earth shattering, but just imagine Raef Lafrentz or Shawn Bradley doing what Damp and Diop are doing.

• Have you ever seen one play change the game like Jason Terry’s airball breakaway layup? It would have put the Mavs up 84-72, instead the Heat came right back to score the next 7 points and cut it to 82-79. Terry missed that layup at 7:37, and get this: The Mavericks next Field Goal was scored with 1:02 when Stackhouse hit a hoop. AND THEY WON! That is right, somehow, Dirk gets 0, and the Mavericks get one hoop in the final 8 minutes and still win by 10. That is crazy.

• I swear all through the years that great musical acts occupy halftime in the NBA Finals. At least in the last decade it has been U2, Destiny’s Child, Mariah, Jay-Z all playing at halftime of these games. So, what did we have at halftime? That’s right. Trampoline dunking. The most tired bit in basketball history. Wow.

• I think you know what I am going to say next. Game 2 is crucial. It is nice to get a win when you play poorly, but don’t give it back on Sunday. If they win both games here, the Mavericks are going to be in great shape. But, if they lose the game on Sunday, Miami will rate their trip here as a huge success.

• Jason Williams looks really weird in those black tights. I don’t think I would go with that look.

• Terrell Owens in a Shaq jersey. Worse than standing on the Star? Just kidding.

Shaq Stands in the Way

Game Day…I am so very pleased. But, I am also quite nervous. I felt the Mavericks were better than the Spurs and they proved that they were. I felt the Mavericks were better than the Suns, and they proved that they were.

The Heat? I am not sure at all. I am not sure that the Mavericks are better than the Heat. It is likely because I cannot get my arms around a 7 game series chess match between these two teams, and all of the plot twists that this no doubt will bring.

There is no doubt that my biggest fear is foul trouble. Josh Howard guarding Dwayne Wade; Dampier and Diop trying to contain Shaquille. Can they stay on the court? Or will we see huge roles for Keith Van Horn and Marquis Daniels? I think you know my feelings on that happening.

I think this team can match up with anyone. But, I am certainly concerned about their long time nemesis, Shaq. The symmetry of this whole post season is great, though. Finally beat the Spurs. Avenge the Suns for last year. And now, exorcise the Shaq demons. What a perfect run if it can be completed.

I am taking the Mavericks (shock, eh?) in 7. I am expecting this thing to be 1-1 after 2, and 2-2 after 4. I am expecting an ice cream headache from now until about June 22. And I am expecting it to be awesome.

Could you imagine the buzz kill if this goes the wrong way? Let’s not even consider it.

Let the Chess Match begin! …

"When they go to a small-ball lineup you have to think about what you're doing defensively and who you have on the court," Riley said. "But I don't want to overreact to that. [Mavericks coach Avery Johnson] is prone to put almost any lineup out there and he's been very successful at it, so he's got 10 guys who can play multiple positions."

Wade, who is averaging 26.2 points in the postseason, only scored 14 in the series clincher over the Pistons, his first sub 20-point effort in the playoffs. But his pregame preparation consisted of a visit to the hospital for intravenous fluids with another dose at halftime.

Heat starting point guard Jason Williams picked up the scoring slack with 21 points on 10-of-12 shooting.

"I don't think it creates too many problems because we're not a one-on-one defensive team," Williams said of guarding Terry or Harris. "We'll just keep guys in the paint when they run a pick-and-roll, whoever it is."

Harris, the second-year 6-foot-3 guard out of Wisconsin, emerged in the Mavericks' second-round series victory over the defending champion Spurs when he was able to neutralize San Antonio guard Tony Parker.

"He's the closest thing to Tony Parker as far as quickness that we're going to see," Riley said. "Jason will show that kind of quickness every now and then, but Harris, contrary to what people think, can really shoot the ball. We cannot leave him open."

The Mavericks are preparing for a healthy Wade.

"More than anything he is so explosive," Johnson said. "He can get to the basket it seems whenever he wants to.

"Now he has an outside game, in-between game, and his penetration game going. That kind of makes me lose sleep at night."

Udonis prepares for Dirk …

The Heat's 6-foot-8 forward Udonis Haslem is used to guarding taller opponents, but they rarely possess the long-range shooting prowess of Mavericks 7-footer Dirk Nowitzki.

Haslem, who normally patrols the paint, must chase Nowitzki beyond the 3-point line where the sweet-stroking German has made a respectable 17 of 43, while averaging 28.4 points this postseason.

"I'm not trying to shut him down, just make him work hard," Haslem said. "It's tough because at 7-0 he can still shoot over me, but I'll try to take away his air space."

The danger of having Haslem guard Nowitzki on the perimeter is that the former Gator will be out of position for defensive rebounds, his forte.

"Maybe so, but we still got the Big Fella [Shaquille O'Neal] down there, and Dwyane Wade's a good rebounder for a guard, and James Posey will get his," said Haslem, who has averaged 7.8 rebounds in the postseason.

While the Heat has slightly outrebounded the Bulls, Nets and Pistons in the first three rounds, the Mavericks have dominated the glass in all 17 postseason games, an NBA record, by an average of 42.9 to 36.3 rebounds per game.

Art Garcia’s fine feature on Dirk …

Dirk Nowitzki, Mavs

The numbers: 28.4 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 3.1 APG

The ride: First round -- defeated Grizzlies 4-0; West semis -- defeated Spurs 4-3; West Finals -- defeated Suns 4-2

DIRK'S PLAYOFF RUN

The franchise records Dirk Nowitzki has set in the Mavs' march to the NBA Finals:

Points in a game
50 vs. Phoenix
46 Previous mark

Rebounds in a game
21 vs. San Antonio
20 Previous mark

3-point field goals made in a four-game series
8 vs. Memphis
6 Previous mark

3-point field goals attempted in a four-game series
19 vs. Memphis
9 Previous mark

Free-throws made in a seven-game series
73 vs. San Antonio
55 Previous mark

Free-throws attempted in a seven-game series
80 vs. San Antonio
65 Previous mark

Points in a six-game series
168 vs. Phoenix
163 Previous mark

Free throws made in a six-game series
50 vs. Phoenix
37 Previous mark

Free throws attempted in a six-game series
56 vs. Phoenix
46 Previous mark

Defensive rebounds in a six-game series
60 vs. Phoenix
54 Previous mark

I thought this was a particularly interesting read A story on why the Mavs are better without Nash from Slate …

If Dallas isn't winning because it plays better defense, then what's the team's secret? The Mavericks are winning because they've unshackled Dirk Nowitzki. The conventional wisdom says that great players in general, and Nash in particular, make their teammates better. But in the case of the Mavericks, Nash made Nowitzki—the team's best player and his best friend—distinctly worse.

Playing with Nash turned Nowitzki into a half-star, half-carnival freak. Nash's penetrate-and-dish moves allowed the 7-foot tall, David Hasselhoff-loving German to take advantage of his uncanny accuracy from the 3-point line. It turns out, though, that having him spot up for 3-pointers isn't the best use of Nowitzki's abilities. Nash's great asset is his unselfishness and ability to find the open man. What makes Nowitzki special is that he doesn't need to be open in order to score. Nobody can guard him.

There's no use sticking a tall guy on Dirk—opposing big men can't move their feet fast enough to keep up. Teams abandoned that strategy years ago in favor of deploying shorter perimeter stoppers against him. This throws defensive schemes into chaos by creating mismatches elsewhere on the floor. Not to mention that, as of this year, the little guys can't slow down Dirk, either. Nowitzki can shoot over the heads of much-shorter defenders or, even better, post them up around the free-throw line. Low-post scorers such as Tim Duncan and Shaquille O'Neal are often hampered by their poor free-throw shooting. Nowitzki's free-throw prowess—he shoots 90 percent from the line—means he's all but impossible to stop. Despite the new Mavs' much slower pace, Dirk's scoring average has gone up five points since Nash left. Playing closer to the basket has also made him a better rebounder. A strong case can be made that Nowitzki, not the MVP Nash, has now emerged as the best player in the NBA.
Nowitzki has gotten better by parting ways with the league's most unselfish player.

And Dallas as a whole is proving that you can generate an effective offense by "playing the wrong way." The Mavericks run lots of isolation plays and don't usually bother passing to the open man. Nash's Suns ended 19.7 percent of their possessions with assists, the highest rate in the league. Nowitzki's Mavericks assisted teammates just 14.8 percent of the time. Only the horrifyingly bad Knicks had a lower rate. Meanwhile, the superselfish Mavs had the league's second-most efficient offense in the regular season. In the playoffs, they're third behind Phoenix and San Antonio, two teams they've eliminated. This has allowed them to get all the way to the Finals by being merely not-bad on defense.

Mavs go to South Park …

Want to know what gives me sports goose bumps? Play the video below. It is U2’s ABC World Cup promo. How do you combine the greatness of U2 and the greatness of the World Cup? It is awesometown…



Here is another, featuring The Edge…

And this one about the Ivory Coast …



In huge World Cup news, Shrek is cleared to play …

Sven-Goran Eriksson today insisted Wayne Rooney is "injury free" and now just needs to obtain match fitness before he plays in the World Cup.

The England coach declared the final decision on when the Manchester United striker can play in Germany will be "Rooney's and mine" after the player's club stated that independent medical opinion pointed to him not being ready to play until after the group stage.

Rooney joined in training with the rest of the squad in Baden-Baden this morning after undergoing a scan on his broken metatarsal in Manchester yesterday. United said last night that the 20-year-old "will require very careful assessment in order to address his suitability" to play.

Meanwhile, Edmonton got spanked last night …

The Edmonton Oilers had a problem in the goal crease at the RBC Center last night, but it had little to do with the absence of Dwayne Roloson or the presence of Jussi Markkanen.

It had a lot more to do with rookie goaltender Cam Ward, who, for the second straight game in this Stanley Cup final, turned in a sensational performance, this time with 25 saves as the Carolina Hurricanes blew away the Oilers 5-0 to take a 2-0 series lead.

With Roloson out for the balance of the final with a sprained right knee and Markkanen taking his place, the 22-year-old from Sherwood Park flat-out beat the masked man at the other end of the rink again to get it done.

It wouldn't have mattered who it was.

"He's been playing great," Ethan Moreau said of Ward. "But it's similar to the second round against San Jose when Vesa Toskala was playing very well. He came into our building and we got to him.

Rangers get a pretty dramatic win in Kansas City …well, as dramatic as it can get in Kansas City anyway…

Rod Barajas, searching the last few days for a consistent swing with hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo, hit a two-strike splitter off closer Ambiorix Burgos to left-center to tie the score. And Gary Matthews Jr. hit a 3-2 fastball off Elmer Dessens down the left-field line for a two-run double.

"When the game is on the line, everybody wants to step up and get that clutch hit," Barajas said. "I've been working and trying to get myself back into my comfort zone, and for this to happen right now is definitely a boost."

The dramatic, two-strike, two-out hits were against the Royals' bullpen. The Rangers couldn't touch Kansas City starter Bobby Keppel. The rookie left – amid boos toward manager Buddy Bell from the 11,246 fans in attendance – after allowing a leadoff hit in the ninth.

Replay Radio …Get it! It is awesome, and has helped many P1’s listen to the Ticket via their Ipod…

Corby and Shaq …Go to 8:30…

It is never a goal until it is a goal …

Maybe Dirk and Diop did have the same parents …

NBA Finals Hype Day 4

Day 4 without games in the NBA Playoffs, as the Western Conference Finals has been a while ago, now….and I..am…needing….basketball…soon…

Here is some Day 4 Hype:

In Miami, here is a feature on Dirk …

He is a hybrid, a new dimension all unto himself, a Teutonic giant who shoots rainbows with the touch of a feather -- Germany's answer to Larry Bird and more -- a seven-foot wunderkind.

He is the face of a franchise that lies deep in the heart of Texas -- light years away from the Fatherland -- an irony that is never lost here in Big D amid the cowboy hats and deep-twang accents, in a town where T-shirts are sold that read ``Dirk is My Homeboy.''

Dirk Nowitzki is that and much more, and as he steps into the harsh spotlight this week on the biggest stage of his career, Nowitzki is not only the man who will try to lead the Dallas Mavericks to their first NBA title, but he is perhaps the future of the NBA itself.

''The game is changing and the rules are changing,'' said the Heat's Shaquille O'Neal, who will face the problems Nowitzki's rare mobility brings to his position.
``The NBA centers are going more toward the European player. I tell my kids you won't be able to play the game your daddy played. It's becoming a different game.
''He [Nowitzki] is where the big-man game will be in four or five years,'' O'Neal added. ``When you talk great big men, it'll be based on whether guys can play like Dirk or not. Stepping out, shooting the three, midrange game and the low-post game. I'm going to actually let my children watch his game.''

Nowitzki was overwhelmed by O'Neal's comments.

''That's pretty sweet,'' Nowitzki said.

In Dallas, it is all-hail Dirk …

One play convinced Johnson, possibly because it was the play that happened to save the Mavericks from playoff extinction against San Antonio in the Western Conference semifinals.

"Dirk's drive against the Spurs," Johnson said Tuesday of Nowitzki's move to the basket that ended with a three-point play and forced overtime in Game 7. "I mean, I'm too young to be his father. But I felt like a big brother. Do you know how many times he worked on that? That I've told him, that's not going to work in the playoffs, you shooting a 25-foot fadeaway? Or your pick-and-pop? It's not going to work."

Nowitzki isn't the only one. But as the franchise player on a team that has truly reached maturity this season, Nowitzki can be the face that is no longer pockmarked with acne. All the blemishes have cleared up on the Mavericks.

"Avery has always told us that we have to expand our game," Nowitzki said. "That's been a big key for this team since training camp."

And Johnson knew it was a long process. It wasn't going to happen in November. But he kept hammering away. Sooner or later, Johnson knew he would either get the players' attention or the backlash would be overwhelming.

What had to happen between learning what won't work and what would was that the team had to trust Johnson. And vice versa.

Mark Stein picks the series …

This series will be played at a speed that drains Shaq's effectiveness. I'm also figuring that Howard's length and activity will nag Wade more than this flu he can't shake.

The Mavs, furthermore, are better equipped than anyone Miami has seen in the playoffs so far to expose the two biggest weaknesses these Heaters have been dealing with since Riley re-did the roster:

• A shaky perimeter defense that exposes Shaq to extra fouls trying to protect the rim.

• A lack of consistent perimeter shooting to space the floor for Shaq and Wade.
I suspect that Riley had accounted for all of the above when he told reporters in Miami the other day that he'd be "relieved" to win it all for the first time since 1988 … as opposed to delirious with joy. (Shaq and Zo insist that the 61-year-old has mellowed, but only so much apparently.)

One problem that I see: if Howard is on Wade, then what do we do when Howard is on the bench with 3 fouls before the first quarter is over? I don’t like Howard as a full time defender, because he doesn’t have the ability to defend without fouling over 48 minutes…

Seems kind of a weird time of year to write this, but Peter King wants Michael Irvin in the Hall of Fame …

Michael Irvin, WR, Dallas. Three knocks on Irvin I always hear. 1) He cheated: He held and pass-interfered when the officials couldn't see. 2) He was a mess off the field. 3) Dallas will have Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith (and maybe Larry Allen) in the Hall when this era's team is considered. That's enough. Poppycock. This man was the leader of the Cowboys, pure and simple. The leader. And he was a great player who simply refused to lose. I know it's a cliché, but ask anyone around that team -- Aikman, Jimmy Johnson, Jerry Jones. It's absurd he hasn't made it. And re: the off-the-field stuff, we are not allowed to bring those considerations into the meeting room. Only what happened between the lines should matter. Catching 750 balls for a three-time Super Bowl winner and being the key guy in the locker room on game days ... that should make him a gimme.

Insider says Drew Henson was the best player in Europe …

1. QB Drew Henson, Rhein Fire (allocated by Dallas Cowboys)

Henson is a household name we have all heard about and at first glance he is a higher profile guy than we are used to seeing in NFLE. However, Henson is a player who still needs game experience and live snaps. Henson's biggest problem in his young NFL career has been his inability to read defenses, process information, and make quick decisions … and that's what you do in these game situations. He has all the physical skills that you are looking for and he is coming off a season for Rhein in which he completed 109 of 209 passes for 1,321 yards and 10 touchdowns, but most importantly, he threw only three interceptions. The latter statistic leads you to believe that his decision making has improved. So, where does Henson fit in the Cowboys' plans? He will compete again with Tony Romo to be backup quarterback behind aging starter Drew Bledsoe. However, with Bledsoe near the end of his career, the Cowboys must decide whether Romo or Henson is their quarterback of the future and Henson's positive performance in NFLE should raise his confidence level entering training camp.

Edmonton needs a goalie …trouble is, neither of them have ever started a playoff game….

Ty Conklin and Jussi Markkanen call it a second chance. Critics suggest it's more likely the fourth or fifth, maybe the sixth, for those keeping score at home.

Pick a number, any number, but whatever digit you choose, Conklin or Markkanen will get it tonight when the Edmonton Oilers face the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final without Dwayne Roloson.

What makes either of them think they can fill the skates left vacant by Roloson?
"It's just confidence in yourself," said Conklin, who allowed the winning goal by Rod Brind'Amour with 32 seconds to play in a 5-4 loss Monday after taking over when Roloson went down.

Ed Belfour’s son tries out for the Tornado …

Texas Tornado Head Coach and General Manager Tony Curtale, has a reputation of having Tornado players with an NHL flavor, and this weekend's Texas Tornado Tryout Camp in Michigan will be no exception. Over 120 players will compete for a spot on the 2006-07 Texas Tornado roster to compete for a 4th straight NAHL National Championship, and one of those will be goaltender Dayne Belfour, son of former Dallas Stars goaltender Ed Belfour.

The camp begins Thursday, June 8th at the Farmington Hills Ice Arena in suburban Detroit, Michigan, with two goalies only sessions. Friday-Sunday, the remainder of the forwards and defensemen will join the goaltenders for a weekend of competition and a spot on arguably the best junior A team in the United States the past three years. The Michigan camp is one of two tryout camps that the Tornado will hold this summer. The other will be July 27-30 at the Dr Pepper StarCenter in Frisco, Texas.

The Red Wings ponder moves …

Sam Jackson and U2 …

Reese offers me the demolition of the Chinese Dam …That is awesome!!!

The long touted amazing unintentional comedy of Bill Shatner’s Rocket Man …

Oilers in Trouble

In the world of sports, there are many great events. Some get followed by everyone, others get ignored. That has no bearing on my feelings about them. If it is great (Stanley Cup Finals, World Cup, etc) then I cover it, regardless if it is a piñata for the remainder of the local media. Further, if it is covered by the media (Terrell Owens 24/7) then chances are you will not read much about that here. It is just how I roll…

Stanley Cup Finals Game 1; a classic with a tough ending for Edmonton …

For 37 minutes or so, the Oilers couldn't have asked for anything more out of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals against the Hurricanes.

They had a 3-0 lead, which included the first successful penalty shot in Cup finals history (scored by Chris Pronger). They were winning every physical battle. And, they were keeping the Hurricanes on the far edges of the rink.

The next 23 minutes, however, were sheer horror for the Oilers, who lost the game 5-4 and their star stopper, Dwayne Roloson, who suffered a knee injury as a result of a collision with Canes rookie Andrew Ladd at 14:06 of the third period.

When asked about his goalie after the game, Oilers coach Craig MacTavish delivered the painful news: "The goalie's not good," MacTavish said. "He won't be back in the series." Roloson was unavailable for comment after the game.

OK, Oilers fans, say it with me ... OUCH! Well, you might want to use another word. It would be the right word, but we can't use it here.

The 36-year-old Roloson has started all but one game since arriving from Minnesota just a day before the March 9 trade deadline. This postseason, he's been the backbone of the Oilers' stunning run. He's given his teammates the confidence to play their game in front of him. In 17 playoff games, Roloson was 12-5 with a 2.22 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage. His numbers made him a strong candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy.

Terry Jones tells his Edmonton readers about the problem …

Move over Steve Smith. You've got company.

Put on the Stanley Cup goat horns, Ty Conklin. You, too, Marc Andre Bergeron.

Conklin gave away the game, turning the puck over behind his own net for the winning goal. Bergeron may have given away the series when he ran Andrew Ladd into Dwayne Roloson.

"Goalie's not good. Won't be back this series. Knee,'' reported coach Craig MacTavish when it was over and his Edmonton Oilers had gassed a game well within their grasp.

They had Game 1 won. Now they have to win four of the next six with Jussi Markkanen who hasn't played since ...

"Since forever,'' said the Oilers other heebie-jeebie goalie who inspired Kevin Lowe to trade for Roloson on the trade deadline.

"It doesn't matter. Six weeks. Three months ago. It is what it is,'' said Markkanen.

For today’s NBA Finals developments, we see How Germany feels about its hero, Dirk …

"It's just not that important here in Germany if Dirk is in the Finals," said Patrick Kull, a reporter from Die Welt, a national newspaper based in Berlin. "If he wins the championship, then we'll pay much more attention."

After all, Nowitzki is not the first German player to reach the Finals. There was also Detlef Schrempf, who lost to Michael Jordan and the Bulls in six games while with Seattle.

For now, well, there was a big feature on Nowitzki in Die Welt on May 27 and three-to-five sentences each day on his progress against the Phoenix Suns. When he scored 50, the headline in the paper two days later was many points smaller.

"It's a little far away in distance," said Dirk Steinbach, from the Hamburger Abendblatt, a regional newspaper. "But if you have any basketball story, it's about Dirk. The children are very much more interested in the NBA than in the German basketball league."

Stop a kid on the street, though, ask him to name his favorite athlete. One Hamburg teenager, Peter Schneider, just starts listing the entire national soccer team roster.

"Ballack, Klose, Lehmann, Nowotny ..." Schneider said.

For now, there is only a cult following for Nowitzki, and many of these fans can be found in places like Champs, a restaurant in Hamburg where only American televised sports events are shown.

NBA Finals? what does TO think? …

Receiver Terrell Owens is torn regarding the NBA Finals. He's a friend of Mavs guard Jason Terry, as well as Heat center Shaquille O' Neal.

So when asked to pick a Mavs-Heat winner, Owens put on his dancing shoes.

"I'm going to be neutral," said Owens, who plans to attend the games. "I may have a Heat jersey with a Mavs hat on. I just like the great ones....The Mavs are a great team. [It's] great for the city."

Ricky Gervais meets Larry David ….

USA Today features Jon Daniels …

Daniels' knowledge shows his passion for the game, an essential asset for a GM, Byrnes says. The Rockies weed out the hundreds of applicants for internships with a quiz, one Daniels breezed through when he joined that organization.

Daniels was able to put in order, shortest to tallest, four starters: Roy Oswalt (6 feet), Brad Radke (6-2), Andy Pettitte (6-5) and C.C. Sabathia (6-7). He knew Kirk Gibson hit Dennis Eckersley's slider for the home run that won Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. And Daniels knew the superstar (Albert Pujols) who was drafted in the 13th round and had 490 minor league at-bats.

"You can't fake your way through the quiz. And after 10 questions, Jon asked if the questions were going to get more difficult," Byrnes says. "You have to have passion because in 13 years, I've never looked at my watch and said, 'It's time to go.' "

Wow, that quiz seemed pretty strong. I guess I could not be a baseball GM.

Trailer for new New York Cosmos movie …

Shield coming back for 7th season …rejoice!!!

FX gave "The Shield" a new lease on life Monday, ordering a seventh and final season of the drama series. The fate of the critically acclaimed cop drama was uncertain heading into the second half of its sixth season in early 2007. Now those 10 episodes will be followed up by a fresh batch of 13 episodes to air in late 2007 or early 2008.

Eddie Johnson is being counted on for USA …that is not good news…

Johnson has the physical talent to be a game-changing forward. The youngest player on the U.S. squad at 23, he is fast, agile and strong in the air. His confidence skyrocketed after his first few games with the national team as he was scoring nearly every time he set foot on the field. It was his foot that betrayed him, though, when he suffered a painful and lingering injury that sidelined him for much of 2005.

The six-footer has nine goals in fewer than 20 international games, although his scoring rate has dropped off drastically from those early outings. Johnson seems to have recovered his fitness after rehabilitation from the foot injury, but his touch and poise around the goal have been fickle. The mental worry of his injury might bother him more than anything, because he still seems a bit tentative.

If it were somehow possible to transfer some of the passion Dempsey has in excess and bestow it on Johnson, the balance would benefit both players. As both are good friends and occasional roommates on the national team, perhaps the natural influence of the other's company on the World Cup journey will accomplish that. Johnson's easygoing nature might help keep Dempsey loose, and Dempsey's drive might push Johnson to stay focused.

A good strong P1 sent me an email about the upcoming baseball draft, of which I know almost nothing. Anyway, he asked if I “Think this guy gets made fun of?”

5. Evan Longoria, INF, Long Beach State

No relation to Eva -- much to the chagrin of area scouts volunteering to do the home visit -- Longoria is the top collegiate position player prospect in the pool, although that's more a reflection of the lack of star-caliber college hitters than of Longoria's own potential. Despite his apparent attempts to adopt the swing of 2005 first-rounder Troy Tulowitzki (who was the Dirtbags' shortstop for three years), Longoria is a completely different animal from Tulo, who was a rangy shortstop with plus power potential and a hose for an arm. Longoria has played third and second in addition to short, and his ultimate position isn't clear. He has only average raw power, but has shown excellent plate discipline this spring after struggling with the strike zone in an otherwise stellar summer on the Cape. He does have a hole inside, common in a lot of power hitters, but a little surprising for a disciplined, plate-coverage guy like Longoria. He'll be an above-average regular if he can stay at short, or an average third baseman, quick to the big leagues, but without much star potential.

Pretty amusing bit. Bet the poor guy is beaten down…

Today’s Blog Comedy hit of the day: Steve takes a plane ride …

NBA Finals Hype Day 2

The Casinos tell us the Mavericks should win …They also said the Spurs should send us home 3 weeks ago…

Two Las Vegas casinos and Charles Barkley have named the Mavericks the favorite to win the NBA title over Miami.

The Las Vegas Hilton sports book lists the Mavericks as 2-1 favorites. They're 3-2 favorites at Mandalay Bay.

Dallas is a 4 1/2 -point favorite to win Thursday's opener of the Finals at American Airlines Center.

Barkley, a former player and TNT analyst, has bashed the Mavericks for several years. But after Dallas defeated Phoenix in the Western Conference finals, Barkley picked the Mavs to beat the Heat.

Part of the reason Dallas has opened as a slight favorite with the Vegas books is the home-court advantage it holds in the best-of-7 series, said Jay Rood, sports book director at Mandalay Bay.

"The rest is talent," Rood said. "I think Dallas has the most versatile of the teams, with Dirk [Nowitzki], who can drop 50 on any given night. That's a dangerous element the Heat will have to deal with."

David DuPree, a longtime NBA writer with USA Today, agrees that Dallas' depth will be too much for the Heat.

"Miami has the experience, but the Mavericks are so versatile, it's tough to go against them," Dupree said. "Dallas has the big bodies to throw at Shaquille O'Neal, and neutralizing him someway is the first step in trying to beat the Heat."

DuPree picked the Mavericks to win in six games. ESPN analyst Marc Stein, a former Mavericks beat writer with The Dallas Morning News , predicted the Mavs to win in six games.

There are people, however, picking the Heat.

Magic Johnson, a guest analyst for TNT and part-owner of the Lakers, picked Miami in six games. So did Chris Broussard, a writer with ESPN The Magazine.

Meanwhile, Miami figures out how to stop the German …

But that doesn't make the task of beating Dallas any easier. And atop the list of priorities for Miami is finding a way to handle Nowitzki, who is averaging 28.4 points in the postseason while shooting 49.4 percent from the floor, 39.5 percent from three-point range and 89.7 percent from the foul line.

So who guards Nowitzki?

''Everybody,'' Riley said. ``We'll start with Udonis on him. He's a great, great player. We know he can shoot it. We know he isolates a lot. He's getting to the free-throw line a lot.

``So we'll have to do some different things, give him some different looks.''
In the two regular-season games against Miami, Nowitzki averaged a somewhat modest 25 points, but he shot 56 percent from the floor. And in the playoffs, Nowitzki is showing a consistently aggressive approach, which has resulted in 10.2 free throws a game -- 1.2 more than Wade has gotten in the postseason.

''I think he's a lot more aggressive than he was back when I played with him,'' Antoine Walker said. ``I think he gets to the basket a lot more. I think you see 15, 16 free-throw attempts from him that he didn't get in the past. So that's where his game's changed.''

But the Mavericks offense is much more than Nowitzki, with five players averaging double figures in the playoffs, including 14 points a game from reserve Jerry Stackhouse.

Also in Miami, it all changed that night in Dallas …

But what came out of that meeting was a 10-game winning streak, too, and then a gathering, coalescing run to the playoffs, and then an elimination of Chicago, and
then New Jersey, and then Detroit, and now this.

What came out of that meeting was a team that finally began to believe.

''It was a very interesting day, as a matter of fact,'' Riley said of Feb. 9. ``Even during the shootaround before the game, there was much discussion about the direction we were going. From that day, we got better. It humiliated and embarrassed us enough for us to get better. It was a turning point.''

Wade said Sunday of that loss: ``That's when this team woke up.''

''It was the point,'' added Shaquille O'Neal, 'where we said to ourselves, `Look, we got to start picking it up.' And we became a different team.''

The Heat returns Thursday to that same arena in Dallas, four months later.

The players are the same.

The uniforms are the same.

Nothing else is.

David Moore reflects on all the Mavericks gone by …

After 26 long and often comical years, the Mavericks have made it to the Finals. The journey isn't done. But for a franchise that has endured so many miserable moments, reaching this stage is monumental.

Dirk Nowitzki has done what Mark Aguirre, Roy Tarpley and the Three Js – Jason Kidd, Jim Jackson and Jamal Mashburn – couldn't. Avery Johnson has gone where no Mavericks coach has gone before.

Now, he must beat Pat Riley, the coach who kept the Mavericks from reaching the Finals in 1988. Well, Riley along with Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy and the rest of the Showtime Lakers.

I haven't been present for everything that has happened to the Mavericks through the years. But I've been around long enough to remember Brad Davis' bell bottoms and Jay Vincent's lime green leisure suit. I was in training camp the day coach Dick Motta cut a player during stretching exercises.

This is a franchise that has seen Keith Grant rise from equipment manager to general manager and coach Quinn Buckner alienate everyone around him. There was Derek Harper dribbling out the clock against the Lakers, then handling his mistake with enough class to win everyone's admiration. There was Rolando Blackman's pure jump shot and Sam Perkins' smooth style.

It's a franchise that has tried Uwe Blab, Wallace Bryant, Terry Davis, Darren Morningstar and a cast of thousands at center. It's a franchise that passed on Karl Malone, then came back several years later to draft Randy White because he reminded them of Malone.

Big mistake.

Who are you, dude? And how do you keep pitching gems?

Rangers take 2 of 3 from Champs at their place …

The Rangers have lost only one of their past eight road series and lead the American League West by 3 1/2 games.

"These are the teams we have to beat if we want to be contenders," Teixeira said of the White Sox, the defending World Series champions.

Sunday's game appeared an extra-tough proposition. Not only did the White Sox go in with a 20-7 home record, but starter Mark Buehrle had the AL's fifth-best ERA and had never lost at home to the Rangers.

Buehrle was no match for the Laird-and-Teixeira-led Rangers. He gave up six runs in seven innings and lost at home for the first time this season.

"They [the Rangers] have always been a good-hitting ball club," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "They've been good the last three days."

Newberg Report on the man behind the beard …

Rheinecker needed only 94 pitches to get through eight innings yesterday, giving up two second-inning runs and nothing more, working at a swift, Buehrle-esque pace. In the 20.1 innings Rheinecker has contributed in his three Ranger starts, he's walked one batter and set 13 down on strikes. He has a phenomenal ratio of 36 groundouts to 13 flyouts (2.77). He's needed just 13.7 pitches per inning, which would be the third most efficient rate in the game (next to Roy Halladay and Brandon Webb) if he had enough innings to qualify.

Fluky? Rheinecker's groundball-to-flyball ratio in nine Oklahoma starts this spring was 2.79. He fanned 38 batters in 49.2 innings, walking 11. In his final seven AAA starts, his ERA was 1.80. As a Ranger, it's 1.77.

In his three big league starts, Rheinecker is holding batters to a line of .234/.263/.325.

He's the only Rangers starter to go eight innings in consecutive starts this year.

Just as Koronka has, Rheinecker will have his struggles. But it's looking very good for now.

Well, if the Mavericks were dead, we would turn this thing into World Cup central. But, you know I am not going to forget about the single biggest sporting event on the planet which sits just 4 days away…

The Full World Cup TV Schedule ….

The Official World Cup website …

Team USA lands in Germany, ready to play ….Let’s hope so….

what a goofy goal! …

The Boys blog on Parcells on Friday …

A good p1 Has a NY Mets Blog for you to check out …

The Daily Show busts NBC producer over stolen material ….

Bob Sapp - Mike Tyson Showdown …

Rick Monday saves the flag video …

Lost meets Queen video …Pretty amusing…

Also, the NHL Finals start tonight, and as weird as it seems, I am pulling for Edmonton in 6…

Finally, here are two emails from P1’s who need our help…The first from a P1 who has had a massive heart attack:

Bob and Dan,
I am what you call a Dirty Year One P1. Sometime e-mailer to BaD Radio but all the time daily listener to all Ticket programming.

I realize The Little Ticket owes me nothing but I also recognize that my way in this world is through The Hardline and yes I do feel Rhynes Power. In fact I feel the power of the entire Ticket line up and that’s what I would like to call on now.

My friend and business associate Dani (Donny) Dooley is a 34 yr. old husband and father of two who suffered a massive heart attack after an adult league Hockey game a little more than 2 weeks ago. The recovery is slow and he requires constant attention and monitoring. This is where The Ticket can help by getting this message out or by getting it to the right people. You'll see what I mean if you'll read a copy of the document I received below.

Thank you,
Keith Murphy

DANI DOOLEY RECOVERY TRUST FUND

Dani Dooley, age 34, suffered a massive heart attack on May 13, 2006. Dani and his wife, Karen, have 2 young boys, Cameron, age 4, and Guerin, age 9 months.

Dani had just finished his last hockey game of the season and was walking out to his car with his family when he collapsed in the parking lot into cardiac arrest. Some quick work by bystanders and the paramedics saved his life. At the present time, Dani is in daily rehab at the hospital. He has suffered major damage to his heart and has short term memory loss. The next few months of rehab and observation will determine his long term prognosis.

Dani and Karen are just beginning to learn what it means to survive a major cardiac event. In the meantime, Dani and his family still need to pay the bills. A trust fund for this purpose has been established for those who want to help this young family.

Please donate by sending your checks payable to the:

DANI DOOLEY RECOVERY TRUST FUND
Acct. # 0100572081
VIEWPOINT BANK
PO BOX 869105
PLANO, TX 75086-9708

Or you can visit www.viewpointbank.com to find the branch nearest you.
Thank you for your prayers and your support of the Dooley's and may God bless you all

The second is even worse: He died, and his family needs our help:

Bob,
Ok, I already feel bad for writing you about this, but this is not for me, it's for my best friend who passed away. You will not hurt my feelings if you hit the "delete" key right not b/c I'm sure you get stuff like this all the time. If not read on. Also, if you'd like to pass this along to the other hosts that wouldn't suck either.

Thanks,
P1 Jaime

Hello everyone,

As many of you know, one of my best friends, Allen Ferrill was killed in a motorcycle accident back in April. The reason for this email is to let you know about what we are doing for his wife and two kids.

I had known Allen for over 15 years meeting him in college where he was my little brother in our fraternity. Over the years, I worked with Allen, I stood in his wedding and I shared many real life experiences with him and his family. He was an incredible athlete, a fierce competitor, a great father /husband and a true friend to me and my family. I have missed him dearly but I know that it was God's plan and I'm just glad to have known him for as long as I did. Allen is survived by his wife Sondra and his two boys, Drake ( 3 years old ) and Dirk ( 3 months old ). I have attached a family photo as well.

Unfortunately, Allen did not have a life insurance policy at the time of his death. And as a result, we are having a golf tournament on June 6th to raise money for Sondra, Drake and Dirk.

I am asking you to sponsor me by either donating a flat amount (even $10 would be great) or pledging a dollar amount per hole. We are playing 50 holes so $1 per hole would equal $50.

I am not collecting any money myself. Instead, we have contracted a company that specializes in events like this. If you would like to sponsor me, all you have to do is click on the following link an follow the instructions on the page:

Pledge Here

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 972-567-3167.
Thank you for your support and God bless,
Jaime

I hate to bring the room down, but please consider helping out either or both of these situations if you have the means…

Game 6: Mavs 102, Suns 93 (Mavs win 4-2)

Going boldly where no Mavs team has gone before! Ladies and Gentlemen, prepare because the NBA Finals are coming to your town. For years, you have been bold enough to even dream about this happening, well, the Dallas Mavericks are the Best in the West. They cannot take that away from you after a stunning Game 6 performance that is also worthy of “Do Not Delete” status on your Tivo. Gritty, Gutty, and determined to get a win: The Avery Johnson Mavericks are not the Mavericks of old.

Please, for a day at least, soak this one in. You have the Mavericks winning their 3rd round of the NBA Playoffs, with only 1 game this entire run that was “do or die”. I am not saying this has been easy, because my blood pressure says otherwise, but it has been done without the aid of miracles. This is just a real freaking good basketball team. So, before you look ahead to a daunting task of taking on the Miami Heat, please remember to enjoy the trip. I understand that “it don’t mean a thing if you don’t have that ring”, but we can talk about that in a few days. For now, enjoy the journey!

Enjoy the fact that many of you thought their goose was cooked last night at 60-45 with 6:30 left in the 3rd Quarter. That of course, was when the Suns looked to be running away, and the Mavs still looked a bit clueless on offense. But guess who was there to take over after a real poor first half? Let me help you: Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry, who combined for 5 points in the first half (all for Dirk), scored 21 points in a row to put the Mavs down 66-64. Everyone played Defense, but those two did the heavy lifting during that run. Thanks for the help boys, because Josh Howard was tired of covering for you.

Here are some Quick Hits to round up the Western Conference Finals:

• Ok, Steve Nash is a great player. I don’t doubt that. What I do doubt is that his body can handle the meat grinder that is the playoffs. It is too much. We saw it spring after spring, and when I saw him make brain dead plays in the 4th quarter last night when his team could least afford it, including two drives to the basket where it looks like he just dropped the ball along the way, it again occurred to me why the Mavericks would not be where they are if he was still their point guard. He was exhausted again. Those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it, right? Well, Mark Cuban must have learned. Nash can’t play this time of year any better than a goalie in hockey who doesn’t win in the playoffs, and as much as you love him, it is hard seeing this problem get better as he looks ahead to the twilight of his career. It happens every spring.

• Jerry Stackhouse has taken his share of abuse. I hope those of you in the Stack-haters club would at least give him your best today. Dude was great last night on both ends of the court. In the 3rd when the Mavericks made their run, his hands were causing steals on defense which is a rarity. Understand that this is a guy finding new depths to dig because he never thought he would get a ring. He can now smell it.

• I am only going to say this one last time: When I originally claimed that Josh Howard was the 2nd best player on this team, I was widely ridiculed. I received email that suggested I go get tests done by a physician. I just am not receiving those emails anymore and I wondered if something was wrong on my end. What a stud. What a player that you can always count on in the toughest situations (provided he is not in foul trouble). I promised not to look ahead, right? Well, I think he is your best option against Wade.

• Mark Cuban, the master of comedy, scored high again as he conducted an interview with a trophy on his head. Well done, Cubes. Seriously, be as goofy as you want because this franchise is nowhere close to this if you are not the owner. I hope everyone understands that.

• Shawn Marion: Not half the player I thought he was. I am sure he will be better next year when Amare and Diaw are getting guarded by the 2 best front court players and Marion gets whoever is left, but I am amazed at how spare he seemed in these games.

• I must agree with Barkley on something: I thought the refs were out of their minds last night for calling that game as close as they did. I understand wanting to get the attention of the players, but at some point, let’s not let this turn into the Bernie Fryer show. Geez, bro, the foul trouble on both sides was absurd.

• Did Devin Harris not play in the 2nd half or did my eyes deceive me? Also, did Marquis Daniels play exactly as much as Devin Harris did? And the Mavericks won?

• I hope Erick Dampier is well rested and well focused.

• I thought TNT was a bit Pro-Suns last night. Of course, I think this blog has been pretty Pro-Mavs most of the way, too.

• This morning, the Phoenix paper was quick to point out that everything went perfectly in these playoffs until Raja got hurt. I swear, this guy doesn’t need an agent anymore.

• This is stolen from Bill Simmons, but I want to use it anyway: The Closer and Saved both start June 12 on TNT, in case you didn’t know.

• Dallas scored 14 points in the 1st Quarter. Seriously. Isn’t it awesome that this team can win like this on the road without shooting well? It is just like the Bulls and the Spurs do it. Grind it out with great defensive efforts. Wear the home team and their crowd right out with getting stops. I love it.

• KVH = 4 minutes. Perfect.

• This won’t go down as one of Dirk’s greatest games, but I thought he was driving this bus in the 2nd half. What great drives to the hoop and what killer jumpers when it mattered most.

• 4 More to go. Seriously. You are not being pranked. The little, cute Mavericks, the team in Dallas that you dared to never dream could win it all are now just 4 wins away. With home court advantage in the NBA Finals. Remember, it goes 2-3-2 now. So, win both of the first two, please.

Game 6 Thread

If you are a girl who listens to our show, and you have a sign like this, that you get photographed with at Game 5, then I will post it before Game 6.

Check out Bill Simmons Praise Dirk Here ...

Phinish Phoenix!

Game 5: Mavs 117, Suns 101, Dirk 50 (3-2)

Taking control of a game. That is what we have wanted Dirk to do for years, and now that he is doing it routinely here in the playoffs, it is still hard to believe. I have already said he is “all growns up” and I have already said he is a superstar now. What do you say when he gets 50 and just invites the Mavericks to hop on his back in the 4th Quarter of a most crucial game in the Western Conference Finals? You just enjoy it. And move it to the sacred “Do not Delete” status on your Tivo. Wow.

So, now we must ask the question once again: Can this team deal with prosperity and close this thing out in 6 on Saturday Night? Or, will they let down their guard, and invite the Suns right back into the series for a 1 game showdown on Monday Night. Surely, they have learned their lesson and will go for this kill in 36 hours. Right?

And now, the exclusive blog quick hits from the dramatic Game 6:

• Let me stop everyone before they make the statements that “the Mavs have figured out the Suns” and that “the Suns are tired”. You cannot fall into that trap again of declaring this series over until you put that stake right through their heart. It is not the first team to 3, it is the first to 4. Finish Them!

• At 77-70, I must admit: My head was pounding, my pulse was racing, and I was beginning to ponder what window I was about to jump out of. At 77-70 Suns, I momentarily began to wonder if the Mavs dream was about to end. Never have I been more pleased to be so wrong.

• At 77-70, Dirk had 21 points. In the final 15:15, Dirk scored 29 points! The Mavericks scored 47 to the Suns 24. And Dirk had 29! Are you kidding me? That, my fellow basketball supporters, is a timeless classic. Down 7, your superstar outscored the opposition 29-24 over the final 15 minutes. HE IS ALL GROWNS UP!

• I get plenty of emails about Tim Thomas and my role in calling him a spare which would then reverse his mojo and make him a star. I take none of it back. He scored the basket that put the Suns up 77-70…and never scored another point. That is clutch. And let’s not forget what happened after he got cocky, blew Dirk a kiss, and called him a “P”. Hey, Tim, act like you have done it before since you have been in the NBA 9 years and have enjoyed a Max-out contract. Oh, wait. That was the best night of his career. Sorry, Tim. You haven’t been there before have you. Spare.

• Certainly, Josh Howard had another great performance. Despite battling foul trouble all night, he made many key plays and kept his 20 point record alive. Evidently, it wasn’t the braces that were making him great.

• Dave in Carrolton writes: bobsturmshow, can we get a new powerdown song...HERE HE IS THE POWERDOWN...KEITH VAN HORN! each lead blown as soon as van horn hit the floor. what a spare! please have ty walker dub his voice in for the "keith van horn" part of the powerdown ...radio gold!? I think I might steal that, Dave.

• To make the claim that Steve Nash is tired is dangerous. But, he looks like he could use a day off. There are none upcoming, Steve, until you lose a 4th game. Then, you shall enjoy many days off. Not a bad trade off, right?

• In the first Quarter, the Mavericks took pretty good control of the game, and once again, it was that new player from Cleveland leading the charge. Diop does it again. I really think you have to set the tone with him, and play him plenty. You have to keep him out of foul trouble, but with Steve Nash and Barbosa, and Diow all driving to the rim when he is on the bench, he has to play. The game changes when he is out there.

• This series needs to end. The stress level of playing the Suns is really uncomfortable. I have no idea why playing the Spurs seemed so much easier than this, but I will admit the Suns have the ability to make you scramble and when you scramble you leave something open. I like watching their scheme, but I refuse to believe you can beat good teams in a 7 game series with that style. The Mavericks are that good team. Finish Them.

• Did Raja Bell play? Yes. His technical foul certainly had affected the game. Somewhere, Willis Reed is proud.

• Jason Terry is still strug-gel-ling…When the rest of the team picks him up, it doesn’t look so bad, but he has picked a pretty poor time for a slump. But, how about 9 assists?

• Did you see the Suns owner mock Dirk last night? Go back to 7:09 in the 4th Quarter, and watch Dirk drive the lane and get fouled. Then, watch the first row under the basket as the guy in the Orange suit gets up and mocks the Big German. I am pretty sure if Mark Cuban did something like that the cameras might have caught it, but you have to look closely to see their guy. I guess there is a good reason for that, but you will enjoy seeing his display if you go look for it. Thank me later.

• Finish those clowns. Let’s knock the Magic Number down to 4 on Saturday Night.

ReDIRKulous

Dirk 50. Mavs win.

Ice Cream headache left at about 10:00. Thank you, Big Man.

Lead Us To Victory, Dirk.

It is the refrain of teams who need wins when they have the luxury of having a Superstar. Sure, everyone needs to play well, and sure, this is a team game, but, big man, this is why we pay you what we pay you, and promote you like we promote you. This is why #41 is the most popular jersey in any sport in this city. This is why we flew in David Hasselhoff.

Never have the Mavericks needed Dirk to be Dirk like they do tonight …At least since last time we said this, the night of Game 7 last series…

"How many nights is our main scoring threat going to be 3-for-13?" Jerry Stackhouse said. "I don't think that's going to happen [again]. He's proven that."
Nowitzki said the Mavericks have to remain calm in this situation. And he knows it starts with him.

"I gotta come out a lot better in Game 5," Nowitzki said. "The series is tied. It's not time to panic. We just have to win two games. I don't feel the pressure that I have to score 30 for us to win every night. We're a balanced team."

Perhaps. But often it's Nowitzki who can tip the scale in the Mavericks' favor.
The first order of business is to get back on the boards. Nowitzki was averaging 17.2 rebounds in the five games before the 106-86 blowout loss. He'd been going to the offensive glass – even against the fast-breaking Suns – to the tune of 5.3 per game in the first three matches of the series.

"Hey, when they put a small guy on me like they've been doing, I have to be active and get my hands on the ball any way I can," Nowitzki said. "It's not really any different mindset for me.

"If the ball's in the air, I have to go for it. It's like that with the whole series. Nothing's going to be given to you. We're going to have to go out, be strong and take it."

Be strong and take it. Hard to think of any better advice for Game 5.

Koronka gets shelled, but the Rangers beat Oakland 3 out of 4, and Seattle 2 out of 3 ….That will help you win a bad division…

Meanwhile, in a rather shocking move, The Rangers appear to trade Phil Nevin just to trade him …sure they get Jerry Hairston, Jr, back, but something tells me this is far more about Nevin, Jason Botts, and cash…Here is some Chicago perspective of Mr. Nevin:

"I completely look forward to being in Chicago," Nevin said. "(The Rangers) honestly helped me out quite a bit. ... I will take nothing but positives from here. Nothing bad happened."

The 35-year-old Nevin wasn't happy when he was traded from San Diego.

"The last time I was traded, it was a different emotion," he said. "I was leaving a place I had been at for a long time."

Nevin, 35, is hitting .216 with nine home runs and 31 RBIs for the Rangers. He opened the season as Texas' cleanup hitter but had fallen out of favor with manager Buck Showalter, who has been using rookie Jason Botts as part of a designated-hitter platoon with Nevin.

"I'm more of a National League player. The designated hitter deal is not something I like doing every day," Nevin said. "My first reaction was the tradition of Wrigley Field -- it's probably one of my favorite places to visit."

Nevin has been unable to pull himself out of a month-long slump. He hit .278 with seven homers in April but is batting only .139 with two homers in 79 at-bats in May.

"The way Phil played out of the gate in April, he probably would have been impossible to acquire in a trade like this," Hendry said.

Cowboys cut Kalen Thornton …And I didn’t lead with it…

Edmonton is already trashing itself …despite still being 4 wins from a Cup…Ah, Canadians…

Outside the airport terminal, where the Oilers' charter flight returned, RCMP officers kept watch over hundreds of fans, spread out over a kilometer. Their cars were parked on grass fields, ditches and wherever else they could find room.
But on Whyte Avenue -- Edmonton's main hockey party strip, also known as the Blue Mile -- workers had to clean up after a night of hard partying turned to vandalism.

"I'm very disappointed that people in our city would act like that," Mayor Stephen Mandel told CTV News.

"It's really quite disgusting to see someone not being able to control themselves. It's a hockey game, it's not life or death."

While most of the 30,000 fans flooding into the area were well-behaved, things started deteriorating quickly as the night dragged on, CTV's Erin Isfeld Isfeld said early Sunday.

"We're definitely on the verge of a riot right now," she said at one point. "For the last three hours, we've had fires being set in the middle of Whyte Avenue ... anything and everything that will burn. They're throwing their clothes on them."
Firefighters doused the fires -- and the crowds -- from rooftops. Eventually, police in riot control gear escorted them to put out some of the small fires, she said.
Around 3:30 a.m. local time, Edmonton police -- buttressed by reinforcements from the city of Camrose and RCMP from around the province -- pushed the crowd off Whyte Avenue, Isfeld said. "They essentially forced them to go home."

In the end, 15 people were arrested. Supt. Mark Logar called the behaviour of some fans "totally inexcusable."

Our buddy’s big day is today: Spell Well, Samir Patel …

Samir Patel of Colleyville soared through the opening three rounds of the 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee on Wednesday and remained a strong favorite to win the prestigious educational competition before a prime-time television audience Thursday night.

With his parents, Sudhir and Jyoti Patel, seated in the front row, the 12-year-old contender successfully spelled "grandrelle," a two-ply yarn made by twisting together two singles of contrasting color, to advance to the fourth round later in the day.

Earlier, he easily conquered "adiaphorism," which means tolerance of actions or beliefs not specifically prohibited in the Scriptures.

"I just wanted to get my word and get it over,” said Patel, who tied for second place in last year’s contest. "In 40 hours, it’ll all be over and it’ll all be done.”

This Cop doesn’t know the anthem very well …

Did you listen to the Hardline last night? Who is Jim Goldstein? …



Rusty pulls the shocker …

The impossible to believe story of Chris Berman’s lovelife …

Sorry, kids. All blogging done last night as the dentist is killing me again. My teeth and my hair listed as weaknesses on my scouting report.