Stars-Kings live running blog

Gonna try something tonight that I haven't done since the 2005 NFL conference championship games... I'll be liveblogging this evenings Stars-Kings game, so feel free to follow along with my commentary here.

Kings win, 3-2
7:57pm PT

Stars pulled the goalie but couldn't even manage a shot on goal. The Kings played well, but the Stars dug themselves too deep a hole with so many penalties. Dallas crushed the Kings in PIM (which means nothing except Dallas played extremely undisciplined tonight), 18-10. No, that's not a massive amount of penalty minutes, but late in the first period and in the early second period, each time one Kings power play would end, another would start up.

Final score:
Los Angeles - 3
Dallas - 2

This team is in trouble. Oh, and if you could just ignore that prediction of mine, that'd be great.

Marty the wall
7:47pm PT

Toby Petersen turns the puck over with just under 7:00 to go in the third period, but Marty Turco stones Brian Boyle's shot to keep the Kings lead at 1. Kings going on the power play now after a tripping call on Mark Parrish.

UPDATE: Stars kill it off. Penalty kill clicking, and Marty is coming up big.

Offense looking consistent
7:36pm PT

The Stars have been putting pressure on the Kings defense so far in the third period. Much more so than in their match up on Tuesday. If the can keep this pressure up, it's only a matter of time before something gets behind Ersberg.

Stars will win
7:20pm PT

We're in the second intermission with Dallas trailing Los Angeles, 3-2. With goals by both Richards and Ribeiro - the two guys who are - or in theory should be the offense, the Stars need to find a way to limit all the penalties they've been taking. You can argue if they don't take some of those penalties, the Kings would have scored. Only problem is the Kings did anyway.

But I'm declaring it right now (taking a time out from the journalistic perspective of this blogger, and for right now I'm speaking as a fan)... The Stars will win this game. This is going to be one of those "defining games" that a team can build upon for the next few weeks. With this comeback tonight, after so many early struggles, the Stars will use this win as a springboard to put their season back on track.

Of course, if I'm wrong, let's just ignore I said all that. I believe it. But I might have to eat those words.

Richards, Ribeiro team up for goal
6:59pm PT

Stars actually on the other side of all these penalty kills. Richards puts hard-angle shot on net and it looks like it went off Ribeiro past Ersberg for the Stars second goal of the night. This might actually not be the blood bath it was looking like.

3-2, Kings.

Kings back on power play 2.0
6:46pm PT

Stephane Robidas for tripping.  The Stars are just flat out shooting themselves in the foot while the Kings continue to shoot themselves silly at the Stars' net.

UPDATE: Hey, what do you know. The Stars killed a power play. even had a chance for a shorthanded goal in the process.

Kings back on power play
6:42pm PT

That was fast.  Tripping on Ribeiro.  This is the fifth time Dallas is shorthanded. ... And now it's a 5-on-3 thanks to a Toby Petersen hi-sticking. Could this be ANOTHER Kings goal coming up?

And another Kings goal
6:39pm PT

Kyle Quincey slung it past Turco.  Now 3-1, Kings.  This is really getting ugly early.  So much for any Dallas momentum.



Another Dallas penalty

6:36pm PT

Stephane Robidas had to take this hooking to prevent a breakaway goal by Dustin Brown.  Let's hope the Kings don't have similar results as last time.

Stars on the board
6:18pm PT

It happened on a 5-on-3 power play, but Dallas got on the board.  Morrow to Zubov to Richards to the back of the net.  A great one-timer from Brad Richards that may have been deflected by one of the Kings defensemen.  Someone write the Kings a thank you note for the pair of interference calls that put Dallas two men up.

That goal wraps up the first period.  Stars take a little momentum into the intermission.  They'll have a little over a minute left on a power play when they take the ice for Period #2.  Ideally the Stars can take advantage of some additional power play time, unlike the end of Tuesday's game.

Kings lead, 2-1.

Another LA goal

This time it's Alexander Frolov.  Lots of traffic in front of the net and there were a pair of Kings that could have put that one away.  This could get ugly.

2-0 Kings.

Avery to the box, Kings on the board

Sean Avery tripped Kings goalie Erik Ersberg leading to an LA power play. Kings' Michal Handzus quickly buries the puck in the back of the net.

Avery might not have been trying to trip the goalie, but his reputation will always work against him in that situation. No surprise he went to the box, and the no surprise the Stars shaking penalty-kill surrenders the first goal.

1-0 Kings midway through the first period.

King me! Stars lose in LA, 3-2 (SO)

First, before I say anything - positive or negative - about the Stars loss in Los Angeles on Tuesday, you are required to watch the goal Mike Ribeiro scored in the shootout. Note: you'll probably end up watching it more than once.

Okay, breathe.

But seriously, can I really be upset with the Stars tonight after being on hand at Staples Center to witness such a great goal? It's not just that Ribeiro made a great backward-between-the-legs-drag-the-puck-a-la-Jussi-Jokinen move. The remarkable thing is that he did so after just minutes earlier leaving a pool of his blood on the ice after being run into the boards by Dustin Brown. And then he shhh-ed 'em all. Classic.

So, to answer my question... can I really be upset with the Stars tonight after that goal? Unfortunately, yes.

Defensively, the Stars were already feeling the upcoming holiday season. It was a time for giving, and Boucher, Daley and Peterson gave plenty back to the Kings. Heck, at one point early in the third period, Toby Peterson looked like he forgot how to skate, fell down, and Marty Turco bailed him out with a great save. What was this team doing?

It seemed like each time Dallas got the puck into the offensive zone, they were good for one shot before the Kings were off and running the other direction. Los Angeles then sustained constant offensive pressure, putting multiple shots on net with each scoring chance. When Dallas did put shots on net, they never forced Kings goalie Erik Ersberg to make great saves. Routine shot after routine shot, Ersberg turned Dallas back.

With the game tied, 2-2, late in the third period, Kings captain Dustin Brown put a rough hit on Ribeiro, sending him into the boards and *seemingly* knocking him out of the game. But what happened next continues to boggle my hockey mind.

The two captains, Brown and Brenden Morrow locked up in the game's only real fight. Morrow was clearly coming to the defense of his fallen teammate as Ribeiro remained on the ice, clutching his face for the duration of the fight. Somehow the referees decided that Morrow deserved to be hit with an instigator, five minute fighting major, ten minute misconduct and automatic one-game suspension. Quoi? The dude just saw his teammate obliterated into the boards, sparking the fight.

Here's the sequence:


It seems that after the hit on Ribeiro, Brown throws the gloves off first which makes it odd that Morrow got tagged with the instigator penalty. And with all the hubbub that comes with an instigator in the final five minutes, this is absolutely ridiculous. Morrow, coming to the defense of a teammate, is now facing a suspension and his coach facing a $10,000 fine?! Can someone explain the logic here, please?

I realize you don't want goons jumping players in the final minutes of blowouts, but can't that be something the league can determine on a case-by-case basis? Even the No Fun League rescinded a fine it levied this week once it really took a hard look at the play and realized the set punishment was wrong.

UPDATE:

The NHL has rescinded both the one-game suspension for Morrow as well as the fine for Tip. (STORY) Good call. Again, the fight was merely the result of a captain defending his team's best offensive weapon.

After the Morrow-Brown fracas, the Stars were awarded a three-minute power play which included the final minute of regulation and the first two minutes of overtime. Yet the Stars couldn't capitalize. So losing in a shootout, I can live with. But losing in a shootout after not being able to capitalize on a great man-advantage opportunity in OT, that's much harder to stomach.

On the positive side, the Stars left the West Coast with 3 points, which is where I pegged them before their trip to California. I just figured they would be able to earn 2 points against the Kings. After Dallas clobbered the Ducks on Friday, I had high hopes for this California road trip, but after Marty gave away a point in San Jose, Dallas was brought plummeting back to the reality that this team is severely underachieving this season.

Let the case be made for why and how to blow up this team, but the talent is absolutely there for Dallas to make another deep playoff run. Last year, if you remember, the magic didn't start until the mid-season shake up of firing GM Doug Armstrong. Don't expect the Les Jackson/Brett Hull regime to end any time soon. But what of Dave Tippett? And if he goes, who coaches this mess?

Dallas needs to rebound in a big way when they face this Kings team in two days on home ice. Without Morrow. But can they be the team they used to be? Or is the simple answer that this team overachieved last April?

Help me, Tony Wan Kenobi, you're our only hope

While watching the Giants-Eagles game on Sunday night, this promo for next Sunday night's game not only caught my attention, but made me remember why I love football...

(don't know why I couldn't upload them directly to the blog this time, but no worries thanks to the magic of YouTube)



Great new Coors light commercial with more sidelines nonsense from Brian Billick

How USC can still make the BCS Championship

Let the college football world scoff at USC's 17-3 win over Cal at the Coliseum this weekend. Coach Carroll isn't trying to impress anyone. The only problem is he really needs to if the Trojans are going to gain ground in a tight BCS race with only four weeks of football left before bowl season.

When a team from the SEC wins 17-3, it's a defensive struggle. Real, old-school, hard-nosed football. The way the game was meant to be played. If it's a Pac-10 team that wins 17-3, it's offensively offensive. Ugly. But don't ask Pete Carroll about style points.

The Trojans defense once again held their opponent without a touchdown - the fifth time they've done so this season - and improved their defensive points-per-game average to 6.0. Six?! With that kind of defense, you can win some football games.

Speaking of the number 6, that's now USC's place in the latest BCS rankings (one spot lower than they were on Oct. 19 when the initial BCS rankings came out). While the Trojans are not technically in the drivers seat in the Pac-10 (and they zero help from less-than-useless UCLA against Oregon State), their national championship hopes are currently being gashed by a slew of teams - most of which are from the same division - who refuse to lose, even to each other.

As the college football season dwindles down, the USC Trojans' slim chance of making the BCS Championship gained a sliver of hope with Penn State's loss to Iowa. One BCS trend remains: late season losses means less likeliness of a title game berth.

The current BCS rankings now have:
1. Alabama
2. Texas Tech
3. Texas
4. Florida
5. Oklahoma
6. USC
7. Utah
8. Penn State
9. Boise State
10. Georgia

So how can USC reach one of those all-important top two spots in the BCS?

Well, let's look at the remaining schedules of the teams ahead of USC and find out what, if any, hope the Trojans have.

Alabama
11/15 - Mississippi State
11/29 - Auburn
12/6 - vs. No. 4 Florida

After killing Mississippi State, Bama plays Auburn in a tough rivalry game, but with the game at Alabama, I have to assume the Tide rolls. That leaves only a match up with No. 4 Florida in the SEC Championship, where a win would put either team in the BCS Championship game.

Texas Tech
11/22 - @ No. 5 Oklahoma
11/29 - Baylor

If the Red Raiders beat Oklahoma in Norman, a rare accomplishment for any Big XII team, all they will have to do is dollop the icing on their BCS cake with a win in Lubbock over Baylor. Beat OU, and Tech can book their plane tickets. Lose to OU, and doesn't that open the door for the Sooners before the Trojans? Yes, there will be the formality of the Big XII Championship game in cold, cold Kansas City against an angry Missouri team, but Tech already beat them 56-31. While that game will be much closer to Tiger territory, a Tech loss would only muddy the BCS waters instead of clearing a path for USC.

Texas
11/15 - @ Kansas
11/27 - Texas A&M

This isn't last year's Jayhawks. With Kansas no longer among the nation's Top 25 teams, Texas has no more ranked teams to impress pollsters. The Longhorns nearly survived the toughest stretch of a schedule (facing #6, #11, #6 and #7 in back-to-back-to-back-to-back weeks), losing to Tech in Lubbock. A Texas loss gives USC room to move up, but if Texas wins out, they still would finish ahead of USC in the BCS, and rightfully so. The lone Texas loss was to the now-No. 2 team in the nation.

Florida
11/15 - No. 25 South Carolina
11/22 - Citadel
11/29 - @ No. 19 Florida State
12/6 - vs. No. 1 Alabama

The Gators have one of the tougher finishes to their regular season. Still two regular-season ranked opponents before a conference title game with No. 1 Alabama. While Florida is currently playing some of the best football in the nation (they've blown out then-No. 4 LSU and then-No. 6 Georgia this year), if they falter against "other USC" or FSU and then beat Alabama to win the SEC, that would most likely eliminate all SEC teams from a BCS title berth. It's not likely, but possible.

Oklahoma
11/22 - No. 2 Texas Tech
11/29 - @ No. 13 Oklahoma State

The Sooner can catapult themselves right back into the thick of things with a home win over the Red Raiders in two weeks. Both teams have an off week to prepare for the game. OU can cause problems for the Big XII by beating Tech to create a three-way tie between OU, Tech and Texas for the Big XII South title. With three one-loss teams, all losing to each other, and all currently ahead of the Trojans, that still doesn't open the doors for USC. Okie State will give the Sooners their toughest test in this rivalry in recent memory. An OSU wins would have major ramifications for the Trojans waiting in the wings.

USC
11/15 - @ Stanford
11/29 - Notre Dame
12/6 - @ UCLA

Two winnable Pac-10 games left, both on the road. A home game in the school's second-biggest rivalry against the Fighting Irish. USC needs to win out and win big. While Coach Carroll has said he doesn't want to play for style points, three big blow outs to end the season can't hurt his squad. If USC runs the table to go 11-1, here's what they'd "realistically" need to happen to get into the BCS Championship...

11/15
No. 1 Alabama beats Mississippi State
Kansas beats No. 3 Texas
No. 4 Florida beats No. 25 South Carolina
No. 6 USC beats Stanford

RESULTS: Kansas win over Texas gives Longhorns a second loss, ending their run at a national title and dropping them below USC.
1. Alabama
2. Texas Tech
3. Florida
4. Oklahoma
5. USC

11/22
No. 2 Texas Tech beats No. 5 Oklahoma
No. 3 Florida beats Citadel

RESULTS: Oklahoma earns its second loss of the year, effectively eliminating the Sooners from national championship contention. The top of the BCS would look as follows:
1. Alabama
2. Texas Tech**
3. Florida
4. USC
**(slight chance Tech could jump Bama with big win @OU, but it's still meaningless as long as you're in the top 2)

11/27
Texas vs. Texas A&M no long has any bearing on National Championship picture

11/29
No. 1 Alabama beats Auburn
No. 2 Texas Tech beats Baylor
Florida State beats No. 3 Florida
No. 4 USC beats Notre Dame
Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State no longer matters as each team would have two losses

RESULTS: The biggest piece of USC's championship puzzle desperately depends on Florida losing a game between now, the second weekend of November, and the SEC Championship game. If a two-loss Florida team makes it to the SEC championship, the Trojans are in business. Alabama is playing well enough to not get tripped up, even by a big rivalry game. The BCS standings would now appear:
No. 1 Alabama
No. 2 Texas Tech
No. 3 USC

12/6
SEC Championship: Florida beats No. 1 Alabama
Big XII Championship: No. 2 Texas Tech beats Missouri
No. 3 USC beats UCLA

RESULTS: Tech wraps up the Big XII in a nice and neat fashion, leaving no doubt who should be in a BCS Bowl (unlike last year when OU beat Missouri to earn a BCS Bowl bid and bouncing 1-loss Mizzou from the BCS all together). Florida wins the SEC, and Alabama is ousted from title-game contention (unless they earn a spot like Oklahoma in '03, which went to the BCS Championship game over USC despite not winning their own conference). USC would then be the effective "last man standing" to face off against Texas Tech in the BCS Championship.

It's not simple, and it's not probable, but the Trojans still cling the life in the BCS. If it's going to happen, that's how it'll go down. If not, USC can take solace that they will probably find themselves playing in another Rose Bowl, their seventh straight BCS Bowl appearance. Oh, what a pitty.

Maddening Mavericks

With the Dallas Mavericks in town Sunday to play the Clippers, I thought it would be fun to see a Mavs game - and most likely a Mavs win - for the first time this 2008-09 season. Despite Josh Howard not playing due to a wrist injury, the Mavericks roster is talented enough to nab a win from the lowly, winless Clippers.

Um, no?

The Mavericks ole defense and shaky shooting once again put this team in a deep hole. Despite their best efforts to come back (the Mavs tied the game, 79-79 in the fourth quarter), the Clippers reeled off 13 points and sealed the 103-92 win.

Cue Charles Barkley.

"It was turrible."

Oh, wait, nevermind, because Barkley and the TNT guys only carry the good games. This afternoon affair was anything but. After the loss, Dirk Nowitzki questioned his team's effort, something Mavs fans haven't really heard before from the Big German.

Perhaps the Mavericks must accept the fact that Baron Davis will always hold a mental edge over this team after leading the Warriors past Dallas in the '07 playoffs. But his 22 points, 10 assist effort wasn't the only reason for the Mavs loss at Staples Center. No. How about giving up 10 points to Chris Kaman, or allowing Paul Davis to score 10, or Eric Gordon 11? Six Clippers finished in double-figures.

A few other thoughts from an afternoon watching the Mavs get clipped to fall to 2-4:

Why can't this team shoot a 3-pointer anymore? Did the Mavericks used to be a team that could really make you pay from beyond the arc? Now this team strikes a dagger only in their own hearts when they jack up misguided long-balls. Not only did Dallas go 3-18 on 3-pointers on Sunday (including 1-of-7 by Dirk), but they couldn't defend the 3 either. The Clippers - I repeat, Clippers - went 9-of-20 for 45.0% from 3-point land. If Dallas is going to legitimately contend in the West - something which is still very much in doubt at this point of the season - perimeter defense will have to at least be moderate to good. Hell, I woulda taken average yesterday. The Mavs didn't have it.

When Jerry Stackhouse got into the game, he looked old and worn down. While Stack finished with 10 points on a 5-of-9 night, it's very clear just how old this team's core is when watching these guys out there. Stackhouse played 24 minutes, a number that would not nearly be as high if Josh Howard had been active. He's really helped out this team since his arrival a few years ago, and he was absolutely an important cog when this team went to the 2006 Finals, but he so far past his prime, he might not remember it.

It's not all bad news though. The Mavericks appear to have made another "Brandon Bass 2007-08" discovery in Gerald Green. Remember a few years back when the Mavs had a great influx of youth with Howard, Marquise Daniels and Devin Harris? Gerald Green could well be the face of the next Mavs youth movement. After a strong 4th quarter performance against Denver, Green started Sunday in place of Howard, scoring 13 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.

One other, slightly sobering note as I saw my first Mavericks game of the season in person. While watching the game, I saw one Mavericks player get up from the bench, take off his warm ups, and go to the scorers table to get ready to go in. The number on the back of his jersey was a big, bold "4" but seeing the last name "Williams" looked disgustingly out of place. Nothing against Shawne Williams, but it still seems too soon to have Michael Finley's #4 on someone else's back. I don't know if Finley will have his name in the rafters of the AAC some day - sadly, probably not. While he wasn't on the team that went to the finals in 2006, he was absolutely one of the guys that got Dallas that far, helping to build this team from the ashes into a power house.

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Life behind the bench

I'd say I've been to more Dallas Mavericks games than any other pro sports team in my life (yes, including the Cowboys), but yesterday was the first time I've ever sat behind the bench. Like two rows behind the bench. Listening in on the huddle behind the bench. It was unreal. (mad props to Lisa for the ticket hook up)

Sitting right in front of me was Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. He is one of the greatest owner in sports. I still can't decide if he passes Jerry Jones on my list but it's a power struggle between those two (sorry, Tom Hicks, you've got some work to do). Jerry does have 3 championships. But yesterday I witnessed a very gracious Mark Cuban taking pictures with fans and signing autographs (on my hat) before the game. He didn't really have a ticket for a specific seat, so he just continued to sit in an open seat in the first row, talking to his neighbors and politely moving when the ticket-holder showed up. Once the game started though, he was good ol' Mark Cuban. It might be more fun watching Mark Cuban watch the game than watching the game itself. I wonder if he thinks he's coaching the team? Probably, but it's greatness to watch.

When Jason Kidd drew a flagrant foul late in the game, Cuban was up on his feet launch an oral assault on the referee, saying he would be embarrassed by the video of that call. During a timeout, he caught the attention of Mavs assistant Popeye Jones to pass along the message of "catch and shoot" to one of the players. Some might see it as meddling or overbearing, having an owner sitting right by the bench. I see it as passionate. And as a fan, that's all we want from the owner is the same passion with which we root for the team.

Oh, and here's some Clipper hotties.

He's big. He's German. And he's got sniper's aim.

Parrish debuts with hat trick

February 28, 2008. Brad Richards. 5 assists.

October 15, 2008. Fabian Brunnstrom. 3 goals.

And Friday night. November 7, 2008. Mark Parrish. 3 goals. Another big debut by a new Stars player.

Mark Parrish started this NHL season as a spectator, but the newly acquired Star made up for lost time with a hat trick against the rival Anaheim Ducks. With plenty of penalty minutes to go around on Friday night, Parrish capitalized with two power play goals, giving embattled goalie Marty Turco a nice lead to protect. Turco got a little more help in front of him with the return of Sergei Zubov, who missed every game up until Friday with injury. The addition of Parrish, return of Zubov, and strong play of Turco added up to a 5-2 Stars win.

Was Mark Parrish the answer to all the Stars problems? All of them? No. Some of them? It's still too early to tell, but signs are pointing toward yes. The line of Parrish-Modano-Avery frustrated Jean-Sebastian Giguere all night, leading to his removal after giving up Parrish's third goal, giving Dallas a 4-1 lead. (Also this prompted my buddy Taylor to send me a text message saying: "Wow. Bye-bye Stuffed Pads.") Any time the Stars - or any team - can chase JS Giguere from net, you've accomplished something offensively.

After Dallas took a 2-0 lead in the 1st on Brunnstrom and Parrish goals, but the Ducks answered back on what looked like a nice Turco save. As Turco seemingly nabbed a shot and made the save, he started to fall backward the way a goalie does when play is going to be stopped. But as Turco was falling, his body language seemed to scream, "oh, crap. This is gonna be bad." Sure enough, the puck wasn't secured, and the Ducks banged in a lose rebound to pull within one at the end of the first period.

Sean Avery again drew the ire of his opponents, constantly being punched on like a stress relief doll. After leaving the ice on a shift toward the end of the first period, he could be seen jawing at Ducks players from the end of the Stars bench. Baiting the hook. He drew a boarding penalty at the end of the first period that awoke the Honda Center, sparking a fight between Trevor Daley and Chris Kunitz.

By the way, does Ducks Winger George Parros's mustache bother anyone else?

Stars special teams proved to be a major difference-maker. While Dallas did give up a power play goal, it didn't happen until the Stars already had a 5-1 lead and the game was comfortably in hand. They killed four penalties on the evening, including two early in the third period that could have put the Ducks right back into the game. The Ducks (1-for-5 power play) failed to take advantage of their chances, and continued to take stupid penalties, giving Dallas a chance to keep the pressure on late in the game.

Last April, the Dallas Stars limped into the post season as the fifth seed in the Western Conference. Most logical hockey people were predicting a Ducks series win. Anaheim was just a year removed from their Stanley Cup win. The Stars didn't follow the script, stealing games one and two at Honda Center, sparking a playoff run to the conference finals.

On Friday night, the struggling Stars returned to the Honda Center to take on a Ducks team that had earned a point in each of its last nine games (8-0-1). Anaheim had been playing better coming in, no question, but maybe a win like this is what the Stars need to finally jump-start their season.

Next up for the Stars: a Sharks team without Evgeni Nabokov between the pipes. The Stars already have 2 points on this California road trip. Going into this trip, I would have figured that 3 points on this Cali-swing would be fine considering how the Stars were playing. After last night's win, 5 points is realistic. With strong showings at the Shark Tank and Staples Center, the Stars can officially turn around their season.

Final note: a year ago today, November 8, 2007, Mike Modano scored twice in the first period against Nabokov to become the greatest American-born scorer. All the Stars billboards around Dallas leading up to Modano's record-breaking feat read "Number 9 is about to become Number 1."
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Video from Friday night at Honda Center

The Stars take the ice


National Anthem at Honda Center


JS Giguere goes to the bench ... I discuss getting some nachos

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For all the Dallas sports fans looking for their fill of pessimism for the day, the Mavericks played as well last night (L, 108-105). Not nearly as rewarding a game, but newbie Gerald Green might just be solidifying his role on Rick Carlisle's squad.

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Nip Tuck: NFL rescinds fine against Giants DE

The NFL has taken back the $7,500 fine against Giants DE Justin Tuck for his hit on Brooks Bollinger. Good to see Commish Goodell do the right thing. While I thought the fine was unjust from the beginning, the disconcerting part of all this is the fact that Goodell hadn't actually seen the hit when the fine was initially issued. Shouldn't the commission know why his players are getting fined? Seems a little ridiculous the commissioner's office is issuing fines that he doesn't sign off on without knowing why. Missteps like this gives players like Troy Paulamalu some street cred in criticizing the league.

What the Tuck?

I'm still a little foggy on where exactly Giants DE Justin Tuck merited a flag - let alone a $7,500 fine - on his hit of Cowboys backup backup QB Brooks Bollinger last Sunday. Tuck didn't lead with the helmet. He didn't hit Bollinger late. He hit the QB high, wrapped him up and drove him to the ground. Even as a Cowboys fan, I was wondering at the time of the play how we snagged 15 extra yards on that hit. Happy to accept it though. Bad calls are made throughout the game, plus the Giants won big so no harm done.

But now that the NFL is fining Tuck for the hit, this is nuts. It was a solid hit on a quarterback. If he hit Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, or if Tony Romo had been back there, maybe you could even argue that the league is taking care of its QB Super Stars. But this was Brooks Bollinger. Heck, the NFL would almost be better off if he was knocked out of the game.

Good for Tuck for appealing the roughing penalty. I hope it gets overturned. Horrible call.

Even after the play, former quarterback Troy Aikman was baffled by the call:


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Texas Rangers shortstop Michael Young wins a Gold Glove for 2008. Just a quick scary thought for Dallas-area sports fans to consider: Could the Rangers have the highest finish in their division of any Dallas-area team this season? Would anyone have thought that to be the case heading into this season? I'm thinking... no!

The Rangers finished 2nd in 2008 behind the LA Angels, and right now the Cowboys, Mavericks and Stars would LOVE to be a second-place team. Granted, the Rangers didn't make the playoffs ... but which Dallas team is on track to do that anyway?

MLB 2008: AL West - Final Standings
Los Angeles ... 100-62
RANGERS ... 79-83
Oakland ... 75-86
Seattle ... 61-101

NFL 2008: NFC East - (through Week 9)
New York ... 7-1
Washington ... 6-3
Philadelphia ... 5-3
COWBOYS ... 5-4

NBA 2008-09: Southwest - (through 11/6/08)
New Orleans ... 3-1
Houston ... 3-2
MAVERICKS ... 2-2
Memphis ... 2-3
San Antonio ... 1-3

NHL 2008-09: Pacific - (through 11/6/08)
San Jose ... 12-2-0 (24)
Anaheim ... 9-5-1 (19)
Phoenix ... 5-6-0 (10)
Los Angeles ... 4-6-2 (10)
STARS ... 4-6-2 (10)

Yikes.

Dallas goes Hollywood, I go watch

With the Cowboys using this weekend for some much needed rest and tweaking, I'm looking forward to the opportunity to catch up with the other Dallas teams as they make a trip through Southern California.  Friday night, the Stars visit the Ducks in a rematch of their 2008 first round playoff series.  Sunday afternoon, with no Cowboys game to watch, the Mavericks roll into Staples Center to face off against the Clippers - a much more affordable ticket compared to their purple and gold LA brothers.  And Tuesday, the Stars wrap up their California road trip when they skate with the Kings at Staples Center.

Three Dallas games in five days in Los Angeles.  I can't in good sports-conscience pass up the opportunity to be in the building at any of them.  Ideally these go better than the last Dallas game I went to.

Sean Taylor no "Ring of Famer"

With the Redskins going to posthumously induct Sean Taylor into their "Ring of Fame" this month, it will cause the sports world to reflect back a year to the tragic death of a very talented young football star with a very bright and prosperous football career ahead of him. His untimely death was horrible. There's no debating that. And the Redskins should honor him and continue to honor him just one year later.

Inducting him into the Redskins Ring of Fame bastardized the honor of being in that select group of Redskins. For a football team with so much history, putting Taylor in not a way to honor the free safety, but instead it trivializes the accomplishments of its members.

This is a guy who played for four years in Washington, and while he did go to two Pro Bowls, if his career had ended due to injury or had he died in a way where he wasn't such a sympathetic victim, this ceremony wouldn't be happening. Don't compare him to Pat Tillman either. Please. Just don't.

Sean Taylor died too young. There's no debating that. But to put him in the Redskins Ring of Fame is insulting to the men in that group. Dan Snyder should be ashamed of this decision. I always assumed the Redskins were a better organization than that. I thought they would hold players to higher standards for their Ring of Fame. Guess I was wrong.

--------------

Also for anyone who loves seeing the "Silver & Crap" fledgling around, here's SWO's take on why they're in so much trouble...

Deangelo Hall was supposed to be a key addition to an already stoud Raider defense. Today the Raiders cut the controversial cornerback, basically paying Hall 8 million dollars for eight games. The Raiders also gave up a second round pick to Atlanta to bring him to Oakland.

It's not often you see a team cut loose a player they just signed to a 7-year, $72 million contract, but then again anything is possible when Al Davis is the owner/dictator of your franchise. This may only be the beginning too: WR Javon Walker, a guy the Raiders gave an $11 million signing bonus to is rumored to be on the outs as well.

All of these recent moves leave one pressing question that needs to be asked...who is really at fault here?

Lane Kiffin took the fall and the brunt of Davis' rage, but the fact is the Raiders' problems start at the top and work their way down.

I'll be one of the first people to admit that Kiffin wasn't ready for an NFL coaching job. Hell, he could barely manage running an offense at USC. But let's take a minute to look at the coaching history of the Raiders from 1988 to today:

1988-1989
Mike Shanahan
(8-12)
1989-1994
Art Shell
(51-46)
1995-1996
Mike White
(15-17)
1989-1994
Joe Bugel
(4-12)
1997-2001
Jon Gruden
(40-28)
2001-2003
Bill Callahan
(51-46)
2003-2005
Norv Turner
(9-23)
2006
Art Shell
(2-14)
2007-2008
Lane Kiffin
(5-15)
2008-?
Tom Cable
(1-3)

**It's worth pointing out that Shanahan went on to win two Super Bowls with Denver and is still the coach there. Gruden left Oakland because of a riff between him and Davis, then went on to beat the Raiders in the Super Bowl the next year with his new team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.**

What's shocking about this list is not only how many coaches the Raiders have been through, but how incompetent some of them were. As for the coaches who were actually good...they ended up either feuding with Davis and/or leaving for better opportunities elsewhere.

At which point do we stop blaming these lame duck coaches, and start pointing the finger at the Owner/GM running the show? The Raiders certainly had their glory days under Davis, and I'm not trying to take that away from him, but in this day and age Davis has the distinction of running one of the worst franchises in professional sports.

Let's look at what Lane Kiffin had to work with for a minute...he had an inexperienced rookie QB that he didn't even want to draft and most of the Raiders offseason moves have backfired. Davis made safety Gibril Wilson the third highest paid safety in the NFL, and while he leads the team in tackles he only has 1 interception this season. Tommy Kelly signed a seven-year, $52.5 million deal and has just 1 sack so far this season. Offensive tackle Kwame Harris signed a three-year, $14 million deal and has been a bust. Deangelo Hall got cut even though he was productive, and Javon Walker is about to be cut.

And that's just 1 offseason. Don't forget, Al Davis was also the guy who traded Randy Moss to the Patriots for a 4th round pick.

This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of horrible moves Davis has made over the years. How long is he going to keep blaming his coaches until he realizes that the real problem might just be himself?

BCS may stink, but so does USC loss at Oregon State

It's no secret the BCS is, um, embattled. And usually, I'm at the front of the line to criticize the system over and over (and over and over). It's been a hard season watching the USC Trojans, widely considered a preseason favorite to reach the championship game (btw, that sounds familiar), continue to slide in the polls each week after trouncing opponents. And while Pete Carroll recently said he doesn't understand the system and thinks it stinks, the Trojans have no one to blame except themselves. And Oregon State.

The formula for USC was a simple one: undefeated season = BCS title berth. The Trojans slipped in Corvallis, and now would need some serious help to make the title game. Heck, they still need the Beavers to lose to win their own conference. I agree with Carroll that the system stinks, but let me explain to coach Carroll - from the perspective of a very pro-Trojans blogger - why USC is falling. It's actually quite simple.

BCS Standings Week 1:

1. Texas
2. Alabama
3. Penn State
4. Oklahoma
5. USC
6. Oklahoma State
7. Georgia
8. Texas Tech
9. Ohio State
10. Florida

USC started out fifth in the initial BCS standings behind three undefeated teams as well as 1-loss Oklahoma, who lost to No. 1 Texas. The Trojans also got the nod ahead of undefeateds Oklahoma State and Texas Tech largely based on reputation.

BCS Standings Week 2:

1. Texas
2. Alabama
3. Penn State
4. Oklahoma
5. USC
6. Georgia
7. Texas Tech
8. Florida
9. Oklahoma State
10. Utah

The Top 5 remained unchanged with everyone winning. Florida jumped two spots with another SEC win over Kentucky, but mainly because the Oklahoma State loss to No. 1 Texas dropped the Cowboys down a few spots. The Trojans remained ahead of still undefeated Texas Tech after the Red Raiders defeated their only ranked opponent of the season so far (No. 23 Kansas). While USC clung to a 17-10 win at Arizona, the Trojans remained No. 5 in the BCS thanks to a jump from No. 10 to No. 6 in computer average.

BCS Standings Week 3:

1. Alabama
2. Texas Tech
3. Penn State
4. Texas
5. Florida
6. Oklahoma
7. USC
8. Utah
9. Oklahoma State
10. Boise State

USC falls two BCS spots despite a 56-0 win over a doormat Washington team. Why? Because Texas Tech who had been camped out behind the Trojans with an undefeated record beat No. 1 Texas, catapulting them to the front of the line for a BCS title game berth. Texas remained in near the top with their only loss being to the new No. 1 team - the same way Oklahoma stayed near the top two weeks earlier with their only loss being to the No. 1 team. The Trojans were also leapfrogged by Florida who stomped SEC preseason favorite Georgia, sending the Bulldogs into a free fall from No. 6 to No. 13 in the BCS.

While the eyeball test says Florida is playing better than almost every other team out there, the eyeball test also suggests that USC is killing crappy opponents. The argument has always been that USC can't control their conference schedule. They aren't playing in a mid-major. They're in a BCS conference (then again, where are any contenders from the ACC or Big East?) and schedule a competitive non-conference slate. But look at their one loss compared to other 1-loss teams.

USC's loss:
21-27 at Oregon State
Oregon State record: 5-3 (4-1 Pac 10)
USC strength of schedule (to date according to cbssports.com): 62
Oregon State strength of schedule: 45

Texas's loss:
33-39 at (7) Texas Tech
Texas Tech record: 9-0 (5-0 Big XII)
Texas strength of schedule: 1
Texas Tech strength of schedule: 26

Florida's loss:
30-31 vs. Mississippi
Mississippi's record: 5-4 (3-3 SEC)
Florida's strength of schedule: 13
Mississippi's strength of schedule: 11

Oklahoma's loss:
35-45 vs. (5) Texas (neutral site)
Texas's record: 8-1 (4-1 Big XII)
Oklahoma's strength of schedule: 12
Texas's strength of schedule: 1

Oklahoma State:
24-28 at (1) Texas
Texas's record: 8-1 (4-1 Big XII)
Oklahoma State's strength of schedule: 64
Texas's strength of schedule: 1

Perhaps this is just a case of the Big XII South being so good so early that they'll all eventually go away when they finish playing each other, or perhaps the Big XII South is the SEC of 2006 or 2007. But just watching these teams, it's easy to see they are good. Really good.

Watching USC, it's easy to tell that they are very good as well. But it's even more evident that the teams they are playing bad. Really, really bad.

The Trojans just beat Washington, 56-0, which would be great if Washington had perhaps won a friggen game so far this season. But USC hasn't even put up the most points against the Huskies. It was sixth loss by at least 21 points that Washington has suffered this season.

The previous week, USC edged Arizona, 17-10, the same team that lost to New Mexico. Ooh, but the Wildcats did beat Idaho and Toledo. Impressive.

The Trojans embarrassed Wasington State in Pullman, 69-0. Wow, they just killed them. Or they were the fourth team in the conference to score 60+ on the Cougars. Cal (66-3), Oregon (63-14) and Oregon State (66-13) all kicked the Cougars teeth in. So USC's 69-0 loss doesn't look too cool anymore.

Arizona State failed to score against USC, falling 28-0 at the Coliseum. Yes, but the Sun Devils haven't won since September 6 and are currently in the middle of a healthy six-game losing streak. (Washington is not impressed)

So while USC is killing these teams, there isn't much they can do except continue to systematically exterminate the rest of the Pacific 10 conference and hope that somewhere along the way Oregon State falters. At that point, USC can make the Rose Bowl and face off against probably an undefeated Penn State team, giving the nation what could be considered an amazing BCS Bowl season.

National Championship Game:
Alabama vs. Texas Tech in a battle of unbeaten teams

National Championship Game 1a:
USC vs. Penn State in Joe Paterno's last hurrah of a season

But if Oregon State doesn't drop a game and they do win the Pac 10 conference and Rose Bowl berth, USC won't be able to blame the BCS. Teams that don't win their conference shouldn't play for the national title (are you listening 2003 Oklahoma? -- yes I'm still bitter). Same applies to the Men of Troy. And if USC thinks that stinks, I'd be afraid to ask Coach Carroll's opinion of the Holiday Bowl.

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Just for fun, some captions from the USC/Washington game:

"Isn't there a mercy rule?"

"wweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee"

"You're winning by thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis much."

Who is making the NFL playoffs

In the NFC

The pre-season favorite Cowboys are 5-4 and limping into the bye. The Falcons are contenders. The Panthers look like the Cardiac Cats of '03. But the Bucs are pirating through the conference waters a la '02. The Giants are proving to be tough title contenders and - of course - defenders, while the Eagles and Redskins are fighting to keep down Dallas in the East. Oh, and someone from the North and West can automatically earn a bid like a mid-major in the NCAA tournament.

Here's who gets in:

1. Giants (East) - class of the conference
2. Panthers (South) - games @OAK, DET help jump-start 2nd half
3. Cardinals (West) - holy #%$&! someone over .500 in the West!
4. Bears (North) - Orton or Grossman, something's working
5. Redskins (WC) - Portis + Campbell = playoffs
6. Cowboys* (WC) - too much talent not to make the playoffs

In the AFC

Perennial powers New England and Indianapolis no longer reign supreme. Sure Pittsburgh is still around the top of the division, but did anyone see the Titans (and Kerry Collins) as the Conference's top team? Survey says... [X]

The entire East is only separated by one game with NYJ, NE and BUF all 5-3 and MIA at 4-4. They're all alive - and three are getting in. Not the same can be said in the West where the Chargers are only a game behind 4-4 Denver despite the Hochuli game. That's a winnable division at 8-8. And can anyone else in the South get in after 8-0 Tennessee (like the 4-4 Colts)? No way the 5-3 Ravens can be considered a legit contender when they still have to play four NFC East teams -- then again they finish the season with 3 of 4 games at home.

You think the NFC will be a wild ride, the AFC will be just a tough!

Here's how it unfolds:
1. Tennessee (South) - tough to catch
2. Pittsburgh (North) - no one else on "first round bye" level
3. Jets (East) - 3 games remain vs. NFC West pansies
4. Chargers (West) - that doesn't mean Norv gets to stay
5. Patriots (WC) - some things never change
6. Dolphins (WC) - still play SEA, OAK, @STL, SF, @KC for at least 5 more wins

*possible homer pick

FUN FROM GIANTS STADIUM
Now for some entertaining video of some of the nut jobs in the crowd this weekend at Giants Stadium. If figure if ya can't beat 'em, you can at least make fun of 'em.

This guy was mocking Cowboys fans, not a horrible crime, but several Giants fans were sick of his taunting, constantly standing up, and really just being a jerk when there was no need to be (it's not like the game was competitive).

Giants fans were quick to point him out when the ushers came down to check things out. He was eventually instructed to 1. cease alcohol consumption, 2. shut his mouth.

This angry Cowboys fan got riled up enough to throw her beer on someone. The beer toss in a classic among rowdy fans, but the chick beer toss? That happens about as often as a Detroit Lions win. Didn't reflect too well on Cowboys fans there, but he fight in the stands was certainly more competitive than the contest on the field.

And what of our friend who was told by ushers to not have any more beers? He had one more, decided to open his mouth, and got himself thrown out. Fans even got a "Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey, Goodbye" going for him. So long, dumb ass.

Where the Cowboys really stand

With the Cowboys now heading into an off week, let's look at the road ahead for this 5-4 team that would provide the biggest let down of the NFL season if they missed the playoffs.

With seven games remaining (4 home, 3 road), the Cowboys currently have the ninth-best record in the NFC.  Twelve teams in the conference are 4-4 or better.  Only half of those teams can make the playoffs, and they all still are very much alive. With so many solid teams in the conference, the Wild Card teams will have to be 10-6 to make the playoffs. Teams that go 9-7 or 8-8 probably won't get the job done when looking at the fact that 12 of the 16 teams are on pace to go 8-8 or better. For Dallas to go 10-6, they'll need to win five of their remaining seven games, which could prove to be a daunting task. Look at the schedule:

Dallas:
@Washington (6-3)
San Francisco (2-6)
Seattle (2-6)
@Pittsburgh (6-2)
New York Giants (7-1)
Baltimore (5-3)
@Philadelphia (5-3)

The Cowboys ability to win these games depends on if Tony Romo is back in the lineup and healthy. Yes, he's scheduled to return after the bye week, but his pinkie still has to heal. We haven't seen him since he tried to play in St. Louis - a move that still baffles me when considering the fact that after he was deemed unable to play, he still dressed for the game. But let's assume - oh please dear lord - that Romo will be back after the bye.

The game at Washington looks more winnable after their loss to Pittsburgh on Monday night, although did anyone else notice the nice backup QB play the Steelers got from Byron Leftwich? Cowboys fans should be jealous. The games against the 49ers and Seahawks games should be easier contests compared to the rest of the schedule, but the Cowboys can't take them lightly (see: Rams game 10/19). If they win either of those games, the playoffs won't be taking place for Dallas. They need to pile up wins and those two games are ones they MUST have.

The game at Pittsburgh will be one of the tougher games down the stretch, as well as the home game against the Giants the following week. The Cowboys will need to steal one of these two games to help their playoff cause. Maybe they'll be able to catch one of those two teams napping, as each seems to be running away with their respective division races.

The Cowboys should beat Baltimore at home on December 20, the final regular season game at Texas Stadium - and possibly the final game at the stadium depending on if the Cowboys make the playoffs and what they seeding would be. They close the season at Philadelphia, where they have won two of the last three times they've played there. It's winnable but certainly not easy, and both teams will probably be fighting for the same playoff spot.

The combined record of the Cowboys' non-divisional opponents down the stretch is 15-17. Add in the record of their NFC East foes, and Dallas' opponents are a combined 33-24.

The Giants remaining schedule outside the division includes opponents with a combined record of 20-12, by far the hardest remaining non-division schedule of any NFC East team.  The record of Eagles remaining non-divisions schedule: 14-19.  The Redskins remaining non-division opponents: 10-23, by far the easiest.

So while the Skins struggled last night against - albeit on the road in Pittsburgh - they have a cushy schedule ahead of them.  And their 6-3 record gives them an inside track to a Wild Card berth.  Tampa Bay is also 6-3, but thanks to the Cowboys win over the Bucs, if Dallas can finish the season tied with TB, they hold the tie-breaker.  The Eagles are currently a half-game ahead of Dallas, but with a game still to be played against each other, the Cowboys control their own fate against Philly.

One team not to underestimate: the Atlanta Falcons.  At 5-3, they have a half-game lead over Dallas with a schedule that could break in their favor.  Their remaining opponents, including four games against their NFC South Division foes, are combined 33-32 and only two opponents - rivals Carolina and Tampa Bay - have +.500 records.  The Falcons could make a charge to claim a wild card spot.  They have to be taken seriously.

So where does that leave the Cowboys?  Well, that leaves them in their current ninth place.  That's in the bottom half of teams in the conference in a year they were projected in win it all.  The Cowboys are in trouble, no doubt about it.  They need five wins, and they need other teams to falter.  

And, dear lord, they need Tony Romo back.

MNF Presidential Candidate Interviews

Senators Obama and McCain just made their appearances on Monday Night Football, and both of them gave answers that impressed me as a sports fan.

When asked what he would want to change in sports, Obama talked about instituting a playoff for college football, something that made my republican roommate's ears perk up as he jokingly exclaimed, "He's got my vote!"  Seriously, though, as a sports fan, hearing Obama empathize with the struggles of college football fans who must rely on ambiguous pollsters to put their teams in contention makes him very relatable.  It doesn't really help do much for the economy, wars abroad or tax cuts, but the BCS is as hotly contested as any of those issues.

As for McCain, he answered the question of what he would change in sports by taking the "getting rid of performance enhancing drugs" route.  While it might not be the attention-getting answer like Obama's, it's an issue in which the president might actually be able to help by setting regulations, where as in college football the president can't really enforce a playoff (dare to dream).  The Arizona senator also threw in a "he. could. go. all. the way ... to the White House!" as well as reinforcing the fact that even though some pundits have written him off, "that's why they play the games."

So whoever you're voting for in this election, if you're a sports fan, you could definitely appreciate each interview on Monday Night Football.  Now if only we could find a way to impeach Chris Berman... (again, dare to dream)

Giant problems: Dal 14 NYG 35

For a few weeks now, there has been an emphasis on how the Cowboys will be healthy, will be “back” after the bye week. After today’s thrashing at the hands of the Giants (and our own quarterbacks), the Cowboys have mercilessly reached the off week at 5-4.

After the Cowboys’ win over Tampa Bay last week, all the talk was about how the Cowboys would be going into the bye over .500 regardless of what happened in New York … well, New Jersey. The Cowboys were seemingly willing to accept their place as long-shots to beat the Giants, because, hey, after the bye everyone will be back.

(Read the Fan Report from my visit to the Meadowlands)

Congratulations, Cowboys, you’ve limped into the bye by essentially rolling over in a game that the pundits all said you had no chance of winning. Yes they were right (see: 35-14 score), but where was the “prove them all wrong” attitude like last year’s game in New York?

The Giants gave the Cowboys opportunities (3 turnovers), but capitalized on the Dallas mistakes (all 3 interceptions thrown by Dallas quarterbacks led to Giants touchdowns). Brad Johnson completed five passes to Cowboys and two to Giants. And Marion Barber has been a ghost since the injury to Felix Jones.

Wade Phillips and Cowboys fans got an answer to the Brooks Bollinger question, an answer I’d sum up as NO! After coming in for Brad Johnson to start the second half, Bollinger’s first pass was picked off deep in Cowboys territory, and Brandon Jacobs scored shortly thereafter.

But hey, Dallas got to the bye over .500.

But does that really make everything better now? Tony Romo should be back. Felix Jones should be back. Terrance Newman should be back. Jason Witten should be healthy. WR Roy Williams should be more acclimated to the offense. But watching the Cowboys putrid offense on a chilly afternoon at Giants Stadium illustrated just how bad things can be for Dallas this season.

Marion Barber ran for 54 yards on 19 carries (2.8 avg) and seems to be much less effective without Felix Jones providing a much needed change of pace. Jason Garrett involved rookie running back Tashard Choice in the second half, giving him the ball five times for 27 yards (5.4 avg).

And speaking of rookies, Mike Jenkins interception of Eli Manning shows that this secondary, despite their youth, can get the job done. Yes, Eli Manning was able to squeeze throws to receivers and his tight end to extend drives, but the defense found itself stretched to the limits due to the Cowboys’ inept offense.

But the bye week will cure that, right?

Perhaps Romo will cure all the offensive shortcomings, but the Giants were putting constant pressure on both Johnson and Bollinger on Sunday, each being sacked twice. Romo will immediately upgrade the recent passing problems and should make the offensive line look better thanks to his scrambling abilities. Plus with opponents now having to actually respect the deep ball, maybe linebackers and safeties will back off the line of scrimmage enough to give Marion Barber more room to run.

With Romo, the Cowboys scored 28, 41, 27, 24, 31 and 24 points in six games (a scoring average of ). Without Romo, it’s been worse than bad, with Dallas scoring only 14, 13 and 14.

There are now seven regular season games left in 2008 with four of them in Irving. With Dallas sitting at 5-4, they’ll need to win five of seven to likely make the playoffs. Winning four of seven might get you in. Maybe. If the playoffs started today, Dallas would be spectators. They are last in the NFC East. And the sad reality that just because you’re a preseason favorite to win the division, conference and Super Bowl, doesn’t guarantee anything.

Mercifully, the bye week awaits.

McCoy should learn from Leinart

On the eve of what could very well be the highest scoring game in recent college football (Texas @ Texas Tech), let's reflect on the recent decision by Longhorns starting quarterback Colt McCoy to declare he's returning to Austin next fall for his senior season. So let's kick around the question that plagues so many collegiate junior football stars:

Stay in college or turn pro early?

Colt McCoy is currently quarterbacking the nation's top team. Texas is scoring at will against all opponents and against a porous pass defense like Texas Tech, McCoy might throw for 12 TDs this Saturday (and based on Graham Harrell's ability against Texas's similarly flawed pass defense, McCoy might need to).

And he has valiantly proclaimed he'll be back in Texas instead of in an NFL locker room next fall. Much rejoicing in Austin indeed. Much like the cheers in Los Angeles when USC's Heisman-winning quarterback decided to pass up the opportunity to be the No. 1 pick in the 2005 NFL Draft and returned for a his senior year.

When Leinart announced he would return to USC in January 2005, the USC fight song started playing in my head. Dreams of an unprecedented third straight national championship filled my mind. I didn't agree with Leinart's decision, but as a USC fan, I loved it.

Here we are in the middle of the 2008 NFL season, and it's clear Leinart is not better off for remaining one extra year in the college football ranks.

Had the USC QB entered the 2004 NFL Draft after guiding the Trojans to an Orange Bowl route over Oklahoma to clinch the national championship, Leinart would have most certainly been the No. 1 overall pick of the San Francisco 49ers. Instead, San Fran drafted Alex Smith, signing him to a six-year, $49 million contract which included $24 million guaranteed. One year later after losing the national championship game to Texas and Vince Young, Leinart was drafted No. 10 by the Arizona Cardinals, receiving a six-year $51 million contract with $14 million guaranteed.

Leinart was also the very last member of his draft class to finally sign his contract. Basically, he thought he was worth his 2005 value. Well, as we all know in looking at today's economy, sometimes stocks can go down.

Now, realize Leinart didn't bomb out. He still received a good contract, and he'll take over the reigns in Arizona next season as Kurt Warner will retire at the end of the year. Both Leinart and Smith have dealt with season-ending injuries and being replaced as starters in their young careers. Leinart will still more than likely be a better pro than Smith. But Leinart could have been the beginning of a great overhaul in San Francisco that restored that franchise to the top of the ranks. Instead, here we are in 2008, three years into Leinart's career.

Maybe next year Matt will contribute. And maybe while he is, Colt McCoy will be in the NFL along with him, where he belongs.

Opening with a bang, then clang

The Dallas Mavericks 2008-2009 edition debuted last night, bringing back memories of seasons past. Fast-tempo, running, high-scoring offense. Little defense. High energy through the first three quarters. And then, in a tribute to so many Mavericks teams of yore, a fourth quarter jack-'em-up-fest.

The Houston Rockets knocked off the Mavs, 112-102, at the AAC in Dallas' home opener. It's not disappointing because I was expecting this team to go 82-0, but frankly, I would have liked to see anything during the fourth quarter. Dirk Nowitzki played amazing for three quarters, scoring 35 points before adding only one point, on a technical foul free throw no less, in the fourth quarter.

But on a festive opening night in Dallas, the Mavs' second-fiddle Josh Howard kicked off the night by scoring at will, quickly erasing the memories of a checkered offseason with a 15-point first quarter. Throughout the first three quarters, J-Ho displayed great athleticism and even dare I say decision-making (4 assists). At 8:18 in the 3rd quarter, J-Ho slashed to the basket and finished with a strong two-hand jam. At that point, I thought, "I don't know who these Mavericks are, but I like 'em!"

After that jam, Howard made one other field goal the rest of the night, his lone 4th quarter bucket to finish the night with 28 points. Another solid night for Howard: 28 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 6-9 from the free throw line in 41 minutes. Once again, it looks great from the stat sheet, but to the trained eye of an MFFL, we know when those points are being compiled. Don't get me wrong, over the course of an NBA game, someone needs to score points to get the total high enough to compete. You can't score only in the fourth. But you can't score not at all in the fourth either.

One other thing that kinda irked me. At 5:42 in the 3rd, J-Kidd swished a three-poi- what? his foot was on the line? I've liked what I've seen with Jason Kidd so far this game, but why does he always have his toe on the line when shooting a should-be three-pointer? If the NBA kept stats on toe-on-the-line two-pointers, J-Kidd would have to be the league leader.

4:38 in the 4th: J-Ho, crossover, clank. Same old, same old.

Ron Artest got a technical for his history according to announcer Reggie Miller. Artest, if he's trying to get to Yao Ming to defend him as Miller suggests, should have gone around Josh Howard and Jason Kidd instead of trying to go through them. Maybe just a harmless accident, but that's what happens when you've got Artest's history.

Dallas is an older team in a deep division and scary conference. The Spurs, Rockets, Suns, Lakers, Hornets, Nuggets, Jazz (the other playoff teams from last season) are all arguable just as good if not better. Then there's the Warriors, Clippers, Trail Blazers, Thunder, and pretty much everyone except the Grizzlies making up ground behind them.

My bold Mavericks season prediction:
They will finish third in the Southwest Division, behind New Orleans and Houston (yes, ahead of San Antonio), and will make the playoffs as a 6th/7th seed. Once you get in the post season, anything can happen (see 2007 series versus Golden State), so let's not worry about that just yet.


Other Mavericks takes:
ESPN's Marc Stein sees a fast-paced team in Dallas this season. Let's hope their age doesn't catch up with them.

The Mavericks, according to one veteran scout, "probably play the fastest pace in the Western Conference" now that Mike D'Antoni has relocated from Phoenix to New York, with new coach Rick Carlisle installing a system heavy on ball and player movement and featuring elements of the Princeton offense Jason Kidd ran in New Jersey.

For three quarters Thursday night, Dallas definitely lived up to that rep.

The Mavericks had racked up 30 fast-break points entering the fourth quarter when the combination of Houston's improved transition D and Dallas' repeated inability to get stops left the Mavs scuffling in the half court to keep up with the surging Rockets. With Ron Artest on Josh Howard and Chuck Hayes bodying Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas' big guns managed just one basket between them in the final period after scoring a combined 61 points to that point.

"Look," Carlisle said, reminding assembled reporters that the Mavericks are still adjusting to the new system. "There's going to be a formula that's going to be the right formula for us. We're not Loyola Marymount from the late '80s and we're not Phoenix from the last four years, but we have to use Jason Kidd's abilities to generate easy baskets to the best of our ability. And at the same time we've got to do it in a way that doesn't erode our defense."

I wonder if 2008-09 is going to be another season of the world pointing out how this team, anchored around Dirk Nowitzki, just isn't "tough enough" to win a title.

Stop me if this sounds familiar: The Mavs settled for way too many jump shots and didn't get near enough stops in the fourth quarter.

That was the consensus opinion of the three All-Star-caliber players in the Dallas locker room. Different coach, same ol' late-game problems, at least in the season-opening loss to the Rockets.

The Mavs didn't play much defense the whole night, but they were able to trade buckets with the Rockets until it was winning time. The Mavs managed to make only six of 24 shots from the floor in the fourth quarter.

"We took some tough jump shots and got a little stagnant again," said Dirk Nowitzki, who had only one of his game-high 36 points in the fourth quarter. "You know, we didn't get many stops, didn't get the running game going. We just didn't have a good flow to the game."

Added Josh Howard, who had two of his 28 points in the fourth: "We just didn't execute like we should have. We should have got to the basket, I think, instead of settle for jump shots."

Jason Kidd echoed the too-many-jumpers take, but he's much more worried about the Mavs' miserable defense.

"We put up enough points," Kidd said after his seven-point, 12-assist performance, "but we didn't stop anybody."

That was Rick Carlisle's primary concern, too. After all, the best way for the Mavs to get easy baskets is to get out on the fast break, which is tough to do when you're taking the ball out of the basket to start most possessions.

And in the Battle of the Embattled (Josh Howard vs. Ron Artest), advantage Artest.

The beauty of winning

While it pains me to say it... Congratulations to the Phillies

As much as I was rooting against them, any time I witness a team celebrate a championship, I can't help but share in their excitement. A lot of people talk about how pro athletes don't care about anything other than cashing their fat checks, but to those people I ask them to simply witness any championship celebration. Witness the joy and the emotion that overflows at that moment when the final out is made or the final seconds tick off a clock, and it's clear to see why these guys play and why people like us watch.

Dynamic Duo: Jones, Cuban team up

Two of the most high-profile owners in major American professional sports are teaming up to bring the NBA's 2010 All-Star game to North Texas. Mark Cuban's Mavericks will host the All-Star weekend at Jerry Jones' new Cowboys stadium in Arlington. Frankly, these are two owners that any sports fan should want running their favorite team. Each places a high priority on winning while at the same time building the franchise brand. While they both have made questionable (at best) decisions over the years, their passion is undeniable. I ask you, are there any better owners in all of sports?

UPDATE: All-Star game officially announced

VOW: Mike Singletary Press Conference

Past VOW

Funny Corso sign

Michael Irvin's HOF speech

Woody Dantzler's TD return

Stars '08 Playoff Run

Romo "singing" at Wrigley

1999 Stars Playoff Run

Mavericks Memories

Cowboys/Bills MNF

The Fall (anything but) Classic

What is going on with the World Series? Umpires are admittedly blowing calls, Bud Selig is changing rules and not telling anyone, and Las Vegas already declared the Phillies the Game 5 winners. Did I mention that Selig has now postponed Game 5's completion to Wednesday?

Poor Major League Baseball. Look at the other major sports championship games/series over the past year.

The NFL had 18-0 New England, vying for the first ever 19-0 perfect season against a team from nation's largest market that snuck into the Super Bowl after winning three road playoff games. Super Bowl XLII (that 42 for the Roman Numeral impaired) was a back-and-forth affair full of drama until the final game-winning drive. The helmet catch. The end of the Pats dynasty? Eli Manning winning MVP one year after Peyton. One on of the greatest championship games of recent memory.

The NHL pitted it's "New York Yankees" franchise, the Detroit Red Wings, against the face of the league in Sid the Kid and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Ratings were near pre-lockout levels as a team that hockey fans love to hate faced off against a player that is truly entertaining to watch. A six-game thriller that hockey fans really got into. Detroit won it's fourth cup since 1997.

The NBA and televising partner ABC received their wet dream Finals match up when the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers renewed a coast-to-coast championship rivalry so full of history that the series needed every bit of the six games it lasted to cover all of it. Home teams won 5 of the 6 games, keeping the series close. Could Kobe win with Gasol and without Shaq? Will this be KG's year? What about Paul Pierce's injury and dramatic return? And Garnett let the world know that ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE!

What is Major League Baseball getting?

It missed out on the dream series of Manny Ramirez taking his new team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, to its first World Series in 20 years against the defending champions and Ramirez's former team, the Boston Red Sox. Two of the nation's biggest markets. A championship grudge match to follow up the NBA's LA vs. Boston series. Joe Torre once again managing against the Red Sox in the playoffs. It never materialized.

The consolation prize?

Tampa Bay versus Philadelphia. And now, the supposed "True Baseball Fan's Series" is being so mishandled, it's starting to make the tied 2002 All Star game look like the highlight of Selig's tenure. I think I'm going to watch the rest of the series the same way that people slow down on the freeway when approaching an accident. You can't not look. It's becoming so bad that with each inning the drama builds of not who will win the game, but what could go wrong next.

And now, thanks to a 48 hour weather delay that now includes snow, we won't know until at least Wednesday. This might be one of those series that no one outside the winning city remembers who won. All anyone will remember is what a mess it's been.