A win for Dallas at the Cotton Bowl

As the wheels of progress continue to spin, some things get left behind. CD players. Toaster-ovens. A&W Root Beer.

For a while it appeare the Red River Shootout at Fair Park would join the list of victims to progress. After all, the Cotton Bowl won't even be at the Cotton Bowl when the decade is over. So when Dallas Mayor Laura Miller helped secure the most important game ever to grace the second weekend of October through 2015, it was a huge win not just for Big D, but for nostalgia.

The Longhorns and Sooners will continue their annual Texas two-step in Dallas. (Dallas Morning News) (ESPN.com)

photo courtesy of sportsposterwarehouse.com

With the new Cowboys stadium set to open in the fall of 2009, many Dallasites feared the once-proud gem of Fair Park would be left behind for a newer, flashier facility. But much like a faithful husband who resists the temptation to cheat, the game has not decided to run out on those who have been there for it all these years.

Yes, fans from Austin and Norman would still flock to Arlington for the biggest rivalry game in the southwest and perhaps the nation. And I doubt either school would really have too much of a problem with a home-and-home series.

But this game has been played in Dallas since 1929. I-35 would be lonely. No wave of burnt orange crusading north into Dallas. No rush of Sooner Schooners on southbound I-35. No more *gasp* corn dogs! It's not worth having the State Fair without the Red River Shootout.

Everyone who's grown up in or around Dallas knows just how crazy things get when this game comes to town. Which Dallasite doesn't have their favorite Texas-OU weekend story? (Mine is undoubtedly when my friend Andrew and I sold some OU fans two tickets in the heart of the Texas endzone while stuck in traffic on Central Expressway.)

To take this game away would be to take away the last bastion of football hope the city of Dallas has left. Its lost the Cowboys to Arlington. Its lost the Cotton Bowl to Arlington. Lose the Red River Shootout, and you can take the city's liquor lisence with it. Instead of all these fears realized, Dallas managed to stave off the wheels of progress - albeit for now - and keep the fall classic.

Whether you sing The Eyes of Texas or scream Boomer Sooner, you've got to appreciate one thing: tradition is alive in Fair Park.

NBA: Nothing But Anticipation

It's been a long 11 months. Finally, the NBA season is starting once again.

For Dallasites and Mavs fans nation-wide, the regular season has been fun to watch but nothing more. Hooray, the Mavs won the regular season. Awesome. If winning the regular season counted, the San Diego Chargers would be Super Bowl champs (and I think we all know just how likely that is).

For teams like Golden State and - well - the entire Eastern Conference, the regular season means a new opportunity. Yes the Warriors are in the playoffs, ending their postseason drought, but for the regulars (Dallas, San Antonio, Phoenix) the last 82 games have been nothing more than a means to an end.

These teams all knew they'd be in the playoffs at the top of the Western Conference (and really at the top of the league), so they just had to put up with an 82-game schedule.

Now the fun begins. The NBA playoffs begin Saturday. At that time, every question about this regular season will be answered (including "Where's Joey Crawford?"; A: at home!). Every fan across the league who asked "how much does a December win over a team like Phoenix mean?" will see if their club can duplicate the same success.

So while other team's fans are now turning their attention to the city's respective baseball team (once again, the Eastern Conference), I plan to stock up on Dr Pepper as well as chips and guacamole. I'm ready to watch. I'm ready for the postseason. And nothing short of tickets to a game will get me off my couch.

On that note, if you know someone who has tickets to Games 3 & 4 of the Mavs/Warriors first round series in Oakland, please let me know. Thanks.

No, YOU'RE outta here

Apparently David Stern has Tim Duncan's back.

After referee Joey Crawford hit Tim Duncan with two technical fouls - the second for laughing at calls while Duncan was on the bench - and ejected him from Sunday's game vs. Dallas, Stern took similar actions against Crawford.

He tossed him.

The NBA has now suspended Crawford indefinitely, and he will not be working the playoffs this year. Good. He doesn't deserve to work the post-season if he truly asked Duncan, "Do you want to fight?" With so many players having over-inflated egos on the court, there certainly isn't room for an official to get a big head.

I thought the second T was stupid, but the NBA's response makes up for it. If Crawford did in fact ref in the playoffs, there would be no way he could ref in the Western Conference. He has clearly demonstrated some harsh feelings toward Duncan, one of the classier (or at least one of the better behaved) players in the Association.

Crawford needs to sit at home and watch the NBA playoffs over the next two months. In doing so, he should take a look at all the refs who don't try to pick fights with players. I know it's tough for a ref to take so much heat and not respond back, but that's their job. And because Crawford couldn't do his job the right way, he won't be allowed to do it at all.

Now I know why Tim Duncan was laughing. A referee being ejected; now that's funny.

MPSF VB: More Playoff Spots For (a conference that's) Vastly Better

The Moutain Pacific Sports Federation men's volleyball playoffs kick off this week when USC travels to Cal State Northridge. Over the next two weeks, the nation's power conference of men's collegiate volleyball will battle for two spots in the NCAA Final Four tournament in Ohio. The two other spots in the Final Four will go to the winners of the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association and the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association. Sounds far, right?

Not even close.

The four best teams never make it to the Final Four in men's volleyball. Not ever. Never. Each year the winners of the MPSF, EIVA and MIVA get an automatic bid with one at-large team added in the mix. That one wild card is always the next best team in the MPSF (okay, technically the rules say it's to go to the next best team in the nation, but that team will still be found in the MPSF). It's the strongest conference in any sport in the entire country. Since men's volleyball became an NCAA sport in 1970, 37 national champions have been crowned; all but two came from the MPSF or its predecessor conferences.

(See results from 1970-2006 NCAA men's volleyball championships)

To give half of the Final Four to teams that have NO chance at a national championship is a disservice to the sport of volleyball. The NCAA should revise the format for qualifying for a shot at a national title in order to secure the most competitive match ups, not to make everyone happy.

The MPSF should have an opportunity for three teams to make the Final Four. The winner of the conference tournament will get the automatic bid. The MPSF tournament runner-up should be strongly considered for the second bid, and the best regular season team not to make the conference finals could earn the third berth.

The fourth spot in the national championship tournament would go to the winner of a play-in match between the champions of the EIVA and MIVA. These teams may never be labeled "wild cards" in the Final Four, but anyone who follows volleyball knows it's a great upset when the winner of one of these conferences advances past an MPSF team into the championship game.

A championship tournament play-in match between the winners of the EIVA and MIVA frees up space for another great volleyball program to compete for a national title.

This season Pepperdine is virtually guaranteed a spot in the NCAA tournament (they haven't lost since January). The "at-large bid" - which code for "second-best MPSF team" - will go to either BYU or UC Irvine, unless an MPSF bottom-feeder wins the conference tournament. If that's the case, one stellar program will be forced to watch the championships at home while two lesser-deserving programs play a farce of a match against a top west-coast program.

(Penn State, the best team in the EIVA went undefeated in their conference this season, but lost seven of eight non-conference matches, most to west-coast programs)

It's up to the NCAA. Do they want competitive volleyball, or do they want everyone to be happy? By trying to make everyone happy, they are in actuality ruffling the feathers of west coast volleyball.

What's so funny?

If I told you Tim Duncan got thrown out of a game by collecting two technical fouls, you may think he did something outrageous. And wouldn't he have to? The mild-mannered former MVP is a polar opposite to the typical loud-mouth NBA superstar. In fact the Spurs are often criticized as a boring team because they don't have a flashy star. Instead Duncan is consistent and workmanlike while guiding San Antonio to yet another successful season.

So when referree Joey Crawford T-ed up Duncan for laughing - his second technical of the afternoon - late in the Mavs-Spurs game, I was shocked. Duncan wasn't even on the court at the time. He sat on the bench when Crawford issued T2.

Sure I didn't mind seeing the Spurs without their best player (hey, I've got a home town to root for, here!), but I just didn't see what had happened. Did I miss something? It looked like he was just snickering at a call, and Crawford throws him out? What the heck?

I know refs have been more strict on limiting back-talk and arguments from players, but the drama of too-many-techs seemed to die down after the winter. Duncan was ejected for picking up two techincals for only the second time in his nine-year career. That should tell you something.

This is a guy who did nothing more than laugh at the call. And he wasn't even on the court!

On paper this game had little meaning. The Mavs have already clinched home court throughout the playoffs, and the Spurs were a long-shot to catch the Suns for the second seed in the Western Conference (Phoenix plays Houston then hosts the Clippers to end their season). The Spurs still had an outside chance, however, to move up from that 3-seed. Throwing out Duncan is a horrible way to strip San Antonio of that opportunity.

When these two teams meet up, be it November or late May, it's important. It's the biggest rivalry in Texas in all of professional sports (granted there isn't much else since the Oilers left for Tennessee). I don't want to see Dallas against a tossed-Tim. I was Dirk vs. Duncan in the battle for the Lone Star State.

Crawford needs to learn to swallow his whistle. It's not just Duncan who's laughing at him; I agree with the big man. Crawford is a joke.

Making the call one last time

It's not a major sport in this country outside of any beaches, but I've always been a big volleyball guy. I started playing when I was 12. I did used to be on the team at USC. Ever since I got cut, I've kept close ties with the program as their broadcaster.

Over the last three years I've been calling games for USC men's volleyball, I always tried to make sure I kept as much bias out of the broadcast as possible. Granted these broadcasts streamed online at usctrojans.com, so it shouldn't come as a great shock to anyone listening that there would be some slant toward USC. But I never felt like a part of the team. I wasn't part of the team.

Somehow that feeling changed last night during my final regular season broadcast for USC men's volleyball.

'SC took on Northridge in a battle to host the MPSF Tournament Play-In match. USC had to win 3-0 or have a favorable point differential in a 3-1 victory to host the first match of the post season. I along with color commentator Brooke Bentley detailed not only the playoff picture but also a look at the seniors who were playing their final game in front of the Trojan fans. While going over the accomplishments of the team's seniors, I couldn't help but think about this being my own "senior night" as the team's broadcaster.

Calling these volleyball matches has been the one thing I've truly enjoyed at USC. I don't get paid for it. I don't care that I don't get paid for it. I love the game, and I respect this program. The hardest part of broadcasting for 'SC men's volleyball over the last three year was the fact that once the regular season ended, that was it. The postseason, heh, that wasn't happening. To give you an idea of how bad the team was in 2003 when I got to 'SC, I was on the team! That's a problem.

Last night, even though USC lost to CSUN in four games, assuring the play-in match will be held at the Matadome, the Trojans secured a post-season berth thanks to BYU defeating Pacific this weekend. At the end of a bittersweet night, USC's seniors were sent off in style: into the post season for their first and final time.

As for that tall guy on the sidelines wearing cowboy boots and a headset, well, I'll be at that match Wednesday. My mic will be on, my notes will be ready, and I'll clear my throat, crack my knuckles and hit the air waves one final time. I'll miss being the self-proclaimed "voice of volleyball" but getting to call just one postseason game for this team is reward enough for the last three years of work. The one thing that I've come to realize is that I may not be a part of the team, but I'm a part of USC volleyball, and I'm proud to say that.

USC plays Cal State Northride Wednesday, April 18 at the Matadome in Northridge. First serve is scheduled for 7pm. You can listen to the broadcast of the match streaming live online at usctrojans.com/allaccess.

Imus be crazy

The firing of Don Imus cannot be taken at face value. CBS fired the shock jock today, over a week after he first made his comments about the Rutgers women's basketball team.

Since that time, many people have been calling for his termination, but more importantly, advertisers and sponsors back-pedalled from Imus' show in the face of outside pressure. As a result, CBS had no choice but to get rid of him.

Had CBS really wanted to get rid of him because of what he said, they would have fired him a week ago. Instead they fired him today, after they realized they wouldn't be able to sell any commercial time.

Also I think firing Imus in the middle of his charity telethon represents either: a) just how serious CBS is taking the threat of advertisers pulling out; or b) a complete lack of judgment by CBS. If he had to be off the air as soon as possible, then they did what had to be done. If not, he should have been allowed to at least finish a fundraising event. At least give him a chance to go out on some form of a high note.

I don't condone what Imus said - I don't think anyone does - but I'm disgusted with how this situation has been handled. His termination is indirectly linked to his comments, but the true reason he is no longer on the air is money. Don't fault CBS on this one, though. This became a business decision, not a moral decision.

If this had anything to do with morals or ethics, Imus would not have been on the air this week.

Hockey shutout

Did you know the NHL post season began today?

I know hockey is still climbing back from when they hit rock bottom during the locked out 2004-2005 season, but the fact that I cannot find any playoff games on my TV isn't helping the situation.

Right now the Stars - my Dallas Stars - are playing the Vancouver Canucks on a channel known as Versus, which is apparently tougher to secure than NFL Network.

I don't pretend to be a big-time hockey fan. I'm a casual fan at best. I like the Stars, and I hate the Red Wings and Avs (who outside of Detroit and Colorado doesn't?). But that doesn't mean I wouldn't watch other teams in the post season. It's the playoffs. I want to see who makes it to the Stanley Cup Finals and how they got there.

Reading final scores online or seeing replays on SportsCenter doesn't cut it. If any of you hockey junkies know where I can get a quick fix for something on ice - whiskey works - please let me know.

Until then, I will aimlessly wander the dial looking for hockey while the rest of this apathetic-toward-hockey nation fails to realize this most exciting time of the NHL season is finally here.

Ghosts catch up with Pacman

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is in no way Casper. And there certainly was no room for him to be friendly in deciding the fate of Titans cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones.

Jones will sit out the entire 2007 season as punishment for his off-field incidents. Bengals receiver Chris Henry is suspended for half the season as well.

Finally.

In this case the other shoe didn't drop. It drop-kicked Jones to the curb. He needed to learn the consequences of his actions, and Goodell is making sure that lesson is taken to heart.

16 games. No pay.

For Jones, that's a reported $1,292,500.00. Henry is out over $200,000.00.

Make the argument all you want that these guys "can afford it" because they're making millions, but a year's salary is a year's salary. That's going to hurt anyone, especially guys who would most likely expect themselves to be rollin' in dough for the next few years. Perhaps Pacman can collect the $81,000 he was using to "make it rain" at a Las Vegas club to help offset his annual expenses.

This suspension is a blatant way for the commish to make an example out of two young stars. Perhaps they don't deserve the entirety of this punishment - which I believe they in fact do - but Goodell has effectively put his league on notice: CLEAN UP YOUR ACT or CLEAN OUT YOUR LOCKER.

For Jones to be interviewed 10 times by police demonstrates a pattern. Hypothetically, even if half of those incidents had nothing to do with him, that's still five times where he's been involved in some sort of police investigation. His actions in Las Vegas left a man paralyzed. He's lucky no one died.

His year-long suspension and Henry's eight-week suspension are a wake up call for the rest of league. They're both lucky to have an opportunity to be back in the league in the future.

Pacman better straighten up his act, or next time Goodell will send his a message straight from the arcade: GAME OVER.

Out to the ballgame

Play ball!

Baseball season is underway. Out here in the Southland, the Angels opened their season hosting my Texas Rangers. So, what the heck, I bought four tickets, invited some friends and went out to the ball game.

It's amazing how just one afternoon at the ball park can make you remember just how much fun the game of baseball truly is.

NOT A BASEBALL GUY
I've never been a huge baseball fan. Perhaps that's because my hometown Rangers have never been a huge team. But the game faded for me over the years. I stopped playing in middle school, and stopped watching during high school. Sure, I'll watch the playoffs, but that's just because I love sports, not because I love baseball.

Here I am in left field at Angels Stadium (upset at myself because I forgot my Texas flag to cheer on my home team - not the home team) as the teams take the field. It's an afternoon game with light crowd allowing my friends and me to put our feet up on the seats in front of us.

I sat there layin' back, eating peanuts and enjoying the afternoon. Sure the Angels beat down the Rangers, who started this season 0-3, but that didn't seem to matter. with 159 games left, nothing has been decided yet. Not even close.

That's the beauty of baseball. The relaxed environment. The ability to soak it all in and enjoy your time at the ballpark regardless of the outcome. It's just one out of 162, so there's no need to get frantic about it.

So kick back, relax and enjoy your summer. There's a lot of baseball left to be played and just as much time to enjoy it.

Hold it there, Romo

I don't want to dwell on Tony Romo's bobbled hold from last January ... in the playoffs ... on a potential game-winning field goal. As a Cowboys fan, however, I'm stuck with it.

And I certainly don't want to hear about how "had he made it into the end zone..." because if you look at all the if only's in the history of the Dallas Cowboys, they would have seven or eight Super Bowl titles, not five.

But when ESPN reported Tony Romo will not be the holder next season for the Cowboys, I was forced to revisit this painful memory of the past NFL postseason.

Romo did a great job this past season stepping into the starting quarterback role for America's Team. He stuggled at times, but for his first full season as a starter, the future looks bright in Big D. More importantly, he didn't bobble any other snaps all season.

So on a rainy night in Seattle (then again, every night in Seattle is a rainy night), he dropped one ball. And I don't think the Cowboys should hold that against him. I know the club is reportedly saying that the move is because he is now the starter (Romo began the season as a backup, thus the role as a holder). But I think everyone knows what this is really about.

One bad hold.

Regardless, the Cowboys should keep Romo as the holder because he is the quarterback. He's the one guy the organization trusts with every snap of the game. Well, okay, it used to be every snap, but next year it'll be just most of the snaps.

Not only does having your QB hold open up the possibility of well-executed fake field goals, but it puts the ball in what should be the most consistent hands on the team.

In regards to this new "Romo rule" where ball-boys cannot hold onto the balls used for field goals - allegedly a ball-boy gave the refs a slicker ball for that final field goal attempt - I don't think that's the reason they lost. I like the new rule, but I'm not pointing fingers at a ball boy.

The Cowboys should hold on to Romo as their holder ... as long as he can hold onto the ball.

A tournament full of losers

Florida, UCLA, Georgetown and Ohio State.

These are the survivors of this years madness that is the NCAA tournament. I say survivors because in all honesty that's what it comes down to. You don't have to win. You just have to not lose.

There is a difference.

Most of the teams that advanced to this week's Final Four did so by simply not losing their games. But just look at the teams that didn't make it, and you'll understand my point. Here's just two examples.

North Carolina -
The Tar Heels held an 11-point lead over the Hoyas in the second half, and decided that they had it won. They took the rest of the night off. Seriously. They made two field goal - two! - in the final seven minutes of regulation and overtime. With all due respect to Georgetown, UNC just flat out lost this game.

Kansas -
I love my Jayhawks. I picked them to win it all. But I've never seen a team lose it like KU did against UCLA. Missed lay ups. Fumbled passes. Blown dunks. Was I watching a JV game? It sure seemed like it. UCLA did play a solid game, but Kansas didn't come close to providing a challenge once the Bruins made a second-half surge. UCLA didn't win that game. Kansas lost it.

Similar things can be said for Texas, because even though USC played one of their best games of the season, the Longhorns not named Durant didn't show up. Losers. Hell, one round later, USC blew a 16 point lead to UNC. Foul trouble and sloppy basketball contributed to USC losing.

Xaiver had beaten Ohio State. They were up by three and Ohio State had only a prayer of a chance to force overtime. Foul a Buckeye, they shoot two free throws and Xaiver advances to play Tennessee in the Elite Eight. Instead Xaiver doesn't foul, Ohio State gets a buzzer-beating three pointer. Buckeyes advance, Xaiver lost it.

The one team that got to the Final Four without the help of another team just flat out losing is Florida. I know they've had close calls, and as a 1-seed they should be winning these games, but their opponents have all played them tight. Their opponents haven't purely folded like a cheap plastic chair you set out for a PTA meeting in the school cafeteria. There hasn't been amazing wins so much as there have been catastrophic loses. The loses are defining this tournament.

So congratulations to the final four participants of the tourney. Florida, UCLA, Georgetown and Ohio State. Perhaps this weekend it won't be a court full of losers.

Seeds of doubt not to be found in this tourney

Half of the Elite Eight is set.

No. 1 Ohio State versus No. 2 Memphis. No. 1 Kansas versus No. 2 UCLA.

I still don't know what to make of this tournament. I guess it's easy to say that the seeding committee "got it right" this postseason. But with the possibility of all four top seeds making the Elite Eight, this tournament seems a little bland.

Don't get me wrong. The games are still exciting. It's fun to keep track of the whole tournament on my now scratched up, screwed up bracket. But with the lack of upsets in this tournament, it really does make you appreciate the George Mason-type teams that make completely unexpected runs to the Final Four.

If USC gets past UNC, or Oregon or UNLV can upset Florida, that will bring about the same effect. But if the Elite Eight consists of three 1 vs. 2 match ups and a 1 vs. 3, this NCAA tournament will have one thing that you don't see when Cinderella schools are still playing at this point in the tournament.

Better match ups. Tighter games. More exciting outcomes.

In the Final Four last season, Florida essentially pulled down George Mason's pants. Of course, it wasn't really an embarrassment for an 11-seed who I believe was just happy to be there. But the game was never close. The only people who were happy about the blowout in the championship game last season live in Gainesville.

Maybe that was just because Florida was that good, or that George Mason and UCLA weren't the complete teams that we see in this year's tournament. The complete teams had been upset earlier in the tournament.

But with no major upsets (except No. 7 UNLV over No. 2 Wisconsin) in this tournament, the Elite Eight and Final Four games will be a lot closer and a lot more exciting for the fans.

What's in a name

I'm not the biggest baseball fan, but if I'm rooting for any team it's the Texas Rangers. I'm a Dallas boy. But for years there hasn't been anything to root for. Finally, today the Rangers got what I consider to be their biggest win of the new millenium (and why not, they haven't made the playoffs since the last one).

The Rangers no longer will play their games in a name-sponsored building. Ameriquest Field is dead. I don't know if I particularly like the newest name: Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. I think the original name (The Ballpark in Arlington) was just fine without the Rangers name in it. But anything is better than the sponsor-dominated arena name.

I always loved Reunion Arena, home of the Mavericks and Stars until the new American Airlines Center opened and left Reunion for dead. At least the jewel of all Dallas (and perhaps all Texas) stadiums never waivered in its name. Texas Stadium never went the way of Candlestick Park (which became 3com and Monster Park) or Jack Kent Cooke (FedEx Field).

I never liked the over-sponsorship as I call it in major sports. I know it's become an irriversible trend, but I'm glad to see it broken. This may be the best move the Rangers have made in a while. I hope the Cowboys are able to retain their own naming rights for their new stadium when they make the move in 2009.

For once, the Cowboys should follow the example of the Texas Rangers. Don't sell out the name of the new stadium. Hell, I'd even be okay with "Texas Stadium 2.0" or even the "Cowboys Corral" - which may become the new nickname anyway. But if I have to go to watch America's Team at Frito-Lay Field or Southwest Stadium I will snap.

This blog has been brought to you by ... no one. And that's how it should be.

Determining a champion

It's crazy. It's insane. It's pure madness. The NCAA men's basketball tournament is set. But this week - before the tourney tips off - is arguably more fun for fans than some of the actual games. Now is the time to make your picks and determine your bracket.

Some analysts (and some of my friends who think they could be analysts) will spend the next few days reading all sorts of online articles, studying scoring trends, and double-checking game-sites to make sure they have the correct picks to win their particular pools.

Others I know - mostly females - who still like to participate in the pools will be using a few different methods.

The coin-flip: heads, the higher seed wins; tails, the lower seed wins.

Style: which uniforms look the best (so much Oregon making a run at it).

Mascots: determining which animals or mascots would win in a fight (who knows, maybe the Davidson Wildcats will pull off that upset against glorified turtles in Maryland).

Geography: Texas, Texas A&M, Texas A&M - Corpus Christi, and - eh - Kansas (close enough). And if A&M or UT can't make it, perhaps the Mean Green of UNT or the Red Raiders of Texas Tech could fill in. Talk about state pride.

And there's just so many other ways to do it. How did I pick my bracket? The same way I do it every year: not straying from my roots of being a homer. I have several Texas-based schools in the elite eight. I have Kansas winning it all. This year the guy at the Jayhawks hotel better make sure they get their wake-up calls.

But with all these other "creative" and seemingly ridiculous ways of determining a March Madness bracket, I decided to give it a shot. So this year, I'm going to try to have a few bonus brackets I fill out - just for me, just for my own amusement - to see just what would happen if I leave it up to a penny to decide, or who my "fashion sense" tells me who will win. Sorry, Longhorns, but burnt orange ... it's not looking good. Then again, nothing looks better than Cardinal and Gold.

Let the madness begin.

Equal Pay Problem

Wimbledon will now be paying equal prize money to men and women, according to an AP article on ESPN.com. I'm sure feminists across the world are overjoyed at this victory, but I cannot view this decision as one of equality.

Oh, it's under the guise of equality, but women should not earn the same amount as men in these Grand Slam tennis tournaments. Now before everyone jumps on my back for being a sexist, chauvinist women-hater, I remind everyone what's at the basis of the women's movement:

Equal pay for equal work.

And I feel compelled to argue the case that the women are not doing equal work.

Men play best-of-five set matches while women play best-of-three set matches. That doesn't sound quite as equal now, does it? Now, do I have a problem with women extending their matches to best-of-five for Grand Slams? No. Do it. As a matter of fact, I'd love to see that.

Maybe a few women on the tennis circuit would have a problem with that, but viewers wouldn't. Men's tennis has become routine. Everyone shows up, and two weeks later Roger Federer takes the title. Same old, same old.

But women's tennis is much more competitive than it's male counterpart. I'd love to see Serena Williams continue her dominance in five-set thrillers. Women's tennis has parity. Why not extend the matches and continue to draw in viewers. I'd watch.

So before everyone looks at this announcement by the All England Club as progressive and fair, let's call it what it really is: an attempt to adjust in a world where too many people are trying to be politically correct.

The All England Club - or someone for that matter - needs to stand up and make the point that if women are going to get equal pay, they should do equal work.

Are you Schott-ing me?

It's amazing, the NFL. One week you're 14-2, the top seed in the power conference with the league MVP in your backfield. Blink, and half your staff is gone prompting management to kick you to the curb.

The Chargers didn't win it all under Marty Schottenheimer, true. But they're in much hotter water without him in charge. But if you look at where the blame should fall in this situation, it lands squarely on the shoulders of the man whose career playoff record looks more like a batting average.

Marty is to blame for Marty being fired.

He's been in this feud with Chargers GM A.J. Smith, which did play a big factor, but Marty could have helped put this to rest a month ago. After the Chargers' playoff loss to New England (but seriously, who does beat Tom Brady in the playoffs? It took Peyton Manning long enough to do it. I digress...) Marty turned down a contract extension, leaving him with one year left on his contract.

He became a lame-duck coach. As a result, a lot of his assistants and coordinators jumped ship and looked for new jobs, jobs likely to be there at this time next season. First offensive coordinator Cam Cameron decided to swim with the Dolphins and now defensive coordinator Wade Phillips is the big man in Big D.

I'm not saying every coach and coordinator that left the Bolts would have stuck around if he had signed the extension, but perhaps more than just the water boy would be left in San Diego.

Chargers President Dean Spanos said that when the organization decided to bring Marty back, it was under the assumption that his coaching staff would stay relatively similar. It hasn't. So Marty - like so many times in the postseason - is out.

Ready to recover

It's been a while since my ankle injury last October. Since then, I've been on crutches, in a giant boot, and feeling somewhat helpless. And quite frankly, I'm ready to get back. I'm ready to be 100% again.
That's why I'm saying right here for everyone to see that by May 11, 2007 - the date of commencement here at USC - I will be not only fully recovered, but I will also be back in shape. Not just in shape, physically fit. I'm talking about the condition I was in back when I was on the volleyball team. Back when working out three days a week wasn't torture; it was standard. Back when I could jump higher, run faster, lift more.

It's very easy to set a goal and not follow through when no one else knows that you're trying to accomplish something. When you make it known, you have to follow through. You at least have to try.

I have to do this. For years I have been somewhat critical of the fact that so much of this country is considered overweight and/or obese. Well, I'm not going to allow myself to fall into that category. I'm not going to become a hypocritical jerk. Oh, I'll still be a jerk, just not a hypocritical one.

I'm going to accomplish this. I'm going to get back in shape. I'm going to lose the excess pounds. I may not ever get back my 36" vertical jump (who says white men can't jump?), but I will get back feeling like I could.

It's time to make it happen. Commencement is 88 days away. Let's get it started.

Pro Bowl positives

All week long, I've listened to analysts, columnists and pesismists complain about the NFL's all-star game: the Pro Bowl. Now it's time for me to complain - about them.

I am tuned in to CBS, home of this year's Pro Bowl, and I've gotta tell you it's not half as bad as all those experts would lead you to believe. Sure, the first quarter went by scoreless, but we've now seen two touchdowns within the first five minutes of the second quarter.

With only 20 minutes of playing time currently ellapsed, I want to recap some of the things we've seen from this Pro Bowl that tells me as a football fan that this game is worth watching:

Listening in
On the AFC's first drive of the game, Peyton Manning drove down to the goal line. On 4th and goal, viewers were treated to something I'd never experienced before: we listened in on the radio call from offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels into Manning's helmet.

You couldn't get that sort of access in any other football game. The stakes would be too high, and no team could risk the other team potentially listening in. Here, this is just an exposition game, and there's no real harm in allowing viewers to hear what coordinators say to their players via the helmet-radio.

It's a unique experience you won't get during the regular season. Only in the Pro Bowl. Only in the Pro Bowl.

Everyone's in a good mood
At one point late in the first quarter, one camera caught something you'd never see during the regular season: AFC Head Coach, Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots smiled. Yes, that's correct. When have you ever seen that? Here's a hint: you haven't.

The Islands allow everyone to have fun.

What's on your mind?
Player interviews in this game are a lot more fun as well. Shannon Sharpe has been roaming the sidelines, talking to players during the course of the game. Sure, it's just an exposition game, but it was nice to hear from Tiki Barber after he scored a touchdown in his final game.

On the same Tiki-note, he said in an interview Thursday that we was excited to play in this game because it would be the last time he'd be on the same team as his twin brother Ronde Barber (of the Tampa Bay Bucs). That's one moment you wouldn't get without the Pro Bowl.

Holding on
Speaking of Tiki's touchdown, afterwards I got to see something that - as a Cowboys fan - I could really appreciate. Tony Romo is the holder for the NFC today, and he executed his duties perfectly. Awesome.

He's running running and running running
With 7:42 left in the 2nd quarter, we just saw a big fumble return for a TD by Adalius Thomas. It's always fun to see big play touchdowns, and it's not surprise a Baltimore guy scored a defensive touchdown.

Mascot mania
On a missed field goal attempt by the AFC, three mascot collided trying to catch the wide-right kick. There's something to be said for seeing all the mascots going at it. (By the way, as a Cowboys fan, I'm not surprised I haven't seen Rowdy on TV yet. Nothing about him says "All Pro" in the least.)

Scoreboard!
After a scoreless first quarter, the NFC and AFC have combined for an action-packed 28-point effort to close out the half.

Skills Challenge (4:47pm)
It's half time at the Pro Bowl, so CBS is treating viewers to the NFL Skills Challenge. These games went on earlier in the week, of course, but it's fun watching the highlights.

Both Pro Bowl kickers Robbie Gould (CHI) and Nate Kaeding (SD) played a game of KICK - like HORSE in basketball, but for all-star kickers. After banking balls of uprights and the game tied at KIC-KIC, they settled it by seeing who could kick a ball from the practice field and land it closest to a tiki-hut on the beach. They actually had to send a pair of refs down to the beach to judge the landings.

One last note on the Skills Challenge: Tony Romo won the "most accurate passer" competition. Just pointing that out.

Vinsanity (5:00pm)
Enter rookie quarterback Vince Young into the line up. So now you have a backfield of the super-mobile Young and NFL MVP LaDainian Tomlinson. Okay, he's missed on his first two pass attempted, but you can't deny some of the amazing things VY did for the Titans this season.

Romo (5:13pm)
It actually doesn't hurt as much as I thought it would hearing the announcers give Romo the business about his botched hold versus Seattle in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. The broadcast team talked about how in practice when they called for the field goal team, players would give Romo a hard time, saying "You're holding?" Looking back, it's kind of amusing now. But it wouldn't have been a month ago.

The Champ is here (5:19pm)
With five minutes to go in the third quarter, Champ Bailey lined up on offense for the AFC. Somewhere in Colorado, Mike Shanahan is giggling and all the while thinking, "hmm, what if?"

Posterized punter (5:21pm)
Wow, that was the biggest hit you'll see in the Pro Bowl. Buffalo Bills punter Brian Moorman took a snap and ran with it instead of punting the ball away to the NFC. Redskin safety Sean Taylor decided to let the punter know what football is all about, hitting him like a lanky wide out going across the middle.

After getting nearly broken in half, Moornman bounced up to tell Taylor 'nice hit.' And right now, just moments after that hit, Moorman is next to Shannon Sharpe for an interview. I can't wait to hear what he has to say about that hit.

Asian announcing (5:29pm)
CBS made a point that this game is being broadcast all over the world in many different languages. They then took the opportunity to replay the Sean Taylor hit on Brian Moorman overlayed with the Japanese broadcast team's call of the play. As the CBS boys said, it pretty much translates in any language.

Inside the huddle, literally (5:57pm)
Not only are fans at home getting to listen in on the coach-quarterback communication system, but now CBS is getting their cameras in the huddle. Viewers enjoyed a close up shot of Tony Romo calling a play in the huddle, and before the ball was snapped, we could see a camera man and audio guy sprinting off the field.

Belichick (6:13pm)
Shannon Sharpe's interview with Bill Belichick captured the emotion of this Pro Bowl, a fun positive atmosphere where players and coaches alike can really enjoy the setting. Belicheck joked about that Reggie Wayne's touchdown catch for the AFC was the only one of his career Belichick was happy about.

He was smiling and laughing. Bill Belichick. For all you non-football people, the who wore the hoodies out of the dirty-laundry basket. If he's having fun, you know everyone else is. All the more reason the Pro Bowl is fine.

All tied up (6:29)
In the last 1:06, the NFC has scored two touchdowns to tie things up here at the Pro Bowl. They've converted an onside kick and two point conversion to overcome a 14-point deficit. With 1:42 to play in Honolulu, this is a pretty exciting game.

Anyone not ready to let the football season go is getting exactly what they want with this game. It's close, it's competitive. It's football.

Final thought (6:36pm)
Much like Nate Kaedings last-second, game-winning field goal for the AFC, this year's Pro Bowl ... was good.

Irvin gets his Hall pass

So it's true what they say: third time's a charm.

Today Michael Irvin officially became a Hall of Fame wide receiver. After not receiving enough votes his first two opportunities, Irvin is headlining the Hall of Fame class of 2007.

I can only assume that the prolific receiver who became known as The Playmaker was simply being "punished" by voters that did not want him to be a first-ballot inductee. This honor for Irvin is overdue. (Read the "No Joshin'" post from after his first year on the ballot.) Perhaps not as long overdue as Rayfield Wright's induction last year, but long enough.

When I first saw the news this morning (well, morning out here on the West coast), I - as a Cowboys fan - felt a sense of vindication and relief. It was a feeling similar to what Peyton Manning may feel if he's successful in tomorrow's big game. Cowboys fans knew this moment would one day arrive. But when?

Irvin fell short two consecutive years. Even though last year he saw his teammate Troy Aikman become a Hall of Famer, the moment had to be bittersweet for the man who caught so many of those passes.

He admitted today on ESPN that he had some butterflies in his stomach this morning. How could he not? After the way voters had treated him the past two years, some doubt had to be creeping into his mind. For a player who never seemed to doubt his abilities during his playing days, some thoughts of "Will it ever happen? And if so, when?" had to infiltrate his mind.

Today, aah, today brings relief. Michael Irvin will forever be immortalized in the history of Pro Football.

It makes sense, really. If Troy Aikman is in, and Emmitt Smith will be in - once he's elligible, he's in on the first ballot thanks to his 18,355 rushing yards - wouldn't their seem to be a void when you mention their names as Hall of Famers.

Irvin is forever linked to Aikman and Smith. They are The Triplets. They - together - ruled professional football during the 1990s. If you wanted to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, you had to go through Dallas. To do that, you had to stop a Hall of Fame caliber trio. It's only fitting they all be together once again.

When the NFL's all-time leading rusher becomes eligible for induction, the three cornerstones of the Dallas dynasty will find themselves together once again - in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

When Emmitt takes his place in Canton, I'll say the same thing: third time's a charm.