10 regrets Jerry Jones should have

Two of them were regrets ... guess which one wasn't

Last in the 2009-10 season, Dallas Cowboys owner-GM Jerry Jones made the unusual statement that he regretted firing Chan Gailey in spite of two of three playoff seasons.

All of this in light of Wade Phillips potentially getting fired after every defeat.

Jones' self-admitted regret came back into the headlines when Gailey was asked about it. As if he was supposed provide some monumental insight.

This is an odd regret in that there are 10 different items that Jones should actually regret. Or regret much more than firing Gailey, who finally got a head coaching gig ... in Buffalo.

Here's Jones' regrets:

10. Not Drafting Randy Moss
Moss was in the 1998 draft class. At the time, Jones was working feverishly to clean up the organization cleansing the franchise of the troublemakers and ne'er-do-wells. Therefore, the Cowboys passed (as did 20 other teams) with their eighth pick. Instead, they took Greg Ellis, who whined himself off the team a decade later and Moss became a Hall-of-Fame receiver. Not that Moss doesn't cause trouble, but as my brother-in-law said once, "You can always use Randy Moss."

9. Waiting For The Magic
Between 1992-95, the Cowboys won three Super Bowls. However, by 1995, quite a bit had changed. The offensive line wasn't the same as was the defense. Things got stagnant real quick. Ideally, it was a perfect time for the Cowboys to regroup and start looking to replace some of these priceless superstars. Instead, between 1996-99 -- four drafts -- the Cowboys added Dexter Coakley and Greg Ellis. Every other draft pick they whiffed on including Ebenezer Ekuban, Kavika Pittman, David LaFleur and Clay Shiver. In hindsight, maybe Jones thinks long term.

8. Pacman Jones
Inexplicably, Jerry Jones added the most controversial player in NFL history and added him to his playoff-quality team. On the surface, Jones wasn't as bad as he could've been. Granted, I think everyone was much more disappointed when he was a non-factor in punt returns and his game-breaking talent on defense never really surfaced. Solid, but for a headache that big, you expect more.

7. Spending
Just as the NFL was instituting a salary cap, Jones helped usher in a team that already had a big payroll and continued to spend on high-profile names like Deion Sanders. By 2000, the franchise was up against the cap every season and their financial capabilities for spending was severely hamstrung. It set the franchise back a full decade.

6. The Roy Williams Trade
Two years ago, Jones went for broke by sending four draft picks (including a No. 1) to the Detroit Lions for receiver Roy Williams. At first, he was a guy to help free up Terrell Owens. Quickly, we learned he was Owens' replacement. Since, we learned an undrafted receiver from New Jersey was better than both of them.

5. Drafting Quincy Carter
In 2001, the Cowboys drafted Lavonya Quintelle Carter, a quarterback from Georgia, in the second round. Problem is that Carter would've been there in the sixth round. And Carter did not even start at Georgia the season before. Essentially, Jones took a non-starting quarterback out of a college conference that is not known for its quarterbacks. In the second round. Mainly, because he was black. We'd known him as Quincy.

4. The Joey Galloway Trade
It cost two No. 1 picks and a new, fat contract to get Joey Galloway from the Seattle Seahawks. He tore an ACL the next season, catching just four passes. He never had a 1,000-yard receiver for the Cowboys and he strapped the team for years.

3. Unceremoniously Ditching Tom Landry
Ruthless and cold, Jones (and the rest of Dallas) knew the franchise needed an enema. But Landry was a very special turd, in need of special loving. It'd take no time at all for Jones to learn about public relations.

2. Not Saying Sorry
Jimmy Johnson is one of the few head coaches to win a championship and get fired weeks later. Jones and Johnson were retarded, head-strong old-school brothers, neither of which knew how to say "I'm sorry." Maybe if one of them did, Dave Campo never happens.

1. Hiring Summit Structures To Build The Practice Facility
Obviously.

The last straw

Weed? Hard drugs? Performance enhancers? Sex escapades? Guns? Gangs?

The NBA has limited interest in its players attempting to keep it realz with a fanbase that has zero interest on how to keep it realz or how others keep it realz.

So, the next target for David Stern and Co. is Caron Butler and his straws.

As far as I remember in his NBA career, Butler will sit on the bench and chew straws. Like a dozen a game. According to Wikipedia, he prefers McDonalds. I don't blame him. They're bigger and sturdier, made out of a better plastic then your typical Dairy Queen or Wendy's.

Twelve years into his career, the NBA finally hunted down this scourge and are banning Butler from his habit. A lot like Elliot Ness getting Al Capone's accountant to convict him on tax evasion.
The NBA claims -- altough there is no official statement or explanation -- that its a safety hazard. I assume that during game play, J.J. Barea could fly through the air after a loose ball, dive into the Mavs bench and reenact the part in "The Dark Night" when the Joker makes the pencil disappear.

Butler can, however, still chew straws on the bench, but not during game play. Which is, like, th entire game.

In other news, the NBA did not take any action on HGH blood testing. Priorities, bitch.

Gettin' paid: Miles Austin

Poppa needs a new Bentley

The Dallas Cowboys did not slap the "franchise" tag on wide receiver Miles Austin creating a scenario where the franchise will need to probably pony up another big contract.

With this, they'll put a first- and third-round tender on Austin, meaning, as a restricted free agent, any team that should offer Austin a contract and should the Cowboys not meet that offer and he should go to that other team, the Cowboys would get their first and third round draft picks.

This ain't happening. Say, if the Dolphins wanted Austin, they wouldn't give up those picks, plus have to pay him $9 million a year.

What will happen is the Cowboys and Austin will sit down and hammer out a deal probably somewhere in the same neighborhood with several years on it.

The Cowboys have been very active in giving years and money to their core nucleus. This is advantageous for several reasons. For one, you can win with this team. Two, keeping this core around is ultimately very marketable.

The other theme going on is the extensions for "good guys." Notice that Terrell Owens, Tank Johnson, Pacman Jones, Greg Ellis and others were one- or two-year propositions.

With all that said, Austin meets all this criteria. A good guy, a seemingly good player.

If I were Jerry Jones, I'd be really reticent to give Austin what he needs to stay despite that I would have to do it. If Austin should somehow sneak out of town to Miami or New York, there'd be a mutiny with every Cowboys fan within a 100-mile radius storming the Death Star.

Still, this is a fourth receiver that came out of nowhere to become a top five pass catcher in the conference. It'd be like giving Brendan Haywood $40 million over four years based on his two-week output ... oops, this is certainly happen so I shouldn't joke.

Anyway, Austin isn't going anywhere and just wait for Jones to pry open that check book because Miles Austin needs to get paid.

Things to consider: Trading C.J. Wilson right now

Ceej

There's a situation arising in the Texas Rangers organization and it feels like it's between a rock and a hard place.

C.J. Wilson wants to be a starter. Not necessarily because he's deserved it, or that it's the best place for him, or that his repertoire fits the necessities for being a starter.

It's because he thinks he can do it. Or he knows he can do it. Either way, Wilson seems determined.

What separates Wilson from just about every other athlete in professional sports is that he's not only slightly cocky (especially for a relief pitcher) and altogether mouthy about just about everything.

All of this and Spring Training started yesterday.

Right now, Wilson is slated out of the starting rotation behind Tommy Hunter, Brandon McCarthy and Colby Lewis.

Now, Wilson probably deserves some kind of look at starting because he has good stuff -- electric, often -- he was brought up with the starting mindset and, as cocky as he is, he has the moxy to go out there and get outs.

But what if he doesn't make the starting rotation? What if Lewis, Hunter and McCarthy hold serve and Wilson and Neftali Feliz will go to the bullpen.

As a fan, that's a good thing. But Wilson will be upset. He says that team president Nolan Ryan is behind him toward becoming a starter. He sounds entitled.

If this is the case, Wilson will talk. Maybe not in the media, but maybe in the room. Will it distract him? Will it affect his play or the way he goes out there and pitches?

Wilson's value could go higher, but even if he pitches well, it might not. It's up to Ryan and GM Jon Daniels to gauge how Wilson's act is going and if they decide it's bad news, they might need to make a move.

Honestly, he isn't going anywhere. But it's something to consider. Zing!

Irvin simply needs to change his scene

Maybe join a book club

Broward County prosecutors announced that rape charges would not be levied against former Dallas Cowboy and sports radio stalwart Michael Irvin.

This stemming from the appropriately placed news item (during the Super Bowl ... in Miami) that a woman was claiming that Irvin and a cohort got the woman drunk at the Hard Rock Hotel, took her up to their room, Irvin allegedly raped her and the other guy allegedly forced her to perform oral sex.

The woman took two weeks to report the crime, washed her clothes and all physical evidence was lost. She did apparently pass a polygraph and was examined by a private gyno.

This isn't just Irvin evading unwanted attention. This is about Irvin making a definitive effort to change his ways.

Fans and observers are calloused by the woman coming out of nowhere and claiming rape by a professional athlete (Kobe Bryant, Duke lacrosse, Ben Roethlisberger) and it coming back as not being true or the truth being somewhere in between.

Who's to say that Irvin didn't rape this woman? There's no proof that he did and no proof that he didn't and for that, he shouldn't be charged.

However, he's not denying having sex with this woman, who is not his wife. He just states that it wasn't rape.

The typical example we come up with his the woman dressed like a slut who is later raped in an alley. The general thought isn't guys shouldn't rape women. It's that women shouldn't dress like sluts. This is inherently and incredibly wrong. Dressing like a slut isn't illegal (mostly), but rape is.

If Michael Irvin doesn't want to be pulled over with weed in his car or be accused of raping women, then he needs to change his lifestyle. Irvin is the woman dressed like a slut ... but in this scenario, we're sympathetic with Irvin whereas we'd state the woman "deserved" what she got.

For all I know, Irvin's a sweet guy that likes to have fun. Like all of our parents and teachers stated, however, you can still have fun, but you've got to take it down a notch. Stop sleeping around, stay at home, change your friends or change how you interact with the ones you have.

Otherwise, be prepared for another such incident. No one's ever gotten a speeding ticket going below the limit.

Violet Waffles

"It never got published because I boiled it and then ate it. I ate one of my books."

To all the ladies I've loved before

D it up

First and foremost, I want to thank all the fine-ass ladies of Dallas-Fort Worth for continually attending Dallas Maverick home games the last 10 years. It is a distinct honor during every televised game I get to see to see you gals in range of the camera. In your tight shirts and jeans, looking all fine. It never disappoints.

Which leads us to the Dallas Mavericks. The lil' Mavs are 5-1 since the Caron Butler trade beating the mighty Los Angeles Lakers 101-96 at the American Airlines Center tonight.

I wanted to discuss the play of the game.

No, it wasn't some crazy Dirk Nowitzki fourth-quarter bucket. Not a Jason Kidd or Jason Terry three pointer.

Fourth quarter. The Mavericks are desperately hanging on to a small lead with about three minutes left in the game. Kobe Bryant gets the ball left of the basket in isolation against Shawn Marion.

Remember, Marion was procured by the Mavericks in the off-season for this very moment.

Bryant holds on to the ball for a couple of seconds before leaning over and going into his vibrant cacophony of crossovers, jab steps, head fakes and the like.

Nothing doing. Marion stood tall and in front of, arguably, the best basketball player in the game. Bryant went baseline, fumbled with the ball, got it back and then attempted some off-angle, off-balance shot that missed.

Game. Set. Match.

Notes:
1. Another 11 points, nine rebounds and five blocks from Brendan Haywood.

2. For a team that lives at the free-throw line, the Lakers had a sparse 16 attempts. Kobe Bryant, two.

3. Personally, Roddy Beaubois looked good in his four minutes and the Maverick offense worked with him in there.

4. A tag team of DeShawn Stevenson and Shawn Marion held Bryant to 9-23 shooting.

5. Every Maverick that touched the floor got at least one steal.

6. Nice of the Mavericks -- particularly Dirk -- to escort Lamar Odom to the basket all night. The Lakers did shoot 49 percent, quite lofty for a Mavs opponent lately.

I have a Spring Training Hard-en

Pitching a tent

Off-season haps in the AL West

Donnie Garko

Full Spring Training starts today as position players joined the pitchers and catchers in Florida and Arizona.

When games start in early April, you should be warned that the AL West foes -- and the Texas Rangers themselves, for what it matters -- are going to look and feel a lot different.

A lot of old favs are gone. Some new horrors exist. Some switched colors. The bottomline is that the Mariners, Angels, Athletics and Rangers of today are really different to those of six months ago.

Let's review, from most changed to least:

Seattle Mariners
Additions: C Josh Bard, RP Chad Cordero, DH Milton Bradley, SP Cliff Lee, 1B Casey Kotchman, 1B Ryan Garko, 3B Chone Figgins, RP Brandon League, SS Josh Wilson, OF Eric Byrnes

Subtractions: SP Carlos Silva, SP Brandon Morrow, 3B Bill Hall, 1B Russell Branyan, OF Endy Chavez, 3B Adrian Beltre, RP Miguel Batista

The Mariners clearly wanted to make a splash and they did. They re-signed some folks (Erik Bedard, Jack Wilson), and hammered open their piggy bank for Chone Figgins. Then they made big moves in getting Cliff Lee and letting Russell Branyan and Adrian Beltre go. This is a whole new team.

The Mariners perplex me. Have for the last four years. They hardly develop players, spend on the open market and end up in second or third place well out of the race. I don't get the Figgins signing as they already have Ichiro providing some speed. Went out and procured two marginal first basemen (Kotchman, Garko). Brandon League is a nice pick-up for the bullpen.

California Angels
Additions: DH Hideki Matsui, SP Joel Pineiro, RP Fernando Rodney

Subtractions: OF Vlad Guerrero, SP John Lackey, 3B Chone Figgins, SP Kelvim Escobar, RP Darren Oliver, RP Jose Arredondo, RP Dustin Moseley, OF Gary Matthews Jr.

Lost two very valuable members of the bullpen (Oliver, Arredondo) and replaced them with the ever-shakey Rodney. By letting Lackey go and "replacing" him with Pineiro, the Angels are putting all their cash on Jered Weaver and Ervin Santana. The Angels we knew of the past (Escobar, Figgins, Lackey, Guerrero) are simply no more.

Texas Rangers
Additions: SP Rich Harden, RP Darren Oliver, RP Chris Ray, RP Ben Snyder, OF Endy Chavez, OF Vlad Guerrero, SP Colby Lewis

Subtractions: OF Marlon Byrd, 3B Hank Blalock, OF Andruw Jones, C Ivan Rodriguez, SS Omar Vizquel, RP Eddie Guardado, SP Kevin Millwood

Why is everyone so optimistic? Their two biggest losses (Millwood, Byrd) do not outweigh their biggest additions (Harden, Guerrero, Lewis, Oliver). In fact, Byrd was probably the biggest loss off that list followed, probably, by Ivan Rodriguez. Most everyone else was pretty useless in the grand scheme. And there is a grand scheme.

Oakland Athletics
Additions: SP Ben Sheets, 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff, OF Gabe Gross, OF Coco Crisp

Subtractions: 2B Adam Kennedy, SS Bobby Crosby, OF Scott Hairston, IF Aaron Cunningham, SP Dana Eveland, OF Aaron Miles

Blech. I'm sure half the media will have the Athletics finishing first. Granted, they've got some salty young guys, but you're not going to add Crisp and Sheets and win 80 games. It'll be fun to see Kouzmanoff striking out three times a game. What ever happened to Moneyball?

Good to see Ranger killer Adam Kennedy going to the Nationals.

Positions of address

Ogletree to Austin: Sounds like a plan

Last off-season, the Dallas Cowboys -- to the shock of everyone -- made three very quiet, key acquisitions that got little play at the time, but by week 8 or 10, everyone was talking about them.

The Cowboys signed Gerald Sensabaugh, Keith Brooking and Igor Olshansky. All three former players of current coaches (Dave Campo, Wade Phillips). All uninspiring veterans, who were either considered not very good to begin with or were considered past their prime.

Still, the Cowboys sunk very little into these signings and it's hard to argue against these three subtle moves almost defining the 2009 Dallas Cowboys as a large reason they did as well as they did.

As this off-season opens up a bit more, areas in need of address still exist on this team as they do any team. Here are were the Cowboys should concentrate their resources:

Kicker
You, me and the devil makes three people that know the Cowboys need a kicker. They've signed a crew of guys to come in and audition, apparently. They could go through the draft. Still, that's three draft picks the last five years spent on kickers. One of which flamed out last season (Nick Folk) that put them in this mess to begin with. There will be some names out there. Will the Cowboys bite or try to slum it with a walk-on?

Wide Receiver
Miles Austin's emergence is critical. Without, this team is rudderless already given up quality draft picks for Roy Williams. He and Sam Hurd look like marginal role players. Kevin Ogletree has something, I just don't know what. Pat Crayton is a solid, not great, third receiver. I have a feeling they could really improve their No. 2 and 3 spots. Could include Ogletree or if a hotshot draft pick falls their way.

Offensive Line
Cory Procter, Montrae Holland and Pat McQuistan are all restricted or unrestricted free agents. I could see two of three sticking around. Or maybe just one of three. I could very well see the Cowboys using a high draft pick to address depth and start grooming some replacements for the oft-injured and aging starters.

Cornerback
I don't know about you, but the idea of Alan Ball ever starting a game again is downright frightful. They've got three good ones. Terence Newman isn't getting any younger.

Safety
Ken Hamlin's contract doesn't stretch forever and is Sensabaugh the future at safety? Immediately, yes. The Cowboys have thrown a series of late-round picks at the safety problem and none have stuck. Maybe Mike Hamlin has something coming into his second year. We may never find out. Still, he's around. What is clear is that Ball ain't the answer and Pat Watkins' future is debatable although his prowess on special teams may make him valuable.

Why is everyone taking a crap on the Olympics?

Go Olympics!

For a sporting event that features some of the foremost athletes of our generation and only comes around every four years, the Winter Olympics are taking it in the nuts over and over from media members and the blogosphere.

The question: Why?

What did the Olympics ever do to you?

For whatever reason, the big thing with blogs is the apparent "crappy" coverage by NBC. I don't get it. Is there a right way to "cover" the Olympics? Is there a better way to capture ice dancing and the downhill ski events better? We're not overly familiar with the announcers to get beaten down by them and Bob Costas is absolute greatness.

What's the deal?

On The Ticket, essentially from the afternoon show, The Hardline, they've ranted for two weeks about how only women watch the Olympics, the reason, last week, that the games got more viewership than the ever-popular American Idol.

So, if 20 million women were watching the Olympics, were the 15 million watching Idol guys? Hardly. I guess it's cool to pull out our dicks and say how gay the Olympics are when 95 percent of the Winter games are inherently not gay. The other five percent being figure skating and ice dancing.

Guys are watching the Olympics. It's OK to watch the Olympics if you are a guy. For that matter, it's OK to be gay, too.

Today, brainiac Tim Cowlishaw threw NBC under the bus for essentially not airing the US/Canada hockey game in lieu of the hodgepodge of other events the network did air.

Cowlishaw -- resident TV expert -- noted that about eight million people sought out the game on CNBC (a feed that 92 million households get), the network's cable red-headed, financially-charged stepsister. What he doesn't address is the 23 million (twenty-three million!!) people that stuck to NBC and watched the luge, skiing or whatever else they rolled out against the US/Canada affair.

There is no way that NBC could have risked airing a non-medal, potential United States meltdown. Could they have cut to it earlier? Maybe. But considering these Olympics are the only thing to knock Idol from its perch and average 23 million viewers a night to take advantage of the time zone (Americans get to watch events live instead of recorded from Torino) and the American dominance (pronounced) maybe NBC has a better clue than we could ever imagine.

Cowlishaw's entire point is that NBC sailed the NHL (NBC airs some NHL games) down the river by not showing the game. This is not correct. NHL screws itself. The league needs to adopt the Olympic/European rules and open up the game. If the NHL did that, drove up scoring and widened the game, the game could set its own course and NBC or any other network would be forced to air more games.

It's not NBC's fault that NHL is a third-tier sport.

Of course, this is the network that flubbed the Conan-Leno thing. So maybe Cowlishaw has a burgeoning career as a TV executive. Ready for three straight hours of Around the Horn?

Even Pacing

Someone wants to get paid

The question: Are you fully prepared for this off-season when the Dallas Mavericks throw four years and $40 million at Brendan Haywood.

It's coming. Get ready. Erick Dampier, part deux.

Mark Cuban has a long, rich history of paying prime dough for underwhelming, underperforming centers. Shawn Bradley. Raef LaFrentz. Dampier. DeSagana Diop.

Haywood is next. The problem is, Cuban might not have much choice. His hand might be forced with the decline and departure of Dampier, Haywood's play and the overwhelming support the idea of Haywood in the public opinion may force his hand.

But beware: the 13-point, 20-rebound, three-block nights -- like tonight beating the Indiana Pacers 91-82 -- should be put side by side by the six-point, six-rebound seasons he's had the last 10 seasons. Just saying.

Notes:
1. For the fifth game in a row, since the big trade, the Mavs held an opponent to a pretty low field-goal percentage. The Pacers shot a woeful 36 percent from the field.

2. Then they went 3-23 from three-point range.

3. The Mavs shot 38 percent. But shot eight more free throws.

4. Twenty-two minutes from DeShawn Stevenson. Seventeen from Roddy Beaubois.

5. Quickly, the Mavs are creating distance in the Southwest Division. Sitting at 3.5 games in front of San Antonio.

Khalil Greene already looking like an awesome free agent signee

Khalil Greene is already battling the social anxiety issues that have plagued his once-promising career.

The Texas Rangers signed him to be a back-up for $750K and apparently this was too much. The team is looking to void his contract as he'll not report to Spring Training and scramble to find a replacement.

Names like rehabbing Mike Lowell, free agent Felipe Lopez or Ray Durham are being floated.

I think the answer is already in the system, Esteban German.

The veteran can play just about every position on the field. He hit .318 at Oklahoma City last season and then .304 during 19 games in the bigs. German does not produce runs. His speed (35 steals at OKC) make him a doubles or triples threat.

Most appealing is that he's a notoriously known as not being a free swinger. Meaning, he's patient. He's only struck out 184 times in the Majors in 992 at-bats. All with a high walk rate.

Why the Rangers would waste their time looking elsewhere is a mystery.

Key to the Season: Scott Feldman

Feldman!

As Spring Training labors on, we look at what will make the Texas Rangers successful this season.

Before Kevin Millwood was traded during the off-season, I have little doubt that GM Jon Daniels, president Nolan Ryan, manager Ron Washington and pitching coach Mike Maddux had some kind of powwow to discuss the situation.

Could the Rangers afford to trade their "ace" -- or, at least, the guy that leads them in innings pitched every season -- before a season in which they expect to truly contend for the AL West?

Ryan had to be motivated by getting the money off the books. Although, a day later, they went and blew that cash on Rich Harden and, later, Vlad Guerrero. So, money wasn't that big of a deal, clearly.

Maddux, I would think, would have been reticent. His value as a pitching coach is judged based not only on the output of his guys, but also what kind of guys he has to play with. Maddux would have a much better shot at succeeding (see: his pitchers pitching well) with Kevin Millwood in lieu of youngster Derek Holland or prospect Martin Perez.

With Millwood, you know what you're getting.

I would assume the Millwood deal doesn't go through without Scott Feldman doing what he did in 2009.

If you thought Miles Austin shocked the world, think again. Feldman was the break-out player in Dallas-Fort Worth sports this last year winning 17 games, pitching 189 innings and posting a 4.08 ERA.

During July and August, he damn-near pitched the Rangers into a division.

Simply, he was great. The best season for a Rangers pitcher in a decade and probably one of the top five in franchise history, which ain't saying much.

Much like the Dallas Cowboys and Austin, I'm actually really scared to put a ton of faith into what Feldman is doing. I like the guy and all. There's little to not like. However, he doesn't throw hard and he's not what I consider a "control" pitcher (113 K and 65 walks last season). Feldman's a pitcher without all the tools or heat like Neftali Feliz. But he's smart and only 27 years old.

Feldman pitches precisely. Locates everything beautifully (or he did last season). Changed speeds as best he could, changes locations. Outsmarted the hitters.

He realizes he doesn't blow guns with 100 mph heat. So he doesn't try. Instead, he buys into Washington's and Maddux's idea of using the seven guys behind him. Pitch to contact and let your defense do the rest (of course, this is all easy to say when you have a salty, much-improved defense like the Rangers had in 2009).

Feldman's smart. However, the Rangers have to hope that the hitters remain dumb because nothing short of 200 innings and 15 wins from Feldman are going to do in order for the Rangers to contend.

Come together

Making Donnie Nelson look good

The game after the Dallas Mavericks pulled off the Josh Howard-Caron Butler trade, they were rolled by the upstart Oklahoma City Thunder in pretty short order.

Echoes of "no defense," "poor offense," "little teamwork" and the rest of the cocophany of disgust from the "first half" of the season rang abundantly throughout the Metroplex.

Since, the Mavs have rolled off three straight, all against pretty good teams and, the latter two, on back to back (road-home). Luckily, Dwayne Wade was absent for tonight's 97-91 win over the Miami Heat.

You don't go from losing every other night to rolling three straight without some real changes taking place.

The foremost change is defense. Before the trade, the Mavericks were regularly giving up 50-52 percent opponetns' field goal percentage. Since, they held Orleand to 42 percent and Miami to 46 percent. It's not perfect, but you'll win most games if you keep things in that general area.

Not to take anything away from Josh Howard (he's a good defender ... when he wants to be), but Butler is 15-20 percent better from night to night. Also, we're learning how much Erick Dampier means to this team. While he's been MIA and we've been dealing with Eddie Najera and Drew Gooden at center and they've sucked. Trade for Brendan Haywood and suddenly drivers are reticent, shots are being altered and the lane is being blocked.

The Butler-Howard trade wasn't perfect. But it improved them. And maybe it gave the usual suspects a bit more vim and vigor.

Notes:
1. Jason Terry couldn't try to shoot as bad as he's shooting.

2. The Mavericks had 28 free attempts. The Heat had 10.

3. Kinda hope Butler cuts down on the 19 footers in lieu of somewhere near the basket.

4. Haywood is clearly the lynchpin to this deal, so far.

5. Nine free throw attempts from Jason Kidd. Yowza. That has to be a 10-year high.

Centrefield

Nooooooo onnnnnnnneeeeeee fights like Borbon

Two years ago, the Texas Rangers were known as the franchise with a plethora of catchers.

Things have changed.

Now, I contend that the Rangers are centerfielder rich. Not all are primed for the big leagues. Some may never be. Nonetheless, in baseball, promise is as good as gold.

Julio Borbon
24
Texas Rangers
Technically, he's 23. But only for three more days. I don't think everyone is as excited as I am about a full season of Julio Borbon. Probably because most people don't care about the Rangers. That's a shame. The Rangers haven't had a monster like Borbon (see: speed) in a really long time and they've never truly developed a guy like him since Oddibe McDowell in the mid-1980s ... except Borbon's the better hitter.

Craig Gentry
26
Texas Rangers
Gentry seemingly came out of nowhere to get 100 runs, 155 hits, 49 steals and a .303 average to jump from Double-A to Arlington in one season. A nice defensive player to boot. I suspect he'll start 2010 in Triple A as the outfield situation in the bigs shakes out.

Engel Beltre
20
Frisco RoughRiders
A very late addition to the Frisco squad as Gentry and Borbon spent August and September in Arlington last season. This promotion was not due to his swell hitting. In his first experience above Low-A, Beltre hit .227 with 77 strikeouts and 17 walks. His patience and maturity at the plate are still not there. Then again, what were you doing at 20? Probably not trying to spot a curveball.

David Paisano
22
Bakersfield Blaze
Friends, this is a pretty salty group of speedy centerfield talent. Paisano, as we should remember, was a prospect thrown in for the John Danks-Brandon McCarthy trade. Paisano spent 2009 betwee Low- and High-A ball hitting a good .263 with 11 steals and 33 doubles. A really nice year for the young man.

Cody Podraza
22
Hickory Crawdads
Spent time in Hickory, Bakersfield and Spokane hitting .278 with 18 steals and just 47 strikeouts. Not that Podraza's bad, but I don't know if he has what it takes to jump the guys above him on this list. Quite a problem to have.

Kyle Rhoad
24
Spokane Indians
A 2009 draftee out of Eastern Michigan University. Stole 18 bases and scored 40 runs in his first professional stop.

Edward Alfonzo
20
Arizona Rangers
Youngster had 10 stolen bases in Arizona after collecting 15 swipes in the Dominican Summer League.

Past Editions
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Second Base
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Third Base
Left Field

Tiger Woods and pubic relations

If Donte Stallworth ever cheated on his wife, he'd be in big trouble

Wide receiver Donte Stallworth was signed to a one-year contract by the Baltimore Ravens this week.

This is only significant because in March of last year. Stallworth struck and killed a man in Miami with his Bentley under the influence of alcohol and marijuana.

This sickens me and disappoints. I was hoping some team had enough integrity and guts to freeze Stallworth into some early retirement. Alas, NFL owners and general managers are, generally, a bunch of assholes. It was so bad for Stallworth that no only did the worst team in the league (Cleveland) cut him, but the other awful team (Detroit Lions) publicly stated they had no interest.

I bring Stallworth up because famed golfer Tiger Woods released a statement in person this morning expressing seemingly real remorse for his actions -- these actions being messing around behind his wife's back with, at least, 13 women.

What I couldn't understand is how Woods needs to be so forthright and open about this feelings and how he's fixing his marriage while Stallworth murders a man with his car and gets a new contract to play football with no questions.

Why is Leonard Little playing football? He killed a man while drunk. Both he and Stallwroth evaded any real jail time and are back to be who they were before. You know, before they killed people with their cars while drunk.

I have zero interest in Michael Vick. I don't think he's a very good football player, first and foremost. Two, he used to fight dogs and would kill certain dogs in very "cruel" and inefficient ways.

Naturall, Vick goes to prison for a couple of seasons and has to take it in the shorts for the rest of his life because he had no problem killing a dog.

Stallworth probably had no problem getting high and running over some dude, but that's cool.

The problem I have with the Woods situation and the way editorializing media are handling is that they preface any opinions with: "Tiger Woods doesn't owe me anything." How many times have you heard that? Probably a million.

However, the same person will continue by noting that Woods is handling the situation all wrong and his apology is so fake and he's only doing it because he got caught.

Well, that's how it works. We all speed despite it being inherently unsafe. Still, we're only sorry and we only correct our behavior if we get caught. Three months later, we're back going 55 in a 35.

This is why we should be mad or upset with Tiger Woods:

Woods Cheated On His Wife With At Least 13 Women Having Unprotected (Allegedly) Sex With Strippers, Waitresses, Socialites, Groupies And Porn Stars
It's awful having an affair. He's a piece of shit for this alone. But all reports are that he was having it all unprotected leaving his family open for illegitimate pregnancies and all kinds of diseases. However, when it all boils down, it was an affair. It's not illegal. Just ethically (and religiously) wrong based on a bunch principles passed down the (principally) Judeo-Christian food chain.

And this is fine. If you don't want to get married and you want to sex up porn stars, go for it. Nobody would care if you weren't married. Once you get married, there's an expectation to be faithful, honest and true. Woods wasn't.

This is why most people are actually mad or upset at Tiger Woods:

Woods Upset Our Idealization Of Athletes, He's A PR Idiot And We Are Generally Disappointed With Athlete Admissions
Whether we want to admit this, sports fans like to think that Tiger Woods is the family man, above sex, drug or drink. We want to think Tiger, Roger Federer, Albert Pujols, Peyton Manning and Sidney Crosby are beyond vice because their focus is solely on their respective sports. If John Daly or John Kruk get fat, smoke, autograph tits or mess around with women, it's fine because it's quite obvious that hitting the green or a curveball is not their main objective in life.

Woods, more so than any celebrity in a really long time, is getting kicked over and over in the nuts about the way he's handled this entire situation. Woods had two good options: Come out immediately, admit to it all, come clean and apologize; or go into seclusion in Sweden for the next year and a half. Ideally. Unfortunately, he waited, all the girls came out of the woodworks and he doesn't really want to take an entire season off. In hindsight, he should've done option A, but hindsight is always 20/20. Why everyone is up in arms about his strategy with this is a mystery. They're not upset at the crime; just the cover-up.

Finally, over the past 20 years, we get a whole host of athlete interviews and press conferences where they go up in front of the cameras and fake some tears and skirt any real questions. I know it's maddening to see Mark McGwire just pussyfoot around the steroid question (especially after he admitted it), but this should the least of everyone's worries. Furthermore, these poor instances ruin it for everyone else.

I think Woods' statement today wasn't half bad. Could've been better. Less railing on the media. Don't get so defensive about getting beat (or not) with a pitching wedge. Don't go on and on about your educational foundation. We don't need spin control four months after the incident.

Still, he sounded contrite and sincere. He admitted that he thought he was above the basic rules of not cheating on your wife. He thought because he had it all (seemingly) that he could have even more. Unfortunately, the Alex Rodriguez and Mark McGwire apologies ruined it for Woods. Most will think he's full of shit.

All up until he wins his next Major. Or maybe Woods can run over a guy with his car. Then we'd all forgive him.

Jim Bibby and his third leg

Whatever you do, don't look down

Former Texas Rangers pitcher Jim Bibby died the other day.

Bibby had two stints with the Rangers. He was a journeyman for his career playing for four teams. In 1974, as a Ranger, he went a dubious 19-19 with a 4.74 ERA. A feat that will never, ever be reproduced as long as the Rangers exist. He also threw the first no-hitter in Rangers history.

SI's Joe Posnanski did a neat little article on Bibby calling him the "biggest" player he had ever seen. He was 6-5, 235 as a player. He even goes into detail about Bibby's 19-19 season where he was basically really, really good for a set of games and really, really bad for another set.

Fascinating.

Bibby, apparently, was larger than life in a different aspect. According to a Deadspin e-mailer, the pitcher was "prodigiously endowed" referencing Jim Bouton's book, Ball Four, where he describes Bibby as having the biggest "bat" in the league.

In other words, he had a giant penis.

The signing of the extremely useful Endy Chavez

Chavez ravine

I was slightly taken off guard the other day when it was announced that the Texas Rangers signed uber-utility outfielder Endy Chavez to a minor-league contract and an invite to Spring Training.

I was taken aback because it makes complete sense. A feeling not common in Dallas-Fort Worth sports.

Chavez is a 32-year-old lefty, who can play the corner outfield spots most of the time and centerfield in a pinch. He's coming off knee surgery, which is the big reason he's relatively cheap.

Texas makes his sixth franchise (he did make the jump from Montreal to Washington ... but that was one franchise); however, he's only gotten two real looks as a starter (2003-04, with Montreal). He's simply been a very useful bench guy, who can start for two weeks, play some good defense and be a really nice chip off the bench.

In 2,237 at-bats, he's struck out just 241 times. That's as much as Chris Davis would've struck out all of last season had he played 162 games. Extremely patient contact hitter. Exactly someone you want with two outs in the eighth inning and the winning run at second base.

In a 400 at-bat season, Chavez would be good for 20+ doubles, a decent average, 150 hits and probably 15 stolen bases (he had 32 in 2004).

I saw him quite a bit as a New York Met (2006-08) where he was perpetually on base, playing defense, laying down bunts, hustling, stealing bases or doing something deconstructive for the opponent. The guy is a menace, if healthy. And that's the key.

I honestly think he has a decent shot at making the 25-man roster although two lefties (Dave Murphy, Chavez) can handicap you in a tight situation where you need a big righty bat.

Surprise, we're here

Pumped

Pitchers, catchers report today.

More than excited.

Rebound

A high-percentage shot

Did the Dallas Mavericks ever need a game like last night. In the words of Tigers Woods, "huge."

The Mavericks played by far their best game in the last two months in a 107-97 win over the Phoenix Suns in the home debut of Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood.

For the Mavs, as of late, it was a near perfect game. The passing was excellent, the rebounding solid, the team defense the best it's been since November.

I think the foremost lesson from last night was the perpetual bread line to the basket. The Mavs lived at the basketball all evening. Every player whenever they wanted.

And as Basketball 101 will teach us, if you attack, attack, attack the perimeter of the court opens up like a hooker after getting paid.

Jason Kidd made four of eight three pointers last night. Mind you, Kidd, 99 percent of the time, only shoots wide-open, not-a-guy-within-15-feet jump shots. Why was he open all night? Because Suns defenders were chasing guys to the basket with extreme regularity.

If the Mavs can ever learn that lesson, they'll win any game, any night.

Then again, it was the Phoenix Suns defense. Let's see them going to the rim against a team that lays down the lumber defensively.

Notes:
1. You'll never see a more efficient and productive 11 minutes of basketball than Eddie Najera last night. Not enough is made of him. He's an odd duck in terms of match-ups and the fact that he doesn't score hinders his minutes. However, if there's a loose ball, rebound, tip or good pass to be made, Najera is part of it.

2. Bob Ortegal kept making a big deal about Jason Terry's shooting woes. Then Terry suddenly started going within 10 feet of the basket and making shots. Who knew?

3. Mark Followill called Caron Butler's jump shot "silky smooth." Compared to Shawn Marion's free throw, it is.

4. I was rooting for Jason Kidd's quadruple-double. That was as complete a game as that guy's had in two months.

5. Suns shot 5-22 from three-point range. You will win 100 percent of the time if this happens against the Suns.

6. Six minutes for J.J. Barea? Perfect!!

7. Ain't a thing wrong with Haywood's game last night. If the Mavs get that for another 30 games, they'll win 90 percent of those contests.

8. I won't turn my back on Erick Dampier, however. When he comes back, the Mavs frontcourt will be formidable.

Fail

Kev Kev

What we're all going to have to come to grips with as Mavericks fans is that no matter what trade the Mavs would've pulled down, it might not have actually made this team better.

The fact is, these Mavericks are not that good.

That was very, very, very evident last night in Oklahoma City where the most interesting basketball team in the world, the Thunder, rolled 99-86.

Here are some indisputable facts:

The Mavs Have Struggled For About Eight To Nine Weeks
This isn't a recent thing. Go all the way back to mid-December when they were playing .500 basketball against teams they would usually beat. The only difference now is that they're playing sub-.500 basketball against all teams. It's no longer an anomale. It's a state of being.

J.J. Barea, Jason Terry and Jason Kidd, Currently, Are The Worst Defensive Backcourt In The NBA
Opponents eyes light up when any combonation of those guys are on the court.

The Mavs Will Lose 100 Percent Of Their Games Shooting Less Than 38 Percent
Thirty-one percent is right out. I haven't seen them that bad offensively since Gar Heard was head coach.

The Oklahoma City Thunder Are Good
It's impossible not to want to watch them for 82 games.

There's no such thing as a free agent

Sam Hurd is the word

Honestly, by the time the Super Bowl's finished, I'm kinda ready for football to be over. Initially, I get kind of sad by the time the playoffs roll around as high school football is all but done and college football lulls itself into the bowl season.

There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Why we love football so much is because it's just a seemingly brief sub-section of our years.

However, it's been more than a week and it's time to start looking at the off-season for the Dallas Cowboys.

For all intents and purposes, the 2009 Cowboys squad that we all knew and loved is coming back for another run at things. Free agent-wise, little is going on and since everyone's gotten an extension, everything should be as it is.

By the way, Cletis Gordon, Duke Preston and Junior Siavii are restricted free agents, but they're buried in the depth chart so I won't discuss them.

Unrestricted Free Agent
Montrae Holland
The assumption, I guess, is that Holland is a back-up and therefore wouldn't get a ton of interest on the open market. Maybe. Offensive linemen are a premium no matter where they are on the depth chart. The current Dallas Cowboys O-line consists of a re-hashed guard (Andre Gurode), two cast-offs (Kyle Kosier, Marc Columbo) and a guy Phoenix was itching to let go (Leonard Davis). Some team has to look at Holland as a possibility.

Restricted Free Agents
Miles Austin
Would the Cowboys slap the "Franchise" tag on him to get out of paying him major cash with major years for at least one more season? Is anyone terrified that 2009 was a fluke? I think you're a crappy general manager in the NFL if you don't tread lightly with Austin. I couldn't imagine paying him major cash without at least one more year like he had this last season.

Gerald Sensabaugh
There's not a safety in the league that doesn't look silly at least twice a season. Sensabaugh had his pants around his ankles more than twice, but I refuse to think this defense wasn't better with him than without him. It's no coincidence that the defense became all-world with him and Keith Brooking in the mix.

Marcus Spears
Spears is forgotten despite being a first-round pick in the DeMarcus Ware draft. Unless you have the time or the wherewithal to look at tape, you don't notice defensive linemen like Spears. All I know is that the Cowboys were a highly-ranked team with him.

Stephen Bowen
My mantra over the last two seasons: Stephen Bowen makes at least one noticeable play a game. He can't start, but you can do a hell of a lot worse as a back-up.

Jason Hatcher
Decent back-up. At times, very, very quiet. Two years ago, I bet the Cowboys considered him a future defensive line starter.

Sam Hurd
Hurd's had all the opportunity in the world to snatch a spot in the receiver rotation. Miles Austin leapfrogged by a mile. Now, Kevin Ogletree is taking his aim at Roy Williams.

Pat Watkins
Dispensable safety. Possibly indispensable special teamer. Consider the Cowboys went all in for special teams in the 2009 draft, did that make Watkins a goner?

Cory Procter
I don't know if the Cowboys necessarily like him, but he play just about every spot on the offensive line. May be too affordable and flexible for them to pass up.

Shaun Suisham
I would very much doubt he's back.

Pat McQuistan
Doug Free jumped him. If Flozell should break his leg today, Free or Leonard Davis would take his spot before McQuistan.

A perspective: Josh Howard

Good night, sweet prince

One of my lasting, all-time memories of Josh Howard comes from the 2006 NBA Finals.

I think it was game 4 or 5. Either way, the Dallas Mavericks were reeling. After having won two straight at home, the Miami Heat were surging, taking a stranglehold on the series and -- as we know now -- the title.

I think it was late in one of those games and it was still close. Gary Payton, the Miami back-up point guard, got the ball at the top of three-point arc with Howard fronting him, but giving him entirely too much space.

Payton had dealt the Mavs a series of daggers the entire series. With the space, Payton steps into a shot. He misses. But Howard, idiotically, in a close game, with a 90 percent free-throw shooting compared to a 30-odd percent three-point shooter, fouls Payton on the forearm.

Payton nails all three free throws. Game, set, match.

When I think of Howard as he was recently shipped to Washington for, all intents and purposes, Caron Butler, I think of this instance. Not the weed. Not the drag racing or dissing the national anthem. But fouling the 800-year-old Payton in the 2006 Finals dealing the Mavs one of the worst blows in their franchise's history.

Something profound took place with Howard during his five-year career with the Mavericks. And "profound" isn't exactly a word used readily with Howard.

Whatever disappointment we've felt regarding Howard the last three seasons is just as much our fault as it is his.

Howard was taken in the 2003 draft at No. 29 by the Dallas Mavericks near the end of the first round. How does a good college player out of the ACC with that much apparent talent and physical prowess fall to No. 29.

If he's a dumbass stoner, that's how.

Unfortunately, Howard proved the system wrong for three seasons. He was almost right away at least a part-time starter in his rookie campaign and a full-time starter the next season.

He rebounded, scored, crashed the lane, played good perimeter defense, hustled, grabbed, scratched. Howard was the moxy and attitude this Mavericks team -- soiled with the images of Raef Lafrentz and Shawn Bradley -- needed to take the next step. During the 2005-06 season, they did just that out-gunning the San Antonio Spurs in the conference semis, wiping the floor with the Phoenix Suns in the conference finals and, finally, losing in the Finals.

Still, despite the nut-crunching Finals loss, we were all optimistic. Dirk Nowitzki was still in his prime. Howard was still young. Jason Terry and Devin Harris were as good as you got as third and fourth scorers. This team was going to win.

Something happened at this point and I think I know (and we all understand) what this something was.

Money.

In October 2006, Howard was rewarded a four-year, $40 million contract. Remember, Howard was a draft pick in the later part of the first round, which meant the Mavs got him at a premium, playing for NBA pocketchange especially compared to Marquis Daniels, a fellow 2003 rookie who went undrafted and was signed by the Mavs as a rookie free agent. Daniels impressed so much, they threw a sizable contract at him. All the while, Howard played for chump change ($1.7 million in his last season on the rookie scale ... chump change by NBA standards).

The next season, as we all know, the Mavericks won 67 games and were bounced by the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs.

Despite all the massive team success, Howard wasn't the same the same player.

His field goal percentage dropped two points. He shot two more three pointers per game compared to 2005-06 and his percentage there dropped four points. His turnovers went up just a tick. Although he averaged almost 19 points a game, anyone who had watched Howard the previous three seasons knew that he wasn't playing his same game.

He was a different guy.

Before, he would attempt one three pointer a game. Since, he averages about three and its not like he's making a higher percentage of them. His field goal percentage has fallen off the map completely. Injuries have become a gigantic issue.

As his effectiveness dwindles, Howard's mental incapabilities become more apparent. It's easy to forgive dribbling the ball off your foot or making a lazy pass when you're in the trenches grabbing loose balls or sticking it to Kobe Bryant on the perimeter.

Enter: the pot smoking admission, the party invites during the Golden State series, the drag racing, the national anthem brouhaha.

None of that really matters to me and it doesn't matter to Joe Mavericks Fan as long, again, as you're playing your nutsack off on the court. He wasn't and people cared about the pot stuff or making fun of the national anthem.

The worst thing that could have ever happened to Josh Howard and the Dallas Mavericks was that $40 million. He got paid and he quit working. He settled for long jump shots. His deficiencies (he's by far the worst passer among any prominent player in the NBA) came to a head. Frankly, if Donnie Nelson had any sense, Howard would've been traded two years ago.

Howard will be missed and remembered as the talent that should've been and the last good draft pick this team's ever had.

Left field of the dial

Hambone

Upcoming youngsters are making the Texas Rangers outfield situation very, very complex and, maybe, quite a bit better.

The change is getting to the point that its affecting every angle of their outfield situation especially left field if everything should go according to Hoyle.

All indications are that the Rangers will have a new left fielder in the form of an old face.

Here we have Rangers in left field:

Josh Hamilton
28
Texas Rangers
Injuries simply derailed his 2009 as he never got on track. It wasn't a total disaster. He showed signs of the dynamic and talented player that he is. He's making a permanent move to left field -- it appears -- with Julio Borbon coming on line in the field. At the very least, he'll play only half the innings at center than he usually does which should help abate the wear and tear on his body.
David Murphy
28
Texas Rangers
I truly think Murphy is a good player. Solid defensively and a good bat. But he's not great. I think he has a place somewhere in the MLB. He's got 52 doubles in two seasons with just 400 at bats per. He's got a decent walk rate and power. Problem is that he can't hit left-handed pitchers, which doesn't make him an everyday player.

Brandon Boggs
27
Oklahoma City Redhawks
Spent a majority of the year hurt or in Oklahoma City. A promising 2008 raised expectations too high for a good, athletic outfielder without the biggest bat in the world. He walks a ton, but he's not an everyday guy. Still a nice guy to have on the bench for defensive purposes or if you need a guy on the bags.

Steven Murphy
25
Oklahoma City RedHawks
A junior partner of the Rangers farm system. Turned an OK 2008 into a sub-par 2009 where he played in just 106 games with 359 at-bats. He hit .209 between Frisco and OKC. This should be a retrenching year.

Dustin Majewski
28
Oklahoma City RedHawks
Another old hand. Had done everything he could at Frisco. He hit .270 in half a season in Frisco with 46 walks to 41 strikeouts. His power numbers tumbled (1 homer in Frisco compared to 10 in 2008) but still had 21 doubles.

Mike Bianucci
23
Bakersfield Blaze
Probably in Frisco next season as he's hit the ever-loving shit out of every pitcher he's seen in professional baseball. Hit .288 between Hickory and Bakersfield. He's had 40 doubles the last two seasons and 30 home runs this season alone.

Eric Fry
22
Bakersfield Blaze
Made the jump to Bakersfield along with the rest of these guys. An interesting kid. Bats lefty and had 30 extra-base hits in 2009 with a .338 on-base percentage while in Hickory. In August, he had five home runs and a .320 average.

Cody Podraza
22
Bakersfield Blaze
Hit .278 between Spokane, Hickory and Bakersfield in 288 at-bats.

Timothy Rodriguez
22
Bakersfield Blaze
Hit .260 in his first try at High-A Bakersfield hitting five home runs in a little over 100 at-bats. A year ago he hit .323 in Spokane. A very juicy prospect.

Cristian Santana
20
Hickory Crawdads
Reracking. Started as a catcher and just last seaosn made the switch to the outfield. Still, a talent at the plate. Had 18 home runs and 19 doubles in 312 at-bats. The problem? The .224 average and 113 strikeouts. Yowza. At 20, we'll take it.

Aja Barto
23
Hickory Crawdads
The 6-5 Houston resident hit .242 between Bakersfield, Hickory and Spokane. Bleh.

Miguel Alfonzo
21
Spokane Indians
Respectable with the bump to Hickory hitting .262. Just 107 at-bats to go on.

Chris Dove
23
Spokane Indians
Logged a .410 OBP in 2008 and barely played in 2009 due to injury.

Ruben Sierra Jr.
18
Arizona Rangers
Very young offspring of our good buddy Ruben Sr. Hit .202 coming out of high school in Puerto Rico.

Braxton Lane
19
Arizona Rangers
Switch-hitting high school kid struggled like his draftmate Sierra Jr. hitting .185.

Past Editions
First Base
Second Base
Shortstop
Third Base

The Butler did it

Caron Butler, the newest Maverick

I first heard about the Caron Butler-Josh Howard trade -- I believe -- Friday afternoon and I held off commenting on it until today because I wanted it A) to go through and B) for me to get a good grasp on it.

Of all the rumor mill fodder going around, Butler was my least favorite of the trade targets for my Dallas Mavericks.

The guy scares me because I think he's too much like Shawn Marion and we already have one too many Shawn Marions. He's extremely injury-prone (having not played more than 80 games ever). He's also not the scorer as Carlos Boozer or Andre Iguodala, the other two targets for the franchise.

The truth is that I'm a huge Butler fan and, yet, I'm not overly pumped by him coming to Dallas.

Mark Cuban said he didn't want to make a move just to make a move (which I think he does anyway 68 percent of the time) but I think he did make this move to make a move.

Something had to be done. Josh Howard had to leave. Cuban is most concerned about his "product" than any owner in professional sports. He knew as much as we knew that the Mavericks couldn't end the 2009-10 season the same team they started as.

The brightest spot of this trade is that they didn't have to give up Erick Dampier and his -- allegedly -- expiring contract. And they got Brendan Haywood in a contract year (it's no accident that he's averaging 10 and 10 every night ... and there's little doubt the Mavericks will throw four years and $40 million at the guy.

I'm reticent, but happy that the Mavericks made a move. They've got two pretty OK centers. They can probably put Jason Terry back on the bench. And, chances are, at least two of the guys the Mavericks gave up (James Singleton, Quinton Ross) will probably be cut.

An all-star for the ages

Melo yellow

I'd say the NBA All-Star weekend in Dallas-Fort Worth was a success.

Strip clubs were full. Hotels were packed. The record-setting snow didn't lockdown the city. The Slam Dunk competition had a little pizazz. Parties went off without a hitch.

Then 108,000 people crammed into JerryWorld to watch a game that included 180 points scored and a semi-exciting finish.

Mark Cuban and Jerry Jones could not be more tickled.

From all accounts, it was a spectacular weekend and I'm thrilled that Dallas could play such an affable host.

It's funny to me that Dallas doesn't get as much attention as a marquee destination for major sporting events like the Super Bowl, all-star games and exhibitions.

Logistically, there's issues. Like no viable public transportation and everything's a bit too spread out (in relation to downtown Dallas and JerryWorld in Arlington).

Still, it's a big city with as good of accommodations in the nation, an international airport set direction in the middle of the country. Typically, the weather's a bit more welcoming (see: no 13 inches of snow). It's got enough strip clubs to choke a donkey.

I think Dallas is considered way less glamorous and a lot more cowboy than we like to think. Dallas can never truly compete with Miami or Los Angeles, but I refuse to think we're any worse than New Orleans, Atlanta or San Diego. Dallas should get a regular tour of consideration for marquee sporting events.

****
Considering the game yesterday, I started thinking about the NBA and its current status. I think it's really safe to assume that we're in one of the biggest upswings of NBA basketball since (clearly) the 1980s/1990s and maybe ever.

Lebron James and Kobe Bryant will be considered two of the top five or three players of all time when it's all said and done.

Dwayne Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Paul Pierce, Steve Nash, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett -- probably -- are Hall of Famers in the next 20 years.

Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh, Deron Williams and Rajon Rondo are superstars.

And these are just guys in the all-star game.

There's a ton of really, really good rookie and sophomore talent. We have the aging Hall of Fame veterans at the tail-end of their careers.

The guys playing and starring right now will be considered a hefty crop should they every reorganize the top 50 players in NBA history. In 20 years, I can see about 15 of them making it.

The running theme with all these guys is that none of them are real troublemakers. Meaning, I'm sure they have their fun, but they're not shooting themselves in the leg or causing issues or stabbing people to death at the Super Bowl.

Enjoy it. This is the heyday of NBA basketball and I'm afraid we're missing it.

Getting hot

Suckerpunch

If the Dallas Stars needed one guy to get hot, it was Marty Turco.

Apparently, Alex Auld didn't scare him but the 26-year-old Kari Lehtonen, the new Star, does.

Turco's 4-1-1 with two shutouts in February following a 3-0 road win against division-foe Phoenix tonight.

Aside from Turco's effort, this was the second-straight road win for the Stars, who wouldn't be able to beat the Kenyan national team in Nairobi two weeks ago.

The win puts them at 68 points, currently in eighth place in the Western Conference and will stay there if Calgary loses later tonight. With the Olympic break here, realistically the Stars could not have hit the mid-season rest any better.

Notes:
1. The Stars were outshot 40-22.

2. The Stars did win 33 of 63 of face offs and shut down three Coyote power plays.

3. Newbie Brandon Segal made his dynamic debut with a goal and assist.

4. Jamie Benn continues to impress and come up big. Fifteen goals in his rookie scene.

5. Three different fights. Two involving Krys Barch. Love that guy.

Steve Nash: Still funnier than you

Baby-back Ribs

Rib meat

The Dallas Stars need to desperately start piling up wins if the playoffs are a goal.

Tonight was a good start or end to the first half of their season with a 3-1 win over Calgary, the eighth-placed Western Conference team. With the two points (a hard-to-come-by pair on the road where they've won twice in the last 15 or so games), the Stars jump Detroit and Anahim for the ninth seed.

Mike Ribeiro's played two games since getting hacked with a stick a month ago. He's got three goals and an assist so far. Should he decide to show up for the next months, the Stars could be looking pretty good. Two of those goals have come on the power play.

Notes:
1. Jamie Benn, 14th goal.

2. Brad Richards with his 49th assist. At the end, he'll have some sweet numbers.

3. Marty Turco's 3-1-1 in February.

The unthinkable

The Big X is looking for a team to expand its girth to XII.

Rumors have Missouri or Pittsburgh.

New rumors have The University of Texas Longhorns joining the ranks of Minnesota, Ohio State, Michigan and Indiana.

Yes, the Longhorns "are in talks" with the Big X to skip the Big XII ship and go north.

It's going to be hard to believe but this is all about money.

The Longhorns are a gigantic draw on TV and they think they can get more money in the Big X. For the Big X, it puts them on the map. UT will be a huge pull for them and it makes them a legit conference as they've been the whipping boy of college football.

Apparently, UT and the Pac-10 have talked before, too.

I think this presents two very significant potential problems for the Longhorns.

Obviously, this would drive up travel and ancilliary costs in terms of having to go to Columbus or Ann Arbor every season. Sounds silly.

There's also a question of whether or not the Big X is equal to the competition in the Big XII. If UT is about winning national titles, can they ever leap Florida or Alabama playing Indiana or Purdue in Austin.

This is hard to tell. Big X had four top-25 teams at the end of the season. Big XII, three. The Big X had four 10+ win teams and the Big XII had two, including Texas. However, I think we could all agree that Oklahoma should come back.

Although the Big X's got the records, there isn't a team in that conference that is going to vie for a national championship outside of Ohio State. Of course, the Big XII has OU and Texas.

It's unthinkable of Texas going anywhere. It would rock the college landscape and basically hand the Big XII title to OU for the next decade.

Also, a Texas move will kill their annual bouts against Texas A&M (bigger for the Aggies than the Horns) and Texas Tech (much bigger for Tech). We could only assume that the Red River Rivalry would still be a non-conference affair.

NBA All-Star game parties I was I was going to, Vol. III

Just two guys and we're having a good time

A foot of snow has put the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex under lock down. Three days before the NBA All-Star game.

No real word how this will affect things. Surely players will be getting in at some point. How does this affect the parties? The events?

Who knew that the weekend of the Black Super Bowl Dallas would receive the most snow since the late 1970s. Crazy.

Today, we'll take a gander at Carmelo Anthony's Official All-Star Party.

Many of you probably had Carmelo Anthony's Unofficial All-Star Party on their iPhone calendar. I kid, but I do wonder how many fake NBA All-Star game parties there are. What would stop some promoter or club from saying that a bunch of celebrities will be somewhere, have the party with 500 people there and just say that Carmelo Anthony or Dwayne Wade was somewhere in the back or VIP room? I would assume it's quite easy.

Anthony does not party alone. He's invited his good friends Deron Williams, Kevin Durant and Al Horford. Very impressive.

It turns out that Anthony has been very successful. One of the greatest freshman years in college basketball. A national title. A nice NBA career. Endorsements.
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And "not to mention a forthcoming wireless communications firm"? Like, Carmelo Anthony Wi-Fi? Can you hear me now?

Also, Anthony is about to take his "winning ways" to the "boardrooms of the elite heavy hitters" in the "Recording Industry."

If you want to party with 'Melo, Durant or Williams, you'll need to act now. Tickets are selling out. It's tomorrow night and goes through 4 a.m. Saturday at Beamers off Walnut Hill in Dallas.

Premium tables are $2,500 but are sold out. However, regular tables ($1,500) are still available.

The greatness of the P1

Recently, the Godfather of Dallas Sports Talk Radio Mike Rhyner went to the airwaves to warn everyone about grifters hacking into Facebook accounts and getting people to wire money to them.

An awful story.

Channel 11 did a story on Rhyner's grifting and P1s, faithful listeners to The Ticket, flooded the comments section with very irreverent -- yet funny -- notes of no consequence.

Here's the top nine:

9. "Hey Rhynes, Its Greggo, can you send me some money?"

8. "Eddie!"

7. "STEVE!"

6. "When is the Karen Borta swimsuit calendar coming out?"

5. "Happened to me too. Some grifter hacked into Mike Rhyner's account and asked me to send him a bag of Whataburgers."

4. "Dude your sack's hanging out!!!"

3. "I love Karen Borta. I also like steak."

2. "Wink"

1. "Are your nipples black?"

Let the Lehtonen in

Lehtonen, getting in

The Dallas Stars made a pretty significant move ... or as significant as a 10th-place hockey club can make.

They sent a fourth-round pick and Ivan Vishnevskiy (a nice defensive prospect) to the Atlanta Thrashers for goalie Kari Lehtonen.

This says three things to me:

1. The Stars realize there is a gigantic problem and that it starts at goaltending.

2. The Stars feel pretty confident about the Robidas-Niskanan-Grossman-Fistric-Daley core on defense to let Vishnevskiy go.

3. That Marty Turco's days are numbered.

I think, also, that the Stars are not giving up on 2010. I hardly doubt anyone really feels they can win the Stanley Cup or even make it to the second round of the playoffs. Still, they're in 10th place and just three lousy points out of the eighth seed. Nobody's ever won the Stanley Cup not making the playoffs.

I honestly feel that the Stars probably could not have done better in not only addressing the goaltending issue, but getting younger and building for the future.

Lehtonen is 26 compared to Turco's 34.

Lehtonen is a former No. 2 overall pick by Atlanta in 2002 and broke into the NHL In 2003-04 winning all four of his starts.

In terms of his five-year NHL career, his peak season was 2006-07 when he won 34 games with a GAA of 2.79. The last two seasons he's struggled on bad Atlanta teams and he hasn't played at all this season having undergone two back surgeries.

Lehtonen should be starting after the Olympic break.

It's also worth noting that goaltenders are temperamental beings and they don't typically break into the league with their pants on fire. Or on the ground.

Like starting pitchers or quarterbacks, goaltenders tend to peak in the late 20s and early 30s. It's no mistake that guys like Eddie Belfour, Dom Hasek, Marty Brodeur, Curtis Joseph and even Turco had or are having their best years in their advanced state of their careers. It honestly would not shock me to see Turco somewhere else next season, thriving.

Still, under the latter years of Doug Armstrong to the current regime, there's been an effort to get younger and it's work with guys like Grossman, James Neal, Steve Ott and Loui Eriksson embracing important roles. It's good to see a Dallas sports team actually meeting their deficiencies head on.

NBA All-Star game parties I wish I were going to, Vol. II

Party!

Apparently, as of right now, some 92,000 people will attend the NBA All-Star game at JerryWorld Sunday.

Airports and hookers are all a-flitter. Celebs are rolling in and there isn't a Lamborghini to be had in the entire city. All eight of them have been rented.

Yesterday, we discussed the ultimate possibilities of partying with Terrell Owens.

Today, we go local again, with Lincoln High School product Chris Bosh. He's hosting a party at "Southside at Lamar: The Underground" after the rookie/sophomore game on Saturday.

"Dress: Stylish." Vague? I guess this doesn't not include pearl snaps and Old Navy jeans.

"Come Kick It With Chris Bosh And His NBA Friends!" the invitation implores us the Toronto Raptor power forward glares at us menacingly from the shadows.

Does this mean Hedo Turkoglu, Marco Belinelli, Andrea Bargnani and Rasho Nesterovic will be in attendance?

NBA All-Star game parties I wish I were going to, Vol. I

So it's that kind of party

The Black Super Bowl is upon us. In less than a week, the best of the best in the NBA will convene upon Dallas to play a meaningless basketball game with no defense allowed.

However, that's half the story.

Several weeks ago, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban stated that the NBA All-Star extravaganza would make the Super Bowl look like a Bar Mitzvah.

And he's right. I think people equate this statement as meaning that the all-star festivities will be bigger than the Super Bowl. I think what he really meant was that it was going to be edgier, glitzier and, for lack of a better word, blacker.

The Super Bowl is for white celebrities and old white business executives.

The NBA All-Star is for young, good looking, rich and glamorous black people. It's the Black Super Bowl. This isn't your cousin's bar mitzvah. It's like Soul Train and the Source Awards mixed together. With Bentleys.

All week, I hope to help promote some kick-ass parties being thrown. All of which I wish I could get into or afford to get into.

Terrell Owens, the much-maligned former Dallas Cowboy, is hosting his "Welcome to Dallas Party" Friday, Feb. 12 at the Aloft Hotel in Dallas.

Apparently, a whole host of NFL, NBA and celebrities will be there. It's $80 for the VIP rooms and I'm sure there's zero chance of even whiffing the musk of someone remotely famous or important.

Most exciting is the dress code:

"DRESS LIKE YOU MEAN BUSINESS. NO ATHLETIC ATTIRE SUGGESTED. JEANS WITH A COLLARED SHIRT IS ACCEPTABLE. STYLE AND EXECUTION OF YOUR ATTIRE WILL DETERMINE ENTRY OF THIS EVENT."

Even if you've got your $80 of saved up allowance, but you're rolling in a Dallas Stars sweatshirt and your Reebok Pumps, you ain't getting in. All ugly people need not apply.