Mavericks Trade For Shawn Marion

According to the DMN, the Mavericks are close to finalizing a deal with the Toronto Raptors that will send Shawn Marion to Dallas in exchange for Jerry Stackhouse’s contract and a couple other spare parts. Marion, who is 31 years old, will be an immediate starter for the Mavericks. While I do like this deal, I don’t see it as doing anything to put the Mavericks over the top. They’ll still be a 50 win team who gets thoroughly trounced by a dominant team in the playoffs. Plus, this trade basically muscles out Brandon Bass, who is in search of a more lucrative contract. Bass had quickly become one of my favorite Maverick players due to his high energy level and athleticism.

So on the opening night of the Mav’s season, their starting five will consist of Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard, Shawn Marion, Jason Kidd and Marcin Gortat. Is it an upgrade from last year? Yes. Does it get anyone all THAT excited? I highly doubt it.

UPDATE: The full details of the trade have been disclosed by ESPN. The Memphis Grizzlies will get Stackhouse and his expiring contract. The Raptors will get Antonie Wright and Devean George from the Mavs. Dallas gets both Marion and Kris Humphries, a talented young power forward who could help soften the blow if Brandon Bass signs somewhere else.

A Long Look Back At My Week Off

Well, I finally pulled the family truckster back into my driveway in Wylie, Texas last night after a long week spent visiting the wife’s family in the Great White North. A lot happened during my time away that needs to be commented on. Plus, I’m going to sprinkle in a few of my own observations from our 2,000 mile round trip trek across the central United States. Here we go…

* I have officially dubbed this to be the Summer of the Dead Has-Been. After arriving at my uncle’s 50th birthday party on Saturday night, the first thing I heard someone say was, “hey, did you hear that they found Steve McNair dead?” Add him to the list along with David Carradine, Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, Billy Mays and Karl Malden. If I was Drew Bledsoe or Scott Baio, I’d be staying indoors a lot these days.

* The Texas Rangers closed the gap between themselves and the Anaheim Angels to regain a share of first place in the A.L. West. As I was driving home yesterday, they were in the process of completing a sweep of  a very good Tampa Bay team. Even better, they finally sent Chris Davis and his limp dick of a bat down to Oklahoma City, making Hank Blalock the new everyday first baseman. While Davis was solid defensively, he looked like Corky Thatcher at the plate, hitting a paltry .202 with an ungodly 114 strikeouts. My prediction: Davis will never see the light of day in the big leagues again.

* The Mavericks re-signed Jason Kidd and are about to sign some giant white Pollock. No one seems to care.

Now for some nuggets from the road.

* I spent the greatest four years of my life at Iowa State University. I’ll never have that much fun again. Unfortunately, I had forgotten what an amazing place the campus is until the wife and I swung through Ames on our way up to Minnesota. If you ever get a chance to make it to Ames, do it. Eat at Great Plains Pizza or Hickory Park, drink a beer at Cy’s Roost, laugh at the smelly kids playing Magic in the comic book shop on Lincoln Way and stroll through ISU’s central campus. You won’t be sorry you did.

* I think I offended at least one person in Minnesota when I referred to William Tecumseh Sherman as a bastard. Instead of crying about it like an overly P.C. pussy, you could have just called scoreboard on me. Your side did win that war after all. On a side note, I find it funny that Sherman is such an icon to the “anti-war” left. If the United States military were to employ his tactic of total warfare in Iraq, the anti-war Left would be in an uproar, ready to prosecute every level of the U.S. government for crimes against humanity. We also would have won that war three months after it started, but that’s another story. But you have to remember that nothing gets a peace-loving, anti-war hippie more excited than the thought of killing his fellow Americans, which is exactly what Sherman did. Don’t believe me? Ask the first anti-war peacenik you come across what his thoughts are on the Iraq War. I’m sure you know what his response will be. Next, ask that same hippie douche what he thinks about Texas (or any other red state in the south) seceding from the Union. Watch as his pants tighten at the thought of the Obama-led U.S. military marching south to teach those no good, free thinkers a bloody and well-deserved lesson.

* Lakes in central Minnesota are freezing fucking cold even in July. I don’t recommend jumping in one.

* Why is the simple act of driving so tiring? Granted, I drove almost 1,000 miles yesterday, but I still didn’t think I was going to be that exhausted when I finally got home. I mean, it is just sitting in a chair and using your hands and one foot, right? Maybe it’s more mental exhaustion from driving around countless morons who refuse to go five miles over the speed limit and who change lanes without looking.

* And on that note: Fuck you, Oklahoma. Die.

Why, Dirk, Why?

It it turns out that the fugitive with eight aliases and mulitple felony warrants is Dirk’s girlfriend. WHAT THE F*CK, DIRK!!!

Ummmm, Dirk….You’ve Got Some Explaining To Do

Apparently if you’re a fugitive with multiple felony warrants out for your arrest, you can just hole up at Dirk Nowitzki’s Preston Hollow mansion and try to duck the fuzz. You’d think after getting kicked around by that team of felons in Denver, Dirk could use a break from the thugs when he’s at home.

Danny Crawford = Great Satan

I’m definitely not one who usually buys into conspiracy theories. I leave that to the angry liberal who likes to connect the Bush family to every major world tragedy since 1900. However, when it comes to sports, I do think that the NBA is far and away the most “rigged” of all the professional leagues. And by NBA, I mean the NBA referees. The Tim Donaghy scandal was pretty blatant proof. And being a Dallas fan who witnessed the 2006 Finals did nothing to ease my fears either. Today, Mike Fisher at DallasBasketball.com has a terrific write up about Dallas’ true arch nemesis, Danny Crawford, and the complete hack job he’s performed on the Mavericks.

As Zac Crain of D Magazine said, “The internet has made it impossible for the NBA to sweep stuff like this under the rug.”

The Dime Bag: Why Do I Feel This Way Edition

Last night, after landscaping my front yard, cooking dinner and giving my eldest son a bath, I turned on the Mavs/Rockets game. Mavs were down two. Then JET hit a jumper, then Dirk, then JET, then JET, then JET again.

Why God Why? Why do I feel excited watching the Mavs again? Why do I let myself get sucked into what I know will end up as colossal disappointment again? It’s a paradox. Unexplainable. Kinda like how my buddy Chris can continue to cheer for the Astros, when I think they just started using negative numbers in the win column. But, I digress. Back to the Mavs. 

I’m not naive enough (at least at the moment) to think the Mavs have any shot at the championship, but I do think they can beat the depleted Spurs. They’ve won seven of their last nine and are the first Dallas sports team in a decade to end the season playing their best ball. My biggest concern is that Cuban will see this as justification for adding one more piece to the puzzle instead of blowing the whole thing up like I believe he needs to. 

Here’s some other ‘feelings’ I need explained:
* Why do I feel like I could beat JJ Barea out for the point guard spot?
* Why do I feel like hiring Tanya Harding to clip Dirk in the knee everytime he tugs at the left side of his jersey?
* Why do I feel like Shaq to the Mavs would be a good move?
* Why do I feel like Josh Howard has improved his trade value but will still play for the Mavs next year?
* Why do I feel like Rick Carlisle should legitimately be considered for Coach of the Year?

If you have any answers, I’m listening…

Chris Paul A Mav? Excuse Me While I Clean Up My Pants

The last two days have been very good to the ol’ Mavericks. First, they trounce the Utah Jazz in the most important game of the season to move into a tie for the coveted seventh seed in the Western Conference.

And now Tim MacMahon at The Dallas Morning News is reporting that the Mavs might have a plan in the works to trade for Chris Paul in the offseason. The Hornets, who play in a shit market that still hasn’t recovered from Hurricane Katrina, are probably going to find themselves in a situation where they have to dump as much salary as possible just to stay afloat in these tough economic times.

Basically, the trade would involve the Mavericks taking on the expensive contracts of Paul and a combo of either Tyson Chandler, Peja Stojakovic, Morris Peterson or James Posey for the expiring contracts of Jerry Stackhouse, Josh Howard and Eric Dampier.

I don’t care how good Howard has looked in the last few games; this trade is a total no-brainer. Paul is far-and-away the best point guard in the league and probably should be included in any discussion involving the best five overall players in the league. BTW, my top five includes Paul, Lebron, Kobe, D-Wade and Dirk.

Paul is easily my favorite non-Maverick in the NBA. He has every quality you’d want in a point guard. He can penetrate, he can shoot from the outside, he can find the open man, he can run the offense, he can play defense (consistently leads the league in steals) and he can take a game over by himself.

Just the thought of seeing him in a Mavericks uniform makes my sports pants want to hijack an American cargo ship off the coast of Somalia.

April Fools At The AAC

As I watched the end of the Mavs 98-96 win over the Miami Heat last night, I couldn’t help but wonder if the basketball Gods were playing an April Fools joke on us all. Two things happened that I never thought I’d live to see.

NOTE: Skip to the 1:50 mark of the video I linked to to see the plays I’m about to discuss.

1. With about seven second left in the game and the Mavs nursing a one point lead, Dirk Nowitzki missed a long three-pointer that was rebounded by the Heat. Heat guard Mario Chalmers proceeds to race up the court with a full head of steam. That’s when the first miraculous event took place. Josh Howard made a crucial play late in a game. As Chalmers dribbled into the lane, Howard slid over to defend him, beat him to the spot that he was driving to, planted his feet and took a charge. Offensive foul on Miami, ball goes back to Dallas. I thought Howard’s role was to score 19 in the first 10 minutes of the game and then disappear into the ether for the rest of the game or sideline himself for another two weeks with some mundane injury.

2. The second act of the basketball Gods came after the free throw attempts awarded to the Mavs due to the aforementioned offensive foul. Jason Terry made the first one to give the Mavs a 98-96 lead, but missed the second one. It was rebounded by Miami with roughly two seconds left to go in the game. As the Heat start the ball down the court, everyone on the planet knows who is going to end up with the ball. I’m fully expecting Dwayne Wade to get the ball and either drive quickly, make a shot and get fouled or attempt a long jumper, make the shot and get fouled (Actually, the only thing I was absolutely sure of was Wade getting a foul called).

Sure enough, Wade gets the ball in the corner for a game winning three point attempt. However, Jason Kidd flashes across Wade’s face and pokes the ball out of his hands before he can get a shot off in regulation. And no foul was called. I could not freaking believe it. Anyone who is even remotely familiar with Mavs/Heat history knows that a Maverick is not allowed to breath on, look at, stand next to or be in the same room with Dwayne Wade in the last minute of a game without a foul being called.

Someone upstairs definitely has a sense of humor and, for once, the joke wasn’t on Dallas.

Shaq-Fu & The King

Rumors are swirling that the Cavs are wanting to trade Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic for Shaquille O’Neal. I do this trade if I’m both teams. Phoenix would be better off with cap relief and guys that can run the court in the rejuvenated “seven seconds or less” offense under new coach Alvin Gentry. The Cavs are already awesome and it doesn’t matter who you really put with Lebron, but adding arguably the best center of all time wouldn’t be bad.

Top 5: NBA All-Star Edition

Here’s the Top 5 Things We Loved:

1. Shaq’s dance with the Jabbawokees.
2. Allen Iverson’s expulsion of the corn rows.
3. Lebron (tentatively) entering the 2010 Dunk Contest in Dallas.
4. The fact that Dirk didn’t dance.
5. Chis Paul. 14 points, 14 dimes, 7 boards, 3 steals and an alley-oop dunk from Tony Parker. 

Here’s the Top 5 Things We Hated:

1. The Dunk Contest
2. The 3-Point Contest
3. The HORSE Game
4. Allen Iverson as the starting guard
5. All the “how many rings would Shaq and Kobe have won if they stayed together” talk that we knew we’d hear today.

The Dime Bag: Top 5 Edition

Here’s a laundry list of Top 5′s that have been on my mind for some time now…please comment with your (dis)agreements or your own Top 5:

Top 5 Most Overrated Players in the NBA
1. Allen Iverson DET
2. Tracy McGrady HOU
3. Marcus Camby LAC
4. Jermaine O’Neal TOR
5. David West NO

Top 5 Most Underrated Players in the NBA
1. Chauncey Billups DEN
2. Danny Granger IND
3. Antawn Jamison WAS
4. Jameer Nelson ORL
5. David Lee NY

Top 5 Current Places To Play – Any Sport (If I were a player)
1. Cameron Indoor Stadium
2. Fenway Park
3. Lambeau Field
4. The LA Coliseum
5. Wrigley Field

Top 5 All Time Best Uniforms
1. Houston Oilers
2. Michigan Wolverines
3. New England Patriots
4. Houston Astros
5. Dallas Cowboys

The Dime Bag: Kobe v. Lebron

The MVP race is perceived to be a tight one in the Association. I beg to differ. I wrote a while back that Lebron is currently doing something that Kobe has failed to do at this point. Transcending the game. But for this edition, let’s keep it on the court. Forget endorsements, commercials, rape charges, baby powder and let’s ask the big question: Who’s better? Kobe or Lebron?

2008-2009 Averages for this year: 
Kobe – 27.5 ppg – 5.6 rpg – 5.0 apg – 47% field – 35% 3 pts
Lebron – 28.6 ppg – 7.5 rpg – 7.1 apg – 49% field – 31 % 3 pts

My driver’s education teacher in high school always said, “keep up with the flow of  traffic, act and react to every situation around you.” It’s really a great school of thought that applies to this very discussion. You see, this is how Lebron plays. He leads the league in scoring right now, but does it in the flow of each and every game. Kobe on the other hand, puts the blinders on and hits the gas. And don’t get me wrong, that’s the way I play pick-up basketball. But who does Kobe make better by doing that? Lebron is basically leading sloth and the rest of the Goonies to one of the league’s best records and his team has improved each and every year.

When Kobe won three titles, he had arguably the best big man of all time. And it’s taken adding Pau Gasol to really get the Lakers back into contention. Kobe has always competed with the ghost of Michael Jordan. I still remember Kobe calling off a screen from Karl Malone in an all-star game to play one-on-one with MJ. Shaq made Kobe better. Not the other way around. And we all know the state of the Lakers after Shaq left and Kobe finally got his wish of it being “his” team. They sucked.

Lebron leads his team. You see his guys running the floor after a defensive rebound because they realize they might actually see the ball on the other end. The Cavs play FOR Lebron and not simply WITH him. There’s a funny eyeroll of “there he goes again” from many of the Lakers supporting cast once the ball gets in Kobe’s hands. That’s why they are different. That’s why Lebron is better.

The Dime Bag: All Sports & Nude Girls Edition

Ok, so there aren’t any pics of nude girls. Just trying to get more web traffic. So since you found us, put your privates back in your pants, try to stop sweating and read on…

• Alex Rodriguez got caught with his pants down and a syringe in his ass. While he was a Texas Ranger no less. There is no doubt in my mind that steroids are as rampant in baseball as weed is in the NBA. Purely for medicinal purposes in both cases I’m sure.
• New York Knicks just finished a week in which they faced the Lakers, Cavs, and Celtics. Arguably the three best teams in the NBA. They lost. All  three games. I bet the Knicks still wish they had the “Jordan Stopper” Gerald Wilkins to deal with the likes of Kobe and Lebron. 
• Tony Romo talked to a Babe. Laufenberg that is. See it here. Same ‘ole, same ‘ole. My favorite part of the interview is when he completely side steps the question about wanting T.O. back on the team next year.
• The Mavs are 30-20. Dirk dropped 44 in their latest against Chicago. They are only 4.5 games out of first. I still don’t think they will make the playoffs. But in true Dallas sports fashion, they will leave us hanging until the last possible second….and then we’ll pull the trigger. Brains. Everywhere.
• The Dallas Stars are good??? Well, they’ve won 7 of their last 8. Tied for 2nd in the Pacific Division. Go Steve Ott. That’s the only thing I know about the Stars. And he’s my favorite player. Since he’s the only one I know. 
• The Texas Rangers signed Andruw Jones. That’s just what we needed. We’ve had three pitchers suffer season ending injuries before the season has even started. So let’s go get a washed up superstar. And I use the term superstar very, very loosely. Jones ’08 stats: .158 AVG, 3 HR, 14 RBI. Nolan Ryan needs to go Robin Ventura on the wonderboy GM John Daniels very soon. 

The Dime Bag: I’m Not Impressed Edition

• I’m not impressed that the Mavericks beat the Nellie St. Warriors 117-93. They finally beat a team they should have instead of losing by 35 like they did to Milwaukee’s Best earlier this month. It’s time. It’s time Mr. Cuban to blow this thing up. With Jason Kidd’s 20 mil coming off the books this year, the Mavs need to get younger. It’s also overdue to build this thing around someone besides Dirk. While I’ve always thought Dirk is a great player, I’d much rather have the likes of Kobe or Lebron.
• I’m not impressed that the Charlotte Bobcats are 3 games out of a playoff spot currently. Larry Brown is a great coach but will not be loyal to this team. Even with MJ sitting in the luxury suite, Larry Brown will some how figure out a way to leave after this year AND collect the entire amount of his contract. MJ also needs to stick to making shoes instead of running a franchise. It’s not working.
• I’m not impressed with Greg Oden. Yet. Maybe not ever be. Despite the last couple of weeks that he’s starting to turn in consistent double-doubles, he’s still averaging 9 points, 7 rebounds and 1 block a game. I do believe he was the right pick for Portland, but this 50 year old kid should be dominating at least on the boards and defensive end of the floor.
• I’m not impressed that Tracy McGrady come back from yet another injury. I would be impressed if he didn’t get injured in the next 10 games though.
• I’m not impressed that Eddie House made 8 3′s and scored 28 points against the Kings. This guy shoots the ball as soon as he gets it. Whenever he gets it. Where ever he is on the court. He’s not a shoot first pass second kinda guy. He’s a shoot first, and second, and third. If you can’t shoot it, just kick it out of bounds kinda guy. Much like the early and mid 90′s Georgetown High School basketball teams.

As If Lebron Wasn’t Already Awesome Enough…

…read the first sentence of the third paragraph in this story. I used to rank Chris Paul as my favorite non-Maverick in the NBA. Looks like he just got bumped down a notch.

The Dime Bag: Lebron James Edition

Ever since MJ retired (for the 3rd and final time), the NBA has been combing itself for the next Jordan. Harold Miner was tabbed “Baby Jordan” playing ball at USC, won a dunk contest in the NBA, had baggy shorts and a bald head, but now is working at a Blockbuster somewhere (speculation).

Isaiah Rider introduced us to the “East Bay Funk Dunk” but subsequently smoked himself out of the league. 1995 came and went and brought us to the ’96 draft when the skinny son of ‘Jelly Bean’ Bryant was chosen with the 13th pick right out of high school. Kobe. An emerging star that could jump AND shoot. Kobe thrived on the attention. Developed a killer instinct. Won 3 Championships (with a dominant little player named Shaq I might add). Had the world at his fingertips. And had a Colorado co-ed at the tip of something else. Allegedly accused of rape, Kobe had to go into a complete image makeover starting with a $2 million diamond ring to remind his wife that he was still a sugar daddy and a ‘stand up’ guy. Still not Jordan. But a future Hall of Famer none-the-less.

Enter 2003, when another high school freak standing 6’7″ and weighing 250 lbs was drafted first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers. World, meet Lebron James. His high school games were being shown on ESPN primetime on a weekly basis. He literally came to the NBA as the most hyped player in history. From the beginning, Lebron (yes we’re on a first name basis) has been “THE” guy.

His supporting cast with the Cavs is no more than neck tattoos (Delonte West), overly thick eyebrows (Wally Szerbiak), token-slow-white-clumsy-center (Zydrunas Illgauskas), and defensive rebounding specialists with hairstyles that could hide small children (Anderson Varajeo & Ben Wallace). Yet Lebron has led the Cavs to the finals. Gotten stronger and taller (now 6’9″ 274lbs, which is bigger than Demarcus Ware). Consistently improved all areas of his game each year. Has a signature shoe. Starred in the greatest basketball commercial (The Lebrons) since Mars Blackmon. Has a trademark gesture (throwing powder in the air). Is the most unstoppable player in the league off the dribble and in the air. And has done what all of those who have followed Jordan have not been able to do since his airness jumped from the free throw line…he is officially transcending the game. Oh yeah, and he’s 24 years old.

What people have said about MJ and Tiger Woods is becoming true with Lebron. He knows he’s better than you. You know he’s better than you. And now, he knows that you know he’s better than you. It appears that his jewelry collection will also begin to grow by a few rings with much less talent around him than Kobe or MJ have ever had. Walking on water soon to follow.

The Dime Bag

The Cowboys have officially ruined sports for me. I don’t enjoy football anymore. Never could watch hockey on TV. The Yankees are buying players like Snackbar buys gay prostitutes and basketball is void of big drama at this point. But we must press on. Here’s this week’s Dime Bag:

* Celtics have lost five of seven after running 19 in a row. But no need to fear Beantown, Stephon Marbury is joining the Irish soon. Yeah, that’ll put you back on track.

* Devin Harris is averaging 23 points, seven assists and two steals. Jason Kidd is averaging eight points, nine assists, and two steals. Devin Harris makes $7.9 million this year. Jason Kidd makes $21.3 million this year. If I haven’t said it before, nice job Mr. Cuban.

* Four out of five teams in the Southwest Division have won at least 21 games (Spurs, Hornets, Mavs, & Rockets).

* Lebron continues to be awesome. He is averaging 28 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and two steals. The Cavs are 27-6 with a 17-0 home record and hold an amazing 11.8 point differential. Like MC Hammer, Too Legit to Quit!

* Spurs continue to be boring. But they win. But are no fun to watch. And they’re old. But they win. And have you seen the bald spot Manu Ginobli is growing on his head? Take a one-guard to that melon.

* Sam Cassell continues to be ugly.

* The Mavs continue to give Dallas just enough hope that they are actually a good team. But call your bookies. If, and I do mean if, the Mavs make the playoffs, Dallas will be disappointed. Again. Same losers. Same fans. Pulling same triggers.

* Steve Nash continues to miss Mike D’antoni. The Knicks, yes the Knicks have the highest scoring offense in the NBA.

* Cowboys fans continue to jump off the building (and the bandwagon). I know this is a basketball column, but I still can’t get over the way everything ended for Dallas. At one time we had the best talent, with the best young quarterback, with the best chance to win the Superbowl. Now we have the best underachieving players, with the best-chance-to-turn-the-ball-over-quarterback and the best chance to be on a “life happens fast” commercial next to Kevin Federline during the Superbowl. Suck it Cowboys!

Dallas Puts Minnesota In Its Place……Again

The city of Dallas continued it’s sports pwnage of the state of Minnesota last night when the Mavericks pulled off the largest comeback victory in franchise history. With the Timberwolves up by 29 points early in the third quarter, the Mavs pulled off a furious rally and ended up winning 107-100.

And thus, another Dallas sports franchise has one of their hallmark moments on the books against a team from Minnesota. In case you need a refresher, here’s a list of historical bitch slaps that Dallas teams have handed out at Minnesota’s expense:

* The invention of the “Hail Mary” pass. On December 28, 1975, Roger Staubach and Drew Pearson hooked up on a last second desperation pass to defeat the Minnesota Vikings in a divisional round playoff game at old Metropolitan Stadium. The “Hail Mary” has been a part of the football lexicon ever since.

* The longest run in NFL history. On December 3, 1983, Tony Dorsett had a 99 yard touchdown run against the Minnesota Vikings. The best part was that Dallas only had 10 players on the field at the time, giving the Vikings a huge advantage.

* The most one-sided trade in NFL history. On October 12, 1989, “The Trade” as it would come be known was pulled off. The Cowboys traded Herschel Walker to Minnesota for what seemed like 55 draft picks, all 10,000 lakes and eventually, their NHL team. (The details of the trade are too long to list, so check out the link above if you want read up on the nitty-gritty.) The Cowboys parlayed the trade into three Super Bowl victories, several hall of famers and what ended up being one of the greatest runs in NFL history. The Vikings got a couple of seasons out of Walker and faded back into mediocrity where they became the poster child for getting completely raped in a trade.

* Dallas steals the “State of Hockey’s” hockey team. In the fall of 1993, the Minnesota North Stars packed up the Met Center and headed for the warmer, greener pastures of Dallas, Texas. For a state that claims to be so rabid about hockey, they didn’t turn out at all for the North Stars, leaving the team in the red and seeking a new home. The team, which had been in Minnesota since 1967, promptly won the Stanley Cup six years later in Dallas; a feat never accomplished in “hockey-crazed” Minnesota.

* The Cowboys, who are currently mired in a 12-year playoff funk, had their last playoff victory against….wait a minute….I’ll let you guess. The Minnesota Vikings! They laid down a 40-15 drubbing of the Vikes at Texas Stadium in December 1996. So even in their current state of failure, the Cowboys can look back on their long-time bitch with fond memories.

* If you want to go a bit further and apply this to the entire state of Texas instead of just Dallas, then you could include “The Comeback” also. On December 29, 2006, the Texas Tech Red Raiders completed the biggest comeback in bowl history when they overcame a 31-point third quarter deficit to defeat the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the Insight Bowl.

It hurts so good, doesn’t it Minnesota? Don’t worry, since you’re our little sister, we’ll make sure nobody else picks on you.

Mavs Get Pwned In Harris/Kidd Trade

The Mavericks were able to see first hand just how stupid the Jason Kidd for Devin Harris trade was last night when the New Jersey Nets throttled Dallas 121-97. Harris, who has cemented his place as the best point guard in the Eastern Conference, had 41 points and dropped 13 dimes on his old club. Kidd had a mundane 17 points and seven assists.

Thank you, Avery Johnson, for shackling Devin Harris for so long that you had everyone fooled about what a fine player he really was. Some of us could see it in the flashes of games when he’d ignore Avery’s inane calls to slow it down. Instead, he got to see him get shipped away in one last feeble attempt salvage a season in which the only thing holding the Mavericks back was injuries. Desperation sure is a stinky perfume. And now us fans get to inhale a big whiff every time we see Harris torch another opponent.

The Dime Bag

This is the first installment of a new weekly column covering everything in the NBA as only Homers can. If you saw the title and came looking for an internet store to buy weed, keep looking…although we will talk about Josh Howard. These unbridled and unapologetic opinions will kick you in the face like a Chuck Norris roundhouse or at the least a Daniel Larusso stomach punch. Without further adieu:

1. Who plays for the Mavericks right now? It’s like we (yes, I am a homer) have merged our freshman, jv and varsity teams to form a collection of people nobody cares about or wants to see. This thing should have been blown up when Kobe was itching to get out of LA two years ago. Yes, I know we would’ve had to give up Dirk and possibly Josh (which doesn’t seem like a bad idea now), but it would’ve made us better. Dirk is averaging his points and rebounds, but when it comes down to the end of games, he can’t create his own shot. He should also be fined every time he goes turrets and tugs on the left shoulder of his jersey. Now we’re left with the likes of Jose Juan Barea (from Puerto Rico which we all know is a hot bed of basketball talent), Devean George, Jerry Stackhouse (who’s in Carlisle’s doghouse and rarely plays) and a laundry list of D-Leaguers that each play 20 minutes a game. And if the playoffs started today, the Mavs wouldn’t make it. I’m sure when all is said and done, the Mavs will make the playoffs, lose in the first round, Dirk will continue to average 25 and 13, Jason Kidd will hit his wife, Josh Howard will smoke a bowl and Dallas sports fans will be disappointed….again.

2. Brandon Roy dropped 52 points on the Suns last night. Remember when the Portland was known as the “Jailblazers” and their best player was Darius Miles. They’ve come a long way and are now contenders in the West. I’m definitely not ready to crown their ass yet, but they could win a playoff series. I’m also not ready to buy into Greg Oden either. The 50-year-old lookin’ center, who is one year into his career and already has been tagged “injury plagued” is completely one dimensional. This is not the era of the Celtics and Bill Russell. Defensive centers will not win games if that’s what you’re building your team around, but fortunately the Blazers are much more than Oden.

3. Who doesn’t want Stephon Marbury’s job? I wish I could get paid $21 million this year to NOT come to work. I’d even put one of those stupid ass self-logo tatoos on the side of my head.

4. Lebron James is good. Didn’t know if anyone knew that.