Friday, March 03, 2006

Not There...Yet.



Time to head back to the drawing board, here in Dallas. After game 57, the script has not changed. Yesterday, on the show, I mentioned how much Spurs-Mavericks remind me of Cowboys-Packers in the 1990’s. The Packers knew the Cowboys owned them, and no matter how long and hard they tried to change that, it never happened. They would try new approaches and new players, but at the end of every trip to Texas Stadium, they still knew they had a ways to go.

Well, the Mavericks look like they still have a ways to go. There were some good things. I was encouraged with the defensive presence of Diop, and maybe even to a lesser extent with Dampier (nice rejection on Van Exel) although Damp’s hands still nullify any good he does. I also continue to enjoy the intestinal fortitude and all-around ability of Jerry Stackhouse. He is a guy you want on your side in a dark alley.

But, of course, there was a lot not to like. Dirk. Buddy, I am not sure there has been anyone that I was so sure was great, but yet had so many poor nights at just the wrong time to make everyone question you since the early days of Brett Favre. Maybe, you, like Favre will eventually win your title and the world’s respect, but for now, there are still many that question the big German.

He just can’t allow Bruce Bowen to be his demise. He just can’t. I wonder why he didn’t try to post him up, but I have to believe that Avery did not order it. And then you can surmise he did not order it, because he knows Dirk can’t do it.

But perhaps you are justifying in your head the same thing I was doing last night; perhaps, you say, well, Dirk was not a huge factor, but neither was Duncan or Ginobli. Well, that should scare you. They dominated Dallas in the 4th Quarter without their two biggest offensive weapons giving them much.

Look, I am not saying that they cannot compete with San Antonio, but that giant step forward that I was ready to enjoy last night did not occur.

And while I am at it, let me tell you something: The Spurs fans have passed the Utah Jazz fans as the most annoying in the NBA. Their booing every time a foul happens is comical as they all agree with each other about how a league-wide conspiracy is under way to keep the Spurs down. Of course, they get more calls than anyone, but their fans think the refs are trying to screw them. It also helps that Tim Duncan has never, ever committed a foul. Just ask him. He stands, holds the ball, failed-smiles at the refs, and shows relative disbelief that he could possibly be guilty of an infraction. All this as he has just shoved Josh Howard out of his way to get a rebound.

Clutch and Grab NHL? What do you call what Bruce Bowen is allowed to do in the NBA? What happened to hand checking being illegal?

And, finally, nice bite, Bob. Ok, I am done.

Eddie Sefko’s report from the scene of the crime


In a game that lived up to the buildup, the Mavericks fought San Antonio on equal terms for three quarters Thursday night. Then their old friend-turned-enemy followed the lead of Tony Parker and Tim Duncan and the Spurs did what they always seem to do, lighting up the Mavericks in the second half and snuffing them out defensively for a convincing 98-89 victory at AT&T Center.

"We didn't come here for any moral victories," coach Avery Johnson said. "We're very, very disappointed that we lost this game."


Meanwhile, the San Antonio paper covers the other side


Finley, who signed with the Spurs after Dallas cut him, scored 11 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter. Horry, who hadn't played in nearly three weeks, showed, again, why he lives for such moments, scoring 12 points and claiming four rebounds.
The Spurs won despite Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili making only 6 of 17 shots. They won by shooting 61.8 percent in the second half and holding Dallas to 40.5percent for the game.

"We got off to a shaky start," said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who won the 500th game of his career. "We probably played a little too fast.

"But I thought we came back and hung in the game."

After trailing by 12 early in the second quarter, the Spurs closed within 38-36 by halftime. With Duncan and Ginobili combining to miss seven of their nine shots in the first half, the Spurs rallied behind Horry, Brent Barry and Parker, who overcame his own slow start.

And as much trouble as Duncan and Ginobili had finding their rhythm, Nowitzki had his own concerns, namely Bowen.

Bowen fronted Nowitzki. He attached himself to Nowitzki's hip. He did everything he could to deny him the ball. When Nowitzki did catch it, the Spurs double- and triple-teamed him.

Nowitzki had four points in the first half while making 2 of 7 shots. He finished with 23 points on 6-of-15 shooting.

"He had to work for them," Popovich said. "Bruce is special that way. It really set the tone for our team."


NFL gives another deadline …and America gasps…


it was the show of solidarity, in part, that played some role in the late afternoon announcement that the league and its players had delayed the start of free agency for three days, in the hopes that negotiations can be resumed. The question is begged: Who blinked first? And in the first few hours after the league's statement that an agreement had been reached to push back free agency, there was no definitive answer.

But this much we know: It was NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw, not Tagliabue, who said on at least four occasions in the last few weeks that "under no circumstances" would free agency be delayed. Given his laser-repaired eyesight, it should be noted, Tagliabue doesn't blink quite as much as he once did, now that he has abandoned those lawyerly-looking spectacles he once wore. The union agreed to the delay, sources said, when the league apprised them a new proposal was forthcoming. But they didn't have to stop the clock on free agency and, rest assured, one reason they did was because veteran players had begun to phone the NFLPA offices to question what was going on.

Don't ever call it a groundswell because NFL players, who for years have never held their association accountable for anything, remain too passive for that description to apply. But enough players seemed to summon sufficient gumption to make a difference. And, truth be told, the NFL was under pressure from some cap-bloated teams who were having problems getting under the spending limit.


Glover says goodbye


In Dallas, six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle La'Roi Glover was the biggest salary cap casualty among a number of cuts, roster moves and potential salary adjustments that could provide between $10 million and $15 million below the 2006 cap of $94.5 million, a source said.

Other Cowboys released were safety Derek Pagel, kicker Brett Visintainer and defensive tackle Willie Blade.

The Cowboys also moved linebacker Dat Nguyen to the reserve/retired list.
Glover, who was due a $1.5 million roster bonus, was told of the move early Thursday morning. He also said he was not asked to restructure a contract that would have counted $7.2 million against the NFL's salary cap.

"It's not always a negative," Glover said in a phone interview from California. "I still feel like have a lot of good years left."

The Cowboys saved $6 million by releasing Glover -- $4.5 million in base salary and the $1.5 million roster bonus. He will still count $1.2 million against the Cowboys' cap next season.


Ouch! Stars pounded in Phoenix …Just in time for our road trip…

We finally get to use the Mercy Rule in “grown-up” baseball: Japan 18, China 2 …but China asks for a basketball game for revenge…

Are Jedi Knights all frauds?

Find out how old you are



What is gayer than the small-of-the-back tattoo?

OK, besides Johnny Weir

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Stars look just as pathetic as they did two weeks ago going into the Olympic break. Early playoff exit at this rate... sorry goaltending and lethargic play. Anytime Robidas sits in favor or Ninnimaa--BAD THINGS HAPPEN. Janne is a curse - mark my words! Beware the ides of March!

Oh yeah... what, no Sawker Tawk?

Anonymous said...

I was thinking the same thing about Bavetta after watching that game last night.

I hate when the Mavs lose to a team with a frog and a Mohammed....

Anonymous said...

Easy Stack....
I smell a fine.

Anonymous said...

So, Stack, you don't think I'm the Cat's Pajamas? Well I'm the best, see? The best I tell ya! You think I want to grandstand? Well that's just applesauce! Applesauce I tell ya! I make enough clams that I can say you're all wet! So stop getting all in a lather and futz off!

Anonymous said...

Bob's right.

I don't think Bruce Bowen has ever not acted incredulously when whistled for a foul while Tim Duncan turned into Duncan Whines after a few of the calls against him.

Had anybody else refused to give the ball to the ref like he did after being called for shoving co-Wake Forest Alum Josh Howard out of the way for a rebound, they would have been instantly T'ed up.

But not the golden boy of the NBA.

Oh no, we just can't call any T's on Duncan.

Anonymous said...

I don't think that tattoo qualifies as the small of the back. It would need to be a lot closer to the waistband.

Not to say that it isn't still gay.

Anonymous said...

I didn't get to see the game due to the fact that I don't have cable or dish, so I had to listen to it on ESPN radio, which, being a Spurs fan made it a little hard to do, but I rolled with it. From every sportscast that I have seen/heard it sounded like the ref (Bavetta) was horrible, but he was horrible to both sides. I even herad a call or two against the Spurs that the Dallas radio guys said were horrible calls against the Spurs. Take the refs out of the game and Bowen still owned Dirk.

Name me one player who ever agrees that he commited the foul, unless it is a foul at the end of the game, every player out there looks at the refs after a call, regardless if it was a blatant foul or not. Even the great Kobe does it, and he is even worse. He jaws with the refs all night. So what if Timmy D doesn't get T'd up for stuff like that, he doesn't throw the ball, doesn't bark at the refs, doesn't get in their face and yell or anything. He should be the NBA's golden boy. He doesn't do drugs, have a whole bunch of illegitimate kids, doesn't beat his wife, run from the cops, make excuses after a loss or anything like that. Who would be a better poster child for what the NBA wants from it's superstars as a role-model.

Anonymous said...

funny didnt they used to say the same thing about kobe?

Anonymous said...

Yeah, but Timmy D doesn't need to rape a white woman, his wife is white.. (i think, may not be able to back this up..)

Anonymous said...

Look, Dirk HAS learned how to post smaller defender. If you watch the damn game, you'd have seen that everytime Dirk tried to post, they double teamed him IMMEDIATELY with either Mohammed or Duncan. That's why he couldn't punish Bowen down low.

If you want to complain about the Mavs not being able to take advantage of the double team, that's one thing, because they suck at it. But don't blame Dirk for not being on the block, he did it several times and it proved fruitless because the Mavs are inept at taking advantage of a double team.

That isn't to say Dirk didn't play like a pansy last night, he did. He doesn't fight for position enough. But when he did get position, they doubled.

Anonymous said...

Complaining about NBA officials being bad is like complaining about gravity; all your whining isn't going to change the fact that it's there and never going to go away. NBA officiating is the worst on the planet this side of the WWE, but at least wrestling admits that they're fixing the matches.

Am I the only one who thinks Barkley was three sheets to the wind after the game? He sounded like he was talking from the bottom of a tequila bottle.

Anonymous said...

Your Duncan comments smell of sour grapes, especially when Dirk is just as equal when it comes to foul calling.

Anonymous said...

To complain about the Spurs and Spurs fans when it comes to their whining about the officiating is like the pot calling the kettle black Bob. There are no two bigger whiners in the NBA when it comes to the refs than Cuban and Dirk. Please. You're better than that Bob.

Anonymous said...

Fitting title for Friday's blog... as I sit here and wait for Mondays.

Anonymous said...

ok, just remembered the road trip. I guess I'll cut him a little slack.

Anon

Unknown said...

i just got an email about a "major announcement" that was made at 5. i just "tuned in" so i missed it!!! what was the announcement???

Anonymous said...

the ticket is the new cowboys flagship

Anonymous said...

Is Greggo dead?

Anonymous said...

9:24, don't get my hopes up.

Anonymous said...

Good Lord Bob...come on. You're supposed to be on a business trip, not an F-ing vacation.

Hurry up and hit the target on Big Mac's small of the back tattoo and blog baby, blog!!!