The 08-09 Dallas Mavericks got their season started last night with about as much veracity as a limp dick. Despite hanging in for a good three quarters, the Mavs fell apart in the fourth to fall 112-102 to the Houston Rockets. Offensively, the team looked good. Dirk poured in 36, Howard had 28 and Kidd finished with 12 assists. They ran the floor well like Rick Carlisle said they would, though that dropped off quite a bit whenever the incredibly sub-par bench got involved.
What was noticeably absent all game was any sort of defensive presence. This is a Houston team that scored a grand total of 82 points a couple of nights ago against Memphis. MEMPHIS!! However, the Mavs managed to go out and make Yao Ming (30 points, 13 boards) look like Hakeen Olajuwon in his prime, and they let Ron Artest (29 points, 7 boards) run roughshot all over the court for the entire game. Better yet, Tracy McGrady didn’t even play in the fourth quarter and the Rockets still outscored the Mavs by 11 to clinch the victory.
Which brings me to main point: Why is the concept of defense so foreign to all of our local sports teams? The Cowboys suit up a defensive unit stacked with number one draft picks and high-priced free agents, yet they can make the Rams offense, arguably the worst in football, look reminiscent of the Greatest Show on Turf. Through eight games, they’ve managed to intercept two passes. The Stars, who are currently sitting at 4-4-2, have allowed a league worst 40 goals through 10 games. Everytime Marty Turco looks up, three members of the opposing team are bearing down on him as Sean Avery jerks it to a picture of himself. The 2008 version of the Texas Rangers managed to commit more errors and have a lower fielding percentage than every other team in the Major Leagues.
What ever happened to the credo that defense wins championships? Is that just something that coaches tell you during high school basketball practice so that the two kids with talent won’t dominate all of practice with their shooting skills? Or has the glitz-and-glam image of life and sports in Dallas gotten so pervasive that our athletes feel like they don’t need to do any of the “grunt” work?
If you missed my post on Josh Hamilton last week, then I guess I can’t say I told you so. But, I will anyway. Josh Hamilton is one of the greatest story in the history of baseball - and he’s only been playing in the majors for two or three years. We all know his story by now, but do we really? With Jerrod and Steve’s posts a while back regarding God in professional sports, I hope that people can see the difference with Josh Hamilton.
He does not boast about his abilities, he is humble and always polite to media, kids and fellow players, and he remembers what it was like to be nobody. Now that he’s somebody, and a BIG somebody, he hasn’t forgotten what - or should I say WHO - has been faithful to him. His first comment last night after the crazy first round where he shattered every home run derby record possible by hitting 28 home runs was, “It’s amazing to me what God has done in my life, and how quickly he has done it.”
It seems to me that when other talk about God, it’s just the PC thing to do, and it’s not sincere. But, when you hear Josh talk about God, it seems personal, genuine, and heartfelt. There’s a parable in Matthew about a man who has a small debt forgiven and how he’s thankful - sort of. But, there’s another man who has a huge debt forgiven and he is beside himself with joy and appreciation. I think Josh Hamilton knows what a huge debt was forgiven, and I think he knows who forgave it. And when he talks about God, and his personal relationship with Him, people listen.
If our ultimate purpose in life is to bring glory to God, then I think Josh Hamilton is doing just that. And it took him going through the hell of drugs, addiction, loneliness, and despair to get there. But God was with him the whole time. And Josh knows it. Josh Hamilton is a beast, maybe even our modern day Sampson. And what he’s been through, and how he’s been able to work hard and get back into the spotlight is a testament to his character and work ethic. And it makes us all root for him that much harder.
I can’t stop watching this clip of Josh Hamilton belting the walk-off home run in the Rangers game against the Angels last night. Much like our own baseball (read: softball) home run jackhammer, Josh Puckett, who not only hit a 2 run shot to tie the game in the bottom of the last inning on Monday night, he also hit a 3 run shot to win it in the second extra inning, these guys are good.
I mean really, really, really good. I have to admit, watching that video, hearing the crack of Hamilton’s bat, seeing the ball float over the right field wall, seeing the dejected Angels players walk off the field and hearing the music from The Natural playing gives me goosebumps. I. Can’t. Stop. Watching. It.
After almost half a season of nothing but stellar on-the-field production, Milton Bradley finally let his true colors shine through in Kansas City. Apparently, Bradley didn’t take too kindly to criticisms directed his way by Royals television announcer Ryan Lefebvre. I’m just disappointed that he didn’t make it into the booth with Lefebvre. I lived in K.C. for two years and I can tell you that dude sucks. What kind of suspension would Bradley have received for choking out an announcer?
No, it’s not the seventh inning stretch. It’s not the taste of cold beer and a hot plate of extra cheesey nachos. It’s not even watching the game from the luxury of a fully catered suite. It’s this story about one of the best players on the planet. Sure, this is only his first full year playing in the major leagues, but I challenge you to find a better player on any team, any where. And I won’t ask you to waste your time looking for a better story. Because there isn’t one.
Thank you Dallas Stars. Thank you for giving this city a glimmer of hope again. By winning your first opening round playoff series since 2003, you’ve given Dallas fans a reprieve from the post-season mediocrity that has consumed our local sports teams as of late.
I have to be honest. I didn’t think that this game was going to go the Stars way. After going into the second intermission behind 1-0, I figured this game was going to play out like the rest of the games involving local teams this weekend.
The Rangers, in classic Texas fashion, blew two games to the Red Sox in which they had the lead in the late innings. Hell, today the Rangers were up 5-2 with two outs in the eighth and they managed to piss it away, including C.J. Wilson walking in the game winning run.
Yesterday, the Mavericks were up by 12 on the Hornets at halftime in their first playoff game of the year. They proceeded to get outscored by 24 points in the second half, while making Chris Paul look like the second coming of Isiah Thomas (player Isiah, not coach Isiah).
So forgive me for assuming that this game was just going to fall right into place in the single-file line of Dallas sports let downs. You guys came out and dominated the third period. You scored four unanswered goals by capitalizing on all of Anaheim’s careless mistakes. The best goal being Mike Modano’s empty-netter with three seconds left to put the icing on the cake.
So, once again, let me be the first to say thanks. We really needed this.
I have waited a long time to have a day like the Dallas sports teams has yesterday. Steve has probably waited even longer than I have. But, we finally got it. Not only did the Mavericks beat a really good team with a clutch Dirk shot at the end of the game to solidify their berth in the NBA playoffs, and not only did the Stars whip up on the defending Stanley Cup champs 4-0 in their playoff series opener - in Anaheim - but the Rangers also swept a double header against a team that kicked their butts on opening day to climb to above .500 for the first time in years.
Did I mention that it was also the opening round of the Masters yesterday? My sports pants are going so crazy they just hit me over the head with my keyboard, pulled the fire alarm at my office, sexually assaulted our 67 year old male security guard - twice - and then jumped on a flight to Bangladesh to grab some Indian food.
Can life get any better if you are a Dallas sports fan? Only time will tell…
My new favorite player, Josh Hamilton, dropped a bomb against some Putz in the 9th inning of the Rangers v. Mariners game last night to put Texas ahead 5-4.
On another note, I’ve vowed to the Homers staff not to order another $10, 2 ft. high margarita at next week’s home opener. I’m such an embarrassment….Head. In hands. Crying….
I watched the first half of the game last night against Denver and started to think that we actually could cause some trouble in the playoffs. That dilusion ended shortly into the 3rd quarter. Note to Cuban: Blow this thing up. Trade Dirk. Trade Josh Howard. Trade Dampier. Trade Kidd. Fire Avery. Trade everyone or release those you can’t trade! I’m really tired of getting my heart broken when I place the smallest bit of faith in the Mavericks to win an important game. The Mavs are heartless and lack the will to compete.
I’m ready for baseball season. The games are a blast to go to and their is zero expectation of winning!
No, not for Steve’s period, but for me to catch everyone up on the wit and wisdom absent from this blog, due to the fact that I don’t sit at a cube and surf Youtube all day while at work like the other two contributors. Without further adieu…
Pop-Culture:
So, one Spears girl has gone completely psycho, and the younger is now pregnant…any chance K-fed had anything to do with the latter? Or the prior for that matter? And maybe mommy and daddy should be a little more involved instead of counting and spending their childrens’ earnings… And Britney, please start wearing underwear before there’s a new disease named after you…that is, if there’s not already. And someone reach out to this family and teach them all about birth control before more lives are ruined!
I believe in the Jason Kidd trade. I don’t believe in Stackhouse. Or Devean George. Or DIRK. I still wish Cuban would’ve found a way to get Kobe at the beginning of the year in a swap for Dirk. Right now, I’m even a little concerned the Mavs won’t even make the playoffs.
Romo needs to drop Jessica and get back with Underwood. Carrie will at least be traveling with a successful singing career and probably not be able to make a lot of games.
We need to trade both number one picks for Larry Fitzgerald (WR Cardinals) whom has recently said he would love to play in Dallas.
I think they are doing well. I hate hockey though and don’t really care. Hockey belongs in Canada. Or at least in Minnesota where all the other toothless wonders live.
Politics:
I vote for Chuck Lidell. We need an ass kicker in office. Plus he wears a mohawk. That’s just awesome!
I was watching the 10 p.m. news last night when they ran a story about second baseman Ian Kinsler signing a new deal with the Texas Rangers. As they were showing Kinsler highlights during the story, a weird sensation came over me. A thought popped into my head, “Man, I can’t wait for baseball season to start again!”
It’s weird because I think that’s the first time that thought has ever crossed my mind. Then I thought back to last year, which was an abysmal year for the Rangers, but a great year for me personally. I probably attended 15 to 20 games last year, most of those with Josh and Jerrod. I think I’m more eager to get back out to the Ballpark than anything else. No matter how bad the Rangers are, going to the Ballpark is always a great time. Whether it’s standing in the left field bleachers on a 100 degree day trying to snag batting practice home-runs while staring directly into the sun or yelling obscenities at Manny Ramirez from our seats along the third base side, there’s nothing quite like being at the Ballpark in Arlington.
Maybe I’m just a sucker for marketing, or maybe it’s just that I’m so exhausted from having my heart ripped out by the teams I live and die with (Cowboys and Mavs), but I really think I’m in need of some baseball.
Posted by Steve
Posted by Josh
Posted by Josh
I was watching the 10 p.m. news last night when they ran a story about second baseman Ian Kinsler 