Okay, now here's a first

How in the hell?

For the first time ever...I apologize

I'm not one for apologies. My ego is too big and I'm too much of an ass hole to offer them up when I should. However, it's come to a point now where I think I might need to offer an apology to one Juan Jose Barea.

JJ Barea has been a whipping post for The Big and The Brown. He's been right up there with Dolph Ziggler and 7-11 commercials. I've never liked him because he was too small, too shitty and just killed any momentum the Mavs ever had on the floor. Big hates him because JJ's Puerto Rican and younger than both of us.

However, the little bastard has broken out to have an AMAZING streak since Thanksgiving against the Lakers.

In fact, I remember marveling about the fact that he came one assist away from notching a double double that game, thinking it was a flash in the pan game for him...

HOWEVA! (in my best Screamin' A. Smith voice)

Let's look at his last 5 games.

Opponent	Minutes	Points	Steals	Assists	Rebounds
Kings	25	5	1	5	2
Clippers	25	15	0	6	1
Suns	31	18	1	4	3
Hawks	32	22	0	4	2
Spurs	40	21	0	5	2

You know what his career averages are?

Games	Minutes	Points	Steals	Assists	Rebounds
94	10	4.2	.2	1.4	1

Now, I'm not saying that Barea is Chris Paul, or that he should be in the starting line up, but we used to think that Barea was a waste of bench space and shouldn't even be here. Remember our reaction when we heard they re-signed him? Yeah, pretty sarcastic.

If Barea keeps this up, then I'd say the Mavericks have a legitimate back up point guard to play behind a starter not named Jason Kidd. Barea's probably getting more minutes than he should, but if he can provide production while on the floor, then I say this is a good thing.

So, officially, I'm sorry J.J. Barea.

Scootch says sorry

Note: I have the right to retract this apology at a moment's notice and tie Barea back to the whipping post.

A post only three of us would give a damn about

Check out this blog entry on Hugging Harold Reynolds.

Apparently the boys got to go backstage before Monday Night RAW last night in Philly.

Who's got two thumbs and is jealous? Me.

The Ticket might have met its match

They're in big trouble...

I was driving home yesterday and reached the same level of confusion you all did when I realized that Live 105 was no longer around because it had become 105.3 The Fan.

Best picture I could find..

That's right, DFW has a brand spanking new sports radio station, and this one threatens to legitimately challenge The Ticket for supremacy.

Let's look at the lineup

Mornings
The Jagger Show versus Dunham and Miller

Nah, I'm still going to listen to Dunham and Miller.

Mid Days
Kevin Scott and Greg Hill versus Norm Hitzges and BaD Radio

Well then, have Bob and Dan got some legit competition? I've always been a big K-Scott fan, and I heard him and Greg Hill on the radio yesterday, and they've already got a semi-funny rapport. By the way, seeing as Greg Hill referred to himself as "the Michael Jordan of Texas A&M" and K-Scott referred to himself as "the Jesus of Texas Tech", well sign me up. Bob and Dan had better bring the fire.

Afternoon Drive
Ben & Skin versus the Hardline

That's right. The Fan has taken the station's anchor team and is putting them against the Hardline. Quite frankly, the Hardline is going to lose a lot of listeners, me included. Ben and Skin are one of, if not my favorite, radio teams right now, and pitting them against the consistently "meh" Rhyner, Davidson and Balis team is going to drive a lot of station switches.

Nights
Pete Stein and Mike Rodriguez versus The Top 10 and Dan Patrick

I don't really care because I'm not listening. If I am, I'm more likely to go with Gamenight with Choppy and Greggo.

Contracts
The Cowboys and SMU are with The Ticket. Westwood One and The Longhorns are with The Fan. I should also mention that The Fan is owned by CBS Radio and has more than 10 times the broadcast capability (100K Watts versus 9K Watts) than the Ticket. The Cowboys might opt out of the Ticket contract this year and hop to the Fan which would be a HUGE coup in listenership.

I've said it before, the Ticket has gotten too comfortable in DFW and they've gotten a bit full of themselves and they haven't made the effort to really change and keep the broadcast fresh for the fans. I think with Ticket favorites like Ben and Skin and K-Scott leaving with spotlight positions, you've got familiar voices and a new offering that can be listened for a longer amount of time.


On a side note, I hope this forces ESPN to just quit the local shit and go with the national programming. I'm starting a personal vendetta against Randy Galloway. I hate that son of a bitch.

Another interesting observation. If you read Richie Whitt's blog at the Observer, he gives the coverage an objective, almost positive view. If you read Robert Wilonsky's blog at the Observer, he deadpans it as though it is just another flash in the pan version of the Ticket. Wilonsky is buddies with the Hardline guys. Whitt became persona non grata for providing coverage of the Greggo story when no one at the Ticket wanted him to...good times.

One more bowl versus playoff note...and it's not from me.

Guess who's on notice?

I'm not going to say anything about the college system because apparently that's just me whining because I'm a Texas alum.

Because of that, I simply turn you over to The Mighty MJD at the Shutdown Corner. He's got an argument that we should get rid of this stupid Super Bowl concept...

I'll put an excerpt here, but go read the whole thing.

I want a system that relies on individual opinions and computer rankings that are extensions of varying human opinions on what numbers are the most valid for measuring the quality of a team. I want Bowls. I want them named after various foodstuffs. And if there's not a Poulan Weedeater involved, then to hell with everything.

Stands up. Wipes tear from eye and salutes.

There's no crying in basketball!!

Two things about this video...

1) Kevin Garnett, though not seen, wins the award for the most intimidating and scariest person in the entire NBA.

2) Not too long ago, the Mavs could have gotten KG. Could you imagine KG making Erick Dampier cry? I know I could.

And now, Big Baby, living up to his nickname...

Video source: Ballhype

College Football Round Up - Bowling for Spares

Giggle

Pic HT College Game Balls

So lets see, pretty much everything happened the way I thought it would. OU put a whoopin on Mizzu, Florida drove through Bamma, and USC is still screwed into playing the Lions.

The only thing I didn't see was VaTech taking down BC, but i don't really care about either of those teams, I'm glad they play Cincy in Orange, or as most people out side of those colleges will call the Aren't Bowl. (see the humor, aren't kinda sounds like Orange. See? Ahh go fuck yourself, I don't have to explain my humor to anybody)

Lets take a look at The big bowl games, shall we?

FedEx BCS National Championship Game
Florida vs. Oklahoma Miami
Dolphin Stadium Jan. 8, 2009, 8 p.m. FOX

Needless to say, while I don't think they are as deserving as Texas, i think the choice of Oklahoma and Florida will be the most entertaining title game since UT/USC a few years ago. I don't think either team will run away will this one, and it could be a track meet like Texas vs Michigan was back in 04.

Tostitos Fiesta
Ohio State vs. Texas Glendale, Ariz.
University of Phoenix Stadium Jan. 5, 2009, 8 p.m. FOX

Texas and Ohio State get to play a rubber match this year in the Bowl Games, as they have played each other twice over the past 3 seasons in the regular season, splitting both games. I know, the rules are in place so that the BCS has the right to choose OSU to play in this game, but it rubs me the wrong way that they have 2 losses, while Boise has none, and Texas Tech only has one. I hope the Horns smoke this team by 100.

On a side note, my wish of a Gerry vs. Brown mustache contest in the sugar was so close, but alas, not ment to be. But you know who is a big OSU fan? My roommate, the Mexican Hippie's girlfriend, and more importantly, Bear. Maybe we can work something out after all.....

Allstate Sugar
Utah vs. Alabama New Orleans
Superdome Jan. 2, 2009, 8 p.m. FOX

I am going to give credit to Bamma. I really thought they were going to get rolled by Florida, but there were leading this game going into the fourth quarter. But John Wilson is no Tim Tebow, and Tim Tebow did just what he needed to do to win this game. While things might have been different if Percy Harvin was playing, I think I either over rated Florida, or under rated Bamma, and its more than likely it was the later.

The Tide gets the "gift" of playing Utah in the Sugar Bowl this year as a result. I say "gift" because while it is nice to be playing in a BCS game, no body wants to play the BCS buster, because its a lose-lose situation. You win the game, and that just what you were supposed to do, you lose it and you just lost to a non BSC school in a bowl game.

FedEx Orange
Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech Miami
Dolphin Stadium Jan. 1, 2009, 8:30 p.m. FOX

I have already said how little interest I have in this game. Cincy is a good story, seeing is how the Might Mean Green of North Texas beat this team in the New Orleans bowl just 6 short years ago, but Brain Kelly is a good coach. Va Tech does nothing for me though. When you lose 4 games, all on the road, and one of which was the opener to ECU, you don't deserve a BCS game.

In Fact, even Mark Schlabach, one of ESPN's college football guru, ranks the Orange Bowl the 12 most intriguing bowl game, in his Best to Worst of the Bowl Games this year. Behind 7 non BCS bowl games, including 2 who don't even have a BCS team in the game.

Rose Bowl Game Presented by Citi
Penn State vs. USC Pasadena, Calif.
Rose Bowl Jan. 1, 2009, 4:30 p.m. ABC

I keep trying to talk myself into this game, as both teams are one loss squads, who's only loss has kept they out of BCS Championship game bid, but I just don't see how JoePa can do anything in this game. USC rolls by 20. At least.

Just this morning I started looking at the other bowls, and I'll do another whole post on them later, so lets just rap up this BCS bowl game talk.

I think the BCS did a terrible job at putting good games together. They got the Cincy Va Tech game right, but picking Ohio State over Boise and Texas Tech is boulderdash. (I know Tech couldn't get in due to the whole can't have 3 teams from the same conference bit, but that is a terrible rule). And if your going to put in Ohio State, let them play Utah, and let two one loss teams, Bamma and Texas, go at it for at least a shot at a split National Championship.

But noooooo. That wouldn't be good for the BCS. Heaven forbid Tech Rolls Ole Miss by 40 and Ohio State drops to Utah, making the BCS look stupid. Or having Texas roll the Tide making a case they were the team that should have been in the BCS title game. Shame on you BCS. You and your white tiger with the stuffing of the pants.

Cowboy fans, we've married the crazy chick

I'm watching the Cowboys-Steelers game yesterday, and it dawned on me. Tony Romo is the psycho girl so many of us have been with. Take my word on this, I'm a bit of a connoisseur on the subject.

I'm assuming that, like me, most guys tend to classify the women they see into a few distinct categories. I've found that it's quite easy to apply the same kind of logic to NFL quarterbacks.

For example:

-Some guys like cougars (Jets, Cardinals, Titans)
-Some guys like them young (Ravens, Falcons, Chiefs)
-Some guys like fat chicks (Lions, Raiders, Vikings)

Anyway, back to Romo. When I say Tony Romo is the psycho girl, I mean that for all his redeeming qualities, he's got the knack to just fuck your shit up sideways and you keep convincing yourself that he's the one you want to stay with because all those good things he does make you feel like over the long haul, he'll cool off.

Sound familiar? You know, that girl?

She's fun to be around when it's just the two of you. She's great in the sack, but like a finger in your ass while getting a BJ, you really don't know where she's learned things and you're not sure if you like when she does it, but you don't say anything because you don't want to jeopardize the sex. However, when you aren't with her, you are always getting text messages or phone calls, and you can't ignore them otherwise she'll accuse you of lying and cheating on her, and she might show up to where you are and cause a scene and then after that cry that she's only doing it because she cares?

No? Am I really the only one here?

Look, all I'm saying is this. As Cowboys fans, we've married the psycho girl in Tony Romo. We've convinced ourselves that he's so good that over the long run, all the bad things he does will get outweighed by the good things and we'll be happy together as quarterback and fan.

So, before you start blaming and hooting and hollering about things, he's the guy we've chosen to be the franchise player. Like having the psycho girl as your girlfriend, just enjoy the good things and learn to manage the bad things. Take it from me, the crazy girl doesn't get any less crazy, you just learn to deal with it.