Cuban: While in Hospital, Get Your Head Checked Too

You know it really doesn’t surprise me at all. Mark Cuban is now suing Don Nelson saying that Nellie used insider information to beat the Mavericks three times during the regular season and again in a first round playoff series…. you think!!!!!

Sounds like sour grapes from Cuban. Come on… just pay Nellie what you owe him and move on. But, it’s obvoius this feud isn’t about money. It has become personal and neither side is going to back down. But, this latest accusation from Cuban is absurd, crazy and downright embarassing. How does Cuban expect to be taken seriously on other matters with the league when he is making these kind of accusations.

Cuban is laid up in a hospital recovering from hip replacement surgery… while there he should get his noggin checked out as well!!!

Moms and Dads, Think Before You Buy… I Did

NFL players are role models. No doubt about it. Kids look up to these guys… my son included and as parents we need to realize that. I was at a thrift store in Austin (a fun habit… you never know what you may find!) Anyway, I have found some great NFL jerseys for my 7 year old son in the past. They are usually older… but my son loves them just the same. I have found a Drew Bledsoe Patriots jersey, a Keyshawn Johnson Bucs jersey, a Steve Young 49ers jersey, a Tom Brady Patriots jersey. Anyway, on this day, I ran across a Ray Lewis jersey in mint condition and in great shape. I had it in my hand and was on my way to the register when I realized… do I want my son wearing a Ray Lewis jersey? He’s a great player, but he copped a plea bargain and avoided trial on murder charges!!! Murder charges!!!! The jersey went back on the rack. If a player has a rap sheet, you won’t be seeing their jerseys at the Castillo household!

Sammy Should Be In Hall

600 home runs. It’s hard to argue with that one statistic. Look at the names of the men who have accomplished that feat… Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds. All are in the Hall of Fame except Bonds (despite his troubles, I say he’ll be in as well, but it may take a while). With that said, Sammy should be in. Of course, there is the steroid issue. I think it’s pretty clear Sammy was on the juice… but there is no evidence, there are no positive tests.

There are those that will say… if you don’t induct Mark McGwire, then you can’t induct Sosa. I say that’s hogwash! Look at Sosa’s career… it’s more consistent, he has better numbers and played longer. Plus he didn’t look like a liar on Capitol Hill like McGwire did during those congressional hearings. Sammy is in… I say. Maybe not on the first ballot… but he is a Hall of Famer.

A Night With a Pro Ballhawker

What’s a ballhawker, you ask? To be honest, I didn’t know until a few days ago. A ballhawker is a fan who’s main purpose at a baseball game is to snag as many baseballs as he can. These aren’t kids… they’re grown men!

I spent most of tonight’s Rangers-Cubs game in left field stands with JohnWitt… a self-professed ballhawker… and this guy is good! His biggest caught ball is Sammy Sosa’s #61 back in 1998. John gave me some great tips on how to snag balls. Over the past 30 years, he has caught 2, 796 balls. He caught one in batting practice when I was with him. So make that… 2797! He’s hoping to catch a Sosa home run ball. That would be the 100th home run ball of his ballhawking career. See… Sammy isn’t the only one chasing a milestone. Look for my story on Witt this Sunday on Sports Extra. You can also check out John’s blog on www.theballhawk.mlblogs.com.

Sosa Mania Sweeps Ballpark

Tons of Chicago Cubs fans already here at the Ballpark in Arlington. I have run into a few fans who are both Cubs/Rangers fans… I was told you can do that because both are in different leagues!!! Whatever.

Anyway… nice to come out to the ballpark and watch a game that means something. In the clubhouse, Sammy said he wasn’t putting too much significance in the 600 homer milestone. He’s being modest. This is huge… when you join the ranks of Mays, Ruth, Bonds and Aaron that is huge. Hope I see it tonight. I’ll be in the outfield along with photographer, Noah Bullard, and we’ll catch up with whoever catches the big fly!!

Kobe… Please Shut Up

Kobe Bryant first said he wanted to be traded… then said he wanted to stay… then today on his website he basically said he wants out of L.A. Kobe… just shut up, already! Just shut up… be a leader and play. Your concerns with the organization that pays your bills should be kept behind closed doors.

Worse yet, make up your mind. If you’re going to look like a fool and air your dirty laundry in public… at least make a stand one way or the other. Kobe may be great on the court… but he’s horrible in the court of public opinion. He needs to hire a P.R. firm. Oh by the way, you can check out Kobe’s web site at www.kb24.com.

Finley Deserves Ring

My first interview here at NBC5 was with Michael Finley. It was back in the summer of 2001 and Finley had just signed a mega-deal with the Mavericks. I had heard of Finley but was frankly puzzled the Mavs gave him so much. But after years of covering him, I saw why. He was a very good player and complete professional. Never snippy… even when we questioned why the Big Three couldn’t quite get to the NBA Finals. Even when we questioned why he couldn’t seem to knock down the big shot when it mattered.

It must have hurt Fin to see his teammates (the Mavericks) get to the Finals last year. But this year Finley got his ring with the Spurs. He was clutching the game ball as he came off the plane today in San Antonio. He said the ball will be nudged between him and his wife when they go to bed tonight!!! Lol!!! Congrats Mike, you deserve it.

Who’s Ready for Football Season?

I AM!!!! I am so ready to start talking football. The NBA Finals are boring… so were the Stanley Cup Finals. The Rangers stink. So what’s left? Nothing for the next month and a half.

What really has me excited are all the preseason college football magazines. I am about to make my usual run to the bookstore to grab my required summer reading. I hear Texas Football has UT third in the Big 12 South? Whoa! That’s surprising. The magazine is predicting OU first, A&M second. It will be interesting to see what the Aggies bring to the table. This season is critical for Dennis Franchione. I think he has to beat Texas and/or Oklahoma and win at least eight games to ease the heat on him. That Holiday Bowl last year was disastrous. College football season less than two months away… I’m counting down the days.

So Long Sopranos… or Maybe Not

Ok… if their intent was to leave us wanting for more… then I get it. Otherwise, I don’t get it. Hard to believe Tony would take his family out to a restaurant after Phil Leotardo got whacked. He’s much smarter than that, so that ending doesn’t fly with me.

Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” is playing in the final scene. What’s the significance? Maybe that was for all us fans… don’t stop believing or don’t stop thinking about what really happened in that diner. Who knows.

There’s got to be more. A movie? A prequel? Right now, just minutes after watching the finale… I’m a little mad… a little unfulfilled. I think we haven’t seen the end of Tony Soprano.

My Sopranos Ender

OK… I’m more than ready for the Sopranos series ender on Sunday night. Here’s my take on what will go down. Somehow this will come down to a shootout with Tony and somehow his son, A.J. will be involved. The writers have been playing up A.J.’s role lately and I think he plays a part in the ender. I say A.J. finds out where Tony is hiding and then the bad boys from Brooklyn move in. They take out Tony’s crew and all that’s left is Tony and A.J. Somehow, Tony gets shot, but A.J. takes out the guy who shoots Tony and he is the last one left standing. It will be kind of like a passing of the torch thing. I’ll be working on Sports Extra that night, but I will Tivo it at home. I’ll have a cold beer and popcorn waiting for me!