Jason Not Playing During Crunchtime? No "Kidd"ing

I can’t believe what I just saw. With the game on the line against their main rivals (the Spurs), the Mavericks’s Jason Kidd was on the bench! On the bench!!! What? The Mavericks trade for this perennial All-Star and then during crunch time, Avery Johnson, has him on the bench?

I just don’t get it! Wasn’t Kidd brought to Dallas for those exact situations? I’m trying to figure out Avery’s logic in this one. I can’t figure out a good enough reason to keep Kidd off the floor. Avery’s reasons after the fact weren’t good enough either. I wonder what Mark Cuban was thinking right behind the bench? Probably something along the lines… “What the… I could have paid Devin Harris a lot less to ride the pine!”

C.J. Wilson’s War

Actually it is a war of words… on the internet… in a blog… that has the Rangers pitcher in trouble with his teammates.

According to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, Wilson told ESPN.com that his teammates didn’t know squat about politics. Then on a Rangers related blog, he referred to the average major league ballplayer by an obscene remark. You can view Wilson’s comments on www.lonestarball.com. His blog name is “blueglovelefty.”

Grant reports Michael Young and GM Jon Daniels have already talked with Wilson about his blog blunders. These things seem to work themselves out in the clubhouse. I’m sure Wilson has learned his lesson… “Don’t bag on your teammates… especially on the world wide web where your words will live for eternity!”

Horns, Aggies, Turkey… I love it!!

Officials from both schools finally made it official. The annual Texas-Texas A&M football game will be held on Thanksgiving night for the next two years. Thank you!!!

Hopefully it will stay that way. Growing up watching the Horns and Aggies on Turkey Day was tradition. But that tradition went away in the mid-90s in favor of holding the game on the Friday after Thanksgiving. I’m glad its back!

Now, I can get up late. Catch the boring Lions game. Probably fall asleep. Watch the Cowboys. Watch the Horns-Ags first half. Get me a plate of leftover desserts. Watch the second half of the Horns and Aggies. Sleep peacefully (only if my team wins)! Sounds like a great day.

Looking Forward to Kidd Night at AAC

Tomorrow’s the night Jason Kidd makes his home debut with the Mavericks. I’ll be live at there at 6 p.m. and I am looking forward to seeing how he’s welcomed by the fans. After Kidd’s performance against the Timberwolves, I’m sure he’ll get a warm welcome.

The last time, Kidd was in a Mavs’ uniform, the local team played at Reunion Arena. Remember those awful days? Kidd comes back to a franchise in a much better state. Now he hopes to take them to an NBA title.

Pryor Pushing It

I’m sorry, but the talk surrounding this kid is working my last nerve. Terrelle Pryor is the nation’s top football recruit. This kid is a super talented quarterback and he has reportedly narrowed his choices between Ohio State and Michigan. Although, I’m told he’ll make a visit to Penn State as well. He has until April 1st to make his decision.

What bothers me is this kid didn’t announce his decision on signing day like 99 % of the other recruits in the country. Oh no, he’s milking it. This kid also has a website and his diary runs in the Pittsburgh newspaper. Come on!!!! This is an 18-year-old teenager. Please!!!!

Now, I don’t know the kid. He probably is nice young man, but I’m a little disappointed in the adults surrounding him that are guiding him through this process. How about a little humility? Drop the website, stop the diary in the local paper and make a decision already. This is the side of recruiting that I hate!!!

Longhorns Should Honor Young, Not Durant

University of Texas athletic officials are meeting to decide whether to retire the numbers of Vince Young and Kevin Durant. Retiring Young’s #10 is a no-brainer. All he did was lead the Longhorns to their first national championship in more than 30 years. Oh… and he did it in dramatic fashion. I still get goosebumps thinking about what I saw in the Rose Bowl back in 2006. A woman behind me said she was going to have a heart attack during the Longhorns final touchdown drive. We told her to wait until after the game!!! That game was that tense, that exciting and that exhilirating. Longhorn fans have Young to thank for those memories.

As for Kevin Durant… all he did was win just about every individual award his freshman year at Texas. He was the first freshman to the win the John Wooden Award. But, Durant stayed just one year and didn’t lead his team to a conference championship, much less a national championship. Durant is the best player to wear a Longhorns basketball jersey, but that is not enough to have your number retired.

Also, Young is back in Austin this Spring working towards his degree. Young says he can’t preach to youngsters about the value of an education, when he hadn’t received his degree. Sounds good to me. That’s why Young should be honored and no one should wear the #10 again.

Kidd Coming… So Is a Title!!

OK… I know that’s a big statement, but I think getting Jason Kidd will take the Mavericks to the NBA Finals. As of Sunday night, it looks like the trade will happen. Why will this trade work? First, Jason Kidd is a seasoned veteran with a hunger for a title. He got there with the Nets, but never won it. Secondly, he makes everyone better. Imagine Kidd dishing the rock to Dirk, Jason Terry and Josh Howard. That’s deadly!!!

Right now, the Mavericks are missing something… that’s a hard-nosed veteran. No one is saying Kidd is a thug, but he brings a certain veteran toughness that the Mavs have lacked for a long while. So, Dallas city leaders, go ahead and plan that parade… just don’t tell anyone!!! You’ve learned your lesson.

I’m Getting Old

…. and it stinks!! First it was a hamstring injury that lasted for months. Now a nagging shoulder problem that won’t go away. I’m only 37! What’s going on?!

I work out regularly (weights and cardio) about 4-5 times a week. Maybe I’m doing too much? Any guys like me going through this rude transition to oldness!!!! Or does someone need to call the waaaaammmmbulance!!! Maybe I’m whining about this too much. Guys, let me know what you think? Do you have similar problems?

Don’t get me started about my receding hair line!!! That’s another blog entry!

Busy Signing Day!

Man, I’m tired. We’ve been all over North Texas bringing our viewers complete National Signing Day coverage. I must say Dallas Independent School District (DISD) does it better than anyone I’ve seen. The district holds a big ceremony and invites an athlete’s parents, friends and coaches to attend. The athlete is introduced and his school of choice is revealed. The kid then strolls down the red carpet with his parents to loud applause. It’s a nice setting. All kids in all sports are recognized… not just football players.

By the way, there is a Minnesota pipeline here in DFW. Four football players from Skyline are heading to the Big Ten school to be Gophers. The kids made the upside down “Hook Em” sign while they were being introduced. Calm down, Longhorn fans. The sign is meant to be an “M” for Minnesota.

Eli Does It!

Wow… what an ending to Super Bowl 42! This will give Eli Manning a free pass with Giants fans for the rest of his career. All he did was lead his team to three road wins to get to the Super Bowl, then beat the previously unbeaten Patriots in the biggest game of them all.

Imagine how dad, Archie Manning, feels. Two sons win the Super Bowl in back to back years. Archie has to be one proud papa. I bet if you ask him if he would have rather won a Super Bowl himself or have his sons win the big game, he’d say his sons everytime. As a father myself, I get proud when my son aces a test or makes a touchdown in a youth football game. I couldn’t fathom the thought of seeing my son succeed on the biggest level. It must feel amazing. Kudos to Archie and his wife, they have raised winners both on and off the field.