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The calendar reads November 1, 2011, which means tonight I should be heading down to the American Airlines Center for opening night of Mavs basketball. While Opening Night in the NBA may not carry the same cachet as Opening Day in Major League Baseball, it’s still a special time on the sports calendar, so much so that I’ve made a habit of attending all Mavs home openers over the past six seasons. This year, Opening Night promises to be extra special with the team receiving their championship rings and raising the championship banner.

Alas, due to the lockout, it will have to wait.

It’s just one more instance of sports pain inflicted on me since last Thursday, when David “F’ing” Freese became the Bucky “F’ing” Dent of Dallas, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to an improbable win in Game 6 of the World Series. On Friday, the Cardinals finished off my Rangers. On Saturday, the Aggies experienced yet another second half meltdown. The week ended with the Philadelphia Eagles, a team led by a convicted felon, embarrassing the Dallas Cowboys. As sports weekends go, they can’t possibly get any worse.

Being able to celebrate the Mavs championship run would have a gone a long way towards assuaging this pain, and mending my broken sports heart, at least to some degree. Instead, I’m forced to replay Game 6 in my head, over and over, and as I do, it becomes clear this was the biggest kick in the shorts I’ve ever experienced in regards to sports.

This coming from a guy who’s earliest memory is watching “The Catch” as a crying 3-year old. Needless to say, I learned about sports heartache at a very young age. After taking the past few days to reflect, I can think of nothing as painful as Game 6.

I’ve always considered the World Series to be the ultimate prize in all of sports. Sure, the Super Bowl may have a larger audience, but it’s one game, a team can get hot and win one game. The Stanley Cup and NBA Finals are decided in 7 game series, but they lack the history of the World Series. This is the  World Series. For 107 years, it’s been part of American culture and the Texas Rangers were one strike away–two different times–from winning it all.

It got me to thinking about other moments of sports heartache in my life and I was to compile the following list, a top ten of sorts, of the most heartbreaking moments in Dallas, during my lifetime.

1.) Game 6 2011 World Series – See above

2.) Game 3 2006 NBA Finals  - The Mavericks had an 83-71 lead in the 4th quarter and were minutes away from taking a commanding 3-0 series on the Miami Heat. Instead, the Mavs folded down the stretch, losing Game 3 and 4,5, and 6.

3.)  1982 NFC Championship Game – I’m too young to remember Super Bowl X or XIII, so I don’t how those losses compare to the ’82 Championship Game. As I said earlier, “The Catch” might be the earliest memory–sports or otherwise–of my life. To have see it constantly replayed hurts like hell.

4.) Cowboys/Texans (September 8, 2002) – How does a regular season NFL game make it this far up the list? It was the Texans’ first game in franchise history and they beat my Cowboys 19-10. Truly one of the more embarrassing days in franchise history.

5.) 2007 NBA Playoffs: Mavs First Round Exit – As if the 2006 NBA Finals weren’t bad enough, the next season the Mavs come back and win 67 game in the regular season only to become the 2nd #1 seed in NBA history, at that time, to lose to an #8 seed.  Thankfully, the Spurs joined this club this past season.

6.) 1995 NFC Championship Game – One game stood between the Cowboys becoming the undisputed best team in NFL history. Now the debate rages on whether the 60′s Packers, the 70′s Steeler, the 80′s 49ers, the 90′s Cowboys or the 00′s Patriots are the best. Had the Cowboys won the ’95 NFC Championship game, the argument would be mute.

7.) 2000 Stanley Cup Finals – I’ve never been a huge hockey fan, but I do follow the Stars in the playoffs. Winning the Stanley Cup in ’99 was an awesome experience a fan, to have Satan come back the very next year and steal it from us at Reunion was tough.

8.) The Pickle Juice Game – Cowboys fans wish they could forget this one. It was the 2000 season opener and temperatures were north of 120 degree at kickoff at Texas Stadium. Players resorted to drinking pickle juice to stay hydrated. The opened the game recovering an onside kick and went on to beat the Cowboys 41-14.

9.) Cowboys/49ers September 24, 2000 – Only a few weeks removed from the “Pickle Juice” game, the 49ers came and delivered a similar ass whoopin’ to the Cowboys, mainly Terrell Owens. We all know what happened next…

10.) Cowboys/Dolphins November 26, 1993  - Heartache and heartburn as Leon Lett cost the Cowboys this Thanksgiving classic in the snow at Texas Stadium.

Continue reading »]]> Sounds like the start of a great joke doesn’t it? For those of us living in reality, the answer is rather obvious–two hucksters who were masters at brainwashing a gullible section of the population. Today, most normal people look at those suckered by Hubbard and shake their head. How could anyone actually believe that crap? Yet, Hubbard still has a small band of loyal followers, willing to defend even his most absurd theories and claims–they’re called Scientologists.

Similarly, everything about John Wiley Price screams that something is not right. Yet there still seems to be a vocal group of Dallas citizens who admire this man. In fact, supporters held another rally for him on Sunday.

A couple of things to note from the Dallas Morning News write-up on the event First, Michael Eric Dyson, a professor from Georgetown, comes down and starts taking shots at the FBI, reminding the audience that the FBI investigated Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Ok Professor Dyson, let’s tap the brakes for a second. John Wiley Price is no Martin Luther King, Jr. I don’t think Bono will ever write a song about JWP and I certainly don’t think JWP deserves his own holiday. While racism still sadly exists–it’s a two way street by the way–it’s not 1960 anymore and Dallas is not Selma, Alabama. To suggest that the FBI still focuses on minority elected officials, simply because of the color of the skin, is nothing more than pure conspiracy theory and you lose all credibility once you start spouting these wild-ass ideas.

Also, Rev. Zan Holmes, I lost a lot of respect for you sir. I remember in MYF as a teen taking a Youth Discipleship course, in which you narrated all the videos. All of the youth in our group fell in love with you. No I find out your supporting JWP? I’m crushed….

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The last time professional baseball was played in Dallas, it was here at Burnett Field in Oak Cliff. It's time pro ball--this time Major League Baseball--returns to Dallas.

As someone who has had the opportunity to attend baseball games in some of the most historic parks  (Wrigley, Fenway, and the old Yankee Stadium just to name a few), I’ve always dreamed of the day Dallas gets their downtown park and the excitement that comes along with it.

Imagine being able to sneak out of your office at lunch and catch a baseball game, or hopping on the DART train and catching a ride to the ballpark, instead of waiting on a congested freeway in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Imagine the iconic Dallas skyline towering over a retractable roof stadium in Victory Park or imagine Fair Park finally being rejuvenated by that same retractable roof stadium.

It’s a dream shared by many in Dallas, including Craig Schenkel, spokesman for a group that recently purchased a billboard off I-30 in Arlington reminding Dallas baseball fans they are wasting time, gas and money each time they journey out to the Ballpark in Arlington.

Schenkel and his partners do not represent any organized effort to bring professional baseball to the city. Indeed, the prospects of the city of Dallas getting a professional baseball franchise anytime in the near future are slim to none, but it’s still fun to dream.

In order for the dream to become a reality, one of two things would have to happen. Either the Rangers leave Arlington for Dallas or a second franchise is added to the D/FW market. Prior to last season, the Rangers struggled to draw 20,000 to the Ballpark on a regular basis, so the prospects of a second MLB franchise is North Texas are less than zero.

This leaves the Rangers relocating as the more realistic option. I’m thoroughly convinced that this would be a win for the city of Dallas, a win for the fans and a win for the Rangers, although I’m sure it would alienate some of the Tarrant County faithful.

As a lifelong Rangers fan, I’ve always complained about their location. For those of us in Dallas and Collin County, and all points North and East, going to a Rangers game is a destination sporting event. If I want to go to a Mavs or Stars game, it’s a quick 5 minute drive on the tollway. Within 15 minutes of leaving my house, I have a hot dog and soda and I’m in my seat.

When I go to a Rangers game, I have to plan in advance. If it’s a week night, I have to ask to leave work early in order to allow for ample travel time. On the weekend, I still must leave an hour and a half early if I have any hopes of catching first pitch.

Once inside the ballpark, the real suffering begins–three hours in the Texas heat. The city of Dallas could offer the Rangers the ultimate bribe (and make slight amends for dropping the ball with the Cowboys) by building a retractable roof stadium either downtown or in Fair Park. Who wouldn’t prefer sitting in the air conditioned comfort in downtown Dallas than out in the hot Texas heat on the Arlington prairie?

Simply put, more fans would get to attend more games. No longer would business meetings be a choice between The Palms and the Crescent Club, with a downtown (or Fair Park) stadium, you could take clients or colleagues to business meetings in the ballpark. Parents could take their kids to games on weeknights without worrying about getting them home in time for a good night’s sleep. Young urban professionals who live in the Uptown and Downtown areas could make it to games without worrying about their work schedules.

In order to be financially successful, these are the demographics the Rangers need to attract. For years, supporters of baseball in Arlington have used the “Arlington is the center of the Metroplex” argument in support of their position. Arlington is the geographic center of the Metroplex, but look at its demographics. The big companies, the young families with disposable income, and upwardly mobile young professionals are much more densely concentrated around the downtown Dallas area than Arlington.

No offense to the hardworking folks in Tarrant and Park County, but it just doesn’t make economic sense to have MLB  team in Arlington as opposed to Dallas. As a kid, I would have loved to have a MLB team in Cass County. Sadly, the local paper mill didn’t generate enough money and the County’s 30,000 residents weren’t enough to justify a baseball team, so most of us latched on to the closest Major League team–the Rangers.

The most exciting prospect of of MLB franchise in Dallas to me is what it would mean as far as the continued development of areas in and around downtown. Right now, development is booming downtown and points north, between 75 and the toll. A retractable roof stadium in Fair Park would generate similar development in points South and East of downtown.

So where do we go from here if we want to see baseball in Dallas? The billboard is step one. Step two is for  the media to notice, bloggers like me to comment and other interested fans to create a whisper–”you know, it would be really cool to a have baseball in Dallas.”  Once it becomes a whisper, we’ll need structure and direction. At that point, we’ll need to appoint a leader to transform the whisper into a crowd, from a crowd to a gathering, from a gathering to a movement. It’s really not that hard now that I think about it, at least not in my dreams.

Continue reading »]]> If you followed my advice in the previous post, you have booked your flight to Love Field and a room at a hotel in the downtown/Uptown area. Even if you chose to fly into D/FW, let’s hope you heeded my advice on the hotels and are staying in Dallas proper, as opposed to some far flung place like Grapevine or Bedford. Depending on the time of day you arrive in downtown Dallas, you may begin to wonder if anyone actually lives in the city. Indeed, the City Center is almost completely commercial and keeps pretty strict business hours. After 6 p.m. on weekdays and all weekend long, downtown Dallas is a virtual ghost town, although efforts have been made in the past few years to encourage more young professionals to move into some of the restored buildings.

Let me be the first to assure you, downtown Dallas is not as desolate as it first may seem. However, even if you’re staying at the Sheraton, Westin or Fairmont, you will want to venture out of downtown. If you did not arrange for a rental, the first thing you will want to do is invest in a Super Bowl transit pass. The transportation agencies in the Metroplex have come together to offer a four-day pass for the low price of $30, which will allow you unlimited access to DART trains and buses, as well as the TRE. Even if you have a rental car, I recommend picking up this pass.

Don’t be fooled by your hotel concierge, the West End is not where Dallas goes to have fun, but there is one place in the West End you must visit before you leave.

Dallas World Aquarium – 1801 N. Griffin St.  Dallas, TX 75202

Whether you’re 1 or 101, everyone loves penguins, sharks and sloths. Oh, it’s not all aquatic animals, they have big cats too. The Aquarium is easy to get around and provides hours of entertainment, regardless of the weather conditions.

Outside of the Aquarium, you will want to head North.

Uptown

View of downton from Uptown.

As soon as you cross over Woodall Rodgers leaving downtown Dallas, you are officially in Uptown, a trendy neighborhood featuring upscale shops, bars, restaurants and residences. Uptown is accessible by foot from downtown, but it’s recommended you use DART, your car or the McKinney Avenue Trolley.

To pick up the McKinney Avenue Trolley, go to St. Paul Street, directly behind the Dallas Museum of Art. This is the end (or beginning) of the trolley route. Riding is free and easy, simply hop on and the trolley will take you across Woodall Rodgers and through the heart of Uptown.  Once you’re in Uptown, you can hop off at any stop to explore Uptown on foot. The gem of Uptown has to be the West Village, located at Lemmon and McKinney Avenues. Here you can catch a movie at the Magnolia–one of the top art house theatres in the city–take in some great shopping or fine dining.

If you buy the transit pass, you can take DART to Uptown. Simply hop on any northbound train and get off at the Cityplace stop. Once you come off the platform, take the large escalator to your right up to the surface and you will come out on the back side of the West Village.

Mockingbird Station

The next stop north on the DART line is Mockingbird Station, another mixed use venue, featuring another great art-house cinema–the Angelika. There are also several different upscale shops, bars and restaurants at the Mockingbird Station stop.

If you’re a Packers fan, or simply want to watch the Pack practice, you may want to consider taking the DART rail to Mockingbird Station and walking across Central Expressway to SMU, where the NFC Champions will be holding their practices.

Knox-Henderson

In between Uptown and Mockingbird Station lies the Knox-Henderson area. Here you will find an Apple Store, Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware and a slew of local boutiques that will sure be hit among the glitterati descending upon Dallas. If you want a good “people watching” location, this is it. Unfortunately, neither the McKinney Avenue Trolley nor DART rail runs to Knox-Henderson, and it’s a bit too far to travel on foot from Uptown. You will definitely need a car or a cab to get here, but can navigate the neighborhood on foot once you arrive.

Highland Park Village

Directly West of Knox-Henderson you will find Highland Park Village. Established in 1931, Highland Park Village is considered to be America’s first shopping center, but this is not your grandparents shopping center. With boutiques like Chanel, Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo, Hermes and Tory Burch, it’s more like Rodeo Drive. While the upscale shopping may not appeal to a lot sports fans, it is a great place for men to drop their wives off while they go explore another part of the city, just don’t let them have your credit card. Mi Cocina serves up some of the best Mexican food in town and Cafe Pacific is known to be one of the favorite restaurants of former President George W. Bush.

Katy Trail

If you get tired of using your hotel’s fitness center, allow me to suggest taking a jog, walk, ride, or skate along the Katy Trail. This 3.5 mile jogging/biking trail runs from the American Airlines Center through Uptown, Knox-Henderson and through the Park Cities. It’s the closest thing to jogging in Central Park Dallas has to offer and it’s well worth the sweat.

You came to Dallas for the “big game,” but also want to take in some local culture? Never fear, next up we’ll look at the Arts District, which will show you a completely different side of Dallas.

Continue reading »]]> On March 19, it was sunny and 71 in Dallas. On March 20, 2010, we received 1.3 inches of snow. Yes, that’s right, the first day of Spring brought SNOW to Dallas. This brings the total snowfall for this season to 17.3 inches and barely misses breaking the all-time seasonal record for the Dallas/Fort Worth area. I’ve lived in this general vicinity for all of my 31 years and have never seen a winter like this. The February snowstorm will be one talked about in Dallas for centuries and I’m glad that I got to experience it, even if we lost our power for about 24 hours.  On Christmas Eve, we received enough snow to ensure a White Christmas 2009. Oddly enough, December 23 was a lot like March 19, in that it reached 73 degrees. That means we received twice in one season, the day after a 70 degree day. Very interesting weather pattern indeed. Normally, I embrace the snow and look forward to its arrival when it is predicted. After this season, I must say, I don’t care if I see another snowstorm for some time.

Continue reading »]]> Nothing screams Freshman year of high school like NBA Jam. Well, maybe the untimely death of Kurt Cobain, but the arcade hit, and subsequent Super Nintendo favorite played a large role in my life in 1994.  I remember sitting in class, passing notes back and forth with my friends trying to get “cheats” for the game, to unlock players like Michael Jordan and Bill Clinton.  After school was out, we would gather at one of the members of our group’s house and play the Super Nintendo version of the game all night long (and all weekend long). On a trip to San Antonio, I remember spending 4 hours and countless quarters in an arcade in our hotel, trying to master the arcade version of the game, only to find out the “cheats” for the Super NES version were different than the “cheats” for the arcade version.  Needless to say, I was overcome with joy to read that the game is being revamped and released in December 2010.

Marc Stein, writing for ESPN.Com’s “Weekend Dime,” provided a breakdown of each team’s roster from 1993-1994 and who he would like see represented in the new version of the game. Reading through the list brought back countless memories and filled my head with the voices of the game announcers–”he’s on fire!”

One point where I disagree with Stein, I would pick Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry, instead of Shawn Marion, for the Mavericks. Either way, the Mavs team in this version of NBA Jam, will be a significant upgrade from the 1994 version, which featured Derek Harper and Mike Iuzzolino.

Continue reading »]]> The theater of the absurd surrounding the Ron Washington’s ride on the “white horse,” continues to evolve into one of the strangest, most wheels-off sports story, in the history of Dallas, which considering the Dallas Cowboys, says a lot.

Randy Galloway, a favorite target of Geoausch.Com, wrote a piece for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram this morning alleging a blackmail scheme, on the part of a disgruntled Rangers’ employee, brought this festering pustule to a head. While I may not agree with everything Galloway writes, I do acknowledge that of all the Dallas/Fort Worth media members, his connections in the Rangers’ organization are the deepest.  I tend to believe what I read in his column and have no doubt that the Rangers would have never spoken a word of this incident had Sports Illustrated not obtained the leaked information.

According to Galloway, some of this former employee’s demands were met; however, the officials inside the organization refused to write the employee in question a letter of recommendation.  In other words, team officials were afraid their integrity would be tarnished if they fudged on a letter extolling this guy’s (or gal’s) worth as employee, but didn’t think twice about the reputation of the club being ran by a junkie manager.

Yes, I called the man a junkie, because Ron Washington’s drug history goes far beyond this one little bump.  Anthony Andro, writing for the Rangers blog on the Dallas Morning News’ website, reports that Washington admitted to using “amphetamines” and “marijuana” during his playing days. It was the 1970′s and everyone was using “bennies” and smoking grass, but it makes Washington’s statement yesterday-that he only used coke once-even that much more unbelievable.

While I’ve never had the desire to snort anything up my nose, I have been around cocaine and have had several friends fall victim to the drug’s addictive agents.  One thing I know about the drug is that you don’t do it just once and you certainly don’t try it for the first time when you’re 57-years old. While cocaine may not spawn daily cravings–users can go months or years without using–the taste for the drug never leaves your system. Let’s hope Washington is lying about his past cocaine use, because if he really did try coke out on a whim at the age of 57, his problems are much deeper than they appear on the surface. First of all, does that type of person have the maturity necessary for leading a professional sports team?

This story is just beginning to sprout. I firmly believe that as we near the start of the season (and the official sale of the franchise) more information will come to light regarding this situation and Washington’s past use of illegal substances. Based on Washington’s own statements, we can construct a history that leads us to believe that this type of behavior will repeat itself. Whether or not the Rangers will be open with their fans when such an event occurs is open for debate.

One thing is for sure, I bet the Dallas Morning News is regretting cutting the Rangers’ beat writer position.

Continue reading »]]> Two years ago, Stephanie and I moved into a beautiful, pre-World War II four-plex in the heart of University Park. We fell in love with the hardwood floors, built in bookcases and location the first time we laid eyes upon it. A week after we moved into our second floor unit, Mark, a piano playing chef moved in below us. Mark was a great neighbor, understanding the proper mix of neighborly socializing and privacy. Sometime last March, Mark fell in love. As Mark and his  boyfriend became more serious, we saw less and less of him and, in August, Mark and his boyfriend moved to the Oaklawn area.

Shortly after his move, we noticed that someone had moved a couch and large, plasma TV into the vacant apartment, but we never saw any other furniture moved into the unit. For a few weeks, we saw a few signs of life (i.e. delivery notices on door, packages at doorstep, etc.) but never saw any people moving in or out of the unit. We assumed that someone had simply stored the TV & couch in the unit until they were able to move it to it’s proper location. Every now and then, we would hear sounds of life (creak, pops and the such), but readily dismissed them as signs of an old building. The windows remained darkened, the parking spot assigned to the unit was used by a tenant from another building and we never saw anyone enter or leave the unit.

Perhaps the strangest incident occurred on New Years’ Eve when I heard a group of female voices coming from the downstairs lobby. At the time, we assumed that the bottom two units were vacant and figured that a group of drunk New Years Eve revelers had entered our building by mistake.

On Friday night, as I left to pick up dinner, I came to the bottom of the stairs and was taken back when I saw a couple standing in the lobby. My initial shock soon turned into curiosity as the couple entered the unit in question. How could a couple live below us for almost a half a year and go virtually unnoticed? Better yet, how could someone live below us for that period of time and not introduce themselves to us? Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to have neighbors that don’t make a lot of noise, but I still believe in being “neighborly.”

Continue reading »]]> Cowboys fans, including myself, expect “greatness.”

Over the years, we have been spoiled by one of the most successful sports franchises. We are not accustomed to being mediocre and we have a hard time accepting it when that may really be the case. So, we look for excuses.

The coach sucks. The quarterback isn’t serious enough. The owner’s ego gets in the way. We run too much. We throw too much. Etc.

Some of those statements may be true, but none of them address the team’s real issue–talent.  Simply put, the Cowboys are what their record indicates, a slightly better than .500 team.

Depending on how you look at it, this team is in the bottom portion of the top quarter of teams in the league or the top of the second quarter of teams in the league. To expect “greatness” out of this team, as presently constructed, is foolish.

Could another coach get more out of this team? Perhaps, but not much. Even Coach Landry or Jimmy Johnson would have struggled to win 10 or 11 games with this unit and as much as I love those two coaches, neither of them would have won a Super Bowl with this roster.

Even in the watered down version of today’s NFL, depth is vital to a title run. While the starting 11 on both sides of the ball match-up well with the top tier teams, it’s the lack of depth that brings this roster down. No where was this more evident than when DeMarcus Ware suffered his injury and was forced to leave the game. It’s impossible to fully replace Ware, but the gap between starter & backup at outside backer is so extreme on this team that it’s almost impossible to make any sustainable compensation for the loss.

We see this disparity at almost every defensive position. Without a doubt, the biggest difference between the Cowboys and the serious contenders is this disparity.

The good news is that the Cowboys are close enough to the contenders that they can enter the conversation with one good off-season. This begins with compiling a list of your core players to keep and a list of expendable parts and suitable replacements.

Let’s end the debate right now, Tony Romo is a legitimate championship caliber quarterback and Miles Austin and Roy Williams are your #1 & #2 receivers respectfully. It would be nice to add another great receiver through free agency. All is well on the tight end in front, Jason Witten is the best in the league and I’m convinced that Marty B will continue to develop.

On the offensive line, Flozell Adams’ skills as a lineman no longer outweigh the liability of his mental issues–he needs to go. I would recommend turning to free agency to find a suitable replacement and use our first round draft pick to add some depth behind the rest of the line.

In the backfield, I like what Marion Barber and Tashard Choice bring to the table, but I don’t believe either one can handle the load on their own. In spite of his ability to make “big plays,” I have not been that impressed with Felix Jones. Sure, he is fast, but the “big plays” have been few and far between. I think that his stock around the league is still high enough that you could snag a third or fourth round pick away from some unsuspecting team for his services and turn that draft pick into more offensive line depth.

On the defensive side of the ball, the most glaring weakness is at linebacker. When the Cowboys turn in their helmets and shoulder pads at the end of this season, I pray to God we don’t ever see Bobby Carpenter in a Cowboys uniform again. I have yet to hear anyone who covers this team justify his existence on the roster. In an ideal world, I would love to see us use our first round draft pick and get Alabama’s Rolando McClain. However, I doubt he will be around when the Cowboys pick and that’s why I recommended going for offensive line depth. I’m convinced that either in free agency or in the draft, we can find a more capable back-up and nickle backer than Carpenter. I think Brooking, Spencer, James and Ware are more than capable of being part of a championship caliber defense. The same goes for the front three.

In the secondary, depth is the biggest concern. Orlando Scandrick has taken a step back this year and Alan Ball, God love him, just doesn’t have what it takes to play the position at a high level in this league. This is another area I would focus on in the off season.

Finally, Wade Phillips has done about all he can do here. It’s time Jerry showed him to the door and thanked him for his service. On the way walking Phillips out of Valley Ranch, Jerry needs to stop by Jason Garrett’s office and hand him his walking papers as well. He is not the coach this team needs.

If you really want to find a common thread between the recent Cowboys teams that have struggled during the month of December look at the system. The Dallas Cowboys have NEVER won a playoff game playing a 3-4 defense. The fact that this team still uses it is blasphemous. Until they win a playoff game with the 3-4 defense, the possibility of a “3-4 curse” must be considered legitimate. Though it might set the franchise back another year in building towards a legitimate championship threat, I really do think Jerry Jones should consider courting a 4-3 coach and return this franchise to its defensive roots.

Be prepared to be beaten down by the sports media in this town continuing to talk about the “December swoon.” Be prepared to listen to them pour all the blame on Wade Phillips and question the toughness of this team. Be prepared to answer back with, “you know what, this team is playing just about the way they should.”

Continue reading »]]> At Monday’s Wade Phillips’ press conference, CBS 11 sports reporter Steve Dennis asked the Cowboys’ coach if he considered his team “winners.” By virtue of owning a winning record, this Cowboys team is, by definition, a “winner.” Of course, “winning” can mean a lot of different things. Dennis posed this question to Wade Phillips to drive home a tired Dallas media talking point–the dreaded “December swoon.” While the Cowboys have enjoyed success September through November under Phillips’ watch, they have not performed well when the season really matters–December and beyond.

In and of itself, this is fine. The Dallas market is flooded with sports media personalities, some good and some bad. If a member of the media wants to talk about the same generic talking points, he has the right to do so, but it makes for very boring radio, TV or print. However, what makes Dennis’ question different is the pattern he has established for himself.

In the summer, he made our “Bottom 5 Dallas Sports Media Personalities,” where we described him as “loud, obnoxious, and pompous,” descriptions we stand by to this day. As part of the best TV sports team in the market, it appears that Dennis feels threatened by his compatriots and seeks to stand out anyway possible. He does this by making himself part of the story, which is exactly what happened with this one.

In addition to his duties at CBS 11, Dennis also hosts “The Keith Brooking Show” on Sunday mornings on their sister station KTXA 21. Somehow, footage of the taping for the upcoming episode was leaked to the media. In the opening, an upset Keith Brooking (Cowboys linebacker) confronts Dennis about his questioning of Wade at the Monday press conference. Evidently, Brooking and other members of the Cowboys team felt that Dennis’ question implied that their team was full of losers. Dennis handles himself very well and seeks to explain his question more thoroughly, but the entire clip I heard was extremely tense.

Tonight, I tuned into the 10 PM news on CBS 11 and when it was time for sports who do I see prancing around the Cowboys locker room but Steve Dennis. They framed it as a segment showing how the Cowboys team is rallying around their coach and using the media as motivation for a successful December, but again it appeared that Dennis was trying to make the story about himself.

I do not know Steve Dennis personally. He may be a great guy for all I know. I only know the Steve Dennis I see on TV and hear on the radio and when I see or hear that Steve Dennis, I scratch my head and ask, “who does Steve Dennis think he is?”  If I could pass along any advice to him, it would be this:

When people tune into a Wade Phillips press conference, they do so to hear Wade Phillips talk about the Cowboys, not to hear Steve Dennis.  When people tune into watch sports on the local news, they do so to catch the latest on their local teams, not to see the local reporter injecting himself into the center of a story. If Mr. Dennis wants to be the center of a program, get your own radio show or start your own blog. Until then, report the news and stay out of it.