And Starring Jason Kidd as “Turtle”

This Dallas Mavericks promo was just posted to YouTube, and the Unfair Parkers who semi-regularly attend home games say they haven’t yet seen this at the American Airlines Center. The joke, such as it is, works only when the vid’s viewed in high-quality mode. Still, not even in the same…

Romembering the Tony We Fell in Love With

I bet there were times over the last month when you read Tony Romo’s “sun’ll come out tomorrow” quotes and profanely muttered, “Man, he needs a $%&*$#@ publicist!” Well, he’s got one. Same one he’s had since – before, actually – he ascended to the throne of starting quaterback of…

Bad Rangers’ Pitching News and it’s Only Friggin’ January

From the same team that lost Adam Eaton in spring training 2006 just hours after general manager Jon Daniels announced his starting rotation comes news that top pitching prospect Eric Hurley has undergone rotator cuff surgery and is out for the 2009 season. In news that will surprise no one: Rangers…

Will Dirk Nowitzki Finish his Career as a Maverick?

It’s not exactly Calvin Watkins’ expose in Dallas’ Only Daily featuring five sources detailing the Cowboys’ anarchy at Valley Ranch, but NBA.com’s Art Garcia – formerly of your Fort Worth Star-Telegram – stirs your Mavericks’ pot a bit this morning. Garcia writes that Dirk Nowitzki hasn’t exactly “connected” with head…

Your Sports Owner: Mark Cuban vs. Jerry Jones

Both have more money than Sri Lanka, wealthy enough to buy this blog with the change in their car’s ash tray. They are each passionate, energetic, innovative, way smarter than me and absolutely consumed, dare I say obsessed, with bringing a championship to Dallas. In the last couple years their teams coughed up No…

Meddling Maverick

Just when you think Mark Cuban has mellowed, he shows a pulse. And just when you think he has tired of his tribulations, he shows some heart. The Dallas Mavericks’ owner—hip-deep in stock controversy and baseball snubbing and a fresh fine from the NBA—struggles these days to give his basketball…

Texas Rangers: Hot Stove or Cold Shoulder?

Give the Rangers credit. They are trying. With the Cowboys imploding and the Mavs and Stars wallowing in mediocrity, our local baseball team has a prime opportunity to earn some much-needed love this winter. Texas hasn’t done diddly-poo as far as free agency, bringing in only reliever Derek Turnbow, pitching…

With Jerry Jones, Greatness Courts Failure

A Friend of Unfair Park directs our attention to the Dallas Cowboys’ official Web site, which published a Q&A with owner and general manager Jerry Jones last night. It’s not exactly the most illuminating interview — lots of assessing and evaluating going on, which is only, what, six months too…

Didn’t Take Zach Thomas Long to Get His Fill of the Cowboys

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Zach Thomas. Unlike Brad Pitt in the movie, Zach didn’t exactly grow younger as he got older. But boy did he grow sick and tired in a hurry. This is how it was supposed to work: After a successful, yet ultimately unfulfilling career in Miami,…

I Dub Thee … “Annie” Romo

Tony Romo loves to win. But does he really hate to lose? After his playoff pratfalls, late-season hiccups and post-game “The sun’ll come out tomorrow” bullshit press conferences, I think it’s a legitimate question. Romo regressed dramatically this season. In ball security. In practice habits. In decision-making. And, mostly, in leadership…

Mr. Hollins’ Opus

Let’s don’t call Laura Miller and her parade plans just yet, but the Mavericks may have found something. A luxury they haven’t enjoyed since, oh, forever. Or at least since Roy Tarpley. A mobile, athletic big man. It was – who else? – Dirk Nowitizki’s calm, fadeaway 18-footer that beat the…

The Dallas Cowboys: Change We Can Believe In?

You buyin’ it? The Cowboys’ changes, I mean. Pacman Jones is gone and looks like Tank Johnson won’t be asked back and there are even serious organizational discussions concerning Terrell Owens. And last Friday, of course, the Cowboys announced the firing of defensive coordinator Brian Stewart. Are these the first…

Dallas Stars Moving to The Ticket

Might be a pre-emptive strike in advance of losing the Dallas Cowboys. Might be a further stock-piling of assets aimed at extending its dynasty another 15 years. Either way, 1310 AM The Ticket just announced it will be the radio home of your Dallas Stars for the next five years starting in 2009-10. Good on…

Mav. Wrecks.

Four straight losses. Four spots dropped in the standings. A four-game, East Coast road trip looming that ends at Detroit and Boston. Mark Cuban even lost his request for Denver’s J.R. Smith to be disciplined by the league for throwing an elbow at Antoine Wright. In short, not a good…

T.O. Must Go?

ESPN’s Ed Werder says today that your Dallas Cowboys are seriously considering releasing Terrell Owens. Dallas’ Only Daily’s Jean-Jacques Taylor says if T.O. goes, then Jason Garrett stays. Me? I say that the whole fiasco could be fixed by getting rid of Wade Phillips and hiring a real leader. But what do you say:…

The Cowboys’ Crappy New Year!

In 2009, I’m going to change. Totally change. I know I’m 44 and have achieved moderate success by being set in my ways for two decades, but I think I can do it. I’ve got myself convinced I have to do it. I’m going to develop an appreciation for sour cream,…

Which of These Cowboys Stories is the Most Unbelievable?

A) Flozell Adams and his 92 false-start penalties will make a trip to the Pro Bowl. B) Would-be robbers change their minds upon realizing their intended victim is a former player loaded with fame and fortune. C) Championship legacy be damned, these days your Cowboys are closer to the Clippers than…

Jason Garrett: Red Jesus or Red-headed Stepchild?

As you’ll read in this week’s dead-tree version of The Sportatorium, hitting newstands tomorrow, I think Wade Phillips should be fired. Immediately. No, actually, I think Jerry Jones should’ve walked down to the sideline in the third quarter of the Philadelphia debacle after Tony Romo unceremoniously stripped Phillips of his…

Michael Young: Great Player! Good Riddance?

Michael Young, meet Michael Finley. Seems like forever Finley was a good solider on bad Mavericks teams, the best player and the involuntarily spokesman absorbing and explaining years of losing while the cast of crappy teammates and coaches around him constantly changed. He played hurt. He played well. He was an All-Star…

Pacman Jones: Yay or Nay?

If you missed Pacman Jones on CBS’ NFL pre-game Saturday afternoon, here are the highlights lowlights: *His hair was in a sorta mohawk, stolen from Wesley Snipes’ Blade, and he was wearing a cheesy, white sports jacket, a la Don Johnson in Miami frigging’ Vice. *He used “man” as some of puntcuator…