Dallas Mavericks News - Rumors

Winning At All Co$t

2006-08-03T17:43:00.000-07:00

Juventus general manager Luciano Moggi on his way to court, where titles are won or lost in today's sports world.

Today, as we speak (or as I write), Tour de France winner Floyd Landis is giving a press conference in Madrid to defend his innocence in the face of a positive drug test that has already overshadowed his amazing victory and may even lead to the loss of his title, a lengthy suspension, and - combined with his hip problems - the end of his career.

In San Francisco, Giants slugger Barry Bonds has seen his chase for Hank Aaron's home-run record ruined by constant allegations of steroid use, the incarceration of his personal trainer, and a possible indictment of Bonds himself in the coming days and weeks.

Last week in Rome, an appeals committee reduced the punishments handed out to Serie A sides Juventus, AC Milan, Lazio and Fiorentina in the Italian league's much-publicized match-fixing scandal. Juve, the most popular and successful team in Italian soccer, has been relegated to Serie B and penalized 17 points in the coming season. The other three teams will all remain in Serie A, but will also have their own point penalties to overcome this year. Juve's general manager "Lucky" Luciano Moggi was banned from the game for years, as were a number of the referees with whom he and other team administrators were in cahoots. Even the coach of Italy's World Cup-winning side, Marcello Lippi, has been implicated in this controversy and his resignation following the tournament undoubtedly stemmed, at least in part, from the fall-out from this match-fixing investigation.

Testosterone limits, steroid use, indictments, investigations, match-fixing...does this sound like a sports article to you? Well, today, these aren't just excerpts from articles - these are the headlines jumping off the cover pages. In what should be a golden age for sports, what with all the money, media attention, and technological advancements that have made worldwide sports so profitable, plentiful, and accessible via TV and internet, a dark cloud of cheating threatens to tarnish the sports world for the indefinite future. How can this be? How is it possible that these glory days of sports might end up becoming a time to forget?

Unfortunately, it is the newfound riches of modern sports that are the root of the problem itself, as they frequently prove too enticing for others to resist. The sports world began to experience phenomenal growth in the 80s and 90s, as leagues like the NFL, NBA, and English Premiership rose to prominence; meanwhile, international events like the Olympics and the World Cup became worldwide showcases, highlighted by magnetic teams and players such as US basketball's Dream Team and Argentina's Diego Maradona. Sports were booming, fame and fortune was always just one win away and, although this was a positive development in many ways, for some individuals it would prove to be their undoing.

In the early 90s, it was Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson who found the lure of Olympic glory too tempting; a juiced-up Johnson, looking like he was literally about to burst out of his skin, raced to gold in the 100-meter dash before testing positive. In the late 90s, it was Mark McGwire, whose beefy upper-body made Popeye look anorexic, who was unable to resist the fame and fortune that came with being the new home-run champ of baseball; after lasting for 37 years, Roger Maris' record of 61 home runs was suddenly shattered as juiced-up roidheads like McGwire, Bonds, and Sammy Sosa began jacking balls over the fence as if there were honing devices inside them. At the start of the new millenium, it only got worse. Premier cyclists like Jan Ullrich, Richard Virenque, and Marco Pantani were all suspended for drug use; even Lance Armstrong, seven-time Tour winner, continues to be suspected of foul play. Top tennis players like Mariano Puerta and Guillermo Canas were caught for doping. Track star Marion Jones was reported to have taken steroids before the 2000 Olympics in which she won two gold medals. A veritable Hall-of-Fame group of baseball players such as McGwire, Sosa, and Rafael Palmeiro were forced to testify in front of Congress after another steroid-user Jose Canseco wrote a book outlining rampant steroid use in the sport; Yankees slugger Jason Giambi was also implicated in this case. Even at levels of sports where the innocence of it all is the main attraction, Little League baseball stars like Danny Almonte were found to have lied about their age in an attempt to become the best in the world by any means necessary.

As athletes went to new extremes to get an edge on the field, sports administrators were also caught up in a growing web of corruption off the field. In Germany, referee Robert Hoyzer was sentenced to two years in jail for his part in Germany's biggest-ever match-fixing scandal. In the 2002 Olympics, a French judge admitted that she had been part of a plan to award the gold medal in figure skating's pairs competition to Russia in exchange for a return favor from the Russian judges in the ensuing ice dancing competition. In the US, as evidenced by comments by the Dallas Mavericks' Mark Cuban and the Seattle Seahawks' Mike Holmgren, it has become commonplace for owners and coaches to question the honesty and integrity of referees.

In today's sports world, that poisoned apple of fame and fortune is simply too hard to resist for most people. Rather than ushering in a golden age for sports, all of the newfound riches have only caused people to go to new extremes for success. Today, there is just too much at stake, whether it be money or fame or power, for people to resist putting their reputations and careers on the line for a shot at becoming the best in the world. (And in the case of the East German female swimmers of the 80s, even becoming a man was a realistic option) It might not be what anyone wants to hear, but it's becoming awfully hard to enjoy any victories in sports anymore. Nothing is sacred. From baseball's record books to Serie A titles, everything comes with an asterisk. Even the best stories, like Landis' courageous effort in the Tour, seem to come with a grain of salt. For the past month, everyone made a conscious effort to forget about doping in the Tour or match-fixing in Italy to savor the impressive triumphs of Landis and the Azzurri, but now it's back to reality. And, sad but true as it is to say, reality in sports isn't about epic comebacks or inspiring performances anymore. Not today - in today's sports world, cheating is the name of the game.

Dallas Mavericks Win Virtual NBA Title

2006-07-31T21:35:00.000-07:00

While EA Sports and 2K Sports are competitors in the sports videogame business, both publishers agree on one thing--the Dallas Mavericks will be NBA World Champions this year. Both game companies ran simulated NBA Final series on EA Sports' "NBA Live 06" (shown here on Xbox 360) and 2K Sports' "NBA 2K6." Dallas emerged the victor in both simulations.

According to 2K Sports, Dallas will win the NBA Title in five games, while EA Sports predicts the Heat will be a more worthy match in a full seven game series. Both simulations have Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki taking home the MVP award.

In the EA Sports simulation, Dallas won Game 1 at home 97-90 thanks to Nowitzki's 27 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocked shots. Miami rode Dwyane Wade's 28 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists to a 101-97 overtime victory in Game 2. Game 3 wasn't pretty for the home town fans, as Dallas snuck by Miami 93-90 on Nowitzki's 32 points (including 11 for 12 free throw shooting) and 12 rebounds. Shaquile O'Neal's 22 points and 11 rebounds weren't enough for Miami. Game 4 brought another overtime contest, which Dallas won 102-101. Nowitzki's 30 points and 8 rebounds edged out Wade's 29 points and 6 rebounds for the win. Miami won Game 5 93-81 on Antoine Walker's 22 points (including 6 for 10 from the three-point line) and 5 rebounds. Miami returned to Dallas with an 87-84 win. Shaq contributed 28 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocked shots and Wade had 21 points, 7 assists and 4 rebounds in the win. Game 7 went down to the wire with Nowitzki dunking the winning basket at the buzzer for a 90-88 victory. Nowitzki had 27 points (including 8 for 9 at the free throw line) and 11 rebounds in the clincher.

2K Sports' simulation made it a lot easier on Dallas. The Mavericks won Game 1 97-90. Miami evened the series in Game 2 with a 110-86 victory. But that was all the Heat could muster. Dallas takes the next three games by scores of 107-93, 101-97 and 119-101.

Ironically, both "NBA 2K6" and "NBA Live 06" feature Miami players on their respective covers. Shaq graces the cover of "NBA 2K6" and Wade is the cover boy for "NBA Live 06." Look for one of these two games to feature Nowitzki on the cover for this fall's version.

HP Personal Again, Mark Cuban

2006-07-29T16:16:00.000-07:00

A very nice commercial of Compaq nc6400 Business Notebook performed by the Dallas Mavericks boss for HP!

Six Nations Fundraiser Wrap

2006-07-27T10:21:00.000-07:00

Here is a final report-back from one of the organizers on the fundraiser for the Six Nations land reclamation that I encouraged people to go to and enjoyed very much myself:The July 6 "6N" benefit concert raised over $1,000 to support the Six Nations struggle in Caledonia.The concert was a public gesture of support, one of the few public solidarity actions in Hamilton since the land re-claiming began, and a way to financially support the dedicated work of Six Nations' activists seeking justice and recognition of their rights as a people. From the moment singer/guitarist Kim Koren stepped onto the Casbah stage until Mark LaForme's band closed the place five hours later, the hundreds in attendance were treated to some of the finest music in the city. Between Koren and LaForme, performers Katie Caron, Linda Duemo, The Ray Materick Band, Harrison Kennedy, Martyn Verral, Raphael Keelan, Tim Gibbons, Jack Pedlar, and Daniel Lanois and others filled the Casbah with music as they loaned their considerable talents to support the land claims struggle just a few minutes down highway 6. Wes Elliot and Hazel Hill spoke to the audience about the ongoing struggle they face in holding their ground in the face of adversity and deeply ingrained racism. Elliot, while thanking people for showing their support, went further and invited supporters to come to the site and see for themselves what is going on. An info table set up at the club had a wealth of information available for free, including backgrounders delving into the historical roots of the Six Nations Confederacy and the current land claim.Thanks go out to many people for making it happen, especially Mike Hampson who did the brunt of the work bringing the line-up of performers together, and to Brodie and the staff at the Casbah who supported the event from the start to finish. The all-volunteer effort included the talents of Keisha Quinn who designed the poster, Sandy and Mike for putting us in contact with Mark LaForme (himself a member of the Mississauga of the New Credit band), Cheryl Walker for setting up the info-table, Al Loft and Julie Gordon for initial enthusiasm for the idea and Al for helping MC the event. Thanks go out to Ric Taylor at VIEW and other media like CHML, CFMU, the Hamilton Spectator, and CKRZ for advance publicity; of course the performers and finally, the people of the Six Nations for their courageous stand.The concert subsequently generated some letters to the editor in the local daily (for and against) and the evening created an opportunity to open up lines of communication between aboriginal and non-aboriginal groups in the area. Support came from as far away as Calgary Alberta, Kanehsatake and Las Vegas, Nevada.For more information about the land-re-claiming please visit www.reclamationinfo.com, sisis.nativeweb.org/actionalert/#updates, www.ckrz.com, or take up the sincere offer to visit the site.[Quoted text from an email from RK.]

Sally and Lance

2006-07-24T12:22:00.000-07:00

Lance Armstrong's story has been told a fair bit over the seven times that he won the Tour de France. Sally Jenkins, resident of New York, but writer for the Washington Post, helped write the biography of Lance Armstrong as he recovered from cancer. She admits she's not very objective when it comes to covering Armstrong. Imagine, after all, talking to someone about a sport that was considered something of a second tier American sport, where most Americans had no idea about the rules of the sport, and it wasn't even televised.

Then, single-handedly, Armstrong brought recognition to a sport that, while many still don't follow, now has fans that await the results of the three week event. It didn't hurt matters that Armstrong won it so many times. Had he won it, say, five times even, a substantial effort unto itself, would people have cared nearly as much? Seven times meant that for at least four years (from his fourth to his last win), fans would pay attention to Armstrong. His first two wins were, in itself, not enough to resurrect interest.

Even the third win, equal to that of Greg Lemond, and enough to be quite respectable was probably not enough. At four wins, he was close to tying the record, and networks, like OLN, could envision following the event from start to end, and expect some reasonable number of folks to watch.

Once there was five, then there was "could he win six in a row?", then seven.

One person that's been missing from the discussion of this year's tour is Sally Jenkins. In general, she didn't cover the tour, given her background with Lance Armstrong, but apparently, the tour wasn't really her event. She wasn't to be heard from pining in on Floyd Landis or anything. It may say as much to her autobiography, that she was more interested in the man, than the sport he came to dominate. Perhaps the Post didn't see fit to track the event without its most prominent poster boy. For whatever reason, this year's event was without Sally.

It seems, too, that the U.S. media was less interested in the ongoings when it seemed like Ullrich or Basso, neither Americans, were the top contenders, with Floyd a prohibitive favorite.

The sport requires Americans train in Europe. Phonak took the Postal Service/Discovery Channel strategy of focusing on the Tour de France to the exclusion of other events. Landis and Zabriskie spend a great deal of time in Spain training, when they aren't in the United States. Lance spent more time in Europe than he spent in the U.S. to train for the one race that mattered to him most.

Really, the one way the U.S. might be able to gain interest is to host a tour of its own. Nothing too big, initially. Perhaps a one-week race. It's too hard to compete with a three week race each year and too much to expect bicyclists to abandon the king of road races. Indeed, Landis himself won the Tour de Georgia this year (which is in Georgia, US, not in old Soviet Union). He's also won the Tour of California and Paris, Nice. This has been his most successful year, even without the Tour de France.

This race would require some national coverage, and perhaps a big prize. The goal would, at the very least, be to gain interest among Americans, to participate. True, road racing is still far more popular than its cousin, mountain bike racing, which Landis used to do, until he realized he was a much better road racer. This is similar to the inline skating race community vs. the ice speed skating which gets coverage from the Olympics.

It's interesting how some sports are so fringe that few people follow it. To be fair, even road cycling is obscure enough that most people had heard of neither Landis nor Pereiro before the Tour began. Levi Leipheimer was considered an American that might contend, but he was almost twenty minutes behind. George Hincapie, the loyal Armstrong lieutenant, was over an hour behind. Landis was worried about Menchov, but he was some 7 minutes back. Landis's buddy, David Zabrisikie, was 78th, nearly two and a half hours back. Axel Merckx, co-rider of Landis on Phonak and the son of famed Eddie Merckx, the five time Tour winner, came in 31st, a little over an hour back. That's not so surprising, as the support team often expends energy and the win for the leader.

Still, there are plenty of other sports people train hard for, with not much press.

These days, bicycling can do live monitoring of the bicyclist and get valuable information about how hard to go for it, and at what level to go for it. Allen Lim of CycleOps was helping to monitor Landis during the tour, providing him information that lead him to believe that he could mount a successful attack on Thursday that would allow him to take the lead and hold it.

What might seem like a herculean effort of will and energy is often surrounded by a great deal of planning to arrive in France in optimum conditions. While everyone fretted over Landis's hip, Landis knew his hip better than anyone, and that he could deal with the pain over the three week period. After all, he had done it the year before, and the two years before that. Everyone else was far more worried than Landis was.

Now that the Tour is over, will cycling learn any more about Landis or will he fade to second tier obscurity until the next Tour. He hopes to compete again next year, after his surgery in August. Most of the training takes place in Spring. We'll see how the recovery proceeds.

Six Nations Fundraiser Wrap

2006-07-20T19:48:00.000-07:00

Here is a final report-back from one of the organizers on the fundraiser for the Six Nations land reclamation that I encouraged people to go to and enjoyed very much myself:

The July 6 "6N" benefit concert raised over $1,000 to support the Six Nations struggle in Caledonia.

The concert was a public gesture of support, one of the few public solidarity actions in Hamilton since the land re-claiming began, and a way to financially support the dedicated work of Six Nations' activists seeking justice and recognition of their rights as a people.

From the moment singer/guitarist Kim Koren stepped onto the Casbah stage until Mark LaForme's band closed the place five hours later, the hundreds in attendance were treated to some of the finest music in the city. Between Koren and LaForme, performers Katie Caron, Linda Duemo, The Ray Materick Band, Harrison Kennedy, Martyn Verral, Raphael Keelan, Tim Gibbons, Jack Pedlar, and Daniel Lanois and others filled the Casbah with music as they loaned their considerable talents to support the land claims struggle just a few minutes down highway 6.

Wes Elliot and Hazel Hill spoke to the audience about the ongoing struggle they face in holding their ground in the face of adversity and deeply ingrained racism. Elliot, while thanking people for showing their support, went further and invited supporters to come to the site and see for themselves what is going on. An info table set up at the club had a wealth of information available for free, including backgrounders delving into the historical roots of the Six Nations Confederacy and the current land claim.

Thanks go out to many people for making it happen, especially Mike Hampson who did the brunt of the work bringing the line-up of performers together, and to Brodie and the staff at the Casbah who supported the event from the start to finish. The all-volunteer effort included the talents of Keisha Quinn who designed the poster, Sandy and Mike for putting us in contact with Mark LaForme (himself a member of the Mississauga of the New Credit band), Cheryl Walker for setting up the info-table, Al Loft and Julie Gordon for initial enthusiasm for the idea and Al for helping MC the event. Thanks go out to Ric Taylor at VIEW and other media like CHML, CFMU, the Hamilton Spectator, and CKRZ for advance publicity; of course the performers and finally, the people of the Six Nations for their courageous stand.

The concert subsequently generated some letters to the editor in the local daily (for and against) and the evening created an opportunity to open up lines of communication between aboriginal and non-aboriginal groups in the area. Support came from as far away as Calgary Alberta, Kanehsatake and Las Vegas, Nevada.

For more information about the land-re-claiming please visit www.reclamationinfo.com, sisis.nativeweb.org/actionalert/#updates, www.ckrz.com, or take up the sincere offer to visit the site.

[Quoted text from an email from RK.]

All Things in Time...

2006-07-17T11:34:00.000-07:00

With one year and then some behind me as a published writer, there is much I've enjoyed about the experience. First it is a blessing to have been able to share a story that meant a lot to me. I've gotten numerous e-mails and been invited to some great events (though I could only make two) as well. And, I've gotten to meet some great folks, other authors and readers as well. I've also gained confidence as a speaker and learned to even enjoy booksignings and other venues.

Memorable highlights would have to be:

1. Virginia Festival of the Book - Wonderful event, great people!
2. Baltimore Trip - Great discussion and booksigning. And, fun with new friends!
3. Indianapolis Black Expo - Though I wasn't so experienced here I still enjoyed the event and the concert with my Aunt and the family vibe was wonderful.
4. Faith and Fiction Brunch - Fun event. Got to meet my publisher and Denise Michelle. We had a great talk about writing.
5. Book Intro and Signing at my Church - What a wonderful send-off and the turn-out for the book signing was overwhelming! Thanks church!

Two other things are even more encouraging to me...

1. "Plenty Good Room" is now in over 400 libraries across the nation! It's great to know folks across the country have access to the book and it still checks out quite well at many of them.
2. Over 150 libraries have either the CD or audio version of "Plenty Good Room" as well. Cool, huh?

But, along with the positives I've observed other things that aren't as positive and that I didn't know existed until entering the publishing arena. Before being published I knew NOTHING about the industry and, some situations encountered have truly surprised me, which is probably why I still think about them.

1. Overcompetitiveness - it's clear some have a 'win-at-all-cost' mentality. I think competition is natural, and sometimes even a healthy way to meet goals, but its ugly when it comes from the wrong place. It's alarming that some seem willing to pull out all stops to be number 1.

2. Celebrity-Seeking - folks looking to meet authors to 'like' or to emulate. While I think it kinda cool folks come out to booksignings, in some cases they seem almost like popularity contests, which is just weird because whether or not a person likes you has little to do with writing. Some seem to want you to act like a diva, because truthfully they want to 'be' you. Not necessarily because of the writing part, but they want the attention they think you are getting by being an author. Kinda silly to me, because I like WRITING and accept attention so I can discuss the stories I've WRITTEN.

3. Everybody has a story - I've never met so many writers in my life, till I became one! Who knew, all these people were out here with a story to tell? While of course I've met other authors and journalist who ARE writers. It's amazing how many others want to be writers and are looking for help to get their foot in the door.

And, last what I think about most is this, because truth is regarding my other concerns, people are going to do what they do and like a good friend advised, all I can do is do 'me.' In a sense, it's like figuring your way around in a new job and now I know the scenario better. Anyway, books are divided into genres and in the genre of so-called 'black books' high drama rule as far as sales go! Next, comes romance or relationship drama. Along with these young folks love street-lit (hip-hop in book form to me) and of course erotica. And, so as I think about my new offerings, I can't help but wonder, where do my stories fit in? With sales placing me firmly in the 'mid-list' of things I wonder, can low-drama books about everyday folks find audience (codeword for 'sales') in this group? As a writer, I can write about anything, and wondered if I could purposely include these market-proven elements to fashion a story more sell-able? Actually I don't think so. Not that there's anything wrong with it, because it's legit to write books purely to sell, but it's not the kind of writer I am. I write because I'm prompted by something I want to say and to explore issues of interest. I create books that would entertain me and I am a lover of mystery, family drama, and books that leave me thinking about the characters once finished. So, to write a book I didn't have real interest in would be difficult and then to have to promote it, when that's my least favorite job anyway, would be impossible.

And, I take solace that there are other black authors who have managed to find an audience and talk about what's important to them. To name a few, Walter Moseley, BeBe Moore Campbell-who is a favorite, there is an author featured in Essence this month who write the Alex Powell mysteries, Pearl Cleage who's relationship books have a decidedly socially-conscious edge and Connie Briscoe is not too far out there and more. These type books are not deemed Christian fiction, but I'm not interested in 'preaching to the choir' anyway. I'm hoping all folks will read stories I write whether Christian or not. And, so far that's happened. And, perhaps one or two may be introduced to the concept of a loving God in the process. Additionally, I'm hoping folks will read my stories whether black or not. And, thankfully, that happened too, with my first offering, "Plenty Good Room." And, I'm especially blessed to have a wonderful publisher who believes in me and my work at Walk Worthy Press.

So these are my observations on the year in retrospect. And, my prospective for the coming year is to continue to hone technical writing skills as I offer the stories that enjoy writing. I've got a couple things and half simmering with my publisher, and a lot of other stuff on my plate right now. "Plenty Good Room" comes out under new cover in trade paper next year, and, I've realized I would consider I've had a great writing career if I put out 5-6 novels that I really care about in a lifetime. So, I'm in no real hurry; all things in time...

Dallas Mavericks News - Rumors

2006-07-13T00:27:00.000-07:00

Dallas Mavericks News - Rumors
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Dallas Mavericks News - Rumors

2006-07-12T10:18:00.000-07:00

Dallas Mavericks News - Rumors
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Dallas Mavericks News - Rumors

2006-07-11T21:20:00.000-07:00

Dallas Mavericks News - Rumors
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Dallas Mavericks News - Rumors

2006-07-11T19:49:00.000-07:00

Dallas Mavericks News - Rumors
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Dallas Mavericks News - Rumors

2006-07-11T18:04:00.000-07:00

Dallas Mavericks News - Rumors
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Allen Iverson is the Answer to the Denver Nuggets' Prayers in NBA ...

2006-07-10T16:20:00.000-07:00

Allen Iverson. The Philadelphia 76ers and the Denver Nuggets have been talking about him for months now.

Allen Iverson, the king of cornrows and that killer crossover, not to mention an indiscriminate shooter from the hip and the lip, is as good a place as any to start a heated debate, because he's one player guaranteed to ignite countless arguments regarding everything right and wrong about pro hoops.

If the Nuggets want to take a shot at greatness, their immediate trade discussions should begin and end with two words.

Allen Iverson.

Any billionaire owner of an NBA franchise can maintain a team's mediocre status quo by signing young players Carmelo Anthony and Nene to contracts worth $140 million. It's a no-brainer. And, for Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke, it's chump change.

If Kroenke craves a championship as badly as I think he does, then the Nuggets should do whatever it takes to cut a deal for Iverson, the 31-year-old point guard who has worn out his welcome in Philadelphia.

The Sixers and Denver have been linked in trade rumors regarding Iverson for months. There have been billows of smoke, but no fire. It's time to get serious.

Philly desires a stout defense and the measure of sanity that A.I.'s exit could provide. The Nuggets desperately seek a scorer to take the pressure off Melo. So trade Denver center Marcus Camby and point guard Andre Miller for Iverson.

How's that for a blockbuster deal?

Could Philadelphia, undoubtedly open to the possibility of trading Iverson, benefit from the shot-blocking of Camby to anchor its defense and appreciate Miller's steady hand running the Sixers offense? Yes.

Would any NBA team be more fun, sell more tickets throughout the league and have more popular jerseys across the nation than Denver, if Iverson and Anthony were the marquee names? No.

Will the Philadelphia 76ers trade Allen Iverson to the Denver Nuggets? Log on to Bodog for more betting odds today.

Reason number 8287 why I love Bill Simmons: World Cup.

2006-07-08T08:22:00.000-07:00

Darko Vojinovic/AP Photo

NBA Fantasy Update (7/6/2006)

2006-07-06T16:12:00.000-07:00

Derek Fisher was traded to the Jazz for Devin Brown, Keith McLeod and Andre Owens. This will be a boon for Fisher's value. He'll be the starting point guard. The other players involved won't affect much.

Pacers forward Austin Croshere has been traded to the Mavericks for Marquis Daniels. Marquis Daniels will fit in where Peja Stojakovic was last year. It'll increase his value. Austin Croshere will be a back up similar to last season.

Tyson Chandler will be traded to New Orleans for P.J. Brown and J.R. Smith. Getting P.J. Brown after the signing of Ben Wallace will give the Bulls one of the strongest defensive frontcourts in the league. If J.R. Smith can live up to some of the potential he showed last year, the Bulls will have a team that'll compete for a long while. Tyson Chandler's value will remain the same. He's hurt too much to make a difference.

Speedy Claxton will finally get a starting gig after being a backup for a number of years. He'll start for the Hawks and I must say he'll probably do quite well.

NBA Fantasy Update (7/6/2006)

2006-07-06T15:39:00.000-07:00

NBA Fantasy Update (7/6/2006)

2006-07-06T15:12:00.000-07:00

2006-01-23T13:04:00.000-08:00

Dallas Mavericks News - Rumors new articles for Monday, January 23, 2006Royal Palm say no to family's huge swing set (The Palm Beach Post)
A family must remove its massive swing set after the village council voted unanimously Thursday night to deny a code variance.

Looking for dead-serious tax tips? Try Dave Barry's new book, blog (The Arizona Republic)
Just in time for doing your income taxes - and planning your entire economic future - comes Dave Barry's Money Secrets (Crown Publishers).

Fete-ful Avenue (New Orleans Times-Picayune)
On the Avenue, St. Charles Avenue, the photographer will snap us and we'll be in the debutante news! Will provide a lot of seasonal cheer, too. Two recent parties that honored young women who are making their rounds in the 2005-06 curtsying cotillions occurred within 13 blocks of each other.

DEATH ON THE STREET / Barry Nielsen curled on the corner, a head wound oozing blood, as his iPod hissed the soundtrack (San Francisco Chronicle)
It began with a man crumpled on a nighttime pavement, his knees pulled protectively under his chin and blood pooling beneath his head. Something bad had just happened to Barry Nielsen. Exactly what remains a mystery. Moments earlier he had been acting...

DEATH ON THE STREET Barry Nielsen curled on the corner, a head wound oozing blood, as his iPod hissed the soundtrack to (San Francisco Chronicle)
It began with a man crumpled on a nighttime pavement, his knees pulled protectively under his chin and blood pooling beneath his head. Something bad had just happened to Barry Nielsen. Exactly what remains a mystery.

2006-01-14T09:51:00.000-08:00

Dallas Mavericks News - Rumors new articles for Saturday, January 14, 2006Nets close road trip in Dallas (The Sports Network)
(Sports Network) - The New Jersey Nets try and put the brakes on a two-game losing streak this evening when they close a brief two-game road trip against the Dallas Mavericks at the AmericanAirlines Center.

Preview: Nets at Mavericks (Covers.com)
GAME: New Jersey Nets (19-14) at Dallas Mavericks (26-10) . TIME: Saturday, 8:30 p.m. EST. LINE: Dallas is listed as a 6 1/2-point favorite and the total is set at 192 1/2. Jason Kidd h...

Referee's 'No-Call' Fires Up Mavericks' Cuban (NBA.com)
In the DALLAS MORNING NEWS, Eddie Sefko writes that "if it hadn't been an OT game, the third-quarter skirmish between Jerry Stackhouse and Maurice Taylor might not have turned out to be so important. But there was no doubt in Mavericks owner Mark Cuban's mind that a failure to call a technical foul when Taylor pushed referee Tony Brown was a huge mistake. 'It was the most outrageous thing I've

Marbury Leads Knicks Over Mavericks in OT (AP via Yahoo! News)
Stephon Marbury scored 28 points, Antonio Davis provided a spark in overtime, and the New York Knicks blew an 18-point lead before beating the Dallas Mavericks 117-115 Wednesday night for their fifth straight win.

Knicks hang on for 117-115 OT win over Mavericks (USA Today)
Stephon Marbury scored 28 points, Antonio Davis provided a spark in overtime, and the New York Knicks blew an 18-point lead before beating the Dallas Mavericks 117-115 Wednesday night for their fifth straight win. Jamal Crawford added 25 points and Eddy Curry had 21 for the Knicks

Knicks edge Mavericks to extend win streak (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
Stephon Marbury poured in 28 points and Jamal Crawford chipped in with 25 off the bench to lead the surging New York Knicks past the Dallas Mavericks 117-115 in overtime on Wednesday.

Little Goes Right Against Grizzlies (New York Times)
After winning 10 in a row, the Nets have lost two straight on the road and the next obstacle they will face is the Dallas Mavericks.

Knicks Edge Mavericks At Garden (NBC 5 Dallas Fort Worth)
Stephon Marbury netted 28 points and dished out six assists as the New York Knicks edged the Dallas Mavericks, 117-115, in overtime action at the Garden.

Marbury leads Knicks over Mavericks in OT (Boston Globe)
New York Knicks Stephon Marbury, center, looks to pass as Dallas Mavericks Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard defend in the first quarter, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006, in NBA basetball action at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Dallas Mavs taking it to the streets (BizJournals)
Want to see one of the newest types of outdoor ad promotions in Dallas? Just yell, "Taxi."

2005-12-28T10:52:00.000-08:00

Dallas Mavericks News - Rumors new articles for Wednesday, December 28, 2005Dallas Mavericks (18-7) at Sacramento Kings (10-15), 10:30 pm
The Sacramento Kings try and halt a three-game losing streak this evening when they start a brief two-game homestand against the Dallas Mavericks at ARCO Arena. The Kings' latest setback came on Monday, as they were upended in overtime ...

MAVS WIN! The Dallas Mavericks beat the Kings 105-...
The Dallas Mavericks beat the Kings 105-95. Dirk Nowitzki had 37 points and 10 boards in 40 minutes. Nowitzki poured it in after the Kobe storm on Tuesday. Josh Howard had 14 points and 13 rebounds in 47 minutes. ...

On Traffic and Audience and a Number of Other Things
[2] Nobody reads Blog Maverick because they are interested in IceRocket; they read it because Mark Cuban made billions in the Internet boom and bought the Dallas Mavericks. Heck, I bet most of you do not even know what IceRocket is. ...

2006 NBA PREVIEW: Dallas Mavericks Preview
In the hallowed halls of Hoops University, the case study of Mark Cuban's Mavericks will be taught for decades to come. It's a foreboding tale of fiscal irresponsibility that wrought a team bloated in talent but ultimately too flawed to ...

Mavericks rally to beat SuperSonics 101-98
SEATTLE (AP) - Jason Terry made two 3-pointers in the final two minutes, the second with 18 seconds left, and the Dallas Mavericks rallied from a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Seattle SuperSonics 101-98 on Friday ...

Dallas is on a mission
The Dallas Mavericks own an impressive 20-7 record and are just one-half game behind the defending world champion San Antonio Spurs in the Southwest Division. Dallas is scheduled to play three of its next four games at home. ...

Recap: Sacramento vs. Dallas
Dirk Nowitzki erupted for 37 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, to lead the Dallas Mavericks past Sacramento, 105-95, at ARCO Arena. Jason Terry chipped in 19 points while Devin Harris contributed 15 points off the bench for ...

Mavs drop hapless Hawks to eighth straight loss
Josh Howard had 25 points and five blocked shots, and Dirk Nowitzki added 20 points and 13 rebounds, helping the Dallas Mavericks beat Atlanta 87-78 Thursday night and extend the Hawks' season-opening losing streak to eight games. ...

Mavericks 111, Suns 108, 2 OT
Mavericks 111, Suns 108, 2 OT BOB BAUM AP Sports Writer. PHOENIX - Coach Avery Johnson saw a bit of himself in his Dallas Mavericks on an opening night that didn't end until Wednesday morning. Dirk Nowitzki scored 28 points and grabbed ...

Kobe-Shaq Christmas Face-Off Round 2
Once Santa Claus is done with his work, Kobe Bryant and the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers are coming to town and Shaquille O'Neal and the rest of the Miami Heat can only hope what Bryant did to the Dallas Mavericks wasn'ta warm-up act. ...

Mavs beat Hornets
Nowitzki shakes off sore back as Mavericks hold off Hornets. Dirk Nowitzki's back problem appears to be behind him. Nowitzki showed no sign of a lower back strain Saturday night, scoring 30 points in the Dallas Mavericks' 109-103 ...

Dallas Mavericks basketball players undergo $5000...
Dallas Mavericks basketball players undergo $5000 physicals twice a year: a group wants all high school athletes to do similarly extensive physicals. "Mavs undergo stress tests, echocardiograms, stress echoes, body scans, the works . ...

Mavericks TIme
I cannot remember a season sneaking up on a city like the Mavericks season has snuck up on most of Dallas. This is a classic case of “there is nothing they can accomplish between now and April that will change what most people think ...

Once Again, Mavericks Must Defend Defense
DALLAS, May 19 - No team in the Western Conference has played more playoff games this season than the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks … Suns Take 3-2 Lead Over Mavericks in NBA Playoffs Voice of America NBA Playoffs: Phoenix Suns take ...

Nelson's Impact Still Being Felt by Mavericks
DALLAS, May 16 - The search for the soul of the Dallas Mavericks begins near the team bench, ... Dallas Mavericks Sports Features Communications (press release) Mavericks outgun Suns, despite Nash's 48 points San Jose Mercury News ...

Mavericks face crucial test vs. Suns
DALLAS (Ticker) — The Dallas Mavericks will need to find a way to slow down Amare Stoudemire if they hope to even their ... Phoenix Suns beats Dallas Mavericks in NBA DCEAlumni.com Suns Break but Do Not Bend to Mavericks New York Times ...

LA Clippers 99, Dallas 80
Cassell scored 10 of his 21 points in a pivotal third-quarter run as the Clippers rallied for a 99-80 preseason victory over the Dallas Mavericks, who took a long look at their reserves. Acquired in an offseason trade with Minnesota, ...

Dallas Mavericks 2005 Draft Preview
(Sports Network) - The Dallas Mavericks do not have any draft picks, but they do have the assets to make a deal that could put them … Dallas Mavericks 2005 Draft Preview NBC4i.com Dallas Mavericks 2005 Draft Preview KGET 17.

One roster spot left for Mavs
The Mavericks hit the halfway point of their exhibition season tonight against Detroit. ... Now, he's in camp with the Mavericks, who thought enough of him to ... "He's 23 and people are going to have a nice time in Dallas watching him ...

2005-12-19T10:42:00.000-08:00

Dallas Mavericks News - Rumors new articles for Monday, December 19, 2005Minnesota Timberwolves (12-9) at Dallas Mavericks (17-6), 8:30 pm
The Dallas Mavericks target their third straight win this evening when they conclude a five-game homestand against the Dallas Mavericks at the AmericanAirlines Center. On Friday, Dirk Nowitzki tallied 31 points, including 20 in the ...

Orlando Magic (9-11) at Dallas Mavericks (16-6), 8:30 pm
The Orlando Magic attempt to win their third game in a row tonight, as they visit the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. This is the first of two meetings between the clubs this season. The Magic are scheduled to host the ...

Darrell Armstrong Loves His Redskins
Dallas Mavericks guard Darrell Armstrong did the unthinkable. Before his game last night with T-Wolves...Armstrong wanted to celebrated the win of his [and mine] beloved Washington Redskins over the Dallas Cowboys. ...

HD Sports Schedule for Thursday December 22, 2005
NBA, Dallas Mavericks vs. Sacramento Kings, TNT-HD (1080i), 10:30 PM ET. CFB, Poinsettia Bowl from San Diego, CA - Colorado State Rams vs. Navy Midshipmen, ESPN2HD (720p), 10:30 PM ET.

NBA Player Fined For Cheering On Redskins
(AP) Dallas, Texas Mavericks guard Darrell Armstrong was so happy his beloved Washington Redskins beat the Dallas Cowboys that he grabbed a microphone before Sunday night's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves and hollered, ...

Power Rankings #3
Dallas Mavericks (7) Current Record: 13-5. Dallas continues to win and look impressive doing so beating Detroit, San Antonio and Indiana. While Daniels and Howard continue to impress me, Jason Terry might be the second most valuable ...

Recap: Dallas vs. Minnesota
Josh Howard scored 23 points, pulled down seven rebounds, and keyed a fourth quarter push in Dallas' 102-95 victory over the Minnesota ... while Jason Terry and Devin Harris each contributed 14 points for the Mavericks, who won for the ...

Darrell Armstrong: Super Fan
Mavericks guard Darrell Armstrong was so happy his beloved Washington Redskins beat the Dallas Cowboys that he grabbed a microphone before Sunday night's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves and hollered, "How 'bout those Redskins!" ...

Kobe lifts Lakers over Mavs in Dallas
Kobe Bryant scored 43 points and hit a wild go- ahead three-pointer with 34.9 seconds left to boost the Los Angeles Lakers to a 109-106 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Bryant hit on 15-of-33 field goal ...

Dr. Tony Evans
He also served as chaplain for the NFL's Dallas Cowboys and presently serves as chaplain for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. PRESENT MINISTRY. Dr. Evans is founder and serves as Senior Pastor of the over 7000 member Oak Cliff Bible ...

Friday Fun: Media Orchard Interviews "Bachelor" Contestant and ...
Kindle Martin is a lovely former "Bachelor" contestant who cheers for the Dallas Mavericks. We asked her about her experiences. Here's the interview, edited for space: Media Orchard: When did you become a Mavs dancer, and when did you ...

Maverick making do through recent injuries

2005-12-08T16:10:00.000-08:00

Injuries are a part of the NBA. Just ask the Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets and Miami Heat.The Mavericks aren't immune. Jerry Stackhouse has yet to play this season, and Josh Howard and Jason Terry have been injured in the past two weeks. And don't forget Doug Christie, even if the Mavs have.But through the manpower losses, the Mavs have avoided a decline with whatever lineup coach Avery Johnson pieces together."We're really holding our head above water here because we're missing key guys," Keith Van Horn said. "People don't realize how much we miss Jerry and Jason and Josh. You're talking about 45 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists a game. That's a big part of our team."The one part the Mavs can't afford to lose for an extended period is Dirk Nowitzki. The All-NBA power forward is playing at his best during the current three-game winning streak, averaging 32 points on 55 percent shooting and 8.3 rebounds per game.Knowing he has to shoulder the offensive load, Nowitzki scored 31 of the Mavs' 84 points in their grinding nine-point win Tuesday at Indiana. The Mavs (13-5) also won Monday at Chicago and are 7-3 on the road."We're just holding the fort down until everybody gets back," Nowitzki said. "It's good to know that even with the injuries we have, we can go out on the road and win some big games. We all buckled down defensively and fought for each other."Nowitzki might be doing the heavy lifting, but certainly isn't doing it alone.Marquis Daniels is averaging 15 points, and nearly six rebounds and four assists since Howard sprained his ankle. Before injuring his hamstring, Terry was averaging 25 points over the previous four games.Erick Dampier is displaying some spunk inside, averaging 8.7 rebounds in the past 11 games. Adrian Griffin is providing a physical presence at small forward.Harris has responded to Terry's absence with 28 points and 15 assists in the past two games. Van Horn continues to score off the bench. And then there's guard Darrell Armstrong, the ultimate change of pace."I know what my role is here. I'm an energy player for this team," he said. "Avery likes to go to me when we're not playing well or behind. He's going to throw me in."I just have to stay ready and keep the motor running. He's done that a couple times this year. I don't have to shoot the basketball to be effective."Finding other ways to contribute had been the model for several role players."Everybody has their nicks throughout the season, we're just catching ours at the beginning," Harris said. "We just have to fight through it. We're still winning games. Hopefully when we get healthy, it will make us that much better."New identityAfter the 84-75 victory over the Pacers, a reporter began a question for Keith Van Horn with "defense is not one of the things you guys are known for."Van Horn calmly replied: "It's starting to be one of the things we're known for. That's kind of our goal to become a strong defensive team."The Mavs are allowing 93.1 points per game, ninth in the league going into Wednesday. Opponents' field-goal percentage is 44.2, 17th in the league."We're competing," said Avery Johnson, who set an opponents' goal of 43 percent coming into the season."A lot of things have to go well to play defense in our league. You've got to guard penetration. You've got to guard pick-and-rolls. You've got to guard post-ups. You've got to rebound. You've got to get loose balls."Doing it consistently, he said, is the key for the Mavs to be mentioned in the same defensive circles as Detroit and San Antonio. Memphis, the Mavs' opponent Friday, is allowing a league-low 84.8 points per game.Art Garcia Star-Telegram.com

Mavericks News and Rumors

2005-09-12T16:47:00.000-07:00

I would like to get some feedback from those true Dallas Mavericks fans out there. Do you think they should trade for anyone? Who? Have you heard any rumors about the Mavericks? Please share.

Also, how old were you when you started liking the Dallas Mavericks? What made you like them? Have you been to any of their games? If so, how many, and how did you like it?

Please share your Dallas Mavericks comments here.