NBA Playoffs: They Did What?!

My, my, my how things can change in just two days! The opening round of the NBA playoffs gave the sport world lots of things to discuss on this Monday morning. Here is what the Beauty of Sports pondered on this morning over my cup of tea.

Rajon Rondo: Rondo wins the “dunce cap” award after he did the one thing no team wants to see from its leader in the postseason: He got himself ejected for something that shouldn’t have happened with 41seconds left in the game! Rondo tried selling that it was his momentum that carried him into the ref, but if we know anything about Stew…. we know he isn’t buying. Rondo finished with 22 points,11 assists. Where are the Celtics going to get that production for Game 2?

Kevin Durant: Lucky shot..next…

Dallas Mavericks: The Mavs gave the young, talented Oklahoma City Thunder all they could handle in their opener Saturday but fell short. With 2:20 to go Dallas held a seven point lead at 94-87. The Mavs have to close games out. Period. Serge Ibaka won’t score 22 again (or maybe he will…there is no inside presence). They need more JET in the 4th. The NBA Champs aren’t gonna go down without a fight. They’ll bite an ear if they have to!

Dallas Mavericks: Always the Underdog

I grew up in West Texas, where football is our thing. All I cared about was football; high school, Big 12, and the Dallas Cowboys. It wasn’t until I came to the Dallas area post high school in 2002 that I was introduced to the Dallas Mavericks and I have been a member of the elite society “MFFL” (Mavs Fan For Life) ever since. All I know is winning seasons, the Mavericks have won 50 or more regular season games in 11 consecutive seasons, dating back to 2001…..only owner I’ve ever known is Mark Cuban. Only coaches I know are Don Nelson, Avery Johnson, and Rick Carlisle. Ever since I joined the family, the Mavs have consistently had winning season, made the playoffs, and Dirk has been the man…ever year. Since their inaugural 1980–81 season, the Mavericks have won three division titles (1987, 2007, 2010), two conference championships (2006, 2011), and one NBA Championship (2011). Where is the R.E.S.P.E.C.T.?

Draft Day: Dallas Cowboys

Picks: 14, 45, 81, 113, 135, 152, 186, 222
 

TOP NEEDS:

Safety – The Cowboys signed former NY Jet Brodney Pool, but they are still in need of a playmaker. The Cowboys have had ongoing issues on the back end, and they could be in perfect position with the 14^th overall pick to draft Alabama SS Mark Barron, who is easily the best all-around safety in the draft, capable of making plays in the run game and against the pass and could be just what this defense needs.

Cornerback – The Cowboys signed former Chief Brandon Carr to replace the inconsistent Terence Newman, but they need more help. Mike Jenkins missed four games last year, and the depth behind him isn’t very good. Given that the Cowboys invested a lot of money into the CB position in free agency, I don’t expect them to draft one in the 1^st round.

Wide Receiver – The Cowboys have two of the league’s most talented young WRs in Dez Bryant and Miles Austin, but after them….there is little depth. Laurent Robinson chunked up the deuces and signed with the Jaguars, leaving the Cowboys with Bryant and Austin, who both have been plagued by injuries. As of now, Kevin Ogletree is the #3 WR, with Dwayne Harris and Andre Holmes in the mix. The Cowboys could use Day Two to pick a WR .

 Notes: The Cowboys need to target depth at TE. Jason Witten is still effective but has lost a step, and backup Martellus Bennett signed with the NY Giants. John Phillips is a decent backup, but the Cowboys could look to add someone in the latter rounds.

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Pro Bowl....NO Bowl!

How many Pro Bowl parties have you hosted or attended? (I’ll give you some time to think about it)  I’ve never been excited to watch a Pro Bowl, never watched the whole game, and never understood the “why” behind it. There is no incentive for players to go out there and play even half-heartedly. Then on top of that, it’s the week before Super Bowl. What’s the point in me voting for a player to play in the Pro Bowl whom I won’t even get to see in the Pro Bowl because he’s in the Super Bowl???

Well…NFL commissioner Roger Goodell must have finally read one my many letters I’ve sent him over the years because serious consideration is being taken into suspending the Pro Bowl! Goodell has previously voiced his displeasure with the lack of competitiveness in recent Pro Bowl games and now he might be turning those words into action.

Quickie: U.S. Womens Basketball

Asjha Jones, was added to the U.S. women’s Olympic basketball team on Monday to fill the final roster spot on the US London Olympic squad. This makes half the roster former UConn Huskies.

Jones joins Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Swin Cash, Maya Moore and Tina Charles, who were among the 11 players originally announced at the Final Four in Denver. All six helped the U.S. qualify for the Olympics by playing on the 2010 world championship team that won the gold medal

Two-time Olympic champion Tamika Catchings and 2008 Olympic gold medalists Candace Parker, Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles are also back.

The Americans will try to win a fifth consecutive Olympic women's basketball gold medal in August. The US women are on a 33-game Olympic win streak.

Most expected Baylor star Brittney Griner to be the 12th member of the team, but she took herself out of the mix, announcing Thursday she will not play, citing an unnamed family illness and her summer school schedule.

2012 Dallas Cowboys Schedule

NFL fans everywhere are anticipating tonight’s 7PM release of the 2012 NFL schedule . So in honor of the NFL releasing its schedule tonight, I’m releasing my MOCK (meaning not official)look at who will be on the Cowboys 2012 regular season schedule (get ya popcorn ready…it’s a tough one!). 

Here is my projected list of teams the Dallas Cowboys will face during 2012 Regular Season (NFC East teams not included) 

Jackie Robinson: From the NLB to the MLB

As Major League Baseball remembered Jackie Robinson Sunday on the 65th anniversary of the day he broke baseball’s color barrier. As  players, managers, coaches and umpires all wore No. 42…. I wondered if they all really knew and understood the significance and history of where that moment began or were they just doing what was required of them from the league. That prompted me to dig through some boxes and find a program and book I had gotten when I visited the Negro League Baseball Museum in Kansas City Missouri…..and I decided to provide you all with some history on how Jackie Robinson found his way from the Negro Leagues to the MLB.

Black history in the MLB has been filled with many successes and a struggle for equity. The resistant wall of the 19th century separated the races in virtually all areas of American society, but there have been a number of rather remarkable parallels in the maturation of baseball for both races.

Sweep Revenge

Remember that broom the Mavericks used to sweep the Lakers out of the playoffs last year? The Lakers used the same broom to sweep the regular season series versus the Mavericks this year. The games have been competitive for the most part and I have learned not to read too much into the regular season rather the team is on the winning side or not and I'm sure the Los Angeles Lakers are well aware a regular-season sweep means nothing compared to a playoff sweep... So.... I will not use today to vent about the officiating and the missed call on the Matt Barnes OBVIOUS goal tend. I will save that for when it matters the most...in the post season.


The Mavericks are currently in 6th place in the Western Conference and if the standings hold, they will face the Lakers in the first round. I have said repeatedly that if the Mavs don't finish in the top 5 of the Western Conference they will be eliminated in the first round....make a note of that! Here's a look at this years regular season Mavs/Lakers matchups...all won by L.A.

Lady Bears: 39 Down, 1 To Go

No. 1 Baylor (39-0) versus No. 1 Notre Dame(35-3)

Let me start by giving Baylor head coach and AP Coach of the Year, Kim Mulkey a shout out. . I loved her outfit on the sidelines on Sunday night! You go beauty!

Now that the important things are out of the way, let’s talk women’s bball …..

Even though the women’s college basketball tournament doesn’t create all the buzz and hype that the men’s tournament does… (for some) it’s still just as exciting! The thing about women’s basketball is…a #1 is a #1 and  a #16 is a #16. Upsets are few and far between and frankly….the games are slow. However, once it reaches the final four…I’m all in! So tonight we will crown the NCAA women’s basketball champion in Denver and determine who’s really number one.  

It's Here! NCAA Men's BB Championship

No. 1 UK (37-2) versus No.2 KU (32-6)

March madness comes to an end tonight when the Wildcats go after the Jayhawks in the battle of heavyweights. Over the past few weeks the mayhem of March has brought us first round exits by #2 Duke and #2 Missouri (who I had in the Final Four). It gave us the “what will the do next” with VCU as they made another attempt at making history as a #15 seed. We saw a Final Four that consisted of only one #1 seed in Kentucky as #1’s Syracuse, North Carolina both fell in the Elite 8 and Michigan State was eliminated in the Sweet 16.