- The wait is over, the Big Red finally laced them up yesterday. I'll just let everyone know, it's now football season, so my main focus is going to be on Nebraska, the Big 12, the national scene, and the Cowboys/NFL. In that order of priority.
Baseball playoffs and the start of the NBA season will be mixed in as well and sometimes will get a priority level on par with Nebraska when warranted. But for the most part, it's going to be full throttle College Football.
Let's get going.
- Mo Purify is back on the team, supposedly committed to staying clean, and committed to dominating CB's. As opposed to dominating security guards and liquor bottles.
He better be, outside of possibly Marlon Lucky, he's the only proven game-breaker the offense has. He'll be needed every game in 2007 for this offense to make its mark as a dominant one.
Check out the 'do. I just don't get the mohawk craze that's picked up steam. Oh well.
Huskers embrace, lend hand to Purify
BY MITCH SHERMAN
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU
LINCOLN — Maurice Purify is out of shape.
He won't play Sept. 1 when Nebraska opens its season at home against Nevada. Purify is concerned his transgressions of the past three months shaved considerable money from his future in pro football — if he gets a chance at all next year to play in the NFL.
Yet as the Huskers opened preseason drills Monday afternoon, you couldn't find a more grateful man on the sweltering practice fields than Purify.
"This is my last chance," he said. "I don't get another one."
Purify faces a one-game suspension, 12 months of probation and a $1,250 fine after he pleaded no contest to a June 8 charge for driving under the influence. He also pleaded no contest to assault and two other misdemeanor charges from a May 5 incident at a Lincoln bar.
The 21-year-old wide receiver, Nebraska's leader last season with 630 yards and seven touchdown catches, has sworn off alcohol completely, he said. He won't even spend time at the home of a friend when a drink is consumed.
He credits teammates for pushing him through a six-week summer suspension. In particular, quarterback Sam Keller insisted Purify attend regular throw-and-catch sessions on summer evenings at the Cook Pavilion.
Many other teammates helped in other ways. I-back Cody Glenn delivered to Purify details of the team's running regimens. Offensive linemen Carl Nicks and Lydon Murtha stopped by the Campus Recreation Center to lift weights with him.
"Our players have embraced Mo and extended themselves to him more so than anyone I've ever seen," coach Bill Callahan said. "They love him to the extent where they want to see him have success and do great things."
It sounds like an unfortunate story with a happy ending. But as Keller notes, Purify is not "out of the woods yet."
"He's so happy to be back," the senior QB said. "He's got a ways to go. But he's got his teammates supporting him. He's got me always behind him. That's important to him. You always want to know that your boys have got your back.
"I know he was sorry. It's time to put it behind us, pay the dues and get ready for the first game."
Purify, in his first interview since his July 20 court appearance and sentencing, said he expected Callahan to deliver a suspension of longer than one game. He will be cleared to return Sept. 8 as Nebraska visits Wake Forest.
A week later, NU hosts Southern California, the game to which Purify looks forward more than any other. The Trojans declined to recruit Purify in 2005 out of San Francisco City College. Then last September, he was held without a catch — his only such game of the season — in Nebraska's 28-10 loss to USC at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
Purify is also more focused on football, he said, as a result of the offseason incidents.
"I just learned to stay out of bars," he said. "Drinking never did anything for anybody. It's not going to be that hard for me. I'm not an alcoholic. I don't need to be out at bars."
Despite the informal workouts, Purify's conditioning suffered. The 6-foot-4 senior from Eureka, Calif., is close to his playing weight of 220 pounds.
But according to receivers coach Ted Gilmore, it's one thing to be in shape. It's another to be in football shape.
"He's not in (football) shape," Gilmore said. "But he's got time on his side."
Keller initiated contact with Purify in June. The Arizona State transfer reminded Purify regularly of their scheduled throwing sessions, which came after Keller completed conditioning drills under the direction of strength coach Dave Kennedy.
"That was me," Keller said. "I called him weekly, daily, brought him out with me two, three, four times a week. That's what I've always done. You need that extra time with your wideouts. I think we've developed a great relationship. He's right next to me in the locker room.
"Me and Mo already have a good chemistry. We work well when we're throwing on air. We've done it against a defensive back. In the concept of an offense, it will be interesting to see what we can do."
Purify, too, is interested to make a run at improving on a 34-catch junior season. Among his receptions, 29 went for first downs. His leaping TD grab at Texas A&M won the game for Nebraska in the final seconds.
More important than all that, Purify said, he's got to stay away from trouble. Callahan's message on that is clear.
"He just pretty much said to keep my nose clean," Purify said. "Three strikes and you're out."
- He's got the look, the arm, he's confident, has proven he can play in a major conference, etc. All signs point towards Sam Keller kicking some ass on the field and nailing some major ass off the field this year.
Sipple: Is Keller too good to be true?
BY STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star
Tuesday, Aug 07, 2007 - 12:25:31 am CDT
Sam is awfully smart. Sam is savvy.
In some ways, if you’re a Nebraska football fan, quarterback Sam Keller must seem too good to be true.
Think about it. Keller recently was named Big 12 preseason newcomer of the year. Well, league media overlooked a reasonably significant detail.
Keller hasn’t even won Nebraska’s starting job.
Have we mentioned that Sam is smooth? The savvy Sam tried to impart on reporters Monday how much different it is playing in a game compared to practice. This may have been Sam sending a not-so-subtle signal. Something to this effect: With all due respect to my fellow (and mostly untested) Husker quarterbacks, please check my extensive resume at Arizona State and tell me I’m not the guy for the starting job.
“There’s nothing like a game,” Keller said during Nebraska’s preseason press conference at Memorial Stadium. “I’d be remiss to tell you a practice is anything like a game situation, anything like the games I’ve been in. Like against LSU or USC. That’s what college football is about. Playing the big teams and trying to match up against them.
“That is what I miss, and that is what I’m hungry for.”
Nebraska coach Bill Callahan said he plans to wait to name the starter until a week before the Sept. 1 season opener against Nevada. No question, Keller thinks he’s the man. But make no mistake, so does junior Joe Ganz.
In the court of public opinion, Keller clearly gets the nod.
In the court of public press conferences, Keller once again gets the nod.
Keller once again was impressive in front of reporters. He sparkles and shines every time in this setting. If he wins the job, he’ll make a great “face” for the program.
There were grizzled veteran writers in the room Monday who have seen and heard it all covering Nebraska football. They would be unfazed if Santa Claus walked to the podium. But Keller had those grizzled guys eating out of his hands.
Keller doesn’t work a room; he controls it.
If he controls the huddle like he controlled that room, well, God bless Joe Ganz.
But Keller has to be the starter. Right?
Right?
“I have the game experience,” Keller said. “And now I’ve had all this extra time to fine-tune things — to watch film, to throw to our wideouts, to work out. I’m as big and strong as I’ve ever been.”
Indeed, the 6-foot-4 Keller added 10 pounds of muscle to weigh 240 and now has the build of a linebacker. And, yes, he has big-game experience.
He started seven games in 2005 at Arizona State before a thumb injury ended his season. He torched Louisiana State for 461 yards and four touchdowns, with no interceptions, in a 35-31 loss. He threw for 347 yards and two TDs, with five picks, in a 38-28 loss to Southern California.
Hmmm. Five picks against USC. Should the Trojans again be licking their chops? Is Keller a gunslinger, a la aging Brett Favre? Well, a reporter threw out the notion Monday, and Keller bristled somewhat, but met the question head-on like, well, a gunslinger.
“That’s a fair assumption,” he said. “Some games I throw a lot of interceptions. But that’s because I play kind of fearless. That’s always how I’ve played. I’m a fearless kind of competitor. But at the same time, one of your best attributes can also be your worst — some erratic throws here and there.
“I can see those perceptions (gunslinger, gambler, etc.). However, I will tell you those aren’t true anymore. Because this offense really forces you to take what the defense gives you and almost kind of slow down. Take a check-down. Take a secondary receiver.”
Yes, the kid is seasoned.
He weathered the storm surrounding his transfer from Arizona State last August without his character being badly impugned. If there’s anything bad being said about him, it’s probably not true, he said.
“I’m just a worker,” he said. “I’m a grinder. That’s all I’ve done since I’ve gotten here.”
Callahan, of course, is wise to wait to name his starter. Let the cream rise to the top naturally, he says. To be sure, there’s no reason for haste. Make it a fair fight or risk creating factions on the team.
“I’ve made the best of it so far,” Keller said of his transfer. “But there’s this one last step — the most important step.”
Yes, of course, he badly wants to win the starting job. You can hear it in his voice cracking with emotion and feel his energy.
If this kid isn’t for real, he will have fooled at least one grizzled reporter.
- Another Big 12 DUI arrest, this time it hits Nebraska.
NU tight end gets weekend arrest for DUI
By the Lincoln Journal Star
Monday, Aug 06, 2007 - 07:37:59 pm CDT
A Nebraska State Patrol trooper arrested Nebraska tight end Hunter Teafatiller, 20, on suspicion of driving under the influence early Saturday.
State Patrol spokeswoman Deb Collins said he’d been driving without his headlights near Third and Adams streets at 1:24 a.m.
The trooper arrested Teafatiller, who turns 21 on Oct. 30, on suspicion of DUI, minor in possession of alcohol, no insurance and no registration. He bonded out an hour later.
Teafatiller’s blood alcohol level allegedly tested .097, Collins said. The legal limit for those over 21 is .08.
Nebraska coach Bill Callahan said Monday he was aware of Teafatiller's arrest but declined further comment.
On May 26, Lincoln police ticketed him on suspicion of DUI, negligent driving, improper registration and MIP after an accident in which he hit a culvert near 101 Charleston, causing $5,000 damage to his SUV. According to the accident report, his blood alcohol level was .123.
Teafatiller, a junior from Kingsburg, Calif., was never prosecuted in that case. In the new case, he is set to go to court Sept. 12.
- The NoTex Rant Top 25
#25 - Missouri
#24 - Hawaii
What to watch for on offense: Will Brennan press? Brennan was at his best last year in the second half of games, once he got into a rhythm and a feel for what the defenses were doing. However, he was far, far better when he relaxed and took what was given to him. When he tried to make too many things happen on his own, like he did in the loss to Oregon State, the machine wasn't as effective. The spotlight will be on and the pressure and attention might be suffocating at times; he can't let it get to him.
What to watch for on defense: Hitting. Hawaii isn't exactly known for being the most physical team around, but the defense, despite not being all that great, will pop even without Jerry Glanville (who left to take the head coaching job at Portland State) running things. The Warriors are back to a 4-3, but it's still built to be aggressive and force big plays. With seven starters returning in the backfield, the D might be a little bit more productive than last year. This group won't be a brick wall, but all it has to do is hold teams to around 35 points and the offense will do the rest.
The team will be far better if ... it finds a productive running back right off the bat. The offense lost 254-pound power back Nate Ilaoa, who was a killer yin to Brennan's yang, and also was a tremendous receiver. Making matters worse, the offensive line has to replace three key starters, including both tackles, so at least early on it'll be Brennan, Brennan and more Brennan.
The Schedule: There isn't a who's who of good non-conference teams making the trip across the pond, but there are enough good home dates to not only hope for a WAC title, but also a BCS berth. The toughest road game is either at San Jose State or at Nevada, while Fresno State has to come to Aloha Stadium. The WAC season ends with a nationally televised Friday showdown in Honolulu with Boise State, while the regular season ends at home against Washington.
Best Offensive Player: Senior QB Colt Brennan. Although junior receiver Davone Bess might turn out to be the better pro, Brennan is the star of this show. The numbers are simply astounding. In 26 games, he's thrown for 9,850 yards (379 yards per game), 93 touchdown passes and just 25 interceptions. He's also rushed for 520 yards and seven touchdowns. Most impressively, he has a 70-percent completion rate. He's not just a function of the system; he's the real deal.
Best Defensive Player: Senior DT Michael Lafaele. The anchor up front, this 302-pound senior was decent against the run, making 32 tackles while occupying double teams. If he can get into the backfield a little more, he'll be a first team All-WAC selection.
Key player to a successful season: Someone to replace RB Nate Ilaoa. The 254-pound bulldozer was the unsung star of the offense, catching 67 passes for 837 yards and running for 990 yards and 13 scores. Backup Reagan Mauia is also gone, meaning there's an open casting call for someone to provide some sort of a running game to balance things out. The likely No. 1 option is 240-pound David Farmer, but the Warriors are going to audition several backs before the opener.
The season will be a success if ... Hawaii wins the WAC title. Going unbeaten might be tough, considering the concerns on defense and the road dates with San Jose State and Nevada, but the offense is going to hang 50 on just about everyone. With Fresno State and Boise State coming to Honolulu, anything less than the first WAC title since 1999 will be a huge disappointment. The BCS is also a realistic dream if the Warriors can get to late November unbeaten.
Key game: Nov. 23 vs. Boise State. The Warriors gave the Broncos all they could handle in last year's loss, but the comeback attempt fell just short. Now Boise State has to come to Hawaii in what should be one of the must-see games of the year, if everything goes according to plan. It's not out of the realm of possibility that these two could be unbeaten when they play each other.
2006 Fun Stats:
Passing yards per game: Hawaii 441.3; Opponents 241.7
Penalties: Hawaii 103 for 929 yards; Opponents 72 for 625 yards
Punts: Hawaii 17 for 646 yards; Opponents 60 for 2,500 yards
Hawaii Warriors
Team Information
Head coach: June Jones
9th year: 64-40
Returning Lettermen:
Off. 29, Def. 39, ST 2
Lettermen Lost: 19
Ten Best Players
1. QB Colt Brennan, Sr.
2. WR Davone Bess, Jr.
3. WR Jason Rivers, Sr.
4. NT Michael Lafaele, Sr.
5. OG Hercules Satele, Sr.
6. LB Solomon Elimimian, Jr.
7. LB Adam Leonard, Jr.
8. WR Ryan Grice-Mullen, Jr.
9. PK Dan Kelly, Jr.
10. SS Jacob Patek, Sr.
2007 Schedule
Sept. 1 Northern Colorado
Sept. 8 at Louisiana Tech
Sept. 15 at UNLV
Sept. 22 Charleston South.
Sept. 29 at Idaho
Oct. 6 Utah State
Oct. 12 San Jose State
Oct. 27 New Mexico State
Nov. 10 Fresno State
Nov. 16 at Nevada
Nov. 23 Boise State
Dec. 1 Washington
- Celina looking to finish the job in 2007. Probably will be accomplished by increasing the amount of on-side kicks and 4th down attempts per game.
Celina football team plans to 'Finish it'
State tournament loss still fresh in minds of players, coaches
09:01 AM CDT on Tuesday, August 7, 2007
CELINA – For many high school football teams, Monday was a start. But at Celina, the first day of practice was about finishing.
"Our motto this year is, 'Finish it,'" senior offensive lineman C.J. Nielson said before the team started its morning workout. "And that's what we aim to do."
Celina's aim was true most of last season, when it rolled 15 opponents to arrive in the Class 3A Division II state title game at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco. But Liberty Hill kicked a field goal with six seconds left to win, 22-19, and end Celina's 31-game winning streak and deny it an eighth state championship.
That was more than seven months ago and more than 100 miles away. But as the Celina players put their orange helmets back on Monday, the memory of losing hadn't faded.
"It's pretty fresh in my mind," senior offensive lineman Adam Thomas said.
Any loss is memorable for Celina, which has fallen only five times since 1999. But coach Butch Ford wants to make sure his players don't dwell on the loss to Liberty Hill. He talked to the players about it early in practice.
"And we won't talk about it again," he said. "We're simply going to finish everything that we do now."
That meant getting started fast as the sun shined over Bobcat Stadium.
After 8 a.m. stretching and a talk with the coaches, players took part in agility drills, worked on schemes and dived into conditioning – lots of conditioning.
Getting players into shape is a staple of the first week of practice, much like the stomach-turning site of them getting sick on the sidelines. By 8:45 a.m., wind sprints had turned one player queasy.
Senior linebacker Austin Wyatt said he has learned to like the dreaded conditioning.
"Last year, I really didn't look forward to it," he said. "But this year, I got up here and I was really kind of excited for it."
It's possible Wyatt was more excited about the start of football than the start of shrieking whistles urging the players to run harder. But that's the starting point for "Finish it."
The conclusion, the Celina players and coaches hope, will be in another state championship game, with a different result and a different memory to take back to Football Town.
Celina seems to have the players to make it happen. It returns half of its starters, including the trio of quarterback Seth Davis and running backs Charley Waldrep and Troy McCartney, who combined for more than 3,000 yards rushing last season. The offensive line is all seniors, and the defensive line and linebackers are solid.
"We're going to have to do a lot of work in the secondary, but I think we've got some kids who can do that," Ford said. "We're pretty excited about somebody stepping up that we're not really counting on."
What Celina can count on is high expectations from its fans, who fill the 2,500-seat Bobcat Stadium on Friday nights.
But every season brings a new set of players, Ford pointed out, and each team comes together differently.
"You never know exactly how it's going to go," he said. "Just because you've got a few kids back, doesn't mean there's going to be success."
That may be true, but if there's one place where success is the norm, it's Celina. Winning is drilled into the players, and losing, well...
"If you lose," Wyatt said, "that's not Celina."
- Eddie Jones just wants to win that ring.
Eddie Jones wants title with Mavs
12:00 AM CDT on Tuesday, August 7, 2007
By CHUCK CARLTON / The Dallas Morning News
ccarlton@dallasnews.com
Earlier this summer, Eddie Jones questioned whether he wanted to put himself through another NBA season.
The answer came to him maybe three minutes later, Jones said. In a word, yes.
The decision was easy because of an elusive goal. Twice, the teams he left captured NBA titles the next season: the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000 and the Miami Heat in 2006.
"I want to win," Jones said Monday after signing a two-year contract with the Mavericks at the team's offices. "That's what this is all about. That's the reason I want to play another year.
"I want one [title]. I missed out on two ... always a year after. I just want one and say I've won a championship in my 14-year NBA career."
The same motivation prompted Jones to sign with Dallas for the team's biannual exception of $1.83 million next year.
He said he was given no promises by coach Avery Johnson. If anything, the Mavericks have a logjam at shooting guard and small forward with Jones, Jerry Stackhouse, Devean George, Greg Buckner and Maurice Ager.
Jones said he's willing to do whatever the Mavericks need, whether it's providing an outside threat or taking a difficult defensive matchup.
In some ways, it's an extension of what San Antonio has successfully done over the years with veterans such as Robert Horry, Steve Kerr, Brent Barry and Michael Finley.
Jones' confidence remains high at age 35.
"Without a doubt, over my career, I always came in and made big shots and big plays when big plays needed to be made," Jones said, noting that he played against Johnson "He's seen the things I can do."
Jones averaged a career-low 7.7 points last season with Memphis and Miami, in part because of Achilles' tendon problems. He said the injury improved after he finally rested. He doesn't believe it will be a problem this season.
- It's guys like this that make me hate the media. Creating rumors and speculation with no substance behind them. Doesn't he have anything better to write about? Some east coast prick throws his 2 cents in about Avery.
Johnson Must Succeed To Avoid Texas Boot
By MARTIN JOHNSON
August 7, 2007
Is Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson on the hot seat?
The question may seem absurd, as Johnson has a regular season winning percentage of .786, the best of any active coach. But Johnson's postseason tally is merely average at .524 (a 22–20 record). In each of the Mavericks' last two postseasons, they've gone from the odds-on choice to win it all, to exiting the playoffs with a spectacular thud. The Mavericks' offseason moves, particularly in contrast to their last two summers, suggest that the chair in Johnson's office may be warming up a bit.
Usually the Mavericks are one of the most active teams in the summer as they furiously retool their team for another run at that elusive title. They engineer draft-day swaps, add salary, move promising young players for veteran savvy, and the like. This summer, barely a peep was heard out of the Mavericks offices. Yes, they gave casual pursuit of free agent prizes Grant Hill and Gerald Wallace. They've also been mentioned as a possible destination for Kobe Bryant (though I doubt anyone takes that too seriously).
Barring a bolt from the blue, the Mavericks' off-season player moves have only consisted of adding three second-round draft picks, picking up the option on center DeSagana Diop, and re-upping with aging swingmen Jerry Stackhouse and Devean George. This weekend, they all but finished this series of tweaks by inking free agent forward Eddie Jones to a two-year deal.
After the Mavericks roared to 67 wins last season — only to bow out in six games during a first-round rout by the Golden State Warriors — you might have suspected major summer changes. Instead, the team has stood pat.
Furthermore, it isn't as if this is a team with a lot of expiring contracts that can be reshaped over one summer. Instead, these are the Dallas Mavericks for the rest of the decade. The team's officials weren't shy in talking title all of last season, as if the team owed one to the fans after frittering away an excellent chance against Miami in 2006. Their moves — or the lack thereof — are big votes of confidence in this edition of the roster. If further changes will be made, they most likely will be on the sidelines.
That's the circumstantial evidence pointing to Johnson's hot seat, and there's also some compelling direct evidence. Both against Golden State a few months ago and against Miami last spring, the Mavericks struggled to match tactics against their opponents.
In game 4 against the Heat, Pat Riley changed the Heat's defensive strategy to surround forward Dirk Nowitzki and force the other Mavericks scorers to beat them. Dallas was slow in adjusting to the new defense and spent the remainder of the series finding their secondary options — Stackhouse, forward Josh Howard, and guards Jason Terry and Devin Harris — only as the shot clock wound down. As a result, the Mavericks went from having a title in their grasp before the end of game 3 (up two games to none with a doubledigit lead in the fourth quarter) to the short end of a six-game series.
The Mavericks failed to tailor their strengths against the Warriors to capitalize on that team's weaknesses. Golden State played a small lineup that was prone to be being over-powered near the rim. Rather than run plays for the 7-foot Nowitzki near the basket, they insisted on getting him the ball in at the elbow and other spots away from the hoop, enabling the Warriors' double and triple teams to bottle him up and strangle the Mavericks' offense. By contrast in the next round, Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan all but eliminated the part of the Jazz playbook that called for power forward Carlos Boozer to take midrange shots against the Warriors, and instead called one play after another that simply fed him the ball inside until he'd worn out every Warrior defender. As a result, the Jazz won the series over Golden State in five games.
Many critics singled out Nowitzki for the Mavericks' playoff failure, but it wasn't as if Boozer and Nowitzki have radically different inside games. Both have averaged about nine boards a game during their career, though Boozer is thought of as a bruiser and Nowitzki is regarded as a European softy. Nowitzki has a deadly threepoint shot and Boozer is a somewhat better rebounder. But there was nothing stopping the Mavs from trying the Utah strategy — except that, evidently, no one thought of it. Rather than tailor their strengths to their opponents' weaknesses, the Mavs again went down by sticking to their regular season offense.
That's the second reason I think that Johnson's seat is getting warmer. The third is that the team hired Paul Westphal, an experienced head coach, to be Johnson's lead assistant. Del Harris, a veteran head coach who is also on staff, has said he's not interested in another head coaching job and it's no surprise why, as he is 70. Westphal is 56 and still wants to run a team.
I don't expect that we'll soon see Johnson doing color commentary on TNT while his agent looks for possible vacancies. While his tactical failures have come on a big stage, they are the usual growing pains of young coach. It's just that most young coaches don't take over title ready teams, and not many young coaches beat either Pat Riley or Don Nelson on their first out. This is Johnson's fourth season running the show in Dallas. If he learns from his mistakes now, then he'll be there a while. But if he doesn't, and the Mavericks make another dramatic playoff face plant, expect Johnson in the broadcast booth: He certainly won't be the first coach to learn his lessons the hard way.
- Some takes on the possible Chris Webber signing. Personally, I'd rather have Pietrus and a spare back-up to Dirk. But if Pietrus isn't possible, might as well squeeze the last remaining semi-productive years out of Chris Webber's aging body. He can still contribute enough to warrant the mid-level.
And after posting the YouTube of Eddie Jones posterizing Shawn Bradley, I had to give C-Webb his time in the sun as well.
How Would Chris Webber Fit With The Dallas Mavericks?
August 07 07
The Fort Worth Star Telegram reports that Chris Webber could soon sign with the Dallas Mavericks:
So the Internet’s blowing up tonight (Sunday) with reports that an LA radio station has C-Webb, yes, Chris Webber, ready to sign a deal with the Mavericks, with the Mavs giving him the full mid-level exception, $5.36 million...hey, why not? might as well spend the thing, and C-Webb could become a signature add if his veteran body can hold up and if he’s ready to embrace a reserve role on a team led by a coach with unwavering championship aspirations.
My Quick Take: Detroit or Dallas? That’s been Chris Webber’s dilemma for the last few weeks. Well, it appears C-Webb is leaning towards doing the Texas-two-step with Mark Cuban’s Mavericks.
Let’s be clear: this is only a report. Nothing has been confirmed. However, it’s interesting to speculate on how the forward would fit in Dallas.
The Positives:
Webber would instantly become Dallas’ best passer. The forward’s exceptional dime-dropping abilities would add a new dimension to Coach Avery Johnson’s half-court sets.
Webber, after knee surgery, was forced to extend his outside range. He possesses a deadly perimeter shot and would punish opposing defenses that tried to double-up on Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard, and Jerry Stackhouse.
Question Marks:
Webber’s now a perimeter, high-post player. How would he click with Nowitzki, who also likes to play off the left-side of the high post?
Webber is a below average defender. Everyone on Dallas has to play defense. No exceptions. It’s the Mavericks’ identity. So I’m not sure how Johnson would cope with Webber’s lackluster defense.
The Intangibles:
Webber and Dallas have something in common: they both have had to deal with bitter losses. Remember, C-Webb’s infamous timeout in the NCAA Finals and subpar playoff performances with the Kings? Well, the Mavericks can relate after blowing a 2-0 lead in the 2006 NBA Finals and losing to the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs. Both Webber and Dallas have something to prove!
All things considered, C-Webb would make Dallas a better team. However, details would have to be ironed out for him to thrive in Texas.
- C-Webb to Mavs, really?
So the Internet's blowing up tonight (Sunday) with reports that an LA radio station has C-Webb, yes, Chris Webber, ready to sign a deal with the Mavericks, with the Mavs giving him the full mid-level exception, $5.36 million...hey, why not? might as well spend the thing, and C-Webb could become a signature add if his veteran body can hold up and if he's ready to embrace a reserve role on a team led by a coach with unwavering championship aspirations.
I don't know about you, but late summer Sundays are for relaxing with family, so I gave Donnie Nelson a rare Sunday night off. Eddie Jones is expected to be at the Mavs' offices for a physical Monday before his deal for $1.83 million this season can be finalized.
Perhaps Webber is close in tow. The Mavs clearly could use veteran help to back up Dirk and help Avery ease up just a bit on Dirk's minutes while feeling comfortable that the sub can hold the fort for a few minutes. The Mavs have long had their eye on Webber and P.J. Brown, who's been mulling retirement, but could also command the full MLE from the Mavs or Phoenix or Boston or maybe even others -- everyone it seems needs size in the paint.
Webber has said it's either Detroit or Dallas, so if he signs with the Mavs, figure Brown heads to the Suns. That would make for some interesting analysis of two aging forward-centers as the season goes along.
For Webber, to sign with the Mavs has to be a little strange seeing how his career forever changed at the AAC during the 2003 playoffs when he blew out his knee in a horrible injury under the basket. That Sacramento team was really good and still took the Mavs to 7 games. With Webber healthy throughout, I think that Kings team could have won the championship. The Spurs beat the Mavs (without Dirk) in six games in the West finals and went on to win it all.
- I think we're about to hit the time of the year where the Rangers slowly, quietly fade into the corner of the Sports Closet. They're usually out of contention and football dominates everyone's sports brain at about this time in August every year. Thrilling game, some ejections, a comeback, extra innings, and who noticed?
And please, I beg you please, get rid of John Rheinecker. That guy continues to suck every time they trot him out there. He's got nothing. And for some reason they continue to give him chances to suck.
Rangers lose 9-7, in 13 innings.
Action-packed setback for Rangers
01:26 AM CDT on Tuesday, August 7, 2007
By EVAN GRANT / The Dallas Morning News
egrant@dallasnews.com
ARLINGTON, Texas – Monday evening’s game offered the beleaguered Rangers fan a little bit of everything: Peeks into the future that were both encouraging and not so much, a dramatic comeback and the exotic spice of having both Michael Young and manager Ron Washington ejected.
If only it wasn’t a game played by two teams that began the day a combined 28 ½ games out of first place in the AL West.
Because of that, the fact the Rangers nearly completed a huge comeback before falling to Oakland 9-7 in 13 innings may eventually get lost to evaluations. Texas trailed by seven runs after just 2 ½ innings.
- OJ, OJ, OJ
- Picks O'the day
Yesterday - 0-0
YTD - 102-87
1)TOR/NYY over 10.5 - NYY has been putting up a ton of runs, and Clemens has been giving up a ton.
2)TOR +140 - Clemens sucks.
3) LA Angels -115 - Saunders has been lights out this year. LAA rips the ball at home and will rip knuckleballer Wakefield.
4) OAK +100 - Gaudin pitches well vs. Texas. Texas about to go on an August swoon.
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