- Dallas sports misery continues.....
Dallas Stars - 4 straight early round exits, the last 3 in the first round.
Texas Rangers - 3 1st round losses in 4 years. A combined 1-9 record.
Dallas Cowboys - 2 straight 1st round exits. With the last perhaps the most gut wrenching. Home field advantage, the chance to play 2 teams you've already beaten earlier in the season, and possessing your most talented team since the Super Bowl years. 6 straight losses overall as a franchise.
Dallas Mavericks - Complete meltdown in game 3 with NBA championship basically won. Suffered biggest upset in NBA history by losing to an 8 seed, as a 67 win #1 seed.
- Add us to the top 5 of most tortured sports cities.
Cowboys another Dallas team with playoff incompletion
As tough as loss is for Jerry, he's not the only one suffering
03:31 AM CST on Tuesday, January 15, 2008
IRVING – As he watched the Giants' raucous celebration from the sideline, Jerry Jones stood in disbelief and stared helplessly at the carnage of a season gone horribly awry.
The record-tying 13 wins. The miraculous victories over Buffalo and Detroit. The brilliant individual performances of Tony Romo, Terrell Owens, Marion Barber and DeMarcus Ware.
The hard work in the off-season. The practices. The meetings. The preparation.
All of it was rendered irrelevant after the Giants ended the Cowboys' season with a 21-17 win Sunday.
Thirty minutes after the loss, Jones managed to put his despair into words.
"I'm dying," he said "I'm absolutely dying."
And he meant it. You could see the pain in his eyes and hear the disappointment in his voice. Once again, the man who seemingly has everything failed in his quest to end the season with a victory for the fourth time since he bought the Cowboys in 1989.
Unfortunately, there are plenty of folks around town who can commiserate with Jones and offer empathy.
Perhaps, Jones could shoot Mark Cuban an e-mail. Then Cuban could tell him how he dealt with the frustration of having Dirk Nowitzki play at an MVP level, lead the Mavericks to 67 wins and earn the Western Conference's top seed only to become the first team to lose a best-of-7 series to a No. 8 seed.
Or he could have lunch with Tom Hicks and discuss the fate of the Stars, who have lost three straight first-round series. There's really no need for them to discuss the Rangers.
At least the Stars won a championship in 1999 and advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2000. Still, this remains a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately business, and judging from the abundance of empty seats at American Airlines Center most nights, the Stars aren't that impressive.
Maybe Jones should meet with representatives of FC Dallas since our local soccer team hasn't had any playoff success. Two years ago, it finished atop the Western Conference standings and lost to Colorado in the first round of the playoffs. Last year, as the third seed, FC Dallas lost in the first round to Houston.
See, it's obviously something in the water. Every team can't have bad luck or collapse under the strain of a terrific regular season.
Now that I'm thinking about it, Jones could just ask his secretary to page Will McClay, the Desperados coach, and they could chat in the owner's office over barbecue. Don't forget, Jones owns the Arena League franchise.
After all, the Desperados are 28-4 the last two seasons and have yet to reach the Arena Bowl.
Last season, they lost to sixth-seeded Columbus after earning a first-round bye as the National Conference's top seed. Did I mention the Desperados finished the regular season 15-1? Just so you know, that was the best record in AFL history.
A few days ago at our neighborhood gym, Jermaine Jones of the Desperados might have jinxed the Cowboys.
"I sure hope they don't do what we did," Jones said with a chuckle. "That would be bad."
It was. And it is.
That's because no city wants a nickname like Choke City, but it seems we deserve that a lot more these days than our neighbors four hours to the southeast since we're a city that can't figure out how to win a championship.
Do you know how hard that is to admit for someone who grew up in Oak Cliff and has spent nearly all of his adult life in Dallas? It's like an Aggie rooting for a Longhorn – the mere notion is repulsive.
Then again, perhaps the moniker will have the same effect on Dallas' sports teams as it did on Houston's.
In the last 10 years, the Rockets won a pair of NBA championships and the Astros played in a World Series. Although we're still waiting for the Rangers to win their first playoff series, their ticket prices keep rising like clockwork.
Heck, even the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer has won consecutive championships.
It's pretty clear, the "D" in Big D no longer stands for Dallas.
Maybe it stands for "Despair" because none of our local teams can win a championship no matter how well they play in the regular season.
Or, maybe, it stands for "Debacle" since that's the only honest way to describe the Mavs' loss to Golden State last spring, and the Cowboys' collapse Sunday at Texas Stadium.
POSTSEASON BLUES
Dallas teams have struggled of late in the postseason. A look at the franchises and their last playoff appearance:
Team Opponent Result Round Season
Cowboys NY Giants L, 21-17 Divisional 2007
First NFC No. 1 seed to lose in divisional playoffs
FC Dallas Houston L series, 4-2 aggregate Conf. semis 2007
Consecutive first-round exits
Mavericks Golden State L series, 4-2 First round 2006-07
First No. 1 seed to lose best-of-7 first-round series
Stars Vancouver L series, 4-3 First round 2006-07
Lost three consecutive first-round series
Desperados Columbus L, 66-59 Conf. semis 2007
28-4 last two seasons – haven't reached Arena Bowl
- The to-do list for the off season.
Dallas Cowboys enter uncertain season
After shocking playoff defeat, players and staff must brace for more sad farewells
02:12 AM CST on Tuesday, January 15, 2008
By TODD ARCHER / The Dallas Morning News
/tarcher@dallasnews.com
IRVING – The sting of Sunday's 21-17 playoff loss to the New York Giants remained Monday morning as players arrived at Valley Ranch.
They never thought their season would have ended in the divisional round after tying the franchise record for victories (13), winning their first NFC East title since 1998 and sending 12 players to the Pro Bowl.
But on Monday, players went through exit interviews with coaches, had physicals with the medical staff, cleaned out their lockers and said goodbye – some for the last time.
"That's what's so emotional," Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten said. "Now we kind of go into the off-season with key parts in limbo. You leave here today knowing there's going to be changes."
The Cowboys enter the off-season with questions in three departments:
Players
By March, when free agency begins, the Cowboys are scheduled to be around $10 million under the salary cap. More room could be created through restructuring some contracts or releasing some players.
The Cowboys have several key decisions to make, starting with left tackle Flozell Adams. He has been named to the Pro Bowl four of the last five years, including this season as a starter, but he turns 33 in May and is entering his 11th season.
How much do the Cowboys set aside for him? They have drafted Pat McQuistan, Doug Free and James Marten in the last two years to deal with Adams' potential departure, but are they ready to entrust the most important position on the line to such untested players?
Ken Hamlin signed a one-year deal with the Cowboys last off-season in hopes of cashing in. The safety was named to his first Pro Bowl, had a career-high five interceptions and posted 102 tackles. He did his part. With a defense full of high-priced signing bonuses, and with future deals needed for Terence Newman and DeMarcus Ware, how do the Cowboys fit Hamlin in?
The Cowboys will have the right to match any offers made to running back Marion Barber and defensive end Chris Canty, both restricted free agents, but the team would like to re-sign them to longer-term deals if possible.
Coaching
Tony Sparano, the Cowboys' assistant head coach, is considered the front-runner to be Miami's head coach, joining Bill Parcells. Jason Garrett, the offensive coordinator, has ties to the front offices in Atlanta and Baltimore that make him a top candidate for their head coaching vacancies.
Should the Cowboys lose Sparano and Garrett, they would be without their top two assistant coaches from an offense that put up 455 points and had seven Pro Bowlers in 2007.
But it's more than the possible departures of Sparano and Garrett that could leave head coach Wade Phillips looking for new assistants. Secondary coach Todd Bowles, linebackers coach Paul Pasqualoni and defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers are about to see their contracts expire, and all three have been linked to Miami should Sparano be named head coach. The Cowboys hold a seven-day exclusive negotiating period with their assistant coaches after their contracts expire.
"We'll address it if those situations come up," Phillips said.
Scouting
The Cowboys' structure will remain the same. Jerry Jones is the final decision maker as the team's general manager. But Jeff Ireland has joined Miami as the Dolphins' general manager, and he's expected to be joined by Brian Gaine, the Cowboys' assistant director of pro scouting the last three years. So the Cowboys will have roles to fill.
Jones has said he might split up Ireland's duties as vice president of college and pro scouting. Tom Ciskowski, who has been in the personnel department since 1992, would be the natural replacement for Ireland should Jones keep the job intact – or as college scouting director if he doesn't. When Jones promoted Ireland to Larry Lacewell's old job, he also considered Ciskowski.
Jones said Desperados coach Will McClay, who also serves as a pro scout for the Cowboys, could take over the pro personnel department. He was Jacksonville's assistant director of pro scouting in 2001, but the move would require Jones to find a new coach for the Arena League team.
To-do list
Even after a 13-3 regular season, the Cowboys enter the off-season with plenty of needs:
Add a cornerback: They are set with starters Terence Newman and Anthony Henry, but Jacques Reeves and Nate Jones are unrestricted free agents. The depth remains untested, and the Cowboys need to find help high in the draft to help alleviate short- and long-term concerns.
Add speed at receiver: Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn are 34 and 33 years old, respectively, and both were limping after Sunday's game. Without the ability to stretch the field late in the season, the passing game suffered. It's time to get younger at the position, too.
Add a running back: Marion Barber will play in his first Pro Bowl, but there's a need for a second back to share the work in 2008. With several underclassmen declaring for the draft, the Cowboys will have options.
Unrestricted free agents
Players can negotiate with any other team without limitation.
LT Flozell Adams – How high of a price should the Cowboys pay to keep him?
S Ken Hamlin – Earned a big-time deal as quarterback of the secondary.
RB Julius Jones – Wants to be elsewhere in 2008 and will not be back.
S Keith Davis – Would like to be more than just a special teamer.
CB Nate Jones – Would be inexpensive to keep, but upgrades are out there.
CB Jacques Reeves – Might another team make a bigger offer?
Restricted free agents
Players can negotiate with another team. Their current team has seven days to match any offer. If the current team refuses to match an offer, draft picks will be given as compensation.
RB Marion Barber – If he doesn't sign long-term, Cowboys will match any offer.
DE Chris Canty – Developed into a disruptive player against both the run and the pass.
Long snapper L.P. Ladouceur – His consistency helps Mat McBriar and Nick Folk excel.
RB Tyson Thompson – Lost his kick return role but is likely to get a one-year tender.
Exclusive rights free agents
Players must accept what their current club offers or not play in the NFL at all.
OL Joe Berger – Can play guard and center if necessary.
DE Stephen Bowen – Has developed into a nice role as a backup.
OL Cory Procter – Started two games and can play all three inside positions.
CB Evan Oglesby – Waiver pickup from Baltimore had little opportunity.
TE Tony Curtis – All three of his catches went for touchdowns.
- Divisional Round recap.
- Mavs look like crap, allow lights out shooting, and let some spare go end-to-end to sink a game winner.
Kings sink sloppy Dallas Mavericks, 122-120
12:56 AM CST on Tuesday, January 15, 2008
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
esefko@dallasnews.com
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The Dallas Mavericks’ season unofficially starts each year the day after the Cowboys’ season ends. That being the case, they decided to revert back to their early season form, which meant a slew of miscues.
And a loss.
The Mavericks were sloppy and unfocused for the first three quarters, and when they regained their zip, it was too late. They were met with an equal amount of grit by the Sacramento Kings, who planted a wild 122-120 defeat on them Monday night at ARCO Arena.
Kevin Martin drilled in 39 points, and John Salmons had 22, including a driving jump shot from 8 feet with 2.4 seconds left to put a halt to the Mavericks’ seven-game winning streak.
It was fitting that the shot came from close range. The Mavericks were terrible at defending in the paint all night.
They also tied a season high with 19 turnovers, but this game was not lost because of any sort of lack of production offensively. They had 40 points in the fourth quarter.
It was the other end of the floor that was fatal to them.
“We know in this league you never win games with your offense,’’ said Jason Terry, who tried to be the hero with five points in the final 22.2 seconds. “It was a question of whether we could get that last stop, and we didn’t get it done."
Martin hit 14 of 16 shots, and Salmons capped a dazzling display of offense down the stretch with his dagger. Terry’s 40-footer at the buzzer was close but not close enough.
“We got to take the good with the bad,’’ coach Avery Johnson said. “We won one at the buzzer the other night.
“Give them credit. Nobody really could stop each other there at the end, and it was like whoever had the ball last was going to win.’’
Essentially, that was the Kings as the frantic final 64 seconds featured 18 points scored, three ties and a lead change.
“We’re not going to win many games giving up 122 points,’’ Johnson said. “We got broken down defensively all over the place.’’
And as bad as the defense was – they surrendered 56 points in the paint and sent the Kings to the free-throw line 33 times – they still had a chance to win.
They stormed back from nine points down in the final four minutes, tying the score at 112. But Martin hit one of two free throws with 1:04 to go, and after a Dirk Nowitzki turnover, Salmons converted a driving layup for a 115-112 advantage.
After a timeout, the Mavericks got the ball to Devin Harris in the left corner. His 3-pointer was perfect to tie the score with 40 seconds left.
Then Salmons struck again, carving into the paint for a tough layup over Erick Dampier to put the Kings up by two. Terry didn’t blink, driving for a three-point play – his fourth such play of the night – with 22.2 seconds left.
After Martin made a gorgeous cut to the paint to make it 120-118, the Mavericks got it to Terry again. He hung in the air for a short bank shot to tie the score.
That just set up the frantic final dash by Salmons, who got the ball and weaved to the basket, finally dropping in a short jumper for the victory.
Terry, who tied Devin Harris for the Mavericks’ scoring lead with 25 points, said he thought his late scores would be difference-makers.
“I thought we'd get one stop, get on this plane and head back on a win,’’ he said. “It didn't happen. You can't hold your head. They're always tough at home. Give them credit. They made tough shot after tough shot.’’
The Mavericks played without Jerry Stackhouse, who sat out with a strained right hamstring.
That didn’t explain their complete lack of focus at the defensive end.
The Kings scored 18 of their 31 points in the third quarter inside the paint. They also hit 10 free throws. The Mavericks couldn’t stop the Kings without fouling them.
Even Josh Howard’s return to action couldn’t help the Mavericks.
The 6-7 forward was back after missing the Los Angeles Clippers game for personal reasons.
- Rangers bolster bullpen with another Japanese guy.
Texas Rangers sign Fukumori, designate Shelton
03:51 AM CST on Tuesday, January 15, 2008
By EVAN GRANT / The Dallas Morning News
More than two weeks after the Texas Rangers announced they had agreed to a deal with reliever Kazuo Fukumori, he finally officially joined the roster.
It means that first baseman Chris Shelton, acquired in early December, is in limbo. To make room for Fukumori, the Rangers designated Shelton for assignment on Monday. They have 10 days to trade him or, if he clears waivers, to assign him outright to the minor leagues.
The delay in placing Fukumori on the roster was because of Major League Baseball's need to approve some contract language that could turn the two-year deal into a one-year commitment for the Rangers if Fukumori spends 30 days or more on the disabled list this year.
The Rangers had traded expendable outfielder Freddy Guzman for Shelton at the end of the winter meetings to fill their first base vacancy. But a week later they acquired Ben Broussard from Seattle and that made Shelton more insurance than anything else. If Shelton clears waivers, he could be outrighted to Triple-A Oklahoma and then come to camp as a nonroster player competing to be the team's right-handed pinch-hitter and backup first baseman.
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