Buying time

- Reports are that the trade, if it happens, won't go down for another week.

- Best news of the past week. Hopefully they step back, calm down, and realize what they're giving up for 1 guy.

- After watching Phoenix dominate them at the guard position with speed, and hopefully after watching New Orleans do the same next Wednesday, Cuban and Little Whistle will realize that Jason Kidd does not make them any better suited to get out of the Western Conference.

- Dallas basically had 2 scoring threats all game, had JJ Barea running the show for half the game, had Devean George running the point as well, and had 3 starters out. And they still had a chance to win, on the road, against a full strength Phoenix team.

- The West is there. Add in Howard, Harris, and Stackhouse and this team wins the West. They have a Tony Parker neutralizer and Spur-killer. They have 2 centers for Tim Duncan. They have guy who will make Steve Nash work on both ends of the floor. And they have the playoff experience as a team. I just don't get it.


- The latest within the team......

Cohesion likely Dallas Mavericks' next problem

Trade that hasn't happened could hang over team's head

02:56 AM CST on Friday, February 15, 2008

PHOENIX – The plane ride from Dallas to Phoenix was so quiet, you could hear a season drop.

Mavericks officials will tell you that's an exaggeration. They reject the notion that the club stands at a season-altering crossroads after the trade that wasn't.

What did you expect them to say?

Ask the Mavericks their thoughts heading into the All-Star break, and you get more spin than substance. The next six days leading up to the trade deadline are about emotional survival rather than a reflection on the state of the franchise.

"For us, it's business as usual," guard Jason Terry said. "When I say us, I'm saying the guys who aren't supposedly involved. I don't know how the other guys are feeling, but I can only imagine the distraction it could be.

"I spoke with Stack [Jerry Stackhouse] briefly. He was in good spirits. DH [Devin Harris] seemed like he was taking it a little hard, but this is his first time for something like this.

"I mean, what can you tell them? There's not much you can really say."

The club's unrequited pursuit of Jason Kidd has created an uneasy dynamic. If one or two players are part of a deal that stagnates, the frustration can be contained. It is a little easier to manage. But this is different.

One-third of this team – Harris, Stackhouse, DeSagana Diop, Devean George and Maurice Ager – knows the Mavericks are willing to cut them loose to acquire the New Jersey Nets All-Star. Their lust to put Kidd back in a Mavericks uniform won't end because George has temporarily blocked the deal.

The players not part of the trade proposal are confronted with the sobering reality that the Mavericks' front office no longer believes this team has what it takes to win a championship this season.

And you thought all coach Avery Johnson had to do Thursday was prepare his team to face Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire and the rest of the Phoenix Suns.

"I probably have 100 different weaknesses that you guys [media] print on a weekly basis or talk about, but communication is not one of them," Johnson said.

"At the end of the day, 95 percent of these deals never really happen. This one hasn't been perfectly drawn up, so we have to manage it.

"That's my job. It's not basketball coach. It's managing injuries and managing playing time, managing highs, managing lows. Managing hiccups."

A hiccup? You might as well call the nearby Grand Canyon a geographical indentation.

I'd argue this is a crisis point if not resolved in the next few days. How can the Mavericks keep their current team intact? How can they not do whatever it takes to bring Kidd in now?

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has told the players what he has told the media. No one knows what is going to happen. He raves about what good guys he has on this team and how they remained focused against Portland and Phoenix after the news broke.

So Mark, tell us how this thirst for Kidd doesn't send the message that management has lost faith in this team's ability to climb the mountain?

"It's not about how we can't win," Cuban said. "I love our team. We're always going to be opportunistic to see if we can improve. That's just the way it is."

And what about five players knowing they may not be part of the club's future?

"Other than Dirk [Nowitkzi] and J.J. [Barea] and Nick [Fazekas], just about everybody out there has been traded," Cuban said.

"I felt bad when we traded Buck [Greg Buckner]. I felt bad when we traded Juwan Howard the first time. I felt bad when we traded Erick Strickland. It's hard because you get to know and like these guys.

"It would not be fun to lose Stack. It would not be fun to lose Devin Harris."

Terry refuted the notion that the last 24 hours could negatively impact the team's chemistry if a satisfactory solution isn't found. He said every season is about dealing with issues on and off the court and your ability to work through them.

And what about the vote of nonconfidence that is implicit in management's pursuit of Kidd?

"They're not saying we can't go all the way," Terry countered. "They're just saying if we can make this team better, we'll try to do so.

"Who knows if this [trade] will work out or not? We hope it does. If not, we're still confident in the team we have going forward."

What did you expect him to say?



- Streak ends at 7. Big weekend coming up. 2nd place Anaheim tonight. 1st place Detroit on Sunday.



Dallas Stars' record chase stopped short, 5-2

12:23 AM CST on Friday, February 15, 2008
By CHUCK CARLTON ccarlton@dallasnews.com

GLENDALE, Ariz. – The Stars' franchise record for consecutive wins remains stuck on seven.

Goaltender Marty Turco will have to wait for career victory No. 200.

Everything the Stars had done so well for so long during their streak disappeared in a 5-2 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes on Thursday, from the standout goaltending to the superlative special teams.

"In this little run we had, when the power play needed a big goal, we got it," captain Brenden Morrow said. "When the goaltender needed a big save, we got it. Tonight, they kind of got those breaks. They earned them."

And the Stars didn't.

The performance was the last thing the Stars (35-21-5) needed in the tight Pacific Division race and with their next two games against Western Conference powers Anaheim and Detroit.

The Stars face the Ducks tonight to complete a two-game road trip and return home Sunday to play the Red Wings, possessors of the league's best record.

"Because we lost one game is not going to change a thing," Stars coach Dave Tippett said. "We have to play with that same desperation, whether it's tomorrow or the next day. We could win another seven in a row, and we would still be desperate for an eighth."

Even before Radim Vrbata (one goal, two assists) delivered a clinching short-handed goal in the third period, the warning signs were apparent.

The Stars were whistled for the first four penalties. Phoenix quickly capitalized when Shane Doan blistered a shot from the left circle in the first period.

It was just the third man-advantage goal allowed by the Stars' league-leading penalty kill in its last 34 chances.

"It puts you on your heels and gives the other team momentum," Tippett said of the penalties.

During the seven-game streak, the Stars had allowed two or fewer goals in six of those games. Phoenix had two goals by the end of the first, when Daniel Carcillo scored.

For the second consecutive game, the Stars had difficulty solving Phoenix goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov, at least when it mattered.

Skating at home Monday and with the Coyotes playing the second game of a back-to-back, the Stars were able to rally for a win despite 42 saves for Bryzgalov.

This time, a fresher Coyotes defense prevented any late comebacks.

Tippett called the overall execution "poor" and was bothered by his team's passing and inability to finish at the net.

Bryzgalov's biggest of 32 stops might have come against Mike Modano during a second-period power play with Phoenix up, 2-1.

"He made a great save on it," Modano said. "There was a lot of net to look at. It had a bit of bounce to it, so it wasn't something I could catch and release at the same time."

Hope began to fade when former Star Niko Kapanen gave Phoenix a two-goal lead late in the second period.

The Stars' power play that was clicking at 26.7 percent (8-for-30) during the streak failed to score and finished minus-1. Jere Lehtinen's pass eluded Stephane Robidas at the blue line. Vrbata claimed the loose puck and lofted a backhand over Turco to complete the breakaway for a 4-1 lead in the third period.

Turco didn't really allow any bad goals. Neither did he play like the goalie who had a 1.57 goals-against average and .943 save percentage during the streak.



- Salty Dog and the Pot Bellied Pig will battle it out for catcher this spring.



Big catch for Texas Rangers: Only one can start

Laird, Saltalamacchia to compete for club's top catcher position


09:35 PM CST on Thursday, February 14, 2008
By EVAN GRANT / The Dallas Morning News
egrant@dallasnews.com

SURPRISE, Ariz. – The Rangers may not have had much in their 36 seasons in Texas, but they've had certainty behind the plate.

This year, they don't even have that.

When pitchers and catchers begin the first official workout of spring today, one of the most wide-open catching competitions in the club's history will commence. Gerald Laird vs. Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

Let's get ready to rumble.

"It's open," manager Ron Washington said Thursday after an informal workout in which both catching candidates participated. "It's going to be a healthy competition."

There is so much for the Rangers to sort through this spring between the catchers.

Laird has more experience; Saltalamacchia, acquired from Atlanta in the Mark Teixeira deal, has a higher profile. Laird has a better throwing arm; Saltalamacchia has better power. Laird, who is still only 28, must recover from an awful season at the plate to energize his career; Saltalamacchia must show he's ready to handle a major league pitching staff though he won't turn 23 until May.

The Rangers aren't ruling out the possibility that the loser will be on the roster. But if Laird wins the job, it's likely Saltalamacchia would go to Triple-A Oklahoma to play every day. If Saltalamacchia wins the job, Laird could end up the backup or it could go to veteran Adam Melhuse.

It is indeed foreign territory for the Rangers. They have played exactly 5,700 games since moving to Texas in 1972. The duo of Jim Sundberg (1,426 games) and Ivan Rodriguez (1,495) has combined to catch more than half of those games.

Laird, who has twice won the Rangers' starting catching job with strong spring training performances, is currently seventh on the Rangers' all-time games caught list. A full season behind the plate could move him to fourth. Saltalamacchia has less than a full-season in the majors.

If Laird is to win the starting job for a third time, he must rebound from an awful 2007 season. It began with Washington urging Laird to help the pitching staff, even if it meant sacrificing some offense.

"I think I put too much pressure on him and kept the pressure on him," Washington said. "I think I just hit him with it too hard. I'm going to sit back and relax and let him play baseball. He clearly knows what's expected of him. The guy is a big league catcher."

The pressure built to a breaking point last May when Washington and Laird got in a dugout shouting match over the handling of pitchers. They were eventually separated by pitcher Kevin Millwood. Tension lingered for several weeks. Laird seemed to never recover.

"We just got off on the wrong foot," Laird said. "But by the second half of the season, he understood me and I understood him."

Laird finished hitting .227, a drop of nearly 70 points from 2006. By the end of the season, he was splitting the catching job with Saltalamacchia. Laird's .627 OPS (on-base-plus-slugging percentage) ranked 92nd among 94 AL players with at least 400 at-bats.

Washington met with Laird in Arlington last month to make sure the air was clear. He's also said he will give new catching instructor Matt Walbeck more autonomy to communicate with Laird and Saltalamacchia. Laird, Saltalamacchia and prospect Taylor Teagarden all attended Walbeck's informal minicamp in Arizona last month.

The Rangers have also communicated clearly with Saltalamacchia, who struggled last year with multiple hurdles. In addition to jumping from Double-A to the majors, he was traded and split time between catcher and first base. In December, though, he was told he'd be a full-time catcher in 2007. The Rangers just didn't say whether that would be in the majors or not.

"Catching is something I know," Saltalamacchia said. "There was a lot to learn last year. I know what I have to do and I know how to do it. I've just got to go out and play the game."



- Nebraska Offensive Coordinator Shawn Watson on the 2008 offense.



Watson: Offensive meetings full of 'creative discussions'
BY BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON / Lincoln Journal Star
Friday, Feb 15, 2008 - 12:46:59 am CST

Class is in session. They gather in the mornings usually, five guys with the shared opinion that a dry-erase board looks best when cluttered with Xs and Os.

Since the craziness of last football recruiting season has ended, Nebraska offensive coaches now have time to actually sit together in the same room, football ideas bouncing around the table, the marker board seeing plenty of use.

“A lot of creative discussions,” Nebraska offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said.

It is only February, but spring football is less than six weeks away — not much time for an offensive staff that just came together in December.

The coaches come to the table with different perspectives, sure. Running backs coach Tim Beck has insightful background on the spread offense after his recent experiences at Kansas. Tight ends coach Ron Brown was at Nebraska in the days when option football permeated the playbook. And offensive line coach Barney Cotton brings the flavor of past offensive coordinator experience.

Then there’s receivers coach Ted Gilmore and Watson, the remaining coaching pieces from last year’s offense that finished 11th in the country. They come heavy with information about the West Coast offense, the label attached to Nebraska’s offense under Bill Callahan the past four years.

But when talking about what Nebraska’s offense will become next fall, Watson would rather stay clear of labels.

“We’re not going to be a spread offense, that’s not the deal,” Watson said. “But that’s the beautiful thing about the Nebraska offense. We’re not going to be West Coast, we’re not going to be spread. Those terms are overused by everybody. We’re going to be the Nebraska offense. We’re going to be multiple, balanced and use the field, make the defense defend the field and defend us formationally.”

One might think that the varying offensive backgrounds of Nebraska’s new assistants could make it difficult for them to get on the same page, but Watson said that’s not the case.

“There hasn’t been any obstacles because of the caliber of people I’m working with,” he said. “Everybody has been great around the table in terms of helping to tweak and develop that vision for where I’d like to see us go based on our people.”

During the meetings, Watson said coaches talk through every play, going through every position’s assignment in detail. The coaches talk about why they’d use certain offensive structures, why they’d use certain audibles and how they’d conduct those audibles to make sure the right play was in place.

At some point, the play gets diagrammed on the board, “and then it’s always reinforced by watching it on film,” Watson said. “And when you watch it on film, there’s a reinforcement that comes with it, because you’re seeing the principle being executed on film.”

So far Husker offensive coaches have focused on the running game. Next week Watson anticipates moving the discussion along to the passing game.

Although Brown had been out of coaching four years, the learning curve hasn’t been as difficult as some may think. The terminology may be different, but as Brown said, many basic principles in football stay the same no matter the scheme.

As for the various coaching backgrounds in the meeting room, Brown thinks it only helps.

“Tim Beck may have a slight adjustment about how he did things and that becomes a great idea,” Brown said. “Or Barney maybe will suggest a little different thing here on the line.”

There’s also been talk about simplifying the offense some, Brown said. Watson has said in the past that he’d like to simplify parts while still having multiplicity in the offense’s formation looks, always built around his personnel.

Said Brown: “As a coach, you can really get the players saturated with volumes of knowledge, and more plays and more ideas. But there’s a point of diminishing return.

“There’s a point where a very smart football coach can become too smart for himself and not be able to teach things well to players, where they don’t get enough repetitions.”

Last year, the Huskers were seventh in the country in pass offense (323.8 yards-per-game) and 66th in rushing (144.4).

A bad defense and big deficits were major reasons for those stats being slanted in such a manner. “It’s not fair to talk about last year,” Watson said on the topic of the running game. “You got to throw that out, just situationally.”

Watson believes he’s got the personnel there this fall to be a strong running team, but also a team that brings great physical presence be it a run or pass play.

“And that has nothing to do with plays, it has everything to do with heart,” he said.

“And we feel like our No. 1 mission is to coach that type of effort and create that type of desire to be that type of offense, to be able to take the will of another team just because you’re so relentless in what you do.”