?????????

- So you say quotes like these....."He knows how to finish games," Johnson proclaimed, "and that's what we're looking for." And then you proceed to bench him in the final half minute of the 4th quarter down by a score. And then losing his cool during that whole JET/Bowen incident, which propelled San Antonio on a 13-1 run that put them right back in the game. And of course all of the suspensions and outcoaching that has gone on during the last 2 playoff runs. Avery's grace under fire is starting to come into question with me. Things like this are what make him puzzling to me at times.

- A guy you got for his mental toughness and late game intelligence is useless to you if he's sitting next to Avery on the bench. Why even make the trade? Isn't this the guy you traded for to get easy shots for players at the end of games? Just ridiculous.

- And I don't buy the "he hasn't been here for late game situations before, so we wanted guys out there who have" crap. When's he going to learn? On the road in game 2 of the 1st round? Why not start building that chemistry now before the friggin playoffs? Good gosh.

- Bruce Bowen is a punk. That guy makes up for a lack of athetlicism and legs with the most blatant clutching, grabbing, elbowing, etc of any player in the league. And then does the "what did I do?" dumb face afterwards, just like Raja Bell. I wish Josh Howard or Stackhouse would just give him a forearm shiver to the head and be done with it.

- All in all, I felt good about the game. Michael Finley and Bowen are not going to go 10-17 (5-9 from 3 pt) every game. And I still don't think Tony Parker is all that healthy. His usual deadly 18 footer was missing. He can still drive, but that jumper that makes him unguardable, is lacking this year. And Avery isn't going to go braindead and leave the best PG of his generation on the sidelines when you need him most in the 4th quarter. At least I hope he won't.



- Marc Stein.....



Avery Johnson's Decision To Shelve Kidd Puzzling

By Marc Stein
ESPN.com

Five games.

Or make that four games and one TNT Thursday showdown in San Antonio that had an undeniable playoffs-in-February kind of feel.

Either way . . .

It didn't even take two weeks for Mavericks coach Avery Johnson to make us question why he pushed for the Jason Kidd trade.

Not even two weeks to register fresh doubts that Johnson's ego can prevent him from overthinking or overtaking the game or that he's really ready to relinquish control of his offense to a veteran point guard who doesn't need to be micromanaged.

In just the fifth game of Kidd's Dallas rebirth, Johnson stunningly and inexplicably benched Kidd for the Mavs' final two possessions in crunch time against their biggest rival. Two possessions, spanning nearly 35 seconds.

That's the same Kidd who Dallas worked so hard to bring back because, in Johnson's words, this team needed someone after those playoff collapses against Miami and Golden State who "knows how to finish games."

On this night, though, it looked as if Dallas' own Lil' General had already forgotten the new game plan. With the Mavs down two points in the final minute of a certifiable thriller that they wound up losing 97-94, Johnson came out of two straight timeouts with a play call that -- unfathomable as it sounds -- he thought would work better without Kidd's involvement.

Both calls were from the Mavs' catalog of trusted isolation plays, designed to get Dirk Nowitzki to attack the Spurs' defense from the middle of the floor. Johnson explained afterward that he wanted to make sure Nowitzki was surrounded by shooters after catching the ball to discourage San Antonio from double-teaming, leading him to hold Kidd out because he feared Spurs coach Gregg Popovich surely would have ordered Kidd's defender to immediately double Nowitzki.

Yet there are at least three major flaws in that thinking.

1. Kidd has never been a shooter. You can't trade for Jason Kidd to be your ace closer and then worry about his shooting. Kidd actually said earlier this week that Dirk has been "helping me with my shot," but it's not going to improve fast enough to prevent this from being an issue in every playoff game Dallas plays. The solution? You trust Kidd's resume as a closer, put him in pick-and-roll situations with Nowitzki at game's end and thus give your trade maximum opportunity for success as it was conceived.

2. Johnson himself has likened the Mavs' final 20-odd games to a learning-on-the-fly training camp. So why would you delete Kidd from the exact situation that you, as head coach, described as his specialty just days earlier?

3. When the Mavs came up with offensive rebounds after two Nowitzki misses in that final half-minute, they ended up with a busted play to decide things. But instead of a Kidd/Nowitzki pick-and-roll for the Mavs to force overtime or win it, their combo was Jason Terry and Nowitzki. You saw the result.

Nowitzki did get open briefly on the screen/roll, but Terry couldn't get the ball to him. Nor could Terry avoid getting his shot blocked in the lane, sealing Dallas' defeat.

Meanwhile . . .

The veteran who has the ability to make something out of nothing -- Kidd -- was rooted to the bench for that sequence as opposed to having the ball in his hands to try to slip it to Nowitzki or find a shooter in the corner like Jerry Stackhouse (or, say, Terry) for a clean look. Worse yet: Dallas' first play Nowitzki for didn't work and Johnson declined again after a second timeout to send Kidd in, even though you always want a Kidd or Manu Ginobili making that decisive play -- whether or not they've been with the team long enough to know all the plays -- because so many last-second situations in the NBA turn into busted plays because of sophisticated defenses.

No one's suggesting Johnson was the Mavs' lone culprit Thursday night. Nowitzki couldn't convert his final jumper or a lefty drive after sinking a strongly contested J with 1:38 to play to make it 94-94. Terry missed a big free throw and a wide-open jumper of his own in crunch time and, whether or not he was provoked by the Spurs' Bruce Bowen, earned himself a costly technical foul that triggered Dallas' loss of composure in the third quarter as soon as the visitors had seized a 10-point lead.

It wasn't Kidd's best night, either, even before he wound up as a spectator. He was actually better defensively on Ginobili than he was at his preferred end, credibly pestering one of the league's hottest players but totaling just seven points on 3-for-10 shooting, four rebounds and 10 assists while struggling somewhat to impose himself in the halfcourt when the pace slowed in the fourth quarter.

Yet none of that can make sense of Johnson's reasoning in this one. Kidd was a diplomat in his postgame address -- telling reporters in San Antonio that "I understand and support my coach's decision" essentially since he's a newcomer -- but pulling Kidd would have been just as mind-boggling had the Mavs pulled out a victory.

As discussed in this cyberspace on multiple occasions already my only skepticism regarding the wisdom of parting with five players, two first-round picks and $3 million to reacquire Kidd -- as well as the extra $11 million it'll cost Mavs owner Mark Cuban this season after his first trade with New Jersey collapsed -- was Avery-related. As in: Will Avery ever really be able to restrain his controlling instincts and relinquish lead decision-maker status offensively?

Now that's only one of the questions confronting Johnson entering Game 6 of the new Kidd Era at home Friday against Sacramento. You inevitably wonder what sort of messages Avery transmitted to Kidd, when they're just building a relationship, by holding him out of a such a high-profile finish on national TV.

If you're an optimist, by contrast, perhaps you're wondering whether Dallas can come out of all this unexpectedly fortunate, based on the idea that such an ill-conceived coaching decision happening so soon after the trade will generate such an outcry in Big D that Johnson winds up backing off faster than expected.

In the interim?

This might be remembered as the first Thursday on record that the studio assessment of TNT's Charles Barkley was met with near-unanimous approval:

"There's no sense in making the Jason Kidd trade," Barkley said, "if they're not going to play him in crunch time."



- David Moore on the decision.



Kidd not in it to help win it for Dallas Mavericks

That's because Avery took him off the court for final 34.5 seconds


08:58 AM CST on Friday, February 29, 2008

SAN ANTONIO – Watching the end of Thursday's game, I flashed back to something Avery Johnson said less than 10 days ago when Jason Kidd was welcomed back to Dallas.

The Mavericks coach paid tribute to Kidd like everyone else. He raved about the point guard's leadership and his ability to make big plays when they're needed most.

"He knows how to finish games," Johnson proclaimed, "and that's what we're looking for."

I guess Johnson was looking for something else Thursday night.

Down by two with 34.5 seconds left, Kidd was pulled and replaced by Jerry Stackhouse. One of the best players of his generation was reduced to a cheerleader in the final, fateful seconds of this loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

Maybe Kidd's presence wouldn't have made a difference. We'll never know. But by asserting his control at the end of the game, Johnson took the game out of Kidd's talented hands. For this to work, Johnson must learn to trust Kidd in a way he never did Devin Harris.

The irony is if this trade had not been made, Johnson likely would have had Harris on the floor at the end of Thursday's game.

The Mavericks did manage to squeeze off three shots in that final sequence. Forward Dirk Nowitzki missed two of them. Jason Terry missed the last one.

Nowitzki has been positively giddy since Kidd's arrival. He wasn't so giddy in the aftermath of this game. Was Nowitzki surprised that Kidd wasn't on the floor?

"You have to talk to coach about that," Nowitzki said.

Good idea.

What about it, coach?

"We were looking at spreading the floor with all of our shooters in the game," Johnson said. "We wanted to put Stack and Josh [Howard] and Jet [Terry], and that gave Dirk some more room to operate in those situations.

"Our spacing was good, and that is what we were doing on that particular one."

Spacing? I'd argue Johnson spaced out. The four shooters that surrounded Nowitzki on the final possession were a combined 2-of-9 in the fourth quarter.

Now, if Johnson had said that Kidd hasn't been around long enough to run the play he wanted at the end, I might understand that. Might.

"We had a couple of breakdowns there in the fourth," Johnson said. "We talked about a lot of different things. Then he had a chance to take a look at it. Jet and Dirk made some plays for us.

"Again, we just wanted to give Dirk a little bit more space. He got the space. A couple of shots just didn't go down."

Kidd doesn't walk on water. But he should at least walk on the court at the end of a tight game.

Kidd has already altered the identity of this team with his passing. But if he is to put his stamp on the Mavericks, if he does rescue this team from its postseason meltdowns of the past two seasons, it will be by what he does at the end of highly competitive games like the one played here Thursday.

"I support that move," Kidd said. "I feel like they've had that team together down the stretch. They understand the play they're looking for. And so, I'm over there cheering for my guys to knock down a two or a three."

Still, Kidd takes great pride in his ability to make plays that win games. He had to be discouraged that he wasn't in there to pull the trigger.

"I wasn't discouraged," Kidd said. "I understand and support my coach's decision. That will happen."

It shouldn't happen too often.

Kidd was only 3-of-8 from the field. He hit only one shot in the second half.

But as everyone knows, Kidd isn't special because of his shot. He had 10 assists against the Spurs, and Johnson did praise his defense on Manu Ginobili.

That's nice. But when the Mavericks' braintrust discussed the reasons to make this trade, I doubt much time was spent on Kidd's defensive prowess against Ginobili. The trade was made to give them a leader on the floor at the end of close games.

"He's going to help us because at the end of games, he just knows how to win," Johnson said at the news conference when Kidd was introduced.

Too bad Johnson didn't remember his own words Thursday.




- Another viewpoint from San Antonio's Buck Harvey.



Buck Harvey: Still the same in Dallas - Johnson can't let go

Web Posted: 02/29/2008 12:30 AM CST

San Antonio Express-News

Avery Johnson coached for the first time in his career with his No. 6 in the rafters. Maybe that explains why he all but wore the jersey.
Maybe that explains why the former point guard subbed out his Hall of Fame point guard. He took control of the floor just as he always did before here.

But nothing explains this.

In the final seconds, Johnson sat down the one the Mavericks traded their future for, the instinctive winner brought in to make everyone forget past playoff chokes, the 35-year-old who has played in a few last-second moments before.

No. 6 sat down No. 2 in the Dallas program and No. 1 on Mark Cuban's payroll. Jason Kidd.

Kidd did play 35 minutes with his customary 10 assists, and he changed the look of the Mavericks. But his appearance didn't change the look of the rivalry. Squint, and this was the 2006 playoffs all over again.

Tim Duncan rolled to the basket for 31 points, albeit without plantar fasciitis. Jason Terry had some anger issues. And Michael Finley again gave Cuban his money's worth.

Then there was Dirk Nowitzki. As it was then, he was unguardable.

The Spurs tried five different defenders on him, and Nowitzki's jerky cleverness created 21 free throws. In Game 3 of the 2006 series Nowitzki attempted more free throws (24) and made more (21) than anyone in Dallas playoff history.

The Spurs protested several calls Thursday night while they clawed at him, and the Mavericks had the right to think Nowitzki should have had a few more. On a late drive it appeared Tony Parker grabbed him.

But as it also was two years ago, Johnson couldn't let that go, either. Afterward he said the game had "shifts for several reasons."

Asked what those reasons were, he answered, "Watch the tape."

Johnson mentioned Parker's tug, and he added an Erick Dampier foul on Duncan. Dampier has his "hands straight up," Johnson said.

Maybe he's right on all of it. But on a night when Nowitzki shot just one fewer free throw than all of the Spurs combined, should officiating be his beef?

If anything, his players should be the ones with a complaint. With 34.5 seconds left, Duncan threw in two free throws after the Dampier "hands straight up" foul. Down by that difference, Johnson called time.

In came Jerry Stackhouse. Out came Kidd.

Just nine days ago, in the wake of the trade, Johnson saw Kidd going in the opposite direction. "He knows how to finish games," Johnson said then, "and that's what we're looking for."

Gregg Popovich compares Kidd to Manu Ginobili, and there were other similarities Thursday. Ginobili, on his way to missing 14 shots, had Kidd's touch.

Popovich naturally sees these two in the best terms. He called Kidd "fearless," and he said he has the "same juice" as Ginobili. "They would have been great warriors in the middle ages," Popovich said.

Kidd is nearly old enough to have played then, so he wouldn't be stumped by whatever sets the Mavericks run. Johnson, too, said his newness to the team wasn't why he benched him.

Instead, Johnson said, "We wanted to spread the floor and give Dirk more room to operate."

That's not illogical strategy. Popovich does the same when trying to free Duncan and, again, Kidd is a notoriously poor shooter.

But if Johnson felt this way, the Mavericks should have never made this trade. The deal cost Dallas both a young talent in Devin Harris and a lot of Cuban's money.

Johnson didn't feel this way when Dallas made the trade, of course. "He's going to help us, because at the end of games he just knows how to win," Johnson gushed on at the time. "A big steal, a big block, a big rebound, big three, his penetration."

The Mavericks shot three times in those final 34.5 seconds, and on the final time there was penetration. But Terry was the one who made it, and Bruce Bowen blocked his shot.

Kidd has spent a career specializing in these kinds of broken plays.

So why didn't Johnson let him?

He couldn't help himself. Going back to his days in San Antonio, No. 6 was always most comfortable being in charge.




- Devin makes his debut. I watched this game in between the Stars and the Mavs. He looked just like he always does. Very fast, driving to the basket, staying with quick point guards on defense. All in all, doing very good things, just like he did here.

- But there was one thing I noticed....Now that I've watched Kidd for 4 games, and then seeing Harris again for the 1st time. I underestimated the instincts and general point guard intelligence that Kidd brings. Harris, for all the good that he brings, and all the things I hated giving up, doesn't even come close. The way he runs the point and the way Kidd runs the point, it's night and day.

- Harris is a bad to average-team point guard and is not a clutch time, get your teammates an open shot kind of guy. He's a flow of the game effective point guard. Kidd's ability to make his teammates better and his ability to get players good looks in crunch time, sets him apart. And I came to this realization after watching them both last night. Even though Kidd never got that opportunity.



By Chris Sheridan
ESPN.com
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Perhaps 3,000 fans were still hanging around with 2 minutes left when the chant began.

"De-vin Har-ris. De-vin Harris," it went, sung to the same sing-songy cadence they use across the Hudson River when they're calling for the firing of Isiah Thomas.

"Took me back to college. Haven't heard that since I left Wisconsin," Harris said after making an outstanding debut for the New Jersey Nets, hitting his first six shots and scoring 16 of his team-high 21 points in less than nine minutes of first-half playing time.

Harris entered with the game tied 22-22, and by the time he left the Nets were ahead 50-35 and well on their way to a 120-106 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. The 120 points represented a season-high for the Nets, and their 25 fast-break points tied a season high.

"When you have a 'push' point guard, it inspired everyone else to push," Nets coach Lawrence Frank said. "Devin was obviously a game-changer."

The game had the feel of a new beginning for the Nets, who had been waiting for Harris' ankle to heal and had not yet used him since acquiring him in the Jason Kidd trade over the All-Star break.

Harris had a three-point play and buried a long 3-pointer shortly after checking into the game for the first time, and his second 3 just over three minutes into the second quarter capped a 20-5 run that brought a feel-good vibe to the building and put the Nets in control for good.

"The Devin made me do it!" over-the-top public address announcer Garry Sussman screamed into the microphone (Sussman also called DeSagana Diop "The Big Dioper" at one point) after Harris dunked 10 seconds into the fourth quarter, and by the end of the quarter the same fans who started the Devin Harris chant were holding up their thundersticks to spell out the new point guard's first name.

"It's kind of a new start here, and I'm kind of letting it all out of the bag," Harris said. "I couldn't have scripted it any better."

Harris seemed genuinely surprised and delighted by the chant, saying the last time he had heard such a thing he was playing at home for Wisconsin against Minnesota, trying to eclipse Michael Finley's single-game school scoring record of 40.

"I missed it, just like I missed my last shot tonight," Harris said, frowning.

That, however, was the only frown to cross Harris' face on a night when his debut for his new team couldn't have gone much better.



- Stars keep rocking, finish the month 12-2, a franchise record. Brad Richards is unbelievable. He has the skate speed, vision, and passing skills of Modano, the 2 way skills of Lehtinen, and the defensive skills of any of the best defenseman the Stars have. He's just as advertised. And his transition into the team was seamless and painless. 5 assists in his debut.



Richards relentless as Dallas Stars rout Chicago

02:53 AM CST on Friday, February 29, 2008
By MIKE HEIKA / The Dallas Morning News
mheika@dallasnews.com

As debuts go, Brad Richards' was, well, perfect.

The Dallas Stars' blockbuster trade deadline acquisition tied the franchise record – and set a personal best – for assists in a game, recording five to help lead the Stars to a 7-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night at a sold-out American Airlines Center.

"Maybe I shouldn't have done that," Richards joked when asked about elevated expectations.

No, no, this is exactly why the Stars brought him in.

This is exactly why they sent Mike Smith, Jussi Jokinen and Jeff Halpern to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

This is exactly why they took on Richards' hefty salary, which will count $7.8 million against the salary cap for the next three seasons.

This is exactly why they decided to mess with the chemistry of a team that was winning.

Because it gives Dallas the chance to get better.

Stars coach Dave Tippett played Richards on a line with Niklas Hagman and Antti Miettinen, and Hagman responded with the first hat trick of his career. He left Mike Modano on a checking line with Steve Ott and Jere Lehtinen, and Modano finished with a goal and an assist.

Tippett rolled four lines, and the passing seemed infectious as the Stars danced around an outmanned Chicago team that had played the night before against Phoenix.

"That's certainly how you'd like to draw it up," veteran forward Stu Barnes said of the start of the Richards era. "When you bring in a player like that and you get a rhythm in your game and you're rolling lines, the confidence does really spread throughout the team.

"It is just one game, and you don't want to get too excited, but hopefully this is a glimpse of what we can be."

The Stars improved to 41-22-5 (87 points) and continue to chase Detroit for the NHL's best record. Dallas has won 13 of its last 15 games and finished with 12 wins in February – the most in one month in franchise history. These are heady times for the Stars.

"We brought in an elite player, and he is going to make us better," Modano said.

Marty Turco had an unspectacular game in net, allowing three third-period goals, but that was after Dallas had built a 5-1 lead on some spectacular offensive plays.

Richards' first assist came in transition, as he took a pass entering the offensive zone and then put a perfect 40-foot pass onto Hagman's stick at the doorstep. Modano then grabbed a loose puck and whipped in an unassisted wrister for the second goal.

Richards stole a puck at the defensive blue line and fed Miettinen, who made a brilliant pass back to Hagman for the third goal. Brenden Morrow faked a slap shot before feeding the puck across the ice to Loui Eriksson for the Stars' fourth goal.

Richards made a stunning fake to Hagman on the rush before feeding a trailing Trevor Daley for the fifth goal. Richards found Hagman in the slot for a quick redirection for the sixth goal. And Richards passed through the box on a 5-on-3 power play for the seventh goal.

There were no flukes in this game. The Stars earned all seven goals with beautiful plays.

"Talent and skill guys never have a hard time adjusting," Tippett said. "If anything, they raise their level, and other players try to get to that level."

Of course, now the expectations will be sky-high for Richards. But, heck, it's not like he needs to get five assists every game.

"I was so nervous and I wanted to fit in so badly," Richards said. "I know it's going to get harder. I just have to keep playing hard. There's a good thing going here, and I hope we can keep it up."



- Kinsler the Rangers' 2008 lead off man?



Texas Rangers consider leading off with Kinsler

09:41 PM CST on Thursday, February 28, 2008
By EVAN GRANT / The Dallas Morning News
egrant@dallasnews.com

TEMPE, Ariz. – Ian Kinsler hit leadoff in the Rangers’ intrasquad game. He hit leadoff against a left-hander in the exhibition opener. He hit leadoff against Los Angeles right-hander Ervin Santana on Thursday.

See a pattern developing? You bet.

The Rangers are thinking about using Kinsler exclusively as the leadoff hitter this season rather than have him platoon at the spot as he did with Frank Catalanotto for the second half of last year.

“There’s a chance of that,” manager Ron Washington said Thursday. “I didn’t think of Ian as the prototypical leadoff guy last year, but he changed my mind. We’ll just wait and see what happens. I’m not going to make up my mind after one or two games.” Against a right-hander on Thursday, Catalanotto dropped to seventh in the batting order. If the Rangers go with Kinsler in the leadoff spot in the regular season, its likely Catalanotto might drop another spot since that lineup is expected to include Milton Bradley.

Such an alignment would also allow the Rangers to shuffle fewer pieces when Catalanotto does not play. Whoever starts in his place could easily slide into the eighth spot. When Catalanotto doesn’t start, he could be replaced by another left-handed hitter, David Murphy, or by a number of outfielders vying for the final spot on the club: Nelson Cruz, Kevin Mench, Jason Botts or Chris Shelton. Washington used 139 different lineups last year and no lineup spent more than five games together. Washington would like a more regular lineup this season.

“I think it’s an advantage if a guy knows pretty much every single day where he’s going to be,” Washington said. “If it happens that we have something we can stick with regularly this year, we’ll stick with it.”

Kinsler got only six leadoff opportunities before suffering a stress fracture in his foot in late June. By the time he returned, however, the Rangers had traded Kenny Lofton and the club used a platoon of Catalanotto and Kinsler. Kinsler hit .275 in 20 games in the leadoff spot, but had a .408 on-base percentage. Los Angeles’ Chone Figgins was the only full-time leadoff man with a higher OBP (.415).

What will determine whether Kinsler hits in the spot full-time is likely to be his plate-discipline and his OBP. Thursday, in three official plate appearances, he saw 15 pitches, going 2-for-3. He took all three at-bats to two strikes.

“I want to hit leadoff,” Kinsler said. “I want to be a table setter. But I know if you are going to hit leadoff, you’ve got to be willing to hit with two strikes. I’m normally an aggressive hitter, but you’ve got to be a little more patient when you hit leadoff. I’m pretty comfortable hitting with two strikes.”

The Rangers’ plan and Kinsler’s desire seem to be of no issue to Catalanotto. He said where he hits in the lineup is of no concern to him. Catalanotto has at least 100 career at-bats at five different spots in the lineup. He is a .280 hitter (.357 OBP) for 100 at-bats in the eighth spot; a .271 hitter (.327 OBP) in the seventh spot.

“Whatever they want to do, it’s no skin off my back,” Catalanotto said. “Whatever [Washington] thinks is the best lineup for this team, I’m comfortable with.”

For the first couple of days of spring, it looks like the Rangers are most comfortable with Kinsler at the top of the lineup.

Old-timers' day: Former Rangers Mark McLemore and Rusty Greer have joined the team for morning workouts as guest instructors and will be on hand for four days. It’s not sure how their time will be divided between instruction, counseling and reliving memories. Greer said his main baseball goal was to take batting practice while here. “We’ll have some conversations with some of the younger guys who haven’t experienced winning in Texas. We’ll just be around in case anybody has any questions.”

Briefly: Owner Tom Hicks still had not finalized the details on the contract for new President Nolan Ryan or for the contract extension for GM Jon Daniels Thursday afternoon. It’s still possible, Hicks could get the finalities taken care of before he leaves Arizona this afternoon. Ryan is likely to get a contract of three or more years and Daniels’ extension will put give him the same security as Ryan. Daniels is currently signed through 2009. .. Hicks said the club still has no interest in free agent DH-OF Barry Bonds. Hicks said the Rangers want “character” players only.



- Another Josh Hamilton piece...



No guarantees on Texas Rangers' Hamilton, but he's worth risk

02:39 AM CST on Friday, February 29, 2008

TEMPE, Ariz. – Talk to anyone wearing Rangers blue at spring training and they'll tell you the same thing about Josh Hamilton.

They'll talk about his moon shots during BP. And the easy way he covers ground in center field. They'll talk about his speed and how he's fitting nicely into the Rangers clubhouse.

Then, each and every one of them will tell you how he's blessed with every attribute a baseball player could want. Some of them will even tell you he's the most talented player they've ever seen.

All of that begs the question: Why in the world did Cincinnati trade him for a box of Cocoa Puffs?

His drug problems are well-documented, but the cynic in me figured there had to be more to it than that. Frankly, the question has been nagging me since the Rangers acquired the multitalented outfielder.

Perhaps you're one of those people who think Edinson Volquez will become a solid member of Cincinnati's rotation after going 3-11 with a 7.20 ERA in 17 career starts with the Rangers. By the way, batters hit .329 against him over three seasons with Texas.

To be fair, he was much better last season, going 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA in six starts. We can debate just how good Volquez will eventually become, but there couldn't possibly be anyone walking around the Reds clubhouse calling him a stud. Or saying he can be one of baseball's best pitchers.

But you do hear plenty of folks in the Rangers' organization – players, coaches and front-office types – saying Hamilton has the ability to be one of the game's best. So I spent the bulk of Thursday trying to figure out why the Reds let him go.

Here's what my research has revealed.

The Reds actually consider themselves contenders in the National League Central, which is why they hired Dusty Baker as manager. You don't shell out the cash Baker commands for yet another last-place finish.

To compete, the Reds needed starting pitching. Getting teams to part with quality young pitchers is next to impossible these days. Usually, the best you can do is getting a team to trade a flawed pitcher with potential.

Volquez certainly fits into that category, which is why Texas was willing to deal him and why the Reds were eager to acquire him.

The Reds also felt comfortable trading Hamilton because they already have Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn in the outfield, and Baseball America considers outfielder Jay Bruce the game's No. 1 prospect. Obviously, he's going to need somewhere to play.

There were also whispers that some in the Reds clubhouse weren't enamored with some of the special treatment Hamilton receives as part of his support to ensure he doesn't have any substance abuse issues.

Finally, the Reds figured Hamilton, the first player selected in the 1999 draft, would never have more value than he did this off-season after hitting .292 with 19 home runs and 47 RBIs in just 90 games and 298 at-bats.

He missed some games with a hamstring injury, and there were legitimate concerns about whether the years of drug use would make him more susceptible to injury because of how much he had abused his 6-4, 235-pound sculpted body.

You can't really argue with any of that, but the Reds' decision to bail on him might eventually make up for general manager Jon Daniels not acquiring Josh Beckett when he had the chance.

Hamilton, batting second Thursday against the Angels, had a two-strike triple down the right-field line that drove in a run. He also singled to right on a hit-and-run, moving the runner to third.

But it was his bouncer back to the pitcher in his second at-bat that shows his mentality as a player.

With Ian Kinsler on second and none out, Hamilton slapped the first pitch back to the mound. Hamilton was easily thrown out, while failing to move Kinsler to third.

It was the epitome of a poor at-bat. The positive: Hamilton knew it and admitted it.

"I was trying to get the runner over, and he threw me a sinker," Hamilton said. "I should have let it go. They weren't going to pitch me inside in that situation, so I should have just taken that pitch and hit it to left center.

"I talked to Rudy [Jaramillo] about it, but that's what spring training is all about. It's about getting experience and making adjustments and seeing what works and what doesn't."

There are no guarantees Hamilton will be a terrific player – even for a short period – but you must admit he has a better chance of being a big-time player than Volquez.



- Stole this from the Sturminator.


- You insulted him a little bit.

All in

- Wonderful change of pace move for the Stars yesterday. With one trade, Tom Hicks gained some cred back with me.

- Although I know all he had to do with it was say 1 word, "yes". But that 1 word is the final deciding vote, and he allowed it.

- I love the all-in attitude, but there was also a touch of forward thinking in it as well. They're set up with 2 very effective scoring lines, a stable of young defenseman, and Turco for the next 4-5 years. This was a very un-Hicks like move, at least recent Tom Hicks.

- More reasons to love the trade -

1) Halpern never lived up to his potential while here, and was not getting much ice time. He was just a guy.
2) Jokinen is talented offensively, but really that isn't even evident unless you get him on a shootout or sometimes on a power play. His scoring numbers just weren't there this year. His build and style is not suited for the playoffs.
3) Losing Smith hurts, but you've made your bed with Turco and his contract. Tampa Bay had to get a goaltender back, that was their main goal at the deadline. Stars management is hoping Turco stays confident and repeats last year's playoff performance. You were also going to lose Smith at some point, he's destined to be a #1 goalie in this league soon, so why not get a top 10 player back?
4) You've now gotten younger and set up your future. Zubov, Modano, Lehtinen, etc aren't getting younger.
5) The salary sucks, but they're confident he'll be a top 10 player in the league for the length of the contract, and that will be worth the salary.
6) They didnt have to touch any of their top 8 players, their #1 goaltender, and none of their top defenseman. And they get back a former Finals MVP who is 26 years old.
7) They finally get a 2nd scoring line to complement Morrow and Ribeiro's line. In the playoffs, teams can shut down top lines. The teams that are most successful have secondary lines that they can rely on for goals.
8) Hull makes good on his promise to get a scorer to play alongside Mike Modano on that 2nd line.
9) He's as versatile as Jere Lehtinen, but 10 years younger and more skilled offensively. He can kill penalties, be a major player on the power play, can play defense, and do pretty much anything on the ice that they need.

- Wonderful move. The Stars are telling their players, coaches, and fans that we're in this bitch to win it. This year. And we're ready to take on the big salaries and the big talents in order to do it. Let's rock and roll.


Dallas Stars' move shows team's desire to win now

Never mind the long term, this move's all about '08 playoff run

02:53 AM CST on Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Brett Hull did what he set out to do when he landed the job of co-GM, finding a scorer to play with Mike Modano.

It came at a high price.

On the bright side, the Stars get Brad Richards, who is 27 and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP for Tampa Bay three years ago.

On the down side, they lost maybe the league's best backup goaltender in Mike Smith and one of the keys to their No. 1 penalty-killing ranking, checking center Jeff Halpern.

The Stars also lost Jussi Jokinen, who is mostly useful in shootouts and little else, and they got back Tampa Bay goaltender Johan Holmqvist, whose numbers aren't bad, but he isn't as good as Smith.

There are many ways to look at deadline deals in the NHL. This trade probably has more cons than pros, and yet it's something the Stars almost certainly needed to do in their desperation to advance in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Dallas has lost four straight series and cannot afford to alienate its skeptical fans with a fifth. From a 2008 playoff standpoint, this is a very, very good trade for Dallas. Here's why.

Smith is Marty Turco's backup. He has no real playoff value.

Jokinen, as stated, is a shootout specialist whose all-around game is not good. There are no shootouts in the postseason.

So from that standpoint, the Stars traded Halpern for Richards straight up. For one playoff run, you make that deal in a second.

But then there is next year and the next year and the next. Richards' contract averages $7.8 million. Nothing about his game suggests he is a $7.8 million player or anything close to it.

A year ago, Richards tied for 40th in NHL scoring. His minus-19 was second-worst on the Lightning.

This season, Richards' 51 points in 62 games have him tied for 49th in scoring. His minus-25 is the worst in the league.

Does that sound like an elite player?

Perhaps the change of scenery will restore his game. If it doesn't, the Stars have just taken a major salary hit in a league that does not allow teams to circumvent the cap as they do in others.

Hull said that going to owner Tom Hicks' office to discuss the financial commitment the trade would demand was a scary moment. "But when we laid it out for him what [Richards] can do for our team, Tom did what he always does. He said, 'Get it done,' " Hull said.

The potential of having a line of Richards, Modano and Jere Lehtinen to go with the team's top scoring line of Mike Ribeiro, Brenden Morrow and Loui Eriksson is reason enough for Stars' fans to get excited about this postseason.

The Stars already were a good scoring team before this trade. Now they are better.

It might be the move that energizes Modano, who has been stuck in a checking role most of the season, yet still is third on the team in scoring.

"Maybe he plays left wing on Modano's line, or maybe Modano plays wing on his line," Hull said. "Mike can keep playing as long as he wants, and when he's done, then we have Ribeiro and Richards as our 1-2 centers.

"For now, we have three quality centermen."

Although I think the Jason Kidd deal is a much easier trade for Mavericks fans to embrace than this deal is for Stars fans, there are similarities. I think both trades should make the teams more of a factor in very hotly contested Western Conference playoffs.

And, like the Mavs, I think the Stars instantly become a better offensive team and a weaker defensive one.

You have to give Hull and co-general manager Les Jackson a higher grade at the deadline than Doug Armstrong got for trading two No. 1 picks to get Ladislav Nagy and Mattias Norstrom.

But it's a move that has to pay off in April and May to not only deliver a message to the fans but convey a sense of accomplishment in the locker room that the Stars are once again a real factor in the West.


STARS' NEW ACQUISITIONS

BRAD RICHARDS
Position: Center/left wing

Born: May 2, 1980, in Murray Harbor, Prince Edward Island

Shoots: Left

Height, weight: 6-0, 198

Contract: Three years remaining at $7.8 million per year.

Notable: Drafted by Tampa Bay in the third round (64th overall) of the 1998 entry draft. Named to the NHL All-Rookie team in 2001. Named Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP and won the Lady Byng as the league's most gentlemanly player in 2004.

Brett Hull said: "He can play anywhere and fit into our lineup. He's a talented player and a great leader, and you can't have enough of that."


JOHAN HOLMQVIST
Position: Goalie

Born: May 24, 1978, in Tolfta, Sweden

Height, weight: 6-1, 198

Catches: Left

Contract: Remainder of this season at $1 million

Notable: Named MVP of the AHL playoffs in 2003. Drafted by the New York Rangers in the seventh round (175th overall) in 1997. Signed as an unrestricted free agent with Tampa Bay in 2006. Went 27-15-3 last season and earned the starting job. Is 20-16-6 this season as the Lightning's top goalie.

Brett Hull said: "Let's call a spade a spade, he's played in front of a pretty weak team defensively and has a winning record. I think he's a great goalie, and I hope that we have him here for more than just one year."


- More Commentary.

Western NHL teams use trades to jockey for position

11:49 PM CST on Tuesday, February 26, 2008

The NHL's Western Conference didn't quite follow the example set by the NBA last week, but it didn't fall that short.

Although Marian Hossa and Olli Jokinen stayed in the East, Dallas acquired former Conn Smythe Trophy winner Brad Richards, Colorado added future Hall of Famer Peter Forsberg and San Jose found the perfect fit in All-Star defenseman Brian Campbell. The moves have helped change the structure of the West this season. So here is one guess at who will be the favorites in the playoffs:

Anaheim: The Ducks made their moves by getting Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer out of retirement. Anaheim is well-rested and looking to peak right on time.

Detroit: The Red Wings' air of invincibility has been shattered by injuries and their potentially shaky goaltending. GM Ken Holland however, expressed his confidence in the current group by adding only defenseman Brad Stuart.

Dallas: The Stars still have some questions about chemistry, but Brad Richards adds a lot of playoff moxie. It never hurts to add a leader.

San Jose: The Sharks filled their most pressing need with Campell. The solid puck-mover, who eats up 25 minutes a game, should help every member of San Jose's thin defense by moving them each down a slot in the lineup.

Colorado: The Avalanche still has to battle to make the playoffs, but a power play with Forsberg, Joe Sakic, Ryan Smyth, Paul Stastny and Andrew Brunette has to be feared.

Calgary: Flames did nothing on Tuesday, but still have one of the conference's improving teams. GM Darryl Sutter wanted to trust this group.

Minnesota: Adding Chris Simon is a head-scratcher, unless the Wild believes it will have to outslug Anaheim at some point in time. Minnesota still is thin in the goal-scoring department.

Vancouver: Roberto Luongo is the ultimate equalizer, but the Canucks have to be disappointed they added nothing to their paper-thin lineup. The Sedins are good, but they needed help. Every Canucks fan has known this for two years.



- Richards can help Dallas Stars achieve goals

05:09 PM CST on Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Defense and goaltending has been the Dallas Stars' hallmark for years.

But without adding another proven goal-scorer this season, we knew they had no chance to realistically compete for the Stanley Cup.

Now they do.

Scoring by committee is fine, but in the playoffs, you need guys who understand how to put the puck in the net.

And that's what co-general managers Les Jackson and Brett Hull have done by acquiring Tampa Bay forward Brad Richards.

Now, it cost them quality in Mike Smith, Jussi Jokinen and Jeff Halpern. Each of those guys, however, was a role player with the Stars. Richards, who should be placed on Mike Modano's line, is not here to be a role player - not when he's scheduled to earn nearly $8 million this season.

The Stars expect Richards, the playoff MVP in 2004, to have his own marquee just like Modano, Mike Ribeiro, Brenden Morrow, Marty Turco and Sergei Zubov.

Richards has had a disappointing season with only 51 points in 62 games and owns a league-worst plus/minus rating of minus-25, but you can attribute some of that to playing on one of the league's worst teams. Joining the Stars should rejuvenate Richards and his game.

Detroit remains the favorite in the Western Conference – no doubt – but the Stars just moved closer to the Red Wings.




- Great 3rd period comeback. 15th win in 19 games. Stars win 3-1.



Eriksson scores twice as Dallas Stars beat Blues, 3-1

12:50 AM CST on Wednesday, February 27, 2008
By MIKE HEIKA / The Dallas Morning News
mheika@dallasnews.com

ST. LOUIS – Les Jackson said this week before the NHL trade deadline that one of the keys to the Dallas Stars' future success is protecting the kids and trusting the kids.

The Stars' co-general manager seems to have found another convert to his plan in Loui Eriksson. The 22-year-old forward was a pet project of Jackson's, as he has pushed all season to use Eriksson in key situations and allow him to develop by making mistakes.

Eriksson scored two third-period goals Tuesday in a 3-1 win over the St. Louis Blues and has five goals in his past three games.

"Confidence," Eriksson said, when asked what the difference in his game was. "I just feel confident, like I can make plays out there."

Eriksson has been moved to the top line with Mike Ribeiro and Brenden Morrow, and that has played a huge role in his resurgence.

"He's been playing very well defensively for a long time, and that's been a good sign," Stars coach Dave Tippett said. "I think that's helped his confidence. He's taking it one step at a time and he focused on an overall game, and that's leading to the opportunity to score some goals."

The Stars needed a spark Tuesday. The emotion of getting Brad Richards in a trade had not yet hit the room. Instead, the emotion was focused on losing goalie Mike Smith and forwards Jeff Halpern and Jussi Jokinen to Tampa Bay. Mix that with injuries to Nicklas Grossman (facial bruise) and Matt Niskanen (bruised foot), and the return from injury of Stu Barnes (eye), and Dallas had a patchwork lineup that was battling to find chemistry.

"It's a hard day," said forward Antti Miettinen. "You're losing good friends, and you wonder about yourself, too. There's a lot of emotion."

But for the Stars to overcome that emotion and find a way to win has to be a good sign. Dallas has won 12 of its last 14 games and is the hottest team in the league. It pushed its record to 40-22-5 (85 points) and is creeping up on slumping Detroit (90 points) for the best record in the NHL.
"We just seem to be in every game and find ways to win," said goalie Marty Turco. "I think it was good to get this day over with, and we'll just get back at it on Thursday."

Boucher plays: Philippe Boucher returned to the lineup after missing 38 games because of shoulder surgery.

"It's a process and it takes time," Boucher said of his quest to get back into top playing shape. "I'm ready, but I know I have to do some work to get back to where I need to be."

The Stars also called up Dan Jancevski and inserted him into the lineup. He will probably stay with the team.

Briefly: Tobias Stephan was recalled from the minors and served as the Stars backup goalie. ... Mike Ribeiro set a career high for assists with his 46th and 47th. ... Ribeiro has the most assists in the NHL since Jan. 1 with 25 in 27 games.



- Hammerin Hank is back.



Rebuilt Blalock back in Texas Rangers' lineup

Third baseman returns after surgery, ready to test improvements

12:42 AM CST on Wednesday, February 27, 2008
By EVAN GRANT / The Dallas Morning News
egrant@dallasnews.com

SURPRISE, Ariz. – The Texas Rangers will begin the exhibition season today with Hank Blalock back in the starting lineup at third base.

For the Rangers, this qualifies as a big moment. For Blalock, eh, not so much.

Yes, it will be the first time he has been back at the position since his arm blew up like a purple balloon last May. Yes, it will be the first game in which he gets to use the fielding and throwing refinements that he worked on daily during his rehab. But, dude, Blalock would say, it's no big deal.

"Honestly, I'm not champing at the bit to get out there and play third base to test it," Blalock, 27, said recently while downing a cup of instant oatmeal in the clubhouse. "I feel so far removed from the injury, it's like it never happened. I don't think about it at all. It will be like the next day after the last day I played there."

Perhaps. But only if that day took place on Venus, where they last about eight months.

Blalock last started at third May 15 against Tampa Bay in Orlando. In the third inning, he noticed his right arm felt "heavy." When he looked down, it was swollen and going from lavender to mauve by the minute.

His first thought: A blood clot. His second: "Man, they are going to have to cut my arm off."

It was not a blood clot. It was Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, a condition in which a rib presses against a nerve, artery or both, leading to poor blood flow. Within days, he had surgery to remove the rib. The surgeon also rerouted a nerve that had some scar tissue around it. Blalock was told he'd miss at least 12 weeks, maybe more.

The injury seemingly couldn't have come at a worse time for Blalock. He'd come to camp acknowledging his career was at a crossroads. His offensive performance had fallen slightly in 2005 and more dramatically in '06. He had become stiffer in the field, partly because of a partially torn rotator cuff that had impeded his throwing.


Worked on other things

But that's not how Blalock sees things. He confronts them straight on. When he realized he had a fear of heights, he booked a parasailing expedition. So when playing the game was taken from him last year, he said he looked for other ways to make progress.

"It was frustrating for two weeks because I couldn't do anything at all," Blalock said. "But the frustration wore off pretty quick. Once I could do more than lay on the couch, I said there is still a way to make myself better. I could work on improving my weaknesses and on making my strengths even better.

"I had always been the strong, healthy guy. What the injury did, I think, was make me want to be a better player."

That was the opening manager Ron Washington needed. Though Blalock was unable to hit or throw, he could work on his fielding. He, Washington and infield instructor Art Howe worked daily. Blalock worked on footwork, angles and the way he fielded balls to his backhand. Blalock admitted he had never had much confidence fielding balls to the backhand side and that he would either stab at those balls or short-arm them.

Washington taught a sweeping, attacking motion. It's the same motion that helped make Oakland's Eric Chavez a six-time Gold Glove winner while Washington was a coach with the A's.

During the latter stages of Blalock's convalescence, he also saw Washington working on similar technique with second baseman Ian Kinsler. Kinsler, who was on the disabled list for a month, returned as a better fielder.

"It's easier to buy into something when a guy has a résumé," Blalock said. "Once I started trusting the mechanics, it was simple. You do it right, you trust and the ball goes in the glove. I saw that with Kinsler. I saw that stuff first-hand. I bought it into 100 percent."

Said Washington: "I just think he found out how much he loved the game during the time he wasn't playing it."

More than a year ago, when he proclaimed himself ready to take the successful fork at the crossroads in his career, Blalock said he had matured. To demonstrate it, he first admitted he had become stubborn as a hitter, then turned himself over to hitting instructor Rudy Jaramillo for a makeover.


Proof in the results

Though Blalock didn't play a full season, he seemed to get results from the work. In 58 games last year (he returned as a DH in September), he had a .358 on-base percentage and .543 slugging percentage; both would have represented career highs over a full year. He returned from the injury to hit .313 in September with a .405 on-base percentage and also hit five home runs. He hadn't had that big a month since April 2006.

"His words are he wants to be a complete player," Washington said. "He doesn't necessarily feel like he has to prove anything to baseball, but he wants to prove something to himself."

Blalock can be a free agent after the season if the Rangers don't pick up his 2009 option for $6 million. Though he has switched agents to hard-lining Scott Boras, he said his contract status has nothing to do with his frame of mind.

"My contract is never going to be an issue about how I play the game," Blalock said. "This injury made me reflect back a little. I'd see guys make the same mistakes over the course of a series, and I'd say, 'How many times was I the guy who ran through the red lights and kept making mistakes? How many times did I let bad at-bats snowball?' I realized I needed to be smarter and more mature. I know I'm a better player."

And if he is, regardless how nonchalant Hank Blalock might be about his return, it is a very big deal for the Rangers.



- CJ Wilson in trouble in the locker room.



Texas Rangers closer in jam over blog entry

03:16 AM CST on Wednesday, February 27, 2008
By EVAN GRANT / The Dallas Morning News
egrant@dallasnews.com

SURPRISE, Ariz. – The exhibition season hasn't yet started, and already Texas Rangers closer C.J. Wilson has found himself in a jam.

In his own clubhouse.

Wilson recently made comments about his teammates' lack of political education in an ESPN.com article and then made subsequent posts on a Rangers-related blog that referred to the average major leaguer by an obscene remark. On Tuesday, teammates confronted him about the comments.

"I had a very direct talk with him," said shortstop Michael Young. Young declined to elaborate further on the conversation. Kevin Millwood and Frank Catalanotto were also among those who questioned him after several players whispered about the comments during Tuesday's workout.

In the ESPN.com article about players' indifference to the presidential election, Wilson was quoted as saying "it's frustrating" in reference to the lack of political discussion.

That sparked plenty of political conversation. Teammate Brandon McCarthy criticized the article in a lengthy post on lonestarball.com. Wilson, who posts on the blog under the name "blueglovelefty," added several posts, as well.

In response to McCarthy's post, Wilson offered praise for the commentary, but added: "Come on man you have to admit the median or average guy in a baseball clubhouse does drive an SUV, drinks beer, golfs, likes college sports, chews or dips tobacco and is relatively a [expletive]."

In a later post, on the same thread, Wilson also commented: "I'm paying taxes no matter who the president is, just please god not hillary."

By late Tuesday, all of Wilson’s posts had been removed from lonestarball.com.

Although players didn't argue their affinity for SUVs or golf, they did take exception with the derogatory description.

"I think if you are going to be online, you have to choose your words wisely," Catalanotto said. "And if you have something to say to someone, I think you should say that directly to them. Otherwise, it can misconstrued, even if it was meant in a joking manner. That doesn't come across on the Web. Hopefully, C.J. has learned his lesson. You can say something online that makes yourself or your teammates look bad."

Wilson, who also has his own blog, twice declined to comment on the matter Monday afternoon.

It is quickly becoming a tradition for Wilson to be involved in a bit of Web-based controversy during spring training. Last year, he posted a captured image from a movie scene on McCarthy's Myspace page that could have been interpreted as racially offensive. After that was highlighted, Wilson removed the picture and apologized.

Rangers officials have cautioned Wilson, who also has a contract with the club to help brand the team to the "hip" audience, about word choice on blogs and in forums.

Said general manager Jon Daniels: "I've spoken to him about his blogging in the past – using good judgment, what's appropriate and what's not – but not about this specifically. My understanding is the players are handling it themselves.

"We're a family, and it's important to handle things internally. I don't see much benefit in getting into it publicly. In this case, C.J. used poor judgment in what he wrote and that reflects poorly on him and by extension the team he represents."




- The love fest continues, Mavs get a backup center.....



Dallas Mavericks' Kidd, Nowitzki making a connection

Mavericks' superstars finding there's a lot in each other to admire

12:27 AM CST on Wednesday, February 27, 2008
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
esefko@dallasnews.com

Through four games, the Mavericks have been singing praises about Jason Kidd, that he's even more impressive as a teammate than he was as an opponent.

Turns out, the feeling is mutual.

Kidd has had a crash course in all things Mavericks, not the least of which is learning what makes Dirk Nowitzki one of the NBA's best scorers, and last season, an MVP.

Kidd got a close-up example when the team was in Minneapolis over the weekend.

"You hear whispers about his work ethic," Kidd said of Nowitzki. "Being on the other side, you can say, 'Yeah, OK.'

"But to see it in person, you just say, 'Wow.' That's what happened in Minnesota. I told him I wanted to shoot whenever he'd go because you hear about him going to work out all the time.

"It's a lot of fun in the sense that you just don't understand how hard he works at his game. That can only make me better and hungry, because if he puts in that kind of time, I need to do the same thing."

Kidd has had the good fortune of catching Nowitzki at his absolute best. The key question is whether it's a coincidence, but it doesn't seem likely. Since Kidd joined the Mavericks, Nowitzki has averaged 29 points and made better than 50 percent of his shots in all four games.

It's the first time all season he's had four consecutive games of making at least half his shots.

Nowitzki has credited Kidd. Kidd credits Nowitzki.

And you can envision the two of them on a deserted practice gym in frozen Minnesota and only think of one thing: It's reminiscent of all those hours Nowitzki and Steve Nash put in at dozens of gyms across America when they were teammates.

Those sweat sessions produced a beautiful relationship. And it sounds like Kidd and Nowitzki have established the foundation that could yield a similar bond.

"He's helped me from Day 1," Kidd said. "Going out to dinner in New Orleans, just talking basketball and working out in Minnesota. With everything else we're counting on him to do, that just shows his leadership and maturity."

And, of course, Nowitzki has been downright bubbly about the addition to Kidd. There are times when he still has to work hard for his shots. But mostly, he is getting easier looks at the basket.

And when he's pulling up for a 3-pointer, the confident look is back.

Nowitzki is 6-of-7 from beyond the arc in the Mavericks' three-game winning streak.

What has Kidd more intrigued, however, is another side of Nowitzki's game. In the first quarter against Chicago on Monday, Kidd hit Nowitzki with a pass on a fast break, and the 7-footer made a two-handed tip pass to Jerry Stackhouse.

The play ended up yielding no points as Nowitzki missed a fadeaway, but it was a terrific sign to Kidd.

"It's like everybody is passing the ball now and having fun," he said. "That's a huge key for this team. And with Dirk, passing is in him. He can find the open guy."

It is that unselfish nature that the Mavericks hope will be a pillar for success in this mutual-admiration society.


- Dallas Mavericks sign center Jamaal Magloire to 1-year deal

Center expected to be available when Mavs face Spurs on Thursday


01:11 AM CST on Wednesday, February 27, 2008
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
esefko@dallasnews.com

Center Jamaal Magloire became a Dallas Maverick on Tuesday after clearing waivers and signing a one-year contract for the veteran minimum of $1.03 million, which will be prorated.

The 6-11 former Kentucky standout is in his eighth NBA season. He was waived by the New Jersey Nets on Friday and should be in uniform when the Mavericks visit San Antonio on Thursday.

Although he played sparingly for the Nets, Magloire was a full-time starter with Milwaukee in 2005-06, when he averaged better than nine points and nine rebounds per game.

The Mavericks needed a backup big man behind Erick Dampier when DeSagana Diop was included in the trade for Jason Kidd.

The Mavericks still have one roster spot available and are holding that open in case either Brent Barry or Sam Cassell agrees to join them.

Briefly: With the exception of players who needed treatment for assorted injuries, the Mavericks had a full day off Tuesday. "The gym's closed," coach Avery Johnson said. ... In his first four games with the Mavs, Kidd is averaging 8.3 points, 11.3 assists and 6.8 rebounds, slightly different than the 11 points, 10.4 assists and 8.1 rebounds he was averaging with New Jersey. ... The Mavericks will host a watching party for Thursday's game against San Antonio at Dave & Buster's at Walnut Hill and Highway 75. Tip-off is 7 p.m.

Virus found

- In attendance for the Most Definitely's first game back as a Mav. Many thoughts....

- The AAC was as packed as I've seen it for a weekday game. There was a buzz in the arena normally reserved for playoff games or regular season games against Phoenix or San Antonio. Very good scene.

- And Kidd didn't disappoint. Had 3 assists immediately in the 1st quarter, running the break to perfection, distributing the ball, anticipating teammate's moves, and doing things at the point guard position like no one we've seen since he was here in the mid-90s.

- It's amazing how he gets the ball to where the player is going to be after they come off of a pick. Most PG's wait for the player to get through the pick and then pass. Kidd has the ball there waiting for them immediately. The split second that he's faster than most PG's is what makes him Jason Kidd.

- Dirk has looked ridiculously comfortable in the past 4 games. He's so much more efficient in his shot selection. He's driving the lane. Playing with passion and aggression. Another game with Kidd, another game shooting over 50%.

- Dampier also has picked up his game. He's more active in the offense due to Kidd, which has improved his aggression on both ends. He feels more involved in the team's success and his play is showing it. 16 boards and 7 blocks last night. Was an animal on defense.

- Stack looks like he's back to normal. Ran the floor very well, and even had a dunk.

- The whole team is gaining a cohesiveness that is hard to explain. Everyone is making the extra pass, taking good open shots, and generally having a good time it seems.

- Which brings me to the Virus of this thing. Josh Howard is something else. Easier if I number the things wrong with him.

1) He looks like he doesn't even want to be out there. He lackadasically hangs around the 3 point line when he's off the ball, and should he get the ball, it either immediately goes up or he takes a few dribbles, realizes he can't drive/dribble, and jacks up a shot. Either way, the shot is going up. We started making note of it every time he got the ball, how many times he passed it. Had to have been at an 80-85% clip of no passing. Also, only 3 rebounds????

2) His body language tells the entire tale with him. I would watch him when the play was away from him, or when a shot went up, and his lack of energy/passion was just alarming.

3) He's the only one out there who's being selfish with his game. He's not playing within the team's new philosophy.

4) Conspiracy theory - He's pissed off at management. Devin Harris was his boy, rumored to be his only friend on the team. It makes sense, since Harris is a prick, always whining on the court, and not very personable (as I've witnessed on multiple interviews). Well, you can also see that Howard has those personality traits as well.

- So when management and the entire team basically gives Harris up without any remorse or any 2nd thoughts, he feels he's had the entire franchise turn their back on him. There was no crying in the locker room, there were players openly lobbying for Kidd, and no one made a case to keep Harris.

- Howard is now in Fack You mode when he plays. His passion is gone. He floats. He gives just enough effort not get benched. He shoots "screw you" shots and is not interested in passing the ball. He's got an attitude that is absolute poison right now.

- He's the only one in this whole thing that looks like he just hates suiting up.

- Prediction - He'll request a trade, or be traded by next year's deadline. I'd say this summer if I had to guess. He's the only one who hasn't bought into Jason Kidd, and I guarantee you a rift/division in the locker room is coming. Mark it down.

- All in all, it's hard not to get wrapped up in the hype, and the results are showing it, albeit against some of the weaker teams. I'm saving my final verdict until they get through these next 2 weeks, but for right now, I'm a believer in Jason Kidd. My initial thoughts have been erased and I'm ready to rock and roll with this thing. I want to see this team with another month's worth of seasoning, because they look like they could be dangerous when everyone gets on the same page.


- Marc Stein.....



This Kidd Is A Hit In Dallas Return

By Marc Stein
ESPN.com

DALLAS -- The first assist on a nostalgic Monday night at American Airlines Center was actually recorded Sunday night on a Dallas-bound plane from Minneapolis.

It was on that team flight home that Dirk Nowitzki huddled with his coach to make sure that Jason Kidd would be introduced last among Mavericks starters for Kidd's first game as a Mav in more than 11 years.

Kidd then followed up his grand re-entrance with just enough fancy passing of his own in a comfortable 102-94 victory over Chicago to make it pretty clear why Nowitzki was so gracious.

Actually …

Giddy is a far better description for Nowitzki these days. Kidd was sufficiently moved by the warm reception to his Mavs rebirth to announce afterward: "I'm happy to be home." But it's really Nowitzki who hasn't stopped smiling since he got hooked back up with an elite point guard after three-plus years without one, struggling to restrain himself when someone asked the gleeful German to summarize his first week alongside Kidd.

Said Nowitzki: "I love it, bro. It's going to be great. He makes work fun."

The implication, of course, is that much of the fun had dribbled out of the Mavs' world after they followed up an NBA Finals collapse against Miami with a first-round loss to Golden State, whether or not they were prepared to admit it publicly.

Now?

Just seeing what the drawn-out trade to get Kidd has already done for Nowitzki's demeanor and workload would seem to justify the cost on its own.

Nowitzki is averaging 29 points in four games with Kidd, shooting 60.9 percent from the floor and playing with a sneer and swagger with regularity again. Best of all for him, Nowitzki is no longer expected to be the Mavs' best scorer and passer. "I get paid," Nowitzki happily reminds, "to put the ball in the basket."

Yet he's hardly the sole beneficiary from Kidd's arrival.

You can't make too much out of a win over the discombobulated, sloppy Bulls … or Kidd's near triple-double of 11 points, eight assists and nine rebounds against those vulnera-Bulls … or the 32 assists Kidd racked up in victories over the doormats from Memphis and Minnesota in the two previous games. You can be sure, furthermore, that San Antonio will put a lot more pressure on Kidd on Thursday night when he injects his own history with the Spurs -- playing against them in the 2003 NBA Finals and then nearly signing with them that summer -- into a rivalry that was plenty spicy without him.

But you can also see traces of a significant Kidd Effect with the Mavs, even this early in the process.

• Kidd's passing touch puts the ball in places where even Erick Dampier can catch it easy, which has awakened Dallas' long-dormant center. Knowing he's going to get steady minutes now that DeSagana Diop is in Jersey and likewise knowing that Kidd is going to keep him involved, Dampier hit the Bulls with six points, 16 rebounds and seven blocks before fouling out, matching his season-high rebound total of 11 by halftime.

• Kidd's arrival brings some long-awaited positional order to coach Avery Johnson's rotation. Jason Terry is now strictly a shooting guard for the first time in his Mavs career and is suddenly getting into the open floor and running more than ever before as a Mav, prompting Johnson to unexpectedly announce before Monday's opening tip that Terry will almost certainly start for the rest of the season. Jerry Stackhouse, meanwhile, is no longer a co-sixth man with Terry and apparently welcomes that clarity, judging by Stackhouse's 23 points in 23 minutes against Chicago.

• The Mavs wound up getting too pass-happy after zooming to a 17-point lead over the Bulls with their crisp ball-sharing, eventually racking up 21 turnovers. The same offense that had grown slow and stale, however, is now regularly generating layups and assorted other easy baskets thanks to Kidd's long outlets, underhand pitches and natural instinct to run the ball whenever possible.

"We're still in the lab with this team." Johnson said. "We weren't a very good passing team before and now we're trying to become a better passing team. And because of that, you're going to have some mistakes. But the way we're trying to move the ball, I like it."

As for Kidd's biggest fan …

Nowitzki was quietly hoping for this trade to happen once word reached him early in the season that Dallas was Kidd's preferred destination if the 34-year-old could find an escape route from New Jersey. Kidd quickly endeared himself further by telling Nowitzki that he wants to "go to the gym whenever you go," referring to Nowitzki's habit of getting in extra shooting sessions at night after practices at home and on the road between games.

Kidd and Nowitzki had their first round of extra shooting in Minneapolis early Saturday evening before Sunday's win over the Wolves, reminiscent of the schedule Nowitzki and Steve Nash used to keep.

Which prompted one local reporter to ask Mr. Mav if he's worried that Nash might get jealous of Nowitzki's new favorite point guard.

"I don't care," Nowitzki said with a laugh.

QUOTE OF THE NIGHT
"I was happy to be back home. This is where it all started for me. I didn't get [a title-contending] opportunity with that franchise. This [franchise] is a little different."

-- Dallas guard Jason Kidd, comparing the current Mark Cuban regime to the Ross Perot Jr.-led group that traded Kidd to Phoenix less than three years into his NBA career. In his first home game as a Mav after an absence of more than 11 years, Kidd just missed his 100th career triple-double (with 11 points, eight assists and nine rebounds) in a 102-94 victory over Chicago.




- Cowlishaw.....



Kidd has energized Dallas Mavericks, fans

09:16 AM CST on Tuesday, February 26, 2008

In the first quarter, the Chicago Bulls looked like they have all year, and the Dallas Mavericks looked like they haven't.

The 15-point lead Dallas built in the first 12 minutes was needed because life with Jason Kidd, though it is going to be wildly entertaining and eventually more successful, will not be without a few bumps along the way.

American Airlines Center is truly where amazing happens. Some of the stuff is amazingly good. Some not so much.

The Mavericks have to be happy they have built a three-game win streak following their opening loss with Kidd on board in New Orleans.

Hey, I understand that the 102-94 victims Monday were just the 22-34 Bulls. Before that, it was the 11-43 Minnesota Timberwolves and the 14-42 Memphis Grizzlies. This mini-streak has come at the expense of three of the bottom-10 teams in the NBA.

So while I am not canceling any vacation plans for early June, I'm not making any, either. I don't know how far the Mavericks are going this spring with Kidd. In the overstuffed West, it may not be far.

But it will be farther than they would have gone as previously constructed, and at least there is excitement in the building once again.

I have been to American Airlines Center when the Mavs have hosted some of the weaker Eastern Conference teams, and beyond all the contrived pieces of the show, the energy is low.

Not the case Monday against the Bulls.

Kidd, introduced last at the request of Dirk Nowitzki, who has inherited that spot for years, received the loudest cheer. Then he went out and showed just how much of a difference his presence has meant.

His stats in the first quarter, in which Dallas built a 29-14 lead, were not otherworldly – three points, three rebounds, three assists, two steals. But the team seemed to play at a quicker pace.

"Infectious," Jason Terry called it. "Everyone is infected with this passing disease."

Sometimes they did great things. Sometimes they tried to make plays that they couldn't. Kidd himself frequently broke down the defense only to discover he had nowhere to go with the ball. His final line of 11 points, nine rebounds and eight assists also included six turnovers.

"I don't think we're going to win many games with 21 turnovers," coach Avery Johnson said. "We're still in the lab with this team."

Johnson is caught in the dilemma of understanding that it's going to take time and knowing also that in the ultracompetitive West, the Mavericks have no time to endure growing pains.

"We're still a relatively new team," Johnson said. "At some point, we're trying to become a good team. We'll give them a short time and see where we are. We don't have 60 games."

He believes that day will come and that the critics of the trade will become supporters.

"At the end of the day, I think everyone's going to be unified," Johnson said.

He just hopes they're unified loving the deal and not hating it. Life is about to get much tougher.

The Mavericks' next five games include road tests against the San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers and Utah Jazz and a home game against the Houston Rockers, winners of 12 straight.

Right now, the Mavericks aren't playing better than they were before the trade. But in each game you see glimpses of what might be.

Dallas won with big shots from the 3-point line Monday. The Mavericks were 9-for-14, and Dirk Nowitzki, who had a game-high 29 points, hit all three of his 3s. The distribution of the ball by Kidd and Terry, who had six assists, had a lot to do with the team's accuracy.

"We weren't a very good passing team before," Johnson said. "Now we're trying to become a good passing team. Give us 10 games, and see where we are."

Give the Mavericks any more time than that to grow together and learn, and they might just be out of time.




- Stack, JET benefitting a lot from Kidd as well.....



Dallas Mavericks' Terry, Stackhouse better with Kidd

New point guard puts Mavs veterans back in their comfort zones

03:38 AM CST on Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Four games and nearly one week into Jason Kidd Redux, let's take an inventory of what we know.

One: He has given this lethargic team the shot of adrenaline it needed.

Two: Dirk Nowitzki is finding it easier to score. It's not just the 29 points he had in the win over Chicago. The forward has shot more than 50 percent from the field in four consecutive games. He hadn't done that in more than two straight before Kidd's arrival.

Three: The trade has put Jason Terry back in the starting lineup and entrenched Jerry Stackhouse as the sixth man.

Both are good things.

I know, I know. I was one of the first to advocate that the Mavericks would be better off this season with Terry coming off the bench. And that made sense when Devin Harris was the point guard.

Not now. Terry must start next to Kidd for this team to reach its potential.

"As we move forward, the Jet looks like he's going to be on the runway," coach Avery Johnson said. "Right now, we think we've gotten that one behind us.

"We like Jason Terry at the two [shooting guard]. We think he's one of the best shooters in the league. And his speed. Kidd needs somebody to run with him. Someone to run and shoot."

Let's underline the word shoot.

Terry's speed is important. But the one thing Kidd doesn't do well is shoot. This team needs someone who can knock it down next to him.

Terry is the only shooting guard the Mavericks have who can shoot. And no, this isn't a cheap shot. Terry is the only one over 39 percent for the season.

"It's a situation where it's working, and we're going to go with what works right now," Terry said. "I mean, we don't have much room for error at this point of the season. We've got to solidify our rotation and our lineups.

"This is one that's working, so let's go with it."

The Mavericks carried a 10-point lead into the fourth quarter of Monday's game. The team was plus-14 at that stage when Kidd and Terry were on the court. That included an 8-0 run in the final moments of the third when Terry came back into the game. Terry had a steal and two assists in the burst. Kidd had a steal and an assist.

Kidd's size and feel for team defense allow Terry to jump into the passing lane more. Kidd's court vision and command of the game allow the offense to run more smoothly.

"Before, myself – and this is not a knock on Devin – we had indecision at times," said Terry, who finished with 11 points, six assists and four steals. "We had to look over at Avery and see what we were going to run. By then, the shot clock was down.

"That kills you. That indecision in and of itself kills you."

The Kidd-Terry backcourt also addresses another area of indecision that has plagued this team.

The 6a and 6b concept that Johnson touted with Terry and Stackhouse sounded good but never took off. Neither found the comfort zone they had in past seasons.

Terry's field goal percentage of .468 entering the Chicago game was the lowest of his Mavericks career. Stackhouse's average of 9.7 points entering the game was a career low. His field goal percentage of .385 was his lowest in nine years.

"You know, Stackhouse has been moaning all year about that, anyway," Johnson said, only half-joking, before the game. "This is getting him comfortable.

"Now we'll eliminate any excuses, right?"

Excuses? None were needed against the Bulls. Stackhouse was a true sixth man and responded with 23 points to tie his season high.

Now, Johnson must figure out what to do behind Stackhouse. Devean George and Eddie Jones each average less than four points and shoot less than 37 percent.

"The concern right now is to look at that next rotation, which is not good right now," Johnson said.

It's not.

But at least the starting backcourt and sixth man are settled.





- Stars rumored to be targeting Brad Richards from Tampa Bay, and might have to part with goalie Mike Smith....



Dallas Stars goalie Mike Smith learns to deal with trade rumors

12:34 AM CST on Tuesday, February 26, 2008
By MIKE HEIKA / The Dallas Morning News
mheika@dallasnews.com

Mike Smith said he received a phone call from his brother Sunday.

"You're going to Tampa Bay," Smith said, imitating the deep, booming voice he heard on the phone.

Smith wasn't traded – at least he wasn't Sunday – but it opened his eyes to a new world. At the NHL trade deadline, anything can happen.

Smith, 26, has never been involved in trade talk. But he is front and center this season as the Stars attempt to upgrade their offense and grab a veteran who can score. To get such a commodity, Dallas might have to give up its young backup goalie, who has the potential to be a No. 1 netminder in the NHL.

So Smith must deal with that possibility as today's 2 p.m. trade deadline looms.

The call from his brother came after Canadian hockey Web sites reported that Smith could be part of a deal that would send him to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for center Brad Richards. That potential deal still could happen, something that Smith said has been on his mind.

"I've been hearing a lot about it from my friends, text messages and voice mail," Smith said. "You try to get your mind off of it and do anything you can to think about anything else. But there's nothing I can do about it. It's part of the job."

Veteran defenseman Philippe Boucher joked that he would take an extra suit to St. Louis, where the Stars play tonight, despite the fact it's just a one-game road trip.

"You never know," he said.

That is the downside of being a professional athlete. Yes, there is fame and money and a pretty good exercise center at work. But there is also the fact that you could change addresses at a moment's notice.

And NHL trade deadlines have seen plenty of movement. Last season, 44 players changed teams in 25 trades. The year before, it was 40 players. The two previous to that, 32 and 46.

There is talk that this season will be different – the salary cap, the increase in no-trade clauses in players' contracts and the fact that many teams are still in the hunt for the playoffs have combined to limit the amount of trade talk. Toronto tried to get Mats Sundin to waive his no-trade clause, but he told the Maple Leafs on Sunday that he wasn't moving. Other veterans have done the same thing.

Still, Colorado signed free agent Peter Forsberg on Monday, and several teams would like to move superstars, so deals can be done. Atlanta wants to trade Marian Hossa, because he could be lost this summer as an unrestricted free agent. Buffalo might do the same with defenseman Brian Campbell. Tampa Bay is shopping Richards in hopes of creating cap space that will allow the Lightning to improve its goaltending and defense.

The Stars are in on talks to acquire Richards, 27, according to co-GM Les Jackson. They like the 27-year-old center and believe they can absorb his high contract – $7.8 million for the next three seasons. To get Richards, the Stars would have to give up Smith and possibly a defenseman or a prospect – or both.

Jackson and fellow co-GM Brett Hull, who took over when Doug Armstrong was fired in November, have worked hard to prepare for their first trade deadline day. And Jackson said he believes the preparation will pay off.

"We've done a lot to make sure we have all the information we can have," Jackson said. "You don't know what's going to be available. You don't know when the phone is going to ring. So the thing you can do is be ready. I think we're ready."

TARGETED?
The Stars are looking at trying to acquire Tampa Bay center Brad Richards before today's 2 p.m. NHL trade deadline. Here are a few pros and cons about Richards:


PROS
•Only 26, and under contract for the next three seasons

•Won Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP when he led the Lightning to the 2004 Stanley Cup.

•489 points in 552 regular season games and 47 points in 45 playoff games.


CONS
•Those three years under contract are at $7.8 million. Richards would become the highest paid player on the Stars.

•Struggling this season with 51 points and is a league-worst minus-25

•Is a natural center and could force some shuffling in the Stars' lineup when the team has won 11 of its last 13 games.





- Big 12 Spring Football preview.



Baylor Bears
Spring practice starts: March 3
Spring game: April 5

What to watch
• New coach Art Briles is one of college football's best offensive minds. His arrival should immediately juice Baylor's production -- even with the current talent in place.

• It will be interesting to see if transfer QB Kirby Freeman, who comes to Baylor from Miami, is permanently scarred by all those boos he heard the last two years at the Orange Bowl.

• The Bears have built some depth in the trenches, but the biggest question this spring will be finding a running threat to replace Brandon Whitaker. Jay Finley and Jacoby Jones are the major challengers.

Colorado Buffaloes
Spring practice starts: March 17
Spring game: April 19

What to watch
• No rants will be necessary from coach Dan Hawkins about the difficulties of playing in the Big 12. Confidence is soaring in Boulder after a strong finish and his best returning class.

• Keep an eye out for a couple of fierce positional battles as the Buffaloes try to replace LB Jordon Dizon and CB Terrence Wheatley. Undersized Gardner McKay and Jimmy Smith will battle at cornerback, while Marcus Burton and Bryan Stengel will be pitted to replace Dizon.

• Hawkins will consider several options at running back, but the real competition begins this summer when freshman TB Darrell Scott arrives.


Iowa State Cyclones
Spring practice starts: March 25
Spring game: April 19

What to watch
• After early struggles, the Cyclones responded to coach Gene Chizik as the season progressed. His development this spring will build on that steady late growth.

• Austen Arnaud has the inside track to replace Bret Meyer at QB. Redshirt freshman Taylor Bennett and Phillip Bates will also get some work this spring, but it would be a shock if Arnaud doesn't claim the job.

• Chizik made his bones as an aggressive defensive coordinator, but he will be challenged finding replacements for starting defensive tackles Athyba Rubin and Bryce Braaksma and linebackers Alvin Bowen and Jon Banks.


Kansas Jayhawks
Spring practice starts: March 12
Spring game: April 12

What to watch
• What a difference a year makes. Confidence is soaring in Lawrence after the Jayhawks' Orange Bowl victory, particularly with QB Todd Reesing coming back for his second season as a starter.

• The early departures of corner Aqib Talib and offensive tackle Anthony Collins are Kansas' biggest spring projects. But the biggest loss was defensive coordinator Bill Young, who left for Miami.

• The Jayhawks also have to find a new punter and kicker.


Kansas State Wildcats
Spring practice starts: March 29
Spring game: April 19

What to watch
• The Wildcats could be one of the surprise teams in the conference in 2008. Eight starters are back on offense and an infusion of 20 junior college players will boost production and competition from the first day of spring practice.

• The biggest concern for coach Ron Prince will be reviving some confidence in his defense. The Wildcats were blistered for averages of 559 yards and 55.7 points per game over their final three games last season, so restoring confidence will be a big chore.

• All-American WR Jordy Nelson will be missed, but the Wildcats have some arriving talent in junior college standouts Attrail Snipes, Aubrey Quarles and Brandon Banks.


Missouri Tigers
Spring practice starts: March 11
Spring game: April 19

What to watch
• It's not a stretch to consider the Tigers as the early favorites to win the Big 12 in 2008. Mizzou two potential Heisman Trophy candidates on the same team in Chase Daniel and Jeremy Maclin.

• For all of the returning talent, coach Gary Pinkel's biggest spring concern will be to replace the leadership provided by NT Lorenzo Williams and OL Adam Spieker. It might mean the difference between merely being a good team and becoming something special.

• Since Tony Temple decided not to attempt to gain a sixth season of eligibility, the most anticipated positional battle of the spring will be at tailback. Earl Goldsmith, Derrick Washington and Jimmy Jackson will compete to replace Temple.


Nebraska Cornhuskers
Spring practice starts: March 26
Spring game: April 19

What to watch
• Offensive coordinator Shawn Watson is back, but he will be challenged to develop wide receivers after the departures of Maurice Purify, Terrence Nunn and Frantz Hardy and H-back Sean Hill. Nate Swift, Todd Peterson and Niles Paul will be vying for playing time at the position.

• Can the Cornhuskers get those Blackshirts out of mothballs? We'll see as Bo Pelini will impart his fiery brand of leadership to a group that ranked last in the Big 12 in sacks last season.

• Pelini and his new staff will try to light a fire under NT Ndamukong Suh, who badly underachieved last season after a breakout freshman campaign in 2006.


Oklahoma Sooners
Spring practice starts: March 5
Spring game: April 12

What to watch
• The Sooners again are loaded offensively with the return of QB Sam Bradford, the entire starting offensive line and several key receivers. But the player who could be poised for the most dramatic breakthrough is RB DeMarco Murray, who is attempting to rebound from a dislocated kneecap suffered late in the season.

• Oft-injured LB Ryan Reynolds will be in the crosshairs this spring as he attempts to replace Big 12 defensive player of the year Curtis Lofton -- both athletically and as a leader.

• The Sooners' swagger has been tempered after back-to-back Fiesta Bowl losses. Their championship hopes will start as they try to replace key contributors like CB Reggie Smith, WR Malcolm Kelly and Lofton.


Oklahoma State Cowboys
Spring practice starts: March 3
Spring game: April 12

What to watch
• With the most substantial influx of junior college players in the Big 12 South, coach Mike Gundy is looking for immediate help. Juco All-American Beau Johnson will get most of the attention as he tries to replace TB Dantrell Savage.

• Look for Gundy to become more involved offensively after the departure of former coordinator Larry Fedora, who left to become Southern Mississippi's head coach.

• The Cowboys should be able to score with anybody in the country, but their spring work will be focused on retooling a defense in the trenches and in the secondary.


Texas Longhorns
Spring practice starts: Feb. 22
Spring jamboree: March 29

What to watch
• After pushing his team through demanding practices before the Holiday Bowl, look for Mack Brown's "get tough" mantra to carry over to the spring. It should mesh perfectly with new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp's high-energy coaching style.

• It's still unknown if Vondrell McGee can emerge as a suitable replacement for Jamaal Charles at tailback. His development will be the Longhorns' major spring story line on offense.

• Brown's staff had its biggest offseason upheaval with the arrival of Muschamp and Major Applewhite and the demotion of former co-defensive coordinator Duane Akina to secondary coach. How the team responds to the new coaches will help determine its championship hopes.


Texas A&M Aggies
Spring practice starts: March 24
Spring game: April 19

What to watch
• New A&M coach Mike Sherman will have plenty of offensive weapons with the return of QB Stephen McGee and rushing threats Mike Goodson and Jorvorskie Lane. But the biggest challenge will be to rebuild an offensive line that loses four starters.

• With a new coaching staff arriving, don't be surprised if heralded QB Jerrod Johnson pushes McGee for playing time and maybe even the starting job.

• The Wrecking Crew defense has been gone since R.C. Slocum left. New coordinator Joe Kines must rebuild a defensive front that returns only starting defensive end Cyril Obiozor and needs to find replacements for starting linebackers Misi Tupe and Mark Dodge.


Texas Tech Red Raiders
Spring practice starts: March 26
Spring game: April 19

What to watch
• Expectations are soaring with 18 returning starters, including standouts like QB Graham Harrell and Biletnikoff winner Michael Crabtree. It will mean more national attention for the program, but also a new standard that's never been there before.

• Rylan Reed's nasty ankle injury in the Gator Bowl will provide an opening for Chris Olson and Jake Johnson to challenge for playing time at LT

• The Red Raiders' title hopes hinge on continued defensive improvement. The defense showed flashes after defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill took over, but it needs to take another step this spring.