Well the World Cup has started and the US is not in it. Not much else playing on in the world of Sports other than Major League Baseball that gather much fanfare in Dallas. And since it is still weeks to the All Star game and the Rangers need a miracle, baseball isn’t dominating the headlines.
And I am coming back to the World Cup a bit at the end of this post.
So where does Dallas stand.
The good news is the NHL and the NBA drafts are next week. Hopefully two of our teams can make dramatic improvement in the draft. Also the rumor mills are producing much more volume than the American steel mills right now.
And interesting to note, the NHL draft is to be held in Dallas. This is the second professional draft here in Dallas area this year. So Dallas gets a bit of tourism dollars for all this madness.
Yet let’s start with the Rangers since they are currently in season so to speak. And that is about all that can be said for now. Honestly I am a casual fan and which I argue is different from a fair weather fan. I have been going to Rangers games off and on since the 70’s and enjoyed them all. I always have an interest and I have my friends that keep me abreast when things are starting to realistically look up. I do not know every detail about them as much as I used to for the Cowboys or now for the Mavericks. It still befuddles me though what happened. Two years ago they were contending and suffering through the Toronto series, actually two years in a row. And since then many small happenings just seem to have brought them down to barely mediocre. They just gave John Daniels a contract extension so someone still believes they have the right management in place. I hope so. Baseball is fun and going to games are fun, but it helps when they have a chance to compete. It is hard to get excited about them in May and June if you do not feel they have a chance though. And their draft completely confuses me since so much goes to minor league teams. My hope now is to hear about the prospects we have and hope they mature quickly. We had some depth in our system at pitcher for a while, yet that seems to have dissipated recently. I need to follow up. Rangers always find hitters, it is pitching that has historically slowed them down. Hopefully a miracle will occur and we can watch baseball in August and September on the edge of our seats and not in the recliner taking naps.
Also I am a casual hockey fan. I have watched the Stars since they game here, even stayed up late to watch them win the Stanley Cup. Okay so it was with one eye open, but we were on the couch watching. For a casual fan though I have been blessed with being able to see many home games over the last couple of years and hearing much discussion from all the fans at the games. My two major observations are a) we need more speed on the ice. The good teams are skating past us throughout the games. Which also leads me to b) and sometimes maybe effort is a problem. I have watched the superior teams come in here and play hard and you can tell something is amiss with the Stars. This is hard to bring up because hockey fans by and large are very loyal to their team. So saying their team isn’t putting the effort when they are winning games doesn’t sit well. Yet, in my opinion the Stars’ best players do not seem to have that hunger to win a championship. They like looking good, they like winning, yet it seems to me something intangible is holding them back a bit. They can draft the speed and better skaters, somehow they need to find some people with grit and hunger. There are a few players that have it, however, one is past his prime. Some of the stars of the Stars don’t seem to be laser focused on winning a championship. Too me you can tell by looking into their eyes, or their demeanor when they play. In any sport you will always find teams or players that have the hunger but not the talent and these teams are where you get your major upsets, but never a championship, but they are fun to watch. You see their efforts though day in and day out. The Stars are missing something and to me it is that hunger and grit. The old phrase getting your hands dirty comes to mind. The Stars like clean hands. And for hockey in general one other observation I have made and it is part of the hockey experience; when two teams play if there is a difference in the quality of the teams in many cases the team that has less talent tends to start more fights. I don’t know if this is just a Dallas thing or what, but when Dallas is the better team the other team starts the fights, when they are playing a top tier team they tend to start fights. Maybe it is just me, but that is a casual observation. I guess it is a strategy to overcome the deficit and hope for an opening from the distractions of fighting. Now sometimes teams or players do not like each other so things get out of hand quickly. The crowds love these situations. I personally prefer the obvious where there are two equal teams battling it out for playoff positioning. Those are the best games.
And for the infamous Dallas Cowboys. I usually have a real good bead on them year in and year out. I know what their chances are and usually lean to the optimistic side of those chances. This year I am a bit lost. Maybe I will get a better handle once pre season starts, yet by now I have some inkling. The main focal point for me, is how good is the offensive line going to be. If the line comes back strong and we find three quality receivers, they do not have to be star receivers, then I think our offense will be fine. The key is the line. If Zeke has a strong running year then Dak can use his mobility to open up a successful passing game. Again the receivers do not have to be stars, just be good. Notice the use of the plural, we have to have multiple good receivers. If there are no stars then balance is our hope which is where I think we are headed. And we are talking at least three good wide receivers and a good tight end. If not, Zeke may have a bit of a struggle at end of games no matter how good the line is, if teams can focus on him only. And that is a losing proposition even at 100 + yards before the fourth quarter. And what really keeps me confused is how the defense is going to play out. Will the defensive line begin to reach some of the potential they have or will they bust again? And the defensive backs, same question. For some reason, I feel the linebackers will be better this year and that is going to be good. Unfortunately this is just a feeling. Still way too many holes in defense so hopefully training camp and pre season closes those in my mind. I will come back and make my season prediction first of September. The Cowboys are the only team good and bad that I seem to actually step out and put forth a prediction.
Maybe I can make a prediction for the Mavericks this year. I tried last year and was way off. I do not remember if I put it in print. I will be honest, I was overly optimistic. I tend to be this way with the Mavericks for some reason. Hopefully last year will teach me, but no….. Not feeling like a good student right now. Needless to say we are not winning the Championship next year unless half the teams have major injury problems. And I do not wish injuries on any player, in any sport. So, the Mavs are just going to have to continue the rebuilding process. And to that point, and I have told friends to start a go fund me page for my bail, the Mavs better keep the fifth pick and use it on JJJ Mo, or Bagley. No one else. Otherwise I am going over to the Mavs office and punching someone in the nose. Seriously, my wife better get friends over here draft night because anything else will hiss me off. We do not want to take a risk on Porter, no, not at all. There is no comfortable risk. We need players that have the most potential, but players that are going to play. The fact he had leg spasms or spasms in his hip the other day so bad he couldn’t come to his work out or get out of bed. No no no no no no, that is too much risk. Period, want an example, look at Chandler Parsons, now he didn’t have the upside that Porter does, but still too much risk involved based on just that one episode. Those episodes tell. Any GM that thinks he is a first round risk without a year to evaluate play is crazy. Maybe second round let him play and earn a max contract when his rookie contract ends, but not worth a first round pick. Someone will take the risk and I hope he doesn’t have recurring injury problems, but back surgery is just too scary for me. I hope that Mavs stick with one of the three super possibilities in Mo or JJJ or Bagley. Those are three players that can be stars with high upsides, so why take a risk? And back to the rumor mill. The headlines the last couple of days are about Memphis willing to trade the fourth pick if someone takes Chandler. Well if you can get this trade with the balance in favor of yourself (not giving up one of your best 1-3 or 4 players) then by all means do it including the Mavericks. That is a positive risk. As a Mavs fan I love it. Taking two of the three previously mentioned players in picks 4 & 5, wow. So knowing this I doubt Memphis is going to make this trade unless they get a star player back because they are signaling they want to compete now, Probably the only team that might do it is Boston and I do not know their cap space to know if they could absorb Parson’s contract. If it sounds too good to be true it usually is so I do not think the Mavericks will get this trade. Absorbing Parsons hurts us in free agency this year, but having picks 4 & 5 is an astonishing way to rebuild. It pushes our playoff dreams back a year, but it builds realistic championship dreams in a few years. I was enamored with the Fareed and 14 rumor a couple of weeks ago and would even like the Mavs to do that. A realistic rejuvenation player with a second first round pick in itself is still good to me, getting the fourth with fifth pick is Mavs Christmas in June. We get to pretend for a few more days before the real decision of who they pick 5th Thursday comes to fruition. Then the ugliness of Mavs in free agency begins. Lets hope they keep it simple this year and work towards next year with Barnes DSJ and who they pick having a year to gel together so they can go out and get the player that best fits for them in free agency. I do want to add that those three, plus these players that work out this year, Yogi, DFS, Powell, Curry(?), Motley, Doug McD, Matthews (am I missing someone) are a strong core to have, so you are just looking for that missing piece.
Anyway the above madness is just good ramblings on a hot sunny day here in North Texas. I hope all is going well for you.
And finally I have always thought the NCAA’s March madness and the World Cup are the best fan sports experience month there exists. People will say so much about American professional playoffs, yet there is nothing like the fan intensity these months bring out. Even in group play for the World cup each game matters. And for the fans, entire years are made or lost. I would love to know some fans of Iceland right now. Taking Argentina to a tie in a World Cup game must be immensely overwhelming. I didn’t get to see the game so I do not know the details, but I do have friends that are serious Argentina fans and they are unhappy. Some act like Argentina will move on so no big deal,,,,,,yeah right. It matters, just like it matters to fans and alumni of 64 colleges in March. And because it matters so much just watching any of those games or the World Cup is exhilarating. And that is what truly makes sports great.
Cheers
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