Spurs Guard Tony Parker: Mavs Miss Dirk

I know you're saying "Duh!"  but he actually said as much Friday morning at Spurs shootaround.  It's late in games, however, that the Mavericks struggle without Nowitzki on the floor according the former Mr. Longoria.

"It's been tough for them," Parker admitted.  "They play well most of the game and then down the stretch, Dirk usually makes the big shot, the big play."

"They don't have that guy anymore so it's been tough on them."


Does Parker have any advice for the Mavericks?
"Everybody has to be more aggresive when you have one of your main guys who average 25, 26 points."

Insighful, isn't it?

For the record, the Mavericks are putting up just under eight points per game less in the eight games without Nowitzki.  In the 29 games he started, Dallas averaged 99.4 points a game.  In the eight he's missed, it's been 91.8 a game, a number inflated a bit by the 107 the Mavs scored in a 10-point loss to Orlando.

TCU's Amon G. Carter Stadium Facelift Progress Report

Clearing debris on west side

Those Frogs move fast.

The day they received their invitation to the Rose Bowl, TCU imploded the north and west sides of Amon G. Carter stadium.  That was December 5th and just a little more than a month later, structural elements of the new additions are already in place.  (here's a link to the plans)

The entire project is expected to be complete and ready for the 2012 season.  This means that construction will continue during the 2011 season.  Can you imagine the challenge this could present?  Construction will stop for the six gamedays next season and then resume as soon as possible once a game is complete.

What's the biggest concern with this entire $125 million renovation?  "The weather," according to TCU athletic director Chris del Conte.  Understandably.  Lengthy weather delays could be a nightmare.

During 2011, seating capacity for games will be limited to low to mid-30,000 range.  Once the renovation is complete, the school anticipates capacity to be a little more than 40,000.  The new stadium will also feature 25 luxury suites.

The pièce de résistance for anyone who has ever covered a TCU game is the proposed new press box.  The old one featured an old, creaky elevator that you literally had to pray to whatever God you worship on the ride up because you didn't know if you were going to make it.  The accordion-style gate and oh-so-popular handle that got passengers to the top will be on display in the new stadium.  Sweet, sweet memories.

Enough babble.

Here's a look at the progress, as off January 11, 2011:

Debris on the west side of stadium next to lower level which will remain for 2011 season

View to the north of Amon G. Carter stadium

Beams in place on the north side of the stadium for structural support for a future second level. 

Everything still coming up roses on-campus

Roddy B Free. Sorta

He's jumping!  And shooting.

Rodrigue Beaubois has been cleared to begin taking jump shots and showed off at Mavericks practice this morning.  His three-point shot was good enough to beat Dominique Jones and DeShawen Stevenson in a little competition.

Beaubois told me on a Mavericks pre-game show in November that he had hoped to be back around the first of the year but now admits it's going to be a while longer.

"I don't know," he said "I still need more time."

How important was being able to jump, finally?

"It's big because I've been on the floor so long. Now I can go up. It's a first step. Now the conditioning part is going to be hard because I can feel that I am getting tired very quickly."

Beaubois was scheduled to see a team doctor today to track his progress.

Super Bowl 45: Be Ready to Pay to Play

Few things Super Bowl related are a bargain.  And if you want to experience Super Bowl 45 to its fullest, be ready to hand over some cash (or high-interest rate plastic).  Email offering Super Bowl 45 "packages" is filling my inbox and it continues to amaze me how many people are buyers.

Jetsetter.com is a site that bills itself as "a private online community that provides members with insider access, expert knowledge, and exclusive deals on the world's greatest vacations."  I've bought one or two hotel stays on the site as it offers relatively decent bargains at good properties. 

Jetsetter is offering five Super Bowl 45 packages ranging in price from $8300 to more than $23,000.  Each package offers game tickets, a three-night stay at the Intercontinental Hotel in Addison, a bus ride to the game from the hotel and two tickets to the open-bar ESPN Game Day Super Party VIP Lounge.

The price for the Premium Package starts at $12,000 and offers two 100-200 level tickets in a corner and two tickets to the Pepsi Musica Super Bowl Fiesta at Nokia Live on February 4th.  There is a $14,000 Player Package that offers 100-300 level tickets between the end zone and 15 yard line and also comes with passes to the Leather & Laces party at Hotel Zaza (which I've also heard a certain musically-gifted celebrity couple is renting ....more on that later).

If you really want to break the bank, go for the MVP Package.  It features 100-200 Club level game tickets between the 15 and 25 yard lines, two VIP passes to the MAXIM Super Bowl Party, airport transfers, and an upgrade to a 750 square foot executive suite at the Intercontinental Hotel. 

How much will all this fabulocity set you back? $23,000.  Yeah.

Are you interested?

How much cash would you drop for a "Super Bowl Experience"?

Mavs Fan Therapy: Time for a Hug and a Question

You're not making this up.  It's not some self-hatred you manifest.  The Wall Street Journal notes today that it really is tough to be a Mavericks fan.

"The Mavericks have had the best-ever 10-year stretch in the NBA without winning a championship. Through Saturday, they had gone 534-236 (.694) in the regular season since 2001-02. During that stretch, they earned a top-four seed in the Western Conference playoffs six times and won at least 60 games three times, but they reached the finals just once—losing to Miami in 2006. They have fallen in the first round in three of the past four seasons."

The article goes on to compare the Mavericks to the Utah Jazz of the 90's, those John Stockton/Karl Malone led teams that won 50 or more games in all but two seasons during the 90's but made the playoffs every year.  They won 64 games in the 96-97 season, 62 in 97-98 only to lose to the Bulls in the Finals twice.

The Mavericks have had regular season success.  They are a playoff fixture, making the postseason 10 straight years, second only to the Spurs who have 13 consecutive playoff appearances. From every email, tweet and Facebook post I get from you, I get the impression you're a little tired of it. 

Soooooooooooooo, would you give up some of that regular season success for just one championship, one parade and one year of bragging rights?  Would you take an NBA title if, say, like the big, bad Heat you won just 15 games a two years later?

Why Cliff Lee is Forcing My 88-Year Old Neighbor to Drink More Scotch

The question “What will Cliff Lee do?” is on your mind, my mind and especially my fabulous 88-year old neighbor Frances' mind. (you MUST read the story the Dallas Morning News did on her during the MLB playoffs, click the link).  Every time she takes her four-pound yorkie Molly out for a walk, Frances stops by my place to ask if I have any updates on Cliff Lee.  I don't know what Lee's doing but I do have a little something from the Rangers.

I talked to CEO Chuck Greenberg on Friday.  He, of course, was part of a contingency that included assistant general manager Thad Levine and co-chairman of the board Ray Davis who visited with Lee, his wife Kristen and agent on Thursday at Lee’s home in Arkansas.

Greenberg wouldn’t divulge much other than to say they presented Lee with a complex menu of options.  I got the impression the Rangers weren't interested in a long term deal a la the Yankees seven year offer. Greenberg indicated that the Rangers would prefer to do a shortER term deal.  But when it's all over, what he indicates doesn't mean a dang thing.  It's all about what Lee agrees to do.

I could continue but you can watch the interview for yourself here.

Enjoy.

Mavs Don't Want to Get in a Small Ball Race with the Nuggets

Notice the new neck tatts

The Mavericks towered over the Nuggets shortened lineup on Wednesday night in a 102-101 win.  Dallas hopes to use size to its advantage again on Saturday when the two teams meet at the AAC.

With multi-tattooed tall guys Chris Andersen and Kenyon Martin recovering from offseason knee surgery and Nene a late scratch because of a groin strain, the Nuggets didn't have a player on the floor taller than 6'9 during the game's 48 minutes. 

Between us girls, if a roster says a player is 6'9, it's more like 6'7.   They all lie.  I got in trouble once when I interned for the Rockets for revealing a Hall of Fame player's real height.

I digress.

What's the Mavericks philosophy when playing a team that goes small?  Try and stay big.

"We've got to try to keep our length in game as much as we can," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said after practice Friday morning.  "That’s one of our real defining attributes."

That doesn't mean the Mavericks are going to go big at all costs.  They'll size up the matchups and hope to take advantage.

"There are times when sizing down makes sense," Carlisle added.  "We looked at it a bit in the first game anything’s in play."