WHITT'S END: 11.20.13

      Whether you're at the end of your coffee, your day, your week or even your rope, welcome to Whitt's End:

   *Talked to a Cowboys' source last night and the topic got around to the offensive struggles. Me: "So, ya'll get it fixed during the bye week?" Source: "Yep." Me: "And ... ?" Source: "Get the ball to Dez." Me: "It's really that simple isn't it?" Source: "Yep." I'll be shocked Sunday in New York if Dez Bryant doesn't get 12+ touches. Deep balls. Quick hitches. Even a reverse. Or course it'll work, and the Cowboys will win. And afterward it'll be all palm-to-the-forehead-why-didn't-we-think-of-this-before? But some of us did. Right?

   *As if you didn't know before, you do know: The Rangers' nucleus you thought would win a World Series has officially missed its window. With the news last night that free-agent David Murphy is leaving Texas for the Indians, the Rangers' foundation cracked a little more. In its prime, the hub of Murphy and Michael Young and Josh Hamilton and Nolan Ryan were one infamous non-catch in right field away. Now? They may win, but it won't be with the players that Jon Daniels initially envisioned when the whole rebuilding process began in 2007. Briefly did a radio show with Murphy on 105.3 The Fan in '11. Great guy. Bad loss. The Rangers may be a better team in 2014. But they won't have a better clubhouse.

   *If the Cowboys are going to seriously threaten making the playoffs, one player above all others has to raise his game. Right now. Who that be? I give the answer over at NBC 5's Blue Star Blog.

   *Brother, can you spare a dime Bitcoin? Wait, a what? A Bitcoin. Maybe I'm the last fool on my block to catch on to the craze, but to me Bitcoin sounds like a fake form of currency created by a fake person for use in a fake world. Like the form of "money" Neo would've used in The Matrix. Why does it sound like that? Because that's exactly what it is. Ready to be totally bewildered? Brush up on Bitcoin.

   *I'm sure we'll boo Dwight Howard when his Rockets visit American Airlines Center tonight. After all, he did spurn the Mavs' recruiting last summer and sign with hated Houston. But the Mavs did okay for themselves. Monta Ellis is giving Dallas a totally different dimension on offense. And, don't look now, but turns out consolation center Samuel Dalembert has more than a little left in the tank. Mavs attempting to start 6-0 at home for the first time since the '08 season.

   *I'm already tired of the JFK reflections and we're still two days away from the 50th anniversary. I think I hate it all because we - Dallas - get blamed for shooting Kennedy. But New York didn't kill John Lennon. And Washington, D.C. didn't kill Abraham Lincoln. Why did Dallas kill JFK?

   *Hot. (Adam Levin's fiancee).

   *Not (Adam Levine).

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   *Good White Truck Wednesday: A guy pulled up to Pizza Buzz on Monday night in a ... (Gigantic) White Truck. Bad White Truck Wednesday: Driver crashes through front window of a store in a ... White Truck. And a woman dragged to her death behind a ... White Truck.

   *During their four-game winning streak, the Giants' defense has seven interceptions while allowing zero touchdown passes. That was accomplished against inferior, backup quarterbacks shoved into starting roles. Tony Romo throws for at least one Sunday.

   *If you like Fall and cold weather and scarves and froth and anything remotely "Pumpkin spice," well, then we probably put our relationship on hold until March.

   *Mentioned on Monday the pivotal play made for the Steelers by former Cowboys' safety Will Allen. Now he goes on satellite radio and rips Dallas as too "micro-managed" and "tight." But, wait, if he's saying the Cowboys are too tense, what do you make of Jimmy Johnson saying last year they were too loose in a "country club" atmosphere. Can't be both.

   *Guy goes 189 mph on a motorcycle, outruns cops, then voluntarily pulls over and ... gets tackled.

   *Couple questions about Adam Levine being named People's Sexiest Man Alive for 2013. 1. Will they follow up with a Sexiest Man Not Alive for 2013? I mean, isn't the "Alive" part kinda understood? 2. A year ago the mag named Channing Tatum Sexiest Man Alive and in '11 it was Bradley Cooper. Did they give up and grow a pot belly or what? Weird (wink) how there's never a repeat champion in this sport.

   *You guys know where I recommend for pizza/beer, but if you're in the mood for Texas barbecue no place beats 3 Stacks in Frisco. Their "Firecrackers" - brisket-stuffed jalapenos, wrapped in bacon - are simply addictive. I had six of 'em last night. Wish I had six more for breakfast.

   *Today? Get outside and do something before the ol' Blue Norther rolls in on Friday. Tonight of course is Sybil's weekly Boots & Babes party at Blue Martini, wrapped around Mavs-Rockets. Don't be a stranger.

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Mark Cuban is Selling the Mavs' "Good Summer." We Buying?

   Rinse. Repeat. Believe?
   Duplicating the same depressing spin cycle from last summer, Mavs owner Mark Cuban is again selling the fact that his team is enjoying a "good summer" and is better off after missing out on another big-name free-agent target. In 2012 it was Deron Williams. And now, of course, Dwight Howard.
   "I think we've put ourselves in a spot where we're in a better spot than we were at if we got just the one max-out deal," Cuban said during the Mavs' summer-league game Wednesday night. "I think it'd be better shorter and longer term. I don't want to make that sound the wrong way. I think we'll be better this year because we added five good players or more."
   Last summer the Mavs whiffed on Williams, then settled for signing mediocre players to one-year deals and wound up 41-41 and snapping their run of 12 consecutive playoffs. This year?

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   Having whiffed on Howard, Dallas set into action Plan B. It has, so far, netted them point guard Jose Calderon, shooting guard Monta Ellis and center Samuel Dalembert.
   The Mavs will look different in 2014. But will they be better than if they would've landed the Dwight-Dirk duo?
   "Obviously, we were disappointed we didn't get Dwight, but we pretty much got everything else we wanted to get and then some. Much more," Cuban said. "We never thought we'd be able to get Monta. It turned into a good summer."
   True, by landing Howard the Mavs would've missed out on Calderon, Ellis and Dalembert. But when your fan base again feels like Plan A failed, again promoting the sloppy seconds as a "good summer" is a tough sale indeed.

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Still Without A Big Fish, Mavs Continue To Throw Their Hook ... Where?

   What first was teasing, has deteriorated into torture.
   It was just two summers ago that the Dallas Mavericks held a championship parade through our downtown streets. Then, before the champagne had stopped stinging our eyes, the trophy-winning roster was kaput. Tyson Chandler and J.J. Barea and DeShawn Stevenson, each allowed to leave via free agency.
   But all with a promise: The salary-cap flexibility - "Dry powder!" - would pay big-fish dividends in the near future.
   Chris Paul? Deron Williams? Dwight Howard? Heck, maybe two of 'em?!
   That was the trade-off. The reason we simply re-watched the DVD of the '11 season during the playoff sweep to the Oklahoma City Thunder in '12, and why we feigned interest in shaving beards and .500 records instead of focusing on missing the playoffs under the mediocrity of has-beens like Vince Carter and Elton Brand and not-yets like Darren Collison and O.J. Mayo in '13.
   But now, Paul is a Los Angeles Clipper, Williams is a Brooklyn Net and Howard - as of Friday afternoon - is a Houston Rocket. Yep, that's oh-for-three.
   Tweeted Mavs owner Mark Cuban on Saturday: Time to get back to work. The Mavs are back open for business.
   Is it just me, or is he beginning to sound like the billionaire boy crying wolf?

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   Cuban is a genius on several levels. And he'll always have a special place in our sports hearts for delivering the Mavs' first championship - and, for that matter, the Metroplex's only title since 1999. He helped engineer the acquisitions of Jason Terry, Jason Kidd and Chandler, propelling Dallas to its '11 run. Nothing he can do to tarnish that legacy.
   But, let's face it, Cuban inherited Dirk Nowitzki. He let Steve Nash walk. He opened the door for Chandler's premature exit. And he swung and missed on the top free agents the last two summers: Williams and Howard.
   Wrote Cuban in an email to several local media outlets Saturday, "We gave it a shot and it didn't work out. It was truly an experience. So it's on to Plan B."
   We could zing that it feels like Plan F or we could attempt to dissect why primo players won't come to Dallas - Traffic? Redneck culture? Weather? Over-bearing owner? Who knows? Grim reality is that the Mavs' middle will be filled in 2014 not by Howard but ...

   Andrew Bynum? Ultra-talented at 25, but missed the entire season with problematic knees.

   Jermaine O'Neal? Wait, that's the wrong O'Neal. In the wrong decade.

   Someoneelsewhowillunderwhelmus?

   At least the Mavs have addressed, and hopefully fixed, one position. Desperate for a solid point guard after a failed season watching Darren Collison, Derek Fisher and Mike James, the Mavs drafted a Hurricane (Shane Larkin) and have signed an Israeli (Gal Mekel), an NBA veteran (Jose Calderon) and a familar face (Devin Harris).

   But as of this minute Dirk Nowitzki remains the Mavs' No. 1 player. Much as I love him, we all witnessed last season. He's on the downside. At this point he needs to be Tonto, not The Lone Ranger.
   No denying it. Fans - who feels as though the championship was 20 years ago instead of two - are becoming disillusioned. The '11 roster brought back in '12 might not have won another title. It might have hindered the Mavs' financially.
   But, seriously, could it have been worse than this?

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WHITT'S END 7.5.13

      Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End

   *Dwight Howard, holed up in Aspen, Colorado, could decide his free-agent destination as early as today. Considering his fickle DNA and theatrical flair, however, he'll milk it into next week. Even Whataburger is a player in the drama, Tweeting this week: You can't pass up the chance to move to a Whataburger state. #dwight2houston Of course, um, Mavs fans in the Metroplex want Howard and their Whataburger as well. Someone in the restaurant chain's PR department has some 'splainin' to do.

   *Joey Chestnut won his seventh consecutive Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating contest yesterday, engulfing 69 in 10 minutes. His official stat line: 20,010 calories, 1,173 grams of fat, 48,990 milligrams of sodium and 759 grams of protein, all consumed in less time than it will take you to digest "Whitt's End". Competitive eating is Chestnut's only job, one that earns him $200,000 a year. God Bless America.

   *Fourth of July traditions in my family always included golf, watermelon and, of course, fireworks. I once held a Roman Candle backward, firing it into my stomach and leaving me with a blackened belly button for days. But my most ridiculous incident with festive explosives occurred when a junior-high buddy and I hatched a brilliant plan to flirt with the neighbor girls. The strategy: We'd light a 100-count strand of Black Cat firecrackers, open his bedroom window and toss them over the fence and into the girls' backyard. Surely that would get their attention and make us cool. Ready ... 3 ... 2... 1 ... Ohcrapweforgotthereisascreenonthewindow!!! The Black Cats simply bounced off the screen like a trampoline, landing in the middle of our bedroom and commencing four minutes of explosions that resonated through our house. Parents were none too happy and the ringing in my ears didn't stop until last week.

   *Huge comeback last night for the Rangers. Down 3-1 and in danger of getting swept by the horrible Seattle Mariners, they rallied for four runs in the 7th to escape. Couple strange sights. When Nelson Cruz made a catch on the warning track in right field in the 9th he did so just in front of a huge Gulf advertising banner on the wall. Gulf? There are none near my house in McKinney and only two in Dallas. Weird, thought their gas stations went the way of Braniff Airlines. And then to this Phiten fad that just won't die. In fact, now even manager Ron Washington and 74-year-old bench coach Jackie Moore are wearing the bulky, woven necklaces that are supposed to enhance your energy and stabilize your karma or somesuch. In a word, hooey. We're such suckers. Me included. I once bought a Pet Rock in the '80s. But now it's those Power Balance rubber bracelets with a magical hologram. Fake. And, sure enough, Phiten necklaces? Fake. One of the strongest products in the world is invisible: The Placebo Effect.

   *So I'm shopping on Wednesday and there is a Mom walking the aisles, being followed by two girls that appear to be 15-ish. Thing was, the teens were holding hands. I mean, like, lovingly, affectionately holding hands. Was it just innocent friendship or ... ? I followed them - creepy, right? - around one corner and when Mom turned around to tell them something they quickly and abruptly disengaged hands. Friendship? Or ...

   *Hot.

   *Not.

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   *Fourth of July fireworks provided by the guys who play on ... ice? Yep, the Dallas Stars pulled off a big trade yesterday, sending forward Loui Eriksson to the Boston Bruins for forward Tyler Seguin, center Rich Peverly and defenseman Ryan Button. While Eriksson was one of the few recognizable names remaining in an organization that has been completely gutted, you gotta give credit to the new braintrust of general manager Jim Nill/head coach Lindy Ruff. They are trying to fix what is broken.

   *This is very cool. Gym teacher wore the same outfit on his school's picture day for 40 straight years. Makes you go "Oh, I wanna do tha ... Damn, too late." Right?

   *During the Rangers' game on Fox Sports Southwest last night they displayed the results of a poll on what fans preferred on the Fourth. 52% responded "Watch the Rangers." About an hour later on the Colorado Rockies' telecast the same poll netted a leading answer (45%) of "Watch fireworks." Baseball town, anyone?

   *Props to Pops. My dad, who's a spry, young 73, now regularly shoots his age on the golf course. Been playing with him since I was about 7. Hundreds of rounds together. And I can count the times I've beaten him on one hand. Whipped me by seven strokes last week at Stonebriar Country Club in Frisco.

   *Buddy of mine went to Pappadeaux restaurant this week and reported something genius. When the waiter brought out crayons for the kids, they were flat-sided. As in, no more rolling off the table and onto the floor and "Mom, can you get my ... " whining. How'd that take us so long?

   *ESPN does a lot of things wrong, mainly its refusal to admit when it gets beat on a story. But props to the network for its segment featuring soldiers coming home from war to be reunited with their families. Despite Daughtry's "Coming Home" it was riveting, moving stuff.

   *Two things us men just can't seem to find: 1. Jimmy Hoffa's body; 2. A woman's G-Spot.

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   *For months I suffered from extremely tight calf muscles. When I tried to run I'd strain one, or the other, or both. I did what I thought was a lot of stretching, but nothing helped. From December to May I was uncomfortable to the point of often not playing tennis or going on jogs with Sybil out of fear of injury. Then something so simple cured me: Foam roller. That's right, I just began spending about five minutes a day on the round, hard-foam roller and, within a week, I was 75% better. Now, good as new. I guess the pressure from the roller forced the gunk out of my muscles, allowing them to actually stretch and loosen. Whatever, I wholly recommend them.

   *If the Mavs don't land Howard what's the big-man Plan B? Cross Al Jefferson and Tiago Splitter off the list. Jefferson will sign with the Charlotte Bobcats, while Splitter re-upped with the San Antonio Spurs. You know what means and you're probably not going to like it: Andrew Bynum. Remember him?

   *Lots of things I don't understand in life. At the top of that list is how wheels on a car rotating really fast forward look like they're somehow spinning backward. And how just one bite of asparagus can transform your pee so incredibly pungent.

   *If you miss me on radio, sorry. For now my words are only here. If you miss Sybil on the radio, you can itch that scratch Monday 1-3 p.m. on her new home, 103.7 KVIL.

   *Ever said "Well, he ain't exactly a Mensa member"? This weekend you can prove it when the American Mensa Society holds its 51st Annual gathering in Fort Worth. If you think you're a smarty pants you can take the exam Saturday morning at The Worthington Hotel.

   *Wondering if this site's traffic would dip after the opening-week debut centering around The Hard Lie 2? Of course it has. But, pleasantly surprisingly, not too much. Last two weeks we've averaged 60,000 pageviews per week, which is enough to keep the lights on. Thank you. Strangest stat? Just this week DFWSportatorium.com has received unique visitors from Germany, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Dominican Republic, France, United Kingdom, India and Japan. Shout out, wherever this may find you.

   *This weekend? A little tennis Saturday morning, followed by a college graduation party that night. On Sunday let's trek to JoCoMoFo to visit dear ol' mom and dad. A pre-party of sorts, because a certain someone turns 49 on Monday. Don't be a stranger.

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Mavs In Hollywood Trying to Land a Leading Role. They Got Any Chance?

   Jack Nicholson.
   Jerry West.
   Hakeem Olajuwon.
   Phil Jackson.
   Mark Cuban?
   If the Dallas Mavericks sign free agent Dwight Howard, it'll be because their owner - the guy who made a billion dollars turning your computer into a radio - stood toe-to-toe with some of the great names in the history of the NBA. Nothing against Dirk Nowitzki and his shiny 2011 championship ring, but this sell has to be closed by Cuban.
   The Mavs get their shot to pitch the best big man in basketball today, followed by the hometown Lakers' final word. Meetings, of course, are like surgeries. In the wake of them, everything always went "great." After today Howard will ingest and decipher and mull the five meetings with the Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors, Mavs and Lakers ... and then we'll collectively hold our breath for The Decision 2.

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   So far the fawning has been impressive.
   The Lakers got Jack on the phone and prompted Steve Nash and Jackson to send their center encouraging Tweets. Wrote Nash: "You're going to love the statue we build for you outside Staples in 20 yrs!"
   The Warriors, considered a long-shot in the sweepstakes, brought in special consultant West. And the Rockets, tabbed as many by the favorite to land Howard, got help from Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Dikembe Mutombo, James Harden and - via Skype from China - Yao Ming.
   The Mavs are going on a future-framing job interview today. I know there are alternative Plan B's that include the Los Angeles Clippers' Eric Bledsoe and Matt Barnes and maybe even the Boston Celtics' Rajon Rondo. But this is the big fish we've been titillated by since the day Cuban broke up the title roster two summers ago. This is the franchise superstar player the poor little Mavs never get.
   Mark Cuban has a lot of tools. He's been a Benefactor and on Shark Tank and one of the most innovative, outspoken owners in the history of pro sports. Today, he just needs to be a salesman, and a closer.
   It's time for Cuban to convince Dwight Howard Dallas is the right choice ... or else.

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Dwight Does Dallas?

   A year ago on July 1 NBA teams began aggressively pursuing free-agent crown jewel Deron Williams. The Mavericks sent a contingency to New York, but owner Mark Cuban was in Los Angeles, of all things, filming episodes of Shark Tank.
   You know how that ended, with Dallas missing out on another big fish and, in turn, signing mediocre players to one-year deals and missing the playoffs after a .500 season.
   Vomit.
   The target, of course, is center Dwight Howard. He's telling people in Los Angeles that won't re-sign with the Lakers, upping his suitors' salivating. The Lakers can offer a max deal of $118 million for five seasons while other teams can only go $88 million over four years. At least as we commence this Dwight dance, Dallas is in the conversation, along with the Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks and Golden State Warriors.
   The Mavs have a couple advantages here, and hopefully they'll be at the right place at the right time this week.

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   Cuban and Dirk Nowitzki will apparently be part of the team's group in L.A. to meet with Howard and his representatives Tuesday, the day after he is courted by a Rockets' group including coach Kevin McHale, guard James Harden and Hall-of-Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon. The Mavs have the stigma of "never luring any big-name free agents to Dallas," but this is a legit shot at the best big man in basketball.
   The Mavs have Dirk, still an elite player but in the twilight of his career and with a disposition that would allow Howard to be the team's centerpiece. And the Mavs' style of play - half-court tempo with lots of pick-and-rolls - suits Howard's preference as well.
   To offer Howard a max deal, the Mavs still have to trim about $2.75 million in salary-cap room. That would've been much easier had Shawn Marion opted out of his contract by Sunday night's deadline. It's difficult to envision a scenario where the Mavs land Howard and keep Marion, although obviously that's Plan A.
   On other roster fronts, the Mavs are said to be interested in Rajon Rondo as the Boston Celtics continue their fire sale in an attempt to really, really suck next year and draft phenom Andrew Wiggins No. 1 in the draft. But if Boston wants Dirk in return, he has a no-trade clause and that's end of discussion.
   The Mavs have already "signed" their first free agent in Israeli Gal Mekel, who will joust with No. 1 draft choice Shane Larkin for the starting point-guard job. Will those players be dumping the ball to Howard in the low post?
   Stay tuned ...

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WHITT'S END 6.28.13

       Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End

   *It's been a wild week in local radio, what with The Ticket's BaD Radio almost moving to 105.3 The Fan before Cumulus sweetened the pot enough to keep Bob Sturm and Dan McDowell home. But now we're on the verge of another popular show perhaps moving ... off the air. From what I hear, The Russ Martin Show's contract is up Monday (July 1) and there has been little interest shown by parent company Clear Channel Media to re-sign Russ and his sidekicks in the afternoon. Surely you remember Russ, right? Not certain exactly what's going on at 97.1 The Eagle, but I smell big changes coming sooner rather than later.

   *Mavs nailed it on several fronts in Thursday night's NBA Draft. First, they selected who I think will be their point guard of the future in Miami's Shane Larkin. The Mavs are comparing him to J.J. Barea, but I predict he'll be the starting point guard opening night. But more importantly, they started cutting salary with an eye toward making a run at free-agent center Dwight Howard next week. Needing to shave $3.8 million off the books at the beginning of the night, Dallas now - after two trades down and the dumping of 2012 draft bust Jared Cunningham - needs to only trim another $2.7 million to be able to offer Howard a max contract with a first-year salary of $20.5 million.

   *That said, Mavs' GM Donnie Nelson admitted that if Syracuse's Michael Carter-Williams or Michigan's Trey Burke would've been available at No. 13, Dallas would've kept the pick and taken either of them.

   *And if you don't believe Howard-to-the-Mavs is realistic, read this story and then check out what Dirk Nowitzki revealed at Mavs' draft headquarters last night. Yep, he's already picked up the phone and called L.A.

   *As I wrote Thursday, the Cowboys shouldn't cut Josh Brent just because the Patriots' released Aaron Hernandez. But, after Brent's second positive test for marijuana while on probation for Intoxication Manslaughter, I don't think there's any choice now but to cut him. Right? They are going to cut him, Right?! Isolated irresponsibility resulting in an accident I can stomach. Repeated, ridiculous behavior, however, cannot be tolerated. Dumb actions? Maybe. Dumb people? No thanks.

   *So Kanye West and Kim Kardashian named their child "North." No kidding. Now when North West gets fired from CBS Radio and the boss cites a "different direction", he'll actually be telling the truth.

   *When Derek Holland is good, he's great. Totally handcuffed the Yankees to the tune of a 2-hitter Thursday afternoon in The Bronx. Makes you wonder where that guy is every fifth day doesn't it? Speaking of Rangers' pitchers, don't look now but Yu Darvish hasn't won a game since May 16.

   *Johnny Manziel is the perfectly irritating combination of pampered and petulant. News surfaced this week that he faced suspension before his 2012 Heisman Trophy season until Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin bailed him out. And recently he received a simple parking ticket on campus, prompting him to Tweet: Bullshit like tonight is a reason why I can't wait to leave college station ... Bet the 12th Man finds that awfully Spirit-of-Aggieland endearing.

   *Hot.

   *Not.

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   *Back in 2011 it was all smiles. We dressed up in our Sunday best and christened the joint in Victory Park known as The Fan Sports Lounge. Great location across from AAC. Cool broadcast booth inside. And ... something horrible happened on the way to happily ever after. Just 19 months later I strolled over to check out the place last night and ... it's no longer The Fan Sports Lounge. Can I interest you in The Point at Victory Park?

   *Looks like the Rangers won't have an All-Star starter for the first time since 2007. I'd like to make a case for one, but I don't think I can.

   *Coolest, most impressive thing I've seen in 2013 is Nik Wallenda's tight-roping "Skywalk" over the Grand Canyon last Sunday. The views were breath-taking and the guy's calm while balancing 1,500 feet in the air amidst 30-mph wind gusts was amazing. And, unlike when he traversed Niagara Falls, this time he wore no safety harness. Death was a real possibility, especially when he crouched down on the wire in fear as the winds bounced it wildly. Crazier still: The dude ran the final 30 feet. Standing. Clapping.

   *Two years ago they toted a trophy through downtown Dallas as members of the Mavericks. Now? Jason Kidd is Jason Terry's boss on the Brooklyn Nets. I know, weird. And sad. But more weird.

   *I've listened to WBAP 820 AM all my life. But just this week I learned what the call letters stand for: We Bring A Program. No, I'm not making that up.

   *With the selection of Tim Hardaway, Jr. by the Knicks last night, make it 13 consecutive years there has been a player taken in the NBA Draft who is the son of a former player.

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   *Wouldn't you just looove to see the actual, unedited commercial of Shaq trying to squeeze his 330-pound Kazaam into that Buick?

   *Once upon a time I accidentally called Fox 4's Mike Doocy "Douche". Accidentally. Promise. See for yourself.

   *It was 10 years ago that the NFL got all offended at the egregious sex and crimes portrayed in the fictional ESPN series, Playmakers. But in the Hernandez saga, the league has itself a much more troubling, real storyline. And turns out Hernandez may have killed his victim because the guy had info about Hernandez previously killing two other people? What The What?!

   *Do Atheists scream "Oh, God!!!" during sexual climax?

   *Last week in this space I wrote about the tiny window of clay-to-grass-court transition allowed tennis players before Wimbledon. How has that manifested? In uncertain footwork, which leads to slipping, which leads to injuries, which leads to spotty play and, ultimately, inconsistent results like the early-round upsets of Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova.

   *I'm not proud of this, but I don't care about George Zimmerman's trial these days nearly as much as I did about news of the actual incident and his killing of Trayvon Martin in February 2012. I blame ... life. And the s-l-o-w legal system.

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   *Anchorman 2 (debuting Dec. 20) can't get here fast enough. If you don't think the original was funny, I'm afraid we just can't be friends.

   *Speaking of movies, I give The Purge 4.5 out of 10 and Now You See Me a solid 6.5. Purge is a great premise that's underdeveloped and predictable, and Now You See Me suffers from saturated plot syndrome (i.e., over-thinking). In other words, one gave me too little and the other too much.

   *Please visit my advertisers' web sites and, even better, buy what they're selling. Without them there is no us. Well, technically we'd still be alive and stuff, but we wouldn't have this comfy club to congregate in daily. A hearty thanks to Home Marketing Services, Vandergriff Honda, Apple Moving, Baby Dolls, LS Wealth Strategies, D Custom Tailors, Pollo Campero, Riggs Rub and WAV Electronics.

   *So my Dad asks me to give a shoutout to all our friends in Johnson County, better known as JoCoMoFo. Seems because of termite damage he needed an outside wall replaced on his wood-frame homestead in Rio Vista. He's hard to please, but he loved the work performed by KT Custom Construction. So, here ya go Pops: For all your home repair needs in that area call Kris at 817.240.8315.

   *This weekend? After my standing tennis appointment Saturday morning, Sybil and I are throwing a pool party in the afternoon until ... ? Sunday, we will most certainly enjoy a quiet Sabbath. And, come Monday, I'm predicting new bikini pics uploaded to my photo galleries (you're welcome). Don't be a stranger.

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