WHITT'S END: 1.10.14

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

   *Details of where I'm headed and predictions on what our world will look like when I get back ...

   *The most dangerous voice on TV is ...

   *Our weirdest three-letter name is ...

   *A story you almost never read about a local team ...

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WHITT'S END: 11.7.13

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

   *Heart-breaking news about one of my all-time favorite Cowboys. Tony Dorsett played 11 years for Dallas in a career that landed him in the Ring of Honor and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. These days the 60-year-old Dorsett carries not a football, but the burden of a degenerative brain disease found in more than 50 deceased former NFL players. It's the concussion syndrome, the baseline of the recently settled lawsuit between the league and former players and the reason for all the rules changes aimed at making football more safe and less violent. "My quality of life deteriorates every day," Dorsett says. He suffers from disorientation, depression and even thoughts of suicide. Next time you start to scream "Put a skirt on 'em!" or start yapping about the "Wussification of America", consider what a decade of helmet-to-helmet collisions has done to Tony Dorsett.

   *I'm hearing that the injury that kept Dez Bryant out of practice Wednesday is more serious than a "balky back." That in and of itself would be a concern. Elite athletes who just turned 25 shouldn't have balky backs. But there are whispers at Valley Ranch of ominous words like "bulging disc" and even "traction." Dez will play Sunday night in New Orleans, but this isn't one of those temporary spasms that flares up and goes away quietly.

   *Josh Brent retired from the Cowboys. But apparently he still works for the Cowboys. Guy who works at the team's merchandise warehouse off Highway 114 in Irving swears to me that Brent works alongside him. Critics of Jerry Jones had a problem with the owner employing Brent as a player. But what about as a warehouse worker?

   *I'm all for sending messages and the Mavs have to beat the Thunder before we're all convinced that they're legit. But I'm not sure the messenger should be Vince Carter, the message should be a flagrant elbow and the messagee recipient should be somebody named Steve Adams.

   *This happened last night at Blue Martini in Plano: A guy (shorter and skinnier than me and wearing a sleeveless puffy Parka) walks up to Sybil and begins flirting. With me within earshot and within 30 seconds he boasts that he plays "professional hockey" for "Dallas, you know, the Stars." Oh wow, Sybil says, asking his name. "Trevor ... Trevor Drkvozakdiadyivasm," the guy mumbles. I'm familiar with Trevor Daley and I think this year they had a 6-foot, 200-pounder named Trevor Ludwig, but no way this dude is either. For the sake of entertainment I let the guy go weaving his web of lies and cheesy pick-up attempt. Later a buddy and me quiz Trevor Drkvozakdiadyivasm a little more. "Weird that you guys played in Boston last night and flew home before going back to Detroit tomorrow night." Trevor: "Yeah ... what?" Just for fun, dug around the minor-league Texas Stars and, nope, no Trevor. Also, no player listed at 5-6, 145 pounds. But good luck to you "Trevor." Keep casting worms in the water. Sooner or later you'll get a bite.

   *Wait, Richie Incognito was considered an "honorary black man" by his teammates? So on the dysfunctional Dolphins a white dude is black but the half-black player (Jonathan Martin) is white? Got it? Martin, by the way, is considered "soft" by some black teammates because he is Stanford educated and the son of wealthy parents. America salivates for some black vs. white controversy along racial lines. But I don't think it's clear who roots for whom. Either way, while Incognito being an "honorary black man" is perceived as a compliment, I don't know many black dudes who desire to be an "honorary white man."

   *Hot.

   *Not.

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   *Don't understand all the whining over the uniforms Northwestern will wear Nov. 16 against Michigan. The look includes a distressed American flag critics say looks like splattered blood. But, um, aren't they honoring our Wounded Warriors?

   *Unless you have a farm of Daffodils in your back yard, the issue of a "frost warning" is the biggest weather over-hype of all. I'm guessing that less than 1% of folks who are warned about an impending frost actually lift a finger to do anything about it.

   *Okay, Blockbuster, now what am I supposed to do with these two videos I've had for a year. I mean, I was gonna return them today but ...

   *Dead 'n Gone: The Houston Astrodome. Hard to fathom now, but there'll come a day when AT&T Stadium will be old and cramped and outdated and dilapidated and, yep, torn down for something shiny and new that costs upwards of $5 billion to build.

   *Gotta give it to Toronto mayor Rod Ford. Dude has some big balls. In the wake of a video showing him using crack cocaine, he explains it away by adding that it merely occurred as part of a "drunken stupor." That's like admitting to your wife that you kissed her sister, but it's no big deal because it happened during a threesome with her mom. Shockingly, the guy won't resign. And somehow his approval rating has increased during the scandal.

   *Tired of hearing me carnival barking for Pizza Buzz? Fine. Let's let others do it for me today. Take it away, Dallas Morning News and Dallas Observer and Channel 8. Thanks for the support.

   *Today? Lunching with my ol' pal Bob Lovell of Home Marketing Services, then considering attending the grand opening of the new Top Golf in The Colony for a little driving range and dinner weaved around Baylor-OU. Don't be a stranger.

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WHITT'S END: 7.19.13

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

   *Josh Brent, former NFL player. The Cowboys' defensive lineman retired yesterday, providing us yet another stark reminder of how simple decisions can have complex, horrible ramifications. Had Brent simply called for a cab after a night of drinking on Dec. 7, teammate Jerry Brown would be alive and he would be earning millions playing the game he loves. Instead, at 25 years old, he's facing intoxication manslaughter charges, living with the grief of killing his friend and no longer a professional athlete. I can't imagine how many times per day Brent must replay the events - the decisions - of that night. Hindsight is 20/20. But playing out scenarios before making decisions and taking actions is even more valuable.

   *Never understood the clamor and angst over All-Male country clubs, but the issue has arisen again this week. This time, at the British Open in Scotland where Muirfield is hosting a major without hosting any women. Like Augusta National, home of The Masters, it's a private club. Meaning, it can make its own rules and get its money not from the government or public funds but 100 percent from membership dues/fees. There are All-Female clubs - like this one, for example - throughout the U.S. and the United Kingdom. Just because Muirfield is cool enough to host a major sporting event doesn't mean it's different than the others. Only better.

   *Oh, Johnny Football Goofball. Just admit you've made some mistakes and move on. You've done nothing illegal. Just bad choices. Your A&M head coach says so, why can't you? Your latest version of what happened at the Manning Passing Academy last weekend is that your phone died and "I didn't wake up in time." But camp roommate A.J. McCarron tells a different tale, saying he tried several times to jostle you out of your slumber without success. Being hungover and missing an event looks bad. Lying to cover it up looks worse.
 
   *As for the Mavs' Plan B summer in the wake of getting snubbed by Dwight Howard, Monta Ellis will be fun to watch at guard. But at center, Samuel Dalembert is just a big body. Nothing special. The 32-year-old Canadian citizen from Haiti and Seton Hall has averaged 8 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks during his NBA career. And these days, that earns you a two-year, $7.5 million contract.

   *Jerry Jones: "We're a better team, no question, than last year." Hello, football season.

   *Hot.

   *Not.

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   *Sybil and I have planned our wedding and in January we're going to Tahiti. And New Zealand. And Australia. And Fiji. And yes, in fact, I do need you to consistently frequent this site and buy from my advertisers. I'll consider it your wedding gift. Deal?

   *No way, the WWE is fake?! I'm shocked!

   *Rangers at the trade deadline? You want Matt Garza. You're probably going to get Manny Ramirez.

   *Dinner topic last night: Over/Under on the number of people you've been introduced to in your life. 100,000? I'm taking the Under. Sybil's going with Over. If you're 45, that's 6 people a day every day. No way.

   *Got a glance at a TV last night and it was an old replay of the girls' state softball tournament from Austin. I watched for a minute, because one of the teams was Lovejoy High School near Allen. Their pitcher - I swear - had a long, white towel dangling from the back pocket of her uniform pants. When she pitched, it flew out like a cape. Not a washrag, but a proper body towel you dry off with after a shower. How can that not be distracting to hitters? And how can that be legal? Guess it didn't work that well after all, as Lovejoy lost the 4A title game to Buda Hays, 11-8.

   *What does it say about Cowboys' training camp when the two players you're most excited to see are a rookie center (Travis Frederick) and a safety (Matt Johnson) who has yet to play one NFL snap?

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   *Arrived in historic Gruene last night on the banks of the Guadalupe River. Ate dinner at the Gristmill. That was, of course, after a 30-minute search for a parking spot. Finally gave up and sort of "invented" a space. The place is like going back in time. Instead of a pager that lights up flashing red when your table is ready, you sit under giant trees sipping Shiner Bock until they write your name on a big chalkboard. It's attractively archaic.

   *The creepiest story you'll read this week: A 54-year-old Arlington elementary-school principal - a principal - goes to Florida, solicits an underage boy online, goes to meet him in a white van and, yep, gets arrested.

   *As if Harvey Levin, his omnipresent thermos and gaggle of over-laughing minstrels weren't annoying enough on TMZ, the most irritating voice on all of TV is the guy who narrates the show's bits. It's fake-enthusiasm-over-emphatic, x 1 gazillion.

   *Driving through Austin once was fun. There's Texas' football field! And, oh look, our Capitol!! But then, traffic. Major traffic. And these days we take the 130 bypass around the cool city. Benefit? Speed limit on 130 is 80 around Austin, and then up to 85 closer to San Antonio.

   *With the class-action lawsuit over the Super Bowl XLV seating fiasco dismissed, the Cowboys are now turning the tables and asking for $200,000 from plaintiffs. Stay classy, America's Team.

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   *Until someone proves me wrong, I'm claiming this is the coolest graduation gift of 2013. Given to Texas Tech grad Nate Fisher by his dad, Mike. Four framed (eventual) Pro Football Hall-of-Fame jerseys, each signed by the guys who wore them. Montana. Elway. Sanders. Peterson. Bravo. All I got for graduating UTA in 1986 was a Pontiac Fiero.

   *I like the boots-'n-skirt look on women, but I'd say 76 percent of 'em wear that outfit in Gruene. Almost like it's a mandatory uniform.

   *Give credit to Maria Sharapova. She can't beat American Serena Williams so what does she do? Goes out and hires as her new coach the most feisty player in American tennis history - Jimmy Connors.

   *Part of me wants to build a 5-story parking garage in the middle of Gruene. But my romantic side realizes that would take the place's charm and flush it right down the progressive toilet.

   *As much as the actual meal itself, I think folks order ribs at a restaurant just to be able to boastfully say the word "rack." It somehow makes men feel macho. But it's unnecessary. Asked what you had for dinner, you don't answer "I had a half-pound hamburger." Just "hamburger". But asked what you had for dinner, you answer "Rack of ribs. Could've had the half-rack of ribs, but I had the full rack of ribs." Humans are so silly.

   *It's possible to have First-World problems or visit a Third-World country. But whatever happened to the Second World?

   *I don't watch The View, but that show knows how to pick bananas. Out: Elisabeth Hasselbeck. In: Jenny McCarthy.

   *This weekend? Schlitterbahn this morning, John Newcombe's Tennis Ranch this afternoon. And we'll top it off Sunday with a tube float down the Guadalupe. Don't be a stranger.

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WHITT'S END 7.12.13

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

   *A week from today the Cowboys fly to Oxnard, California for training camp. Wonder if Josh Brent will be on that plane? He certainly shouldn't be. While out on bail awaiting his trial for intoxication manslaughter, Brent violated his probation by smoking pot and by having a monitoring device alert police that he had alcohol in his system. Even in the wake of his irresponsible actions leading to the death of a former teammate, guy just doesn't get it.

   *It's come to this for the Mavs: Using new point guard Jose Calderon to help recruit potential center Samuel Dalembert. And sniffing around Greg Oden. I'll pause a second while you bury your head in your hands. ... In the wake of losing out on Dwight Howard, the Mavs are actually interested in Oden. Multiple knee surgeries have limited the No. 1 overall pick in '07 to 82 total games over two seasons. When healthy he's averaged 9.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks. Tyson Chandler, we'll never forget.

   *The Ticket on 104.1 FM is about to be a thing of the past. Cumulus has sold the frequency, and doubtful the new owners will simply keep 1310 AM's simulcast on its station. So here's my working theory: The Ticket is positioning itself for a move to 103.3 FM. Yep, ESPN. I know for a fact that Clear Channel attempted to buy 103.3 FM earlier this year. If The Ticket  hopes to buy it, and thereby move to a stronger, FM signal, it would have to dump its existing FM signal, 104.1. Again, it's only a hunch, but if The Ticket winds up on 103.3 FM and ESPN moves to 1310 AM, you heard it here first.

   *Ross Wolf. Justin Grimm. Josh Lindblom. If you told me back in Spring Training that those pitchers would start a combined 23 games for the Rangers, I'd have predicted no way their record would be 53-39 near the All-Star break.

   *Didn't watch Sharknado last night. But apparently I was the only one. SyFy's campy monster-disaster movie was the talk of the Twitterverse. It prompted 80 Tweets per second. Unless I'm wrong, it's a movie about sharks being hurled into a Los Angeles tornado. Serious.

   *Hot.

   *Not.

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   *Played some horrible golf yesterday at Cleburne Links on the shores of Lake Cleburne. But, it was all mostly erased by a chip-in eagle on the Par 5 5th. I have lots of bad, forgettable rounds per year. But only a handful of eagles.

   *Ron Artest is released by the Lakers. Or, for the first time in history, Peace has been amnestied.

   *Tony Romo haters, skip this item. Because this web site has done research and determined that in 2012 the Cowboys' quarterback had a rating of 100.7 in the fourth quarter/overtime, best in the NFL since '00. But what about the interception at Washington in the finale? I know, I know.

   *I found what must be the least-called phone number on the planet. 512-936-3338. What is it? To request information on how to repay unemployment benefits you were not eligible for but mistakenly received, contact the Benefit Overpayment Collections. Yeah, right.

   *I'm not saying his actions didn't lead to the death of Trayvon Martin, but I am saying there's no way George Zimmerman is found guilty of second-degree murder. Too many shadows of too many doubts for him to be guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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   *Went to JoCoMoFo last Sunday and to lunch at a fantastic outta-the-way-place called Fly By Night. It's on County Road 1125 just outside Cleburne, at the intersection of nowhere and nothing. But it's great food and a neat atmosphere. Iced tea in Mason jars, peanut shells on the floor and stick-to-your-bones home cookin'. Oh yeah and, as evidenced by the sign near the front door, it's 100% old-West Texas.

   *Not surprised Yu Darvish went on the DL this week with a strained muscle, which is basically arm fatigue. The guy leads baseball in not only strikeouts (157), but also pitches per start (109). At some point it catches up with you.

   *Props to my old Observer buddy Pete Freedman's Central Track web site for this intriguing alert: MTV is making a reality show about the sex and shenanigans surrounding the girls who work at the local breastaurant Redneck Heaven. Been to the one in Lewisville once and my friend consumed a shot of liquor with a live minnow in it. As for the girls? Yeah, they flirt and they wear almost nothing. I hear they have ABC days, as in "Anything But Clothes." Body paint, pasties. You get the picture.

   *Next week is a mini-vacation. DFWSportatorium won't miss a beat, but me and Sybil are pseudo-escaping to play in New Braunfels. To Schillterbahn. To float the Comal river. And for a weekend tennis camp at John Newcombe's world-renowned ranch.

   *We've come so far in regards to shedding our homophobic culture. Latest example: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "Same Love" is a mainstream hit. And, yep, it's a song about homosexuality and same-sex marriage. Embrace it. Don't be scared.

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   *Had a kid visiting the other night. He's up in my office playing the drums and I turn on the TV for extra distraction entertainment. Wow. I had no idea Cartoon Network had become so racy at night. I'm in!

   *Arrogance be damned, the Dodgers' Yasiel Puig is fun to watch play baseball.

   *From the Dept. of For-Every-Ripe-Banana-There-Is-A-Dude-Who's-Tired-of-Screwing-Her, George Clooney this week dumped Stacy Keibler. Yeah, this woman. What could she have possibly done wrong? And no, since you're asking, Clooney didn't really have "ball-ironing" surgery. Did he?

   *E, Papa Johns. You know the pizza company gives half-price pies the day after the Rangers score 7 or more runs in a victory. Well, up in Baltimore this week I saw the same promotion for the Orioles. Except it was for 5 or more runs. Oops. The Orioles - led by Chris Davis - lead all of baseball in homers and runs. Bon apetit!

   *This weekend? Going out on the town tonight. Dinner at Sissy's in Lakewood and then shakin' our groove thang at Rio Room in Uptown. Busy Saturday with tennis, buddy's annual gigantic pool party on Lake Ray Hubbard and then a wedding in Fairview. Sunday, we Sabbath. Don't be a stranger.

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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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What If Aaron Hernandez Wore a Star on His Helmet?

   Cocaine (Bob Hayes).
   Vehicular Manslaughter (Dwayne Goodrich).
   Stealing From Your Own Mother (Larry Bethea).
   Pot (Nate Newton).
   Domestic Abuse (Harvey Martin, Dez Bryant).
   Indecency with a Child (Rafael Septien).
   Bribery (Thomas Henderson).
   DUI (Erik Williams, Jay Ratliff).
   Indecent Exposure (Lance Rentzel).
   "Runnin' Ho's In and Outta The White House" (Michael Irvin, Deion Sanders, et al).
   Intoxication Manslaughter (Josh Brent).
   But on the Dallas Cowboys' long and illustrious rap sheet, there has never appeared:
   First-Degree Murder.
   Imagine - given they're the lazy punch-line to every NFL jurisprudence joke - if Aaron Hernandez played football with a star on the side of his helmet.

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   While the New England Patriots are being praised for immediately releasing the Pro Bowl tight end in the wake of his arrest for allegedly murdering a minor-league player near Boston, I believe the Cowboys could've taken the same action yet still been criticized for initially drafting a player with a nefarious background and/or not nurturing an environment of law-abiding civility at Valley Ranch.
   Well, am I wrong?
   Inexplicably, the news of Hernandez' arrest and ensuing roster release have prompted critics to demand the Cowboys now cut defensive tackle Josh Brent. The attempted correlation is preposterous; The suggested actions nonsensical.

   Why? Because of the glaring differences in the crimes.
   Hernandez is charged with shooting a man in the head and killing him. Brent is charged with Intoxication Manslaughter for driving drunk and flipping his car in an accident that killed teammate Jerry Brown back in December. I can't believe I have to explain this, but the only similaritiy in the two scenarios is a dead body.
   With pre-meditation and malice, Hernandez allegedly pulled a trigger to kill another human being. But it was merely Brent's irresponsibility that led to the accidental ending of another's life.
   It's really this simple: Intentional or Accidental?

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   While Brent awaits his September trial he is a free man (on bond) and still a member of the Cowboys. If you believe owner Jerry Jones should've long ago cut him to send a moral message to the masses, I get that. But if you believe the Cowboys should cut Brent now just because the Patriots released Hernandez, you're grossly misdirected.
   If Hernandez was charged with Intoxication Manslaughter, would the Patriots have released him? No way. Their decision Wednesday - and I believe it was the right one - was based on football, not morality.
   There is right, and there is wrong. There are crimes, and there is murder.
   There are the Dallas Cowboys, and there is every other team in the NFL.

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