Whitt's End: 1.20.12
*Yu Darvish is the most expensive right-handed pitcher in the history of Major League Baseball. The Rangers' $111 million investment in him has been topped only by deals given to lefties C.C. Sabathia, Johan Santana, Cliff Lee, Mike Hampton and Barry Zito. He is also the first and only Ranger signed for the 2017 season.
*Cowboys' coach Jason Garrett says he's open to giving up the play-calling duties, but not in 2012. If you really think the play-calling was Dallas' problem this season then you weren't paying close enough attention. Tony Romo was great. The offense scored enough points. Now, about that secondary …
*Gutsy win by the Mavs in Utah last night. After consecutive kick-to-the-crotch losses in L.A., they could've folded in one of the NBA's toughest buildings. The win was no thanks to Jason Kidd, who has suddenly aged from 38 to 83 overnight. The 18-year-veteran's shooting and assists are at career-low levels and he hasn't scored more than 5 points in a game this month, but it's his brain-freeze decisions that are shocking. Mavs will be legit contenders when Kidd and Dirk show up. They will show up, right?
*Here's where are in America: Khloe Kardashian (5.8 million) has more Twitter followers than the New York Times (4.9 million). And, for what it's worth, she has more than LeBron James and Tim Tebow – combined.
*Maybe it's (another) sign I'm getting old, but I maintain that Muhammad Ali is the most recognizable face on the planet. Yes, ahead of Michael Jackson (because his face was ever-changing) and Jesus (because only 33 percent of the world is Christian). If you think it's Snooki from Jersey Shore, please stop reading. And leave. Now.
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*Tidbits from talking with Rangers' GM Jon Daniels on 105.3 The Fan on Thursday: Yu Darvish weighs 227 pounds. He wanted no perks during contract negotiations and is cool with wearing a Hooters uniform during annual rookie hazing. Don't be surprised if Alexi Ogando winds up back in the bullpen. Prince Fielder is "unlikely." Also don't be shocked if Yu's first start is Monday, April 9 against the Mariners because of the prospect of a first pitch to Ichiro.
*I'd love to put the Dez Bryant South Beach skirmish to bed, if he'd only give us an idea of what happened. We know Bryant and Lil Wayne were at Club LIV and that Dez was detained by police but not arrested. Rumors everywhere. Dez' only Tweet about the incident: "Let's quit with the false stories now … me and this man don't have a problem with one another lol." Great, then what really happened?
*Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao took a step closer to reality this week when they talked on the phone. May 5 at Las Vegas' MGM looks like the date we've all been waiting for.
*Former Cowboys' special teams guru Joe Avezzano is off to Milan, Italy for six months where he'll coach the Seamen – yep, I couldn't make that up – for a season of American football. Went to a going-away party at Lombardo Custom Apparel in Addison last night and one of the entertainers was mentalist David Magee . His best trick? He'll draw a circle on a post-it note and have you write the initials of someone famous – dead or alive – inside it. He'll then look you in the eyes and within a minute guess your person. Creepy.
*Terrell Owens has been reduced to playing for the Allen Wranglers of like, Arena League 7. Sorry, but T.O. and his stale popcorn will be behind the outlet malls, In-N-Out Burger and Top Golf amongst Allen attractions. Yawn. It's like Josh Hamilton flunking out and having to play for the Fort Worth Cats. It'd be sad if it weren't so damn funny.
*So the Cowboys are pondering a switch back to a 4-3 defense. More good news: They'll have about $20 million under the salary cap when free agency starts March 13. That is, of course, after they cut crappy cornerback Terence Newman.
*Hands down, the dumbest, most illogical commercial on TV is the one for Buffalo Wild Wings in which the supposed groundskeeper forces overtime of an NFL game by pushing buttons in some control room and setting off sprinklers that affect players as if they've been absolutely tazed. For one thing, the players in the ad are wearing fake jerseys and running into a green end zone painted "Detroit". It's seriously so insulting that it makes Wing Stop all that more appealing.
*So for its Republican Presidential candidate, the religious right is down to backing a Mormon (Mitt Romney) or a swinger (Newt Gingrich)? Delicious.
*The Mavs are surviving on defense, not allowing 100 points in 13 consecutive games. And Jason Terry, who keeps negating horrible nights with key 3-pointers. He leads the NBA with 17 treys in the fourth quarter. That said, Shawn Marion has been Dallas' best player through the first month.
*On my bucket list: Attend the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne for two weeks. G'day.
*I'm not saying the Italian cruise captain is my hero, I'm just saying that if I was on the Titanic Kate Winslet better had been a damn good swimmer. Right, Charles Darwin?
*Rest in peace, UTA's Texas Hall. I played high-school basketball on the stage, even learned sports writing, saw Jerry Seinfeld in concert in there and graduated college in the grand old building. Final game in the joint is tomorrow night as UTA moves into the new $78 College Park Center next month.
*Give me Patriots to blow out Ravens, and Giants to squeak by 49ers. No team has ever won a Super Bowl with an offense ranked lower than 24th. San Francisco was 26th this season, last week's shootout notwithstanding. Sorry, no Super HarBowl.
*Called the Dallas Japanese Association yesterday to talk Darvish and his customs and imminent transition to America. Says spokesperson Misako Nomura: "We're Asian, but calling us Oriental isn't insulting." Where does all this politically correct bullshit start in the first place?
*Darvish will wear No. 11. Will he be better than the Cowboys' Danny White, Rangers' shortstop Toby Harrah and the Mavs' J.J. Barea, the other Metroplex standouts to wear the number?
*This weekend? We're at the Fan Sports Lounge today on 105.3 The Fan, holding a scavenger hunt that will result in the winner going to an attractive sporting event in the very near future. You've been alerted. Going – kicking and screaming – to the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art Saturday. Sunday, of course, is reserved for the NFL conference championship games. Don't be a stranger.
