Whitt's End: 8.10.12
Whether you've reached the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End:
*Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said this morning on 105.3 The Fan that offensive guard Bill Nagy is "gone for the year, in my mind." Doesn't help the mess along the interior OL at all. Nagy, a 7th-round draft choice last year, broke his ankle last October in New England and re-injured the same ankle on the first day of training camp. He may not play another snap as a Cowboy.
*Welcome to the Mavs' worst nightmare. First they get rejected by Deron Williams in free agency. And now Dwight Howard will be traded to their Western Conference rival – the Los Angeles Lakers. When owner Mark Cuban decided to not give long-term contracts to Tyson Chandler, J.J. Barea, Caron Butler, etc. after the 2011 championship season, he did so with a grand plan of acquiring either Chris Paul, Williams or Howard. Make that 0 for 3. Enjoy your dry powder, Mavs Fans For Life. Only chance for the Mavs is for Howard to go to L.A., somehow be unhappy, not sign a contract extension and become a free agent next summer. But with a lineup of Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Ron Artest, Pau Gasol and Howard, how will the Lakers not be great? Mavs get a heaping dose of their regrettable reality when they open the 2012-13 NBA regular season Oct. 30 in Staples Center.
*Predicted here last week that Josh Hamilton's "disobedience" to God would turn out to be something silly like giving in and again chewing tobacco. S'rnuff. But, then again, his slump appears to be over so I say dip away.
*Sure free agent Plaxico Burress is on the Cowboys' list. But not at the top of it. And not yet. Owner Jerry Jones said after Thursday's practice that he had not spoken with the receiver's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, and as VP Stephen Jones told me later, "We'd never say never to Plaxico. But of course we also would never say never to Richie Whitt." In other words, if a third receiver doesn't emerge after a couple of pre-season games, then maybe. But not now. Not yet.
*Dez Bryant is an amazing athlete. Not only does he consistently win 50/50 balls from Cowboys' cornerbacks with the ease of a father snatching the remote control from his teething infant, before practice the other day he was standing – flat-footed, mind you – on the 50-yard line and hurling left-handed spirals through the goal posts. By my math that's 60 yards. Effortlessly.
*Went out singing karaoke in Oxnard last night with some of the 105.3 The Fan crew. Only song I'm comfortable singing: "Plush" by Stone Temple Pilots. Mark Elfenbein went with Randy Travis' "I Told You So", but somehow performed without being drunk and/or naked. R.J. Choppy gave a rousing rendition of Barry Manilow's "Copa Cabana." And Jane Slater, the station's new blonde banana, seduced the room with "I Touch Myself." Yowza.
*After watching Phil Costa struggle and David Arkin botch so many snaps that coach Jason Garrett said the offense has "cued the circus music" during camp, I don't see why the Cowboys don't re-sign center Andre Gurode. He's available. He knows the system. He can't be any worse than what's currently over the Cowboys' ball.
*HOT
*NOT
*Not sure if Robert Griffin III is going to be a star or not, but I'm sure I'm confused by the white glove he wears on his left (non-throwing) hand during games. I asked ol' quarterback/current CBS 11 sports anchor Babe Laufenberg about the possible advantage: "There's no reasonable explanation." Gotta be style over substance.
*What does C.J. Wilson the Cowboys' cornerback think of C.J. Wilson the Angels' pitcher? "I have never met him," says the football player, "but I hear he's a douche."
*Race Walking is an event in The Olympics. I just can't tell you how stupid that is. Looks like a Monty Python skit.
*Jason Witten should be your son's role model. Why? One of Witten's toddler sons was running around with a football after Thursday's practice when dad stopped him and asked him "What does integrity mean?" Answer: "Doing the right thing even when no one is looking." Bravo!
*West Nile Virus? Wake me up when it reaches the doom-n-gloom predicted epidemic proportions of the Bird Flu and Mad Cow Disease and SARS and Swine Flu and … oh forget it. We don't freak out over the common flu, and it kills more humans every year than those trendy diseases have combined over the last decade. We scare so easily these days.
*When the calendar turned to August the Rangers' season turned prosperous. The Angels were in Arlington in late July with the momentum of winning the first two games of a 4-game series with Texas. In Game 3 – on Aug. 1 – they took a 10-7 lead into the bottom of the 10th. Just 3 outs from cutting their deficit in the AL West to 2 games and forcing Rangers' fans to the panic button, they instead gave up 4 runs in a kick-to-the-crotch 11-10 loss. It felt seismic at the time, and it was. Since then the Angels are 2-6 and have fallen into third place in the West, 7 behind the Rangers.
*Thursday I was momentarily convinced that Dez Bryant's 20-something brother, Sean, was 50-something Flava Flav. Yes, I am a dork.
*Today after Jason Garrett's daily press conference tune in to The Fan for a special press conference post-game show. The head coach will pop on with Greggo and me for a live chat.
*I love my house and all, but there is something to be said for living in a hotel. Never make the bed. Breakfast served every morning. Varying scenery at the swimming pool, which you never have to clean. And, best of all, only a 1-minute commute to the gym. Courtyard Marriott, I'll miss you.
*This weekend? Just two more nights in SoCal and then it's back to the Metroplex. In other words, by Sunday my climate will have increased by 30 degrees. On Monday it's already time for a Cowboys Official Pre-Game Show on The Fan at 6. Don't be a stranger.
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