How in the world did the Cowboys get 26 year old safety Ken Hamlin to sign a 1 year and just $2.5 million? Yes, Hamlin did suffer a severe, career threatening and even life threatening injury 2 years ago as an innocent bystander when a fight broke out. He missed 10 games and many thought he’d never play again. But Hamlin returned to be a solid player last year. Remember this is a player who, before he was injured, was a key starting part of a defense that helped take Seattle to the Super Bowl.

If you’d have asked me if I had a choice and could only sign one, who I would have rather seen the Cowboys get—Leonard Davis or Ken Hamlin—I’d have chosen Hamlin. When you factor in Davis getting $46.5 million more, Hamlin looks like a real steal.

…Lots of speculation that Kentucky will come after Aggies Coach Gillespie to be their next Head Coach. What about Rick Barnes at Texas? Kentucky with its tradition has the right to go after anybody, why not steal Texas’ coach? Regardless of who gets the Kentucky job, with the Wildcats on the prowl it probably means raises for all sorts of big named coaches around the country.

…I’m starting to wonder about the off-season trade in which Texas acquired terrific, young right-hander Brandon McCarthy for top-level prospect John Danks and another solid prospect. What’s causing me to wonder about this deal is why Chicago would agree to the trade? McCarthy was a far more known commodity and a lock to be a part of their rotation this year. Instead, this prime contender for the AL Pennant chooses to deal away the more known commodity for 2 pitchers they weren’t certain would be ready to pitch critical innings in this ’07 season. There’s no matter of money or contract involved here. There’s virtually no age difference. Yes, Danks is left handed but the White Sox already had a left handed ace in Mark Buerhle. So, why did the White Sox make the deal? Whispers are that their scouts felt Danks was a better, more mature prospect. And that Masset would then become one more solid arm as a bonus in this deal. Those scouts suggest Texas made the deal because they needed a pitcher in their rotation right now. And they weren’t sure Danks would be ready this season. This’ll be one of the most interesting trades to follow over the next few years.

At the trade deadline the Mavericks made no moves to strengthen their team. They didn’t add a Chris Weber as the Pistons did. Or Eddie Jones as Miami did. But since the passing of the trade deadline, Dallas may have made the most significant player acquisition of all—Devin Harris.

In the 2.5 years since Harris was taken with the 5^th pick in the first round of the draft, the Mavericks have waited patiently for him to arrive and become a major contributor.

He’s arrived. Flatly, Harris’ emergence is happening primarily because of the injury to Devean George. Avery Johnson had moved George into the lineup and let Jason Terry run the point believing that this combination gave him a better chance of attaining balance as a guard pair. George was solid defensively, could cover very big guards and his offensive game emerged to the point that he was a solid, yet not spectacular contributor. Then George got hurt. Harris re-entered the lineup.

Check that…someone wearing Harris’ jersey re-entered the lineup. This “new” Devin Harris suspiciously looks like the guard that the Mavericks thought they were getting in that ’04 draft. He’d quickly become a solid defensively player. But this Devin Harris is the player Dallas waited patiently for. He’s learning to control his speed. He seems to have much more control during his slashes to the basket. His jumpshot has significantly improved.

As good as the Mavericks are, they still really needed a true slasher to complement the best jump shooting team in the league. Suddenly Harris looks like he knows what he’s doing. The light has come on. And, it has come on just in time for the playoffs to arrive.

What took so long? Well, first he left Wisconsin a year early and had played only one year of point guard while with the Badgers. In Dallas and everywhere else in the NBA, unless you’re desperate, you don’t turn your team over to a rookie point guard. Especially, when an excellent veteran like Jason Terry is available at that position.

Oddly, George’s injury now looks like a small stroke of luck. Harris has seized the opportunity. He’d already become an excellent defensive guard. Did you watch him pester Lebron James early this week? Now Harris appears to be arriving at the offensive end.

Just what Dallas needed. Just what their opponents were afraid would happen.

Mark Cuban is still talking about the officiating in last year’s playoffs. He can’t let it go. And, now it’s gotten to the point where even his lack of a comment speaks volumes. His new answer to the officiating question is basically: just look at the tape of last year’s Finals

Let it go, Mark…Let it go.

The history here is that during the playoffs last year and long before than that Mark has been very critical of the officiating in the NBA.

After the playoffs last year, it was interesting that the star player, Dirk Nowitzki, came out and said that Cuban was going to have to tone it down a little.

Now, in New York a writer went to the Mavs practice and didn’t quote Dirk. But in the article he spoke to a couple other Mavericks about Mark Cuban’s criticism of the officiating.

Let’s go to the quotes of the players:

Jason Terry said, “…you get on somebody long enough and they are going to have a reaction…” And, he’s right, if you hammer and hammer and hammer on the officials long enough, you will get a reaction…A negative reaction.

Jerry Stackhouse said, “…we don’t want to give people the impression that we’re a whining team. Cuban can be a distraction if you look at it that way. He’s always going to be like that. He’s not speaking for us. He’s just like the fan in the 10^th row. Some things are out of control. Sometimes it does carry over. We made a conscious decision as a team to layoff the refs.

This Maverick team comes off as looking like a whining team even though it’s not any more. Cuban’s constant whining makes the team look bad. If Mark Cuban had an employee that was annoying other employees and doing anything that looked detrimental to the organization, he would fire them.

What has his 6 years of complaining done for the Mavericks? Absolutely nothing.

I watched Texas Tech yesterday

Of the major college teams that one may have the least amount of talent as anyoune in this tournament.

That's one of the best things you can say about Bob Knight. He'll take a team that is very limited in talent and get the absolute most out of them.

Watching that game yesterday showed me why Bob Knight is the all-time winningest coach. His team played its heart out. All of his teams play their hearts out. He is a master at getting the most from his players.

Tech is getting in the tournament with some regularity now. Knight's program is not Texas or Kansas. And I mean this as a credit to Bob Knight. With a limited talent pool, Bob Knight's Tech teams have acheived quite a bit.

...The worst game of the day, without question was Indiana and Gonzaga. I watched that game and couldn't believe how slow paced that game was. I watched these two teams and I'm telling you that there were stretches in that game where one team could have left the floor and the other one would still not have scored.

...You know about the Texas kids playing all over the country. Texas kids are sprinkled on teams everywhere. Even Penn had a kid from Jesuit. This state has tons of basketball talent.

...A&M/Louisville will have a hell of a basketball game. Make your plans and get ready for tire irons at two feet. This is going to be a fun game to watch.

...You know your team's in tough shape when you're watching the game and you're a fan of George Washington who is behind by 29 in the first half. How do you get behind by 29 in the first half? You almost have to try to do that.

..Butler wins 56-47 and has a 17 point run. How do you win a game 56-47 and include a 17 point run?

...Rick Pitino comes out yesterday and suggests increasing the tournament field to 96 teams. Come on, Rick. You are smarter than this. I'm sorry 65 is enough. If you're not one of the top 65 teams in the country you pretty much don't belong.

...Today, players you want to watch that you may not have seen yet this year:

--Chris Lofton--Tennessee

--Nate Bunk--Creighton

--Aaron Nixon--Long Beach

--Jamar Wilson--Albany

The only thing decided, in reality, Wednesday night at the AAC was the game between Dallas and Phoenix.

But so much of sports revolves around perception. And perception may have changed significantly after the Phoenix overtime win. In reality, one shot very conceivably changes the outcome to a Dallas win. In fact one Dirk free throw seals a Dallas win. But where are the perceptions following that extraordinary Phoenix victory.

--That the difference between Dallas and the Suns is negligible. Could anyone, after watching that game truly, with any certainty, make a case for which team is better.

--That Dallas can’t seal the deal. In the biggest Dallas game since Game 3 of the NBA Finals last year, Dallas did it again, they blew a double digit lead in the 4^th quarter.

--That Dirk will get a touch shaky in the stretch of games. His missed free throws will be the focus of such talk. His missed field goal attempts will add fuel. But Dirk also seemed to be just a touch shaky personally. He could have fairly easily been ejected from this game for drawing a 2^nd technical. The officials showed a fair amount of restraint in not giving him a 2^nd T.

--That Steve Nash is the #1 money player in this league.

All of these perceptions arise out of this single incredible game. Contests like this are why sports fans turn on their TV. They hope every once in a blue moon that they see something extraordinary like this.

My single most significant thought about last night is how we should relish such a remarkable spectacle.

But it is those perceptions which will be discussed for days and weeks until these teams meet again. And it’s fairly obvious that Mavericks fans were uncomfortable at what they were seeing last night. Why else would they, at times, boo a team that’s on a pace to win 70 games this season?

In the insane world the contract of Rangers SS Michael Young almost leaps off the page.

How in the world did the Rangers get him to sign for that reasonable amount of money?

Now, I’m not about to ask you to sniff at $88 million over 7 years. But for a player of his ability, character and leadership that qualifies as a significant bargain these days in baseball. And, in fact, in other sports as well.

Young will average $12.5 million per year for the next 7 years. By the time he’s in mid-contract, he will not be amongst the top 50 paid players in baseball. By late in his contract, that average of $12.5 million per year may make people regard him as one of the most underpaid star athletes in this country.

So, why did he do it? He says he likes Texas. Likes it here. Likes his team and his teammates. He understands that he took less than market value. But he also seems pretty happy with his life.

Imagine that. A player who decides to stay some place because he and his family are happy there. A player who didn’t try at all to squeeze the last dollar out of a contract.

The Rangers are fortunate to have Young at this rate. They’ve now locked up a significant percentage of their core for several years.