Ben But Don't Break...

Happy Thursday my friends.

If there is one thing I really find upsetting about the play-offs in Dallas in April and May, it's that depending on who the opponent is you are guaranteed a lot of late nights with games starting as late as 9pm CST. This means it will be close to midnight before you get an opportunity to head back home and soak up the highlights and the like.

My friend Tanisha was talking with me earlier in the week as the play-offs were about to commence. She is a rabid fan of the Mavericks and she also knows her basketball!

She shared something interesting. She said, 'Ya know Willie, I really fear the Spurs in the first round. On paper, they're old, and they are finally starting to play like a team. Manu is back, and they are a #7 seed. I wonder if our guys-Butler, Dirk, Haywood-will be able to hang and bang with their Big 3 in a seven game series.' To which I said,'Manu was injured one year ago. I see this as a possible revenge pay back for San Antonio. They do have four titles after all.'

Three days after Coach Popovich used the 'dog' term to describe the way the Spurs looked after Game 1, I half expected San Antonio to come out guns ablaze in Game 2. They did. With Tim and Manu combining for 48 points, all I could say to myself was,'Uh Oh...Trouble along the Riverwalk.' A resounding 14 point victory over Dallas.

Since coming to Texas in 2001, I have always enjoyed this rivalry. I now worry about how much help Dirk is going to get if he cannot single-handedly do his thing. Kidd now 37, and maybe it will be up to JJ or someone like a Roddy B to get some minutes. I hope I am wrong but I will not be surprised if this series goes seven games. Game three tomorrow night with that Crawford dude handling the refereeing duties...

When you make a mistake in judgment and you cause people to lose trust in you, the reaction is akin to being a black sheep at a family reunion. Your presence is known but no one wants to acknowledge or associate with you. I say this on behalf of what Ben Roethlisberger is about to go through. 

I knew once the Steelers went after Byron Leftwich that Ben would receive a 4-6 game suspension, and I was correct. What I find interesting is how much the tenor and tone of the NFL changed in the course of a week. Seven days ago, we were told,'No action to be taken until the draft is done!' Then all of a sudden we hear the rumors of a hefty suspension.

Yesterday the sentence was handed down. The fans wonder why? I'll tell you...It's because the Steelers needed a form of closure to start out 2010. Ben's suspension could also affect the way the draft is done. If Ben remains a Steeler, it won't be because he'll be wanted. When you can't even get along with someone as affable and as popular as Terry Bradshaw, that tells me something. I hope Ben learns from this...

The Denver Broncos really went after Tim Tebow? From the swamp to the high altitude...This should get interesting. 

To a busy work day. Mavs watching parties all around the Metroplex this weekend. Be safe!

Over and out in Big D

Mr. Will