Each Tuesday, the Star-Telegram’s Charean Williams and Ray Buck go point-counterpoint on some of the hot topics in sports. Combined, they’ve covered more than 40 Super Bowls. At SB XLIII, Charean became president of the Pro Football Writers of America.
In honor of St. Paddy’s Day ... who’s the best “Patrick” you’ve seen in sports — past or present?CHAREAN: Believe it or not, Patrick McEnroe was the first name that came to mind. Yes, you can laugh. Then, I thought of Patrick Ewing. Ewing is not a bad answer. Pat Williams is one of the NFL’s best nose tackles, but off the top of my head, I’d say Patrick Ewing.BUCK: I must warn you, Charean. Since my middle name is Patrick, I’m sort of an expert on this subject. My first thought was retired goalie Patrick Roy with those helter-skelter eyes, then I thought of Patrick Crayton. Stop right there. Of course ... the best “Patrick” is Danica Patrick. How much have the Dallas Cowboys — now picking 51st — hurt themselves by not having a first-round draft choice?CHAREAN: Well, let’s see: Felix Jones. Mike Jenkins. Bobby Carpenter. DeMarcus Ware. Marcus Spears. Terence Newman. Roy Williams. Those are the Cowboys’ first-round draft choices in the past seven drafts. It’s been kind of hit or miss. They might have drafted the next DeMarcus Ware, or the next Bobby Carpenter. If WR Roy Williams turns out to be the feature receiver they think he will be, the Cowboys won’t miss that first-round choice.BUCK: Yeah, Charean. But what scares me is that whenever the Cowboys haven’t had a first-round pick, they’ve taken Quincy Carter and Julius Jones with their top pick. Brace yourself. Which Texas baseball team will win more games this season: Astros or Rangers?CHAREAN: This is a trick question, isn’t it? You know, Ray, that I am the world’s second-biggest Astros’ fan behind my mother. And only once in the past 12 seasons have the Rangers had a better record. (The Rangers won a pitiful 75 games in 2007; the Astros won an even more pitiful 73.) The Astros will have a better record this season, too, despite how gloomy spring training looks for my hometown team.BUCK: Happy to oblige, Charean. Even happier that you took the bait because even Pudge Rodriguez can’t ride in and save the day in Houston. Both teams will be lucky to be in the wild-card hunt in their respective divisions, but Nolan Ryan’s return to North Texas means something in this interleague rivalry. I have the Rangers winning 84, Astros (even now with Pudge) winning 80. Which Big 12 team has the best chance to advance in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament?CHAREAN: I like Missouri to stay alive longer than any other Big 12 team. Other than the loss to A&M a week ago, it’s playing pretty darn well right now. The Tigers will get to the Sweet 16. I’m not so sure about the Sooners. OU has lost four of its past six, though it still has the best player in Blake Griffin, who if he plays like it, could keep the Sooners alive at least until the Elite Eight. I just don’t know if they can throw a switch and turn it back on, but we’ll see. That’s what makes March Madness so much fun.BUCK: Kansas is just young enough not to realize that that’s a huge factor in the tournament. Even more than Mizzou, Kansas makes a believer out of me. Oklahoma really bothers me for the same reason it bothers you — and the Selection Committee. Texas? Who knows? What I do know about the Longhorns is that they can’t like their draw, facing a Minnesota team that can play defense and a potential second-round matchup against Duke. What kind of pro will Texas DE/OLB Brian Orakpo make in the NFL?CHAREAN: Better than Quentin Jammer, Mike Williams, Leonard Davis, Roy Williams, Vince Young, Cedric Benson, Derrick Johnson or Ricky Williams. Lately, UT players drafted high in the first round have had a tough time living up to the billing. Orakpo, though, looks the part of a top-five pick. I think the Browns are going to take him at No. 5, and I predict they will not be disappointed.BUCK: Hmm. I read somewhere that Cleveland will take Orakpo at No. 5. To know what this guy means to a team is to remember that he left the Texas-Texas Tech game in the third quarter with a knee injury. That 39-33 loss ended up costing the Longhorns a shot at the national championship. Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry is the so-called “safe pick” at the top of the April 25-26 draft (and I think you have him going No. 3 to Kansas City), but Orakpo will make the transition to the NFL with zero problem. What would have to happen to make you believe the Dallas Mavericks can win a round or two in the upcoming NBA playoffs? Or are they toast?CHAREAN: Unless the Mavs get out of that eight spot, they have no chance. They are not going to beat the Lakers. I like their chances better against the Spurs. They could make that a series. The Mavs are just way too inconsistent for anyone to believe they can put together a “playoff run.”BUCK: This Mavs team looks like it should be November and they’re still trying to iron out the kinks. Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki can really enhance their Hall of Fame résumés if they can beat the Lakers or the Spurs or anyone else they’re going to meet in the first round Should Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton back off telling and retelling his story of past substance abuse and concentrate more on baseball?CHAREAN: I think his story is good for baseball, good for the Rangers and good for him. People should want to go to the ballpark to cheer him for what he’s done in turning his life around. He is proof that it can be done. His story is a positive thing and should be told and retold over and over and over again. A happy ending like that never gets boring.BUCK: Josh Hamilton should back off only if he chooses to back off. I totally agree with you, Charean. I also believe that no matter how much Josh-the-five-tool-player does for his major-league career, when all is said and done ... his greatest contribution will be to those people he helped with his story along the way.March 10Oklahoma women’s basketball star Courtney Paris has vowed to return her scholarship money if the No. 3-ranked Sooners don’t win the national championship. OK, where does this rank in the annals of “sports guarantees?”CHAREAN: I’ve never heard of anyone offering something in return for the guarantee. Even Joe Namath, whose guarantee of the Jets’ victory over the Colts in Super Bowl III is the most memorable and meaningful in sports history, didn’t offer anything to back up his guarantee. So I’d say Paris’ guarantee ranks right up there, just behind Namath’s.BUCK: Courtney Paris is my new hero. Where does her guarantee rank? I can hear Brad Sham right now: “Move over, Joe Willie, make a place for Courtney.” Can you imagine being a teammate of Courtney Paris, and she voluntarily placed something in the neighborhood of a $64,000 “penalty” against herself if OU fails to win it all? And this comes at a time when we’re all treating a dime like last year’s dollar. Amazing.Which team benefited most from T.O.’s departure from Valley Ranch: The Cowboys or the Bills?CHAREAN: Good one, Ray. The Cowboys’ chemistry just got better, but the Bills got better on the field. We’ll see how this one plays out. I don’t think the Bills have a chance to win the division, considering Tom Brady is coming back, but T.O. was good in his first season in Philly and in his first season in Dallas. He’ll be good in his first season in Buffalo, too.BUCK: Excellent point, Charean ... but when in doubt, never-ever bank on T.O. doing the expected. As soon as the Bills don’t win/Trent Edwards doesn’t kowtow/the ball doesn’t come T.O.’s way like an all-day sucker, there will be you-know-what to pay. The ’09 Cowboys are better off without him. Simple addition by subtraction. It’s like coming home and finding your crazy uncle has moved back to Hoboken — or, in this case, Buffalo.What can the Rangers possibly expect from shortstop Omar Vizquel, who turns 42 in April?CHAREAN: Elvis Andrus is going to benefit from Vizquel more than the Rangers as a team will. Vizquel is a 20-year veteran; Andrus is 20 years old. Vizquel wants to coach/manage one day. He’ll get lots of practice this season with Andrus, and I have a feeling he’s going to be as good at that as he was as an infielder.BUCK: Tom Grieve said the other day on a Rangers telecast from spring training that he can’t remember feeling so good about a new player who isn’t even slotted to be a regular. Grieve has been around the Rangers since the Garden of Eden days, so his opinion speaks volumes. Vizquel is the consummate professional. What a stroke of genius for the Rangers to add him at this time.Would Mike Modano make a good coach if he ever decided to hang up his skates?CHAREAN: I don’t see Mike as a coach. I see him as an ambassador for the Stars, doing appearances and representing the team in public. He is the face of the franchise and will be for a long time. He can do much more good for the Stars PR-wise out in the community than behind the bench.BUCK: Maybe not. But if he did, I’d like to think Mo wouldn’t throw his most celebrated player under the bus, which has just happened to him. We’re all rubberneckers to this one.The Mavs are at the Suns tonight. Who’s to blame for these two once-proud Western Conference powers struggling to make the playoffs?CHAREAN: These two teams have one thing in common besides their struggles: They changed coaches after last season. It didn’t work out for either one of them, at least not this season.BUCK: I’d like to be a fly on the wall when Dirk and Nash get together to talk tonight. They could trade notes on failed experiments. I can’t help but be reminded that there is a very small window of opportunity to win a championship in sports, and it closes fast. Both teams saw those windows slam shut on them three, four years ago.Is Roy Williams’ NFL career ostensibly over now that the soon-to-be 30-year-old safety has been released by the Cowboys?CHAREAN: He’ll sign somewhere, a 4-3 team likely. But we all know he doesn’t have coverage skills, so he’s not likely to be an every-down safety anymore.BUCK: The short answer is INOUIO (it’s not over until it’s over). Some NFL team (maybe Philadelphia? maybe Cincinnati?) will benefit short-term from the “bounce back” effect. But I’m convinced that Roy Williams’ game was compromised by a series of events: Darren Woodson’s retirement, heavy NFL fines and one notable league rule change (horse collar), relentless scrutiny over his lack of pass defense in space as he was played out of position, and, finally, a broken arm which he reinjured when trying to come back too quickly. I think Roy stopped playing with the reckless abandon that made him the eighth pick in the 2002 draft. I hope a change of scenery brings some of that back.
March 3Are the Dallas Cowboys the new Detroit Lions?CHAREAN: I know you know that the Cowboys haven’t won a playoff game since 1996. But, Ray, did you know that only one NFC team has a longer drought? Guess who it is? The Lions last won a playoff game in 1991. They beat the Cowboys 38-6. The Cowboys now have Detroit rejects Jon Kitna, Roy Williams and Kyle Kosier on their roster, so I’d say the Cowboys are starting to get a little toothy in the mouth.BUCK: Groan. Perhaps Tony Romo can start playing like Bobby Layne, which actually is something worth mimicking, or so my grandfather tells me. Keep in mind that unpopular GM Matt Millen got fired for collecting these same players. It might be something a savvy owner like Jerry Jones considers if his GM bombs as badly.
Is Albert Haynesworth worth $100 million over seven years ($41 million guaranteed)?CHAREAN: Is anyone? Seriously, that’s a lot of money for a guy who never touches the ball. I think Sage Rosenfels will have a bigger impact for the Vikings this season than Albert Haynesworth will for the Redskins. Haynesworth made 51 tackles and 8.5 sacks last season. I don’t even know how much he’ll be making per play.BUCK: Even Scott Boras must be saying, “He got what?” Li’l Danny Snyder is to NFL free-agency what gasoline is to fire. Haynesworth can’t help out Jason Campbell or the Redskins offense. OK, the big fella might have improved the pass rush by freeing up Jason Taylor on the outside ... except, oops, Taylor was released a day later.
Did the Cowboys give up too much for Jon Kitna?CHAREAN: For a player who was going to be cut by the Lions? Yes. The Cowboys gave up a 16-game player (Anthony Henry) for a player they hope never sees the field next season. And Kitna will be 37 in September. I would rather have seen the Cowboys use a mid- to late-round draft choice on a QB. There are some intriguing prospects, including Texas A&M’s Stephen McGee, Sam Houston’s Rhett Bomar and West Virginia’s Pat White. BUCK: How’d I know your “intriguing QB prospects” list would begin with an Aggie, Charean? Hmm. Actually, Anthony Henry was a big part of a poor-tackling Cowboys secondary last season. Thirtysomething cornerbacks hit the wall. Look at Henry: After four INTs in his first four games with the ’07 Cowboys, he got hurt and was never the same again. He had only three INTs over his last 25 games. He had fallen behind Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick. And Wade Phillips didn’t like Henry as an option at safety. So, let’s not get all weepy about what was given up in trade here for a serviceable backup QB which the Cowboys sorely needed.
Do you expect the Texas Rangers to handle young pitchers differently now that Nolan Ryan is at the controls?CHAREAN: Let’s hope. Every time I see John Danks or Edinson Volquez or Chris Young or ..., I think of what might have been for the Rangers. It’s not like they haven’t had good pitchers here; they just don’t keep them. As for the current Rangers staff, Ryan and pitching coach Mike Maddux have them doing more conditioning and more throwing in spring training. It can’t hurt. The Rangers’ 5.37 ERA last season was the fifth highest in club history.BUCK: I think there is a difference in the flow of pitchers through the Rangers’ minor leagues. If a young guy doesn’t pitch well now, there’s another young arm behind him who can take his place. Absolutely, it helps to have Nolan’s “mound cred” to inspire major-league wannabes. But competition along the pipeline can be a powerful inspiration, too. I can’t wait to see 20-year-old Neftali Feliz and 22-year-old lefty Derek Holland at the big-league level someday. P.S. — Under no circumstance can either one of them be traded away.
The Stars went 1-5 on their homestand and have fallen from fifth in the Western Conference to 11th. Are they done?CHAREAN: Injuries have caught up to the Stars. They are worn down and worn out. With 20 games remaining, it doesn’t look good. They are 12-14-3 on the road this season and play seven of the next 10 away from home. I don’t like their chances, Ray.BUCK: If Al Michaels were to ask, “Do you believe in miracles?” I’m sure Stars fans, if they’re honest, would have to say no. Not this year. The loss of Brenden Morrow (knee) before Thanksgiving has been huge. The Sean Avery fiasco — suspended 23 games into a four-year, $15.5-million contract, and later cut — became equal parts distraction and embarrassment. So, this latest Stars swoon is simply a season-long culmination of being asked to “suck it up and make do.” And that gets old.
Is there another sport even close to the PGA Tour in being dependent on one player?CHAREAN: Rafael Nadal has Roger Federer. Serena Williams has Venus Williams. LeBron James has Kobe Bryant. The only other sport that I can think of that’s even close is swimming with Michael Phelps. Can you even name another swimmer, Ray?BUCK: Yes, I can. David ... uh, never mind, that’s Schwimmer.
Where will Michael Vick likely end up when his 23-month sentence is over — and at what position?CHAREAN: There are only a handful of teams that will even inquire about signing Vick, but he will get another chance. He’s too talented. How about the Miami Dolphins using Vick in the Wildcat? I know what you’re thinking: Bill Parcells will never sign him. That’s true. So I’ll go with the Oakland Raiders. He’ll be a slash, lining up all over the field.BUCK: The cheap answer here is Jerry Jones, whose halfway house is always open to a big-name player with even rusted skills (see Pacman Jones). I think Vick will end up with a team that allows him to play quarterback, and who always needs a quarterback more than Da Bears?
Feb. 24Why is backup QB such a low priority with so many NFL teams — the Dallas Cowboys included? CHAREAN: The Cowboys haven’t drafted a quarterback since Quincy Carter. That’s why they went 1-2 when Tony Romo was out last year. Every team should have learned from the Packers: Even when they had Brett Favre, they used draft choices on QBs. Ty Detmer. Mark Brunell. Matt Hasselbeck. Aaron Brooks. Aaron Rogers. And Favre never missed a start.BUCK: Weren’t the Cowboys also the last team on the globe to grasp the importance of a long-snapper not too long ago? Of course, a backup QB is a high priority. Guys like Don Strock made a career out of it. Being “Romo-friendly” is a great idea, but being “fan-friendly” is just as important. Season-ticket holders didn’t sign on for three games of “Checkdown Brad” Johnson Ball (50.5 passer rating) last season.
Do you think Jerry Jones really believes 1.) the Cowboys’ locker room is OK and 2.) Wade Phillips’ coaching style wins championships, as the S-T’s Mac Engel got Jerry to say from the National Scouting Combine? CHAREAN: I didn’t know Wade Phillips had won a championship. In fact, I thought he was 0-for-the playoffs. Maybe Jerry is the Amazing Carnac, and he is predicting a championship for Wade this year. Maybe Jerry doesn’t want to face reality. Maybe Jerry is lying to himself. Maybe Jerry really believes things are that bad but can’t afford to do anything about it. BUCK: Jerry is the Amazing Spin Doctor. He knows there are fans to convince and tickets to sell. But for him to say, “I’ve experienced locker rooms that look dysfunctional on the face of it and won world championships,” is to totally forget to add, “as long as the players inside that dysfunctional locker room are kept in check by leaders on the team.” Of course, it’s easier to stay in denial on that point. How will Texas Tech receiver Michael Crabtree’s draft stock be affected by the stress fracture he has in his left foot?CHAREAN: Good question. Jevon Kearse had the same injury, and some believe his career never was the same again. It sounds like Crabtree will be OK, if he gets it fixed before he further damages it. According to team doctors I talked to, Crabtree should have the surgery now and not worry about what he runs in the 40-yard dash on March 26. My guess is he’s still a top-10 pick, but maybe lower than the No. 4 predicted by many. BUCK: It wasn’t a good week for Big 12 wideouts at the combine, i.e., Tech’s Crabtree and Mizzou’s Jeremy Maclin. But they’re still the consensus 1-2 receivers (in that order) for the April 25 draft. While their livelihoods depend on their legs, NFL teams are equally smitten by the need for playmakers in today’s game.Can either the Mavs or Stars surprise us in the playoffs?CHAREAN: Will they make the playoffs? If the Mavs can get healthy and stay healthy, they could win a playoff series. The Stars have lost in the Western Conference quarterfinals three of the past four seasons. They’ll go out that quick this season, too, if they even get in.BUCK: Depends on your definition of “surprise.” Both getting into the playoffs might qualify. But I have more faith in the Mavs than I do the Stars because the Mavs’ core group — Dirk, Jet, Josh, Kidd — with Stack off the bench again, is a simple case of having their ducks in a row. But enough about Anaheim. Will the Rangers’ Michael Young get 200 hits in 2009 (after falling short for the first time in six seasons last year)?CHAREAN: Yes. I think Michael will be on a mission this season. He’ll be back in that 216-220 hit range. The Rangers don’t have to worry about his hitting. BUCK: The fact that Young fell 17 hits shy of 200 in ’08 and the fact that he had to “be told” to move from shortstop to third base to make room for Elvis Andrus, even when it was clear he didn’t want to do it, are two pretty good reasons for the smart money to be on MY eclipsing 200 hits in ’09. Who is your early pick to win the NCAA men’s basketball title?CHAREAN: I like Pitt, with former TCU player Jamie Dixon running the show. I don’t watch a ton of college basketball until the postseason, but I did see Dixon’s team whip up on UConn recently. That was impressive, watching DeJuan Blair dominate Hasheem Thabeet. Do you think Dixon could be doing the same thing at TCU, Ray?BUCK: Rhetorically, you ask? Personally, I like North Carolina, but then I’ve always been a sucker for returning national Players of the Year on a team very familiar with the Final Four. Think maybe Tyler Hansbrough has some unfinished business, Charean? (That’s my rhetorical question of the day.) Oops, one more: Think Oklahoma might want to get Blake Griffin back on the floor soon?
Feb. 17During these tough economic times, who is most likely now to end up with the naming rights to the Cowboys’ new Arlington stadium?CHAREAN: AT&T was the company we all thought would have it, but now? In these tough times, it likely will be Texas Stadium or Jerry Jones Stadium or Cowboys Stadium or the Boss Hog Bowl for a year or two. Jerry usually has pretty good timing, but not this time. BUCK: Does the federal government count? That’s where all the money is now. I don’t know, Stimulus Stadium? You’re right about money and timing, and how this is a switch for Jerry. But this also clears the path for “Jerry World” until the economy comes back, and all this time we thought that was a joke. Was Alex Rodriguez’s apology to Sports Illustrated’s Selena Roberts too little, too late? CHAREAN: I worked with Selena in Orlando, so I know the way she works. He lost all credibility with me when he said what he said about her. How in the world can you believe what he said about steroids when he lied about (and slandered) Selena the way he did? He is an admitted liar and steroid user, and I’m not sure which is worse.BUCK: You forgot to add ... cartoon character. A-Rod is a by-product of major league baseball’s inability to have a moral compass. Cheating is OK if you get away with it and regret happens when caught. What a way to run the asylum. Are you on board with Nolan Ryan who says the Rangers have “a shot” at winning the AL West?CHAREAN: A shot in the dark? A shot blindfolded? I don’t think their aim is that good. In other words, they don’t have the pitchers.BUCK: Tsk-tsk, Charean, this is the AL West — not the AL East or even the AL Central. The Rangers finished second last season in a division content on settling for status quo over the winter. The Angels won 100 games before being bounced from the playoffs in the first round (by Boston). Every other AL West team posted a losing record. But the Rangers 1.) need to beat the Angels head-to-head more than seven times and 2.) the starters need to stay healthy and take Nolan Ryan’s mindset deep into games. If they do this, they have a shot. This is the AL West. Are you on board with the South Carolina sheriff who has decided not to prosecute Michael Phelps for being photographed smoking from a marijuana bong at a party? CHAREAN: I don’t think Michael Phelps needs to be prosecuted based on a picture. He’s done enough damage to himself, and hopefully, he has learned his lesson. A very expensive lesson, I might add.BUCK: Where’s there’s smoke, there’s fire ... everywhere but South Carolina. I’m going to have to pay more attention to those gold exchange commercials on television. Look at what 14 gold medals are worth ... a “Get Out of Jail Free” card.Can we really expect 100,000 tickets to be sold to the 2010 NBA All-Star Game when it moves to Jerry World? CHAREAN: I think so, but how in the world are you going to be able to see from up there at the top of that stadium, Ray? We’ve been inside it. Even the lower-level seats are going to be a long way away from a basketball court. Unless you can afford seats on the floor, here’s my advice: Stay home and watch it on TV.BUCK: Sure. The novelty of the new stadium will draw as many people as there are seats available. This is a chance to experience a $1.1-billion venue. Who cares if the game is a charade? Who cares if you can see the court or not? Bring binoculars. Wear sunglasses. Be seen. Has Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella infringed on his players’ First Amendment rights by mandating “no predictions” this season?CHAREAN: Lou is killing the journalists, isn’t he? We like those juicy quotes. They make for good headlines. But I understand his stance, and I think he’s a very smart man. BUCK: It’s one small setback for headline writers, one giant leap for rational minds (not that they can’t be one in the same). But next, Charean, I want someone to ban professional athletes from saying, “We’re going up against the No. 1 team in the league and most of our key players are out ... but it’ll be fun.”
Feb. 10Do you believe Alex Rodriquez when he says he was just naïve and didn’t know “exactly what substance” he was using when he tested positive as a member of the 2003 Texas Rangers?CHAREAN: That’s what they all say. Seriously. Like Roger Clemens once said, I think A-Rod and the rest just “misremembered.”BUCK: I think Willie Nelson tried to use that same story once. Maybe that’s where A-Rod got it, because no one has paid more attention to detail about himself ... than A-Rod. And enough with the A-Fraud stuff. You must have some credibility before you can be fraudulent with it, and that train has long pulled out of the station for major-leaguers.What does the A-Rod steroid saga now do the game of baseball?CHAREAN: Are we surprised by this anymore? I don’t think so. I’m numb to it. Baseball has been around more than 160 years, surviving far bigger scandals than this. It will be fine.BUCK: On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being “just below catastrophic” and 10 being “death knell”) ... I’ll give it a 6 7/8, which should be A-Rod’s hat size after being outed by SI. Baseball will survive, sure, but the record book figures to be shambles forevermore.We now know that Ben Roethlisberger played with broken ribs in the Super Bowl. What is the guttiest performance you’ve seen by an athlete playing in pain?CHAREAN: Tiger Woods comes to mind, just because it was so recent. Talk about playing in pain. Kerri Strug and Kirk Gibson also rank right up there. But I have to go with Emmitt Smith when he played with the separated shoulder during the 1993 season against the Giants. He had 229 total yards in helping the Cowboys beat the Giants 16-13 in overtime to win the NFC East. It proved to be his signature game.BUCK: Curt Schilling in Game 6 of the ’04 ACLS. His “bloody sock” makes for an indelible image of a must-win moment. This was another elimination game for the Red Sox against the dreaded Yankees. It would lead to the Red Sox’s first World Series title in 86 years ... and a big good riddance to the “Curse of the Bambino.” Although a one-legged Tiger Woods winning the ’08 U.S. Open victory on the 91st hole ranks right up there. Big Ben, take a ticket.Can Andruw Jones really help the Rangers make a run at the AL West title?CHAREAN: The real question, Ray, is if he’ll even get on the field. I like the deal, because it isn’t much risk but could have a big reward for the Rangers. If he pans out, it’s icing on their already loaded outfield. But I wouldn’t count on him helping win the West. Jones hit only .158 last year with three homers, and he doesn’t pitch, so he can’t help them there.BUCK: I can’t believe it took you five sentences to bring up the fact that Andruw Jones is not a pitcher. Note: He does throw better than half the guys on the Rangers pitching staff ... it’s just from center field, that’s all.Now that “Bullet Bob” Hayes is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has time run out on all remaining Landry Era Cowboys?CHAREAN: I talked to Cliff Harris a long time during Super Bowl week. As I told him, I have faith he’ll get in as a seniors candidate, but it’s going to be a while. A long while. He likely will be the last of the old Cowboys with a shot.BUCK: After “Bullet Bob,” the window has been barely left cracked open. The shame is that Chuck Howley began his NFL career before half the people in the HOF selection room were born. (By comparison, Harris suited up and played last Wednesday.) How much old footage from the weakside-linebacker position was captured by NFL Films in the early ’60s? Howley, Harris and Drew Pearson (I mean, who made more clutch catches?) are on my short-short list of Landry Era Cowboys who deserve to be in. I’m afraid, Charean, you’re right ... it’ll be a while.After touring the Cowboys’ new Arlington digs last week, what did you see as being “the best” and “the worst” of $1.1-billion Jerry World?CHAREAN: It’s big; it’s new; and it’s in Arlington. All of that is good. But, Ray, that press box looks a long way up there, and it’s a long way around to the locker room. I’m a little worried about some of our out-of-shape brethren. They better be on an off-season program.BUCK: Some guys will be leaving Saturday night to make a Sunday noon kickoff. (I’m not sure, but I think the media parking is located in Grand Prairie.) But there is much more good than bad, as both you and I eyeballed last week, and certainly will make for quite an experience for anyone with enough money to get in.
Feb. 3Are the Pittsburgh Steelers the new Dallas Cowboys, i.e., “America’s Team?”CHAREAN: Did you see how many Steelers fans were in Raymond James Stadium on Sunday? I remember a couple of years ago when they took over Texas Stadium. With six Super Bowl titles and Steeler Nation out there, they make a case to be “America’s Team.” But the official title always will belong to the Cowboys.BUCK: “America’s Team” comes with a curse, so I’m not sure the Rooneys want any part of that moniker. Right now, the Steelers are the most beloved franchise in the NFL. But I’m old enough to remember their four Super Bowl titles in six years, yet they ran their club on the cheap. In his 1991 memoirs, False Glory: Steelers and Steroids, the late Steve Courson, an offensive lineman on two Super Bowl winners, painted a picture of basic deception. Of course, the ’70s and ’80s were a more clueless time. And maybe that’s the story: How the Steelers escaped their past, kept right on winning and became a “how-to” model franchise in professional sports. Is 23-year-old Michael Phelps’s swimming/endorsement career destined to self-destruct ... or can he save it?CHAREAN: Michael Phelps blew it. Sorry, Ray, I couldn’t resist. In all seriousness, he still has 14 gold medals. I think he’s going to be OK.BUCK: Or as Jay Leno said on his Tonight Show monologue: “And here we thought his red eyes were from the chlorine.” We do live in a very forgiving society, which is the good news for Phelps. But he appears to be a knucklehead out of water, which is the bad news. No respect Down Under? Should Australian Open officials have picked a better day for a Rafael Nadal-Roger Federer epic championship match than Super Sunday?CHAREAN: Who won? I’m only half joking. I play a lot of tennis, but I forgot they even played until I saw highlights late Sunday night. Nadal’s victory was lost in the Super Bowl.BUCK: Tie me kangaroo down, sport. Didn’t the Aussies finally have a punter in this Super Bowl? What were they thinkin’? Will Ben Roethlisberger’s reign as king of the Super Bowl quarterbacks end as soon as Tom Brady gets back?CHAREAN: I’m not so sure Brady is ever going to be Brady again, unfortunately. I hope he is. He’s special. But that was a devastating knee injury. How about Philip Rivers in the Super Bowl next year? And don’t forget about Peyton ...BUCK: I just remember thinking how unfair it was that the Houston Rockets’ back-to-back NBA championships in the mid-’90s were qualified as having been won while Michael Jordan was off playing professional baseball. Same goes with Big Ben. He won it all — period. Of the five franchises never to have reached a Super Bowl (Browns, Jags, Lions, Saints, Texans) how do you rank them from “most likely” to “least likely” to get there?CHAREAN: 1. Saints — They were my pick to reach the Super Bowl this year. If they get another impact defensive player or two, with Drew Brees at quarterback, I think their chances this year are good. 2. Texans — I still believe in Gary Kubiak. 3. Jags — Not until they get a new coach. 4. Browns — Not with Eric Mangini. 5. Lions — Instead of now or never, it’s never or never.BUCK: You’re close, Charean ... but the Lions will get there before the Jags and Browns. 1. Texans — They’re 8-8 each of the last two years, with a young team and a solid coaching staff. 2. Saints — But they need to close the deal soon. (Check with the Dallas Mavs on getting close and falling short.) 3. Lions. OK ... I said it. But I just watched the Arizona Cardinals play in a Super Bowl. 4. Jags. Lay off my man, Jack Del Rio. He’s building a team, sort of. 5. Browns. Before Art Modell moved the “real Browns” to Baltimore, he obviously broke a mirror in Cleveland. What’s your favorite Super Bowl purely from an on-field standpoint? Is it SB XLIII?CHAREAN: I talked to two of the nine media folks who have covered all 43 Super Bowls. One ranks Super Bowl XLIII first, and one ranks it third. I thought Sunday’s was the best ever, and I’ve seen the past 15 in person and remember back to Super Bowl IV. You know writers hate overtime, Ray, but I think I would have enjoyed it Sunday. I stayed up until 3 a.m. Monday watching a replay of the game. It was that good.BUCK: I agree, this really was the best Supe ever. It gave us a mix of unforgettable individual plays (James Harrison/Santonio Holmes) and pure theatre on the scoreboard. Of course, lest we forget SB XXXIV (Rams 23, Titans 16) when Mike Jones tackled Kevin Dyson inside the Rams 1 on the final play. Or Scott Norwood’s miss in SB XXV (Giants 20, Bills 19). And, personally, I’ve always ranked Doug Williams’ 35-point second quarter in SB XXII (Redskins 42, Broncos 10) as probably most awe-inspiring to watch ... until now.
Jan. 20Is it time for Jerry Jones to bring in a proven “locker-room leader” such as Ray Lewis of the Ravens?CHAREAN: Jerry needs some kind of leader, a Michael Irvin-type, because the Cowboys don’t have that now. But I’m not sure Ray Lewis is the answer. He’s 33, and of course, he has his baggage, which is something this team doesn’t need more of.BUCK: My first inclination is to say adding a Ray Lewis to the locker room and hoping that infuses some authority will never work because he is new to the Cowboys and would need to be accepted over time, etc., etc. Then, I stop and think: What’s there to lose? While they’re at it, the Cowboys ought to hope Eagles safety Brian Dawkins becomes a free-agent, and sign him, too!
How do you explain Mike Shanahan and Jon Gruden being left on the outside looking in, as relative newbies like Rex Ryan (Jets) and Steve Spagnolo (Rams) get hired?CHAREAN: I’m not sure they wanted to coach this year, but there could be another reason: It appears imminent that there will be a work stoppage in 2011. Would you want to pay a coach $5 million or $6 million to play golf for a year? On the other hand, that sounds like a job for you and me, Ray.BUCK: Heck, I’ll be your Drew Bledsoe, Tony Romo. In other words, I’ll caddy for you, Charean. The NFL has had this “old boys club” perception that teams would rather recycle than take a flyer on a new face. That perception has radically changed with the sudden success of Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh, John Harbaugh in Baltimore, Mike Smith in Atlanta and Tony Sparano in Miami.
Is the Rooney Rule working in the NFL?CHAREAN: I am ready for the Rooney Rule to go away. It’s served its purpose. Tony Dungy has a Super Bowl ring, and Mike Tomlin could (should?) win this year. I think owners would hire a Martian if he was the best coach available. Now, that would be a sight. The Martian could just make T.O. go away when he started his sideline rant.BUCK: In the last three Super Bowls, counting this one, there have been just as many black head coaches (3) as white head coaches (3). The subject of race should be — and, I think, finally is — passé when it comes to hiring the right man for the job in the NFL. The Rooney Rule obviously worked. I agree with you on this, Charean: Let’s show it’s time to take it away because it’s not needed anymore ... like training wheels on a kid’s bicycle.
Are the Pittsburgh Steelers the best-run organization in all of sports over the last 40 years?CHAREAN: They have to be right up there, don’t they? Even when they don’t win the Super Bowl, like last season, they’re usually in it. Other NFL owners who aren’t named Pat Bowlen need to learn that you hire a coach you believe in, and you let him coach for as long as he wants to be there. That’s how you win consistently.BUCK: Chuck Noll ... Bill Cowher ... Mike Tomlin. These are the only three head coaches hired by the Rooney family since 1969. Each one got to the Super Bowl. If the Steelers aren’t the best-run, they’re certainly the most efficient employers in pro sports.
After his sideline rant with offensive coordinator Todd Haley and his non-participation in the team’s celebration, is Arizona Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin the new T.O.?CHAREAN: No, Boldin has better hands.BUCK: Got that right. Plus, Boldin said he has no problem with Haley and is 100 percent for the team. T.O. would rather rationalize away his actions as being those of a competitor, then say he is 100 percent for getting the ball more.
How many NBA teams could a 6-foot-1 1/2 point guard named Barack Obama start on right now? CHAREAN: I’ve seen the O-Balla mix tape. He’s a typical wannabe gym rat who is not as good as he thinks he is. I think he should stick to his day job. That should keep him pretty busy for the next four years, don’t you think?BUCK: I don’t know, Charean ... the Washington Wizards are 24 1/2 out in their division. The new president could at least play home games for the Wiz. Besides ... I think he’s younger than Jason Kidd, right?
Jan. 13Does Michael Young owe it to the Rangers to just shut up and play third base? CHAREAN: All I know, Ray, is trading Michael Young does not make the Rangers a better team. I don’t care who they get in return. This sounds like Alfonso Soriano all over again. They asked Soriano to move to the outfield. He balked, and the Rangers traded him to the Nationals. Do you think giving up the All-Star for Brad Wilkerson, Termel Sledge and Armando Galarrago was a good deal?BUCK: I see Michael Young playing shortstop for the Boston Red Sox next season ... while the Rangers’ braintrust scratch another name off its imaginary blueprint for success. MY’s artful attempt to get away from baseball purgatory is just the latest in what should be a book someday: The Root of All Evil: Tom Hicks’ Money. The $62 million owed to the five-time All-Star shortstop works against him now -- unless, of course, Hicks bellies up to the table and eats a big portion of it. Young is torn between owning up to a contractual commitment through 2013 and owing himself a chance (at age 32) to play for a World Series ring ... even under the guise of not wanting to move to third base. Sorry, I can’t blame him.
Which Big 12 wide receiver is likely to have the better NFL career: Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree or Missouri's Jeremy Maclin?CHAREAN: Scouts I’ve talked to like Maclin better. They are predicting Crabtree won’t test well, whether that comes at the combine or in Lubbock. But for those of us who have watched Crabtree most of his career, he looks like the real deal. You can talk about “system” all you want, but I think Wes Welker -- yes, I realize he’s a different kind of receiver -- has proved that Tech receivers can excel in the NFL.BUCK: Give me Crabtree. At 6-foot-3, 214, he has an NFL body. The scouts who predict he won’t “test well” probably are right ... he’s not a prototype for the Junior Olympics. But the guy makes plays and comes to play, hurt or not. Both of these Big 12 receivers will be Top 10 picks on April 25 -- Crabtree and Maclin, in that order.
This is the 10th consecutive year that baseball writers have voted in two or fewer Hall of Famers (Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice). Is Cooperstown too exclusive a club?CHAREAN: You’re a voter for baseball, Ray. I vote for football. It's a completely different process, isn't it? When we meet the day before the Super Bowl, we'll elect between four and seven. I am one who likes the exclusivity of baseball. It's kind of like the Cowboys' Ring of Honor. You can debate all you want that Drew Pearson should be in the Ring, but because it is so hard to get in, it might be more meaningful to those who are.BUCK: The Steroid Era guys are the elephant in the room. With more and more of their names coming due, we should be thankful that it takes 75 percent to vote a guy in. I sure do. There’s hope for guys like Bert Blyleven (whom I vote for every year) and Andre Dawson (whom I do not) reaching the steps of Cooperstown one day. Look at Jim Rice ... finally ... on his last year of eligibility ... he gets in. (My vote wasn’t needed, but he still got it.) Both Halls of Fame can do a better job, Charean, with their “veterans” or “seniors” committee picks. Too many retired (or deceased) old-timers wrongly forgotten in both sports.
Which No. 6 seed has a better chance of reaching the Super Bowl: Philadelphia Eagles or Baltimore Ravens?CHAREAN: Wow! That’s a hard question. I’m done picking against the Cardinals. They’ve convinced me they’re for real. But you have to like the way the Eagles are playing right now. They sure do remind me of the Giants of last season. I think the Ravens will have a harder time winning in Pittsburgh, but it’s certainly not impossible with their defense. I’m not sure I answered the question, so let me clarify: The Eagles have a better chance of advancing. But why are you asking me, Ray? I’m 3-5 picking playoff games this season. That being said, the Ravens probably have the better chance. BUCK: Reverse psychology, I use it all the time. Except in the case of the Eagles. They just look like a team marching to the Super Bowl. The Cardinals look like a team on a mission ... Mission: Impossible. There’s no way they can win three January games in a row. Come on, they’re the Cardinals. (And, oh yeah, the Steelers will beat the Ravens.)
Which NFC No. 1 seed over the last two years laid a bigger egg in the playoffs: The '07 Cowboys (13-3 with 13 Pro Bowlers) or '08 Giants (12-4 defending Super Bowl champs)?CHAREAN: I don't think anyone thought the Cowboys would lose last season. No one should be surprised the Giants lost, even though they were favored. The Giants weren't the same team without Plaxico Burress. The Cowboys had no excuses last year.BUCK: I hate it when we agree. The Giants (even with Plaxico) surprised us all when they started out 11-1, even as defending Super Bowl champs. That should tell you something right there. The overly hyped Cowboys were expected to win it all once they reached the playoffs in ’07, and again for much of ’08 ... but not in ’09.
Where will Donovan McNabb be playing next season?CHAREAN: Come on, Ray, this is too easy. I talked to Eagles owner Jeff Lurie on Sunday about Don, as his teammates call him. McNabb will be back in Philly. The only question is: Will they sign him to a new deal? He has two years left on his current one. If the Eagles win the Super Bowl, you can bet McNabb will get a new deal. And if he does, where does that leave Stephenville's Kevin Kolb?BUCK: Oh ... that’s the phone call McNabb took on the Giants sidelines with three minutes left Sunday -- from Jeff Lurie. They were just getting a headstart on contract negotiations.
Jan. 6What professional advice would you give Jason Garrett right now?CHAREAN: If Detroit offers the job, take it. He should not have turned down Baltimore last year. You can’t turn down head-coaching jobs unless it’s Oakland. In that case, run for your life. The unemployment line is better. BUCK: I’d probably send Garrett a copy of the Forrest Gump DVD. There, he would be reminded that "life is like a box chocolates ... you never know what you’re going to get," i.e., turning down jobs last year with the Ravens and Falcons. Both teams just made the playoffs. Of course, the movie would also remind Garrett: "Run, Jason, run." The Cowboys’ job comes with a lot of 53-man roster baggage.Does Mike Shanahan have Valley Ranch in his future? Is Mike Shanahan a sane man?CHAREAN: If Mike Shanahan is a sane man, he does not have Valley Ranch in his future. I have to believe Jerry is intrigued: Next year, Shanahan, Mike Holmgren, Tony Dungy and Bill Cowher all could be available. The problem is, as it has always been: Jerry is bigger than the head coach. He went into the background for a few years with Parcells. But Parcells didn’t win a Super Bowl, or even a playoff game for that matter, so Jerry might be reluctant to go with a proven, big-name head coach who will want some personnel authority. But Shanahan or Holmgren is what this team needs. The Cowboys have no discipline and no chemistry. Nothing is going to change in 2009, because the coach isn’t going to change.BUCK: See, I think it’s the locker room that needs hosed down, Charean. Because Shanahan is a sane man, he has every reason to wait a year and see what happens 1.) around the league and 2.) in Dallas in particular. Only Jerry Jones can make this job appealing again ... and it starts with getting rid of Pacman, Tank, T.O., Flozell. P.S. — It’s time Jerry stops trying to save the world.Now that the Longhorns have disposed of Ohio State, does Texas deserve consideration for the national title?CHAREAN: Sure, but then so does Utah and USC. Unless you’re Mack Brown or Colt McCoy, how can you say Texas is better than either one of those schools? They haven’t played. Hey, but they have a nice, new, shiny Fiesta Bowl trophy to put in the trophy case. Somehow, I believe UT fans would rather have a playoff instead.BUCK: Texas is the second-best team in the country. Florida will put an end to that discussion Thursday night when the Gators put a chomp on the Sooners. Until a playoff is in place (don’t hold your breath), we have only our caustic opinions.Does Milton Bradley’s free-agent signing with the Cubs (three-year, $30-million deal) just signal same-old-Rangers? CHAREAN: Ray, other than Josh Hamilton, give me one reason why I should be excited about the 2009 Rangers. They look so much like the 2008 Rangers, and the 2007 Rangers, and the ... I love baseball, but with what the Yankees have done, it’s hard to get excited about the sport. The rich just keep getting richer. BUCK: Hey, you’re forgetting Nolan Ryan. He’s what gives this organization a fresh coat of paint. Unfortunately, the color isn’t green. Tom Hicks will never give Nolan enough bankroll to carry out a plan. Rangers fans are accustomed to seeing pieces of the puzzle flew out the door. It should matter to the Rangers front office that they care — but I don’t think it does. Should the NFL change its overtime rules to allow both teams to get the ball at least once in OT?CHAREAN: Wouldn’t you have liked to have seen Peyton Manning with the ball one more time, Ray? That game was so good, I would have paid to have seen another full quarter. Think about overtime in other sports, they play time (or innings), not the first one to score. Imagine if baseball had the sudden-death rule, or basketball, and they had a coin flip to decide who got the ball first, or got to bat first. It’s no different.BUCK: Uh, I think Peyton Manning had a chance to win that game — in regulation. Frequently overlooked fact: Only about 30 percent of the time does the coin-toss winner score without the other team getting the ball. The NFL doesn’t need any knee-jerk rule changes. What’s next? The four-point field goal (50 yards or more) to avoid ties? What’s your take on the NFL moving the Pro Bowl to the week before the Super Bowl? CHAREAN: Do you know I’ve covered the NFL for 15 years, and the Pro Bowl is the only all-star game of any sport I haven’t been to? For some reason, Ray, I’ve never been able to get a paid trip (vacation?) to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl. I assume I will see the game next year in Miami. But as I had a reader e-mail me, moving the game two weeks earlier isn’t going to change the fact that it’s not a real entertaining game. For players, the main goal of the Pro Bowl is to not get hurt. Next year, too, we’re going to have even fewer "all-stars." The Super Bowl teams will not be represented, and I can see a lot more players bailing on the game than already do, because it’s not in Hawaii.BUCK: Most readers probably think covering the NFL means getting to sit poolside, sipping umbrella drinks, on Waikiki Beach. Don’t we wish? I’ve been sent to a Pro Bowl only once in my career — and that was because I happened to be on my way to Nagano for the ’98 Olympics. Changing the game site from Hawaii to the mainland, and holding it before the Super Bowl, changes only one dynamic, really. Pro Bowlers will now have the media there to hassle them.
