Buck & New Dawg: Will Terrell Owens take the Cowboys down?

Each Tuesday, the Star-Telegram's Ray Buck and NBC 5's Newy Scruggs go at it in a point-counterpoint on sporting issues. | E-mail Ray Buck at rbuck@star-telegram.com. | Newy can be reached at his Web site, www.newdawg.com.

Armageddon Watch: Will Terrell Owens take the Cowboys down? Or not?

NEW DAWG: It will get worse if the Cowboys don’t win their final two games. When, and if, the Cowboys get beaten, you can expect Mount “I Love Me Some Me” to erupt, and it won’t be pretty.

BUCK: It’s up to the Cowboys defense to save this train wreck. Romo and Witten aside ... “attaboys” for Tashard Choice aside ... ultimately, this is a job for DeMarcus Ware, Jay Ratliff & Co. The national media likes to call the Cowboys “a dangerous team” ... but dangerous to whom? Themselves? History tells us that, in the end, T.O. will be T.O., which is never good.

Was Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford the right pick for the Heisman Trophy?

NEW DAWG: I would have voted for Tim Tebow. Unfortunately, the 2007 Heisman winner had to compete with his stats from last year, which was a shame. I call it the “Michael Jordan syndrome” because Michael was always judged against his own excellence, and not others playing at the same time.

BUCK: Bradford was probably the right pick for an individual award within a team concept. In his only loss [vs. UT], he still threw five TD passes ... and the Sooners are going to the national championship game because of him. Tebow is a beast but can’t be allowed to win two Heismans — the always-classy Archie Griffin should remain unique to college football for at least another hundred years. And Colt McCoy simply ran out of games. Unfortunately, voters have short memories.

Can Wade Phillips save his job by turning around the Cowboys defense?

NEW DAWG: Until he wins at least two playoffs games, I have to say no.

BUCK: Jerry must weigh continuity vs. sexy new hire for his brand-new, zillion-dollar stadium that opens for business in 2009. Is Jason Garrett ready to be his next head coach? Are Wade’s fingerprints on the defense worth a third year? I say yes. These are huge questions that take serious consideration ... not knee-jerk reaction.

Do T.O.’s Hall of Fame credentials need a Super Bowl ring to make that happen?

NEW DAWG: Yeah, if he wants to be a first-ballot guy. Owens has Hall of Fame numbers ... but without the ring, voters who think he’s been a locker-room cancer will penalize him for it.

BUCK: T.O. will get in ... but never, ever as a first-ballot HOFer. The room is too small, i.e., two few naysayers needed to kill a selection with warts like he has.

Are “anonymous sources” fair when breaking a story?

NEW DAWG: Yes. I get tired of the kill-the-messenger story. Ray, you know half the time the “anonymous source” is the only way you can get a quote for a story that has any juice to it.

BUCK: I couldn’t agree with you more. In the case of all anonymous quotes, someone is hiding behind the truth: The person saying it, not the reporter using it. ESPN’s Ed Werder has no reason to make stuff up. He’s a professional with an uncompromised track record. At the Star-Telegram, we are “source” careful. We have a policy of getting multiple sources, whenever possible, and always confide in at least one editor with the identification of our source(s).

What is your favorite moment at Texas Stadium?

NEW DAWG: The first time I ever walked down the tunnel in 1993. It was electric for me. I grew up a Cowboys fan.

BUCK: Mine is “Move over Sweetness, make a place for Emmitt.” A close second is “Bullet” Bob Hayes going into the Ring of Honor. Thank Brad Sham for one, Jerry Jones for the other.

Dec. 2

Why do you think pro athletes don’t learn from the consequences of other pro athletes carrying firearms in public places?

NEW DAWG: Yo, Ray. You don’t know what the streets is saying. The game has passed you by. When my boys tell me to hit that club in NYC, I know I need to pack heat. It is what it is. I’m not spending every night in my 5,000-square-foot home with my $100,000 game room and media room watching DVDs all night. I need to be out.

BUCK: Yo, Newy. It’s OK to be out, be cool ... but don’t be a fool. Plaxico Burress is one of about 1,700 players on current NFL rosters, and still the only one who has shot himself in the thigh this season. Twice, you used the word “need” — but you forgot to mention it in the context that this gun-totin’ knucklehead “needed” to be getting back on the field (hamstring). He does play a team sport. You say “it is what it is” — well, that’s the problem. Your man Plax is the latest in a growing list of self-absorbed, overpaid pro athletes who think they’re bulletproof ... well, until now.


Can Colt McCoy still win the Heisman Trophy on Dec 13 without a Big 12 Championship Game to pump up his stats?

NEW DAWG: I think Sam Bradford should find some space in his apartment. That trophy is his.

BUCK: The Heisman was Colt McCoy’s to lose going into last week’s games. UT fans now have the BCS to thank for “losing” it for him.


Did the BCS get it right by slotting Oklahoma ahead of Texas?

NEW DAWG: Texas got jobbed. Bottom line, UT beat OU by 10. This is why I like pro football better. This type of junk doesn’t exist.

BUCK: College football has far more compelling games and far more water-cooler debates than the NFL. And water-cooler debates are what the NCAA wants. We proponents of a playoff system in college football are terribly naive. The impish BCS gave it to us both ways in the last two rankings. Priceless.


Was Roger Goodell too soft on Adam “Pacman” Jones with a suspension that lasted only six games this last time?

NEW DAWG: Heck, yeah. Pacman should have been suspended for at least eight games. Don’t worry, he won’t be a Cowboy in 2009. I’m confident he’ll find trouble again, then he’ll be out of football for life. His history says he will screw up.

BUCK: Roger Goodell is no Kenesaw Mountain Landis. Based on what Goodell told us, Pacman had no wiggle room. Now, we find out, Pacman’s body guard had no wiggle room.


Nets point guard Devin Harris scored 47 points against the Suns on Sunday. Did the Mavs blow it?

NEW DAWG: Devin Harris is about to become an All-Star. The Mavs screwed up trading him because Jason Kidd will be a free agent after the season, and they will be searching for a floor general. New Jersey is set for years.

BUCK: The Harris-Kidd trade became a colossal mistake as soon as the Mavs were eliminated in the first round with Kidd at point guard (by New Orleans), just as they were eliminated in the first round with Harris at point guard (by Golden State) the year before. Of course, Einstein, you want youth if the end result is going to be the same.


Does Charlie Weis get another free pass at Notre Dame?

NEW DAWG: Fake Tuna Charlie is a fraud and Notre Dame can’t buy him out. I really like that. Weis’s signature win at ND ... well, he doesn’t have one. Notre Dame needs to look at USC, who in ’98 hired an NFL guy, Paul Hackett, who ran the program into the dirt. The Irish need to move on, but won’t.

BUCK: The Irish would have to use both hands, then take their shoes off, to count up the millions that Weis’s buyout is worth. It’s sometimes cheaper to live with someone ... something Paul McCartney learned too late.


Which catcher should the Rangers trade? Laird? Teagarden? Ramirez? Or Saltalamacchia?

NEW DAWG: I’d keep Taylor Teagarden because he knows how to call a game, and I’d move Jarrod Saltalamacchia because I know Boston loves him.

BUCK: Not so fast, bird dog. The Rangers need to quit making the same mistake of unloading young talent — and Salty, at 23, is the youngest of these four guys. Max Ramirez, 24, is a keeper at Triple A. The rapid evolution of Teagarden, 24, now makes 29-year-old Gerald Laird expendable.


CBS analyst Bill Cowher is a proponent of making NFL field goals tougher by narrowing the uprights by four feet ... or less valuable by awarding only two points for FGs inside 30 yards. Agree?

NEW DAWG: I never watch the CBS show. Glad to know that I haven’t missed a darned thing.

BUCK: Cowher sounds like he wants to be commissioner. We’ve been duped. We thought all along he’d eventually come back and coach. I think his first suggestion has merit. But his second one is too far out for even the World Football League to have dreamed up.

Nov. 25

Should Jerry Jones be worried about selling tickets to his $1.1-billion Arlington stadium in ’09 if the Cowboys fail to make the playoffs in ’08?

NEW DAWG: No need to worry. Dallas-Fort Worth is a bandwagon town. People here want to be seen at the biggest stadium ever built. This city is still the home of the 30 thousand dollar millionaire.

BUCK: What’s a little pretention in the air when you’ve won bids to host an NBA All-Star Game in 2010, a Super Bowl in 2011 and a Final Four in 2014? Even though the economy has sunk lower than Chan Gailey at the end of his second season here, the new stadium has plenty of sizzle to sell. The Star-Telegram’s Andrea Ahles reports 84 percent of the 61,000 season-ticket eligible tickets have been sold ... and there are still nine shopping months left before the first game. Obviously, Jerry’s “people” are doing a better job than Jerry’s football team.

T.O. is (you pick one): Latest “downturn” in the midst of a steady decline for the remainder of his career ... or a player who can rally the Cowboys to make the playoffs?

NEW DAWG: You don’t win championships with one star. You need a team. T.O. had a tremendous game in the Super Bowl and the Eagles still lost to the Patriots. Owens can help the Cowboys win this season, but he is not the straw that stirs the drink. Tony Romo is. I think T.O. will be a great No. 2 in the offense next year.

BUCK: It’s all about T.O. from here on out, or at least the Cowboys would be wise to play that “game.” Tony Romo was the first guy to recognize it. That’s why he hasn’t wound up under the bus with Jeff Garcia and Donovan McNabb. If I’m Jason Garrett, I’d be telling T.O. “you da man” every day ... maybe even toss in a reminder that his big day Sunday against his old 49ers team came on the same day McNabb was benched against Baltimore. Play the game. At this point, it can’t hurt.

Any truth to NFL defensive coordinators catching up to Jason Garrett’s offensive philosophy?

NEW DAWG: Heck, yes. T.O. was right in his interview with Deion Sanders. Teams did spend all summer breaking down the Cowboys — even Romo said teams were catching up with their scheme after the Bengals game. But I also don’t think Garrett is as good without Tony Sparano on the sidelines.

BUCK: Garrett’s offensive philosophy isn’t the problem. His weakness has been, at times, with his play-calling. Injuries and penalties have been part of the problem. But in the Sept. 28 Washington loss, Marion Barber got 11 touches. Since then, Barber has averaged 26 touches. Garrett was grilled for his mistake — but he seemed to listen. Unfortunately, T.O. knows that, too, about him.

Are the Stars ostensibly done for the season because of so many injuries?

NEW DAWG: How about “are the Stars done because they have chemistry problems and are pointing fingers at each other?” Poor Tom Hicks. He’s spent a lot of money and his club may not make the postseason.

BUCK: Not over, but the season has just become a whole lot longer. I feel sorry for Mike Modano, who is playing really well at 38. But his chances of winning a second Stanley Cup have been greatly diminished by the season-ending injury to captain Brenden Morrow ... and now Steve Ott is out for a month to boot.

Sam Bradford. Graham Harrell. Colt McCoy. Tim Tebow. Which one of these four guys will win the Heisman?

NEW DAWG: I’ll go with Sam Bradford ... this week. I reserve the right to change my mind.

BUCK: Colt McCoy will win the Heisman unless Tebow plays lights-out to beat ’Bama in the SEC title game. Then, it’ll be close. Harrell’s Heisman hopes were dashed Saturday night in Norman, Okla., where Bradford made it look too easy in a 44-point win over Texas Tech. You need a “Heisman moment” to win a Heisman Trophy ... and right now McCoy and Tebow have the best chances of attaining that.

Where will Mark Cuban be in five years and what team(s) will he own?

NEW DAWG: Mark Cuban will be the owner of the NBA champion Dallas Mavericks. Chris Bosh will have been named NBA Finals MVP.

BUCK: You dreamin’ again, Newy? Who knows, really? But I’m pretty sure it won’t be the Cubs. And I’m even more sure Cuban won’t be sitting around buying beers for a 73-year-old guy named Nellie. By 2013, Cuban may have unloaded the Mavs by then (for a Guinness Book record profit, of course) and decided to write a book about his life: Dancing with the SEC.

Nov. 18

One critic not chugging the blue Kool-Aid is Jimmy Johnson, who says the Cowboys “are not a mentally disciplined team.” Agree or disagree?

NEW DAWG: Of course, I agree. The Cowboys still commit too many penalties and have a very sorry special-teams unit. Don’t forget the Cowboys won Sunday despite losing the turnover battle against the Redskins. That will hurt them down the road if they don’t get more discipline.

BUCK: The Jimster didn’t go far enough. The Cowboys lack discipline, lack special teams, lack identity, lack leadership ... but they sure don’t lack for rhetoric. They won their “sense of urgency” game — now just shut up and play. Every time the Cowboys get a full belly of accomplishment, they turn into their evil twin. And, please, can someone tell me again: Why did Marion Barber get only 11 touches in the loss to Washington on Sept. 28, when this mess all began?

How is possible for Donovan McNabb not to know that an NFL game ends in a tie when neither team scores in OT, until AFTER it happened to the Eagles on Sunday?

NEW DAWG: Poor Donovan, if he only had Wade Phillips as a head coach to defend him from all you mean media types. The Eagles’ run is over. I see Andy Reid being fired, and maybe they finally trade McNabb.

BUCK: Poor Donovan? Poor fans! Poor teammates! If I’m one of the guys in the huddle, I’m wondering what else doesn’t Donovan get? This will be McNabb’s “Bill Buckner moment” long after he retires.

What does it tell you about this Mavs team that Jerry Stackhouse wants out?

NEW DAWG: Somebody told me Stack and Rick Carlisle didn’t see eye-to-eye in Detroit, either. I see the lottery coming. Why not jump off if you can?

BUCK: Didn’t the Mavericks try to part ways with this guy once before and couldn’t (see Jason Kidd trade)? I like Stack. What I don’t like is how ill-prepared this team was to start the season. Summing up the Mavs’ first 10 games (3-7) in five words or less: Dirk doesn’t deserve this, dummkopf.

Should Jerry Jones bring back Adam “Pacman” Jones again if the latter gets reinstated again by the league?

NEW DAWG: May Pacman never wear the star ever again. He had his chance and it took him 41 days to screw that up. And if he was allowed to come back, how would you practice him? Why give him reps in front of rookies Mike Jenkins or Orlando Scandrick, knowing that Pacman is always one night-out-on-the-town away from getting booted out of the league?

BUCK: Jerry really needs to think with his head, not his heart. Like the video game ... Pacman is so yesterday’s news.

Do you go with the “hot team” or the “home team” when Texas Tech and OU meet Saturday night in Norman, Okla.?

NEW DAWG: I’ll take the Sooners. They don’t get beat at home very often.

BUCK: I hate it when we agree. But Mike Leach’s Red Raiders have been a “destiny team” ... so it wouldn’t totally shock me that we’re both wrong.

Brighter future: Oakland Raiders or Detroit Lions?

NEW DAWG: The Lions. At least, they fired Matt Millen. There is no hope in Oakland with Weird Al Davis running things.

BUCK: At least the Raiders aren’t winless, Newy. Oakland has a much brighter future if you gauge the recent past — i.e., the last 18 games, in which the Raiders are 4-14 and Lions are 1-17. This is the worst 18-game stretch in the Lions’ 75-year team history.

Nov. 11

Which 5-4 NFL team will win more games this season — Cowboys or Dolphins?

NEW DAWG: I’ll take the Dolphins right now. They have a better head coach in Tony Sparano, and his club is focused on football. I don’t know if the Cowboys are about football anymore, and now we see Wade Phillips has underachieved as the head coach.

BUCK: Not so fast, Tuna-breath. To even put the Cowboys (13 Pro Bowlers) in the same sentence as the Dolphins (one Pro Bowler — and now he’s a Redskin) should be humiliation enough. (Of course, it’s not, because nothing inspires this team.) Anyway ... I’m quite sure Jerry Jones recognizes the power of Bill Parcells. Big Bill was nearly hired in Atlanta — and now look at the Falcons! But like all things Parcells, this, too, will fade in Miami ... and the Cowboys will end up with 1-2 more wins than the Fins.

Where will Gary Patterson be coaching next season?

NEW DAWG: Not sure where, but I don’t see him coaching at TCU in 2009. Arkansas wanted Patterson until Bobby Petrino ran into their arms at the last minute.

BUCK: I agree, Gary P will be phoning Mayflower. After all, he has taken TCU about as far as anyone could ever expect. Recently, Bob Lilly (a decent TCU alum) told me that Patterson reminds him of Paul “Bear” Bryant (a decent coaching legend). I think Patterson will still end up in Manhattan, Kan.

Tony Romo and Terence Newman are practicing, the Cowboys have had their R&R, and Clinton Portis is listed as “50-50” for Cowboys-Redskins Sunday night (on NBC5, BTW). Can Cowboys fans exhale now?

NEW DAWG: It’s not like we haven’t seen Rock Cartwright and Mike Sellers have impact games against the Cowboys. Portis being hurt is nothing new. The ’Skins can still be effective without him.

BUCK: This is a trick question, right? To paraphrase the great Jim Mora: “Exhale? You kiddin’ me? EXHALE?” Short answer: Don’t be stupid.

Can Texas Tech reach the national championship game?

NEW DAWG: I say no. It’s so hard to run the table in any conference. Plus, the Big 12 title game will not be in Lubbock. If the Red Raiders are going to lose, it will be on the road.

BUCK: Hey, Red Raider fans travel quite well (I mean, what else is there to do in Lubbock when the team’s on the road?). I think Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree can win any game, anywhere, anytime ... OK, except maybe for at Norman, Okla., 11 days from today.

How do you feel about MLB’s apparent snub of Mark Cuban?

NEW DAWG: I never thought he would get the Chicago Cubs because baseball owners are traditionalists. Mark Cuban is a Maverick, and just wouldn’t have fit into the club.

BUCK: MLB is Buckingham Palace — only a little stodgier. Cuban reminds Bud Selig & his Merry Men of the late Charlie Finley. They’ll never welcome that kind of creativity and imagination into their club again.

Ryan Leaf or Tony Banks? Who had the better career for the Cowboys?

NEW DAWG: Leaf ... at least, he played in a regular-season game.

BUCK: Banks ... for no better reason other than he has made fewer embarrassing headlines among ex-Cowboys QBs than, say, Leaf or the Q.

Nov. 4

Retired NFL QB Jeff George called The Michael Irvin Show on ESPN to say he can help the Cowboys. Will Jerry Jones bite?

NEW DAWG: He has to. Jerry needs to find a better backup to Clint Dolezel for his Dallas Desperados. George is one desperate guy, so it’s a perfect match.

BUCK: Yeah, right. Just what Wade Phillips needs — a renowned coach-killer. Jeff George would be perfect, if perfection were based on "How To Make a Bad Situation Worse." Only then would Jeff the Pest get my vote. Even Testaverde has to be laughing — and Vinny’s four years older!

Gary Patterson? Will Muschamp? Mike Leach? Will Tennessee find its successor to Phil Fulmer in the state of Texas?

NEW DAWG: Leach may not be the right fit. Muschamp ... don’t see Tennessee hiring a guy who’s never been a head coach to go up against Nick Saban, Urban Meyer, Les Miles and Steve Spurrier. Now Patterson would be a good fit, but watch out to see the jobs left by guys who take the Tennessee, Clemson and Washington jobs, because Patterson could land there.

BUCK: I disagree on Muschamp. If you want to become a head coach in Division I, get hired at UT as Mack Brown’s defensive coordinator. Besides, Tennessee has to recruit in Texas ... and who knows Texas better than a guy at a Texas school.

Can Patterson get his 9-1 TCU Horned Frogs in the win column at 9-0 Utah on Thursday night?

NEW DAWG: I see no reason why not. The TCU defense is playing lights-out. If Utah can’t complete any big plays, I don’t know how the Utes will score. The Frogs’ offense must keep Utah off the field and QB Andy Dalton can’t throw any picks.

BUCK: If a team is a reflection of its coach — and TCU is that — I pity the fools in Utah. That’s not Homer-ville, it’s just how I see it. Gary P is a master at keeping the pot stirred and his players at a fever pitch. That’ll be enough to win this game.

Is Mike Maddux a good hire as pitching coach for the Rangers?

NEW DAWG: Heck yeah, if he can bring along Ben Sheets, C.C. Sabathia and Jeff Suppan. Otherwise, Maddux will be in for a long year at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

BUCK: This is a Nolan Ryan hire, and that makes me think that there will be "one page" now ... and everybody will be on it. I think this has to be a good hire ... although, I have to admit, I’d rather have Mike’s little brother, Greg.

Will Allen Iverson get the Detroit Pistons to the NBA Finals?

NEW DAWG: Maybe. You have to say "maybe" because Joe Dumars is one of the top three NBA executives in the game.

BUCK: No. Can’t happen. Impossible. Iverson doesn’t conform, which runs contrary to what the Pistons do best. A.I. will light it up from time to time, but the Pistons won’t have a team that gets out of the Eastern Conference semis, let alone the conference finals.

With Brad Johnson demoted to third string, do you want to see "Sam the Punter" hold on FGs and PATS for the Cowboys?

NEW DAWG: No. Let Johnson do what he does best ... 40-year-old guys have steadier hands.

BUCK: Give me Patrick Crayton, give me Sam Paulescu ... give me anybody but Tony Romo.

Oct. 29

Did Mike Singletary overreact by banishing TE Vernon Davis from the 49ers sideline, then railing on him to the media?

NEW DAWG: Can Jerry Jones hire Mike Singletary if Wade Phillips is not brought back in 2009? Let him find some coordinators to run the team. Singletary is exactly what the Cowboys are lacking. He wouldn’t have given the players Monday off after beating Tampa Bay, as Wade did. That was ridiculous. It’s one more thing that makes you wonder if the Giants will beat the Cowboys by two scores.

BUCK: Bully for Singletary. It’s about time the tail stopped wagging the dog (although I’m sure this behavior won’t catch on anywhere else). Singletary was a legitimate finalist 21 months ago for the Cowboys job. He aced the interview with Jerry Jones. This past week, he assured that more NFL interviews will come, until somebody realizes this guy is special.

Did Jerry Jones undervalue the Cowboys’ No. 2 QB position going into this season?

NEW DAWG: Heck, yeah. They saw last preseason that Brad Johnson couldn’t get the ball downfield, then brought him back. The crime is the Cowboys trying to be slick and get Matt Moore through waivers.

BUCK: Brad Johnson is a great teammate, a good “Robin” for Batman Romo ... but he is so un-Romo that Johnson can’t even manage the game because the offense grinds to a halt rather than seek a level of familiarity in the system. Jerry isn’t cheap — just misinformed here.

Does the booing of Brad Johnson (namely for not producing big plays in victory) suggest Cowboys fans don’t have their priorities straight?

NEW DAWG: No. Cowboys fans will never be known as the NFL’s best. I know the standard is high around here, but Johnson is what he is. Limited.

BUCK: I think it’s only natural to express displeasure when you’ve bought a ticket to see a high-powered, wide-open offense and find 11 guys with pianos on their backs. Fans aren’t always right — but they do have the right to boo.

Will Texas Tech upset the top-ranked Texas Longhorns at Lubbock on Saturday?

NEW DAWG: I hope so. That would make the fight for the Big 12 South really fun to watch. I think Texas Tech will have to play its best defensive game of the year to get it done.

BUCK: The Mike Leach defense is amped and ready. But I see a Colt McCoy team that always finds a way to win, week in and week out, even in Buddy Holly’s hometown, under the lights, on national TV. The Horns will win this game by 7, Peggy Sue.

Should Brooks Bollinger get a few snaps against the New York Giants on Sunday?

NEW DAWG: Ray, Brooks is not the answer. I’d rather see Quincy Carter back there.

BUCK: You don’t know Brooks Bollinger is not the answer. Wade doesn’t know. Rojo doesn’t know. Jerry doesn’t know. And I’m not even sure Bollinger — one NFL start since 2005 — has a self-analytical clue. Try him, what do the Cowboys have to lose?

Dickies 500 weekend: Do you think TMS prez Eddie Gossage is relieved the Cowboys are out of town and (weather permitting in Philly) the World Series should be over?

NEW DAWG: Eddie never goes up against a Cowboys home game. Most NFL teams don’t play at home against NASCAR races. Last week, the Sprint Cup guys raced in Atlanta and the Falcons were on the road in Philly. On Nov. 9 — NASCAR is in Arizona and the Cardinals play the next night on Monday Night Football. On Nov. 16 — The Dolphins have a home game, but the Chase ends the same day at Homestead, Fla., and is completed two hours after the football game starts.

BUCK: Two things, Dawg: 1.) The Chase already is over. Hello, Jimmie Johnson threepeat and 2.) Eddie knows it’s not equitable to go up against the mighty NFL or MLB’s Fall Classic. Eddie knows these guys can’t compete with 180,000 fannies in the seats.

How surprised are you that Tyrone Willingham couldn’t win more than 25 percent of his Pac-10 games in four seasons at U of Washington?

NEW DAWG: I bet Stanford never looked so good to Willingham. He could still be there right now, and they could use him.

BUCK: Nice Guys (Really Do) Finish Last. When you leave academic-minded Stanford ... it becomes all about recruiting. The Huskies have a proud tradition, so they can recruit and can win there. In this sense, yeah, sure, I’m surprised Willingham bombed after going belly-up in the South Bend shark tank four years ago. Better luck to Lane Kiffin. You know he really, really wants the job.

Oct. 21

How much of the Cowboys’ 4-3 start should be pinned on Laid-Back Wade?

NEW DAWG: The alarming thing about Wade’s lack of leadership is the media — the darned media couldn’t even warn him of the “issues” his club has had. After that close win against the lowly Bengals, Phillips went into spin control instead of admitting his team had some things that needed to be tightened up. The same Wade who said the Mexico trip Tony Romo and other players took during the postseason bye week was all good ... just doesn’t seem to get it. You can’t trust your players. They need to be called out on occasion, and sometimes the media can raise legitimate concerns about what they are witnessing on a weekly basis.

BUCK: Well, one thing he isn’t ... Chameleon Wade. What you hire is what you get. Recognizing it now just shows how little you knew about the guy in the first place. So, if the players want him around (and I think most of them do), they need to hold a players-only meeting and get this accountability mess sorted out. Sure, it starts at Wade. But it’s on the players, too. Unfortunately, not everyone responds to a congenial work place the same way. A few players forget to actually work.

What changes can the Cowboys make to assure they don’t go into their bye week with a 4-5 record?

NEW DAWG: You can’t fire Wade because I don’t have a lot of faith in Jason Garrett to take over. The defense has to get better, and I wonder if Wade doesn’t just take over the calls for that unit starting Sunday against Tampa Bay?

BUCK: The “changes” can be only cosmetic, i.e., a “lift” here, a “tuck” there. As Wade himself explained, there isn’t a whole of wiggle room with personnel. The Cowboys desperately need a split here to stop the bleeding ... and Jeff Garcia to Antonio Bryant (Bucs) are less scary than Eli Manning to Plaxico Burress (Giants), although this Dallas D had problems against winless Cincinnati (still the Cowboys’ only “W” in a month of Sundays).

Is Jerry Jones really the “NFL’s No. 1 enabler,” as ESPN Cris Carter claims?

NEW DAWG: Yes.

BUCK: He’s a good Samaritan and a “second-chance” giver when it works ... an enabler when it doesn’t. It’s a 20/20 hindsight thing.

Who has the best chance of beating Tampa Bay Sunday? Brad Johnson? Kyle Boller? Tony Romo with a splint on his passing hand?

NEW DAWG: It really depends on which game plan Jason Garrett comes up with. I don’t care who the quarterback is on Sunday. The game plan has to fit what the signal-caller can do, and it must not be predictable for the defense to make quick adjustments.

BUCK: Good grief, let’s hope the Cowboys’ head coach-in-waiting understands the concept of game-planning. This Sunday, give me Romo with the pinkie protector.

Who are the locker-room leaders for the Cowboys — defensively and offensively — and what needs to be done about it?

NEW DAWG: Right now, I just don’t know who the leaders are. In the past, I would have said tight end Jason Witten or linebacker Bradie James. But when the head coach makes excuses every week, I’m not sure if the locker-room leaders can do anything.

BUCK: That’s the ultimate excuse, Newy: “We can’t be leaders because our head coach doesn’t browbeat in front of the media.” That’s a bunch of boo-hoo. Witten, Romo, James, Greg Ellis, DeMarcus Ware, Keith Davis need to buck up and step up and do it now. This has to be “leadership by committee” at this point.

Does the first BCS poll reflect TCU (No. 14) fairly?

NEW DAWG: The Frogs are in a great spot. All they have to do is keep winning, and they’ll play in a BCS bowl game. Going 11-1 means they would have beaten Utah and won the Mountain West title. The league is darned good this year.

BUCK: I would’ve flip-flopped TCU (14) and Missouri (15) and moved Florida (10) way, way up. But the Horned Frogs are for real, if they keep it real — and Gary Patterson will make sure of that! TCU being a BCS buster remains a good possibility.

Is this No. 1-ranked Texas Longhorns team as good as the one that won a national championship with Vince Young at quarterback?

NEW DAWG: It cannot be. Those Horns beat a two-time defending national champion with two Heisman Trophy winners on it.

BUCK: Good point. But that VY team didn’t have to tiptoe through a regular-season minefield like this one is doing — OU, Mizzou ... now Okie State, Texas Tech. That gets my attention. I don’t know about you. P.S — This Colt McCoy juggernaut is only halfway through its four-game stretch of Top 10 opponents.

Oct. 14

Can the Dallas Cowboys possibly be better off with Brad Johnson at QB than with turnover-prone Tony Romo?

NEW DAWG: My first thought is to say no. But, Ray, we really have to give Brad Johnson a chance. Maybe the Cowboys need to streamline things and get back to running the ball. The Cowboys threw the ball too much and Jason Garrett got too cute overall in the last three games. Time to get back to simple football on offense and let Johnson convert on third down.

BUCK: I say BIONY —- Believe It Or Not, Yes. This could be another Kerry Collins replacing Vince Young (well, the Cowboys can only hope.) The Titans are 5-0 with their greybeard at quarterback. I also think Romo can use this time — two or three games — to stand back and observe. That could help him when he returns.

Will the Cowboys be fortunate just to make the playoffs now if Romo misses up to a month with a broken pinkie?

NEW DAWG: I would say yes — fortunate — because unless we see the players step up and finally start playing up to expectations, this team could spend December fighting to make the wild card. The old saying goes, “Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard.” That fits the Cowboys right now.

BUCK: I still think the Cowboys will make the playoffs, but the key is Jason Garrett. And, oh yeah ... Ol’ “Checkdown” Johnson needs the offensive line to be a whole lot better than it was for “Knocked Down” Romo on Sunday.

Should Romo have taken himself out of the game after the first play of overtime at Arizona, if he knew he was injured?

NEW DAWG: No. Many times guys play on adrenaline and the pain becomes worse once they sit down after a series. Guys are expected to play hurt in this league.

BUCK: I agree. There’s no way that was going to happen — not at a level where the parents no longer stand by to coddle the players.

Were our expectations of the 2008 Cowboys simply too high?

NEW DAWG: No. No. And heck no. They have secured prime talent and paid them big money. Thirteen Pro Bowlers returned from a club that went 13-3. The expectations should have been high.

BUCK: Kudos to Greg Ellis, who recognizes the fact that there has been an overall failure to “maximize what we have” week in and week out. That sure sounds like the blame is on them, not us.

Who’s your Heisman Trophy frontrunner now?

NEW DAWG: At the halfway point, I’d go with Max Hall, BYU’s quarterback.

BUCK: Give me Colt McCoy (Texas) or Chase Daniel (Mizzou) ... in fact, give me Saturday’s Texas-Mizzou matchup. I’ll get back to you on this one, Newy, after that game.

Which was the bigger surprise: Texas jumping all the way to No. 1 with a win over Oklahoma or Missouri falling all the way the No. 11 with a loss to Oklahoma State?

NEW DAWG: Texas, no doubt. I thought Alabama would move up from No. 2, but I have no problem with it. Texas has games against Mizzou, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech to go.

BUCK: I was mildly surprised by where both ended up — especially Mizzou’s free fall. Now I’m really confused what the voters think of the Big 12.

Retaliatory pitches in baseball or squib kicks in football? Which one can you more do without?

NEW DAWG: I like squib kicks. They can change games.

BUCK: Yeah ... sure ... too often to the receiving team’s advantage. Come on, Dawg, squib kicks went out with the Pet Rock. No longer do return teams load up the middle of the wedge with a bunch of behemoths with bad hands — which is why the squib kick was invented in the first place. Retaliatory, or “message” pitches are nearly as lame because the only message is: DON’T BOTHER. Both teams get warned now — even when the “message” pitch doesn’t hit the batter. Look where this got the Dodgers, who are now down 3-1 and face NLCS elimination against the Phillies.

Oct. 7

What do you make of Dallas Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens crying on the bench Sunday?

NEW DAWG: It’s the media’s fault. We all beat up T.O. He cried because of all the negativity we brought him last week. Thank goodness we have Deion Sanders on NFL Network and Michael Irvin on ESPN/103.3 FM to give T.O.’s side of things, because the media just want to bring a strong black man down. Umm, Ray ... I don’t give a hoot why he was crying.

BUCK: My concern for T.O. is emotional well-being — both mine and his. Don’t act like “look at me,” then expect us not to look when you’re having a Dick Vermeil moment or some behavioral response contrary to what we’ve become accustomed to seeing. It’s a football field, not a confessional booth. Sorry we peered in. T.O. has come a long way in a short time. Personally, I hope he gets a Super Bowl ring, makes it into the Hall of Fame ... and, right now, he’s OK. That’s all.

What do you make of Wade Phillips not wanting to hear that his team stunk Sunday?

NEW DAWG: Wade is thin-skinned, and it is translating to his players. Maybe Wade should take a page from Nick Saban’s book. Saban isn’t afraid to let his Alabama players know they need to get better, and he is not always happy with double-digit wins.

BUCK: Lay off Wade, big fella. Just because he doesn’t throw his players under the bus, at every whim of the media, doesn’t mean he paves a yellow brick road in team meetings. Don’t mistake easy-going with Pollyanna. And one more thing, Newy ... Nick Saban?

Jerry Jones’ apology to Texans owner Bob McNair over a comment Jones made to the LA Times might suggest that Houstonians really can be insulted. True?

NEW DAWG: Bob McNair should not even think about what Jerry Jones says because McNair is in danger of losing his fan base, if the Texans can’t win games.

BUCK: I know Houston ... and Jerry’s comments are no Houston. Living there 15 years (1980-95), I saw a checkered tablecloth or two and even a few cowboy boots and hats. But Houston didn’t become the fourth-largest city in the country by staying a prairie town. I thought Jerry’s comments (“[They’ve] been about glitz and glitter. Leave the other stuff to the Houston Texans.”) were flippant and fun. Apparently, so did McNair. Good stuff.

Does Texas even have a chance to upset No. 1 Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl on Saturday?

NEW DAWG: Sure, if OU quarterback Sam Bradford turns the ball over. Oregon State beat USC. This is college football.

BUCK: The key will be whether Texas QB Colt McCoy can stay on the field all four quarters and overtime. The Sooners will be coming after him. But the ’Horns can win this game, sure ... 34-31 in OT. The Red River Rivalry becomes a “shootout” again.

NFL Network’s Steve Mariucci claims the Giants are “dominating like the New England Patriots did last year.” OK, can we expect Eli & Co. to run the table all the way to the Super Bowl?

NEW DAWG: Maybe Mooch should look at the teams the Giants have beaten. Only one (Washington) has had a winning record. The Giants have beaten the Rams, Bengals and Seahawks. I’d like to see more work.

BUCK: Nice sound bite, Mooch ... but no comparison. The next time a team dominates like the ’07 Pats, Eli Manning will have gray hair and a fishing pole. The Giants are better without Shockey and Strahan than I ever expected, and Eli is the real deal ... but there’s definitely a few losses on their schedule.

Where do you have the Super Bowl-or-bust Cowboys now in the NFC East? Third-best?

NEW DAWG: Tony Romo did say something I liked after the Bengals game: They don’t hand out hardware in October. The Cowboys have to get better because they have a dangerous schedule in December.

b> And we all know how well they play in December, don’t we? I think it’s a great thing for the Cowboys if they’re perceived as the NFC East’s third-best team going into New York (Nov. 2) and Washington (Nov. 16) and, lest we forget, the season-ender at Philly (Dec. 28). Coming from behind may play better for the Cowboys. Over the last several years, they’ve shown that they can’t stand prosperity.

Sept. 30

Should Marion Barber have gotten in somebody’s face on the Cowboys sideline during his eight-carry day against the Redskins? It works for T.O., doesn’t it?

NEW DAWG: No, Barber has too much class. Wade Phillips should have gotten in Jason Garrett’s grill and had the offense run the football. Let’s not talk about T.O. He acts like a child when things don’t go his way.

BUCK: I think T.O. has ruined it for everyone else. Who’s going to speak up as a player when it’s perceived as donkey talk? Besides, Barber is old school. He just plays ... and he’s not much of a talker. He wouldn’t send back chili if he ordered a cheeseburger.

Did Josh Howard show you enough remorse with his public apology on Monday?

NEW DAWG: Howard called himself an “idiot” and said he was sorry. What else should the guy do? He will be booed at home and on the road. He’s still got a lot of work to do, but if he has an All-Star season, fans will forgive him.

BUCK: Howard hit a homer — and I’m talking about the Phillies first baseman. Most refreshing was the fact that Josh Howard stood up like a man on his own two feet. Typically, athletes under fire read a written statement (usually authored by their agent or a team official) and their apology rings hollow. I don’t know how much “coaching” Josh did or didn’t get, but it didn’t come off as being scripted.

Should MLB gives teams an extra day before starting the divisional series so that the best pitchers, on all teams, are available for Game 1?

NEW DAWG: Geez, Ray, 162 games should be enough for guys to get ready. If they can’t go ... oh, well. Win and clinch early like the Angels and it’s not a story.

BUCK: Sorry, Newy, I was talking about one of those “competitive” divisions and not one filled with a lot of chopped-liver teams. Don’t you think Brewers fans would like CC Sabathia pitching Game 1 of a best-of-five series? I just think it’s not fair for a team that works hard in a tough division to make the postseason must enter it with a whimper. It certainly isn’t a true measure of what that team can do in a short series.

Was TCU coach Gary Patterson within his rights (and right mind) to say that his Horned Frogs “gave one away” after losing by 25 in Norman, Okla., to the now-No. 1 Sooners?

NEW DAWG: I know Gary, he’s an emotional guy. He hates to see his players not execute the way they have been coached. Patterson meant no disrespect to the Sooners.

BUCK: Just to set the record straight: This was not a game given away, so while it was within Patterson’s right to say it was ... he was wrong. OU wasn’t going to let 2005 happen again. I’m sure Bob Stoops reminded his players how they “gave that one away.”

Will the Texas Longhorns look back on this season when it’s over and find they never got above No. 5 in the polls?

NEW DAWG: I just don’t think they have a championship team. If they beat OU, it could change my mind.

BUCK: I really like the 2008 version of Colt McCoy — a lot. But there is no way the Horns can tiptoe through OU (Cotton Bowl), Missouri and at Texas Tech over a four-week stretch of games, beginning with the Red River Rivalry on Oct. 11. Facing three teams in the AP Poll’s top seven will result in UT’s current No. 5 ranking being its high-water mark. Sorry ... that’s just the schedule talking.

Is Jerry Jones — fined $25,000 by the NFL for criticizing referee Ed Hochuli — trying to be Mark Cuban or what?

NEW DAWG: No, Jones told the truth. The NFL is trying to protect the refs.

BUCK: When Jerry gets in line to buy the Cubs, that’s when he’ll be trying to be Cuban. (Until that doesn’t happen) Jones needs to make this first-ever NFL fine his last. It’s a lose-lose situation, Jerry. Aside from the obvious hit on your wallet, your team doesn’t need any more missed facemask calls. I don’t think Adam “Pacman” Jones’ head and neck can take it.

Sept. 23

Should the Rangers invest big bucks in giving Milton Bradley the long-term deal he demands?

NEW DAWG: Tell me who the GM and the manager are first. Until Nolan Ryan decides if Jon Daniels and Ron Washington are back, I wouldn’t make a move. With all due respect, the market for Bradley won’t be big. And any contract he signs must have a clause for plate appearances because of his injury history. If they don’t bring him back, somebody needs to be brought in to protect Josh Hamilton in the order.

BUCK: I’m sick and tired of conventional thinking by the Rangers. That’s why this franchise has missed the playoffs 34 of 37 years, and why Tom Hicks continues to lead both leagues in excuses for not spending money. Let’s not hand Hicks excuses. I don’t care how small the market for Milton Bradley is. He has shown that he can flourish here, in Arlington, under Ron Washington, and maybe that should be reason enough for Hicks to OK a long-term deal (yes, with incentives for games played). The Rangers caught lightning in a bottle with Josh Hamilton. They have something going with Kinsler, Young and Davis. Now is not the time to nickel and dime Bradley. This team has enough off-season work ahead sorting out the front office and finding starters who can gobble up innings in 2009.

Will Josh Howard win back Mavs fans if he plays well in 2008-09? Or has he used up all his free passes?

NEW DAWG: I don’t know, Ray. He needs to give a news conference and explain his actions this past year.

BUCK: Fans are forgiving. But for this to happen to Josh Howard, it will take months of exemplary play and winning basketball ... and some very thick skin. His ears will burn wherever the Mavs play.

Do the Cowboys really have a Super Bowl defense? Or just a Super Bowl defense this week?

NEW DAWG: They had a Top 10 defense last year and they have better personnel now. This was a great job on a short week to go to Green Bay and hold Aaron Rodgers without a touchdown pass. Yes, they have a Super Bowl defense.

BUCK: What impressed me most Sunday night were the blitzes off the corner and the coverage sacks. The DBs, even without Roy Williams, tackled better than ever. I’m also reminded every week now that Bill Parcells and the Cowboys were geniuses to take DeMarcus Ware over Shawne Merriman and Jay Ratliff before they ran out of rounds in the same ’05 draft.

Should Miles Austin be playing in front of Patrick Crayton?

NEW DAWG: No. Some games call for other players to get involved. The Packers did a great job on the Cowboys’ top two receivers.

BUCK: I agree ... probably not now, maybe not ever. But Miles Austin already — in one game — has given the Cowboys more than Terry Glenn did all last year. (BTW, Crayton’s drop will motivate him, not destroy him. That’s just the kind of player he is.)

Who is the best under-30 QB in the NFL today? Jay Cutler? Tony Romo? Eli Manning? Ben Roethlisberger?

NEW DAWG: Loaded question. I will go with Big Ben.

BUCK: No, no, no, Newy. I didn’t say best “statue” in the NFL today. There are really two possible answers here — and neither one of them was sacked nine times by the Eagles last week: Cutler, suddenly the sexy pick, and Romo, who causes people to reserve judgment until he wins a playoff game. How many playoff games has Cutler won? Zero. Exactly. I’m going with Romo, jury out or not.

In Oakland, Al Davis’ next head coach should be ...?

NEW DAWG: Somebody who understands Weird Al. I’ll say John Madden.

BUCK: I think Al Davis should hire Al Davis, if he can stand him.

Is Terrell Owens finally right? Is Donovan McNabb just plain jealous?

NEW DAWG: No way. T.O. is the only voice we hear saying that McNabb was jealous. If McNabb was such a bad teammate, it would come out in the papers and it never has.

BUCK: I think McNabb is jealous, actually. But he’s jealous of Tony Romo — not Terrell Owens. As awful a teammate as T.O. was in Philly, McNabb could use the kind of teammate that T.O. has become for Romo, and, in large part, because of Romo. Hey, Newy, I know you’ll always try to defend your boy McNabb, but he wears green for a reason: Envy.

Where was the defense in Monday night’s 41-37 Cowboys win over the Eagles? And should this be a concern?

NEW DAWG: Last year, the Giants gave up 45 points and 478 yards in the season-opener to the Cowboys. The G-men went on to win the Super Bowl. In that same game, the Cowboys defense allowed 438 yards and 35 points to the Giants, and finished ninth overall in total defense. Sometimes shootouts happen.

BUCK: Yeah, Dawg, and we all know what else happens ... (gotcha!) penalties. This concerns me more than points allowed during an NFL track meet. The Cowboys defense actually played quite well, for the most part, in the make-or-break second half (holding Philly to seven points). But double-digit penalties by the Cowboys for the second week in a row ... mindless.

Before the game, Emmitt Smith told ESPN viewers that the Cowboys must learn from their mistakes of a year ago when “they got the big head.” Agree or disagree?

NEW DAWG: You mean Emmitt didn’t say they got “debacled?” Every team has to learn the lessons of failure to produce a championship. I see a lot of the Colts’ past issues in this Cowboys team. And I think the Cowboys will be fine if they can keep players healthy.

BUCK: What the Cowboys do have is “big confidence.” They find a way to win (at least in September). Emmitt also mentioned this team’s need to clean up penalties and establish stronger offensive leadership in the locker room. Once again, and far too often, overlooked is Wade Phillips’ calming influence, which actually allows his players to work in an environment where they can succeed. When you have this much talent at work, that’s a good thing.

Are USC and Oklahoma dominant enough to run the table and meet as undefeated teams in this year’s BCS Championship Game?

NEW DAWG: I’m not sure OU wants a piece of USC in a BCS bowl game. Remember the beat down SC gave OU when they played the last time? Seriously, Ray, it’s not even October. We have a lot of football left. Oklahoma first needs to beat TCU (Sept. 27) ... something OU has had issues doing in Norman.

BUCK: There will be no “two loss” teams in the BCS title game this year. USC and OU look like potential table-runners to me, although your Trojans always have a way of tripping over the unlikeliest of teams. TCU might be considered a “trap game” for the Sooners — but only in Gary Patterson’s dreams. This will be a good game in two weeks ... but not a sneak attack.

Will Vince Young be in the NFL a year from now? And if so, can he still become the player he was expected to be?

NEW DAWG: Vince Young will be in the NFL. If he grows up, which he needs to do, he will be a good player. He has a perfect mentor in Titans QB Kerry Collins, if Vince will ask for his guidance. Collins was run out of Carolina and New Orleans with alcohol issues before coming into his own and leading the Giants to a Super Bowl. It’s not over for Vince Young.

BUCK: I hope you’re right, and I’m even willing to say you are. But VY needs to find the right support group: strong, motivated people with conviction, not back-slappers with illusions of grandeur for the Texas ex. In some ways, Vince has to start over, and that’s OK. He needs to know that. He must do what he needs to do in order to resume his NFL career ... yet do it almost irrespective of football. It’s a complicated issue.

Are the Milwaukee Brewers “serious about winning” — as GM Doug Melvin says — or just out of their skulls for changing managers in the midst of a NL wild-card race?

NEW DAWG: Around here, we know Doug as a pretty fair guy. So, I have to think Ned Yost really went over the line somewhere for Doug to run him.

BUCK: This is Charles O. Finley crazy. I thought this kind of stuff went out with George Steinbrenner and Billy Martin. This is a gimmick that even Bill Veeck couldn’t have cooked up. Do I need to say more?

Who’s more at fault: The NFL with its “no-celebration” penalty? Or T.O. who chooses to test it?

NEW DAWG: T.O. claims he was having fun, but why risk putting your fellow teammates (read: special teams and defense) in a bad position because of a selfish “look-at-me” act? That’s my problem with it, Ray. T.O. creates the penalty, and he’s not on the kickoff team or defense who have to deal with it.

BUCK: I think both parties are on an ego trip here. The league wants to get all blustery over something so benign ... while Terrell Owens wants to plead ignorant about a rule that is on the books, in large part, because of Terrell Owens.

Is Brooks Bollinger a good fit for the Cowboys?

NEW DAWG: Brooks is the new Babe Laufenberg.

BUCK: You mean he’ll stick on the Cowboys a couple of years, then land a local TV job? Interesting. You hiring?

Speaking of the Cowboys, is it necessary — or even possible — for Marion “The Barbarian” Barber to temper his running style to avoid injuries?

NEW DAWG: That is so silly, all this “style change” talk. What would Earl Campbell have been if he changed? He would have been Shaun Alexander. Barber doesn’t need to change.

BUCK: NFL running backs, on average, last only 4 1/2 seasons for a reason. It’s a tough position. In a sport predicated on hitting, a running back is always the one being hit (except when he uses his trusty stiff arm). Earl Campbell — and he’ll never admit it — would have use of his legs today if he had played a little more like Shaun Alexander or Franco Harris. But no matter if you’re talking Earl or MBIII, these guys can’t change their style.

Donovan McNabb or Tony Romo? Which QB (facing each other Monday night at Texas Stadium) is more at the “top of his game?”

NEW DAWG: McNabb got the luxury of playing the worst team in the NFL last Sunday — those same ol’ sorry Rams. Romo got to play a Cleveland team that is devoid of any decent defensive backs. Let’s call it a draw ... or ask me next week after each QB faces a real defense.

BUCK: McNabb, good or bad, has an NFL résumé. Now healthy, he looks at the top of his game. Romo, by comparison, is still a work in progress as a starting quarterback — and he looks at the top of his game. For me, Romo gets the nod on the strength of “style points” after working hard this off-season on standing taller and calmer in the pocket. Behind this Cowboys OL, as we all saw Sunday, he can do that. And did, even with a bloody chin.

How many games will the Patriots win without Tom Brady?

NEW DAWG: Since Matt Cassel made zero starts at USC and Sunday will be his first start since high school ... I’ll say eight games.

BUCK: I don’t think I’ve ever seen Bill Belichick so melancholy, so droning on and on and on ... wait, never mind. He’s always like that. Now we’ll see if the resident football genius of the NFL can coach a team out of this. I’m hoping he loses 10 games. Because I want to see how really insufferable his personality can get in front of the New England media.

Ohio State or USC? Give me a score.

NEW DAWG: USC 32, Ohio State 16. LA’s not all surf and sun, and the Buckeyes will find that out. Carson Palmer was right, by the way, Buckeye fans are a bit much to stomach sometimes.

BUCK: What a shock, Newy — you picking an LA team. Ohio State has game-planned for two weeks now for Southern Cal. (That’s obvious if you saw the Ohio U game). The Buckeyes with Chris “Beanie” Wells (assuming he plays) will win this game 28-23.

Is it still up to the Williams sisters to save U.S. tennis?

NEW DAWG: Two sisters alone can’t save the game. Tennis has to get more kids involved at the grade school level.

BUCK: “Save” is too strong a word, but what Venus and Serena do give us is something truly American to watch while Andy Roddick works the kinks out of his Grand Slam tennis game — again. Now that Jimmy Connors has quit the Roddick camp, maybe Andy can hang on long enough until Roger Federer retires — then hire him.

If Zach Thomas and Keith Davis help the Cowboys win it all, should Bill Parcells get in line for a Super Bowl ring?

NEW DAWG: Hell no. I didn’t see Tony Dungy getting a ring for Tampa Bay winning it all ... so Parcells deserves nothing.

BUCK: You’re just bitter, Dawg. Big Bill will be sending Jerry Jones an invoice for all that he has done. Coaching legends have a right to do that, you know.

Much controversy swirls inside MLB over the recent approval of instant replay to determine home runs and foul balls. Is it really a bad idea?

NEW DAWG: Baseball needs instant replay. Umps are human. Playoff games and games in September matter too much to let a bad call go down that can be overturned.

BUCK: Kenny Rogers is opposed to instant replay. The former Rangers pitcher was quoted on Jim Rome Is Burning as saying blown home-run calls have “happened thousands of times” and that “mistakes are made ... it’s the beauty of the game.” If that’s true, Kenny, then asterisks are awesome, congressional hearings are gorgeous ... and the 1919 Black Sox Scandal is the Grand Canyon of baseball beauty. The ol’ left-hander did get on e thing right, however. Rome quoted him as saying, “We’ve all done things wrong once in awhile.” (Ahem) Fox 4 cameraman Larry Rodriquez can probably vouch for that.

Are Aggie fans in for a long season? Or did the Mike Sherman Era just get off to a bad start?

NEW DAWG: A long season is ahead. You can’t change from Dennis Franchione’s high school offense to Mike Sherman’s pro style attack in just one off-season. Sherman needs time to recruit different types of players. Teams will get their licks in on the Aggies this season.

BUCK: Early returns are in on the Mike Sherman Era: long faces ... long season. Blowing a lead and losing at home 18-14 to Arkansas State isn’t how Sherman drew it up. Two missed field goals (32, 25 yards) could’ve pulled this one out. But it’s not just the kicker or the offense that needs time, Newy. The Ags’ defense allowed 17 plays of 10 yards or more and 410 yards total offense. I think it’s all right there in Coach Fran’s VIP insider report.

How big a deal is it for the Cowboys to find the perfect No. 3 QB? And who is that?

NEW DAWG: I am a big believer in developing quarterbacks on your own. Tony Romo, Matt Hasselbeck, Marc Bulger, Tom Brady are examples of guys who were: 1) drafted or signed, 2) learned the NFL game and 3) became Pro Bowlers.

BUCK: Perfect No. 3 QB is an oxymoron. You’re rolling the dice no matter who it is. Chris Simms? Spleen removed two years ago. Brooks Bollinger? Confidence ruined as a New York Jet three years ago. At least, Richard Bartel is a local kid (Grapevine/Tarleton State) ... and not somebody else’s castoff.

How important is chemistry inside the NFL locker room?

NEW DAWG: Chemistry is very important. It’s not the best 53 guys that win, but the best 53 guys who can play together and for each other. The 2007 New York Giants and 1997 Denver Broncos represent my case.

BUCK: More than important, it’s tricky. Locker-room leaders cannot be imposed on the general population. It must evolve. It must be earned. And that takes time, which makes it even harder to achieve in the free-agent era, as players come and go.

How big a risk-taker is Jerry Jones for acquiring Terrell Owens (’06), Tank Johnson (’07) and Adam Jones (’08)?

NEW DAWG: Jones is an oil man. All oil men do is take big risks. Give him credit for providing an atmosphere where T.O., Tank and Pacman could turn their careers around. The Bengals keep giving out second and eighth chances, and keep getting burned. The Cowboys have an organization that allows players with a “past” to shed it and thrive.

BUCK: Jerry told Star-Telegram beat writer Clarence Hill how he takes in only “real good players” without “substance abuse issues” and players who can be “good teammates.” Jones summed it up: “They’ve got to be someone I want to be around.” Sounds like Jerry has applied common sense to his risk-taking. The jury is still out on Tank and Pacman, but T.O. is an indicator that rogue players do work here.

SOS-type help with pitching aside, should the Rangers consider “stability” or “change” at the management level more conducive to winning next season?

NEW DAWG: Are you suggesting Nolan Ryan fire Jon Daniels? At the end of the year, I expect Ryan to go find his GM and his manager. Winning starts with getting your people. Ryan has contacts all across baseball, and I expect changes.

BUCK: Changing pitchers, i.e., finding two or three starters who can each log 230 innings a year, is more critical to moving forward than swapping out the GM or the manager. But if you’re Nolan Ryan and you have somebody in mind who can get that done — secure talent — then do it. But I stand by what I’ve already said about Ron Washington: He doesn’t deserve to be fired.

Can we all sleep a little better now that CBS analyst Phil Simms has anointed Tony Romo “not a one-year wonder.”

NEW DAWG: At least, Simms saved that tag for his son, Chris. Considering Romo has played in the last two Pro Bowls, I’d agree with Simms. But let’s go easy on Phil because his son will be a Cowboy in the near future.

BUCK: Simms proclaiming the obvious on CBS isn’t any worse than Troy Aikman telling us on Fox that — after the Cowboys, of course — watch out for those Detroit Lions in the NFC. Sheesh ... the network boys apparently need the preseason to iron out the kinks, too.

Really, how important was it for the U.S. men’s basketball “Redeem Team” to take gold at Beijing?

NEW DAWG: Ray, sometimes you have to show people who the Big Dawg is. Trust me, I know. Team USA had to change because it simply could not just throw a roster of guys together anymore and go win gold medals. Now guys will be lining up to play for Team USA.

BUCK: The international basketball world jumped back on its axis over the weekend. It was no bigger deal than that!

Did the Rangers’ late-season swoon cost Josh Hamilton the AL Most Valuable Player award?

NEW DAWG: Maybe. But Hamilton hasn’t played this much baseball in his career. He played only 90 for the Reds in 2007. Let’s not underestimate the loss of Milton Bradley, who has missed 35 starts with injuries. Bradley was doing a great job batting cleanup and Hamilton hitting in the three hole.

BUCK: It sure didn’t help that Hamilton tailed off and the Rangers nosedived. But Hamilton is MLB’s “Story of the Year,” and the sheer volume of appreciation/admiration from people in all walks of life is worth more than any piece of hardware. Just my opinion.

How long will the Georgia Bulldogs be No. 1 in college football?

NEW DAWG: Nov. 2 will end their run. That’s one day after the Florida Gators repay the entire Dawgs team for running onto the field to celebrate a touchdown in Jacksonville last year.

BUCK: That’ll be their second defeat, Dawg. Because these Dawgs will get knocked out of the No. 1 spot with an Oct. 25 loss at LSU. (Think Boardwalk and Park Place, with hotels, when weighing the pitfalls built into Georgia’s schedule.)

Should the Cowboys play any of their Pro Bowlers Thursday night against the Vikings?

NEW DAWG: This should be the Rich Bartel show at quarterback. Tony Romo shouldn’t play. Marion Barber, Flozell Adams and anybody else who is a starting player shouldn’t play. There is no reason to take a chance of injury after seeing Bengals QB Carson Palmer break his nose and Redskins DE Jason Taylor suffer a knee sprain.

BUCK: Thirteen Pro Bowlers are a lot when you’re talking about sitting guys. But I’d give Romo, Barber, Adams, T.O., Jason Witten, Gregg Ellis and probably DeMarcus Ware the night off (sorry, ticket buyers). And Jason Garrett should let Wes Phillips call the plays for a half. Why not?

Can the Giants repeat as NFL champs with the retirement of Michael Strahan and the loss of Osi Umenyiora?

NEW DAWG: Lost to the Giants are more than 20 sacks with these two guys. Their front four ignited that Super Bowl run. I don’t see how they can replace that production and win the title again.

BUCK: Hey, the Giants weren’t going to repeat as champs anyway. The loss of Umenyiora gives New Yorkers just another excuse.

NFL fans using “foul or abusive language or obscene gestures” are now subject to immediate ejection, according to the league’s new code of conduct for patrons. About time? Or total joke?

NEW DAWG: It’s about time. Right now, I won’t take my wife to a game and sit in the stands because too many drunks are out of control. Too much foul language. And in some places, like Oakland, the crowd is smoking dope.

BUCK: The idiot element ruins it for the majority of fans who just come to watch a game. The I.E. has proven it can’t be embarrassed, so let’s see what the threat of being bounced will do. I tend to be skeptical, however ... because I see it being an idle threat in the so-called minds of the mindless and too tough for most stadium security to enforce.

Shouldn’t Cowboys fans be just a teeny-weeny bit concerned about Adam “Pacman” Jones?

NEW DAWG: No, it’s called preseason for a reason. You can’t miss a year at any pro level and expect to come back and be perfect. He will be fine, he’s got too much talent.

BUCK: That’s just the point. We’ve all been waiting for the inevitable reinstatement, followed by the indisputable talent to take over. But last time I checked, the NFL wasn’t kind to players after layoffs — for whatever reason. It’ll take Pacman a pinch longer than most blue Kool-Aid sippers think to round into top form. Good thing Anthony Henry is still on this team for the first month or so of the season, that’s all I’m saying.

Felix Jones. Tank Johnson. Zach Thomas. Austin Miles. What Cowboy flying under the radar has the best chance of having a breakout year in Dallas?

NEW DAWG: Tank Johnson’s play already is allowing the Cowboys to switch Marcus Spears and Jay Ratliff around. Tank is coming up on free agency, so I expect a huge year from him.

BUCK: Two words: Austin Miles. (Although I think Tank is my choice on defense, so we agree there. Hate when that happens.)

Joe Theismann calls the Dolphins’ grab of Chad Pennington “as important an acquisition” as any made in the NFL this year. Agree?

NEW DAWG: I rarely agree with anything Joey Thees-man has to say. Thank goodness he’s off Monday Night Football. Pennington isn’t what the Dolphins need. They need to find out if those young quarterbacks can play.

BUCK: They already checked. These young guys can’t play (well, Chad Henne gets a pass because he’s a “plebe” in Bill Parcells’ world). Pennington will be OK, Newy. Who’s he got to make Dolphins fans forget? Jay Fiedler? Sage Rosenfels? Joey Harrington?

Should Brett Favre be concerned that he’s on the cover of Madden ’09?

NEW DAWG: Yes, Favre will be hurt and Packers GM Ted Thompson will look smart.

BUCK: Personally, I think Favre should be more concerned about the New England Patriots’ pass rush (Sept. 14 and Nov. 13), and hope that he comes out of those games alive.

NBC’s Beijing Olympics are on pace to be the most-watched Games on TV in Olympic history. Does that mean raises at Channel 5?

NEW DAWG: Someone will get paid. I don’t expect it to be me.

BUCK: That’s what I like about you, Dawg ... you answer all the questions.

Jerry Jones thnks he can trade a cornerback for a receiver. Will he find an impact player?

NEW DAWG: Jones may be able to find a receiver that a club wants to dump salary on, and he can use Alan Ball or Even Oglesby as bait. With Terence Newman, Anthony Henry, Mike Jenkins, Adam Jones and Orlando Scandrick locking down roster spots, the Cowboys can be sellers to clubs that need a nickel or dime corner.

BUCK: And if you’re Jerry Jones, and you’re dangling backup corners of the Ball-Oglesby ilk, you can expect equal value in return. Bad idea, Newy. Because this kind of trade gets you a backup receiver in return who can’t beat out Sam Hurd, Miles Austin or even Danny Amendola. Lock-down corners ... you never can have too many. By comparison, receivers are standing on street corners.

Which Cowboys’ first-rounder will have more “rookie” impact on the team — Felix Jones or Mike Jenkins?

NEW DAWG: I expect Felix the Cat to get plenty of carries as a change-of-pace back. Jenkins may get on the field more as a special-teams player. In a perfect world, Jenkins will play a lot in preseason but will spend most of the regular-season as a backup to Newman.

BUCK: If Jenkins gets a chance to make a bigger impact than Jones, then the Cowboys are in trouble. That would involve key injuries and commissioner double-talk. Felix Jones can thank his lucky stars that he’s a rookie on this team. No great expectations. Opportunities to be moved around, catch passes, spell MBIII and get acclimated. And I will venture out on that shaky limb: Felix’s team will win more games than former Arkansas teammate Darren McFadden’s team (Raiders).

MLB trade deadline is Thursday. Do you expect any last-minute sell-offs?

NEW DAWG: Mark Teixeira. The Atlanta Braves won’t be able to re-sign Tex. If they can get two really good prospects, then it would be worth it to move him. If the Braves settle for getting two first-round picks because Tex leaves via free agency, they still have to pay those guys up-front money. Not so with trading for prospects.

BUCK: The days of the Great Salary Dump of franchise cornerstones has diminished — and I’ll tell you why. Baseball GMs have begun to wise up and guard the owner’s checkbook as if it were their own. Now, most MLB payrolls are in order. The result is that teams will trade only if they can get equal value in return from a contender ... and now contenders are screaming bloody murder that the prices are too high. Ya gotta love it.

If the Yankees are (apparently) out of the Barry Bonds market ... who’s in? Anybody?

NEW DAWG: It looks like the only way Bonds gets back in the game is if a contender has a major bat in its lineup go down with a bad injury. Bonds will bring too much distraction to any team that signs him.

BUCK: It’s official. Bonds will be signed by a MLB team when a certain dubious location south of here freezes over.

Is it time for the Cowboys to cut backup QB Brad Johnson?

NEW DAWG: Man, he’s 40 ... and cannot throw the ball downfield. Johnson is not a guy I think the Cowboys can win three games with, if Tony Romo went down. They’re in trouble if Johnson has to play more than two games. He can’t move and his best pass is the swing pass.

BUCK: Unbelievable! This just in ... a guy on the roster for more than 16 month has a 1968 birth year and no arm strength. Both were the case when the Cowboys signed Brad Johnson in March 2007. Nothing has changed, except he’s a year older. Here’s my point: If he’s the wrong guy in ’08, the Cowboys were idiots to sign him and keep him around for ’07.

Do the Texas Longhorns deserve to be left out of the Top 10 rankings and Big 12’s Top 3?

NEW DAWG: Yep. I don’t see Vince Young on the roster anymore. They need playmakers to show up before I believe in this team. Sorry, Colt McCoy doesn’t do it for me.

BUCK: You may be right, Dawg ... but I doubt it. I think Colt McCoy will have a big year. I also think the ’Horns are slotted just about where they should be slotted before the games begin. (Mack Brown makes it sound like they won’t beat a team on their schedule!)

Can it really be “Super Bowl or bust” for a Cowboys team that hasn’t won a playoff game since 1996?

NEW DAWG: Beats me how people can expect anything like that at all. I don’t know of any other NFL team that has this kind of expectation on it. It’s silly. The Giants won the Super Bowl and a lot of pundits think they won’t make the playoffs. Why haven’t the Patriots been hit with this same label?

BUCK: Relax, it’s fine. It’s July. It’s the Cowboys. “Super Bowl or bust” has a much nicer ring to it than, say, “One playoff win is all we’re asking.” Forget sensibility, we live in Jerry’s world. Cowboys fans have learned to dream in 3-D/HD. So, let’s completely ignore the fact that Dallas is one of only two NFC teams (Detroit is the other) and one of only seven NFL teams (Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Houston and Kansas City) to have gone oh-for--the-last-11-postseasons. It’s called blind faith. Proceed without caution.

Rangers closer C.J. Wilson isn’t good enough to be this cocky! Fair assessment by White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen?

NEW DAWG: Ozzie has managed a team to a World Series title, so he can talk the talk. You need Rolaids to watch C.J. pitch the ninth. He throws a lot of pitches to get the final three outs.

BUCK: Dumb question. Cocky is exactly what you want your closer to be. I’m hoping C.J. gets 10 times more cocky before his career is over. That’ll mean the Rangers have found themselves a real closer. Naturally, Guillen isn’t going to like a reliever who uses a fist pump to punctuate a scintillating save against his team. Boo-hoo.

Did Greg Norman blow it again at the British Open? Does he get a pass at 53?

NEW DAWG: There is a reason no player 50 years old or older has ever won a major title.

BUCK: Actually, I never considered Norman’s age at Royal Birkdale. His game looked pretty young for three rounds. Then, go figure ... he tried to birdie every hole Sunday. I’m just glad this tournament wasn’t played in Dallas. Chrissie Evert would’ve been blamed like Jessica Simpson.

Who (or what) is the Cowboys’ biggest question mark going into training camp this week?

NEW DAWG: Terry Glenn. Will he be the No. 2 receiver? Is he healthy? The availability of Glenn will determine the way the Cowboys stack their roster. Receivers like Danny Amendola and Mike Jefferson may not get a roster spot if Glenn is around.

BUCK: First of all, Amendola is Roger Staubach’s personal pick. He’s got to make the team! But Glenn, whether he’s here or not, is not the biggest question mark on the ’08 Cowboys. Roy Williams is. How Roy gets used, where he gets used and how far he goes in turning his “put up or shut up” mindset into actual plays on the field are all paramount to Coach Wade’s defense.

Will Gerald Green become a big-time contributor or just a bit player for the ’08-09 Mavs?

NEW DAWG: Depends on his defense. Unless Green is willing to guard somebody, he will not play for Rick Carlisle. That dunking stuff is nice, but that won’t earn him minutes. Defense will.

BUCK: Far too early too tell, of course, but this guy has game. The 6-foot-8 shooting guard should have something to prove (third NBA team in 12 months), and he can give the Mavs more production with the spot-up jumper than 6-8 swingman Devean George did last year.

Has “Tigermania” eroded the confidence of American golfers so badly that they can’t win even when Tiger Woods is absent?

NEW DAWG: No. The British Open is a tough place for Americans to win because they aren’t used to the setup and conditions of European golf ... how is that for an excuse?

BUCK: I think that’s a fair statement. Tiger’s presence drains opponents’ confidence ... and the switch can be a difficult one to simply “click on” when he’s gone. BTW, I’m happy to learn, Newy, that you’ve been taken out of the running for U.S. Ryder Cup team captain for 2010 (when it returns to Europe) and not a moment too soon, I might add.

What? Brad Johnson? How foolish are the Cowboys to go into the season with a backup QB who’ll soon turn 40?

NEW DAWG: See, they’re trying to get Wade Phillips fired. If Tony Romo misses two games with an injury, this team could be toast. Brad Johnson won a Super Bowl, but he has lost the ability to throw down the field. At least, that’s how he looked to me last year.

BUCK: This shows just how bored everybody has become about the Cowboys offense. We’re now borrowing problems. Brad Johnson is the same guy who didn’t have enough arm strength last season! Now it’s a big concern? Give me a break. Johnson (who turns 40 during Week 2 leading up to Cowboys-Eagles on MNF) can manage/move the ball well enough to get the Cowboys through a game or two, and that’s all you hope you need your backup QB to do. Anything longer is a season-killer 90 per cent of the time in the NFL, no matter who your backup is.

Are the Packers completely bonkers by playing hard to get with Brett Favre?

NEW DAWG: No. They are tired of being played. The Packers reportedly had it set for Favre to come back in late March, and he changed his mind and he would stay retired. What if you bring him to camp and he quits? Here is another thing to think about. If you brought Favre to camp, would it be fair to give him reps as the No. 1 QB and give Aaron Rodgers backup reps, considering they tailored the offense in the off-season to fit Rodgers’ skills. Sorry, Ray, Favre puts the Packers in this tough spot.

BUCK: I’m just glad the Chicago Bulls didn’t give Michael Jordan the same cold-shoulder treatment when he discovered baseball wasn’t his calling. As we all know now, he left three NBA titles on the table when he retired from basketball the first time. BTW, Favre isn’t the first pro athlete to have second thoughts and want to un-retire. Sure, it’s annoying. The tears. The goodbyes (hey, maybe, he really meant “hello” in that T-Mobile commercial). But it happens, OK? The Packers should be saying, “We’ll go to camp and see which quarterback wins the job — Rodgers or Favre.” I think we all know the answer to that one.

Tuesday night’s All-Star Game festivities begin with “red carpet” treatment of a slew of former greats. In your opinion, who is the so-called “Greatest Living Ballplayer?” (It used to be Joe DiMaggio.)

NEW DAWG: This one is too easy. Barry Bonds should run out thee. He is the all-time home run king (762). He’s got seven MVP awards. Who can touch that?

BUCK: Newy, you’re close, yet so far ... sort of like Bob Uecker’s “Just a bit outside.” The correct answer is Bonds’ godfather, Willie Mays. He is followed by Hank Aaron, Bob Feller and Frank Robinson. But as for Bonds ... sorry, the jury is still out, so to speak.

This is a make-or-break season for which Dallas Cowboy?

NEWY: Outside of Roy Williams I have to say DE Marcus Spears. Believe it or not, Bill Parcells wanted to draft him instead of DeMarcus Ware in 2005. Ware, of course, has become one of the best players in the NFL, while Spears has underachieved. Jason Hatcher is improving and Jay Ratliff could play defensive end as well, so Spears needs to have a big season or he could be gone in 2009.

BUCK: What’s this outside of Roy Williams stuff? The answer is Roy Williams. OK, my second answer is Patrick Crayton. I know he caught 50 balls last year, but he also dropped one that no one has quite forgotten. Crayton’s “make-or-break” isn’t a matter of staying on the team. Rather, it’s the need for him to step up and become a Torry Holt to an Isaac Bruce.

Which team got the better of the Josh Hamilton-Edinson Volquez trade: Rangers or Reds?

NEW DAWG: You’ll always take the MVP candidate over the Cy Young candidate who pitches every five days. Jon Daniels and the Rangers are winners because Hambone plays everyday.

BUCK: Rangers, for now ... and you spelled out the best argument, Dawg. Hopefully, that’s still the answer 5-10 years from now, because I happen to belong to that portion of the planet pulling for Josh Hamilton on a personal level.

How big or how small a perception problem does “singing” ex-ref Tim Donaghy present to the NBA for next season?

NEW DAWG: Not much because the public has bought the “rogue” ref image of Donaghy hook, line and sinker. It’s sad. The majority of fans aren’t even questioning the NBA and commish David Stern.

BUCK: ESPN’s Outside the Lines over the weekend showed a troubled George Karl (Denver Nuggets) speaking on behalf of most NBA coaches and anyone else who really cares about the game: There is a “fear” of something else coming out of this mess. Karl is right. There’s no way we’ll not think of Donaghy when a game is affected by a referee’s call or non-call next season, or a ref is seen cozying up to a coach or player on the court. But the NBA made a strong statement by hiring a retired Army major general (Ronald Johnson) to oversee all refs. Overall media/fan skepticism will run its course, in all probability, but it’ll take some time.

With a four-pack of All-Stars, are the Rangers merely underachievers at three games over .500? NEW DAWG: Did you see any Rangers pitchers on that All-Star roster? No. The Red Sox, Cubs and Angels will have pitchers and position players at Yankee Stadium next week. That’s why those teams are on pace to make it to the postseason, and the Rangers are not.

Texas has the second-highest ERA in the bigs, so the team is actually overachieving, in my opinion. Ron Washington has needed to use 10 different starting pitchers because of injuries.

Sunday’s win in Baltimore was a typical Rangers win. They put up 11 runs and the pitchers gave up 10. Closer C.J. Wilson gave up two homers in the ninth inning alone. You need Rolaids to watch this bullpen.

BUCK: The Rangers went 4-for-4 in well-deserved All-Star selections — and nearly made it five. No, that doesn’t make them underachievers ... not with the franchise baggage that these players, manager and coaches have to carry around.

Hey, Vicente Padilla (10-5) fell from All-Star consideration only after he returned from personal business in Nicaragua in early June. Since then, he’s been a .500 pitcher with a steadily rising ERA. Anytime now, you can lay off C.J., who throws strikes and has 21 saves in 23 save-opps.

Does A-Rod’s marital status belong on the sports page? Or just in the N.Y. tabloids?

NEW DAWG: Once athletes began getting huge money, they became entertainers. They should expect the same treatment as actors and other celebrities. It’s the gift and the curse. I like Alex. But he wanted to play in New York, so he knew what he was jumping into. By comparison, Rangers starter Kevin Millwood missed a start to deal with his divorce. It was a note in the D-FW papers here, but in New York it would have been a big story.

BUCK: Many of us have been through D(ivorce)-League, and it’s no fun. Whereas very few of us have been major-leaguers, so your “you’re it!” logic is purely subjective. Even the richest ballplayers never signed on for probes into their personal life, just like most celebs never agreed to be dogged by paparazzi.

I’m a firm believer in informing the public and being fair, that’s our jobs. Facts should be reported, but in a manner more akin to journalism than TMZ. That goes for Alex Rodriguez, too.

Do the Rangers need to make the playoffs to have a legitimate MVP candidate?

NEW DAWG: No ... but it always helps. A-Rod lost two MVPs because the Rangers had a bad record. Hamilton will have the team’s best shot at MVP, but he needs the Rangers to have a winning season. His comeback story from drugs is a heartwarming one that could help him get votes.

BUCK: Think big picture. This is an odd year in the AL because the usual suspects on the contending teams aren’t having MVP-type seasons. Gotta love Kinsler’s numbers, but I think he probably needs the team to make the postseason. Hamilton has the better chance to win an MVP on his own merit, i.e., A-Rod in ’03, Cal Ripken Jr. in ’91 and, of course, Ernie Banks in ’58 and ’59. Now ’fess up, Newy ... you were around for Banks.

When was the last time the NFL had a Super Bowl that could measure up to Sunday’s marathon Wimbledon men’s final?

NEW DAWG: Sorry, Ray, but did you miss the Giants pulling off one of the top two upsets in Super Bowl history back in February? The 18-0 Patriots were going for perfection against a big-time underdog, and the game went down to the final seconds. Nadal and Federer played a great match. I enjoyed it along with millions on NBC (shameless plug), but let’s not downgrade America’s Game.

BUCK: You really did play football without a helmet, didn’t you? The Nadal-Federer Wimbledon final provided more drama, drained viewers of more emotion, than any Super Bowl game — ever. That includes the one that ended at the one-foot line (Rams over Titans in SB XXXIV). So, please, just because it wasn’t football, don’t downgrade a once-in-a-lifetime tennis classic. Time: 4 hours, 48 minutes. Total points: 413. Watching it: Priceless. (P.S. — Give me Federer and whatever odds Vegas is laying for him to win the ’09 Wimbledon men’s singles. I saw it in his face after the match.)

Will Michael Phelps break Mark Spitz’s 36-year-old record of seven gold medals at the Beijing Olympics?

NEW DAWG: No. Too much media hype. Every Olympiad, NBC Sports tries to build the Games around an American star (Marion Jones in 2000), and it’s too hard for the athlete to bring home all the medals the media says he or she can.

BUCK: His qualifying times say “yes, he can” — and that’s enough for me. If he fails to eclipse the Spitz record (which means that Phelps doesn’t go 8-for-8), it’ll be only because someone outswam him. Phelps was born and raised in the Hype Era, so that part won’t bother him.

Are you excited the Mavericks are close to bringing back DeSagana Diop at center?

NEW DAWG: The Mavericks need a center because Erick Dampier is just not going to be a guy you can count on for 82 games. I wouldn’t be surprised if Rick Carlisle starts Diop. If the Mavs are going to be a running team, they need Diop on the floor, not Damp.

BUCK: Diop is a great guy in the locker room with a huge upside that’s still coming out. I think his little “return” to Dallas will help in his focus and his development. Having said that, you don’t dump Damp until you know Diop is ready for mega-minutes. Yeah ... Carlisle will want to find that out ASAP.

Will the NBA succeed in Oklahoma City?

NEW DAWG: I’m sure the players hope not. Who would want to go from living in Seattle to living in Oklahoma City? I’d hate to live there. They will have to throw a lot of free-agent money at guys to get them to play in OKC.

BUCK: You miss the point on the Seattle-Oklahoma City swap. It has more to do with losing the Seattle market than settling for a medium-sized market with a big-league chip on its shoulders. OKC is a nice place, but David Stern and the owners are crazy to allow their presence in the Pacific Northwest to disappear. Sleepless in Seattle ... more like brainless in the NBA.

Will the Sean Avery signing get the Stars past the Red Wings?

NEW DAWG: Right now, I’d say maybe. It’s tough to defend the Cup. The Stars haven’t beaten the Red Wings in the playoffs since moving to Dallas. But after losing to Detroit in the ’98 Western Conference Finals, the Stars won it all in 1999. Let’s hope history repeats itself.

BUCK: Scruggs, quit daydreaming. Get back to work.

Are the Dallas Desperados really, truly, honestly cursed??

NEW DAWG: Poor Jerry Jones. How many playoffs losses in five months to New York pro football teams can one owner take? I hope he is smart enough not to fire head Desperados coach Will McClay. They are the winningest team in the AFL the last three years.

BUCK: I don’t believe in curses — Bambino, Billy Goat or otherwise. I just think the Desperados thought too much (or answered questions too often) about not losing prematurely in the playoffs. And they thought (and answered) so darned well that they prophesied themselves into a first-round KO. McClay isn’t the problem. The players are good. But I might hire an exorcist next year just to be on the safe side.

Should the Cowboys waive Terry Glenn and sign a veteran receiver such as Joe Horn? (ESPN reported “some internal discussion” at Valley Ranch regarding the latter.)

NEW DAWG: Jerry Jones, during the Desperados’ choke job in the playoffs, said he was not interested in 36-year-old Joe Horn. With that on the record, give Jones some credit for putting a little pressure on Terry Glenn to sign the injury waiver. The Cowboys can use Glenn’s speed, if he is healthy. Horn isn’t a better player than Patrick Crayton. The Cowboys’ plan of action with Glenn has been smart. I see him in training camp.

BUCK: You’re way more positive about this thing than I am. I see Glenn playing for Big Bill in Miami. I see Patrick Crayton getting mentally beaten down by the message behind wooing another player at your position. Horn is an unlikely suspect at Valley Ranch. I think Jerry should be trying to get Terry Moss — the ex-Ball State star who lit up the Desperados with three TD catches.

Pitcher Shawn Chacon was waived by Houston after throwing Astros GM Ed Wade to the floor in the Astros dining room. What? Just another sign of the apocalypse in MLB?

NEW DAWG: Every athlete in America should have learned from former NBA star Latrell Sprewell that you can’t choke your boss. Chacon must’ve not had a TV set back in the late ’90s. I wrote on my NBC5 blog that Chacon would be perfect for the Fort Worth Cats or Grand Prairie AirHogs. Every time Chacon took the hill, they can have a “Beat Up Your Boss” Night.

BUCK: Nice, Newy. Just what did the Cats or Air Hogs do to deserve that? First, Chacon deserves a league with a lot longer bus rides — like Western Canada. Second, it’s nothing new in baseball for the inmates to be running the prison. So what’s the big whoop? Ed Wade should simply forfeit his right for a best-of-three-falls ... and move on.

Should the Rangers sign Chacon? Manager Ron Washington said he would be OK with it.

NEW DAWG: Even Sidney Ponson thinks that is a bad idea.

BUCK: The Rangers would have to be off their Rocker.

Is there just too much parity among the Big 12’s top five or six teams for one of them to win a national championship in ’08?

NEW DAWG: Geez, Ray, I haven’t even thought about college football yet. I will say “no” because we saw a team (LSU) win the national title with two losses last year. The SEC has won three titles this decade (LSU twice and Florida) — and it’s a better conference.

BUCK: I think Oklahoma is good enough to possibly pull it off — but don’t count on the two-loss thing working again. There are going to be great games in the Big 12 every week. And it’ll take a strong-minded team to tiptoe through this minefield of matchups.

What are the chances of Missouri QB Chase Daniel winning the 2008 Heisman?

NEW DAWG: I think it will be tough for Daniel. Frontrunners have a tougher time because people expect too much. I like the chances of Georgia’s Matthew Stafford. The quarterback from Highland Park will be on a very good offensive team and has the talent to win it all.

BUCK: I like Chase’s chances. He has a stout enough schedule to prove himself — or not. And it starts fast: Aug. 30 vs. Illinois, under the lights, at a big-time neutral site (St. Louis’ Edward Jones Dome).

The NFL will start flagging players (15 yards) for stiff-arms to the head in ’08 and the NBA will begin fining players for flopping in ’08-09. Which rule has a better chance of working?

NEW DAWG: The Flop Foul will work. It is so easy to call. The Spurs will be affected the most — they live by the flop. The league is full of bad flop actors like Ron Artest, Bruce Bowen and half the guys from Europe. The stiff-arm rule won’t last a year. The NFL has too many rules.

BUCK: One word: Idiotic is the stiff-arm rule (15 yards if used as a weapon to the face or head). That’s exactly what the stiff-arm is meant to be, and it’s been legal since The Galloping Ghost galloped. NBA players learned last year to zip their lip after fouls, and now they’ll have to learn how to control their faking in trying to draw a charge. This should be real fun to watch.

Should we really respect the wishes of Adam (P**M**) Jones and stop calling him Pacman?

NEW DAWG: I think the police have been calling him Adam for a long time. They’ve called him Adam during his many court appearances. So, yeah ... call him Adam.

BUCK: Too late, Pacman, too late. A nickname is like a friendship, it’s not up to one person to decide. “We the people” shall decide. We’re all creatures of habit. We won’t budge on T**** Woods or D**** Don Meredith, either. Some nicknames really are etched in stone. Get over it, Pacman. Psst. It’s really not the cause of your problems.

Which college superstar deserves to be the No. 1 pick overall in Thursday’s NBA draft? Derrick Rose of Memphis or K-State’s Michael Beasley?

NEW DAWG: I really like Derrick Rose. He’s a Chicago boy and a better player than Kirk Hinrich. The Bulls (with the No. 1 pick) have a lot of money tied up in Kirk, but they could send him off to a team that needs a young point guard. Like, let’s see ... Dallas.

BUCK: You couldn’t be more wrong, Newy ... unless you’re the Bulls and are about to make the wrong pick. Warning: You don’t pass up on a game-changer like “The Beast,” no matter how “nice” a player Derrick Rose is or how much baggage Beasley has amassed in his short life. When you’re drafting No. 1, and desperately in need of a radical franchise fix, you don’t play it safe.

The Mavs have one pick (59th overall) in Thursday’s draft. Should they go home and just call it a night?

NEW DAWG: They will take some Euro that nobody in town knows about. I have no interest in the Mavericks’ draft this year.

BUCK: I think they’ll bundle their entire allotment of picks and trade up ... from 59th to the mid-40s ... and that’s where they’ll take a player with no name. Or at least one we can’t spell.

Is there a real risk involved in Mark Cuban sending two Mavs (Jason Kidd and possibly Dirk Nowitzki) to the Beijing Olympics in August?

NEW DAWG: Fatigue is the biggest worry. I can’t recall a top player suffering a major injury during Olympic play. If I owned an NBA club, I would have big concerns about my top guys being a little overworked when training camp hits.

BUCK: This is the silliest controversy I’ve seen in years. First of all, it’s just a chance for Nellie to carp on Cuban, who has e-mailed himself into a corner. The Cube decided to get philosophical about the Olympic machine, which has nothing to do with anti-patriotism or the price of groceries. As owner of the Mavs, he just wants to win an NBA title and needs Kidd and Dirk to do it. Here’s how it works: They’ll go. They’ll play (if Dirk’s German team qualifies next month). They’ll return. Promise.

How much will the Rangers sink or swim without Gerald Laird?

NEW DAWG: Sink or swim, it’s time to get a look at Saltalamacchia anyway. We know what Laird can do behind the plate. The Rangers need to start selling off players next month ... so I say get something for Laird in a trade and let Salty develop. One Rangers official told me Salty could became a Javy Lopez. I’d take that all day long.

BUCK: Laird’s loss definitely will negatively impact the outcome of games. While Salty “develops,” as you call it, Laird’s ability to throw out runners, deliver clutch hits and play heads-up on the base paths will be sorely missed. Grossly underrated player.

Should anabolic steroids be banned from thoroughbred racing?

NEW DAWG: No ... that sport can use ANY and ALL the publicity it can get.

BUCK: Yup ... all of ’em, beginning with stanozolol. It’s time to take the sport out of the drug-dispenser’s hands. For once, I’d like to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth. What does Big Brown think about “legalized” anabolic steroids and, in particular, on-again, off-again doping? How does it make him feel? We saw how it makes him run.

When Mark Teixeira visits Arlington this week as a member of the Atlanta Braves, what should Rangers fans do when he comes to bat?

NEW DAWG: Let's see, if they boo Alex Rodriguez, who wanted out of Texas, then I expect Tex to get the same treatment. Anything other than that would truly make me wonder if the fans here are stupid.

BUCK: They'll boo Tex, all right, but only because yawning doesn't make any noise. I personally think it would be really cool to have 25,000 or so fans stand and cheer wildly for Josh Hamilton ... then stand and ho-hum Tex whenever he's introduced. Isn't that really how they feel?

Where does Tiger Woods rank on your "all-time-most-amazing-athletes" list?

NEW DAWG: My Top 5 is Jack Johnson, Carl Lewis, Michael Jordan, Jim Brown and Tiger Woods, in no particular order.

BUCK: Ali, MJ and Tiger all have had that rare star-power quality that crosses traditional boundaries in sports. What Tiger did over the weekend at Torrey Pines to force an 18-hole playoff today is absolutely Willis Reed squared. BTW, I would add Jesse Owens and Joe Louis to my short list, but keep in mind there are so many more demands on our time in the 21st century ... that for one man to make us all stop and watch is getting harder and harder to do. Tiger gets bonus points for that.

How impressed are you that Quincy Carter has a job with the Kansas City Brigade of the Arena Football League?

NEW DAWG: Not at all. KC was desperate after playing so poorly and picked up Carter, who tore up AF2. So he understands how to play in the AFL.

BUCK: Actually, I admire Q's chutzpah. There is, of course, nothing/nada/zilch that impresses me about the choices he made while with the Cowboys, and for some time after that. But he has been given one life -- and he's moving forward with it. I think we should, too.

What, if anything, has Tony Romo done to convince you that he's a legitimate Super Bowl QB-in-waiting?

NEW DAWG: Ray, the kid has made the Pro Bowl every year he's started. He set numerous records in his first full season as a starting QB in 2008. If Eli Manning and Trent Dilfer can win a Super Bowl, I know Romo can do it. Geez, Rex Grossman got the Bears to Super Bowl XLI and had a chance to win it until he started throwing picks in the third quarter.

BUCK: I like the fact Romo thinks he needs to keep working on his game (no, not his golf game). He's throwing the ball from different arm-angles. He routinely arrives at Valley Ranch with a third-stringer's mentality to get better. I like that, too. Romo continues to remind me of the gym rat he is. He's legit ... but keep in mind, he needs a whole lot of help to get to a Super Bowl.

Does Kevin Garnett deserve to be the NBA's highest-paid player ($24 million for 2007-08)?

NEW DAWG: It is not about deserving ... it's about what your agent can negotiate for you. I don't mind KG making $24 million because he will be coming off a world championship and helped restore a great franchise in Boston. There are too many other guys stealing money in the NBA we should look at. Erick Dampier comes to mind.

BUCK: The Celtics are on their way to proving that a championship can be bought. It's the old George Steinbrenner method. Not only does Garnett make more money than anyone else in the NBA, teammates Paul Pierce ($16.4 million) and Ray Allen ($16 million) also rank in the top 15. Offense sells tickets ... and payroll wins championships. That goes even in a league with a soft cap.

Sidney Ponson was apparently a disrespectful teammate — so he got the boot. Can the Rangers afford to do that?

NEW DAWG: A guy has to know his role. Period. Ponson had a few nice outings and thought he should be treated like he was a key player. This was his last chance and he blew it with his mouth, and now let him try and latch on with another team. Darn ingrate.

BUCK: The old Oakland A’s of Reggie, Rudi, Tenace, Bando and Blue won their third straight World Series in 1974. The day before Game 1, Rollie Fingers and Blue Moon Odom got into a fistfight. The A’s went on to beat the Dodgers in five games. So, Mr. Ponson, that’s the proportionate level of talent that it takes to make turmoil worthwhile. Ponson is no Catfish Hunter. The Rangers (read: Nolan Ryan) smelled a rat and eradicated the problem. It absolutely was the right move. This current Rangers clubhouse is too good to junk up.

Why did Jerry Jones overspend ($34 million) to get T.O. (age 34) signed through 2011?

NEW DAWG: The Cowboys didn’t have a proven option at wide receiver for Tony Romo. Also, that’s not the kind of thing you want to sell going into a new stadium in 2009. I never worry about T.O. being in shape; it’s contract issues and quarterback issues that have hurt him in the past.

BUCK: Jerry Rice was an anomaly. He had five seasons of 75 or more catches after turning 34. Now Jerry Jones is banking on Anomaly II happening. But the real reason he overspent — and let’s face it, Jerry did — is that this validates his decision to bring in T.O. in the first place. Remember, Jerry had a special place in his heart for another troubled receiver (Michael Irvin of the ’90s). Now T.O. has come in and — so far — proven his critics wrong. That’ll get you a raise with Jerry anytime.

Is there anything that surprises you about Bill Parcells’ MO in Miami after 5 1/2 months on the job?

NEW DAWG: After agreeing to run the Falcons front office, Parcells weaseled out of that deal and landed on his feet in Miami, running off anybody who doesn’t want to do things Tuna-style. Bill Parcells ... right on time.

BUCK: None. Nada. Zilch. First of all, Zach Thomas became Emmitt Smith. Then Parcells picked up a few of his old players: Keith Davis and Akin Ayodele ... hey, maybe Terry Glenn. Why not? Parcells quickly alienated himself with a star player (Jason Taylor) who doesn’t want to be there. “Trust in Big Bill” was what reporters wanted to believe even when treated like garbage by the irascible Parcells. Naw ... nothing’s changed. I expect Bob Knight to show up in South Florida any day now.

Is there an American League team out there who would dare sign Barry Bonds to DH?

NEW DAWG: Tampa Bay should do it. Why not get a fearless guy to help the young kids get to the World Series?

BUCK: The Red Sox have been rumored to want Bonds. Hey, baseball’s all-time HR hitter has nothing but time on his hands between now and March 2 when he goes to trial for 15 felony counts. There’s probably a team out there willing to take a flier on him. After all, lying to the feds doesn’t mean a man can’t still hit.

Right now if you looked up “run out of gas” in the dictionary, would you find a picture of Big Brown or the Rangers bullpen?

NEW DAWG: Rangers pen ... because Big Brown has won two titles. The Rangers haven’t won squat.

BUCK: You couldn’t be more wrong about this one, Newy. Big Brown would be the picture in most dictionaries. Who outside a handful of fans living in North Texas knows anybody’s mug out in the Rangers bullpen?

Will the Celtics win the NBA Finals, now up 2-0 on the Lakers?

NEW DAWG: Yep. Just remind Boston how the Mavs choked away the 2006 Finals after taking a 2-0 lead ... the Celtics will be fine. Maybe have Avery Johnson give them a pregame speech.

BUCK: Avery could use the work. Anyway, I think the Lakers can still come back and win this series. They’ll surely take the next two games. But to win a game in Boston, they will need to get the ball into Kobe’s hand for the last shot. Let Game 2 be a reminder.

Are you tired of Greg Ellis' annual whine?

NEW DAWG: Glad I’m not married to him. Somebody, please, take Greg to see "Sex and the City", and maybe he’ll come back to OTAs feeling more loved by the organization. The man needs a hug every off-season.

BUCK: Hey, Greg Ellis is the most consistent part of the Dallas Cowboys. Just picture a taller Andy Rooney in shoulder pads: “I didn’t get old on purpose, it just happened.” Or ... “iPods, iTunes and off-season coaching decisions — aren’t there just too many of all three these days?” Or ... “Do you ever wonder why it gets so hot in the summer?” We need to embrace Ellis. He’s a Valley Ranch treasure.

Who does Josh Hamilton remind you of?

NEW DAWG: Jose Canseco in 1988, without the ’roids and a better glove. Jose was incredible to watch with the A’s that year. I didn’t want to miss an at-bat he had. Hamilton makes me watch Rangers baseball.

BUCK: Yaz is the easy answer. Carl Yastrzemski was just 9 months older than Josh is now when Yaz won the Triple Crown in 1967 — and no one has done it since. Hamilton is impacting others both on the field and off ... which makes him more like Mantle than Canseco.

Are you OK with this market being the Mecca for professional athletes seeking a second chance?

NEW DAWG: I never really looked at it that way, but why not?

BUCK: It hasn’t always worked (Alonzo Spellman, Dimitrius Underwood, John Rocker, Dennis Rodman). But, suddenly, T.O. is the voice of reason in the Cowboys’ locker room, Tank Johnson is on the straight-and-narrow and Pacman Jones seems sincere about turning around his life in North Texas. The poster boy, of course, for making it OK to be known as the “Mecca for second chances” is Josh Hamilton.

Is Terry Glenn right to refuse the Cowboys his signature on a $500,000 injury settlement?

NEW DAWG: Let’s see. Terry Glenn got paid $5.6 million last year and played in two games. The Cowboys are making it real simple: Play ball or get cut and get nothing. They took care of him last year, so I don’t blame them for asking him to take on some of the risk.

BUCK: I agree, although this is a sport where the player pays the price and absorbs the pain. However, Glenn is wrong if he thinks the Cowboys are “betting against” his comeback attempt. They want him. They need him. But he turns 34 before camp begins, he’s coming off knee surgery, and he’s due to make $1.74 million. This becomes a no-brainer for Jerry Jones.

Can Kobe re-establish himself as the heir apparent to Michael Jordan? Or is that guy still LeBron?

NEW DAWG: LeBron James is not on Kobe’s level. Sorry, he is not. Maybe one day, but Kobe Bryant is an assassin on the court the way Jordan, Magic, Bird and Isiah were. I was in LA when the kid came over in a draft day trade from the Charlotte Hornets. Kobe is not Jordan ... but he does the best impersonation of No. 23.

BUCK: LeBron needs a Scottie Pippen before he can be the next MJ. If that happens, he will be the guy. Bryant has had his chances and now — given a Pau Gasol (after forcing out Shaquille O’Neal) — Kobe returns to the NBA Finals. You’re absolutely right, he is an assassin. But Cleveland isn’t LA, and LeBron remains stuck in the role of ET (entire team).

Is American tennis dead? (Somebody mentioned the French Open is being played.)

NEW DAWG: Is Jim Courier still the favorite this year? American tennis, the Indy 500, the NHL and boxing are a few sports that have taken a nosedive in the American sporting conscience this decade. Who thought the day would come when a NASCAR driver had a higher profile than a top American tennis player? But more people know Dale Earnhardt Jr. than know Andy Roddick.

BUCK: When Robby Ginepri became the first American male since Andre Agassi in 2003 to reach the fourth round of the French Open over the weekend, my first thought was, “Robby who?” My second thought was ice cream. Then, I went and got some ... French vanilla, of course. American tennis ... a sad state of affairs.

Are you jealous of Boston? (In the last year, the Red Sox won the World Series, the Patriots played in a Super Bowl and now the Celtics will host the NBA Finals — all in less than a calendar year.)

NEW DAWG: Yeah, I’m green with envy. All we’ve seen in this market this decade is the 2000 Stanley Cup Finals and the 2006 NBA Finals — both losses by Dallas, I might add.

BUCK: Revolutionary history, Fenway Park and awesome seafood. Those are the things that make me jealous of Boston. No question, Beantown is hot. But you can have Belichick, KG and that long-suffering fan story caused by the Curse of the Bambino.

How many Rangers are going to Yankee Stadium for the July 15 All-Star Game?

NEW DAWG: Josh Hamilton will be the only Ranger there. FoxSports will air the game on television and will really want to build up his story from drug addict/suspended player to someone who could challenge for the American League MVP.

BUCK: Hey, Dawg, don’t forget Michael Young, a perennial All-Star who’ll end up with 200 hits for a sixth year in a row. I say Hamilton and Young will represent what has become one of the top-hitting lineups in baseball. Milton Bradley will get snubbed — and throw a fit. I see it coming. Likewise, a case can be made for Vicente Padilla. But Kenny Rogers (2005) will remain the last Rangers pitcher to earn an All-Star Game nod for another year.

Is the Glorypark construction “stall job” any indication of Tom Hicks’ inability to properly fund the Rangers if they’re playoff contenders late in the summer?

NEW DAWG: No. He’s not lying when he says it is tough to find lenders for huge projects. With that said, Ray, I don’t see this team adding payroll in late July because this is not a playoff team.

BUCK: I think the Rangers will make the playoffs before Glorypark opens (2011 at the earliest) because players like Ramon Vasquez and David Murphy are making Hicks’ bottom-third payroll look good. This team plays in a winnable division. Meanwhile, Hicks’ $510-million retail conglomerate is laid up with a strained credit market.

Will Phil Mickelson’s miracle finish at Colonial help bring in more big names to the tournament next year?

NEW DAWG: Maybe. Maybe. You won’t see Tiger Woods in Fort Worth again. I will say this, the Colonial has passed the Byron Nelson Classic as the best PGA tournament in the Metroplex.

BUCK: It should bring out the heavy hitters because, in one classic finish, Lefty has legitimized what already was a well-oiled tournament. Who needs Tiger? When Mickelson said, “I think the players are going to take note,” he was talking other Top 10 money winners, not prima donna superstars.

Is the NFL’s new “Marion Barber Rule” — no more stiff arms to a defender’s face — a good one or not?

NEW DAWG: It is football, right? How many ways do they want to legislate the game? The rule is ridiculous.

BUCK: I have no problem with it, Newy, strictly as a safety precaution. Were you opposed to the helmet when it first came out? I thought so.

How many balls will Terry Glenn catch this season? And for whom?

NEW DAWG: I’ll say 45 catches for the Cowboys.

BUCK: I’ll say none for the Cowboys. I think this team has become tentative about welcoming a comeback for a soon-to-be 34-year-old receiver who missed 15 games last season. Just don’t see Glenn making a living in a Cowboys uniform this season.

Hully & Donnie: What do they need to do to get the Stars and Mavs to the next level?

NEW DAWG: Don’t forget about Les Jackson! He’s a co-GM along with Hull. The Stars added free-agent forward Fabian Brunnstrom during the playoffs. Montreal and Detroit went after him hard. The Mavs ... well, good luck. I don’t know what they can pull off.

BUCK: The short answer is defense (Stars) and offense (Mavs). GM-tandem Hull-Jackson need to give Marty Turco some experienced help in the defensive end. Donnie Nelson needs to sign another post-up player and find a scorer for the two-guard position. Both are reasonable upgrades even under complex NBA laws and salary restrictions.

Hank Blalock will rejoin the Texas Rangers at first base (where he’s never played a game). Good move or goofy move?

NEW DAWG: How about this? Trade Hank Blalock. This guy will never be an All-Star again. The Rangers screwed up when they didn’t trade him to Florida for Josh Beckett. I just think his best baseball is behind him. He gets hurt now. Trade him.

BUCK: Good move. Until (or if) the Rangers fall out of contention in the AL West, the Blalock 1B experiment deserves a Guinness beer salute: “Brilliant!” Or at the very least: “Worth a Shot!” I mean, why not, Newy? Slugging-third-baseman-in-waiting Chris Davis (Class AA Frisco) is the future; Ramon Vasquez is more than adequate for now, and first base will no longer be a sub.-200 liability on Ron Washington’s lineup card with Blalock playing there. You don’t trade him now — maybe after the season — but not while the AL West still looks winnable.

Are the Rangers really good enough to make the playoffs?

NEW DAWG: Don’t the Rangers start to fade in the hot summer months? Why should things be different, Ray? I only need them to be competitive until Cowboys training camp, then they won’t matter.

BUCK: Somebody needs a nap. To me, Dawg, this bunch looks different. Josh Hamilton, of course, is off the charts; the pitching is better, and most of the everyday players are feeding off each other.....in all aspects of the game. Just don’t try to be too much of a hero on the base paths, Ian Kinsler.

Which one has had to endure the most skepticism/biggest hatchet job by the local media: Wade Phillips, Rick Carlisle or Ron Washington?

NEW DAWG: Ron Washington, hands-down. How many times has there been a column written or talk show calling for his firing? A lot. Even the owner admitted he was about to fire his skipper. Dare I say, former Rangers GM John Hart got better treatment from the media.

BUCK: With the speed that Rick Carlisle has shrugged off skepticism, he should be running the Mavs’ fastbreak. And don’t forget the lovefest for Norv Turner when Coach Wade rolled into town (and before he won 13 games). But, you’re right, Wash has been harpooned the most when you consider “true confessions” by Tom Hicks. But I’m still impressed with Carlisle’s ability to change his perception so radically, so quickly, before he’s even held a practice.

Are the Detroit Red Wings just toying with the Dallas Stars before kicking them to the curb and advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals?

NEW DAWG: The Stars manned up and show some heart by winning two in a row. I just don’t see the Red Wings blowing four straight hockey games. I think they are going to win the series and the Stanley Cup.

BUCK: The first 10 minutes (of both games, if there are two) will determine whether or not the Red Wings are a house of cards. I thought the Stars did a nice job of not over-talking things to this point. Detroit fans probably wish their team was just “toying” with the Stars as the pressure mounts on the only team in this series that can blow it now: the Red Wings.

Can the Rangers stand prosperity, i.e., improved play = higher expectations?

NEW DAWG: I don’t know. Weak answer.....but I just don’t know.

BUCK: Based on their recent past, the Rangers suggest they can’t do it. But it’s a different year, different players. If you’re scoring at home, score it a TBD.

Who's to blame for the Cowboys' style of defense not "fitting" Roy Williams? And what needs to be done about it?

NEW DAWG: Ray, some guys don't fit the 3-4 defense. I am a big fan of Roy, personally, but he has to prove he is still a three-down player in 2008 or he won't be a Cowboy in 2009. Defensive coordinator Brian Stewart and secondary coaches Dave Campo and Brett Maxie can do only so much. Roy has to watch the extra film and find a way to take better angles in pass coverage.

BUCK: Roy Williams has lost his zeal for football, I believe. It came when the NFL basically told him that the way he has played football all his life no longer is OK. (See "leading-with-helmet" fines and legislation for horse-collar tackles, a.k.a., The Roy William Rule). Roy lost his mojo. He needs to rediscover it – and I think that's why he has isolated himself this off-season, to do just that. He has become a great human being with his charities; now he needs to become an impact player again. Trust me, he will be spared from deep responsibility on pass coverage this season. But it's not the system that requires retooling, it's Roy.

When is a retaliatory pitch a retaliatory pitch (see Thursday night's over-reaction by Seattle's Richie Sexson)?

NEW DAWG: Sexson reminded me of Mike Tyson the night he bit Evander Holyfield's ear ... frustrated and looking for a way out of competing.

BUCK: I think the rule is that a retaliatory pitch must either hit the batter or come within 2-3 inches of his common sense – if he has any. Nice to have Sexson and the Mariners in town.

Do the Rangers owe it to Ron Washington to either fire him now or assure him that he will finish the season?

NEW DAWG: Why is Ron Washington always the guy everyone wants to fire instead of the man who brought him to Arlington -- GM Jon Daniels? Bobby Cox couldn't win anything with this talent. The Rangers don't "owe" Ron anything, but it goes to show you why they are a rinky-dink organization.

BUCK: I see Nolan Ryan bringing in somebody like Phil Garner. Experienced manager. Former teammate. Familiar face. That's just the reality of the situation. But let me point out that the Rangers have dressed 37 different players in the first six weeks of the season. I fully expect to walk into the dugout someday and see players wearing "Hi, My Name is ...." nametags, you know, the kind you stick on your lapel at conventions and awkward cocktail parties. Ron Washington is certainly "owed" something, Newy ... it's called the respect that every honest worker deserves. I hope the Rangers give him that much, no matter what they do or when they do it.

Will Mike Ribeiro's post-Game 2 whack of Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood simply seal the Star's fate?

NEW DAWG: The Red Wings are the best team in hockey. Ribs' whacking of Ozzie won't change that. The Stars have to win their home games to make it a series. In fact, I'd say they need to win the next three games to have a shot to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.

BUCK: I saw fire. I saw rage. With apologies to James Taylor, that's what I saw in that message-sending love tap to Osgood. You know how it is in sports, Dawg, stuff happens, things change. It's always better to get even than to get mad, and the way the Stars can still do that now – quite literally – is to win these next two games at the AAC. Don't seal that fate quite yet.

If Rick Carlisle is a Xerox copy of Avery Johnson in micro-managing skills, is he a stupid hire by the Mavs?

NEW DAWG: I won't say it's a bad hire, because we've been wrong about that before around these parts. Anybody remember Wade Phillips? He was supposed to be an uninspiring choice, and he won 13 games last year. I hope Carlisle has learned from his other two stops.

BUCK: Gosh, Newy, I hope Carlisle wins more than 13 games with the Mavs. Seriously, though, Avery's firing would never have happened 1) with a more responsible group of players and 2) without the Jason Kidd trade. Carlisle is not unlike his predecessor, which leaves me like most everyone else – full of wonder, full of cynicism.

HBO's "Hard Knocks" is coming. Who will steal the show at Oxnard, Calif., this summer?

NEW DAWG: I'll go with T.O. He has a certain fondness for performing for the camera.

BUCK: Steal the show? You mean other than Jessica? OK, I'll go with Mat McBriar (quirky, fun, plus punters have a lot of time to mug for the cameras.) No, wait ... free-agent WR Danny Amendola, the Texas Tech ex. NFL Films guys love the underdog with more film-able chutzpah and heart than realistic chance of making the team.

Will Avery Johnson be fired if the Mavs are eliminated in the first round again?

NEW DAWG: He shouldn’t be fired. Ask the Maloof Brothers if overreacting to a few playoff losses and dumping Rick Adelman made the Sacramento Kings better. The lesson is simple. Winning 50 games a season is a good thing. Keep that situation alive.

BUCK: I think he’s gone unless he gets to the Western Conference Finals. But the way Avery’s players respond to the slightest bit of adversity during the course of a game, maybe Avery should be walking out on them. Johnson (who doesn’t go blameless for some of his Game 4 substitutions Sunday night) has to be baffled. His team’s only consistency is its inconsistency. While this Mavs bunch hasn’t exactly quit on him, it’s certainly gone haywire on him ... and always at the slightest hint of trouble in the air.

Can Vicente Padilla really save Ron Washington’s job for awhile?

NEW DAWG: Forget Wash’s job. How about the GM’s gig? Managers get fired all the time. The question is: Will Jon Daniels survive to make another hire after putting together yet another sad roster of talent?

BUCK: Managers are hired to be fired, we all know that. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen a stranger situation than Ron Washington getting a little extra rope because of Rangers’ starting pitching, and Padilla in particular. There’s no fainting in baseball ... but Padilla is earning his $11.25 million per year. Nice to see.

What grade do you give the Cowboys for their ’08 draft?

NEW DAWG: I give them an A. They upgraded a 13-3 team in four areas: Running back, cornerback, special teams and tight end. They should have come away with a quarterback like Andre Woodson or John David Booty.

BUCK: A solid B-minus. Right now, I love the Martellus “Gig ’Em” Bennett pick late in the second round. Just remember, we’re an instant-gratification society. And while Jerry Jones gloated about “wow power,” I’m just hoping the Cowboys can take the “ugh” out of ugly when it comes to the playoffs.

Do you think the ghost of Rashard Mendenhall will haunt the Cowboys down the road?

NEW DAWG: We’ll see Dec. 7 in Pittsburgh when the Cowboys and Steelers play at Heinz Field. I would have taken Mendenhall, but I will buy their logic. Think of all the great plays Kevin Faulk has given the Patriots in their four Super Bowls this decade as a change-of-pace back. Felix Jones could be that guy for the Cowboys, and he’s better than Faulk.

BUCK: Did I miss something? Was this Adrian Peterson the Cowboys passed over? I don’t think so. It was Rashard Mendenhall, whose effort wasn’t there until he became the big dog on the porch at Illinois. Who knows how splitting time with Marion Barber would’ve suited him in Dallas? Felix Jones is a better fit — an ideal fit. So, I won’t dog-pile the Cowboys’ pick here. In fact, I will reserve judgment until both running backs get their second NFL contracts ... or unless Mendenhall goes directly into the Hall of Fame. Please, let me know.

It looks too easy for the Stars ... how can this be? And how long can it last?

NEW DAWG: It will last until the Red Wings come to town for the Western Conference Finals.

BUCK: It looks easy because it is. Nobody wants to say it, but this Stars team is: 1) very good, 2) playing together and 3) filled with helium called “confidence” that only winning can foster. I’m not picking them to lose until they lose.

Should we expect NFL commish Roger Goodell to reinstate Pacman Jones? And if so — when?

NEW DAWG: Pacman should be cleared in time for training camp. The bigger question is when will Goodell let him use the practice facility? The Cowboys need to get Pacman in shape, look at videotape and understand the defense.

BUCK: The naysayers in the national media (some of whom are saying Pacman will not be reinstated for ’08) don’t know any more than the rest of us not named Roger Goodell. It will be his call. But I think, at this moment, Pacman has a good chance of being cleared in time for Sept. 7 at Cleveland, although maybe not a lot of time before that. Just a hunch.

News flash: Local sports fans are pulled from postseason abyss by the Dallas Stars. How surprising is that?

NEW DAWG: Surprising to see them beat the defending Stanley Cup champs, that’s what impressed me. They took it to a club that won it all just a year ago. Marty Turco was fantastic in the pipes, and this time Turks got scoring help. He was so good against Anaheim that we aren’t even talking about him. Great series win ... maybe NBC will put the Stars on during this next round, eh?

BUCK: Man, your team wins one lousy playoff round in five years and you start talking Canadian on us — eh? The bandwagon is fully loaded. The Stars are aligned. The network boys are late. But I can’t help but think that the Stars’ first-round breakthrough (as rousing as 18,500 raucous fans can make it sound) shines an even harsher light on the Cowboys and Mavs, who have become lollygaggers without the lolly.

Which of the three “need” positions — RB, WR, CB — can the Cowboys afford to address last in the NFL draft this weekend?

NEW DAWG: Easy one, wide receiver. The Cowboys lost their nickel and dime backs in free agency. You must have four good corners with the schedule they play. RB Marion Barber needs a backup, and the Cowboys may need to let Barber go after this season if he’s hellbent on a $60 million contract. I say the Cowboys use the 22nd pick on a running back because Pittsburgh and San Diego will probably take one before the Cowboys’ 28th selection.

BUCK: I’ve said all along — even with a pickup of Pacman — the Cowboys’ first-round priorities in this draft are cornerback and running back. Wide receiver is something they get through free agency or a draft-day deal. If not ... Rounds 2-4. The Cowboys have their full complement of picks. Don’t panic. Don’t get cute. In other words, don’t Quincy around on us, please.

Can the Stars get past Round 2 (vs. San Jose or Colorado)?

NEW DAWG: I think the Stars can beat anybody in the league except the Red Wings. Personally, I’d like to take a road trip to San Jose.

BUCK: I haven’t quite punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Finals yet — but this Stars team is playing with a heavy dose of purpose: What is happening may never come again. In the age of sports parity, there is nothing wrong with being a one-hit wonder. Yeah, I see them getting to the Western Conference Finals.

Is the Mavs’ biggest problem in these playoffs 1) offensive, 2) defensive or 3) psychological?

NEW DAWG: How about this, Ray? The Hornets are better, it’s that simple. The Hornets have a better team and the Mavs can’t beat them in seven games.

BUCK: Newy, you’re not helping their bruised and battered psyches at all — and, really, that’s the crux of the problem. At the first whiff of trouble, this team can’t score the basketball ... or get any stops. I, for one, am going to suggest that the Basketball Hall of Fame erect a special wing for “Mavericks’ Playoff Opponents” — let’s see, Dwyane Wade ... Baron Davis ... Chris Paul.

Is Marion Barber worth LaDainian Tomlinson money, as his agent contends?

NEW DAWG: The Cowboys should pray Oregon RB Jonathan Stewart is there at No. 22. At 235 pounds, Stewart can be an every-down back. Let Stewart back up Barber for one season. After 2008, “franchise” Barber. Then let him and Drew Rosenhaus go find a team, get a first-round pick in return ... and wash their hands of him. Barber is no LT. Last time I checked, LT is a starter and a fulltime workhorse.

BUCK: Last time I checked, Marion Barber III was a momentum-changer, a difference-maker, a guy who elevated his team with his actions — and attitude. OK, Newy, MBIII isn’t LT right now, but only through a convoluted “if-it’s-not-broke-don’t-fix-it” mentality by two different Cowboys coaching staffs, Barber has not been give a fulltime role for 16 games to prove himself. Right now, Barber is a restricted free agent. Compensate him fairly and pay him the big bucks next year ... but don’t let him slip out the door.

Should Danica Patrick jump to NASCAR now that she’s won an IndyCar race?

NEW DAWG: Maybe she won an Indy race because the best drivers have jumped to NASCAR. That IndyCar series has lost some great talent — Sam Hornish Jr. and Dario Franchitti just this year. I’m happy she won because now we may see more doors open for women in Indy. I wish more fans would watch it. It’s incredible to watch in person.

BUCK: Danica proved what most racing enthusiasts already knew — she’s no novelty act. Her historic win in the Land of the Rising Sun was one giant leap for motorsports. But this woman has more victory lanes in her future ... and, hopefully, she can join the NASCAR boys someday. Hey ... it’s become a natural evolution: open-wheel to boogity, boogity, boogity.

Will commissioner Roger Goodell grant Pacman Jones’ request for reinstatement to the NFL this time?

NEW DAWG: I think so. Pacman served his time. Goodell should let him back in the NFL and, if Pacman slips us, he’ll be off to the Arena League.

BUCK: Not so fast, big guy. I’m more confident that a Cowboys-Titans deal can get done this week than Goodell agreeing to being “rushed” into making a decision. Goodell is image conscious. The Cowboys simply need a lockdown corner. And keep in mind: The commish has promised to decide Pacman’s fate before training camp — nothing more. Pacman merely “applies” for reinstatement Tuesday.

What makes this Stars team different than the last three playoff teams that couldn’t get past the first round?

NEW DAWG: This group hears about its past failures all the time. The Stars are tired of hearing about the first-round flops, so they have come out and played 60 minutes of hockey. In the past, they haven’t stayed focused for the full 60 like you have to do. Oh, yeah ... they score. That helps.

BUCK: One very big difference: Brad Richards. As corny as it sounds, the Stars caught Lightning in a bottle. The Brad Richards trade six weeks ago is to the Stars what the Mavs were hoping the Jason Kidd trade could be for them. There is something about this 2-0 series start by the Stars — against the defending champs, no less — that suggests the light is on and everybody is home.

Which possible first-round matchup should Mavs fans be rooting to get?

NEW DAWG: Hornets or Spurs. The Hornets have no clue what it takes in the playoffs. That’s the edge the Mavs have. As for the Spurs, they lost to the Mavs the last time they met in the postseason.

BUCK: It won’t happen — but Utah. The Mavs match up well against the Jazz (36-11 since Jan. 1). Dallas definitely can beat New Orleans — and that matchup really could happen. And if so, it would be the break of the bracket.

Which possible first-round matchup would be the Mavericks’ worst nightmare?

NEW DAWG: The Mavs can’t beat the Lakers in seven games.

BUCK: Spurs, Spurs and Spurs ... but if you want to see the playoffs begin with a bang ... root for the nightmare.

For the Rangers to win the AL West, what needs to happen?

NEW DAWG: Tom Hicks will have to sell his soul to the devil. I’m not sure how he would do it ... but that’s the only way the Rangers win the West.

BUCK: No injuries to Kevin Millwood or Vicente Padilla. The heat will wear both graybeards down, but the only way this team can get out of the cellar is for Millwood and Padilla to get 32-34 starts apiece. That’s to get out of last place. To win the division, something dreadful must happen to both the Angels and the Mariners. The first-place A’s will start to fall on their way.

Are you on the edge of your seat this week waiting to hear what Jose Canseco has to say to federal authorities about Roger Clemens?

NEW DAWG: Ah, the Juice Club returns! I’m sure Jose will misremember some of the details when it comes to Roger. He just wants to bring A-Rod down.

BUCK: In terms of comic relief — sure. You bet. Can’t wait.

Texas Rangers: No. 5 TV market; No. 21 MLB payroll. Please comment.

NEW DAWG: It’s simple: Rangers fans are weak and still support cheapskate owner Tom Hicks. Over in England, soccer fans didn’t tolerate Hick’s cheap spending for their beloved Liverpool team. They led a revolt. One story said a fan spit on Hicks’ kid. Now Hicks is building the stadium he promised them. The average Rangers fan is happy with fireworks after the games and dollar hotdog night. Hicks couldn’t get away with his cheap payroll in a real baseball town like St. Louis or New York.

BUCK: Lay off the fans, big guy, and I’ll tell you why. Rangers fans are starved for 1) a winner and 2) a commitment in direction by the team. Go ahead, mock people of third world countries for being “computer-illiterate,” why don’t you, Newy? As for those “real baseball towns” like St. Louis and New York (as you dutifully point out), they’ve had winners, they’ve had losers, but they built tradition. And you know what? Here in North Texas, there are enough transplanted fans from “real baseball towns” — St. Louis, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, New York et al. — to fill Hicks’ ballpark every night ... if they ever saw the owner try to devise a plan (in the No. 5 TV market) that didn’t involve saving money (No. 21 payroll). That’s plain shameful.

What needs to happen for the Stars to get past the first round of the NHL playoffs?

NEW DAWG: A miracle.

BUCK: Marty Turco. The Stars haven’t gotten past the first round since 2003, which means they have the law of averages on their side. Whoopee!

Can Kevin Millwood and Vicente Padilla become the “Koufax and Drysdale” of the pitching poor Rangers?

NEW DAWG: Why use the names of Koufax and Drysdale in vain? If Millwood and Padilla can just win 15 games each and earn their money this year, we’d all be grateful.

BUCK: I’m not sure which one of these guys is willing to throw left-handed. Seriously, I think Millwood can — and will — win 15-18 games in ’08. He acts like a guy who has a bur under his saddle and something to prove. But I really do hope that he and Padilla don’t try to hold out together. It probably won’t work.

Which Final Four team “bombed” worse in the semis: UCLA or North Carolina?

NEW DAWG: Carolina, hands-down. I’ve never seen a Tar Heel team play so bad in a Final Four. I had a great seat to watch Kansas beat Carolina like it stole something ... 40-12 in the first half. Ray, I don’t drink, but as a Tar Heel fan, I really could have used a drink.

BUCK: Lest we forget, UCLA was making its third straight Final Four appearance — and the Florida Gators weren’t around. I really thought it was Ben Howland’s time. Wrong! Memphis is playing well enough to beat four or five NBA teams right now. But the Bruins still choked this one — defensively. They couldn’t get any stops. So, which team laid the bigger egg Saturday nigh in San Antonio: UCLA by 15 or UNC by 18? As they say ... too close to call.

Give me a winner ... Memphis or Kansas?

NEW DAWG: Ray, you know I never let my love for Carolina basketball get in the way of telling it like it is. Go, Memphis! Kansas will face a point guard who can shoot in Derrick Rose. He will not go scoreless and hand out one assist like Carolina’s Ty Lawson did in the first half against KU. Guards rule the college game, and Memphis has a better backcourt with Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts.

BUCK: I hate it when we agree: Give me freshman Rose and the savvy CDR over Kansas’ guard trio. The Jayhawks are on a nice roll, but I’ll say ... Memphis 80, Kansas 73.

From the Dept. of Ho-Hum: Which NFL rule change will have the biggest impact on the game?

NEW DAWG: Making receivers get two feet down is an advantage for the defense all day long.

BUCK: That’s the only notable rule change out of the league meetings. But it cracks me up that it was done to dumb-down the call and help the officials. Rather than mandate that all zebras get better, the NFL simply removed the “force-out” from the equation, so that there’s one less — previously important — variable involved. Nice.

About that new Ernie Banks statue outside Wrigley Field ... the apostrophe was left off “Lets [sic] play two.” Does that qualify as heresy in Chicago?

NEW DAWG: What else do you expect from the lovable losers?

BUCK: My only question — really — how do that happen?

Mar. 31

How many of these unemployed major leaguers will play in 2008: Sammy Sosa, Mike Piazza, Kenny Lofton, Barry Bonds?

NEW DAWG: Sosa outpriced himself. Piazza is strictly a DH. Lofton is a clubhouse cancer. And Bonds is too hot to handle.

BUCK: You are so wrong on Lofton — even Sosa (who deserves more than the $500,000 he got from the Rangers last season and less than the $7 million he wants now). I definitely see Lofton getting picked up by any team which has a GM who can read a resume, because this guy flat-out helps get team into the postseason. Piazza is probably done. Bonds is perjurious toast ... although I wouldn’t swear to it under oath.

Were the Texas Longhorns outcoached, outmanned or simply outplayed in their South Region Finals loss to Memphis?

NEW DAWG: Memphis is that good, Ray. This team has lost only one game all year. I expect Memphis to advance to the title game before losing to North Carolina.

BUCK: The ’Horns were outmanned and a little outcoached, which can only happen it the losing team had a chance. UT did not. So Rick Barnes is off the hook. But it would’ve been nice to have gotten the message to D.J. Augustin to drive and dish earlier in the game, and for a timeout to be used to devise a plan to get A.J. Abrams the shots he got when the game was out of reach. But, then again, Memphis would’ve still won — by 10, just not 18.

How do you see the Cowboys using Pacman Jones, if they end up signing him?

NEW DAWG: This is how Coach Scruggs would do it: Pacman would be my third corner, but I’d move Terence Newman into the slot because of his speed. Pacman would also return punts and kickoffs.

BUCK: I’d like to see this guy on the field for 60 plays or more a game. I’d take a look at Anthony Henry at free safety, and twin-up Newman and Jones at the corners. On third down, you’re right, move Newman into the slot and use Henry and Jones at the corners. On fourth down ... make sure Pacman returns every punt of every game.

Is Sports Illustrated onto something when it suggests that the Rangers should hire out-of-work pitching coach Leo Mazzone of Atlanta Braves fame?

NEW DAWG: I don’t think Tom Hicks would pay the rate Mazzone would need to take over as the pitching coach in Texas.

BUCK: It couldn’t hurt. Mazzone has a proven record ... and so do the Rangers.

Tyler Hansbrough or Kevin Love: Which Final Four big men would you rather have in a big game?

NEW DAWG: Is that really a question? Tyler is so good that even UCLA coach Ben Howland would take him over Love.

BUCK: I put this question in here, Newy, only to bug you. Now my answer should do the same: Tar Heel Hansbrough is the “Player of the Year”, but Kevin Love is a freshman on a UCLA team that has been to the Final Four three years in a row. The Alamodome pressure should fit like a glove for the Bruins and Love.

What does it tell you that an unprecedented four No. 1 seeds will be in San Antonio for the Final Four?

NEW DAWG: The selection committee got it right.

BUCK: No, Dawg, the stars and planets were aligned.

Mar. 24

How close is Avery Johnson to being on the hot seat?

NEW DAWG: Yeah, that’s it ... fire the best coach in team history. If that thought crosses Mark Cuban’s mind, he needs to look at what Utah has done with Jerry Sloan. He’s been in Utah 20 years as head coach. Sloan has had three 60-win seasons in that time, while Avery has had two in just his first two full seasons as Mavericks head coach.

BUCK: Firing Avery was “unthinkable” before the Jason Kidd Failed Experiment. Now it hangs there like a second shoe waiting to drop. Hey, I’m with you — firing average would be a big mistake — but reality says, “Dallas, we have a problem.” Charles Barkley is absolutely right. The Mavs need to become the Phoenix Suns and outscore everybody with Kidd leading about 50 fastbreaks a game. I guess that means Avery needs to become Mike D’Antoni.

Can the Mavericks possibly miss the playoffs altogether?

NEW DAWG: The Mavericks already had scoring issues with Dirk Nowitzki in the lineup. Without him, it’s trouble in MavsLand. Maybe this is the year they enter the lottery and come up with the No. 1 pick in the draft.

BUCK: Sure, it’s possible to miss the playoffs, especially now that Dirk will be out a couple of weeks (and that’s the good news — maybe just a couple of weeks). The Mavs went radical on us at the trade deadline. Now they need to go radical one more time, and develop a “nothing to lose” mentality. This shouldn’t be hard. Just look back on 67 wins last season ... they really don’t have anything to lose.

Are the Cowboys big hypocrites for chasing suspended cornerback Pacman Jones after he wasn’t even on their draft board in 2005?

NEW DAWG: Let me quote the greatest hypocrite in our sports market, Tom Hicks: “Things change.” And 2005 is ancient history, Ray. Three years ago, people thought President Bush was doing a good job, now they don’t. Pacman will come pretty cheap and the Cowboys have to start getting ready to let Terence Newman hit the road after the season. Newman will be 30 when the season starts, so he can forget that five- or six-year deal from the Cowboys he wants. Trading for Pacman and using a first-round draft pick allows the Cowboys to get younger at the cornerback position. Come on, Ray, let’s make it rain!

BUCK: Rain? I think that’s a recipe for flushing the future. No, I don’t think the Cowboys are hypocrites; they’re just reacting to NO PLAYOFF VICTORIES SINCE 1996. Desperate people do desperate things. Pacman was, is ... and always will be a mistake.

Should the Rangers trade, demote or just give Jarrod Saltalamacchia the starting job behind the plate?

NEW DAWG: Salty can be the next Javy Lopez, so you don’t want to give him away. If Gerald Laird can get hot in the first half, he’ll be a part of the Rangers’ 2008 fire sale.

BUCK: Saltalamacchia is the future. The challenge will be getting him to understand why he must start the 2008 season in Triple A. There is no shame to that. But don’t trade him. Laird is overlooked and undervalued, which only hurts Gerald Laird.

Is DeMarcus Ware worth Dwight Freeney money?

NEW DAWG: Yes. Ware is a monster and the Cowboys had better lock him up long term. At 25, Ware is coming into his own and should be compensated like Freeney.

BUCK: It will be the best “Freeney Money” — $72 million with $30 million guaranteed — Jerry Jones has ever spent. You’ve heard of speed receivers who can’t be overthrown? Well, Ware can’t be overpaid.

How many No. 1 seeds do you have in your Final Four?

NEW DAWG: I have the only one that counts ... North Carolina. Let’s go, Tar Heels! I’m going to San Antonio to watch Roy Williams cut down the nets!

BUCK: No cheering in Buck & New Dawg, big guy. I have three No. 1s in my Final Four: UCLA (don’t be fooled by the Texas A&M scare), North Carolina and Kansas, now that Georgetown is out. Any one of the four South semifinalists (Memphis, Texas, Stanford, Michigan State) can go 2-0 in Houston, so I’m picking against Memphis. Law of averages.

NEW DAWG: No NCAA appearances after six yers made it tough for him to stay. I think TCU basketball is a bad job. The school doesn’t put enough money into the gig, and I don’t think it will be able to attract a top-notch coach. TCU basketball is an afterthought on campus.

BUCK: Well, it shouldn’t be an afterthought, Newy. What TCU needs is a coach who can: 1) recruit and 2) stir student-body passion — and I think that guy lives 30 minutes away in Dallas: Fran Fraschilla. You probably heard him over the weekend (along with Ron Franklin) call the Big 12 championship game on ESPN. Fraschilla knows the Mountain West (New Mexico) and knows how to get to the Big Dance (twice with Manhattan). He also may have a few helpful contacts at the “Worldwide Leader in Sports.” He’s smart. He’s glib. He’s good. He can sell basketball. Dougherty needed to go because this is a business — and he wasn’t winning. The ball is now in TCU’s court to finish making a good business decision. Prediction time: What’s your earliest “upset special” in the NCAA Tournament?

NEW DAWG: Boise State (No. 14 seed) over Louisville (No. 3 seed).

BUCK: I’ve got a No. 14 upset of a No. 3, too. But mine is Georgia over Xavier in the West Region. The Bulldogs: “The Team That Never Sleeps.” Do Scott Drew’s backsliding Baylor Bears merit an invite to the Big Dance ... or not, as Dick Vitale suggests.

NEW DAWG: Baylor deserves a spot. The Big 12 has some darned good clubs. Baylor’s story alone is worth a trip to the Big Dance. Hey, 21-10 and 9-7 (fourth place in the Big 12) was good enough to get in. Tell Dickie V to leave the Bears alone.

BUCK: God bless Dick Vitale. But I have to wonder if that’s not still the anesthesia talking. The Bears go into the tournament without momentum — their problem; getting snubbed by the selection committee — that would’ve been the tournament’s problem. This Baylor team reminds me a lot of past Louisville teams where playing smart isn’t a strong suit ... but unbridled talent is. Who will represent the Big 12 in the Final Four: Kansas? Texas? Both? Neither?

NEW DAWG: I’ll say no team from the Big 12 will make it to San Antonio. Bill Self has tons of talent at KU, but he still hasn’t been able to get to the Final Four. I really like Pitt or Memphis to come out of the South Region instead of Texas.

BUCK: The Longhorns’ best shot is if Memphis and Pitt beat each other senseless — and the winner is missing two or three starters for the South Region final. I think No. 1 seed Kansas (Midwest) can, and will, get to the Final Four. Have a little confidence, Newy. Believe in Self. Should the NCAA take Bob Knight’s advice and double the men’s tournament field to 128 teams?

NEW DAWG: I like this tournament because only 65 get in. It means something to go to the Big Dance. The field is large enough. Next thing you know it will be the Final Five instead of the Final Four.

BUCK: Knight wants to get rid of automatic bids and believes that an extra round to start the tournament (top-rated 64 hosting next-rated 64 on their home campuses) would level the playing field for 128 of 341 Division I teams in the country. Sounds simple enough until the 129th-rated team screams “snubbed!” I agree — leave it alone. What are you going to miss most — and least — about Texas Stadium?

NEW DAWG: I won’t miss the terrible parking. It is a nightmare to get in and out of that place. I will miss walking the tunnel to the field. Nothing like it!

BUCK: What I’ll miss most: The original placement of the Ring of Honor names (tucked just inside the hole in the roof). Transplanting the names to Arlington will never be the same. What I’ll miss least: Walking back to the pressbox through a maze of hallways and empty food carts on deadline. It’s a very long walk.

Should the Cowboys sign Pacman Jones ... or run the other way?

NEW DAWG: Any time we can bring in someone who can help out the local economy, we should. Pacman Jones has the ability to reign across strip joints from Dallas to Arlington. This man has all the tools. He can cover receivers, make interceptions, return kicks and punts. So, what’s a little bad press for the Cowboys? Jerry Jones got much worse for bringing in T.O.

BUCK: I get it, Newy ... you’re joking. Good line about helping out the local economy. Even funnier line about “what’s a little bad press?” It’s not Pacman’s PR that bothers me; it’s his total lack of accountability. Do you want Coach Wade to come up with a set of rules for Terence Newman and a different set of rules for Pacman Jones? Not me. But I fully understand that this could happen because Jerry Jones truly loves the big-splash signing. It’s so much easier than drafting well. Does Julius Jones have what it takes to salvage his NFL career in Seattle?

NEW DAWG: If there was ever a track made for Jules ... it is Qwest Field. He always played his best football in Seattle. If big brother Thomas could remake his career after leaving the Arizona Cardinals, I see no reason why little brother can’t, too. Julius should never have been drafted here. Bill Parcells should have taken Steven Jackson in the first round of the 2004 draft.

BUCK: A change of scenery not only was the best thing for Julius — it was the only thing. But good luck. NFL running backs traditionally don’t have long careers, and playing for Parcells seemed to take a little extra out of Jones from the very first cup of training camp water he fetched. Dirk’s “clothesline” of Andrei Kirilenko: Was it good, bad or irrelevant to the Mavs?

NEW DAWG: The coach wants tough fouls, so Dirky handed one out to the Russian. I’d like to see Dirk take down some Americans, too, and if they face Phoenix in the playoffs, maybe he’ll give their Canadian player a little Dick “Night Train” Lane action.

BUCK: I think it’s a message well sent to opponents around the league but probably cost the Mavs a game (No Dirk vs. Houston) at a time when they don’t have games to throw away. So, I say Dirk’s necktie throw-down of AK-47 was both good and bad — but definitely not irrelevant. If you’re a GM looking for offense, do you give Barry Bonds a job?

NEW DAWG: No way. Let’s not forget Bonds wants special treatment. That, plus all the media crush, is just not worth bringing into your clubhouse.

BUCK: I agree. There are pending legal matters, not just distractions and baggage. It’s the same reason I wouldn’t sign Roger Clemens, even if “The Rocket” came crawling on hands and knees, with a plan to pitch for free (starting in June, of course). Are you prepared for the Rangers to get off to a slow start because of pitching injuries?

NEW DAWG: How many times must I say this club is not going anywhere? They had suspect pitching before; now they’ve got injured suspects.

BUCK: Man ... somebody needs a nap. I forgot the question now. Were you surprised that 38-year-old Brett Favre decided to retire now?

NEW DAWG: No. He went out after setting all the NFL records and proving he was still a Pro Bowl performer. Outside of throwing away a chance at the Super Bowl in the NFC Championship Game, he could not have played better in 2008. Favre left right on time.

BUCK: I was only surprised to know Favre is only 38. (Or as Vinny Testaverde calls it: mid-career form.) Sure, I thought the “gunslinger” in Favre would bring him back for another year because the ’08 Pack came so close. Can the Stars seriously be on their way to winning a second Stanley Cup in franchise history?

NEW DAWG: Doesn’t Tom Hicks still own them? Yes, he does ... so I’ll say no. Everything he’s touched the last five years has been mediocre or bad.

BUCK: It’s like saying the check’s in the mail. You start expecting something — whether you should or not. Speaking of “checks,” the Stars showed plenty against the Avalanche on Sunday. That kind of hockey leaves a Lord Stanley sort of feeling in your gut. Cactus or Grapefruit? Which state has better spring training: Arizona or Florida?

NEW DAWG: I’ll take Arizona because they have better places to eat.

BUCK: Florida is a much superior place to train. Players sweat better, avoid injuries. See, Newy, I’m thinking baseball — not lunch.

Should the Cowboys try to get a veteran receiver such as Javon Walker, or just draft one in the first round?

NEW DAWG: I’m not sold on Walker because of his health issues. If the Broncos let him walk out the door and the Packers traded him away before that ... we should look at those as smoke signals. Green Bay has a better corps of receivers without Walker. Brandon Marshall showed the Broncos he could take over the load, so Walker was bounced. The Cowboys should look at a player such as Bryant Johnson at Arizona.

BUCK: You’re forgetting the “Bubba Factor.” Ray Sherman used to be Walker’s position coach in Green Bay. Walker is a weapon. “Bubba” Sherman is a miracle worker (T.O., Exhibit A). Walker’s right knee needs to be checked out. But signing a guy who is working on his third team in four years isn’t as much a roll of the dice if Sherman is your receivers coach. Then, the Cowboys are free to use their two first-round picks on an elite running back and some help in the secondary — maybe a player who can actually cover.

What are the chances of the Lakers winning the NBA West?

NEW DAWG: They are the favorite. I love the way their team is built. And in Phil Jackson, they have the best coach in NBA history. Oh, yeah, that Kobe guy will win the MVP.

BUCK: Sorry, Dawg, the LA bandwagon is full. No room for you. The Spurs are still the West’s best and, believe or not, I like the way the Mavs are “still trying to get it together.” Last year, they won 67 games and peaked too early, and we all know how that worked out.

Kobe Bryant or LeBron James? Which one would you rather have?

NEW DAWG: Kobe. Give me the three championship rings and the 10 years of tremendous basketball over young LeBron.

BUCK: I’ll take the 23-year-old LeBron because it’s 2008 — not 1999 — and he is just beginning to hit his NBA stride. He’s bigger and stronger than Bryant, and already can take over a game with the best of the all-time greats. Kobe has the dagger shot, but LeBron has the power in the paint ... and, oh yeah, the endorsements. That’s another difference.

Are there just too many kinks to iron out for Jason Kidd to take the Mavs to the next level this year?

NEW DAWG: Ray, this trade should be judged after the playoffs. That is what we all care about around here ... the playoffs.

BUCK: Trust in Avery. I look at The General’s face and see total belief that Kidd and the Mavs need exactly as long as the regular-season will give them to work out the kinks.

Will Michael Beasley turn out to be, in the long run, a better NBA player than Kevin Durant?

NEW DAWG: No, no and heck no. I think Durant is special. He just plays on a really bad team.

BUCK: I’m rooting for Durant, whose game is an art form. But I watch Beasley and see him taking it to the next level by himself. He can create off the dribble and (if he stays out of trouble) figures to be “The Beast” in the NBA just as he was in the Big 12. BTW, Durant’s NCAA freshman record for double-doubles (20) lasted one year. Beasley has 24 ... and counting.

Early prediction: What team do you see cutting down the nets at the Alamodome on the night of April 7?

NEW DAWG: If Ty Lawson is healthy, I’ll go with Carolina. Roy Williams returns to Big 12 country and takes it all for the second time in four years.

BUCK: UCLA. For one thing, Ben Howland can coach in March. His Bruins have won nine NCAA Tournament games over the last two years — reaching the Final Four both times. Meanwhile, his star freshman, 6-10 Kevin Love, plays like it’s a pickup game at the rec center. You gotta love Love. So, yeah, I can see the big fella on a ladder wielding a pair of scissors in his mitts April 7.