Mavs Title Drought Perseveres; Dirk's Loyalty Record Eternal?
WHITT’S END: 6.3.22
Whether you’re at the end of your coffee, your day, your week or even your rope, welcome to Whitt’s End …
*With the Dallas Mavericks and Stars eliminated from the playoffs, the Dallas Cowboys running around in shorts and the Texas Rangers only 50 games into their 162-game death march, we’re officially plummeting into our Summer sports slumber. We’ve surpassed 4,000 days without lifting a trophy.
But on the bright side, DFW athletes own what I’m pretty sure are just a handful of unbreakable records. Nolan Ryan has 5,714 strikeouts, almost 2,700 more than the closest active pitcher: 37-year-old Max Scherzer. Emmitt Smith retired with 18,355 rushing yards, almost 3,500 more than the closest active running back: 37-year-old free agent Adrian Peterson. Dirk Nowitzki played 21 seasons with one team, two more than the next closest active player: 41-year-old Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem. I guess Haslem could forge on but he’s been essentially been retired the last three seasons, playing in only a combined 18 games. Behind him? The Warriors’ Steph Curry, who next season will play season No. 14 in San Francisco.
Bottom line: We have no current titles. But we own three eternal records. Feel better?
*If you’re a Mavs fan, you’re rooting for a Warriors sweep of the Celtics in the NBA Finals so to lay claim the mythical silver medal. You’re also hoping that the Knicks hiring his Dad to their coaching staff doesn’t influence Jalen Brunson’s decision as a free agent. Is there such thing as indirect tampering?
*Couple of troubling sights from the Rangers’ 3-1 loss to the Rays Thursday afternoon in Arlington. Corey Kluber shut them down. Yep, same Corey Kluber that was the Rangers’ free-agent gem in 2020 but threw only one inning before suffering a season-ending injury. Texas’ pinch-hitters entered the game leading the league in hits, homers and RBI. But with the tie runs on base in the 7th, consecutive pinch-hitters Sam Huff and Eli White struck out.
*Mind-boggling: Rangers went 17-10 in May – thanks in part to a Cy Young-esque performance by ace Martin Perez – their first winning month since June 2019. Their reward: All the way back from a 6-14 to start to a brief flirtation with .500 at 24-24. Good for manager Chris Woodward for not letting an early sinking ship totally capsize toward another 100-loss season.
*Since climbing to .500 the Rangers are 1 for 19 with runners in scoring position. Losing stat.
*Thanks to the release of La’el Collins, the Cowboys on June 1 earned $10 million in salary-cap room. How to spend money that’s surely burning a hole in Jerry Jones’ pocket? If not Bobby Wagner, how about this playmaking linebacker?
*Congratulations, you just survived the hottest May in the history of DFW. The average daily temperature of 82.2 degrees smashed the previous mark set in 2018 by 1.6 degrees. Pretty sure we’re headed for triple-digit Hell this Summer.
*Longhorns and Aggies, already fighting over their first game as SEC foes. Can’t wait.
*Make it four years and counting to "honor" military veterans on Memorial Day by completing the "Murph." Pales in comparison to their fitness level - or, needless to say, sacrifice - but for a dork who can see 60 just over that hill, running two miles interspersed with 100 pullups, 200 pushups and 300 squats is more than enough tough.
*Hot.
*Not.
*Wanna see Dak Prescott throw the home-run ball? You’ll have to wait until September. But if you want to see him and other Cowboys swing for the fences in an actual Home Run Derby you only need to head to Frisco Tuesday night. The 9th annual contest – which is FREE at Riders Field at 6 p.m. – will feature Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, CeeDee Lamb, Zack Martin, Tyron Smith and Micah Parsons hitting baseballs for charity.
*Box-office popularity be damned, we did not need another Top Gun movie. And, no, we certainly don’t need another Elvis movie. Who could possibly portray the man more impersonated than any human to ever walk this planet? Further confirmation that we are totally bankrupt of creativity.
*Having hosted his radio show on 105.3 The Fan for two seasons, I know first-hand how vanilla-boring former Cowboys coach Jason Garrett is. You try getting something savory out of a piece of white bread with the crusts cut off. "Football" and "process", no matter the question. Ring a bell? From the little I heard - and from what critics said - he was just as bad and bland in the USFL booth this Spring. No way he gets a job at NBC replacing Drew Brees to do Notre Dame games or Sunday Night Football. Wait, what the what?!
*Whew, I can finally get off the Marcus Semien home-run drought watch. After launching 45 for the Blue Jays last season, he didn’t hit his first for the Rangers until May 28. His second – and first as a Ranger at Globe Life Field – came Thursday afternoon. Maybe he’ll get to 45 after all? Amazing that the Rangers’ have hit 58 homers – fourth-most in the majors – with almost zilch from one of their expected sluggers.
*Remember last month when Ukraine was a hot topic? Or last week when we cared about gun reform? COVID? Poof. All in the rearview mirror of our 24-second news cycle. This week the water cooler talk at my gym was – cringe – Amber Heard vs. Johnny Depp.
*Yes, the Mavs made their run to the Western Conference Finals without Tim Hardaway Jr. But – scary thought – the Warriors dispatched Dallas in five games without Gary Payton II and potentially dominant 7-footer James Wiseman. No reason to predict Golden State slippage in 2023. Also returning to the West next season: Kawhi Leonard to the Clippers and Jamal Murray to the Nuggets. Yikes.
*The 1966 Texas Tower mass shooting should’ve served as a warning. But because of our state’s irrational love of guns, it was only an appetizer.
*If the Mavs could make one plausible trade to increase their chances of winning a title in 2023 … would it be this one?
*Hey Rangers, June is Pride month. Other sports teams – the NFL’s Eagles and Patriots and soccer’s Chelsea FC – have the decency to recognize and respect the LGBTQ community. You’re on the clock. Tick … tick … tick …
*RIP to former Cowboys running back Marion Barber, a dude who I discovered in 2008 was as difficult to interview as he was to tackle.
*This Weekend? Friday let’s … hmm. Saturday let’s … hmm. Sunday let’s … hmm. Sometimes – rarely, but sometimes – the best plans are no plans. As always, don’t be a stranger.
