Why Patrick Crayton felt the need to speak up publicly about Brett Favre and the Packers situation is beyond me. It’s amusing that the one Dallas Cowboy player to make a comment to gain traction is the one who cost the Cowboys a playoff win. And yet, I find it difficult to reprimand him. Crayton called the Packer situation a “soap opera”, and also noted that Cowboys training camp has been controversy free.

We’ve heard varying theories on the Cowboys wide receiver situation, from no good 2 receiver to everyone underestimates Crayton. He DID miss the biggest catch of his career. But even that is forgivable if he contributes solid play this year and helps Dallas win in the playoffs.

But something about Crayton’s comments smacks of confidence. Something we need to see from our underpublicized #2 receiver. Speak up, as long as you keep it in line, and show us that you have some confidence. I like that. Better than cowering in the corner thinking everyone hates him for dropping a perfect pass. That’s Roy Williams’ job. And even he seems to be putting the past behind him this offseason.

Time will tell, but it’s good to get a little moxie from the Crayster.

The Houston Chronicle broke the story tonight that the Houston Rockets are trading Bobby Jackson and another player to Sacramento for Ron Artest. MavsUpdate has more on the story.

Brett Favre is a mess. We don’t care about him. We don’t want to hear about him anymore. But as non-Green Bay Packer fans, we would LOVE to see him suit up in Vikings purple.

The only people who don’t want to see Favre as a Viking work for the Packers organization. But it’s good for football. The NFL would greatly benefit from a Favre/Minnesota combo. More tickets would sell. More jerseys would sell. More people would watch games. The season opener would be ridiculous. What’s not to love?

If they really want to screw the pooch, trade him to Chicago. Much less sensational of a story, but Chicago is impotent at this point and won’t be a serious threat. Favre makes Minnesota a contender and Chicago a little more than a joke.

Adrian Peterson would welcome the air support to keep the defense on their toes while he racks up another 1,400+ yard season.

As a fan, I want Favre in purple. Make it happen. Do whatever it takes. Make the NFC interesting again. Give us three legitimate contenders in NYG, Dallas, and Minnesota. Then we’ll have some great football to watch this Fall as the greats battle it out.

Or don’t. Let Favre sit on the sidelines for $12 million or whatever ridiculous amount he makes. Maybe get him to make the drinks. Get something for your money! Sheesh.

Check out this article from East Valley Tribune about how Arizona is making it more difficult for Dallas fans to make it to the game. They now have to buy preseason tickets in order to get tickets to the Cowboys game.

Whose fault is it that the visiting team draws a bigger crowd?

As a staunch supporter of Tony Romo these past two years, it does me no great joy to ask the question: is Tony Romo the weakest link?

It’s not that he doesn’t have skills or ability. No one doubts that. But his casual attitude is only reassuring if and when he faces and conquers playoff pressure. However, it would not be fair to blame last year’s playoff loss to New York on Tony Romo. He made a couple bad decisions against the Giants, but not so bad that it should have cost the Cowboys the game.

Some people blame the coaching staff for changing the offensive scheme. Why put so much emphasis on Marion Barber all of a sudden? Why change what had worked so well all season?

The offensive line didn’t help, either. Whether they were tired because of the play calling, or because they just weren’t as primed as the Giants defense, there were too many holes that allowed too much pressure on Romo.

Here we are, on the cusp of Year 3. This is Romo’s year. This is put up or shut up. Another no playoff win season and the fans will lose faith in the famous QB. Whether it’s fair or not to place the burden of responsibility squarely on the shoulders of the quarterback, there it rests nonetheless.

Tony has a lot to prove. The people aren’t as patient as they used to be. Give Dallas a reason to hope for a championship, or prepare to be publicly crucified.

Welcome to Dallas.

Jason Kidd is old. The trade was a bad move. The Mavs shouldn’t have given up Diop and Harris. But that’s over. Time to deal with today. And today, the Bulls have the #1 pick. If they are smart, they’ll pick the point guard Rose. But if they do, they’ll have two college stars at point. Hinrich is obviously not the man of the future for Chicago. But he would fit nicely in Dallas.

His $11million salary might be prohibitive, but with all the free agents Dallas can flush, there might be room. Sadly, no matter what is said, Jason Kidd will be playing for Dallas next season. No matter how stupid that move is. So, with the remaining starting positions you have Dirk, Bass, Damp, and an opening. You put Hinrich at the 2 guard spot and let him reign down hell on his opponents from the outside. With Dirk and Kirk on the perimeter, Bass and Damp inside, Kidd should find enough passing targets to suit his non-shooter style.

Surely the Bulls could use a guard like Josh Howard on their quick, young team. Surely. Is this deal doable? Not likely. But it would make for one hell of a combo next season.

Mark Cuban admitted to Randy Galloway two days ago that prior to the 2007-2008 season, the Mavericks could have traded Dirk for Kobe straight up. And yet Cuban and Nelson didn’t want him. Do what? They didn’t want Kobe? The most driven player in the entire league? The self-starter?

On top of that, Dallas could have traded Josh Howard for Pau Gasol. That was an option briefly discussed, but the Mavericks sat on it and Gasol was gone to L.A. Nice going, guys.

Imagine it. Devin Harris at point. Kobe Bryant at shooting guard. Brandon Bass at the small forward. Pau Gasol at power forward. Erick Dampier at center. Jason Terry, Tyronn Lue, and DeSagana Diop coming off the bench. Sounds pretty good to me.

Devin Harris slashing to the hoop, dishing out to Kobe. Kobe fakes outside, lobs it in to Gasol. Bass and Dampier down low for the rebound. Where’s the downside here? True, Devin isn’t the ultimate point guard, but Kobe would have either straightened him up or pushed him out. Same with Damp. I can picture Kobe giving Damp the verbal tongue lashing he’s always deserved. In response, we’d see an extra five points and 4 rebounds per game from Damp.

Kobe won’t settle for laziness. He gets the best from his teammates or he makes them leave. Call it a strength or call it a weakness. Dallas needs someone with real passion for the game. Kobe would have been the spark Dallas hasn’t seen since Finley carried the team before Dirk.

Ah, what would have been. So much for that. Instead, we have a Round One playoff elimination, Jason Kidd, pot smoking Josh Howard, and no backup center or driving force behind this team.

Add Kobe and Gasol to the list of historic tragic misses that have come to be expected from your Dallas Mavericks.

According to Marc Stein of ESPN.com, Avery Johnson is history. Randy Galloway called it before Game 5. Now the Mavs are in the hunt for a new head coach, and the entire team is in need a serious changes. Mavs fans have been living in a dream world if they think the aging bench of the Mavs will ever help them reach the Finals again.

Reality check time. Firing Avery was probably a rash move on the part of Mark Cuban. But if Avery was really as hard to get along with as Randy Galloway would have us believe, then this was perfect timing.

The next question, then is: who’s safe on the team and who’s on the chopping block? I’m guessing the majority of the team is on the block, each waiting his turn to get the axe.

Who knew that Randy Galloway knew anything about basketball? After all, he doesn’t know jack about blogs. He thinks the only true professional is the newspaper writer (i.e. the old guys getting put out of business by successful bloggers). But that’s another story. On this, we give him credit. Bask in it, old man.

Randy Galloway predicted yesterday that tonight would be Avery’s last game with the Mavs. That’s assuming the Mavs lose, of course, and that Avery is the problem in Mark Cuban’s eyes. There has been obvious tension between coach and owner this year, as the Mavericks failed to perform to expectations for the second year in a row.

Now we’re hearing more praise for the great Don Nelson, who left when the Mavs were flying high, and thus earned himself some ungrateful jeers. These days, the story is a little different. Now we’re seeing Don Nelson’s years in Dallas as the Golden Years, where he built a championship team that Avery and Cuban thwarted and dismantled.

Look for more coverage on the crumbling Mavs at MavsUpdate.com later today.

In a rough Game 4, Dallas was outcoached and outplayed. Well, maybe just outplayed. Does any real coaching go into handing Chris Paul the ball and watching him score? In a surprising twist, Jason Kidd was ejected from the game due to a flagrant foul. Just minutes later in the fourth quarter, a fan was ejected for talking trash to Chris Paul as he came flying into the stands under the basket.

The New Orleans Hornets have a 3-1 lead in the first round of the playoffs, and Game 5 will be played back in New Orleans. Disappointed Mavs fans will likely blame the Kidd ejection for the loss, but that would be short-sighted. The Mavs lost because Chris Paul is unstoppable and because they take too many outside shots without getting to the rim for offensive rebounds.

Kidd’s flagrant foul and ejection was just the nail in the coffin. Dallas was already outmatched. At the current level of play, New Orleans is simply a better team. Dallas fans don’t have much to hope for as this series returns to New Orleans for a potential playoff ending game for Dallas.