Mavs Defeat the Limping Detroit Pistons

When Devin Harris scores more points than anyone on the Pistons team, what else really needs to be said? Dirk scored 23 points with 9 rebounds last night in the matchup against Detroit at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Devin finished with 19 points, besting Richard Hamilton’s 18.

Needless to say, the Pistons never took the lead again after the initial score of 2-0.

I’m still impressed by Dampier’s efforts this season. Someone somehow lit a fire under him. He’s playing better than he ever has in Dallas. Perhaps the playoff success of Gana Diop has something to do with it? Hmm… Whatever the case, I’m not complaining.

I called for Diop to start this year at Center. Of course, Avery Johnson didn’t give a rip about my opinion. It’s one of those deals where you realize you’ve spent too much money on a player you can’t easily replace. Luckily, Dampier has been a positive force on the team thus far, and that at least makes us all feel a little better about his ridiculous salary.

Three Things You Need To Know About Ben Broussard

1) The Rangers picked up Broussard in a hot-stove deal with the Seattle Mariners for Tug Hulett. Broussard was arbitration-eligible, which is why the one-year, $3.85 million contract is a bit of a relief.

2) His bat’s a little anemic for what you would expect from a Rangers first baseman (.267/.328/ .458), but he makes up for it with great defensive chops.

3) If you go to BenBroussard.com, you won’t find a whole lot of baseball on the site’s front page. Instead, you’ll think you found a budding musician’s promo site. Broussard is a better-than-average guitarist and singer, and has been known to bust out the occasional charity gig or album on ya.

A Little Clarity

The Cowboys won’t know who they’ll be playing next weekend in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs, as they wait to see whether Tampa Bay or the New York (football) Giants will be coming to Texas Stadium. They do, however, know who it won’t be.

The Washington Redskins looked flat for the first three quarters of their tilt with the Seattle Seahawks. Uninspired. That said, ask any Cowboys fan who watched the game about the ‘Skins and how that can all change in two minutes. Their 14-point surge at the start of the fourth quarter looked eerily like their comeback against Dallas on a Monday night back in 2005. Had Shawn Suissham not muffed a 30-yard chipshot field goal, there might have been a similar feeling on the Seattle sidelines tonight.

Instead, Todd Collins’ Cinderella ride came to an end with relentless Seahawk blitzing and a 78-yard interception return, which sealed the deal. For all of the talk of “getting back to Dallas” and winning it all for Sean Taylor, Joe Gibbs’ crew forgot one thing: you have to play the game that’s in front of you.

Redskins Target Dallas to Honor Taylor

ESPN Radio reported early this afternoon that the Dallas Cowboys are locked in the sights of every Washington Redskin player. A Redskins fan apparently brought a Sean Taylor autograph from the beginning of the season to show the entire team. In addition to his signature, Taylor wrote: “We want Dallas.” And that has become the rallying cry of NFC Wildcard Washington team.

The blew up a photo of the departed Taylor’s autograph and inscription for the whole team to see. The Redskins will first face Seattle in a couple hours, but their ambitions reach a bit higher despite their unlikely position. Despite a lackluster running game, Seattle is favored in this matchup against the Redskins. Seattle’s defense has been excellent this year, and the passing game is much improved with the return of wide receiver Deion Branch. Washington players don’t care. This is just one step in their bid for a Cowboys defeat and a Super Bowl appearance.

Should Dallas be concerned? Probably not. Although an emotionally charged Redskins team could be tough to beat after a victory against Seattle (assuming they faced the Cowboys next). Even with Terry Glenn back in the lineup, though, the Cowboys will be vulnerable if Terrell Owens can’t play the first game. They depended on him most of the season to jump start the offense. So worry about Dallas only if you hear that TO is sitting out. If that’s the case, pray that Glenn has made a miraculous recovery!

Sergeant Horse-Collar Heads To Hawai’i

Cowboys safety Roy Williams has been picked by the NFL to fill Sean Taylor’s spot on the NFC’s Pro Bowl defense roster. (This makes a mind-blowing twelve players from the Cowboys selected for the Afterthought Bowl, and you could make an argument that there should be more. Helluva year.)

That had to be a wonderful conversation in New York among the selection staff:

“Look, we suspended the guy two weeks ago for his fourth ‘horse collar’ tackle in two years.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“And he’s on record saying he doesn’t know any other way to tackle!”
“Yeah, I know.”
“Are you sure we can’t find anyone else to take his spot?”
“Look at it this way: at least we know the AFC will make a few more completions deep up the middle when he’s on the field…”