Former voice of the Dallas Mavericks, Jim Durham, has died

Very sad hear to the news that former Dallas Mavericks radio play by play voice Jim Durham has died. According to reports, Durham died on Sunday at his home in Tomball, Texas. He was 65.

People around the greater FW/d know Durham as the voice of the Dallas Mavericks from 1993 to 2001 - their dog days.

There was a time when Durham was the voice of a much greater team - the Chicago Bulls. For a host of people who lived in the Midwest during the '90s, Durham was the voice of Michael's Bulls. Durham did Bulls' games from 1973 to 1991.

"He was a great, great radio guy," said the current radio voice of the Mavericks, Chuck Cooperstein, when I got him on the phone today. "I grew up in New York, and Marv Albert is the voice of the Knicks. So Jim is the radio voice of that Bulls team to a lot of people."

In recent years he was the lead radio NBA voice for ESPN radio.

Durham was the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame's Curt Gowdy Media award winner in 2011. He is survived by his wife, Helen, and their three children.

 

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A great story about a former Texas Longhorn's long road back to the NBA

The Phoenix Suns lost their regular-season opener on Wednesday night, 87-85, against the Golden State Warriors but one member of the Suns is a giant winner. Well, we're all winners but former Texas Longhorns forward P.J. Tucker was the biggest winner for the Suns.

UT fans probably forgot that in 2006 Tucker was the Big 12 player of the year. He was a second round pick by the Raptors but didn't stick; he played just 17 NBA games before he began the international circuit.

Before Wednesday night, the last time Tucker played an NBA regular season game was March 3, 2007 in a loss against the Cavaliers.

After that Tucker played in Puerto Rico, Italy, Greece, Ukraine, Isreal and in Germany. He was an MVP in Isreal and for his German team in the German League Finals.

He was a member of the Suns summer league team, and actually stuck.

In 23 minutes against the Warriors on Thursdaynight, Tucker was 5-of-9 for 10 points with two rebounds.

 

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The number the Dallas Mavericks need to hit to make the playoffs

Since the Dallas Mavericks decided not to blow it up and opted for a revamped roster than a destroyed roster the playoffs are a possibility.

The Western Conference is not the same Western Conference it was a few years ago when the eighth-seeded team won 50 games; the playoffs are viable for the Mavs.

The last time the Mavericks did not make the playoffs was the 1999-'00 season, when they had great players such as Gary Trent, Robert Pack, Rodrick Rhodes, Cedric Caballos. How did that team ever lose?

This season, making the playoffs is a major score. The playoffs. Period. That's it. No Finals. No West Finals. The West quarterfinals would merit a parade. 

A safe number for the Mavs would be 43 wins to secure the eighth seed.

Below is a look at the number of wins for the eighth-seeded team in the Western Conference in each season since 2000:

’12: Utah 36 (lockout shortened)
’11: Memphis 46
’10: Oklahoma City 50
‘09: Utah 48
’08: Denver 50
’07: Golden State 42
’06: Sacramento 44
’05: Memphis 45
’04: Denver 43
’03: Phoenix 44
’02: Utah 44
’01: Minnesota 47
‘00: Sacramento 44

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The key to the Dallas Mavericks having a successful season is this guy

The Dallas Mavericks professional basketball team begins the real season tonight against Dwight Howard’s Los Angeles Lakers.

(Personally, I miss the lockout shortened 66-game schedule. It was hard on the players, and playing double headers maybe was not the best idea, but it was fun.)

The Mavs’ grand plan to add Deron Williams flopped in the summer, and instead the team will now look almost nothing like it planned even a few weeks ago as Dirk Nowitzki is out for a while recovering from knee surgery.

With Rick Carlisle as its coach, the Mavs will be competitive as they will defend and try to rebound. That will keep them in games, and I expect them in the playoffs in a Western Conference that isn’t too stacked.

One of the many problems this team will face, even when Dirk returns, is who will score?
Not Elton Brand. Too much mileage. 
Chris Kaman, when healthy, has a nice post game and will score more than the Mavericks have ever had at that spot. But he's not a money scorer.
Darren Collison … maybe, eventually.
Assuming Dirk returns healthy and can still score at a high rate, the rest will come down to whether O.J. Mayo can be a solid scorer on a good team. Can he create his own shot when there is none?

His scoring average topped out at 18.5 points per game when he was a rookie in Memphis on a team that finished 24-58. A good scorer on a bad team doesn’t mean much.
As the Grizzlies improved, his production consistently dropped. Here are his numbers in the first four years in the league.

’08-’09: 18.5 ppg, 3.2 apg.; Grizzlies finished 24-58 no playoffs
’09-’10: 17.5 ppg., 3.0 apg. Grizzlies finished 40-42 no playoffs
’10-’11: 11.3 ppg., 2.0 apg. Grizzlies finished 46-36 West semis
’11-12: 12.6 ppg., 2.6 apg. Grizzlies finished 41-25 West quarters

Notice the correlation? There is a reason the Grizzlies had reportedly shopped him for years. There is also a reason he was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft. The ability is there.

If the Mavericks can develop/unlock his ability to score and complement Dirk they should have a nice and maybe even a surprising season.

 

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NBA commissioner David Stern retiring - not dying - but eulogies forthcoming

You personally may no longer care much for NBA commissioner David Stern and his rather strict, sometimes autocratic ways but there is no denying that in his tenure his company became a massive international brand.

On his watch the NBA became a global name, and leaped ahead of baseball and is firmly behind the NFL in terms of pro sports popularity.

Today, Stern announced that on Feb. 1, 2014 he will step down from the job and turn it over to Adam Silver. Stern took the job on Feb. 1, 1984. That's a pretty good 30 year run, even if it should have ended about five years ago.

Expect months and months of commentary as if Stern were dying, or is dead aleady.

David Stern was a kind man ....

The league has had its share of problems since he became its boss, and he has at times acted like a bully. In terms of the NBA pre-Stern and the NBA post-Stern, however, he deserves a large portion of the credit for pushing the league, expanding the league and marketing pro basketball in a way that had never been done before. 

It became a billion dollar empire with Stern, and the NBA firmly established itself behind the NFL in terms of North American popularity.

 

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Time for the Mavericks to dump Delonte West

Hard not to like Dallas Mavericks guard Delonte West becuase he does have a little bit of crazy in him, and some game which makes the latter worth the former.

Until it's not, which would be right now.

Today, the Mavericks indefinitely suspended Delonte West for the second time in two weeks. The regular season has not even started and this guy has been suspended twice.

Dallas Mavericks president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said in a statement: "We have suspended Delonte for conduct detrimental to the team. The suspension is effective immediately and no other statements will be issued."

Apparently West got into a disagreement after the Mavs' preseason loss against the Thunder on Wednesday night in Wichita, Kansas.

West went to Twitter to defend himself with the following Tweets that would make any English teacher resign and take up wine consumption:

"I'm gonna just pray for um!!!...perception is not reality!!!..real is real...in any language,culture...and what's wrong is what's wrong!!"

"All my family friends fans...who been right der wit me this uphill battle over the last 4years to get to this point....already know"

"That my name showin up in any fashion in a negative light is the worst thing that can happen.everything Ived worked towards out d window"

"Just ask u to talk with me....I'm a grown man...that's not above logic and reason...Before u go to the papers wit false information."

"If I'm not what u lookin 4 ....That's fine...just dont kick me in my ass on the way out the door....I didn't do anything to deserve that..."

"I love the city of Dallas..I love playin in the NBA...no I'm not off my meds...no I ain't on no bipolar trip...this real people lives.."

"And it just ain't right..imma leave it at that..no ill will towards no one...I'm just sittin here across from the arena wit tear in my eyes"

With Dirk Nowitzki out after having knee surgery for a few weeks, losing West's production and ability to slash and score is not exactly something the Mavs want to do. Plus, he is a fearless player. But who are the Mavs kidding?

West has been a headache for every team since he entered the NBA as a first round pick by the Celtics. A former pro sports GM once told me, "If you are traded or not re-signed, there is always a reason and it's generally not good."

West has been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder, which is no joke, but there does come a point when the headache is not worth it.

 

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Lamar Odom wants to apologize because it's not his fault

Not that this will change a thing about the trade that brought Lamar Odom to the Mavericks, which turned out to be a lemon, but the new member of the L.A. Clippers apparently wants to apologize to the Mavs and team owner Mark Cuban.

On Friday during the LA Clippers' media day, ESPN NBA guy Ric Bucher tweeted: "Lamar Odom, unprompted, told me he'd like to apologize to Mark Cuban and Mavs fans for not being himself. Felt it was beyond his power."

What a great line - "Hey, sorry - but the reason I robbed the bank is because of something beyond my power."

BTW: Odom averaged 6.6 points and 4.2 rebounds with the Mavs last season; both career lows.

Odom's meaning, while likely sincere, would be fine and a very nice and sincere olive branch had Odom had the sense to just stop and not add the, "Felt it was beyond his power" line of crap.

 

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They are trying, but the Houston Astros are not yet the worst pro team in Texas history

As the Texas Rangers begin to play into October the team in Houston just hopes the season is cancelled today.

The Houston Astros are awful again. Terrible doesn't do justice.

They are 45-98, easily the worst record in baseball, and they should break last season's 106-loss mark.

But are they the worst team in history of pro sports in Texas? Not quite, but it's not for a lack of effort.
Here is a look at the worst seasons by the major pro sports teams in Texas. 

MLB
2012 Houston Astros: 45-98, .315
1972 Texas Rangers: 54-100, .351

NBA
1992-'93 Dallas Mavericks: 11-71, .134
1982-'83 Houston Rockets: 14-68, .171 
1996-'97 San Antonio Spurs: 20-62, .244

NHL
1994-'95 Dallas Stars: 17-23-8, .438

NFL
2005 Houston Texans: 2-14
1973 Houston Oilers: 1-13
1972 Houston Oilers: 1-13
1960 Dallas Cowboys 0-11

 

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Dallas Mavericks preseason sked features ... uhhh ... other teams

Preseason football got you down?  Don't worry, because here is some good news: The Dallas Mavericks professional basketball club has announced its own version of fake games - the 2012 preseason schedule is out.

As Mr. T said, "I pity the fool!"

The Mavs' eight-game preseason schedule opens with a pair of games overseas against international clubs; this should be a good place for Mark Cuban to spew his anti-Olympic rhetoric. Generally speaking, the foreign crowd really, really hates the Olympics.

The preseason schedule features only four games at the American Airlines Center, and really none of them are against competition you will be fighting to see. 

Only the possibility of Hornets rookie center Anthony Davis appearing against the Mavs generates any real appeal. The rest is rather blah ...

10/6 Mavs at Alba in Berlin, Germany
10/9 Mavs at FC Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain
10/15 Mavs v. Rockets in Dallas
10/17 Mavs v. Suns in Dallas
10/12 Mavs at Hawks in Atlanta
10/22 Mavs v. New Orleans in Dallas
10/24 Mavs v. Thunder in Wichita, Kansas
10/26 Mavs v. Hornets in Dallas

The Mavs begin their regular season on Oct. 30 against the L.A. Lakers in LA where Dwight Howard is expected to pledge to sign with the Mavericks* next summer. 

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* That may not actually happen.

The former Texas Ranger who is revolutionizing the autograph experience

Former Texas Rangers outfielder Gabe Kapler signed thousands of autographs in his big league career, and while he enjoyed the interaction with the fans he was like most pro players who didn't love the idea of putting his signature on something that was going to be for sale 10 minutes later.

"I always liked it when a person asked me to personalize it," Kapler told me today. "That felt like a very personal experience and it really was a warm feeling."

Kapler is now involved with something now that at least complements the autograph world: Egraph is something that works as a personalized, electronic autograph for fans. (No. It ain't free.) 

Kapler, who just turned 37, lives with his wife, Lisa, and his family in Malibu, Calif. He is scheduled to come to FW/d on Wednesday to make the media rounds and work some of the Rangers' broadcast. 

He and I chatted about this new venture, his career, and playing with the Texas Rangers.

The Big Mac Blog: Who is going to win the AL West?
Gabe Kapler: It's the best division in baseball but right now I would say the Rangers. The Angels have the best rotation, but the Rangers are deeper and I love their bullpen. I think Josh Hamilton is going to come out of his slump. He's the best offensive player in baseball.

The Big Mac Blog: When you were with the Rangers from 2000 to '02, did you think this team was going to have to go through such a long drought before it began to win again?
Gabe Kapler: I thought we had a good core and in the second half of the 2001 season we played really well. We had some good young pitching, I thought. But then management decided to go in a different direction.

The Big Mac Blog: You played for another 10 years after you were traded by the Rangers, but you had some tough years; did you think there was a time when baseball was done for you?
Gabe Kapler: In 2005 I returned after playing in Japan and I went to the Red Sox; we were playing a game in Toronto and I came around second base and I tore my Achilles. When I came back I lost all of my explosivess, especially on defense. In 2007, the Red Sox asked me if I wanted to manage in Greenville, and I did. By the end of that year I wanted to play again and I could because my body healed.

The Big Mac Blog: You're not going to the Hall of Fame, but not many people play Major League Baseball for as long as you did; all in all, are you happy with your pro ball career?
Gabe Kapler: It's both. If I'm honest, I wish I continued to grow the way I did in 2001 and 2002 before I got traded to the Rockies. But then, maybe I don't go to Boston where I was a part of some of the best teams ever, won a World Series. I am proud of my career, and the fact that I shared a clubhouse and a dugout with so many great athletes and great people. 
Michael Young comes to mind. I'm proud to have played with him. He was one of the greatest teammates I ever had.

The Big Mac Blog: Why did you retire?
Gabe Kapler: My wife and kids. I gave it one last shot with the Dodgers, because I live in L.A. But I was the final guy who didn't make the big league roster out of camp in 2011, and it was the right decision. I didn't want to travel and miss any more. I wanted to be around my family, and my kids.

The Big Mac Blog: Do you miss it?
Gabe Kapler: I miss the clubouse and the routine and being around my teammates. But the transition to being retired has been remarkable.

The Big Mac Blog: Do you still have that tatoo on your shoulder of your wife's name?
Gabe Kapler: You have a great memory. Yeah; I got that when I was 17. I often think about if we hadn't got married.

The Big Mac Blog: How did you get involved with Egraphs?
Gabe Kapler: I was asked by a friend. The platform resonated with me. It's a personal, shared experience between the player or celebrity and the fan. It's a new generation of autographs. The function of the platform is to give fans the ability to share and experience something with their favorite player. They can print it, Tweet it, share it on Facebook.
A guy like Josh Hamilton can absolutely make a person's day when he signs an autograph or something. He can make a person's day. This is just another opportunity for a guy to do that.

The Big Mac Blog: Do you see this platform branching into over forms of entertainment and entertainers?
Gabe Kapler: We started with baseball because it's a natural fit, but it can work with any celebrity that has a fan.

 

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