Sports Morning Headlines-Monday, 11/15/10

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Created on Monday, 15 November 2010 10:06

Last Updated on Thursday, 16 May 2013 07:51

Written by Staff and Wire Reports

Mavericks Netting Huge Results at Center Position - The season clearly is still in the infancy stage for everyone, but the Mavericks certainly have to love what they're getting at the center position.  They love it so much so that Dirk Nowitzki has gone on record this is the best center combo he's ever played with.  The combination of Tyson Chandler and Brendan Haywood or "Chan-Wood" as I like to call them have really been a solid anchor in the middle and been a huge catalyst in the results the Mavericks are observing on the defensive end of the court.   READ MORE

Gameday: Hornets at Mavericks - Hornets at Mavericks, 7:30 tonight, American Airlines Center-TV: FSSW,Radio: ESPN/103.3 FM, KFLC/1270 AM, Records: Hornets 8-0, Mavericks 6-2.  READ MORE

Mavericks center surprised, impressed by Hornets' fast start - If a show of hands was requested from those who had the New Orleans Hornets as the last remaining undefeated team in the NBA, all it would do is reveal who the fibbers are. Nobody had this, not even Tyson Chandler, who still has a lot of good friends from when he was a Hornet from 2006 to 2009. Like everybody else, the Dallas Mavericks center is surprised and impressed that New Orleans comes to American Airlines Center at 8-0 tonight.  READ MORE

Kevin Martin Leads Rockets to Second Consecutive Win - The Rockets have their first official winning streak of the season, after knocking off a New York Knicks team that looked good in patches 104-96. This is the Rockets third win in the last four games and a nice way to end an East Coast road trip where they went 2-1. Rick Adelman and the Red Nation would have been hoping for a perfect 3-0 trip featuring many of the weaker teams in the Eastern Conference, but after a 0-5 start, I think the Rockets fan would take more wins than losses.  READ MORE

Rockets display depth, determination, deftly dispatch D'Antoni's desperados. -  Make no mistake, the Knicks aren't a great team, but they can be dangerous if they get rolling.  In the first quarter, it looked like the Knicks were going to get rolling, as Amar'e Stoudamire scored 12pts on 6 of 7 shooting.  Neither Brad Miller nor Luis Scola looked able to contain him.  Enter Chuck Hayes.   READ MORE

Duncan struggling through historic slump - Tim Duncan appears to still be flashing the same skills that have helped him become one of the transcendent players in NBA history. But a close examination of Duncan’s statistical start indicates that the 34-year-old power forward might be noticeably slipping from the peak performances of earlier in his career. Despite weathering flu-like symptoms last week, Duncan’s statistical production has fallen to levels unknown in his 14-season NBA career.  READ MORE

Why Matt Bonner should eat turkey subs before every game - Matt Bonner might have been the most unlikely player expected to turn a game around. Bonner was admittedly “rusty” after the Spurs’ game against Philadelphia Saturday night. That game was his first back in the lineup after missing six games after he sustained a sprained ankle in the Oct. 27 opener against Indiana.  Maybe it was the turkey sandwich from Subway before the game. Or it might have been all the rest. But whatever the cause, Bonner had a memorable performance Sunday night when his team most needed it.  READ MORE

Spurs Beat Thunder in Oklahoma City 117 - 104 - Matt Bonner scored 21 points and just missed the Spurs franchise record by hitting all seven of his 3-point shots, helping San Antonio stretch its winning streak to seven games with a 117-104 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night. Bonner swished home three of his 3s during a 21-8 run to open the fourth quarter, and the NBA's best 3-point shooting team went 6-for-8 from behind the arc to pull away in the final period. Bonner led the way, falling one shy of Steve Smith's record for 3-point accuracy. He went 8-for-8 from 3-point range against Portland on Nov. 3, 2001. Tony Parker scored 24 points, Manu Ginobili added 21 and Richard Jefferson had 18 for the Spurs.  READ MORE

 

Rangers open search for hitting coach - The Rangers are beginning the process of looking for their third hitting coach in three years. The Rangers were informed this weekend that the Pirates intend to hire Clint Hurdle as their next manager. An official announcement is expected on Monday. Hurdle, who managed the Rockies from 2002-09, spent one season as the Rangers' hitting coach, a campaign in which Texas led the Majors in batting and ranked fifth in runs scored. Hurdle replaced Rudy Jaramillo, who was the Rangers' hitting coach from 1995-2008.  READ MORE

Rangers Foundation treats kids to author's visit - Quinlan March and Ashley Mukendi found some strange yet familiar objects in the Atherton Elementary library on Thursday. "We found a four and a T," March explained. The two fifth graders hadn't discovered the symbols in the pages of a book, though their inspiration to search had come from one -- specifically Alphabet City by Stephen T. Johnson. The paintings therein depict urban structures whose shapes evoke capital letters. It came to mind this day because Johnson showed it to them and their classmates in person.  READ MORE

Flourishing Urban Youth Academy proving clutch - Major League Baseball has made a point of bringing baseball to urban teens. As the manager of Houston's Urban Youth Academy, Daryl Wade is determined to see the program succeed.  READ MORE

Vote early, often for Astros up for TYIB Awards - Astros outfielder Michael Bourn and pitcher Brett Myers are among the nominees for the 2010 This Year in Baseball Awards. Fans can vote for the awards through Dec. 3.  READ MORE

 

Cowboys shock Giants, 33-20; Jerry Jones: 'It's just a little baby step to where we've got to get to' - A season that defies logic has taken another improbable turn. A Cowboys team that was lifeless in the final days of Wade Phillips – and went into Sunday's game seven weeks removed from its last victory – rekindled its competitive flame in the debut of interim head coach Jason Garrett with a resolve that has been absent. No one is foolish enough to declare that this 33-20 win over the New York Giants is the start of something special. The Cowboys take it for what it is, a welcome respite from the pain and frustration of recent weeks. For a few hours, this team can feel good about itself. There have been precious few opportunities to do that during this 2-7 season.   READ MORE

Cowboys give fans a big surprise: they finally don't give up - For the first time in four games, the Cowboys played as hard as they could for as long as they could. It's about time. Obviously, that's supposed to happen each week, but anyone who's been watching this team knows that's not the case. Their reward: a hard-fought 33-20 win over the New York Giants accompanied by feelings of euphoria and relief.   READ MORE

Win shows why Jason Garrett has real shot at Cowboys' coaching job - On Jason Garrett's debut as interim coach. It's certainly fairy tale worthy for the first week. I did not think it would end like this. But from the sec he took the podium on Monday night you obviously have to feel things have gone according to plan. He does have a quality about him that suggests it's not too big of a challenge for him and he has some ideas on how to turn around this woeful season.  READ MORE

Cowboys leave Giants asking questions after loss: 'Maybe we aren't as good as we thought we were' - It was unexpected, to be sure, and hardly what the New York Giants had been planning for. But even in the face of the 33-20 upset dealt them by the Cowboys, the Giants weren't seeing red. If anything, the NFC East Division leaders felt they were done a favor. "I'm not mad, and I'm not sad about this game," defense end Justin Tuck said. "Actually, I'm kind of glad. Maybe this is a wake-up call that we needed. This is a chance to look at ourselves and say that maybe we aren't as good as we thought we were."   READ MORE

Case can be made that worst is behind the Texans - "The Texans aren't close to where they wanted to be at the halfway mark. Coach Gary Kubiak said so himself last week. At .500, given the 2-0 start and the lofty expectations that came with it, their glass seems a lot closer to half empty than half full. "It's disappointing and frustrating," Kubiak said, "but at the same time, we're moving forward. It's the only way we can progress." Regret? Remorse? Those are luxuries they can't afford. So what if they didn't show up at all against the Dallas Cowboys, the New York Giants and the injury-decimated Indianapolis Colts the second time around.  READ MORE

Texans place Karl Paymah on IR, add Torri Williams - "The Texans filled their need for a fourth safety on Saturday by placing cornerback Karl Paymah on injured reserve and adding safety Torri Williams from the practice squad. Paymah, a six-year veteran signed this season, is suffering from a wrist injury. Williams, 6-2, 210, is an undrafted rookie from Purdue. He impressed the coaches during camp and preseason and was signed to the practice squad."  READ MORE

 

Canales making his case - Herm Edwards, the former head coach of the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs, kept telling his good friend and former assistant coach Mike Canales the key to his five-game tryout at North Texas would come down to one of his favorite sayings: “Are the kids drinking the Kool-Aid?” Is there really any question anymore?  READ MORE

SMU Mustangs control division destiny - SMU (5-5, 4-2) again controls its destiny in Conference USA's West Division after Houston lost to Tulsa. If the Mustangs win their final games – at home Saturday against Marshall and at East Carolina – they will represent the West in the C-USA title game. Central Florida controls its destiny in the East.  READ MORE

Offensive line coach Eddie Williamson remains hospitalized - TCU offensive line coach Eddie Williamson remained in stable condition after experiencing chest pains on the sideline Saturday.  READ MORE

Boise State narrows gap on TCU in new BCS standings - Boise State has narrowed the gap on TCU in the BCS standings and put itself in position to pass the Horned Frogs down the stretch.  READ MORE

TCU's slip in polls has team realizing that close wins just aren't enough - Close victories aren't enough for TCU. While the Horned Frogs (11-0) are still undefeated, they slipped a spot to fourth behind Boise State in the AP poll Sunday, a day after having to rally from a two-touchdown deficit and then holding on for their closest win of the season.   READ MORE

TCU drops to fourth in AP Top 25 poll; close win over SDSU dents national championship hopes - Close victories aren't enough for TCU. While the Horned Frogs (11-0) are still undefeated, they slipped a spot to fourth behind Boise State in the AP poll Sunday, a day after having to rally from a two-touchdown deficit and then holding on for their closest win of the season. "There are so many things going on that we have no control over," receiver Bart Johnson said after the 40-35 victory over San Diego State. As center Jake Kirkpatrick put it: "We are 11-0, and not many people can say that."   READ MORE

Three teams stand out in unpredictable Big 12 South - Little about the Big 12 South has been predictable this season. Why start now? With two games remaining, half of the division retains realistic hopes for at least a share of the title. Logic says everything might come down to the Bedlam Game in Stillwater on Nov. 27. Then again, who anticipated Texas' mind-boggling meltdown or Texas A&M's rise with Ryan Tannehill?   READ MORE

 

Cuban not interested in owning Stars - A couple of reports on Canadian television Saturday (One on CBC and another on Sportsnet) speculated that Mark Cuban could be "kicking the tires," on possible ownership of the Dallas Stars, but Cuban said in an e-mail Saturday night that his interest would only be as a minority partner and only to help him with control of the American Airlines Center.   READ MORE

Only thing on Stephane Robidas' mind is pushing Stars to victory - Stephane Robidas may be the Stars' top defenseman and he might be a No. 1 defenseman. But all he cares about is shutting down the other team's best player and helping the Stars win.  READ MORE