Dallas Sports Offseason Report 8/21/2009
Did anyone bet on Y.E. Yang’s golf odds last week at the PGA Championship? He showed us just how unpredictable sports can be. If he can succeed, anything can happen; the Cowboys, Mavericks and Stars have toiled in mediocrity of late but are gearing up for what they hope are resurgent seasons.
As training camp ends, few questions have been answered. Chatter in Dallas suggests that the team’s depth, particularly in the O-line, is a concern, though Jerry Jones hasn’t stated that he’s searching for any free-agent help. The Cowboys just have to hope the starters stay healthy.
The best player in camp so far may be wide receiver Sam Hurd. Speedy Miles Austin was expected to win the No. 3 receiver job behind Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton, but hasn’t looked great at camp and had an ugly drop in the Cowboys’ preseason opener. Hurd, meanwhile, looks surehanded as can be and has earned rave reviews. He could play a significant role in the offense, especially between the 20s, if he keeps up the good work.
It hasn’t been a newsworthy week for the Mavs, but something that isn’t happening is worth noting. Dirk Nowitzki won’t play for Germany in the World Basketball Championships next month after Mark Cuban reportedly blocked him from playing. After seeing star NBA players like Tony Parker injured in international play before, the Mavs don’ want to take any chances on their star.
Slowly but surely, the Mavs are shaping up to be a deep team. No one can complain when their bench includes Shawn Marion and Drew Gooden, who have been capable starters in the past. The 2009-10 team should at least be exciting, but are the Mavs legit sports picks to contend?
The most inactive offseason in recent team history continues. Because of the Hicks ownership group’s financial concerns, the normally free-spending Stars have been tighter than ever, letting guys like Sergei Zubov walk and adding virtually no one. General chatter in online betting circles is that no one knows what to expect from the Stars, though we at least know they have some promising goal scorers on the rise in Fabian Brunnstrom, Loui Eriksson and James Neal. Even the most sophisticated betting software can’t accurately project how the 2009-10 season will go for the Stars.
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