If you write a soccer blog in Dallas, the MLS season hasn’t started yet, so fans of FC Dallas still have some time to focus on the other teams in the area. The defending champion Mavericks are rounding into form, the Stars are trying to stay within shouting distance of the playoffs, the Rangers are still improving their team, while the Cowboys’ quarterback is making news off the field this week, but in a good way.

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks lost two of their three games last week, falling to Indiana and at Cleveland, but they snapped a three-game skid with a victory in Denver on Wednesday night, and a Bodog review of Dallas’ early season would state that they’ve done pretty well in the face of injuries, and they still don’t have Jason Kidd back, although he could be back on the weekend as the Denver game was the sixth that he’d missed. This week coming, the Mavericks head to Minnesota on Friday night before returning home to host Portland, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Nuggets.

Dallas Stars

Dallas has picked themselves up after a five-game skid last month, but players that purchase bookie software should still be skeptical of their playoff chances despite being only two points out of eighth place. The Stars were thumped in San Jose last Thursday before they bounced back for a shootout win in Minnesota, but then they were handled at home by Phoenix and the Stars are now struggling to find consistency down for the stretch run. This week’s slate sees the Stars going to Columbus and Buffalo for back-to-back games, then they host Los Angeles before travelling to Detroit to wrap up a busy week.

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys are still looking at ways to improve their status among those that work with price per head sports services, but it is a long offseason and the players are unwinding. Quarterback Tony Romo loves to play golf and he is pretty good, almost qualifying for the U.S. Open in recent years, and he will be paired up with Tiger Woods at the star-studded AT&T Pebble Beach National at venerable Pebble Beach. Woods is resuming his chase for the all-time major-championship record, and he has had high praise for Romo’s golf game as well, so this will get a lot of attention over the weekend.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers are tying up some of their players after the Yu Darvish signing, as they agreed with Elvis Andrus on a three-year, $14.4 million deal and they’re working on re-signing Nelson Cruz, whose big bat was a major factor in their postseason run which ended in a second consecutive loss in the World Series. The Rangers are going to be in tough in the West as the Los Angeles Angels reloaded  with Albert Pujols and former Texas ace C.J. Wilson, so you may even be able to find some value on their World Series odds at places like Bodog.

And with that tragic fandom, this poor soul is convinced that Gordon Beckham is far superior to our own Elvis Andrus. He has gone so far as to say that Gordon Beckham is more of a franchise player than our beloved shortstop.

Personally, I don’t think this debate is worth even acknowledging. Gordon Beckham vs. Elvis Andrus is like Porky Pig vs. Bugs Bunny. Porky had some funny moments and was an overall good cartoon, but I mean, come on. Bugs is a national icon.

Same with Beckham/Andrus. Beckham is a nice player and can rake, but Elvis impacts the game positively in every aspect. He can run, hit, play AMAZING defense, and lead his team.

On Midwest Sports Fans, said White Sox fan defended his boy Gordon Beckham here. One of the points he made in support of Beckham was that he said one day he wanted to lead his team like Derek Jeter leads the Yankees. A noble goal, and one that I am not belittling in any way, shape, or form.

Elvis would never say that, though. He would never come out and say to the media that one day he hopes to lead his team like Jeter.

Elvis knows he’s going to lead his team like Jeter. Not to get all Chuck Norris-y on you here, but Elvis is probably going to lead his team unlike any player in Rangers history.

Is Elvis an outspoken guy? No. Not many 20-year-olds from outside of the United States are.

But is he a team leader? You bet your ass.

Rangers superduperfan Jamey Newberg has written quite a few things about Mr. Andrus, one of which talked about Elvis’ indefiniable charisma. How the ball just sounds different coming off his bat. As much as I’ve seen of Elvis, I have to agree. There’s a reason I got a shirt with his name on the back. I just know he’s going to be a star. Sometimes you’ve just got that feeling that a player’s going to be special. That’s how I feel when I watch Elvis play. I’m watching something special here.

All Rangers fans have seen his defensive plays and how spectacular they are. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that Elvis has truly energized the defense to where it is this year.

Are Elvis’ offensive statistics spectacular? On the surface, they are not. But take a deeper look at how Elvis does not strike out very often (15% of PA) and walks at a relatively decent clip (8%) as a 20-year-old provides some real good hope for this team’s future.

Elvis is one of the most untradeable guys on this team. He’s a young player that has nowhere to go but up. His hitting stroke has improved tremendously since the All-Star Break, and he’s getting on base more too. And once he’s on the bases, look out. Elvis already has 20 steals this year while only having been caught twice. He could easily get 30-35 steals in this, his rookie season.

Nothing against Gordon Beckham, as I’m sure he’s a fine player. But for the whole package of youth, speed, defense and athleticism?

Well, there is a reason they call him the King.

Elvis pic: http://mopupduty.com/index.php/inside-a-dominican-academy/