My Humble Opinion, May 8

My Humble Opinions
First in a series

I'm a newcomer to the table, so don't take my opinions as canon. I'm doing a lot of reading between the lines, a lot of reconstruction with limited facts. It's like the old gag about describing an elephant when all you can see is the trunk. My sources at this point boil down to the blogs on the Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram websites. Both of which are maintained by sports blowhards who happen to be better informed than most of that breed.

That said, here we go:

- Out Johnson, in somebody. I find it very easy to chalk the team's inconsistancies over the season to failures in leadership. A lot of standing around looking confused on offense -- not a good look on you, guys. I don't know if all that can be laid at Coach Johnson's feet specifically, but I will say that calling a Come To Jesus meeting and then cancelling practise the day before an elimination game suggests poor judgement. I'd love to know the names of the players who called an impromptu practise anyway, but that's not something I'm likely to find out.

- Less than a fortnight and there's already serious courting of a replacement, Rick Carlisle. It might just be me, but doesn't that seem PDQ? I mean, are major staff turnovers routinely accomplished that fast in the NBA? The conspiracy nut in me catches a scent of premeditation, but once again that's not something I can confirm.

- Josh Howard. Like his frankness, hate his timing. Attention whores can be fun. I'll admit to being less annoyed if he'd performed up to ability. But he didn't then, and he hasn't been all season. Discretion has its place, dude.

- Trade Dirk? Yeah right. Watch about a quarter of your fanbase and *all* your playoff chances go down the drain. Or up in smoke, if you like that better.

- So other than the Big Rig -- who did everything short of walking on water -- who performed this year? Brandon Bass? Hell yes. Jet Terry? Erh, more or less. Dampier? Somebody spank him. Jason Kidd? #$%@!

- Was it reasonable to expect a title three months after that major a change in leadership and personnel? It's a question I'd like answered. Objectively. And is it reasonable to hope that, given the summer hiatus, the team next year might be better than a first-round scratching post? Good question.

- And what about the Olympics? Dirk's participating. Kidd probably is too. Will that affect the team at all, and if so how? Good thing, bad thing . . .

Outcome nonwithstanding, I had a lot of fun following the team these past few months. Bliss of love, thrill of something new. I'm disappointed in the ultimate outcome, but I can't find it in me to get angry. That will change. My expectations for next year . . . little bit higher. My admiration is for the guys who play their guts out and do the best they *can*, no matter what. That didn't happen consistantly this season. And by November enough of the new will wear off to where I won't choose to overlook that.

(And Mr. Cuban et al? Please don't put me in the awkward position of having to choose between my team and my favorite player. Please? Pretty please?)
-BJ