dwainprice's Podcast

Arlington host the 2010 Record Setting NBA All-Star Weekend

Cedric Bailey

Arlington- NBA fans from around the world witness history as a crowd of 108,713 packed the Cowboys Stadium. Meanwhile Dwyane Wade stood at midcourt moments before the start of Sunday's All-Star Game and was engulfed by the attention of the largest crowd in history to watch a basketball game, which the East won 141-139. Wade garned attention of his own, earning Most Valuable Player honors with 28 points, 11 assists, six rebounds and five steals in 31 minutes.
``Not even in my dreams have I ever played in front of an audience this big,'' Wade, the Heat guard, said as he gazed at a crowd of fans. ``I got a couple of butterflies. But I'm more excited than anything to be here and to be part of making history.''
Sunday's attendance easily topped the previous record for largest crowd to watch a basketball game of 78,129, set in 2003 for a game between Kentucky and Michigan State at Ford Field in Detroit.
In other NBA news, The Dallas Mavericks would like to host another big-time NBA event this season. So they made some changes. With the record-breaking All-Star weekend in their back yard over, the Southwest Division-leading Mavericks will begin the final 30-game stretch of the regular season Tuesday night looking much different than they did when losing five of seven games before the break.
A seven-player weekend trade brought two-time All-Star guard Caron Butler, 7-foot center Brendan Haywood and guard DeShawn Stevenson to Dallas from Washington. Often promising and disappointing Josh Howard was sent with Drew Gooden and two others to the Wizards.
The Mavericks (32-20) still lead their division despite a slump before the break that included a 36-point loss to Denver, one of the three teams ahead of them in the West, in their last game. "We were struggling here for a month, so we are excited now to have some new guys," All-Star forward Dirk Nowitzki said. "It's not going to be an easy ride, but we are looking forward to coming together quick and hopefully finish the season strong."
An opening stretch of four games in five nights against probable playoff teams continues Wednesday night at home against Phoenix. After a day off, another back-to-back set comes at Orlando and home against Miami.
In closing hosting the NBA All-Star Game might not be a one-time event for Cowboys Stadium, The NBA had nothing but positive things to say about the Cowboys staff and management for a great job. The league has no interest in moving its All-Star Game regularly to football stadiums, said Ski Austin, an NBA executive vice president. But Arlington might be the exception.
“When you talk specifically about Cowboys Stadium, it’s an intriguing idea,” Austin said, referring to future All-Star Games. “Things went so well for us; I think it has to be on the short list of cities and markets that we would put into a rotation.” If that happens, then look for the LaVida News to return back to the press box to cover it when it returns to the Metroplex.

http://lavidanewstheblackvoice.moonfruit.com/

Talking Sports with Dwain Price and Osborne Lowe

The Super Bowl week has arrived and the craziness has started. Both teams are in Miami and we’re five days away from the big game. Who has the advantage and who’s going to win the game? The Jets fined Coach Rex Ryan $50,000 for giving some fans in Miami the middle finger during a mixed martial arts performance last week. Should he get fined again?

The Pro Bowl, for the first time, was played this past Sunday – one week before the Super Bowl. Do you like the new setup for the Pro Bowl?

Kobe Bryant became the Lakers’ all-time leading scorer last night when he scored 44 points against the Memphis Grizzlies. Does that mean he’s the greatest Laker to ever wear the purple and gold uniform? We’re almost at the midway point of the NBA season, with the All-Star game slated for next week in Dallas. Who do you see meeting in the NBA Finals?

New Orleans will be without injured point guard Chris Paul for two months. What does that do for the Hornets’ playoff chances? Who will win this year’s NBA MVP Award, and why?

College basketball has a new No. 1 team in Kansas. Does that mean the Jayhawks will go ahead and win this year’s NCAA title?

We’re back. That’s right, after a six-month hiatus to circle the globe, Dwain Price and Osborne Lowe are back stirring up things with their outlandish podcasts and incredible insight into the world of sports.
Today, we tackle everything from the New Orleans Saints’ improbable run to the Super Bowl to Brett Favre getting a beat-down from the Saints and now trying to decide if he wants to play any more football.
Go away Brett, go away little boy!
We also talked about how Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning is like a computer and may be the greatest quarterback of all-time. Manning is so efficient he can turn a mediocre wide receiver into an All-Pro.
In addition, we discussed Tiger Woods’ affairs and whether pro golf is the same without him. Hey Tiger, get your pants off the ground!
We tackled college basketball and who really is the best team in the NCAA. And we had a discussion on whether Allen Iverson _ we know the Memphis Grizzlies are glad they kicked him to the curve -- belonged in the NBA All-Star game.
Of course, the Dallas Cowboys are always a lightning rod, so we couldn’t leave them out. Especially since they have a “No. 1’’ wide receiver in Roy Williams who really should be their No. 4 wide receiver behind Miles Austin, Kevin Ogletree and Patrick Crayton.
And what’s a podcast without tackling that big mess in Lubbock surrounding the firing of head football coach Mike Leach?
So, grab a bite to eat and a glass of water, and sit back and enjoy sports talk like you’ve never heard it before.
Thanks for hopping on board.

-- Dwain and Osborne

Wade Phillips insisted there are no rifts in his locker room, Jerry Jones dismissed rumors of inner turmoil, and Roy Williams wore a Santa hat but hardly sounded merry.

This is how the Dallas Cowboys made their case Friday that everything is just fine at Valley Ranch.

Before a pivotal game Sunday night against the NFC-leading New York Giants, the Cowboys fended off questions about divisive secret meetings, an unhappy Terrell Owens and cornerback Terence Newman's frank comments about accountability.

"I am not worried about a divided locker room," Phillips said.

It began with individual meetings Owens, Williams and wide receiver Patrick Crayton had with Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett this week. The Cowboys characterized the meetings as normal, but the timing hinted at frustrations over their roles.

That followed a report by ESPN, citing anonymous sources, that quarterback Tony Romo and tight end Jason Witten sketched out plays in private meetings. The Dallas Morning News and Fort Worth Star-Telegram also reported, again using unnamed sources, that the Cowboys receivers felt Romo favored Witten in games and practices.

In last week's loss to the Steelers, Romo targeted Witten on his last of three interceptions. He also threw incomplete to Witten on fourth down in what was the last gasp for Dallas.

Owens didn't speak to reporters in the locker room Friday, and Williams and Crayton stayed mostly on-message about playing the Giants. The Cowboys held a team meeting Friday morning, but neither Phillips nor players provided much details.

"This has nothing to do with the media or anyone else who is not a Dallas Cowboy," Williams said. "I am a Dallas Cowboy, therefore I am loyal to the Dallas Cowboys."

Deluged with questions about whether the Cowboys (8-5) are trying to mend divides at a crucial point in the season, Phillips dismissed the reports as non-issues and inventions of the media.

"Everything is set straight as far as I'm concerned," he said. "I think the players, too. We'll see."

Witten leads the Cowboys with 64 catches. Owens is second with 55 receptions and has nine touchdowns, the most on the team.

Jones said he visited with Owens at practice Thursday, but the Cowboys owner said he never discussed with his star player whether he was concerned about Romo's relationship with Witten. Jones said they talked about the team and preparation.

"I spent 10 minutes talking with him on an individual basis, so I guess you could say we had a meeting yesterday," Jones said Friday in his weekly interview with Dallas radio station KTCK. "I'm not trying to be trite. There are meetings going on everywhere."

Reports of locker room troubles come at a particularly inopportune time for Dallas. With three games left, the Cowboys can hardly afford to lose their focus if they want to make the playoffs.

Dallas would sneak in as the final wild-card team if the playoffs began this week. But Atlanta has an identical record, and Philadelphia, Chicago and Washington aren't far behind.

In yet another issue, Friday began with Newman telling ESPN that coaches need to be accountable for their mistakes as much as the players, though he didn't cite any specific examples.

He later told reporters in the locker room he said those remarks publicly in hopes those in the organization would hear his comments and adhere to them.

We talk about College Football, Basketball and The NBA.

The Dallas Cowboys are back and Pacman Jones will return for the Pittsburgh game.

The NFL is giving Adam "Pacman" Jones another chance.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Wednesday the suspended cornerback has been reinstated by league commissioner Roger Goodell, but he must miss two more games -- this Sunday and the following game on Thanksgiving. He'll be back Dec. 7 at Pittsburgh.

"He much appreciates the Cowboys and Jerry Jones for standing behind him and encouraging him, and he's grateful to the commissioner," said Worrick Robinson, Adam Jones' Nashville-based attorney.

Jerry Jones would not reveal any conditions the commissioner may have imposed and the league office said it would not have any immediate comment. However, Robinson, said, "He knows what he has to do. It's very clear."

"He's a long way, a long way from having clear sailing," Jerry Jones said.

Adam Jones was suspended from the entire 2007 season because of multiple incidents while with the Tennessee Titans. Over the offseason, he was traded to Dallas and then given another chance by Goodell. The Cowboys gave him a security team to help keep him in line, but on Oct. 7, Jones got into an alcohol-related scuffle with one of the bodyguards during a private party at a Dallas hotel.

Jones spent part of his time away undergoing alcohol rehabilitation.

"He has demonstrated something very important to all of us," Jerry Jones said.

It also will be up to Pacman to police himself. The Cowboys will no longer be providing bodyguards.

"It all starts with him and his decision-making," Robinson said. "He's comfortable making decisions for himself."

Robinson said the alcohol therapy was "something he needed to do."

"The real issue was more than allegations of an incident at a Dallas hotel," Robinson said. "There were personal issues that, until addressed, there was a likelihood of another incident occurring."

Jerry Jones said Adam Jones can have "limited participation" this week, but would not be part of full-squad practices or conditioning. He can return to practice Monday.

Goodell suspended Adam Jones indefinitely on Oct. 14, saying he'd put a timeframe on it after the cornerback missed at least four games. This decision means it will be a six-game suspension. Jones also missed the entire 2007 season. By the time he returns, he will have been suspended from 22 of a possible 28 games.

Now let's talk College Football: There is a remote chance this year that Missouri could win the Big 12 title and two one-loss schools from the Big 12 South could end up No. 1 and No. 2 in the BCS standings. So what gives? "There would be three [Big 12] teams in that case," BCS spokesman Bill Hancock confirmed Wednesday. In this scenario, one-loss USC could get knocked all the way to the Holiday Bowl if Oregon State earns the Rose Bowl bid. USC, at 11-1, figured to be a lock for an at-large berth, which would earn an additional $4.5 million for the Pacific 10 Conference. But those plans could change if the Big 12 ended up with three of the 10 BCS slots. The Big 12 would then have two of the four available at-large bids, and a non-BCS school figures to earn another with a top-12 finish. That would leave only one at-large spot left.

Finally College football has the least amount of African American Coaches. Prince is out at Kansas State and Ty Willingham is gone from Washington.

Here is one of the main reasons. The good ole boy system is still in effect. Let's take a look at the Texas Longhorns.

When Texas hired football coach Mack Brown a decade ago, it was the result of a high-stakes national coaching search to find just the right man to lead one of college football's most prestigious programs.

Texas decided it didn't want to go through that again when Brown retires, whenever that day comes. The Longhorns believe they already have the best guy for the job on the payroll.

Brown and Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds announced Tuesday that first-year defensive coordinator Will Muschamp will be signed to a new long-term deal that not only keeps him in his current role, but designates him as Brown's successor.

Muschamp, 37, had been linked to openings at Clemson, Tennessee and Washington among others, but decided instead to wait his turn at Texas, a place where he's been on the job less than a full calendar year. Muschamp's coaching resume includes jobs at LSU and the Miami Dolphins under Nick Saban and a season as Auburn's defensive coordinator before Brown hired him at Texas.

"This is a special place. I think it is 'the' elite job in the country," Muschamp said of Texas.

The 57-year-old Brown insisted several times during a news conference he does not expect to retire anytime soon. Brown is in his 11th season at Texas and has eight years left on his current contract.

"I don't want someone to think this is the twilight for me," Brown said. "It's not."

Texas has won at least 10 games the last eight seasons. The Longhorns were ranked No. 1 for most of the month of October and still have a shot at playing for their second national championship since 2005. The Longhorns (10-1) host rival Texas A&M on Thanksgiving night.

"I'm having more fun than I've ever had," Brown said. "I'd sure like to win another one before I get out of the way."

Brown has several assistant coaches who have been with team for several years and have decades of coaching experience. He said the staff supported Muschamp being designated as the head coach of the future, even though he was Texas' fifth defensive coordinator in six years and had little time to establish roots in the Texas soil.

Naming a successor coach has become a hot trend in college football. Florida State has already named offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher to be Bobby Bowden's replacement. Kentucky assistant Joker Phillips will eventually take over for Rich Brooks and Purdue assistant Danny Hope will replace the retiring Joe Tiller next season

Jerry Jones "absolutely" believes the Dallas Cowboys will make the playoffs, isn't considering a coaching change and would welcome Adam "Pacman" Jones back to the team if he's reinstated.

The Cowboys owner, in an impromptu gathering with reporters during practice Thursday, said he expects his struggling Cowboys to recover. They have gone from Super Bowl favorites to a 5-4 team tied for third place in the NFC East after losing four of its past six games.

"That's not optimism," Jones said. "I certainly do feel we're going to be a team that plays well enough to be thinking about the playoffs."

Coming off its open date, Dallas gets injured quarterback Tony Romo back Sunday night at Washington after he missed three games with a broken pinkie on his throwing hand.

"I would say Romo gives you a legitimate reason to not have been your best or been what you might have expected over the last three games," Jones said.

The Cowboys lost two of three without Romo, and the only win was notable for being the worst offensive performance in a victory in franchise history. But they were already struggling when he broke his finger on the opening play of overtime in a loss at Arizona on Oct. 12.

After the Cowboys lost at St. Louis a week later, Jones emphatically said that coach Wade Phillips' job wasn't in danger during this season. The owner was even more committed to the coach on Thursday.

"There's just absolutely no, I can tell you without hesitation, thought in my mind about him not coaching the Dallas Cowboys in the future, past this year," Jones said. "No thought. I haven't given that one ounce of consideration. ... His contract is his contract."

Phillips got a three-year contract with an option for a fourth season when he replaced Bill Parcells in February 2007. The Cowboys went 13-3 and had 13 Pro Bowl players in their first season under Phillips, but lost to the New York Giants in the playoffs.

With the recent struggles, and supposed successor-in-waiting Jason Garrett already on the staff, there has been intensified speculation about Phillips' job status.

Garrett, the team's offensive coordinator who was hired weeks before Phillips, got $3 million and an expanded title (assistant head coach) to stay after being a finalist for two other NFL head coaching jobs last offseason.

"I understand why that question is. I do, and I helped make that question probably legitimate," Jones said. "But it is worth it in my mind to have him here and have Wade here. It's worth it to have to answer that question."

Asked if he was satisfied with Phillips' performance this season, Jones said he was disappointed that the Cowboys haven't won more games and that it was fair to ask if the coach was to blame.

"What I'm hoping is that all of the positive things that Wade Phillips is about really does kick in in a way that gives him his due and gives him his credit," Jones said. "I thought that for whatever the reasons he didn't get the credit that he should have had last year."

Told of the owner's comment's after practice, Phillips said his only concern was the Redskins.

"This game is the most important (for) our team," Phillips said. "I don't worry about all of that. I do the best I can do."

Meanwhile let's take a look at the Big 12 South Conference.

As we head down the stretch in a compelling Big 12 football race, here’s a peek at some potential storylines that might surprise you. Or annoy you, depending on your rooting interest:

Second-teamer wins the Heisman. This one scares me because it is so possible in a league awash in talented quarterbacks. This season, coaches cast ballots for the All-Big 12 team Nov. 30, the day after the final regular-season games. The all-conference team will be announced Dec. 2, four days before the Big 12 Championship Game.

But Heisman Trophy voters can wait until after the Big 12 Championship Game to send in ballots. To pick an arbitrary example, that means Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford could be selected as a second-teamer by Big 12 coaches — behind Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell — before playing in the Big 12 Championship Game (Dec. 6). If he wows voters with his performance in Kansas City, Bradford the second-teamer could wind up hoisting the Heisman in New York City on Dec. 13.

Mike Leach leaves Lubbock. Credit Texas Tech athletic director Gerald Myers with taking the high road by delaying negotiations with his football coach about a well- deserved contract extension until after the season. The idea, said Myers, is to minimize distractions while Leach and the second-ranked Red Raiders (10-0, 6-0 Big 12) try to build on the best start to any Tech football season since 1938.

Completely understandable. But Tech is idle this week. And a bye week is the most likely time for coaches curious about other jobs to squeeze in an interview or sound out feelers from other schools. No one is suggesting that is happening, or has happened, with Leach.

But it would be a shame if Leach left because Tech officials were too slow to show him the money and Tennessee turned his head with a high-dollar offer in the interim. As for distractions, they’re inevitable.

During a Monday media session in Lubbock, two players fielded questions about Leach’s potential departure. Safety Darcel McBath said Leach’s long-term employment status "isn’t any of my business."

Asked if Leach’s restrictive interview policies for players would work at a school such as Tennessee, quarterback Graham Harrell said, "I think he feels that winning football games is going to make him a lot more popular than having his players in the media. That’s his philosophy, and I think he’ll stick with it."

The longer other high-profile jobs remain vacant, the more such questions — and potential distractions — will surface.

Thanks for listening

Dwain Price, Osborne Lowe and Cedric Bailey

Talking Sports with Dwain Price and Osborne Lowe October 29
The season started yesterday, and already Portland’s Greg Oden is hurt again. Is this guy Bill Walton all over again? Portland Trail Blazers center Greg Oden will miss two to four weeks because of an injury to his right foot. The team said Wednesday that MRI and computerized axial tomography scans confirmed Oden has a mid-lateral foot sprain. Oden, who missed all of last season after knee surgery, injured his foot in the first quarter of the Blazers' 96-76 season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night. "I was trying to go get a rebound, and kind of came down on Derek Fisher's foot on like the third play of the game. I kind of fell and didn't think twice about it," he said after the game. Oden missed four field goals and two free throws in 13 minutes of play. The 7-foot center was the top pick in the 2007 draft. But even before his rookie season started, it was postponed by microfracture surgery on his right knee.
Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan had not yet heard of the MRI results when he addressed reporters Wednesday at the team's practice facility in Tualatin, Ore. "You don't want injuries, and he's worked so hard throughout this summer to get himself back," McMillan said. "And we tried to do everything we could to get him ready for the season and the opener, and he steps on a guy's foot."
ALL-STAR GAME I ARLINGTON: The 2010 NBA All-Star game will be in Arlington? Why not in Dallas? The Mavericks and Cowboys are planning a Thursday announcement that the All-Star Game will be played at the new football stadium in Arlington. A source said that NBA officials will be in Dallas on Thursday, when the Mavericks play their season opener. Most of the ancillary events for the All-Star weekend would be at American Airlines Center. The Mavericks have been working with the Cowboys and the NBA for several months in an attempt to land the 2010 game. Owner Mark Cuban confirmed to The Dallas Morning News in May that the Cowboys and Mavericks were working on a combined bid for the game. Cuban previously had resisted all overtures about bringing the league's midseason extravaganza to Dallas because most of his season-ticket holders would have no chance of seeing the game because the league eats up virtually all of the tickets in an NBA arena for the game. However, with the Cowboys' stadium capable of seating perhaps 50,000 for a basketball game, all of the season-ticket holders could be accommodated.
MIKE SINGLETARY: He is the new coach of the SF 49ers, and already he’s screaming at his players. Will that tactic work? The San Francisco 49ers went back to work Tuesday, a team still mired in the depths of the N.F.L.'s worst division but one that practiced with renewed enthusiasm and greater attention to detail. They left the field with such spirit it was hard to tell that they were 2-6 and that their next game was two weeks away. The practice was so good that afterward, when Coach Mike Singletary met reporters, he did not castigate a single player. "They understand the task at hand," Singletary said. "They understand where we have to go. They understand where we want to go." If there is anything that can be said about the 49ers now, it is that they understand.
Thanks for listening, Dwain Price, Osborne Lowe and Cedric Bailey

We would like to say Thank you to all of our fans. If you are a first time listener, then welcome. Each week we share with you the latest news in sports from College football, the NBA and etc.

Now let's take a look at America's Team the Dallas Cowboys.

Mr. Fix-it is back on the job.

Dallas Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said Wednesday he's taking a more active role with the defence, the latest move to try shoring up one of the team's weak links during a 1-3 stretch that's taken them from Super Bowl favourite to third place in their division.

"I'm going to try to do more," Phillips said. "I think I can help more than I have. When I step back and look at it I say, 'I'm losing some of my expertise.' Even though I'm in there on a lot of the meetings, I'm trying to be more proactive."

His stepped-up involvement could include calling plays for the defence starting Sunday at home against Tampa Bay. Phillips refused to say whether defensive co-ordinator Brian Stewart has been stripped of those duties, but he didn't deny it, either.

"I think we will work all that out ourselves," Phillips said.

Considering offensive co-ordinator Jason Garrett has full control of his side of the ball, there's little doubt Phillips already was spending most of his time with the defence. That's why he described this change as merely a move to "concentrate more, I guess you'd say."

"It was one of those things you think you're in there but maybe I wasn't enough," he said.

Phillips was hired prior to last season because of his expertise running defences over three decades in the NFL. He proclaimed himself "Mr. Fix-it" and lived up to the nickname as Dallas went 13-3.

The Cowboys gave up 30 points only twice in all of 2007; they've already done so three times this season. They aren't getting many turnovers (only two interceptions, none by cornerbacks) and are struggling against both the run and the pass.

"We've got to fix what we have right now," Phillips said.

It was obvious something had to change after the way things went Sunday.

Losing 34-14 to St. Louis was bad enough. It's even worse considering Dallas let St. Louis score more points in the first quarter than the Rams had scored in a full game this season. The Cowboys were roughed up by Arizona the previous week and even struggled to contain winless Cincinnati the week before that.

Injuries are partly to blame, from safety Roy Williams out for all but a few plays since the second game (he went on IR Wednesday, ending his season) to cornerback Terence Newman playing only three games. Anthony Spencer, a projected starter at linebacker, has missed three games, as has backup safety Pat Watkins, who was supposed to replace Williams. The Cowboys also lost cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones to a suspension.

Yet Dallas still has Pro Bowlers DeMarcus Ware, Greg Ellis and Ken Hamlin back from last year's squad, with plenty more experienced players. Some rookies have been pressed into duty, but that includes first-round pick Mike Jenkins.

So, searching for answers, Phillips said the staff reviewed every defensive play this season. What did they discover?

"There are things we need to do differently," he said. "Some of them are technical. Some of them are basic things. We'll try to work on some of those things and alleviate any of the mistakes we made."

Special teams have been a problem, too. Last week's change was to have position coaches take a more active role on special teams, too.

"We're going to carry that on, trying to look at things that will help us do better," Phillips said. "That is part of what you have to do."

Much was made over the past three days of why the Cowboys would so foolishly keep quarterback Tony Romo active in Sunday's 34-14 loss to the St. Louis Rams when it was revealed he could not have played.

Most of those opinions were formed without any information about the situation, with Romo trying as hard as he could to prove he was capable of playing in the game despite having suffered the broken little finger on his right (throwing) hand the previous Sunday against Arizona.

Well Romo, who discussed his injury at length for the first time Tuesday night on Terrell Owens' weekly radio show, Inside The Huddle, and then at length again here on Wednesday at The Ranch, filled in all of the missing blanks on how he was kept active in St. Louis instead of being designated the inactive third quarterback.

"Once we got to the game, we put the splint on and did all the things, the cast part, and I was able to throw it some, so I felt confident," Romo said.

That's when Romo went out to do some throwing, nearly two hours before kickoff, and actually was throwing all the passes decently and with some zip on the ball. So, the Cowboys decided to keep him active as the second quarterback behind starter Brad Johnson.

But that wasn't the end of the story.

"So I told the coaches about an hour before the game, 'I think I can do this if need be,'" Romo said, "and the problem was when we went through pregame warmups. What we hadn't done in the days prior because (then) it was all about throwing the ball. I could do it, but it was taking the snap and getting (the pass) off quickly, and you couldn't get a grip on the ball with the stuff you had on your hand. But yet, you couldn't take the stuff off your hand because you were sacrificing taking any kind of hit and that really would end up basically putting you out for an extended period of time.

"So there was no way really around it. I wouldn't have been able to play at any kind of level that would have helped this football team during the game, and once I realized that - trying to catch the snap and throw it - I knew it was going to take a good two or three seconds to position my hand on the ball and it was just something where I couldn't figure out a way, I guess . . . and there really is not much we can do differently to protect the hand, so that's where we're at. That's what happened, and it's disappointing because I thought we had done a good job in getting to a position where we could manage the pain and possibly play, but it just sort of didn't happen."

And while Romo did admit that taking a hit on the finger or slamming his hand on a helmet could have created a more severe break and further problems, his inability to operate effectively in the pocket was his biggest concern.

"There was no way to take a (direct snap). There would be a high percentage of reinjuring the finger in that case then - almost like a hit," Romo said.

Thanks for listening and we will see you at the polls. Don't forget to vote.

Dwain Price, Osborne Lowe and Cedric Bailey

This week upset Oklahoma State over Texas 32 to 30

The Dallas Cowboys left their fans in shock on Sunday evening in a shocking 30-24 loss. Not only did the Cowboys lose Felix Jones for two weeks, Tony Romo has a broken finger that will sideline him for 4 weeks and the punter Matt McBriar is out for a few weeks because of the blocked punt in overtime. On his first run of the third quarter Sunday Jones went 14 yards around left end but slowed up near the sideline with pain in his left hamstring. He rode a stationary bicycle and stretched with trainers but was unable to return. He is expected to miss at least two weeks with a hamstring strain. Now let’s take a look on how the Cowboys lost the game.Dwain Price and Osborne Lowe has the 411 on what is really going on at Valley Ranch.

Meanwhile,- With injuries affecting all aspects of special teams this week - coverage and returns - the Cowboys signed veteran linebacker Carlos Polk, who had double-digit special teams tackles in four of his seven seasons with the San Diego Chargers.

To make room for Polk, the Cowboys placed wide receiver Sam Hurd (ankle surgery) on injured reserve, ending his season. Hurd finished sixth on the team with 15 special teams tackles last year.

Polk also should provide depth at outside linebacker with Anthony Spencer (hamstring), another key special teams player, unlikely to play Sunday at St. Louis.

"It's great coming to something that you're familiar to," said Polk, who played for Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips' defense in San Diego from 2004-06. "They have the same schedule, same terminology. When they start speaking, you know the lingo already."

Cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones - has been suspended at least four games for his latest violation of the NFL's personal conduct policy, and the team just lost its second game in three weeks.

Jerry Jones didn't panic or pout on Tuesday. He stayed proactive.

Less than an hour after the NFL announced Adam Jones' indefinite suspension, the Cowboys owner/general manager made a bold move to inject some Pro Bowl production into their battered offense, acquiring Detroit Lions receiver Roy Williams just before the NFL's 3 p.m. (CDT) trade deadline and signing him to a five-year contract extension through 2014.

Williams will arrive in time for Wednesday's practice and could play Sunday at St. Louis. He will wear No. 11.

Dallas- Well the Dallas Cowboys "America's Team" showed the world what they really can do.

The Cowboys game Sunday night in Green Bay could look a lot like last year's late season showdown at Texas Stadium - not the Terrell Owens popcorn splashing necessarily, but the out-of-nowhere play of a new leader of the Pack.

The Cowboys had written a perfect script five minutes into the second quarter of their game against the Packers last Nov. 29. They were up 20-10, and a blitz from the slot knocked Green Bay's hall-of-famer-to-be quarterback out of the game.

Brett Favre wasn't playing well to that point, continuing a trend of bad luck for No. 4 at Texas Stadium. He was just 5-of-14 passing for 19 yards and had thrown two interceptions. He would leave his final game in Dallas with a bum elbow and an 8.9 passer rating. Soon after Nate Jones' hit and Terence Newman's subsequent interception on the play, the Cowboys scored again to move ahead 27-10.

The Packers were getting ready to put backup quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the game. This was the guy who some said was worthy of being the first overall selection in the 2005 draft, but instead went through the indignity of slipping all the way to the 24th pick, his long, disappointing green room ordeal the subject of plenty attention from the ESPN cameras.

This was the guy who had just 17 career completions in nearly three years since being drafted, and no starts - the guy who had thrown an interception but no touchdowns as a pro, who ended the 2006 season on the injured reserve after breaking his foot. Surely the Cowboys would abuse Rodgers even worse than they had The Great Brett Favre. At 27-10, it looked like the Cowboys could coast to the finish. Obviously the Packers were going to limit the playbook for Rodgers and their big-play offense would be highly constricted, right?

Josh Howard is still tripping and acting like he wants to be traded. Let's take a look at his latest problem.

The battered reputation of Josh Howard took another hit this week when an online video surfaced showing the Dallas Mavericks forward disrespecting the national anthem.
Howard's agent, Jeff Schwartz, did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment. Donnie Nelson, the Mavericks' president of basketball operations, directed questions to team owner Mark Cuban, who in an e-mail declined to comment.

The incident is the latest off-court problem for Howard, a fifth-year pro from Wake Forest who averaged 19.9 points and seven rebounds last season. He was arrested in July when police said he was drag racing at 94 mph in a 55 zone. A court appearance was scheduled for next week.

Howard was criticized last season for saying in a radio interview during a first-round playoff series against New Orleans that he occasionally smokes marijuana. Later that same series, he angered coach Avery Johnson by throwing himself a birthday bash after a Game 4 loss to the Hornets.

Meanwhile Ed Hochuli,the NFL ref who botched a call at the end of the San Diego-Denver game that allowed the Broncos to keep possession and go on to score the winning points, has been receiving hundreds of e-mails from irate fans.

Even crazier? He's responding to them.

"I'm getting hundreds of emails — hate mail — but I'm responding to it all," Hochuli said in a posting on the San Diego Union-Tribune Web site. "People deserve a response.

"You can rest assured that nothing anyone can say can make me feel worse than I already feel about my mistake on the fumble play. You have no idea. ... Affecting the outcome of a game is a devastating feeling. Officials strive for perfection — I failed miserably. Although it does no good to say it, I am very, very sorry."

News of the hate mail comes a day after Hochuli received the support of the NFL Referees Association over the botched call.

"No one feels worse about this than Ed, but like the coaches and players in our high-speed game, mistakes will occur," NFLRA executive director Tim Millis said in a statement.

"The NFLRA stands by Ed Hochuli as a 19-year veteran with multiple Super Bowl and countless playoff game experience who has the integrity and character to admit a mistake and accept the criticism that comes with it."

The crucial call occurred with the Broncos at the Chargers 1-yard-line in the final minute. Denver quarterback Jay Cutler dropped back to pass, the ball slipped out of his hands, bounced off the grass and into the arms of San Diego linebacker Tim Dobbins.

Hochuli, a former NFLRA president, ruled it an incomplete pass. Replay ruled it a fumble, but it was spotted at the 10, where the ball hit the ground, and given to Denver because the rules did not permit possession to be awarded to San Diego because the whistle had blown.

Denver went on to score a touchdown and a 2-point conversion to win 39-38

Thanks for listening

Dwain Price, Osborne Lowe and Cedric Bailey

It's time to about the NFL, College Football and late Coach Don Haskins and more.

During today podcast Dwain Price and Osborne Lowe share their thought on Vince Young who is either a spoiled brat, a troubled young man or some combination of the two.

That’s the problem with screaming at him to grow up and deal with things virtually every other NFL quarterback has to deal with.

There could be something more serious going on. Those of us on the outside simply don’t know what’s going on inside his head. But what we do know — or what we think we know — is troubling.

The Tennessean is reporting that Young “spent time with a psychologist” before disappearing for more than four hours Monday evening. The psychologist told the Titans that Young was extremely depressed and there was reason to be concerned about him, the newspaper reported.

“Given the totality of the situation, coach (Jeff) Fisher was concerned about Young’s emotional well-being,” a Nashville police spokesman said.

Forget the spin the Titans and Young’s inner-circle are putting on Monday’s events. It stretches the imagination to see it all as a case of Young forgetting his cell phone and hanging out at a friend’s house watching football.

What the Titans have said is that Young apparently left his home abruptly Monday evening. We may never know the full story there.

But someone from his home telephoned Fisher with information that alarmed Fisher enough to call police. Clearly someone thought Young was capable of harming himself.

Once Young was found, he met with Fisher and convinced his coach everything was fine. But for a few minutes Monday, everything clearly wasn’t fine.

Young’s agent, Major Adams, called it a misunderstanding. That’s also what the Titans said about Young’s behavior during Sunday’s game. He was booed after throwing his second interception.

When he got to the sideline, he threw his helmet to the ground and blew off teammates who attempted to console him. He sat on the bench and buried his face in his hands.

When the Titans got the ball back, Young refused to take the field. Fisher said Young was worried about a sore leg.

He lasted four plays before suffering a knee injury that will sideline him for awhile.

He seems to need this time off to gather himself, to figure out where he’s at both in his life and his career.

Those of us that knew him at the University of Texas are having trouble believing this is the same guy that was so tough, so mature and so fiercely competitive.

He wasn’t simply the best college football player on earth those last two years at Texas. He was the guy that made everything go. Teammates and coaches alike looked to him to lead.

He led the Longhorns in the locker room and on the field. I thought the Texans were fools for not drafting him because I couldn’t comprehend him failing. Now it’s getting harder and harder to believe in him.

What about UTEP Coach Don Haskins, Dozens of fans, many wearing UTEP orange and blue, solemnly filed past Haskins' wooden casket at center court at the start of a daylong public viewing. The hall of fame coach, who retired in 1999, was credited with helping break racial barriers by starting five black players during the 1966 NCAA national championship against all-white Kentucky.

As mourners walked past Haskins' casket, a song softly played from the soundtrack to "Glory Road," a film about the improbable 1966 title run at the school then called Texas Western College. Scoreboards at the Haskins Center were lit with the final score — Texas Western 72, Kentucky 65 — while a spotlight was trained on his national championship banner in the rafters.

A private funeral is scheduled for Wednesday. A public memorial, expected to draw thousands, is set for Thursday at 6:35 p.m. — tip-off time for televised college basketball games.

Just about anyone who's lived in El Paso for any length of time has a Haskins story, from seeing him drive through town in his old pickup truck to spotting him out at a local bar. But those who knew him best, including former players and coaches, say Haskins did his best to keep the attention off himself.

Tim Floyd, head coach of USC and a former Haskins assistant, said he once got a call from the mayor of Van Horn, a small town about 120 miles east of El Paso, to thank Haskins for giving a ride to a family of five stranded along the highway.

"He'd been coyote hunting and saw a station wagon broken down," Floyd recalled this week. "He put them (the family) in his truck, drove them to El Paso, put them up in a hotel for two nights, and gave them $1,000."

Floyd said the family drove to Los Angeles after Haskins also helped get their car repaired. The coach never told anyone about it, not even his wife, according to Floyd.

Floyd said he never told the story before, mostly because Haskins, known universally in El Paso as "Coach" and "The Bear" by much of the college basketball world, wouldn't have wanted anyone to know.

"I'm only telling it now because he's gone. I want people to know," Floyd said.

Haskins was remembered this week by fans, colleagues, and former players for both his passion for the game — he was known to call former UTEP coaches with routine to chat about their new teams — and his dedication to his family and El Paso.

Haskins passed up a number of lucrative offers during his career, instead opting to stay in El Paso at a school that gave him a head coaching job as a relative unknown. Floyd said when he started at UTEP as a Haskins assistant, the coach supplemented his income by selling the hides for $75 each.

Be sure to share this podcast and check out our picks. Right now Osborne owes Dwain Price a couple meals.

Until next time thanks for listening


Cedric Bailey, Dwain Price and Osborne Lowe

Sports Talk with Dwain Price and Osborne Lowe
College Football and The NFL Week One


New York City- Michael Strahan will make $2 million this football season as an analyst for Fox Sports. He decided Tuesday that he won't come out of retirement to return to the New York Giants.
"This has been one of the toughest nights of my life," Strahan told FoxSports.com. "But after long deliberation and throwing around a million scenarios in my head for the past day, I think it's just best if I stay retired.
"I could only do this if I could commit 100 percent, physically, mentally, emotionally and I can't do that. I've tried to convince myself and my body to give it one more year, but in the end I just don't think I could turn it on like I need to again."
The Giants lost defensive end Osi Umenyiora for the season when he sustained a knee injury in Saturday's preseason game against the New York Giants and the team asked Strahan, 36, to come out of retirement.
The Giants moved Mathias Kiwanuka from linebacker to defensive end to take over for Umenyiora.

NORMAN — A fight that ended in two Oklahoma athletes suffering knife wounds apparently was initiated by several people who tried to crash a private party. When denied entry, the group attacked the invited guests, including OU basketball player Ray Willis and football player Frank Alexander, Norman Police Capt. Leonard Judy said Tuesday.
About 2:32 a.m. Sunday, the police responded to the melee at Sooner Knights, also known as Serenade, located at 1309 SW 24th Ave., in which the attackers used guns, knives and tire irons, Judy said. Willis, 18, and Alexander, also 18, were taken by private vehicle to Norman Regional Hospital where they were treated for stabbing wounds. Both Willis and Alexander are expected to make full recoveries. A third victim, Rachel Taylor, 19, of Norman, was struck by a car, but was treated and released.
At the scene, police arrested Terran McCabe, 27, of Oklahoma City, on a complaint of carrying a concealed weapon. At the moment, police are considering the complaint unrelated to the attacks. Court records show McCabe has no prior felony convictions in Oklahoma or Cleveland counties. He has been released on bail. Tuesday, Norman police finished interviewing all of the victims. The case is under investigation by the Norman Police Criminal Investigations Division, but no arrests have been made nor charges filed in connection with the attack, Judy said.
Willis is a 6-foot-6, 170-pound freshman guard from Westlake High School in Atlanta. He was born in Tulsa, but moved to Orlando, Fla., eventually starring on the Dr. Phillips High School basketball team there for three years. His senior season, he moved to Atlanta

Dwain Price and Osborne Lowe are back. Let's talk about team USA in basketball. This could be Team USA Basketball destiny as they face up with Argentina who defeated the USA in the 2004 Athens Olympics for the Gold Medal. The 2008 Olympics’ has proved the USA an entirely new team with a new team name: Re-Dream Team aka Redemption Team.

Team USA defeated Australia (116-85) in what was clearly a troubled first half was just a warm up for the USA who dominated Australia on both ends of the floor. While Argentina had a tough fight to get over Greece by only 2 points (80-78). Greece could have sealed the game with a 3 pointer but failed to make the attempt. Ginobili was the high scorer for Argentina and shot well from behind the arc going 6/13.

The match up should be good but maybe not much of a game if the USA continues to defend and score, Argentina could be in trouble.

How about the Track and Field? Can you say Lighting Bolt going for relay Gold.

The Jets have pulled off their greatest quarterback coup since luring Joe Namath to the AFL when he left Alabama in 1965.

In a stunning upset, the Jets finalized a trade Wednesday night for Packers legend Brett Favre, culminating a two-week courtship that intensified in recent days. Both teams announced the deal after midnight. The move immediately changes the perception of the Jets, who landed one of the most popular players in NFL history.

It cost the Jets a conditional fourth-round pick in 2009, but the pick will escalate to a first-rounder if Favre appears in 80% of the plays and the Jets make it to the Super Bowl, according to a league source. The pick could be a second- or third-rounder depending on Favre's playing time and the Jets' performance.

The trade agreement was structured to prevent the Jets from dealing Favre to the Vikings, his No. 1 choice. The Jets would have to give three No. 1 picks to the Packers if they made such a move, a league source confirmed.

Be sure to listen to Dwain Price and Osborne Lowe Report on the latest news on Brett Favre.

Cornerback Terence Newman left midway through the morning practice with a left groin strain Monday, but the injury wasn't deemed serious.

Newman was hurt when another player landed on him during a passing drill. He went to the sideline, then to a tent in the back of the end zone. He returned to the sideline a few minutes later and was done for the day.

Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy was sentenced to 15 months in prison Tuesday for setting off a gambling scandal that tarnished the reputation of the league and raised questions about the integrity of its officiating.

These are just some of the topics that we discussed during today's podcast

Thanks for listening

Dwain Price

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