WHITT'S END 6.28.13

       Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End

   *It's been a wild week in local radio, what with The Ticket's BaD Radio almost moving to 105.3 The Fan before Cumulus sweetened the pot enough to keep Bob Sturm and Dan McDowell home. But now we're on the verge of another popular show perhaps moving ... off the air. From what I hear, The Russ Martin Show's contract is up Monday (July 1) and there has been little interest shown by parent company Clear Channel Media to re-sign Russ and his sidekicks in the afternoon. Surely you remember Russ, right? Not certain exactly what's going on at 97.1 The Eagle, but I smell big changes coming sooner rather than later.

   *Mavs nailed it on several fronts in Thursday night's NBA Draft. First, they selected who I think will be their point guard of the future in Miami's Shane Larkin. The Mavs are comparing him to J.J. Barea, but I predict he'll be the starting point guard opening night. But more importantly, they started cutting salary with an eye toward making a run at free-agent center Dwight Howard next week. Needing to shave $3.8 million off the books at the beginning of the night, Dallas now - after two trades down and the dumping of 2012 draft bust Jared Cunningham - needs to only trim another $2.7 million to be able to offer Howard a max contract with a first-year salary of $20.5 million.

   *That said, Mavs' GM Donnie Nelson admitted that if Syracuse's Michael Carter-Williams or Michigan's Trey Burke would've been available at No. 13, Dallas would've kept the pick and taken either of them.

   *And if you don't believe Howard-to-the-Mavs is realistic, read this story and then check out what Dirk Nowitzki revealed at Mavs' draft headquarters last night. Yep, he's already picked up the phone and called L.A.

   *As I wrote Thursday, the Cowboys shouldn't cut Josh Brent just because the Patriots' released Aaron Hernandez. But, after Brent's second positive test for marijuana while on probation for Intoxication Manslaughter, I don't think there's any choice now but to cut him. Right? They are going to cut him, Right?! Isolated irresponsibility resulting in an accident I can stomach. Repeated, ridiculous behavior, however, cannot be tolerated. Dumb actions? Maybe. Dumb people? No thanks.

   *So Kanye West and Kim Kardashian named their child "North." No kidding. Now when North West gets fired from CBS Radio and the boss cites a "different direction", he'll actually be telling the truth.

   *When Derek Holland is good, he's great. Totally handcuffed the Yankees to the tune of a 2-hitter Thursday afternoon in The Bronx. Makes you wonder where that guy is every fifth day doesn't it? Speaking of Rangers' pitchers, don't look now but Yu Darvish hasn't won a game since May 16.

   *Johnny Manziel is the perfectly irritating combination of pampered and petulant. News surfaced this week that he faced suspension before his 2012 Heisman Trophy season until Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin bailed him out. And recently he received a simple parking ticket on campus, prompting him to Tweet: Bullshit like tonight is a reason why I can't wait to leave college station ... Bet the 12th Man finds that awfully Spirit-of-Aggieland endearing.

   *Hot.

   *Not.

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   *Back in 2011 it was all smiles. We dressed up in our Sunday best and christened the joint in Victory Park known as The Fan Sports Lounge. Great location across from AAC. Cool broadcast booth inside. And ... something horrible happened on the way to happily ever after. Just 19 months later I strolled over to check out the place last night and ... it's no longer The Fan Sports Lounge. Can I interest you in The Point at Victory Park?

   *Looks like the Rangers won't have an All-Star starter for the first time since 2007. I'd like to make a case for one, but I don't think I can.

   *Coolest, most impressive thing I've seen in 2013 is Nik Wallenda's tight-roping "Skywalk" over the Grand Canyon last Sunday. The views were breath-taking and the guy's calm while balancing 1,500 feet in the air amidst 30-mph wind gusts was amazing. And, unlike when he traversed Niagara Falls, this time he wore no safety harness. Death was a real possibility, especially when he crouched down on the wire in fear as the winds bounced it wildly. Crazier still: The dude ran the final 30 feet. Standing. Clapping.

   *Two years ago they toted a trophy through downtown Dallas as members of the Mavericks. Now? Jason Kidd is Jason Terry's boss on the Brooklyn Nets. I know, weird. And sad. But more weird.

   *I've listened to WBAP 820 AM all my life. But just this week I learned what the call letters stand for: We Bring A Program. No, I'm not making that up.

   *With the selection of Tim Hardaway, Jr. by the Knicks last night, make it 13 consecutive years there has been a player taken in the NBA Draft who is the son of a former player.

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   *Wouldn't you just looove to see the actual, unedited commercial of Shaq trying to squeeze his 330-pound Kazaam into that Buick?

   *Once upon a time I accidentally called Fox 4's Mike Doocy "Douche". Accidentally. Promise. See for yourself.

   *It was 10 years ago that the NFL got all offended at the egregious sex and crimes portrayed in the fictional ESPN series, Playmakers. But in the Hernandez saga, the league has itself a much more troubling, real storyline. And turns out Hernandez may have killed his victim because the guy had info about Hernandez previously killing two other people? What The What?!

   *Do Atheists scream "Oh, God!!!" during sexual climax?

   *Last week in this space I wrote about the tiny window of clay-to-grass-court transition allowed tennis players before Wimbledon. How has that manifested? In uncertain footwork, which leads to slipping, which leads to injuries, which leads to spotty play and, ultimately, inconsistent results like the early-round upsets of Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova.

   *I'm not proud of this, but I don't care about George Zimmerman's trial these days nearly as much as I did about news of the actual incident and his killing of Trayvon Martin in February 2012. I blame ... life. And the s-l-o-w legal system.

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   *Anchorman 2 (debuting Dec. 20) can't get here fast enough. If you don't think the original was funny, I'm afraid we just can't be friends.

   *Speaking of movies, I give The Purge 4.5 out of 10 and Now You See Me a solid 6.5. Purge is a great premise that's underdeveloped and predictable, and Now You See Me suffers from saturated plot syndrome (i.e., over-thinking). In other words, one gave me too little and the other too much.

   *Please visit my advertisers' web sites and, even better, buy what they're selling. Without them there is no us. Well, technically we'd still be alive and stuff, but we wouldn't have this comfy club to congregate in daily. A hearty thanks to Home Marketing Services, Vandergriff Honda, Apple Moving, Baby Dolls, LS Wealth Strategies, D Custom Tailors, Pollo Campero, Riggs Rub and WAV Electronics.

   *So my Dad asks me to give a shoutout to all our friends in Johnson County, better known as JoCoMoFo. Seems because of termite damage he needed an outside wall replaced on his wood-frame homestead in Rio Vista. He's hard to please, but he loved the work performed by KT Custom Construction. So, here ya go Pops: For all your home repair needs in that area call Kris at 817.240.8315.

   *This weekend? After my standing tennis appointment Saturday morning, Sybil and I are throwing a pool party in the afternoon until ... ? Sunday, we will most certainly enjoy a quiet Sabbath. And, come Monday, I'm predicting new bikini pics uploaded to my photo galleries (you're welcome). Don't be a stranger.

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Mavs' Draft-Night Win-Win: Save Money, Land Starting Point Guard

 

   Toldja a couple things earlier today:
   That the Mavericks would try to make enough trades down the draft to save money for a full-court  Dwight Howard flirtation in free agency.
   Check.
   And that, if they made a first-round pick, one of their targets would be University of Miami point guard Shane Larkin.
   Double-check.
   The Mavs traded down twice in the first round (from 13 to 16 through Boston and to 18 via Atlanta), saving approximately $1.1 million and, in my opinion, landing their starting point guard of the future in Larkin.

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   It was a strange first official NBA interview for Larkin, who wore a baby-blue bow tie, an Atlanta Hawks' cap and some understandable confusion after the flurry of first-round Mavs' trades.
   "I can't wait to get to," Larkin said tepidly, "whatever team I'm going to."
   The son of Hall-of-Fame shortstop Barry Larkin, Shane is a smallish at only 5-foot-10, but a master of the pick-and-roll and a cold-blooded shooter who loves the ball in his hands at crunch time. I watched a lot of Miami games this year and believed enough to pick them to go to the Final Four. Despite their Sweet 16 loss, Larkin is a guy whose skill-set and mindset will translate smoothly to the NBA game.
   The Mavs also admitted a mistake by dumping last summer's awful No. 1 pick Jared Cunningham, so to me Thursday night has been a Win-Win-Win.

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Dirk Nowitzki - Front-Office Maverick - Already Recruiting Dwight Howard

   Dirk Nowitzki just poked his head into the Mavs' NBA Draft headquarters here at American Airlines Center and actually dropped a couple news nuggets:
   *He's already begun the recruiting process of free-agent center Dwight Howard, recently calling the Lakers' big man. "I reached out to him," Dirk says, "Told him that we'd love to have him. ... And if I need to jump on a plane, I'm free. I'm available."
   *He'll be in the team's "war room" tonight alongside owner Mark Cuban, general manager Donnie Nelson and assistant GM Keith Grant. And, for what it's worth, Dirk is intrigued by a potential future in Dallas' front office. "It's something I've always wanted to see how it's done," Dirk says. "Maybe I'll be more involved in that area when I'm done playing."
   *As for his eye for talent and his assessment of the Mavs' needs tonight, pretty spot on if you ask me: "We need help left and right. I mean, we need a shooter, some bigs. We need a lot of help."
   Dirk look refreshed. Ready to hop on a plane and go recruit. Yet not at all prepared to concede his career, even at 35, is winding down.
   "Patience is tough at my age," he says. "I hope I can play at a high level a couple more years and then who knows? I'm not sure where my post-playing days will take me. I'm not sure I'm made for TV. I have a face for radio. Me and (ESPN Mavs' radio play-by-play voice Chuck) Cooperstein."

What If ... ?

   Paper or Plastic? Only effects you until you get to the kitchen.

   Buckle or Un-buckle? Only effects you every second the rest of your life.

   When I was 7, I accidentally opened the door of my daycare’s station wagon while traveling 40 mph around a winding suburban road. As luck would have it – or was it fate? – daycare owner/driver "Aunt Dot" had refused to leave the parking lot of my school until every kid had buckled every seat belt. Circa 1972, that safety precaution was about as futuristic as remote controls, instant replay and the Internet.

   As the door flung open and I looked down at the pavement, gravel and my life rushing past my eyes, I remember how scared I was. I didn’t quite grasp the significance then, but the next 40 years it’s hit home quite often:

   What if I hadn’t been wearing a seat belt?

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   Maybe I would’ve caught myself on the door and received nothing but a rush of adrenaline, an unforgettable lesson and a hard spanking. Maybe I would’ve touched briefly onto the road and become a bloody, but not permanently injured mess. Or maybe I would’ve totally fallen out of that car and been spilled onto the road like an empty beer can headed for a rocky, jagged ditch. I might have broken multiple bones, perhaps even my neck.

   I could’ve wound up paralyzed. Or in a casket.

   In that split-second as I stared down at the accelerating asphalt, my life approached a fork in its road. If I’m wearing a seat belt I remain in the car and my existence stays on its scheduled course. If I’m not wearing a seat belt, I fall out of the car and into the unknown.

   As I look back at my life in the rear-view mirror I realize the giant implications of small acts. That simple click altered the people I would meet. That simple click altered the career I would choose. And that simple click altered who I ultimately am (Instead of Richie Whitt the kid who wore his seat belt, I might have been Richie Whitt the memory who didn’t.)

   For whatever reason – Luck? Fate? Destiny? My guardian angel? Or just good ol' Aunt Dot? – I wore the seat belt.

   It is now merely a link in the chain-of-events that have shaped my life.

   There, of course, others. The breach baby boy that was born – after a long struggle by a mother named Sue Whitt – alive and well. The ringing phone I finally picked up that led to my first job in journalism and a 27-year career as a writer. The firing at 105.3 The Fan that yanked me out of radio, toward this here web site and into the business of Pizza/Beer delivery.

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   Whether it's personal lives or professional sports, destiny often rides shotgun as we careen toward our defining intersections. It could be daily decisions with negligible implications like ordering steak over shrimp. Or monumental moves like oversleeping your breakfast meeting in Manhattan, only to watch your designated restaurant - and the Twin Towers - crumble to the ground on 9/11.

   We don't need "Clarence" the angel from It's A Wonderful Life to show us how different our lives could be based on a couple of decisions and actions. And somewhere out there - in a partially parallel, yet totally askew universe - is a world in which revisionist's future transformed a history that never happened.

   Hindsight is 20-20. But when you project it forward, the fascination can be 40-40.

   What if ...

   Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson remained together?

   Texas won The Alamo?

   Nelson Cruz caught the fly ball?

   Cassius Clay joined the Army?

   Roger Staubach stayed in the Navy?

   Drew Pearson dropped the Hail Mary?

   Jackie Smith didn't drop the Super Bowl touchdown?

   Joe Paterno had done more?

   Johnny Manziel didn't have a Twitter?

   The Mavs passed over Detlef Schrempf to draft Karl Malone?

   Earl and Tida Woods' child was a girl, named Tigress?

   Lance Armstrong never got cancer?

   The 9/11 terrorists were caught at their airports?

   Adam, Eve and Elvis had willpower?

   Hugh Hefner was born gay?

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   Paris' last name was LaQuinta?

   The sun rose in the West?

   The South won the Civil War?

   Roy Tarpley was a teetotaler?

   The bullet missed JFK's head? 

   The Southwest Conference remained intact?

   Nicole Simpson lived to tell her story?

   The Berlin Wall never fell, depriving us of Steffi Graf and Dirk Nowitzki?

   Babe Ruth was never traded by the Red Sox?

   Dwight Clark flubbed The Catch?

   Barack Obama was a Muslim?

   Bill Buckner fielded the grounder?

   The Rangers didn't trade Sammy Sosa for Harold Baines?

   Buddy Holly missed his flight?

   Brandi Chastain forgot her sports bra?

   Wally Pipp didn't take the day off?

   John Lennon stayed in for room service?

   Bo Jackson only bruised his hip?

   Josh Hamilton told the truth?

   Cindy Crawford's mole was on the tip of her nose?

   LeBron James stayed in Cleveland?

   Bobby Riggs beat Billie Jean King?

   The Blazers drafted Michael Jordan instead of Sam Bowie?

   Magic Johnson stayed monogamous?

   Brett Hull's goal was disallowed?

   The Cowboys drafted Randy Moss, instead of Greg Ellis?

   Barry Sanders kept playing instead of retiring early?

   The Spurs didn't win the Lottery and Tim Duncan?

   Dwight Howard actually signs with the Mavericks?

   What if everything in sports - from Martina Navratilova's sexuality to Mike Tyson's insanity - occurs not by happenstance, but for a pre-destined purpose with far-reaching tentacles and incomprehensible, domino-effect ramifications?

   Or ... What if, like shit, sports happens?

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What If Aaron Hernandez Wore a Star on His Helmet?

   Cocaine (Bob Hayes).
   Vehicular Manslaughter (Dwayne Goodrich).
   Stealing From Your Own Mother (Larry Bethea).
   Pot (Nate Newton).
   Domestic Abuse (Harvey Martin, Dez Bryant).
   Indecency with a Child (Rafael Septien).
   Bribery (Thomas Henderson).
   DUI (Erik Williams, Jay Ratliff).
   Indecent Exposure (Lance Rentzel).
   "Runnin' Ho's In and Outta The White House" (Michael Irvin, Deion Sanders, et al).
   Intoxication Manslaughter (Josh Brent).
   But on the Dallas Cowboys' long and illustrious rap sheet, there has never appeared:
   First-Degree Murder.
   Imagine - given they're the lazy punch-line to every NFL jurisprudence joke - if Aaron Hernandez played football with a star on the side of his helmet.

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   While the New England Patriots are being praised for immediately releasing the Pro Bowl tight end in the wake of his arrest for allegedly murdering a minor-league player near Boston, I believe the Cowboys could've taken the same action yet still been criticized for initially drafting a player with a nefarious background and/or not nurturing an environment of law-abiding civility at Valley Ranch.
   Well, am I wrong?
   Inexplicably, the news of Hernandez' arrest and ensuing roster release have prompted critics to demand the Cowboys now cut defensive tackle Josh Brent. The attempted correlation is preposterous; The suggested actions nonsensical.

   Why? Because of the glaring differences in the crimes.
   Hernandez is charged with shooting a man in the head and killing him. Brent is charged with Intoxication Manslaughter for driving drunk and flipping his car in an accident that killed teammate Jerry Brown back in December. I can't believe I have to explain this, but the only similaritiy in the two scenarios is a dead body.
   With pre-meditation and malice, Hernandez allegedly pulled a trigger to kill another human being. But it was merely Brent's irresponsibility that led to the accidental ending of another's life.
   It's really this simple: Intentional or Accidental?

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   While Brent awaits his September trial he is a free man (on bond) and still a member of the Cowboys. If you believe owner Jerry Jones should've long ago cut him to send a moral message to the masses, I get that. But if you believe the Cowboys should cut Brent now just because the Patriots released Hernandez, you're grossly misdirected.
   If Hernandez was charged with Intoxication Manslaughter, would the Patriots have released him? No way. Their decision Wednesday - and I believe it was the right one - was based on football, not morality.
   There is right, and there is wrong. There are crimes, and there is murder.
   There are the Dallas Cowboys, and there is every other team in the NFL.

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Mavs' Shrinking Success Tied to Disasters on Draft Day

   The Dallas Mavericks' remarkable run of 50+ wins and playoff appearances for 12 consecutive seasons has ended. And it's not difficult to see where the decline began.
   As the Mavs tonight prepare to make a Lottery pick (13th) for the first time since 2000 when they fanned on Syracuse forward Etan Thomas, we're reminded of how general manager Donnie Nelson, owner Mark Cuban and the front office has continually failed to acquire draft-night talent to surround its all-time draft-night jewel, Dirk Nowitzki.
   While in this century the Mavs have launched air-ball acquisitions like Maurice Ager ('06), Nick Fazekas ('07), Roddy Beaubois ('09), Dominique Jones ('10), Rudy Fernandez ('11) and Jared Cunningham ('12), elite teams such as the San Antonio Spurs, for example, have used similarly low picks in the 20s+ to stockpile legit talent such as Manu Ginobli, Tony Parker, John Salmons, Luis Scola, Leandro Barbosa, Beno Udrih, Tiago Splitter, George Hill, Goran Dragic, Kawhi Leonard and Cory Joseph.
   Of course, in the Mavs we're talking about an organization that drafted Chris Anstey ('97), Randy White ('89), Bill Garnett ('82), Leon Smith ('99) and, in '96, Samaki Walker - four picks before a guy named Kobe Bryant.

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   Sure, Tim Duncan is one of the NBA's Top 10 all-time best players, but the reason the Spurs have trumped the Mavs since '00 is directly attributed to draft doings.
   This year, with the 13th pick after missing the playoffs, the Mavs are debating their options:
   1. Draft a "rotation" player that can help them win now.
   2. Trade the pick to save about $1.6 million in salary-cap room that would help in a free-agency run at Dwight Howard.
   3. Select a player in a "Euro Cap Stash", temporarily alleviating a salary hit while acquiring an asset for the future.
   In option No. 1 the Mavs would look to fill holes in their roster ... everywhere. They've had a stream of candidates working out at American Airlines Center this summer including Miami guard Shane Larkin, Michigan guard Tim Hardaway, Jr., Pitt center Steven Adams and Syracuse guard Michael Carter-Williams.
   In option No. 2, the Mavs would deal the pick, its financial baggage and possibly another asset - Shawn Marion has been mentioned - to create cap flexibility.
   In option No. 3, the Mavs would travel the boring, worn path overseas where it would draft a kid with more syllables in his name than skins on the wall. In case you haven't gotten your fill of former picks named Targuy Ngombo ('11), Renaldas Seibutis ('07) and Vassillis Spanoulis ('04), scribble down this year's foreign targets: Dennis Schroeder (German guard), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greek forward) and Sergey Karasev (Russian guard).

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   Though we'll never entirely lose the goosebumps from the magical '11 championship run, the reality is that the Mavs are now in the uncomfortable Purgatory between adding win-now talent for one final push with an aging Nowitzki and re-building a nucleus with young players that will peak down the road.
   All the sudden the Mavs haven't won a playoff game in two years and since the braintrust decided to let Tyson Chandler walk after '11 they are a mediocre 77-71. The quick-fix delusions of grandeur of luring Howard from the Lakers are tantalizing but, regardless, the for the Mavs to remain competitive with teams like the Spurs they must at least match them in the NBA Draft.
   Starting tonight.

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The Hard Lie 2 Wrap-Up: Your Q's and My A's

   Okay, let's bury this baby.
   Thanks for reading my 5-part, Hard Lie 2 series last week. Response was overwhelming. But apparently almost 10,000 words and over 50 documents weren't enough, because I've received countless questions about the story via email and Twitter.
   As this week has hopefully proven, this web site will be much more than just Greggo fallout. So until something newsworthy happens to someone on the show - Oh, I dunno, an arrest? A new radio job? A move to upstate New York? A pizza joint opening? - let this be the final item centering on the radio show formerly known as RAGE. Cool?
   But before we depart, let me put some answers to the five most popular questions in the wake of the story ...

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Q: How did you obtain the Twitter Direct Messages used in the story?
   A: Legally. Totally. I'm not nearly smart enough to be a computer hacker. The information was, literally, handed to me. In radio, newspapers and life, it's good to have sources.

Q: Don't you owe The Ticket an apology for bashing the way they shunned Greggo after he was fired there, because now you're treating him the same way?
   A: Nope. To me the situations are drastically different in that when Greggo was fired by The Ticket, those who turned their back on him personally still retained their jobs. He caused them headaches, but not employment. At The Fan, he took me down with him. Had Greggo been fired from RAGE but Sybil, Armen and I kept our jobs, I would't have publicized his destructive actions and would sympathetically reach out to him to get help. But we didn't. So I did. And I'm not.

Q: As Greggo has said many times since y'all's firing, did The Fan force ya'll to talk Cowboys every day?
   A: "Force" may be too strong, but certainly "expect" was in play. Our unofficial station motto was "When in doubt, Cowboys." And, honestly, I didn't have a problem with it. We were the home of the Cowboys, and we all know nothing moves the Metroplex sports needle more than America's Team. I was never told personally to force positive spins on Cowboys' stories, but I certainly did skip over a national baseball story or two to talk another Cowboys' angle.

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Q: Why do you blame Greggo for your firing? Can't you just admit it was because of your lack of talent and your show's horrible ratings?
   A: As I've said before, from the birth of RAGE in 2010 we steadily climbed until in the last half of 2011 we had decent ratings. Nothing to threaten The Ticket's Hardline, but enough - in the 4's - to consistently beat ESPN's Galloway and cash some ratings-based bonus checks. It was about midway through 2012 when Greggo began missing work, or showing up in a less than desirable state of mind. In accordance, without any consistency and with an eroding chemistry, our show's quality, and ratings, dropped. So, yes, the low ratings might be the scapegoat. But I still believe Greggo's irresponsibillty and unprofessionalism sent the show into its spiral. That's not to say I don't share the blame for our demise. My natural talent is writing, not radio. But, again, I did all I could to throw RAGE a life raft, on and off the air.

Q: Have you heard Greggo's podcasts? And what do you think of him being mad at you for "dragging Jen into this mess"?
   A: I haven't. And I won't. I've heard enough from him to last me a long time. As for "dragging" his girlfriend, Jennifer, into the equation, I'd counter by saying she instead voluntarily injected herself into it when she helped Greggo fabricate and choreograph the lie to miss work in Nov. 2012, which was, looking back, the beginning of the end.

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White Truck Wednesday

   My theory, as most do, simply began as an observation, sparked by an annoyance.
   Driving Metrpolex freeways - mainly 75 south from Collin County toward Dallas - I began noticing more and more a certain type of vehicle causing me the most anxiety. The white pickup.
   Had to be a couple of coincidences, but nothing more. Right?
   Wrong. White trucks riding cars' bumpers, the drivers regularly pounding on their steering wheels for traffic to part for their apparently more important path. White trucks dangerously swerving in and out of congestion, often illegally using the shoulder as their personal passing lane. White trucks, manned by a single driver, arrogantly using the HOV lane
   I hatched my White Truck Theory after a drive on the George Bush Tollway in 2008.

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   I am in the left lane, going 77 mph in a 65. Flying up behind me I see a white pickup so, even though I'm going already well over the speed limit, I attempt to change lanes to the right. At the same time, however, the white truck speeds to his right to pass and, therefore, almost rear-ends me. As I swerve back to the left to avoid contact, the white truck driver (with, of course, the trademark cap and facial hair) zips by on the right - stopping to flip me off and throw an empty beer toward my car.
   And thus it was born:

   The driver of the white pickup is the most aggressive, obnoxious and dangerous on the road, because he drives with a chip on his shoulder from the burden of being behind the wheel of the most basic, generic and soulless vehicle in existence.

   White bread is tasteless. White paint? Boring. White people dancing? Goofy. White T-shirts? Cheapo. White wine? It's yellowish for crying out loud. White lies? Shame, shame.
   White trucks? Run for your life!
   I'll devote this White Truck Wednesday space each week to traffic, cars and, of course, all things white truck:
   *A driver slams into a Fort Worth home, in a white truck.
   *In Denison a man steals an ATM machine, with a white truck.

   *In Ohio a man kidnaps a 1-year-old, in a white truck

   Drive friendly!

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Dallas Mavericks Moving to a New Radio Home?

   As your Dallas Mavericks prepare for a draft pick this Thursday and a recruiting strategy of Dwight Howard this summer, they're also pondering a move to a new radio station next season.
   The Mavs, who have been on 103.3 ESPN since before their first run to The NBA Finals in '06, are radio free agents in the wake of their four-year contract expiring after the 2013 season. And, according to radio industry sources, the team is at least "kicking the tires" on a potential move to 105.3 The Fan.
   When asked about his team's radio status via email, owner Mark Cuban responded "Nothing new to report."
   For a couple reasons, however, The Fan seems primed to steal the basketball away from ESPN.

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   At ESPN the Mavs had to share the spotlight with the Texas Rangers. Their games in April-May sometimes conflicted, with most of the time baseball moved to AM sister station 660 KSKY. And if you've tried to listen to games at night on ESPN, you know how splotchy its signal can get.

   At The Fan, the Mavs would obviously bat second behind the Dallas Cowboys and in front of NASCAR. But they'd get the benefit of CBS' 100,000-watt signal and few, if any, game conflicts with the Cowboys. Football plays mainly on Sundays and Mondays, and the overlap would be only November-December, when the Mavs are just getting ramped up and the Cowboys are traditionally spiraling toward the non-playoffs.
   Last season, for example, the Mavs would have had only one conflict with the Cowboys, when on the night of Dec. 30 they played Spurs and the Cowboys visited the Redskins in their season finale.
   Further sweetening its flirtation, The Fan has comfortable built-in Mavs' connections in afternoon co-host Jeff "Skin" Wade (who provides color analysis on the team's home TV games), beat reporter Mike Fisher (who provides studio analysis on Fox Sports Southwest TV games) and night co-host Chris Arnold (long the team's on-court emcee for home games at  American Airlines Center.)
   If indeed The Fan is recruiting the Mavs, however, they aren't yet applying their full-court press. Because, as of this morning, there are no station plans for any sort of special NBA Draft coverage Thursday night.

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The Top 10 Players in NBA History. Yep, "He"'s Already on Here.

 

   Hate LeBron James.
   In fact, I'll never forgive him for mocking Dirk Nowitzki's flu cough in the 2011 NBA Finals. But these days, in the wake of Miami's Finals' triumph over the Spurs, I can't deny how damn good of a basketball player he's become.
   Last week he accomplished being only the third player in NBA history to win MVPs of both regular season and The Finals in back-to-back seasons. The other two? Bill Russell and Michael Jordan. Yeah, wow.
   Facing elimination in Games 6 and 7 against San Antonio James produced two epic performances totaling 69 points, 23 rebounds and 14 assists.
   Like him or not, you can't deny that greatness.
   Stubborn as I am, I can no longer keep LeBron off my list of the NBA's greatest all-time players, an elite collection that doesn't include the winningest player (Bill Russell), most dominant physical specimen (Wilt Chamberlain) or 2nd all-time leading scorer (Karl Malone). I can only take solace that LeBron's 11-1 in playoff series as a member of the Heat.
   And all us Mavs' fans gleefully know who gave him the one defeat. Right?
   My Top 10 Players in NBA History ...

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   10. Allen Iverson - Pound-for-pound he's the best player ever. I've stood next to him during an interview. Dude is about 1-inch taller and 10 pounds lighter than me. Stand next to the behemoth LeBron and you'll realize how daunting The Answer's task was. Four-time scoring champ, three-time steals leader and '01 MVP was amazing.
   9. Shaquille O'Neal - More powerful than polished, he bulled his way to four championships and 15 All-Star teams. Guys like Hakeem Olajuwon were more talented, but not more accomplished. Or dominant.
   8. Tim Duncan - The Big Boring white-breaded us to death via four championships, two MVPs and 13 straight seasons on the All-Defensive Team. Also set an unofficial record for whines after foul calls.
   7. Oscar Robertson - Yeah, I know he's only got the one ring and just one MVP, but in 1961 the combo guard - get this - averaged a triple-double to the tune of 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.8 assists.
   6. LeBron James - With a consistent shooting touch out to 3-point land added to his brute force finishing around the rim, he's muting critics with two championships, two Finals MVPs and four MVPs. Scary thing? He's still only 28.

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   5. Larry Bird - Simply the most-competitive, best-shooting player to ever bounce a basketball. His three titles and three MVPs don't begin to tell his fiery story.
   4. Kobe Bryant - His drama is loathed, but his play can't be anything but loved. Five championships, two Finals MVPs, two scoring titles and nine All-Defensive teams just can't be dismissed.

   3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Six titles. Six MVPs. But most importantly, a record 38,387 points behind the most lethal, unstoppable shot in NBA history: The Sky Hook.

   2. Magic Johnson - Along with five championships and three MVPs, he made the NBA cool and popular with his stylish passing and Showtime smile.

   1. Michael Jordan - His Airness introduced the NBA to a game played above the rim and beyond known standards. His legacy includes six championships, five MVPs, 10 scoring titles and countless corporations benefiting from his brand.

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The Truth Behind Me vs. ... The Ticket?

   So, from my viewpoint, there is no Richie Whitt vs. The Ticket.
   But apparently this morning - this comes second-hand via Twitter, I didn't hear it because I got out of the habit of listening to them the last five years when I was at The Fan - The Ticket's morning show, The Musers, criticized me, calling me a "sideline sitter" and "Bitchy Twit."
   The first label, of course, refers to me having recently been fired from The Fan. Seems a little mean-spirited, but hey, it's their microphones. All's fair in love and radio. No biggie. And I guess the latter is supposed to be a zinger but, other than displaying their fundamental ability to rhyme, it just takes me back to 2nd grade.
   Folks are now asking a valid question, and one I'm not sure I have a good answer for:
   When did The Ticket and I get crossways?

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   Like most sports fans in The Metroplex I grew up with The Ticket. I listened to Brad Sham's Sports Central in the '80s but it was just one hour, at night. When the Ticket was hatched in 1994 I was a Cowboys' beat writer for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and it was a light-bulb-over-my-noggin' awakening: "How the Hell have I lived this long without sports talk radio?!"
   No doubt, I was a  P1.
   I immediately grew to like the hosts personally and, professionally, began making frequent on-air guest appearances. When I moved to the Dallas Observer in 2005 I consistently wrote flattering blog items - like this one about TicketStock - and columns - like this one about Mike Rhyner. I'd go out with Ticket hosts at Super Bowls, and got invited to their compound broadcast. I wasn't one of the family, but I was a friendly, distant relative.
   Fast-forward to 2008.

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   In the wake of Greg Williams' infamous departure from The Hardline, the popular afternoon show was in flux. One of their ideas was to hold what Rhyner called "Plus-1" on-air tryouts. Flattered, and surprised, by the offer, I joined Rhyner over lunch at Genghis Grill and accepted a tryout.
   I sat in - as did a myriad of others - and guest-hosted on two afternoons with The Hardline, but the show ultimately decided to hire no one new and simply promote Corby Davidson to Williams' No. 2 chair. Disappointed? Sure. Bitter? Not even close. I can't argue with their decision. Corby has made people forget about Greggo and the show is as popular as ever.
   No hard feelings.
   During the tryout phase I had called Greggo, just to alert him out of professional courtesy that I was going to sit in his vacated Ticket chair. We kept in touch. A couple months later, I morphed the facts that people were interested and fascinated by everything Ticket and almost everything Greggo into an Observer cover story about his fall from grace.
   During that process I learned that almost all of The Ticket hosts were shunning their former co-worker. Not just for my story - most of the hosts didn't return my calls for interviews, but I understood their position -  but also personally. That I didn't get. And I still don't.

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   Having "experienced" Greggo for three years, I appreciate what they had to endure. But the big difference is, when Greggo left The Ticket his co-workers retained their jobs. At The Fan, he took me down with him. He cost me a job; He cost them merely frustration.
   I know Greggo is these days at least casually friendly with some of The Ticket guys. And at some point I'll probably reach the same conclusion and return his calls. But not yet.
   Maybe I earned Ticket resentment when I revealed how the hosts initially shunned Greggo. Maybe it's because I teamed-up with Greggo, a guy who betrayed them. Maybe it was when I'd go on The Fan and say I hated them. Of course, I didn't "hate" The Ticket any differently than how the Cowboys "hate" the Redskins. Nothing personal, I just wanted to beat them professionally.
   Personal relationships > Professional rivalries. At least where I come from.
   But now we're here, wherever that is.

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   Over the weekend on this here new web site I covered the news of Bob Sturm and Dan McDowell almost going to The Fan but, in the end, staying at The Ticket. I had no agenda whatsoever, other than to provide unique content for a growing audience. Again, I like Bob and Dan (and Donovan Lewis) personally. I'm always friendly to them at events. My blog items about their situation were motivated purely by it being news, not some cross-my-fingers-and-pull-for-The-Ticket-to-crumble destination. Out of professional courtesy I called their agent and texted both Bob and Dan, in addition to having reliable sources of information inside both The Ticket and The Fan.
   But now, at least with morning-show boys Craig Miller, George Dunham and Gordon Keith, I'm being tarred-and-feathered for ... being the messenger?
   Like I've said before, over 27 years across all media platforms in this market I've developed a thick skin. The professional name-calling will never make it to my heart. I do, however, hope it's only a skin-deep radio bit, and not some fabricated bridge-burning that has somehow been nurtured from myth into reality.
   That said, this isn't an olive branch to The Ticket. Merely my defense, my answer to all your questions in regards to our relationship.
   I do find this fascinating:
   For being the top dog in this market for going on almost 20 years, The Ticket is, as a whole, an irrationally sensitive and paranoid bunch. If I was at the No. 1 station for three decades and someone who just got fired from a competitor began reporting on my co-workers' potential departure, I wouldn't notice, much less go out of my way to spend precious air time criticizing him.
   But, in the end, that sacred, sensitive "bunker mentality" may be The Ticket's greatest asset.

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King James Almost Beheaded

   During Monday's nauseating Miami Heat victory parade, someone thought it'd be a good idea to sneak the "floats" under bridges.
   Who's planning the parades on South Beach, Laura Miller?
   The King almost lost his crown.
   Maybe next time?

Bottom Line: (With BaD Radio) The Ticket Marches On

   In one scenario Bob Sturm and Dan McDowell wouldn't be on The Ticket today at Noon, instead replaced by Rich Phillips and Donovan Lewis.
   In other scenario, Cumulus Media would reach an 11th-hour deal with BaD Radio to remain in the station's midday slot it's held down since 1999.
   In yet another scenario - one that revealed itself today - both scenarios occurred.
   How's that? Because in a weird twist to a dramatic plot that broke on Friday, BaD Radio got the deal it wanted to stay put on Sunday, plus the day off on Monday. The explanation from Sturm's (@SportsSturm) Twitter:

I know this might seem odd, but we are off today. Back on Tuesday at noon. Vacation starts Friday. See you then. #AllGood

   I'm sure Bob and Dan will detail their serious flirtation with 105.3 The Fan tomorrow, and I'll let those boys explain whether Cumulus upped the ante or if they settled for less money to stay put (but, c'mon, we know the answer to that one, right?) But for now we're left knowing they're remaining at The Ticket while wondering what the almost-move will do to morale - and the lineups - up the dial.

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   Ticket fans will certainly breathe a sigh of relief at how it all went down: BaD Radio's contract expires, they get a low-ball offer from Cumulus, CBS swoops in with a sweeter deal, Bob and Dan reach a tentative agreement with The Fan but, as is its contractual right, Cumulus counters by matching the offer and keeping the show in place.
   And just like that, seismic shift averted.

   The Ticket wins with its continuity and stability, if not its talent. For almost 20 years the station has ingrained in listeners that it's more than just a number on the dial. Ticket listeners are brain-washed into the place on the dial as much as the show coming out of the speakers. That's what radio means by a "heritage" station. And while ESPN 103.3 and The Fan consistently be inconsistent with numerous lineup changes, The Ticket marches on like an untouchable McDonald's dominating the market.
   The Ticket's lineup has remain unchanged since Norm Hitzges joined in 2000. Since its inception in 2008, The Fan has had 12 different shows from 6 a-7p.

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   While the recruitment of BaD Radio by The Fan was nothing new - former program director Bruce Gilbert had grand designs on them being the afternoon show after a midday slot featuring me and Mike Fisher - this theft would've been a feather in the beleaguered cap of program director Gavin Spittle. Even though Bob and Dan have a six-month non-compete clause in their contract and might have had to sit on the sidelines until 2014, stealing a major cog in The Ticket machine would've been a coup.
   Inserting BaD Radio into middays would've forced The Ticket to find a replacement show for the first time in 13 years, and would've been a momentum-pushing lead-in for afternoon drive show Ben and Skin.

   Instead, current Fan midday hosts Mark Elfenbein and Jane Slater are likely, and understandably, sitting in uncomfortable chairs today. Radio industry sources tell me the obvious, that their show would've been axed to make room for Bob and Dan.
   But now? They're forced to be disciplined soldiers and bravely go back into battle even though they know their general considers them expendable war fodder.
   As I said in The Hard Lie 2, radio can be a fickle bitch intertwined with a filthy industry.
   To wit, tomorrow I'll have details on the next popular local afternoon-drive show that is suddenly on shaky contractual ground ...

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Me 'n Mike "Douche": The 5 Dumbest Things I Did on TV Last Night

 

   Nervous? No way.
   Rusty? Damn skippy.
   It was good to be back yapping to the masses via moving pictures last night, hanging out with Mike Doocy on Fox 4's Sports Sunday.
   I'll let you give my appearance a final grade, but I will admit that is was far from perfect. Giggly goofbally at times, even.
   In fact, when Sybil made me watch the replay this morning I found enough flaws for a list.
   I call it The 5 Dumbest Things I Did on TV Last Night:

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   5. From going to an outdoor wedding Saturday night I've got mosquito bites all over my arms. (Makes me wonder why Noah didn't do us all a favor and slap the two bastards aboard his wooden ship.) What in my head was subtle itching, looked on TV like country-dog-with-ticks scratchin'. Just know that the quirky mannerisms had nothing to do with my shirt (thank you, D Custom Tailors) and everything to do with my onset of West Nile Virus.
   4. It wasn't easy to spot with the naked eye, but I almost ended my segment with a handshake. But just as I lifted my right hand a smidge off the desk, the thought of Doocy dissin' me on TV sprinted through my mind. In football, it would've been a 5-yard penalty for a false-start flinch. On TV, it was just another glitch.

   3. Sybil and I are going to Happy Hour Wednesday with friend/CBS 11 reporter Susy Solis. And last night on Fox 4's news just before Sports Sunday sat three peeps I've long been acquainted with: Weatherman Ron Jackson and anchors Richard Ray and Natalie Solis. So, what did I do? In the awkward, frantic transition from off-screen spectator to in-chair guest I shook hands with Ray and Jackson and blurted to Natalie, "See you Wednesday!" She's probably still scratching her head. Or thinking I can't wait to watch her on the tube in two days. FML. Apologies to both Solis's who, by the way, are both "bananas."
   2. To my rusty TV eye, finding the red light for the active camera was a hunt-'n-search of "Where's Waldo" proportions. As soon as I'd settle in on Camera 2 the tiny light would go out, meaning I should shift my focus to Camera 1, er, Camera 3. Nope, Camera 1. Dangit! I didn't avoid eye contact directly into the camera on purpose, but rather on my lack of skill.
   1. For my salutation I decided to keep it casual and give props to Mike for having me on. Um, it didn't exactly come out that way. Somehow my head thought "Thanks, Dooce" but my mouth said "Thanks, Douche." Doocy doesn't wear socks behind that desk, but he's far from a douche. So let me publicly apologize for the gaffe, in hopes that I'm invited back. Right ... Dooce?!

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