It's time for the Dallas Observer’s annual list of the 50 Most Powerful People in Metroplex Sports. Cool.

Comments (0) By Richie Whitt Thursday, Jul 16 2009

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14. Dale Hansen/Norm Hitzges/Randy Galloway. The metroplex's Mount Gushmore is most responsible for shaping local sports opinions.

13. Rick Carlisle. Vanilla blandness often bored players and fans, but he maxed out talent by taking Dallas to the second round of NBA playoffs.

Patrick Michels

Hate him or love him, Jerry Jones tops our list of the 50 Most Powerful People in Metroplex Sports—once again.

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12. Wade Phillips. Win, lose or draw, it's his final season as coach of the Cowboys.

11. Eddie Gossage. The face of NASCAR in Texas has crafted year-round racin' in Fort Worth.

10. Tom Hicks. Still owns the Stars, but by this time next year he'll be former owner of the Rangers and getting cozy with a spot well down this list.

9. Joe Nieuwendyk. Fired Dave Tippett, hired Marc Crawford and immediately grabbed the Stars by the short and curlies.

8. Jason Kidd. Not often do 37-year-old point guards shape the future of a franchise.

7. Jon Heidtke. Wouldn't recognize him on the street, but the FOX Sports Net Southwest senior vice president makes the Mavs, Rangers and Stars decisions you recognize nightly on TV.

6. Nolan Ryan. Big Tex is the Rangers' catalyst and may someday soon also be their owner.

5. Mark Cuban. Even in these trying economic times, he shells out $23 million in luxury tax to help the Mavs over the hump.

4. Dirk Nowitzki. The Mavs could stay afloat for a while without Cuban. But sans this guy, they're instantly a lottery team.

3. Hank Haney. Only Erykah Badu's voice consultant has a better job than Tiger Woods' swing coach.

2. Tony Romo. Make no mistake, America's Team has been re-booted just for its quarterback.

1. Jerry Jones. Even his mistakes create national headlines.