Subject: Erick Dampier

• Popeye Jones Musta Taken His Spinach

  March 21, 2007

• No Witzki

  December 29, 2006

• Happy New Team!

  December 28, 2006

• Hey, Now, You're An All-Star

  November 22, 2006

• Diesel Does Dallas

  June 5, 2006

• As Good As It Gets

  May 16, 2006

• Whoa, Nellie

  April 26, 2007

• May Day! May Day!

  May 1, 2007

• Meet the Dallas Mavericks -- They're, Like, "Underdogs." Riiiight.

  October 4, 2007

• Scattershooting … With All Due Respect

  November 15, 2007

• Regular Season Don't Mean Nothin'. At Least, You Gotta Hope Not.

  February 12, 2008

• The Return of the Kidd

  February 25, 2008

• Damn, Jason Kidd Makes One Expensive Cheerleader

  February 29, 2008

• Yo, Mavs, The End's Not Near

  April 29, 2008

• The Mavs and the Mav-Nots

  July 1, 2008

• Your ’08-09 Dallas Mavericks: Still Good. Still Not Good Enough.

  October 30, 2008

• Oh and Three

  November 12, 2008

• Houston, We Have a ... Three-Game Winning Streak?

  5-7 is looking pretty good right about now, huh? When you get a break from resurrecting the Cowboys, take a minute to not bury the Mavericks either. On the brink of a 2-8 start Monday night, the Mavericks last night beat the Rockets in Houston for their third consecutive victory. Even better: Tomorrow night they’ll get their first home win of the season and improve to 6-7 as the Memphis Grizzlies slink into AAC. Trailing the Knicks 112-105 with 2:28 remaining on Monday, things lo

  November 20, 2008

• Mr. Hollins' Opus

  Let's don't call Laura Miller and her parade plans just yet, but the Mavericks may have found something. A luxury they haven't enjoyed since, oh, forever. Or at least since Roy Tarpley. A mobile, athletic big man. It was - who else? - Dirk Nowitizki's calm, fadeaway 18-footer that beat the Philadelphia 76ers, 95-93, just moments ago. That's nothing new. We've counted on and relied upon Dirk's dramatics for years now. But I'm more intrigued by newcomer Ryan Hollins. I ... have a d

  January 19, 2009

• Sheepish Mavericks 96, Shitty Timberwolves 94

  Because the Mavs beat one of the worst teams in the NBA, they may get to avoid playing the best. Embarrassing that the Dallas Mavericks had to pull a leftover Easter rabbit out of their hat last night against the Minnesota Timberwolves at American Airlines Center. But in this economy ... sorry, in this Western Conference playoff race, a two-point escape beats the hell out of laying an inexplicable, rotten egg. The Mavericks actually trailed by seven points in the fourth quarter against a

  April 14, 2009

• Overhauled and Underrated, the Mavericks Are Priced to Sell

  November 6, 2008

• Giant Disgust with Dallas Cowboys

  Tony Romo and the Cowboys piss away a Super opportunity

  January 17, 2008

• Can the Mavs Draft Their Way Back Into Contention?

  Danny Bollinger After him, Dallas' draft history this decade gets really bad really quick.As we prepare to watch the Lakers turn the Thuggets (L.A. in 7) into mere mortals in the Western Conference Finals, let's ponder what the Mavs can do to get back into the NBA's final four. *Re-sign Jason Kidd? *A sign-and-trade with Kidd? *Trade Erick Dampier and Jerry Stackhouse to the Suns for Shaquille O'Neal? *Use their mid-level exception on a summer free-agent crop highlighted by Ron Artest, L

  May 19, 2009

• 2009 NBA Playoff Preview: Spurs vs. Mavs

  The good news: When the Mavs and Spurs begin their first-round playoff series this weekend it will be a renewal of a rivalry featuring talented, tested teams. The bad news: When the Mavs and Spurs finish their first-round playoff series, the loser will go home and the winner won't be far behind. Should be a competitive, entertaining clash. But, ultimately, I don't see either Dallas or San Antonio as a major threat to get out of the second round, much less the Western Conference. (And s

  April 17, 2009

• Mavs Have an Old Deamon to Exorcise

  The Mavs better find a way to exorcise their old demon after suffering a Game 2 playoff loss against the Spurs

  April 23, 2009

• Chumps to Champs

  Remarkable journey takes Mavs from worst to--finally--first

  June 8, 2006

• All About Me | Easy on Erick | HP, Blah, Blah | Hiding in Plain View

  December 1, 2005

• The Dallas Donuts

  Can Dampier finally fill Mavs' middle?

  November 3, 2005

• New Kids on the Block

  The Nash-less Mavs try to hang tough and build a winning team from scratch

  October 28, 2004

• Dear Jose Juan Barea: I'm Sorry

  Suddenly everyone wants to talk to J.J. BareaConsider this my public apology to one J.J. Barea. Dude, I was dead wrong. You are not, in fact, a 5-foot-2 pick-up game liability whose shot I could block. Not a novely act nuisance; the obtuse opposite of Shawn Bradley. Not some twisted Criss Angel mind-fuck. And not, after further review, a boyish bench-warmer with the look and skills of a Minyard Mavericks' Ball Boy. Okay, maybe still the look. But after watching Saturday night's 13-point,

  April 20, 2009

• Mavericks 3, Spurs 1. The End is Near.

  Mike Fisher - DallasBasketball.comLet's say that before tip-off of Game 1 I gave you these crystal ball visions about the Spurs-Mavs series: *San Antonio's Tony Parker will skip down Dallas' lane at will, averaging 29 points including games of 38 and 43. *Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki will be held 10 points under his season scoring average, Jason Terry eight under his and Jason Kidd almost four assists fewer. *Entering Game 5 the series will be 3-1. Guaranteed you would've bet me a wee

  April 27, 2009

• Nuggets-Mavs: Irrationally Optimistic Game 2 Preview

  Danny Bollinger Dirk Nowitzki has a case of the old-school Bird Flu. Certain that my prediction of Thuggets in 5 is spot on, my head is bursting with pride. But desperately wanting my Mavericks to pull the upset, my heart is breaking with pain. Before tonight's pivotal Game 2 at Denver's Pepsi Center, let's allow the ticker to momentarily win the tug-o'-war over the thinker. It takes a gigantic swig of blue Kool-Aid and some Cuban-colored bifocals, but there are reasons to be c

  May 5, 2009

• Nowitzkis 119, Carmelos 117

  Better late than never, a happy tune.Now that, my friends, was a basketball game. A playoff basketball game, with everything on it. Delicious. Considering they still won't win this series, the Mavericks had every reason to fold. And after the week he's had, Dirk Nowitzki had every reason to pout. Instead? Dirk produced one of the grittiest performances in franchise history, willing the Mavericks out of a sweep with 44 points, 13 rebounds and one victory that feels more

  May 12, 2009

• Mavs-Nuggets: Irrationally Optimistic Game 3 Preview

  Danny Bollinger Bite the bullet, Josh. Or your jersey. Whatever works.Before Game 1: Doubtless. After Game 1: Defiant. Before Game 2: Determined. After Game 2: Depressed. Before Game 3: Desperate? Delusional? Dead? Fine, then you tell me. For my prediction of Thuggets in 5 to remain in play, the Mavericks have to win a game at home either tomorrow afternoon or Monday night at American Airlines Center. It'll happen. Right? *In all-time Game 3s when trailing a series 0-2 the Mavs are 7-2.

  May 8, 2009

• Mavs-Nuggets: Irrationally Optimistic Game 5 Preview

  Stay classy, Kenyon Martin's girlfriend. Stay classy.Let's keep this short and sweet, as I'm scurrying off to Las Vegas this morning to accept a CLIO Award. (No, check that, they're whispering in my ear that my schedule actually calls for an Observer staff meeting in Uptown.) Guess the awards will have to live with appearances from Mavs owner Mark Cuban and ... Barry Manilow? *I'm not saying it's chicken shit for Cuban not to be at tonight's Game 5 in Denver. He has been committed to

  May 13, 2009

• Mavericks-Nuggets: A Requiem in 5 Predictable Parts

  No Jason Terry. No Gatorade dump. Hindsight, they say, is 20/20. Sometimes, unfortunately, so is foresight. On Friday, May 1 I picked the Denver Nuggets to eliminate the Dallas Mavericks in five games. Last night it came to pass, in the form of Nuggets 124, Mavs 110. Dirk Nowitzki was as gritty as he was great. But Jason Terry never arrived, Josh Howard spent the series hobbling and the Mavericks had no answers for Denver's relentless energy and superior athleticsm. And, lest we

  May 14, 2009

• D.J. Mbenga 1, Dirk Nowitzki 0

  Watching the Lakers party in Orlando last night - I was wrong about L.A. in 4, but just barely -was a reminder how cruel sports can be. While former Mavericks D.J. Mbenga and Josh Powell hugged and kissed the NBA's Larry O'Brien championship trophy, current Maverick Dirk Nowitzki is left with remorse about hugging and kissing Cristal Taylor. Though they played in the NBA Finals only three summers ago, in a way the Mavs have never felt farther from a title. They were overmatch

  June 15, 2009

• Mavericks' Free Agency: Kidd Returning, Polish Hammer Looming

  The Mavs are Pole dancing. Got your $1s ready? We can no longer confuse the Dallas Mavericks' silence with inactivity. Let's hope we never confuse Marcin Gortat with the franchise's legacy of Great White Nopes. The Mavericks last night agreed to re-sign 36-year-old point guard Jason Kidd to a three-year, $25 million contract and inched closer to landing a new starting center as the Orlando Magic seem unwilling to match their offer for the 6-foot-11 Gortat. After a week on t

  July 6, 2009

• Your 2009-10 Dallas Mavericks?!

  I's aren't dotted. T's aren't crossed. Some negotiations aren't finished. Others haven't even started. But let's assume smooth sailing and peer into the crystal basketball. With the Dallas Mavericks eyeing Shawn Marion, this could be their opening-night roster: Point Guard: Jason Kidd/ J.J. Barea Shooting Guard: Josh Howard/ Jason Terry/Antoine Wright Small Forward: Shawn Marion/ James Singleton Power Forward: Dirk Nowitzki/ Brandon Bass Center: Marcin Gortat/ Erick Dampier/ Ryan Hollins Wh

  July 7, 2009

• Whitt's End: 7.24.09

  Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *Once upon a time Walter Cronkite was the "most trusted man in America." His death got me wondering who wears that crown today? The answer hurts: Oprah. *Sure smells like the Dallas Mavericks - who lost Marcin Gortat at the altar - are going to start the 2009-10 season with Erick Dampier jumping center. Can we possibly take them seriously? *On consecutive nights at Rangers Ballpark, the Red Sox ba

  July 24, 2009

• Mavericks Land Themselves a Gooden

  ​And the consolation prize is ... Drew Gooden. To which I say, not bad. Not bad at all. He's no Marcin Gortat or Carlos Boozer or Emeka Okafor, but the 6-foot-10, 250-pound 27-year old journeyman can be a nice fit on a nice team. Gooden seemingly has the size and skills and athleticism to be difference-making big man in the paint. But there's a reason - after agreeing to a one-year contract worth $4.5 million - that he's now with his seventh team in eight NBA seasons. The bad news: He's m

  July 27, 2009

• Done Deals? Your 2009-10 Dallas Mavericks

  The missing link? Or merely the last move?​Well, after yesterday's signing of 3-point shooting specialist Tim Thomas I think the Dallas Mavericks are finished with their significant off-season moves. Of course, at points during the summer I also thought Marcin Gortat was coming, Brandon Bass was staying and Mark Cuban was losing to the SEC. And, come to think of it - uh-oh - the acquisition of Drew Gooden hasn't made it past Twitter confirmation has it? Assuming Gooden's comin

  July 29, 2009

• Gooden-Uff

  September 24, 2009

• Mark Cuban: Super Bowl or Bust?

  ​It wasn't exactly as declarative as when Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones injected his all-or-nothing expectations into the season a month ago, but Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban believes his team is as good - actually, better - than the one that went to the NBA Finals in 2006. "The feeling and the buzz in our locker room is off the charts, literally the best it's been in a good five years," Cuban told me and Newy Scruggs on 105.3 The Fan yesterday morning. "Every guy here

  October 7, 2009

• Happy Basketball! Do You Believe in These Dallas Mavericks?

  Dirk looks excited about the season. You?​Last time we saw our Dallas Mavericks it wasn't pretty was ugly. Jason Terry was flopping (only 15 points per game), the defense was floundering (surrendering 115 per game) and owner Mark Cuban was flapping (his gums at Kenyon Martin's mom) in a 5-game playoff loss to the athletically superior Denver Nuggets back in mid-May. Tonight we can officially bury last year beneath this year as the Mavs open the 2010 season against the Washington Wi

  October 27, 2009

• Bang For Your Buck? The Worst Contracts in the History of Dallas/Fort Worth That I Can Think Off the Top of My Head.

  ​Jerry Jones signing DeMarcus Ware to a 6-year, $78 million contract is probably going to pay off in the long room. Ware is a good person, a great player and - barring something terribly unforeseen - a decent bargain. One thing Jerry's proven over his tenure is that he isn't afraid to overpay - for anything from players to stadiums. But it got me to thinking: Other than the two knuckleheads that inexplicably handed me paying gigs, what are the worst deals ever done in this area?

  October 27, 2009

• Wizards 102, Mavwrecks 91: My Top 10 Observations

  ​10. There was some good news out of the Dallas Mavericks' hideous 102-91 loss to the Washington Wizards last night at American Airlines Center. Bruce Hornsby - a long-time buddy of head coach Rick Carlisle - played a stirring National Anthem on the piano. (But, dude, he has the limpest/wimpiest of handshakes.) 9. The other positive was that Dirk Nowitzki is still terriffic. And he got a pre-game haircut. Not his traditional sheared buzz cut, but he no longer looks like a GEICO cavem

  October 28, 2009

• If You Missed This Morning's NBA All-Star Game Voting Kick-Off Press Conference ...

  ... a behind-the-scenester was there to capture the whole thing, from pre-game to big finish. Here's the formal how-do, featuring Voice of the Dallas Mavericks Mark Followill introducing Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert (who has "instituted many policies that have dramatically improved the quality of life in Dallas," says the play-by-player), Mavs owner Mark Cuban and a T-Mobile exec; absent is Jerry Jones, whose Terrordome is actually hosting the game. Below, Cuban and Leppert's remarks, during which

  November 10, 2009

• It Ain't Hump Day ... It's Sick Day. Mother Effer.

  ​For a couple weeks I coughed and sneezed and hacked and blew and ... denied. Last night I gave up and went to the doctor. Sure enough: Swine Flu. AIDS. Walking Pneumonia. Sorry, but today I gotta make this - ahhhhhchooooo! - short and sweet: *Rick Carlisle gets mad and Erick Dampier gets what? 14 points? 20 rebounds? I smell a trade in the Mavericks' future. *This is the problem with we, the media. When the D.C. snipers were on their killing rampage back in October of 2002, the stor

  November 11, 2009

• Whitt's End: 11.13.09

  ​Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *OK, so let it be known that my buddy and Ticket founding father Mike Rhyner has been/is calling for a Cowboys' appearance in this year's Super Bowl. This, after 14-plus years as president of the anti-Cowboys' faction. "I saw this coming," Rhyner maintains. "It's not a bit." *Erick Dampier had 14 points and 20 rebounds against Houston. Erica Dampier had one point and four rebounds the next nigh

  November 13, 2009