NHL Pacific

Fist Bumps And Body Smashes

From Penn State to the Dallas Stars, the Good, Bad and Godawful News in This Day in Sports

Courtesy G ​Don't think for a second this small attempt to resurrect a sports blog is an afterthought. We'll get there ... sooner than later. But on a day like today: Where to begin? Penn State, no doubt, far from home for most but not for all, and certain top of mind on this day as news comes of ... More >>

And Now a Word with Brett Hull: Stars VP, St. Louis Lover, and Total Foodie

​With the Cards and Rams in town this weekend, we asked ourselves: "Who in our fabulous city is from St. Louis and could shed a little light on the food scene up there?" Perhaps, we thought, our most esteemed transplant from that so-called Gateway to the West, Hall of Famer Brett Hull, who p ... More >>

3 Doors Down's Chris Henderson Saw 3 Doors Down Before He Was Even In The Band

3 Doors Down​Love 'em or hate 'em, 3 Doors Down have been around since the mid-'90s, with five albums in their canon. They're currently touring on last year's mega-selling Time of My Life, but you can still hear songs on the radio from their debut album. Led by vocalist (and the band's original dr ... More >>

Whitt's End

After six great years at the Dallas Observer, they're dragging me out kicking, screaming and, yes, grateful.

Mike Modano's Tear-Stained Farewell

Photos by Mike Mezeul​Mike Modano, the highest-scoring American-born player in the history of the National Hockey League and the face of the Dallas Stars even after he signed to Detroit for a final season, stifled a sob as he bade farewell to those who shaped his legendary career, which included 1 ... More >>

At Last, Mike Modano to Retire

Photo by Patrick MichelsMike Modano and Willa Ford at our music awards two years ago​In April 2010, Mike Modano told us he wasn't sure if he was ready to retire. He sure felt like it, he said: "At this point, on this day, I can make the decision: I'm done." But, of course, he wasn't: After a tear- ... More >>

Raised An Army Brat, Jerry Rutherford's Now a Deep Ellum Metalhead Through and Through.

Jerry Rutherford​Within Deep Ellum's metal scene, Jerry Rutherford is everybody's friend. It seems like he's at all the shows, always up to do a shot and let out that rallying, supportive cry-of-the-rocker that barely edges up above the volume of whichever hard rock act is blaring not far in front ... More >>

Dirk Nowitzki Celebrates Birthday The Way All NBA Stars Surely Do: Vintage Wine and a Nobel Laureate

Mike Mezeul​So what do you give the man who -- all the sudden -- has everything? You throw him a surprise birthday party at a discreet wine room and invite 41 guests, including a Nobel Prize winner he's never met. After getting serenaded with "Happy Birthday" by a post-parade American Ai ... More >>

The Champion of Championships: Where Does the Mavs' Title Rank?

​Great. But is it the greatest? When Dirk Nowitzki accessorized his lefty layup in the final minute with private tears of joy and accomplishment last Sunday night in Miami, the Dallas Mavericks symbolically threw Don Carter's 10-gallon hat in the ring. After years of sheepishly having B ... More >>

The Greatest Individual Playoff Performance in the History of Dallas-Fort Worth Sports. Is Dirk's Dominant?

​The Mavs can play better than they did in Game 1 of the NBA's Western Conference Finals. For the first time in the playoffs they allowed 100 points, 112 to be exact. The Thunder grabbed 11 offensive rebounds and, according to Mavs' coach Rick Carlisle, corralled 13 of the game's 20 loose bal ... More >>

The Dallas Stars Need a New Head Coach

​There's a 3 p.m. presser scheduled with local media members. Till then, this and only this is all the Dallas Stars' front office has to say about the immediate adios of head coach Marc Crawford, who yet again couldn't get his team to the post-season:Head Coach Marc Crawford Relieved Of His Coachi ... More >>

Puck It

Stars Lose What Felt Like a Playoff Game to Dastardly Ducks

​If the Dallas Stars wind up missing the NHL playoffs they'll have a crazy bounce and crotch-kick, 4-3, loss on March 23 to blame. I don't watch a lot of hockey but last night's tilt had a post-season atmosphere at American Airlines Center. The Stars were seconds away - literally - ... More >>

nib chocolate's Stephen Smith on the Sweet Life

​Here's some hopeful news for all you C students out there: At the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in Paris, Stephen Smith's "worst subject of everything was chocolate." Apparently, he got better. In fact, he got good enough to operate his own wholesale chocolate business, nib cho ... More >>

A Tale of Two Trades: How the Mavs and Stars are Affected by 'Melo and Neal

​The Dallas Mavericks got better today. The Dallas Stars? Hmm. With the trading of Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups to the New York Knicks, you can cross the Denver Nuggets off the list of NBA Western Conference powers in this spring's playoffs. Raymond Felton is a decent point guard and ... More >>

Whitt's End: 1.14.11

​Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *Jerry Jones is desperate to break the Super Bowl attendance record, set at the Rose Bowl back in 1980. To do so, he needs to pack 104,000 into Cowboys Stadium. Or around it? He wants to sell ticke ... More >>

Whitt's End: 1.7.11

​Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *If Bill Parcells fit too snug and Wade Phillips was a size too loose, Jason Garrett fits juuuuust right. *Maybe I'm naive and gullible and biased in favor of Garrett, but until otherwise I'm ... More >>

How About a Wooly Cap-Trick?

Ten Sports Items From Yesterday That, In My Humble Opinion, Are Worth a Look-See

What's Favre's legacy? You tell me.​10. Christmas came early for Mavs fans, as Dallas ended the Heat's 12-game winning streak with an entertaining 98-96 victory last night in Miami. My wrap-up is forthcoming, but until then, Wilonsky over at Unfair Park showed us the team's official Christmas gift ... More >>

By George I Think He's Done It! Yep, He Definitely Did It.

Would you rather your football team - like the Dallas Cowboys - implode during a 1-7 start, fire its head coach and be done by Halloween? Or would you rather your football team - like FC Dallas - make it all the way to the Super Bowl only to dramatically lose in the 107th minute of play on an ... More >>

Whitt's End: 10.22.10

​Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End:*Roger Staubach to Tony Hill to beat the Redskins in '79. Alvin Harper running free against the 49ers to clinch the NFC Championship Game in '92. Dirk Nowitzki's long 3-pointer to secure Game 2 of ... More >>

Reflections of a sportswriter on being a Texas Ranger fan... pretty much since birth.

Will the Dallas Mavericks Bore Their Fans To Death With Another Winning Season?

Wherein Ian McCulloch, That Guy from Snatch And an Angry Mob of Liverpool FC Supporters Offer Some Not-So-Kind Words to Tom Hicks

Well, there's no Shaft of Austin Powers or James Bond after all. But filmmaker Mike Jefferies has, as promised, just posted to the YouTube his short film Dear Mr Hicks, aimed at you-know-who over you-know-what. There are some familiar faces mixed in there, not that that's important. But for some rea ... More >>

Stars Prez Jeff Cogen Talks, Very Briefly, About Why He's Leaving For the Nashville Predators

Jeff Cogen​When word came down that Jeff Cogen, till today the president of Your Dallas Stars since 2007 and before that president and chief operation officer of Your Texas Rangers, was decamping for the Nashville Predators, where he'll be chief executive officer, I called his cell hoping that may ... More >>

Whitt's End: 8.6.10

​Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *Since you guys salivate over local radio news, here's a zesty taste: Starting August 16 the new program director at 105.3 The Fan will be Bruce Gilbert. Yep, the same Bruce Gilbert who helped buil ... More >>

Yuck Spit Vomit: Mike Modano is Now the Enemy

We knew this day was coming. Doesn't make it any easier to digest. Former Dallas Stars goalie Marty Turco is now a Chicago Blackhawk. And, yep, Mike Modano will play again next season with the ...

Channel 21, Now Truly "The Preeminent Sports Carrier" in Town, Adds Dallas Stars to Roster

​After the jump you'll find the announcement that just landed in the Unfair Park in-box, but short story shorter: KTXA will broadcast 15 Dallas Stars regular-season games each season for the next four beginning, well, this season. Most, incidentally, will be Saturday-night games -- and all will b ... More >>

Walk Of Fame

Bonus MP3: RIVETHEAD - "Stay Alive"

Kaylene FanslerRIVETHEAD​Chances are, you've already heard a song by Dallas' RIVETHEAD. You just may not have realized it. The local industrial/metal band's music has been played by the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center for several years now--and, beyond that, RIVETHEAD's songs have bee ... More >>

Eric Foster, Guy Behind the DFW Most Powerful List, Says He's Only Getting Started

So, Eric, do tell: How do three Texas Rangers rank as more powerful than Rangers president and would-be co-owner Nolan Ryan?​Earlier this afternoon I got a call from a phone number beginning with the 903 area code -- and, hey, we were just speaking of first thing this morning. Sure enough, the man ... More >>

Iconic Texas Stadium is Now Blown to Smithereens in Yet Another Example of How Dallas Treats its History

Yes, Another Film Festival: The USA Film Festival Releases Line-Up and Schedule

Colin Farrell and Alicja Bachleda in Neil Jordan's Ondine, which is playing the USA Film Festival April 30​The Dallas International Film Festival wraps up Sunday. But tomorrow morning, tickets for the USA Film Festival will go on sale via Ticketmaster, according to the fest's publicist in the rele ... More >>

Falling Stars

​The Dallas Stars cleared out their lockers yesterday. They long ago vacated our minds. Once upon a time Stars games were Dallas' see-and-be-scene. The hockey team won. The bold and beautiful watched. Even as recently as two springs ago we were staying up late and digging in hard for Dallas' ... More >>

BREAKING NEWS: Wayne Gretzky Interested in Buying Your Dallas Stars

​The greatest hockey player ever is teaming with two of the sport's most iconic local faces in an attempt to buy the Dallas Stars, according to two sources familiar with the organization's current business landscape. With long-time owner Tom Hicks intent on selling the team, a group led by Wa ... More >>

Mo's Last Go? The Dallas Stars Are Done and Mike Modano Ain't Far Behind.

Without Mo around, we're going to have find more excuses to gawk at Mrs. Mo.​This was supposed to be a frenzied hockey year in Dallas. New coach (Marc Crawford), new GM (Joe Nieuwendyk) and renewed optimism. But let's face it, the season got off to a slow start in October and now the Stars ... More >>

Watch: A Fan Video For LehtMoJoe's "Tunered"

It's been far too long since we check in on Grand Prairie's Vincent Sliva, better known by his Dallas Stars-themed stage handle as mashup DJ, remix artist and electro act LehtMoJoe. Surely, you remember that he put out an album of dance cuts last summer called Spaghetti Western? Maybe? No?Well, allo ... More >>

Former shock Jock Russ Martin’s Ego and Wallet Continue to Swell, Though He’s Quietly Losing Relevance

The Fab Fifty

Or, half a hundred folks with way better seats than you

Star Ball

We're All Stars in Dallas

Holiday on Ice

Our Stars take on the Oilers

Them's Fightin' Words

Roll Riddles

Cafe Miso needs to find its focus