Ties suck, unless you're Troy Dungan, Anna Kournikova's brother or a guy lucky enough to have tickets to next week's Dallas All Sports Association Awards Banquet. The 41st annual DASA gala is Tuesday at 7 p.m. at The Fairmont Hotel. And, yes, you'll need a black tie, and preferably a matching black jacket, if you hope to rub swanky elbows with the likes of Avery Johnson, Lou Brock and Emmitt Smith. This year's banquet, with proceeds providing college scholarships to 28 underprivileged Dallas-area high-school students, is expected to attract 1,000 guests paying $150 per ticket or groups of 10 dishing out, um, $10,000? Sure, see if the CFO will cancel his fishing trip to Madagascar so you and nine co-workers can get "a premium banquet table...autograph memorabilia including a signed Emmitt Smith football centerpiece...use of an American Airlines Center suite for an upcoming sporting event...50 sponsor mentions on flagship radio station ESPN 103.3 FM...and, of course, a limo to and from the big ball."
Hosted this year by blast-from-the-past emcee Scott Murray, the banquet will be highlighted by awards presented to the Dallas Mavericks (Big D Award), Brock (Lamar Hunt Award), Mack Brown (Tom Landry Coach of the Year Award), Johnson (Don Nelson Award) and Frank Deford (Pat Summerall Award). Because of a recent illness, 95-year-old legendary Negro League baseball player Buck O'Neil won't be able to accept his Legends Award, but Jackie Robinson's daughter, Sharon, will pick up his hardware for him. Tickets to the event are available through DASA or by calling executive director Bob Melton (214-485-2055). Tuxedo rental, complete with tie, available at Lombardo Custom Apparel. --Richie Whitt
