Two sports shorts with which to commence the day, before the Dallas Mavericks end it 'round 8:30ish with yet another first-round shalom, y'all. Howard Beck in The New York Times documents yesterday's Mavs practice that wasn't supposed to be: Coach Avery Johnson axed the team workout, but the players went ahead and worked out anyway -- without their coach, who, either bravely or insanely, refuses to acknowledge the severity of the situation in which he finds himself today. Says Johnson, repeatedly, “We’re still alive.” Since when?

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Also, the Philadelphia Eagles refuses to give up their feudin' and fightin' with wide receiver Terrell Owens: The Cowboy's former team sued Owens in federal court yesterday, contending that he owes the Eagles about $800,000 in bonus money. He has suggested he will pay back the bonus in popcorn. --Robert Wilonsky