Best Dallas Star 2011 | Loui Eriksson | Best of Dallas® 2020 | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Dallas | Dallas Observer
Navigation
Support Us
Search

Best Dallas Star

Loui Eriksson

In a lackluster, playoff-less season in which Mike Modano and Marty Turco left, it was the spunky left-winger who arrived. Despite playing in Brad Richards' shadow, Eriksson was Dallas' second-leading scorer with 73 points on 27 goals (including six game-winners) and 46 assists and produced a team-high plus/minus of plus-10. The losing season cost head coach Marc Crawford his job and prompted Richards to leave via free agency, but at least the Stars have young players like Eriksson and Jamie Benn to liven up the future. Oh, who are we kidding? Hockey has never been worse or less relevant in this town.

Best FC Dallas Player

David Ferreira

Just when we were wrapping our hearts and minds around Dallas-bred soccer idol Kenny Cooper, he up and went overseas to play real fútbol. Like my grandma used to say, "Nothing wrong with leftovers." And so it is with Colombia-born midfielder David Ferreira. In just his second season playing up at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Ferreira earned Major League Soccer's MVP and led the surprising team to the MLS Cup. With him out of their lineup because of a broken ankle, FC Dallas was merely an average side early in 2011. Professional soccer still isn't popular out in the 'burbs, but with Ferreira, FC Dallas has a chance to again do something that transcends sports and cities — win.

Best Pro Coach

Rick Carlisle, Mavericks

In light of Ron Washington guiding the Rangers to their first World Series, this wasn't a no-brainer. But Rick Carlisle pushed all the right buttons in leading the Mavericks to their first NBA championship. After he shaved his head to honor his dad, Preston, and then it kinda didn't grow back, he looked like a scary Jim Carrey. But whether it was inserting DeShawn Stevenson into the lineup, believing in J.J. Barea or knowing when to throw a zone defense or even Ian Mahinmi at the Miami Heat, Carlisle was as valuable to Dallas' title run as anyone this side of the giant German. And to think, he was this close to being fired had the Mavs lost in the first round to Portland.

Best Owner

Mark Cuban, Mavericks

Has any owner ever enjoyed a championship more? Considering the decade, cash and passion invested into his Mavericks, he deserved it. After Dallas' first pro basketball title, Mark Cuban took the Larry O'Brien trophy to the urinal, took a cheap shot at sorta partner/definitely enemy Ross Perot Jr. and got the last laugh on his critics. Whether it's keeping the faith in Dirk Nowitzki, sticking with Jason Kidd or shelling out the big bucks to sign Tyson Chandler, Cuban is nothing if not determined to put himself and his team in the best position to win. As if that's not enough, every week he jumps into ABC's Shark Tank. Impressive.

Best TV Sports Anchor

Mike Doocy

Channel 8's Dale Hansen may have pushed our policy on term limits had his banter with weatherman Pete Delkus not deteriorated from witty to warped. Mike Doocy has the advantage of batting first in the sports wrap-up show game each Sunday night, and more often than not he takes advantage with a solid, often spectacular Sports Sunday on Fox 4. His highlights are comprehensive. His graphics are by far the best on local television. He provides one-on-one interviews. And his popular "Open Mike" segment gives a voice to everyone from Steve Busby to Tony Casillas to RJ Choppy. Furthermore, we know Hansen is secretly jealous of Doocy's perfectly coiffed hair. Actually, that's not a secret.

Best Cheap Seats

Frisco RoughRiders

Other than naked on a water bed with Kate Upton, the best place to watch a baseball game has to be Frisco. More specifically, at a RoughRiders game. For a whopping $9. In the swimming pool. Doubt you can watch quality baseball while sipping a beer in a floatie and you're probably still in denial over the fact we have alligator gar in our lakes and orange-barrel construction zones all over our highways. Ring a bell? If you're tired of IKEA, Highway 121's traffic or the world's largest population of SUVs and DDs, slip into your Speedo, munch on a hot dog and take in some Double-A baseball from the Dr Pepper Ballpark's right-field cool pool. And when you get water wrinkled, take a tour of the ballpark's bathrooms, the only stadium restrooms in America designed by an interior decorator. Swear.

Best Alligator Gar-Watching

The Trinity River from Corinth Bridge To Interstate 20

Atractosteus spatula, the alligator gar (which actually has a head like a spatula), is the largest exclusively freshwater fish species in North America, and we have tons of these strange prehistoric-looking monsters of the shallows right here in the city. A slow float down the Trinity River through the Great Trinity Forest can turn up lots of these dinosaur-looking deals cruising with their broad backs just above the surface. They can grow to 10 feet and 300 pounds, so watch out when they slap water next to your canoe. The state will let you take one of them per day without a size limit, but you know what? Just looking at them and leaving them alone can be even more satisfying.

Best Public Golf Course

Cowboys Golf Club

It pales in comparison to Jerry Jones' $1 billion stadium in Arlington, but for a mere $190 you can hack it around one of Texas' premier tracks. If you don't mind the constant stream of thunderous airplanes that use Cowboys' 18th fairway to line up with a runway, you can almost convince yourself you've left the city. Dramatic elevation changes. Unique views. And, far as we can tell, not a blade of grass out of place. Even the putting green — shaped like a star, of course — is immaculate. Inside the clubhouse are replica Super Bowl trophies. Outside, you might just run into Cowboys such as Tony Romo. For your exorbitant fee, you get range balls, golf and all the food and non-alcoholic drinks you can inhale. Sample the jalapeño sausage near the 14th tee. You won't be sorry. Until the next day.

Best Play-by-Play Voice

Brad Sham, Cowboys

Seems a safe bet that this is one of the most competitive categories in this whole damn book. In this corner, you have Eric Nadel, iconic voice of the Texas Rangers for more than 30 years. In this corner, you have Ralph Strangis and Darryl Reaugh, the only hockey announcers North Texas has ever known. Yet standing in the middle, stiff-arming the competition, stands Brad Sham, Dallas' version of Vin Scully. Yes, he roots for the Cowboys. But he does it eloquently, almost subtly, somehow without being a homer. And he's by no means a shill for Jerry Jones, evidenced by his memorable, disgusted calls of a drop by Roy Williams and a missed block leading to Tony Romo's injury by rookie fullback Chris Gronkowski. Quipped Sham before a win over the Texans last year, "If the Cowboys can keep from slipping in their own drool they'll be OK." Touche.

Best Sports Acquisition

Tyson Chandler, Mavericks

Just as Jason Garrett changed the culture of the Cowboys in 2010, Tyson Chandler transformed the Mavericks' defense. After a decade in which the team tried to out-offense opponents as its only path to victory, the Mavericks suddenly won games 91-89 instead of 121-119. In the middle of the identity switch was the Mavericks' defensive anchor, a free-agent center who blocked shots, took charges and barked instructions to teammates en route to earning third place in the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year voting. Dirk was Dirk and Jason Kidd was almost better than ever, but the Mavs don't win a championship without Chandler in the middle.

Best Of Dallas®

Best Of

Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our terms of use, our cookies policy, and our privacy policy The Dallas Observer may earn a portion of sales from products & services purchased through links on our site from our affiliate partners. ©2024 Dallas Observer, LP. All rights reserved.
Do Not Sell or Share My Information
Powered By Foundation