OXNARD, Calif. — Nothing is being handed to Cooper Beebe, but that’s not stopping him from working his ass off to try and take it. Despite getting the nod as one of the Dallas Cowboys’ two third-round picks from the 2024 NFL Draft, he’s being forced to earn his way into the role of starting center after being converted to the position from guard, where he dominated at Kansas State.
Three words: trust the process.
“I think I’m doing pretty well,” said Beebe following the second scrimmage against the Rams, where he earned first-team reps at center for the first time. ” … Going against their best guys helps and continues to prepare me for those looks versus those top guys — it’s invaluable.”
Having drawn a mountain of praise from head coach Mike McCarthy and players alike for how quickly he’s come along, Beebe is acing the eye test and without a No. 2 pencil.
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That exam included his first-ever preseason matchup in the NFL, where he put a lot of good on film against the Rams. With the butterflies of his first official game out of the way, the rest of his cocoon can now begin shedding, and has.
“When I went out there for my first preseason game, it was surreal,” he said. “… Getting that experience under my belt was a dream come true.”
He settled in nicely on Aug. 11, including with his declarations at the line of scrimmage, and it’s not as if seeing Cowboys’ legend and former center Travis Frederick patrolling practice in Oxnard added any pressure.
OK, of course it did, but it served as added motivation and, if early film is any indication, it worked.
“Obviously, once you get in a game it’s easier,” Beebe said. “The playbook shortens down and it gets easier, but I think I’ve been doing well. There are some weird looks here and there that I’ve got to continue working on but, overall, I think I’m doing pretty well.”
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To achieve the mission against a worthy teammate in Brock Hoffman, which is still incomplete heading into their second preseason game, this time against the Las Vegas Raiders, Beebe truly needed to perfect his ability to snap the ball before he could be viewed as a viable starting center in the NFL — something he struggled with at the start of training camp in Oxnard, consistency-wise.
But with a combination of offseason relentlessness that included snapping in the yard to his mom and family and the added work he’s put in outside of practice in South California, he’s already so far along in the process that he looks comfortable; and he’s not overthinking anymore.
Again, objectively speaking, he’s worked his ass off.
“It’s become second nature,” said the former Unanimous All-American. “I just know that unless they say something to me, it was a good snap. I really don’t worry about it anymore.”
Learning from a future first ballot Hall of Famer in Zack Martin doesn’t hurt, nor does the fact Martin mans the post directly next to Beebe — allowing for real-time advice and adjustments from one of the best to ever play the game.
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The relationship between the two is off to a great start, and Beebe credits the nine-time All-Pro as being a key reason for not only his progress, but also with how swiftly it’s occurring.
“The biggest thing is [he shows me] how to be a pro, how to take care of your body, how to study film and the things he looks for,” said Beebe. “It’s that kind of stuff, and just little stuff people don’t think about that makes the biggest difference. I think, for me, it’s how consistent he is with his sets and how he carries his hands.
“With him, every rep is the same and that’s the reason he’s great — consistency.”
And that has, thus far, been what McCarthy and the Cowboys have been waiting to see from Beebe before awarding him first-team reps in training camp and in preseason games.
He’s not taken their faith in him lightly. His work ethic has been blue collar, and it’s creating a very bright silver lining to his early camp hiccups.
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And that’s perfect, considering blue and silver are … well … you get it.
“At the end of the day, I control how things go,” Beebe explained, standing firmly in his self-confidence. “I have to continue to work and continue to get better. It’s my hands how things go. … [During the preseason opener] I was a little nervous but you get through that first play, you realize it’s just football.
“It’s something I’ve been doing my entire life and that’s why it’s comfortable for me.”
It’s definitely made easier by the fact he played defensive line in high school, not unlike how Trevon Diggs parlayed his days as wide receiver into becoming a record-setting NFL cornerback.
“It helps a lot,” said Beebe. “You figure out what defenders are trying to do and how they’re trying to attack you, and those different things. I definitely see some of their techniques that I used when I played defensive tackle that I look out for now that I’m an offensive lineman.”
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There’s a very real chance that Beebe will join fellow rookie and first-round pick Tyler Guyton as Day 1 starters when the Cowboys travel to face the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 8 and, if so, it’ll mark one of the rare occasions in which Dallas will feature two rookies (and a Hall of Famer) on the same offensive line to begin a season.
It’s a good thing Beebe’s chemistry doesn’t simply flow to his right to Martin, but also to and through Tyler Smith to his left and outwardly toward Guyton; and both Guyton and Beebe have been training this offseason with offensive line guru Duke Manyweather of OL Masterminds.
The bond is there, and it’s real.
“Oh, that’s my guy!” he said excitedly of Guyton. “We met up in college. Obviously, he played at [Oklahoma] and I was at [Kansas State] so we’ve known each other for a while, and to get drafted to the same place? We were clicking right away.”
There is no shortage of pressure on Beebe to get up to speed, and while it’s not nearly as much as the amount that rests on the shoulders of Guyton, Beebe doesn’t view it that way. To him, he has the same level of responsibility as does Guyton, regardless of draft status.
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Plenty of work remains for Beebe and it will honestly never stop, just ask Martin, but he’s opening plenty of eyes to begin his professional career with the Cowboys.
The bottom line is Beebe is getting it out of the dirt, while putting more and more defenders in it.
In the restaurant industry, where women make up 63% of entry level positions but 34% of the leadership, it’s good to see a local effort to try to make a difference.
For the second time this year, Dallas College will offer its Women in Restaurants Leadership Program. As our colleague Imelda García recently reported, this is an eight-week, tuition-free course that partners with several local restaurants such as Beatrice and Zen Sushi to give students hands-on experience in both the front and back of a restaurant. And while the program focuses on training women, all individuals who are interested in restaurant leadership are invited to register for the course.
That’s an appreciated nod to the need to provide help to all seekers. But recognizing that women are underrepresented in restaurant leadership and then helping them get a leg up is wise. Restaurants have an unfortunate history of being boys’ clubs, especially in the kitchen. More balance in the leadership ranks is needed to shift that narrative.
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Steve DeShazo, the senior director of Workforce Initiatives at Dallas College, told us that this experience is valuable to students who want to own their own culinary business in the future. For many, this program provides mentorship, connections and guidance they need in their careers, DeShazo said.
The first course was offered in spring, and the results were telling. One hundred percent of students said they would recommend the course to another student, DeShazo said. Another metric of the course’s success was job placement, with several restaurants hiring students from the class.
We’ve been bullish on community college providing the necessary skills training to get young people, and not-so-young people, launched into careers without taking on the debt and time that some don’t have to devote to a four-year degree.
And seeing a program that builds opportunities for women to become industry leaders is a step toward greater equality that will benefit all of society.
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DALLAS — Over the last few days, it’s been widely reported that Dallas police are investigating what they believe was an attempted kidnapping in a North Dallas neighborhood Monday afternoon. A young man exiting a white SUV and approaching a group of kids was identified as the suspect.
Thursday, the department said it’s still investigating, but provided more information.
They said the involved individuals have been identified, are under the age of 18, and have been cooperating with the investigation. In this case, detectives do not believe there is a threat to the public at this time. No arrests have been made in this case.
“Originally, we were very worried,” Cori Pratt said. “We were all on very high alert.”
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Pratt lives about a half mile from Old Pond Drive, where the alleged incident occurred.
As the Expanded Neighborhood Patrol coordinator for the nearby Highlands North Homeowners Association, she worked to learn more about this incident on Monday.
“I got in touch with an officer from our area, who patrols our area, and I asked him if he could verify, confirm any of this information and he said he could,” she said.
Pratt said the next day, the officer contacted her with an update.
“He reported that no one had been arrested and that it was not filed as an attempted kidnapping,” she said.
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She put this information in an email and sent it to homeowners. It also stated the officer confirmed with a lieutenant that the incident started when one of the children threw an object, possibly a water balloon or ball, striking the man’s vehicle, causing him to stop and confront the group.
“I certainly understand how anybody would be absolutely terrified if their kid came screaming and said I’m being kidnapped or somebody is coming after me,” she said. “I totally understand that.”
However, with this investigation now going viral across multiple platforms nationwide, Pratt is hoping people will wait to learn more from police before making judgment.
“Innocent until proven guilty, right?” she said.
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Erin Jones
Raised in Richardson, Erin Jones is proud to call North Texas home. Her passion for journalism began in elementary school. For a 5th grade graduation memory book, she was asked what do you want to be when you grow up? She wrote journalist.
The Dallas Mavericks’ schedule for the 2024-25 regular season is no longer a mystery.
After a slow trickle of marquee games over the last several days, the NBA officially revealed the full regular season schedule Thursday afternoon.
The Mavericks, the defending Western Conference champions, will begin the season Oct. 24 when Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs visit American Airlines Center, a reversal of last year’s season opener in San Antonio.
It’ll be a Texas Showdown between two revamped teams in the Southwest Division. It marks the debut of the newly formed trio of Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, while Wembanyama will have a new co-star in veteran guard Chris Paul.
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The Mavericks will take their new Big 3 on the road for the first time on Oct. 26 against the Phoenix Suns and another Big 3: Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.
Dallas Mavericks offseason central: NBA free agency, key dates, storylines and more
The Mavericks finished 50-32 last season, fifth in the Western Conference, before they went on an improbable, electric run to the NBA Finals. They’ll have two rematches with the Boston Celtics, who captured the Larry O’Brien trophy in five games, on Jan. 25 in Dallas and Feb. 6 in Boston.
Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison told The Dallas Morning News in July that he’s looking forward to seeing how the team responds to last season’s success. Any team that’s fresh off a Finals run will likely receive every team’s best shot.
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“You’re no longer hunting people,” Harrison said. “They’re going to be hunting. So how do you respond? Do we finish games off? Does everybody come in shape, ready to go? That’s the type of stuff I’m excited to see.”
Seven of the Mavericks’ first nine games are at home, which includes a five-game homestand – the first of two during the season. That serves as a calm before the storm because Dallas will embark on a brutal stretch of 11 of 15 games on the road throughout the majority of November. The Mavericks will also end the season playing 12 of their final 20 games on the road.
Here are a few takeaways from the Mavericks’ schedule, followed by the complete list of games, times and TV info.
National TV appearances
Dallas is scheduled to play on national television 30 times, including nine on TNT, nine on ESPN, seven on NBA TV and five on ABC.
Locally, the Mavericks are waiting to see what happens with Bally Sports Southwest, whose parent company, Diamond Sports Group, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
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Minority shareholder Mark Cuban said at an event last week, according to WFAA-TV, that if Bally doesn’t renew its contract with the Mavericks, which appears likely, the franchise will do what it can to maximize distribution.
One option could be partnering with the Stars, who ended their rights agreement with Bally and will launch a direct-to-consumer streaming app, Victory+, that will allow in-market fans to watch games for free this season.
Back-to-backs
The Mavericks are scheduled for 13 back-to-backs:
Five are home-to-road.
Four begin and end on the road.
Two begin and end at home.
One is road-to-home.
Four don’t require any travel.
On the road
Dallas’ longest road trip is five games, from Jan. 29 to Feb. 6, against New Orleans, Detroit, Cleveland, Philadelphia and Boston.
The Mavericks also have two four-game trips.
Home cooking
The Mavericks’ longest homestands are two five-game stints from Oct. 31 to Nov. 8 and Feb. 8 to Feb. 21.
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Complete schedule
October
Thu. Oct. 24: San Antonio, 6:30, TNT
Sat. Oct. 26: @ Phoenix, 9:00
Mon. Oct. 28: Utah, 7:30
Tue. Oct. 29: @ Minnesota, 6:30, TNT
Thu. Oct. 31: Houston, 7:30
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November
Sun. Nov. 3: Orlando, 6:30
Mon. Nov. 4: Indiana, 8:45
Wed. Nov. 6: Chicago, 7:30
Fri. Nov. 8: Phoenix, 6:30, ESPN
Sun. Nov. 10: @ Denver, 7:00
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Tue. Nov. 12: @ Golden State (NBA Cup group play), 9:00, TNT
Thu. Nov. 14: @ Utah, 8:00, NBA TV
Sat. Nov. 16: San Antonio, 7:30, NBA TV
Sun. Nov. 17: @ Oklahoma City, 6:00
Tue. Nov. 19: New Orleans (NBA Cup group play), 7:30
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Fri. Nov. 22: @ Denver (NBA Cup group play), 9:00, ESPN
Sun. Nov. 24: @ Miami, 5:00
Mon. Nov. 25: @ Atlanta, 6:30, NBA TV
Wed. Nov. 27: New York, 6:30, ESPN
Sat. Nov. 30: @ Utah, 8:30
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December
Sun. Dec. 1: @ Portland, 8:00
Tue. Dec. 3: Memphis, 7:30 (NBA Cup group play)
Thu. Dec. 5: @ Washington, 6:00
Sat. Dec. 7: @ Toronto, 6:30
Dec. 10-17: NBA Cup
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Thu. Dec. 19: LA Clippers, 7:30
Sat. Dec. 21: LA Clippers, 7:30
Mon. Dec. 23: Portland, 7:30
Wed. Dec. 25: Minnesota, 1:30, ABC
Fri. Dec. 27: @ Phoenix, 8:00
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Sat. Dec. 28: @ Portland, 9:00
Mon. Dec. 30: @ Sacramento, 9:00, NBA TV
January
Wed. Jan. 1: @ Houston, 7:00
Fri. Jan. 3: Cleveland, 7:30
Mon. Jan. 6: @ Memphis, 7:00
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Tue. Jan. 7: LA Lakers, 6:30, TNT
Thu. Jan. 9: Portland, 7:30
Sun. Jan. 12: Denver, 2:00
Tue. Jan. 14: Denver, 8:30, TNT
Wed. Jan. 15: @ New Orleans, 7:00
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Fri. Jan. 17: Oklahoma City, 7:30
Mon. Jan. 20: @ Charlotte, 11:00, NBA TV
Wed. Jan. 22: Minnesota, 6:30, ESPN
Thu. Jan. 23: @ Oklahoma City, 7:00
Sat. Jan. 25: Boston, 4:30, ABC
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Mon. Jan. 27: Washington, 7:30
Wed. Jan. 29: @ New Orleans, 7:00
Fri. Jan. 31: @ Detroit, 6:00
February
Sun. Feb. 2: @ Cleveland, 2:30
Tue. Feb. 4: @ Philadelphia, 6:30, TNT
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Thu. Feb. 6: @ Boston, 6:30, TNT
Sat. Feb. 8: Houston, 2:00
Mon. Feb. 10: Sacramento, 7:30
Wed. Feb. 12: Golden State, 8:30, ESPN
Thu. Feb. 13: Miami, 7:30
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Feb. 14-16: NBA All-Star 2025, San Francisco Bay Area
Fri. Feb. 21: New Orleans, 8:30, ESPN
Sun. Feb. 23: @ Golden State, 2:30, ABC
Tue. Feb. 25: @ LA Lakers, 9:00, TNT
Thu. Feb. 27: Charlotte, 7:30
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March
Sat. March 1: Milwaukee, 7:30
Mon. March 3 Sacramento, 7:30
Wed. March 5: @ Milwaukee, 8:30, ESPN
Fri. March 7: Memphis, 6:30, ESPN
Sun. March 9: Phoenix, 2:30, ABC
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Mon. March 10: @ San Antonio, 7:30
Wed. March 12: @ San Antonio, 7:00
Fri. March 14: @ Houston, 7:00
Sun. March 16: Philadelphia, 12:00, ABC
Wed. March 19: @ Indiana, 6:00
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Fri. March 21: Detroit, 7:30
Mon. March 24: @ Brooklyn, 6:30
Tue. March 25: @ New York, 6:30, TNT
Thu. March 27: @ Orlando, 6:00, NBA TV
Sat. March 29: @ Chicago, 7:00
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Mon. March 31: Brooklyn, 7:30
April
Wed. April 2: Atlanta, 7:30
Fri. April 4: @ LA Clippers, 9:30
Sat. April 5: @ LA Clippers, 9:30, NBA TV
Wed. April 9: LA Lakers, 6:30, ESPN
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Fri. April 11: Toronto, 7:30
Sun. April 13: @ Memphis, 2:30
Mavericks radio
The Mavericks’ flagship radio station, 97.1 The Eagle, will continue to broadcast all of the team’s games. Each game will also be available via live stream on iHeartRadio.com and in Spanish on Zona MX 99.1 [KFZO].
