WHITT’S END: 5.20.22

Whether or not you’re on the finish of your espresso, your day, your week and even your rope, welcome to Whitt’s Finish …

*Stereotypes stick. Come Hell, excessive water, sports activities success or 40 dang years. Was reminded of this twice just lately: Within the NBA Playoffs, and in – of all locations – Greece. 

After the Dallas Mavericks administered that epic Sport 7 shellacking of the Phoenix Suns, the TNT studio crew started speaking about heading to Dallas for Western Convention Finals Video games 3-4. As they did, Shaquille O’Neal donned a black cowboy hat. As a result of, ya know, he was going to slot in to a tradition that also wears boots, trip horses and events with six-shooters (nicely, sadly, that final half is all too true). 

Shaq is aware of higher. 

As soon as upon a time he owned a home in Plano. When on the town for a Mavs recreation he hangs out at Lodge Zaza in Uptown, the place the car parking zone is stuffed not with mustangs however Maserati’s. Nevertheless it doesn’t cease him – or TNT – from advancing the Dallas-is-a-country-city narrative. Similar with NFL TV opens that nauseatingly present clips of grazing longhorns, as if they’re our pet of selection. DFW’s Stetson stereotype has traveled, and preserved. 

Whereas in Greece final week on trip, I can’t inform you what number of occasions I endured this response after I knowledgeable an area I used to be from Dallas: “Oh, J.R. Ewing?!” It’s 2022. The signature “Who Shot J.R.?” episode of Dallas aired Nov. 21, 1980.

*I scent bother: Given their math of subtractions (Amari Cooper) outweighing additions (James Washington) this offseason, the Dallas Cowboys aren’t pretty much as good a soccer crew because the one which walked off the sector after the Wild Card loss to the 49ers. In the meantime, the Eagles have considerably improved.

Dallas’ relative inaction this offseason does not imply the Cowboys are doomed. However Dallas followers have a motive to be envious of Philly’s go-for-it fashion.

CeeDee Lamb

Deion Sanders

Rookie offensive line

*As spectacular because it was that Luka Doncic had extra factors than Devin Booker, extra rebounds than Deandre Ayton, extra assists than Chris Paul and extra steals than Mikal Bridges in Sport 7 in opposition to the Suns, his Sport 1 efficiency in opposition to the Warriors featured extra turnovers (7) than hoops (6). 

If that development continues, you may escape the brooms.

*With the Mavs charming DFW, the Texas Rangers picked a unhealthy time to be good. Whereas nearly nobody seen, they salvaged a 6-14 begin with an 11-5 surge that had them flirting with .500. I’d love to interrupt down Martin Perez’ pitching and Kole Calhoun’s slugging, however I’m fascinated-on-the-verge-of-obsessed with Marcus Semien hitting 45 homers final season and – sure, nonetheless – zero this season. As a Ranger he has been to the plate 153 occasions with out leaving the yard. 

We’d’ve misplaced a ton a cash betting in opposition to that.

*Nick Saban is true about NIL offers monkeying with school recruiting. However the Alabama coach is incorrect to select a combat about them with Jimbo Fisher and Deion Sanders, two guys with egos sufficiently big to combat again.

*Three thumbs-up to Greece. The climate is 55-75 with zero humidity. The individuals are comfy in their very own pores and skin, unaffected by different individuals’s opinion of their trend, and so on. It’s uber protected, due to a shortage of weapons (you’re 12 occasions extra prone to get shot within the U.S.). Regardless of Giannis “Greek Freak” Antetokounmpo being within the Jap Convention Semifinals, sports activities weren’t in any respect prevalent. Earlier than – and after – each meal they serve you Ouzo, which takes like a transparent shot of Jägermeister and makes you not care about climate or weapons or trend or sports activities or something however having a great time. 

Oh, and the views? Did I point out the view? Santorini is breathtaking.

*Sizzling.

*Not.

*In case you dare look forward to a NBA Finals Mavs matchup in opposition to the Celtics or Warmth, discover optimism in that Dallas went 3-1 in opposition to them this season with a win in each highway video games. The one loss – to the Warmth on opening evening – got here six months in the past.

*Jerry Jones says he wouldn’t promote the Cowboys for $10 billion, or any quantity. Ever. Don’t blame him. What’s a man with more cash than he can ever spend gonna do with more cash? As a substitute, Jones – who will flip 80 in October – has one thing priceless. One thing all of us – younger or previous – yearn for: a motive to get away from bed and be excited. To Jones, the Cowboys are a Fountain of Youth. 

Some individuals lose that zest and that carrot of motivation at 60, 50, 40 even 30. He’ll have it till his dying breath, at which level he’ll have the peace of thoughts understanding it’s being transferred to son Stephen, who any individual will go it on to Jerry Jr., then John Stephen, and so forth.

*Since we’re subjected to ineffective sideline reporters babbling on about some prefabricated featurette a couple of participant’s favourite restaurant that might simply be communicated through the three-person saying crew, let’s add one other reporter which may really be helpful. We’ve bought refs readily available for controversial calls. Even kicking specialists on the sector for NFL video games. 

It’s time to have a health care provider on responsibility. 

Subsequent time Dak Prescott strains his calf or Luka incessantly rubs his shoulder, TV networks ought to give a microphone to a licensed medical skilled who can precisely and instantly inform us the damage and the prognosis. Eventually it’ll occur, and also you heard it right here first.

*My former radio accomplice suffered a coronary heart assault this week. However seems like Greggo goes to outlive and be again to his grumpy self very quickly. Godspeed.

*That is the NBA Playoffs, the place each recreation is significant, each shot pivotal, each possession fought for and drama drips from the ultimate seconds. Or … it’s a bizarro time of yr for blowouts. The margins of the Mavs’ final 4 video games: 30, 27, 33, 25. They haven’t performed a recreation determined within the remaining minute since Utah’s Bojan Bogdanovic missed that wide-open 3-pointer on the buzzer of Sport 6 on April 28.

*Jerry’s well-documented tough offseason retains getting worse with the demise of his long-time good friend and former Cowboys personnel director Larry Lacewell. Good man with nice tales. He can be missed.

Micah Parsons

Jake Ferguson

RIP, Larry Lacewell

*Bear in mind after we used to get enthusiastic about Sports activities Illustrated’s swimsuit situation? This yr the duvet mannequin is … 74?!

*I’m not saying Warriors followers are extra passionate than DFW’s valuable MFFL. I’m merely reporting that Sport 1 on TNT drew a 9.3 score within the Metroplex and a 17.8 within the Bay Space.

*Particular heated seats in Hades for the evil father-son duo of James and Bradley Nix, who not solely scammed DFW buyers out of tens of millions of {dollars} but additionally stole $8,000 from a blind teen who was saving cash for school by washing dishes at a fast-food restaurant. Coronary heart. Breaking.

*Mavs mottos – 2011: “The Time Is Now”; 2022: “Time To Get Grasping”. Because of GM Nico Harrison for this yr’s mantra.

*Bear in mind a pair weeks again when my monetary advisor scared me off investing in cryptocurrency as a result of it was too risky. Positive sufficient, Bitcoin immediately misplaced half its worth. Simply, kaput.

*This Weekend? Friday is for dinner with Massive Brothers Massive Sisters lil’ bro Ja earlier than Mavs-Warriors Sport 2. Saturday is for morning tennis earlier than a crawfish boil in Lakewood. Sunday is for visiting the mother and father in JoCoMoFo earlier than Mavs-Warriors Sport 3. As at all times, don’t be a stranger.