Mavericks’ Luka Doncic denies having Game 2 exchange with Celtics governor Wyc Grousbeck
Five thoughts: Mavericks in dire situation as Celtics take 2-0 NBA Finals lead
The Dallas Mavericks are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving have led a spectacular run to get Dallas to the sport’s biggest stage, taking down three higher-seeded teams in the Clippers, Thunder, and Timberwolves to get to this point.
While the Celtics present a massive challenge for the Mavericks — proven by the 2-0 series lead they built in Boston — the American Airlines Center will have incredible energy with the NBA Finals back in Dallas. If you’re joining the bandwagon for the first time since the 2011 championship run, here’s what to know about Mavs fans:
If you are a Mavs fan, you are considered an “MFFL,” which stands for “Mavs Fan for Life.” The term originated in the early-to-mid 2000s around the time the Dirk Nowitzki era in Dallas was beginning to gain momentum. Prior to Nowitzki, the Mavericks were a bit of a laughing stock in the NBA and didn’t have a strong following around Dallas.
Mark Cuban popularized the term during his time as the primary owner of the Mavs. It stuck and has become a staple of Mavs fandom. The promotion of the term “MFFLs” is impossible to miss when attending games at the American Airlines Center.
Reunion Arena was the home of the Mavs from 1980 to 2001, until the Mavs and Stars both moved to the AAC in 2001. Reunion Arena’s capacity for Mavs games was 18,190, and it was officially demolished in November of 2009.
“Reunion Rowdies” are the original MFFLs. Those are the fans that lived and died with the team from the early 1980s. Back then, the Mavericks games would occasionally be relocated to Moody Coliseum at SMU because other events were being held at Reunion Arena. This even happened during a playoff game against the Seattle SuperSonics. In a much smaller venue like Moody Coliseum, it was significantly louder.
“The tickets were cheap, the beer was cheap, and it was the place to be,” remarked longtime journalist Mike Fisher.
Longtime Mavs owner Mark Cuban was also once a Reunion Rowdy himself, which explains his unique passion for the team he owns.
The old Reunion Rowdies turned into what we know as MFFLs, but there’s another unique sect of Mavs fans. The Mavs ManiAACs became the first all-male performance squad in the NBA in 2002.
The ManiAACs are usually located around the top of the AAC’s lower bowl, constantly performing during timeouts. They go out and perform on the court with dance routines and eccentric outfits, and have become a true staple and one of the more fun aspects of attending a Mavs game. You can’t go to a Mavs game without seeing a ManiAACs performance.
The Mavericks have also evolved their in-game entertainment aside from the ManiAACs. The “Mavs Hoop Troop” is a co-ed entertainment squad brought in under the guidance of CEO Cynt Marshall in March of 2020.
Arguably the most entertaining part of attending a NBA game is the showmanship of the starting lineups.
The Mavs’ starting lineup announcements are no different. Amid an incredible highlight montage with incredible music (more on that next), Justin “GuitarSlayer” Lyons adds his own touch to the intro song. Lyons is up on a stage at midcourt amid flashing lights, pyrotechnics, and more. He provides incredible guitar riffs to enhance the Mavs’ longtime intro song, “Eminence Front.”

Lyons is from the Dallas area, specifically in Oak Cliff. The 38-year-old began his career in gospel and later transitioned into blues.
“I’m honored to be able to re-craft [a song] that’s been part of the team’s legacy for 23 years,” he said in an interview. “I’m going to channel all my winning energy into the building and pray it helps them keep winning.”
Since 2001, The Who’s “Eminence Front” has blared in the AAC as the Mavs introduction song. If you’ve been to a Mavericks game before, you recognize it immediately.
It is a rhythmic mixture of synthesizers, guitar riffs, and drums. The Who’s Pete Townshend is a fan of the song’s usage.
“That’s a wonderful use of the song,” he said.
Matt Fitzgerald, the Mavs’ former marketing chief picked the song when the team moved to the AAC in 2001. He wanted a song without lyrics building towards a crescendo like the Chicago Bulls’ iconic intro song “Eye in the Sky” by the Alan Parsons Project.
“It’s become iconic,” Mark Cuban said. “It isn’t going anywhere.”
NBA teams each unveil a new Nike NBA City Edition uniform every year. The Mavericks’ 2023-24 City Edition uniform has become quite popular partly because the team has often worn them during an incredible playoff run, but also because the sleek black uniforms are incredibly popular with the fans.
The new uniform is named “Trinity River Blues” and pays homage to the history of Southern Blues music. The Mavs collaborated with Grammy Award-winning recording artist and North Texas native Leon Bridges in the creation of the uniform.
From the heart of Texas Blues, to the soulful sounds of Grammy Award-winning Recording Artist and Fort Worth Native, Leon Bridges. We Present to you, Trinity River Blues 🎶🏀@chime // #MFFL pic.twitter.com/FB0Ux4pn7u
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) November 2, 2023
The font for the “Mavs” on the front of the uniform is a tribute to vintage Texas R&B album covers, according to the Mavericks team website. On the shorts is an outline of the state of Texas with audio waves of the spoken words “Leon Bridges”.
Find more Mavericks coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
The Dallas Cowboys were initially in the mix for Las Vegas Raiders superstar pass rusher Maxx Crosby ahead of NFL free agency, and were believed to be one of the finalists in trade talks. However, he was ultimately traded to the Baltimore Ravens for two first-round picks.
Now, the NFL world has been turned on its head with the Ravens deciding to pull out of the trade agreement with Las Vegas.
On Tuesday night, NFL insider Adam Schefter was among the experts discussing what went wrong between the Raiders and Ravens, revealing that Cowboys team physician Dr. Daniel Cooper, one of the premier knee specialists, played a role in the Ravens’ evaluation of Crosby.
Schefter discussed how Dr. Cooper was among the doctors who reviewed scans on Crosby’s knee, which ultimately spooked the Ravens and triggered the end of the deal.
“The Baltimore Ravens essentially failed him on their physical, and my understanding is there were multiple doctors that reviewed his MRI scans,” Schefter said. “There were doctors that examined him, including Dr. Daniel Cooper, the Dallas Cowboys doctor that performed surgery on Patrick Mahomes and Malik Nabers.
“Many teams and players rely on Dr. Cooper’s expertise, and Dr. Cooper was one of the doctors who reviewed the images where the Ravens then felt compelled to back out of this trade.”
It’s hard not to connect the dots that Dr. Cooper’s involvement in the medical review of Crosby led to the team deciding against re-engaging in trade discussions. Though that could change, currently, the Cowboys are expected to move forward with Pro Bowl EDGE Rashan Gary, who the team agreed to acquire from the Green Bay Packers for a 2027 fourth-round pick on the first day of legal tampering.
It will be interesting to continue monitoring the situation and its fallout, which has left the Raiders in a terrible position.
But, with the Raiders now forced to re-examine the money they committed to free agents on Wednesday evening, they may have to pull out of one of their own agreements, which could open the door for the Cowboys to reopen their pursuit of a linebacker like Nakobe Dean or Quay Walker.
The 2026 NFL calendar year officially begins on Wednesday, March 11, at 4:00 p.m. ET, so get your popcorn ready, because it’s going to be a wild ride.
Dallas Cowboys Nation’s hopes of landing superstar pass rusher Maxx Crosby were dashed last weekend when it was announced that he was being traded to the Baltimore Ravens. However, less than 24 hours before the new year, the trade has fallen apart.
On Tuesday night, the Las Vegas Raiders announced that the Ravens have backed out of the trade.
“The Baltimore Ravens have backed out of our trade agreement for Maxx Crosby,” the statement read. “We will have no further comment at this time.”
The news sends a major ripple for the league, with the Crosby sweepstakes once again open. Before his trade to the Ravens, the Cowboys were considered one of the teams closely monitoring the situation and a team that made a legitimate offer for Crosby.
At this time, there is no word on why the trade between Las Vegas and Baltimore fell through. When the trade was first reported, the Raiders were set to receive a 2026 and 2027 first-round pick from the Ravens.
Now, his future is in limbo. Before he was traded to the Ravens, it was believed that the Cowboys, Chicago Bears, and Los Angeles Rams were the top candidates to land him. In fact, the Cowboys were “considered runner-ups” in the sweepstakes.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Cowboys initially offered the No. 12 overall pick in the 2026 draft, a 2027 second-round pick, and an unnamed veteran player.
“Dallas kept a hard line throughout. The franchise wasn’t willing to part with two first-round picks, hoping its 12th pick in April’s draft, plus a future second-rounder, would be enough to entice Las Vegas. Dallas was also willing to package a veteran player to sweeten the deal, but Vegas wasn’t interested in that. The Raiders prioritized picks,” Fowler wrote.
Last season, Crosby recorded 73 total tackles, 28 tackles for a loss, 20 quarterback hits, 10 sacks, two forced fumbles, and an interception.
We’ll have to see if Dallas ends up being his new home, now that the team has a second chance to make something special happen, but there will be some serious competition. The 2026 NFL calendar year officially begins on Wednesday, March 11, at 4:00 p.m. ET.
DALLAS – Severe thunderstorms are forecast to return to North Texas late Tuesday, bringing threats of damaging hail, high winds and localized flooding. While the primary concerns are wind and hail, a few tornadoes cannot be ruled out.
We have another chance of severe storms starting Tuesday afternoon. Meteorologist Ali Turiano has your forecast and everything you need to know ahead of the storms.
Scattered showers and storms are expected to develop as a dryline to the west moves into the region. Storm conditions are expected to intensify as the day progresses.
The greatest concerns remain damaging winds and large hail. The leading edge of the storm front will likely be the most intense, with the potential for straight-line winds and brief spin-up tornadoes.
The highest potential for severe weather in the Metroplex is from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., though lingering activity could continue until 2 a.m. Wednesday. Residents are advised to seek shelter immediately if a warning is issued for their area.
A final round of storms is expected Wednesday, primarily between noon and 7 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. These storms carry a threat of half-dollar-sized hail and damaging winds.
Behind this system, North Texas will dry out and briefly cool off. Sunny skies return Thursday with a high in the mid-60s. Temperatures will then warm into the upper 70s on Friday before a sunny weekend with highs in the low 80s.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the National Weather Service and FOX 4 forecasters.
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