Stephen Smith

Bang, Zap, "Pow"

2008-06-09T17:13:43Z

Freudian slips, like the one Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson made Sunday night while talking about Boston's Leon Powe are always interesting to dissect.
Jackson referred to Powe and "Pow" while talking about his impact of his 21 points off the bench in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
"Pow" would sufficiently sum up his performance as the Lakers had no answer for him -- but more specifically, 21 points in 15 minutes of play and his trips to the free throw line.
Maybe that's what the Zen Master was thinking about because if his Lakers can't d-up any better than that, then their dreams of an NBA title are about go "splat."

Finding their inner hero

2008-05-23T16:34:44Z

If there's a third Class A softball state title in Windthorst's future this season, then tonight's proceedings in Denton should be nothing short of miraculous.
So convincing was Bosqueville's 17-4 win in Thursday night's Region II-A finals opener that Trojanettes fans -- a group unaccustomed to losing -- filed out of the University of North Texas' Lovelace Stadium in stunned silence.
If there's to be a third game later tonight in this best-of-three series, either Kinsey Steinberger or Carmen Stallcup (or both), must find a way to bottle up a Lady Bulldogs' offense fresh off a 15-run, three-inning explosion the night before.
No more errors, no more walks and no more strikeouts or the Trojanettes' season ends tonight around 8:30 p.m.
It doesn't have to though.
Bosqueville was in the exact same position last Friday after Archer City's Micah Stonesifer bottled them up in regional semifinal opener on the same field.
So, it can be done.
The question is whether the Trojanettes can do it.
They think they can.

Archer County Reunion

2008-05-16T15:59:59Z

Both the Archer City Lady Cats and Windthorst Trojanettes took care of business Thursday night in openers of their Region II-A softball semifinal series.
If both do the same tonight in Aledo and Saturday afternoon in Denton, the two will meet in next weekend's regional final with a trip to the state tournament on the line.
The most likely neutral venue should be the Sunrise Optimist Softball Complex, giving Wichita Falls fans an opportunity to see a high-stakes playoff series right here in our backyard -- the first between the two since Archer City dropped down from Class 2A.
It probably should have happened before. But strangely, in the each of past five seasons, when one team is up, the other is down.
Archer City won the 2A state title back in 2001, but didn't advance past the area round until last season when the Lady Cats made it to the regional quarters.
Consequently, Windthorst has won two state titles and finished state runner-up once since 2001. The Trojanettes also logged two regional final appearances in the same time period before losing in the area round last year.
That loss prevented a Trojanettes-Lady Cats clash last season thanks to Sam Rayburn, which eliminated both teams in successive rounds.
The phenomena occurred in basketball where the two came close to a regional final meeting in 2004, which Hubbard derailed with a 59-52 win over Windthorst. The Lady Cats, despite a Trojanettes' sweep in district play, won the state title.
But, if this weekend's playoff games hold to form, the great Archer City reunion will finally take place.
It's about time.

High turnover rate

2008-05-03T02:03:28Z

I was looking at the list of NBA early entries this week and noticed that four players from Memphis and three from Kansas were on the list.
That means that of the 10 starters in last month's national championship game, eight (including Memphis senior Joey Dorsey) made themselves available for the draft.
If you throw in North Carolina (3) and UCLA (3) as the other two Final Four participants, the total goes up to 14 players.
There must have been more NBA scouts than college basketball fans and beat writers combined in San Antonio.
Despite the distinct possibility of losing his entire starting five to the NBA, Memphis coach John Calipari signed a contract extension following the Tigers' loss in the championship game. He easily could have taken Boone Pickens' money and relocated to Oklahoma State -- which means he must have one heck of a new class of recruits coming in on Beale St.
Bill Self, Roy Williams and Ben Howland will all be back next season too -- they're contractually obligated to be. Williams will have Tyler Hansborough back for sure, while the other three coaches may be heading for a rebuilding year and a test of their coaching skills.
This is the new reality of college basketball -- the bigger the stage, the more people will look to move off to an even bigger one.

Diamonds in the Oil Patch

2008-04-28T13:40:14Z

Felix Jones ran for 19 yards (but two TDs) in the 2005 Oil Bowl, in what was supposed to be a coming-out party for Southlake Carroll all-everything quarterback Chase Daniel.
Daniel was so unspectacular, that Jones - and everyone else - got overshadowed. So much so, that after interviewing Jones that day, I forgot about it.
Our esteemed sports editor, Nick Gholson covered this in his Sunday column, but I thought it was worth one more mention.
Jones was the Dallas Cowboys first-round pick on Saturday -- a genuine Oil Bowl alum on his way to the big time.
And Daniel, who's certainly rebounded from his Oil Bowl performance, just may be in the same company next year.
So make sure you get your ticket for this year's game -- you never know these kids might turn out to be.

I am Iron Man...

2008-04-25T05:01:00Z

One of my guilty pleasures is reading comic books -- there, I said it.
So, I'm one of the people that understand the reasons behind the up-tick in the number of comic super-hero movies in recent years.
As a reader, you can almost see it coming.
One character -- in a manner similar to how certain wrestling stars get a "push" before competing for a championship -- suddenly goes center-stage and starts to affect most of a given publication's (DC, Marvel, Image, etc.) other characters.
In this case, Iron Man (Tony Stark) has become the center of the Marvel Universe as the head of Stark Industries, leader of both S.H.I.E.L.D. (a worldwide intelligence agency) and the Mighty Avengers as well as the sole possesor of technology that gives him control of every satellite orbiting the earth.
While his involvement in last summer's "Civil War" and collateral blame for Captain America's "death" has made him as hated as any supervillian in comics, it's just the thing needed to fuel a major motion picture strong enough to lure the likes of Robert Downey, Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges and Samuel L. Jackson into it in the real world.
Money talks.
And right now, comic book creators are talking an awful lot.
Expect the trend to continue with Captain America (who should be breathing again this time next year), Wolverine, Thor and a host of others.
Perhaps I should be embarrassed to still have this level of knowledge about something I probably should have left behind in my youth -- but, strangely, I'm not.

Pacman Fever

2008-04-24T14:23:37Z

Instead of taking a negative view on Dallas' acquisition of Tennessee Titans' cast-off and legendary troublemaker Adam "Pacman" Jones, I'm choosing to look at it as a win/win situation for both parties -- here's why:

1. The Cowboys, a long-term fixture in the steadily-improving NFC East, do need help in the secondary and Jones just happens to be a high-caliber defensive back -- when he's on the field. (If only he was a safety, then the Roy Williams issue would be solved.
2. Along those same lines, rest assured that our friend Adam will have to sign an incentive-laden contract absolutely peppered with the term "off-field behavior." In an era where the media, bloggers and people on the street all want to know what's up with you, there's truly no place to hide when you're a Dallas Cowboy. If that's not a hint and half for him to stay away from Cristal, Chardonnay and Destiny, then nothing is.

3. Getting Jones back on the field not only helps the Cowboys, ultimately, it decreases the odds of him running into more trouble off of it. If idle hands are the devil's workshop, then business has been good when it comes to Pacman. The mere fact that this young man is so widely known by his nickname, yet is almost anonymous as "Adam Jones" is no compliment to his fame. It's a by-product of his infamy.

I truly wish both parties luck in this deal.
Besides, the Oakland Raiders used to do the same thing when it came to taking on other teams' problems and it worked for them -- for a while.

Let's get 'Austin'-tacious...

2008-04-23T21:28:18Z

Seymour and Burkburnett both made the trip to McCombs' Field last season, yet neither was able to bring a state championship trophy back to North Texas.
But, with the Lady Bulldogs coming into this season's playoffs as the second-ranked team in Class 3A and Lady Panthers at No. 3 in Class A, another trip to the corner East 21st and Comal Streets in Austin isn't out of the realm of possibility.
Both teams are actually ranked higher than they were at this same point last year, despite the losses of players vital to last season's playoff run.
City View has similar story.
No, they didn't get to Austin -- but they did make their first-ever playoff appearance and set a school record for wins along the way. This year, they surpassed last season's win total and come into the playoffs ranked 15th in Class 2A after a 13-1 run through District 9-2A.
Two other Class A teams -- No. 8 Archer City and No. 18 Petrolia -- roll into the state playoffs on a hot streak as well.
Getting to cover both Seymour and Burkburnett as they vied for a state title was a unique and much-enjoyed experience for me last year.
And with the aforementioned group of talented teams ready to start their playoff runs, hopefully, I'll get to go once again.

Navigating the Red River

2008-03-24T15:04:45Z

Believe it or not, there is a science to selecting the Red River 22 teams we trot out at the end of the football, basketball, baseball and softball seasons.
Objectivity is the key.
Selections motivated by the name of an athlete's school nor its proximity to the Times Record News don't exist. Statistics are key, but so is the overall success of the team and the player's contribution to it.
A senior recruited by a Div. I program holds no more weight for selection than another whose athletic career ends with their team's final game.
In other words -- it's hard, but it's also fair.
There's almost no way to properly recognize all the hard work put in by all the athletes in the local area -- especially when we try to narrow it down to the best 11 players.
So, if there's a player or coach out there who feels short-changed or ignored by the selections, I feel your pain -- but I hope you can also feel ours.

Title on the line

2008-02-01T06:02:01Z

Burkburnett has had a whole week to stew since an embarrassing 52-44 loss at Vernon last Friday night. Its first chance to make amends comes tonight when the Lady Bulldogs host Hirschi with the District 6-3A title up for grabs.
Hirschi (21-9, 6-1) doesn't have a rich history at Bulldog Gym and has lost the last three meetings in the series overall.
The Lady Huskies' run to the 2006 regional semifinals actually began three seasons earlier at Burkburnett when freshman Valisha Jones led a fourth quarter rally to upset a senior-laden Lady Bulldogs team, 53-51.
Jones, Ashley Davis and LaTrase Thomas, who were later joined by Tori Slusher and Stephanie Plante, formed the nucleus for a four-year run of success that vaulted them past Burkburnett in the district standings.
But, even though Hirschi perennially maintains an athletic advantage, Burkburnett (13-15, 5-1) has a way of getting in their heads. The games are typically unusually physical with several players fouling out over the course of the night.
The Lady Bulldogs' primary weapon is that once players start fouling out -- they have more they can function without than does Hirschi.
Expect a repeat performance tonight.

One more hurdle before showdown

2008-01-28T17:10:52Z

If you know anything about the way Vernon head coach Ronda Havins does business, then you already know her Lady Lions have no intention of becoming a footnote in this season's District 6-3A playoff race.
A successful trip to Hirschi Fieldhouse Tuesday night on Vernon's part can take some of the luster off the Lady Huskies' Friday night district-title showdown at Burkburnett's Bulldog Gym.
The title would still be up for grabs, but then both teams (and not just Burkburnett) would be coming in off a loss to Vernon.
Vernon (12-12, 2-3) jumped back into playoff consideration with a 52-44 win over the Lady Bulldogs (13-14, 5-1) last Friday night and could ruin the Lady Huskies' worst-to-first run this season with a similar effort.
On paper, it shouldn't happen.
Hirschi (20-9, 5-1) certainly has more athletic ability than Vernon, but also has an Achilles' heel in its frequently sub-par free-throw shooting.
So, if Vernon can keep the Lady Huskies off the boards the same way they did against Burkburnett and dictate a pace that results in some late-game shots from the line, they could win.

In poor taste...

2008-01-23T06:01:54Z

Already leading 52-33 with a little over a minute left to play at Coyotes Fieldhouse Tuesday night, Denton Ryan coach Monesha Allen called a time-out to allow her players to whoop it up a bit with a win over Wichita Falls High School already well in-hand.
Perhaps she felt her players deserved it after absorbing a 60-54 loss to the Lady Coyotes earlier in the season. But for the preseason district favorite to behave in that fashion came across as pretty bush league -- especially after the high-quality performance they had just put on.
It was almost like getting your banana-split made just the way you like it and getting a freaking pickle stuck on top at the end.
Or, at least that's how I saw it.
With the possibility looming that the two teams could meet again with a district title on the line, it's just a rather unnecessary move that could have dire consequences later on.
Time will tell.

New high at Old High

2008-01-22T19:18:37Z

Wichita Falls High School girls coach Joe Golding says he didn't see this 20-plus win season coming, but here it is.
The Lady Coyotes have a chance to virtually wrap up the District 5-4A title if they can get a win tonight over Denton Ryan. But, they'll have to do it without sophomore Rebekah Cluley, who'll miss the game with a knee injury.
Obviously, Golding has a plan and obviously, he's not saying what it entails.
I've always said that if I had to win one game, I'd pick Golding as my coach -- now, as the rubber meets the road, we'll see if this is one of those times.

Up-and-comers and a little redemption

2008-01-20T05:30:01Z

New day at Rider
Rider Lady Raiders basketball has been so far off the radar for the past two decades that we had to consult a former sports writer to find out when their last playoff trip was because the WFISD had no record of one.
That won't be the case much longer as Rider coach Jeff Martin continues to mold the program.
A 9-14 overall record and a 2-6 mark in District 5-4A ensures the playoff draught will run through 2007-08, but there have been enough flashes to believe its end is in sight.
Junior Samantha Smith (11.1 ppg.), along with talented freshmen Sammi Hislop, Lauren Hayley and Ashley Zimpel, will all return next season when Rider -- and, you heard it here first -- may even challenge for the district crown.

Fast times at Hirschi
Sporting their best record since the 2005-06 season, the Hirschi Lady Huskies are back in playoff form this season at 18-9, 3-1. But, there's still plenty of work to be done.
Despite a probable 20-win season, this team is still young and a far cry from the Tori Slusher/Ashley Davis-led teams that reached the regional semis two seasons ago.
Hirschi's youth showed last Tuesday night when Burkburnett (12-14, 3-0) - a less physically-gifted team - used free throws to run away with a win that may eventually give them the district title.
That is, unless coach Leta Lofton and her team can find a way to steal one in Burkburnett in two weeks.
Still, a playoff trip is imminent and that's a lot better than last season's 5-19 showing in Hirschi's first season without Slusher, Davis, Stephanie Plante and Valisha Jones running the floor.

Eyes off the prize

2007-12-20T15:56:03Z

It's already Thursday and I haven't seen one story about the Dallas Cowboys that even mentions the Carolina Panthers yet -- everyone in Dallas seems far too consumed with Tony Romo's love life to care.
Still in denial that the Philadelphia Eagles outplayed them last Sunday, Cowboys fans and media continue to jokingly drop the loss at the feet of one Jessica Simpson -- even though the team won on the other two occasions she attended games at Texas Stadium.
Well, Julius Peppers isn't a pop singer and the Panthers defense isn't at all concerned with who's sitting on the stands or their effect on the game's outcome, but I'm sure they'd love to steal a win Saturday night.
The bottom line for the Cowboys is this: get back to being physical and concentrate on what matters. And if you can't find it in yourselves to do that, get ready for a January road trip to Green Bay.