Happy New Year Dudes!

May you fly into '07, and let there be peace amongst all the dudes in the year to come. Thanks to the Dude for bringing the dudes online.

New Things Added to Blog!

Dudes, Please note the new section entitled "Favorite Blogs." But this post is mostly to announce that Dude Committee favorite Brian Kane has also started his blog; and apparently, he has a lot more time to kill than we do, as the posts are more than 2 sentences long.

Brian, I'm still not too impressed... Thus far, no mention of Steffi Graf.

Countdown to the End of the Cowboys' Season: 11 Days

Since Head Dude did not solicit my opinions in his last post, I thought I'd put up this countdown calendar as my contribution today

Questions for the Dudes

With Weitao's and my daily rants losing steam as the Rockets slide and the Texans prepare to conclude another losing season, I thought it time to solicit hot sports opinions from the other dudes, namely:

1) Undude, how are we feeling about the Pats' chances? What about the signing of Dice-K?
2) Tylwalk, after last night, how are you feeling about the arrival of AI? What about when Carmelo returns? Looking forward to a path through Seattle and Chicago on the way to New Orleans?

If I may recommend one book to the dudes as the year concludes, it's Jack McCallum's "Seven Seconds or loss", an inside look on his time spent as an "assistant coach" with the Suns all of last season. Given that I think we're all pretty big NBA fans, it's a great read and is built around their three playoff series against the Lakers, Clippers and Mavs. Obviously I had personal interest with the latter, but it breaks down player resentment towards Amare, Marion's fragile ego, their diminishment of the Lakers and Kobe, etc. etc. A quick read and definitely worth the time.

Who Cares if He's Not Actually a Good QB?

Apparently, life is still good for Tony Romo, who has now apparently moved from Jessica Simpson onto Carrie Underwood.

Vote for Rory!!

Just a few days left that you can vote for Rory Fitzpatrick to start in the NHL All Star game. It's a fever that is sweeping the nation!! It's one way to drown your sorrows after losing to a team led by Jeff Garcia, in 2006.

Happy Holidays Dudes!!

Instead of gloating in another dude's disappointment over the falling of his favorite athlete, I choose to celebrate these last few days by wishing all the dudes (and those whom the dudes hold dear) a very happy holiday season!!

Thanks for all your contributions to the blog during the past year, and I look forward to your continuing contributions next year!!

Sometimes you roll craps

Snake bitten more than a giraffe in the desert.

LiveBlog 3: Duke (sans Redick) v. Gonzaga (sans Morrison)

Assuredly, this will settle the debate of which school has the bestest whitest basketball program

Houston 1, Massachusetts 0

40-7

Dude Hall of Fame Inductee: Jose Lima

During the late 1990s, Lima-Time was party time for the Astros and the Dudes. As the brash and flamboyant Astros hurler piled up wins and strikeouts, he also won over the Committee. The Dude introduced the exclamation, "It's gonna be Lima Time!" to the rest of the dudes; and soon, all good times became, well, Lima Time!!!

A strike at the lanes?? It's Lima Time!!

A hole in one on the cheese hole?? It's Lima Time!!

Of course, an Astros win in the playoffs?? It's Lima Time!!

And a Rangers win in the playoffs?? Wait, nevermind, that never happened.

Even when Lima Time became longball time when the Astros moved into then-Enron Field, the dudes always remembered the magic of Lima Time during his prime in 98-99.

For bringing laughter and life into the dudes' lives, the Dude Committee proudly honors Jose Lima as an unanimous member of the Dude Committee Hall of Fame.

Uh Oh

Houston, we have a problem.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2695188

Dude Committee Athletes of the Week

I'll beat Weitao to the punch, with a more deserving group of honorees. The Duke Women plowed through three top-25 opponents this last week with ease, rolling Rutgers by 40, Vandy by 21, and Texas by 28. Showing this season should be no drop-off from the last one, and for being Duke's team most likely to bring home hardware in March, the women are this week's Dude Committee Athletes of the Week. If only it wasn't too late for Weitao to salvage his 10-year bet!

LiveBlog2: Cowboys v. America's Team

Why the Astros screw all Dudes

So because Houston was too cheap to give Pettite an extra $2 million, all dudes suffer.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2692164
First, the Astros likely lose both Pettite and Clemens now, and even with Carlos Lee "patrolling" left field, they're destined for another mediocre season, unless they consummate a deal for Jon Garland, which also will lead to mediocrity assuming he again demonstrates that 2004 was a one-time thing. Second, the Red Sox take a blow, because it looks like they may not sign Matsuzake, and now will watch as the Yankees get Pettite and, inevitably, Clemens too. So even with Julio Lugo at short, something tells me that won't be enough.
Third, the Rangers. Well, they were destined for mediocrity anyway, and arguably this helps their 1-in-a-1000 changes of finally getting Clemens, but I'm not betting on it.

Another Great Piece From Paul Shirley

This most recent effort from my favorite ESPN writer discusses the origin of the author's idolization of Larry Legend, and how Bird's race impacted that idolization. As a contributor to a blog that strives to talk about non-Texas sports, I immediately thought to share this piece, and ask the Dudes, which athlete did you first remember idolizing??

For me, it was Warren Moon... When I first stepped off the boat in 1987, I pretty much immediately began watching all the sports through my rabbit ears TV. And watching the Oilers when they played became, instantly, must see TV. As a Chinaman with no coordination, I harbored no visions that I could one day be Warren, but it never stopped me from wanting to pretend to be Warren when I played touch football with the other kids in the apartment complex. I would mimick his drop-back, his mannerism, his cadence, and it had nothing to do with the fact that Warren was Chinese. Mostly, because he wasn't Chinese.

Since then, other sports figures have captured my imagination: Hakeem the Dream, Craig Biggio, Shane Battier, and Yao Ming - just to name the most prominent ones that come to mind. But for a 10-12 year-old fresh off the boat, no one could ever surpass the grace of Mr. Moon.

Broadway is Dark Tonight

Farewell to the original Broadway Joe, at least the original dude Broadway Joe, who announced his retirement today after 20 years and one Conn Smythe. May the second Broadway Joe follow you into the old folks' home soon.

The Absurdity of Winning

* Alert - This post does not relate to Texas

Over the last 24 hours, the Boston Red Sox have signed JD Drew for 5 years at 14 million per; and Julio Lugo for 4 years at 9 million per.

JD Drew replaces, in effect, Wily Mo Pena in the lineup; while Julio Lugo replaces Alex Gonzalez.

During the 2006 season, JD Drew recorded a WRAP (Wins Above Replacement Player) of 7.3; Wilo Mo Pena, in roughly 3/5 of the ABs, recorded a WRAR of 2.3, which extrapolates (roughly) to a WRAR of 3.8 for the same number of ABs as Drew. Julio Lugo recorded a WRAP of 3.4; Alex Gonzalez had a WRAP of 1.5 in slightly fewer ABs, or roughly a 1.6 equalized to Lugo's ABs.

In summation, the Red Sox gain roughly 5 wins in those two transactions, translating to a whopping $5 million per win. Add those 5 wins to the Red Sox ledger last year, they finish 6 back of the Yankees and and 4 back of the wild card.

For some additional perspective, the notorious free-spending Yankees had a baseball-leading payroll of $198 million last year, and recorded 97 wins - translating to roughly $2 million per win. The Minnesota Twins, the team with the widely-recognized best GM in baseball, had a payroll of $64 million last year, and recorded 96 wins - translating to roughly $ 2/3 million per win.

What Streak???

Bringing back an old Sportswrap feature, the Dude Committee proudly honors its Athlete of the Week for the week ending in 12/4/06. The winner: the magnificent Gilbert Arenas. "Captain Zero" Arenas poured in 38 with 8 dimes in leading his 7-10 Wizards over those hated Mavericks, ending that Mavs' win streak we've heard so much about.

Gilbert Arenas, for performing some wizardry on the Mavs' win streak, you are the Dude Committee's Athlete of the Week

Journey on TV Alert!!

Tonight at 6 on the Deuce... The Journey takes on the Fightin' Rutgers!! Be There or Be Mike King! (I have no idea what that means)

A Cautionary Tale on Joel's Hubris

Let(t) this image be a reminder of what may become of premature celebrations of winning streaks, destiny, and the like

AUTOMATICA!!!!!

What better timing to bring a Tylwalk in the world? When America's Team is destined for a return to greatness!

Congratulations to the Franchise!

Well, we will excuse his absence from the Blog the last few days. Tylwalk announced that the Dudes: Next Generation kicked off today with the birth of Elizabeth Tylwalk.

Congrats all around!!!

Rumor has it, Tylwalk has already picked out the 1st bed time story: "How to Calculate Pot Odds"

Modo and JB -- Match Their Bold Statements

The two athletes share something in common besides one narrowly missing election to the Dude Hall of Fame, and the other being a candidate when he hangs up his skates -- their love of Dallas. One, it was reported this morning, got engaged to Willa Ford last week. The other boldly proclaimed on ESPN last night that the Mavs were his unquestioned pick to take home the NBA title, saying it's the Mavs and Spurs and nobody else is even close. Who said which? You decide.
12....

More Fodder for the Plaque

With his place in the Dude Hall of Fame secure (though not his coronation via the Blog, Joel), the Pleamaker added some spice to his induction ceremony with his racist, ill-conceived and lamentable blast on Tony Romo's ancestry this past week...

Of course, Head Dude made no mention of it, just like he dismissed off hand Nate Newton transporting a half ton of weed; or the Pleamaker snorting coke with hookers in a hotel room; or Leon Lett's many missteps with the law...

'Boys will always be 'Boys... Alas, the Pleamaker continues to ensure that the reputation of America's Most Shameful Team will forever be remembered...