Daily Ticket: The Blog

Thursday's Pick 6

Six links to click before you head to the water cooler:

1. Texas Tech fired football coach Mike Leach, and Leach says he will fight the move through "all available legal remedies." This will not be the last link on this story.

2. Dallas Cowboys notes: Receiver Roy Williams says he can see himself getting benched and that he understands if Tony Romo and Jason Garrett have lost confidence in him.

3. Houston junior quarterback Case Keenum could be playing his final game today against Air Force in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl (11 a.m. at TCU, ESPN).

4. Gil LeBreton: In co-offensive coordinators Justin Fuentes and Jarrett Anderson, TCU is proving that sometimes two coordinators can be better than one.

5. Dallas Mavericks notes: Tracy McGrady appears to be done with the Houston Rockets, but the Mavs don't look like his next team.

6. Dallas Stars notes: Brenden Morrow (Canada) and Jere Lehtinen (Finland) have been added to the list of Stars who will play in the Olympics. Team USA's roster will be released Friday, and Mike Modano could be on that team.

-- David Thomas

Wednesday's Pick 6

Six links to click before you head to the water cooler:

1. Mike Leach is going to court hoping for a temporary restraining order that would allow him to coach Texas Tech in the Alamo Bowl. The hearing is schedule for this morning.

2. Randy Galloway: Texas Tech's football program will be the ultimate big loser in the craziness around the Leach suspension.

3. Dallas Cowboys notes: Receiver Miles Austin was one of six Cowboys selected to the Pro Bowl.

4. Gil LeBreton: The TCU Horned Frogs have arrived in Arizona for the Fiesta Bowl, and they are enjoying the red-carpet treatment of a BCS bowl.

5. Dallas Stars 5, Chicago Blackhawks 4: Steve Ott scored two goals, including the game-winner on a power play early in the third period.

6. Former Arlington Bowie linebacker Marcus McGraw, who has overcome plenty of adversity, is the Houston Cougars' leading tackler as a sophomore. Houston plays Air Force tomorrow in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl (11 a.m. at TCU, ESPN.)

-- David Thomas

Tuesday's Pick 6

Six links to click before you head to the water cooler:

1. Texas Tech suspended coach Mike Leach for Saturday's Alamo Bowl following a complaint about how a player was treated after suffering a concussion.

2. Georgia 44, Texas A&M 20: Poor special teams play contributed to the Aggies' Independence Bowl loss that dropped them below .500 for the season.

3. Second-year running back Tashard Choice is being credited with coming up with the words that have inspired the Dallas Cowboys' two-game winning streak. (Bonus link: Choice at his motivational best while in college.)

4. Ray Buck: The Cowboys are benefiting from Wade Phillips' ability to remain calm despite the circumstances.

5. Cowboys notes: Jerry Jones says he does not want to make a coaching change.

6. Dallas Stars coach Marc Crawford is searching for the right lineup combinations, and that might lead to a change in his top line and a move to fourth-line center for Mike Modano. The Stars host the Chicago Blackhawks tonight (7 p.m., Versus).

-- David Thomas

Monday's Pick 6

Six links to click before you head to the water cooler:

1. Dallas Cowboys 17, Washington Redskins 0: The Cowboys' first shutout since 2003 earned them a playoff berth and set up Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles as one for the NFC East title.

2. Randy Galloway: The quarterback was good, the defense was good and -- as a result -- the Cowboys were very good. That could be the case in the playoffs, too.

3. Dallas Mavericks 104, Denver Nuggets 96: Drew Gooden had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and the Mavs had seven players score in double figures to win in Denver.

4. Gary West: Almost all of 2009 is in the rear-view mirror, and we can look back to see a long line of tainted heroes.

5. TCU notes: Gary Patterson has enjoyed watching the Mountain West go 3-0 in bowl games. TCU opponents also are unbeaten in five bowl games.

6. Florida coach Urban Meyer decided not to resign, instead saying he will take an indefinite leave of absence after the Sugar Bowl. He expects to return before next season begins.

-- David Thomas

Just CHILLL: Boys could clinch tonite if Panthers hold for win over Giants

Clarence Hill  

There are a number playoff scenarios for the Cowboys. But the simplest one is that the Cowboys are in with a win and a Giants loss. Well, the Carolina Panthers are doing their part to help the Cowboys out.

 They are beating the Giants 24-0 late in the second quarter. Leading the way for the Panthers is quarterback Matt Moore, who signed with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2007 before being cut in training camp. Moore has thrown two touchdown passes in the first half. The Giants have never rallied for a 24-point deficit for a victory.

If the Panthers hold on, the Cowboys just need to beat the Redskins tonite to clinch a playoff spot. The NFC East title and playoff seeding will still need to be determined in the final week but at least the Cowboys would know they are post season bound.

Clarence E. Hill Jr.

Thursday's Pick 6

Six links to click before you head to the water cooler:

1. Tony Romo is having a December to remember. Will it be enough to make the Dallas Cowboys a playoff team?

2. Homegrown talent is a big reason six Texas teams are playing in bowl games, and Texas Tech coach Mike Leach says he could see a future national championship game with two Texas teams.

3. Dallas Stars 3, Columbus Blue Jackets 1: James Neal scored two goals and backup goalie Alex Auld made 33 saves.

4.Left-handed reliever Darren Oliver said the pursuit of a ring is what brought him back to the Texas Rangers.

5. TCU's Gary Patterson was selected Associated Press Coach of the Year. He is the first winner from outside the six BCS conferences.

6. Dirk Nowitzki is having an MVP-caliber season, but he needs help on offense.

-- David Thomas

Wednesday's Pick 6

Six links to click before you head to the water cooler:

1. Portland Trail Blazers 85, Dallas Mavericks 81: Dirk Nowitzki returned with a bandaged elbow and scored 27 points, but Jason Terry, Shawn Marion and Jason Kidd were a combined 3-for-26 shooting.

2. Gil LeBreton: Pulling the brake on the runaway train that is Dallas Cowboys over-optimism.

3. Cowboys notes: Take the Washington Redskins lightly? No way.

4. Place-kicker Shaun Suisham is excited to return to the Cowboys, and he is back just in time to face the team that released him.

5. In a season full of almosts, the Dallas Stars plan to "keep digging." We'll see what they dig up tonight when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets (7:30 p.m., Fox Sports Southwest).

6. The Texas Rangers made it official by signing left-handed reliever Darren Oliver, who had a career-low 2.71 ERA last season. Oliver, who is 39, signed a one-year contract with a vested club option for 2011.

-- David Thomas

Tuesday's Pick 6

Six links to click before you head to the water cooler:

1. Nick Folk is out. The Dallas Cowboys released the struggling kicker and replaced him with Shaun Suisham.

2. Jennifer Floyd Engel: The Cowboys may be becoming a team that no team will want to face in the playoffs.

3. Cowboys notes: DeMarcus Ware was back in the hospital Monday, but not as a patient. He and teammates made their annual visits to local children's hospitals.

4. San Jose Sharks 4, Dallas Stars 2: Boy, the Stars played great. And they lost.

5. Dallas Mavericks notes: Tim Thomas and Drew Gooden are filling their roles nicely. The Mavs host the Portland Trail Blazers tonight (7:30 p.m., KTXA/Channel 21).

6. Our picks for the area's best high school football players.

-- David Thomas

Monday's Pick 6

Six links to click before you head to the water cooler:

1. Dallas Mavericks 102, Cleveland Cavaliers 95: With Dirk Nowitzki out, Tim Thomas scored 22 points and the Mavs "held" LeBron James to 25 points to end the Cavs' five-game winning streak.

2. Just like that, the Dallas Cowboys' playoff chances look a whole lot better.

3. Jennifer Floyd Engel: Following up on the Cowboys' win by eating crow -- sauteed in a lemon-butter reduction, please -- but not all of the crow just yet.

4. TCU football notes: Gary Patterson says the Horned Frogs are doing just fine without being in the Big 12 Conference.

5. Dallas Stars center Brad Richards is creating problems for opposing defenses.

6. The Texas Rangers are close to signing left-handed reliever Darren Oliver to a one-year contract. It would be the third stint with the Rangers for Oliver, who lives in Southlake.

-- David Thomas

Friday's Pick 6

Six links to click before you head to the water cooler:

1. Tony Romo knows the December stuff as well as anyone, and he looks forward to the challenge of reversing the trends.

2. Dallas Cowboys notes: Ware's status will be a game-time decision, and Nick Folk's performances in practice this week have been encouraging to Wade Phillips.

3. Randy Galloway: Saturday's game is one the New Orleans Saints and their fans have been looking forward to.

4. Atlanta Thrashers 6, Dallas Stars 5 (OT): The Stars played better but still lost for the second consecutive night.

5. Dallas Mavericks notes: Defenses have been keying on super sixth man Jason Terry, and his numbers are lower as a result. Terry and the Mavs host the Houston Rockets tonight (7:30 p.m., KTXA/Channel 21).

6. Which county has the most high school football state championships this decade? Tarrant County.

-- David Thomas