12/6/12: D-FW sports chat with columnist Tim Cowlishaw

Here we go!

People aren't forgetting 2011 so much as they're remembering 2012. Could he bounce back a bit? Sure. But he ditdn't deliver or come anything close to it last year and, at 36, he's likely not headed back in the right direction. If this was the old Rangers, I'd say don't get rid of him. But Jon Daniels has earned the fans' trust and if they can save even $5-6 million on what the Phillies pick up on Young's contract, you can believe that money will be spent, not pocketed. It is, I must say, an unfortunate way for Michael to go out, if this happens. But at least someone who can give him at-bats wants him. The Rangers don't have a place for him.

I don't know if we can afford to go too far in our praise of recent drafts just yet. Let's see Sean Lee, Bruce Carter and DeMarco Murray stay healthy for longer stretches of time before we pat anyone on the back. They are good players, no question. And Claiborne is good obviously. In the Colts' case, well, you could make a case for Andrew Luck getting MVP votes. Seriously.

They are playing a very tentative soft defense without question. He's relying on Ware and Spencer to get all the pressure on the quarterback and, as we've all seen, especially against the Browns, many times there is none at all. Meanwhile, Sensabaugh has to play farther off the line of scrimmage than any safety in the league. The middle of that defense is just wide, wide open right now. Without Ratliff, Lee, Carter and, yes, I'm going to say without Scandrick in the slot, this is a weak defense.

Don't know about the first part although I believe that to be the case. As for the second part, no, there's only so much he can spend. Is already having cap issues for 2013 in fact. So you can ask if he's spending it wisely but it's not a matter of Jerry hoarding money that could go into players.

Is there any scenario in which I'm going to pick the Cowboys to be in next year's Super Bowl? No. They won't have big money to spend in free-agency and it's not like they can take a guy in the middle of the first round that makes anyone say, "There's the last piece of the puzzle." I don't want to sound like Jason Garrett but they need to worry about becoming a good team -- something they are not -- before anyone can talk about them becoming a great team.

It's hard to watch the Mavericks as presently configured and think of anything good to say. Correct me if I'm wrong but they couldn't keep Jason Terry because it was time to go a new direction. And now they have Derek Fisher? They were old but good two years ago. Now they're just old. I wouldn't pick them to make the playoffs right now. If Dirk comes back faster and healthier than expected that could change. But this is a bad defensive team with limited scoring options.

I don't see Mack leaving (or being asked to leave) after this year. After 2013, it might be different. Don't imagine Gary Patterson is a likely replacement under any circumstances. Texas admitting TCU has the answer? Not likely.

I see you feel that way by your use of capital letters, so I will just say, CALM DOWN. The guys who rush into deals in baseball are generally the ones that make mistakes. Patience can be difficult on a fan but just pay attention to something else for awhile...the Stars' season maybe....Oh. OK maybe something else. Seriously, I don't think it's an issue or a surprise that the Rangers left the winter meetings without a deal. The winter meetings are pointless from a trade standpoint.