The New Mop Up Mav

The Mavs season is slowly slipping away. It will quickly be every fan's hope that the Mavs can luck into Blake Griffin in the lottery.

Meanwhile, a trade was made bringing a new center for mop up duty: Ryan Hollins. By now, we know this the 24-year-old from UCLA.

Sure, he is just a throw-in to the DeSagana Diop for Matt Carroll trade. But this guy might be fun to watch. He's certainly the most athletic center in Dallas working the pick-and-roll better than Erick Dampier and Diop ever did. The question is, can he do anything else. So far, the returns look unpromising.

But this was a decent move by the Mavs. You got the outside shooter in Carroll if he regain form. Plus you got Hollins to replace Diop. We know who Diop is. He has leveled off. Maybe even regressed. So why not get a younger, more athletic center and see what he might be able to give you.

At worst, he becomes just another of the many Mavs not named Dirk or Jet who can produce on occassion but more often lay eggs. Then, the Mavs drift closer to the lottery, a Josh Howard trade, and remain poised to make a free agent splash in 2010.

BCS, Plus One?

You look at the situation following Thursday's victory by Florida and it is clear a Plus One system would not solve the problem that is the B_S.

After the rankings were released Friday you have Florida and USC ranked in the Top 2 meaning they would battle for the title in just such a scenario. That's great for USC and its fans. I think it quite likely, however, that if the BCS rankings were refigured, it would be Texas, which is great for fans like me and the school and its alumni.

However, it still doesn't declare a clear champion. You still have USC with one loss who held opponents to nine points a game this season and undefeated Utah who made a much easier task of defeating Alabama than the B_S Champion while beating four ranked teams. Now, USC plays in what I believe is a very weak Pac-10 conference. Utah plays in what is perceived to be a much weaker conference. But what can say about the Big 12 after its four supposed juggernaut teams went 1-3 in the bowls, losing to the Pac-10 and SEC.

So can we say Texas or USC is the clear cut choice to play Florida in a Plus One format, with the loss to Texas Tech who was embarassed by Ole Miss, the attempted throwing away of the game against Oklahoma State, and late escape against Ohio State who was blown out by USC? Note the one characteristic of those games is crucial turnovers by Colt McCoy who had an otherwise surprisingly great season.

Hell, you watch the bowl games and continue to wonder if Florida and Oklahomawere clear cut choices to play in the so-called title game.

Shouldn't Utah have some say in this or even Boise State who had only one loss to ranked TCU and is part of the reason the voters should quit discounting the so-called lesser conferences in the BCS?

So here's hoping Utah's Attorney General files a lawsuit and wins his case and we have a playoff system, a playoff system that allows all teams that are said to be a part of the highest level of college football and have a real shot at the national title.