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Page 8B - Sunday, December 11, 2011 - Plainview Herald www.MyPlainview.com
Another Giants-Cowboys, prime-time showdown
By JAIME ARON
AP Pro Football Writer
ARLINGTON — The
rst time the Cowboys and
iants played a prime-time
ame at Cowboys Stadium,
hings didn’t go so well
or Tony Romo. It was the
pener of the $1.2 billion
alace and Romo disapointed
an NFL-record
rowd by throwing three
nterceptions in a lastecond
loss.
The second time the
owboys and Giants
layed in a prime-time
ame at Cowboys Stadium,
hings didn’t work out so
ell for Romo, either. He
roke a collarbone and
as done for the year; that
oss dropped Dallas to 1-5
nd pretty much ended the
eam’s season, too.
Here they go again.
The Giants are comng
to Cowboys Stadium
onight and, of course, it’ll
e in prime time. And, one
ay or another, Romo will
e among the main attracions.
Will he be the cool,
ffi cient guy who guided
Dallas to four straight wins
and a solid grip on the lead
in the NFC East going into
December?
Or will be he the guy
who opened the month by
struggling against Arizona,
then fl ubbing Clock
Management 101 at the
end of regulation, putting
that fi rst-place standing in
serious jeopardy?
See, if the Cowboys
BEST WISHES TO YOU AND YOUR
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Dallas wide receiver Dez Bryant (88) returns a punt against the Arizona Cardinals at University of
Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., on Dec. 4.
had beaten the Cardinals,
they would’ve gone into
this game knowing a win
would wrap up the division.
Plain and simple. A
victory would’ve guaranteed
them a playoff spot
and at least one postseason
game at home, all with
three games left.
Instead, a win would
only guarantee Dallas (7-5)
of still being in fi rst place
when these teams meet
again in two weeks in New
York. And a loss would
vault the Giants (6-6) to the
top of the division. Simply
having the chance to
reclaim the NFC East lead
after their last four games
should help bring out New
York’s best.
“The mindset is looking
ahead,” said Giants
quarterback Eli Manning,
who has fl ourished in these
marquee matchups against
the Cowboys, throwing six
touchdowns and no inter-
ceptions over two games at
Jerry Jones’ shrine. He also
memorably broke in the
visitors’ locker room by
autographing a wall.
“It doesn’t matter what
you’ve done last week or
what your record is,” Manning
continued. “It’s what
you’re playing for, who
you have this week. And
you have Dallas, Sunday
Night Football, that’s a big
one. I think everybody is
excited about the oppor-
May our families and community
be blessed with health, happiness
and love this season.
Sacred Encounters. Perfect Care. Healthiest Communities.
tunity that we’re in right
now.”
It’s worth noting that
three of New York’s losses
were to division leaders.
And in the last game, the
Giants gave the unbeaten
Packers their toughest
challenge yet.
Maybe that’s why the
Cowboys have insisted
all week that when they
watch fi lm of New York,
they don’t see a team that
is struggling. The Giants
are also expected to have
running back Ahmad
Bradshaw back from a foot
injury, and could have receiver
Mario Manningham
back from a knee problem.
“I know they’ve been
hurt with some injuries at
different times this year,
but they look to be playing
great football right now,”
Romo said. “We are going
to have a great challenge.
They are going to be ready
to go.”
Dallas should be ready,
too.
Romo will be surrounded
by the preferred starters
for the fi rst time since
October, with receiver
Miles Austin expected to
be back from a hamstring
injury and fullback Tony
Fiammetta back from an
undisclosed illness.
Rookie DeMarco Murray
has been at his best
when running behind
Fiammetta, averaging more
than 150 yards in those
games compared to 66
without him. Having Austin
back should help give
Murray room to roam, too.
Dallas also is 5-1 at
home this season.
However, Romo is coming
off a season-worst fi ve
sacks against the Cardinals.
If Arizona truly exploited
something that the return
of Austin and Fiammetta
can’t solve, then it could be
another forgettable night
for Romo. The Giants have
33 sacks, which is tied for
fi fth-best in the league.
A big question around
the Cowboys has been
what kind of carryover
that loss in Arizona might
have. There’s also been
talk about how to manage
the high stakes of this
matchup.
Some folks, like Romo
and Garrett, have downplayed
it. They both insist
that it’s just one of 16, and
all 16 are super-important.
“I think you short change
yourself if you put more
effort in one game than
another,” Romo said. “You
work as hard as you can
to prepare to give yourself
the best chance to win
(today).”
Then there are those, like
tight end Jason Witten and
cornerback Mike Jenkins,
who say it’s impossible to
ignore the ramifi cations.
“Everybody in here
knows what’s at stake,”
Jenkins said. “If you can’t
get up for this game, then
whatever Jason has to
say, if you’re using that as
motivation, then I don’t
know where you’re at as a
person.”
Welcome back! A wild NBA day of personnel moves
By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Sports Writer
The NBA’s amnesty era
s under way.
Taking advantage of the
eague’s new get-out-of-aontract
card, the Orlando
agic waived Gilbert
renas and the $62 million
e was owed over the next
hree seasons as one of the
ery fi rst moves after the
ockout formally ended,
nd the New York Knicks
ere preparing to use
he clause on Chauncey
illups — a precursor to
dding Tyson Chandler
s a free agent from the
hampion Dallas Mavercks.
There was Dwight
oward trade talk, widepread
reaction over the
BA’s decision to reject
proposed trade of Chris
aul to the Los Angeles
akers, and dozens of
oves in short order as
eams worked briskly to
tart fi lling their rosters
for a rapidly approaching
season.
And fi nally, rookies
could become, well, rookies.
Kyrie Irving, the No. 1
pick this year, signed with
the Cleveland Cavaliers,
as did No. 4 pick Tristan
Thompson. In Minnesota,
No. 2 pick Derrick Williams
practiced with the
expectation his deal would
be signed no later than
Saturday, and Utah signed,
among others, No. 3 pick
Enes Kanter.
A number of teams
worked out with very small
groups, barely enough to
play even 3-on-3 in some
cases.
“It’s good to be back on
the court, to hear the balls
bouncing and see your
teammates,” Heat forward
LeBron James said. “It’s a
great day to be back.”
The biggest news was
likely yet to come, and
New York was in the epicenter
of speculation.
Chandler was on his
way to New York, though
was not yet a member of
the Knicks. A person with
knowledge of the Knicks’
plans told The Associated
Press that the team is planning
to use the amnesty
clause to waive Billups
and possibly make other
moves before having the
ability to free up space for
Chandler and what could
be a $58 million deal over
four years.
“I’m glad he’s with us
and not against us,” Knicks
forward Amare Stoudemire
said about Chandler.
Howard showed up for
the start of Magic camp,
amid reports that he was
seeking a trade to New
Jersey.
“As of right now,” Howard
said, “I’m here.”
Orlando was close to
making one trade, working
on fi nalizing a deal to acquire
Glen Davis from the
Boston Celtics for Brandon
Bass.
“Baby was terrifi c for
us. He was,” Celtics coach
Doc Rivers said about
Davis. “It will be differ-
ent. We had an emotional
conversation. I wish him
well.”
The Magic made a slew
of other moves, including
the signings of veteran
guard Larry Hughes and
former Boston draft pick
Gabe Pruitt.
Boston fi nalized its trade
with Milwaukee, acquiring
guard Keyon Dooling and
a protected 2012 secondround
draft pick from the
Bucks. The move helps
Milwaukee clear salary cap
space. The Bucks also get
the rights to forward/center
Albert Miralles.
Arenas still gets his
money, of course — amnesty
only means that
teams can rid themselves
of salary for cap and
luxury-tax calculation
purposes.
A day after the Paul
trade fell apart, the All-Star
guard showed up for work
in New Orleans. In Los
Angeles, Pau Gasol —
another part of the deal, he
was to be sent to Houston
No. 8 Xavier tops Cincinnati 76-53 after brawl
CINCINNATI (AP) — Eighthanked
Xavier beat crosstown rival
incinnati 76-53 on Saturday in a
ame that featured a steady stream of
rash talking and was called with 9.4
econds left when the teams got into
brawl in a corner of the court.
Words escalated into shoving and
wings as the fi nal seconds ticked
own. Both benches cleared and
oaches pulled their players away.
he referees called it.
Xavier center Kenny Frease left
he court with a towel pressed against
is bloody face. He was hit in the eye
uring the fi ghting.
The teams traded words as they
walked past each other toward the
locker rooms at halftime, with the
referees stepping between them — a
common occurrence in the emotional
rivalry.
Mark Lyons scored 19 points, and
Tu Holloway led a 12-point run in
the fi rst half for Xavier (8-0), which
extended their best start in three years
and their recent domination of the
Bearcats (5-3). Cincinnati went 1 of
16 from behind the arc and trailed by
double digits the entire second half.
Yancy Gates led Cincinnati with
18 points and 12 rebounds. The
Bearcats shot only 30 percent from
the fi eld.
Xavier has won four of the last
fi ve, seven of the last 10, and nine of
the last 13 games in the city’s annual
bragging-rights game. The Musketeers
had a little extra motivation in
this one.
Last season, Cincinnati took advantage
of Xavier’s injury-depleted
roster in a 66-46 victory on the
Bearcats’ court, the series’ most lopsided
score in eight years. Cincinnati
geared its defense to stop Holloway,
who was only 2 of 13 from the fi eld
for fi ve points.
— was at Lakers camp.
Lamar Odom, who was
presumed to be bound for
New Orleans, showed up
more than 90 minutes late
for that fi rst practice of
the post-Phil Jackson-era,
then left after meeting with
general manager Mitch
Kupchak.
On Friday, though, it
seemed Paul could be soon
on the move again.
“We’re talking about everything.
Everything is on
the table,” Hornets general
manager Dell Demps said.
In Phoenix, a person with
knowledge of the deal told
The AP that Grant Hill is
returning to the Suns on a
$6.5 million, one-year deal,
and later, the team announced
that Vince Carter
was waived. That move
was expected, and only $4
million of Carter’s contract
was guaranteed anyway.
The Suns also added guards
Shannon Brown and Sebastian
Telfair, who tweeted
a picture of his new jersey
and said, “I’m back. Thank
god!!!! So blessed.”
Wishing you a
Joyous Holiday Season!
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