Chicago Bulls (0-1) at Dallas Mavericks (0-1)

Ah, Preseason. The Mavericks haven't really played the rotation, but are honestly evaluating who stays and who goes. The Bulls, well, I think they are doing the same. So, who's reserves are better? Who is better off the bench, 'cause that's who will be getting the most time.

And really, why play out this season? Why don't we just give the trophy to Miami and save everybody some time. Anyway, if you think I am bitter, that's because I am.

Forecast: Mavs win this one, I guess, with a score of, let's say, 98-92.

25 Sports Celebrities Better for Survivor Than Jimmy Johnson

Former Dallas Cowboys head coach and current FOX host Jimmy Johnson recently announced that he will join the new cast of CBS' long-running reality series "Survivor". Johnson's season will take place in Guatemala and reportedly not interfere with his current FOX schedule.

Johnson has long been known for his boisterous and out-going personality which should fit very well on the show that demands unique characters (or caricatures).

While Johnson should be an entertaining choice nonetheless, there are still 25 other sports figures who could take Johnson's spot and bring much more to the show.

Terrell Owens. The biggest mouthpiece in the NFL over the last decade would sure add a spicy element to the Survivor cast. Owens can be confrontational and emotional. He often speaks without a filter and has a difficulty working well with others. The perfect formula for a reality show contestant.

It would never happen in a million years, but hey this whole list is hypothetical right? Well, nothing says entertaining like watching a spoiled celebrity be landed into a Guatemalan jungle where she will have roll in the dirt, eat bugs and deal with people she otherwise would care if they existed or not.

The ultimate self-promoter, Chad Ochocinco has to be right in there with T.O. Ochocinco loves the camera and the camera loves him. He already tested his reality show wits with his appearance on Dancing With the Stars where it looked like no competition was to difficult for the Bengals wide receiver. Anything where Ochocinco gets to be himself usually turns to TV gold.

Michael Strahan is a loud, out-going character who is excellent in front of a camera. He has a sense of humor but has a suaveness about him that is a great fit for a competitive television atmosphere.

Milton Bradley. Why not? Every reality show needs a contestant that is possible of melting down at any given moment. Bradley could be that proverbial roommate, or in this case jungle-mate, that everyone walks on egg shells around only to have him erupt when he realizes he hates his surroundings.

Erin Andrews has been through a lot in her personal life over the last year, so why not send her to Guatemala where she can down in the mud in as little clothes as possible? Maybe help her release some of that pent up anger and shows us an EA we haven't seen before--personality that is.

You NEVER know what you're going to get out of Ron Artest which makes him so darn perfect for this situation. Put the always-quirky Artest around a bunch of conniving strangers who are constantly trying to one-up him and his eventual reaction will be great television.

The guy is all over the map at any given moment. Why not drop him on Survivor Island and watch him make a bunch of random people go nuts.

Hey, if Jimmy Johnson is going to do it, why not Ditka? Hurricane Ditka would slam Guatemala with his trademark scowl and moustache and infuse fear in all that laid in its way. Yes, Ditka is older than Johnson, but seeing Ditka get riled up with lazy cast member is worth a ticket to the show.

Oh this would be so rich if Saban had to go deal with a bunch of people he would no doubt look down his nose at. Saban would be cut from entirely different cloth than the rest of the cast, but you could see how he'd try to justify any behavior and simply play mind games with his castmates.

Forget just replacing Jimmy Johnson, put Urban Meyer and Nick Saban on the same cast. You know what, forget that, just put Saban and Meyer on an island together and let fate sort it out. It would be great viewing.

A-Rod would be a very entertaining fit only to see his prima donna appearance and aura be shot down by a cast of people willing to eat bugs, fight in the dirt, jump off cliffs and do whatever else Survivor contestants do. A-Rod probably showers in Poland Spring Bottled Water. Could he fathom not showering for weeks on end?

Deion, much like Jimmy Johnson, would bring a boisterous and entertaining personality to a show that is usually filled with bark-eating, boring people. Deion's entire rhythm and flair would be a far cry from anyone that's been on the show. Now, could Deion live a few weeks without his flashy fashion sense and live outdoors? Finding the answer would make it all that much more entertaining.

Charles Barkley is a walking comedy act. He is in many ways the caricature for the retired athlete. He says virtually what he wants, when he wants and does so in such a unique way that people can't help but be drawn to him.

Tiger could return from his recent recluse behavior and become the alpha male on Survivor. His sheer presence would leave other contestants unsure of what to do or how to even approach Tiger. Tiger has always been very careful about how he approaches the public and the words he uses publicly, but seeing him go toe-to-toe with some Survivor contestant would be a Tiger with all new stripes, although part of me wonders if he could handle that kind of heat again.

Talk about the alpha male in a group. Jordan could still be the same always-imposing presence on the set of Survivor even when he's away from his $100,000 craps tables, Gulfstream and fine cigars. Jordan, the ultra-competitor, could probably outlast any island crawler on Survivor.

John Daly may not be as wild as he was a few years back, but placing him in a rare place with strangers and no means to cigarettes and booze could be a recipe for an absolute tire fire on the set of Survivor. Reality shows bring the worst out of people. It could do the same for Daly which would be bad for him, but a score in the ratings department for the show.

So far, all the males on this list have been of a dominating figure. Not so much with the squirrely and somewhat bizarre Van Gundy. Many NBA fans have grown frustrated with his shtick and his persona on the air. Would they oppose to seeing him treated like the class nerd on an island of people willing to do just about anything?

Many have knocked LeBron James for taking the easy way out when it comes to his professional career. So, let's see what LeBron is made of by making it very hard on him. Stick him on island where nothing will come easy, including meals, and let's see what kind of competitor LeBron truly is.

Lane Kiffin's life over the last few years has seemed like one non-stop reality show, so why going on Survivor be any different? From fighting with an old Al Davis, to leaving Tennessee in the lurch to his perceived sliminess makes Kiffin just prime for this kind of situation. Watching Kiffin have to worm his way out of heated Survivor fights would be rich.

Al Davis couldn't do much on Survivor, but one thing he wouldn't do is play by the rules. Al Davis would lord over that island with his jungle throne as he commands the rest of the Survivor cast to serve as his minions. Throw him off the island will you? Well, he'll just call a press conference, take out an overhead projector and tell you all the reasons why you're a liar and you should be kicked off.

Mark Cuban too is like a walking reality show. The Mavericks owner has little in the way of a filter for his often combative personality and is ripe for a reality show where everyone is as cutthroat as can be. In all seriousness, let's not give Cuban any ideas.

Tebow is no stranger to being in the wild, living off the land and spending time in the outdoors. Tebow would be the complete opposite of the standard, expected crazed reality show member. However, seeing how much another cast member could push his buttons and if Tebow would blow up in a fit of genuine rage would be something to see.

Perhaps if Shaquille O'Neal can't find another team to play for this upcoming season, he could just go on a reality show circuit. His immense presence would certainly draw ratings and his personality and sense of humor, which made him the most entertaining soundbite in sports, will worth watching every week. Maybe they could name that season 'Shaq VS Survivor'...

You want to install a little fear and intimidation on the set of Survivor? Swap Jimmy Johnson for Chuck Liddell. Nothing says pending drama like an MMA fight with a short fuse just waiting to go off on some unsuspecting cast member.

Why Jose? Because it appears the guy will do just about anything to earn a paycheck nowadays. This is a guy who fought a 60-year-old local high school coach at a minor league game in Arkansas for a minimal appearance fee. Canseco is a walking train wreck. Why not put that on Survivor and see how it far it takes him?

Game 8: Mavs at Bulls

My first NBA game was the Mavericks versus the Bulls. The Mavs pushed it into overtime before the Bulls won the game. It was an awesome game. Chicago comes into this one with a better record of 3-5 and the Mavs have a 2-5 record. I still believe that the Mavericks can turn this season around, although, for whatever reason, dought is starting to seep in.

I watched a good part of the Mavericks game last night, and it was a really good game to watch. They held the Lakers at bay for most of the game, dominating the glass, and making clutch shots... so, I am not sure what happened at the end. Fate, maybe?

We all know the usuall suspects for the Mavericks, as far as to whom to watch. Dirk, Terry, Kidd, and Howard, so I will simply skip the formality of all of that and focus on the Bulls.

Bulls to Watch:

• Ben Gordon: 19.9 PPG
• Derrick Rose: 18.8 PPG; 5.3 APG
• Luol Deng: 14 PPG; 6.4 RPG
• Drew Gooden: 12 PPG; 8.5 RPG
• Tyrus Thomas: 7.6 PPG; 6.3 RPG; 2.13 Bocks

They have good threats for the Mavericks... but will what they have be enough to grab a lowly win?

I would think the Mavericks are just about to hit "PANIC MODE" if things to turn around right away.

Forecast: I like the Mavericks in this one. It would seem obvious that the Mavericks still have not gelled as a team under coach Carlisle, but we have seen flashes of greatness, so that gives us fans a glimmer of hope. And this game is going to be another one of those flashes: Mavs take it, 102-97.

Home Plate

Pre-Season Game 2: Mavs vs. Bulls

The starters don't even play half the game and the end up killing in the preseason opener. The starters are going to get more and more playing time as the preseason wears on. That really goes without saying.

This game is the first preseason game for the Bulls.

Bulls to Watch:

• Ben Gordon: 18.6 points
• Luol Deng: 17 points, 6.3 rebounds
• Drew Gooden: 14 points, 9.3 rebounds
• Kirk Hinrich: 11.5 points, 6 assists

I'm not pretty sure how this will all pan out, since these numbers were from last season and this is their first preseason game, so the Mavs have a slight upperhand will already having played one game.

Mavs to Watch:

• Josh Howard: 19.9 points, 7 rebounds
• Jason Kidd: 9.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 9.5 assists
• Dirk Nowitzki: 23.6 points, 8.6 rebounds

Beating the Washington Wizards really isn't too much to brag about. But I liked how the team worked together. The question this season that everyone is asking here in Dallas is this: can a team whose been ousted in the first round for two consecutive seasons go to the finals on the back of Dirk, Josh, and Kidd? Well, it is preseason, so it is always possible when you look at a team in the preseason... for the most part.

What will it take? A strong supporting cast (Mavericks do have a good bench). It will also take MVP caliber years from Josh and Dirk and a typically awesome season from Jason Kidd.

Will it happen? I think the Mavericks have a strong shot at it. I do believe they will survive the first round of playoffs.

Deeper? Well, I can't say right now.

Forecast: I kind of get nastalgic when it comes to the Bulls. The first NBA game that I ever watched was with Michael Jordan facing Magic Johnson in the NBA Finals. It was on TV, by the way. I wasn't actually there. And then the first NBA game for me to watch in the stands was the Bulls going up against the Mavericks. Jordan was there, too. And the Mavs were very much in "suck-land", but they pushed the Bulls into overtime before being bested by the Bulls. And that is a game I just will not forget... for three reasons. 1) It was my first NBA game to go to, and 2) I went with my Dad, and 3) I got to see Michael Jordan play.

This game, well, doesn't have Jordan, I won't be visiting Chicago to see, and neither will my Dad. And I really think, even in preseason, that the Mavs will get the best of Chicago. Score: 98-91, Mavericks.

Home Plate