So many teams, so little time

April, believe it or not, is one of the best months of the year for sports fans. Of the four major sports, three are in action, with football mini-camps looming just a few months away. With that in mind, I decided to explore the upcoming peaks and valleys of the Metroplex sports scene.

I’ll begin with the brightest spot on the Dallas sports map, the Mavericks. The Mavs have coasted to the second best record in the western conference this year, but will most likely have the fourth seed due to the NBA’s playoff seeding structure.

Maverick’s fans know that rooting for the team is kind of like being the runner-up in the Price is Right showcase. Yeah, it was nice to win that dining room set in the first round, but you always end up kicking yourself while the winner celebrates his vacation to Tahiti. I see a similar scene unfolding for Dirk Nowitski and the boys. Expect San Antonio or Phoenix to advance and contend for the title against Detroit.

Hardwood converts to a sheet of ice in American Airlines Center to host our next team, the Dallas Stars. The revamped NHL has come back stronger after a work stoppage cancelled the 2004-05 season. Much like the Mavericks, the Stars have the second best record in the Western Conference, and have just been biding their time until the playoffs.

Veteran Mike Modano and a young supporting cast set a franchise record for most wins in a season. Hopefully, the Stars will produce Dallas’ first professional sports title since the last time they brought home the Stanley Cup. Expect the Stars to beat my pick from the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia Flyers, in the finals.

That brings us to a very young, but already woeful season for the Texas Rangers. The team made several changes over the winter, and general manager Jon Daniels was hoping for a quick fix. Nothing has significantly changed so far, as new center-fielder Brad Wilkerson is currently batting around .160 and leads the league in strikeouts.

Pitching acquisition Adam Eaton tore a ligament in his finger and will miss several months. If things don’t turn around soon, expect manager Buck Showalter to be looking for a new job as the Rangers battle Seattle to see who can stay out of last place in the American League west. Let’s hope that moving to Arlington in a few years doesn’t make the Cowboys catch whatever the Rangers have.

Speaking of the Cowboys, has anyone else heard about a big off-season free agent signing? It’s not everyday that the team signs one of the most controversial athletes of our era. Wide Receiver Terrell Owens brings his big-play ability and big mouth to Irving for the 2006 season.

Philadelphia benched the talented receiver last year after he demanded a new contract. I hope Bill Parcells has a lot of nerve left, and a year’s supply of Extra Strength Tylenol. If everyone can play nice and get along, America’s team should be good for a 10-12 win season, and a trip to the playoffs.

NASCAR and golf have steadily climbed higher and higher in national popularity. The Byron Nelson golf tournament will take place in May, just a few blocks away from North Lake’s campus. Tour favorite John Daly headlines a good group of players contending for the tournament purse of several million dollars. Texas Motor Speedway will also host its normal schedule of events.

And if that’s not enough, Frisco Rough Riders baseball and Arena Football’s Dallas Desperados add more diversity to an area that is already a great place to take in some of the best sports action in the country.