Sports shorts

Two quick notes regarding the locals.

First, Jim(m)y Williams has 13 games to turn his Astros around. I think if the Astros do not have 50 wins by the end of their first series after the All-Star break, Williams is gone, and considering that they're 40-38 now, that means they need to win 10 of the 13. He won't be fired before then because MinuteMaidEnronYourNameHere field is hosting the game and he's been named as an All-Star coach. Simply stated, the Astros are horrific -- 5th place, behind the pitching-deprived Reds and experience-deprived Brewers. Sure Pettitte has been hurt most of the season, but Clemens has been outstanding and Oswalt and Miller have carried their loads. The team is underperforming badly and to a large degree, that falls on the manager. Williams isn't a positive difference-maker as a skipper and he overuses his bullpen. With Clemens, Pettitte, Miller, Oswalt, Lidge, Berkman, Kent, Biggio and even an 80% Bagwell, this team should be much better.

And then there were none -- that's the Mavericks' story. The whole offseason has been a farce for the Mavs: (1) trading Antawn Jamison for two stiffs and a draft pick; (2) Mark Cuban talking trade for Shaq and denying that he would ever give up Nowitzki [that means no Shaq deal, period]; (3) getting burned by Steve Nash signing with the Suns. With the Spurs a possible destination for Kobe Bryant and the Rockets' acquisition of Tracy McGrady, the Mavs are the Ross Perot of this three-team race and sinking toward Ralph Nader level.