It’s unseasonably warm in DFW today with a high around 80. But the reception inside American Airlines Center tonight should be as chilly as any in local sports history.
DeAndre Jordan, the man who went back on his word and betrayed the Mavericks, is in town to face the music. The backbeat will surely be a chorus of robust jeers and relentless boos.
Last summer, remember, the Mavs thought they had signed Jordan as a free agent. With him aboard, they allowed center Tyson Chandler to go to the Suns. And then, in an unprecedented move, Jordan reneged and re-signed with the Clippers, leaving the Mavs scrambling for Plan C pieces and parts.
The end result? Jordan has 27 blocked shots this season; Dallas 20.
Watching Pelicans’ 3-point expert Ryan Anderson score at will in the paint last night in a blowout of the Mavs was another reminder of the shambles of an inferior interior that Jordan’s move left Dallas with.
Even in a town presently obsessed with hard feelings toward Greg Hardy, Jordan’s visit to Dallas should provoke an epic response from furious fans.
On a list of players who have lied, disrespected, embarrassed, hurt, mocked and attempting to even physically hurt our players, Jordan owns a secure spot on The Top 10 All-Time DFW Sports Villains.
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10. Jeremy Roenick – Don’t tug on Superman’s cape. And, even worse, don’t deliver a dirty hit to the Stars’ Mike Modano. Thankfully, Derian Hatcher exacted revenge via a broken jaw in 1999.
9. Robin Ventura – See above. Of course, Nolan Ryan handled the payback all by himself with a legendary, bloody headlock.
8. Terrell Owens – Even though he caught touchdowns in a Cowboys’ jersey, we’re eternally nauseated by the sight of him – as a 49er – desecrating the most sacred star in all of sports.
7. Kiki Vandeweghe – Despite being the first draft pick in Mavs’ history in 1980, the UCLA star refused to play in Dallas because he didn’t want to play for an expansion franchise. He was booed during visits to Reunion Arena throughout his career as an All-Star player with the Nuggets and even later as head coach of the Nets.
6. Alex Rodriguez – Awarded the largest contract in baseball, he immediately alienated his teammates in Arlington with separate travel arrangements, etc. He enjoyed steroid-fueled success with the Rangers, but irked fans and the franchise upon being traded to the Yankees and labeling his time in Texas as “me and 24 kids.” His at-bats in Arlington are still booed, and one of the Rangers’ most glorious moments remains A-Rod’s called third strike that earned them their first World Series berth in 2010.
5. Dwyane Wade – As if his dramatic flopping and ensuing free-throw parade in the 2006 NBA Finals wasn’t enough, he then mocked Dirk Nowitizki’s legitimate flu with an exaggerated fake cough before Game 3 of the 2011 series.
4. Josh Hamilton – Fueled the Rangers’ historic collapse in 2012 by dropping a fly ball and casually striking out numerous times down the stretch. Punctuated his black hat by saying DFW wasn’t a “baseball town” on his way out the door to play for the rival Angels.
3. DeAndre Jordan – If it’s true that a man is only as good as his word, then he’s a terrible person.
2. Lamar Odom/Rajon Rondo – Only thing that trumps lying … is quitting. Both players arrived in Dallas and promptly – literally – quit on their teams. The Mavs eventually paid Odom and his apathetic antics to go away. And after watching an indifferent Rondo get a backcourt violation for leisurely walking the ball up the court in the playoffs against the Rockets, the team banished him from the series.
1. Buddy Ryan – The old Eagles’ head coach was the definition of a venomous villain. With Philadelphia leading Dallas, 30-20, in the final minute of a game in 1987, he had quarterback Randall Cunningham fake a kneel-down and throw a long pass that drew an interference penalty at the 1 to set up a run-up-the-score touchdown. Afterward he admitted it was a planned play to embarrass Cowboys’ coach Tom Landry. And then in 1989 he offered a $250 bounty to any of his players that intentionally injured Cowboys’ kicker and former Eagle Luis Zendejas.
A native Texan who was born in Duncanville and graduated from UT-Arlington, Richie Whitt has been a mainstay in the Metroplex media since 1986. He’s held prominent roles on all media platforms including newspaper (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), radio (105.3 The Fan) and TV (co-host on TXA 21 and numerous guest appearances, including NBC 5). He lives in McKinney with his wife, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.
