Our original Mavs-Considering-Artest story is high on Red Bull (it gives it wings!) and is now being both flushed out by industrious writers and stretched out to fill the needs and space of lazy writers.

   We greatly enjoy watching the unfolding of both!

   Following our scoop on July 15, our friend Bill Ingram of Hoopsworld seemingly spoke to someone in Las Vegas who suggested that Dallas has indeed offered up a Stack-Bass Combo Plate to the Kings in exchange for Artest. (I disagree with some of Bill’s blanket assessments, from “Stack is a future NBA coach’’ to “Carlisle would love to have Ron,’’ but at least Bill is out there diggin’.) On the same day, the Sacramento Bee acknowledged Hoopsworld’s contributions and tried to forward the story. Somewhere in the process, Sports Illustrated decided to coattail on to the story. The good news? When SI wants it, readers come-a-running. The bad news? SI sux.

   I’ll let the fine website Sactown Royalty and Ziller slyly paint the picture.

   In summarizing the story, Sactown Royalty first clipped a sentence from SI.com, and credited the powerhouse: “From SI.com: The talk here continues to be about the future of Ron Artest. Dallas reportedly has had internal discussions about the Kings’ mercurial power forward. …’’

   Then, just below that item, Sactown Royalty  adds: “From DallasBasketball.com, a few days ago: DallasBasketball.com is being told that the Mavs have engaged in extensive in-house discussions concerning the viability of acquiring the bizarro All-Star. … Despite speculation, we get no legitimate indication that the Mavs are willing to swap out Josh Howard for Ron Artest.''

   Lots of between-the-lines stuff here. You’ll note the even-handed tone of our story; we’ll leave the screaming and the over-hyping to others. We could’ve made a bigger splash, we suppose, had we dumped the “in-house’’ part and just said “trade talks,’’ or had we skipped past the “no-legitimate-indication’’ part, which wet-blankets some of the excitement of the thing.

   But the tone we used is the tone our sources used. So we’re comfortable there.

   Best of all, though, is Sactown Royalty’s handling of the different chapters of the stories. Too gentlemanly to out-and-out bitchslap SI.com, Sactown Royalty instead simply notes that SI’s story fails to link to (or even credit) where it obviously obtained its info. … and Sactown Royalty does so with four little words: “A few days ago.’’

   Thanks, Sactown Royalty.

   Suck it, Sports Illustrated. And please re-cancel our subscription.

MORE ON SI

   We promise we’ll let this go eventually. But two more things. Here’s the full lead note in SI.com’s story:

   The talk here continues to be about the future of Ron Artest. Dallas reportedly has had internal discussions about the Kings' mercurial power forward and may be willing to part with its own enigmatic forward, Josh Howard, to get him. The Lakers -- who have dangled Lamar Odom -- continue to be regarded as the favorites, with their willingness to swallow the remaining two years and $16.5 million of Kenny Thomas' contract considered the only holdup.

   Our staff – and Mavs fans who possess the gift of literacy – can get two chuckles out of that “coverage.’’

   1 We laugh at this article's mention of the Lakers’ “only holdup’’ to making such a deal. The only impediment is swallowing down a monstrous contract that no one wants (and that Sacramento insists on including in any Artest deal).

   2 Oh, and they also don't want to give up the player Sacramento wants, Odom. So that’s two “only holdups.’’

   3 A key part of our original story is that in Dallas’ opinion, Sacto would be wise to sit on the Artest thing for a while as his value will increase with time. So that would be a third holdup.

But yeah, other than the fact that the Lakers aren't offering anything that the Kings are asking, other than the bloated-contract problem, and other than the timing, they are really close to a deal!

   In summary, we’re glad Sports Illustrated reads us. They just need to read us more closely.

BUT SI DID SOMETHING GOOD

   A different writer than the aforementioned tracked down Darius Miles this week and reveals that he recently underwent a tryout with the Mavs. As near as I can tell, Sports Illustrated didn't steal this story or anything.

OTHERS LOVE US!

  Luckily, Deadspin can’t get enough of us. Same with SLAM magazine.  Oh, and Yahoo's Ball Don't Lie, too. (All that pub for THREE different stories in ONE week. We're hot!) And, in the last 24 hours, we’ve received phone calls from four of the most powerful media personailities in this town.

   So there.

IT AIN’T OVER ‘TIL THE DMNEWS SAYS IT’S OVER

   We suppose we should mention the DMNews’ rather lame contribution to the Artest story. It’s mostly regurgitation of the work of others, but there is this one “scoop’’:

   “A potential trade for Artest is all but dead, the source said.’’

   Guys, it’s JULY! Trade deadline is SEVEN MONTHS AWAY! QUIT OVERHYPING! WHY AM I YELLING!?

THE DIOP COMPETITION

   Marc Stein notes that Charlotte made a full-MLE offer to ‘Gana Diop, meaning a) there was legit competition for the services of the center in addition to our reports about Chicago and Miami; and b) Larry Brown & Co. think Diop is Okafor’ish. (That’s worth pause; we bet most fans think Okafor – the bigger name, the college star – is far superior to Diop. If Larry Brown disagrees, we should probably heed that.)

   We know it’s popular to say, “He'll be getting paid $1 mil per every point he averages’’ or whatever. But it is very fiscally sound to give a solid 26-year-old center a five-year contract. It just is. If you don’t like it, prepare to not like it again in five years. Because when this contract is up, he'll be 31 ... and he'll probably get another long-term deal from somebody.

THE EDDIE EXAMPLE

   This Hollinger column is technically about overpaying James Posey, a position we happen to agree with. (Dallas fell out of the bidding when the years kept extending.) New Orleans signed a good’un for this year. … but might find itself griping about being attached to a 35-year-old backup swingman down the road.

   Hollinger uses our man Eddie Jones as an example of that, and while the comparison is accurate in terms of age and (faded) skill set, it’s completely unfair in terms of dollars and cents.

   Posey is going to be a washed-up dude costing his team $8 mil. Eddie is a washed-up dude who earns $1.9 mil.

   Bemoan Eddie’s presence here if you wish. But he can be made to go away for $1.9 mil. All the Mavs have to do is fine kids who can beat him out.

THE DECLINE OF WESTERN (CONFERENCE) CIVILIZATION

   Are San Antonio and Phoenix slipping? Is Dallas still peers with Utah and Houston? Haven’t Golden State, Denver and the Clippers dealt themselves out of the playoffs?

We’re purposely leaving the Lakers and Hornets out of this conversation, but if the goal is to be in the playoffs, or even to be a high-seed in the playoffs, is Dallas’ situation – when you examine the rest of the West – really so awful?

   By the way, for those who say, “Cripes, now we have to celebrate the decline of the Clippers and the Nuggets and the Warriors!’’, we say: Part of the game is being better than 29 other teams. That’s kinda the point.

FOUR RULES OF JUNIOR GM’ING

   1 It does no good to ‘just do something!’ The fact that the fans are bored in mid-July and therefore occupy themselves with fits of screaming is reason to cut back on their caffeine. But it is no reason to make a random trade. 

   2 The “Why didn’t we make the trade that another team made’’ position only has occasional validity. If we fire every GM that didn’t make “the trade that another team made,’’ we’d have to fire 28 GMs every time there was a transaction. Which is impractical due to the cost of new business cards alone.

   3 If your fans yell that you “suck’’ as a GM because “all you’ve ever done’’ is register eight straight 50-win playoff seasons, a 67-win season and an NBA Finals appearance, you should try harder, dammit. And buy some earmuffs.

   4 A GM is not a certified “failure’’ because he didn’t acquire Garnett, Gasol, Camby, Kidd and Brand. If he does accomplish that, though, he is a certified success.

AND FINALLY, REGARDING ‘DO SOMETHING!’ …

   The hand-wringing and teeth-gnashing over “all these other teams doing all these other big deals’’ is overwhelming. But the actual teams doing the actual big deals? Not so overwhelming.

   We looked at the NBA Transactions List from July 1 through July 16. A total of 105 names. Amid all the “OH NO, everybody else is DOING STUFF and we're not!!’' panic, all that really happened in terms of “big-name, do-able’’ stuff is Najera, Maggette and J.O. THREE moves. Forget what we THINK has happened. ... there have been ONLY three major moves that a reasonable Mavs fan could say, “Hmm, wish we could get in on that.’’
   Look at the list again: 90 percent of it is about Jermaeo Davidson and Joe Prunty and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute.
   So we share the “antsyness,’’ .. but feeling like Kidd, Carlisle and Diop represent important changes, we do not really share the frustration.

   So take a deep breath. ... and afterwards, if you still feel panicky, we’ll see what we can do about getting the Mavs to inquire about Luc Richard Mbah a Moute.

100pm july 18 2008

    “It’s one of the saddest sights in sports,’’  “It’s one of the saddest sights in sports,’’ writes my Scout.com colleague Steve Lansdale of the vision of a player who has established his legacy in one uniform mopping up the end of his career while wearing a different jersey.

   I understand Steve’s point, brought to the fore by Brett Favre’s summer-long un-retirement ceremony. When Star A from Team A wraps things up by wallowing around playing for Team Z, it is an initial uncomfortable vision.

   But here’s where I disagree with Steve – and am prepared to prove my thesis below: It is a temporary vision. It is a momentary discomfort. The “sadness’’ doesn’t stick.

   What would iconic Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre look like while wearing a No. 4 in the purple-and-gold colors of the Minnesota Vikings or the pewter-and-red colors of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?

   He’d look lost. … but the look wouldn’t last.

   I’ve assembled a list. It’s “The 14 Superstars Who Looked The Weirdest Finishing Their Careers Elsewhere.’’ I’ll name the names, and the teams the athletes are associated with, but let’s play a game: I won’t (yet) mention the “weird-finish’’ teams. You have to guess what those teams were.

   O.J.Simpson, running back. It’s easy to overlook now, but his time in Buffalo (1969-77) was so effective it made him a Hollywood star.

   Franco Harris, running back. He was a Super Bowl fixture and a future Hall-of-Famer thanks to his Pittsburgh career (1972-83).

   Johnny Unitas, quarterback. For a generation of Americans, the Baltimore Colts’ standout defined the position of quarterback. In fact, because he played in Baltimore from 1956 to 1972, it’s probably more accurate to say he defined the position for two generations of fans.

   Reggie White, defensive end. Philadelphia fans (who cheered him from 1985-92) probably think he is theirs. Green Bay fans (1993-98) probably think he is theirs.

   Earl Campbell, running back. Campbell was an all-time great while wearing the powder blue of the Houston Oilers from 1978 to 1984.

   Eric Dickerson, running back. Dickerson made memories with both the Los Angeles Rams (1983-87) and the Indianapolis Colts (1987-91).

   Thurman Thomas, running back. A foundation piece in Buffalo (1988-99) and the Bills’ quite notable four straight Super Bowl appearances.

   Deacon Jones, defensive end. The leader of the Los Angeles Rams’ “Fearsome Foursome from 1961 to 1971.

  Tony Dorsett, running back. The electrifying “TD’’ starred for Dallas for a decade, from 1977 to 1987.

   Ronnie Lott, safety. The greatest safety I ever saw play, one of the greatest leaders I’ve ever been around, and an institution in San Francisco from 1981 to 1990.

   Joe Namath, quarterback. He wasn’t just the face of the Jets (1965-76). He was the face of New York. He was the face of an entire league.

   Jerry Rice, wide receiver. The most productive offensive weapon in the history of the sport, Rice played for the 49ers from 1985 to 2000.

   Joe Montana, quarterback. One of the guys who tossed it to Rice, a San Francisco legend for his Super Bowl work from 1979 to 1992.

   Emmitt Smith, running back. Smith became the NFL's all-time leading rusher during his unusually long and productive 13 seasons in Dallas (1990-2002).

   OK, that was the easy part. Now. … can you name the teams those 14 stars finished up with? If it’s all so horribly “sad,’’ it should be an indelible sadness, right?

   Sharpen your No. 2 pencils:

1 O.J.Simpson’s last team was _________.

2 Franco Harris’s last team was _________.

3 Johnny Unitas’s last team was _________.

4 Reggie White’s last team was _________.

5 Earl Campbell’s last team was _________.

6 Eric Dickerson’s last team was _________.

7 Thurman Thomas’s last team was _________.

8 Deacon Jones’s last team was _________.

9 Tony Dorsett’s last team was _________.

10 Ronnie Lott’s last team was _________.

11 Joe Namath’s last team was _________.

12 Jerry Rice’s last team was _________.

13 Joe Montana’s last team was _________.

14 Emmitt Smith’s last team was _________.

    I’m sure we all know that at 33, Emmitt went to Arizona and stumbled about for two unfortunate seasons. We might remember Franco in Seattle (where he rushed for just 170 yards in his single season there, 1984). We might remember Campbell in New Orleans (following coach Bum Phillips in 1984-85 but unable to beat out George Rogers). Cowboys fans of a certain age recall the pain of seeing Dorsett move to Denver in 1988 (complete with a Sports Illustrated cover). … and more pain when Tony tore up his knee after one uneventful stint there.

   But I’m betting that most of us DO NOT recall that Eric Dickerson finished with Atlanta (1993), the six-time Pro Bowler being traded to the Falcons for a lowly sixth-round pick.
   I personally remember that Deacon Jones spent some time with San Diego after leaving the Rams, but I do not recall the fact that Deacon wrapped it up with Washington in 1974.

    We might recall that Rice experienced four mediocre years in Oakland, but what about the one invisible season in Seattle and then, finally, the failed tryout in Denver?
    Ronnie Lott is still very much associated with San Francisco (1981-90). But when you think back, you might remember him with the Raiders in ’91 (when he had eight interceptions!). And you might remember him with the Jets (1993-94). There is almost no way, though, that Lott’s signing with Kansas City in 1995 (and then ensuing career-ending injury before the season started) is burned into your memory.

   Remember Joe Namath limping around in his gaudy Los Angeles Rams uniform in 1977?
   Remember O.J. Simpson fumbling his way through 1978-79 back in his home town of San Francisco?

   Remember Thurman Thomas being salary-capped out of Buffalo and responding by signing with rival Miami. … and then suffering a knee injury midway through his first season of 2000 and fading away?, he signed with rival Miami. That didn't last long. He suffered a knee injury midway through his only season there and retired.
   Remember Johnny Unitas ending things in San Diego in 1973? For that matter, did you know that the Colts all-timer was first a no-hope practice-squad body with Pittsburgh in 1955?
   Remember Reggie White – proud property of Philadelphia and Green Bay coming out of retirement in 2000 to be proud property of Carolina?

   I’ve written many times of how I believe it is presumptuous of a fan or a writer to “demand’’ that somebody like Brett Favre “be a Packer for life,’’ “not soil his legacy,’’ “not ruin MY memory.’’ It’s our memories. … but it’s his life.

   Maybe the guy craves attention or maybe the guy needs money or maybe the guy just loves to play. That’s good enough for me. (And yes, that even goes for the drama-queeny Favre – and I say that as a Vikings fan who is doubly troubled at the prospect of having to embrace the hated Brett.)

   Besides – and this is really my point – we only THINK we’re going to lose valuable memories or have them soiled. Steve Lansdale writes, “Adding years in Denver and Arizona did nothing to help Dorsett’s and Smith’s legacy, respectively. If anything, the overtime session each former Dallas star reduced the shine on their stars, if only a little.’’

   Ultimately, did it really reduce the shine? Does anybody REALLY think of Dorsett as a Bronco or Emmitt as a Cardinal? It’s barely mentioned that White was a Panther or that Montana was a Chief. We cared in the moment. … but the moment went away as soon as the player’s last career gasp went away.

   To me, it’s akin to an actor as his roles. Marlon Brando is remembered and revered for “On The Waterfront,’’ “A Streetcar Named Desire’’ and “The Godfather.’’ He is not remembered for work that is. …well,  less memorable.

   My final attempt to establish my thesis comes in reflection on Steve’s short list of guys who he says most famously made the mistake of moving to a team and thus ruining our memories. Steve notes that Unitas finished as a Charger, that Franco finished as a Seahawk and that Montana ended as a Los Angeles Ram.

   Of course, as Steve I’m sure knows, Joe Montana finished with the Chiefs and never played for the Rams. Doesn’t that error sort of prove that in our minds, all that really matters – and all that we really need to remember – is that Montana was a 49er, that Emmitt was a Cowboy, and that Favre was a Packer?

527pm july 16 2008

My top-10 observations from the opening Summer League games.

1. The Mavs have played most of the games in a 2-3 zone, and there have been frequent defensive breakdowns without any effective help rotations, so it's hard to get a feel for the individual defensive skills (or lack of same) of any of the Mavs players.

2. Some of Green's one-on-one athletic gifts are off the charts, but from what we've seen it's nonsense to project him for a major contribution this season. Right now he lacks a comprehensive understanding of how to use his talents on the NBA level and needs some extensive remedial schooling on all of that, plus lots of work on how to play defense and how to work with teammates. That will take time. But given his athleticism, he's worth the effort, because there is no ceiling IF he ever figures out how to truly play the game.

3. Re Singleton, I've been mostly underwhelmed by his play. He's a step slow and lacks some athleticism. Despite all that his stats have looked pretty good somehow. More importantly, he's been VERY active and he is coming off major knee repair so (hopefully) what we're seeing isn't anywhere near his best yet.

4. Who might get one of those last two roster spots? So far, I'd say Rhodes has been most impressive, and Foster or Terry second. All seem to make positive plays, and I'd rather have either one than veterans Frahm and Korolev who both have looked very one-dimensional (and therefore offer only a limited ability to contribute). Sow is active for a big man, so he may have a shot at center, but if they decide he's too small for that I can't see him as a candidate for the PF mix.

5. I haven't been impressed with any of the PGs (McLeod, Miles, Low). I'd like to see Seibutis get some extended PG minutes and see what he has to offer at that position, if anything.

6. At a glance, RTerry looks like he has the raw tools to be a player, and every once in a while you see a flash, but typically he seems to have minimal impact on the games. That puzzles me. I'm guessing his ball-handling and shooting skills are just not quite that good, so it's hard for him to contribute much, but that's a stab in the dark frankly.

7. The team has been set up with a "starting five" of Sow, Frahm, Singleton, Green, and Miles. But I've seen enough to get a feel for those (and mostly my reaction is ho-hum.) Give me Rhodes, Foster, or Terry as a starter getting more minutes, not Frahm. And I understand the reason for Green getting major minutes, but I'd rather see him used in a student-with-a-tutor role (in and out) where he is getting constant feedback, even if that cuts his minutes.

8. I'm still eagerly waiting for Williams' debut, but the fact he hasn't played in the first two games isn't very promising. He led the NCAA in scoring two years in a row, then he was a star in the pre-draft camps in Portsmouth and Orlando, and had tons of teams bringing him back for private looks before the draft. All that excited me, but the fact no one drafted him after all the attention, plus the fact he can't get on the floor now in the Scrub Showcase (aka summer league), makes me figure my hopeful expectation to see something good from him is misguided. We'll see.

9. The Mavs signed Wright, Singleton, and McLeod on Friday. Per Eddie Sefko, McLeod's contract is non-guaranteed, meaning in essence all he has is a contractual opportunity to come to training camp to try to make the team. That leaves the current roster at 13, with 2 slots up for grabs.

THE ROSTER COUNT (13)

Damp, Diop
Dirk, Bass, Singleton
JHo, Stack, Wright
JET, Jones, Green
Kidd, JJB

10. One final note regarding perspective. When we watch these games, we shouldn't develop tunnel vision and focus only on the prospects on the Mavs summer league roster. The vast majority of the players on every one of the 30 summer teams are undrafted, unsigned, and open to any bidder.

basketball goal

924am july 14 2008

As we review the Las Vegas Sun’s report on Adam Jones’ grand jury testimony concerning his involvement in that tragic 2007 shooting incident, we’re hoping the NFL’s reinstatement decision it isn’t unduly influenced by the paper’s choice of incendiary, suggestive and loaded words.

We are in no way ignoring the horrible results of that infamous Feb. 19 night, when the now-Cowboys cornerback was apparently at the core of a melee that resulted in the shooting and semi-paralysis of Minxx club manager Tom Urbanski. Football isn’t life and death, and we easily recognize that. In fact, our ability to separate one issue from another allows us to downshift from Urbanski’s serious issues (survival) to Jones’ more frivolous ones (football).

Jones has pleaded no contest to a disorderly conduct charge, thus his offering of testimony to help with the ongoing investigation. His culpability is notable – but so is his cooperation.

The Las Vegas Sun apparently does not see it that way, however.

The Sun’s coverage of Jones’ testimony begins with a seemingly stubborn insistence on referring to the player as “Pacman.’’ The nickname – which Jones is trying to distance himself from – appears in the Sun’s headline, in its photo cutline, and in its first mention of the man in its news story.

This isn’t exactly Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali, we know. But in this space, we’ll attempt to follow a policy of letting a man go by whatever name he chooses. … unless we are purposely being snarky while wearing the hat of  “columnist’’ or “editorialist.’’ (Our willingness to be humorously unfair will be seriously tested if, say, Ron Artest becomes a Mav or if Brett Favre becomes a Viking. We assume our traditional snarkiness regarding them will cool a bit.)

Is “snarky’’ within the rights of the Las Vegas Sun’s news coverage?

The paper’s photograph shows Jones entering Las Vegas’ Regional Justice Center while positioned near a man named Robert Reid. According to the Sun’s cutline describing its picture, Jones “hides behind his bodyguard and co-defendant Robert Reid. …’’

Now, we weren’t at the Regional Justice Center last week. We are left having to rely on the Sun employee who wrote the cutline (who probably wasn’t there, either). But was Jones really “hiding’’? Is he intentionally positioning himself behind Reid as to avoid being photographed by the local paper? Is he really that conscious of a courthouse cameraman? And in the sense that he’d traveled across the country to testify in a high-profile grand jury case, is “hiding’’ really at all the appropriate wording?

The Sun does it again in the article, writing: “With the help of a half-dozen uniformed courthouse marshals, the trio (Reid, Jones and his lawyer) attempted to elude a waiting Sun photographer.’’

We would suggest that the paper is clever in its attempt to subtly paint a scurrilous picture of the player here. Jones needs “help,’’ Jones is “surrounded by cops,’’ Jones is “attempting to elude.’’

Is that clear enough for you? No? Fine. Here’s the next paragraph from the story:

“… Jones and his entourage swiftly made their way through the courthouse lobby and down the stairs to the grand jury room in the basement. He declined comment as he walked. Jones spent about 90 minutes inside the grand jury room, which was guarded by marshals in the hallway. When he completed his testimony, Jones evaded a Sun reporter and a photographer by slipping out a courthouse back door under an escort by two plainclothes marshals.’’

Let’s take stock in the Sun’s account:

Jones had an “entourage.’’ (One co-defendant and a lawyer is an “entourage’’? The paper might’ve well gone with “posse.’’) Jones “declined comment.’’ (Hardly newsworthy; his appearance was in order to speak to a grand jury, where the information is private.) Jones “evaded.’’ Jones “slipped out.’’ (Evocative suggestions, indeed. Why would a “good person’’ be so “evasive’’ and “slippery’’?)

Again, please don’t misunderstand. Our full sympathy is with the wheelchair-bound Urbanski, who was an innocent victim simply doing his job that night.

At the same time, please don’t misunderstand something else: Adam Jones isn’t the gunman. In April, police arrested 29-year-old Arvin Edwards of Renton, Wash., on attempted murder and battery charges. Jones may be a goofball. He may even be malevolent. Given his track record, it is not unreasonable for a Cowboys fan to believe that it will take a fortuitous turn in Jones’ life to keep him on the field and out of trouble.

But his involvement in this incident – as foolish as it was – has been dealt with by the authorities. It is over. …

Even if one local newspaper sneakily hopes you infer that it shouldn’t be.

152pm july 13 2008

We lost legendary DFW sports voice Murphy Martin this weekend. Murphy was a good “Friend of Fish,’’ a frequent guest on our radio show, a reader of DallasBasketball.com and a terrific guy. We recruit one member of “The 75-Member Staff’’ (Larry Legend) to write the obit:

A great man named Murphy Martin passed away this weekend. Friday would have been his 83rd birthday. Those who know Murphy know how fitting it is that he was born on the 4th of July!

It has been my great pleasure to become close friends with Murphy and his wonderful wife Joyce over the past several years.

Two more pleasant, loving and humble people you could never hope to meet.

Some might remember Murphy from his years as an anchorman on Channel 8 in Dallas.

Others might remember him for his years in the press box as a P.A. announcer for the Dallas Cowboys.

Others might remember him as a tireless worker and media advisor for Ross Perot during both his fight to bring home prisoners of war from Vietnam and Perot’s run for President of the United States.

Still others might remember his years as a newsman and reporter on both radio and TV in New York City.

Over the course of his many eventful years on this earth, Murphy saw and/or covered just about everything there was to see and cover.