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Earlier today, mediatakeout.com reported that Dirk Nowitzki was engaged to Dallas art curator Jessica Olsson, who, if my Google fingers are correct, is/was the collections manager for the Goss-Michael Foundation.

But then ESPN confirmed that the report was erroneous. So there you go.

But before I end with that, let me give other media outlets who kinda ran with the story a pro tip or two:

1. Do not take as gospel the word of a website that makes frequent use of the caps lock button, and overuses exclamation points.
2. Do not take as gospel the word of a website that confuses “here” and “hear.”

Glad I could help. Go Mavs! *

*appropriate use of exclamation point

Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs! Let’s go, Mavs!

ABC’s 2012 television series based on Kim Gatlin’s book, Good Christian Britches, is like a gal who’s hit the altar more than a couple of times. Over the weekend it had another name change. While the original title (“Good Christian Britches”) really didn’t sit right with some folks, the second title (“Good Christian Belles”) just didn’t do anything for the powers-that-be.

The latest working title is “GCB”.

Right, so, this seems a little pointless since everyone and their mom is going to be parked in front of a TV by 7 pm. I’ve already fired off a few taunting emails to my friend in Palm Beach. However, if you haven’t picked out a place to watch the Mavs do their winning thing, allow us to help.

Raya, wearing her fancy nightlife hat, has helpfully rounded up all the best places to go. Every bar in town will have the game on. Duh. But since my eyesight seems to be deteriorating faster than a rapidly deteriorating thing, I’m looking for a place where I don’t have to squint. The Granada is hosting their usual party, with three giant HD screens and another one for Twitter commentary if you’re into that. Likewise, both the Angelika Film Center and the Angelika Plano will have the game on. Everything is free, free, free. Except booze, of course.

Tonight also marks the beginning of the Dallas Film Society’s Terrence Malick retrospective, which will happily continue right up until the opening of the director’s fifth and apparently controversial feature, The Tree of Life, on Friday. Though it makes chronological sense, it’s almost unfortunate that the DFS chose Badlands to start things off, since Peter Simek and I both agree that it’s one of his best and almost no one is going to go see this with the Mavs hogging the spotlight. It’s not available on Netflix Instant, but you should make a point to see it anyway so you’re at the top of your artsy cinematic game when you scour The Tree of Life for local landmarks.

For more things to do with your evening, go here.

Mike Rawlings, known more recently as Dallas mayoral candidate, is also the CEO of Legends Hospitality, a company that handles the concessions at both Cowboys Stadium and Yankees Stadium. The company is partly owned by CIC Partners, where Rawlings was formerly managing partner.

Now, if you’ve ever sat in the non-cheap seats, you know that you don’t have to haul yourself to a concession stand to buy your hot dogs and such. A server will come directly to you, you can place your order and then someone will bring it to you. Now, on the bottom of your receipt will likely be something that says a 20% service charge has been added to your tab. Now, you might assume that this is like at a restaurant, where a gratuity is added to checks for various reasons – anything from larger parties to the time of day. But you would be wrong. In fact, it’s more like when you order pizza to be delivered and there is a $1 delivery fee added. It’s not a tip, but a convenience charge that likely goes directly to the company or franchise owner.

And that is the case here. That 20% goes to Legends. And now the company is being sued in New York, where three Yankee Stadium servers allege it’s in violation of state law.

With the Mavericks in Miami to start the NBA Finals, it’s clear that this is the best team that Mark Cuban and Donnie Nelson have ever put around Dirk Nowitzki. Lord knows they’ve tried plenty of other combinations. Remember the deadline deal for Nick Van Exel and Raef Lafrentz that was supposed to put Dallas over the top? Hard to believe that was nine years ago.

Recalling that deal, and the way it prompted me to hang outside American Airlines Center during Van Exel’s and Lafrentz’s first game as Mavs until a scalper agreed to let me in for $10 at halftime, I got to wondering how many teammates Dirk has had in his 13 seasons as a Maverick. Shawn Bradley, Antoine Rigaudeau, Keith Van Horn — Jesus, the list of big white stiffs may reach 50. Could the total list top more than 100?

Thanks to basketballreference.com, I was able to tabulate an exact total: 109. Is that a lot? That’s hard to say, because there aren’t many modern players to whom you can compare him.

Paul Pierce is the only other member of the 1998 draft class who has spent 13 seasons with one team. According to the same website, Pierce has had 105 Celtic teammates — including 13 who have played here with Dirk. Tim Duncan was drafted one year earlier by San Antonio, and he had 102 teammates through his first 13 seasons with the Spurs.

So, Dirk’s teammate total isn’t that far off from those of his fellow future Hall of Famers. Think about that as you stroll down memory lane, perusing this list of every Maverick since 1998.

A traffic-warning FrontBurnervian alerted me to this today: a T-shirt for Cavs fans who still carry a grudge against one decision-making, ESPN-time-wasting former Cav named LeBron James and therefore will be cheering for the Mavs, or at least against the Heat. According to the site selling the shirt, it’s been flying off the e-shelves.

Mavs Play Basketball Tonight. Before the season began, Jason Terry got a tattoo of the NBA championship trophy. He says he’ll have it removed if they don’t win it. This raises a question: if the Mavs win it all, will Zac Crain deliver on his promise to get a tattoo of Dirk’s face on the small of his back?

Tony Romo Is Officially off the Market. He got married to Candice Crawford on Saturday. Here’s my favorite picture on the DMN site. Does Karen Jones look thrilled to be there or what?

NYT Obit of Bill Clements. We lost a giant on Sunday. He was 94.

Qantas Flight Makes Unscheduled Stop To Get Gas. That new direct flight betwixt here and Australia stretches the outer limits of the 747’s range. On the trip out, one flight had to stop early to refuel. But, you know, no worries, mate.

Just a few minutes ago, Newsweek published a new article on Rick Perry and his possible bid for president in 2012. Yes, of course they used a picture of him holding a gun and shooting it, because, after all, he’s the governor of Texas. I’m sure if the photo was devoid of zoom we’d also see cowboy boots and a good half dozen longhorns moseying behind him.

The story begins with an anecdote about George W. Bush telling him that being governor of Texas is the best job in the world. However, I disagree with this. I’m pretty sure it’s test kitchen taster at The Cheesecake Factory. Or maybe quality control at Shiner. Anywho, the article explains Perry’s appeal to the GOP thusly:

The Republican base, unenthused by the party’s field of 2012 presidential contenders, seems to long for a candidate with less baggage than Newt Gingrich, less squish than Mitt Romney, and more magnetism than Tim Pawlenty. Recently, the right’s hot crush has been the archconservative governor of Texas, the man with the square jaw, thick mane, and a Ruger he takes with him when he goes for a jog.

Will update as more details emerge, but former Texas Gov. Bill Clements has died. He had reportedly been in declining health in recent years. He was 94.

Clements was governor from 1979 to 1983, and again from 1986 to 1991. In between all of that, he was chairman of the board of trustees at SMU during the scandal that ultimately resulted in the NCAA doling out the so-called “death penalty” for the school’s football program.

The state legislature adopted a budget Saturday that came to a $172 billion price tag through cuts and deferrals, without tax increases and without dipping into the reserve fund. The budget is $15 billion less than the current budget, but also doesn’t account for population increases.

And how did education fare? Districts will find $4 billion less in their coffers available for basic operations. Is that legal? Well, it probably will be by today, when the legislature changes the funding formula to make it legal.  It will also cut funds for pre-kindergarten, arts education, financial aid and teacher incentive grants.

Medicaid reimbursements were underfunded by $4.8 billion, and cuts were made to the funding to colleges, nursing homes, highway maintenance, state parks and  a bunch of other state agencies. Family planning was also cut by $73 million, because cervical cancer is way less expensive, as are babies.
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