The Safeway Bowl was uneventful. So were final Cowboys roster cuts, for that matter. But Dirk’s jersey second retirement carried enough weight for all three of the items on last week’s slate. And if you don’t believe, check out this dispatch from Brian Dameris, who was in the building for the retirement ceremony.
Here’s what I’m watching this week:
Tuesday, 9/6—EuroBasket: Slovenia versus Germany—1:30 p.m., ESPN+
As our Iztok Franko puts it, Luka Doncic is “a player who relegates Germany, a country of 83 million, to the underdog role.” What does that mean for Slovenia, a nation a 40th the size of tomorrow’s opponent? Let Iztok explain. Then get ready for him to check back in after he spends a week following his country’s greatest export.
Wednesday, 9/7—Rangers at Astros—7:10 p.m., Bally Sports Southwest
The final game of this year’s Silver Boot Series is worth putting eyes on, if for no other reason than for the Rangers to get one last glimpse of the measuring stick in the A.L. West. Will top prospect Josh Jung be among them? Probably not, but we’re well within range for his potential September call-up.
Sunday, 9/11—Dak Prescott versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers secondary, Part II—7:20 p.m., NBC
The Cowboys opened the 2021-22 season by pushing the Super Bowl champions to the limit on the strength of an all-time Dak Prescott performance. It took every one of Prescott’s 403 passing yards to get within spitting distance of a win because Dallas’ run game was overmatched against a fearsome Tampa front seven, with Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard combining for just 47 yards on 14 attempts. Fast forward a year, and Dallas’ offensive line is demonstrably worse. So is the receiving corps. Can Prescott finish the job with even less help on hand?