FC Dallas won last Monday’s playoff matchup in dramatic fashion before concluding an excellent season with a 2-1 elimination loss in Austin. The Mavericks got the same split in opposite fashion, somehow blowing a 22-point lead in Phoenix on opening night before molly-whopping Memphis by 41 points on Saturday. Oh, and Dak Prescott was back, which you can read all about in the Checklist.
Here’s what I’m watching this week:
Monday, 10/24—Bruce Bochy introductory press conference—11 a.m., Bally Sports Southwest
The most accomplished manager to ever touch down in Arlington addresses the media for the first time this morning. I wrote Friday about why he’s not just the best hire the Rangers could make, but the only hire given the circumstances. Jamey Newberg will have more on Bochy this week, too.
Thursday, 10/27—Stars versus Capitals—7:30 p.m., Bally Sports Southwest Extra
Alexander Ovechkin is in the second year of a five-year extension, but Stars fans may only have so many bites at the apple to see one of the NHL’s greatest-ever scorers at the peak of his powers. Which, incredibly enough, Ovechkin still is at age 37, after banging in 50 goals last season. He’s currently just 19 behind Gordie Howe for second-most goals in league history, so while his Capitals don’t profile as a Cup contender, this is worth watching—at home or in the AAC—on the chance you watch a legend get one notch closer to history.
Sunday, 10/30—Dak Prescott versus the Bears’ secondary—noon, FOX
It’s a similar story as yesterday’s noon game against an NFC North opponent: how does Prescott look against a dramatically inferior team? Yesterday, the process was much better than the box-score outcome, and Dan Morse will have more on that tomorrow. Still, a big day on stat sheet—plus another victory—will go a long way toward quelling whatever concerns might linger after Prescott’s five-game absence.
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