Jan. 26: Quick Hitters

(Image courtesy of Inquistitr)

QH1: Don't lose touch with what Lamar Odom is and always has been

In the midst of his struggled adapting to life as a Maverick Lamar Odom has quickly become one of the most despised athletes in the DFW.

I can't say that I understand the backlash and it seems like the DFW faithful has lost touch with reality.

Odom is getting treated as if the Mavericks signed him to a lucrative contract or traded a key piece to acquire him. Neither of these notions are true. The Mavs got Odom from the Lakers for nothing and he has a financial-friendly deal that allows them to buy him out after the season and maintain the cap space they've worked so hard to get.

Furthermore, there are few, if any, teams in the Association that wouldn't want Odom coming off the bench. Riding out Odom's struggles and hoping he turns it around is in the team's best interest.

Side note: Odom has always been looked at as one of the NBA's ultimate underachievers. Odom is 6-10, with handles, a decent shot, athleticism and uncanny versatility. He should be one of the league's best players with all the skills he has, but just isn't and never has been. There were nights in Los Angeles when Odom was the best player on the court and other nights where he was the worst.

Inconsistency is part of the Odom package, but his talent is so extraordinary that he's worth having on a roster. Especially when you didn't give up anything to get him, have depth on your roster and aren't financially committed to him.

QH2: The "just get in" myth

A lot of people are saying all the Mavs need to do is get into the playoffs and take it from there.

This is a myth for two reasons:

No. 1: It's important the Mavs are playing good basketball at the end of the season.

No. 2: With the way JET and Jason Kidd have been playing on the road there's no realistic reason to believe this team could win a bulk of playoff road games.

(Image courtesy of CBS DFW)

QH3: Yi, Wright, Williams instead of Odom... You can't be serious.

I've heard some people say Odom's minutes should be given to Branden Wright, Yi or Sean Williams.

If you've every said or thought this; slap yourself.

QH4: Tressel could do a good job in the NFL

Just my opinion, but I think his style could work if he hired a good staff.

He has always coached games with an NFL style and has the organizational skills needed to be a solid NFL coach.

The Saban example holds little weight because Saban's overwhelming personality can clash with highly-paid professionals and he's more of a teacher, which doesn't work in the NFL either.

Tressel would be a good NFL coach because he's organized, doesn't run a gimmicky college offense and has always used an NFL-like approach when coaching at the college level. Ex: Punting on 4th-and-short, etc. Just my take.

QH5: Will all be well for Doug Free on right side, Smith on the left?

Tyron Smith has never played left tackle and didn't play it last season when he had success as a rookie. Left tackle is one of the hardest positions to play in all of football and struggles by a first-year player at the position should only be expected, right?

Doug Free looked awful on the left side last season and was arguably the team's worst lineman. Phil Costa is the only other guy even in the discussion. With how pathetic Free looked last year it would be unrealistic to expect that he would move to the right side and suddenly be solid, right? Furthermore, as a right tackle Free would emerge as a new candidate for the Cowboys' most overpaid player.

Am I really supposed to believe that if you move Free to the right side and Smith to the left the team's offensive line problems will be solved? Some people seem to think so.