Well, Dominique was right and I was wrong. I'm an only child, so this is truly difficult for me, but here it goes: I'm sorry Dojo. I was a doubter (never a hater, but certainly a doubter) about where you'd be picked. But now you go to what might be the perfect franchise for your development. A team that will allow you to fill a small role right away, but filled with enough veterans and stars where you can continue to get better every day against NBA competition. Plus you got first round (and thus guaranteed) money. And the best owner in sports paid $3 million straight up for your rights because he thought so highly of you. He saw all the things that I do... that you're going to make it in the league.
You were right, and I was wrong. I will attend a Mavs game this season wearing a Jones #20 Mavs jersey in the American Airlines Center. And I live in Vegas, so I will make it out to your NBA Summer League opener on July 9th. I will "come watch Dominique Jones play." And I will smile. Because sometimes dreams do come true, nice guys finish first, hard work gets rewarded, and good things happen to good people. Godspeed, Dojo. I can't wait to watch.
ESPNDallas.com is saying the Mavs believe they have assembled their backcourt of the future with Roddy Beaubois and Jones. Let's hope they're right.
NBA.com breaks down the process of how Dojo ended up a Maverick. Notice the stacks of Sugar Free Red Bull in front of Cuban in the Mavs war room video.
The scene at Dominique's home in Lake Wales was a celebration, and the St. Pete Times' Greg Auman gives his account of everything from Polk County. The Tampa Trib's Scott Carter also chimes in on the big evening.
There was other news this week, particularly on the recruiting trail.
Darrell Scott is going to be a Bull!! I read it on Facebook so it has to be true!! /sarcasm. Here's the latest on the guy that will be the highest rated running back to don the uniform if he does make it to Tampa from Colorado. Until he signs a grant-in-aid and is admitted to the university, or at least takes a phone call from a reporter somewhere and goes on the record with his intentions, we'll take this information with a very optimistic grain of salt. And our friends at the Ralphie Report (SBNation's Colorado blog) give us the low down on what might have brought Scott to Tampa. They don't seem too enamored with DIVISION ONE FOOTBALL in Boulder currently.
Also men's basketball's Toarlyn Fitzpatrick and Mike Burwell have begun to make amends for one of the most expensive meals in Village Inn history. This seems like a pretty light sentence, and there might be more to this story than we know. Sitting the bench for a preseason game in Brazil doesn't seem like much penance, nor does 30-40 hours of community service. But having been in that Village Inn late at night on more than one occasion (and always completely with my wits about me and never after a night of bar hopping in South Tampa, of course), that place is always packed to the gills. Is it possible their overwhelmed server just never brought them a check? And could I start a more irresponsible internet rumor if I tried? Either way, we have no reason not to trust Coach Heath's judgment here, and hope this is a small blip on the bright career path of the two going forward.
Our track and field programs usually get the short end of the stick when it comes to coverage, so it's nice to be able to give some love to freshman Neaman Wise as he wins the decathlon at the USA Junior Championships. He'll go on to compete at the Junior Worlds in Canada in July.
The Aumantor, beat writer and statistical genius, brings the heat in breaking down the BIG EAST mirror opponents for men's basketball in 2010-2011. The thinking is the Bulls caught a good break on this front. And with the loss of Dojo, all good breaks are going to be necessary to even get close to a campaign like last season.
Bulls Junior Aubrey Perry will join the US Soccer U-20 National Team Camp in preparation for the Milk Cup and U-20 World Cup. Former Bull Anthony Wallace took this same route to being the starting left back for the USA in the last U-20 Cup in Canada. Wallace would also scare me a helluva lot less than Jonathan Bornstein does in the back for the USA in South Africa, but I digress.
By the way, if you're a soccer nut, start following Ken and myself on Twitter, as basically we've turned our accounts into clones of Grant Wahl and Martin Tyler for the entire tournament. It's 24 hours before the Ghana match, and I'm already taste-my-own-acid-reflux nervous. Voodoo's account is here as well, and he brings the snark and pithy as well as anyone.
Finally the Bulls lose two assistant coaches this week. Bryant Ward leaves Lelo Prado's staff and is off to Loyola Marymount to serve as the hitting coach, which gets Ward closer to his home in California. No release from GoUSFBulls on the transition, but apparently Prado wants to make a quick hire.
And some actual late-breaking news via @USFVolleyball on Twitter, as volleyball's Michelle Collier has decided to leave her alma mater for a position at South Carolina. You won't find a nicer person anywhere than Chelle, and as an outside hitter at USF from 1998-2002 she stands as the best player that ever wore the uniform, and is still USF's only retired jersey in her sport. She's also a new Mom, so double congratulations to her and her husband Hafa as they head to Columbia. Enjoy the moment you two, because when the USA beats Brasil in the World Cup Final, you're going to be all sad again.