Posted by Mike Heika,

May 11 at 2:18 p.m.

starsblog.dallasnews.com

Well, those few weeks on the beach were put to good use for Mike Modano.

The Stars' all-time leader in just about everything announced today he will be coming back for next season.

Modano is already under contract for next season, so as far as actual transactions, nothing changes. But it's an important decision for the Stars and for Modano.

He will turn 39 on June 7, and he is coming off a year where he looked tired at times.

So how can he address that next year?

"I don't think it was just me, I think it was the whole team," Modano said. "I think the injuries forced us into some situations that we wouldn't normally be in, and that's something that I believe will be different next season."

When asked if Marty Turco being pushed to do too much was a good example, Modano said yes.

"Yeah, I think that's a good one," he said. "You look at that, and that was part of the problem all of last season. You go in with a plan, and all of the injuries changed so much. I think if we can be healthy and we can spread the load around, we'll be a much better team."

Modano said his optimism about next season is one of the main reasons for his return. Well, his optimism about next season and his depression about last season.

"That's not the way you want to go out," he said of a 36-35-11 record that left the Stars out of the playoffs for only the third time in the last 15 seasons. "I just think we're a better team than what we showed, I think we will be a better team next year."

Just 68 teams will go bowling

Posted by Chuck Carlton, May 8 at 12:01 a.m.

collegesportsblog.dallasnews.com

If you're the sort who plans TV viewing or Football travel more than eight months in advance, the bowl schedule for 2009-10 has been released. The total: 34 games, which means 68 of 119 Bowl Subdivision teams will spend a few days in Miami or Phoenix or Dallas/Arlington or Boise or Mobile or ...

Emmitt Smith isn't

sure Cowboys should

have cut T.O.

Posted by Tim MacMahon,

May 12 at 1:31 p.m.

cowboysblog.dallasnews.com

When he was employed by ESPN, Emmitt Smith (above) criticized T.O. on more than a couple occasions. And vice versa.

But Emmitt, who talked to reporters after participating in today's press conference to announce where all the Super Bowl XLV functions will be held around the area, isn't sure that cutting T.O. was in the Cowboys' best interests.

"Addition by subtraction?" Emmitt said when asked whether he agrees with Troy Aikman's take on T.O.'s departure. "Put it this way: I don't know the nuances of the locker room and all those kind of things, but I just know that guy is a player, and there is ways that they could have worked together.

"I don't know if he was a scapegoat or whatever it was, but I tell you what, he was a talent. He was a talent, and he didn't get in any trouble, didn't create any issues. Whenever he had the opportunity to make plays, he pretty much made them. He may have said some things at times that was kind of stupid, but we all do that.

"Bottom line is, I'm not sure [whether cutting T.O. makes the Cowboys better]. Who do they have who is going to be that explosive? That's the question. Who do you have that's going to be that explosive? I don't see it."

What about Roy Williams?

"Like I said, who do you have that's going to be that explosive?" Emmitt said.