In the spirit of March Madness, ESPN local sites have set up a bracket of their own to determinate the most beloved athletes in town. Here's the description of ESPN Dallas on the contest:
It seems everyone is filling out brackets ... and we're certainly not immune to the March contagion. We're unveiling brackets of our own. So get in the spirit and cast your ballot for who we've determined to be the most beloved sports figures in the Big D. Your champion will be crowned March 26 (at which time we'll spin things around and launch a sports bracket to determine "Public Enemy No. 1" in Dallas).
"Most Beloved" voting dates:
- Round One: March 12-14
- Round Two: March 15-18
- Semifinals: March 19-22
- Finals: March 23-26
For the Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki's first round opponent is NFL Hall of Famer and "Mr. Cowboy" Bob Lilly, who spent all 14 seasons of his professional career with the Dallas Cowboys and is considered on of the best defensive tackles in NFL history.
Mavs owner Mark Cuban competes against NFL Hall of Famer Emmit Smith, who played for the Dallas Cowboys between 1990 and 2002 and holds the NFL record for career rushing yards (18.355), rushing touchdowns (164) and 100-yard rushing games (78).