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10-27-2009, 12:04 AM
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#1 |
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 19,413
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GDT: Washington @ Dallas 10/27/09 7:30CST
LETS DO THIS
Wizards-Mavericks Preview By MATT BECKER, STATS Senior Writer Not very often can a team finish with one of the worst records in the league one season and feel like it can compete for a championship the next. The Washington Wizards believe they have what it takes to pull it off, although they'll start the season without one of their top players. With Gilbert Arenas healthy for the first time in two seasons, the Wizards hope to overcome an injury to Antawn Jamison in Tuesday night's season opener against a retooled Dallas Mavericks team that addressed problems of depth, versatility and strength. Washington finished 19-63 in 2008-09 - worst in the East - and tied the 2000-01 team for the most losses in franchise history. While very little went right for the Wizards, they have reason to believe things will improve. Washington couldn't stay healthy last season. Arenas and Brendan Haywood combined to play in just eight games, and DeShawn Stevenson missed 50 games with back problems. The Wizards made four straight trips to the playoffs before last season's debacle, and new coach Flip Saunders believes if the core of Arenas, Jamison and Caron Butler can avoid injury, Washington will be back in the postseason. "If we stay healthy," Saunders said, "we should be able to compete in the East for an elite spot." Washington isn't going to start the season at full strength, though. Jamison is expected to miss the Wizards' first eight to 13 games after partially dislocated his shoulder trying to block a shot in an exhibition game against Cleveland on Oct. 14. The two-time All-Star forward led the team in scoring at 22.2 points per game while missing only one contest last season. "It continues to happen,'' Butler said. "We're going to remain optimistic and remain positive and see what happens.'' While Jamison's injury is a blow to the team, Washington is excited about starting the season with a healthy Arenas. Arenas has undergone three surgeries on his left knee over the past two seasons, limiting him to just 15 games. In his last relatively healthy-free season in 2006-07, Arenas averaged 28.4 points, third-best in the league. The three-time All-Star worked this summer with renowned trainer Tim Grover, dropping weight and gaining strength, and has shown flashes of his old explosiveness in exhibition games. "He's trying to get his rhythm," Saunders said. "He's starting to feel more comfortable every time he steps on the floor." Arenas won't have to carry the offense, though, since Butler has established himself as a capable scorer. Butler's scoring has improved each of the past five seasons to a career-high of 20.8 per game in 2008-09, when he also averaged 6.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists. Dallas finished 50-32 last season to reach the playoffs for a ninth straight time and looked strong in upsetting San Antonio in five games in the first round. The Mavericks ran into trouble in the West semifinals, though, getting knocked around by a far more physical Denver team and was eliminated in five games. Dallas spent the offseason trying to build a team that can compete with the other West powers, and owner Mark Cuban feels like they've acquired the missing pieces. The Mavericks retained their core of Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard, Jason Terry and Erick Dampier - all starters on the clubs that went to the NBA finals in '06 and won 67 games the next season - plus Jason Kidd. But they altered the dynamic of their lineup by trading for Shawn Marion to try to solve matchup problems and also added veteran post players Drew Gooden and Tim Thomas. "What's not to like?'' Cuban said. "We've got a lot of guys that everybody knows can play. We've got some young guys that everybody knows can play. We've got some veterans that are here to win. I think that makes all the difference. You can see there's a lot more trust as opposed to uncertainty.'' Nowitzki is still the leader, and he enters this year in great shape after losing about 17 pounds since last season ended. "I think we added some really nice pieces,'' said Nowitzki, who averaged 25.9 points and 8.4 rebounds in 2008-09. "I think we're all going to fit in well and mesh pretty well together. ... It should be fun.'' Nowitzki averaged 28.5 points on 52.2 percent shooting in helping Dallas win both games over the Wizards last season. The Mavericks have won six of seven over Washington in Dallas, and were tough to beat at the American Airlines Center for much of last season. After losing their first four at home, the Mavericks won 32 of their final 37 regular-season games in Dallas. nba.com Last edited by fluid.forty.one; 10-27-2009 at 12:06 AM. |
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10-27-2009, 12:06 AM
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#2 |
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Diamond Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 9,214
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I'm pretty sure I read 7:30 Central Time.
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10-27-2009, 12:08 AM
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#3 |
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 19,413
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haha
baaad mojo edit: well.. I remember I started a playoff GDT a day early one time and we ended up winning, so who knows. Please fix my mistake mods 
Last edited by fluid.forty.one; 10-27-2009 at 12:08 AM. |
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10-27-2009, 12:09 AM
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#4 |
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Diamond Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,526
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our season is over.
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10-27-2009, 12:16 AM
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#5 |
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Diamond Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: North Laredo
Posts: 7,995
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WE'RE BACK!
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 "Dirk Nowitzki is now a household name in every locker room in this world. You say it in Brazil, you say Dirk, they know Nowitzki. You say it in China, they know Nowitzki. Kobe, Michael, DIRK." - Jeff Van Gundy |
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10-27-2009, 12:18 AM
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#6 |
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Diamond Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Miami, FL
Posts: 6,653
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It's officially HERE! LET'S GET READY FOR THIS BITCH!!!!!!!!!!
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Let's go Mavs! |
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10-27-2009, 12:34 AM
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#7 |
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: CA
Posts: 871
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GAME TIME BABY!!! Lets get these wins rolling!!!
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10-27-2009, 12:37 AM
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#8 |
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 87
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second post on here. use it to say go mavs, and here's to a kick ass year!!!
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10-27-2009, 12:44 AM
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#9 |
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Diamond Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 7,002
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Lets go Mavs! The Matrix is coming.
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10-27-2009, 01:04 AM
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#10 |
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Platinum Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: La Porte de l'Enfer
Posts: 2,335
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LETS GO MAVS!!!!
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10-27-2009, 01:08 AM
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#11 |
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 17,873
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The start of the season will come at 7:30 tonight.
The end of the season will come when Dirk is hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy above his head.
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John Madden on Former NFL Running Back Leroy Hoard: "You want one yard, he'll get you three. You want five yards, he'll get you three." "Your'e a low-mentality drama gay queen!!" -- She_Growls |
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10-27-2009, 01:25 AM
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#12 |
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Diamond Member
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 5,473
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arghhhhhhh! I have to take a test tonight. Can't profs check the Mavs schedule before making a syllabus?
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10-27-2009, 01:53 AM
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#13 |
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 878
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I CANT FRIGGIN WAIT HOMIES AND HOMETTES!!! lets do this, time for a wonderful season and a lot of YELLING!!! haha, love all of you, and wish you the best season ever.
GO MAVS!!! M/F/F/L
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Originally Posted by LonghornDub I gotta say, I love this guy's enthusiasm. He brings the energy night in and night out, much like Josh Howard before Avery ruined him.  |
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10-27-2009, 03:44 AM
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#14 |
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Golden Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: In The Paint
Posts: 1,897
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It's finally here, and here is to the most successful season the Mavs have ever had.
Go Mavs!!!!!!!! |
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10-27-2009, 04:49 AM
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#15 |
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Golden Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,062
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Triple double for Kidd, double double for Marion and Dirk with the game winning shot!
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We need defensive players who have size and athleticism. 
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10-27-2009, 05:37 AM
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#16 |
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
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For tonight to pump everybody up...may get taken down soon due to a stupid WMG copyright claim, so enjoy it while you can!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF4vU2e84v8 |
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10-27-2009, 06:14 AM
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#17 |
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Diamond Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,181
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I hope we pound the out of the Wiz
Last edited by u2sarajevo; 10-27-2009 at 07:47 AM. Reason: cussing |
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10-27-2009, 07:45 AM
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#18 |
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Platinum Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Budapest, Hungary
Posts: 2,208
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What up guys. Mavs fanatic from Europe checking in. But who the -beep- cares when it's game day? Let's do this!
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10-27-2009, 07:52 AM
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#19 |
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Diamond Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: behind you
Posts: 6,248
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Basketball is BACK, bitches!
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10-27-2009, 08:13 AM
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#20 |
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Platinum Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 2,293
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Wooooo!!! Yay! the season is finally here!
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10-27-2009, 08:21 AM
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#21 | |
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Diamond Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Deutschland
Posts: 7,885
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Quote:
Go Mavs !
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10-27-2009, 08:26 AM
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#22 |
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Hamburgerian
Posts: 297
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ah finally! a fresh season and a new outlook!
greetz from germany and one big GO MAVS!! |
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10-27-2009, 08:27 AM
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#23 |
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Platinum Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,208
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It's been way too long!
Go Mavericks!
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"You look at your best players, and if they're not panicking then you have no reason to panic." -- Jason Kidd |
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10-27-2009, 08:33 AM
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#24 |
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Guru
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 22,939
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I seriously thought that preseason would never end.
I'm super serial about it, too. GO MAVERICKS!
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"Cream of the crop gon' rise to the top." -Jaden Hardy 
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10-27-2009, 08:43 AM
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#25 |
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Platinum Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,154
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$$#@@$$$%%%%%$$#######$ yeaaaa the season is starting
GOOOOOOOOOOOO MAVVVVVVSSSS
Last edited by AO41; 10-27-2009 at 08:44 AM. |
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10-27-2009, 08:52 AM
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#26 |
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Guru
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: uranus
Posts: 13,358
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Lets gets goin..
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 you just proofed how stupid you are - CRAZYBOY |
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10-27-2009, 08:59 AM
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 16
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Quote:
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10-27-2009, 09:05 AM
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#28 |
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Diamond Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,674
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First game of the season, lets go mavs!!!
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10-27-2009, 09:18 AM
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#29 |
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Rooting for the laundry
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 21,342
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It's time. It's basketball time. Lets gets goin.
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10-27-2009, 09:20 AM
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#30 |
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Diamond Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Close to the Arctic Circle
Posts: 6,161
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Finally! Let's go Mavs!
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"Vaikeneminen on kultaa puhuminen hopeaa, hiljaisuutta tahdon julistaa." "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the former." (Albert Einstein) |
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10-27-2009, 10:09 AM
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#31 |
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Troll Hunter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Sports Heaven!
Posts: 9,898
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I can't wait to hear "Twwoooooooooooooooooooooooooo shots!"
Oh wait....
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"I don't know what went wrong," said guard Thabo Sefolosha. "It's hard to talk about it." |
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10-27-2009, 10:11 AM
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#32 |
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Troll Hunter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Sports Heaven!
Posts: 9,898
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__________________
"I don't know what went wrong," said guard Thabo Sefolosha. "It's hard to talk about it." |
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10-27-2009, 11:22 AM
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#33 |
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Member
Join Date: May 2003
Location: wuerzburg ( germany )
Posts: 487
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we will win this one!
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come to where the flavour is ! |
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10-27-2009, 11:24 AM
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#34 |
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 426
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It's finally time to kick some Wizard ass!!!!
Let's go Mavs! |
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10-27-2009, 11:26 AM
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#35 |
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Guru
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: uranus
Posts: 13,358
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Das haben wir gleich
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you just proofed how stupid you are - CRAZYBOY |
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10-27-2009, 12:00 PM
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#36 |
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Diamond Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Miami, FL
Posts: 6,653
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Where's Horse with the link?!?!??!?
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Let's go Mavs! |
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10-27-2009, 12:04 PM
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#37 |
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Rooting for the laundry
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 21,342
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Dammit horse.
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10-27-2009, 12:04 PM
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#38 | |
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Diamond Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,674
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Quote:
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10-27-2009, 12:05 PM
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#39 |
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Diamond Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,674
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Will Josh be playing tonight??
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10-27-2009, 12:05 PM
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#40 |
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The Preacha
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: The Rock
Posts: 36,066
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insert pithy saying here: __________________________________.
Its go time...come get a taste.
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 ok, we've talked about the problem of evil, and the extent of the atonement's application, but my real question to you is, "Could Jesus dunk?" |
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