Just Wondering, Norm Hitzges sits down with longtime Dallas Morning News columnist Tim Cowlishaw for a wide-ranging conversation about the state of Dallas sports — and whether anyone is fixing the right problems.

They open with the Dallas Cowboys’ offseason dilemma: should Jerry Jones pay big money to keep George Pickens… or invest that cash in repairing a defense that ranked among the franchise’s worst? Tim makes his case clearly — championships are won with defense, not another $30-million receiver.

From there, the discussion expands:

Is Jerry Jones too attached to star power?

Has NIL and the transfer portal permanently broken college football?

Are the Texas Rangers “fragile” heading into the season?

Can Kumar Rocker finally deliver on his promise?

Is the NBA’s tanking problem worse than the league admits?

How bright is the Mavericks’ future?

And how long does a seven-decade writing career last?

It’s smart, candid, and classic Norm — thoughtful questions, sharp opinions, and no wasted time.

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⏱ Chapters

00:00 – The George Pickens Debate: Pay Him or Trade Him?

06:30 – Why Defense Wins (Again)

07:51 – Tim Cowlishaw at 70: How Much Longer?

14:03 – Does Jerry Jones Really Know How to Win?

17:49 – Is College Football Irreparably Broken?

20:15 – The Rangers Are… Fragile

22:59 – Life After Bochy and Maddox

24:48 – Can the Stars Finally Break Through?

26:35 – The Mavericks’ Long Rebuild

28:30 – The NBA’s Tanking Problem

33:25 – The Seven-Decade Writer Question

37:24 – Why Kumar Rocker Might Decide the Rangers’ Season

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Just Wondering is a long-form sports commentary podcast hosted by longtime broadcaster Norm Hitzges, offering thoughtful, numbers-driven analysis of the NFL, college sports, the NBA, and the business and culture surrounding them. Each episode blends experience, history, and curiosity to explore why things happen — not just what happened.

New episodes feature clear-eyed perspective, context you don’t hear elsewhere, and questions worth sitting with a little longer.

📍 Follow & Listen

Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

Subscribe, rate, and review to help others find the show.

Sports podcast · NFL analysis · College football · Dallas sports · NBA commentary · Salary cap · NIL · Sports media · Long-form sports talk

Today on Just Wondering with Norm Hitzges, Norm tackles three stories that couldn’t be more different — but all revolve around one word: fairness.

First, the NBA’s double standard.

Norm breaks down why tanking teams like the Utah Jazz are fined heavily for sitting players, while championship contenders routinely rest stars late in the season with zero consequences. Is there really a difference between protecting draft position and protecting playoff legs? Or does the league simply protect the powerful?

Then Texas Rangers legend Eric Nadel joins the show to talk Rangers baseball — from the Mackenzie Gore acquisition to bullpen concerns, the departure of pitching coach Mike Maddux, and whether Seattle has officially replaced Houston as the team to beat in the American League West.

Eric also discusses his 14th Annual Birthday Benefit at the Longhorn Ballroom, supporting the Grant Halliburton Foundation, and reflects on a broadcasting career that nearly became a law career instead.

Finally, Norm closes with what may be the most bizarre Winter Olympic controversy in years — allegations that male ski jumpers are using hyaluronic acid injections to qualify for larger competition suits and gain aerodynamic advantage.

Yes. That happened.

It’s sports integrity, roster construction, broadcasting nostalgia, and an Olympic scandal that makes your skin crawl — all in one episode.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – The NBA’s tanking double standard

02:35 – Utah fined $500,000 vs Indiana’s $100,000

04:49 – Why contenders rest stars without punishment

05:47 – Sponsor: Bob’s Steak & Chop House

06:41 – Full Moon Healing Balm

07:58 – Eric Nadel joins the show

09:53 – Mackenzie Gore trade analysis

10:51 – Rangers bullpen concerns

14:14 – Is the lineup better this year?

20:56 – Losing pitching coach Mike Maddux

22:37 – Eric’s Plan B: unhappy lawyer

25:27 – Cuba travel challenges

28:04 – Mel Allen, Marv Albert & career inspiration

31:37 – Winter Olympic controversies

34:10 – The ski jumping hyaluronic acid allegations

36:44 – Final thoughts

Check us out: patreon.com/sunsetloungedfw

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Just Wondering is a long-form sports commentary podcast hosted by longtime broadcaster Norm Hitzges, offering thoughtful, numbers-driven analysis of the NFL, college sports, the NBA, and the business and culture surrounding them. Each episode blends experience, history, and curiosity to explore why things happen — not just what happened.

New episodes feature clear-eyed perspective, context you don’t hear elsewhere, and questions worth sitting with a little longer.

📍 Follow & Listen

Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

Subscribe, rate, and review to help others find the show.

Sports podcast · NFL analysis · College football · Dallas sports · NBA commentary · Salary cap · NIL · Sports media · Long-form sports talk

In this episode of Just Wondering with Norm Hitzges, Norm takes a look at two very different stories that somehow share the same theme: risk.

First, the future of the Dallas Mavericks under new ownership.

The Adelson family didn’t buy 73% of the franchise just to sit courtside. Norm walks through what’s really at play — the push to legalize casino gambling in Texas, the millions spent on political influence, and the long game behind a potential new arena and entertainment complex once the current lease expires in 2031.

The big question isn’t whether they want a casino in Dallas.

It’s whether Texas will ever allow it.

Norm breaks down the politics, the timing, and whether the Mavericks are ultimately a basketball investment… or a much larger business play.

Then the show pivots to the Winter Olympics — and one of the strangest medal-stand moments you’ll ever hear about. A Norwegian biathlete wins bronze and decides the podium is the perfect place to publicly confess to cheating on his girlfriend and beg for forgiveness.

Norm asks the obvious:

Is there ever a good time for that? And was that it?

It’s sports, business, politics, ego, and human vulnerability — all in one episode.

Sometimes the biggest gambles aren’t the ones made with money.

⏱️ Chapters

00:01 – Why the show is moving to once a week

02:23 – Who really owns the Mavericks now?

03:01 – The Adelsons and the casino connection

03:57 – Can Texas ever legalize gambling?

06:20 – Why legislation keeps failing

08:09 – What happens when the lease expires in 2031?

09:35 – Sponsor: Bob’s Steak & Chop House

10:15 – Full Moon Healing Balm

11:44 – Winter Olympics recap

12:46 – The Norwegian biathlete’s podium confession

15:41 – The girlfriend responds

16:13 – Final thoughts

Check us out: patreon.com/sunsetloungedfw

Instagram: sunsetloungedfw

Tiktok: sunsetloungedfw

X: SunsetLoungeDFW

FB: Sunset Lounge DFW

Just Wondering is a long-form sports commentary podcast hosted by longtime broadcaster Norm Hitzges, offering thoughtful, numbers-driven analysis of the NFL, college sports, the NBA, and the business and culture surrounding them. Each episode blends experience, history, and curiosity to explore why things happen — not just what happened.

New episodes feature clear-eyed perspective, context you don’t hear elsewhere, and questions worth sitting with a little longer.

📍 Follow & Listen

Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

Subscribe, rate, and review to help others find the show.

Sports podcast · NFL analysis · College football · Dallas sports · NBA commentary · Salary cap · NIL · Sports media · Long-form sports talk