ESPN

Who advanced and who didn't?

Sometimes, love hurts. And while some of your favorites -- Pudge Rodriguez, Michael Young, Mark Cuban, Jimmy Johnson, Ron Washington, Bob Lilly, Jason Witten and Josh Hamilton -- didn't make the cut, take a look at who's left!

Your voting determined our Enamored Eight, and now you have until Sunday to vote and decide who advances to the Fantastic Four of our Metroplex Most Beloved sports figure bracket.

It's much harder this time around. The matchups:

* No. 1 seed Roger Staubach vs. No. 9 Michael Irvin
* No. 4 Tom Landry vs. No. 5 Dirk Nowitzki
* No. 2 Emmitt Smith vs. No. 7 Mike Modano
* No. 3 Troy Aikman vs. No. 6 Nolan Ryan.

Choose wisely by voting here through Sunday. And join the discussion afterward.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Rangers manager Ron Washington got an invite from lockout-bound Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle to stop by the American Airlines Center, visit and talk some shop.

Carlisle has been something of a DFW pro sports ambassador this extended offseason. He's visited with Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett and his staff, sitting in on meetings and film sessions, and he did the same with Dallas Stars coach Glen Gulutzan and his staff. So, after the Rangers lost the World Series in seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals -- and Carlisle, a good friend of Tony La Russa, was in St. Louis for Games 6 and 7 -- the Mavs coach invited Washington to stop by.

"He's a champion. I want to see how champions do things," Washington said Friday in his first media availability since the World Series. "So I went over. I had a good time."

Back in town for a few days before heading back to New Orleans for Thanksgiving, Washington took him up on the offer Thursday and he found the visit to be rather inspirational.

"What I learned when I went over there yesterday is how to continue to hope, how to continue to believe, how to continue to keep working so when things do come together you're ready and prepared," Washington said. "That's what it's all about."

Washington said he and Carlisle's staff sat around a table and talked a lot of basketball and baseball. The manager said Carlisle and his coaches continue to work even though the lockout persists with no end in sight.

"At least hey're still meeting, they're still putting stuff on boards, they're still talking about basketball," Washington said.

With the success and popularity of the local sports teams, ESPNDallas.com debates which Dallas-Fort Worth area team is the king of the hill. What do you think?

Dallas Mavericks free agent Tyson Chandler might be looking to recoup some cash whenever the NBA lockout is lifted and players and teams can begin negotiations.

According to a report in today's Chicago Tribune, the world champion center and former Chicago Bull, recently took a bath selling his Chicago-area, 20-room, brick-and-limestone mansion.

Here's an excerpt from the article:

The 7-foot-1 Chandler, 28, took one of the biggest housing losses of any area celebrity in recent years, selling his mansion for slightly more than half of what he paid for it in mid-2006. As the Red Eye newspaper reported in September 2006, Chandler paid $4 million for the mansion — just weeks before he was traded to the New Orleans Hornets after five seasons with the Bulls. Chandler first listed the three-story mansion in 2007 for $4.99 million, and over the years reduced his asking price many times. Its final asking price was $2.895 million.

In other Chicago real estate news involving, in this case, a former Dallas athlete, the same article reports that a 14-room house in Chicago's Lakeview's neighborhood that Blackhawks goaltender Marty Turco, a longtime Dallas Star, is renting has been listed for $2.4 million and also is up for rent for $10,000 a month. Turco, 35, has rented the Southport Corridor mansion for almost a year. He joined the Blackhawks last August and is a free agent. His lease ends at the end of August.

I'm sure it's got a great view.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban's name has come up again as being interested in taking the NHL's Dallas Stars off the hands of distressed owner Tom Hicks, that according to a report north of the border from John Shannon of Sportsnet.ca.

Cuban is interested in gaining full control of the American Airlines Center, something he could accomplish by owning both of the buildings' professional sports tennants. On Saturday night, Cuban reiterated his interest in the Stars for that reason, but he said little progress has been made toward a sale that would involve himself.

Cuban said he has been contacted and has had discussions with a half-dozen prospective ownership partners over about year's time, but he added via email, "None of whom are close to doing a deal because of the price tag."

"Nothing has changed," Cuban said. "I have always said I would talk to any interested buyer if I can get control of the arena. I continue to talk to all those that have come through, just as I have the last year."

Cuban and Houston businessman Jim Crane recently tried to purchase the Texas Rangers, but were outbid in an auction by the group headed by Nolan Ryan and Chuck Greenberg.