Let’s see if I’ve got this straight. Jason Garrett, aka the Dallas Cowboys head-coach-in-waiting, gets all the credit when Tony Romo is sharp and the Cowboys offense is dazzling opponents with its ability to move the ball and score points. But when Romo struggles, the offense falters and curious decisions — like Marion Barber getting only eight carries — are made, it’s all Wade Phillips’ fault. That was the media vibe coming out of last week’s meltdown against Washington, and was even moreso the case when the Cowboys flamed out offensively in the playoffs last year against the Giants . . . Vince Young has been such a bust with the Tennessee Titans, not to mention a head case, that some are saying the Titans blew it by not drafting Jay Cutler three years ago. Cutler, who is starting to blossom into one of the NFL’s top QBs with Denver, played college ball right under the Titans’ noses at Vanderbilt and went to the Broncos on the 11th pick of round one. Sports Illustrated’s Paul Zimmerman contends that Tennessee owner Bud Adams made the call on drafting Young, in the process overruling his football people. Bud, of course, wanted to rub Young in Houston’s face, since the Titans passed on him . . . How about this for a great believe it or not? The Texans’ heavily criticized Matt Schaub enters today’s game at Reliant Stadium with a higher QB rating (75.1) than his Indianapolis counterpart Peyton Manning (73.1). Manning, however, figures to leave town with a much higher rating, considering that he’s thrown 29 TD passes against only four interceptions in posting a 11-1 record against Houston.

My condolences to the family of former Lincoln High School great Charles “Chucky” Baker. Baker, who is right at the top of the list of best schoolboy receivers in the 40 plus years I’ve been covering football in Southeast Texas, passed away Tuesday. Tall, lean and fast, Chucky was a pass catching star on the 1971 and 1972 Bumblebee teams that Joe and Ken Washington led to district championships. One of the area’s blue chip recruits, Baker signed with Nebraska . . . Speaking of terrific schoolboy receivers, I’m not sure I’ve seen one with better hands than Nederland’s Asa Cardenas. Cardenas makes at least one catch every game that’s highlight film stuff. He had two of that variety Tuesday night against Ozen. The more I watch him, the more I’m reminded of former TJ great Brent Duhon . . . One of Texas’ most amazing high school football records fell Friday night. No. 4 ranked North Shore, the team Memorial faces in its District 21-5A opener this week, defeated Lufkin, 28-21, for its 73rd consecutive regular-season victory. That erased Southlake Carroll’s record of 72 established from 1986 to 1994. Not since Drew Tate and Baytown Lee outscored them 34-31 in November of 2001, have David Aymond’s Mustangs lost a regular-season game. North Shore, by the way, also ended Lufkin’s 27-game home winning streak.

Steve Roccaforte has hit another home run in landing a speaker for Lamar University’s Basketball Tip-Off Banquet. After bringing in Memphis coach John Calipari and former LSU coach Dale Brown the past two years, Roc landed former Houston Rockets star John Lucas for the 0ct. 16 event. Lucas, who was also a head coach of the San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavs, is a dynamite speaker, as anybody who attended the James Gamble Awards Banquet three years ago will testify. Tables for eight for the LU event are priced at $2,500 and $1,000, while individual seats can be purchased for $75. Call 880-2319 . . . Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips is part of an impressive lineup of inductees into the University of Houston’s Hall of Honor, but he won’t be able to make the Nov. 1 ceremonies because Dallas will in New York to meet the defending Super Bowl champion Giants. Also in that UH Class of 2008 is Guy Lewis’ 1967-68 Cougar basketball team that defeated UCLA at the Astrodome in one of the watershed basketball games in collegiate history, quarterback David Klingler, tight end Riley Odoms, basketball great Louis Dunbar and golf All-America Keith Fergus . . . Count me among the legions of fans of actor Paul Newman, who died from cancer last week at 83. Newman made numerous memorable movies, but if there is one I don’t think I’d ever get tied of watching it was the hockey film Slap Shot. And I’d just as soon watch grass grow or paint dry as sit through a hockey game.

Rumors have resurfaced on the NFL grapevine that the Cowboys might have something cooking with the Detroit Lions on former University of Texas wide receiver Roy Williams. Word is that Detroit would deal Williams for a first round draft choice. Looking at Dallas’ receiver situation, and its difficulty in getting the ball to Terrell Owens in games against Green Bay and Washington, it wouldn’t be all that surprising to see Jerry Jones pull the trigger before the Oct. 14 trade deadline . . . Because the Cincinnati Bengals have been decimated with injuries at the running back position, UT ex Cedric Benson, late of the Chicago Bears, will probably get some carries today at Texas Stadium against the Cowboys. Even though Benson has been with the Bengals less than a week, he’s already No. 2 on the depth chart behind gimpy Chris Perry. Apparently the Bengals don’t think Memorial ex James Johnson is ready to step in. Johnson, a free agent signee who impressed in training camp, was still listed on the team’s practice squad as of this writing . . . Arizona Cardinals QB Kurt Warner has an interesting way to teach his children about the joy of giving. The night before each game, Warner takes his family out to eat. While sitting at their table, the Warners scan whatever restaurant they are at, pick out a family that’s dining together and he tells their waiter that, anonymously, he wants that family’s tab added to his. “We want our kids to grow up knowing how blessed we are because of football,” Warner told Karen Crouse of the NY Times.

If you think steroids testing has not had a major impact on home runs, check out the numbers from the 2008 season. Only NL leader Ryan Howard, with 48, swatted more than 40 homers. Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera led the AL with a mere 37 and only two others — the White Sox Carlos Quentin (36) and the Yankees Alex Rodriguez (35) had as many as 35. Cabrera’s 37 was lowest total to win an AL home run championship since Fred McGriff won with 36 in 1989. The MLB average of 2.01 home runs per game was the lowest since the average was 1.93 in 1993 . . . As one who thought the Astros overreacted by trading closer Brad Lidge, it was nice to see him win the National League Comeback Player of the Year Award last week. Lidge was 41-for-41 in save situations for Philadelphia and added two more as the Phillies jumped out to a 2-0 edge over Milwaukee in the National League Division Series. Jose Valverde did an excellent job replacing Lidge in Houston, but the Phillies have the better closer . . . Paul Azinger, who is still being toasted for the job he did as captain of the United States Ryder Cup team, was so burned out after the emotional weekend was over he turned down offers to be on late night talk shows with David Letterman and Jay Leno. Azinger said there was only one appearance he’d like to make to cash in on the Ryder Cup. “I want to throw at the first pitch at a Tampa Bay Rays game,” he said. Sounds like the Rays really have arrived.

Sports editor Bob West can be e-mailed at rdwest@usa.net. His Sportsrap radio show airs Wednesdays at 8:05 p.m. on KLVI (560-AM).