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.

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