Scariest matchup for the Cowboys against Minnesota today is penalty-prone left tackle Flozell Adams going against Vikings pass rusher supreme Jared Allen. Allen, who has averaged 14.5 sacks since Kansas City practically gave him away two years, is capable of disrupting an offense the way Dallas’ DeMarcus Ware does. Adams has really cut down on his false starts — he’s only had six this year and none since the Oakland game on Thanksgiving — but the combination of Allen and the Metrodome noise factor doesn’t bode well . . . Considering that the Cowboys are the best TV ratings draw in sports, and the Cowboys-Vikings matchup is by far the most attractive of four playoff games this weekend, a lot of folks are wondering why it was stuck in a noon start today. The logical time for the game would be 7 tonight. So why didn’t that happen? According to New York Daily News columnist Bob Raissman, the NFL doesn’t schedule a second round playoff game on Sunday nights so CBS won’t have to pre-empt 60 Minutes every other year. It’s complicated, but I’m guessing Raissman’s on target because there is an NFL game every Sunday night of the regular season on NBC and there was one in the wild-card playoff round since the rights belonged to NBC . . . Texas Tech’s reshuffling in the wake of the Mike Leach firing has cost Lamar University football coach Ray Woodard his offensive coordinator. Tommy Mainord, son of former long time Red Raider assistant Carlos Mainord is leaving LU to become new Tech boss Tommy Tuberville’s receiver coach. Mainford was one of Woodard’s first hires at Lamar.

I’m wondering if any town, especially one of Port Arthur size’s, could boast of having two athletes shattering all-time professional sports franchise bests the way Stephen Jackson and Jamaal Charles did during a recent 10-day span. Jackson, of course, established an all-time Charlotte Bobcats scoring record of 43 points Tuesday night against the Houston Rockets. That followed Charles blowing up the Kansas City Chiefs all-time single game rushing mark by dipping and darting for 259 yards against Denver. Either record, standing alone, is impressive, but it’s pretty heady stuff when you’ve got two record breakers to brag about . . . Carolina coach Larry Brown, by the way, is really taken with Jackson and how he’s been a difference maker for the Bobcats since being acquired from Golden State. Brown, who has coached seven NBA teams and is the only coach to win an NCAA (Kansas) and NBA championship (Detroit), was quoted as saying the Lincoln ex is “about as bright as anybody I’ve ever coached. He’s an unusual personality, but he’s a great teammate and a good guy. He opens things up for everybody. He’s a willing passer and a terrific passer. And he’s a much better defender than you can imagine.” . . . One coach who is never surprised at what Jackson does on the basketball court is Lamar’s Steve Roccaforte. Roc, who was an assistant at Tulane at the time, recruited Jackson hard his junior season at Lincoln and senior season at Oak Hill Academy. “In high school, his game was much more skilled and mature than kids he was playing against, and he’s just kept getting better,” said Roccaforte. “I wouldn’t call him a great athlete, but he is a very, very skilled player with an understanding of the game that gives him an edge. I’m not surprised at what Larry Brown said.”

Jamaal Charles, who has become the toast of Kansas City since establishing himself as an emerging star once he finally got a chance to play, is headed back to Missouri to have shoulder surgery on Wednesday. When KC starts its off-season workouts, he’ll have to adjust to a new offensive coordinator — former Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis. Charles and his former Memorial teammate Danny Gorrer are planning a June 25-26 football game in Port Arthur for kids in grades 5 through 12. More details will be forthcoming as plans are firmed up . . . Gorrer, incidentally, watched New Orleans’ playoff game against Arizona Saturday with personal more interest than probably anybody in PA. The Texas A&M; ex signed with the Saints last spring as a free agent and might well have been suited up in the Superdome Saturday if the St. Louis Rams had not claimed him off the Saints’ practice squad. The Rams used him more and more as the season went along and he expects to challenge for a starting cornerback job next season . . . Since there no longer seems to be much doubt that Wade Phillips is going to be sticking around as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, it’s interesting to note that by going 12-4 next season he’d pass Jimmy Johnson and become the second winningest coach in franchise history behind Tom Landry. His current .687 winning percentage, based on a 33-15 mark, is No. 1 among Cowboy coaches. Imagine that.

Texans fans who are blaming offensive coordinator Greg Davis for the foolish shuffle pass at the end of the first half of the BCS national championship game probably need to shut up. My spies tell me Davis was in the press box elevator headed to the locker room and Mack Brown called the play. The spies also say that’s why the $5 million coach has been so strong in his defense of the call. It makes total sense that Davis was in the elevator. I’ve been in enough press boxes and seen coaches make their mad dash for the elevator near the end of a half to know that’s what happens . . . If you are one of those Longhorn fans criticizing Colt McCoy for not coming back into the Alabama game, and questioning his toughness, you ought to be ashamed. I’ve even heard some saying McCoy didn’t return because he and his dad were worried about damaging his NFL value. That’s sick. Based on what that kid did during his time at Texas, and the toughness he displayed, he should be above this kind of crap. But, going back to the way I heard UT fans boo Todd Dodge many years ago, I’m not surprised . . . Don’t believe I’ve ever heard or seen a college football coach roasted the way Lane Kiffin has been for bailing out on Tennessee after 14 months. It’s certainly deserved, though. On the jerk scale, this lying lightweight is so outrageous he even rubs some of the slime and sleaze off Nick Saban, Bobby Petrino and Dennis Franchione. Best thing I’ve seen written on Kiffin was a 10-point comparison by Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel on how he and Sarah Palin might be the same person. Some of the comparisons were: “Their supporters love them, everyone else could do without them; They have no idea how to finish the job; they have made a living making nonsensical comments; they’re both factually challenged.” It’s a hoot, it’s amazingly on target and it’s worth a stop at OrlandoSentinel.com.

If anything good comes out of Mark McGwire’s belated steroid confession, here’s hoping it’s gong to involve bringing renewed Hall of Fame consideration for Roger Maris. Regular readers of this column know Maris’ HOF snubbing, heavily influenced by Eastern media types who mistreated him and resented him breaking a record they wanted for Mickey Mantle, has been an ongoing sore spot. More than ever, it’s apparent Maris is baseball’s true single season home run champ. Beyond that, he was an excellent and versatile player who won back-to-back MVP awards, was a four-time All-Star, a two-time RBI champ and much more. Mantle called Maris the best all-around player he ever saw. Baseball’s veterans committee needs to right a grievous wrong . . . One of the most interesting offshoots of McGwire’s confessional was the reaction of former St. Louis Cardinal slugger Jack Clark, who is part of the Cardinals post-game television team. Clark trashed McGwire and called him, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, A-Rod and other juicers and suspect juicers “creeps.” Beyond that, he said he wouldn’t say hello to McGwire or shake his hand at a Cardinals’ Winter Warmup event this weekend. Since McGwire has been hired as St. Louis’ batting coach, this dynamic ought to be interesting. My guess is Clark has probably talked his way out of a job . . . One thing that bothers me about Dallas going into Minnesota today is how the Cowboys have continually put up fewer points than they should, based on how many yards their offense generates. Dallas is No. 2 in the NFL in yards per game (394.4), but only 14th in points per game (22.6). Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett should answer for that, but don’t expect to hear Troy Aikman bring it up on the game telecast.

Sports editor Bob West can be e-mailed at rdwest@usa.net.