The unfit pro athlete?

The Dallas Mavericks are in the midst of a three-game winning streak, and have won eight of their last 10 games.

In the past two wins, the Mavs have been without the services of MVP and team leader Dirk Nowitzki, who's expected to miss at least two more games before he returns to action.

Why is the Mavs leader sitting on the bench in a suit? Because he's a little out of shape, and has a sore right knee.

Except, as that story above states, it's not really about the knee. It's about the Mavs best player and team leader not really being in shape for the season.

I'm sure the lockout was tough on everyone, and training camp was nothing if not a blip of its normal length. But still, a professional athlete who is sitting down because he's out of shape? That seems a little absurd.

That's not to say that Dirk doesn't need the rest, that's not the point. I'm sure he could use the rest.

The point is that he's paid to play basketball, and to keep himself in physical condition to do so. Obviously, he hasn't done that.

When you're paid to do anything, it's expected that you'll do it to the best of your ability. I'm paid to cover and write about sports, and every day I do that the best that I can.

Dirk gets paid to play basketball, and the fact that he didn't keep himself in good enough shape during the offseason to be able to withstand what is about 80 percent of a regular season lumped into about 72 percent of the time frame is inexcusable.

He's probably my second-favorite active DFW sports figure, behind Michael Young. But, that shouldn't exclude him from criticism. He owes it to the organization to be at his best when called upon, and right now he's not.

Without him, the Mavs are winning, for now. Let's hope it stays that way, and that he's ready to close the year strong when he gets back, whenever that might be.