Considering the fan spirit of DCNation, I thought I’d take a stab at doing some weekly roundups of the other Cowboys blogs out there. Okay, so maybe weekly isn’t the best period, but every so often I’ll post some of the more interesting things floating around Dallas Cowboys Nation.

Today I want to get started with a new series getting started over at our friends’ LoneStarStruck.com.

“The Ultimate Cowboys Showdown!

This new exclusive series will pit two all time Cowboys who were the best at their position, and put them in a head to head battle in a good old fashioned death match. Only the strong will survive!

Our Ultimate Cowboys Showdown features three rounds of fist-pounding, gut wrenching, nail-biting action, as two ultimate warriors get in the ring and duke it out until only one Cowboy is left standing. This is certainly not for the squeamish and parental discretion is definitely advised.”

Who are they talking about? Jason Witten and his predecessor Jay Novacek. I was shocked by the numbers alone as Witten beat out Novacek all around. I also found it strange that at 6 years in the league, both had 5 Pro Bowls, 1 All-Pro selection, and both had played 95 games as well. Not sure I agree with the verdict on it, but with such a close comparison between the two, you really can’t settle on a right answer between the two. Go check it out.

Next up is BloggingTheBoys.com and they’ve got a good article up on several of the players who are being given new opportunities to stand out and have an impact on this team in 2009. Some of the players covered are Anthony Spencer, Isaiah Stanback, Jason Williams, and Montrae Holland. It’s interesting to see who is doing what with the opportunities they have right now.

That’s about it for now. It seems news regarding the ‘Boys is slow going this weekend as OTA and minicamp practices have concluded.

Popularity: 1%

I’ve noticed that there are plenty of lists going out lately. Most of which shed no respect to Cowboys players who have rightfully earned it. So to fulfill the appetite of you fans I’ve created a list of the Best Cowboys of the last 15 Years. .. So get ready!

1 Emmitt Smith-The leagues leading rusher. Smith proved to be a “Go to guy” by coupling hard nose, downhill running with incredible durability. With 3 Super Bowl rings, Smith may be the most noticeable player in Dallas Cowboys History.

2 DeMarcus Ware- Perhaps the most naturally talented player to emerge on this defense in years, Ware consistently strikes fears into opposing offensive coordinators. Ware has increased his sack total in each of his 3 seasons ending with 20 last year. There is no signs of slowing down which is good news for this defense!

3 Troy Aikman- Concussion Troy can’t be forgotten for all the marvelous things he did in Dallas. He was a model field general, orchestrating 3 Super Bowl victories and becoming the Cowboys all time leading passer with 32,942 yards.

4 Darren Woodson- The one player that ANY of us would give ANYTHING to have back. Darren Woodson played the secondary perfectly forcing 23 interceptions. He was the backbone in many great defenses and earned a reputation as one of the fiercest safeties in the league.

5 Michael Irvin-A distraction? Sure. However, Michael’s production was unmatched. He averaged over 15 yards per gain and had over 60 touchdowns in his career. He was a consistent target who was reliable and a HOF athlete.

6 Larry Allen- A big strong offensive lineman who was versatile in his play. At 325 lbs he was an immovable force and a good reason for Emmitt’s success.

7 Jason Witten- Witten is a Blue Collar, Smash mouth player who has, in my opinion, defined the future play of tight ends. He blocks well, He’s intelligent, and He’s a bigger threat in the passing game then most receivers, He can shed tackles, and he’s not afraid to throw his body around.

8 Tony Romo- Though under constant scrutiny, he has produced more 300 yard passing games then any quarterback in Dallas history in 3 years. With a 64 percent completion rate, and a ratio or 2 td’s to 1 interception, his regular season play is comparable to some of the greatest quarterbacks of all time (Coming soon: a comparison against Peyton, Aikman, and Young in there first 4 years) I believe that given the opportunity, Romo will thrive in future playoff appearances.

9 Deion Sanders- Prime time, Sanders electrified the field with his wonderful coverage, ability to force interceptions for touchdowns, and punt returning skills. Sanders had abilities that we will forever miss and may not see for years to come.

10 Terrence Newman- Not Deion Sanders, but that doesn’t mean he’s necessarily worse. Terrence doesn’t produce stats like some of the other elite DB’s but that’s because he’s never really tested. He is a shut down corner with speed and game breaking ability. He will be the staple in this defense for years to come.

11 Greg Ellis- A bitter end to this story. Greg has given his all to this team and that has to be respected. He was a feared defensive end, but an even more devastating OLB with the ability to get to the passer; he’s registered 77 career sacks with the Cowboys.

12 Daryl Johnston- The moose led the way for Emmitt throughout his career… Enough said.

13 Dat Nguyen- Nguyen solidified the middle linebacker slot in his second year after leading the team in special teams tackles the first. His run stopping ability and hard hitting made him well known throughout the league. If it weren’t for a disc injury, Dat would be along Bradie James, supporting the same number 1 defense he helped solidify in 2003.

14 Marion Barber- A hardnosed runner this team hasn’t seen since Smith. After going through Troy Hambricks stages and a little flash of Cason, Barber was a breath of fresh air. He has become a “Closer” and has the talent to become a franchise back and league leader.

15 Flozell Adams- Though penalty prone, Flozell has provided stability to the offensive line in Larry Allen’s Absence. He is big, strong, and mobile. He also uses his hands well and is also a talented blocker. An excellent round out to this list.

**Notable Mention** George Teague- For his incredibly memorable hit on Terrell Owens, when Owens was boastfully disrespecting the star.

Popularity: 1%

…from me, at least.

If you are like me, you are sick of hearing/reading about it, regardless if you were against or for his release.   In the beginning, I was against it.  I didn’t like his mouth.  I didn’t like his me first attitude.  But I was willing to put up with it considering his production.  Shame on me…especially considering I was also against him joining the team in the first place. 

 But truth be told, if we only look at 2008, his performance hinged on several different contingencies to be effective.  First, he had to have a free release off the line in most cases to get open.  Second, while his top end speed was still impressive, the amount of time he took to get to that speed had deteriorated from years past.  And lastly, his ability to catch, in my mind,  suffered as a result of over-self-improvement.  We hear and read the term “soft hands” quite a bit, but rarely consider what that truly means.  But if you envisage his overall physique, chances are his hands followed suit with the rest of his body:  Hard.  Add to that his age of 35 and one could come to the conclusion just based on performance alone, minus all the drama that is a big part of T.O.’s entourage, that perhaps the Cowboy’s made the right decision in moving on and further grooming the youthful WR’s currently on the roster.

Now, let’s add the drama back. 

The latest news has T.O. running a camp at Duncanville Highschool and the distinguished guest of honor at a going away party Thursday night.  In short, he made the comment that everyone knew Romo was the quarterback and thus the leader of the team; Romo simply failed to rise to the occasion.  But, in the end, everyone blamed T.O. and he accepts the role of scapegoat, especially considering he is no longer a part of the team (paraphrased).   Just so we are clear, if anyone made T.O. a scapegoat, it was the media. 

Admittedly, the media did play a huge role in the drama filled 2008 season.  The media is a monster.  But like all monsters, the media must be fed.  And since T.O. seems to be the one that continually feed’s said monster, from a legal point of view, the monster was T.O.’s pet.   As the owner of that pet, T.O. is responsible for whatever damage it causes, as well.

Nevertheless, despite his annoying and poorly-behaved pet, T.O.’s problem is and always has been T.O.  His philosophy is to be honest no matter what, which is admirable.  But the problem with his so-called honesty is that filter that discludes him from accountability.  When you are a member of a team, and a member of your team makes a mistake, who made the mistake, the individual or the team?  The correct answer is the team.  Doesn’t matter if it’s a professional sports team, a research team, or a military team, as a whole you are only as strong as your weakest man, which means everyone on the team is responsible for the team’s success and failures.  Now let’s flash back to where T.O.’s problem’s really began in Philadelphia. 

On April 2005, Owens announced that he had hired a new agent, Drew Rosenhaus, and indicated that he would seek to have his contract with the Eagles renegotiated. Owens made $9 million in 2004 (most of which being bonus money as his base salary was only $660,000),^[6] and was slated to make $4.5 million in 2005. This two year amount did not place Owens in the top 10 paid wide receivers playing. He also made a comment to the effect that he “wasn’t the guy who got tired in the Super Bowl“; the remark, thought by most to be directed at quarterback Donovan McNabb, caused a controversy between them to heat up (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrell_Owens).

It really doesn’t matter who T.O. was referring to, because if an individual on that team “got tired” then the team as a whole “got tired.”  Furthermore, to use the performance of another as ammunition to get a raise is despicable.  Imagine if your co-worker were to throw you under the bus as ammunition for getting an increase in pay.  Beyond his ignominious display of narcissism, one has to wonder if he truly believed this comment in regards to another player helped his cause.  If anything, that comment in the end meant millions of lost dollars.  That loss would make most introspective in hind-sight, but because of his overall wealth and the lack of  pain truly experienced as a result of his actions, he will likely never change.

T.O.’s team concept is skewed, which is why he is a cancer.   When he can openly question other players, coaches, and management, this open’s the door for younger player’s who look up to T.O. as someone they want to emulate to also question others.  When everyone is questioning everyone, execution will suffer team-wide.  It happens quick.  And once the damage is done, there is no fixing it until the cancer and all those who were effected by the cancer are removed.   Plain and simple. 

Here’s looking forward to 2009′s Chemotherapied Cowboys!!!

Popularity: unranked

What makes a good Offensive line? How do we judge their performance? The questions could go on and on, with many different outlooks. I am sure my assessment is different than yours, but one thing is for sure everyone has doubts about the Dallas Cowboys Line and I am not so sure all the doubts are warranted!

Many of us were spoiled by the O-Line of the 90’s teams, and there are some of us that believe that if you cannot operate the way that line did then you’re not any good! Well this is just not true!

The design of the teams offense can make or break a line, just the same as a line can make or break an offense.

There are many out there who always want to look at sacks allowed as the judgment stat, this is the wrong way to look at things.

In 2006 this O-line paved the way for 1936 yards rushing on 472 attempts for an avg. of 4.1 yards per carry. In that same year Bledsoe and Romo combined for 4067 passing yards on 506 attempts for an avg. of 8.0 yards per attempt. They were also sacked 37 times.

Then in 2007 they rushed for 1746 yards on 419 attempts for an avg. of 4.2 yards per carry. While Romo threw for 4211 yards on 520 attempts for an avg. of 8.1 yards and was sacked 25 times.

Finally last year they rushed for 1723 yards on 401 attempts for an avg. of 4.3 yards per carry. The group of QB’s last year combined for 3789 yards passing on 547 attempts for an avg. of 6.9 yards per play and were sacked 31 times (11 of those over a 3 game span from Bollinger and Johnson).

So are you seeing the trend? What I see is a team game planning away from the run, not because they cannot do it but rather just because they want to.

In three short years this team has gone from a super balanced attack (50% runs vs 50% pass) to a very one sided passing team (last year 42% run vs 58% pass) and in every year since 2006 there number of plays and rushing yards have gone down! There average yards per carry have increased to further prove the point that it is not a line problem but more so a scheme problem.

When you are dealing with a line built at an average 6’5” 327 lbs. you cannot expect them to sustain blocks for very long! Guys that big are built to smash folks in the mouth and blow open a hole and then release.

As far as the sack numbers are concerned this unit averages 1.9 sacks per game over the last three years. Just to put this figure into perspective, the Indianapolis Colts give up the least per game with an average of 1.1 sacks per game (12 less per year than Dallas) but the Cowboys line protects as well and better than most in the rest of the league. The Giants come in at 1.7, Patriots 2.1, Eagles 2.0.

What I am trying to get to is very simple, This Line may not be the best in the league but they are most definitely in the top tier!

For those of you who wish to argue and live in the 90’s please go look at the numbers! From 1992 to 1995 (the hay day) the O-Line of all O-Lines gave up an average of 1.5 sacks per game (a mere 6 less sacks over the course of the year)! Over that same time period the Cowboys offense averaged 30 pass attempts     per game , and 32 rush attempts per game with a average of 4.1 yards per rush attempt.

Now I have never claimed to be the smartest guy on the planet but the only thing I see wrong with this group is the way that they are used!

This team has a wealth of talent on the Offensive line that is not being used properly. I have never been one to play around much with predictions, but I feel compelled in this situation!

So I am hereby making my first prediction of the season (it may be my last too!) If this unit (Jason Garrett) changes there scheme and gets back to being more of a 50 – 50 offense, this offensive line will be regarded as one of, if not THE top lines in the NFL!

I am also going to go on record as saying this team will win the division and end its playoff win less streak!

I realize I have opened myself up to some harsh criticisms, but I am willing to defend my thoughts are you?

Popularity: 1%

This is really quite funny because you don’t often hear of the music gap being jumped in the NFL. That’s something most often reserved for the NBA with guys like Shaq and Charles Barkley, bet you forgot about his little stint in music, huh?

Well Free Reign is a band formed by Dallas native guitarist Justin Chapman, Leonard Davis, Cory Proctor, and Marc Colombo – it’s a heavy metal band and if you’re into that kind of music it’s pretty good too. It’s easy to say that they’ve successfully made the jump from football to music and could actually have a new career after football with it. Will they sell out stadiums like Metallica has for years? I doubt it, but it’s pretty good.

For those of you who haven’t heard them yet, you can go to the Free Reign MySpace page and check them out. They have two songs on there right now, and hopefully they’ll have more soon. Here is the press release from Australian record label Riot Entertainment:

Free Reign has been branded ‘Heavier than Metal’ for their intense musical style as well as their intimidating stage presence. They bring something unique to this powerful genre.

“This is an amazing opportunity for Riot and to further establish our name internationally,” said Riot Owner / CEO John Howarth. “Free Reign is a band with massive potential. There has been an enormous buzz surrounding them since they appeared on the scene a few months ago. Free Reign has already been flooded with endorsements. Their marketing potential is limitless. These guys are already huge sports stars, but they have shown they have the talent to diversify. I am positive that Metal fans will embrace Free Reign and see them take it to the next level. These are exciting times for Riot and we are excited to see what the future holds. When the opportunity arose to work with Free Reign I jumped to it! This is something that has never been done before and this band is a long term project. It’s also been great working with John Gomez of TQ Management putting this deal to bed”.

They are also slated to headline at the Dallas House of Blues on June 27, so if you’re in the area go check out Free Reign. I can’t even imagine of offensive linemen up on stage getting rowdy playing heavy metal.

Popularity: 2%

The question on everyone’s mind these days is and will continue to be, how and better still can Jason Garrett use the wealth of running backs he has at his disposal?

With the start of training camp rapidly approaching one would think that Jason Garrett is hard at work devising a plan to optimize the abundance of talent he has at the running back position??????

The Cowboys invested #1 money on Marion Barber to be the #1 guy, but we are all aware of the fact that Marion is better suited to be fresh in the fourth quarter!

The Cowboys also used a first round selection last year on Felix Jones, so there is an extremely high need to get him touches as well.

Then let’s not forget about the 2008 unsung hero from Georgia Tech, Tashard Choice! When the Cowboys were decimated by injuries Choice stepped in and performed at an extremely high level.

These are three very different running backs which will allow Jason Garrett a ton of flexibility.

Marion Barber: Marion is the head knocker of the group, while he is not a burner so the big plays you get from him are more of the “just ran over three people on his way to a 20 yard touchdown” variety. However with his hard nosed running style his body wears down much quicker than the elusive style back.

Felix Jones: Felix is the epitome of a “Home run hitter” there is not one spot on the field where he cannot score from. Possessing speed, agility, vision, and great hands. Felix Jones is in the mold of a Reggie Bush type. For all the good qualities he possesses the one concern with him is his ability to stay off the injured list.

Tashard Choice: Tashard is very much so one of the most vocal leaders on this team. He is the most complete back of the group, while he is not the fastest or strongest he can do a lot of good in many areas. He has the ability to give opposing defenses many different looks. The only question with Tashard is, was last year legit or did he catch some teams off guard and worn down?

What is considered by many (including myself) to be the biggest strength of this years team, could possibly be a nightmare for Jason Garrett? If Garrett fails to adequately use this group, the wheels of this season could come flying off!

There has been many people try this off season to predict how many touches each man should receive on a per game basis. While there is no one good way or rule to go by, many claim a sequence such as this:

Marion Barber: 15-20 Touches

Felix Jones: 10-15 Touches

Tashard Choice: 5-10 touches

This appears to be a solid marker to follow, but I am not a big fan of this way of thinking. I just feel that if you set yourself boundaries, you ultimately are setting yourself up for failure.

The amount of touches this unit gets (designed running plays) should be and I believe will be handled on a game by game, scenario by scenario basis.

Jason Garrett needs to know what he has, and to put the player and the team in good situations. Part of knowing what he has is going to be the recognition of what situations the player performs at his peak.

Many people including myself marvel at the closing ability of Marion Barber, while this is a very true statement there is something that must be taken into account. The only time his closing ability will come into affect is if this team is ahead in the fourth quarter and that they can continue to pick up first downs.

Jason Garrett cannot become predictable with his formations or his sub packages, the defenses cannot be given the luxury of simply looking in the backfield to see who is there and know what the play is.

The Cowboys should be able to line up two if not all three on the field in certain situations.

If I was a betting man I would have to say that Felix Jones will spend a lot of time this year lined up out wide and in the slot. Allowing Garrett to give teams a full dose of Marion and Tashard early and often!

The first half of games this year will be crucial to the success of the team. They need to be able to establish the ground game early on. The score at the end of the first half is not the most important thing.

The rest of the league knows what the Cowboys have at the running back position; So Garrett will be forced to make some crucial decisions very early on in games.

Teams will simply overload the line of scrimmage and try to force Garrett to give up on the run. He must be strong willed enough to fight off the urge to open up the air attack! We all saw what happened when this team became so one dimensional last year.

Those 90’s Cowboys teams were the best at simply beating a team into submission by the 3^rd quarter.  This team has something that those teams did not, depth! There is no need for 35 carries a game to one man, this team can run a different guy through the holes in the line like fans through the turnstiles!

If this team and Jason Garrett use what is available to them correctly, there will be nothing that anyone can do about it! That is one big IF though.

Popularity: 1%

As an analogy, you could apply “sifting for gold” to quite a few different aspects of football. Free Agency. The building of the infamous war room draft board. Wittling the training camp roster from 80 to 53. But the one science of football that typically escapes the thoughts of most fans is how teams decide which plays they will keep in their play book and which one’s are dismissed as ineffective and/or are not complementory to the talent available.

That last bit is important to understand because the Cowboy’s playbook from last year and this year should be very different. It’s not so much because of the lack of success experienced with those plays, as it is due to the difference in the talent set and the difference in the coaches comprehension of said talent. Obviously, with T.O. gone, the plays that take a long time to develop very well may be all but extinct. Granted, Austin possesses some ability in stretching the defense, but it’s not likely they will rely on his ability to ultimately win games, as they seemed to do to a fault with T.O..

With the trio of backs and duo of TE’s the Cowboy’s have, a quick strike offense is likely the direction this team is headed in. Furthermore, the Cowboy’s now have a better understanding of what Felix, Choice, and Bennett can offer as weapons. The Cowboy’s will be looking to put together a play book that exercises each of their talents in different ways to keep opposing defenses off balance.

With that, I would like to take a moment to remind those of you who are concerned about every report indicating that Romo and company don’t seem to be insync, to consider that the play’s they are likely running are new to everyone, including the veterans. The idea behind these practices are to familiarize the players with different plays and, more importantly, to slowly acclimate said players conditioning to football ready

Once preseason begins, the process of sifting for gold, so-to-speak, begins, as they determine against viable opposing team defenses what play’s can be effectively ran, which players can execute said plays, and which players don’t fit with the final playbook they are able to construct as a result of the success and failures they experience through trial and error.

Popularity: 1%

When identifying yourself as a Cowboy’s fan for the first time to someone who also is a Cowboy’s fan, the first question that typically come’s up is, “What did you think about them releasing T.O.?”  Beyond being genuinly interested in your perspective, there is an ulterior motive in that question.  The asker want’s to determine what kind of Cowboy’s fan you are.  Are you optimistic, pessimistic, or realistic.

Personally, I try to be realistic about everything in life, but, admittedly, when it comes to my Cowboy’s, the preverbial hope springs eternal.  In all of the forum’s I contribute to, I’m typically regarded as the homer; the guy who always expects the best from this team.  With that in mind, despite the fact that the media and sport’s analyst abroad have already wrote off the 2009 Cowboy season, I will make an attempt to shift the light from the Cowboy’s good side and focus on what could go horribly wrong.

The first thing that comes to mind for me is conditioning.  Considering the barrage of injuries the Cowboy’s weathered last year and the now infamous December swoon the Cowboy’s are known for (14 – 32 since 2000 in December), questioning the Cowboy’s overall conditioning seems like a logical place to begin.  So far, the picture that has been painted by Cowboy’s staffer’s and the kinder mediots, is that quite a few of the Cowboy’s have been working throughout the offseason to make sure they are properly conditioned for the season.  But isn’t that the standard company line every offseason?  The injury list is already stacked, and training camp doesn’t start until the end of July.  How does that happen?  The broken, bruised, and busted I understand; but strains and pulls typically indicates improper hydration and/or stretching.  In my mind, if a player is getting paid millions of dollars to play this game, he should futher understand that preparation for training is just as important as the actual training.

Coaching.  You really have to wonder about the coaching situation.  Making Wade Phillips the Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator is unprecedented in football.  It sends the message that Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett are sharing the role of Head Coach or, the more accurate way of looking at it, Jerry Jones is the Head Coach.  The thought is scary, but to hear him weigh in on strategy before, during and after games, really makes me wonder how much say he has in getting the ball to certain players.  And if he does have a say in this, it’s not hard to figure out what is truly wrong with this team, despite all of their collective talent.

Aside from the questionable dual role, I feel pretty confident in Wade’s ability to make the Cowboy’s defense rank top 10 this year.  However, Jason Garrett’s ability to make a T.O.less offense work is definitely a big question.  Since the beginning of his tenure as OC, the pass first mentality has been evident.  And, to be honest, to a certain extent, that approach based on previous personnel was justifyable.  However, this year, the Cowboy’s offense, despite the very few modifications to the starting line-up on offense, are now built for balance.   Does Jason recognize this need?  Can he effectively call plays designed to spread the ball over that trio of backs, duo of TE’s, and that potentially clutch WR group?

The Offensive Line.  Despite the catalog of failure that was the 2008 season for this group, very little was done to fortify the line.  Enemy #1 amongst Cowboy’s fan’s is likely between Flozell Adams, notorious for False Starts and struggling with speed rushers,  and Cory Proctor who seems to be physically and mentally inferior to the average defensive lineman.   The Cowboy’s added a few rookies, but it will likely be two to three years before any of them see extended playing time, barring another unlucky barrage of injuries.   Therefore, regardless of the dangerous weapons, if Romo doesn’t have adequate time to identify the open receiver and our running back’s don’t have time to accelerate or a hole to accelarate through, this team’s offensive effectiveness will be marginal, at best.  And, obviously, with a steady dose of 3 and out’s you get an exhausted defense in the 2nd half.

Youth served.  Another huge difference in the 2009 Cowboy’s vs. the 2008 Cowboy’s is average age.   The Cowboy’s lost quite a few starting veterans over the offseason, particularly on defense (Anthony Henry, Roy Williams, Keith Davis, Tank Johnson, Zach Thomas, Kevin Burnett, and Chris Canty).  Add to that the fact that the Cowboy’s drafted 12 rookies, and you have a team exceptionally younger than last year.  With youth, typically comes a marked improvement in overall speed.  But, speed minus experience can often lead to going fast in the wrong direction, ultimately, putting said youngster further from where he needs to be in a given play…and no amount of speed can fix that.

Special Teams.  Special Teams has been quite possibly the softest spot on this team for the last few seasons.  In response to that, Wade Phillips went out and got a Special Teams coach that is considered by many to be the best in the business.  But, if you consider that he’s brand new to this team and quite a few of the player’s he will have to work with are also brand new to this team, if not to the league, how much improvement can we really expect?  It’d be one thing if Decamallis was working with the exact same group of player’s as last year, but the truth is,  10 of those 12 rookies are expected to play significant roles on special teams if they want to make the team.  That could be a disaster in the making, regardless of how good the coaching is.

Romo.  It happened with Jeff Garcia.  Then, many speculated, the same happened with Donovan McNabb.  No more T.O., no more impressive numbers.  In two stops previous to Dallas, T.O. left a huge hole in otherwise pedestrian offenses, which led to the cliched theory  that T.O. makes QB’s better than what they really are.  Will this prove to be true of Romo?  Prior to T.O., Romo was an undrafted Free Agent 4th on the depth chart of a bunch of no-bodies and has-beens.  But in 2007, the Romo to T.O. connection rewrote the franchise record book.  In 2008, opposing defenses took T.O. out of the equation and the Cowboy’s go 9 – 7 and miss the Play Off’s.  Coincidence?  I hope so, but it is something to consider before assuming Romo’s name will eventually find it’s place in the Ring of Honor or Hall of Fame.

Obviously, there are question’s about team-wide depth,  overall wide receiver talent, last year’s rookies stepping into starting roles, and the pandoras box of intangible questions about heart, chemistry and leadership.   The truth is, another barrage of injuries could end this season like last year.  If Roy William’s is not, at least, consistent, the ground game will likely suffer significantly.  And if Scandrick or Jenkins don’t, at least, duplicate their last year’s performance the defense will leak like a sieve.   That is football.  All the moving part’s have to be functional, or the machine will not work.  As for the immeasurable contribution of heart, leadership, and chemistry, this will likely be determined by how the team begins the season.

Popularity: unranked

It was about this time two years ago when Lee and I created “A Cowboy Nation”. In the beginning Wow! The posts weren’t so great, but over time we grew and they got better. Then last year I met Bryson at “Cowboys Nation” and together we created the site you see now.

I was born and raised in Arlington, Texas so being a fan of the Cowboys has been in my blood from the beginning, 36 years ago. A Cowboy Nation was started just to have an outlet for my joys and frustrations of being a fan of the Dallas Cowboys, nothing more and nothing less.

In December of 2004 my family and I moved to Houston, Texas to help take care of my wife’s mother after we lost my Father-In-Law to Cancer. Not being in the Dallas area around all my Cowboys friends is really what set these wheels in motion.

During my years of being a Cowboy fan there has been one person whom I have had a lot of admiration for, and just truly enjoyed when it comes to what is happening with the Cowboys. So a couple of months ago I reached out to him about the possibility of him participating in an interview with us.

I really never expected him to actually do the interview, after all he has nothing to gain by helping out a couple of guys he has never met, with a blog! But he gladly accepted the invitation, and now we are very proud to present to you our very first interview! With none other than long time Dallas Cowboy columnist Mickey Spagnola!

DCN:

As a professional sports writer, what is your process for reading the new outlets, such as blogs?

Spagnola:

Depends on their credibility. If they are creditable, I’ll check in, otherwise I don’t even bother, especially when blogs come from bloggers who don’t cover the team on a daily basis. I don’t consider blogs news outlets unless they are from a professional news-gathering outlet.

DCN:

When you write an article or blog post, or even answer Mick’s Mail – what qualities do you really try to convey and emphasize to the fans? For instance, do you aim to be more technical, or freely opinionated? Is there a difference in your goals for your blog vs your newspaper articles?

Spagnola:

Tell the truth. Give people accurate information. No different. Blogs are just faster. More immediate, which you have to be careful of, because sometimes in the effort to be fast with information you do not take care to be as accurate as you should always be. Sometimes being first is not always best, which was one of the better qualities of newspapers in the days gone by because writers had more time to collect information than say the radio or TV.

DCN:

How is DeAngelo Smith developing so far? What do you think he needs to do to succeed at this level?

Spagnola:

Just learn the game. Gain more experience. I really like how athletic he is and how competitive he is. He already seems to be a quick learner, and I’d imagine he’ll be a huge contributor immediately on special teams.

DCN:

Of all the rookies this year, which one for each defense and offense do you believe will make the biggest impact in 2009 and why?

Spagnola:

I really don’t see a rookie making a huge impact on the offense this year, unless you want to count kicker David Buehler if he makes the team as a kick-off specialist. I mean if you don’t count Buehler, then only four of the 11 draft choices were offensive players, and one is competing to become the third quarterback and one is sort of a project offensive lineman. The other two, Jason Phillips and Manual Johnson, would seem headed toward the practice squad. On defense, well, that will depend on opportunity. None figure to be starters. Keep an eye on the outside linebackers, Victor Butler and Brandon Williams, if they have an opportunity to rush in passing situations and the DB’s on special teams.

DCN:

Coverage of the team seems to lead to the denigration of the chemistry of the team and that between Tony Romo and Roy Williams.  From what you see, is the chemistry getting stronger for the team?

Spagnola:

Chemistry always is strong when you win and before you play a game. I can say, though, the coaching staff has to be pleased with how hard these players have competed in the OTA and minicamp practices. When you compete hard, you tend to bond and when you bond chemistry improves and is strong enough for when things go bad, which they will at some point in a season for every team.

DCN:

What do you think would be the best possible rotation for our 3 headed beast of a running game?

Spagnola:

So the running game which gained one yard or less last year on nearly 30 percent of the carries already is a beast is it? That has yet to be proven. You are only a beast running the ball when the other teams know you are going to run it and you do run it successfully. My guess is Marion Barber will open and close and be used in short-yardage and goal line situations. You will see Felix all over the formations and on third downs and Tashard Choice will get a series here and there in the middle quarters. But have seen no evidence to suggest I’m totally accurate.

DCN:

Based on the draft, the free agent acquisitions of Keith Brooking and Gerald Sensabaugh, and the resigning of Miles Austin; which do you believe will impact the organization the most?

Spagnola:

Sensabaugh since that position has the most room for improvement. Remember, Zach Thomas wasn’t a liability out there last year, so if Brooking is at least a push, then that’s good. As for Austin, he can be, but again, how many snaps will he earn and how much do you want to count on from a guy with 19 career catches? But Sensabaugh, with his coverage ability should be a huge improvement over Roy Williams, especially since it doesn’t seem he needs to be substituted for on the nickel defense.

DCN:

There is a perception that you tend to write more fluff when writing about controversial players and issues, what do you say to that?

Spagnola:

Fluff is in the eye of the beholder I guess. My other guess is, if that’s accurate, just because I don’t take out a big hammer and bludgeon the subject away that could be the perception. But I do think I make my point in a more literary way. Plus, I’ve always valued being right more than being tough. Seems to me these days being tough but ultimately wrong is accepted more so than being fair and accurate.

DCN:

Is it difficult to manage calling things as you see them with regards to the coaching staff, players and decision making of the Cowboys, since you are employed by them?

Spagnola:

Not as long as I’m right. Not as long as I have all the facts and don’t buy into perceptions. No one here has ever, ever told me to change a story or take something down, so in my mind there would be no need to feel that way. Sometimes when you are around things and really know what’s going on then calling things as you see them means you see them far differently than the people who don’t really know the truth. Sort of like those stories at the end of the season on why the Cowboys charter flights were routinely taking off late. I was on those charter flights, so I knew that wasn’t accurate and when they did leave late I knew why. Sometimes it’s more difficult when your opinion stands alone. It’s easy to follow the crowd.

DCN:

How did you manage to end up as the top guy for the Cowboys and what is your official title?

Spagnola:

I was hired back when the Cowboys were trying to make their website something more than just a normal PR site as most professional team sites were back in 2000. And they decided they wanted opinions, meaning a columnist.

DCN:

Do you believe that the influx of youth is going to build a team that can contend for years to come?  If not, what is necessary to solidify the future?

Spagnola:

You can’t wait until you’ve grown old to get younger. Must be a constant process, and the Cowboys obviously have made a concerted effort this off-season to prevent growing old. The idea is to sustain goodness over a long period of time and avoid the inevitable down cycles that cripple franchises, as the Cowboys were in the late ‘80s and at the turn of the century.

DCN:

It appears as though the Cowboys are in the middle of making an organizational change in the way they look at players (looking more at their character issues). Do you feel that this is true? Or are they simply trying to relieve some of the scrutiny and will be back to collecting players that require team supplied body guards?

Spagnola:

Chances are the days of running a rehabilitation locker room are over for now. If you build from within, especially continually bringing in good, young players, then you avoid getting into situations where you become so desperate for help you take chances on guys with questionable character. If you already are a successful team, with a strong locker room, then you are better equipped to take chances on guys like Pacman Jones. But a team still seeking success is far too fragile.

Popularity: 2%

Despite the suffering I endured, I learned quite a bit about the little things in football. In a season where your expectations are marginal, you tend to not question all the bad things that can happen in a given season because you expected them. In 2007 my expectations were actually pretty low. Sure we were in the Play Offs the year prior, but we were all aware of our limitations at CB and so I felt are defense was going to get torched every week. My expectations came equipped with knowledge that this team was incomplete and could be exploited.

But in 2008, there wasn’t a weakness to be found, for the exception of behind the QB and, hey, it’s Romo, he doesn’t get sacked. He’s elusive. He’s got a feel for the pocket. He knows how to avoid the defensive rush. Blah, blah, blah. CB was more than fortified with a healthy Newman and the additions of Pacman, Jenkins and Scandrick. Safety was manned by 2 Pro Bowlers. The LB’s and DL had a decent rotation. It was going to be the return of the Dooms Day defense coupled with an offense that outscored every team in the league the year prior. My expectations, needless to say, left no room for any excuses for failure, for the exception of injury.

And then injuries happened, but still…I had questions. And a good many of those questions were answered by my incessant need to feed off all things Dallas Cowboy’s football related in any sports site available. And believe me, despite all that I already knew about this game I love, I learned so much more than all my years combined in this season alone because of this failure to my expectations. What did I learn?

You can’t buy a Super Bowl. My boyhood perception of how the Cowboy’s played other teams was somewhat skewed. I felt, they didn’t simply win. They man-handled their opponents. I’m not sure how I missed it, but in hindsight, those games were hard. Every one of them was a mountain for that team to climb. My memories of Emmitt Smith play out like a highlight reel. But not every run Smith made yielded yards. Not every game was won with Emmitt’s feet. Irvin didn’t make the acrobatic catch to win every game. Aikman, in his time, wasn’t considered a great quarterback with the likes of Dan Marino, Joe Montana, John Elway, Jim Kelly, Phil Simms, Randall Cunningham, Warren Moon and Boomer Esiason playing at that time. They were in fact fallible. And character, well, the undesirables were starters on that roster too. . But everyone played and played hard. They worked together. It wasn’t exactly what you would call a great composition of talent, either. There were players playing above their station, as the Super Bowl MVP of 1995 might have indicated.

I learned about the power of belief. Belief is a strong word in the world of football. I watched the interview of Ray Lewis prior to the Baltimore game assured in my own belief that the Cowboy’s would win having the stronger offense in a game that featured two very stout defenses. But after the interview, I had my doubts. Why? You could see that Ray Lewis believed. And since we all know that he is what makes that defense play beyond their individual reputations, I knew that entire defense believed too. And then, when I saw their offense play with that same sense of entitlement to the win in this game, absolute dread seeped in. And harder still about that game is the Cowboys repeatedly gave me hope in that fourth quarter, only to see those hopes crashed on a shore of missed tackles and missed opportunities.

It reminded of something I remember seeing throughout that successful 2007 season. Remember Romo’s smile? Sure I wrote several articles about the power of his smile and how the offense seemingly played better when he wore that on his face. But I never really delved in, I don’t think, into what that smile meant. But I think we all know that ultimately it meant he believed. He believed in the plays being called, the players that surrounded him, and his ability to do whatever he wanted with that ball without contention. A fumble here, an interception there, but the next time we saw him in the huddle, there was that infectious smile again saying something like “Hey, will get them this time.” And typically he was right. He generally always followed up a bone headed mistake with something to make you forget all about it.

Throughout the offseason following the draft and through the preseason I had a sliver of a doubt about rather or not this collective of talent could play as a team. But that doubt was constantly assuaged away with sports analyst abroad stating with utter confidence this Cowboys team was going to be a force to be reckoned with. Like no team I have heard about in the preseason in years prior, this Cowboys team was the talk of the town with their impressive role call at training camp. This highlighted by the Hard Knocks crews turned the Cowboys into the ultimate Hollywood team. And with that, I wondered what type of effect it would have on these Cowboys. But I wanted to believe what they sold us: That’s part of being a member of the Cowboys. You have to get used to that attention because the Cowboys are America’s team. I learned that no football team is bulletproof to distraction; no body is immune to acting different under the encouragement of the stage lights. These guys, million dollar contract or not, are just like any of us.

The Texans in years past with David Carr under center taught us about how important the Offensive Line is, regardless of the other talent present on the field. But once again I made the mistake of believing irresponsible sports analyst who stated that the Cowboys OL are only second to the Browns, in terms of strength. Then, as the season progressed, I learned how he came to that determination; not through observation, but pure stats and a popularity contest known as the Pro Bowl. How effective were the passing and running games in the year prior? How often did the QB get sacked? Of these players, who went to the Pro Bowl? The first two questions could be answered naming one player: Tony Romo. He made both Jason Garrett and the Offensive Line look great in 2007! I was there; I saw it.

The last question answered itself over time. The Pro Bowl, unfortunately, take’s 1/3 of fans votes. And let’s face it, how many fans vote for players outside of their team? A huge bias is in place in the voting, and well, it pretty much has rendered the game to serving as an ability for a ‘popular’ player to petition for more money on his contract. But because some sport’s analyst from a credible source said my OL was great and I wanted to believe it, my questions of this assessment initially didn’t go very far…not until their performance demanded I do so. And to be honest, I was disgusted. Because I watched these players in the offseason and I saw that they thought very highly of themselves for all the recognition getting poured on them when any Cowboy faithful who watched the 2007 season should know these accolades were completely undeserved.

And so it is in the game football. Fans and analyst alike are not impervious to misleading concepts. As a fan I don’t watch every game and can’t expect a sport analyst to watch every game of the previous season for every team he decides to write an opinion on. But the ultimate lesson here, regardless of whose formula it is that measures performance, they are all based on stats which doesn’t always tell the whole story.

This leads me to my next lesson learned. The media is a monster; the worse kind of monster. Remember Aliens with Sigourney Weaver? The media is that kind of monster. You see, their pretty dangerous in their own right, but then their articles act like those spider-looking creatures with tails (or tales if you prefer) that plant little eggs in you which hatch and create more monsters. See the parallel? Then we get all these disciples regurgitating what was said by a previous reporter with an anonymous source and the epidemic spreads.

Which brings me to the last lesson.

In the wanning moments of that dreadful season, everyone had an opinion of who should be fired, who should be released, and who should change as a player or coach. I’ve offered my opinion on these drastic changes a few times myself. Some have even suggested the Cowboys owner Jerry Jones should fire the Cowboys GM Jerry Jones and have started a fund raiser requesting donations of $5 or more to put said request on billboards throughout the city.

Word? You think that might work? Sorry, I sense an epic fail in the making. Maybe if it was just a strange coincidence that both these individuals had the same name, just maybe, that would work. But we are talking about a wealthy man who made his money in oil. I’m sure he saw plenty of billboards suggesting he fire himself to save the environment and we all see how well he took that suggestion. He bought a football team with his earnings. He didn’t spend it repairing the environment or donating it all to some note worthy cause, though I’m sure he’s made a few contributions here and there that is not a drop in the bucket to his accumulative wealth; he purchased a football franchise to live out the ultimate Fantasy Football League and has been doing so now for twenty years.

So, write your letters. Sing your songs. Make your jokes. But know your role. As a fan, you are static. Your opinion does not effect change even if you have a plane with a huge banner circle Jerry Jones mansion. I have said it before: That is the rub of being a fan of anything in general; you share in the success and failures of outcomes you have nothing to do with as a spectator. It is a frustrating existence when your team loses. But the human condition forces us to believe that we can control all things, which is why we argue, debate, fight, and go to war. This concept in life is bigger than just the game of football. It affects everyone and everything around us. And when you broaden your view to see the big picture and all that it encompasses, such as the war, the suffering that surrounds us, the news filled with inhumanity in a world dominated by humans (irony intended), things like a losing season of your favorite football team seems so small. And that is the biggest lesson of them all…

Popularity: unranked

We’re back again, to the nagging nightmare-like predictions of a failing offense. It’s like we’ve been taken back to 2004, you would think Chad Hutchinson is our Quarterback. Before I continue let it be known that Tony Romo is a good quarterback, and our receivers…well they’ll walk the walk. Many “experts” (if that’s what you want to call them) say our season hinges on the production of our running game, thought I don’t find that the case necessarily, I do believe that wont be a problem.

It doesn’t seem like long ago we were plagued with Troy Hambrick in the backfield, his potential seeming limitless but his production barely broke mediocrity. For the first time since the late nineties, early 2000’s, I’d say we have a running back core that has the potential to dominate.

A running game is, in my opinion, successful because of 3 particular attributes. You need to have a: “Bruiser” which is the type of back who can break tackles and wear down defenses, A “Homerun Back” who can deliver game changing runs consistently, and a “Relief Back” who can catch the ball well and still break tackles-this back is a mix of the two. It is possible to be successful with 2 of these backs but these 3 attributes should be what coaches look for.

In the NFC East these backs are everywhere, except they aren’t on the same team, thank God. Brandon Jacobs Bruises, Westbrook homerun’s, and Portis is a great all around back. However, here in Dallas we got all 3:

Marion “The Barbarian” Barber- Barber has truly earned his title, also being labeled as the closer, he has single handedly won games for this team. In his career with Dallas he’s totaled 715 carries for 3052 yards, compiling a 4.3 yd avg, and running for 36 touchdowns. Some predict that Marion will slow down given his bruising style, but I expect that Barber will eclipse the 1000 yard mark for the first time in his career this year on 200 carries.

Felix Jones- Felix had an unfortunate rookie season, but I expect that makes him hungrier. Felix’s first career rush was an 11 yard score. In 6 games, Jones had an impressive 30 rushes for 266 yards, that’s an impressive avg of 8.9 yards and 3 touchdowns. Not only that some of the teams we faced in his impressive games, weren’t easy defenses. Green Bay, Philadelphia, and New York headline a 6 team group that Felix dismantled. Expect Felix to get 10-15 touches a game, and lead the team in runs of 20+ yards.

Tashard Choice- Choice fell on our laps as a diamond in the rough. Many people were confused with the selection of Choice (I admit to being one of them) but when he was the last option boy did he deliver. Choice is a combination back mixing speed and power to surprise opposing defenses allowing him to be a asset to any running game. Though Choice won’t be the premier back for this offense, the Cowboys acknowledge that he could be anywhere else and don’t want to see him slip away. He’ll get a chance to prove himself and become a player for this seemingly future oriented Cowboys Team. Expect Choice to be a spell back who will produce equal to a mediocre starter, maybe comparable to a Julius Jones or a Lendale White. He’ll add convincingly to his 92 carries for 472 yards, 2 TD’s, and his 5.1 yd avg. Not to mention his 21 Receptions for 185 yards. He is not someone you want to see disappear from this team!

Whether or not this season hinges on the running game, the receiving core, or the coaching, expect this 3 headed beast to be ready to deliver in league leading fashion!

Popularity: 1%

Just a little update for everyone who hasn’t heard, Greg Ellis has signed a 3 year deal with the Oakland Raiders. It’s going to be fun facing them twice this year, once for the preseason opener and again in week 12 of the regular season.

Oakland still runs a 4-3 defense and so Ellis is projected as a defensive end in their system. It makes me wonder how well he’ll do there. I mean he was always at least good for the ‘Boys, but he didn’t really find his position until he stood up as a linebacker.

Most fans seem to think it was a horrible situation that must have unfolded for him to sign with the likes of the Raiders, I say good for him. Easy to shine in a system such as that one.

Popularity: 1%

Dallas Cowboys Football; was there ever a better hobby or pastime? Not for me, aside from family of course, and as we near the midway point in June, and these OTAs wrap up before the minicamp starts, I’ve still got a ways to go before my next Cowboys football fix.

It’s nothing to fret over though, not when we have such brilliant “expert” analysis and coverage as we do from the likes of Fox no less. More specifically, let’s talk about Peter Schrager and his list of the “Top 99 players for ’09” – moreover his brown nose special, as I call it.

I’m betting that most of you have heard of it already from the DMN where we learned that only four Cowboys made the list at all. I know many commenters over there were hung up more on where each of those four players were ranked, but there is something to be said for those that didn’t rank at all.

I mean you’ve got Jay “The Rat” Ratliff first and foremost who wasn’t selected to the list. I guess it’s a fair assumption to say that these types of lists usually are directed more at the offensive guys since it’s offense that’s counted on to score touchdowns, but it’s defense that wins games. There are always exceptions to that rule, such as last year in the first match up between the Cowboys and Eagles with a total score of 78 points during that game. But rarely does a pro football game turn out to be a homerun derby anymore.

But let’s take a guy like Albert Haynesworth and put him up against Ratliff for a moment here, and I’m only talking about 2008 regular season stats here. Haynesworth got a top rating of 14 while Ratliff didn’t even make the list. Both are defensive tackles, both have several years of experience. We could go into the vitals here, but size doesn’t always matter if there is solid production, and both guys obviously perform each week.

• Haynesworth hasn’t played more than 14 games in a season since 2002 while Ratliff hasn’t played less than 15 games in a season since his rookie year.
• Haynesworth had 51 total tackles in 2008; Ratliff also had 51 total tackles.
• Haynesworth registered 8.5 sacks to Ratliff’s 7.5 sacks.
• Ratliff’s sacks netted him 56.5 negative yards while Haynesworth only managed 52.5 with an extra sack.
• The only real benefit I see that Haynesworth has over Ratliff is having forced 3 fumbles to Ratliff’s zero, no forced fumbles.
• Ratliff deflected 5 passes and Haynesworth deflected 2 passes.
• They both recovered 1 fumble each.

I look at the numbers, the actual production of each man, and to me it seems more than just a little one-sided for Haynesworth to make any top X list when Ratliff doesn’t. It’s not a bias on my part, it’s just simple math. You have one guy that is great against the run and in getting pressure, and another guy who good against the run, great at getting pressure, and even gets into the passing game.

It’s only worse for picking Haynesworth since his numbers are significantly higher from last year than in years prior. It was a contract year, and as we all know, he has his $100 million dollars now. Ratliff has been playing like he has and hasn’t faced a contract situation yet. Anyone else really interested to see what he does in a contract year?

But the farce goes on though. DeMarcus Ware headlined the Cowboys’ effort on this list making it in at 6, with Tony Romo following behind him in a distant second at 28’th place. Now Ware, well no one for any team would argue that he deserves at least that high of a ranking. Not only are his numbers great, his attitude positive, and his ability tremendous – but his character is high as well. Being the overall sack leader since being drafted helps too.

Romo is another story. It’s a positive of this list in my mind because while there are a lot of bad things to be said for Romo from last season, there are many good things as well. I actually would have expected a much lower rating given the abundant criticism of him lately. He’s a quarterback though, so he would rank higher overall even though he only ranked 9th among quarterbacks. Putting him behind McNabb and Carson Palmer though? Seriously?

I know the guy seems to tank in the final stretch, but surely he’s worth a better ranking than Carson Palmer.

Marion Barber and Jason Witten also made the list, and that’s where my next point starts – Jason Witten ranked 96th of 99 by this fruitcake of a journalist/expert/assclown as one commenter stated it.

He was the third tight end to appear on the list behind Antonia Gates and Tony Gonzales. I’ll agree that Gonzales is good, and has been good for many years, but to say that Witten in his early age isn’t as good as the old fogy Gonzales just isn’t practical.

So yet again this year we are seeing how the rest of the NFL nation is rooting against the Cowboys in 2009, and that’s a great thing to see and hear. This time last season the Cowboys were being hyped as the Super Bowl winners, a mightily premature assumption to say the least.

But this year, while we have been favored at one point to win the Super Bowl in certain betting circles, once Owens was cut, the outlook went downhill. Our draft was rated like a D I think by the experts; the experts say we have huge problems facing us in our passing game and call it for both the QB and WR positions.

Yet all the while Roy Williams is still a top caliber receiver who had a bad year. Tony Romo had the same – a bad year that featured a finger injury that sidelined him for three weeks, and limited him for another three after that. He also had the task of dealing with Owens and his unwarranted and loud requests for more touches.

I think Owens, a 13 year veteran at the time, should be quite well aware of how it works in the NFL – if you produce at a high level, then you get more opportunity to produce, and if you continue to produce with the extra opportunities, then you keep getting them.

He just never seemed to understand that past success does not warrant current and future security. He started dropping balls, he started bailing on routes too early, he did get older and therefore slower, and he did forget to adjust his own way of thinking to fit his age and the new limitations that came with it.

Do I think a team can win games with Owens running routes? I sure do – do I think it can happen on any team currently in the NFL? I really don’t. He simply fails to account for the other 10 guys on the field with him at any given point, and that is why he became expendable for unproven and in some cases rarely tested youth in Dallas. He simply overstayed his welcome, and his vocal complaints and inability to really be a team player are to blame.

So in 2009 Romo gets to actually follow the rules of being a top quarterback again. He can go through his reads, he can release quickly, and he can find the open man – whether it is Witten, Barber, Jones, Williams, Crayton, Austin, or Bennett – he can return to being a quarterback again, instead of simply a TO placeholder.

Maybe Williams won’t be as good as Owens was in 2007, it won’t be because he isn’t producing, but rather because other guys will be producing too. There are only so many balls in a game.

But hey it’s June; we are silly and desperate fans who have no clue what’s what, right? We need to be spoon fed just enough crap to sell the papers and attract visitors. I got to admit that it’s a good theory, write enough bad crap and people will go there simply to see if the rumors are true – someone really is that moronic.

Popularity: 1%

Summer is in full bloom, and that means we are getting ever so close to the beginning of training camp. It is this time of year that has every football fan tied in knots, and I am no different.

While the Cowboys have yet to don anything but shorts and helmets the style of this team is beginning to take focus.

Every team in the NFL is good enough to win the Super Bowl! Or at least that is what they want us to believe. This years Dallas Cowboys are no different, at this moment many of us have very legitimate concerns about the receiver, quarterback, and O-line positions and basically the overall play of the offense.

Jerry Jones and Wade Phillips can tell us all day long that they have faith in the young receivers and that the offense is working hard and coming together, and blah, blah blah! We all know that the majority of that is just a bunch of crap to make us feel warm and fuzzy about the upcoming year!

Let me be clear about something, the offense in my opinion should be as good as and possibly better than last year’s team. I honestly feel and believe that Romo will be a better QB this year, and that Roy Williams can and will do a more than adequate job as the teams #1 receiver, and with the running game that the Boys have this should be enough to carry that side of the ball.

The offensive unit will always be the most glorified, it has all the stars, and scores all the TD’s, but I am here to tell you that if you are an offensive person, and like to see scores in the 40’s each week you are in for a rude awakening.

This is now a control and time of possession unit, we should no longer see play after play of three receivers all running 40 yard triple move routes (not saying we are not going to see these still, just not as many), instead we will see a lot of two tight end sets, short hooks, out routes, slants, and fades, but primarily large amounts of MBIII, Felix, and T-Choice.

There is something taking place on this team that everyone should start paying attention to, THE DEFENSE!!

Granted there has been very minimal contact so far so we cannot quite see the full picture yet, but all the early reports talk about how attacking, and pressure filled this unit is. Mickey Spagnola at DC.com had a great article up on Tuesday about this very thing. Here is my rookie attempt at designing a graphic that shows the alignment!

In his article he went into pretty in depth detail about how the defense was lined up at one point in the day, and I must tell you this type of scenario is going to cause major headaches for opposing offenses.

Everyday it seems I hear about the competitions taking place on the defensive side of the ball, and each and every one of these guys are pushing each other to be the best. This unit already has there competitive juices boiling over, and its FREAKING JUNE!

This unit is priming itself to have a major impact not only within the team, but they are looking to, in the immortal words of Ebby Calvin ‘Nuke” LaLoosh “Announce their presence with authority!”

We have all heard the old saying “where there is smoke there is usually fire!” all I can say is that the defense of the Dallas Cowboys has had a ton of smoke emitting from its smoke stack!

Popularity: 1%

This is what I think of Pac-Man: He is an animal, he swallows up the field in front of him, weaving himself through what looks like a maze, demolishing everything in his way. With every step he takes he’s working his way to the next level… He’s amazing and I’d take him on my team any day…

The only problem is… He’s a Video Game character!

The Pac-man that you probably thought I was talking about is a trouble making, slightly talented thug, who consistently ruins the chance to be something by being unable to curb the temptation of mans desire. He has completely been a cancer, finding himself in strip clubs and bars, drowning in pools of violence and poor decisions.

Incase you haven’t been paying attention, there has been increasing speculation that the Cowboys are interested in the second coming of Pac-Man Jones, according to a blog by Nick Eatman.  The blog goes on to say:

“Jones was quoted in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about the slim possibility of bringing back the troubled cornerback, who was released this off-season.”

It’s important to remember that Adam Jones did produce, stacking 33 tackles and 4 interceptions last season for the Cowboys, but that doesn’t justify his childish actions. It’s also important to know that Jones quickly squashed this rumor by sending out his spokesman Rich Dalrymple who said “I have no plans to bring Adam back”.

So when do the rumors stop? I swear I come home from work everyday and there is a new rumor surfacing or criticism being handed where it isn’t needed. In case you haven’t noticed the Cowboys are apparently re-vamping their locker room to paint the portrait of a straight edge franchise, and Pac-Man doesn’t exactly fit the equation.

Besides, Our secondary is better than it’s been in years with Newman, Hamlin, Sensabaugh, Scandrick, Jenkins, Smith, and Mickens. There is so much talent there that the addition of Pac-Man would just cause unneeded competition not to mention the drama that would set Dallas back into a replica Cirque Du Soleil.

So here  is some truth for you Adam isn’t coming back, so if you’re one of the FEW fans who are awaiting the return of Pac-Man… Let it go, for the sake of the franchise, Let it Go!

Popularity: 1%

Since the departure of Greg Ellis earlier this week, I have had a question tumbling around in my head. Can Anthony Spencer take the next step? I have yet to be able to answer this question.

The opinions, much like the Swine flu, are wide spread. Although I do not feel we should be wearing a mask and disinfecting everything we touch when trying to figure this out, the thought did cross my mind though.

Anthony Spencer has shown flashes of brilliance and mediocrity. Just when we think he is taking the next step, he fails to do the most elementary of tasks or gives a lack luster effort.

Anthony has as much talent as you could ask for in a 3-4 scheme OLB, so what seems to be his major hold up? That is a question I have been struggling with – on one hand one could say that he is a little lazy (as evidence showed in hard knocks last year by failing to go to rehab) but you might also say he lacks drive. Then on the other hand one could reasonably say that “well he is a young guy, and with the small number of reps he has had it is just going to take a little more time.”

As the old saying goes “There are two sides to every story and the truth lies somewhere in the middle!” and this case is no different.

The time however has come for Anthony Spencer to either “shit or get off the pot!” Neither the Cowboys nor he have the luxury of him giving half hearted efforts. There are several young men who were recently drafted by the Cowboys, eager to take that spot.

As a general rule I try not to question a professional athletes “drive” too much, just because if you have made it to “The League” you have obviously been at least somewhat driven, and who am I to speculate on what they have been through to get where they are, because if it were easy we would all be doing it!

The hope is that Anthony has been paying attention and absorbing all he could from Greg Ellis and DeMarcus Ware, and that he has been training hard, and is ready to explode onto the scene this year.

This is his chance! And there will not be another chance quite like this one, and he knows it. Now he just needs to prove that he deserves it, and if he does no one will question the decision to release Greg Ellis.

Spencer will have the opportunity this year to wreak havoc on opposing team’s quarterbacks. Teams will be focusing their attention towards the likes of DeMarcus Ware, Bradie James, and Jay Ratliff leaving Spencer in one on one situation’s.

The thing that concerns me about Spencer is he has shown a knack for having big plays and big games, followed immediately by such sloppy, and half hearted play. These things simply do not just go away.

The team has now completed its OTA campaign for this year, and while there was certainly a lot of talk about him getting the opportunity, there was not much talk about his actual play during those OTA’s.

I understand that there are no pads being worn and it they are primarily walk through and individual work outs, but with as much talking as Wade Phillips likes to do about the status of his players, it’s been somewhat odd to not hear anything about Spencer, Don’t you think?

The jury is still out on Anthony Spencer and will probably be in deliberations for quite a while yet. So for now I am going to wait on answering my questions concerning him, how long I hold onto them is in his hands.

What do you think – Can he be what we all want him to be? Or is he the second coming of Barbie Carpenter?

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For the past couple of years I believe the cowboys have been plagued by hype.  So many people spoke of the talent that surrounded this team, and how they were destined to win, only to find themselves wrong.  As we jump head first into the last half of the offseason we see that the cowboys aren’t the team that everyone believes to win the Super Bowl, the NFC, or even the division… And I say this is good news!

With the addition of Jason Peters, LeSean McCoy, and Jeremy Maclin the eagles are predicted to be a dominant offense in the NFL this year, some people believe top 5.  This stat alone is causing people to rank the eagles in the top 5 of power rankings and to list them as the NFC East Champion.  However, there are way to many factors in this one, you are basing this projections solely on the fact that Westbrook will perform at a good level, and McNabb will be dependable.

The Giants are now the team to beat on paper, they really don’t’ have many holes, and as long as Brandon Jacobs is in the backfield you have to believe that they’ll rushing attack will be able to produce solid numbers.  They have replaced the receiver need with Hakeem Nicks and Eli Manning is poised for a good season, however, the giants have one problem to me, and that is being clutch.  The Giants deliver but they never seem to deliver when it’s needed the most.

Lastly, the Redskins who are in no shape a projected threat to the ‘Boys have upgraded with Haynesworth, but are still a bit of a mess when it comes to Quarterback, but they do have promise at receiver.  Too many questions here through.

Now for the ‘Boys, Ranked number 13 on ESPN’s pre-pre season power rankings, they have been plagued with criticism, from Romo and Williams to the Coaching Staff.  Amidst all that, I do believe the Cowboys are poised for a big season only because the distractions are gone, and I’m not only speaking about T.O. and Ellis, or Pacman Jones, but I am simply speaking of the over developed, premature, egotistical mindset that has been placed on players seasons before.  Now they are not expected to win, which allows for more focus and practice.

My prediction is that the Cowboys make a statement this season and do very well, led by a Roy Williams who also proves his worth, and a defense that can control the field.  As for the cowboys, they aren’t the favorite anymore… and that’s a good thing!

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Does every one really have to be spoon fed something to understand what’s going on? Yes, Jerry Jones said that … and see that, it doesn’t even matter to go on. Just because Jerry says it does not mean that it’s either true or deserving.

What keeps surprising me is that we have yet to hear from “What’s His Name” in the kind of way that McNabb and Garcia both heard from him after he left Philly and San Fran, respectively. It was actually a topic covered quite well after his release, wondering when it would happen and what he would say, exactly.

So now it’s been a few months and he has said some things, but by no means has he gone medieval over the situation either. And then you have ESPN – like a special needs kid with a candy bar I tell you – they are even covering the most dramatic sports news available by telling us that TO hasn’t found a place to live yet. Yeah, I said it, THEY did it!

And without any sense of subtlety at all, we now have yet again witnessed another TO -vs – Romo moment in the media. “Romo Friendly” is not “TO friendly“, and whether or not a player can figure out that it doesn’t matter, the media should at least be able to stick to their genre. The tabloids cover gossip, sports media covers sports. Why, oh why ESPN is that so hard to grasp.

No body even knows what “Romo Friendly” means. People keep expecting an expert or obscure to step up and say that it means several things that all fit very specifically on some magic expert list of quarterback qualities, and in truth it simply means that players who fit well with his style are “Romo Friendly“.

Owens has rarely ever been anything but “TO Friendly” and as someone said recently, There are only stats for two guys on a team, the quarterback and the head coach. No one ever says a wide receiver lost a Super Bowl or playoff game – unless that receiver is Patrick Crayton of course.

So the next time anyone says anything about Owens and the whole “Romo Friendly” phenomena, be sure to slap ‘em once real good with your right hand, and then follow through with another slap from your left. How’s that for “Romo Friendly“?

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Hello world! Been a while. I guess we’re all up to date on the latest out of Valley Ranch, so this won’t be a news posting, but rather some opinion on the happenings of the star.

So I’ve got two words for you – Greg Ellis; and now I have two more words – HA HA – are those really words?

Greg Ellis has been a pain in the butt for the past few years, since the season before he injured his Achilles. Does anyone even remember what his complaint was back then? Anyway, it’s not as if the guy hasn’t been a decent player for us, he’s actually been better than decent. But I agree with the Cowboys – it’s time to move on.

Now considering that he was the resident NFLPA representative, I actually more from him than to say after his release that he wished it would have happened a couple of years ago. Sure, he kisses enough ass to not be mistaken for a complete jerk by badmouthing the Cowboys. But it was still pretty low-class for him to insinuate that his last few years have been wasted in Dallas.

He made his only Pro Bowl coming back from that injury, and even with Anthony Spencer on the squad Ellis has gotten the respect of a skilled veteran on and off the field.

If anything, going to another team to start full time a couple of years ago would have shortened his career. As it stands now, he’s still got a fair amount of value left in the league and should find a cozy gig before the season starts.

Okay, so what’s with all this Roy Williams talk? Is he good, or is he not? How about Austin, can he step up like so many believe? Hurd … Who? And don’t get me started on poor little fragile Isaiah Stanback, I could fart in his direction and he’d be out a few weeks.

Let’s face it; the receiving corps in Dallas is at the beginning of what will either be a very long and painful road, or the turn around of the decade. At this point, if you believe all the media hype that is, our WR’s playing good this year would be more tremendous than what the cardinals did last year … if you believe the hype.

I for one do not, and am glad to see some readers here are looking forward to the passing game this year. I don’t think Stanback will be a part of it, I think he’ll be cut as soon as possible after he heels up. But let’s not forget the still missing piece of this team; there is one more player yet to be named that’s coming from Michael Irvin’s Fourth and Long. I figure it’ll be a receiver simply because we have too many DB’s as it is, and we are hurting at WR, yet none have been signed and there have been no rumors that a WR will be signed.

Yep, it’s only June, but already it’s interesting enough for me, for June at least.

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The 2009 version of the Dallas Cowboys defense will look and feel like a completely new unit. With an influx of young energetic, athletic players and a full season with Wade Phillips as the Coordinator will certainly change things.

There is one person however who holds the key to what this team can be, and it might not be who most of us would have thought either!

Now we could come up with at least a handful of names that at the very least could drastically change what this defense will be able to accomplish this year, Demarcus Ware, Terrence Newman, Bradie James, Mike Jenkins, Orlando Scandrick… just to name a few.

None of those guys can do for this unit what one Gerald Sensabaugh can though! I realize it sounds ridiculous to think that a guy who many of us did not even know who he was could suddenly be the main component in elevating this average defense to a top flight unit.

Gerald has already made a profound impression upon Wade Phillips during OTA’s, saying

“Sensabaugh looks outstanding” Phillips said last week. “He’s really got a lot of ability, good work ethic, but he can really cover a lot of ground. We can cover in man to man with him…he has great speed along with cover ability.”

I may not agree with a lot of the things that Wade Phillips does or does not do, but when that guy speaks about what he see’s in a defensive player, I do not question it!

When Wade tells us “He can really cover a lot of ground. We can cover in man to man with him...” He is speaking volumes about what Gerald means to this unit! Everyone wanted an Ed Reed type of safety, well guess what, Wade just told us that we now have one.

In Baltimore’s system Ed Reed is allowed to roam around in the defensive backfield and to just “go after the ball.” They will play some zone coverage, but primarily they stay in a man to man scheme. Ed Reed thrives in this type of system for two reasons.

First, Reed is very fast, and secondly he has excellent cover ability. Now I am in by no means saying that Gerald Sensabaugh is about to become the second coming of Ed Reed (although I certainly believe it is a possibility) I am simply comparing the two systems and how safeties with these abilities can change the culture of those systems.

Gerald Sensabaugh will allow the likes of Demarcus Ware, Anthony Spencer, Keith Brooking, Bradie James, Jay Ratliff, and the rookies to pin their ears back and send blitz packages at the opposing offense that they simply cannot plan for.

Wade Phillips has been dreaming about this type of safety since he became the Head Coach here, and his players know it!

Wade is ready, and so are his troops, thanks to one Gerald Sensabaugh.

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