We’re fans right?  And you know what fans love to do? Speculate.  That’s right, we love to believe we know everything and come up with moves we expect to be made before the beginning of the season.

You know what’s best? We believe those moves are actually going to happen and if they don’t then the team’s destined to fail.

See we’re all GM’s, myself included.

I often ask myself why no team calls me inquiring about my interest in a front office or coaching position.  Sure my resume is pretty blank but I mean heck, I’ve got a 717 IQ in Madden, I win tons of championships, and I write for a Cowboys site.

I mean Hello! Jerry, I’m right here!  Please inquire to hire!

Anyway, since my phone’s not ringing I thought that I’d give you my speculations for the upcoming season.

Sign Miles Austin long term: A no brainer right?  I mean this is my least ballsiest move.  This needs to get done and get done like yesterday.  Miles Austin needs to be locked up for at least 5 years to help Tony Romo get a ring.

Bottom line: No Miles, no ring.

Get rid of Bennett and Barber: Yea I’m getting real right here.  Bennett talks too much trash and his production is minimal.  He is the perfect equation for a team distraction. Plus, have you guys seen the way John Phillips plays ball? Get Real! In Barber’s case, he is still a great back.  However, we’ve got three great backs and Barber’s upside still makes him someone we can package into a deal before he starts wearing down.

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Jerry Jones is usually heavily scrutinized by fans, media, and even other coaches and owners.  In my short fanhood of only 10 years, I have been that scrutinizing individual that blames all the failures and woes on Jerry Jones and his inability to share the authority of the team.

As we moved into 2009 I expected the Jerry Complex to become ever present and probably to see him coaching the team himself in 2010.  However, Gasp, to my amazement, while I was writing my daily dose today, stumbling over articles from Philadelphia to San Diego, I noticed quite a bit about Mr. Jones.

I’ve been preaching sometime now about loyalty and continuity.  All these things I believe to be essential in building a dynasty style of frachise.  This past week Jerry Jones has been quoted as saying that firing Wade Phillips would hurt the team.  Ding, Ding, Ding!!!! We have a winner, Jones has never been more accurate in his life.  You see, a coach’s longevity increases win percentages because it allows teams to build to the philosophy of the coach.  Wade Phillips is a defensive coach, so for him to flourish he should have a good defense and a well balanced offense.  Second Gasp!  Do we have that?  Since Wade came in we’ve seen faces like Igor Olshansky, Keith Brooking, and Gerald Sensabaugh come bursting onto the scene.  We have seen players like Anthony Spencer and Marcus Spears develop into great players, and we have seen our defense become GREAT, which only compliments our balanced offense.

You see winning isn’t about great coaching, it’s about trust, it’s about knowing your guy will eventually win you the big one, and sticking with him while he can’t.  That philosophy holds true with Jerry today, as he supports Roy Williams, in September as he supported Tony Romo (who has become on of the leagues best) and last year when he cut All Pro Terrell Owens for little known Miles Austin.

You know what Jerry, my respect finally goes to you.  You have learned what it means to be an Owner and a good Gm.  May the players and coaches (including Wade Phillips) bring you back a Lombardi Trophy… In time of course.

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I remember early this year when Zach Thomas left and Keith Brooking was brought in, everyone was wondering if Brooking would assume a leadership role on this fairly young defense. The thinking was that being such a veteran and still having the skills that he does, and because he was really in that role in Atlanta, that he must surely come in and give this leader-less team some motivation.

I remember how quaint Brooking was when asked about such things by the media. But more than that, he was respectful. He knew that Bradie James had been that guy for a while and he didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes. Well eight months can change a lot. Keith doesn’t seem so quaint anymore, does he?

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The Dallas Cowboys have really come off to a slow start this year. If you could cut out some of their mistakes, they would be 5-0 instead of 3-2.

However, we cannot change the past, but we can learn from it.

What did Dallas learn from its past?

First off, they signed Allen Rossum, the 49ers punt and kick returner, to help improve plays on special teams. With Patrick Crayton muffing punts, and Terence Newman being injury-prone, the Cowboys needed a genuine return man to help in that third part of the game.

Helpful additions are only part of the equation. Dallas needs to be able to correct the flaws it makes with self-discipline.

I believe this team has really been the cause of their own failures. They are too talented to be beaten out of playoffs. These guys give games away, and it really is disgusting to watch.

This is one game they cannot give away, especially since their record is 3-2. They need to bump it up to 4-2 against a playoff team like the Atlanta Falcons to make the statement that they aren’t overrated, but actually a good team.

What are the keys needed to beat the Atlanta Falcons in Dallas this Sunday?

First off, this team has to  score touchdowns. Too many drives have happened where Dallas settled for a field goal instead of getting a touchdown. These results are due partly to a failed 3rd-down conversion here and there, but what is really muffling the Cowboys’ drives is penalties.

Penalties are like hiccups. They are annoying, unwanted, and mess up the flow of whatever one is doing. The flow in this case being momentum, which I’ve learned is almost half the game.

Dallas has to keep momentum going on every drive without revolvers going off around their feet.

The biggest thing for Dallas is that the run game has to happen this week. Last week, it took over a half to really get the run game going to where it kept a lot of pressure off Tony Romo and confused the defense.

It is much easier to throw passes when the defense doesn’t know if it is going to be a handoff or a pass. Atlanta is ranked 17th against the run, so the Cowboys are certainly capable of running the ball against this team.

For the run game to work, the line has to keep doing what it has been doing. Left guard, Kyle Kosier, who missed the majority of last season, has really helped the line assert its dominance on the line of scrimmage.

However, expect Dallas to feature all three running backs this Sunday, providing Felix Jones does play.

Marion Barber, who was nursing a quad injury in the game against Kansas City, was very sluggish, and when Tashard Choice took over, Dallas got the the help it needed to win the game in overtime.

Felix Jones has been out the past two games due to a knee strain, so the loss of him was equivalent to the Lakers without Kobe Bryant. I’ve spent hours yelling at Lady Luck about how she needs to keep him healthy.

He is the X-factor in the game. He brings that third dimension of offense to this team. He has speed unlike any other running back I’ve seen in the NFL, he has the explosiveness of a gunshot, and he has an eye for the hole that just stuns you.

His first NFL carry was for an 11 yard touchdown run against the Browns. We are talking about someone very special.

If those three running back can execute this Sunday, then I don’t see how Dallas can be beaten. They are, arguably, the best group in the NFL.

Once the running game is established, Dallas should be able to score via air travel.

Want to view the rest? Please go here: http://www.nfltouchdown.com/keys-to-victory-in-a-must-win-for-dallas-against-atlanta/

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First, my final 53 based off of my observations thus far.

OFFENSE

QB – Tony Romo, Jon Kitna, Stephen McGee (though, it would be nice if we could tuck McGee away on the practice squad, to save room for additional personnel on defense)

HB – Marion Barber, Felix Jones, Tashard Choice

WR – Roy Williams, Patrick Crayton, Miles Austin, Sam Hurd, Kevin Ogletree (I’d prefer Ogletree or Austin handle Kick Returns over Felix Jones)

TE – Jason Witten, Martellus Bennett, John Phillips

FB – Deon Anderson

LT – Flozell Adams, Doug Free

LG – Kyle Kosier, Montrae Holland

C – Andre Gurode, Duke Preston (finally someone who can replace Proctor’s ability to be interchangeable at guard and center; Duke Preston was a starter at both position’s for Buffalo last season, and actually did very well, despite their pedestrian finish)

RG – Leonard Davis, Duke Preston

RT – Marc Columbo, Pat McQuistan

I feel pretty comfortable with the above offense.  I’d say the offensive line could afford injuries at the center and guard position, but we our an injured OT away from our offensive line being a turnstile.  Outside of that, we have decent depth.  Considering that since Stephen McGee’s debut against the Raiders, we haven’t seen much of him, I would not be suprised if the Cowboy’s organization isn’t trying to make the league forget about him, so they can sneak him past waivers, but we will know more if that’s their strategy this coming Friday night against the Vikings.  If we see more of Jon Kitna and Rudy Carpenter, that’s exactly what the Cowboy’s are trying to do.

DEFENSE

RE – Igor Olshansky, Stephen Bowen (if we could get McGee to accept a practice squad spot, I might consider keeping Marcus Dixon here)

DT – Jay Ratliff, Junior Siavii

LE – Marcus Spears, Jason Hatcher

ROLB – Demarcus Ware, Steve Octavien, Victor Butler

MLB – Bradie James, Keith Brooking, Bobby Carpenter, Stephen Hodge

LOLB – Anthony Spencer, Jason Williams (I actually had hoped Jason William’s would be converted to this position from the beginning; with the season-ending injury to Brandon William’s, he may be the most ideal replacement)

CB – Terence Newman, Orlando Scandrick, Mike Jenkins, Alan Ball, Mike Mickens (we will be watching the waiver wire very closely for this position; Mike Mickens is another who could use some time on the practice squad)

FS  - Ken Hamlin, DeAngelo Smith (again, we will be watching the waiver wire for both Safety positions, as DeAngelo Smith and Michael Hamlin are not ready for pro football and could use some time on the practice squad)

SS – Gerald Sensabaugh, Pat Wakins, Michael Hamlin

I am more concerned about our defense, than our offense, particularly in the Seconary.  First and foremost, corner is my most significant concern.  Terence Newman has been an injury waiting to happen the last few seasons, and behind Scandrick and Jenkins, the options are dismal.  Next on my list of concerns is Safety.  Ken Hamlin has been solid, but behind him is a whole lot of inexperience.  Sensabaugh, has been solid in coverage, but not as good as advertised against the run, taking poor angles and not wrapping up on potential tackles (not to mention the two major penalties levied against him in the last two games).  Behind him, once again, the options are pretty weak.  Linebacker is actually the least of my concerns.  Bobbie Carpenter has done quite a bit to regain some of my confidence thus far.  Granted, when he is headlining the second and third string defense his production is pretty weak, but I think if he is surrounded by good players, he in turn will play well, as would be the case should an injury demand he step up.

SPECIAL TEAMS

K – Nick Folk, David Buehler

P – Matt McBriar

LS – L.P. Ladouceur

I would have liked to have seen Buehler have more opportunities to kick field goals.  I love the clutch performances Nick Folk has given us, but if David can be solid in this area, it would be nice to have an extra position to offer a corner, safety, linebacker, or even receiver if we would like to see a little more of Isaiah Stanback.  The same goes for L.P. Ladouceur:  Once again, he has been solid, but if Matt Stewart can perform the position, the additional linebacker/special teams contributor would be nice.  On the other hand, unless the coaching staff is absolutely certain in regards to Buehler and Stewart taking over for Folk and Ladouceur, it certainly is not worth a gamble.

IR

Robert Brewster – Torn pectorial muscle

Brandon Williams – Torn ACL

LEFTOVERS

Matt Stewart, Marcus Dixon, Jonas Seawright, Derreck Robinson, Keon Lattimore, Julius Crosslin, Asaph Schwapp, Rudy Carpenter, Manuel Johnson, Isaiah Stanback, Jesse Holley, Travis Bright, Ryan Gibbons, Cory Proctor, Greg Isdaner, Andre Douglas, Mike Jefferson, and Julian Hawkins.

The bolded players represent guys I would like to see make the practice squad.  I would have bolded Stanback, but I don’t think he is eligible.

CONCERNS

For all the emphasis placed on playing perfect, you would think we would see improvement in the penalty area.  3 preseason games down and the Cowboys are the most penalized team in the NFL. But it’s not just the penalties that are bothering me, as much as, when they are happening.  On the offense, their favorite time to a draw a penalty is to negate a 1st down or a score.  The defense loves to commit penalties when the opposing offenses will have to punt or go for it on fourth down without the penalty that otherwise offers them a 1st down on a silver platter.   The Cowboy’s organization has also been telling us that they have focused on creating more turnover’s via the secondary and thus far the Cowboy’s only have 1.  In defense of the defense, the Titan’s and 49ers utilize ball control offenses, running the ball, working the flats and zone is predominantly how they move the ball limiting the number of opportunities to create turnovers via interception.

Positions of interest on the waiver wire in order of need.

Corner – Newman has been an injury waiting to happen the last two seasons.  Behind Scandrick and Jenkins (and Jenkins is still not what I consider solid) the pickings are slim.  Alan Ball, Courtney Brown and Mike Mickens are on the bubble, and were not for the lack of option’s, Ball would likely be the only one considered worthy of a roster spot.

Safety – I know many think linebacker should be 1st and foremost if not, at least, second.  But as I said above, I am much more comfortable with our second stringers at linebacker than I am at Safety.

Offensive Tackle – The position of this concern is debatable.  OT could even be considered a chief concern.  But for all the penalties and mistakes, the QB’s have actually had a pretty clean pocket throughout the first 3 games; though, they haven’t exactly played defensive powerhouses either.  We will know more about this offensive line once the regular season begins, playing our first two games against the Bucs and the Giants.

Linebacker – This probably wouldn’t make my list, though, I know Wade will be keeping his eye’s pealed for linebackers, because they are so crucial to the success of a 3-4.  But ultimately, I’ve been moderately happy with the play from our 1st stringers down to our rookies.

ANALYSIS

Being the preseason, it’s difficult to really gauge how much my confidence has changed prior to the season beginning.  I knew the offense would be a match-up nightmare and could be much more balanced than they have been since Jason Garrett took over.  I even said this team was built to dink and dunk; but I would have liked to see Romo take some more chances down field (minus that duck he threw intended forOgletree), to open the intermediate game up more, as the 49ers did have a tendency to sit on routes expecting the short game.  I don’t think using the go route to back a defense up, show’s too much of your offenses hand.

On defense, the Cowboy’s can be dominating.  But I’ve noticed, the face of their intensity changes once a defender commits a series continuing penalty.  It is as if they really want these younger players to feel the sting of their mistakes, by pretty much allowing the opposing offense to do what ever it want’s from that point forward.  I really don’t believe that’s the strategy; I’m just saying, that is what it seems like.

All in all, I feel pretty confident this team is capable of having a 10 and 6 win/loss ratio by season end.  But the bigger question is if that’s going to be enough in a very tough NFCE.

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Last year many of us were surprised in the drastic turn around of the Atlanta Falcons, despite losing one the of the leagues most explosive players to personal issues. With the emergence of Matt Ryan and a young team that bolsters a talented offense and defense, they’ll steal the spotlight for this installment of Biggest Threats.

Key Offseason Additions:

TE Tony Gonzalez

C Brett Romberg

LB Mike Peterson

OLB Jamie Winborn

Key Offseason Subtractions:

DT Grady Jackson

DT Rod Coleman

OLB Michael Boley

OLB Keith Brooking

SS Lawyer Milloy

Key Draft Picks:

DT Peria Jerry, Mississippi- Jerry brings a strong presence to a defensive line that is slightly depleted. His aggressive play style and game technique will be key to the Falcons defensive unit.

S William Moore, Missouri- A rangy safety who was considered a top prospect until injuries plagued his senior year. He will be given a great opportunity to become something in the Falcons defense. Sleeper Alert!

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The Dallas Cowboys 2009 version of training Camp is now only two weeks away, and there is no better time than now to try and get a head start on some of the positional battles that we need to keep an eye on.

It has been awhile since my last post, I have been in a little bit of a slump, so I would like to apologize ahead of time for a poorly done post!

The Cowboys currently have 82 players on the roster, but do not expect it to stay that way long!

The first position I would like to take a look at is the one containing the most applicants. No big surprise it’s the Linebacker position!

Now I can speculate all day long on how many backers the Cowboys will keep and odds are good I still would not get it right, and since I have next to zero insider information, we’ll take it for what its worth!

Here are this years nominees to fill the Linebacker corps:

1. DeMarcus Ware
2. Bradie James
3. Anthony Spencer
4. Keith Brooking
5. Bobby Carpenter
6. Steve Octavien
7. Justin Rogers
8. Matt Stewart
9. Victor Butler
10. Jason Williams
11. Brandon Williams
12. Stephen Hodge

The Top four of this group are essentially locked in as your starters, from here though is where the water gets awfully murky!

Let’s take a look at the guys vying for position at the inside linebacker spots and keep in mind, last year the team kept only four!

Through the OTA’s we must assume (after all the praise handed down) that Stephen Hodge is going to get a serious look at taking over the nickel position vacated by Kevin Burnett.

Bobby (Barbie) Carpenter also gave the coaches something to think about during the work outs. We are all well aware that Barbie practices like a first round pick, but he has yet to play like one.

Jason Williams was the Cowboys first selection in this years draft, and by all accounts is going to need some time to develop, but has some serious athletic ability! And we cannot forget about Victor Butler as he will be in this group of inside guys trying to secure a spot on the roster.

Last but not least Steve Octavien, who spent most of last year bouncing from practice squad to practice squad, does have some ability as a special teams player.

We have five players battling for two spots, who do you think is in? And who is on the outside looking in?

In my opinion Stephen Hodge and Jason Williams are my leading candidates heading into camp, followed closely by Victor Butler and Bobby Carpenter.

The Cowboys do not want to face the fact that the Carpenter selection was one of the worst first round draft selections on record! That is what has kept him on this team, but the coaching staff can no longer afford to carry his dead weight. So he has more to prove than any of the rookies, and I personally do not believe he will hold up to the pressure.

There is one aspect of this that we need to look at. If the Coaching staff decides to cut ties with Carpenter they will be left with only rookies and we know that one of those rookies is a “project” player. So would they at that point decide to carry an extra guy? Quite possible and they may be thinking that way already!

ILB Leading Candidates                                     ILB Outside Looking In

1. Stephen Hodge                                                       1. Victor Butler

2. Jason Williams                                                     2. BobbyCarpenter

3. Steve Octavien

Now let’s take a look at the Outside spots! First let’s meet the contestants!

For those of you who live under rocks the starters are DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer. These are the starters and there is only one player who could possibly change this.

Brandon Williams has been the talk of the town around Valley Ranch, not only among the coaches but his teammates as well. The time is now however for Anthony Spencer and he will get the first crack at being the starter opposite Ware, but he better get a grip on it quick because the longer he lets Williams hang around the more opportunity Williams will have at proving he should be the man!

Matt Stewart and Justin Rogers will be battling each other for one available spot, with Ware and Spencer as the starters and Brandon Williams having a tight grip on the 3^rd spot, it will be down to these two guys to state their claim to the 4^th and final OLB spot.

There is one other very distinct possibility that could occur here! It is very possible that the Cowboys could decide to keep neither Stewart nor Rogers and keep an extra inside guy!

The more I have contemplated the scenarios I would not be one bit surprised to see the Cowboys hold on to Victor Butler and use him as a “swing” player, giving them the ability to keep an extra secondary person.

Victor Butler was an undersized OLB at the University of Oregon State, and while they would rather use him inside in an emergency situation he could fill in outside.

Who knows how this will ultimately work out but I believe the Cowboys will stick with eight!

Here is my final eight leaving camp!

1. DeMarcus Ware

2. Bradie James

3. Keith Brooking

4. Anthony Spencer

5. Brandon Williams

6. Stephen Hodge

7. Jason Williams

8. Victor Butler

Who are the eight that you would want to start the season with?

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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.

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Will the Dallas defense expand its attack this year? In one sense it is hard to believe that the NFL’s leading sack team could become more of a force this year than last. However do not be surprised if that is not exactly what happens.

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The Cowboys have been relatively quiet this off season, and we are about the witness the last move in this free agency period at least until the draft. Roy Williams has asked to be released or traded by the end of the day today, though I wouldn’t expect a release since the Cowboys would take a considerable hit in the cap area. So I thought we’d take a look at the Cowboys moves in a “Perception Versus Reality” aspect.

A week ago the Cowboys made a jaw dropping move by trading a perceived valuable corner back for a “washed up” Quarterback in John Kitna. Our perceptions are typically based on media, bad tape, and yes even playing video games. But this is reality. The market this year wasn’t great for Quarterbacks, especially backups…Sure there was Byron Leftwich, Jeff Garcia, Kurt Warner-but good luck getting them to agree to a back up roll. John Kitna is a proven jump starter, not flashy, not a star, but solid! He adds the arm strength and accuracy to at least solidify our offense in times of need with huge playmakers like Witten, Owens and Barber. Like it or not (and I like it) Tony Romo is our Quarterback and I wouldn’t have it any other way, so give me a John Kitna as a band aid when small scrapes come along.

Now I’m not stupid and I get frustrated with GM Jerry, but I am getting viciously frustrated with the fair weather fan; who doesn’t understand and verbally slaughters the Keith Brooking signing. This isn’t rocket science, Keith has had a legitimately great career and though he didn’t make a lot of show stopping plays last year, he has that potential. You’re talking about implementing a great player, at a cheap price, in a scheme where he was consistently flourishing. Not to mention he brings leadership unseen since Darren Woodson, and he’ll be able to teach our younger linebackers. He is instant stability in a defense lacking ferociousness.

Lastly, Roy Williams. A great player. We shouldn’t expect much, maybe a 3rd or 4th rounder at best. But let me say this: Was he beat in coverage? Yes. Was he inconsistent? Absolutely. But when he flashed, HE FLASHED! Bone Jarring Tackles, and he instilled fear. 5 pro bowls will say it all… Some years were harder than others but I appreciate what he has done. If he goes you’ll never hear me say anything negative.

It’s easy to get caught in the opinion that is often influenced by media, but perception is not reality in all cases, lets not judge these books by their cover….

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