Got to give props to anyone who attempts a top list for Dallas Cowboys history – I mean whether it’s for the best players, worst players, best plays, or worst plays, you’ve got enough ammo to stretch a top 1,000 on just about any aspect. So here we have the Top Ten Worst Moments in Dallas Cowboys’ History from (Silver and) BlueBlood.

Let’s preface this list with an important qualifying statement: the only moments up for consideration are on-the-field occurrences. In other words, this is a list of the ten most devastating plays in team history. Consequently, we won’t be mentioning moments many may consider catastrophic, like the day Landry was fired or the day Jimmy Johnson walked away or the day Switzer was hired. Nor will we talk about the “white house” or the Michael Irvin trial. We may long debate the impact of such happenings on the team. But that is a different discussion.

In selecting the plays included in this list, several factors were considered:

• Was it a catastrophic moment for the team?
• Do Cowboys fans still remember it?
• Does it still hurt?

You can check out the list and some other good reads from Gene at www.SilverandBlueBlood.com.

Mike Jenkins also has a new blog posted from yesterday. He talks about getting ready for training camp and who he’s working with as he tries to balance his body to start camp next week.

I’m just ready to get into camp. I’m focused and ready to get this season popped off.

I’ve been going out to IMG here in Bradenton every day, working out with guys like Ryan Grant, Fabian Washington, Cliff Avril and a lot of others from Sportstars. But today was my last day as I shut it down and get my body back right, hit the cold tub through the weekend and just focus.

Working out meant speed drills in the morning and power in the afternoon, running hills, pushing sleds, working with medicine balls, just keeping the body moving. You have to have everything equal and balanced out for when you go to camp.

Check out the rest and more insights from the second year cornerback at www.MikeJenkins21.com. Don’t forget, for those of you always on the go, you can check out Mike Jenkins’ Twitter page as well – you can even check out our DCNation Twitter page too while you’re there.

Over at www.DefendingTheStar.net they’ve got a pretty good series going previewing the upcoming training camp.

Defending The Star’s Training Camp Preview Series:

Training Camp Preview – Part 7 – Defensive Line
Training Camp Preview – Part 6 – Special Teams
Training Camp Preview – Part 5 -Offensive Line
Training Camp Preview – Part 4 -Wide Receivers
Training Camp Preview – Part 3 -Tight Ends
Training Camp Preview – Part 2 -Running Backs
Training Camp Preview – Part 1 – Quarterbacks

It’s a pretty extensive list and it’s not even complete yet as they still have the secondary to go. Go check it out.

And while we’re on the subject, Blogging The Boys has also chimed in with an opinion of what’s hot to watch this year in camp with their post – Dallas Cowboys 2009 Training Camp: Five Things To Watch (Part II).

Okay, if you want to be technical about it, I won’t be at Cowboys training camp so I won’t be watching anything. I guess I will be listening for, or reading up on a few different storylines coming out of Cowboys camp. Considering the abundant media coverage these days, coaching staffs are reluctant to reveal much before the regular season kicks off. Still, if we look closely, we can probably gather a few vital tidbits of information about the Cowboys upcoming season. Here are the things that I will be looking for at Cowboys camp.

So plenty of action to check out this impatient late July Friday afternoon. One fan to another – can’t wait for training camp to start so we can get a look at every player and see how they’re each coming along. I’m even quite curious to see how lucky dog Jesse Holley comes along. Maybe Holley will be a Dallas Cowboy after all.

Popularity: 1%

Jesse Holley is now the latest member of the Dallas Cowboys. Who you say? That’s right Jesse Holley! Thanks to the Michael Irvin show 4^th and Long The Cowboys now have another man on the roster, the question is though will he stick? or is he just the product of another marketing gimmick?

I will tell you straight up that I watched only the first episode of 4^th and Long! Not because it was a bad show (although it was not a show that made me want to put the DVR to use) but more because it was just too damn gimmicky for me.

So who is Jesse Holley? Well I do not know just a ton about him, but what I do know is not all that glamorous.

Jesse was a two sport player at the University of North Carolina from 2003 – 2006, was a member of the 04’-05’ National Championship basketball team. He was a very solid Wide Receiver for the Tar heels, played all fours years that he was there.

In 2007 Holley was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cincinnati Bengals. He was then released by the team at the end of Training camp only to be signed to the practice squad. Jesse lasted one month on the practice squad before being released.

In 2008 Jesse signed on to play for the BC Lions of the CFL. After the teams first Pre Season game (one month later) He was released.

Basically Jesse Holley is the same as a million other solid collegiate athletes with dreams of being a Pro, but now his dream is a reality thanks to Spike T.V.?????

I have a question for all of you that I need help answering. Can anybody tell me who was the last player (that went undrafted, unable to stick on a practice squad, and unable to make it in the CFL) that has been talked about this much?

My partner and I had a… well let’s call it a discussion yesterday about this situation, and well… Let’s just say our thoughts were not anywhere near the same!

Bryson watched the series from beginning to end, and had nothing but good to say about Jesse and his abilities. While I respect his opinion on the matter I strongly disagreed with his synopsis. He told me about how he was a big and physical receiver with good hands and the ability to go up and get a jump ball. He also told me how he thought “he may be a good addition for us” and “he may be able to take Stanback’s spot”.

It was about this time that the “discussion” got a little more heated. Not because I think Stanback is such a great receiver, but because I simply cannot comprehend how a guy who cannot make a CFL roster can come in and be a better player than a guy who has stuck on an NFL roster for 3 years!

The argument will always be “NFL scouts do make mistakes and miss on players, just look at Tom Brady” and while that is accurate to an extent, name me a player who has been a contributing player in the NFL that was unable to stay on a practice squad and unable to make a CFL roster.

Every year NFL teams bring in players this time of year that will never play a down in a regular season game, simply to fill roster spots at training camp.

It takes a very special athlete to be able to make and then stay on a NFL roster, Any NFL roster! If you have ever played a sport then you know that there are two kinds of players. (1) Overly Gifted (2) Under Gifted.

For the overly gifted athlete things come easy to them and they are generally stand out players, the great ones have the same work ethic as the guy who has less talent and has to rely on his determination, and hard work.

The under gifted player while he has talent he MUST work harder than everyone else, and he MUST be involved with his sport of choice on a continuous basis (playing on a year in year out basis) as this player simply would fall way behind his competitors if he took a year off.

Jesse Holley falls into the Under Gifted category, while I am sure he has some very nice talents, the fact remains he has not played in almost 2 years and was not very good then! I would like nothing better than to see this kid come into camp and set the world on fire and prove me wrong!

The problem that I have with this show is simple, a guy has become a member of the Dallas Cowboys and thrust into the spotlight for no other reason than because he was on a T.V. show! And better still because he competed against other players who cannot make an NFL roster and shined against them, this show has given Cowboy fans a severely skewed opinion of their talents.

Without this show no one would care about anyone of these guys! Much less believe any of them could “add” anything to this team! Or believe they could take a job away from a veteran NFL player.

Just to put it in perspective, I played Football and Baseball all my life and was never anymore than an average player. When I got into my twenties I started playing in a local Softball Beer league. I was and am a decent player but by no means a “Pro” but every time I have played against people that were not very good I looked like a “Bad Ass” player. The contestants on this show are no different!

These contestants performed against the likes of Semi-Pro players (your Beer League of the Football world) and cast away Arena League players. Frankly these guys should look like superb football players, but many of them did not! The two that did make it to the finals did look the part, but one of those was only 5’7”! And by all accounts if he had not been a midget(pardon me vertically challenged) he would have won the competition.

In the end, I have done nothing but waste your time and mine writing about a guy that more than likely will end up like all the other late invitees to a NFL camp, released and never heard from again!

Popularity: 4%

Well I’m back from a grueling week of training and just in time to get ready for training camp.  I don’t know if you’ve realized but this may be the most important training camp the Cowboys organization has endured in years.  Why you ask? Well, simply because we are at a turning point for this team,  a surge of young talent and revamped attitude headlines a training camp for a team who seeks to once again return to dominance.  So with that being said I thought that we’d take a look at some of the position battles that we’ve been paying EXTRA attention too.

Wide Receiver:

Since the Draft we’ve been hearing a lot about the Game Breaking ability that Miles Austin has displayed, but have forgotten about the possible emergence of Sam Hurd.  Not to mention the fairly consistent play of Patrick Crayton.  Let me just help you all realize something, Hurd has sure hands.  I was at the Miami game last year, and after being kicked out once for starting a train of Cowboys fans that marched throughout Dolphin stadium chanting, I got back in to witness some of Sam Hurd’s ability.  It was about 3rd and 7, and Romo threw a pass to the sideline too far ahead of Hurd but Hurd outstretched his hands and pulled it in with an impressive effort to then turn up field and gain some yards.

Now, I’m not saying Hurd should start but I am saying don’t forget about him.   The possibility of the Austin-Hurd tandem shows promise to a receiver core that some are pessimistic about.  Lastly, Crayton still has the speed and the hands to provide a good number 2 receiver to the lineup.  This is important for one thing and that is to allow Austin to be lined up on safeties or linebackers in coverage within the slot.

With Roy Williams working hard this offseason and the talent that is emerging, don’t sleep on this Cowboys unit.

Cornerback:

Clearly Newman gets the nod as one of the Elite DB’s in the league.  Most importantly to me is the battle among Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick.  I know that Jenkins has said that it’s his job to loose but is it really?  His play was slow up until mid season, and he still has much to learn.  Though I truly believe he has the talent to start in this league, I’m curious as to if he’s reached his fullest potential.

Against him lies Orlando Scandrick, the underdog to most.  His play however, has been pretty solid.  Coming in on nickel sets, he’s been a tackling machine and has impressed the coaches.  He surely has potential to start in this league, but also has much more to learn.  One thing is for sure, this is a battle only time will tell.

Nevertheless, you have to feel good about all this battling.  It defines the future of the Cowboys.  With so much talent, it can only mean success in the upcoming years.  Stay tuned for updates on these battles and more!

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

Well we already know what has been going on with the Roy Williams and the constant talk of his “inconsistency” which has yet to be tested. I believe that you are safe to bet that he will remain the number 1 receiver. However, there will be strong competition throughout the summer. Miles Austin is as confident as ever thanks to Jerry Jones and Patrick Crayton is looking to lock the 2 Spot. Also, Sam Hurd has been looking great lately and has the strength and speed combination that receivers use to dominate. Here is a look at each guys production last year and 2009 Outlook.

Roy Williams- 19 rec 198 yds 10.4 yards per catch with 1 touchdown- At 6-3 211 lbs, Williams has the makings of a “Possession” type receiver. He has demonstrated his ability with the lions and had a understandingly difficult time producing last season in a new system. He’s been working hard this off season with QB Tony Romo and has last some weight to become more explosive. He should be playing with a chip on his shoulder and I believe he’ll silence his critics.

Miles Austin- 13 rec 278 yards 21.4 yards per catch with 3 touchdowns- At 6-3 216lbs, Miles has become a rising star in Dallas. The 24 year old matches good size with blazing speed. His 21.4 yard average is a sign of his big play ability. He has the potential to be an elite receiver if used correctly. I believe he is comparable to a Wes Welker and will have a similar season as Welker did a few years ago. Expect Austin to start but be put in the slot in certain formations.

Patrick Crayton- 39 rec 550 yards 14.1 yards per catch with 4 touchdowns- Crayton has hit the big 3-0 and is starting to show his age. He is fairly inconsistent with his catches but has allowed himself to be clutch in some situations. At 6 ft and 204 lbs, Crayton is a typical slot receiver and has not produced when given prime shots at becoming a star type receiver. With his prime a year or so behind him I expect him to plateau, but will still possess the ability to play well in slot situations.

Sam Hurd- Injured last season, in 2007 he posted 19 rec 314 yards 16.5 yards per catch and 1 touchdown- Sam Hurd is coming off a down season. He is a warrior, he has heart, and he has passion. Not to mention he had a pretty good mentor in Owens. He will be the quiet type but will impress all that takes the time to watch him. At 6-2 205 lbs he is a strong and quick receiver who will be able to produce if given the chance. If he can beat out Crayton for the number 3 spot he’ll be a gem.

My Depth Chart Prediction:
1. Roy Williams
2. Miles Austin
3. Patrick Crayton
4. Sam Hurd

Popularity: 1%

Roy Williams has been the whipping boy almost since the day he arrived in Dallas. Whether that was from fans who did not like the move, or from sports writers who immediately planted the “How can T.O. and Roy coexist” seed. Some of the grief that Roy has taken has been unwarranted, but even I (Longhorn homer) must admit that some of it is of his own doing.

Since his days at Odessa Permian High School, Roy Williams has been the #1 guy, he knows no other way. “The Legend” as he was known in Odessa, was a two sport star. When he was not playing Football he was on the track team. In 2000 at the State Track meet he entered 3 events. He won the long jump competition with a jump of 25’6″. He placed 2nd in the high jump with a jump of 6’10″. Then followed that up with a 3rd place finish in the 100 meter, with a time of 10.38

When the school year ended in 2000, Roy left Odessa and headed south, to Austin and the University of Texas. From the moment he stepped onto campus he was expected to be the savior of Texas football. He did not disappoint, making a name for yourself in Austin is not easy (if you have never been there maybe this will help, their slogan is “Keep Austin Weird”) and better yet making a name for yourself amongst the football community is even tougher.

Roy however was able to do these things as well as help the Longhorns turn the program around, and get them back in the national spotlight. He did all of these things not by just showing up! No he put in the work, and led his team by example, not by talk!

In 2004 he was 7th pick in the NFL draft selected by the Detroit Lions. Roy’s work habits went to Detroit with him. Unfortunately for him he was surrounded by a terrible team, and management. Amidst all of that he still managed to become a Pro Bowl selection in 2006.

Last year Jerry Jones pulled the trigger on a deal to bring the talented Wide Receiver to the Cowboys. Upon his arrival in Dallas, we the fans asked him to step right in and be an all world receiver and to do this with Brad Johnson throwing him the ball!

Now as far as I could tell not only was there not a receiver on the Cowboys roster that had any success once Johnson took over, but there was not a receiver in the league that could have had any success. Yet those were the expectations for Roy. A funny thing happened though, the guy never complained! As a matter of fact the only remarks he ever made were things like “I need to do a better job” and “We are working to get better”. Meanwhile the teams #1 was saying “get me the ball” or “When I have the ball good things happen”.

We all need to remember that when Roy was brought here, he was not brought here to be the #1, not last year anyway. So if we look at that situation and keep that in mind, can you imagine what it must have been like to finally be able to leave the losing organization you had been with, and then walk in the door of your dream job only to find that organization in as big disarray as the last.

Players arguing with other players, secret meetings, and the whole world attempting to lay at least some of the blame on your shoulders. Yet this was the situation he was thrusted into, welcome to the Dallas Cowboys.

Since the moment he walked in the door his skills, heart, and desire have been questioned. Not just from the fans, but from former players, Hall of Famers.

Roy could have done a better job of displaying his leadership qualities, but I can understand why he did not. One thing that stands out in my mind was something he said at the end of the season while being interviewed on the Mike and Mike in the morning show; “I was shocked at the way they practice here, I am used to running out every play in practice. Like if I have a blocking assignment, In Detroit we blocked until the whistle blew. So that is what I was doing here in the beginning but I noticed I was the only one doing it, so I stopped.” That it where he failed last year, by trying to fit in and not create more issues, he allowed his teammates, and himself to be mediocre!

While I do not know Roy Williams personally I do know one thing about the guy, he is ANGRY! Right about now. I believe Roy has a chip on his shoulder, and has something to prove. He is not a guy that is just going to let people talk smack about him, without some sort of retaliation. The only way he knows how to retaliate is by proving everyone wrong.

For those of you that do not believe this I cannot change your mind, nor will I try. All I can say is, watch and see!

Popularity: 2%

Today marks the beginning of the rest of Miles Austin’s career as he awaits an imminent offer from the Jets, and as we wait along with him to see just how determined the Jets are to acquire him, there are some things to consider in Dallas.

First and foremost on the agenda for the Cowboys should Austin depart for New Jersey is wide receiver depth and lineup since Austin is projected as the second starter opposite Williams if he stays. The release of Owens was a clear sign that the team is moving in a younger direction that is hopefully more team oriented than Owens’ has ever been.

But if Austin leaves, and that is definitely possible, it would remain Sam Hurd and Isaiah Stanback as the only youth amongst our wide outs. The problem is that both Hurd and Stanback have had issues being productive on the field, when either can stay healthy enough to get on the field.

Read complete story at A Cowboy Nation ….

Popularity: unranked