The Sports Spare

It's Superbowl Time

2009-01-30T21:30:00.003-06:00

Well, it's about that time again. Sometimes I think Superbowl Sunday should be considered a national holiday even though it's on Sunday anyway. How many people have ever gone to a Superbowl party even if you never even watched the game? Just like the BCS Championship game, the Superbowl is bitter-sweet for me because it means that football has ended for another year and won't be back until late July when teams report for training camp. The Monday after the Superbowl, I usually have a bit of a deflated feeling.

I really don't have a huge rooting interest this year. Of course being the Cowboys fan that I am, there are certain teams I just don't EVER root for. The Steelers are one of those teams. And on the other side is the Arizona Cardinals...I still have a hard time believing that one after they gave up 50 pts in a game this season and finished the season losing 4 of their final 6 games. But, since bad guys wear black (like the Steelers do), I will be rooting on the Cardinals although I'm not sure they have much of a chance. However, I didn't think the New Yawk Giants would beat New England last year so who knows what will happen.

I don't have a ton of thoughts on the big game but I know that for AZ to have any shot in the game their defense is going to have to continue to play at the high level they have in the playoffs. We know the Steelers have the #1 ranked defense, in every category, so they will naturally be playing at a high level. But since Pittsburgh's main offensive weapon, Hines Ward, will be about 75%, they really don't have much of anything, offensively that scares me. The Cardinals need to get pressure on Roethlisberger and hopefully that will translate into a turnover or two. That's the only way I think AZ stays in the game.

Even though AZ has a potent passing attack, I think Pittsburgh's defense will do a good enough job to contain AZ's offense. I don't think AZ's passing attack with Kurt Warner and the freakish Larry Fitzgerald will be stopped but I think they can be, and will be limited, turning the game into a defensive battle for the most part.

Unfortunately, in the end I think Pittsburgh will make a few more more plays than AZ and will emerge with their 6th Lombardi Trophy. Blah...I sure hope I'm wrong.

My prediction: Steelers 27, Arizon 20

For those that could care less about anything I've said so far (for example, my beautiful wife), here is the other reason people go to Superbowl parties...to watch the commercials. Below are some of the more memorable commercials run during the Superbowl. How many of these do you remember?

"Mean" Joe Greene Coke Commercial...

Terry Tate, Office Linebacker (my favorite)...

Jordan/Bird McD's Commercial...

The king of all Superbowl Commercials, the one that started it all - 1984 Macintosh...

Well, At Least Filthadelphia Isn't Playing for the Super Bowl

2009-01-20T22:14:00.002-06:00

Well, I have somewhat of a rooting interest in the Super Bowl this year as it looks like it’s going to be the Cardinals and the Steelers playing for the Lombardi Trophy on February 1st. Arizona gained only the 5th playoff victory in franchise history on Sunday when they beat Fithadelphia 32-25. The Cardinals’ only other wins were the 1947 NFL Championship (then the Chicago Cardinals), at Dallas in the first round of the 1998 postseason, and then this post season over Atlanta in the first round and Carolina in the second round. The worst case scenario, for me, would have been if Filthadelphia and Pittsburgh would have both won. If that had been the case, I don’t even know if I would have watched…seriously. I do think that Arizona being there kind of cheapens the SB a little. Maybe I'm just an elitist, I don't know. But that being said, I will be rooting on Arizona to pull off the massive upset. Hopefully they’ve got one more piece of magic left in them.

Lately I’ve been thinking about how it could have gone so bad for Dallas when it looked like they had the bass ring right in front of them…all they had to do was reach out and take it. I am a Cowboys fan whether they are 1-15, SB Champs and everywhere in between. But I also try to be a realist and objective…or as objective as I can be. And seeing how other teams are run from the top down and seeing what has become of the Cowboys over the past couple of months, I am now convinced (and, believe me, I hope I’m wrong) that Dallas will not win another SB unless Jerry changes how he runs the team, period…and I don’t think he will do that anytime in the near future. So it could be a long, long wait before we see Dallas in another SB.

Last season, I just KNEW the Cowboys were going to the SB and for them to lose like they did was like getting punched in the stomach. It's funny how this year's Giants season mirrors last year's Cowboys season...almost exactly. Both teams started out white hot and didn't look like they could be beat. Both team secured the #1 seed with several weeks to go in the regular season. But then both teams lost 3 of their final four games and both teams lost in their 1st game of the playoffs in the Divisional round. However, that is where their similarities stop as the Giants organization has leadership, accountability and promise for the future. The current Cowboys organization has none of that.

Being a fan of the Cowboys, I despise the Pittsburgh Steelers. But in all honesty, I do admire the way they run their organization. The last 40 years, they have had 3 coaches…just 3. The Steelers organization gives their coaches autonomy and empowers them to do their job. I recently heard a quote from the Steelers 2nd year head coach, Mike Tomlin (who I’ve heard body doubles for actor Omar Epps), when asked about his coaching style. This is what Tomlin said: “I coach, they play…that’s it.” I see each player in that organization come off the field and Tomlin gives them a confident look in the eye and shakes their hand. You can just tell that even though he is young and hasn’t been the head coach very long, he has the respect and attention of every player in that locker room and, unfortunately, I fully expect them to win their 6th SB. However, I am less optimistic that Dallas will win a SB anytime in the near future.

The only 2 NFC teams NOT to win a playoff game in the past 12 years: Dallas and Detroit. Yes, the same Detroit team that was the first team in the history of the NFL to go 0-16. The same Detroit team that went 31-84 under Matt Millen. We all know that Matt Millen has become a punch line and an example of how not to run a team. However, in that span of time with Jerry running the team, Dallas win percentage may be higher than Detroit but the Cowboys have the exact same number of playoff wins...0. So, why is Millen the only laughing stock here? Why isn’t Jerry’s name along side Millen? Let’s put this in perspective, shall we? In the last 12 years, 25 of the 32 NFL teams have won at least ONE playoff game. Here are the teams that haven’t: Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Kansas City, Buffalo, Houston (who only because a team in ’02) and Dallas. That is the company the Cowboys share. If that doesn’t open your eyes, I don’t know what does. Answer this question: based on his body of work as the Cowboys G.M. (which is what Millen was in Detroit), do you think Jerry could get hired by ANY other team in the NFL as their G.M.? If you come up with a single team that would hire Jones as their G.M., then I’ve got some prized beach front property to sell you located in Odessa, TX.

Sometimes, I really think that last SB that Dallas won in '96 was horrible for the franchise because it fooled Jerry into thinking he can do it his way and put a figure head, lame duck coach in and win...he can't. That '96 team was one of the greats of all time with, arguably, more talent than any other team at the time. That team had been built by Jimmy and everyone knew, and still does know, it. It’s just not the same today. All the discipline that Parcells instilled in his 4 years in Dallas has completely evaporated in half that time. And I lay it at the feet of Jerry who is running this team like it's his Fantasy Football team which will not work. You can’t go out an sign every big name free agent and just think they are going to win the championship.

An organization full of stars does not make a team. Case in point is the Yankees. How many World Series titles have the Yankees won since their last title in ’00? None. And they consistently sign the biggest pitchers and free agents EVERY year to huge contracts. But just because they have the best players on their team doesn’t mean the TEAM is united in purpose and goals. And as much as I despise them as well, look at the New England Patriots and how they run their team. Year after year, they lose player after player to free agency (good players too) and yet they still find a way to keep winning. When their QB goes down for the season in their 1st game, they still manage to win 11 games. That is the definition of a single minded TEAM.

The Cowboys are a bunch of spoiled petulant children who throw tantrums, pout, and go run to mommy when they think things aren’t fair. The team (notice small letters) as presently constructed has no spine, no heart and no stomach for a fight. The players don’t respect the coaches (or some of them), the coaches don’t respect the players (or some of them) and the players don’t respect the players. What kind of a team is that? It’s a team that finished exactly where they should have at 9-7 and they were probably lucky to finish with that. And Jerry wants to bring this set of coaches and players back next year? What?!?!? What am I missing here? How in the world does Jerry think this will work? It won’t and this organization with such a rich history will be relegated to another year of sitting at home and wondering what could have been.

Well, At Least Filthadelphia Isn't Playing for the Super Bowl

2009-01-20T22:14:00.000-06:00

Well, I have somewhat of a rooting interest in the Super Bowl this year as it looks like it’s going to be the Cardinals and the Steelers playing for the Lombardi Trophy on February 1st. Arizona gained only the 5th playoff victory in franchise history on Sunday when they beat Fithadelphia 32-25. The Cardinals’ only other wins were the 1947 NFL Championship (then the Chicago Cardinals), at Dallas in the first round of the 1998 postseason, and then this post season over Atlanta in the first round and Carolina in the second round. The worst case scenario, for me, would have been if Filthadelphia and Pittsburgh would have both won. If that had been the case, I don’t even know if I would have watched…seriously. I do think that Arizona being there kind of cheapens the SB a little. Maybe I'm just an elitist, I don't know. But that being said, I will be rooting on Arizona to pull off the massive upset. Hopefully they’ve got one more piece of magic left in them.

Lately I’ve been thinking about how it could have gone so bad for Dallas when it looked like they had the bass ring right in front of them…all they had to do was reach out and take it. I am a Cowboys fan whether they are 1-15, SB Champs and everywhere in between. But I also try to be a realist and objective…or as objective as I can be. And seeing how other teams are run from the top down and seeing what has become of the Cowboys over the past couple of months, I am now convinced (and, believe me, I hope I’m wrong) that Dallas will not win another SB unless Jerry changes how he runs the team, period…and I don’t think he will do that anytime in the near future. So it could be a long, long wait before we see Dallas in another SB.

Last season, I just KNEW the Cowboys were going to the SB and for them to lose like they did was like getting punched in the stomach. It's funny how this year's Giants season mirrors last year's Cowboys season...almost exactly. Both teams started out white hot and didn't look like they could be beat. Both team secured the #1 seed with several weeks to go in the regular season. But then both teams lost 3 of their final four games and both teams lost in their 1st game of the playoffs in the Divisional round. However, that is where their similarities stop as the Giants organization has leadership, accountability and promise for the future. The current Cowboys organization has none of that.

Being a fan of the Cowboys, I despise the Pittsburgh Steelers. But in all honesty, I do admire the way they run their organization. The last 40 years, they have had 3 coaches…just 3. The Steelers organization gives their coaches autonomy and empowers them to do their job. I recently heard a quote from the Steelers 2nd year head coach, Mike Tomlin (who I’ve heard body doubles for actor Omar Epps), when asked about his coaching style. This is what Tomlin said: “I coach, they play…that’s it.” I see each player in that organization come off the field and Tomlin gives them a confident look in the eye and shakes their hand. You can just tell that even though he is young and hasn’t been the head coach very long, he has the respect and attention of every player in that locker room and, unfortunately, I fully expect them to win their 6th SB. However, I am less optimistic that Dallas will win a SB anytime in the near future.

The only 2 NFC teams NOT to win a playoff game in the past 12 years: Dallas and Detroit. Yes, the same Detroit team that was the first team in the history of the NFL to go 0-16. The same Detroit team that went 31-84 under Matt Millen. We all know that Matt Millen has become a punch line and an example of how not to run a team. However, in that span of time with Jerry running the team, Dallas win percentage may be higher than Detroit but the Cowboys have the exact same number of playoff wins...0. So, why is Millen the only laughing stock here? Why isn’t Jerry’s name along side Millen? Let’s put this in perspective, shall we? In the last 12 years, 25 of the 32 NFL teams have won at least ONE playoff game. Here are the teams that haven’t: Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Kansas City, Buffalo, Houston (who only because a team in ’02) and Dallas. That is the company the Cowboys share. If that doesn’t open your eyes, I don’t know what does. Answer this question: based on his body of work as the Cowboys G.M. (which is what Millen was in Detroit), do you think Jerry could get hired by ANY other team in the NFL as their G.M.? If you come up with a single team that would hire Jones as their G.M., then I’ve got some prized beach front property to sell you located in Odessa, TX.

Sometimes, I really think that last SB that Dallas won in '96 was horrible for the franchise because it fooled Jerry into thinking he can do it his way and put a figure head, lame duck coach in and win...he can't. That '96 team was one of the greats of all time with, arguably, more talent than any other team at the time. That team had been built by Jimmy and everyone knew, and still does know, it. It’s just not the same today. All the discipline that Parcells instilled in his 4 years in Dallas has completely evaporated in half that time. And I lay it at the feet of Jerry who is running this team like it's his Fantasy Football team which will not work. You can’t go out an sign every big name free agent and just think they are going to win the championship.

An organization full of stars does not make a team. Case in point is the Yankees. How many World Series titles have the Yankees won since their last title in ’01? None. And they consistently sign the biggest pitchers and free agents EVERY year to huge contracts. But just because they have the best players on their team doesn’t mean the TEAM is united in purpose and goals. And as much as I despise them as well, look at the New England Patriots and how they run their team. Year after year, they lose player after player to free agency (good players too) and yet they still find a way to keep winning. When their QB goes down for the season in their 1st game, they still manage to win 11 games. That is the definition of a single minded TEAM.

The Cowboys are a bunch of spoiled petulant children who throw tantrums, pout, and go run to mommy when they think things aren’t fair. The team (notice small letters) as presently constructed has no spine, no heart and no stomach for a fight. The players don’t respect the coaches (or some of them), the coaches don’t respect the players (or some of them) and the players don’t respect the players. What kind of a team is that? It’s a team that finished exactly where they should have at 9-7 and they were probably lucky to finish with that. And Jerry wants to bring this set of coaches and players back next year? What?!?!? What am I missing here? How in the world does Jerry think this will work? It won’t and this organization with such a rich history will be relegated to another year of sitting at home and wondering what could have been.

That’s 3 for the SEC

2009-01-09T14:40:00.000-06:00

The SEC showed it’s dominance, once again, over the college landscape last night as the conference won it’s 3rd consecutive national title in a row with Florida defeating OU 24-14. OU came into the game scoring at least 60 points it’s 5 last games of the season and set an NCAA record for most points scored in a season with 702. However, I suspected that Florida’s defense would probably be the reason they would win but didn’t know they would do as good a job against OU’s vaunted offense as they did.

Florida’s limited OU to only 14 points and forced 2 turnovers deep in their own territory. Oklahoma had a first-and-goal at the 9 midway through the second quarter and OU RB Chris Brown carried four straight times but the Gators held, twice stuffing him from the 1 yard line. The other turnover came with 10 second left in the first half and Bradford’s pass to Johnson was tipped at the goal line and intercepted by Florida. Those two turnovers proved to be the deciding factors. You just can’t get down on the opponent’s 1 yard line and goal line, respectively, and come away with nothing…not in the national championship game.

I also thought a special teams play might be a determining factor in the game and Florida didn’t let me down there either. With about 4 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter, OU had a 4th down at the 32 yard line so Stoops trotted out the field goal team to attempt a 49 yard field goal. I really thought it was a given that OU would get the field goal so I was only half way paying attention to the play. However, Florida’s line busted through and blocked the attempt and recovered the ball. And even Florida didn’t gain many yards and had to punt the ball back, I little bit more of OU’s wind was taken out of their sail on that blocked punt. In the end, OU’s offense never really seems to get into the groove that they normally are accustomed to.

Even though I enjoyed watching a close national championship game between two college football powerhouses I do have to wonder how FOX, who has done NFL games for 15 years now, can roll out such a bush-league presentation of the national championship? And not really just last night’s game but all the BCS games FOX telecast were poor quality. The only exception I can think of was the Sugar Bowl only because Darryl Johnston and Kenny Albert did the game. But it wasn’t great.

The commentators, last night, didn’t seem all that interested in the game, got the down and distance wrong a couple of time and seemed over-the-top complimentary of Tim Tebow. Don’t get me wrong, I think Tebow is a great player and great role model but come on…the over praising of him was beginning to turn my stomach at bit. I’ll be looking forward to the BCS next season as ESPN will be telecasting the BCS games and we won’t be subject to the lackluster presentations FOX gave us.

The Heisman Trophy winner certainly hasn’t done very well this decade in the bowl game after they won the award, which has usually been the national championship game. Consider the following:

-‘00 Heisman winner, Chris Weinke of Florida St., lost to OU in the BCS Champ. game
-‘01 Heisman winner, Eric Crouch of Nebraska, lost to Miami in the BCS Champ. game
-‘03 Heisman winner, Jason White of OU, lost to USC in the BCS Champ. game
-‘05 Heisman winner, Reggie Bush of USC, lost to Texas in the BCS Champ. game
-‘06 Heisman winner, Troy Smith of Ohio St., lost to Florida in the BCS Champ. game
-‘08 Heisman winner, Sam Bradford of OU, lost to Florida in the BCS Champ. game

Only the ’04 Heisman winner, Matt Leinart of USC, won BCS Championship after winning the Heisman when USC beat OU.

The championship game is always bitter-sweet for me (as is the Super Bowl) as it signals the end of college football for another year. However, today sits a little better with me as the SEC is once again on top.

My Annual Bowl/BCS Thoughts

2009-01-08T08:25:00.000-06:00

This year’s bowl season has been somewhat lackluster for me. Really, the past few have as well. I think this is due in part to the fact that over half the D-I teams get bowl bids…over half. The requirements for a bowl bid are just to have 6 wins over D-I teams. That typically means that if any D-I team go 6-6 (since most teams now play 12 games), then they qualify for a bowl game. Back in the day, the bowl games actually meant something because there were less of them. Now, the powerhouse teams of Florida Atlantic and Central Michigan got to go to a bowl. And the schools that go to these “minor” bowls end up losing money in the process because a portion of the bowl payout goes to the conference and then whatever is left over goes to paying all the expenses of sending the team, cheerleaders, band, etc. to the bowl. I don’t know, maybe I’m just a little bitter because my alma mater (Mississippi State Univ.) didn’t get to go to a bowl but, to me, the bowl season would be better if half of these smaller bowls would just go away. But they will go away when D-I college football gets a playoff up and going...which means never.

Even the BCS bowls this year have been a little lackluster in my opinion. The Rose Bowl was a bit of a yawner because at no time, even before the game started, was it in doubt. I like Penn St. (they are one of the few northeastern teams I do like) but they just got drilled by the University of Spoiled Children. The Big 10 has an awful record this year in the bowls (1-6) and the Rose Bowl was no exception.

The Orange Bowl featured two teams in Virginia Tech and Cincinnati (still can’t believe Cincinnati made it to a BCS bowl) that don’t have huge fan bases so there probably wasn’t a ton of people that watched. I watched a little of it but, besides the fact I didn’t care about the teams, the game was boring anyway.

The Sugar Bowl was a bit of a surprise because Alabama, a team that held the #1 ranking for 5 weeks during the season, got smoked by Utah. Utah?!?! I mean no disrespect to Utah because they will be the ONLY D-I school with an undefeated record this year. But I didn’t see that coming. No fluke either…Utah just whipped the Tide in every facet of the game. I think it was pretty obvious that ‘Bama’s bubble burst when they got beat by Florida in the SEC Championship game so instead of playing OU for the national championship, they were playing Utah in the Sugar Bowl. That was not the same Alabama team I saw during the season and if they played Utah 10 times, I would bank on the Tide winning 8 of them. So, my SEC banner lowered just a bit with that one.

However, the Fiesta Bowl made for up for the other 3 BCS bowls as Texas got a late touchdown to beat Ohio St. 24-21. The first half of the game was a little tedious as both teams could only manage to score field goals…2 for the Buckeyes and 1 for the Longhorns. In the 3rd quarter, Texas turned up the heat, as well as speed, and scored 2 touchdowns while Ohio St. only managed another field goal. However, Ohio St. returned fire in the 4th quarter and scored 2 touchdowns themselves (and subsequently went for a 2 point conversion both times and failed both times) with the 2nd coming in the last 2 minutes of the game. So, the Longhorns marched right down the field and McCoy hit Cosby for a TD with just 16 seconds left. This was definitely the best of the 4 BCS bowls.

Tonight though is the last college football game of the season…the BCS national championship. The game will feature OU and Florida, the champs of the two best conferences, who will meet for the first time ever. Both the Sooners and Gators have powerful offenses (respectively ranked #3 and #17 nationally) but I think this game will hinge on which defense can better defend the other’s offense.

This is where I think Florida has an edge as Florida has the nations #8 ranked defense whereas OU’s defense is ranked #63 nationally. I know that OU went up against high powered offenses from the Big XII all season and as a result, their defensive ranking took a hit. With that being said, I think OU defense is adequate but not great. I mean, TX A&M put 28 points up on OU and their offense was only ranked #77 overall. Florida’s defense will present more speed than just about anyone OU has faced all year. However, if OU can run the ball effectively, that can neutralize some of Florida’s speed and aggressiveness. This may be easier said than done because OU’s starting RB, DeMarco Murray, has been ruled out of the game. Even without him though, OU is a potent crew. They have scored more than 60 points in five consecutive games, three against ranked teams, which had never happened before. But that was done against defenses of the Big XII and not a defense of the caliber of Florida’s.

The SEC has won 3 BCS national titles in the last 5 years, including the last 2. And when this game is done, I think the SEC will have won 4 titles in the last 6 years including the last 3. I think Florida’s defense will be able to handle OU offense better than OU’s defense will handle Florida’s offense. I do expect there to be quite a few points scored though.

My prediction: Florida 37, OU 30.

Future Coaching/Leadership for the Cowboys

2009-01-02T13:41:00.000-06:00

Make no mistake about it, I think Wade Phillips should go…today. Wade is a nice guy and a heck of a defensive coordinator but he, like a host of others, is not a good head coach. The head coach needs to exude leadership in the face of adversity…I don’t think Wade does that. The times that Dallas has been behind in games, I haven’t seen anything from him that leads me to believe he is the “William Wallace” leader the team needs. He stands over there, looking like Elmer Fudd, showing little emotion and/or enthusiasm. With 7:43 seconds left in the 4th quarter of last Sunday’s game, Dallas was trailing 44-3 and was stopped from completing a 3rd down conversion. At that point, Wade knew (just like EVERONE else watching on tv and in the stadium) that Dallas had lost the game. So what does he do…he sends the field goal team out there to kick a field goal to make the score 44-6. What good was that? What’s the difference in 44-6 and 44-3, if they had missed picking up the 4th down conversion? The Cowboys weren’t going to win the game anyway. To me, that was a gutless call.

The head coach needs to make good decisions in regard to leading the team…I don’t think Wade does enough of that. In ’07, Wade sat a lot of the starters for the final game in Washington because the Cowboys had already secured the #1 overall seed in the playoffs and a loss to the Deadskins wouldn’t change that. As a result, Dallas got rolled 27-6. Now, compare that to how Tom Coughlin handled the Giants last game in ’07 and ’08. In ’07, the Giants had already secured their spot in the playoffs and a win or loss in their final game would do nothing to change their seeding. They were playing the mighty, undefeated Patriots at home and Coughlin played all the starters the full game. The Giants played toe to toe with New England but ended up losing in the last few minutes of the game however many Giants players said that game built tremendous confidence which ended up taking them to the Super Bowl where they met the same Patriot team and ultimately defeated them. This year, New York had secured the #1 overall seed and played their final game in Minnesota against a Vikings team that really needed to win to cement their playoff birth. The Giants played their starters a full half and the rest of the team played balls to the wall but ended up losing on a last second field goal to the Vikings. However, that result is vastly different that getting torched 27-6. Coughlin made a decision, both years, to play to win their final game and it showed in his team’s performance.

The head coach needs to call the shots on the sideline. In the game last week, Dallas came up on a 4th and 1. After Elmer Fudd waivered a bit, he finally sent the punting team out on the field. Romo, waived off the punting team, went for the 4th down and made it (which I thought they should have done anyway). When Romo waived off the punting team, Wade just stood there looking confused but didn’t send the punting team back out or call time out or anything. Basically, it looked like he let Romo take charge of the team and contradict what he had directed. Now I ask you, had that been Bill Parcells or Jimmy Johnson, would that have flown? Not in a million years. I’m not advocating trying to get Parcells back but rather just showing what a solid head coach would have done in that situation.

I, like A LOT of others, think Wade needs to go but I don't think he will. Jerry kind of painted himself into a corner when he came out BEFORE the Filthadelphia game and said that Wade would be the coach next year. I don't think Jerry thought they would lose that game, nor play that poorly. But even after that game, Jerry has come out and emphatically said that he won't be changing head coaches because he thinks the continuity provides Dallas with its best chance to win. That doesn't mean that Jerry can't change his mind but, with what he has said to this point about it, I would be surprised if he fires Wade. To date, the only coach I'm aware of being fired was the special teams coach (which really should have been fired after the Arizona game this year).

Jerry heads into the off season shaking his head that this collection of talent won only nine games, while Miami, who was 1-15 last year, went 11-5. To add salt to the wound, the Dolphins’ turnaround was orchestrated by former Dallas folks, namely Parcells and coach Tony Sparano, who was among the people passed over when Jones hired Phillips and made Jason Garrett the offensive coordinator in 2007. Dallas has as much, if not more, talent than any other team in the NFL. But just because they have collected an impressive roster of individual players does not mean they will gel together and become a team with a single minded purpose.

Here's an example. You may or may not remember this but I remember the '99 Redskins team with a new young, smug owner named Daniel Snyder. They signed a ton of high profile, high priced free agents that off season (Mark Carrier, Bruce Smith, Deion Sanders and Jeff George to name a few) and also just drafted LaVar Arrington, Chris Samuels and a few others. They were the odds on favorite to win the Super Bowl before the season started. Sound familiar Cowboys fans? And their season ended EXACTLY like Dallas' did except I believe they finished 8-8 or even 7-9. The point is that chemistry counts for something and that generally treating a real team like a fantasy team doesn't necessarily work. That has been shown in baseball and basketball as well (except for the '95 Marlins who won the World Series).

There has to be changes no matter who is coaching though. Accountability is huge and not really present for the Cowboys. That is particularly evident in the fact that the Cowboys were the most penalized team in the NFL this year. Wade is big on saying that he is accountable for the penalties which to a certain extent is good because the players know their coach has their back and won’t throw them under the bus. But also, the players know Wade won’t throw them under the bus so they can commit stupid penalties and know they aren’t going to get publicly blasted their coach for them. So many players have gotten huge contracts where, if they stopped playing today, they would be set for life (provided they manage their money wisely). The team is being paid like a championship team without the championship pedigree...they haven't even won a playoff game in a dozen years now. No one fears the loss of their job and that makes for lackluster, uninspired play on the field which we saw in Filthadelphia. Both Jerry and Wade have said that they can, and are, going to each change in the way they approach and handle the team. Not sure what that means but hopefully more accountability will be part of that.

At Least This Dallas Team Has Heart

2008-12-31T11:21:00.002-06:00

I'm going to step back from the Cowboys for a day to give a little credit to another Dallas team which does have heart, pride stomach for a fight. Last night, the Minnesota Timberwolves, with their 6-25 record, rolled into Dallas for what was supposed to be just a ho-hum win for the Mavs. I didn't even watch the game, to be honest, because I had a few other things going on and really felt sure that Dallas would win pretty easily.

Well, I got up this morning and read the recap of the game and was shocked at this headline: "Mavericks rally from 29 down to stun Timberwolves". In fact, it took me a second or two for that to sink in...the Mavs RALLY from 29 down to stun Timberwolves. So, Dallas actually was down 29 points to a team that had only won 6 of it's first 31 games? What in the world? And then, they overcame that 29 point deficit to win? Is that really correct? That is correct. It was the Mavs largest comeback in franchise history. And I missed it. Stink!

Dallas' coach (Rick Carlisle) was ejected in the 2nd quarter for arguing non calls and Dirk received a bloody nose in a foul by Minnesota Timberwolves forward Craig Smith. I bet the Mavs looked somewhat like the Cowboys in the first half of the game. However, the Mavs appear to have something the Cowboys do not...heart and fight. The Mavericks trailed by 29 points at 70-41 early in the third quarter but continued to fight and outscored the Timberwolves 66-30 the rest of the way. Dirk had 24 point, Howard had 23 and JET had 29 off the bench to lead all scorers incuding 5 of 9 from 3 pt range.

I can't believe I missed this game but that's what I get for thinking just an ordinary Tuesday night game in late December would be mundane. This is just the right time for the Mavs to get hit a soft patch in their schedule as on 2 games separate the #2 spot through the #8 spot in the West. So, if the Mavs continue to fight like they did last night, hopefully they can surge ahead and get up into the top 4 of the conference.

What a Lousy Way to End a Season

2008-12-30T10:55:00.004-06:00

Well, now that I've calmed down a bit from Sunday afternoon's collapse in Filthadelphia, I thought I would give my opinions on the game, the players and the leadership/coaching (or lack thereof). I'll probably break this up into two separate posts though discussing the game and the players in one and the coaching in the other.

At the beginning of the season, I (along with A LOT of others) really had high hopes and expectations for this team. They went 13-3 last year and lost a hard fought playoff game to the eventual Super Bowl Champs. The team was featured on Hard Knocks on HBO and after starting the season 3-0, I think just about everyone had the Cowboys penciled in as the NFC representative for the Super Bowl. But that's when things started to go down hill and they never really picked up from there. The culmination of the season was a drubbing at the hands of one of the more hated rivals. I really thought Dallas would play a typical NFC East game (hard hitting and not a ton of points scored) and would do just enough to get the win. But after getting their rear ends kicked, to the tune of 44-6, a lot of people (myself included) are wondering what will happen in the off season and if they can bounce back next season.

On Sunday though, the Cowboys came out emotionless and error-prone. The offense gave up 14 pts and 4 sacks while scoring only 6 pts. The defense gave up 137 yards rushing only managed 1 sack (from Bradie James) and allowed McNabb to end the game with a 116 QB rating. Oh, and Philadelphia outscored the Cowboys, 41-0, during the second and third quarters. Against the Eagles, Dallas also allowed two of the longest fumble returns in franchise history – 73 and 96 yards. And that came on the heels of last week's game where the Cowboys allowed the two longest runs – 77 and 82 yards – in Texas Stadium history during the game's final four minutes which were also the final four minutes in Texas Stadium, period. The overall play the final two games of this season left a lot to be desired, to say the least.

The team didn't look prepared to play at all. They looked like a team that expected Filthadephia's playoff hopes would be dashed, they in turn would have nothing to play for and Dallas would get an easy win. Then when they realized the game meant as much to the Eagles as it did to them, the Cowboys did their best turtle impersonation and crawled into their shell.

How did all this happen? How did such a promising season end in ruins? How did Dallas not even make the playoffs? Here is LB Bradie James’ take on this season: “There were a lot of personalities put on this team and we didn’t jell. We didn’t find a way to jell. This past game, you could see it. When you know you’ve got something on the line and you’re playing to go into the playoffs, you know what you have to do, and you go out there and stink it up like that? That just speaks for itself.” There are several players that need to be jettisoned but at the top of my list is Pac Man Jones. What has he offered up this year that makes him worth the gamble of having him on the roster? A few pass defenses (no more than just a few) is all I remember. Trailing 17-3 to the Eagles on Sunday, with no margin for error, Jones committed a stupid personal foul when he hit Reggie Brown out of bounds, moving the Eagles to the Dallas 14 which assisted the Eagles in getting a touchdown. Then, as if that personal foul wasn't bad enough, Jones fumbled the ensuing kickoff to set up David Akers' 50-yard field goal on the first half's final play. What a knucklehead.

It looks to me like the fans take this more seriously than the players. With as much talent as that team has to not even make the playoffs is shameful but I don't see that attitude from the players. I mean, hey, they lost but they still got paid their millions and millions of dollars. A producer on the sports talk station I listen to was on the Cowboys team plane and said the flight back to Dallas was pretty festive and described the scene as “like the last day of school”, with dominoes being played in the back and lots of laughing and carrying on; if you did not know who won the Cowboys-Eagles game, you just might assume it was the Cowboys from their conduct on the plane. I was sulking most of Sunday night and I had nothing to do with the game...I just watching. These guys played in it, actually were responsible for the inept play and humiliating defeat and yet they are carrying on like they don't have a care in the world. Nice...

The Cowboys have now lost nine consecutive season finales and their streak of 12 consecutive seasons without a playoff win is now the longest in franchise history. Clearly, there needs to be some serious changes but Jerry has already said the coaching staff is staying put (at least, he won't be removing them). This thing is in such a mess right now, I don't really know what the answer is to clean it up. The team doesn't have a 1st round pick in the '09 draft as that was given up to Detroit for Roy Williams (who only caught only 19 passes for 198 yards and a touchdown over 10 games). I know there is a silver lining...somewhere. I just need time to find it.

An Embarrassing, Gutless and Pathetic Loss

2008-12-28T21:17:00.004-06:00

A 44-6 loss in a game with a playoff birth on the line...I'm too pissed off right now to share my thoughts. I'm gonna need at least a day to digest this one. This is quite possibly the most humiliating loss the Cowboys have had since I've been watching them...and that's a long time. The Cowboys didn't look prepared and didn't look like they gave a rip. How pathetic, how gutless, how embarrassing. I don't know any other words to describe it.

The Playoffs Start This Weekend for the Cowboys

2008-12-27T11:02:00.000-06:00

Even though this is the last week of the regular season, this is really the 1st "playoff game" for the Cowboys meaning that if they win this weekend in Filthadelphia they get into the playoffs...if not, then they don't. That is the definition of a playoff game, win and keep going...lose and go home. Even if the Foul win, they are not automatically in the playoffs as they need other teams to lose as well for them to get in. But that doesn't necessairly mean the Foul will roll over and die. And if there is one thing I KNOW about Filthadelphia, it's that they HATE all things Dallas, especailly the Cowboys. I expect the Foul to play exceptionally hard and feed off the raucous crowd so it would behoove the Cowboys to take the crowd out as soon as it can.

When these teams met in Dallas in Week 2, it was all about offense as the Cowboys outlasted the Eagles, 41-37. Romo was 21 of 30 for 310 yards and 3 TDs. It looked like Dallas' offense had everything clicking and the Super Bowl was in the reach. My how things have changed. Since that point, Romo got hurt and missed 4 games and since his return has been up and down from game to game. Two weeks ago against the Giants, he was up and finished the game with a 113.8 QB rating. Last week against the Ravens, he was down and finished the game with a 66.2 rating.

Not only has Romo been up and down each week but so has the offense as a whole. Dallas either blows away an opponent on the strength of Tony Romo’s passing, or it inexplicably struggles to score, letting down what’s usually a good defensive effort. I think Dallas' defense will shake off what happened to them the final 4 minutes of the Ravens game and play very well in a hostile environment. I think DeMarcus Ware will play well, as he has all year, and I hope he can break Strahan's single season sack record...all he needs is 3. That would be so great especailly coming against Filthadelphia. However, the defensive secondary needs to be wary of 2 players, DeSean Jackson (who burned them for a 60 yard completion in the earlier game) and Michael Westbrook who is basically the heart and soul of that offense. So goes Westbrook, so goes the Foul's offense. Dallas needs to account for both of those guys every play.

So with both of these defenses likely to be an attack mode, it comes down to which quarterback stands tall to consistently deliver the ball downfield. Romo has got to be smarter with the ball, not force the issue and just take what the defense gives him. If he has to throw the ball away, throw and incompletion or even take a sack he should do that rather than risk turning the ball over. This is NOT the game to get cute with the ball. TO Owens seems to play well against his former teams so I'm hoping he is a little more amped up than normal for this. If that is the case, I look for him to have a big game.

I think that the game will be similar to the Ravens game where both defenses control the other's offense and the team with the fewest mistakes will win. With everything that is on the line for Dallas and all the expectations of the team and the fact that they seem to play better when their back is against the wall, I think they will emerge victorious and grab the #6 seed. And I can think of few better opponents to do that against than Filthadelphia.

Prediction: Dallas 21, Filthadelphia 17

Mavs Still Continue to Surge

2008-12-26T09:45:00.003-06:00

Well, the Mavs continue to surge (15-4 in its last 19 games after opening 2-7) and got a real good win last night in Portland beating the Trailblazers 102-94. Before last night, Portland was 10-2 at home and has been one of the surprise teams this year. Portland hasn't made the playoffs since the 2001-2002 season but looks like they are set up for a while to come with solid young players like LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Oden, Travis Outlaw, Joel Pryzbilla and Brandon Roy. The Mavericks have played on Christmas just one other time, a win over Sacramento in 2003.

One thing that has been said about the Mavs in the past is that they are, typically, a soft team that is just content taking jump shots but don't drive to the basket that much and don't play with much of an edge. Well, last night, the Mavs definately played with an edge as Dirk spent most of the 2nd half on the bench in foul trouble and Josh Howard was ejected. Howard sent 7-foot-1 Joel Przybilla sprawling to the floor, then was hit with a technical for jawing with Przybilla, got the second technical seconds later and was ejected. Howard finished with 15 points.

Dirk did most of his damage in the first half of the game scoring 24 of his 30 points going 12-of-18 from the field. Jason Terry had 19 points off the bench. Terry has been vital coming off the bench this year and, right now, is a shoe in for the 6th Man of the Year award. I love JT but he is a one trick pony (even though he does that trick real well). And with the emergence of JJ Barea as a legitimate point guard, Terry is more valuable providing a scoring threat off the bench. I've seen some games this year where, for whatever reason, Dirk and a few other starters just weren't hitting that night. Terry came in, provided a spark and basically was a big reason they won in those games.

Speaking of J.J. Barea, he and Brandon Bass ran their own personal two-man game in the second half and combined for 14 points. They ran the pick and roll about as well as you can run it and Portland had no answer. Barea has come into his own, so to speak, the past month or so and has provided a lift at times when Dallas needed it. Although his consistency isn't quite game to game yet, there have been times where Barea looked like a poor man's version of Steve Nash. Let's hope he can continue to progress so when Kidd exits stage left, Barea can step in and fill that role.

Also, Dallas' defense has been better overall this year than it was last year. I know Avery Johnson talked, preached and, at times, screamed defense but the players just started to tune him out last year and it showed on the floor. And it looked like it would be more of the same this year thorugh the first 10 games as Dallas lost games in the final quarter multiple times. However last night, the Mavericks closed the game with a 12-2 run, while holding Brandon Roy to 0-for-3 in the final 3:33 of the game. That's the kind of defensive effort needed on a consistent basis for Dallas to contend for a playoff spot. With 7 of their next 9 games being against teams with sub .500 records, this is definatly the time the Mavs need to pad their record.

The Agony of Defeat...and I Mean Agony

2008-12-21T12:46:00.002-06:00

Well, my prediction of Dallas going 3-1 in December and cruising into the playoffs impolded last night (like what will be done to Texas Stadium eventually) when Dallas lost to Baltimore 33-24. I was actually at a youth Christmas party and only got to see the final 4 minutes of the first half but since I was tivoing it, I wasn't concerned about the game being on at the party. My wife sent me a text message to call her when I was on my way home. But when I did, the news she gave me about the game sent my blood pressure into orbit. She had watched the final 45 minutes of the game (not game time...real time) and proceded to tell me of the events. I just couldn't beleive it...and still can't really. How did Dallas lose that game last night? HOW?!?!?!?!?!?

I'm not saying that Baltimore was some sop team that Dallas was going to roll over. They were 9-5, like Dallas, before the game and had the #2 ranked defense in the NFL. They are a strong, physical team that generally doen't score a lot of points and relies on it's defense to help them win games (much like Pittsburgh). I really did think though that with the way the Cowboys have been playing defense lately, that they would be able to stop the Ravens and pull out a close win in front of a juiced up crowd aching for it. And if you would have told me Dallas put 24 points on Baltimore, I would have said "Dallas wins then". But it was the Cowboys vaunted defense which were the goats of the night. I still have a hard time believing the defense is what lost the game.

The game was pretty tight most of the way through, like I thought it would be, and with about 4 mintues to go in the game, Romo threw a touchdown to TO Owens to pull within 2 points. All Dallas had to do at that point was get a stop, turn the ball back over to the offense so they could drive down for a game winning field goal. I'm sure everyone else thought that would happen too. However, on Baltimore’s first snap after Owen’s touchdown, Baltimore RB Willis McGahee broke through a line bunched up to stop the run and ran 77 yards for a touchdown which tied the longest ever by an opponent at Texas Stadium. Dallas then worked down the field and Romo hit Witten in the endzone for another score again bringing Dallas within 2 points. So now was the time for the defense to step up. Even though they just allowed a long TD run, now was the time they need to focus and get a stop. Instead, on the very first play Baltimore had, RB Le'Ron McClain busted an 82 yard TD run breaking the record McGahee had tied only mintues before. Game over...

Even though Romo wasn't great (24 of 45 for 252 yards, 2 TDs and 2 Ints for a 66.3 rating) the offense played well enough to win the game. Tashard Choice played very well, again, filling in for injured Marion Barber who only carried the ball twice the whole game. The Cowboys jumped ahead 7-0 on a 2-yard touchdown by Tashard Choice, only the fourth rushing TD allowed by the Ravens all season. Choice ran for 90 yards, among the most all season against Baltimore.

Even though the defense is what lost the game for Dallas, DeMarcus Ware played at his usual high level. Choice's score was set up by Ware getting his NFL-leading 20th sack, which also caused Baltimore’s Joe Flacco to fumble. Ware had to forced fumbles in the game and is now three sacks from breaking Michael Strahan’s single-season NFL record. It would be a small silver lining if he could get those next week in Filthadelphia.

It took me a long time to go to sleep last night. I know that is completely assinine because I have no control over the game and, as my wife is fond of saying, "it is just a game...it's supposed to fun, you are supposed to enjoy it." And I do have to agree. But last night's game was important in two ways. One, it was important for Dallas to get into the playoffs. Now, even if Dallas wins next week in Filthadelphia, they will need a few other teams to lose in order to get into the playoffs. And second, it was important because that was the last football memory anyone will have in Texas Stadium as they will start play next year in their new $1.3 billion stadium in Arlington. From the looks of it on TV, only about half the crowd remained for the ceremony that featured introductions of about 100 former players. The Cowboys finished 213-100 in regular-season and postseason games at the home they moved into in 1971. I can't imagine what the crowd would have been like if the Cowboys had finished 214-99. But the loss sucked out most of the energy for the ceremony. What an utter shame.

Another thing that galled me about the game was what some Ravens players said after the game. Willis McGahee said “we spoiled their day. It was probably the best concert ever in Irving, Texas.” What? Why do you have to be a jerk dude? I actually liked you before you opened your pie hole. Now, you can go take a flying leap for all I care. I would expect that from someone that plays for the Giants, Deadskins or Foul. But where is your animosity coming from? You couldn't just win with class could you? Jerk. Same thing for Terrell Suggs who said “I hope they enjoyed their little ceremony. I guess we were kind of like the dynamite.” Now, I wish nothing but failure on Baltimore not because they beat Dallas but because they acted like Grade A horse's rears about it.

If, Dallas wins next week (and that's a big IF) and IF they somehow get into the playoff (which at this point I think is minimal at best), I think it will be one last mulligan from the sports gods. If that is the case, the defense better play their absolute best. They owe that to the offense, for once, and the fans who were at the game last night. But at this point, I don't think that will happen. Training camp seems so long ago but at that time this team was thought of as not only a Super Bowl participant but a probable winner as well. This loss is a tough one to swallow, that's for sure.

The Final Game at Texas Stadium

2008-12-20T13:04:00.002-06:00

Well, I don't have much time so this isn't going to be a long post. I will write another post tomorrow or later this week reflecting on Texas Stadium and that it's time is almost over.

For the game tonight however, I think Dallas needs to follow the same formula that they played with the past two games. The defense needs to continue to play balls to the wall, lights out and the offense needs to make plays when they are there but not force anything and commit turnovers. Baltimore, just like Pittsburgh, thrives off turnovers and, if given the chance, can take an interception back for a touchdown. Baltimore (9-5) has the league’s second-ranked total defense (257.5 yards per game) and third-ranked scoring defense (15.2 ppg) so I think it's going to be another hard hitting, relatively low scoring game. And even though Dallas has several players on the injured list this week, Baltimore has several key defensive players that are banged up too. Hopefully Dallas can take advantage of that.

Baltimore needs this game as badly as Dallas so they are going to roll in and give it their best shot. They are 9-5 and like Dallas, if Baltimore wins out it will be guaranteed one of its conference’s two wild card spots. However, they benefit from playing in the same division as Cincinnati and Cleveland, so there is 4 of their 9 wins right there. The Raven's offense is ranked 21st in the league and their passing offense is ranking 28th so they don't have terribly much that scares me offensively. I think Dallas' defense can hold Baltimore down enough while the Cowboy's offense can do just enough to win. I also think that a big defensive play/turnover or play on special teams could be the difference in the game. Plus, I really don't think the football gods would deny the Cowboys a win in their final game at Texas Stadium.

My prediction: Dallas 17, Baltimore 13

Dominating Defense

2008-12-15T12:58:00.005-06:00

I've gotta say that I'm more than a little impressed with the way the Cowboys have been playing defense lately. In fact, since the Tampa game in late October, the Dallas defense really has only had one questionable game and that was when they played the Giants in New York. I was impressed last week when, in a hostile environment against probably the best team in the AFC in bitterly cold weather, Dallas' defense dominated the majority of the game vs. the Steelers. But Sunday night against the Giants, the Cowboys' defense put on a show that was just ridiculously good. DeMarcus Ware sacked Eli Manning on New York’s first snap and the pressure never stopped. Ware finished with three sacks, upping his NFL-leading total to 19. It was the Dallas' third straight game with at least five sacks and Ware is only 3 1/2 sacks short of Michael Strahan's season record of 22 1/2. Not only was 8 sacks impressive but it was extremely impressive who it was against. In two games against Dallas this season, Manning was sacked 12 times; he’s been sacked only 11 times in the other 12 games combined. Not only was Eli on his back a lot of the game, he was not particularly effective when he did avoid getting sacked going 18-of-35 for 191 yards and 2 interceptions for a QB rating of 43.9.

Not only did the Cowboys do a good job harassing Manning but they limited the Giants offense to only 218 total yards (72 rushing; 146 passing). The Giants offense averages 348 yards per game and leads the NFL in rushing offense at 148 yards per game. So by shutting down NY's rushing attack, they put the game in Eli's hands and could afford to pin their ears back and rush him more effectively because play action was not as effective.

True, the Giants were playing without 2 of their top 3 offensive weapons as Brandon Jacobs was out with an injured knee and Plaxico Burress is suspended the remainder of the year. When I heard that Jacobs was out on Friday, I was a little more sure the Cowboys were in a good position. Not overconfident mind you, but just a little more sure. Jacobs is one of the spark plugs in the Giants' offense. The other two guys (Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw) are good clean up players that compliment Jacobs well but Jacobs is THE key to the Giants offense. He is the bruising RB that is hard to stop when he gets a head of steam...kinda reminds me of Jerome Bettis when he was playing.

While it didn't produce eye popping numbers, the offense did what they needed to do to win the game. Despite taking a beating of his own, Romo was 20-of-30 for 244 yards and two touchdowns for a 113.8 QB rating. Oh and he did not have a turnover in the game which is a big plus. However, the offensive star actually was Choice for the 2nd week in a row. He had 91 yards on only nine carries, and he was the leading receiver with 52 yards on four catches. His 38-yard touchdown run sealed the game for Dallas. The Giants aren't too shabby on defense either as they are #4 in the league at stopping the run.

You can make the comparison that this season's Cowboys team is like last season's Giants team...and vice versa. Last year, Dallas started out 12-1 and looked like a lock to go to the Super Bowl. However, they went 2-2 in the month of December (and didn't play especially well in their 2 wins) and they lost 3 of their final 5 games including their playoff game loss to the Giants. This year, the Cowboys started out hot but had a rough patch in the middle of the year (losing 3 of 4 games) but have turned it around primarily because of the way their defense has played.

Last year, the Giants were a solid team but really elevated their level of play in December, primarily because the defense starting playing more aggressive and putting more pressure on opposing QBs (just as Dallas has done in the past 5 games) which took them all the way to the Super Bowl and helped them defeat the seemingly invincible New England Patriots. This year, the Giants started out white hot going 11-1 but have since lost their last 2 games. And with 2 games to go against Carolina and Minnesota, it is conceivable the Giants go 0-4 in December and limp into the playoffs, just a Dallas did last year.

***Note: I'm NOT saying Dallas will go to the Super Bowl here...just making a comparison between the similarities of two teams and how they each started and finished the last two seasons.

I'm just encouraged by the way Dallas is now playing on defense because the old adage is correct...offense wins you games, defense wins you championships. If Dallas is to get to the Super Bowl, their current defensive effort is going to have to continue.

The Next Biggest Game of the Year

2008-12-12T12:11:00.007-06:00

What a zoo. Just when you think the drama at Valley Ranch has died down, all the carnies start stirring the pot. Late yesterday, instead of focusing on the monumental game coming up this weekend against the Giants, the following story surfaced which indicates the team's focus is actually on each other:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3763209

How many times has Romo thrown to Owens and he had dropped the freaking ball? Witten does have some drops but they are quite rare. Also, in last week's game, Owens quit on a route that Romo threw to him on and the result of Owens just pulling up resulted in an interception by Troy Polamalu. So to me, I don't necessarily fault Romo for not going back to Owens all that often after that. But that's just my opinion. Oh, and what WR had his biggest game just 2 games ago when he had 213 receiving yards? Hmmm, any guesses?

Maybe there is nothing to this but honestly, I am about sick to death of TO Owens and the line of crap he throws out to everyone. However, this is not the usual TO Owens "I'm not getting the ball enough" garbage we've heard several times this year. There were actually multiple players who, anonymously, gave their two cents on Owens and all his antics. I certainly hope this is not the beginning of what happened between Owens and the Filthadelphia Foul when he played for them. The situation is different (Owens' issue with the Foul was that he wasn't getting paid enough) although the result could be the same.

I've never made any bones about it...I don't like the man at all just as I didn't like Deion Sanders. Owens, like Deion, is an immensely talented individual and if he uses that talent for the betterment of the Cowboys, I will cheer. But I have never cheered, nor ever will, for Owens like I cheer for Romo, Barber, Witten, Aikman, Emmitt or Michael. I can't believe this guy thinks Romo and Witten are holding private meetings without him to draw up plays to use in games. What freaking planet is this guy from?

So, after all that, the following comments surfaced this morning on the the Dallas Morning News' Cowboys blog, from Terrance Newman, where it looks like he is calling out coaches for having no accountability:

http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/12/terence-newman-accountability-problems-s.html

Good lord, what is going on around here? If someone didn't know any better they wouldn't know Dallas is preparing for their next biggest game of the season. Dallas can really ill afford to lose any of their final three games if they want to make the playoffs. So that makes this weekend's game vs. the Giants pretty big. Add to that the fact that it's going to be on Sunday night football on NBC and it's even bigger. And now, with all the "turmoil" going on, the spotlight is even more on the team. Unfortunately, we will get a massive dose of all this rehashed on Sunday as I'm quite sure every pregame and post game show on FOX/CBS/NBC will be chatting this thing up. And

Up until yesterday, I was so looking forward to this game because I really thought that Dallas was getting the Giants at the most opportune time. Brandon Jacobs has been ruled out of Sunday's game and, of course, Plaxico Burress will not be in uniform as he has been suspended the remainder of the season by NY. Those two things alone are huge for Dallas. That's not to say that the Giants are completely depleted on offense. The game is still going to be hard hitting and difficult however with both Jacobs and Burress not playing, the game is more winnable for Dallas than it would have been if they were playing. I still think Dallas is getting the Giants at a good time however are they going to be able to focus long enough to get the job done or are they going to implode on the sidelines in front of the entire country?

Since I'm biased, I think Dallas will find a way to get it done this week. Both teams are beat up (Dallas has 14 players on the injury list) but this is a division game and I hope Dallas remembers what NY did to them back in early November. Dallas is the more desperate team and the game is a home game for them as well. Those facts, plus Jacobs and Burress being out for NY, leave the "W" door open just enough for Dallas to squeeze through. Like I said, it won't be easy but I think the end result will put the Cowboys one step closer to the playoffs.

Prediction: Dallas 24, NY 21.

What a Bummer

2008-12-08T15:59:00.005-06:00

What an absolute kick to the nads. I was the only one out of all my friends (who I discussed the game with) that legitimately thought Dallas would win on Sunday. I really did. I thought they would need to play a low scoring, defensive style game in order to win and for 3 1/2 quarters, they did that. And then, that dreaded ending to a close game happenend when Romo overthrew a pass to Witten, deep in their own end of the field, which ended up getting picked off and run back for the game winning score by Pittsburgh. Holy cow.

Offensively, they were good in spots, but overall not all that great. I will say this...Tashard Choice was awesome in fill in duty for Marion Barber. Choice ran for 88 yards in his first NFL start, the most against Pittsburgh all season, and had 166 total yards. Those stats would have been awesome no matter who they were playing but especially playing Pittsuburgh. Romo, coming off successive 300-yard games, was decent at times and below average at times as he ended the day 19-of-36 for 210 yards, 1 TD and three interceptions. In fact, he and Big Ben Roethlisberger had very similar stats as Big Ben was 17 of 33 for 204 and 1 TD. The glaring difference between the two (and the difference in the game) was that Roethlisberger didn't turn the ball over.

Defensively though, the Cowboys were outstanding to say the least. They did everything asked of them and more. Through 3 quarters of play, the Steelers only had 89 yards of offense. It was by far the best defensive effort I've seen all year. Pittsburgh has one of the league's best running games and the Cowboys answered the bell nearly everytime and really had the game well in hand until midway through the 4th quarter. That goal line stand on 4th down was a thing of absolute beauty and at that time, I really thought that was the game...I thought Dallas would walk away with the "W". It was a championship level defensive performance and one that everyone around here has been waiting for. It's just a shame that effort was wasted. I say wasted in that the team walked away with a loss, which is really all that matters. But my hope is that the defense can look squarely in the eye of their opposition in the next 3 games and know they can go toe to toe with them on every play.

I will say that Pac Man, in his first game back from his suspension, played decent on defense as he broke up a couple of passes thrown his way. So I give him props for that. My question is this: what is doing when he returns punts? Aside from the VERY POOR decison to try to field a punt at the 5 YARD LINE (which he muffed but then recovered) all I see is a bunch of juking left and right and he even sometimes looses yardage too. Here's a hint Pac Man...run north and south, NOT east and west. You are NOT Deion who could afford to do that because there was always the possibility of the punt return going for big yardage or a touchdown. And that is what I've heard about Pac Man but until I see it, he is just another guy. And to be honest, I trust Crayton to return punts more than Pac Man.

I'm sure Romo will take a lot of heat this week and he rightfully should. I love the guy's playmaking ability, and I understand playmaking is risky by it's very nature, but Romo has got to be smarter in situations like Sunday where he threw the interception that was returned for a touchdown. The Cowboys didn't need to score at that point because the score was tied. He didn't need to force anything. Dallas could have punted the ball away and with the time left (probably around 40 seconds or so), the Steelers would have had to move the ball to get in field goal range...which would have had to be closer than normal because of the cold weather. But Romo chose to take a risk and it ended up hurting the team. Only time will tell how bad it hurt the team. I think Romo is a great QB but until he starts performing better in December/playoffs, his reputation will be "one that can't win the big one" as Petyon Mannings was.

The weather didn’t help during yet another December disappointment for Dallas, which is 17-29 in the month since 1996. I still think (and maybe it's just blind hope) that Dallas will end the month of December 3-1. And to make the playoffs, they will have to because it looks like Tampa Bay, which Dallas holds the tie breaker over, will get to 11 wins and will get 1 of the 2 Wild Cards. So that leave a gaggle of other teams, some of which will get to 10-6, vying for the last Wild Card spot. And Dallas won't hold tie breakers over many of those teams. So, to definately get into the playoffs, the Cowboys must run the table and win all three of their last games. If they continue to play defense like they did this past weekend, I think that is entirely possible. With 2 of the last 3 games at home, where there should be agreeable weather, if they don't win out there is going to be hell to pay.

If Dallas can win their remaining games and streak into the playoffs, I see Sunday's loss as the type of loss the Giants had when the lost to the Patriots last year. That loss gave NY all kinds of confidence because they lost in the last few minutes of the game proving that they could go toe to toe with New England. And that loss eventually propelled the Giants to the Super Bowl...and everyone knows the rest of the story.

Uh oh...Barber's Out vs. Pittsburgh

2008-12-06T21:22:00.004-06:00

A friend of mine and I were talking yesterday about Sunday's Cowboys - Steelers game on Sunday. When I told him I thought Dallas would win a low scoring, muck-it-up type game (kind of like the Washington game 3 weeks ago) he asked me "even without Barber?" (Marion Barber dislocated his pinkie toe on one of his feet during the Thanksgiving Day game vs. Seattle). I told him I heard was it would be a game time decision and that I really thought he would give it a go. I mean this is probably the biggest game for Dallas to this point in the season and with the way some of the other teams have been winning, Dallas can ill afford to lose 2 of the remaining 4 games.

Well, today about mid day I got a text message saying that Barber was definitely out for Sunday's game and didn't even get on the team charter up to Pittsburgh. Ouch. Actually make that double ouch because of how the Steeler's defense is playing. Pittsburgh leads the NFL in rushing defense with 71.2 yards per game average, the lowest by any team since the 1970 NFL merger, and have not allowed an opposing back to gain even 80 yards.

With Barber out, that means the bulk of the dirty work is going to have to go to rookie Tashard Choice who Dallas drafted in the 4th round this past April. Choice, from Georgia Tech, rushed for a career-high 57 yards on 11 carries when he replaced Barber on Thanksgiving, giving him 147 yards on 30 carries this season. And really, that isn't too shaby...4.9 yards per rush. I'll take that any day. However, playing Seattle's defense and Pittsburgh's defense are pretty much night and day. Backing up Choice will be Alonzo Coleman who Dallas signed off their practice squad where he had spent the better part of the past two years.

So it looks as if Dallas' chances of coming out of Pittsburgh with a "W" don't seem that great. But you know what...I'm not backing off my original prediction. I'm sticking with Dallas winning a lower scoring slug fest-type game. I think the Cowboy's defense has improved enough in recent weeks that they can keep the game close and I think Dallas has enough weapons on offense that they will be able to score a few times which may be all that's needed.

The key to this game is turnovers though. The team who wins the turnover battle I think will win. This is where Dallas' defense can keep them in the game. However, Pittsburgh has gotten more than their fair share of takeaways this year as well. Garrett needs to call a more conservative game tomorrow and Romo needs to play more conservatively, much to the chagrin of TO Owens. With two YOUNG RBs carrying the load for the team, the offense can't really afford to take more than a couple of shots down field.

The game might also come down to which ever team can make a big play on special teams. This is where Pac Man Jones comes in. He makes his triumphant return to the lineup and will be not only returning punts but will be back returning kicks. Everything I heard in the off season about this guy said that he is dynamic when he gets the ball in his hands. But we have yet to see that...at all. So this is Pac Man's chance to shine and put everything that happened earlier in the season to rest. If he can bust a kick return or punt for big yardage, or even a TD, that could be the difference in the game.

Dallas is more desperate to get a win than Pittsburgh. That doesn't mean they want the game more than the Steelers but the Cowboys can less afford a loss right now. That plus the Steelers defense may be a bit overconfident knowing Barber is out. Or maybe I'm just hoping against hope and this is all wishful thinking. But I gotta stick with my original prediction...I think Dallas finds a way to win an ugly game.

Prediction: Dallas 20, Pittsburgh 17

Mavs Over .500 for the First Time

2008-12-03T15:11:00.002-06:00

Well, after the first nine games of the season, Dallas looked like they had fallen off the mountain...literally. At that time, they were 2-7 and didn't look like they knew how or had any interest in playing defense...especially in the final quarter of those games. They just couldn't keep up the scoring pace simply because they couldn't get the stops needed to get them back in the game. However, since then, the Mavs have gone 7-1 and looks like they have pulled this thing out of the mud. I think this is important because they have done the bulk of this without Josh Howard who has been sidelined the past 6 games with a gimpy ankle. Even though Josh is a knucklehead, he's a decent basketball player the Mavs count on. So for them to turn things around this starkly without him is remarkable.

Last night, Dallas played the Clippers who beat them earlier in the season (during that 2-7 stretch). During the previous game, the Mavs got down big and fought back to even the score in the 4th quarter only to get blown out because they had nothing left in the tank to continue the fight. This looked like the same type of game last night as the Clippers (who are one of the worst teams in the league) pretty much scored at will on Dallas and held a 15 point lead going into the 4th quarter. Zach Randolph had 27 points and 10 rebounds and anyone that says they were glad the Mavs didn't get him because he is a knucklehead really doesn't know what the Mavs need and what they don't. Randolph is a beast and the Mavs made a run to try to trade for him but he went to the Clippers instead. How great would that have been if he was the inside presence vs. Dampier/Diop?

The Mavs started the 4th quarter down 15 pts and so they went from man-to-man to zone and the Clippers had no idea how to score against it. You would have thought that was the first time they had ever seen zone defense at all. Dallas closed out the game on an 18-4 run. In fact, Dallas never led in the game until Jose Barea (Jose Barea?!?!) hit the go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute as the Mavs rallied from a 15-point deficit in the 4th quarter for a 100-98 win.

Dallas' next few opponents (Phoenix, Atlanta and San Antonio) are a little stiffer competition than the Clippers but I like the turnaround and the fight the team has shown the last few weeks. I still don't think the ending result will be any different than last year (one and done in the playoffs) but at least they are playing well as a team again. Bring on the Suns!

The Stretch Run...Not The Cowboys Favorite Time of Year

2008-12-01T21:13:00.002-06:00

Well, I've been a little slack the past few weeks with posting thoughts on what's been going on with the Cowboys but really, I can't get too fired up about San Francisco and Seattle. Dallas did what they were supposed to do and dispensed with both with relative ease.

The annual Thanksgiving game vs. Seattle was never really in doubt as the Seahawks lost their fifth straight game and looked pretty bad doing it. It's a shame to see how far and fast they have fallen due in part to injury however the team is just not playing well. Julius Jones, who I thought would have been motivated to show Dallas just what they missed in not resigning him, showed the Cowboys what they saw the past couple of seasons when he was with Dallas. Jones was held to 37 yds. rushing on 11 carries. Now I remember why they didn't resign him. The defense racked up seven sacks—three by Ware, giving him an NFL-best 15. The offense seems to be clicking on all cylinders as they scored touchdowns on the first three drives and points on the first four. Romo looked like his old self again as he fired for 331 passing yards and 3 TDs. He is expected to be back to full strength for the next game with the splint on his finger being removed.

So, now that the Cowboys have clawed their way back into the playoff hunt, they will need to do something they haven't done since 2001...have a winning record in the month of December. And I can't think of a tougher final month they've faced in recent years than they will face this year: at Pittsburgh, home against New Yawk, home against Baltimore and they finish up the season in Filthadelphia. For any time this year, that would be brutal. But for a team that is 18-31 in the month of December since 1996, it looks almost impossible. Every one of those teams is in the top 11 defensively and 3 of them are in the top 7. So Dallas is going to have to slug it out, put their head down and bull rush their way toward the playoffs. Here's how I see the final month shaking out for the Cowboys:

Pittsburgh is the top defensive team (no surprise) in the league in just about every category. And judging from what they did to New England, in Foxboro, they are probably the top team in the AFC and more than likely will the the AFC representative in the Super Bowl. However, they are not a team that is going to put up crazy offensive numbers as they average just a little over 22 pts per game. If Dallas can jump on them early and get out to a lead, they might be able to hold them off. This is what I'm betting on but I really don't expect Dallas to get into a slug fest with the Steelers and win. But Dallas will do just enough to come away with a win.

The New Yawk Giants, much to my dismay, have just continued to roll through the season unfazed by any personnel loss or "distraction" that occurs off the field. That is definitely something I admire about the team. In the last couple of years, they have lost Tiki Barber, Michael Strahan, Jeremy Shockey, Osi Umenyiora and David Tyree and ended up with a Super Bowl win and a franchise first 11-1 start this season. Adding to that, their best offensive weapon, Plaxico Burress may not rejoin the team the rest of the year due to an off the field incident with a gun and guess what...the Giants don't even care. Why is that? Because they don't need him. They just keep winning. However, I have a good feeling about this game for Dallas...don't know why at this point but I'm calling this a "W" right now. You read it here first.

The Baltimore game is probably the trickiest of the bunch because it will be after what I think will be an extremely hard fought victory over the NFC's best team. Dallas will be emotionally and physically spent and I think Baltimore comes to town and beats Dallas pretty good...probably by 14 pts. The Ravens are a little like the Steelers in that they play hard nose physical defense, a staple of theirs, but also can hurt you with a few offensive weapons too. Their rookie QB Joe Flacco is not playing like a rookie and will be the key in their victory over Dallas.

And last, but certainly the least, the Filthadelphia Foul. This is where I think Dallas makes their mark. I think the Cowboys will have to have 11 wins to guaranty a playoff spot so this could be the determining game for that. And Filthadelpia loves to beat Dallas, especially TO Owens, so they will be pretty rev ed up. But I think Dallas goes in and beat a Foul team which will be out of the playoffs at that point and looking for a new QB...McNabb won't return to Filthy next season.

So, I have Dallas winning 3 of their final 4 games and getting into the playoffs as the #5 seed. Maybe this is just homer ism or blind faith because nothing in the recent history supports anything I just said. But something is different with this team and maybe it's the adversity they had to overcome in the middle of the season. But if the Giants, can turn their season around and use a productive December to vault into the post season, I certainly think Dallas can do it too. The gauntlet has been thrown...let's see if Dallas is up to the task.

Big College Football Weekend

2008-11-26T12:46:00.003-06:00

Well, I was only slightly off on my prediction last week that OU would win by a mere 14 points. Ha! It has been a long time since I have seen such a thorough dismantling of a team like OU took apart Tech last weekend. I turned the game off at half time because, even though I said no lead is insurmountable for Tech, I could tell the Raiders were done. They weren't going to win, much less come back...not that night, in that stadium, against that OU team. No way. There was not a team in the country that could have won that game against OU. Not Texas, not USC, not Florida, not Alabama...nobody. It's just a shame that Tech had to lose in such a fashion, on national tv, in a game that would have solidified them as true national championship contenders. Because now, with the way they lost and when they lost, even IF OU gets beat by OSU this weekend and Tech beats Mizzou in the Big XII championship game, I don't think Tech will get to the BCS Championship...I just don't. Losing 65-21 on prime time tv does that unfortunately. They may get a BCS bowl big even if they don't win the Big XII, but I don't think Miami is in Tech's future.

OU is in the drivers seat because they "control their own destiny" in that if they win out, they will be in Miami on Jan. 8th. And right now, with they way OU is playing, I can't aruge with that any. However, Texas is still in a nice spot because IF they take care of business this tomorrow night against the Aggies, then all they have to do is sit back and watch what unfolds. The way I see it, Texas could still get to the championship if one of the following happens:

-OSU beats OU this weekend
-OU beats OSU, then OU loses to Mizzou in the Big XII Champ. game
-Florida St. beats Florida this weekend, then Florida beats Alabama in SEC Champ. game.

That last scenario assumes OU wins out and makes it to the national championship game. That would stage OU vs. Texas for the BCS Championship. A couple of people have told me that can't happen because in order to play for the national championship, you have to win your conference. However, I am 99% sure that is not a rule. I have looked for that everywhere and I simply can't find it. Plus think back to 2003 when OU got drilled by Kansas St. in the Big XII champ. game and then wound up playing USC in the title game (where they got smoked even worse). The BCS would lick their chops at the thought of an OU-TX champ. game. The ratings, I think, would be through the roof. And it is possible that happens...probably not a huge possibility because I don't think Florida will lose to Florida State.

At this point, if I had to name my title game today based on how I think things will shake out, I would put Florida and OU in Miami. Although I would love to see Texas there, I think OU has the inside track and it's gonna take an almost perfect game from OSU or Mizzou to beat the Sooners. And yes, I know Alabama is currently #1 and, up until now, I haven't even mentioned them. But, even though they are a great team, I don't think they have the horses to keep up with Florida, period. However, we're not at that point yet so let's just be concerned with what's happening this weekend. Whatever happens, it's gonna be a great weekend for college football.

***Oh, and this post wouldn't be complete without me mentioning the greatness that was LSWho going down in utter flames last weekend to Ole Miss. And the fact that the game was in Baton Rouge made it even better. To me, LSWho fans and Filthadelpia Foul fans are on the same level. So to see both of those teams just get stomped last weekend gave me, well, joy.

Hey TO Owens, You Satisfied with 213 Yards?

2008-11-24T20:22:00.001-06:00

TO Owens generally seems to have big days against his former team. In Dallas’ 2nd game this year, playing the Filthadelphia Foul, he had 89 yards receiving (on just 3 receptions) and 2 touchdowns. Last year, when Dallas visited Filthadelphia, Owens caught 10 balls for 174 yards and a touchdown. Needless to say, TO Owens is motivated when he plays against former teams. This was no different yesterday as Owens had 7 receptions for a whopping 213 yards and 1 TD helping Dallas win 35-22 over the San Francisco Forty Whiners. That was the second-most yards of his career, behind only the game he played for San Francisco in 2000 when he caught an NFL-record 20 passes for 283 yards. Earlier in the week, Owens was interviewed by Deion Sanders (um…ok) of the NFL Network and indicated that he was not getting the ball enough and that “when I get the ball in my hands things happen.”

I know Owens is a drama queen. I know this is what we (or whatever team he is playing for) have to deal with when he is on the team. But for the love of Tom Landry, give it a freaking rest TO. Especially now that Tony Romo is back at the helm. You are going to get your numbers. Just take a valium, run the correct routes, GET OPEN and the ball will find its way to you. You don’t have to go on the freaking NFL network to espouse you getting the ball more. During the 3 games that Romo wasn’t playing, who exactly was going to get you the ball? Neither of the other two quarterbacks on the Cowboy’s roster, that’s for darn sure. Since 2006, you and Romo have hooked up for more TDs than any other QB/WR tandem. So just chill!

TO Owens ability to magically get open was due in part to his ability but also due in part to the soft San Francisco defense. And when I say soft, I don’t mean gutless. I mean that
Nate Clements played several yards off the line of scrimmage instead of jamming Owens during the first 5 yards. The fact that Owens got off the line cleanly and unmolested meant that he had a running start and, in most cases, he will pass most corners in the league. I really have no idea why San Fran’s defense played Owens like this. In just about every other game, the cornerbacks were right up in Owens face and would hit him as the ball was snapped which interrupted his timing and blew him off his route before he even got started. But the Forty Whiners? Who know why they didn’t employ this obvious and useful tactic against Owens. I’m not complaining…just wondering.

Romo was back on his game although it took a full quarter to get there. The first quarter of the game the offense seems to be AWOL and Romo wasn’t doing much to help. However, by the end of the day Romo was 23-of-39 for 341 yards and three touchdowns. That is what we are used to seeing from him around here. Also, I noticed something else which was absent from him, even when they were winning, before he got hurt…his smile. I know that might seem gay saying that but seriously, I think part of Romo’s success is due to his carefree personality and we saw some of that return on Sunday…and it was good to see it back.

The defense played well enough in the first quarter to keep the Cowboys in the game until the offense got warmed up. San Francisco missed a 53-yard field goal on its opening drive, then reached first-and-goal from the 4 on its next two drives—yet managed only a pair of field goals. The fact that San Fran was dominating the Cowboys in the first quarter, yet only had 6 points to show for it, was huge. I really think that played a big part of why they got so far behind. Shaun Hill was sacked four times, including consecutive plays inside the 20 in the first quarter. And Frank Gore who, before Sunday, was responsible for 1/3 of San Fran’s offense was held to 26 yards on 14 rushes. So the front seven picked up where they left off last week in Washington.

However, the defensive unit as a whole didn’t play as well as they did last week, especially the defensive backs. The Forty Whiners were passing the ball all over the Cowboys in the first quarter. The Dallas corners made Isaac Bruce look like he was 15 years younger and he ran free time after time after time. TE Vernon Davis would have had a touchdown in Shaun Hill had been more accurate because Davis was behind everyone running free but the pass from Hill was just a bit to long for him. This is an area Dallas desperately needs to shore up before their brutal Dec. schedule hits…and it IS brutal. But, injuries have killed this part of the team with Roy Williams being on IR, Mike Jenkins being iffy for Thanksgiving, Pat Watkins being banged up and Terrance Newman not 100%. This is probably why Jerry is welcoming back Pac Man Jones with open arms…because he has to. I’m not going to rant and rave about this because, frankly, I don’t want to get worked up again. Just be rest assured that I am against Pac Man coming back to the Cowboys and really don’t see how it can help the team. He is a bad seed, will always be such and it will only be a matter of time before he is banned for life from the NFL.

The Cowboys need to get more consistent especially before their final four games. They really ought to win on Thursday against a Seattle team that can’t seem to get out of their own way. They will be playing a fired up Julius Jones but with the way they have played run defense the past few weeks, I anticipate seeing what we saw from Julius last year…a whole lot of nothing. Hopefully they can shake off any soreness and get through Thursday’s game without any more injuries and get a good 9 day rest to get ready to invade Steel town…and the rest of their gauntlet in December.

Can Tech Do It Again?

2008-11-21T16:29:00.000-06:00

This year, the Big XII has been ridiculously good. And even though I’m more an SEC guy, I have to admit that this year the Big XII is better. A big reason for that is the offenses in the Big XII and two of the big dogs, Texas Tech and OU, square off tomorrow in Norman with the winner moving one more step toward the Big XII title and the national championship game.

Tech has been in the zone lately. They beat Texas a few weeks ago on a last second touchdown to Crabtree. It was the biggest game Tech had ever been apart of…and they didn’t blow it. That may seem like a harsh statement but really the last few years, they have done exactly that. They have feasted on the weaker bunk mates of the Big XII south but then when time comes to play Texas or OU, they seemingly cower and get rolled. But not this year. This year, Tech has a decent running game, to compliment their usual ultra pass happy offense, and they have a very solid defense which all but shut Colt McCoy down in the first half of the Texas game and limited Okla. State’s QB, Zach Robinson, to only 182 passing yards. In my opinion, the reason Tech is where they are this year is the emergence of their defense but in order to win tomorrow in Norman, a place where Leech (who was Stoops’ offensive coordinator in 1999) has never won since leaving in 2000 to become Tech’s head coach, Tech’s defense is going to have to bring their “A” game. The Sooners carry the nation’s longest home winning streak at 23 games, and this is probably the biggest game in Norman since top-ranked Nebraska came calling in 2000. The Huskers left in defeat that day and OU marched on to the national championship behind QB Josh Huepel (who is now OU’s QB coach). Oh yeah, OU is 59-2 at home under Stoops…not too shabby.

I feel like the masses still haven’t fully bought into Tech yet though...or maybe it’s just me. I mean, everyone knows Tech is very good…probably great. But when you mention teams that are in the national championship hunt, Tech is not a team that generally comes to mind. That’s probably because of their history, or lack thereof, in big games like this. This is exactly the type of game that Tech would usually lay an egg. And to be quite honest, I thought they would do just that two weeks ago against Oklahoma State however the exact opposite happened. But OSU is not OU and Mike Gundy is not Bob Stoops. OU has also had a 2 week layoff from their last game, just as Tech did, so both teams should be rested up and ready to roll.

Tech is going to score some point as they almost always do. Their offense is probably the best oiled machine in college football today…darn near unstoppable. Techs QB Graham Harrell, who has 36 TD passes and leads the nation with 4,077 yards, has already guided the Red Raiders to victory against Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma State in consecutive weeks. OU's secondary struggled with passes over the middle against Texas, and that's where Texas Tech makes its living. And just when you think you know what pass Tech is going to throw next, they’ll slip a running play in on you. Tech doesn't run the ball a bunch, but they run it effectively keeping the opposition off balance and guessing.

OU will also score as they normally do. The Sooners have scored on everyone, including five TD passes by Bradford in a 45-35 loss to Texas. Texas Tech's pass defense is better than people think, but Bradford on his home turf should be lethal. OU’s running game, while not what it was with Adrian Peterson, is effective and a bit better than Tech’s. OU scores in bunches quickly and if they get up early, things could get ugly for Tech. However, with Tech’s offense and the efficiency of it, no lead is insurmountable (Tech rallied from a 31 point deficit to beat Minnesota in the Insight Bowl game two years ago).

I think this game will come down to OU’s offensive line vs. Tech’s defensive line. If OU can get their running game going and consistently keep the chains moving, I’m not sure Tech’s defense will be able to hold up. OU’s o-line is pretty big and when they are working well, they push defenses around like nobody else. However, if OU gets into a quick scoring match where they are trying to match Tech score for score, OU could be in trouble. I think OU needs to slow down their offense and grind it out a bit more. The key for OU is to lean on Tech’s defense more and more, thereby keeping Tech’s offense off the field, and by the 4th quarter, their defense will be gassed. And I think that is what will happen.

As much as I would love to see Tech win (I’ve got no love for OU), I think their schedule catches up with them here. Plus the fact that OU is at home where they have lost 2 times since ’99 I think is too much for Tech to overcome. I think it will be a good game but in the end, I think OU wins by 14 points.

What A Game

2008-11-18T19:50:00.002-06:00

Well, I know it's been a couple of days since Dallas' 14-10 victory over the Deadskins but I've had so much going on and have been so tired that this is the first chance I've had to post my post game thoughts. There is so much to say, I'm not sure where to begin. I think the main thing is that the Cowboys played as a team for the first time in a while. Really, ever since the 1st game against the Redskins, Dallas has played like a bunch of individuals and not as a team. However, on Sunday night, the team concept seemed to return which yielded positive results. I did have a feeling that Dallas would pull this thing out of the ditch and get it pointed in the right direction...now what they do from here is up to them.

A couple of injured players, Romo and Newman, returned on Sunday night and both made a pretty big impact. To start off, it is now clear what Tony Romo means to this thing. While Romo didn't produce eye popping numbers as he usually does (he completed 19 of 27 passes for 198 yards and 2 INTs) he made plays when the team needed him to. One of the biggest plays in the game came right after the usually sure handed Witten was wide open and dropped a pass that hit him on the hands. It was 3 down and 7 and, with the pocket collapsing, Romo flipped a little forward pass to Miles Austin for a first down. That was huge because on the very next play, Romo hit Martellus Bennett for a 25 yard touchdown, which proved to be the go ahead score.

Terrance Newman, who had also been out for several weeks, returned and looked like he made it his mission to shut Santana Moss down who absolutely torched Newman in Dallas earlier in the season. NBC flashed up a stat that said Moss, since signing with Washington in 2005, had averaged over 100 yards a game every time he played the Cowboys. However, on Sunday he only had 5 receptions for 29 yards and one of those was for 13 yards. Moss was definitely shut down. And Newman had several balls he knocked away from Moss and even intercepted a ball thrown to Moss.

The defense, as a whole, played lights out. After allowing a touchdown on Washington's first drive, the Dallas defense only allowed 3 pts the rest of the game. And while Dallas' offense was shooting themselves in the foot from time to time with interceptions or untimely penalties, the defense kept them in the game and didn't allow Washington the kill shot they were looking for. Jay Ratliff made a huge sack which knocked Washington out of field goal range and as a result, The Deadskins had to go for it on 4th down which they did not convert.

And this post wouldn't be complete without talking about the man's man, Marion Barber. He reminded me so much of Emmitt during the game especially with the way he finished the game off. With 6 minutes and 40 second to go in the game, this is what Dallas' final possession looked like:

1st-10, at the DAL 37 yard line, M. Barber rushed up the middle for 5 yard gain
2nd-5, at the DAL 42 yard line, M. Barber rushed up the middle for 7 yard gain
1st-10, at the DAL 49 yard line, M. Barber rushed to the left for 8 yard gain
2nd-2, at the WAS 43 yard line, M. Barber rushed to the right for 5 yard gain
1st-10, at the WAS 38 yard line, M. Barber rushed up the middle for no gain
2nd-10, at the WAS 38 yard line, M. Barber rushed to the left for 2 yard gain
3rd-8, at the WAS 36 yard line, T. Romo passed to M. Barber down the middle for 10 yard gain
1st-10, at the WAS 26 yard line, M. Barber rushed up the middle for 2 yard gain
2nd-8, at the WAS 24 yard line, M. Barber rushed to the right for 3 yard gain
3rd-5, at the WAS 21 yard line, M. Barber rushed to the right for 4 yard gain
4th-1, at the WAS 17 yard line, M. Barber rushed to the right for 3 yard gain

And on that final 4th down play, where Dallas had to pick up the first down or Washington would have gotten the ball back with about a minute to go, everyone in the stadium KNEW the ball was going to Barber...and he still picked up the 1st down. I am loving that guy more each week. He is truly one of the best RB's in the league...maybe not the fastest, but one of the best.

Dallas' season was saved on Sunday night but they haven't won anything yet. Hopefully they will build on this win and go streaking into the playoffs...just like Landry said he always wanted his team to do but hasn't happened in Dallas in about 13 or 14 years. The Giants turned their season around last year, streaked into the playoffs, won the Super Bowl and haven't looked back. If Dallas can get on a roll, who knows what they can do. Heck of a game indeed.

The Biggest Game of the Season

2008-11-14T13:17:00.002-06:00

Well, Dallas comes off their bye week and travels to Washington (who is also coming off their bye week too) to play what is probably their most important game of the season. If Dallas loses this game, they will be 5-5 and 2 games behind the Deadskins, plus Washington will have the head-to-head tie breaker advantage. And in order to make the playoffs, I really think Dallas will need to be at least 10-6. So, if Dallas loses this game, in order for them to get to 10-6 they would need to win 5 of their remaining 6 games which I'm not sure they can do with road games looming against Pittsburgh and Filthadelphia and home games against New Yawk and a much improved Baltimore team. Basically, Dallas needs to win Sunday night if they want to play in the post season.

The Cowboys will be getting a few players back that have been out with injury. Most importantly, Romo will be back in the lineup for the first time since the Arizona OT loss. However, just because Romo returns doesn't mean all that ails the Cowboys will be fixed. The offensive line must play better, period, if Dallas is to have any shot in this game. I think that Romo's return will provide a spark to the offense because of his play making ability but if the o-line doesn't play well, it won't matter who is in at QB. However, Romo will have a new weapon to utilize he didn't have before he got injured in Roy Williams. Williams will be starting opposite TO Owens this week and Crayton will be the 3rd WR. Hopefully that will make a difference as well.

The defense also gets one of it's injured stars back in Terrance Newman. However, just like Romo, that doesn't guarantee they will play better. Earlier this year when the Deadskins visited Dallas, Newman has an abysmal game and got torched by Santana Moss. That is the one guy that the Dallas defense MUST account for every down. Since he has been with Washington, he has been a thorn in the side of the Cowboys so they really need to keep him in check. Clinton Portis, who ran all over the Dallas defense earlier in the season will be pretty limited, if he even plays at all. Portis has a 2nd degree sprain of the MCL in his knee however Washington has decent backups in Rock Cartwright and Shaun Alexander. But Portis is a major cog in Washington's offense so is he is out, or even limited, that is good news for Dallas.

Call me crazy but I have a good feeling about this game. It may be just blind hope or homerism but I really do think Dallas will find a way to win this game and get back in the playoff race. I think that the return of Romo and Newman plus the injury to Portis will make a difference for both teams and could be the reason Dallas wins. Plus, Dallas is the more desperate team right now. Washington can afford to lose this game and still be in decent shape for contention for a wild card. But if Dallas loses, they are all but out of that and they know it. It think they will play with the drive and determination that Washington played with when they visited Dallas earlier in the season. I'm not saying I think Dallas will win easily but I do think they will win a hard fought game, get their confidence back and start the second half of the season on the right foot.

My prediction: Dallas 27, Washington 24

No, I Didn't Forget About the Mavs

2008-11-13T14:27:00.001-06:00

I know recently all my posts have been about the Cowboys and their ups and downs. And because I've been so busy at work, I haven't really had time to post this week. But I do have some thoughts on not only the Cowboys but college football and, of course, the Mavericks which is what this post is centered on.

Oh the Mavs. I've had several conversations with coworkers and friends about where I thought they would be this year. Before the season started, I thought they would probably be about where they were at the end of last season...about 7th or 8th in the West, which would get them into the playoffs, then another first round exit at the hands of the Lakers, Hornets or even, dare I say, Rockets. I thought this because of what kinds of moves they made, or didn't make, in the off season...which wasn't many because of the Jason Kidd trade they made last year. Basically, the Mavs resigned Devean George (um, why?) and DeSagana Diop (he was traded the the New Jersey last year in the Kidd trade) and signed free agent Gerald Green who had been with Minnesota. That's about it in the off season because that was all the Mavs could do. Except, they could have (and SHOULD have) traded for Ron Artest, which is what Houston did. Now the Rockets have Artest and with the rest of their fire power (Yao, Tracy McGrady, Shane Battier, Rafer Alston and Luis Scola) should go deep into the playoffs and contend for the Western Conference this year.

It's a little depressing to see the quick decline of a team that just three years ago was playing in the NBA finals and two years ago won 67 of 82 games. But with breaking in a new coach this year and seeing, for the most part, the same roster we saw last year, I'm just not that optimistic about what this team will do this year. They still have some solid players in Nowitzki, Jason Terry, Brandon Bass and Jason Kidd but still have aging albatrosses in Jerry Stackhouse, Devean George and Erick Dampier. That's just not going to get it done in the West. If the Mavs were in the East, they might be ok even though several Eastern teams have gotten better this year.

One thing I heard all off season is that Dallas is going to start taking the ball to the basket more, run fast breaks more efficiently with Kidd on the point and play better defense. Well, they have, at times, been better in transition but as to driving more to the hoop...well, the Mavs have more 3 pt. attempts this year then free throw attempts. And if Jason Kidd is leading your team in 3 pt. percentage (as he currently is), there is something wrong. But really, the reason Dallas has started out 2-5 is because of their defense, or lack thereof, especially in the 4th quarter. In 3 of their 7 losses, they were outscored in the 4th quarter 27-16 (by Houston), 30-23 (by the Clippers...by the Clippers?) and 30-20 by the Lakers. Against the Nuggets and Lakers, the game came down to the final few mintues but the Mavs just couldn't get the stops they needed to win, which is not a good sign. Even Dirk called some team members out after one of their losses inferring that some of his team mates weren't giving max effort.

I know it's a long season and I do have some hope they can turn things around but trying to be a realist, I think this may be the year the Mavs miss the playoffs for the first time in about 8 years. It certainly will if they don't get their defense squared away. But they need to start getting better effort, every game, from every player. But a few wins in a row can get a team rolling and three of the next four games for the Mavs (Bulls, Knicks, Bobcats) are very winable. Hopefully they can pull this thing out of the ditch before much more of the season goes by.

Mike Jenkins Cowardly Nontackle

2008-11-06T12:47:00.002-06:00

In case any of you were wondering what I was referring to, in the previous post, when I said Mike Jenkins was gutless and cowardly, this is what I was referring to (Mike Jenkins is at the far right of the screen, jersey #31):

Keep in mind that this guy was one of Dallas' first round draft picks THIS YEAR. He's not a 36 year old veteran who has taken on one too many running backs. This guy is a young pup, a rookie in fact, that totally gave up on even trying to tackle the Giants BACK UP running back. If this team fails to make the playoffs this year, it will be because of poor effort like this, period.

Another Gutless, Heartless Performance by the Cowboys

2008-11-03T20:12:00.000-06:00

Well, much to my disgust, I was correct about yesterday’s Cowboys game. And it didn’t take me very long to realize it was going to be a long afternoon for Los Vaqueros as I watched the Giants take the opening kickoff, march right down the field and score a touchdown. I predicted a 37-14 Giants win but was only off by 2 points. How has this thing fallen so far so fast? How have they gone from being Super Bowl FAVORITES to the pile of crap we’ve seen over the past 6 games? And make no mistake…this is one of the biggest piles of crap I’ve seen Dallas roll out. There have been years where, going into the season, we didn’t expect the Cowboys to have much so when they ended with a 5-11 record, there wasn’t much disappointment. But this year, one year off of going 13-3 with pretty much the same roster, Dallas was expected to not only make the playoffs but go to the Super Bowl. But to know and see how much talent this team has and then see the type of gutless, heartless play they rolled out yesterday is absolutely ridiculous. All we heard before last week’s game vs. Tampa Bay was that the team finally realized their back was against the wall and they had to play like it, which they did in beating the Bucs. However, it looks like that desperation reverted back to the apathetic play we saw the previous 4 games.

The offense, without Romo at the helm, is utterly abysmal. I really do wonder, given pads and time to warm up, if Aikman could have done better than Brad Johnson yesterday. Heck, throw Staubach in there as well. He’s 70 years old and can still throw the football like a dart. Brad Johnson…he has no business being in the league. I was going down the list of NFL rosters looking at backup QBs and there really wasn’t one that I wouldn’t take over Johnson. Last week, against Tampa Bay, he did well in not turning the ball over. Yesterday, he was 5 of 11 for 71 yards and threw 2 interceptions for a whooping 27.3 QB rating. Johnson made a nice throw to Roy Williams who made an awesome 1 handed catch deep in Giants territory. Then on the next play, with TO Owens running a slant, Johnson made one of the worst throws I’ve seen in a long time which was intercepted and returned for 57 yards. Pathetic.

Brooks Bollinger wasn’t much better in the 2nd half going 9 of 16 for 63 yards, 1 interception, 1 touchdown and a 60.2 rating. Johnson and Bollinger’s combined rating didn’t even equal Eli Manning’s 95.8 rating. What has happened to the offensive line? The o-line sent how many to the pro bowl last year? Are they out of shape or do they just don’t care? Or is it something else? They can’t even run block that adequately anymore. The running game only produced 81 yards on 24 carries. What a joke. What a very bad joke. The only thing positive I can say about Dallas’ offense is at least they aren’t Oakland’s offense, which produced all of 77 total yards of offense yesterday vs. Atlanta.

I know Romo is out, Felix Jones is out, and Jason Witten is limited in what he can do but none of them play defense which, in my opinion, is the saddest part of this whole tragedy. Talk about no stomach for the fight. Last year, 1 running back ran for over 100 yards…they have already had 3 this year. Three of the last 4 opponents have scored over 30 points and one of those was the ding-dong St. Louis Rams. This defense ranks almost last in the NFL in turnovers and 26th in scoring defense with only the Bengals, Lions, Chiefs, Forty Niners and Rams behind them. Has Dallas’ defense really fallen that far? Really? What is going on here? I tell you what’s going on…the defense has no freakin’ heart. This was illustrated no plainer than when Derrick Ward, the Giants BACKUP running back, was running for a touchdown and CB Mike Jenkins, who was one of Dallas 1st round draft picks, barely made an attempt to even get in Ward’s way much less make a tackle. Talk about gutless and cowardly. I mean, at least try…do something. If it were me, and I know I’m not alone, I would have benched Jenkins for the rest of the game right then and there. I wouldn’t have even spoken a word to him except to tell him to sit his butt down on the bench and don’t move or I would put him back out there to play nose guard.

Not only does this team play heartless football but they also play unfocused football. They are the most penalized team in the NFL. They were no different yesterday being penalized 9 times for 55 yards, the majority coming on offsides calls or false starts…and those penalties boil down to a lack of focus which points directly back to the coaching staff.

This thing is in a bad, bad way right now and IF Romo comes back for the Washington game, it’s not a given that it gets much better. If the team doesn’t come together and figure things out this will be a repeat of the 1997 season which saw the Cowboys limp to a 6-5 record, through 11 games, get thumped by Green Bay and not win another game the rest of the season in route to a 6-10 record and firing of Barry Switzer. If Dallas gets routed by Washington in 2 weeks like they did yesterday, that is exactly what will happen. What a waste…

Tough Game Ahead for the Cowboys

2008-10-30T11:21:00.000-05:00

The Cowboys face probably their toughest game to date this year on Sunday when they visit New Yawk to face the Giants. To be honest, I don’t see much hope for Dallas winning this, much less keeping it a close game.

Traditionally the Giants have been sort a blue collar team, which I know the city takes pride in. They generally have a good, hard hitting, pressuring defense and an adequate offense usually fueled by a solid running game and a passing game that can move the chains when needed. I've never really been scared about anything the Giants had on offense (except for maybe Tiki Barber when he was playing). However, this year, I truly see a flashier offense for the Giants with WRs Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer, Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon, David Tyree and TE Kevin Boss (and I'm not even mentioning WRs Mario Manningham and Sinorice Moss either). Add to that the gaggle of RBs in Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw and Derrick Ward plus a great o-line. So, what I see is not so much a blue collar offense anymore but an offense that can score points in bunches and put teams away quickly. That's not to say they won't have a stinko game every now and then as all team do (like they had against Cleveland 2 weeks ago) but I, unfortunately, I think the Giants are the best team, top to bottom, in the league.

Nobody expects the Cowboys to beat New York. Parts of Cowboys team resemble a MASH unit right now, while the Giants are playing as well as any team in the league. It would have been a challenge to win even if the Cowboys were at full strength. But with Romo, CB Terence Newman, RB Felix Jones, o-lineman Kyle Kosier out because of injuries and, the Cowboys are huge underdogs in the game. Tight end Jason Witten and CB Anthony Henry were both injured against the Bucs and may not play but if they do, it will be with significantly less playing time.

To compound Dallas’ woes, Brad Johnson has been frustrating to watch because of his inability, or unwillingness, to effectively throw the ball down the field. Against Tampa Bay last week, Johnson averaged 2.8 yards per pass play, and his longest completion was 14 yards. And even though he didn’t turn the ball over, Johnson missed some open receivers either because of inaccuracy or choosing to check down to a safer route. Playing Brooks Bollinger may not be the answer as he wasn’t even thought of to be the 3rd string option in Minnesota this year and no other team picked him up when he was subsequently released by the Vikings. Dallas just has to get through this game and hopefully after the bye week Romo will be able to come back and play.

In order for the Cowboys to pull off the upset, or even keep the game interesting, they are going to have to play the same way they did last week vs. Tampa Bay. The defense is going to have to play lights out and get lucky a few times and the offense is going to have to keep things close to the vest and try to play as mistake free as possible. However, objectively speaking, I just don’t think they can repeat their performance of last week especially against a better team on the road. Dallas may keep it close (7-10 pts) for a half, maybe 2 1/2 quarters, but I expect the Giants to start pulling away in the 3rd quarter and end up winning big (20+ pts). I just don't think Dallas' offense will be able to hang (especially with Johnson at QB) and the defense will tire out from having to play so much. The bye week couldn’t come at a better time for the Cowboys.

Prediction: New Yawk 37, Dallas 14.

What a Difference a Week Makes

2008-10-27T12:39:00.000-05:00

I wasn’t sure what kind of game, or effort, to expect from Dallas yesterday when they kicked off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The previous 4 games, where the Cowboys’ record was 1-3, were marked by inconsistent, uninspired play on both sides of the ball. I was hoping the Cowboys had some pride left and would come out and give a good Tampa Bay team all it could handle. I was hoping the defense would step up and play like they can instead of like zombies simply collecting a check. I was hoping the team would shake off the fog they have played in for the past month. I was hoping for all that but still didn’t know what to expect.

Well, much to my surprise, the Cowboys’ defense played to their potential yesterday and was the driving force behind their 13-9 win over Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay was held without a touchdown for the first time since the 2007 opener and Dallas gave up its fewest point all season. The defense played with an obvious sense of urgency and allowed only three field goals all afternoon to Tampa Bay, two coming in the first quarter after drives that reached the Dallas 18 and 14. This is no small feat considering the fire power that the Bucs have on offense: WR Antonio Bryant (former Cowboy, by the way) who has more receiving yards that TO Owens, WR Joey Galloway who despite being a little long in the tooth is still lightening fast, WR Ike Hillard, WR Mark Clayton and RB Earnest Graham. Oh, and QB Jeff Garcia is still solid and playing at a high level.

What really made the defensive effort look even more impressive is that the defensive secondary lost another starter to injury in the 3rd quarter when Anthony Henry left with a bruised thigh. So, from that point on, the Cowboys’ pass defense consisted of 2 rookies, in Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick, a 2nd year player in Alan Ball, a 3rd year player in Courtney Brown and pro bowler Ken Hamlin. I would have thought that was easy pickings for Garcia but the young players above stepped up, held their ground and didn’t allow any big plays down field.

The offense was pretty pedestrian and gained only 172 yards of total offense, their fewest ever in a victory. Jason Garrett constructed a game plan consisting of a lot of 2 tight end sets, short passes and a grind it out running game. Brad Johnson’s longest pass went for just 14 yards and it was on a dump-off to running back Marion Barber. However, even though Johnson had several more horrendous throws, he didn’t have a turnover and neither did the Cowboys, which was the first time in 9 games Dallas didn’t give the ball back to the opposition. Dallas led 10-6 at halftime, which was the most against Tampa Bay, this season, in the first half. It also was the first time this season the Bucs trailed at halftime.

The offensive line played a lot better as well yesterday in the win. While they allowed 3 sacks on Johnson, they blocked pretty well for Marion Barber who rushed for a tough 71 yards. This also was no small feat considering Tampa Bay was consistently playing 8 and 9 man defensive fronts to stop the run. How Barber got even 50 yards rushing is amazing to me. Add to that the fact that tight end Jason Witten left with a rib injury, tried to return after X-rays showed no break, then left again. So the bulk of the tight end duties were picked up by rookie Martellus Bennett and he held up pretty well.

Ugly as it was, this was a huge win for the Cowboys…probably their biggest of the season to this point if you take into consideration all the injuries, how the team has played recently and how the rest of the division is playing. Make no mistake…Dallas had to win yesterday especially since every other team in the NFC (B)East won, much to my dismay. The win buys the Cowboys some much-needed breathing room. But they need to forget this win and focus on how they will be able to at least keep up with the Giants next Sunday. And to tell you the truth, I have no idea how they will do it. If this is truly God’s team, I think divine intervention will need to take place in order for Dallas to even be competitive. But we’ll focus on that a little later in the week. For now, let’s just enjoy a hard fought Dallas win.

Dallas's Playoff Chances May Rest on This Weekend

2008-10-25T13:22:00.002-05:00

As I said in the post below, last week's loss to the Rams was one of the worst losses I've ever seen from a Cowboy team...ever. It was a gutless peformance all the way around and it basically looked like most of the players didn't even get off the bus that day. But this is a new week and the team needs to leave last week's horrible performance in the past because a very good Tampa Bay team is in town and they smell blood in the water. Romo is not playing this week and probably won't, by his own admission, until at least the Washington game in 3 weeks. That means Brad Johnson is at the helm again (gulp!).

All I've heard all week, from the players interviewed, is that their back in against the wall and they know they have to win this weekend. My question is, where was that attitude last week? Where was that urgency? Why does it take 4 straight games of playing effortless, uninspired football and 2 bad losses to get to that point? I'm hoping that what I heard is the truth and not just lip service. I'm hoping we see the Cowboy team we saw the first 3 games of the season.

One thing is for sure though. If the Cowboys hope to even make the playoffs, then they really must win this weekend vs. Tampa Bay. I think that 10-6 gets you into the playoffs but anything less than doesn't. The Cowboys are 4-3 right now and I really don't see them going to NY next week and coming away with a win. So, if Dallas doesn't win tomrrow, then they will probably be 4-5 going into their bye week and would need to go 6-1 over their last 7 games to get to a 10-6 record. And with road games at Washington, Pittsburgh and Filthadelpia, I really don't think the Cowboys will be able to go 6-1 over their last 7 games. So, the game this week will give them a little room for error, but not much. So it is imperative that Cowboys win this weekend.

Maybe I'm the eternal optimist as far as the Dallas Cowboys go but something tells me that they will find a way to come away with a "W" tomorrow. I have no real basis for this other than they Cowboys are at home and their back is truly against the wall. That is what I'm basing my prediction on. I'm hoping what I heard this week is the truth and that they play with urgency and a sense of purpose and not like a team entitled to go directly to the Super Bowl despite the fact they haven't won a playoff game since 1996. However, the Cowboys are a wounded animal trapped in a corner and I beleive they will come out fighting tomorrow.

Prediction: Dallas 20, Tampa Bay 17

A Whole New Low for the Cowboys

2008-10-20T13:09:00.000-05:00

Honestly, I don’t know what happened yesterday. This is the same feeling I had last year when Dallas lost to New York in the playoffs. I am just absolutely befuddled about how the lowly, hapless Rams could not only beat the Cowboys but blow them out 34-14…and the game wasn’t near as close as the final score indicates. This has left this whole city with a big “?” above it’s collective head. I mean, only one month ago, Dallas was regarded by many as the best team in the NFC and possibly the NFL and they were expected to not only get to the Super Bowl but win it. But now? I don’t think anyone knows what will happen next. Is this the bottom? Or will this season spin completely out of control and the team not even make the playoffs? There are so many problems with this team, I don’t know where to begin. But, really, they are the same things that have kept this team from playing well for the past 4 games such as a lack of intensity, lack of urgency, being unfocused and not prepared, mental mistakes, blown assignments, poor play from the offensive line, poor play from the defensive secondary and on and on and on.

The thing I noticed the most yesterday was that the team lacked any kind of urgency and just seemed to wilt after the Rams went up 14-7. St. Louis had gone up by only 1 touchdown and the Cowboys looked like they had just lost the Super Bowl. What?!?!?! Where is the fight in this team? Where is the intensity we saw in the Filthadelphia game earlier this year? Is this team composed of nothing but mental midgets? The basics of football dictate that each guy beats the guy across from him and quite honestly, Dallas just isn’t doing it. This team looks defeated, whipped and beaten. And this was against one of poorest, if not the poorest, teams in the league (before yesterday’s game that is). What will Dallas look like against better competition like Tampa Bay and New York in the next 2 weeks? I’ve got to be honest, I’m flat out scared about what those teams are going to do to Dallas…because the Cowboys doesn’t look like it’s got the stomach for any kind of fight.

The mental mistakes and turnovers are also killing this team. Mistakes like a false start on a 3rd and 1; a false start on a 4th and 1; 3 interceptions by Brad Johnson (who I erroneously thought was better than he really is); an untimely fumble by Marion Barber; a blown coverage resulting in WR Donnie Avery (who is that?) getting behind the whole defense and scoring, with Roy Williams giving chase…again; mistackles by just about every linebacker. These things aren’t new. They have been happening over and over again for the past month. So my question is, where is the accountability for this team? Are the coaches not doing anything to address this? And if so, why are the same mistakes being made? If players are not playing to their potential, what is being done to address that? Will anyone be benched? Do any of the coaches or players even care or are they just satisfied to collect a check every week, slop through another game and get to the end of the season where they will magically be transported to the playoffs just because they have a blue star on their helmet?

This team needs to figure out what and/or who it is. I’d like to say that I think yesterday was a wake up call; that this was truly the bottom and now the team can move on onward and upward; that after some adversity, the team and coaches know what needs to be done and knows how they are going to get it done. But I can’t say any of that. The loss yesterday was truly among one of the worst losses I’ve ever seen from the Cowboys, ever…and I’ve seen quite a few horrible losses. The Rams, took pity on the Cowboys and called off the dogs when they pooch punted toward the end of the game. And when the camera showed the St. Louis sideline, the Rams players were laughing at the Cowboys. One of the worst teams in the NFL actually took pity and laughed at the Cowboys. And Dallas doesn’t seem to care.

The backup QB is so done that he shouldn’t even be on this team. I was wrong, wrong, wrong about that guy. I knew he didn’t have the arm strength that Romo has but I didn’t know his skills had so diminished that there were several times where I didn’t even know who he was throwing to. There were a few times where he threw the ball so early that the intended receiver hadn’t even looked for the ball yet. Brooks Bollinger probably would have done a better job yesterday than Brad Johnson. Maybe at one time Johnson was an adequate QB but that time is long gone. The only time he should be in the game, going forward, is in an emergency. He is that bad. My question is, why didn’t the coaching staff know this?

The offensive line, yet again, had a horrible day. Flozell Adams (or Fatams, as a friend of mine calls him) consistently got beat on the edge yesterday by a guy that I don’t even know his name. It’s a dang good thing Jerry gave him a brand new top dollar contract this year to the tune of $7 million a year. But the rest of the line didn’t do any better as St. Louis got to Johnson multiple times without even blitzing…and sometimes only rushing 3 guys. Rushing 3 guys?!?!?!? And those 3 can beat 5 o-lineman and get to the QB? What?!?!? This team will not get any better until that line starts to play to their potential. Take that to the bank. They may win a game here or there but they most certainly will not make the playoffs playing uninspired ball like they did yesterday and the last 4 weeks.

The defense is in shambles, except for DeMarcus Ware who is really the ONLY player on defense who matters and brings ‘A’ effort every game. The rest of the defense doesn’t seem to know up from down. The first game that Roy Williams is back in the line up he get caught chasing Donnie Avery into the end zone while pointing to other team mates trying to defer blame. Nothing’s changed with that guy and now we hear he has fractured his arm, in a different place than he fractured it the first time, and will be put back on the injured list. Truthfully, he shouldn’t be activated again this season and should be released in the off season. He’s not going to get back to where he was 4 years ago when he was a player that made a difference and had to be accounted for by the opposition. He’s done and the Cowboys should cut their loss with him at the end of the season.

The game yesterday was marred by poor effort, poor execution and poor coaching all the way around in a game that Dallas really needed to win. There aren’t many players that can truly look in the mirror and say they left it all on the field yesterday. And that’s what bugs me the most. And Wade doesn’t seem to have a clue what to do about it. You can’t fire the whole team though…but you can fire the head coach. Do I hear any objections to that?

Romo Should Sit This One Out

2008-10-17T17:55:00.000-05:00

Who would have thought 3 weeks ago that this weekend’s game vs. St. Louis would be “must win” for the Cowboys? I know I certainly wouldn’t have. In fact, I think anyone that knows anything about football would have said, before last week’s games, that Dallas would probably beat the Rams by at least 2 touchdowns on Sunday, if not more. However, because St. Louis beat Washington, in Washington no less, and because of not only how Dallas played last week but their injury factor, this game on Sunday is huge. In fact, I think it’s a “must win” not in the sense that Dallas’ season will be over if they lose but if the Cowboys lose to the hapless Rams, I don’t think they will have a snowball’s chance of beating Tampa Bay or New Yawk. And if they lose all three of those games, they will be 4-5 heading into their bye week with road games in Washington, Pittsburgh and Filthadelphia on the horizon and tough home games against New Yawk and Baltimore as well. So, this week’s game vs. St. Louis is very important for Dallas to get their rhythm, swagger and confidence back to where they were through the first 3 games of the season.

It’s been reported this week that Romo may in fact play this weekend vs. St. Louis despite having a fractured little finger on his right hand. It’s my opinion (and of course, no one asked me) that Romo should not play even if he says he can go and even if the trainers/doctors clear him to play. If Wade lets him play and his finger ends up getting broken...that will be a huge problem. It's just fractured now but could break if hit just right. And if Romo does break his finger, then forget about him playing, at all, for at least 4 to 6 weeks.

Another reason I wouldn’t play Romo is that his backup, Brad Johnson, while being 40 years old is a solid back up capable of filling in for a few games. He may not be what he was back in 2002, when he won the Super Bowl with Tampa Bay, but he is experienced, knows his limitations and can be effective. Basically, it’s not like Romo’s backup is a rookie who has never thrown an NFL pass before. And while there are several injuries on the team, including Felix Jones, the majority of the offense will still be playing. That means, Witten, TO Owens, Barber, Patrick Crayton, Miles Austin and the newly signed Roy Williams will be in the lineup to give Johnson support. And really, depending on how Johnson plays this weekend, I would even consider keeping him in next week against TB so Romo can try to play vs. the Giants the following week.

Dallas is not playing a team on their level, like New Yawk, Washington or Filthy. I know Washington lost to St. Louis last week but St. Louis’s offense only put up 4 field goals and needed a fumble returned for a TD to win. In fact, this is how St. Louis ranks among the 32 NFL teams in offense and defense:

Rams Passing Offense: averages 155 yards/game (28th in the NFL)
Rams Rushing Offense: averages 82 yards/game (29th in the NFL)
Rams Total Offense: averages 237 yards and 12 points/game (31st in the NFL)
Rams Total Defense: gives up 403 yards/game: 234 yards passing, 169 yards
rushing (31st in the NFL)

St. Louis still has a few good players, as all teams do, in QB Marc Bulger, WR Torry Holt, RB Stephen Jackson, DT La’Roi Glover and DE Leonard Little but beyond those, very little else.

So Dallas is, quite possibly, playing the worst team in the NFL. And with all the rest of the offensive weapons the Cowboys still have playing, they really should be able to win regardless of who is in at QB…emphasis on should. If they don't, then this thing's got bigger problems that Romo being out.

Prediction: Dallas 23, St. Louis 14.

Like Sand Through the Hourglass, So Are the Days of Our Lives…at Valley Ranch

2008-10-15T11:20:00.001-05:00

What a week it’s been at Valley Ranch…and it’s only Wednesday. After playing two sloppy games against Washington and Cincinnati, the Cowboy go to Arizona and, again, play a very sloppy game and end up losing the game in a way no team in the history of the NFL has lost (punt blocked for a TD in overtime). As if that weren’t bad enough, Dallas, who was already without Terrance Newman, lost Tony Romo, Matt McBriar, Felix Jones and Sam Hurd to various injuries. But that’s not the end of the goings and comings of the Cowboys this week.

The soap opera continued yesterday as Pac Man Jones was suspended, again, by the NFL commissioner indefinitely, but at least 4 games. This stemmed from an incident that happened last week where Jones ended up getting into a fight with one of HIS own body guards. Pac Man must be dumber than a bag of hair. He knew what would happen if his name appeared in any kind of headlines that regarded anything other than his play on the field. The NFL commissioner suspended him last year, for the whole season, for running afoul of the NFL’s personal conduct policy…basically being an idiot. When he was reinstated, he was told that he would be suspended and possibly banned from the NFL if he was brought discredit to his team or the NFL in any way.

In the off season, Jerry Jones, took a flier, and traded for Pac Man because he is such a naturally gifted athlete and Jerry thought, erroneously, he could keep Pac Man under control. Jerry went to great lengths to try to make sure Pac Man kept his nose clean by even hiring personal body guards who went everywhere with him. These body guards not only helped to keep people away from Pac Man but also helped to keep out of trouble as well. But, obviously, Pac Man just doesn’t get it. He was playing for a team that most thought would be a front runner in the NFC and possibly a Super Bowl contender. He had a new lease on life. He had a GOLDEN opportunity just handed to him on a silver platter. But he still couldn’t keep his nose clean. How in the world could he screw this up? I wish all I had to do, to make million and millions of dollars, was stay out of trouble and play football. The guy is absolutely hopeless.

I so wish that Jerry would just cut bait and cancel Pac Man’s contract. I think everyone can see this experiment didn’t work out and this is not a distraction the team needs to be dealing with, especially if they think themselves a Super Bowl caliber team. However, I would bet a large portion of my next paycheck that Jerry will welcome him back if/when he is reinstated by the NFL…because he needs him. But there has to be a line where you say, enough is enough. Pac Man, enough is enough.

If the Pac Man suspension wasn’t enough for everyone, the Cowboys made an addition to their team yesterday when the traded, just before the deadline, for Detroit WR (and former Longhorn) Roy Williams. This was something that had been rumored for a long time but since they didn't get it done in the offseason, I really thought they would roll with Owens, Crayton, Austin, etc. at that position this year. Dallas gave up a 1st, 3rd and 6th round pick for Roy, who is probably doing cartwheels right now going from a winless Detroit team to the Cowboys. I think it was a good trade though. This will open things up for TO Owens a little more because teams can't just double Owens...they will have to throw some coverage to Williams. So if they do both (cover Williams and Owens), then who will be covering Witten in the middle of the field or Crayton (when he catches passes) or Miles Austin running crossing routes or seam routes? I think Roy is a younger, less volatile version of Keyshawn Johnson...not a TD machine but will keep the chains moving. I think Roy is so glad to be out of Detroit that he will do whatever is asked of him and if that means acquiescing to TO Owens as the alpha-male WR, then that is what he will do.

However, if the o-line still plays like warmed over dog poo (the way they have the past 3 games), then it won't matter if Jerry signs Ladanian Tomlinson, Randy Moss or Peyton Manning. The o-line MUST play better in order for this to work...at all. And it all starts this weekend in St. Louis. If Dallas can’t beat St. Louis, then I don’t think they will have much of a prayer to beat Tampa Bay the following week or New York after that. And if that happens, the season really will be in doubt. So, the way I see it, this week’s game vs. St. Louis is a “must win” not in the sense that if they lose their season is over but in the sense that if they lose, their season will hang in the balance.

When it Rains, It Pours

2008-10-14T10:38:00.000-05:00

Well, more injury news came down yesterday and in addition to Tony Romo being out 4 weeks minimum and Terrance Newman being out 4-6 weeks because of surgery on a sports hernia, Matt McBriar is out 6-8 weeks, Felix Jones out 2-4 weeks, Sam Hurd is out (possibly for the season) and Pac Man Jones may possibly get suspended by the commissioner. So, the injury bug Dallas had avoided the last 4-5 years caught up with them within 2 weeks. Add to these injuries the fact that the offensive line is playing like dog poo, the defensive secondary can't cover very well and the special teams are in major disarray. Did I miss anything?

I’m trying to be optimistic though. The team still has a plethora of talent. They still have T.O. Owens, Patrick Crayton, Miles Austin, Jason Witten, Marion Barber and Tashard Choice on offense and DeMarcus Ware, Greg Ellis, Jay Ratliff, Tank Johnson, Zach Thomas, Marcus Spears and Anthony Henry on defense. And Brad Johnson, while not being as good as Romo, is a capable and experienced backup that can manage the offense. Injuries are a part of the game and Dallas has been fortunate enough where they didn’t have to deal with injuries that much recently. No one is going to feel sorry for them so they can’t feel sorry for themselves. But the team, as a whole, needs to find a way to fight through this. They need to stop playing the lazy, unfocused and undisciplined football they have played the last few weeks.

I’ve had a few friends tell me, as well as hearing on the radio, that the Romo injury is just what the team needed to jolt them back to reality and that losing an integral part of the team will make them come together more than they are right now. My question is, why would they need an injury to bring them together as a team? I thought I remember hearing that the playoff loss to the Giants was motivation enough for this team. If an injury is needed to galvanize the team, then I don’t think they were a Super Bowl contender from the start.

A silver lining to this is that the Giants lost last night, surprisingly, to Cleveland so they still have only a 1 game lead on Dallas in the division. IF Dallas can somehow get through the next 3 weeks, losing only 1 game, then they will get to their bye week at 6-3. Then, hopefully, they can return from their bye week, get a few guys back that are injured right now and hit the ground running. That’s what needs to happen because Dallas’ schedule after the bye week doesn’t get any easier with games at Washington, at Pittsburgh, at Philly and a home game against the Giants. The next several weeks will show what this team is made of…or not made of.

Time to Circle the Wagons

2008-10-13T13:23:00.001-05:00

Well, to add insult to injury, we learned today Tony Romo will be out at least 4 weeks due to a broken finger he suffered yesterday in the loss to Arizona. Over the past 4 or 5 years, the Cowboys have been one of the most, if not THE most, fortunate teams in the league in regards to injuries. They simply haven’t had to deal with an injury like this to a player of Romo’s importance to the team. Maybe that has now caught up with Dallas. However, the Cowboys have no time to hang their collective heads about this as they go on the road again next weekend to play the Rams. Before yesterday, I think everyone would have marked a “W” in the column when Dallas plays St. Louis on Sunday. The Rams are, quite possibly, the worst team in the NFL. But they managed to beat Washington yesterday which, by all accounts, is one of the best teams in the NFL. So, the Cowboys and their respective fans better not take this upcoming game for granted…not at all, especially now that Romo is out of commission for the time being.

I don’t envy the coaching staff as they have a lot to clean up before their next game, no doubt about it. I really thought, last week vs. Cincinnati, Dallas would have played well after the stinko game they played vs. Washington. However, even though they won, they played a pretty sloppy game. So, again, I thought that surely after 2 weeks of playing sloppy, they would come out yesterday, take command of the game and exert their will on the Cardinals. And, once again, I was dead wrong. By my count, this is how shoddy Dallas played yesterday:

-12 penalties
-4 dropped passes
-4 fumbles (they are lucky it wasn’t about 6)
-3 sacks of Romo given up
-1 kick off that went out of bounds
-1 missed field goal
-1 blocked field goal for game winning touchdown
-Opening kick off returned for touch down
-Out of 64 snaps Dallas took, Romo was hit 19 times or basically 1 time for every 3 snaps

So now, Dallas has under achieved for the last 3 games in a row. In fact, you can say that they have under achieved in 8 of the last 11 games, going back to last year (Detroit, Philly, Carolina, Washington and New York last season; Washington, Cincinnati and Arizona this year). They did lose every one of those games (they were 3-5 in those 8 games) but the mere fact that they haven’t played well, consistently, since last year’s Green Bay game isn’t a good omen. Clearly, this team is unfocused, undisciplined and has absolutely no urgency.

Wade Phillips took offense last week when people were concerned about Dallas’ play even though they beat Cincinnati. Well Wade, should we be concerned now?!?!?! Are you going to come out and pout at the media if they mention the fact that this is a concerning trend developing? Or, are you going to take freaking control of the team, like a head coach would, and get the ship righted? What do I mean when I say “take control”? I mean go in there, TODAY, and make a statement that this lackluster play and foolishness will not be tolerated. Go cut Barbie Carpenter, today. Go fire your special teams coach, today. Go fine Leonard Davis for the bone headed taunting penalty he took, today. Go into the offensive line meeting and draw a freaking line telling them their bland play, specifically, is a big reason the team is in the situation that it is and that it won’t be tolerated going forward. Do something that shows the team you ARE concerned and that they should be too. If you do nothing, or sit back and tell everyone “Hey, we’re 4-2 and the games we lost were by 2 pts to Washington and in OT on the road” then it’s quite possible Dallas doesn’t make the playoffs at all this year…period. That is exactly the kind of lax attitude that has filtered down to the team. I’m not saying Wade should turn into Bill Parcells, Jr. but I am saying that that he needs to do something, anything, before he loses the whole team. Quit coddling these guys and lead them Wade! Make the players accountable for their mistakes; don’t say the mistakes are all your fault. The team is at a cross roads right now and the leadership, if there is any, needs to circle the wagons and get this thing back on the right path.

TIVO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-10-12T23:53:00.003-05:00

Well, it's now 11:49 on Sunday night and I just finished watching the Cowboys game. And by "finished" I mean that I got all the way to the end, with :03 seconds left, and just as the ref was announcing that the Cardinals had a man offsides on the previous play, my TIVO cut off. That was it...I felt so freaking jipped! I just sat there looking at my tv. All I could say was, "you've got to be kidding."

The reason I had to watch it so late was that I was attending a wedding of a friend of the family. I kept telling people I didn't want to hear anything about the game but this man walked by our table and proceeded to tell my dad something about a 51 yard field goal which is the time I got my hands up to my ears. So, I remembered that and deduced that Dallas had made the kick of what would have been a 51 yards. However, I still didn't know the final score. So, I logged onto trusty ESPN.com and read all about it...a freaking blocked punt by Arizona returned for a touchdown, in overtime. That's how it ended. As my shoulders slumped, I closed my eyes and just thought, how could Dallas lose to the freaking Cardinals?!?!?!

Had I posted my pregame thoughts, I would have said that the only way Dallas will win is if they pressure Kurt Warner and put him on the ground. I thought if Dallas doesn't do that, then Warner will throw for 400+ yards and Dallas will be history. However, Dallas did put some good pressure on Warner, got some turnovers and still lost. What?!?!? Are you kidding me?!?!? No, it's the truth. And the two huge reasons for their loss today was special teams and pass defense (as I feared).

The Dallas special teams today sucked, sucked, sucked, sucked, sucked! Guess how I feel about them? First off they let backup RB JJ Arrington (can anyone say, forgotten about?) take the opening kick back for a touch down. Nick Folk missed a 37 yard field goal (but we'll disregard that since he made the 52 yarder to send it to OT). And then they allow a punt to get blocked, in OT, and returned for the winning touch down by Arizona. They also allowed more return yardage than they normally do on kick offs and punts. And where the hell is Adam Jones with his "Deion like" punt returns? I haven't seen it once in the regular season. He's probably more concerned with picking fights with his own security detail like he did this week. Special teams is what lost them the game but the pass defense didn't help.

There is this talk jock, on the sports talk radio station I listen to, that always has one question before every Cowboys game...can they cover? And I think after the last 3 weeks, the answer to that question is an emphatic NO! They couldn't cover Jerry Jones if they had to. It's a good thing Anquan Boldin didn't play becuase I think he would have torched Dallas more than Fitzgerald (5 rec. for 79 yards; 1 TD) and Breaston (8 rec. for 102 yards; 1 TD) did. Those two guys consistently got open and made the Cowboy's secondary look a high school defense. I may be overreacting and knee jerking a bit here but I don't think I'm that far off. And I'll say this...Dallas IS NOT going to the Super Bowl until they can get that fixed...period. Dave Campo better put on his coaching hat this week and figure out what the hell is wrong with that defensive secondary. I know Terrance Newman didn't play but Dallas, supposedly, has other capable players that should be able to hold the fort down, but their not. Anthony Henry has struggled this season, Adam "Pac Man" Jones is average (if not below) and Scandrick/Jenkins still look like rookies. I'd be lying if I said that the coverage, or lack thereof, isn't worrying me.

Well, it's now 12:26 am and I really need to hit the hay. Hopefully Dallas can get back on track vs. St. Louis next weekend but I don't even know if I can say that because the Rams beat the Deadskins today (what?). This is a great start to the week, let me tell ya.

Where’s All That Motivation I Heard About Mr. Crayton? And Where is the Defense?

2008-10-09T11:50:00.000-05:00

TO Owens, again, was double covered much of the game vs. Cincinnati but managed to break away on a 57 yard touch down. I’ve heard people say that he should be able to break whatever coverage he has and get open…Jerry Rice faced double coverage much of his career and look what he did. That true…but Jerry Rice also had John Taylor on the opposite side catching passes too. Which brings me to my next point, where has Patrick Crayton gone to? Yes, he was in the wrong place at the right time Sunday to get the game winning touchdown but other than that, what has he done the past few games? The answer…not much. Here is Crayton’s production since catching 10 balls for 125 yards and a touchdown in the season opener vs. Cleveland: vs. Filthy – 2 catches, 23 yards, 0 TD; vs. Green Bay – 0 catches, 0 yards, 0 TDs; vs. Washington – 7 catches, 87 yards, 0 TD; vs. Cincinnati – 1 catch, 12 yards, 1 TD. So in 5 games this year, he’s had a great game, a solid game, 2 duds and a non factor.

All I heard during the off season was that Patrick Crayton was using that 3rd down pass he dropped, during the playoff game vs the Giants, as motivation and that he would make amends this season for his playoff performance. Well, he had a golden chance on Sunday when Romo threw him a long pass that hit him in the hands…but he dropped it, again. I’m not saying that Crayton has to catch every pass thrown to him…even Jerry Rice didn’t do that. But Rice certainly would have caught the pass Crayton dropped on Sunday. I know Crayton caught the winning touchdown last week but I really do think that was more luck than anything else. And the fact that teams are doubling Owens sends the message that they are willing to take their chances with one-on-one coverage with Crayton because they don’t think he will hurt them like Owens could. Crayton needs to find a way to get open and create more plays down field so teams will have to respect him. He did that against Cleveland, but then again they have a sieve-like pass defense. The offense, which ranks towards the top in the NFL, needs Crayton to be at least a factor in these games. If I were TO Owens, I wouldn’t be mad at the media, at Romo, at Jason Garret or anyone else besides Crayton because if Crayton would do his job, Owens wouldn’t be doubled as much and would have more opportunities to catch balls.

Another thing that is concerning me is the defense and more specifically the pass defense. They are just not playing like a defense with 9 #1 draft choices. They did get their first interception and recovered a fumble…I give them that and those were good plays. But outside of those, I don’t really remember too many great plays. I do, however, remember TJ Houshmandzadeh being WIDE open on both of his touchdowns. I also remember that Carson Palmer was 23 of 39 for 217 yards…with a bum elbow. So the idea of facing Kurt Warner, who is the #1 rated passer in the NFC, is making me quite nervous.

One thing that will rattle Kurt Warner and make him less of an effective passer is to get up in his face, put pressure on him and make him throw the ball before he wants to. If that happens, he starts getting antsy and makes poor decisions. Unfortunately, Dallas hasn’t been really good about getting consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks this year. They just haven’t. The Cowboys only have one real effective pass rusher, DeMarcus Ware, and he gets double teamed, just like TO Owens does, on a regular basis. And even with those double teams, he’s gotten several sacks this year. But he can’t do it all himself. Jay Ratliff has also been effective but only in spots. The defensive front seven has got to be more productive and cause more chaos for the opposing offense than they have. If the minimal pressure Dallas has put on opposing QBs remains the same, the Cowboys defense will continue to look mediocre if not worse, especially against a pass happy offense like the Cardinals have.

My Wonderful Wife

2008-10-07T20:38:00.002-05:00

This is not sports related in any way but I just had to recognize my wonderful wife for doing such a great job of taking care of me this past weekend. From about 5:30 on Friday evening through Sunday night, I was out of commission due to strep throat. It has been about 20 years since the last time I had strep and I had forgotten how miserable it is. But Carole took care of me all weekend and also looked after Hunter as well. For those of you who don't know what it's like to be a single parent, it's tough. I also want to thank Carole's mom, Trina, and Carole's sister, Courtney, for coming over on Saturday morning to watch Hunter while Carole was at work and I was in bed. Anyway, it was a really busy weekend for Carole which was only exacerbated by having to take care of not only a sick husband but an 18 month old too.

Thanks babe! Your a trooper and I thank God everyday he brought you into my life. I love you!

What’s Up With Romo?

2008-10-07T11:16:00.002-05:00

Tony Romo, who is on pace to duplicate the statistics he put up last year and is usually a Jedi on the field, has look rather pedestrian the last few weeks. He has flat out missed several wide open receivers, turned the ball over and made questionable decisions. He had solid performances against the Browns and the Eagles but had an uneven performance against Green Bay, Washington and Cincinnati. That’s going to happen to a QB over the course of his career, no question about it. That’s happened to every Hall of Fame QB. However, the thing I’m a bit unnerved at is Romo’s body language. There were several times on Sunday after a bad play, turnover or 3 and out where the camera caught Romo walking off the field with his head down or over on the bench looking like he just sank the Titanic himself. That’s not what I want to see from him. I want him to keep his head up, jog off the field (not walk) and exude the leadership that has been placed upon him. Things are not going to go well all the time and the team is going to follow their leader’s example.

I also remember though that Romo didn’t really look like his normal “happy-go-lucky” self when Dallas was cruising and up by 17 points. He looked like he wasn’t enjoying the game and that there was something else on his mind. Last year, it seemed he was smiling from ear to ear almost every game and not just when things were going well either. I remember last year, after he had thrown an interception or fumbled or something else had gone wrong, he seemed to have a “kid-like” goofy grin on his face and exuded this “we just screwed up but we’re gonna come out and score a touchdown on the next series” attitude. But the past few games, and especially on Sunday, he looked like he had just found out his dog had just died.

Maybe there is nothing to this. Maybe I’m totally reading into Romo and there’s nothing going on out of the ordinary. Maybe Romo is trying to level himself off and be more even keeled. I hope so. I mean, on Sunday, Romo was 14 of 23 for 176 yards and ended the day with a 106.2 rating, which is great. Those are solid stats which you can’t argue with. I’m a fan of Romo but one reason is that he has this fun-loving care free attitude which seems to have disappeared. In the end, I just want Dallas to win and if Romo can make that happen, smiling or not, then the rest is just details.

An Ugly Win For Sure

2008-10-06T22:04:00.001-05:00

Well, it was a “W” but it wasn’t pretty. The Cowboys, in my mind, needed to go out yesterday and prove that the divisional home game they experienced last week, in which they were manhandled, beat up, out coached and out played in just about every way, was a fluke. In my mind, I assumed Dallas would have been pissed off enough to come out yesterday and do the same thing to the Bengals that the Deadskins did to them last week. I would have though they would have taken this opportunity to pummel a winless team and show everyone that last week’s loss was just an off week. I knew the Bengals would score some points but figured would whip Cincinnati despite the margin of victory (kind of like they did to Green Bay). However, that’s not how the game went.

Even though Dallas won yesterday 31-22, I think the biggest positive that can be taken, other than the “W” is the fact that the running game got back on track. I know I’m probably going to sound like the proverbial “the sky is falling” Dallas fan but I’m really not. Dallas started off, at home, with a 17-0 lead against a winless team and it seemed as if they would dominate Cincinnati into oblivion. However, that 17-point lead shriveled to one, and then Dallas had to break up a 2-point conversion that could’ve tied it midway through the fourth quarter. Dallas got the breathing room they needed only when a fluke play happened and a pass went through the hands of the intended receiver, Miles Austin, and landed in the hands of nearby Patrick Crayton, who was in the end zone. So, the ball bounced Dallas’ way, literally, and they got the win.

The thing I am concerned about is the way Dallas has played the last two weeks. I’m concerned because their play the past two weeks is eerily reminiscent of how they have played in December the past few years. The month of December the past several years has not been kind to the Cowboys. It has been characterized by unfocused, shoddy, lackluster play, mistakes, turnovers and a lack of urgency…all of which we have seen the past two weeks. There is no doubt in my mind that Dallas should be 5-0 if they played to the level they are capable of. They played that way when they played Cleveland, Filthadelphia and Green Bay. But where has that play gone the last two weeks? Yesterday, the Giants absolutely dismantled Seattle to the tune of 44-6. That is they type of performance Dallas needs to put up against the Cincinnati’s, Arizona’s and St. Louis’s of the world. That is the type of performance a Super Bowl contender will bring against obvious inferior teams.

The bottom line is that the team didn’t play well but still got the win, which is good. And who knows...maybe Dallas ran into a team that, while not as bad as their record would indicate, was absolutely desperate to get a win while the Cowboys were just trying to pace themselves through their long season. However, if Dallas plays the way they did yesterday in Arizona next week, they WILL get beat...there’s not a doubt in my mind. In fact, I thought Dallas was going to get beat yesterday. I sent a text message to a friend of mine, who is a Bengals fan, late in the 3rd quarter saying I wasn’t holding out much hope for Dallas winning the game because it looked like Cincinnati wanted the game more. They need to put these last two weeks in their rearview mirror, forget about them and move forward. I know there is a lot of teams, and fans (Cincinnati being one) that would love to be in Dallas position, 4-1. But the bar has been raised for the Cowboys and simply winning doesn’t make up for poor performance.

***I have several observations of this team over the past few weeks but instead of making this one really long post noting them all, I’ve decided to break this up over the next few days with a new observation for each day.

Caution to Cowboys...Do NOT Overlook the Bengals

2008-10-04T18:18:00.003-05:00

Ok, I have strep throat so this might not be very long. I'm just tired of laying down so I had to get up and do something. The Bengals come calling tomorrow afternoon and even though they are 0-4, they are not to be overlooked...at all. Remember, 2 weeks ago they took the Giants to OT, in New York no less. So they are very capable of winning in Texas Stadium.

A big key in winning tomorrow is to get back to a balanced attack on offense. Last week, Dallas only had 11 rushing attempts the whole game, the fewest since 1990. However, it's impossible to imagine Pro Bowl tailback Marion Barber and first-round pick Felix Jones having such a limited role this Sunday against a struggling Cincinnati Bengals run defense. The Bengals defense are near the bottom of the league in rushing defense giving up 164 yards on the ground per game. You have to run the ball against a team that is giving up that kind of yardage on the ground. Seriously, if you don't do that against that type of team, you lose the game. We all know how potent the passing game can be with weapons like TO Owens, Witten, Crayton, and Miles Austin. Balance is the key though.

The defense is where I'm most concerned though. They have some potent WRs in Chad "Ocho Cinco" Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and then newly activated Chris Henry, who just finished serving a 4 game suspension from the league for off the field problems. Honestly and objectively, I don't think Dallas secondary can stop Houshmandzadeh and Ocho Cinco and if Chris Henry gets into the mix, watch out. They can contain them, but they can't stop them. The secondary hasn't stopped anyone all year other than the Cleveland game. Greg Jennings went over 100 yards. DeSean Jackson had over 100 yards and Santana Moss had over 100 yards. They haven't stopped an offense yet, other than Cleveland. And Terrance Newman, who missed the season opener and did not start in game two because of the slightly torn groin suffered the first week of training camp, landed on the injury report, listed as questionable after being limited in the final full practice of the week. That means he is 50-50 to play and if he can't go, then Pacman Jones will start in his place at left corner.

So, even though Dallas is playing an 0-4 team, they need to remember that Cincinnati still have enough offensive firepower to hang with Dallas. I think the key for Cincinnati will be the success in their run game...which I don't think they will have. Last week, Clinton Portis gashed Dallas for 120 yards so I think the defense will be keying on stopping the run and forcing the Bengals to pass. And that will be the difference in the game. I think the Bengals will score some points but I believe Dallas' defense will make a few more stops than Cincinnati's defense and Dallas will get back in the "W" column while Cincinnati will continue the slide.

Prediction: Dallas 31, Cincinnati 21

Undefeated No More

2008-09-29T20:46:00.001-05:00

Well, I didn’t get a chance this weekend to post my pre-game thoughts of yesterday’s Cowboys-Deadskins game. However, if I did, I would have said that I thought Dallas would win by 14-18 points and would handle Washington with relative ease. But that was anything but the case yesterday as the Cowboys were outplayed and outcoached for much of the game. This was only Washington’s 2nd win at Texas Stadium in 13 visits but they certainly looked like the better team…at least yesterday.

The first quarter generally looked like the other 3 games Dallas had played except for the fact that they didn’t score on their first possession. Maybe that should have been a hint of things to come. But, by the end of the first quarter, Dallas got their offense in gear and Romo threw a touch down to Jason Witten and it looked like Dallas was off to the races. However, in the 2nd quarter, Washington clamped down and started to play with more energy. That, coupled with poor defensive play by Dallas, allowed Washington to score 17 second quarter points. Terrance Newman did not have a good game as he fell down on the touch down to Washington wide out James Thrash and was AWOL on a 53 yard completion to Santana Moss, who has had some of his best games against Dallas and had 8 receptions for 145 yards yesterday. Almost every big passing play Washington had was to Moss. Dallas simply has problems stopping him.

The Cowboy’s run defense was also not very good yesterday in giving up 161 yards on the ground…121 of those to Clinton Portis as helped salt the game away in the 4th quarter after a Romo interception. At the time, Washington was only leading 23-17 and they seemed content with just pounding the ball with Portis to take as much time off the clock as possible. Washington completed the 12 play, 55 yard drive with a field goal to make it a 2 score game and that was basically the game. Dallas scored a late touch down to make it a 2 point game but needed to successfully execute an onside kick, which they almost did, but the ball went through the hands of Sam Hurd. Game over. But the defense is what lost the game for Dallas yesterday as Washington scored on 6 of its final seven possessions going back to the middle of the 2nd quarter.

I really didn’t understand the play calling of Jason Garrett during the game. Last week vs. Green Bay, Dallas pounded the ball with Marion Barber to the tune of 120 yards. They used Felix Jones effectively, as a change of pass RB, and mixed in passes to Witten and Miles Austin as well. Yesterday though, Dallas really didn’t even try to run the ball. Of the 58 offensive plays Dallas called, 47 were passes and 11 were runs. Of Dallas’ last 38 offensive plays, they ran 4 times and passed 34 times (and 2 of those runs were a scramble by Romo and an end-around by Owens). So really, Garrett called 2 true running plays in their last 38. Garrett said after the game that the Washington defensive scheme dictated more passes. Correctly me if I’m wrong but I’ve always heard that, as a coach, you dictate the tempo, and style of play, to the other team and not acquiesce to your opposition. The amazing part of this is that Felix Jones got 0 plays called for him during the game…0. Felix is an amazing talent and we have all seen the type of speed he possesses. Why not mix him in a little bit and try to get him the ball in space? Try a screen pass to him or and end-around or even split him out in the slot to divert attention away from Witten and/or Owens (that is how Witten got his 1st quarter TD…Felix was sent in motion which took attention away from Witten and left him one on one with a linebacker). Felix needs to be more involved, period.

Another thing I think Garrett did was force feed Owens. I don’t know if he was trying to correct not getting TO involved more in last week’s game vs. Green Bay or what but there were 17 passes thrown Owens way and he caught 7 of them for 71 yards and 1 TD. And I don’t care what Owens says, they got him involved (or at least tried) and his production at the end of the day was decent. You can’t have 100+ yard receiving days every week in the NFL. I could go on but I think I’m just going to wrap up here.

The Deadskins came into Texas Stadium yesterday and played with more aggressiveness and urgency (on both side of the ball) than Dallas did. No excuses…Dallas got outplayed, outcoached, out fought, out everything by a team that is simply not as good although you wouldn’t be able to tell that from yesterday’s game. The next three games (Cincinnati, @ Arizona and @ St. Louis) are all very winnable and Dallas should be a heavy favorite going into each one so this is their chance to pad their record a little. But they need play a lot better than they did yesterday if they want to get to Tampa in February.

In some cases, a loss can be a good thing because it brings the team back down to the ground and shows them they aren't invincable. I think that's the case here. I think the players started believing what everyone was saying about them being the "Super Bowl favorite" and the "best team in the best division in football", etc. Maybe now they will see that ANY team, especially in their division, can beat them on a given week.

Jesus is a Friend of Mine

2008-09-24T16:00:00.001-05:00

Ok, a friend of mine emailed this to me and I just had to post it. On a scale of 1-10, the “cheese factor” is about a 15.

Ok, first off, when was this made? It looks like from the hair and clothing styles that it was in the mid to late ‘70’s. I wish I had a vest and big collared shirt like that.

Second, I feel like I’m listening to a song that was made for 1st or 2nd graders to listen to in Sunday school. I mean, “Jesus will never leave you flat” and “will zap you anyway he can” are the type of lyrics you live your life by. And can this really be considered “rock ‘n roll” as the lead singer says? Oh my…

Third, the portly gentleman in the back looks about as interested in singing as someone awaiting a root canal. If you’re lip syncing like this, at least show some emotion. Take a tip from the guy in front on the red guitar…I think he thinks he is a member of Van Halen or something.

Truly awesome.

Lets Contain Our Enthusiasm a Little

2008-09-23T20:07:00.003-05:00

Even though I am one of the biggest Cowboys fans I know, I try to be objective about things and not be polarized to one extreme or the other. This was not always the case though. When I was in college ('93-'97), I was the type of fan that thought the Cowboys could do no wrong and expected them to blow teams out every single week. I was pretty annoying about it too which is why I was given such a hard time anytime Dallas lost. Even if it wasn't a significant game but just the garden variety weekly game, and the Cowboys lost, it was a party at the house. I would hear about it all week but then I would give back, just as good as I got, when the Cowboys got back to their winning ways...and they did a lot of winning during that time.

The other day I heard someone call in to the sports talk radio station I listen to and honestly say he thought Dallas would go undefeated...after the 3rd game of the year. I mean, what? He was serious too. He really believes the Cowboys will not be beaten this year. All I could do is shake my head and just remember back to my college days when I acted like that idiot. Mind you, I never thought the Cowboys would go undefeated though. The '72 Dolphins are the only team to accomplish that feat and I believe no team will ever go undefeated again. Today's NFL is a different league than it was in 1972. The season is just too long and teams are too good these days for any team to go undefeated. Just look at last year's Patriots team. As good as they were, they failed to go undefeated. Dallas WILL slip up and have a bad game, or will run up against a team having a good game, and will lose. It's not a question of IF it will happen, but WHEN it will happen.

One thing Dallas will need to solve, if they hope to make a trip to Tampa in Feb. '09, is the perplexing trend of late season let downs. I knew the in past several years, the month of December was not very nice to the Cowboys but I didn't think it went further than that. I was surprised to learn the following:

-'98 season: Dallas started off 8-3; finished 2-4*.
-'99 season: Dallas started off 6-5; finished 2-4*.
-'00 season: Dallas started off 4-6; finished 1-5.
-'01 season: Dallas started off 4-8; finished 1-3.
-'02 season: Dallas started off 5-7; finished 0-4.
-'03 season: Dallas started off 7-2; finished 3-5*.
-'04 season: Dallas started off 5-7; finished 1-3.
-'05 season: Dallas started off 7-3; finished 2-4.
-'06 season: Dallas started off 8-4; finished 1-4*.
-'07 season: Dallas started off 12-1; finished 1-3*.

(*went to the playoffs that season)

So, over the past 10 seasons, Dallas has finished their last 4-6 games with a record of 14-39 including 5 first round playoff exits. That is definitely NOT finishing the job. And the remarkable thing is that those weren't just bad teams that did that. Those teams ranged from bad to good to very good with different players, different coaches and different offensive/defensive philosophies. And all of them ended their respective seasons with a thud with last year's team, arguably, experiencing the biggest collapse in franchise history when they lost to the Giants.

Are the Cowboys are good team. Certainly. Are they a great team? I think we can say they are. But let's just hold things right there and make no prophesy of being undefeated, especially after the 3rd game of the season. Let's enjoy the ride because this could be a special year for the Cowboys but let's also remember that they haven't accomplished anything yet.

And while were on the subject of trends Dallas will need to change if they want to reach the Super Bowl, here's one more...Dallas is a -3 in the turnover margin (last season, they ended the season a +10). The Cowboys have no interceptions on the year either. And guess who they share that distinction with...the Bengals (0-3), the Rams (0-3), the Lions (0-3) and the Chiefs (0-3). So Dallas has gotten away, this far, with turning the ball over more than they have gotten turnovers but that definitely has to change. I can't remember a team who went to the Super Bowl that was a minus in the turnover margin. But they have only played 3 games so I'm not terribly worried about this stat...yet.

The Losing Streak at Lambeau is No More

2008-09-22T20:21:00.002-05:00

Last night, Dallas proved they can win a road game against an NFC contender even when their quarterback isn't close to sharp in the first half. Dallas came away with their first ever win at Lambeau field beating the Pack 27-16 however, the game was not as close as the score indicates. I won’t say Romo’s performance last night was as bad as the Monday night extravaganza last season vs. Buffalo, when Dallas had to overcome 6 Romo turnovers to win the game on a last second Nick Folk field goal. But Romo’s performance was not up to his regular all star, 300+ yd. passing performance.

Dallas put together a long methodical 15 play drive converting on 3 different 3rd downs. It was the kind of drive reminiscent of the early to mid 90’s Cowboy teams where they would just keep the drive going wearing down the opposing defense early in the game. However, Romo thought he could get the ball with a double covered Jason Witten and ended up throwing an interception in the end zone which promptly returned 61 yards by Nick Collins. Not a good throw by Romo…he can’t be a Jedi all the time. He even had a couple of uncharacteristic “intentional grounding” penalties. However, with the win, Romo improved to 13-2 in regular season road games. That’s not too shabby, kids.

Romo did have his moments though. He tossed a 52-yard touchdown to Miles Austin, into double coverage, down the right sideline to give Dallas a 27-9 lead with 9:17 remaining. I actually thought that was going out of bounds the second it left Romo’s hand. Austin also had a 63 yard catch in the middle of the 3rd quarter giving Green Bay yet another offensive weapon to contend with.

Green Bay did a good job shutting down TO Owens as he only had 2 catches for 17 yards. But that doesn't mean he didn't contribute. On the Nick Collins interception mentioned above, Owens was the one that ran Collins down from behind, 61 yards later. And on Felix's touch down, Owens was running stride for stride, with Felix, doing some good blocking. And we all know how fast Felix is so that just goes to show how fast Owens is.

And even though Green Bay put the clamps on TO Owens with double, and sometimes triple, coverage, that opened up other options for Dallas, such at Jason Witten. Witten had another big night and had 7 catches for 67 yards but several of those were on 3rd down to keep offensive drives going. Witten is by far the best TE in the league. He not only is a great offensive weapon with great hands but he blocks like a beast as well. Witten helped seal off the end of the defensive line on Felix Jones’ big touch down run. Witten is truly a man among boys.

The offensive line dominated a 2-0 team on the road in a place they had never won before. Marion Barber ran for a career-high 142 yards and a touchdown and Felix Jones’ 60 yard TD was a thing of beauty. Felix became the first player in Cowboys history to score a touchdown in each his first three games. He's the perfect complement to Marion the Barbarian. Jones and Barber combined for 218 yards rushing and by the end of the game, the Packers’ defensive line looked whipped.

The thing I was most impressed with though was the defense. Green Bay had several offensive drives that culminated in only a field goal. Aaron Rogers completed 22 of 39 passes for 290 yards but a lot of those yards came after the game was decided. Rogers was sacked five times and looked flustered for much of the game. After giving up 30 points last week to the Eagles (I don’t count the touch down Filthy got because of Romo’s fumble), I wasn’t sure what to expect against Green Bay. However, Green Bay only had one long completion, a 50 yarder to Donald Driver in the 3rd quarter, and for the most part kept the Packers’ offense in check holding them to 4 of 14 on 3rd down conversions.

It wasn’t a perfect game by any stretch but they came away with a pretty decisive victory, despite not playing the best. Up next is little Danny Snyder and his Washington Deadskins. Hopefully the Force will be back with Romo and the team will have the same success they did at Lambeau. I so love it when Danny Snyder experiences defeat, especially at the hand of Los Vaqueros.

Up Next for Dallas...The Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field

2008-09-20T14:05:00.004-05:00

Well, maybe this time of year Lambeau isn't so frozen but you really can't call it anything else but the "Frozen Tundra". No, rest for the weary. Dallas only got to relish that classic Monday night victory over the Eagles for 1 day because they had to start preparing for their next big test...Green Bay.

Lambeau Field hasn't been all that kind to the Cowboys in the past. This will be their 6th trip up to Green Bay and their record of the previous five meetings...0-5. However, this team is probably the best team they have ever taken up to Green Bay. Here is a brief rundown of the previous 5 times Dallas has played at Lambeau:

1960 - This was the expansion year for the Cowboys in which they went 0-11 on the season.

1967 - This was the famed "Ice Bowl" where the temperature was -15 degrees and the wind chill was -40. That day, the "Frozen Tundra" was just that...frozen. Not many teams would have fared better than the Cowboys did that day.

1989 - This was Troy Aikman's/Jimmy Johnson's first season in which the Cowboys won all of 1 game that year. The '89 team probably rivaled the '60 team as the worst two in Cowboys history.

1997 - The Cowboys went into this game 6-5. The Packers were the reigning Super Bowl champions and were salivating to get to play Dallas in Green Bay. The game was late in the year, the temperature was very cold after a 10-10 half time score, Green Bay torched Dallas in the second half turning the game into a route. Dallas didn't win another game that season, ending up with a 6-10 record, and Barry Switzer was promptly replaced when it ended.

2004 - Dallas visited Green Bay and was led at QB by Vinny Testaverde who was a couple of years shy of collecting social security. This team also ended the season with a 6-10 record.

So, looking at the 5 teams above, it's pretty evident that the '08 Cowboys team is quite a bit better than any of the previous 5 teams Dallas took up there. A big reason for that is Dallas offense, which has been among the best in the NFL the last season and a half.

The offensive line is the key to the success of the offense, just as it was in the early to mid '90's, for Dallas. They are one of the best in football and have been over the last few seasons which is why the Cowboys have risen back to prominence as of late. The offensive line's play give the rest of the offense so many options and way to gash the opposition's defense because, more often than not, Romo doesn't have to worry about blitzing linebackers or getting sacked. The offense is so good that a first round, super talented RB like Felix Jones is the 4th or even 5th option on that offense. For the opposing defense, it really is "pick your poison" because if they double cover TO Owens or Witten or work to primarily stop Marion Barber, they they will leave themselves open for another offensive option. It truly does remind me of the early to mid '90's Cowboys teams.

The defense played well the first game (vs. Cleveland) but played just ok last week vs. Filthy. They gave up 30 pts (7 of the Eagles 37 pts came on a Romo fumble recovery in the end zone, so I don't count that against the defense) and didn't really get consistent pressure on McNabb. They did play well enough to win and looked like their philosophy, at times, was "bend but don't break". However, they did give up that bomb to DeSean Jackson so I'm sure the Packers will look to do the same thing. However, Roy Williams is out with a fractured arm so that actually be a blessing in disguise due to his inability to cover, well, anything that has two legs.

I think tomorrow night's game will be similar to last week's game vs. the Eagles. I believe both offenses will have some success against the opposing defense but I think Dallas' offense will be able to score one more time than Green Bay's will. Aaron Rogers is playing well but he is still learning the game and I think the big stage on Sunday night against Dallas will play into that. I also think that special teams will play a big role in this game with either a punt, a punt return by Pac Man Jones or a kick return by Felix contributing to the outcome.

As good as Dallas is, they aren't going to go 16-0. I don't even think, had Brady not gotten hurt, the Patriots would have done that again either. The NFL season is just too long for a team to stay on top like that week after week. So, Dallas is going to lose somewhere and this game has that potential. Green Bay is a good team, they are at home and probably have a bit of revenge on their minds from what Dallas did to them last year.

So, will I be surprised if Green Bay wins? No. But do I think it will happen? No.

My prediction: Dallas 31, Green Bay 24.

Josh Howard, Where Have You Gone?

2008-09-17T21:42:00.000-05:00

Josh Howard has had quite a year. Let me get this staright…after admitting to smoking weed, throwing a party on the night before a playoff game, getting arrested for going 94 mph in a 55 mph zone, and then complaining about getting negative press at a charity softball game, Josh was caught on camcorder saying this while the national anthem was being played at a charity flag football game: “The Star Spangled Banner’s going on right now, and I don’t celebrate that s***. I’m black.” GD Obama and all that s***.” This is on YouTube however I didn’t want to post it because of the language used.

What is going on with Josh Howard? Does anyone seem to know? Has he always been this troubled and we are just finding out now? What is with this implosion that has gone on the past 6 months? Honestly, Howard was one of my favorite players until all this foolishness.

I’ve been a supporter of Howards during all this. I’ve said that he’s not a bad guy…maybe misguided, but not a bad guy. He hasn’t been accused of sexual assault. He hasn’t been involved in any shooting. And to tell the truth, I didn’t necessarily think it was appropriate for a reporter to ask him questions about his admitted marijuana use at a charity softball game in ear shot of kids. However, it’s getting increasingly difficult to defend Josh if he can’t keep himself out of the news

This is how I would like to think of Josh Howard:

And I still think this is one of the funniest moments captured on YouTube where former Mavs coach Avery Johnson inadvertently slaps Howard…in an area no man wants to be slapped:

There is still an incredible basketball player within Josh Howard and the Mavs/Rick Carlisle hope they can bring that back to the fore front. In fact, they’re betting on it. At this point, it’s a gamble because if they can’t get that back out of him and he plays like he played the second half of the season last year, they’re going be on the hook for not trading him to the Sad Sac Kings for Ron Artest (which I still can’t believe went to Houston…). Here’s hoping the Mavs don’t crap out on this Howard gamble. If they do, it could be a really long year for the Mavs.

The Final Monday Night Football Game at Texas Stadium

2008-09-16T22:18:00.000-05:00

Well, I predicted a close game and that is what we got. Except that I didn’t think the game would be high scoring…that’s where I was wrong. Last night’s game became an instant classic and exceeded the hype with Dallas pulling out a hard fought 41-37 win. It took me a while to go to sleep and even though I was dragging this morning, just knowing Dallas beat Filthy gave me a little extra zip I probably wouldn’t have had if the Eagles had emerged victorious.

I really didn’t know how either team would come out and play but it was evident early on that there was going to be a tremendous amount of offense, from both teams. Romo came out hitting on all cylinders. He hit T.O. Owens on a 72 yd bomb on Dallas’ first offensive possession. That play electrified the entire crowd. He ended up having 3 catches for 89 yards and 2 TDs and even though he had a quiet 2nd half, he opened things up for Jason Witten down the middle of the field because the Eagles secondary was double covering him. Owens talent and play making ability definitely make him an elite WR. And even though Romo had a couple of pretty bad mistakes early on which turned into 14 Eagles points, he recovered to connect on 21-30 passes for 312 yards and 3 TDs with a 123.2 rating.

Speaking of Jason Witten, I’m not sure you can find a tougher player anywhere in the NFL. Last year, when the Cowboys played the Eagles on Sunday night football, Witten caught a pass and was running down field when he had his helmet ripped off his head by a Filthy defender…and yet kept running with the ball gaining another 20 or so yards. Last night Witten’s shoulder popped out of place but he popped it back into place, came back in the game and ended up with 110 yards receiving. As I said below, the Eagles don’t have much of an answer for Witten…and it defiantly showed.

Marion Barber and Felix Jones each contributed to the win as well. Barber looked a lot like Brian Westbrook last night in that he not only ran the ball effectively but did some damage catching the ball out of the backfield (63 yards rushing; 51 yards receiving). Felix took a kickoff back 98 yards for a score and had 247 return yards. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Felix is going to be very special.

The offensive line did a good job all night against the Eagles defense which generally brings tons of pressure. The line allowed no sacks on the night and Filthy’s defense never got the consistent pressure they usually get against the Cowboys. They gave Romo enough time to find Owens/Witten/Barber, etc.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the two clutch field goals Nick Folk made. The first one was 51 yards and helped Dallas go into the locker room at half time with a bit of momentum and being down only 7 points. The second field goal came in the second half and was 47 yards. I was trying to think today about the last time Dallas had a money kicker like Folk. It’s definitely been a while and I don’t think anyone should take him for granted. Those kicks were huge.

However, not everything was rosy for the Cowboys last night. Obviously, with a final score of 41-37, neither defense really did that great of stopping their opponent. Dallas defense didn’t really get a ton of pressure on McNabb and if he had a decent group of receivers, like Dallas does, the score might have been different. Next week, in Green Bay, the defensive line better do a better job of getting to Aaron Rogers than they did of getting to McNabb or that game will be high scoring as well. The defense did get 4 sacks but those were basically coverage sacks and McNabb even ran into a couple of those.

Dallas also has got to cut back on the penalties. They had 10 for 108 yards last night vs. 5 for 44 yards for the Eagles. I know the officiating wasn’t great, on either side of the ball, last night but Dallas was one of the heavier penalized teams last year and it doesn’t look like they have changed much in that dept. this year yet. However, that has got to change.

But for now, I’m still enjoying last night epic win and probably will up until kickoff in Green Bay on Sunday evening. It was definitely a fitting end to MNF at Texas Stadium.

The Final Time Filthadelphia Visits Texas Stadium

2008-09-14T19:53:00.000-05:00

Growing up watching the Cowboys, I generally disliked two teams…San Francisco and Washington. Every other team Dallas played was just another game. This included the Giants and Eagles. Even though they were division foes, I really didn’t have a deep disliking for either of these teams. My deeply rooted disliking for the Eagles came in 1999 as I saw Michael Irvin lying motionless on the turf at Veterans’s Stadium in Filthadelphia due to a hit he had just sustained. For fear of a spinal injury, his helmet was left on but his face mask removed while he was transported off the field on a stretcher. And the classy Eagles fans cheered. Make no mistake, they weren’t clapping, as he was being transported off the field, honoring him for his play or the injury he had sustained which is normally heard at stadiums, for the home and visiting teams alike, whenever someone sustains an injury. No they were cheering out of joy that Michael Irvin was hurt and had to be carried off the field. At that point, no one knew if Irvin would ever walk again, much less play football. But they just cheered as if they had won the Super Bowl. Their hatred the Cowboys permeated all levels decency and class and showed them for what they are. It was at that moment that my hatred for all things Filthadelphia was born.

For the past few years, really since 2000, this is the game that has made me more nervous than any of the others on the Cowboy’s schedule. This is due in part because the Foul has pretty much owned the Cowboys since then and also because of my dislike for that team…and city. When the NFL schedules come out each spring, this is the game that I look for first…the Eagles @ Cowboys (the next game I look for is Cowboys @ Eagles). So when I turned on the TV last Sunday in the final two minutes of the Eagles/Rams game and saw Filthy was up 38-3, I felt an uneasiness in the pit of my stomach. The uneasiness was quelled a bit watching Dallas destroy Cleveland but there still is a nervous residue that remains.

The Eagles look pretty formidable this year. In playing the Rams last week, which I read looked like they were playing their 16th game of the year instead of their first, Filthy put up 522 yards of offense (414 passing; 108 rushing) went 8 of 14 on 3rd down conversions and had 28 first downs. The Eagle’s defense gave up only 166 yards (130 passing; 36 rushing) and had 4 sacks. Now that is a dominating performance. The area that the Eagles needed to address in the off season, special teams, has been addressed with the addition of DeSean Jackson and for the first time in several years, Donovan McNabb is completely healthy. So even though Dallas may be the “team to beat in the NFC”, the Eagles might be the team to beat Dallas.

I believe (just like I did last week) that this will be a tight game. Even though last week’s game vs. Cleveland ended up not being quite as tight as I thought it would be, the Eagles and the Cowboys aren’t that far apart and I can’t see either team blowing the other off the field. I think both teams will find weaknesses of the opposing defense and exploit those weaknesses for big plays and large chunks of yardage. I think TO Owens will want to make amends for his poor Week 15 showing against the Eagles last season and I think Witten will have a big day as Filthy didn’t have an answer for him last year (11 passes for 190 yds in two games last season) and I don’t think they will have much of one this year. I think Barber, based on what he did last week, will run with a purpose but due to the fact that Eagles blitz quite a bit, I look for Felix Jones to play a bit more this week than he did last week. Also, I think the game will come down to the turnover battle and the number of big plays that were made and not missed. And even though the Eagles could only play the opponent in front of them last week, the Rams and the Cowboys are leagues apart. Dallas playing at home and this being the home opener will have a little to do with it despite the fact Filthy has been successful at Texas Stadium of late. After the smoke clears, Dallas will be a game up on Filthy in the NFC East

Prediction: Dallas 27, Filthy 21.

Oh, one more thing…I’m getting so tired of seeing Jessica Simpson and the Dallas Cowboys in the same news story. During an appearance on Good Morning America earlier this week, Jessica Simpson screamed "Go Cowboys!" She later added that when the Cowboys play the Eagles Monday night that, "We're gonna kick your butts, too!" Vomit, Vomit, Vomit. This is not an anti Jessica Simpson rant (although it may sound like one) but, Jessica, for the love of all things blue and silver can you please just fade into the background? I know you and Romo are supposed to be Ozzie and Harriet but, honestly, crap like this make you look like a buffoon. Just be his girlfriend, go to the games and be a classy fan and let that be it. Don’t go out there chirping about how “we’re gonna kick your butt” because here’s a hot tip…YOU aren’t doing anything. YOU aren’t kicking anyone’s butt. YOU are in the stands (or luxury suite) or watching on TV at home just like the rest of us. I mean, you never heard that she was this big Cowboy fan before she and Romo hooked up despite the fact she grew up in the Dallas area. Here ends the rant…for now.

A New Level of Ineptitude for Miss. State Football

2008-09-13T21:52:00.002-05:00

Anyone who doesn't care about Mississippi State football (which is probably the majority, if not all, of all 5 people who read this) probably should stop reading about here...

Well, at least I can take solace in the fact that no one can ever accuse me of picking where I went to school based on the football program. After watching tonight's Auburn/MS State game, I'm seriously rethinking that decision. The game ended with Auburn winning 3-2...3-2. Are you freakin' joking? That's a baseball score. I haven't written, before now, anything about State's football program because, well, they aren't very good. Every once in a while, State will have a 3-4 year period of being pretty good but then will revert back to sucking the knee caps of the SEC elite. So needless to say, I've seen some crappy football from my beloved Bulldogs. But I can't remember when I have been so utterly frustrated at the lack of offensive cohesion from a MS State team. Did I just say offensive cohesion in the same sentence with MS State? Ugh.

The defense played wonderful and should be praised for playing their guts out against the #9 team in the country. Time and time and time again, State's defense shut down Auburn's offense. They brought pressure, got sacks, stuffed the run and defended the pass pretty well most of the night. The defense played the way you want to see them play. They were heroes tonight even though the team lost. The offense however was utterly abysmal.

I have absolutely no idea what State's offense was doing tonight but it sure wasn't playing football. The offensive line is a terrible, at best, and the quarterback...well, the best thing I can say about him is that he played like a gutless gimp. That may be harsh but I really don't care. Plant his rear end on the bench if that's the best he can do and put in the back up. Heck, I don't even know who the freakin' backup QB is but I'll be willing to bet he could do a helluva better job than Carroll did tonight. I'm not even sure he would be the backup at my high school. It might help the QB to have an offensive coordinator that used a little imagination as well. Here's a hint: up the middle, up the middle, up the middle, punt is NOT a good offensive series. Maybe they really don't have any imagination because the offense couldn't handle it if they tried.

Here's the thing. I've seen all this before. This level of offensive suckiness is not new. No, what was new tonight is that the defense didn't go quietly into the night, they kept fighting. Auburn was holding a 3-0 lead in the 4th quarter when State's defense got a safety. Then with under 5 minutes left in the game, Auburn still holding on to a 3-2 lead, State's defense came up with, not one, but two fumble on successive series...gifts sent down by the football gods. And State couldn't even get a 1st down either time. Absolutely pathetic. Auburn was trying their best to give the game to State...but State said "no, we're MS State...don't you know we aren't suppose to win?"

Even though I love MS State, and don't regret going there at all, I can't help feeling a bit envious while I watch USC dismantle Ohio State. I wonder what it would have been like to go to a school that went to major bowls, every year, and compete for the national championship on a regular basis. I think that would be pretty stinkin' cool to go to a school like that.

It's gonna be another long year for the Bulldogs...a very long year.

Now We’ll See What Is More Important…A Good QB or a Good Team?

2008-09-11T06:22:00.000-05:00

There is an old debate I’ve heard hashed and rehashed by friends, commentators and radio talk jocks several times. The debate is what is more important…a good QB or a good team. I think it’s safe to say that quarterback is one of, if not the most, important position in all of sports. If a team has a solid franchise QB at the helm, then typically they will be successful. Prime example of this is the Cowboys. Throughout their history, Dallas has had several outstanding quarterbacks which are why they now have 5 Lombardi Trophies. I know this isn’t the norm as several teams haven’t been as blessed over their history, in this way, as Dallas (Chicago, Arizona, New Orleans and Atlanta to name just a few). But even with the Cowboys, the times they haven’t had good quarterback play (recently, the 2000-2004 seasons), they haven’t been real successful. Now that they have Romo, Dallas is the team with the best odds of winning the Super Bowl.

So, back to my point. The debate is which type team will go further…an average, or even slightly below average, team with a good quarterback or a good team with an average, or slightly below average, quarterback. We are about to find out this season by looking at which team will have more success this season, the New Yawk Jets or the New England Patriots. The Jets were 4-12 last season and no one really expected much of them this year. The Patriots on the other hand went 18-1 last year, loosing only the Super Bowl, and were the preseason odds on favorite to win the championship this year. However, the Jets traded for Brett Farve who, even though is a bit long in the tooth, is still a top 10 quarterback and the Patriots just lost reigning MVP Tom Brady for the season and are moving forward with Brady’s backup, Matt Cassel, who hasn’t started a game since he was in high school. Which team will end up with more wins at the end of the season?

You can make a case for both. In the case of the Jets, one can argue that a great quarterback will make other around him better. A transcendent quarterback has the intangibles that every team looks for in their leader. Some call it the “it factor”. “It” can’t be measured, like height, arm strength or foot speed, but “it” is the burning desire to win and whatever it takes to get there. If that means making everyone around them elevate their respective level of play, so be it. If you look at all the great quarterbacks, the majority of them all have, or had, “it”. Peyton Manning has “it”. Tony Romo has “it”. Brett Farve has “it”…as well as a pretty average team around him this year in the Jets. But Farve elevated his team to a road victory over Miami on Sunday which I’m not sure would have happened with Kellen Clemens leading the team, despite how bad the Dolphins are.

In the case for the Patriots, you can make the case that football is the ultimate team sport and that no one person is bigger than the team. If the team itself is strong, then you don’t necessarily need a great leader to get to the championship. Two examples of this would be the 2000 Baltimore Ravens and the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Both of those teams won the Super Bowl without having a high profile quarterback. Baltimore had Trent Dilfer and Tampa Bay had Brad Johnon neither of whom produced eye popping stats but they played within their respective team’s “system” and, as a result of the team being strong, ended up winning the Super Bowl. Matt Cassel has no skins on the wall but team itself does having won 3 Super Bowls in 4 years. However, the 2007 Patriots were the most prolific scoring team the NFL has ever seen and that success was due, in large part, to the ability of Tom Brady. What will happen if the incumbent quarterback doesn’t possess the skills Brady has? Will the offense still continue to click or will defenses load up to stop the run daring Cassel to try to pick them apart as Brady would have done?

If I were a betting man, I would bet that the Patriots have a better chance of being a playoff team with Matt Cassel than the Jets have with Farve. Even thought the Patriots are an aging team, they have experience on their side and a solid coaching staff. Plus the Patriots have more talent at their skill positions (WR/TE/RB) than the Jets. So, I guess we will see if a more talented and experienced “team” can offset an inexperienced quarterback. By the end of the season, I would expect the Patriots to be 10-6, maybe 9-7, and the Jets to be 7-9, maybe 8-8.

100th Post

2008-09-10T06:13:00.001-05:00

In celebration of this being my 100th post and in preparation for the upcoming season of The Office, I think a montage of pranks pulled by Jim, on Dwight, is in order.

Gotta love it.

Miscellaneous Items on the First Weekend of the 2008 Season

2008-09-09T06:17:00.000-05:00

-I wonder if Seattle Seahawk fans were as impressed as I was with their big time RB free agent signing after Sunday’s thumping at the hands of the Buffalo Bills. Seattle fans thought they had Shawn Alexander’s replacement when the club signed Julius Jones in the off season but I’m thinking they might be a little more reserved about him after seeing him run for only 45 yards on 13 carries. Oh, and one of those runs was for 24 yards so if you take that out of the mix, he had 21 yards on 12 carries. Impressive to say the least…

-Recently, Bengals WR Chad Johnson (who wears #85) legally changed his name from Chad Johnson to Chad Ocho Cinco. The Bengals promptly came out and said that they would recognize this and change all team documents, including the back of his jersey, which had previously read Chad Johnson to Chad Ocho Cinco. However, no one bothered to check with the NFL on this. Apparently, Reebok (which makes the jerseys for all the NFL teams) has made, and shipped out, a plethora of Chad JOHNSON jerseys and since the league has that financial commitment to Reebok, Ocho Cinco’s name will remain C. Johnson on the back of his jersey. The NFL issued the following statement: "He will wear the name Johnson on his jersey today and will be referred to as Chad Johnson on the official play-by-play sheet…certain issues remain [with the NFL] to be resolved before Ocho Cinco will be permitted to wear his new surname on his jersey. He has a financial obligation to Reebok, which produces the jerseys available to fans. That has to be resolved before the on-field jersey can be changed.” So, I guess we will all have to wait a little longer before Ocho Cinco really becomes Ocho Cinco.

-Looks like The Patriots’ season might have just gone up in flames as Tom Brady suffered a season ending injury in the 1st quarter of their game vs. the Chiefs on Sunday. Matt Cassel, his replacement came in in relief and guided the Patriots to a 17-10 victory but if Brady would have been in there, the Patriots probably would have won 38-10. Now we see what a QB who, before yesterday, started his last game in high school can do with one of the best teams in the NFL. Cassel backed up Carson Palmer then Matt Leinart at USC but never got the starting nod himself. Reports are that New England is going to bring in Chris Simms for a workout and might actually sign him. I’m sure a few Texas fans will roll their eyes at that and say “yeah, bring in Simms…he’s your savior.”

-Is the 2008 Tennessee defense the new ’85 Bears? I know that is a dumb question but Tennessee beat Jacksonville on Sunday 17-10 and did it was some pretty sick defense. Keep in mind that Jacksonville was considered a top 5 or top 6 team in the NFL. Last season, Jacksonville’s offense was ranked #7 and was ranked #2 in rushing offense. Here’s how they fared yesterday against Tennessee’s defense:

-189 total yards on offense
-33 rushing yards (Fred Taylor – 18 yards on 9 carries; Jones-Drew – 13 yards on 5 carries)
-3 turnovers
-7 allowed sacks

That is ferocious defense. I’m glad Dallas doesn’t plat Tennessee this year.

Dominant Performance

2008-09-08T21:59:00.000-05:00

Well, the 2008 NFL season opened yesterday for the majority of teams. I really didn’t know what to expect from the Cowboys to tell you the truth. I knew what they were capable of but with all the Hark Knocks hype and opening on the road vs. a team that went 10-6 last year, I just wasn’t sure how Dallas would come out yesterday. But Dallas lived up to the hype and turned in a dominant performance beating the Cleveland Browns 28-10…and it could have been worse than that.

First the offense. The offense looked like a well oiled machine most of the day in racking up 487 yards and 30 1st downs. They came out firing and took the fight right to the Browns. Romo was 24-32 for 320 yards. The offensive line was much tougher than the Browns defensive line at the point of attack and most of the time Romo dropped back to pass, he had enough time to make a three course dinner before finding an open target. Jason Witten had 96 yards receiving, TO Owens had 87 yards (and 1 TD) and Crayton had 82 yards and had some real nice catches as well as runs after the catch.

The running game looked about as sharp as the passing game too. Marion Barber showed how tough he was in getting 101 total yards (80 yads rushing, 21 yards receiving). I’m excited to see how he handles the bulk of the rushing load this year. I told a friend of mine yesterday Barber reminds me of a smaller Earl Campbell. Barber isn’t as big or strong as Earl but runs a lot like him looking to dish out punishment to any defender who is coming to make the stop. Felix Jones came in and showed why Dallas took him in the 1st round of the draft this year. He has the acceleration where if he gets just a seam, he will be into the defensive backfield before you can blink. There was a couple of times a Cleveland defensive back had to make a touchdown saving shoestring tackle on Felix. In the limited time he played, he rushed for 62 yards and if one of his runs wasn’t called back for holding, he would have been in the mid 90’s. He is going to be exciting to watch this year, no doubt about it.

Now, the defense. I was pleased with the overall play of the defense. Even though Terrance Newman was inactive yesterday, Dallas’ defense managed to hold Cleveland’s high octane offense to only 205 yards and 11 first downs. The big thing Dallas didn’t do yesterday is give up the big play. They bent, but didn’t break. The one thing I would have liked to see more was the amount of pressure they got on Derek Anderson. I really thought the Cowboys would get to him more than they did. That is going to have to be something they improve on, especially playing McNabb this week, if the defense if going to be successful this year. Also, Pac Man Jones better shake the rust off a bit quicker than he has. He bit on several double moves by the Cleveland receivers and had to drag Braylon Edwards down in the end zone to keep him from scoring a touchdown. I know he hasn’t played in a year but he needs to get back to form quick.

Another issue Dallas needs to address is penalties. Dallas had 11 penalties for 82 yards yesterday. They could afford that yesterday against a bumbling Browns team but won’t be able to get away with that against Filthadelphia next Monday night and win. TO Owens really needs to cut the end zone celebrations, that draw flags, as well. I’m fine with the celebrations but he CAN do that without drawing a flag. And if he does that against Filthadelphia and gives DeSean Jackson another 15 yards of running room, that could be a touchdown for the Eagles, quite easily.

All in all, I was very pleased with the initial game yesterday. I bet that was a nice plane ride back to Dallas…but first thing on Wednesday morning, Dallas needs to put that game in their rear view mirror and press on toward Monday night because the Filthadelphia Foul looks very formidable (they routed St. Louis yesterday 38-3).

And the Quest to Tampa Begins…

2008-09-05T20:42:00.000-05:00

The preseason is over. No more meaningless exhibition games. Time for the real thing. And the real thing started off last night with the Giants beating the Deadskins 16-7. To tell you the truth, I was pretty impressed with the Giants…at least for the first half. I’ve never been terribly impressed with Eli. Other than the playoffs and the Super Bowl last year, he’s always looked somewhat average, maybe a little above. However, there were times last night where Eli looked like Peyton as he completed 19 of 35 for 216 yards and an interception and capped a game-opening 84-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. His main target was Plaxico Buress (who signed a 5 year contract extension before the game) who had 10 catches for 133 yards. Add to that Brandon Jacobs who had 21 carries for 116 yards and the Giants offense looked pretty potent.

I expected more from the Deadskins though. Washington only got in New York territory three times in the game, the last time in the final seconds and possessed the ball for less than 25 minutes. I don’t think they will even make the playoffs this year. However, I don’t really think they are as bad, defensively, as they played last night and I don’t think NY is as good, offensively, as they played last night. Probably somewhere in the middle. One thing’s for sure though…Washington left a lot to be desired, which is just fine with me.

Now, on to the game that matters (or at least matters more to me)…

Dallas and Cleveland face each other in their respective opening games on Sunday. It is the featured 3:15 game on Fox and the Browns fans, from what I hear, are already whipped into a frenzy over this one probably because Dallas is the visiting team but also because Cleveland has received quite a bit of preseason hype and is picked to win their division. Looking at their offense from last year, it’s easy to see why expectations are lofty for the Browns.

In 2007, Cleveland’s offense ranked eighth in total yards (351.3) and points (402) behind quarterback Derek Anderson, who came out of nowhere, passing for 3,787 yards and 29 TDs. Cleveland wanted to make sure Anderson didn’t get away so they signed him to a contract extension in the off season (which pretty much guarantees Brady Quinn will be traded at some point). Supporting Anderson, the Browns have a variety of offensive weapons to utilize in WR Braylon Edwards, RB Jamal Lewis and TE Kellen Winslow, Jr. In 2007, Edwards caught 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns; Lewis ran for 1304 yards and had 9 touchdowns; and Winslow caught 82 passes for 1106 yards and 5 touchdowns. Cleveland also added another potent WR in the off season in Donte’ Stallworth who was in integral cog in the New England juggernaut offense last year.

Dallas also knows how to score though. The Cowboy’s offense in 2007, ranked third in the league with 365.7 total yards per game, and second with 455 points. Romo, was third in the league with 4,211 passing yards and second with 36 touchdowns. Dallas also has 3 star performers in Terrell Owens who had 81 catches for 1355 yards and 15 touchdowns, RB Marion Barber who had 975 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns (in part time duty) and TE Jason Witten who had 96 catches for 1145 yards and 7 touchdowns. Patrick Crayton is a solid #2 receiver and the addition of Felix Jones will give more speed and options to Romo. And I really don’t think the addition of Pac-Man Jones can be discounted especially in the return game. I think he’s going to make a big difference there.

The Achilles heel for Cleveland though is their defense which ranked 30th in the league in 2007. So the Browns can score points but they also give them up almost as fast as they score them. However the Dallas defense, while not being top flite last year, was solid ranking 9th in the league holding opponents to an average of 307.6 yards. The defense bent but didn’t break which is how Dallas won 13 games in the regular season last year and entered the playoffs the #1 seed in the NFC.

Also, I’m not real impressed with the teams Cleveland had wins against last year:

Cincinnati (7-9)
Baltimore (5-11)
Miami (1-15)
St. Louis (3-13)
Seattle (10-6; in OT @ home)
Baltimore (5-11)
Houston (8-8)
NY Jets (4-12)
Buffalo (7-9)
San Francisco (5-11)

So, even though the Browns were a 10 win team last year, they had only 1 win against a team with a winning record and it took OT to get that win.

I think the first half of the game both offenses will be clicking and be productive. However the 2nd half is where Dallas’ defense tightens up and allows the offense to put more distance between them and Cleveland. Also, I think with the way Dallas’ season ended last year, Romo and company have been counting down the days until they can get back out on the field. In the end, I don’t think Cleveland’s defense will be able to keep up with Dallas’ offense whereas Dallas’ defense will, again, bend but not break and allow the Cowboys to start off the 2008 campaign with a “W”.

My prediction: Dallas 31, Cleveland 20.

Preseason College Football Rankings

2008-08-26T15:47:00.002-05:00

Well, college football starts this weekend and I am already salivating just thinking about it. During the football season, I love getting up and watching Chris Fowler, Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit on College Game Day and then watching the big game(s) of the day. The weather is usually starting to get a bit cooler and there is a certain crispness in the air...like Mother Nature herself is giddy with anticipation of the day's game(s). Even though I love where I live, I do miss the college town feel on game day...the smells, the sounds, the tailgating, the fans, the bands, the anticipation of the game and, of course, the game itself. There really is nothing like the atmosphere of major college football, period.

The past two years, Ohio State has lost in the BCS title game to a more superior SEC team (lost to Florida in 2007 and LSWho? in 2008). Maybe this is the year the Buckeyes can break that trend however the AP thinks the trend will continue as they predict an SEC team, Georgia, will reign supreme over the college football landscape and beat Ohio St. for the championship (Sports Illustrated also agrees with this).

As I've said before, one of the things I generally do is keep my Sports Illustrated issues which detail preseason rankings and for casted results for college football/basketball and pro football/basketball/baseball/hockey. It really is funny, sometimes, to go back and look to see where teams, which had preseason hype, ended up at the end of their respective season. Very few teams end the season where they started out (last season, 7 teams lost when they were ranked #2).

While Georgia is a quintessential SEC team that has loads of talent, speed and strength, I'm a bit hesitant to say they will roll through the SEC undefeated, win the SEC championship and then the BCS title game...that's a pretty tall order. I know LSU didn't escape undefeated last year when they won the national championship but I really do think in order for Georgia end the season #1, they will have to. Oh, and Georgia's road schedule is downright brutal with games at South Carolina, LSU and Auburn (plus the date with Florida). However, Georgia and Florida are the two SEC teams poised to play on January 8, 2009 so whoever wins the Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party will have a leg up on the other to play in the national championship game.

One of my friends, Ryan Singleton (probably the only consistent reader of this, besides my wife), suggested a while back to post the preseason AP poll and then, after the season ends, place the final rankings next to the preseason for comparison. Here are the initial AP rankings for the 2008 season with #1 votes in ():

AP Top 25
1. Georgia (22)
2. Ohio State (21)
3. USC (12)
4. Oklahoma (4)
5. Florida (6)
6. Missouri
7. LSU
8. West Virginia
9. Clemson
10. Auburn
11. Texas
12. Texas Tech
13. Wisconsin
14. Kansas
15. Arizona State
16. Brigham Young
17. Virginia Tech
18. Tennessee
19. South Florida
20. Illinois
21. Oregon
22. Penn State
23. Wake Forest
24. Alabama
25. Pittsburgh

We'll see if Georgia can remain among the elite in college football and if they can do what few other teams have done...go wire to wire through the season ranked #1. I have some doubts weather they can as the SEC has proven year after year to be the ultimate gauntlet. I do predict that if Georgia falters, another SEC team will be there to pick up the ball and run all the way to the national championship game.

The Govenor's Cup Is In It's Rightful Place...In Dallas

2008-08-22T22:49:00.002-05:00

Well, Dallas retained the Governor's Cup tonight beating Houston 23-22. And even though the game got interesting late with Houston failing on a 2 point conversion that would have put them in front 24-23, the offensive starters for the Cowboys really put on a show in the 1st half. Romo and company played for the entire 1st half and other than a bad decision by Romo, which turned into an interception in the end zone, the offense looked like a well oiled machine. Romo completed 15 of 19 passes for 166 yards and a TD on the night, TO Owens had 4 receptions for 43 yards and Marion Barber rushed 13 times for 75 yards and a TD. I love watching Barber run. Every time he runs it looks like he's looking to dish punishment on some unsuspecting defensive back. It was good to see the starting offense get back to the form they displayed mid season last year.

The defense wasn't smothering tonight but they did what they had to do to win. Dallas was turnover prone (1 interception and 2 fumbles; the Texans had no turnovers) but the defense held Houston to 2 field goals after the Texans recovered the fumbles. The backups however have a lot of work to do as they seemed to let Shaub/Rosenfels move the ball pretty easily up and down the field. I thought Dallas was pretty deep, especially on defense, but that depth may be questionable at best right now.

The special teams, again, looked bad...especially on kickoff coverage. I don't know what they're going to do to get that fixed but they better address it in short order because the season opener is just around the corner. I think they should go get Joe Avazanno out of retirement and bring him back to coach the special teams again like he did in the mid 90's...Bruce Read doesn't look like he's doing much to fix the special teams miscues.

All in all, Dallas pounded Houston when their starters were in which is what I (and probably ever other Cowboys fan) wanted to see. They still have a little ways to go before the season starts but tonight was probably the last time we will see Romo/Owens before the season starts. Next Thursday, Dallas wraps up the preseason against Minnesota and I would imagine we will get to see a pretty heavy dose of Brad Johnson and Richard Bartel at QB as the final preseason NFL game is about the most useless game in all of professional sports. But maybe one of these "bubble" players will stand out and make enough of an impression to make the team. I'm rooting for Amendola and Keon Lattimore to make the team but we'll see what kind of needs the Cowboys have on cut down day.

Boom Goes The Dynamite!

2008-08-22T08:57:00.001-05:00

I recently heard that this guy is now a part of the new team at a Waco channel, but not doing sports…just general news. Funny, I would have thought all he had to do was send the clip below to ESPN and they would have snapped him up in a heartbeat for one of their SportsCenter anchors…

Now that is a classic.

Anquan Boldin Anyone?

2008-08-20T13:03:00.000-05:00

So, it’s come down that the relationship between star WR Anquan Boldin and the Cardinals has deteriorated to the point that the player and the head coach (Ken Whisenhunt) are not even on speaking terms these days. Boldin wants his contract renewed and the Cardinals don’t seem too interested in that. Boldin has three years left on the four-year, $22.75 million extension he signed after the 2005 season that keeps him under contract through 2010. He's making an average of $4 million a year. By the way, can anyone guess who Anquan Boldin’s agent is? You guessed it…Drew “Next Question” Rosenhaus, who is TO Owens agent as well. At this point, Boldin has formally requested that he be traded to another team. Now, who just might be interested in one of the NFL’s top receivers? Who might have, not only the cash, but additional draft picks AND space available for this? I would offer up Los Vaqueros.

It was rumored that Jerry was trying to trade for Boldin around draft time this year but either the asking price was too high then and/or neither team’s interest in trading/acquiring the player was that high. Plus at that time, the Cowboys were still counting on having Terry Glenn on the roster but have since rethought that and released Glenn because of his gimpy knee. Add to that the fact that Miles Austin, who was making big strides in training camp, sprained his knee in Saturday’s game against the Broncos and the Cowboys WR depth is dangerously weak. If TO Owens were to go down with an injury, this team would go from a Super Bowl contender to just a pretty good team instantly. So, if there is an opportunity to add another WR, especially one that is a star like Boldin is, I would think Jerry would be all over that.

Boldin is worth trading for…for the right price, obviously. He reached 400 career receptions faster than any other player, doing it in 67 games. In five seasons, Boldin has 413 receptions for 5,458 yards and 29 touchdowns. If he were to become a Cowboy and play opposite TO Owens, Dallas would, arguably, have the top WR combo in the NFC, if not NFL. I’m salivating right now just thinking about that possibility. Think about this offense: Romo, TO Owens, Anquan Boldin, Patrick Crayton, Jason Witten, Marion Barber, Felix Jones…and throw in capable WR backups in Sam Hurd and Miles Austin (when he heals from his knee sprain). That is the makings for a juggernaut offense. And because of the little depth right now at the WR position, I’m sure Dallas is right in the middle of trade talks for Boldin. However, I would be naïve to think that they are the only one’s that are in the mix for him. Filthadelphia also needs a stud WR, for McNabb, so I’m sure they are involved in this too.

I’m not totally sure what the Cardinals are asking for though. Certainly they would want multiple draft picks (probably a 1st round, 3rd and/or 4th rd pick) and might even want a good, young player as well. Dallas has the picks to offer up…it’s just a matter of if Arizona wants a player and if they do, who? If they were to offer up the picks plus, say Tashard Choice, I would do that deal in a heartbeat as Dallas still has Alonzo Coleman to be the 3rd RB behind Felix Jones.

If the Cowboys don’t end up landing Boldin, then the NY Football Giants have a plethora of solid WRs, a few of which they will have to cut. After watching what Dominek Hixon did to the Browns on Monday night, I would pluck him up if the Giants cut him…or even Sinorice Moss. The Giants can’t keep them all. It’s going to be interesting to see how all this goes down though. The bottom line is that the Cowboys really do need to add another WR to their roster…hopefully, it will be Boldin.

Second Preseason Game - Nothing to Write Home About

2008-08-17T21:56:00.002-05:00

Well, the Cowboys left the friendly confines of Oxnard, CA this week and traveled up to Denver to practice with the Broncos Wed - Fri and then the teams played each other last night in their second preseason game. Much to my dismay, Denver looked a bit more ready to play. The starters for the Cowboys, which looked very sharp last week, didn't play as well against Denver...on either side of the ball.

First on offense, Romo wasn't bad but he wasn't what we have come to expect over the last season and a half. He even over threw Sam Hurd who actually had his defender beat for a TD if the two had connected. However, playing in the high altitude of Denver can make balls sail a bit so we can forgive him for that one. However, the starting offense only managed to generate 3 first downs in 2 possessions and didn't have a play more than 10 yards. The running game sputtered as well gaining only 70 yards on 20 carries.

The defense wasn't all it was cracked up to be either. The Broncos starters scored TDs on their first two possessions both of which were against the Dallas starting defense. I know Cutler is good, and probably will be one of the next "greats" if he fulfills all the prophesy by the talking heads, but he looked like the second coming of John Elway last night completing his first 12 passes. The Denver running backs had plenty of running room, gaining 101 yards on the night, and Bronco WRs cut through Dallas' secondary like a hot knife through warm butter.

There were also penalties galore. It seemed like every time Dallas did something well and got a big play on offense or a big stop on defense, a yellow flag would be on the ground shortly after...and they weren't phantom calls either. Marc Columbo had an unnecessary roughness personal foul against him on the Cowboys initial drive, Bradie James was flagged for a late hit which helped sustain a scoring drive for the Broncos (had James not come in late, Dallas would have forced a Denver punt on the play) and Allan Ball was flagged for pass interference which negated a Patrick Watkins interception. Definitely not crisp on defense.

The special teams was a bit better last night but still needs a lot of attention. Again, Dallas couldn't get out of their own way. Tashard Choice blocked a punt but the ball went right back to the Denver punter and, since almost the entire Cowboy punt return team was down back down field setting up the return, the Denver punter ran for a first down. All I could do was shake my head. However, we did get to see what everyone was talking about when Pac Man Jones returned a punt 24 yards. He reminded me a bit of Deion (which I never thought would happen) and had to be tackled by the punter, which I'm sure he will hear about in team meetings. If that guy provides that kind of punch, at least half the time, when returning punts then he will be worth the signing.

The game wasn't a complete disaster though. Brad Johnson, who wasn't good last week, came in and played a lot better. He threw a very pretty 37 yard pass to Miles Austin near the Broncos sideline and hit Austin for a 5 yard touchdown a few plays later. Johnson finished 9-12 for 114 yards and a touchdown. Felix Jones again showed some of the offensive "pop" he has when he took a swing pass 27 yards down the sideline. I am pumped about getting that guy and excited about how Jason Garrett is going to use him. Anytime that guy touches the ball, he has the potential to make a big play. And Martellus Bennett made a nice catch and dragged 3 Bronco defenders with him until they finally brought him down. Unfortunately, that was the only time I remember that guy in the game.

I know this was only their second preseason game but the Cowboys have got to be better than they have the past two games. They are America's Team, on HBO's Hard Knocks, won 13 games in the regular season last year and are the odds on favorite of representing the NFC in the Super Bowl this year. Preseason or no, Dallas is going to get every one's best shot and just because they show up to play doesn't automatically put one in the win column for them. I'm still not overly concerned as they have been playing very vanilla offense and defense however the penalties, special teams snafus, and lax play have got to be improved upon before the season starts or all this hype/expectations are going to come crashing down against just like they did last January vs. the Giants (I still ache a bit when I think about that game).

Maybe they need to concentrate a little more in practice and spend a little less time playing grab ass and joking around. The Cowboys will have another opportunity to live up to the hype of the coming season on Friday evening against Houston. Now, if Houston comes in and beats Dallas, then I will be worried as Dallas is playing at home and Houston is, well, Houston. But a dog can bit you every once in a while if you aren't careful so the Cowboys better tighten the screws a bit this week. Because they definitely need it.

First Preseason Game - Still Plenty to Work On

2008-08-10T21:22:00.003-05:00

Well, the Cowboys had their first preseason game last night against the Charges and even though they lost 17-31, there were many positives they can take back to Oxnard. However, there are just as many, if not more, items they will need to shore up before their next preseason game. The 1st quarter, the team looked very sharp on both offense and defense but the 3 remaining quarters were a bit sloppy. Here are some positives I took from the game:

The 1st team offense went right down the field like a warm knife through butter and scored immediately on San Diego's 1st team defense. Romo looked to be in mid season form already as he was 3 for 3 on the scoring drive. Marion Barber ran like a man possessed...he is simply a beast. Watching him run, you might not have even known it was a preseason game if you didn't already know that.

We also got a glimpse at why Dallas drafted Felix Jones rather than Rashard Mendenhall this year. Jones literally has eye popping speed. There were two runs last night where Felix was tackled by the safety or he would have scored. He is going to be fun to watch and an excellent compliment to Barber. Tashard Choice came in and ran very well in the 3rd quarter too so I really think Dallas has their RB position in good shape.

Miles Austin had several good catches and showed that he has good hands and receiving skills to compliment his speed. He made some tough catches in traffic and might be making a move up the depth chart. And if there's one place the Cowboys need more depth, it's at WR.

The 1st team defense held San Diego's starting offense to 3 and out their first series too. Tank Johnson looked sharp and even got a sack. The 1st team defense got good pressure on Rivers and if that is any indication of how the season goes, the defensive backs might have a little easier job in coverage. Mike Jenkins actually started with the 1st team, as Terrance Newman is out with a groin injury, and did a solid job. He broke up a pass and didn't really look like a rookie.

Now that I've gushed about what excited me, lets put the pom pons down and look at what Dallas needs to address:

The game started to go down hill when the starters left the game and the 2nd and 3rd teamers came in. So all that depth the Cowboys have, right now, doesn't look like it's really ready to go. On offense, there were several disappointing things I saw. Sam Hurd was not impressive at all and hopefully just had a bad game. He had a couple of bad drops and just didn't look like his head was in the game at all.

Martellus Bennett likewise didn't look very good. A "typical" TE type pass was thrown to him (he was running down the middle of the field and the pass was right on the numbers) but he dropped it right after he was hit. Witten would have caught that and even though he is a pro bowl player, that is the type of pass Bennett will be thrown...he has to catch those.

And the miscommunication between Brad Johnson and Patrick Creighton was pretty bad as Johnson threw and out and Creighton streaked up the sideline on a fly route. Again, I know it's the first PRESEASON but that was pretty bad.

The defense looked decent however it gave up 3 pass interference calls inside their own 5 (one was committed by the starters though). That was how San Diego got 21 of it's points. But one disappointment of the night, I didn't expect, was the play of Pac Man Jones. I thought that guy would be starting with the 1st teamers but we saw why he wasn't. He committed one of the pass interference plays I reference above and totally ran by a Charger RB. I know he hasn't played in a year and has some rust to shake of but I really didn't think it would be that much rust. Kevin Burnett had a pretty bad game too as he whiffed on an open field tackle, TWICE, when a Charger RB ran straight at him. Hopefully it was just a bad game for him because those were pretty bad misses.

The biggest disappointment of the night and the place that needs the most work is the play of the special teams, more specifically the punt coverage. To say the coverage play was horrible would be a dramatic understatement. Again and again and again they allowed San Diego to get huge run backs on punts. Last year's coverage wasn't great but last night was atrocious. Also, rookie Danny Amendola was too lax with how he was carrying the ball, on a punt he was returning, and had it stripped. Again, I know it's his first game but he should know better than that.

I defiantly think that not doing much, if any, hitting in the first couple weeks of training camp had a negative impact last night. I'm not saying that they need to go full bore every practice and risk an injury but I do think they probably need to do more hitting than they have. So, after objectively looking at the game, I can honestly say that the starters have picked up where they were last season but the team as a whole has a ways to go before the start of the season. I'll be anxious to see what the coaches think of the first game and how the team practices this week.

Hard Knocks and St. Farve

2008-08-07T14:48:00.001-05:00

NFL Films is sheer greatness. Anytime I see anything on ESPN from NFL Films, I make a point to stop down and watch it. The slow motion, the dramatic music, the low tone narration…it’s just all great. Listening to John Facenda talk about Vince Lombardi or Tom Landry is almost poetic. So leave it to HBO to team up with NFL Films to make an all access series about NFL training camp. I’ve watched all the all the “Hard Knocks” (Baltimore, Dallas, KC, Dallas again) and each were great in their own rights. The last time the Cowboys were on “Hard Knocks”, Dave Campo was their head coach and Emmitt was still on the team. Now that they are again the subject of the series, many things have changed but America’s Team is still America’s Team.

On last night’s initial episode of “Hard Knocks”, the curtain was pulled back a bit and we got to hear conversations between Jerry and the agents of Terry Glenn and Felix Jones. I was a bit surprised at the conversation with Glenn’s agent because it wasn’t as amiable as we were all led to believe. However, it reinforced the fact that the WR corps has little proven depth behind TO Owen (who took full advantage of the time on HBO to plug a new business venture, TO Tees). They interviewed Patrick Crayton and replayed his dropped pass vs. the Giants and to tell you the truth, I had forgotten how painful that was. I actually yelled at the tv, again…my wife thought I was loony.

Also featured were the on field battles between TO Owens and Pac Man Jones. Jones looks smaller than I thought he was (even my wife commented on that) but when he gets the rust knocked off his game (and IF he can keep his nose clean) he is going to be good. Owens got the best of Pac Man though so at least it shows that TO is ready for the season. The first preseason game is on Saturday against the Chargers and even though the starters probably won’t play but a quarter, I’m giddy to see some football.

And the Brett Farve saga took another turn today as he was dealt to Broadway and will be playing for the NY Jets (which is ironic because he is on the cover of Madden '09 in his GB uni). The trade was for a conditional draft pick and depending on how much Farve plays and how well the team does, the higher the draft pick Green Bay will receive. IF the Jets go to the Super Bowl (which is HIGHLY doubtful), Green Bay will receive a 1st round pick from the Jets. So I guess that St. Farve will get a chance to prove how good he still is, or isn’t. However, I really wanted to see him playing in Minnesota or Chicago. It would have been delicious to see Farve going back to Green Bay playing for one of their hated rivals. It would have been interesting to see how the fandom at Lambeau would have reacted to that. I guess we’ll never know now unless the Jets somehow get to play the Pack next year. Now that’s worth praying for.

Training Camp Starts Today!

2008-07-25T16:32:00.002-05:00

The dog days of summer are almost over. This is one of my favorite days of the year as Cowboys training camp gets underway, which means football season (both pro and college) is just around the corner. Just about everyone that I’ve seen or heard is picking Dallas to win the NFC so this is the first time in over a decade the Cowboys have entered training camp a legitimate contender to not only go to the Super Bowl but win it. However, just because they ended up with the #1 seed in the NFC last year doesn’t automatically mean they will even make the playoffs. Of the 19 #1 seeds that didn’t make it to the Super Bowl in the previous season, more failed to reach the playoffs the following season than won the championship: 6 miss the playoffs altogether, 5 lost in the wild care or divisional round, 2 lost in the conference championship game, 2 lost in the Super Bowl and 4 won the Super Bowl.

However, it is my opinion that the Cowboys will win the NFC and get back to the Super Bowl for a record 9th time. They are absolutely loaded at just about every position. And really, the only glaring weakness I see on the team is at strong safety (Roy Williams) and by middle of the season he might be buried on the roster or traded altogether depending on how Adam Jones works out. Every position, except defensive line, boasts of at least 1 pro bowl player and Dallas has kept key free agents from leaving the team (Flozell Adams, Ken Hamlin), have made solid additions to the team through free agency (Adam Jones, Zach Thomas) and the draft (Felix Jones, Tashard Choice, Mike Jenkins and Martellus Bennett).

Even though Dallas is favored to make it back to the Super Bowl, there are a few things that could derail a trip to Tampa in early Feb. ’09:

-First and foremost is the play and health of Romo. Even though he had an outstanding season overall last year, his play in December dropped and, well, we all know what happened in the playoff game vs. New Yawk. Romo was not completely to blame for the loss but his play during the game was not on par with what he did during the season. I don’t think any of the “drama” regarding his tabloid romance with Daisy Duke will matter though although I am getting tired of hearing or reading about it. As the play of Romo goes, so goes the team.

-The injury bug didn’t really hit the Cowboys last year and that is a rarity in the NFL. And even when it did (Terry Glenn) it didn’t seem to really affect the team. If Dallas has the same good fortune, then book your hotel reservations in Tampa. However, since last year was rarity, I wouldn’t count on that happening again. Dallas has solid depth at most positions but if a key injury occurs to either the WR corps or the offensive line, things could get a little dicey.

-As a follow up to the above paragraph, TO Owens has to stay healthy. If he goes down, this team goes from elite to pretty good overnight. Unless Dallas picks up Anquan Boldin from Arizona, the WR position is without adequate depth if an injury crops up. So, hopefully if/when a season ending injury strikes, the WR corps can dodge it.

America’s Team is back in the elite company of the NFL and hopefully will stay for a while. Here’s to the start of training camp and my favorite time of the year.

Ron Artest, Eat Your Heart Out

2008-07-24T08:02:00.001-05:00

Who says that the WNBA is boring…

And this was also at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Detroit where the Pistons and Pacers brawled in ’04. Maybe it’s the building…

Disturbing News for Cowboy Fans and As if I Needed Another Reason to Dislike the Saints

2008-07-23T13:03:00.001-05:00

On Sunday, the Washington Deadskins made a trade with Miami to acquire defensive end Jason Taylor. The six-time Pro Bowler and 2006 defensive player of the year was traded to Washington for a second-round draft pick in 2009 and sixth-rounder in 2010. Taylor had fallen out of favor with Big Bill Parcells, who is now running the ship down in Miami, for being on Dancing With The Stars this past season and while Taylor is not quite the player he was in the late 90’s and early 00’s, he is still a very effective pass rusher who can wreak havoc on opposing QBs. As a Cowboys fan, I’m a little unnerved by this move because Dallas will now have to face Taylor twice a year. Washington without a doubt improved their defensive line with this addition. And while I still think Dallas is the class of the division, this move upped the ante a bit. Taylor is a quality guy and a great player so I'm more than just a little disappointed he is now playing to little Danny Snyder.

And staying with other NFC East news…

As if I needed another reason to detest the Saints, the world champion New Yawk Giants (or “Jints” as a friend of mine calls them) have traded the much over-hyped Jeremy Shockey to New Orleans for a second-round and sixth-round pick in the 2009 draft. I’ve never been a big fan of Shockey’s. And even though he has made Roy Williams look down right silly in trying to cover him (who hasn’t done that to Roy?), that’s not the reason I’ve never been a big fan of his. I have seen Shockey rip off his helmet and light into his QB on numerous occasions, act like a jerk on the sideline and pretty much embody all that is wrong with NFL. I know there are plenty of players who also do this (namely one that wears #81 and plays for Dallas) but I don’t really care for them either. I don’t remember Jerry Rice, Steve Largent or Jay Novacek throwing their helmets on the sideline in disgust toward their respective QBs. Shockey is loud, boisterous and high maintenance…and he’s only a tight end and not a wide receiver (like the aforementioned #81 for Dallas).

Unfortunately, Shockey is going to a team that will probably benefit from his services. Sean Payton, the Saint’s coach, was Shockey’s offensive coordinator in New Yawk during Shcokey’s first season. Shockey thrived that season winning Rookie of the Year. However, the Saints big problem last year was not the absence of a tight end but the absence of a defense. So, unless Shockey starts playing linebacker, New Orleans is going to still have problems stopping people from scoring.

Still Here…

2008-07-14T16:46:00.000-05:00

Well, I’m still here and as I wrote previously, the dog days of summer haven’t given much to write about. I mean, the Rangers have been doing well (at least compared to what they normally do) but there really is only so much you can say about them. Once NFL training camp gets rolling at the end of this month, I will probably have a few topics to write about. However, I want to express my thoughts on Brett Farve’s recent “about face” in regards to his March 6th retirement.

First off, while I’ve never been a big Farve fan, I do recognize his greatness and respect what he has accomplished over the course of his career. With that being said, I am sick to death of hearing about the teeter-totter soap opera regarding Farve’s future. For the past 3 years (until this year), the minute the off season hit, Farve would “contemplate retirement” only to indicate he would come back for another year in June or July. This basically held the Packers franchise in limbo because they never knew what their plans were at QB until training camp was about to start. And even though I’m not a Packer fan, I think that is just wrong.

I know Farve is one of the all time greats and I know he holds virtually every QB record this is. But dude, make a decision! And when you have, stick to it! Don’t come on ESPN in a teary press conference and announce you are done for good only to completely reverse yourself 4 months later after the Packers have moved on. If this would have been the first time he had done this, then I might understand and wouldn’t really hold it against the guy. I heard Troy Aikman say that it took him 3 years to get that “I still can play, I still want to play” feeling out of his system…and Troy had medical issues (concussions) that forced him to retire. Farve is still relatively healthy so I don’t fault the guy for still wanting to play. I fault him for basically holding the Packers hostage the last few years and then having a big fond farewell only to come back and say just kidding.

Now, the Packers are in a conundrum because half their fan base wants Farve to come back and play for the Cheese Heads and the other half wants the team to move on with Aaron Rogers. Since Farve never signed his retirement papers with the NFL, he technically never retired and his contract is still the property of Green Bay. So the Packers can do one of a few things here: They can 1) bring him back; 2) they can trade him (and Farve would have no say in where he would play); or 3) they can give him an outright release (which Farve wants because they he essentially is a free agent).

And if you’re Aaron Rogers, what are you thinking? This is a kid that was drafted in the first round several years ago to be Farve’s successor. And the only real playing time he has had was this past season in the game vs. the Cowboys…and even then he came in when Green Bay was pretty far behind but played very well in the loss. Rogers only has a couple of years left on his contract and if Green Bay brings Farve back, Rogers may just ask for a trade or a release himself. And even if Green Bay does neither of those, he probably won’t stick around too long when he becomes a free agent…and then Green Bay is really messed.

If I were a Packer fan, there is no way I would want to see #4 playing for any other team but Green Bay. He is a shoe in first ballot Hall of Famer and the thought of him playing for Baltimore, Miami or (heaven forbid) Minnesota or Chicago would turn my stomach. But on the flip side, the fact that he has done this time and time and time again would leave me with a sour taste too. That is why I think half the Packer faithful would like to see him retire…so they don’t have to deal with his off season soap opera again but also so they won’t have to see him in any other uniform.

It’s gonna be interesting to see what happens with this though, that’s for sure.

People Are the Worst…

2008-06-20T10:16:00.000-05:00

So I mentioned in the ‘Tagged’ post below that one of my things to do that yesterday was call ATT wireless to inquire about mysterious charges on our cell phone bill. Well, I did that and discovered the mysterious charges were from 5 calls made to Mexico on Sunday, 6/8, totaling about $60.

On Saturday evening, 6/7, I went with my wife to her 10 year high school reunion and over the course of the night somehow misplaced my cell phone. I normally don’t misplace, or even lose, anything so when I got up the next day and noticed I couldn’t find my phone, I was more than just a little hacked off. Maybe I was being naïve but I really did think that whoever found it and would scroll through the contact list and call HOME or WIFE and tell us they found it. I think that just about everyone that I know would have done that so I wasn’t terribly worried. However, when that didn’t happen by mid afternoon that day, I had no choice but to go get a new cell phone (which was a pain because I had to chase down most of the phone numbers I had put in there).

Anyway, after talking to ATT wireless yesterday about the mysterious charges, I added 2 + 2 (I’m good at math) and realized someone found my phone and decided to take advantage of that and make some free international calls…or at least free to them as it wasn’t their phone and wouldn’t be charged for the calls. However, the ATT customer service rep was accommodating and after looking through our last 3 cell phone statements and seeing no international calls, of any kind much less to Mexico, they removed the charges/taxes generated from those calls so we didn’t have to pay for those calls after all.

The audacity of this just kills me though and, as you can tell, I’m still stewing over it. I’m not perfect, by any means, but this kind of thing is ridiculous. Kind of reminds me of the 2 teenage girls who stole the money from a girl scout selling cookies…and weren’t the least bit sorry about it. And I bet whoever found my phone didn’t think twice about taking it either. Sometimes, people are just the worst…

Movie Review: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

2008-06-20T09:24:00.000-05:00

It’s been a little while since I went to the movies so I told dear old dad to see the latest Indiana Jones installment this past weekend for Father’s Day. If you haven’t seen it yet, you might want to stop reading here because I’m going to give away some of the plot/details of the story.

First off, let me say that anytime I see Raiders of the Lost Ark on TV, I stop down for it. I remember going to see that, with my dad, when I was in 2nd grade (or thereabouts). It was pure greatness. Harrison Ford was great, the writing of George Lucas and direction of Spielberg was fantastic and the musical score of John Williams has since become a classic.

Then came the second installment, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. I liked this one ok but not as much as Raiders. It was a little gory for a PG movie (this was the movie that prompted the creation of the PG-13 rating) and the story wasn’t as good as it was in Raiders. However, Temple of Doom did have the best action sequence, of the series, with the chase through the mine tunnels.

Then came the Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade which was suppose to be the final film in the series (hence the name Last Crusade). I remember Harrison Ford even gave his leather jacket, whip and fedora hat he wore to the Smithsonian after this movie was released. This installment was just a tick below Raiders, as far as greatness goes. It was funnier than the first two and the addition of Sean Connery, as Indiana Jones’ father, was outstanding. The story was also better than Temple of Doom with Indy getting back on the trail of a religious artifact (the Holy Grail) just like in Raiders (Ark of the Covenant).
So, the bar was really pretty high for Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. I think everyone was expecting the same level of greatness that Raiders and the Last Crusade brought…I know I was. However, after watching it, I left the theater a little disappointed.

George Lucas wrote Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and while I recognize Lucas’ greatness I think he missed the mark on this one (as he did with Episode I – The Phantom Menace). First off the story line was a bit hokey. The artifacts Indy was chasing before had nothing to do with aliens but for some reason Lucas felt the need to shoe horn an extra-terrestrial element into this installment. That was pretty hard to get by. Also, I know the previous movies in the series had special effects in them from ILM (Industrial Light and Magic) but it seemed like this one had more than the others which turned me off a little. I’m fine with a certain amount of computer animation and such but it got a little too much in Kingdom. The sequence where Shia LaBeouf is swinging through the trees with all the monkeys, like Tarzan, was just ridiculous and the movie would have been better without it. And speaking of Shia LaBeouf, I smell more installments of this series with him being the lead due to the fact that he is Indy’s son.

As much bashing as I just did however, the movie wasn’t awful…just not what I expected. I was entertained, which is the aim of most adventure movies and Harrison Ford did make me laugh a few times. And while it could have been better, it was a decent movie.

Tagged

2008-06-19T10:25:00.002-05:00

Well, I was tagged by my wife, on her blog, to answer the following questions. So, without any further ado (what is ado anyway?), here we go:

1) What was I doing 10 years ago?

June of 1998, I was working as a camp counselor at Sky Ranch. I worked there during the summers of ‘96-’99. Working out there is the best college job I can think of. Although, the summer of ‘98 was the second hottest Texas summer on record (#1 was in 1980). It was at least 100 degrees every day from the second week of May through the first week in August that summer. And even though it took me all summer to get it, working outside 90% of the time in 100+ degree weather, I had a pretty good tan by the time camp was over with. That will probably be the last time in my life I will have a decent tan though…

2) What are five things on my list to do today?

-Call ATT wireless to inquire about mysterious charges on cell phone bill.
-Post this on my blog.
-Call the landscaping guy to postpone landscaping our front yard until early next spring.
-Fill out mail in rebate (I hate mail in rebates) form and mail to ATT wireless for my wife’s new cell phone.

3) What snacks do I enjoy?

-Chips and salsa/queso/guac
-Chex mix
-Most kinds of fruit
-Ice cream…or really most anything that is sweet, unfortunately

4) Where are all the places I’ve lived?

-Midland, TX (born there but only live there until we were 6 months old)
-Richardson, TX
-Tulsa, OK
-Starkville, MS
-Van, TX (during the summers of ‘96-’99)
-San Marcos, TX
-Dallas, TX
-Richardson, TX

5) What would I do if I was given a billion dollars?

-I would quit my job.
-So I wouldn’t forget later, I would give 10-15% to our church and/or some other charitable organization like Buckner.
-I would pay off any debt we have and then pay off the debt for any of my immediate family members and my wife’s immediate family members.
-I would want to sell our current house and buy another one. Not a super extravagant house, like superstar athletes/actors have, but a new house, with updated appliances and such, big enough for our family.
-Same as above, except for our vehicles. I would get a car to drive around the majority of the time and one that I would drive every once in a while, like a supped up Saleen Mustang, (which I would take over to the Autobahn in Germany just to see how fast I could go in it).
-Purchase season tickets for Cowboys, Mavs, Stars, Rangers.
-I would travel all over the world. Places I would go first: Ireland, Scotland, England, Germany, Italy, Australia, and Switzerland (to snow ski…and maybe get a new watch). I would also go back to where Carole and I honeymooned, Playa Del Carmen (Mexico).
-I would sleep in as much as possible.
-I would take SCUBA diving lessons and get certified. Then travel to Grand Cayman to SCUBA dive.
-I would think about purchasing a professional sports franchise...depending on cost and which one I could get.

Well, that’s all I can think of for now sports fans. Hope you enjoyed.

Pure Domination

2008-06-18T10:19:00.000-05:00

The Celtics went from winning only 24 games, during the ‘06-‘07 season, to 66 wins and the NBA championship in the ‘07-‘08 season. Last night Boston whipped a pretty hapless Laker team 131-92 which was the 2nd largest margin of victory (39 points) in a finals game in NBA history (#1 was in ’98 when the Bulls beat the Jazz 96-54). The game was really over at half time as the Lakers didn’t seem to be that interested in putting up much of a fight. So as LA just laid down seemingly accepting their fate, Boston just poured on their dominance with 3 pointers, blocking shots, getting offensive rebounds, hustling, etc. Boston played the whole game like they were behind by 10 points and not ahead by 23, as they were at half time.

When the Finals started, I thought it was going to be a good series because the Lakers had been so dominant in the Western Conference playoffs and Boston had been pretty iffy in the Eastern Conference playoffs. I thought that Kobe’s drive and determination would virtually will the rest of his team to win the championship. However, just like last year, we saw that a stifling defense can shut down superstar talent (the Spurs swept LeBron and his Cavs last year). Kobe never really put together a solid game. He had quarters of games that he played brilliantly but not a full game. The Celtics held Kobe to 40% shooting in the Finals so I give them the credit for that. Boston was the best defensive team in the regular season and they were the best in the playoffs which is a big reason they can add a 17th championship trophy to their collection.

Aside from Kobe’s inconsistency in the Finals, where was the rest of the Laker team? The Lakers two other big guns, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom, were virtual no shows. Gasol had one good game, in the six played, but for the most part was horrible…flat out horrible. It was his first time to the NBA Finals so I don’t know if the pressure got to him or what. The Laker bench also didn’t produce the way I thought it would. Key bench players like Fisher, Radmonovic and Vujacic didn’t step up when Boston limited Kobe’s production. In fact, those guys reminded me of the Mavericks because they all seemed very content in parking themselves out around the 3 point arc and firing jump shots from there.

Another thing entered my mind as I was watching the Lakers get humiliated. If the Lakers are the best that the Western Conference has, was the West overrated this year? All year people, myself included, raved about how good the Western Conference was and how tight the race was for the playoffs when in the east it was really only a two horse race between Boston and Detroit. Even the Western Conference playoffs weren’t as good as advertised because the home team won, most of the time by a huge margin, the majority of the time. So maybe we all ought to tap the brakes a bit on extolling the greatness of the West. I know I will.

As I’ve said, I’m tired of the Boston sports scene being top dog but if they’re the best, then there’s not much you can say about it. And there is no doubt Boston was the best team in the NBA this season.

Now You Know...

2008-06-17T11:34:00.002-05:00

Think the information/technological age is moving rapidly? You may not know how rapid it is moving until you watch this...

Simply amazing...now you know.

The NBA Finals: I Thought They Would Be Better

2008-06-14T15:16:00.002-05:00

I was so geared up for the finals once I saw the two best teams in the NBA would be playing each other. Added to that is the fact that it's Celtics-Lakers. I really thought this would be going to a game 7 with every game going down to the wire with contested shots, controversial calls and frightingly sick shots, with the game on the line, by Kobe/Paul Pierce. Needless to say with the Celtics up 3-1 in the series, I've been a bit disappointed. I was also disappointed in the Western Conference playoffs this year, but that's another story.

I'm not a Lakers fan by any stretch of the imagination but I've been rooting for them in this series mainly because I'm sick of the Boston sports scene ruling the roost this year. The Red Sox won the World Series, the Patriots were the best team in the NFL (even though they lost the SB (woohoo!)), Boston College had a shot at national championship game and a Heisman finalist and the Celtics finished their season with the best overall record in the NBA winning 66 games. I imagine a lot of my dislike of the Boston sports fan is sour grapes. I mean, if Dallas were in the same position, I would be on cloud nine. But it's Bah-stahn, where they pahk their cahr in the yahd.

The other night while watching Kobe and his Lakers cough up a 20+ point second half lead and lose the game, I almost felt the way I did when the Mavs lost a tough game...I couldn't beleive it. Plus the Lakers are from the Western conference, not the Leastern, so I would like to see them win. But I don't think it's gonna happen. No team that has been down 3-1 in the NBA Finals has ever come back to win the championship so I think it's church for the Lakers. And then the soap opera that is Kobe Bryant will start back up. Hopefully we will be spared from his incesant moaning about being traded, etc. but anything can happen at this point. Hey, I thought the Lakers would win the series so nothing at this point will surprise me.

More of the Eroding of Today's Youth

2008-06-10T11:54:00.002-05:00

If the girls who stole the girl scout money didn't get you fired up, just take a look at this 7 year old:

I love what he thought his punishment should be...no video games for a whole weekend. But the trouble doesn't end there for this young lad:

If he's this bad at age 7, what is going to be like at age 15 or 16? The person I really feel sorry for is his grandmother.

The Days of Our Lives...at Valley Ranch

2008-06-08T20:16:00.002-05:00

Well, it's been a little busy for me the past couple of weeks so I haven't gotten to post my thoughts on the soap opera that is the Dallas Cowboys. I swear it's something new just about every week. But as far as the past couple of weeks go, there's no shortage of posting material:

Pac Man's Jones has been cleared to play...sort of.

The NFL Commish clear Pac Man to start practicing with the team. He can participate in training camp and even play in preseason games. The Commish will rule on full reinstatement just before the season gets going but I'm willing to bet Jerry makes sure that Pac Man keeps his nose clean so his reinstatement will be a non issue. Pac Man has been working out with the team during OTAs this week and even ran back an interception for a TD during drills.

Make no mistake, I'm on record as saying I didn't want this guy in a Cowboys uni. And really, I still don't. He IS a criminal element (as opposed to TO Owens who is just a petulant child) and "you are what you are" as Big Bill would say. So, I don't really think this guy will change his ways just because he is with a different team. However, the one thing that MIGHT be his saving grace is the fact that he is working out with Deion Sanders. I truly think Jerry called Deion and threw some money his way to come mentor Pac Man. Do I think it will work? Doubtful in the long term. I think Pac Man will keep his nose clean and stay out of trouble 1 year max and that is just because he knows the spotlight directly on him. However, I think the Cowboys will have success this year and go back to the Super Bowl, with the help of Pac Man. Who knows if they will win or not but with that kind of success comes all the temptations he had before except multiplied by a factor of 10...and I don't think he will be able to resist.

However, until he does slip up, he has made Dallas' secondary into the NFC's (if not the NFL's) best. With Hamlin at safety (and possibly moving Anthony Henry back to saftey), Pac Man and Newman at the corners the acquisition of CB Mike Jenkins in the draft plus the benefit of one of the best defensive coaches (but NOT head coach) in the leagues in Dave Campo, the defensive backfield can once again be feared as it was in the early to mid 90's.

Notice I did leave one players name off the list and even though my wife got a Polaroid with him when he visited Baylor hospital, I don't think Roy Williams will be that much of a factor this year (just like last year). If any coach can get it out of him, Campo can but IF Roy doesn't get back to the level he was when he entered the league, he won't be wearing the blue star much longer. My opinion: this will be the last year Roy suits up for Dallas.

TO Owen's new Contract

Another player I was on record saying I didn't want to see wear a blue star was TO Owens. He is high maintenance and pretty childish at times. But, he has produced like no other WR for Dallas and has been an integral cog in the offense (Owens and Romo dang near beat Washington last year by themselves). I feel about Owens much like I felt about Deion when he played for Dallas: I don't like him as a person but I recognize his greatness and, as long as Dallas keeps him happy, I'm glad the Cowboys can utilize his talent.

Owens just got his contract newed and I had not one problem with it. Some people thought he was too old for a contract like this but this is the going rate for a highly productive WR: four years, $34 million (Signing Bonus: $12.9 million). Base salaries: 2008 - $830,000; 2009 - $2.670 million (He will also receive a roster bonus of $3.1 million); 2010 - $7.5 million; 2011 - $7 million. This year's cap number is $5.721 million, followed by $8.995 million (2009), $10.725 million (2010) and $10.225 million (2011). I seriously doubt he will see the end of that contract, due to his age, but right now (especially since Terry Glenn may not get back at all) it's a good deal.

I could also post on the yearly bitch session that Greg Ellis throws out there but I won't except that I will say he needs to quit moaning over his reps in OTAs, get out there and play. He knows he is valuable to this team and wants to get his way but I'm tired of hearing his mouth.

I'm quite sure that the summer won't be quiet around Valley Ranch as Jerry needs to figure out what they are going to do with Terry Glenn and, if he isn't back, what they can do to upgrade their WR spot opposite Owens. I don't think he is done wheelin' and dealin' but it's anybodies guess who will be in that spot on opening day.

The Eroding of Today’s Youth

2008-06-05T16:32:00.001-05:00

Are you as incensed as I am about the arrogance of these two girls?

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1817371

Rediculous! Would love to see what their parents thought of this...more than likely they didn't bat an eye.

What if this Happened While Skating the Stanley Cup?

2008-05-28T14:16:00.002-05:00

You think #12 had failed smile after this happened...

The Dog Days of Summer Are Here

2008-05-26T19:29:00.002-05:00

I generally try to post my thoughts on a subject of two a couple of times a week. However, in the summer time, posting a couple of times a week might be pushing it. Basically, the Rangers are the only game in town currently playing and I'm a fringe baseball fan at best. So, keep checking back and I'll try to have something up here a couple times a week...even if it isn't sports related. Now, about the Rangers...

It's been a while since the Rangers were really worthy of any kind of discussion unless it is about their future. The Rangers have been compelling one season (2004) since 1999...and even then they missed the playoffs. The Rangers, in my mind, are to baseball what the New Orleans Saints are to football. Both have had minimal success, you pretty much can expect them to miss the playoffs year in and year out and, more than likely, neither one will win the championship in their respective sport. However, the Rangers are the only baseball team I've ever really followed, even when I didn't live in the Dallas area) so I count myself as a fan of theirs. This year though, something interesting is happening out at the Ballpark in Arlington.

This Rangers team is actually pretty decent. Through the first 23 games, the Rangers were 7-16. However, since then, Rangers have arguably been one of the best teams in the American league. They now have a record of 26-26 and are only 4 games back of the division leading Angels. The most interesting story of the season, so far, is the impact that newly acquired Josh Hamilton is having on the team.

Hamilton is showing why he was the 1st overall pick in the 1999 draft (by Tampa Bay). He already has 12 home runs, 53 RBIs and has a batting average of .333. If the season ended right now, Hamilton would be in serious contention for the AL MVP, that's how good he's been. But the most interesting thing about Hamilton his how he came to even play of the Rangers. Hamilton arrived in Texas via an off season trade with the Cincinnati Reds for pitcher Edinson Volquez. Volquez was part was part of the threesome of minor league pitching prospects, which were untouchable a few years ago, known as DVD (John Danks, Edinson Volquez and Thomas Diamond). Currently, no player of DVD are on the Rangers roster (Danks and Volquez have been traded; Diamond flamed out and never produced).

Anyway, the interesting thing to me about the Hamilton-Volquez trade is that it was a great trade for BOTH teams. The Rangers got an outstanding talent in Josh Hamilton and the Reds got Volquez who currently has 76 strike outs and a 1.31 ERA. I don't remember when the last time the Rangers had a pitcher with an ERA below 2, much less 1.31. If the season ended right now, Volquez would be in serious contention for the NL Cy Young. So my question is, when is the last time a Cy Young winner was traded for an MVP? I know it's way too early to be talking about either of those but with the way Hamilton and Volquez are playing, it isn't out of the realm of possibility that both guys earn those respective honors.

I've watched several more Ranger games, to this point in the season, than I have in past several seasons and I really am enjoying them. I hope they can keep it up and keep the metroplex interested. If so, then the Dog Days of summer might not be so dogged. But it's early and the Rangers are still the Rangers so I have cautious optimism about their early success.

Stars Season Over

2008-05-19T21:37:00.003-05:00

Well, as disappointing as it is, the Stars season ended tonight with a 4-1 loss to the Red Army. Dallas didn't seem like they were half the team they were in the previous 2 games. The Stars went down 3-0 in the first period and it was basically over. Detroit got another goal in the 2nd period, on a short handed score by Zetterberg. Only in the 3rd period did Dallas come out and play with the fire and aggressiveness that they had in games 4 and 5. The Stars notched their lone score on a power play goal by Robidas which gave a glimer of hope but that was about it.

Make no mistake, Detroit is the best team in the NHL. They are better than the Stars, this year, and will probably win the Stanley Cup. But it still is a little disappointing to see the Stars final game not really be competitive. Detroit controlled the game from stem to stern. Of course it didn't help matters that Dallas was only 1 of 8 on power play chances and gave up too many odd man rushes and the short handed goal that Brendan Morrow gift wrapped for Detroit.

However, I had a feeling Dallas would lose tonight and really even though I'm disappointed in the score tonight, I was proud of the Stars for not shrinking back into their shell and getting swept 4-0 by Detroit (like Colorado did...). It's been a fun post season and there is now hope that the team will return to the elite form they had back in late 90's and early 00's.

Congrats Stars on a great season and great post season. Now, everyone's attention is sqaurely on Tom Hicks' other sports franchise, the Rangers. Let's hope they can continue their stellar recent stellar play (they have won the last 7 series) and now revert back to the team they were in the first 25 games of the year.

Funny...

2008-05-16T08:53:00.001-05:00

Just In Case Your Weiner is Poopy...

Scatter Shooting

2008-05-16T08:46:00.000-05:00

Well, I’ve been MIA due to tending to my ill wife for the past several days but I’m happy to say she fought through it and is on the mend and doing much better. Oh, and just for the record, I’m not quite sure how single parents work and raise a toddler…that’s tiring stuff! Over the past week, several things have happened that deserve mention. So, here are my thoughts on the happenings around where we live today, Sports…

A New Coach for the Mavs - Rick Carlisle

I’ve heard thoughts on Carlisle ranging from being an uninspired hire to a questionable hire to a good hire. Basically, I haven’t heard a consensus on if this is a good thing or not. My thought is that this is a good hire. Or let me put it this way…I don’t know of another available coach that would have been a better hire. According to Donnie Nelson, Carlisle has a balance of offense and defense, which is a good thing. The Mavs went from Don Nelson who was all about offense to Avery who was always preaching about defense, but neither one of those guys had a good balance of stressing both offense and defense. I think Carlisle can do that. I wasn’t onboard with Mike D’Antoni being brought in here for the reason I just said. D’Antoni, while being a solid coach, is all about offense which is why he never won a title, or even got to the Finals, in Phoenix (and why Dallas never did either under Nelson). Another trendy name being tossed around in the media is Marc Jackson. I wasn’t in favor of him either because he has no head coaching experience and with this current roster of veteran players, I don’t think the Mavs can wait through another rookie head coach learning the job on the fly as Avery did. They need someone who has some skins on the wall and knows the ins and outs of being a head coach in the NBA. Here are Carlisle’s skins as head coach:

-Detroit (2001-2003), Indiana (2003-2007); NBA coach of the year 2001-2002; Reached Eastern Conference finals with the Pistons in 2002, which wasn’t expected, and with the Pacers in 2003, where in his first year with the Pacers, he led the team to 61 wins.

So, Carlisle knows what he’s doing. Lets see if he can breathe some new life into a team that had gotten stale on offense and complacent (at best) on defense. I think he can and will.

Is This the Same Old Rangers? Or Are We Seeing Something New?

The only baseball team I’ve ever really followed on a consistent basis is the Rangers. And over the past few years, I’ve come to accept the fact that the Rangers may never have a championship team, much less a competitive one. On April 24th, the Rangers were 7-16. At that time they were leading the league in errors, had no timely hitting…just playing some horrible baseball There were many rumors in the media that Ron Washington’s job was in serious jeopardy and general apathy was really starting to set in…on April 24th! Less than a month into the season!

However, since then, they have turned things around 180 degrees. From April 25th through May 14th, they have won 6 consecutive series and now stand at 20-22. Let’s hope they continue this! Summer can be extremely long, hot and boring around here when the Rangers are the typical Rangers.

Stars Still Alive

Well, I predicted the Stars would take the Wings in 7, so my prediction is technically still alive. In all likelihood though, Dallas will probably be eliminated on Saturday afternoon and if not at that time, then in game 6. There is a glimmer of hope they can come back from the hole they dug themselves but realistically they probably won’t. Detroit is so good in every phase of the game…on the offensive side, on the defensive side, on the power play and killing penalties. They are a well oiled machine.

However, it is good to see that the Stars won at least one game. I know that is a small consolation but Colorado didn’t even do that against Detroit in the Western conference semi-finals. When you are playing a team as good as Detroit, moral victories are big and seeing as the playoff expectations for the Stars were “one and done”, just like they had done in the previous 3 playoff appearances, Dallas is playing with the casino’s money right now. I just hope they can continue this because it’s been really fun watching these games. But even if they get beat on Saturday, they have given this city some hope for next season and something to look forward to (because there probably won’t be very high expectations for the Mavs).

Stars vs. Red Wings

2008-05-08T15:07:00.002-05:00

Well, the Stars get back to the Western conference finals tonight for the first time since 2000. And they have done something I greatly appreciate…make me forget about the Mavs flameout, for a little while at least. As I’ve said, I’m not the biggest hockey fan in the world. I’ll watch maybe a handful of games during the regular season. But watching the Stars in the playoffs the last month as been fun. The town, which is usually talking about the Mavs or looking forward to Cowboys training camp, seems to be zeroed in on the Stars which is kind of cool to see again. The last time this town was abuzz with this kind of enthusiasm for hockey was 2000 when Dallas lost in the finals to the New Jersey Devils. It hasn’t been the same since then…but then of course neither has the team.

Hockey used to be one of the ‘Big 4’ sports. You had football, basketball, baseball and hockey. However, in the last 3 to 4 years, NASCAR has really pushed hockey to the back burner, just a tick above professional soccer. The strike that cancelled the 2004-2005 season did a lot of damage to hockey and as a result, many of the fans the NHL once had, disappeared. The NHL is trying to get back to where they once were, as one of the major sports in this country, however it’s a slow process. The cities that have the tradition rich franchises like Detroit and New York will generally still have the die hard fans they always have. However, I’m sure the NHL is pleased about having a southern team back in the spotlight as a possible Stanley Cup winner, especially since Dallas is a top 5 media market, so their exposure will reach some of the ‘fringe’ fandom, like me.

The Stars have been an underdog the past 2 playoff series and are, again, an underdog to advance past Detroit and on to the finals. But playing the underdog role is something this team relishes in. Dallas opened up against division foe and defending Stanley Cup champion, the #4 seeded Anaheim Ducks, who Stars bested with in 6 games. Then they moved on against the #2 seeded San Jose Sharks, again a division foe, who were the trendy pick to win it all this year. The Stars, once again, won the series in 6 games. Now they move on to face the Red Army who is the #1 seed and probably the best team in the league. And while Dallas has faced the #2 and #4 seeds, Detroit has only faced the #7 and #8 seeds in Colorado and Nashville, respectively…so facing Dallas will be a step up in competition for Detroit.

However, under Dave Tippet, Dallas is 4-11-5 in the last 20 games against Detroit and Marty Turco is 2-10-5 and winless in Detroit. So, it looks like the deck is stacked against Dallas which I would agree with. But if any team is in the perfect position to defeat the Red Wings, Dallas is it. In order to do that, Dallas MUST exorcise their demons, erase that mystique Detroit has and win at least 1 of their first 2 games in Detroit. I think they can and I think they will.

My prediction: Dallas wins in 7 and moves on to the Stanley Cup Finals.

One Heck of a Hockey Game

2008-05-05T20:58:00.003-05:00

I've been really dragging around today. Why? Well, maybe it's because I stayed up until 1:30 last night watching the Stars and Sharks play a little more than 2 full games in one shot. Their game went the normal 3 periods and then went an extra 4 overtime periods. It started at 8:00 pm and ended about 1:30 am. I was happy when the game ended and I can tell you I won't have any problem going to sleep tonight that's for sure.

I'm not a die hard, life long hockey fan. In fact, I really didn't watch much of it before moving back to Dallas in 1999. That was the year that the Stars won the Stanley Cup and the entire town was in a frenzy over hockey. I usually don't watch much during the regular season though. Every once in a while I might turn on a game if Dallas is playing Colorado, Detroit, Anaheim or San Jose but probably won't watch it from stem to stern...I really don't have the motivation to watch the spare-to-fare middle of the season hockey game. And since hockey season and basketball season run concurrently, the Mavs get most of my attention during that time.

However, playoff hockey is something different. You can just tell that the intensity and speed are dialed up a notch and the deeper into the playoffs the more intense the teams get as well as the crowds. Hits like this, which happened in last night's game, are not uncommon in the playoffs:

Last night's game was game 6 and Dallas was leading 3 games to 2 in the series. All the Stars needed was one more victory and they would move on to the Western conference finals. They had actually gotten up on the Sharks 3 games to none but San Jose came back and won the next 2. As I mentioned above, the intensity in last night's game was through the roof and both teams were playing like their lives depended on the game. But the best thing about last night's game was the goal tending on both sides. Turco (for the Stars) and Nabokov (for the Sharks) were unflapable and neither one wanted to be the first to blink. Both teams were exhuasted both mentally and physically. In the end, it took 3 1/2 overtime periods for Brendan Morrow to deflect a centering pass past Nabokov for the game and series winning score.

It was fitting that Morrow got the game winner. Not only is he the captian but he was the difference maker in the series. In fact he had 2 goals that were reviewed and overturned in game 5. He has been the best player on the ice, not only for the Stars, but on both sides of the puck.

Dallas now faces the hated Detroit Red Wings which actually look like the old Soviet Union hockey team. The Red Wings which are a little like the Red Sox of hockey. They have a storied history in the NHL, have pretty big fan base across the country and are almost always at or near the top of the Western conference. And Dallas' goal tender, Marty Turco, doesn't have a great record against them either. So, this could be interesting. It all starts again on Thursday night. And hopefully I won't have to stay up until dawn watching it either.

2008-05-02T11:09:00.000-05:00

Some time ago, I reviewed SI’s NFL Preview edition they put out last fall before the season started. After seeing some of their predictions, I came to the realization that they may not necessarily be more of an “expert” than I am when forecasting the playoffs and Super Bowl champion. The other night, I picked up the NBA preview edition, dated 10/29, and looked at their predictions for this NBA season. Care to remember, or know, what they picked? I got a pretty good chuckle out of it, that’s for sure. SI’s rankings 1-15 for each conference are in ( ) and each team is listed in order of predicted finish for their respective division.

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division
Boston Celtics (1)
New York Knicks (6)
Toronto Raptors (8)
New Jersey Nets (9)
Philadelphia 76ers (15)

Central Division
Detroit Pistons (2)
Chicago Bulls (3)
Cleveland Cavaliers (5)
Milwaukee Bucks (11)
Indiana Pacers (12)

Southeast Division
Miami Heat (4)
Washington Wizards (7)
Orlando Magic (10)
Atlanta Hawks (13)
Charlotte Bobcats (14)

Eastern Conference Finals
Pistons over Celtics

Western Conference

Northwest Division
Denver Nuggets (4)
Utah Jazz (6)
Portland Trailblazers (13)
Seattle Supersonics (14)
Minnesota Timberwolves (15)

Pacific Division
Phoenix Suns (3)
Golden State Warriors (7)
Los Angeles Lakers (9)
Los Angeles Clippers (10)
Sacramento Kings (12)

Southwest Division
Dallas Mavericks (1)
San Antonio Spurs (2)
Houston Rockets (5)
New Orleans Hornets (8)
Memphis Grizzlies (11)

Western Conference Finals
Mavericks over Spurs

NBA Finals
Mavericks over Pistons

So, if you weren’t taking SI’s preview editions with a grain of salt, I think you will now. Obviously the biggest chuckle came with regard to the Mavs. Not only does SI have them ranked #1 in the West but they had them winning the championship (they also had the Mavs winning the title in their midseason report as well, but I didn’t save that issue). What a joke. Other notable misses:

For the Eastern conference, SI had the Bulls, Heat, and Knicks ranked #3, #4 and #6 respectively. Miami ended up #15 (and the worst team in the league this year), Knicks ended up #14 and the Bulls ended up #11…all three missing the playoffs. SI also had Orlando #10 but at the end of the season was #3 in the East.

For the Western conference (other that the major miss on the Mavs), they had the Lakers missing the playoffs altogether (being #9) and New Orleans #8 when in reality the Lakers and Hornets finished #1 and #2 in the West respectively. The Suns and the Nuggets were also ranked #3 and #4 and each, just like the Mavs, ended their playoff runs with very little resistance as the Lakers swept the Nuggets 4-0 and the Spurs put away the Suns, in short order, 3-1.

Reading through the Mavs preseason scouting report (allegedly from an “opposing team’s scout), here are a few humorous nuggets:

“I see Josh Howard as a true star in the league that is going to keep improving”. Well, he was a star in the league until he regressed in his play and made some incredibly bad decisions in voluntarily calling up a local radio station to talk about his off season, recreational Mary Jane use AND organizing a birthday party for himself during the playoffs. Star no longer.

“Jerry Stackhouse has at least one more really good year in him.” Unfortunately not. His knees were too bad and his play rapidly declined as the year droned on.

“If Devean George is healthy this year, that could be another area of improvement.” Um, what? Devean George should not be associated with the phrase “area of improvement for the team.” Total waste of space and roster spot this year…as was Eddie Jones.

I’m not saying that SI is all wrong about their predictions as they usually hit on several of them. But as I said when looking at their NFL predictions, take them with a grain of salt and don’t get too pumped if they predict tremendous success for your team or too low if they predict minimal success.

The Little General is Done

2008-04-30T21:25:00.000-05:00

Well, after the Mavs went quietly into the night – and it was quietly – losing to the Hornets 4-1, the Mavs and Avery have parted ways. In 3 ½ seasons as the Mavs head coach, Avery had a record of 194-70 in the regular season, but was under .500 in the playoffs with a record of 23-24 which was one of the main reasons for the separation. But there are several reasons for this move. I still think Avery is a good coach and a good guy but there really isn’t any way the Mavs could bring him back next year after 3 post season flame outs, 2 of which were among the biggest choke jobs in NBA history.

Many things are now coming to light about Avery’s management style with the team and it looks like he wore out his welcome. One such example came this past weekend. Avery had made the decree to the team that during the playoffs the players need to steer clear of partying and focus on what was in front of them. This was not an unreasonable request, especially given the past 2 post seasons. However, on the heels of discussing his Mary Jane use in the off season on a Dallas radio station and in the middle of being down 3-1 to the Hornets, Josh Howard handed out flyers to a birthday party he was throwing himself. Only a few players attended. However, on Monday before practice Avery asked all those to stand that disobeyed his decree, about not partying, and attended Josh’s fiesta. Avery lit into those that stood up and then cancelled practice altogether.

So, in an effort to show the team how mad he was at Josh, he ended up showing them how out of touch he was with them. He should have suspended any player that went to Josh’s party and then told the rest of the team to get ready for practice. Instead, he basically said, the heck with all you, I’ll see you on the plane. Didn’t Avery just finish a book on being a great motivator? The players knew they needed to practice so they held practice by themselves which didn’t look good on Avery.

This is only one example of things that are now coming out about how Avery has gone from the toast of the town 2 years ago to unemployed, despite the Mavs winning 73% of their games under his watch as the head coach.

The next question is who will get Avery’s job. Some names for Avery’s possible replacement being tossed around in the media include: Mavs assistant Mario Elle, Jeff Van Gundy, Tom Thibodeaux (Boston assistant), Flip Saunders, Rick Carlisle, fired Bobcats coach Sam Vincent, and Mike D’Antoni (who is reportedly also set to be given his pink slip in Phoenix). Whoever takes over will get a roster of expensive, aging players and unless Cuban wants to totally tear this thing down and start completely from scratch, which I don’t think will happen, we may not see any quick remedy to the roster which has many ill fitting parts on it.

Aside from Dirk who is still a top 5 player in my mind and still in his prime, Jason Kidd is 35 and likely will be back, since his $21 million contract is at the player’s option, and he knows he probably won’t get more than that (if even half that) on the open market. Other notable hard to move contracts are for Josh Howard who is the only player under contract who is in his 20s, Erick Dampier ($11.5 million), Jason Terry ($9.1 million) and Jerry Stackhouse ($7 million), and Eddie Jones who will be 37 next season and will likely exercise a $2 million player option. Dallas also has a team option on Brandon Bass, who at this point is their most promising youngster. So outside of Dirk, Bass, Terry and maybe Kidd (depending on if you like Kidd or not), there isn’t much to look forward to for next season. And to compound matters, the Mavericks don’t have a first-round pick this year or 2010, having traded them to New Jersey in the Kidd deal earlier this season. So more than likely, unless Donnie and Cuban really get creative with some of these huge contracts, we will see the same team next season that we just saw in the playoffs.

In truth, I doubt Avery wanted to be back in Dallas after all that happened this season, especially recently with Josh Howard. Sometimes it’s better to just part ways and start fresh, for both parties. I’m sure Avery will have success with the next team he goes to. That may translate into a championship and it may not. But the bottom line is, as much as it pains me to say this, he needed to go.

They're Done

2008-04-29T22:05:00.002-05:00

Well, they're done. And thanks to a tivo malfunction I was only able to watch the 1st and 4th quarters of the Mavs game tonight. Dallas entered the 4th quarter only down by 5 and it was a close game. However Dallas' defense wasn't great, again, and they made too many bone headed mistakes in the 4th quarter which let New Orleans extend their lead to double digits. The Mavs were actually down by 17 in the 4th quarter and I had basically given up. But Dallas stormed back at the end with barrage of 3 pointers cutting the Hornets lead to 3 inside 30 second to play. All Dallas needed was a stop...and then go down, make another 3 and push it to overtime. The Hornets inbounded the ball, Chris Paul launched a shot that was off...and Tyson Chandler batted the ball back out to Peja and all Dallas could do is foul him (he was the best free throw shooter in the league this year at 92%). So Dallas ended up losing by 5...season over.

You know, at this point, I'm not sure if it would have been better if Dallas lost by double digits or made it close in the end only to lose. I'd like to think that it was better to lose the way they did, not getting blown out. However, after the game was over, this is how I felt:

Another Mavs player, Stackhouse, lost his cool in the 4th quarter and ended up getting a technical foul and getting tossed. And it didn't matter one bit. Truthfully and objectively, the Hornets were just a better team...period. And they showed it. And now the whole Mavericks organization from top to bottom is left reeling and wondering who will be back next year playing for the Mavs. The players I think will be back are as follows: Dirk, Dampier (too big of a contract make him impossible to move), Kidd (see same reason as Damp) and Jason Terry. Everyone else, and I mean EVERYONE, is expendable.

Right or wrong, I don't think Avery will be back. That's just a gut feeling I have but after the post season collapses of last year and the year before plus the struggles the Mavs had during the regular season this year and only winning 1 game in the playoffs, I don't think Cuban can bring him back. There needs to be a new voice in the locker room because Avery has lost the team. I still think Avery is a helluva good coach and he will have success where ever he goes. But I just can't see how Cuban can bring him back next year. However, Cuban is unpredictable and loyal to a fault so anything is possible I guess.

I hope this thing doesn't sink to the level of the current Sacramento Kings team. They were on the cusp of going to the finals just a few years ago but the last two years haven't been close to sniffing the playoffs. Their championship windwo shut rapidly and now it looks like the Mavs' window is shut too. Mavs basketball is fun to watch and I hope they remain competitive. But I'm not getting my hopes up.

Well, My Mavs Optimism Was Short Lived

2008-04-27T23:18:00.005-05:00

Well, after Friday night's game, I thought Dallas would even the series back up to 2-2 and was hoping the Mavs could steal one down in New Orleans. However, things right now don't look too good. Where the Mavs played brilliantly Friday night, last night they played below average for 3 quarters of the game. They came out with the same aggressiveness they had Friday, going after loose balls and rebounds, but once the second quarter hit they stopped doing all that (at least as much as New Orleans was) and the ending result showed with a 97-84 loss. Dallas scored 30 points in the 1st quarter and seemed to be scoring at will. They were driving to basket pretty good and it looked like they were going to pick up where they left off on Friday night. Then they scored only 14 points in the second quarter. That pretty much tells you how Dallas lost...they went back to shooting jump shots. And because of that, they shot only 16 free throws (versus getting to the line 38 times Friday night) the entire game. Dallas' field goal percentage wasn't good either shooting 89 times (25 3-pointers) and finishing up the game with a whopping 36%. Oh yeah...they also allowed New Orleans to shoot 50% for the game which doesn't help things either. So they went back to shooting jump shots and slacked off on defense. Yep, that pretty much gets you beat every time. How does a team that knows how to drive to the basket not do it every game? Or if it starts driving to the basket, like Dallas did in the first quarter, why does it stop? That drives me absolutely bonkers. I mean it really does. I know a team will change things up defensively from game to game to take away good things it's opponent did the previous game but come on...16 free throws vs. 38?

Josh Howard played, arguably, one of his worst games as a Mav. He was 3 of 16 shooting for 6 points, including 0 for 2 from the free throw line in 31 minutes. That line is absolutely ridiculous, especially for a former all star player. How do you perform that badly in a playoff game that you need to win pretty desperately?!? I hope he takes that personally. I hope he doesn't sleep tonight. I hope he finds his game again and comes back with a fury on Tuesday night. Because after that, he can sit back on his butt all he wants for the next six months because it won't matter. Absolutely ridiculous to score 6 points in a playoff game. And he is suppose to be the Mavs second best player. Well, not anymore.

The Mavs bench proved once again it only has 1 player on it worth anything which is Brandon Bass. If Dallas could get something, anything, out of Jerry Stackhouse, Devon George and Eddie Jones I think they would have had a better chance of winning or at least made the game more competitive. Those collective 3 had only 9 points in 41 minutes. Pathetic. With J. Ho stinking it up and the majority of the bench doing the same, the Mavs have very little shot of advancing to the 2nd round, which may be for the best. I don't know...

The Flagrant 2 that was assessed to Kidd last night (which got him ejected) should not have been a Flagrant 2. Maybe a 1 but not a 2. It looked a lot worse full speed so I really thought the refs would reverse themselves and move the foul back to a Flagrant 1. Jason Kidd is not a dirty player (cough...Bruce Bowen...cough) so that will work in his favor when the league looks at it tomorrow. A Flagrant 2 foul could result in a one game suspension so lets hope the Stu Jackson and the rest of the NBA disciplinarians give Kidd a reprieve. Otherwise, the Mavs have virtually no shot of winning in New Orleans.

I never thought I would say this but thank goodness for the Stars. They won tonight to take a 2-0 lead over San Jose. I can at least hang my hat on them. But the Mavs...well not so much. It's desperation time for them now. They are the wounded animal and have to play like it. They have to play balls to the wall every play in New Orleans. If they don't, then this whole thing will come crashing down like a house o' cards and if that happens I think Dirk (and maybe Kidd b/c of his contract) that is guaranteed of coming back next season. Here's hoping it doesn't get to that point.

A Look Back at 2008's Draft

2008-04-27T20:21:00.003-05:00

Well, draft weekend is over and after reading up and learning a little something about the draft class Dallas obtained, I'm mildly pleased. Don't get me wrong, I would have loved to have seen Dallas trade their second 1st round pick to Detroit for Roy Williams. I really did think that would get done this weekend. However, as it turns out the asking price was too steep for Jerry. He didn't name anyone by name but Jerry said in his press conference that they tried to trade for a veteran WR but he thought the price was too much to pay. Who knows who Jerry is referring to (I think the aforementioned Williams) but the Cowboys did some make six trades, including five on Sunday, which also helped them pick up a third- and fourth-round pick next year which could definitely come in handy. Here is a rundown of who Dallas selected along with a scouting report on each from Rivals.com with my take on the pick following:

Rd #1 - Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas
The Good: Jones has the quickness to be a difference-maker as a runner, receiver or kick returner. He has the quick burst to get through the hole, and boasts the ability to get to top speed quickly. As a receiver, he has a good sense of route-running. Though he may be best as a third-down back, he could surprise as a change-of-pace runner with the ability to create some interesting mismatches on early downs. The Bad: He wasn’t an every-down back at Arkansas; can he be one in the NFL? While he shows the willingness to block, his limited experience in handling that assignment could hurt his early playing time.
My Take: Solid pick here. I actually thought, since he was still available that they would take Rashard Mendenhall from Illinois however I think Jones is more complimentary to Marion Barber because Mendenhall's style is a lot like Barber's. Jones looks like he has that 5th gear, that Julius had. But, I'm a little concerned about weather Felix carry out blocking assignments and pick up blitzes. A friend of mine, Chance Justice, put it this way: "Jones (Jerry) got his Jones (Felix) which looks to be better than the former Jones (Julius)." Let's hope so...

Rd #1 - Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
The Good: Jenkins has the athletic package to become a top-flight NFL cover man. He has the size, speed, quickness and instincts to become a starting pro cover man. His change-of-direction skills allow him to match up in man coverage. He is a well-built athlete who moves very well and is quick to react to routes and the ball in flight. He can be a physical defender - especially when he uses the bump-and-run technique. The Bad: He has performed better in zone coverage than man-to-man situations and needs to be technically sound consistently against fast receivers in one-on-one situations.
My Take: Again, this was a solid pick (even though, as I said above, I would have liked to have seen this pick traded for a vet WR). Rivals actually has Jenkins as the #3 CB in the whole draft so I think he should be a stud. I remember hearing the knock on him was being inconsistent though. This was a wise pick because Dallas didn't want to let the recent Pac Man trade to dictate what they did in the draft...who knows if he will even be reinstate and, if so, if he will keep his nose clean and stay reinstated. If that whole thing falls through, then Dallas has assured themselves of a top tier CB who can step right in. Plus, if there is one thing I heard (and saw last year) about cornerbacks is that a team can never have enough good ones.

Rd #2 - Martellus Bennett, TE, Texas A&M
The Good: This athletic junior is a big, angular athlete with long limbs and natural pass-catching skills. He has fine athleticism with the speed to get into the deep seam and make the big play. He has good hands and can gain yardage after making catches. He is a difficult red-zone match up. He has fine leaping ability and a good understanding of coverage. He is especially effective in the shorter routes, where his size, agility and body control allow him to win jump-ball situations and create major match up problems. The Bad: He relies on finesse as a blocker and needs development. He shows inconsistent blocking technique with marginal strength, especially in the lower body. He fails to play with consistent leverage and comes off the snap too high, which negates his size.
My Take: This was a pick to replace the exodus of Anthony Fasano, which Dallas traded on Friday for a 4th round pick. Looks like he is a good receiving TE but not blocking...just like Tony Curtis. Blocking though is something that can also be taught...athleticism, which he has, can't.

Rd #4 - Tashard Choice, RB, Georiga Tech
The Good: He is a natural runner with a nice combination of size, quickness, power and cutting skills. When he runs with good pad level, he dishes out punishment on tacklers with his downhill running style. He has good balance and body control. The Bad: He lacks the extra gear to run away from defenders consistently. He runs in a straight-up style at times and takes too many hits as a result. Has had some injury concerns.
My Take: Since the team didn't resign Tyson Thompson, the Cowboys needed another RB to go behind Barber and Jones. We may, or may not, see that much of him except in trash time but this was a good pick to give insurance in case either Barber or Jones gets injured. Since he played in a major conference against good competition, I'm not too worried that, if asked, he won't be able to get the job done once he learns the NFL.

Rd #5 - Orlando Scandrick , CB, Boise State
The Good: Scandrick displayed game-to-game consistency last fall to maintain a high grade. He performed well against top conference receivers and passers. He has the size and athleticism to match up against big receivers, and is quick enough to cover smaller receivers. He has the recovery speed to make up ground in the deep game and make a play on the ball. Despite his compact smallish frame, he is a tough defender who will come up and make a tackle. The Bad: He will have to improve his overall strength and some basic techniques - especially the bump and run moves - to earn early NFL playing time as a nickel corner.
My Take: Since I don't watch Boise State, I don't know a thing about this guy so I'm going to have to take Rivals word for it that he played week against top conference WRs. Add this guy to the platoon of CBs Dallas already has in Alan Ball, Quincy Butler and Evan Oglesby. I know they like Alan Ball so I bet he sticks around so it's going to be a dog fight to see, between Butler, Oglesby and Scandrick, who can make the team. Once again, can't have too many good CBs.

Rd #6 - Erik Walden, DE, Middle Tennessee State
The Good: Walden was the Sun Belt’s top pass rusher the past few seasons. He has 22.5 career sacks, including 10 as a junior. This hybrid pass rusher could stick on a team that utilizes a 3-4 defensive scheme. The Bad: Walden may be relegated to a role as a situational pass rusher or special teams performer.
My Take: Again, since I didn't see MTSU play, I don't know anything about this guy. However, I was reminded today that Dallas picked up Jay Ratliff in the 7th round a couple of years ago and he is now a starter. Sounds like Dallas has the right defensive scheme for him to be successful so who knows, this guy could become a solid contributor eventually.

Overall, the Cowboys were able to do a little bit of everything in this draft except address their WR need which, I think, is pretty big. I'm not too concerned with Owens but I'm more than a little concerned about Terry Glenn getting back to his previous form. He's 34 and had 2 surgeries on his knee within 6 months last year. And keep in mind that Glenn's whole game is speed. He doesn't go over the middle to keep chains moving...he is a burner that you send on a fly route, to the post or on a flea flicker. Dallas needs to get a answer to this issue. I think we saw that Patrick Crayton, while being a solid #3 receiver, is just that...a #3, not a #2. This is where I think Roy Williams would have been a HUGE asset. But oh well...

I was pleased with the draft but don't expect many of the pundits and talking heads to give it more than a "C" grade, maybe a "B-" at most. But being 13-3 last season, the Cowboys didn't need to have an "A" draft. Let's hope it doesn't go back to that anytime soon.

Back in the Win Column

2008-04-25T21:33:00.002-05:00

That is what I'm used to seeing from the Mavs. A solid game, all around, leading to a 97-87 win over New Orleans. Of course the Mavs were playing at home where they were one of the best in the NBA this season but aside from that, I saw so many things during tonight's game that I didn't see in Game 2. For one thing, Dallas did a great job of clamping down on Chris Paul and David West. Combined, they were 10 of 38 for 30 points whereas in game 1, they were 23 of 41 for 58 points and game 2 they were 21 of 33 for 59 points. That is where Dallas beat New Orleans...limiting those two guys. Holding Peja to 13 points (9 of those from the 3 point arc) didn't hurt either. One thing I didn't see from New Orleans was all the laughing and goofing around they were doing on the bench during game 2. Tonight, things were a bit more serious for them.

Another thing that I saw from the Mavs was energy and aggressiveness. In game 2 especially, the Mavs just seemed to wilt and back down. They were not aggressive, didn't go for loose balls or rebounds and basically didn't look like they were interested in playing. Tonight, with the crowd behind them, they looked like a totally different team. They played confidently and just seemed to play like they had a chip on their shoulder.

Dallas still needs to play a bit better with their pick 'n roll defense but that isn't anything new. Janerro Pargo did go for 30 in the game but he was the Hornet's only real offensive threat. And if there is a choice between Pargo going for 30 and Chris Paul going for 30, I'll take my chance with Pargo any day of the week. It not great that a bench player scored that much but oh well. The Mavs got the win and got back in this series.

I'm hoping on Sunday Dallas can continue the home cookin' and roll up another W to tie the series. I'm still sticking to my original prediction that Dallas wins the series in 7 and winning again on Sunday will go a long way toward my prediction coming to fruition. A lot of the media around here were already counting Dallas out of this and have started projecting who the next Mavs coach would be (after Avery gets fired). However, I seem to remember another team 2 years ago in the Finals that was down 0-2 in the series and was down 13 points with 6 minutes to go in game 3. That's when Dwayne Wade took over and willed Miami to four straight wins over the Mavs. If Dallas can remember that, maybe they can turn the tables and do the same thing to New Orleans. How great would it be to push those punky Hornets players out of the playoffs! At this point, that would almost be better than doing the same thing to San Antonio...almost.

Pac Man’s Coming to Dallas

2008-04-24T12:41:00.000-05:00

Well, as much as I hate to write this, it appears Adam “Pac Man” Jones will be a Cowboy next season. The terms of the trade Dallas completed with Tennessee look like this:

-Tennessee will get a 4th round pick from Saturday’s draft and if Jones is reinstated and keeps his nose clean, Tennessee will get a 6th round pick from Dallas in next year’s draft.

-If Pac Man, who is currently serving a year suspension for various misconduct violations, is not reinstated by the NFL commissioner, the Cowboys would get a 4th round pick back from Tennessee in next year’s draft. And if he is reinstated, but screws around and gets suspended again next season, Tennessee would give Dallas a 5th round pick in next year’s draft.

Here is a little background on Pac Man, in case you’ve been on a desert island. Pac Man was the first defensive player (corner back) drafted in 2005, sixth overall out of West Virginia. He was one of the Titans best defensive players as well as one of the league’s best punt returners. In 2006 he had four interceptions and also led the NFL that year with an average punt return of 12.9 yards and three TDs. So clearly, he can play ball and be an effective player as well.

However, his off the field behavior is what got him into hot water with the NFL commissioner. Since he was drafted in 2005, he has been arrested 6 times and been involved in 12 incidents where the police were called to intervene. He did all that in basically 2 years. So, in an effort to curb this recklessness, the NFL commissioner suspended Jones for the ENTIRE 2007 season…which had never been done in the past. The commissioner refused to reduce the suspension to 10 games and said he would consider reinstatement prior to the opening of this season’s training camp if Pac Man continued conducting himself “in a way that represents the NFL in a positive manner.”

Jerry Jones is taking a gamble as he did with Terrell Owens 2 years ago and Tank Johnson last season. But Pac Man’s situation is a bit different than those two guys. While being a malcontent with the 49ers and Eagels, T.O. Owens was not a criminal. And Tank Johnson has come out publicly, taken responsibility for his past problems and promised he would turn over a new leaf, which he has to this point. Pac Man is a serious criminal element and not only has he not publicly taken responsibility for his actions but has been reported of continually visiting a strip clubs, which can’t be good for his case to be reinstated. I don’t care if he thinks he has the right to visit strip clubs…in my eyes that is definitely not “representing the NFL in a positive manner.”

Even though Pac Man’s salary isn’t that much ($1.74 million in 2008) and his upside is HUGE, as a top tier CB and kick returner, I don’t like this move (I also didn’t like Jones bringing in Owens or Johnson at the time). This guy is bad news. He is an idiot, has no character, no class and I predict this is not the end of his legal problems. I’ve heard those in favor of the trade say that Dallas is in a no lose situation because if Pac Man steps out of line, the Cowboys can cut ties immediately and even get a 5th round draft pick back from the Titans. But my question is this: where do you draw the line?

Pac Man Jones is an incredible talent that shouldn’t be reinstated in the league until he can prove he can handle the privileges of being an NFL player. And the flagship franchise of the NFL shouldn’t be taking chances on miscreants like this. Only time will tell if he can shape up. I’m betting he won’t though.

Another Dreadful Game. Is This Golden State All Over Again?

2008-04-23T10:04:00.000-05:00

Well, before last night’s game, I really thought to myself that Dallas would find a way to win it. I thought it would probably be close (3-5 point difference) but the Mavs would shake off that bad second half of the first game and come back strong last night. I was sooooooooooooooo wrong. As opposed to just the second half being bad (as was the case in game 1), the entire game was horrendous for Dallas. Heck, having a bad game would have been improvement but what they rolled out there last night reminded me so much of the series to Golden State last year that my faith that Dallas will win the series is now shaken. I’m not knee jerking to the point of thinking the Mavs are done and will get swept but that’s getting closer.

I’ve said before that Dirk is not the problem with this team and that hasn’t changed. Another thing that hasn’t changed is that Dirk is getting little help from his team. The Hornets starters outscored the Mavs starters 103-59. The starters for Dallas went 3 of 7 from the 3 point arc where as New Orleans’ starters went 8 of 14 (most from Peja who Dallas didn’t really bother to guard all night). Dallas’ defense was non-existent as New Orleans shot 60% for the game and had COUNTLESS uncontested dunks, lay ups and open jump shots, just like the Golden State series last year. And if those stats weren’t bad enough, Dallas committed more than double the amount of turnovers (15) than New Orleans committed (6). Put all that into a pot, mix it together and you come up with a 127-103 loss…and a very ugly loss at that.

My only hope for the Mavs is that coming home will reinvigorate and refocus the team because it was apparent from the last 6 quarters that they were not focused at all. The Mavs do play well at home so I hope that after 4 games the series will be tied up at 2-2 and then the Mavs can pull a rabbit from their hat and steal game 5 in New Orleans. If it comes down to a game 7 in The Big Easy, I don’t think Dallas will emerge victorious. Dallas needs to grow and pair and prove that they belong in the playoffs. Right now, it doesn’t look like they belong, nor want to.

Speaking of New Orleans, other than the food there (which is really good by the way), I REALLY dislike that town. First off, the vast majority of those in New Orleans are LSWho? fans, which are by definition classless…strike 1. Second, I saw how classless the Saints fans were when they came to Dallas to play the Cowboys 2 years ago…strike 2. And after witnessing the last couple of Hornets games, and the classless fan they have, I’m totally out on New Orleans. I’m sorry that they went through all the mess with Katrina and my heart goes out to them for that. But as far as being sports fans, I’m out on them I wish nothing but failure on any team (professional or otherwise) from there, period. Harsh I know, and maybe I’m still bitter about how the Mavs are performing in this series. Maybe I’ll change my tune about New Orleans somewhere down the road but somehow I doubt it.

Not a Good Start to the Playoffs

2008-04-21T20:43:00.003-05:00

I know I'm a day late on posting my thoughts on the Mavs first playoff game but better late than never. I actually only got to watch the first half of the game and then went to dinner with some friends. At the half, Dallas was up 12 points, they had held Chris Paul to only 11 points, held New Orleans to only 38% shooting and they were playing a solid game. That is where I left thinking that Dallas was picking back up where they left off last Wednesday when they played New Orleans and would go on to win. However, then came the second half...

I've read about it and heard all day people calling in to the radio station I listen to ranting and raving about the Mavs sucky second half performance. The amount of knee jerking around this town today would stun a mastodon. But from what has happened around here the past two post seasons, with the Mavs being subject of the two biggest post season collapses in NBA history, I don't know if I blame the fans for pushing the panic button so quickly. The Mavs were up by 12 at halftime and ended up losing by 12. That 24 point swing is also what is making people want Avery's head under the guillotine.

Without rehashing the game, here are my thoughts. From the looks and sounds of things, Dallas played a dreadful 2nd half. They shot 9-36 (25%), had 8 turnovers, allowed the Hornets to shoot 56% and allowed Chris Paul to dominate...again. However, that was one bad half of basketball. And basically, you can interchange the second half of Saturday's game with the second half of last Wednesday, except last Wednesday the Mavs were on the positive side rather than N.O. (last Wednesday, Dallas beat the Hornets by 13 points and went on a 30-6 second half run). And even thought the second half of Saturday's game was awful, teams run into that. I still think Dallas is going to win the series in 7 but they've got a lot of work to do in order to get there.

And all this business about Dirk "backing down from David West" and that "Dirk wears a skirt instead of a jock"...I've heard it all day and you know what, it's freaking hogwash. David West (when is the last time he was even in the playoffs?) bowed up to Dirk and people are criticizing Dirk for not giving it right back to West. Dirk did the right thing in my opinion, in blowing it off, because had he made an issue of it there is a good chance he could have gotten tossed out of the game and suspended for game #2...and then where the would the Mavs be? Quite often in sports, the refs penalize the guy that retaliates and not the instigator. Dirk just needs to be mindful that West will try to pull him offsides again but he needs to just fight through that and play his game.

Dirk IS NOT the reason the team lost the other night as he poured in 31 points (most of the game) and 10 rebounds. The problem with this team is not their William Wallace, it's the role players around him. Josh Howard had 2 second half points. What?!?!?! He could only muster 2 points in the second half? And Jason Terry only had 8 points for the whole game. And for a player whose ENTIRE game is shooting, that is laying an egg. Stackhouse didn't play well, Devon George (when he played) didn't bring anything to the table and how in the name of Zeus' butt hole did Juwan Howard even get into the game?!?!?!? That guy is a bigger zero that Shawn Bradley (did I just write that?).

Dallas will be fine this series. They just need to get back to what they were doing the final half dozen games of the season. I'm sticking by that but they need to pull this thing out of the ditch quick or it's going to be another "Golden State series"...and I don't know if I can take that again.

Rest of the West

2008-04-18T10:02:00.002-05:00

Here is a breakdown of the NBA playoffs pairings for the Western Conference:

(8) Denver Nuggets vs. (1) Los Angeles Lakers

Series tied 0-0 Series Breakdown

Playoff History
1. Sun, Apr 20 – at LAL, 3:00 pm EDT (ABC)

2. Wed, Apr 23 – at LAL, 10:30 pm EDT (TNT)

3. Sat, Apr 26 – at Den, 5:30 pm EDT (TNT)

4. Mon, Apr 28 – at Den, 10:30 pm EDT (TNT)

*5. Wed, Apr 30 – at LAL

*6. Fri, May 2 – at Den

*7. Sun, May 4 – at LAL

Playoff History

(7) Dallas Mavericks vs. (2) New Orleans Hornets

Series tied 0-0 Series Breakdown

Playoff History
1. Sat, Apr 19 – at NO, 7:00 pm EDT (ESPN)

2. Tue, Apr 22 – at NO, 7:00 pm EDT (TNT)

3. Fri, Apr 25 – at Dal, 8:00 pm EDT (ESPN)

4. Sun, Apr 27 – at Dal, 9:30 pm EDT (TNT)

*5. Tue, Apr 29 – at NO

*6. Thu, May 1 – at Dal

*7. Sat, May 3 – at NO (TNT)

Playoff History

(6) Phoenix Suns vs. (3) San Antonio Spurs

Series tied 0-0 Series Breakdown

Playoff History
1. Sat, Apr 19 – at SA, 3:00 pm EDT (ABC)

2. Tue, Apr 22 – at SA, 9:30 pm EDT (TNT)

3. Fri, Apr 25 – at Pho, 10:30 pm EDT (ESPN)

4. Sun, Apr 27 – at Pho, 3:30 pm EDT (ABC)

*5. Tue, Apr 29 – at SA

*6. Thu, May 1 – at Pho

*7. Sat, May 3 – at SA (TNT)

Playoff History

(4) Utah Jazz vs. (5) Houston Rockets

Series tied 0-0 Series Breakdown

Playoff History
1. Sat, Apr 19 – at Hou, 9:30 pm EDT (ESPN)

2. Mon, Apr 21 – at Hou, 9:30 pm EDT (TNT)

3. Thu, Apr 24 – at Uta, 10:30 pm EDT (TNT)

4. Sat, Apr 26 – at Uta, 10:30 pm EDT (ESPN)

*5. Tue, Apr 29 – at Hou

*6. Fri, May 2 – at Uta

*7. Sun, May 4 – at Hou

Playoff History

My Picks

Western Conference

Round 1: Lakers vs. Nuggets - Lakers in 5
Hornets vs. Mavericks – Mavericks in 7
Spurs vs. Suns – Suns in 7
Jazz vs. Rockets – Jazz in 6

Round 2: Lakers vs. Jazz – Lakers in 6
Suns vs. Mavericks – Mavericks in 7

Round 3: Lakers vs. Mavericks – Lakers in 6

NBA Finals

Celtics vs. Lakers – Lakers in 7

Bring On The Hornets

2008-04-18T09:44:00.003-05:00

Well, the NBA playoff pairings are set and the Mavs will be playing the New Orleans Hornets. Dallas played New Orleans last night for the right to play them in the playoffs and while the game was a bit more meaningful to the Mavs, the Hornets didn’t back down and rest their starters like I thought they might.

The Hornets already knew they were locked into the #2 seed…beating Dallas or losing to Dallas would not change that. So, I thought the Hornets would play their starters the first half, maybe, and then put in their backups the rest of the game. I was sorely mistaken as New Orleans played their starters the whole game.

Even though the game meant a little more to Dallas than it did to New Orleans, the Mavs didn’t show it in the first half. It seemed like, for a while, that Dallas was just content to make it into the playoffs, which was the attitude they took last weekend losing to 2 non-playoff teams in Portland and Seattle. However, just when it looked like New Orleans was going to pull away from Dallas, Brandon Bass threw down a vicious dunk that not only sparked the crowd but sparked the rest of the Mavs roster. From there, Dallas went on a 30-8 run that took them from down by 11 to leading by 13. Jason Kidd and Jason Terry really stepped up their game, each one scoring 27 points and 30 points respectively which is exactly what Dallas needed because New Orleans kept Dirk in check all night long (he was 4 of 16 shooting for only 12 points). Jason Kidd also hit a major milestone by recording his 100th triple-double of his career.

New Orleans cut the lead to 4 points, at 100-96, but then Dallas pulled away and ended up winning 111-98. Again, New Orleans was playing all their starters right up until the end of the game. I think that is huge because if the Hornets had rested their starters, they could say that they really didn’t try to win (cough, cough…like the Mavs did last year) but that things will be different in the playoffs when Dallas has to contend against their full roster and not just backups. Not so in this case. New Orleans gave it their all and still lost by 13.

Even though this is #2 vs. #7, this is not the typical 2/7 match up. Most years, a #2 seed will have anywhere from 58 to 60 wins and a #7 seed will typically have 45-48 wins. However, New Orleans has 56 wins and Dallas has 51 wins so there really isn’t that much separation between the two teams. Below is a comparison between the teams, when they played each other this season:

Individual Stats:
Scoring - D. Nowitzki : 23.6 point per game; C. Paul: 21.1 point per game
Rebounds - D. Nowitzki: 8.6; T. Chandler: 11.8
Assists - J. Kidd: 9.5; C. Paul: 11.6
Steals - J. Kidd: 2.1; C. Paul: 2.7
Blocks -E. Dampier: 1.5; D. West: 1.3

Team Stats:
Rebounds - Dallas: 43.0; New Orleans: 41.8
Assists - Dallas: 21.0; New Orleans: 21.8
Steals - Dallas: 6.0; New Orleans: 7.8
Points Scored - Dallas: 100.4; New Orleans: 100.9
Points Allowed - Dallas: 95.9; New Orleans: 95.6

Most of the “experts” think, as I do, that the Mavs will prevail in this series. And if that happens, I really don’t think it will be that much of an upset even though it would be a #2 seed losing in the first round. As I pointed out above, the teams are pretty evenly matched and in the season series, both team’s wins came at home. That really only leaves playoff experience…which the Mavs have a lot of (the past 8 seasons) and the Hornets don’t. That is why I think the Mavs will move on to round 2. The playoffs are a different animal than the regular season; everything is ratcheted up a notch. Every position is huge and the half court offense and playing defense becomes more important. And while New Orleans is a great team with a bright future, their lack of playoff experience will catch up with them here.

My prediction: Mavs in 7.

Pick Your Poison

2008-04-15T14:52:00.001-05:00

On Wednesday night we will all know what the NBA playoff pairings will look like for the Western conference. However, as of today, things are still up in the air. If the NBA playoffs started today, here is what the Western conference playoffs would look like:

(1) LA Lakers vs. (8) Denver Nuggets
(2) New Orleans Hornets vs. (7) Dallas Mavericks
(3) San Antonio Spurs vs. (6) Phoenix Suns
(4) Houston Rockets vs. (5) Utah Jazz

Depending on what happens this evening though, the above could change. If the Lakers beat the Sad Sac Kings tonight, they will be locked in to the #1 seed. However, if the Lakers lose and the Hornets beat the Clippers tonight and the Mavs tomorrow night, New Orleans would have the #1 seed. Also, if Dallas loses tomorrow night to New Orleans and the Nuggets beat Memphis, the Nuggets would slide into the #7 spot and Dallas would slip back to #8 (Dallas and Denver would end with the same record but Denver would have the tie breaker because they beat Dallas 2 of the 3 games they played this year). So, for those of you who don’t have an ice cream headache right now, my question is…who would you rather see Dallas play in the first round?

The Mavs went 1-2 against the Hornets this season and 1-3 against the Lakers. The Mavs loses against the Lakers were by 4 points, 2 points and 4 points respectively. The Mavs loses to the Hornets were 4 points and 9 points respectively but the 9 point loss was Jason Kidd’s first game with the Mavs which needs to be give some consideration. So, even though Dallas has only 2 wins in 7 games vs. the Hornets and Lakers combined, the games were close and Dallas could have won 4 of those.

Both the Lakers and the Hornets are extremely good teams, both have had great seasons and both have legitimate MVP contenders in Kobe (for the Lakers) and Chris Paul (for the Hornets). However, I think I would rather play the Hornets for a few reasons. One, even though the Hornets had a really good year, they are still a very young team and relatively few players on that team have much playoff experience. And the playoffs are a different animal than the regular season. Two, I think the Lakers are a better team so I would rather not play them right out of the shoot. For the Mavs to get to the Finals again, they will probably have to face the Lakers but postponing that as long as possible, in my opinion, is the best scenario. And three, Kobe is the best player in the game and, seemingly, explodes most of the time when he plays Dallas. Chris Paul is a Kobe starter kit but, like I said, is still very young and has never experienced NBA playoff basketball before. There are several players on the Mavs roster that have been to the playoffs, and made deep runs in the playoffs, so I think that experience will serve better against a young Hornets team.

If both the Lakers and Hornets win tonight thus locking both into the #1 and #2 seeds respectively, I kind of wonder if New Orleans will play their full roster the full game tomorrow night vs. Dallas. The game will be meaningful to Dallas, regardless of tonight’s outcome, as Dallas will be playing for #7 seed. I would think if New Orleans is locked into the #2 seed, they might play their starters for one half thus giving Dallas and easier shot at winning and securing the #7 seed. That’s what I’m hoping for at least. So, I guess I gotta root for the Lakers and the Hornets to win tonight. But nothing is guaranteed this year in the Western conference.

One of the Best Sports Weeks I Can Remember for DFW Area

2008-04-11T15:05:00.002-05:00

This week has been a pretty good week in the DFW sports scene. On Sunday, The Rangers beat the hated LA Angels 10-4 and then took won both games of a double header against Baltimore yesterday. Even though the season is still very young, the pitching has been solid and the bats have started to wake up the past few games. If the Rangers can win 81 games this year, I think they can consider this season a success.

The Stars started their playoff run by defeating the defending Stanly Cup champion Anaheim Ducks 4-0. That was a big feat considering the Stars haven’t made it out of the first round of the playoffs since 2003. I usually find it hard to sit down and watch the a regular season hockey game however playoff hockey is actually pretty fun to watch. All four goals were scored on power plays and the Stars, in general, made the Ducks look pretty silly. Hopefully they can continue this push and do something this year in the playoffs. If no, then the

And the Mavs started off the week on Sunday by coming from 13 points down in the 4th quarter to beat the mighty Suns, in Phoenix no less. Dirk came up big in that game by scoring 32 points and proving he is one tough SOB playing that way on a gimpy ankle. The Mavs then beat a pretty hapless Seattle team in the middle of the week but then last night welcomed the Utah Jazz to town. The game was great and Dallas played very well. Again Dirk scored 32 points but none were bigger than these:

So now the Mavs have clinched a playoff spot and won at least 50 games for the 8th straight season. The only team that can currently make that claim is San Antonio which has won 50+ games for the last 9 seasons. Judging where the Mavs were during the decade of the 90’s, when they were the WORST professional sports franchise out of all the teams in the 4 major sports (football, basketball, baseball and hockey), that is huge.

I honestly think the Mavs could win out as they play at Portland, at Seattle and finish up at home against New Orleans. That would mean Dallas would finish the year on a 6 game win streak winning 7 of 8 overall in April. That is streaking into the playoffs. And I don’t care who they play (more than likely Dallas will draw the Spurs or the Lakers in the first round), if they continue to play this way Dallas will definitely be a tough opponent in playoffs. Dirk is playing well, JET Terry is playing well, Josh Howard is playing well and Jason Kidd seems to have really gotten used to playing with the team. Once the playoffs start, it’s a new season and anything can happen…especially with the way the Western conference is so close. It’s going to be interesting and fun to watch.

Another Disappointing Ending

2008-04-05T16:10:00.002-05:00

The Mavs led the majority of the game last night vs. the Lakers but in the end couldn't close out the game. The Mavs lost 112-108 and also lost the season series to LA 3-1. The last three games between the two teams were decided by 4 points (ended in overtime), 2 points and 4 points (last night). This is just more of the same from the Mavs...a team that is talented but just can't seem to close out the close games. This was the Mavericks' 10th loss that was decided by 4 points or less.

The starters did their part. Nowitzki led the Mavs with 27 points, Jason Terry scored 25 and Josh Howard added 23. Jason Kidd had 10 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. However, the bench is where Dallas came up short. Devon George played 25 minutes and Eddie Jones played 22 minutes and guess how many points Dallas got out out that? A grand total of 4 (Eddie Jones didn't score one single point!). Four points?!?!? Four freaking points from 47 minutes between these two jokers? I've had it with both of them. Neither will be here next year and I wish that was right now. All Dallas needed was 5 more points to win the game...that's it. Just 5 more points. And these two guys toss in a total of 4. Absolutely ridiculous to say the least.
I'm glad Terry and J.Ho have started to show back up but the bench has got to do better than that. Brandon Bass played 12 seconds...what is up with that? I would be willing to be he could have at least scored 5 points by himself.

Well, I don't have much hope for tomorrow's game in Phoenix which, more than likely, will erase the 2 game cushion the Mavs had on Golden State and we're back to where we were on Wednesday. Part of me thinks that since these games are close, Dallas just needs to give it just a little more effort and they could win some of these close games. The other part of me thinks that "you are what you are" (as Parcells used to say) and maybe this team is what it is...7th, 8th or even 9th best in the West. They have lost too many close games too many times for me to think these losses are flukes.

So, I'm bracing for what could possibly be a long off season if Dallas doesn't make the playoffs. I so wish they could have pulled it out last night. Let's hope they can nut up before tomorrow's game and surprise everyone, including me. That would be a great way to start off the week.

Another Big 2 Games This Weekend for Dallas

2008-04-04T12:29:00.001-05:00

Well, Dallas did what I hoped they would do on Wednesday night…pummel a team, in the Golden State Warriors, that was ripe for a pummeling. The Warriors were playing the second game of a back-to-back and had their bells rung by 24 points the night before in San Antonio. They also were finishing up 4 games in 5 days. The Mavs were at home, got an emotional lift when Dirk actually played and got an inspired effort from the rest of the team. They played a complete 4 quarters and won by 25 against a team that didn’t look like they had much interest in playing.

I’m not going to over hype the win on Wednesday but I will say it was a big win for a few reasons. If Dallas loses that game, the chances of them making the playoffs were slim and none. Also, Golden State is a team that has been in the head of the Mavericks the last 2 seasons so Dallas needed to prove to themselves they could not only beat the Warriors but beat them soundly. Dallas is now 2 full games ahead of Golden State (with 7 games left to play) and 1 game ahead of Denver, who occupies the 8th spot in the West right now. However, for Wednesday’s win to remain as big, the momentum must carry over to this weekend.

Dallas plays the Lakers tonight in L.A. and Phoenix on Sunday afternoon in Phoenix. The Mavs need at least a split here. I truly think if they play the way they did on Wednesday night against Golden State, Dallas can beat the Lakers tonight. The Lakers lost last week, at home, to both Charlotte and Memphis. How they lost to those two hapless teams, I don’t know…but the fact is they did. I don’t think they will get a win on Sunday though as Dallas, over the years, typically hasn’t played that well in day games, especially on the road. So that makes tonight’s game pretty important. Dallas needs to take advantage of the momentum they created on Wednesday night and build on that.

Josh Howard seems to be getting back to the form he had last season. The last 5 games, Josh has averaged 30.2 points. He has to continue at this level for the Mavs to have a shot of an extended post season run. JET Terry showed some signs on Wednesday of awakening as well as he poured in 31 points of his own. He, also, needs to play at a high level (especially since Dirk is still not 100% yet) for Dallas to do well in the playoffs. Over the past few games, Kidd also seems to have played better so I’m hoping he has a better grasp of the offense and he and the team are becoming more familiar with each other..

I am in hopes that Wednesday’s win started some momentum Dallas can sustain through April and go streaking into the playoffs, much the same way Golden State did last year. If that happens, Dallas will be a very dangerous team for any team in the West to play. But for that to happen, Dallas really needs to play well and get a “W” this evening.

Same Song, Different Verse…Mavs Game Tonight is Vital to Making Playoffs

2008-04-02T13:39:00.001-05:00

Tonight at 8:30, the Mavs play Golden State in a game that has serious playoff implications. Currently, the Mavs are a full game ahead of G.S. and a half game ahead of Denver, which currently holds the 8th spot in the West. Dirk is a game time decision but Stackhouse is out. Due to the remainder of Dallas schedule, as well as the schedules of both Denver and Golden State, if the Mavs somehow don’t win tonight, I think I’m prepared to say that they will be on the outside looking in when the playoffs start later this month. So really, this is a MUST WIN.

The last few years, the Warriors have been a tough match up for the Mavs. Everyone remembers last Spring (who could forget?) and this year the Warriors have a 2-1 advantage in the series. However, if Dallas has any shred of pride they will nut up, show up and beat up the Warriors tonight…Dirk, or no Dirk. I know that last sentence is super cheesy, but it’s the truth. Dallas is well rested, playing at home (where they are fairly difficult to beat) and Golden State is playing the second game of a back-to-back (they played the Spurs last night and lost by 24 points). Since the Kidd trade, Dallas has yet to beat a team in playoff contention in the West but that HAS to end tonight.

A win for Dallas means a couple of things. For one, they put more distance between themselves and Golden State/Denver for the playoffs. Two, they can prove to themselves that they not only can play with but can beat a quality team. The Mavs have been able to hang with the playoffs teams from the West but they just can’t seem to get over the hump and come up with a “W” against any of those teams. And three, a win tonight might jump start this team so they can build some sort of momentum going into the playoffs. I may just be dreaming about that though.

I never in a million years thought, at the beginning of this season, that Dallas wouldn’t make the playoffs. I have to admit, I haven’t watched much of the past few games and probably won’t watch much of tonight’s game. Not because I’m a fair weather fan or any less of a Mavs fan now than I was a few months ago. I just can’t take getting emotionally suckered much more. I want the Mavs to make the playoffs and do well. But getting emotionally invested in an important game only to get my guts stomped on at the end is not my idea of an enjoyable time.

This team is soft, no two ways about it. But I want the team to get mad. I want them to play with emotion. I want them to come out and play physical ball…plant Stephen Jackson’s butt on the court if need be (I hate that guy)…but do something, ANYTHING, to prove to this city as well as the league that they aren’t going anywhere and stories of their demise have been prematurely written. Forget taking 18 foot jump shots or hiding behind the 3 point arc. Take the freaking ball to the basket and make a freaking statement with it!

Otherwise, go get your shine box, your golf clubs and start making your off season plans because you aren’t going anywhere. We’ll see if Dallas can answer the bell or if they will cower down like that have done the past month. Hopefully it will be the former and not the latter.