RECAP: Norm Hitzges Show w/JJTaylor on SportsRadio 1310 The Ticket
RECAP: Originally posted by InmanRoshi from a sports forum:
Norm: I believe the Cowboys can be in the Superbowl next year. There is no great team in the NFC. Out of the past 5 Superbowl losers, none of them have made the playoffs the next year. If you factor Seattle downward, and even though they had a pretty good year you would have to given past history , who scares you in the NFC? Giants? I guess the Panthers are pretty good. Bucs with Chris Simms? Philly? Why not Dallas. There are obvious holes, but there are obvious holes in every single team in the NFC. This is hole-filling time of the year. Adn astute football teams fill those holes, and the Cowboys did a great job of it last year. This time last year the Cowboys were pigsnot. The club advanced the team in every phase of the offseason … through free agency, drafts, undrafted free agents and trades with Fujita and Pile. If they have another offseason like that, they should be able to compete in this conference. Even if the Cowboys make no moves the Cowboys should be better. Rookies get better their 2nd year, and this was an excellent rookie crop. Everyone looked good, except for Burnett who we are still unsure about. Pettiti wore down, but what were you expecting out a 6th round draft pick who was thrown out there to start? Second, it will be their 2nd year in the 3-4. There will be more recognition playing the defense where you’ve seen things over and over and over again. The question last year was how quickly will it take this defense to get to the point where they can play a decent 3-4. I think it came along better than expected thanks to some key contributors. And from an injury standpoint, if Flozell is well the LT spot at least shouldn’t be a swinging door like it was last year.
Norm and JJT.
The club needs to replace Dat at ILB, if you can do it, would you offer a 3rd for Ray Lewis?
No, he can’t play in the 3-4. That’s one reason they switched back to the 4-3, because he’s not big to start with and now that he’s slowed down with age he’ll get killed like Dat did. He’s an undersized, speedy LB. The complete antithesis of what you want in the 3-4.
How much has the league changed when a 245 LB is undersized?
But I don’t think he weighs that much. He’s more of a 235, and 10 lbs. is a lot of weight at that position. I got a problem with him anyway. I don’t mind TO asking for more money, because he’s still a great player playing at a high level. But Lewis is on the downside of his career and crying about more money after Baltimore paid him a $51 million his last contract and stood by him through his legal problems. And he’s still moaning and groaning? I wouldn’t want him on my team.
Do you think they are interested in TO?
Nope, he’s a WCO guy, and he wants to play in a pass first offense.
Will Greg Ellis stay?
Sounds that way from Jerry and Bill. Greg still wants to be convinced, but he doesn’t have a lot of choice. He’s a good player and a good person, he doesn’t deserve to be benched the way he was last year. They make promises about playing time now, but I wouldn’t believe them.
LeRoi’s future?
I don’t see him back in Dallas at that salary. He’s a terrific guy and a good player, but you can’t play a backup NT that money. I don’t know that he wants to redo his deal to play here.
Any other whispers of vets getting cut?
Nope, Keyshawn and Terry Glenn make a pittance for WR’s who produce their numbers. If anything, they are probably in line for a raise. I think they would like to restructure Larry Allen, but I don’t think they’ll do too much with his contract. They’re not going to make a big deal of it if he’s going to be a huge pain in the butt because of it. They’ll just probably put up for him for one last year.
Should we be concerned with Rivera and Allen with their age and money invested?
I think it’s a big issue with this team. That’s why its funny that they’ve been blowing Andre Gurode’s agent phone up acting like they can’t live without him, because they are scared these guys are always going to be hurt.
Isn’t Gurode’s poor play the reason why they signed Rivera in the first place?
Exactly, but now they decided they are in love with Andre again. I’m tight with his agent and he’s always asking me “Why do they want Gurode back so badly?”. This is a guy who last year they came out and told him after the season that they wanted to upgrade over him.
This is a guy I thought was getting shoved off the roster. If this is true, are they sending flowers and candy to Torrin Tucker right now?
I don’t know, I haven’t talked to his camp. I think this Gurode thing is fascining. I think they just love his style and size, and think he’ll eventually turn into a good player and they don’t want to see him do it with another team.
They pay Rivera millions, put him as a backup behind Al Johnson at center and they can’t live without him?
I didn’t say it made sense.
Is Bentley target #1 on this team?
I don’t know. My buddy Todd Archer is in Indy right now with his ear to the ground. The Combine is where a lot of those sales pitches are first getting hashed out. I read he wants to play in Cleveland, but of course he’ll go where the $$$ is. If I were them, I would get him because he’s a young, ascending player who will be a good player throughout his contract.
Jason Fabini show up on your radar?
He’s a classic guy who would show up in Dallas. I would look younger first, but if you can’t find a guy and he’s willing to wait until after the draft I would bring him in. I doubt that’s possible, but he’s the classic kind of Parcells guy that you would expect him to bring in, and I don’t think he’ll command huge money. At least if you get him, and if you draft a guy in the 2nd or 3rd round, you don’t have to start him right away.
Any names you hear at the safety position?
Not right now. I guess the names being speculated are Chris Hope and Chavous,but part of managing the cap is managing how you spend your money. Roy Williams' contract will be up in a few years and Terrence Newman after that, they’ll command a zillion dollars. You already got a zillion in Henry. How much do you want to invest in your secondary?
Jerry Jones said on this show a month and a half ago would be getting a new deal done with Bledsoe. Heard anything about it?
No, if they’re working on that I don’t think it will be complicated one. I don’t think it’s a frontburner issue. They’ll probably just keep it lowkey and swap some contract parameters. Which is probably why I haven’t heard anything about it.
Norm: I believe the Cowboys can be in the Superbowl next year. There is no great team in the NFC. Out of the past 5 Superbowl losers, none of them have made the playoffs the next year. If you factor Seattle downward, and even though they had a pretty good year you would have to given past history , who scares you in the NFC? Giants? I guess the Panthers are pretty good. Bucs with Chris Simms? Philly? Why not Dallas. There are obvious holes, but there are obvious holes in every single team in the NFC. This is hole-filling time of the year. Adn astute football teams fill those holes, and the Cowboys did a great job of it last year. This time last year the Cowboys were pigsnot. The club advanced the team in every phase of the offseason … through free agency, drafts, undrafted free agents and trades with Fujita and Pile. If they have another offseason like that, they should be able to compete in this conference. Even if the Cowboys make no moves the Cowboys should be better. Rookies get better their 2nd year, and this was an excellent rookie crop. Everyone looked good, except for Burnett who we are still unsure about. Pettiti wore down, but what were you expecting out a 6th round draft pick who was thrown out there to start? Second, it will be their 2nd year in the 3-4. There will be more recognition playing the defense where you’ve seen things over and over and over again. The question last year was how quickly will it take this defense to get to the point where they can play a decent 3-4. I think it came along better than expected thanks to some key contributors. And from an injury standpoint, if Flozell is well the LT spot at least shouldn’t be a swinging door like it was last year.
Norm and JJT.
The club needs to replace Dat at ILB, if you can do it, would you offer a 3rd for Ray Lewis?
No, he can’t play in the 3-4. That’s one reason they switched back to the 4-3, because he’s not big to start with and now that he’s slowed down with age he’ll get killed like Dat did. He’s an undersized, speedy LB. The complete antithesis of what you want in the 3-4.
How much has the league changed when a 245 LB is undersized?
But I don’t think he weighs that much. He’s more of a 235, and 10 lbs. is a lot of weight at that position. I got a problem with him anyway. I don’t mind TO asking for more money, because he’s still a great player playing at a high level. But Lewis is on the downside of his career and crying about more money after Baltimore paid him a $51 million his last contract and stood by him through his legal problems. And he’s still moaning and groaning? I wouldn’t want him on my team.
Do you think they are interested in TO?
Nope, he’s a WCO guy, and he wants to play in a pass first offense.
Will Greg Ellis stay?
Sounds that way from Jerry and Bill. Greg still wants to be convinced, but he doesn’t have a lot of choice. He’s a good player and a good person, he doesn’t deserve to be benched the way he was last year. They make promises about playing time now, but I wouldn’t believe them.
LeRoi’s future?
I don’t see him back in Dallas at that salary. He’s a terrific guy and a good player, but you can’t play a backup NT that money. I don’t know that he wants to redo his deal to play here.
Any other whispers of vets getting cut?
Nope, Keyshawn and Terry Glenn make a pittance for WR’s who produce their numbers. If anything, they are probably in line for a raise. I think they would like to restructure Larry Allen, but I don’t think they’ll do too much with his contract. They’re not going to make a big deal of it if he’s going to be a huge pain in the butt because of it. They’ll just probably put up for him for one last year.
Should we be concerned with Rivera and Allen with their age and money invested?
I think it’s a big issue with this team. That’s why its funny that they’ve been blowing Andre Gurode’s agent phone up acting like they can’t live without him, because they are scared these guys are always going to be hurt.
Isn’t Gurode’s poor play the reason why they signed Rivera in the first place?
Exactly, but now they decided they are in love with Andre again. I’m tight with his agent and he’s always asking me “Why do they want Gurode back so badly?”. This is a guy who last year they came out and told him after the season that they wanted to upgrade over him.
This is a guy I thought was getting shoved off the roster. If this is true, are they sending flowers and candy to Torrin Tucker right now?
I don’t know, I haven’t talked to his camp. I think this Gurode thing is fascining. I think they just love his style and size, and think he’ll eventually turn into a good player and they don’t want to see him do it with another team.
They pay Rivera millions, put him as a backup behind Al Johnson at center and they can’t live without him?
I didn’t say it made sense.
Is Bentley target #1 on this team?
I don’t know. My buddy Todd Archer is in Indy right now with his ear to the ground. The Combine is where a lot of those sales pitches are first getting hashed out. I read he wants to play in Cleveland, but of course he’ll go where the $$$ is. If I were them, I would get him because he’s a young, ascending player who will be a good player throughout his contract.
Jason Fabini show up on your radar?
He’s a classic guy who would show up in Dallas. I would look younger first, but if you can’t find a guy and he’s willing to wait until after the draft I would bring him in. I doubt that’s possible, but he’s the classic kind of Parcells guy that you would expect him to bring in, and I don’t think he’ll command huge money. At least if you get him, and if you draft a guy in the 2nd or 3rd round, you don’t have to start him right away.
Any names you hear at the safety position?
Not right now. I guess the names being speculated are Chris Hope and Chavous,but part of managing the cap is managing how you spend your money. Roy Williams' contract will be up in a few years and Terrence Newman after that, they’ll command a zillion dollars. You already got a zillion in Henry. How much do you want to invest in your secondary?
Jerry Jones said on this show a month and a half ago would be getting a new deal done with Bledsoe. Heard anything about it?
No, if they’re working on that I don’t think it will be complicated one. I don’t think it’s a frontburner issue. They’ll probably just keep it lowkey and swap some contract parameters. Which is probably why I haven’t heard anything about it.
posted by The Gryphon at 6:19 PM
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