Anticipation buzzing over Dallas' chances
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Story last updated at 7/6/2008 - 1:53 am
It's happening to me everywhere.
Sitting in a local Whataburger waiting on supper and total strangers approach. Waiting in the doctor's office as I see what my latest physical ailment is. In the line at the bank, grocery store. Even at Fourth on Broadway on Friday.
Everyone wants to know what the Dallas Cowboys are going to do this year. That signals to me this may be the most anticipated training camp for the heroes of silver and blue since the mid-1990s.
And there's no reason it shouldn't be, especially after I, like many other Cowboys fans around the country, was left hanging and stunned after the second round of the playoffs and the stunning loss to the ... World Champion New York Giants (sorry for the pause, I gagged a little when those words came up).
Call it what you will. Disappointment, unfulfilled potential, whatever. Fact is last year's team, for as much as it dominated during the regular season, underachieved when it came time for the playoffs. But, we've all had six months to get over it and now it's time to look forward to 2008.
I admit I haven't been as diligent in keeping up with off-season news as much as I should have, aside from the big news. Adam Jones, the athlete formerly known as Pacman, was the biggest of all, then of course there was the Terrell Owens extension signing, which made Orville Redenbacher smile just a little. Other than that, I'm not just real knowledgeable about what's going on. Hey, sue me, the Rangers have given me a reason to stay interested until the All-Star break.
But with training camp just 19 days away, here are three things I want to see happen.
1. Tony Romo finally lives up to his hype. Hey, there's no denying that Romo arose to superstar status for a reason last year and that was because he was a likeable personality who put up incredible numbers and was able to take a team, put it on his back and lead it to a division championship.
To me, however, he hasn't shown the kind of dedication needed to be a CHAMPION. I know Wade Phillips told the guys during the bye week to get away from football, but if I'm sitting there about to lead my team in the biggest playoff game since 1995 (the last Super Bowl), the last thing I do is let some blond bimbo cart me off to Mexico. There's plenty of time for that in the off-season, Tone Choke. Get your butt back into the film room and try to figure out how to beat the Gotham Grunts for a third time!
Troy Aikman didn't take time off. Neither did Roger Staubach. You want to be mentioned in that group, then give me a reason. You ain't there yet, chief. You'd think you would have learned your lesson after Seattle two years ago.
2. Roy Williams gets to be Roy Williams again. Tell me right now who has a better secondary than the Cowboys - with the caveat that Pacman plays. If Roger Goodell has a heart and gives Jones another chance, then that gives the Cowboys two shut-down corners (Terrance Newman on the other side), a solid third corner in Anthony Henry, a talented rookie cornerback in Mike Jenkins and a solid cover safety in Ken Hamlin.
What that does is free Roy up to be Roy, i.e. cheat up to the line and knock the snot out of anyone holding the football. In that sense, not only does Pacman playing make Dallas hard to throw against, but now teams will find it darn-near impossible to run on the Cowboys as well. Defense wins championships.
3. Wade Phillips finally gets the credit he deserves and TV announcers keep quiet about Bill Parcells.
All season long that's all we heard was how Wade was winning with Parcells' players. Well, if Parcells' players were so good why didn't they win for him? Remember when Parcells once said that if they want you to cook the dinner they ought to let you shop for the groceries?
Sometimes you can get all the right ingredients. But Bill, you were a lousy cook, and now you can go over and make sure the Dolphins remain a joke. Wade came in, added few new spices, started cooking with mesquite and pretty soon we had a pretty tasty flavor on our hands. Maybe, just maybe at this stage in life, Wade's Texas flavor sits a little bit better than your clam chowder bitterness.
Funny, isn't it, how you can beat a horse and he still might run you a fast race, but when you start showing the horse a little respect, it runs even faster for you. Humans perform better for you than in spite of you.
Of course, we're certain to have issues throughout the season and we'll discuss those on a weekly basis once the season gets here. For now, here's hoping no major drama plays out over the next three weeks.
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Story last updated at 7/6/2008 - 1:53 am
It's happening to me everywhere.
Sitting in a local Whataburger waiting on supper and total strangers approach. Waiting in the doctor's office as I see what my latest physical ailment is. In the line at the bank, grocery store. Even at Fourth on Broadway on Friday.
Everyone wants to know what the Dallas Cowboys are going to do this year. That signals to me this may be the most anticipated training camp for the heroes of silver and blue since the mid-1990s.
And there's no reason it shouldn't be, especially after I, like many other Cowboys fans around the country, was left hanging and stunned after the second round of the playoffs and the stunning loss to the ... World Champion New York Giants (sorry for the pause, I gagged a little when those words came up).
Call it what you will. Disappointment, unfulfilled potential, whatever. Fact is last year's team, for as much as it dominated during the regular season, underachieved when it came time for the playoffs. But, we've all had six months to get over it and now it's time to look forward to 2008.
I admit I haven't been as diligent in keeping up with off-season news as much as I should have, aside from the big news. Adam Jones, the athlete formerly known as Pacman, was the biggest of all, then of course there was the Terrell Owens extension signing, which made Orville Redenbacher smile just a little. Other than that, I'm not just real knowledgeable about what's going on. Hey, sue me, the Rangers have given me a reason to stay interested until the All-Star break.
But with training camp just 19 days away, here are three things I want to see happen.
1. Tony Romo finally lives up to his hype. Hey, there's no denying that Romo arose to superstar status for a reason last year and that was because he was a likeable personality who put up incredible numbers and was able to take a team, put it on his back and lead it to a division championship.
To me, however, he hasn't shown the kind of dedication needed to be a CHAMPION. I know Wade Phillips told the guys during the bye week to get away from football, but if I'm sitting there about to lead my team in the biggest playoff game since 1995 (the last Super Bowl), the last thing I do is let some blond bimbo cart me off to Mexico. There's plenty of time for that in the off-season, Tone Choke. Get your butt back into the film room and try to figure out how to beat the Gotham Grunts for a third time!
Troy Aikman didn't take time off. Neither did Roger Staubach. You want to be mentioned in that group, then give me a reason. You ain't there yet, chief. You'd think you would have learned your lesson after Seattle two years ago.
2. Roy Williams gets to be Roy Williams again. Tell me right now who has a better secondary than the Cowboys - with the caveat that Pacman plays. If Roger Goodell has a heart and gives Jones another chance, then that gives the Cowboys two shut-down corners (Terrance Newman on the other side), a solid third corner in Anthony Henry, a talented rookie cornerback in Mike Jenkins and a solid cover safety in Ken Hamlin.
What that does is free Roy up to be Roy, i.e. cheat up to the line and knock the snot out of anyone holding the football. In that sense, not only does Pacman playing make Dallas hard to throw against, but now teams will find it darn-near impossible to run on the Cowboys as well. Defense wins championships.
3. Wade Phillips finally gets the credit he deserves and TV announcers keep quiet about Bill Parcells.
All season long that's all we heard was how Wade was winning with Parcells' players. Well, if Parcells' players were so good why didn't they win for him? Remember when Parcells once said that if they want you to cook the dinner they ought to let you shop for the groceries?
Sometimes you can get all the right ingredients. But Bill, you were a lousy cook, and now you can go over and make sure the Dolphins remain a joke. Wade came in, added few new spices, started cooking with mesquite and pretty soon we had a pretty tasty flavor on our hands. Maybe, just maybe at this stage in life, Wade's Texas flavor sits a little bit better than your clam chowder bitterness.
Funny, isn't it, how you can beat a horse and he still might run you a fast race, but when you start showing the horse a little respect, it runs even faster for you. Humans perform better for you than in spite of you.
Of course, we're certain to have issues throughout the season and we'll discuss those on a weekly basis once the season gets here. For now, here's hoping no major drama plays out over the next three weeks.
posted by The Gryphon at 7:55 PM
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