Super Talk, Meet Your Conscience
by donpotts21
During this part of the offseason, NFL storylines are few and far between. OTA’s are underway, and we are about eight or nine weeks until the start of training camp. Therefore, many times reporters, bloggers and the media world will reach to get their headlines. In Dallas, the focus has been on Dez Bryant and Roy Williams on the field. Off the field? Well, there has been some Super chatter. You are beginning to hear mur-mur’s of the Cowboys possibly playing in the Superbowl at their home stadium – a feat that has never occurred in Superbowl history. Radio hosts and former players are voicing their opinions on this very topic. The most recent headline came from Cowboy great, Roger Staubach:
“I didn’t want to jinx them about the Super Bowl being here, but that would be fun,” Staubach said. “That would be extra special. And it could happen.”
He continued …
“This is a really, really good football team and they have the capability,” Staubach said. “There are probably five or six teams in the NFL that can win it all. This is one of them. They can do it.
“It’s a matter of giving that little extra and fighting, and I think they have that attitude, too. The way it transpired at the end of the year in the Minnesota game was rough, but they really were a team at the end of the year, and I think they’re even better this year.”
Staubach, a Cowboy legend, just put a hex on the whole damn thing! So I figure for the Cowboys best interest I will slow things down a bit, relax and take a look at five possible hindrances to the teams Super aspirations.
1 – Offensive Line Depth
The Cowboys head into the season with questions on their offensive line. Doug Free is replacing the recently unemployed Flozell Adams. Free is young and athletic, but also still raw. He will have his struggles this year your delusional if you think otherwise. What happens if any starter on the line gets injured for any substantial period of time? The depth within this group seems weak, and that is a major liability.
2 – Who Is Going To Play The Middle?
Ken Hamlin got cut. Great. He was terrible. Now, the team is replacing him with either Alan Ball (?) or ironically Michael Hamlin. Since the team cut ties with Big Bro Hamlin, they have been raving about the potential of both Ball and Lil Bro.
Myself. I am not a fan of Ball. In the games he started he did absolutely nothing to impress me. I saw a player who recorded zero turnovers playing a position in which that’s all your judged on.
I cannot make an honest assessment of Lil Bro Hamlin because he’s been injured. All I know is that the Cowboys like his potential and think he will be a starter in the NFL. Me personally … not too crazy about the bloodline.
3 - Road Woes
The Cowboys have traditionally under Wade Phillips been a team that struggled in big road games. Last year’s playoff game in Minnesota as the most recent example. Now for the Cowboys to reach the Superbowl you would think they probably will have to play at least one road playoff game. I say that because Minnesota and New Orleans have a much easier path for home field advantage than the Cowboys. A great year in the difficult NFC East is 12-4 and that rarely is best in the conference. Therefore, assuming the Cowboys get in the playoffs and get a decent seed (neither are sure things), then they will once again have to go on the road and play in a hostile environment. What makes you believe they will emerge victorious? Which brings me to point four …
4 – The Cowboys Lack Playoff Caliber Coaching
With all due respect to Coach Phillips and his staff, they are not one of the league’s best. I think Phillips is a stellar defensive coach, but in big games the defense has struggled some. On the offensive side, I am not enamored with Jason Garrett. His offensive gameplans will be flawless one week and head-scratching another. He called a terrible game in last year’s playoff loss at Minnesota, and I do not trust him calling a Conference Championship on the road. For the Cowboys to play in the Superbowl, they have to get home-field advantage throughout. And finally …
5 – History (Pressure)
There is a reason no one has ever played a Superbowl at home. It is not easy. You can have all the talent in the world but you also need a good amount of luck and good fortune. A major injury, a tipped ball or a bad call can ruin a game and/or season. Also, if the Cowboys do make the playoffs, then the pressure really mounts. Imagine if the Cowboys completed the task of reaching the Superbowl, then lost at home to the Jets? History will not be kind to the franchise if that scenario plays out.
I understand many of my readers will wonder who @#$! in my cereal this morning. I still haven’t caught the person, but if you have any ideas email me. But seriously, I do not wanna feed the hype machine. We have to realize that the Cowboys have flaws just like every other team. Do they look good on paper? Yes. Would I be surprised if they don’t make the playoffs? Yes. Is this there best chance to reach the Superbowl in over a decade? Probably. As a fan, there is a lot to be excited for this season. And if they happen to reach and win the Superbowl, it will be a historic season. But until then, as the famous Pulp Fiction quote goes “Let’s not start sucking each other’s d*ck’s just yet.” Thanks for reading. Stay Tuned!
During this part of the offseason, NFL storylines are few and far between. OTA’s are underway, and we are about eight or nine weeks until the start of training camp. Therefore, many times reporters, bloggers and the media world will reach to get their headlines. In Dallas, the focus has been on Dez Bryant and Roy Williams on the field. Off the field? Well, there has been some Super chatter. You are beginning to hear mur-mur’s of the Cowboys possibly playing in the Superbowl at their home stadium – a feat that has never occurred in Superbowl history. Radio hosts and former players are voicing their opinions on this very topic. The most recent headline came from Cowboy great, Roger Staubach:
“I didn’t want to jinx them about the Super Bowl being here, but that would be fun,” Staubach said. “That would be extra special. And it could happen.”
He continued …
“This is a really, really good football team and they have the capability,” Staubach said. “There are probably five or six teams in the NFL that can win it all. This is one of them. They can do it.
“It’s a matter of giving that little extra and fighting, and I think they have that attitude, too. The way it transpired at the end of the year in the Minnesota game was rough, but they really were a team at the end of the year, and I think they’re even better this year.”
Staubach, a Cowboy legend, just put a hex on the whole damn thing! So I figure for the Cowboys best interest I will slow things down a bit, relax and take a look at five possible hindrances to the teams Super aspirations.
1 – Offensive Line Depth
The Cowboys head into the season with questions on their offensive line. Doug Free is replacing the recently unemployed Flozell Adams. Free is young and athletic, but also still raw. He will have his struggles this year your delusional if you think otherwise. What happens if any starter on the line gets injured for any substantial period of time? The depth within this group seems weak, and that is a major liability.
2 – Who Is Going To Play The Middle?
Ken Hamlin got cut. Great. He was terrible. Now, the team is replacing him with either Alan Ball (?) or ironically Michael Hamlin. Since the team cut ties with Big Bro Hamlin, they have been raving about the potential of both Ball and Lil Bro.
Myself. I am not a fan of Ball. In the games he started he did absolutely nothing to impress me. I saw a player who recorded zero turnovers playing a position in which that’s all your judged on.
I cannot make an honest assessment of Lil Bro Hamlin because he’s been injured. All I know is that the Cowboys like his potential and think he will be a starter in the NFL. Me personally … not too crazy about the bloodline.
3 - Road Woes
The Cowboys have traditionally under Wade Phillips been a team that struggled in big road games. Last year’s playoff game in Minnesota as the most recent example. Now for the Cowboys to reach the Superbowl you would think they probably will have to play at least one road playoff game. I say that because Minnesota and New Orleans have a much easier path for home field advantage than the Cowboys. A great year in the difficult NFC East is 12-4 and that rarely is best in the conference. Therefore, assuming the Cowboys get in the playoffs and get a decent seed (neither are sure things), then they will once again have to go on the road and play in a hostile environment. What makes you believe they will emerge victorious? Which brings me to point four …
4 – The Cowboys Lack Playoff Caliber Coaching
With all due respect to Coach Phillips and his staff, they are not one of the league’s best. I think Phillips is a stellar defensive coach, but in big games the defense has struggled some. On the offensive side, I am not enamored with Jason Garrett. His offensive gameplans will be flawless one week and head-scratching another. He called a terrible game in last year’s playoff loss at Minnesota, and I do not trust him calling a Conference Championship on the road. For the Cowboys to play in the Superbowl, they have to get home-field advantage throughout. And finally …
5 – History (Pressure)
There is a reason no one has ever played a Superbowl at home. It is not easy. You can have all the talent in the world but you also need a good amount of luck and good fortune. A major injury, a tipped ball or a bad call can ruin a game and/or season. Also, if the Cowboys do make the playoffs, then the pressure really mounts. Imagine if the Cowboys completed the task of reaching the Superbowl, then lost at home to the Jets? History will not be kind to the franchise if that scenario plays out.
I understand many of my readers will wonder who @#$! in my cereal this morning. I still haven’t caught the person, but if you have any ideas email me. But seriously, I do not wanna feed the hype machine. We have to realize that the Cowboys have flaws just like every other team. Do they look good on paper? Yes. Would I be surprised if they don’t make the playoffs? Yes. Is this there best chance to reach the Superbowl in over a decade? Probably. As a fan, there is a lot to be excited for this season. And if they happen to reach and win the Superbowl, it will be a historic season. But until then, as the famous Pulp Fiction quote goes “Let’s not start sucking each other’s d*ck’s just yet.” Thanks for reading. Stay Tuned!
posted by The Gryphon at 6:25 PM
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