Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Let's Face It

The Cowboys are not playing like a team going anywhere in the playoffs. They will probably get smashed in an away wild-card game on January 6th or 7th. So, the only good thing in football this week is that I won my fantasy league. I'd much rather have seen the Cowboys win the NFC East, but that didn't happen.

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Ron Springs and Everson Walls

Ron Springs played for the Dallas Cowboys for six seasons. He was a solid player that quietly backed up Tony Dorsett during those six years. Ron still lives in Dallas and is now suffering from diabetes and kidney failure. Ron has been on dialysis trying to get healthy enough to undergo a kidney transplant.

During the search for a kidney donor, it was discovered that Ron's son Shawn, a cornerback for the Washington Redskins, was a match. However, Ron refused to accept his son's kidney. The transplant procedure would have ended Shawn Springs' professional football career. Things weren't looking too good for Ron until an old team mate and friend, Everson Walls, was also found to be a match. Walls has agreed to donate a kidney to his old Cowboy mate.

"Everson Walls is my dad's best friend and somebody who taught me a lot about being a cornerback in the NFL," Shawn Springs said.

Everson Walls ended his career with the New York Giants, and I remember being really upset that he left the Cowboys, because he was one of my favorite players, and he didn't leave under the best of circumstances. Walls went on to get a Super Bowl ring with the Giants under coach Bill Parcells, something Walls would have never achieved with the Cowboys as they were going through some lean years at the time.

Everson is doing a really good thing donating his kidney to a man that probably wouldn't live long without it, so I guess it's time for me to forgive Everson for joining the enemy twenty years ago.

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Is it Me?


Does Sean Payton (form Dallas OC and current New Orleans head coach) look a little bit like Lee Harvey Oswald?

Bill Parcells Press Conference

A clip regarding TO from Parcell's press conference earlier this week. Funny stuff.

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Dallas Cowboys Christmas 1986 Part 4.

Last one. This one isn't bad, but I have no idea who the person singing is.

Dallas Cowboys Christmas 1986 Part 3.

Yes, it keeps coming. I think Danny White actually had a country album once.

Dallas Cowboys Christmas 1986 Part 2.

This one isn't quite as bad, but it's not good either.

Dallas Cowboys Christmas 1986

Twenty years later, this still sucks, so I had to post it.

Sunday, December 03, 2006

Martin "Automatica" Gramatica


There is really nothing automatic about Martin (pronounced Mar-teen) Gramatica, but he hit a game winning field goal this afternoon that I doubt Vanderjagt could have made. Parcells made a ballsy move to cut the most accurate kicker in NFL history and replace him with a guy that had been sitting at home for the past two years, but it paid off today.

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Victory in Dallas/Fever in Pittsburgh


I had a great time at the game as the Cowboys massacred the Bucs 38-10. After the game, I decided to hang out at the corral, and who should show up but Jerry Jones himself. I had seen Jerry from a distance before, and I even got to walk around his personal airplane a few years back while he was at his mother-in-law's funeral, but I never got to meet him. Since he was standing right there, I figured "What the hell", so I approached him and had him sign my Cowboys jacket. It was a pretty cool way to end the evening.

The next morning, I missed my flight to Pittsburgh and had to get on stand by for the next flight. Luckily, there were enough seats; although, someone weighing in excess of 300 lbs. was next to me. Shamu inspired me to write another blog which you can read at http://awwh.blogspot.com within a day or so.

When I arrived in Pittsburgh, I was elated to see my daughter and her mother, but I could tell that bad things were about to happen. I ended up bed ridden from the time I arrived Friday until Sunday night with a sore throat and high fever. When I get a fever, my body quits functioning. It basically messed up the whole trip; however, I was happy to see my daughter, and she didn't seem to mind hanging around the hotel room watching the Cartoon Network or swimming in the hotel's indoor pool. Monday, I felt much better, and we were able to have lunch in Pittsburgh, ride up the Duquesne incline, walk around Mt. Washington and even have a little ice cream, so the entire trip was not a loss. Overall, I give the trip a C-.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

My Thanksgiving Celebration

I'm heading out tomorrow morning to see the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on my beloved Dallas Cowboys at Texas Stadium. This is my third game at Texas Stadium, and the Cowboys are 1-1 in games that I have attended. The first was in 1998 when Emmitt Smith broke the all-time record for rushing TD's in a career against the Washington Redskins, and I was also at the Thanksgiving game last year when Dallas lost to Denver in OT.

Then, I'm off to see my five year old daughter in PA. Her mother and I are going to take her to a Japanese restaurant for the first time. Looking forward to the three of us getting to spend some time together.

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

OT: Andre Waters Dead at 44

Andre Waters was found dead in his Tampa Bay, Fl. home on Monday morning. Waters spent most of his 12 NFL seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles under Buddy Ryan's dirty defense. Many people called Andre "Dirty Waters", because he became known as a cheap shot artist, using unnecessary violence or taking late hits on opponents.

Once before a game against the Cowboys, Waters publicly threatened that he was going to break Emmitt Smith's leg in the game. Emmitt's response was, "We'll see." Emmitt hit Waters so low and hard in the game that all Andre could do was lay in the fetal position. The Eagles doctors couldn't even get Waters on a stretcher, and he had to be carried off the field spread-eagle by a couple of teammates.

He also attacked a Saints player after a game. I don't remember the particular player, but the guy from the Saints approached Waters for an after-game handshake, and Waters slugged him in the mouth. Waters then sprinted into the locker room like a coward.

Well, it appears "Dirty Waters" final cheap shot was with a gun to his own head. Suicide: Another cowardly move, and most appropriate for Mr. Andre Waters who left life the way he lived it: Like a pussy.

Rest in Hell.

Monday, November 20, 2006

Post Game Thoughts


The Cowboys seem to finally be turning the corner. Dallas took down the previously undefeated Indianapolis Colts last night with the final score 21-14.

Tony Romo had another solid performance in his first start at Texas Stadium. Romo is now 3-1 as the Cowboys' starting QB, and could very well have been 4-0 if not for the fluke against the Redskins. Romo is also currently the 2nd ranked QB in the NFL behind Colt's QB, Peyton Manning. Manning has a 100.5 rating, and Romo has a 100.0 rating. There are also rumors that Romo may be dating Jessica Simpson, so it seems that things are going pretty well for him.

Things for Drew Bledsoe aren't so great. Bledsoe is a real class act, and I hate to see his career end like it is. I was browsing the Dallas Cowboys online store, and in the jersey section, there were all of Bledsoe's jersies in the middle of the pack. The sad part was that Bledsoe's jersies, and his alone, were on sale for nearly 50% off. I don't know that Drew would ever look at the Cowboys online store, but it would seem humiliating if he did. Bledsoe is still on the team afterall, and would be the #1 guy again if anything happens to Romo. Bledsoe will likely be in the HOF in a few years, but it's sad that he never quite got over the hump and won a Super Bowl (although he has a ring).

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Emmitt Smith Crowned as Dancing King


From DallasCowboys.com

Erin Arnold - Email
DallasCowboys.com Staff
November 15, 2006 10:09 PM

Wednesday night's Dancing with the Stars results show would answer the question of what type of dancing America prefers, the technical precision offered by Mario Lopez or Emmitt Smith's entertainment, charm and style.

And for the voters of America, it came down to . . . .

Emmitt's entertainment, style and charm, as the former Dallas Cowboys running back and partner Cheryl Burke were crowned Dancing With The Stars champions in the third season of the ABC hit show.

"It is awesome," Smith said after being named the show's winner, capping off 16 weeks of extensive training and thousands of miles traveled between Dallas and LA.

For Smith's partner, Burke, it was the second year in a row she has claimed the DWTS mirror ball trophy. As judge Len Goodman proclaimed of Burke, "This girl should be an MVP; Most Valued Partner," for her ability to choreograph dances highlighting Smith's natural talent and charm, while bringing out his secret weapon, that irresistible smile.

No matter this competition had nothing to do with football, Smith's championship in a different arena certainly must have caused shirt buttons of many a Cowboys fans to start bursting. And no one might have been prouder of Emmitt's accomplishment than Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who quietly had been tracking his former running back's progress throughout the competition.

"I think I share the sentiments of Cowboys fans all over the country when I say how proud I am for Emmitt and his family on this outstanding accomplishment," Jones said in a statement, taking a break from his concentration on Sunday's game against the undefeated Indianapolis Colts (9-0) at Texas Stadium. "I'd also add that, although we are all thrilled, we should not be surprised. Emmitt Smith is one of the great competitors that I have ever been around. Regardless of the competition, and regardless of the stakes, he always plays to win.

"This victory is just another testament to his desire to be the best, his character, his charisma and the great depth of talent and determination that he brings to a challenge. This is another championship for a true Dallas Cowboys champion."

Smith was able to accomplish what former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice couldn't quite last year, winning this competition that matched a celebrity amateur dancer with a professional partner responsible for choreographing and teaching the dance each week to their apprentice dancers.

This is quite an accomplishment for this football player, who admitted halfway through the competition he'd never had a formal dance training, and that the only dancing he had ever done was confined to the clubs. Emmitt came a long way.

"Emmitt is fiercely competitive and I really believe he wouldn't have gone on the show unless he felt he could have a chance of winning," said former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach on the result show of Smith's decision to enter the contest.

Smith's commitment to training, improvement week-to-week and that ever-present smile showed he definitely thought he had what it takes to win this contest. In fact, finishing with the lowest judges' score one week early in the contest seemed to motivate Smith to work harder and make sure never happened again.

Throughout the training process Smith and Burke developed a close relationship, becoming almost like brother and sister. Burke admitted that when she was initially paired with this year's partner she had to Google the name Emmitt Smith to find out who the heck this former Cowboy actually was.

"My first impression of Emmitt was that he's a big guy, and how am I going to get this guy to ballroom dance?" Burke said of her initial meeting with Smith. "I would have never thought that Emmitt would be able to dance the way that he can dance now. From the beginning, he just wanted to be the best possible dancer he can be."

The two Tauruses, whose birthdays are just a few days (and 15 years) apart, were both bullish in their preparation for each performance, working hard to perfect their dances, while still looking calm, cool and collected.

"I thank you for pushing me even when I did not what to be pushed," Smith said to Burke of her coaching style - a style Smith certainly wasn't used to throughout his football career. "I thank you for being patient even when I was stubborn and I thank you for being you because you being yourself allowed me to be me."

And being himself while letting his personality come through in every dance is truly what separated Smith from the rest of the competition; especially from the runner-up Mario, who, while technically accurate and regularly offering more complex routines, never displayed the charm and grace that endeared Smith to millions of fans around the country.

"He really surprised a lot of people," said Smith's former Cowboys teammate and quarterback Troy Aikman of his dancing skills. "I mean he may win this thing, and if that happens I don't think any of us are going to give him a hard time about it."

Nor should any of Smith's manly football colleagues give him a hard time for dancing his way into another championship because Smith proved that real men can dance, and they can dance well!

And while being named DWTS champion may not rank as highly as winning three Super Bowls, earning a variety of MVP awards, becoming the NFL's all-time rushing leader or eventually landing in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, it's yet another unique success for Emmitt Smith.

Not bad for a kid from Pensacola, Fla., who first showed up in Dallas wearing that polka dot shorts suit.

Sunday, November 12, 2006

$5000 for a Nap


Terrell Owens was fined $5000 by the NFL for "napping" in the end zone. The new rule states that the ball cannot be used as a prop for celebration after a touchdown. I don't remember the exact Giants player that did this tonight, but a guy put the ball under his jersey next to his stomach after scoring a TD and rubbed the ball as it laid on his belly under the jersey. It was an homage to his wife that he had just recently found out is pregnant. Is he going to be fined $5000 also? I hope not. I like football because it is entertaining, not because some assholes define what is acceptable celebration behavior after a TD.

Cowboys win 27-10


Rob Phillips
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
November 12, 2006 6:19 PM

GLENDALE, Ariz. - Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo didn't have Terry Glenn as a target this Sunday, but he got plenty of help from the rest of his receivers.

Romo completed passes to five different receivers, including a pair of deep touchdowns to Terrell Owens and Patrick Crayton, and the Cowboys (5-4) cruised to a 27-10 victory over the Arizona Cardinals (1-8) here at University of Phoenix Stadium.

The Cowboys' 10-point halftime lead ballooned to 24 in the second half following Akin Ayodele's interception of Cardinals rookie quarterback Matt Leinart. One play later, Romo found Owens streaking down the left sideline for a 51-yard touchdown.

Leinart was picked off by rookie safety Pat Watkins on Arizona's next drive, and Marion Barber scored on a 5-yard run six plays later. Watkins was active for the first time in two games in place of Marcus Coleman, who was released by the team on Saturday.

But the Cowboys' victory was tempered by a left Achilles' injury to Greg Ellis, who left the game in the second half. Rookie Bobby Carpenter and Al Singleton replaced him in the lineup. Wearing crutches, Ellis said after the game that his Achilles' was torn.

Romo completed a 30-yard touchdown pass to Crayton in the second quarter, and he also fired a touchdown pass to rookie Sam Hurd with three seconds left in the first half, but an offensive pass interference call on Crayton wiped out the play. The Cowboys settled for a 38-yard field goal by Mike Vanderjagt as time expired.

Glenn was inactive after missing most of practice all week with irritation under his kneecap, where the quadriceps muscle attaches. Hurd started in his place and made a nice 16-yard sliding catch leading up to Crayton's touchdown.

Julius Jones and Barber combined for 110 rushing yards on 29 carries.

Rookie receiver Miles Austin returned kickoffs in place of Skyler Green, who was inactive.

Saturday, November 04, 2006

NFL WEEK 9 PREDICTIONS

Due to a severe illness, I didn't make any predictions for last weeks games. Probably a good thing, because some crazy stuff happened. Here are my predictions for this week. As always, the team in BOLD is the predictd winner. I'm even picking Pittsburgh to win this week. I think they are going to pull one out.

Monday, October 30, 2006

Beginning of the Romo Era


It appears that the Tony Romo era has officially started in Dallas. Romo replaced quarterback Drew Bledsoe after half time during the thrashing by the New York Giants. Romo's performance during that game was less than stellar, but it was obvious that this kid has something.

In his official debut against the Carolina Panthers last night, Romo lead the Cowboys to a 35-14 victory after initially falling behind 0-14 in the first quarter. The kid is a real leader, and it showed across the board. The team seemed feed off of Tony's confidence and played like a team headed into the playoffs.

Romo's numbers weren't earth shaking. He went 24-36 for 270 yards, 1 TD, 1 2-point conversion, and 1 INT. The most important thing is that he seemed to make some really good decisions. Maybe that was by design, but he also got himself out of some bad situations that Bledsoe would have not been able to avoid.

Speaking of Bledsoe, I feel really badly for him. He came to Dallas with hopes of winning a championship and showing everyone that he is still a leader. Barring a serious injury to Romo, it looks like Drew will end his career sitting on the bench. Not the way you want to see a future hall of fame quarterback leave the game.

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Bledsoe Under Too Much Fire

By Phil Simms
Special to NFL.com

(Oct. 24, 2006) -- Now that the Cowboys finally decided to bench quarterback Drew Bledsoe, at least for the second half of the Monday night loss to the Giants, we can all wonder: How did a guy like that ever last this long as a starting NFL quarterback?

Clearly, a quarterback who lacks mobility, who can't get out of the pocket to create plays, must have relied entirely on luck to have passed for 44,000 yards and 251 touchdowns in his career. And Bledsoe must be the only quarterback ever who "doesn't like it when he's under pressure." Because when I played, I always loved having defenders in my face. That's when I performed at my best.

Drew Bledsoe didn't have much of a chance to find success against New York.
Of course, I say all this in jest. It's the same thing I said last year when I was working the Thanksgiving game between Denver and Dallas. I wonder if it will elicit the same reaction it did then, when Dallas fans wrote angry letters to both myself and CBS Sports trying to get me fired.

Seriously, when a player is slapped with a bad reputation of some kind, it's impossible to shake. And perspective is thrown out the window. Bledsoe was scorched for his "lack of mobility" against the Giants on Monday night. Funny, but the most mobile quarterback in the world, Michael Vick, was sacked seven times by the Giants defense one week ago.

When certain players don't play well, it's the fault of the offensive line and the play-calling, but when Bledsoe does something wrong, it's because he's not mobile.

I'm not saying Bledsoe is the best ever, but he's pretty dang good. Does he have drawbacks? Yes, he can hold the ball too long and take unnecessary sacks. He makes mistakes like every other quarterback. But he still makes some plays thanks to his very good throwing arm.

Again, I do understand Bledsoe has some drawbacks. But as a player at that position, I know how easily things can be overblown. Once you get that negative reputation, it keeps growing. It gets bigger. I've noted in this space how Denver quarterback Jake Plummer is in the same boat. A guy like Plummer can go an entire season without throwing an interception, but if he throws a crucial pick in the playoffs, people will say, "Yeah, it was just a matter of time."

The interesting thing about Bledsoe is that his end-zone interception Monday night was shown everywhere. I'm sure many people have already forgotten that Giants quarterback Eli Manning threw an end-zone interception just before that. Of course, reputations being what they are, Bledsoe got more blame for his pick than Manning did for his.

Sunday, October 22, 2006

NFL Week 7 Predictions


The team in BOLD is the predicted winner.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Week 6 Prediction and Fantasy Football Results

I took a beating in my predictions this week, but I'm not the only one. Mr. Schlereth over at ESPN.com, whom had picked the most wins this season until now, had an equally dismal week. Coincidentally, Mark and I picked every game exactly the same.

There were a few crazy games in week 6. Tampa Bay beat Cincinnati, the Saints beat the Eagles, Seattle barely beat the Rams, and Tennessee up ended the Redskins at FedEx.

I went 6-7 for the week, which brings my season total to 58-30. That is still better than three of the eight guys at ESPN.com.

In my Yahoo Fantasy Football league, I am currently riding a five game winning streak which extended my record to 5-1 for the season. I am currently still in first place; however, a couple of guys scored some huge points, so my point lead has dropped from 98 to 66.

Monday, October 16, 2006

OT: The Arizona Cardinals Ultimate Choke

The Cardinals owned a 20-0 lead and managed to lose to the Bears 24-23 live on Monday Night Football. Are you kidding me? The Cardinals had the chance to win in the final minute but missed a "gimme" field goal. This could have been the upset of the season.

Matt Leinart played as great of a game as could be expected from a guy in his second NFL start. Leinart was 24-42, 232 yards, and 2 TD's, but it just wasn't enough. I can't believe I stayed up to see the Cards lose as I thought they would, but I continued to hold hope that they would pull this one out only to be let down in the final seconds. This was the game of the year so far.

The Bears scored zero points on offense, other than a FG from a turnover. Unreal.

Sunday, October 15, 2006

I Love Me Some Me

TO had 5 catches for 45 yards. Not great, but three of those catches were for TD's. Dallas wins 34-6. On TO's third TD of the game, he ran to the middle of the little star in the Cowboys helmet at the end of the end zone and stood with his arms outstretched just as he had done two times earlier in Texas Stadium. The first time was in 2000 in the big star in the middle of the field as a member of the 49ers, and the second time was in the same small star in 2004 as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. It was much nicer seeing him stand there donning the Silver and White and the same star on his helmet.

Eagles lose to the Saints 27-24. Good times.

NFL Week 6 Predictions

The team in BOLD font is the predicted winner.

GAME
Buffalo at Detroit
Carolina at Baltimore
Cincinnati at Tampa Bay
Houston at Dallas
N.Y. Giants at Atlanta
Philadelphia at New Orleans
Seattle at St. Louis
Tennessee at Washington
Kansas City at Pittsburgh
Miami at N.Y. Jets
San Diego at San Francisco
Oakland at Denver
Chicago at Arizona

Friday, October 13, 2006

Don't be a Yo-Yo

Bill Parcells is known for sending messages to his team. Sometimes, the messages are somewhat subliminal. Last year he hung a bunch of mouse traps around the locker room before the Cowboys played Detroit. He was telling the team to not get trapped into overlooking the Loins just because all of the experts had the game down as an easy Cowboy victory. During training camp, in a not so subliminal message, he had "Winning is our business" printed on enough shirts for him to wear every day of training camp.

Earlier this week, Bill continued his method of sending a message to the team by placing a yo-yo near the media area of the locker room. The message? "Guess he was encouraging us not to be an up and down team," one player said.

I hope the team gets the message.

Dallas is facing the Texans on Sunday for the second time ever and the first time in Texas Stadium, and everyone expects the Cowboys to handle the Texans with ease. The Cowboys were also supposed to handle the Texans with ease on the opening game of the 2002 season, the first game the expansion Houston Texans ever played. Didn't happen. Instead, the very first game in Houston Texans history is a victory over the Dallas Cowboys. What an embarrassment.

The Texans went on to have a losing season in 2002 and every season since, but the Houston QB, David Carr, is having a great year despite the fact the Texans are winless this season. Carr has one of the highest QB ratings in the league, and the Texans are just waiting for the right game to pick up that unexpected win. Dallas needs to step up and put the Texans down with authority. Otherwise, another loss this Sunday will put the Cowboys in the "forget about this season" column with the likes of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Dance the Night Away

To be perfectly honest, I have never seen Emmitt on Dancing With The Stars, but I heard on ESPN that he is doing very well and is likely headed for a showdown with Jerry Springer. I watch a few reality programs here and there, but I don't normally watch the ones where someone gets voted off once a week. If Emmitt makes it to the finals of DWTS, which he probably will, then I will probably make an exception. I watched every game that Emmitt ever played in while he was with the Cowboys, so I've already seen his best moves, but a dance-off with Springer would be worth sitting down for.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Week 5 Prediction Results

I had another great week and went 12-2 for my week 5 NFL predictions. That brings my season record to a whopping 52-23. Of the eight "experts" at ESPN.com, only Mark Schlereth has predicted more games right than I have so far this season. The major difference is that Mark picked the Eagles to defeat the Cowboys. ESPN NFL Expert Picks

I have decided that it is impossible for me to be objective about the Cowboys, but I do know when there is a good chance they could lose a game like this past weekend. From this point forward, I will only pick Dallas games that I am 100% certain that the Cowboys should win. If I am uncertain, I will not include Dallas in my picks for that week.

Fantasy football also went well. I continue to lead my league with a 4-1 record and a 4 game winning streak. I also have 98 points more than my next closest opponent. This is my third season to play fantasy football, and I think I finally have the hang of it. I have never used the same starting line-up in any two games this season, and I only have three players on my roster that I picked up in the draft. My record and points are even more impressive when the fact I am carrying dead weight, Hines Ward, because he is on the Yahoo "Can not cut" list.

Sunday, October 08, 2006

That Hurt

I was not one of the guys that wanted Hogeboom to replace Danny White, and I did not boo Aikman at the end of his career, but I have seen enough. Bledsoe has some great stats in his career, but I am starting to understand why New England and Buffalo were so happy to rid themselves of him. For a split second, I thought that was Testaverde out there.

On top of the Cowboy loss, Favre managed to blow the Packer game without throwing an interception. He decided to fumble at the last minute instead. Why couldn't it have been a interception? It is the first time the Packers have ever lost at home with Favre at QB when he did not throw an interception. They were 41-0 in that regard before today.

I am kicking major ass on fantasy football for the first time since I started playing four years ago, but I'd give it all up for the Cowboys to do well. They didn't play a bad game overall, but Drew blew the game like he did against Seattle last year. I was worried that Vanderjagt was going to mess up, but he nailed his one and only kick from 39 yards.

Saturday, October 07, 2006

NFL Week 5 Predictions

The team in BOLD font is the predicted winner.



I'm still hanging with the best of ESPN "experts" with a 39-21 record for predictions this season. Due to moving this weekend, I am only posting game predictions without scores. I will still find time to update the Favre Interception Countdown, but it may not be until Monday night. I think Brett is good for two more this weekend.

Yes, I'm going with my Cowboys again, but I honestly believe that they are better than the Eagles. The Eagles have not faced a defense ranked higher than 24th in the league all season, and the Cowboys are currently 5th.

What is TO going to do if he scores a TD? My prediction is that he will imitate Donovan McNabb's goofy ass moonwalk from last season. TO has showed a knack for being able to imitate others when he recreated the Baltimore Raven's Ray Lewis' dance, so I believe TO's moonlwalk will be every bit as crappy as Donovan's was with the hernia last season. Cowboys by 4.

I'm sorry to my Steeler fan friends that read my blog (all three of you), but I'm seeing the Gold (which is actually yellow, San Francisco wears gold) and Black being 1-3 after Ladainian Tomlinson puts up 150 yards and 2 TD's tomorrow night. The Charger's defense is too solid.

Friday, October 06, 2006

Donovan's Mama

Not What People Expect

Saying there has been a lot of hype leading up to the game against the Eagles this weekend would be a severe understatement. The reunion of TO and Donovan McNabb. Will they speak? McNabb said he wouldn't mind shaking hands or bumping chests with TO before the game (yeah, right). Will Dawkins try to kill TO on the field? Will the Philthy fans be the typical drunken A-holes that they always are?

Who cares?

None of it matters. I hope that TO gets on the field and makes some big plays, but there is another player that is going to be more important to this game. If Terry Glenn has a good game, it will be difficult for the Eagles to beat the Cowboys, and Glenn has owned the Eagles in the last three games, including 118 yards and 2 TD's in the first meeting last season.

Should the Eagles decide to double cover Glenn, then TO will be waiting on the opposite side of the field, and Jason Witten will be open in the post. If the Eagles throw some extra help at one of them, then Julius Jones will have open running lanes. Quite a dilemma for the little birds.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Here Comes the Boom!

A beautiful still photo taken during the same play in my previous post. This earned Donovan the nickname "McSlab," because shortly after the play he resembled a slab of concrete.

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Fired up for the Eagles

Okay, I have put the events of the past week behind me, and I'm ready for the game in Philly. McNabb is having a stellar season, but the Iggles haven't faced a defense ranked higher than 24th in the league this season. The Iggles own defense is ranked 21st, and the Cowboys have the 5th best offense in the league. It looks to be a tough match-up.

Here is a play from MNF last season when the Cowboys and Iggles played in Philly. This game was all but over until Roy Williams intercepted a pass from McNabb and ran it in for the game winning touchdown. The Cowboys Bradie James knocked the crap out of McNabb blocking for Roy on the interception return. McNabb was playing with a hernia, and Bradie James just finished it off for him. McNabb is walking a little funny after the play.

Monday, October 02, 2006

NFL Week 4 Prediction Results and Fantasy Football

In my week 4 predictions, I went a respectible 9-5 which takes my season record to 39-21. Games that threw me off were the Redskins over Jacksonville and New England stomping the crap out of Cincinnati. Cleveland pulling one out against the lowly Raiders wasn't shocking, but I had picked the Raiders at home. Also, Baltimore proved that they are a team to be reckoned with by taking down a solid Chargers team.

In fantasy football, I am now King of the Roost. I sit on top of the Yahoo Public Fantasy League number 308497 with a 3-1 record. There are two other players with 3-1 records, but I have scored a commanding 329 points through three games, and the next closest point total is 77 points behind me with 252. My main running back, Ladainian Tomlinson had an off game today, or I would be dominating even more thoroughly.

Of course, the Cowboys blew the Tennesse Titans out 45-14, and Alberta Haynesworth will be getting a five week suspension, the longest in league history for on-the-field conduct. The second longest was a two week suspension back in 1986 when Chris Martin body slammed Jim McMahon on the field. Everyone knew that McMahon would get body slammed at some point in his career, so it was a much less shocking incident. The suspension will also cost Miss Alberta around 1/4 million dollars in salary. A good start, but she may also face legal problems if Andre Gurode decides to press charges for the incidnent. Gurode had to have thirty stitches in his face, and very could have easily lost his left eye over the incident.

Miss Alberta said she was sorry after she had time to sit in the locker room and realized her children were watching the game. Too bad she didn't think of that while she was ripping Andre's helmet off.

In summary, a good football week for me again. Go Cowboys.

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Terrell Owens Offensive Player of the Week

I would like to nominate Terrell Owens for offensive player of the week for being the first person to ever attempt suicide on a Tuesday night and catch five passes for 88 yards, including a nice 46 yard reception, the following Sunday and ranking tenth in the NFL in receiving yardage. That means there are 160+ other receivers that did not attempt suicide that have played this week and have fewer yards that TO. Even Terry Glenn who caught two touchdowns for the Cowboys this afternoon had several yards less than Owens.

For all of the Terrell Owens haters out there, please check your head and take a deep look into what the Titans' Alberta Haynesworth did this afternoon. If you consider anything TO has done to be as deplorable as Alberta's, then you are a disfunctional human being that should be locked in the psyche ward of your local hospital. TO is controversial, but nothing he has ever done seems to be as crazy as Hayensworthless putting his cleats in Gurode's face after Gurode, just because Gurode blew Hayensworthless off of the line. To my best recollection, TO never did anything that required an opponent to have 30 stitches to the face.

Piece of $#!%


Appendage: Yes, I know that the prick now wears #92. Please forgive me for using a picture from his rookie year.

During the game between Dallas and Tennessee this afternoon, Tennessee's Albert Haynesworth got blown off of the line and gave up a TD to Dallas running back Julius Jones. Did Albert suck it up like a man and use his frustration to get a sack on Dallas quarterback Drew Bledsoe on the next series? No. Albert decides to kick Dallas' center's, Andre Gurode, helmet off of his head while Gurode was lying flat on the turf. Once the helmet was dislodged, Albert decided to stomp on Gurode's bare face with his steel cleats. What a complete loser. He cost his own team 30 yards in penalties in one play, got ejected, and inspired the Cowboys to shove it down Tennessee's throat to the tune of a 45-14 ass kicking.

I have confidence that the league will fine Alberta, but I believe the Tennessee Titans should impose their own fines and suspensions on top of what the NFL does. I know that Tennessee is on a billion game losing streak, but the team needs to do the right thing.

Alberta, you get the Biggest Shithead Award for the 2006 NFL Season. Yes, there are many games left to play, but I am certain that no other player is as stupid as you ,Alberta, or that any player will do anything dumb enough to deserve the award more than you. Congratulations! Put on your best dress and step up to accept your award. I hope you have NFL Sunday ticket, so you can watch the Titans on your big screen TV at home while you are suspended.

Friday, September 29, 2006

NFL Week 4 Predictions

My record for the season is currently 30-16. Again, there were some tough picks for this weekend. New Orleans is playing really well, and Carolina is not, but I had to go with the Panthers at home.

Miami at Houston is another battle of the bad, but David Carr is playing extremely well despite the Texans getting stomped week in and week out. I'm going with Houston at home.

New England at Cincinnati should be a good game. I like Brady and the Pats, but I don't think they've got what it takes to beat Cincinnati at home.

The toughest game for me to pick was Seattle at Chicago. Seattle totally thumped the Gnats, but with Alexander out for 2-4 weeks and Da Bears defense playing strong I'm picking Chicago.

The team in bold is the predicted winner.

My 30-16 record matches that of the best of the "NFL Expert Picks" from the guys at ESPN. Merrill Hoge and Mark Schlereth both lead the ESPN group with 30-16 records. Chris Mortensen and Joe Theismann are the cellar dwellers with 26-20 and 26-17 records respectively. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/features/talent

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Terrell Owens' Greatest Moment

In and NFC playoff game in 1998, Terrell Owens caught one of the most spectacular catches to ever win a football game. The 49ers were playing the Packers, and Owens had been dropping passes and fumbling the entire game. With 8 seconds left in the game, the 49ers had one last shot at the end-zone to win the game. Quarterback Steve Young hit Owens at the goal line, and Owens was violently sandwiched by two Packer defenders. Owens held on to the pass, the 49ers won the game, and Terrell Owens became TO.

The play was later called "The Catch 2" in reference to the TD pass caught by Dwight Clark in the 1982 NFC Championship game in which the 49ers beat Dallas to make it to the Super Bowl. The Catch 2 is actually more spectacular in my opinion for reasons I won't get into now.

It's a good one. As TO would say, "Get your popcorn ready."

Terrell Owens Bull $#!%

Around 8:15 AM today, I started writing a post for my other blog, A Word with Culinary Herb. The piece was about how the media overreacted, in my opinion, to the news of the discovery of the ivory-billed woodpecker in 2004, a bird that had been thought to be extinct for sixty years. I worked on the post off and on between other projects and was about half way finished by the time I had to attend a quality meeting at 10 AM. Immediately before I left for the meeting, I got a message that Terrell Owens tried to committ suicide. I frantically Googled for the first story I could find and printed it out to inconspicuously read while I sat through the weekly snorefest.

The article painted a dark image of Terrell taking thirty-five pain killers in an attempt to snuff out his own life. The article rattled me, but the whole situation didn't make any sense either. I had doubts about the validity of what happened. All of the articles were based on a police report that was half blacked out and didn't contain any names.

When I got back to my desk, ESPN.com had a big picture of Terrell on the top of their homepage and "Owens Attempted Suicide" in a font size larger than I have ever seen on a professional website. The ESPN story was the same exact story I read from a newpaper website I printed before my meeting. ESPN had not done their own research.

Bill Parcells made his typical, "I don't know anything", press conference around 1:30 PM. No news there. Unbeknownst to many journalist, Terrell was outside catching passes from quarterbacks Drew Bledsoe and Tony Romo. Huh? The guy tried to kill himself just last night, and he is out catching passes trying to prepare for Sunday's game?

Terrell held his own press conference at 2:30 PM and denied any allegations that he had tried to kill himself or that he had his stomach pumped. His explanation made sense and he didn't look like a guy that was lying. He was the same person he always is. I believed him, and I still do. Trying to committ suicide is no longer a crime in the state of Texas, but there is still a mandatory 72 hour psychological evaluation required after any suicide attempt. Terrell was released in less than 12 hours. Anyone that thinks Texas authorities would wave this mandate for a professional athlete is nothing less than an ignorant ass. Also, I have read that no matter how much charcoal a person gets pumped into their stomach, a person does not recover very quickly from a pain killer overdose. If Terrell had taken the alleged thirty-five pills, there is no way he could have been as coherent and energetic as he was during the press conference, much less catching passes on the practice field.

As I finished my piece about the woodpeckers not long ago, I realized that the message I was conveying in that post sort of fits with what happened today. A bunch of journalists grabbed a story without any factual evidence and started posting articles on the internet as fast as their servers would upload. If Terrell really had attempted suicide, where was the compassion? Is using a huge picture of the guy looking despondent after breaking his hand and the word "suicide" in 72 pt. font compassionate? No, it isn't. It is tacky and horrible journalism though.

Brett Favre used to eat Vicodin remnants out of his own puke when the fifth of Jack Daniels wouldn't stay down. The wonderful espn.com didn't use large font for that story. I guess ESPN didn't want a bunch of farmers hopped up on Old Milwaukee flooding them with emails. The idiots at ESPN didn't even realize that Wisconsin doesn't have the internet yet.

F-YOU ESPN.COM.

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Glenn Cuts Hand but Appears to be OK

Terry Glenn cut his hand while taping up for practice yesterday, but he returned to practice today, and it appears he will play Sunday. The Cowboys cannot afford to lose Glenn, especially before Owens returns. Owens was reported to have caught some passes in practice today, and coach Bill Parcells said that Owens may play against Tennessee on Sunday if he can withstand the pain of catching the ball.

I'm Getting Fired Up for Philly

It is two weeks before the Cowboys face the Eagles in Philthadelphia, but I'm already busting at the seems. I'm not discounting the Tennessee Titans game or expecting that the Cowboys will walk all over them, but I just don't hate the Titans. I hate the Eagles, and I cannot emphasize the word "hate" enough.

Over the next two weeks, I will be posting little nuggets from the past showing Dallas triumphs over the scumbag team from Eastern Pennsylvania. This clip is from Bill Parcell's first year as the Dallas head coach in 2003. In 2001, Philthy had kicked an onside kick on the opening kickoff against the Cowboys and recovered the ball. Parcell's had a gut feeling that Eagle's coach and classless asshole, Andy Reid, might try the same play again. Parcell's told his players to be on the lookout. The result was the fastest touchdown ever scored in NFL history when Randall Williams caught the onside kick in mid air and took it to the house in only 3 seconds.

The crowd busted into a roar when they realized Williams had the ball. Parcells even smiled for about ten seconds. Asshole Reid just looked stunned, because he knew he had been outsmarted and revealed as a complete dumb ass on national television.

Monday, September 25, 2006

I ended up 9-5 for my game predictions this week. That puts me at 30-16 for the season so far. Not too shabby.

I won my second consecutive fantasy football game, putting me at 2-1 for the season. One of the other undefeated players lost, so I am now firmly in second place in my league, and still have the most points scored in the league with 215. I made a mistake and played Hines Ward this week, or I would have well over 220 points for the season with the next closest player in my league having less than 200. I stand a good chance to move into the #1 position next week when San Diego and my main RB L. Tomlinson return to action.

Sunday, September 24, 2006

A Big Day for Old Dudes


Wow! It seemed like 1996 today with the way Redskins' quarterback Mark Brunell and Packers' quarterback Brett Favre played this afternoon.

Brunell set a single game record by completing 22 consecutive passes to start the game against Houston. Brunell also had 261 yards and a TD.

Brett Favre had a heck of a game throwing for 340 yards, 3 TD's, and NO INTERCEPTIONS. Dang it, Brett.

Saturday, September 23, 2006

NFL Week 3 Predictions

There are some tough games to pick this week, including several battles between "bad" teams. I'm not expecting to repeat the success of my 14-2 picks from last week.

The key matchup is probably Cincinnati at Pittsburgh. I think Cincy will take this one from Pittsburgh. Unfortunatley, the AFC game being broadcast in my area is Jacksonville at Indianapolis. Should also be a good game, but I see enough of Peyton Manning on stupid commercials every night. I hate when the Cowboys have a bye week.

As always, the team in BOLD is the predicted winner.

Friday, September 22, 2006

Bye Week Factoid

From the Dallas Cowboys Official Website:



September 21, 2006 Cowboys quarterback Drew Bledsoe bounced back from a three-interception performance in Week One against the Jaguars by throwing for two touchdowns to lead the Cowboys past the Redskins on Sunday night. Bledsoe raised his QB rating from a 45.3 to a 68.0 and could have had it much higher had it not been for about eight dropped passes by his receivers. However, while the Cowboys have a 12-5 record coming off the bye week, Bledsoe's personal mark is not as impressive. The veteran quarterback is just 4-8 in the 12 games he has started following a bye week.

Thursday, September 21, 2006

OT: Man's Lost Gnome Attends Steeler's Game

I actually heard about a story similar to this about ten years ago, but instead of a gnome it was the smallest of a set of plastic ducks a woman had displayed in her yard. The duck was returned a year later with a stack of photos of the duck at the Statue of Liberty, The Great Wall of China, the Eiffel Tower, and several other world landmarks. Can't people be original anymore?



September 21, 2006 (MORGANTOWN, W.Va.) - Allen Snyder's garden gnome is apparently out of jail and now traveling the country. The 14-inch tall red-and-white statue disappeared from Snyder's Morgantown yard in the spring, and Snyder has since received three letters claiming to have been written by "Gnomey."

The latest letter, which Snyder received this week, included photos of the gnome in the company of Steelers fans attending Pittsburgh's football home opener. "You never took me to any games," the note said. The letter ended: "Have to go now. Boarding a plane. Now, finally, broadening my travels."

An earlier letter included a request for bail money and included what appeared to be booking photos of Gnomey and another of the gnome in the back seat of a police car.
Snyder has no idea who's pulling this prank but said his short list of suspects includes several gag-loving friends.

The plight of his gnome has gotten a lot of attention. Snyder says people are always asking if he's heard from Gnomey.

"I never thought it would go this far," he said.

The story has even caught the attention of officials at Travelocity, which uses a roaming gnome in the online travel agency's advertising.

"While we know that your dear friend, Gnomey, can never be replaced, we're sending the enclosed Roaming Gnome to keep you company in his absence," wrote Michelle Peluso, president and chief executive officer of Travelocity, based in Southlake, Texas. "Hopefully your friend will find his way out of trouble and back to your front yard soon, although we can't help but admire his sense of adventure and love of travel."

Dallas Cowboys Go Through Mini-Camp With Two-Time Cup Champion Terry Labonte



FORT WORTH, Texas — What do Dallas Cowboys players do on their off day following a Sunday night win over the Washington Redskins? They go to Texas Motor Speedway to get driving tips from two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Terry Labonte.

Four Dallas Cowboys players received hands-on instruction from Labonte on racing the Team Texas High Performance Driving School cars around the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway on Tuesday evening. Labonte, a life-long Cowboys fan, showed the driving line to Cowboys quarterback Drew Bledsoe, cornerback Terence Newman, center Andre Gurode and linebacker, Ryan Fowler. In addition, PGA Tour player Ben Crane participated in the session.

“The Cowboys are no strangers to speed and quickness,” Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage said. “They are part of that every Sunday in the NFL. But I think the players enjoy coming out here and experiencing what NASCAR is all about from a driver’s perspective.”
The players were tutored by driving instructors in the classroom before climbing into the cars for laps around “The Great American Speedway!”

“My hands aren’t generally shaking when I am on the field, but I have adrenaline flowing right now,” Bledsoe said after stepping out of his car following his laps. “To think about what these guys do when they have all those other cars out there when they are actually racing each other is pretty crazy. The track gets pretty small when you are going that fast.

“I like going fast. It is my one time to come out here and be faster than Terence Newman. I don’t know how fast we were going, but we were over the speed limit. I do know that.”
Newman, who spends his weekends covering some of the fastest receivers in the NFL, enjoyed the rush of speed behind the wheel.

“I love speed and love to go fast,” Newman said. “But this is something totally different from what I am used to doing; but I sure could get used to it. I had it floored a couple of times around the track.”

At 6-4, 312 pounds, Gurode takes on some of the biggest defensive linemen in the trenches every week. Sliding through the window to the driver’s seat of his race car was his first challenge Tuesday night.

“It was a great experience, but the hardest part was getting in (the car),” Gurode said. “But once I got in and situated, it was pretty cool. Just the power of the engine was amazing. I will take this as experience, and next year I think I will be ready for them [Bledsoe and Newman]. I have a Cadillac SDS, but after driving this car I need something else – something with more horsepower.”

And what words of wisdom did Labonte have for the Cowboys before they climbed into the cars?
“The bleachers are always on the right side,” Labonte joked. “If at any point during your lap they are on your left side, you need to put your brake on and shut your eyes. But be careful out there, I don’t want Coach Parcells calling me.”

From www.racingmilestones.com

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

OT: Chad Johnson Got "Jacked Up!"

Flamboyant Cincinnati Bengals' wide reciever, Chad Johnson, took a massive hit from Brian Russell of the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Johnson had his helmet knocked off and had to have twelve stitches under his chin.

I didn't see the game, and I don't have video of the hit, but I do have a clip of the post-game interview. You know Chad is seeing stars when he doesn't have the gold grill in for the cameras. The full story from NFL.com is below the video.

You will probably have to turn the volume up on the player to hear the video.



Cincy's Johnson: Browns were out to get me.
NFL.com wire reports


CINCINNATI (Sept. 20, 2006) -- Chad Johnson says the Cleveland Browns were out to get him from the very first snap.

The Pro Bowl receiver had his helmet knocked off by Brian Russell on the Cincinnati Bengals' last pass play during their 34-17 victory Sept. 17 at Paul Brown Stadium. Johnson was groggy and needed about a half-dozen stitches to close a gash in his chin after the hit.

The chatty receiver said Russell had warned him that the Browns were out to get him.

"He told me last year, and he told me before the game (Sunday) that him and Andra Davis, they had one job to do," Johnson said. "It wasn't about trying to stop me, but they had to hit me. At every TV timeout, I would be in their huddle talking trash: 'Nobody's hit me yet, what's going on?'

"Finally, I think, in the last three minutes he finally got that hit. He let me know ahead of time."

Johnson said he has no hard feelings over the hit, which he described as a clean shot.

"I mean, it's the first time I've been hit in six years of playing the game," Johnson said. "It's about time someone's gotten a lick."

Johnson has aggravated opponents over the years by guaranteeing wins, wearing a Terrible Towel as a bib, sending Pepto-Bismol to Browns defensive backs and denigrating cornerbacks with his who-covered-me list. He said he's not surprised someone went after him.

"I've always been a target because of what I'm doing right now, talking trash," he said. "The hard part is trying to hit the target. I've always been able to avoid everything coming my way. I left myself vulnerable by jumping in the air at that present time, which is the only reason he was able to get that clean shot."

Matt McBriar Currently Best Punter in NFL

Saying you have the best punter in the NFL is sort of like saying you own the nicest trailer in the park. It's not something to brag about in most cases. When a punter gets a lot of playing time and racks up a lot of stats, it typically means the team's offense is sputtering. That's partially true of Mat McBriar and the Cowboys but not completely.

McBriar has twelve punts in two games for an average of 50.8 yards per kick and a long kick of 62 yards. McBriar's average is a full two yards more than the next closest punter and a full eight yards above his averages for the 2004 and 2005 seasons. That's a good thing, because he is currently on pace to punt 96 times before the season is over. If a team has to punt that many times, then the punter had better be able to boom it deep.

The Cowboys offense has shown flashes of greatness this season, but it has also sputtered at times which is why McBriar's kicking stats are through the roof. Hopefully, the team can get some of the glitches worked out during this upcoming bye week, because there are two road games in the following weeks against the Tennessee Titans and the hated Philthadelphia Iggles. The time off will also hopefully give TO enough time to heal from the broken bone in his hand.

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

My Fantasy Team and Week 2 Picks

Not only did the Cowboys beat up on the Skins, I also did much better this week on my Fantasy Football team and Week 2 predictions.

In my predictions, I went a whopping 14-2. Buffalo over Miami and San Francisco over St. Louis were the two games I missed. Who knew Miami would be so crappy this season, or that Frisco would actually put some offense together? After two weeks, I stand at 21-11. Not bad after starting the season 7-9.

I kicked some major butt in fantasy football this week and moved into third place, and I have 24 more points than my next closest opponent after two games. Next week may be a struggle, because the Chargers have a bye week, and L. Tomlinson is my feature running back.

Monday, September 18, 2006

That's Better

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It wasn’t a perfect game, but it was a victory over the Redskins, and that’s always a good thing. Bledsoe had a much better performance than last week. He completed 19 of 38 passes for 237 yards and two touchdowns, including a 40 yard strike to Terry Glenn in the fourth quarter. Julius Jones also stepped up his game with 20 rushing attempts for 94 yards. The defense held Washington to only 3 points; however, Rock Cartwright returned a kickoff 100 yards for the Redskins only touchdown of the game. I expected a closer game, but I’ll take it. Final Cowboys 27, Washington 10.

Obervations:

  • The offensive line did a good job protecting Bledsoe and gave up only one sack.
  • The defense looked much better than they did in week one. Santana Moss was held to under 70 yards.
  • TO broke his finger sometime early in the game, and only had 3 catches for 18 yards. He’s out 2-4 weeks, which I do not think will be the end of the Cowboys, but Patrick Crayton will need to step up.
  • Still too many penalties. Another 9 flags for 90 yards.
  • It was great to see the Cowboys win, but the Redskins don’t look like a very good team. Hopefully, the Boys will continue to play as well against the likes of the Eagles and Giants.

Friday, September 15, 2006

It's Time for the Redskins

Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 1978, was the first time I ever watched the Dallas Cowboys. I was seven years old. My uncle turned on the game which was a matchup of the Cowboys and Redskins at Texas Stadium. My uncle watched with enthusiasm, and I joined him to watch the game and root for his Cowboys. After that day, they were my Cowboys too.

If for no other reason, the fact that the Redskins were the first team I ever watched the Cowboys play and beat, the matchup between the two would be special. However, this rivalry goes so much deeper than that and has a history spanning back far beyond that game in 1978. Cowboy fans love to hate the Redskins.

I didn't hate the Redskins when I watched the game with my uncle. I didn't really know I was supposed to at the time, but that would change quickly. I watched many close matches over the following years and began to pick up on the fact that the players from each team actually didn't like the opposing players. It wasn't just a game to them. If the Cowboys could only win one game in a season, it had damn well be against the Redskins.

In 1982, the Cowboys played the Redskins during the strike-shortened season, and beat them quite handily. The two teams met up again in the NFC Championship game for a trip to the Super Bowl. Early in the game, the Redskin's Dexter Manley hit Dallas quarterback, Danny White, and put him out of the game. The inept Gary Hogeboom took the reigns for the Cowboys, and the Redskins won the game 31-17 and went on to win Super Bowl XVII. After suffering a heartbreaking loss to the 49ers and "The Catch" just one year earlier, I was devistated.

The opening game in 1983 matched up the Cowboys and Redskins on Monday Night Football at RFK Stadium. The game started as a total blowout, and I began to get a sick feeling in my stomach. The Redskins held a 23-3 lead at halftime. At that time, not team had ever recovered from that large of a margin on MNF. In the second half, the Cowboys scored four unanswered touchdowns before Washington got one last desperation score, and the Cowboys won 31-30. It was the first time I realized that anything can happen and to never give up hope.

Later that same season, the Cowboys met up again in Texas Stadium, but this was for the NFC East Title. Anyone that followed football very closely could tell you about the infamous "No, Danny! No!" game. The Cowboys trailed in the game, and were lined up to snap the ball on 4th down and 1 in their own territory. The Cowboys only lined up to try and pull the Redskins off sides for a cheap first down, but Dallas coach, Tom Landry realized that QB Danny White was going to run a play. The always stoic Landry was filmed standing on the sidelines yelling at his quarterback. It was impossible to hear what he was saying, but a blind man could have read his lips: "No, Danny! No!" The Redskins went on to win the game 31-17, and my hatred for the Redskins was permanently seeded. I relished in the Redskins defeat to the Raiders later that season in Super Bowl XVIII.

The rivalry died down as the Cowboys were really bad while the Redskins were good and the other way around. The Cowboys found new rivals in the Philadelphia Eagles, but it never matched the intensity of the old Cowboys/Redskins matchups.

Now, the rivalry may be back. Until last season, the Cowboys had beaten the Redskins about 15 out of the past 16 meetings. That's like eight years of ass whoopin'. It appeared the streak would continue during the second game of the season last year, again on Monday Night Football. Dallas lead 13-0 with barely more than 2 minutes to play. The Cowboys lost the game 14-13, and some of that old hatred started to well up inside of me again. The Redskins beat Dallas again later in the season, making it the first time the Redskins had beaten the Cowboys twice in one season since Neanderthals roamed the Earth or thereabouts.

There are high hopes for the Cowboys this season. It's Bill Parcells fourth year as head coach, the leagues best wide reciever joined the team, and there is just a lot of talent all the way around. Some analysts are picking the Cowboys to make the Super Bowl. Well, the road to the Super Bowl begins on this Sunday night against the Redskins.

Both teams looked bad in the season opener, so I expect this to be a heated game, and some of that rivalry to be brought back to life. Both teams have weapons. It's going to come down to which team executes and which doesn't.

I have to go with my Boys. Final 24-27, possibly in OT.

NFL Week 2 Predictions

So, things didn't exactly go my way during the first week of the NFL season. The Cowboys lost a tough game to Jacksonville, my fantasy football team lost by one point even though I scored the second highest number of points in the league, and I went 7 for 9 in my game predictions. That is all going to change this week.

I have made some roster moves on my fantasy team, and I look to be 1-1 after this week. With players like Ladainian Tomlinson and Donte Stallworth, I should be in good shape. I expect to score 80 fantasy points.

The Cowboys are playing the hated rival Redskins on Sunday night. Neither team looked particularly good in week 1, but the Cowboys showed flashes of possible greateness. I'm looking for the team to gel this weekend and take a close game from the Skins at Texas Stadium.

Now, here are my picks for the week. I hope to go 12-4 or better. As usual, the team in BOLD font is the predicted winner.

Why Not The Jags?

I originally posted this article about the NFL requesting that teams quit playing Gary Glitter's "Rock 'N' Roll Part 2" on August 11th, and most stadiums have compied. I don't know if there are other teams still play the convicted child molester's tune, but the Jacksonville Jaguars definitely are. During the game against Dallas this past Sunday, Glitter's anthem could be heard playing through the stadium as I watched on TV.

What are the Jags trying to say? They support Gary Glitter and child molestation? They aren't creative enough to pick a new song to celebrate TD's? The Kansas City Chiefs used "Rock N Roll Part 2" for years as their TD celebration song. It was a big deal this summer for them to find a replacement song, but they went through extensive efforts to do just that.

Why not the Jags?

GLITTER'S ANTHEM PULLED FROM US FOOTBALL STADIUMS

Disgraced British rocker GARY GLITTER's sports anthem ROCK & ROLL PART 2 is to be removed from the playlists at NFL stadiums following protests from fans. National Football League officials have chosen to advise all teams to cease playing the tune after learning the song's 62-year-old author is a convicted paedophile. Glitter, real name PAUL FRANCIS GADD, is currently serving a three-year sentence in a Vietnamese prison after being found guilty of child molestation. Rock + Roll Part 2, which was written in 1972, has become a familiar anthem at sports stadiums across America. NFL officials hope the governing bodies of other sports like baseball and basketball follow their lead and ban the song.

This dude is lucky to only be serving three years. If the British government hadn't been involved, he would have been sentenced to a firing squad -- the normal punishment for child molestation in Vietnam. Although, he may wish he was dead after sitting in a Vietnamese prison.

Thursday, September 14, 2006

OT: Favre is Going for the Record

In a career that spanned some 27 years in the NFL, George Blanda threw an all-time record 277 interceptions. It was a record that many thought to be unbreakable like Roger Maris' 61 home runs in a season, but records were made to be broken. Maris' record was shattered by Mark McGuire during the 1998 baseball season, and now Brett Favre is on a quest to break Blanda's record for all-time number of interceptions thrown in a career.

Brett Favre's football career hasn't lasted anywhere near the 27 seasons that Blanda played. The 2006 season is Favre's 16th and final year in the NFL, yet he managed to throw 255 interceptions in just fifteen seasons. Brett is statistically No. 2 all-time in almost every passing category in the NFL behind Dan Marino. Brett could play another 5 or 6 years and probably never reach Marino's records. However, the one lifetime record that will be attainable for Favre is the record for all-time interceptions thrown, and he is on pace to break it in his final season.

Many fans suspected that Favre would retire after last season when the Green Bay Packers had a 4-12 record, and Brett threw a league high 29 picks. However, after a lot of thought, Brett decided he wanted to come back for another season. Why? Did he think the Pack had a chance at Super Bowl glory or even a playoff appearance? The answer is no. He wants to attain the one all-time NFL record that Marino doesn't have.

In week one this season, Favre threw two interceptions. That leaves him with a total of 257 and needing 20 to tie Blanda and 21 to break the record outright. That's a lot of interceptions to have to throw in one season, but after throwing 29 last season I believe he can do it.

Whatever it takes, I want to say that I am rooting for you Brett. I hope you shatter Blanda's record like McGuire shattered really Maris'. I'll be keeping a counter on the sidebar that will be updated each week. There will be the pic of Brett holding a card with the number of interceptions he still needs to break Blanda's record outright and be the #1 interception throwing quarterback of all time.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

So, What Happened?

The Dallas Cowboys looked like the team to beat in the NFL during the preseason. The piled up a 3-0-1 record, their first unbeaten preseason since 1985 when the team was a perfect 4-0. Had it not been for two missed field goals in the overtime tie with Minnesota, this years team would have matched that 4-0 record.

Sure, preseason doesn't count and doesn't really mean anything, but it's not like the Cowboys were playing their first team against everyone else's third string backups. The team looked good, even with Terrell Owens only making one catch in the whole preseason. I couldn't have been the only fan waiting on the edge of my seat for the regular season to begin.

During the first quarter of the Cowboys season opener in Jacksonville, it looked like the team had picked up right where they left of in the preseason. Bledsoe was hitting his targets, Julius Jones broke a nice touchdown run, and the defense held Jacksonville to 16 yards on their first 15 plays.

So, what happened?

I'm not 100% sure why the wheels fell off, but there seemed to be more than one reason. The first problem was that Bledsoe began throwing errant passes. Two overthrown passes would have likely gone for touchdowns and put the Cowboys up at least 20-0. Did Drew just get cold all of a sudden? In between possessions, Drew was throwing passes on the sideline. He never does that. The announcers reported that his back had tightened up. From that point forward, he continued to struggle and didn't get it back together until less than two minutes remained in the game.

Why didn't Parcells attempt to put Tony Romo in the game? Instead, Bledsoe hurt the team by continuing to play in less than perfect health. I always talked about how Donavan McNabb was too stupid to realize he was hurting his team by playing hurt, and here's ol' Bledsoe doing the same thing. Bledsoe was struggling to throw the ball and threw three interceptions in the game. Two of them gave Jacksonville touchdowns, and the third ended all hopes of the Cowboys chances for tying up the score to get to overtime.

The next problem is that the defense began to give up plays to the Jacksonville recievers. So, what happened? Did Jacksonville get warmed up, or did the Dallas D go flat? I'm not sure of the answer to any of those questions, but I know that I'm worried about it. The defense gave up 24 points, and when the offense can't score 20, the team will lose every time.

Ever since Parcells has been in Dallas, the team has shown flashes of greatness but has never had the ability to close out and win big games. I'm not saying it is all of Parcells' fault. Jerry Jones played a large part in dismantling one of the greatest teams of all time. The team that Jimmy Johnson built. That team was so good that it took Jones several years to finally destroy it. Parcells had his work cut out for him trying to work with Jerry's draft busts and following in the footsteps of Barry Switzer, Chan Gailey, and Dave Campo.

Parcells does do certain things that I don't understand however. Like the "Run and Punt" offense. When a team runs up the middle on EVERY first and second down, the defense can usually figure that out. Also, when the team has a running back that cannot run up the middle, a.k.a. Julius Jones, it makes it even easier for the defense. Then, on third down and long the pass rush comes and if the quarterback is immobile (Drew Bledslow), he either takes a sack or makes a bad pass that ends up in the hands of a defender. This formula hasn't worked for the three years Parcells has been in Dallas, and I don't see it working this year. Is he too set in his ways? I'm starting to think he might be. I realize that type of offense helped Parcells win two Super Bowls with the Giants, but there is no player named Dave Meggett on the Cowboys' roster.

As I have mentioned before. There has only been one game this season, and I'm not giving up on the Cowboys yet. It just seems like I've seen this movie before, and I know how it is going to end. I'm hoping this version turns out to be the director's cut with deleted scenes and an alternate ending.

Too Little, Too Late for the Cowboys

Originally posted 9/10/2006

The Cowboys faced the Jaguars in Jacksonville this afternoon and just couldn't get the job done. Dallas started out with a bang, taking a 10-0 lead after the first quarter. Then the wheels fell off. Jacksonville went on to score 24 unanswered points. The Cowboys scored a late touchdown on a 21-yard pass to Terrell Owens with 1:54 left on the clock to bring the score to 17-24, but it was too little too late. Dallas failed to recover the ball on the ensuing onside kick attempt, but they managed to keep Jacksonville from getting a first down and regained possession with less than a minute on the clock. The game ended when Drew Bledsoe threw an errant pass to the middle of the field for his third interception of the game.

Observations:
  • The Cowboys looked like a solid team at the beginning of the game, but the offensive line started to break down, and Bledsoe's stats went south quickly thereafter. The score could have easily started 17-0 or 24-0 in favor of Dallas if Bledsoe had not overthrown a wide open TO and underthrown a wide open Julius Jones. One more game like today, and Bledsoe may lose his starting job to Tony Romo.
  • Too many penalties. 9 for 90 yards.
  • Terrell Owens had a solid game with 6 catches for 80 yards and a TD. He didn't pull any stupid antics, and there was no celebration after his first TD as a Cowboy.
  • Mike Vanderjagt didn't even make the trip to Jacksonville because of a nagging groin injury, but Shaun Suisham managed to miss a 36 yard FG in Vandy's absence. At least Suisham managed to dink the ball off of the right upright and not float it 10 feet wide like Vandy has been doing lately.
  • Parcell's insistence on running up the middle on every first and second down is baffling. Why does he continue with the "Run and Punt" offense when Owens, Glenn, and Witten are all Pro Bowl caliber receivers.
  • Jaguars reciever and former University of Arkansas QB, Matt Jones, is simply so big and fast that every team is going to have problems with him. The guy is 6'-6" and runs a 4.3 second 40 yard dash.
  • Despite the Cowboys' poor performance, one Dallas player had a spectacular game. Matt McBriar had five punts with an average of 53.2 yards per kick. That's probably good enough to lead the league. Congratulations Matt.

NFL Week 1 Predictions

Originally posted 9/07/2006


The official kickoff of the 2006 NFL season happens tonight in Pittsburgh. The 2005 World Champions are hosting the Miami Dolphins who barely missed the playoffs last season despite finishing with six consecutive victories. It should be an exciting game.

Here are my predictions for Week 1. The team in BOLD font is the predicted winner.

Please keep in mind that I am a Dallas Cowboy fan and not a professional bookie. Please don't bet on any games based on my predictions, because I am just doing this for fun. I usually get better at picking games after Week 4. By then, I usually get a feel for each team. My picks now are strictly based on what I know about each team from last year. I will try to be objective, but there is no rule that I have to be, right?

Houston over Philthy is my upset pick of the week. Maybe wishful thinking, but a guy can hope can't he?


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What the @#!% Was That?

Originally posted 8/31/2006


I just got finished watching the Cowboys play Minnesota in Texas Stadium for their final preseason game of 2006. The game went into overtime and ended in a 10-10 tie after Mike Vanderjagt missed his second field goal of the evening, both going wide right. What the hell? Of all of the hype about TO going on and his injury and his missing practice, nobody seems to have paid attention to the real issue. Vanderjagt has been sidelined with a groin problem during all of training camp, and he has missed about as much practice as TO. This is a bigger story in my opinion.

Anyone that watched the game tonight should realize that the Cowboys are no longer hurting at the wide reciever position like they have been since Michael Irvin had to retire. Some guy wearing No. 17 with the last name Hurd had well over 100 yards tonight. Who? Also, what about this kid named Jamaica Rector? He has had a huge preseason. These are guys that may not even make the team, because they are fighting for a position below Terry Glenn, Patrick Crayton, and TO. If TO suddenly drops off of the face of the earth, I don't think it will cause the Cowboys too much grief.

Now, this Vanderjagt situation is a whole different problem. For anyone that doesn't know, the Cowboys lost three games due to missed field goals last season. If they had won those games, they would have been a 12-4 team. Tonight, Vanderjagt missed as many field goals as he did in all of last season with the Colts. Vanderjagt is known for having chronic groin injuries, and his latest one is supposedly healed, but is it? I don't know. I am concerned.

For any of you sweating out whether or not Terrell Owens will play in the opener against Jacksonville, take a deep breath and sit down. Now, start worrying about what is going to happen when there are three seconds left on the clock and Dallas is down by two at the Jacksonville 22 yard line, and Mike Vanderjagt is up to attempt a 39 yard field goal. Are you nervous? I am.

Does anyone else think Vanderjagt looks a little like Brian Regan sans the wind tunnel tested hairdo? Brian Regan should have been kicking tonight, and the Cowboys may have won.

Terrell Who?

Originally posted 8/31/2006


The Cowboys close out the preseason tonight against the Minnesota Vikings. The big buzz with the Cowboys is that Terrell Owens finally attended practice this week, and Bill Parcells said that he may have Owens suit up for the game tonight. He said he'll leave it up to TO whether or not he gets into the game for a few plays, depending on how his hamstring is doing.

Meanwhile, while the media is focused on the TO saga and making mountains out of mole hills, there has been this guy named Terry Glenn putting up some huge preseason numbers. Terry's name might sound familiar to you, because he led the NFL with 18.1 yards per catch last season. So far this preseason he has nine catches for 189 yards and two TD's. Yep, that's 21.0 yards per catch and two TD's in nine catches.

Sure, it's only preseason, but how can a Dallas fan not be excited. The first team offense has dominated their opponents, and the first string defense has not allowed a TD. It looks like there could be good things to come.

Sure, I'd like to see TO in the game tonight, but I doubt I'll miss him too much if he doesn't play.

Bledsoe the Man, At Least for Now

Originally posted 8/24/2006

Ever since Bill Parcells started Tony Romo and let him play the entire first preseason game this year, a lot of people are speculating that Romo is about to take Drew Bledsoe's job as the starter of the Dallas Cowboys. It ain't going to happen. Not right now anyway.

Bledsoe is a proven NFL quarterback. Sure, he has had a few problems with getting sacked in his career, but he did make it to the Super Bowl in 1996 and he also won the AFC Championship game for the Patriots in 2000 when Tom Brady was sitting on the sideline. Tony Romo has never thrown a pass in an NFL regular season game, and anyone that thinks Bill Parcells will just up and throw Romo in as the starter this season is crazy.

Here is the deal: the Cowboys had a very suspect line last year after Flozell Adams went down for the season with a knee injury. Drew Bledsoe was among the top three QB's in the NFL up to that point. Once Flozell went down, Drew started having problems but still carried the Cowboys to some great wins. If the Dallas O-Line is struggling this year and Bledsoe begins to have problems, then Romo might get his chance, because he is more mobile than Bledsoe.

The Cowboys and the Cowboy fans have always turned their backs on the starting QB when times got rough, whether it was the QB's fault or not. Don Meredith had Craig Morton in the wings, Morton had Staubach, Staubach had Danny White, White had Hogeboom (or Hogenbloom as Tom Landry used to call him), and even Troy Aikman had to fight for his job against Steve Walsh early in his career. Cowboy fans are not happy without QB controversy, and those fans are trying to stir it up again this year.

Bledsoe had one of the best years a Dallas QB has ever had last season, despite the 50 sacks. Just because Romo has thrown a few good passes against third team defenses does not mean he is God's next gift to the Cowboys. I would ask that you people just settle down and let the season play out.

2005 Philly at Dallas

A Final Look at George Teague

Originally posted 8/08/2006

Before the Cowboys play their first pre-season game with Terrell Owens on the roster, I wanted to pay one last tribute to George Teague. I have made my peace with TO being on the team, but he most likely will not play on Saturday, so I figured it couldn't hurt to live the memory one last time.




Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Originally posted August 6, 2006

Troy Aikman, long time quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, was inducted into the Hall of Fame on August 5, 2006. I am a lifelong fan of the Dallas Cowboys, and I have experienced the highs and lows of the team since the late 1970’s. I’m a little too young to vividly remember the glory days of America’s Team with Roger Staubach. I am old enough to have suffered through three consecutive NFC Championship losses in the early 80’s, the team’s first losing season in 21 years in 1988, and the 1-15 season in 1989. I also enjoyed watching the team win three Super Bowls in four years during the early 1990’s. Troy was the team leader during those Super Bowls.

My first exposure to Troy was during the 1989 college football season when he played for UCLA. I never followed college football, but the Arkansas Razorbacks made it to the Cotton Bowl that year for the first time in a decade. The Cotton Bowl was like the Super Bowl for Razorback fans, so it was a big deal with the locals. The Razorbacks met up with Troy and the UCLA Bruins in Dallas for the game. I went to a friend’s house to watch the game and it was the first of many games that I would watch Troy Aikman pick apart an opposing defense.

Troy was the number one selection in the 1989 NFL draft, and he went to my Dallas Cowboys – a team that had a suffered a 3-13 season the previous year. Troy’s career in Dallas started out very shaky, and he went 0-11 as a starter that season. As the years passed, Troy’s confidence grew as the team became stronger, and he became the first quarterback in the NFL to win three championships in four years. During the end of his career, the team started to fall apart, and Troy suffered several injuries that put him on the sideline. His career ended with a concussion and several so called fans of the Cowboys booing him off of the field.

Troy’s acceptance speech this afternoon was a lot like his career with the Cowboys. It started out shaky, and his voice cracked with emotion while he talked about his friendship with Norv Turner. Norv was the offensive coordinator of the Cowboys that helped turn Aikman from a potential draft bust into a three time world champion. Then Troy began to talk about the “Triplets” and the Super Bowl victories of the 1990s'. His voice became strong, and an air of confidence resonated from the podium.

Troy went on the thank every person that ever supported him during his life and football career. "I'd also like to thank the many friends, family and fans who traveled great distances to share this moment with me," he said toward the end and his lips started to quiver. But the Cowboys fans rallied and cheered him on. They began to whistle and yell, standing one more time for No. 8. They bought him some time. He expressed true humility and gratefulness for having been inducted into football immortality as a member of the NFL Hall of Fame.

"A high school coach once told me, 'In life you have a lot of acquaintances but very few friends.' For most, that's probably true, but not for me. The many friendships in my life are what made me feel every single day like I'm the luckiest guy in the world, and I thank all of you for being here today."
A man that was always stoic on the football field could barely speak the words to accept an honor that he so greatly deserved.

I’m not a person that typically regards professional athletes as heroes. Hero is a title that should be reserved for people that save lives or sacrifice themselves for the good of others. Troy Aikman sacrificed himself on and off the field. He doesn’t have huge statistics like Dan Marino or Peyton Manning, because Troy was asked to play in a manner that benefited the team and didn’t pad his personal statistics. Troy also contributed large amounts of his time to charities like the United Way and he formed the Troy Aikman Foundation which benefits less fortunate kids. He also brought excitement and happiness to a poor kid from Arkansas on countless Sunday afternoons, and at least for today, I think that’s enough to make him hero.