The season has not started yet and there are already cries to bench Marion Barber and give Tashard Choice, “the future”, his workload this season. How quickly things have changed for Marion Barber III. Since his rookie season, when he came off the bench for Julius Jones, Barber has been the toast of the town for the fans of the Dallas Cowboys, that is until last year.

Barber looked certain to be the “back of the future” for the Dallas Cowboys. Many people saw Barber pounding the rock for the next 7-8 years barring injury. In his third season Barber was given the bulk of the carries as Julius Jones was struggling as the starter. Who can forget that moment when Barber endeared himself to hearts of Cowboys fans everywhere during the New England Patriots game in 2007 when the Cowboys had the ball at their 10-yard line, Barber took the handoff and was forced all the way into the back of his end zone. Barber bounced off 5 Patriots and ended up with the longest 2-yard run I’ve ever seen. Barber was anointed the starter in the divisional playoff game against the Giants and the fans rejoiced. He responded with 125 yards rushing and a solid performance. Since that game Barber has been the starter.

Now, after only two full seasons as the Cowboys starter, the chants are starting for the Cowboys to trade Barber before he loses his value, or to reduce his role and give the young guys a chance. Critics will say it is because he has lost a step, not as aggressive as he was, cannot stay healthy…etc. To be fair, health has been a concern for the Cowboys battering ram. Last year he had a quad injury and a broken finger, the year before was a toe injury. Barber has not been able to stay healthy. But, when he is healthy, few are better.

Now I’m not saying that Barber should get all the carries, or even that Jones and Choice should not have a larger role in the offense. I’m simply saying, let’s see what Barber does this year. He lost some weight to be faster and more explosive. He’s still a punisher, despite the fact the Chargers stopped him twice on the goal line last year. Many will point to those plays saying that Barber has lost it, but when you watch those plays again it is clear the line did not block a soul.

The problem is, as fans, we’re fickle. We buy into the “next star” approach. It has been happening for decades when it comes to sports. We always want the newer, faster, slicker version of what we have. Even if that is not the best way to go.

Sure Choice had the highest average per carry of all the Cowboys backs last year, but he only had one game when he had more than 15 carries. While Choice gained 82 yards on 18 carries for a 4.6/carry average against Carolina in that game, Choice has been inconsistent when he has received a lot of carries. The following week against Denver choice averaged 2.4/carry on 14 attempts. Now please do not get me wrong, I love Choice. I think he will indeed one day take over for Barber as the starter. I just don’t think it should be this year. Then there is Felix Jones. He is our hot rod. The man has moves and wheels. But he also has proven to not be very effective when banged up. Do we give him all the carries? Probably shouldn’t.

Barber has lots left in the tank. He can still run the ball and run it hard. While we do have two flashy sports cars sitting in the garage, why do we want to sell off our pickup truck. The one we depend on when we go to work to get the tough jobs done. Barber is still the “rock” of the backfield. He is the one the guys go to for tips. He is the guy that is called upon to run when the defense knows it is coming. He is the guy that takes the fall when the team’s yards-per-carry average goes down. But, he is also the one that gets that tough yard 99 percent of the time. He’s the one the team turns to when the chances are stacked against him, and no doubt, he is the one that the team leans on the most.

Make no mistake, the Cowboys still need Barber, as much as they need Jones and Choice. Sure the backfield is crowded, but if we can go one more year with it that way, why wouldn’t we?

Take a look below for a moment of nostalgia:

Marion Barber vs. Patriots Defense

The Dallas Cowboys have five Super Bowl rings, many a number of hall of famers, one of the most recognizable brands in the world, can hold claim to having the guy who owns the record for most rushing yards in a career, and they are “America’s team.” If anything about the Cowboys screams underrated Jerry Jones is sure to bring attention to so that everyone and their families knows about it

But believe it or not, there are a few underrated players that play football for America’s team. These guys have flown under the radar for awhile but have been huge contributors to the Cowboys recent run of success. Yet with the underrated there also comes the overrated.

The Cowboys have had their fair share of overrated players throughout the years, hello Quincy Carter, and they have a few on the team now.

Welcome to the house of ratings where one may find their favorite Cowboys player.

Here is my list of the 5 most underrated and 5 most overrated Cowboys players, patent pending.

Begin Slideshow

Then watch it again.

And again.

Brilliant.

Also check back later in the week for a new feature called “Game Plan.”  While the weekly “Manifesto” will contain some Xs and Os, the “Game Plan” will feature in-depth game strategy detailing how Dallas can win that week’s game and how they should go about doing it.  There, you’ll find a lot of analysis of formations, personnel, play-calling, and so on.

Now on to this week’s Manifesto...

How will Dallas use Dez Bryant and what sort of impact will he have?

This is what every Cowboys fan in America wants to see.  Will the Cowboys use Bryant as they would have implemented Patrick Crayton?  Will Bryant play primarily in the slot, or will Miles Austin move inside when the Cowboys use three receivers?

Last season, Dallas utilized three receivers on 42 percent of all plays, good for just 25th-most in the league.  That number will increase this year, but by how much?  Will Bryant play 50 percent of the snaps Sunday night?

Hopefully Jason Garrett runs the ball out of three receiver sets so that Bryant’s presence doesn’t key the defense on a pass.  I’ve already explained why Dallas should run the ball out of spread formations more often in general this season.

Who will return kicks and punts?

The Cowboys probably had punt returns in mind for Bryant when they drafted him, but that was before his high ankle sprain.  Now, the favorite is probably fellow rookie Akwasi Owusu-Ansah.  Owusu-Ansah looked explosive on returns in the preseason and has at least had some reps at both return spots.

At the very least, AOA will probably be back deep for kick returns.  But will Dallas risk Bryant on punt returns?  We’ll find out.

Will Redskins offensive tackles Jamaal Brown and Trent Williams be able to slow down DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer at all?  Will Washington leave Chris Cooley or Fred Davis in on some passes to help them in protection?

A rookie left tackle and a right tackle who underperformed so much the New Orleans basically let him walk? To me, this is by far Dallas’ biggest advantage Sunday night. How in the world will Washington possibly slow down Ware and Spencer?

They could keep a tight end to help block, but their starter (Cooley) is probably one of the worst blocking tight ends in the NFL.  I think it is more likely that Washington lines up in double-tight formations quite often so that they can let Cooley out in a route while Davis helps chip one of the Cowboys’ pass rushers.

Will Doug Free be able to contain Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo?

I listed Orakpo as No. 39 (already) in my list of the NFL’s top 105 players.  That may have been a little generous, but I do think he has that sort of talent.  He had 11 sacks in his rookie season, including a club record four in one game.

He’s going to be a handful for Doug Free and a big-time test for the new left tackle.  If the Cowboys can win at the point-of-attack, they will win the football game.  That starts with Free on Orakpo.

Will Albert Haynesworth play?

There are reports that Haynesworth could be traded before Sunday, deactivated if he’s still on the Redskins and just benched even if he’s active.  No matter what happens, it is advantageous for Dallas that he doesn’t play.

Yeah, he whines a lot and hasn’t really showed much effort this season, but he can still play.  If he decides to turn it on (which he could very well do in an attempt to increase his trade-ability), he’s still one of the toughest men in the league to block.

How much will we see the dreaded “Double Tight Strong“?

The Cowboys lined up in the formation (below) 15 times this preseason, running a strong side dive out of it 13 of those plays (86.7 percent).  Hopefully Garrett is just setting teams up for the regular season, but I have a bad feeling that’s not the case.

Last year, the Cowboys lined up in the formation 116 times, running a strong-side dive out 83 of the plays (71.6 percent), including an incredible 42/49 times (85.7 percent) when motioning into it.

This will be the biggest determiner of the future of Garrett’s play-calling.  If we continue to see the same formation with the same strong side dive, we know nothing is going to change.

How will Jason Garrett distribute touches among the running backs?

Marion Barber is going to start, but Felix Jones should receive the most touches.  He’s the most explosive running back on the team and is the best option for Dallas in regular first and second down scenarios.  I’d also love to see Tashard Choice in short-yardage situations, particularly out of Wildcat, but I think you’ll still see Barber in the short-yardage role.

No matter how Garrett disperses the touches on Sunday night, though, let’s be sure not to judge him based solely on this game (as it relates to running back touches). Game-to-game, run-to-pass ratio is very dependent on game situations, meaning we won’t really get a good sense of how Garrett plans to employ each running back until, say, the fourth game.

With either Marc Colombo or Kyle Kosier suit up?

Neither player has practiced this week and, at this point, I’d call both unlikely.  Kosier is certainly doubtful, while Colombo, who was supposed to be back by now, will probably be a true game-time decision.

The absence of both players hurts Dallas, particularly because their backups played so poorly in the preseason.  Montrae Holland really struggled at guard, frequently getting called for false starts due to his slow feet. He needs to get off of the ball as quickly as possible to compensate for a lack of athleticism.

Meanwhile, newly-acquired swing tackle Alex Barron looked horrendous at right tackle. Second-year player Robert Brewster actually looked decent in his limited action on the right side, but it appears Barron will get the start if Colombo can’t go.

Will Andre Gurode be okay at guard if Dallas needs him?

The Cowboys have no problem making a double-switch on the offensive line if one of their starting guards goes down.  In that scenario, Gurode would move to guard (where he played in the beginning of his career), and undrafted rookie free agent Phil Costa would play at center.

Costa played really well at center during the preseason, but I think I might take my chances with him at guard.  Gurode will probably make the line calls even if he moves over to guard, but I’d feel more comfortable if Dallas didn’t have a starter out of position.

DOs and DON’Ts for Dallas

DO run right at linebacker London Fletcher

I’ll talk about this more in my upcoming Game Plan article, but Dallas would be smart to run right at Fletcher.  I like Feltcher a lot, but he’s very undersized (just 5’10”), meaning Gurode and Leonard Davis should be able to manhandle him.

DON’T blitz too frequently

I talked about how Ware and Spencer should be able to get a ton of pressure on McNabb. Getting pressure with just four rushers is a huge advantage for a defense because it means they can sit back in zone and force the quarterback to make good reads and accurate throws, again and again and again.  There aren’t very many quick scores to be had versus a Cover 2 defense.

In fact, the reason the Cowboys were able to dominate the Eagles last season was because they rarely had to blitz.  They made McNabb beat them with his arm, and he couldn’t do it.

Even at age 33, McNabb can still beat you with his legs.  He can also beat you deep with his arm.  But can he consistently beat you underneath with his arm?  I’m not so sure.

DO play Jason Williams at nickel linebacker

The options here are Williams, Keith Brooking, Michael Hamlin and Danny McCray. Hamlin and McCray have very little experience at the position (like, a few game reps), so they aren’t realistic options to me.

Contrary to popular opinion, Williams wasn’t that bad during the preseason.  Behind Brooking, he was the team’s best nickel linebacker, and the old guy needs a break at some point.

DON’T game-plan at all for any quarterback other than Donovan McNabb

It looks like McNabb will play now, but the Redskins may still play it coy up until kickoff. For Dallas, there’s no reason to game-plan for anyone other than McNabb.  If by some miracle he doesn’t play, you should be able to beat a Rex Grossman-led team whether you prepared for him or not.

DO throw the ball early and often

Not what you expected to hear?  I actually support a pass/run ratio of about 65:35 (yes, you read that correctly).  Of course, every game is different and plays should be called accordingly, but over the long haul, passing has shown to be the most important aspect of a football game and the one that is most closely linked to winning (by far).

I think Sunday night in particular is a good game for the Cowboys to come out passing. Washington was eighth last season in passing yards yielded per game, but a lot of that was due to the fact that they were losing in most ballgames.  In terms of yards-per-attempt, the Redskins ranked in the middle of the pack: 16th.

Furthermore, their rush defense was actually better than advertised.  They allowed only 4.9 yards-per-carry last season, good for eighth-best in the NFL.

The most important reason to come out passing, though, is that it could help jump start a stagnant Cowboys running game.  We’ve all heard the familiar saying that “throwing sets up the run.”  Perhaps that is true, but it goes both ways.  Passing can certainly set up the run as well, and when the Redskins are forced to move back into Cover 2 because Miles Austin & Co. are beating their blitz, the big guys up front for Dallas should be able to maul the undersized Washington linebackers in the run game.

DON’T phase Dez Bryant into the game

Now is not the time to be conservative with Bryant.  If a player is healthy enough to play, then he is healthy enough to play a lot.  He’s either ready to go or he isn’t.

This isn’t the preseason anymore.  This is an extremely difficult matchup, on the road, at night, in a nationally televised game, against a division opponent, on opening day.  That’s a lot of commas.

DO spell DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer with Victor Butler

There’s no way Dallas can get away with playing Ware and Spencer as much as they did last season.  Nearly 1,100 snaps for both players is ridiculous, but last season it was a necessity.  Victor Butler was a promising rookie, but he wasn’t consistent enough, particularly against the run, for the ‘Boys to take one of their stud starting outside linebackers off of the field.

This year, Butler has proven he’s ready for the big show.  He’s been absolutely sensational against both the run and the pass.  Plus, he should have no problem getting past Washington’s offensive tackles.

When you combine Butler’s presence with that of Brandon Williams’, there’s no reason why either Ware or Spencer should play more than 1,000 snaps this season. Closer to 900 would be ideal.

DON’T try anything too risky.

Regular readers know I’m generally in favor of “risky” calls such as going for it on fourth down (a lot) and surprise onside kicks.  There’s a right time and a wrong time for everything, though, and I actually think being a bit more conservative on Sunday night is the right move.

Now, I don’t mean they should call predictable plays or punt on 4th-and-1 in the opponent's territory, but taking the steps to ensure nothing “fluky” happens (i.e., quick scores, sudden changes in momentum, and so on) would do the Cowboys well.  The reason is simple: They are the better team.  If they have, let’s say, a 70 percent chance of winning this game, attempting a surprise onside kick would hold a negative level of return for Dallas.  It could really only hurt, as opposed to the same scenario in a game where they are the clear underdog.

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During his playing days in the NFL, current Tennesse Titans Defensive Coordinator Chuck Cecil was regarded as one of the most vicious hitters in National Football League history. The October 11, 1993 issue of Sports Illustrated featured his picture and the question: “Is Chuck Cecil Too Vicious for the NFL?” on the cover.

During his days with the Green Bay Packers, Cecil earned the nickname “Scud” because of his hit-or-miss approach to tackling opponents. He often left his feet and led with his helmet, and much like the infamous missiles launched during the Gulf War – would occasionally miss completely or arrive late. However, whenever he made direct contact, devastation and human carnage were the result.

The hit-or-miss adjective could very well apply to the defensive unit Cecil leads today in Nashville. When Cecil was promoted from DBs Coach to Defensive Coordinator in the ’09 offseason, the Titans picked him over a few other, more experienced candidates, and the results weren’t pretty. Obviously criticism of Tennessee’s decision then arose.

By Paul M. Banks

Former Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz departed to take the head coaching job with the Detroit Lions, and Cecil inherited a top ten defense that returned every starter except the much talked about Albert Haynesworth. But the team slumped from 13-3 and a #1 seed in the AFC in ’08, to a 8-8 non-playoff qualifier in ’09. The Titans also surrendered 30+ points on five occasions. Cecil knows his defense needs to get much better; and soon. I recently had an exclusive conversation with him on the day of his College Football Hall of Fame induction.

I first asked if practicing every day against Chris Johnson, the most explosive back in all of football, and a 2,000 yard rusher last year can help improve the unit.

“I think it helps them respect the speed of the game a little more, the biggest difference between the college and the professional game is the hash marks and setting the edge. And what happens in college with the hash marks being so close to the sidelines, is you can out-run the contain. In the NFL, you should not be able to out-run the contain but Chris can do that and that’s what sets him apart. He actually out-runs the contain a lot of the time, and for us it helps us set a better edge by practicing against a guy like that. In college, if you have someone who is a lot faster than somebody else you have a lot longer time to outrun the edge. In the NFL, you don’t have that because the ball is always in the middle of the field basically,” he said.

An interesting aspect of the game that few are familiar with.

This year, Cecil is breaking in new starters in all three position groups, but returns former Pro Bowlers at both safety positions in Chris Hope and Michael Griffin. However, both players, especially Griffin, slumped badly last year.

Maybe there’s new hope in defensive end Derrick Morgan, the team’s first round draft pick this April, and a highly touted prospect that no one expected to still be on the board when Tennessee was picking.

“It was kind of disappointing because he was hurt for most of the OTAs, but we expect a lot out of him, he’s a bright kid. Schematically he’s picked it up, I think he’s well suited for what we do with our nine technique, the proof is in the pudding so we’ll have to wait and see, I really don’t see him being a dominant player this year, I don’t think that’s realistic, but I think as he grows and matures in the league and learns about blocks and things of that nature he’ll just continue to be a better player,” Cecil said of Morgan.

Last year, the main issue was replacing Haynesworth, this year it’s about filling the void of another departed defensive end, Kyle Vanden Bosch. But it’s his emotional leadership, and his role as champion of the conditioning program that will be the hardest to replace.

“Kyle is not a guy that you replace, I been doing this for 30 years as a player, a coach, I’ve never encountered a Kyle Vanden Bosch, he’s wired different than anyone you’ve ever been around, but the thing that Kyle brought to the team, he’s already showed that example, laid that down and explained to the younger guys not by mouth, but by action, what it is to be a professional. How do you go about your daily routine to prepare for Sunday? And he’s already done that routine for us, and what Detroit paid for when they bought him in free agency was for him to come to Detroit and to show them how to be a professional on defense.

He’s still an above average player, his Pro Bowl years may be behind him, but maybe playing next to Ndamukong Suh may open some wholes there, but that’s another reason they got him. As a coach, your words and actions only go so far. The best teacher for a player is a fellow player and what happens in the locker room and that’s the dynamic that Kyle brings for Detroit,” Cecil said.

Paul M. Banks is President and CEO of The Sports Bank.net , a Midwest focused webzine. He is also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, the Chicago Tribune’s blog network, Walter Football.com, the Washington Times Communities, Yardbarker Network, and Fox Sports.com

You can follow him on Twitter @thesportsbank and @bigtenguru

Possibly Related Posts:

• Pat Swilling and the connection between football and politics
• Ndamukong Suh Poised For A Big Season
• Greatest Athletes in SICA History
• Catching up with Patriots All-time WR Troy Brown
• Patriots can be Awesome with W-E-S (Welker) now Returning

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones built a $1.2 billion stadium, what many feel is the best in the world. Super Bowl XLV will be played in Cowboys Stadium, and Jones would love nothing more than to see his team win it on their home turf.

With 20-of-22 starters back from a team that went 10-6 last year, Dallas has as good a shot as any to get the job done.

Certainly, Dallas will not want to have to win on the road in the playoffs to reach their goal, because we all saw how well that worked out last year when they were throttled at Minnesota.

The Vikings, Packers, and Saints are the other three consensus Super Bowl contenders, and it would be tough to win at any of them. But to get home-field advantage, they’ll first have to win a very stacked NFC East that features the Redskins, Giants, and Eagles, along with having to play the NFC North and the AFC South this season.

The Cowboys offense ranked No. 2 in the league last year, and now they’ve added another weapon in Dez Bryant, who many are comparing to Michael Irvin and Randy Moss when they came into the league.

Bryant will team up with Miles Austin, Jason Witten, and Roy Williams to catch passes from Tony Romo. Receivers coach Ray Sherman has stated that this is potentially the best group of wide receivers he has ever had. And you can’t take that lightly considering he has coached with Jerry Rice in San Francisco, Javon Walker and Donald Driver in Green Bay, and Randy Moss, Chris Carter, and Jake Reed in Minnesota.

Dallas will need to wreak more havoc on defense if they are going to take the next step.

They can’t waste the talent they have rushing the passer in DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer. This is a unit that didn’t allow many points last year, but one that also didn’t get enough deflections in the secondary. More interceptions and more sacks are a necessity, so look for the Cowboys to unleash the hounds a little more this year.

Washington would love nothing more than to hand Dallas a loss in their opener. Certainly, Donovan McNabb struggled against this team last year but he also has had his fair share of wins over “America’s Team.”

New head coach Mike Shanahan brings this team a veteran leader that knows what it takes to win a Super Bowl. New offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan has implemented the west coast system, and new defensive coordinator Jim Haslett brings his 3-4 scheme to the table.

The team has appeared to put the Albert Haynesworth issue behind them, and he should be ready to lead a defense that was certainly underrated last season.

The biggest concerns are on offense, where McNabb sprained an ankle in the preseason which forced him to miss the final two games. It hurt his chemistry with Santana Moss, Joey Galloway, Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly, and Chris Cooley, who figure to be the ones catching balls from McNabb this year.

The No. 1 running back is Clinton Portis for a seventh straight year, but Larry Johnson should see his fair share of carries after a solid preseason.

Dallas is 24-12 against Washington since 1992, and they are 22-14 against the spread during that time. The under is 19-15 in those 34 games as well. But Washington does own a .500 record in 18 home meetings with the Cowboys since 1992, though Dallas has won their last two trips to the Redskins.

If you want NFL picks that win on a consistent basis, then check out a premium package from Jack Jones today. I am riding a 39-20 (66 percent) run dating back to last season heading into Week 1, and I can help you win more with your NFL betting this year.

Read more Dallas Cowboys news on BleacherReport.com

In the summer of the mega-conference, Colorado was one of the few major programs to actually change affiliation.  This will be the Buffaloes final season in the Big 12 as they will become a member of the Pac-10.  You know, because Colorado hugs the Pacific Ocean… Nobody is sadder than the other Big 12 basketball teams who stomped all over the Buffs the past few seasons.

The Sports Bank’s “99 in 99″ ranks the 72 power conference college basketball teams and top 27 mid-majors for the 2010-2011 season.  It will provide with all you need to know about each team and lead right up to the opening tip of the season.  Click here if you missed teams #70-#99.

By: David Kay

Colorado Buffaloes (9th, 6-10 in Big 12, 15-16 overall)

Projected Depth Chart
F/C: Austin Dufault (Jr)/Shane Harris-Tunks (So)/ Ben Mills (Fr)
F: Marcus Relphorde (Sr)/Trey Eckloff (Jr)/Andre Roberson (Fr)
G/F: Cory Higgins (Sr)/Levi Knutson (Sr)
SG: Alec Burks (So)/Javon Coney (Sr)
PG: Nate Tomlinson (Jr)/Shannon Sharpe (Fr)

Gone: F/C-Casey Crawford (Sr), PG-Dwight Thorne II, F-Trent Beckley, G/F-Keegan Hornbuckle (transfer-UC-Santa Barbara)

2010-2011 Outlook:
Let me get this straight: Jeff Bzdelik goes 10-38 in Big 12 play in his three seasons at Colorado and ends up being lured away to Wake Forest.  If I was tweeting about this, I would definitely add a #SMH (acronym for scratching my head for those non-tweeters reading this.)  Regardless of that baffling hire, Tad Boyle comes in from Northern Colorado in hopes of building the Buffaloes back to respectability in their final year in the Big 12 before they switch to the Pac-10.

If Bzdelik had anything going for him, at least the Buffs snapped their three-year streak of finishing dead last in the conference by moving up to 8th place.  Leading the way in that astronomical jump were Cory Higgins and Alec Burks who might just be the best wing combination in the Big 12.  Both are extremely talented scorers who combined for almost half of Colorado’s offense last season.

What hurt the Buffs and remains a question mark heading into 2010-2011 is that they finished last in the conference in rebounds and blocked shots as they lacked any real inside presence or physicality.  In fact, the 6-6 Burks led the team in boards at a modest five per game.  The team’s third-leading scorer, Marcus Relphorde will log a lot of minutes at the four, but is undersized and not much of a rebounder.  There is some size on the roster, but nobody that will scare or intimidate the opposing team.

Boyle will have his hands full in his first year and will try to create the same magic that he did at Northern Colorado when he turned a 4-24 team into a 24-8 squad in just three seasons.  If Boyle can get the Buffs to show more commitment on the defensive end and become more aggressive on the glass, there is the offensive firepower to at least make some noise in their swan song year as a member of the Big 12.

Player to Watch: Alec Burks, SG
Burks could have easily turned pro this off-season and been a sure-fire first round pick, but chose to return to Colorado which is a blessing for Boyle.  In a weak class, Burks could be the top shooting guard prospect in the 2011 NBA Draft.  He is incredibly athletic and thrives off the bounce while also being a decent outside shooter.  It will likely be his final year in college so the Buffs must make the most of his presence while they still have him around.

Key Non-Conference Games:
11/16 at Georgia
12/4 vs. Oregon State
12/22 vs. New Mexico (Las Vegas Classic)
12/23 vs. Indiana/Northern Iowa (Las Vegas Classic)

Other 99 in 99′s:
#71 Weber State
#72 Alabama
#73 Bradley
#74 Central Florida
#75 Wake Forest
#76 Georgia Tech
#77 USC
#78 Oklahoma State
#79 Cal
#80 Oklahoma
#81 Virginia
#82 South Carolina
#83 Indiana
#84 Stanford
#85 Oregon
#86 Penn State
#87 South Florida
#88 Arkansas
#89 Boston College
#90 LSU
#91 Providence
#92 Michigan
#93 Oregon State
#94. Nebraska
#95. Auburn
#96. DePaul
#97. Iowa State
#98. Rutgers
#99. Iowa

Possibly Related Posts:

• 99 in 99: #71 Weber State Wildcats
• Duke’s Kyle Singler undergoes Surgery
• 99 in 99: #72 Alabama Crimson Tide
• 99 in 99: #73 Bradley Braves
• 99 in 99: #74 Central Florida Knights

As I’ve written about many times here, I’m a hypochondriac. In other words, every seven or eight months I find a new disease that I’m dying from. In the past, it’s ranged from testicular cancer to stomach cancer; from ALS to brain tumor. I went for several months of therapy, which—at the time—was great. I relaxed, felt good about attacking a problem, etc.

Oy.

About two or three months ago, I started waking up with tingling in my hands and fingers. About a month ago, while we were in Spain, I started having heaviness in my left leg. Not normal heaviness, not a cramp or strain. Like, a numb/heavy sensation that made it awkward (not hard, but awkward) to walk. The left leg almost always feels heavy. It’s not a pretend, hypo weight. It’s real. Feels real. Not impeding my actual ability to walk … but I feel it. Especially when I wake up.

Tingling+leg problems=me freaking out. Which I’m doing. On the one hand, I remind myself I’m a hypo, and I always think I’m dying. On the other hand, just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not after you.

I want to see a doctor. The Wife thinks I should wait until I’m actually struggling with something. Meaning, I literally can’t walk or pick things up. I don’t know … the bad thoughts are taking root. MS. ALS. Something … really … bad.

Is it live? Is it Memorex?

What would you do?

Seriously?

Without a doubt, there’s a huge connection between football and politics. Numerous former football players have gone on to careers as politicians. On a national level, every football player turned career politician has been a Republican. Names like Steve Largent, Jack Kemp, J.J. Watts, Lynn Swann among others come to mind. There’s a lot work in that trend; especially the Social Darwinism of football as an ethos replicating itself in the basic weltanschauung of the GOP.

But that’s another topic for another time. I could write 5,000 words on that topic before even exhaling. In 2006, Heath Shuler (despite his obvious social conservatism) became the first football player turned Democrat to win a national office. Although John Edwards, cut from the team at Clemson, came close.

There have been some successful ex-football players to win office as Dems at the state and local level, including former New Orleans Saints All-Pro Pat Swilling, who served in the Louisiana state legislature.

I had an exclusive with Swilling on the day of his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.

By Paul M. Banks

“I’m not surprised that athletes run on the Republican ticket. You look at Oklahoma’s J.J. Watts, I think there’s room, there’s an easier route to run as a Republican for an athlete, but I think to identify with Republicanism as an athlete, it’s kind of difficult for most of us,” Swilling told me.

And that’s very true, because there are many exceedingly backward positions on issues of race and class within the GOP. And these stances aren’t exactly in line with the interests of many athletes.

“I’ve had conversation with people about running on the Republican ticket because the Republicans are always looking for strong leaders and people to run on their ticket, but I’m a Democrat through and through. Mom and Dad were. I am, I always will be, I can never run on that ticket, never.

I know people say don’t ever say never, but it’s not me. I believe in the Democrats and what we’re trying to do in moving this country forward,” he continued.

Today Swilling, a five time Pro-Bowler and the 1991 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, is a real estate developer in New Orleans, but he has the itch to one day run again.

“I’ve been working on trying to bring back retail development in our city, that’s what I do,” Swilling said.

“There’s going to be an opportunity to get back into politics one of these days. I still have the aspirations, I still like to be involved, I feel have something to bring to the table as a leader that can help our city. I’ve done it once, I definitely think at some point in time I want to be involved in the political system again, because it’s needed in Louisiana,” he continued.

Charisma is a key component for success in politics, and Swilling certainly has that. Especially in 1992 when he, and his fellow Saints Linebackers Rickey Jackson, Vaughn Johnson, and Sam Mills combined to form the “Dome Patrol,” one of the most feared position groups in NFL history. All four made the Pro Bowl and led the league in quarterback sacks.

Swilling next told me how the “Dome Patrol’s” origins…

“Jim Mora Jr., Coach Mora’s son, had a relationship with the Stoccos brothers, which is a poster company, and Sam Mills got us all together and we decided we’re going to shoot this poster of our linebacker crew, and we pondered a lot of different stuff, bayou this, bayou that and then I think Mora Jr said let’s do something about the dome, protecting the dome, the dome patrol, we looked around and said let’s do it. We shot it in fatigues and it just grew overnight, and I was at a place the other night and it said the “dome patrol drink.” It’s all over New Orleans, and we are as beloved today as when we played.”

And that charisma and brand name awareness persists today.

“We want to get some more made, but I tell ya we could sell them in Louisiana all day long, because of the Saints’ popularity. We did an autograph session the other day and people asked how can we buy this poster? So we’re going to figure out how to ressurect the poster. Stoccos is out of business and they have the rights so we’re working on it,” Swilling said.

Written by Paul M. Banks, President and CEO of The Sports Bank.net , a Midwest focused webzine. He is also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, the Chicago Tribune’s blog network, Walter Football.com, the Washington Times Communities, Yardbarker Network, and Fox Sports.com

You can follow him on Twitter @thesportsbank and @bigtenguru

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First there was the fluid build up in Andrew Bogut’s elbow reported by an Australian television network, then there was the carefully worded optimism from the Milwaukee Bucks front office that the franchise center would not miss the start of the 2010-11 season.

Milwaukee Bucks GM John Hammond, Bogut and Scott Skiles can say all the positive things they want about Bogut being ready for the season opener on October 27 in New Orleans, but behind closed doors the Milwaukee Bucks have to be planning for temporary life without their star center.

By Jake McCormick

A couple months ago, John Hammond had overstocked the front court and could afford to dangle a power forward for trade bait, should he so desire. Now, that collection of stereotypical fours and tweeners may be expected to shoulder an increased workload under the basket.

The acquisitions of power forwards Jon Brockman and Drew Gooden had their fair share of questions, but hindsight is always 20/20. Whatever concerns people have about Gooden’s contract amount and length or Brockman becoming the sixth big man on the roster should temorarily be assuaged by remembering the back up plan during last year’s stretch run.

Any way you slice it, Drew Gooden, Larry Sanders, and Jon Brockman are upgrades in talent and production over Kurt Thomas, Dan Gadzuric, and Primoz Brezec. None of the three current Milwaukee Bucks bigs are true centers, but Gooden would stand to inherit the starting center position in a way similar to that of Kurt Thomas last year.

That would leave Ersan Ilyasova, or Luc Richard Mbah a Moute if the team decides to go small, as the most probably starters at power forward. Brockman would probably serve as an all-purpose backup, thanks to his high rebounding efficiency and body width to compensate for a lack of height. I’d also be remissed if I didn’t mention Summer League stand out and first round pick Larry Sanders.

You can’t overstate the advantage of having a rotation potentially 12 players deep, but the true importance of that depth comes in the face of adversity. Thanks to Hammond’s ability to improve the overall talent of the Milwaukee Bucks’ roster, a month without Andrew Bogut to start the 2010-11 season would not be crippling to a team expected to make a run at the Central Division title.

We saw how different the team’s structure was last year when Bogut Joe Theismanned his arm, but the worst case scenario isn’t nearly as bad as it could be had he injured his legs or back. Even if Bogut’s setback is serious enough to keep him off the court for the start of the season, his conditioning program shouldn’t change and Bogut will be able to hit the ground running when he does return.

The bottom line is that the 2010-11 Milwaukee Bucks are much more prepared than they were a year ago for games without Andrew Bogut. I’d still prefer to see the big Aussie in uniform and starting on October 27, but I’d rather see him 100%% healthy than chance an additional setback or injury.

We are 49 days and counting to the start of the season, so there’s still plenty of time for some good news concerning Andrew Bogut’s rehab. Just be happy the Milwaukee Bucks aren’t forced to rely on one of the oldest players in the league, or an underachieving, overpaid benchwarmer in his absence.

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