March 31, 2009 | Filed Under AFC West, Dallas, Dallas Cowboys, Denver, Denver Broncos, Donovan McNabb, NFC East, NFL, Opinion, Tony Romo, matt cassel | Comments Off
The thing about sports, as pure as they are, at the professional level it is a business. In an era of free agency, players and management alike do not care nearly as much as the fans when it comes to who wears what uniform (On more of a personal level) and less great players stick with their teams that they became largely prominent on.
John Smoltz is now on the Red Sox, Brian Dawkins is a Bronco, Markus Naslund is on the Rangers, and Elton Brand—when healthy—suits up for the 76ers.
I've always tried to make a point not to get too attached to the athletes themselves and stick with my favorite teams. Whether its my favorite player retiring (Scott Stevens), signing with another team (David Cone), or gets traded in a youth movement (Jason Kidd). There will always be players to capture your heart.
But what if it is the opposite? What if it were players that your team has faced within the division that you rooted against for years or if it is a guy that you just despise? How much could you take?
The first time the question was raised to me was in eighth grade. Midway through the Baseball season the New York Yankees acquired Armando Benitez from the New York Mets, planning to use him to set-up Mariano Rivera.
I was visiting family in New Jersey and the move sparked much debate. Benitez is known by Yankee fans for giving up the controversial home-run caught by Yankee fan Jeffrey Maier in the 1996 ALCS, drilling Tino Martinez to start a huge brawl in June of the 1998 season, and facing the Yankees in the 2000 Subway Series.
For me it was a no-contest, if he could contribute I really didn't care who he hit in 1998. Benitez didn't get much of chance to prove himself as a Yankee though, who got traded to the Seattle Mariners after just nine games.
If someone plays hard though and makes contributions then I have always welcomed him to my team. Stick with the teams through thick and thin and give everyone a chance that puts on the uniform.
There may be an exception if this certain player finds himself on my team. He doesn't play for a division rival, he hasn't had legal trouble, he hasn't been kicked off multiple teams for being a clubhouse cancer, he hasn't ever even played against my favorite team!
Five hours ago, I was on Bleacher Report, where I saw that Senior Write Sayre Bedinger wrote that Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen issued a formal statement that thet would be looking once again to trade.
I found myself surprised that the situation wasn't going to be worked but my attention quickly shifted towards hoping that Jay Cutler would get traded to a bad team. Fellow member Christopher Rock mentioned the possibility of a possible swap of QBs between the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos (Tony Romo for Jay Cutler).
In a related story, I threw up in the nearest trash can in my kitchen.
It's not ridiculous to think of at all. Think of it like this: You're the Denver Broncos. You are looking to shop a very young and talented QB, this QB has three years left on his contract so there is no need to feel forced into accepting a low-ball offer, and you just signed Renaldo Hill and 35 year old Brian Dawkins to improve a weak defense.
Clearly you are not interested in rebuilding with the moves you have made in the offseason, so you are looking to get a really good QB in return. There are three possible scenarios I see:
1. Philadelphia Eagles: McNabb once again upset over not acquiring talent at the WR position and let Brian Dawkins goes while Philly remains way under the cap and the possibility of course that he is still upset that Andy Reid benched him against the Baltimore Ravens.
2. Kansas City Chiefs: Who knows, obviously Josh McDaniels wanted Matt Cassel. Is there a possibility he gets moved once again this time for Cutler.
3. Dallas Cowboys: The Dallas Cowboys desperately trying to win right now and have a starting QB who is also talented but is perceived by some to be a choker and the team has underachieved for the past couple years with him running the show. Cutler has a cannon for an arm and is a little bit younger.
What do you do when it's a player you despise for stuff that has nothing to do with your teams head to matchups. I would have been all for signing Pedro Martinez for fewer years after the 2004 W.S.
I sure don't get mad at Joba Chamberlain for throwing at Kevin Youkilis so Pedro really shouldn't be held to a different standard where he can't be forgiven. But how do I root for a guy that I really do despise.
Not to mention he is the starting QB, arguably the most important position in the game. Fans will throw their entire teams under the bus in efforts to defend their QB. How can I now tolerate a man whom I have wished for failure for during the last couple of weeks?
Hopefully, Cutler goes somewhere else and I won't have to worry about it anymore.
At some point though can disdain for a player become to powerful to root for him no matter what? Unfortunately, I may just find that out sooner rather than later.
March 31, 2009 | Filed Under Features, News, Terrell Owens, Wade Phillips | Comments Off
Darren Woodson talks about Terrell Owens’ exit from Dallas and Wade Phillips
March 31, 2009 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off
Wire services
Posted: 03/30/2009 10:44:30 AM PDT
The Raiders will kick off their 50th season of professional football by hosting the Dallas Cowboys at the Coliseum in their 2009 preseason opener, the team announced Monday.
The game date still hasn't been determined, but it will be from Aug. 13-17. In all, Oakland will play three of its four preseason games in the Bay Area.
The Raiders then travel to San Francisco to face the 49ers in week 2 of the preseason (Aug. 20-24) before returning to the Coliseum to host the New Orleans Saints in week 3 (Aug. 27-31). Oakland concludes the preseason by facing the Seahawks in Seattle in preseason week 4 (Sept. 3-5).
The Raiders open the regular season in prime time for the fourth time in the past five seasons when they host the San Diego Chargers on Monday night, Sept. 14, on ESPN.
The NFL also announced last week that the Raiders will travel to Dallas to face the Cowboys in one of three nationally-televised games on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26. The contest will mark the Raiders' first Thanksgiving game since 1970.
The Raiders will take on the Chargers at home to open the 2009 regular season in a game that begins at 7:15 p.m. PT.
Dates and times for the remaining 2009 regular season games will be announced by the NFL in April. Preseason dates and will also be announced at a later date.
March 31, 2009 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off
Pro Football Weekly's Eric Edholm brings you hot news and the inside scoop about the NFL
Just got off the phone a few minutes ago with Cowboys OLB DeMarcus Ware, who is going to be the subject of the main Q&A for our season preview magazine, as he was boarding a plane from San Antonio to Dallas. We covered a number of topics -- you can probably guess a few I felt obligated to ask -- but I had to get something in about his contract situation.
Ware stands as one of the young players who could be hurt badly by a player lockout next year, as he only would have five accrued seasons and would be considered a restricted free agent instead of looking to cash in with a deal that exceeds that which Washington gave to Albert Haynesworth.
Although Ware declined to talk specifics with me, he did say he'd give me a call when he knew something more. (Yet something tells me that call might not come, as nice a guy as he seems.) But he did say he was pretty happy to see a defender get such a crazy deal, which only raises the benchmark whenever Ware hits the open market -- if the Cowboys don't get something done first.
"Usually, quarterbacks and offensive guys get that type of money," Ware told us, "but now defensive guys are getting that type of money because now they are seeing, like [Tony] Romo is the quarterback, but they are seeing also guys that are playing a tackle position or a linebacker position are quarterbacks of the defense and they should be compensated as so because maybe of the plays that they make or the leadership they bring to that defensive squad. So it helps me out a lot and shows me how important defensive guys are too."
March 31, 2009 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off
by Tim MacMahon
The news, reported by NFL.com, that Dallas will be one of the stops on Richmond pass-rushing prospect Lawrence Sidbury Jr.'s pre-draft tour won't ease Greg Ellis' concerns about his job security.
The 6-2, 265-pound Sidbury Jr. had 11.5 sacks last season as a defensive end for Richmond's Division I-AA (or whatever it's called now) national championship team. His 4.64 40 at the combine was the fastest by a defensive end, a group that included several players who project as OLBs if selected by a 3-4 team.
If the Cowboys draft Sidbury or another pass-rusher in the middle rounds, that won't mean that Ellis' time at Valley Ranch is over. A mid-round rookie might need some seasoning before being ready to play a significant role, especially one making such a major step up in competition.
But the arrival of Sidbury or a similar player -- Texas Tech's Brandon Williams, a Fort Worth native who can come to the Cowboys' Dallas Day, comes to mind -- would essentially close the door on Ellis continuing his career with the Cowboys after this final season of his contract.
March 31, 2009 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off
by Todd Archer
The Cowboys know when and who they will play in their first game at their new stadium in Arlington - in the preseason anyway - and that is Tennessee.
The Cowboys will host the Titans on Aug. 21 with a national television from Fox at 7 p.m. While some may look at this game as Vince Young's homecoming, it might just be remembered more for the football opener of the $1.1 billion stadium.
The Cowboys will open the preseason at Oakland on Aug. 13. The Cowboys' third preseason game will be Aug. 29 at home against San Francisco and the finale will be Sept. 4 at Minnesota.
The NFL is expected to release the full regular-season schedule early in April, perhaps by the end of the week. According to a source, the Cowboys will open up at Denver on Sept. 13 followed by a primetime opener on Sept. 20 at the new stadium, likely against an NFC East foe.
March 31, 2009 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off
March 31, 2009 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off
March 31, 2009 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off
March 31, 2009 | Filed Under Cowboys News, Player Info | Comments Off
Usually I skip the Mickey Spagnola stuff from KTBB, but I figured we would give him a shot this week...
Mickey with David Smoak
Total attendance on the first two days of offseason workouts is fantastic.
Mickster makes the great point about releasing the cloud, letting the air out and getting all the talk about the Cowboys back to being about actual football. This is going to take time, but it will eventually happen.
Mickey Spagnola punks Deion Sanders, lol. I love it!!!
Now that Kevin Burnett is gone the Nickel LB job seems to be Bobby Carpenter's to lose. If he can't make the most of this opportunity than he's going to officially be labeled a bust.
That last point by Mick was spot on. No one player can be bigger than the team. When that happens it is only a matter of time before a change has to be made.
Good stuff from Mick today.
Here's the NFL Network doing their State of the Franchise for the Cowboys...
Over the past few seasons Mike Mayock has quickly become one of my favorite football guys. I was hoping he would spike the football off of Sapps fat head.
Next Page »