the other shoe dropped

So we were already faced with being 1-4 going into Mondays game and knowing we were running out of wiggle room if this season was going to end up anywhere near the playoffs.

This was definitely a must win, against a divisional opponent, fighting for our lives kind of scenario.  The thought of being 1-5 was a horrible, gut wrenching thought that couldn’t get any worse.

Except it did.  Romo got hurt.  8 weeks worth of hurt. Ouch.

For all of you who like to blame the bad stuff on one guy, if Romo was your scapegoat get ready to enjoy his absence.   Kitna may give us all he has but realistically what does he have ?  Do you think he will even survive the pounding he is certain to take with our o-line ?

Last week I conceded that Wade has to go.  I hate that.  He is a better coach than what his players have shown us.  You can’t fire 53 players though and you sure can’t fire an owner. 

Now we get to see which players have the “ want to”. It’s not going to be fun or exciting but it should educational.

For those of you wanting to fire Wade now, not a good idea and here is one reason why.  There is NO COACH IN THE WORLD who could turn this thing around right now.  2 starting O-linemen out hurt on a line that was already sad.  Newman is hurt, Hatcher is hurt.  The Dallas media and fanbase would start hating the new coach before he ever lost 3 games even though he would have no starting QB.

So suck it up Cowboy fans.  A year like this happens sometimes.  I would advise you not to make any bold, rash statements about “never rooting for them @@#!% ….” again.  Next year will come.  I expect to see new faces then, it would be nice to see some old ones too.

later Poke

ps. prayers for Jon Kitna would be appropriate.

Sorry It Comes To This Wade

The reasons the Cowboys are losing was posted in last weeks blog.

They haven’t changed since then.  The question is, what the heck needs to be done to fix the problems.

The #1 response seems to be fire Wade Phillips.  I have been opposed to that idea because I like Wade.  I like that he was a Texas High School football player and coach.  I like that he comes from a football family.  His dad, Bum, was always one of my favorite coaches.  I like that he doesn’t bad mouth his players to the stupid media after a game when they are looking to cause problems.  I know that Wade could forget half of what he knows about football and still know twice as much about it as all the idiots calling for him to be fired.  I think I have just become one of those idiots.

Actually the #1 response is to fire Jerry Jones but we all know that can’t happen so I won’t bother going there.

So what else can you do ?  Fire some assistant coaches ?  The aforementioned owner hired most of them so that’s probably not gonna happen.

Fire Jason Garrett ?  The hand picked future leader definitely deserves some of the blame but Jerry didn’t put him where he is and pay him the big bucks to run him off before he ever gets a chance to be the lead dog.

Fire 53 players ?  Right now this has my vote but I know it can’t happen.  A few of the players are actually performing well as individuals but this is a team game.  The QB that has been throwing costly interceptions may one day again be throwing game winning touchdowns.  The high priced WR you traded for is just now starting to play like we all hoped he would.  You could get rid of some to send a message but would that help or hurt at this point in the season.

The reality of the situation says nobody is getting fired, yet. 

But look out come January 2, shortly after 4:00 pm.  Heads will roll, I just don’t know which ones.  later Poke

ps.  I have to admit I didn’t watch the game live.  I had a chance to go golfing with old friends and to be honest it looks like I made the right choice.  I am pretty sure the memories of our poorly played golf game will stick with me longer than that poorly played football game.

pss.  Oh yeah, the team could have a come to Jesus meeting, practice really hard, work on NOT making penalties and turnovers and mistakes, learn how to cover kickoff returns, quit celebrating anything until the game is over and win the next 11 games and I could sneak back in here and delete this post.

psss.  You know back when I played, leather helmets and all, when we lost a game we hated it because we knew practice was going to be extra hard, extra sprints were going to be ran, you weren’t allowed to talk on the old stinky school bus on the way back home and none of the pretty girls would let you kiss them.  Maybe Wade could try some of those highly motivational, well thought out psychological techniques.

Here’s Why Cowboy Fans

4 games played . 1 win and 3 losses.

If you looked at the stats from the 3 games lost you might scratch your head and wonder how the Heroes lost those 3 games.

Here is what it looked like according to the Box Score

                      Cowboys    Opponent

First Downs      24              17

                       23              14

                       25              17

 

Total Yards      380            250

                       410           308

                       511           321

 

Time of Poss.    34:03       25:57

                        33:40       26:20

                        36:44       23:16

 

Plays                  71            56

                         71            49

                         75            55

I gotta tell you if I was a coach and my team had those kind of numbers I would probably be feeling pretty good about my team.

Yet leave it to the Boys of the Blue Star to manage to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory and let all that good work go to waste.

What you ask, could have happened ?  How can a team produce more offense than the other team in 3 games and still lose all 3 games ?

A closer look at those box scores tell “the rest of the story”.

In all 3 games the Good Guys also led in 2 other catagories.

                TURNOVERS

       Cowboys    Opponents

           1               0

           3               0

           3               0

                PENALTIES/YARDS

      Cowboy           Opponents

      12 for 91           5 for 42

      6  for  50           2 for 10

     12 for 133          4 for 40

And that my fellow lovers of Blue Stars on Helmets is how to lose 3 football games .

It doesn’t make me feel any better. later Poke

Remembering Tom Landry, The Personal Collection

at this years State Fair of Texas there is an exhibit called
"Remembering Tom Landry, The Personal Collection"

it is located in the Hall of State, which houses statues of Texas heroes like Stephen F Austin, Sam Houston, and William Travis.

The items on display are from Alicia Landry (Toms wife).
Landry hasn't coached the Cowboys since 1988 and he died in 2000.
I was amazed at the number of people waiting in line to view this exhibit.
There are so many things to see and do at the Fair so to me it was very impressive to see how many people are still interested in Tom Landry.
It was hard to get good pictures because everything is behind Plexiglas and the crowd kind of hinders taking a lot of time to snap a photo.
Here are some of items.
First off, the building itself is impressive, built in 1936.

The Official Sign, i just like the silhouette and thought some of the photoshop guys here could do something with it.

Start with his high school football letter.

 

Military service. His wings and air medal and a photo. Landry is 3rd from left on the top row.

 

College Football. Plaque from 1949 Orange Bowl. Landry led all rushes with 117 yards on 17 carries in Texas' win over Georgia 41-28.

New York Football Giants. This trophy was bought and given to Landry by the members of the defense he coached after his last season there. Pat Summerall ( Giants kicker) liked Landry so much he insisted on being included in buying and giving this to Landry.

Game Ball, 1st career victory Sept 17, 1961

1st Super Bowl win

Coat and hat from the Ice Bowl game

Duster worn for filming of Landrys American Express commercial. They had the commercial playing on a loop as you waited in line, people were loving it

Blue Ultra Suede Sports Jacket. Given to Landry by Rev. Billy Graham. Alicia Landry wrote that it was one of Toms favorites and often wore for "games that had to be won".

Boots given to Landry by fans

Hand carved door given to Landry.

Hall of Fame jacket

Golf clubs used by Landry at Byron Nelson Classic Pro-Am where Tom recorded a hole in one.

The Hat of a Man

They had a video showing a part of Landrys funeral service,with Amazing Grace playing quietly. It felt like a "lying in state" sort of moment.
If you get a chance to go I promise you will enjoy this display. For those of you coming to town for the Titans game you might want to consider it.
The State Fair runs through Oct. 17.

When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough…

give up ?

That’s not the way the old saying was taught to me.  I must have missed the memo that changed it.

The general consensus seems to be that the Boys of the Blue Star Commune have blown the season already.  Two games into a 16 game season all I hear is that our Cowboys are out of it. 

I don’t buy that.  Not yet.  Not even if they lose this week to the Texans.  If this was a love story you would call me a hopeless romantic.  I guess in a way it is a love story.

I just don’t understand how a fan can look forward for 8 months to a season of football and then 2 or 3 weeks into it just throw their hands up and declare it over.

If the Good Guys can get the O-line to solidify and quit making mistakes (penalties, fumbles and interceptions) this team could get on a roll.  It happens.  That's why they make them play the games on the field.

So far this edition of the team has played bad, very bad.  When you look at the stats though, the Boys have outgained their opponents in both games.  They have lost by 6 points and 7 points.  In each game there was one play that made the difference in the final score.  The fumble at Washington that got ran in for a TD and the holding call that wiped out a TD versus Chicago are what stands between being 0-2 and 2-0.

I feel like if, and that’s a mighty big IF, the Boys just start playing a little better, a little smarter the wins are going to come.  It can’t come soon enough.

Look for the team from Arlington to win at Houston this week.  I don’t predict scores but i expect to walk out of Reliant Stadium this Sunday trying to avoid getting beat up by mad Texan fans.

later, poke

I Was Going to Call This I Hate Cowboys Fans But Changed My MInd

what a week.

my head almost exploded sunday night as i watched our Heroes flail helplessly for most of that game only to have a chance to win it on the last play only to then see defeat snatched from the jaws of victory by a penalty.

team game. team loss. blame them all. not just one or two. ALL.

call it first game woes. call it the curse of playing the redskins. call it any number of things if you must. it was not good football.

having said that, don’t call it the end of the season. don’t call it a trend. i have seen more doom and gloom from Cowboy fans after this one opening game loss than i can ever remember.

i read way too much about the Cowboys. newspapers, blogs, message board forums. i should stop before i quit liking Cowboy fans.

i have seen fans this week who: want to cut Tashard Choice, fire Wade , fire Jason Garrett, fire Jerry Jones (can you fire an owner ? ), immediately bench a player who commits a penalty (who cares if his replacement gets your star QB killed), and generally just blow up the Team and start over. after one game.

i have, and i am not making this stuff up, seen a fan ask if now is the right time to trade…DeMarcus Ware !!!!  uhh yeah, sure, lets go ahead and get rid of one of our future Hall of Famers because we lost our first game and must be doomed.

i fully expect our glorious Boys of the Blue Star to come back and play much better this week. i just hope i can remember who all the idiot fans were so i can go back and see how they then proclaim how they knew the Boys were so great. like i said i need to stop reading so much about the Boys.

so take a deep breath, it’s gonna be alright.  later poke 

TGIFS

I can wait no more.  I have purposely avoided coming here and putting thoughts down about the upcoming season.  Like a teenage kid about to get his drivers license my nerves are tingling with anticipation but much like the teenagers parents I look forward to the event with some trepidation.

I have never seen the Cowboys fan base so excited about a rookie player.  It almost feels like they are putting all their proverbial eggs in one basket named Dez Bryant.  Not me.  Sorry.  This is the NFL and until you show you can do it on the field against another team I ain’t buying in. 

The Heroes of Our Misspent Youth have made a lot of changes.  10 rookies made the team.  Familiar faces like Crayton and Flozell are gone.  Last years team is just that, last years team.

As always, the most important piece of your offense are the Big Uglies. Those anonymous brawlers up front who keep the opponents away while the glamour guys run, throw or catch their way into stardom.  The Boys in Blue have a lot of question marks going into this weeks game.  2 starters from last year are hurt, I feel like only one of those 2 will play, Colombo.  How good will he be coming off a surgery ?  Flozell is gone and his replacement is going to have to prove that he can handle his starting left tackle spot.

Can Miles repeat his performance from last year ?  Can Roy Williams finally get in a good rhythm with Romo ?  Can Dez do here what he did for Okla. St ? 

Will our 3 headed running back named Barber-Jones-Choice be effective ?  I am ready to see less of Barber early and more of Barber late in the game.

Who ever really knows how a kicker is going to perform ?  They are all flakier than Lady GaGa.

The defense has had a smaller turnover of players but only at the starting level.  Our backups still have to prove the coaches right for keeping them around.

So yeah I am nervous as a lady of the night in Church but I can’t stand the waiting.  Hurry up Sunday Night !

Oh yeah and it’s against the dadgum Redskins, at their place, first game of the season…apparently I can get a little more nervous than when I started. 

later poke

Self Induced Coma Please

I hate pre-season.  Not a big fan of extended training camp either.

Dez Bryant was the first casualty.  Sean Lee never got started before he got shut down.  Those are just rookies so I didn’t scream too loudly.  Marty B also missed the starting bell but it really sucked when John Phillips went down in the HOF game.

Marc Colombo needing surgery hit me like a fork in the eye.  I calmed myself down by telling myself he would be back before the “real” games started. 

Today we hear that Kyle Kosier hurt his MCL.  Out 4-6 weeks maybe.  That is bad news.  If you don’t think so remember back to when he went out 2 years ago.  Our O-line was horrible without him.

So somebody slap a needle in my arm and just knock me out until Sept 12 when the games start counting.  I will gladly let the 963 media types covering the Boys worry about them until then.

later poke

Dallas Cowboy's Promo 2010

time to get ready Cowboy fans !!!!

Tired Of Waiting For Next Year

Trying real hard to not let my expectations run sky high.  Trying not to get plumb giddy thinking about Romo throwing balls to Austin and Witten and Williams AND Dez Bryant.  Trying but failing.  I cannot wait to see what the red headed genius (Coach Garrett for those of you still watching on black and white TV) comes up with this year.

I am also convinced that the defense will be better this year.  The players have got to be more familiar with what the plan is and anytime you get players reacting without having to think about what they are supposed to do they are gonna be quicker.  The D needs to force more turnovers and if they do that this should be a fun year.

What some see as a problem I see as a plus.  That would be having 3 running backs who are all capable of starting.  I like them all !  I am hoping Barber gets back to running like a crazy man.  If he does and Felix improves any at all and Choice stays steady then I see this team pounding the ball late in games to finish teams off.

I may be one of the few who think our O-line is going to be better this year.  I loved Flozell but every player reaches that point where they aren’t as good as they were and it was time to make that move. The coaches must have seen enough of Free to think he can handle the job and since they get paid to make that decision I am going to trust them.  At least until somebody comes around that end and kills Romo.

So today is the day it starts.  Big party in San Antonio tonight then start practicing tomorrow.  I may try to see a practice or two.

This needs to be the year.  later Poke