Hatin' Tony Romo - The Captain Speaks!

For all you Romo Haters, listen to the words of Captain America, +Roger Staubach. He just might know a thing or two about playing the game of Football in the NFL at the highest level.

You might want to listen to his latest thoughts in this video.

Hatin' on Dallas Cowboys' Tony Romo? Big Bill Speaks

Well, a lot of fans seem to be extremely negative toward Tony Romo. And all because he hasn't led Your Heroes to a Super Bowl victory. (Pardon me for the Blackie Sherrod lingo!)  And because his last name isn't Manning or Brady.

Never mind the fact that many teams would jump at the chance to acquire Romo. Why? Well, take a look at their present quarterback situation and...........well, 'Nuff said. Maybe some just don't realize how good they have it.

With that said, I thought the words of a highly respected individual around the NFL might be able to persuade the unconvinced. Let's let no less a figure than Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells offer his insight about the current Cowboys signal caller.

Jerry Jones - Prophecy, Chaos & Discomfort

Jerry - pointing out flaws

While Jerry Jones holds the sports world in suspense, or rather discomfort, fans that reside closer to that elusive condition known as sanity should at least attempt to soothe their discomfort with repeated shots of logic. Forget the fact that the Cowboys General Manager, in spite of his age, is able to leave logic behind about as fast as Deion Sanders could view opposing return teams in his rear view mirror. Cowboys fans, however, owe it to themselves (and no one else, Jerry) to visit the past in order to bring about some semblance of order from this Valley Ranch imposed chaos. Please momentarily forget the fact that, in the real world, order does not proceed from chaos. Hopefully, my point will be made.

The first stop on this tour of chaos takes us back to just prior to the beginning of this past season. In spite of the hope of the new season about to begin, the upbeat attitude of Jason Garrett's players and the positive outlook of many football insiders, Jerry Jones takes it upon himself to inform the world that the Cowboys have a major flaw, the offensive line. Incredibly, he then takes it upon himself to shoulder the entire blame for this condition. As a GM, he pointed out his own failure in the area of acquiring adequate offensive linemen for the upcoming year. Nothing like a boost of confidence from your boss!

Inconsistent and Erratic Offensive Line

Think what you want about Jerry's managerial skills and his eye for talent, in this instance his cryptic statements turned out to be prophetically apocalyptic for the Cowboys. With the exception of Left Tackle Tyron Smith, erratic and inconsistent play across the offensive line was the norm for much of the season. In fact, only the more drastic injury trouble of the defensive unit kept the woes of the offensive line from constantly being the topic of choice for fans and media types.

Which Way Do We Go?

For those in the know about the psychological sensitivities of the Cowboys General Manager, the defensive tribulations were not what Jerry ordered. Precious attention was being diverted away from the area pin pointed by the man in charge of knowing what the Cowboys were all about. Believe it when  I say that Jerry really wanted, yes needed to get the focus back where it belonged, on him and what he had to say. He did all he could to relieve the defensive pressure. If you don't believe me, ask Jay Ratliff.

No Playoffs!

But, alas, this all culminated in an even worse scenario than Jerry envisioned, no playoff berth. As everyone knows, we still haven't escaped the reactionary wrath of the GM. He has simply gone dormant while everyone waits.

But, Jerry definitely left no one to guess who was in charge. He first dismisses the Running Backs Coach, Skip Peete. I believe it can honestly be said that this move was completely unforeseen. It also makes no sense at all.

Not a Happy GM

For a GM to publicly identify a problem area while taking professional responsibility for its existence is considered by most to be the ultimate in maturity and due diligence. However, blaming the running game by firing the RB coach speaks of a loss of professional equilibrium. Any running back or running backs coach will tell you that a good running game begins with the offensive line. The running back has nothing to do with injuries or the erratic and poor play of his blockers. So why fire the running backs coach if the offensive line was pegged as a liability before the season began?

Your guess is as good as mine, or maybe even Jerry's!

There are more points to come from this chaos. Until them, chaotic discomfort reigns. I just wonder if Jerry realizes that it's his world that is uncomfortable. I refuse to enter such chaos by clinging to logic.

Jerry Jones – The Only People Suffering Are The Fans

Jerry Jones - Not Smiling

After the disappointing loss to the Redskins to end the season and all playoff hopes, Jerry Jones went on the equivalent of a managerial tirade, warning coaches of the discomfort to come. Subsequently, Running Backs coach Skip Peete, Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan and Passing game Coordinator – Tight Ends Coach, John Garrett have been fired. Everyone seems to be walking and talking softly at Valley Ranch, not sure where the ax will fall next.

Meanwhile, the fans of America’s Team are watching what has to considered a type of torture. I’m not necessarily referring to any physical torment, but extreme discomfort of a more psychological nature. If you’ve ever had to endure the acting of a B movie, you know what I mean. The words are recited, the emotion is forced, the plot is too obvious, full of repetitious and trite cliché’s. As I said, torture.

Well, that is what has been emanating from the general Manager’s office for quite awhile, a second rate production that’s full of glitz and glamour, but no substance. In fact, this production is growing so monotonous that fans are growing tired of hearing and seeing the same thing year after year.

Fans couldn’t care less about the financial empire Jerry has created. But they do care about a team being put on the field that is successful. They expect it, especially since the legacy of the Cowboys is about winning consistently.

And the sad fact is that, in spite of the financial success of Jerry Jones, he has been nothing but a loser as a General Manager since their last Super Bowl Win which most think was won with the bulk of Jimmy Johnson’s efforts. That’s almost two decades ago.

The only consistent part of Jones’ production since is the football mantras repeated, the forced emotion, the trite cliché’s, the promises of a different plot year after year after year after year after year………and, oh yes, don’t forget the losing and mediocrity………..Torture, that’s what it is. And after a while, the ones being tortured can decide to invest their attention to something else, for the discomfort is too much.

After all, Fans have their limit when it comes to suffering needlessly.

Circumstances Surrounding Hit On Dallas Cowboys LB Sean Lee Clear Indictment Of Replacement Officials

 by Ryan Bush

As bad a game as Sunday afternoon’s hit-parade was for the Dallas Cowboys, three hours in Seattle might have been just as brutal for the replacement referees.  No, the Dallas-Seattle crew didn’t bungle the game like their colleagues allegedly did in Philadelphia and St. Louis, but one particular fourth-quarter play is deserving of a second look.  And, if I know the media, they’ll replay it many more times than that over the course of this week.

 

Seahawks Golden Tate "blocks" Cowboys Sean Lee

Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee was in pursuit of a scrambling Russell Wilson when Seattle wide receiver Golden Tate reversed field and planted his helmet squarely in Lee’s chest, resulting in what is commonly referred to as a “de-cleater.”   Lee, one moment on his feet, blinked only to find himself on his back, while Seattle players erupted in celebration on the sideline.

As any rules guru would have expected, a yellow hankie then fell to the turf.  Tate’s hit was golden without a doubt, but also illegal.  Any defensive player in Lee’s position heading downfield at a vertical angle is considered in a defenseless position, which prohibits an offensive player from going against the grain and blocking him while leading with the head or shoulder.  The rule was implemented several years ago to avoid what happened Sunday, Lee on his backside staring wide-eyed through the stadium’s partially-enclosed roof.

Come to find out, the yellow flag wasn’t for Tate’s sniping incident, but for an altercation downfield involving Dallas linebacker Bruce Carter.  Carter was deemed guilty of a late-hit on Wilson, after the quarterback had scampered out of bounds. There was no mention of a Seattle infraction, and the officiating crew started marking off the fifteen-yard penalty.

It’s a mystery how the entire crew managed to miss a collision so close to the ball-carrier that nobody else in the stadium missed.  Couple that with replays of the personal foul penalty they managed to slap Carter with, who ran Wilson out of bounds only a few yards away from where Lee was unexpectedly reclining, and you could almost envision the Union and League reaching an agreement today in a consolidated effort to protect the league’s integrity.

Local writers tried to protect the refs, referring to Carter’s late-hit as a “soft shove.”  Actually, Carter barely laid hands on Seattle’s quarterback.  It was a powder-puff example of touch football.  Somehow, someway, somewhere, the refs interpreted the incident as unnecessary roughness, completely ignoring Lee’s pulverized frame nearby.

It’s a double-whammy against the replacement refs that could have affected the outcome of a game. Fortunately for all involved, this wasn’t one of those times.

“Just to answer that as unemotionally as possible,” Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said, “I thought that was a defenseless player who was hit.  Initially, that’s what we thought the call was going to be.  Apparently something happened at the end of the down where they called it on us… It seems to be that’s something the league is trying hard to guard against, and that might be a pretty good example of what that was..........There were a lot of football plays in the game.  And that really had nothing to do with the outcome of the game.”

Head Coach Jason Garrett reacts to Late Hit penalty

But with that said, it can hardly be considered good business for the NFL to have an officiating crew on the field who are oblivious to such an obvious foul, and then justify the landing of a flag by pulling a personal foul out of a place where nothing of the kind exists.

The NFL needs to stop squabbling over nickels and dimes, and get the pros back out there.  Before this gets any worse.

Left Tackle Position Has Dallas Cowboys Seeing A Lot Of Yellow

Left tackle Tyron Smith - Beaten

 by Ryan Bush

Twelve years of Flozell Adams.  Then two with Doug Free.  And now here we are one game, and three false starts, into the Tyron Smith era.

Is it too early to suggest a pre-snap jinx has been laid upon the Dallas Cowboys’ left tackle position?

Dallas Cowboys' Felix Jones’ Uninspiring Play Gives Additional Meaning To Remainder Of Preseason on the Long Road to the Super Bowl

 By Ryan Bush

As late August threatens to give way to September, head coaches and general managers have begun to anticipate the first of two roster cut downs in order to reach the NFL-mandated 53-man roster.  Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett has been pelted with questions from the media this preseason surrounding the team’s wide-open battle at three of the five receiver positions, leaving little room for other discussion.  Cole Beasley’s seven-catch performance in San Diego on Saturday night has only intensified the ongoing debate among coaches, players, and fans alike.

Meanwhile, a developing story at the running back position has to have Garrett and general manager Jerry Jones a bit concerned as well.  Three weeks of training camp and two exhibition contests into the season and what once was thought to be a roster position set in stone has turned into a host of veritable question marks that is nothing but disconcerting.

Entering his fifth season in the league, Felix Jones traveled to California for training camp with a firm grip on the No. 2 halfback position behind last year’s rookie phenom Demarco Murray.  But one uninspiring practice after another, coupled with two sub-par performances against Oakland and San Diego, has left Jones’ role with the team very much in doubt. The speed that convinced the Cowboys to draft him twenty-second overall in the 2008 draft out of Arkansas seems to have disappeared, and his impressive agility right along with it.  And all this developing around two running backs, Murray and Olawale, that have made the most out of every carry.  Without a doubt, this could spell trouble for the Cowboys and Jones.

In a league that has adopted a dual-running back fold as the norm, the Cowboys were counting on Jones to be Murray’s sidekick in the backfield, spelling him intermittently throughout the course of each game.  Jones’ game-breaking abilities in the passing department made him a valuable asset as a third-down back in Jason Garrett’s offense as well.

The tone from the front-office suggests the Cowboys are prepared to be patient with Jones, who is coming off off-season shoulder surgery, and aren’t watching the waiver wire for any possible replacement.  

But how long their patience will last is the question?

Because,  it’s no secret that Garrett needs production from his No. 2 back and might be hesitant to expect Olawale to fill that role as a raw rookie in the case that Jones continues to flounder, making the final two exhibition games versus St. Louis and Miami, oh, so very important.