Why Not?

Beautiful breakdown.

Based on Week 1 only:
NFC East: Cowboys – Yeah, Yeah, Yeah…I’m a homer. Blind optimist…whatever. The Dallas offense is good…real good. We have a good offensive line that will be great after a few games (meaning Pettiti naturally matures), great TEs, 4 very good receivers, a great running back and very capable backups…and lastly, a very good QB. Once this Defense gels, and the young talent blossoms…a great team will emerge.

NFC North: Detroit – This was tough, because I don’t think their that good. It’s just that Minn, GB, and da Cubs look really, really bad. I’m talking NFC West bad. This group is gonna be won by an 8-8 or 9-7 team.

NFC South: Tampa Bay – OK, also a homer pick (I live here), but stay with me. Their Defense is really good…old, but really good. They’ll win enough games to give Atlanta a run. This is easily the best division in the bunch and Atlanta, Carolina, and Tampa will all be in the mix. Two will come from this division. I say Tampa and Atlanta, any order.

NFC West: Sea Rams – I mean really, who cares. Neither has anything approaching a championship Defense. Could be the first divsion ever to be won with a losing record.

Wild Card: Philly & Atlanta. McQuarterback was not impressive. The Eagles D was not intimidating. They can be had. Westbrook is the real deal. t.o. is a poor man’s version of Keyshawn. Drops way too many balls but will get some big ones. Sooner or later the chemistry on that team is gonna explode…did you see that BS before the game?? These two teams are thugs…Atlanta looked pretty average as well. Decent D, for a change. I just really didn’t like his throwing the ball. Not a top notch QB…great playmaker…average QB.

My only changes from previous predictions are Detroit for Minn (Wow, I can’t believe how bad they looked)…and Tampa for Carolina. They were always my 7th pick, so natural promotion.

No…there’s no team that scares me in a matchup against our ‘Boys. There’s no reason they can’t make a run…THIS YEAR!

As I was watching the Ravens and Colts on Sunday night I couldn’t help but truely appreciate Ray Lewis. Sure he is a great player!! But that isn’t half the story … he is a leader .. the heart and soul of that team. I was in awe of how he is the heartbeat of the Ravens. … While beating the Bolts was great, the Cowboys need more mental toughness. They need their emotional leader!! There is that old saying, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. There will be a point in the season were this team will be challenged emotionally … I thought what Kevin Mathis did last night was awesome!! He stood his ground against a bigger stronger man!! He said, “This is our house!! No one comes here and talks crap about this team!!” … once the Cowboys find an emotional leader (or two) and have this type of mental toughness … then I am not scared of anyone! Bring them all on!! … Lets go Cowboys!! This is our year!!

EricR,

What Mathis did was incredibly smart. He traded himself for Trotter. He’s what, their nickel corner? Atlanta’s fourth corner? And he takes out the heart of the Eagles’ run defense. I don’t know it it was premeditated, but it was brilliant.

It looked like Mathis baited Trotter, and Trotter, unfortunately for the Eagles, took the bait, hook, line, and sinker. I agree with Rafael on this one.

Mathis toed the line, essentually saying, “Yeah you beat us last year .. we aren’t backing down!” .. I don’t think the action was premeditated, but the emotion translated to another 50 yard line butting of heads, again Atlanta making the point that they aren’t backing down to the “mighty” Eagles, and then the emotions translated onto the field.

Emotional leader-Roy Williams!!!!

Trotter (hot headed thug), T.O. (what can you say that hasn’t been said about him), not paying Westbrook (their best offensive weapon), and a shook up McNabb hopefully spells TROUBLE for the Fleagles. I live right outside of Philly and the sports talk stations are claiming that McNabb had x-rays and other tests today. He has a swollen sternum and is day by day. This translates into blitzing and hitting him early and often. He gets shook easily.
I can’t wait until Oct 9th. I am traveling to Dallas to see the game. Go Cowboys.

yeah, as for all this playoff talk. I’ll say that at preseason my hopes were up to like mmm…7 (1 to 10 scale). But I have to admit that after seeing dallas play a hell of a ball game and then see all of the NFC basically fall apart on sunday, my hopes are up to 7.5. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a cowboy all the way till my grave and I really think we are going to have an awesome season by the looks of it. But I don’t think any of us should freak out and overlook the cowboys’ weaknesses. They have alot of work to do before they are an all around playoff contender. Not saying they won’t make the playoffs, I just think that when playoff time comes around the cowboy boat has got to be watertight and right now I’m seeing a few leaks…that’s all. ( I know I"m asking for it)

Manuel, not Roy—A Glenn, Ellis, and Campbell. The team was inspired when it picked its captains, who are all essentially part-timers with histories of grit and refusing to quit. They all showed it on the field this weekend, too, (one deciding pick, a sack, a few crunching blocks) along with Crayton, Bledsoe, Jones, Nguyen, and Henry. The difference between the Ravens and a Parcells team is that Bill expects all of his players to be like that—to be “Parcells Guys.” If they are, the team looks like it did Sunday. If some are not, they get traded to Cleveland or the Jets for a bag of balls or a low draft pick, and Parcells just finds somebody better at their position who wants to play that way and become a “Parcells Guy.”.

Bledsoe’s plassing and our WR’s coming up big with clutch performances was masterful. Furthermore, SEAN PAYTON’S play calling was great. Bledsoe said Sean called an “outstanding” game.

That being stated, do ya’ll think they can keep this up all year?

Rich, I don’t think the offense (any offense) can keep it up indefinitely. That is why the heart of the team has to be the defense first, and special teams second.

sean salsbury has crayton as one of his game breakers for week 2

With regards to making a run, the Cowboys are well rounded enough to make a run. However, there is a lot of work that needs to be done before anyone considers this team a contenter. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Boys and the win this past Sunday was great considering we haven’t won an opener since 1999. In order for the Boys to compete for the big run, the following needs to happen:

- Bledsoe has to get rid of the ball faster. He had a great game, but keep in mind that the Chargers had less than 30 sacks all of last year and they recorded 4 in the game and I am fearful that when we play Philly, DC Jim Johnson will throw all kind of blitz packages to make Bledsoe uncomfortable and unstable.

- Pettiti needs more time to develop and soldify the RT position. I am not as concerned for blocking for JJ, but reading defenses for blocking for Bledsoe.

- Some may disagree, but I feel the Boys can stretch the field more utilizing 4 WR sets(with Price). A number of plays need to be made for this

- Demarcus Ware almost had three sacks, but he needs to improve as our main outside pass rusher and work better on his reads. I’m confident he’ll get better, but can he learn by mid season? The same also goes for Marcus Spears, Kevin Burnett and Chris Canty.

- Special Teams most is also extremely important. Parcells hypes up special teams so much that it was very disappointing seeing Spraloes run back to mid field a few times. I’m sure most of you know, most of the games Parcells invovle utilzing the running game, play action, playing excellent defense and having a good special teams units. I am not confident in Cortez and I hope we can find someone who is serviceable in the kicking ball.

I think that we will have a good year. We just need the young guys to develop fast in order for us to compete against the Eagles as well as the Pats, Chiefs and Colts.

I wonder if Julius’ older brother is gonna be able to give him any advice about the Washington D, having faced them last week….

maybe…how many touchdowns did the bears score??

Well ya have to sit back and look at this whole thing and so far we are in good shape IMO.Afterall there are only 16 games so each one is critical.That first win was huge and some(even most) of the preposed contenders are faltering.At the start of the season all the mediots touted Philly,Carolina,Minnisota,Arizona,St, Louis as NFC contenders,now it’s still early and things can change quickly,and I think some of those teams will bounce back but with a win Monday night(which I expect) we will be at 2-0 which is huge!Remember there’s only 16 games!We have won 4 games in a row(Seattle,Jacksonville,Houston,San Diego) and soon to be five(Washington)!Gotta love the additon of Henry,and awhile back BP’s said he loved having Henry because he matched up well against the bigger recievers(TO,Moss,etc.) since he is a big corner.And don’t forget we will have two more playmakers in the mix soon(Burnet,Fujita) so my personal opinion is that we definately have a chance to win big this year!Our secondary is so much better than it has been in years!And as our defense continues to gel the sacks and interceptions should be more common place!Game-changing turn-overs win games!So in conclussion,I think we are gonna “shock the world” this year!

the mediots are already jumping on the BOYS bandwagon. I think FOX even asks the question………Are the Cowboys the 3rd best team in the NFC?

Why not the best team in the NFC? Falcons Deangelo Hall and Jim Mora’s Defense kept TO without a TD. Beautifully done. I can see Anthony Henry playing him physically like that, and then giving some help in coverage for wrapping him up. You cannot stop the guy but you if you can keep out of the end zone, you improve your chances. If McNabb is out this week lookout if the 49ers can beat up on the eagles. That would be exactly what I would love to see just watch TO, Westbrook, and others jump off that sinking ship. The rats always survive!

Carolina lost Jenkins already. That weakens their D, they are still a good football team, but lost to the Saints at home?

Atlanta looks legit. Vick is only going to get better and if he is healthy they are a 12 win team. Their defense was just nasty, and I think Mora is a good coach. I think they can get better each week too. Vick is still learning…………God help us all if he fully understands the offense and gets in sync with his young WRs. He has a cannon for an arm.

Dallas has SF and Oakland on the road. Neither is a great football team, but two weeks on the road in hostile enviroments. If we can beat the Deadskins, and sweep the Cali Coast we will be sitting pretty before we take on the rest of the NFC.

Personally I don’t think the NY Giants are there yet. They will still be tough at home and on the road. Coughlin and Parcells know each other too well. However, I think we can beat em.

That leaves the iggles………I been saying all along I think we can split with this team. We beat em two years ago. Why not now. Atlanta got pressure on McNabb. We got pressure last year and never wrapped him up. I think Demarcus Ware will change that, I don’t see McNabb running away from him. Vick maybe, but not McNabb.

As each week goes by this team will get better. I don’t see us having any conditioning issues. The rookies are young enough to handle it, and Glover and Ellis are only benefitting from ROTATION! Glover had a 4th Quarter sack…….none last year in the 4th……..

I still say we can go 11-5 with a little help from the rest of the NFC that might be enough to win the EAST! In the playoffs nobody is going to want to play this team if they stay healthy.

The biggest downside I see is Drew Bledsoe has to stay healthy. He also needs to continue to play like he did in San Diego. NO INTs! Vinny killed us last year. I don’t see Romo or Henson winning many ball games yet. They are truly in the minor leagues and if Bledsoe went down we would have to sign another QB. However, Drew has been pretty solid as a starter and hopefully we can protect him and improve on our running game. I think the key to that is scoring early and relying on the run. If we can have that old Cowboys way of getting lead and shutting you down on defense, we can let Julius Jones become the 2nd best 4th quarter Running back to ever play the game. Nobody will ever compare to Emmit in the 2nd half of games……..but JJ can take a shot ati it!

I see Crayton getting better every week, and I can see Price gettting some time on the field too……..why not some rotation at WRs as well. I think this team can go deep in the playoffs. One thing I like about our WRs is they catch the football. Not a lot of dropped passes out of this bunch. Another OLB and somebody other than Bradie James inside……..and we might even be in the Super Bowl!

If you look at the season like a boxing match, then in round #1 the Boys came out and used what they learned during their preparation for the fight and outboxed their opponent. In almost every boxing match a boxer will face advercity. They are going to take a hit! Its when a fighter faces these circumstances, you get to see what he is really made of! What are the Cowboys going to do when an opponent knocks them square in the jaw? Are they going to go into shock? Turn their heads in pain? … Or are they going to fire back!! Step up and be even more precise and hit with even more power!! Knock their opponents back and fight their way out of the corner!! … That is what I want to see!

In 1991, a very young Dallas team went on the road, in the playoffs. The place was Soldier Field. A nail biter to say the least, where every point mattered. Tom Waddle made acrobatic catch after acrobatic catch, and was the main source for the Bears offense, as they mounted a comeback in the 3rd and 4th quarters. Waddle became more and more of a thorn in the Cowboys side as the game was coming to the end. Late in the 4th quarter as Waddle came across the middle Vinson Smith and Ken Norton converged on the tackle and as Waddles’ legs went one way his upper body went in the opposite direction. Message sent!! Then that young Dallas team had one of the best goal line stands in the history of the NFL. With the game on line, the Cowboys stopped the Bears on all 4 downs, 2 of which were running plays from one yard out. … Now that is toughness!!

In 1992, Dallas faced an Eagle’s defense that hadn’t allowed a 100 yard rusher in 52 games. 52 games!! Would it be 53? Not on this day!! Emmitt rushed for 163!! That is a tough @#$ team!! … There is going to be a game or two down the stretch, that will challange this team in every way. Will they step up and meet these challenges head on!!

…. What are these Cowboys made of???

roy i feel is the leader of this team, in my eyes.
against washington i think our cb can cover moss and patten 1 on 1 with some help from davis, i think BP is gonna blitz washington a whole lot, till brunell can show there wr can beat our cb. i think the defense will be a lil better and continue to grow till the end of the season and by week 8-10 the defense will be dominate.
the giants always seem to come out and destroy someone, the redskins offense isnt good but there defense is top 5. the eagles are still the class of the nfc, with the falcons.

What’s a mediot?

Having this much upgraded secondary allows us to blitz more often(they work in tandem) so I agree that with our defense you are gonna see alot of blitzes.We finally have the personel to do this….can’t wait till the middle of the season(when our young players) have a few games under their belts and the game starts to slow down for them and they start making plays on a consistant basis!I think once Ware,Canty,Spears,Burnet hit mid-season they are gonna a wrecking crew!Let’s tighten up those ST coverage units and stop letting our opponents have the ball at the 50…..BP needs to get on DeHavens ass and let him know this ain’t gonna cut it!

Well well, almost everyone has charged there tune about the Boys. Not referring to us bloggers. Referring to most of mediots. Never seen so many band wagon jumpers. Everone would like to part of something that is great. Imagine that. When you refer to adversity, I submit that the Boys faced that in the 1st quarter, 1st drive against SD. If that isn’t getting punched squarely in the mouth, I don’t know what is. Everyone now is writing that we have work to do. What team doesn’t?

Firstly, we was worrying about a win. Now we are concerned with well do we now place the SB trophy. Smile. I like want I saw. Thank you very much.

Whoa, there, gentlemen! Slow down on the superlatives!

Did the Cowboys look good in their opener? Yes.

Did they look great? No.

They’ve got problems at linebacker that the Chargers were never able to exploit (but I’ll bet the short-throwing Brunell will be all over that). Their prized rookie, Demarcus Ware, can’t stop the run to his side. Their defense that some called “shut down” allowed 24 points Sunday to a team missing their 2nd-best offensive weapon and squandering their best offensive weapon for most of the 2nd half. And I didn’t even mention special teams yet.

And that vaunted offense we saw was decent in running against a good Chargers rushing defense, but the ’Boys won because they passed efficiently against the 31st-ranked passing defense of last year. Period.

So all we know for sure right now is that the offense is OK. The defense is hot-and-cold. The special teams are lousy. And it will likely take significant improvement on two of these squads to win the NFC.

So, as much as I love the Cowboys, my prediction is still some rough sailing en route to a record of 9-7 or 8-8. Batten down the hatches!

media………run by idiots……….mediot

in case you have not notied……Rafael is not a mediot……

Jon,

I can be idiotic at times. But mediotic? Please.

if the boys can improve every week,like they did in the jimmy johnson era we will be a pretty good team remember back in 92-93 we got spanked by philly after going 3-0 .we had 96 total yards in that game but by the end of the year no one could stop us.we are not close to the best right now ,but give us 12 weeks we will be awesome!

Remnant,
I completely agree with you,but nobody ever called that defense “shut down”as i recall Bp said they’re rookies at times your gonna see there flashes,but they are gonna make rookie mental mistakes,oh and another thing you cant take away from the cowboys offense for a ranking that chargers had last yr on pass defense which was 31st you better believe they atleast tried to address that issue,and im sure they atleast fixed some holes,that pass defense for the chargers looked good to me on sunday not great but good,again its week1 dont get too excited yes i know.The bottom line this is one heck of a team thats gonna be very competitive,not superbowl competitive.

I think the boys will get past the 1st round i have them 11-5 for the season for the fact that they’ve got some talent now

I agree with Remnant. We do have some problems at linebacker. The other thing that no one is saying is that we were very lucky on third down. The Bolts could have stopped our drives on at least 3 occasions if they hadn’t had bone headed penalties. Having said that, the Boys will make the playoffs, and could make a run if our young guns come through….

I’m going to agree with Remnant somewhat, especially with Bill being brutally honest that he couldn’t count the number of things he didn’t like.

The Good:
- Our CBs can cover…our safeties are still suspect, especially Davis
- The DL rotation works
- The D can contain the rush…that was one of the best running teams we shut down.
- The Passing game is very good, very deep, and will cause problems for other teams…we’re gonna score some points
- The Running game is just fine.
- This team hits…hard

The Bad:
- Ware has a long way to go before Canton
- There will be some changes on ST
- DL must get more pressure
- LBs need to get their stuff together

You’ve got to figure that the easy first half, against suspect Offenses, will allow a few months to get this Defense together, while still winning more than their share. Figure they drop a winnable game, since they already stole a sure loss. They’ll still be 6-2 going into the break.

Then they play the offensive powerhouses. By then, this D should be a lot better. The offense seems capable of keeping the ship afloat until these problems can be resolved.

You point the good then you point the bad and indeed they are facts,there’s some holes and there is positons on the team that look good and deep,what i saw sunday despite the penalties errors i saw heart.I saw a team in early that looked jittery and towards the end i saw a confident team,despite the holes and and the mental mistakes early on they manage to pull the win,that final goal line stand was trully something,and i haven’t seen one in a while.I guess thats where the size made the difference which of course has slowly changed since BP arrived here in d-town to what it is now.Yes….Yes again there was errors may i point out it was on the road with rookies on defence,and a defence that is trying to gell on top of that.

This is a 3-4 defence that they are still learning and they at times will find them selves in no mans land as some people will call,which is how both times McCardell found the inzone,they looked like they got burned both times when in reality they were just out of position which will result in what you saw sunday.Real holes are players who find them selves getting flaged constantly for being burned or making illegal moves i didnt see any of that i just saw players out of position which can easily be coached and addressed,which BP and zimmer will fix in time.

Bradie James is our biggest problem at Linebacker. Dat playing on the other side made more tackles on James side of the field. Where was he? I say when Burnett is healthy, but him in Bradie’s spot. I did not notice Singleton too much but he is an aging veteran, was Fujita out there at all?

I think we are at least another good LB away from having a great defense. Maybe two……….if Burnett cannot play the inside……..when Parcells watches the game tape he is going to go off on James. Hopefully the guy either steps up or gets replaced. So far he is my biggest disappointment, I mean he was a 3rd round pick out of LSU and was all SEC……….why can’t this kid play? He certainly has the size and physical ability he just seems to always be out of position or gets blocked by anybody.

Another nast linebacker or two and this defense is going to be very very good. One nice thing if Bledsoe stays healthy and can play for two or three years we have more time to develop or replace Romo and Henson………Crayton and Price are much younger and faster than KJ and hopefully healthier than Glenn………Terry is still a great WR if he can stay healthy and still has speed. If Crayton continues to develop we don’t have to spend a 1st or even 2nd rounder next year on a wideout we can let Bill Parcells continue buying the groceries for the full fledge switch to a 3-4. In my opinion he has his Corners, SS, and possibly his Defensive lineman depending on how Spears and Canty develop. Glover and Ellis should retire as Cowboys………all you suckers that want to trade em. He might be able to go get us a couple of LBs or an FS if Davis does not cut it. If there was a great QB available or a super WR maybe either one of those might make it on his grocery list too.

Eagles will have serious cap and contract problems. Westbrook and TO mostly. Giants are paying Eli a lot of money, Strahan getting old…….they still need an offensive line………..Redskins will be lousy as long as Dan Snyder owns em………and you know what does he care Fedex Field is making him the richest owner anyway………well Arthur Blank is probably the richest owner…….but I mean as the income as the team goes. Dallas can once again rule the NFC East and be a playoff contender year after year!

Hope he sticks around to keep cooking the meals, after all this grocery shopping.

Hey Rafael…….why didn’t Parcells consider Boulware? The guy played OLB in a 3-4 and was a sackmaster? He was available. Was it the injury or is he just not a Parcells guy? At 5 mil under the cap we could have signed him.

ok ok ok i see OLB is becoming a ???,and everone is saying they should address.Well here’s a stud for ya A.J Hawk Ohio state,and just hope he slips somewhere in the draft,or just any of those ohio state linebackers there trio is trully something that would solidify that defence and allow them to Wreak Havoc when ever they feel like it especially in that 3-4

Jesse,

Agreed, it is just a matter of time.

Jon,

You and others need to back off James just a bit. Dat is playing the “playmaker” ILB spot and doesn’t have to take on the guards as much…he’s supposed to make more plays. From all the experts perspective, he played fine.

Fujita played on ST only, as he was signed only a week or so ago. BP talked about getting a rotation in for LB as well going soon. You should see Fujita around week 4 or 5, but no later than the bye week taking over for Singleton.

And for gosh sakes, calling Burnett a bust is just ignorant. He had knee surgery. He’ll be back in a couple of weeks. He is, according to Carl Banks, the most talented LB in the group.

Fujita was our signing…by year’s end the starting LB corps will be Fujita, Burnett, Dat, Ware…a very different look with very solid backups in Singleton, Shanle, and Ogbogu.

Also look for Burnett and Dat manning the nickel by year’s end.

Fighter15
“t.o. is a poor manâ€â"¢s version of Keyshawn”
I’m not a TO fan but come on now………..

The guy dropped three passes, that I saw. He looked very pedestrian. And, remember this, from the ’96 draft, Keyshawn is 2nd in rec and yds, t.o. is 3rd. Marvin Harrison is first.

I’ll give you his playmaking ability is much better, but is not a reliable receiver. I’ll take Keyshawn.

Oh, and he’s a cancer. He will kill the Eagles…you watch. I predict a real storm brewing by the Monday night game in Philly. t.o. may not even be playing by then.

Fighter15
sorry but I would take TO over KJ. You said it yourself he is a playmaker. Which we don’t have right now at wr. But hopeful that will change this year.

T.O. already showed how unhappy he was the other night. He will bring down that team, that is what he does. If he isn’t happy, no one is. Now McNabb is hurt – he better get used to getting hit because Roy is coming for him. I say 11-5 or even as good as 12-4 this year.

I am concerned about Newman. I think he might be our third best corner right now. His rookie year nobody really went his way but the times that they did they beat him. I forgot who but a WR from Mia said it best he is fast but he doesn’t know what to do. In that game he got beat bad. Last year he got beat a lot. I didn’t see the game against SD but how did he look? I see and hear other young corners say they want to cover the other team’s best wr. What do you guys think about him?

Fighter I called Bradie James a 3rd round pick out of LSU a bust, since Burnett has not taken a snap in the NFL yet I have not called him a bust. Hopefully he is much more of a linebacker than Bradie James. Burnett is a 2nd round pick from this year who has not played in the NFL yet, I usually give a guy 3 years just like Parcells and Landry do, this is Bradie James 3rd year and if he does not step up, in my humble opinion he would have been the worst draft pick of the Bill Parcells era even worse than Jacob Rogers cuz that was injury related……this guy has played he just ain’t shown anything. Hopefully James will imrpove this year and he will silence the critics……..I hope for that, I honestly do!

He ought to be shacking some of the guards and making tackles. That is what linebackers are supposed to do be it in a 4-3 or 3-4. James was pushed around by TE, Guards, and even RBs.

I think Newman played alright. I saw him screw up a bit, but overall I think he played well.

Now I’ve heard that SD was “going at” Henry, but I’m not so sure- MAYBE Brees threw to Henry so much because Newman was all over the guy he was covering….

Any thoughts?

And when we play Oakland, I don’t worry too much about MOSS.

Yeah, he’s great, but he was open a lot during their new england game- and it didn’t matter much cuz their QB was on his back most of the time. Their O-line couldn’t handle the patriot D, and they won’t be a match for our guys either….

I think TNEW will be fine. Aaron Glenn helps a lot, and he will help Henry and Newman continue to improve. Glenn is credited with working with the youngsters in Houston and getting them upto speed so fast they took his starting job!

You know if Crayton keeps improving, Price gets out there, KJ and Glenn then Witten………SD made a point of shutting down Witten. But they were watching last years tape when Terry Glenn was out of commission and Witten and KJ were all the experience we had. What a difference a year makes, Crayton seems to have learned the offense and has great hands, Terry and KJ are still old reliables, Witten is still our young TE that we know is good, and we add Price. WOW……….all of sudden we are the team that CBs are going to be fearing! Not to mention Julius Jones running between the tackles or taking it outside…….he can do either!

I am liking this offense. I also liked that Crayton and not Glenn or KJ led all WRs. The youngster getting it done. I remember Rafael commenting at camp about all the catches Crayton was making, I was kinda like yeah but it’s just training camp……….looks like he is taking it to the field as well.

Rich,
thats a really good point!

Burnett was supposed to play in the nickel defense but Parcell said that the rookie had too much on his plate in his 1st year learning OLB in the 3-4 AND playing the majority of special teams. Hopefully by mid season BP will feel comfortable enough and Burnett will be starting. I think Burnett has great speed and size, he’s a playmaker im very happy we drafted.

About the mediots, I don’t really care about any of the Clayton’s, Skip Bayless, Len Pasq., Mike Ditka’s opinions. Their opinion of the Cowboys is not gonna dictate how well our season will go, it looks like were gonna prove most of those “experts” wrong so far. Most of the mainstream media IMO doesn’t like the Dallas Cowboys. We are one of the most hated teams in the NFL if not the most. It’s no surprise to me when I see someone on ESPN predict our season to be a bust. Some experts thought that the Chargers were one of the top 5 teams in the league. Dallas beat them on the road, you think we can be any threat to the Eagles now? Sean Salsbury doesn’t think so. “It’s their division for the taking”. I totally diagree. All we can do is keep proving them wrong.

and by the way:

FIGHTER, AK, JON, ERICR, JESSE-

NICE POSTS, GUYS. WELL WRITTEN STUFF.

YA’LL MAKE SOME GOOD POINTS.

Oh, and you too, Rafael….

I didn’t see one “expert” on ESPN pick the cowboys over the Chargers, not one. I think we can win the nfc east if we improve every week and I dont think thats getting too far ahead of myself. No one thought we could beat the Chargers and we did.

My thing about Newman is this rookie year vs his second year. Did he really take a step backwards? or did teams just start throwing at him this second year? I think the oak game will tell us a lot, I think oak WR should be near or at 100% by that time. Crayton is good he might be the only one still here in three years.

hopefully Bledsoe, KJ and Terry Glenn all have Super Bowl rings to wear at the retirement home!

Peerless is young, but only signed for a year. If he catches on he could be kept by Dallas if they can agree to terms.

Anyone else catch Don Banks and Peter King trying to give the moniker “America’s Team” to the Saints?

are you serious?….Why does everyteam at one point wanna find a reason to call them selves americas team.Whether its winning situation or what ever reason etc.With all the respect to the victims of hurricane Katrina we feel your sorrow and we are here to help,an have all of americas undivided attention,but you can not call your self americas team because of a tragedy.This took decades,hof players and coaches that rightfully earned there spot,and a team with fight and with such history has earned.This is not directed just towards the saints but every other team the patriots,saints,49ers etc.Credit to the saints for winning at carolina and may there season be a cinderella,and i hope it is one,but americas team thats a little extreme if you ask me

There’s been a lot of talk about the need to draft linebackers next year. What about the offensive line? Isn’t LA’s contract up and I think maybe FA’s is coming to an end too. I don’t see BP resigning LA unless he’s willing to take a much reduced salary. Same with FA—he’s too erratic, Pro Bowl one minute and ordinbary the next. Ourl ine is solid with them this year and will improve as Petitti learns but what about the futrue?

i ink dat thee cowdoys wils wins the suberboll.

Swidge
We wont know about Petitti until the end of the year as long as he gets better he will be here. LA don’t know about his contract but one of the young guys can step up next year if they need to. We might just need a back up next year. I still think we need a young stud WR.

Whoa, there Cowboys! Lets take this one game at a time.
Nobody has ever won anything after 1 game. We have just started the marathon. Until something changes the “Birds” are still the class of the conference. We have nothing to talk about until at least week 8. By then we will know who we should and can’t beat. Beating the Chargers without Gates leaves questions in my mind and until Ware learns his position and Newman proves last year was a fluke, I’m not printing up my playoff tickets just yet.
If we continue to give up 50yrd runs on kickoffs we won’t have anything to be happy about. Lets just let the boys play. If we win out in September I may change my tune but right now, i’ll take my steak rare while I wait.

AW:
I wouldn’t worry much about T-New getting burned at times, look at McAllister game against Indianapolis… Look at the Miami game, they played against Champ!… What’s my point? It’s that every CB can be burned if the QB has enough time to throw the ball and Brees had enough time and even if he doesn’t have the time he throws one of those difficult throws to the seams in middle field and he’s going to have a completion. And as a matter of fact T-New neutralized Sammie Parker but indeed he had problems against McCardell.

I can’t wait to see the posts when the Cowboys lose a game.

I thought the overall play throught the NFL was ragged
(especially the special teams play which is typical)…..too
many coaches not playing the starters during the preseason
 for fear of injury which seemed to work well for Carolina
 and Chris Jenkins.Brady ,Vick, Mcnabb,Manning all looked out
of sync and defenses were gassing in the late 3rd and 4th qtws
in alot of the games i saw.
As for Dallas vs S.D. a win is win.Lets not forget SD had 4 count’em
4 shots from inside the 10 don’t tell me dallas didn’t deserve that
game.
Anyone catch Bledsoe not hook sliding???

Where is the TROLL …………puttin the FANTASY back in
fantasy football???

I think Becker’s right; the play around the league was pretty ragged. And it ususally is. I recall a friend of mine with the initials RV saying more than once: “The first week of the season means nothing.” Just look at Buffalo 31-0 over New England a couple of years ago. Stuff like that always happens. Teams seem to carry over from the previous year in week one or from the pre-season before things start to settle. I imagine the Vikings — who’ve always had trouble at TB — will probably get better.
But, I do agree with the one who said the Cowboys showed heart. And they looked better in many ways than they ever did last year against a good team. So that’s encouraging, but that’s all we know.

Funny how we discount the bad and readily accept the good. By wk 4 we will know this team much better. Looking at the schedule SD was the only team of the 1st 4 games just about everybody thought we would lose. If we run the table for the 1st quarter of the season I’ll do my best JJ impression and yell “How’bout them Cowboys!” But until then I’ll wait.

Cash Says:

September 14th, 2005 at 2:08 pm
Anyone else catch Don Banks and Peter King trying to give the moniker â€Å"Americaâ€â"¢s Team” to the Saints?

They are america’s team for now. The hearts of the country goes out to them because they represent the strength of that state, The will to persevere over this tragedy. But this is a social issue. It has nothing to do with football. On the field everybody knows that the Boys are America’s Team.

Anyone see the Harmon forcast? That guy is an idiot! He says that Washington will win 19 to 16 this week because they benifit from a “soft” start to the schedule……including this week’s game. Calling the Boys soft…….they should turn Roy loose on Harmon!

WHo’s harmon? Anyway, I’m not really suprised that no one is taking Dallas seriously. I think there is really a distain for dallas among the media…don’t really know why, but I think it’s the truth. The only way I think anyone will take dallas seriously is if they get to 5-0 this season after beating Philly, don’t expect it otherwise.

Papadash. Maybe you didn’t read the article. Peter King and Don Banks called out the Cowboys specifically saying that we were no longer America’s team and that the Saints were. As I wish you would, I would like to see liberal dribble left out of sports. I understand that there was a tragedy in the region, but all of the socio political crap that has woven its way into the issue is phony.

Long time fan (’66), and this team feels a lot like the 90-91 teams, with maybe a more talent and experience…this will be good for a long while if we long-term solve quarterback…GO COWBOYS!!!

Hi guys, what’s up. Are the Cowboys going to win it all this year or what?

Hey Cash: what part of Papadash’s statement was “liberal”?? I’m confused by that one. Your statement about no “socio political crap” is much more political than anything else I read. And I generally agree, let’s keep politics off the site. But if expressing compassion for people in Louisiana as a prelude to saying the Boys are still America’s team is politics, then maybe you think Jerry Jones is the President of the United States. AFter all, he was just responding to a sub-thread that YOU started. And he was probably even agreeing with you. All I know is that it’s “drivel” not “dribble” and maybe you’re confusing “liberal” with “literate.” But then again, maybe that’s just sociopolitical crap, too.

Cash,

I know you love to disagree with me. But you are right about “America’s Team”. It was a term of endearment that the Cowboys earned because the way they played the game. You don’t just throw a that title around when tragedy strikes a city. Sure our hearts are with the people of New Orleans .. but America’s Team will always be the Dallas Cowboys!! ……… I live in the New York area and its the Giants and then the Jets and Cowboys are a very close second, as far as fan support. .. But for sure one or two reporters will never determine who Americ’a Team is .. it will always be the fans.

GG,

Fine, make a deep passionate plead to Americans to keep that region of the nation in their hearts and prayers, but don’t go passing the Saints off as America’s Team. They will never have the following of the Cowboys. .. Listen when 9-11 struck, the Yankees and Mets had emotional heart felt games that brought the country back to normalcy, in a way they helped us all, especially the people who live here in the New York area. Why weren’t they America’s Team? .. Why weren’t the San Francisco Giants America’s Team after the earth quake? .. This type of reporting that centers around the Saints overcoming the Cowboys as America’s Team is hogwash, more aimed at making the story then having a real heart felt opinion. Look no further than the Carolina game .. sure the fans applauded the Saints .. but it didn’t take long for those same fans to route for their team and route against those same Saints. .. Hey if you want to read into it, its all yours, but I am quite sure you will be routing for the Cowboys come Sunday. .. Remember the Dallas Cowboys who earned the title of America’s Team won the hearts of people everywhere, and became America’s favorite sports franchise .. I just don’t see the Saints doing that. … All aside, I hope all our hearts with the people of the region.

Cowboys can wreak havoc this year if:

1) The LB rotation Parcells talked about starts this Monday and keeps going. I know that Brunell will dink and dunk us to death if we don’t get coverage on the 3-6 yd pass.

2) I saw great pressure on the QB in SD and that needs to continue. The Boys seemed an inch or two away from three or four balls that could have been batted down. ( By the way on that reverse that Brees was the lead blocker – how come Ellis didn’t blow him up? Don’t pass rushing ends live for that situation?)

3) you know I think Bledsoe will be okay! He won’t play the Washington D like he played the SD defense. He will throw on three steps on Monday.

4) Julius Jones stays healthy. I know a lot of you think that Bledsoe is the injury risk, but while we are deep at RB, no one is close to JJ in terms of Talent and ability. He just played against LT and looked better than LT.

5) Goes without saying almost that the special teams needs to get better.

any thoughts?

p.s.
People died in N.O. Football is still a game. Who cares what spin the media is putting on the deaths of thousands anyway, in order to sell more papers/ads/whatever.

Sorry for the misspelling “root” not route. Stupid me.

AlanTDot,

It bothers me because I like SI, but it would be better if those lefties would stick to what they do best and thats talk sports.

Benson doesn’t feel like keeping the Saints in NO is in the teams best long term interest and that was before the tragedy.

This week Peter King wrote some long diatribe about how only Benson can get NO back on its feet by keeping the Saints there. Basically labeling the man a selfish prick if he decides its in his best interest to move them to San Antonio. In my opinion journalists, although they never do, should stay out of the business of social engineering.

Swidge,

Larry Allen signed a new, 6-year contract in 2002. He is ours through the 2007 season — if we want him.

His salary for 2006 will be $3.5 million, plus, he has a $2 million roster bonus. In 2007, his salary will be $2.5 million, with a $4 million roster bonus. That would make his cap cost for 2006 about $7.5 million, and for 2007 about $8.5 million. Allen’s cap cost for this year is about $6.5 million.

His play will determine whether we want to pay those bonuses, release him, or write a new contract. He HAS reached the point where it would cost less to release him than to pay him. We would save $1.5 million by cutting Allen after this season, before next June 1. The question then becomes, could you get a player that good for that $1.5 million? At this point, I would say, pay him his money for 2006. But, I wouldn’t think of writing him a new contract until well into the 2006 season. I reserve the right to change my mind, at the end of this season. :)

Americas Team
Just going to make a casual comment about the boys being americas team and the mediots not giving us our due, or are they? For almost the last decade we have been loosers both on and off the field. Probably just a few bad apples but the teams charachter was nothing like the landry or jhonson teams. Leadership, charachter, and then skill led those teams to greatness. The two formentioned coaches would not have put up with the players we have had in the last decade.(especially landry). These young men seem to have the charachter they will need to become a part of the dynasty known as the Cowboys.
So i ask why should the media give us any props considering how much we resembled a chronic looser over the last decade. Before anyone starts arguing when we started loosing remember w-l record aside we did have switzer and by default that made us loosers.
The answer to my qustion is that we are a good football team that is well coached and we have charachter and fight in us. This group of young men are going to be somthing special to watch and the mediots will have no choice but to see the change in this team.

Boy, you know we’re all a little crazy in our fandom when we’re talking about so many issues that, as some keep reminding us, won’t be resolved for a few weeks. Besides, all optimism aside, 2/3 key injuries and we’re an 8-8 or worse team-to any of about 10 players! BUT, the talk about the draft next year (so far away!) has been on my mind, because we are obviously improving and close, but not there. I agree wholeheartedly with ’Swidge" OFFENSIVE LINE! All aspects of the game start there. It was our dominating line that allowed us to surpass the Eagles and Reggie White-Erik Williams kicking his butt every time we played-not to mention the time for Troy to throw,and the holes for Emmit. Linebackers? Free agency, come on. All great teams have dominating OLines-right now ours is good, and an injury away from average or worse. To get to Super Bowl type levels we need that OL

Mr. Bill,

Thanks for the info on LA. I agree it makes sense to keep him in 2006. No way to replace him for $1.5m. Hope we can restructure in 2007 so he can retire a Cowboy. Do you know anything about Flozell’s contract? I worry about the OL ’cause it usually takes 3 years to develop an offensive lineman.

America’s team became America’s team due to the decades of excellence that Dallas has produced. The teams of the seventies and nineties produced multiple superbowls and divisions and conference champions. You always knew that the road to the superbowl was going to have to contend with the cowboys. I see that happening again. Teams that have rich winning history are considered to fit the mold of America’s Team. Teams that never give up, never are satisfied with just produciing a winning season. The idea that the America’s team name can be given to a team that does not fit that mold is ludicrous. The Saints are the feel good story of the year, but they are not yet anywhere near the status of America’s Team. America’s team stand for excellence over time. The only team that could lay claim to that in my opinion might be the Patriots. If they win the coveted Turkey(bowling term) then they will probably deserve to be considered with the great teams of the past. There are only a couple of teams I consider worthy of that title and Dallas is the only one that could have been considered twice. Just the musings of a long time Cowboy fan.

I would like to second the motion to leave politics off this site. (reference to lefties) Listen, I can’t blame the media for shunning Dallas. Dallas hasn’t proved anything to show that they are a contender. Although I feel like San Diego was a big win and it’s enough for us to believe this year, it’s simply not enough for the press. We’d have to beat New England by 30 and put Brady on a stretcher before they’d do that. But I promise you, PROMISE you, by week 5 no one will be talking about the Saitns and American’s team. They will lose in the coming weeks…badly…to sub-par teams, so don’t freak out ya’ll, it’s gonna pass!!!!!!!

Swidge,

Flozell Adams is also signed through the 2007 season. I don’t have his contract details.

According to the NFLPA database, his base salaries for 2006 and 2007 are $5 million each year. That site doesn’t give any info on roster or other bonuses, though [not to people (like myself) who don’t have an agent’s password].

According to an article earlier this year in the Fort Worth newspaper, Adams’ cap cost for this year is $5.9 million, off a base salary of $3.9 million. If there are no bonuses due over the next two seasons, that would make his cap cost $7 million, each year.

Since Flozell just turned 30 this year, this contract is not going to last for his career. We will probably look to tie him up with another contract, sometime in 2006 — assuming he continues to play well.

People, we need to know what “America’s Team” means before we start throwing the term around like a ragdoll. .. The Cowboys earned that title by taking risks with their image when no other professional sports teams would. Their owner Tex Shram initiated the Thanksgiving Day game. Other owners laughed at Tex and said, “Who would ever show up to watch football on Thanksgiving?” Boy were they wrong!! The Cowboys were the first pro team to hire beautiful girls to rah-rah on the sidelines (hence the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders) and the first to start team publications like Dallas Cowboys Weekly. The players’ work ethic symbolized what Americans thought of their great country, and in the 1970’s more and more American’s fell in love with the Dallas Cowboys. .. Their leader was tagged with the name “Captain Comeback”. Roger Staubach was a Heisman trophy winner at the Naval Academy, but bypassed the NFL to keep his committment to his country … easy to like a guy like that .. Stories say, people lined up in huge crowds outside Macy’s window in New York City to watch Roger “the dodger” down by 4 with three minutes left in the game .. it was always interesting and usually a thing of beauty. .. American’s fell in love with the Cowboys because the Cowboys symbolized the good in this country, taking risks and making them work for you when everyone else doubts you … working hard to achieve your goals … and never ever giving up, not even when your down by 11 with 4 minutes left in the game, never give up. That is why the Dallas Cowboys are America’s Team … forever!!

You all understand, of course, that “America’s Team” is a title picked up by and perpetuated by the same people you hate, the dreaded leftist communist anti-American lunatic fringe that is our national media? YOu all understand that the term is meaningliess, a marketing ploy trotted out by Cowboys’ PR, and it was given life by SI, network TV, local TV news and newspaper columnists.

“the Cowboys symbolized the good in this country” um, ok. most americans hate the Cowboys. Most Americans think that they symbolize snobby elitism, and not any intrinsically “American” values. Most Americans think it’s an arrogant franchise that declared itself America’s team. I’d think you meat’n’potato blue collar conservatives would identify more with the Steeler’s lunchpail, hard hat ethos.

one of the reasons i’m such a Cowboys fan is that other people hate them, and it makes me right, and them wrong.

By the way, the Redskins turned down a trade for a #1 pick from the Miami Dolphins in exchange for Patrick Ramsey. That’s nuts. However, I did hear it from the media, so Lord knows if it’s not some crack pot conspiracy.

I make my living in “media.” It rankles me to hear the dissemination of information disparaged and politicized.

Let’s win some games. You can call the Saints whatever you like. I’m sure some of you remember when the Saints were the Aint’s and fans wore bags on thier heads to home games. It is as Tommy said:“The Saints are the feel good story of the year,” Thats all. Let’s win some games. When we start ruling the NFL again and get back to the days when our play sets us apart from the rest of the league. Let’s win some games! People hated Dallas for a miriad(?) of reasons. The reason I like the most is as a Giants fan friend of mine put it: " I hate Dallas because you can never turn off the F’ing TV with them! Just when you KNEW it was over and changed the channel to something else,assuming they were done for, you see later on the 10 or 11 o clock news: DALLAS RALLIES TO NIP (Fill in here with your favorite team to hate) Let’s win some GAMES! Forget monikers,forget feel good stories, FORGET POLITICS!!! When we get back to shipping the opposing team our playbook with all the plays we were going to run that night and still win by 20+ points while daring them to stop us, you will have all the America’s Team references you can stand. Finally, and I hope you catch my badly disguised drift here: LET"S JUST WIN SOME GAMES!!!!

Most mediots come from the Coasts, because that’s where the major media outlets, schools, and editors are. It’s also the bastion of the liberals…but I’m not going there. Having Washington, New York, and California teams as our rivals during championship runs usually influences people’s biases, naturally.

If you grow up a Giants fan, you gotta hate the Cowboys. Born in Virginia, Maryland, or Delaware…the only Cowboys’ fans were people who hated their parents. :-O San Fransico, LA Rams & Raiders…never in the 70s or 90s could you cheer for both your team and the Cowboys, who regularly beat them.

That naturally leads to a bias against the ’Boys. These guys growing up hated them. Why would a national audience cause them to temper it? They just have to hide it in mindless drivel based on seemingly “objective” facts.

For example, SD didn’t get any press on their D being weak because they were switching to the 3-4 last year…yet that’s all you heard this summer.

So, whether or not they join the bandwagon, they still have to cover ‘em…because the Cowboys are America’s team.

By the way, it was Steve Sabol’s dad who came up with “America’s team” for NFL Films. Tex Schramm just kept promoting it after. Shrewd if you ask me.

Or John Facenda (the voice of the NFL, still the greatest highlight caller, RIP). Not entirely sure, but I think it was Sabol.

I AM A PHILA. NATIVE, EVOLVING INTO A HIGHER FORM (COWBOY FAN) WAY BACK WHEN "CALVIN HILL " WAS THE MAN.
ANY WAY,ITS ALWAYS GOOD TO BE A COWBOY FAN,BUT NOW ITS GREAT
GO BOYS, GO.

GG,
Jerry Jones as President? Literate liberal is a contradiction in terms? Good grief. I agree that politics are better left off this Blog even if certain mediots philosophical leanings are accurately described. I am generous enough to let the Aints “BORROW” our name this year. But that lease must be spelled out in written form and registered at the courthouse. Next year they will have no legitimate need.

Fighter15:

Nope, it was Sabol.

Papadash,

The history of the game is a great part of football. Watching the Sabols, and NFL Films Presents, is a part of a football fans heritage. Who cares about the history of “America’s Team”, lets just win games now? .. I care and so do most football fans. .. But the point here is, if sports writers are going to challenge history, at least understand what the term means and where it originated from. It wasn’t a term deemed to express sorrow for a region of the US that was dealing with a tough situation, it was a monicker that Americans took to as they embraced a team that was very easy to like, and very easy to relate to. The Cowboys of the 70’s with Captain Comeback kept people on the edge of their seats. Americans fell in love with the most exciting team in the NFL. The Cowboys took huge risks off the field, and were like watching a bunch of kids on the field. The Cowboys players loved the game, and their true feelings of the game bubbled up and poured over onto the people who were watching them. Putting a new “America’s Team” spin on a catastrophy and taking away what the Cowboys have earned with their rich history is just bad journalism. .. Come up with a different name for the Saints if you want to make news. Why challenge the Cowboys’ history?

I continue to see the term “mediot” used here. There is no such word. Further, those that use it are name-callers. Alluding to reporters/commentators/analysts, i.e., “the media” as “idiots” simply because the name-caller disagrees with particular reporters/commentators/analysts is classless. I have a great deal of respect for journalists, beat writers, etc., whether national or local, —even though I don’t always agree with them. Many work very hard for very little pay. Anyone who has been in the business knows this.

On another subject, I don’t care if the Cowboys team is “America’s team” or not. I care about the team winning football games and championships.

Ron Hicks Says:

September 15th, 2005 at 2:54 pm

On another subject, I donâ€â"¢t care if the Cowboys team is â€Å"Americaâ€â"¢s team” or not. I care about the team winning football games and championships.

Somebody get that man a beer!

Ron Hicks:

It matters not to me if I agree with what a media member says. Sometimes, they will be right, and sometimes they will be wrong. I can live with that, and my perception is that most of the blog regulars can, too. I find myself agreeing and disagreeing with practically everyone who writes on this blog at various times, and that matters very little to me, either. Some are more knowledgeable than others, and some are better writers, but those also mean less than you might presume in how I esteem them.

My problem with mediots is not that they publish something I disagree with, but that they publish CRAP. I can listen to Parcell’s news conferences, look at last year’s record and extrapolate from that, and follow conventional wisdom established by other mediots myself, and I do not consider myself a reporter. The problem a lot of these mediots have is that they have quit reporting what they observe and digging for stories like real reporters supposedly do, and have become media celebrities instead.

Look no further than what came out of training camp and the preseason. Bledsoe is washed up, and Parcells only signed him because he drafted him in New England. The Cowboys will fail if they depend on Crayton at 3rd WR. The Cowboys are a bunch of over the hill players, held together with baling wire. Aaron Glenn has lost a step. Parcells should have drafted a WR. The Cowboys will go 6-10 this year, because they did so last year. Houston has a better team than Dallas, because they are better at QB, WR, and RB, and have played the 3-4 defense longer. Bill says . . ., but we believe . . . because everybody else with a byline is writing it, and we don’t want to look stupid. And on and on and on. This week, it is “Bill is saying how many problems the team has because he wants to send a message, so they don’t get cocky.”

Well, that is all CRAP. Bledsoe may or may not be the answer, but why should we take Buffalo’s word for it over Parcell’s? Who says Carr is so great—he’s done essentially nothing in his time, although he shows potential. If Davis is so much better than Jones, why have the Houston coaches kept looking to sit him at times because of his inconsistency? If Crayton keeps looking like Drew Pearson, why are the Cowboys in trouble at WR? Who says Bill only wants to keep his players humble? Did any of them watch the game and see all the breakdowns all the blog regulars did? What makes them think they know more about football strategy, coaching, or talent evaluation than Parcells?

When Rafael went to camp after the first preseason game, it immediately became clear what the team was trying to do and who they intended to use to accomplish their goals. Everything Rafael reported the team as working on that week was evident in the next game. The team won, but that was immaterial—what mattered was that the team clearly responded to what they were to learn, and implemented it in game situations. This is when I knew they would have a winning year and challenge for a playoff spot. Any decent reporter that paid attention to practice would have been able to see the discipline and athleticism and predicted the same thing. They would also have been able to guess, within one or two, how many rookies would make this team, rather than acting all surprised about how Parcells didn’t stick with his favored older players at cutdown time. Indeed, the pompous windbags kept recycling their old predictions and preconceptions, getting ready for their “Has the NFL passed Parcells by?” headlines in about week 6 if the team started slowly. Instead, they will go with “Is Parcells a genius?” until he retires or hits a losing skid later this year or down the road several years.

In short, disagreement does not determine idiocy, at least in my estimation. You may disagree with everything I have written, and this would not make you an idiot, if you can support what you argue. However, coming with unformed, emotion-laden opinions that have little factual backing, as the mediocracy does, invites the very contempt and scorn you decry.

The Cowboys picked up the moniker of America’s Team in the 1979 off-season, during the Tom Landry Era, but not for any of the underlying reasons stated above, as if factual. Yes, the term was coined by NFL Films, which was then under the direction of Ed Sabol and son Steve. John Facenda was at that time “the (magnificant) voice of NFL Films.” Following is an excerpt from the book “Dallas Cowboys: Our Story”

After each season, personnel at NFL Films put together highlight films of each team’s games. After editor Bob Ryan prepared the tape of the Dallas Cowboys following Super Bowl XIII, he had to come up with a title. By 1978, the Cowboys had been on national television far more than any other NFL franchise. Dallas players, from Roger Staubach to Tony Dorsett to Randy White to Too Tall Jones to Harvey Martin, and on and on, were household names regularly featured on billboards and in television, radio, and print advertising. Considering the team’s popularity – or notoriety, a term Cowboys haters preferred – Ryan came up with the title of “America’s Team.” It caught on.
Tom Landry hated the appellation. He thought it would provide extra incentive to opposing teams. Eventually, though, he resigned himself and actually came to like it.
Dallas players, too, had their doubts.
The nickname has stuck with the Cowboys ever since.
-Excerpt from the book “Dallas Cowboys: Our Story”

Below is Ryan’s own account, taken from the website:
http://groups.msn.com/DallasCowboysAficionados/howthename39america39s39cameabout.msnw:

“After the ‘78 season, the Cowboys had just lost a
crushing Super Bowl to the Steelers. I wanted to come up
with a different twist on their team highlight film. I noticed
then, and had noticed earlier, that wherever the Cowboys
played, you saw people in the stands with Cowboys
jerseys and hats and pennants. Plus, they were always the
national game on television. If you think back, there has
always been one team in each sport that has support from
fans nationwide: the Yankees in baseball, Notre Dame in
college football, the Boston Celtics in pro basketball. They
are all America’s teams. So I put that name on the Cowboys’
film, and in 1979 the TV announcer for their first game
introduced the Cowboys as ’America’s Team.’
They took a lot of heat for it, but it stuck. Later other clubs
like the Atlanta Braves and the U.S. Olympic hockey team
have tried to call themselves ’America’s Team.’ But that
name belongs to the Cowboys.”
-Bob Ryan, Vice President and editor-in-chief, NFL Films

So, NO, there are no circumstances that would rightfully permit one team to encroach upon the name or long held tradition of another. Someone could erect in Dallas a towering statue of a lady holding a torch. But name it the Statue of Liberty, and you should expect to have some hell to pay from citizens from sea to shining sea.

also from http://groups.msn.com/DallasCowboysAficionados/howthename39america39s39cameabout.msnw:

WHY THE COWBOYS REALLY ARE AMERICA’S FAVORITE TEAM

The ESPN Chilton Sports Poll, conducted over 12 months in 1998-99 made it official: The Dallas Cowboys really are America’s favorite team.

Sports enthusiasts around the country were each asked to name their favorite professional sports franchise. Teams in any pro sport were eligible. Only one team scored in double digits.

The top 10:

1. Dallas Cowboys (10.7)
2. San Francisco 49ers (6.8)
3. Chicago Bulls (5.6)
4. Atlanta Braves (3.4)
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (3.0)
6. Miami Dolphins (2.5)
7. Washington Redskins (2.2)
8. Green Bay Packers (2.0)
9. Chicago Bears (2.0)
10. Oakland Raiders (1.8)

cowboy bert:

Thank you for writing an eloquent reply to my comment about the use of the term “mediot”.

I agree totally with your first paragraph.

I disagree totally with paragraph number two. You seem to think that if a person publishes work that YOU consider substandard, he/she is an idiot. I think the term “idiot” is inappropriate. Have you ever produced substandard work? If you have, did YOU consider yourself an idiot when you did? Hopefully, not. Further, what hard evidence do you have that reporters have “quit reporting what they observe and digging for stories like real reporters”? I regularly read a good number of sources, and I just don’t see evidence of what you suggest.

The problem with paragraph number three is that you have lumped together bits and pieces of reporter opinion that you disagree with, without providing a single piece of evidence to substantiate your claim that reporters have quit reporting what they observe and digging for stories like real reporters. In other words, I think it is incorrect to suggest that a reporter (or two) has made a few observations (with which you disagree) and everyone else has followed suit. I would certainly agree that SOME reporters may not have done sufficient homework, but that does not make them idiots.

In paragraph number four, you enumerate opinions with which you disagree. You call those opinions “CRAP”. It seems to me that your definition of CRAP has become OPINIONS WITH WHICH YOU DISAGREE. And, yet, you state in your first paragraph that “It matters not to me if I agree with what a media member says.”

Paragraph number five suggests that Rafael has had a significant influence on your thought processes. We need to remember that Rafael offers opinion, commentary, and analysis from HIS perspective, not THE perspective. Further, I would suggest to you that Rafael gets some of his information from the very people you (and he) call “mediots,” and sometimes gives no credit to those sources.

The term “mediots” lumps all members of the media together. That would suggest that ALL reporters are idiots. That simply is not the case. As a matter of fact, I am not aware of a single reporter who is an idiot. We may disagree with the opinions of a few reporters or think their work substandard, but that does not mean all or any are idiots; hence, the term “mediot” is inappropriate and should not be used.

Ron Hicks:

We disagree completely, or you miss what I was saying. What I mention by way of examples is not idiocy because I disagree with it—how do I know whether, for example, Ware will become another LT after one game? Nobody can foretell the future and make such predictions with any degree of certainty. One person can say he believes it will happen, another can notice his current shortcomings in run defense and despair that he will ever get it right, and I can consider both opinions and form my own. No idiocy there at all, just honest differences of opinion formed by shuffling the established and verifiable facts in a different order.

What I am objecting to is mostly laziness. I could sit around pontificating about how the Cowboys are going to do this year, and who they should have taken, and which draft picks are already busts, but if those opinions are based on my own ignorance, superstition, and emotional reactions rather than facts, or are a mere regurgitation of what others have told me, whether Bill Parcells, Jerry Jones, another team’s GM, or another media member, what I have said deserves little notice or weight.

Given the current Cowboys roster, I could make the case that the team can go no better than 5-11 this year, and make the argument almost totally around special teams failures. I don’t believe it, and I think it is unlikely, but I could make it. I could also make an argument for 12-4. In the end, whatever any of us argue now, the season will be played and all of us are likely to be significantly wrong in many areas. That makes none of us idiots. We all see facts through our own filters, although some see them more clearly than others. That is to be expected, and is still not idiocy.

I understand that Rafael reads other sources, like we all do. My point about his reporting is not that he has no biases, or that we should unthinkingly drink his kool aid (or anyone else’s), but that his reporting from camp contained a great deal more factual observation than anything else I was able to find, and a lot less coaching/owner/media spin. I am interested in what Parcells says, but what he says needs to be reported as what he says, not as the gospel of how things are or what they will become. What someone on ESPN says, likewise, is not gospel, but merely what they say.

I agree that some media members have significant insight into a great many areas of life, football and otherwise. I do not include them among those I term mediots, a term I adopted after first encountering it on this site. I understand the term, as applied to the lazy, unproductive opinion mongers whose sole job is to generate controversy and sell copy or push ratings up by being outrageous. I see their articles in newspapers and magazines, hear their blather on national call-in shows, and watch them bloviate on television, just as you probably do. Who cares what they think—it is likely to change by the minute, as they react to ratings rather than having core beliefs based on factual interpretation.

Some have earned the right, after years of consistent, diligent work, to be taken seriously. These I listen to, agree or not. Those I initially disagree with most sometimes become my favorites to listen to, as I find out how correct they are about areas in which I am ignorant. Some have different opinions than the norm and predictions about everything that violate settled “wisdom.” These deserve to be heard and judged on their accuracy as the facts become known. Finally, there are those whose job is apparently to push ratings and copy through ignorant, self-serving rantings. These are mediots, and deserve scorn.

Look at all the lllllllooooooooonnnnnnnggggggg posts! What, have we become lawyers here? When the MEDIOTS do nothing but regurgitate what BP said in his press conference and stand around with their thumb up their butts far away from the field during practice (as Rafael observed during camp), they have no business to call themselves “experts” and then expect the rest of us to take their word as gospel (and much less pay to read it). Enough said. The word Mediot itself is descriptively apt AND self-explanatory!

James:

Thanks for your shooooooooooooooooooooortttttt OPINION. There is no such word as “MEDIOT”. It is NOT “discriptively apt AND self-explanatory!” to anyone except one who has the OPINION that it is. Further, I don’t know what Rafael observed. I only KNOW what he reported, and, contrary to popular opinion, he is not infallible. As fans, we should take whatever ANYONE writes or says and think about it. If it makes good sense, we should seriously consider it, if not, we should ignore it. I have agreed with much that Rafael has written, and I have disagreed with some that he has written. But, more to the point, I have a problem with Rafael regularly maligning reporters by suggesting that they are idiots. After reading scores of Rafael’s posts, I am not convinced he is qualified to make that call. Is Rafael’s analysis and commentary sometimes superior to that of some of the locals? Of course, but that fact does not give him the right or necessarily qualify him to call any reporter an idiot.

Lastly,
I am not aware of any person employed by any media source that goes around with his/her thumb up his/her butt, but it seems to me that it could get rather uncomfortable, especially on a hot practice field. Do you have pictures?

Ron Hicks
Mediot, the word may not exist, but the idea does (at least here). I do not know enough about any one reporter to label them in that way. I have always believed that most media has been packaged in a way to reach the most people. In doing this, people who think critically about things tend to feel that the reporters are either lazy or unprofessional. When you consider that most newspapers are written at or below the sixth grade level, you can see why this might be the case. I am not trying to be critical of anyone either on this site or anywhere. I like to read others opinions about a topic that I love (The Cowboys). There are people on this site who only want to fight and call each other names, and there are people on this site who enjoy a good exchange of ideas. Sometimes those people are one and the same. Reporting on football, especially Dallas Cowboy football has been suspect for a long time. There are reporters and commentators out there who detest the Dallas football team. They use there position to consistantly attempt to denigrate a remarkable sports franchise. The question I would like answered is who is qualified to say that someone is an idiot? What is idiotic to you may not be idiotic to me or to another person. I am sure that there are many Redskin fans who think that Joe Theisman is the cats meow. Is only another reporter qualified to say what is idiotic? I have written a sports column before, albeit a tiny little hometown paper and I can honestly say that it is not as easy as you would think. I had to learn to word my message to fit my audience. The average fan does not have the desire to delve into the pros and cons of the 3-4 defense as compare to the standard 4-3. Most people just enjoy the game and cheer for their team. For those who want more in depth analysis they seek people who have expertise in that area. If a reporter is an idiot then by all means consider him or her as one. The old saying that if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck and sounds like a duck, then it probably is a duck. Just the musing of a long time Cowboy fan.

The word Mediot does exist.. we use it and it has a derivation.
Right now it may not be in widespread use but that does not mean
it doesn’t exist.I can think of several examples of the media using
words that were not “found anywhere” prior to their being used
by the media.But with you ronny thats ok because the media
can do what it wants and we just say its great because the media
does it.

By the way ron how do you know "many in the media work
for very little pay????A few examples……
As for Substandard work that may be ok with you but the rest
us have expectations not very high just that the reporters have
a clue about what they are talking about………but then again
you think that retard Nick Eatme deserves praise because he
was the first report that the cowboys released thorton when
they told him first!!!!!!!
Since you are having a hard time getting your walnut sized
brain around the word Mediot, Ron I’ll give you and your
big thinkers over at the DMN a few examples:

Ed werder’s story about Key walking out of the off season
program and demanding a new contract…………..

Your pal and resident DC.com village idiot Nick Eatme
reporting nothing in 90sec. video update but the fact that
Rob P injured his ankle something that was a headline
right next to the video update……..

I don’t want to overwhelm you so i’ll keep it at two
examples.

If you have a problem with the word mediot don’t use it
but don’t try and censor others from their exercising their
rights.You mediots can sure dish it out but have a little
problem taking it.
to report something.

Ron Hicks,

Rafael, and anyone else on this blog, has the qualifications and rights guaranteed by the first amendment. If that is not enough for you, too bad. I don’t recall anyone appointing you Blog Vocabulary Nazi.

Ron,

I agree with you to a certain extent and have voiced my opinion on this before. Well first of all, I do believe that sports journalists in this era are pretty bad. Dallascowboys.com? I was the first to critisize Nick Eatman feeding all the Cowboys fans the hogwash that the Boys would be an exclusive 3-4 team. Yet, I believe in being fair and have also comlimented Eatman on a story he wrote about who Dallas can’t afford to lose (“Mr. Irreplacable” was a very good piece) Overall, its my opinion Eatman does a pretty good job, and has written some good stuff. So has Mickey Spags. (I really enjoyed the piece he did on Tyson Thompson) One thing I am sure of, I am glad that the guys at dallascowboys.com are not like the writers that I can’t stand, which are the reporters who create a story when there is nothing newsworthy to write about. Like? .. The Ed Werder thing with Keyshawn, and the story about Greg Ellis, both stories were made bigger than they really were. Making a big deal about nothing? Parcells’ statements of “We suck!” and “Jap plays” getting bleeped off ESPN is rediculous. Trust me I have heard a lot worse there. That is creating news and bad journalism. … And to the people saying Eatman and Spags are idiots, then why go to the website? If you don’t like what they write, its your choice to stay away. .. By golly only an “idiot” would repeatedly go somewhere they don’t like! .. If we are going to be judgemental of Spags and Eatman at least be fair, and when they write a good column give them their dues .. because if we don’t and are only critical of them then we are the idiots.

ERic,
      I never said theDC site is worthless nor did i mention anything
 about spags don’t put words in my mouth.NIckeatme is a lazy
idiot you mention one good article out of how many total has the guy
done??So one article makes up for all the clueless unprepared
ramblings of a HOF MEDIOT??I mean come on ERIC even a
blind squirrel finds a nut !!!

The ED WERDER story was completley and totally false….
 a FABRICATION !!!!!!! There was no “it being bigger than it
was”!!!!!!IT never existed but because a mediot like ed werder
reported it you believed it.

Eric,

You mentioned that you don’t care for “non stories” but
that what ronny and his MEDIOT pals over at the dallas
morning SNOOZE specialize in………the latest being
the “peerless p. watch”……oh but you know what they
have such a good track record with starting drew henson,
and Glover being to small to play nose that i really should
give them a break…….and lets not forget B.P. is leaving
any day now……oh yeah and B.P. hates rooks the list
is endless i wish i could get paid for being WRONG as
often as ronny and his pals…………………..

Tommy:

Thanks for your thoughtful response. I agree with just about everything you said, but I just think it is going too far to label a reporter an “idiot”. Surely there are better words to describe inferior reporters with whom we disagree.

Mr. Bill,

Thanks for your response. It is certainly your right and Rafael’s right to call others what you wish, but that doesn’t make it right. I do not believe the word “Nazi” has any place on this site, but that is just my opinion. BTW, I have never advocated censorship on any level. I just think the word “idiot” is overused and inapt in this case.

Becker:

Thanks for your reponse. I will adress each point you attempted to make.

There is no such word as “mediot” and I don’t think the media can do anything it wants or say anything it wants. If you think that is what I stated, then you have misunderstood my posts.

I know many people who work in the media receive low pay because I know many of them and am a former member of the media.

I am not aware of anyone named “Nick Eatme”. Where does he work? What does he do? What evidence do you have that he is retarded?

I don’t think the size of my brain has anything to do with you, but I can assure it is not “the size of a walnut.” BTW, there are some readers here who are not impressed with those who toss out insults. Just a friendly reminder.

I never said that I am a “big thinker.” I do not have any affiliation with The Dallas Morning News, nor do I personally know anyone who is employed there. I worked at a Texas radio station many years ago.

I don’t always agree with Ed Werder, so your point is moot.

Again, I don’t have a friend named “Nick Eatme”. I do not know anyone by that name.

Your post has not overwhelmed me.

There is no such word as “mediot”; therefore, I cannot be one. Further, the last thing I wish to do is censor what people say or think. On the other hand, I will continue to say that the word “idiot” should not be applied to those with whom we disagree. Also, it does no good to insult those with whom we disagree.

Eric R:

Thanks for your response. It appears there are some of us who generally agree on this issue. I personally think that Nick Eatman is not on the same par as most other local reporters, but he seems to get way too much criticism. He is certainly not an idiot; he is just not quite as competent or insightful as he probably should be.

A few days ago, several posters were passing along some information about a Cowboys player without citing their source. I checked and found that the only reporter who had put out that information was Nick Eatman, so I suggested that we give him credit for being the first. I thought it was a positive thing to do, especially since Eatman takes a regular beating here. Well, Rafael felt the need to post just to ask me if I am related to Eatman—a clear insult to Eatman. Rafael seems hellbent on maligning Eatman every chance he gets. I have no idea why.

As you stated, why can’t we just be fair?

cowboy bert:

I think you and I agree on everything but the use of the word “idiot” and the tem “mediot”. I, too, think some reporters deserve “scorn” for inferior work. We agree on that issue. In my opinion, the word “idiot” just seems way too harsh for those inferior reporters. Maybe you and I can just agree to disagree on this one.

BTW, I appreciate the amount of thought you put into your responses. Also, I commend you on how well you articulate your thoughts and ideas. Are you a professional writer?

Ron,

I am a bit puzzled by your logic you claim that the term
mediot doesn’t exist yet it does.Tell me does the term
“shutdown corner” exist?What is your basis for determing
 the existence of certain words???

I am also puzzled by your logic regarding the Ed W.
story :“I donâ€â"¢t always agree with Ed Werder, so your
point is moot.”……so you have to agree with someone
 100% of the time in order for what ……to believe them?
Isn’t that exactly what you accuse people who use the
term “mediot” of doing??
Or is it that the Ed W. story doesn’t fit into your the Media
is wonderful world reality and you can’t defend it so you
chose to ignore whatever you can’t defend……………
OH MY GOD!!!!! now your ED W comment makes sense!!!!

As for nick eatme your right he doesn’t exist because
when ronny gets presented with facts that he doesn’t
agree with he just ignores them………betcha (is that a
word?does it exist ?) your years in radio taught
you that huh?

Becker:

Thanks for your response. Are you capable of arguing a point without making disparaging remarks or name-calling? If so, let me know. Otherwise, I think I have made my point and you and I disagree. Have a good one.

ron,
where in the last post did i make a disparaging remark
or call you a name???? Maybe a little sarcasm…….
I don’t have time for guessing or word games ……..i gave
you two examples of media incompetence you chose to
ignore both for reasons that are known only too you….
and now you cry foul over language…..either we have
a discussion on the topic with examples etc. or we can argue
about the shape of the table like the North Vietnamese at
 the Paris Peace Conference the choice is yours………i don’t
have time for the latter.

Becker,

Where in my post do I mention your name? .. Like I said, if you don’t like it don’t buy it, don’t read it .. If you choose to buy a paper or revisit a site over and over again, and all you do is complain about them, then you my friend are the idiot!

EricR:

My sentiments exactly!

Ron Hicks,

I am puzzled. On the one hand, you have just acknowledged our right to write as we wish. Yet, on the other, you earlier questioned Rafael’s right and qualifications to do so. Are you, in fact, repudiating your earlier post? In that earlier post, you attacked the very notion of media criticism by Rafael, claiming him to be unqualified. Yet, you didn’t have the courtesy to support that claim. You just threw it out there as a given, to be accepted without question, since it came from YOU. To me, that meant your only justification for denying his qualification was that what he wrote happened to disagree with your OWN opinion. It seems to me that some of the tar from your brush has rubbed off on your own shirt. You might want to fix that.

I take it as personal when some anonymous twit on the internet sets himself as arbiter of what is right and wrong and what can and cannot be said. I especially take offense when that person uses the same tactics he claims to decry.

Please explain to me the difference from when I might call someone an idiot to when you claim someone to be unqualified or without rights, in either case without proper supporting evidence.

Mr. Bill,

That is an unfair assessment of what Ron wrote. He gave Rafael credit for being better “at times” than the media who reports Cowboys’ news, but questions Rafael’s credentials to be a critic of those members of the media. Please if we are going to have an arguement based on facts then don’t twist peoples words of your own accord. .. It has been my opinion that this site serves a very good purpose and Rafael does a good job, but I too, like Ron, have MY OWN OPINION, at times different than Rafael’s. I like to think we can respectfully disagree. .. A problem with internet chatter is people find it much much more easier to insult someone hiding behind their computer than they would if they were face to face with the person.

Eric even you you can’t be that stupid……..reread my post
then yours if you need help figuring it out extra help is
available after school at no charge.Eric while i have your
attention DC.com is not nickeatme.com there are other
writers and info on the site…..in case you didn’t know.
Oh by the way eric exactly where did i complain about
“THEM” in your quote “revisit a site over and over again,
and all you do is complain about them,” ??I complained
about ONE person Nick eatme who clearly earned it.

By the way does your analogy to people complaining about
something yet continuing to watch it apply to football teams
as well??So if you watch a losing team like the Cowboys
over and over and complain that they keep losing then your
an idiot??I guess………….. if you are eric

Ron as usual has has yet to answer any questions put
to him but can post to praise the guy who indirectly
calls someone an idiot after decrying anyone else who
uses the same term…..one standard for ronny another
for everyone else……hey ron your tinfoil hat is slipping
there….gotta protect that walnut!!!

What credentials must you have to have an opinion? Is a member of the media more or less worthy of our attention. Just because Rafael is not on ESPN or write for Dallas Morning News does not make what he may write less worthy of consideration. Media personalities do sometimes rely upon their position to command respect. We can agree and disagree with each others viewpoint and still respect everyone’s right to speak. I enjoy this forum because I learn something new everytime I visit this site. I love the Cowboys and love the commentary that this site gives. I salute Rafael for his dedication to something that brings a lot of joy to many. I hope that we all can continue to speak as we feel and allow others to do so as well. As far, as what most media personalities say about anything I am highly skeptical. Remember, most media people are trying to increase either the circulation of their papers or audience. Should media personnel be held to a higher standard than the rest of us? I would never assume to be an expert on anything or anyone. I read some of the things that people take issue with and sometimes agree. I have laughed at people on here referring to people as mediots. Maybe, I shouldn’t have, but no one has the right to censor anything written here except the people who run the site.

Mr. Hicks,
The eloquent posts have been delivered by those much smarter and urbane than I. So, you must forgive this poor, un-enlightnened, knuckle-dragging neanderthal when he pierces your VERY thin skin and philosophical platforms with his grunts and bombastic macho howls.

Are there no MEDIOTS? Read how they report on the ’Boys. Now, read how Rafael does the same. Now compare for quality of content, literary style, insight, and most importantly; JOURNALISTIC INTREGRITY! Enough said!

BTW. I am perplexed after reading your posts. Your character and lifestyle elude me. Do you attend a community christian assembly 3-4 times aweek or do you vote for queen hilary in everyday’s fantasy election? Nazi or theocratic fascist? Hmmmmmmm………what a SPLENDID choice! (sic)

Hey eric where does mr. Bill mention YOUR NAME in his
POST?Let ronny boy speak for himself what are you his
 secretary????

I only have one question for this blog. How in the hell did we digress from discussions about the ‘Boys to argumentative rhetoric about etomology? It would seem that we are being self-consumed in our own egoistic opinions of what we all know or assume about the media. At least, that’s my opinion.

Digger,
At last! Someone that knows the difference between words and insects. Y ask Y. LOL! Thank you for bringing us down off of the sandsnake! I was waiting for the naked indian to do it, but he couldn’t cover his ass! LOL!

Becker,

How clever “nick eatme”, did you come up with that yourself? .. While many people misplace Ron’s maturity for riding in on his high horse, I respect someone who at least attempts to make an arguement without trying to degrade others. .. I’ve written on this site long enough that if you make a good counterpoint, and question someone’s opinion, you are bound to be called a host of names .. How mature!

While you believe I was writing about just you, I was talking about the people who have attacked all the writers at dc.com. So I wasn’t singling out you. And the “them” I refer to is dc.com’s Nick Eatman and The Dallas Morning News .. if you don’t like them, its pretty easy to avoid them.

Mr. Bill:

You have every right to call others names on this site (“anonymous twit”, for example) and as I have stated very clearly, I have no objection to anyone expressing his/her views. I have not set myself as an arbiter. That is a blatant attempt to misrepresent my position. I object to Rafael’s coining a term of derision so he can knock the competition. Again, RAFAEL and YOU have every right to call others names of derision, but that does not make it right. Apparently, you have not read what I have already stated in my posts.

I am not convinced, after reading many of Rafael’s posts, that he is entitled (that is what I meant by the word “right” in a previous post—I didn’t mean to puzzle you and I think if you had read it carefully, you would have understood) to judge all media sources and call them “idiots”. AGAIN, he has the freedom to give his opinion, I just disagree with it. I hope you are not still puzzled.

I also object to name-calling, but, again, you have every right to continue doing it. I would be the last person here to want to censor your opinion. But I can sure take offense at it and object to it. Right? Just answer this: What justification do you have for calling others names?

I take it personal when a person coins a term that is, in my opinion, maligns a whole group of hard-working and sometimes under-paid people. That would be Rafael. I take it personal when another person defends the use of that term and calls others names. That would be you.

If you are still puzzled by my position or views, re-read all my previous posts. Most are quite clear as to what I think. But please do not misrepresent what I think to form a strawman argument that you can attack. Also, please try to express yourself without calling me names.

James:

First of all, you are forgiven.

If you had taken the time to read what I have previously posted, you would know that I have given Rafael credit for writing analyses and commentary that are sometimes superior to those of the local media. I still object to his use of the term “idiot” to describe his competition. But, so there is no confusion, I think he has every right to think what he wishes and state what he wishes. I just don’t think it is right. I am not attempting to censor anything anyone says.

About three or four of you are “perplexed” or “puzzled” by my position. Maybe, you have not taken the time to read what I have said and have misunderstood my statements.

My character and lifestyle are none of your business. If you think I am questioning Rafael’s lifestyle or character or anyone elses, you are dead wrong. That is a complete misunderstanding of what I have stated. Once again, I object to his use of the term “idiot” as it applies to the media. I have clearly stated numerous times, this is my opinion.

I do not attend any religious assemblies, but that too is none of your business. What does “queen hilary” have to do with anything? What point are you attempting to make by using the offensive terms “Nazi” and “facist”? Do you think it adds anything to your argument?

Tommy:

You asked the question, “What credentials must you have to have an opinion?” In my opinion, absolutely none. I hope that clears up what I think.

I also salute Rafael for bringing this blog to the internet and have stated that on several occasions. Apparently, three or four posters are not aware of that fact. I, too, think Rafael’s analyses and commentaries “are worthy of consideration”. I have stated that same thing several times. Also, I respect not only Rafael’s right to speak, but I respect everyone else’s right to speak. That does not mean that I cannot object to the use of the term “mediot”. It is a form of name-calling.

I, too, am sometimes skeptical about some of the things various media people say about the Cowboys (or everything else, for that matter). Many reporters get their facts wrong and that is a fact.

I disagree with your final comment: “…no one has the right to censor anything written here except the people who run the site.” I am a strong advocate for non-censorship, and I think it would be wrong to censor any opinions expressed here. Everyone should have the right to express his/her opinion, but everyone should have the right to object to any opinion expressed. Several have objected to my opinions and that is the way it should be. It is unfortunate that some cannot refrain from using disparaging remarks, ridicule, name-calling, sarcasm, etc., but I would literally fight to defend their right to say what they think, even though I find some of their words offensive.

Yeah eric I came up with Nickeatme…… about 400 posts ago
funny how you only seem to have a problem with it now,
could it be that you and ronny have a relationship outside
the blog?I mean since we are being so “mature” honest
and upright at least when it suits you and ron that is, perhaps
you could disclose if you two have any kind of off blog
relationship(is that a phrase?? does it exist???)

Gee eric I wouldn’t know “many people misplace ronnys
maturity” (read arrogance for all you common bloggers)
guess you have first hand knowledge eh??I feel for you
eric man it must be tough working and sucking up to a
“boss” who thinks and really believes he knows it all
 when he doesn’t those are the worst kind!!

As for making a point without degrading you attacked
me in your first post(i guess when called ronny called
you to cry for help)I let it slide then but not now so don’t
give me your nonsense about civil conversation.Again
eric you and ronny have one set of standards for your
-selves another for the rest of us.

We seem to have gotten off the thread with ronny and eric
successfully mudding the waters so I’ll bring us back to
point….Questions that ronny refuses to answer about

MEDIOTS:

 1)I am a bit puzzled by your logic you claim that the term
mediot doesnâ€â"¢t exist yet it does.Tell me does the term
â€Å"shutdown corner” exist?What is your basis for determing
the existence of certain words???

2)I am also puzzled by your logic regarding the Ed W.
story :”I donâ€â"¢t always agree with Ed Werder, so your
point is moot.”……so you have to agree with someone
100% of the time in order for what ……to believe them?
Isnâ€â"¢t that exactly what you accuse people who use the
term â€Å"mediot” of doing??

And one for eric since he feels left out:

By the way does your analogy to people complaining about
something yet continuing to watch it apply to football teams
as well??So if you watch a losing team like the Cowboys
over and over and complain that they keep losing then your
an idiot??I guess………….. if you are eric

By the why ronny what are your Qualifications too
defend the media??
i am not so sure being in radio right after Marconi
is quite enough.
No one has maligned all the media as you claim if
you can show where someone has I would like
to present it ……sort of like the salarys you were
going to get.

Picking on Nick Eatman is too easy. He is less a mediot than a mouthpiece, which is despicable enough. The worst mediot offenders are not even the DMN writers—Skip Bayless comes to mind pretty immediately. This has nothing to do with disagreeing with him, and everything to do with his documented history of making up stories out of whole cloth, presumably for the purposes of self-aggrandizement. I am not a journalist, but as I understand it, the first rule of reporting is to report the story, not become the story. I fail to see how anyone interested in journalistic integrity can defend this putz.

Becker,

Its very easy to defend an arguement by calling the other person an offensive name. Is it that difficult to make a point using your inteligence?

Your question is of two very different things. If I went to a restaurant and disliked the food there, I wouldn’t go back again. But forever I will support my favorite team, because there is no other choice for me. But the restaurant thing and in my previous example, you and I have other options, and yours simply put is to avoid Nick Eatman and the Dallas Morning News. Why critisize them? If you don’t like it, don’t read it. .. The difference is in one situation you have options, the other you don’t.

And Becker I am not trying to piss on you, and I know for sure that you and I have agreed on issues in the past. My only real point here is, can we all just post without the name calling and demeaning comments? .. I have challenged others’ posts and the backlash was a bunch of 13 year old locker room stuff. That gets tiring really fast. .. I wish some of our fellow bloggers would just answer a question when one is posed to them, and make a point based on a factual reasoning instead of reverting to name calling. Not everyone agrees, so to call a person a name everytime anyone expresses an opinion different than yours is childish. (And again I am not saying that this is you, just explaining my thoughts) This gets real old real fast!

And Becker, I don’t care if you call a person a mediot or not. My stand there is to just be fair, and give them their due when they earn it. I think terms like mediot come with the territory, especially when you are a high profile guy who is supposed to know about a certain subject and Mr. Average Joe comes along and is much more knowledgable. All I am saying there is to be fair.

Oh BTW Ron is the sexiest little devil you will ever see, but lets keep that our secret.

cowboy bert:

Skip Bayless and many other reporters do have too high opinion of themselves and, unfortunately, it seems that some do fabricate. Maybe “putz” is a better word than “idiot” to describe them.

Becker:

The term “mediot” ostensibly comes from two legitimate words: media and idiot. I have seen zero evidence suggesting any member of any media source is an idiot; therefore, I think the term is offensive, and I object to it.

FYI, I have spent the past couple of months building an outbuilding on my property. The project continues to involve a lot of hammering, sawing, and putting screws into wood. In other words, I continue to expend a great deal of physical energy every day. It relieves stress. I am also a runner, but I have been too involved in this project to run for the last couple of months. Possibly, it is this avenue of release that allows me to respond to you and others without anger or emotion.

I don’t fully understand why you are so upset with me, but, then again, I don’t know anything about you. In the meantime, have a great Sunday. I plan to stop working in a little while (South Texas is HOT around lunch time on) and watch a ballgame or two.

Perhaps it would be better to just ignore Mr. Hicks. He is obviously not getting the point about MEDIOTS and MEDIOTOCRACY. If he wishes to be pollyanna, he is entitled to that. It is a free country (oops, shouldn’t have said that, big brother….er ah homeland security may be watching), afterall. Mr. Hicks should know though, that the aforementioned freedoms extend to the rest of us as well. Not just to him.

Perhaps James should read posts in their entirety and fully comprehend them before commenting. Oops, that might be asking too much.

Upon further review:

I have come to the rather uncomfortable conclusion that Ron Hicks is correct, at least in part. This, despite “mediot” being uncool, and “putz” being OK. Nick Eatman, under the various definitions posed, is not and cannot be a mediot, for two very simple reasons: (1) he is not a reporter, and (2) he is not an idiot.

First, he is not a reporter, he is a PR flack, hired by Jerry Jones to get out the “official story.” Depending on him for news is like depending on the cigarette or pharmaceutical companies to report about the deaths that careful independent research shows their products cause. They are hired to make their companies look good, as is Nick. (BTW, Becker, I thought “Nick Eatme” was clever the first time I read it, back after the draft. I have never stolen it, just because it was so good you ought to get to keep it.)

Second, Nick is not an idiot. An idiot would bite the hand that feeds him, like Dale Hansen did, and suffer the same fate. Dale, BTW, is a mediot, whether he is saying nice things about the Cowboys or not. He is a pompous, ill-prepared, narcissistic blowhard. His “opinions” are based on personal grudges rather than facts. He is everything implied by the word mediot.

EricR,

He gave Rafael credit for being better â€Å"at times” than the media who reports Cowboysâ€â"¢ news, but questions Rafaelâ€â"¢s credentials to be a critic of those members of the media.

This is precisely the issue. Who is Ron Hicks to ‘question’ anyone’s credentials? On what basis did he do so?

Every literate person on this earth has the ‘credentials’ to criticize anything that person has read. It is inherent. There is a term for the act of preventing such criticism. It is called ‘censorship’. No, Mr. Hicks did not go quite that far, but only (I suspect) because he did not have the power to do so.

Ron Hicks,

First, allow me to apologize for the ‘internet twit’ label. I thought I had removed that from my final draft. Evidently not.

You assume facts not in evidence.

I object to Rafaelâ€â"¢s coining a term of derision so he can knock the competition.

I take it personal when a person coins a term that is, in my opinion, maligns a whole group of hard-working and sometimes under-paid people. That would be Rafael.

The term ‘mediot’ has been in widespread use on the internet for years. In fact, I have heard media members use the term (usually jokingly) themselves. If you are going to crusade against its use, stopping Rafael will hardly make a dent, since I believe he last used the term (at this blog) on August 4.

I am not convinced, after reading many of Rafaelâ€â"¢s posts, that he is entitled (that is what I meant by the word â€Å"right” in a previous post–I didnâ€â"¢t mean to puzzle you and I think if you had read it carefully, you would have understood) to judge all media sources and call them â€Å"idiots”.

By what evidence do you claim that Rafael was applying the term to ‘all’ media sources? This is typical overkill used by someone desperate to frame an argument to make it easier to win. The term ‘strawdog’ is applicable here.

In one paragraph you states,

AGAIN, he has the freedom to give his opinion, I just disagree with it.

And yet, immediately before that, in the same paragraph, you claimed,

I am not convinced, after reading many of Rafaelâ€â"¢s posts, that he is entitled (that is what I meant by the word â€Å"right” in a previous post–I didnâ€â"¢t mean to puzzle you and I think if you had read it carefully, you would have understood) to judge all media sources and call them â€Å"idiots”.

Believe me, I understand EXACTLY what you are trying to do. My ‘puzzlement’ was only a literary device. There is NO difference between Rafael not being ‘entitled’ or not having ‘rights’ or not being ‘qualified’. There IS a vast difference between you asserting those things and claiming to be in favor of freedom of opinion.

Whether you are ‘convinced’ or not, Rafael IS ‘entitled’, he DOES have ‘rights’, and he DOES have the qualifications to give HIS opinion, contrary to your statements.

Mr. Hicks,
Did you insult me in your last post? Oh my! If that isn’t the pot calling the kettle black. Your true nature is easy to see. I have read your posts in their entirety (I am amazed you have not yet imputed that I am illiterate.) and I comprehend them very well. Why else would I post a rebuttal to your thinly veiled attempts at censorship and self-aggrandizing superiority.

Mr. Hicks

I might be mistaken about the right to censor words or content on this blog, but I thought that the owners of the blog had the right to decide if content was offensive enough to remove a comment. If that is not censorship then maybe I misunderstand the word. I would not ever support any censorship of people expressing themselves within the limits of good taste.

Cowboy B,

Please feel free to use Nick Eatme as often as possible
it would please me no end if the “name” was used as
much as say…………Mediot…….by the way that goes
for anyone else including eric and ronny……..t-shirts,hats
and mugs will soon be available at the Cowboys Blog
store.

Ron,
I am not angry or upset with you nor was it my intent
to anger or create emotion in you i was trying to get
answers……..which still are not forth coming.You answer
what you want and ignore anything that does not fit into
your Thesis which is best summed up by your qoute:

“I have seen zero evidence suggesting ANY member of
"ANY” media source is an idiot; therefore, I think the term
 is offensive, and I object to it."

Unfortunately this is not a College Campus this is the
real world where idealism gets a healthy dose of reality.

Becker,
Isn’t it interesting how some never leave school? Separation anxiety from mommie perhaps? God forbid I start quoting psychology texts.

Ron,

I am the type of person that doesn’t boo at athletes, and isn’t quick to critisize others, but that is me, and I don’t hold that to a higher ground. Some people do boo their favorite athletes when the player fails, and are critical of the writers who report and the GMs that make decisions. They have every right to do so, and I can appreciate a fan who does so. My decisions not to be critical doesn’t make me any better than the guy next to me shouting out deragotory remarks about his team. It is his right to do that, and pro athletes and high profile sports columnists have to understand that it comes with the territory. … The NFL expierence can be dampered by bad journalism, bad “color” commentary, and beat writers that (as said before) become the story. While no one is perfect, the fans demand good reporting, good play by play, and knowing the most recent stories about their teams. ..

Mr. Bill,

I think the point here is when I read Ron’s statements it more like, “Who is Rafael to critisize his competition?” As in usually those who critisize others are often well superior to the person they are critical of. A boss critisizes his employee. A judge critisizes a defendant (and lawyers for that matter). A father critisizes his son. .. So “Who is Rafael to critisize his competition?” … That is the point I see, as Ron has stated that he does believe in everyone having an opinion and being able to express it.

EricR,

I’m sorry, you cannot say, on the one hand, that everyone can have an opinion, and express it, and, on the other hand, rule out criticism, because someone might be the ‘competition’.

Criticism IS opinion. One does not have to be qualified to give it. Rafael has demonstrated the ability to read and write. He also seems to know the difference between a forward pass and a middle linebacker. As such, he is fully qualified to offer criticism of anyone who writes about football.

Rafael Vela does not have to submit to voir dire by Ron Hicks or anyone else, before being allowed to offer criticism of media members. Rafael is not, after all, offering testimony on the usage of nanotechnology in biochemistry. It’s just !%**&#$ football!

Mr. Bill,

If Steve Mariuchi called Bill Belichick and said, “I think you should run the 4-3 defense.” Bellichick might respond, “Who the heck are you?” .. Now in its literal sense lil’ Bill doesn’t know who Steve Mariuchi is. We all know Bellichick is inferring, “I won 3 Super Bowls, why would I listen to some twit who had never won a thing?” .. Now in the same manner if Mariuchi critisized lil’ Bill, Bellichick might say, “You have no right to critisize me!” .. Again that is not the literal translation. … Do you understand now? Jeez the nice big words some of you use, you would think that you can comprehend figurative speech!

Mr. Bill,

People who are more accomplished and more expierenced are often respected and looked upon for opinions, not the subject of critical ones. So when a seemingly lesser accomplished individual questions or critisizes that person, you kind of ask yourself ‘who the hell is he?’. .. I don’t mind the term “mediot”, but just wish that some of you would give the same people you are critisizing credit when they do write a good article. While I give Rafael his due on this site, I will also compliment Spags or Eatman when I see fit. (BTW Spags wrote another good piece about the Boys identity) More than not, the bloggers here do not give dc.com a lot of respect, but it sure seems as if the same fans visit the site an aweful lot. I have said before that they both serve their own purposes and I am glad to have both.

EricR,

What on earth do two football coaches have to do with criticism of the media and its members? More to the point, if Dan Rather wishes to criticize Tom Brokaw, he has the right to do so. So does the local news anchor in Dubuque. Qualification be damned!

It is really simple. The press in this country is free. They are permitted to say any number of things that would invite suppression or censorship in other countries. In return, we, as citizens, have an inherent right to criticize each and every word they write, if we so choose, also without fear of suppression or censorship. Only the rules of libel and slander limit that right. Since media members are public figures, that limit is practically nonexistent, as it pertains to private individuals on the internet.

If you cannot comprehend the simple truth that everyone has the right to criticize the press, regardless of the presence or absence of perceived ‘qualifications’, then we have no common ground on which to continue this discussion.

Eric,
I believe that you hit it right in your second to last post. “MEDIOT” IS figurative speech. Those of us on one side of this issue are not suggesting that ALL media are idiots. Of course there are some that do a good job. Generally speaking, Spags is one of them. But it would surely seem, that for every Spags there are 3 nickeatme’s. I’ll sum it up this way: I can listen to BP’s press conferences myself; I don’t need a lazy, self aggrandizing dilettante to regurgitate and spin that press conference for me! We lay the appellation of MEDIOT on many because of their lack of originality and integrity. Genrally speaking, I don’t believe that we are being mean spirited. Only calling a spade a spade.

I for one am glad to have an intelligent conversation with someone. (If I didn’t, I wouldn’t come to this Blog.) Even if I don’t agree with them. I would also prefer not to have name calling involved, but I reserve the right to defend myself also. I will also defend Rafael. He does good work for us.

Eric- Why is it you and ronny can be insulting but the rest
of us are not allowed ????You and nazi ron believe we are not
allowed to criticize the mediots because we lack “the
Qualifications” to do so.That is an elitist argument and
mindset which is scary to say the least.But is clearly
borne out by ronnys blatant attempts at censorship.

The most interesting part of all this is i can think of no
better example of the hard working underpaid doing
it because he loves it media journalist than Raf …….