Let the Bargaining Begin

If the cowboys don’t go after a tackle early, I take that to mean they are satisfied that Colombo, Rogers or Petitti are viable options and they feel good about Flo coming back fully.

It is easy to say Petitti was a disaster and he was last year, but only film will tell if he has any potential. The coaches already have assertained that and already decided.

BP will not let this be a problem again next year. I think we can take that to the bank.

rha,
colombo is not under contract and its hard for me at least to see them depending on rogers at all. I expect fabini with petitti developing to replace him(not this year though). I certainly hope that JJ, top five earning team with all this cap space, doesn’t just pick up a couple of cheapies and leave a bunch of cap space unspent. a couple of impact players are needed, and not old guys either!

Colombo could be BP`s ace card. Depending how he came off his injury he was a very highly rated tackle.
As far as the kicker goes it will definately be one of their first moves but I can see BP going for Longwell or Bryant over Vinitari.
BP wants a reliable kicker but if he can get Longwell for 1.5mil he might not spend the xtra 1mil on Vinitari.
Oh well most questions will be answered by the middle of next week.

Jesse,
I agree, I cant see the Cowboys throwing all that money at Vinitari, I see us getting two or three second tier free agents.

Is it just me or does the sound of players such as Willie McGinest and Adam Vinatieri becoming a Cowboy just excite you? Just think of the publicity and marketability that names like that bring, not including the fact that they are proven veterans that can shed their experience on our younger players. Willie McGinest would provide instant depth the the linebacking corp and seems to be a great fit to the 3-4 scheme. I’m just scared of the fact that the Cowboy’s name is rarley been mentioned in the hype surrounding all these players. Maybe they are mentioned as possiblilities, but nothing about being agressively persued. Hopefully this is just the Cowboys style!

J-MAN,

In spite of what Nick Eatman wrote at the time, the Cowboys signed Colombo to a 2-year deal. They did so, because they did not think that Colombo would be of much help in 2005. They wanted to get him under contract and then give him a full offseason to see if he could get himself in shape to play productively. He is scheduled to earn $545,000 this season.

Don’t know about Colombo, but the proof is in whether we sign a tackle early. That will say volumes about our evaluation of the tackle group here. Bet our guys are sitting on pins and needles.

Mr. Bill,
I didn’t get that from nick eatman. I saw his name on espn’s free agent list and i tracked to back articles with dallas morning news where they said it was a one year deal.

if bentley is gone, would justin hartwig be enough of an upgrade over AJ to pursue?

I have one question. How does everybody know that AJ will never be any good? He has only played 2 years give him another year to prove himself. Parcells might be thinking the same way.

I think the biggest problem on the interior of this line was the guard play, not the center, When are going to get rid of those two high priced fossils at guard.CUT LARRY ALLEN NOW!

larry allen is pricey, but has earned his star, now marco rivera was somewhat of a disappointment. when rivera was out at the end of the season and andre gurode filled in, julius jones broke off some good runs. Aj must have done a descent job. I can’t remember his name being called very often. I think right tackle is most important piece. Gurode does good enough filling in at right guard, and hopefully rivera has healed from back surgery and steps up this year.

L.A., M.R. AKA over rated.

what is the leadership and attitude of a Willie McGinest in your locker room worth?

what is it worth when you’re down by 2 and have the ball on your own 20 with 1:30 left to know if you can move the ball 50 yards a guy named Adam is going to trot on the field and certainly win the game?

c’mon Jerry. do the right thing!

Hopefully Rivera recovers from the elbow surgery he had this offseason, thats two surgeries in less than a year, not a good omen. Larry Allen earned his star in the past, he’s been done for three years now, he looks like a pilon out there.

I would be shocked if the much of the offensive line troubles are not taken care of in the draft!

derrick, this is true. we may see allen’s last year this year. I just don’t see jerry jones releasing him with all the other problems on the line. you never know. free agency has some good names in there.

Drafting linemen in the draft will take two to three years for them to get up to speed, their just not mentally and physically ready for this league.

Does the new CBA say anything about “cash over cap”? I ask b/c I wonder how all of a sudden the Redskins can claim they will be “big players” in free agency (even though they’re still loaded w/huge contracts) just b/c we have a new CBA… My understanding was that a “cash over cap” limit would have kept Snyder from continually getting around the cap by spreading out huge signing bonuses… anyone know about this?

where is stepnoski, gesek, and nate newton when you need em?

Our O-line is a mess, we are old, injured and washhed up. Flo when healthy is a very solid left tackle. Allen is above average but way over rated and over payed. AJ is young and I havent given up on him yet. Rivera was a huge disapointment. Pettiti needs to improve his pass blocking alought. Flo and AJ are the only ones I would be comfortable with. In my opinoin Rivera and Allen made Johnson look worse than he is. I might keep Rivera another year, but cut Allen now and save some money.

wasnt kc and miami one of the teams needed to get under the cap, now hearing they are making bids on high dollar players. how is that?

No one is saying what the Redskins have available to spend. With Arrinton gone,releasing some others & the increase they are probably sitting about 8mil – 10mil under.

what about john runyan. i always thought he was a solid tackle, but again, he’s old. i like the youth in new england’s tom ashworth.

LA is going to be restructured or released, we all know that. He wont get payed 7 mil a year when we can pay Hutchinson that. I think he will be kept, he knows he cant get that kind of money and does he really feel like moving to another team who wont guarentee him a job? He will be back next season, with more cap room we could go after Bentley and Fabini, that will make Rivera and LA look good. Draft Spencer and a G/T or G/C and we’re fine. We have the cap room, I’d rather have Bentley, McGinest, Bryant, and Fabini than any other 4 player combination.

I am not sold on McGinest. It`s one thing to overpay a 31-32 year old OT.
But he is 34 years old & his better days are definately behind him. To me the 3-4 scheme is most effective with speed at LB. Though McGinest has the experience we do not need a slower LB on this team right now.

for some reason, i like lawyer milloy to step in as safety while we’re looking for a long term safety. i’ve always liked him, and he’s a bill parcell’s ex-player

whats up with lavar arrington saying he’d rather not play in dallas?

No way for Milloy for me, he probably wants close to what Hope and Demps will get, for an old guy who had 1 int last year?

3-4 needs big LB’s, not fast ones. I dont think everyone understands that McGinest won’t be there every play. He will be in on pass rushing plays. When its obviously a passing play, he won’t be in. He’s not going to get a ton of money, he will be a bargain for a guy that can still get 10+ sacks. Do his stats look like hes on the decline? SIGN HIM QUICK JJ.

lou c,
don’t expect mcginest to be a bargain. He will at the least have dallas, cleveland and NE after him. maybe even miami. NE still likes him but his cap was too high. Why they didn’t/couldn’t redo his contract is anybodys guess but it could have something to do with him wanting too much $.

Lavar does not like the Cowboys. Everytime the Cowboys would whip the Redskins, the local media would always interview him and he would be so pissed off. Throughout his entire career Dallas has owned the Skins; he knows the rivarly and he hated always being on the short end of the stick. Even though I’m not that impressed with Lavar as a player, the guy has heart and won’t compromise his beliefs…which is that he always hated the Cowboys.

Lavar does not like the Cowboys. Everytime the Cowboys would whip the Redskins, the local media would always interview him and he would be so pissed off. Throughout his entire career Dallas has owned the Skins; he knows the rivarly and he hated always being on the short end of the stick. Even though I’m not that impressed with Lavar as a player, the guy has heart and won’t compromise his beliefs…which is that he always hated the Cowboys.

AS for AJ, i never said he wouldn’t be good, i just don’t think he is best for us…too small. teams with more zone blocking and such(ie atlanta, denver etc) would use him well. He could probably pull. Dallas’ lineman are usually huge and do not pull. Plus, AJ’s upside is limited by his size and he doesn’t handle it very well when he has someone on his nose.

plus, lavar kind of looks like frankenstein in the face…oh well, i can understand, i have mutual feelings towards the redskins

lOUC:

Big older LB`s does not make up a good 3-4 scheme. This whole defense is based on speed at the LB position.
The Steelers are a perfect example of what you wnat out of your LB`s when running a 3-4. McGinest is probably the 3rd best LB on New England. We need someone who is going to perform every down. Specialty players are OK if you sign them for a league min & they contribute on special teams.

J-Man

Mr. Bill was correct when he stated that Columbo was initially signed for a two year contract. The reason was as Mr. Bill stated, to give Columbo time enough to develop up back, physically, and if there was enough left, to get back up to speed…it was a two year contract.

J-Man

Mr. Bill was correct when he stated that Columbo was initially signed for a two year contract. The reason was as Mr. Bill stated, to give Columbo time enough to develop up back, physically, and if there was enough left, to get back up to speed…it was a two year contract.

CCboy,
I don’t know what to say. I really don’t care one way or the other. I am just relating what I have seen in two different places. Did the contract change? Or does one of us have erroneous information?

r

No we don’t, we will draft a OLB too. We need depth at LB. I just can’t see how people want Arrington who’s never played in a 3-4 or McGinest whose a proven 3-4 LB who had 4 and a half sacks in 1 game in the playoffs! We can draft Carpenter, he is the future. Theres your depth. Ware doesnt play every down, does he?

wouldnt it be nice to have that wr that other defenses have to rework their game plan just to cover, leaving glenn and johnson wide open?

How much longer do you think key will be with us. I could probably outrun him. Our tackles would do the most for our passing game. Witten had to stay in way too much. Had he gotten out into his passing routes, our other receivers woudl have done lots better. Wait, that did happen up to when hotel flozel got hurt. Give bledsoe time and he would be a great passer. Everything revolves around the offensive and defensive lines. a good line, a plus 4.0 yrd per carry, an already stout D will give us a grreat shot at the SB.

One thing McGinest will bring to Cowboy is; Leadership and massive 3-4 defense system knowledge! sign him for 2 years and lets get young players learn from the master.

Just heard the owners are trying to get FA pushed back to Sat @ 12:01 to give them more time to figure out their caps. The NFL is waiting for confirmation from Upshaw. It looks like 2 more days gents.

i saw a rumor that we were interested in Randel El. I didn’t know this. Anyone else see this or have a thought about it? I don’t think its priority at all. He is a no 3 receiver at best. Good punt returner though.

I think Randel El would be a good pick up if the price is wright which I doubt that it will be.

randel el would be another pearless price- what a disappointment that was being the history he had with bledsoe in buffalo – i guess i’ll just come back next week to check on free agency – tired of the push backs

where did you see that rumor about the fa set back?

i saw it on ESPN on their NFL page. its the headline for their experts grading of free agents

Free agency starts Saturday at 12.01am

I don’t understand why the Boys wouldn’t terminate Larry Allen and sign LeCharles Bentley for 3/4 or 5/6 of what LA would make? Also, now without Dat, shouldn’t we be going after a strong linebacker in FA? I think our LBs are ordinary at best (Ware is fine, but he’s an undersized DE rather than an LB) and I’m not sold at all on the rest of the bunch.

Realistic/kind of hopeful FA prediction:

Chris Hope
Maake Kemoeauto
Akin Ayodele
Tom Ashworth
Ryan Longwell

All relatively young and in positions of need.
I think we will go quanitiy over big names.

Rob01,

Cleveland’s GM today mentioned Kemoeauto as his top target, or one of his top targets.

Anyone know anything about Daniel Bullocks, Safety from Nebraska? Some mock draft site projected him for us in second round.

Toast,
he was supposedly impressive at the senior bowl and expected to be slightly better than his “older” brother who was a 2nd rounder last year.

Sounds like the new cap money is burning a hole in the pocket of a lot of teams. While the Cowboys will have more than most, should we look for solid second tier players and save some of that cap money for next year when these other teams have exhausted theirs on a 2006 spending spree?

lou c
in post 25 you said you would rather have Bentley,McGinest,Bryant,Fabini than any other combination. Well let me give you this one.
Bentley,Abraham,Bryant,Ashworth drop Allen and sign Hutchinson. Ok so i streched it a bit with Hutchinson. But all of these guys are young and have been productive. Either way I like your lineup as well.

Swidge,
I donâ€â"¢t know about that.. See what skins did the last couple of years and as a result they were the most improved team in our division.. I like to get young and proven studs like Bentley, although it will cost us dearly, I think we should look at return on investment.. British have a good old saying "we are too poor to buy a cheap thing.. Since we continue to pay for it more than one time, another words in long run you end up paying more to compensate for the weak link than just sucking it up and buy a proven commodity which can be counted on, just IMO.

Toast
Daniel Bullocks is about as good as any of the other S prospects if not better except for probably Huff. Now even then you could argue it because you can see that their numbers are pretty identical. Bullocks put up the second fastest times of all the S with a 4.38. That’s faster than alot of CB’s. Now that time is what Scott Wright has on his website. Now i have seen on the Ranch Report that his official times were 4.41 in the 40 wich still puts him as the 2nd fastest S. There isn’t a single thing in his combine workouts that wouldn’t make you want to pick him in the 2nd round. He definitely looks the part and would be the perfect compliment to Roy. Now the other S that looked pretty impressive were Anthony Smith,Ko Simpson,Donte Whitner,Pat Watkins,Danieal Manning,Jason Allen,Greg Blue. Blue and Watkins look and play more like SS. Smith,Simpson,Whitner,Allen are what you want in FS and Smith and Whitner will most likely be there in the 3rd round.

Donte Whitner could go in the 1st round, max early 2nd. Smith and Allen might be there in the 3rd, thats it.

lilbeast, J-MAN
All we need for safety is a fast guy who can cover, since Ror will do the heavy hitting portion of it. So if Bullocks is that fast, I am all for it. Lets pick him up.

lou c
I really disagree that Whitner would go in the first. Of all the mock drafts that you have probably seen who would you put him in there for. I can’t see Michael Huff,Darnell Bing,Jason Allen,Ko Simpson,Jimmy Williams and Donte Whitner all going in the 1st round. All of those guys have 1st round grades. Just my opinion.
Toast
Yeah i totally agree with you on a fast guy which is why i like Bullocks plus he is considered a ballhawk. Now if Bullocks is gone by the time we pick Donte Whitner and Danieal Manning which we actually scouted during the combine are pretty fast as well and are considered ballhawks. Manning should definitely be there in the 3rd but Whitner should definitely be gone in the 2nd.

Hey guys some useless info but have you all noticed how young we are. If you average out the # of years our players have been in the league it comes out to 4 years. We are definitely young at defense. I am starting to go more on the conservative side and try and pursue a Veteran OLB like McGinest.

I think I read that if we cut LA we actually lose more than if we keep him with his pro-rated signing bonus
Also, if you want an example of a big “old” slow LB succesful with a new team see Brian Cox going to NYJ a few years back. He got kicked outta miami by JJ. went to Chi town, then NYJ. Who was it that signed him…oh yeah, BP! not saying it’s the right move, just that it’s happened before.

TO = winning games

Youth is incidental in the NFL. Really doesn’t matter how young a kid is, you only get him 4 years anyway.

Nothing wrong with signing an older player as long as he is productive 2 to 4 years. There are few players you are willing to tie up (Tom Brady) for a career.

hypothetical question.
1st: either TG, Key, or TO doesn’t get the ball. one throws a tantrum…who would that be?
2nd: who would win in a fight-TO or Key? My money’s on key and if we sign TO we may see it.
BTW Key and TG are getting old? They all came out of the ’96 draft class including TO and Joe Horn, eddie kennison, marvin Harrison, Eric Moulds, Amani toomer, Musin Muhamed, Bobby Engram, Derrick mayes. Except for Horn, TO was the lowest of that group. None of these look too old for my taste, I like ’em all.

The truth:
Yeah, right, go ask the Eagles and the 3 games they lost with him on the field…

When I say I like ’em I mean their ability, not their attitudes (TO) necesarily.

Free Agency, free agency, yadi yadi yadi. From the sounds of this board the ‘Boys are on the cusp of greatness. If I want my team to throw money at 30+ year old players I’ll root for the ‘Skins and danny boy. Man, for once I’d love to have a conversation about getting some young talent in key positions and saving free agency for the last few holes on the team. It’s very telling that as a blog we can’t even agree on what position should be the top FA target. That, my friends, is a sign of a team with still too many holes.

It just kills me that we let the best kicking coach in the league leave because BP knows better and now we talk about signing a kicker for over 2 mil. I rest my case that free agency is for the foolish and owners like danny.

My free agent list-

Terrell Owens
Jason Fabini
Ryan Longwell
Charles Woodson (to play FS)

missle,

a little bit of sanity huh? We dont always appreciate that on the “christmas eve” of football.I think that if we’re smart, we can upgrade at a few positions AND build well for the future in the draft.The one big name I’d like to see though, is Adam V. We flatout lost a few last year ‘cause our kicker missed a last second kick that was from less than 50 out, sometimes less than 40 out. 2 mil ayear to get one of the best clutch kickers ever is nothing. That signing alone will bring more wins our way than all other fa signings put together. If theres one place we want to get crazy with the big names, it’s at kicker. BP and JJ can find younger talent that can help NOW in the second teir of fa and the draft at pretty much all other position. We’re almost there, and Adam V would get us LOTS closer.So is it Sat night now? What a bunch of morons!

Eric R,
Good thing you’re not the Dallas Cowboys GM with 3 on that list,

A cancer
A failed physical in NY
A viable kicker
An overated often injured malcontent

steelyeyedmissle,

Name one pro bowl caliber kicker Hoffman produced.

He was good at taking no names and making them decent to good. He never developed a great kicker. If the ‘92 Cowboys ever had a close playoff game, we would have learned that Lin Elliot had Mike Vanderjagt disease. Fortunately, we didn’t.

Is sat night to start fa for sure? please tell me that was a mistake.

Look at all these name being chucked around in this article relating to the Skins. That CBA really saved their ass; all of a sudden they appear to be loaded with cash again. I just don’t get it, every year I wait for the other shoe to drop on them and it never seems to happen.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/08/AR2006030802586.html

My free agent picks

Vinatieri- long term deal
McGinest- 2 year deal ease Burnett into the lineup
Ashworth- long term
Owens- weekly incentive based contract 2-3 years
Trade out of the first round and draft LB, S, OL, and WR in any order
Also resign Witten, and James this year we can afford it

Big E,

It’s 12:01 Saturday morning EST, or 11:01 Friday night, central time.

It’s tomorrow night.

About Owens, he is a hard worker. The guy busts his butt! … Michael Irvin said it best about T.O., and he said, “I played football with a chip on my shoulder and it gave me an edge .. But T.O. lives life with a chip on his.” .. Once he knocks that chip off of his shoulder, he can go ahead in his life a play football like we all know he can. .. I really believe that if Owens is surrounded by a group working hard and working together, he will strive to be a part of what they want to accomplish.

Everyone wants to rush to judge Owens because he is flamboyant and childishly engages in name calling. But no one knows what happened in that locker room. Yet by Owens account McNabb did not prepare himself to play in the Super Bowl .. And yes if I worked my ass off, like Owens had to have done, then I too would be pissed off at my QB!! … You saw the throws. We all saw the confusion during the two minute drill, and we all heard McNabb before that game saying, "We got here without him and we can win without him … " – That statement doesn’t ooze support of Owens. .. Like I said no one knows what happened in the Eagles locker room, but we all saw what happened on the field and McNabb blew it. I can name a bunch of QBs, that if they were playing on that Sunday, the Eagles win that game.

I think that if any of us were in Owens shoes, and rehab like he did .. and then see McNabb float the ducks into the middle of the field, and cough and gag and look all confused with seconds remaining and the game on the line … we would all be upset and probably mad. …. Does that make Owens right? No!!

Raf,

Great point on the kicker. If Hoffman was such a great coach, it seems to me he would have developed someone that would have been with us for a long time. Instead, he took no names and held their hand the whole time.

missle,
So what if there’s a lot of different opinions about what we should do. I thought debate was expected on this site. I guarantee that the Steelers blog is having similar discussions. Also, who’s to say the Cowboys are not on the cusp? Take a look at the 4 teams in the Championship games. We should have beat Seattle (kicker and bad decision by Bledsoe), we should have beat Denver (Kicker again), and we beat Carolina. That’s three out of four that were trying to get to the big dance. I’d say we have just as good of a shot as any team in the NFC.

I’d like to get,

Ashworth for RT-younger than fabini
Chavous- converted corner, very Smart and the Center fielder we need at safety.
Longwell/bryant- Too much money for Vinateri.
Sowell- nice upgrade to polite

Draft-move down-LB-C-G-TE-NT, not in any particular order
We have to get Witten, James, Williams and Newman locked up longterm soon.

OWENS IS AN A##!! AFTER THAT SH## HE PULLED ON THE STAR,ID NEVER WANT TO SEE HIM WITH A STAR ON HIS HELMET!! THAT WOULD BE A SLAP IN THE FACE.

OWENS IS AN A##!! AFTER THAT SH## HE PULLED ON THE STAR,ID NEVER WANT TO SEE HIM WITH A STAR ON HIS HELMET!! THAT WOULD BE A SLAP IN THE FACE.

OWENS IS AN A##!! AFTER THAT SH## HE PULLED ON THE STAR,ID NEVER WANT TO SEE HIM WITH A STAR ON HIS HELMET!! THAT WOULD BE A SLAP IN THE FACE.

SORRY ABOUT THE TRIPLETS

Eric R
I agree that I’d have been mad at my QB as well, but that doesn’t excuse his actions. Some things, you just don’t air out in the media. He’s a clown. After trying to disgrace this team, he should not have the honor of wearing the uniform or sharing in a Superbowl win. I don’t want the Cowboys to be the NFL whore that sells its self respect to hoist the trophy. The win will be a lot more satisfying if they do it without that guy.

Eric R,
you have to get off this love affair with that Clown T.O. It doesn’t matter what team, what coach he has surrounding him, he’s a cancer, not a winner, what has he won, nothing. whats this, he worked his tail off to get to the superbowl game, he had a seven week injury from the time of Roy Williams take down to the superbowl, whats the big deal,it was seven weeks to the superbowl.

im with you derrick. we need to let that train pass

Hey Raf,

The 92 Cowboys would have won the Super Bowl with Pat Summerall kicking and a drink in his hand. Other than Vinateri there has not been a kicker around lately that was worth much. We probably will pay up for a kicker……..but I long for the days when we were so much better than everybody else……we never left it up to the kicker. Even the good ones miss.

Derrick,

He was injured, and shouldn’t have even played the game “medically speaking”. Yet he was THE best player on the field that day. If the Eagles had a QB that day and won the SB, then Owens’ performance goes down with Willis Reed’s … Emmitt’s against the Giants … etc.

Manster,

I agree with you.BP has tolerance for
“difficult players” but he has little if any patience for players who do things to piss off opponents or players who try to embarrass the other team.I fail to see why TO would want to come here we don’t pass the ball
enough for him.

EricR,
The key word, WAS INJURED. He was fit to play, he didn’t have to sign a waiver like he told everybody he did, he’s a liar. Woulda, coulda, shoulda, did the Eagles win the game, please dont compare T.O to Emmitt, he was injured with a seperated shoulder and played the rest of the game carrying the Cowboys to victory in Overtime at the Giants to get the Division title and a first round bye. T.O couldn’t carry Emmitts lunch pale. If T.O was the best player on the field, then they should of won the game,RIGHT, the problem with your theory is, THE BETTER T.E.A.M WON.

The difference between longwell and Vaniteri is 500K… Lets see now. does couple of game in a season worth the risk to take the 2nd best (Longwell) over Mr. Automatic Vaneiteri.. I say NOT.. 500K is nothing when it comes to kicking winning field goal under any circumstance!

Derrick,

Owens contribution to his TEAM that day was an awefully good one!! He was the best player on that field … PERIOD!! The best player doesn’t always win in team sports, the better team wins. Its not T.O.‘s fault his QB was choking his way to one of the worst SB performances ever! … McNabb blew it!! If you can’t see that then I don’t know what else to say.

Against doctors’ advice not to play, he did. He deserves his due for that. And thats the problem here … you are so quick to point out the guy’s mistakes, but once you’ve developed a bad taste for him, you never want to give him his due. .. He brings a lot of good characteristics to the table as a teammate. The upmost probably being the competative fire that burns in his heart. That guy leaves nothing on the field .. blocks hard, runs hard, competes hard!!

I have played competative team sports, and there is nothing like a group of people busting their butts to accomplish a goal. On the TEAMS I have played for, there is usually a guy talking the talk, and chipping away at the guys in the back of the jogging line … The “VOICE” of motavation. The player that has so much competative spirit, it gets annoying sometimes, especially when you have nothing left inside to give .. yet a spirit that makes everyone on the team push a little harder. .. IMO Owens is that guy, but in plenty of cases had over stepped his bounds. What happens in the locker room should stay there!! He made that critical mistake. But make no mistake about it, if I am a teammate, I want the guy in the front of the line talking the talk, and come game time walking the walk to be on my TEAM. Not the guy in the back of the line. .. From my expierences there is a “silent” respect when a bunch of different personalities come together and bust their butts to achieve a goal .. TOGETHER. The players working hard are easiest to deal with, even if they have an attitude or a personality you dislike, because the job gets done!! .. the goal gets accomplished!! .. In the end like em or not, you gain a sence of respect knowing for them, knowing what they had to go through, because you went through it with them. … At the end of the season, when you are holding the trophy, and gleeming in victory .. you have a sense of appriciation for him because its then when you realize that he pushed you to be better so you can WIN … TOGETHER!! …..

Just from my expierences .. I’ll take the guy that busts his butt and has a chip on his shoulder!

Eric R,

T.O. wasn’t the best player on the field that day, Deion Branch was. Never compare T.O. to Emmitt!

I don’t want to see the Cowboys blow their load on super pricey free agents.
Longwell or Bryant for kicker
Ashworth for the O Line
Akin Ayodele for LB, maybe Mcginest for the right price
Chris Hope or Corey Chavious for FS.

Then we draft the best LB available in the 1st round. Then for future by drafting for the aging positions we have. O Line, WR, & possibly QB if their is a player Parcells likes that is available in the 3rd or 4th round.

ericR,
then you’ll be on alot of losing teams.

T-together
E-everyone
A-achieves
M-more

T.E.A.M- a concept that T.O doesn’t and will never understand,he’s an “I” guy, its all about him and how much money he gets, why cant you see what everyone else sees, there isn’t alot of clammoring for this guy, why do you think that is if he’s so great, I’ll tell you, he’s a CANCER in and out of the locker room while you want to throw out cliches, here’s one for you, A leppord never changes his spots, and T.O never will.

Dave,
You are correct, Dieon Branch was the best player on the field, but since he’s not shooting off his mouth all the time, he gets little notice, and thats fine by him, because he’s a TEAM player, and a superbowl champion unlike the CANCER.

Okay, When T.O. 1st went to Philly, Everyone on the team talked about how he turned things around and created a competitive atmosphere. He single-handedly made that team believe. He’s not that bad.

However, He is still a Jackass, a distraction, and has an IDIOT for an agent.

Now if our team were mature enough to laugh at T.O.‘s antics I’d say, sure go for it. But, since we are a young impressionable team I think he would be more of a “cancer”.

I remember when Mike Irvin (yeah we’re cool like that) stabbed one of his linemen in the neck w/ a pair of scissors. We don’t need A great player (Bentley, please God I’ll give anything) going down because our coach took a gamble.

Raf put up a new posting, gonna go check it out.

LOL! Cancer huh? …. Who hurt the Eagles more .. McNabb or Owens?

Eric I’m not arguing with you. I just think of the two sides (stud/cancer) he may not be worth the gamble.
If JJ brings him on I will welcome him untill I see otherwise.

Is this the Cowboys blog or the TO blog? Enough already!!!

gunner,

I am not arguing either. This is a forum for dispute and opinion, and I am just respectfully giving mine.

From my expierences, in life and in sports, the bottom line to success is hard work. .. You can’t tell me that when you go to work (whatever you may do), you look forward to seeing the person who fails to pull his weight. If you have any sense of accomplishment, you look forward to the guy who gets dirty with you .. makes you job easier by working together. Even if that guy has a personality that clashes with you, when you work hard and work together, the “personality” stuff gets set aside to achieve the common goal .. and usually at the end of the day you both gain a great deal of respect for each other. .. To me, there is nothing like accomplishing a feat with other people .. to achieve that I don’t have to like my teammate’s humor … don’t have to love his personality .. to win in sports I know we have to work hard and work together!

Look at our “triplets”. Emmitt was as quiet as a mouse when he first came into the league. Troy was a “politically correct” leader. And Michael was a flamboyant, loud mouth, pride driven football player. Their personalities could have easily clashed, but they respected each other so much because the 3 of them busted their a$$es to become the best TEAM in the NFL.

In fact, Owens reminds me of Irvin a lot. Fortunately Michael was told at a younger age to keep what happens in the locker room in the locker room .. and he got it. Nothing good can come out of publically humiliating your teammates. .. But I’d bet the house on it that Irvin got into the face of plenty of his teammates! Irvin had a deep desire to win. That desire is enfectious! Yet when players don’t know how to use that drive to their advantage, it sinks them .. that is were I see T.O. is. Owens is a extreme competator that views things as him versus the world. That is how he motivates himself. But like Irvin said, T.O. has let this attitude seap into his life off of the field. .. Owens needs to get what Irvin got .. that is to be the motivator, be the guy that says “We are not loosing today!! Not if I can help it!”, but don’t do it with your mouth, let your play do the talking.

I think Owens is capable of letting his play take over .. just shut up and play football .. and I think he would quickly quiet his critics if he did that. … Parcells is a knowledgable teacher and he will tell Owens bluntly “Listen you play football the way you are capable of .. and all the people putting you down will be kissing your (blank) when its all over and done with”.

Eric:
You can share your opinion, but I believe that you’re wrong with the guy.

I believe that Mariucci didn’t had what was needed to control the guy, but Reid? He has what’s needed and he couldn’t, that says to me that he can be disruptive in every place.

Look at the Dallas game plan: It’s run in 1st Down, run in 2nd and if it’s 3rd and short, run! Then throw a pass every now and then just to keep the Defense honest, but, throwing to each and every one of your targets. For an egomaniac like T.O. it won’t work that way, even Key, who’s a win first guy, can’t stand that at times.

T.O. would work his magic in this place, I want him to work his magic elsewhere.

DCCowboyfan,

I don’t think ‘cash over cap’ was addressed in this extension. I have seen no mention of it in the media, since the extension was signed.

That was a point of contention between the owners, with the small-market owners pushing it, opposed by the large-market owners. However, since it was never worked out between the owners, before they received the ‘final’ offer from the NFLPA, it could not have been added in without taking a new proposal back to the players. Really, all the owners meeting was about was how to address revenue sharing and whether to accept the proposal or not. There was no opportunity for them to add in new requirements against the players.

The players would have resisted this anyway, since it would have tended to reduce the up-front money they receive, which is usually the only guaranteed money they get.

If the owners wish to address ‘cash over cap’ in some future extension, they will have to get their act together and come up with a proposal they can agree on among themselves, before arguing the point with the players. The players aren’t going to help them out by bringing it up themselves.

J-MAN,

I don’t doubt what you read about Colombo. But remember, these sites pirate from one another. Since Eatman did write that it was a 1-year contract, others would have picked that up from him. Regardless, he is on the books for 2006. His 2006 salary is from the NFLPA web site. It is difficult to have a salary there if the contract doesn’t cover it.

http://www.nflpa.org/members/playerProfile.asp?ID=33005

Just cannot believe how the fantasy types ignore all the damage that TO has done to teams (TEAMS AS MORE THEN ONE). He is a scorpion that will sting because that is his nature. You cannot change that.
IF we had a team of vets that were loose and could laugh at TO, then MAYBE he would be worth a look.
With all the young players we have you cannot afford it. AND who can really ever call TO a TEAM PLAYER. Anyone claiming that is a fool.

Chandus,

A few years back, I had a similar arguement with my friends and coworkers about Rasheed Wallace. He like Owens has a deep seeded passion and plays his sport with a chip on his shoulder. Wallace has taken that energy and focused it on achieving the ultimate team goal. When reporters ask the players on the Pistons what they think of Sheed as a teammate, they all talk very highly of him.

Owens has said McNabb wasn’t prepared and had hinted that the QB was out partying the week of the the SB. I don’t know that, but it sure looked like McNabb could have done more to be ready. Again, who hurt the Eagles more that day? .. McNabb also said “we made it here without him, and we can win without him”. Can you ever see Troy saying something so unsupportive of Irvin or Emmitt, if one of them were hurt? .. I think when McNabb makes a comment like that and plays like he did .. it shows his character.

Eric:
That’s were I believe you’re wrong, had Owens been a team player, then he had to face McNabb to say all the things he said to the media, that’s the problem, he walked to the media and talked about it.

That’s a stab on the back.

No team player does that.

And it doesn’t show character, as a matter of fact that shows that he’s a chicken shit that didn’t wanted to say that in front of McNabb but was to pist off that he lost the SB that he had to do something.

Michael Irvin wouldn’t have gone to the media, he would have yelled at Aikman for the whole offseason, that difference is HUGE.

TO has no charactor.