Terence Newman and Terry Glenn are holding fast. They're not backing down from the statements they made earlier in the week that ignited a small brush-fire at Valley Ranch. It's an interesting dynamic, comparing what they are saying to the things Terrell Owens says regularly. But that may be the difference - Owens says things like this every week, when you do that you're labeled a whiner, a complainer. This is part of the "Chicken Little" syndrome, when you talk like that every week, people just tune you out. Owens also seems to direct his comments only at the idea of getting him the ball more. But Newman and Glenn don't say it every week; they don't say much of anything every week. And what they've said is not about them specifically, it's about the team. So when they talk, maybe it will have an effect on the team, at least that's what Newman is hoping.
If they do that, then "it will all be worth it," Newman said.
Glenn stated his views again, this time he specifically called out the whole team, from the coaches on down.
"I believe that," Glenn said. "As a team and on the offensive side of the ball, we didn't execute well. We didn't have enough energy. We didn't have enough enthusiasm. It just felt like we didn't want to win that game. We didn't try hard enough, from the coaches on down."
We'll see how this plays out in Sunday's game. Maybe the Cowboys needed someone to step forward and say these things, maybe it was time to wake this team out of its December slumber.
A couple of articles today have mentioned that Bobby Carpenter was getting a lot of work with the 1st string in practice this week. There's speculation that he might start, but even if he doesn't, he's going to get a lot of playing time.
The Cowboys could make some other changes in personnel this week.
Free safety Tony Parrish could see action for the first time since being acquired off waivers from San Francisco last month.
Tim Cowlishaw takes a look at what you might see for the last time this season at Texas Stadium. Depending on what Jones and Parcells decide, this could be the Tuna's last game coaching in the stadium. Parcells has come under some criticism for not producing better results in his time in Dallas. There's even a diary on this site discussing whether fans want him back next year. Cowlishaw comes down on Parcells' side.
I am not defending the job he has done. In four seasons, the team is better now, but not by any great stretch. Certainly there's no proof in the results. I have no faith that Parcells and his staff can ever outcoach Andy Reid and the Eagles staff when the two teams are at relatively full strength.
Parcells was unable to assemble the kind of staff he had in his previous stops, and it has shown up, particularly on Sundays when the club struggles to adjust to any surprises.
But I ask you: If you want him gone, do you really have faith that your owner-general manager is going to bring in the next great coach?
My preference would be to see Parcells stay one more year to see if he can make this team get it right on a more consistent basis. You weren't calling for his head after the Cowboys beat the Colts or after Tony Romo threw five touchdown passes on Thanksgiving or after the win in New York got the Cowboys to 8-4.
He also ponders the possibility that this will be Terrell Owens' final home game in a Cowboys uniform.
But we can rest assured that Parcells isn't coming back with Owens on board, and I can't imagine there are many of his teammates who want to put up with another season of this nonsense.
And if you want a detailed look at Terrell Owens, the good, the bad, the ugly - then check out this Nick Eatman article. He details not only his own feelings, but takes a look at the media's perception in general.