Mick answers the mail

Chad Phillips, Lake City, Mich.: I've been a Cowboys fan since I was a kid, and I was happy that my girlfriend bought me a 2006 calendar for Christmas. However, every month I'm disappointed when I find another picture of a guy who is no longer on the team. It should be the X-Cowboys Calendar. January had Quincy Morgan. February had Dat Nguyen. April had La'Roi Glover. May had Larry Allen. And June has Keyshawn Johnson. Guess who is on for July? Greg Ellis. Could this calendar be a curse? Would you believe Dan Campbell is on for August? Can the Cowboys be cohesive if six or seven of their best players from a year ago are gone? Should I buy the 2007 calendar or will I end up equally disappointed? Should I buy a cheerleader calendar instead?

Mickey: Now that goes without saying, unless your girlfriend has something to say about it. Thanks for the tip. I didn't realize that. My gosh, when you lump all those guys together, it does make your scratch your head. Guess you have to compare the value of the guys replacing them, and not just for this year, but for the years to come. That's a lot of 30-year-olds sliced off the team, meaning the Cowboys are getting younger, which you hope means getting better, at least for the near future. Next time, you had better peruse the calendar before letting your gal purchase one.