Nick Eatman is ready; he proclaimed that football season is here! Well, not quite here because I have yet to fly to San Antonio, that event will take place tomorrow. But, it’s close enough to imagine it’s here. So in the spirit of opening training camp, Eatman gives you 10 players who have something to prove.
Over at the SA E-N, it’s time for the Romo. Tom Orsborn discusses Tony Romo with a couple of former NFL QB’s who believe Romo has what it takes to be a top-tier QB.
"I don't see why he shouldn't be one of the best quarterbacks in the league," [Boomer] Esiason said of Romo, 27. "In fact, I'll go as far as to say I expect him to be in the Pro Bowl again this season."
"I think he'll be just fine this year," [Rich] Gannon said. "He's a very athletic guy, he throws the ball well, moves well and he's got a toughness I really like."
There’s a lot more to read but it tends to be very generic, but at the bottom of the article, he does some "Buy and Sell" items a la Around the Horn. Two items he’s selling:
Leonard Davis justifying his franchise-record $16 million signing bonus: No question the 366-pound former Texas star is an upgrade over Marco Rivera, but his lack of athleticism and inability to make plays on the second level will prevent him from joining the likes of Minnesota's Steve Hutchinson or Chicago's Ruben Brown.
Linebacker Greg Ellis returning to form: Nobody works harder than Ellis, but even a young man would have a tough time bouncing back from a torn Achilles' tendon. Ellis turns 32 on Aug. 14.
Emmitt Smith wades into the rough waters of the Mike Vick case. He discusses the indictment after being inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame over the weekend.
"Now, granted he might have been to a dogfight a time or two, maybe five times, maybe 20 times, may have bet some money, but he's not the one you're after. He's not the one you're after, he's just the one whose going to take the fall -- publicly."
Smith makes the case that the Feds are pressuring Vick to roll-over (bad pun) on some other guys in the dogfighting arena. Smith walks the tightrope between saying Vick is guilty and that he is a pawn.