--- Embattled secondary coach Dave Campo has come to the defense of embattled cornerback Terrence Newman. Speaking to espn.com, Campo says that injuries are the reason for Newman's less-than-stellar-play in 2010.
"To be honest with you, I don’t know that he had a great year, but I do know that he played through injury this year that in some other years he was not able to do," Campo said of Newman, who dealt with rib and ankle injuries.
Campo didn’t hesitate when asked if Newman had lost any speed, quickness or explosiveness.
"Not when he’s completely healthy," Campo said. "He can still do everything that he did, as far as I can see."
I think we are all aware that Newman spent most of the season injured, and the lack of quality free safety play can obviously be an attributing factor. However, Terrence Newman has never been a true shutdown corner in his professional career and at 32 never will be. The Cowboys need to address the cornerback position. It doesn't have to be a first or second round pick, but Dallas doesn't have 'that' guy on it's roster... and needs one.
--- Jason Garrett is a smart man. Smart men know that they never truly know enough, and in that vein, Garrett has reached out to one of the elite coaches in American sports. Dukeplanet.com reports that Garrett spent this past weekend picking the brain of Mike Krzyzewski of the defending NCAA men's basketball champion Duke Blue Devils. There aren't many legendary coaches alive today that can match Coach K's resume (4 NCAA Championships, 11 Final Fours, 12 ACC regular season titles, 12 ACC championships, coach of gold medal teams in the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2010 FIBA World Championship).
Continue for more...
--- Speaking of championships, Dallasnews.com is reporting that the CEO for the North Texas Super Bowl is a little sick of hearing his team's efforts slammed in the mainstream media. Host committee president Bill Lively gives this timeline recap:
"I don’t want this to come off as vindictive, because I don’t feel that," Lively says. "I am sad. That’s the best word to describe my feelings. My team feels defeated when they should be feeling the pride of pulling off remarkable things. The region came together like never before."
Lively said he started to feel control slip away when the bad weather hit. On Tuesday morning before the Super Bowl, he headed downtown to WFAA-Channel 8 for a 6 a.m. news segment. "It’s sleeting like there’s no tomorrow," he says. The front door of the station was frozen solid, so he had to be let in through the back.
"Then the ice began to melt Wednesday night. Thursday’s looking much better. And then we get three to seven inches of snow. I’m thinking, ‘Gosh, are the locusts next? What have we done?’ I’m feeling like Job."
But football commissioner Roger Goodell was reassuring. "He says to me at a reception: ‘Bill, I’ve got your back on the weather.’ Very comforting.
"Then I get the Saturday night telephone calls and e-mails."
It began with a disturbing call from Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck around 7 p.m. Cluck had just learned about problems with the temporary seating.
"I get another call at about 11 from the NFL," Lively says. "Things are going badly. Then an e-mail comes in a little after midnight. Things are still going badly. One o’clock, another e-mail. Things are a little more encouraging. They’ve reduced the number of seats that have to be eliminated. Then another e-mail at 2:30. The workers have walked off the job, so there’s going to X number of seats that cannot be salvaged."
The article goes on to talk about the game day security mess, as Lively and his people were stuck in a seemingly never ending line of folks trying to enter the stadium. That security mess included several VIP fans of the game. As someone from outside the Dallas area, I have my own horror stories dealing with Dallas area security forces at airports and events, so I can only imagine what the SB attendees went through. Check out the whole article, it's a good read.
--- Could pro bowl nose tackle Jay Ratliff see time on the field with his backup, the up and coming Josh Brent? DMN's Rainer Sabin posed the question to new defensive line coach Brian Baker. His response?
"I hadn't really thought about it," Baker said, "but that could certainly happen. You're talking about a guy who has played with four defensive ends on the field at the same time. In this league, you've got to be ready to do everything."
Baker spoke of coordinator Rob Ryan's exotic packages, saying that you could see 16 different game plans for the 16 games in the season. If the owners have anything to say about it, we're going to need 18 game plans, Brian.
--- Brian Baker makes an immediate impact. Even with only a month on the job, he had major influence at the University of North Carolina. [cowboysblog.dallasnews.com]
--- Tim Coliwshaw makes the expected Cam Newton for developmental quarterback argument. [dallasnews.com]
--- Jennifer Floyd Engel likes the way new DC Rob Ryan talks to her. [Ft. Worth Star-Telegram]
--- New receiver's coach Jimmy Robinson left the Packers for Jason Garrett. And a raise, duh! [CBSsports.com]