Cowboys news: Dallas fans are the best!

NFL Fandom Report 2019 – Mike Lewis, Sports Analytics Research
Mike Lewis, from Emory University, posts an annual ranking of “NFL Fandom”. And let’s just say Cowboys’ fans show up well in his analysis. Translation, they are #1.

Mike Lewis

My approach to evaluating fan bases uses data on attendance, revenues, social media following and road attendance to develop statistical models of fan interest (more details here). The key is that the models are used to determine which city’s fans are more willing to spend or follow their teams after controlling for factors like market size and short-term changes in winning and losing.

Similar to past years, I use three measures of fan engagement: Fan Equity, Social Equity and Road Equity. Fan Equity focuses on home box office revenues (support via opening the wallet). Social Media Equity focuses on fan willingness to engage as part of a team’s community (support exhibited by joining social media communities). Road Equity focuses on how teams draw on the road after adjusting for team performance. These metrics provide a balanced analyses of fandom – a measure of willingness to spend, a measure unconstrained by stadium size and a measure of national appeal.

Cooper Not Watching Michael Thomas’ Pockets - David Helman, DallasCowboys.com
Amari Cooper met the press on Monday and how some interesting things to say about his expected new contract.

Cooper spent his Monday promoting Gatorade’s “Beat The Heat” program, which is aimed at educating athletes about the importance of hydrating during the summer. As part of that, “First Take” wasn’t his only appearance, as he also called in to “The Dan Patrick Show” – where Patrick naturally asked him about his contract, as well as Thomas’ negotiations.

“I’m not watching Michael Thomas’ pockets,” Cooper said. “I think everything is going to fall into place when it needs to.”

Cooper has reiterated this stance, more or less, every time he’s been asked about his contract throughout the offseason. Way back in April, he said he felt comfortable that the Cowboys wanted to re-sign him, and he was confident it would work itself out.

Cooper: Dak Prescott should be among highest-paid - Kevin Patra, NFL.com

Cooper is happy to make the case for teammate Dak Prescott’s value and worthiness for a massive pay upgrade.

The worth of Dak Prescott is a hotly debated topic. A seemingly bright line currently separates those that believe the Dallas Cowboys quarterback should become the latest $30-million signal-caller to break the bank, and those who believe he hasn’t earned that type of payday.

Count Amari Cooper, the Cowboys No. 1 receiver, among those who believe Prescott should be included with the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL.

”Most quarterbacks don’t have the best bodies or probably don’t really care much about the weight room because they’re more on the cerebral side of the game, but this guy takes every rep seriously,” Cooper said Monday on ESPN. “He doesn’t miss a rep and I think that’s a big part of who he is. He’s just a competitor, he wants to do everything the right way. I haven’t played with too many guys like Dak Prescott, so I think he definitely deserves everything that’s coming to him. He definitely deserves to be paid amongst the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league.”

How Westry Has A “Leg Up” On Competition - Lindsay Cash Draper, DallasCowboys.com
The Mothership’s off-season series looking at 30 Cowboys finds itself in the dark recesses of the roster, looking at an undrafted - and very tall - rookie, free-agent cornerback.

Bryan Broaddus’ Take: Westry’s height makes him a rare player at the cornerback position. You don’t see many cornerbacks in the league that are a legit 6-3. He has outstanding straight line speed coming out of Kentucky, but the question for him will be how well is he able to redirect when put in coverage situations. When playing cornerback in the league, the ability to turn and react is a must. Generally, long-legged defenders have trouble in that area because any split second lost in transition can hurt their positioning in the route. Kris Richard has had success working with longer, taller corners due to the way he teaches his corners to pedal and then open their hips. Another thing to keep an eye on with Westry is that he tends to grab and hold when the receiver comes off the line. He won’t be able to get away with that technique at this level, so the quicker Richard can break him of that habit, the better his chances of making the roster.

Dak Prescott not putting ceiling on what he or Cowboys can do this season - Jon Machota, Sportsday.com
The Cowboys’ beat writer catches up with Dak Prescott.

In five weeks, the Cowboys will hold their first training camp practice. Prescott will travel to Oxnard, Calif. coming off the best offseason of his career. During organized team activities and minicamp practices open to reporters, Prescott looked confident and decisive while running the first-team offense.

He was also very accurate on both deep and intermediate passes. He didn’t throw an interception during the six practices media members were allowed to attend.

”My expectations are high,” Prescott said. “Not necessarily any ceiling on what I can do or what this team can do. It’s just been about work. Simply just working to get better in every aspect of my game, making sure my teammates are doing the same. We’re excited for the position we’re in.”

The Biggest Standout of Every NFL Team's Offseason so Far - Kristopher Knox, Bleacherreport.com
The Cowboys’ seemed to have a productive (and injury-free) OTA and had one player who really stood out.

The Dallas Cowboys already have a No. 1 receiver in Amari Cooper. They added Randall Cobb in the offseason to be their No. 2. Based on the early offseason, that decision is looking like a smart one.

"I don't think he's lost a step," wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal said, per Kate Hairopoulos of the Dallas Morning News. "[Cobb] has a chip on his shoulder cuz people think he's washed up. Those are his words. So, he did great all offseason."

Cobb had just 38 receptions and 383 yards for the Green Bay Packers in 2018, but he could be much more productive as the Cowboys' second option this coming season.