2016 Dallas Cowboys Offseason

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys final days at Valley Ranch ended this past week and it was a small part of the melancholy that surrounded the Dallas area. In his weekly article DallasCowboys.com's Mickey Spagnola talks about a rough week in the Metroplex.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/07/15/spagnola-one-last-tear-during-week-full-tears-out-here-dallas

 

As part of the above article Mickey remembered the people who passed away in the last 31 years Valley Ranch. Some names most people would know others you'd have to be a hard core fan to know who they were. Some were folks who everyone knows like Tex Schram, Tom Landry, Joe Avezzano, Ernie Stautner and Joe Brodski just to name a few. These men are definitely missed but there wasn't the air of tragedy that surrounded their passing. Former Cowboys FB Robert Newhouse was 64 when he died but there was some tragedy in his passing as a stroke and heart disease ended his life earlier than it should have. Then there was Mark Tuinei who, shortly after he retired he died of a drug overdose. Authorities say it was the first time he did heroine and it was his last. Tuinei was 39. The men responsible for giving Tuinei the drugs are all in jail. Another guy from the 90's dynasty was OL Frank Cornish who passed away in 2008 of a heart attack. He was 40 years old. Another member of the 90's Cowboys Godfrey Myles a linebacker and a 3 time Super Bowl winner also died of a heart attack. He was 42. I didn't know Cornish and Myles had passed away and it made me sad because they were just too young to die. I sympathize with their families because my own father died at 44 of a heart attack. The fact is most of the men listed here died of heart disease in one form or another. I gives me pause to think that how much a yearly physical can save your life. My own life was saved as a result a failed stress test that resulted in quadruple heart bypass surgery or I would have died young like my dad. This is me saying to you please don't neglect your health for your own sake and for the sake of the family and friends who love you and would miss you terribly.

Edited July 16, 2016 by eagle eye

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys did more than window shop for LB Justin Durant --- today they signed him to a one year deal. The Durant signing is in direct response to the 10 game suspension of Rolando McClain a couple of weeks ago. It is hopefully a stop-gap move to allow 2nd round pick Jaylon Smith to complete his recovery from a knee injury in which he had significant nerve damage in this past Fiesta Bowl. When Dallas drafted Smith it was with the knowledge that it was unlikely Smith would not be able to play in 2016. If he does then it's an unexpected extra if not, no harm-no foul. It was a gamble by the Cowboys for a franchise caliber player whose career just as easily be over as he is likely to fully recover the nerve damage that has derailed his rehab efforts so far. Durant was a good, solid player while with Dallas and he was having the best season of his career until he tore his biceps muscle mid season. He went to Atlanta in 2015 and he had a disappointing year there but the Cowboys are obviously confident Durant can bound back and have a good season for them. If Durant can stay healthy he will be a good addition to the roster. He certainly is not bad for a rent-a-'backer until Smith can get healthy.

 

Since I'm in this thread I figure maybe I can get you guys to reply to this challenge? Who do you think will be the starting front four on defense for Dallas on opening day barring injuries? With all the suspension and injuries this could be a little tricky and as Cowboys fans we must remember we are only 10 days away from training camp.

[eagle eye]

I try to give Jerry the benefit of the doubt but his stance on the status of Rolando McClain is just maddening. In the link below he discusses the signing of Justin Durant and then rambles on about not giving up on McClain and Jerry even compares him to Charles Haley. Puh-lease, Jerry. He also yammers on about not wanting to throw away McClain's $750K signing bonus and the impact his $4MM contract will have on the Cowboys salary cap. Geez, even I don't have patience with Jerry over this line of crap. Looking for a standup comedy routine? Click on the link below.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/multimedia

[eagle eye]

Earlier this summer Texas State Senator Royce West and his former financial advisor David Wells. West sued Bryant for tearing up a rent house Dez had been renting. Dez counter-sued saying West was in cahoots with Wells trying to capitalize on and profit from Dez's fame as a sports figure. These are pretty serious charges against these men and it could be bad for them if Dez is right and wins the case. Isn't it great nobody is suspended or in trouble with the law?

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2652892-dez-bryant-sues-former-financial-adviser-latest-details-comments-reaction

 

For his part Senator West says the allegations brought by Bryant concerning a conspiracy by West and Dez' former financial advisor David West to capitalize on Dez Bryant's name are all "lies". West calls Dez's allegations frivolous and plans to counter-counter sue for defamation of character. This is kinda funny isn't it? Or is it. A year after Dez gets a huge long term contract this Politian (I say the word Politian dripping with contempt) is trying to send Dez back to the poor house. If Dez damaged the man's house Dez needs to pay for repairs plus a little for lost revenue while the repairs were made. If Dez did nothing he is right about his allegations about West and Well maybe they both need to go to jail. This could get interesting and it's awesome because the worst Dez should have to do if he loses in pay for damages to the house in question plus some extra money for loss of income to West but the worst is West takes a big chunk of Dez's money. Then David Wells will be coming with his lawyer to get his chunk of Dez's money. Dez won't go to jail but he could be playing for West and Wells for the next 10 years. Wouldn't that just suck.

 

http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/nfl/dallas-cowboys/cowboys-corner-blog/article90520507.html

 

Jerry Jones has said that Jaylon Smith is not behind in his rehab. They are all waiting for the nerve damage in Smith's knee and ankle to heal and when Jones and the Cowboys drafted Smith it was with full knowledge that Smith had no real timetable for his return to the field. Much ado about nothing but Smith's return is even more important considering Rolando McClain can't lay off the weed or whatever banned substance he's suspended 10 games for. Sometimes having patience is a real bitch.

 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/07/19/jerry-jones-jaylon-smith-not-behind-in-recovery-from-nerve-damage-in-knee/

 

Training camp is just 10 days away from the first practice!

[eagle eye]

It's getting real close folks. Only one week before the Cowboys land at Point Mugu Air Force Base in Oxnard, California as they prepare to begin 2016 training camp on Saturday the 30th. There are tidbits of news filtering out so let's get cracking.

 

Justin Durant's contract numbers are out. He will be making $965K this year with $200K fully guaranteed. Pretty cheap price for a 9 year vet but he's been good for the Cowboys in past and at least he shows up and doesn't get suspended.

 

The Cowboys relocate to their new headquarters in Frisco called The Star today. By the time the team returns from Oxnard they will be fully moved in and daily operations will take place there from now on.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/thestar

 

Talk about opposite ends of a spectrum. Randy Moss, one of the tallest receivers ever in the NFL held private sessions with the Cowboys' Cole Beasley, one of the shortest receivers ever, recently. Beasley has improved in each season and he has developed a rapport with QB Tony Romo and is now one of the trusted receivers on the roster. Beasley working with Moss to improve his craft is just another sign of this guy's dedication to the Cowboys and to getting better as a player. No downside here.

 

This morning about two hours ago senior writer for DallasCowboys.com Mickey Spagnola and his usual group of suspects began their annual bus trip to Cowboys training camp in Oxnard. Along the way the bus will stop at various points along the journey for a meet and greet with Cowboys fans. It's a fun tour for Mick and the guys and it is also a big PR move by the Cowboys spreading a little good will candy to fans who may not otherwise be in contact with something Cowboys. The next week Mickey will be reporting on DallasCowboys.com his series called "Road Trippin'" with articles and photos of their journey west. The article linked below has Mickey telling us the trip is under way and he also gives us the itinerary for the trip. Good Golly Miss Molly! Training camp is just single digits days away!

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/07/20/road-trippin-2016-mickey-begins-trek-training-camp-annual-bus-tour

[eagle eye]

Still no negative news out of Dallas with just a week left to sweat before training camp. Not even a week, just six days until the Cowboys head to California.

 

Ezekiel Elliott has the distinction of having the most bought jersey in the NFL since April according to Director of NFC Football Communications Randall Liu. All this despite never having played a down in the NFL. There aren't any high hopes about Elliott's impact on the Cowboys offense at all is there? Nahhhh. No way!!!!

 

NFL.com's Kevin Petra looks at the Cowboys 2nd year DB Byron Jones as a player who is poised for "Making the Leap" from his series on players who could have a huge jump in their impact on their respective teams. Petra feels like Jones is that guy for the Cowboys.

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000675794/article/making-the-leap-cowboys-fs-byron-jones

 

The buzz around Ezekiel Elliott isn't just coming from fans or the media. On Wednesday EA Sports who produces Madden Football announced their top ten rookie rankings and Elliott was the highest ranked offensive rookie player in Madden 17 and 2nd overall to Jalen Ramsey.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/07/21/cowbuzz-ezekiel-elliott-earns-highest-offensive-rookie-rating-madden-17

 

Closing out today's posts are a couple of videos from DallasCowboys.com. First is the first stop on Mickey Spagnola's Road Trippin' bus trip from Dallas to Oxnard. This is the first stop for Mick and the guys in Abilene Texas.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2016/07/21/road-trippin-2016-first-stop-abilene

 

The second video is from NFL Network who has Mickey Spagnola as a phone guest discussing the Cowboys as they look toward training camp.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2016/07/20/mickey-joins-nfl-network-talk-cowboys-offseason

[eagle eye]

Okay, let's nip this crap in the bud right now. I got an alert on my phone that said Ezekiel Elliott has been accused of domestic violence by a woman who said she was his ex girlfriend. The woman claim Elliott assaulted her in her car only 4 witnesses, including one who was in the car at the time this allegedly happened, never saw anything go down between the two. The woman posted pictures on instagram claiming Elliott has been abusing her for months. Of course Elliott denies he assaulted her, he denies even touching her in the incident in question. The thing is the accusations come on Elliott's 21st birthday which goes to the notion there's something fishy going on here. A high ranking Cowboys official is reporting that Elliott has emails he saved that prove he is being set up. Apparently, the woman told Zeke when he said he was breaking up with her she would ruin him if he did.

 

 

The thing is Elliott is not some wack-job like Greg Hardy. He has been nothing but a model citizen on and off the field. His high quality of character is one thing that led the Cowboys to him. The Cowboys didn't need another wild card running off the reservation after what has happened with Hardy and the suspension of 3 defensive starters. If it turns out this girl is setting up Elliott I think she should go to jail. All a person has is their reputation, when it comes right down to brass tacks, and a person that tries to ruin another person by performing character assassination deserves to go to jail. If Elliott is guilty then hang him up by his sack and spin him like a propeller because I hold no sympathy for a man who hits women. This sounds like Elliott has run upon a crazy -----------------

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAbGd45dNPM

[eagle eye]

In the "Road Trippin' series that features DallasCowboys.com's senior writer Mickey Spagnola, the Cowboys official bus driver and Rowdy the Cowboys mascot in their 1900 mile trek from Dallas to Oxnard we have a series of videos from the scheduled stops along the way. They began with a stop in Abilene, which I've already posted the article and video for. This was followed by a stop in Lubbock. Here is the link to the article and the video of their stop there.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/07/22/cowboys-fans-display-their-true-colors-during-first-day-road-trippin%E2%80%99-2016

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2016/07/22/road-trippin-2016-second-stop-lubbock

 

Their 3rd stop was in Midland. This was followed by stops in El Paso and Tucson Arizona.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2016/07/23/road-trippin-2016-fourth-stop-el-paso

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2016/07/23/road-trippin-2016-fifth-stop-tucson-az (Loved the lady's Cowboys T-shirt that said "Philly Sucks"!)

 

This was followed by a stop in Phoenix right in the Arizona Cardinals back yard! Followed by a stop in Chandler Arizona.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2016/07/24/road-trippin-2016-sixth-stop-suburban-phoenix

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2015/07/26/road-trippin-2015-chandler

 

There was a special edition of Road Trippin as Mickey devotes the whole video Emory Tyler the bus driver on the trip and has been the Cowboys driver for several years now.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2015/07/25/road-trippin-2015-behind-wheel-emory-tyler

 

This was followed by stops in Los Angeles and finally the trip ended in Oxnard California.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2015/07/26/road-trippin-2015-los-angeles-1

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2015/07/27/road-trippin-2015-arriving-oxnard

 

 

It must have been quite a trip because Mickey signed off by saying thanks for following them on Road Trippin 2015. After 4 days on a bus I think we can forgive Mickey.

Edited July 24, 2016 by eagle eye

[eagle eye]

NFL.com is reporting that a bus with Cowboys employees travelling to Oxnard California got into an accident in Arizona that resulted in fatalities involving people in the van the bus collided with. This apparently happened yesterday. The inference was it was the Cowboys bus that was being used by Mickey Spagnola of DallasCowboys.com, the Cowboys mascot Rowdy a videographer for the trip and the bus driver for Spagnola's annual Road Trippin series. I can't imagine that the Road Trippin bus was involved because the trip ended yesterday with a final stop in Los Angeles before reaching their final destination in Oxnard. The last video shot in Oxnard was done in the afternoon and if that group was involved in a car accident that involved fatalities there is no way they arrive in Oxnard before dark and certainly not in the good spirits they seemed to be in. The Road Trippin bus may not have been the only Cowboys bus being used to transport folks to training camp. Who knows, anything can happen and the fact is just because they didn't mention it doesn't necessarily mean it didn't happen. It's too bad about the folks in the van that died their families should be in our prayers.

[Dracula]

I think it was Spagnola's bus that was involved in the accident. There is a picture of the damaged bus with another bus in the background. I wonder if there was two busses running together. The other bus may have been carrying cheerleaders or other team personnel.

[eagle eye]

I think it was Spagnola's bus that was involved in the accident. There is a picture of the damaged bus with another bus in the background. I wonder if there was two busses running together. The other bus may have been carrying cheerleaders or other team personnel.

 

You are right, it was the Road Trippin bus. No mention of the accident was made on the videos of the stops along the way but the scheduled stop in Las Vegas never happened. Mickey said in an interview with Dallas ABC station that nobody on the bus was hurt but all 4 people in the van they were in the wreck with died. It is being reported that the accident is still under investigation. The only real mention of any trouble in any of the Road Trippin videos was a broken fan belt between Phoenix and Vegas. It is quite possible that the belt broke in the collision and the time it took for a service truck to come to the scene and replace the belt, plus whatever else was damaged, is probably why the stop in Vegas never happened.

 

http://www.wfaa.com/sports/nfl/cowboys/cowboys-bus-involved-in-fatal-crash-in-arizona/280383592

 

Dallas has signed an OT just days before training camp is scheduled to begin. They have signed former Jaguars and Falcons lineman Cameron Bradfield. The Cowboys will need to make a roster move to get to the 90 man roster limit by the time training camp starts Saturday.

 

http://nfltraderumors.co/cowboys-sign-veteran-ot-cameron-bradfield/

 

The Ezekiel Elliott story is far from over as law enforcement authorities investigate the claims that Elliott's ex-girlfriend was physically abused by Elliott on the night in questions but many times prior to that night. The young woman has posted instagram photos of bruising on her arms claiming it is the result of Elliott's abuse. Elliott has said he has emails that support claims that the young woman was out to get him because he broke up with her. As first reported the incident occurred in a car at some disclosed location but it turns out it took place at Elliott's home around 2:30 am during an after-party after his 21st birthday party. All this is a reminder to every athlete that is going from college to the pros that you can't act like an idiot but it will end up biting you in the ass after all is said and done. I hope Elliott is innocent because I'm a selfish Cowboys fan. I don't want the future star of the Cowboys to trip and fall on his face before he even has a chance to be the savior of the Cowboys Super Bowl hopes. We have the examples of Ray Rice and Greg Hardy among others to show what not to as a man. I also hope that it illustrates the real truth that women can also be crazy and destructive in order to get what they want. As they say the door swings both ways and in this day and age when all you need is to accuse to ruin people's lives a little truth would be nice.

[eagle eye]

Alright, enough is enough. It's bad enough when you have graduated from knucklehead to full on dumbass but now, I don't know what the next highest level of idiocy is. Randy Gregory entered the NFL substance abuse program before he was even drafted last year failing a drug test at the NFL friggin Combine! In the months that followed he graduated to full on dumbass by failing at least 4 other drug tests that resulted in his being suspended the first 4 games of the 2016 season. Now, NOW he's taken dumbassery to another level. I guess I'll call it Freaking Dumbass Level 1 or FDL1 for short. How'd he do that? I'll tell you. He failed another drug test. I'm serious, I got the alert from Bleacher Report on my phone just a few minutes ago. This is what the alert said, "Randy Gregory reportedly facing longer ban after another substance abuse violation; enters rehab facility." Then came another flash, "Randy Gregory's reps working on appeal of potential 10 game ban for positive drug test according to ESPN." We have been given to understand his problem stems from loving marijuana too much. He can't leave it alone. Problem is marijuana isn't addictive. There's nothing in mary jane that is the least bit addictive. You can become habituated to it, I sure did in high school, but there is nothing like nicotine in cigarettes or the addictive properties of stronger drugs in pot. Marijuana is said to cause "marijuana use disorder" a label that is cited in the website drugabuse.gov which is the National Institute on Drug Abuse's website. You get into the habit of smoking weed and you develop a dependence on it. We used to call it "habituated" when my friends and I used to talk about it back in the day. Data showed it was not addictive and hence you could quit any time you want. Trouble is, for guys like Gregory, despite all the harm it can do to his livelihood, it's too difficult to stop. That's a Randy Gregory thing because, as I've said before, the day my company instituted random drug testing was the day I quit smoking pot. Why? Because I have a good job that pays well and I have a responsibility to my family as a provider. While I liked smoking a joint once in a while it wasn't worth coming home having to admit to my family I lost my job because I smoked some pot. My job is no dream job like a pro athlete's and my salary isn't 7+ figures a year but I could see the value of taking care of my job status and my self respect so it was easy to quit smoking pot. I am not sure there is anything a rehab facility can do with Gregory's "monkey" because it's 'want-to' issue. He doesn't seem to want to quit. Can you imagine throwing away a chance to play for the Dallas Cowboys because smoking weed was more important to you? I can't--not even close. Now, if weed isn't the problem and it's something more serious then God help him because a true monkey on your back is rough to get rid of. Again, the first step is wanting to. The second step is kicking your loser friends out the door. Your friends will get you into more trouble than you can imagine. Remember all that stuff your parents used to worry about? About whether you were running with the wrong crowd? Randy Gregory's mom must be kicking his ass today because he won't stop hanging with those no-account friends of his. He needs to hang with his Cowboys teammates, the ones that walk the straight and narrow. The friends he has now are letting him pay for the party and encouraging him to join them. If he doesn't join in or refuses to pay can't you hear his home boys calling him out saying, "You forgot where you came from, man."? What 20 year old could resist that type of peer pressure? That's why you have to make a better class of friends. Damn man, why is it always something effed up with the Cowboys? Edited July 26, 2016 by eagle eye

[eagle eye]

Jason Garrett said yesterday he foresees no reason why Ezekiel Elliott will not be on the field when the Cowboys begin training camp on Saturday. The team actually leaves for Oxnard tomorrow. When asked to comment on Elliott's situation he simply said this, “We believe we know all about Ezekiel Elliott and what he's about as a person, I think it would be premature to make any comment beyond that." Garrett said after the team’s annual Coaches Clinic at AT&T Stadium for approximately 600 youth, middle and high school football coaches.

 

The Cowboys signed an OT Cameron Bradfield the other day but that wasn't the only OT moves Dallas made. The Cowboys announced that last year's swing tackle Charles Brown will retire after a six year career. I believe they knew about the retirement of Brown which motivated the signing of Bradfield. The Cowboys also signed another OT Darryl Baldwin who wasn't even in football in 2015 and they waived rookie OT David Hedelin. The top guys going into training camp at OT are Tyron Smith, Doug Free and Dallas' 2015 3rd round pick from Florida Chaz Green who missed most of the season because of hip surgery he had to have last summer will go into his first full training camp this week. Green missed a big chunk of training camp last summer because of the hip.

 

Jason Garrett, I feel, is tired of the endless stream of shit he has to put up with. He was notoriously silent regarding Greg Hardy last year and I believe Garrett had a lot to do with allowing Hardy to exit when he became a free agent after the end of last season. Yesterday in the interview he gave at the annual coaches clinic Garrett said this when asked about Gregory, “I don’t want to comment on that, I’m not commenting on Randy Gregory.” Doesn't sound like a guy with a lot of sympathy for a self destructive player. I have a feeling if it was up to Garrett Gregory would be an ex-employee of the Dallas Cowboys. Garrett has always been a good soldier for the Cowboys utilizing the players given to him but there have been times when Garrett has been tight lipped as in his comment about Gregory that seems to be a tell that he's not at all happy with a player. I think the one deficiency in the relationship between Jerry Jones and Garrett has been Garrett's lack of ability to run the personnel on the team the way he wants. Jerry needs to let Garrett that last measure of control and the Cowboys roster and locker room would be better off. Jerry has been seen, I think rightfully so, as a facilitator of bad behavior because he's seen problem players succeed. Most notably, Charles Haley but guys like Haley are the rare exception rather than the rule. Garrett talks incessantly about getting "the right kind of guy" and Jerry keep signing guys who are clearly not that. Garrett should have more say so in who gets signed and he also should have a freer hand in meting out discipline as he see fit. When Dallas was in its last heyday under Jimmy Johnson, Jimmy would cut a guy to make a point and even the star players were not above his iron fist. I think there have been times when Garrett would like to ring a player's neck but he bites his tongue while Jerry praises bad behavior as a sign of leadership. You know what Jerry's doing, he's trying to give some support to players in the hope they will feel compelled to straighten up and fly right. Trouble is he's cutting his coach's authority off at the knees. People are wrong, Jerry isn't a coach and Garrett is far more than a figurehead or Jerry's puppet. Garrett is his own man but he's not the boss and he has to do what employees in every industry has to do. That's to do his job and not overstep his bounds. Don't think cutting Gregory would send a message to the other idiots on the team? Who knows but I'd like to see Garrett come out in the opening press conference in Oxnard and say that Randy Gregory has been cut. No explanation, no excuses. Gregory is cut and leave the whys up to the media that will venture to guess what Garrett was thinking cutting a 2nd round pick just 1 year into his contract. I think the media will figure it out and so will the guys in the locker room. Gregory crossed the line and he's gone and it doesn't matter when he was drafted. If you take yourself off the field because you can't control recreational drug use you won't be employed by the Cowboys for very long. That would be a Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson thing to do. For his part, Gregory entered a rehab facility but I'll bet a dollar to a donut that Gregory's agent motivated that move as damage control for this latest stupidity. There may be only one way to impress upon Gregory to leave childish behavior behind, a one year suspension without pay. Maybe, MAYBE, that will be the 'Come to Jesus' moment he needs to wise up. I think if Garrett had his way both Gregory and the other true knucklehead on the Cowboys roster, Rolando McClain, would be out of work right now. I would totally agree with Garrett if he had the ability to do what he probably would love to do. Totally.

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys leave for training camp today. Heck they may have already boarded their plane and are headed to Oxnard as we sit here. In an interview Jerry Jones admitted that he and the rest of the organization are not surprised about the recent turn of events concerning Randy Gregory. In fact he said the team sort of knew all spring that he had issues. Gregory is said to have failed not one but several drug tests and the subsequent news that he had checked into a rehab facility on the heel of news that he would likely end up with a 10 game suspension instead of a 4 game ban as a result of continued failed drug tests. Sad--both for Gregory and the Cowboys.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/07/27/jerry-jones-not-surprised-not-expecting-randy-gregory-training-camp

 

To add insult to injury the Cowboys will likely have to pay a $250K fine for having 3 or more players on suspension due to drug or PED use. The last team to face such a penalty was the Seattle Seahawks in 2013 when they had 6 players suspended for PED use. .....and Lucy says, "Good Grief, Charlie Brown!"

 

In the Writer's Round Table feature Nick Eatman, Bryan Broaddus and Taylor Stern give their final thoughts before training camp.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2016/07/26/roundtable-training-camp-preview-predictions

 

More work is taking place at the Cowboys new headquarters in Frisco called The Star. Yesterday the Cowboys with reps from the Omni Hotel chain along with local dignitaries had what was dubbed "The Topping Out Ceremony" of the new Frisco Omni Hotel at The Star that is part of The Star facility complex. The hotel is not slated to open until summer of 2017 but the announcement is seen as a way to spur the construction of the hotel that will feature 300 rooms. Linked below is the video of the ceremony and a link to the article about the ceremony. Both come from DallasCowboys.com.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2016/07/27/cowboys-city-frisco-announce-omni-hotel-star

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/07/27/topping-out-ceremony-frisco-omni-marks-another-milestone-star

 

Don't you know that of all the issues and headaches LB Rolando McClain has given the Cowboys in the same interview with Jerry Jones he was asked if McClain, who is eligible to participate in training camp, Jones reply was this, “That’s another one that’s a work in progress, and we’ll leave it at that,” Are you freaking kidding me? I promise I will never write another post pertaining to this guy until he is either cut or shows that he's straightened up his act. Randy Gregory won't be at training camp because he's in rehab. I get that. There is not one reason why McClain can't show up in Oxnard and I'm tired of this fool.

[eagle eye]

I have been thinking about this for a while now because I have noticed that I am pretty much the only one who posts in this SportsCenter forum. I have hoped to spark discussion and debate both pro and con but it hasn't happened in a while. I never intended this forum to become my own domain. So, I am going to back off from posting in this forum for a while in hopes that all you BRI people will make this a true fan forum again. I appreciate the folks to who have checked out my posts, almost 8,000 views on the 4 pinned threads I have going is pretty awesome and I thank you for giving my ramblings a look. The downside of that is I know you're out there so I'm challenging you all to step up and make this continue to grow. Thanks to Mike and the other administrators for giving us all this opportunity to talk Lamar and sports in general and thanks also for not kicking me off the site because my posts are just too darn long. I'll still be around posting on the Inside the Birdcage forum and I'll be watching SportsCenter to see what comes up. Go Cards and Go BRI!

[eagle eye]

The latest news is just so frustrating I couldn't not post. Yesterday at practice backup QB Kellen Moore had his leg stepped on by an O-lineman while Moore was passing which resulted in his left fibula being broken. He was carted off the field in an air cast. It has also come to light that Moore will need surgery to repair the break. At minimum Moore will miss half the season and it could be he will miss the whole season. The Cowboys expressed confidence in their QB situation last week when Nick Foles asked for and was granted his release by the LA Rams when Dallas said, in no uncertain terms, that they were not interested in Foles. Now, it will likely be a brand new situation because neither of the remaining two QB's on the roster, Dak Prescott or Jameille Showers, have taken a regular season NFL snap. Dallas will need to cover their asses with a veteran guy and Foles just could be a great fit in Dallas.

 

Out of the blue Tyrone Crawford has had to sit out practices since the weekend because of a back issue. Terrell McClain also has had to sit out as well leaving the D-line short handed. This injury shit on top of the suspensions is really testing the Cowboys depth. You want, and need, your top guys in practice and these constant setbacks have got to frustrate Jason Garrett. Especially Crawford who has been plagued with one injury after another since he was drafted in 2012. He was supposed to be the healthiest he's been since he tore his Achilles tendon in the 2013 training camp on the very first day of practice. He played all but the first game of 2015 with a torn rotator cuff and he still managed to play well but far less effective than he could have been with two good arms. This year we were supposed to see the newest and most improved version of TC yet until the back thing flared up prior to Monday's first padded practice. Crawford had an MRI but it showed nothing so the Cowboys are giving him a few days of rest. Jason Garrett said the back is something that has nagged him the past couple of years but it has not caused him to miss a game. So, do we worry or not? JJ Watt played for a season and went through OTA's and mini camp until it was obvious he had to have surgery. It could be that's the road Crawford is on--go as long as possible until you can't stand it any more and get the surgery done. Hopefully, he can play, and play well, this season and have the surgery next February. It seems it's only inevitable.

 

When you look at the guys who have messed up and gotten suspended you have to feel frustrated on one hand and sad on the other. Rolando McClain is a top notch talent who is throwing his career away and the latest news is it's because of a codeine problem. He is drinking a concoction called purple drank which basically is codeine cough syrup mixed with a soda like Sprite or Mountain Dew along with Jolly Rancher candies for flavor. Codeine is highly addictive and is dangerous in high doses. Here's the wiki on "purple drank" the most infamous part of this is that it is said to have originated in Houston. Nice.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_drank

 

There is still a mystery surrounding Randy Gregory's continued battle using marijuana but information came out that Gregory has deeper issues that cause him to continue to use weed. It's these issues that have caused him to go into an in-patient rehab facility. The concern for when Gregory will return to the Cowboys is truly secondary to the concern over his mental health. Though no reports have said specifically there has be inference that Gregory's personal life is in shambles and smoking weed is the only way he can cope with his problems. I think, even though nobody has said so, that there is a real fear he is suicidal. You hope to God he's not but if he is in such a state you have to hope that he can get the help he needs to get his life back on an even keel. There is always a backstory to self destructive behavior and you have to have help in this life. Let's hope Gregory gets that help for him as a person--football be damned.

That makes the redemption story of DeMarcus Lawrence encouraging. Despite being suspended the first four games of the upcoming season he has come to training camp and he's working hard to prepare himself for Week 5 which is when he is scheduled to return to action. He has also owned up to his problem to the media admitting he made a mistake in judgment and it won't happen again. When asked why he feels he won't make the same mistake again Lawrence replied that, “With times like this – hard times come through your life. You’ve got to learn to stand up and be a man about your mistakes,” he said. “I did that. I stood up as a man, talked to my teammates – and they understand how sorry I am.” He went on to say that he learned what is important to him and he has adjusted his priorities accordingly. A young guy made a huge mistake and seems like he's ready to move forward. As an ending to this story as of yesterday in the following link is a recap of yesterday's practice. Look at the section of the article that talks about the players who stood out yesterday in the team's second padded practice of camp.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/08/02/tues-practice-recap-daks-opportunity-zekes-hamstring-more-notes

 

From the "Would you give me a friggin' break" department comes news that Zeke Elliott tweaked his hamstring in practice yesterday. He was seen having trainers stretch him out and he was held out of the end of practice. That is also mentioned in the link above in case you missed it.

 

Dallas has a day off today so it will give players a chance to recharge and recuperate some before resuming practice on Thursday. This Saturday will be the Cowboys annual Blue-White scrimmage and one week later will be the first preseason game against the Rams at the LA Coliseum.

Edited August 3, 2016 by eagle eye

[Skinny1]

Well, looks like the Cowboys can re-evaluate their QB decision about getting Nick as a back-up or consider Johnny Football. Jerry GM is never predictable.

[eagle eye]

I can't stand it. I am surprised I was able to make it a whole week but there's just too much going on. Dallas had their annual Blue-White scrimmage on Sunday but it was just a full speed practice that lasted roughly an hour. Romo and Dez hooked up on TD pleasing the huge crowd on the scene and they got an extra rush when Dez threw up the X after the score. Most of the scrimmage reps went to the young guys getting reps they all need. Dak Prescott and Jameille Showers are fighting it out over the #2 backup QB position. They are doing so well that there doesn't seem to be any urgency to bring in a veteran QB. Honestly, there probably isn't a lot out there right now and with the hope Dak is really going to be the QB in training to take over for Romo some day I say, why not? Dak or Showers can't be as bad as the guys Dallas had last season. Besides, Romo isn't getting hurt this year and he's going to play all 16 games plus the playoffs, isn't he? Isn't he? (crickets chirping)

 

Ezekiel Elliott has been out since last week early because of hamstring soreness. That's the key, the Cowboys are saying "soreness" rather than "pull" which is far more serious. My question is if it's just soreness why hasn't he practiced in a week? A rookie needs all the reps they can get and Zeke is working with trainers on the side. Hopefully, he will get back this week in time to play in Saturday's 1st preseason game against the Rams.

 

One reason the scrimmage on Sunday was cut short because the Cowboys were missing 28 players who are injured, rehabbing injuries or are sick. That's almost 1/3 of the roster in the trainer's room instead of the field. Hopefully, some of these players, most notably the defensive line, can make it back to work soon.

 

According to the DallasCowboys.com writers the best player in camp so far is CB Morris Clailborne. This is the first time in his career Claiborne has been totally healthy and the key for him will be to stay that way. In an interview Mo told the interviewer this is the first time since college he really loves football again.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/08/08/finally-healthy-producing-mo-claiborne-excited-love-football-again

 

The Cowboys began a documentary series called Deep Blue last year with some really interesting stories. The 2nd season of the series is back and the first episode features a round table with 3 generations of Cowboys 88's with Drew Pearson, Michael Irvin and Dez. The 2nd half of the show features HOF OL Larry Allen "From Compton to Canton". Should be a good show. In the link below there is also a link if you are interested in watching Season 1 shows.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/deepblue

[eagle eye]

So here is something you might be aware of. Rolando McClain has caused enough head and heart ache that the Cowboys won't even talk about him. Dallas gave him a fresh start and a chance to play football for the most popular franchise in the NFL. Dallas has been smart enough not to give him any more than a one year deal that is based solely on how many games he's played. No guaranteed money, a minuscule signing bonus and no forgiveness from a salary standpoint. You're looking at a Stephen Jones move in that regard. McClain's contract has been the purest example of 'what have you done for me lately' ever in the NFL. McClain deserved no better than he's gotten either. Dallas isn't, or hasn't screwed him financially considering he can't keep from getting himself suspended and he has never failed not to show up for offseason work to great consternation of all. The guy is just a head case. An extremely talented head case but a head case he is.

That part you know if you follow the Cowboys what you might not know is there is a reason Dallas doesn't just cut him a la Jimmy Johnson to make a point or send a message to the team about how slackers won't be tolerated. This is a different NFL than when Jimmy coached the team. Salary cap issues matter and that's why Garrett doesn't cut him even though he would probably love to. McClain doesn't make a lot of money in the grand scheme of things but why just throw the money away? If Dallas keeps McClain on the roster and he's suspended or inactive then Dallas can recoup most of the money that would have been paid IF he had actually played a game. They won't get credit for it this season but they will get a credit for next year. It's money in the bank. If Dallas cuts him all the money from McClain's contract is lost, dead, gone, kaput. So, as you can see, McClain will still be able to call himself a Dallas Cowboy but he won't get paid for the privilege and that's about what he deserves. But, something seems to have happened in the offseason. Maybe Jason Garrett talked to Jerry and Stephen Jones and told them how upset he was at having to put up with characters like Greg Hardy and McClain who didn't go to meetings or "be the right kind of guys" in any way, shape or form. It hurt the culture of the locker room to give those bad actors a pass and it gave the rest of the team a reason to misbehave too. If you notice, Jason never said a word to the media but his silence about the actions of Hardy and McClain and others spoke volumes. Every year since 2014 when the players showed up for OTA's every member of the team and staff had a T shirt with the word FIGHT that symbolized an attitude. There was a similar T-shirt given out in 2015 and there was a new one given out in May of this year. This year's slogan is ' 17" ' which is read 17 inches. This video linked below explains what 17" means and it's an interesting story but the gist of the message is this, 'We're not putting up with anybody's shit any more. We have one set of rules that apply to everybody, no exceptions. Toe the line or you won't be around long." From the opening of training camp Jerry said there is new attitude around the Cowboys that says we only worry about who is here and we don't sweat who isn't. The unspoken part of Jerry's speech was he wasn't going to tolerate slackers. I believe Jerry was incredibly embarrassed about last season's 4-12 record and he listened to Garrett (and probably Stephen too) that you can't have a special set of rules for guys because it divides the locker room. It's pretty clear Jason Garrett hated what happened in his locker room last year and he's sent a message it won't happen again. If my hypothesis is true, Good for Jason; Good for Jerry; Good for Stephen. This is long overdue I really like the message. I'll be willing to bet this isn't just lip service either. We'll see but I believe some of you will be surprised in good way.

 

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2016/08/06/special-edition-17

[eagle eye]

What can you say when a team gets beaten in the 4th quarter of a preseason game? I'll tell you. You admit that the other teams' scrubs are better than your scrubs. Dallas busted out to a 21-7 lead and make it 24-7 going into halftime. All those points coming without Tony Romo on the field. How is that you ask? I'll tell you, Dak Prescott is a good player and Jameill Showers isn't far behind. All that whining about lack of QB depth when Kellen Moore went down was very premature. Prescott looked like a vet out on the field and he moved the ball. In his time on the field he completed 10-12 passes for 139 yards and 2 TDs. One was a pretty back shoulder fade to Dez and the other was an even prettier 32 yard strike to Terrence Williams that couldn't have been thrown any better. Jameill Showers had the play of the weekend when he escaped two tackle and threw a strike to Vince Mayle. It was a thing of beauty and was easily the best play of the NFL weekend.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2016/08/13/jameill-showers-escapes-sack-throws-first-down

 

The down side to the game was the 4th quarter collapse by the Cowboys. Our scrubs couldn't do anything right on either side of the ball as they allowed 14 4th quarter points and the offense couldn't manage even a field goal in the second half. I have to say, I'm sure that there will be some hard words said to some of the Cowboys who sucked the big one on Saturday night. Take Chaz Green for example. He let former NFL great Junior Seau's nephew Ian make him his bitch. He had no answer for either Seau's bull rush or his speed rush. Another guy who stunk it up was S JJ Wilcox. That guy sucks. He took bad angles and missed plays as a result and when he was in position to make plays he missed the tackles. The Cowboys tackling was terrible and it got worse as the first and second teamers went to the bench. Unfortunately, a lot of 2nd and 3rd teamers had to play almost the whole game because Dallas had so many defensive players hurt there was no depth to speak of. I had to endure the Astros sucking and then I got to watch the Cowboys suck in the fourth quarter losing the game to the LA Rams 28-24. I forgot this is the time of year when I am in for dual disappointments on a regular basis. If you asked me how my weekend was I'll reply, "It sucked. It sucked the big one and I may have committed suicide if the Texans hadn't proved THEIR scrubs are better than the 49ers scrubs. I'm going to need an anger management course if this shit is going to continue. I know it's preseason but for God's sake wasn't 4-12 bad enough? Dallas had the day off yesterday so I guess today Jason Garrett is going to chew on some ass today. The one thing that makes me happy is that Dak Prescott was pissed too. Even though it is preseason he hates to lose because "My name is on that loss too." and I'm glad he said that. I'm glad Dak cares about winning so much. I like that attitude even if the game doesn't count. We just may finally have our QB of the future and that's a good thing.

[eagle eye]

In all the hoopla over the first game of the preseason I forgot to mention that C Travis Frederick got a long term deal done DURING the game. When, the news of the deal came during the game via an alert on my cell phone. I was happy at the time since Dallas was winning and news of locking up a top notch center for the next 6 years was good news indeed. It's actually more than 6 years when you remember Frederick is just entering the 4th year of his original rookie deal and the Cowboys picked up the 5th year option as part of the new deal. So, Frederick's new deal doesn't actually kick in until 2019 and he is under contract with Dallas through the 2024 season. He will be a 12 year vet by then so this could be his last contract of his career. It's a good'un too. The $56.4 MM features $28.2 MM fully guaranteed and makes him the highest paid center in the NFL.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/08/14/frederick-thrilled-get-deal-done-moments-start-2016-season

 

TE James Hanna who came down with a knee issue just before training camp is now going to have arthroscopic surgery on the knee. This will like mean he will begin the season on PUP because he will need at least 6 weeks to heal and rehab the knee.

 

LB Damien Wilson has missed training camp so far because of an eye injury he received playing paintball. It's like the scenario in HBO's Ballers but at least Wilson didn't tear his Achilles like the Vernon character in the show. He returned to practice yesterday and as things go players like Wilson and Maliek Collins and Benson Mayowa are cleared to practice. The return of Collins and Mayowa as well as Wilson will be welcome reinforcements for a front seven severely depleted by injuries. If you remember Collins broke his foot in mini camp while Mayowa missed time after he needed his knee scoped. This will be a welcome return to duty for 3 guys the Cowboys were depending on. Especially Collins, the 3rd round pick from Nebraska in this year's draft. He was supposed to be a difference maker in the interior defensive line. He is actually getting back earlier than expected which is a very good thing for this rookie's development. Mayowa has also been missed at defensive end. Since it is still early in training camp all 3 players will get of a good dose of it before all is said and done.

 

RB Ezekiel Elliott looks like he's getting closer to getting back on the practice field for the Cowboys and none too soon either. He participated in the Cowboys walk through yesterday and if there isn't any residual soreness in his hamstring he could actually participate in practice today. If all goes well this week we could see Elliott in Friday's game against the Dolphins.

 

Dallas will wrap up the first portion of training camp in Oxnard this week. Their last day of practice in California is Wednesday and Thursday the Cowboys travel back to Dallas. They have their first home game Friday night against the Miami Dolphins and they will begin practicing at their new headquarters in Frisco as early as Sunday.

 

In this edition of Scout's Notebook DallasCowboys.com analyst Bryan Broaddus takes a look at Monday's practice, the first since Saturday's 28-24 loss to the Rams.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/08/16/scouts-notebook-defense-steps-first-practice-back-la

[eagle eye]

Jerry Jones has been named as a Pro Football Hall of Fame contributor nominee. In other words he's being nominated as an owner of influence. The fact is, Jerry as the team owner revolutionized the way the NFL does business. From team centric sponsorships to generate revenue for the Cowboys without having to share with the other 31 teams to charging for training camp practices to a plethora of ways for the Cowboys to build their brand without having to share with the other owners or the league and his innovations revolutionized the way the NFL does business. The Star in Frisco is another innovation by Jerry and the Cowboys because there will be no other team training facility in the NFL. As an owner he truly has been a true visionary and he deserves his recognition as a Hall of Famer. Don't get me wrong, it won't be because of his prowess as a GM, he's admitted that if the GM of the Cowboys was someone different than himself he would have fired the guy long ago. It's looking like Stephen Jones is better suited than Jerry as a GM as the younger Jones has shown a better head for GM work than his old man. As an owner there's nobody even close to Jerry. We'll find out Super Bowl week this coming February if Jerry will join the ranks of Hall of Famers and I'll bet he will be.

 

Zeke Elliott practiced again yesterday for the first time since the 2nd practice of training camp when he tweaked his hamstring. He only participated in individual drills as he sat out team activities but at least he was back on the field. He will continue to be worked into activities until he is a full participant but when asked if he will play against Miami this week he said probably not. His first game work will likely come in preseason game 3 against Seattle.

 

The Cowboys 7 on 7 drills almost turned ugly as the WR's and DB's started talking smack big time. Dez telling the CB's there wasn't a one of them who could cover him and Mo Claiborne throwing an incomplete pass back at the offense in defiance. It's good that they are showing this spirit as long as all that results is better play from both sides and a lot of trash talk. You never want to see the team getting into fights because nothing is accomplished and somebody could get hurt.

 

Bryan Broaddus gives us his observations on yesterday's practice in his Scout's Notebook series.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/08/16/scouts-notebook-byrons-growth-coverage-wilson-shows-more

[eagle eye]

The Cowboys had their final practice in the perfect weather in Oxnard California yesterday. Today is a travel day as the Cowboys return to the Metroplex to prepare for their Friday night game against the Miami Dolphins. Yesterday's practice was good but a lot of vets like Romo, Witten, Tyron Smith and Sean Lee got to sit out of this last practice. It ended on a high when Jason Garrett had to hit a target with a pass that would allow the team to not have to observe curfew last night and he did hit the target. Punter Chris Jones had to hit the same target and if he did the players would not have a walk-through practice before leaving for Dallas Thursday morning. Jones hit the target and was carried off the field. Hopefully the link of his throw from a twitter post by reporter John Machota will play. It wouldn't play on my work computer but I'll bet it does on yours, or your phone. It's the second like below.

 

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2016/08/17/wed-practice-report-moving-back-dallas-whos-available-friday

 

 

Tony Romo did not play a down against the Rams in their first preseason game but he expects to play a series or two Friday night against the Dolphins. There have been instances in recent years when Romo didn't play or even practice much because he was recovering from a back surgery or simply because of his age. He has shown that if he doesn't get the work he needs to get in during training camp and preseason games he comes out in Week 1 rusty. In the Cowboys 12-4 season two years ago Romo didn't practice much or play much in preseason games and when Week 1 rolled around he was noticeably rusty and definitely not playing as well as he could, or should, have played and it resulted in a disappointing loss to the 49ers. He was still rusty but played better against Tennessee in Week 2 which was the Cowboys first win of the season. By Week 3 almost all of the rust had been chipped away and he was in top form but the Cowboys were forced to play on the road after their 1st round playoff game. One more win, the one against a bad 49ers team would have have given Dallas the #2 seed and home field until the NFC Championship game. Big difference between playing at home and in Green Bay in January. So all you folks out there who want to see more of Dak Prescott remember, Dallas is trying to get ready for the regular season and that means getting all the starters ready for Week 1. Dak is the darling of the fans and media on the strength of his showing against the Rams last Saturday but make no mistake, Tony Romo is the man who will lead the team where it needs to go and he needs to get the right amount of work in. Yeah, Dallas may have found their QB of the future in Dak Prescott but the QB of the present is Tony Romo and he needs to feel the love right now and the only way he can feel that love is to get the bulk of the work the next two weeks in practice and preseason games. Next week's game is generally known as the "dress rehearsal" game. A game when the starters all play at least a half to get tuned up for the season. IMO Romo needs to play at least a quarter against the Dolphins on Friday night and get his full half of work in the following Thursday night against Seattle. The last preseason game is all for the backups and scrubs who are trying to make the final 53 man roster but now is the time to knock off the rust on Tony Romo so he's ready come September 11 against the NY Giants when the games begin to count.

[eagle eye]

The most important thing so far in Cowboys camp is they have been relatively injury free.....Bazinga! Another one of my classic pranks. The Cowboys have done nothing but deal with injuries so far in training camp. They have gotten a couple of guys back but about the same time as Maliek Collins and Terrell McClain return to practice DEs David Irving and Charles Tapper are out with a groin pull and a back issue respectively. Sheesh. I have been asking the football gods, on many occasions begging them, to lighten up on this team for change. The injury situation is ridiculous and so not fair. You look down I-45 South and how healthy by comparison the Texans are it makes me throw up a little in my mouth. I wish no ill will toward the Texans, they are my favorite AFC team, but I'd like some of the good fortune health-wise the Texans are having to make its way north to the Metroplex. Jason Garrett has be asking himself in private moments alone, "WTF is going on with all these injuries?" This situation isn't just this year but it has gone on for literally years now. Dallas can't seem to catch a break. It's like the rest of the NFC East got together with a voodoo princess and got a doll they stick pins in. I think Jason ought to call Jerry and ask him to have the voodoo police check into this because I am sick and tired of the literal bombardment of injuries to the roster each and every year.

 

The Cowboys were off yesterday as they traveled back to Dallas from California. The temps in Dallas aren't that much removed from Oxnard because they are getting the same crap weather we've been dealing with for the last ten days. The temps are cooler but the humidity is another matter. At the new practice facility at The Star in Frisco Dallas has a state of the art indoor practice field so they can continue to work. God help those fellas when the sun comes back out. That north Texas heat will probably be responsible for another plethora of pulled hammies, groins, shoulders or some other stupid malady. I cast a voodoo spell on the Rangers that worked beautifully for almost 3 weeks but the Astros blew their opportunity and failed to take advantage of the super slump the Rangers went through. I am looking for a live chicken for another ceremony to cast a protection spell over the Cowboys from this moment forward. Sacrificing a live chicken is messy business but if it puts a halt to the avalanche of injuries to this team it will be worth all the mess. Just to be safe, I'm going to get Doreen and her magic powder to join in my rite of protection for the Cowboys just to put a little umph in the spell. Doreen is one powerful witchy woman and if she can't put the spell over the hump there must be even higher powers affecting the poor health of this team. I have to get busy now because we play Miami tonight and I don't want the team to go into the game unprotected.

 

Today should be a walk-through practice in prep for the game tonight against Miami. The game will be televised on the NFL Channel and should start at 7:00 o'clock. If you notice a faint purple aura around the players it's not your TV, it will be the spell of protection guarding the players. If you see a deep magenta aura around Tony Romo just know that me and Doreen put a little something extra out there for him.

[eagle eye]

What a difference a week makes. Of course the competition level was different. It was obvious the Dolphins are not in the same class as the Rams talent-wise but it was still noteworthy that Dallas kicked the stuffing out of the Fish by a final score of 41-14. The one thing that was a little disturbing was that Dallas went stretches when they were not able to put pressure on Miami QB Ryan Tannehill. There were 4 possessions where the pass rush just wasn't there and it resulted in 14 Miami points. Dallas defense got much better in the red zone in the other two possessions and Miami came away with no points as they opted to go for the first down or TD on 2 4th downs that ended any scoring threat. The final score really should have been 41-20 and if it had been the regular season it would have.

Dak Prescott is making believers out of pretty much everyone. In two games so far he has a QB rating of 156.4 which is nearly perfect. Dak threw for two TDs and ran for two as his work in the 2nd and 3rd quarters was just outstanding. You know a guy is living right when he makes a bad decision, the one bad decision he's made in his two games played, that resulted in an interception but was negated by a roughing the passer call on the Dolphins. Even when he does something wrong it gets reversed.

WR Brice Butler had a nice night too. He had 3 catches for 74 yards and a TD on the night. He should have had 4 catches for about 100 yards but a ref made a terrible call of offensive pass interference on Butler on a really nice leaping catch from Prescott that would have been a TD had it counted. The ref really blew the call. First, he was out of position to see the play clearly as he was behind Butler on the sideline with Butler shielding him from the play. The ref said Butler pushed off to gain separation to jump up and make a circus catch but this was not the case as the replay clearly showed. Butler made catches in various routes proving he wasn't a one trick, Nine route, receiver. Butler did make a nice catch on a deep ball on a post pattern that Dak threw 65 yards in the air and Butler was taken down inside the 5 yard line. He catch a short back-shoulder fade for his TD a couple of plays later. He other catch was on a skinny post for a 12 yard pickup and first down in the 2nd quarter. Nice night for Butler and I'm sure Devon Street can feel his continued employment by the Cowboys is in jeopardy because of Butler's performance.

Mo Claiborne showed up and played well. He was good in coverage and he was good in run support. This may finally be the Mo that Dallas thought they were getting when the traded up to get him back in 2012 and it's no coincidence this the first time he's been truly healthy since being drafted.

The refs were crappy last night and it seemed like every bad call went against the Cowboys. I know, it sounds like a homer talking but I am not being a homer here because replay backs up my claims. First there was the bad call I mentioned above robbing Brice Butler of a TD. Next there was a holding call on WR Terrene Williams in the first half when he pancaked a DB on an Alfred Morris run. The replay clearly showed there was no foul on Williams. Next example was a play where the Dolphins Jarvis Landry caught a quick hitch which Brandon Carr was all over but he had trouble wrestling him to the ground but he had his forward progress stopped. The whistle had not yet blown and MLB Anthony Hitchens came over and bashed into Landry knocking him on his ass. It was a legal hit, no cheap shot but I'm sure it embarrassed Landry. Before Landry could respond the other Dolphins WRs responded including Kenny Stills and DeVonte Parker were in Hitchens' face pushing and shoving and talking smack. There was a lot of pushing and shoving by the Dolphins but it was Hitchens who was penalized--twice. One was declined and the other, a personal foul for grabbing the face mask, was accepted giving the Dolphins a first and goal at the Cowboys 4. The replay clearly showed it was either Stills or Parker who grabbed Hitchens' face mask while Hitchens was not doing anything. The broadcasters in the TV booth wondered what play the ref that made the call was watching because he was clearly wrong.

The defense wasn't totally terrible last night. They did get 3 sacks, recovered a fumble that led to a score and they had another 5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Not too shabby especially for the scrubs who pretty much lost the game against the Rams last week because they couldn't make a stop in the 4th quarter.

One last thing. I have to give some love to Alfred Morris. The guy started and played into the 3rd quarter and he was good. The only blemish was a dropped pass from Tony Romo in the 1st quarter that was partially on Romo. On the night he rushed the ball 13 time for 85 yards and a TD. He also had one catch for 15 yards. Morris also had a couple of nice runs called back because of penalties. Darren McFadden had to be on the sidelines wishing he hadn't taken a nose dive at home trying to catch his cell phone breaking his elbow because Morris is showing he deserves a spot on the Cowboys roster.

Okay, this is really the last thing. OL Chaz Green looked like crap last week against the Rams. Pretty much everyone the Rams lined up against Green made him their bitch. He was slow, overmatched and just plain out of shape. The Cowboys chose to sit starting LT Tyron Smith and start Green in his place with the other for regular starters on the O-line. If you don't think the coaches were crossing their fingers that Green didn't get Tony Romo hurt based on his performance last week in Los Angeles your crazy. But, to his credit, Green did a decent job. Easily better than last week. First, neither Romo or Prescott were hit as a result of a failure by Green. That's important for a left tackle. Keep your QB clean and he did that. He committed a couple of penalties and he lined up wrong once but on the whole he didn't embarrass himself the way he did in LA. You have to keep in mind that last week was his first game experience since the end of his last year in college, nearly two years. He missed all of 2015 with a bad hip that ended up needing surgery so he's rusty as heck. The fact that he showed so much improvement from last week to this week is a very encouraging sign that the 3rd round pick they used on him last April wasn't wasted.

This is really, really the last thing. The voodoo spell of health that Doreen and I cooked up yesterday pretty much worked. There were no Cowboys except for backup LB Mark Nzeocha that left the field injured last night (knocking on wood--can't jinx a voodoo spell now can I?). Normally when the sideline reporter says the word 'Achilles' it's bad news but the early word on Nzeocha is he has a strained Achilles not a torn one. A torn Achilles would end his season before it really even began but a strain is just a minor setback like a high ankle sprain. It might be something that takes 6 weeks or so to heal but it won't cancel Nzeocha's season which is a good thing because he has been impressive in training camp so far. Nzeocha missed all of 2015 rehabbing from a torn ACL he suffered in his last season in college at Wyoming. Based on his talent he should have gone higher but he was overlooked because 2015 was essentially going to be a red shirt year for him so Dallas got him in the seventh round in last year's draft. He was a good value pick that was really starting to pay dividends so it's a good thing if his Achilles is just strained. I'd say me and Doreen did good and I hope the spell lasts until next March. That's what we planned on. The Cowboys sure need something good to happen for them on the injury front. To the Cowboy Doreen and I say, "your welcome!"