Bleacher Report - Articles by Shawn Schultz

The 1992 Dallas Cowboys: My Favorite Team of All-Time

Shawn Schultz — Thu, 21 May 2009 01:14:56 -0400

My favorite Dallas Cowboys team of all-time is the 1992 Dallas Cowboys. Just three years earlier, owner and GM Jerry Jones reached an agreement to purchase the Cowboys from Bum Bright on February 25 and announced that University of Miami Coach Jimmy Johnson would replace Tom Landry. Here in Dallas, we were all floored...at first, but winning cures everything.

In the first year under the Jones/Johnson era, the Cowboys went 1-15, winning only against division rival Washington. In 1990, the Cowboys started to turn it around. The Cowboys went 7-9 and almost made the playoffs and here in Dallas, knowing that better times were right around the corner.

In 1991, the Cowboys went 11-5 and Dallas finished second in the NFC East and qualified as the NFC's No. 2 Wild Card Playoff entry, marking the club's first postseason trip since 1985. The Cowboys traveled to Chicago and defeated the Bears 17-13 in the opening round Wild Card Game before getting manhandled by the Lions 38-6 in Detroit the following week, but this only set up the 1992 season as a season of hope. The 1992 season began with high expectations and hopes for a long playoff run. The Cowboys started the season off right, by beating the defending Super Bowl Champion Redskins at Texas Stadium on Monday Night Football, 23-10 and then won the next two games over the Giants and Cardinals, before losing their first game of the year, to the Eagles.

The Cowboys won the next 10 out of 12 games, to finish the regular season 13-3 and win the NFC East Division, for the fourteenth time, in their team history. The Cowboys beat the Eagles at Texas Stadium 34-10, in the division playoff round. Then, the Cowboys had to travel to Candlestick Park to play the favored San Francisco 49ers. The Cowboys defeated the San Francisco 49ers by a 30-20 score, winning their sixth NFC title. The victory sent Dallas to Super Bowl XXVII in Pasadena, marking the Cowboys' first NFC title, and Super Bowl trip, since 1978.

While making an NFL record sixth Super Bowl appearance, the Cowboys defeated Buffalo 52-17 in Super Bowl XXVII at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Jan. 31, 1993. The Super Bowl crowd of 98,374 was the largest crowd to ever witness a Dallas Cowboys game. The game was also witnessed by 133.4 million television viewers, making Super Bowl XXVII the most-watched event in television history. Here were the Cowboys on top of the NFL world again, only three years after the Cowboys went 1-15. It had been a long time coming, but the Cowboys were Super Bowl champions, and this was the first time in my life that I got to see the Cowboys win the Super Bowl and not have to read about it from years gone by. And that is the reason the 1992 World Champion Dallas Cowboys were my favorite team of all-time.

Dirk Nowitzki For NBA's MVP Award This Year?

Shawn Schultz — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 19:07:50 -0400

Can Dirk Nowitzki possibly win the NBA's Most Valuable Player award for the second time in his great career? In the 2006-2007 NBA season, when Dirk won the NBA's MVP award, he led the Mavericks to an incredible 67-15 regular season record, home court advantage throughout the playoffs, with the No. 1 seed in the tough, Western Conference.

Yes, he was the best player in the NBA during the regular season that year, but all that was quickly forgotten when the Mavericks were defeated in the first round by the eighth seeded Golden State Warriors.

In the regular season, Nowitzki averaged 24.6 ppg, 8.9 rpg, and almost one block per game, and scored a total of 1,916 points. When the Mavericks needed Dirk the most though, the playoffs, his numbers drastically fell. In the first round loss to the Warriors, Dirk only averaged 19.7 ppg, 11.3 rpg, and 1.3 bpg. His rebounds and blocked shots per game increased, but what Dirk is known for and counted upon is his scoring. It decreased, and the Mavericks lost in six games to the eighth seeded Warriors, which is one of the biggest playoff upsets in the history of sports.

Even though Dirk is still one of the greatest players in the NBA, as long as there are players such as Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Kevin Garnett, and LeBron James in the league, don't even count on him being in the MVP discussion.

Is that a good or bad thing? Honestly, that's a good thing. Less pressure and less load off Dirk, can only help him and the Mavericks to have a better season than last year and hopefully, take them deeper in the playoffs this year.

Red Sox Fans Leaving Around Midnight on Thursday A Pathetic Display

Shawn Schultz — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:24:55 -0400

I hope so badly that the Red Sox lose the ALCS to the Rays this weekend.

First of all, I hate any team except my Rangers, but that aside...to always hear that the Red Sox and Yankees have the greatest fans...After watching all those SORRY, SORRY and I mean plain SORRY fans at Fenway Park tonight, basically running out of the stadium, when the Rays went up, 7-0, is PATHETIC...Never again do I wanna hear the Red Sox have the greatest, most loyal fans.

Yes, I have suffered year after year with my Rangers' losing ways, but when I go to Rangers Ballpark In Arlington, or any of my Dallas teams, I have never ever left, no matter what.

So what if your team is getting throttled? If you are a true die-hard fan, you will never leave early and run to the hills, so to speak. One more thing, those same SORRY fans who left, you know are celebrating their team's come-from-behind win Thursday night, too....SIMPLY PATHETIC...

Josh Howard Needs to Go!!

Shawn Schultz — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:23:08 -0400

My Mavericks NEED to go ahead and ship Josh Howard out of town, to be a burden for another city and another team. His recent brain farts of admitting he smoked "mary jane" in the off-season,during the short lived playoff run, and now his top-of-the-line bone headed stunt in his home state of drag racing and getting arrested are unacceptable.

Cuban and Donnie Nelson I'm sure are at wits end with Howard already, and this latest lack of sense should be the last draw. Howard, you rocked your first couple of years here, but your lack of using what brain cells you have left tells us as Maverick fans, and the Mavericks themselves, that you are untrustworthy and your days in Dallas should be over.

Honestly, if Howard keeps doing these types of bone headed acts of stupidity, he might not even be around to be able to wise up..aka former Hornets guard Bobby Phills...

Stars Slaying Giants Left and Right

Shawn Schultz — Mon, 05 May 2008 18:38:27 -0400

I know that the Red Wings are my Stars perverbal "monkey on their back" team but this isn't the old and slow Stars of some recent playoffs of the past. My Stars are led by the heart and soul of the team, Captain Brenden Morrow...They are winning with great and I mean great goaltending by Marty Turco...Their special teams are clicking and the Stars defense and poke-checking and everything else having to do with defense is the best it has been in years...maybe since the Ludwig, Hatcher, and crew days...Yes, the Stars were 1-3 vs. Detroit this year...Yes, the Stars are 0-3 all-time vs Detroit in the playoffs...and even yes, Marty Turco is a terrible 2-10-2 all-time vs Detroit....BUT...once again, in the playoffs, in any sport, the best teams SOMETIMES doesn't always win, it is the team that comes together as a team and is playing the best when playoff time comes..aka...the Giants in the NFL this past year and many others..not saying that the Red Wings are a better team than my Stars but they have had our number for years now...BUT this is the new season and the chance to play for Lord Stanley is up for grabs, to which ever team wants it more and honestly, I believe that is my Stars....So here is my prediction...

STARS WIN SERIES OVER DETROIT 4-2......

SSDirk-Tuesday-12:30am

Bring back Wade Phillips as Coach...but as a Different Coach?

Shawn Schultz — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 18:01:33 -0500

Why wouldn't you want Wade Phillips back as Dallas' head coach? Or maybe as the defensive coach instead of the head coach? Just a thought. How bout this: go ahead and promote Jason Garrett to head coach and keep him with us...if you have to lose either Sparano or Garrett, go ahead and let Sparano go down to Tuna-land and have fun with that mess. I know it would be a stretch but we don't need to lose anymore, when we aren't even on the field. I think that it would work because the players and coaches all love Wade and Why wouldn't you want Wade Phillips back as Dallas' head coach? Or maybe as the defensive coach instead of the head coach? Just a thought. How bout this: go ahead and promote Jason Garrett to head coach and keep him with us...if you have to lose either Sparano or Garrett, go ahead and let Sparano go down to Tuna-land and have fun with that mess. I know it would be a stretch but we don't need to lose anymore, when we aren't even on the field. I think that it would work because the players and coaches all love Wade and Garrett. Additionally, Wade would be able to focus solely on the defensive side of the ball, where he is more valuable. I am not the greatest owner ever, Jerry Jones, but why not go ahead and take a risk that should not backfire on you.

SSDirk-Tuesday-1amGarrett. Additionally, Wade would be able to focus solely on the defensive side of the ball, where he is more valuable. I am not the greatest owner ever, Jerry Jones, but why not go ahead and take a risk that should not backfire on you.

SSDirk-Tuesday-1am

Dallas Collapse: Last Words on Disappointing End to Cowboys Season

Shawn Schultz — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 12:14:20 -0500

The New York Giants have defeated my Cowboys 21-17 in a HUGE upset to advance to the NFC Championship game.

Yes, the Giants scored more points than my Cowboys, but my Cowboys clearly beat themselves today.

Words cannot express the heartache that is ruminating over the Dallas/Ft.Worth area and over Cowboys nation—just total shock and utter disappointment.

This reminds me of the 1991 Cowboys. After a couple of miserable seasons of 3-13 records and a 1-15 season, the Cowboys turned it around in 1991 and went 11-5.

They even beat the Chicago Bears 17-13 up at Soldier Field, then eventually lost in the NFC Divisional Round of the playoffs to the Detriot Lions 38-6.

BUT it was the platform for the Cowboys winning three out of four Super Bowls in the 90s....so hopefully, a repeat of history will happen for my Cowboys...

Another great season, wasted away...

SSDirk-Sunday

Dallas Collapse: Blame Not on Tony Romo, Wade Phillips

Shawn Schultz — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 12:11:31 -0500

ANYONE and I mean ANYONE who has the brain-dead thought of blaming Tony Romo for this loss or Wade Phillips or singling out any one player—YOU ARE A COMPLETE MORON AND HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF SPORTS!

Did Romo have his best day?...no...Did Romo have his worst day?....no...My Cowboys didn't make the plays that the Giants served on a silver platter for us to make...PERIOD.

I don't want hear ANY Romo or Phillips bashing whatsoever! There is no excuse for that. If you know anything about football, you will see that my Cowboys didn't make the needed plays to win and NO ONE player or coach is to blame…

SSDirk-Sunday-7:05pm

Why the Dallas Cowboys Will Beat the New York Giants

Shawn Schultz — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 23:07:08 -0500

It is hard to dispute facts, and the fact is that the Dallas Cowboys have already beaten the New York Giants twice this year. Here are some facts on why the Cowboys will beat them again on Sunday...

The Cowboys are averaging 38 points per game against the Giants this year.

The Cowboys are averaging 256 passing yards per game, while the Giants only average 197 passing yards per game.

The Cowboys are only allowing 20.3 points per game, while the Giants are allowing 21.9 points per game.

The Cowboys are only allowing 94.6 rushing yards per game, while the Giants are allowing 97.7 rushing yards per game.

The Cowboys have only turned the ball over 24 times this year, while the Giants have turned over the ball 34 times this year.

The Cowboys have forced 29 turnovers this year, while the Giants have only forced 25 turnovers this year....

So if you are into the facts and we all know that the facts do not lie, the Cowboys will beat the New York football Giants, sunday at texas stadium and move on to the nfc championship game.