Bleacher Report - Articles by robert allred

The Dallas Cowboys' Five Most Valuable Stars for 2009

robert allred — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 14:01:23 -0400

According to my good friend, Merriam-Webster (dot-com), the term "value" can be defined as "relative worth, utility, or importance."

In other words, value cannot be conclusively defined, because hey; its all relative!

While the crazy cat lady that lives across the hall from me (there is no crazy cat lady, I made her up) might value her collection of decorative shawls as absolutely priceless, I would probably value it as about the equivalent of my discarded razor-blade after this mornings' shave.

Trash.

It's the same with football. To borrow an old and tired—but true—expression, "One man's trash is another man's treasure." Likewise, one team's bench warmer is another team's All Star.

Every team has the players that make them tick, guys that are absolutely vital to their team's success. Maybe it is because they are superior athletes or have uncanny intelligence, or it could simply be that they have a leadership style that the rest of their teammates really respond to.

No matter what makes them "valuable" to their respective teams, one thing is for certain. Their teams need them.

The Dallas Cowboys are no different. There are a handful of players that they are counting on next year if they hope to have any chance of making it to the "Promised Land."

The following is a list of the five most valuable players (in my eyes) on the Dallas Cowboys' 2009 roster:

1. DeMarcus Ware—Outside Linebacker

DeMarcus is an easy pick for the most valuable Cowboy on the roster. He is arguably the best defensive player in the league, and he is unquestionably the backbone of the Dallas defense.

With questions surrounding the offensive side of the ball, it is imperative that the Cowboys take their defense to the next level next season, and they will need a healthy and productive Ware in order to do that.

The defensive secondary is the weak link in the Dallas defense, and they cannot be hung out to dry. Defensive pressure will be an absolute must, and in 2008 there was nobody better at bringing pressure than Ware, who raked in a league-best 20 quarterback sacks.

His continued dominance will also be key in the continued development of Anthony Spencer, who is filling in as the permanent starter in the wake of the Greg Ellis release.

2. Tony Romo—Quarterback

If this were last season, Romo would undoubtedly be at the top of this list. Thankfully, the Cowboys have made moves to bolster the strength of the Cowboys quarterbacking group with the trade for Jon Kitna and the drafting of Stephen McGee.

Still, the quarterback is always the most important position on the field, and Romo's value cannot be understated. While the Cowboys can afford to go with Kitna for a few weeks if Romo faces another injury, Dallas will need Romo on the field if they have any hopes of going the distance.

Although there have been questions surrounding Romo's leadership ability and his failure to deliver in "big games," he has also been one of the top statistical passers in the game since entering the league.

At best, Romo is an elite quarterback in the making, and at worst he is still a very important key to the Dallas Cowboys' future Super Bowl chances.

3. Jason Witten—Tight End

Jason Witten is Romo's most important and reliable target, and therefore one of the most valuable players on the Cowboys roster.

Last season, he finished in the top 15 in the NFL in receptions (81) and top 25 in receiving yards (952), and he did this with a broken rib and bum shoulder for the last eight games. The only tight end to finish ahead of him in both categories was Kansas City's Tony Gonzales (96 for 1,058),

But Witten is more important than numbers. His value lies in his consistency, his toughness, and his example. He's not a flashy guy, but he rarely makes a bad play, he plays through injury, and has a work ethic that would rival most any athlete.

Whenever Romo and the Cowboys need a big play in the passing game, they look to Witten, and more often than not, he delivers.

4. Roy Williams—Wide Receiver

Roy Williams is very important to the Cowboys' success next season for multiple reasons. Perhaps the biggest is the shoes he is being asked to fill.

Terrell Owens has been a dominant receiver throughout his entire career, and that was no different in Dallas. If the Cowboys hope to get their offense back on track in 2009, Williams will have to be a very big part of that.

But a productive season from Williams is not only needed to bolster the Cowboys passing attack. I have said it before and I'll say it again, the Cowboys need to run the ball next season if they hope to experience true success.

They cannot hope to run the ball effectively if they do not have a legitimate receiving threat, and as great as Witten is, he cannot be Romo's only target through the air.

If the Cowboys have a great season next year, it will largely be because Williams lived up to his hype.

5. Terence Newman—Cornerback

Perhaps one of the most under-appreciated cornerbacks in the league, Terence Newman is a very valuable weapon for the Cowboys defense.

With the departure of Anthony Henry, his value increases even more. With nothing but youth on the opposite side of the field and the safety positions still very much a question mark, Newman must stay healthy next season.

Although not a shutdown corner in the mold of Deion Sanders or Champ Bailey, Newman still has the ability to completely shut down his man when he is healthy and playing at the top of his game.

Without Newman, an already suspect defensive secondary could become a very large liability for the Cowboys.

If you enjoyed this article, then you might also enjoy my breakdown of the 10 most valuable offensive players in the NFL.

If you did not enjoy this this article, then you might enjoy Shawls Unlimited, a website for decorative shawl enthusiasts around the world!

The Dallas Cowboys' Should-Be Motto for 2009: Just Run the Ball!

robert allred — Sat, 30 May 2009 00:57:56 -0400

Months after watching another season slip through their fingertips, the Dallas Cowboys are trying to regroup for the upcoming year in football—this time hoping for a longer season and a happier ending.

Another 9-7 season that results in sitting at home come playoff time will not cut it for the Cowboys next year. In fact, I would go so far as to say that if the 2009 season replicates the 2008 disaster, we will be seeing quite a few new faces in Valley Ranch come 2010.

But while next season's results will be expected to far exceed those of last year, one thing is worth mentioning about the makeup of this current Cowboys team.

On paper, not much has changed.

Sure, they have added a new rookie class, but no matter what the experts said on draft day, we really do not know what to expect from them.

Whether Jason Williams and Vincent Butler work out for the Cowboys or whether they disappoint, they will still be—at best—backups to DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer next year, and if Stephen McGee even hits the field, the season is already over.

Igor Olshansky and Keith Brooking were both nice additions, but they were also both brought in to fill holes that were left vacant by players from the 2008 roster who were on the way out.

Olshansky will be filling in for Chris Canty while Brooking will do the same for Zach Thomas. Another noticeable addition, Gerald Sensebaugh, will try to shore up the safety position that has been vacated by once sensational, but now unwatchable, safety Roy Williams.

I am certainly not trying to say that some of the new guys cannot or will not contribute next year, and I also would not be naive enough to suggest that the Cowboys might not miss some of the players who have moved on to other teams.

However, of all the additions and subtractions the Cowboys have made this offseason, only one is truly significant in regards to next year.

If you have read this far, and if you have been paying any attention at all this offseason, then you should probably already know who I am talking about.

Terrell Owens.

Love him or hate him, Owens was a huge part of the Cowboys' offense—many will argue too huge. The Cowboys can elect to keep trying to run the same offense that they ran with him, in which case they will sorely miss him.

Or, rather, the Cowboys can elect to make an adjustment in their offensive philosophy that could actually turn the absence of Owens into a positive thing.

I have been saying it for months, I'm saying it now, and I am sure I will say it again. If the Cowboys want to turn their offense around next year, they are going to have to make it a point to run the football.

Until Roy Williams and the other receivers can step their game up and prove that they are a legitimate receiving corps that can put up big numbers and make big plays, the Cowboys offense needs to play to their already proven strength—running the football.

The Cowboys have a luxury that few teams have. They have three solid running backs in Marion Barber (885 yards in 2008 despite injury), Felix Jones (8.9 yards-per-carry), and Tashard Choice (5.1 YPC).

With two of those backs being rookies last year, it is quite possible that the Cowboys coaching staff did not quite know what they had in their stable coming into the season. However, by season's end, there was absolutely no question that the overall talent in the Cowboys' backfield, when healthy, can rival any team in the league.

Unfortunately, there was never a point during the 2008 season when all three running backs were being used at the same time due to injuries sustained by Jones and Barber at different points in the season.

With the knowledge of what they have got now firmly in place, and with all three running backs entering into next season at full strength, the Cowboys could and should "hit the ground running" come September.

Five Plays the Dallas Cowboys Offense Would Be Wise to Keep in Their Playbook for 2009

robert allred — Thu, 28 May 2009 23:30:56 -0400

After a disappointing finish to a roller coaster season in 2008, the Dallas Cowboys players, coaches, and fans were left with plenty to worry about over the off-season. A team that had looked like a true contender to start the year was suddenly looking like just another team. If the Cowboys hope to improve their bottom line in 2009, then there is absolutely no arguing that a lot has to change between now and then. Of all of the disappointments that the 2008 season brought to the forefront, perhaps none was more surprising than the decline of their once stellar offense. Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, who only one year prior had been considered the odds-on favorite to replace Wade Phillips when and if he left Dallas, was suddenly being questioned by players, fans, media members, and even opposing players for his lack of offensive creativity. However, while he certainly has some adjustments to make, the phrase "if it ain't broke, don't fix it " also comes to mind. And while the 2008 season certainly doesn't leave a whole lot of fuzzy feelings in the average Cowboy fan's gut, it wasn't all bad. In the following slides, you will find five plays from the Cowboys' 2008 season that "ain't broke." These plays should continue to be a big part of the Cowboys offense in 2009.

Begin Slideshow

The Dallas Cowboys Coaching Staff Has Plenty to Prove in 2009

robert allred — Thu, 28 May 2009 01:34:22 -0400

After NFL coaching legend Bill Parcells left the Dallas Cowboys following their 2006 campaign, there was some uncertainty surrounding the team's future.

Jerry Jones brought in the underwhelming Wade Phillips and largely unproven Jason Garrett to fill in “Big Bill’s” very large shoes, and, to the surprise of many, the Cowboys flourished.

At least for a little bit.

After a tremendous 2007 regular season that saw the Cowboys own the league’s second best offense and a 13-3 regular season record, things took a turn for the worse. In the first playoff contest for the new coaching regime, the Cowboys lost a heart breaker to the rival New York Giants, who would then go on to win the Super Bowl.

Despite the setback, optimism was still running rampant in Dallas, and fans and media alike were still predicting big things for "Big D" in 2008.

Unfortunately, a team that was widely considered Super Bowl favorites at the beginning of the season once again floundered in December and failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2005.

Following what was easily one of the most embarrassing and disappointing seasons in franchise history, there was an outcry for change in the organization, and angry, disappointed fans wanted to see some heads roll.

But while owner and general manager Jerry Jones has certainly made several drastic—and perhaps surprising—changes in the makeup of the team's roster, the coaching staff has remained largely intact.

To the chagrin of many Cowboys fans, who were hoping for a major overhaul this off-season, they will have to make due with what is almost an identical coaching staff next season.

Outside of letting go of Brian Stewart and Bruce Reed, and bringing in ex-Jaguars special teams coach Joe DeCamillis, the staff is almost completely unchanged from last year.

The fiery Dave Campo is still patrolling the secondary, Ray Sherman is coaching up the young receivers, and John Garrett continues to ensure that tight end Martellus Bennett has his shirt tucked in.

But these aren’t the guys that people think of when they think of the Cowboys’ coaching woes.

When people think of the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff, they almost certainly think of head coach Wade Phillips and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, both of whom have come under some serious scrutiny in the months following the 2008 season.

Son of longtime NFL coach Bum Phillips, Cowboys' head coach Wade Phillips is widely regarded throughout the NFL as one of the best defensive minds in the game. As an assistant on his father’s staff in Houston early in his coaching career, he helped to introduce the 3-4 defensive scheme to the NFL, and still uses a 3-4 system today.

Phillips has always been considered an outstanding defensive coordinator, but when his name is brought into a discussion of NFL head coaches, one common theme tends to come to people's minds: Playoff failures.

In seven-plus seasons as head coach, Phillips has never coached a team that won a playoff game. His current post-season record stands at 0-4.

Still, most people fail to realize that, on the whole, he has actually lead some pretty good teams.

In his seven full seasons, he has only had one team that finished the season with a losing record, and his career win-loss percentage (.588) currently stands at No. 35 on the all-time rankings for NFL head coaches.

While detractors will often simply point to his lack of playoff success, Phillips apologists will argue that he has never really been given a fair chance to make a team "his." His longest stint as a head coach was with the Denver Broncos, when he coached for only three full seasons before being let go. Oftentimes, that is just not enough time for a head coach to fully implement their system.

The Cowboys' front office has made moves this off-season to help make the 2009 Cowboys a little more "Wade friendly." Like Bill Parcells did before him, Wade has brought in a couple of "Wade guys" through free agency in Igor Olshansky and Keith Brooking, who played for him in San Diego and Atlanta, respectively.

Perhaps more importantly, Wade will again be calling the defensive plays in 2009. After relieving Brian Stewart of those duties after a week seven blowout by the lowly Rams last year, the Cowboys defense improved dramatically.

In the first seven weeks of the season, under the play calling of Stewart, the Cowboys defense gave up an average of 25 points and 303.9 yards per game, while only causing 2.85 sacks and 1 turnover.

Under the play calling of Phillips, however, Dallas only gave up 21.1 points and 286.9 yards, while collecting 4.2 sacks and 1.7 turnovers per game in their final nine.

With no new defensive coordinator coming to town, and Wade continuing to call the plays, the Cowboys defense is looking to improve even more next season.

Like Wade Phillips, offensive coordinator Jason Garrett has seen his stock fall dramatically since the Cowboys' wonderful 2007 regular season.

One of Jason Garrett's biggest strengths is also one of his biggest weaknesses. He is a young coach chalked full of potential, but with a lot to learn. While many think that he will be one of this league's next great coaches, he is not there yet.

After retiring from playing the game, Garrett joined the Miami Dolphins as quarterbacks coach in 2005, before joining the Cowboys as offensive coordinator—and presumably head coach-in waiting.

Garrett quickly experienced success, when the Cowboys offense finished their 2007 campaign second in points (455) and third in yards per game (365.7).

As good as 2007 was for Garrett, though, 2008 was equally bad, when his offense finished 18th in points (362) and 13th in yards per game (344.5).

Many have attributed his drop off in success to injuries. Throughout the 2008 season, the Cowboys experienced numerous injuries to several of their key offensive players, such as Tony Romo, Marion Barber, Felix Jones, Jason Witten, Kyle Kosier, Miles Austin, and Sam Hurd.

Still, others will blame Terrell Owens, arguing that he was a divisive force in the locker room, and particularly destructive to the continued development of the young coordinator.

Others will simply point to Garrett's lack of creativity in his play calling.

Regardless of what the reason is for Garrett’s shortcoming in 2008, there is no argument that those need to be addressed if he is going to continue to be considered one of the NFL’s brightest young coaches.

There are still plenty of questions surrounding the Dallas Cowboys and their coaching staff heading into next season, and no job should be considered safe. While they are a staff that has shown great promise at times, they have proven that they can be quite disappointing as well.

One thing is for certain, though. Next season will be a make or break year for several of the Cowboys coaches, and they have got plenty to prove.

Dallas Cowboys' Reality Show "4th and Long"? I Think I'm Goin' for It!

robert allred — Thu, 21 May 2009 23:39:26 -0400

When I first heard that there was going to be yet another Dallas Cowboys' reality show this offseason, I was disgusted and annoyed.

The Cowboys were coming off what was widely considered one of the most disappointing seasons—if not the most disappointing—in franchise history, largely due to off-the-field distractions.

Why were the Cowboys adding yet another potential distraction to their already volatile mix, and why were they playing "game show" with valuable roster spots?

I knew at the time that, because I will watch just about anything and everything Cowboys related, I would watch the show. I also knew I would probably enjoy it, but I still just didn't understand why.

Why couldn't the Cowboys learn from Hard Knocks? Why were they again playing with fire?

Sure enough, when 4th and Long premiered this week on Spike TV, I was sitting on my couch, and to borrow an expression from ex-Cowboy wide receiver Terrell Owens, I had my popcorn ready.

And while my prediction that I would enjoy the show proved to be true, I also was surprised to find that my disgust with the idea of the show had all but vanished.

Maybe it was because I was just excited to finally have some form of football viewing back in my life, or maybe I was just showing my true Cowboys homer mentality by blindly loving anything that is associated with my favorite franchise. However, I think it was more than that.

After thinking about it, I actually believe that this show could prove to be a positive thing for the Dallas Cowboys organization.

My very first worry when I first heard of this show was that some of the off-the-field "antics" would cast the Dallas Cowboys organization in a negative light.

That was one of the biggest problems with Hard Knocks last year. Sure, it was a very well done documentary, and it was enjoyable to watch, but it made the Cowboys a little too accessible to the general public.

As a result of the show, there were doubts amongst Cowboys fans concerning then-rookie Martellus Bennett's work habits, and fans and players of other franchises suddenly had the impression that the Cowboys players and coaches were all cocky and arrogant, and that they all felt they were entitled to win a Super Bowl.

Put frankly, the "undeserved" extra attention that Dallas garnered from their participation with the reality series ticked some people off.

Now maybe this added attention hurt the Cowboys' chances in 2008 and maybe it didn't, but one thing is for certain. It sure didn't help.

An important thing to remember, however, is that 4th and Long is not a Dallas Cowboys' reality show in the same way that Hard Knocks was.

Perhaps the most obvious—and in my opinion, most important—difference is that nobody in the show is currently a part of the organization.

The only person from this show that will soon join the Cowboys organization will at best be a special teams player, and he will have to prove that he is a hard working, athletic, well disciplined, and driven individual in order for that to happen.

Put simply, if a guy is going to win this contest and join the Cowboys' 2009 training camp, it is because he is not the kind of guy that will embarrass the organization or paint them in a negative light.

How the Cowboys would be perceived wasn't my only worry though. At the end of the day, who really cares what other players, coaches, and fans think about their team.

Perhaps the biggest concern I had when I first heard of this show was the seeming willingness of Jerry Jones and company to play a game with what could end up being an important roster spot.

But let's be real for a minute.

If you are the 80th man on an 80-man roster at the start of training camp, the chances you even make the practice squad are slim, and the chances that you actually make the 53-man roster at the end of training camp is almost none.

In some kind of twisted logic, this show actually gives the Cowboys an advantage in selecting the final man for their training camp roster.

The Cowboys, through Michael Irvin and his show, were essentially able to pick 12 men to fill one slot, and then they were able to put them through an extended series of physical and mental tests to determine who can best help the team.

The absolute worst thing that can happen is that the guy they select at the end of the show comes to camp and doesn't work out.

At the end of the day, 4th and Long is a win-win.

Its a show made by people who love the Cowboys and want to help the Cowboys by finding the best possible player to fill their last roster spot. And if that's not enough, it is entertaining to boot.

With the 122nd Pick in the 2008 Draft, the Cowboys Made the Right "Choice"

robert allred — Mon, 18 May 2009 22:25:52 -0400

Fresh off a Week 13 victory over the struggling Seattle Seahawks last season, the Dallas Cowboys were 8-4 and had a firm hold of their own destiny.

Dallas was in the middle of a four game winning streak, including a win over the defending champion New York Giants, and a season that looked to be near-over only a few weeks earlier was suddenly showing promise.

There was only one slight concern: the health of starting running back Marion Barber, who went down to injury during the Seattle blowout and would end up missing significant time in the final quarter of the season.

With three of the toughest defenses in the NFL on their upcoming schedule—Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Philadelphia—the Cowboys were faced with the prospect of starting little known rookie running back Tashard Choice, who had only 30 NFL carries to his name.

Cowboy fans began to lose their newfound confidence, and concerns again began to creep up about Dallas’ playoff chances.

While the concerns of the fans turned out to be justified, Choice most certainly was not a reason for that. The rookie stepped in and performed admirably.

In the final four games, he rushed 62 times for 325 yards and 2 touchdowns, a total that, if projected over the course of a full 16-game season, would have made him one of the top 10 rushers in the league. He also chipped in 163 yards through the air during that same time span.

Although December ultimately turned into yet another disappointment for Cowboys players, coaches, and fans, the emergence of Choice also provided reason to hope for the future.

Choice proved in those final games that, if they can remain healthy, the Cowboys’ three young running backs can make up one of the best backfields in the NFL for years to come.

A great player and person, I would be honored to be able to sit down and ask a few questions to one of the Cowboys’ bright young stars, Tashard Choice.

(Below are seven questions I would be interested in asking Choice, followed by what I would hope to learn from his answers to each of them.)

My first exposure to you was when I came across a YouTube clip of a goose bump-inducing pre-game speech that you delivered before your Georgia Tech football team took the field and upset the 13th ranked Clemson Tigers.

It was obvious to anyone watching that you were the heart and soul of that team, both on and off the field (he rushed for 142 yards in that game, and led the ACC in rushing in his junior and senior seasons). What do you think it takes to be a great leader, and who, in your opinion, are some of the best leaders in the Cowboys’ locker room?

This YouTube clip was one of the main reasons I would love to talk to Choice. As soon as I saw it, I knew that the Cowboys got an absolute steal with their 122nd pick in 2008.

With the leadership of this team being a major area of concern heading into the 2009 season, I think that this is an important area to address.

A proven leader—and, in my opinion, a future leader of the Dallas Cowboys, I believe that Choice’s answer to this question can shed some serious light on the leadership questions that surround this team.

Speaking of Georgia Tech, your head coach there was former Cowboys’ coach Chan Gailey. What did you learn from him in your time there, and did he give you any words of advice—or warning—about coming to play for the Dallas Cowboys?

While I certainly wouldn’t expect Choice to reveal anything too incriminating or controversial, I also know that there is a greater than zero chance that Gailey had at least one humorous story or word of advice for his sensational running back. I would love to hear it.

How do you feel about what you accomplished in your rookie season, and what do you expect from yourself in 2009?

With the likes of Marion Barber and Felix Jones in front of him on the depth chart at the beginning of last season, Choice far and away exceeded any expectations that might have been laid upon him by the average Cowboy fan, and probably the coaching staff too.

However, I also know the guy is a great competitor and a fiery guy that is definitely not satisfied yet. I would love to hear the expectations that he has set for himself next year.

Perhaps the most noticeable difference in last year’s roster and next year’s roster is that Terrell Owens is no longer with the team. How do you think his absence will affect the Cowboys’ offensive philosophy next season?

Like him or not, Terrell Owens was a massive part of the Cowboys’ offense last year, and without him on the roster next year, change in philosophy is inevitable.

It is my belief that this move will allow the Cowboys to move to a more balanced offensive attack that can feature all three of their young and talented running backs.

Which brings me to my next question...

The Cowboys have three very promising running backs in you, Felix Jones, and Marion Barber. How do you feel the Cowboys coaching staff can best utilize the three of you next year?

The perfect answer to this question (for me) would be Tashard starting the game, Barber closing the game, and Felix being used as a change-of-pace back throughout the game.

That being said, I would be happy just to hear confirmation that the Cowboys’ staff plans to use all three heavily.

If you were not playing football in the NFL, what do you think you would be doing right now to earn your living?

We, as fans, oftentimes get wrapped up in the players of our favorite teams, and we forget that they have passions and desires outside of the sports they play.

I already know that one of Choice’s passions during his time at Georgia Tech was umpiring youth baseball games, but I would be interested in learning what else makes him tick.

Have you ever witnessed a point in time when your fellow second-year running back, Felix Jones, was not smiling?

Just for grins.

How the Dallas Cowboys Stole My Heart

robert allred — Tue, 12 May 2009 22:30:23 -0400

There was a small, shallow, dirty creek about a mile away from my apartment when I was growing up that served as a makeshift playground for my friends and me during the span of a few months.

In my lifetime, I have driven, biked, or walked by it more times than I could possibly count, and yet I really only have three vivid and distinct memories of the creek.

The first was when my friends and I found a huge yellow rope swing that sailed across the creek bed. We spent countless hours on that very swing over the course of several summer weeks, until one day we showed up to find that a concerned parent had cut it down (and ruined our fun).

The second was when my mother was driving my brother and I home from dinner, and I got fed up with her “slow” driving, insisting that I could run faster than the car.

After accepting my challenge and leaving me in her dust, she mercifully let me back into the car about 30 yards down the street, defeated and humbled.

The final memory is, on the surface, the most peculiar. But, looking back on it now, it might also be the most significant to me.

On an early February afternoon in 1994, I was again in the car and my family was listening to the radio. As we were driving by the creek, the radio host introduced me to a brand new acronym that I had never heard before:

“B.I.L.L.S.—Boy I Love Losing Super Bowls”

This is my first true memory of being a Cowboys fan.

I still clearly remember sitting in the car and thinking how absolutely hysterical it was that the poor Buffalo Bills had been to four straight Super Bowls without winning one, and my Cowboys had just won their second in a row.

I was proud. I was cocky. I was smug...I was a Dallas Cowboys football fan.

However, while I have rooted for the home team Cowboys for as long as I can remember, it was not until I became a true fan of the NFL that I completely understood the magnitude of this great franchise and how important they really are to me.

After all, I was 11 years old the last time the Cowboys won a Super Bowl and 12 the last time they won a playoff game. At that time, I could not comprehend the greatness of that early '90s dynasty or appreciate how long it might be, if ever, before my team would experience that kind of success again.

While the Cowboys have always been my favorite team, my second favorite has always been the underdog, whoever that might be on any given day. Who doesn't love it when David slays Goliath, Rocky knocks out Mr. T, and the nerd gets the cheerleader?

It was when I left home for school in the fall of 2002 that the perfect storm of “sports fandom” hit me.

Not only was I now living in a dormitory surrounded by hundreds of teenage guys who loved football and the Cowboys as much as me, but for the first time since I was a toddler, my two “favorite” teams—the Cowboys and “the underdog”—were now one and the same.

Yes, coming off two straight 5-11 seasons in 2000 and 2001, the Dallas Cowboys were officially and undeniably underdogs.

I was no longer spoiled with a great team that could be easily taken for granted. Instead, I had to take my lumps and watch my team go through their lows just like every other fan of every other franchise.

Strangely enough, I cherished this.

I got more personally invested in the team as I watched them grow, and I tried to grow in my knowledge of the sport at the same time. I was determined to be the best fan I could be while things were bad, because I knew it would only make the good times sweeter.

I started watching more football than ever, and not just Cowboys football. Whether it was college or professional , my weekends (and Monday nights, of course) became completely devoted to watching and learning the game of football, oftentimes to the detriment of my school work.

The more I watched, the more obsessed I became.

When I was not watching the game, I was reading about it. I wanted to know what the experts, players, coaches, and other fans thought about my team. Were they going to finally be good again this year? Will they be better next year?

I learned the names of their up-and-coming players, and I watched them as they continued to get better. I learned about the older players I never had the privilege of watching, and dreamed of the days when my current Cowboys team would mirror their predecessors.

The NFL and the Cowboys were no longer just a sport and team that I casually followed on Sunday afternoons. They became a passion of mine, and I fell head over heels in love with Dallas Cowboys football.

I am still waiting for the day when this team rises back from the ashes and reclaims its spot as one of the NFL’s elite. Until then, however, I will have to be content to think, talk, and write about them.

The Dallas Cowboys. America’s Team. My Team.

Setting the Bar on the Dallas Cowboys' 2009 Season

robert allred — Sat, 09 May 2009 23:58:29 -0400

It's that time of year again.

Fans of the NBA and NHL are in the middle of cheering for their team’s playoff lives; fans of the MLB are just getting settled into another great season of baseball; meanwhile, fans of the NFL are miserably and impatiently counting down the days until next season.

NFL fans still have 123 days to wait it out before the Tennessee Titans face the defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers to open the 2009 season, and 126 days before opening Sunday.

It is in this period of football fan purgatory (Hell is, of course, the day after the Super Bowl, and Heaven is the beginning of the new season) that fans are left with nothing else to do but to speculate on what the coming season holds.

Even some players get in on the action, with Detroit Lions’ running back Kevin Smith predicting on Friday that his Lions would follow up their perfectly imperfect season (0-16) with their first trip to the postseason since 1999.

Indeed, this is the time of year when preseason expectations are brought to the forefront, and the bars on all 32 teams are officially set.

But expectations are a funny and fickle thing. Oftentimes, the bar is set unreasonably and unrealistically high, and when expectations are met or exceeded, they change.

If a fan was expecting their team to squeak into the playoffs, and their team does, then they will start to expect a playoff win. If they expected one or two playoff wins, then they will suddenly expect a Lombardi Trophy.

And for a fan of a Super Bowl winner who expected and predicted that win? They want two.

With all of that in mind, I offer to you my expectations for my team, the Dallas Cowboys. Of course, these expectations are subject to change.

Setting the Bar

The Cowboys are a franchise that has quickly earned the reputation as one of the most underachieving teams in the league. In the past three seasons, a lot has been expected of the Cowboys, but little has been delivered.

In fact, the Cowboys have been nothing but frustrating for more than a decade.

Since winning the Super Bowl in the 1995 season, the Cowboys have had only four 10-plus win seasons and have won only one playoff game. In that same 13 year stretch, they have had one season where they accumulated more than 10 wins in the regular season.

That season was in 2007, when the Cowboys won 13 games en route to a first round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Despite the season ending when the Cowboys lost a heartbreaking game to their division rivals—and eventual Super Bowl champion—New York Giants, the overall successful season fueled some serious Cowboys love.

The Cowboys became the new popular pick to be the Super Bowl XLIII champions. I was one of the fools that caught the “Cowboys Super Bowl Fever” and helped set those lofty expectations, but I will not make that mistake again.

If the Cowboys have not shown that they can be a true contender in the past 13 years, there should be absolutely no reason to expect them to be true contenders in 2009.

The Cowboys are a very talented, but inconsistent, team that is just as likely to hoist the Lombardi as they are to spend January sitting at home watching the playoffs.

I do not believe either of those two scenarios will pan out next season, however.

I expect the Cowboys to make the playoffs, finish in the top two of the NFC East, and win at least one playoff game. Anything less than that is a season failure and probably leads to organizational changes, and anything more than that is icing on the cake.

Why the Cowboys Fall Short of Expectations

To understand how the Cowboys could fall short of their expectations in 2009, one needs to look no further than last season.

Here was a team coming off of their best regular season in over a decade, was receiving accolades that they probably did not yet deserve, and then after getting off to a red hot start, their wheels just flew off.

There have been several scapegoats—Terrell Owens, Tony Romo, Jason Garrett, and the “injury bug” to name a few—but the reality is that it took a collection of efforts to screw up what could have been a great football team.

If those same problems rear their ugly heads again next season, the Cowboys could be staring at yet another disappointing year.

In particular, the two biggest problems with the Cowboys last season, and the two biggest potential roadblocks for them next season, are as follows:

1. Lack of Team Cohesion

Some will maintain that this problem has been “fixed” with the departures of Owens, Adam “Pacman” Jones, and Tank Johnson. With those players on the way out, coupled with high character free agency additions such as Keith Brooking and Igor Olshansky, the Cowboys seem to be moving in the right direction.

Still, the Cowboys’ might not yet be out of the dark.

From all accounts, Tank Johnson appeared to be a fine locker room guy, despite his past legal issues. His problems were on the football field, where he just did not live up to his hype. Pacman, although a slight—OK, major—distraction in his time wearing the star, was either injured or suspended when the Cowboys were playing some of their worst football.

Terrell Owens is a different story. I was, and still am, of the opinion that Owens got a bad shake last year. Yes he is a cocky, abrasive, and polarizing player, but relative to his first two stops in the NFL, he was an angel with the Cowboys—and he was entertaining to boot.

Still, whether he was or was not a problem in Dallas, concerns about team cohesiveness still remain.

If Owens was in fact a divisive force in the locker-room, how will his departure affect those that are still with the team? If there is still a faction of Owens supporters and Owens detractors, it is possible that the Cowboys could see a negative reaction similar to what we saw a couple of years ago in Philadelphia.

If Owens was not a divisive force in the locker-room, then the Cowboys could have an even bigger problem on their hands. There were Cowboys players and personnel leaking information to the media regarding Owens and the drama that seemingly always surrounded him.

If these leaks were giving out this information to try and rid the Cowboys of their “problem,” then that is one thing. But if they were leaking false information or were just trying to stir up drama, then they were the Cowboys’ real Achilles' heel.

No matter what their motive was for leaking the harmful information, that has got to stop next season. The Cowboys attract enough negative attention as it is. There is no need to add to that attention by sharing locker room problems that should remain in-house.

The Cowboys players and personnel do not have to like each other, but they do have to respect each other. Last year, that did not seem to be the case.

2. Poor Offensive Scheme

This may seem to be singling out Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett, and, in a way, it is. Garrett received a big payday to stay with the Cowboys after their tremendous 2007 season, but has yet to live up to that payday.

This could be attributed to a number of things: the departure of Tony Sparano, the turmoil surrounding the team, the injury bug, or just plain poor execution.

No matter what the cause, it needs to be corrected for the Cowboys to rebound in 2009. Last season, Garrett’s offense was under constant scrutiny, and for good reason.

Tony Romo and Terrell Owens both questioned the system, and opposing Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis claimed that the offense was so predictable that he knew what play the Cowboys would run before they ran it.

In the Cowboys' heyday, they could afford to run a vanilla offense. That was what made them so good. The opposing team oftentimes knew what they were about to run, but they could not stop it.

But Tony Romo is not Troy Aikman, Roy Williams is not Michael Irvin, and the Cowboys’ promising three headed running attack still do not add up to make Emmitt Smith.

The Cowboys have got to be more creative if they want to have an explosive offense again.

If Garrett does not earn his paycheck next year, then their season will end in disappointment yet again.

Why the Cowboys Exceed Expectations

Unfortunately, the Cowboys surpassing expectations set for them is not as easy as me (or you) willing it to happen. If that were the case, Jerry Jones would have more than three rings on his fingers.

A lot of things have to go right for a team to put themselves in position to make the playoffs, and even more has to go right for them to do damage once they get there.

Outside of the typical “work hard and execute” instructions for how to succeed in the NFL, however, there are a couple of keys to a solid Cowboys season in 2009:

1. Continued Improvement on Defense

One of the most exciting things about this team is their steady improvement on defense. Outside of the two long running plays in the Baltimore game and the embarrassing final effort in Week 17 against the Eagles, the Cowboys' defense looked better in the second half of last season than they have looked since the early ‘90s.

Although there are still question marks in the secondary, particularly the two safety positions, the Cowboys’ front seven is still positioned to be one of the best in the league.

With DeMarcus Ware coming into his prime and Anthony Spencer looking better every game, Dallas should wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks in the coming season, and in years to come.

If the Cowboys can just manage to get a few turnovers to go with their smothering defense, then look out!

Last season, the Cowboys had the league’s eighth best defense in terms of yardage surrendered, but finished 20th in scoring defense. This was partly because their offense oftentimes gave them miserable field position through stalled drives or turnovers, but it was also aided by the Cowboys’ lack of ability to gain turnovers themselves.

The Cowboys finished 20th in the league in turnovers forced, and 30th in interceptions. If there was a stat for dropped interceptions last season, I am almost 100 percent certain that the Cowboys would have led the league.

With continued pressure from the Cowboys front seven, some added work on the jug machines for the secondary, and maybe just a sprinkle or two of good fortune here and there, the Dallas defense has the potential to be a special one next year.

2. Roy Williams Succeeds in His New Role

While Tony Romo is the absolute most valuable piece to the Cowboys’ offensive puzzle, Roy Williams’ importance cannot be underestimated.

If the Cowboys hope to get back to the playoffs—and do some damage while they are there—then they will need to fix their offense, and if they hope to fix their offense, Williams is going to have to become a legitimate No. 1 receiver.

Although Dallas boasts one of the finest tight end duos in the league with Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett, the depth at wide receiver is going to be quite shallow next season, and that is putting it kindly.

Williams has never been a dominant No. 1 receiver, with only one 1,000-plus yard season to his resume. Patrick Crayton, although a nice receiver that can make some big plays, is a middle of the road number two receiver at best.

Miles Austin, Sam Hurd, and Isaiah Stanback have all shown nice flashes, but none of them have shown that they can be a consistent and reliable threat throughout the course of a 16-game season.

This means the Cowboys are going to have to rely on their running game more than they have in years past. Unless some of these receivers step it up to a previously unseen level when the season gets under way, the high flying pass attack is no longer going to work for this team.

The Cowboys have three different running backs who all showed signs of brilliance last season. If they can remain healthy, then they can resemble the New York Giants’ great running trio of the past couple of seasons.

However, without Williams stepping into and owning his new role, defenses will be able to shut down the running game, and the offense will sputter.

Time will tell what will happen with this latest Dallas Cowboys team.

Will they exceed their preseason expectations and bring home a Dallas Cowboys record-tying sixth Lombardi Trophy, fall short of expectations as they spend another playoff season playing golf, or will they simply meet expectations as they join a handful of other contenders who get close but get no cigar.

Nobody knows for sure just yet, but the answers start coming in 126 more days.

The Dallas Mavericks Have Done It: I'm Optimistic Again

robert allred — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:46:06 -0400

Just a couple of weeks ago, I was ready to write this Dallas Mavericks team off.

I wanted to crawl under a rock, suck my thumb, and lament to the basketball gods for the poor fortune that my little sports soul has been forced to endure over the past several years.

I was tired of getting my hopes up, only to have them let right back down. I was tired of watching my Mavs lose games I knew they should have won. My team was in the middle of a tailspin, looked ready to bow out of the playoff race completely, and I...was...done.

No longer would I let myself get excited about this Mavs team. It was time to accept that they just no longer had what it takes to be great, and let that be that.

Would I still watch the games? Absolutely. Would I still cheer, scream, and yell for my team? To the detriment of my neighbors' sanity, of course I would.

But no matter what might happen—and in order to protect my already broken sports heart—I decided then that I would not, could not, and must not get my hopes up again.

And it has worked. Until now.

When you're a homer, you're a homer, no matter how hard you try to be a realist. And as I sit here today, typing away, I cannot help but feel optimistic that these Mavs could do a little damage in these playoffs.

Now I am not predicting a Finals run, and I'm certainly not going to predict a Championship. However, for the first time in a long time, I think that the Mavericks not only could, but should get back out of the first round.

And if that happens? Who knows what could happen next.

Certainly, nobody expected the fourth-seeded '06 Mavs to power through both the Phoenix Suns and defending champion San Antonio Spurs to make it to the NBA Finals for the first time.

So why not this year?

Up first, we've got the Spurs. A bitter rival with a less-than-fully healthy Duncan, Ginobili on the bench, and a team that we split the season series with.

It is not out of question to predict, or even expect, a Mavs win in that series, particularly if the Mavs can continue to play the way they have to end the season.

After that, we can just see where the wind blows them. Anything can happen when a team with talent—and with a superstar like Dirk—gains a little confidence and swagger that they previously lacked.

What better way to gain said confidence than with a win over their hated rivals.

I am predicting the Mavs take care of the Spurs. Past that, it is anyone's guess as to what might happen, and my hopes still aren't too high.

Regardless, I am just thankful that the Mavs have given me reason to hope again, even if only a little.

It's (Un)Official: The NFL's 10 Most Valuable Offensive Players

robert allred — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:05:53 -0400

Anyone who has followed any sport for any length of time has been exposed to lists and rankings. It is a form of sports writing that has (probably) always been around and will never go away.

Who are the top 10 quarterbacks?

What are the best 15 teams to ever play in the NFL?

Who are the 20 greatest players to ever play the game?

We humans are an inquisitive and analytical bunch, and it is not enough for us to just have our teams win championships. Instead, we want our teams to be the best ever, and we want the members of our teams to be the best to ever play their positions.

In short, we want more bragging rights.

So we form lists and rankings filled with what ifs and maybes, and we will argue until we are blue in the face and spittin' mad about the order of said list.

And guess what? Nobody will ever agree.

Nothing wrong with that though. It can be maddening at times, but it can also make for fun debate.

There is one problem, however. Most of these lists really don't matter.

Who cares if you have the "best" quarterback if your team isn't hoisting the Lombardy Trophy at the end of every year. Does it really matter if your team is better than the '85 Bears? When are those teams actually going to play?

In an effort to at least temporarily cure B/R of the "every day list," I am offering a list with a twist (isn't rhyming fun?) in hopes that it just might have at least some degree of relevance:

The NFL's Top 10 Most Valuable Offensive Players.

On the surface, this might appear to be just another every day list, but the difference lies in semantics.

In this list, you will not find the 10 best offensive players in the league. You will find the 10 players who are most important to their respective team's title chances—the players who provide their team the most value.

These are the 10 players whose teams' title hopes live and die with their health or lack thereof.

As such, there is one automatic disqualifier. No great players on bad teams will make this list. If one player can make the difference in their team winning two games or winning six, are they really that valuable? Their team is still sitting home come playoff time.

So with that, I must apologize to the Carson Palmers and Calvin Johnsons of the world. In order for a player to make this list, their team needs to at least be a contender for a playoff spot.

One quick note. This list is NOT scientific. There are too many variables that factor into a player's "value," a vague term in and of itself.

Therefore, I put together a list that is very subjective in nature, and can be torn down and reconstructed a million times without a majority of those who read it ever agreeing.

Feel free to disagree with this list, as I am most certainly wrong in more ways than one. I am probably missing players, and I have probably got some players ranked too high or too low.

Let me know, along with the rest of our "cyber friends," what you consider to be a truly valuable player, and how you would change my rankings, or if you even would.

And now that I have fully discredited myself and taken away any authority that this list may have previously had, I bring you the NFL's 10 Most Valuable Offensive Players.

10. Andre Johnson, Houston Texans

When I started this list, Andre didn't make the cut. That had to be fixed.

There is no denying that Johnson is one heck of a talent, but the Texans have never made the playoffs. So by my own rules, Johnson should be disqualified, right?

Wrong.

I believe the Texans will make the playoffs next year for the first time in franchise history, and Johnson will be one of the main reasons why.

One of the most underrated receivers in the NFL, Andre Johnson led the league in both catches and receiving yards last year (115 for 1,575).

Although not a flashy player and not necessarily a big play threat, Johnson is extremely consistent, with 79 of his catches (68.7%) gaining first downs. Yep, he was best in the league at that too.

There is reason to doubt whether Tennessee has staying power as one of the league's best teams, Indy is continuing to get older, and Jacksonville is spiraling out of control with off the field issues.

It is not inconceivable to think that Houston has a shot at winning the AFC South next year (albeit a small one). If that happens, it will almost certainly be because Andre Johnson has another outstanding season.

9. Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia Eagles

Despite the loathing that I have for the jersey he wears, I wanted to put McNabb higher on this list. I really did.

There is only one reason not to, and that reason is Brian Westbrook.

Everyone knows the key to the Eagles' season year after year is the health of these two. If they are healthy, the Eagles are almost a lock for the NFC Championship game. If they are not, then the Eagles won't make the playoffs.

That being said, McNabb is the only player on this list who has a teammate that I also considered putting on the list, which begs the question. If you're one of the "10 most valuable players," and you're teammate is one of the "10 most valuable players," are either one of you really that valuable?

When looking at the other skill players these two have had around them in their time together, the answer is a resounding yes. This is particularly true of McNabb.

Since being drafted in '99, McNabb has been the most successful quarterback year after year in the NFC. Furthermore, he has had this success with little to no help from his receiving corps. Outside of a couple of years with Terrell Owens, McNabb has had a bunch of nobodies to throw the ball to.

Some will argue that McNabb has choked when it mattered most, but I vehemently disagree. If anything, he has overachieved.

The Eagles, under McNabb, have made it to the NFC Championship game five times since '99 and the Super Bowl once. Show me one person who looked at the Eagles' rosters in those years and predicted that kind of success, and I will show you a liar...or just an extreme homer.

8. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys

Tony Romo has his fair share of detractors, and for good reasons. Media and fans alike (myself included) were quick to proclaim Romo as the next great Dallas Cowboys quarterback, and he has yet to live up to that billing.

However, if anyone doubts his value to the 'Boys, they need look no further than the Brad Johnson era to quickly change their mind.

In what was unquestionably Romo's worst year last year, he still finished fifth in the league in yards per game (265.2), sixth in touchdowns (26), and eighth in quarterback rating (91.4). Again, this was the worst season of his career.

How many quarterbacks would kill to say that?

Factor in the fact that his team averaged 24.7 points per game with him, while averaging only 13.7 points without him, and one thing becomes abundantly clear. The Dallas Cowboys need a healthy Romo if they are going to have a shot at the Lombardi.

The Cowboys acquired Kitna over the offseason, which should help to shore up the backup QB position should Romo miss a few weeks again this season. But make no mistake about it, the Cowboys are not a legitimate contender without their "celebrity quarterback."

7. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers

Philip Rivers proved to everybody last year how big of a joke the Pro Bowl really is when he was left sitting at home Pro Bowl weekend after an MVP caliber year.

He lead the league in both passer rating (105.5) and touchdowns (34—tied with Drew Brees), and then he brought his team back from the dead to seize a playoff spot in week 17 against the Denver Broncos.

Although his team finished the season at 8-8, they were just a couple of unlucky bounces (and whistles) away from an 11-5 or 12-4 season, and proved to be better than advertised when they knocked the Colts out of the playoffs in the Wild Card round of the playoffs

When Rivers came into the league, he was playing on LaDainian Tomlinson's team, but with LT on the decline, the Chargers' success is directly tied to the success of their quarterback.

Rivers should continue to play well, and as such, the Chargers should continue to be contenders in the years to come.

6. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

If the New Orleans Saints had a defense, Drew Brees would have had a serious argument for 2008 Most Valuable Player.

In his three years with the New Orleans Saints, he has had three of the top 25 seasons in passing yardage in NFL history, including last year when he turned in the 2nd ever 5,000-plus yard season. Only Dan Marino has ever turned in a better season.

Oh yea, he also chipped in 34 touchdowns for good measure, and he didn't even have a truly legit No. 1 receiver with Marques Colston out with an injury for much of the year. With more than 5,000 yards last year, Brees still did not have a 1,000 yard receiver.

There is still a good chance that New Orleans won't have a good defense next year. But defense or no defense, Drew Brees always gives his team a chance to win.

5. Tom Brady, New England Patriots

This is not a typo. Tom Brady barely squeaked his way into the top five of my list, but by no fault of his own.

Brady is, in my opinion, the best quarterback currently playing the game, and is one of the top five of all time. Hands down.

Brady is as low as he is on this list because of Bill Belichick. The guy might be an ass, and some will even say he is a cheater (*), but the man can flat out coach. How else do you explain a quarterback who hadn't started a game since high school taking Tom Brady's Patriots to an 11-5 record in 2008.

That team should have been in the playoffs, and from there anything could have happened. Just ask the Cardinals.

Matt Cassell's Patriots were not as pretty to watch as Brady's, but they still got the job done. They were still a great team.

Had Brady not gone down last season, I would probably have him as number one on this list. Unfortunately, he did go down, and because of that we learned once again that Belichick can overcome the loss of seemingly anyone.

Still, Brady is at worst a top two quarterback in the league, and is one of the best postseason quarterbacks this game has ever seen.

4. Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons

Even I was surprised when I was reading back through this list and saw that Michael Turner was as high as he is.

However, when you really step back and look at it, it is impossible to put him any lower.

Falcons' quarterback Matt Ryan got all the pub last year, but it was Turner who truly deserved all the love. The Falcons were one of the most surprising teams in 2008, and they have Turner to thank for it.

The Falcons, who finished as the 26th ranked rushing team in 2007 (95 ypg), were the second-ranked rushing team in 2008 (152.7 ypg). The difference? Michael Turner.

While Ryan certainly had a very impressive rookie campaign, he did not finish in the top 10 in yardage, touchdowns, or quarterback rating. Turner, on the other hand, finished second in rushing yardage and rushing touchdowns (1,699 and 17 respectively), and he only fumbled the ball three times.

If you want to understand how the Falcons improved from 4-12 in 2007 to 11-5 in 2008, or if you are looking for a reason they might be a legitimate contender in 2009, look no further than the man carrying the rock.

3. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts

Peyton Manning is a beast, simply put. He is one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game, and he is without question a first ballot Hall of Famer.

He is already seventh in the league in career passing yardage, fifth in completions, fourth in touchdowns, and currently has the second best career passer rating to only Steve Young.

He has led his team to six consecutive 12-win seasons, the first quarterback (or team for that matter) to ever accomplish the feat. He has also accomplished this while never playing with a particularly strong defense.

Dude is good. Don't even argue it.

But perhaps Manning's greatest value is not even his play on the field, but his smarts. Having Manning as your quarterback is essentially like having another coach on the field.

It can be argued that there is no other quarterback in the history of the NFL who was better than Manning at reading defenses and reacting.

2. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings

Adrian Peterson is like Michael Turner, except that he does not even have a serviceable quarterback.

Put quite simply, Peterson is the Minnesota Vikings offense.

It is remarkable enough that the guy finished at the top of all running backs with 1,760 yards rushing in only his second year in the league. But when you look at who was throwing the ball (Gus Frerotte and Tarvaris Jackson) and who was catching the ball (Bobby Wade and Bernard Berrian), it is even more impressive.

Peterson spent much of his season facing eight man fronts because the rest of his offense was so inept, but that still didn't slow him down. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry, and the Vikings finished 12th in scoring offenses despite the lack of talent surrounding AD.

Adrian Peterson is the absolute only reason the Vikings even sniffed the postseason, and will be their only major weapon to help them get back there next season.

1. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals

In my opinion, it is pretty hard for a wide receiver to make this kind of list, and damn near impossible for them to top it. Wide receivers generally just do not get enough touches to make the kind of impact that would warrant labeling them as one of the most valuable players in the league.

Larry Fitzgerald is the exception to the rule.

As good as he was in the regular season, he was even better in the postseason, and he had the Cardinals just a few bad defensive plays away from winning their first ever Super Bowl.

He proved that it is possible for a receiver to load his team on his back and carry them to the promised land.

Sure, Kurt Warner was great, but he was great in part because Fitz was indefensible. In the playoffs, Fitzgerald averaged 136.5 yards receiving per game for a total of 546 yards on 30 catches and seven touchdowns.

The next best receiver was Super Bowl XLIII MVP Santonio Holmes, who had 13 catches for 226 yards and two touchdowns in the playoffs (75.3 ypg average).

That is domination, and that is why Larry Fitzgerald is the most valuable player in the game today. He made the Arizona Cardinals—repeat, the Arizona Cardinals—into a very legitimate Super Bowl contender.

Houston Texans Running Back Ryan Moats Robbed of Opportunity To Say "Goodbye"

robert allred — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:23:17 -0400

In the early morning hours of Wednesday, March 18, Houston Texans running back Ryan Moats was faced with the tragic loss of his mother-in-law, Jonetta Collinsworth, to breast cancer.

While the death of a loved one is painful enough in and of itself, the pain was only magnified as a result of the actions by one Dallas policeman, Officer Robert Powell.

After being held up for just short of 15 minutes by Powell for running a red light, Moats arrived to his mother-in-law's hospital room too late to say his final goodbye. Collinsworth had passed away just moments earlier.

The saddest and most frustrating part of this is that this could have been avoided with just a small dose of sensitivity and understanding from Officer Powell.

There is no denying that Moats broke the law. After stopping at a red light to check for traffic, Moats continued driving before given the green light.

He also continued driving for what appeared to be a few hundred yards after Powell began pursuit, before stopping in front of the Emergency Room entrance. At this point, he and three family members frantically jumped out of the vehicle in an effort to rush into the hospital.

Before they could do so, however, Powell drew his gun and repeatedly ordered, "Get in there!" The passengers put their up hands, and Moat's wife, Tamishia—the deceased's daughter—attempted to explain, "Excuse me, my mom is dying."

But Powell would hear none of it, completely ignoring her statement, and demanded that they get back to their vehicle.

This is where I have my first problem.

I have no qualms with an officer pulling over someone when they violate the law—in this case, running a red light. I also have no problems with an officer pulling his or her gun to protect themselves against any possible attack when several suspects unexpectedly leap out of a car.

What I cannot seam to get through my head, however, is why a vehicle with four passengers running a red light—with their hazard lights on no less—in route to the front entrance of the Emergency Room, didn't seem to drive home to Powell the all too obvious possibility that maybe—just maybe—there was a real emergency.

I have (regrettably) been pulled over 10-plus times in my life, and every time that I have ever been pulled over, the first question out of the officer's mouth as he approached my window was "Is there an emergency?"

This includes a time when I attempted to evade the officers and lead them down several back alleys before finally pulling over. Still, with his gun in hand as he walked up to my vehicle, the officer on that day asked me if there was an emergency.

I would like to think that if I had my car parked in front of an Emergency Room, and I was obviously shaken and distressed, that the officer who pulled me over would have the decency to ask that all-important question, particularly if I was shouting, "My mother is dying!"

But Powell was not interested in "protecting and serving" the Moats family, and was instead more interested in whether or not the vehicle was insured. Priorities.

The next several minutes were a mixture of Powell demanding insurance on the vehicle and Moats pleading for leniency due to the dire circumstances.

When Moats finally understood that Powell was not the type who could be reasoned with, he elected instead to stop arguing and to try the "yes, sir" approach in an effort to speed up the process so that he could get inside.

For almost two minutes, Powell made statement after statement explaining to Moats all the things that he "could do," while Moats continually answered with "Yes, sir."

"I can screw you over. I’d rather not do that. ... I could charge you with fleeing right now. Understand what I could do. ... I could make your life very difficult."

Then, when the dialogue between the two finally ended, Powell spent about six and a half minutes in his squad car preparing Moats' ticket. During that time, he had two separate people from the hospital approach him in his vehicle to let him know of the severity of the situation.

Collinsworth was dying, and she was dying right now.

But he still took his sweet time; time that Collinsworth didn't have left.

Before letting Moats go, Powell elected to give him one more life lesson—one that he could stand to take himself—letting Moats know that "attitude's everything."

Moats finally was allowed to go into the hospital and be with his family, where he joined them in mourning their loss.

Meanwhile, Powell yucked it up with his Plano PD companion, who joined this "chase" because he "was thinkin' maybe it was something better," about his only police chase earlier this year in January.

Its amazing what a 17-minute clip can teach you about two different people.

Despite the tragic circumstances involved, I learned that Ryan Moats is one hell of a stand-up guy.

In the face of one of the most trying times that someone could possibly face, he conducted himself with more class than I could possibly hope to.

Not once did he cuss Powell. He did not make threats or try and use his NFL status to gain favor with the officer. He did not even raise his voice in anger until his and his family's repeated attempts to explain the situation fell on deaf ears.

He showed that there still are professional athletes out there that can conduct themselves with grace and dignity.

When enough time has passed, and some emotional wounds have healed, Moats will be able to look back on this incident and know that he represented himself, his family, and the NFL wonderfully.

Unfortunately, it also taught me that, although the minority, there are still "bad cops" out there who could care less about the people they are supposed to serve.

It taught me that Powell should not be wearing a police badge—for Dallas or any other city. He is the perfect example of what a police officer should not be, and he gives a bad name to all the true heroes that have worn a badge before him.

He showed no compassion, no sense of duty, and was seemingly only concerned about establishing that he was "in charge," consequences be damned.

He made the conscious decision to disregard the pleas from a family in distress, and instead elected to make a terrible night for them even worse. He claimed that he really could screw Moats over, and he followed through with that promise.

Thanks to Powell, Ryan Moats was not able to do what he otherwise would have been able to do; say goodbye to his mother-in-law.

May Jonetta Collinsworth rest in piece, and God be with Ryan Moats and his family.

Spring Cleaning My Dallas Cowboys' Grievances

robert allred — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 22:59:08 -0400

It was about 3:00 Friday afternoon last week when I looked up at my desk calendar and noticed that there was a holiday that day.

Confused and a little excited about what that holiday might be, I leaned closer to read the fine print, hopeful that maybe—just maybe—I might have an excuse to eat some cake and ice cream.

Unfortunately, this "holiday" was a lame one. Friday, March 20, 2009 is apparently the day that "Spring Begins." Yippee!

No cake, no ice cream...Oh well, that was probably for the best.

Several minutes after this discovery, however, two thoughts began to creep slowly into my mind.

The first was inconsequential but still slightly annoying. I realized, for perhaps the first time ever, that every school I had ever attended had been lying to me all along. There is no such thing as "Spring Break."

Every spring break I have ever been on started in early March, typically right after or on my birthday (March 9—remember this day, as I now expect presents from all who read this next year).

This means that in all my years of schooling, I had two winter breaks every year—or because I refuse to conform to our increasingly PC world, a Christmas break and a winter break—and never had one stinkin' spring break.

What a robbery!

This annoyance quickly went away though after my rational realization that, whether spring or winter, the beer in Mexico would have tasted just as good...and boy, was it delicious!

The second thought that spring sprang (oh, fun with words!) to mind is something that has been and always will be directly associated with spring time: Spring Cleaning.

So to get into the spirit of the season, these past few days I have been cleaning!

On Friday, I cleaned my office desk. Sure, it was only a light dusting, but I still left my desk in better condition than I found it.

On Sunday, I gave my car a much needed cleansing, and I'm happy to report she looks pretty as new. I also intended on cleaning my apartment Sunday, but laziness overtook me and I decided that task would have to wait for another day.

Monday was that day, as I finally cleaned my apartment after weeks (don't judge me) of saying I was going to do it and failing to do so.

Now it is so clean that I could eat a steak off the bathroom floor. (And I might have to, because I forgot to clean my dishes. I'll have to do that after I write this!)

So once the dishes are out of the dishwasher and into my cabinets, my little world will be completely clean, and my Spring Cleaning for 2009 will be complete. Or will it?

Not quite.

Put quite simply, I have a couple of hot sports opinions regarding my favorite team, the Dallas Cowboys, and I have just been dying to get them off my chest and into writing.

In other words, it is time to Spring Clean a couple of negative feelings out of this little sports fan's brain!

So without further ado—and after probably the longest ever introduction in Bleacher Report history—I would like to offer you my top three Dallas Cowboys grievances that have nothing to do with their on-the-field performance:

1. Tony Romo's Hat

I have defended Tony Romo with about as much loyalty as is physically and mentally possible.

I've defended his play, his choice of girlfriend, his vacation to Mexico, and his postgame comments after the embarrassingly pathetic loss to the dirty birds of Philly. I like Romo as my quarterback, and I've got his back in every corner...except one.

I cannot—will not—defend Tony Romo's awful choice of post-game attire, namely his hat. Its one thing to see him walk out in that goofy "hat" after a win, but after a loss, it only makes the bad worse. It makes me want to throw something

It's not cool, it's not hip, and I sincerely hope that it is not back for the 2009-10 season. Hopefully this will be one more of the many Cowboys' problems that will be "solved" by the departure of Terrell Owens, because as we all know, he wears them too.

2. Bandwagon/Fairweather Fans

Every team has them, and ever real fan can't stand them.

The Dallas Cowboys bandwagon, however, is about as bad as they come. And I'm sick of it.

It seems like every year I read and hear people say that they have been a fan for as long as they can remember, but that "after this loss/season/player acquisition, I'm done with the Cowboys!"

To those people, I say good riddance. Don't come back.

Be mad. Be frustrated. Demand accountability. But always, always stand by your team.

Otherwise, you were either:

A) Never a true fan to begin with.

B) Someone that takes the game way too seriously. If you can't take a loss or a disappointing season, then you probably have bigger issues than what team colors you are going to wear when Sunday rolls around.

3. The Sense of Entitlement of the Average Cowboys' Fan

This fan might even be worse than bandwagoners, and is probably even more common.

The Cowboys' haven't won any game of any significance in over a decade, yet this fan comes out every year and proclaims "Super Bowl or bust!"

Really?!

I want another Super Bowl here in Dallas as bad as anyone. Really, I do. (While we're at it, I'd like a Mavs' Finals win and a Baylor MNC.)

The cold hard truth of the matter is that there are 32 teams in the NFL. Each one of those teams have paid professionals playing and coaching that team up. These teams also have fans just like you who think that their team should win every year.

Well guess what, only one team wins it every year. There have even been some really solid franchises that have never won a Super Bowl: The Eagles, Bills, Titans, Panthers, Vikings, and Seahawks all come to mind.

Cowboys fans, lose your sense of entitlement and just enjoy the ride. It's a pretty fun one, after all.

I feel better now; I really do. It's amazing what a clean car, desk, apartment, and a little venting can do. I finally feel as if my Spring Cleaning is complete...crap, I forgot to do my laundry.

Baylor Men's Basketball Gives Reason To Hope with Huge Win over No. 1 Kansas

robert allred — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:56:59 -0400

In a nationally televised Monday night road matchup against the Texas Longhorns on March 2, the Baylor Bears had a chance to turn around what had, up until then, been a terribly disappointing season.

They were in the middle of a dismal stretch that saw the Bears go 2-8 in their previous 10 games, including losses to Texas Tech and Iowa State.

The Baylor men—a team that was projected to finish in the top half of the Big XII standings and had been a mainstay in the AP Top 25 poll just weeks earlier—was in the middle of a free fall.

But they still had an opportunity.

With a victory in Austin, coupled with a win against Nebraska in their final game of the regular season, the Bears would end their season at 19-11 (7-9), and would have had a shot—albeit a very small shot—at an NCAA tournament bid with a win or two in the Big XII tourney.

Instead, the Bears fell flat on their face, losing in embarrassing fashion to the Longhorns, 73-57. Then, just for good measure, they ended the season with a heartbreaking loss to the Cornhuskers at home.

Any talk of an NCAA tournament appearance would have been laughable. Any ideas of making a run in the Big XII tournament were ludicrous. This team was finished.

It's funny what a difference 10 days can make. Fresh off coach Scott Drew's biggest win of his young career, there is reason for hope again in Waco, if only for another day.

After avenging their regular season finale loss to Nebraska in the first round of the Big XII tourney, the Bears shocked the nation Thursday when they knocked off the No. 1-seeded Kansas Jayhawks in a thriller that wasn't decided until the final seconds.

Before Thursday, the Bears had lost their previous eight games against the Jayhawks and were at the bad end of a dismal 14-1 overall series record between the two teams.

On Friday, the Bears will get a mulligan on their March 2 meltdown, as they once again take on the Texas Longhorns in an effort to save their season. In order to keep their NCAA hopes alive, however, the Bears will have to overcome an even longer losing streak.

The Longhorn have been an absolute heel to the Bears. Baylor has lost its last 24 games against Texas and has never beaten them in Big XII tournament play.

Still, after the huge Kansas win, there is a fresh new sense of optimism surrounding this team. And why not?

With a win Friday and one more win Saturday, the 2009 Baylor Bears—a team that up until Wednesday had been a disaster—can still make quite a few "firsts."

They can become the first team to win the Big XII tournament that was not a No. 1, 2, or 3 seed. They can also become the first Baylor men's team to ever win the Big XII tournament, and subsequently the first to ever reach the NCAA tournament two years in a row.

With just two more wins, these Bears can transform from possibly the most disappointing men's basketball team in school history to the most successful team in school history. What an opportunity!

The fight is still not over for these Bears. If anything, it has just begun. But for the first time since the beginning of conference play, this team is looking like the team that everyone thought they had the potential to be at the beginning of the year.

They are looking like a team with talent, discipline, and heart. They are finally looking like a team that not only wants to win, but believes they can win.

A team that once seemed content with mediocrity now appears determined to achieve greatness. Time will tell whether they are in fact destined for greatness, but they have at least made it a fun ride.

Marquis Cooper and Corey Smith Tragedy Should Be a Lesson to Us All

robert allred — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 23:57:50 -0500

I wrote an article several weeks ago in an effort to defend Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo from the recent onslaught of criticism that has been rained down upon him from media and fans alike.

Much of the scrutiny levied on Romo stems from his postgame comments following an embarrassing Cowboys' loss to the Eagles that closed out the season.

In that press conference, he addressed the media with what many found to be an attitude of indifference by voicing his belief that worse things can happen than losing a football game.

Perhaps one of his more criticized quotes was, "I've had a lot worse happen to me than a loss in a sporting event, that's for sure. If this is the worst thing that ever happens to me, then I've led a pretty good life."

On a day like today, Romo's comments couldn't ring any more true. Although still not a certainty, it is looking more and more like the National Football League and their fans have lost two more players to tragic deaths this week.

Corey Smith of the Detroit Lions and Marquis Cooper of the Oakland Raiders, along with their friend William Bleakley, are still missing after a three-day search-and-rescue operation off the coast of Florida has been called off.

In the wake of such a heartbreaking development, this past season's wins and losses suddenly don't seem so important anymore. Free agency is a little less interesting, and the upcoming NFL draft is all but trivial.

Now this article was not written in a spirit of "I told you so," and "look how smart I am." While I certainly like to argue and will always do just about anything to prove my stances when given the chance, my inspiration in writing this runs much deeper than simple right and wrong.

I think that we all—fans, media, players, coaches, everyone—stand to learn something from the tragedy that has fallen on these three young men and their families.

I happen to be of the belief that everything happens for a reason. It is a belief that has carried me through some hard times and helped me to get over some tough obstacles.

Whether those obstacles were as small as failing a test or as large as losing a loved one, I have always believed in my heart that there was a reason for the obstacle, and that something positive would come out of it whether I knew it or not.

So here I am tonight, reading a story about a few guys who died before they probably should have. They didn't die as a result of a nightclub altercation. They weren't driving drunk or doing drugs.

They died in an unlikely accident that happened while they were doing what they love—fishing off the Florida coast.

And it's sad. And it doesn't make sense. And it doesn't seem fair.

But as I stressed earlier, there is something to be learned from this, and it is exactly what Romo said. The postgame press conference might have not been the right time to say it, and he might not have said it the right way. Both of those points can certainly be argued—and have been.

What cannot be argued is the overall message that he was trying to deliver. There are more important things in life than the results of a sporting event.

Now, I am just as guilty as the next guy when it comes to taking the game too seriously. I have broken remote controls, have screamed until my throat felt like it was going to explode, and have completely made a fool out of myself by cursing like an idiot at sporting events.

And it would most certainly be a lie if I were to say that I would never do those things again. Sometimes a good yell—yes, even a curse or two—or watching something weaker than you smash into pieces on the ground can be therapeutic.

However, letting sports become the be-all, end-all of your life is a dangerous road to follow.

Life is hard. It is painful. While this world is certainly filled with wonderful and beautiful things, the average person also endures their fair share of hardships, whether it be financial struggles, loss of loved ones, heartbreak, sickness, etc.

Sports are supposed to be an escape. They allow you to—if only for a few hours—forget all of your struggles, and to lose yourself in a world as simple as throwing and catching, hitting and running.

Those who allow sports to become their sole purpose of life—and therefore allow their happiness to be completely dictated by a win here or a loss there—are robbing themselves of the real purpose of sport. They are cheating themselves of the joy that sports can bring.

Barring a miracle, Corey Smith, Marquis Cooper, and William Bleakley have passed away from this earth, but that surely doesn't mean they should be forgotten.

They should be a reminder of how fragile life really is. They should help us all to remember that there really are far more important things in life than the final score on Sunday.

It would be insensitive of me to say that their tragic deaths would be "worth it" if it would help people to gain this perspective. Certainly, for their families and those who love them, finding the silver lining in this terrible circumstance will be truly difficult.

However, if more people can gain this perspective, then maybe—hopefully—their death won't be in vain.

May Corey Smith, Marquis Cooper, and William Bleakley rest in peace. My prayers are with their family and their loved ones.

Why "Big" Ben Roethlisberger Is Not an Elite Quarterback...Yet

robert allred — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 01:02:11 -0500

Ben Roethlisberger is a solid NFL quarterback. He is a great leader, is tough as nails, and always seems to come up Big (pun intended) when it matters the most.

He is a proven winner. In fact, he is one of only 10 quarterbacks in the history of the league who have won two Super Bowls, and he has already done so at the ripe age of 26.

He is the youngest quarterback to ever win one Super Bowl, and the second youngest to ever win two—behind just Tom Brady.

His recent success has led many—particularly the Pittsburgh faithful—to proclaim him as an elite quarterback, one of the best of the best.

However, while Roethlisberger could retire tomorrow and certainly have a lot to be proud of, those that are trying to categorize him as elite might want to tap the brakes just a bit.

While he certainly might be an elite quarterback when all is said and done, he's not quite there yet, and there is plenty of evidence to back up this claim.

Determining what makes a player elite—or not—is a tough task. There is an ongoing, and most likely never-ending, "war of words" between those that believe that a quarterback's greatness is determined by personal achievements and those that think championships and signature wins are all that matter in the argument.

The plain truth is that they are both important.

Perhaps the only person tied more to a team's record and achievements than a quarterback is a head coach. In general, if a quarterback's team is successful, then they are considered successful, and vice versa.

On the other hand, very rarely will a quarterback who puts up good numbers during their career be considered a great success if they do not have great team achievements to go along with their personal accomplishments.

The poster boy for the "exception to the rule" is Dan Marino, who was able to put up numbers that few quarterbacks can rival. Although he never won a Super Bowl, he is still widely regarded as one of the top few quarterbacks to ever play the game.

While Roethlisberger certainly has had his fair share of team accomplishments, his personal numbers leave much to be desired. This is why he is not yet an elite quarterback.

During Roethlisberger's five years in the league, the Steelers have had the No. 1 overall rated defense in the league in both yardage and scoring. Big Ben has also had the luxury of a rushing attack that finished top 10 in the league four of his five years, top five in the league in three of five years, and top three in two of those years.

Put quite simply, Roethlisberger has had a lot of help—the kind of help that any quarterback would kill for.

Now that's not to say that Big Ben cannot be considered an elite quarterback simply because he has had a great defense and rushing attack. That would be unfair and unreasonable.

However, with that much help, it would be inexcusable for him to put up pedestrian numbers, and with the exception of one magnificent year, that is exactly what he has done.

In 2007, Big Ben looked to have what was a breakout year. He put up 3,154 yards passing and 32 touchdowns to go with only 11 interceptions, and he had an outstanding passer rating of 104.1. This performance earned him his first and only Pro Bowl invitation.

That was the only year that he ever finished in the top 10 in touchdowns. He has also only finished in the top 10 in passing yards per game once (2006). He has, on the other hand, finished in the top three in quarterback rating in three of five seasons.

This would suggest that Big Ben has been an excellent game manager, but not a catalyst to the Steeler's success. All that is asked of him is that he doesn't mess up.

These lackluster numbers could be overlooked, and Big Ben could still be considered an elite quarterback if his offensive unit as a whole still produced at an elite level. For evidence of this, look no further than Troy Aikman.

Aikman wasn't flashy and didn't always put up huge numbers, but he always found a way to get his team in the end zone. His offense was consistently a top three scoring offense and top 10 yardage offense during the Cowboy's great early-'90s seasons.

Roethlisberger's offense has only finished in the top 10 in yardage in one of his five years (ranked seventh in '06) and top ten in scoring in two years (ranked ninth in both '05 and '07).

With his numbers to date, it is near impossible to argue that Roethlisberger is an elite quarterback.

That being said, defenders of Roethlisberger will argue that none of these numbers matter. They will argue that his statistics are inconsequential because he finds a way to win when it counts.

In that regard, credit certainly has to be given where credit is due. Roethlisberger, in his short career, has led the Steelers to 19 come-from-behind wins in the fourth quarter, including his latest—and probably greatest—in Super Bowl XLIII against the Cardinals.

However, while this achievement is certainly nothing to look down upon, is it really as impressive as it sounds?

Would a truly elite quarterback who has been lucky enough to play with a defense that has only allowed an average of 16.44 points per game during the course of his career really need to come back from behind so often?

The Pittsburgh offense's average point total before their comeback in those 19 games was 13.52 points, certainly not enough to win a majority of pro football games. The average deficit in those 19 comebacks was 3.42 points, hardly insurmountable, and they never came back from a deficit of more than 10 points (three times).

Are these comebacks more of a credit to Ben Roethlisberger's clutch ability late in games, or are they a credit to a defense whose great play allowed a mediocre offense to stick around in a game they probably didn't belong in?

All evidence points to the latter.

Ben Roethlisberger is a good quarterback. In fact, he is probably even a great quarterback. But he is not an elite quarterback...yet.

Lucky for him, at the still very young age of 26, the book is far from closing on his career. There is no telling where his name might stand among the greats when all is said and done.

Until then, let's slow down with the crowning of Ben Roethlisberger. Time will tell soon enough.

Is Fixing the Dallas Cowboys' Offense as Simple as 1-2-3?

robert allred — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 02:35:11 -0500

It would be simplistic and naive to say that the Cowboys are one small fix away from transforming into a Super Bowl caliber team. Not after the disaster that was last season.

It is ridiculous to think that a team will go from a significantly underachieving disappointment to a championship contender with just a simple tweak here and a slight adjustment there. There is a lot of work to be done in Valley Ranch this summer if the Cowboys hope to improve next season.

This team's failures can simply not be traced to one single player or coach, despite the fact that many have attempted to do just that. No, this team's problems ran much deeper than that.

This team had problems with injuries, chemistry, discipline, execution, leadership, playcalling, and of course, off-the-field drama.

However, while it is uncertain what all went wrong with the Dallas Cowboys or how to fix it, there is one change that would go a long way in getting their offense back on track. It is simple really—as simple as, 1-2-3.

1) Marion Barber

2) Felix Jones

3) Tashard Choice

Put in even more simple terms, the Cowboys need to run the ball.

The Cowboys have a luxury that not many teams have. They have three stud running backs. The problem is that, last season, they did not use them correctly.

This could be in part because they did not know exactly what they had coming into the season. However, they know now, and it is time to make the necessary adjustments in their offensive philosophy.

They have an absolute beast in Marion Barber, who was having another solid season last year before suffering an injury that essentially sidelined him for the last quarter of the season. He is a tough and punishing back, and has garnered a reputation as one of the best backs in the league at getting yards after contact.

The problem is that he is accustomed to sharing the load with other backs, and last year the Cowboys tried to make him the workhorse. History has shown that he is more effective closing out games while limiting his carries. He was at his best when Julius Jones was the starter, and Barber was able to punish worn-down defenses in the latter stages of the game.

Felix Jones became a star in his short time with the Cowboys last season. Although his season would end early due to injury, he averaged 8.9 yards per carry and scored four touchdowns, three from scrimmage and another on a kick return.

Tashard Choice was another surprise for the Cowboys. As a rookie fourth-round draft pick, not much was expected from Choice last season. But after both Barber and Jones went down to injury, he delivered.

In limited playing time, the rookie rushed for 472 yards (5.1 ypc) and pulled in another 185 yards through the air. In his first game as a starter, he put up 166 total yards against the No. 1 Pittsburgh Steeler defense, a defense that was especially known for shutting down the running game.

The Cowboys have the talent in place to be an elite rushing offense when all three backs are healthy, and if they can make the adjustments to ensure that a solid running game becomes a priority, many of their other problems might just take care of themselves.

One of those perceived problems is the play of Tony Romo. The Cowboys' franchise quarterback was a rising star in the league just one year ago, but there has been some love loss from the Cowboys' faithful as of late. A stronger running attack could do wonders to help him out.

First, it would take some of the pressure off. Since he became a starter for the Cowboys, Romo has been asked to carry the offense with his arm. The Cowboys are a pass first team and every player, coach, media member, and fan knows it.

Defenses have figured the offense out, which has led to diminishing play from Romo. While he still puts up better numbers than he seems to be given credit for, he has a knack for turning the ball over.

By taking the ball out of his hands and placing it in the hands of his backs, those turnovers should decrease. One reason is that he would be throwing the ball less. However, and perhaps more importantly, by moving to a more balanced offense, his receivers should also be more open when he does throw the ball.

A running attack also does wonders for a defense. The Dallas Cowboys defense improved vastly this past year and have the potential to become a top five defense, but too often they were left in sticky situations by their offense.

Whether it was short drives that stalled out or costly turnovers, the defense was hung out to dry throughout the year. Either way, a solid running game would help. In addition to limiting turnovers, a strong rushing attack would help to shorten the game and keep the defense off the field.

It is no secret that a solid running game oftentimes equals success in the National Football League. As evidence for that claim, one needs to look no further than the top five rushing teams last year—all five made the playoffs.

It is a simple concept, but if the Cowboys can improve their rushing attack next season, then who knows what could happen. Maybe, just maybe, Cowboy fans might have reason to hope next January.

How Video Games Changed My Life: The "Life Story" of an NFL Fanatic

robert allred — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 23:49:00 -0500

I didn't grow up as an occasionally fanatical, usually obsessive, and always passionate sports nut with the belief that any time is a great time to share his newest hot sports opinion.

For those that have not yet met me, I am fairly confident that those who have would vouch that the preceding description matches me pretty perfectly today.

So what happened? Why the change?

In short, video games.

Yes, I am the guy whose life was forever altered (or at least so far) by the exposure to, and partaking of, video games. But not in the negative way that so many people have come to associate with the "evils" of electronic entertainment.

I never went on a shooting spree because Grand Theft Auto told me to.

I also never locked myself in my friends' basement for days on end playing World of Warcraft and living off of Doritos.

I will admit that I was recently a tad obsessed with Call of Duty 4, an obsession that led me to spend a bit too much time huddled up in front of my TV talking smack into my bluetooth headset to a pre-teen punk with the mouth of a sailor.

Please don't fret, however. The addiction has passed, and the pigment is returning to my skin quite nicely (oh, and I am pretty sure the pre-teen was grounded for foul language).

No, I am convinced that video games have actually changed my life in a positive way, because they have brought me a love that I had never previously had: sports, and more specifically, football.

Sure, I played sports as a kid, but I never played football. This was partly because I was a mama's boy that didn't want my my mom to worry about me getting hurt, but it was mostly because I just didn't want to get hurt myself.

So I played baseball and soccer, and I played them both poorly. I tried really hard and never quit, and that earned me one year on a select soccer team. But after that, one truth became all too evident:

God gave me many gifts and talents, none of which were "athletic prowess."

So as I entered into middle school and started the next phase of my life, my athletic "career" came to an end, and my interest in sports was all but extinguished.

This all changed when I started playing Madden Football with my stepfather. It was his attempt to share his favorite pastime with me and, as for me...well, I liked video games (doesn't every kid?).

So we played at least a handful of games a week, oftentimes more. We both had our strengths. I was a better button masher and he actually knew what the plays that he called meant. So he won the majority of the time, and I'd occasionally pull off the win thanks to a lucky play here and there.

However, when I packed my bags and headed to college, I was still not a football fan. I was simply a football video game fan, and I think I finally know why.

Football, like many things, is something that you cannot fully love and appreciate until you actually understand it. (This same logic probably also applies to women, which would help to explain why I am always single, but that is another conversation.)

Looking back, I finally understand why he could run the same defensive play every stinkin' down and would always stop me, yet when I ran the exact same play, it never worked!

He could double my wideouts every play because, well, I only threw to my wideouts. When I doubled his, his slot receiver would burn my linebacker every time.

When I got to college, where Madden and NCAA tourneys were a normal occurrence, I had no choice but to learn the ins and outs of the game, and learn them quickly. It is one thing to get your butt whooped in the privacy of your own home, but it is quite another to be the cellar-dweller of your dorm hall's Madden dynasties.

The competitor in me was not going to sit back and get my butt kicked.

So I played, and I played a lot. I learned that the best way to beat the blitz is with a short dump-off pass to the flats, that slant routes can almost always beat man coverage, and that it isn't smart to go for it on 4th-and-26 from your own 14 yard-line.

Finally, when I went to Baylor football games, I understood what I was watching, and was finally able to understand the brilliance of the game (despite the fact that my team was almost always beaten by halftime.)

It isn't just a game about throwing, catching, and running. It is a game about time management, field position, execution, and teamwork.

I came to understand the game, and I subsequently fell in love with it.

So to say that video games have "changed my life" might be a bit dramatic, but it is also pretty accurate.

I now have a favorite pastime that I love to read, write, and talk about, and I have Madden to thank for it (with perhaps a little bit of credit to my stepfather, as well.)

Now if only they could come up with a video game about politics...

Steelers-Cardinals: The Real Travesty of the Super Bowl Officiating

robert allred — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 00:18:22 -0500

In any given game, any player, coach, media member, or fan can point to a handful of plays that decided the game one way or another. Likewise, these same people can, and sometimes do, point to a few bad calls by the officiating crew that "cost their team the game."

Blaming the refs after a heart-breaking loss has become a "great" American tradition, one that everyone has been guilty of at least once in their lifetime.

In many ways, this is just human nature. It might be a cop-out, but it is easier than admitting that your team lost...and it was their fault.

As a player, you do not want to admit that you were outplayed.

As a coach, you do not want to admit that your game plan wasn't good enough.

As a media member, you want to create a good story that will help build your legacy as a writer or broadcaster.

And as a fan, you just don't want to admit that your team might not have been the better team. You don't want to wear an opposing team's jersey to work the next day or stand on a table in the break room and sing your buddy's team's fight song.

Put simply, your pride has been hurt.

As can be expected, officiating controversy has come into play regarding this past weekend's Super Bowl between the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Now, I personally did not have a dog in this fight, but I did have a team I was rooting for. I have no problem coming out and saying that I was pulling for the Cardinals, and I was pulling for them passionately.

It had nothing to do with Larry Fitzgerald, although I think he is a magnificent talent, a seemingly good dude, and one of the great young superstars in the league.

It also had nothing to do with the feel-good Kurt Warner story, although I certainly respect what he has done this season and admire the fact that he has come up from a nobody to a superstar...twice!

No, it had everything to do with my team, the Dallas Cowboys. Selfishly, I wanted my team to be the first team to get that coveted sixth Lombardi Trophy. So, for one night, I was a die-hard Arizona Cardinal super-fan.

All that being said, there is no need to fear. You are not about to be subjected to a breakdown of every missed holding call, should-be facemask, and bogus pass interference call.

I won't do that because, quite honestly, the majority of the game was pretty evenly called. Yes, there were bad calls, but they went both ways, and some of the more costly bad calls were corrected by coach's challenges.

Some people are complaining that there was a hold or a block in the back on the 100-yard interception return by Harrison. I never saw it, and I am not going to look for it.

The way I see it, it was not the refs that made Warner throw the interception and they certainly did not prevent the Cardinals players from letting James Harrison lumber 100 freakin' yards for a touchdown!

Holding happens on almost every play of every game. The majority of them don't get called. A supposed holding call on that one play was not the difference in the game.

Others will point to yet another Harrison play—the unnecessary roughness penalty. Should he have been ejected? Absolutely. Did it change the outcome of the game? Nope.

Late in the game, the Steelers' offense was the difference, not their defense. The presence of Harrison on the field did not stop Larry Fitzgerald from parting the (white? yellow?) sea on his way to a go-ahead touchdown in the final minutes of the game, and he certainly didn't help Big Ben and Co. march down the field for the game-winning touchdown.

While that cheap shot of Harrison's was a disgusting show of poor sportsmanship and classlessness that certainly merits a fine and suspension, the fact that he was not ejected had no bearing on the final outcome of the game.

I have even heard people complain that Santonio Holmes was not penalized for his celebration after the game-winning touchdown where he used the ball as a prop.

Yes, it is true that by the letter of the law, that should have been a 15-yard penalty that would be assessed on the kickoff, and that could have made a huge impact on the game.

Part of me sympathizes with the Cardinals fans who believe that should have been called. The other part of me is glad that it wasn't, and I hope and pray that "penalties" like that one will never be called again.

Who wants to win a game based on another team getting called for a bogus celebration penalty that 99 percent of the fanbase will argue is ridiculous at best? There are many reasons that people call this league the No Fun League, and the "ball as a prop" rule is one of them.

The only thing that irked me about the no-call is that I know that if that had been the Cowboys' receiver Terrell Owens, the flags would have been flying instantly. Still, that was a no-call that I am fine with.

So up until the last minute of the football game, I had no beef at all with the officiating. I was witnessing a great football game between two talented teams that were both giving everything they had.

What more can you ask for, right?

Then came what is now the infamous "fumble" by Kurt Warner.

It was, for all intents and purposes, the last play of the game, and the officiating crew decided that it was not worth taking a good, long, hard look at. Apparently it was so obvious that it did not even merit an official review.

Except it wasn't obvious at all. In fact, one view clearly shows (I believe) that Warner's arm was coming forward before he was even touched by the defender. By rule, that is an incomplete pass, not a fumble.

Now, many will think this is just sour grapes. I am just mad because the Dallas Cowboys aren't the first to six, right?

Well, yes, but it is more than that.

I think the refusal to at least take a second look at this robbed the Arizona Cardinals of a chance to win this game. If this call were to be reviewed and overturned, the Cardinals would have had about eight seconds left to score a touchdown from the 29-yard line (after the 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty).

Is it very likely to see a touchdown toss of 30 yards with less than 10 seconds to go? Of course not, but the Cardinals also have Leapin' Larry Fitzgerald. If any team in the league is going to make that play it is the Arizona Cardinals, and they should have at least had the chance.

However, I think this non-review also robbed the Steelers.

Think about it. The team just won their sixth Lombardi Trophy. They should be able to celebrate like rock stars as the undisputed kings of the NFL.

Except they can't. Critics of this team will look at this play and say the Steelers didn't earn it. Considering the way the Steelers came back, I do not think this is fair, but it is also reality.

Big Ben and the Steelers offense marched down the field in a heroic effort to take the lead in the final seconds of the game, only to have that accomplishment cheapened by yet another unfortunate NFL officiating blunder.

Why not assure that the call was correct, and then, if it wasn't, let the Steelers vaunted No. 1 defense shut the Cardinals down for one more play? If that had happened, the outcome almost assuredly would have been the same, but without all the drama of speculation and conspiracy theorists.

Perhaps more than anything, however, this non-review cheated the NFL fans. This was one of the most exciting Super Bowls in recent history (and some will argue ever). The fourth quarter could not have been scripted any better.

Then, with eight seconds left, the officiating crew elected to turn their back on what very well could have been a game-changing play. They robbed the NFL fans of one more exciting, heart-wrenching, jaw-dropping play.

Instead of getting to watch eight more seconds of what-ifs, the NFL fans were subjected to a measly kneel-down.

Terrell Owens Adds Yet Another Dose of "Reality" to the Dallas Cowboys

robert allred — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 22:33:16 -0500

For those of you that were debating the purpose of life after discovering that there would be only one Dallas Cowboys reality television show this summer, please put the pistol away. Everything is going to be alright.

According to the Associated Press, VH1 will run a new show this summer chronicling the off-the-field life of none other than Cowboys’ lightning-rod Terrell Owens.

The show will feature Owens and his two best friends and publicists—Monique Jackson and Kita Williams—and will focus on the development of his love life.

I like Terrell Owens the person. I think that, despite the fact that he is cocky and a little (OK, maybe a lot) selfish, he is funny and he entertains me.

I think that he is largely misunderstood by the mainstream media and fans alike. Although he is still far from perfect, I also believe that he has made more progress in Dallas than he is given credit for.

I like Terrell Owens the player. He is a playmaker that (you guessed it) makes big plays. Yes, he has occasional drops and, he can be a little selfish (OK, OK, I know, A LOT selfish!). That being said, his presence on the football field makes the whole Dallas Cowboys team better—and did I mention he makes big plays?

I do not, repeat DO NOT, like Terrell Owens the television show. It is another bad idea in a long line of bad ideas regarding the Dallas Cowboys’ over-exposure in the media.

Will I watch it? I’m sure I will, because I love to watch anything Cowboys related. And I'm sure this means that I'm part of the problem, but despite the likelihood of me watching this show, I still don't think that this is what this team needs.

Many people are going to argue that Owens should not do this show because he should spend all summer focusing on football and football only. They will argue that when he isn’t sleeping, eating, or (restroom activity), he should be lifting, running, catching, and studying game film.

I am not one of these people. I believe that famous athletes (yes, even the ones that get paid the big bucks) deserve to have a personal life, too. And quite honestly, it is probably about time that Owens finds himself a woman.

In fact, I might go so far as to say that this guy needs a “matchmaker” more than every other man on this planet except for maybe me! (Settle down ladies, don’t start posting your phone numbers just yet. This was not an attempt to turn this article into a personal ad, just trying to make a little funny.)

If Owens wants to spend his entire summer cruising the streets with his two best friends in search of love, I am all for it. Heck, it might help to settle him down just a little bit.

Maybe the knowledge that he’s got a little cutie waiting at home for him with a hot, home-cooked meal, will help him care a little less about how many touches he gets.

It could be a sweet “i <3 u!!” text message from her right before a media session that will calm him down just enough that his blood doesn’t boil when he sees Ed Werder’s goofy mustache walk into the room.

Yes, I am all for Owens doing whatever it is that makes him happy in the offseason, so long as he is refreshed and ready when it is time to get the new season back underway.

I just don’t think that it needs to be on television.

I really don’t believe that we need more sound bites from Owens for the media to dissect and examine under a microscope. I can just imagine watching an episode where a relaxed Owens says jokingly to his friends, “Man, I won’t be happy ‘til I catch 1,000 balls next season!”

We all know that we would open the newspaper the following morning and read in big, black, bold print:

TERRELL OWENS CAUSING MORE CONCERN
TROUBLED RECEIVER EXPECTS A MINIMUM 63 TARGETS PER GAME

The Cowboys also don’t need to give opposing teams yet another reason to want to smash them into the ground next season. If nobody noticed, opposing teams’ players were pretty bitter last year that the Cowboys’ got the kind of preseason exposure that they did.

Opposing players didn’t like the fact that “Dallas Cowboys” and “Super Bowl” were being mentioned in the same sentence by media, fans, and players—let alone that people were actually predicting a Super Bowl victory!

They didn’t like that a team that has not won a postseason game in over a decade was getting the kind of exposure that not even the '90s Cowboys received.

Other teams’ fans, their players, and the media already have plenty of reason to dislike the Cowboys. In fact, the majority of those that do not love the Cowboys loathe the Cowboys.

So why is the Cowboys organization giving everyone so much ammunition to use against them? Why does everything they do have to be for show?

I am all for Owens living his life. On that same token, I think it is a neat concept to give an “average Joe” a chance to walk-on to "America’s Team."

But why must these activities be “reality shows?” Why must we expose the entire world to the inner workings of the Cowboys organization and their players?

While I fully support Tony Romo’s relationship with Jessica Simpson—God help us if those two get married. I really, really, REALLY do not have any interest in tuning into MTV to watch Newlyweds 2: Tony & Jessica.

What Do Criticisms of Cowboys QB Tony Romo Tell Our Youth?

robert allred — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 20:56:06 -0500

"No matter what, if you have tried your hardest and truly given it everything you have you will never disappoint me, because I will know that you did the best you can do."

—My Mother (and probably yours too)

The criticisms I have heard of Dallas Cowboys' quarterback Tony Romo have finally gotten to the point where I can no longer sit quietly.

Quite honestly I am sick and tired of hearing about whether or not Romo can become a leader. Whether he is a vocal leader or not, I have seen the man pick his broken body up off the turf numerous times and lead this team down the field.

I am sick and tired of hearing about how Romo needs to stop being a "celebrity quarterback" because he is dating Jessica Simpson.

I'd personally rather see the guy be with a woman that he loves, despite what everyone else thinks of her, than to be with an ordinary girl that "loves" him for 67 million reasons ($$), and those reasons only.

I am sick and tired of hearing about his Cabo Trip before the New York Giants game last year. I would prefer that my quarterback spend a day relaxing with family and friends on a beach over having my quarterback safely back home in Dallas, strip-club hopping.

Perhaps more than anything, I am sick and tired of hearing that Romo does not care about winning because of a select few things that he said after a heartbreaking season-ending game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Let's look at the atrocious things that Romo said:

(Regarding moving forward, next year) "We're going to try to get back in the playoffs and try to win the Super Bowl. That's all you can do. If we don't...OK. If we do...OK."
"I've had a lot worse happen to me than a loss in a sporting event, that's for sure. If this is the worst thing that ever happens to me, then I've led a pretty good life."
(In response to how he gets over a tough loss) "I wake up tomorrow and keep living."

Are these really statements of apathy, or does Romo just have his life in the right perspective?

When I first heard these words, I was hurting. I just witnessed my favorite sports team lose yet another game to end yet another heartbreaking season. I was upset. No, I was angry!

However, when Romo spoke these words, I didn't think a thing of it. In fact, I agreed with him wholeheartedly. Here was a guy who understood things. Never in my wildest imagination did I think that we were still going to be discussing these words nearly a month later, but here we are...

Our country is in the middle of a war. We are in a recession. There are people who can't pay their bills, men and women with diseases that have no cure, children without parents, and families without homes.

With everything that is going on in this crazy world that we call home, I have come to terms with the fact that the success of my sports teams is not the most important thing in life. Why do more fans not understand this?

Sure, sports, and more specifically football, have become a huge part of my life, and there is almost nothing in the world that I love to do more than to discuss sports, but, at the end of the day, are they really that important?

I understand the criticism of Romo's game. Yes, he has a tendency to be careless with the football and make boneheaded mistakes. It has also been all too well documented that he struggles in big games.

I also see no problem with questioning whether Romo needs to become more of a vocal leader on this team. While I maintain that he has led in other ways, it makes sense to discuss things that Romo can do to help better lead this team.

These are the kinds of Romo discussions I expected heading into the offseason. Instead, we are questioning the heart of a guy who battled as an undrafted rookie free agent to become the starting quarterback of "America's Team."

We are also talking about a quarterback who battled through three different injuries this year, which culminated in him collapsing in the shower due to pain following the final game, but if he could play he played, and he never stopped fighting.

I did not write this article simply to defend Romo, however. He is a big boy and can take care of himself. More importantly than defending Romo's feelings is this: What does the criticisms of Romo's statements tell our youth?

When little Sarah loses a teeball tournament and she trots off the field with tears rolling down her eyes, then she tells you that she's a loser and it is all her fault that her team lost. What are you going to tell her?

What about little Jimmy who missed a last second jumpshot that would have helped his team to win their school district's basketball championship? What are you going to say to him when he comes home and kicks a hole in the wall and breaks his bedroom window with his second place trophy?

Are you going to comfort these kids and let them know that everything will be alright? That life goes on? That there are more important things in life than just a game?

Or, are you going to praise them for getting it? You can tell Sarah that all she has to do is fix the mechanics of her swing, and then those tears will go away.

You can buy Jimmy a new plexiglas window and help him build a bonfire to roast that second-place trophy, and then high-five him and congratulate him for having that winner's mentality.

My point is simple. It is easy to point to Romo's words as evidence as to how he doesn't give a rip about winning, but I watched the guy's interview. He was anything but apathetic.

Yes, the guy was bummed. Yes, he cared. He left it all out on the field. I thought his collapsing in the shower after the game was pretty good evidence to that.

At the end of the day, Romo knew he was playing a game and that life goes on. He knew that if the worst thing that ever happened to him was losing a football game, he is very, very lucky indeed.

In a world that tends to put emphasis on winning and winning only, isn't this the kind of message that we want our young athletes to hear?

Cardinals-Steelers Super Bowl Pick: Princess Bride Style

robert allred — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 01:32:58 -0500

I think that I have logged enough hours here at the Bleacher Report that it is time for everyone to get to know a little bit more about me.

What is my favorite color? Blue

What is my favorite kind of food? Mexican

What is my favorite movie? ...

Ah-ha, the ever-so-popular movie question. One of my favorites. Every time that I am asked this question, I give the exact same answer, only different. This is my canned response:

“Well I have so many favorite movies, really. If I was going to say what my favorite movie is right now, I would probably have to go with (insert whatever my favorite new movie is at the time, e.g. Dark Knight?), but if you are talking about favorite movie of all time? It’s got to be either Top Gun or The Princess Bride.”

This is where I get one of two reactions regarding my selection of The Princess Bride:

Reaction 1 (People who have not seen the movie): “The Princess Bride?!?! Haha what are you? A GIRL?!?!"

Reaction 2 (People who have seen the movie): “Oh man, I LOVE The Princess Bride!”

Yes, the word “Princess” is in the title, but regardless of that, this is anything but a girl’s movie. I would try and explain why, but I don’t think I can do so better than the character “Grandpa” in the movie does when attempting to dispel his grandson’s homophobic resentment towards having a “Princess book” read to him.

When asked if there are any sports in the book, Grandpa responds simply: “Are you kidding? Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles...”

Now really, what is there not to love about this kind of story!

But I digress.

I bring up The Princess Bride because recently, I have had a constant nagging inside me about how a certain interaction in the movie between Vizzini and “The Man in Black” would play out in today’s world.

Maybe, just maybe, their “Battle of Wits” would revolve around everyone’s favorite sport, football (OK, so football may not be everyone’s favorite, but is at least mine).

I mean, let’s face it, Vizzini does look like a dude that would finish No. 1 in his fantasy league every year, doesn’t he?

For those of you that have seen the movie, you know all about the scene of which I speak. For those who (sadly) have not seen the movie or just need a refresher course, you can find help here.
Below, you will find how the “Battle of Wits” would play out if this scene were to take place in the modern age of the NFL. More specifically, this is how things would go down if the battle to the death between the two was based on who won this year’s Super Bowl:

"The Battle of Super Bowl Picks”

(In the beginning of the scene, “The Man in Black (TMIB)" comes over a hill to find Vizzini, the self-proclaimed Sicilian football genius, sitting at a table while holding a knife to a blindfolded Princess Buttercup’s throat.

TMIB has already conquered a sword wielding Spaniard and a real live Giant, not those posers from New York. The Sicilian is the last roadblock standing between TMIB and his goal: to rescue the Princess.

After the Sicilian points out that there can be no arrangement made to save the Princess and that any further action by TMIB will cost the Princess her life, the following conversation ensues...)

TMIB: Well if there can be no arrangement, then we are at an impasse.

Vizzini: I’m afraid so. I cannot compete with you physically, and you’re no match for my brains. I went undefeated in my NFL picks all year this year...

TMIB: You’re that smart?

Vizzini: Let me put it this way. Have you ever heard of Madden? Michaels? Berman?

TMIB: Yes...

Vizzini: Morons.

TMIB: Really? In that case, I challenge you to a Battle of Picks.

Vizzini: For the Princess?

(TMIB nods.)

Vizzini: To the death?

(TMIB nods again.)

Vizzini: I accept.

(Vizzini lowers and holsters his knife.)

TMIB: Good! Then pull up that TV cart, there.

(TMIB points to a TV cart that is conveniently sitting directly behind Vizzini. Vizzini does as requested while TMIB pulls himself a seat at the table. After a slight pause and some ominous music, TMIB removes a video tape and hands it to Vizzini.)

TMIB: Look at this and tell me what you see.

(Vizzini studies the tape but sees nothing of significance.)
Vizzini: I see nothing. There is no label.

TMIB: What you do not see is a complete copy of Super Bowl XLIII. It was played yesterday, and thanks to the cable satellite on my ship out there (TMIB gestures toward the Cliffs of Insanity), I was able to watch and record it.

Vizzini: (Vizzini’s face lights up) You can get satellite for your vessel?! I didn’t even know that was possible! Do you get the NFL package? Who won the Supe…

(TMIB interrupts Vizzini)

TMIB: You’re getting off topic. Can I finish?

(Vizzini sheepishly nods. TMIB pulls out two coasters: one with a Cardinals logo, and the other with a Steelers logo. He shows them both to Vizzini and places the Cardinals coaster face-down in front of Vizzini and the Steelers coaster face-down in front of himself.)

TMIB: Alright, who won the Super Bowl? The Battle of Picks has begun. It ends when you decide who won and we watch the game. Whoever’s team does not win will take their own life. Oh, and if this is of any help to you, I already know the outcome, and I have no problem telling you that my pick did not lose the game.

Vizzini: But it's so simple. All I have to do is divine from what I know of you: Are you the sort of man who would put the losing team’s coaster in front of himself or his enemy? Now, a clever man would put the losing coaster in front of himself, because he would know that only a great fool would reach for what he was given.

I am not a great fool, so I can clearly not choose the coaster in front of you. But you must have known I was not a great fool, you would have counted on it, so I can clearly not choose the coaster in front of me.

TMIB: So you have made your decision then?

Vizzini: Not remotely! You see, Ken Whisenhunt coached for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2001-2006 and was almost certain to be the next head coach after Cowher retired, but NO! Mike Tomlin, who had only been a defensive coordinator for one year, got the head coaching job over Whisenhunt. Whisenhunt would love nothing more than to get his revenge, so I can clearly not choose the coaster in front of you.

TMIB: Truly, your football knowledge is astounding.

Vizzini: Wait 'til I get going! Now, where was I?

TMIB: Revenge...

Vizzini: Ah, yes. But even more important than petty revenge in sports is history! The Arizona Cardinals have not won a championship since 1947, as anyone who has watched ESPN will tell you. Before this year, they hadn’t even won a playoff game since 1998, when they beat the Cowboys for their first playoff win since ’47.

Obviously, the Cardinals are a fluke this year, so I can clearly not pick the coaster in front of me!

TMIB: You’re just stalling now.

Vizzini: You’d like to think that, wouldn’t you? You made a huge mistake when you told me you picked the winner! You’ve bested my Spaniard, which means you must have studied, and in studying you would have learned that the Cardinals have significantly improved their defense in the postseason while maintaining their offensive excellence, so I clearly cannot choose the coaster in front of you.

But, you’ve also beaten my giant, which means you’re exceptionally strong, so naturally you would have a huge affection for the Pittsburgh Steelers' bruising style of defense, so I can clearly not choose the coaster in front of me!

TMIB: You're trying to trick me into giving away something. It won't work.

Vizzini: IT HAS WORKED! YOU'VE GIVEN EVERYTHING AWAY! I KNOW WHO WON THE SUPER BOWL!

TMIB: Then make your choice.

Vizzini: I will, and I choose...Oh look, its Terrell Owens complaining about not getting the ball!

(Vizzini gestures up and away from the table. TMIB looks behind his back to see the latest “TO drama” and Vizzini switches the coasters.)

TMIB: What? Where? I didn’t see him.

Vizzini: Oh, no matter. I thought I saw him, but I must have been mistaken. Oh well, let’s watch the game. I have chosen the coaster in front of me.

(TMIB pops in the video tape and they begin to watch the Super Bowl in what may quite possibly be the three tensest hours of existence. Because they both made the mistake of leaving their Crock Pots in their boats, there was not even queso to break the tension.

After a late Arizona field goal forced overtime, the teams continued to trade defensive blows. With three seconds left in the overtime period, Pittsburgh lined up to kick what would be the winning field goal from a mere 25 yards out.)

TMIB: You picked wrong.

Vizzini: You only think I picked wrong! That's what's so funny! I switched coasters when your back was turned! Ha ha! You fool! You fell victim to one of the classic blunders! The most famous is never get involved in a land war in Asia, but only slightly less well-known is this: never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha...

(As Donovan McNabb’s worst dream comes true and the Steelers’ field goal sails wide right, resulting in the first-ever Super Bowl tie, Vizzini’s laughter comes to a halt. At the realization that his pick, the Steelers, did not win the game, he takes his own life and collapses to the ground. TMIB picks up the Princess and removes her blindfold.)

Princess: Oh thank God, your team won!

TMIB: No, it was a tie.

Princess: I don’t understand. If there was a tie, shouldn’t you have both taken your lives?

TMIB: (Laughs) I am a lifelong Cardinals fan, Princess. Believe me when I say that any time the Cardinals DON’T lose, they have won.

(And they all live happily ever after...except Vizzini. He’s dead.)

THE END

Dallas Mavericks: Time to Let Dirk Go

robert allred — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 20:04:32 -0500

In the midst of what has now turned into a four-game losing skid, one ugly truth has become more apparent than ever.

Despite Jason Terry arguably playing the best ball of his career, Jason Kidd exceeding all of his critics' expectations, and Dirk Nowitzki continuing to play like...well, like Dirk Nowitzki; these Dallas Mavericks are not good enough to contend for an NBA title.

In fact, they are barely good enough to contend for a playoff spot.

With just under half of the '08-'09 season completed, the Mavs have a mediocre 22-17 record. They are sitting at fourth place in the Southwest Conference and ninth place overall in the Western Conference, just one spot out of playoff contention.

Ordinarily, it would be premature, and even pessimistic, to suggest that it is time to blowup a team that is still very much in the thick of things. However, the Dallas Mavericks are not your ordinary team.

Just three years ago, the Dallas Mavericks finally emerged as one of the NBA's elite teams by knocking off the San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns en-route to the franchise's first ever NBA Finals appearance.

Despite giving up a 2-0 series lead and ultimately falling to the Miami Heat in heart-breaking fashion, the Mavericks gave their fans reason to hope for the future.

Two years ago, the Mavericks picked themselves up off the mat and took the NBA by storm. In a season that saw the Mavs win 67 games, good for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and the overall best record in the NBA, it looked as if nobody could stop the Mavericks in their fight for redemption.

As luck would have it, however, the only team to own a regular season winning record over the Mavs that year, the Golden State Warriors, was the same team to draw the eighth seed in the West. They became the first ever No. 8 seed to knock off a No. 1 seed in a seven-game series, and the Mavericks once again ended their season in heartbreak.

One year ago, after a disappointing first half of the season, the Mavericks made what may go down as one of the most infamous trades in NBA history. In return for Kidd, Malik Allen, and Antoine Wright, the Mavericks sent Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop, Trenton Hassell, Maurice Ager, Keith Van Horn via sign-and-trade, two first-round draft picks and $3 million in cash to the New Jersey Nets.

It was a trade that could only be considered a success if the Mavericks won, and won now. One year later, despite Kidd's superb play, the trade is a disaster.

The Mavericks are floundering. Harris is almost assured his first all-star selection and looks to be one of the great up-and-coming point guards in the league. Perhaps most disconcerting is that, with a lack of draft picks and few attractive tradable parts, the Mavericks have almost no way of building around their current nucleus.

This leaves the Mavs with only two real viable options:

The first and easiest option is to stand pat. The Mavs can stick with their current roster in hopes that something suddenly changes within the organization.

More than likely, the Mavs will continue to be a good, but not great, team. They will win some big games, lose some big games, and will likely squeak their way into the playoffs, where they will win one series at most.

The second option is harder. It is by far the more painful road. However, it is also the road that is not only best for the team, but best for everyone involved.

It is time for the Dallas Mavericks to trade Dirk Nowitzki before its too late.

For any Mavs' fan, this is the last thing that they would want to do, but it is the only thing that makes sense. He is the only name on the Mavericks' roster that has enough trade value to help this team reach long-term success.

Terry is a great player, but he is a role player. Kidd is getting up in years, and although he has performed better with the Mavericks than anyone could have ever hoped, there will always be the question about how much longer he can keep it up. Josh Howard has done just about everything he can in the past year to hurt his trade value.

What the Mavs need is good, young players to start building on the next era of Dallas Mavericks basketball. The only player on this current roster that will be able to help the Mavs get what they need is Nowitzki.

Perhaps more importantly than all of that, however, is the future success of Nowitzki. One of the hardest workers in the league, a great teammate and a leader by example, and one of the most revolutionary players ever to step foot on the hardwood, it is hard to argue that anyone deserves to become an NBA Champion more than Nowitzki does.

It has become apparent that he will not win a championship with Dallas. This team's window has shut and has probably been shut for some time now.

It is time for the Mavericks to consider trading Nowitzki to a contender, and let him have a chance at winning a title. It is time to bring in some younger players and try to build this team back up to championship quality.

Although a tough and painful choice to make, a Nowitzki trade could very well be what is in the best interest of the team, the best interest of Nowitzki, and in due time, the Dallas Mavericks' fans as well.

It is time to let Dirk go.

Why the NFL Is the World's Greatest Organized Sporting League

robert allred — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 02:16:29 -0500

Many will think what I am about to say is a message sent straight from God himself. Others will dismiss it as blasphemy and will request that any future work of mine is immediately destroyed. Regardless, I am unwavering in my opinion, so I am going to go ahead and just say it.

The NFL is the greatest organized sporting league in the world.

Now, I know this seems near impossible to argue with any kind of conviction, but I am going to attempt to do just that, and this is how:

I am going to think of every other possible sport and sporting league that comes to mind and explain why I think the NFL is superior to that sport and/or league.
That's it!
No really, that's it...If you were expecting some kind of highly technical argument with charts, graphs, and other forms of "data," you should probably stop reading now. You will be very, very disappointed.

First up, let's compare the NFL to soccer, rugby, tennis, gymnastics, swimming, water-polo, sailing, cycling, bowling, mountain climbing, and darts. These sports, along with many others that will go without mention, are immediately disqualified from consideration because I do not watch these sports. In fact, some of these "sports" are not in-fact sports. (Darts? Really?!)

Now, I know this seems unfair and it is quite possible that I am wrong. One of the above mentioned sports could very well be vastly superior to football, and as a result have a league that is far greater than anything the NFL might hope to one day be.

However, I don't know anything about it, and in this case, ignorance is bliss. The NFL is better.

Moving right along.

Many people claim the WWE's and UFC's of the world as the premier source of sporting greatness. Something about the blood, the sweat, and the tears drives people crazy!

I can see the argument for MMA fighting, but for those touting the world of professional wrestling, you may want to tap the breaks a little bit.

Wrestling is not a sport. Are there outstanding athletes performing amazing feats? Absolutely. However, when the outcome of a match is predetermined, as it is in professional wrestling, I can hardly see the "sport" in it.

If someone wants to argue that professional wrestling is the greatest entertainment in the world, I will gladly hear their case. Although, I will probably also feel obliged to argue that the greatest form of entertainment is undoubtedly NBC's The Office. (Hurry up and get here Thursday!)

Which brings us back to MMA. What can be better than a couple of big guys (and sometimes little guys, too) beating the hell out of each other? What can possibly trump that?

There are no pads, no helmets, and almost no rules. It is mano-a-mano action...Which is where we have a problem.

To me, the greatest aspect in sports is that of the team. You don't have to be the best collection of talent with the greatest speed or the most strength. In sports, the unit that can come together and work the hardest to achieve their one shared team goal will more often than not be the unit that is crowned the champion in the end.

MMA is missing that aspect of sport, and for that reason and that reason alone, I cannot listen to arguments that put it on the same level as football and the NFL.

Golf and racing suffer from the same problem. I know, golf has a caddy and there are technically racing "teams" and pit crews, but at the end of the day, both of those sports' "teams" are about one person and one person only.

WWE? UFC? PGA? NASCAR? Sorry everyone, the NFL is better.

Now we are making some progress! We are down to the big four: baseball (MLB), basketball (NBA), hockey (NHL), and of course football (NFL).

Some will consider what I am about to do as cheating, or just being plain lazy, and I am fine with that. Simply put, football and the NFL is without a doubt better than all of the aforementioned sports and leagues for one reason and one reason only: the importance of every single game.

With 162, 82, and 82 games per season, the MLB, NBA, and NHL respectively all have regular seasons that are largely unimportant. Sure, things get exciting when they get to postseason play, but in these leagues, where is the common fan's incentive in watching a midseason game?

If your team wins, great! If not, then oh well. It doesn't really matter because if it is only one of many.

Where else in sports do you have stories like the Philadelphia Eagles, a team that, in the span of only three games, went from alive-and-well to out of the playoff hunt and then were suddenly a wild-card playoff team?

In the MLB, NBA, and NHL, if a team starts out 0-4, it's no big sweat. There are at the very least 78 games left for the team to improve their position. In the NFL, if a team starts out 0-4, they can almost go ahead and start packing their lockers.

It is this concept that makes every game, every quarter, every series, and every down more important than anything any other sport has to offer. One missed tackle, one dropped catch can be the difference in staying home for the playoffs and going to Disneyland.

I am sorry MLB, NBA, and NHL. The NFL is just better.

Which brings me to the last, and perhaps strongest challenger. What makes the NFL brand of football better than the college version? Many would have you believe that college football is not only the greatest form of sports, but the absolute greatest thing on earth.

After all, it is a bunch of kids playing for the love of the game and school pride, not for money and power.

Now I am going to ignore the argument that every college ball-player is simply playing for the love of the game. I wish that were the case, but that statement is simply not true.

However, even if it were true, I am still lead to believe that the NFL is the superior product, and the reason is simple.

Even though I love to watch college football, in a nutshell, college football is simply this: It is a season filled with blowouts and pillow fights, sprinkled with a couple of magnificent games, and in the end the winners and losers are determine by computers and "experts" instead of the players on the field.

College football is great but don't talk to me about it being the best until it gets a playoff system. Until then, sorry college football, the NFL is better than you, too.

Would Cutting Terrell Owens Really Make the Dallas Cowboys Better?

robert allred — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 20:46:23 -0500

I am having a hard time figuring out what Terrell Owens' nickname, "T.O.," really stands for. I have heard "Team Obliterator," "Too Old," "Terribly Overrated," and many more clever acronyms.

Nowadays, however, I am inclined to say that T.O. stands for "Totally Overblown," as in: the amount of credit Owens has gotten for the downfall of the 2008 Dallas Cowboys is completely and utterly overblown.

I can completely understand why people do not like the guy. He is cocky and abrasive. He speaks his mind and says things that make people shake their head and roll their eyes, whether they agree with him or not.

He has bad history due to his very well documented stays in San Fransisco and Philadelphia, and history is hard to overcome.

I get it! If I were not a Cowboys fan, I probably would not like him, either. In fact, I despised the guy when he stood on the Cowboys' star with San Fran and continually dissected the Cowboys' defenses with Philly.

What I do not get is why Cowboys' fans, Cowboys' haters, and both national and local media alike have all come together to form one simple-minded and knee-jerking school of thought: The Cowboys will be a better team if they cut Terrell Owens.

Where is the evidence to support this absurd statement?

Was it Owens who caused the offensive line to suddenly forget how to pass-block? Was it Owens who missed the tackles on the two 70-plus-yard runs in the Baltimore game (a game that, had the Cowboys won, would have clinched a playoff spot)?

Did Owens cause Sam Hurd, Felix Jones, Mat McBriar, Pat Watkins, Roy Williams, Isaiah Stanback, and Kyle Kosier all to sustain season-ending injuries? While we are at it, was it Owens' fault that Tony Romo, Terence Newman, Anthony Spencer, and Marion Barber all missed significant time due to injury?

In a year that did not go as planned for the Dallas Cowboys, there is plenty of blame to be passed around, and Terrell Owens certainly deserves his fair share.

However, what exactly did Terrell Owens do that would justify being cut from the Dallas Cowboys, and how on earth would this make the team better?

Now I am not naive enough to think that everyone in the Dallas Cowboys' locker room loves Terrell Owens. In fact, I am not ignorant enough to think that any player on any team is universally liked by every single player that they share the locker room with.

That being said, in his time with Dallas, I have seen no signs that lead me to believe Owens is a "cancer" in the locker room, and this seems to be the primary argument to let Owens loose.

In San Francisco, he called his quarterback gay. Cancer. In Philadelphia, he questioned his quarterback's toughness and heart. Cancer. In Dallas, he shed tears in defense of his quarterback. Cancer? I am sorry, but I am just not seeing a trend here.

The big news this year was ESPN writer Ed Werder's story citing an unnamed source who claimed that Terrell Owens thought Tony Romo and Jason Witten were drawing up secret plays to freeze Owens out of the offense.

I have already stated that I think this was a story that was most likely either misquoted or just completely taken out of context. The fact that I have still yet to see a direct quote from the source that leaked this story leads me to see little truth in what was reported.

However, for the sake of argument, let's assume that Terrell Owens did in fact make the idiotic claim about Romo and Witten's secret underground meetings.

Who is really to blame here for all the distraction that was caused by this: Owens for saying something stupid behind closed doors or the player who decided to break the story to Ed Werder and the rest of the world while remaining anonymous?

Had this just been a statement that Owens made out of frustration after a heart-breaking loss to Pittsburgh, it is of my opinion that those who heard it would have simply rolled their eyes and gone about their business. Surely that is not the most ridiculous statement that has ever been uttered in a locker room.

Instead, every player was forced to answer question after question for an entire week over what should have been a non-issue instead of just focusing on the next week's game against New York.

Owens has also come under fire for his criticism of Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett. Fans, media, and opposing team's players have all ripped Garrett for his simplistic and predictable offense that does not fully utilize the skillsets of the many playmakers that Dallas possesses.

Why is it, then, that both Owens and quarterback Tony Romo have been criticized for saying the same thing. While it can argued that this is the kind of talk that belongs behind closed doors, who's to say that these conversations had not already taken place in private?

While Owens has not necessarily earned the right to be given the benefit of the doubt, I just do not see Tony Romo bringing his frustrations with Garrett into the public eye unless he has already done all that he can behind closed doors.

At the very least, Owens and Romo both have every right to be a little peeved with the direction of the Cowboys' offense.

With the exception of the Werder incident and Garrett criticism, what else could possibly point to Owens being a "cancer" for this team?

He shows up to practice and busts his butt, he helps out younger players, he stays out of legal trouble, and more than anything, he wants to win.

People have also pointed to Owens' drop in production as a reason that ties should be cut with him. While this ideology makes a little more sense, it also makes no sense at all.

At 35 years old, Terrell Owens is not the player that he was five years ago, and he may never be again.

Owens undoubtedly had a "down year" this past year, but how many receivers in the league would salivate at the thought of a 69 catch, 1,052 yard, 10 touchdown season being considered a "down year."

The plain and simple fact of the matter is that Owens is still a major threat. He still draws occasional double- and triple-teams. He still makes other players' jobs easier by drawing defensive players to him.

The people that say letting go of Owens would be similar to the Giants letting go of Jeremy Shockey must have forgotten how pedestrian the Cowboys' offense looked when Owens went down with an injury late in the 2007 season.

The difference is that while the Giants had a capable tight end in Kevin Boss to fill Shockey's shoes, the Cowboys do not yet have another legitimate wide receiver.

I like Roy E. Williams, but I have not yet seen anything that leads me to believe that he is a legitimate number one receiver.

In 10 games with the Cowboys, Williams had a disappointing 19 catches for 198 yards and only one touchdown. That kind of production will not be enough to replace the threat of Terrell Owens.

Owens may not be the most likable guy, but he certainly is not the only person to blame for the Cowboys' disappointing 2008 season. There are things that he can improve on, but cutting ties with Owens will not fix the many problems that the Cowboys have.

The Cowboys need to get healthy. The Cowboys need to block better. The Cowboys need to continue to improve on the defensive side of the ball. More than anything, the Cowboys need 52 more guys on their roster that desire to win as much as Terrell Owens.

Pat Tillman: An American Hero, but Hall of Famer?

robert allred — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 15:39:45 -0500

Saturday afternoon, while watching the Arizona Cardinals battle the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Wild-Card Round of the NFL playoffs, the NBC crew paid tribute to fallen American war hero and ex-NFL player Pat Tillman.

Tillman, a native of San Jose, Calif., joined the Arizona Cardinals after earning Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year honors in his senior year as a linebacker with the Arizona State Sun Devils.

He played four years in the NFL, all with the Cardinals, before leaving the NFL to join the United States Army in May 2002, following the Sept. 11 attacks.

Tillman served with the U.S. Army until April 2004, when he was tragically killed as a result of friendly fire while on duty. Following his death, he was honored by his country with a Silver Star, Purple Heart, and a posthumous promotion.

Both the Cardinals and Sun Devils retired his numbers, 40 and 42 respectively. The Cardinals further paid homage to Tillman by inducting him into the Arizona Cardinals Ring of Honor and re-naming the area outside of their stadium to the Pat Tillman Freedom Plaza.

Currently, a bronze statue of Tillman stands in this place to ensure that both he and his great sacrifice are not soon forgotten.

While paying his respects to Tillman’s memory during Saturday’s broadcast, NBC announcer Cris Collinsworth made two very strong statements regarding Tillman.

One of these statements is one of the truest statements I have ever heard while watching an NFL game. The other left me scratching my head.

“This guy is the essence of what we all hope the NFL and its players will ultimately be.”

Let’s face it; the NFL could use a few more Pat Tillmans. Unfortunately, for those of us that love the sport, the NFL has been infiltrated by a lot of bad-character guys.

For starters, there is Plaxico Burress, who recently ran into problems with the law when he shot himself in the leg at a New York club.

Adam “Pacman” Jones has had numerous stints with the law, including his famous “make it rain” incident at a Las Vegas strip club, and has just about worn out his welcome with the league.

Matt Jones was arrested for felony possession of cocaine in July, and who can forget the controversy that stemmed from Mike Vick’s dog-fighting operation?

Players making millions of dollars will hold out on training camp next year because they “cannot feed their family.” Drug and steroid usage among pro-athletes is no longer a shocking discovery, because many fans have almost come to expect it.

There used to be a day in time when famous athletes could be looked up to by young children. Parents did not have to cringe when their son or daughter told them, “I want to be like that when I grow up.” Sadly, in today’s NFL, the average athlete is anything but a role model.

Well, Pat Tillman was not your average, run-of-the-mill NFL athlete. He was different. He wasn’t in it for the money or the fame.

In a way, he was a throwback to the old-school athlete. He played the game for love, not money, and the game was not all he had going for him.

He was smart, averaging a 3.84 GPA in his time at Arizona State. He was well-rounded and thought for himself. He didn’t always take the easy road.

At one point in his career, the St. Louis Rams offered him a five-year, $9 million contract to come play for them. Tillman turned it down. Keep in mind that in Tillman’s final year with the NFL, his salary was $512,000 per year, far less than the offer given to him by the Rams.

But Tillman was loyal to the Cardinals and declined the extra money so that he could stay with his team.

In a league where elite players will leave a championship-caliber team to join a doormat for a couple of extra bucks, this move by Tillman was clearly unusual, but that is who Tillman was.

Following the 2001 season, Tillman’s fourth in the league, the Arizona Cardinals offered him a contract extension of three years, $3.6 million. Tillman elected not to accept the contract and instead enlisted in the Army, a decision that eventually cost him his life.

He gave up the money, fame, and arguably the greatest “job” one could ask for to go fight for his country and for his beliefs. He made a sacrifice that not many could easily make, and he did what he believed to be right, not easy.

Tillman is without a doubt an American hero and is more than deserving of every honor he has received. The NFL could use more guys like him. He truly is “the essence of what we all hope the NFL and its players will ultimately be.”

“If Pat Tillman doesn’t belong in the Hall of Fame, who does?”

As I have already mentioned, Tillman was a hero. He was a model human, a good example for young athletes, and a pretty darn good football player, too.

But Tillman does not belong in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Perhaps, had he finished his career, he would have built a résumé that would justify a Hall of Fame induction, but he did not do so.

I am sure some people will read this and find what I am saying to be insensitive, cold, or just plain untrue. However, I firmly believe that if Tillman were still alive today, he would agree with me. Furthermore, he probably wouldn’t care.

Now I obviously did not know Tillman personally, nor have I ever had the chance to speak with him, so I am largely guessing here.

But to me, Tillman told the world, when he left everything that he had going for him to go to Iraq, that he understood that there are more important things in life than the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Tillman, who moved from linebacker to strong safety when he joined the NFL, only played four years with the Arizona Cardinals.

In those four years, according to ESPN.com, he amassed 344 tackles (245 solo), 2.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and three interceptions.

For a four-year span, those are not bad numbers, but they are certainly not Hall of Fame numbers. To put those numbers into perspective, Hall of Fame safety Ronnie Lott (who started playing before tackles were a recorded statistic), recorded 8.5 sacks, five forced fumbles and 63 interceptions in his career, according to ESPN.com.

Tillman also never played in a Pro Bowl, though it could certainly be argued he deserved to have played in one. After an excellent season in 2000, Sports Illustrated’s Paul Zimmerman named Tillman to his NFL All-Pro team.

While Tillman is certainly a great story and a true hero in every sense of the word, the fact of the matter is that his accomplishments in the NFL do not justify consideration for a Hall of Fame induction.

Any other player with his same numbers and accomplishments would be quickly discarded, and rightfully so.

To give an award reserved for exemplary on-the-field accomplishments to someone because of their tremendous off-the-field sacrifices would be laughable and would severely taint the credibility of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

There are plenty of very deserving ex-NFL players that will never make the Hall of Fame. Ricky Watters, Derrick Thomas, Bob Hayes, Ray Guy, and many others have yet to make it into the Hall and are certainly not guaranteed that honor.

To put Tillman in over the above mentioned players would not only be a disservice to the Hall of Fame but also the players on the proverbial bubble.

Perhaps more importantly, it would be a disservice to Tillman the football player because his induction would be for all the wrong reasons.

Tillman was a Hall of Fame human being, but he does not belong in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

10 Resolutions for the Dallas Cowboys' New Year

robert allred — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 15:08:45 -0500

Ah, a New Year is upon us. Unfortunately for the Dallas Cowboys, a new season is upon us as well. The Cowboys were the victims of a 44-6 thrashing at the hand of the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday that officially eliminated them from the NFL playoffs. As a result of that loss, it is now time to move on, make a few changes, and start fresh next season. And is there a better time to start fresh than the New Year? I was lucky enough to visit with a few of the Cowboys' players and coaches (and even a certain media member), and my conversations with all of them shared one common theme: New Years Resolutions. In the following slides, you will find the New Years Resolutions of 10 different people associated with the Dallas Cowboys. All of them are excited about the opportunities that present themselves in 2009!

Begin Slideshow

Meet Jimmy Fairweather: My Conversations With the Dallas Cowboy's No. 1 Fan

robert allred — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:25:08 -0500

This past football season, I was lucky enough to meet the Dallas Cowboys' No. 1 fan in the world. He is the fan that I aspire to be one day, but I am not quite there yet.

I know what you are thinking. There is no way for me to know for sure that he is the No. 1 Cowboy fan, but trust me on this. He is the best fan the Cowboys have ever had, and I have proof.

He has 86 different Cowboys jerseys ranging from Don Meredith to Tony Romo, and almost every major Cowboy you can think of in between. He has an entire room dedicated to everything Cowboys (kind of like the Steelers commercial but bigger and bluer). He has a son named Roger and a beautiful baby girl named Landry. He has had season tickets since '93 and has a giant star tattoo on his back.

He is truly the ultimate Dallas Cowboys fan.

His name is Jimmy Fairweather, and although I have never had the honor of watching a game with him (for superstitious reasons, of course), I was lucky enough to have received e-mails from him periodically throughout the season that provided wonderful insight into our favorite football team.

I have learned a lot from Jimmy this season about how to be a true fan. I hope he teaches you something as well:

Preseason

Good to meet you last week dude. I cannot freakin' believe that it is almost time to start the season. I mean, seriously dude, we were 13-3 last year and had 13 Pro-Bowlers. Too bad we got screwed in the playoffs. You know just as well as I do that D-Ware was NOT offsides on the Giants first touchdown drive.

Oh well, ain't nobody gonna stop us this year!

See you at the Super Bowl, right?!? Haha GO COWBOYS!!

After Week 3 Win at Green Bay (Current Record 3-0)

Hey, man, sorry I haven't written in a while. I have been too busy watching the Cowboys WIN! Haha, seriously, I wouldn't be surprised to see this team go undefeated. I know, I know, that is pretty unlikely, but if anyone is going to do it, it is us. I don't see one team on the schedule that can beat us. Not one!

Well, I gotta go. My wife just found a replica Lombardi Trophy on Craigslist, so we are going to go check that out. It would look good in my Dallas Cowboys Room of Doom. Haha take care and GO COWBOYS!

After Week 6 Loss at Arizona (Current Record 4-2)

Turn out the lights. This party is over. If I was Jerry, I would fire Wade tomorrow. What an embarrassment!

First, we lose to those loser Redskins, then we should have lost to the Bengals but lucked out, and now we lose to Arizona...and Romo is hurt? We are done... D-O-N-E!

After Week 7 Loss vs. St Louis (Current Record 5-3)

Brad Johnson? AHHHHHHH! Why do I still watch this pathetic excuse for a football team?!?

After Week 13 Win vs. Seattle (Current Record 8-4)

All I can say is thank God Romo is back! Three straight wins with Romo, I knew he would turn this around!

And this defense is for REAL! We can still make a push for the NFC East title too. The Giants are going to choke with Eli at quarterback! Haha he has such dumb-face!

All we gotta do now is win the next four and we are 12-4. Super Bowl, here we come!

After Week 14 Loss @ Pittsburgh (Current Record 8-5)

Tony Romo chokes another big game...what a big surprise! All we had to do was get a couple of first downs and Garrett decides to get all conservative. Why does he still have a job here? Lucky for us, Atlanta lost too, but that doesn't matter. There is no way we beat New York next week, and there is no way a 10-6 team makes the playoffs.

After Week 15 Win vs. New York Giants (Current Record 9-5)

Haha eat THAT Ed Werder. Man, this team is so good! Despite all the drama, we still go out and beat the defending World Champs and dumb-face Eli Manning. Haha Super Bowl, here we come! Nobody can stop us!

After Week 16 Loss vs. Baltimore (Current Record 9-6)

TWO SEVENTY-YARD TOUCHDOWNS?!? I am done with this team. I am not even going to bother watching next week. WE SUCK!

The Next Day after the Tampa and Philadelphia Losses

We are still in this thing. Those losers in Tampa lost, and Philadelphia is choking too. At least, we lost to a good team!

We are going to be more fired up than ever next week, and teach those dirty birds a lesson! Haha they won't know what hit them.

And once the Cowboys make it to the tournament, that is all she wrote. The Giants can't beat us, we proved that a couple of weeks ago. Nobody else in the NFC scares me at all. Despite everything that has happened this season, we will STILL win the Super Bowl. Mark my words!!

GO COWBOYS!!

After Week 17 Loss @ Philadelphia (Current Record 9-7)

SON OF A $%#%! FIRE WADE, FIRE GARRETT, AND TRADE ROMO!!! TRADE T.O. WHILE YOUR AT IT. HE IS JUST A CANCER TO THIS TEAM ANYWAYS. OUR OFFENSE IS TERRIBLE, OUR DEFENSE SUCKS. LETS GET COWHER IN HERE, LIKE NOW!!! I HATE THE COWBOYS!!

I have tried calling Jimmy Fairweather a few times since the end of the season for his postseason thoughts, but cannot get a hold of him. He has probably just been busy with work and whatnot.

I thought I saw him at the grocery store the other day, but I must have been mistaken. The guy I saw was wearing a Falcons hat, so it was clearly NOT Jimmy.

Oh well, when I hear from him, I will make sure to add an update with his postseason thoughts for us all to enjoy.

NFL Playoffs: So Your Team Didn't Make It? Three Solutions to Help You Cope

robert allred — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 11:42:56 -0500

It is playoff time in the NFL once again, which means die-hard fans of 20 different teams across the country are suddenly left without anything to do next weekend.

Sure, some will still watch the playoffs because their love for football outweighs the love for their team. Some are done with the NFL as soon as the NFL is done with their team, and they already have alternative plans with their friends and family.

I have done no research on this, have conducted no polls and interviewed no “subjects,” but I would venture to guess that the vast majority of the fans of these 20 teams are somewhere in the middle of those two extremes and have absolutely no idea what they are going to do to fill the void. Well, this article is for those fans!

Here are three things that you can do next Sunday to help you get over your team’s demise:

Let’s Get Spiritual: Go to Church

No, your mother has not hijacked your computer. You are reading correctly. It is too late, you already saw this, so do not even consider clicking the little red “X” in the top right-hand corner of your screen. You are reading this for a reason.

Every Saturday since the start of the NFL season, as soon as you got home from your evening’s festivities, you would drunkenly stumble to your computer to check up on your fantasy football team, making last second trades and roster moves.

Then you perused on over to your favorite team’s message board to see what “troll” was talking smack about your team. Of course, that person was wrong, so you had to spend anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours formulating the absolute best retort to their weak arguments before you could go to bed with a grin on your face. It is your obligation as a fan, after all!

Then you would wake up late and hungover on Sunday morning just in time to throw on your lucky jersey and run to your buddy’s house for the game. Seriously, couldn’t you at least find the time to shower?

But that is beside the point.

Before you could takeoff, you needed to check the message boards once again to see if that “troll” replied to your comment overnight...of course not, what a coward.

Then, at your buddies, you would spend your entire Sunday drinking, cursing, and yelling at the television, only to get home Sunday night with a sore throat and a headache. You would make the mistake of checking on your fantasy team and see that they lost as well. More cursing.

Well, fantasy football has been over, and now so is your team. You have no more excuses to stay up late on Saturdays checking up on your fantasy stats and scaring off “trolls.” You should wake up more refreshed than ever next Sunday.

So rather than spending your day yelling at your television set, get your butt to church next Sunday morning. And this is none of my business, but after seeing how you have acted these past 17 weekends, maybe you should consider the evening service too!

Use that Brain: Read a Book

I considered recommending yard work and chores as an alternative to your Sunday football activities until I realized that you should have been doing this all along…on Saturdays!

If your weeds are overgrown, your house is a mess, and your dog smells like an apartment dumpster on a summer afternoon, then I cannot help you. My task is to help you fill your Sunday, and Sunday is not the day for chores.

Sunday is meant for the Three R’s: Rest, Relaxation, and Recreation. Now I could be wrong, but I do not see how pruning trees falls into any of those three categories.

What does? Reading. While I personally recommend a certain Bleacher Report writer for your reading pleasure, I think a Sunday afternoon without football is better suited by a good book and a blanket.

You can read a comedic book to help you smile or a fairy tell to take you to a land far, far away from your football problems. A murder mystery might help you vent your anger, and a history book could help you to learn a little something.

Read a biography if you want to discover fascinating and wonderful people, or check out an auto-biography to discover fascinating, wonderful, and narcissistic people.

If you are having trouble sleeping at night, try a textbook. That always worked for me!

And if you just cannot for the life of you take your mind off football, surely you can find a book about your team’s glory days (sorry Saints fans, this one may not apply to you).

Whatever book you choose, this could be just what you need to take your mind off of things for at least a little while.

Sure, this is not the most exciting activity you could partake in, but in this time of recovery, stimulating your brain with a good book could be the best medicine. And let’s face it; at this time of year, it beats nature walks, bike riding, and picnics. Newsflash: It is cold outside.

Take the Easy Way Out: Buy a New Hat!

Ah, the bandwagon fan. Like Coca-Cola, dinner and a movie, and the Thanksgiving turkey, the bandwagon fan is an American tradition!

Now I myself do not believe in jumping on bandwagons just because a team is hot. I will occasionally root on an underdog or cheer on a team that I do not typically root for because they are about to do something special, but the only merchandise you will find in my closet belongs to Dallas teams and my beloved Baylor Bears.

However, I fully recognize that everybody is not me. Heck, when my younger brother was just a little tyke, he would bring a Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners hat to the ballpark when the two teams squared off, and he would change hats whenever the lead changed.

Now I hated his bandwagon jumping, but at the same time had to give the kid credit. While everyone else in the ballpark was on pins and needles the entire game, he never batted an eye, because he knew all along that his team was going to win.

For some people, when their team is sinking ship, the only thing that can comfort them is jumping on a newer, better, and most importantly still-floating ship with hot blondes in bikinis and free booze.

The only question is what ship do you hop aboard? What hat are you going to run out and buy? If you are Cowboys fan, you are not going to run out and buy an Eagles hat because…well, you hate the Eagles.

Same goes for a Patriots fan and a Colts hat. Not a chance! While bandwagon jumping is an accepted American tradition, jumping to your hated rival is still very much frowned upon.

The next obstacle you have to clear is to make sure that whatever hat you choose is a hat that you can get at least a couple weeks out of. I am sure I am not the only one that absolutely loves the Atlanta Falcons story this year.

I mean, seriously, what a great feel good team! The same could be said for the Baltimore Ravens, although for obvious reasons (the last night at Texas Stadium, maybe?), I do not love them so much.

But in these hard economic times, can you really risk 30 buckaroos on teams with rookie quarterbacks? Great feel good stories? Yes. Smart teams to bandwagon? Not if you are in it for the long haul, and especially not if the store you purchased your hat from has a strict no-return policy.

The safest bet is to pick the team that you dislike the least but still feel like can win the Super Bowl. If people ask, you can always claim that you have a relative that lives in the area and that you have always liked the team, just not quite as much as your team.

Another good tip is to find an older player on your new bandwagon team that has never won a Super Bowl and use this line: “(Old Guy of your choosing) is such a class act, and since (insert your team here) can’t win it all this year, he might as well get a ring.”

Works every time.

With the enormous decision making process that goes into picking your bandwagon team, this is an activity that can undoubtedly take up an entire weekend (or two!) and will definitely help you to take your mind off your team’s shortcomings.

No matter how you decide to cope, next Sunday will most definitely be different than in weeks past. However, between spending more time with your family and friends, watching the other NFL games, and the three solutions I have proposed, you have absolutely zero excuse to spend your Sunday lying in bed crying into your pillow and listening to Johnny Cash’s rendition of “Hurt.”

After all, it is just a game, and there is always next year! Happy NFL Playoffs everyone!

Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles: Week 17 Preview and Prediction

robert allred — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 17:19:04 -0500

If the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles were college teams, and this Sunday's game was a bowl game, only one name would be fitting for this great rivalry's matchup: The Inconsistency Bowl.

Both teams came into the season with lofty expectations. The Cowboys were up there with the defending champion New York Giants as one of the most commonly picked teams to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Many even picked the Cowboys to win the whole tournament.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia was one of the more popular dark-horse picks to go to and possibly win the Super Bowl. They were at the least expected to be a playoff team and contender.

Unfortunately, both teams have at times looked more like pretenders than contenders throughout much of this season.

Since the start of the year, both teams have taken a spin on one of the worlds most treacherous, up and down, twisting and turning roller coaster rides in the entire world: the NFL season.

I have already highlighted all of the twists and turns of the Cowboys' season, but the Philadelphia Eagles have seen much of the same.

After a back and forth start start to the season, hope for the Eagles to make the playoffs faded after they tied with the lowly Cincinnati Bengals in Week 11. The following week, Donovan McNabb was benched in a blowout loss to the Ravens, and not only was there talk of the end of the Eagles' season, but there was talk of the end of the Reid and McNabb era in Philadelphia.

Rather than packing things in, the Eagles pulled together and won their next three games, and after watching the Cowboys and Tampa Bay Bucanneers lose in Week 16, they were in position to control their own destiny with a win against an embattled Washington Redskins that had dropped their three previous games.

Unfortunately for the Eagles, they lost in a 10-3 snoozer and now find themselves back in the same jam they were in before the Cowboys and Buccs lost. They need to win out and get help, or they will find themselves on the couch next weekend.

That brings us to the Week 17 matchup between the Cowboys and Eagles. If the Cowboys win, they are in. The Eagles need to beat the Cowboys to have any prayer of making the playoffs. However, they will also need the Chicago Bears to lose to the Houston Texans and The Buccaneers to lose to the Oakland Raiders.

The likelihood of both of those happening is slim to none, and with the start time changing to 4 ET on Sunday, the Eagles will know whether they are still breathing before kickoff.

Quickhits:

Other Game Outcomes and Their Mental Effect

I think that Chicago helps the Eagles by dropping a game at Houston, but there is no way that I can see Tampa Bay losing to the Oakland Raiders. Stranger things have happened, and if the Eagles only needed one loss or the other, I would give them a chance. However, both teams losing is highly improbable.

The Eagles should know by kickoff that their playoff chances are over. All they will have left to play for is pride and the joy of taking the Cowboys down with them. Many point to this as a reason the Cowboys will certainly win. I do not.

While it is certainly possible that the Eagles might mentally pack it in after hearing the bad news, this could just as easily doom the Cowboys. If they enter the game thinking that Tampa and Chicago just wrapped things up for them, and they take the game lightly, they could be on the wrong end of a blowout.

Weather

Weather should not be much of a factor. According to AccuWeather, it will be "rather cloudy with a couple of showers" on Sunday, but the temperature will be fairly comfortable at around 65% (feels like 60.) We have seen Romo struggle in the cold this year, but a few showers should not benefit either team.

Position Comparisons:

Quarterback

These teams are very similar. Both have quarterbacks that are at times Eli Manning-Unstoppable">unstoppable (just like Eli Manning), but both can also make boneheaded decisions that can change the course of the game.

Running Game

Both have a strong running attack. The Eagles' Brian Westbrook is one of the most underrated players in the league, and is in my opinion the most versatile and best all-around running back. For the Cowboys, Tashard Choice has been a welcome surprise. Other than the one dropped pitch, he has been just about perfect. If the Cowboys get an even semi-healthy Marion Barber this week, their running back duo will be as good as any in the league.

Receiving

Although the talent of the Dallas Cowboys receiving core is superior to the Eagles, they have yet to show it as of late. With Jason Witten and rookie Martellus Bennett, the Cowboys have the best tight-end duo in the league.

Offensive Line

I have not seen enough Philadelphia games this season to accurately gauge their offensive line play. Obviously their rushing yards is in the bottom half of the league, but that is attributed more to their play-calling than offensive line ability. Donovan McNabb has been sacked 22 times, not great but not terrible either.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys offensive line, like the team as a whole, has been terribly inconsistent. Much of this can be attributed to Romo's ability to make them look better than they really are with his elusiveness.

Defensive Front Seven

Both teams are very similar in this respect They both have fronts that love to blitz and can get to the opposing team's quarterback.

Secondary

The Eagles have the edge here, although with both Terrence Newman and Adam "Pacman" Jones playing, the gap is closed considerably. The Cowboys biggest weakness is at the safety positions, where they have been riddled by injuries this year.

Making the Call

This game, despite what happens in the 1 ET games, can go either way. The teams are very similar in a lot of ways, and both have been terribly inconsistent throughout the year.

In the end, I am going to have to call this game the same way I called the 'Boys-Giants game a few weeks ago. Give me the team that needs to win over the team that just really really wants to win.

I'll take the Cowboys 21-17.

In Yet Another Twist, Dallas Cowboys Again Control Their Own Destiny

robert allred — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 16:40:32 -0500

It seems as if every single time the Cowboys appear to be dead in the water, the football gods smile down upon them and give them reason to hope. If only for a little while...

After a promising 4-1 start to the season, the Cowboys lost their starting quarterback Tony Romo in an overtime loss to the Arizona Cardinals. In his absence, they were an abysmal 1-2, including embarrassing blowout losses to the New York Giants and St. Louis Rams. They were quickly falling out of the playoff picture.

Help came with the return of the newly energized Romo and finally healthy cornerback Terrance Newman allowing the Cowboys to reel off three-straight victories. The team was back! At least that was the word on the street and in the media.

The next week the Cowboys dropped a heartbreaker to Pittsburgh in a game that they had in their control until the final minutes. This should have been the start of the end, but Atlanta also lost a game earlier in the day.

As a result of that loss, the Cowboys actually gained ground in the playoff chase by overtaking Atlanta for sixth in the NFC and the last wild card spot. Safe again.

Not so fast. In the week following, there was suddenly big drama in the Big D. Terrell Owens allegedly accused Romo and Jason Witten of designing their own plays to freeze him out. Reports were also out that Witten and Owens had come close to fist fighting and the receivers had burst down the doors of Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett to demand the football.

There was trouble brewing in Dallas, and with these kinds of distractions, there was no way the Cowboys would beat the defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants.

Until they did.

The Cowboys, after a convincing win versus New York were the new (again) popular dark-horse pick for the Super Bowl. They were hot, they had things turned around, and they were finally on the road to success.

Maybe, just maybe, this team was headed for the Super Bowl. And it would all start with a win over the Baltimore Ravens to close out Texas Stadium.

BAM!! WHAP!!

After the Ravens landed two big hits late in the game, 77- and 82-yard touchdown runs, the Cowboys lay black-eyed and bloody and were out for the count. After all the expectations, all the ups and downs, twists and turns, the Cowboys were done. Finished. Over.

This team was dead in the water.

Until the next day of course. On Sunday, San Diego once again helped to bailout the Dallas Cowboys with a 41-24 beatdown on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Washington Redskins further helped the issue when they beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 10-3.

The Cowboys once again control their own destiny. With a win in Philadelphia next week, the Cowboys can clinch a wild card playoff spot. If and when that happens, who knows what the Cowboys future will hold.

They could do their best New York Giants impersonation and tear through the playoffs in route to a sixth Super Bowl Championship, or they could once again be one-and-done.

One thing is for sure though. Nobody knows what tomorrow holds. Not you, not I, not the tarot card reader in the beatdown shack you pass every day on your way to work. In this crazy world we all love to call the NFL, anything is possible, and everything can change in the blink of an eye.