2008 Cowboys

[Don Wassall]

The NFL is supposedly a "copycat" league. But not when it comes to "copying" the success of white players. Following Wes Welker at Texas Tech was Danny Amendola, a receiver with size and quickness similar to that of Welker, who tied for the NFL lead in receptions last year. But Amendola went undrafted, and was cut at the end of training camp by the Cowboys and then put on their practice squad even though most of their receivers were injured. Can't dare take a chance on the "boy," as owner Jerry Jones called Amendola during training camp. (When was the last time -- if ever -- Jones publicly called one of his black players "boy.")


The "big change" on the Cowboys for 2008 is that Zach Thomas has joined the team in the twilight of his career and is starting at one of the inside linebacker spots. A white starter on the Dallas defense!!! Stop the presses! Apparently an exception was made for a future Hall of Famer.


Certainly there's been no room in the starting lineup for LB Bobby Carpenter, selected in the first round in 2006. Carpenter has been labelled pretty much a "bust." There have been many linebackers drafted in the first round who didn't pan out, but it's difficult to recall a single one except for Carpenter who didn't at least get a fairly extended opportunity to start at some point. But Ohio State's former tackling machine has been little more than a White Special Teams Demon to this point in the NFL.


Justin Rogers, in his second year out of SMU, joins Carpenter as a backup LB and completes the Cowboys' tiny contingent of white defensive players.


Key components of Dallas' potent offense are Tony Romo and Jason Witten. Widely regarded as no more than backup material, Romo replaced Drew Bledsoe midway through the '06 season after it was clear Bledsoe had taken too much of a beating over the years. Romo became an instant star, with the personality to go with it. Romo combines nice touch with very good mobility and so far has been all any Cowboy fan could want at quarterback, at least in the regular season.


In 2007 Witten became the first white tight end since Mark Bavaro in 1986 to go over 1,000 receiving yards, finishing with 96/1,145/7. Witten had fallen just short of the mark in 2004, finishing with 980 yards. He's now regarded as the league's top tight end as he's also an excellent blocker.


The line has two white starters -- Marc Colombo, a former first round draft pick by Chicago, holds down right tackle again; Kyle Kosier is the starting left guard.


Doug Free, Pat McQuistan, Joe Berger, and Cory Proctor from Montana are backup linemen.


The ageless Brad Johnson backs up Romo.


NUMBER OF WHITE STARTERS: 5


APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF WHITE PLAYERS ON 53 MAN ROSTER: 15


GRADE: F+

 

[guest301]

Tony Romo is out for four weeks with a broken finger. Brad Johnson is the starter now. Brooks Bollinger is the backup.

 

[icsept]

I'm a huge Cowboys fan, but I'm starting to root against them. I'm so sick of the black sumo o-line. Gurode is the worst center in the league. I know Romo hates the guy; how many times can this idiot snap the ball over the qb's head or snap it too early or too late or not at all before he loses his job. Flozell Adams is false start machine. And, Romo is constantly running for his life because of these chumps. The sumo line only worked in the 90's when they were running Emmitt Smith up the middle.

 

[guest301]

The injury bug really hit the Cowboys this week with the loss of Romo, Felix Jones, Sam Hurd and all pro punter McBriar is gone for the year.

 

[Don Wassall]

I can't wait to see how 40-year-old Brad Johnson does filling in for Romo. The Cowboys traded for Roy Williams today, the long-timeunderachieving assclown in Detroit. Terrell Owens and Roy Williams, wow that ought to be a fun competition to see who can be the biggest egomanical jerk! Johnson will have plenty of weapons to throw to, but I get the feeling the Cowboys season may be unraveling due to excessive helpings of thugs, clowns and injuries mixed with very high preseason expectations.

 

[guest301]

I can't wait to see how 40-year-old Brad Johnson does filling in for Romo.  The Cowboys traded for Roy Williams today, the long-time underachieving assclown in Detroit.  Terrell Owens and Roy Williams, wow that ought to be a fun competition to see who can be the biggest egomanical jerk!  Johnson will have plenty of weapons to throw to, but I get the feeling the Cowboys season may be unraveling due to excessive helpings of thugs, clowns and injuries mixed with very high preseason expectations.

Jerry Jones would sell his soul to the devil for another Super Bowl win. Jerryworld opens up next season with that awesome spacious new stadium and he must be very depressed right now with all the injuries this week and the suspension of Pacman. I do wish Brad Johnson well and he has long been a underappreciated QB in the NFL.

 

[Thrashen]

Yes, very funny to watch the Dallas ThugBoys showing just how unorganized they really are.

Watching Pacman get in trouble and suspended AGAIN was pretty sweet too. Watching ultra-sissy-boy Jerry Jones squirm like a little worm is all too fitting.

Hopefully, despite his hilariously stupid praise of Pacman Jones, awesome TE Jason Witten can emerge as the lone star of this caste franchise.

 

[icsept]

#Edited by: icsept

 

[icsept]

Brian Stewart, Dallas' d-coordinator, is an affirmative action hire from the NFL's Minority Coaching Fellowship Program. His coal black defense of thugs is horrible. Said to be a collection of "great individual talents", this defense has under-achieved. By the end of today, they will be responsible for re-igniting the Rams' offense.

 

[Thrashen]

That's true, they've played aweful for many weeks now. God forbid a guy like Bobby Carpenter could crack this crappy starting lineup.

All this predictable nonsense with Pacman Jones (who looked very average this season thus far anyway) is hilariously stupid as well. I think watching Dallas go down in flames would bring me more joy than, say, a super-black team like Jacksonville. At least Jacksonville doesnt have ex-convicts on their team....or should I say, AS MANY.

Yes, I just despise Mr. ThugLover Jerry Jones that much.

 

[Don Wassall]

Yes, I just despise Mr. ThugLover Jerry Jones that much.

If we were to come up with a list of the top Caste whores over the past 25 years,Jones would be very near the top, if not first. Jones hired Jimmy Johnson to coach the Cowboys after Johnson perfected the thug style of recruiting and playing at "the U" and then imported it into the NFL thanks to Jones. Afteroverwhelmingly blackCowboys teams won Super Bowls in the early '90s with Johnson as the coach, the NFL's permanent love affair with affletes was sealed and consummated.Edited by: Don Wassall

 

[sport historian]

I watched some of the Ram-Cowboy game yesterday. At one point, an announcer said that the Cowboys were the most talented team in the NFL.

 

[icsept]

It was announced today that Wade Phillips will begin calling the defensive plays. This was instead of firing d- coordinator Brian Stewart, the unqualified affirmative action hire from the NFL's Minority Coaching Fellowship Program.

 

[guest301]

Wade may be about to be fired anyway and so he might as well take charge and shake things up. His first move should be to sit Bradie James and make Bobby Carpenter the starter. I won't hold my breath waiting on that one.

 

[Don Wassall]

Wade may be about to be fired anyway and so he might as well take charge and shake things up. His first move should be to sit Bradie James and make Bobby Carpenter the starter. I won't hold my breath waiting on that one.

You're right about that. Bradie James is about as mediocre as they come. With all the Cowboys'defensive problems it's beyond ridiculous, even for an NFL team, not to give their first round draft pick a chance to prove himself and develop with some sustained game action.

 

[guest301]

I agree. I also think it makes the Cowboys scouting department and General Manager look bad to draft a guy so high and not play him. Who wants to be credited with drafting a "bust". Give Carpenter a chance to shine and vindicate not only himself but the Cowboys as well.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Isn't it great to know that Terrell "Big Baby" Owens is "cutting Brad some slack"?

This crap makes me want to hurl.

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20 081024/SPORTS/810240310/1001/SPORTS


IRVING, Texas -- Since leading Tampa Bay to a Super Bowl title and making the Pro Bowl following the 2002 season, Brad Johnson sure has bounced around. He remained with the Buccaneers for two more seasons, but the second was spent mostly on the sideline. Then he went to Minnesota as the backup to Daunte Culpepper, only to see Culpepper get hurt by midseason. Johnson was back in charge and kept the job the following year.


Last season, he came to Dallas fully aware he was no more than an insurance policy on Tony Romo, and he didn't throw a pass until the season finale. Johnson returned this year for more of the same, which isn't so terrible considering he turned 40 before Week 2 and is getting paid several million dollars.


Then Romo broke the pinkie on his throwing hand. After some drama over whether Romo would play anyway, Johnson started last Sunday -- and looked like a guy nearly two years removed from his last meaningful action, going 17-of-34 with three interceptions in a 34-14 loss that was even more lopsided than it sounds.


"Obviously, that's not the start that I want as a quarterback here," Johnson said.


This week, the rust is knocked off and his status as the starter is unquestioned. He's taking almost all the snaps with the first-team in practice, trying to get his timing down with Terrell Owens, Jason Witten and the rest of his receivers.


It can't happen soon enough, too, with the Cowboys (4-3) at a crossroads in this once-promising season. Having already lost three of four, the next two games Johnson starts are against division leaders, first his old pals from Tampa Bay (5-2), then the New York Giants (5-1).


"In the NFL, every week's a crisis situation, from every win to every loss," Johnson said. "You've got to be able to see the big picture. Obviously we've kind of struggled the last couple of weeks so it makes more attention brought to notice. We feel like we've just got to play better football and give ourselves a chance at the beginning of the game, find a way to play with the lead and the game kind of changes, the dynamics of the game change. We all have to take it upon ourselves to play better."


Maybe it will help that this week he'll be facing Derrick Brooks, Ronde Barber and a defense he used to go against daily in practice.


"I've been away from Tampa for 3½ years now," Johnson said. "I have a lot of great respect for that organization, but right now it's a different year, different times down there and a different me."


Johnson has started 24 games and played in 53 since leaving the Bucs, yet none have been against them. He actually was on the opposite side of the field in his very first game with the Vikings in '05, but watched as Culpepper played the whole way.


Only eight players are left from Johnson's days wearing pewter. Brooks is among those who affectionately remember the player teammates call, "Bull."


"Brad, in my opinion, is one of the more efficient guys in terms of executing," Brooks said. "We know he's going to play a lot better than he did against the Rams. We expect the best effort out of Bull."


Any things the Bucs might still remember that they can use against him?


"Not very many," Brooks said, pausing for emphasis, "that I'm allowed to share."


Jon Gruden has fond memories, too, as any coach would for the quarterback who earned him his first Super Bowl ring.


"I love that guy," he said. "I've texted him and talked to him a few times periodically. We've stayed in touch over the years. He's special to me and he always will be."


The Cowboys respect Johnson, too, but they're still a ways from loving him.


With a weaker arm and less mobility, he's no Tony Romo. The efficiency and wise veteran leadership he was supposed to bring weren't evident against the Rams, either.


Still, even T.O. is cutting him some slack because of his long layoff and how little practice time he's had with the first team. Knowing all week that Romo is out and Johnson is in should help everyone.


"We're going to do whatever we can to create some opportunities for ourselves to win the game," Owens said. "We're going to practice hard this week, give him a realistic look of what's going to be going on on game day and hope for the best."


Witten talked about needing to "get into Brad's world."


"Him and Tony have different thoughts," Witten said. "The reads are pretty much the same, but just how they view different things. For a lot of us we really haven't played with Brad that much, so it's just getting on the same page with him more than anything else. Communication."


Added T.O.: "We just got to put him in situations to get the ball out of his hands quick, to get him comfortable, put him in a comfort zone so he can manage our offense and manage our team."


Romo is keeping the faith in Johnson.


"We're lucky to have him," he said. "I think it will show."Edited by: Colonel_Reb

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Well, Cry Baby Primadonna is at it again. TNB, but still hard to grasp.


From Rotoworld: ESPN's Ed Werder reports that Terrell Owens has become resentful of Tony Romo's relationship with Jason Witten, which Owens believes has led to Witten getting more targets than him in games.
Like any high school gossip, take this with a grain of salt. But Werder has players quoted off the record calling T.O. "insecure" about the Witten-Romo relationship, and throwing other darts about the festering problem. Werder admits there's been "no known confrontation between Romo and Owens." This could get ugly if the Cowboys keep losing, but it's not much of a story at this point.


Another article mentioning Jason Whitlock's take on it:
<H2 =test>Jason Whitlock Thinks Terrell Owens Has a Lot to Do With Tony Romo's Struggles</H2>
Posted Dec 11th 2008 5:00PM by Ryan Wilson (author feed)
Filed under: Cowboys, NFC East, NFL Fans
<DIV =post id=1398811>

One of the story lines coming out of Dallas following last Sunday's demoralizing loss to the Steelers was that quarterback Tony Romo was a big-game choker. Eh, I'm not buying it. Sure, Romo botched the snap during the '06 wild-card game against the Seahawks, but he wasn't the reason the Cowboys lost to the Giants last year.

Either way, it's hard to argue that Romo didn't play a humongous role in what transpired in Pittsburgh, but if we're going to scrutinize his three interceptions, Terrell Owens stopped his route on the first one, and Jason Witten admitted that he was partly responsible for the last one. (No. 2 was all on Romo, for what it's worth.)

That doesn't absolve Romo of throwing the ball, it just highlights that not every bad pass is on the quarterback.

The Kansas City Star's Jason Whitlock, writing for FOXSports.com, makes the case that Romo's choke-tastic label has everything to do with Terrell Owens' divisive presence. Which, given his recent comments, probably won't go over too well with Mr. T.O. I'm guessing Whitlock is fine with that.<A name=cont></A>
<BLOCKQUOTE>I like Romo and have a theory that he's just the latest talented QB to be undermined by a dysfunctional, bipolar relationship with Terrell Owens. It's just a theory. I'm not ready to swear to it.

But T.O. and his sideline histrionics wear on a quarterback. He's like the hot stripper you tried to clean up and convert into a real girlfriend. It's a lot of fun until the moment she has her second drink while out to eat with your parents. You unravel quicker than she does. Romo appears to come unglued in December when the outcomes mean the most. ...

It's probably unfair, but I blame T.O. The environment he creates with all of his ranting and raving is not one conducive to consistent QB play. Can we agree that Joe Montana was the best big-game QB in NFL history? Do you remember Jerry Rice acting like a deranged idiot on the sideline?

You can't turn a T.O. into a housewife. </BLOCKQUOTE>That's a pretty solid theory, actually. And no, there aren't many (any?) examples of quarterbacks who were able to win the Super Bowl with someone as distracting as Owens catching passes. Plaxico Burress might come the closest, but he never called out Eli Manning, he just didn't show up for meetings. Big difference.

Whatever the reason for Romo's late-season nosedive, the bottom line is that the Cowboys haven't won a playoff game this decade. And given owner Jerry Jones' fondness for basket cases, I don't see Owens going anywhere anytime soon.
<DIV =post>
<DIV =post>
<DIV =post>Yet another article on the subject:
<DIV =post>
<DIV =post>
<H2 =test>Terrell Owens May Be Jealous of Tony Romo and Jason Witten's Friendship</H2>
Posted Dec 11th 2008 6:15PM by Adam Gretz (author feed)
Filed under: Cowboys, NFL Rumors
<DIV =post id=1398833>

Raise your hand if you didn't see this coming. I'm not seeing many hands raised. Ed Werder, resident Cowboy's expert at ESPN, has a rather incredible article on Thursday talking about a potential conflict that is on the verge of consuming us all. I hope you're ready for it. I'm already going to the store to stock up on bread and toilet paper.

Apparently, Terrell Owens, always with a sunny disposition and rosy outlook on life, is growing jealous of the relationship and friendship that is shared by Dallas quarterback Tony Romo, and tight end Jason Witten.

Seriously.

I have to assume this is true, simply because it's so crazy that you couldn't possibly make it up. Plus, it sounds like vintage Owens behavior. Linebacker Bradie James is quoted in Werder's piece as saying he "plays peacemaker" between Owens and Romo, while a second, unnamed player takes it a couple of steps further, comparing this situation to the apocalyptic -- in a football sense -- situations that Owens created in San Francisco and Philadelphia. And we all know how that ended.<A name=cont></A>
<BLOCKQUOTE>"He's insecure about it,'' the player said of Owens. "The thing that bothers me more than anything about this problem is that it's always something with him--San Fran, Philly and here; always something. And he brings other people into it. You know, he talks to Sam Hurd and Roy Williams, who just got here and doesn't really know these guys. TO talks to him and so now he probably thinks Witten politics with Tony for the ball. "That's so far from the truth. You think Tony is throwing to him because that's his buddy? His best buddy is Bobby Carpenter, and that's not helping him too much. It's crazy to think that, and I hate that he acts that way.''</BLOCKQUOTE>Fellow FanHouse blogger Ryan Wilson commented on a column by Jason Whitlock, which talked about how Owens may have something to do with Romo's recent struggles. And now this comes out. Frankly, Whitlock might be onto something. He probably is. I'm sure he is. He has to be. How could he not be?

Back to Werder's report for a moment, the most hilarious thing in it, in my mind, is the allegation that Owens is convinced Romo and Witten hold super-secret meetings to create plays, without including him.

I'm guessing these "meetings" take place during fourth period study hall, after Mr. Fitzgerald's science class, and before Terence Newman kisses somebody's girlfriend under the stadium bleachers at lunch. Yeah, it's that juvenile. And trust me, I'm an expert on being juvenile.

Even worse for the Cowboys, there's a report in Thursday's Star-Telegram that says all of the Cowboy's receivers -- Well, Owens, Williams and Patrick Crayton, anyway -- are upset with Romo's pass distribution, which ultimately prompted a meeting with offensive coordinator Jason Garrett to discuss the potential "buddy system" that is taking over the Cowboys offense.

On Sunday, FOX television cameras captured images of Owens screaming in the general direction of wide receiver coach Ray Sherman. It was a scene that was incredibly similar to the last game Owens played in Pittsburgh -- as a member of the Eagles -- when he chased Donovan McNabb up and down the sidelines, yelling in his ear, in a moment that we now realize was the beginning of the end of his short honeymoon in Philadelphia. And that moment was pretty similar to the tirade he directed at 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Knapp during a game in Atlanta a few years earlier.

Owens defended his most recent one-sided sideline shouting match as "venting," and that Sherman is "my man" and the two have a relationship that "can't be broken."

As we've seen in the past, any relationship that Owens has can be broken, including one between, say, Romo and Owens?

<DIV =post> [url]http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/11/terrell-owens-may-be-jeal ous-of-tony-romo-and-jason-wittens-fri/ [/url]
<DIV =post>
<DIV =post>
<DIV =post>Here's a Cowboy blog post about the situation:
<DIV =post>
<DIV =post>
<DIV =entry id=entry-429957>
<H3 =entry-er>Buddy system? No ... Jason Witten is just Tony Romo's most reliable target</H3>
<DIV id=blog->
<DIV =hot-entry>


The wide receivers met with Jason Garrett today to figure out why they aren't getting as many passes thrown their way as they'd like. Seems that Tony Romo should have been involved in that discussion, too, but he apparently didn't get an invitation.


Putting aside the fact that T.O. gets more balls thrown to him than anybody on the team, there's really a simple explanation for why Witten is so involved in the passing game. And it's not because he buddies up to Romo in hotel rooms and on Cabo beaches.


It's because Witten is Romo's most reliable target.


You want evidence? Here's the breakdown of Romo's throws to Witten and the team's top three receivers this season, courtesy of Stats, Inc.:
<DIV =entry-more id=more style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">


T.O.


43-of-88 (48.8 %), 748 yards, 8 TD


WITTEN


58-of-80 (72.5 %), 719 yards, 3 TD


PATRICK CRAYTON


23-of-39 (59.0 %), 320 yards, 3 TD


ROY WILLIAMS


10-of-18 (55.5 %), 139 yards, 0 TD


In fairness, just because a ball is thrown to a receiver doesn't make it catchable. There have been a lot of those sort of passes thrown to T.O. this season. But he's also dropped seven balls and doesn't make nearly as many tough catches in traffic as Witten.


[url]http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/12/buddy-sys tem-no-jason-witten-is-just-ton.html [/url]

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

You beat me to this post Colonel. Yeah this kind of resentment from a black skill player toward a white one who is putting up similar numbers in the same offense is part of the reason for the caste system. It occurs too often. Owens had a super star year last year and is still having a pretty good year this year, but he resents that Witten has more catches even though Owens has more TDs and yards. He's a cry baby primadona. What a tough life TO has; I feel bad for him (sarcasm).

 

[jaxvid]

The wide receivers met with Jason Garrett today to figure out why they aren't getting as many passes thrown their way as they'd like. Seems that Tony Romo should have been involved in that discussion, too, but he apparently didn't get an invitation.


Putting aside the fact that T.O. gets more balls thrown to him than anybody on the team, there's really a simple explanation for why Witten is so involved in the passing game. And it's not because he buddies up to Romo in hotel rooms and on Cabo beaches.


It's because Witten is Romo's most reliable target.


You want evidence? Here's the breakdown of Romo's throws to Witten and the team's top three receivers this season, courtesy of Stats, Inc.:</div>
&lt;DIV =entry-more id=more style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"&gt;


T.O.


43-of-88 (48.8 %), 748 yards, 8 TD


WITTEN


58-of-80 (72.5 %), 719 yards, 3 TD


PATRICK CRAYTON


23-of-39 (59.0 %), 320 yards, 3 TD


ROY WILLIAMS


10-of-18 (55.5 %), 139 yards, 0 TD


In fairness, just because a ball is thrown to a receiver doesn't make it catchable. There have been a lot of those sort of passes thrown to T.O. this season. But he's also dropped seven balls and doesn't make nearly as many tough catches in traffic as Witten.


[url]http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/12/buddy-sys tem-no-jason-witten-is-just-ton.html [/url]</div></div></div></div>&lt;/SPAN&gt;

Surprise surprise, white guy gets some passes and the brothers rise in protest. Note also that the white guy is far and away the one with better hands. The cold hard stats proves that. Cowboys should get all white receivers and have everyone with 75% completion ratios!

 

[White Shogun]

I do agree with TO on one thing - Keyshawn and Emmitt ARE Dumb and Dumber. I just don't think they need their own show, they just need to be, well, fired.

 

[Van_Slyke_CF]

Maybe part of Terrell Owens's problem is the fact that he is 35 now, seems to have slowed down as one would expect, and can't create the separation from defenders that he used to in his younger days. I remember Michael Irvin running his mouth more and more his last couple years as well when age and the resulting physical limitations brought his career to a close.

Instead of accepting the fact that he is pretty close to being washed up, TO has to blame everyone else except himself for any problems throughout his career.

Face it, the Cowboys are not as good as the idiots in the media proclaimed them to be before the season started, and a rash of injuries has made them even weaker as the season has progressed, in addition to the clash of egos going on now.

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

A reason for the caste system's existence. Too many Black skill players rattle team chemistry in protest when a white skill player takes away too many catches from them, even if it is best for the team. This causes problems in the locker room and on the field. Therefore many coaches just refuse to bring in white WRs and RBs. This is a perfect example of why without any media enlightening fans and asking legit questions; white skill players will remain rare and seen as illegitimate.

 

[bigunreal]

The mainstream media is ignoring the giant elephant in the room here; the obvious racial aspect of this situation. It appears that fellow black WRs Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton are "upset" over Romo giving Witten (notice how it's never "Jason" to these odious jock-sniffers?) so much attention. I just heard black CB Terence Newman echo the black "community" party line here; something like "I'm just saying that lots of other guys are wondering why T.O. isn't getting the ball and Witten is." Gee, I wonder if all those "other guys" might be black? As always, complete and utter racial solidarity from them.

We can make a few easy predictions; Romo's shaky confidence will be further shattered, neither Wade Phillips nor Jerry Jones will do anything to address the issue, and the Cowboys will fall apart and miss the playoffs. One thing is absolutely certain- the team will force the ball constantly to T.O. for the rest of the season and Witten will be completely ignored by his buddy Romo and the offensive coordinator.

 

[Don Wassall]

I was watching Rod Woodson and Jamie Dukes discuss this on the NFL Network (you know, that network with no Asians or hispanics and very few whites). Their party line was that it was caused by the team losing. Woodson was especially ridiculous, saying that the meeting between all the black WRs and the offensive coordinator shouldn't have been made public, and that if Romo didn't keep throwing costly interceptions at the end of games none of this would be happening.


As far as I'm concerned it couldn't happen to a more deserving Caste team. Jerry Jones makes my skin crawl every time I see his plastic surgery-created ghoulish face.