This is for the fans in the SF bay area... Sorry for the geographically centered nature to this post.

Anyone know where the Cowboys will be staying while playing the Raiders?  And/or where they might be practicing pre-game and if that practice is open to the public?  I miss the good-old Oxnard days. 

How about on game day?  Last time I went to watch the Cowboys at Oakland it was fun to see the 'Boys but troubling to have to deal with the drunken Raiders fans.  Lots of pushing, cutting in line... just unnecessarily unpleasant and unruly.  I'm not there to pick fights with idiot Raiders thugs... I mean... fans.  Anyone hoping to score cheap tix after the game begins?

Your thoughts and insight are welcome.  Cheers and go Cowboys.

I saw on DC.com fan questions and comments about the recent supplemental draft.  Several comments weren't correct so I thought to start a post clarifying some of the facts. 

I'll start things off with this.  Others, please join in with other details/questions.

The supplemental draft is a blind draft.  Teams privately enter their maximum bid for an illegible player.  The selling price for the player is established by first losing bid (this is called a 2nd price auction).  For example, the Deadskins selected Jeremy Jamon in the 3rd round because they bid 3rd round or higher (ie., 2nd or 1st) for the player and another team in the auction bid a lower 3rd round pick or a lower round pick (ie., 5th or 6th, etc.)  In this way, a team could bid a 1st round pick for a player and get his rights for free if no other team bid on the player. btw., order within a round is based on the team's draft order (pre-trades) in the preceding April draft.

When we acquired Steve Walsh in the Jimmy era, we (stupidly) bid our first round pick for him.  As we had the first pick of the preceding April draft (I think), we had the highest rated pick and were guaranteed to win the player.  The only unknown was what pick we'd have to forfeit.  Unfortunately, there was another team that also bid its first pick for Steve.  Had the next highest bid been a 2nd rounder, we would have forfeiting our 2nd round pick instead of the 1st in the following April draft.

ESPN has got to let this one die.  This rumor has no legs now now, it has never had legs and it will never.

But, then again, the jerk-offs at the 4-letter-word of a network are igniting the rumor now, presumably, for some reason.  Maybe Harrison's agent is trying to create buzz for his client?  Or may be our GM has the off-season blues and wants more press about his favorite team?

Whatever the case, here's this fan's low-down: 

(a) we don't need no stinking 37 y/o catching balls on this team.  Its the youth movement at the bottom of the roster and a Marvin Harrison is closer to the bottom than the top 

(b) If we're missing something in the WR roster its more about explosiveness than steady-as-he-goes performance.  Harrison doesn't fit the explosives bill.

(c) Harrison was cut by the Colts for a reason.  For that same reason, we don't need him. 

(d) [this is just a point I refuse to accept]  We'd really be in a world of hurt if post OTAs we know that our WR corps NEEDS Marvin Harrison and we're willing to sign him for the year for the money he demands (well above vet minimum).  Plus our GM would have to be a blind fool if it took the OTAs to come to such a realization.  If any of this were true, we should have drafted a WR before the end of the 7th round.  I just can't accept this as a possible truth.  C'mon, Jerry isn't dumb.

Don't know if the "blogging the boys" boys will allow commentary here about the competition, but I can't imagine anyone on this blog doesn't already read the Cowboys site... So, here goes:

Is anyone else growing tired of Mickey Spagnola?  I think that he's become a passionate defender of the Cowboys, their moves and their staff.  Perhaps this has always been the case, but I've been feelng it more over the past year or two.  Case in point:  the current fan-mail post on the site includes a very legit comment about the Cowboys being thin of talent on the back-ups.  While there's room for disagreement, I think there's no reason to dismiss the comment (I happen to agree with the post). 

Mick's response, though, is the following:

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Mickey: Say it ain't so, Joe. Come on, go look at all the other teams in the league, and you can say the same thing about them if too many injuries strike. You know, there is a salary cap, making it hard to have proven players serving in backup roles. But you're right, there is a lot of inexperience in the wings. That's how you get younger and save cap space, though.

---

Personally, I don't think this is a legit response.  Sure, he does agree a bit about there being a lot of inexperienced players now, but the reality is that we have a large number of players who haven't proven themselves and who will be plugged into important roles.  None more obvious than our new inside and outside linebackers.  I don't recall (ever?) having this many few faces in the mix for the Cowboys.  Not even during the lean 5-11 years. 

Your thoughts?

I didn't find anything written on the blog about the Seawright signing.  Perhaps its so uninspired that no one commented?  Or perhaps I just missed it. 

Either way - my comments:  why are we in love with players who have been out of the league?  And are we really going to give a roster spot to a player who, while a clear need for us, couldn't make any other team's roster? 

Spears will play NT?  Unlikely.  The kid got pushed around in the middle last year during pre-season.  Next we'll try Cory Procter there in the middle. 

Why oh why Jerry didnt you draft one DT?