SB Nation User Blog: John Boy

Cowboys by the numbers

John Boy — Fri, 15 May 2009 18:57:48 -0000

With the lack of anything newsworthy realated to The Cowboys I got to thinking about the teams history. My train of thought led me eventually to ask the question, "If you put together a team comprising one player, and one player only, at each uniform number, who would you end up with?"

Some numbers were plainly a cake walk, #8, Troy of course. #12, Roger, #74, Lilly. But what about #22? Emmitt or Bullet Bob? #79, Big E Williams or Harvey Martin. #54, Chuck Howley or The Manster? I think the hardest might be #88, Drew or Michael. Or maybe Antonio Bryant :-) ? Or how about #21? Prime Time or Doug Dennison :-)? Ron Springs or Mel Renfro for #20?

Does tenure on the team have any part of the decision? #26 was Herb Adderly and Kevin Smith, but Adderly wasn't around that many years. On the other hand, they won their 1st SB with him. Tough decisions!

Someone straighten me out, because I'm confused.

John Boy — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 02:13:27 -0000

If Mike Mayock is right and this draft is one of the worst in recent years, and if Jerruh is right and they could line up and play right now, and if they really ony have a couple of spots open for competition, then WHY IN THE HECK do we trade DOWN for more picks to use on players who probably wont make the team? Let me see, if the draft is weak we trade down to get more of the players at the BOTTOM of a WEAK draft? I understand the concept of slotting players, and I understand players having a grade for a certain round, and I cedrtainly understand not wanting to pay a player more than he should get based on his grades, but this makes little or no sense based on the talent already on the roster. I'm sure they will use some of the ELEVEN picks they have on day 2 to move around, etc, but they could have used some of those picks to go up and get a player how may have a chance at at least PLAYING. Eveyone has said that this draft is neither DEEP or TALENTED, let's get MORE of those types in camp! What a freakin' joke.

I'm just frustrated that they sat on their arse's and essentially PUNTED!!!

A late round flyer?

John Boy — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 12:27:14 -0000

I think the team should consider Mike Goodson from Texas A&M as a late round pick or priority FA. He's never going to be an every down back, but he's explosive, quick, has great hands and though he was never a return guy in college the potential is there to become a good one in the pro's. So why isn't he rated higher? The old bugaboo of "Character" issues. He's supposedly very self-centered and not a good team guy. plus he's pretty slight and there are durability issues, hence the likelyhood that he'll be available late.

Anyone else concerned about CB?

John Boy — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:50:25 -0000

All of the off-season talk has been about NT, ILB, S and OL as positions of need in the upcoming draft. But with the trade of Henry, and with the additions of the recent FA's that have been signed I'm starting to think that maybe CB might become a higher priority by the time the draft rolls around. Henry had lost a step and was no longer the ball hawk he was in his younger days, but he was still a decent starter, allowing younger guys to fill other rolls. But if our assumptions are correct that Newman and Jenkins will be the starters we are one injury away (TNew's groin again?) from having Alan Ball or worse manning the slot with Scandrick manning the other starters spot. That scares me! ANd Newman is already over 30. We went through many years dealing with that sort of thing, and it was no fun. The problem is that this is a week draft for CB's, any one capable of coming and and contributing even a little will be long gone by the 51st pick rolls around.

If we can pick up a cheap, serviceable veteran FA that could fill in if disaster strikes that would ease the pain of an unexpected injury.

Grasping at straws!

John Boy — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:44:21 -0000

I consider myself to be a pretty positive individual, especially when it comes to the Cowboys, so in that light I'm positive that I have no idea what to think. To quote Vince Lombardi in that famous sideline shot we see all the time, "What the hell's going on out here!!" Each off season I can usually find something to get me excited about the coming season, a new player added, a coach added, psoitive strides made the previous season, etc etc. So far, the only thing that even came close to getting me a LITTLE excited was Dan Reeves coming on board, and then THAT fell through with a resounding CLUNK!!!! We have TE's doing profane rap "songs" on You Tube wearing their helmets, the QB is supposedly cheating on the girl who got him in trouble in the first place (if anyone believes a rag like STAR, which I don't). Our star RB is leaving everyone to wonder if his late season swoon is due to his heavy workload as a starter, and is it a sign of things to come? Apparently we have a rat in the locker room (maybe the star TE), ar at least most of the team things there is which is the same thing, perception being reality in their eyes. I keep grasping at straws, looking for something to hold on to. We have a terrific pass rusher, but he's due a huge pay increase. We have a very good/great WR, but he's getting long in the tooth. The TE is terrific also, but as noted he may be a rat and have lost the rerspect of his teammates. The HC is a really nicve guy and the players love him, but he's either too soft or too laid back and holds no authority, depending on who you listen to. So, where is the Silver lining? Heck if I know. Any ideas?

Roster/Salary cap thoughts

John Boy — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 14:09:46 -0000

I was wondering what the rules are about filling out a roster. The "maximum" limit is 53, is there a minimum limit? My thinking is that if a team is close to the limit on their cap, can they choose to go with a smaller roster, say 50, and use the money they would have spent on the other 3 and use it on one of the 50? If you have a roster of 50 active, and then your regular practice squead, that's gotta cost less than a full roster of 53, right? I know there are limits on how much of the salary cap they HAVE to pay, a certain percentage of their revenues have to go to player salary and bonuses, but can that be used on a lesser number of players. I suspect that there is a minimum roster size, just can't find it anywhere. I know that the smaller roster would have an impact on things like Special Teams, etc, and that would have to be taken into account, but If there is no minimum roster size then that might be a way to release someone, take the hit this year and still be a player in the FA market, and then make it back up next year.

It looks like the RHG has some sense after all!!

John Boy — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 19:00:08 -0000

ESPN is reporting that he has declined to interview for the Lions HC job. Good decision I think, with Denver reportedly interested. He'd be better off staying put that going to the Lions. On the other hand, HC jobs only come up every so often, it may not be too wise to pass up interview chances. If nothing else, it helps to have been through it as many times as possible. The next thing he knows he might be not getting ANY offers to interview. It's happened before, Ron Rivera most recently. He got several interviews and now he isn't getting ANY!

Roy Williams wins the game!!

John Boy — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 10:32:55 -0000

Maybe it's me just me, but I find it funny that we can thank Roy WIlliams, the original RW that is, for this win. If he hadn't had so many horse collar tackles that they created a rule named after him we would have lost this game. It was the horse collar penalty on TB that kept the TD drive alive. It was 3rd down when BJ dumped the ball off (once again) to Barber and the penalty gave them a 1st down; they went on down, aided and abetted by several other penalties on TB, and scored the TD that was the difference. Thanks RW, you finally made a play!!!!

Are we missing Tony???

John Boy — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:39:23 -0000

Tony Sporano that is! I can't help but think back to a comment I read somewhere, last year, talking about Garrett and his "genius". The quote was from an unnamed scout or someone like that and the guy essentialy said the Tony Sporano was the real reason that the Offense was doing as well as it was, and remember this was in the middle of last year when it was rocking and rolling. Sporano was CO-offensive coordinator at the time, as well as offensive line coach. I seem to recall that the person who made the comments was a either a friend or coaching compatriot of Sporano's, so I kind of wrote it off in my mind as just a frien sticking up for his buddy. However, given the OL's problems this year, as well as the other struggles the WHOLE offense has gone through, maybe there is more to it than just friendship. I know Hudson HOuk is really well thought of around the league, but he HAS been let go before, including once here. And I know that that is the life of a coach, just waiting to get fired, etc etc.. HOWEVER I think there might be something to THAT also. I'm not saying, .......you know, ........I'm just SAYING!!

John Boy

Well, at least we'll have a high 1st round pick!!!!

John Boy — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 20:50:45 -0000

Oh wait, Uh............, NEVER MIND!!!! Whoever the new coach, Offensive and defensive coordinators are will have to make do with a bunch of hearltess, gutless under achievers who will be coddled by their main enabler. Even under the the Campo regime I don't remember them playing this bad, and even if they did it was because they lacked talent. That's not the case now. My only faint glimmer of hope is that Phillips can pull a Coughlin and do something to get the team reenergized.