SB Nation User Blog: KDP

What If? An Optimists POV

KDP — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:31:58 -0000

What if Tony Romo's flaws (which there are some) were really exaggerated by the pressure he felt from TO always demanding the ball? What if he makes 'the leap'?

What if Roy Williams is really an elite receiver that was mainly hampered by have to learn a new system with a noodle arm quarterback (B Johnson) and played injured the entire time he had to try and work with a different permanent QB, Tony Romo? What if with a training camp under their belt, and Kitn'a input into how Roy functions as a receiver to Romo, they could be dynamic?

What if Felix Jones gets the starts, Marion's workload returns to normal (or lighter because of Tashard 'Screw the Cheerleader, Run The Rookie, Save The World' Choice) and we have actually do have the most dominant running back package recently assembled?

What if the lynchpin of our offensive line fully recovers from season long foot problems to anchor the LG spot, or even better... returns to his form and still gets beat out by Montrae Holland, giving us a more than serviceable backup.

What if High and Tight makes the same amount of improvement as he did in the 2nd half of the season, this offseason, and gives us the most dynamic set of TE's this league has seen in a while?

What if Orlando Scandrick, who proved light in weight but a very solid tackler, really is able to man the FS spot in run support and can play the Darren Woodson role we've been craving for the last 5 years?

What if the man child, Demarcus Ware, actually improves on his performance last year? If you remember, although he is a dominant force, there are still areas where Demarcus can step up his game to a best-of-all-time level. And I only say that because it's obvious he can reach that potential.

What if Keith Brooking outplays Zach Thomas circa 2008? What does that improved talent mean to Bradie James?

And to top it off... what if we we added 3 solid contributors out of the 9-11 draft picks we have next month?

I've finally shaken off the sludge of last season, and the eternal optimist is returning... GO COWBOYS!

MORNING AFTER-- WE ONLY NEED TWO THINGS IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS

KDP — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 14:10:19 -0000

Here we are, at 9-6 after a dispicable loss... but I looked at the way things shape up in the playoff race, and it's not as bleak as we all feel right now--

And disclaimer- you get no love here if you're of the opinion that you don't care if we make the tournament...

There are still two wild-cards up for grabs, and we only need to get one of them. I think by 7:30pm eastern tonight, we will control our destiny again.

The teams that are in our 'zone'...

Tampa Bay- vs San Diego 1pm.

It is very possible that this team will lose today to San Diego. The game is at 1, that means that San Diego thinks they still have a chance at winning the AFC West. Jeff Garcia is hobbled and Tampa just really isn't all that good. Tampa is currently a half game up on us, but we own the head to head tie breaker. One loss, and we're back ahead.

Atlanta @ Minnesota 4pm.

This is an interesting game in that Pat Williams is out and Peterson is nursing an ankle. However, would it be the shock of the century or even an upset if Minny wins? Nope. With a loss, Atlanta drops to 6-5 in the conference, meaning that a win over Philly gives us the better conference record than Atlanta.

Phil @ Washington 4:15pm

Game means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING NOW. Philly will only be a half-game up or down which means that the winner of the our game against each other will finish up in the standings.

Green Bay @ Chicago 8:15pm Monday

Game means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING NOW. IF Chicago gets to 10-6 and we get to 10-6, we'll have a better conference record and no head-to-head matchup. What they eat don't make us sh**.

And once the dance happens? There still isn't an NFC team I fear. We aren't losing to Tavaris Jackson or the Cardinals (the way they are playing now), and Carolina's defense is just waiting to be exposed. Are we scared of the Giants? Nope.

Maybe I smoke too much, because I'm already over last night's game. On to cheer for Minnesota and San Diego. If both win, we're back in control of the 5th spot.

It's a long season, and we've only turned into the homestretch, not completed it.

Virtual Regards,

KDP- Your eternal optimist / predictor

I KNEW I WASN'T MISSING SOMETHING

KDP — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 04:31:26 -0000

WORDS OF CONFIDENCE (posted earlier in the week)

LETS GO COWBOYS!!!

All of a sudden we've won 4 of 5 and the only loss was a late game collapse against what looks like the AFC favorite, in horrible weather conditions...

A win over the #1 seed in the NFC... we now are in 5th place and the team that no one wants to play... our Defense is downright amazing.

Another game without giving up a touchdown-- beautiful transformation.

Keep the faith my Cowboy faithful--

TNEW on FIRST TAKE re: Owens/Romo

KDP — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:06:16 -0000

TNew appearing on First Take in a interview with Jay Crawford, just said that in practice TO never complains about not getting the ball. It is other players (intimated defensive players) that often go to TO and ask him why Witten gets more passes thrown to him in practice than Terrell does.

I don't understand why he would even give ESPN an interview... but whatever.

He says that the first thing he'll do on the practice squad is go to Tony and try to smooth out the discrepencies.

I don't really like the direction this is taking... not sure of the true impact, but I think we'd all agree that it'd be better NOT to be hearing this stuff in the media.

How good is our backup center?? Why dont we put Gurode at guard?

KDP — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:51:22 -0000

I know you dont want to make two changes to fix one problem, but Cory Proctor is a VERY BIG problem.

Someone with greater X's and O's knowledge than me, please educate me on the blocking complexities of playing center against those of playing guard.

Also, is the center the only one on the offensive line to dictate at-the-line assignment changes? Is he the only one allowed to point and move, can't a guard do this before he goes down in his stance?

Put Gurode at LG, let him still make all the line calls, and put someone else in at center.

At this point, I think something drastic has to be attempted to fix the line. We are a mediocre team because of that one, left guard position. We're great when it's Kosier/Holland-- who at the best would be considered 'good' players, and we are mediocre when that line has a weak link. Don't you do anything to correct that, including unorthodox thinking?

Am I missing something??

KDP — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 06:03:38 -0000

It's the eternal optimist again-- and I'm already over the loss to the Steelers. Sure we shouldve won, we lost in horrible fashion, blah blah frickin blah. OK, we're not the only team that's lost a game they shouldve won. Last I checked we still controlled our own destiny.

But the thing I'm not understanding... the thought process I just don't get...

Why is it sooooooooo inconceivable for the Giants to lose two games in a row? We all know the media is full of Cowboy haters, incomplete thinkers and faux analyzers who really don't know a thing about picking football winners. But in the last 24 hours, I've read at least 6 national scribes write how it is dam near impossible for the Giants to lose two games in a row. Why?

BS. We're winning Sunday and we're going to the playoffs people. Haters get over yourselves.

PREDICTIONS THREAD - FINAL SCORE???

KDP — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 17:22:39 -0000

well i doubt you'll ever see me bet against my Boys... and seeing how 3 weeks ago I predicted we'd win 10 in a row, I'm not backing down now just because we won't have our 2nd and 4th best players today (Romo, Ware, Witten, Barber).

Cold weather? Doesn't matter. After you see your breath a couple times it's nothing new. Pittsburgh defense? Good, but they aren't world beaters against top quality offenses... I think the Boys pull out a victory here, and hold the fort down as Anthony Spencer, Martellus Bennett and Tashard Choice have very big games as we show what the youth of this team is all about. We will be vicious for YEARS to come.

Late touchdown seals an otherwise very close game...

Cowboys 24-13

your predictions?

PLAXICO BURRESS...SHOOTS HIMSELF??

KDP — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 17:49:32 -0000

Being reported by BSPN that New York's Plaxico Burress accidentally shot himself inside a New York nightclub Friday night... There's a link to the 'shooting' on the espn page, but the info that he might have shot himself just scrolled across the screen.

If anyone wants to add links feel free- i'm bout to run outside and do a turkey dance.

by the way, don't forget who predicted this turnaround. 16-4.

JUST WHAT WE NEEDED? I THINK SO

KDP — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:49:35 -0000

What's good everybody? KDP's back to fill some space with some random(dillusional?) ramblings for you to sit and stew on.

I'm building a good track record since the site merge-- I've made two predictions that so far seem to be going well. I used to make these posts all the time on the cowboys official board, before it went to the kiddies n morons. i've been in hiatus for over a year, but I'm back and better (crazier?) then ever.

I predicted here exactly how this Pacman reinstatement was gonna happen, down to the next game he'd play and the day he'd be put back in

Here were my feelings going into the Skins game

Well, with all that's happened recently- I'm getting this feeling. The way the season started, we looked damn good. It seemed though that ... it wasn't nervousness... I was apprehensive about the team. When we lost to the Skins (I live in DC) it was hell on earth for the football fan part of me. Oooooo the Skins fans were so annoying, and have been ever since. Remember, I stay in the nightclub scene, rocking a "F**DASKNZ" #22 jersey ALL THE TIME. The depth of my allegiance is well known around these parts. The media, we all know how they love to talk about the Cowboys. It's great fun when we're winning and it's profile after profile on BSPN and the NFL 'Borg Device' Network. But when we're suffering- the pile on has nothing to do with the front corners of the end zone.

So when Kosier went back out and TO complained, when TNew and Felix got hurt, when Romo started looking frustrated-- the weight of the expectations really seemed to hold this squad down. Then Romo got hurt and Pacman got suspended and we had to suffer the Brad Johnson era... it all seemed like a bad scene from Any Given Sunday Part Deux.

But something feels different right now, doesn't it?

While he was out, our failures showed exactly how good Tony Romo is and how important he is to this offense. The suspension of Pacman took him off the early season, forced storylines radar. The afterbuzz from Hard Knocks has died down and was beaten out of the players mindsets. This team had it's back pushed to the wall and put in a perfect position for momentum to be built.

Complete whipping by the world champs, hated division rivals on the road. Coming home for a bye week. Limited practice. The return of Romo to practice, showing he can make the throws. The return of TNew to a defense that will suddenly get the ability to press the LOS. The challenging of him that he would HAVE to shut down Cowboy Killa#1 Santana Moss. The addition of Roy Williams to Tony's offense. The pending return of Felix and Pacman for the toughest four game stretch.

Last season, we strolled through the regular season, never being in a win or go home situation. This year when we make The Tournament, we will be battle tested for real. We've been made into a team. We can truly rally around 'us against the world'. The players appreciate all of the moving parts instead of thinking they are the key cog. We won a playoff game on Sunday, it just didn't have the title. When we get through these next two trap games, we will have a 4 game run to end the reggie season that is a gauntlet and a half.

This is monumental momentum in the making folks, I hope you realize what you're seeing, and about to witness. #6 will be greater than the other 3 I've witnessed in my lifetime.

Sincerly,

KDP

The Kingpin

PACMAN JONES REINSTATEMENT?

KDP — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:20:48 -0000

Anyone heard whether or not he will be considered this week?

I'm of the thought process that if he isn't reinstated over the next two weeks he will not be back this season. I know they are doing the 'water pill' testimonies today, so that will probably take Goodell most of tomorrow and Wednesday.

I'm thinking he gets reinstated for the last four games of the season, but Goodell won't want him on the field for thanksgiving.

thoughts?