SB Nation User Blog: dunkman

Camp Battles - it all starts with attitdue

dunkman — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 17:36:02 -0000

I know the media, and to a large extent fans, focus on the glamor positions. But a closer look at successful teams reveals a stunning truth - winning teams have "it". What is "it"? It's attitude, determination, the will to win. That comes from one man, one position, on any championship team.

It's the mascot. We're talking here about Rowdy. Coming into camp, Rowdy's reputation with the team could not have been worse.

A relative unknown, really always working in the shadows of Crazy Ray, Rowdy attempted to take his game to the next level. It was his bad luck to try to start reviving his career at the dawn of the Bill Parcells era. Never a man to tolerate much tomfoolery, Parcells at first embarrassed Rowdy and then eventually sat him during the pre-season. This was the beginning of Rowdy's slow, awkward slide downhill.

The ascendancy of Wade Phillips, on the surface, seemed to be the ideal situation for Rowdy to once again become a factor for the Cowboys. Wade was well-known for tolerance and even a decent sense of humor, an ideal greenhouse in which this mascot could blossom. But as we all know, the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray like a cheap four-wheeler sliding across the AstroTurf. Rowdy, repeatedly interfering with stretching and end-of-practice pressers, seemed to be losing yardage on every play. Wade was not amused.

Eager to take advantage of the situation where theteam that had lost it's court jester (TO), village idiot (Pacman) and freak (Tank Johnson), Rowdy by all reports had rededicated himself in the off-season - hiring a mascot personal trainer/life coach, updating his costume to take advantage of new high-tech fibers, taking a break from his highly publicized relationship with mascot groupie Charo, and let's be honest, conducting a little soul searching to figure why exactly he DOES have that stupid grin on his face. Rowdy's mind was right, his body was strong and he was ready for some football.

It's do or die time.

So as Grizz, Raf and Aaron scrutinize, analyze and verbalize this seasons training camp and BTBers everywhere ask innumerable questions about Romo, Williams (any Williams really), Tash and Bennett, the camp's real story has so far been untold. There is a human drama unfolding in the stands and on the edges of the field that begs to be revealed. I recognize that this would normally be assigned to a cub reporter like Aaron, but I'd ask for the application of the experienced eye of a Raf or a Grizz from time to time to give this story the coverage it so richly deserves.

Is his body language better than least season? Does he seem to be taking charge as the spiritual leader of this team? Did he come to camp in better shape? Has he worked on new moves or is he just as predictable as last season? What does his accuracy look like firing t-shirts into the stands? What is his chemistry like with Wade, Jerry and Stephen?

I don't know. I just feel like this is a make-or-break season for Rowdy.

Poll

What do you expect from Rowdy this off-season?

Rowdy is ready for a break-out season and will easily whip that ridiculous Philadelphia Eagle thing

19 votes

The franchise will go in another direction, most likely a corporately sponsored anime character

11 votes

Grizz needs to give Dunkman a Time Out for abusing his blogging privileges

15 votes

45 votes | Poll has closed

Do we have it all backwards?

dunkman — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 15:28:21 -0000

Easy Tex, this isn't a post about Tony's ball cap. The theory with the Cowboys has been that Garrett loved the vertical passing game and only runs when he has to. My view in the past was along the same lines - that Garrett - decended from the Air Coryell lineage - was pass-first, and having a QB who did his best work down-field and a deep threat like Owens only served to encouraged Red Ball to push the passing envelope.

Then I read an interesting tidbit from the DMN Mailbag that started me wondering:

... You are exactly correct in your assessment about a potential reluctance to rely more heavily on the running game. While the Cowboys seem to have a bevy of talented running backs, they had far too many carries last year for one yard or less - nearly 30 percent as I figured a while back. So just assuming they can just run over everyone is rather presumptive to me. In fact, the Cowboys it seemed had to use the passing game to open up the running game. As for your question, I think offensive line is capable, but will need the crafty Kyle Kosier out there or Montrae Holland to improve over last year. And the return of Felix Jones certainly will help the offensive line's production because of his unique ability to make at least one guy miss. Marion Barber has to run people over.

Some of you may have already been seeing it this way, but has Garrett instead been covering up his line's weaknesses in run blocking by passing first to set up the running game? It would explain a lot (inability to run between the tackles, high use of draw plays, etc.) but I wanted to hear your thoughts. Is this plausible? What does it mean for everyone's expectation that the team will become more balanced? Is it nurture or nature, attitude or aptitude?

Poll

Why is Dallas a pass-first team?

It's in Garrett's DNA - pass first, often and deep

24 votes

It's what has worked best given the players he has

38 votes

The line is not equipped to run block successfully for four quarters

36 votes

98 votes | Poll has closed

The case for a coaching change

dunkman — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 02:24:29 -0000

Most of you know that I am among the first to defend Phillips and the coaching in general, but I think I'm officially off that wagon, unless you guys can talk me back on.

Surprisingly my issue is not the loss, which I fully expected, but rather the QB call. Brad is washed up. He is no longer an NFL QB, which pains me to say. So here's my beef:

- How can you not know your backup sucks harder than a Hoover on shag?

- How can you watch Johnson play the Rams and Tampa Bay game and not turn the ball over to Bollinger?

- If you thought you were going to give BJ the hook if he struggled, how do you not get Brooks ready to play?

The ridiculously cautious, conservative approach he took was exactly the opposite of what was called for to (1) give his team a lift going into the bye week (or is that "bye-bye week"?) and (2) your only chance to beat one of the better teams in football. Instead he played it just like he does with 3rd and long - four man rush and DBs playing off.

I finally get it, Wade Phillips lacks the heart to be a HC and his team has taken his lead. Don't ask me who takes over. I don't really care at this point.

Poll

You are now King Jerry. Do you:

Fire Wade now and made Redball the acting HC?

27 votes

Fire Wade after the season and make Redball your new HC?

8 votes

Go after Cowher and let them both go?

44 votes

79 votes | Poll has closed

Still Reflecting on Tony Romo

dunkman — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 22:42:52 -0000

Maybe this shoulda gone into Fanshots, but I never really got that whole thing.

Saw this article from ESPN. I know that are others on this blog who moonlight as NFL QB scouts and can afford to ignore stats in favor of the much vaunted eyeball test, so I thought I'd go ahead quote some folks who didn't blog here so much.

"I talked to Tony about what I did to play with the thumb,'' Favre said. "Everyone is different and the two injuries are different, so only Tony knows. I will say this: Not only do I think he's tough, but I think he's also one of the top five playes in the entire league.''

But he's no hall of famer, at least not until after his retirement, so I looked elsewhere.

Over the last several weeks, there's always the debate - who do you take, Brady or Manning?" Aikman said. "Somewhere in there is Tony Romo... why is anyone reluctant to put Romo up there with those guys?"
"He's playing at as good a level as anyone in the league. Granted, you have to do it over a period of time. I get that part. But he's a terrific player."

Nah, he only QB and won three Superbowls, plus maybe he's an uberhomer.

You can include Roger Staubach among the Romo believers. “Tony is a talented kid and very competitive,” Staubach said. “I like everything I see about him. ...

Nope, Roger never was Landry's favorite and his stats were probably the result of good players around him. Next please.

Simms argues that Tony Romo is a very special QB who continually makes plays. Versus the Eagles, Simms counts no less than 8 fantastic plays he made. He does it on his own, says Simms. He adds that Romo is a terrific thrower of the football, with an underrated (strong) arm.

A former Giants QB and SB winner. That oughta innoculate one from homer accusations. Or not.

So finally I turned to Mike and Mike (Golic and Greenberg, ESPN). Maybe I'll update after downloading the podcast, but Golic's litany of Romo's accomplishments as a starter were more than impressive. He was a top QB (better than 10) in every QB category - winning percentage (I want to say best in the NFL over than period), yards, TDs, TDs over 20 yards, plays over 20 yards, completion percentage. Pretty much all of it. Tune it in if you get a chance. I'm on kitchen pass so no tanscription from me.

So I ask myself, "Self, why do even self-avowed Cowboys fans copmplain about Tony Romo? He wins games, he puts up impressive numbers, the very best to play his position love his game, he's a good guy." So here's my answer to the unanswerable. Let me know where you stand:

1. His technique and play is unorthodox. People still can't understand how he gets it done

2. People read and listen too much to sport media, whose job it is to make money not provide truth.

3. The possibility that some day his turnovers are going to wreck the season is enough to ignore all the rest.

4. Some people really do believe that they can ignore stats, results and the assessment of experts in favor of some mystical "gut feeling"

It's time we admitted it... the O-line is killing us

dunkman — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 03:13:59 -0000

There were enough mistakes to go around today. Special teams weren't all that special. The defense took winning situations and snatched defeat out of the jaws of victory. J-W dropped first down passes. Stewart forgetting to blitz on the Cards 2nd and 15 from the 10 yard line is now the biggest choke joke. And the dude who blockes for punts is dead to me. But in the end... the O-line was exposed for the third straight week.

Flo is making me regret the wasted O-line drafts for the past three years and his re-signing this year. His new nickname in my house is now and siempre "El Matador". Every week the coaching staff has seemed to fix the gaffs fromt he week prior, but Houck has his work cut out for him. And if they don't fix it, say good bye to the Cowboys for another season.

I'm not hearing apologies to TO yet...

dunkman — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:15:52 -0000

I'm sure most of you heard by now why Owens was emotional on the sidelines last Sunday.

"I was playing with a heavy heart," T.O. said. "Everything that happened on Sunday, I had talked [about with] my pastor Anthony Gardner out of Philadelphia the night before the game. When I got emotional, it was an anointed emotion, is what he explained to me. When it happened, I knew it was going to happen. He told me the night before it was going to happen, so when I went to the sideline, the emotions hit me."

But what I haven't heard is any regret for all the ridicule he received.

If nothing else, it should remind everyone that what we know about players and situations is incomplete and unfair conclusions often follow.

Dale Hansen, you listening?

The Romo Bandwagon - Join Me

dunkman — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:11:34 -0000

I have hard nothing today - from Cowboys fans, media and haters alike - that Tony Romo is inconsistent, mistake prone and erratic. I decided to look at the numbers because it just appeared to me that the criticism is getting out of porpoertion to the supposed problem. This is what I see from the conductor's seat of the bandwagon...

Romo is:

3rd in the NFL in passing yards (the offense runs off him)

5th in passer rating (so much for "not all that")

Tied with Peyton Manning in interceptions (and only one more than the other rating leaders)

10th in passing percentage (so much for erractic and inaccurate)

Tied for second in TDs (and that's with Felix and MBIII carrying a load)

So what exactly is Tony Romo doing that has people falling off the wagon like free gin at an AA meeting?? All I can imagine is that (1) we have set the bar for him so high that with every passing game (pun intended) we expect perfection. And Tony is not that guy - not Steve Young, not Troy Aikman. He's more like Favre or McMahon. He'll take chances and by definition some won't pan out. But there's not another QB I want on my favorite team. And (2) He didn't come from USC or THE Ohio State University.

If you like you some Eli, there's a link for the Big Blue View. Have at it.

Two things!

dunkman — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 02:44:20 -0000

No one has talked about two things outside this sphere. At least not much.

(1) I could be wrong, but didn't Jason Garrett out-fox the old defensive genius Jim Johnson? He not only had a great game plan for the opening, but seemed to have anticipated what JJ was going to do after the half and had his adjustments ready. Remarkable.

(2) 247 yards. That is an INCREDIBLE number even for a kick returner, and especially for a rookie in his first national audience game. Heard almost nil about El Gato and his remarkable game.

Poll

Which unnoticed performance did it for you?

Jason Garrett beating Jim Johnson at chess?

27 votes

El Gato racing unnoticed into Cowboys history?

24 votes

51 votes | Poll has closed

Mike Shanahan ruminates on Romo

dunkman — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 12:29:48 -0000

I didn't see much notice taken of Shanahan's comments on Tony Romo. I found it fascinating. I respect his opinion as much as any coach out there today, so it carries a lot of weight with me. Instead of the usual "He's a nice player", you get insights like this:

Romo is reading coverages unbelievably. I admire how quickly he reads coverages and gets the ball to the right spot. He is going to have a heck of a year. You could see it out here today and yesterday.

Although he continues to improve his game, that has always struck about his play - the ability to go through his reads quickly and accurately. Bledsoe had a rifle for an arm, but especially later in his career just didn't seem to be able to do that. And of course we all know about Tony's unique physical abilities:

I see a difference just watching (Romo) play last year. He plays with a lot of confidence, he knows where the ball is going and if something breaks down he has the ability to make a play on his own. He can throw the ball at all different angles and he is a heck of a weapon

Heads Up Grizz!

dunkman — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 11:11:27 -0000

I know this isn't strictly speaking a football post, but it deals with our Czar of Cowboys, our Diva of Dallas.

I really don't mean to alarm you this early in the morning, but... reports from around Atlanta indicate that bubbas from all over the state are converging on your home city. Apparently they are alarmed by reports that Russia has invaded Georgia. I heard they were thinking about cancelling the Falcon's preseason games just to be safe.

Keep your head down. Or, ummm... up. You know. Be safe.