SB Nation User Blog: gaz0425

2009 Training Camp

gaz0425 — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:23:23 -0000

2009 Training Camp

Hey this may be old news, but I hadn't seen this yet and I check the homepage daily. I know some people had talked about meeting up in SA, I'm in Austin and plan on going a few times.

Some of next seasons schedule announced

gaz0425 — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 02:25:46 -0000

Some of next seasons schedule announced

Looks like Dallas will play the Raiders on Thanksgiving.

If the playoffs started today

gaz0425 — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:29:20 -0000

If the playoffs started today

I don't know about the rest of you, but I get headaches whenever I try to sort out tiebreakers and playoff seeds.

I always find this link useful and I hope some of the rest of you do too.

Thinking about Pacman

gaz0425 — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 16:31:31 -0000

Since it's the bye-week. I thought I'd delve into something thats been hanging around my brain.

Something occurred to me the other day. Nothing earth shaking, nothing that improves my Cowboys depression, but still it made me stop and think. It occurred to me that Pacman is in rehab. Not at home with an ankle bracelet or at the mall with a bodyguard, he is in rehab (or at least was).

But big deal right? He got forced into it, he blew his fourth or fifth chance and got sent there for treatment as an ultimatum. He probably didn't come up with the idea, and may not even feel like he needs it. He may be wasting his time there, but, and forgive this little bit of drama, it may be saving his life.

I don't care if he ever plays for Dallas again, let me make that clear. As far as I'm concerned he let his team down and I wouldn't blame the team for not welcoming him back, but, all the evidence points to the fact that he has a problem with alcohol and needs help to get past it. I'm not making that statement on a whim, and I don't think they would have sent him for this type of treatment if it weren't somewhere at the core of his issues.

I'm not an alcoholic, but I do know what it's like to be dependent on something. I know what it's like to give into a compulsion against all good judgement and I know what it's like to be the center of blame when the dust has settled. I bet a few of us on this blog know what thats like. I don't pity the guy or feel like he is fighting something totally outside his control, so please don't misinterpret what I'm saying. Essentially, I'm happy the guy is getting help rather than a bodyguard. He is no doubt a knuckle head who failed to appreciate the chance he was given, but reinstatement or no, this could be a real positive in his life. As mad as I am at the guy, I find myself happy for him in that respect.

Now, if only they had rehab for being a knucklehead!

Burress Suspended for "2" weeks

gaz0425 — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:10:44 -0000

Burress Suspended for "2" weeks

I say "2" because this includes a bye week, but the Giants have suspended Burress due to insubordination, ie. unexcused absences and not returning calls.

I love any and all chaos in the land of the Giants, plus this is just a crazy story.

NBC will stream Sunday night games for free this season

gaz0425 — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:37:00 -0000

Apologies if this has been reported before, but I just stumbled upon this link here, that describes how NBC is going to stream entire games for free along with stuff like this:

Alternative Camera Angles: Fans can choose from multiple extra camera angles, including cable cam and “star cam” (camera following a star player).

Picture-In-Picture Technology: Fans can watch multiple video streams at the same time.

In-Game Highlights: If they missed anything earlier in the game, fans can access highlights on-demand.

Live Stats: Up-to-the minute game data along with player and team statistics.

Live Interactivity: Fans can interact with NBC’s Football Night in America cast and NFL Network talent via a live blog.

And yeah I know that the games are already broadcast for free, and that most of us would make sure to be in front of an actual television during a Cowboy game, but if you for some reason cannot this looks like a cool alternative.

Franchise Rankings

gaz0425 — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 19:29:17 -0000

Have you ever had to defend the Cowboys in terms of their place in the hierarchy of all franchises?

We all know in our football hearts that the Dallas Cowboys are the greatest franchise since the merger, but this guy quantified it in a pretty cool way.

I don't know if you listen to Bob Sturm or read his blog, but basically he's a sports radio personality from KTCK, which happens to be the greatest sports radio station of all time. Grizz and Bob have mutual links, and Bob's blog is actually how I first sumbled upon this blog. Anyways I digress...

This is a ranking system that assigns specific point values for different accomplishments like playoff wins and appearances, championships played in, etc. I applaud Bob for constructing this ranking system in this way, being that he is a Green Bay fan and most Packer fans would like to claim "greatest franchise ever" based on league championships prior to and after the merger. But then, the point is to rank teams post Superbowl I, so I guess he had no choice.

It's only what we already know, but seeing it always makes me smile - I especially love seeing the Patriots with barely over half as many points as Dallas.

All the teams are on here, check it out sometime.

T.O. Practiced

gaz0425 — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 20:28:07 -0000

Whoops I'm like the third guy to post this. Move on :-)

According to Breer, T.O. was at practice today.

I admit it, I'm allowing myself to worry about his status, but it makes me a lot better to read this:

WR Terrell Owens was there, yes. And he had a limp in his step, favoring the left ankle he injured in Carolina. He was rounding out his breaks, rather than changing direction sharp, on most routes. Toward the end, he seemed to be accelerating and cutting better.

Running into the 'Boys

gaz0425 — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 17:28:14 -0000

I thought it might be cool to describe random encounters with the Cowboys. Not talking autographs or appearances, I mean like bumping into them when you don't expect it.

I know not everybody lives around Dallas, but I bet I'm not the only one who has run into one of them.

I used to live in Lewisville, which is where a lot of the 'Boys live, and I ran into two of them.

First - Ebenezer Ekuban. I was buying a CD at this store at 35 and 3040, which is now a vitamin store or something, and I literally walked right into Eb. I was leaving and had my head down. Needless to say he stopped me dead in my tracks, this dude was very large. I knew he was a Cowboy but I couldn't remember his name, and he actually said "Hey, I'm Ebenezer Ekuban", and shook my hand.

Another time, I was getting my cat some shots at a mobile vet, and Chad Hutchison was standing right behind me in line. He had these two giant German Shepherds. This was after his time in Dallas. I didn't say anything but this guy behind him apparently didn't know who he was, and was more interested in the dogs. Chad mentioned he had picked them up in Germany, but he didn't mention what he was doing over there.

So I realize these aren't the coolest stories you ever heard, but they are pretty cool memories for a Cowboy fan like me.

Anybody else got one to share?

Kitna was "taken out of context"

gaz0425 — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:11:51 -0000

Well this is no suprise, the same guy who showed up his coach by showing up in a naked coach costume "just trying to have fun", is now getting a head start on escaping the Dallas pressure.

Look, there has been a lot of heated debate on this blog lately regarding Jon Kitna's comments and just how big a deal they are(n't).

I've tried to see both sides but it's not working. I'm fired up about it and it will be top of mind come high noon on Sunday. I don't apologize for the fact that the games are more entertaining to me if I have a little bulletin board material to chew on.

Anyways, now the news comes down that Kitna claims to have been taken out of context during his interview. I got to say this only lowers my opinion of Kitna and it is pretty fraking weak of him to throw that out there. Props to the DMN for that news.

Kitna didn't say anything wildly controversial in terms of the points he was making. If he had said "they looked lost out there and we took advantage of it" or "we saw where we could throw on Newman and it worked" I wouldn't care and I doubt the story would have any legs. The fact is he called guys out by name and then he put down their abilities. In my opinion, and I respect you if you differ, thats just disrespectful. It's also intentional and if you want to do that be a Man about it and stand by it.

Now, I will be very disappointed if I see flags for late hits or unsportsmanlike conduct or taunting, etc. this Sunday. There is a difference between payback and hurting your team with lost yardage. My dream is for Kitna to get sacked (frequently) cleanly but with authority, like Favre was on Thursday, and for whoever does it to just walk away like they've been there before. In other words, just play the game but remember that you've been called out by a knucklehead who is now, a year later, trying to clarify his comments, or rather weasel out of them.