Smile

Gary Blooer, 57, Iowa City, Iowa, Burge Marketplace employee.

“Gary Blooer? I’m not sure who you’re talking about,” Rita Hart, Wheatland, Iowa.

“Ummm no that doesn’t ring a bell,” Steve Thiltgen, DeWitt, Iowa.

“Nope, don’t think I’ve ever met someone by that name,” Erin Goettsch, Calamus, Iowa.

Smiley, air brush caps, high school sports enthusiast, photo button collector.

“(little chuckle) Oh Smiley, yeah he’s been around forever,” Rita Hart.

“Oh that’s who you meant. Smiley is a legend,” Steve Thiltgen.

“Do I know Smiley? Everyone knows Smiley. My mom gave him one of my softball buttons.” Erin Goettsch.

After receiving his GED from Delwood High School near Maquoketa, Iowa, Smiley moved to Iowa City to work at The University’s Oakdale campus as a janitor. A career placement test told Smiley’s family that there were few jobs that would allow him to make a living, but a position where he was able to be social while executing task oriented assignments would be a possibility.

Born with the now rare condition known as blue baby syndrome, Smiley’s heart didn’t allow his red blood cells to be oxygenated. This problem is now something that can be corrected in the prenatal phase, but for Smiley there was no way to fix the heart defect. As a result, he suffers from unawareness of social norms, a speech impediment, and a low level of mental retardation.

“I’m really not sure if he knows that he’s different,” Smiley’s sister Jean said, “I think it would hurt him if he thought that there was something wrong with him.”

After a few years at Oakdale, a position at Burge Marketplace opened up. Smiley jumped at the chance to be around students everyday. He is responsible for cleaning tables and letting chefs know when food needs to be replenished. Almost 38 years after his first day of work at the Oakdale campus, Smiley has become a fixture at the University of Iowa. He lives by himself in an apartment on Market Street.

“When I was a freshman we would always see him at Burge. Sometimes he would just sit and talk to us. Then we would see him downtown, then at the mall. He was always around.” said Theresa Sherwood, a UI Senior.

Kirk Ferentz, Dan Gable and Shonn Greene are all pretty popular residents of Iowa City. Gary Blooer, better known as Smiley, is definitely up there too. But unlike the aforementioned individuals, Smiley is known for his involvement in sports as a fan rather than as a participant.

For the past four decades Smiley has been a huge supporter of high school athletics in Eastern Iowa. His favorite sport to watch is high school softball. With three Iowa City High Schools, it’s easy to find games and tournaments to attend during the summer.

“I like it (high school athletic events) because when I cheer for them they can hear me,” Smiley said. “And I get to talk to their parents too.”

If there was ever a game that Smiley wanted to attend that a city bus route couldn’t get him to, he would hitchhike.

“Our mom hated it when he hitchhiked. He says he doesn’t do it anymore, but he couldn’t drive and there was no other way for him to get there,” Jean said.

Jean lives in DeWitt, Iowa with her husband David. Too far to assist Smiley with his daily needs, but close enough to help if there’s ever a problem.

“Luckily, over the years people have gotten to know him so well. When I take him shopping it’s hard to get anything done because he knows so many people,” Jean said. “When our mother died I couldn’t get there right away so I called to police and asked them to go get Gary for me. They don’t usually do that sort of thing, but all I had to do was say it was Smiley.”

As Smiley’s favorite softball players graduated from high school, their daughters and nieces would appear on the scene. Rita Hart first met Smiley when she coached girls’ basketball at Bennett High School in the early 1980s. Her husband’s sister Maureen, 46, is one of Smiley’s favorite players. When Rita’s daughters started playing softball in 2000, Smiley recognized the name.

Karen Hart graduated from the same high school as her aunt in 2006.

“At first we were a little freaked out. This random guy would talk to us from the dugout and he knew who my aunts were. I think I just ignored him the first time,” Karen said. “After the game I saw him talking to mom and I was so confused.”

“We definitely had to explain who Smiley was to the girls. Back when I met him, no one worried about the things that they do today. But we know that he’s just a great person and a great fan of our family,” Rita said.

“After that first meeting, I always talked to Smiley. He knew so many players from my town and he really cared if we won or lost,” Karen said, “Then there were his buttons.”

If Smiley finds a particular player that he really likes, he will ask her mom for a picture button which he will wear proudly to her games. If he likes her enough, Smiley will make a t-shirt or hat with her named airbrushed on it. He takes bags and bags of buttons and hats with him to softball tournaments, never knowing which player might show up. If more than one is playing, he’ll wear multiple buttons. If it’s a long day with lots of games and lots of favorite players, he will wear them all at once.

Erin Goettsch’s team, Calamus-Wheatland, played in the Iowa City Regina tournament every summer.

“It almost got to be a competition. You knew were a good player if Smiley was wearing one of your buttons. But even if you didn’t play at all he always told you ‘good game’ when it was over,” Erin said.

Every team and every player has a little different relationship with Smiley. Some are mere acquaintances and exchange warm hellos with Smiley in passing. Then there’s Clear Creek Amana. Every summer on July 7, the team has a birthday party for Smiley.

“If it wasn’t for those players and coaches at Clear Creek I don’t know if anyone other than me and my husband would know it was his birthday,” Jean said. “He probably wouldn’t get very many ‘Happy Birthdays’ if it wasn’t for them.”

In 2006 when Clear Creek made it to the State Tournament in Fort Dodge, the parents offered to give Smiley a ride to the game. Jean paid for him to get a hotel room near the softball complex so he could watch his favorite team play in the most important games of their season.

“It was a lot of fun,” Smiley said. “I was cheering so loud that I think the people from Harlan were getting mad at me. But I didn’t care,” Smiley said.

Athletes and coaches get enjoyment from winning games and breaking records, but imagine getting enjoyment just from watching.

“That’s what fulfills Gary’s life,” said Jean. “That’s what he lives for. He just gets so much enjoyment from being a part of something like that.”

The Other Side of the Story

Lanna Schurr wasn’t the leading server or the leading digger or the leading hitter for her high school volleyball team. She was never quoted in newspapers, coaches never focused on blocking her, and even her own teammates and coaches sometimes winced at her unorthodox mechanics. But that’s what made that night four years ago so special for her.

It was the biggest volleyball match of their lives. They had played together for 8 years, and now as seniors, it was time to prove that they belonged among the ranks of the undefeated. They hadn’t lost a single game in the post-season, going 9-0 to this point.

New London would be their biggest test to date. They were taller, better known, ranked much higher, and the match would take place only 10 minutes from their high school.

“I think that’s what made us even more excited. Everyone expected us to fall on our faces. Our coach read us this newspaper article. It was a preview for the match. They had us picked to loose in 3 games, said we weren’t explosive enough,” Schurr said.

Lanna was kind of an implant into this senior class. She had been with the team for six years and had very close friendships among the group, but those two years of club volleyball before Lanna’s family moved to Calamus in the 7th grade had always made her feel like an outsider.

“It was hard sometimes. It was like they just knew where each other would be on the court, or how high they needed their sets, or how to seal blocks together perfectly,” Schurr said.

As the team graduated from middle school and joined the ranks of the Varsity, Lanna continued to develop as a player. Soon she had won her position as the second outside hitter. The biggest start of her life came in the Regional Championship against New London.

“I remember before the match started we were doing hitting lines and I was swinging really hard,” Schurr said. “My coach came up to me and told me that I had to swing that hard in the game. I was so afraid to make mistakes though.”

The Warriors won the toss and elected to serve first, sending their schools all time ace leader to the line. Mason racked up a few early points before New London was able to return the serve. After a long rally Lanna got a quick set outside and swung like she had in warm ups.

“I was going for the cross court angle shot, but I was being too aggressive. I was sure the ball had sailed long, “Schurr said.

The line judge lowered her arms and pointed her hands down signaling in.

“That first hit was what gave me the confidence I needed that night. I did like my coach had said. I was the most aggressive I had ever been, and it really paid off,” Schurr said.

Lanna would go on to be aggressive the entire night. She had a career high 9 kills for the match. But more importantly she took the focus off of the Warriors All-State middle blocker, Megan Jacobi. New London was forced to double block Jacobi in the middle, instead of the dreaded triple block.

They never knew when a quick set might go outside to #3.

The warriors would go on to win the match in straight sets, continuing their unbeaten streak. Lanna Schurr was asked for an interview by a local sports reporter.

“It was so weird. They never wanted to talk to me. More than anything I felt like I had finally contributed,” Schurr said.

Four years later, Lanna remembers this match and this night as the best sporting memory of her life. But it wasn’t about the newspaper article, or swinging hard, or even winning the match. After all, the Warriors would lose the next match, stopping their journey for a state tournament birth, one game short.

“For me, I think that night was a little different. Even though we only played one more match together. I finally had my own identity on the team. “

Should Michael Jordan Coach the Bulls?

Nothing seems more enticing to me than Michael Jordan suiting up as the head coach of the Chicago Bulls. Jeez...how amazing would it be if he could bring a championship back to Chicago as a Coach this time. I would just love it if my kids had the opportunity to see Jordan in action like I had the honor to. Even if it doesn't happen for another 10 years or so, this would just be magical. On the other hand, a disappointing outcome would tarnish Jordan's legacy. Here is my question.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE JORDAN AS THE HEAD COACH OF THE CHICAGO BULLS?

IS THE OUTCOME OF NOT BEING SUCCESSFUL TOO MUCH TO RISK FOR THE JORDAN LEGACY OR WOULD THE OUTCOME OF A CHAMPIONSHIP BE ENOUGH OF AN INCENTIVE TO TAKE THE RISK?

Somebody Get that Giant Boulder Off Romo's Shoulders

Sunday's 14-10 Cowboys victory over divisional rival, Washington showed some new revelations about this Dallas squad. I have to admit I was extremely nervous before, during and after the game. Nervous before, because I wasn't sure Romo would look like himself. Nervous during, because Romo wasn't looking like himself. And nervous after, because Romo completed only one pass in the final series of the game and didn't look like himself.

Give him one more week and I think he will look like himself, but in the meantime it seems like another hero has taken this team on his back. Not only did Marion Barber look like a beast in the fourth quarter, rushing for 63 yards and totally over 100 yards for only the third time this season, he supplied the "heart and soul" that this team had been looking for all season.

Barber has carried the ball 196 times this season, ranking him 5th in total carries in the NFL. I would guess that this standing might go up quite a bit in the final 6 games of the season. Barber has emerged as the dependable, reliable, consistent back that the Cowboys needed him to be. And more importantly his success last night allowed a rusty Tony Romo to ease back into the game.

With Romo back and Barber finally being given the opportunity to carry this team down the stretch, anything is possible. Throw in a healthy Terence Newman and a recovered Jason Witten, and the possibilities for this team are endless. This rather large hiccup in their season might be just when they needed to find themselves.

Somebody

7 Game Season Ahead

Today marks the beginning of preparation week for the Dallas Cowboy's second season. Every game from here on out is due or die for Dallas, and this week's practice will set the tone for the remainder of the season.

With all of the bye weeks out of the way for NFC East teams, the standings should begin to take shape. Although they are currently sitting in last place in the conference, they have the same record as the third place team and are only one game behind the second place team which happens to be the Washington Redskins.

The Cowboys will play the Redskins next week in Washington. With the opportunity to jump to 6-4 (the same record that the Redskins would then have).

I am not saying that Dallas will make the playoffs, but I do believe that they have s shot. It sounds cliche, but they are truly in control of their own destiny. With the return of key players on both sides of the ball next week, Dallas will have the opportunity to play like the team everyone originally thought they would be.

Let's take it week by week, but these last 7 games will each be a determining factor the ending result of the Cowboys' ultimate fate this season. The most important factor will not be how many touchdown catches T.O has, how many yards Romo will throw for, or the impact that the return of Terence Newman will have on the defense.

The deciding factor will be emergence of a member of this team that doesn't show up on stat sheets. I'm not sure where it's hiding, but Jerry Jones should put out an APB for the "heart and soul" of the Dallas Cowboys.

Glog: Steelers vs. Colts

9:20 on the clock in the 1st quarter: Mewelde Moore just scored the first points of the game on a 2 yard run. The Steelers moved the ball at will against the Colts.

Sorry about the late start on this Glog. I can't stop watching highlight reels form last nights 24-23 win over #3 Penn State. Wow that was fun! I have especially enjoyed ESPN blogger Adam Rittenberg's last dozen or so posts, all about the Hawkeyes big win.

Payton just took the field for the first time and threw an incompletion. I just can't help but feeling a little less excited when Panning drops back in the pocket. He just hasn't been the same this year. I'm not sure if his leg injury is still bothering him or not. Heck, maybe he's just having a bad season (bad compared to "Manning" standards),

Reggie Wayne just helped him out big time though. Manning under threw a long pass that the defender tipped in to Wayne's arms, then he made a great move to get past another defender to jog into the end zone.

The game is now all tied at 7-7.
The commentators are discussing the Steelers great defense this season and suggest that Troy Polamalu might take home defensive player of the year awards. A picture of him appeared, and I must say his beard is getting a little out of control. Kinda starting to look like the dead wizard from Lord of the Rings. Creepy!

Game back. Melwelde Moore continues to get the ball for the Steelers. He now has 6 rushes and 17 yards in only their second possession. Big Ben was just brought down on 3rd and long, and nearly fumbled. The ball will go back to that unpredictalbe Colt's offense.

As the refs. meet to discuss a holding penalty on the return team, I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep concern that I have just found a maroon "Temple" stocking cap in my bed. I did not stay at my apartment last night, but apparently some dirty boy did enjoy my fabullous pillow top. This very serious allegation will be taken up with my roomates at a later date.

6 minutes left on the clock in the 1st now. Joseph Adai lost a yard and Peyton pass incomplete to Dalass Clark. I wonder if he had a chance to watch the big Iowa game last night. As he hauls in the first down pass this time, I wonder if he and Bob Sanders have considered donating a couple mil. to the football complex project here at Iowa. We still ned $11 million folks. Checks can be made payable to Gary Barta.

Manning has just been sacked for the first time in 119 drop backs. What a stat!
I would also like to metnion that the Colt's are my second favorite team in the NFL, after the Cowboys of course. I just love what Dallas Clark and Bob Sanders have done for the Iowa football program. Commercial break now...

Immediate Response: Cowboys vs. Giants

Things are unraveling quickly for the Dallas Cowboys. Just off a blow-out loss of 34-14 handed down by the Divisional foe NY Giants at the Meadowlands in week 9, the Cowboys will limp into their bye week, at 5-4. Not exactly the anticipated record at this point in the season. Sitting in last place in the NFC East, the Cowboys have a pretty tall hill to climb. Especially because it no longer looks like the NFL Beast's will get both wild card spots.

Even with the return of quarterback Tony Romo, the Cowboys will be digging themselves out of quite the hole with only 7 games remaining. And let's be honest, they weren't exactly playing great when Romo was at the healm either.

But let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. There are plenty of criticisms to go around this week for the Cowboys. So let's take a look at some of the worst parts of this game.

* Marion Barber looked human today with only 54 yards on 19 carries. Without Romo, the Cowboys have looked more and more 1 dimmensional, but recently that 1 dimmension hasn't even been working. Obviously Romo's right arm is a little bit more threatening than Brad Johnson's and Brooks Bollinger's combined, but that O-line needs to step up and make some holes.

* I could not be more happy to (hopefully) never have to talk about Brad Johnson or Brooks Bollinger again. Neither reached over 100 yards passing, but then again neither had more than 9 attempts either.

* The Dallas Offensive Line needs some immediate help. Clearly, Romo probaly would have been able to scramble better than Bollinger and Johnson and the Giants D-Line is far above average, but they just didn't look good out there today.

*At least Owens got a TD reception...the last thing we need is a restless T.O.

Top 10 Reasons: The Dallas Cowboys Are Best Franchise in NFL History

This blog post will be dedicated to the top 10 reasons why I believe that the Dallas Cowboys are the best NFL franchise in history. Very important... I’m not talking most successful franchise ever. Clearly that honor would go to the Green Bay Packers or the New York Giants, who were in the league for nearly 4 decades bofore the Cowboys arrived on the scene.

I’m talking about the all-around “best franchise” this includes intangibles reaching past wins and losses, like fan appeal, entertainment value, celebrity status, media coverage, sex appeal, economic success, as well as on the field accomplishments and success. Alright...here we go!

10. The Dallas Cowboys are the only team in the NFL to boast 2 of the top 10 all time winningest coaches. Bill Parcels is 9th all time with 570 wins and the great Tom Ladry is 3rd all time with 603 wins. This feat is even more impressive when you consider that Landry was the head coach for the first 29 years and the franchise has only had 7 head coaches in its history.



9. Quarterbacks Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman and Tony Romo(yes even with his young/short career) are 3 of the most well-known/respected QBs of all time. Aikman and Staubach are already in the Hall of Fame and I would guess that Romo will also make it there someday.

8. The franchise became a member of the NFL in 1960 and only 6 years later in 1966, the Cowboys began an NFL-record streak of 20 consecutive winning seasons. That streak included 18 years in the playoffs, 13 divisional championships, five trips to the Super Bowl and victories in Super Bowls VI and XII.

7. The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders are more recognizable than some NFL teams. The franchise was a step ahead of any other with the image-enhancing promotions of the cheerleading squad. They have their own highly rated TV show, and attract crowds of thousands at autograph signing sessions.

6. "Texas Stadiuim has a whole in its roof so God can watch his favorite team."--D.D. Lewis, former Cowboys Linebacker.

5. Hall of Famer and former Cowboy, Troy Aikman is the winningest quarterback of any decade with 90 wins in a 10-year span, coming in the 1990s.


4. Cowboy Emmitt Smith is the all time leading rusher in the NFL, and arguable owns the most successful profesional season for any athlete, in any sport, ever. In 1993 he won the league's rushing title, league MVP honors, a Super Bowl ring, and was the Super Bowl MVP. No player has ever equaled this feat.

3. The Dallas Cowboys are tied with only the New York Giants for most appearences in the post season, with 29. The immpressive part of this record, the Giants started racking up post-season appearences 30 years before the Cowboys even entered the league.

2. The media scurtiny placed on players and coaches of the Dallas Cowboys by local and national media outlets are unparrelled by any other franchise. The national meida is literally obsessed with this team. Virtually unknown players become household names by playing or coaching in Dallas.

1. Forbes magazine listed the Dallas Cowboys as the most valuable team in the NFL at $1.62 Billion. This total also makes the Cowboys the most valuable professional sports team in any league, in the entire world.

Game Time Blog

How lucky am I that I get to watch the Cowboys game for homework…love it! And it’s televised, surprisingly because it's two teams in the South region. But hey I'm not complaining.


B. Johnson playing against his old team, won a super bowl with TB 6 seasons ago.

Dallas did’t get a first down until the last play of the first quarter. Went 3 and out every possession. Joey Galloway having a good game. Dallas has gotten lucky on a couple long passes called back by penalties.



Picking the game up in the 2nd Quarter. Joey Galloway- 20 yard catch, wide open in the secondary. Then a few plays later Garcia runs right up the middle, 3 big plays open in the middle of the field.


Witten's just left the game with an injury…apparently some bruised ribs. Jeez let's hope that doesn't come back to haunt us.


Defense comes up big to stop them on 3rd and 4…TB misses 51 yd field goal. Could be a turning point here.


Good to see Roy Williams get his first TD catch. Hopefully now he feels like he can contribute and gets a little more comfortable out there.


2nd half kick off now. Fumble recovered by Bobby Carpenter and Dallas offense will get the ball first in the second half. Got to a quick 3rd and 3 though. Just when you get something good going, the offense gets in a rut because the QB can’t do anything.



Seems like everytime I look up it’s third down. Come out of a big turnover with no points. Only positive is that you kept Bucs off of the field.


10:22 in 3rd: defense coming up big… but gives up 3rd and inches. Seems like defense gets big plays on first and second down but not on 3rd. Finally get to a 3rd and 11 after a sack by (interior lineman)


Next possession now.
T.O. catch…two Barber carriers…but can’t keep up the pace cause B. Johnson can’t complete routine passes and hit a receiver accurately in stride. Have to think that he can make that throw, but the timing just isn’t there yet.


Get a field goal out of it…but had every opportunity to keep the drive alive. Need to give yourself a better chance to score a TD by making routine plays. Mike Jenkings needs to wrap up! We know you can put a big hit on , you did it in the 2nd quarter. You got the ooos and the ahhhhs then, so now make the play! Could have gotten your D off of the field but the reciever ran through the hit for a first down.


Bad news…Henry out with a quad injury.
Next play 34 yard pass to Smith the TE, secondary is definitely exposed. Garcia went to same side of the field as new player Alan Ball, in for Henry.


Defense stops Bucs again in the red zone. Forces a 41 yarder. Good. 13-9 Cowboys.
Good job of not giving up a TD, but one or two big plays given up on each drive and TB has maybe one field goal instead of 3.


Witten still on sidelines…not been back in the game yet.
Barber with a gain of 14 on first play of drive. Squirts through two defenders…great running today. He just always knows when to make a move and when to put his head down and run.


First possession of the 4th Quarter now. Johnson brought down from behind, didn’t even see the Lineman coming behind him.


Dallas forced to punt. Commentator just said, that Dallas hasn’t had a pass over 10 yards yet today. That means that those DBs are just hanging out back there and are probably sneaking up on a play every once and a while. At least need to attempt something to keep them honest.


13 minutes remaining, ball back to TB. Big third and 10 now…Garcia has tons of time but no one open down the field. Throws incomplete downt he middle of the field. Clyaton was wide open, just not a good throw but still the secondary contained the receivers for at least 7 or 8 seconds.
Dallas gets the ball back with 12:22 remaining. First long throw by Johnsonall day, a perfect pass to T.O. but broken up. Maybe they should open the play book up a little big for him? Great throw. Dallas forced to punt again though.

Going for it on 4th and inches now…Barber ran for it and got it. That was a big decision for Phillips, needed that bad! Needed to keep that clock moving and keep possession. Johnson dropped for sack 2 plays later. And can’t convert on 3rd and long. Negating that 4th and inches conversion. But took about a minute off of the clock, great teams are able to close the game out and get that last FG. Dallas couldn't keep the ball.


TB goes for it with 2:30 remaining…4th and 1…got it. They keep the drive moving at mid field and have all their time outs remaining…dallas D needs a big stop here. TB moving the ball at will.


:50- Dallas D hasn’t allowed a TD yet, and can’t do so here. Get it to a 4th and 4…HUGE HERE. Garcia converts on a little dunk to Helliard.


:34 not feeling too confident here. TB hasn’t been able to come up with a TD yet, but now their in 4 down territory and that extra play is a huge advantage.



Commericial break now. Good, need to get my blood pressure down.



Dallas gets Bus to another 4th down now(3rd 4th down ), playing good defense just need to close the door here.


5 yards to go here...Incomplete Pass…game over!!! Players celebrate by taking off their helmets…That makes me angry. Good discussion topic for my next post. Dallas players lack discipline.

Light a Fire Under Wade's Ass!

We all know who wears the pants in the relationship between Jerry Jones and Wade Phillips, and rightfully so. Jerry Jones owns the franchise. But Wade Phillips needs to OWN his team!



I am not asking him to take responsibility for what has happened over the past few weeks. He's done that. He's put responsibility for the Cowboys struggles in his hands alone. But let's be realistic, the coaches are not the only ones to blame for losing two games in a row. The players have looked uninspired and undetermined on the field.



But of course the players aren't going to see it this way. Their head coach is babying them and taking responsibility for their woes. Here's my advice to Wade Philips.



1. GET MAD: I'm not asking you to go Lou Pinella on your team, but damnit show some negative emotion on the sidelines when your team isn't playing well enough! There's a difference between bringing them down with negativity and giving them a spark.



2. OWN YOUR PRESS CONFERENCES: You sound as exciting as a bag of cement in your post game interviews. Were you predicted to win the Super Bowl? Yes! Is your team a huge dissapointment? Yes! Start acting like you care!



3. OWN YOUR LOCKERROOM: Clearly I have never been in a Dallas Cowyboys locker room, but your players are starting to chew on each other on the sidelines and i can only imagine that the same in true in the locker room. A talented roster can translate into arrogance in the locker room. I sure hope Phillips is keeping this in check.

Here's the bottom line. I am not asking Wade Phillips to change who he is. But he needs to start acting like cares...a little bit! Something has to change, and it has to be more than altering Friday night dinners by 15 minutes.

I Still Don't Get It

I am utterly overwhelmed by the amount of possible blog topics for this post. The Dallas Cowboys are unraveling at a mind boggling pace. I hate to say I told you so, but I haven't been shy about my lack of confidence in this team.

I haven't always been able to put my finger on exactly what was missing, but something about their team chemistry and lack of aggression made me question them. Even now, when their weaknesses have been exposed, I can't really explain what it is.

But there is one thing that I can explain. Marion Barber is the ounce of glimmering hope that these team has for a comeback, and I don't understand why I am the only one who sees this. Wade Philips and Jason Garrett don't get it. If they did, then the Cowboy's rushing statistics wouldn't be what they are.

Take a look at some of Barber's stats from Sunday.

*averaged 5.6 yds/carry
*Barber only had 18 carries--7 coming on the first drive of the game resulting in a TD
*45 of 100 total yards coming on first drive--why did they stop trying to rush the ball?!
* only 22 total team carries
* 2 tackles (now that's the stat that really tells the story!)

Even worse, take a look at B. Johnson's passing stats. Shocking when you consider that Dallas should have been limiting his pass attempts.

*17/34 pass attempts
*3 interceptions
*1 fumble

Anytime your QB is responsible for 4 turnover, you know your having problems. Why not take some pressure off of him, by giving Barber the ball a few more times.

And it's not just rushing the ball. Marion Barber can get involved in the offense in more ways than just having the ball handed off to him. He has proven that he can catch the ball, yet in Sunday's game against the Rams he only had 1 reception. That one reception went for 13 yards. Throw a few more screen plays in there each game and see how the field opens up for the receivers.

I am not saying that Marion Barber is the answer to Jerry Jones current nightmare. But why not capitalize one of the only positives in this situation.

Williams Trade Rumors

One of Jerry Jone's main off season goals was to aquire a quality wide reciever to compliment T.O. and force opposing defenses to take some of the attention off him. In one of Jones' rare aquision failures, he was unable to sign one. With Dallas surprisingly struggling offense and the NFL trade deadline approaching, there has been plenty of rumors circulating.

Yes Roy Williams name has been thrown out there, but i am still trying to figure out why. Williams is a very talented reciever but he has yet to impress me in the NFL. Through week 6, he is yet to have a 100 yard game and is yet to have a touchdown reception. That caliber of a player is already present in AustinMiles and Patrick Crayton.

While it can't hurt to add another reciever to the roster, I don't think that Williams is the answer to our Cowboy prayers. That is what Jerry Jones is looking for, and I don't think he'll settle for anything less. Williams stays put.

Breaking News: Romo Out

This just in...Tony Romo will be out for the next 4 weeks with a broken pinky finger. Obviously this is absolutely disturbing for me.

Skip and Jamelle on ESPN's First Take, just got done saying that they both think that this isn't that bad for the Cowboys becuase hopefully it will force them to run the ball a little bit more. Something they have gotten away from during these passed couple of games, and has hurt them considerably.

While I agree that Jones and Barber should be getting more carries, the reason that they are so successful when they get the ball is because of the passing threat that Romo offers with Witten and Owens. I'm not sure convinced that back up Brad Johnson can off that same threat.

I like the leadeship he will bring to this seemingly confused offensive huddle, but let's not kid ourselves. Tony Romo is the face of the Dallas Cowboys and the only QB that has been able to get T.O. off of the crazy train. I am a little afraid of what this will do the Dallas locker room.

If opponents are able to key in on the rush then I suspect them to have similar outcomes as the previous few games when they haven't run the ball successfully. If that pressure comes, I hope that Brad Johnson will be able to handle it. I am not doubting him yet, but I am a little cautious.

What A Mess!

I am embarrased this morning to have so little to write about. I am going to have to do some research on the game and analyze some stats in order to get a better picture of what happened on Sunday, thanks to FOX for giving me the Packers game.

But until then, here is my reaction from what I did witness in the final two minutes. I watched the end of the Bears game on TV and it got be really pumped for the Dallas game. All throughout the fourth quarter the commentators teased viewers with anticiaption for the Cowboys road game.

There I was, on the couch, in my Romo jersey, laptop in hand...WHAT?! Packers vs. Seahawks!!! I was lividddddd! Don't get me wrong I completely understand why we got the Packers game, probably a few more cheese heads in Iowa City than Cowboys fans. None the less, I was heartbroken.

So...I took a nap, and awoke to watch the final two minutes of the worst Cowboys performance I have witnessed in recent history. The defense went three and out to give the Dallas the ball back and the opportunity make a legitimate quest for the win, or at worst a tie.

They fumbled around, wasted some time, and completed a last effort pass to Jason Witten to set up a long field goal. A 5 yard penalty made the kick makable, then Arizona attemped to ice the kicker with a time-out just as the kick was blocked. Nick Folk had a second chance and the kick saled throught he uprights, sending the game into overtime. Two times in the past minute of play, Arizona had given Dallas the game on a silver platter.

Sorry hold on a sec... I am a little bit distracted by some breaking news that's just come in on ESPN about Tony Romo. I'm Going to start a new post about that...be back to finish this one in a few.

Well, well, well, that changes things quite a bit. My mind is racing right now, but let's go ahead and finish with my reactions from the end of Sunday's game.

As everyone knows, Dallas won the toss giving them the ball in a sudden death over-time. They failed to convert on offense, the kick was blocked, touchdown scored by the Cardinal special teams, game Arizona.

I'm not exactly sure where to start. It was horrible. They couldn't do anything! They didn't look like themselves, or a team picked to go to the super-bowl. Dallas has some things to figure out, espcially now with Romo out. Jeeeeez, what a mess!

Star That: Shut Down the Run

It's time for the first edition of my new weekly feature, "Star That." Here is the main thing that I think the Cowboys need to do to be succesfsul on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.



* Shut down the run: With a depleted secondary, Dallas is going to be a little bit exposed went it comes to defending the pass down the field. But if the defense can shut down Edjerrin James in the first half it will be easier to lock in on Warner's intentions down the field.

The Cowboys will be able to take a few men out of the box and run more nickel and dime packages in the second half, because with WRs like Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Bolden on the roster we know that Arizona is dedicated to the pass no matter what.



For Dallas to be successful they are going to need to be able to throw soem extra guys on the field to help out in that secondary, but if James has a decent day than the Dallas Defensive Tackles are going to have to stay on the field.



But Bolden is injured as well as all three of the Arizona Tight Ends. And James, is only averaging 3.6 yds/game. Advantage Dallas.

New Weekly Feature: "Star That!"

Alrighty, so it has come to my attention that the "best and worst" section that I had previously suggested would become a weekly feature, has not worked out. I'm not really sure what I was thinking here, and the first one was horrible.

I am changing my weekly feature to a pregame analysis called "Star That!" in which I will give you a few keys things that the Cowboys will need to do to secure the win for the week. Week 7 pairs the Boys with the Cardinals. Expect a premier of my new feature sometime today. Hopefully this new idea will give me a little more to work with than Romo's latest boo boo.

Oh Pacman, why do you torture me?

Ok, I just wanted to give my reaction to the Adam Jones incidnet currently in the news. I have not commented on anything yet, because I wanted to wait and see what Jerry Jones would do. About 22 minutes ago, Jones announced that Adam Jones would not recieve any punnishment for the altercation involving him and one of his personal security officers at a Dallas hotel.

Clearly owner, Jones is going to underplay this situation in an attempt to help it blow over and protect his own reputation. While I do not know the details of the incident, I would assume that Jerry Jones does. And I will put my trust in his disciplanry decisions. I don't think that he would have decided on this outcome if there was more to the story, espically knowing that Goodell would do his own prodding. And will he ever!

Furthermore, I don't beleive that this was anything that should require further investigation by league offices or Roger Godell. There was no police report filed, not injuries sustained, and no witnessed to say that anything else happened.

While, I do agree that Adam Jones should be on one of the shortest leashed in all of the NFL, you have to understand that he is under an intense amount of pressure and scrutiny here, i.e. the personal security detail hired to keep tabs on him at all times. He is practically sleeping, eating, and crapping with someone watching him. If he were stepping out of line for something valid then I think we would hear about it.

Let Jerry Jones handle his boys when they do something he doesn't like. I am ashamed to be taking a quote from Tank Johnson, but, "Sometimes you don't have to go to the principals office, you can hadle it in the classroom."

I Dare Him to Go Near the Star

Cinncinati Bengal's loud mouth wide receiver Chad "Ocho Cinco" Johnson has spent the week trash talking the Dallas Cowboys, their fans, and the ever-powerful NFL TV analysts. Even after he all but begged Jerry Jones to pick him up in the off season. This week he promised to kiss the Cowboys's star when he scored a touchdown, as a sign of respect.

The display might come sooner rather than later if Ocho Cinco threat's become reality thanks to a beat up Cowboy secondary. Terrence Newman will sit out with a groin injury and Roy Williams will continue watching the game from the sidelines thanks to a nagging foot injury.

The absence of the two wouldn't normally have such an impact, but Ocho Cinco is threatening to return to his old antics, and an inexperienced secondary might not be able to handle him quite as easily.

I am not saying that I think the Cowboys will fall to the Bengals. In fact, I believe just the opposite. Marion Barber and Felix Jones will get their carries opening the field up for Witten and Owens. I simply can't stand the thought of Ocho Cinco gallivanting around Dallas Stadium running his mouth.

I think my biggest fear is that T.O. will see Ocho Cinco and get jealous of the spot light, igniting T.O.'s on the field outbursts. Something that the Cowboys have been able avoid so far this season.

At the end of the day, the Cowboys will be celebrating a win and Ocho Cinco will be begging Jerry Jones for a look. But if he dare's to disrespect the Star, even in an attempt to show respect, he can dismiss the idea of ever being worthy of wearing the Blue and Silver for Jerry Jones.

Should coaches be able to complain?

Last week Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was fined $25,000 for making comments about official Ed Hochuli's performance during his week 2 game. Jones said on his weekly radio show, "Maybe the answer is to tell people like that, keep that whistle out of your mouth. My gut here is the emphasis is going to have to be taking officials like that and getting somebody else if they're going to be penalty prone." Jones later achnowledged that he should have said what he did.



Sean Payton, head coach of the New Orleans Saints was fined $15,000 for making similar comments about a referee earlier in the week.


Through out the course of any sports season involving referees or officials of any kind, there are always situations in which critisim is a possibility. Sometimes it is warranted and sometimes it isn't. In the NFL an individual can be punished by the league offices and commisioner Roger Godell for making such a comment in the form of a fine. It doesn't matter if the criticism is accurate or fraudulent, simply the presence of any negative comments about referees warants a fine.

My question is this, why shouldn't those people directly affected by the decisions of referees, like coaches, players and owners be allowed to voice their opinions. I understand the problems presented when they chose to do this through the media, but I don't understand why it should be so prohibited. Feel free to disagree...I'm sure I am probaly missing something here. But I just don't understand why warranted criticism shouldn't be allowed by the NFL.

Afterall entire franchises' success from week to week is dependent upon the decision of referees and officials in the NFL.

Monday Morning T.O. Damage Control

"He's a different player in Dallas....he respects Jerry Jones and this organization too much to behave like he used to...all T.O. needed was a team he believed in...mark my words he will not become a distraction, he's learned from his mistakes and he wants to play in this league."

It's not the first time I've been wrong and it definitely won't be the last. But something about this most recent blunder has me feeling more foolish than normal. I was one of the first people to stick up for T.O. when he first came to Dallas. I commended Jerry Jones for going out there and getting the best talent he could find for his team, no matter what the media or the critics said about the player.

For the first time in his professional career, Terrell Owens would be playing for a team and a franchise that was bigger than he was. The spotlight in Dallas wouldn't be able to focus on one player like Philadelphia had done. Star-power like Tony Romo, Bill Parcels, and company would never allow the media to put T.O. on center stage.

Well it seems like the time has come when the media have been given the opportunity to catch T.O. off guard. In Sunday's loss to the Redskins T.O. had only 11 yards and a few catches in the first half. Then in the second, Jason Garrett all but wished the ball into T.O.'s waiting arms. A combination of great coverage and T.O.'s bad hands led to little success. After the game, T.O. allowed the media to corner him into answering questions about ball distribution that made him sound selfish and prettly close to the "old T.O." that so many critics have been waiting for.

Out of a total of 58 offensive plays, the ball was attempted to go to T.O. 20 times. That's more than a third of the versatile Cowboys offense dedicated to one player. In my opinion that is simply inexcusable. The spark of this Dallas offense, Felix Jones, didn't even get a single carry. The Dallas Cowboys win football games when the opposing secondary is forced to double team T.O. on the outside, opening up the middle of the field for Jason Witten and the running backs.

T.O. needs to shut up and stop bullying the Dallas coaching staff into forcing him the ball, or he'll end up Championshipless and suicidal after another average season. And the coaching staff needs to run the plays that they know will allow their team to win football games, rather than satisfying a single player.

'08 Will Bring Better Romo

He's charming, he's polite and he's got a smile that makes me melt, but one thing that Tony Romo doesn't have is the ability to come up big during clutch times for his team. He has proven time and time again that he is a great quarterback and worthy of wearing the silver star. But it seems like certain times when his team needs him the most to come up with a big play or even a routine play, he crumbles under the pressure.

First there's the infamous field goal bobble, then the 5 interceptions at the end of last season and a early exit form the play-offs, and last week in Monday Night Football Romo fumbled in his own endzone before the cowboys pulled off a win at home over the Eagles to imrove to 3-0. So, the question comes up again. With such a talented team for 2008, will Tony Romo be able to lead the Cowboys further than one game in to the playoffs, and finally be able to perform in a clutch situation?

I wish I had the answer to this question, and if anyone does know the answer than I would guess that Jerry Jones would love to speak with you. His million dollar quarterback has't exactly been able to satisfy the championship hopes that come with being the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, and pretty soon he's going to have prove that he can lead this team deep into the playoffs. And his boss, Mr. Jones is going to have to decide how much longer he can aford to let Romo develop as a player.

The only thing I can say is that this season Romo has one more year of experience and dissapoinment under his belt than the year before. And sooner or later that experience and all of those bad memories are either going to get the best of him or propel him to the level of play that so many fans believe he is capable of. In my opinion, this year will be the year that he comes through in the clutch. I am not saying that he is going to play a perfect season or be the next Tom Brady or anything like that, but my gut instincts do tell me that Tony Romo will be able to handle the pressure better than ever before.

NFC East better than the rest?

ESPN's weekly NFL power rankings were released on Tuesday, and the top three spots are filled by NFC East teams.

1. Dallas Cowboys (3-0)
2. New York Giants (3-0)
3. Philidelphia Eagles (2-1)

The only team not in the top three are the Redskins, and they're at number 15.

It's still early but I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the NFC East is the best division in the NFL. Led by the Superbowl favorites and the Superbowl Champions, I see no other division with the type of diversity that these four teams have. From top to bottom there aer 4 quality quarterbacks with the experience and talkent to lead a successful team (yes, including Campbell).

The top three teams separate themselves easily from Washington in most areas of the game, but the Redskins definitely aren't deserving of the "cellar" type status they will occupy this season. It's really a shame that only two teams will have the opportunity to make it to the post season, because I think that all three of the top teams have the potential to get to the Superbowl.

We'll find out a lot about the Superbowl favorites this weekend when the Cowboys take on the Redskins in Dallas. This rivalry is kind of like Iowa vs. ISU football game. The Redskins are the thorn in the side of the Dallas Cowboys. They play this game every year like it's the Superbowl. I just wish that this years game was in D.C. rather than Dallas. Then all of those critics out there that still question Romo and the Boys would be able to see how the team plays in the most hostile environment they would face all season.

For my weekly blog edition, I will be posting a "best and worst" list from the previous gamd and world of the Dallas Cowboys. Not sure exactly how this is going to work out yet, so bare with me.

Best proof that the Cowboys are "America's Team" once again: Last Monday night's game between the Eagles and the Cowboys drew the largest audience in cable history for ESPN. 18.6 million viewers tuned in for what would be one of the best games of the season. And I don't think that was thanks to the Eagles. The previous record was also set by the MNF crew, 17.5 million viewers watch last season's Patiots vs. Ravens game.

It was also the last time that a MNF game will ever be played inside Texas Stadium. tear... Whether you love them or hate them, chances are you still love to watch them. And ESPN is raking it in, thanks to all you Cowboy haters out there that just can't help but watch.

Worst uniform accessory: Tony Romo's is still sporting the chin cast that covers 1/4 of his face. I understand that he has a few stiches in there and the chin is exposed during the game and probably an easy place to get knicked up. But with Tony messing with it during his post game interview and now having a couple of weeks of recovery under his belt, was that the last we'll see of the chin cast?

Top Ten Sports Moments

Ranking the World's most memorable sports moments of the past 10 years is a daunting task to say the least. But I think I've come up with a somewhat comprehensive list. Not perfect, but hopefully I didn't forget anything too major.



10. Rulon Gardner wins the gold medal in the 2000 Olympics for Greco-Roman wrestling. Gardner defeated Russian Alexander Karelin, who had never lost a match.



9. Tiger Woods wins the 2008 U.S. Open in a 19 hole playoff against unknown, Rocco Mediate. Woods played in the tournaments against doctor's orders, with a severely injured knee.



8. The unbeaten New England Patriots lose Super Bowl 42 to the New York Giants. The Patriots fail to finish their already historic, but imperfect season while the Giants become the first NFC wild card team to win the Super Bowl.



7. Usain Bolt, representing Jamaica, becomes the fastest man in the world at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Bolt runs the 100 meter dash in 9.69 seconds, and celebrates before the finish line in the world's fastest race.



6. Dale Earndhart crashes his car and dies in the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. Earndhadt, nicknamed "the intimidator" was arguably the most controversial and popular NASCAR driver ever.



5. Brandi Chastain rips off her shirt after scoring the winning penalty goal against China in the 1999 World Cup on American soil. Chastain's actions became one of the most controversial sports moments of all time.



4. Mark McGwire hits homerun number 70. An epic home run race between McGwire and Sammy Sosa is ended when McGwire finishes the season with 70 home runs, a new single season record.



3. Lance Armstrong wins his 7th consecutive Tour de France. Cancer survivor, Lance Armstrong, became the winningist cyclist of all time.



2. Michael Jordan's makes his last shot. Michael Jordan made the final shot of his career as a Chicago Bull, winning game six of the 1998 NBA finals over the Utah Jazz, clinching his 6th and final NBA title.



1. Michael Phelps wins 8 Gold Medals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Michael Phelps won 8 gold medals in swimming, to top Mark Spitz's record of 7 gold medals in the Munich Games of 1972

Big Mouths in Big D!

I would definitely say the Cowboys are big favorites in tonight's match up with the Eagles. The bright lights of Monday Night are fitting for T.O., Romo and company. The only thing holding them back are the big mouths Adam Jones, Jessica Simpson and Terrell Owens.



In the past week to 10 days all three of them have made comments worthy of bulletin board material for Philly. Jones slammed the Eagles in a round-about way by insulting their previous opponent. "Dude, they played the Rams," said Jones. I don't see where Adam gets off thinking that he has the right to insult anyone in the NFL, including the hopeless Rams. He should feel lucky to be wearing a uniform with a big silver star instead of black and white stripes. Keep your mouth shut and play the game, son!



Then there's Jessica Simpson. She appeared on Good Morning America last week for a concert series performance. While her voice was a little shakey and the southern accent sounded quite forced most of the time, her post-performance interview was entertaining. Diane Sawyer spotted an Eagles fan in the crowd and Simpson commented, "That's next week, we're gonna kick your butts too!" As if last year's pink jersey shimmy wasn't a big enough lesson for Jessica, she had to go ahead and do it again. Let's just hope that curse doesn't continue this weekend! Romo should be thrilled to have a hotty girlfriend, but he really needs to invest in a muzzle. Don't worry Jes, I'm sure he can find a pink one for you!



And, last but not least T.O. "I think I got too big for Philly, too big for him(McNabb)." If T.O.'s goal was to give the Eagles players and fans more reasons to hate him, he succeeded. And if NFL player feed of of anger, than T.O. might have just made those inevitable tackles a little more painful for Monday night. T.O. went on to insult Donovan McNabb and the city of Philadelphia several more times during his interview. It's a good thing the game is in Dallas, because I'm not sure security at Lincoln Financial Field could have kept all of the eager snipers off of the roof.



Here's my final thought. Maybe the "3 stooges" (Simpson, Owens, and Jones) are smarter than we think. The fact that off the field distractions create pressure for the team to succeed may be just what they need. After all, I'd rather have Romo learning how to handle big pressure games now, rather than in 14 weeks

New Jones, Same Plan

When the Cowboys got rid of Julius Jones last season I truly thought that Marion Barber would finally be the featured running back for the Dallas Cowboys. While Barber is the Cowboys' #1 running back, there is another Jones vying for carries this season. Granted, he probably wouldn't have seen as much playing time if Barber wouldn't have gotten injured in the 3rd quarter, Felix Jones made quite a case for himself as a close #2.

Scoring a TD on the very first carry of his career, Jones burst on to the scene in a big way. He almost shook off defenders for a second touchdown later in the game. With Barber injured, but probable for this weekend many are wondering if Jones will carry more of the load now that he has proven he can handle the job.

I will always wonder what Wade Philips original plan for Jones would have been, had Barber not have gotten injured and given Jones the chance to steal the spotlight for a bit. But the truth is that Jones proved something on Sunday and now Wade Philips has to decide what to do about it.

In his first 2 seasons with Dallas Marion Barber played in all 16 games, averaging nearly 5 yards a carry. You can not tell me that he would have been that healthy or that productive if he wouldn't have been sharing the backfield with Julius Jones. I understand that fans want that clear cut #1 guy, but let's face it. Marion Barber is not and will never be Emmitt Smith.

Barber had more yards in limited playing time this past Sunday than his individual game averages for both of the past two years. That has to say something. Right now this kid is healthy and ready for the grueling NFL season.

I don't believe that this one minor injury will set him back, and if fans and coaches want him to be nearly as productive and efficient as he was a year ago than the Cowboys are going to need someone like Felix Jones to help out. Dallas should feel privileged to have such a promising young running back behind Barber. Because in the end it's not about having a thousand yard back on your roster, it's about winning football games.

Week One Win: Hard to Measure

It's strange to start an NFL post with a comment on a Basketball note, but today it's appropriate. I would like to draw attention to the passing of a legend in the world of Collegiate Basketball. Don Haskins passed away on Sunday after loosing his battle with congestive heart failure. While the interests of this blog are served by the NFL, Haskins' courage has effected the entire sporting world. Don Haskins was the first coach to ever win an NCAA Basketball title with a starting line up consisting of 5 African American Players in 1966 while coaching for Texas Western College.

Now on to Week 1 in the NFL. Sunday was day marked with huge headlines by teams in almost every division. From Tom Brady's season ending knee injury, Brett Favre's debut as a Jet and the Colts first loss in the months of September or October since 2004; there was plenty to talk about on the Monday morning sports shows. Not surprisingly, Dallas' routine win over Cleveland wasn't at the top of the newscasts.


Jason Witten called Sunday's game "the best game Romo has played in three years." In the same article Randy Galloway wondered when the last time a Dallas quarterback has had that much time to throw the ball. Matt Moseley of ESPN.com said that the Browns looked like a scout team for Dallas and that the Cowboys thoroughly embarrassed the Browns.

I don't think that I am going to go as far as many sports-writers have. Tony Romo's 320 passing yards on Sunday were wonderfully, but isn't that what he's supposed to deliver? He isn't he paid the big bucks to lose to the Cleveland Browns, even on the road; I don't care how hyped they are. If Tony Romo's eighteen point spread against a banged up Brown defense is his best game of the year than I see them barely getting out of the NFC East.

I'll start doing the Superbowl shuffle when Dallas beats a legitimate team in Philadelphia next week. However, I did have some observations from the game:

1) Lebron James should be ashamed of himself for sporting a New York Yankees hat and Dallas Cowboys shirt in the same city where he makes his money in another professional league. The fans of Cleveland should feel betrayed.

2) It appears as if Marian Barber will be sharing the backfield with another Jones this season. The Cowboy's first round draft pick, Felix Jones scored an 11-yard touchdown on his first carry of the game. A third quarter rib injury took Barber out of the game and gave Jones the opportunity to convince coaches that he's ready. While Barber's injury doesn't seem serious and he will be back next week, it appears as if it gave Jones an opportunity he might not have had otherwise.

3) Jerry Jone's might have found a #2 wide receiver on Sunday and I'm not talking about Patrick Creighton. T.O. stole a play from the Olympic Gold medalist when he mocked Bolt's effortless win in the Olympics by "walking" out fake starting blocks. The touchdown celebration gave Dallas a 15-yard penalty, but it might have given Jerry Jones the epiphany he needed.

Still America's Team? Prove It!

Over eight hundred miles and a family full of bitter Bears fans haven't been enough to dilute my fascination with the Dallas Cowboys football team. When I was 8-years-old Santa Claus brought me a barbie, a doll house, and a Troy Aikman jersey. America's Team has been "my team" for as long as I can remember, and I'm not a fair weather fan like some. I rocked the blue and silver Starter jacket through the early 2000s when he Dallas Cowboys were the punch line of the NFL.

So, I guess this blog will come from the perspective of a fan, but a fan who is sick of defending Tony Romo's mid-season vacations and sticking up for characters named Tank and Pacman. In many ways, this blog will say what many Cowboys fans have too much pride to admit. If 2009 doesn't produce more results than a dozen pro-bowlers, are the days of Jerry Jones being able to purchase Super Bowls over? Over the course of the 2008 NFL season this quetion will be answered. I will follow the Cowboys from week to week giving you a closer look at the team, on and off of the field.

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From a big silver star to a target with a bulls eye, the media seem to scrutinize the Dallas Cowboys football team more than other teams. And oh yeah, there's also those people called fans to satisfy. Jerry Jones' deep pockets have given him the personnel on the field and in the front office for nearly 20 years, but he hasn't been able to buy a Super Bowl Championship since 1996. That's a long time in Cowboy years, and fans are restless. For the third straight year, the team will enter the season with expectations higher than just making the post-season.

ESPN's power rankings have the Cowboys at #3, but many football analysts have picked the Cowboys to win the Super Bowl. I have chosen to hold off on my bold predictions until a fomitable wide recieve is added to the roster to compliment T.O. With many of Jones' favorites for the job staying put, I don't see a reslolution in teh near future. With that said, there are no excuses. The team does have other offensive weapons coming out of the backfield and at T.E.

The hype of the 2008 Dallas team will begin to be answered this weekend when week 1 kicks of with the Cleveland Browns. On Sunday I'll play the roll of fan, but expect an honest Monday morning review from this blogger.