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2009-2010 Offseason: Fast At 50 - Give Gault Another Go Route?
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- March 22,
2010
At 12:30 AM CST
By Eric M. Scharf
A Good Way To Inspire The
Team
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- Upon learning that Emmitt Smith had been accepted into the
Professional Football Hall of Fame, Jerry Jones aggressively lobbied
the NFL league office to select the Dallas Cowboys to play in the
2010 Hall of
Fame game, following the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.
The league office acquiesced, and
Jerry got his wish of a Hall of Fame event turned
nationally-televised Cowboys Grand Celebration. It will be just the
type of manageable media storm Jerry likes to utilize a few times
per year for his team.
The Cowboys will be facing the Cincinnati Bengals
along with former Cowboys defensive coordinator in Mike Zimmer, whom
the Cowboys and most star-spangled fans hold in high regard.
Jerry – who will be presenting
Emmitt at his Hall of Fame induction – commented how the entire
upcoming extravaganza should serve as a great source of
encouragement and inspiration for the current crop of Cowboys to
finally and completely fulfill the promise and expectations of their collective
talent. Fans have plenty of proof to believe that America's Team has
as good a chance as any to deliver the first Cowboys Super Bowl
victory since the 1995-1996 season.
Jerry is right to feel the way he
does, because Emmitt was such a standout talent on a supremely
talented grid iron gang. While Emmitt's Hall of Fame induction and
the grammatically-challenged statements he made about Dan Snyder may be at
the forefront of Cowboys' Nation, there is another story that could
prove even more inspiring to Jerry's current
players – or the players on any NFL team.
A Better Way To Inspire The
Team
An article was written a little over
a week ago about former Super Bowl winner, Olympic qualifier, actor,
and retired wide receiver, Willie Gault.
He still can run a 4.4 second 40
yard dash – down from the 4.2 second time of his playing days – with
his 50th birthday a mere handful of months away. Gault
participated in the Millrose Games in January – where he competed
against several other active NFL veterans in a 60 yard dash.
Each of his competitors were at least 13 years younger. After
struggling out of the gate, Gault reached the finish line in third
place at 7.07 seconds. Apart from an understandably rusty
set of pass-catching skills, Gault would still strike the fear of God in
many a secondary.
Gault has always treated his body
like a temple – with a weekly diet of fish, soy, and vegetables – and a punishing weekly workout regimen that includes a full course
of weight training, as well as 200s, 300s, and 400s at a nearby
track.
Gault does not need more money.
Gault does not need more fame. Gault does not need more physical
punishment.
Then, again, Gault did collect 333
receptions for 6,635 yards (at 20 yards per catch) and 44 touchdowns
. . . and rarely getting touched by a defender on his way to the
majority of those catches.
According to those close to him – and those colleagues qualified to judge his physical skills
– Gault
is in excellent physical condition, and he can still play. Gault
seems at least curious to see if – outside of Al Davis - anyone
would have the gall to give him another go route. Speed, after all,
is still speed . . . and he is, indeed, interested in entertaining a
comeback if only to satiate that curiosity.
So what does Willie Gault have to do with
the Dallas Cowboys? The presence of Gault at training camp would do
far more immediate and long-term good for the Cowboys than Emmitt's
Hall of Fame induction.
How many active NFL players do you suspect have taken care of
themselves as well as Willie Gault – without leaning heavily on a
strength and conditioning coach? The unmatched Jerry Rice – the
poster child for personal maintenance – is retired.
A Different Kind Of Spectacle
Jerry should invite a different kind
of spectacle to Valley Ranch. He should sign Gault to a free agent
contract under the following conditions:
Gault gets to participate in
training camp with an official shot at claiming the fourth wide
receiver spot.
Gault will claim the fourth wide
receiver spot if the competition continues to perform no better than
spot duty special teamers.
Gault will be invited to remain with
the team as a hybrid assistant receivers coach / strength and
conditioning coach if he does not make the final roster.
Miles Austin currently owns the
primary starting wide receiver spot.
Roy Williams has a tenuous grip on
the second starting wide receiver spot.
Patrick Crayton has a better hold on
the third wide receiver spot – as long as he remains focused.
Kevin Ogletree – unless he turns in
a horrible training camp – should gain even more of Tony Romo's
confidence as the fourth receiver.
Sam Hurd – unless he plays out of
his mind in training camp – should remain fixed as the fifth
receiver and special teams regular.
The other receivers – "futures"
invited to training camp or returning from the Cowboys' practice
squad – can only try and hope.
A number of free floating elements – including the upcoming 2010 NFL draft, trades, performance, and
injuries – can, of course, derail this receiving hierarchy.
Fans – at the mere mention of Gault
getting another go in the NFL – would certainly be thinking:
Why on Earth would a near-50 year
old former NFL receiver even consider subjecting himself to the
intense rigors of the NFL again?
Why would Jerry Jones even consider
sacrificing a promising youthful incumbent for someone who may not
even survive a season?
Why would Jerry even consider
messing with the chemistry Romo is developing with his wide
receivers?
Fans – alternatively – might also be
thinking:
What better way to get everyone's
full attention than to bring in someone who can show them a 24/7
approach to quality preparation?
What better way to get Miles
Austin's full attention than with a mentor who knows how to avoid
nagging injuries more than most?
What better way to get Roy Williams'
full attention than to push him with someone who will approach every
rep as if it is his last?
What better way to get Ogletree,
Hurd, and the rest to adopt a more stringent approach to readiness
when their names are called?
Fans may also be pondering:
Why bring in Gault when the Cowboys
have brought other former and successful players – in the past – to
assist with player training?
The answer to this single question
is simple: none of those former players were in any qualified
physical condition to get onto the practice field in full pads and
legitimately participate with the players they were training.
What about Torry Holt – the player
for whom I wanted Jerry Jones to trade just one year prior to
landing Roy Williams? Torry has since developed questionable knees,
and he has never shown any interest in becoming a hybrid
player-coach resource to any NFL team.
Understanding The Core Of The
Gault Concept
Before I get lambasted for being a
true blue Cowboys coo coo, it is important to understand the core of
this Gault concept:
Whether the Dallas Cowboys ever add
Willie Gault to their training camp roster or not, it is the idea of
what such a person can bring to the table that counts the most.
Gault is just one example of a physically gifted and accomplished former player the
Cowboys can add to their mix in order to get more from their other
ingredients.
The chances are "historically"
excellent that Gault would not make the Cowboys final roster, but
the chances are equally excellent that his presence – and his
personal drive to "show everyone" – would in turn gain Jerry Jones a
greater return on investment from his other receivers in
preparation, in performance, and . . . in fear of failure – as no
young pup with an ego the size of Texas wants to be humiliated by a
50 year old man.
While Gault is just one of many
people the Cowboys might consider inviting to training camp to
inspire their players to improve, he is one of just a few who could
do it on the field. Emmitt – with or without his upcoming
Hall of Fame induction – is in no condition, with respect, to accomplish the same
task.
One way or another, Gault would
succeed in improving Jerry's kids through direct competition, direct
adoption of his lifestyle approach, and direct consultation over the
course of a season . . . or seasons to come as a potential and
focused part of the
coaching staff.
Who knows if Willie or Jerry would
be interested in such a player improvement concept? Is Willie even
as willing and capable as has been suggested? Is Jerry even as
willing to and capable of using one of 80+ training camp roster
spots for such an experiment?
Who will be the next former player
Jerry asks to visit Valley Ranch in search of new ways to help get
the most out of his team – and how deep will that former player be
able to GO to accomplish the task at hand?
We shall see. We always do.
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