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2013-2014 Preseason: Tour Of Duty Or Just
More Doody?
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- September 8,
2013
At 6:30 PM CST
By Eric M. Scharf
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- "The Tortured Cowboys Fan" has
returned . . . though the long drought between pithy posts has
certainly left loyal followers feeling burned.
The Tortured Cowboys Fan – sadly – is only human . . . with a
dedicated spouse to whom he will rarely grouse, a young family to
cultivate into being great, and a rather involved job that leaves no
room for a zero detail slob. For so many writing opportunities –
these daily life activities have been doomin’.
Life happens . . . and for The Tortured Cowboys Fan, this is not the
first rodeo, so – without further delay – let us get on with the
show.
Post Draft Thoughts
Fans – some but not all – reacted as if Jerry Jones had selected a
player like Shante Carver in the 2013 NFL Draft.
Fans – some but not all – needed a little time to calm down, breath,
watch a little preseason play, and prove they were not daft.
Fans – on almost every Dallas draft pick – seemingly wanted to beat
the Cowboys’ brain trust with a stick.
Phil “Gonna’ Cost Ya” Costa had done the best he could – when
healthy and through injury – but a new center was an absolute
necessity.
Was Travis Frederick the very best offensive linemen in the draft?
No – but he was one of the best centers with a truly respectful
eye towards his craft. If fans are lucky, their center so plucky
will help complete the transformation of the Cowboys’ offensive
linemen from meatheads into some real BLOCKHEADS.
Jason Witten has been an excellent Pro Bowl player – and future Hall
of Famer – but in his absence, the Cowboys other tight ends (outside
of James Hanna) have not had a prayer.
Dallas waited and waited (through a major knee injury) for former
Cowboys tight end John Phillips to turn his flashes of brilliance
into a long-term continuance. Dallas waited and waited for Martellus
Bennett to consistently grow up and reach his potential . . . only
to see him show the New York Giants he could be existential.
Was Gavin Escobar the best available tight end? Did the Cowboys (and
everyone else) want Tyler Eifert even more? Escobar is tall with an
excellent set of hands and – while blocking is not his best
attribute – he should help create many opportunities to score.
Will the Cowboys ever have a reasonably reliable third wide
receiver? Will Terrance Williams make them into believers? Butch
Johnson was a high-flyer, Kelvin Martin was excellent in the slot,
and Kevin Williams was pretty darn good. They are all long gone, and
fans are in a desperate mood. Truth be told – the Cowboys and their
fans hope their two starters stay so healthy and play so hearty that
they never have to be so bold . . . with a rookie third wide out
upon which they are – naturally – not entirely sold.
The Cowboys have been searching for even a serviceable replacement
for Darren Woodson for about a decade. Now that Barry is back
healthy from last year’s knee injury, the Cowboys are happy to go to
Church every Sunday, Monday, or Thursday. Dallas still needs another
strong man of faith to work with Church. J.J. Wilcox may prove – in
time – to be that missing long-term bookend that gets the Cowboys
out of their annual safety search.
The Cowboys have almost always enjoyed at least one quality starting
cornerback, if not two. Their third corner – Orlando Scandrick – has been
good in the slot, but they are desperately seeking a fourth who can
reasonably man any spot. Perhaps B.W. Webb will be the
depth-delivering Spider-Man who can.
The position of running back – ever since before the exit of Emmitt
Smith – has been another yearly Cowboys’ heart attack. DeMarco
Murray – without question – has all the skills to be an every down
back, but he has been unable to entirely beat the injury bug . . .
that – since college – has occasionally left him needing a hug.
Phillip Tanner has shown flashes of good rushing manner, but he has
also occasionally struggled to stay on the field . . . even for
special teams and what few touches DeMarco does yield. Joseph Randle
– depending upon your perspective – was a bit of a steal . . . and
time will tell if this clearly skilled back is the real deal.
When the Cowboys lost Sean Lee and Bruce Carter, they knew they were
going to need to develop another potential defensive starter.
DeVonte Holloman showed an excellent “nose for the ball” during his
preseason opportunity . . . and – if memory serves – he was caught
delivering only one rookie atrocity. Fans should temper their
excitement about Holloman and hope he does not become an also-ran or
a downright hollow man.
The Cowboys did not cut a draft choice before the regular season for
the first time in years . . . and fans can only wait and see if
Frederick and the other picks manage to do more than just stick.
TNT – Talent N’ Technique
Former Cowboys’ great, offensive lineman Larry Allen, was inducted
into the Hall of Fame – along with former head coach Bill “Big Tuna”
Parcells – to begin the 2013 preseason.
Larry was – and still is – a big, strong man. Though he and Big
Bill were not always working from the same plan, they both would both tell you “TNT is the
only way on game day. You
have to match great talent with great technique . . . or you may
never reach your peak.”
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- You can have all the talent in the world, but if you play with poor
technique and two left feet . . . you will fail to consistently
compete.
The best players are not always the most talented but – in the case
of Larry Allen for so many years – he displayed both a strong will
and the refined skill.
Character Rejecter
Fans – some but not all – want NFL players to be comprised of only
the highest moral fiber and be a guaranteed societal model . . .
rather than imperfect people which any major sports league would
need to tirelessly monitor or coddle.
While no one wants their favorite NFL players to become puppets, it
is far better than seeing them – some but not all – repeatedly
displaying the destructive behavior of right Muppets.
The NFL continues – out of annual offseason necessity – to enhance
security protocols for current players and expand background checks
on potential draft picks. Teams used to have to surround star
players with extra security to occasionally protect them from “their
biggest fans” . . . and they never could have dreamed the exact
opposite could become the centerpiece of their daily plans.
“Necessary Roughness” is a core NFL theme that was exclusive to grid
iron play. It has increasingly become something that occurs in and
out of the stadium on game day.
Until the NFL develops a stronger will – with a more accurate
character rejecter towards a better image protector – the league may
continue to have to swallow a bitter character pill.
Camp Cramp
NFL offseason activities had been undergoing slow-but-steady changes
over the past several years . . . because of the growing grind from
the grid iron gears.
The current CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) represents a big
and guaranteed acceleration of those changes in how-and-how-often
NFL players are required to practice during the offseason and
preseason.
The return of “Camp Cupcake” could never have been timed better and
with well over 100+ players hitting injured reserve, there would
appear to be no greater reason.
Wade “The Fade” Phillips would be grinning from ear to ear . . . if
this solution was a not-so-carefully-crafted cover up for an issue
that only continues to encourage cynical fans to jeer.
The blame (for some) rests within the CBA rules – which allow for a
longer offseason, less practice (with and without pads), and a less
demanding training camp . . . resulting in players who look far less
prepared – whether or not they are mildly flabby or physical fitness
fools.
The blame (for others) rests with the NFLPA’s effort to – once and
for all . . . get the PED-using percentage of their players squeaky
clean, before HGH (High Grade Help, err, Human Growth Hormone)
testing becomes official in professional football.
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- There are simply too many standard player contracts that now include
a multitude of personal maintenance incentives – covering a playing weight bonus, workout bonus, full practice bonus, and roster bonus.
Skipping any of these free money tasks would force even the most
distracted player to be pretty inventive. The NFLPA carries the
weight of this onus.
It is beyond unbelievable that so many players – seemingly all at
once – would purposely and selfishly show up in such sad condition .
. . knowing how their personal maintenance efforts will always
directly affect their teammates’ game day mission.
Any final, legitimate HGH test – as part of the CBA – must be based
upon a league-wide “population study.” ALL roster-bound players are
expected to be involved – via blood sample – in order to prevent
partial participation results from becoming muddy.
Any players still coming down from being a PED clown will surely not
be interested in being buddy-buddy with this all-or-nothing study.
Time will tell if the ongoing press wrestling – between the NFL and
NFLPA - will eventually end the NFLPA’s waffling and result in
proper, consensus HGH testing.
Until that time comes to pass, fans and prognosticators can throw
water on the NFLPA’s collective camp cramp . . . because the sudden
flood of incredible injuries over the past two years is more than
just a little damp.
Preseason For Every Reason
Wherever there is injury smoke, there is replacement fire and –
regarding the purpose of preseason and the myriad of injuries . . .
it is still amazing how many fans continue to inquire.
Fans need to watch preseason performances to be confident the
starters – for a series, a quarter, a half, or a game – do not look
strange, out of sorts, or come up lame.
- Fans need to watch preseason performances to be confident the
backups – over a few full games – can actually step up in an
emergency . . . and – for those young pups who deliver – to start
memorizing their names.
The Cowboys’ strength and conditioning staff is viewed around the
league as the best the NFL has to offer. Until they can solve the
riddle of roster injuries with a magic-but-legal elixir, the backups
are the ones who will be charged with being the fixer.
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- The backups – not so many years ago – would have been allowed to sit
pretty on the bench with their hands in a no-pressure clench. This
is absolutely no more . . . with the backups being called on – early
in the season – to make or prevent a score.
Fans can-and-should watch the preseason for every reason.
Concussion Discussion
If the NFLPA did not have the retired-player-noose tied to their
concussion caboose, they might have had the nerve to let litigation
play out . . . and possibly win a lot more NFL loot at the end of
the bout.
The NFL owners dodged a huge – no, MAMMOTH – bullet that – in some ways –
could have sent the most popular sport in America straight into the
toilet.
It appears the tentative settlement (for a $756M pittance, err,
payoff) – reached last week between the NFL and the collection of
players tied to the suit – does not include protection (for the NFL)
against future claims . . . which is a potentially painful
detriment.
This headache is not completely going away, and it may reappear to
affect a future game day.
Will They Or Won’t They?
Just like the rest of the NFL, the Dallas Cowboys have had an entire
offseason and preseason to fix their weaknesses and enhance their
strengths.
Just like the rest of the NFL, the Dallas Cowboys had the chance to
draft for the present and fortify their future.
Just like the rest of the NFL, the Dallas Cowboys have had a series
of OTA’s, unit-specific mini camps, and a full-blown training camp
to learn a new playbook and improve an existing one.
Just like the rest of the NFL, the Dallas Cowboys have arrived at
their latest opportunity to create separation between themselves and
the rest of the league.
Will that separation be from the top or the bottom? Will America’s
Team prove to prognosticators, fans, and themselves that they have
the knowledge, the skills, and the determination to face past
failures . . . and drop them?
Will the change in play callers create a positive change in
footballers . . . or will the point be moot when they fail to
execute?
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- Will Monte Kiffin and Bill Callahan
be able to uniquely motivate the defense and offense to a man . . .
or will all that talk of accuracy and effort simply be tossed in the
can?
Tony Romo hit the offseason jackpot, but many fans remain unsure he
and the Cowboys even have a shot. He needs a reasonably complete
offense built around him – regardless of his past mistakes. Will his
overhauled offensive line give him any breaks . . . or will another
season look dim?
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- Will the Cowboys gag again
and allow the New York Giants to gobble them up at AT&T
Stadium . . . or will Dallas finally answer the call and play some
serious ball?
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- Will this year be another pungent
tour of doody . . . or a proud tour of duty?
We shall see. We always do.
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