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2012-2013 Regular Season: Toppling The Talon
& Conquering The Claw
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- December 8, 2012
At 11:50 PM CST
By Eric M. Scharf
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- An angry Eagles squad was expected
by "Cowboys Nation" – rather than a depleted team already resigned to
a long vacation – but what they received left them (even more)
concerned without reservation.
“America’s Team” was supposed to be focused on toppling the talon,
but they were clearly fixated on conquering the claw (leaving
fans in need of Valium by the gallon).
Caught Looking
Teams – in almost all sports at all levels – allow themselves to
think beyond the game at hand and be arrogant enough to look further ahead, even though it is something
(discerning) fans undoubtedly dread.
Teams – particularly possessing powerful postseason pedigrees –
really understand that overlooking a poorly performing opponent
could produce an undesirable result, and get them the third
degree from fans in full-on revolt.
Teams – like the 2-time defending NFL Champion Dallas Cowboys from
the early 90’s – believed they would win every contest. Jimmy
Johnson – no matter his confidence – made it painfully and
repeatedly clear he would never accept anything less than their very
best (and that his iron will they should never test).
While there were games affected by injury and others by stupidity –
like the Thanksgiving Day gaffe by Leon Lett, the Cowboys’
healthy fear of failure made them a regularly safe bet.
If there is one NFL team that always manages to look ahead – and
simply cannot help itself no matter how long it has been on the
shelf – it continues to be the Dallas Cowboys (even in the face
of condemning events and regardless of consequence).
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- The Cowboys and Eagles resembled members of the same mash unit.
Cowboys Nation logically expected a win but – deep down inside –
they knew America’s Team would potentially find a way to ruin it.
The Cowboys were missing plenty of their own starting personnel – most
of whom were lost to injured reserve – but they looked ahead
and, thus, had zero chance of blowing the curve.
Happier times would have seen any warm bodies signed off the
practice squad or from the street be so star-struck by the
Cowboys mystique they would temporarily forget how to compete. The
2012-2013 Dallas Cowboys may have an international following, but
they no longer have such a larger-than-life distraction, and
there is no time-stunted performance or player inaction.
The Cowboys knew what was coming, they knew how to prepare, but they
could not pass up an oversight dare. They took the bait and nearly
lost to those buzzards from the City of Brotherly Hate.
The Cowboys narrowly survived an Eagles team that played without
their core offensive pack (of Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy, and DeSean
Jackson), and Philly’s backups still managed a potent attack.
America’s Team fell for it and went slack before battling back
with another “halftime” attack.
Tony Romo sidestepped defender after defender to throw for three
more touchdowns and go on a 10-for-10 efficiency bender when
just one more Cowboys mental mistake (on offense or defense) might
have left them in Philly’s nothing-to-lose blender.
Dallas thought they were head chef in charge of their latest attempt
at a little home cooking. They were staring too deeply into the brew
and were almost caught looking.
Cowboy Down
Cowboys Nation had reasonably high hopes for this season and – until
the resumption of inconsistency compounded by an incredible rash of
injuries – fans thought they had pretty good reason.
Cowboys Nation – through another rollercoaster year – has yet to see
America’s Team give up, and they have always managed (at least
for one half per game) to Cowboy up.
The Cowboys – it seems – will not be spared even a moment’s peace (as the dense and drunk action of one team member has caused
another team member’s life to cease). Josh Brent – a rather important backup nose tackle
– decided it was acceptable to drive drunk and fast, flipping
his car and watching helplessly as his good friend, teammate, and practice squad
linebacker Jerry Brown passed.
Everyone – in a perfect world – would live a reasonably rich (with
experience) and long life (with plenty of variance), but life can be
an unpredictable stitch (that feels like a knife). This fact makes Brent’s
action so much worse and to everyone’s speechless dissatisfaction.
Life is complicated enough without external forces making it
unnecessarily rough.
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- While Brent had a previous criminal
record – involving a previous DUI strike created of his own accord – his action was certainly
not malicious, though the result was nonetheless vicious (from all
that has been reported without being contorted).
There are those who (understandably) will wonder if Jerry Brown,
too, was drinking, which might have impaired his in-the-moment thinking. He may
have been too inebriated to call 1-800-203-4731 before giving
his teammate the power to determine when his life was done. Not
every NFL player’s decisions come down to being macho – with an
attitude that is always “goal-to-go” – but you never know.
The action of Josh Brent – just one week removed from another
tragedy caused by Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher in Kansas City –
brings back to the forefront the passionate and tender subject of
American civil liberty. Members of the NFLPA continue to find ways –
seemingly every day – to collectively show off their mental
austerity.
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- While all American’s have the constitutional right to make their own
life-altering decisions, those choices – more often than not – fill
the lives of others with damaging-yet-avoidable incisions. Poor
choices are made by the best and worst of people all the time but
– unfortunately for highly-advertised professional sports athletes –
their warts receive the most attention in the public opinion courts.
And – yet – with this blatant fact in mind, common sense would
convince the NFLPA to make a concerted effort to stay far away from
this abundantly obvious component of the limelight grind.
Society has a historical tendency – especially during times of
widespread economic pain – to look upon the careless and reckless-yet-well-rewarded among us with complete and total disdain.
Society often (sadly) does not necessarily mind if an individual –
with no apparent personal responsibility – wants to jump off a cliff and end it all. As long
as no one else is mentally or physically affected, that individual can have a
ball. If an individual with multiple, personal, and business dependents – family, employees,
even teammates – makes a far-reaching decision that goes well beyond that
individual’s personal space, society’s natural inclination is to
get in that person's face and demand more protective constitutional amendments.
Our civil liberties are incredibly precious, but when NFL players
(an uncomfortable number of them but far from all) continue to make sometimes-horrific,
life-destroying mistakes without any apparent fear of serious
consequence, then society’s desire to take preventative measures
becomes rather infectious.
The NFLPA has always been weary of a character clause creeping into
any standard player contract because of the enormous potential
for a profit-limiting impact. The NFL does not seem to have any
viable alternative to inserting this legal additive, but
players – according to the NFLPA and due to their civil liberties –
should not be singled out as the sole bad guys at which society
should be able to shout.
The Tortured Cowboys Fan believes the
annual NFL Rookie Symposium (NRS) should be broadened to occur during the NFL combine.
The NRS should include ALL potential
draft choices AND expected rookie free agents to better
educate them on the societal landmine that comes with not
responsibly toeing the company line. There should also be a guest
owner – a different one every year – who explains to the rookie
class that only while on the grid iron could they behave like Marvel’s “Daredevil –
The Man Without Fear.”
A perfect first candidate for guest NFL owner would be Jerry Jones, as he has been
extremely generous and patient with the star-studded but
underwhelming team he owns.
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- Jerry can explain in no uncertain terms – alongside
NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice
Smith for the appropriate power blend – that: “Should you
choose to
make an off-hours / private time decision that even remotely places another life
(human or even a prized pet) in mental or physical danger of
any kind – where the proper authorities have proven you
neither required self-defense nor were protecting someone else in any way –
then, your NFL career will come to an
immediate and irrevocable end."
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- Furthermore – Jerry can explain:
"The NFLPA and NFL are brands
of the highest profile with literally hundreds of extremely-important, highly-visible
business relationships – none larger than our cable and network
television commitments so painstakingly polished. The simplest and
most innocent-but-misguided error can take our brands – that have
been built over several decades and in mere seconds, leave them –
and our collective earning potential – totally demolished. Any
off-hours / private life decision you make that damages
the good-and-very-public standing of either of these
brands – that are, in fact, linked completely at the hip even through annual disagreements – will
at minimum result in your contract incentives being completely
and immediately abolished."
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- Jerry can explain in closing (to
expected peanut gallery loathing):
"While there is always a chance that you may be involved in an
accident, your choices prior to any such event – just like any other
member of society – will directly determine if you are facing a
career-ending incident. While we all come from sometimes vastly-different upbringings
and cultures,
the NFL rules are the same for every player – providing numerous
measures to protect you from single-minded external vultures and to help you
bypass an avoidable error. Each and every person attending this NFL Rookie Symposium has the
power to be the best, most accomplished player but if – in the
process – you fail
to be an equally responsible adult, you had best beware.”
Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown knows all about attempting to
insert behavioral clauses into player agreements, and the
“unconstitutional” nature of such an endeavor. His effort should not
be looked upon as a failure but an acknowledgement of
what may finally be necessary if the typical NFL (or any, ANY pro
sports) player cannot take
it upon himself to be his own, um, jailor.
While The Tortured Cowboys Fan readily admits being relatively unfamiliar with
Jerry Brown – the person and the player – for his family and friends, most everyone who follows NFL football is making a prayer.
The Cowboys are headed to Cincinnati with a heavy heart – and a
Cowboy down – but in Jerry Brown's memory the greatest reason exists to Cowboy
up, work with what they got, and do their complete game part.
Will They Or Won’t They?
The Dallas Cowboys are headed to Cincinnati to face another team
with a borderline playoff dream. After tepidly toppling the talon,
the Cowboys have come to conquer the claw.
The Bengals have a lot going their way – from the possible return of
their starting center to a gaggle of guys who would be thrilled to
hand Dallas a bad day.
Mike Zimmer was passed over as a legitimate candidate for Cowboys
head coach. Adam “Pacman” Jones lived in a glass house while with
America’s Team, but he simply could not stop throwing stones.
Terence Newman was physically worn, his confidence shot, he was
thrown under the bus, and cut on the spot. Mike Brown has spent
his entire existence known as the worst owner and GM in town, but Brown knows he is looking better than his counterpart from Big D
– who lately has been painted by Cowboys Nation as a clown.
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- Will the Cowboys have any chance to
turn the Bengals into the Bungles upon entering The Jungle?
Will Tony Romo have to spend the entire game rolling away from Doug
Free – who has performed like a toll both failing to collect a fee?
“Roll out, young man, roll out” – or face the real possibility of a
Bengals defensive route?
Will DeMarco continue to improve his metal-plated health in a hurry and give Jason Garrett a longer reprieve from running game
worry?
Will Rob Ryan find a comfort zone with his rag tag talent bag, or will his rankled Roughnecks continue to lag?
Will Ryan find a way to regroup his damaged troop, or will they
be too emotionally spent due to the unfortunate action of Josh Brent? Will Brandon
Carr’s downfield de-fenders pop back into shape or be further bent?
Will the Cowboys dare attempt – once again – to look ahead, knowing they may very well come back bitten, clawed and – GULP –
with their postseason desires completely bled?
We shall see. We always do.
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