MySA: Cowboys' Costa focused, feisty and fun

[Arch Stanton]

Cowboys' Costa focused, feisty and fun
By Tom Orsborn
torsborn@express-news.net
Published 11:51 p.m., Saturday, August 20, 2011

ARLINGTON — Center Phil Costa is the Dallas Cowboys' pit bull.
According to teammates, it's impossible to distract him once he sinks his teeth into something.
“He's like fanatical,” quarterback Stephen McGee said. “I think you refer to it as OCD.”
McGee first encountered Costa's obsessive nature last season shortly after the Maryland-ex signed as an undrafted free agent.
“He's crazy about getting shotgun snaps,” McGee said. “He's like, ‘McGee, let's get some guns. Let's get a couple of guns. You got some time? Let's get some guns.' And I'm like, ‘Phil, (your) snaps were perfect.' He's like, ‘Give me a couple more.'”
Thinking his hyper teammate would eventually calm down after hearing the compliment, McGee joined his coaches and Tony Romo for a film session.


Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/cowboys/article/Focused-feisty-and-fun-2134425.php?

[Champsheart]

After reading that kinda cant help but to like Costa. Hopefully the play will match the article.

[SaltwaterServr]

After reading that kinda cant help but to like Costa. Hopefully the play will match the article.

You love to read things like this because a man like that has all the internal motivation he needs. You, as a coach, can stoke those fires a bit higher but he's going to do everything and anything he can to be the perfect player at his position. Of course he won't ever get there, but he's got that motivation to try his best every day.

Reminds me of a story about some NBA player who had OCD. He would practice free throws as a kid and needed ten in a row before he allowed himself to stop for the night.

Not just hitting ten in a row either.

He wouldn't quit until he had hit ten in a row that "sounded right."

That kind of mental dedication is beyond anything a coach can instill into a player.

[Woods]

That was a great article.

“He's a fighter, and he's got tattoos,” McGee said. “He does the fist pumping. He lifts tons of weights. He takes supplements. The lockout was over for a day (in April), and he's on ESPN carrying a box of ‘supps,' as he calls them, out the door.

:laugh2:


You got to love it.

[BIGDen]

Kind of a cheesy title for a football article.

"Our next contestant on The Dating Game is 'focused, feisty, and fun!' He's here all the way from Pennsauken, NJ. Everybody please give a warm welcome to Phil Costa!!!"

[GoCowboysGo]

You love to read things like this because a man like that has all the internal motivation he needs. You, as a coach, can stoke those fires a bit higher but he's going to do everything and anything he can to be the perfect player at his position. Of course he won't ever get there, but he's got that motivation to try his best every day.

Reminds me of a story about some NBA player who had OCD. He would practice free throws as a kid and needed ten in a row before he allowed himself to stop for the night.

Not just hitting ten in a row either.

He wouldn't quit until he had hit ten in a row that "sounded right."

That kind of mental dedication is beyond anything a coach can instill into a player.

Great story! Wasn't that Larry Bird? I thought I remember him say that in an interview once a long time ago. I thought it was "the shot had to be all net to count". Again, long time ago and my memory on this is fuzzy.

[Ranzo]

Kind of a cheesy title for a football article.

"Our next contestant on The Dating Game is 'focused, feisty, and fun!' He's here all the way from Pennsauken, NJ. Everybody please give a warm welcome to Phil Costa!!!"

True enuff. When I think "feisty and fun" I'm conjuring up something else altogether.;)

[FiveTime]

Wow! The more I read and hear about this guy the more I like him. I absolutely love the story about him interrupting the film session.

[MichaelWinicki]

I think the guy is going to be a solid lineman for a long time to come.

He may not be a pro-bowler, but a pretty solid lineman none-the-less.

[MichaelWinicki]

"Even if he doesn't start, Costa, 24, is expected to play plenty as the Cowboys continue to evaluate if they should line him up at center and slide Gurode, 33, over to left guard.

'We have to see what combinations work best,' Garrett said. 'Who are the top five guys, and where should we put them?'"

This is the first time in along time I've heard that line from a Cowboy's HC and actually believed it.

[TheSport78]

I take a bunch of supplements, which I keep in a case also. I'm officially on the Costa bandwagon. lol

[StonetheCrow77]

There may be something to this...

http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/302770-next-cowboy-to-go?sct=hp_bf2_a6&eref=sihp

[Temo]

You love to read things like this because a man like that has all the internal motivation he needs. You, as a coach, can stoke those fires a bit higher but he's going to do everything and anything he can to be the perfect player at his position. Of course he won't ever get there, but he's got that motivation to try his best every day.

Reminds me of a story about some NBA player who had OCD. He would practice free throws as a kid and needed ten in a row before he allowed himself to stop for the night.

Not just hitting ten in a row either.

He wouldn't quit until he had hit ten in a row that "sounded right."

That kind of mental dedication is beyond anything a coach can instill into a player.

Ray Allen. If you ever go to a game and get there early, you should see him warm up. He doesn't do as much now because he's older and needs to save his legs for the game, but he's still got the same methodical nature. Needs to shoot from the same spots, for the same amount of time, until it feel right before he moves on to the next spot.

OCD as hell.

[28 Joker]

I think Garrett is seriously considering going with Costa at center, and I'm hoping that the Cowboys will do it. I don't think Gurode is a guard, either.

In 2006, the Cowboys broke in a new center, LG, and RT. It can be done.

[CowboyStar88]

I like this kid he is gonna I hope he keeps working hard. These are the types of players I want on this team. Never quit Never give up Never be satisfied.

[gmoney112]

Haha, hustle and muscle. That's a good line.

[Juke99]

Costa sounds like kinda O lineman the NY Giants would have....which is fine with me.

[funkytown]

Costa sounds like kinda O lineman the NY Giants would have....which is fine with me.

I agree. Sounds like a mean guy, someone you dont wanna see in a dark alley. But you want him on your o-line in the trenches.

Costa will be solid here for a long time. If he doesnt, it wont be because he didnt work hard.

[DallasEast]

"Even if he doesn't start, Costa, 24, is expected to play plenty as the Cowboys continue to evaluate if they should line him up at center and slide Gurode, 33, over to left guard.

'We have to see what combinations work best,' Garrett said. 'Who are the top five guys, and where should we put them?'"

This is the first time in along time I've heard that line from a Cowboy's HC and actually believed it.
This is very encouraging to read. If Costa is competent enough taking over the line calls, that would make Gurode's move to left guard that much smoother. My question is whether he's able to dig in and keep defensive players from penetrating and out of Romo's face?

[jblaze2004]

This is very encouraging to read. If Costa is competent enough taking over the line calls, that would make Gurode's move to left guard that much smoother. My question is whether he's able to dig in and keep defensive players from penetrating and out of Romo's face?

that's what i want to know. SD should be a good test. I'll try to focus on him alittle also. I'm sure someone will have a review up on him and naggy and also smith a day or so after the game.

[SaltwaterServr]

There may be something to this...

http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/302770-next-cowboy-to-go?sct=hp_bf2_a6&eref=sihp

After watching the run game inside and the pass protection, I think that story's premise dissolved into the ether.

[Doomsday101]

I'm happy with many of our young Linemen including Costa. These guys work hard and always looking for the extra work after practice. To me the future of this Oline is looking brighter than it has in a long time