DC.COM: Spagnola: This Program Heading In The Right Direction - Dallas Cowboys Forum

**WoodysGirl** · 01-04-2013

Mickey Spagnola
DallasCowboys.com Columnist

IRVING, Texas – Home is usually good.

You know, home for the holidays; home for the summer; home on leave.
But home for the playoffs is not.

And for the third consecutive season the Dallas Cowboys are sitting at home this weekend, not involved in the NFL playoffs. Not this wild-card weekend and certainly not next weekend’s divisional round of games reserved for the top two teams in each conference and this weekend’s four winners.

Ba-humbug. Nobody is in a good mood.

Not you.

Not the local media.

Not the coaching staff here at The Ranch.

Not the players.

And for sure, not the owner, Jerry Jones spewing his frustration this past Wednesday on his local 105.3 The Fan radio segment, saying, unprovoked, mind you, “I can assure our fans this, it’s going to be very uncomfortable from my standpoint, very uncomfortable for the next few weeks and months at Valley Ranch.”

Absolutely, not a soul is happy with 8-8, especially on the heels of an 8-8 season, the only time in the 53-year history of the Cowboys that they have finished .500 in consecutive seasons and just the fourth time overall. Not a soul is happy landing there by losing the final two games of the past two seasons, which includes the final game of each season playing for the division title.

Read more: http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/ar...8-058cba2e7ba9

**MichaelWinicki** · 01-04-2013

I have to agree with Mickey...

This team is better than the one in 2011.

And the one next season will be better than this one.

Redball Express · 01-04-2013

I am Soooooo tired of the media spins and explanation that losing equates to winning.

It doesn't. Not in football, not in marbles, not in the Battle between the Sexes nor with your local newspaper/media

What a bunch of bilge water, Mic.

Really.

RedBaLL ExpreSS

newlander · 01-04-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redball Express

I am Soooooo tired of the media spins and explanation that losing equates to winning.

It doesn't. Not in football, not in marbles, not in the Battle between the Sexes nor with your local newspaper/media

What a bunch of bilge water, Mic.

Really.

RedBaLL ExpreSS

........but what else do you expect from the head cheerleader? Spags has no credibility, he says this every year after this team wins 6-9 games.

Vertigo_17 · 01-04-2013

I'm ok with one more year with JG at the helm, but after that if we don't see marked improvement (e.g. Playoff wins) then it's time to move on

I get the process but we need to progress

perrykemp · 01-04-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelWinicki

I have to agree with Mickey...

This team is better than the one in 2011.

And the one next season will be better than this one.

So... 9-7?

LUVDABOYS · 01-04-2013

Not buying it AGAIN Mick... something needs to change. Not change for change sake, but a legitimate, needed change. I'm not sure exactly what that change is, but I suspect a new offense and a offensive coordinator would give me something to look forward to next year.
I'll get some flack for this one, but if I was Jerry the first person down the road is Jay Rat. It's obvious to me that Jerry thinks he was milking his injuries and could have helped the team if he wanted to. I've wanted a big NT since Ferguson left and have always felt he was playing out of position. Rat's lack of production this year and bad attitude just puts me over the edge. Him being gone only helps the team and forced them to do what they should have done awhile ago Imo..

yimyammer · 01-04-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUVDABOYS

Not buying it AGAIN Mick... something needs to change. Not change for change sake, but a legitimate, needed change. I'm not sure exactly what that change is, but I suspect a new offense and a offensive coordinator would give me something to look forward to next year.
I'll get some flack for this one, but if I was Jerry the first person down the road is Jay Rat. It's obvious to me that Jerry thinks he was milking his injuries and could have helped the team if he wanted to. I've wanted a big NT since Ferguson left and have always felt he was playing out of position. Rat's lack of production this year and bad attitude just puts me over the edge. Him being gone only helps the team and forced them to do what they should have done awhile ago Imo..

This will make you feel better...Rat had two years left on his contract when the powers that be tore up his contract and gave him a fat bonus and extension.

They finally get a contract where the player is outperforming it and they chunk it the trash, pure genius.

TheCount · 01-04-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelWinicki

I have to agree with Mickey...

This team is better than the one in 2011.

And the one next season will be better than this one.

Yeah, can't wait to have a better 8-8 team next year.

Chocolate Lab · 01-04-2013

Quote:

Right Direction

...

JsnSA · 01-05-2013

I don't know..it seems like the off season has been the best time to be a Cowboys fan over the last few years. We are always just a few moves away from becoming elite.

Then the season starts and after a few games you find the same old problems.

**Idgit** · 01-05-2013

I wonder what it is that people find so threatening about some of us liking the direction of this 8-8 team?

EGG · 01-05-2013

So they're all miffed and upset? like they didn't see this coming? This team's destiny was etched in stone 8 months ago and it didn't take Nostradamus to figure it out.

They must be play-acting for the fans,,, feigned surprise and disgust so that we get the appearance of motion and change on the horizon,,,

I will acknowledge that they are incrementally better than last year though,,, and a year older.

**Idgit** · 01-05-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by EGG

So they're all miffed and upset? like they didn't see this coming? This team's destiny was etched in stone 8 months ago and it didn't take Nostradamus to figure it out.

They must be play-acting for the fans,,, feigned surprise and disgust so that we get the appearance of motion and change on the horizon,,,

I will acknowledge that they are incrementally better than last year though,,, and a year older.

Not necessarily a year older. We're getting younger, overall, and adding good players in each of the last two drafts. We're getting younger, and better, but still complaining about our direction, basically.

Seven · 01-05-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Idgit

Not necessarily a year older. We're getting younger, overall, and adding good players in each of the last two drafts. We're getting younger, and better, but still complaining about our direction, basically.

Tony isn't getting younger. No replacement in sight. . What direction were we headed again?