In memory of those “Pet cats” of the past

glimmerman

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Shocked nobody has mentioned Victor Butler.
Did not see the field often but when he did get a few snaps he seemed to do a good job.
Can't remember if he had trouble staying healthy or they just let him walk.
I just thought about him. I remember when he had a unreal preseason. He played a series and had 2 sacks and pass deflection. We let him go and he went to the saints. Never understood why we let him go...
 

glimmerman

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Can’t remember who it was but he used to hit really hard. I thought he was going to be another Roy Williams type of hitter.. He broke shoulder pads in practice from hitting.
 

Valkyr

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Almost lost it when they cut (or traded, can't recall) Patrick Jeffers.

Went on to a great year with the Panthers, then was out of the league a year later.
 

SteveTheCowboy

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Mine was Devin Smith, but given it's his contract year and they chose to do squat with him last year, he's not so much fun as a pet cat anymore. I'll have to dig something else up.

Romo 2 could be some fun in preseason, but no fun watching him on the bench during the season.

Maybe I'll stick with Smith this year. I don't see much downroster on he offense that looks too interesting.
I'm still holding out hope too! I really think the former staff just could not manage their bench players very well. They couldn't find ANY opportunity AT ALL to play Rush? EVen with Dak injured and MAY have cost them the game?

Devin got game....Coop, Gallup, CD, and Devin is fearsome!
 

jazzcat22

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Noah Brown is not a "pet". I think he was a bit of a reach as he didn't have many college plays. He does have one of the best catches in college football though!

Rico...WAS a pet...no logical rationale for keeping him around that long.

And what defines a pet?
 

SteveTheCowboy

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And what defines a pet?
I defined it already.

Like "Teacher's pet". Or "pet project" See?

I think hopefuls, busts or favorite players aren't necessarily "pets".

Devin isn't really "pet". Rico qualifies.

Just my .02...ya'll can list what ya want!
 

jazzcat22

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I defined it already.

Like "Teacher's pet". Or "pet project" See?

I think hopefuls, busts or favorite players aren't necessarily "pets".

Devin isn't really "pet". Rico qualifies.

Just my .02...ya'll can list what ya want!

I go by a late round draft pick or an UDFA usually.
However I can see a player being a pet cat in the earlier rounds, if they touted them for a long time before they were signed or drafted.

I said since 2014, after the bowl games. Dallas needs to find a way to get Zeke. But once they did, I did not consider him a pet cat. As we knew he would be good.
I also started in that January before he was drafted they need to find a way to draft Noah Brown, and they did a sa 7th round pick. So he qualifies.

Just as DiNucci does this year. He is on my list, maybe another player will be too once TC starts.
 

Doc50

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This time of year, its always fun to see how many of our diehard fans break out their pet cat stories. You know, those favorite players that are often at the end of the bench or deep in the depth chart but have captured the heart and imagination of some fans. Sometimes they pan out...often they don’t.

So I thought it would be fun to make a list of some of the most popular “pet cats” around here the last few years and how they turned out- either playing here, elsewhere or not at all.

I will start- Here’s a list of some guys I’ve seen mentioned often by some fans on these fan boards as pet cats, that I never quite understood what the big deal was. In no particular order:
  • Rico Gathers TE- I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a sixth round draft pick with no college football experience on their resume garner so much hype and drool. He was definitely a great athlete. Football player, not so much. He looked great in shorts and preseason games against 3rd string guys who had no shot at making it in the NFL, but if you listened to some, he was headed to the ROH and maybe Canton. Cut in 2018. Somehow his HOF run has ended.
  • Matt Johnson- S- a 4th rounder out of Eastern Washington, he was hailed by some as “the steal of the draft” in 2012. Unfortunately, he pulled every muscle known to science and never could get on the field. But man was he hyped. He somehow lasted on the roster 3 seasons before announcing his retirement in 2015. Good athlete but just couldn’t stay healthy.

  • Charles Tapper- DE- Another 4th rounder in 2016 that had several fans frothing that he was going to bookend our DL with DLaw. Heard him hailed a lot between 2016-17. Again, injuries did him in. Was released here in 2018, landed with the jets but they released him again recently.
This list could go on and on...I’m interested in some fun memories you have of other pet cats that didn’t quite have nine lives.

Who’s on your list?

My first pet cat ever was your namesake -- Rapid Robert. Was the most successful PC of mine; second would be Romo.
 

Bobhaze

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My first pet cat ever was your namesake -- Rapid Robert. Was the most successful PC of mine; second would be Romo.
Bullet Bob was literally my first Cowboys hero as a kid. Thanks to my dad taking me to some games as a kid, I was lucky enough to see him play in person at both the Cotton Bowl and Texas Stadium. Fastest player I’ve ever seen play in person.
 
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SteveTheCowboy

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I go by a late round draft pick or an UDFA usually.
However I can see a player being a pet cat in the earlier rounds, if they touted them for a long time before they were signed or drafted.

I said since 2014, after the bowl games. Dallas needs to find a way to get Zeke. But once they did, I did not consider him a pet cat. As we knew he would be good.
I also started in that January before he was drafted they need to find a way to draft Noah Brown, and they did a sa 7th round pick. So he qualifies.

Just as DiNucci does this year. He is on my list, maybe another player will be too once TC starts.


Think of it this way. What makes a "teacher's pet"? Someone that has found unreasonable favor with the teacher. Get's special privilege and favoritism.

Rico .

Zeke was my hope too. Not a pet at all a beast. And I'm a homer.

I was happy about Noah as well...since I'm a homer. Instead of "pet" I thought he was a bit of a reach, a hopeful. Not really any special favoritism shown to him. He had some good plays at tOSU but not really like most of our stud WRs.

I could be wrong looking at this. I suppose faves, underdogs, and duds could be "pets".
 

jazzcat22

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Think of it this way. What makes a "teacher's pet"? Someone that has found unreasonable favor with the teacher. Get's special privilege and favoritism.

Rico .

Zeke was my hope too. Not a pet at all a beast. And I'm a homer.

I was happy about Noah as well...since I'm a homer. Instead of "pet" I thought he was a bit of a reach, a hopeful. Not really any special favoritism shown to him. He had some good plays at tOSU but not really like most of our stud WRs.

I could be wrong looking at this. I suppose faves, underdogs, and duds could be "pets".

Underdogs is more like it IMO. But all good, fans have their reasons and interpretations. As long as we get a winning team.
 
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