A Little Info For An Absentee Fan....

[jem88]

In years past, not a training camp report nor a pre-season game would escape my attention as I scoured every available source for Cowboys info to prepare for the season at hand. I was a vital part of the Cowboy fan community (few posters will forget the exhaustive pre-draft research conducted several years ago.) Sadly, Jem88 appears to have slipped ever so slightly this summer. Yes, the unhealthy Ike Holt fixation remains and the quirky off-topic posts are still a delight to fellow readers, but the football punditry side has suffered. I won't bore you with the details as to why this has happened; instead I ask the serious posters to enlighten me on the following details:

Biggest surprises of camp/preseason; flat-out best player; biggest disappointment; any other information you may wish to share.

I'm particularly keen on knowing about the performances of the O-line (is Gurode truly ready to take the next step?) and the D-Line (Thomas Pepper Johnson- promising young talent? or charitably nicknamed camp fodder?)

Please tell all....

 

[Smith22]

Biggest surprises of camp/preseason; flat-out best player; biggest disappointment; any other information you may wish to share.

Hurd, Rector and Pat M. were some of the biggest surprises, along with Corey P. Ware and Ellis have been strong as usual, but everyone seems impressed with Ellis and his new role at LB'er. I guess henson would be one of the bigger disappointments.

 

[Zaxor]

Well as far as pleasant suprises go their is McQuistan, Watkins, Elam and Proctor though he was a bit of a gamble... sorry bad joke...

biggest disappointment I guess would be Drew Henson

 

[Smith22]

Almost forgot, Romo has done very well and seems much better than years past.

 

[jem88]

Proctor though he was a bit of a gamble... sorry bad joke...

Hey I just got that! Pretty good one...

 

[WoodysGirl]

I know you want first hand opinions, but if you want to do a little catching up outside of this thread, go to the Training Camp Zone. Lots of good info in there.

http://cowboyszone.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=41

 

[jem88]

I know you want first hand opinions, but if you want to do a little catching up outside of this thread, go to the Training Camp Zone. Lots of good info in there.

http://cowboyszone.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=41

Cheers for that. By the way, glad to see that you're keeping the spirit of Woodson alive. I don't know why, but I still feel like he's an active member of our team. I remember when there was that rumour that might come back last year; although it didn't come off, it wouldn't have really surprised me if he had suited up again. If not for injuries, I'd bet he could still play at a high level today.

Darren Woodson= Cowboy legend.

 

[ravidubey]

jem88, the chemistry on the OL seems to be improving. They are pass-blocking well as a unit and they can pull like we haven't seen a Cowboys line do in years, maybe a decade or so. Against SF we ran pitches from deep set formations and the guards and tackles ran all over the field.

Best players: Terry Glenn, Terence Newman, DeMarcus Ware, Drew Bledsoe, Marion Barber, Greg Ellis
Suprises: Romo, Watkins, Greg Ellis, Colombo, McQuistan, Procter, Hoyte
Disappointments: Henson, Owens, Petitti, Crayton (hurt again), Skyler Green, M. Stanley, Beriault, Peterman.

Stepping Up: Brady James, Andre Gurode, Raitliff, Canty
Solid: Roy, Witten, Davis, Henry, Ayodele
Lost a Step/Took a step back: Aaron Glenn, Petitti
Sleeper: Nate Jones
Comebacks: Ferguson, Rivera, Flozell, Fabini, Spears

Just OK: Kosier, Polite, Al Johnson, Al Singleton, Fowler

+ Backups: WR, OL, DL, and LB
- Backups: Secondary have to work harder, though we've seen flashes from Jones and Reeves.

 

[lurkercowboy]

Jem!

On the OL, the team is deep at tackle but thin at guard. Gurode is looking much better at center.

On the DL, I'm not that excited about any of the young DTs. But DE is a bright spot.

The biggest surprise for me is how well Ellis handling his new assignment at OLB.

 

[ravidubey]

Jem!

On the OL, the team is deep at tackle but thin at guard. Gurode is looking much better at center.

On the DL, I'm not that excited about any of the young DTs. But DE is a bright spot.

The biggest surprise for me is how well Ellis handling his new assignment at OLB.

What's up, Lurker? I agree we are not special at NT and I aslo hope our depth at DE can make up for it. Do you think Al Johnson could play guard in a pinch?

 

[lurkercowboy]

I don't know if he has the size. I just hope Rivera stays healthy. Otherwise I guess Gurode would have to move over and Johnson would play center. Speaking of DE depth, I am thinking that Ratliff might be an emergency DT.

Hey, this is turning into an Austin360 reunion with you, me, and Jem. All we need now is Sonny#1 to stop by. Remember that guy?

 

[ravidubey]

Man, Sonny#1, I hadn't used that portion of memory in a long time. CalCBFan, Tuls, and RP posted here for a while. te0002 posts here occasionally as well. I even spotted a couple of posts from DCkid some time ago. VA and WV Cowboy post regularly (if it's the same guys!).

 

[jem88]

Man, Sonny#1, I hadn't used that portion of memory in a long time. CalCBFan, Tuls, and RP posted here for a while. te0002 posts here occasionally as well. I even spotted a couple of posts from DCkid some time ago. VA and WV Cowboy post regularly (if it's the same guys!).

Don't forget that clown Diego! I schooled him on a frequent basis. Those were the days; that was an old-school site.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Jem, they already listed the suprises, and disappointments, so I'm going to throw that Pepper may be gone, BP just said that he probably won't keep both him and Stanley, my reasoning is that he also mentioned, for the upteenth time, that Ratliff could handle the move inside to DT, and he's a similar player as Pepper

 

[VA Cowboy]

Man, Sonny#1, I hadn't used that portion of memory in a long time. CalCBFan, Tuls, and RP posted here for a while. te0002 posts here occasionally as well. I even spotted a couple of posts from DCkid some time ago. VA and WV Cowboy post regularly (if it's the same guys!).

Can we get a group hug here?

Seems like old times. Now all we need is for JEM to log in as Diego and we'd be set.
There are a couple of VA Cowboy's here, I think the other one posts a little more and runs his name together. I checked out the old site a few weeks ago and man is it dead. There are still posts on the page from last fall.

 

[baj1dallas]

Biggest surprises of camp/preseason: Parcells might say Greg Ellis' switch to OLB, fans would say the emergence of Romo or the possibility of Pat Watkins starting.

flat-out best player: The combination of Bledsoe and Terry Glenn. It's like they share the same brain sometimes.

biggest disappointment: Possibly Skyler Green whom we hoped might be an "electric" punt returner; may not even make the team. Henson to some who are always looking for the next Aikmen. TO I suppose for not playing

any other information you may wish to share: lots of rookies/late round picks to look out for over the season: Sam Hurd, Jamaica Rector, Pat Watkins, Jay Ratliff, Pat McQuistan

I'm particularly keen on knowing about the performances of the O-line (is Gurode truly ready to take the next step?): we won't know about Gurode until 2-3 games into the season because "the next step" is for him to come in and be an every down, every game type of player who doesn't make mistakes. Let's hope he is though.

and the D-Line (Thomas Pepper Johnson- promising young talent? or charitably nicknamed camp fodder?) somewhere in between...situational player who will have a chance to make an impact over the course of the season.

 

[lurkercowboy]

Can we get a group hug here?

Seems like old times. Now all we need is for JEM to log in as Diego and we'd be set.
There are a couple of VA Cowboy's here, I think the other one posts a little more and runs his name together. I checked out the old site a few weeks ago and man is it dead. There are still posts on the page from last fall.

You would think that site would have been updated at some point. I think the basic layout and function is the same as in 1996.

Who could forget Diego? Anyone remember the Gay Asian?

 

[ravidubey]

Don't forget that clown Diego! I schooled him on a frequent basis. Those were the days; that was an old-school site.

Of course there's Doomsday and Viper and Ben (now banned) in Austin. I also remember flashback. Isn't DIEGO posting as Bach now?

 

[Doomsday101]

Of course there's Doomsday and Viper and Ben (now banned) in Austin. I also remember flashback. Isn't DIEGO posting as Bach now?

Been a longtime since I was at Austin360

 

[VA Cowboy]

You would think that site would have been updated at some point. I think the basic layout and function is the same as in 1996.

Who could forget Diego? Anyone remember the Gay Asian?

That site would've been fine but it was unmoderated. And yeah, who could forget the Gay Asian? How about Regi Star? I know some of those guys probably post here now, just under different aliases.