NewsBot
New Member
- Messages
- 111,281
- Reaction score
- 2,947
Barry Church may have missed out on some of the sexier postseason awards, but his performance is receiving some deserved recognition anyway.
From Pro Bowls to All-Pros, there are plenty of nominations handed out every year that honor the previous year's best players, or at least the most popular/highest profile players. Each year since 1992, USA Today provides an alternative take to the more established postseason awards by releasing its All-Joe Team, honoring "first-rate players who receive second-rate recognition." Only players who have never been named to the Pro Bowl during their careers are eligible for a place on the All-Joe Team.
This year USA Today displayed a keen eye for deserving players by nominating Barry Church to the All-Joe Team.
He suffered a torn Achilles' in 2012 but reclaimed his starting post in 2013. Church had a heavy workload behind Dallas' injury-riddled front seven, and his 135 tackles were more than any defensive back in the league.
Up until a few days before the official nominations were announced, Pro Bowl-snub Barry Church was the second-leading vote-getter at the safety position,
Previous Cowboys nominees to the All-Joe team include Dez Bryant in 2012, Sean Lee and Laurent Robinson in 2011, Bradie James in 2010, Anthony Spencer in 2008 and Jay Ratliff in 2007.
Jay Ratliff followed up his nomination the following season with a four-year string of Pro Bowl nominations, Spencer finally got his Pro Bowl nod after the 2012 season, Bryant got his for the 2013 season and if Sean Lee ever manages to stay healthy for a full season, he's a lock for a Pro Bowl berth as well. All of which should bode well for Church. If the Cowboys should somehow manage to fix their defensive line, the secondary should automatically look a lot better, and Barry Church with it, which should be enough to secure him an invitation to Hawaii next season.
Apart from Barry Church, who would have been your Cowboys nominee for the 2013 All-Joe team?
Continue reading...