Cowboy's draft ripped by Washington Times

Gryphon

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The Washington Times
www.washingtontimes.com

Cowboys, Packers ignored needs in draft

By David Elfin
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published May 18, 2007

Dallas and Green Bay dominated the NFC from 1992 to 1997, winning five conference titles and four Super Bowls during that stretch. But since then there have been as many seasons without the Cowboys or Packers in the playoffs (two) as there have been postseason victories.

And though each team still owns its state's heart, their first-round picks in last month's draft weren't greeted with hosannas.

Not only did the Cowboys pass on popular Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, further tying their destiny to second-year starter Tony Romo, they didn't land a young receiver although starting wideouts Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn will both be 33 this season. Instead, Dallas took Purdue defensive end Anthony Spencer, its fourth front seven first-rounder in three years.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said the Dallas braintrust had only 21 players rated as worthy of being first-rounders, which is why the Cowboys traded down from No. 22 and picked up Cleveland's first-rounder in 2008. Said new coach Wade Phillips: "We did not have to draft because of need."

They just need to win a playoff game for the first time since 1996, let alone Jones' fourth Super Bowl.

Meanwhile, Packers general manager Ted Thompson chose Tennessee defensive tackle Justin Harrell 16th overall -- much higher than he was rated by most draftniks -- although he had barely talked to him. Harrell said he had 15-minute interviews at the NFL combine with all but a couple of teams and the Packers weren't one of them.

"I saw Justin at the combine and he was walking by and I shook hands with him," Thompson said on draft day.

The Packers rated Harrell. who missed 15 college games with biceps, leg and ankle injuries and had just four career sacks, as the draft's top defensive tackle ahead of Amobi Okoye, who went 10th to Houston. The Packers noted that Harrell had the highest score of the top 12 defensive tackles on the Wonderlic intelligence test.

"I came to the conclusion that he's a very well-rounded guy," Thompson said. "Any time you had a chance to get a quality defensive lineman of his ability, you have to think about taking him."

Harrell is the fourth defensive tackle drafted by Green Bay in the first round since 1980, following Alphonso Carreker, Vonnie Holliday and Jamal Reynolds, none of whom became stars.

"I saw it, I heard about it," Harrell said of the draft day crowd of about 2,000 at Lambeau Field loudly booing his selection. "That's something I can't control. I just want to show everybody that the Packers didn't make a bad decision selecting me."

On the cheap -- NFC champion Chicago had three big names among its inexpensive rookie free agent class: national championship quarterback Chris Leak of Florida; receiver Drisan James, whose last-minute fourth-and-18 lateral keyed Boise State's stunning upset of Oklahoma; and New Hampshire receiver David Ball, who broke Jerry Rice's Division I-AA record for touchdown catches.

Ball told the Chicago Tribune that he was nicknamed "Uncle Ben" at the East-West Game because he's "white rice." Bears coach Lovie Smith isn't worried that Ball's 40-yard time is just 4.66 seconds.

"I'd say he's an exception to the rule and has been all his life," said Smith, who has three Pro Bowl players who weren't drafted: defensive end Adewale Ogunleye, kicker Robbie Gould, and special teamer Brendon Ayanbadejo. "What's the first thing a receiver has to do? Catch the ball. He catches the ball."

Draft, what draft? -- The New York Jets took only four players, the fewest in team history. The Jets selected Pitt cornerback Darrelle Revis in the first round, Michigan linebacker Harris in the second, Nicholls State offensive tackle Jacob Bender in the sixth and Clemson receiver Chansi Stuckey in the seventh.

The Jets had started the draft with six picks after trades with Dallas, Tampa Bay, Washington and San Francisco in 2005 and 2006. They traded up to take both Revis and Harris, chose Bender with the Bucs' sixth-rounder and acquired a seventh from Green Bay to pick Stuckey.
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gbrittain

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A The Washington Post review of the Commanders draft:


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Crickets.
 

GimmeTheBall!

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Dang, the Washington Times doesn't like our draft?

Oh, the horror, the horror!
 

theogt

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Holy repost, Batman!

How many reposts is that for Gryphon? 99.9% of his posts are reposts. Dude, just look around before posting. Jebus.
 

GimmeTheBall!

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theogt;1504031 said:
Holy repost, Batman!

How many reposts is that for Gryphon? 99.9% of his posts are reposts. Dude, just look around before posting. Jebus.

If it was a repost i gleaned some new details from it.

Not everyone has as much time to spend at this site digesting every post and every piece of news they way you do, since most have a life.

Anyway, why does it bother you so much? don't lose sleep over a repost and quit acting like a tattle tale.

:eek:
 

theogt

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GimmeTheBall!;1504035 said:
If it was a repost i gleaned some new details from it.

Not everyone has as much time to spend at this site digesting every post and every piece of news they way you do, since most have a life.

Anyway, why does it bother you so much? don't lose sleep over a repost and quit acting like a tattle tale.

:eek:
You're right. Some people only have enough time to think up horrid schticks with bad grammar and spelling.
 

GimmeTheBall!

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theogt;1504036 said:
You're right. Some people only have enough time to think up horrid schticks with bad grammar and spelling.


And yet another thing for you to worry about.



Classic.

:laugh2:
 

ethiostar

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Coakleys Dad;1504068 said:
would you expect anything less??



At least we have draft picks.....:cool:
:hammer:


To be honest, i would have been more concerned if they had liked our draft.
 

redskins1

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any moves made by jerry can be questioned,his team hasnt won a playoff game since 96..so the article is fair!!!
 

Jarv

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Lol...A deadskins fans commenting on a draft article ! Quick, how many rounds are there in a draft ?

I know, most dreadkins fans thinks its 3, because thats all they get every year.

They are the new Cardinals of the division. A big "who cares"...
 

notherbob

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This coming from a Washington paper whose local team disdains the draft so much that it once drafted "John Wayne of Hollywood" out of boredom one year during the George Allen years. Of course, if they want to write about the draft, that limits them to writing about other teams' drafts.

Have they have nothing else to write about? Not even Clinton Portis' statements in support of Michael Vick and dog fighting saying "It's his land and it's his property, he can use it any way he wants to." That must be a good argument; all the old slave owners used it. :eek:

Seems to me there are lots of things to write about, some of them could even about football, like their running back/salary cap situation and Sean Springs' future and overpaid, underperforming players and why Danny Boy keeps getting SHORT-changed in negotiations with free agents and how successful their highly paid OC and DC have been in achieving last years great 5-11 record and how the outlook for this year is every bit as good.

Maybe they could write about Shorty's secret plan to trade their first round pick next year for Greg "Eyore" Ellis and give him the bigger contract he deserves or how their team has no weaknesses and great depth.

Come to think of it, maybe they should be writing about other teams' drafts. :rolleyes:
 

Avery

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Jamal Reynolds must be a pretty small DT since he's only 260, but in Elfin I trust.

I also enjoyed them mocking the Jets lack of picks. :D
 

BouncingCheese

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And the Commanders have how many first-day picks? The Houston Texans have had more picks than the Commanders in this Decade, and they have only been a team in this league since 2002... okay, so I guess it is okay to rip our draft, while they have no egg on their face since they never have any picks to begin with and therefore are absolved of any criticism? Riiiight.....

SCREW THE TIMES
 

DallasEast

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David Elfin or a Washington Times editor gave the article the title, "Cowboys, Packers ignored needs in draft".

Then, Elfin turns around and states, "Not only did the Cowboys pass on popular Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, further tying their destiny to second-year starter Tony Romo, they didn't land a young receiver although starting wideouts Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn will both be 33 this season. Instead, Dallas took Purdue defensive end Anthony Spencer, its fourth front seven first-rounder in three years."

Unless Elfin has some inside intel and a time machine about Ellis' recovery from his Achilles injury and his age, Dallas addressed the greatest need with its first round pick. The need to have insurance and an added weapon at OLB now outweighs any need at quarterback and wide receiver at that stage of the draft.

The highest rated candidates at #22 were Quinn and Meacham at quarterback and wide receiver positions. Drafting either player would've fulfilled depth requirements moreso than needs since neither player would've displaced Romo, Owens or Glenn now barring injury to any of those three players. You certainly do not draft a first rounder to replace your third receiver (Crayton).

Of the three, Spencer had the greatest chance of impacting the team now even if its in a part-time role capacity. That's where the emphasis of the pick was placed; namely, which player left on the board could impact the team the most now. That's was the greatest need. This Quinn nonsense has gone too far, imo.
 

5Stars

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A RedStink writer trying to tell ANYONE what teams should do in the draft is about as stupid as asking a man what it's like to have a baby!

Lot's of imbeciles up there...


:rolleyes:
 

Gryphon

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theogt;1504031 said:
Holy repost, Batman!

How many reposts is that for Gryphon? 99.9% of his posts are reposts. Dude, just look around before posting. Jebus.

I scan the first and second pages in both forums and use the "search feature" which normally does not pick-up any words from the article. I am not going to read every post in this forum to see if an article is posted EVERYDAY.

Get real.
 

peplaw06

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notherbob;1504097 said:
Come to think of it, maybe they should be writing about other teams' drafts. :rolleyes:
They kind of have to, since their team up there hardly even shows up for the draft.
 

WoodysGirl

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Gryphon;1504450 said:
I scan the first and second pages in both forums and use the "search feature" which normally does not pick-up any words from the article. I am not going to read every post in this forum to see if an article is posted EVERYDAY.

Get real.
In this case, the original thread was deleted due to some folks not adhering to forum guidelines. So the thread wouldn't have shown up in your search.
 
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