DMN Watkins: Flights not delayed, say Dallas Cowboys, airline officials

[AdamJT13]

Flights not delayed, say Dallas Cowboys, airline officials

08:13 PM CST on Friday, January 23, 2009

By CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News
cwatkins@***BANNED-URL***

Cowboys and American Airlines officials say all of the Cowboys' regular-season team charter flights left D/FW Airport within minutes of target time and added that players or team personnel did not cause any delays.

In Tuesday's edition of The News, it was reported that team charters were delayed five times during the 2008 season because of player tardiness, according to multiple sources. The total represented more than half of the eight regular-season road games.

Sources declined to name the late players or the duration of the delays but added that the season-ending trip to Philadelphia had been delayed by more than an hour.

Captain Rich Cunningham manned the cockpit for all eight of the Cowboys' regular-season American Airlines charter flights, and said he confirmed the departure information Thursday.

"I have reviewed our actual departure times – when we actually got airborne – and they were all reasonable with respect to what you have to do in terms of taxiing out, securing a take-off slot and, finally, taking off," said Cunningham in a statement released by American Airlines.

"Different conditions, such as wind, other types of weather or ground traffic can have an effect on when we actually take off. We experienced some of those things this year, but those are expected and all were routine."

Cunningham, who declined an interview request, said in the statement that the charter flight to Philadelphia was delayed nearly an hour because of weather conditions in Pennsylvania.

When reached Friday to be made aware of the American Airlines and Cowboys statements, those team sources stood by their earlier accounts and confirmed again that team charters had been delayed by player tardiness.

Cowboys spokesman Rich Dalrymple agreed with the American Airlines statement and said the pilot and individuals who coordinate the charter flights would be the only personnel qualified to document such information.

"Our team charters were not delayed this year due to a player or team official being late for the flight. That simply was not the case," Dalrymple said in a released statement.

 

[tomson75]

Shocking.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

Wait...you mean there is a chance that the 5 delayed flights over players being late weren't actually true? Interesting.

I wonder which report will now be considered true.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

You don't say, BSPN was wrong, no way!!!

 

[dcfanatic]

You don't say, BSPN was wrong, no way!!!

Wow.

It wasn't even ESPN that reported it, but they were wrong.



Where is the report about the players not being late for team meetings?

I am eagerly waiting for that article.

 

[AdamJT13]

I wonder which report will now be considered true.

You'd think the FAA would have a record of the specific departure time of any flight in the U.S. That would give us the answer.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

You'd think the FAA would have a record of the specific departure time of any flight in the U.S. That would give us the answer.

You'd think.

 

[ajk23az]

You don't say, BSPN was wrong, no way!!!

It was Calvin Watkins that said this, wasn't it?

 

[jr3153]

It has been reported that Tony Romo and Terrell Owens are at it again.

Seems Tony Romo prefers to use Charmin Ultra Soft Toilet paper, while Terrell Ownes likes Charmin ultra strong, which does not leave little bits of tp in your butt.

Several unidentified, unknown, non exsistent, only created in madden 08, players have stated that Terrell Owens has divided the locker room and that it is divided due to the toilet paper issue. Seems Tony and Terrell just cant get beyond it. It has already led to several dropped balls on the practice field between the two.

While Wade Phillips has denied the issue, several players have acknowledged that the WR corps (Owens, Williams, Crayton, and Witten) and Tony, along with Matt McBriar all met secretly this week to try and solve . The same unidentified source stated that McBriar stormed out of the room mad when his idea of just using baby wipes was met with disgust.

"Matt is really up set and doesnt feel like he can punt for a team that doesnt like wipes"

Stay tuned for next week, when several other sources will state that Terrell Owens has complained that he does not feel like he should have to wear a whte home jersey in Dallas.




COME ON THIS IS STUPID!!!!!!!!!!1:bang2:

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

In fairness, Watkins was the one that reported this story. The fact that he is posting this followup that contradicts what he said raises my esteem of him a bit.

 

[dcfanatic]

You'd think the FAA would have a record of the specific departure time of any flight in the U.S. That would give us the answer.

I don't think they care.

And I don't think Jerry wants to make any more of this issue.

He's looking for all this stuff to go away.

 

[dcfanatic]

It has been reported that Tony Romo and Terrell Owens are at it again.

Seems Tony Romo prefers to use Charmin Ultra Soft Toilet paper, while Terrell Ownes likes Charmin ultra strong, which does not leave little bits of tp in your butt.

Several unidentified, unknown, non exsistent, only created in madden 08, players have stated that Terrell Owens has divided the locker room and that it is divided due to the toilet paper issue. Seems Tony and Terrell just cant get beyond it. It has already led to several dropped balls on the practice field between the two.

While Wade Phillips has denied the issue, several players have acknowledged that the WR corps (Owens, Williams, Crayton, and Witten) and Tony, along with Matt McBriar all met secretly this week to try and solve . The same unidentified source stated that McBriar stormed out of the room mad when his idea of just using baby wipes was met with disgust.

"Matt is really up set and doesnt feel like he can punt for a team that doesnt like wipes"

Stay tuned for next week, when several other sources will state that Terrell Owens has complained that he does not feel like he should have to wear a whte home jersey in Dallas.




COME ON THIS IS STUPID!!!!!!!!!!1:bang2:

Can I have my 12 seconds back.

 

[dcfanatic]

In fairness, Watkins was the one that reported this story. The fact that he is posting this followup that contradicts what he said raises my esteem of him a bit.

Well I think he's doing good work.

But he's not really going away from the original story because he still claims the sources are sticking to their guns on it.

 

[5Countem5]

In fairness, Watkins was the one that reported this story. The fact that he is posting this followup that contradicts what he said raises my esteem of him a bit.

Actually, he got us all to read 2 of his columns with zero work...pretty smart.

 

[big dog cowboy]

There is sure a high price to pay for not making the playoffs.

Being subject to back and forth stories about flights possibly being delayed is just one more fragile nerve getting trampled on.

 

[odog422]

Wow.

It wasn't even ESPN that reported it, but they were wrong.



Where is the report about the players not being late for team meetings?

I am eagerly waiting for that article.

That's my take as well. Honestly, I wasn't surprised when the initial report about late flights came out, and wasn't surprised about the player tardiness, refusal of Jones to raise fines, etc., based on how this team performed overall this year.

But I think it's comical how the organization is jumping all over this airline tardiness issue to prove it's not true, but is completely silent on all the other issues that directly relate to player performance and accountability.

 

[5Countem5]

There is sure a high price to pay for not making the playoffs.

Being subject to back and forth stories about flights possibly being delayed is just one more fragile nerve getting trampled on.

So you think crap-journalism is just a result of a poor season?

It's not. It's the journalists knowledge that a majority of fans are spending their time freakin' out and are willing to believe most anything.

 

[casmith07]

Can I have my 12 seconds back.

Mr. "Only I can post funny stuff" at it again

come on, cut 'em a break.:laugh2:

 

[casmith07]

It's not. It's the journalists knowledge that a majority of fans are spending their time freakin' out and are willing to believe most anything.

^^ the above = ratings and $.

 

[dcfanatic]

Mr. "Only I can post funny stuff" at it again

come on, cut 'em a break.:laugh2:

I beg you to put me on ignore.

Pleeeeeaaaaaease.