Thank you. Since we're playing "do you understand" I'd like to throw some posers back at ya, if you don't mind.
Yes, I do understand the dynamics of how the Skins repeatedly can sign players to huge contracts and not get bit by it. It isn't impressive because it hasn't paid off. Do you undestand that?
The next question I have for you is, do you understand that you pay more than the monetary value of the contract? Let's take Mark Brunnell for instance. I wanted us to get Brunnell when Jacksonville released him. I make no bones about that. I would have been royally pissed if Dallas had signed him for the amount the Skins did, but even worse you gave up a 2nd round Draft pick to get him before he hit the FA market. In the meantime we got a QB of roughly the same caliber without the huge contract and without sacrifcing draft picks.
Why pay for a guy you can get for much cheaper? It doesn't make much sense.
Lest you think this is the Cowboys homer in me talking let me cite an example where we did similar. We traded Joey Galloway for Keyshawn Johnson whom we already knew was going to be released by Tampa Bay. I wasn't happy about that.
Does this knowledge sit well with you? If it does then I suggest you lack some grasp of the actual dynamics of the game. These players you're signing for large amounts of cash are usually players who get drafted. That's a much cheaper way to acquire talent that can help your team long term. Your team throws away draft picks like they have no value other than as a bargaining chip.
If you were doing this for guys who were NFL All Pros, I could understand it. I could even applaud it. That isn't what you're doing though is it? You mentioned the prime of their playing careers. If their "prime" is only marginal where is the bargain? Do you understand that while Lloyd, Randle El, and Archuleta are more established than rookies would be that their "prime" level of play has never been that much above what a rookie can give you?
My gosh man, you've got Sean Taylor on your football team. You saw what he did as a rookie. Has Archuleta ever come close to that? But you'd rather pay Adam millions than roll the dice in the draft for someone who could probably give you the same results?
Is this sinking in? Hey, applaud the move, at least you get to look at his wife in the stands. We had a guy with a hot wife last year too, Billy Cundiff. Thank heavens he's gone.
The bottom line is, Dan Snyder makes these bold moves every year and they simply don't work out. Who pays for his mistakes? You and your fellow fans do. How? By not having a nucleus of young players you can identify with for a long period of time. All you have is the colors man. That's your team identity. Is it enough? If so then you have lower standards than I do.
Hey, that's not a dig. Maybe mine are too high. I certainly am more frustrated about my team than you seem to be about yours. I'm not into howling at the moon over Free Agents. Don't believe me? Find me a post where I whoop and holler over any over our acquistions in Free Agency. Not even the big ones, TO and Vanderjagt. Our Draft on the other hand, there's where you'll find me excited.
Why? Because I understand that in a parity driven league the only way to be truly happy with your team is to identify with it. I don't identify with retreads for the most part. I appreciate their contributions and I root for them. My team is the guys who are original Cowboys. They're family. The rest are hired hands. Some are better hands and assets than others. They're still just hired hands.
I've got nothing against you at all if the big splashes make you horny. More power to you. Until those big splashes do anything other than stir up the water in your pool, you're still just suffering blue balls with the rest of the unlucky. Meanwhile the rest of the unlucky are building for the long term and having virtually the same success that your team is with all the big splashes.
Seriously, you're good with that? For heaven's sake why?
I think the Boys are currently getting the best odds in Vegas right (??). I know that has to do with money actually placed, but oddsmakers have something to say about that.
