So tired of these terrrible offseasons

[Ranched]

I am so angry. Yet another offseason gut punch. Our best pass-rushing lineman (and my pet cat for breakout player) to miss the first four games, including the key division opener against the NYG. And Zeke investigation still looms... Year to year, it is so difficult to get excited over this team, just knowing in the pit of your stomach, that something bad always awaits. Last year alone: Randy Gregory suspension, Demarcus Lawrence suspension, Charles Tapper undisclosed, season-ending injury, Kellen Moore season-ending injury, Tony Romo season-ending injury, Zeke investigation. All before the first game... I am so tired of these terrible offseasons. Maybe it's the high-profile nature of the team, but I really don't see other teams losing as many players as us, year-to-year. I'm just sick, tired, and angry.

Look on the bright side. I don't think there was a fan that was too exited about the 2016 season because of everything you had mentioned and look what happened. They won in GB & Pittyburger. Who seen that coming?!

Keep your head up, this team is finally moving forward. As much as I loved Romo, I'm glad he's gone. He needed to retire so the team can focus. JJ finally decided to draft a QB and when he did, he got a beauty. We have established a great running game with another beauty in the backfield.

So remember, not one fan seen the Romo successor arriving, Coach Of The Year Garrett, HOF Owner Jerry Jones, Offensive Line Of The Year, Dak Offensive ROY, Zeke Player Of The Year. I'm VERY excited over this team. Once we get over that playoff drought, it's smooth sailing from there on in. As far as the Zeke investigation, that's just the media hoopla. It's all good. I feel it!

 

[Idgit]

Here's the list. It goes back to 2002. Or you can sort it year by year.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/fines-suspensions/all-years/

Not all that informative. Yes, we took some chances on guys with substance issues. Yes, some of them got popped. Otherwise, we're pretty much par for the course. This is frustrating as a fan, but it's really not a big issue in the scheme of things.

 

[NorthwestDallas40]

Here's the list. It goes back to 2002. Or you can sort it year by year.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/fines-suspensions/all-years/

Not all that informative. Yes, we took some chances on guys with substance issues. Yes, some of them got popped. Otherwise, we're pretty much par for the course. This is frustrating as a fan, but it's really not a big issue in the scheme of things.

Ldgit, thanks so much for this and for proving my point. It's not really par for the course. These statistics show that, total from 2002-2017, the Cowboys lost 92 games for player suspensions due to PEDs, substance abuse, personal conduct. During the same period, NE lost 46 games, SEA lost 61 games, NYG lost 58 games, GB lost 82 games (but only 34 games, when you exclude John Jolly's indefinite ban which is at 48 games), PIT lost 52 games. Even the poster child for team misconduct, CIN, lost 79 games, 13 less than us. Over this span of time, we are third worst in the league on games lost. Plainly, we are doing something wrong.

 

[Idgit]

Ldgit, thanks so much for this and for proving my point. It's not really par for the course. These statistics show that, total from 2002-2017, the Cowboys lost 92 games for player suspensions due to PEDs, substance abuse, personal conduct. During the same period, NE lost 46 games, SEA lost 61 games, NYG lost 58 games, GB lost 82 games (but only 34 games, when you exclude John Jolly's indefinite ban which is at 48 games), PIT lost 52 games. Even the poster child for team misconduct, CIN, lost 79 games, 13 less than us. Over this span of time, we are third worst in the league on games lost. Plainly, we are doing something wrong.

Yeah, it always helps to have context.

Looking at the DAL suspensions, you've got Gregory, R. McClain, and Brent accounting for 54 of the games lost. And then Hardy lost another 4 for actions unrelated to his time in DAL.

I really think this is a by-product of Jerry's willingness to take shots on troubled players more than anything else. You'll be no argument from me re: Randy Gregory being a mistake. McClain, that cost us very little and a good chunk of those games (10 of them), we carried him on the roster inactive for bookkeeping purposes.

Besides those guys, we've had: Scandrick (2), Randle (4), Lawrence (4), Pacman (4), Irving (4?), Jakar Hamilton (4), Shaquille Evans (4), RJ Dill (4), and Robert Brewster (4) in the last 15 years. Not great that it happens, but it's hardly a back breaker.

I think it just seems worse because we've had Scandrick, Lawrence, and now Irving miss the starts of seasons here in succession, and two of them for PEDs.

 

[NorthwestDallas40]

Yeah, it always helps to have context.

Looking at the DAL suspensions, you've got Gregory, R. McClain, and Brent accounting for 54 of the games lost. And then Hardy lost another 4 for actions unrelated to his time in DAL.

I really think this is a by-product of Jerry's willingness to take shots on troubled players more than anything else. You'll be no argument from me re: Randy Gregory being a mistake. McClain, that cost us very little and a good chunk of those games (10 of them), we carried him on the roster inactive for bookkeeping purposes.

Besides those guys, we've had: Scandrick (2), Randle (4), Lawrence (4), Pacman (4), Irving (4?), Jakar Hamilton (4), Shaquille Evans (4), RJ Dill (4), and Robert Brewster (4) in the last 15 years. Not great that it happens, but it's hardly a back breaker.

I think it just seems worse because we've had Scandrick, Lawrence, and now Irving miss the starts of seasons here in succession, and two of them for PEDs.

Yea it does seem worse because all the guys we've lost recently have been starter-quality and at the most important positions of rush DE and CB. And always the first 4 games of the season when we've played the Giants.

 

[Idgit]

Yea it does seem worse because all the guys we've lost recently have been starter-quality and at the most important positions of rush DE and CB. And always the first 4 games of the season when we've played the Giants.

It totally sucks. I agree.

I go back and forth on what happens with the PED things. Is it just that everybody cheats, some of them get caught, and when they do, they all claim it's an unreported substance in a commercial product they're taking? If so, that's not going to change because it's a function of the competition to make rosters and win contracts. Or is it just that that industry is unregulated and players keep taking stuff without running it by the team? I suspect it's more the former, but realistically it could probably be either.

Wasn't Lawrence's substance even a prescription he took after his surgery?

 

[CATCH17]

People take supplements and occasionally they will trip a test. Doesn't mean the player is stupid. It's case by case. Of course they might know better.

Yeah...

Im going to wait for more details to come out on this case but it is disappointing for sure.

I just think that the science is so far ahead of the testers that I just don't get how he could get caught being a professional and all.

It really might have been a spiked supplement.

 

[NorthwestDallas40]

It totally sucks. I agree.

I go back and forth on what happens with the PED things. Is it just that everybody cheats, some of them get caught, and when they do, they all claim it's an unreported substance in a commercial product they're taking? If so, that's not going to change because it's a function of the competition to make rosters and win contracts. Or is it just that that industry is unregulated and players keep taking stuff without running it by the team? I suspect it's more the former, but realistically it could probably be either.

Wasn't Lawrence's substance even a prescription he took after his surgery?

To me, it's the players' fault and it's all intentional misconduct to skirt the rules, or extreme negligence at best. That's because, before taking the supplement, the player can always have the NFL test it to see if contains a banned substance. The NFL and teams make these prophylactic tests available to the players (I believe) and the players never seem to use that service.

 

[jobberone]

Yeah...

Im going to wait for more details to come out on this case but it is disappointing for sure.

I just think that the science is so far ahead of the testers that I just don't get how he could get caught being a professional and all.

It really might have been a spiked supplement.

Generally when it's innocently taken the supplement isn't on a list or its new. Then it lights up a test result and the stuff hits the fan. Players are responsible for what they put in their body so sympathy and empathy only goes so far and generally they don't get a break.

 

[CATCH17]

Generally when it's innocently taken the supplement isn't on a list or its new. Then it lights up a test result and the stuff hits the fan. Players are responsible for what they put in their body so sympathy and empathy only goes so far and generally they don't get a break.

Agree but I think at some point we have to call it petty.

If you buy a legal substance and it's spiked then how much of the blame can you really put on the individual buying the product...?

There has to be some common sense in this.

 

[jobberone]

Agree but I think at some point we have to call it petty.

If you buy a legal substance and it's spiked then how much of the blame can you really put on the individual buying the product...?

There has to be some common sense in this.

When you start making exceptions for innocently taking it then you remove their responsibility which the players know of. You also have to start mind reading which is generally not a good idea trying to determine the truth of the matter. It's not fun work informing people of positive tests.

 

[coult44]

I am so angry. Yet another offseason gut punch. Our best pass-rushing lineman (and my pet cat for breakout player) to miss the first four games, including the key division opener against the NYG. And Zeke investigation still looms... Year to year, it is so difficult to get excited over this team, just knowing in the pit of your stomach, that something bad always awaits. Last year alone: Randy Gregory suspension, Demarcus Lawrence suspension, Charles Tapper undisclosed, season-ending injury, Kellen Moore season-ending injury, Tony Romo season-ending injury, Zeke investigation. All before the first game... I am so tired of these terrible offseasons. Maybe it's the high-profile nature of the team, but I really don't see other teams losing as many players as us, year-to-year. I'm just sick, tired, and angry.

David Irving has played in 27 games and has 20 tackles and 4 sacks. NOT a big deal. Every year we find someone to anoint before he's proved much. He had a couple good games. Does he have potential? YEP. But that's it. Next man up!!!

 

[NorthwestDallas40]

And the hits keep on comin'...

 

[LocimusPrime]

And the hits keep on comin'...

The summer is young. There will be action soon.

 

[haleyrules]

Look on the bright side. I don't think there was a fan that was too exited about the 2016 season because of everything you had mentioned and look what happened. They won in GB & Pittyburger. Who seen that coming?!

Keep your head up, this team is finally moving forward. As much as I loved Romo, I'm glad he's gone. He needed to retire so the team can focus. JJ finally decided to draft a QB and when he did, he got a beauty. We have established a great running game with another beauty in the backfield.

So remember, not one fan seen the Romo successor arriving, Coach Of The Year Garrett, HOF Owner Jerry Jones, Offensive Line Of The Year, Dak Offensive ROY, Zeke Player Of The Year. I'm VERY excited over this team. Once we get over that playoff drought, it's smooth sailing from there on in. As far as the Zeke investigation, that's just the media hoopla. It's all good. I feel it!

Amen. Post of the off season. The Cowboys are, indeed, on the cusp of big things. Its a great time to be a Cowboy fan.

 

[DFWJC]

Amen. Post of the off season. The Cowboys are, indeed, on the cusp of big things. Its a great time to be a Cowboy fan.

 

[dallasdave]

The Year of the Cowboy