Spagnola: Watch out the gang is coming back

[zrinkill]

The Spagpuppet has spoken.

 

[tyke1doe]

I actually did. It was before a game in Tampa against the Bucs in December a few years back. Michael Irvin was there too, looking in phenomenal shape. And believe it or not Mickey was actually gracious and accommodating. It bought him a lot of since-used-up good will from me. But that’s all been spent.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

Ahh the time of year where any positivity is met with pessimism, always great to he a cowboys fan

The yearly skepticism is backed up by a quarter century of ineptness.

 

[CouchCoach]

It was a mutual agreement for them to part ways. Clear Channel came in and bought out the Ticket when the contract was expiring. Both decided to move on as clear channel wanted to take it in a different direction. The Ticket became worse after that.
The Muser may have partied, but they always were more hate than not anyway.

Ticket got that contract kind of by default, I think. I think KLUV had it for a while and were not being renewed. And the Fan was just getting up and running at the time, or more known anyway or so it seemed. Though they had a Jets and a Commanders fan acting as if they were Cowboys fans. Then again Bob Sturm is a Packers fan, but he does a pretty good job of not letting that interfere with his style and articles.

This is all from memory from what was said back when they got the contract and when they parted ways. I have no idea if Jerry tried to control the content. But during that 3 years or whatever it was, no one changed their style on there. So I doubt jerry interfered. However, I think it had a lot to do with advertising also, of what companies could or could not have ads. Hence the change. But it did get worse after. That was probably more so from clear channel.

Radio stations have to at least cover the expenses and that is difficult for Cowboys games because they're always televised and there is an exclusive categories preventing selling a lot of businesses.

It started off with KVIL after decades with KRLD and Chapman thought it was a bad fit on a station geared toward females and they had the highest ad rates in the market at the time and they flipped it to KLUV, which was older and more balanced. The problem still remained about being prevented from selling ad categories and the list was growing.

The Ticket or any other sports station was the logical choice because they had more inventory and needed the prestige, which is why The Fan took it on, they needed credibility and prestige, they were the 3rd ranked sports entity.

The Ticket was taking off about that time and their rates were climbing and they had another problem, they already had advertisers targeting the sports audience and they expected a discount for the Cowboys. Selling completely new clients was a struggle and their best clients wanted incremental increases.

But the biggest problem was those radio rebels didn't want to cow tow to Booger or let him jack with their programming. So, the opportunity to burn that bridge arrived at the end of the season in the last game against PHL in PHL. Their reporter flew to the game and back on the team plane and it was understood that what happened on the team plane, stayed on the team plane. Dunham, Miller and Keith had different plans.

The Cowboys played one of the most heartless games in their history and were embarrassed off the field. When they heard about the reporter's experience on the plane ride home, they decided to sever all ties. They were going to make it impossible for Booger to keep them.

As this began, I was on my way to work on 635 and once it began to unfold, I pulled off into a C store parking lot and was riveted to what they were doing....flagship suicide. I talked to several of the local radio guys I knew that day and they were either laughing or shaking their heads at what they did.

The Cowboys mailed in that last game and on the ride home were joking, laughing and talking about vacations as if they'd not been completely embarrassed on national TV in Philly and there was nobody stopping them. It wasn't all of them but it was the majority but no names were mentioned. It was the single worst thing I'd even heard about a team since the Black Sox and they actually had reasons to do what they did.

It was apparent their reporter was not comfortable as they grilled him and it also became apparent what they were doing as I'd heard through the radio grapevine that they were not happy being the flagship. They not only set fire to that bridge, they blew it up for good measure because as they were wont to do, they turned that against management as the reason and they were 100% on target. Management had set it up for their players to get exactly what they wanted, to watch the playoffs on TV because they were done playing that season.

Everything else was being politically correct with everyone saying the right things but that's what really blew the deal up. If you were a listener before and after, you noticed the subtle change in the Fake Booger they did on their show. The gloves were finally coming off.

 

[RonnieT24]

You know that’s impossible now right?

Never mind the fact that this group together has finished 8-8 exactly once in their 5 seasons as a unit.. And it's mathematically impossible for them to do so this season .. sooooo.. People seem to be having a hard time accepting that Romo is no longer the QB.. Now HE was the 8-8 QB.

 

[jazzcat22]

Oh yeah. And it’s easy for anyone to see what happened to Tim MacMahon and his ‘reassignment’ after putting Big Enos on the spot about his terrible job as GM.

Spagnola sticks around because he has no problem being a company shill.

Job security, can't blame him at this point.

I worked with many designers and engineers did the same thing. They kept doing it the "company" way though outdated and detrimental to the long term design, as in less sufficient.

 

[RonnieT24]

My prediction is the defense will be much improved , not possible to do worse than last year really . The offense will be ok but am not sure how good Dak will be after that injury . Am sure he will be a bit slower . But hopes am wrong .
10-7 is a good possibility, with a playoff win . hopefully the offense is humming and we do even better in the playoffs but am being realistic .

Slower? Ankle injuries don't make one slower... I know from whence I speak as I have had a ton of them. Aside from letting you know when it's going to rain or when the weather is about to turn cold the one I tore up at age 23 has had no lasting effect on me and certainly didn't make me any slower once it had healed completely. And medical science has gotten a LOT better about fixing these things than they were 40 years ago when I did mine.

As for how this team will do.. If they stay healthy I feel fairly confident they will win 12 games. If they don't.. all bets are off.

 

[jazzcat22]

Radio stations have to at least cover the expenses and that is difficult for Cowboys games because they're always televised and there is an exclusive categories preventing selling a lot of businesses.

It started off with KVIL after decades with KRLD and Chapman thought it was a bad fit on a station geared toward females and they had the highest ad rates in the market at the time and they flipped it to KLUV, which was older and more balanced. The problem still remained about being prevented from selling ad categories and the list was growing.

The Ticket or any other sports station was the logical choice because they had more inventory and needed the prestige, which is why The Fan took it on, they needed credibility and prestige, they were the 3rd ranked sports entity.

The Ticket was taking off about that time and their rates were climbing and they had another problem, they already had advertisers targeting the sports audience and they expected a discount for the Cowboys. Selling completely new clients was a struggle and their best clients wanted incremental increases.

But the biggest problem was those radio rebels didn't want to cow tow to Booger or let him jack with their programming. So, the opportunity to burn that bridge arrived at the end of the season in the last game against PHL in PHL. Their reporter flew to the game and back on the team plane and it was understood that what happened on the team plane, stayed on the team plane. Dunham, Miller and Keith had different plans.

The Cowboys played one of the most heartless games in their history and were embarrassed off the field. When they heard about the reporter's experience on the plane ride home, they decided to sever all ties. They were going to make it impossible for Booger to keep them.

As this began, I was on my way to work on 635 and once it began to unfold, I pulled off into a C store parking lot and was riveted to what they were doing....flagship suicide. I talked to several of the local radio guys I knew that day and they were either laughing or shaking their heads at what they did.

The Cowboys mailed in that last game and on the ride home were joking, laughing and talking about vacations as if they'd not been completely embarrassed on national TV in Philly and there was nobody stopping them. It wasn't all of them but it was the majority but no names were mentioned. It was the single worst thing I'd even heard about a team since the Black Sox and they actually had reasons to do what they did.

It was apparent their reporter was not comfortable as they grilled him and it also became apparent what they were doing as I'd heard through the radio grapevine that they were not happy being the flagship. They not only set fire to that bridge, they blew it up for good measure because as they were wont to do, they turned that against management as the reason and they were 100% on target. Management had set it up for their players to get exactly what they wanted, to watch the playoffs on TV because they were done playing that season.

Everything else was being politically correct with everyone saying the right things but that's what really blew the deal up. If you were a listener before and after, you noticed the subtle change in the Fake Booger they did on their show. The gloves were finally coming off.

I listened to the Ticket from 1998 to 2015 all the time. Flipped over to The Fan, also ESPN had a local show on with Michael Irvin and I think Nate Newton. Cant remember who Randy Gallowaste was on, I could barely stomach his crap, nor his band of haters. But tuned in now and then.

Since I retired late 2014, I do not tune in as often until TC time, then not all the time. I should, but don't. I used to listen to Norm all the time, unless he was on a rant.
I did not listen to the Bob and Dan depending the topics. I called them the time wasters, at least Dan McDowell. Every time they were to talk Cowboys, he interrupted with some stupid station news or some crap. it took up most of the segment and they got in 2 minutes of Cowboys talk if any at all. So I stopped listening to them.

I will tune in come TC time more

 

[RonnieT24]

Cowboys Nation is very aware the D can/will improve moderately along w/the rest of the corps.

Tell us something we don't already know Spag! I beg to differ. The Chiefs O-line was missing key players. Thus, Mahomes was running for his life trying to make plays.

Correction, Mahomes was limping for his life.. Remember he played that game with an awful case of turf toe on one of his big toes. He probably didn't even have 75% of his normal mobility and that enabled the Bucs to corral him ..

 

[ChronicCowboy]

Expectations are so low for this team I can’t help but feel we’ll have a good season.

 

[CouchCoach]

I listened to the Ticket from 1998 to 2015 all the time. Flipped over to The Fan, also ESPN had a local show on with Michael Irvin and I think Nate Newton. Cant remember who Randy Gallowaste was on, I could barely stomach his crap, nor his band of haters. But tuned in now and then.

Since I retired late 2014, I do not tune in as often until TC time, then not all the time. I should, but don't. I used to listen to Norm all the time, unless he was on a rant.
I did not listen to the Bob and Dan depending the topics. I called them the time wasters, at least Dan McDowell. Every time they were to talk Cowboys, he interrupted with some stupid station news or some crap. it took up most of the segment and they got in 2 minutes of Cowboys talk if any at all. So I stopped listening to them.

I will tune in come TC time more

I only listened to the morning show, middays and afternoons were boring and self-indulgent with really stupid nicknames like The Cobra. Ever see that guy? Cobra?

I did listen to Galloway because I knew what he was doing and he started that on WBAP as a part-time gig and that became a full time gig on ESPN. He figured it out, nobody was catering to the growing legion of Cowboys, Longhorns and Sooners haters, so Cow Sheep, Whiney Orange and Zero U was born. Everything was an act with him, he was a baseball and pony man, he could have cared less but he found a niche and he would pour salt in the wounds of the fans and they loved to hate it.

He did go too far with Booger though because on that annual preseason trip form LA to SD on the party train, they wouldn't let Galloway in the party car and he did his breaks from the back of the train. He was some kind of pissed and I was laughing the whole time they did that as was the crew back at the studio. Galloway had that rep like the old time sportswriters, they'll show up as long as there's free food and whiskey. He had to buy his whiskey outside the party car and was like a little kid that Santa forgot at Christmas.

 

[RonnieT24]

I don't understand why folks allow any of these Cowboys related (or any sports related) mediots to get under their skin.. They're doing a job.. Some are really good at it.. Some are just okay.. some are terrible.. I will say this about Mickey though.. Anybody claiming he's just a mouthpiece for the Cowboys is not paying attention. Mickey has been one of the most outspoken critics of the front office's approach to the safety and DT positions for years. And he's not always nice about how he says it. He has also often lambasted them for signing useless free agents.. with his signature "There was a reason they were on the street." line. I think as with most things, people who like him like what he says and those who don't like him don't like what he says... I don't know him.. so how I feel about what he says typically is predicated on whether I agree with it or not. I've been reading and listening to Mickey for over 30 years.. He aint perfect and yes he's horribly wrong sometimes and he can be annoying .. but he doesn't "bother me" the way he seems to some other people. But I'm a 60 year old black man who grew up in the Segregated South and is now married to a high maintenance Cali girl former model black woman with no filter.. As such I have needed a thick skin my entire life.. It's a gift.

 

[Stash]

Radio stations have to at least cover the expenses and that is difficult for Cowboys games because they're always televised and there is an exclusive categories preventing selling a lot of businesses.

It started off with KVIL after decades with KRLD and Chapman thought it was a bad fit on a station geared toward females and they had the highest ad rates in the market at the time and they flipped it to KLUV, which was older and more balanced. The problem still remained about being prevented from selling ad categories and the list was growing.

The Ticket or any other sports station was the logical choice because they had more inventory and needed the prestige, which is why The Fan took it on, they needed credibility and prestige, they were the 3rd ranked sports entity.

The Ticket was taking off about that time and their rates were climbing and they had another problem, they already had advertisers targeting the sports audience and they expected a discount for the Cowboys. Selling completely new clients was a struggle and their best clients wanted incremental increases.

But the biggest problem was those radio rebels didn't want to cow tow to Booger or let him jack with their programming. So, the opportunity to burn that bridge arrived at the end of the season in the last game against PHL in PHL. Their reporter flew to the game and back on the team plane and it was understood that what happened on the team plane, stayed on the team plane. Dunham, Miller and Keith had different plans.

The Cowboys played one of the most heartless games in their history and were embarrassed off the field. When they heard about the reporter's experience on the plane ride home, they decided to sever all ties. They were going to make it impossible for Booger to keep them.

As this began, I was on my way to work on 635 and once it began to unfold, I pulled off into a C store parking lot and was riveted to what they were doing....flagship suicide. I talked to several of the local radio guys I knew that day and they were either laughing or shaking their heads at what they did.

The Cowboys mailed in that last game and on the ride home were joking, laughing and talking about vacations as if they'd not been completely embarrassed on national TV in Philly and there was nobody stopping them. It wasn't all of them but it was the majority but no names were mentioned. It was the single worst thing I'd even heard about a team since the Black Sox and they actually had reasons to do what they did.

It was apparent their reporter was not comfortable as they grilled him and it also became apparent what they were doing as I'd heard through the radio grapevine that they were not happy being the flagship. They not only set fire to that bridge, they blew it up for good measure because as they were wont to do, they turned that against management as the reason and they were 100% on target. Management had set it up for their players to get exactly what they wanted, to watch the playoffs on TV because they were done playing that season.

Everything else was being politically correct with everyone saying the right things but that's what really blew the deal up. If you were a listener before and after, you noticed the subtle change in the Fake Booger they did on their show. The gloves were finally coming off.

What was the date of that Philly game?

 

[Stash]

Job security, can't blame him at this point.

I worked with many designers and engineers did the same thing. They kept doing it the "company" way though outdated and detrimental to the long term design, as in less sufficient.

Yeah, self preservation can be a powerful thing

 

[starfan1]

Never questioned the gang coming back. I do question the gang staying back. Ill be optimistic till they prove otherwise

 

[Cowpolk]

Ahh the time of year where any positivity is met with pessimism, always great to he a cowboys fan

Nah that is year round here

 

[CouchCoach]

What was the date of that Philly game?

Last game of the 2008 season, 6-44. It was right after Christmas.

 

[tunahelper]

Another guy who thinks the Cowboys offense is so super-duper "average" defense is enough. Even Mahomes' Chiefs couldn't win it with average defense, as the Patriots put up 37 on them. The next year they had a top 10 defense and they beat the Niners.

Didn't the Chiefs have 3 starting OL out for the Superbowl? In my opinion, the OL struggles caused the game to be lopsided.

In general, the OL unit is the most important unit in football. They can set the tempo for both sides of the ball. We have seen how an average defense can be protected through time of possession. Mahomes would have scored more and the Chiefs defense would not have been as exposed had their OL been healthy.

 

[RonnieT24]

Last game of the 2008 season, 6-44. It was right after Christmas.

Yeah that was the year the "Romo sucks in December" talk got really loud. The Cowboys had stumbled the last couple of games in 2007 (never mind that they had clinched everything) and then the horrid finish in 2008... I think they did go 4-0 in December in 2009 to break tendency but I think 2010-2013 we pretty much pooped our pants every December.. And fair or not, Romo took most of the blame for it.

 

[Rayman70]

Another fluff piece by the yes man himself...the king of all yes men.