Cowboyz88
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I made a few jokes in the game thread about this core group of veterans, but now's the time to stop joking.
This group, at its core, has been awful – team-wise – for many, many years when compared to teams past, and while some have had some incredible individual success, they're just not a team in the true sense of the word. And, there's certainly not a leader - in the true sense - in any of them. Yup, any of them. Romo, Ware, Witten included.
They have been here for 4+ years, but there must be some serious changes if this team's ever to sniff a championship again.
If the past few season's disappointments (44-6, historical blown leads, 1 playoff victory, etc.) and the season ender don't show you their true colors, I don't know what will.
The Great Ones:
Romo: (UDFA '03): He's one of the best we have, and I personally like him as a player, but where's that extra level? Statistically, he's off the charts, but for example, in the Giants game, we finally were getting momentum (thanks to mostly to him) and he threw a pick. Sadly, it's emblematic of his big game success or lack thereof. No trolls. I like him, but he is an enigma.
Witten: (3rd Round '03): Awesome player. Future Hall of Famer. Again, LOVE the guy, and he has shown fire in his years (No helmet in Philly), but man, there have been some critical times where he could have set the tone, but didn't. Seattle playoffs before the fumbled field goal and Giants game 3rd down. Both times he was one on one and let a much smaller guy take him down instead of pulling the Mark Bavaro on him and trucking him for the TD/first down. Again, no trolls.
Ware: (1st Round '05): Another awesome player and Future Hall of Famer. Sackmaster. Catalytic player. Too nice of a guy. He's the man on defense, but leads like he's the nickel CB. A guy of his stature/reputation MUST set the tone - the real tone, and not with the silly celebrations.
Too many times, I feel, he doesn't. The offsides this year were devastating, and his celebration when we were down against the Giants? Come on.
Jay Ratliff (7th Round '05): He's played waaay beyond his draft status and has been a true stud in the middle. An undersized star who's on the backside of his career, and I fear the drop off may happen quickly. Perhaps the most "fiery" of the group, but still.
All of these guys have been here a long time, but the fact is that we've had very little in team success with them in charge. When it comes to field generals, where's the Staubach in the group? Or the Irvin? The Ray Lewis? The one guy who let's the team know that he's the man in charge? Sadly, as great as they are, I don't think there is one.
That said even with their flaws, I love them and hope we can quickly build a winner around them, because they deserve it.
The Good Ones:
Miles Austin (UDFA '06): Worked extremely hard and played incredible after being undrafted to get where he is. Had some amazing games. Lots of drops. Lots of popped hammies. Really disappears when he's needed. Must be better (and healthy) next year.
Doug Free (4th Round '07): Valiantly fought his way into the lineup and became a decent starter. Regressed big time this year.
Terence Newman (1st Round '03): I'm actually being nice and deferring to his stats, because I really don't think he was ever a great player. Like RW31 before him, he was just the best we had, which isn't saying much, and again like RW31, he was mentally soft. He let reporters and fan criticism get to him. He's the poster child (given his tenure) for the Cowboys lost years.
Kyle Kosier (FA '06): Solid player on very underperforming lines. Honestly, he's fine, but still a long-time member of the Lost 'Boys.
Free deserves another year to get back, and Miles needs to figure out the health thing ASAP. The rest can go, IMO.
The rest:
Jason Hatcher (3rd Round '06): Mostly invisible for his career, but made progress this year which, to be honest, is highly unusual.
Bradie James (4th Round '03): Tackle stats...blah, blah, blah. Took Sean Lee to show what a real ILB looks like. He's been OK, but again, he shares the longest tenure on this underperforming group, and some claim at one point, he was the leader of the defense. Much like the captain of the Titanic, I guess.
Anthony Spencer (1st Round '07): Decent run supporter. Pinches way too often, fails to keep contained, appears very soft, admits to quitting last year which says it all.
Marcus Spears (1st Round '05): Vastly underwhelming, underperforming DE. Used to talk more than he does now, but never lived up to his words or his draft status. No stats for the Giants game, which is basically the M.O. for his career.
Alan Ball (7th Round '07) Fine for a seventh rounder. I guess. I'm trying to be nice.
Again, Hatcher had a nice year, but can he keep it up? Highly unlikely. The rest can leave and soon.
Summary
One last time, I'm not bagging on all of these guys as individuals, but more so as a whole. I know that not everyone can be a star, and that you need glue guys.
I know it's not their fault where they were drafted, but I'd also prefer that our higher draft picks be the main cogs in the machine and not specialty parts or basically invisible. If you don't what I speak of, look to teams like the Ravens and Steelers who over the same decade have been more consistent winners than our sad sack.
I know we can't replace all of these guys, and honestly, I don't want to, but there's just something about this group that's "off."
If there can be a team-wide "it" factor, then this group is the antithesis of "it".
Again, not as individuals, but as a team, and there must be a change of attitude. They are heartless, quitters, under-perfomers and underachievers.
Many of you dismiss the leadership thing, but I steadfastly maintain that this team desperately needs someone to step up and assume the leadership role, and it's not from this group.
This group, at its core, has been awful – team-wise – for many, many years when compared to teams past, and while some have had some incredible individual success, they're just not a team in the true sense of the word. And, there's certainly not a leader - in the true sense - in any of them. Yup, any of them. Romo, Ware, Witten included.
They have been here for 4+ years, but there must be some serious changes if this team's ever to sniff a championship again.
If the past few season's disappointments (44-6, historical blown leads, 1 playoff victory, etc.) and the season ender don't show you their true colors, I don't know what will.
The Great Ones:
Romo: (UDFA '03): He's one of the best we have, and I personally like him as a player, but where's that extra level? Statistically, he's off the charts, but for example, in the Giants game, we finally were getting momentum (thanks to mostly to him) and he threw a pick. Sadly, it's emblematic of his big game success or lack thereof. No trolls. I like him, but he is an enigma.
Witten: (3rd Round '03): Awesome player. Future Hall of Famer. Again, LOVE the guy, and he has shown fire in his years (No helmet in Philly), but man, there have been some critical times where he could have set the tone, but didn't. Seattle playoffs before the fumbled field goal and Giants game 3rd down. Both times he was one on one and let a much smaller guy take him down instead of pulling the Mark Bavaro on him and trucking him for the TD/first down. Again, no trolls.
Ware: (1st Round '05): Another awesome player and Future Hall of Famer. Sackmaster. Catalytic player. Too nice of a guy. He's the man on defense, but leads like he's the nickel CB. A guy of his stature/reputation MUST set the tone - the real tone, and not with the silly celebrations.
Too many times, I feel, he doesn't. The offsides this year were devastating, and his celebration when we were down against the Giants? Come on.
Jay Ratliff (7th Round '05): He's played waaay beyond his draft status and has been a true stud in the middle. An undersized star who's on the backside of his career, and I fear the drop off may happen quickly. Perhaps the most "fiery" of the group, but still.
All of these guys have been here a long time, but the fact is that we've had very little in team success with them in charge. When it comes to field generals, where's the Staubach in the group? Or the Irvin? The Ray Lewis? The one guy who let's the team know that he's the man in charge? Sadly, as great as they are, I don't think there is one.
That said even with their flaws, I love them and hope we can quickly build a winner around them, because they deserve it.
The Good Ones:
Miles Austin (UDFA '06): Worked extremely hard and played incredible after being undrafted to get where he is. Had some amazing games. Lots of drops. Lots of popped hammies. Really disappears when he's needed. Must be better (and healthy) next year.
Doug Free (4th Round '07): Valiantly fought his way into the lineup and became a decent starter. Regressed big time this year.
Terence Newman (1st Round '03): I'm actually being nice and deferring to his stats, because I really don't think he was ever a great player. Like RW31 before him, he was just the best we had, which isn't saying much, and again like RW31, he was mentally soft. He let reporters and fan criticism get to him. He's the poster child (given his tenure) for the Cowboys lost years.
Kyle Kosier (FA '06): Solid player on very underperforming lines. Honestly, he's fine, but still a long-time member of the Lost 'Boys.
Free deserves another year to get back, and Miles needs to figure out the health thing ASAP. The rest can go, IMO.
The rest:
Jason Hatcher (3rd Round '06): Mostly invisible for his career, but made progress this year which, to be honest, is highly unusual.
Bradie James (4th Round '03): Tackle stats...blah, blah, blah. Took Sean Lee to show what a real ILB looks like. He's been OK, but again, he shares the longest tenure on this underperforming group, and some claim at one point, he was the leader of the defense. Much like the captain of the Titanic, I guess.
Anthony Spencer (1st Round '07): Decent run supporter. Pinches way too often, fails to keep contained, appears very soft, admits to quitting last year which says it all.
Marcus Spears (1st Round '05): Vastly underwhelming, underperforming DE. Used to talk more than he does now, but never lived up to his words or his draft status. No stats for the Giants game, which is basically the M.O. for his career.
Alan Ball (7th Round '07) Fine for a seventh rounder. I guess. I'm trying to be nice.
Again, Hatcher had a nice year, but can he keep it up? Highly unlikely. The rest can leave and soon.
Summary
One last time, I'm not bagging on all of these guys as individuals, but more so as a whole. I know that not everyone can be a star, and that you need glue guys.
I know it's not their fault where they were drafted, but I'd also prefer that our higher draft picks be the main cogs in the machine and not specialty parts or basically invisible. If you don't what I speak of, look to teams like the Ravens and Steelers who over the same decade have been more consistent winners than our sad sack.
I know we can't replace all of these guys, and honestly, I don't want to, but there's just something about this group that's "off."
If there can be a team-wide "it" factor, then this group is the antithesis of "it".
Again, not as individuals, but as a team, and there must be a change of attitude. They are heartless, quitters, under-perfomers and underachievers.
Many of you dismiss the leadership thing, but I steadfastly maintain that this team desperately needs someone to step up and assume the leadership role, and it's not from this group.
