Wait, is that Phil Costa underneath that bus?

CCBoy

Well-Known Member
Messages
53,028
Reaction score
25,008
I know that following a disappointing season, that some fans go on safari trying to find any living target to unload upon. Some reasons used are valid, and always some of them aren't.

I think it always from time to time, to take a minute and see things on a person to person basis. And see the human elements involved.

I still guard a player's heart with mine. Now I'm not conflicting with any view. Only presenting my sight on aspects of players here.

Let's take a quick look at one and gain an additional view only to expand thoughts....let's start with who is being thrown under the proverbial bus now on site: Phil Costa

Maybe take in a personal side to a professional player...

*(What I am relaying is taken from an Article by John Tranchina in Dallas Cowboy Star Magazine.)

Although he took over for a five-time Pro Bowler, Phil Costa was a solid center in his first season starting for the Cowboys.

Now, not many on site have a really functional knowledge of the exact personalities and characteristics for many of the non-twitter players on the Dallas Roster.

So let's start with the picture of what other players refer to Costa....and that being the nick-name of Bulldog.

That's a great name for an offensive lineman. It implies an aggressive nature, with consistant fight in the package. It implies the nature to never back down.

This is what Jay Ratliff said in describing Costa: 'Phil Costa, he's the man. He's good. He's going to be playing for a long time. He's certainly got my respect just for the fact that he doesn't give up and he wants to get better.'

Kyle Kosier commented, 'The bulldog, Phil Costa is a great player. He fights, he never gives up. He's always willing to learn and he'll come ask me a question and I'll give it to him and and he'll listen to me, like Tyron does. These guys are going to have a long career here. (Tyron Smith and Costa are on both sides of Kosier in the lockerroom.)

A humble Costa downplays any success that he may have experienced this season, and responds in this manner, he echoes the voice of Head Coach Jason Garrett and the focus of treating each day as a focus and not looking ahead or looking behind. That's how you get ahead, 'win the day.'

Costa came up with Maryland, starting two seasons primarily as a guard.

His rookie year with Dallas, he saw active duty and play for two games. Here, he played at guard as an injury replacement. Although that experience was limited, he considers the 2010 season as critical to his development. Particularly because of the guidance that Andre Gurode provided him. 'You try and determine at a young age what it takes to play in this league, and the dedication, the extra time that you put in.'

Jeremy Parnell stated: 'We had great players here last season, that taught Phil how to do what he is doing now. Parnell has been a game day inactive for two seasons with Dallas. He was previously on the New Orleans Practice Squad.

And now that Costa is the starter, he hasn't hesitated to tutor his backup, Kevin Kowalski. Kowalski is another undrafted free agent that made the team out of Training Camp.

Kowalski states, 'He has been great. He has made himself available to me. Any questions that I have for him, he helps me out.'

Tryon Smith states, 'It's been a great experience with Phil. We learn together.'

As the season progressed and he became more accustomed to the NFL game, Costa felt his biggest improvement came in his communication with the rest of the offensive line.

Overall, Costa has earned the confidence of his teammates and coaching staff, not just because of his poise and performance, but also from the dogged way he approaches his job.
 
His arms aren't long enough to get up from under the bus. He's stuck.
 
I have said before that I expect Costa will be the starter next year, people forget that this is his first year as a starter, Bulldog has good size and plays with grit, I think he gets another year as the starter...
 
phil costa was awful this year, whoever says anything different needs to get their eyes checked.
 
Cowboys&LakersFan;4372338 said:
Costa sucks. We need a big upgrade at center.

Yeah. You don't need to write War and Peace when you're correct.

Can't play. Won't change. Next.
 
Costa was the weak point on the line in 2011. Can he get better? Sure. Bottom line, Romo needs much better play from his center.
 
dboy214;4372339 said:
phil costa was awful this year, whoever says anything different needs to get their eyes checked.

All I know is that Costa and Holland/Dockery were not near as bad as Gurode/ Davis in pass protection. Last year there were so many absolutely free men up the middle it was ridiculous. We did not have near as much of that this year. I thought Romo, while not having a ton of space had more room this year to step up than in prior years. Also the running game was better this year so I am not sure why some say he was worse than Gurode because I don't think there is evidence of that!
 
aikemirv;4372366 said:
All I know is that Costa and Holland/Dockery were not near as bad as Gurode/ Davis in pass protection. Last year there were so many absolutely free men up the middle it was ridiculous. We did not have near as much of that this year. I thought Romo, while not having a ton of space had more room this year to step up than in prior years. Also the running game was better this year so I am not sure why some say he was worse than Gurode because I don't think there is evidence of that!

ProFootballFocus.com graded out costa the 30th ranked center in the league. i'm pretty sure gurode was never that bad. costa somehow found a way to snap the ball worse than gurode too. romo deserves better at that position.
 
dboy214;4372379 said:
ProFootballFocus.com graded out costa the 30th ranked center in the league. i'm pretty sure gurode was never that bad. costa somehow found a way to snap the ball worse than gurode too. romo deserves better at that position.

I bad game snapping the ball does not make him worse than Gurode. Gurode was consistently bad game in and game out snapping the ball. Gurode was living on reputation.
 
aikemirv;4372366 said:
All I know is that Costa and Holland/Dockery were not near as bad as Gurode/ Davis in pass protection. Last year there were so many absolutely free men up the middle it was ridiculous. We did not have near as much of that this year. I thought Romo, while not having a ton of space had more room this year to step up than in prior years. Also the running game was better this year so I am not sure why some say he was worse than Gurode because I don't think there is evidence of that!

Except for a brief stint injured, Costa, Free, Kozier, and Smith were the constants this season. Muliple injuries kept the left guard in crisis all season.

But as to your comment, this season had a total yardage total of just over 6,000 total yards for the season. The only other time Dallas had 6,000 total yards was in 2009. That was when the previous offensive line group was the healthiest. Your analysis is valid as it picked back up from where in 2010 the totals had dipped. This year, it took DeMarco Murray to kickstart the running game. After his injury, Felix Jones was able to keep up a respectable running game, although.
 
dboy214;4372379 said:
ProFootballFocus.com graded out costa the 30th ranked center in the league. i'm pretty sure gurode was never that bad. costa somehow found a way to snap the ball worse than gurode too. romo deserves better at that position.

:) What were Andre Gurode's grades his first four seasons at center and then guard?
 
Costa ranked 3oth in the league at center, Dallas needs a serious upgrade at the position..he's nothing more than a backup at best
 
Can't hike, can't block - Tony will be the happiest of all when we **** can this guy.
 
CCBoy;4372387 said:
:) What were Andre Gurode's grades his first four seasons at center and then guard?

i have no idea. do you want to tell me?

for the record, i was never a gurode fan either.

they both stink imo.
 
pancakeman;4372383 said:
Implication that the length of the original post was itself evidence of its wrongness.

This was a summarization of an Article in last week's Dallas Cowboy Star Magazine. It's length was REDUCED from the original publication. But was added to give a personal side and more human side of a picture from the usual line coming out, that would be used in imitation of a coach's session with scouts during the off season.

But if one is counting numbers of sentences, the above was a huge 3...:lmao2:
 

Staff online

Forum statistics

Threads
474,003
Messages
14,505,693
Members
24,207
Latest member
TomGiantsfan
Back
Top