erod
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There was a time when substance superceded style in Cowboyland. Too many of you weren't around for it, but you know it through the tales and bedtime stories of elders like yours truly. No kidding, it really happened.
It was a long, frustrating chasm between then and now, when the Packers, Giants, Patriots, and Steelers carried that mantle, but I'm proud to say I think we might be coming out from the shadows once again.
You can spot the early signs of it already.
Solid, understated drafting and personnel acquisition. A determined identity. Calculated contract management and allocation. A singularly measured message. Check, check, check, and check.
But the biggest indicator is the players themselves. When the sum becomes bigger than its parts, the parts fall in line. Players want to be a part of something special, and they begin to recognize how replaceable they are, and how inferior the alternatives are. Veterans and newcomers alike.
Scandrick is throwing a hissy fit, but he's being careful not to stray to far away from Valley Ranch. Dez is in an actual contract haggle, but he's still recruiting players on behalf of Jerry wandering the halls, too. Carr is trying to dig his heels in, but he obviously doesn't want to be anywhere else now that it's getting good.
Romo and Witten are talking about five more years. Collins is giddy even though he lost millions because he has visions of a GOAT offensive line. Hardy is running practice, and Gregory is promising to be a choir boy at every turn. Running backs from near and far are begging their agents to find them a seat on the most sought-after throne in the NFL.
On all fronts, I can't remember an offseason when Cowboys players were this focused and intent on detail in a long time. You can just sense it. It's like training camp has already begun. Can you not feel the intensity in the weight room, the challenges being made among players, the discussions among them?
It's refreshing and reassuring to me, and I'm sure you as well. Players want to be here foremost because of the locker room, not the pomp and circumstance of the star and its celebrity. They want to play on the big stage for sure, but based on the quality of the roster, not just the glitz of the playground.
Of course, none of this ensures anything. Big heads, bad bounces, injuries, and all the usual pitfalls of the NFL could derail this season like any other. But the days of duct tape and super glue are over. This roster is the real deal, and it can play anywhere you want and any style you please.
It's gonna be an all-day mother to beat this team. Dallas knows it, and the 13 team on next year's schedule know it, too.
Players want a piece of that. And it shows.
It was a long, frustrating chasm between then and now, when the Packers, Giants, Patriots, and Steelers carried that mantle, but I'm proud to say I think we might be coming out from the shadows once again.
You can spot the early signs of it already.
Solid, understated drafting and personnel acquisition. A determined identity. Calculated contract management and allocation. A singularly measured message. Check, check, check, and check.
But the biggest indicator is the players themselves. When the sum becomes bigger than its parts, the parts fall in line. Players want to be a part of something special, and they begin to recognize how replaceable they are, and how inferior the alternatives are. Veterans and newcomers alike.
Scandrick is throwing a hissy fit, but he's being careful not to stray to far away from Valley Ranch. Dez is in an actual contract haggle, but he's still recruiting players on behalf of Jerry wandering the halls, too. Carr is trying to dig his heels in, but he obviously doesn't want to be anywhere else now that it's getting good.
Romo and Witten are talking about five more years. Collins is giddy even though he lost millions because he has visions of a GOAT offensive line. Hardy is running practice, and Gregory is promising to be a choir boy at every turn. Running backs from near and far are begging their agents to find them a seat on the most sought-after throne in the NFL.
On all fronts, I can't remember an offseason when Cowboys players were this focused and intent on detail in a long time. You can just sense it. It's like training camp has already begun. Can you not feel the intensity in the weight room, the challenges being made among players, the discussions among them?
It's refreshing and reassuring to me, and I'm sure you as well. Players want to be here foremost because of the locker room, not the pomp and circumstance of the star and its celebrity. They want to play on the big stage for sure, but based on the quality of the roster, not just the glitz of the playground.
Of course, none of this ensures anything. Big heads, bad bounces, injuries, and all the usual pitfalls of the NFL could derail this season like any other. But the days of duct tape and super glue are over. This roster is the real deal, and it can play anywhere you want and any style you please.
It's gonna be an all-day mother to beat this team. Dallas knows it, and the 13 team on next year's schedule know it, too.
Players want a piece of that. And it shows.
