Your Optimism and Your Pessimism Meet

[GoCowboysGo]

Hos, this is something I've been thinking about for a while now.

I predicted in that one thread that the Cowboys would win 13 games.

But then I watched the preseason game.

Boy, I see some of the same problems with getting plays in on time. While I don't remember any delay penalties against us, I do remember seeing us scramble to get the plays in. Really? After what happened last year and getting a delay penalty after a time out!!!

The coaching makes me very pessimistic as does the lack of line depth on offense and defense, which will undo us I'm afraid.

I think it's ironic that so many media point to lack of quality receivers, but what will kill us is the lack of depth on both lines. I actually think the receivers a really good and getting rid of "He Who Must Not Be Named" will really help them start their careers and allow Romo to choose who to throw the ball to instead of having to throw to one guy enough to satisfy him.

My pessimistic side says...9-7.
My optimistic side now says...11-5.

I just want to avoid our first losing decade, end the play off drought, and finally win the last game of the season.

 

[DallasEast]

Optimism

This team has all the tools to compete for a championship. Now.

Pessimism

Jerry Jones will interfere with a coaching decision at some point.

Wade Phillips will not trust his defense to blitz during certain blitzing situations.

Jason Garrett will demand too much of Tony Romo at key moments of a game(s).

Tony Romo will not protect the ball during a crucial drive(s) of any given game.

Flozell Adams will put the team into one too many 2nd-&-long or 3rd-&-long situations during a crucial drive.

Cory Procter. 'nuff said.

Kyle Kosier, Keith Brookings and/or Roy E. Williams succumbing (sp?) to injuries.

Anthony Spencer becoming too tenative as a starter and not reacting more on instinct.

No one giving adequate substitution time for Jay Ratliff.



Want more? Sorry. That's it for me. Literally.

 

[SDogo]

Optimism:
I'll only need to replace one remote this year and it will be due to a accidental spill.

Pessimism:
Once again Betsy the customer service rep at DirecTv will know my name and address by my voice alone.

 

[ABQcowboyJR]

Optimism
- Felix can stay healthy and be the threat that defenses don't know what to do about.
-Roy Williams shows that he is one of the best WR in the league.
-The two tight end sets become a staple of our O and a dominant force.
-Our young corners show that they can step in when tnew is out and play with the big boys and show us our future at that position.
-Austin not hurd has a break through year and is able to keep d's honest.

Pessimism
-The O line is not as strong as they appear. Will be the downfall of this season.
-Rat and our ILB's are not big or dominant enough to stop hard nosed running football teams.
-Romo's leadership.

 

[justbob]

Sorry Hos --I have spent to much on treatment to split my personalities again.
I remain positive until the first kick off --maybe I will remain negative until the first quarter --no positive --no negative ---Hos see what you have done

 

[Dodger]

Great post, Hostile, very timely...for me at least, anyway.

It seems that almost everyday I find myself constantly swinging back and forth between hope for and frustration about this team. Of course, I've never been full throttle one way or another, especially recently. I'm more what you'd call cautiously optimistic about the Cowboys, i.e. they seem to be making progress, and it looks like things will be good this year...but I'm not quite ready to hop on the playoff and Super Bowl bandwagon just yet.

I honestly believe that the Cowboys have a very talented roster, and looking at other teams in the NFC, I don't see how, on paper, any of those teams are that much better than the Cowboys. In other words, I like what they have in terms of talent. The depth could be a bit better, but in terms of the starters, I think the Cowboys are right up there with the best teams in the NFC.

But what frustrates me about this team is what has always frustrated me for years: discipline, or the lack thereof, and an apparent lack of desire. I don't know what it is about this team that makes them think that penalties and turnovers are not a high priority on the list of things to change. Who knows, maybe they don't think that, but their actions on the field lead me to believe otherwise.

Similarly, sometimes I get the feeling that this team isn't all that tough. Sure, they have talent, and sometimes that's enough to bail them out of some tight situations, but in some games when they're getting pushed around, beat up, and intimidated by another team, it just seems to me like they don't have the guts or the desire to fight back. I often wonder...if someone took a late, cheapshot at Romo, would that clear the bench? Somehow, I doubt it.

My optimism and pessimism can often been seen going hand in hand during gameday. The Cowboys are down 4 points late in the 4th quarter, but our offense takes the field, and I'm feeling like, yeah, they can do this. They can drive down the field and score, against this defense? Yeah.

And then Flo false starts.

Oh...****. Here we go. How much you wanna bet they do that again, I'm thinking. Sure enough, someone gets called for holding. Great. All we need now is a fumble.

You know the rest...

 

[Primetime42]

Nice breakdown, Boss.

Optimism

- Real or perceived, the TO issue got out of hand. Is that all his fault? Absolutely not, but there was nothing that could be done short of releasing him that could have fixed it. I wish him well in Buffalo. Seriously.

-On the same note, spreading the ball around is gonna be great. Contrary to popular belief, this is a very talented offense. I look forward to Romo focusing on the open man rather than the Main Man.

-We got out of training camp relatively healthy.

-As stated before, hurt pride. If this team has any, they're gonna have a chip on their shoulder, and people will pay.

-I say it all the time - The Giants are not better than the Cowboys. We bring our A game, we'll manhandle them.

Pessimism

-One major injury on the O-line or in the secondary, and we're screwed. We need those boys to stay healthy.

-The Giants may not scare me, but the Eagles absolutely do, and that was before that asswhuppin' they put on us to end the year.

-Wade's talking a good game, and it seems like the team is responding well early, but will it translate to a more disciplined team? And if it does, will it last? I didn't like what I saw on the penalty front in Oakland. Let's hope it's rectified Friday night.

-Is the month of December in our heads? My hope is that we have the setup to fix that. Thanksgiving we play the Raiders, and get our customary 10 days off. Right off the bat, we go to the Meadowlands. If we win that game, (and you know how I feel about that) will it go a long way towards curing the late season woes? Or does the doubt creep in again when the Giants get an early score?

That game is HUGE, IMO.

-Also concerned about conditioning for the stretch run. I don't want to doubt Jurasek, but he's been the common thread in all the collapses.

 

[Monster Heel]

I'm optimistic about:

Tony Romo - Initially I wasn't a fan and was against him replacing Drew Bledsoe, but over the course his tenure as our QB he's won me over. The fact that the Cowboys are clearly dependent upon his play is a big reason why. When people doubt whether or not he can succeed without he who shall not be named, I think back to when first became the starter. At that point in time, I think he truly just threw the ball to the open man and didn't really try to force feed certain players. If he can get back to that, there's probably enough talent at the skill positions to get it done.

Felix Jones - As much as I'm afraid he'll get hurt again, I think he's truly a special player. In what I've seen of him, he's a running back that loses zero speed when he makes a move. I don't think he's the fastest back, but it's that quality that makes him what he is. He's at top speed no matter how he's moving and people seem to underestimate his speed because of it. Time and again I've read about how you just can't judge how fast he is and in games he's made defenders look completely clueless.

I'm pessimistic about:

Flozell Adams - The OL depth is not good and I'm not really that big a fan of Gurode, but he is what I fear the most in terms of the OL. I have heard the excuses for his pitiful play last year, but I'm not buying into them until I see him play better this year. He's well on his way to becoming a human turnstile, if he's not one already.

Inside linebacker depth - I'm not entirely sure Keith Brooking is a quality starter. I know he's been one in the past, but I just feel like Atlanta got rid of him for a reason. I need to see that he's not a has been. Beyond Brooking, I have little faith in Bobby Carpenter. If he has to play more than nickel linebacker, the Cowboys are probably going to be in deep trouble. It also goes without saying that Jason Williams isn't ready to step in this year. So basically what I'm saying is that Bradie James is the only player I feel comfortable about in this group and we need two of them on the field in base sets. That's not good.

Outside linebacker depth - Much like inside linebacker, there's only one player I feel good about. It should be patently obvious who that is. Now beyond DeMarcus Ware, we have Anthony Spencer, who's into year 3 and has accomplished next to nothing in the NFL. I'm all for this guy getting his opportunity to be THE man at LOLB, but he didn't exactly TAKE the job from Greg Ellis. I need to see Spencer not just occupy space on the field, but play well to have faith in him. Of course after Spencer, Butler and Williams are rookies.

Defensive line depth - I'm not really that high on our starters here (Spears in general/Ratliff at NT/Olshansky being unknown in Dallas), but I think they can probably get it done. It's the depth that REALLY concerns me when it comes to the DL. Stephen Bowen, in my opinion, that's flashed a little bit of talent out of these players, but I still don't know how good he is. Jason Hatcher is JAG at best, seems like whenever I see him in the game, runs are getting broken. Junior Siavii...hahaha really....

 

[DallasEast]

I'm optimistic about:

Tony Romo - Initially I wasn't a fan and was against him replacing Drew Bledsoe, but over the course his tenure as our QB he's won me over. The fact that the Cowboys are clearly dependent upon his play is a big reason why. When people doubt whether or not he can succeed without he who shall not be named, I think back to when first became the starter. At that point in time, I think he truly just threw the ball to the open man and didn't really try to force feed certain players. If he can get back to that, there's probably enough talent at the skill positions to get it done.

Felix Jones - As much as I'm afraid he'll get hurt again, I think he's truly a special player. In what I've seen of him, he's a running back that loses zero speed when he makes a move. I don't think he's the fastest back, but it's that quality that makes him what he is. He's at top speed no matter how he's moving and people seem to underestimate his speed because of it. Time and again I've read about how you just can't judge how fast he is and in games he's made defenders look completely clueless.

I'm pessimistic about:

Flozell Adams - The OL depth is not good and I'm not really that big a fan of Gurode, but he is what I fear the most in terms of the OL. I have heard the excuses for his pitiful play last year, but I'm not buying into them until I see him play better this year. He's well on his way to becoming a human turnstile, if he's not one already.

Inside linebacker depth - I'm not entirely sure Keith Brooking is a quality starter. I know he's been one in the past, but I just feel like Atlanta got rid of him for a reason. I need to see that he's not a has been. Beyond Brooking, I have little faith in Bobby Carpenter. If he has to play more than nickel linebacker, the Cowboys are probably going to be in deep trouble. It also goes without saying that Jason Williams isn't ready to step in this year. So basically what I'm saying is that Bradie James is the only player I feel comfortable about in this group and we need two of them on the field in base sets. That's not good.

Outside linebacker depth - Much like inside linebacker, there's only one player I feel good about. It should be patently obvious who that is. Now beyond DeMarcus Ware, we have Anthony Spencer, who's into year 3 and has accomplished next to nothing in the NFL. I'm all for this guy getting his opportunity to be THE man at LOLB, but he didn't exactly TAKE the job from Greg Ellis. I need to see Spencer not just occupy space on the field, but play well to have faith in him. Of course after Spencer, Butler and Williams are rookies.

Defensive line depth - I'm not really that high on our starters here (Spears in general/Ratliff at NT/Olshansky being unknown in Dallas), but I think they can probably get it done. It's the depth that REALLY concerns me when it comes to the DL. Stephen Bowen, in my opinion, that's flashed a little bit of talent out of these players, but I still don't know how good he is. Jason Hatcher is JAG at best, seems like whenever I see him in the game, runs are getting broken. Junior Siavii...hahaha really....

umm... "Terence Newman"

 

[Monster Heel]

I don't want to get into him any more.

 

[superpunk]

My optimism just "Buehler'd" my pessimism.

 

[superpunk]

I don't want to get into him any more.

quotedforoutofcontext

 

[DallasEast]

I don't want to get into him any more.

I'm pessimistically optimistic about your decision.

 

[sonnyboy]

I'm optimistic about this team.

You can split hairs and talk about OL depth or lack of heart or focus down the stretch in 2008. You can nit-pick any team.

Bottom line for me is that I wouldn't trade places with any other fan base right now. From Owner all the way down to the 80th man on the roster.

We have as good a chance to win this years SB as any team. And a much much better chance than almost every team. Of course this leads to my pessimism. And that's the "field."

Don't care if we're talking about the 77, 93 or 2009 Cowboys. The "Field" always has the advantage. We could do everything right this year and chances are, we still don't take home the Lombardi Trophy.

 

[Hostile]

I don't want to get into him any more.

That is an outstanding avatar and a weird answer if taken out of context.



NTTAWWT

 

[StarWiz2]

Always room for optimism. Here's our depth.

Call me a cynic, but this score right here, Oakland 31-10 is a bad, bad, bad, sign, even for a preseason game. Offensively, Kitna, our great savior as backup to Romo stunk up the joint. McGee looked better. That's good.

Defensively, we stunk up the joint after the first quarter. That's bad. So bad, I don't believe the Cowboys have a second team. They jump from first team to third. That's bad.

I can see why our starters might play longer tomorrow. JJ doesn't want to lose this game. Brand new stadium opening. You think he wants a sequel to, Massacre At Texas Stadium, The Final Game?

Wade has been bad in more ways than one. He and JJ have squandered the depth that we've had and I don't have time to give you a long list of the goners. So, pessimistically writing, I believe this team as coached and constructed by Jerry Jones, Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett are capable of losing even if their lives depended on winning.

But wait! . . . I have to be optimistic that I'm wrong. Brand new Stadium! 100k plus rockin, sock'em crowds! The team will stay healthy! We have a rock solid running back core! The team has overcome adversity in the offseason! Romo will turn into God! Buehler is God! Wade has his application in to be God! Rah, Rah, Rah, zippity boom bah!

But wait! . . . Pessimistically writing, again. What if we lose this game tomorrow night? And the starters played three quarters?

Well, I know what I'll do. Watch a rerun of Hang Em' High, with Clint Eastwood and wish I was standing on the wrong end of Clint's Winchester.

 

[Hostile]

Always room for optimism. Here's our depth.

Call me a cynic, but this score right here, Oakland 31-10 is a bad, bad, bad, sign, even for a preseason game. Offensively, Kitna, our great savior as backup to Romo stunk up the joint. McGee looked better. That's good.

Defensively, we stunk up the joint after the first quarter. That's bad. So bad, I don't believe the Cowboys have a second team. They jump from first team to third. That's bad.

I can see why our starters might play longer tomorrow. JJ doesn't want to lose this game. Brand new stadium opening. You think he wants a sequel to, Massacre At Texas Stadium, The Final Game?

Wade has been bad in more ways than one. He and JJ have squandered the depth that we've had and I don't have time to give you a long list of the goners. So, pessimistically writing, I believe this team as coached and constructed by Jerry Jones, Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett are capable of losing even if their lives depended on winning.

But wait! . . . I have to be optimistic that I'm wrong. Brand new Stadium! 100k plus rockin, sock'em crowds! The team will stay healthy! We have a rock solid running back core! The team has overcome adversity in the offseason! Romo will turn into God! Buehler is God! Wade has his application in to be God! Rah, Rah, Rah, zippity boom bah!

But wait! . . . Pessimistically writing, again. What if we lose this game tomorrow night? And the starters played three quarters?

Well, I know what I'll do. Watch a rerun of Hang Em' High, with Clint Eastwood and wish I was standing on the wrong end of Clint's Winchester.

You should post more often. That was damned entertaining to read. Believe I'll do it again right now.

 

[skinsscalper]

I'll play. I think it's a great exercise.

/sarcasm on/ You can stop being the internet know it all any time now, Hos. /sarcasm off/

I'll start with the things that I'm pessimistic about (I prefer to end on a positive note).

1.) The release of Owens and the scapegoat that he was made out to be. I hated Owens before he came to the Cowboys. HATED HIM. I'm not afraid to admit that the guy won me over. I think that the Cowboys and Jerry Jones buckled on an issue that was overinflated by the media. His distraction was his presence. I hate the excuse that it made the offense more "Romo friendly". If Romo doesn't have the sack to take control of his offense with even a mercurial player like Owens on the team then I have to question whether he's got the fortitude to be the leader we need him to be in the most critical juncture of the game or a season. I'll guarantee you Troy Aikman would have put Owens right back in his place and would have had the backing of the rest of his team to make it happen. Why? Because Aikman was a respected leader. Romo, so far............? Which brings me to my next point.......

2.) The overall fortitude of this team. We all harken to the 90's hoping beyond hope (sometimes) that the magic of those teams can be resurrected. I just don't see the type of leadership on this team that there was on those teams. With the exception of a couple of players, it's just not there. I want to be wrong on this issue more than any other but, I'm a show me guy. Show me Boys. Please show me.

3.) The coaching staff. I'm not sure that there's a defensive coordinator that I would rather have in the league, right now, than Wade Phillips. I'm also not sure that I wouldn't take almost anyone else as a head coach. I just don't think the guy has what it takes to out motivate, out scheme, or out prepare his elite counterparts. Unfortunately that's what it takes to win playoff games. Wade hasn't done it once. I'm not totally sold on Garrett either. People can blast T.O. all day long for being a divider. When it was all said and done, the team golden boy (Romo) was echoing the same sentiments that Owens and opposing defenses had been saying for weeks. Garret was being out coached and out schemed. Now, Romo has backed off that stance, I'm sure, to keep the peace. But he knew it, they knew it, we all knew it. Garrett was outclassed last year.

4.) Lack of depth at critical positions (most notably the O and D lines). I understand that we can't have a steak at every position PLUS backups, but an injury to almost ANY member of the O-line spells disaster. The recent play of Doug Free is a little encouraging, but it certainly doesn't inspire complete confidence. Ratliff, Ware or Spencer goes down and this is a different defense entirely.

5.) The Roy Williams factor. I'm just not sold that he can be what we need him to be. I know that he doesn't need to be T.O. to be successful. What worries me about Williams is the fundamentals of his game. Aikman and Irvin both pointed out the flaws in his route running last year and it did, indeed, seem that the opposing CBs were reading Roy's body language and running his routes for him. Some will say, but that can be coached out of him. To that I can only ask why it hasn't been already? From an elite NCAA program to the NFL and it's never been coached out of him? Really? This is the issue that I second most hope I have to eat a pile of crow on.

Now for the things that give me a great deal of optimism:

1.) 9-7 and an *** whoopin in Philly. The worst thing that could have happened to this team, regarding the 2008 season, was 13 Pro Bowlers and a sense of entitlement. The players, coaches and owner were talkin' Super Bowl before we even laced up for our first mini-camp. Fans were in on it, too (myself included). The best thing that could have happened to this team regarding the 2009 season was the 9-7 finish and the aforementioned beat-down in Philly. I truly believe that we will find out who on this team has the heart of a champion after that whole debacle. Who takes that whole thing personal and does everything within the rules of the game to make sure it never happens again. Because when it all comes down to it, the game is about beating the man in front of you (eleven times over). Who on this team is going to refuse to let his opponent get the best of him. I have a good feeling that we will find our true leaders this year and they will not allow any excuses.

2.) The emergence (and return) of Marty B and Felix the Cat. From an athletic standpoint I think Marty is could possibly be not only the best TE on this team, but in the entire league. I think there's a slight chance that with the combination of his speed and athleticism he could, possibly, revolutionize the position. Is that homeristic? Maybe. But remember, before Bob Hayes, there was no such thing as a speed receiver. Not on that level. Before the West Coast Offense, a fullback as a receiving option was rare at most. I think this kid is special. Really special. As for Felix.....the guy is off the hook. I think Felix is going to become what everyone thought Reggie Bush would be when he came into the league. An explosive guy that's threat to take it to the house every single time he touches the ball. His return could be the catalyst that takes this offense to the next level. People mey claim that our playmaker left when Owens was shown the door. I think our playmaker just came off IR.

3.) A no non-sense approach to the season. All reports from camp so far have been that the atmosphere has been very business-like. KUDOS! It's about damn time. Jerry couldn't contain himself, the minute Parcells left the building, to jump the shark and go into straight circus mode. I love his passion for the team, but sometimes (I think) his efforts to promote the team become a distraction from the real goal: WINNING CHAMPIONSHIPS! Jerry is the undisputed P.T. Barnum of the NFL. No doubt about it. Unfortunately, that puts a microscope on every single thing this team does. From locker room spats (which happen on EVERY TEAM) to date lists. It brings undue pressure on the players, coaches, and himself. The fact that he's backed off of that just a touch (even in light of the new stadium), I think, has the players and coaches more focused and determined than in many years past. No Hard Knocks. No big splash FAs. No Bull****.

4.) The emergence of our young WRs, so far, in camp. I won't get over giddy about this prospect right now, because far too often we've seen "camp killers" who suddenly disappear when it matters most. But the news of the playmaking ability of Hurd, particularly, has me excited that these kids can get it done. I posted in another thread that I liked the approach that the Patriots took in their Super Bowl runs of having a mostly pedestrian WR corp. The #1 WR was the guy that was open. Period. No big name guys, just hard working football players that got it done.

5.) Lastly: a new season. Nothing washes the taste of a bad season out of your mouth like the beginning of a new one. Optimism is high for EVERY fan of EVERY team. It's the homer in us all that may be dimmed every once in a while but it never dies because today, my friends, is a whole new day.

Go Cowboys!

:starspin

 

[Hostile]

I'll play. I think it's a great exercise.

/sarcasm on/ You can stop being the internet know it all any time now, Hos. /sarcasm off/

Oh you just think I can stop. I have an addiction.

:wink2:

 

[skinsscalper]

Oh you just think I can stop. I have an addiction.

:wink2:

Touche.