Longest Blog of the Month

NY Times On the Case …

Owens, who may need to spend some of his three-year, $25 million contract on a better alarm clock, smiled for the cameras, apologized for his tardiness and maintained that he was not trying to cause a stir.

But Owens draws attention whether he tries to or not, whether riding an exercise bike, or simply walking through the locker room. His controversial aura is a challenge for the Cowboys, a team with Super Bowl aspirations led by an intense coach and an aggressive owner, Jerry Jones, who gambled that Owens could help the team reach that goal. Three games into the preseason, Parcells has found answering questions about Owens more troublesome than coaching him.

“At the end of the day, I knew when we acquired this player that I was going to be the one that had to deal,” Parcells said. “What anybody else thinks, present company included, anywhere nationwide, all those chatterboxes, I don’t care. I’m going to do what I think is best for the Dallas Cowboys. Whatever opinion anyone else has is totally irrelevant to my line of thinking, because they don’t have all the facts and I do. I consider things that you people don’t even think of. The only thing that’s tedious to me is having to talk about it all the time.”

Revo on Parcells …

The CliffsNotes version of what's going on at Valley Ranch, according to Parcells, is absolutely nothing.

Everything is hunky-dory. Move along people. There's no story here.

Maybe somebody got fined. Maybe they didn't. Parcells won't say, though eventually t.o. did finally 'fess up to the sin of sleeping through a rehab session, a team meeting and showing up late for an offensive team meeting Friday.

Personally, I'm less concerned about t.o.'s tardiness than I am about Parcells' state of mind.

I want to know that he still has control of his football team; that he has his gnarly old heel on t.o.'s larynx; that in any battle of wills with any player, but especially this one, Big Bill's grip is as tight as it ever has been.

But I don't have that answer for you today.

"He hasn't been a problem at all," Parcells said with a straight face, which is strange because normally this coach can find a problem with almost anything.

Parcells obviously has a problem with kicker Mike Vanderjagt, who was jumped by the coach when he told him he couldn't kick Saturday night. He had a problem with Terry Glenn nursing blisters and not practicing at Oxnard.

But t.o., to hear Big Bill tell it, is Mother Teresa in cleats.

Owens continues to miss practice with a tender hamstring, gets his wallet lightened by $9,500 for basically taking Friday off and that's not a problem?

What concerns me is that this might be Parcells taking the easy way out. If he doesn't acknowledge a problem, he doesn't really have to deal with it, now does he?

What does Deion think? …I swear, Deion and Irvin are amazing when it comes to TO…

Deion Sanders, former Cowboys star, appearing as guest with Andrew Siciliano and Nate Newton on FOX SPORTS RADIO, was asked about the media coverage of Terrell Owens not practicing: "First of all, if he's hurt, how could he practice?! Has anybody said anything about Steve Smith? Has anybody said anything about Hines Ward really not practicing or playing? Has anybody said anything about those two individuals? No, because you know what you're gonna get, when it's time to put-up."

"Now, I would be concerned about who's gonna throw to T.O. because I know T.O. is gonna catch and he's gonna give an all-pro performance.

"I'm not worried about what T.O.'s gonna do, I'm worried about what Drew Bledsoe, the Statue of Liberty back there in the park is gonna do or the new guy Tony Romo what he's gonna do and he's never performed under pressure. That is what I'm concerned about not T.O."

Texas decides (and desides) on Colt over Jevan …

Texas quarterback Colt McCoy has impressed enough coaches and teammates during fall drills to earn the starting job in Saturday's season opener against North Texas.
Depending on what happens in that game, McCoy could be the only Longhorns quarterback to take a snap against the Mean Green, coach Mack Brown said Monday.

That's a departure from previous statements, when Brown said he anticipated early playing time for both McCoy and Jevan Snead, the two freshmen vying to replace Vince Young in the Longhorns' lineup.

It's also a departure from past seasons, when Texas coaches scripted playing time in September games when quarterback duties were shared by Major Applewhite and Chris Simms or Chance Mock and Young.

"Colt deserves the right to start," Brown said Monday. "He's really improved since spring. Every scrimmage, he's done well and he's been consistent."

As for Snead, a Stephenville High School product who enrolled in January, Brown said: "We do not have a plan for how we're going to play Jevan."

Ideally, Brown wants Snead to make his college debut Saturday. But he said coaches learned a lesson about the dangers of assigned playing time from past quarterback situations.

Meanwhile, by popular demand yesterday, we now include Sooner …

The Sooners have conceded none of their lofty expectations. Should they lose a game early, regrets of missed opportunity could crash in on the quarterback position. OU fans are particularly harsh on their QBs. Teammates maintain standards as well.

With the offensive focus sure to shift even more reliant on Adrian Peterson, what are his chances at making a run at OU's fifth Heisman Trophy?

If healthy, Peterson will be back at the party in The Big Apple. He's too good. And he'll carry a load full of opportunity, with an increased role in the passing game also in the works.

Defenses will dog Peterson like never before, until Thompson and the passing game command respect. And an unproven offensive line must do its part.

But Peterson's main hurdle may be the media machine that will inevitably carry the candidacy of Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, should the Irish star get it going.
So can an offensive line with just one returning full-time starter be good enough to protect Thompson and plow for Peterson?

OU coaches don't dismiss the danger of inexperience. But they also believe there's talent on this young unit. And they'd rather have talented youngsters than experienced mediocrity.

Wednesday Morning: Dirk versus the USA …

The bracket says the United States will be facing Germany in the quarterfinals of the FIBA world championships Wednesday.

In truth, the U.S. is facing Dirk.

"Man, they have Dirk," U.S. point guard Chris Paul said. "He's one of the best players in the NBA and one of the best players in international ball as well."
Everyone here is on a first-name basis with Dirk Nowitzki, the Dallas Mavericks' star forward who has joined the ranks of the one-name basketball stars.

There's Kobe, Shaq, LeBron and Yao. And Dirk.

"He's an amazing player," U.S. guard Kirk Hinrich said. "He poses unbelievable matchup problems for any team, either in the NBA or here. He is used to playing internationally and with his German teammates. He poses a real challenge."

The World Championship Brackets …

Evan Grant attempts to explain the Rangers situation …

The offense has played tight. The acquisition of Lee was supposed to give the Rangers an indomitable offense for the stretch run. Instead, the hitters have swung as if sensing the outcome depends solely on them.

The result: a team that looks like it is pressing, evidenced by the club's inability to score runs late. Since Lee arrived, the offense has been outscored 32-15 in the eighth and ninth innings. The Rangers did not score a run in the final two innings on their recent trip through Detroit and Tampa Bay.

The result: No come-from-behind wins.

Since the All-Star break, the Rangers are 0-21 when tied or trailing after eight innings, 2-20 when tied or trailing after seven and 3-20 when tied or trailing after six.

Comeback wins are the kind that most energize a team and have the most potential for carryover.

Hicks explains everything …

"Underachieved? Yes," Hicks said. "I don't want to call them underachievers, [but] I think they would say it about themselves. We've never been able to have a consistent streak of playing good baseball. If you look at the teams that have really good records, they do it in spurts. And we haven't been able to do that."

Hicks, wearing a white Augusta National golf shirt, khaki pants and sunglasses, held an impromptu news conference in front of the Rangers dugout before Friday's series opener, just hours after he had arrived back in Texas. He said he had followed the Rangers on his computer while in South America, rejoicing when they took three of four from the Tigers and sulking when they followed by losing three of four at Tampa Bay.

"To lose three to Tampa Bay is frustrating anyway, but to be that far away, it ruined a couple of dinners," he said. "I had a lot more fun following the Detroit games."

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Hicks did not waver when asked to evaluate Showalter, who has been criticized recently by some in the local media.

"That's the nature of talk radio. Buck's our manager," Hicks said. "Buck doesn't swing the bat or throw the ball. He just needs to manage. Buck's a great manager. ... He's our manager."

Hicks said he plans to thoroughly evaluate the organization after the season as he does every year to "figure out how to get better."

At the moment, Hicks said, he knows the Rangers are close to where they need to be as they chase the red-hot A's, who have gone 16-5 in August.

"A lot of things have happened that, had they gone the other way, we would have won 10 or 15 more games," he said. "It just didn't happen. There's no reason we couldn't do what Oakland's done this month. The good news is we still mathematically have a chance to contend because our division hasn't been very strong this year.

Adam Morris looks at the issue: Is Gary Matthews a good defensive CF or are we fooled by the highlights? …

GMJ ranked next to last in CF, ahead of only Coco Crisp.

Yeah, I know...it is heresy to suggest that GMJ is anything other than a gold glove caliber centerfielder this year.

But is there maybe some truth to that ranking? Or should it just be dismissed as nonsense, proof that your eyes tell you more than the stats do when it comes to defense?

I don't really know. I do know, though, that BP's rankings have GMJ as a well below average defensive centerfielder. And he ranks below the majority of A.L. centerfielders in defensive Win Shares, as well.

Historically, Gary Matthews Jr. has been viewed as something of a tweener, a great defensive corner outfielder who didn't hit enough to play everyday at the position, or a decent hitting centerfielder whose bat wasn't enough to justify his glove out there.

So the question becomes, are the numbers lying, and is GMJ really an elite defensive centerfielder this year?

Or have some acrobatic catches and great throws deluded folks into thinking that GMJ is a better defensive centerfielder than he really is?

I am not sure what to think on this issue. I think he is great, but why do the numbers disagree?

Reggie Jackson on A-Rod …

"New York's stuck with him and he's stuck with New York," former Yankee great Reggie Jackson said. "He's not going to get traded and he's not going to go anywhere. We're stuck with each other."

Proof that you can’t make this crap up: Jeff George is back! …

Jeff George is back. No, really.

The quarterback hasn't played in the NFL since Sept. 24, 2001, but the Raiders just signed him to a veteran's-minimum $810,000 contract Monday morning.

He worked out for team officials Sunday, passed a physical and practiced Monday afternoon in a No. 3 jersey, the same number he wore for Oakland in 1997 and '98.
"It feels like I never left," George said. "I've always said when that call comes, I want to make sure I'm ready, and I've kept myself in pretty good shape."

George, who turns 39 in December, spent last year dabbling in real estate and running a run-and-shoot offense for a fourth-grade football team in his hometown of Indianapolis.

The Raiders and George have been in contact since coach Art Shell was hired in February. When backup quarterback Andrew Walter sat last week with shoulder trouble, the Raiders decided this was a good time to bring in George.

George was fourth in line for quarterback snaps during practice behind Aaron Brooks, Walter -- he's better now -- and Marques Tuiasosopo. The 53-man roster must be finalized Sunday, and Shell isn't against carrying a fourth quarterback as "insurance."

"I've always been intrigued by the guy and couldn't figure out why a talent like him doesn't spend his years in one place," Shell said.

For starters, George's career has been potholed by arguments with his head coaches. He got into a shouting match with June Jones in Atlanta midway through the 1996 season and was unceremoniously dumped.

George also got into a sideline run-in with Washington's Marty Schottenheimer in 2001, and was cut loose after two games. George had brief roster stints with Seattle in 2002 and Chicago in 2004, but did not play.

Peter King MMQB …

Baby Fart …

How to lose an Election in 30 seconds …

The Real Men of Genius Archive Page …wow. Genius!



Where can you buy $34 popcorn? At Terrellowens.com …Seriously!

And now, Email:

This whole QB controversey......got me to thinking:

If diehard Mavs/Dirk fans are considered Nowitznesses, then when Tony Romo is dominating the NFL in a couple years, and people are feeing the same way about him as they used to feel about Troy and Roger, will the die-hards be referred to as "Romosexuals"?

-Good P1 Nick in Austin

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Sports Sturm:

If you get an opportunity, please check out the amazing links on You tube below. This story is of an amazing father and the even more amazing spirit of his son. It is the story of Team Hoyt. Watch, view and be reduced to tears as I consistently am. As a result of this story, I am training to push my 4 year and 1 year old daughters in our double stroller at this year's White Rock Marathon on 12/10/06. My oldest girl has Autism and she gets great pleasure out of taking rides with me when I go running. I know have any trouble viewing this links just go to Youtube.com and google Team Hoyt. Please watch the "Can" video. It will hit you in the gut and make you feel like a peanut of a man compared to Dick Hoyt and his son Rick.

Perhaps you guys could mention this site and story this week if you have not already done so in the past.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryCTIigaloQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D52rJd9GX10&mode=related&search=

Thanks for making my days as a generic businessman pass by with some good
laughs and great HSOs. You boys from 0530 to 1900 hrs are first rate.
Great work by all of you.

Gary
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Someday my blog while be as good as yours!!

http://onelugnutshort.blogspot.com/

enjoy if you ever have some free time.

Phil Tripp

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Bob

I've been reading your blog and I thought you would like to check out mine.

http://txsports-moth.blogspot.com/

I cover all DFW sports

and my squidoo is on the cowboys. all the cowboys news in one place. it's a pretty cool deal.

http://www.squidoo.com/dallascowboysnews/

If you like them feel free to put a link on your page. I'm going to link your blog. it might be there by the time you see this.

thanks
sam

Today’s Youtube:

Greatest Card trick Ever?



Aggie reminds us of Stephen McGee