Look At Me

Terrell being Terrell ….Draws attention to himself by not trying to draw attention to himself…brilliant!

A new tactic for Terrell Owens: Instead of talking, he wrote a note.

Even Owens apparently knows the Dallas Cowboys' game Sunday against New England, a pair of 5-0 teams and multiple Super Bowl winners, doesn't need any extra hype.

Nor does Tom Brady vs. Tony Romo, and more interestingly, Owens vs. Randy Moss in a matchup of the league's highest-scoring offenses.

In place of the usually talkative receiver, reporters found at Owens' locker Wednesday a nearly poster-sized, typewritten note:

"Dear Reporters,

"Due to the magnitude of this week's game and high volume of questions for the Original 81 about the other 81. I will be taking all questions immediately following Sunday's game.

"Sincerely, (followed by Owens' signature)

"p.s. Getcha Popcorn Ready."

The "other 81" was an obvious reference to Moss, the controversial five-time Pro Bowl receiver who after two difficult years in Oakland is flourishing in his first season with the Patriots.

Owens' postscript referred to his "get your popcorn ready" comment made when he signed with the Cowboys in the summer of 2006 -- before he caught an NFL-high 13 TDs in his Dallas debut. Owens has 21 catches for 387 yards and three TDs this season.

How about this stat?

This week’s matchup between 5-0 teams marks just the fifth time in the 88-year history of the NFL that two undefeated teams with five or more wins have faced each other, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. New England also took part in the most recent such game – and the only NFL contest of this nature since 1973 – when the 5-0 Patriots defeated the 5-0 New York Jets at Gillette Stadium on Oct. 24, 2004.

NFL GAMES IN WHICH BOTH TEAMS WERE UNBEATEN WITH 5+ WINS

Date Teams Result
11/13/21 Buffalo All-Americans (6-0) vs. Akron Pros (7-0) at BUF 0, AKR 0
11/04/23 Canton Bulldogs (5-0) vs. Chicago Cardinals (5-0) CAN 7, at CHI 3
10/28/73 Minnesota Vikings (6-0) vs. Los Angeles Rams (6-0) at MIN 10, LA 9
10/24/04 New England Patriots (5-0) vs. New York Jets (5-0) at NE 13, NYJ 7
10/14/07 New England Patriots (5-0) vs. Dallas Cowboys (5-0) 4:15 p.m., CBS

Romo will be examined by Belichick …

Romo has to take on the New England Patriots on Sunday in his biggest game as a starter.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick is a master at destroying quarterbacks the first time he goes up against them.

Peyton Manning, Michael Vick, Philip Rivers, Carson Palmer, Byron Leftwich, Matt Hasselbeck and Kurt Warner are some of the notable quarterbacks who have lost in their first meetings against Belichick's Patriots.

"I think what makes him special is just his ability to think like a quarterback," Romo said of Belichick. "When I watch him on tape, he gets his guys to play as if they're going to get the quarterback instead of the other way around."

On Sunday, Romo, who is 11-4 as a starter in the regular season, will look to emulate what Brett Favre, Chad Pennington, Ben Roethlisberger and Steve McNair were able to do in their first encounters against Belichick's Patriots. Win.

One reason Belichick has had success against opponents' quarterbacks is his ability give the quarterback a number of different looks with his defense.

When Cowboys running backs coach Skip Peete was coaching in Oakland, he said
scouting the Patriots was a difficult task.

"One week you see the 3-4," Peete said. "Then you look at another film and see they're playing nickel defense the whole game."

Belichick runs a 3-4 defense, like the Cowboys, and when he uses the blitz, the goal is to get one of his bigger linebackers, Mike Vrabel in this case, to go one-on-one with a running back.

The Patriots believe those matchups favor them.

Sometimes, New England will employ a formation with two down linemen and four other players standing behind them as another way to confuse an offense.

"They want you to figure out who's blitzing or who's playing linebacker or defensive end," Peete said.

Belichick is good at deception.

He shows one defensive look, four defensive linemen as an example, and will move the safety toward the line of scrimmage as if he's going to blitz. Then the safety drops back into coverage at the snap of the ball. Another formation has three defensive linemen with two outside linebackers lining up. But a safety sneaks up at the last second, and six players are able to rush the quarterback.

The Cowboys can't afford another six-turnover performance from Tony Romo (right) vs. New England.

Belichick varies his looks to confuse, frustrate and eventually beat down a quarterback.

"Well, Bill Belichick is certainly known for getting in a quarterback's head," Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said.

How Romo will handle the matchup is uncertain, especially after Monday's game.

On today’s show, I want to spend some time on the 2000 draft, which was the draft in which Tom Brady was selected #199.

Here is his Our Lads Bio …By the way, he ran a 5.25 40, which is slightly faster than me.

Two-year starter. Very tall with a thin build. Needs to upgrade his overall strength. Pocket passer with average quickness. Can slide from pressure, but is not very elusive. Doesn't look to run. Holds the ball a bit low, but has a fairly quick release. Lacks a strong arm. Doesn't rifle the long outs, but he's an accurate passer with a good feel for touch. Sails some throws and hangs some deep balls. Leader. Eyeballs his primary target at times, but shows the ability to come off and find alternates. Generally makes good decisions. Had a good Orange Bowl.

Michael Crabtree is good …

Crabtree is still overwhelming his competition. The redshirt freshman from Carter leads the nation in receptions (70), receiving yards (1,074), touchdown catches (17) and scoring (102 points).

Crabtree, whose media availability has been limited by Tech to three postgame opportunities, has put up phenomenal numbers despite his lack of experience at receiver. He played quarterback at Carter as a junior and senior in a run-based Wing-T, finishing his high school career with one catch for 19 yards.

"He would make things happen with the football in his hands, and that is the reason he was the quarterback," Carter coach Allen Wilson said. "He's still just a baby at receiver. When he really understands what is going on, he's going to be exceptional."

That's scary considering Crabtree has been the talk of college football. He's already broken the NCAA freshman record for touchdown catches in a season (14). His 17 touchdown receptions ties a Big 12 record set in 2002 by Oklahoma State's Rashaun Woods, and Crabtree is just at the halfway mark of his regular season.

He's on pace to break the NCAA Division I record for touchdown catches in a season (27), held by Troy Edwards (Louisiana Tech) and Jerry Rice (Mississippi Valley State). Crabtree also has a chance at NCAA season records for receptions (142) and receiving yards (2,157).

Crabtree has been so impressive that Texas Tech coach Mike Leach didn't discount his big-play threat from Heisman Trophy consideration.

"It's getting a little harder to ignore," Leach said. He's "looking a little bit more inviting at this point."

Crabtree (6-3, 208) has two negatives working against him for serious Heisman consideration, however. He's playing in an air-it-out offense that annually produces big numbers, and Tech's competition thus far has been subpar.

The Red Raiders host Texas A&M on Saturday, and still have to face Oklahoma and Texas.

Easy Stars win last night. The lines were not what I expected, but here they are:

1. Lehtinen – Modano – Jokinen
2. Hagman – Riberio – Morrow
3. Ludqvist – Halpern – Miettenin
4. Fridge – Barnes – Winchester

And Hagman dominated again …

Niklas Hagman and Mike Ribeiro each had their adjustments to make Wednesday night. Hagman was getting used to playing on the right wing instead of the left. Ribeiro, back from an ankle injury, was recovering his timing.

Apparently, neither had a problem getting comfortable.

Hagman scored two goals and Ribeiro had a goal and an assist as the Stars beat the Kings 5-1 at American Airlines Center on Wednesday night.

It was a night when the top lines were strong, and Marty Turco had a stellar outing, stopping 32 of 33 shots. Turco had some dazzling stops before the Kings finally got one past him midway through the third. The Stars, meanwhile, did their part on the offensive end, taking advantage of Kings miscues.

And Hagman, who has four goals in three games after scoring just 17 last season, led the way. His fourth career two-goal game was his first since Feb. 12, 2004, against Pittsburgh.

"He earned that spot and he did nothing to discourage that tonight," coach Dave Tippett said.

Hagman, usually a left wing, moved to the right on a line with Ribeiro and Brenden Morrow. But his position didn't matter on the Kings' second power-play in the first period. Hagman grabbed a turnover and knocked a nifty backhand past Jason LaBarbera for his first shorthanded goal and a 1-0 lead.

"I probably went through about 25 different scenarios," Hagman said on his scoring options. "After the blue line I figured I'd put it on my backhand."

He was back at the start of the second period, when Morrow's no-look pass from behind the net found Hagman, who flicked it in on LaBarbera's right side.

Rangers cheer for A-Rod opt out …

Now that the New York Yankees have been eliminated from the postseason, the Rangers find themselves in a ticklish position on the sidelines of the Alex Rodriguez contract negotiations.

Among the potential options:

•Continue to subsidize Rodriguez to play in New York.

•Recoup about $21 million but have to face Rodriguez nearly 20 times a season.

Some Rangers fans weren't impressed with Alex Rodriguez after he left Arlington to join the Yankees.

Rodriguez has until 10 days after the World Series to decide whether he wants to opt out of his current 10-year contract, to which the Rangers originally signed him in December 2000, or finish out the deal in New York. If he decides to opt out, the Rangers would save about $7 million per season over the next three years, which is what they are currently paying the Yankees as part of the terms of their 2004 trade.

But if Rodriguez does opt out, the Los Angeles Angels and Seattle Mariners, two AL West foes, are expected to be contenders for his long-term services.

"I'm not going to speculate on any players with any other club," general manager Jon Daniels said Wednesday. "But, obviously, because of the trade and the terms of the trade, we have interest in what happens. We aren't going to worry about it because it's something we can't control. We're not going to start playing 'Hot Stove Heaters,' but I do expect the clubs within our division to try and improve themselves."

The Angels have long been rumored as a potential destination for Rodriguez. His agent, Scott Boras, who hinted this week that Rodriguez may very well opt out, is a regular in the field-level suite directly behind home plate at Angel Stadium. In addition, the Angels, who were swept in a division series, enter the off-season with the need for both a third baseman and a power bat.

Among other teams that could pursue Rodriguez are his original club, the Mariners, who will also be looking for a power bat, the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco.

TonyFreakingRomo.com …

"TONY ROMO DEFEATS BILLS IN NICK FOLK JERSEY!

A Tony Romo practical joke nearly went awry Monday night after Nick Folk threw five
interceptions in Romo's jersey.

The Cowboys quarterback was able to save the day, though; after he kicked the game winning 53-yard field goal in Folk's number 6 as time expired...

Romo said he had never kicked field goals before, but "how hard could it be?" "Grammatica did it and he has (too offensive for Bob’s Blog)," Romo said.

Next he would like to try linebacker or fighter pilot, Romo said."

Gabe’s Blog …

College Football Cheering Rules …

And More College Football Cheering Rules …

Email:

I have been meaning to send you this for a long time. But it is more appropriate this week than most. Because I think it is the one year anniversary of this event. This link is to a photo I took just before the start of the third quarter in last year's (2006) Giants game. It is cropped from a larger random picture of the half time festivities. But you will see how significant of a photo it is. My grand kids will get this photo from me.



Feel free to use it on the radio.
Baby Arm.

Trouper in Grapevine
Day 1, P1
ADL

Brady cusses on tv



Remembering the Tuck Game