Week 14: Pittsburgh 20, Dallas 13 (8-5)

It surely wasn’t lost on me that the disaster of the 4th Quarter in Pittsburgh – that may or may not cost the Dallas Cowboys a spot in the 2008 playoffs – happened on December 7th. While this certainly will not live in infamy quite to the extent as the real reason 12/7 is infamous, the 67th (not 57th...sorry) anniversary of Pearl Harbor seems a somewhat fitting day to hold a true ambush disaster in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

This game wasn’t necessarily won, but it was close. Real close. They don’t say this thing is a game of inches for nothing. Consider the following that all happened in the late stages of the disaster:

1) – If Tashard Choice can stay in bounds and finish his long reception into a touchdown instead of out of bounds at the 10…

2) – If Jay Ratliff can grab that interception that he nearly grabs off the ground, the play before the home run heave to Santonio Holmes…

3) – If Jeff Reed doesn’t get the most generous carom off the upright…

4) – And, If Jason Witten is looking for the ball on 4th and 10 and ball nearly hits him on the head…

Maybe the result is different. But, it surely isn’t. In a game of inches, the Cowboys were done in by a couple. And now, you sit at 8-5. And your playoff hopes have dimmed.

Now, on to the QB; I said on the pregame show that if he does what he is capable of doing (win the game in Pitt) then by the evening highlight shows he could be the front-runner in the MVP running. Err, forget about that, please. That was one of those performances where the QB got you beat. Most of the other departments of the team (The entire defense, Tashard Choice) played about as good as you can possibly hope. But, the QB made too many poor decisions, and let’s face it: As good as he is, he was not good enough yesterday to win a game in a very difficult environment. The last thing you can have in a game of that magnitude is horrible ball protection. The Cowboys were way too generous with the ball, and that goes to your QB.

I love the fact that somehow I am now the target of emails about Tony Romo when he plays poorly. If his email address were public, you could write to him and get in his face, but since it isn’t – people feel better about Romo blowing it by emailing me personally and telling me how “idiotic” and “stupid” I am for backing Romo like I do. Like I say every time; I believe in Tony Romo. I believe that he will one day get this team another Super Bowl victory. I have made my bed, and I will be happy to sleep in it. I am convinced that he is the real deal. Does that mean he will never play a poor game? Never throw a pick? Or three? Of course, not. But, if your first inclination when he has a poor outing is to email me, you may have to explain that one to me. Unless, you are also quick to email me and congratulate me when he plays well.

On the other hand, if you have determined that Romo will never win anything, and that the Cowboys are wasting their time on this “loser”, then make your position very clear and enjoy the carnage. I think you are wrong, but the odds are greatly in your favor by saying he will never measure up to Roger or Troy. Anyway, enough about that.

Let’s get to various notes and such from the big game and the bigger loss:

• Santonio Holmes won that game last night. Without his big catch on 3rd and 16 for 47 yards when Terrence Newman didn’t think Ben Roethlisberger could throw it against the win that far, and without his big punt return, the Steelers don’t have a chance. He had some big clutch moments yesterday late to save the game.

• Meanwhile, how about that goal line stand. You do wonder what spot that stand would have had in the NFL Films season video if the Cowboys won yesterday. They didn’t win, but I believe we all have to be gaining some respect for what this defense is capable of. To consistently get to the QB like they are, to hang in there and hang tough in a tough situation, and to keep getting stops after Romo mistakes is quite impressive. I think they are finally gaining some steam. I can live without the 12 men on the field penalty and the Greg Ellis lined up offside flag, but I cannot quarrel too much with that defense. Especially as banged up as they are.

• Terrell Owens thought he was open? No way! And what is that? He is throwing a tantrum on the sideline in disgust after things go wrong because he needs the ball more? No way! That is so out of character for him. What? It is because he wants to win so badly? That’s right. I guess that excuses his petulance. What a great example for the young lads he must be.

• Bradie James is playing better than he has ever played. I can't tell you how impressed by #56 as I have been. He is flying around the ball making plays on a regular basis. I think he has really taken the next step as a linebacker.

• List of things Pac Man did yesterday that make you believe in the cliché, “dumb players make dumb plays”. Amazingly poor judgment in fielding a punt at his 5; Lined up out of position causing Scandrick to call a timeout; On the field when he wasn’t supposed to be (I am guessing based on Wade yelling at him) when the Cowboys were penalized giving the Steelers a first and goal; and then another incredibly mediocre punt return and three mediocre kick returns….So, is this guy worth all of this trouble? At some point, he has got to make a play on returns to make us all understand why the Cowboys moved heaven and earth to accommodate him.

• Tashard Choice is a very impressive young man. There is no doubt the Cowboys got too conservative in the 4th Quarter thinking that Choice and OL could grind down the Steelers in the final Quarter, but for his first professional start for him to produce like he did is very encouraging moving forward. I thought early in the game that he was nervous and that explains his loss of footing, but once he gained his composure and calm, he played better than anyone could have hoped. It is encouraging to see the depth at RB when everyone is healthy. Now, is Barber ready for New York?

• Troy Polamalu is wonderful. I don’t see enough of Ed Reed to be able to give you a detailed comparison and breakdown, but I do see the Steelers enough to know that yesterday was just another day at the office for that guy. He is at the top of the safety position in the NFL. Very, very high level of quality. Seeing him run down a RB from behind down the line of scrimmage is a thing of beauty.

• Some of the emails received about the appearance of Wade Phillips yesterday: “Is he wearing Gor-tex?” and “Why is he wrapped up like Paddington Bear?” - Meanwhile, I know coach demeanor can be over-rated, but does Mike Tomlin jump around and celebrate like he is a member of the special teams or that he is the head coach? I might advise him to crank it down a notch, because coaches are allowed a fist pump or two, but not much more than that.

• It has already been established that Romo was nowhere near good enough, but how about Owens quitting on one route and Witten admitting to running the wrong route on another leading to 2 of the 3 interceptions. Of all of the receivers to betray you on plays when the blitz is running you down, you would think you could count on 81 and 82. Yikes.

• I think Ben Roethlisberger is pretty strong. He really makes plays and keeps plays alive. I think he takes a tremendous beating, but his toughness is remarkable. You can win with Big Ben if you have a team built like that.

• If you read this blog, and you know the Tra Battle story. Well, add another chapter when the ball bounced off his leg on the short punt. The life of a special teamer.

• Bottom line time? If the playoffs ended today you are in the playoffs. Also, you should have won in Pittsburgh against a Steelers team that could be in the Super Bowl. You didn’t, but that doesn’t take away that you showed you can compete there. Three weeks left, and if you take care of your business, it is all good. 6 days to the Giants at home.

6 Games: Your Move, Dallas Stars

NHL Hands down its ruling ...and they obviously realize that they have to be careful to not over-punish and lose a court case...

The verdict is in, and Dallas Stars forward Sean Avery will be sitting out a little while longer for the inappropriate comments he made earlier this week.

The National Hockey League announced Friday morning that Avery has been suspended for six games without pay, retroactive to Tuesday's game in Calgary, as a result of the comments he made Tuesday morning after the his team’s morning skate at the Pengrowth Saddledome.

Avery also agreed to seek professional anger-management evaluation and, if necessary, structured counseling in light of his pattern of behavior, which the NHL has deemed unacceptable and antisocial.

Avery will not be eligible to play again for the Stars until Dec. 16, when Dallas hosts the Phoenix Coyotes. He already has served two games of the suspension, Tuesday’s game against Calgary and Wednesday’s game against Edmonton.

"Mr. Avery has expressed remorse for his recent comments and has sought a professional anger management evaluation," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. "I will require that he follow through with that process as a condition of his returning to the ice and that he complies with any and all recommendations."

The League said the suspension was issued in accordance with the provisions of By-Law 17 and Article 6 of the NHL Constitution for conduct "detrimental to the League or game of hockey." The suspension was imposed following inappropriate public comments about the personal lives of opposing players, and not pertaining to the game.

"Mr. Avery has been warned repeatedly about his conduct and comments, which have too often been at odds with the manner in which his more than 700 fellow players conduct themselves," Bettman said. "Playing in the National Hockey League is a privilege, requiring a high standard of personal behavior. Mr. Avery forfeits that privilege for six games."

The decision to suspend Avery comes less than 24 hours after the player had a hearing inside the NHL's Manhattan offices Wednesday.

Stay Tuned...

The Toughest Road to the Playoffs

So, you think you got it tough?

Take a look at the gauntlet that the Cowboys Offense must tangle with the rest of the way. This is the defensive ranking for the rest of the opponents on the Cowboys schedule:

Team	Total Def	Run Def	Pass Def	Sacks
Pittsburgh	1	1	1	1
New York	3	5	9	4
Baltimore	2	3	2	9
Philadelphia	7	8	8	3

Table Tutorial

To say that will require some level of high performance from Romo, Witten, Owens, Williams, and yes, Barber (say nothing about the offensive line getting everyone blocked) would be a tremendous understatement.

By the way, here is the remainder of the schedule for the Wildcard Candidates (Remember that only 2 Wildcards are available):

Week	Dallas	Tampa Bay	Atlanta	Wash
-	8-4	9-3	8-4	7-5
14	@ Pitt	@ Car	@ NO	@ Balt
15	NYG	@ ATL	TB	@ Cin
16	Balt	SD	@ Minn	Phil
17	@ Phil	Oak	ST L	@ SF

This will also assist us in deciding if you like the new table (top) or the old table (above). I think I am making some blogging progress...

I dare you to tell me this isn't funny - but old:

Is this Good-Bye?

On the Sean Avery front, as we wait for the league to rule today, I read a few amazing things in the last 24 hours that have evolved this story from remarkable to historic. After reading the following, I think that we will have to consider this divorce final due to irreconcilable differences:

James Duthie writes the most shocking report I can ever recall …

Sean Avery's words embarrassed his teammates Tuesday. But his suspension thrilled them. And many Stars are hoping that "indefinitely" means "forever."

On camera last night, you could see the frustration and anger in the Dallas players' eyes, but they chose their words carefully. Today, I spoke to three Stars players, who were blunt in their assessment of Avery. They agreed to be quoted as long as their names were not used.

"We hope it's the last time we ever see him," says one veteran.

"Our locker room is the happiest it has been all year right now," says another player.

Avery's weak attempt at stand-up comedy/trash-talk in Calgary was the last straw for many teammates.

He told them in the dressing room he was going to do something outrageous,
saying, "Watch this boys," a couple of minutes before he stepped before the microphones.

They weren't shocked. Nothing Avery does shocks anymore. They were just angry.
"An apology (to the team) won't work," says a third player. "There isn't much he can say to change the way we feel right now. We have a lot of pride in this organization. He isn't welcome here anymore."

Avery has been an outcast in the dressing room from the start of the season. He wears headphones almost all the time, and rarely speaks to anyone, often working on his computer until minutes before practice. That might be tolerated if he (and the team) were performing well on the ice. But he hasn't been, with just three goals so far.

"He's been undermining everything we do," says the veteran. "He doesn't pay attention; he's not smart enough to play our system. He can't do some drills properly. He says it's because he's 'independent.'
Really, he's just not smart enough."

Dallas forward Brad Richards did go on record, but chose not to add fuel to the fire. Still, his feelings are clear.

"We don't want to talk about him anymore. Hopefully, it will be handled and that will be the end of it."

Sources say Dallas owner Tom Hicks is already exploring every possible way to get rid of Avery. Trading him might be impossible right now, because of his extensive baggage, and a four-year contract at almost four million dollars per season. The Stars could elect to send him down, and since Dallas does not have an AHL affiliate, they could try to assign him to.... anywhere.

One of the Stars suggested Finland or Russia would be good choices.

Off the record is one thing. How about Dave Tippett spoke very much on the record …

``From a coach's standpoint, I try to build a team that has an atmosphere where players care about each other and play with each other and play with continuity, and I find it hard to believe that Sean could come back in that dressing room and we could find that continuity again,'' Tippett said.

When asked if that means he does not want Avery back in the room, he said: ``I know it would be hard for our team, and I know from talking to our players...My job is to build the best team possible. I don't know if we can build the best team possible with Sean coming back.''

So, after reading all that, I wrote this on Dallas Stars.com …here is a snippet…

So, we know what the owner said. The coach. The players. And the GM who wanted him here.

This may be an expensive check, but the more calls I make, the more I arrive at the idea that this could be it for what was a 4 year commitment. I am sure litigation may go on for months or years, but do you ever anticipate Avery in the line-up again? Never say never, but when everyone is this vocal, it would appear that they are saying something without saying it.

Honestly, at the end of the day, does it matter what I think? Doesn’t it sound like the end of an episode of Survivor?

“The Tribe has spoken. Good bye.”

Back from the Sick

Wow, so many things from a Tuesday Night in Calgary….

• For the first time in 37 games, the Stars have won consecutive regular season games. Thank goodness, I can finally get that stat out of my head. Let’s hope it is the first of many mini-streaks this year. Good gosh, it is December, and we are discussing the first 2 game winning streak of the year? This really has been a rough start.

• Marty, Marty, Marty. My good Turks, that is why they pay you the big bucks – because you have that club in your bag. Monster outing against the Flames, and this team doesn’t win games like that if the goalie is not the #1 star. Well played. Mas, Por favor.

• Andrew Hutchinson: I am quite sure I have never heard of the guy until Sunday morning when the Stars acquired him. I also am not willing to invest long term on one outing, but it is sure nice to get a guy like that and then find that he doesn’t seem afraid of having the puck on his stick. Heck, he almost seems to like it. Andrew, I like your composure back there, and I give you solid marks for your debut.

• The Sean Avery suspension opens all sorts of talking points. I understand the league’s stance and the Stars stance on the big picture of Avery’s full body of work. But, that? That is a suspension? And a suspension that is “indefinite”? Sorry. I am sure that being a knucklehead is not a target to shoot for, but if it is a suspend-able offense to say something vulgar about someone’s girlfriend/mom/grandmother/wife, the league office is going to be busy. After my experience at ice level a few months back, I can tell you that death threats should be on that list, too. And, I heard no fewer than 5 death threats from my vantage point. This may not be a popular stance, but I don’t get a suspension over that.

• And from a Stars standpoint, let’s simmer down on the shock and disgust. No offense, but it wasn’t a big secret that the guy had some opinions that are both abrasive and over-the-top. If you buy a pit bull, and the pit bull acts like a pit bull, is it the dog’s fault that he bites things or your fault for bringing him into your house?

• Another big night for James Neal. He is a stud. Fabian Brunnstrom scored the game winner, and we should all hope that he is a strong young man mentally. He obviously is doing everything he can to please his bosses, and he also is producing when given the chance. A weaker guy may lose confidence, but he doesn’t appear to be losing it as he tried a few high confidence maneuvers tonight.

• Razor offered the nugget that Adrian Aucoin is one of the few players left in the league that uses a wood stick. Razor, please, who else is on the list? And why do I care? I don’t know. I am sick like that. But now, I must know.

• Why am I concerned that Sergei Zubov is gone for a while again? I don’t have this on high authority, but his health doesn’t appear to be right again and I am not sure I can bear another 8-12 week rehab for the guy.

• Stars need to win more faceoffs, IMO.

• Beating Edmonton again would be so much fun. And look at the Standings.
The battle for 15th rages in Alberta Wednesday night!

Updated Target Numbers for Tony Romo thru 12 games:

Game	Owens	Witten	Crayton	Roy 11	Barber
Cle	8	8	7	-	4
Phi	4	10	3	-	4
GB	7	9	1	-	3
Was	17	9	10	-	2
Cin	4	11	3	-	3
Arz	9	5	6	-	11
StL	7	11	9	1	1
TB	9	1	4	4	6
NYG	9	3	8	2	1
Was	9	3	1	3	6
SF	13	4	3	5	8
Sea	10	11	4	4	1
Tot	106	85	59	19	49

And now that I am back from a small respite, here are some tv recommendations:

Whale Wars is Gold …Here are the 4 episodes that have already aired on Animal Planet:

NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK (Episode 1 of 7)
Premiered Friday, November 7, at 9 PM e/p

NOTHING'S IDEAL (Episode 2 of 7)
Premiered Friday, November 14, at 9 PM e/p

INTERNATIONAL INCIDENTS R US (Episode 3 of 7)
World Premiere Friday, November 21, at 9 PM e/p

WE ARE HOOLIGANS (Episode 4 of 7)
World Premiere Friday, November 28, at 9 PM e/p

And here is when they will all air for you to collect on your DVR …

• We Are Hooligans
Friday 5th December 8:00pm EST

• Doors Slamming and Things Breaking
Friday 5th December 9:00pm EST

• Ladies First
Friday 12th December 9:00pm EST

• Needle in a Haystack
Sunday 14th December 3:00pm EST

• Nothing's Ideal
Sunday 14th December 4:00pm EST

• International Incidents R Us
Sunday 14th December 5:00pm EST

And two documentaries I have seen recently that I like:

Young at Heart – awesome film- you will smile the whole movie, until you cry, and then you will smile again…



The Bridge – another solid film, but surely a downer

Decoding the Offense - Week 12 Sea

OK, finally got a chance to break down the Seattle game, and despite the complete and total attack on the scoreboard, there were a few interesting things to see.

First, notice how horrendous the 3rd downs were. 2 for 9 is a number that Brad Johnson is capable of, but who would have thought that in one of the more lethal performances from the offense, they were actually quite lousy on 3rd down.

Next, many of these numbers indicated a team that a) was way ahead and b) was trying to get the game over without anyone else getting hurt after Barber and Ware went down. Due to that, they went “22” the entire 4th Quarter and just fed the rock to Tashard Choice.

Otherwise, nothing jumps off the page at me at first glance. How about you?

58 Offensive plays – (24 runs/34 passes) Here is how we break it down:

1st Down plays (31 = 8 different packages – 13 runs/ 18 passes)

“11” – 1 (1 pass for 2 yards)
“12” – 5 (2 runs for 17 yards, FD/3 passes for 39 yards, 2 FD, INT)
“21” – 9 (2 runs for 23 yards, FD/ 7 passes for 82 yards, 4 FD)
“22” – 10 (8 runs for 35 yards/2 passes for 16 yards, TD to Bennett)
“23” – 1 (1 run for 0 yards)
”13” – 1 (1 pass for 19 yards, TD to Owens)


Shotgun

“S11” – 3 (3 passes for 20 yards, Touchdown to Witten, FD)
“S02” – 1 (1 pass for 13 yards, FD)



2nd Downs (17 plays – 6 looks – 8 runs/9 passes):

“11” – 1 (1 run for 13 yards – reverse to Williams, FD)
“12W” – 1 (1 pass for 8 yards)
“13” – 1 (1 pass for 19 yards, FD)
“21” – 3 (2 runs for 0 yards, 1 passes for 0 yards)
“22” – 5 (4 runs for 29 yards, FD/1 pass for 11 yards, FD)

Shotgun

“S11” – 6 (1 run for 1 yard, TD to Barber/ 5 passes for 51 yards, 2 FD)


9 3rd downs for the Cowboys – 4 looks (2 runs/7 passes) (2 for 9, 22%)

“22” – 2 (1 run for -1 yards, 1 pass for 0 yards) 0-2

Shotgun

“S10” – 1 (1 pass for 4 yards) 0-1
“S11” – 5 (1 run for 0 yards/ 4 passes for 15 yards) 1 for 5
“S11H” – 1 (1 pass for 33 yards, FD) 1-1


Regardless of Down and Distance, here are the yardage results for each personnel package:

24 runs - 34 passes

UNDER CENTER (41 – 21 runs/19 passes)

“11” – 2 (1 run for 13 yards, 1 pass for 2 yards)
“12” – 5 (2 runs for 17 yards/ 3 passes for 39 yards, 2FD, INT)
“21” – 12 (4 runs for 23 yards/ 8 passes for 82 yards, 4FD)
“22” – 17 (13 runs for 63 yards, 4 passes for 27 yards, FD, TD to Bennett)
“23” – 1 (1 run for 0 yards)
“13” – 2 (2 passes for 38 yards, FD, TD to Owens)
“12W” – 1 (1 passes for 8 yards)


SHOTGUN (16 – 2 runs/14 passes)

“S11” – 14 (2 runs for 1 yard, TD to Barber/ 12 passes for 86 yards, TD to Witten, 3FD)
“S10” – 1 (1 pass for 4 yards)
“S02” – 1 (1 pass for 13 yards, FD)

Decoding the Offense - Week 11 SF

I know this extremely late, and therefore borders on irrelevent, but here are the results of the 49ers game...

The new Jason Garrett toy here is the "S11" Bunch. I did not distinguish the bunch plays from the other S11 plays because I have not tracked them all season. However, the Cowboys really started pounding this package for the first time against the 49ers. What they like to do is put Owens and Crayton to the right, Witten and Williams to the left and they are all bunched inside the numbers. This makes the defense declare its intentions and also makes them matchup in man to man. Well, the Cowboys ran this formation 5 times:

All 5 plays were passes:
5 yards to Barber
Inc Pass to Williams
10 yard TD to Crayton
75 yard TD to Owens
52 yards to Owens

5 plays for 142 yards and 2 Touchdowns is a nice return.

69 Offensive plays – (29 runs/40 passes) Here is how we break it down:

1st Down plays (26 = 8 different packages – 14 runs/ 12 passes)

“11” – 2 (2 runs for 1 yard)
“12” – 7 (6 run for 16 yards/1 pass for 8 yards)
“21” – 5 (2 runs for 11 yards/ 3 passes for 9 yards)
“22” – 3 (3 runs for 14 yards)
“12H” – 2 (2 Passes for 14 yards, FD)
”13” – 1 (1 pass for 0 yards)
Knee - 1

Shotgun

“S11” – 5 (5 passes for 6 yards, SACK)


2nd Downs (25 plays – 7 looks – 12 runs/13 passes):

“11” – 2 (1 run for 5 yards, 1 pass for 0 yards - FUMBLE)
“12” – 5 (4 runs for 11 yards, FD, 1 pass for 0 yards)
“13” – 2 (1 run for -1 yards, 1 pass for 7 yards)
“21” – 6 (1 run for 0 yards, 5 passes for 61 yards, 3 FD )
“22” – 4 (4 runs for 12 yards, FD)
Knee - 1

Shotgun

“S11” – 5 (5 passes for 10 yards)

18 3rd downs for the Cowboys – 4 looks (2 runs/16 passes) (9 for 18, 50%)

“22” – 2 (1 run for 5 yards, 1 pass for 16 yards) 2-2
“23” – 1 (1 pass for 1 yards, TD to Bennett) 1-1
Knee – 1

Shotgun
“S11” – 14 (14 passes for 209 yards, 2 TD) 6 for 14 – Touchdowns to Owens and Crayton


Regardless of Down and Distance, here are the yardage results for each personnel package:

29 runs - 40 passes

UNDER CENTER (45 – 28 runs/17 passes)

“11” – 4 (3 run for 6 yards, 1 pass for 0 yards, FUMBLE)
“12” – 12 (10 runs for 27 yards/ 2 passes for 8 yards)
“21” – 11 (3 runs for 11 yards/ 8 passes for 70 yards, 3FD)
“22” – 9 (8 runs for 31 yards, 1 pass for 16 yards, 2FD)
“23” – 1 (1 pass for 1 yards, TD)
“13” – 3 (1 run for -1 yards, 2 passes for 7 yards)
“12H” – 2 (2 passes for 14 yards, FD)
Knee - 3

SHOTGUN (24 – 24 passes)

“S11” – 24 (24 passes for 225 yards, 2 TDs, 4 FD, SACK)

Personnel Package	Description
”11”	1 running back and 1 TE
”12”	1 running back and 2 TE
”12W”	same as 12, just with both TE’s in the backfield in front of Barber
”13”	1 running back and 3 TE
”21”	2 running backs and 1 TE
”22”	2 RB and 2 TE
”22*”	2 RB and 2 TE, Barber at FB
”23”	2 RB and 3 TE
”31”	3 RB’s and 1 TE. Jones, Barber, and Anderson.
“11H”	1 RB and 1 TE, but Witten is playing the “H” or “F” back
“12H”	1 RB and 2 TE, with Witten playing “H”.
“S11”	Romo in Shotgun, 1 RB, 1 TE
“S10”	Shotgun, 1 RB, 0 TE, 4 WR
“S02”	Shotgun, 0 RB, 2 TE
”S11H”	Shotgun, 1 RB, 1 TE, Witten playing “H”
”S12”	Shotgun, 1 RB, 2 TE
“S21”	Shotgun, 2RB, 1TE
“S01”	Shotgun, 0 RB, 1 TE, 4 WR

Stars Blog Mailbag

The following is a reader email bag I did for my dallasstars.com blog on Sunday morning (which was the last day I wasn't ill) - So until we get some normalcy around here....



Well, I asked for mail, and here it comes….Mucho email today on the team we are all obsessed with, the Dallas Stars. Obviously, it should certainly come as no surprise that much of the email is on the negative side of the streets. But, they told me to bar no holds on this blog, so if you said it and I deemed it worthy of making the cut, your email is about to be seen by what must be enormous crowd if the volume of email I received from all over the hockey world indicates the size of the readership.

The fact of the matter is this: If you are reading Dallasstars.com in the first place, chances are you want to see this team do well. Nobody has answers right now, and nobody thinks this level of hockey is acceptable. I would like to think this is merely a rough patch, but if we have learned anything in 2008 it is this: Just when you think the team is bad, it turns good. And, conversely, just when you think the team is good, it turns bad. Imagine if your life was directly affected by winning or losing a hockey game. I know, we eat, think, drink, sleep, talk, and dream hockey. But, If you read my blog, I am going to go out on a limb and suggest that your ability to feed your family is not based on getting the Stars out of the cellar. That is why the only thing I will not allow in this mailbag is full out insults and disrespect to the players or coaches on this team. You can say they are performing poorly, but I don’t want the hate and bile to turn into hoping someone loses their job. We already understand what is at stake to the men who make their living in this sport…let’s leave it at that on this blog.

On to the mail…



==============================

Hey Bob,

I am a long time reader and avid post game listener. I have been a stars season ticket holder since the first year out of the lockout as it was my first year out of college, I was one of the few people to defend and stick with Turco in seasons past when people were saying he cant carry a team in the playoffs, he can't win a series, the stars wont go deep with him etc, etc. I just got home from the Stars Sharks game and I have to say he is the weakest link on this team. There were definitely two, maybe even 3 goals that Marty should have had he makes those saves the game is 3-1 maybe even 2-1 going into the third and who knows how it is played. You can see it in the actions of the team after the first goal they game back aggressive, tied the game and seemingly were able to keep pace even had several scoring chances. Even after goal two the players seemed to press on drive to the net chase hard after loose pucks only for goal three to smack them in the face. A decent start in the second period and then goal four and from there you could almost see the team put its hands up and say "we can't win with this guy". Is it time for Tippet to sit Turco for a week or maybe even send him down until he can "find his game"? This team can't stand in the neutral and defensive zones for 60 minutes simply because they are afraid to let a shot go near Turco and be expected to also score 3 plus per game.

Just my rants,

James

Bob: There is no doubt that the biggest concern is that this team is built on the premise that it has a world-class goaltender. And there is also no doubt that Marty has not been that for the Stars. I am sure he is putting more and more pressure on himself, and that seems to be having an even more damaging effect on his performance.

Remember when I ran his numbers after Game 15 to suggest he was making great progress? Well, Games 16-20 appear to be a giant jump in the wrong direction. What is worse, for the first time in years, the Stars appear to have little confidence in the backup situation, as their actions speak louder than their words. Truth be told, they know that their lot in life is cast with Marty Turco, and the only chance anyone has to get out of this mess is Marty returning to his normal form. Trouble is, this is going from a small sample size to a large sample size the further we get into this season.

Games	Goals allowed per start	Save Percentage
1-5	4.6	83.7%
6-10	3.6	87.7%
11-15	2.2	93.1%
16-20	3.6	85.6%

Watching the stars game on Friday, I noticed a very similar trend in the goals that San Jose scored on the powerplay and some on even strength. They were mostly shots by defensemen either tipped in by a shark in turco's face or scored with a shark in turco's face. Do you think that a key to fixing the stars' defense should be to keep opponents off the crease area? I know it may sound like an obvious error and easier said than done, but really, it seems to happen all the time. Turco can't seem to see any of these pucks that are zipped from the point. If he couldve seen them, I know he has the ability to save them, and friday could have been completely differnent.



Thanks!

Kaushik

Bob: One of the oldest battles in hockey. The offensive team tries to get traffic in front of the goal, and the defensive team tries to clear traffic from in front of the goal. The winner of that battle ends up winning the games more often than not. There is no question the Stars ability to clear traffic is just not up to the level it needs to be. They have a much smaller defensemen group than they had in the glory days of the clutch-and-grab NHL, and there is no telling if the Stars could have won a Cup with the current rules with a group of large men like Hatcher, Matvichuk, Ludwig, and Chambers. It worked back then, but the idea now is that you just cannot assault each other in the crease like you once did. The game changed, and the Stars seem to be somewhere in the middle with their selection of players who play on their blue-line. I will say this, my favorite of the kids right now is Nik Grossman, and I am convinced that he has the size and composure to do well in his own end. Most games you do not notice any negative issues with his performance and that is a tough thing to do at this level for a young player.

Up and down the lineup this team has not seen the type of defense that has been a staple of Dallas Stars hockey. Before we break out the injury argument remember this team still has some of what are considered great or at least really good players in the line-up. Richards, Mo, Zubov, Avery, Riberio, Loui, Sydor...While Morrow and Lehtinen are two thirds of what was one of the best lines in hockey last year...Riberio co-leads the team with 19 points and is still one of the best set-up guys in the league. Speaking with someone from the Stars last night I was told Shannhan has been contacted multiple times and as we know has no interest in leaving the Northeast. So I am not sure who is still out there that is a viable option at wing. So what about a trade? Who do we trade. I've heard Stars Minor leaguer Benn is a hot prospect and has drawn lots of interest...

Lastly, let me finish with the "kids" Neal is -5, Brunnstrum is -9, Niskanen is -9, Grossman is -6, Conner is -2, and Fistric is -2 Ouch...Neal is no doubt a great talent but with the lack of defense from his line (Riberio -4) we will continue to lose. Brunnstrum looks lost and scared, he has no business being out there if he is unwilling to pay the price. He usually does not work hard and is opportunistic at best. Niskanen needs to get back to the minors...Was last year an anomaly?

So in summation- This thing is easy to figure out. DEFENSE first. This thing does not play defense- it's great to see the pretty goal. but it's better to win. The one word that used to define this organization was CHARACTER! Now it's just a bunch of characters. No heart...no desire...an unwillingness to play a team game...This of course could be thrown at the feet of the coach and maybe it should be...but at the end of the day...May favorite coach Ken Hitchcock used to say "Hard work will always beat talent if talent doesn't
work hard."

Baby Arm-
P1 Kevin

Bob: Kevin, I feel your pain, and I agree with your assessment of Shanahan. From everything I hear, he is looking to get in the mix for the Cup, and when you are dead last in the West, it isn’t easy to sell him on getting a Cup here this year. Also, I have heard plenty about his hopes of staying in the Northeast. Further, I am not sure that is the answer this team is looking for. He is one of my favorite power forwards, but at his age (he will be 40 in 7 weeks) what is the upside in Dallas? It would seem that he is not a great fit here.

Beyond that, I do take issue with your thoughts on the kids. I don’t like those minus numbers either, but the team is -22 this year (61 for, 83 against) so it would stand to reason that there will be ugly +/- kicking around. But I am a huge believer in the idea that you have to be willing to allow your kids some level of failure if you ever want to see them learn and develop. You have to ride out a few strikeouts to get a few home runs later. I think James Neal is a stud in the NHL for the next decade, and the Stars would be absolutely foolish to overlook what the eyeballs are telling us every night because of a -5 which may or may not have anything to do with him and his lack of position or execution on a given goal. Brunnstrom does look lost at times, but that is to be expected for a guy who has never played at this level. My concern with him is that I think he needs to play on an offensive line and once the Stars went and got Mark Parrish, then that opening was gone. He is now relegated to a checking line or a 4th line and that does not seem to be a comfortable spot for him. Matt Niskanen and Mark Fistric have been particularly disappointing this fall. Neither have played well at all, and Fistric is in Manitoba trying to work it out. Niskanen is here, but his confidence seems to be falling quite a bit as we go. I obviously thought the Stars were golden with Grossman, Nisky, and Fistric after last year’s playoffs, but playing in the NHL is a humbling task.

I loved Ken Hitchcock, but when he was here I believe he would take a 37 year old over a 22 year old any day of the week. I think in today’s salary cap NHL, if you don’t allow your kids to grow in confidence and responsibility and allow them to try to succeed rather than being terrified of failure, then I don’t think you can win. Now that Hitch is in Columbus, he obviously has grown to be more tolerant of rookies and youth, but when he was here it seemed he had little use for any prospects on his big team. I think the cap makes those kids mandatory to success.

Where to begin with the season.... I really feel like going back to the dump and chase mentality would benefit the Stars. They obviously can not stop anyone, so why not put the forecheck to work and eat some clock up? With the grit of Ott (even though he is out for a bit) and Avery, they ought to be able to get some type of pressure going. Do you think its possible to maybe switch the pairings up on D? Not sure who they could move, but its a thought. I think this team is at that point. However, there is enough fire power and there is an all start goalie hiding under that mask that this season can be salvaged with the correct moves by Tippett.

Thanks,
P1 Andrew

Bob: If I am not mistaken, the Stars have already tried about 20 different defense combinations. If switching the pairings on D was the key, the Stars might be in 1st place. They just need quality. And on defense, the Stars have not found any this season.

Bob,

At the end of last season, the Stars had a pretty bad streak going before turning it around in the playoffs.

Now I'm thinking that streak carried over somehow. Given the loss of some pretty good players and the addition of some marginal ones, and it's really showing now. The trade to bring Richards here hurts now because Mike Smith was a very solid backup. Signing Avery will go down as one of Brett Hull's most noticeable mistakes.

At what point does owner Tom Hicks blow this thing up, go with one GM instead of two, fire Tippett, and do something drastic with Turco?

For some reason, the chemistry just isn't there with this team. No matter what line is juggled together, nothing works for very long. The defensive trap system seems to have fallen apart. I just can't believe this is, for the most part, the same team that played Detroit tough in the finals.

I believe that an aggressive coach with a spirited approach needs to come in and take this thing over. It's been a good run with Tippett, but in my opinion he's too nice a guy to get Dallas to the promised land.

Mike
Rochester, NY

Bob: I hate to imagine what will happen when Tom Hicks gets tired of this situation. There are all sorts of candidates for change, and honestly, as anyone in the organization will admit, this is what happens to teams that are struggling this badly after planning an unbelievably successful season. This is what makes the thrill of victory such an intoxicating high – the agony of defeat. I do not like to imagine change for change sake, but if word came down tomorrow that the Stars made a MAJOR decision – be it a trade or a firing or whatever – could anyone be shocked? There are great rewards and great consequences in the highly lucrative world of professional sports.

Bob,



DEFENSE? Where is it?? I remember the days of when an opposing forward would skate down the boards with the puck into our zone and our defense bruisers (Hatcher, Ludwig) would staple the guys to the boards and force them off them puck before getting halfway into our zone. Now all I see is our defensive guys leaning on the forward sand following him down to the corner then try and plant to him to board. This so far has not worked out for the team. Our current “D” guys are talented, quick on the ice (Daley), but I think the Stars would benefit on having a couple of bigger “D” guys in back that can remove a player from the puck and be a force in the “D” Zone. This is just my short 2-cents and thanks for letting me voice my opinion.

Michael

Bob: The large defenseman is what everyone seeks. If you can find Rob Blake or Chris Pronger size and ability then you have found a cornerstone player. However, just big is not the key. Sami Helenius and Jon Erskine were two very large men who did not great success here in Dallas. I think that Derian Hatcher in his prime would have been fine under any rules, but in the league today, there seems to be far more premium placed on the ability to move the puck than to be a human bulldozer.

Bob,

I don't know where to start with this team! It seems like they are in need of some sort of shake up. Last year when they were struggling and Doug Armstrong got fired they seemed to come around and start playing again. It's like they need something tangible like a firing to realize that it's their fault and they have to get better so they don't get anyone else fired. Whether it's the coaching staff or the general managers, or maybe even a trade, something needs to change and it needs to happen sooner rather than later. I think Les Jackson has done a good job, but I'm skeptical about Brett Hull. It just seems like maybe he would fit better in a different role within the organization. As icing on the cake special teams and goaltending have been non-existent. I just dread when the Stars go on the PK because there is a very good chance that the other team is going to score. What happened to the team last year that was top 10 in both powerplay and penalty killing? I know it's already been said, but I think this team really misses the leadership and play of Stu Barnes.

I enjoy reading your blog and watching your in dept interviews. Keep up the good work!

Jessica

Bob: A few things here. First, the Brett Hull thing is a huge hot button issue. On Hockey Night in Canada, it was suggested that he is the big issue right now, and that a move for him is forthcoming. I am not sure I buy it. Especially considering how much he was lauded for where this team was back in May. Which is it? Is his fresh approach to the sport working wonders or is he not qualified? It depends who you ask. But know this: The Canadian media has had an issue with Hull for about 2 decades since he decided to play with the United States rather than Canada when he had dual citizenship and Canada didn’t want him. Later, when they did want him, he stayed true to the USA, and some scribes north of the border have never buried that hatchet. So, as much as I enjoy HNIC, I generally ignore the Hull commentary. Also, imagine how many of his competitors are quick to point to him as the problem since he did not go through the “proper paths” to get to his position. Jealousy is alive and well in the NHL, and I am quite sure that nobody is missing a chance to kick Hull when he is down.

As for the special teams, of the 7 penalty killers from 2007-08 with the most ice time, only 2 have been available this year for any stretch of time. Last season, Mattias Norstrom led the team in PK ice. I think there is no player who was more underappreciated and at the same time absolutely vital to the success of this entire operation. Fans and media alike get caught up in who scores and who makes saves and responsible defensive defensemen are the last to be carried on anyone’s shoulders, but Matty Norstrom was absolutely invaluable. Top 7 Penalty Killers last season: Norstrom, Stu Barnes, Trevor Daley, Nik Hagman, Stephane Robidas, Jeff Halpern, and Steve Ott. Since Ott has been hurt I figure that only Daley and Robidas have been fully available so your entire forward unit on the kill is new. Add to that Lehtinen is also a big PK guy when available and you can see that everything is new. And what was 85.6% last year (2nd in the NHL) is now 75.5% (28th).

Bob,



As the year started I thought we had a great shot. I thought my seats would cost more next year, the price for consecutive years chasing the cup. I have never been a supporter of Mr. Tippett but, we were winning.



Now, time to clean and start anew.....not just add $15 promos and probably some cheap t-shirts.



Certainly not "Our Team, Our Time"......



Brett is a, never mind, not an NHL GM.....got a tee time.....we are NHL laughing stock, ask Wayne, we'll soon be the next Mickey Mouse franchise.



Sean is his answer......we needed a big D man, but when we can't get our man we have to spend the money, we are going to eat that contract as we cannot get anyone to pick it up. Mr. Avery has made our team a bunch of individuals, no chemistry. Oh, but the Rangers won more games with him than without.....18 million, wow. He lasted all of 30 minutes at the luncheon, rest of the team stayed, he said he tried to schedule an MRI but figured if did not have a conflict he should at least show up !, big of him.



Mr. Richey....7.8, another wow, well maybe we can re-structure him, he is most likely as embarrassed as I of our taking that contract.



If we needed to move Philippe (both shoulders hurt mean no slappers), just get a pick for down the road.



What is next, watch, we'll trade Ott, (to save half a year's worth of 2.5 million) hope his injury stopped that.



I think the fans would support a re-build with quality youngsters, potential for high picks.



My best thought....lower the expectations and just hope for some good games, least we get to see a little more of the league.



Thanks for the forum,



Bill Roth

Season Ticket holder

Bob: Bill, your frustration is loud and clear. Obviously, two guys who are big targets right now are Brad Richards and Sean Avery. It is the tendency of fans and team alike to judge players on their salary and their equity. Salary, as in: “He makes how much? For that?” and equity, as in, “What has he ever done with a Dallas Sweater on?”. It is a tough spot for both of them – especially Avery. Say what you want about the guy, but his reputation preceded him so much so that many fans thought he was a failed experiment before the first shift in Dallas. Then, the bottom falls out of the team and it will be hung around his neck first and foremost by many who are watching the games, and almost everyone across the NHL who isn’t watching the Stars every-night because if ever there was an easy target , it is Sean. Fair or unfair, the Stars handed him a check that isn’t that much smaller than Brenden Morrow’s, and for that the fans demand an impact of substance on a night to night basis, and so far, it is tough to get a feel for what his impact really is. He seems to have some real offensive ability, but to me, too many of his shots miss the net in the scoring area.

Richards is cursed with being offered absurd money coming off the Stanley Cup in Tampa Bay, and despite the fact that nobody would ever recommend you say no to that contract, he instantly was then expected to produce like Sidney Crosby or Alex Ovechkin. The fact is, I am sure you can win with Brad Richards as a key part of your team, but very few around the sport would say he is clearly a “Top 10” player in the league. Like I said in previous blogs, if I were king, Richards would be getting more ice at more times. He peaked at 26 shifts a game in Tampa, and right now is a 23 shift a game guy. Those 3 shifts can mean a lot of key ice at key times. Also, I think no player has had his wings change more frequently than Richards. If you want him to produce more, you have to show more faith in him at key moments.

Hi Bob,


From across the pond!! i've been a fan of the Stars for last ten years & chose them as i am a Cowboys fan from the coverage over here!! bearing in mind i don't see every Stars game Live on the channels over here & only highlights on Internet my views maybe sketchy & not of the calibre of many fans but heres how i see it going.

To me its a Western Conference Finals hangover, from the whole team, Marty's not in his groove or confident best, Zubov hasn't quite got back to normal since his long layoff, Boucher didn't look happy but was Sydor the answer long term?? i know he got to the finals last year, but there must of been a better option??



Losing Brendan's a crippler, even though they needed to step up with him, its tenfold now...Now Steve Ott is an enforcer, he sticks up for team mates, & fights but what he's magnificent at is his forechecking, Back checking...ANY checking & because he 'Breaks his Hand Fighting' it doesn't help the team he sticks up for, for a month!!!, we love fighting & the toughness of the game but that's an example of when your struggling, the luck gets worse.



Brunnstrom ain't Crosby, its going to take time but Richards, Ribero, Avery, more is needed from those top guys to help Modano to get it moving.

Has Tippett taken us as far as he can, That's up to Brett Etc but maybe he may have & won't be back next year....or earlier if it keeps going like this.......But in summary....

I don't think we'll make the playoffs this year, God i want us too, don't get me wrong & anything can happen in them but to me San Jose & Detroit are too strong in the West so its time for a complete overhaul & use this year to improve for other years!!

I hope i don't sound like a dumb englishman & go easy on things i've missed...Ha Ha

Go Stars!!!!!!!!!!

Alan (UK)

Bob: Alan, always nice to hear from a good Stars fan from England. At least Liverpool is top of the table now, right? Actually, I think the odds are quite good that you support a club rather than Liverpool over there, so you might not be happy about that.

The overhaul question is lingering in many circles presently, and if the Stars continue to spiral in the wrong direction, it is quite possible that the Stars will attempt to shed some veterans. That would be truly sad, but it is a fact of life for a losing team. This team came so close last year that the hangover theory is not completely out of the question. But then, how is the hangover affecting Detroit?

Once the Stars get on a roll they will right the ship.

In the meantime, I think they should pull Ribeiro off the top line until he starts to do something. Put Modano up there because he is a leader and is the center playing with the biggest effort and heart. Reward with that chance and give him the “C” until Brendan gets back. That would send a clear message to the team and they would get even more out of Mo than they are now.

Perhaps the team should focus on some serious defensive hockey like back in the days when Hitch was around coaching. Good defense always leads to offense and always keeps you in the game. You rarely get blown out with a good defensive effort. This means you can steal points (unlike last night) when maybe you wouldn’t otherwise. It also builds great morale because you’re always in games and most of all you’re working together as a team.

Turco is not the problem. It’s the team effort in front of him. Most of his goals are not his fault. Far more mistakes are being committed by the players in front of him that cost goals than what he is doing between the pipes.

Just a few thoughts from a long time Dallas fan – Go Stars!

Alex

Bob: The problem with a theory of becoming a “defensive hockey team” is that it is tough for a Tiger to change his stripes in the middle of the day. The Stars have accumulated plenty of offensive skill recently, and perhaps don’t have the type of shut-down players it once did. Like I said, penalty killers are all new. The Forwards who have killed the most this year are: Richards, Modano, Loui Eriksson, Ott, and Toby Peterson. That group is almost completely new. Is Eriksson a prototypical penalty killer? No. But, they are trying to utilize his skills as much as possible and hope he learns on the fly.

This might be a great spot to marvel at what Loui has accomplished around here this season. He already is closing in on the 14 goals he had last year, and with 11 after Friday, and being a key PK guy, he is developing very nicely. Also at a +6, he is the top Forward in that statistic. Eriksson is everything Doug Armstrong told me he was several years ago, when the Stars drafted him.

Hey Bob, to start out positively; while the loss of Morrow to a torn ACL sucks and hurts this Stars team, we are already seeing the guys who need to step up do so. I'm talking about Eriksson and Neal, both of them have been doing great so far this season and Neal is showing that he doesn't want to be sent down to the A again. Eriksson is breaking out just like I thought he would, he's been really fabulous for the Stars on both ends of the ice, he's upped his offensive game and has become one of our, if not the most consistent scorer on the squad, and his defensive play has also improved a lot.

Now, I have no idea whats up with this Stars team. Sharks v. Stars games are always close down to the wire games, but not this one. I don't believe in curses but has the curse of the AAC come back? It's ridiculous that they can't win a game for the home crowd and have to lose a bunch before they can upset someone else's crowd. I think Tippett needs to start focusing on the Power Play and go back to team defense and mental conditioning for now. The offense has been fine, with a goaltender like Turco, and the defensive capabilities we all know this team has, 2-3 even strength goals a game is fine. Right now they need to get back to basics, moving the umbrella better on the powerplay, and taking a lot more shots on it. They need to be able to cycle it to Zubov, Modano, and/or Richards at the point or up at the tops of the circles for a good one timer that could be a snipe passed the goaltender or get tipped or put in on the rebound. Also, they need to calm down and work on mental toughness, their D hasn't been terrible overall in a while now, but there are always a bunch of random breakdowns that occur in like 3 seconds and turn into goals. That's a total of like, 15 seconds of breakdowns a game, leading to 5ga every night. So I think they need to do that. Oh and also, go oldschool, make them skate.

Isham

Bob: Yes, Power Play is another mess. 13% is good for 26th in the league, after being 18% last season (13th – 5th best in the West). The first thing I think when watching the Stars on the PP is that there seem to be too many cooks in the kitchen. With Modano, Zubov, Richards, Ribeiro all out there at the same time, I always fear the idea that they are deferring at times to each other. Then, when the second unit rolls out there, they actually seem to shoot the puck on the net and get after the rebounds. I love the fact that this team employs many puck magicians on that top unit, but the production has to match the talent or knuckleheads like me start inquiring what the problem might be…

This thing is in the toilet right now. It's not for lack of effort - just teams finding a way to finish them off before it has even started. Defense has always been the key and it is just horrific right now. Is Marty the man for this job? Is Dave the man for this job? Is there time to turn things around? Just my thoughts.

Regards,
Michael

Bob: There is time. But after each game, that time keeps ticking away. At first, I said “it is just 5 games”. Then, “It is just October”. And now, “It is just October and November”. They are burying themselves. They can be back in the playoff mix by Christmas if they start playing better, but where have we seen that this team can string together 2 wins in a row?

Bob,

You asked for it, so I'm giving you my opinion. It's my opinion that the Dallas Stars have QUIT on their coach. Unfortunately you can't fire multi-million dollar athletes, soooo you have to make a change somewhere, and that is why Dave Tippet has got to GO. That's just the first change I would make. The second would be to send Marty to the minors for a month or so to get his head back together and to get his game back in shape.(as long as he does not have to clear waivers) If I'm not mistaken, Marty has MORE games where he has allowed 5 goals or more than he does not. Marty is currently ranked 27th with a save percentage of .866. This is not what we as stars fans expect. I'm tempted to ask for my money back on my season tickets. I feel with their lack of effort, they are in breach of contract with their fanbase. The only players playing with any kind of heart are the young guys like Neal, Erikson, Barch, and the other rookies. They may not make the best play with the puck, but they play hard and they are fun to watch because you can see their desire and love of the game. Well, that is my opinion, we need to do something before it too late. We could still make the playoffs if do, if we don't...WE WON'T.

Hockey Puck

Bob: We all want them to snap out of this soon. And, according to my numbers, Marty is actually 46th in the NHL in save percentage. :)

I'm going to start this by saying I am a die hard stars fan I bleed green and gold. But why can't we play man coverage in our own zone, instead we create a cluster of players down around the net. I agree with Tippet it all starts with Marty. I still believe the playoffs are achievable, but it has to start soon. One more thing, do you think we can get Barnes and Hagman back in here. The amount of players that are injured is key also.



Thanks For Listening

Jason

Bob: You are not the first person who wants Stu back, Jason. I think they know where to find him.

Hi Bob,


I think a lot of the Stars' problems right now besides the much harped on lack of stability in net, is that there is no real identity for the team right now. It seems like there are few defined roles on the team as there were last year. With injuries this makes this even more complicated, as it seems impossible to create the standard two scoring lines and a checking line. Also, I think the team is struggling between adhering to their defensive legacy and creating the offense they need to make up for their defensive deficiencies right now. I think this is an unexpected crossroads year for the team and it will be interesting to see where it goes from here.



John from Minnesota

Bob: Jason, you said a mouthful right there. There is no doubt there is a fork in the road immediately ahead. We all want to see these guys figure out a way out of this mess.

Hey Bob,

How much longer do the Stars woes need to continue before changes are made within the organization whether that be with coaching or with the players?

It seems to me that you want to build upon your success from the prior year(s) and things are looking too good so far for the mighty Stars in that realm. Sure Morrow's pretty much season ending injury doesn't help, but there is plenty of talent on this team to carry through to the playoff or at the very least string together more than one win in a row. We had a slew of young defensemen playing for the Stars last season that helped them carry the team to the WC finals. What's gone wrong?!

I'm sure this is nothing new and we've all asked ourselves these questions, but how long must it go on?

P1 Dan

Bob: In the words of the great Bono, “How long? How long must we sing this song? How long? How Looooooooonnnnnnnngggggggg?”. Answer: Until we start winning some stinking hockey games around here.

Well, after about 7,000 words, let’s me end this mailbag for now. I obviously need to do more of these based on the dozens of emails I did not even get to. Perhaps we can even do some live chats down the road (not sure if the dallasstars.com folks are up for that, but if they are – so am I.)

Let’s all stick together in this thing, and continue to enjoy doing what we do: Watching hockey and hoping for the sun to shine on our boys very soon.

Bob

Week 13: Dallas 34, Seattle 9 (8-4)

Thanksgiving feasts in Dallas are becoming a relative formality for the Cowboys in the Tony Romo era. In 2006, the Cowboys demolished the Buccaneers 38-10. In 2007, they destroyed the New York Jets, 34-3. And yesterday, true to form, the Cowboys ate up the Seattle Seahawks, 34-9. Three Thanksgiving games in the Romo-era, three wins. Combined score? 106-22.

After the clinic put on in the 1st half yesterday, and after the last 5 days of Cowboys football where they hang 69 on the NFC West, I seem to be less likely to buy that the league has sorted out the Jason Garrett offense. There is no amount of defensive scheming that is going to slow down a Romo-Witten-Barber-Owens-Williams offense. Forget it. Add in a Crayton here, a Bennett there, and I am convinced this team can still achieve what it dreams to achieve despite the fact that the odds are almost nil that the Cowboys could play a playoff game in Irving.

I guess it all comes down to a few things. Can they quiet the December reputation (which I don’t honestly care about given that the number of 10-16 in that month since 2003 takes into account Quincy, Vinny, and Drew. You want to show me a number, show me Romo’s December record – 4-5) and can they stay healthy? If the Romo injury wasn’t enough to give you indigestion last month, than the Marion Barber and DeMarcus Ware situations give you grave concern. I think they will both be ok, but I am particularly worried about the pending MRI of Ware because we all know how ordinary the Cowboys defense would look if they didn’t have the absurd play-making of #94 on the flank. Further, after Brenden Morrow blew out his knee without experiencing much discomfort at all and even thought he could keep playing in the short term, all he could say was that his knee just “wasn’t quite right”. As odd as it seems, you could completely blow your knee out and not know it. So, cross your fingers.

I think we all know that every team has a few guys that are irreplaceable. If it wasn’t true, then you would pay all of the players the same amount. For every case of Osi Umenyiora and the way the Giants have marched on without him, there are 10 cases of a team losing a “big 5” player and the season crumbles far below expectations. If Romo, Barber, Ware, Witten, or Owens end up missing for a month, this team is not the contender it is. So regardless of how much preparation and execution you pour into this thing, one thing about winning the Super Bowl that nobody likes to admit is the sheer luck of health. Let’s all hope for that in this particular case.

Anyway, we said they had to figure out how to get to 8-4 as the calendar turns to December, and they did it. I think they deserve great marks for coming out of the bye and taking care of their business. Now, the weather turns, the schedule improves, and the pressure accumulates. But, at least they are back in the game. We all know how close they were to being out of the mix with a loss to Tampa Bay or at Washington, this team would be relegated to playing out the string in the ultra-competitive NFC playoff picture.

But, they won in such a way that the 2nd half was only necessary for record-keeping, and they can take a 10-day rest, then report to Pittsburgh for the big final push on December 7th.

Notes and observations from the very last Thanksgiving Day game at Texas Stadium:

• You know you are playing well when you run 20 plays without ever having a 3rd down. The Cowboys actually did have one 3rd down, but due to a penalty, it is ruled a “no play” in the stats, so they went right up and down the field in the 1st 3 drives with almost no need for the 3rd down package. The ease was amazing. How great does this offense look when it is fully operational? At least almost. No Felix, but I am focusing on the good.

• Jason Witten’s last 4 games: 4 catches for 53 yards. Witten in the 1st Quarter yesterday: 4 catches for 67 yards on his way to 9 for 115. I think he is healthy again, and I think his interview with Deion helped, too.

• So, the Cowboys have a pass rush now? Or should we assume that the Seahawks were trying to play with a new Left Guard and a new Center because of injuries. Regardless, 7 sacks used to make up about 30% of a season’s total of sacks for the Cowboys. In 2000, the Cowboys had 26 sacks for the year. 2001, 24, and 2002 just 24. The Cowboys now lead the NFL in sacks with 40, after nailing 46 last year. If there is anything that Wade Phillips can say that did not exist before he arrived it is that ability to sack the QB. The last time the team broke the 40 sacks barrier before Wade arrived was 1994. Now they have done it both years Wade has been here. The last time they had done it in back to back seasons is 1987-1988.

• Observations that have nothing to do with the game: I don’t get the Jonas Brothers, but my daughter does. And, if I had the time to play video games anymore (I think less blogging would help) I am pretty sure I would buy the new Tomb Raider game that was advertised during the 2nd half. Looks pretty cool.

• Every time they show Terrell Owens, something appears to be going on with him. They show him once, it looks like Rocky Bernard wants to kill him. They show him again, Pac Man Jones is pulling him away from an animated discussion with Tashard Choice (I think?). The man does not lack for excitement in his life.

• Don’t look now, but Martellus Bennett looks like he is making all of the progress a young man should be making in his rookie season in the NFL. And as well as he is playing, he is getting on the field plenty. He was on the field 17 of the last 18 plays yesterday as the Cowboys began running the ball. Meanwhile, if your name was Roy Williams or Patrick Crayton, you played 1 play in the 4th Quarter for that same reason.

• Orlando Scandrick is also really showing himself well. I like his ability to fight his way through routes and make a few plays on the ball.

• Favorite story from yesterday? Tra Battle. From what I understand, Tra Battle has been on the practice squad of the San Diego Chargers for 2007 and a good part of 2008. Then, 2 weeks ago, he was activated when the Chargers needed another safety and was credited with 1 tackle in that famous game played between the Chargers and Steelers in Pittsburgh on November 16th. Then, he was pushed back to the practice squad on Saturday for the Chargers. On Tuesday, he is having lunch in California and told to get to an airport because the Cowboys, who needed another DB with the Pat Watkins and Mike Jenkins injuries, and wanted to sign him to the 53. He landed in Dallas Tuesday night, worked with special teams on Wednesday, and was activated for the Thanksgiving day game for the Cowboys on Thursday. Then, put right on kickoff coverage, the Cowboys lined him up at “R2” which is the second man in from the right on the cover team. With 12:36 left in the 1st Q, he runs down the returner with such speed and conviction that it certainly caused a fine reaction at the Stadium. Very cool to see #35 make a play in his first play as a Cowboy.

• Chalk-talk of the day: The Owens Touchdown late in the 3rd (2:23 left) is a perfect example of how coaching and scheming can get you points. The Cowboys are in “13” personnel – 1 RB, 3 TE, and Owens. Owens is wide left with Marcus Trufant in his face. Tony Curtis is technically in the FB spot in front of Barber, with Witten on the left of Adams and Bennett on the Right of Colombo. They then motion Curtis all the way out to the Seattle sideline, and the Seahawks coaches no doubt gasp in horror because they know what their soldiers are going to do. Trufant follows his automatic defensive principles which state that when motion crosses his man, he then slides out to cover the outside man (Curtis) while the man who had Curtis (LB Julian Peterson) originally grabs the guy who is now essentially in the slot (Owens). Oh dear. Major mismatch and I am sure the Seahawks coaches were trying to call timeout. Romo snaps, looks away, but knows he is going to Owens who will beat the safety to the endzone. Touchdown. It reminds me of the same thing they did to Washington in Week 4 with Felix Jones did the same thing to leave Witten up against a LB because of pre-snap motion from the backfield to the sideline. Love it. It just shows you how complicated the NFL really is. If the Cowboys did that more often, the opponent would prepare in practice for that scenario. But, if you do it one play a month, you hope the defense makes the wrong pre-snap adjustment. Then, Romo sees what they did, and he pounces. I was disappointed that the Fox guys did not see WHY the Seahawks had Peterson on Owens. Aikman just went on and on about how he didn’t understand why Seattle would try to do that. They didn’t. They just had 2 players who made a split-second poor decision. But now Seahawks fans think their coaches are imbeciles for trying to put a LB on Owens.

• DeMarcus Ware is amazing, and made Walter Jones look like he has lost a step. When you rip Flozell Adams next time, just remember how bad Walter Jones – who most people consider the best Left Tackle in football – looked. The point is that these speed rushers are just impossible to stop sometimes. And who doesn’t love the blitzing of Bradie James? He seems to have found a knack.

• 10 days off before an absolute huge challenge in Pittsburgh. Keep those players healthy, and let the stretch drive begin….

Baby Steps

Proving that when you have something taken away (winning hockey) you tend to appreciate it much more when you get a taste of what it used to be like, I give you Wednesday Night in Minnesota as exhibit A.

Isn’t winning fun? Didn’t you offer a yell of some combination of celebratory words, too, when Brad Richards picked the top corner to tie that game up? How about when the winning goal was deflected in by Erikkson? Or when time was ticking down during the mad scramble in front of Turco?

In the words of the great Nick LaLooche, the unpolished lad in Bull Durham: “I love winning….it is like so much better than losing!”

I keep waiting for the worm to turn on the 2008-09 season, but I must admit that in the last week since Brenden’s knee decided to snap a chord the occasional pessimistic viewpoint is crossing my head with great regularity. Ideas such as “how are we this bad?” and “How is this going to change?” are swirling around everyone’s
brains right now.

But the intoxicating high of winning, even on a random Wednesday in November, serves as just a glimmer of hope that maybe they can begin clawing.

HOWEVER, they have a few elephants in the room that need to be introduced to the conversation:

#1 – The Stars have played 8 games this season in Dallas, 13 on the road. The idea that they have an abundance of home games forthcoming is good news right? Err..not so much. The Stars have not won a home game since October 29th (against the Minnesota Wild – can we get them scheduled more often?). The Stars have done less with their home games than every other team in hockey. At 2-3-3, they have taken the maximum 2 points from home games just 25% of the 8 home dates. To put things quite simply, they must and I mean must start turning their home games into wins. This is about ridiculous to skate away with wins only twice so far in front of the home faithful.

#2 – The Stars have not won consecutive regular season games anywhere, anytime, since February. Since the calendar turned to March, the Stars have tried to win twice in a row 10 times! But, in games following wins, the Stars are absolutely awful: 0-8-2. Don’t you feel that it is pretty difficult to build any momentum whatsoever when you can’t string two wins together ever?

With those two elements present, the Stars have no hope. As long as those two elephants are here, resistance is futile.

But, what is that I see on the schedule? Home games against the Sharks on Friday, and the Oilers on Sunday. Could you imagine how everyone would feel around here if the Stars could just string together those 2 wins with this win in Minnesota to end November on a 3 game streak?

Look, I hate to kill your buzz (there is no way I killed your buzz if you have been watching this team for the last 21 games) but I don’t see Dallas catching San Jose this year. Pretty tough to spot them a 19 point lead by Thanksgiving and expect to reel them in. Now, we must all assume that it is going to be a winter of watching that 8th playoff spot. The new goal is, and I realize this hurts after last spring, to make the playoffs.

Well, with that in mind, you must now see that this morning, the Stars sit 4 points behind 8th place. Yes, 6 other teams sit between the Stars and Predators, but Nashville is in 8th with 22 points, the Stars in 15th with 18. I do not call this an insurmountable lead. I call this doable by Christmas. In fact, if the Stars are serious about playing past April 10th this year, I highly recommend they start on Friday and Sunday by quieting the elephants of “home futility” and “allergic to consecutive triumphs”.

After a spring of these guys making me believe they are capable of almost anything, we might be reduced to hoping we can believe in winning a home game against the big, bad Sharks.

Baby steps, dear friend. Baby steps.