[roscoeiii]

I will stick with Smokin' Jay.

http://smokinjaycutler.tumblr.com

[jackman]

Roscoe, that was hilarious!  The only thing Cutler smokes is pole!

[roscoeiii]

I never get tired of that site.

[jimdgoulding]

Chris Johnson picked up by NY Jets.  Good for them, I beleive.  Now, they'll have some speed in the backfield to go with power.  Plus, he can catch. 

[jimdgoulding]

Johnny Manziel to the Cowboys??  Romo is in his 12th season and has back issues.  Why not?  If the youngster can stay upright, he could be big box office.  Something I think Jerry Jones likes.  They need a new coach, too, if you ask me.  AND a GM .

[macrojack]

Jerry Jones is really a lot like Vince McMahon - just a little older and a lot more reserved. Otherwise, same greedy, cheesy, show biz poser.

The NFL is headed downhill and gathering speed. Disaster looms ahead. It might take 10 years but the whole shebang is headed for the pooper.

The trend seems to be moving toward more glitz and less substance. Just wait until we see repeated replays and refs huddled, and coach's challenges to determine in slow motion whether Jimmy Graham actually dunked the ball over the goalposts or just did a layup. This, of course, will occur after the conferences, replays, announcer speculation, reminder of past such issues, biographical snippets about the player's grandfather and a word from our sponsors four times, all to determine if there really was a touchdown or did a dangling thread on his jersey touch the two yard line before the ball crossed. You be the judge - but they'll decide - usually in favor of the Rooneys. Too much drama and not enough action. Same crap goes on in baseball. I don't watch that until the playoffs but caught a few minutes of a game the other night while channel surfing. They now have a definition of a catch by the first baseman to determine if the runner was out. It isn't a catch tip the defensive glove closes around the ball. Yeesh!!! Too damn much parsing of everything. May as well watch courtroom action.

The poobahs of professional sports apparently don't feel the games are interesting because they never quit trying to find ways to add interest - and those ways usually don't involve playing.

[Letitroll98]

Jerry Jones is really a lot like Vince McMahon - just a little older and a lot more reserved. Otherwise, same greedy, cheesy, show biz poser.

The NFL is headed downhill and gathering speed. Disaster looms ahead. It might take 10 years but the whole shebang is headed for the pooper.

The trend seems to be moving toward more glitz and less substance. Just wait until we see repeated replays and refs huddled, and coach's challenges to determine in slow motion whether Jimmy Graham actually dunked the ball over the goalposts or just did a layup. This, of course, will occur after the conferences, replays, announcer speculation, reminder of past such issues, biographical snippets about the player's grandfather and a word from our sponsors four times, all to determine if there really was a touchdown or did a dangling thread on his jersey touch the two yard line before the ball crossed. You be the judge - but they'll decide - usually in favor of the Rooneys. Too much drama and not enough action. Same crap goes on in baseball. I don't watch that until the playoffs but caught a few minutes of a game the other night while channel surfing. They now have a definition of a catch by the first baseman to determine if the runner was out. It isn't a catch tip the defensive glove closes around the ball. Yeesh!!! Too damn much parsing of everything. May as well watch courtroom action.

The poobahs of professional sports apparently don't feel the games are interesting because they never quit trying to find ways to add interest - and those ways usually don't involve playing.

I both agree and disagree.  I concur with your sentiments, and would add in all the "player safety" rules that ruin football.  All they had to do was enforce the previous rules as written and it would have addressed 90% of the safety issues, the rest could have been solved by actually supporting retired players concerns about continuing care after their playing days are over.  And my pet peeve, the way pass interference is called.  I wish the refs would call it like they do in college, generally letting the boys play with contact allowed, and only serious violations called.  Getting 40 yards for a ticky tack penalty just galls me every time.

What I disagree with is that it will be the demise of pro football.  There is still an enormous demand in most cities that fill the seats every game and a national interest that garners ever increasing TV contracts.  Additionally the league is fiscally sound with the revenue sharing they have in place which allows teams like Green Bay to be competitive year after year.  Nothing lasts forever, but I think way more than 10 years before you see any decline in pro football financials.  You and I may stop watching, or enjoy watching less, but there are plenty of people willing to watch an inferior product because they have no context of past glory to judge it against.

[rodge827]

You and I may stop watching, or enjoy watching less, but there are plenty of people willing to watch an inferior product because they have no context of past glory to judge it against.

Yeah me too!
I live in southern Ocean County NJ, and last year we ditched Comcast in favor of DTV. Ocean County is considered part of the NY market by the FCC.
Even thought I was assured by the DTV salesperson that I could add the Philadelphia channels for sports and news it wasn't meant to be. The NFL  package is just way to expensive so I was limited to about 5 Eagles games, 3 of which I watched.
Bottom line is I don't feel I missed anything!
Same old preseason BS followed by a lot of excuses and another "We'll get it next season" 
I've got better things to do on Sunday afternoons!

[macrojack]

Letitroll98 - The reason I posit the demise of the football empire within 10 years is simple. That very force is building everywhere. You and I and ridge are not that unusual. There is a lot of discontent building and, at some point. it will reach critical mass. There is always a tipping point beyond which even the brain dead sign up.

Rodge - I need to use my time better. Football is not the only thing I should be dropping. I'm considering dumping TV altogether or, at the least, the cable channels. You are certainly correct that we all have better things to do on Sunday afternoon. Or we should have. Time to move outside of our hamster cage.

Everybody - Can you remember what you did with your time before the internet and cell phones locked you in? Remember when we could only access about 7-8 TV stations? Seems like a past life now, doesn't it?

I think that rule changes are implemented to provide buzz and to allow the refs more opportunity to steer the outcome. Bad officiating has reached a comic level and still the worst officials (Triplette, Boger) enjoy the full support of the NFL while anyone within the league who points out their mistakes and/or shortcomings is fined massively. People are noticing and discontent is growing.

[jimdgoulding]

April 21, 2014

Dear Mr. Jones-

Greetings from a Cowboys fan.  A longtime one.  I probably still have splinters in my rear end from those wooden benches at The Cotton Bowl.  I hope you take what I’m about to say in the spirit it is intended.

Your team’s players, to include we fans, have limited confidence in your QB.  It is highly doubtful that will change.  Tony’s best days are behind him.   I remember seeing some TV coverage the season before last when Tony is pacing the sideline facing the O line seated on the bench and trying to rah-rah their spirit.  Mr. Jones, the players he was addressing, to the man, would not even make eye contact with him.  They just stared out onto the field.  You need some new spirit here, sir, to include talent.  Young Manziel might be just the ticket to enliven the team on both sides of the ball, we fans and your revenues. 

The above applies to the confidence in, and the talent and leadership of your head coach, equally.  Likewise, he needs to be replaced.
   
All Cowboy’s fans know you are the man in charge and that you have football acumen.  What they don’t know or can see is a grip on reality and pro-action.  About the only thing they can conclude is that you don’t see the obvious or are too stubborn to change. 

I suggest to you that this action will not only revitalize the enthusiasm of your players and their confidence in you, but those of Cowboy’s fans across the country.  You shouldn’t tolerate another 8-8 season.  Take your prerogative.  Take the bull by the horns and re-route the ship. 

Sincerely,

Jim Goulding

[macrojack]

Jim - That was an impressive demonstration of typing with your fingers crossed. Did you mail it? What is your level of optimism concerning Jerry's reading and considering your suggestions?

The Fan Nation column on SI.com is chock full of depressed and forlorn Cowboy fans. They comment along the same lines as you have on a near daily basis. Nothing happens year in and year out. Perhaps, insofar as Jerry is not interested in your opinion, you should take that to mean he is uninterested in your fealty or your funds. Choose a new, more worthy team to root for. If you must stay with Texas, I would submit that the Houston team is a somewhat better option, although from what I have gleaned from comments, their owner is no prize either.

So let me invite you to join the Bronco Nation. Pat Bowlen is widely regarded as one of the better owners and Elway appears to be making strong, positive moves to improve the team. Just pretend you got traded along with DeMarcus Ware.

[jimdgoulding]

Thanks, Jack.  Love your first paragragh, etc.  Didn't know about Fan Nation.  I AM a Denver fan.  I am Cowboy's hater, truth be told, for the obvious reason.  That first hike to Payton in the SB, screamed something to me . . HARBINGER, oh no!  Oh well, gives em an attitude for next season.  I AM a Houston fan, have no doubt.

[ArthurDent]

Hey Jim, you're always welcome to join the 12th Man. The Seahawks fortunes are still on the rise, and we have better coffee than Denver. 

[jimdgoulding]

Hey Jim, you're always welcome to join the 12th Man. The Seahawks fortunes are still on the rise, and we have better coffee than Denver. 

Arthur, it's pretty conceivable that we might see these two teams in next year's SB, too.  I know that would make both you and Macro happy.  Me, I just looking forward to Houston's picks and new season, but I like both those teams and a couple others bout as much.   

[jimdgoulding]

Cowboys coach is in the last year of his contract I read today. 

[Letitroll98]

One of the sports shows yesterday had a piece on worst to first teams for the upcoming season.  On the list were Houston, Washington, Vikings, Atlanta, etc.  Dallas was not on the list for obvious reasons, so Houston might be a good Texas team to jump ship for this year.

[jimdgoulding]

Clowney and Manziel are in Houston today.  Bridgewater later this week.

[Letitroll98]

All overrated.  The two QBs are mediocrity personified as far as the NFL is concerned, and Clowney won't stop the run in the pros and can't cover the pass.  I think possibly an effective pass rusher, but I'm not convinced on that one either.  So why the number one pick?  I consider him a mid second rounder.

[macrojack]

Agree about all those guys. Also feel that moving the draft back 2 mos. caused a lot of this because a sports media with dead time on its hands always chooses to make things up and to sensationalize wildly. Besides that you have a lot of stories like Tom Brady and Terrell Davis to look at where a disregarded player comes to life in the pros and wins Super Bowls. It's a crapshoot.

[jimdgoulding]

April 23, 2014



Dear Mr. Jones,

On second thought, Jerry, don't change a thing.  You might finish third in your division this year.  Hail to the chief.  What was I thinkin??

Sincerely,

Jim Goulding