Die Hard Cowboys Fan

As you can see by the lack of posts, Clint and Trip resigned as Cowboys Bloggers on Die Hard Cowboys Fan.  I wish that was not the case, but it is what it is.  Even if they were still with us, we would be looking for more Cowboys Bloggers to improve upon what they started.  With them not here anymore, we need to start all over.

Die Hard Cowboys Fan is looking to add five more Cowboys Bloggers prior to the 2008 Preseason.  Die Hard Sports Fan is trying to create the world’s greatest Dallas Cowboys Blog/Fansite, and we need more creative Cowboys Bloggers to join Die Hard Cowboys Fan to achieve our objective.  We are looking for one Lead Blogger to ensure that everything is covered and nothing is duplicated and four Cowboys Bloggers.  For a more extensive overview of the position, click on the “Write for Us” link in the “Menu” section of the left sidebar.  If you have any questions then feel free to contact me by clicking on the “Contact Us” link in the “Menu” section of the left sidebar.

We are also using new templates now.  Die Hard Giants Fan and Die Hard Bills Fan are our other football teams being covered daily right now, so you can check it out to get a feel of what the new template would look like on Die Hard Cowboys Fan.  As soon as somebody begins blogging about the Cowboys again, we will change the template.

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It isn’t that hard. Trip and I could call a game better than most of the guys getting paid to do it when we were in High School. It has been very common for us to pull some stat from out of nowhere about a particular team or player and then have the onair personalities get it from their stat guys via the headphones and then say it after we already did. We don’t need no stinking stat guys. We are the stat guys.

Plus we know which players are on which teams. We know their names (and if they are an obscure player, like “Rick” Romo, we can read the roster sheet properly). We know that Marion Barber is not the heart of the Packers’ offense. I suppose this list could go on and on. And it is only from last Thursday’s game between Dallas and Green Bay.

Yeah, Bryant Gumbel is terrible. I never thought I would say this, but I really think Dan Dierdorf is better than him. Heck, and know that it pains me to admit it, but I know that Joe Theismann is better than B.Gumby. I like Cris Collinsworth. But he needs a new partner and bad. Since I have been taught to limit my ridicule, I will leave off. But you know what I am talking about.

In a related note, don’t you think ESPN wishes they had kept Michael Irvin and not picked up Emmitt? Don’t get me wrong, I love Emmitt. He is a Cowboy. But he just doesn’t have the skill in front of the camera that Irvin does. Irvin has taken the time to have a good vocabulary and to know the proper use of said group of words. Poor Emmitt doesn’t. He uses terrible language (I don’t mean vulgar or anything, just wrong). How many times can he say something got “blowed up?”

To end on a positive note, I think he does a fine job on the commercials where he is choosing a Cranebill (or whatever the heck kind of flower it is). Perhaps he just needs a little more scripting and a lot less spontaneity. I do hate to say anything negative against such a great Cowboy - but know that it is said in love. Really.

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Here I am, sitting around on a tuesday evening, just thinking about football.

That happens alot. I think about football most of the time. Doesn’t matter what time of year it is. Of course, this time of year - when my team is doing so well - the ponderings just get revved up even more.

So here are some of my thoughts:

1. If the Patriots play next week like they have the last two weeks, Pittsburgh will whip them. The Cowboys will destroy them in the Super Bowl, too.

2. After 10 weeks of hearing that they (New England) were the best team that has ever played the game, does the last two weeks where the Patriots have just barely held on to beat teams with losing records (and playing back up quarterbacks, no less), mean anything? I say yes. They are an exceptionally good team - there is no denying it. But there are plenty of teams out there in history that could have and would have beaten them consistently.

3. One more Patriots thought. They benefit greatly from their schedule. They get a full 25% of their games against Miami and the Jets. They only had to play the Eagles, Giants and Redskins once, while Dallas has to play them twice. All three of those teams are quality opponents. Yeah, New England beat Dallas and Indianapolis. But Dallas has improved greatly since then and I think Indianapolis would beat them if they were fully healthy. I am looking forward to the NE/Pitt game this weekend.

4. Dallas will cream Detroit this week. As an illustration, number 56 will know exactly where he is when he plants Kitna.

5. First off, I am all for Christians. I am a minister. But I can’t stand hypocrites. So why does Kitna, an overt and demonstrative (not necessarily bad things, mind you) Christian then dress up like a former coach who was arrested for driving nude? There are just so many levels at which that is hypocritical, not to mention insensitive. I hope Bradie James stomps him once, just for that.

6. I don’t see Furry having such a field day this time around. I think the Lions are going to be disappointed and surprised at how much better this Cowboys’ defense is over last year.

7. I think Romo throws for at least 4 TD’s this week, maybe more. TO will catch at least two of them.

8. I am convinced Terry Glenn will be back in time for the playoffs. Won’t that change the dynamic if we meet the Patriots again? BTW, I am still picking the Steelers to be beaten by the Cowboys in February (to even up the all time Super Bowl series at 2 each).

9. OK, one more Patriot thought that just snuck in. If we play them again, don’t you see a heavy dose of Julius Jones and Marion Barber (after the way Baltimore took it to them and showed that New England is a prissy, pretty-boy team, not a smash mouth and tough team.

10. I will close with a continuation of the Rocky IV theme that I started last week when Philly almost knocked off New England. I won’t limit it to the Patriots, though. I think it is true of any team out there and is the reason that Dallas will win it all this year:

I can just hear this coming from the mouth of the defense…

Maybe the only thing I can do is just take everything he’s got. But to beat me, he’s going to have to kill me. And to kill me, he’s gonna have to have the heart to stand in front of me. And to do that, he’s got to be willing to die himself. I don’t know if he’s ready to do that.

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Dallas News: Todd Archer says the Cowboys have achieved all of their regular season goals yet, but they are getting closer. The final month starts Sunday.

JJT says DeMarcus Ware in the most complete linebacker in the NFL. No legitimate conversation about NFL Defensive Payer of the Year should take place without including Ware.

Albert Breer says there is still a spot waiting for Terry Glenn if he makes it back this season. Marc Colombo sat out of Monday’s walk-through for precautionary reasons. Ray Sherman has been named as a candidate for the head coaching position at Washington State university but Sherman says he doesn’t know anything about it. Bradie James has a grudge against Jon Kitna. Anthony Henry says he is ready to move back into the starting lineup. Eastern Illinios is marketing Tony Romo throwback jerseys.

JJT says the secondary playued better aginst the Packers. And Taylor has a mailbag up.

A look ahead to Cowboys-Lions.

Albert Breer says Jason Garrett has been mentioned for the UCLA head coaching job.

(more…)

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I speak fluent Jerry Jones. I like to consider myself something of an expert on the topic. I’ve developed this linguistic ability from years and years of following the Cowboys.

So here is my interpretation of this article, about the Cowboys keeping Jason Garrett, posted on the Dallas News blog.

“I think I’ve said this to y’all before, one of the best things about Jason Garrett is that when he leaves the room, everyone in the room, (thinks) it was their idea. He’s got some real positives when it comes to his people skills that are really showing up here too.”

Translation: Garrett can convinve T.O. that running the ball and throwing to Witten once in awhile are not bad ideas. And Garrett can even make T.O. think it was his idea.

“I don’t know (or) want to get into that, that would be speculative, by the very nature of it,” Jones said. “But I went a long way out of the way to get him.”

Translation: I did Jason Garrett a favor last year. I would be very upset if he bailed on me after one season. I expect some loyalty.

Please, please, please tell me you have a better plan than that one, Jerry.

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The Lions have arguably the third-best passing offense in the NFC, behind the Cowboys and Packers. Of course, the Lions pass far more than the Cowboys, and have less yards, half as many scores and a far worse passer rating. So there is a significant drop after the top two. And what kills the Lions are sacks. The Lions have been sacked 50 times this year, 10 more than the next closest NFC team. Dallas has given up 16 sacks.

The Lions are pretty effective when they run ball at 4.0 yards per rush, but they do not run nearly enough. They average 19.5 rushing attempts per game, by far the fewest in the NFC. This leads to a disproportionate time of possession of 4 minutes per game on average.

(more…)

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Dallas News: Todd Archer writes about the success of Jason Garrett this season as a play-caller. Garrett scripts the first 15 plays of the game but does not hold steadfast to the script.

Todd Archer says the Cowboys will have to wait at least another week to clinch the NFC East. The next Cowboys win or Giants loss clinches the division.

The A.P. reports Adrian Peterson ran all over the Lions yesterday. The Lions had 23 yards rushing.

Tim MacMahon has some great Jon Kitna bulletin-board material on the blog. Kitna blasted Bradie James and Terence Newman after last year’s game. The whole defense, really.

(more…)

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What the heck. We don’t really need to wait for the Patriots to roll the Ravens tomorrow night, do we? Didn’t think so.

• The Patriots are headed for a first round bye and home field throughout the playoffs. Surprised you, didn’t I? Indianapolis (10-2) is in line for a first round bye. Pittsburgh could conceivably catch the Colts, but looking at the schedules, I don’t think so.

• The Steelers and Chargers look pretty secure as the division winners to play in the wild card round. The Chargers are pretty much locked in. The Steelers have bigger hopes, but they will probably have to win out to stay out of the wild card round. It still may not be enough.

• The Jaguars (8-4) look like the first wild card team. The Jags still have to play to Pittsburgh, but 11-5 looks about right for them.

• The final wild card position will come down to Tennessee (7-5), Cleveland (7-5) or Buffalo (6-6). With Tennessee playing San Diego next week, Cleveland playing the Jets and Buffalo playing Miami, things could really get tight. And Cleveland plays Buffalo the following week, so the loser of that game will likely be on the outside looking in.

This final spot could very well come down to tiebreakers between Tennessee, and winner of the Buffalo/Cleveland game in two weeks. My feeling is Cleveland is the odds-on favorite to make the playoffs right now, but this one will come down to the final weekend.

(more…)

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With four weeks left, the NFC playoff picture is getting very clear.

• The Cowboys and Packers will get first round byes, barring a complete collapse by either team. The Cowboys appear headed for home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

• The Seahawks and Buccaneers both had big wins today. They figure to be the two division winners who will play in the wild card round.

• The Giants are going to be a wild card team. It was a gutsy comeback win over the Bears today, and at 8-4 they are pretty much guaranteed the first wild card position.

• The final wild card spot looks like it’s going to come down to three 6-6 teams. The Lions, Vikings and Cardinals are in the lead to claim the final playoff position. They would face either the Seahawks or the Buccaneers in the wild card round.

Here is a look at the remaining schedule of the three teams battling for the final spot.

(more…)

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When Jon Kitna made his famous 10-6 prediction, my first instinct was that Kitna was crazy. Then, I looked at everything and I thought about it, and I decided 9-7 was a possibility. And the Lions had an outside chance to sneak into the last NFC playoff berth. So, I thought, he was optimistic and off base, but not really crazy.

Then the Lions started out at 6-2. Kitna, for the moment, looked pretty smart. And I saw an ESPN segment with Skip Bayless and a Detroit writer (I wish I could remember his name, but I can’t right now). The Detroit writer was unfazed by the 6-2 start, and told Bayless to take a look at the schedule. The Lions had some fluke wins, but the writer said they are an 8-8 team and they will not make the playoffs.

Bayless went on and on about the great Lions offense and he said the they will go 11-5 this year and win that division. Yes, win it. The Lions, to Bayless, were one of the most impressive teams in the NFL. Much more impressive than the Cowboys. Now, right there, my instincts told me to go with the Detroit guy. And I never for a second thought Bayless was completely right. The Lions would not win that division and they certainly would not win 11 football games. No way. But I really thought Bayless was closer to being accurate than the Detroit writer. Except that part about the Cowboys.

I went against all common sense, which I have learned over the years. Never pick the Detroit Lions to win anything. Playoffs and the Lions are the antithesis of one another. And Skip Bayless is one of the dumbest and most untruthful human beings who has ever walked the face of the earth.

Now, as the Lions are losing at halftime to the Minnesota Vikings today, 35-10, I completely understand the error of my ways. Kitna is crazy. Bayless is the moron I knew that he was. The Lions aren’t going to win 10 games. The Lions aren’t going to make the playoffs. Sometimes you should just go with your instincts.

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