It's my favorite time of the year. Football season is fast approaching. In a couple of weeks, the NFL preseason kicks off as my Cowboys take on the Miami Dolphins in the Hall of Fame Game. Both teams have high expectations for the season. The Dolphins put some offensive weapons around last year's rookie QB Ryan Tannenhill. The team is hoping the addition of $60 million man Mike Wallace and TE Dustin Keller will allow Tannenhill and the Miami offense to stretch the field and be more explosive. GM Jeff Ireland is also hoping last year's leading receiver Brian Hartline continues to put up impressive numbers, especially since he gave Hartline a 5-year $31 million contract to stay. In fact, Ireland and the Dolphins opened the checkbook during the offseason, adding free agents on both offense and defense. On paper, the Dolphins look like one of the NFL's most improved teams. Ireland had better hope that what looks good on paper translates to the W-L column. I have a feeling if the Dolphins don't make a serious run for the playoffs this year, Ireland will be looking for a new job at the end of the season.
As for my Cowboys, I'm hoping for a playoff berth this year, but I won't hold my breath. I'm not one of those Cowboys' fans who has a massive man-crush on quarterback Tony Romo. I'm still flabbergasted the team agreed to pay him like he was Tom Brady or Peyton Manning (6 years, $108 million!!!). The only thing Tony consistently seems to do well, is choke in big games. In last year's win-or-go home game against the Washington Redskins, this play still haunts Dallas fans.
No, that wasn't a video I made. If it had been, I would have had to bleep out most of what I said following that play. But I think most of you get where I'm going. Romo has done stuff like this so many times in big games, I almost expect it. His defenders love to talk about all the great stats he puts up, which is true. I'm sure Tony is great guy to have on your fantasy football team. However, true Cowboys' fans care about only one thing: winning Super Bowls. That's something that hasn't happened in a while....a long while. Tony Romo isn't the only reason this is so, but he's been a major contributor.
The verdict is still out on Jason Garrett as well. The ex-backup QB for the Cowboys is supposedly a smart guy (Princeton grad), but he has been less than impressive so far as the head coach of the Cowboys. His play-calls have left me scratching my head...often. Maybe its because I'm not a Princeton grad and simply can't grasp the bigger picture that he envisions. However, I will say this: if the Boys have another less than stellar season (.500 or less) I say it's time to let Garrett and his grand vision ride off into the sunset.
Jerry Jones. Ah...what can one say? He's an easy target, what with the face-lifts and all. Each season, I keep hoping he realizes he needs to hire a 'real' football person to be his GM, and each season I'm disappointed. My only consolation is that he's not getting any younger. One can only wonder how many more Super Bowls the Cowboys might have won if Jimmy Johnson and Jerry Jones could have peacefully coexisted.
That aside, it's almost time for some NFL and college football! Life is good!
