PAT SUMMERALL MEMORIAL: John Madden reminisces at service
Hall of Fame coach and legendary broadcaster John Madden gave a heartfelt speech at the memorial service for Pat Summerall on Saturday. The two worked games together for 22 years.
“He is the voice of the NFL,” Madden said. “To me, he wasn’t a braggart. To me, he was John Wayne.”
Summerall passed away Tuesday at the age of 82. He played 10 years in the NFL and worked a record 16 Super Bowls on television.
Madden, who’s been known to ramble at times, said he could hear Summerall’s voice, “Brevity, brevity, brevity” in his head, during his speech. The two friends have said goodbye twice before — during their final game together on CBS and during their final game as a broadcast team on Fox after Super Bowl XXXVI.
“This is the third goodbye. The toughest,” Madden struggled to say. “Goodbye, Pat. Rest in peace. I love you.”
JOHN MADDEN AND PAT SUMMERALLS LAST BROADCAST:
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RELATED POSTS:
NFL LOST LEGEND: Sportscaster Pat Summerall (1930-2013)
BROADCAST LEGEND REMEMBERED: Pat Summerall’s funeral will take place on Saturday; open to the public
HOT PROSPECT: Chicago Bears interested in talking to Joe DeCamillis about head coaching job
Dallas Cowboys special teams coach Joe DeCamillis is on the Chicago Bears list of head coaching candidates. Bears general manager Phil Emery has asked the Cowboys for permission to interview DeCamillis. (The Cowboys cannot deny the request since it is a head coaching position.)
DeCamillis and Emery worked together in Atlanta for three years, when Emery was the Falcons director of college scouting and DeCamillis the special teams coach there.
DeCamillis, 47, just completed his fourth season with the Cowboys. He also previously has been a special teams coach for the Broncos (1988-92), Giants (1993-96) and Jaguars (2007-08) besides his stint in Atlanta (1997-2006).
John Harbaugh was the Eagles special teams coach when the Ravens hired him as their head coach in 2008.
The Bears also reportedly will interview Falcons special teams coach Keith Armstrong, Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy and Bucs offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan. Chicago fired Lovie Smith on Monday after Smith went 84-66 in nine seasons.
GAMEDAY RESOURCES: Washington Redskins vs. Dallas Cowboys
HEAD2HEAD: A look at the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins match up
After slogging through a 23-20 overtime victory over the Cleveland Browns, the Cowboys return to the field Thursday to face NFC East rival Washington on Thanksgiving. The Redskins, despite their 4-6 record, are expected to challenge Dallas and the Cowboys have preparing this week to defend quarterback Robert Griffin III, the former Baylor star. Griffin III, in his rookie campaign, has lived up to the hype and now he comes home to Texas, hoping to give Washington its first victory ever at Cowboys Stadium. All eyes will be on him Thursday, including the Cowboys’. Here is a look at how both teams match up:
When the Cowboys run
As each week has passed without DeMarco Murray in the lineup, the Cowboys have become increasingly inured to making do without their starting running back. Murray has missed the last five games because of a sprained left foot and his status is in doubt Thursday. In his absence Dallas has averaged 2.97 yards per carry. If Murray can’t play, don’t expect the results to get any better this week. Backup Felix Jones is also banged up and despite the fact that Washington’s defensive front has been decimated by injuries, the Redskins are allowing 94.6 rushing yards per game – the seventh-lowest average in the NFL.
Edge: Redskins
When the Cowboys pass
Considering that he was operating behind a ramshackle offensive line, quarterback Tony Romo fared especially well last Sunday. Sacked seven times, he still passed for 313 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. Romo’s solid outing was made possible, in part by Dez Bryant, who enjoyed his third 100-yard receiving game of the season. But if the pass protection doesn’t improve, it’s uncertain if Romo can sustain this level of performance even against a Redskins defense allowing 289.2 passing yards per game – the fourth-worst average in the NFL.
Edge: Cowboys
When the Redskins run
Two rookies have given a once-flagging Redskins rushing attack some bite. Acclaimed quarterback Robert Griffin III and unheralded tailback Alfred Morris have transformed a ground game that was among the least productive last season but is now one of the best. The Redskins are gaining 165 yards rushing yards per game, the second-highest average in the NFL. Dallas, at times, has shown susceptibility while defending the run and is conceding 106.6 yards per game.
Edge: Redskins
When the Redskins pass
This off-season Washington tried to beef up its passing offense with the major acquisitions of Robert Griffin III and free-agent receivers Josh Morgan and Pierre Garcon. But the Redskins have gained only 214.7 yards per game through the air – the 11th-lowest average in the NFL. But while the Redskins’ passing attack may not be prolific it is efficient. Griffin III has thrown only three interceptions versus 12 touchdown passes. He will be tested this week while facing a Cowboys pass defense that is allowing 211.4 yards per game – the sixth-best average in the NFL.
Edge: Cowboys
Special teams
As Dwayne Harris continues to make an impact on punt returns and Dan Bailey converts field goals, the Cowboys’ special teams are no longer viewed as the same bumbling group of units that gave away the ball multiple times, conceded a blocked punt and allowed a 108-yard kickoff return earlier this season. In fact, they have been quite solid. Bailey has converted 90.5 percent of his field goal attempts. Meanwhile, the Redskins’ kicker Kai Forbath, an ex-Cowboy, has made all nine of his attempts since replacing the struggling Billy Cundiff in October. Forbath has bolstered a special teams unit that hasn’t received much production out of returner Brandon Banks this season.
Edge: Cowboys
Intangibles
There is little doubt Redskins quarterback and former Baylor star Robert Griffin III will be motivated. He returns to Texas to play his first game as a pro in his home state and all eyes will be on him. With the pressure ratcheted up a bit, will he thrive or crater? Dallas will play a part in answering that question. The Cowboys are 28-15-1 on Thanksgiving, having defeated the Redskins each of the six times they have played them on the holiday. Griffin III and Washington, which has also never won inside Cowboys Stadium, will defy history if they win Thursday.
Edge: Cowboys
GAMEDAY RESOURCES: Trackers and Scoreboards
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GAMEDAY RESOURCES: Washington Redskins vs. Dallas Cowboys postgame coverage
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FEAR FACTOR: Jimmy Johnson believes Dallas Cowboys need more motivation
Former Dallas Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson is raising questions about the atmosphere at Valley Ranch. Johnson called Valley Ranch a "country club" during an interview on the Dan Patrick Show.
"All the players in this league think they’re self-motivated and that’s a bunch of bull because there are only a handful that are self-motivated," Johnson said. "So you’ve got to motivate these players through some respect but the No. 1 motivator is fear. Fear of letting down your teammates, being embarrassed or fear of losing the job. Where is the fear in Dallas? There’s no fear in Dallas. It’s a country club where everybody is buddies."
Coach Jason Garrett has changed the climate at Valley Ranch sharply from how it was under Wade Phillips. Of course, Phillips changed the atmosphere from how it was under Bill Parcells.
Garrett was asked about Johnson’s comments.
"I don’t really have any comment on that," Garrett said. "We do things the way we do things here and from a football standpoint we believe we practice the right way, we meet the right way and create the right atmosphere of urgency for our players it’s what I learned as a player and coach in this league. And that’s what we’re trying to create with our football team."
And a players’ view, courtesy of Jason Witten:
“I didn’t hear about it, but obviously he’s a great coach here in this franchise and won a lot of Super Bowls,” Witten said. “I haven’t seen him around a lot. The guys are working hard. Ultimately (talk like Johnson’s) is going to happen, but I don’t think as a player you can worry about that. You’ve got to fix it. We know the expectations. Trust me, we feel it every day and so I don’t think you allow that (talk) to get in but obviously got a lot of respect for him.”
Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was asked about Johnson’s comments Thursday.
"When you’re out here, when you’re involved in it, and you’re here every day, i think you understand the importance of each football game," Romo said. "All I can speak about is me, the grind and the way it works on you when you don’t win a football game, it’s just enormous. The way you constantly evaluate and think about how to improve and get better and take the next step. it consumes your thoughts. That’s really what happens after a loss, so I don’t know what anybody else feels or thinks, but that’s absolutely what you try to do to improve and get better."
Johnson has formed a good relationship with Garrett in terms of being a mentor. In the same interview with Patrick, Johnson questioned whether Garrett would remain the man in charge at Valley Ranch.
"Jason Garrett is probably coaching for his job for the rest of the year," Johnson said. "This game with Philadelphia on Fox may decide the future of coaches and players with those two teams."
Maybe Johnson was channeling Bob Arum, the boxing promoter who hypes fights. And with the Eagles and Cowboys at 3-5, the loser most likely will see their playoff hopes disappear. So creating media drama is expected.
The quarterback, Tony Romo, who’s got one year left on his deal, might also be on the way out according to Johnson.
"I would extend Tony Romo unless I had somebody better, and they don’t have anybody better," Johnson said.
EDITORS COMMENT: At The Boys Are Back blog we are always interested in your view. I agree with Jimmy Johnson on his point of most players needing motivation. Jason Garrett has had many influences in his career as a Dallas Cowboy player, offensive coordinator, and head coach. He uses a hybrid style that blends those influences (Tom Landry, Bill Parcells, Jimmy Johnson). Jimmy Johnson and Bill Parcells were more outwardly aggressive and verbally expressive on camera. Tom Landry more reserve publically, but privately critical and a strict disciplinarian. Jason Garrett’s style falls somewhere in the middle. He’s young and still figuring out his style and approach. As fans, we do not know what happens behind closed doors at Valley Ranch or in the locker room. We do know that the players seem to be behind him and appear to be buying into his system. When the day comes when they don’t … that’s the day to begin worrying. Jason Garrett is evolving … and like the Dallas Cowboys, he’s a work in progress.
RELATED: Dallas Cowboys VP Stephen Jones stops by practice, defends Garrett
Stephen Jones visited practice and ran into reporters, one of whom stopped him to get his thoughts on the topics of the day. Before long, everyone with a notepad and camera had surrounded the Cowboys’ executive vice president.
Is Jason Garrett coaching for his future?
“I won’t even comment on that. Period. That’s ridiculous,” Jones said.
Any comment on Jimmy Johnson saying there is a country-club atmosphere at Valley Ranch?
“Don’t have one.”
A comment or a country club?
“Don’t have one.”
He smiled.
“Any serious questions?”
Sure.
What kind of job do you think Garrett is doing?
“First of all, I think Jason is incredibly smart. No one understands the game more,” Jones said. “He grew up at a breakfast table knowing about the NFL. His father was a coach. His father was a scout. He understands the league. He is a great leader. He leads our team in a great way.
“I think he understands the game. He has been a very success offensive coordinator. He started having success immediately. It wasn’t like there was a huge learning curve for him as a play caller. We have had a lot of great offenses here under Jason. We are moving the ball good this year for the most part. The players respect him. He demands accountability.”
Jones agreed that turnovers are a problem this year. The Cowboys have 19, tied with the Philadelphia Eagles for second-most in the NFL.
“We have to do better there. I think we are improving,” Jones said. “We protected the ball against the Falcons. They are a good football team. We are doing some things to cause turnovers. We are tipping balls. They just didn’t come our way. We were hitting the quarterback hard. The ball was on the ground. We just didn’t recover it.
Asked if the Cowboys were underachieving at 3-5, Jones said, “Absolutely. We had higher expectations than this. We are disappointed with our record. We have to play better. We have to finish.”
GAMEDAY RESOURCES: Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants
HEAD2HEAD: A look at how the Dallas Cowboys and NY Giants match up
It was not too long ago when the Cowboys went up to northern New Jersey and defeated the New York Giants 24-17. But a lot has changed since that Sept. 5 season opener. The Giants, not the Cowboys, now sit alone atop the NFC East standings. Dallas linebacker Sean Lee is done for the season after suffering ligament damage in his right big toe. And Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray, who rushed for 131 yards in that first meeting with the Giants, is sidelined as he continues to recover from a sprained left foot. The Giants, in totality, are in much better shape than the Cowboys. Here is a look at how both teams match up:
When the Cowboys run
The Cowboys’ rushing attack remains in flux and at this point it’s difficult to project its performance. A week after gaining 227 yards on the ground against Baltimore, the Cowboys managed to collect 85 against Carolina. Of course, tailback DeMarco Murray didn’t play last Sunday and he won’t be available this week as he continues to recover from a sprained left foot. That is a big blow for the Cowboys. Against the Giants in the opener, Murray rushed for a season-high 131 yards – about five more than New York has yielded on average this season. Will Phillip Tanner or Felix Jones, who is nursing a bruised knee, pick up the slack in Murray’s absence?
Edge: Giants
When the Cowboys pass
Tony Romo’s best performance of the season came in the first game. Romo completed 76 percent of his pass attempts for 307 yards and three touchdowns, posting a 129.5 quarterback rating in the process. Since then, Romo has thrown three more interceptions than touchdown passes. But there is no reason to believe Romo can’t skewer the Giants’ flimsy secondary. New York is allowing 253.3 yards per game through the air, the 12-highest average in the NFL. The question is whether Romo, who has been only sacked once in the past two games, will be able to avoid the Giants’ staunch pass rush.
Edge: Cowboys
When the Giants run
The Giants’ running game has improved significantly since last season, when New York was ranked last in yards on the ground. Through seven games, the Giants have produced 116.3 rushing yards per game, the 12th-highest average in the NFL. They have done so while relying on Ahmad Bradshaw, Andre Brown and David Wilson. Yet the Cowboys were able to contain the Giants’ tailbacks in the opener, limiting New York to 82 rushing yards – 23 below the current average they’ve allowed. Of course, linebacker Sean Lee was a big part of that defensive effort. Now he’s out for the season with ligament damage in his right big toe. Will the Giants be able to exploit his absence?
Edge: Giants
When the Giants pass
The Giants make no secret about their intentions. They will pass the ball, relying on the arm of Eli Manning to power the offense. After Week 7, only three quarterbacks had thrown the ball more times than Manning had. And it’s easy to see why Manning is chucking the ball all over the field. After all he has plenty of targets. Headed by Victor Cruz, who has already made 50 catches, the Giants have six players who have gained more than 100 receiving yards. The Cowboys, who have the third-stingiest pass defense, will try to limit Manning and Co. for the second time this season.
Edge: Giants
Special teams
No player this season has attempted more field goals than the Giants’ Lawrence Tynes. He has converted 19 of 21 attempts this season and is part of a special teams unit that includes one of the league’s best directional punters, Steve Weatherford. Weatherford has allowed 5.8 yards per return – the exact average the Cowboys have produced when they have fielded punts. Those modest gains aren’t surprising. Although Dan Bailey has made 92.3 percent of his 13 field-goal attempts, Dallas’ special teams have performed poorly this season.
Edge: Giants
Intangibles
The Cowboys will have home-field advantage. That should mean something. But in this matchup with the Giants it doesn’t. The Giants have prevailed in all three meetings with their NFC East rivals at Cowboys Stadium. And at this point some wonder if New York feels more comfortable at Jerry World than Dallas does.
For that reason, the Giants have to be brimming with confidence as they invade North Texas seeking revenge for the loss the Cowboys handed them in the season opener.
Edge: Giants
GAMEDAY RESOURCES: Trackers and Scoreboards
View game stats and scores online while you watch or listen to the game. Click HERE
GAMEDAY RESOURCES: Sounds of the game
Listen to the “Voice of the Dallas Cowboys” Brad Sham on KRLD in Dallas. Click HERE. Don’t live in the Dallas area? Click HERE.
GAMEDAY RESOURCES: Watch the game on TV or online
Watch on TV, tune to your local FOX station. Click HERE to watch online (NFL Sunday Ticket)
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GAMEDAY RESOURCES: Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants postgame coverage
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OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL: NFL, veteran officials agree to deal
The NFL and its locked-out officials agreed to terms on a new deal late Wednesday night which would put officials in place for this weekend’s games — including Thursday night’s game — sources close to the situation confirmed. Both the NFL and the officials’ union later issued statements confirming the deal.
According to the sources, the final sticking point related to the much-discussed pension plan, but that stalemate finally ended.
The sides are currently working on paperwork according to sources and at least half of the 121 locked-out members must approve the new deal, but sources said that is expected to be a formality, with the vote coming Friday.
”Our officials will be back on the field starting tomorrow night” for the Cleveland-Baltimore game, commissioner Roger Goodell said. ”We appreciate the commitment of the NFLRA in working through the issues to reach this important agreement.”
The agreement, which is an eight-year deal, culminated two long days of talks that included Goodell at the table. The deal must be ratified by 51 percent of the union’s 121 members. They plan to vote Friday and Saturday in Dallas.
”Our Board of Directors has unanimously approved taking this proposed CBA to the membership for a ratification vote,” said Scott Green, president of the NFLRA. ”We are glad to be getting back on the field for this week’s games.”
The replacements worked the first three weeks of games, triggering a wave of frustration that threatened to disrupt the rest of the season. After a missed call cost the Green Bay Packers a win on a chaotic final play at Seattle on Monday night, the two sides really got serious.
The NFL said in a statement Tuesday that the touchdown pass should not have been overturned – but acknowledged Tate should have been called for offensive pass interference before the catch. The league also said there was no indisputable evidence to reverse the call made on the field.
The agreement hinged on working out pension and retirement benefits for the officials, who are part-time employees of the league. The tentative pact calls for their salaries to increase from an average of $149,000 a year in 2011 to $173,000 in 2013, rising to $205,000 by 2019.
Under the proposed deal, the current defined benefit pension plan will remain in place for current officials through the 2016 season or until the official earns 20 years’ service. The defined benefit plan will then be frozen.
Retirement benefits will be provided for new hires, and for all officials beginning in 2017, through a defined contribution arrangement. The annual league contribution made on behalf of each game official will begin with an average of more than $18,000 per official and increase to more than $23,000 per official in 2019.
Beginning with the 2013 season, the NFL will have the option to hire a number of officials on a full-time basis to work year round, including on the field. The NFL also will be able to retain additional officials for training and development, and can assign those officials to work games. The number of additional officials will be determined by the league.
”As you know, this has to be ratified and we know very little about it, but we’re excited to be back. And ready,” referee Ed Hochuli told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. ”And I think that’s the most important message – that we’re ready.”
LASTING LEGACY: Steve Sabol, NFL Films president, dead at age 69
With the eye of an art history major, Steve Sabol filmed the NFL as a ballet and blockbuster movie all in one.
Half of the father-son team that revolutionized sports broadcasting, the NFL Films president died Tuesday of brain cancer at age 69 in Moorestown, N.J. He leaves behind a league bigger than ever, its fans enthralled by the plot twists and characters he so deftly chronicled.
“It is with tremendous sadness that we learned of the legendary Steve Sabol’s passing," FOX Sports Media Group chairman David Hill said. "He was a terrific man and a skilled and talented artist. Steve and his father Ed built NFL Films from nothing and were pioneers in sports television and filmmaking, and after taking the reins from his father, Steve put his own stamp on NFL Films, and its ability to capture football’s nuance and subtlety. When we started FOX Sports, no one was more helpful than Steve, and in a short time he became a great, great friend. He was always there to listen to one of my idiotic ideas. Nothing was ever too much trouble for Steve, and no one, absolutely no one, could rock a pink shirt while talking about the NFL as well as Steve. He was greatly respected and will be missed by everyone at FOX and the entire NFL community.”
Sabol was diagnosed with a tumor on the left side of his brain after being hospitalized for a seizure in March 2011.
”Steve Sabol was the creative genius behind the remarkable work of NFL Films,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement from the league confirming Sabol’s death. ”Steve’s passion for football was matched by his incredible talent and energy. Steve’s legacy will be part of the NFL forever. He was a major contributor to the success of the NFL, a man who changed the way we look at football and sports, and a great friend.”
When Ed Sabol founded NFL Films, his son was there working beside him as a cinematographer right from the start in 1964. They introduced a series of innovations taken for granted today, from super slow-motion replays to blooper reels to sticking microphones on coaches and players. And they hired the ”Voice of God,” John Facenda, to read lyrical descriptions in solemn tones.
Until he landed the rights to chronicle the 1962 NFL championship game, Ed Sabol’s only experience filming sports was recording the action at Steve’s high school football games in Philadelphia.
”We see the game as art as much as sport,” Steve Sabol told The Associated Press before his father was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame last year. ”That helped us nurture not only the game’s traditions but to develop its mythology: America’s Team, The Catch, The Frozen Tundra.”
The two were honored with the Lifetime Achievement Emmy from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 2003. In his career, Steve Sabol won 35 Emmys for writing, cinematography, editing, directing and producing – no one else had ever earned that many in as many different categories.
”Steve Sabol leaves a lasting impact on the National Football League that will be felt for a long time to come,” NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith said. ”His vision and innovation helped make him a pioneer the likes of which the NFL has never seen before and won’t see again.”
He was the perfect fit for the job: an all-Rocky Mountain Conference running back at Colorado College majoring in art history. It was Sabol who later wrote of the Raiders, ”The autumn wind is a pirate, blustering in from sea,” words immortalized by Facenda.
The Sabols’ advances included everything from reverse angle replays to filming pregame locker room speeches to setting highlights to pop music.
”Today of course those techniques are so common it’s hard to imagine just how radical they once were,” Steve told the AP last year. ”Believe me, it wasn’t always easy getting people to accept them, but I think it was worth the effort.”
His efforts extended beyond his work as a producer, including appearances on screen and in public to promote NFL Films’ mission.
An accomplished collage artist, Sabol exhibited at the ArtExpo in New York, the Avant Gallery in Miami, the Govinda Gallery in Washington, the Milan Gallery in Fort Worth, Texas, and the Garth Davidson Gallery in Moorestown, N.J.
”Steve was a legend in this business – a dynamic, innovative leader who made NFL Films the creative force it is today,” ESPN President John Skipper said. ”The work he and his dedicated and talented team create every day is one of the many reasons why so many more fans love the game of football today.”
Sabol is survived by his wife, Penny; his son, Casey; his parents, Audrey and Ed; and his sister, Blair. The NFL said there would be a private funeral.
RELATED POSTS: STEVE SABOL: 1942-2012
We are honored to link to an excerpt from "Ed Sabol’s Last Football Movie" (courtesy of NFL.com), the ultimate illustration of the master’s vision and passion for the game.
Sabol leaves lasting legacy – FOX Sports – Photographs – Through the Years – 9 images
Remembering Steve Sabol – Rich Eisen of the NFL Network
GAMEDAY RESOURCES: Dallas Cowboys vs. Seattle Seahawks
Five things to watch in today’s Cowboys-Seahawks game
1 Ogletree’s encore
Receiver Kevin Ogletree took advantage of single coverage when the Dallas Cowboys went four-wide because Jason Witten was on his side and got a lot of attention from the New York Giants. But the Seattle Seahawks’ secondary is much healthier than the Giants’.
2 Better timing
The Cowboys committed nine pre-snap penalties on offense last week. Left tackle Tyron Smith had three false starts. Right tackle Doug Free had one. There were two delay-of-games. And that was in relatively quiet MetLife Stadium. The Seahawks’ place won’t be quiet.
3 Front and center
Ryan Cook drew raves for coming in on short notice against the Giants and playing center in place of Phil Costa from the second possession on. Offensive line coach Bill Callahan said Cook, a seven-year veteran who was about to be released by the Miami Dolphins before they traded him
to Dallas, got better with a week of practice.
4 Tall order
The Giants tried cornerback Morris Claiborne on the first play last week, but, after that, kind of stayed away. The Seahawks get to send 6-foot-3 Braylon Edwards and 6-4 Sidney Rice his way. Both will have a height advantage on him.
5 Balancing act
The Seahawks don’t have the Giants’ pass rush, but they have a better secondary. So while Tony Romo might not get as much pressure, it might not be that inviting to throw. This might be a game in which the Cowboys run more than they pass, which might mean a heavy workday for DeMarco Murray.
GAMEDAY RESOURCES: Trackers and Scoreboards
View game stats and scores online while you watch or listen to the game. Click HERE
GAMEDAY RESOURCES: Sounds of the game
Listen to the “Voice of the Dallas Cowboys” Brad Sham on KRLD in Dallas. Click HERE. Don’t live in the Dallas area? Click HERE.
GAMEDAY RESOURCES: Watch the game on TV or online
Watch on TV, Tune to your local FOX affiliate. Click HERE to watch online (Sunday Ticket)
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VIEWPOINT: Jimmy Johnson warns against overconfidence before Seattle game
Fox’s Jimmy Johnson was at Valley Ranch on Thursday to chat with Tony Romo, Rob Ryan and Sean Lee for a feature on the Cowboys defense scheduled to air on Sunday’s pre-game show.
So you know, Johnson was one of the few national voices to pick the Dallas Cowboys over the New York Giants in the season opener.
“I thought they would be thoroughly prepared for the game,” Johnson said on his way out of Cowboys headquarters, throwing a bouquet at Jason Garrett. “I like what I see with this team over last year’s. I like the additions on defense, especially the new cornerbacks. Sean Lee is 100 percent and I like the healthy DeMarco Murray.”
Still, Johnson warned against overconfidence before Sunday’s game at Seattle.
“They have to prove this week that the first game wasn’t out of character,” he said. “That happens more than you think in the NFL. Seattle has a strong defense and a real home-field advantage with its loud fans. We’ll know a lot more about the Cowboys after this game.”
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: St. Louis Rams vs. Dallas Cowboys–Preseason game 3
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Cowboys are finally home after nearly a month on the road for training camp and two preseason games which saw them go 1-1. Dallas takes on the St. Louis Rams (1-1) tonight at Cowboys Stadium.
Here’s a preview.
Get there early: The Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers are playing in Arlington on the same day for the first time this season. Parking lots for the Cowboys game open at 2 p.m. East Plaza is open at 3 p.m. and stadium gates open at 5 p.m. The Rangers start at 3:05 p.m. Cowboys officials are asking fans to leave early to help prevent possible traffic delays.
Connections: St. Louis tackle Jason Smith attended W.T. White high school in Dallas. … Rams wide receiver Danny Amendola was on the Cowboys’ practice squad in 2007. … Wide receivers coach Ray Sherman was with the Cowboys for a few years.
$100 million corners: The Cowboys and Rams employ the two highest paid corners from this year’s free agency class. The Rams have Cortland Finnegan and the Cowboys have Brandon Carr. Combined, the two players’ total contracts hit a little over $100 million.
Dress rehearsal: The Cowboys will play their starters for nearly the first half. It will be a good test for the interior of the offensive line consisting of center David Arkin and guards Nate Livings (making his preseason debut) and Mackenzy Bernadeau. This trio could change again if starting center Phil Costa returns from a strained lower back. Kevin Ogletree and Dwayne Harris will start at wide receiver with Dez Bryant (knee) and Miles Austin (hamstring) out with injuries. DeMarcus Ware (hamstring) won’t play. Jay Ratliff, Anthony Spencer and Jason Hatcher are expected to play together for the first time this preseason after recovering from injuries. It’s another good test for rookie cornerback Morris Claiborne, who plays in his second preseason game. In his debut last week, the first-round pick had zero pass breakups but made two good tackles.
Who needs to play well: QB Stephen McGee, CB C.J. Wilson, LB Orie Lemon, WR Danny Coale, WR Andre Holmes, S Matt Johnson, DE Clifton Geathers and CB Akwasi Owusu-Ansah.
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NFL widows will benefit from agreement over pensions
Sylvia Mackey’s months-long struggle to close a loophole that excluded 330 widows of NFL veteran players — including herself — from increased pension payments concluded Monday as the NFL and the NFL and NFL Players Association have reached an agreement to extend the collective bargaining agreement’s new Legacy benefits.
As part of the agreement, which both sides announced jointly, so-called legacy benefits will now be paid to the widows and other survivors of eligible pre-1993 players, the NFL and NFLPA said.
"I am ecstatic," Mackey told FOXSports.com. "I’m speechless. It’s been a year. A year too long, but you can’t un-spill the milk."
Widows of players who played in the NFL before 1993 and died before CBA’s ratification last August were exempted from the new $620 million legacy fund. (Widows are typically eligible for any pension increases.) The oversight cost about $14 million to rectify, but the NFL and NFLPA had been at odds on how to pay for it.
The NFL owners agreed in May to fund their 51 percent, although the NFLPA soon took issue with the fact the NFL would use fine money as part of its share. NFLPA officials also wanted a fuller accounting of fine money before moving forward with an agreement to fund the union’s 49% share of the benefits.
"The legacy fund is the first time in history that former player benefits have come from outside the salary cap,” Nolan Harrison, senior director of former player services for the NFLPA, told the group’s membership in a memo obtained in May by FOXSports.com. “Our entire player community fought for and won this landmark advancement. This new issue of taking care of former player families is about making sure we progress and hold management accountable for their commitment to those families."
The news release didn’t spell out the terms of the agreement. Messages left with the NFL and NFLPA by FOXSports.com were not immediately returned.
Monday’s agreement comes too late for at least one of the widows. Susan Copeland — whose husband, Jim Copeland, played eight seasons as an offensive lineman with the Cleveland Browns — passed away in May.
“That’s one person I wish who had been here to see this agreement,” Mackey said Monday. “She was very upset and hurt.”
Under the legacy fund, former players who played before the 1993 season (or their widows) would get at least $108 more per month for each credited season. That class of players would also be entitled to at least $600 per month in pension payments.
Dallas Cowboys receiver Diamond Dez Bryant arrested on a misdemeanor charge
UPDATED: July 17, 2012
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant was arrested Monday on a misdemeanor family violence charge in the southern Dallas suburb of DeSoto, Texas.
The charge, according to MyFOXDFW.com, stems from Bryant’s alleged assault on a female family member Saturday. Under Texas state law, family violence is defined an attack or “a threat” of imminent harm against a member of a family or household, according to The Associated Press. The offense is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine.
According to a DeSoto police report obtained Tuesday by the Dallas Morning News, Bryant’s mother, Angela, said her son attacked her. Angela Bryant told police she and Dez got into an argument and he then grabbed her by her shirt, tearing it and her bra. Dez Bryant then pulled his mother’s hair and slapped her across the face with his ball cap, according to the report.
Dez Bryant, 23, turned himself in to police Monday and immediately posted a $1,500 bond.
Dallas radio station KESN (103.3-FM) obtained a recording of a call to 911 in which a woman identified as Angela Bryant says, “I can’t keep letting him do this. I’m putting an end to it today. I’m tired.”
Early in the recording, the caller can be heard saying, “He tried to kill me.”
During the 911 call, the woman, believed to be Angela Bryant, says her son tried to hit her with a ball. She adds that he left the house in a pearl white Cadillac Escalade with the license plate “Bail Me” on it.
When contacted by WFAA-TV, Bryant confirmed there was an incident but declined to elaborate.
“I’m good, I’m good,” Bryant said.
Bryant’s longtime adviser, David Wells, told FOXSportsSouthwest.com on Monday that he had been in contact with the wide receiver.
“Dez is very upset about how this happened,” Wells said. “He’s very remorseful. His intention is not to hurt anybody. I think we’ll have a quick resolution and this situation will be resolved.”
Texas state senator Royce West, a Dallas-based attorney who advises Bryant, said he was planning to meet with Wells to discuss the situation. West has spoken publicly on behalf of Bryant in the past.
Dallas Cowboys spokesman Rich Dalrymple declined to comment to The Associated Press while the team gathered information.
Troy Aikman pays $1.75 million in divorce
Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current Fox analyst Troy Aikman paid $1.75 million in a marital property agreement as part of his divorce.
Aikman and wife Rhonda were married 10 years before their divorce in April 2011. The couple met when she worked as a publicity staffer for the Dallas Cowboys and he was the team’s starting quarterback.
When they married on April 8, 2000, she had a daughter from a previous marriage. Together, the Aikman’s would have two more daughters.
In May, Alan Peppard of The Dallas Morning News reported that Aikman sold land next to his home in Highland Park that included a sport court and a 1,045 square-foot cabana. He did not sell his home. The land was listed at an asking price of $14 million.
FOX reportedly interested in Sean Payton for NFL coverage
New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton might not be out of work long when his one-year suspension begins on April 1.
ESPN, NBC and CBS said Friday that they have no interest in giving Payton a job, however, FOX Sports is open to hiring Payton as an analyst on its NFL coverage, according to The New York Times.
"Our feeling about Sean is that he’s bright, articulate and obviously contemporary," said Lou D’Ermilio, FOX’s senior vice president for communications. "Any network with NFL rights would have to consider it."
Although Payton is barred from any involvement with coaching the Saints for one year, the NFL said he was not prohibited from working on NFL broadcasts.
"He is suspended from the NFL for the season," the league said in a statement to The Times. "His involvement in any non-NFL employment or business matters is not our decision."
Payton stands to lose more than $5.8 million from the suspension, according to an ESPN report last week.
Payton was suspended by the NFL as a result of the league’s investigation into a "bounty" program that then Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams ran from 2009 to ’11 in which players were rewarded for hits that knocked opponents out of games.
GAMEDAY … The Boys Are Back at home … Cowboys vs. Eagles
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Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia – December 24, 2011.
If the Giants lose in Saturday’s opening slate, the Cowboys can clinch the NFC East by beating the Eagles. Not a bad early Christmas gift, but they’ll have to play Philly much tighter than last time.
Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The Boys Are Back Bonus Videos
VIDEO – Babe Laufenberg Game Preview
Babe Laufenberg of the Dallas Cowboys Radio Network examines this weekends matchup with the Eagles.
VIDEO – Methodist Health System Injury Update
On the field at Cowboys Stadium to give you the latest on running back Felix Jones.
VIDEO – Film Session: Jason Babin
Judd Garrett takes a look at the NFL sack leader Jason Babin, and explains what you need to do to stop him.
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FORMER COACHES CHIME IN: Jason Garrett’s clock management
In the ESPN Sunday studio there was plenty of critism of Jason Garrett’s handling of the final minute of regulation in last week’s loss to the Arizona Cardinals and his subsequent unwillingness to claim blame.
Bill Parcells: "You have to be accountable. Everybody knows what happened. You have to stand up. You have to reiterate to them, ‘Listen, I made a mistake. This is a game that’s not without human error. But this situation goes back to situational football. You have to prepare for it in the summer. Go over these kinds of things repeatedly during summer and then on Fridays, periodically during the season, you have to take time to review them."
Herman Edwards: "When this situation occurs and the game is lost, as the head coach, you don’t wait until the middle of the week. When the game is over, as soon as it is over, you come to the locker room and you gather your football team together and you tell them this: ‘Look, I hold you guys accountable to play and preparation during the course of the week. I hold myself accountable as to what happened today. I didn’t manage the clock correctly. I screwed it up. It was all me.’ Then you go through the process of what you were thinking and why it happened…You want to hit it right after the game. That let’s your team know, I’m accountable to you guys as well as you guys are accountable to me."
Mike Ditka: "You can’t undo what happened. You’ve got to go to your football team, you’ve got to tell them very simply, ‘My bad. Here’s what I’m going to do from now on guys. I’m going to trust you because you are the players on the field. I’m going to put you in the best position I can for you to play your best football. I’m going to trust you to win the football game because players win football games.’"
Jimmy Johnson rips Jason Garrett’s timeout technique
The old Cowboys coach thinks his former backup QB isn’t on top of the timeout game. Of course, Johnson thinks Garrett shouldn’t be calling the plays AND managing the game. Johnson thinks he did it better, Here’s what JJ had to say on Sunday’s Fox pre-game show:
"Last Sunday I wanted to scream at the end of the Arizona-Dallas game because the hard work put in by all those players was for naught because of a split-second screw up at the end.
"I would have thought the Cowboys rectified their timeout issues, it was just three weeks ago when Romo called a timeout he didn’t have only to be saved when Washington’s Mike Shanahan called one first. When I coached, I managed the clock and every game situation.
"I coached two great quarterbacks, Troy Aikman and Dan Marino, but I never allowed them to call a timeout unless it was an emergency and preferably when they were looking at me. The biggest deficiency in a lot of head coaches – I’d say more than half the league – is their faulty use of situational football, clock management and the use of timeouts. Believe me, a screw up like that could cost the Cowboys a playoff berth."
AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT: Baylor QB Robert Griffin III wins 2011 Heisman Trophy
Robert Griffin III beat out preseason favorite Andrew Luck for the Heisman Trophy, dazzling voters with his ability to throw, run and lead Big 12 doormat Baylor into the national rankings.
The junior quarterback known as RG3 became the first Heisman winner from Baylor on Saturday night by a comfortable cushion over the Stanford star.
Griffin started the season on the fringe of the Heisman conversation, a talented and exciting player on a marginal team, while Luck was already being touted as a No. 1 NFL draft pick.
Draft day might very well still belong to Luck, but Griffin diverted the Heisman to Waco, Texas, to a school that has never had a player finish better than fourth in the voting – and that was 48 years ago.
Right before his name was called, Griffin took a deep breath. When it was announced he broke into a bright smile. Then it was hugs all around, for his coaches, his parents, his sister and his fiancé.
He took a few long strides up to the stage and let out a laugh when he got there, making a joke about the Superman socks – complete with capes on the back – he was wearing before going into his acceptance speech.
RANDY GALLOWAY: Jimmy Johnson offers some management tips to Jason Garrett
Let’s do a quick flashback to a month ago and a three-way verbal exchange among famous local football names:
Jimmy Johnson, giving opinions weekly on the Fox-TV pre- and postgame Sunday NFL show, said as a fan of Jason Garrett, he would suggest the Cowboys’ young head coach hire an offensive coordinator for next season and concentrate on being a full-time head coach.
Garrett was asked about the opinion, and while pledging his respect for Jimmy, said he would continue as head coach/offensive coordinator in the future.
Jerry Jones was asked for his thoughts on the subject, and immediately shot down the Jimmy idea, saying he didn’t approve of a "walk-around head coach," although not mentioning he’s had three of them — Johnson, Barry Switzer and Bill Parcells, a trio with five Super Bowl titles combined.
Jimmy’s zinger reply to Jerry:
"He doesn’t like it because Jerry thinks he’s the walk-around head coach."
So it ended it with that chuckle-moment, and we all moved on.
Troy Aikman: I disagree with Jimmy Johnson, Jason Garrett can do both jobs
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Former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson recently suggested that current coach Jason Garrett should put his focus on being the team’s head coach and think about hiring an offensive coordinator to call the plays.
Since making that statement on FOX’s pregame show last Sunday, Garrett, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and former quarterback Troy Aikman have all disagreed with Johnson’s line of thinking.
“I don’t think being a head coach is too big for Jason,” Aikman said Thursday morning during his weekly appearance on 1310 “The Ticket” (KTCK-AM). “I don’t think being an offensive coordinator is too big for him. And I don’t often, but I’d probably disagree with Jimmy, to think that Jason Garrett can’t handle both jobs, I’d have a hard time believing that.”
Jerry Jones said Tuesday on 105.3 The Fan (KRLD-FM) that he “always thought that Jason Garrett could handle coordinating as well as being the head coach.”
After Wednesday’s practice, Garrett said Johnson’s comments “could be an opinion he might have and other people might have. But right now, we feel good about the structure we have on our staff and that is what we will do going forward.”
Aikman compared coaching an NFL team to being President of the United States. He also added that if Garrett was going to hire an offensive coordinator, he would have done it already.
“Very few presidents, none that I know of, that have come out and said that they were really prepared for the job when they got it,” Aikman said. “I think the same goes for being a head coach in the National Football League. As much as you prepare yourself, then you get the job and there’s parts of it that you didn’t anticipate or there’s things that are required that you’ve got to deal with that you didn’t think were a part of it.
“If you’re going to embrace the head coaching job and then say it’s too difficult for me to do both, I think you’d give up play-calling as soon as you get named head coach. But no one does that. The offensive guys that have gone on to become head coaches have continued to call plays, and then they get more and more acclimated within the role of head coaching and how to split their duties and delegate a little bit and then they’re fine.”
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WORLD SERIES 2011: Cardinals outduel Rangers in Game 1
WORLD SERIES 2011 - GAME 1 - CARDS 3 RANGERS 2
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ST. LOUIS (AP)
Texas manager Ron Washington joked about not being able to match wits with Tony La Russa.
No joke.
Who can, these days?
The St. Louis boss looked like a genius once again in Game 1, especially when Allen Craig pinch-hit for ace Chris Carpenter and delivered a go-ahead single that sent the Cardinals past the Texas Rangers 3-2 on Wednesday night.
Craig’s slicing hit with two outs in the sixth inning fell inches in front of sliding right fielder Nelson Cruz. Game 1 was just that tight throughout a cold, damp evening.
It was a game perfectly suited for La Russa - lots of bunts, intentional walks and pitching changes. And in a postseason in which he’s made all the right moves, the 67-year-old manager was at the top of his game.
”It’s going to be interesting to see how it plays out,” Cardinals outfielder Lance Berkman said. ”But I feel like we have to win the National League-style games if we’re going to win this thing and tonight was a National League-style game — 3-2, good pitching, good defense, timely hitting.
”I don’t think that we want to get into a gorilla ball-type series with these guys. We’ll see what happens when we add the DH and go to the American League ballpark, but I think when we have the National League style and we have the advantage we have to capitalize.”
The Cardinals did, barely. A sliding stop by first baseman Albert Pujols helped prevent Texas from taking the lead on Carpenter’s final pitch in the sixth.
St. Louis even won without its Rally Squirrel. There were no sightings of the elusive critter still roaming Busch Stadium — good thing for the rodent, too, because La Russa probably would’ve devised a way to catch him.
Game 2 is Thursday night, with Jaime Garcia starting for the Cards against Colby Lewis. Texas has not lost two straight games since Aug. 23 to 25.
BREAKING NEWS: Raiders agree to terms on deal for Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer traded to Oakland Raiders
The Raiders have agreed to terms on a deal with the Cincinnati Bengals that would send quarterback Carson Palmer to Oakland for a 2012 first-round draft pick and a conditional pick that could become an additional first-rounder in the future, Fox Sports Insider and NFL Network contributor Jay Glazer reported Tuesday, via Twitter.
The Raiders have been active in the quarterback market ever since Jason Campbell broke his collarbone during a 24-17 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. It had been reported that the club was interested in acquiring Palmer, but the quarterback’s rocky history with Bengals owner Mike Brown made pulling off a trade an uphill battle.
Glazer reported that Raiders coach Hue Jackson’s close relationship with Brown played a large role in getting him to move away from his hard stance that Palmer, who has not thrown an NFL pass since the end of the 2010 season, would not get his wish for a trade before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline.
While all expect the Raiders to land Carson Palmer, NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora reports that the Raiders have yet to cancel their Tuesday quarterback workouts and have not told those involved to cancel their plans. The Raiders are not likely to cancel the workouts until the Palmer deal is finalized.
Palmer, who will turn 32 in December, played in 97 games during his eight years with the Bengals, compiling 22,964 yards, 154 touchdowns, 100 interceptions and a 86.9 passer rating.
Palmer was the only Bengals quarterback to throw for 4,000 yds in a single season (2006, 2007) and the only one to throw 30 touchdown passes in a single season (2005).
The two-time Pro Bowl quarterback led the Bengals to AFC North championships in 2005 and 2009 but struggled last year. The Bengals stumbled to a 4-12 record in 2010 as Palmer threw a career-high 20 interceptions.
With Palmer threatening to retire if he wasn’t traded, the Bengals proceeded to draft quarterback Andy Dalton in the second
round of the 2011 draft and have jumped out to a 4-2 mark under the rookie signal-caller, making Palmer expendable.
The Raiders are now without 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 7th round picks in the 2012 NFL Draft, however, they will receive compensation picks for cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, tight end Zach Miller and offensive lineman Robert Gallery.
La Canfora also reports that Palmer has four years and $50 million left on his current contract and stands to earn $11.5 million in 2011. Palmer also sold his Cincinnati area home in May for $1.9 million.
PREVIEW – 2011 World Series – Texas Rangers vs. St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals weren’t even sure there was a spot for them in these playoffs heading into the final day of the regular season.
But, here they are back in the World Series for the third time in the last eight seasons, as they kick off the 107th Fall Classic against the Texas Rangers at Busch Stadium on Wednesday.
The Cardinals, though, went 23-8 to close the season and secured the wild card when the Philadelphia Phillies completed a three-game sweep of the Braves with a dramatic extra inning win on the final day of the season.
“I just know that we hung tough when a lot of things were going against us, and then we put together this run,” said manager Tony La Russa. “And even in this run, we had some losses that will break your heart. And the next day they came out [saying], ‘Hey, let’s go get ‘em again.’ … We had some help here and there, but we made a lot of it ourselves.”
St. Louis then shocked the baseball world by taking out the 102-win Phillies with a heart-pounding 1-0 win in a decisive Game 5 at Citizens Bank Park, as Chris Carpenter tossed a three-hit shutout to outduel Roy Halladay.
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