By Will Martin
That time of the year has begun and commenced where all teams from the NFL meet and have mini camps once a week leading up the week of June 11th-15th. One month thereafter the local guys, our Dallas Cowboys make their pilgrimage back to Oxnard, California for a solid three weeks or so before heading into the exhibition and regular season.
Valley Ranch has been abuzz with players, media, and a whole lot of onlookers. The way that Valley Ranch has its practice site configured most of the action you are privy to happens close to 40-50 yards away. I noted how some of the more seasoned beat writers and T.V, people would place the focus on one group of position players. Then there were those who placed more focus on the offensive or defensive side of the ball.
It had been reported that Tony Romo had an operation to remove a cyst from his backside. Where or what part of his back is immaterial to this writer. The bigger question being asked was why Tony wasn’t in pads playing and partaking? To quote an ex-Terrell Owens agent, ‘I can think of 108 million reasons why Tony could be practicing’.
Alas he wasn’t. With that being said, here is an observation from this reformed Southerner by way of Yankee-land. Dallas was where JFK lost his life 50 years ago. Until the end of time you will hear nothing but conspiracy theories about who done it and why. The Grassy Knoll theory of what and why.
Jerry Jones is a great soundbite for information-some might say doublespeak-when addressing pressing issues about a player or overall state of the team. It seems that whenever anything is brought up or discussed about the Dallas Cowboys there is this same Grassy Knoll approach to reporting.
1. Is this what Jerry really meant?
2. Was Tony ONLY resting to nurse his recuperating back?
3. Is Jason Garrett coaching for his job?
4. Will Gavin Escobar compete for tight end when the season starts?
5. Can Miles Austin get and stay healthy?
6. Dez Bryant-Superstar Receiver or Bust?
7. Are we preparing to hand this team over to a Bill Callahan?
8. Can Travis Frederick play more than center?
9. Will Sean Lee, DeMarcus Ware, and Jay Ratliff flourish under Monte Kiffin’s 4-3 alignment?
10. Would Brian Urlacher ever seriously consider coming to Dallas?
11. How is DeMarcus Murray coming along after ankle surgery?
12. How much of an impact will J.J. Wilcox have on this team at first?
13. Will Monte Kiffin make an immediate impact on the defense?
14. Are the Cowboys going to have enough depth at the safety position?
15. Can we finally beat the Giants at home in 2013?
Much like a detective throwing mud on a wall to see what sticks you will then have a litany of opinion, theories, reasons, and even rhetoric to what shall befall ‘America’s Team’ with a .500 record under Jerry’s watch. That part is understood.
The over analysis of the Silver and Blue is what amazes me. I refer to it as ‘The Zapruderization’ of anything that happens on the field with the Cowboys.
Yet to make a mountain out of a molehill over the removal of a cyst? Some of the questions Tony Romo got peppered with after last Tuesday’s OTA made me think, ‘Ah, the scrutiny of playing QB for the Silver and Blue.’
And just like some people despise Tiger Woods for his off-field transgressions the fact is when he is on the leader board on Sundays we the people watch and the ratings go through the roof! Love them or hate them when the Dallas Cowboys play on any given Sunday, Monday, Saturday or Thursday, we the people are quick to tune in and watch.
To his credit I stood next to Tony Romo while reporters numbering 25-30 surrounded him for 21 minutes as he patiently answered all queries smart and dumb. Now in his eighth season at the helm of the Dallas Cowboys you sense the thick skin that now emanates from Tony. It’s his team, his direction, his leadership, and his voice that shall hopefully carry the Cowboys back to respectability and the playoffs.
There will be more OTA’s on May 28th and June 4th. You can be sure of more questions, suggestions, and theories by an ever ready, ever hungry media mindset of, ‘Maybe with the right question we get a scoop!’
Tony won’t play that. As for his surgery if indeed there was more than a cyst bothering Tony Romo’s well being, so what? Like the NHL likes to say, have fun trying to decipher what part of the lower or upper body injury was affecting him.
It’s only May. Nothing counts yet. Find a story and an angle. But don’t over analyze…
