Cowboys Stadium: Pricing Average Fans Out of the Game

Yesterday marked the opening of the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. An estimated 60,000 people attended the building’s inaugural event; a concert featuring country music legend George Strait. “Jerry World” is officially up and running.

This three-million square-foot marvel of modern technology and engineering is, without question, the premiere sporting venue in the world. On many levels the Cowboys’ new home is an answer to years of prayers made by Dallas fans that were in desperate need of some stadium upgrades.

Texas Stadium, despite its tradition and charm, was an outdated relic. It definitely wasn’t the best place in the world to watch a football game. That signature hole in the roof allowed God to watch his favorite team play, but it also let the blistering Texas sun roast certain unfortunate fans, depending on the time of day.

Almost 40 years of public restrooms, spilled beer, stale food, and God knows what else had given Texas Stadium a signature odor. The concessions were terrible, and there were not enough bathrooms. The concourse was a sea of people crammed elbow to elbow fighting just to make it to their destination alive.

Long suffering Cowboy fans were overdue for a change of scenery when the franchise broke ground on the new location, and the idea was greeted with much excitement and approval. Perhaps if for no other reason than the air conditioning. But, as the old saying goes, be careful what you wish for.  

For many of these loyal fans who weathered countless days in the searing heat, the new stadium has made attending games a thing of the past. With a fancy new state-of-the-art building comes a hefty price tag. For many middle class Cowboy fans, that price is simply just too high.

The sources of these soaring costs are Personal Seat Licenses. These PSL’s are a fee paid by season ticket holders which ensures the right to purchase the same seat for 30 years. In other words, these tickets cost much more than the face value.

The amount of this license varies depending on seat quality and location, and will help to pay a portion of the $1.5 billion dollars it took to build the stadium. Although the individual ticket prices are very competitive, these PSL’s drive those prices skyward, and out of the range of your average fan.

For instance, most folks would prefer to sit on either sideline within the first few levels. That’s not asking too much. It’s not asking for seats right on the 50 yard line, just anywhere along the sideline and below the highest reaches of the building will do.  

At Cowboys Stadium, these are called Club Level seats. Any sideline seat that resides on the first three levels between the goal lines falls under this Club Level heading. Club Level is stadium talk for expensive.

The PSL’s for these coveted seats range from $16,000 to $50,000.00. In addition to this lofty fee, tickets in these locations have gone from a maximum of $139 in 2008 to $340 across the board.

What? You don’t have the $16,000 to $50,000 needed to purchase the right to purchase the tickets?

Don’t worry, the Cowboys will finance that amount over the next 30 years just like your mortgage. You can simply pay $13,960 down and $3,490 a year for the next 30 years in lieu of the entire 50 grand at once.

But remember, that’s just the payment for the rights to buy your tickets. The actual tickets will cost you an additional $3,400.00 per year. Of course, those ticket prices are only locked for the first five seasons, and from that point they can rise from time to time.

So if you want to sit in one of the top 15,000 seats available, be ready to pay anywhere between $4,490 and 6,890 per ticket each year for the next 30 years. Or you can just pay the entire PSL up front and pay $3,400.00 a year. Either way, this is a dramatic increase from previous seasons. 

Keep in mind that if you finance that PSL you really end up paying from $32,700 (on a $16k loan) to $118,660 (on a $50k loan) with eight percent interest over 30 years. Over that 30-year period you will spend a total of somewhere between $135,000 and $207,000 for eight football games a year. That’s if ticket prices never go over the next 30 seasons.  

That kind of money can fetch you a pretty nice house in the Dallas area.

These PSL’s aren’t only charged on the most expensive seats either. The End Zone and corner seats in the lowest three sections of the Cowboys Stadium have PSL’s that range from $4,000 to $5,000. The ticket prices in these sections are between $89 and $125 per game.

Although these seats are more economical, the buyer either has to pay $4,000 to $5,000 down, or end up on the hook for a 30-year ticket package. The simple fact that people are wondering whether or not to finance their football tickets is mind blowing to me.

For those fans who can’t or won’t pay PSL’s, Cowboys Stadium offers season tickets in the upper bowl for only $590.00. But that’s actually only in the corners of the upper bowl. These seats are between the end zones and sidelines way up at the top of the stadium.  

Sideline tickets in the “nose bleed” section also have PSL’s ranging between $2,000 and $12,000. The $12,000 PSL’s apply to the 1,200 seats that make up the first six rows of the 400’s section that are along the sideline. These tickets are also $125 per game, but at least they come with cushy “Club Style Seating.”

At these heights, the 53 yard long and 20 yard high HD video boards will really come in handy. Fans will be able to watch the game on this big screen instead of straining to watch what seems to be one of those 1970’s electric football games below.

But at this point, I’d have to be asking myself why I’m not at home watching the game on television for free.

The only way to get around PSL’s is to go through a ticket broker of some sort. Be it Stub Hub or EBay, there are chances to get single game or season ticket packages without purchasing the licenses. But you will pay much more than face value for this privilege.

The basic rule of thumb would be to take the regular season ticket price and double it, but in some cases it will be triple. These ticket brokers are passing down the PSL cost on the secondary market, and prices are soaring.

Season tickets in the Club Seats are anywhere from $6,500 to $20,000 per seat for 2009 on sites like StubHub. This is a dramatic increase from last season, and is a direct effect of Personal Seat Licenses.

I’ve gone to numerous Cowboys’ games over the last three years. Single game tickets in the lower bowl ranged between $100 and $400 per seat on the secondary market depending on location. Those same seats are listed for $275 to $4,000 each in the new stadium.

Loyal Cowboy fans are being tossed aside for corporations, ticket companies, and the four percent of NFL fans who earn more than $200,000.00 per year, and can afford to pay for these PSL’s. There will be plenty of fans who will either see the game from a much higher vantage point, or will simply decide to start watching from home.

I’m afraid that the rowdy, semi-intoxicated, Dallas die-hards who used to be able to get a decent ticket to the game are being phased out.These fans are the most vocal and play a vital role in making the stadium very loud. These are the type of fans that provide the home-field advantage on which teams depend.

In their place will be the doctors, lawyers, corporate execs, and wealthy few who can afford to shell out thousands upon thousands of dollars to attend football games. These folks aren’t exactly the most vocal bunch at a game by any means.

Gone are the shirtless fanatics with face paint and noisemakers. The loudest most dedicated fans will now be segregated to the upper sections, or just might figure out that the view is better from the couch.

Make way for the golf clapping yuppies who pay more attention to their blackberries than the game. And those empty seats you see in the lower bowl during the 4th quarter? Those folks have just gone to the Silver Club or Cowboy Club to refill their martini’s and watch the conclusion from the plushness of the lounge.

Jerry Jones, kiss your home-field advantage goodbye.

I’m glad that the Cowboys got a new stadium, but I’m heartbroken that I can no longer get a good ticket at a reasonable price. Maybe someday I’ll climb far enough up the corporate ladder to get the company tickets in the same sections that I have been a season ticket holder in the past.

But sure enough, I’d just get kicked out for standing up or yelling too loud in front of the nobility.

For now, I will do what many other Cowboy fans are doing. I will adjust to watching the games at home. Where the beer is cheap, the parking is free, and if you set close enough, my HDTV seems to be 53 yards wide.

Dallas Cowboys Scrap the Playbook, Hit the Drawing Board

Every year there are some adjustments and adaptations that coaching staffs have to make in order to stay competitive. Coming into this season, the Dallas Cowboys will be looking to revise their playbook on both sides of the ball to account for changes in personnel.

As the old saying goes, if you are not getting better, you are getting worse.

The Offensive Playbook

After a disappointing finish to 2008, a lot of blame was directed towards Jason Garrett and the Cowboys’ offense. While the defense improved last season, the offense’s performance did not live up to expectations.

In 2007, which was Garrett’s first season, the Dallas offense ranked thirdoverall in the NFL. They were number four in passing yards, and were the second best scoring team with 455 points. In 2008 the Cowboys offense fell to 13th overall with less passing and rushing yards. They also fell to 18th in the league with 362 points scored.

Offensively, the Cowboys must to adjust to the release of Terrell Owens. Hopefully letting go of Owens will not only improve team chemistry, but also make the Cowboys offense less predictable and harder to defend. Jason Garrett should look to spread the ball around more in 2008, after two seasons of making sure that T.O. was kept pacified by a certain number of targets each game.

Matters weren’t helped by the way Jason Garrett used the team’s top wideout either. No matter how much he tries to convince the world he is a speed demon, T.O. did not have the wheels to run past defensive backs and get separation. This resulted in too many passes forced to a big play receiver who was no longer making the big play.

I could never understand why the Garrett didn’t seem to pick up on the fact that Owens had lost a step, and kept using him on go routes and screens. T.O. should have been used as a possession receiver.

He should have been running slants and drags over the middle of the defense, where he could use his strength and run after catch skills to help the offense more.

This is part of the reason that I believe the Cowboys will be just fine moving forward without Terrell Owens at wide receiver.

Many think that this is a crippling loss, but I believe those people are thinking that the Cowboys just released the 2003 version of T.O. instead of the slow, pass dropping target that he has become. He still has a lot of talent, he’s just not what he used to be.

Look for Roy Williams to be used as more of a possession receiver than a deep threat. Roy is a big bodied, possession receiver with the skills to occasionally break the big play. If Garrett can use him correctly, Williams will be able to contribute and keep this passing game from falling off.  

There are some changes that need to be made to the Cowboys playbook in order to take full advantage of their current roster. Other than Williams, there are no new additions to the starting lineup. But after seeing some of the young talent perform last season, there is an opportunity to take advantage of a plethora of contributors.

First and foremost, Dallas needs to commit to the run more. Over the last two seasons, the Cowboys have ranked 17th and 21st in the NFL respectively in rushing.

Although they haven’t racked up a ton of yards in recent years, the Cowboys have a solid line and are effective on the ground. In both seasons under Jason Garrett, the Cowboys have been in the top 10 in the league in yards per carry.

Last season showed us that Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice all have what it takes to contribute on the ground. With three running backs that have the ability to make plays, Dallas could use more of a committee approach this season. This will be priceless if it means a healthier, fresher Marion Barber come playoff time.

The offensive playbook should also be tweaked a bit in regards to the passing game. With Martellus Bennett proving he could make plays as a rookie, don’t be surprised if the Cowboys run more two tight formations.

Jason Witten and Bennett are both able to make big plays in the air which gives Dallas more flexibility in its choices of packages and formations.

Felix Jones must get the ball more frequently in the passing game. It wouldn’t surprise me if Garrett occasionally lined him up in the slot and tried to get him the ball in the open field. Felix showed the ability to make big plays before he was injured last season, and should be even more effective in his second year.  

Speaking of Felix Jones, don’t be surprised if the Cowboys run a little “Wildcat” formation every now and then. If Isaiah Stanback is able to bounce back from season ending shoulder surgery, he just might find his niche. He’s a former college quarterback whose speed makes him the prototypical dual threat needed to run this formation.  

Jason Garrett will have to adjust his passing plays to gear towards a new primary target. His playbook will have to take advantage of the weapons he has a tight end, running back, and wide receiver to provide a more balanced approach. There were fans, critics, and even opponents who claimed that the play calling in Dallas had become predictable in 2008.

Spreading the ball around to open targets instead of forcing the ball to a select few and more emphasis on the run will keep defenses guessing in 2009. An offense becomes far less predictable when you aren’t forcing the ball to a certain wide receiver that has a fondness for popcorn.  

The Defensive Playbook

On the defensive side of the ball, Wade Phillips will be calling the plays as he did during the last half of 2008. With that in mind, I foresee the defense creating more sacks and turnovers than it did last year.

The Cowboys defense has improved each season since Wade Phillips was hired. In 2007 Dallas was ninth overall in total defense, and they finished eighth overall last year.

Although the Owens move gets all of the publicity, most of the roster turnover occurred on the defensive side of the ball. There will be five new starters on the defensive unit going into training camp.

Up front, Chris Canty has been replaced by Igor Olshansky after signing with the Giants. Greg Ellis is on the trading block which means Anthony Spencer will move into the starting outside linebacker position opposite DeMarcus Ware. Also, veteran linebacker Keith Brooking was brought in from Atlanta to replace the departed Zach Thomas.

With the acquisitions of Olshansky and Brooking, the Cowboys have stayed just as strong as they were last season at these positions. Both of these players are suitable replacements for the hole they were brought in to fill.

Olshansky had a statistically identical season to the Pro Bowler Canty, and Brooking is probably an upgrade from an aging Thomas.

The major questions on the defensive side of the ball concern the secondary. There will be a new starting safety, corner, and nickel back in Dave Campo’s defensive backfield.

Gerald Sensabaugh was brought in from Jacksonville to replace Anthony Henry. Henry was traded to the Lions in the deal that brought Jon Kitna to Dallas. Mike Jenkins will replace Pacman Jones at corner, and Orlando Scandrick will become the nickel back to replace Jenkins.

Along with Terrance Newman and Ken Hamlin, these new defensive backs will form a secondary that will be tested early and often. There will probably be some growing pains as this unit comes together, but Cowboy fans and coaches were filled with promise by the rookie campaigns of Scandrick and Jenkins.

To give these guys a chance to succeed, Wade Phillips will bring as much pressure as possible. Blitzing the quarterback throws off the offenses timing, and prevents the opponent’s passer from sitting in the pocket and picking the secondary apart. That pressure also leads to bad throws and more frequent interceptions as it did last year.

When Wade took over the play calling duties from Brian Stewart last year, the defense started getting to the quarterback with a lot more frequency. Under Phillips, the defense averaged more than four sacks per game compared to only two and a half while Stewart had control. By the end of the year the Cowboys led the NFL with 56 sacks.

The personnel are still in place to supply the Cowboys’ defense with plenty of pass rushing talent. Although Ellis is no longer in the team’s plans, the Cowboys are still deep enough to get the job done. IF Anthony Spencer can live up to his first round expectations, the Cowboys shouldn’t miss a beat.

Like the offense, there were times that players such as Terrence Newman have spoken out about how predictability of the defensive calls. Opponents were calling out what the Cowboys defense was doing before the play started at times.

This seems to be the common thread between both Jason Garrett and Wade Phillips. In order for the Cowboys to live up to their potential, the coaching staff is going to have to put these players in a position to win.

If Phillips and Garrett can take advantage of the talent on this team, and have less transparency in their play calling, there is no reason to believe that the Cowboys can’t at least return to the playoffs.

Move Over Mel, McShay, and Mayock—My Mock Is Money

The 2009 NFL Draft is finally upon us. All of the speculation ends today as a new crop of college stars will have a long time dream finally come true, and hear their name called at Radio City Music Hall, in New York City.

I myself am hoping that the Dallas Cowboys have finally taken a look at my high school highlight film from 1996 and, fingers crossed, are willing to take a chance on a long shot. Nontheless, I’ve invited some family and select friends over, my cell phone is fully charged, and I’m just waiting on the call from Jerry Jones.

Looking at the draft, I can’t help but think that this one is going to be rather forgettable. Other than the impressive defensive ends and offensive tackles in this year’s class, I don’t see a lot of potential stars.

But then again, until the combine developes a desire drill, we’ll never really have a true idea of what is going to come of any prospect.

I think one of the better stroy lines of the day is who exactly is going to trade with Seattle to aquire the services of Mark Sanchez. I’m not sure if I would trade up for a quarterback with one year of experience, but fellow USC alumn Matt Cassel proved that experience can sometimes be overrated.

I look for San Fransisco, Denver, and the Jets to be in the mix as far as a potential deal to move up and retain Sanchez, but I’m just not sold on any of these QB’s. I don’t think anyone is overly impressed with this year’s class of signal callers.

Also be ready for the Giants and Eagles to be active today. Now that the Cardinals have lowered the asking price on Anquan Boldin to a second round pick and other considerations, I believe that one of these two teams will go after Anquan agressively. Either franchise could end up shipping picks to Arizona for the Pro Bowl receiver.

Nobody, including the networks experts, has any idea what is really going to go down today.

I do know that if Mel Kiper, Mike Mayock, or Todd McShay came to my house the weeks leading up to my fantasy football draft wanting to know who I was selecting, I’d lead them on the wildest of wild goose chases just for kicks. But I would never ever tip my hand.

Something tells me NFL general managers used the same tactics.

So since no one has a clue, but everyone has a mock draft, I thought I’d throw one up against the wall just to see if it will stick. Who knows, with enough luck, and of course hair spray, I could be the next Mel Kiper.

So without further delay, I give to you the one millionth mock draft that you have seen in the last 48 hours.

A Fantasy Football Review: The 1993 All-Fantasy Team

This is the latest installment in my attempt to document the greatest fantasy football players from each of the past 20 seasons. I hope to put together a collection of articles that can serve as a history book of fantasy football from 1989 through this year.

Using a modern day point-per-reception scoring system, I have converted each year’s statistical leaders into fantasy points and identified the top performers for each season.

So far, we’ve found out that Thurman Thomas and Jerry Rice were fantasy football gods year in and year out. Both players have been on the All-Fantasy Team each of the first four years, and have consistently ranked in the top two of their respective positions.

There have also been players long forgotten like Mark Carrier, Barry Foster, and Don Majikowski who had their one fantasy season in the sun. These guys were flashes in the pan that burned owners who chose them much too high in the following year’s draft.

The All-Fantasy Teams consist of a quarterback, two running backs, and three WR/TE’s. A rover, who is the highest scoring remaining RB, WR, or TE, will also be included as the best flex option.

And just for the sake of saying I did a thorough job, I’ve included kickers as well.

In 1993 we find that the same select group of players who have been the cream of the fantasy crop for years past is dominating fantasy football. The early ‘90’s had some surprises here and there, but the really great fantasy studs seemed to be the same guys every season.

Then again, these were some really great players.

The NFL’s all time leading receiver, rusher, and passer were all in the prime of their careers in 1993. All three of these players would end up being the NFL’s career touchdown leader at their respective positions as well.

This was a great time to be playing fantasy football, and for those who were, this era has to bring back some great memories. Here are the best of the best, from the golden age of fantasy football.

Here is the 1993 All-Fantasy Team.

Quarterback:

Steve Young – SF – 404.0 points

In a move that put the San Francisco 49ers on the very top of my most hated list, Steve Young took the reigns from Joe Montana in 1993. The move definitely worked for fantasy owners who chose Young, but it backfired on a San Francisco team that eventually lost to Dallas in the NFC Championship.

Despite falling short of the Super Bowl, Steve Young had a spectacular statistical season in 1993. Young passed for 4,023 yards and ran for 415 more. The Niners’ new quarterback also combined for 33 touchdowns in the air and on the ground.

Honorable Mention:

John Elway (DEN) – 326.5 points; Warren Moon (HOU) – 285.9 points

Running Backs:

Emmitt Smith – DAL – 307.0 points

Emmitt hit the ground running and never looked back as a fantasy football and NFL star. In only his fourth season, this is Emmitt’s third year as an All-Fantasy performer. He was the most dominant fantasy player in 1992, and followed up with another great performance in ’93.

In the season leading up to the Cowboys’ second straight Super Bowl, Emmitt Smith had 1,486 yards rushing and nine touchdowns on the ground. Smith also snagged 57 passes for 414 yards receiving and another TD.

The most impressive aspect of Emmitt Smith being the NFL’s top fantasy back in ’93 was the fact that this was the year of Emmitt’s hold out. Without any training camp, and despite missing the first two games of the year, Emmitt finished more than 50 fantasy points ahead of the second best back in the NFL.

Thurman Thomas – BUF – 254.2 points

The 1993 season marks the fifth straight that Thurman Thomas has made the NFL All-Fantasy team. That is five consecutive years of being one of the top two or three fantasy running backs in the game.

Although Thurman doesn’t get the historical credit of a Barry Sanders, Thurman was much more valuable to fantasy owners.

In 1993 Thurman had yet another stellar fantasy season. He ended the year with 1,315 yards and nine touchdowns running, and caught 48 passes for 387 yards as well.

Honorable Mention:

Ricky Watters (SF) – 250.5 points; Jerome Bettis (STL) – 235.3 points

Wide Receivers:

Jerry Rice – SF – 351.2 points

Drafting the top wide receiver in fantasy drafts was very easy for a long time from the ‘80’s to late ‘90’s. During that period, if Jerry Rice wasn’t the best fantasy receiver in the league, it was because he was merely the second best fantasy receiver in the league.

In 1993 Jerry Rice just kept chugging along with another 98 catches for 1,503 yards and 15 touchdowns. Rice also added 69 yards and another score on the ground to give him 16 total TD’s.

Sterling Sharpe – GB – 306.2 points

It’s too bad that Sterling Sharpe’s career had to end so prematurely. It would have been interesting to see how many yards and touchdowns he could have racked up with Brett Favre as his quarterback for a longer period of time.

Sterling made his third All-Fantasy Team in 1993 by grabbing a league leading 112 catches for 1,274 yards and 11 scores.  Sharpe was the best receiver not named Rice for most of the early years of fantasy football.

Andre Rison – ATL – 300.2 points

Looking back, most people only associate the run-and-shoot offense with the Houston Oilers. But other teams such as the Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons also used this fantasy friendly scheme.

Andre Rison’s fantasy numbers may have benefited more from the run-and-shoot than any other player in the NFL. The ’93 season marked the third time that Rison was an All-Fantasy receiver in four years.

In 1993, Andre Rison caught 86 passes for 1,242 yards and a career high 15 touchdowns.  

Honorable Mention:

Cris Carter – MIN – 247.1 points

Rover:

Michael Irvin – DAL – 263.6 points

This is the first season that the rover on the All-Fantasy team has been a wideout and not a running back. The fantasy numbers at the running back position were uncharacteristically low throughout the league, and that helped Michael Irvin to be selected to his second All-Fantasy Team in three years.

Michael Irvin had one of his strongest fantasy seasons in 1993 as he helped the Cowboys to back-to-back titles. The playmaker finished the regular season with 88 receptions for 1,330 yards and seven touchdowns.

Honorable Mention:

Marcus Allen RB – (KC) – 224.2 points

Kicker:

Jeff Jaeger – LAR – 146 points

The Los Angeles Raiders had the best fantasy kicker in the NFL in 1993. Jeff Jaeger hit four field goals from beyond 50 yards, and had six more from 40 to 49 yards. Jaeger also added 25 more three pointers from less than 40 yards, and he knocked in 27 extra points.

1993 FANTASY FOOTBALL MVP:

Steve Young – As much as it kills me to say it, Steve Young had a great season in an impossible situation. He was replacing a legend who was renown as one of the greatest of all time, and who arguably had something left to contribute when he was traded.

Young’s 400-plus point fantasy season in a down statistical year makes him hands down the 1993 NFL Fantasy MVP.

Cowboys Find Themselves Without a First Round Pick…Again

This is the Dallas Cowboys’ first draft since the trade for Roy Williams. The deal in which Dallas gave up first round draft picks in 2009 and 2010 for the Lions’ wideout will again come to the forefront this Saturday.

Let me say that I love Roy Williams. I followed him all four years at Texas, and prayed that the the Cowboys would somehow get their hands on him. His statistics weren’t great in Detroit, but it was the Lions for crying out loud. I think that once Roy has had sufficient time to work with Tony Romo, he will pay dividends and show the NFL that he is a top notch talent.

So, it’s not Roy Williams I have a problem with. My problem is with when, how, and the circumstances under which the Cowboys decided to trade for Williams. This deal was lopsided, premature, and very short-sighted on the part of Jerry Jones.

What chaps me the most about this deal is that the Cowboys could have shown patience and waited until the end of the season for the soon-to-be free agent receiver to make his own way to Dallas. Roy made no bones about saying he was unhappy in Detroit, wanted to come back to Texas, and that he wanted to be a Cowboy.

The guy grew up in Odessa, Texas. He played his high school ball at state powerhouse Odessa Permian, and went on to play at the University of Texas. Every kid in west Texas wants to do three things: play football for Odessa Permian, play football for the Texas Longhorns, and play football for the Dallas Cowboys.

Williams not only spends his offseasons in Odessa, he has also expressed that he wants to be the school’s head football coach after he retires from the NFL. The writing was on the wall, all Dallas had to do was be hold on a few more months.

But instead of simply waiting on Roy to come to us, Jerry Jones decided to give up two first-round picks and pay through the nose for the receiver’s services. This deal worked out like most mid-season trades do in football. There was no cohesiveness, and thus no immediate impact.

Jerry Jones had on his favorite pair of Superbowl Goggles, and an otherwise ugly deal suddenly looked much more appealing. Or maybe it was the same stuff he was drinking when he decided to fire Jimmy. Who knows?

What ever it was, it didn’t help that Tony Romo was injured, and Williams spent his first month catching passes from Brad Johnson. The timing of the deal was terrible,  the price was much too costly, and the first payment is due on Saturday. 

I’d hoped that Jerry had learned from the mistakes of his past when it comes to letting go of multiple first rounders for wide receivers.

In 2000, The Cowboys did the exact same thing by giving up back-to-back first-round picks to Seattle for Joey Galloway. That move set the franchise back years, and I’m afraid history is doomed to repeat itself.

Fast forward to April, and the Cowboys are not only lacking a first-round pick, but they also have let go of Terrell Owens. This move not only means Patrick Crayton is a starter again (ugh!), but it also means we basically gave up Terrell Owens and two No. 1’s for a receiver we could have signed anyway.

Does anyone else feel that, at best, we are running in place while donating No. 1 picks to other franchises.

The Cowboys are a very talented team, but they are not lacking in holes that need to be filled in the draft. I’m going to have to classify Crayton as one of those holes, not to mention the one left by the trade of Anthony Henry, who could fill in at safety and corner.

Dallas also needs to address the aging offensive tackle position, and they could always use another corner. Although the experts seem to agree that this draft is not particularly deep, the Cowboys will need to find value in the later rounds this year.

However, I think Dallas picks too late to hope to fill any of these voids immediately. I don’t see the team getting any first-year starters, unless they work a deal and trade up into the first round.

With 11 overall picks, maybe Dallas can hit on a few sleepers that will pay off down the road. The Cowboys have a second rounder, a third rounder, two fourths, three fifths, and two picks in the sixth and seventh rounds each.

Unfortunately, Cowboy fans will be in the same boat this time next year. Undoubtedly, the same questions regarding the Roy Williams trade will arise. And years from now, we will all look at who the Lions were able to get with those picks and wonder.

But more importantly, I hope Jerry looks back. I hope he learns from this deal like he should have learned from the Galloway deal years ago.

I hope Jerry pulls his head out of his stadium and realizes that he is running a football team and not a fantasy team, and that prematurely pulling the trigger often leads to shooting oneself in the foot.

 

 

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