America’s team continues to shed its extra baggage as Tony Romo ends his often publicized relationship with Jessica Simpson. The not quite made for TV romance ends during a Cowboy offseason that has set the stage for big change in Big D.
The Cowboys are finally becoming a football team that will get more headlines for their play on the field than the distractions off of it. Whether they win or lose, much of the media sex appeal of the Cowboys has subsided as they look to compete and get down to business in a rugged NFC East. This offseason has been a humbling experience for Jerry Jones who has seen all of his high risk, low return guys get shown the door. Unfortunately for Jerry, coach Wade Phillips is not the strong, authoritative type who could keep all of these volatile egos in check. The winds of change are blowing in Dallas, and the Boys look to bounce back from a disappointing, non-playoff season which ended in blowout fashion last December in Philly.
Dallas did not have a pick in the first two rounds of the 2009 NFL Draft, but used their remaining twelve picks on a number of rookies who will look to upgrade the squad’s depth and special teams.
Instead of using a dynamic passing attack (featuring T.O) that has facilitated as many Tony Romo turnovers as it has touchdowns, the Cowboys will look to get back to basics running the football behind a big, physical (yet aged) offensive line.
The Cowboys will feature a talented backfield consisting of closer Marion Barber, surprise second
year player (and vocal team leader) Tashard Choice, and home run hitting Felix Jones. This dynamic running attack will compliment a more efficient passing game that will feature Jason Witten, Roy Williams, Martellus Bennett, and Patrick Crayton. Dallas’s lone home run threat at WR will be Miles Austin who has been limited by injuries his whole career.
On the other side of the ball, Wade Phillips has taken on the additional role of Defensive Coordinator. He looks to leave his imprint on a Dallas defense that features a much improved secondary led by Terence Newman. 2008 1st round pick Mike Jenkins and 4th round surprise Orlando Scandrick are not rookies anymore, and Mr. Coverage liability himself Roy Williams has gone to Cinci, replaced by former Jaguar Gerard Sensabaugh. These upgrades in pass coverage will allow Coach Wade to blitz more and put a more heat on the QB with stud pass rushers DeMarcus Ware and former first round pick from Purdue, Anthony Spencer. Also, don’t sleep on relative
unknown but emerging star and Pro Bowler NT Jay Ratliff. The former 7th round pick from Auburn is a beast and causes a ton of havoc on the D-line. If you haven’t heard of Ratliff, you will. In other key roster moves Igor Olshansky arrives to Dallas from San Diego to replace Chris Canty, who fled to NY. Also, former Falcon Pro Bowler Keith Brooking takes over at ILB for Zach Thomas who lasted only one year with the Boys.
But before the Cowboys could worry about changes in philosophy and personnel on the field, they needed to deal with the players who lead to the distractions off the field.
The first cleansing in the offseason involved the Cowboys shedding notorious knuckleheads Pacman Jones, Tank Johnson, and T.O. More recently, longtime veteran and malcontent Greg Ellis (who kept running his mouth) also got the boot. Now the ‘Boys are left with two burning questions as they continue to purge the poisons from this once proud organization: Can Cupcake coach Wade Phillips lead the Cowboys to a playoff win? And, is Mr. Choke himself Tony Romo the QB of the future in Big D? The 2009 season is do or die time for both because Jerry Jones is sharpening the ax and his patience is wearing thin.
More importantly, the Boys will attempt to leave the preseason hype and glitz of last year on the sidelines, and distance themselves from the memories of the underachieving team that was portrayed on HBO’s Hard Knocks.
And on another note: Tony, you are the starting QB for America’s Team. Can you please quit 
going down the route of a serial monogamist? You should be laying the alaskan pipeline, and capitalizing on the spoils that come with one of the most glorified jobs in all of sports (you certainly take enough criticism in that same spotlight)!
Shed the steady girlfriend routine and do what most ballers do:
Don’t date exclusively when you are riding the best wave you will ever have in your life! Be more like Mike and have a girl waiting for you in every NFL town. I know Mr. Irvin has some great contacts for you, so please use the resources of this great franchise. And Tony, if you have to transition right back into another relationship, can you please step your game back up? Sophia Bush and Carrie Underwood are phenomenal talents and you should be commended. But aside from Jessica’s rack, she is substandard relative to your past accomplishments. I think the NutriSystem and Proactive are failing to save the day for the former Mrs. Nick Lachey who has clearly “jumped the shark” in her 10 minutes of fame.
Tony, if you have to be in a relationship, let’s at least get things back up to a Megan Fox, Supermodel type of level.
As the Cowboys continue to shed their off-the-field distractions, can they finally get a playoff win and end the twelve year drought?
~The Woodman
Filed under: Dallas Cowboys, NFL Tagged: | Dallas Cowboys, Tony Romo, Wade Phillips
We need to speculate on his next high profile girlfriend. Any rumors out there?
I’m a big fan of Carrie Underwood, not musically, but everything else she is doing seems great. I don’t know if I could handle the crowd Sophia Bush has hanging around her…the first time some dude with a loud shirt and frosted tips spilled his cranberry and vodka on me I might lose it and catch a 4 games personal conduct suspension from Goodell. Romo is sort of that douche type of guy (see Lakers game – fake vintage Led Zep shirt), so may he could handle that. If I was Romo I’d take it way back and start hitting on Elizabeth Shue…did you see Hamlet II? Terrible movie, but she is still BEAutiful. I might press my luck and try for Keira Knightley.
maybe he’ll start banging the chick from Heroes or Lauren from the Hills. Maybe he is ready for Paris Hilton or one of her BFF crew. Heck, what about Audrina from the Hills? I think she may die her hair blonde for him. He needs to inflect some LA rock n roll into his resume.
Romo has to stick to those youngins, you know he can’t pull quality tale till he wins a playoff game!!!
Ryan
How can you write the following:
“The Cowboys are finally becoming a football team that will get more headlines for their play on the field than the distractions off of it. Whether they win or lose, much of the media sex appeal of the Cowboys has subsided as they look to compete and get down to business in a rugged NFC East.”
Why did you originally write this article? Sound draft? Smart signings? No, we’re talking about the Cowboys, because Romo broke up with his Hollywood girlfriend! Furthermore, Jerry Jones is a major party in Michael Irvin’s trumped up reality TV show, “4th and Long”, which should be called “1st Man Cut”.
Maybe I’m being too harsh…the Boys did shed T.O., Pacman, and Tank, but they kept Wade Phillips. I’ve told you a million times that the Cowboys had and still have a TON of talent, but no one respects Wade Phillips. Teams take on the demeanor of their head coach and that’s the last thing you want if your coach is Wade. I guess if he steps to the side, coaches the defense, and plays more of a figure-head role as head coach then things might pan out.
If I were Garrett I would run the ball and use two tightends packages(both for short yardage run blocking and short/intermediate passes) like it was going out of style. 3 or 4 times a game, when the defense starts loading the box, I’d run a Go to R. Williams, or maybe use him as a decoy to pull the safety and hit Austin Miles, or Patrick Crayton.
Needless to say this will be a interesting season in Dallas.
Dallas is going to use a ton of 2 TE sets AND use Barber & Jones in the backfield together. We got to have Felix on the field and healthy, or the Cowboys will struggle. He is our only true home run threat (Miles Austin?) and he can keep defenses from loading up the box against us. If he is injured teams will suffocate the line of scrimmage b/c our receivers are not going to strike fear in opposing DB’s. On the defensive side, Wade may be a bad head coach, but he can definitely lead a defense. We were much improved after Stewart was fired as DC and Phillips ran the D full time. He is aggressive and the players will hopefully respect him more if he is in all of the defensive meetings dropping heavy knowledge. Especially if he lets them blitz and try to make plays.
I have no legs to stand on and cant argue with you about Wade. BUT, let’s just wait and let the season play out before we pile on the guy that he sucks. This is his last chance and the proof will be in the pudding. If we fail, he will be gone, period. There is no drama there.
Pat, you are playing with fire asking me about why I was prompted on writing the article. I would post a Cowboy article EVERY week if I thought I could get away with it in a Baltimore sports market. Because of the Romo/Simpson human interest element, I felt like I cold sneak in some other content.
I did indeed mean Miles Austin; my dyslexia must be kicking in.
You misinterpreted part of my previous comment. I wasn’t downing you for writing about the Cowboys on a Baltimore site, I was questioning your resounding statements about how the Cowboys are a new (no nonsense) team when you originally decided to write this article in response to a nonsense story (Romo’s love life).
How fun would the show be if the Ravens played the Boys in Super Bowl
PSizzle,
We are in the process of becoming a no nonsense team. We are still a work in progress, but we are much closer to that goal now that we have shed a ton of baggage. The impetus for the article was inspired by off the field drama…but I am trying to emphasize all the change in Big D will soon lead to more talk on the field. It seems like forever that the media, experts talked about something other than T.O, Pacman, Jess Simpson etc
Just saw on a tabloid that Jessica and Nick might be getting back together. I wonder if they will fire up a reality show that chronicles their fall from grace. They could use each other to become relevant again. Brilliant