News and Notes From Day 2 of Cowboys Practice

An article by Rob V.    Comments Off

There wasn’t too much to report on Day 1 of practice, but on Day 2 I read some things that caught my attention.

For one I’m glad Tashard Choice is looking to show that last year was not a joke. He wants everyone to know he is for real and he is here to make plays. Reported by DallasNews.com, Choice made some big runs in practice this afternoon and RB coach Skip Peete said that Choice has “unbelievable vision”.

“They didn’t know how good I was,” said Choice, who is still perturbed that he slipped into the fourth round after twice leading the ACC in rushing. “I had to prove it to them.”

“I’ve got to show them every day. Every day,” Choice said. “I’ve got a chip on my shoulder when I’m out here. Believe that.”

Said RB coach Skip Peete…

“I think he’s going to have the opportunity to play a lot this year,” Peete said. “In what situations, you don’t know right now.”

I continue to like what I hear from the Dallas defense. This goes back to the OTA’s when it was reported that Wade Phillips wants to attack offenses and move people around the field. DallasNews.com reported that today DeMarcus Ware was being moved around the defensive line.Ware lined up on the left side of the line and blew by Pat McQuistan.

Said coach Phillips…

“The better pass blockers are at left tackles, but the more crafty guys are on the right side. They usually run to the right side, so you have those big, strong guys over there. You have to find a way to outwit them.”

And now onto our QB Tony Romo who chose not to speak to the media yesterday. I liked some of the things he said today and what some others have said about him and his approach to the game. I still really want to see that Romo smile the way you saw back in 2007 when it looked like he was having fun and also playing well.

Romo on playing QB in the NFL…

“I don’t know if any year is any different from any other year when you play the position that quarterbacks in the National Football League play. Here it’s always all those things on the table, it’s all part of playing the position. You either can handle all the stuff that goes along [with it], and handle all the stuff off the field … again you’re not going to last very long [if you can't.]

Romo on the last game against the Eagles…

“I talked about that a long time ago,” said Romo. “We’re kind of moving by last year. I think for us it’s just about going forward and improving this year. It’s about today, though. It’s not about our first game, it’s not about next week, it’s about today and this practice. Did we improve right here, what we just did? I think we did. Now we’ve got to go back and do the exact same thing this afternoon and put forth another step forward. I tell the guys, you just keep stacking days together and you’ll be able to add them up at the end of the year.”

Romo on pressure for ’09…

“Yeah, there’s never been pressure any other year,” he said sarcastically. “It’s always just a cakewalk normally. It’s just another season. It’s another season, another start. Like I said, optimism is very high around here. In the last few years, this is probably the first time that we feel not that we’re being overlooked, but some of you guys have decided to take other teams in the division or in the conference and things of that nature. That’s a different role, playing that kind of role — not that that serves you good or bad. It’s just a little different in that regard. That might the only thing I see as a little different.”

“When I was 25 I thought I was mature and I’m sure I wasn’t,” he said. “When I was 22 I thought I was mature, but I probably wasn’t. I’m 29 now. I think I’m mature. Am I? I don’t know. …

“I’m still myself. There’s not going to be anything that I’m going to change. I don’t think you get to this position, you don’t be successful, being someone you’re not. The only way you can get better and continue to try and achieve your goals is just to keep going forward, keep plugging away. The secret is usually just hard work. You do that and you’ve got a chance.”

Coach Phillips on Romo being a leader…

“He was at every workout during the offseason,” Phillips said. “The rest of the players look at that, and if you have anybody slacking off during the offseason you can go to them and say, `Look, Tony Romo is out there working; you need to be working.’ That really helps with your football team. … To me, that’s showing leadership.”

Romo on his relationship with OC Jason Garrett…

“I’m lucky to have Jason (Garrett) around,” Romo said today. “My relationship with him is very strong. I feel very fortunate to be able to have a guy like that that I get a chance to talk with and work with. He has a very good mind.

“I really enjoy just being around the guy. That makes it even more enjoyable to be there every day.”

“Basically, it’s about us doing things the right way,” Romo said. “As players, we need to go out and execute the plays. I think we’ve got a great chance. Coaches are putting us through great opportunities right now, so we’re excited about that.”

For those of you who are worried about the lack of hitting in practice do not have to worry about Marion Barber.

Coach Phillips said of Barber…

“He said, ‘Don’t tell those guys not to hit me. because I’m going to hit them,’” Phillips said of his marquee back. “His attitude is like it’s always been.”