Lone Star Struck

As most Cowboys fans know, we have plenty of  talent within our defensive huddle: DeMarcus Ware, J-Rat, Brooking, etc., I could go on and on.

However, one player that has really come in to his own this season is linebacker Anthony Spencer. In the last few games number 93 has been on fire.  In 12 games he has played this season, he has tallied 45 tackles, 2 sacks, an interception, and a forced fumble.  He is quickly making a name for himself and has become relied upon as much as fellow defensive play-makers Ware and Ratliff.

In 2007, the Cowboys’ scouts knew what a talent they where getting when they selected Anthony Spencer as their #1 pick.  He has athletic ability and is fast enough to offer a change of pace and give the team another solid pass rushing option. He played in all 16 games his rookie season and started 6. The only other Dallas Cowboys that have achieved this their rookie year are Lee Roy Jordan in 1963, Robert Jones in 1992, and DeMarcus Ware in 2005. Pretty good company of you ask me.

So, where did this young power house come from?  Let me tell you a little about Anthony Spencer before the Cowboys drafted him and he slipped that famous silver helmet on for the first time.

Anthony E. Spencer II is 6-3 and weighs in at 256. He was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana on January 23, 1984.

As a teenager, Spencer was a 3 year starter playing nose guard and full back at Bishop Luers High School, in Fort Wayne. While playing fullback, he absolutely dominated in the backfield and he ran for more than 600 yards, averaging solid 9.1 yards per carry. By the time Spencer was through, he ended his high school career by setting team records in tackles and sacks.  Anthony lettered in both football and basketball, and this helped him get accepted at Purdue University.

While at Purdue, Spencer majored in African American Studies and minored in law society, but it was on the gridiron that he would make his impact and make scouts take notice.  He started 36 of 47 games for the Boilermakers and recorded 155 tackles, 2 fumble recoveries,13 pass deflections, and a blocked kick. If you were to look into Purdue’s record books, Anthony’s name would appear for sacks, tackles, and forced fumbles.  He already has his name written in the Dallas Cowboys record books thanks to an impressive rookie campaign. and I am looking forward to see what else this exciting and intimidating linebacker will achieve in the future.

What are your expectations for Spencer going forward, and do you seem becoming an integral part of the Cowboys defense?

Miles Austin was born on June 30, 1984 in Summit, New Jersey. Miles attended Garfield High School in Garfield, New Jersey, and was a letterman in football,basketball, and track and field. In football he played wide reciever and defensive back, and as a senior he won All-Bergen County honors and All-State honors. In basketball, Austin garnered All-Bergen County honors as well. In track and field, Austin participated in the 100 meter dash, long jump, triple jump, and javelin throw. He recorded the second-longest javelin throw in Bergen County history with a throw of 214 feet, 8 inches. Austin finished third in the long jump and the triple jump at the New Jersey Meet of Champions. Miles Austin graduated from Garfield High School in 2002.

Miles college career took home at Monmouth. In his college career he caught 150 passes for 2,867 yards and 33 touchdowns. He is the school record-holder in recieving yards. He rushed 15 times for 140 yards and 1 touchdown. In 2003 Miles Set a Monmouth single-season record for touchdown catches with 12.

His NFL career started when the Dallas Cowboys signed him as a undrafted rookie free agent. In his rookie year he returned 29 kickoffs for 753 yards and recorded 5 tackles. His main highlight of the year was in the Cowboys playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks. He returned 3 kickoffs for 136 yards in the game, including a 93 yard touchdown return. In the 55 postseason games in franchise history, it was the Cowboys’ first ever kickoff return touchdown in the playoffs. Miles caught his first career touchdown pass against the Green Bay Packers. In 2008 he had 13 catches for 278 and 3 touchdowns with an average of 21.4 yards per catch.

With the release of Terrell Owens, Miles is expected to start as the No. 2 receiver across from Roy Williams.

Gerald Sensabaugh was born on June 13, 1983 in Oakland,California but was raised in Kingsport, Tennessee. Where he attended Dobyns-Bennett High School where he was a standout in football and track. In football, he helped lead his team to two consecutive Class 5A Semifinals, and during his senior year he also played offense recording 42 receptions for 420 yards and 7 touchdowns and was an All-Big Nine Selection. In track he won a state championship in the long jump.

Gerald started his college career at East Tennessee State University but transferred to the University of North Carolina as a senior when ETSU disbanned their football program. He finished his one-year UNC career with four interceptions, five fumble recoveries and three touchdowns. He also tied an NCAA single-game record after blocking three punts in one game.

Gerald recorded a 46″ vertical at the NFL Combine, the highest for an NFL player on record(this is also why I here-by give him the nickname The Jolly Jumper). He was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fifth round(157th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft.

Gerald started every game of his rookie season, one of few to do so. After perfoming well on special teams he got a chance to start the remainder of the season at Strong Safety when Pro-Bowler Donovin Darius got injured. In 2006 he continued to play well on special teams and, then halfway through the season, he yet again became a starter when Darius suffered a season ending knee injury. On March 10,2009 the Dallas Cowboys and Gerald Sensabaugh agreed to terms on a one-year contract after he had the best season of his career in 2008 recording 70 tackles 8 pass deflections and 4 interceptions.

Gerald has been invited to be a teacher almost every year at Jason Wittens football camp, which is held in Jasons home town of Elizabethon, Tennessee just a mere 30 minutes from Geralds hometown of Kingsport, Tennessee.

Gerald has had three arrest since 2007. The first being for doing a wheelie on his bike. The second for having a gun with an expired permit in his possesion. The third for driving on a suspended license.

Tashard “Duece” Choice was born on November 20, 1984 in Thomasville,Georgia. Tashard attended Lovejoy Highschool where he wore #2, thats where he got his nickname “Duece”. Choice was a finalist for the Wendy’s High School Heisman and graduated in the top 20 of his class with a 3.9 gpa.

Tashard attended Georgia Tech where he earned Second Team All ACC and ESPN All Bowl Team honors in 2006 and ACC All Academic Team, First Team All ACC and Honorable Mention All America by Sports Illustrated 2007.Tashard Started his College football career in 2003 at Oklahoma where he redshirted his freshman year.

In 2004 Tashard served as a back up for true freshman Adrian Peterson. Peterson went on to be a Heisman Trophy finalist and Oklahoma found itself in the BCS title game once again. Tashard Choice only took 22 carries and gained 100 yards the entire year (all in two games). His best game at Oklahoma saw him garner 71 yards on 16 carries against Texas Tech. At the end of the season, his mother fell ill and Tashard Choice applied for a medical hardship to return home and play for Georgia Tech. His hardship was granted and he transferred to Tech by Spring 2005.

In 2005 Tashard arrived at Georgia Tech as a Sophomore and found himself behind P.J. Daniels on the depth chart, Daniels and Choice combined for over 150 all purpose yards per game and 11 touchdowns. Tashard Choice’s most notable appearance occurred in the upset of then #3 Miami Hurricanes. P. J. Daniels was injured in practice so Tashard Choice was announced the starter for the game. He carried the football 29 times for 84 yards and a touchdown. The victory guaranteed Tech a bowl appearance and solidified Tashard Choice’s role as a competent starter for the 2006 season.

In 2006 Tashard lead the Yellow Jacket rushing attack. becoming the first Yellow Jacket to rush for 1,000 yards since P.J. Daniels in 2003. Tashard Choice set several Tech records in 2006. He rushed for over 100 yards per game 9 times and had 7 straight 100 yard efforts, both Tech records. Tashard Choice accounted for 12 of Tech’s 42 offensive touchdowns. Tashard Choice along with All-American Calvin Johnson and senior quarterback Reggie Ball took Tech to the Atlantic Coast Conference Title Game as the Coastal Division Champions. Choice would also lead Tech to its tenth straight bowl game against West Virginia in the 2007 Gator Bowl. Choice sliced and diced his way through opponents in 2006 and is a preseason pick for several 2007 Heisman Trophy lists.

In 2007 Tashard lead the Yellow Jackets powerful ground game behind four returning starters on the offensive line and veteran fullback Mike Cox. As the reigning ACC Rushing Champion, Tashard Choice was looking to improve upon 2006’s 9 win season with new offensive coordinator John Bond featuring the single back formation. Tashard Choice currently had 1,310 yards rushing on 249 attempts and 10 touchdowns even with injuries to his hamstring and to his knee. Tashard Choice concluded his NCAA career on the “Smurf Turf” of Boise against the Fresno State Bulldogs in the Humanitarian Bowl. He was used in a limited role in Georgia Tech’s 40-28 defeat. Tashard Choice best statistical game was against the University of Miami, posting 204 yards rushing with a sore hamstring. he also recorded his first passing touchdown of his career to Taylor Bennett.

Tashard’s Pro Career started in 2008 when he was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the NFL Draft made his first touchdown during the first 2008 pre-season game against San Diego. Choice made his first start agaist the Pittsburgh Steelers running for 88 yards against the then #1 rushing defense in the league. Tashard finished the season with 472 yards off of 92 attempts, He averaged 5.1 yards per carry and had two touchdowns. Tashard has plenty more seasons to contribute to the Dallas Cowboys like he did in his 3 game starting span with Marion Barber going down with a toe injury and Felix Jones being out all season and with the performances Tashard had he has grasped his role in the Dallas Cowboys offense for 2009.

* In 2006 he made his third career interception when Bradie James tipped the ball, Greg then handed the ball off to Terence Newman who ran it back to the 12 yard line. Terrell Owens scored a touchdown the next play to beat Houston.

* In 2004 he had the most pass breakups by a Dallas defensive lineman since Ed Too Tall Jones in 1988 with a total of 14.

* In 2003 he led the team in sacks for the third straight year with 8, the most by a Cowboy since Tony Tolbert in 1996.

I want to remind you of this highlight too which I know you will all remember.

* The game was September 12, 1999  against Washington. He had 2 sacks and a forced fumble. The first sack came with the Redskins at the Dallas 4-yard line and Greg  forced a fumble, which George Teague recovered. The second sack came on third and three on the Redskins first possession in overtime and forced them to punt. Dallas then drove 95 yards  for the game winning score.

* Greg also holds the record for the longest touchdown return by a defensive lineman in club  history returning a fumble 98 yards for a touchdown.

In Plymouth, Minnesota, on June 10, 1983, Marion Barber III was born. I am sure when his parents named him, they had no idea his nick name would become “The Barbarian”.

Barber was a Trojan at Wayzata High School, where he stood out in football, baseball and track. On the football team, he played both sides of the ball, including running back and defensive back. Barber’s high school stats were pretty amazing. He rushed for 1,778 yards with 18 touchdowns as a running back, while pulling down 10 interceptions as a defensive back. He played center field in baseball, and in his one year in track, he ran a 10.9 in the 100m.  To say that he is a great all-around athlete would be an understatement.

If you know anyone that attended the University of Minnesota, just mentioning the name of Marion Barber would put a smile on their face. Both Marion Barber III as well as his father Marion Barber Jr., were star running backs for the Golden Gophers. Even Marion’s little brother, Dominique, played for the Gopher’s. Marion split backfield duties with current New England Patriots running back Laurence Maroney. They are both starters now, and they both averaged 4.5 yards a carry in 2007.

Marion decided to forgo his senior year at Minnesota, and the Cowboys selected him in the 4th round in the 2005 draft.  Barber’s rookie year didn’t get off to a good start.  His pre-season fumbles and also a toe injury, kept him at the bottom of the team’s depth chart. Eventually, Marion’s special team abilities and pass-blocking helped him to climb his way up the depth chart. 

In 2006, Barber established himself as the team’s third down back and became a top notch red zone weapon, leading the NFC with 14 rushing touchdowns. Marion Barber was now a force to be reckoned with.

In the 2007 season, many Cowboy fans wanted Marion to start at tailback, but Coach Phillips named Julius Jones the starter instead. When he did play, Marion become a fan favorite by breaking tackles and he recorded the most broken tackles of any player in the 2007/2008 season. Finally, Barber played in his first game as a starter against the Giants. There was no looking back as he finished the season with 975 yards and 10 touchdowns despite splitting most of the season with Julius Jones. 

As all Cowboy fans know by now, Marion recently signed a seven year deal which should keep him a Dallas Cowboy for life, and that is just how his fans want it. I can’t wait for the Barbarian to break it loose this season and for many season’s to come.

Which Cowboy was born in Salina Kansas on September 4, 1978, plays cornerback and wears the number #41? Any Cowboy fan can answer, the fantastic (single) Terence Newman.

Newman attended Salina Central High School where he lettered in basketball, track, football and baseball. He graduated in 1998 and was listed as one of the top 20 recruits in Kansas. Terence’s senior year he played all sides of the ball. On offense he had 10 receptions  for 251 yards and three touchdowns. On defense he posted great stats with 45 tackles, and 5 interceptions. On special teams he averaged 20.9 on punt returns and scored 2 touchdowns.

With Terence’s speed, track was another sport he mastered, with records of 10.36 in the 100 meters and 21.6 in the 200.  In High School Terence was already giving back to the community by being involved with the Breakfast Buddy program that is alot like the  Big Brother/Sister programs.

The Kansas State University Wildcats is where Terence Newman shattered school records on the football field and set blazing speeds at track meets. He redshirted his first year and played football from 1999-2002. Terence became the first Wildcat to win the Jim Thorpe award which is given to the top defensive back. He was also a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award. Not only did he rule on defense and special teams but he also   played a major role on offense.   Terence played 48 collegiate games with stats of 133 tackles 10 interceptions, 32 pass deflections and forced 2 fumbles. On special teams he averaged 26.1 yards on kickoff returns, scoring 1 touchdown. On punt returns he scored 3 touchdown and had a average of 15.4 yards. 

As we all know Terence has amazing speed, which helped the Wildcat Track Team win 2 Big 12 Conference titles in the 100 meters.

The Cowboys drafted Terence in 2003 in the first round. Newman rookie season he proved he was worth being a first round pick by putting himself in the Cowboys record books by having 3 interceptions in one game, which came against the Washington Redskins.

So far in his Pro career he has 319 tackles, and 16 picks. Terence has a reputation as a shut down back. Finally in 2007, Terence joined 12 other Cowboys in the Pro-Bowl, after having a outstanding season, returning 4 interceptions for 124 yards and having 50 tackles in just 13 games due to a tear in his heel. .

Jerry Jones recently secured Terence to finish his career  a Cowboy by signing him to a 7 year $51 million dollar contract!  Making our Cowboy’s corner secure for years to come. Darren Woodson helped Terence to adjust to being a Pro Football player in Dallas so he hopes to do the same thing for our newest rookies Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick.

Terence likes to visit children in hospitals and even visits schools. In his spare time he likes to fish, play golf, and just chillin at his house.

You can check out his myspace sites and you might get a couple of surprises, who his hero’s are and what scares him. We have something in common besides football because this guy scares the hell out of me too.

Terence’s said he is living his childhood dream. Terence, all Cowboy fans are thankful your dreams are coming true in Dallas.

Clint Longley.  Does the name ring a bell? It may not if you’re under the age of 30. Because if you’re under 30, you never saw Longley play for the Cowboys, although you may have heard about him. Clint’s career with the Cowboys was brief, but not without heroics, not without drama, and certainly earns him a place as one of the most fascinating players in Cowboy history.

Clint Longley came to the Cowboys in 1974 as a rookie quarterback from Abilene Christian College. Longley quickly earned a reputation for being unpredictable and was maddening for both receivers and defenders alike. Cowboy safety Cliff Harris said, “He looks one way and then throws sidearm in another direction.  In practice, guys pull muscles trying to go where he throws the ball.” Longley earned the nickname “Mad Bomber” when one of his wayward passes smacked Coach Landry’s tower during training camp. Adding further to Longley’s mystique was the fact that his hobby was hunting rattlesnakes in his spare time.

By Thanksgiving Day of 1974, the Cowboys were struggling.  Their record was 6-5 and they were facing the Division leading Redskins on this Turkey Day.  The Boys were flat.  It was one of those rare days when even Staubach didn’t seem to have anything.  A Redskin win would guarantee them a Division Championship.  The Skins had already made a boast that they would knock Staubach out of the game, leaving Dallas with only their rookie quarterback (Longley) – and in the Redskins mind, leaving the Cowboys no chance to win the game.

With 9:57 left to go in the third quarter, the Washington boast regarding Staubach proved prophetic, as he was knocked out of the game from a hit by Dave Robinson of the Redskins.  With the Cowboys trailing the Skins by 16-3, Coach Landry quickly turned to Longley saying, “Clint, you’re in.  Good luck.”

Ummmm.  Redskins, meet the Rookie……

While many fans began to move toward the parking lot and the Redskins began to gloat in an apparent victory, the Mad Bomber took control and proceeded to bomb away.  He completed 12 of 21 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns.  The game winning touchdown was a 50 yard strike to Drew Pearson with less than 30 seconds left. The Redskins had fallen 24-23 to “the Rookie” and a new hero had emerged in Big D.

Unfortunately for Longley, he faded into the background during the next season (1975), although he did start against the Jets in the final regular season game when Staubach was again injured.  Longley came through again, leading the Cowboys to a 31-21 victory.

During training camp in 1976, The tension was palpable as the Cowboys signed Danny White and it appeared that Longley would be relegated to third string due to White’s WFL experience.  After one practice session, Longley made a derogatory remark about Drew Pearson after Pearson dropped one of Longley’s passes.  Staubach told Longley that he was getting tired of him talking about people behind their backs and stated, “Somebody is gonna knock those Bugs Bunny teeth of yours in.” 

“Are you going to be the one?” Longley said.

Staubach replied, “Yeah, I’d love to do it.”

Staubach and Longley agreed to meet at a baseball diamond adjacent to the practice field.  By the time assistant coach Dan Reeves arrived to break up the fight, Staubach had Longley pinned beneath him.

Shortly after this, at another practice session, Staubach had his head down and Longley came up and threw a punch.  Staubach was knocked into a set of scales and received a cut that took several stitches to close.  Longley quickly returned to his dorm room, retrieved his bags (which were already packed), caught a ride to the airport, and was gone.   Needless to say, the Cowboy organization traded Longley almost before the doctor could finish stitching up Staubach.

Longley ended up with San Diego for the rest of the ’76 season but eventually drifted away from football and has been reclusive ever since.  He doesn’t grant interviews and talks about his playing days with just a handful of former teammates.  Many have speculated on why Longley punched Staubach, with the most popular answer being that he wanted to be traded Remember that his bags were packed before the punch).  We will probably never know unless Longley decides to break his silence and tell us in his own words.   It’s been 32 years.  I won’t hold my breath for an answer.

Still, it’s an intriguing story in Cowboy history.  A relative unknown becomes an instant hero. Shortly thereafter, he becomes an instant villain by punching Captain America.  In refusing to discuss the incident, he has become a 30 year enigma for those of us fascinated with Cowboy history.

Feel free to drop by for a visit at www.myspace.com/dallas_cowboys_nfl or
http://dallascowboysfannetworking.blogspot.com/

If I ask you which Dallas Cowboy linebacker is popular with the fans, had 14 sacks last season and will be receiving a large contract in the near future, who would that be? The answer is DeMarcus Ware #94!

DeMarcus was born July 31, 1982 in Auburn, Alabama. He attended Auburn High School, which produced other NFL greats like Marcus Washington of the Redskins and New York Giants’ Osi Umenyiora. Washington started a celebrity basketball game at the school. All three attend making it quite an event.

DeMarcus’s senior year, he won “Most Valuable Wide Receiver”, “Most Valuable Linebacker” and “Most Valuable Leadership” awards. His senior season alone, he had 7 sacks!

Be-Ware didn’t just excel in football. He was a letterman in football, basketball, baseball and track! I still can’t get over him playing wide receiver. I would love to see that!

DeMarcus attended Troy University where he majored in Business Information Systems. Where he really excelled, of course, was on the football field.  Ware’s senior year he was the League’s Defensive Player of the Year, and he was a finalist for the Hendricks Award. He made his mark in Troy history books with 57 tackles for losses.  He finished his college career with amazing stats: 27.5 sacks, 195 tackles, 74 quarterback hurries, 10 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries and 1 interception.

Ware began his NFL career when the Cowboys drafted him in the first round with their 11th pick. He proved to all Cowboy fans that Bill Parcells and Jerry Jones had made the right choice when he went up against the Carolina Panthers offense recording 3 sacks and 3 forced fumbles in one game! Not bad for a Rookie! I think that is the game that fans realized this guy is something special.

In 2006 and 2007, Ware went to the Pro-Bowl, and he also was selected to the All-Pro team. He is the first Cowboy Linebacker named to the All-Pro team since Chuck Howley in 1970. In 2007, Ware also was Co-All Iron Award winner.

DeMarcus had a fantastic year in the 2007 season. Ware became only the second Cowboy to record 14 or more sacks in a season. His stats have improved each year. Staying healthy has certainly helped his total stats, but the rest is talent… and talent alone. In 48 games, he has a total of 215 tackles, 33.5 sacks, 12 forced fumbles, and he has scored 2 touchdowns.

DeMarcus Ware is definitely one of the most popular Cowboys on the team. The fans have respect for him, and he returns the respect by taking the time to spend with his fans anytime he can. He has a myspace page in which he reads his comments. He recently put up his own website and fan club to be more in touch with fans. If you haven’t yet, you should check out his website at www.demarcusware94.com. 

I am going to end this with a quote from DeMarcus’s website. “When I was young, I was told that I was not big enough and too slow. I worked hard, practiced harder and strived to be the best. Always believe in yourself and you can achieve your dreams.” I think he is definitely achieving his dreams so far with the Dallas Cowboys!

Roy Lee Williams was born August 14, 1980 in Redwood City, California. Roy has been compared to the former Cowboy great Bill Bates. We had no idea that there was a little boy that would grow up to have the same bone jarring hits that Bill Bates was known for and that he would play safety for the Dallas Cowboys.

Roy attended High School at James Logan in Union City, California where he was a gifted athlete that lettered in track but of course excelled in football. Roy played quarterback, wide receiver and defensive back. He was one of the top rated defensive backs his Senior year, recording five interception and 56 tackles. Roy’s four years at Logan High School they had a winning record of 38-10.

Roy attended the University of Oklahoma, his Sophomore year, they won the 2000 national championship. He also set a school record for tackles that resulted in loss of yardage the same year. His Junior year at OU, he won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s top overall defensive player and he also won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back. Williams ended his college career in 2001 with one year of eligibility remaining even though he was considered to be one of nations best collegiate players.

In the 2002 NFL draft Roy Williams was picked 8th in the first round by the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys needed to improve its secondary. With Darren Woodson mentioning it seemed like the perfect fit.

Roy made quite a impact on the club his rookie year. With 5 interceptions, he was among the leaders in total interceptions. Roy did what every rookie must dream of. Roy added the spark that the defense needed. With every hard hit and tackle he gained respect of fans and teammates. Along with the talent he has on the field, he is a natural leader in the locker room. Roy became an intimidating presence in Dallas’s Defense. Everywhere you looked their were #31 jerseys, he had become the face of the Dallas Cowboys.

Roy’s stats so far in his NFL career are amazing. Roy has had 500 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 38 pass deflections, 19 interceptions, 307 int. yards and 3 defensive touchdowns.

Williams has announced that he will be changing his number to #38 starting the 2008 season. Williams stated the reason he is switching is because that was his number in college and also “8″ in the bible signifies a new beginning.
 

Can anyone deny that among all players on last season’s roster, no players star shined brighter than our tight end Jason Witten.

Witten has quietly become the premier tight end of the National Football League. He has always been my favorite Cowboy ever since he was first drafted by the Cowboys in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft. Later that year he actually was drafted by me in my fantasy football draft and has been on my team every year since.

What makes Jason so special is not only his God given ability, but his gritty style of play and his passion and intensity when he’s on the field. He leads by example with his hard-nosed style of play and is an inspiration to all his teammates.

Last season we were treated to not only his best season yet, but some have argued that it might be the best overall season ever for a tight end in NFL history.

Some of you may remember his game against the Detroit Lions last season when he tied an NFL record for a tight end with 15 catches. It was just the tip of the iceberg as he finished his magical season with 96 catches and in doing so he set the Cowboys-single season tight end record for receptions. He also became only the third tight end in NFL history with 96 or more catches. By week 15, Witten became the first Dallas tight end ever to gain over 1,000 receiving yards in a season.

Jason Witten was recognized for his effort by being selected for his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl, his second All Pro selection, and he was nominated for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.So far in his young career he has already amassed 21 touch downs and almost 4,000 yards receiving. In the last three seasons, he has fumbled the ball only once… talk about toughness. Witten became the first tight end in Cowboys history to record three consecutive seasons of at least 60 receptions or more. 

What makes me so excited about Jason Witten is that at age 26, the best is yet to come. Can you understand what I’m talking about Cowboys fans!

I’m so glad that we can actually showcase a talented star like Witten who makes headlines not by what model he’s dating, or by what strip clubs he frequents at 3:00 AM, or even because of his illegal or immoral entanglements. Witten is an All-American clean-cut, working-class family man, and that’s the way he likes it. Last week on March 26^th, Jason and his wife Michelle were blessed with their second child, Cooper Witten. Those are the kind of "off the field" headlines I prefer to see.

The year 1980 was a great year. I know that because I graduated from High School and my hero, Danny White began his reign as QB of the Dallas Cowboys. Little did we know that the future of the Dallas Cowboys would be put upon the shoulders of a certain baby boy born on April 21st of that year in San Diego, California. His name, Antonio Ramiro "Tony" Romo.
 
Tony Romo is a third generation Mexican-American on his father’s side and Polish-German on his Mother’s side. As an adolescent Tony’s grandfather emigrated to San Antonio, Texas. He believes Tony’s success is an example of the possibilities that can happen living in the United States.
 
Tony was born in San Diego where his father was serving in the military, but his family returned to their home in Burlington, Wisconsin when he was 2 years old. He played quarterback his junior and senior years in High School where he made the All Racine County football team.
 
Tony Romo attended college at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois majoring in business. In 1999, his first year of collegiate football he only played in three games but his stats were good and he was red shirted as a true freshman. His sophomore year is when he kicked it into gear and ranked second in Division 1-AA in passing efficiency.
 
On December 19, 2002 Tony Romo was the first player in Eastern Illinois and Ohio Valley Conference history to win the Walter Payton Award given annually to the nation’s top player. Tony finished his career holding school and conference records with 85 touchdown passes and 8,212 passing yards. Tony’s senior year he racked up 3,149 total yards in offense and ranked third in conference history. Along with the Walter Payton Award he earned consensus All America honors. He was also selected All Ohio Valley Conference and was named OVC player of the Year for the third straight year.
 
To begin his career in the NFL Tony attended the 2003 NFL Scouting Combine hoping to impress scouts. Despite intriguing some he went undrafted during the 2003 draft. However, Sean Payton, the Cowboys assistant head coach/QB coach at the time, had assured Tony that the Cowboys were interested and shortly after was signed as an undrafted rookie free agent. 
 
Entering the 2003 training camp he was  third on the Cowboys’ depth chart behind Quincy Carter and Chad Hutchinson. In 2004, the Cowboys released Hutchinson and signed veteran quarterback Vinny Testaverde and traded a 3rd round draft pick to the Houston Texans for quarterback Drew Henson. Tony faced being cut from the roster until Quincy Carter was released  because of   allegations of substance abuse. After Vinny’s Testaverde’s time in Dallas ended in 2005, the Cowboys signed another veteran quarterback Drew Bledsoe, making him the 8th starting quarterback of the Cowboys since 2000. All along the real deal was standing on the sidelines carrying his clipboard, with his cap on backwards, smiling and learning everything he could, waiting for his chance.
 
In 2005 and 2006 pre-season Tony Romo looked pretty good, a lot of fans were wondering why weren’t we giving him a chance to play. Apparently Sean Payton was thinking the same thing because he offered a third round draft pick for Tony, but Jerry Jones refused. Thank you Jerry!
 
Finally to a happy roaring Cowboy crowd, Tony Romo started his legacy by replacing Drew  Bledsoe for the start of the second half during a Monday Night Football game on October 23, 2006. Two days later Bill Parcells announced that Tony Romo would be the starting quarterback for their next game against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday Night Football. Tony led the Cowboys to a win in his first game as a starter, 35-14 and was Sunday Night Football’s "Rock Star of the Game".  But his first pass and touchdown came three weeks before playing against the Texans when his first NFL pass resulted in a 33 yard completion to Sam Hurd and in the same game he threw his first touchdown pass to guess who, that’s right Mr. Terrell Owens.
 
Tony had played in just eight games as a starter when it was announced that Tony would be attending the 2007 Pro Bowl.
 
With success comes the talk of contracts, big contracts. Jerry Jones opted to let the unproven quarterback play unsigned to begin his first year in charge, just to make sure he was worth a huge commitment. Tony answered quickly becoming the NFC’s offensive player of the month in September and Dallas finished October as the No. 1 offense in the conference.  Jerry Jones didn’t wait until the offseason to sign his quarterback of the future to a six-year $67.5 million contract extension, $30 million of which is guaranteed. The deal includes an $11.5 million signing bonus. Tony replied, "I’m going to be with the Cowboys the rest of my career. I love it! It is a great feeling you have when the organization and the people stand behind you and you can be the quarterback for a long, long time. It makes you feel good as a person and a player."
 
Tony has stepped into the role of quarterback of "America’s Team" very nicely. He has already dated country star Carrie Underwood, been linked in the tabloids with Britney Spears, and is currently dating Jessica Simpson. "It comes with the territory, I guess," Tony replied when asked about the huge interest in his love life.
 
With Tony as our quarterback Cowboy fans know we have the leadership and talent to win another Super Bowl. That is what Tony’s legacy will depend on. To be a Hall of Fame Quarterback in the NFL and especially of the Dallas Cowboys, a Super Bowl ring must be worn.

One of the things that make fans and players like Tony is his personality, so I am going to let Tony end this article with one of his famous quotes. "You try to work hard and get better each week. I play the game with passion. I enjoy the game. It’s a lot of fun when I’m out there. That’s the way I play. For some reason, people like that." 

Linebacker Zack Thomas is back in Texas after he was released by the Miami Dolphins on Valentines Day. Zach was just one of the many released by Bill Parcells as he makes massive changes in the sunshine state. The Dolphins drafted Thomas in 1996 in the 5th round. The 7 time Pro Bowler had been a work horse in their defense for 12 years. He has recorded over 1,800 tackles in his career.
 
Thomas is 1 of 3 players to record 100 or more tackles in each of his first ten seasons in the NFL. Thomas is currently ranking 4th all time in tackles behind Randy Gradishar, Jesse Tuggle and Junior Seau. He has more tackles than any linebacker in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
 
For those who are thinking about his age, I started looking into what he did the last couple of years. In September Oliver Hoyte, who was let go to make room on the roster, coincidentally gave Thomas a concussion which led him to miss most of the season because of migraines and concussions. Playing only five games he was able to rack up 52 total tackles. In 2006 his total tackles were consistent with years past with 165. Through the years his stats have remained the same.
 
Born a Texan, Zach played his college career at Texas Tech where he was a three year starter as linebacker. Thomas has won numerous awards during both his college and professional career.
 
After receiving contract offers from New Orleans and New England he made the decision to move home to Texas and become a Dallas Cowboy.

After the Steelers had won their fourth Superbowl title in 1980, they came up with a slogan to describe their hopes for the following season.  The slogan was, “One for the thumb in 81” meaning that many of the players had earned four Superbowl Rings in the past decade and were planning on getting a fifth one for the following season.  Unfortunately for the Steelers, none of those players ever achieved the goal of a fifth ring as a player.

Thus far, the only man in NFL history to earn five Superbowl rings as a player is Charles Haley. Haley earned two of those rings with the San Francisco 49ers and then three more while playing for the Dallas Cowboys.

Haley played outside linebacker for the 49ers from 1986-1991 and helped them earn two championships in Superbowl XXIII  (1988) and Superbowl XXIV (1989). After several  well-publicized confrontations with his 49er teammates and the coaching staff, Haley was traded to Dallas during the 1992 off-season.

Although Haley gained a reputation as a disgruntled and malcontent player during his first years with San Francisco, he found a home in Dallas. From 1992-1996 Haley filled the position of defensive end for the Cowboys and was an integral part of their success and Superbowl Dynasty of the 90s.  During this era, as you know, the Cowboys won Superbowls XXVII (1992), XXVIII (1993) and XXX (1995). 

In 1996, Haley made the decision to retire after suffering a herniated disc five games into the season. In 1998, Haley came out of retirement to aid his old team, the 49ers in post-season play.  The following year, 1999, he returned and played a full season with the 49ers before finally retiring for good.

Haley’s accomplishments during his 12 year career are quite impressive. He had 100.5 sacks, 485 tackles with 13 assists, 26 forced fumbles, and 1 safety.  He had 2 interceptions and 8 fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a touchdown. Haley was named to 5 Pro Bowls (88, 90, 91, 94, and 95) and was named an NFL All-Pro in 1990 and 1994. In addition, he was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.

The late Bill Walsh called Haley "one of the greatest players of our era." At one point, he was considered the best pass rusher in all of football.” Former Cowboys quarterback, Troy Aikman, said, “In my opinion, we would not have experienced the run of success we enjoyed here if it were not for Charles Haley’s contributions.”

Many people, myself included, believe Haley’s personal accomplishments have earned him a spot in the NFL Hall of Fame, but unfortunately, he has not been able to make the list of 15 finalists in his first few years of eligibility. Hopefully, the NFL will rectify this situation in the near future. Until then, Charles, we Cowboy fans offer up our gratitude and recognize your contributions to America’s Team. Thanks.

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