Lone Star Struck

At the beginning of Training Camp we asked this question:

Which of these key position battles do you think will be the most interesting?

The results were a dead heat between Jenkins/Scandrick (38%) and Crayton/Austin (38%).  In third place was the battle at offensive guard position with Kyle Kosier and Montrae Holland who received 15% of the votes. Finally, linebackers Bobby Carpenter and Jason Williams received a measly 8%.

This poll is full of so much irony. In the end Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick have been told they are both starters who will alternate starts and playing time. Miles Austin didn’t really show us that he deserves to start over vet Patrick Crayton. Kosier and Holland?… boring. Bobby Carpenter and Jason Williams, well that was easily answered when Williams got injured.

Maybe we should have had a 5th choice between Isaiah Stanback and Kevin Ogletree, but who knew?

New poll: What are your expectations for the upcoming season?

Poll Results: What are you going to miss the most this season?

I was looking to have a little bit of fun with this poll in the downtime of the off season right before Training Camp got rolling. The answer was obvious before the poll was created, while 58% of voters agreed that they will miss Texas Stadium the most, 42% picked a different answer.

A lot of fans really enjoyed getting their popcorn ready and it showed when 32% of you voted. Sadly not many fans will miss screaming for Superman (Roy Williams), Pacman Fever (Adam Jones) or Johnson & Johnson (Brad Johnson and Tank Johnson).

The hardest part of being a football fan is getting attached to players and then watching them go to a different team. But unfortunately its part of the game. Indefinite loyalty has to belong to the team, not the player. Don’t get me wrong, you can follow other players and respect them, however when it comes down to it your support it has to be with the team.

Fans have gotten even more attached to the landmark that has not let our team down since 1971. Leaving the only home that most fans will definitely take some getting used to. But it sure makes it easier when you move into a brand new state-of-the-art billion dollar home. All the memories will serve us well and hopefully our team will begin making new glorious memories this season. Texas Stadium you have served us well; Cowboys Stadium now its your turn!

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With training camp getting underway this week, here is a more serious question for fans…

New Poll:Which of these key position battles do you think will be most interesting?

Please place your votes in the poll section on the right column.

Poll Results: Which player from the Draft Class of ‘08 will make the biggest impact this season?

Wow! What a close poll. Basically Mike Jenkins (36%) and Felix Jones (37%) were elected to make the biggest impact this upcoming season out of the players from the Draft Class of 2008. Tashard Choice came in third with 14% of the votes, which is interesting since he’s our third string running back. Martellus Bennett took 8%, while Orlando Scandrick had 6%.

Looks like LSS readers believed Mike Jenkins when he said he was the starting cornerback last week. Jenkins and Scandrick will go into training camp competing for that starting role, but many, including Jenkins, believe its already in the bag.

Jenkins was drafted in the first round as the Cowboys second pick back in 2008. While Scandrick went in Round 5. We all know draft position doesn’t mean more than the production numbers. If you look back at 2008, Jenkins had 19 tackles and one interception in 14 games last season. Scandrick had 36 tackles and 1 sack in 16 games. It should be an interesting battle to say the least during camp and preseason.

What else can I say about my man Felix Jones! Everyone knows he’s going to shine this year. He was totally ripped off last season, and only injury destroyed his chance of clinching rookie of the year. The Cowboys are excited about a healthy Felix Jones as well. We’ve heard everything from Wildcat formation to going back to the split carries reminiscent of the Julius Jones/Marion Barber tandem in ‘07. Expect Felix to do amazing things in 2009!

In my opinion the Cowboys running game will be one of the most exciting things about the 2009-10 football season. The thought of adding Tashard Choice in the Barber/Jones mix makes me giddy. We had the pleasure of seeing what Choice has to offer while Marion and Felix were out last season, and he wowed us all the way to the goal line.

No one can deny the power and talent of Martellus Bennett. Some predict many two tight end sets with Bennett lining up with veteran Jason Witten.

The 2008 Draft had to be one of the most successful drafts in Cowboys history. These guys are going to be stars for years to come. The truth is all five of the players featured in this poll will impact our team this upcoming season. 

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I wanted to have some fun with the next poll…

New Poll: What are you going to miss the most this season?

Please place your votes in the poll section on the right column.

Poll Results: How confident are you in the Cowboys Wide Receiver Corps?

Over half the votes (51%) are somewhat confident in the Cowboys wide receiver corps and will wait and see what they can do this upcoming season while nearly a quarter (23%) and very confident. That leaves 26% who are pessimistic about the group of men heading the passing game.

For the most part, Cowboys fans just aren’t sure what to expect this season. Roy Williams doesn’t seem to have the fan support he needs as the #1 wide receiver and has a ton of pressure to prove himself this season.

There is also the concern of injury with Miles Austin, Sam Hurd and Isaiah Stanback constantly fighting ailments.

However, don’t forget the ever reliable Patrick Crayton who has turned heads so far in OTAs this offseason. Crayton isn’t going down without a fight.

Most fans hoped that Jerry Jones and crew would bring on another receiver, but it seems the Cowboys are settled at the position for the new season.

Never underestimate the Dallas Cowboys!

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New Poll: Which player from the Draft Class of ‘08 will make the biggest impact this season?

Please place your votes in the poll section on the right column.