SPORTSDAY

Posted by Dallas1977 @ 9:59 AM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

MLB Brady James: this is debatable b/c of Ken Norton Jr. I think he was a better Mike Backer than Robert Jones and Bradie James. If it were not for free agency taking him away after the '93 season, he would have been remembered for being a Cowboy great.

Posted by Lee @ 10:07 AM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

I think Bradie James is a reach. He is clearly better than Robert Jones, who never lived up to his potential, but he's no Ken Norton Jr. who became MLB in '93.

I also think that as good as Witten is, it's still a toss-up between him and Novacek. Witten is clearly the better athlete, but few tight ends played smarter or came through in big games than Novacek.

Posted by Bobs9895 @ 10:19 AM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

Jason Witten is my favorite Cowboy now, but Jay Novacek is one of my favorite Cowboys of all time. So that's a tough call for me. How about when the Cowboys introduce their starting offense, they introduce 12 starters like the Seahawks did a few weeks back.

Posted by tex @ 10:24 AM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

Until these current Boys win a Super Bowl, I'll STILL take ANY 92-95 Cowboys.

They were winners, period. Even Lin Elliott. Only a sloppy first 7 minutes in 1994 and Barry Switzer stopped them from 4 straight SB's.

Posted by Rob P. @ 10:30 AM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

I don't think you can replace any of those guys. They won the Super Bowls together. Sure, we have some good players, but our current guys have not done much of anything. Let them win at least a playoff game before we start replacing our players that have been on Super Bowl teams.

Posted by corey91 @ 10:33 AM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

You mean Roy "hitman" Williams is not in the discussion. How disappointing has he been?

Posted by COWBOY @ 10:39 AM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

On NFL network tonight we can watch the butt kicking we recieved from the Pat again. Number 1 fan down here in Houston and Ill be watching the greatest team in the world even though they were overmatched and couldnt compete with the sorry ol Pats.

Posted by Ken @ 10:40 AM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

I think that Hurvin McCormack could and should start for this Cowboys team. He and Shante Carver were imposing on that 95 team...jk

Posted by Joe Duarte @ 10:41 AM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

Terry Glenn, for sure.

I'm not sure that Bradie James is a player yet. The Lions mocked him last year.

I'm still waiting for all the anti-Parcells players to fulfill their promises of being so much more impactful this year now that they are freed of his schemes or directions. So far, none of those guys (Spears, JJ, James) have done anything.

Gurode might be better than Step. Certainly he's much bigger. Step was the size of a linebacker.

And Romo might be better than Aikman. I'm still not sure what to make of Aikman's mediocre numbers year after year in the late 90s.

Posted by Sam in So Cal @ 10:44 AM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

You are correct in stating that TO would be a good 2nd or 3rd receiver, but he's not the 2nd or 3rd receiver on the current roster. So, it's TO v. Michael Irvin, and to me that's an easy decision. TO is extremely overrated and far from deserving of the attention he gets.

Posted by Mark @ 10:46 AM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

We are 5-1 and this is what we are discussing? C'mon...

I personally liked Crayton's confidence, though. Some might say that it was arrogant, but it was perfect. He was downplaying any opponents, making any predictions other than the Cowboys goind to the SB. There is nothing wrong with that in my book.

What this tells me is that the Cowboys aren't scared, and I have been watching this game and the Cowboys long enough to know when they start thinking like that, good things follow.

So, Tim, ask this again after the season is over. We may not make it this year, but we aren't far from it. Who knows, we may want to keep all of these players and replace the guys from the 90's ;) Maybe not, but I would like to see this season play out, first.

Posted by Stevo @ 10:55 AM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

Romo would be there... taking the starting spot of Aikman's back-up from Jason Garrett/Babe Laufenburg

Posted by P @ 11:07 AM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

Sorry, but Roy "I can't cover" Williams isn't fit to
wash those '90s teams jock straps. I really hope you were joking. The hitman....lol pathetic.

Posted by 'lil Weezyana @ 11:12 AM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

those sorry ol Pats beat you by 3 TD's so what does that make you? NFC...hah...you guys are cute, tryin to play the AFC and all better luck next time Blowboys....

Posted by MikeNY08 @ 11:15 AM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

I would definately take Roy Williams opposite Darren Woodson they were a good pair not to mention Darren would be in his prime. And definately Newman opposite of Deion? Are you kidding me thats the kind of DBs we need now (WE NEED TO GET D'ANGELO HALL). Take A Henry in the Nickel CB. Ware is gonna go down as a Cowboy great. T.O opposite Irvin take Glenn in the slot. Take Witten, Bigg, Folk, McBriar, Greg Ellis. Take Romo to backup Aikman and M Barber to relieve Emmitt.

Posted by victorb @ 11:29 AM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

Bradie James over either Robert Jones or Ken Norton? You're smoking crack!
Robert Jones played in this league for over ten years and was 1992 rookie of the year.
Bradie James has done nothing thus far, except talk a big game.

Posted by Fred Reyna @ 11:42 AM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

It's sad to say but my favriote Cowboys player from the last few years was Roy Williams but he has started to progress downward every year since Darren Woodson retired. I havent seen him hit the socks off somebody this whole year and have seen several mediocre players bounce off his tackles. I dont know what to make of it. I honestly thought the Cowboys had a future Hall of Famer when they drafted Roy Williams. He was a stud, fast and a huge hitter ala Ronnie Lott. I guess you can tell that some of these players are more worried about the money than the love of the game. Sorry to say but Roy Williams looks lost out there and he doesnt play with any passion.

Posted by Fred Reyna @ 11:46 AM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

Why are you people out there so hell bent on D'Angelo Hall? The guy is the most overrrated corner in the league by far. T.O., Chad Johnson and several other recievers in the league made toast of him last year. All he has done this year for the falcons is become a cancer. I would rather take Chris McAllister or Champ Baily. They talk a big game and guess what? They back it up as well unlike Mr. Hall.

Posted by miles @ 11:46 AM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

I think Gurode might beat out Donaldson.

Posted by Fred Reyna @ 11:53 AM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

I love how Patriot fans are still coming to this blog and bragging. Let me say this and this is the last time Im gonna say it. At least our 5 SuperBowl wins are legit. We didnt cheat to win them. I love how Patriot fans try to rationalize that everyone in the league cheats. But hey guess what Patriot fans, it isnt cheating until your caught. No one other than you, Patriots have been caught so that makes you legitimate cheaters. So now everyone outside of Boston, knows your Superbowl wins are tainted. I wouldnt doubt that the Boston Red Sox would sign Barry Bonds knowing how much fans there love cheaters. Yes we both have 5 Superbowl wins but at least there will never be an aterisk attached to our wins.

Posted by Ricardo @ 12:05 PM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

Crayton would be a valuable 3rd WR for those teams. But Owens and Irvin together? How do you think the chemistry would be?
The O.L. could use Leonard Davis, and maybe Gurode, but I believe Step was an excellent player, and a favorite of mine, so I would prefer him.
On Defense, DeMarcus, Newman and Ellis (I'd use him as D.E) would make it even stingier.

Posted by jerryfuselier @ 12:27 PM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

Patriots have 3 SB wins, not 5. The other two they were in were losses (and embarrassingly so...)

Posted by Dan @ 12:44 PM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

For all of you denouncing Roy Williams, you might want to give a thought to the fact that Rodney Harrison isn't any better than Williams in coverage.

Yet the genius Bellicheck has kept him on his team, and hasn't gotten rid of him, when he's dumped many another.

Some of you guys expect miracles.

You expect a guy to be perfect against the run, perfect against the pass.

Well newsflash, those strong safeties are a rarity, they're Hall of Famers.

Posted by will (nyc) @ 12:44 PM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

roy williams is EASILY better than james washington, holt, brock marion, and any other safety that played opposite of woodson. i loved the cowboys of the 90's but woody was the only safety that had all-pro talent, the other guys were just solid. i know you don't like him tim, but by omitting him you make yourself look either stubborn or ignorant, and i'm trying very hard to give you credit for being stubborn.

Posted by Tom K @ 12:47 PM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

Completely separate topic but would have loved to see Patriots today vs. 90's Cowboys. Moss vs. Deion (actually in his prime). How would Belicheat have game planned against that Cowboys offense? Would the Pats be able to exploit any weaknesses in that Cowboys D? I doubt it. That 4-3 defense was smaller, but FAST. Would have been a great game though...

Posted by gpaq @ 12:48 PM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

this 'boys team not close to 92-95 'boys. maybe a 2007 pats comparison would be better. Regarding 'hitman' roy, he's half the player darren woodson was. did anyone notice how roy's play bengan sliding when woodson retired??

Posted by will (nyc) @ 12:55 PM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

dan,

you're absolutely correct, some fans love to hate certain players. everyone has strengths and weaknesses, even aikman (deep ball), emmitt (speed), novacheck (blocking) and deion (tackling). roy is excellent at wreaking havoc, he's an effective blitzer and a solid tackler. he's able to man up on offensive linemen, yet still play deep cover 2, which i gotta tell you there's no more than a half a dozen safeties in the league that can do. he's more than adequate at man to man coverage on tight ends and running backs though he sometimes has trouble with the elite players at that position. he has a nose for the ball and probably has more picks/fumble recoveries year after year than any safety save maybe ed reed. his weakness is playing in space, and sometime he gets lost in zone coverage. he can't really cover wide receivers, but i only know of one strong safety that ever could with any effectiveness, and that was woodson. and woody only took on third receivers, he couldn't cover a primary target. maybe roy's downfall is he's following up woodson, who was just so good that he can't match up the versatility. it's a shame, y'all will miss him when he's gone.

Posted by gus from atlanta @ 1:03 PM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

I'm a fan of TO. However, Troy would never play with TO. TO drops more balls than Alvin Harper. Kevin William could run back kicks.
Andre Guarode? Have you gone mad? Stepnoski had better mechanics than Guarode ever did or will.
Jason Witten over Jay Novacek? Talk to me in 2 to 3 years.
DeWARE is a beast. Imagine Ware and Haley.
ROY "Biscuit" Williams is not solid. He makes too many mental mistakes in coverage, has no feel for the ball and is overrated as a tackler. Pat Watkins would do the same mediocre job as Roy!
Bradie James is slow and can't change direction.

Posted by 'lil Weezyana @ 1:04 PM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

listen here Fred Reyna the Pats dont even have 5 superbowls so your dumb and on top of that your home boi Jimmy Johnson has said that he also video taped signals so again your dumb...with that out of the way i would leave your blog alone but i have had enough of others comin on the Pats blog week after week and talking smack and then not answering for their comments on mondays...every week opposing fans talk a big game and i say i will see ya on monday and are they ever there? nope so now im comin to you. are you gonna pull a Patrick Cryton and whine about it all day?...who is that guy anyways?

Posted by JohnG @ 1:06 PM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

Bradie James ?. Are you kidding me ?

Posted by Tim MacMahon @ 1:12 PM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

RE: Roy Williams ...

Darren Woodson was the starting strong safety on the last two Super Bowl teams. I'll take Woodson over Williams any day.

Thomas Everett and James Washington split starts at strong safety on the 1992 team. I probably should have listed Williams for that team.

Posted by will (nyc) @ 1:42 PM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

not probably, he was much better. give credit where credit is due, they didn't make multiple pro bowls, they didn't hit as hard, they didn't create turnovers, they didn't tackle as well. they were solid, but that is all. i missed george teague, too. williams was better than them. also regarding the whole ss vs. fs, woodson was interchangeable. so if you're putting TO above kelvin martin, kevin williams, and alvin harper, you gotta put roy back there with woodson, he would have been a starter. though i appreciate you responding and acknowledging the overlook...

Posted by L.J., Fla. @ 2:19 PM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

Roy Williams plays pretty damn hard during games, which is all you can ask from athletes. Apparently people's time line for making decisions are not the same. Perhaps Roy's mental ability to react to offenses is slower than that of all-pros, but he appears to do his best. As folk grow older, their brainwaves slow down, including muscle movement control and reaction to time. Anyway, I would want Mr. Williams of my team, because he is a player.

Just a thought, I wonder how much better motivatied the Cowboys would be with a Stoops (Ok)type coach.

Posted by Ray @ 2:31 PM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

I'd take Brock Marion over Roy Williams any day.

Posted by Tommy Ray White @ 2:32 PM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

Woodson as a 'strong safety' has primarily the tight end to cover on pass plays and is great at run defense. Maybe Woodson is better suited as a 'small' outside linebacker. At least he's not afraid of making a tackle ala 'Neon Deion.' Whitten is potentialy the best tight in Dallas history. And is currently--in my opinion--the best in the league right now.
My gripe is with not starting Barber at running back. His per carry average is 6 yards!

Posted by will (nyc) @ 3:28 PM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

ray,

that's why some people are fans, and others are gm's. thank god you're the former.

brock marion - 182 games, 909 tackles, 77 passes defensed, 2 sacks, 7 forced fumbles, 31 int, 3 td's, 3 pro bowls

roy williams - 86 games, 415 tackles, 53 passes defensed, 6.5 sacks, 8 forced fumbles, 19 int, 3 td's, 4 pro bowls

brock marion is 37, roy williams is 27, yet his numbers are comparable in every area but tackles and picks (advantage marion) and sacks (advantage williams). i'll bet when williams retires he's higher in every area. now i loved marion, especially when he hit Owens for disrespecting the star, and though he might have been the best compared to washington and everett, he's no williams. not...even...close

Posted by Scott @ 6:28 PM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

OK, Newman makes sense I can't argue with Owens either (although I've yet to see him make a play anywhere near as big as the catch Harper made late in the first NFC Championship game against the 49ers). Ware would have definitely been a contributor to the title winning teams.

However, Witten over Novacek is questionable; Let's see Witten do it longer and in big games before making that call.

Why Davis? What has he done yet to make him better than Gesek or Gogan?

Same deal for Bradie James and Mat McBriar

As far as Folk goes, he's played 6 NFL games in his career. Definitely premature.

Posted by clay @ 9:33 PM Wed, Oct 17, 2007

Some of you guys are too enthralled with the older guys. I put Newman over any CB not named Deion from those teams. Ware/Haley is just about a push, as is Ellis/Tolbert. James probably doesn't beat out Norton but does beat Robert Jones. If we're moving safeties around then Williams definitely plays along side Woodson. If not, then Hamlin is still basically a push with Washington. The 90's teams were better at DT, or at least they looked better bc of the great rotation. On the O side, Owens and Glenn are better than anyone not named Michael Irvin, Witten/Novacek is about a push, though I'm leaning towards Witten. The backs obviously go heavily towards the 90's, but I'd say at least a couple of our linemen would crack the rotation. I'll also take the current kicker and punter.