Newsletter sign-up: 
Get Dallas Cowboys news on your cellThanksgiving reunion (Not that one)
3:12 PM Tue, Nov 20, 2007 | Permalink
E-mail News tips
 |
 |
 
|
|
February 2008
Categories
Movers and Shakers Pre-season Texas Stadium dallasnews.com
Sports Blogs |
Thomas Jones vs. Julius Jones? Everyone know about that. But Chris Canty vs. D'Brickashaw Ferguson? If you didn't know, Canty was willing to tell you about it today in the locker room. As a mob of cameras pulled away from his locker, No. 99 looked like a kid who got his juice box stolen: "Anyone want to ask me about playing my buddy?" Nervous smiles, and they all pulled away. Lucky for you, Cowboys Blog moved right in. Canty, who arrived at Virginia in 2000, was Ferguson's host for the then-Long Island recruit's official visit during the winter of 2001-02. Weeks later, Ferguson committed. "I’d like to think I had something to do with that," Canty joked. "He enjoyed his recruitment. The first night, he had a terrible time but the second night he enjoyed himself. I’m glad he went to the Univ. of Virginia, he’s a very good person, solid citizen, glad I’ve had the opportunity to know him and his family, and I look forward to competing with him on Thursday." It'll be the first time the two former All-ACC performers have locked horns in front of the masses, after having done it plenty on Charlottesville practice field for three years. And the matchup will be remarkably similar Thursday to what it was then: Ferguson at left tackle, Canty lined up as a 3-4 defensive end. Maybe the biggest difference between now and then is the 312 pounds the Jets' prize protector carries today. "He’s a very talented, very athletic offensive lineman," Canty said. "I remember he came in, he was 245 pounds, but he started every game ever since his first day as a freshman. He’s very talented, long arms, can move people off the ball, can block speed rushers. He’s got all the tools in his toolbox." As such, both players benefitted from their daily battles. And over the years, they bonded as friends, so much so that Canty said "our moms probably talk more than we do." Also watching Thursday will be plenty of coaches from Al Groh's staff at Virginia. So this won't be the week to have an off game. Get beat by your old buddy, Canty said, and "You’ll definitely hear about it." |
|
|
|
|
|
Comments
Posted by Ken @ 3:28 PM Tue, Nov 20, 2007
I hope Canty eats Brick's lunch.
Posted by Joe @ 4:17 PM Tue, Nov 20, 2007
fact correction - Canty was from Noth Carolina. Ferguson went to high school in New York so he was not a Charlotte area recruit.
Posted by Lawton Mak @ 4:36 PM Tue, Nov 20, 2007
Kudos to the Cowboys Blog crew for picking up on stories like this that the other Glamor rags won't cover. It's good to see the big boys get some love, too.
Posted by Andrew @ 5:33 PM Tue, Nov 20, 2007
Not that I'm a pro journalist or anything, but when I worked for my college paper, I usually grabbed at any straw I could angling for features before gameday. Surprised more guys didn't stick around for Canty's tale.
Nice find, anyhow. Thanks, Al.
Posted by Tom K @ 5:45 PM Tue, Nov 20, 2007
Go HOOS!!! The one that's a Cowboy, that is.
Posted by Will @ 6:57 AM Wed, Nov 21, 2007
Props to Ferguson's mom for naming him after the priest in The Thorn Birds. Maybe he will change his name over time to Richard Chamberlain Ferguson though b/c the movie is better than the book.
Actually, I think it'll be Demarcus Ware ruining Ferguson's Thanksgiving. Ware I think will line up opposite Ferguson (OLT). A few sacks coming for Demarcus?