Mick Shots

Mick Shots: Working Through Pacman Maze

2008-03-20T23:15:00Z

The Pacman story that just won’t go away heated up again on Thursday, with one Internet site going as far as saying the Cowboys had agreed to terms with the troublesome cornerback who still is serving a suspension by the NFL violating its conduct policy. (I’m told that’s a serious stretch.)

In any event, here’s what happens in the matter of eight hours. The local radio station here, Sports Radio 1310 The Ticket, recognizes the story on air and talks about it during a segment early afternoon. Well, with it out there, The Dallas Morning News has to cover its bases, so it comes up with a story, sourced of course, saying there has been internal discussions about Adam Jones (Did you realize that was his real name?). Now that will really give the story legs around the country on most every Internet site because, thankfully, someone else can take credit (or be blamed) for the story.

Funny this all comes out now, because I just stumbled onto a story today written on March 8 in The Tennessean saying, “The Titans in recent weeks have talked to a number of teams about Jones, and so far the Cowboys have shown the most interest, sources familiar with the situation said.” To me, having dealt with stories like this in the past, that is a veiled way of crediting the story to Pacman’s agent, Manny Arora, who is working in the best interest of his client to land him somewhere should the Titans agree to trade him or simply release him. The paper cited other teams interested, too, including Miami (Bill, Bill, come on), Detroit, Oakland, Kansas City, Houston, New Orleans and New England.

Pacman-to-the-Cowboys also has been given legs by the repeatedly-arrested cornerback himself, insisting he wants to play for the Cowboys every chance he gets. He likes the Star? He likes Wade? Or he thinks because of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ penchant for taking chances on previously bad-news guys, even those who have spent time in jail (See Tank Johnson), this might be his chance to land on his feet with something more substantial than a playing for a third-year minimum of $445,000. The financial offer will always test how badly you want to play somewhere.

OK, so where does this stand? Best we can tell there is nothing imminent, and you probably shouldn’t be holding your breath for that “wow” to be delivered, whichever way you interpret a “wow” concerning Pacman. Has there been some brainstorming over the possibility? Looks as if there has been.

As has been continually reported, and was by The Tennessean back on March 8, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said he has no plans to review Jones’ suspension again until closer to the opening of training camps, so mid-July. His agent, Arora, keeps asking the commissioner to do so before the draft. Why?

Because he knows the longer Goodell waits, the less money teams will have available under the salary cap for Jones should he be reinstated. Also, teams seem less willing to throw around next year’s draft picks so far from the draft. He also knows teams can’t wait that long to address their needs, because if Jones is not reinstated they would get caught with their pants down.

Also, would you be willing to trade for a car you’re not sure will run upon arrival? How much would you risk for that possibility?

So brace yourselves. This story isn’t going away anytime soon, so you might as well start aligning yourselves on which side of the fence you reside on this one.

Mick Shots - March 19

2008-03-19T23:03:00Z

Come on, this can’t be right can it? Must be inflated? The Raiders, to complete the trade for Atlanta disgruntled cornerback DeAngelo Hall, are going to pay him $70 million on a seven-year deal, averaging $10 million a year, which is being reported? That’s more than Asante Samuel’s deal in Philadelphia averages. That’s what you guys wanted the Cowboys to fork over for a guy who has been such trouble to the Falcons organization? Seriously? Hall says the only thing holding up the trade is some “tweaking” on the contract, which could be done by Thursday. Tweaking? If I were the Raiders, that would be more like mass reconstruction needed.

Here is one of those things we seem to forget, especially in the aftermath of Giants 21, Cowboys 17, in that NFC divisional round playoff game: The Cowboys went 7-1 on the road this past season, matching the team’s most road victories in a single season. But not the best single-season road record, since the 1968 team, playing a 14-game schedule, went 7-0. And going back to last year, the Cowboys won 10 consecutive road games until falling in the season finale at Washington. Not bad, since everyone at the end of the season made such a big deal about the New York Giants winning all but one of their regular-season road games in 2007 (at Dallas, by the way), and hey, one of their road games technically was at Miami in London. Uh, can I have an asterisk on that one?

Former Cowboys running back Julius Jones will be working with a way former Cowboys assistant coach in Seattle, where the Seahawks have hired Mike Solari as the offensive line coach. Solari broke into the NFL on Tom Landry’s 1987 coaching staff as the special teams/assistant offensive line coach. He spent two seasons with the Cowboys, departing for the Cardinals in 1989 when Jimmy Johnson was named head coach and brought the majority of his University of Miami staff with him, including offensive line coach Tony Wise. Solari most recently was the Kansas City offensive coordinator.

Mick Shots - March 13

2008-03-12T21:52:00Z

Not to be an I-told-you-so, but did I not repeatedly say there was no way the Arizona Cardinals were going to let Larry Fitzgerald get out of town, that too many of you became deluded with this idea the Cowboys could trade for him? So there goes another one of those “rumors” down the drain, Fitzgerald signing a four-year, $40 million deal, with $30 million guaranteed, a $15 million signing bonus, a $5 million roster bonus due in ’09 and $17 million in his pocket for this year. Best part, he’s only 24, meaning when this contract expires he’ll still be only 28, worthy of another big-time deal – and signing bonus – as long as he continues to produce at his current pace and remains healthy. Maybe we’ll be addressing him again then.

You just never know why your next job opportunity might surface. Take Cowboys unrestricted cornerback Nate Jones, visiting the Minnesota Vikings on Wednesday. Why are the Vikings interested in this predominant special teams player who has played some dime and subbed into the nickel this past year when either Terence Newman or Anthony Henry were out injured? Well how about this: Jones went to Rutgers when current Vikings special teams coach Paul Ferraro was the defensive coordinator. Good a reason as any.

If the Seattle Seahawks should release running back Shaun Alexander, just two seasons removed from his 2005 NFL MVP performance, rushing for 1,880 yards and 27 touchdowns, is this more an indictment of Alexander’s declining rushing skills or what the Seahawks think of a less expensive Julius Jones? Because as usual, releasing high-priced veterans just a couple of years into a new contract is expensive. Alexander was given an $11.6 million signing bonus after his MVP season on a five-year deal, meaning the team still must account for $6.9 million in prorated signing bonus. So if he is released this year before June 1, all would accelerate into Seattle’s cap. Can’t do that even if the move would save his $4.77 million base salary. If released after June 1, then the Seahawks are hit for $2.3 this year and a whopping $4.6 million next. Stay tuned here.

Mick Shots - March 6

2008-03-07T00:46:00Z

Not sure if you guys got a chance to catch Brett Favre’s retirement press conference from Lambeau Field late Thursday morning, but thought this particular comment was very poignant, and better answers why he has called it quits after 17 seasons: “I’ve given everything I could possibly give to this organization, the game of football, and I don’t think I’ve got anything left to give, and that’s it. I know I can play, but I don’t think I want to . . . and that’s what it really comes down to.”

And here is a revelation I’ve either forgotten or really didn’t realize about Favre, who really grew up in New Orleans Saints country as a kid in Kiln, Miss.: “When I look back, and was dreaming as a little kid, I hate to admit it, I always dreamt of being a Dallas Cowboy, and winning Super Bowls and being Roger Staubach. I think of all the kids, and there are probably some here in Wisconsin who have dreamed of being Brett Favre and doing some of the things he’s done, and as I look back at my career, those dreams have been surpassed a thousand times over, and that’s rare that I’ve been able to do that because I was no different than anyone else with those dreams.”

No surprise to me the Seattle Seahawks would show interest in Julius Jones. Heck, if they just plug in the tapes of the games they played against the Cowboys the past few years they must think Jones had an All-Pro career here in Dallas. The Hawks, though, just signed T.J. Duckett to a five-year deal, and it would seem Jones would have a better chance to start in either Detroit or Tennessee, where he also visited this week.

Mick Shots - Feb. 27

2008-02-28T00:17:00Z

This likely will be a heated 24 hours of negotiations between the Cowboys and Flozell Adam’s representative Jordan Woy, with free agency beginning at 11 p.m. (CST) on Thursday. Neither side has given up on the possibility of an 11^th-hour – or would that be 10^th hour since . . . oh never mind – deal being completed. Unless Woy’s reconnaissance work indicates the Cowboys are woefully low-balling his new client, I’d suspect Adams wouldn’t want to pull up roots after 10 years or go somewhere he must pay state income tax. But as we know, money is money, ad I’m not willing to believe Woy needs free agency to begin to discover what the rest of the league thinks the four-time Pro Bowl left tackle is worth. Negotiators love this kind of pressure.

Boy, you guys don’t miss a trick. A bunch of folks spotted the new Zach Thomas jersey for sale on the Pro Shop’s website with No. 54 on the back, his number for 12 years in Miami, but also Bobby Carpenter’s current Cowboys number. That immediately fueled speculation Carpenter was gone, but remember, that would be a $4.5 million cap hit. Well Wednesday, I see the number has changed to 55, and there is a qualifier there, reading, “Thomas jersey will be produced and ship within four days after number is determined. * #55 subject to change.” Thomas has stated he’s not hung up on the number anyway. Didn’t realize folks still want to be the first one on the block to have the newest toy.

Let this be a cautionary tale for failing to do your homework in free agency. Two years ago Washington traded a third- and fourth-round pick to San Francisco for wide receiver Brandon Lloyd. This was a sign-and-trade deal for the restricted free agent, and the Skins inked him to a six-year, $30 million deal which included a $10 million signing bonus. Now, after just two seasons the Redskins designated him to become a June 1 release, meaning he will count $1.8 million in 2008 and another $5.5 million against the cap in 2009. You see what I mean about so cavalierly signing guys you don’t know much about to huge deals?

A bunch of you guys keep asking about training camp this summer, and it’s not even March. Man. Well, shhhh, don’t tell anyone, but it’s beginning to look a lot like Oxnard, Calif., all over again. But as they say in the contract negotiation business, a deal is never a deal nor is it ever close until both parties put their signatures on a dotted line. Stay tuned.

Mick Shots - Feb. 21

2008-02-22T00:34:00Z

The Cowboys made a good business decision on their franchise tag, utilizing it on safety Ken Hamlin instead of offensive tackle Flozell Adams. Hamlin’s one-year franchise tag will cost them $4.396 million against the cap, which is the average of the top five paid safeties from last year. And if you are wondering just who those guys are, voila: Adam Archuleta, Michael Huff, Michael Lewis, Terrence Holt and Adrian Wilson. Best part for Cowboys is they can continue negotiating with Hamlin on a long-term deal through July 15 without worries of losing his rights. And look, if someone wanted to sign him to an unmatchable offer sheet, then I’m guessing the Cowboys would gladly take two first-round picks in return.

By the way, and not to make you cringe, Roy Williams was seventh on that top 10 list, hitting the Cowboys’ cap last year for $3.507 million. All the Cowboys need to do now is draft a corner in the first round and they arguably will have the most expensive secondary in the league since Anthony Henry’s cap charge ranked seventh on the cornerback’s top 10. So maybe that will help you understand why Asante Samuel, probably looking for a contract averaging $12 million a year, is a no-can-do.

Now then, if any of you are holding your breath over the prospects of getting Adams re-signed, I’m right there with you. No matter what you might think of Flo, and let’s not get distracted by false starts, he has to be one of the best pass protectors at left tackle in the league. And those guys aren’t a dime a dozen, evidenced by the number of them being franchised this year. But again, his franchise number would have been $9 million – 120 percent above his 2007 cap figure, which rose to $7.5 million with his $500,000 Pro Bowl bonus and beyond the $7.455 average of the top five guys, which he was fourth.

Now I know money is money, but Adams did switch agents, signing up this time with local guy Jordan Woy. The Cowboys have worked well with him in the past, so this might bode well for the club actually getting something done with Flo either before the start of free agency next week or possibly at least giving the Cowboys an unofficial last say if he gets an offer to his liking from another team. Just a little pressure here, I’d say.

Mick Shots - Feb. 19

2008-02-20T00:33:00Z

Boy, sure isn’t a great market if a team is looking for an inside linebacker in free agency. The top guys would be Zach Thomas (going on 35), Randall Godfrey (going on 35), Dan Morgan (going on 30), Mark Simoneau (31) Jeremiah Trotter (31) and now Derek Smith (33), who was waived by San Francisco on Tuesday. These guys have a lot of tread wear but if someone absolutely needs one, and if Thomas can prove he’s healthy, he’s going to get a look. Need would be the operative word here.

Say what you want about Billy Cundiff, but teams still are giving him a chance. Saw where Kansas City just signed the former Cowboys kicker to a two-year deal, bringing him in to compete with veteran John Carney and Nick Novak. Cundiff went to camp with Atlanta in 2007 but was released before the start of the season and didn’t kick for anyone this year after finishing out the 2006 season as the kickoff guy for the Saints. In five seasons with the Cowboys and Saints, Cundiff hit on 63 of 80 field-goal attempts (78 percent).

Rams head coach Scott Linehan thought it best to replace tight ends coach Judd Garrett, brother of Cowboys assistants Jason and John, so he can concentrate on being with his four children, ages 9-15, following the emotionally-devastating death of his wife Kathy (38) this past August. The Rams will pick up the final year on his contract and have told him he has the right to look for another job if he wants to. Linehan told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "It's a hard thing, because he requires some more time at home. You want the best for everybody in these situations. In his position, it's not the best thing for him to be away from his family. I told him he wasn't going to have a coaching position. We could've reassigned him to work somewhere in the organization, but as I thought about it, I thought the best thing would be to let him know that we'll take care of the contract, so he has that and can take the year to kind of get things squared away. He's free to look for another job, although I don't know if at this time that would be the best thing."

Mick Shots - Feb. 14

2008-02-15T00:25:00Z

That the Cowboys are scheduled to play the NFC West in 2008 certainly lessens the affects of finishing with that 13-3 record and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Because when it comes to the 2008 strength of schedule, the Cowboys’ ranks 14^th-toughest, their opponents’ combined record from the 2007 season 134-122 (.523). Only Seattle finished above .500 in the NFC West. But then again, that’s balanced out by their NFC East opponents, since all three finished at least .500, meaning the combined record for those six division opponents will be 54-42. Tops would be Pittsburgh at .598, but that’s because the Steelers must play every team in the NFC East, along with the first-place team in the AFC East, which is 16-0 you-know-who.

Now here is a salary cap lesson for all those who want to immediately sign whatever supposed superstar is released: Jevon Kearse. Remember back in 2004, the Eagles signed Kearse, released by Tennessee, to a $66 million deal. Well, after knee problems in 2006 robbed his season, Kearse was but a shadow of himself in 2007, finishing with 3½ sacks and never has produced more than the 7½ from his first two seasons with the Eagles (2004-05). So now, at only 31, but seemingly on the downside, there are some suggesting the Eagles might let him go since he lost his starting job last year and will count $8.5 million against the cap in 2008, including a $6.46 million base.

When the Cowboys signed veteran free-agent guard Marco Rivera in 2005 many were quick to criticize the Cowboys for signing the wrong Green Bay Packers free-agent guard. Most thought Carolina did the right thing by signing Mike Wahle, much younger than Rivera and did earn Pro Bowl honors in 2005. And those cries increased after back injuries forced the Cowboys to release Rivera this past off-season after just two years. Well, look it here, Carolina just released Wahle one year after that. The Panthers did so to save $4.1 million in cap space. Maybe it was the Packers who knew best after all.

Mick Shots - Feb. 3

2008-02-04T06:44:00Z

There were 132 plays in Super Bowl XLII, but this game basically came down to one play: The Giants, trailing, 14-10, facing third-and-5 at their own 44-yard line with 1:15 to play. Giants quarterback Eli Manning, somehow, someway avoided getting sacked, spinning out of deep trouble, then pulling away with several Patriots tugging at his jersey only to heave the ball deep down the middle. And there was Giants receiver David Tyree out-jumping New England safety Rodney Harrison for what amounted to a jump ball but ended up being a 32-yard completion down to the Patriots’ 24 with 59 seconds remaining. If not for that huge chunk of yards, the Giants might not have had time to score that final touchdown, which came with only 35 seconds to spare and out of timeouts. “He made an unbelievable catch and saved the game,” Manning said.

Man, how good is Wes Welker? He catches 11 passes for 103 yards, tying the Super Bowl record for most catches, last achieved by New England’s Deon Branch in 2004 against Philadelphia. Michael Irvin is tied for the second-most in an NFL playoff game, pulling in 12 in that NFC title game loss to San Francisco that 1994 season. The record for most in a playoff game is 13, held by four different players, including Hall of Famers Kellen Winslow and Thurman Thomas. Had the Patriots won, he definitely would have been the MVP – or at least should have been.

Never know what’s going to happen in a Super Bowl or to whom. Take Tyree’s 5-yard touchdown grab from Manning. That was his first touchdown of the season, regular or post. Go figure.

How proud must Archie Manning be of his sons winning back-to-back Super Bowls and MVP awards, likely taking the sting out of his own career, having played for so many bad teams? When asked if he ever could imagine each of his sons winning Super Bowls, the proud papa said, “I never thought about them even playing college ball, much less pro football, much less winning Super Bowls or MVPs. It wasn’t in the plan. We tried to raise kids. We raised kids just like other parents raised their kids. I can’t explain it.” Would be hard to even if he tried.

Mick Shots - Super Bowl Notes, Prediction

2008-02-02T01:12:00Z

Here is what I like about the New England Patriots’ psyche. They don’t talk about winning the Super Bowl. They don’t talk about going a perfect 19-0. They simply talk about winning “the next game.” How boring but extremely healthy is that? When you narrow your focus to the moment instead of becoming overwhelmed by the big picture, success becomes more probable. A certain someones should take note. As I said before the season started and will say before the 2008 season starts, just win one playoff game, then we’ll go from there. And don’t tell me you are about winning Super Bowls, not a mere playoff game, because without winning a mere playoff game you can’t win the Super Bowl.

And they thought they built a stadium with a retractable roof out here in the Phoenix area to combat the heat? Ha! If the weather Sunday evening is anything like it has been all week long, that roof will be closed to combat the extremely chilly night air for Super Bowl XLII. Who would have thought you would end up wearing a heavily lined leather jacket more times than shorts out here?

And the score . . . there seems little reason to try to be cute with this prediction since the Patriots have figured out how to win every single game this season, and I see no reason why they would stop now, so let’s say Patriots 31, Giants 21. Close for the Giants, but the cigars go to the Patriots.

Mick Shots - Jan. 31

2008-02-01T01:42:00Z

The Giants are pointing to two critical moments in their drive to Super Bowl XLII: One in the third game of the season and the other in their second playoff game, that’s right, against the Cowboys. The Giants went into the third game of the season 0-2 after getting blown out by the Cowboys and Packers, and after a stirring comeback to take a 24-17 lead, here they were on their own 1-yard line with 58 seconds remaining and the Redskins owning a first-and-goal. The Giants held their ground after a spike to stop the clock and three Redskins plays. An 0-3 start might have doomed them and head coach Tom Coughlin for the season.

The other critical point came with 46 seconds left in the first half against the Cowboys, trailing 14-7 in the divisional-round playoff game and the Cowboys starting to dominate. They needed only 40 seconds to drive for the tying touchdown. Had the Giants not scored, they would have been trailing 17-7 with seven minutes left in the third quarter since the Cowboys took the half-opening drive in for a field goal.

Cowboys tight end Jason Witten is one of four finalists for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, the winner to be announced by Connie Payton, the wife of the late running back at a news conference before the Super Bowl. The other three players nominated for the award are Miami defensive end Jason Taylor, Pittsburgh wide receiver Hines Ward and Kansas City guard Brian Waters.

The gates must have swung open here Thursday in the Media Center, with a Who’s Who parading through Radio Row. Here for press conferences were Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, along with Alicia Keys and Jordin Sparks, daughter of former Giants and Cowboys cornerback Phillippi Sparks, who is from the Phoenix area. Then seen strolling around were Hall of Famers Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, Kellen Winslow and Tony Dorsett. Saw Akin Ayodele making the rounds on Radio Row, too, along with James Washington. Nate Newton was in the crowd earlier in the week. Tomorrow promises to be more crowded.

If you are wondering, according to figures released by the NFLPA on Thursday, the cost to franchise a wide receiver this off-season will be $7.848 million on a one-year deal – Terrell Owens the top-paid wide receiver with a $9.67 million cap charge. An offensive lineman will cost you $7.45 million on a one-year deal. Of course, franchising a quarterback is the most expensive, at $10.73 million, but a close second is cornerback, costing $9.465 million.

Mick Shots - Jan. 30

2008-01-31T01:18:00Z

No further movement on the coaching front, but it appears the Cowboys are very close to batting out a deal with Dom Capers to become a defensive assistant unless a better offer arises real soon. No matter what anyone else says or why they say this might happen, this would be a real coup. Look how many guys you would have on the staff with serious defensive coordinator experience, including Wade Phillips, Dave Campo, Todd Grantham and Capers, plus now Brian Stewart has a year’s experience. That’s not a problem, but a huge asset.

Hey, did anyone catch Campo saying this during his press conference when asked about reuniting with Roy Williams, his 2002 first-round draft choice? “The things we saw in Roy years ago, I saw some good things,” Campo said. “I think I can get with him and we can see if we can progress. I think Roy has skills and I think he can play better than he’s playing.” First honest answer I’ve heard on Subject Roy in two years.

So the TV suits insist Super Bowl XLII has a chance to become the most-watched Super Bowl in history. That means the game must draw more than the 94.08 million viewers to watch the Cowboys and Steelers in Super Bowl XXX, which just happened to be right here in Arizona.

Once again, let’s squash this Larry Fitzgerald trade-stuff rumor once and for all. Last week I told you it’s been reported the Cardinals want to restructure his contract, which has two years remaining. Tuesday the Arizona Republic quotes Fitzgerald as saying about his future with the Cardinals, “I want to be a Cardinal. I enjoy it here. I love my teammates.”

Wonder if there was any coincidence to Plaxico Burress’ quite late arrival for the Giants’ media session on Wednesday and his prediction of a 23-17 Giants victory earlier in the week? But then again, what’s the big deal? If my guys don’t think they have a chance to win then I don’t want them in uniform. The Giants also wanted a show of solidarity upon arriving here, the majority of the players dressed in black. Asked about the choice of colors, Randy Moss said, “We’ll see who has black on, on Sunday.”

Mick Shots - Jan. 29

2008-01-30T01:59:00Z

Gotta love bumping into Barry Switzer, and he was here at the Fox interview session with its Super Bowl XLII broadcast personnel on Tuesday, and just in case anyone had forgotten, wearing his Super Bowl XXX ring won in Phoenix, by the way. Now Switzer is somewhat of a running back expert, if his days at Oklahoma are any indication, so the natural question to ask him is, “Are you a McFadden fan?” Listen up: “Arkansas? That (SOB) can start here (in the NFL). Hell . . . As a pure runner, I think he’s better than Adrian Peterson. He’s got that burst. They talk about Adrian’s burst, this guy has got that (ability to) ignite. He covers so much ground . . . as far as a pure runner, he’s really special, you know that.” Yeah, of course I do?

Troy Aikman was here, too, obviously doing the game broadcast with Joe Buck. Here is Aikman talking about the how Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo went from the talk of the town, throwing a club-record 36 touchdown passes this past season and helping the team to win a franchise-tying high 13 games to the sole reason, in some fans’ minds, the Cowboys lost in the playoffs: “How do I say, this, no I’m not surprised, absolutely not. I said it leading up to the game, when you make a decision to do that (go to Cabo for the weekend with highly-publicized squeeze Jessica Simpson) – now do I think it impacted his performance, absolutely not. No one does, no one does. I always believed you wanted to go out and not give anybody any reason to think that your performance had anything to do with anything other than just not going out and playing well. And when he went to Cabo, that opened himself up for scrutiny. And I think in light of the criticism that came after the Philadelphia game, and I think unfairly, that was a good indicator as far as whatever public interest there was in that relationship, and so there was a big target on his back going into that last game. So if you win and play great, all that does is add to the legend, and if you don’t then you’re where you’re at right now . . .

“We all want to live our life and not worry about what perception is. But perception is perception, and sometimes you do have to make decisions based on perception or else you have to be willing to accept whatever criticism. So that was a decision he made and whatever criticism there is then I’m hopeful he is accepting that without any issue with it because that was the decision he made and should have known what would come with it.” Seriously now, that was one answer.

Jimmy was here, too, and looking at lot more comfortable than last time we saw him, on the pregame set in Green Bay in the three-degree temperatures before the NFC title game. Said it was the most miserable he had ever been, reminding me that water he put in the glass froze in less than 30 minutes. Got the feeling just having to go there for that game caused Jimmy Johnson to be as mad at the Cowboys as you guys were following the loss to the Giants.

Mick Shots - Jan. 28

2008-01-29T01:50:00Z

Is there no end to the Dolphins’ fascination with anything Cowboys or formerly Cowboys? Look at these free-agents futures they signed on Monday: Quarterback Matt Baker, center Trey Darilek and defensive end Junior Glymph. Wonder if Bill and Jeff will ever turn the page?

And you thought Bill Parcells was a stickler for resisting to give injury information? How about this Bill Belichick. He is not revealing a thing about Tom Brady’s high ankle sprain, continuing to say he’ll fill out the injury report on Wednesday. And I guarantee you come Wednesday he’ll simply list Brady as probable, just as he evidently has done all year long. I mean the guy has made 126 consecutive starts, including playoffs, and you think he’s not going to start Sunday? Please. If Philip Rivers can play with a torn ACL, I’m guessing Brady plays with whatever degree of sprain he has in his ankle.

A couple of things on all this Marion Barber trade talk. First, the Dolphins aren’t just giving away the first pick, and it’s going to take a heck of a lot more than Barber for the first pick for that trade to happen, and my guess is it’s going to take even more than swapping No. 22 and Barber for the first pick. Secondly, do you think the Cowboys are the only team in the league possibly coveting the first pick? And thirdly, as I point out in Mick’s Mail, the quickest way to gain other teams’ interest in trade talks is to have “sources” say the Cowboys are interested in doing a deal.

Mick Shots - Jan. 24

2008-01-25T00:23:00Z

You know, if none of these teams changing staffs decide to bring in Dom Capers as defensive coordinator, and he just wants to latch on to a staff, maybe the Cowboys can hire him as the secondary coach. That’s like 22 seasons of coaching experience. Now that would be a real coup.

Evidently recently-hired defensive line coach Todd Grantham had what some called “communication issues” with Cleveland head coach Romeo Crennel, reportedly why the Browns’ defensive coordinator was fired after being signed to a three-year deal and the club improving to 10-6. Now he’ll just be the defensive line coach for Wade Phillips with the Cowboys. But evidently former Michigan State coach Nick Saban thought highly enough of Grantham to put in a good word for his former defensive line coach at MSU when his name came up in 2006 for the Spartans’ head coaching job. Grantham, though, never was given an offer, MSU hiring Mark Dantonio, one of Saban’s former MSU secondary coaches.

This will undoubtedly make you cringe. The Cowboys finished the NFL’s third-ranked offense, the team’s highest finish since being No. 2 in 1979. During the Super Bowl seasons of the 90’s, the Cowboys finished fourth in 1992 and 1993 and then fifth in 1995. Sorry, guess that’s going to cause a little more hurt.