What They Are

The Cowboys find themselves in the middle of the herd for the play-off race. They have won three straight games, and four out of their last five. The ‘Boys stand at 8-4, which is a decent record. This year, if the season ended today, the Dallas Cowboys would be watching on TV…like you and me. The Cowboys trail the Giants by three games, with four to play. The division is out of reach. The ‘Boys must travel via the wildcard route.

The Cowboys actually have a better record than two of the division leaders. The Vikings and Cardinals are both 7-5, but they would be in the tournament, and the ‘Boys would be out! I don’t think that it’s fair, but that’s the rules…and you can’t argue the rules! They are what they are!

Being a wildcard isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The G-Men (last season) and the Steelers (three seasons ago), where both wildcards, and they both advanced to and won the Super Bowl. It’s not an easy task, as you must win on the road in the play-offs!

The Cowboys face the Steelers this Sunday. Pittsburgh is 9-3, and in first place in their division by one game over the Ravens. The ‘Boys must travel to the Steel City, and face the No. 1 defense in the league, and come home with a win. That’s not an easy task for any team, but if the Cowboys want to be considered serious Super Bowl contenders…than that’s what they must do!

Bill Parcells would often tell us to wait until after Thanksgiving to evaluate the team. I recall him saying, “You are what you are” many times. Well, it’s a week past Turkey Day, and the ‘Boys will face a formidable Pittsburgh Steelers team on the road. Come Sunday, we will all know…what they are!


Short Shots:


Sheriff Goodell was a busy man, as he finally dished out the 4-game suspensions to the players who were caught taking the “water” pills…it's about time! Those players are filing a suit in court for an injunction on the Sheriff’s ruling…good luck on that one!

Plaxico Burress was fined, suspended (without pay) for the remainder of the season (including the play-offs), and put on the non-football injury list by the Giants. His days as a member of the New York Giants is numbered…and that’s the least of his worries!


From The Mail Room:


Kyle P., Willow Grove, PA: Pacman is back on the team will he be a factor?

Utopia1dc: Adam Jones is now officially back as a member of the Cowboys. To make room for Pacman, the Cowboys placed Pat Watkins on IR. Jones will contribute mainly on punt returns. He will also play on the defensive sub-packages when the ‘Boys go into the nickel and dime. I wouldn’t expect a lot from him, as he has been away from “live” action for some time now!



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Week 13 Review

The crystal ball had a stellar week by going undefeated at 4-0. That puts the crystal ball at 23-20-1 for the season. That’s three games over .500 (.534 to be exact). The crystal ball has a slightly sore back this week. You know…with all that patting itself on the back stuff! Let’s review and see what happened last week.

Last Week: 4-0

Overall: 23-20-1

Seattle @ Dallas: The Cowboys looked good from start to finish. That’s what is expected when you play a team like the Seahawks. Once the ‘Boys had the lead, they never looked back. They kept the pedal to the metal, and didn’t let Seattle back in the game. The only downer was the injuries to DeMarcus Ware and Marion Barber. Both left the game and didn’t return, but they should be fine for this week’s match-up against the Steelers.

Arizona @ Philadelphia: The Eagles got a big win against the Cards. Arizona is a formidable team and the Eagles never let Warner get in a rhythm. The Birds put up a 40-burger (48 points to be exact) on the Cards, as McNabb proved himself as the leader of the team. McNabb was flawless, as he threw for 260 yards and 4 TDs. That’s not too shabby for a QB that everyone wants to run out of town. By winning, the Eagles also kept their play-offs hopes alive.

Tennessee @ Detroit: The Titans disgraced the Lions in a blowout! Tennessee has a well-balanced offense with two quality running backs. Kerry Collins is a very good manager of the offense, but he can still make all the necessary throws when needed. The Titans defense is playing well also. Jeff Fisher has his club firing on all cylinders heading into the play-offs!

Pittsburgh @ New England: At halftime, this game was knotted at 10-10. Offensively, the Steelers hammered the ball with Moore and Parker. Big Ben did his job, but he did have a couple of picks. The Patriots kept it close for a while, but their 5 turnovers sealed their fate. Matt Cassel didn’t stand a chance against the Steelers defense once they fell behind. You just can’t give the ball away that many times to a quality team and expect to win…not in the NFL!


Short Shots:


The Cleveland Browns suffered another injury at QB. After losing Brady Quinn a few weeks ago, they have now lost Derek Anderson as well. It’s now up to Ken Dorsey to try and salvage Romeo Crennel’s job…not a pretty site in Cleveland! Romeo…start packing!

Plaxico Burress posted $100,000 bail yesterday. He is now back out on the streets until March 31, 2009…when he goes back in front of the Judge! Unfortunately for Plaxico, Goodell won’t take as long to render judgment! Plax…just stay inside your house! Shop online if you get bored!


From The Mail Room:


Henry D., Carlstadt, NJ: How can Burress be so stupid. He is gonna cost the giants the superbowl.

Utopia1dc: Henry, I agree 100%…Plaxico Burress is a first rate fool! He has been a distraction to the G-Men all season long. The Giants may be better off without him. As far as costing the Giants the Super Bowl…I don’t know about all that! I don’t see the G-Men repeating!

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Reality Mail Bag - 12/01/08

Each week I will answer questions submitted by my loyal readers. I personally read every single email I receive. I will pick out the best five or so to use for the weekly post, as I won't be able to answer all of them. I will also answer one or two questions on my daily posts as well. Now it’s time to open the mail!


Johnny A., Norristown, PA: I am a diehard Eagles fan. The Eagles looked great on Thursday but do you think they can squeak into the playoffs?

Utopia1dc: Johnny…that’s going to be a tough task. D-Mac was on fire and Westbrook looked a lot better than he has in several weeks. If the Eagles continue to play like that, anything is possible. They could be dangerous if they can make it into the tournament. It doesn’t look too promising, as the Birds have dug a huge hole for themselves.


Andrew P., Atlanta, Georgia: Michael Vick just plead guilty to state dog fighting charges. Do you think he will get a shot to play again soon?

Utopia1dc: The reason Vick plead guilty was to have some of the charges dropped. He was also able to avoid more jail time. When Vick gets out of jail, he will be facing several years of probation. On top of that Sheriff Goodell isn’t just going to let him back in right away. I have a feeling Goodell will be very stern with Vick. With all that being said, some team will give him a chance, but he will be on very thin ice!


Big Tex, Paris, Texas: The cowboys are cooked if they lose Ware and the Barbarian to injuries.

Utopia1dc: Big Tex…calm down there, big fella! Ware is the heart and soul of the defense and he should be fine. MRI results were negative. Ware should be good to go, especially with the additional three days rest. Pretty much the same goes for Barber. His pinkie toe is dislocated, but not fractured. He will wear a protective steel toe shoe and a good tape job should keep him in the line-up!


Willy S., Ponca City, Oklahoma: I'm a big Patriots fan and you always bust on them especially matt casel. What gives man?

Utopia1dc: Slick Willy, you’re right…I do bust on the Patriots all the time. I lost respect for the entire organization because of Spy-gate, especially Bill Belichick. I have given Matt Cassel a lot of grief, but I also gave him some props and apologized to him in a previous post…maybe you missed that one! Read this post...Exploding!


Michelle, Gilbertsville, PA: So, now that Donovan had such a good week, do you think Reid may have been right in pulling him at half-time last week? Do you think that was what McNabb needed to get back on track?

Utopia1dc: Michelle, I see you reside in my neck of the woods! McNabb had a good week because he’s a good QB…it had nothing to do with his benching! Reid was wrong in benching his franchise QB…dead wrong! He disrespected the man who has defended the Eagles organization from day one. D-Mac has had Andy’s back on many occasions, too bad Big Red couldn’t return the favor! McNabb will be out of Philly after the season is over…it will do him a world of good. The Bears could use D-Mac’s services!



Short Shots:


Plaxico Burress…what the heck were you thinking? You shot yourself, in the leg, with a gun, in a bar…come on dude! Stupid…stupid…stupid! He will surely be suspended for the remainder of the season and the play-offs. Idiot!

The Cowboys are inching their way closer to a play-off spot each week. It seems as though they have been spared another catastrophe, as both DeMarcus Ware and Marion Barber will not miss any time due to the injuries they sustained on Turkey Day.



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Predictions Week 13

Each week, on Friday, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend games. I will always prognosticate on the Eagles and Cowboys games and then pick two more games of interest (to me, that is, not necessarily to you). Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling. That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!

The crystal ball was 2-2 last week, and that’s not acceptable. The crystal ball is now 19-20-1 for the season, just a tad under .500 (.488 to be exact). Hopefully this week, it will rebound on the short week. Today is Thanksgiving Day and both the Cowboys and Eagles square off (separately) in very important conference games. Each team needs a win if they want to move on into the play-offs. Let’s take a look at what the crystal ball has to say.

Last Week: 2-2

Overall: 19-20-1

Seattle @ Dallas: The Cowboys are coming off a big win against the 49ers. Owens and Romo both had huge days, and the offense seems to be back on track. Seattle shouldn’t be taken lightly, as they gave Washington all they could handle last week. Though the ‘Hawks lost, they played well against a formidable Redskins team. Look for a close game early, as the Cowboys take over late in the contest. Dallas 31, Seattle 20.

Arizona @ Philadelphia: Last week, the Eagles were grasping at straws for answers, as Reid pulled D-Mac in the second half. Kolb couldn’t provide the Eagles with a spark either. The Ravens defense confused the inexperienced Kolb into many mistakes. Arizona has a big lead in their division, but don’t look for them to be handing out any sympathy cards to the Birds. The Cards are hungry, but west coast teams on the road have not fared well against east coast teams this year. That shouldn’t be a factor though, as this is a late kick-off. In a squeaker, the Birds prevail. Philadelphia 24, Arizona 23.

Tennessee @ Detroit: The Lions are in a world of hurt as they try to get a win. Could a team in this era of parity actually go 0-16? Probably not, but today is not their day. The Titans were stunned by the Jets last week, and they look to avenge their only blemish of the season. The Lions should just pray that the Titans don’t embarrass them as the entire country watches while downing their turkeys. Tennessee 27, Detroit 9.

Pittsburgh @ New England: The Steelers are a force defensively and they will look to shut down Matt Cassel. The one time clipboard holder is playing well with back-to-back 400-yard games. The Steelers need a win to keep their 1-game lead in their division and the Pats don’t want to fall any further behind the division leading Jets. This should be a great game, but the edge must go to the Steelers, as they will bring Cassel back down to Earth. Pittsburgh 24, New England 20.


Short Shots:


Today is Thanksgiving, so we should all give thanks for what we have, and remember that not everyone is as fortunate as we are. I want to send a special shout-out to Je’Rod Cherry for his efforts to raise money for the needy by raffling off his Super Bowl ring. The drawing takes place today.

I wonder what kind of reception D-Mac will receive by the Philly fans as he is introduced at the Linc? The fans should go easy on him. It’s Thanksgiving after all…but it’s also Philadelphia!



From The Mail Room:


Pete F., Philadelphia, PA: If the Eagles lose this week should they play Kevin Kolb to see if he is the quarterback of the future?

Utopia1dc: Pete, even though I am not an Eagles fan, I think that McNabb should never have been pulled last week. At-least not in the manner in which it was handled by Reid. I think Andy is grasping at straws because he knows his job is on the line. Did he really think that Kolb would provide a spark against the Ravens defense? If the Eagles lose, their play-off situation becomes very bleak. At that point it might be a good idea to see what they have in Kolb. The McNabb era looks to be over after this season. Reid could be packing his bags as well!




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Week 12 Review

The crystal ball had a mediocre week, to say the least. The crystal ball went 2-2 for the week, and is now 19-20-1 for the season. That’s just slightly under .500 (.488 to be exact). We need to give it props for predicting the upset of the year (in my opinion). On the other hand, we must chastise it for the debacle in Denver. Let’s review what happened.

Last Week: 2-2

Overall: 19-20-1

San Francisco @ Dallas: This game started out close, but the 49ers were only able to convert 2 field goals early in the game. The Cowboys defense did their job by not allowing the game to get out of reach, while the offense was struggling. In the 2nd quarter, the ‘Boys offense exploded, as Romo hit Owens on a 75-yard bomb for a TD. After that, it was smooth sailing for Dallas, as Owens had a career-type day with 7 receptions, 213 yards, and a TD. The ‘Boys seem to be back on track to make a push for the play-offs!

Philadelphia @ Baltimore: The Eagles and the Ravens were in a classic defensive struggle at half time, with the Ravens leading 10-7. Then, the unthinkable happened…D-Mac was benched in favor of Kevin Kolb. Reid was so ashamed that he had the QB coach tell McNabb, as he was not man enough to do it himself! Now, I grant you that McNabb was struggling, but to pull him like that…that’s disrespectful! I know I have ripped D-Mac about the OT thing…but he didn’t deserve this! Kolb didn’t fare much better, as Baltimore ran away with this one in the 2nd half.

New York Jets @ Tennessee: The mighty have fallen…just as I had predicted. Favre was tremendous in this game, but the Jets defense held the Titans in check. It took Favre and his new buddies about a month to get used to each other, but now they are hitting on all cylinders. With Thomas Jones and Leon Washington leading the way on the ground, Favre’s aerial attack, and the defense playing well, the Jets are the team to beat in the AFC!

Oakland @ Denver: Boy, was the crystal ball wrong about this one. The Broncos picked a bad week for a let down, because the Raiders came to town ready to rumble. Fargas led the Raiders in the ground game, but McFadden was able to finish the job with 2 TDs. Russell only threw 11 passes, completing 10 of them, as he led his team to victory. Johnnie Lee Higgins returned a punt 89 yards for a TD. That’s his 2nd in as many weeks, as he had a 93-yard punt return for a TD last week against the Fins!


Short Shots:


Brady Quinn will miss the remainder of the season with a broken index finger. That’s too bad, as the Golden Domer had finally gotten his shot to strut his stuff a few weeks ago, when he took over for Derek Anderson. Quinn is clearly the QB of the future in Cleveland, so for the next 5 weeks, Derek will be auditioning for a new job next season.

Adam Jones is back and practicing this week with his fellow Cowboys. He will not be allowed to play on Turkey Day, as he is finishing up his suspension, which ended up being 6 games. This time, Pacman will have to stay out of trouble with no help from the Cowboys. Jerry Jones has taken away the security guards that were assigned to Adam. That’s not necessarily a bad thing…since that’s what got him in trouble in the first place!



From The Mail Room:


Fred S., Amarillo, Texas: Hey, I'm a displaced Eagles fan down here in Amarillo but I am originally from Pottsville. Anyway what the heck is going on with Donovan Mcnabb?

Utopia1dc: Fred, how did you end up in Amarillo? I’ve never been to Pottsville, but it’s not too far from me, but I have been through Amarillo on my way to the Texas Grand Canyon. As for McNabb, he has been given his starting job back for the Turkey Day game. McNabb was severely disrespected by Andy Reid, in my opinion. I don’t see D-Mac returning to Philly next season. The McNabb era is over. The Reid era is in serious jeopardy, as well!



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Exploding

Yesterday, the Cowboys defeated the San Francisco 49ers, at Texas Stadium, by a score of 35-22. Don’t let the score fool you, the ‘Boys were in cruise control mid-way through the 2nd quarter. The Cowboys defense started off a little shaky, but they were able to limit the 49ers to field goals. After the 1st quarter, the boys trailed 6-0, but that’s when it happened…the game changed in an instant!

The Cowboys got the ball at their own 23-yard line to start the 2nd quarter. After an incomplete pass by Romo, and a 2-yard dive by Barber, the ‘Boys were faced with a 3rd and 8 from their own 25-yard line. The Cowboys were in shotgun formation. Romo was flushed to his right; he looked up and found Owens streaking down the sideline. Romo fired a bomb that landed in Owens hands. Owens broke a tackle and took it to the house, for a 75-yard TD.

From that point on, the Cowboys were unstoppable. Romo threw for 341 yards and 3 TDs. Owens had a career day with 7 receptions for 213 yards and a TD. Until yesterday, 89 yards were the most Terrell had recorded this season, which was against Philadelphia, in week 2. That play alone, could be the spark that the Cowboys needed to get to their ultimate goal!

Owens has been frustrated this year…no doubt! He has remained a good teammate, and has towed the company line. He bit his lip and didn’t throw Brad Johnson under the bus (though he very well should have). Terrell sees the big picture…he sees the prize! Owens knew that he would get his chance, once “his quarterback” was healthy. Terrell knew that when they got their timing back, there was nothing to stop T.O. from…exploding!


Short Shots:


Andy Reid pulled D-Mac in favor of Kevin Kolb to start the 2nd half yesterday. The Eagles only trailed the Ravens 10-7 at half-time. I’m not sure what Big Red was thinking? As expected, Kolb didn’t fare much better, and the Birds laid another egg! For those that want the Kolb era to begin will have to wait, as Reid has named McNabb the starter for the Turkey Day game!

Matt Cassel threw for over 400 yards yesterday. Actually, he has thrown for 400+ yards, 2 weeks in a row…a feat that has only been accomplished four other times. Cassel…I apologize for calling you a professional clipboard holder…sorry!


From The Mail Room:


Josh D., Topeka, Kansas: The cowboys played good and beat san fran but they stink. Do you really think da boyz have a chance to win superbowl?


Utopia1dc: Josh, I do agree that the 49ers are a poor team, but nonetheless, the Cowboys took care of business. You can’t control whom you play, but when you play a lesser team…you got to beat them. And the ‘Boys did just that! As far as the Super Bowl goes…why not? If Romo stays healthy and Roy Williams can get more involved, I think that the Cowboys offense is unstoppable!



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Predictions Week 12

Each week, on Friday, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend games. I will always prognosticate on the Eagles and Cowboys games and then pick two more games of interest (to me, that is, not necessarily to you). Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling. That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!

The crystal ball was a little off last week by going a measly 1-2-1 for the week. The Eagles debacle in Cincy cost me dearly (but not as much as it did McNabb). That leaves my disgraced crystal ball and me at 17-18-1 for the season, a tad under .500 (.486 to be exact). This week the crystal ball was given a few extra days off to regain its composure. Let’s see what’s in store for us this week.

Last Week: 1-2-1

Overall: 17-18-1

San Francisco @ Dallas: The Cowboys got a much-needed victory against archrival Washington last week. The Cowboys find themselves right back in the mix for a play-off spot, at 6-4. Romo looks to be back on track after his mid-season hiatus. His pinkie should continue to heal as the weeks go by. The 49ers are coming off a big win as well, but I don’t see them keeping pace with the rejuvenated Cowboys. The Cowboys will look to get Williams and Owens involved early and often. Dallas 34, San Francisco 16.

Philadelphia @ Baltimore: It’s a good thing that the Birds are on the road this week; I just can’t imagine what kind of reception McNabb would be confronted with if this game were at the Linc. The Eagles were brutally disgraced last week by the Bengals. The Ravens didn’t fair much better, as they got thrashed by the G-men. Philly needs a win desperately as McNabb and Andy Reid are fighting for their jobs. Philadelphia 20, Baltimore 17.

Oakland @ Denver: The Raiders played well against the Fins last week but they still couldn’t manage to get a win. Offensively, they are a pathetic, to say the least. Their defense has played well at times. Al Davis shelled out big time cash in the off-season; I’m sure this isn’t the team he had envisioned. The Broncos got a huge win by knocking off the Falcons in Atlanta last week. Denver has a 2-game lead in their division and now is not the time for a let down. Denver 27, Oakland 13.

New York Jets @ Tennessee: The Titans are standing tall at 10-0 and they are ripe to be knocked down. The bigger they are, the harder they fall! Look out Tennessee; the original Titans (the New York Titans changed their name to the New York Jets in 1963) are coming to town to reclaim their nomenclature. Favre and his new buddies will get it done somehow, someway. Upset special…New York Jets 27, Tennessee 26.


Short Shots:


Shout out to D-Mac the trendsetter…this week’s game is in Baltimore at 1:00 PM. If you need directions, here’s a link to MapQuest.

The Cowboys got hit with another bit of bad new this week. Rookie sensation Felix “the cat” Jones will be placed on IR, as he needs surgery on his toe. Ironically, he injured his toe while rehabbing his quad. Felix will have to wait until next year for us to hear him meow!

Je’Rod Cherry is raffling off his Super Bowl ring, the first of the three he won as a member of the New England Patriots. No this is not another star down on his luck…read why here. Mr. Cherry, if you were part of the cheating in New England…all is forgiven!



From The Mail Room:


Vet, Ambler, PA: Will having two people by replay booth help correct issues? I personally think if one screws it up they both will.

Utopia1dc: Vet, I see that you’re a fellow Amblerite. I agree with you that having two officials at the booth won’t help one bit. If the refs don’t know how to interpret the rule, what’s the difference if they stand next to each other or not. They’ve always been able to confer with each other prior to announcing their final decision anyway.



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