Cowboys Corner

Jerry Jones and Mr. Papa Johns delivering pizzas

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and the founder of Papa John's Pizza  John Schnatter delivered over 800 pizzas to roughly 2,000 construction workers at the new Cowboys Stadium Saturday. Joining Jones and Schnatter in delivering pizza and good will to the construction workers was Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick.

The thresome took pictures and signed autographs for the workers. Jones was even asked to do some of the dance moves he made famous in his Papa John's commercials last year but he declined because he didn't have "the right music."

"I hope it shows we are a team and the construction workers are part of the team," Jones said. "I know so many people I have visited with who have helped build this stadium over the last several years have just to be a part of the project will always be a part of them."

Papa John's will have at least four pizza stands in the new Cowboys Stadium. It will also be served in all the suites.

In addition, Schnatter also personally delivered pizzas to the kids participating in the Tashard Choice Youth Camp at Sam Houston High School earlier in the day. Schnatter served pizzas and also gave a financial donation to the Tashard Choice Foundation.

It was a full day for Scandrick as well. He worked the Choice camp before coming over to the stadium. Also working the camp were running backs Felix Jones and Marion Barber.

Clarence E. Hill Jr.

 

Marty B going Charles Barkley

Martellus Bennett is on his way to becoming the next Charles Barkley, becoming famous for saying silly and off the wall stuff. Now if he can only earn a starting job or at least 10 TDs to add substance to his celebrity.

http://deadspin.com/5271310/a-game-of-healthy-fat-or-unhealthy-fat-with-martellus-bennett?skyline=true&s=x

Clarence E. Hill Jr.

New Stadium bigger than Super Bowl?

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones compared the process of building and completing the $1.15 billion Cowboys stadium to winning the Super Bowl.

He said if he was asked if he'd trade the stadium for another Super Bowl title, he doesn't know how he would answer.

It means that much to him.

Jones said the difference is that he has control over what happens in the stadium. With concerts, the NBA All-Star game and the Super Bowl itself, he can have big events every week in the stadium.

As far as the Cowboys getting to and winning the Super Bowl again, that has been a frustrating concept.

Considering the Cowboys haven't won a playoff game since 1996 let alone sniffed a Super Bowl berth since they last won in 1995, I can understand as much.

Still, don't misunderstand.

Jones expects his team to live up to the standards of the stadium.

And the stadium is second to none in the NFL if not the world.

So lets stop all the talk of the Cowboys lowering their expectations for next season.

"I think so," Jones said. "I have always thought that is was an element of added pressure to be a member of the Cowboys. It's about expectations. I expect every player that plays on this field to play above their level. That's how you are going to stay here. I do have high expectations. You can't put something up like this and not expect the team to reflect the quality of stadium."

 

Clarence E. Hill Jr.

In his own words: DeCamillis speaks about tragedy

Cowboys special teams coach Joe DeCamillis has not been made available to the local media since suffered a broken neck in the tragic collapse of the team's indoor practice facility. DeCamillis, who was lucky he wasn't paralyzed, has since returned to work following neck surgery and a week long hospital stay.

He talked to Atlanta radio station 790 the Zone about his frightening experience.

Explain what happened:

“I just ended up with my special teams period, and it was bad weather obviously, that’s why we were indoors.  And, all of a sudden you look up and you see the thing kinda move.  A little bit unsettling obviously, and then you started seeing the video guy that was the endzone camera, started to really rock and roll.  You knew the structure was in trouble.  Guys started to get out the doors that they were close to - I happened to be close to the door on the east side… Which unfortunately, was not the great thing, ’cause what happened was the structure ended up falling on to us.”

Were you caught underneath the debris?

“The scariest part was the tarp was on top of us.  So, you thought you were really gonna suffocate.  I knew my back was hurt, but you thought you were gonna suffocate when you were sitting there because there was like six inches of water on the ground, and there was a big ol’ tarp that was on top of you.  That was really scary… I can still kinda see something falling on me, but I’m not sure if it was a beam, I couldn’t tell you what drilled me into the ground… To be honest with you, I was more worried about suffocating, so what I did was get on my back, dug my elbows in to the ground and then shot my feet up, and just tried to create some air right there.  And, when you did that you could hear people yelling and screaming.  And, the poor kid that got paralyzed, you could hear him yelling.  It was a pretty scary situation, no question.”

How were you rescued?

“I still don’t know how this happened.  People started ripping open the tarp to get there, there’s a lot of heroes within that organization.  Guys started ripping open the tarp, well, you could see the light.  I saw the guy that was paralyzed, I saw another guy that was crumpled up next to me - I don’t know whether he was dead or alive.  And, then I saw the kid that had the compound fracture, so I could see him.  And, I’m sitting there with my back and I’m thinking, ‘Geez, you wuss, you gotta get up, man.’  So, somehow (laughs), I ended up walking inside to my office… And, I called Dana, my wife, and I said, ‘Are you all right?’  And, she said, ‘Yeah.  I’m all right.  It’s bad weather but what’s the matter?’  And, I said, ‘Well, you’re gonna see something on the TV, the dome just fell on me but I’m okay (laughs).”

http://sportsradiointerviews.com/2009/05/25/joe-decamillis-speaks-about-the-training-facility-accident/

You can listen to the interview here:

http://multimedia.790thezone.com/m/22346537/cowboys-special-teams-coach-joe-decamillis.htm

Terrell Owens will be back in Dallas

Terrell Owens is coming back to Dallas June 24 and 25 to hold his annual youth football camp at Duncanville High School.

You know he is going to have something interesting to say about the Cowboys and his shocking departure. If you keeping count, he has already blamed Stephen Jones, Tony Romo and Jason Garrett for his ouster. He also said Jerry Jones betrayed him. So stay tuned.

Clarence E. Hill

Until then, here at the details on his camp and you can register on line through www.terrellowens.com:

Terrell Owens Youth Football Summer Camp
Ages:7-17

June 24-25, 2009

Registration Begins promptly @ 8:30 A.M.

Sessions begins promptly @ 9:00 A.M.

Various Camps Sessions 9:00 A.M. thru 3:00 P.M.

Full Lunch will be served between 12:00-1:00 P.M. both days

Parent Pickup: 3:30 P.M. (Sharp)

This camp is on a first come, first serve basis. Space is limited and early registration strongly advised...

This year’s camp will include two days of fun-filled activities for young boys ages 7-17.

In addition, Terrell’s Youth Summer Football Mini-Camp offers invaluable physical training and skill sharpening lessons promising to both encourage and train tomorrow’s next athletic superstar.

This year’s events will include a full football related itinerary complete with speed and coordination training, fitness and strength training sessions, Q&A sessions with elite athletes from both college levels and the NFL, raffles, giveaways and much, much more.

Event Restrictions:

Ages 7 -17 Please note: All sales are final. No refunds, no exceptions

This event is organized by T.O. Football Camp C/O Courtney Parker. Click here if you would like to view all events by this organization.

Ask this vendor a question

Get tough policy

Wade Phillips promised that he would be tougher on the Cowboys to ensure a more disciplined team next season.

We got a glimpse of the tougher Cowboys at OTA's on Tuesday when guard Leonard Davis was guilty of a false start. He was yanked out of the lineup and replaced by Ryan Gibbons.

Davis was back in on the next play. But that is example how the Cowboys are holding the players more accountable for mistakes than last season.

There is also more yelling, screamng and cursing from the coaches. The practices are being held at a faster pace than year ago. And when a play is messed up the players are back on the ball running it again.

Now Phillips remains his same laid back self. But the tempo and how the Cowboys go about doing their business has changed.

Clarence E. Hill Jr. 

Are the Cowboys better now that all the so called whiners, complainers and malcontents are gone?

Greg Ellis has been told to stay away from the Cowboys practice and has been given permission to seek a trade. Pacman is gone, Tank Johnson is gone. S Roy Williams is gone. And Terrell Owens is gone. There will be less headaches at Valley Ranch but can you really say the Cowboys are more talented than they were at the end of the season. More importantly, will they be a better football team next season. You tell me.

Clarence E. Hill Jr.

Cowboys finally shopping Ellis in trade

Linebacker Greg Ellis was sent home organized team activities on  Thursday and has been put on the trading block, multiple sources said.

Ellis, who turns 34 in August,  was told it was about giving a veteran some time off, his agent James Williams said.

Williams also reiterated that Ellis wants to continue his career with the Cowboys.

But no other veteran was sent home to rest. According to sources, the Cowboys are trying to shop Ellis in a trade.

The Cowboys sent Ellis home from OTAs  last year when they were trying to give more reps to linebacker Anthony Spencer in an attempt to get him to supplant Ellis as the starter.

Ellis still began 2008 as the starter when Spencer suffered a knee injury in training camp. However by the end of the season Spencer started on first and second down with Ellis coming in on passing downs.

Ellis' future became even more questionable when the Cowboys selected two passing rushing linebackers in 2009 draft _ Victor Butler and Brandon Williams.

It was assumed then that if Spencer continued to develop and  Butler and Williams showed they could contribute then Ellis was in danger of getting cut in training camp.

Ellis has one year left on his contract with a base salary of $4.15 million in 2009. His salary cap number is $6.25 million.  If he is cut the Cowboys would have to pay him $1.5 million.

However if he is traded the guarentee goes with his contract, saving the Cowboys more than $5 million in salary cap room in 2009.

Ellis, a former first round pick 1998, had just 8 sacks last season after recording a career high 12.5 sacks during his only Pro Bowl campaign in 2007.

Choice ready for role

Last year Tashard Choice started out as the forgotten man in the Cowboys backfield.

With Marion Barber coming off a Pro Bowl season and first round pick Felix Jones getting most of the attention, Choice was the simply the odd man out. A fourth round pick out of Georgia Tech, Choice was left to find his way as a scout team running back and special teams performer.

But of course by the end of the season, Choice was the only running back the Cowboys could count on. Injuries forced Barber and Jones to the sideline, forcing Choice into the starting lineup for the crucial month of December.

Not only did he fill in but he stood out _ rushing for 472 yards on 92 carries and 2 touchdowns, averaging 5.1 yards per carry.

Although a healthy Barber and Jones will again open the season as the Cowboys first two options in the backfield, they will not leave Choice out this time.

He showed enough last season to warrant a role in what will be a three-man running back committee.

The Cowboys have yet to decide on how they will use their running backs. There has been talk that Jones will start and Barber will return to his closer role.

And while Choice has not yet been giving anything definitive on how they will use him, he has been told by the coaches that they will find some carries and touches for him.

"I just wanted to prove myself last year that was huge for me," Choice said. "They said they will implement me in the offense. I know that."

Clarence E. Hill Jr.

Tashard Choice does golf tournament one day before OTAs

Cowboys running back Tashard Choice held a charity golf tournament on Monday at the Brookhaven Country Club, benefitting the Single Parent Foundation of Dallas and the North Texas Georgia Tech Student Scholarship Endowment Fund.

Choice played in college at Georgia Tech and is product of a single parent household.

He said both causes  are near and dear to him _ especially the single parent foundation because he knows what his mother went through to raise him.

Choice had 100 golfers participate in the tournament, including teammates Keith Brooking, Patrick Crayton, Justin Rogers, and Marion Barber. He hoped to raise $20,000 on Monday. Others players who stopped by to meet and greet sponsors and participants were Jay Ratliff, Felix Jones and Isaiah Stanback.

 

Clarence E. Hill Jr.