no offense, but this is out-and-out ludicrous. you build a fan base by making a commitment to putting the best team on the field and promising to do whatever it takes to make the team better. period. running recycled "homegrown heroes" through town might create an initial, albeit small, spike in interest, but once the fans get a whiff of the on-the-field product, they couldn't care less where the players come from. a bad team is a bad team. now, i agree, mcnair needs to market to austin and san antonio, and other such texas locales, but filling your roster with inferior, but local players is the wrong way to go about it. again, they won't be 0-16. have you seen the teams on their schedule next year: dallas, washington, tennessee (twice), indianapolis (twice), jacksonville (twice) and the fourth place finishers in the afc east and west? draft wisely (and they've had nearly three years to prepare for this draft), make sound fa moves, catch a few breaks and 4-5 wins is not inconceivable. they're going to lose, but they're going to be competitive and likely making big strides as the season progresses. that, to me anyway, is far more appealing than major freaking applewhite. sorry, more out-and-out silliness. what "fan" would be more interested in watching major applewhite struggle to see over the line of scrimmage at the expense of two qb's who at least give you a fighting chance to win some games? outside of the applewhite family, of course. you don't build fan bases by conceding defeat.
I don't know... remember how much the fans used to cheer that scrub Bucky Richardson when he got in the preseason games for the Oilers?
So I'm guessing that Jerry won't be getting your vote for GM of the year? I agree that the Cowboys have numerous holes to fill, and it won't be done by this draft alone. The problem is not with Campo. He's an excellent coach, and motivator. The team has come to play every week, and never quits. The problem's exist with the Coordinators, and extreme lack of talent. In a perfect world Jerry would realize the error of his ways, and hire Ron Wolfe as his GM, Hire Gary Kubiak as the head coach, and bring in Dungy (after he's fired this off season) as the defensive Coordinator. They would then take Henderson with their first pick this year, and shoot for Eli Manning next year. Of coarse this is not the real world so Jones will remain the GM, the Coordinators will remain in place, and we have Ryan Leaf to look forward too for the next decade.
Peppers looks like the #1 material to me, a true freak. He looks as quick and long as the initial Freak (Kerse), but stronger. Also, I think generally DE and LBs can have the most impact on a team defense. 1) Even with the greatest CBs (Deon, Woodson, Haynes) you just throw it to the other side of the field. Also, usually the best DBs are corners, not safeties. Even Ronnie Lott maybe the best safety I have seen (as a Boys fan I hate to admit it), played corner early in his career. I cannot see building your team around a DB no matter how great he is (e.g., a Lott, Woodson, Deon, Haynes, Harrison). 2) DT often do not impact the passing game like DE/LBS. The most dominating defensive players over the past 20 years have been guys like LT, Reggie, Bruce, Thomas, Lewis, Seau, etc. Guys you can move around and who can do different things. Even the best DTs of the last 20 years (whom? maybe Jerome Brown, SF guy who broke his leg, Lett, Childress, Russell) are easier to account for because you know where they are (prepare for and scheme) and can double them or run away from them. I think the Texans should trade Peppers (or whomever is the #1 pick) and get multiple picks in return. I would try to trade down just low enough to use a 10 pick or so on Harrington or Carr (both have good tools, size and best of all are gamers) plus use an extra 1st and 2nd round pick on defenders. They can pick up Dilfer to run the offense until their young QB is ready, the guy doesn't do much for an offense but at least he would be servicable and most importantly the young QB would not be picking up bad decision making habits from him.
problem is, few think either is worthy of such a high pick. both grade out in a brian griese-kind of way: they'll be as good as the team around them. that's not a knock, per se, but it does seem to indicate they're not worthy of building a franchise around. both are likely mid-to-late first rounders, perhaps even early second rounders. they and kurt kittner represent the best senior qb's, by far, and i think one of the three will be available mid-second round, probably even third round, which is when the texans should waste a pick on a qb. too much impact talent available in rounds 1 and 2 to use a pick on a suspect qb, especially if better ones might be available in 2003. but, that's mo.
What did Atl give the Chargers for the #1? I think the Chargers did well the last draft. LT is already playing more than Vick.
ATL blew their wad to get vick, imo. thing is, there's no vick in this year's draft, so i don't think what SD got is really applicable, but... they switched spots in the first round, and SD got a 2000 3rd, a 2001 2nd and tim dwight.
