4 Reasons Jerome Harrison is Being Undervalued

Last year, Jerome Harrison entered fantasy football lore with one of the most unexpectedly productive final months we’ve ever seen. Over the season’s final three games, Harrison logged 286, 148, and 127 yards. He added five touchdowns for good measure.

More than a few playoff matchups were decided because of a player that few people (other than me, of course) had on their radar screen before the season began.

But as we get closer to the start of the 2010 season, I get the sense that people are becoming increasingly wary of Harrison. Much of this feeling comes from the fact that I’ve drafted Jerome Harrison in the 8th and 9th rounds in my last two drafts, and I feel he’s at least 2-3 rounds more valuable than that this year…with the potential to be even more valuable than that.

In this post, I’ll give you a few of the reasons why I am not nearly as worried about Jerome as so many others seem to be.

1. Harrison has always been productive when given a chance

As I mentioned last year, even dating back to his college days at Washington State the one constant about Jerome Harrison has been that he always produces when given consistent carries:

This fact often gets lost when people look at Jerome Harrison and just see a 5′9, 218 pound back. In college, Harrison set the Washington State single-season rushing record with 1,900 yards. He also broke the Pac-10 record for consecutive 100-yards games with 16.

And when you look at his NFL career, the same holds true.

Just look at last season. In the four games in which the Browns gave Harrison 20+ carries, he was outstanding. Heading into 2010, Harrison is slated to have many more than four such games this year.

His career numbers, spread out over four seasons and 47 games, are: 271 carries, 1,310 yards, 6 TDs, 57 receptions, 402 receiving yards, and 2 receiving TDs. Take that as a stand-alone season and it’s top 10-15 RB material, which is exactly what I think Harrison has the potential to be this season.

Now, I don’t think he’ll grab 57 passes, so that projection is a bit much, but 250+ carries and 1200+ yards is not at all unreasonable, especially with the Browns’ being forced to focus on the run with INT-machine Jake Delhomme at QB and no standout WRs to speak of.

So you should trust that Harrison will produce if given carries. The question then becomes, is there someone on the Browns’ roster who could pilfer carries away from Harrison? Yes, but…

2. Montario Hardesty is very talented…but can’t stay healthy

The biggest knock on Harrison’s 2010 fantasy value has been the presence of Browns’ 2nd round draft choice Montario Hardesty. The rookie was very productive when healthy during his career at the University of Tennessee, with the key phrase there being when healthy.

Hardesty has already had multiple operations on his knee and only had one season at Tennessee in which he carried the ball more than 107 times. Much of that was due to the injury issues.

And guess what? Hardesty has already dealt with injury issues during the preseason and just got hurt again in the Browns’ most recent preseason game. While he may still prove to be a productive part of the Browns backfield in 2010, it is difficult, based on his history, to put much faith in Hardesty stealing consistent carries away from Harrison.

3. James Davis and Peyton Hillis are nothing special

As for 2009 rookie James Davis and Peyton Hillis, neither has shown the ability to be as productive an every down back as Harrison; and certainly neither possesses Harrison’s explosiveness or big play ability.

Hillis, however, will probably vulture some goalline TDs away from Harrison. That sucks, but it is what it is. Most of Harrison’s touchdowns come from outside the 5-10 yard lines anyway though, so this isn’t that big of a concern.

4. The Browns have a very underrated offensive line

No, the Browns’ offense was not very good last year, but it wasn’t the fault of the offensive line. Anchored by perennial Pro Bowler Joe Thomas, the Browns consistently opened up holes for running backs and protected their quarterbacks. The problem? Ancient Jamal Lewis was too slow to hit the hole and neither Brady Quinn nor Derek Anderson was able to play at a competent level with very, very little talent to throw to on the outside.

But, as mentioned above, Harrison proved that a productive running back with young, fresh legs can thrive behind the Browns’ current O-line. What he did over the last three weeks of the season showed that this unit can be a good run blocking line, and I expect that to continue into 2010.

Conclusion

Will Jerome Harrison produce like he did against Kansas City in Week 15 (286 yards, 3 TDs) every week? Of course not. In fact, expecting his Week 15-17 production extrapolated over a full season is foolish. The Browns played Kansas City, Jacksonville, and Oakland, none of whom were especially strong against the run.

But, Jerome Harrison certainly has value as a #2 running back. You’re probably better off if you can pencil him as your #3 RB or flex player, but I think he finishes the season in the top 20.

To give you some comparisons: Harrison is more proven than Jahvid Best, Felix Jones, and CJ Spiller; he’ll get more opportunities than Marion Barber and Ricky Williams; and he’s less of an injury risk, based on his history, than Ronnie Brown or Joseph Addai (who is already dealing with a concussion). Yet, in most drafts, Harrison is going behind all of these guys. I’m not sure I’d do it in every situation, but a strong case could be made for taking Harrison about them all.

Certainly, Harrison is more valuable than the 8th-9th round where I’ve been getting him. Based on where he’s typically available, I’d start targeting Harrison in Round 7. And when you get him, either in that round or a round or two later, just know that you’re setting yourself up to get a guy who, based on his historical production and expected role, very well could produce Round 4-5 value.

*********

* – Jerome Harrison photo source: Fantasy Knuckleheads

Fantasy Football Tip of the Day: Don’t be scared about Jamaal Charles

I’ve heard a lot of grumbling about whether or not Jamaal Charles is really a stud fantasy RB in 2010 because he now must compete with Thomas Jones for touches. Heck, I’ve even wondered about it myself.

This morning, I’m here to tell you to stop the grumbling.

First of all, consider that Charles was already a stud last year and he only had 190 carries. It’s what he did with those 190 carries that matters, and Charles certainly made the most of them, finishing the season with 1,120 yards (a sterling 5.9 yard average) and 7 TDs. He also – importantly – tacked on 40 receptions for an additional 297 yards and another TD.

So that’s 1,400+ total yards and 8 TDs. By way of comparison, DeAngelo Williams had about 1,375 total yards and 7 TDs last year with almost 3o more carries.

And remember, Charles didn’t even start getting consistent touches until Week 10. Before that game against Oakland, Charles had not carried the ball more than six times in a single game. From Week 10 on, he never carried it less than 14 times and finished the season with 20, 25, 24, and 25 carries in consecutive weeks. That, of course, is when he exploded.

If you take Charles’ Week 10-17 performance and extrapolate it over an entire season, you’d get 1,936 yards on 322 carries…which is just ridiculous production. But that’s how good Charles was during the season’s second half last year. No one really expects Charles to get that many touches, especially with Jones in the picture, but he certainly will remain a featured part of the Chiefs’ offense.

Let’s say that Charles carries the ball 17 times per game, a reasonable and conservative estimate. His career average is 5.7 yards per carry, which he almost certainly will not maintain, but let’s say he averages a modest 4.5. That’s still 1,224 yards. If he tacks on another 40-50 receptions, which he almost certainly will, that’s another 300-400 yards. Assuming he gets 8-10 touchdowns, another modest assumption, you’re talking about a back who eclipses 1,500 yards and with 8-10 TDs.

That’s easily 2nd round material at a position as tough and competitive as running back – and it’s worst-case-scenario type stuff. Based on what we saw last year, Charles has the talent to get 1,500+ rushing yards even without toting the rock 300 times.

I know that people are worried Thomas Jones will steal some of Charles’ thunder this year, but I would not be overly concerned about it. While Jones was monstrous in his own right last year, he is 32 years old and approaching the inevitable running back cliff. At this point in his career, he is best served by accepting a reduced role and excelling in it, especially coming off of a 331-carry season.

The Chiefs will be better on offense this year than people think (Charlie Weis baby!), and I believe there will be plenty of scoring opportunities for Charles to be a solid #2 RB or even a #1 guy if you go QB or WR in Round 1. I also think Jones will have some flex value getting 10-12 touches per game and the occasional score.

But do not – I repeat do not - downgrade Jamaal Charles because Thomas Jones is around.

In fact, consider this: the knock on Charles has always been his size, leading to people questioning whether or not he can take a pounding. Well, having Jones around means Charles won’t have to carry 300+ times, which should theoretically keep him fresher and mitigate the risk of injury. A reasonable argument could be made that the presence of Jones actually increases Charles’ value. It’s counter-intuitive, I know. But you don’t win fantasy leagues by just following the herd of groupthink all the time.

Final thought: Teams know that they need two competent RBs in this day and age, but the fresher, more talented legs almost always win out. Jamaal Charles clearly has both, and he is in line to pick up right where he left off in 2009.

Quick message from the editor

As you may have noticed, the 10 posts that were up here before are now gone. I’ll take the blame for that (mainly because, well, it’s my fault). A mixup with the RSS feeds caused that content to be lost into cyberspace forever. I’ve been so anxious to get this up and running I probably went a little too fast.

But alas, who really cares? It was old content anyway, and as we all know, the relevance of fantasy information dwindles by the minute. So that stuff we wrote about a couple of days ago? Who cares!? It’s time for new content. And that’s exactly what we’ll be bringing you here at MSF Fantasy Sports.

Follow us on Twitter and be ready for plenty more content to come, as well as some other features that will make it much easier for you to get feedback from our writers.

Stay tuned…

Test post. (Note to Twitter followers: Don’t click)

This is a test post.

Video – Alex Rodriguez Admits to Taking Steroids While With Rangers

Breaking news from ESPN this afternoon as former Texas Ranger and current New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez has given an exclusive interview to Peter Gammons in which he admits to using steroids.

I could summarize what ARod said, or just let you watch the video of the interview (at least, the portion that ESPN has made available online). Here is Alex Rodriguez, in his own words, admitting to his steroid use while with the Rangers:

First off, for those of you who also read Midwest Sports Fans, you may have seen my post yesterday about the revelation that Alex Rodriguez failed a steroid test in 2003. I was pretty harsh on ARod, and the other 140 players listed in the post who have either been explicitly linked to steroid use or failed an MLB steroid test, not unlike everyone else in the sports blogosphere and sports media.

With ARod’s decision to come clean today, he does deserve a small amount of kudos. Too many players who have gotten embroiled in steroid allegations have either not said anything (Mark McGwire) or continuously maintained their innocence despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary (Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa) or given half-hearted apologies in which they apologize for nothing specific (Jason Giambi). Sure, Alex Rodriguez has had the opportunity to see these strategies fail, and he has already straight up lied about using steroids to Katie Couric on CBS last year, but at least he is not disrespecting baseball fans by attempting to deny, deny, deny when the facts are clear that he cheated.

I’ve become resigned to the fact, rightly or wrongly, that the majority of Major Leaguers were using steroids in the 90s and early 00s. I’m over it, and beyond being upset about it. The only thing that still pisses me off is when players think they just can lie about their use of steroids or deny it, hoping that everyone just forgets about it. In this sense, I have to give ARod a very tiny, miniscule amount of credit. He still cheated, he still lied repeatedly until he was outed, and none of his excuses of being “under pressure” and “the culture of the Rangers and the game” will exonerate him; but, at least he is facing the music now, and doing so publicly.

We’ll see how the rest of the sports world reacts to his admission.

Eagles-Giants NFC Divisional Round Preview and Prediction

For the record, I am not a Cowboys fan. I’m not one of those haters that actively roots for the Cowboys to lose and that wouldn’t even urinate on Jerry Jones if he were on fire — and believe me, they’re out there in hordes — but I do somewhat enjoy the ridiculous ebb and flow and overreaction of Cowboys fans and the media here in Dallas to everything that goes on at Valley Ranch.

Why am I prefacing this post in such a manner? Well, because I just want to make it very clear that I have no inherent passion for the upcoming Eagles-Giants NFC Divisional Round playoff game this weekend, outside of just the normal interest that a football fan would have. However, the thought of writing an Eagles-Giants preview on Dallas Sports Fans, and rubbing a little more salt in the wounds of the Cowboys 2008 season, was just too delicious a thought to pass up.

(This just in: apparently, the Dallas Cowboys did not make the playoffs in 2008. Multiple media sources are reporting that the team’s prodigious hopes coming into the year went down in an infamous blaze of gory in Philadelphia two weekends ago. Can anyone else confirm this? Where is Randy Galloway when you need him…)

Robert may restrict my admin access after this post.

Anyway, before we go any further, below is a quick breakdown of this weekend’s Eagles-Giants NFC Divisional Round playoff game, in which both teams have a chance to do something that the Cowboys do not: advance to the NFC Championship game next weekend.

Philadelphia Eagles (10-6-1) at New York Giants (12-4)

• Sunday, January 11, 2009
• TV Schedule: 1:00 ET on FOX
• Announcer Pairing: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Pam Oliver
• Point Spread: New York Giants -4 1/2
• Over-Under Odds: 40

(Info for this game, and this weekend’s other games provided by the NFL Divisional Round Playoff TV Schedule post at MSF.)

Let’s run down some of the quick keys to the game real game, taken straight off the top of my head:

First, it is imperative that the Giants be able to establish a consistent passing game. Eli Manning and the passing attack of the Giants has been wildly inconsistent since Plaxico Burress was suspended following the infamous incident in which he shot himself in the leg. If you haven’t seen the hidden camera footage of the incident, or the untold story of how Plaxico was actually trying to shoot Tiki Barber, reported by Flash Sports Tonight, it’s rather interesting:

(BTW, if you can’t see the video, just head over to the FST website and watch it there.)

Anyway, guys like Domenik Hixon and Amani Toomer are going to have step up and give Eli Manning consistent targets on 3rd down — and catch the ball. Hixon has had trouble shaking the dropsies, and will need to correct that for the Giants to be able to threaten the Eagles defense in multiple ways. We know the Giants will be able to run the ball, and they have Brandon Jacobs back healthy and ready to play, but they will need balance against the Eagles D and Jim Johnson, who are playing at an extremely high level right now.

On the flip side, Philadelphia’s offense needs to be balanced as well. It goes without saying that Brian Westbrook needs to stay healthy and play the entire game for Philly to have a chance. He is the motor that makes the Eagles go and provides a dynamic threat to any defense. But he can’t beat a team like the Giants all by himself. The Eagles will throw the ball, and they will throw it a lot, and they need to threaten the Giants downfield to open up the inside running and short passes to Westbrook out of the backfield. For this to happen, Donovan McNabb needs to be accurate and they need a big game from DeSean Jackson.

A couple quick links to give you more info and better analysis that I’m capable of providing:

Giants-Eagles Preview — (Pat Kirwan, NFL.com)

Giants D-Line must pressure McNabb — (Thomas George, NFL.com)

And now, before I give you my prediction, chime in with yours:

[poll id="4"]

(And for the record, if you vote for the Cowboys, you are either an idiot, Jessica Simpson, or Jerry Jones. Honestly, I’m not sure which of those three I would rather be — or which one would do a better job of running the team.)

Sounds like another poll to me!

[poll id="5"]

This is the joy of having admin access and posting before Robert even wakes up. This post will go live before he can edit this post.

Okay, I’m done playing around. Time to offer up a prediction that you can take to the bank to be absolutely and terribly wrong.

The Giants have been an outstanding team all year long, and obviously have the better pedigree having won the Super Bowl last year. Philadelphia always seems to be that team that is just dangerous enough to win some games in the playoffs, but never can quite get over the hump. I like how Philly’s D is playing, and the fact that Brian Westbrook appears healthy and is providing that dynamic running/receiving threat gives them a fighting chance.

But I’m going with the defending champs. Having Brandon Jacobs back means that the great trio of Jacobs-Ward-Bradshaw and can pound away at the Eagles D and take some pressure off of Eli Manning and his undermanned received corps. I think the threat of the run, combined with play-action, will allow Eli to spread the ball around effectively to Hixon, Toomer, Steve Smith, and Kevin Boss.

I agree with Pat Kirwan of NFL.com and pretty much everyone else who thinks that this game will go down the final drive and be an outstanding, exciting viewing experience. In the end, I like the Giants to make the one or two plays that will decide the game, and to ride their running back trio into the NFC Championship game next week.

New York Giants 24 | Philadelphia Eagles 20 | Dallas Cowboys 0

Maybe next year Cowboys fans. But this weekend, you’ll have to watch the two best, most consistent, and most well-run franchises in the NFC East duke it out. And it should be one hell of a game to watch.

2009 Dallas Mavericks TV Schedule

There was a lot of intrigue heading into the 2008-2009 NBA season here in Dallas. After a subpar 2007-2008 season, Mark Cuban fired Avery Johnson and replaced him with Rick Carlisle. The early returns this season were not great, but the Mavericks have since rebounded and, as of this posting, sit at 20-12 and in 5th place in Western Conference.

Now that the football season is down to its final month, basketball will begin to move closer to center stage. We all know that the NBA Playoffs is basically another season all on its own, but you still have to get there. And while the Mavericks are playing well recently, they still currently only sit three games ahead of the #9 team in the Western Conference.

So clearly, there will be plenty of important games to watch in the final 50 of the regular season. And just where do you go to find out the Dallas Mavericks 2009 TV schedule? Well, we’re giving the Mavs TV Schedule to you right here — so you don’t have to go anywhere.

The following TV schedule is courtesy of the Dallas Mavericks official website and the TV listings for the nationally televised games are always subject to change, or other games could be added later in the season. All times are Central.

Either way, when you want to sit back on the couch and watch your Dallas Mavericks on TV, this should be all the information you need:

Sunday, January 4, 2009

• Dallas Mavericks at Memphis Grizzlies
• Time: 3:00
• Local TV: FSN SW

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

• LA Clippers at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 7:30
• Local TV: FSN SW

Thursday, January 8, 2009

• New York Knicks at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 7:30
• Local TV: FSN SW

Friday, January 9, 2009

• Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns
• Time: 9:30
• Local TV: KTXA
• National TV: ESPN

Sunday, January 11, 2009

• Dallas Mavericks at Sacramento Kings
• Time: 8:00
• Local TV: FSN SW

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

• Dallas Mavericks at Denver Nuggets
• Time: 8:00
• Local TV: FSN SW

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

• New Orleans Hornets at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 7:30
• Local TV: KTXA and HDNet

Saturday, January 17, 2009

• Utah Jazz at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 8:00
• Local TV: FSN SW

Monday, January 19, 2009

• Dallas Mavericks and Philadelphia 76ers
• Time: 12:00
• Local TV: FSN SW

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

• Dallas Mavericks at Milwaukee Bucks
• Time: 7:00
• Local TV: FSN SW

Friday, January 23, 2009

• Dallas Mavericks at Detroit Pistons
• Time: 6:00
• Local TV: KTXA
• National TV: ESPN

Sunday, January 25, 2009

• Dallas Mavericks at Boston Celtics
• Time: 12:00
• Local TV: None
• National TV: ABC

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

• Golden State Warriors at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 8:00
• Local TV: KTXA
• National TV: ESPN

Saturday, January 31, 2009

• Dallas Mavericks at Miami Heat
• Time: 6:30
• Local TV: FSN SW
• National TV: NBA TV

Monday, February 2, 2009

• Dallas Mavericks at Orlando Magic
• Time: 6:00
• Local TV: FSN SW

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

• Portland Trail Blazers at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 7:30
• Local TV: KTXA and HDNet
• National TV: NBA TV

Thursday, February 5, 2009

• Dallas Mavericks at Utah Jazz
• Time: 7:30
• Local TV: None
• National TV: TNT

Saturday, February 7, 2009

• Chicago Bulls at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 7:30
• Local TV: FSN SW

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

• Sacramento Kings at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 7:30
• Local TV: FSN SW

Thursday, February 12, 2009

• Boston Celtics at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 8:30
• Local TV: None
• National TV: TNT

<<<NBA All Star Break>>>

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

• New Jersey Nets at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 7:30
• Local TV: FSN SW

Friday, February 20, 2009

• Dallas Mavericks at Houston Rockets
• Time: 7:30
• Local TV: KTXA

Saturday, February 21, 2009

• Sacramento Kings at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 8:00
• Local TV: FSN SW

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

• Dallas Mavericks at San Antonio Spurs
• Time: 7:30
• Local TV: KTXA

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

• Milwaukee Bucks at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 7:30
• Local TV: FSN SW

Friday, February 27, 2009

• Oklahoma City Thunder at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 7:30
• Local TV: FSN SW

Sunday, March 1, 2009

• Toronto Raptors at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 8:00
• Local TV: FSN SW

Monday, March 2, 2009

• Oklahoma City Thunder at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 7:00
• Local TV: FSN SW

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

• San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 8:00
• Local TV: KTXA
• National TV: ESPN

Thursday, March 5, 2009

• Dallas Mavericks at New Orleans Hornets
• Time: 7:00
• Local TV: None
• National TV: TNT

Saturday, March 7, 2009

• Washington Wizards at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 7:30
• Local TV: FSN SW
• National TV: NBA TV

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

• Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns
• Time: 9:00
• Local TV: KTXA

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

• Dallas Mavericks at Portland Trail Blazers
• Time: 9:00
• Local TV: KTXA

Friday, March 13, 2009

• Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors
• Time: 9:30
• Local TV: KTXA

Sunday, March 15, 2009

• Dallas Mavericks at LA Lakers
• Time: 2:30
• Local TV: None
• National TV: ABC

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

• Detroit Pistons at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 7:30
• Local TV: FSN SW

Thursday, March 19, 2009

• Dallas Mavericks at Atlanta Hawks
• Time: 6:00
• Local TV: FSN SW

Friday, March 20, 2009

• Dallas Mavericks at Indiana Pacers
• Time: 6:00
• Local TV: FSN SW

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

• Golden State Warriors at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 7:30
• Local TV: KTXA and HDNet

Friday, March 27, 2009

• Denver Nuggets at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 7:30
• Local TV: KTXA and HDNet

Sunday, March 29, 2009

• Dallas Mavericks at Cleveland Cavaliers
• Time: 12:00
• Local TV: None
• National TV: ABC

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

• Dallas Mavericks at Minnesota Timberwolves
• Time: 7:00
• Local TV: FSN SW

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

• Miami Heat at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 7:30
• Local TV: KTXA and HDNet

Friday, April 3, 2009

• Dallas Mavericks at Memphis Grizzlies
• Time: 7:00
• Local TV: FSN SW

Sunday, April 5, 2009

• Phoenix Suns at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 2:30
• Local TV: None
• National TV: ABC

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

• Utah Jazz at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 8:30
• Local TV: KTXA
• National TV: ESPN

Friday, April 10, 2009

• New Orleans Hornets at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 7:30
• Local TV: KTXA and HDNet

Sunday, April 12, 2009

• Dallas Mavericks at New Orleans Hornets
• Time: 12:00
• Local TV: None
• National TV: ABC

Monday, April 13, 2009

• Minnesota Timberwolves at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 7:30
• Local TV: FSN SW

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

• Houston Rockets at Dallas Mavericks
• Time: 7:00
• Local TV: KTXA
• National TV: ESPN

Do Cowboys, Jerry Jones Want Mike Shanahan over Wade Phillips as Head Coach?

So maybe the Dallas Cowboys‘ coaching staff is not, in fact, already in place.

Many Cowboys fans, and NFL fans in general, were surprised to hear Jerry Jones profess unyielding support for Wade Phillips in the wake of another December collapse by the Dallas Cowboys.

Immediately after the Cowboys laid a monstrous and putrid rotten egg at Philadelphia in Week 17, which was made all the more egregious by stories of the Cowboys treating the plane ride home like “the last day of school”, Jerry Jones made the following comments:

“The coaches are in place. I’ve said that. How can I be any clearer?” Jones said. “Look, I’ve said that our coaching staff, as far as I’m concerned, is in place. I just want to make the statement rather than answer questions, because your questions imply certain things that I don’t want to imply.

“I’m saying that when I look at where we are coaching staff-wise and when I look at where we are personnel-wise, I see a team that is in place to compete for several years.”

A little over a week later, reports are beginning to circulate that Jerry Jones may be slowly changing his mind.

According to a report posted today by Mike Florio at Pro Football Talk, Chris Mortensen of ESPN is reporting that Jerry Jones is getting “angrier by the minute” as he reflects on the disappointing 2008 Cowboys season. And making matters worse for Wade Phillips and the current Cowboys coaching staff is that a potential Hall of Fame coach has surprisingly become available for Jerry Jones to salivate over.

Last week, the Denver Broncos fired head coach Mike Shanahan. While Shanahan presided over his own precipitous collapse this season in Denver, and has only one playoff win in the last decade, he certainly has a more impressive head coaching resume than any other available head coaching candidate.

Shanahan is 146-98 in his head coaching career, good for a .598 winning percentage. He also has two Super Bowl rings, when Denver went back-to-back behind John Elway and Terrell Davis in 1997 and 1998. By comparison, Wade Phillips is 70-49 as a head coach, and has 22 out of 32 games in Dallas. Phillips, however, has not experienced any postseason success, going 0-4 in the playoffs.

Is it any wonder why Jerry Jones may be having second thoughts about keeping Wade Phillips in place as head coach?

Part of the reason why many people speculated that Jones would keep Wade Phillips and the current coaching staff in place is the assumption, as Florio explains at PFT, that Jerry Jones is “getting stretched pretty thin as he prepares to enter a $1.1 billion stadium in a bad economy.” Hiring a coach like Bill Cowher, at probably $10 million a year, probably was not all that attractive to Jones.

However, despite his lofty credentials and experience, Mike Shanahan likely would not require a huge contract considering he is guaranteed $21 million from the Broncos over the next three years.

Florio speculates that with Jason Garrett potentially moving onto a head job somewhere else, it could be an opportune time to bring in Mike Shanahan to revamp the offense, tutor struggling QB Tony Romo, and perhaps allow Wade Phillips to move to defensive coordinator.

I don’t know how realistic it is to think that Wade Phillips would accept a demotion, but a similar situation has also been rumored in Cleveland with former head coach Romeo Crennel. Both Crennel and Phillips are renowned as “nice guys” who lack the killer instinct and toughness and be head coaches; and both are purported to not be so driven by ego and pride that a step back to defensive coordinator is out of the question.

I know this: I was surprised to hear Jerry Jones be so vehement in his support for Wade Phillips. I realize that Jerry Jones has proven to be pretty loyal over the years, and likes to give head coaches at least three years; but after the Cowboys’ collapse with such high expectations, I figured Jones would blow a gasket and want fresh leadership heading into his new stadium.

Signing a coach with the credentials and reputation of Mike Shanahan would certainly create a big splash heading into the 2009 season. Jones may be confident that he has the pieces in place to have a successful team, but he has to be questioning the coaching leadership after another late season collapse.

Right now, it appears as if Mike-Shanahan-to-the-Cowboys is merely rumor and speculation. But stay tuned; and don’t be surprised if rumor and speculation quickly turns into legitimate, potentially franchise-altering story. Jerry Jones wants to win, and he wants to win now. Is there anyone who can posit an argument that the Cowboys would not be in better hands with a proven Super Bowl champion as head coach, as opposed to a glorified defensive coordinator who calls his own training camp “Camp Cupcake?”

Stay tuned Cowboys fans. So far, the Cowboys have not been included in the myriad coaching carousel stories floating around the NFL since the end of the regular season. If Jerry Jones’ reported anger continues to grow by the minute, the Cowboys could once again be right in the middle of the action.

And Mike Shanahan could be the new target of Jerry Jones insatiable yearly urge to create a big offseason splash.

[poll id="3"]

Sunday night update: The latest is the Cowboys are very interested in Mike Shanahan, but that the most likely timetable would be 2010.

Cowboys Laughing, Acting Like “Last Day of School” On Return Trip From Philadelphia

I just got to the office on this beautiful December Monday morning, and I have to admit that after yesterday’s 44-6 loss to the Eagles by the Cowboys, I was looking forward to today’s drive. Everyone down here in Dallas is going to be in such a tizzy over how poorly the Cowboys played, for an outsider and (some might say) Cowboys hater, it will be fun listening to the Cowboys get raked through the coals for their awful performance.

After watching some of the game — I’m a Dolphins fan, so the Dolphins-Jets game took precedence — I thought things could not get any lower for the Cowboys. But in the time since the game has ended, two stories have emerged that have shown that things very well could, and did, get lower.

First, there was the report that Tony Romo collapsed in the shower, which I posted about last night.

Then, there is the story that I just heard on 1310 The Ticket here in Dallas this morning while driving in. Norm Hitzges was manning the morning slot today, subbing in for the Musers and Gordon Keith. While Norm Hitzges can be something of a downer and is prone to attacks of hyperbole, he knows his football and I was excited to hear his perspective on the Cowboys-Eagles massacre.

What I was not prepared for was the report by Mark “Friedo” Friedman about his experience flying home on the Cowboys charter after the Eagles game last night.

According to Friedo, the Cowboys charter was not the sad, sullen, and despondent scene that one might expect. As someone who grew up around college football, and saw many a post-loss locker room, bus, and plane, I can say with certainty that my expectation would have been a pretty quiet and somber plane ride for the Cowboys. Not only did their season end with an absolutely horrific showing, but this was a team with “Super Bowl or Bust” aspirations coming into the year. I don’t care how much money you make, I would assume that if you take pride in your job and performance that it would be hard to recover from the pounding they took in Philadelphia.

Not so, according to Friedo.

He described the scene as “like the last day of school”, with dominoes being played in the back and lots of laughing and carrying on. He said that he was reluctant to say anything, seeing as how the Cowboys are nice enough to allow media members on the charter, and that only leads me to believe that he may have muted the reality of what was actually going on. Friedo did not mention any specific names, nor did he say if alcohol was flowing, but he made it pretty clear that if you did not know who won the Cowboys-Eagles game, you just might assume it was the Cowboys from their conduct on the plane.

When I first heard this, it shocked me. But after Norm and Friedo discussed it a little more, it sadly started to make some sense.

As they explained, many of the Cowboys players made over $100,000 just for the Eagles game. As I’m sure you know, NFL players get paid by the game. 16 game checks in total, each of which can be pretty exorbitant amounts when you are talking about contracts between $5-10 million per year. For a playoff game, each player would have received an additional $18,000 (I believe), which for many would be a huge step down in pay.

As hypothesized by Norm and Friedo, many NFL players view football as nothing more than a job. Why should they be expected to be excited about playing another game, and risking serious injury, for a mere fraction of their usual paycheck?

Hmm…let me see…

Perhaps because you are being paid so much money in the first place to help your team achieve its goals, which are to make the playoffs? Perhaps because your owner overpaid many of you in a go-for-broke strategy this year to make a run at the Super Bowl? Perhaps because you have professional pride? Perhaps because $18,000 is still a lot of money and more than you’ll be making now sitting on your ass during the playoffs!?!?!

Look, I understand the realities of the NFL. I realize that these guys are professionals and that football is as much their job and livelihood as practicing law is for a lawyer, or medicine for a doctor. And a lot of lawyers and doctors hate their jobs and do it just for the money. I get it. Kind of.

But football players are playing a game, a game in which passion and will can oftentimes be the difference between winning and losing. So part of your responsibility when you cash those $X00,000 game checks is to put forth a maximum level of passion, will, focus, and effort that enables you to maximize your individual talents and potential. Jerry Jones may not always make smart decisions, and he may bring lots of problems on himself, but no one has ever accused him of not taking care of his players or having their backs. How could the Cowboys players play like did on Sunday, let their owner down with such a putrid performance, and even look themselves in the mirror — let along act like kids “on the last day of school” on the charter.

Norm and Friedo were right: for many NFL players, they simply do not share the live-and-die mentality that many fans share with their teams. The sad thing is that players get paid such ridiculous sums of money because there are passionate fans who will watch TV, pay for tickets, buy merchandise, etc. Many of these fans were probably despondent in their recliners or crying in their beers after watching that pathetic performance Sunday night. One Cowboys fan who is a friend of mine called me and asked me to talk him out of hanging himself in the middle of the 3rd quarter. I’m not sure he was completely joking.

Am I making too big a deal of this? Maybe. Are most of the Cowboys players probably heartsick and frustrated at another December failure? Maybe. Do a lot of the players feel a sense of responsibility to Jerry Jones and the fans, and feel bad for letting them down? I sure as hell hope so.

According to Norm and Friedo, Tony Romo said after the game something to the effect of “It’s just a game. If losing a football game is the worst thing that happens to me, I’ll have a pretty good life.” And while that is a great perspective to have from a personal standpoint, and would sound great in a Hall of Fame or post-career speech, or even during an interview later in the offseason, fans don’t want to hear that right after the game. They want to know that you are suffering as much, if not moreso, than they are.

Unfortunately, it sounds like Tony Romo’s perspective was shared by the majority of his teammates.

And hearing this story in the immediate aftermath of the Cowboys loss makes it pretty obvious why the Cowboys are not playing in January and why a team like the Miami Dolphins still is. Do you think Dolphins players would be hooting and hollering on the plane ride home after a loss with Bill Parcells and Tony Sparano on the plane? I cannot imagine so. Those two men command more respect than that, and you know they would not be able to forget the loss so easily.

Do you think Chad Pennington or Peyton Manning can walk away from a loss thinking “it’s just a game?” I don’t know either of them personally, but I would wager that they have never once thought that in the immediate aftermath of a loss. Tony Romo gets the pub and the big contract, but Chad Pennington has been a more successful quarterback in December and is playing this year into January for a team that was 1-15 last year. Honestly, who would you rather have as your quarterback for next year?

There are 1,001 reasons why the Cowboys feel short of expectations this year. Friedo’s observation of their post-game conduct on the charter home was a pretty disappointing symptom of the disease of mediocrity that engulfs what many call the NFL’s most talented roster.

But that’s the beauty of the NFL, and why it is the most popular league in American sports.

Talent is only part of a very complicated equation of what makes a winner. Character, resolve, will, preparation, and pride are all equally as important. Watch highlights of Roy Williams running his routes yesterday and tell me he showed character, will, and pride? Listen to the excuses of Wade Phillips and tell me that he instilled a sense of resolve in his team, or adequately prepared his coaches and his players to play Philadelphia?

The Dallas Cowboys may have treated their plane ride like “the last day of school”, but for millions of Cowboys fans across the country, they were all forced to treat last night and today like what it really is: the last day of the season. And for the fans who are truly passionate, the ones whose ticket purchases and other monetary outlays pay the $X00,000 game checks, it will lead to a cold and frustrating Winter. If nothing else, even if the Cowboys players don’t really care themselves, you would think they would have enough respect for the fans and their owner to empathize and at least give the appearance of caring.

I thought 44-6 said it all. This morning, Friedo proved that just when you think the Cowboys players cannot care any less, or be less passionate or prideful about winning, they bust through the floor of expectations to reach a new low.

But hey, like Tony Romo said, it’s just a game right?

Tony Romo Collapses in Shower From Rib Injury – Calls Off Punt Team on 4th and 1

Many Cowboys fans may have thought that things couldn’t possibly get worse after the team the left Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia Sunday night, tailed tucked firmly between their legs after a 44-6 drubbing.

But for a brief moment in the locker room on Sunday night, it appeared that things might get worse — much worse.

Quarterback Tony Romo collapsed in the shower after the game on Sunday night, much to the shock of everyone in attendance. Brian Davis of the Dallas Morning News was in the locker room and provided the following account of the scene:

“As someone who was standing there watching this whole scene unfold, I can tell you the players were shocked. They didn’t know what to do. Deon Anderson went out running for emergency help, but Maurer and associate athletic trainer Britt Brown were all over it.

Adam Jones, of all people, was standing there yelling at me, another reporter and a TV camera man to get back. Let me tell you, running into the shower was the last place we needed to be at that moment. Jerry Jones’ personal security chief, Roosevelt Riley, came out to push everybody back and an equipment staff member grabbed all of Romo’s things and headed to the training room.

When asked later what happened, Romo said, ‘Um, you know, I was just a little banged up, I guess.’”

Luckily for Tony Romo and the Cowboys, there were no catastrophic consequences of his shower fall. Unfortunately for Tony Romo and the Cowboys, his shower collapse was by far the easiest of the team’s collective collapses to bounce back from after Sunday night. In a game in which the Dallas Cowboys could have sewn up a playoff spot with a victory, the team basically rolled over and played dead against a division rival.

I know that Jerry Jones came out and said his coaching staff for next season was already in place, but I think Wade Phillips, Jason Garrett, and pretty much everyone on the field gave Jerry plenty of justified reason to rethink that proclamation. How you can lose 44-6 and show no heart, no focus, and no effort in such a huge game is beyond me.

And did anyone else notice when Tony Romo told the punt unit to go back to the sidelines on 4th and 1? It certainly looked like Wade Phillips was the one who was confused, rather than the one in charge. The Cowboys picked up the first down, although they did not score on the drive. So while the decision by Romo to go for it was spot on, it is not really his call to make. Both Joe Buck and Troy Aikman seemed to think it raised the question of who is really in charge in Dallas. We can completely discount Joe Buck’s opinion because he hates sports and I hate him, but Troy Aikman is not prone to talking bad about the Cowboys unless it is well deserved. And he seemed perplexed by Romo’s apparent, though successful, insubordination.

At the end of the day, there are too many failures and questions in the wake of Sunday night to list here right now. Luckily, everyone in Dallas will have a whole offseason to stew about the Disappointing Season of 2008 and pick apart every little detail.

One thing is for sure: the Cowboys are far too talented to miss the playoffs and to continue playing this poorly in December. When a team underachieves like the Cowboys did this year, it usually means a coaching change will be, or should be, forthcoming. Is there anyone out there who can really defend Wade Phillips after tonight’s mess?

My brother had a little slip of the tongue earlier today while watching the game and called Wade Phillips “Fade Whillips.” I do not think it was intentional, but it certainly is apt. And despite what Jerry Jones said last week or what he says in the immediate aftermath of this game, it is only reasonable to think that the tenure of Wade Phillips is about to quickly fade before the team is allowed to underachieve again in December in 2009.

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