As the March Madness betting wraps up, sportsbook promo experts are watching Dez Bryant’s jewelry bill climb. The most recent estimates have Bryant’s unpaid debt at a little over $800,000. With no income coming in due to the lockout, and much of Bryant’s remaining money tied up in homes and more jewelry, the Cowboys are afraid of what Bryant may do next. But the nightmare doesn’t stop there. It gets worse.

News is starting to come in to the betting services that most of that jewelry debt, cash gifts and loans, was accumulated while Bryant was a member of the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Oklahoma State head football coach Mike Gundy claims that he and his staff had no idea what Bryant was up to. The coach also added that it is sad to watch the public downfall of Dez Bryant. Many sports experts are saying that it would have been impossible for the Oklahoma State football coaching staff to miss almost $800,000 in jewelry, especially with the way that Bryant likes to flash his gold around. The NCAA is investigating, but results of the investigation will not be known for a very long time.

As an example of opportunity knocking for the Dallas Cowboys, please direct your attention to the case of veteran free safety Michael Huff. The Oakland Raiders did not offer Huff a contract prior to the lockout, so that makes Huff a free agent. The Cowboys could desperately use the services of a player like Huff. He is a smart safety that can hit and cover deep. But, to this point, the Cowboys have not indicated any interest in Huff. The lockout is preventing the Cowboys from working Huff out or signing him to a contract, but there is nothing to prevent the Cowboys from admitting that Huff would be a good fit for the team. Since the Cowboys allowed Bob Sanders to go to San Diego, it would make sense to put in a bid on Huff when the Cowboys have a chance. But, to this point, the Cowboys have not said a word.

The Dallas Cowboys have made some moves in trying to suppress the uprising that was caused when it was rumored that Auburn quarterback Cam Newton could be a Cowboy when the draft is over. The Cowboys have almost three dozen college prospects visiting the Dallas practice facility this week, but Cam Newton will not be invited. The Cowboys are hoping that this puts the rumors of the departure of current starting quarterback Tony Romo to rest.

Some players of interest that are visiting Valley Ranch this week include the four top offensive tackle prospects in Tyron Smith, Anthony Castonzo, Nate Solder and Gabe Carimi. Cowboys fans are hoping that this means the Cowboys will finally address the gaping holes in the offensive line before the 2011 season gets underway.

When the Green Bay game ended, Jerry Jones was quoted as saying that some people in his organization would face “serious consequences” for the Cowboys’ 1-7 start. So far the only person to experience those consequences is Wade Phillips. For the first time in their history, the Dallas Cowboys fired a head coach during the season. Assistant head coach Jason Garrett takes over as only the seventh head coach in Dallas Cowboys history. Garrett was also the offensive coordinator and he will retain that job as he moves into the head coaching job.

The interest now is to see what Jerry Jones will do with the head coaching job when the season is over. Jason Garrett was lured into staying in Dallas with a $3.5 million per year contract when at least two other teams wanted him as their head coach. Garrett turned down those NFL head coaching jobs to stay in Dallas and take over when Phillips was gone, but now that Phillips is gone it is not a slam dunk that Garrett will take over next season as the full-time head coach.

Garrett is seen by many as part of the problem in Dallas. He does not command a lot of respect in the locker room, and his offensive schemes and decisions have not brought the Cowboys a lot of good fortune this season. There is a growing feeling in Dallas that Garrett may not get the Cowboys head coaching job and that he will have to head to another NFL city to take over as the head man.

One of the leading early candidates who is getting a lot of mentions as the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys is former Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach John Gruden. Gruden is currently an analyst with ESPN Monday Night Football, and his no-nonsense approach and stern demeanor may be just what the Cowboys locker room needs.

During the Green Bay game, Dallas wide receiver Roy Williams was delivered a shot to the back of his head by the helmet of Packers linebacker Nick Collins. The NFL announced Monday that the hit was illegal and fined Collins $50,000. Collins was also given a warning that future hits of that nature will result in more fines and possibly a suspension. Roy Williams did not suffer a concussion and will be ready to play against the upcoming week 11 game against Giants.

The Cowboys face a Raiders team that has a familiar face at quarterback in Jason Campbell, the Raiders decided to cut ties with former first round draft pick Jamarcus Russell. Recently the Raiders have drafted players because of there measurables instead of their football iq, something that the Cowboys have finally stopped doing.

I wouldn’t expect to see the starters play anymore than they did against the Bengals, and hopefully we can get through this week without anymore injuries. The Cowboys vs Raiders TV Channel, Tickets, Parking, Time, Location and more are listed below:

Preseason Week 1: Dallas Cowboys vs Oakland Raiders TV Channel – Parking – Tickets
Cowboys vs Raiders TV Time: 8:00PM Central Time
Cowboys vs Raiders Day / Date: Thursday – August 12, 2010
Cowboys vs Raiders Kickoff: (approx. 8:15PM Central Time)
Cowboys vs Bengals TV Channel: CBS
Cowboys vs Bengals Location: Cowboys Stadium – Arlington, TX
Cowboys vs Bangals Parking: Cowboys Stadium Parking Information
Cowboys vs Bengals Tickets: Cowboys vs Raiders Tickets at StubHub!

I could go in depth and talk about this match up, but I don’t want to because it is plain and simple. The Raiders Suck and the Cowboys need to beat them, so please Cowboys don’t ruin my thanksgiving by losing to these sad sacks like the Eagles did. Instead of a game analysis I would like to leave you with the 5 of the many reasons that the Raiders suck.

5 Reasons why the Raiders suck!
1.) This is the position you drafted JaMarcus Russell, nice pick douchers – Quarterbacks of the 2007 Draft
2.) You selected Darrius Heyward-Bey 7th overall, and before Michael Crabtree. Newsflash Crabtree has 215 in 4 games, and Heyward-Bey only has 96 yards in 9 games. Once again nice pick douchers.
3.) You got blown out by the Jets, actually not only blown out, you got shut out too. 38 – 0 haha
4.) You booted Shanahan and Gruden for a slew of no name coaches who sucked, and then when you did get a coach who cared you booted Lane Kiffin and his hot wife Layla Kiffin.
5.) Al Davis is just flat out creepy looking.

Cowboys-Raiders Game, Broadcast, and Betting Information
Cowboys-Raiders Game Time: 3:15 PM – Central Time
Cowboys-Raiders Day / Date: Thursday – November 26 2009
Cowboys-Raiders Location: Cowboys Stadium – Arlington TX
Cowboys-Raiders TV Channel: CBS
Cowboys-Raiders Broadcast Announcers: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms

Cowboys-Raiders Tickets:
• Cowboys Stadium Parking Information
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Other Thanksgiving Day Football Games to watch

Here’s a look at the entire Dallas Cowboys 2009 preseason schedule.

Dallas Cowboys 2009 Preseason Schedule and Tickets

Date	Opponent	Time	TV	Cowboys Preseason Tickets
August 13	@Oakland	9 p.m.	CBS 11/KTVT	Buy Cowboys Preseason Tickets
August 21	v. Tennessee	7 p.m.	Fox 4 (National)	Buy Cowboys Preseason Tickets
August 29	v. San Francisco	7 p.m.	CBS 11/KTVT	Buy Cowboys Preseason Tickets
September 4	@Minnesota	7 p.m.	CBS 11/KTVT	Buy Cowboys Preseason Tickets

The seemingly yearly journey to Mount Davis kicks off the first of four contests Romo, Wade and the gang will use to gauge their talents for the upcoming campaign. FOX picks up the national broadcast of the Titans game in order to show off the new digs, and a couple of common preseason foes in San Francisco and Minnesota wrap up what has already been an interesting offseason.

Thankfully, though, the Dallas Cowboys 2009 preseason schedule will probably be a little less hectic, considering the film crews of HBO’s Hard Knocks won’t be around. As entertaining as that show was, I can’t believe that it helped the Dallas Cowboys in any way, shape or form in getting ready for the season. Maybe if the team slips under the radar during its 2009 preseason schedule, the Dallas Cowboys will come on strong and surprise some people. How the Dallas Cowboys – America’s Team –  are going to surprise people, I don’t know, but I just get the feeling that they aren’t going to be the most talked about team. Especially in the NFC East, with the Giants having the season they had last year and the Eagles making another NFC Championship in 2009, the talk may not all be about the Dallas Cowboys.

Last year the ‘Boys went 2-2 in preseason games, losing their first two contests on the road to the Chargers and Broncos, but beating Houston and Minnesota in the last two to even up their record. Preseason records, of course, do not mean anything, and the Dallas Cowboys’ 2009 preseason schedule is certainly not going to dictate whether this team can finally get a victory in the playoffs for the first time since 1996.

But there are a lot of players that the Dallas Cowboys need to take a look at during their 2009 preseason schedule. I’m very interested to see what the team does in the secondary after the Anthony Henry trade. Can Miles Austin and Sam Hurd be counted on to contribute? What are the Dallas Cowboys going to do about all of their running backs? Can the line hold up? Will Tony Romo become a better leader? The last couple of years were exciting because of the fact that it seemed that the Dallas Cowboys were going to go all the way, but the Dallas Cowboys 2009 preseason schedule is going to be the most interesting one in quite some time for the direction of the franchise.