"We Can't Celebrate Long"

This is the main difference between a championship NFL coach and a good NFL coach: good coaches are pleased with a win, while championship coaches want to be dominant.

I'll let you guess which category Wade Phillips falls into.

I hate making comparisons that are apples to oranges, but you would never hear Jimmy or Parcells say something like "We can't celebrate very long" after a game as pitiful as the one the Cowboys played today. I can imagine Bill refusing to talk to the media. I can imagine Jimmy being incredibly pissed. There would be no celebrating. Period. Roy Williams would be gone a long time ago for not being able to catch the ball. Heads would roll on Jimmy's watch. There is no way a team as talented as the 2009 Cowboys would put together these awful back-to-back offensive games.

So yes, a win is a good thing, but a win like this? Let's skip the celebration and figure out how to score more than 7 points. We're too talented to be messing around.

Also, I'd like to hear from you, the readers, about the officiating debacle at the end of the first half. Is it just bad luck for the Cowboys, or should we begin to investigate a conspiracy? Two weeks in a row where the guys wearing the stripes can't get it figured out is twice too often for me, and shouldn't happen in a league with as much class and success as the NFL. Someone ought to either be suspended or fired over crap like that.

Bad Weekend to be the Sports Pastor

A couple of close games this weekend, neither one ending as I wanted it to. The Iowa outcome was somewhat foreseeable; Ohio State is a solid team, Iowa playing on the road with a backup QB; things like that tend to catch up with you over time. But the Cowboys? Come on! The Packers made them look downright pedestrian.

I'm not certain that we gave the Packers enough credit before the game. Lambeau is a hard place to play no matter how bad the Packers supposedly are. But I thought the Cowboys would be able to play a little better than that. I spent most of the game on my feet, hat in hand, frustrated and ready to throw something. My first reaction is to blame the officiating, but I know that it wouldn't matter if not for injuries and the chronic inability of Roy Williams to catch the ball and hold on to it. Dropped TD pass, fumble in the middle of the field. Not so much not being on the same page with Romo as your hands not being on the same page with the rest of your body.

That being said, just one word about officiating, and replay review in general. We need to be clear about what can be reviewed and what can't be reviewed. The referee said that a fumble recovery is not reviewable by replay. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman modified that slightly, saying that a fumble recovery can only be reviewed if it is in the end zone, because then points are at stake. I'm not sure if they were totally correct in that assessment, but I'm fairly certain that the inability to review that play cost the Cowboys 7 points. Where it occurs on the field should not be an issue. At the very least, every play ought to be reviewable. What's the worst that can happen? The whole "insufficient video evidence" thing? I may be biased, but I thought replay clearly showed that Felix Jones had possession of the ball while he was sitting on the ground, he was touched by an opposing player, then had the ball ripped out of his arms and recovered by a Packer. Not sure what is "not reviewable" about something like that.

And one more point against the officials, something which may not have affected the final outcome of the game but still needs to be clarified. Back when Bill Parcells was the coach of the Cowboys, late in the game he was out of challenges (it might have been after the two minute warning when every play is reviewed by the booth official). There was a close play, and Bill wanted to make sure that the play was reviewed, so he threw out a challenge flag. The referee blew the whistle, stopped the game, consulted with the other officials, and then threw a penalty flag against Parcells for either unsportsmanlike conduct or delay of game for throwing a challenge flag when he did not have the ability to challenge the call.

Fast forward to today's game, 4th quarter, and Mike McCarthy is out of challenges. Patrick Crayton catches a ball close to the ground, and it is ruled a catch. McCarthy throws the challenge flag. The referee stops the game and goes toward the hood to watch the replay. It is only then that another official points out that the Packers are out of challenges. So the referee walks over to McCarthy, reminds him that he is out of challenges, then reminds the crowd of the same fact. Play resumes as if nothing is wrong. In my mind, challenging a play when you legally can't do it constitutes at least a delay of game, the same way as if a player spikes the ball at the end of a play. It could also be considered unsportsmanlike conduct. In McCarthy's case, he succeeded in giving his defense a chance to catch its breath, also stopping some of the momentum that the Cowboys had going for them on a drive with about 7 minutes left in the game. Add fifteen yards to the end of that catch by Crayton or allow the Cowboys to run up to the line and catch the defense on its heels.

Like I said, it probably wouldn't have affected the final outcome of the game. But there is nothing that sticks with me quite as much as inequality when it comes to calling a game.

The best way to fix this situation? Perhaps a better way would be to run the replay rules like they do in college football. Every play is reviewed by a replay official in the booth, who signals to the referee a stoppage in play. If a coach thinks a play should be reviewed, they have the option to throw a challenge flag. If they are right, they keep the flag. If they are wrong, it is taken away. After that the coach must use timeouts. In any case, it is up to the replay official whether or not to review a play. A superior system to the flawed NFL system. At least it ought to be clear which plays are reviewable, and what the penalty is if you try to challenge when you know you can't.

Life will go on. The Cowboys get the Redskins and the Raiders next. Iowa will still be playing in a bowl game. But it is a tough weekend to be the Sports Pastor. Hey, at least the Mavericks won. Tomorrow night, the Mavericks are playing on NBA TV. I'll get to watch them for the first time this year. It's against the Bucks. If there are any Wisconsinites reading this, you should relish the Packer victory. The Bucks will not be so fortunate.

Until next time,

The Sports Pastor

Hawkeyes vs. Buckeyes at the Half

Things have been pretty much as I predicted they would be, and I would say that Iowa is doing much better than most analysts believed they would be. My biggest surprise has been in the play of James Vandenberg. Strong arm, good decision making. I was also surprised to see RB Adam Robinson in the game -- I thought he was still injured. They'd be better off with Wegher getting more carries.

2 Factors for Ohio State being up by 7 at the half:

1. Drops: As well as Vandenberg has been throwing the ball, his receivers have given him no help. He is throwing the ball on target, and they just can't seem to catch the ball. I remember John Madden on one of those early '90s video games mentioning how the receivers need to use some "stickem," and I think Strauss, Moeaki, and Johnson-Kulianos could use a little. I don't think the drops will continue in the second half. Rather, I hope not.

2. The Horse-Collar Tackle Rule: In the storied history of college and professional football, tackling has not changed all that much. If nothing else, protective padding technology has gotten incredibly advanced. Pads are lighter and stronger, and helmets have better padding. Yet there are more silly rules about how you are allowed to tackle people than ever before. The horse-collar rule is a grand example of this trend in rule-making. Is there a higher risk of injury when tackling someone by dragging them down from behind? I'm sure there is. But if you are worried about being injured, then what are you doing on a football field, especially in the Big Ten or the NFL. These guys are big: they hit hard. People get hurt. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Ohio State is held to a field goal near the end of the half if Claiborne isn't penalized for tackling the RB from behind with about four minutes left. Let them play. If you don't want to get tackled from behind, play golf or be a cheerleader.

In all, I'm glad to say that Iowa is still very much in this game. They need to learn to catch the ball, and Brandon Wegher needs a few touches. If the defense continues to play as they have been, and even manage to force a turnover or two, I think you can punch Iowa's ticket to Pasadena. Not a bad place to be on New Year's Day. Sure beats Iowa City in January.

And now, on to the second half!

Iowa vs. Ohio State

Who would've thought at the beginning of the College Football season that Iowa would be playing a meaningful game in the middle of November? Back in August, I would've said the Hawkeyes would be fighting for their bowl eligibility. Yet here they are, traveling to Ohio State with the Big 10 title on the line.

How quickly things change, though. Two weeks ago I would have told you that Iowa would be playing against Ohio State for an opportunity at the BCS Championship game. But an injured Ricky Stanzi (Iowa QB) and a loss to Northwestern at home, and now things look grim for the Hawks in their quest for the Rose Bowl. At 3:30 EST on ABC, most of the nation will get to see if Iowa has what it takes to bounce back from the rather difficult circumstances they find themselves in (although you poor folks in Nebraska will have to suffer through another meaningless Cornhuskers game).

At the helm for Iowa tomorrow will be James Vandenberg, whose name I can never remember because it is so close to James VanderBeek, one of my wife's favorite actors, starring in such roles as the title character in "Dawson's Creek" and the star backup QB in "Varsity Blues." Vandenberg is a redshirt freshman who looked clearly overwhelmed in his debut in last weeks game against Northwestern. And that was Northwestern! This is Ohio State.

But Iowa has fought bitterly for every win this year with a slew of backups at the RB and OL positions, so perhaps they can do it yet again with a backup QB. In order to win the game, however, they are going to need a big day out of their defense and special teams. And that means either putting points on the board or putting the offense within a few yards of the end zone so that Brandon Wegher can scoot in. And TE Tony Moeaki needs to work harder to get open, because I'm pretty sure that Ohio State is going to have no problem shutting down the Iowa wide receivers.

As much as it pains me to say it, I'm not sure the injury to Stanzi is something the Hawkeyes can overcome against a team like Ohio State. I don't think Ohio State is going to run away with it, but I do think that the cat that is the Iowa Hawkeyes may have already used up all nine of its lives this year. Only one thing I'm certain of: come 3:30, I'll be watching. Sorry, Nebraskans.

Clayton's Midseason Grades

Just noticed that ESPN has allowed the NFL nerd, John Clayton, to speak on camera about his midseason grades. I should probably preface these comments by saying that midseason grades are basically worthless, but it gives rookies like me something to think (fume) about and then make those who are reading along at home suffer through.

I give most of these kinds of analyses (midseason grades, power rankings, etc.) the same credence I give to Mel Kiper's draft coverage. The analysis is meaningless once the draft begins, once another week goes by in the league, once the teams have had a chance to prove the analysts dead wrong. We shouldn't waste too much time with this kind of thing.

Clayton puts the Cowboys on top of the NFC East with an A-, followed by the Eagles (B), Giants (C), and Redskins (D-). I haven't bothered to watch him grade the other divisions, but if we are going to assign grades based on placement in the division, then this analysis is a bit of a yawner. Not to mention the fact that most of these media types are in such a sickening love-hate relationship with the Cowboys. Even Clayton says that a few weeks ago the Cowboys were a "D" in his book (perhaps because they were tied with the Redskins for last in the division?). Can I get an objective analysis in the house?

My frustration with this whole thing continues when Clayton makes his picks for the Super Bowl. He has the Saints playing the Vikings in the NFC Championship game (#1 and #2 overall in the conference so far, mind you), with the Saints winning because of home field. As I said yesterday, I have doubts that the Saints will even have home field advantage. But today, I have many more doubts about the Vikings. The Cowboys won't get a chance to play against them until the playoffs, and I believe that by then Favre will be either injured or just too worn out to be productive by week 16. Can the Vikings be successful with a backup quarterback? Can any team be successful without their starting QB? At this point, I'll hand it to the Saints and the Vikes. They have played well. But just because they have played well to this point doesn't mean they will continue to be strong throughout the rest of the season and into the playoffs.

Which brings me to my own meaningless midseason picks. I think the Cowboys will be playing the Saints in the NFC championship game, and I'm going to go out on a limb and say that game will be in Dallas. Yes, that's right, I'm hoping the Cowboys will win out and the Saints will lose once before they play Dallas (or after, for that matter). Sorry Vikings, but I went to college with your fans, and I will love nothing more than to see them implode in the postseason once again. At least living in New Jersey, I'm not subject to watching all of their games as my "local broadcast team." What a joke.

So to John Clayton, I say congratulations on another wasted bit of analysis. And to anyone reading this, I say congratulations on wasting a few minutes of your day.

The Sports Pastor

Excitement in Cowboys Nation

I'm excited. Very excited. This is the best I've felt about the Cowboys since our incredibly upsetting loss to the Giants in the playoffs two years ago. I salivate for Sunday, and not just because of church.

I have a feeling about these Cowboys, a feeling that I did not even have during that 13-3 season. This team is more than talented, it is a team. Guys are actually looking out for one another. When the media is looking for reasons to pull this team apart, like reporting that Roy Williams is being a nuisance to his quarterback, this team just pulls closer together. For the last couple of years, when a certain other #1 receiver was with the team, the players and coaches would claim that the media was blowing the situation between T.O., Romo, and Witten way out of proportion. I don't buy it. T.O., while being a good receiver, was a huge detriment to the team by being in the spotlight all the time for the wrong reasons. Addition by subtraction this year, though. (As an aside, I thought the same thing was true of Randy Moss in Minnesota five years ago, but he was able to turn it around in New England and be a decent, respectable person...for now.)

This Cowboys team is a team. We're not overly reliant on Romo to play out of his mind. We don't need one receiver to catch every ball of every game. Our players don't get frustrated when they don't touch the ball enough. And defense. Wow, are they playing well. For once I feel as if the secondary isn't going to get burned every time an opposing receiver runs a go route. I don't know what happened to the safety Roy Williams, but that guy went soft. Once again, addition by subtraction. And if Sensabaugh were completely healthy, we'd be looking at another 2 or 3 interceptions at least. It is pretty difficult to catch a ball when you are playing with a club for an arm.

I admit, at the end of the Philly game on Sunday night I was a little nervous when the 'boys were only up by four with four minutes to play. But they did what they are supposed to do. Marion the Barbarian and Witten put it away. I think we could only be so fortunate to be up with four minutes to play in the rest of the games this season.

I've circled the upcoming game against the Saints as the battle for home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Believe me when I say the Saints will lose at least one by then, and the Cowboys may not lose again the rest of the season. It will be a difficult second half to the season, but here at the halfway point, my excitement is definitely getting ramped up.

And I can safely assume the same about the rest of Cowboys Nation.

Another Attempt at Blogging

I've never been very good at keeping up with a blog, mostly because the things I've written about in the past have lost my attention over time. Pair that with a severe lack of readership, and my motivation for blogging goes right out the window.

What's different about this blog, you ask? I'm writing about something I am deeply passionate about, something that no matter if no one reads this, I can still write about, if for no other reason than to practice writing and process my own feelings. That subject is, of course, sports.

This blog will change depending on the time of year. For the next few months, you'll see a lot of football talk here, especially about the Dallas Cowboys. My love for the Cowboys is undying, to the point that I would move to Dallas for no other reason than to be close to them. The majority of my posts will be about my love affair with the 'boys. At various other times, I'll write about the New York Mets, the Dallas Mavericks, the Iowa Hawkeyes, and Leeds United football.

Do I hope to be discovered as the next great sports writer? Not really. As the pastor of a small church in New Jersey, I have plenty of things to occupy my time without worrying about writing for ESPN or even the Freehold News Transcript. But when you are surrounded with Giants, Eagles, and Yankees fans the way I am, you need some place to proclaim victory without risking sure and certain annihilation at their hands.

Anyway, I hope that if anyone is reading this, you will enjoy the Sports Pastor's Report. And if you do happen to come across this, let me know so that I know there is at least one person out there who shares my love of sports.

That's all for now,

The Sports Pastor