DMN: Stephen Jones: Cowboys didn't work players too hard; Miles Austin No. 1 priority

[tr1]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/football/cowboys/stories/080510dnspostephenjonesinterview.21a1ccae.html

Dallas Cowboys Executive Vice President Stephen Jones was interviewed on KESN-FM on Wednesday and discussed the Cowboys and training camp. Here are some highlights:

At any point throughout training camp, has Wade Phillips been working the players too hard?

I don’t think so. Any time you have something happen, whether it’s an injury or anything like that, you always kind of review what you’re doing but no, I think they’re getting just the right amount of work. I think every practice is being done at a very high intensity level, very competitive, but we’ve certainly reviewed that, Wade’s reviewed it. He’s obviously has some of the leadership on our team that he checks with, the vets on our team, in terms of how they’re holding up and that type of thing. So, overall, I think things are going well. Obviously, with Dez’s injury and everything, it does cause you to check on a few things and make sure you’re practicing smart.

It’s changed a lot since the old days when players were run ragged during training camp, hasn’t it?

There’s no doubt about it. Jimmy [Johnson] would put them through it and it was a lot of hitting and there weren’t any two-a-days and one-a-days and then two-a-days. It was full blown but there’s no question people have learned over the years that that’s maybe not necessarily the right way to do it and with our salary caps and our roster limits, you certainly have any chance to win a championship. So, things have evolved over time but I have to think right now that we’re doing good job with the way we’re practicing and overall, our injury situation is good. Camp Cupcake is back!

In terms of money and contracts, is there anything of high priority, such as a new contract for Miles Austin, that the Cowboys want to wrap up before the first regular season game?

Well, Miles is the number one priority for sure when it comes to signing somebody. He is definitely the first one we’re going to address. At the same time, we’re trying to get our hands around what our future is in terms of the system we’re going to be operating under and we certainly want to gather all the information and try to make as good a decision as we can, because we’re not going to sign Miles for peanuts out here. It’s going to be something very significant, which he deserves, but the one thing different about our team than a lot of other teams is we’ve already signed a number of our players and our cap situation, our financial situation, is different and then when we come back and we have a new CBA and there is a cap, then we have to be prepared to operate under that and so we want to be very educated before we make this decision but I think history shows we’ve gotten the players signed that we want to get signed and Miles is obviously at the top of our list in terms of the type of player we want to have on our team.

Are the Cowboys currently in talks with Miles Austin and is there a timetable to get him signed?

No, there’s no time table. As I said, this is something that’s evolving and our labor situation is obviously as well and we’re trying to gather all the information that we can. So, we really haven’t had any detailed talks at this point. The only thing I would continue to say is he’s definitely the number one priority and we don’t ever see Miles playing anywhere but the Dallas Cowboys.

How excited is the team to actually get to play their first exhibition game in Canton in the Hall-of-Fame game?

Well, we’re certainly fired up about what’s coming up and this will be a good little break to finish up here and close this chapter, as far as our 2010 season is concerned and then roll up to Canton and we’ll see a lot of familiar faces when we go against the Cincinnati Bengals, whether it’s Mike Zimmer or some of our players that have been through here before; it’s ought to be awfully exciting.

[tr1]

I'm glad Jerruh's boy stated something all puke fans should be afraid of: They've invested a TON of money in this current group of CHOKING DOGS. Their failure in the upcoming year will sting for a long, long time.

:rotflmao:

[Hitman21ST]

So, things have evolved over time but I have to think right now that we’re doing good job with the way we’re practicing and overall, our injury situation is good.

Don't push them hard so now when they go hard they get hurt...not necessarily the best business strategy.

[dwdj75]

The Cowboys have been year in and year out the healthiest team in the league, how I hear people dog their camp makes absolutely no sense.

[doncherry]

thanks for posting, TR1. I am a fan of Stephen Jones.

[Popeman38]

The Cowboys have been year in and year out the healthiest team in the league, how I hear people dog their camp makes absolutely no sense.

You seriously think their TC routine has anything to do with this?

The Giants O-Line had a run of like 4 years where there were no injuries. Then the streak was broken. The Cowboys have been incredibly lucky with injuries. Yes, lucky. Luck is needed to avoid a lineman getting rolled up and snapping bones. Luck is needed to avoid your RB from suffering a concussion. And I do not wish for their luck to run out. I wish every player could stay healthy for every team. I just wish the Skins could have the same 22 players start for a whole season at least once in the next decade.

[VCDefectors]

I'm glad Jerruh's boy stated something all puke fans should be afraid of: They've invested a TON of money in this current group of CHOKING DOGS. Their failure in the upcoming year will sting for a long, long time.

:rotflmao:

That's impossible. Jerruh went broke a couple of years ago. They even tore down Texas Stadium because he defaulted on the mortgage. He has been floating some hot checks, but the players aren't smart enough to check their bank account balance to realize they are also broke.

[bbailey423]

The Cowboys have been year in and year out the healthiest team in the league, how I hear people dog their camp makes absolutely no sense.

Wade is 9-2 in September since coming to Dallas....OBVIOSULY he is doing something right in training camp for this team to get off to these kinds of starts. The critcism smacks of ignorance without FACTS. We all root against each other...I get that. But root against the opposition with FACTS...when you leave out FACTS, you cannot be taken seriously. That is why TR1s act is comedic!

[Big Blue Joe]

The Cowboys have been year in and year out the healthiest team in the league, how I hear people dog their camp makes absolutely no sense.

They had an NFL-average number of injuries in 2008.

Wade is 9-2 in September since coming to Dallas....OBVIOSULY he is doing something right in training camp for this team to get off to these kinds of starts. The critcism smacks of ignorance without FACTS. We all root against each other...I get that. But root against the opposition with FACTS...when you leave out FACTS, you cannot be taken seriously. That is why TR1s act is comedic!

The only thing that has been obvious is the fact that Cowboys haven't been able to maintain a high level of production for their entire season (e.g. the Vikings playoff game). It's highly debatable whether Camp Cupcake has been effective in preparing the Cowboys for the long haul.

[GreenRiggins]

Seems like to me they have had a few injuries, they just don't seem to have any season ending ones.

Felix, Barber, Romo sits to pee, Roy and the RT they had last year come to mind.

[dallasfan]

You seriously think their TC routine has anything to do with this?

The Giants O-Line had a run of like 4 years where there were no injuries. Then the streak was broken. The Cowboys have been incredibly lucky with injuries. Yes, lucky. Luck is needed to avoid a lineman getting rolled up and snapping bones. Luck is needed to avoid your RB from suffering a concussion. And I do not wish for their luck to run out. I wish every player could stay healthy for every team. I just wish the Skins could have the same 22 players start for a whole season at least once in the next decade.

Luck has a lot to do with it, but conditioning plays an even larger role. Players in good shape has a much less chance of getting hurt.

[Hitman21ST]

Luck has a lot to do with it, but conditioning plays an even larger role. Players in good shape has a much less chance of getting hurt.

Agreed, but not having a freak ankle roll or a D lineman rolling up and snapping a shin is some really good luck

[SkinsHokieFan]

Luck has a lot to do with it, but conditioning plays an even larger role. Players in good shape has a much less chance of getting hurt.

It prevents those hamstring injuries.

However those Randy Thomas, Jon Jansen, Chris Samuels, Clinton Portis, Chris Cooley injuries were all bad luck. In Samuels' case, bad genetics

The Cowboys haven't lost a RT and RG for an entire season like the Redskins did in 2007 or their top LT and RG like in 2009.

Nor have they suffered a key contributor suffering a torn ACL. They have been a very blessed team in this regard

[pjfootballer]

But according to DOTS, bumps and bruises are serious business and Dallass has them every year, so they are just as injured as the rest of the division.

[Hitman21ST]

But according to DOTS, bumps and bruises are serious business and Dallass has them every year, so they are just as injured as the rest of the division.

You forgot about how their 33 year old linemen are in their prime and how you want a line to be in their mid 30s

[tr1]

Wade is 9-2 in September since coming to Dallas....OBVIOSULY he is doing something right in training camp for this team to get off to these kinds of starts. The critcism smacks of ignorance without FACTS. We all root against each other...I get that. But root against the opposition with FACTS...when you leave out FACTS, you cannot be taken seriously. That is why TR1s act is comedic!

Intelligent football fans would say you've just proven my point...going easy in

TC means early wins, but failure late in the year due to stamina problems...(see, Pukes, Dallas 2009, 2008, 2007.)

Keep eating the cheese, fellas.

[Hitman21ST]

Keep eating the cheese, fellas.

They need to save some of it for when they whine at the end of the season...

[terrifNick21]

Wade is 9-2 in September since coming to Dallas....OBVIOSULY he is doing something right in training camp for this team to get off to these kinds of starts. The critcism smacks of ignorance without FACTS. We all root against each other...I get that. But root against the opposition with FACTS...when you leave out FACTS, you cannot be taken seriously. That is why TR1s act is comedic!

FACTS are it doesn't matter how you start. FACTS are it's how you finish. FACTS are the Dallas Cowboys have choked every time they've gotten in the postseason the past decade and a half.

[DefenderoftheStar]

FACTS are it doesn't matter how you start. FACTS are it's how you finish. FACTS are the Dallas Cowboys have choked every time they've gotten in the postseason the past decade and a half.

I wouldnt say choked, sometimes they were just clearly outmatched. Its not great to say, but it was clear. The only problem with the Vikings was Flo went down. I think its a different game if he doesnt.

[terrifNick21]

I wouldnt say choked, sometimes they were just clearly outmatched. Its not great to say, but it was clear. The only problem with the Vikings was Flo went down. I think its a different game if he doesnt.

You can't be serious? Flozell Adams is the reason Dallas got toasted for 34 points?

[Hitman21ST]

I wouldnt say choked, sometimes they were just clearly outmatched. Its not great to say, but it was clear. The only problem with the Vikings was Flo went down. I think its a different game if he doesnt.

Was it because of Free or wasn't it?

Did you watch Doug Free play last year? Guy was rock solid while filling in for Colombo. And don't even begin to pin the Vikings loss on Free. Colombo was bloodied and beaten as bad as I've ever seen a RT get dominated.

Doug Free's first play was designed for Witten to block Allen. Dumb coaching but not Free's fault. It was the only sack Allen had the whole day.

[Mr. Jones]

Was it because of Free or wasn't it?

A school of thought is that if Adams doesn't get hurt, Free replaces Columbo instead. As it was ended up with 1 starting OT out, and the other who should of been out. I don't think it would of been enough for the Cowboys to win, but it wouldn't of been quite so lopsided.

[Hitman21ST]

A school of thought is that if Adams doesn't get hurt, Free replaces Columbo instead. As it was ended up with 1 starting OT out, and the other who should of been out. I don't think it would of been enough for the Cowboys to win, but it wouldn't of been quite so lopsided.

You only had one replacement tackle?

[esloan]

You only had one replacement tackle?

Honestly, they only had one good replacement tackle.

The problem was exacerbated by the fact that they had game planned around giving Columbo blocking help but when Adams went down they had to try to rotate that help to Free's side to an extent. Free did a solid job for most of the day but Columbo got killed and they couldn't give him as much help as they could had Flozell been in the game.

With all that said, I don't think they would have won regardless, I just don't think it would have been as lopsided as it ended up being. I am pretty secure with Free at the left tackle spot, he played well in the majority of his starts last year. My fear is actually on the right side of the line, I worry that Columbo is not going to play like his pre-injury self and that Davis will under-achieve again.

[slogriff]

Intelligent football fans would say you've just proven my point...going easy in

TC means early wins, but failure late in the year due to stamina problems...(see, Pukes, Dallas 2009, 2008, 2007.)

FYI,

Cowboys in minority on two-a-day camp practices

06:19 PM CDT on Thursday, July 22, 2010

By GERRY FRALEY / The Dallas Morning News

The two-a-day practice, once a staple of NFL training camps, is falling from favor around the league but remains in the Cowboys' plans.

Coach Wade Phillips has set a camp schedule that calls for 12 days with two practices. Under current schedules, only Atlanta has more, with 14. Baltimore is the only other team in double figures for twice-daily practices, with 10.

New England could crack the list. The Patriots have set the schedule only for the first week of camp and will practice twice each day.

At least two teams have eliminated two-a-days: Tennessee and Chicago. Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher has done this for several years and believes it helps avoid injuries and burnout going into the regular season.

Fisher does use a hybrid of the two-a-day. The Titans will have a brief special-teams practice on some mornings before a full-team practice in the afternoon.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/football/cowboys/stories/072310dnspoblogcowtwo.a23e93c.html