Dallas Cowboys "America's Team"

TO was back on the practice field yesterday.  I really had no problem with him not practicing.  The dude keeps himself in excellent physical shape and doesn't seem to me to be a candy-ass.  Him not practicing makes sense to me.  Why risk seriously injuring the hamstring resulting in maybe missing games that COUNT.  Brings to mind the movie North Dallas Forty (loosely or not so loosely based on the Cowboys) and the guy who took a shot to numb his leg so he could play because the organization pressured him...then he got seriously hurt because he couldn't feel the pain.  Yes, that is a movie but....

Look at Clinton Portis and Chad Greenway (Rookie LB with Mn).  Both were injured in the 1st preseason game.  Clinton Portis should be back playing by the start of the season or shortly thereafter....but what if he misses alot of games... the skins may have a problem.  I feel bad for Greenway because this was his first NFL game...and he ends up having a season ending knee injury playing on special teams (reminds me of a certain player for the Giants...Sehorn)

I am not one tho to say that preseason doesn't matter.  The talent must be evaluated and the veterans need to get into a rythmn at full speed with contact.  That is just how football is.  Practice is NOT like a game no matter what anyone says.  Funny....in high school, I played basketball and I tried to practice as if it was a game so I would be prepared better and one of my teammates complained that I was playing too hard since it was "just practice". 

You cannot predict when an injury will occur, and getting the young guys evaluated is important not only to the team but to the young men themselves.  Getting a chance to show what they can do during a game could be the difference between having an NFL career or stocking shelves at the nearest grocery store.

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