An inside look at Cowboys Stadium

This weekend's journey into the new home of the Dallas Cowboys was one that I will certainly not forget anytime soon. For any person who has ever set foot into a sports venue - new, old, historic or otherwise - unless you have been to Cowboys Stadium, you have not experienced anything of this magnitude.

It's got several nicknames: Jerry World, Jonestown Coliseum, the Death Star, Jones Mahal and several others, but one thing is for certain, this place is as grand, lavish, over-the-top, first-class as any stadium or any building ever for that matter.

Here's a brief walk through of my personal experience of the new stadium, including everything except the game, which was the only major disappointment of the evening.

Arriving at Cowboys Stadium, we pulled into our assigned parking lot, a great deal easier than the old Texas Stadium parking cluster where all "Blue" parking was in the immediate area. Here assigned lots corresponded with your section for your tickets. Of course there were cash parking lots for the nimble amount of $60. Then again, if you've paid $350 per ticket, is the extra $60 where you're going to fall short? Definitely a steep price to park, but as I emerged from the car, I couldn't help but grin at the site of what I had only seen in sketches and graphics. The stadium dwarfs it neighboring Rangers Ballpark to the same degree that the Cowboys dwarf the Rangers in interest.



The giant glass walls and spaceship-like dome were a reality in front of me. You can see the reflection of your car in the parking lot on the glass sides of the building. I found my customized paver brick ($150 well worth it) in the Jim Jeffcoat section of the Legacy Walk. Nearby this fans paver expressed the sad truth that accompanies the price tag of this new stadium. Not too far down, my father found his brick.

Walking to one end of the stadium, our tickets were scanned, and we were within the stadium grounds. The end zone ends of the stadium are fenced off where ticketed fans can enjoy pre-game music and watch other games on massive TV screens that Jerry Jones and the Cowboys plan to rent to other venues in the offseason.

When entering through the giant glass doors - the world's largest - in the end zone, the Cowboys did a great job of anticipating capacity crowds with very wide concourses. Wide as they were, however, with more than 105,000 fans packed into the stadium, it was still a crowded walkway on the ground level. Many party-pass holding fans made their way to one of the six party decks that combined to hold over 30,000 standing room only fans, or one and a half American Airlines Centers worth of people. The Dallas Mavericks and Stars can eat their hearts out. Each party deck had its own unique experience. The Ford Deck had cars displayed on it. The Miller Lite Deck has the Rhythm and Blue Dancers which frankly pale in comparison to the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. These poor man's versions of America's Sweethearts weren't as pretty, couldn't get on the same beat, and looked like some sort of captive dancers in Jabba the Hut's den.

Looking up from the end zone, I got my first view of the Jerry-tron, also known as Godzilla-vision, also known as the largest HDTV screen ever. It's as tall as a seven-story building as is the equivalent of suspending a Boeing 747 over the field. It's massive and it's amazingly clear. The screen is larger than life.

Think about all the times that sports teams have the lame "watching parties" at their stadium or arena when the team is on the road in the playoffs or for a big game. I have never once in my life attended such a watching party because I know the type of picture I'd get watching on those screens at Texas Stadium or American Airlines Center or the old Reunion Arena (which will be missed). But if the Cowboys called for a watching party at Jerry World, I'd be all over it. The owner's goal was to ensure that fans who stayed at home to watch the game did not have a better view of things than fans who invested their time and money to be in attendance. Mission accomplished. Not only did a replay follow each play, but following the main replay, the massive video board then became a four-shot showing of the replay with four different angles of the play at once. It was almost information overload but still gave fans plenty of opportunity to dissect the previous down.

I took several pictures of the video board, and it's as if I was right there on the field with my camera. It's too clear and too big to ignore. That video board guarantees a great view of the field for any fan regardless of where their seat (or standing-room-only square foot of space) may be. Even if you aren't facing the field and the mega-vision video board, it's extremely difficult to avoid eye-contact with an HDTV in the stadium. Close your eyes and spin around five times. When you open your eyes, even though you won't be focused in any specific direction, you'll still have plenty of HD screens to comfort your dizzy brain.

The seats in new Cowboys Stadium are not the hard plastic folding pieces of rental junk from your neighbors summer pool party. These are cushy comforts for every fans' fanny with armrests and legroom as well. Each row of seats is affixed to a sliding base that can have additional seats squeezed in for larger events if the armrests are removed. Hello Super Bowl XLV!

After the game I snuck into a luxury suite to test out what looked like the captain's chairs in mom's old minivan. Not quite. Instead, they are more like dad's recliner, welcoming your entire body with the warmth of a winter blanket. I've always criticized and doubted the fanhood of people in suites like this who I feel don't cheer as loud or as hard as people in seating sections. After demoing the new digs at the Death Star, I almost want to rescind those harsh words. If I had plunked down in a seat like that to watch a game at Cowboys Stadium, it would take some sort of fire/child-being-born/imminent-nuclear-disaster to get me out of there. Heck, even though there are private bathrooms in each of the suits, if I was sitting there, that's a Screw it, I'll hold it situation if I've ever seen one.

The roof opened to much acclaim as with each 30 minute interval, the voice over the loud speak, sadly not the same voice from Texas Stadium (a noticeable drop off from George Dunham), announced "The roof will open in 90 minutes." "...in one hour!" "...in 30 minutes!" "...in 10 minutes!" "...in five minutes!" until finally the time had arrived. The roof and the giant glass doors at each end split as daylight burst through, and the Cowboys Stadium was officially opened. Once the roof had retracted - a 12 minute procedure - looking up through the hole felt like I was back in Irving, Texas, at the house that Clint Murchison built. Exact same dimensions, exact same feel. God can still watch his favorite team play on Sundays ... unless of course bad weather forces the roof closed in which case He'll have to watch the Jerry-tron with everyone else in attendance.

Not only do the Cowboys enter the field through a Hall of Fame level suite-holders club at the field level that allows players to pass through the fans en route to the field, but Jerry Jones even arranged for the visiting New York Giants to have the same experience, rounding up Giants fans to gather for NYG's entrance across the way.

As far as the concessions on opening night, there were a few surprises along with a few disappointments. I went in expecting the prices to be, well, on par with the venue. I didn't find any of the $90 pizzas or $30 burgers (Kobe beef burgers for $13.50 at my local concession stand). With so many registers and stands, I decided to test the limits of snack stands by doing something I never did at Texas Stadium: going for food at half time (after the Ring of Honor ceremony of course). Not only did I walk right up to the register, but the entire process was very efficient. Small monitors on the cash registers displayed my order and the insane price. At Texas Stadium, my heart belonged to a heaping helping of Super Bowl Nachos. I can remember them costing only $5.00 when I was a kid. Last season they were around $9.00 but came with a ladle or two full of melted cheesy cheese with pico de gallo, jalapenos and chili. Once I heard the vendor tell the guy in front of me that hot dogs would be a 5-10 minute wait, I decided that now was the time to go head-to-head with the old Texas Stadium nachos. My first concessions experience at new Cowboys Stadium.

Sadly, much like the game itself, the Cowboys really dropped the ball here. Much like memories of Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith, I guess there are some "good old days" that are just going to be better than any current incarnation. No offense to Tony Romo or Marion Barber and the new nachos, but I prefer the old entre. The platter consisted of blue corn chips, melted philly cheesesteak cheese (what the heck?! Philly?! We're in Dallas. That's a division rival. Get your head out of your ass, Jerry!), corn, black beans, and the stench of $8.50 wasted. Now I did get a very nice souvenir commemorative cup with a
picture of the new stadium on it, but that's about it.

After the game ended and Lawrence Tynes blew up the Death Star with a last-second field goal, we stayed to watch the post-game press conference on the massive Jerry-tron, a perk that we were sold on in the ticket-buying process. Too bad that our mush-mouthed coach doesn't annunciate well enough for you to understand him over the stadium's speakers. Maybe there was a better auditory experience in one of the clubs or suites, but I hope they can fine tune watching the press conference over the video board for future games.

Traffic exiting the stadium turned out to be what it is at every sporting venue in every city everywhere: traffic. The promises of better plotted out traffic patterns to get everyone in and our quicker didn't appear to come to fruition (and we waited to watch the press conference on the screen which didn't let much of the traffic die down). Eventually our car trudged out of the lot, up the street and onto the freeway. Not quite as simple as Texas Stadium which was surrounded entirely by freeways so your only way out was onto a high-speed thoroughfare. This was a little more daunting, but perhaps it will flow easier after the first few games. Seeing more than 105,000 people leave from the same place all at the same time isn't an easy exit strategy anyway (insert joke about Iraq War here).

The new stadium truly was a sight to behold. Other than some half-hearted nachos, traffic jams and a mumblingly-inaudible Wade Phillips press conference (which come to think of it might not be entirely the fault of the speaker system), the evening was the grandest sporting event I've ever witnessed, including Super Bowls, BCS games, Final Fours, Stanley Cups and NBA Finals. No other single event had the pomp and the celebration of this night. This one regular season game was more highly attended than any Super Bowl ever was.

For a North Texas region that truly sees football as its own religion, credit Cowboys owner Jerry Jones for building a great house of worship.


Cowboys Stadium roof opens for the first time


Pictures from Cowboys Stadium on Opening Night

Opening Night: Dal 31, NYG 33

If only the Cowboys could have played to the level that their new home truly deserved.

Then again, to play that well, it might have taken the combined efforts of all the former Cowboys legends who were on hand to help commemorate the evening. Dallas opened its new $1.12 billion Cowboys Stadium in front of NFL record 105,121 screaming fans falling 33-31 to the New York Giants on the final play of the game.

The Cowboys rallied from behind several times throughout the game, and the defense was able to bend but not break in holding New York to field goals on drives early in the game, but with just over 3 minutes to play, the Giants comfortably drove down the field and Lawrence Tynes kicked the game winning field goal as time expired.

If this new stadium is the Death Star, one of many nicknames in the local D/FW area, then Tynes fired torpedos into the ventilation shaft that blew the thing up. Cue the triumphant music and hand out medals.

(A special look at the new Cowboys Stadium coming tomorrow)

For the second straight week, the Cowboys defense could not bring down the opposing quarterback and failed to take the ball away. It didn't help that the Cowboys suffered through four turnovers and a handful of bad bounces. That is all, however, part of the game. An interception went off a shoe, and New York scored on a bobbled catch in the end zone. It happens every week (Brandon Stokley's tipped TD for Denver in week 1). And Dallas will get a few of those bounces during the course of the season. Tonight wasn't the night.

Going -4 in the turnover battle is an impossible formula to win a football game. The fact that the Cowboys even had the lead with under four minutes to go shows how well certain elements of the game were working for them. Dallas was able to gash the Giants for 251 rushing yards, and the run defense that struggled against Tampa Bay in week 1 held New York under 97 yards. But the Giants deserve credit for taking what the Cowboys gave them. Eli Manning aired it out to the tune of 330 yards and a pair of TDs. Two NYG receivers - Mario Manningham and Steve Smith - put up over 130 yards receiving.

On the other side of things, Cowboys QB Tony Romo was average at best and Jake Delhomme at worst. One week after a monster game of over 300 yards and 3 touchdowns, the quarterback went 13 for 29 with a mere 127 yards passing and three interceptions. Sure one pick was off a heel, but the other two were bad, bad throws. Heck, one of them was practically a punt - without the fear of hitting the video board of course. Romo essentially threw a jump ball to the safety on a deep pass to Sam Hurd, and he had several other throws where he missed his targets (targets that were often times double covered).

Dallas got a lot to love out of Marion Barber and Felix Jones, who combined for 220 yards on 25 carries with a touchdown each. The duo of running backs displayed what the Cowboys are capable of in the running game. Even Tashard Choice worked effectively as a third down back early in the game. Jones did have a costly fumble on a kickoff return in the first half setting up more easy points for New York.

The Cowboys secondary looked weary as defensive backs lagged behind receivers all evening. Manning had too much time and too many options. There were open receivers on every key play, and Manning was more than able to find them. On one play, he even spun 360 degrees to evade a Dallas defender and flung the ball to his safety value to keep moving the Giants down the field.

Sadly this performance was eerily similar of the Cowboys failure to give Texas Stadium a proper swan song last December, and that's exactly what the Cowboys couldn't afford to do. With a win or a loss tonight, the Cowboys season still requires taking the field 14 more times, but it hurts beginning the year with such a blemish at home against a team that the Cowboys will need to beat at some point this season if they plan on advancing in the playoffs.

The season will go on, and the Cowboys have a favorable schedule in the early parts of the season. The next five games are against Carolina, at Denver, at Kansas City, Atlanta and Seattle, which are a combined 5-5 on the young season. All of those games the Cowboys are better than on paper, but that has to translate to the field.

Jerry Jones put together a truly magnificent opening night at his new playground, but in the end New York put a Giants blemish on the night.

USC 13, UW 16: Who let the dogs out?

A week ago the USC Trojans were flying high on the wings of a true freshman quarterback after knocking off the Ohio State Buckeyes in front of 105,000 angry i-dotting maniacs. Fast forward from Columbus to Seattle, and a week later the Trojans crashed and burned against a team that went 0-12 a year ago. The Washington Huskies 16-13 upset of the No. 3 USC Trojans is yet another example of a current Trojan team riding the same cocky wave that none of the most recent SC squads were truly worthy of.

Think about the 2003 USC Trojans, which were coming off a Pac-10 title behind Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Carson Palmer and defensive standout Troy Polamalu. The season began with high expectations, but no one knew just how high. Training camp saw a QB battle between a handful of untesteds: Matt Leinart, John David Booty and Matt Cassel. The first game was a 23-0 win at Auburn. SC got out to a 3-0 start to the season before one bad half of football cost them the game at Cal, the lone loss of a split National Title season.

The next two years saw the Trojans go on one of college football's most impressive runs in recent history, dominating all opponents in their path in 2004 en route to a 55-19 Orange Bowl win over the heavily-favored Oklahoma Sooners for the BCS Championship. Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart announced he would return to SC for his fifth year, and it was a forgone conclusion that USC would win a third straight National Title in 2005. That year, Trojans Bush-pushed their way past Notre Dame in a game that frankly lead to the aura of invincibility that surrounds this USC program.

Frankly, there was no way they should have beaten Notre Dame, but Dwayne Jarrett's big catch-and-run on 4th and 9 put the Trojans in position to win it on the final play of the game. Two and a half months later, the Trojans were seconds away from defeating Texas in the Rose Bowl before Vince Young stole the show and the BCS Championship running to his right, cutting the corner of the end zone and snapping the Trojans' 34-game winning streak. When the year ended, Leinart, Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush, LenDale White and many others left for the NFL, but that aura remained - for better or worse.

USC carries itself with that aura of invincibility into each game. They have for years. Maybe that's how they've been able to squeak out several close-calls in recent years while only suffering a handful of loses. Or the loses to Oregon State and UCLA in 2006, Stanford and Oregon in 2007, and Oregon State in 2008 displayed that the Trojans walk around with falsely-deserved confidence that is simply lingering around from those National Title seasons of 2003 and 2004.

But now, counting Matt Barkley and Aaron Corp, the Trojans are four quarterbacks removed from Matt Leinart and Carson Palmer. They are three offensive coordinators removed from the days of Norm Chow. Yes, it is still Pete Carroll's team, but the true elements that helped him build a dynasty - and make no mistake, seven straight Pac-10 titles is a dynasty - are no longer in the Cardinal and Gold, and it's consistently catching up to the Trojans.

Remember the 2004 Trojans, the "Leave No Doubt" Trojans? They did just that. They left NO doubt. It was undeniable the talent on that squad and what they were going to do week in and week out. Fast forward to the recent Trojans teams, and we see doubt all across the USC program. Starting QB Matt Barkley is hurt, and Aaron Corp just set back the Trojans passing game 15 years. The highly touted "stable" of running backs just put the ball on the turf four times on Saturday. Defensive jedi Taylor Mays missed a game with an injury for the first time in his career, and the defense on the field allowed the Huskies to march down the field for the winning field goal. The Trojans lost the turnover battle, 3-0, and went 0-for-10 on 3rd downs while the Huskies were nearly 50% on 3rd down conversions.

Doubt!

Lots and lots of doubt.

Now USC may bounce right back and go on to win the rest of its games just like last year's squad. The 2008 Trojans and quarterback Mark Sanchez finished the year with a very respectable Rose Bowl win over Penn State and a record seventh Pacific-10 Conference title. Great. The Trojans missed out on a National Title shot, and frankly that's part of the beauty of college football's lack of a playoff. Can you balance on the high wire for the entire fall, or will you do just that, fall? The Trojans have slipped up enough in recent years to miss out on return trips to the BCS Championship game.

Perhaps a loss to Washington will be damaging enough to cost the Trojans a title shot even if they salvage the rest of their season and win out. Easier said than done. Perhaps the Trojans can bounce back and put together a strong enough season to contend for the Pac-10 title and a BCS berth. Or perhaps this is just another example of an aura of greatness still lingering around a program that has long since lost much of the magic.

Truly deserving a grand opening

The doors open in less than 48 hours for the real first for the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. Yes there have been concerts and those pesky pre-season games. Sunday night, however, the Dallas Cowboys will tear off the tag, shred open the shrink-wrap, and take the field for the first time at the nation's most impressive sporting venue. Yes, you heard me new Yankees Stadium and Citi Field. Your puny baseball fields are no match for a place that the local Sports Radio 1310 The Ticket refers to as the Death Star.

Doesn't seem like the most far-fetched nickname either. First of all, the obvious, pretty much this team is either the most-loved or most-hated in the NFL. Not to mention the stadium's true capacity and capabilities are only beginning to be realized.

The championship banners from Texas Stadium have been moved from Irving to Arlington, and even the biggest Cowboys legend of them all has made the move.

Dallas opens the shiny new Cowboys Stadium against the NFC East rival New York Giants on Sunday Night. National TV audience. New stadium. Big rivals. It's a night that's going to be more about the venue than about the ballpark. It's a game where the Giants need to follow the script of the evening. The Cowboys opened Texas Stadium - the only stadium to host five Super Bowl champions - in 1971 with a thumping of the New England Patriots. That year the Cowboys went on to win the first of five championships. Texas Stadium closed with tremendous fanfare despite a crushing defeat that ended up costing the Cowboys a playoff spot. The Ravens didn't stick to the script as the Cowboys lost "The Farewell" of its old home. The Cowboys do not need a repeat in kind.

It's going to be a big night for everyone, especially Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. He may be one of the most hated owners in sports, but no one can deny his passion and drive for his Cowboys. The man wants to leave his legacy, a legacy that already includes three Lombardi trophies. This venue defines what Jerry Jones has been to the Cowboys. In his eyes, there is no circumstance where the Cowboys should not be Number 1, and that includes the home field. That's why Jerry has build the Palace of Dallas, the Mansion of the Metroplex, the Death Star of DFW. It's big, it's grand. It's everything that Jerry Jones feels the Cowboys are, and he's turned it into a building.

When the game begins on Sunday, the players must handle business on the field. There is no excuse for a loss. With all the pomp and circumstance, all the hype, all the glory that this new venue represents, the product on the field must be equally worthy of inhabiting such a place. Would it be the worst thing in the world if the Cowboys lost the opener but went on to have a successful season? Unless the year ends with a Super Bowl berth - and this is Dallas, so who are we kidding, a Super Bowl trophy - it's a scenario that's best not to think about. Win the game. Open the new Cowboys Stadium the right way. Give this place the Grand Opening that you gave Texas Stadium almost 40 years ago. Defeat the Giants and make it an amazing season. Simple as that.

Those may seem like unrealistic, gaudy demands, but they are a requisite for occupancy of such a venue.

Fear Serena Williams

Watching Serena Williams go all Henry Gates on a line judge at the U.S. Open this weekend was an ugly scene for the sport of tennis. Much like Gates, Williams appeared to be in the right in her cause, but very much in the wrong in the way she handled it. Williams dropped more f-bombs than overheads and threatened to shove a tennis ball down the line judge's throat for calling a foot-fault on the play. Serena Williams was penalized one point, giving the match win to her opponent and bouncing her from the tournament. Gates, as you remember, was the Harvard professor arrested for going off on the cops who arrested him after he was caught breaking into his own house. Both had a gripe for what they were being accused of - a foot-fault isn't quite as serious as breaking and entering, but the symetry shouldn't be lost nevertheless - and both decided to go on extreme over-the-top explosions.



The crazy-ass tirade aside, the most despicable part of this entire ordeal was how Serena simply brushed off the incident in the post-game interview. The American tennis star didn't overtly deny threatening the life of the line judge, but offered the excuse that she had never been in a fight in her life, so she didn't know why the line judge would have any reason to fear her.

No reason to fear her?! Really?

How about the crazy angry lady menacingly heading toward you threatening to jam a fuzzy yellow ball down your throat. I might be somewhat intimidated by that, and I don't blame the line judge for fearing for her own safety. Williams has a racket, the line judge has nothing. Williams is a world-class athlete, the line judge sits in a chair. This would not have been a fair fight to say the least.

For Serena Williams to act innocent as if she didn't do anything wrong is completely disgusting and puts a black eye on American tennis as one of the country's top players is eliminated from the U.S. Open for throwing a hissy-fit.

Foot-fault? No.

Foot in mouth? Absolutely.

Chicks dig the long ball: Dal 34, TB 21

The 2009 season is underway, and the Dallas Cowboys earned a win despite sloppy football to open the game. Quarterback Tony Romo and Co. seemed off-balance in the first half - save for a long TD pass in the closing minutes - and the defense allowed the Bucs backs an automatic five-yards or so with each run of the ball. Despite the poor play early in the game, Dallas bounced back with a solid second half more representative of the Cowboys potential in 2009. Yes, the Cowboys were not ever in serious jeopardy of dropping the game to Tampa Bay, but what is a team with the Cowboys' talent level even staying close to Tampa Bay? Turns out the Bucs were helping the Cowboys stay ahead in the first half, but Dallas finally was able to ride without training wheels in the second half en route to a 34-21 win over Tampa Bay on Sunday.

Romo finished the game 16 for 27 for a career-high 353 and three touchdowns after starting slow, frequently throwing behind his targets. Perhaps the ball wasn't getting out fast enough, or maybe he was just off the mark. Whatever the problem, Romo seemed to correct it in the second half. While he doesn't have Terrell Owens anymore - and the debate will rage all season over whether or not the Cowboys are better without him - Romo and receiver Roy Williams hooked up three times for 86 yards and a 66-yard touchdown to give its winning points in the third quarter. Romo's TD passes were all big plays, a 42-yard strike to Miles Austin, a 66-yarder to Roy Williams, and the 80-yard run-away to Patrick Crayton. What can I say? Chicks dig the long ball.

Romo didn't turn the ball over in the game, but at times he flirted with interception after interception, especially late in the third quarter on three straight incompletions. He does have that gunslinger mentality at times, but offensive coordinator Jason Garrett needs to make sure Romo protects the ball better, especially when protecting a lead.

That sort of sloppy play that the Cowboys demonstrated early in the game is okay against the likes of Tampa Bay, a team that even the inept Brad Johnson was able to defeat last season, but what about against NFC East foes like the Eagles, Giants and Redskins? Would you trust that effort against an Eagles team that forced six turnovers today?

Some notes on the season-opening win in Tampa Bay
+ Was the Cowboys most heads up play of the first half when center Andre Gurode snapped the ball early when he saw the Bucs defensive end jump offsides? I believe so. Until Romo hit Miles Austin for the first Dallas touchdown of the game, that was the Cowboys biggest offensive highlight. If a center can get a stat credit for a first down, Gurode deserves one.

+ New strong safety (read: new Roy Williams) Gerald Sensabaugh blocked an early Bucs field goal attempt to keep the Cowboys ahead, 3-0. Sensabaugh got a good jump, and Dallas overwhelmed the left side of the Tampa Bay line to get into the backfield. Dallas wasn't exactly strong in the special teams game last season, especially after Felix Jones went down for the season with injury. In fact, other than Felix Jones' kickoff return for a touchdown, perhaps the best play Dallas saw on special teams was from backup punter Sam Paulescu who rocked Clifton Smith on a punt return last season.

+ It wasn't all positive for Sensabaugh. He did launch himself at Bucs receiver Michael Clayton, knocking himself to the ground on the play. Anyone else reminded of the man he replaced, Roy Williams, who would often transform into a frequently misguided heat-seeking missile. As long as Sensabaugh doesn't go full-Roy and copy that hands-on-his-hip-and-looking-for-a-teammate-to-blame-for-that-last-touchdown pose, Dallas should be all right.

+ Also in the secondary, Mike Jenkins appears to be ready for another season of making business decisions. How about someone in the Cowboys secondary step up and cover someone. Even Terence Newman got burned deep late in the first half to set up a scoring chance for the Tampa Bay. Fortunately for Dallas, Bucs quarterback Byron Leftwich overthrew a receiver who had slipped behind Jenkins, and the Bucs missed their field goal attempt as the half ended as the Cowboys dodged a bullet.

+ Rookie kicker David Buehler - former USC Trojan - had three touchbacks on kickoffs in the game. Last season the Cowboys didn't have one. Placekicker Nick Folk did connect from 51 yards in his first action of the season, making all his kicks in this game.

+ I didn't know that intentionally kicking a ball on the ground was a 10-yard penalty. Secondly, Patrick Crayton lost more manliness than yardage when booting the muffed punt by Newman out of bounds. Fall on the ball, or drop to the ground and slap it out, but toeing the ball away from you seems a bit dainty. Yes, Crayton caught an 80-yard touchdown pass from Romo in the 4th quarter, but I'd like to see a little more toughness from a receiving corps that lost perhaps one of the most dangerous receivers in the league this offseason. Yes, the receivers got a lot of chances as Romo passed for a career-high in yards, but don't confuse big stats with consistent production. A great showing for week 1, but that's only what we're at: week 1. And as the Cowboys found out last season, it's not how you start, it's how you finish.

Not a bad win today for the Cowboys, but not a good win. If the Cowboys are going to contend for a playoff berth - let alone win its first playoff game since 1996 - Dallas will need to play a much tougher, much more consistent and on-point game next week when the team opens its new home against the rival New York Giants on Sunday night.

The Boys are Back in Town

The 2009 NFL season is here, and that means things are gearing back up here at No Joshin' so bookmark to your favorites, and buckle your chinstrap. Today it's the Cowboys and Bucs to kick off the regular season in Tampa Bay.

This Dodger Fan Feels The Blues

No doubt Dodger fans nationwide should be upset with the news about Manny Ramirez testing positive for steroids and being suspended 50 games. Coworkers here at the Long Beach Armada are livid. Other fans are disappointed. My girlfriend, a lifelong Dodger fan who was born just weeks after the team won its last World Series in '88, expresses her disappointment and frustration here:

This Dodger Fan Feels The Blues
By Megan Murray

So this morning I was hit with some terrible news. To most, it probably means nothing. To other sports fans like me in Los Angeles, it’s a huge deal. Manny Ramirez, the pride and joy of the LA community, dubbed “Mayor” of Dodgertown, has been tested positive for drug use.

For anyone who has been paying attention to Dodger baseball recently, you know their home record was on fire, tying previous records and setting modern ones. The boys in blue were most recently tied with the Detroit Tigers in 1911 with 12 consecutive wins at home. On Wednesday May 6th, Dodgers beat the Washington Nationals 10-3 to set a modern MLB record with most consecutive wins at home.

I saw the entire game, watching with pride as my guys slaughtered DC inning by inning. It was beautiful, and by the middle of the ninth when the Dodgers had won, I had started to tear up. I just kept thinking how I can tell my kids about this moment some day. Last night felt like Christmas. This morning, it felt like someone punched me in the face and told me Santa isn’t real.

I remember telling my boyfriend last night during the game about how silly all the Manny hype is. “You know, he makes a big difference, but he’s not the entire team.” That’s what makes me the most upset. Not that Manny will be gone for 50 games, because I still believe in what my team can do, but all the money, time, and energy spent on this one person. The dodgers made him seem like some sort of god, and now he feels like one big joke. All the pride I felt last night after the Dodgers’ big win flew out the window. I’m embarrassed as a fan, and I hope the team is too.

Apparently, Ramirez was given a medication prescribed by his doctor and he and his doctor had no idea that it went against MLB’s drug policy. Ramirez said, “LA is a special place to me and I know everybody is disappointed. So am I. I'm sorry about this whole situation.” Well Manny, you should have been more careful. You’ve let down a lot of hopeful fans that looked to you to turn the Dodgers into something great. Let’s just hope that at the end of 50 games, you still have those fans to support you…because who will? Boston? Don’t think so.

Manny's only hope: Apologizing

Manny Ramirez has one chance - just one chance - at redemption.  As reports surface that the savior of the Dodgers tested positive for steroids and will be suspended 50 games effective immediately, the slugger must follow the footsteps of past perpetrators and apologize NOW!

Don't go down the road that Roger Clemens took, firm denial with a dash of rage.  Don't try to shut out the outside world like Barry Bonds and as a result become vilified.  Don't even attempt to move on without talking about it because it happened in the past, a la Mark McGwire.

No.  Manny must apologize - even if he's not specific - to his fans, to the Dodgers, to baseball for letting them all down.

As my girlfriend, a Dodger-diehard said this morning upon hearing the news, "I'm just disappointed. ... It's like finding out Santa Clause isn't real."  How true that is.

The man who seemingly single-handedly lifted the Dodgers from the middle of the pack to the champions of the NL West last summer after a blockbuster trade is now on the fast track out of the game unless he can do the necessary damage control.  

Look at how Andy Pettitte or Jason Giambi and others were able to bounce back from similar reports.  Learn from that and repeat.

Mannywood will never again have the same glitz, glamor or glory that fans came in LA came to enjoy last season.  At this point, Ramirez can only diffuse the situation by coming clean, taking his lumps, and admitting what he did.  

Just because Santa Clause isn't real doesn't mean you can't celebrate Christmas.  But it certainly ruins some of the magic.  

Don't take the Super Bowl to London

As reports begin to surface of the City of London working to bring the Super Bowl across the pond within the next eight years, Stateside NFL fans should rightfully be cringing at the idea.

I haven't been the biggest fan of the NFL taking two teams to London each of the past two seasons to play a regular-season game. Yes, the games have been sold out at Wembley Stadium, and the NFL clearly gets a kick out of it, which is why a third game is going to be played in London again this season. But for so many financial and economic reasons, the NFL needs to keep the Super Bowl - the single-largest uber-spectacle sporting event in the nation and perhaps the world - here in the United States.

The first glaring reason that I can bring up without being accused of wrapping myself in the flag is a purely financial objective. One report claims the Super Bowl would be worth $521.1 to the London economy. London is aiming to host the game in either 2014, 2015 or 2017, and by that time any current economic woes should ideally be passed the United States and the global economy. However even if the current economic climate has improved in 6-8 years, that is still more than a half-billion dollars that the American economy would benefit from. Taking the Super Bowl and that economic boost out of the country is financially irresponsible.

Also think about the jobs that will simply go unfilled by American workers. Consider the regular-season game that the league plays in London each year. One NFL team must give up a home game. Never mind the fans who live in the local market who want to attend the game - because we all know the NFL cares more about the TV money than attendance money, which makes sense considering the drastic difference (although tickets at the new Cowboys and Giants/Jets facilities are working to bridge the gap) - but what about the stadium employees of the team that loses a home game.

Everyone at the stadium misses out on that day of work. That might not seem like a big deal, but if you asked the people who worked at the snack bar, merchandise stand clerks, ticket takers, security guards, and so many others that make a stadium go on Sundays, I bet they'd be a little less enthusiastic about having 10% of their pay cut. (10% = each NFL team plays 10 home games per season including two pre-season games.) For example, I work for a professional baseball team that plays 44 home games. If we lost 4-5 of home games because they were played elsewhere during the regular season, that's 4-5 games I wouldn't get paid for which isn't a very enticing thought.

Maybe there would be a big pay-day in it for the NFL. Who knows what London would be able to do to make the Super Bowl in London a reality. It's already a neutral-location championship game. The Super Bowl is a unique event because of how it rotates locations not based on who is playing but on a city and a stadium's bid to host the event. London just wants a shot of it all. And even though they are optimistic it will happen, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is quoted as saying the NFL has "never" looked at the Super Bowl being in London or even Mexico City. (Granted, I'd much rather see it in former than in the latter if it is going to go international).

Don't get me wrong, there are some positives for a Super Bowl in London, like an opportunity for fans who want to make the trip to perhaps carve out a week of their time for a fun trip abroad highlighted by attending the NFL's championship game. That sounds like fun. Expensive, but fun. Based on pre-season favorites, roundtrip airfare from Boston to London would be around $610, and from Dallas would be $741. Compare that to airfare to a Super Bowl-favorite destination like San Diego. From Boston $399, and from Dallas $445.

There is also the risk of the Londoners designing a Super Bowl logo. And after what they did with their 2012 Olympics logo, there is legitimate cause for concern. But the mockery of it is amusing.

The NFL should keep it's championship game in the United States. And if they do somehow wind up with a London Super Bowl, they'll see it was an even worse mistake than playing the Pro Bowl outside of Honolulu the week before the Super Bowl.

Bubble breaks at Cowboys practice

What a scary day in Dallas as spring storms thrashed the D/FW metroplex and specifically the Cowboys "bubble" practice facility. With 12 confirmed injured, including special teams coach Joe DeCamillis, it's easy to see some Cowboy-haters making the way-too-easy, way-too-unnecessary "this is the worst Cowboys collapse since missing the playoffs last year."

Video of the structure collapsing was caught on tape.

It's something out of a movie, as players and other Cowboys personnel are scrambling through the wreckage looking for anyone possibly trapped underneath the debris.

And while the total extent of the damage looks to be relatively minor - no life-threatening injuries and no players injured - this could have had a much more catastrophic result. Perhaps the Cowboys should have taken a little of the $1 billion invested in the new stadium and instead allocated some of that for upgrading the bubble. Yes, lots of teams have similar facilities, but you can bet that they will all be reinforced or replaced within the next year based on what happen, and more importantly what could have happened, in Irving, Texas, today.

Dallas Morning News:

Dallas Cowboys indoor practice facility collapses

Bulls-Celtics: Win by 2?

As the Bulls and Celtics played into a third overtime in Game 6 and a seventh overtime in the series, I realized that even though I was more focused on the Mavericks/Spurs series, as a hoops fan, this series is the most undeniably amazing series ever!

Joakim Noah tapped the ball away from the C's, dibbled the length of the floor, and elevated in the face of Paul Pierce to jam home the winning points and force a deciding Game 7 in this amazing series. Basketball fans across the nation will be clamoring today about how they never want this series to end. To help these fans cope with the finality of a Game 7, I've come up with a great solution.

Just for this series - because getting such a great series is rare, and you never know how the next rounds will play out - the Bulls-Celtics should adopt a similar format to tennis, ping pong or volleyball: must win by two.

Think about it? Chicago and Boston are currently tied at 3-3. Game 7 will be the end of it before one of these teams plays the Orlando Magic in what could not possibly be as entertaining a series as this has been. But what if Game 7 goes into OT, as so many others have this series?

With the exception of Game 3, these games have all been so close, and so perhaps if a team was required to win the series by two games, basketball fans could rejoice as this series continued. While it's not necessarily a practical solution, I don't think anyone would complain about more Bulls-Celtics this season.

Mavs 99, Spurs 90: Helpful Hollins

When Erick Dampier went to the bench with 4 fouls, Rick Carlisle used a spark by the name of Ryan Hollins to ignite the Mavericks en route to a 99-90 win over San Antonio to give Dallas a 3-1 lead in the best-of-7 series.

Hollins not only grabbed 8 rebounds and blocked 3 shots, he also made plenty of small hustle plays to help give the Mavs a strong lead which they would not surrender.  With 3:34 left in the third quarter, Josh Howard dribbled from the wing into the lane where Hollins was boxing out Tim Duncan, providing a clear path for Howard to the basket.  Big dunk, and Dallas takes a 70-65 lead with plenty of momentum.

But perhaps Hollins' biggest momentum play of the night was his put-back jam with 4:20 left in the 4th quarter off a missed 3-point attempt by Jason Kidd.  Hollins sent the AAC into a frenzy with the thunder-dunk, and despite his over-the-top celebration earning a technical foul for San Antonio, the message was sent.  This was Dallas' game, and very realistically becoming Dallas' series.  

Dallas now has an opportunity to steal a game in San Antonio in Game 5 to close out the series early before their shot at winning at home in Game 6.  

Ice Bowl Battle along I-10

Driving back to LA from Phoenix yesterday, I saw this guy: a motorist with a big Packers logo sticker on his rear window and a license plate reading "ICE BOWL" on his bumper. As a good Cowboys fan, I only had one choice. My girlfriend pulled a sheet of poster board from the back seat, grabbed a sharpie, and went to work...


Moments later, our "KRAMER WAS OFFSIDES" anti-Ice-Bowl poster was complete. Now to catch up to the Packer-backer.


There he is. Within our sights. Memories of the 1967 frozen classic replaying in my head. Bart Starr diving into the end zone behind a blatantly offsides Jerry Kramer. The (deliberately?) frozen field. I feel that perhaps my redemption is finally coming to fruition.


The Packer fans laughed, gave us a thumbs up, and gestured for us to hold the poster up again so they could take a picture of it. I figure if you've got a license plate reading "ICE BOWL" then having a Cowboys fan pull up along side you and taunt you is pretty much the goal you're going for.


As I told my girlfriend - a big time Dodgers fan, it'd be like if she was driving and saw a car with San Francisco Giants logos on it and a license plate reading "BONDS 762" ... she would be compelled to hold up a sign with either an asterisk or the word "steroids" on it.

This might be the coolest thing I've ever done when driving across the country.

Cutting Owens a mistake

Cutting Terrell Owens is a mistake the Cowboys are too vain to make. The organization hasn't suffered any Owens-sized distractions as the Eagles or 49ers had to deal with. Yes, there have been bumps in the road, but it has been worth it. Owens has been uber-productive in his three seasons with a star on his helmet. Sure he has dropped passes, but he's made up for it with big plays.

And the Cowboys, thinking they have the answer with Roy Williams (WR version) are clearly putting their eggs in that basket. Nevermind Williams was slightly less than an afterthought in the Cowboys offense last season. Sure, he wasn't in camp with the team and didn't already have the rapport with QB Tony Romo, but he's got a long way to go to match the productivity Owens provided Dallas the last three seasons.

Terrell Owens will most likely continue his hall of fame career somewhere else next season. He's too good to simply be passed over by the entire NFL. But the Cowboys future is much more uncertain. Romo now must step up as the unquestioned leader of the offense. Last season until Romo's injury, Owens was arguably the biggest key to the Cowboys offense (and then we learned just how bad the backup QB position really could be). The 2009 NFL season could officially close the window on this Cowboys squad unless this gamble pays off. Does one player really make or break an NFL team? It's entirely possible.

And unless Romo builds his relationship with Roy Williams while continuing to lean heavily on tight end Jason Witten, the Cowboys offense could suffer the blow up everyone expected during the last three seasons.

A-Rod's steroid report brings all MLB into question

With the recent report that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003, baseball and sports fans across the nation must wake up and accept the fact that baseball is dirty, and it's not going to be clean any time soon.

Just think back to August 7, 2007. Barry Bonds smashed a 3-2 pitch from Washington's Mike Bacsik. As Bonds' career home run #756 cleared the right-center field wall, a dark and ominous cloud seemed to crawl out over the evening sky. No longer could fans deny the permanent scar steroids would leave on the game of baseball. The one silver lining to the steroid cloud was that hopefully, someday, Alex Rodriguez will continue his pace to break Bonds' career home run record, once again restoring some semblance of honor to the most hallowed record in sports.

Apparently not.

Sports Illustrated's report that A-Rod tested positive for steroids has erased any hope of a silver lining. Instead, baseball's steroid cloud has cast an imposing shadow over the game like one of the alien ships from Independence Day. The problem can no longer be brushed aside. And if it's not dealt with, game over.

Not sure how baseball can clean up this mess. The problem seems too widespread to simply "solve" over the course of a season or two. And what's worse, is the fans don't seem to care that some of these all-star caliber players are doing it dirty. Oh, sure, the ones who don't admit to it and disgracefully fade into infamy (Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire) will be vilified at least until they admit some guilt. But what about Jason Giambi or Andy Pettitte?

Alex Rodriguez's worst baseball sin - other than his post-season play - was really only signing a monster contract with the Texas Rangers for a quarter-billion dollars before moving to the hated New York Yankees a few seasons later. But now, the man formerly known as Pay-Rod has become A-Fraud. And what a fraud he's had going. His 2003 MVP season is tarnished, and based on history, his only chance at redemption in the court of public option would most likely be to apologize without being specific and hope people move on. The only problem with that logic is that if Rodriguez truly does end up challenging Barry Bonds' career home run record, these steroid reports will cloud people's judgment of the accomplishment. Guys like Pettitte or Giambi have still played well after battling steroid reports, but neither of them challenged any of those mega-records in sports.

Rodriguez might.

And so A-Roid must now decide how he will address these allegations. Ignore them, and they will only intensify. Accept them, and have a chance at salvation. Fight them, and face a conviction in the court of public opinion. There is no easy way out.

The same can be said for Bug Selig and Major League Baseball. With the man who was recently heralded as the salvation compared to Bonds' disgrace of the record books, now no one is above scrutiny. And no one is above speculation of guilt. Unles the MLB were to have openly public testing results - something that would never be allowed because of the privacy of medical records, not to mention an incredibly strong players union - the validity of all baseball players must come into question.

NBC Super Bowl Coverage Notes

The Helmet Catch

NBC aired a 5 minute package about last season's Super Bowl game-changing play when Eli Manning escaped a sure sack and completed a miracle pass to receiver David Tyree, who clutched the ball against his helmet as he was flung to the ground. The completion on 3rd down allowed the Giants the chance to win the game and defeat the 18-0 AFC Champion Patriots.

But the most disturbing part of the entire story... NBC continually referring to this play as a play that has "become known as 'The Catch.'" Since when?! "The Catch" occurred when the 49ers' Dwight Clark caught a ball in the back of the end zone from Joe Montana to send San Francisco to its first Super Bowl. Tyree made a great catch, but it wasn't The catch.

President Obama

During his pre-game interview with NBC's Matt Lauer, President Barack Obama commented about the cover of "Us" weekly on how he was cropped out of a photo of his family. Instead the magazine cover featured a sidebar of Jessica Simpson with the words "Weight Battle" in large bold pink block lettering. When Lauer said, "you were replaced by Jessica Simpson," Obama chuckled and responded with, "yes, who's apparently in a weight battle." Give it 48 hours before Romo breaks up with her.

Stubborn Super Bowl viewing

It's finally here. Super Bowl XLIII.

After two weeks of waiting, the Arizona Cardinals take on the Pittsburgh Steelers for the Vince Lombardi Trophy. So how will this break down...

The Cardinals offense against the Steelers defense serves as the main appetizer. Kurt Warner's story is of course remarkable. The link of Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt to Pittsburgh as a former Bill Cowher assistant adds in a few wrinkles. Will this be Edgerine James' opportunity to get the ring the Colts won without him two years ago? A win most likely solidifies Warner's Hall of Fame chances. A win makes Ben Roethlisberger on his way to becoming Tom Brady 2.0. Etc, etc.

So much fun to look forward to.

Now there are a few things I don't like about the Super Bowl. I don't like how everyone watches it. I like football. I like more people watching football. But I don't like people watching football who not only don't know anything about football, but don't try to know anything about it either. And what's worse is those same morons try to pretend to actually know what they're talking about while the game is in progress.

Comments like "I'm rooting for the Steelers because they have a better name than the Cardinals" should not be tolerated. That's okay logic for a girl picking teams in a March Madness pool, but not for the Super Bowl! And yet, it's all too routine. Or the people who come to Super Bowl parties and talk during the game. No, I know I'm a talkative person. But if I'm talking during the Super Bowl, it's with at least some purpose. Two years ago when Devin Hester took the opening kick off back for a TD in Super Bowl XLI, I pointed out to all my friends that this was the first KR TD to open a Super Bowl. Three minutes later, Fox put that stat across the screen. But I don't want to hear about how your boss is being a jerk while the teams are on the field.

The commercials are funny. I like to watch the commercials. I laugh at them. But the commercials are NOT the only reason to gather around the TV. If you're just watching so you can talk about the commercials at the water cool, and you don't actually have any interest, I'd rather you watch the Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet and be proud of it. Heck, the Puppy Bowl is really entertaining. It's cute. It's cuddly. It's awww. But enough already. The focus should be on the game. Not which dancing animals are plugging Pepsi this year. Good lord.

So as you kick back and enjoy what should really be a national holiday, make sure you keep your Super Bowl viewing party in line. Bathroom breaks at halftime only, not during the game so you "don't miss any commercials." No asking when Kurt Warner broke up with Ivan Drago (it's the same woman). Don't try to spell Roethlisberger -- you won't succeed. And for God sake, learn your Roman Numerals, because writing "Super Bowl 43" is absolutely not acceptable.

No Joshin prediction: Cardinals 27, Steelers 22

Magic Johnson infectious?

Watching the Barack Obama inauguration coverage this morning on ABC, after a reporter had an interview with former Lakers superstar Magic Johnson, the reporter tossed it back to ABC's studio crew. And that's when anchor Charlie Gibson made perhaps the most awkward comment we will hear today (excluding anything outgoing President George W. Bush might say).

Needless to say, it is probably a bad idea to use the words "Magic Johnson" and "infectious" in the same sentence.

As my comedian friend Brad pointed out, this would be akin to saying that an Asian politician's views on a subject were slanted.

Todd Haley troubles

So Arizona Cardinal Anquan Boldin got into a dispute with his offensive coordinator Todd Haley during the NFC Championship game. Boldin was clearly going back and forth with Haley on the sideline while the game was still in progress and very much in doubt.

Did I mention Boldin a wide receiver?

I know that the whole "Cardinals in the Super Bowl" thing is hard to believe, so at least we have a very realistic "unhappy wide receiver" story to follow over the next two weeks. Boldin was (and I'm betting still is) upset over his (lack of) playing time down the stretch of the NFC Championship game. Nevermind the fact that his team made it to the freaking Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history. That's irrelevant. Why wasn't Boldin on the field?!

I'd expect this sort of "put me in coach" attitude from the local kindergarden soccer team or even from a certain receiver in Texas, but even said receiver wouldn't throw this sort of hissy fit after earning a trip to the Super Bowl, right?

Then again, there is always the possibility - seriously, don't rule it out - that this is all Todd Haley's fault. Let's not forget, he was the wide receivers coach in Dallas when an afforementioned receiver had a dispute with Haley. I know, I know, no one gets along with T.O., but Haley did break his promise of confidentiality in Dallas.

This should die down over the next few days despite the increasing media blitz created by the bright lights of the Super Bowl. But in the mean time, perhaps Boldin and Haley should sit down and use their words like big boys instead of sideline name calling. If the Cardinals are going to beat Pittsburgh in two weeks, let's face it, Larry Fitzgerald will be the WR making the big plays Boldin will have to find a way to contribute and not disrupt the Cardinals offense. And Todd Haley might want to try keeping his cool too.

The Cardinals?

THE CARDINALS ARE IN THE SUPER BOWL!

THE CARDINALS ARE IN THE SUPER BOWL!

THE CARDINALS...

THE CARDINALS ARE IN THE SUPER BOWL?

What?

Yes, it has happened.  The franchise that demonstrated three cities of futility has now earned tickets to Tampa Bay in two weeks.

My friends and I decided to play a Kurt Warner drinking game for the Eagles/Cardinals NFC Championship game.  Needles to say, I'm buzzed right now.

Kurt Warne​r drink​ing game rules:

Take a drink anyti​me anyon​e menti​ons:

+ Kurt Warne​r being​ a bagbo​y at a super​marke​t

+ playi​ng in the AFL

+ his wife,

+ or when Kurt thank​s Jesus​

Two amazing moments from the NFC Championship game:

1. This sign held up by a Cardinals fan.

2. Kurt Warner knowing that every fan knew he would thank Jesus if the Cardinals won the game.  Sure enough...

Another Texas Triumph

In a few days, the Oklahoma Sooners will take the field in an attempt to win a second BCS National Championship under coach Bob Stoops. Stoops has had no trouble getting his team into the championship game, but he's struggled to close the deal in recent years (see 55-19 vs USC and 21-14 vs LSU). But while OU continues to struggle through their BCS bowl games, its rival six hours south along I-35 is celebrating yet another big BCS win, a win that could easily give the Longhorns a shot at a split national championship this season.

Yesterday's Fiesta Bowl was simply the third installment of Longhorn's deja vu. We've seen this game before. Twice before, actually.

Texas put together a thrilling last-minute drive to overtake Ohio State, 24-21, in the Fiesta Bowl. The Longhorns are now 3-0 in BCS games. Texas has put together three come-from-behind thrilling wins to earn each BCS Bowl victory.

Side note: Perhaps the Ohio State University should be banned from BCS Bowl games until they can win a lower level game like the Capital One Bowl. At least this time they weren't the sacrificial lambs to an SEC championship slaughter.

In 2004, the Longhorns earned a berth in the Rose Bowl against Michigan on New Years Day 2005. The Vinsanity began as Vince Young ran wild and Dusty Mangum kicked Texas past Michigan as the clock expired. No one will ever forget VY's return to the Granddaddy of Them All one year later against USC for the BCS title. Another last-minute drive. Another thrilling victory.

The least surprising aspect of the win: Mack Brown politicking for a share of a national championship after the game. Yes, Texas beat OU. And yes, I believe that Texas should probably have been in the BCS title game over OU based on their head-to-head win in the Red River Rivalry Shootout. But frankly, there's not much the Longhorns can do about it.

Look at USC. The Trojans plastered the Big Ten champion Penn State Nittany Lions in the Rose Bowl, 38-24, in a game that only looks like it was "respectable" because the Trojans dominant defense let off the gas down the stretch allowing two meaningless Penn State touchdowns. After the game, Trojans coach Pete Carroll said that he thought USC was the best team in the country.

Oh, wait. What about Utah, the nation's only undefeated team and champions of the Sugar Bowl?

The fact of the matter is the system is flawed, but there isn't a clear-cut simple solution. I know, I know, put in a playoff. And don't get me wrong, I've argued for a playoff in the past. I've even tried to design a playoff model. But I have yet to see one that is actually doable. Do you shorten the regular season? Do you keep the kids out of an extra few weeks of classes to play? What about the fans who'd travel to the game? And can you really turn different bowl games into "semifinals" without cheapening the meaning of winning the bowl game itself?

I'm not saying there will never be a playoff, but what is the simple solution? The answer is that there isn't one. So for now, it's Florida and Oklahoma for the national championship. Texas got screwed this year. But it's no worse than Auburn going undefeated but not having a seat at the table while USC and OU battled for the championship in the Orange Bowl a few years back. The only reason Texas has a case is because they did actually play a head to head game against OU, unlike any other case in recent memory.

And yet, Texas can only sit back and hope voters make them national champions. There's nothing more the Longhorns can do. And because of that, let's stop all the campaigning.