Cowboy's Fan Base Must Be Getting Restless: As a long suffering one-time avid Redskins fan who has fallen to lukewarm status, it surprises me that the Cowboys still enjoy a rather rabid following. They have an owner in Jerry Jones who feels like he knows football because he pulled off one big trade almost thirty years ago in the pre-free agency era that resulted in three Super Bowl wins in four years. The Cowboys have won just a single playoff game in twenty years. Jones has stuck with head coach Jason Garrett despite mostly mediocre winning records that have made it difficult for the team to get any high draft picks without trading up to get them. By refusing to bring in an NFL savvy general manager, Jones has perpetuated that mediocrity. I suspect, although last week's trade for Amari Cooper with the Raiders was a good one, that Jones' high profile may make it difficult for him or his son Stephen to do the back channel work necessary to get the players necessary to upgrade the team. I actually have a lot of respect for Jerry Jones. He is a loyal manager about whom many say good things. The fact that he revolutionized what a franchise in the NFL looks like are a tribute to his business acumen. Just like Dan Snyder in Washington, that business success hasn't translated into winning on the field in the current millenium. Even when they have talent, the Cowboys find a way to lose. Running back Ezekiel Elliott has been held to just 94 yards on 32 carries in the last two games. In a game that Dallas could still win Monday night against the Titans, Elliott disappeared in the second half. I have to agree with Troy Aikman, the Hall of Fame former Cowboy quarterback, who said in an interview Tuesday that the Dallas organization needs a total overhaul. It's doubtful Jerry Jones will fire himself or son Stephen as general manager, but perhaps they'll start the process with bringing in a new coaching staff.
Where Does This Crimson Tide Team Stand Historically? After dismantling what is considered a pretty good LSU team 29 - 0 on Saturday night at hostile Death Valley in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, it's probably not unreasonable to start speculating where this Alabama team ranks with the best teams of all time. The last couple of regular seasons I wasn't totally sold on the Crimson Tide as a complete team. Even though he was talented, quarterback Jalen Hurts was a bit inconsistent and their secondary was vulnerable to big plays. With the emergence of Tua Tagovailoa behind center and a strengthened defense, Alabama looks virtually unbeatable to me. Tua hasn't even had to play a full game, so it's scary to think what the Tide would do with the top offense on the field for 60 minutes. A lot of so called experts are speculating what happens if Georgia beats Alabama in the SEC championship game. Did they not watch the second half of last seasons' national championship game? Georgia is probably not quite as good as they were last year and the Tide is clearly better. It would be a huge upset for someone to be able to topple Alabama this season, unless it's Clemson in the title game. So where does this team stand in history? As premature as it is, since they haven't won the title this season, I believe they rank pretty high, perhaps first or second. The other team that comes to mind that I believe is in the same class is the 1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers, who dismantled a pretty good Florida team 62 - 24 in the Fiesta Bowl to cap off an undefeated season with a national championship. The 'Huskers scored more than 40 points in all but two games and one of those was a 37 - 0 thrashing of rival Oklahoma. Will this Alabama team meet those standards?
Don't forget to check out my new book, "Offsetting Penalties - A PK Frazier Novel" at Amazon.com. Also check out www.thechtonsports.com for our podcasts and live broadcast on Tuesday's at 8:30 pm EST. I can also be reached via email at kevin@pkfrazier.com.
