Cowboys Corner

Jerry Jones' statement on Bob Hayes' Hall election

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement: "This is a deserving honor for one of the Cowboys' most and truly gifted stars.  We all know he changed the game on the field, but he also brought a unique star quality to the NFL that helped make professional football the most popular sport in the world.  He was a world champion in two different sports, and he had a world class heart.  I couldn't be happier for Bob, he was always one of my personal favorites.

"This is a great day for Bob Hayes' legacy, his family and the Dallas Cowboys."

Roy Williams talks about frustration

Cowboys receiver Roy Williams was on Galloway & Co. on ESPN 103.3 FM this afternoon after telling a Washington, D.C., station earlier that he didn't think he was used correctly last season in Jason Garrett's offense.

Williams said a player can't contribute if "you're not put in the situation to win. "When you're running the same route every game, and not being able to move, and not being a part of the offense, that's pretty much why you didn't see much from myself in nine, 10 ball games. That's why I had 19 catches."

He said his motivation for going public about the offensive problems, "I'd just like to be more involved in the offense. I know we have so much talent across the board. But after a while a team starts to pick up on it as [Baltimore Ravens linebacker] Ray Lewis said after he got done playing us, that  we had the easiest offense to figure out.

"But if we can move people around and use people that they don't think will get the ball because they've watched film for the last three or four weeks  .. that could throw them for a loop."

As far as accepting blame for his own lack of production, he said, "I'm a coachable wide receiver, I'll run what I'm supposed to run, I'll continue to have cornerbacks ask me, 'Why they got you running the same thing over and over again.' "

In fact, he said he "only ran one or two routes the entire season" and didn't run a slant route until the Philadelphia game.

He said Garrett "is a good coordinator."

And he wanted to clear up that he wasn't part of the wide receiver criticism of Tony Romo or Jason Witten. When he met privately with Garrett, "I didn't say anything about any other player. I talked about what can I do to get involved in this offense. I didn't talk to Witten or Romo, I didn't talk to anybody."

Practice with his former team, the Detroit Lions, was more uptempo. He said when he got to the Cowboys he would run down field in practice to block for the receiver who had been thrown to, but he noticed the other receivers weren't doing the same. So he stopped doing that after a week or two. But this year, "I'm going to continue to do that. Hopefully, someone will figure out what I'm doing and follow my footsteps."

He also spoke of practice habits and being criticized for running poor routes by Troy Aikman. Listen to the podcast here.

Cowboys, Lions keeping Thanksgiving tradition...for 2009

   NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell promised that the Cowboys and the Lions will continue their Thanksgiving tradition this season, but he made no promises beyond 2009. In his annual state of the league address Friday, Goodell said alternating the site of the Thanksgiving Day games could be discussed.

   Some owners have complained that by hosting a Thanksgiving game every year, the Cowboys and the Lions have a competitive advantage.
   "I do understand it's a great tradition in Detroit and Dallas," Goodell said.
Goodell was asked about the ice strom in North Texas this week, two years before the Super Bowl arrives. 
   "I did notice that," Goodell said to laughter.
   He added that the league understood the risk in awarding the game to North Texas and is hoping for good weather for Super Bowl XLV.

- Charean Williams

Pacman, Lil Wayne headline Ken Hamlin Birthday Party

Cowboys safety Ken Hamlin didn't advertise his birthday party as much as Terrell Owens did last December but suffice to say he secured the hottest name in the music business to show up at his affair. Yes, I'm talking about Lil Wayne, who was there to promote his new group called Twist. It was nice upscale affair at the Platinum Club at the AAC. Owens was on the promotional material as one of the expected attendees. But the party was in direct conflict with his own Super Bowl party in Tampa Bay. But several Cowboys did attend, including Keith Davis, Chris Canty, Bradie James and Andre Gurode. One former Cowboy was there too...Yes, Adam Pacman Jones. Pacman refused to be interviewed. He also expressed his dissatisfaction with me over his treatment in the media. I gave him my card and told him if he had anything to say on the record about his departure from the Cowboys, his legal entanglements and his future in the NFL to give me a call. Stay tuned. Clarence Hill

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Roy Williams takes turn at ripping Garrett's offense

Terrell Owens, Tony Romo and now receiver Roy Williams. He has jumped on the Jason Garrett bashing bandwagon. In a radio interview Thursday with a Washington D.C. station (ESPN 980), Williams took offense to Garrett's offense and how he was used.

"I thought with me and T.O. out there, I thought that was just like Fitz (Larry Fitzgerald) and (Anquan) Boldin out there, but I don't think they used us correctly this past season. But hopefully this season with training camp under our belt we can all get on the same page and win some ball games."

Are you OK with Garrett?

"I am cool with Garrett, I just hope that he uses me a little more. I know what I can do in this league. I have a proven track record. I think have some pretty good hands to catch the ball. So I think he can use me a little bit more."

Williams had just 19 catches for 198 yards and one TD this season in 10 games after the trade.

"The ball just never came my way. I was never the featured guy for the ball to come my way," he said.

Williams added that his plantar fasciitis was not that big of a problem for him and he was able to consistently get open. You believe that?

"The foot didn't ever slow me down," Williams said. "I think that was more of an excuse for others to use. But going into this season there won't be any excuses."

Interesting comment here considering Wade Phillips said he was slowed by the injury and it was part of the reason for his low production. Not according to Roy. Sounds like Roy is saying that's an excuse the team was using for his minimal impact.

This year Williams said he is going to voice himself more after staying quiet for the most part when he arrived this season.

- Rick Herrin

Parcells in Tampa as promotions man

During the week of the Super Bowl it seems every player is hanging around in the city hawking some product.

Add the great Bill Parcells to that list. The Miami Dolphins boss man will be in Tampa on Friday as a pitch man for Gatorade (remember that cool commerical he did with the Trinity Trojans when he was in Dallas?). Bill must be re-engerized by the South Florida sun these days.

Don't forget Parcells made Gatorade baths famous on the sidelines.

Parcells was also hanging out in Mobile, Ala. last week at the Senior Bowl. He hadn't been seen at the Senior Bowl in several years.

- Rick Herrin

TCU's Bonner works out for Cowboys

The Cowboys worked out 19 players on Wednesday, including several players from the suspended Arena Football League. The AFL has stopped operations for 2009 while it tries to restructure.

Among the workout guys was former TCU strong safety Brian Bonner. The most notable player was All-AFL DB Eddie Moten of the Philadelphia Soul. Moten is from Lancaster and played at Texas A&M Kingsville.

- Rick Herrin

 

Marty B's video apology

Martellus Bennett has put together an apology for his dirty-lyric rap video that got him in hot water with the Cowboys. Of course, it was the media's fault. UPDATE: Bennett was hit hard for his mistake. He was fined $22,000 (equal to one game check) by the Cowboys.

Witten wins NFL charity award

Cowboys Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten does a lot of great things in the community and he was recognized for his dedication winning the league's Home Depot Neighborhood MVP.

Witten, who is in Tampa to receive the award, was one of seven finalists and received notice because of his work with the SCORE Foundation which provides assistance to victims of domestic violence. He also helped with a playground build at a local charter school.

Witten was honored at an all-star playground build for underprivileged kids in East Tampa.

- Rick Herrin

Something that won't change with Cowboys

That would be the circus environment. With a team desperate to re-focus and change its methods for the 2009 season, this team continues to create its own sideshows with Ringmaster Jerry.

Here are the developments since the season ended in Philly...

* Linebacker Anthony Spencer gets arrested for public intoxication and disorderly conduct at an Indianapolis club.

* Michael Irvin set to host a new reality show which will be a contest to determine the 80th roster spot for the upcoming training camp. The Cowboys needed a replacement for the loss of Hard Knocks.

* Terrell Owens also gets involved in the act with his own reality series this summer on VH1 giving an inside peek to the World of T.O. along with his publicists. Owens was probably jealous of Deion Sanders.

* Tight end Martellus Bennett's rap video has been discovered on You Tube, which includes very explicit language, and it's a total embarrassment to the franchise. And that's saying something. Nice work Marty, who was wearing an autographed Cowboys helmet in the video.

All of this is a great head start to the 2009 season. Stay tuned.

- Rick Herrin