OXNARD, Calif. - Been here more than a week, and for some reason can't find the "cupcakes," if you know what I mean.
That Wade Phillips, what a taskmaster. Brutal. Making this poor Cowboys team practice twice on Friday, twice more on Saturday, both times in pads, and then doesn't even have the decency to call off Sunday's lone practice . . . in pads.
That means these players are not scheduled for their first training camp day off until the Sunday following next Saturday night's preseason game in San Diego, and at that, they likely won't get back here following the game until something like 3 in the morning. Nice.
Uh, come on Wade, that also means we don't get a day off either. Doesn't he know the Ventura County Fair just cranked up this weekend? Doesn't he know the last day of the 84th annual Old Spanish Days Fiesta just up the 101 in Santa Barbara is Sunday? Now sure hope he knows Tower Of Power and WAR are playing at the Fairgrounds Thursday night.
Ah training camp, and we've all been here just over a week, the Cowboys practicing 15 times within 10 days, and for the most part this has been Camp Tranquility (knock on wood): Very few injuries, void of controversy, awaiting the first in-practice skirmish (it's coming this week), absence of surprises and really, not even thrown off-kilter by the ever-present NFL Films cameras scurrying about, logging footage for Wednesday night's first of five Hard Knocks episodes airing on HBO.
So what about some impressions and early predictions?
Though everyone denies it, but the play of Tank Johnson at nose tackle just had to be the impetus for the mid-week switch of starting nose Jay Ratliff to left defensive end and starting left defensive end Marcus Spears to the nose. The self-described "beast" is playing so, and sure wouldn't surprise me if he ends up the starter, or playing the majority of those snaps in there since no one here likes to talk about who's starting and who isn't. When asked about Tank, though, Cowboys defensive line coach Todd Grantham's eyes lit up, saying, "Yeah, he's really playing well."
And if that happens, then let's predict Ratliff starting at left defensive end, where he was extremely active the past few days back at the position he occupied before forced inside last year by Jason Ferguson's season-ending injury.
And if that happens, what with the continued emergence of Jason Hatcher and Stephen Bowen, and the potential of Marcus Dixon, could the Cowboys have showcased Spears at nose tackle to attract trade interest from another team? Bill, are you listening to me? Crossed my mind, and his, too, though by Sunday both had returned to their original positions in practice.
Let's move on. Bobby Carpenter is going to be a player after all. This might have been his best week of NFL practice, and Saturday morning might have been the best of all. From the inside linebacker position - and he's now playing both, weak and strong - he had a pick of Tony Romo for what would have been touchdown, and batted down another two. He was all over the place. This keeps up, and the coaching staff will need to find snaps for him.
Then there is cornerback. Glad I don't have to make the decision on how many to keep and if they can't keep seven, which I seriously doubt, who has to go. Because with Terence Newman, Alan Ball and Quincy Butler all nursing injuries, Evan Oglesby and Orlando Scandrick sure have made the most of their opportunities. Truth be known, those two might be playing better than first-round pick Mike Jenkins, of whom secondary coach Dave Campo said, "He's got some things he needs to get better at," though he did produce one of his better practices Saturday afternoon.
That also is one reason the Cowboys have seemingly settled in with Adam Jones now working with the first team at left corner in Newman's absence instead of Jenkins, who is working with the second team. Jones, though, still has been taking reps with the second team at right corner and Jenkins with the first nickel.
Over at safety, things seem pretty thin there when it comes to depth, although apparently Courtney Brown, one of last year's two seventh-round picks, must be opening some eyes with his continued transition from corner to safety. Because of late he's has supplanted Pat Watkins as the nickel safety on the first team when Roy Williams either moves to the slot position or comes off the field - or at least has been playing there the majority of snaps the past couple of days. I'm told he's really coming on, and as we discovered last year when he had opportunities, he has a pretty good nose for the ball.
And as long as we're at safety, how about this: Roy Williams sure appears to be playing with more motivation and urgency in this camp than I've seen in a while. He's talking more with Ken Hamlin after plays and when they are off to the side watching, seemingly analyzing how plays developed. And he appears to be getting himself in better position, meaning he's doing a better job in preparation. Even if he's just a two-down safety, as long as he makes an impact on those two downs he'll be worth the money.
This one probably is a no-brainer, but as well as Anthony Spencer seems to be playing behind Greg Ellis - and in his place the past few practices with Ellis resting a sore back - don't be surprised if he gets some of Ellis' snaps this year. The Cowboys need to get him on the field more, and must preserve Ellis who turns 33 next week while we're in Denver.
Looks like at this point the two best offensive line backups so far in training camp have been guard/center Joe Berger and left tackle Doug Free, who just might be edging out last year's backup tackle Pat McQuistan of the No. 3 job. The 2007 fourth-round pick has good feet for a big man. Berger is trying to supplant Cory Procter as the backup guard/center.
Leaving nothing to chance, the Cowboys already are working on sending in the defensive call to the player wearing the speaker helmet, and so far that's been Bradie James and Kevin Burnett. Defensive coordinator Brian Stewart sends the call in on his handheld walkie-talkie from the sideline. Now only one of those two players can be in the game at the same time wearing a speaker helmet, so my guess is Burnett will have two helmets, one with and one without just in case the two do end up on the field at the same time. With the NFL officials working practices the end of this past week, the two backers also were practicing reporting in to the umpire when the guy with the speaker helmet changed.
Speaking of Burnett, the Cowboys are really high on the now backup weak, inside linebacker and their main nickel backer, and it seems if for some reason Zach Thomas is unable to start, the staff would have no qualms playing Burnett. Said Phillips, "I think he's doing really well. He's been a physical player and he's even more physical now." He would go on to say of Burnett, "He was ready to move in and start (last year in place of Akin Ayodele) before he got hurt," meaning the bad thigh bruise he suffered in Buffalo early in the season. This would be a good year for Burnett to excel since he's in the final year of his original four-year contract.
Lastly, I predict Cowboys owner Jerry Jones sold about $500 worth of T-shirts Saturday after he walked all the way across the practice field, summoned two practice footballs on the way, and presented the first to the guy in the stands who had the football tossed in there during practice by Adam Jones confiscated from him by one of the ball boys and a policeman. Then Jerry Jones tossed the other one in for good measure, both the robust delight of the crowd who had loudly booed the ball boy.
And finally, how about some sounds from training camp:
This from Terrell Owens to Dave Campo after catching a pass just past the outstretched arms of "Pac" in a team drill: "If he wasn't so short like you he might have gotten it."
As for Campo, by the end of camp we might not be hearing anything from the secondary coach. He's so hoarse right now from coaching so hard, he's going to lose voice. Mark my words.
Leave it to Nate Newton to offer some self-deprecating humor. While taping a TV show, the producer gave us the script and told Nate he would be in the "C-block," meaning the third portion of the show. And Nate cries out, "No don't put me in the C-Block," pointing out that was his unit while serving time in prison a few years ago.
Then there is Spears, saying the temporary move to nose tackle this week did not come as a shock to him since the coaches had hinted during the off-season this might happen. He has remained rather philosophical about the move, saying, "At the end of the day you got to do what they ask you to do." And even a much calmer Ratliff said, "At first I was a little frustrated but with some time to think about it, I'll be all right," supporting the theory of thinking before speaking.
And this from punter Mat McBriar, who was asked at the last minute to appear on one of our many radio shows the other day, never forgetting the normally obscure nature of a punter: "So who was the real player who didn't show up?" Even funnier thing than that, he was absolutely right. We had a no-show.
Finally, from the school of everything's never perfect, as nicely as this camp has gone, when you see the man identified by Adam Jones as the gunman in the Las Vegas strip club shooting that wounded three people in 2007 indicted on seven felony counts, it makes you wonder if NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is hesitant to reinstate the Cowboys suspended corner while this ordeal is ongoing.
See, the attorney for the club employee paralyzed from the waist down after being wounded in the shooting still contends "Adam 'Pacman' Jones was involved in the shooting. We still believe that today." Now it's one thing for the likely money-seeking attorney to believe that because of the lawsuit filed against Jones by his paralyzed client, but what about Goodell? Does he? Because I'm guessing the last thing Goodell wants is to reinstate Jones and then find reason from his past to suspend him again.
Who knows about any or all of this, just a lot of food for thought on a wonderfully sunny Southern California afternoon.
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Mickey Spagnola - 
