I don't get all the optimism here. Until I see substantial personnel changes, it's really hard to look past the glaring holes we have failed to fill for the past 4 seasons. Even with the next Tom Landry steering the ship.
You are the most negative person I have ever met to call themselves a Cowboys fan. This team had alot of holes after the 2009 draft (credit to you for calling it) they have made alot of positive strides since then. For instance MLB was a glaring hole and they answered with Carter and Lee. CB was horrible they fixed it with Carr, Claiborne, Jenkins, and Scandrick. IN past two years they have drafted Tyron Smith, Bruce Carter, DeMarco Murray, Dwayne Harris, Claiborne, Hanna, Crawford, Wilber. With that haul they are at the very least average in drafting certainly not hopeless like you make them out to be.
I honestly don't think it's negative. I think it's being realistic. You make some good points, though. They have addressed many of the holes that were present even before the 09 draft debacle. Still many remain, and a lot of the names you mentioned above only Cowboy fans will recognize because we're hoping the potential equals the reality. Remove 09, I think their drafts have been ok the past several years and honestly better than the Parcells era drafts for the most part. That said, there is still so much to fix with this team, and I feel like each year, we're filling one hole and finding another one or two open up at the end of the season. Our approach to OL in free agency has been maddening, both in securing guys like Free for gobs of $ based on limited exposure, and not pursuing quality starters to protect Romo and support the run game which has been so inferior, save for the Herculean efforts of Murray (whom I honestly don't trust can stay healthy). The DL is a mess, as it was the year before and we did nothing to support or enhance that.
Credit where credit is due: I loved the Tyron, Claiborne, Carter, and Wilber selections when they came down, and hope they pan out. I was not thrilled with Murray, Lee, or Crawford, but at least 2 of those three have been outstanding. Hanna is going to be a good, if not great, TE when Witten retires or breaks down. And the Carr addition, while pricey, has been worth the investment (had no idea his ball skills were so good).
But, I'm selfish and want more. I want to see a
philosophy and to build smartly around that philosophy on both sides of the ball. I want this team to embrace an identity. I want to go to games and not have to feel like I'm encouraging others to scream and yell and kick up the volume. We're not entitled to anything, as fans. But, there are certain advantages the Cowboy brand, franchise, resources, and history all have that
should translate into better performance on and off the field, and my over-riding feeling about this regime--the past several regimes in fact-- is that we are underperforming with the stacked advantages we have.
Bottom line, other teams are doing a lot more with a lot less. If that makes me negative, so be it. I just think it's a realistic assessment of where we have been and where we are now.
Just my .02.
#### this team. Be prepared for an offense that his no concept or care what kind of position it puts it's defense in. You thought the Cowboys were bad now? You haven't seen bad yet... Expect lots of 3 and outs and turnovers. Yes, more than we've already seen.
