Find out what The 33 News Team is really thinking
Current category: Dallas Cowboys | Back to main
6:43PM | January 28, 2010 | posted by Desmond Purnell | comments: 0

Where's Romo?

tony_romo.jpgAmong the eight Dallas Cowboys who'll play in Sunday's Pro Bowl, only one was missing from Wednesday's practice and his name was Tony Romo. Travel arrangements caused the Cowboys quarterback to miss practice yesterday.

No need to fear... Tony Romo made it to Fort Lauderdale in time for Thursday morning's practice, which only lasted about an hour. This is Tony's third pro bowl appearance. His previous two came in Hawii, after the season was over. So how does tony feel about playing The Pro Bowl, in Miami, while the season is still going?

Tony says, "This is my first day here. So far I mean... the fan support and things of that nature have made the game pretty fun. I do think there's something to be said for playing the game during the football season. I think more people are interested that way. I don't know. So far, so good."

This is the first time since 1980 that The Pro Bowl hasn't been played at Aloha Stadium.


5:28PM | December 8, 2009 | posted by Desmond Purnell | comments: 1

Bradie Giving Back

Normally a Bradie James sack is mean and vicious, but on this day it brought joy to some underprivileged children. Be sure to join us tonight at nine to see how The Cowboys Defensive Captain made Christmas a lot merrier for those less fortunate.bradie pic.jpg
4:33PM | November 1, 2009 | posted by Desmond Purnell | comments: 0

Cowboys Defeat Seahawks 38 - 17

We're beginning to learn a few things about this year's Cowboys. For starters, Dallas is beginning to show the type of consistency needed to be a contender in The NFC. Today, The Cowboys followed up a dominating win last week against a solid Atlanta Falcons team, with an equally impressive, 38 to 17 win over Seattle.

Tony Romo threw for three touchdowns today. This is also the first time in Tony's career, he's strung together three consecutive games without an interception. Be sure to join us tonight on Inside Sports for a full recap of today's big win for The Cowboys.  
9:47PM | October 28, 2009 | posted by Desmond Purnell | comments: 0

Roy Williams Has Plenty To Prove

Cowboys Receiver, Roy Williams called Saturday's performance against The Falcons, one of the worst in his 6 year career. During Saturday's win over Atlanta, Tony Romo threw to Roy five times, but he only caught one pass and dropped two. Not exactly the type of production you want from a quote on quote, "number one receiver." However in his defense, Roy is recovering from three bruised ribs and he's making no excuses. Roy plans to bounce back against The Seahawks on Sunday.  

"I don't want to blame it on rust, I don't want to blame it on medication or anything like that," said Williams. "I just played terrible."

"The thing I've got to do, I've got a chance to get better this week. I'm glad that wasn't the last game of the year because I would have to live with this for four or five months."

"But that taste is out of my mouth. I'm ready to roll. I'm ready to catch the ball and do the things I've been doing."

Roy and The Cowboys will look for their third win in a row, this Sunday against The Seattle Seahawks. Game time is set for 12:15pm at Cowboys Stadium.
10:24PM | October 26, 2009 | posted by Desmond Purnell | comments: 0

D-Ware's Big Pay Day is Well Deserved

Ever since DeMarcus Ware entered The NFL back in 2005, he's always been one of the more superior athletes on the field. Now he has the bank account to match. Today, The Cowboys made Ware one of the highest paid defensive players in the league by locking him up to a six year deal worth 78 million dollars; 40 million of that is guaranteed. DeMarcus has no problems with his new contract extension.

"I feel like I've gotten what I deserved," Ware said. "You can't ask for too much money. They (Cowboys) need room to work too."

Ware's numbers speak for themselves. His sack total has increased every year he's been in the league. D-Ware has also gone to three consecutive Pro Bowls. On top of that, Ware is coming off a league best, 20 sack season. But what's more impressive than his stats, is his character.

During the off-season, DeMarcus sat by and watch other prominent defensive players cash in. During training camp, Ware was asked time after time, what's taking The Cowboys so long to offer him a contract extension. DeMarcus didn't complain or threaten to hold out. Instead he continued to do the things that's gotten him to where he's at today... and that's continuing to practice hard, challenge his teammates and whatever else it took to make he and his team better.

There's a reason why you never hear any bad reports on DeMarcus. Off the field, he's as soft as cotton candy. He's one of the nicest guys I've ever met. But on the field, he's a machine. He doesn't take plays off. His work ethic inspires others. He's a leader in every sense of the word. So by The Cowboys breaking the bank to keep Ware (who at the age of 27, is just entering his prime) in Dallas, is easily one of the smartest decisions this franchise has ever made. 
9:44PM | October 6, 2009 | posted by Desmond Purnell | comments: 0

Bradie Tackling Breast Cancer Head On

Bradie James is famous on the field for delivering big hits. He's coming off a career season where he led the Cowboys in tackles, plus he led all NFL middle linebackers in sacks...

But its the hits he's taken off the field that's shaped his life...

"Well I actually lost my dad first," Bradie says. "My dad had a liver disease and then three months later, my mom passed."

Bradie lost his mother Etta to breast cancer during his freshman year of college.

"It just motivated me to become who I am today. Thats a part of life. Things happen, but its those who overcome that pretty much go on and be successful. I had a couple of choices. I could either cry about it, be sad, be depressed about it; which I was for a little bit; but I decided to be something for my family that I didn't have yet but just move forward with my life and thats what I did," says Bradie.

When Bradie made it to the Pros he decided to pay tribute to his mother by establishing Foundation 56.

Bradie says, "It's about not giving back but living your purpose and that's pretty much my mission. I don't care about making any banners about what I'm doing as long as I make an impact on someone's life; that's what we all should strive to do."


And the way Bradie's making a difference is through the foundation that bares his number.

"Going out there giving people pamphlets; getting a mammogram; making sure that they have rides once they've been diagnosed with cancer... I wanted to make an immediate impact; and thats what Foundation 56 does. We go out there on the street, and we try to help those people and not fall in between the cracks and that's what we've been able to do."

10:07PM | September 30, 2009 | posted by Desmond Purnell | comments: 0

"The Streak" Continues

"The Streak" is still alive. For the third week in a row, Cowboys Left Tackle Flozell Adams has been fined by the NFL. This time the league got him for $7500 for kicking Julius Peppers during The Cowboys Monday Night win over The Panthers. Wish I had that kind of money to throw away.
10:10PM | September 21, 2009 | posted by Desmond Purnell | comments: 0

Marion Barber Injury Update

The Cowboys may be without running back Marion Barber for next week's game at Cowboys Stadium. An MRI revealed today that Barber has a strain in his left quad and is listed as questionable for the Monday night show down against The Panthers. The injury occurred in the 4th quarter. Barber went off for 124 yards and a touchdown, before leaving the game.
8:39PM | September 14, 2009 | posted by Desmond Purnell | comments: 0

Romo Should Be Ready For The Giants

TONY ROMO SPRAINED HIS RIGHT ANKLE IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF SUNDAY'S 34 TO 21 SEASON OPENING VICTORY AGAINST THE BUCCANEERS... DESPITE THE INJURY... ROMO WAS ABLE TO THROW FOR A CAREER BEST 353 YARDS AND THE COWBOYS ARE HOPEFUL, HE'LL BE HEALTHY ENOUGH TO DO THE SAME THIS SUNDAY...

BY ALL INDICATIONS, ROMO SHOULD BE READY FOR THE HOME OPENER AGAINST THE GIANTS THIS WEEK. EXAMS ON HIS SPRAINED RIGHT ANKLE CAME BACK NEGATIVE TODAY AND HE IS EXPECTED TO PRACTICE THIS WEDNESDAY... COWBOYS HEAD COACH, WADE PHILLIPS SAY THEY WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR TONY'S ANKLE...

"NAW HE WASN'T ON CRUTCHES. FROM WHAT THEY SAID, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING SERIOUS. I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE BASKETBALL INJURIES AND HE'S PLAYING FOOTBALL SO IT'S NO PROBLEM," WADE JOKINGLY SAID.
8:48PM | August 26, 2009 | posted by Dave Crome | comments: 0

Cowboys Stadium to open doors for practice on Thursday

Allen Iverson wouldn't like it but you can bet that thousands of fans will flock to Cowboys Stadium to watch the team practice tomorrow night.

The Cowboys are thrilled to get back indoors for a workout after baking in the sun for the last three days at Valley Ranch.

The team is planning quite a show around the two hour practice.  You can get into the building for free but parking will cost $10.00.

Here's the schedule of events

3:00pm-Plazas Open
5:00pm-Cowboys Stadium Doors Open
5:00pm-Alumni Autographs at Miller Lite Plaza
5:30pm-Rhythm & Blue Dancers at Miller Lite Stage
8:00pm-Post Game Concert at Miller Lite Stage

Here are former Cowboys who say they will be there to sign autographs:
Larry Brown
Tony Casillas
Dixon Edwards
Walt Garrison
Charles Haley
Drew Pearson
Preston Pearson
Charlie Williams

If you can't make it out there, we'll have complete coverage of the practice Thursday night on The 33 News at 9:00pm
8:28PM | August 11, 2009 | posted by Desmond Purnell | comments: 0

Cowboys Injury Report

The Dallas Cowboys play their first preseason game of the year this Thursday against The Oakland Raiders. Several Cowboys will be sidelined due to injury. Here's the list:

CB Terence Newman (groin)
CB Mike Jenkins (ankle)
FB Deon Anderson (knee)
LB Steve Octavien (groin)
LB Stephen Hodge (knee)
CB Michael Hawkins (knee)
RB Alonzo Coleman (quad)
LB Brandon Williams (shoulder)
4:58PM | August 10, 2009 | posted by Desmond Purnell | comments: 0

Reason For Concern

Alright Guys, Cowboys Training Camp has been silent, boring and uneventful and that's a good thing for this year's team. Last season, the distractions seem to have taken it's toll on The Cowboys and as a result, they missed the playoffs.

So off the field distractions may not be a concern, but injuries sure are. Today, Running back Felix Jones and Tight End Martellus Bennett, two guys who the offense will be counting on heavily, suffered what the team is calling minor injuries. Felix missed some practice time this morning after banging up the same toe that shorten his rookie season. He did dress out for the afternoon session. Meanwhile Martellus, did not dress out for The Cowboys second practice of the day after twisting his knee this morning.

Saturday, cornerbacks Terence Newman (groin) and Mike Jenkins (ankle) suffered injuries. The Cowboys play their first preseason game of the year this Thursday against The Oakland Raiders. The Cowboys have yet to announce if the injured players will suit up for the game.
2:50PM | August 10, 2009 | posted by Dave Crome | comments: 0

Wade's "new guys" are having an impressive training camp



igor.jpg The Cowboys have had their share of players known simply by their first name. Days of Troy, Emmitt and Michael may be gone but now they've got themselves an Igor.

"He's a real strong guy man, a big ole strong Russian guy" said Cowboys defensive end Jason Hatcher.

The new Cowboys defensive end bench pressed 505 pounds in college, and at the NFL combine he put up 225 pounds, 41 times.  

"He's not real pretty, but we like him" joked Hatcher.  Wade Phillips likes him too after coaching the defensive end in San Diego.

"I played with Wade for three years and we ranked in the top five against the run and had a 30 sack season and won a lot of games."  said Olshansky who'se family immigrated to the United States from Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine when he was seven years old. "We won 3 AFC championships (in San Diego) and I have confidence in him as a coach, coordinator and as a person and I hope he has confidence in me to play right defensive end for the Cowboys" Olshansky said.

"He's a very good technician" said Wade Phillips.  "He can run, has good speed and is very flexible for as big and strong as he is.  He's a good solid player that can get better and one that I know a whole lot about in crucial situations. He'll come through for you, when you lose players at positions try to replace as good as can" Phillips said.

While Igor will replace Chris Canty, Wade filled Zach Thomas' linebacker spot with a player he coached in Atlanta, Keith Brooking is a 12 year veteran that's been to the Pro Bowl five times and has been working out all camp with the first teamers.

"The top agenda for the guys on this team is to win games and I admire that" said Brooking brooking.jpg who Wade brought in as one of the first moves after adding the defensive coordinator position to his plate.  "I love to be with guys like that. Football is very important to me, high up on priority list, It's a mans game.  The grind of camp, nothing's easy, There's a lot of sacrifice.  I have been around a lot of players and coaches and see that we have ingredient to build something special and we have to do it now" said Brooking.

One player that Brooking has impressed, plays across the line from him every practice, During his rookie season, Cowboys offensive tackle Marc Colombo played against Brooking in a game and loves his passion for the game.

"He's just a leader, a vocal leader goes out there and plays hard and does his job" Colombo said.

And you can't have too many of guys on the field like that.  

Much more from Day 13 of training camp tonight on The 33 News at 9:00pm

7:54PM | August 9, 2009 | posted by Dave Crome | comments: 0

Cowboys "Commissioner" Williams fines teammates for errors

williams .jpg
As the Cowboys wrap up their second week of training camp at the Alamodome, one aspect of the game that has really pleased the coaches is that the offense has been taking care of the football. There haven't been many fumbles or interceptions and there's a reason for that. Those kinds of blunders are hitting them in the pocket book.

We're talking about fines, that always seems to speak the loudest. The Cowboys had 33 turnovers last year, the most since 2004 when the Bill Parcells led team went 6-10. So in an effort to nip that in the bud...the receivers are leading the way by laying down the law and taking in the cash.

During a routine passing route at training camp, while nearly everybody in the stands is watching the play, the coaches behind the line of scrimmage are looking for something else, any sign of the football.

"You get in trouble if they can see the ball from the back" said receiver Sam Hurd. "Instead of going to the meetings and getting yelled at over and over, you try to do it right. Everybody is doing it right and everybody is holding it across their chest so we're working on a lot of ball security" Hurd said.

Part of their financial security also depends on it.  Miles Austin knows all too well.

"Receivers have fines for mental errors, missed assignments, failing to convert on a route
if you block the wrong guy.  It all adds up" Austin said.  But there is a way to cancel out some of the fines.  ""Get a touchdown, the more you get the more you can mess up."

Of course, that defeats the purpose.  Who is keeping track of all these errors anyway? It's none other than Roy Williams who instituted the system and named himself "Commissioner." Roy adds up the errors as he sees them, writes them on his hand or on receiver coach Ray Sherman's play sheet.

Maybe that's why Roy Williams keeps changing his jersey from 4 to 11 and back to 4, in an attempt to stay anonymous but instead, he's become, notorious.

"He's worse then Goodell" said receiver Patrick Crayton.  "He tries to rule with an iron fist, and it's been bad, very biased, it's been ridiculous so far" Crayton said with a smirk on his face.

Shaking his head, Crayton said, "he writes it down on Coach Sherman's play sheet to keep track but he never writes things about himself. It's always something else when it comes to him.  We don't worry we've got it on film, we make sure to mark it down but he's corrupt!"

Roy's response: "They think I'm a little biased toward myself but when you're commissioner you can do that."

When I told him that Crayton said he was corrupt, Roy promised retaliation.

"Well you know he's the Vice President so he thinks he's second in command" Williams said. "I'm going to fire him because he's given leeway to too many guys."

Williams continued the light hearted barbs claiming that he has fined himself $110 so far.  In the twelve days of training camp the receiving corps has racked up $960 dollars in fines and they're only halfway through camp.  The receivers who make the team all plan to spend the proceeds dining out in Dallas when camp breaks.

The receivers have set a little trend with their kangaroo court, now the kickers are getting into the act, but they're focusing on making it more of a hazing for rookie kickoff specialist David Buehler.  He hasn't done anything wrong in the kicking department but his fellow specalists have had to find a way to shrink his ego

"We're doing fines" said punter Mat McBriar.  "He's a rockstar, this rookie from USC, Mr. Hollywood, he's over there yelling to the crowd.  We see him doing stupid things so we fine him for that"  said McBriar in his thick Australian accent.

Buehler has taken it all in stride.  "I mean hey, you gotta become a fan favorite quick" Buehler said.  "So you gotta make a good first impression quick get the fans on your side, I'm doing all I can!"

Having fun at camp is a must or the or the repetition of the routine will drive you crazy. The Cowboys will go hard here again on Monday  with the last two a day of the week. There is one practice Tuesday, a walk through on Wednesday and then it's game on with the kickoff of the first pre-season game on Thursday night in Oakland against the Raiders.  

Be sure to tune in to Inside Sports tonight at 9:30pm for more Cowboys coverage.
6:37PM | August 9, 2009 | posted by Dave Crome | comments: 0

Cowboys Feel Red Hot in the Red Zone

campsat 033.jpg All camp long we've heard that last year is over and this is a time to start fresh. But some of the images the defenders can't get out of their heads, having to start with a short field and still keep their opponent out of the end zone. Of course the offense and special teams have to share the responsibility for putting the defense into that position and all three of those areas have been a focus during the many practices this week. 

Flimsy special teams coverage along with turnovers by the offense helped put the opponents in the Dallas red zone 56 times, a dozen more than 2007, that's quite a weight to lay on the shoulder pads of the defense and that's why they brought in Joe DeCamillis to lighten load.
and has returned the special teams intensity to a special kind of level.

"He's all about playing fast and physical" said Bobby Carpenter who has stayed on this roster with solid play on the special teams the last three years.  "His style is don't worry about making a mistake, go out there and be aggressive down the field and make them react to us instead of them reacting to our return" Carpenter said.

"We really want to establish a sense of urgency" said DeCamillas. "We want to put the importance on it, every single play out. The players have responded to that, trying to practice at a little faster pace during those periods.  We're trying to upgrade the personnel, we have speed and competition at all positions."

That's music to the ears of the defense which overcame the short fields to turn in the NFL's sixth best percentage of holding teams out of the end zone when they got inside the 20.

"If the guys get 7 points hard to bounce back" said linebacker Bradie James.  "When you hold them to field goals it's always good.  In the red zone, the antennas go up and you have to stop them, so they don't put seven on the board" James said after drawing loud applause for stopping Marion Barber in his tracks near the goal line.

"When we're on the goal line we really gotta put our hard hats on" said Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware.  "Having a guy,  #56 , Bradie James, the hammer, laid the hammer down on Barber and stopped the touchdown."

James received congratulations from nearly every defender out there and took pride in pushing Barber bakwards.  "MB is known for scoring, I had to stick my head in there before he hits me back."

It's not Barber that James should look for.  He's got some linemen upset they couldn't create the hole for the touchdown.  "As a linemen you take pride in it " said center Andre Gurode. "You know what, you take pride in it, and I'll look for next shot, a free shot at the linebacker" Gurode said with a smile.

He will get several opportunities because built into many of the 11-on-11 practices are red zone sessions, and since there's no hitting allowed, it's as close to a live drill as you'll get until the first pre-season game on Thursday.

Ware plans on showing off some of the red zone intensity in that game agaisnt the Raiders. "With us being aggressive,  getting on the other side of the line and making sure that we're there instead of letting them lean into the touchdown and make big plays, we have to stop them on the other side of the ball."

The key of course is not having to get into that jam and field position should improve leaps and bounds this year. The addition of DeCamillis along with kickoff specialist David Buehler who is expected to force touch backs nearly every kick. Mat McBriar says he feels great, so getting his punting yardage back should be a major plus.

Then there's the offensive turnovers in enemy territory.  This this team has focused on that as well and this time it includes the green, fines.  Nothing like getting the point across by being hit square in the pocket book.

Much more from Cowboys Training Camp tonight on Inside Sports at 9:30pm on The 33.
2:48PM | August 5, 2009 | posted by Dave Crome | comments: 0

Bittersweet day for Cowboys Draft Pick Robert Brewster

robertbrewster.jpgHe always imagined the day he signed his first NFL contract as one of being extreme joy but today was a bittersweet for Cowboys third round draft pick Robert Brewster.  Happy because he finally signed his deal but disappointed because an injury will force him to miss all of his rookie season.

Brewster tore a pectoral muscle in the weight room after mini-camp in June and had to have surgery to repair it which will take the entire season to heal.  Right after the Cowboys signed him today, they put him on the physically unable to perform list.  He was the last of the 12 draft picks to come to terms with the team. 

Brewster never missed a game at Ball State where he won MAC Conference honors for his work on the offensive line.  He spent the off season backing up Marc Columbo at right tackle.


1:06PM | August 5, 2009 | posted by Desmond Purnell | comments: 0

Sam Hurd... Odd Man Out?

Cowboys Head Coach, Wade Phillips says he wants no tackling at practice, but cornerback Terence Newman couldn't resist the urge to get a little pop on tight end, Martellus Bennett today during goal line drills. Bennett banged up his hand a bit but says it's nothing serious, just the bumps and bruises that come along with training camp.

Meanwhile receiver, Sam Hurd continues to impress by making a number of eye brow raising catches. Many have already penciled Miles Austin in at that number 3 receiver spot, but Hurd says he's never felt like the odd man out.

"I don't feel that way. I feel like we're all out here having fun. My coaches are telling me to keep up the good work. I got God blessing me. I don't feel like I'm forgotten. What everyone else thinks, I can't worry about that. I just got to focus on what I'm doing on the field," says Hurd.

Be sure to catch our feature story on Linebacker Anthony Spencer tonight. With Greg Ellis gone, it's now Spencer's turn to shine. Catch that story on The 33 News @ Nine! 

3:11PM | August 3, 2009 | posted by Dave Crome | comments: 0

Nine other teams beat Jerry to the Lottery business..but he's all in now!

The Cowboys are gambling that many of you fans would like a suite for 20 for one of the home games at the new stadium or to get your own private tour of the stadium and the practice facility at Valley Ranch. 

To entice you, they have teamed up with the Texas Lottery to create a brand new Dallas Cowboys scratch-off ticket which will cost you five bucks a shot starting on August 17th.

If you don't win a cash prize, you can send in your ticket to a second chance drawing which will include five Dallas Cowboys "Wild Weekend" packages which include a suite for 20 at a Cowboys home game, tours of both the new stadium and the practice facility at Valley Ranch, and pre-game party's for 20

If you've always wanted to go on the road with the Cowboys, five drawings
will provide trips for two including air fare, hotel and tickets to the game.

There will also be 10 drawings for Cowboys Draft weekend which include a trip inside the War Room on draft day, a ride on the Cowboys bus to the draft party and VIP tickets to the event.

Usually Jerry Jones leads the way with corporate partnerships but the Cowboys are actually the 10th NFL team to team up with a state lottery and not even the first in Texas.  The Houston Texans have a scratch off game but will only print 4.5 million tickets.  The Cowboys will print 12 million.  Other NFL teams that have teamed up with local lotteries include the Ravens, Browns, Redskins, Jets, Saints, Patriots and Seahawks.

My grandfather would always come out of the 7-11 after buying his lottery tickets and tell me..."It's for a good cause, the money goes to the schools."  That's the angle Jerry Jones, Jr.  is taking today by saying today, "This game will give our fans an exciting new way to be part of the Dallas Cowboys.  Just as importantly, this program will dramatically help the youth of Texas by supporting education."

I think for every five dollars we pay in school taxes, we should get a Dallas Cowboys scratch-off ticket as well.  C'mon Jerry...work that one out!

2:52PM | August 3, 2009 | posted by Desmond Purnell | comments: 1

TEXAS LOTTERY® AND DALLAS COWBOYS ANNOUNCE LAUNCH OF NEW INSTANT GAME

DSCN2025[1]

The Texas Lottery® and the Dallas Cowboys joined together today to announce that August 17 will be the official launch date for the Dallas Cowboys scratch-off ticket from the Texas Lottery.

As the clock counts down to the start of the 2009 NFL season, Cowboys fans and lottery players alike can get in on the action off the field by playing the Dallas Cowboys scratch-off game.

The $5 Dallas Cowboys scratch-off ticket will offer players a chance at cash prizes up to $100,000.  In addition to cash prizes, players will also have the opportunity to win exciting Cowboys merchandise and once-in-a-lifetime experiential prizes to be awarded in the second-chance drawings.  Players can return non-winning tickets by mail to participate in the five second-chance drawings to be held throughout the run of the game. Prizes to be awarded include gift certificates, signed jerseys, pairs of season tickets and some very special trip packages, as shown below.

 

o   5  Dallas Cowboys "Wild Weekend" Packages, which include

§  One suite for 20 guests at a Dallas Cowboys home game

§  Private tour of the Dallas Cowboys practice facility

§  Private tour of the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium

§  Pre-game party for 20 guests at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium

§  Round-trip airfare or ground transportation and hotel accommodations for 20

o   10  Dallas Cowboys Draft Weekend Packages for two, which include

§  An inside look at the War Room on Draft Day

§  Transportation on Dallas Cowboys Luxury Bus to the official Dallas Cowboys Draft Party

§  VIP Passes to the Draft Party

§  Round-trip airfare or ground transportation and hotel accommodations for two

o   5  Away-game trips for two, which include

§  Two game tickets to one away game of the prize winner's choice

§  Round trip airfare and ground transportation

§  Hotel accommodations for two for one night at the team hotel

 

"We are thrilled to be able to announce this partnership with the Dallas Cowboys," said Texas Lottery Commission Deputy Executive Director Gary Grief.  "Cowboy fans will be thrilled with the unique football-related prizes this game has to offer."

"Not only are the Dallas Cowboys among the elite teams in the National Football League, but the team has a strong history of working in their local community through organizations such as the Gene and Jerry Jones Family Arlington Youth Foundation, the Gene and Jerry Jones Family Dallas Cowboys Charities and numerous other non-profit organizations," said Grief.  "The Texas Lottery is extremely proud to partner with the Cowboys' organization to generate funding for the school children of Texas."

"We are thrilled about our new partnership with the Texas Lottery," said Jerry Jones Jr., the Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for the Dallas Cowboys.  "This game will give our fans an exciting new way to be a part of the Dallas Cowboys.  Just as importantly, this program will dramatically help the youth of Texas by supporting education."

 

In fiscal year 2008, approximately 95 cents of every dollar spent on lottery products by Texas Lottery players was returned to the people of Texas in the form of contributions to education, prizes, retailer commissions and other state programs, with over $983 million going directly to the Foundation School Fund.   The Foundation School Fund is a dedicated account that is administered by the Texas Education Agency and helps pay for public education in the State of Texas.


2:27PM | August 3, 2009 | posted by Desmond Purnell | comments: 0

Survial of the Fittest

It's survival of the fittest out at Cowboys Training in San Antonio, but after three straight days of two-a-day practices, The Cowboys showed today that they still have plenty of pep left in their step. You've all heard of "The Lambeau Leap," right? During the morning session today, Jason Witten introduced fans to "The Alamodome Dive," taking out one of the smaller spectators in the process... Orlando Scandrick must have been taking notes because on the very next series, Scandrick knocked the helmet off of Roy Williams... No worries though... Jason, the kid and Roy all lived to tell the tale.

"I was just trying to make a play on the ball so, just another day at camp. I just hope the little boy was alright. He looked a little upset. I checked with him afterwards but he was looking for his mother. He wasn't looking for me," Witten said jokingly.

As for Roy Williams... "I never keep my helmet buckled because I never expect to get hit during practice. He just hit me and my helmet came off. If it were buckled it wouldn't have came off. It looked bad but it was a good play by him. I'm going to have to get him back."
 


8:05PM | July 31, 2009 | posted by Dave Crome | comments: 0

Jerry ready for a big time party at Cowboys Stadium

night cowboys stadium.jpgJerry Jones spent the better part of 20 minutes at Cowboys Training Camp trying to paint the picture of the kind of party atmosphere the new Cowboys Stadium will be.

"Picture the experience of the Pavilion at the Nelson, or the infield at the Kentucky Derby, open completely to the event" said the Cowboys Owner/GM.   "We want fans to enjoy a party atmosphere, collegiate, very loose and we want for them to enjoy the participation of  the game." 

To accomplish that vision, the Cowboys have created a Party Pass ticket for $29 which will allow the fans to stand on the tall ramps in the end zone of the stadium.  "We sold 10-thousand of them for event with our soccer, Gold Cup" said Jones. "Those people came through with the Party Pass, migrated down to club areas, stood at some of our rail areas where you can hold your drinks.  Several people deep watched the game, or stepped back and watched on the video board. It's a big part of what we want our stadium to be" Jones said.

Right now, the Party Pass will be available for the inaugural regular season game against the New York Giants on September 20th.
jerrynewser.jpg
Jones said it's not just about having a ticket to the first ever game at the stadium, but to help create an atmosphere that fans haven't experienced around here before.  "We want to make this stadium one of the real amazing venues of sports" Jones said. "To have that kind of electricity in the end zone, people at other parts of the stadium will gain energy.  We hope to have a loud stadium when the Cowboys are at home."



6:45PM | July 31, 2009 | posted by Desmond Purnell | comments: 0

Life After T.O.

For better or for worse, The Cowboys have said good-bye to Terrell Owens, and say what you will about T.O., but for all the controversy he brought to Dallas, he had just as much production. So with Owens out of the picture, the remaining Cowboy receivers, know they're going to have to earn the respect of opposing defenses.

"I would not prefer to get the respect. If you go into a fight, I'd rather have someone think I couldn't fight, if I got into one, rather than someone be prepared for me. We like the challenge and we're gonna continue to get better everyday," says receiver Miles Austin.

Receiver Roy Williams agrees. "We're gonna fly under the radar. We don't have the big high profile guys that everybody else has but we're gonna do what we're supposed to do and catch the ball."

The Cowboys say they don't have one receiver to replace T.O. They have 3... Dallas is banking on Roy Williams, Patrick Crayton and Miles Austin as a group to get the job done.  
 
Tony Romo says "They've worked their butts off this off season. I think we're a lot deeper than what people think. If we stay healthy, I really like what we got at that position.

Offensive Coordinator, Jason Garrett says, "I don't know if they're going to be fearful or not, but we like are receivers... These guys have all worked hard. We're gonna worry about ourselves... Come that first week of September, hopefully they'll be ready to go, I think they will."

In that case, The trio of Williams, Crayton, and Austin better make the most of their time at training camp. Even when you combine their total touchdowns, Owens still outscored them by one.
8:24PM | July 30, 2009 | posted by Dave Crome | comments: 0

You can buy Cowboys single-game tickets TOMORROW!

If you want to see a Cowboys game at the New Cowboys Stadium, you can get your chance to purchase a limited number of single-game tickets tomorrow morning starting at 10:00am.

Tickets may be purchased through Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000 or online at ticketmaster.com or in person at the following Ticketmaster outlets.
 Macy's Fiesta, Shops at Willowbend, Majestic Theatre, TBAAL, Firewheel Town Square, HEB and Homeland.

The tickets range from $129 to $239


8:24PM | July 28, 2009 | posted by Dave Crome | comments: 0

Jerry and Wade have high expectations for the Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys received the rock star treatment as they arrived in San Antonio.

"You know we have same percentage of Cowboys fans in San Antonio as we do in Dallas" said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to open up his state of the team address.  " We know we're home and that's why come here , a huge fan base of support."

Many of the fans couldn't wait until tomorrow's first practice of training camp to get their Cowboys fix, so they headed to the Grand Hyatt to take pictures and get autographs of the players they haven't seen since the last training camp in San Antonio two years ago.

"I was speechless" said Cowboys fan Kristi Wright. "Everyone else was fumbling for their phones, my husband has been a fan since he was little. And we all got matching tattoos!"

Some of the excitement from the players matched the fans.  "Besides the people in El Paso, we always get the warmest welcome here" said Cowboys Defensive Tackle, Jay Ratliff.
"You know the way everything ended last year, we wanna try to get some things going in a positive way."

The Cowboys could return the love this season just by reaching the playoffs,  something they haven't done in 12 long seasons. That was just one of the many topics Head Coach Wade Phillips and Jones discussed during the Cowboys State of the Team address.

"I think it's so motivating to me and influential to not have won a playoff game as long as it's been" said Jones.  "It's big to me, and it's important that it's big to players."

But if the Cowboys fall short of Jerry's expectations, many feel that Wade Phillips won't receive another chance to get it right.  That doesn't seem to bother the Head Coach who enters training camp with no fear of losing his job.

"I don't worry about my job." Phillips said.  "I worry about the job I'm doing, that's the way it's always been."  Then Jones pledged his continuous support saying he doesn't need to share any of his thoughts on the future of his coaching staff.

Jerry went on to say that Wade's coaching status is not a factor with his players, so right now the cowboys are talking the talk but they begin walking the walk tomorrow afternoon at 2:15 for the first practice of training camp.

The 33 Sports will be at every practice during training camp.  Keep checking our blog here at The 33tv.com and follow our updates during practice on twitter at twitter.com/davecrome.

5:01PM | July 10, 2009 | posted by Dave Crome | comments: 0

Bradie's Backpacks to benefit North Texas kids

James_Bradie.jpg Cowboys Linebacker Bradie James is sure making the most of his off-season.  Two weeks ago, Bradie came to the rescue of Cowboys fan Butch Franklin who's apartment was robbed and his Cowboys memorabilia, stolen.  (Click here to see that story)

Now Bradie is lending a helping hand to students to make sure they start the new school year with all the supplies they need. 


Bradie will give away five Cowboys backpacks filled with school supplies that have been donated by the Dr. Emmet J. Conrad Leadership Program.

In addition to winning the backpacks, Bradie will give one grand prize winner, his autographed jersey.

Click here for all the rules and ways to enter.


8:31PM | June 29, 2009 | posted by Dave Crome | comments: 0

How big is the heart of Cowboys linebacker Bradie James?

Shaking Hands.jpgAs far as Dallas Cowboys fans go, it's hard to beat the passion that 53 year old Butch Franklin has for the team.  He had autographed posters hanging in his apartment until thieves broke in and ripped them off the walls three weeks ago.More heartbreaking is that Butch is mentally disabled.  But he has a smile on his face today after some Cowboys players stepped up to make Butch an even bigger fan today.

When Cowboys Linebacker Bradie James heard that someone broke into this man's apartment and stole his Cowboys stuff,  he wanted to make sure those empty spaces were filled with new and shiny memorabilia, so he brought a bag full of autographed items to give to his new friend. "He now has a a mini-helmet, a ball, a jersey and a picture so butch got hooked up today" said James.  And his spirit, definitely lifted up after what's been a tough three weeks.  "I didn't feel no good" said Butch Franklin who cried after realizing that thieves took his autographed Tony Romo poster. "He was devastated" said the Mosaic Executive Director Jo Beth Collier, a non profit facility that assists people with disabilities.  "I know how important the memorabilia was to Butch. People cherish certain things in their life, and that was one thing that was important to him."

Bradie heard about the story last week and decided to take action. "That's crazy (the robbery) but things happen and when things happen we have to step up and do something positive." James said. "You know you're doing something that can make an impact in someones life positively, it's part of living your purpose."  And today that meant making it a good day for Butch. 

 "It takes a long time to get a lot of memorabilia that he stored up so I just wanted to contribute and add on to his new collection." James said.

Before Bradie left, there was one important matter to take care of.  He presented Butch with a #56 jersey to wear, in addition to the Tony Romo jersey he was currently wearing. Butch proceeded to switch to the #56.  Butch said with a smile, "Bradie James! Number 56!"

seat shot FF.jpgEarlier today,  Cowboys Lineman Cory Proctor also paid Butch a surprise visit and autographed and delivered a seat-back from Texas stadium with signatures from fellow linemen Leonard Davis and Mark Columbo.  Butch may end up being the most highly decorated Cowboys fan in the Metroplex before the season starts.

Butch's message to the Cowboys who took time out of their busy days allow him to have a good day, "Thank you for everything!"

5:07PM | June 20, 2009 | posted by Dave Crome | comments: 0

Plan on Camping with the Cowboys?

Thumbnail image for COWBOYSCAMP.gifThis will be the 11th Cowboys Training Camp that I've covered.  We've sweated out the practices in Austin and Wichita Falls and enjoyed the beautiful scenery and terrific temperatures of Oxnard, California.  The workouts held at the Alamodome in San Antonio are always the most exciting, and that's one reason I'm glad camp is moving back there this year.

You can count on a couple thousand Cowboys fans in the crowd to cheer for the big plays and even fire out an occasional boo for a dropped pass or missed coverage. The players are normally very accommodating to sign autographs after practices and if they don't sign after the first workout, there's always after the second workout of two-a-days. 


It is a great place to bring the family, admission is free, autographs are free and they do sell concessions inside.

If you stay at the team hotel, which is the Grand Hyatt San Antonio you can catch players indome.jpg the morning and evenings in the lobby and get more autographs and pictures.

Training Camp starts with the big fan kickoff event on Tuesday, July 28th.  The first practice is on Wednesday, July 29th and runs through August 19th. 

Patrick Crayton tells us why he is so excited for Camp to be returning to the Alamodome, tonight on The 33 News at 9:00pm

5:56PM | June 19, 2009 | posted by Dave Crome | comments: 0

Stephen Jones Admits: T.O. had to go to benefit Romo


owenstd.jpg Jerry Jones has spent a good portion of the off-season justifying the release of Terrell Owens as a move to open up opportunities for Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton and for the offense to utilize the running backs more effectively.  Well Jerry's son, Stephen, is telling a different story.

Stephen Jones has told Michael Silver of Yahoo.com, Owens was released to help Tony Romo realize his leadership potential, which Jones says was being held back by Owens.

"It's hard to take over leadership when you've got a strong personality like Terrell," Jones said. "If you look back at our old teams [from the 1990s], a lot of people would say maybe Michael [Irvin] was the leader. Then you might say, 'He was a receiver. What about Troy [Aikman]? He was the quarterback. Wasn't he the leader?' And the answer is, yeah, Troy was a leader. But if Michael wasn't supportive of him, Troy would've had problems.

"A lot of our players thought the world of Terrell - they still do. They loved the way he prepared and how hard he played, and everybody respected his skills and what he'd done in the league. And with him here, I think he was always going to carry that kind of weight."

You can read the entire story here

More on Tony Romo and his leadership style, tonight on The 33 News at 9:00pm




4:48PM | June 9, 2009 | posted by Dave Crome | comments: 0

Cowboys Defense puts on a show at Tuesday OTA Workout

Great catches were few and far between at the Cowboys organized team activity in Carrollton today. In fact there were so many drops that when a receiver made a catch it was an exception rather than the norm and head coach Wade Phillips wasn't pleased with it.

"Offensively we struggled a little bit as far as some of our timing and getting off plays, so we gotta work hard at those things." Phillips said.  "One side did a lot of things well, one side struggled a little bit and that's kind of how you do it in the off season but it's good work for both sides"

williams one hand.jpgRoy Williams hauled in a pass from Jon Kitna with one hand and made the best catch of the day.  "He makes an outstanding play nearly every day," said Phillips. "The catch he made today was spectacular, we expect him to do that."  Roy expects that as well but he and the rest of the receivers ran into a feisty group in the secondary that turned heads with several pass break ups.  Williams liked what he saw from the men wearing the defensive blue jerseys today. "I see touchdowns when I go against these guys but they put on a show today, they came our ready to play and tomorrow we have to come back and bring it to these guys."  It was obvious that Roy's competitive nature took a hit after today's workout. "They say we're not playing against these guys, we're playing against ourselves,  getting better,  but they've got the opposite jersey than we do and we have to win, that's my approach.

These OTA workouts are conducted without pads so when Patrick Watkins took down rookie receiver Manuel Johnson from Oklahoma it got a little tense."I didn't try to hit him, I was just going for the ball trying to make a play on it" Watkins said. "I I didn't mean to hit him,  of course, but sometimes it happens, my teammates knew I didn't do it on purpose."

Secondary coach Dave Campo was yelling out Courtney Brown's name all practice long and today that was a good thing.  Brown broke up several passes as he has impressed many folks with his coverage skills in a move from safety to cornerback, especially Phillips. " If he could cover like he did today, he may have a home there" said Phillips.  

ball int frz.jpgWhile Brown works at his move to corner, Alan Ball is trying his hand at safety, switching from the cornerback spot.  Ball was playing in Ken Hamlin's spot as Hamlin dealt with some personal issues and had an interception to go along with a few pass break ups.  This is his third season on the Cowboys roster.  Bill Parcells always maintained that you really find out what a player is made of in his third season.  Ball is hoping this is the year he breaks out.
"I'm hoping it's a breakout for the Cowboys in general, anywhere I can play my role I hope it helps us get better as a secondary, get better as a defense and as a team" Ball said.

The Cowboys wrap up their voluntary OTA workouts tomorrow, give the team four days off and then reconvene for mandatory mini-camp workouts next Monday.  They'll have two-a-day workouts Monday and Wednesday and a single practice on Tuesday.

Check out today's workout tonight on The 33 News at 9:00pm




4:38PM | June 1, 2009 | posted by Dan McGraw | comments: 0

Arlington gets first traffic test with concert at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium

Beware of Cowboys Stadium on Saturday. 

COWBOYSVOSAT.jpg


More than 75,000 fans are expected to descend on Arlington for the George Strait concert at the Cowboys Stadium, causing the potential for traffic nightmares. 


Officials are encouraging concert attendees to arrive early, being patient when trying leaving and park only in Texas Rangers or Dallas Cowboys' parking. 


"That's the only way we can ensure you won't get towed," said Tiara Ellis, an Arlington police spokeswoman.

Continue reading Arlington gets first traffic test with concert at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium »