In depth: Dallas Cowboys

by | Feb 6, 2012 | 2011 season, 2012 season, NFL Draft, NFL Free Agency, NFL Random Thoughts

Few teams have been harder to figure out in recent years than the Dallas Cowboys. The team often has tons of talent on the field only to self-destruct in strange ways and the 2011 season was no different. After 11 games, Tony Romo was clicking and DeMarco Murray was running hard.

Then Dallas lost two heartbreakers to Arizona and the New York Giants late and the Cowboys were on their way to a 1-4 finish.
So what’s ahead for Jerry Jones, Jason Garrett and crew? Steven Mullenax, editor and head writer at The Landry Hat blog, recently shared his thoughts with Zoneblitz.

Zoneblitz: Are Jason Garrett and his current coaching staff the right mix for the Cowboys? (more…)

Voters, fans frustrated with Hall of Fame announcement

by | Feb 6, 2012 | Hall of Fame, NFL Random Thoughts

Well, the 2012 season is over. By and large the Twittersphere would seem to indicate that people are reasonably satisfied with the Super Bowl they just finished watching. New York and New England put on quite a show again as Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning once again edged out Tom Brady and Bill Belichick in an exciting game that came down to the last play.

That result seemed more satisfying to people than the results of Saturday’s Pro Football Hall of Fame voting. From the exclusion of Cris Carter, Andre Reed, Bill Parcells and Will Shields to the inclusion of Cortez Kennedy or Chris Doleman, most fans seemed to be upset about something – and with the immediacy of the Internet, many of them decided to let the voters know they were upset.

Some spewed epithets. Others called for entirely new voting panels. Most would benefit their arguments by at least spelling correctly the names of the candidates they support … but I digress.

At least a couple of voters invited discussions with the fans, acknowledging both the voters’ frustrations and, notably in some cases, even their own. Peter King from Sports Illustrated noted that all six players who were selected ultimately deserve to be inducted to the Hall – and on that I agree with him. There isn’t anyone going to Canton in 2012 who I would argue does not belong there. (more…)

Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2012 announced

by | Feb 4, 2012 | Hall of Fame

The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 50th class will include modern-era candidates Dermontti Dawson, Chris Doleman, Cortez Kennedy, Curtis Martin and Willie Roaf.

Joining them at the Aug. 4 induction ceremony will be senior Jack Butler, a senior nominee.

The Steelers fared particularly well, with Dawson and Butler entering the Hall. Dawson played center for Pittsburgh from 1988 to 2000. Butler was a four-time Pro Bowl defensive back for them from 1951 to 1959.

Doleman was an eight-time Pro Bowl defensive end for Minnesota, San Francisco and Atlanta from 1985 to 1999. Kennedy spent his entire 11-year career with Seattle. He made eight Pro Bowls during that span.

Five-time Pro Bowler Martin played split his 11-year between New England and the New York Jets. He ran for 14,101 yards and reached the 1,000 yard mark during his first 10 years in the league. And Roaf was a dominant left tackle for New Orleans and Kansas City during a 13-year career that included 11 Pro Bowls.

The new class was selected by a 44-person selection committee Saturday afternoon in Indianapolis. The group was announced this evening on the NFL Network’s Road to Canton show.

Other finalists included Cris Carter, Charles Haley, Andre Reed, Aeneas Williams, Bill Parcells, Tim Brown, Jerome Bettis, Kevin Greene, Will Shields, former San Francisco 49ers owner Edward DeBartolo Jr. and Dick Stanfel, a second senior nominee.

The new class helps reduce an abundance of offensive linemen that will only get deeper starting next year when Larry Allen and Jonathan Ogden become eligible.

Perhaps surprising is that the class does not reduce the long list of wide receivers attempting to gain entry to the Hall. Carter, Brown and Reed will soon face additional competition from other star wideouts, such as Marvin Harrison, Terrell Owens and Randy Moss become eligible in years ahead.

The committee’s decision to not enshrine Haley and Parcells this year was mentioned by some analysts as surprising.

The selection committee had narrowed the field to 15 modern era finalists in January. Before that they had reduced the list to 26 from an original group of 105 preliminary nominees.

Stanfel and Butler were nominated in August 2011. Senior nominees are selected by a special committee that reviews the qualifications of players whose careers ended more than 25 years ago. Unlike the modern-era candidates, who are discussed and winnowed throughout the process, senior nominees move directly to the finalist vote.

We predicted in November that Reed, Roaf, Dawson, Martin and Parcells would get in from the modern-era nominees. Several readers posted their guesses today.

Last year’s inductees were Richard Dent, Marshall Faulk, Chris Hanburger, Deion Sanders, Shannon Sharpe, Les Richter and Ed Sabol, the man who started NFL Films.

In depth: Arizona Cardinals

by | Feb 4, 2012 | 2011 season, 2012 season, NFL Draft, NFL Free Agency, NFL Random Thoughts

You are what you are in the NFL and the Arizona Cardinals were an 8-8 team in 2011. But the Cardinals, more than most teams, have reason to saying “what if” right about now. Arizona started 1-6, but lost four of those games by four points or less. That dug a hole from which the team could not emerge.

But closing 7-2 on the strength of a mostly strong defensive performance has at least some Cardinals fans optimistic about the future. The quarterback situation is in flux, the running back position has some question marks, the team needs more consistent play from wide receivers not named Fitzgerald and the offensive line needs some upgrades.

Even with those issues, the blog Raising Zona’s Lead Writer Scott Allen says he thinks the Cardinals’ future is bright. Here’s what he had to say:

Zoneblitz: John Skelton won six of eight starts. Arizona gave up a lot for Kevin Kolb. Is the Cardinals quarterback of the future currently on the team’s roster? (more…)

Hunter Goodwin now tackling real estate, charitable works

by | Feb 3, 2012 | Where are they now

Hunter Goodwin’s NFL career was not glamorous. He caught just 37 passes and two touchdowns while playing eight seasons as a tight end for Minnesota and Miami. But he stayed in the league for eight years by focusing on being a team player and doing the important, often-unrecognized dirty work in the trenches that made his team’s offense better.

He gained so much respect for his efforts that teammates and coaches often referred to him as a sixth offensive lineman. And ESPN analyst Merril Hoge in 2000 reportedly called Goodwin the best blocking tight end in the league, saying he could block any defensive end without assistance.

Goodwin’s journey to the NFL began with with Texas A&M-Kingsville. He then walked on to the football team at Texas A&M. He starred there for two years as an All-Southwest Conference offensive tackle. And when Goodwin left, he was on his way toward an agricultural economics degree and a he had earned a shot with the Vikings.

Goodwin attributes his success in the NFL to grit and determination. He’s working just as hard in the decade-plus since he left football behind, establishing himself as a player in the real estate industry and filling his time with several community- and charity-based endeavors. Goodwin recently took some time with Zoneblitz.com to reflect on his football days and give an update on how what he’s been doing since moving on from the game.

Zoneblitz: You’re the president of Oldham Goodwin Group (he along with partner Casey Oldham, another Texas A&M graduate, were co-honored by the Better Business Bureau in 2010 as “boss of the year”). What is your company’s focus and what is your role?

Hunter Goodwin: My company’s focus us summed up in our mission statement: Maximize value creation for all stakeholders by providing integrated commercial real estate services to select market segments.  We have a distinct accessible expertise and connection with our target markets. (more…)