Jan. 26: Quick Hitters

(Image courtesy of Inquistitr)

QH1: Don't lose touch with what Lamar Odom is and always has been

In the midst of his struggled adapting to life as a Maverick Lamar Odom has quickly become one of the most despised athletes in the DFW.

I can't say that I understand the backlash and it seems like the DFW faithful has lost touch with reality.

Odom is getting treated as if the Mavericks signed him to a lucrative contract or traded a key piece to acquire him. Neither of these notions are true. The Mavs got Odom from the Lakers for nothing and he has a financial-friendly deal that allows them to buy him out after the season and maintain the cap space they've worked so hard to get.

Furthermore, there are few, if any, teams in the Association that wouldn't want Odom coming off the bench. Riding out Odom's struggles and hoping he turns it around is in the team's best interest.

Side note: Odom has always been looked at as one of the NBA's ultimate underachievers. Odom is 6-10, with handles, a decent shot, athleticism and uncanny versatility. He should be one of the league's best players with all the skills he has, but just isn't and never has been. There were nights in Los Angeles when Odom was the best player on the court and other nights where he was the worst.

Inconsistency is part of the Odom package, but his talent is so extraordinary that he's worth having on a roster. Especially when you didn't give up anything to get him, have depth on your roster and aren't financially committed to him.

QH2: The "just get in" myth

A lot of people are saying all the Mavs need to do is get into the playoffs and take it from there.

This is a myth for two reasons:

No. 1: It's important the Mavs are playing good basketball at the end of the season.

No. 2: With the way JET and Jason Kidd have been playing on the road there's no realistic reason to believe this team could win a bulk of playoff road games.

(Image courtesy of CBS DFW)

QH3: Yi, Wright, Williams instead of Odom... You can't be serious.

I've heard some people say Odom's minutes should be given to Branden Wright, Yi or Sean Williams.

If you've every said or thought this; slap yourself.

QH4: Tressel could do a good job in the NFL

Just my opinion, but I think his style could work if he hired a good staff.

He has always coached games with an NFL style and has the organizational skills needed to be a solid NFL coach.

The Saban example holds little weight because Saban's overwhelming personality can clash with highly-paid professionals and he's more of a teacher, which doesn't work in the NFL either.

Tressel would be a good NFL coach because he's organized, doesn't run a gimmicky college offense and has always used an NFL-like approach when coaching at the college level. Ex: Punting on 4th-and-short, etc. Just my take.

QH5: Will all be well for Doug Free on right side, Smith on the left?

Tyron Smith has never played left tackle and didn't play it last season when he had success as a rookie. Left tackle is one of the hardest positions to play in all of football and struggles by a first-year player at the position should only be expected, right?

Doug Free looked awful on the left side last season and was arguably the team's worst lineman. Phil Costa is the only other guy even in the discussion. With how pathetic Free looked last year it would be unrealistic to expect that he would move to the right side and suddenly be solid, right? Furthermore, as a right tackle Free would emerge as a new candidate for the Cowboys' most overpaid player.

Am I really supposed to believe that if you move Free to the right side and Smith to the left the team's offensive line problems will be solved? Some people seem to think so.

Jan. 20: Mavs Quick Hitters (Kidd, Dirk, Odom)

(Image courtesy of NY Daily News)

QH1: Have we reached point where Kidd's uncanny court vision and leadership is outweighed by his old age, lack of athleticism and sudden suspect judgment?

It's a sin amongst hoop heads to question Kidd's on-court performance, but at this point it's a fair question to ask.

Before he hurt his back Kidd wasn't very good when he was on the court and he has played just as bad, if not worse, since his return. It should also be noted Dallas won all four games Kidd missed. Granted it was against subpar competition, but the fact is they won every single game Kidd missed.

Kidd's shooting a dismal 28% from 3-point range, which is troubling when you consider most of Kidd's 3-point looks come wide open without little (to no) defensive resistance.

What Kidd has lacked in athleticism in recent years he has made up with by being one of the smarter players in the Association, but even his hoop IQ has looked dismal. His blunder on the final possession in Los Angeles led to Chauncey Billups' game-winner.

Last night Kidd had 11 assists, but six turnovers and was the only Dallas starter without a positive +/- in the final box score. 

Every Kidd statistic has decreased significantly this season except his minutes. Last night he played 34 minutes while Delonte West, who was much more effective, only played 16.

Kidd still brings too much to the table to not be a big part of the Mavs rotation and the offense runs more fluid when he's running it. Furthermore, Dirk plays better with him on the court. However, his minutes need to be cut.

Father time catches up to everyone. Kidd is about to turn 39 and can still play at a high level in spurts. However, it's time Kidd's role to decrease the same way his skills have this season. Rick Carlisle has shown he's elite when it comes to handling a rotation and it's time to lose the loyalty, get creative with the backcourt minutes and do what's best for this Mavs team.

(Image courtesy of Dallas SB Nation)

QH2: Sit Dirk, start Odom... Makes too much sense

Dirk isn't right and his knee is clearly bothering him.

Lamar Odom clearly isn't right and he's having trouble finding his way in the new system.

Sit Dirk out for a few games and insert Odom into the starting lineup.

A comfortable Odom can take the Mavs to the next level and without a healthy Dirk the Mavs have no chance at even winning a playoff series. Get Dirk healthy. Get Odom right. Makes too much sense, right?

QH3: MOST IMPORTANTLY

Be sure to check out Mavs Magazine every Sunday on ESPN 103.3 FM with Brendan Smith, Trey Fallon and myself every Sunday at 10 a.m.

Jan. 18: Darvish a rish

(Image courtesy of Bronx Baseball Daily)

As the Yu Darvish deadline hits the final stretch a lot of the Ranger hype has gone conservative like Jason Garrett in the red zone.

Funny to see the people that hyped Yu Darvish as the second coming and threw parties when the Rangers paid nearly $52 million just to negotiate with him now say that expectations need to be realistic when (and if) he arrives in the states.

Darvish has been sold as a 25-year-old, MLB ready stud since day one. Anything less than a top-line MLB starter right away should be considered disappointing.

What should make the Rangers faithful even more nervous is the fact that a lot of teams with deep pockets stayed out of the negotiations all together. Trust me, if any of the teams with deep pockets felt they were getting  Josh Beckett-like ace they would've placed a bid.

Darvish will be a great investment for the Rangers from a business perspective. Yu will bring money to the DFW.

However, on the field Yu is and always has been a risk.

Jan. 14: Degenerate NFL Picks

The best weekend of the NFL season. Betting only makes it better.

Lock of Week: Baltimore -7.5

If I were in Vegas I would bet more money than I should on this, take a deep breath, slam the money on the table and ask for extra beverage coupons.

Confident: San Francisco +4

Trust in Harbaugh, especially at home.

*Bet already made when this was typed.

Enough already: New England +13.5

A bet made on principle. This Tebow stuff has to stop eventually.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T: New York +7.5

Eli doesn't get enough of it. The G-Men will be able to move the rock. Whether or not they can stop Green Bay is the question, but gimme the points.

Jan. 3: Quick Hitters

(Image courtesy of bleed-green)

QH1: Same song and dance for the Cows

There's no point in even attempting to summarize the 2011 season for the Dallas Cowboys. Just copy and paste what has been said the last five years and you will have a perfect diagnosis. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

A few things fascinating about the 2011 season...

1.) How in the hell did two guys from this secondary get extensions?

2.) How many years in a row is this team going to have a gaping hole and need for a playmaking safety and not address it?

3.) Progress? Progress? Are we talking about progress? Progress? (Jim Mora voice)

At his final presser of the season Jason Garrett said this team made progress this season, I didn't see it. I saw a team that benefited from a soft schedule and was still unable to capitalize on the opportunities they had over the course of the season. This team made the exact same mistakes it did when Wade Phillips was on the sidelines.

4.) Miles Austin, Doug Free, Gerald Sensabaugh and Orlando Scandrick. Pick a good contract from the group.

5.) Most troubling thing about the season... I think I would be able to identify Dez Bryant's butt in a butt lineup.

I think I saw Dez's bare butt during a game at least 14 times this year. Where is mall security when you need them?

6.) This is only the beginning...

Jerry is going to bury this franchise and this is only the beginning of the dark days. The job Bill Parcells did rebuilding the Cowboys is fading away and now it's up to Jerry to rebuild it.

Given the fact this is a near .500 team since their last Super Bowl, the core isn't getting any younger and the previously mentioned contract extensions this is only going to get worse.

(Image courtesy of NFLsfuture)

QH2: 2012 college football off the dome top-five with no research and in no particular order

USC, LSU, Oregon, Georgia, Alabama.

(Image courtesy of BeyondTheBets)

QH3: Plus-one, Yessir!

Not going to address the college football playoff argument because my stance is clear, I like the current system much more than I would a LARGE playoff. However, a plus-one would would be the most elite season format in all of sports. It looks like that's going to happen in the near future, which is great for all parties involved.

(Image courtesy of NY Daily News)

QH4: NFL opening playoff weekend predictions

New Orleans over Detroit

New York over Atlanta

Pittsburgh over Denver

Cincinnati over Houston

(Image courtesy of USAToday)

QH5: You can't spell 3rd String without RG3

RG3 is a  great of a college player and an even better human being, but I'm throwing the BUST challenge flag on the field for a few reasons.

1.) Usually when a QB emerges from outta nowhere as a top 10 pick it doesn't end well.

See: Akili Smith, Jamarcus Russell, Vince Young

2.) He comes from a college passing system that makes him look better statistically.

There's no denying RG3 benefits statistically from Art Briles' system. That doesn't mean he's a system QB, but he plays in a system that allows a quarterback to fill the stat sheet.

Just look at the players whose records he's breaking. Colt Brennan, etc.

3.) Toughness

Not only did RG3 not take a lot of hits in college, but he also reacted poorly when he did take them. He was always slow to get up and often threw a fit when taking routine contact over the course of a game.

Extending plays with your feet is much more difficult in the NFL and there's no avoiding hits at that level. Lookout for durability concerns.

4.) Size

A lot of people want to compare RG3 to Cam Newton. Not a good comparison.

Newton is a 6-5 physical specimen. RG3 will measure in the range of the 6 foot to 6-1 range at the combine.

Dec. 26: Bowl games about to pick up

Been slow on the blog because bowl games haven't picked up yet. Forgive me for not breaking down Utah State and company. Should pick up soon with the NBA back, NFL playoffs about to start and college bowl games getting in gear.

Dec. 12: Mavs land king of Youtube

I've been a huge fan of the Mavs getting Odom and Carter for basketball reasons, but I like the Delonte West signing strictly for Youtube reasons.

Dec. 1: Uncle Art would be perfect fit for A&M

(Image courtesy of StarTelegram)

All signs point to Kevin Sumlin being the next coach at Texas A&M, which isn't a bad hire. However, Art Briles would be a better hire.

Sumlin is winning at Houston with quarterback Case Keenum, a QB Briles recruited. Furthermore, last season when Keenum was injured Houston went 5-7 and were flat-out awful.

Briles knows the state, can recruit his butt off, has coached in Texas his entire career and would be the right man to lead the Aggies into the SEC.

Sumlin's a good hire, but Briles would be a great hire. It's not going to happen because Texas A&M isn't going to make the necessary call, but they should.

All signs point to Sumlin being the next guy in College Station, which is a symbolic hire and reason for the Aggie faithful to be encouraged. It's a HUGE step for the program to see the people in charge step out of their comfort zone when hiring a coach. Mike Sherman wasn't even interviewed before he was hired in large part because he fit the prototypical Aggie mold, had Aggie roots and embraced the traditions. 

Sherman's departure symbolizes Texas A&M taking a HUGE step toward getting with the times. It's good to see the outdated Aggie decision-makers' ideas finally being looked at as outdated in Aggie Land. 

Bear Myth

It's been comical to hear Baylor fans say Briles wont be the coach at A&M because he wouldn't leave Baylor for A&M. Comical for two reasons 1.) Before this season I didn't even know Baylor had fans 2.) Texas A&M is a much, much better coaching destination than Baylor.

The program that just arrived in the SEC would be a better coaching destination than the program that was on the edge of being conferenceless twice in the last two seasons. 

If it weren't for other teams in the Big 12 deciding to stay Baylor wouldn't even be in a BCS conference. Unless the Big East came calling. Furthermore, A&M's facilities > Baylor's facilities.

Briles isn't the coach at A&M because they didn't offer him the position, not because Waco is an ideal location for a college coach. There isn't a coach in America that thinks Baylor is a better job than A&M.

If you think Baylor is a better college football job than Texas A&M you either...

1.) Graduated from Baylor

2.) Don't follow college football

3.) Are only factoring in this season's results. Which would mean you ignored the 55-28 beat down the Aggies put on the Bears and would also mean you believe K-State is a better job than Texas and South Carolina a better job than Florida.

4.) Are just flat-out moronic 

Dec. 1: Ranking the best coaches in the Big 12

(Image courtesy of OrlandoSentinel)

No. 1: Bob Stoops, Oklahoma

Stoops catches a lot of flack for losing the big game, but forgive me for not condemning a guy for losing title games to Nick Saban, Pete Carroll and Urban Meyer.

Stoops' best coaching job was in 2006 when he lost his starting QB Rhett Bomar before the season and Adrian Peterson early in the season and still won the Big 12 championship with Paul Thompson, a receiver the previous season, leading the team.

(Image courtesy of zimbio)

No. 2: Art Briles, Baylor

Doesn't get enough credit for what he has done in Waco. Baylor was the undisputed laughing stock of the Big 12 before he arrived in Waco. Furthermore, his impact at the University of Houston can still be seen this season.

A lot of people would argue RG3 deserves the majority of the credit for the turnaround in Waco, but consider the following...

1.) Briles has never has a problem finding quarterbacks. See: Kevin Kolb and Case Keenum

2.) It isn't like Griffin was a blue chipper, Briles discovered him. If it weren't for Briles Griffin may've been a safety somewhere. Contrary to popular belief, recruiting ability should come into play when evaluating college coaches, it isn't something that should be held against a coach. That's not a knock on Griffin's talent, but Briles has always handled quarterbacks well and deserves credit for giving RG3 the opportunity to play QB at the next level.

(Image courtesy of Exposay.com)

No. 3: Gary Patterson, TCU

Some people will argue that this is too low for Patterson, but I think it's a beyond generous ranking.

Patterson draws a lot of praise for competing at a high level despite not getting top-notch recruits, but you could make a strong case Patterson has had a significant advantage in recruiting during his tenure at TCU.

The reality is Patterson hasn't coached in a conference against teams that get top-notch recruits either. Furthermore, he recruits in the state of Texas, one of the best recruiting pipelines in the country. Quick, name one team in the Mountain West conference TCU doesn't have a recruiting advantage over.

With all that said there's no disputing Patterson can coach, but we will see how he does in the Big 12. Winning with less praise has been unwarranted at this point, but if Patterson competes in the top-tier of the Big 12 he deserves every ounce of credit throws his way and belongs at the top of this list.

(Image courtesy of State Impact)

No. 4: Mack Brown, Texas


Say what you want about Mack Brown and every advantage he may have in Austin, but he has done a great job at the University of Texas.

A lot of people knock Brown for having just one national championship, but there isn't a coach in college football that has more that two. You don't just fall out of a tree and land the job at Texas. Brown has three 10-win seasons at North Carolina and handles the extra duties and BS that comes with being a head coach at the University of Texas better than most could.

People are going to put people below Brown on this list above Brown with the popular "What would he do with those recruits" argument, but as I've already mentioned with those recruits comes extra baggage and responsibility. If it were simply about in-game coaching Brown might not be at No. 4, but it isn't.

(Image courtesy of Kansas.com)

No. 5: Bill Snyder, Kansas State

I Would like to eat crow on this one. When Snyder went back to Kansas State I unleashed an array of jokes and thought there was no way in hell Kansas State would make the jump they have in his second tenure.

The fact Kansas State is doing what they're doing and might be in the Cotton Bowl this season is nothing short of phenomenal.

Snyder's teams might not have top-notch talent, but they never beat themselves. Snyder could easily be higher on this list, but for whatever reason I find it difficult to rank him higher on the list. However, it shouldn't bother Snyder because 1.) He doesn't read this blog 2.) If he does... He has already shown he does his best work when everyone's counting him out.

(Image courtesy of CycloneFanatic)

No. 6: Paul Rhoads, Iowa State

His coaching is underrated, his speeches are overrated, but his teams with make up for limited talent by being scrappy and fighting until the very end.

(Image courtesy of ESPN)

No. 7: Mike Gundy, OSU

The facilities and recruiting have improved significantly in Stillwater, but until the Pokes take that next step Gundy is among the bottom-half of the coaches in the conference.

(Image courtesy of ESPN)

No. 8: Tommy Tuberville, TTU

Not a good start for Tuberville in Lubbock and if there isn't significant progress in year three the seat could be scorching hot.

(Image courtesy of Grantland)

No. 9: Dana Holgorsen, WVU

Young, fiery coach, but still unproven. Huge upside though.

(Image courtesy of BusinessInsider)

No. 10: Whoever is coaching at Kansas

Question: Why doesn't Mark Mangino get Mike Leach-like praise for the way in which the Kansas program has fallen apart since he left? You could argue that the Kansas drop in much worse than Tech's.

Dec. 1: TCU says goodbye to historic senior class

College Football Insider: TCU

Trey Fallon and Landry Locker of ESPN Dallas talk about TCU's upcoming game against UNLC, the legacy of the senior class and possible bowl scenarios for the Frogs.

ESPN Dallas TCU Cast

Dec. 1: OSU prepares for Bedlam

College Football Insider: Oklahoma State

Trey Fallon and Landry Locker of ESPN Dallas are joined by Justin Wilmeth of O-State Illustrated to discuss Oklahoma State's current standing in the BCS, if they should have a chance to appear in the title game, the impact weather could have on Bedlam and the importance of winning their first Big 12 title.

ESPN Dallas Bedlam Preview

Dec. 1: Time for A&M to move on

College Football Insider: Texas A&M

ESPN Dallas' Landry Locker and Trey Fallon are joined by TexAgs.com's Brandon Leone to discuss Texas A&M's heartbreaking loss to Texas, if putting Texas in the rear-view mirror is a good thing, bowl scenarios and the overall theme of the 2011 Texas A&M season.
A&M awaits bowl opponent 

Dec. 1: Not enough credit for Uncle Art in Waco

College Football Insider: Baylor

Trey Fallon and Landry Locker of ESPN Dallas are joined by David Smoak ESPN 1660 to discuss Robert Griffin's injury in the Bears win over Tech, if RG3 is getting too much credit and Art Briles isn't getting enough for Baylor's success and the upcoming game against the Texas Longhorns.

ESPN Dallas Baylor Cast

Dec. 1: OU trying to hang another banner

College Football Insider: Oklahoma

Landry Locker of ESPN Dallas is joined by Jake Trotter of Sooner Nation to discuss Oklahoma's win over Iowa State, Landry Jones' performance, Bob Stoops' uncanny damage-control ability and the Bedlam showdown against OSU.

OU Bedlam Preview

Nov. 30: My main criticisms of Leach's coaching while he was at Tech

1.) The petty drama he brought even before the Adam James events didn't resemble events that went on under the watch of a big time college football coach.


See: Public contract negotiations and set up interviews.


2.) It was strange when his team captain Brandon Carter publicly questioned him. I have never heard players publicly question Urban Meyer, Nick Saban, Pete Carroll or Les Miles after losses, and if they did, those conflicts stayed in the locker room.

3.) He consistently spoke out against Twitter calling it “stupid,” and saying he didn’t want to sit with a bunch of “narcissists” that enjoy typing about themselves all the time.

It is beyond hypocritical that the same guy who can be seen on TV giving dating advice and soaking up all the attention that the pirate persona brings him —  gracing the cover of Texas Monthly with a pirate patch on his eye, is calling college students egotistical for using one of the most popular networking tools in the country.

4.) 5-4 in Bowl games

Leach's two best seasons at Tech during his nine-year tenure as head coach, 2005 (9-3) and this past season (11-2), both ended with losses in the Cotton Bowl. 

5.) 4-18 on road against ranked teams

Leach became popular in Lubbock because of his ability to pull off the occasional upset at Jones AT&T Stadium.

And those upsets have overshadowed Leach's obvious weakness as a coach - his inability to prepare his teams for road games against ranked opponents.

Leach's record on the road against ranked teams is a dismal 4-18.

Not only does Leach lose away games to ranked teams each season, but those games are embarrassing.

In fact, 2004 is the only season of Leach's 10 years at Tech where he didn't lose a road game by at least 24 points.

The 41-10 loss at Missouri in 2007 and this past season's 65-21 blowout in Norman, Okla., are the most recent examples of Tech not being prepared on the road.

While an annual blowout loss on the road has been a constant for the Tech football team under Leach, so has a loss to an inferior team.

Kansas in 2001, at Missouri in 2003 (62-31 blowout), at New Mexico in 2004, at TCU in 2006, and the home loss to Colorado in 2007 all are examples of Tech falling into trap games.

Does the 2007 upset against OU cancel out a disappointing home loss to a mediocre Colorado team?

6.) Never appreciated Tech like he should've

Leach will never get a better job than the one he had in Lubbock because he isn't capable of running an elite college program. He has tried to land elite jobs, but it doesn't happen.

At Tech, he gets to recruit in Texas - one of the top football states in the country. Also, very few programs would embrace a coach who has a 4-18 record on the road against ranked teams with consistens beatdowns.

 

Nov. 30: Good to have Leach back in the game

I've been Mike Leach's biggest critic in the past, but it's still good to have him back in the game. I've written many articles about the man and stand by everything I've ever said about him. Here

In fact, I was booted from the paper for an article I wrote about him because he got butt hurt over it.


However, I'm happy for him and glad he's back, wont be as easy as it was at Tech because you can build a program with a good coach in this state. See: Art Briles

It's good to have a personality like his back in the game. I just hope he has matured and learned from his past and realized that nobody is above a program and that's an outdated concept to think anyone is.

Leach is the only coach I can name that made contract negotiations ugly and public, name another. You can't. 

He also would pay his own way to job interviews even when the team wasn't interested. He clearly thought he was better than Texas Tech. A lot of people will point to the current state of the program since his departure, but the Big 12, as I predicted, was getting better top-to-bottom at the end of Leach's tenure and he wasn't putting in necessary recruiting efforts to build on the momentum he had built.

We will see how Leach does at Washington State, but I can assure you that it will be much harder than Tech because even when you aren't getting top-notch recruits in Texas you're still getting guys that can flat-out play.

There were many schools that passed on Leach's services despite his efforts at trying to upgrade while in Lubbock. The bottom line is Tech and Leach was a perfect marriage, but Leach, contrary to what he says now, never embraced it the way he should have.

Maybe WSU will be the place where Leach earns the top-notch that nobody, except him and his team of misfits, thinks he deserves. However, he needs to keep the ego in check and realize that everyone in the world has to be able to work with their bosses and not be a complete pain in the ass to them, even college football coaches.

Mike Leach needs college football more than college football needs Mike Leach, hopefully he realizes that.

Nov. 23: Texas A&M prepares for showdown with Texas

College Football Insider: Texas A&M

ESPN Dallas' Landry Locker and Trey Fallon are joined by Brandon Leone of TexAgs to discuss Texas A&M's win over Kansas, their injuries in the backfield, the struggles of the Aggies and Longhorns heading into their final matchup in a long time, the importance of this game for Mike Sherman and what to expect in the Thanksgiving showdown.

Texas-Texas A&M Preview

Nov. 23: No more title hopes for OU

College Football Insider: Oklahoma

Landry Locker of ESPN Dallas is joined by Jake Trotter of Sooner Nation to discuss Oklahoma's loss to Baylor, Bob Stoops' decision to call timeout at the end of regulation, poor play in the secondary and the overall outlook of the season moving forward.

ESPN Dallas OU Cast

Nov. 21: Still gaping holes on Ryan's defense

(Image courtesy of CSNPhilly.com)

Contrary to popular belief there are still HUGE holes on this Dallas defense, specifically in the secondary. Fortunately for Rob Ryan the team hasn't had to face many quarterbacks capable of exploiting those weaknesses. 

The Cowboys have faced three top to second-tier quarterbacks this season and lost all three of those games. 

Tom Brady (NE) 

Michael Vick (Philly) 

Matthew Stafford (Detroit).

The Cowboys six victories this season have come against the following quarterbacks...

- Two wins over Rex Grossman, Washington

- Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buffalo

- Tarvaris Jackson, Seattle

- A.J. Feeley, St. Louis

- Alex Smith, SF

* Mark Sanchez is an average-below average QB that got the victory over the Cowboys.

As soon as the Cowboys face a quarterback that can exploit their lack of athleticism at linebacker and playmaking ability in the secondary they'll be exposed. After all, these are pretty much the same players that were on last year's record-setting bad defense. Unless you think Abe Elam is in the same league as Ed Reed.

Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good and this season the Cowboys have been very fortunate that the majority of their early schedule has been against teams with incompetent quarterbacks.

Rob Ryan is a good defensive coordinator, but he isn't a miracle worker capable of turning chicken waste into chicken salad. If he were he would already be a head coach in the league. That's not a knock on the outspoken coordinator, it's a knock on the defensive personnel that everyone watched break bad defensive records last season.

You can't make a deep run in the NFL without crossing the path of competent quarterback play. The Cowboys have already shown what happens when they face decent quarterbacks and while it isn't in the immediate future, the Cowboys will have to face good quarterbacks again later in the season.

Dallas still has to face Eli Manning twice and any playoff matchup would feature a competent opposing QB. Ryan has done a great job, but it's only a matter of time before the defensive flaws on this team are exploited. 

Nov. 18: Realistic expectations for Baylor

College Football Insider: Baylor

Trey Fallon and Landry Locker of ESPN Dallas are joined by David Smoak ESPN 1660 to discuss Baylor's sluggish win over Kansas, realistic goals for Art Briles moving forward and the upcoming game against Oklahoma.

ESPN Dallas Baylor Cast

Nov. 18: Did win over OU make Tech fans naive?

College Football Insider: Texas Tech

Landry Locker and Trey Fallon of ESPN Dallas are joined by Chris Level of Double T 104.3 to discuss Tech's embarrassing loss to OSU, Neal Brown's job security, if the OU win caused Tech fans to lose touch with reality, the upcoming game against Missouri and more.

ESPN Dallas TTU Cast

Nov. 18: Sooner national title hopes gaining steam

College Football Insider: Oklahoma

Landry Locker of ESPN Dallas is joined by Jake Trotter of Sooner Nation to discuss Oklahoma's bye week, the BCS picture, life without Ryan Broyles and the upcoming game against Baylor.

ESPN Dallas OU Cast

Nov. 18: Is Texas A&M just not very good?

College Football Insider: Texas A&M

Landry Locker of ESPN Dallas is joined by TexAgs.com's Brandon Leone to discuss Texas A&M's fifth loss of the season, Mike Sherman's conservative decisions and the upcoming game against Kansas.

ESPN Dallas Texas A&M Cast

Nov. 16: Did TCU save their season?

College Football Insider: TCU

Trey Fallon and Landry Locker of ESPN Dallas talk about TCU's win over Boise State, what it means for the 2011 season, the possibility of making a BCS bowl game and the upcoming game against Colorado State.

ESPN Dallas TCU Cast

Nov. 10: Any positives from 2011 A&M season?

College Football Insider: Texas A&M

Landry Locker and Trey Fallon of ESPN Dallas are joined by Brandon Leone of TexAgs to discuss another subpar second half effort by the Aggies, their 5-4 record, Ryan Tannehill and Mike Sherman's seasons and the matchup against Kansas State.

ESPN Dallas Texas A&M Podcast Week 11

Nov. 10: Can Tech win the Oklahoma state title?

College Football Insider: Texas Tech

Landry Locker and Trey Fallon of ESPN Dallas are joined by Chris Level of Double T 104.3 and Red Raider sports to discuss Tech's poor play since the OU upset, the upcoming game against No. 2 Oklahoma State in Lubbock and evaluate the job Tommy Tuberville has done at this point of his coaching tenure.

ESPN Dallas TTU Podcast Week 11

Nov. 10: Should OSU be on upset alert in Lubbock?

College Football Insider: Oklahoma State

Trey Fallon and Landry Locker of ESPN Dallas are joined by Justin Wilmeth of O-State Illustrated to discuss Oklahoma State's tough game against Kansas State, Brandon Weeden's lack of national attention and whether or not Tech presents any problems for the Pokes.

ESPN Dallas OSU Podcast Week 11

Nov. 10: Can TCU hang with Boise State?

College Football Insider: TCU

Trey Fallon and Landry Locker of ESPN Dallas break down the keys to TCU's road game against Boise State and discuss the brief, but exciting history of the rivalry.

ESPN Dallas TCU Podcast Week 11