“The owner is your general manager is sort of a running joke in the league,” he said. “One playoff win in 15 years. I like Dallas more than most, but that’s a delusional fan base.”

It seems the Cowboys are always a Super Bowl contender, at least according to the organization, as Baldwin comically pointed out. His joke may have been humorous, but the reality of the matter is not. As the host said, Jerry Jones is a running joke not only in the NFL, but the entire sports world.

Jones is arguably the greatest owner in all of sports; he is a mastermind at maximizing the fan experience, which, in turn, maximizes revenue for his team.  However, he is also arguably the worst general manager in all of sports.

As one of my all-time favorite media personalities likes to say, and I quote with no censorship: “Jerry is one heck of an owner, but when it comes to putting together a football team, as an owner, he’s a bleeping idiot.” You’ve got to love the use of the actual word “bleeping” there to provide a perfect description of Jones.

The fact Jones tries to force the world to believe his team has returned to prominence each and every year makes him that running joke in the league and makes his fan base that much more delusional. However, it’s not the actual Dallas faithful that’s naïve, but those whose Cowboys jerseys, caps and t-shirts still have the tag on them.

You see, the Cowboys have the largest fan base of any NFL team, but only a small portion of those “fans” are actually members of the Dallas faithful. My father and father-in-law are two members of that elect sect, who are grouped together with the mass of delusional air brains by the rest of the sports world.

These two men were there when the franchise was born and grew up with it, through that first winless season, the early Super Bowls, the later Super Bowls, the 5-11 era all the way until Tony Romo’s tenure. They root for the team with all they have each and every day and are genuinely upset when they’re disappointed, which is far more often than not. There are very few actual Cowboys fans like that.

So on one hand, the Cowboys being ranked as the 4th-most delusional fan base in sports is accurate if that includes all the bandwagon and fair-weather fans that make up a majority of the group. However, those who are true members of the Dallas faithful, those who hate Jones like Cain hated Abel, are not delusional. They know the true potential of the Cowboys at the beginning of each season, regardless of what rubbish Jones tries to shove down their throats with his colorful and unnecessary Jerry Speak. The Cowboys’ “fan base” as a whole is indeed delusional, but the true fans, those whose voices will never be heard, are not.

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1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers - Naturally, the best player at the position for the past four years remains No. 1 heading into 2012. Not only does Rodgers shred opposing secondaries for astronomical numbers in passing yards and touchdowns, but he adds extremely valuable yards on the ground. It may drive owners of Packers running backs crazy, but Rodgers’ rushing yards and scores only make him that much more lethal. The kid who was once a shadow to Brett Favre is now on top of the fantasy football mountain and his Packers may very well be back on top of the reality football mountain this year as well.

2. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints – The man, the myth and now the legend, Brees shattered Dan Marino’s single-season passing record in 2011 to become the first player to throw for 5,000-plus passing yards in more than one season. With the Saints’ defense and coaching situation in turmoil, Brees and the Saints’ offense will be called upon to shoulder even more of the load this year, which is music to fantasy owners’ ears. The Saints will throw the ball 40-plus times per game in 2012 and Brees will likely reach the 5,000-yard mark again. He’s obviously a must-start every week and the No. 2 choice at the position behind Rodgers.

3. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions – The youngest and latest player to join the ranks of the 5,000-yard passers, Stafford proved he’s the real deal in 2012 in his first full NFL season. Many doubters tagged the Lions’ young leader as injury-prone and not worth the risk, but Stafford rewarded fantasy owners who took a chance on him in 2011, leading many of them to league titles. With Calvin Johnson locked up for the foreseeable future, Stafford will have plenty of weapons at his disposal again in 2012 and put up more monster numbers. In fact, he passes a few old studs as the No. 3 quarterback this year.

4. Tom Brady, New England Patriots – He quietly put up tremendous numbers in 2011, becoming the third player in NFL history to throw for 5,000 yards in a season while leading his team to a Super Bowl appearance and putting up one of the greatest fantasy performances in history in Week 1. Brady’s 517-yard, 4-touchdown effort in a win over the Miami Dolphins in September proved he wasn’t done as a fantasy stud and he anchored many fantasy championship teams as usual. With a new weapon in Brandon Lloyd, Brady will again put up insane numbers and flirt with records in 2012.

5. Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers – Not only did this former Heisman Trophy winner put up record-breaking numbers as a rookie in 2011, but Newton also took home Rookie of the Year honors in a landslide vote. Newton’s incredible start to his NFL career makes him a top-5 fantasy option at the quarterback position heading into 2012. What makes him even more dangerous is his ability to run; Newton set a record for NFL quarterbacks last season with 14 rushing touchdowns. This dual-threat young stud will be a fantasy superstar for years to come and a top-5 pick in 2012.

6. Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos – An old face in a new place, Manning will set the woods on fire in his first season at Mile High. The Sherriff has already been working with his new Broncos teammates and Denver even brought in his old Indianapolis Colts teammate, tight end Jacob Tamme, who became a top-5 option at his position in 2010 with Manning throwing to him after Dallas Clark was placed on IR. With a young stud in Demaryius Thomas to anchor his receiving corps, Manning will have no problem putting up his usual astronomical numbers in Denver’s high altitude and thin air. Fantasy owners who take a chance on him early will be pleasantly surprised and rewarded with typical numbers from Manning.

7. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys – He may not lead the Cowboys to the Super Bowl, but Romo will once again put up nice fantasy numbers in 2012. Romo finished 2011 with a career-high 102.5 passer rating while throwing 30-plus touchdowns for the second time in his career. With receivers Miles Austin and Dez Bryant healthy, Romo should approach the 4,500-yard, 35-touchdown range this season, making him a must-start in every game this year, except maybe on the road against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6.

8. Eli Manning, New York Giants – Before the 2011 season, Manning boasted that he was an elite quarterback, saying he was in a class with Brady. He more than proved that, both in fantasy land and the real football world, leading the Giants to their second Super Bowl title during his tenure while throwing for 4,933 yards and 29 touchdowns. He was 77 yards away from becoming the fifth 5,000-yard passer in NFL history and with former New York running back Brandon Jacobs now in San Francisco, expect Manning to throw the ball even more than 589 times, which he did in 2011. The younger Manning will likely throw for 5,000 yards and 30-plus touchdowns in 2012, making him an elite, must-start passer, even at No. 8.

9. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers - The Steelers are no longer a run-first team and Roethlisberger is no longer a “decent” fantasy quarterback. Pittsburgh’s fearless leader threw for 4,000-plus yards for the second time in his career last season and he’ll do the same again in 2012. With arguably the most talented group of receivers in the NFL at his disposal and a backfield committee plaguing the Steelers’ backfield, Big Ben will be a top-10 fantasy passer this year.

10. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers – Vincent Jackson’s departure will hurt Rivers’ value more than most fantasy owners think. With Mike Tolbert also long gone, Rivers has limited options at his disposal and opposing defenses will recognize that and key on Antonio Gates, making life tough for the Chargers’ signal-caller. That’s not to say Rivers is done as an elite fantasy quarterback; he’s still a top-10 option at the position, but he’s no longer a surefire top-7 option. For owners who wait to take a quarterback in their draft, Rivers will make a great middle-round pick…if he lasts that long.

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As mentioned, the Cowboys are a team trying to pull everything together with its current core in an attempt to win a title without a complete roster overhaul. Dallas is also beginning to look toward the future, though, as all teams should.

The Cowboys drafted seven players in April and only one of them wasn’t a captain, Oklahoma tight end James Hanna. There was a reason Garrett wanted each of those players. Actually, there were two.

These rookies were leaders in college, so they already have experience making plays when needed by their team. That helps the Cowboys both in the long- and short-term plan.

For a team trying to win right now, the Cowboys need rookies who will make big plays right off the bat, i.e. Morris Claiborne, and ones who will play consistently when called upon, i.e. Kyle Wilber.

Dallas doesn’t need all seven draft picks to be instant superstars; these players simply need to do their job and not make silly mistakes, which is what leaders do and something the Cowboys have had a problem with in recent years.

For example, Wilber won’t leave a running back out of the backfield wide open in the flats, which is something that absolutely killed the Cowboys in 2010 and 2011 specifically. That’s not something that only a superstar would do, but it is something a leader always does.

Likewise, guys like Wilber will build on little things like that and become a leader at the pro level like they were in college. That helps the Cowboys in the long run because even though stars like DeMarcus Ware haven’t hit 30 yet, they won’t be around forever.

Adding rookies who are leaders is far more important than adding rookies who are talented, but immature. Even though six of Garrett’s seven draft picks weren’t flashy, they’re the kind of guys who should get the job done on a consistent basis, which is what the Cowboys’ skipper has been preaching for quite some time, but it’s just now becoming clear to everyone else.

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The surgery required to repair the tear in Bernadeau’s right hip is unfortunate in that he’ll miss time and will get behind in leaning the Cowboys’ offense, but it’s a good thing in that Dallas’ coaching staff will be forced to remember another young guard who turned heads at a break-neck pace last year.

Second-year guard Bill Nagy was a stud as a rookie in 2011, starting three of his first four games before breaking his ankle and missing the remainder of the season. He showed an explosive first step at the snap and the suaveness and footwork of a five-year veteran. Nagy should now be a starting guard for the Cowboys and compete with Bernadeau for that spot when he returns.

The fact Bernadeau was handed the starting spot after four decent years with the Carolina Panthers is absurd. That’s not to say he won’t win the job, because he very likely could, but just pretending like Nagy doesn’t exist anymore is incredibly ignorant by Jason Garrett and the Cowboys’ coaching staff.

Another second-year offensive lineman who deserves a shot at a starting spot is Kevin Kowalski. In limited work last year, Kowalski was very impressive snapping the ball and then protecting Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. The same can’t be said for current starter Phil Costa, who was arguably the worst starting center in the NFL last season.

In short, Dallas needs to re-evaluate its youth on the interior offensive line because ignoring these promising young players is not something a team truly intent on contending for a title does.

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“You try not to think about the window,” Witten said. “But obviously, we’re realists. We understand where it’s at. I feel great and we’re playing great. But it’s about now. I think that’s how this whole organization thinks, from owner to head coach to veteran players to rookie players. That’s the way this league works.”

Indeed it is. While teams like the Indianapolis Colts are rebuilding with a new franchise quarterback and a roster spring cleaning, franchises like Dallas are trying desperately to find the final pieces of the puzzle to put together a serious title run.

For the first time in nearly 20 years, the Cowboys addressed several areas of absolute need through free agency and the draft, adding veterans and promising rookies to try and fill gaping holes in the lineup. Dallas owner Jerry Jones likes to compare his approach and his team to his quarterback, Tony Romo.

“It’s a little like Romo – you want to basically be able to get it in a way that is sound and wins ballgames,” Jones said.

Indeed, the Cowboys are trying to get to a point where the team consistently plays “sound” football, which leads to wins. However, Jones has been advocating such an approach for years since Dallas’ last Super Bowl, but never acted upon it until now.

Jones traded up in the 2012 NFL Draft to select LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne, the top defensive back (and arguably the top defender) in the draft. Jones also signed several veterans to aid in the title chase, including cornerback Brandon Carr, linebacker Dan Connor, fullback Lawrence Vickers and guards Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau. Notable Cowboys like Witten have taken notice.

“Every year you’re more and more motivated,” Witten said. “You realize that time is now for a lot of key players. You need to take advantage of that.”

Witten, who just turned 30, has quietly become arguably the game’s best tight end while setting several league and club records for his position, including becoming the fastest tight end to 600 career catches and most recently passing Ozzie Newsome for third-most all-time receptions for a tight end. However, the humble superstar will tell you he’d much rather have the team titles than the individuals. It’s time the entire Cowboys’ organization embodied that mindset and if this off-season is any indication, it looks like that might finally be happening.

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I know a lot of people might want to pitch around hamilton, but their lineup is too good. He might break bonds record this year, no joke

May 12, 2012 4:46 pm via EchofonReplyRetweetFavorite

@str8edgeracer

C.J. Wilson

After a monstrous week of baseball, in which Hamilton hit nine home runs in six games, baseball analysts have begun debating on whether opposing pitchers should intentionally walk Hamilton. According to Wilson, that’s not such a good idea.

Hamilton is batting. 402 this season, so pitching around him seems like a good idea until you look at who’s up just before and after him in the Rangers’ lineup. Hamilton’s bats third for Texas; second baseman Ian Kinsler is the lead-off man, batting .275 this season and shortstop Elvis Andrus is second with a mark of .328.

After Hamilton, the Rangers boast third baseman Adrian Beltre, who’s currently hitting .310 and then designated hitter Michael Young, who has a mark of .289 so far this season. Hamilton’s ridiculous home run tendency might be a reason to pitch around him anyway, but three of those other four batters are home run threats at any time as well; they’ve combined for 15 bombs so far this year.

Also, right fielder Nelson Cruz can’t be forgotten in this discussion, either; his record-breaking six home runs set a record in last year’s ALCS and his grand slam on Sunday powered the Rangers to a 13-6 win over Wilson’s Los Angeles Angels.

Wilson’s statement about the Rangers lineup being “too good” to pitch around Hamilton is accurate, but what about his prediction? Barry Bonds set the single-season home run record in 2001 with 73 and though the season is still very young, Hamilton is on pace to crush it. Through 35 games in 2012, Hamilton has 18 home runs, a pace that extends to 83 home runs over a 162-game season.

That number seems impossible to reach, especially for an injury-prone slugger like Hamilton. However, blasting four bombs in a single game will certainly boost that pace and average. At this rate, Hamilton needs to hit one home run in every 2-3 games (2.3 to be exact) to hit 74 and break Bonds’ record. When looked at like that, the record doesn’t seem quite as unreachable for a player like Hamilton.

If anyone should know if Hamilton is capable of such a feat, it’s Wilson. The two played together in Texas from 2008 to 2011, a tenure that included back-to-back World Series trips, in which Wilson witnessed some spectacular hitting by his slugging buddy. To say Hamilton “might break Bonds’ record this year” is quite a compliment and quite a prediction, but’s it’s not as farfetched as it may sound.

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Naturally, the players have downplayed the hype surrounding the event, but the fans that pack the Ballpark on Friday night won’t let them continue that for long. Wilson was part of back-to-back World Series trips by the Rangers, the second of which he was the team’s ace.

After departing for the West Coast, Wilson has posted a career-best 2.61 ERA this season with a 4-2 record in 6 starts, although his Angels are only 14-18 so far in 2012. He’s home and he’s loving life, but the environment in Texas on Friday night will be a hostile one for the former Ranger.

Meanwhile, the Rangers have a new pitcher that has Texas buzzing with excitement. In his rookie season, Darvish’s 4-1 record and 2.54 ERA are even better than Wilson’s numbers. While Darvish isn’t the first pitcher in the Rangers’ rotation, he’s considered Wilson’s replacement in the eyes of 99 percent of the baseball world, making Friday night’s matchup a critical one.

The 2012 MLB season is five weeks old, but the Rangers and Angels are meeting for the first time this weekend. Texas leads the AL West with a 21-11 record while the Angels are bringing up the rear. However, Los Angeles has won seven of its last 10 and is considered Texas’ biggest competition in not only the division but the entire league this season. All of that makes Friday night’s matchup even more important, especially in the eyes of the fans.

Wilson isn’t the only major free agent addition the Angels made this past off-season; former St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols is also a new Angel and there’s plenty of animosity toward him by Rangers fans as well. After all, it was Pujols’ Cardinals that beat the Rangers in last year’s Fall Classic, so don’t think Texas has forgotten that.

With Wilson and Pujols playing against the Rangers on a team that was already considered Texas’ biggest rivals, Friday night and the entire weekend series will be action-packed and a great watch for any baseball fan. Obviously, the outcome of the Darvish-Wilson duel will be the biggest storyline, but this series will play a huge role in the outcome of the division and the American League as a whole. Tie your broncos down, Texas fans, and you California folks tie down whatever kind of weird pets y’all keep out there because it’s going to be a wild ride.

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Crawford participated fully in the Cowboys’ rookie minicamp and isn’t expected to miss any time with his condition, but Claiborne and Wilber will be sidelined until training camp begins in July.

Claiborne had surgery on his wrist following his final season at LSU and went through the latest part of the procedure on Wednesday, tweeting about his excitement beforehand:

Well Im up this morning about to get surgery. Yes i get my hand bk today!!! #MOMO17 to 24COWBOYS

May 9, 2012 7:21 am via Twitter for AndroidReplyRetweetFavorite

@MoClaiborne

Morris Claiborne

Claiborne will switch from a hard cast on his left wrist to a soft cast that will allow him to move on from walkthroughs to full-blown conditioning workouts. He’s been scheduled to take the field during training camp since the draft, so he’s right on schedule for that deadline.

Wilber fractured his finger during Dallas’ rookie minicamp and will miss the remainder of the workouts as well as the off-season conditioning workouts, but is expected to report with the rest of the Cowboys’ rookies to Oxnard, Calif., for the beginning of training camp on July 25. Wilber was considered the “talk of Valley Ranch” during the rookie minicamp, but now will have to prove his worth all over again once training camp starts.

All three rookies are expected to play big roles in the Cowboys’ defense in 2012 and beyond, so their health is imperative and Dallas is taking proper precaution in making sure Crawford, Claiborne and Wilber are ready to go once the season rolls around.

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Crawford’s agent, Dr. D.S. Ping, said Wednesday his client was originally diagnosed with the heart murmur at the NFL Combine and the Cowboys knew about it before selecting him in the third round. Ping said the heart murmur had nothing to do with when Crawford was drafted or his play going forward.

“Never affected anything,” Ping said. “No doubt.”

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is usually quick to make colorful comments on situations like this and he didn’t fail to live up to expectations.

“The heart murmur issue is one that I’m satisfied is okay for us,” Jones said.

As mentioned, Crawford participated in the Cowboys’ rookie minicamp and reportedly performed very well as he’s expected to challenge Kenyon Coleman and Jason Hatcher for their starting jobs in Ryan’s variable 3-4 scheme. In recent weeks, Crawford has frequently been labeled as a “prototype 5-technique” 3-4 defensive end, a position of which the Cowboys are in desperate need.

As often mentioned here at RantSports.com, the Cowboys’ weakest position in 2011 was defensive end, not the popular picks of cornerback and safety. While Dallas has made drastic improvements in the secondary through the 2012 NFL Draft and free agency, Crawford is the only new face at defensive end, so he’ll face a lot of pressure to succeed quickly at the next level despite his heart murmur.

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