Whether you've reached the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End:
*Only at a Cowboys' training camp can you look on the sidelines one day and see the guys from Deadliest Catch and the next find a dork in an ill-fitting suit and bow tie. Yep, Pee Wee Herman took in practice here at The Alamodome Thursday night. You could fit three of him in Rob Ryan's cargo hold of a belly.
*I've been known to wear the same shirt a couple days in a row, but Jason Garrett dons the same outfit every single practice. At least the same version of the same outfit. Blue sweats. Gray shirt. Blue cap with star logo. My philosophy: Lazy. Garrett's philosophy: "I don't want to think about it a lot. I strive to distinguish myself through my performance, not my clothes." Has anything so un-Dallas ever been uttered? Substance over style is refreshing, no?
*Story I totally don't understand: In a NBA Developmental League where coaches make $85,000, how/why are the Texas Legends offering deposed Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl a package worth $500,000?
*Can't tell you how excited I am about No. 1 draft pick Tyron Smith. After Jay Ratliff absolutely destroyed Montrae Holland in 1-on-1 drills last night, Smith stood him up and stopped him cold twice in a row. As a benefit, he's all "yes sir", "no sir."
*Hard to believe that it's already been a year since Chuck Greenberg/Nolan won the Rangers in a late-night auction.
*Line of camp delivered by TXA 21's pregnant Gina Miller. Upon seeing Ryan's considerable girth, she opined, "He's carrying higher than I am." Touche.
*Hot.
*Not.
*Deion Sanders is a no-brainer Hall of Famer. But, while he played on the team's last title team in '95, he doesn't belong in the Cowboys' Ring of Honor.
*On Thursday we'll be watching football. Real Sorta real Cowboys vs. Broncos in Arlington. The lockout fades fuzzier each day.
*In Thursday night's spirited two-minute drill the defense wreaked havoc on the offense with its constant movement and blitzes from all directions. And yes, Ryan was in mid-season form, including yelling at the rent-a-refs. Cornerback Orlando Scandrick: "Confuse and kill. That's our mind-set."
*Girl in the crowd last night waved a pink homemade sign that read "Marry Me, Miles!" In the history of ever, has that ploy ever worked? And, when you get right to the root of it, isn't she just asking him for money? Surely she doesn't sense they're compatible. Even stranger, the girl holding it was only 15.
*Not sure how or why, but I've seen every Planet of the Apes movie and I'm stoked about this weekend's release of Rise of the Planet of the Apes. And, yeah, I think it's possible that a gazillion years ago the Earth was all 180. Dogs walking humans as pets. Gorillas as zookeepers. Sportatorium commenters with open minds. Evolution, with a twist.
*In Buda on I-35 en route to San Antonio there's one of those roundish water towers that looks like a golf ball on a tee. How do they re-paint it?
*Got into this argument the other day when talking about legendary Texas high-school players. Robert Strait for example. I think it's routine to have a great high-school career without being a great football player. Right?
*Almost without fail Tony Romo leaves practice early for a quick bathroom break. Pretty sure a rookie wouldn't be allowed to do that.
*You want two surprise players from the first week or so of Cowboys' camp? Couple of rookie free agents. On offense, Abilene Christian (by way of McKinney North High School) receiver Raymond Radway and on defense, Boston College linebacker Alex Albright. Jot their names down for the practice squad, if not more.
*This weekend? Shout out to mom, who turns 70. Saturday night it's UFC 133 at Baby Dolls Dallas and then Sunday, right back to San Antonio for the finish of camp. Don't be a stranger.
