For the record, I think the Cowboys need to walk away from draft weekend this year with another Wide Receiver. TO is going on 35 although still playing at a high level. Terry Glenn has become one of my all time favorites, but coming off 2 knee surgeries last season and his age we can’t really count on him for the long haul. Maybe not even for the short haul. Patrick Crayton is a nice player. He is a good #3, but he is never going to be a #1 and honestly he is best suited behind a solid #2. Miles Austin and Sam Hurd? They are getting to the “they are what they are phase” in their careers. Solid contributors? Maybe. Superstars in the making—-NO. So why not. We have the draft choices. Why not use them!

(My man Limas Sweed not only plays great—he is not a jerk with character issues!!)

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NOTE TO READER - If you only get one thing from this post let it be to copy the link to Chris Johnson’s highlights. They will make you elated if we get him, or sick if we don’t.

There is no doubt that the Cowboys already have a great running back on their roster. Marion Barber is a straight out stud! He explodes through the line and down the field vertically. Avoid contact? Heck no!! He seeks it out!! When he gets through the linebacker level I swear he seeks out the Strong Safety. I think he feels that if he can run him down now—-he won’t have to try to run away from him later. Marion is known as MB3 (as he is the 3rd in the line of Marion Barbers) and my favorite coined by TO—–Marion the Barbarian!!! Its fantastic to watch him play!!

The only problem is, how many backs can you think of that are able to maintain that style of play without injury? Or worse, how many can maintain it without shortening their careers?? Earl Campbell anyone? Marion is special. He can be the lead back, but he will be much more effective with the help of an explosive back field mate to share duties with. Julius Jones is off to Seattle. Julius just did not fit in the Cowboys blocking schemes. He was a good character guy with a lot of talent. With Seattle’s blocking schemes he may be a fantasy football stud next year. BUT as for real football for the Boys—-its time to find the right guy. Its a definite need, and the Cowboys may look to get that player at #22 or #28 in round 1.

Who should we pick up? Great question!! Keep in mind my spotty record in the draft, but I do have some ideas…

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Well, no—not exactly. As a matter of fact the first preseason football game is not until August 3rd—-and that’s not really football AND the Redskins are in that. So, I guess there is a ways to go. Everyone knows I am a die hard Cowboy fan. Johns Hopkins Lacrosse normally helps get me through the off-season, and the NCAA basketball tournament is the greatest 3 weeks in sports. BUT that pretty much all wraps up today with the Final 4, and then the Final on Monday night. Hopkins has lost 4 in a row, and is having what is for them a horrible year. Per my “You can not complain about a college team for 3 years after a championship” rule, I am not honestly allowed to get to down on them. They have given us 2 out of the last 3 NCAA Championships. Hopefully, they can turn it around—but nonetheless—I need to put some positive sports energy into something!!!

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I wait until my captor is occupied, slowly I go across the room, open the door and down the steps. I reach the exit, giddy, this is going to happen. I make my way into the sunshine, turn the corner and see my destination. Never has it seemed so far. I charge ahead, a woman on a mission and as I reach the mecca, I hear a voice, his voice, and there he is, my captor, holding my other crutch….BUSTED!

My physical pain is almost non existant; but my loss of independence is killing me. I fractured my ankle playing lacrosse Friday and I am waiting to see the Ortho about things like time in a cast, DRIVING and the like.

Meanwhile, Jason has been a great help; but after 36 hours in a cast I am ready to be back to normal. Already.

Being a pro sports fan in Baltimore straight up stinks. Since my birth we have lost the Bays, the Bayrunners and the Bayhawks(note to self: leave the name bay alone when naming a franchise). Oh and the Thunder, the Skipjacks and some team called the Colts.`

We have managed to keep the Orioles- the AL east basement dwellers; but attendance is waaaayy down at the Yard. We also have the Ravens. They wear purple and have fans that wear purple camo. I have never been a Ravens fan, really.  I was too young to understand the true ramifications of the Colts leaving. Just hate Elway, Bob Irsay and the entire city of Indianapolis and never ever use Mayflower moving and you’ll be fine.

So here in Baltimore, we have no NHL, no NBA and last year we lost our MLL(do you even know what that is?)team to DC. The Washington Bayhawks, how stupid is that? even more stupid, their new home at Georgetown U doesn’t have bathrooms.

My husband, the wonderful, is a Dallas fan, if you didn’t know. I celebrate the Cowboys and I am always THRILLED when they win. Yet, I can’t bring myself to root for the Mavs(actually I am blamed for their 2006 playoff loss) or the Stars. Something about hockey in the south seems less than natural to me.

So I am auditioning new NBA and NHL teams. Both seasons are early so I have plenty of time to jump on the bandwagon. Please feel free to offer your suggestions.

I recently had the pleasure of attending the opening of Serenity House. It is the new, nineteen apartment building operated by the great people of Marian House.

Nine residents- all women who have overcome serious problems- have all ready moved in to the house.

They still need more help. If you want to donate new or “gently used” kitchen items, please let me know. I may have a kitchen shower and as you may know, I hate showers. So, it must be a great cause!

 www.marianhouse.org

The final was 4 -0, and it was not really that close. St. Francis got off to a slow start, but took the momentum over late in the first half. As is often the case after the first goal found the net—they kept coming. The halftime score was 3 - 0. Each goal was scored by Bennett Sypes. Rich has played with Bennett (and his brother Grayson) for much of his soccer life. Bennett’s father has also been a main stay for Rich from a coaching perspective. It was good to see Bennett have such a great game.

As for Rich he obviously gave up zero goals—-thats also the number of times he had to touch the ball in goal. As the goal became to ensure everyone got plenty of playing time—and to ensure that the score did not get out of hand—Rich got to play a few minutes up top at forward. He had one near opportunity to shoot on goal for a change, but it quikly disappeared.

The competition will certainly get a little stiffer, but nothing bad can be said about opening the season with 2 Ws agains no Ls. Stay tuned for more soccer updates next weekend, and as always feel free to leave reach a comment.

You all probably already knew this from all the coverage on ESPN and ESPNU, but its not official until its posted on reidonline.org! Last Saturday was Rich’s St. Francis Fall Outdoor Soccer opener. Please forgive the lack of photos from the game. I was concentrating on filming the game on the video camera and did not remember to bring the still camera. Of course, the battery died in the video camera so you get no visual evidence. Just trust me!!

Rich played some at right fullback to open the game. His team has 23 kids on the active roster, and per league rules they are supposed to have equal playing time. For a coach, that is a real challenge. St. Francis went into halftime with a 2 - 1 lead, and Rich went in net as goalie for the 2nd half. He quickly gave up kind of a goofy goal that he admits was not one of his best moments. However, he quickly recovered and turned things around. It was the only goal he gave up in the half, and he made some nice plays afterwards. His decision making with ball distribution and clears was much improved from last season. One of his clears up the left sideline near midfield led to quick break away opportunity that resulted in one of 2 St. Francis second half goals.

Rich and St. Francis are back on the practice field tonight in preparation for game action Saturday morning. Stay tuned for results—and possibly pictures. It will be very tough for me to record or take many pictures as I am one/third of the coach fill-in three headed monster for this week’s game. Maybe Shannon will be good enough to snap a few pics.

Welcome Widowmakers!! The draft is set for this weekend. After the last game on Friday night I will turn the autodraft on. Yahoo Sports will automatically run our draft, and my guess is teams will be set by Saturday afternoon. The draft order was set in the following method. Bluejays Unlimited received the first pick based on the finishing last in 2006. Laodacians received the 10th and last pick of the first round based on their first place finish in 2006. After that all teams were written on a piece of paper and pulled from a hat. To authenticate the results—and to find out where you pick watch the 3 minute and 24 second video below

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Well, seventh grade is already here for Richard. It started today. Check out the picture of him before school this morning to prove it.

However, his summer went out with a bang! My father came down from Pittsburgh last Wednesday and picked Rich up for the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. The two of them had a great time. I drove up on Saturday and joined them for the very end of the US Final on Saturday, and the Consolation and World Championship games on Sunday. There were no games on Friday so Dad and Rich found a few things such as mini-golf and the Little League World Series museum to keep themselves occupied.

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