you like to hear something? Anything? Just to dilute the innate skepticism in all of us? Come on, you arched an eyebrow when this happened, don't fool me.
On the other hand, unless there is something physically wrong with Davis or the DPD implicates him in something shady, it's highly doubtful Parcells would make an example out of Davis again. And I've got 1.2 million reasons why not.
That's what Davis' roster bonus, paid April 20, is worth, $1.2 million. The Cowboys will be charged that regardless if he plays or doesn't play, and in my salary-cap books, that would be an expensive message to send to your team.
See, this is different from last time Davis was on the wrong end of a bullet. In 2003, he was nothing more than a second-year, minimum-wage guy with no signing bonus and considered no more than a nice special teams player. Cutting ties are dime-a-dozen guys is easy and inexpensive.
But this is different. Davis now has a two-year deal, and will cost the Cowboys the $1.2 million either way. Plus, the Cowboys invested 15 starts in him last year, and that has to mean something since they've had him working with the first-team defense at free safety this off-season.
Now nothing has been set in stone this year as far as the starting job. Davis was still going to have to earn that, competing with the likes of Marcus Coleman, Willie Pile, Pat Watkins, Abram Elam and probably Justin Beriault, who for now is penciled in behind Roy Williams at strong safety.
But you just don't cast aside your leading special teams tackler and the guy who very well could be your starting free safety to make an example of or prove a point about how tough you are. You save - or sacrifice - the Curvin Richardses of the world for that.
Now don't put it past Parcells dropping Davis down to like second or third team if he thinks there is even a hint of impropriety, and make him work his way back to the top. That wouldn't surprise me a bit. But don't expect anything rash.
So while everything seems to be on the up and up with Davis so far, it would be nice to receive some sort of official conformation. He's in the clear. He's healthy. He doesn't need surgery. He won't miss any practice time. He's not going on NFI. Just someone to proclaim more than the okays that have been whispered.
Who knows, maybe it's me. Sorry for asking for something more than benign, OK?
MICK SHOTS
| ! | Maybe it's Terrell Owens' game plan to get all these T.O. interviews done before camp starts so he can just go on. That would be wise and advised. But so far, it's been book signings in Dallas, LA, Miami, Atlanta and Birmingham, Ala., along with appearances on one local TV station's Sunday night sports special, The ESPY's, Jimmy Kimmel Live, HBO's* Real Sports* with Bryant Gumbel and Sirius Radio, along with a recently released Sports Illustrated piece. A steady stream of T.O. |
| ! | So what's on T.O.'s mind these days. According to the S.I. piece, it's the Philadelphia Eagles. While doing his endless stream of crunches during workouts, he moves to the cadence of "Ten. Eight. Ten. Eight." What, some military sing-song cadence? Nope, that's the date of Cowboys-Eagles in Philadelphia - Oct. 8. And of the first meeting with his former team, he's quoted as saying, "I'm not even gonna say that b.s. cliché that it's just another game. It's already exciting, and we ain't even played a down yet." |
| ! | What's Parcells been doing here the last month? Well, he did attend a New York Giants' organized tribute earlier this week in New York for former linebacker Harry Carson, who will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Aug. 5, along with Troy Aikman and Rayfield Wright. Of his inside linebacker, Parcells said, "He had to walk down that tunnel a lot of icy Sundays in the Meadowlands when
'); Merchandise & Apparel Jerseys | Hats / Caps | T-Shirts | Men's | Women's | Children's | Gift Cards | Clearance
This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be missing content or contain faulty links. Please use the Contact Us link in our site footer to report an issue.
|
