Jason Garrett is starting his first full season as the head coach for the Dallas Cowboys after the team unceremoniously dumped Wade Phillips in the middle of last season. Garrett appears to be taking a much more “all inclusive” approach to training camp, unlike most of his other peers in the coaching world. Garrett is of the mindset that rookies in the NFL shouldn’t be singled out because of the mere fact that they are rookies. In other words, there will be no rookie hazing on Jason Garrett’s watch.

Via ESPN:

“It’s just something I believe in and we believe in as a staff,” Garrett said. “The young guys are part of our football team. They certainly need to get themselves acclimated in a lot of different ways, and our veteran players are in charge of welcoming them to the NFL in a real positive way.

“Also, there are some other things that go with that, but there’s not going to be anything that’s demeaning in any way that a rookie has to do. We just don’t believe in that.”

Well dang, that is just isn’t any fun at all now is it? I’m not saying you have to do some animal house type stuff to the rookies to make them “pay their dues” but, c’mon, carrying shoulder pads and tying them up to the goalpost with athletic tape are time honored “rites of passage” for NFL rookies league-wide. What is the harm in doing any of that? Those are team bonding moments that one just can’t get by doing things like singing Kumbaya fireside with some smores. I mean, is this an NFL training camp or summer camp?

The NFL has already taken away two-a-days and full pad/helmet practices out of the training camps under the new collective bargaining agreement and now the Cowboys taking it to a whole new level of wussdom with this move.

Make the kids earn their keep. None of the “hazing” that takes place in the NFL is all that bad anyway, its appears to simply be a good way for the players to build trust and camaraderie with their teammates. No physical harm, no foul, right?

I wonder how this judgment call of his will affect how Garrett’s players feel about him this season. Last season, apparently, he wasn’t making a lot of friends in that locker room:

Maybe he just needs to lighten up a little? Could probably go a long way to getting his team on his side.

It only took a couple weeks for NFL players to start acting crazy. Rey Maualuga just got one upped by Deon Anderson who has a warrant out for his arrest.

Anderson went crazy and pulled a gun on a parking valet after accusing him of tampering with his car. The arrest warrant states

On 02/02/10 at approximately 2:16 AM off duty officers working Black Finn (4440 Belt Line) were alerted by staff members of a man with a gun in the parking lot. Officers were pointed to an area where four males and two vehicles were. Complainant Mekonnen Gigi advised Deon Anderson was mad because of problems with his vehicle, and accused him of tampering with the vehicle. Gigi stated Anderson retrieved a handgun from the car and asked him why he was laughing. Gigi stated he was in fear of imminent bodily injury or death when Anderson displayed the firearm. The firearm was recovered from the shrubs nearby, and was
found to be loaded with a round chambered.

The parking lot confrontation isn’t the first time Anderson has made the papers for bringing the ruckus. He and Flozell Adams fought on a team flight after a loss to the Eagles in 2008 when the Cowboys season fell apart. Marcus.

We’d like to credit Marcus Vick for inspiring Anderson but a hat tip to the late Sean Taylor is more appropriate given the circumstances. We’re talking ATVs not home invasion and murder. We’ll leave that to Wilbon. Sean Taylor whipped out some guns on Ryan Hill, a Miami resident who he thought stole his property. At least he thought he was wronged? Marcus Vick just went crazy on some kids in a Burger King parking lot because he’s a Vick and that’s just how they was raised.

Herschel Walker is one bad dude.  He won the Heisman Trophy in college, was an USFL and NFL all-pro, a member of the US Olympic Bobsled Team, a fifth-degree black belt in tae kwon do and now, at 47 years old he apparently is just getting started. Walker is set to fight Greg Nagy in a STRIKEFORCE MMA bout on Jan. 30 at the Florida Panthers’ arena.

I mean if ex-athlete can do it, certainly he can do it, right? This guy was and, from some hardly independent doctor’s accounts, still is a physical freak. Who knows, Herschel could be the next Kimbo Slice like MMA phenomenon if he is any good. Certainly he’s got more skills than Slice since he is a 5th degree black belt. This might be enough to get even more eyes on the ever growing MMA sport.

No odds are posted for this fight that I could find, but we’ll keep you updated on that…well probably not, we’re not too good on following up stories here. In any case, I have to imagine that Walker is the favorite, Nagy’s overall record is just 1-1 and he is a virtual unknown in the MMA world. This has to be a setup.

From Charleston Daily Mail

So the playoffs begin this weekend and I fell off the map with my picks in the last 2 weeks of the regular season, so i totally have to make up for it here just for my own peace of mind. I ended up finishing above .500 for the year, which bodes well for the playoffs. As always, all lines are from TheGreek. Hot cheerleader is Meghan from the Baltimore Ravens. Lets get to the games*:

New York Jets at CINCINNATI -2.5

The Bengals know they are going to win this game and they will. The young “Sanchize” shouldn’t be much of a factor here as rookie quarterbacks with questionable receiving corps. generally do not do well in the playoffs. The Jets D might be able to keep this close for awhile, since the Bengals only have one receiving threat themselves, but I expect the Bengals to easily win this game by well more than a field goal. Take the Bengals.

PHILADELPHIA +4 at Dallas

The Eagles got destroyed last time they faced the Cowboys, getting shut out 24-0. The first time they faced the Cowboys, they lost 16-20 at home. So why am I picking the Eagles this week? Simple! I hate the Cowboys. Also there is no way an NFC East team beats another NFC East team 3 times in a row. Its got to be some sort of statistical fact that this never happens. Like ever. Unless it has, then its almost never. Take the Eagles, at the very worst, they will probably cover, at best, they win outright.

BALTIMORE +3.5 at New England

Picking against the Patriots, at home, in the playoffs should be suicide for you bank account. This year, I do not think it is. I think the loss of Welker is going to really hurt their offensive attack which was hardly as dynamic as it has been in past years. Some people in Baltimore still say they would’ve beaten the Patriots in the regular season if it werent for all those phantom roughing the passer penalties on them. I’m all about the road dogs this week apparently.

GREEN BAY +1 at Arizona

The Cardinals were in the Super Bowl last season and they are only favored by 1 point here? Ohhh, maybe its because Kurt Warner has no healthy bodies to throw the ball to and is depending on a couple of backs dealing with a little case of fumbleitis. Meanwhile Green Bay can score on anyone but they have supreme difficulty in stopping anyone. Luckily, in this game, they shouldnt have to do much to stop the Cards. Take the Pack. Road dogs rule!

Good luck.

*Deuce of Davenport is only doing this column for entertainment purposes only, you’d be a fool to actually follow any of this advice and/or these picks. We accept no responsibility for anyone actually gambling with these picks.

Another week, another pick em.  I must admit, its getting a little old doing the pick ems.  This week, time ran short on me and I am putting them up late.  Thats the horrible thing about working a day job and having blogging be your night gig.  If you actually go to sleep at a reasonable time of night, you don’t get much blogging done.  So, basically, blame me having to meet my hours requirement for the year on not posting.  Nevertheless, I would be remiss if I missed a week’s worth of picks.