Nov 24, 2011; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys fan cheers while being held up during the game against the Miami Dolphins on Thanksgiving day at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

First off I would like all the readers to know that I am a diehard Cowboys fan. I will always have faith in my team and believe that the ‘Boys could very well win the next 5 super Bowls. I know it is very unlikely for them or any team to win the next 5 Super Bowls but that is the fan in me speaking. I could never agree with any negativity against my team that’s in the media. Also I want to object to Colin Cowherd’s opinion of fans like me being the fourth most delusional fan base. Being a delusional fan just means we are loyal to our team. Since the Dallas Cowboys have the most loyal fan base in the world, don’t insult us with number 4 Colin, go ahead and put us at number 1.

This year I have heard a lot of talk about this window the Dallas Cowboys have and how it closing if not already shut. I don’t buy in to it at all. Most of the opinions are from retired football players that think they know best. First of all if a full career of football is causing enough brain traumas for ex-players to kill themselves, why should any of us believe they know what they are talking about?

They simply base the idea of this so called window on the fact that the teams three biggest stars are walking on the field in 2012 in their 30’s. Tony Romo just recently turned 32, Jason Witten just turned 30, and DeMarcus Ware is turning 30 in July. Is 30 plus a bad age for a QB? Look at the ages of Hall of Fame QB’s that won a Super Bowl at 30 plus.

Steve Young won his Super Bowl at age 33, Roger Staubach won two super bowls just days before his 30^th, and 36^th birthday, Joe Montana won 2 Super Bowls in his 30’s,  Terry Bradshaw won a title at 31,  John Elway won at 37 and 38, and also Peyton and Eli got one at 30 and 31. These are most the QB’s that all others want to be in their careers.

Jan 16, 1972; New Orleans, LA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Dallas Cowboys tight end (89) Mike Ditka looks for running room against Miami Dolphins safety (40) Dick Anderson during Super Bowl VI at Tulane Stadium. The Cowboys defeated the Dolphins 24-3. Mandatory Credit: Photo By Manny Rubio-US PRESSWIRE Copyright Manny Rubio

If the age game is going to be played than they better leave Tony Romo out of it. What about newly thirtied Jason Witten? Well let’s see, Mike Ditka was 32 in Super Bowl VI and John Mackey was 30 in Super Bowl V. What about Shannon Sharpe He won 3 Super Bowls in his career and the first one came at the age of 29. If you look at all the Super Bowl victories by a Hall of Fame TE the majority of them came at 30 plus. I guess Jason Witten should be ineligible for the age game as well.

Now that leaves soon to be thirtied DeMarcus Ware. Compare his age to the all-time greats. We have Lawrence Taylor that won a Super Bowl at the too old age of 31, Ray Nitschke was 30 in a Super Bowl, Nick Buoniconti was 32 in his first, and Harry Carson was 33. Once again these are Hall Of Fame linebackers.

This, in my opinion, tells me that Romo, Witten and Ware are just getting into the best age of a Hall Of Fame career. Romo is still getting better each year and hasn’t shown any signs of that changing anytime soon. Witten still is a huge threat to any defense and considering he hasn’t suffered an injury since his rookie year he has some good years left in him.  Ware, the biggest beast in the in the NFC east, his sack count was so great last year that if it would take someone with brain trauma to think he is slowing down.

Sep 26, 2011; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) celebrates with linebacker DeMarcus Ware (94) in the fourth quarter against the Washington Redskins at Cowboys Stadium. The Cowboys beat the Redskins 18-16. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

The age of thirty being too old to win a Super Bowl is somewhat ridiculous but it depends on the position. Football is a physical sport and the human body can only sustain so much abuse. QB’s are hit about 80 times a season and with rules protecting them the hits they receive aren’t as brutal as hits on others. TE’s on the other hand get hit about the same but the hits are brutal and untamed. I remember Jason Witten getting hit by members of the Eagles defense and the force of the hit took his helmet off. Witten being the stud he is stayed on his feet and ran another 30 yards or so. LB’s take a lot of abuse and are involved in roughly 100 hits a year but for the most part being the hitter isn’t as bad as being the hittee. RB’s on the other hand have been hit up to 3,000 times by the time they hit 30 that’s just on an average of 24 combined hits after runs and receptions per game in an 8 year period.

Considering the ages of Romo, Witten, and Ware there is no problem with what history has shown us for those positions. With the roster still having young talent at RB and WR the Dallas Cowboys are in pretty good shape, and if they do have a window history would suggest that it is just opening.

Jan 1, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) during the first half against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

After finishing 4^th in 2011, Romo also moved into second in NFL career passer rating at 96.9 but hasn’t lead the Dallas Cowboys to a playoff game since 2009. Conversely the New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning finished 7^th with a 92.9 passer rate and coincidentally played for a second Super Bowl title yesterday evening.

Romo’s only falls behind Green Bay Packers Aaron Rodgers whose career passer rating is 104.1. The top five in career passer rating is rounded out with Steve Young, Tom Brady & Phillip Rivers.

All of these quarterbacks with the exception of Romo & Rivers have won Super Bowl championships. Steve Young was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005. Tom Brady will likely be a first time ballot inductee into Canton, Ohio and the jury remains out on the others, including the Dallas Cowboys quarterback. (more…)

Jan 27, 2012; Ko Olina, HI, USA; NFC linebacker DeMarcus Ware of the Dallas Cowboys (94) holds his children Marley (left and Junior (right) after their team photo at NFC media day for the 2012 Pro Bowl at the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort. Mandatory Credit: US PRESSWIRE

For those who did not watch the Pro Bowl this year, the AFC beat the NFC – 59 to 41.  Whatever.  Some played like it was a regular season game, though most did tone it down quite a bit.  Boring.  It was fun to see all the best players of 2011 get together.  After all, its all about the stars of the game, right?  I guess.

Do I sound less than thrilled?  A little cynical maybe?  Well, as a Cowboys fan, I think I have a right to be.  To begin with, only two Cowboys players went to Hawaii, least since 2002.   I thought we were loaded with talent?  Only Cowboys fans still think that, but regardless, to only pick 2 – why these two – .  I also find it ironic that those two, DeMarcus Ware and Jay Ratliff, were not only not as dominant in 2011 as in past years, but also came from the weakest of the three parts of the Dallas Cowboys in 2011, the Defense.  If the Pro Bowl were to represent the best players on each team from 2011, then for Dallas they would come from the Offense. (more…)