So it’s been a minute since I last blogged. My apologies- I guess you could say my ADHD got the best of me. But as many of you know, training camp is in the books and we are just days away from the regular season. To wrap things up, here’s my 5 takeaways from training camp.
The Bucket Hat is Back
So apparently the bucket hat is now a thing. I swear I can’t walk onto the field anymore for practice without seeing one of those things. To be completely honest, I think they look ridiculous. Yeah, I said it. Anyone over the age of five cannot pull off a bucket hat. I would love to find out where this fad started actually. I think the first time I spotted one of these glorious headpieces was back in mini-camp, but I could be wrong. My favorite part about this trend though is not the hat itself, but the excuses that come with wearing it. You’d think these people prepped themselves with comeback lines before leaving the room. The most common excuse I got for rocking said bucket hat? Sunburn prevention. OK. I can’t argue with that. Oh wait, yes I can. You look like a child. Please fix it.
The Cowboys and the Raiders Do Not Play Nice
BREAKING NEWS EVERYONE: The Cowboys and the Raiders do NOT get along. If you somehow missed that memo before training camp, the joint practices between the two teams did a pretty decent job of clarifying it. Not like we didn’t know it was coming, but you can’t act like you weren’t completely enthralled by the full out brawl that ensued on the first day of practice between the two. It all started in team drills- The Cowboys’ defense facing the Raiders’ offense. Morris Claiborne landed a pretty decent hit on tight end Mychal Rivera and needless to say he didn’t take too kindly to the gesture. The rest? Well, it’s history. I guess you could say the new team motto of “FIGHT” has really caught on.
New Leadership Role for Dez
DEZ BRYANT. Or should I say Throw Up The X? Because that’s basically what he was doing all camp. I mean, the guy might as well pull a Prince and change his name to the symbol “X” considering how often he makes a play worthy of his signature celebratory move. And rightfully so, because he’s a beast. It was incredible play after incredible play for the wideout- literally no one could stop him. Well, one person gave him a good run, but we will discuss that in a minute. But while his level of play was impressive, it was his newfound leadership skills that blew everyone away. Even when he wasn’t on the field, he was coaching up other players, even revving up the defense when they made a good play. It was the epitome of leadership- I would even go as far as to call is refreshing. I expect big things from No. 88 this season, but I know my goals for him only pale in comparison to those that he has made for himself, and that to me, is something to be excited about.
Suspension for Scandrick
For those of you who have been hiding under a rock for the past few weeks and somehow managed to miss the news, Orlando Scandrick is suspended for the first four games of the regular season. WOOF. Basically he tested positive for a performance enhancing drug said to be ecstasy and despite his appeal of the ruling, was handed a pretty hefty suspension by the league. With all of the injuries and question marks on this defense, it was really the last thing this team needed. What really gets me about this whole scenario though is the fact that it appeared to be his own doing. Apparently it happened on vacation in Mexico and was a mistake, but I mean, you’re barely allowed to drink the water there… What made you think it was a good idea to try something else? And the worst part? He was having a great camp. A really great camp. Scandrick managed to step up and give life to this defense when they needed it most. He was literally one of the only people who could even give Dez some competition and now that’s all gone. People make mistakes, but this was some really horrible timing. C’mon man.
Tony Romo the Thief
For all of you who put Tony Romo on a pedestal: STOP. Just stop. The man is not a hero, he is a thief. A thief of golf carts that is. At training camp, forms of transportation are few and far in between, making the golf cart a coveted item. Basically how it works is each department is issued its own cart, complete with signage designating which one belongs to who. Not like that meant something to Tony or anything- He proceeded to straight up jack the golf cart from the Internet department and claim it for his own personal use throughout camp. Granted, someone (I’m not naming names) had to be smart enough to leave the keys in the cart for it to be stolen in the first place, but that’s beside the point. Lucky for the web guys though, No. 9 is a pretty decent guy and offered to let them use their own cart if need be. Right. Because they were really going to ask for it back. At the end of camp, a deal was brokered between the QB and his victims: Golf cart usage in exchange for helmet camera footage. And to be honest, it turned out pretty cool. Maybe win-win situations really do exist after all.
It was a camp for the books to say the least, but if it’s any indication as to how the season will go, I suggest you all take a seat. Buckle up people. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.
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