WEBVTT - Talkin' Cowboys: Ups & Downs 0:00:05.040 --> 0:00:07.600 The following is a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com 0:00:07.640 --> 0:00:18.480 and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club. This he's Talking Cowboys, 0:00:18.960 --> 0:00:22.400 Straining live from the Dallas Cowboys World headquarters at the 0:00:22.480 --> 0:00:33.480 Star in fris Jo. Saw and now your hosts Isaiah Stanback, 0:00:33.800 --> 0:00:46.640 heck My Harrison, Rob Phillips, and Kyle Yeoman's Yeah, it's 0:00:46.640 --> 0:00:52.600 a wonderful Wednesday edition Talking Cowboys. We are here, I 0:00:52.760 --> 0:00:57.800 promise God, Oh my goodness, he is speechless for the 0:00:57.840 --> 0:01:03.240 first time it is. I am, I'm straight speechless. Man. 0:01:03.320 --> 0:01:05.800 How do you even need my slors to see that? 0:01:05.800 --> 0:01:09.080 That's crazy? That's crazy good, that's gracious. Let's okay. So 0:01:09.120 --> 0:01:11.399 I'm gonna redo this all right. It is a Wednesday 0:01:11.560 --> 0:01:14.440 edition of Talking Cowboys on the air here on Dallas 0:01:14.480 --> 0:01:18.200 Cowboys dot Com. So glad everybody's been able to join us, 0:01:18.200 --> 0:01:20.560 and hopefully you'll learn something here over the next hour. 0:01:20.680 --> 0:01:22.319 I know I've already learned a couple of things in 0:01:22.360 --> 0:01:26.120 the last five minutes. Heck Harrison, Isaiah stand back, Rob Phillips, 0:01:26.160 --> 0:01:29.399 I'm Kyle Yeoman's is. We've got a ton to catch 0:01:29.520 --> 0:01:31.560 up on. I feel like over the last couple of days, 0:01:31.680 --> 0:01:34.920 good and bad around the Dallas Cowboys. Where do you 0:01:34.959 --> 0:01:36.800 guys want to start. I'll let you guys get the option. 0:01:36.840 --> 0:01:38.840 We go on with the good or the bat to 0:01:38.920 --> 0:01:44.480 start some good man a positive twenty one, let's get 0:01:44.480 --> 0:01:47.560 twenty twenty Devil's advocate. I like that. I like that 0:01:47.640 --> 0:01:49.880 a lot. So we're gonna start with the positive. And 0:01:49.960 --> 0:01:52.480 one of those positives was that Mike McCarthy just said it, 0:01:52.560 --> 0:01:54.000 But it was kind of what I think all of 0:01:54.120 --> 0:01:58.440 us were thinking on or excuse me, yesterday. That might 0:01:58.440 --> 0:02:00.880 have been the best practice we've seen for the Dallas Cowboys, 0:02:01.000 --> 0:02:04.400 especially without Dak Prescott throughout training camp. Cooper Rush had 0:02:04.400 --> 0:02:06.680 a really nice practice overall, and of course we had 0:02:06.680 --> 0:02:11.760 an extended conversation about the backup quarterback position on Monday. 0:02:11.880 --> 0:02:14.160 But Rob, I'll start with you, what did you see 0:02:14.160 --> 0:02:17.239 out of yesterday's practice and what do you expect moving 0:02:17.320 --> 0:02:19.920 into today? Actually I thought he said it wasn't really 0:02:19.919 --> 0:02:23.519 a good Proc said it was was not. He said 0:02:23.520 --> 0:02:26.240 Cooper Rush had a solid day, okay, working with the ones, 0:02:26.360 --> 0:02:28.560 so that was good. We saw the touchdown pass late 0:02:28.720 --> 0:02:30.520 to Amari Cooper. That was a heck of a catch 0:02:30.880 --> 0:02:34.760 time by number nineteen. And if you want to go positive. 0:02:34.800 --> 0:02:37.200 We're starting positive, ya Zak Prescott's going to do more 0:02:37.240 --> 0:02:39.080 in practice today. That's huge. He's going to do some 0:02:39.120 --> 0:02:43.600 competitive stuff. Isaiah. Seven on seven heck, yeah, I don't 0:02:43.639 --> 0:02:47.560 know about team, but hey, beyond just individual throwing, which 0:02:47.560 --> 0:02:49.880 we saw more of yesterday. So that's a positive from 0:02:49.960 --> 0:02:53.280 number four QB one. So he said, he said seven 0:02:53.320 --> 0:02:56.600 on seven work. He didn't. He didn't elaborate on team. 0:02:56.639 --> 0:02:59.639 He just said yes over in terms of competitive throwing 0:02:59.639 --> 0:03:02.000 for Dad today. Yeah, And you know, to this point, 0:03:02.040 --> 0:03:04.560 he hasn't even done seven on seven since July twenty eighth, 0:03:04.680 --> 0:03:07.160 So it's a it's a step forward, and they're doing 0:03:07.200 --> 0:03:10.760 this very intentionally. This is something he could have done 0:03:10.960 --> 0:03:13.680 a while back. They're just being very very careful with him. 0:03:13.680 --> 0:03:17.280 But as we saw pre game Saturday night, he can 0:03:17.320 --> 0:03:19.240 make all the throws. I don't think that's a concern 0:03:19.320 --> 0:03:21.600 right now, is Jerry said on the fan yesterday, and 0:03:21.639 --> 0:03:24.959 Isaiah has been saying this. It's it's something you've got 0:03:25.000 --> 0:03:28.560 to make sure doesn't carry into beyond week one when 0:03:28.600 --> 0:03:32.000 he plays the opener. Isaiah, Yeah, no, I mean that's it. 0:03:32.080 --> 0:03:33.840 I mean they're doing it the right way. I mean, 0:03:33.880 --> 0:03:35.680 when you while you have the time to ensure that 0:03:35.720 --> 0:03:37.400 he is as healthy as he can be going into 0:03:37.440 --> 0:03:39.240 the season, you want to you know, error on the 0:03:39.280 --> 0:03:42.160 side of caution. So they're doing the exact right thing, 0:03:42.160 --> 0:03:43.880 which we know that they have the best, you know, 0:03:43.880 --> 0:03:45.960 one of the if not the best, he probably you know, 0:03:46.000 --> 0:03:48.240 one of the best training staffs in this entire league. 0:03:48.280 --> 0:03:51.800 So they know exactly what they're doing. They're prepared. Yeah, 0:03:52.000 --> 0:03:55.080 you know the practice yesterday for for Cooper Rush, he 0:03:55.480 --> 0:03:57.360 did look good, and I think you look good when 0:03:57.400 --> 0:04:01.800 you're behind the number one offensive line. And as much 0:04:01.800 --> 0:04:05.360 as Cooper Rush looked good, let's just talk about Garrett 0:04:05.400 --> 0:04:08.920 Gilbert's confidence going in the trash can right now. He 0:04:08.960 --> 0:04:12.520 just seems like a guy that his confidence is shot. 0:04:12.600 --> 0:04:16.280 And we talk about him and the job being his 0:04:16.480 --> 0:04:19.720 to lose. I think he's lost it, you know, and 0:04:19.760 --> 0:04:22.320 I think it's just because of his confidence. Now, you 0:04:22.320 --> 0:04:25.479 know how coaches do. They'll mess with your confidence, they'll 0:04:25.560 --> 0:04:29.040 yank you, they'll make you feel like you don't have anything, 0:04:29.080 --> 0:04:31.080 and you have to build yourself back up just to 0:04:31.120 --> 0:04:33.279 see if you have the mental for the two to 0:04:33.360 --> 0:04:35.520 do this. And I think Garret Gilbert, for a lot 0:04:35.560 --> 0:04:38.400 of the OTAs, and even through training camp, he's been 0:04:38.440 --> 0:04:44.240 getting a lot of smelly stickers and smelly stickers back. 0:04:44.800 --> 0:04:47.000 He's been getting those smelly stickers, and then he has 0:04:47.000 --> 0:04:49.640 that first quarter where it's like whoa, he gets yanked. 0:04:49.800 --> 0:04:52.200 Cooper Rush comes in, he throws some good balls, and 0:04:52.240 --> 0:04:55.679 now all of a sudden, everybody is turning those smelly 0:04:55.680 --> 0:04:58.799 stickers over to Cooper Rush, talking about him and having 0:04:58.839 --> 0:05:01.920 a good practice yesterday. Ain't throwing dimes to Mark Cooper. 0:05:02.040 --> 0:05:05.400 So you know, I just want to see Double G 0:05:05.400 --> 0:05:08.480 get back in it because I still feel like he's 0:05:08.760 --> 0:05:10.720 I just still feel like he's better than Cooper Rush. 0:05:10.920 --> 0:05:13.640 That's just my evaluation of the two quarterbacks so far. 0:05:13.720 --> 0:05:14.960 I think this is one of the few times that 0:05:15.000 --> 0:05:17.280 you can say, and you know, obviously you know coach 0:05:17.360 --> 0:05:19.560 just alluded to it in this press conference, but that 0:05:19.640 --> 0:05:21.720 you're going into the fourth gaming and you're undecided on 0:05:21.800 --> 0:05:23.600 your back up. I think this is one of the 0:05:23.640 --> 0:05:25.640 few times that you could probably look back in history 0:05:25.640 --> 0:05:27.880 and say, we don't know who our number two is. 0:05:28.000 --> 0:05:29.520 And I think that is very much so the case. 0:05:29.560 --> 0:05:31.640 And this is a very important game obviously for Rush, 0:05:31.839 --> 0:05:33.960 but Double G you know, can you snapback? Are they 0:05:33.960 --> 0:05:36.120 playing games or have you really lost some lost some 0:05:36.200 --> 0:05:38.200 tread right, you lost some confidence and the players have 0:05:38.279 --> 0:05:40.560 lost some confidence. We've already talked about that. Now you're 0:05:40.560 --> 0:05:42.440 giving Cooper Rushing an opportunity to go out there and 0:05:42.440 --> 0:05:44.920 make some plays. Sneaky. You know, it's like, as this 0:05:44.960 --> 0:05:46.680 is when it gets real. This is when you, guys, 0:05:46.839 --> 0:05:49.479 when as fans you got understand that this is this 0:05:49.560 --> 0:05:52.479 is a team. However, there's a lot of individual battles 0:05:52.480 --> 0:05:55.440 going on, right, So you're you're fighting for yourself. Let's 0:05:55.440 --> 0:05:58.200 not get this confused. You were the team starts with Ie. 0:05:58.560 --> 0:06:01.080 If there's no Ie, there's no team, because the team 0:06:01.120 --> 0:06:03.159 is a collection of eyes, right, So you have to 0:06:03.160 --> 0:06:04.640 go out there, you have to compete for yourself and 0:06:04.680 --> 0:06:06.640 in the process you hope that you can obviously make 0:06:06.720 --> 0:06:10.080 some some donations to the team. It is interesting because, Okay, 0:06:10.120 --> 0:06:12.720 Dak pulls himself out of practice July twenty eight, So 0:06:12.800 --> 0:06:17.520 from like July twenty ninth till August twentieth, it's Cooper 0:06:17.600 --> 0:06:21.640 Rush is taking the second team reps, and it's Garrett 0:06:21.640 --> 0:06:24.080 Gilbert pretty much all the first team reps. Kyle Yeah 0:06:24.160 --> 0:06:25.800 in Ox and hard carrying over to here, and then 0:06:25.800 --> 0:06:27.320 all of a sudden we get to the game and 0:06:27.360 --> 0:06:31.760 they want to balance it out a little bit. Soble 0:06:31.800 --> 0:06:34.440 gave a reason, right, Double G gave them a reason 0:06:34.480 --> 0:06:36.800 to look at Rush a little bit more intentfully that 0:06:36.800 --> 0:06:38.880 that was on Double G's fault. That was his fault. 0:06:39.000 --> 0:06:42.279 He For those who've never seen the Friday and then 0:06:42.320 --> 0:06:44.560 the movie Friday, Debo used to creep in the window 0:06:44.560 --> 0:06:46.600 if you left the window open, right that the neighborhood 0:06:46.600 --> 0:06:48.440 bully was. The name was Debo. He would live you 0:06:48.520 --> 0:06:51.000 left the window cracked open. He coming through that dog 0:06:51.040 --> 0:06:53.839 on the door. I come through that window. Cooper Rush, Debot, 0:06:55.279 --> 0:07:01.120 Cooper Rush creeping in the window. Just be realistic. I mean, 0:07:01.240 --> 0:07:04.720 let's this is a preface with God forbid, you know, 0:07:04.880 --> 0:07:09.760 but God forbid if something happens where you start the 0:07:09.800 --> 0:07:12.000 season with Russia as your backup and he has to 0:07:12.040 --> 0:07:14.640 go in at Tampa. If I mean, like I say, 0:07:14.720 --> 0:07:16.480 God forbid, Gud's why y'all looking at me like that. 0:07:16.600 --> 0:07:18.400 I'm just saying, just feel like you're putting it out 0:07:18.400 --> 0:07:20.920 in the opening. Well, what I'm saying, but I'm actually saying, 0:07:21.000 --> 0:07:23.760 is from what coach McCarthy is saying, I think he's 0:07:23.800 --> 0:07:26.440 dealing in the reality of that that if that is 0:07:26.440 --> 0:07:28.080 what you have to if that's going to be your 0:07:28.120 --> 0:07:31.160 second quarterback, then he's not confident in it. You have 0:07:31.240 --> 0:07:34.520 to dabble in that. You have to think that way, 0:07:34.720 --> 0:07:36.600 just the way that the world is working the last 0:07:36.640 --> 0:07:39.520 couple of years, because if not, you're going to be underprepared. 0:07:39.800 --> 0:07:41.720 You're not going to be prepared for something. If something 0:07:41.760 --> 0:07:44.480 were to happen to Dak Prescott, you gotta have some 0:07:44.600 --> 0:07:47.160 sort of security, and right now I don't think you do. 0:07:47.320 --> 0:07:50.280 And the crazy thing is is kind of going back 0:07:50.280 --> 0:07:53.440 to what Isaiah was saying with keeping that that window cracked. 0:07:53.600 --> 0:07:56.760 Was that had to happen at least the moment when 0:07:56.800 --> 0:07:59.160 the coaching staff said, hey, Gary Gilbert's giving us a 0:07:59.160 --> 0:08:01.200 reason to look at Cooper Rush a little bit more. 0:08:01.480 --> 0:08:05.320 That had to happen before the Texans game. It had 0:08:05.360 --> 0:08:07.640 to happen well before that. No, I think Cooper Rush 0:08:07.720 --> 0:08:10.680 has been practicing well now that he's a little healthier 0:08:10.720 --> 0:08:12.640 than he was early in camp. I think that's part 0:08:12.640 --> 0:08:14.960 of it. I don't think it's all double G not 0:08:15.080 --> 0:08:17.560 doing enough, sure, but I do think one other thing 0:08:17.600 --> 0:08:20.240 to remember if y'all watched Hard Knocks last night, I 0:08:20.280 --> 0:08:22.880 don't know I caught it the end Mike McCarthy. He 0:08:22.920 --> 0:08:24.680 said in the press conference after the game, but also 0:08:24.720 --> 0:08:27.080 in the locker room. The turnover margin, like he is 0:08:27.320 --> 0:08:30.600 not happy with that. Benda Nucci throws three picks they 0:08:30.600 --> 0:08:32.440 had they were minus four in the game. That was 0:08:32.480 --> 0:08:34.600 the biggest problem this team had last year, one of 0:08:34.600 --> 0:08:38.160 the biggest problems. And Cooper Rush has done a better 0:08:38.240 --> 0:08:39.880 job of taking here to care of the ball at 0:08:39.880 --> 0:08:41.760 this point. And if you're if you're coming in as 0:08:41.760 --> 0:08:45.600 the backup quarterback, that's number one is don't make a mistake. 0:08:45.640 --> 0:08:47.079 You got to be able to make plays, but you 0:08:47.160 --> 0:08:49.080 got to be able to get your team in the 0:08:49.200 --> 0:08:51.800 right plays the right situations and don't turn it over. 0:08:51.920 --> 0:08:54.400 And that's probably the best thing Cooper Rush does. In 0:08:54.440 --> 0:08:56.600 addition to being comfortable with the alf you're saying, Cooper 0:08:56.640 --> 0:08:59.480 Rush acknowledge what the most important thing to his coach was. 0:08:59.760 --> 0:09:01.959 He chose to make sure that he that he tends 0:09:01.960 --> 0:09:04.679 to those needs he has to this point. Um, he 0:09:04.720 --> 0:09:08.800 didn't throw one up for grabs before halftime, thank you. Yeah, 0:09:08.920 --> 0:09:11.440 but he's I think he's just done the better job 0:09:11.480 --> 0:09:13.600 of the three in that regard, in the reps that 0:09:13.600 --> 0:09:16.400 they've all had to this point. To this point, defense, 0:09:16.520 --> 0:09:20.679 I'm still laughing about the defenses. Will defenses will bum 0:09:20.760 --> 0:09:24.480 rush us. I mean, if we start if either one though, right, 0:09:24.520 --> 0:09:26.760 I mean either one. It's either one, yeah, either one 0:09:26.880 --> 0:09:29.840 either We've we've all said this. I think we I 0:09:29.840 --> 0:09:32.559 don't think any of us truly believe that our backup 0:09:32.640 --> 0:09:35.840 quarterback is on this roster, right, not anymore? Well I 0:09:35.960 --> 0:09:40.199 thought that way going in. I was, well, I never yeah, 0:09:40.200 --> 0:09:42.240 I never thought that our backup quarterback was on this roster. 0:09:42.360 --> 0:09:44.640 And as we're seeing things happen around the league, there 0:09:44.640 --> 0:09:46.880 are other teams like as I mentioned right, as we 0:09:46.920 --> 0:09:49.679 get closer here, less and less opportunities to go out 0:09:49.679 --> 0:09:51.800 there and grab somebody. I mean, we saw what happened 0:09:51.840 --> 0:09:54.240 with Atlanta who they wouldn't got, and they just let 0:09:54.280 --> 0:09:56.079 you know. There's not a lot out there in terms 0:09:56.120 --> 0:09:58.880 of quarterbacks. So we have to figure this out and 0:09:59.000 --> 0:10:01.040 it's gonna come down to this game. I was very 0:10:01.080 --> 0:10:05.160 bullish on Oh on our guy. I mean I was 0:10:05.200 --> 0:10:08.479 I thought DOUBLEG had something. Wow, I was. I meant, 0:10:08.920 --> 0:10:12.559 but you still think wow, right, I still still think 0:10:12.600 --> 0:10:15.080 he's a better I do. You just wanted to be 0:10:15.120 --> 0:10:20.240 triple G. They ain't going triple It's going And I 0:10:20.400 --> 0:10:24.439 even called g wagon. You know it's going back. Why 0:10:24.559 --> 0:10:27.200 Why is it always the backup quarterbacks that we're able 0:10:27.240 --> 0:10:29.760 to make the best names for him? Man? Yeah? Like 0:10:30.360 --> 0:10:33.960 why is it Nucci Man and Ducci? Nucci? And I 0:10:33.960 --> 0:10:36.839 don't know, Man, I acknowledge, I acknowledge the efforts of 0:10:36.920 --> 0:10:39.040 these guys, Both of these guys. I acknowledge their efforts, 0:10:39.080 --> 0:10:41.920 and they I think they've both done a tremendous job competing. 0:10:42.679 --> 0:10:45.560 It's not they are not of the caliber of what 0:10:45.600 --> 0:10:47.839 we need coming off of what we faced last year. 0:10:47.880 --> 0:10:50.000 And that's fact. I thought we were starting on something 0:10:50.000 --> 0:10:52.679 positive and we did start star we started there. I mean, 0:10:52.720 --> 0:10:54.480 but this is the reality. This is the reality. This 0:10:54.559 --> 0:10:57.439 is this is our reality. Two weeks from tomorrow, two 0:10:57.480 --> 0:11:00.280 weeks from tomorrow, we're playing the best team in world 0:11:00.520 --> 0:11:04.800 as a last year, Yes, and we're not secure in 0:11:04.840 --> 0:11:09.200 this particular position. If something drastic was to happen, yeah, 0:11:09.240 --> 0:11:11.679 I mean I and I'm with you, like, I'd be 0:11:11.720 --> 0:11:15.120 shocked if they don't do their diligence and look around 0:11:15.160 --> 0:11:17.880 once cuts happen and all that stuff, I'm not convinced 0:11:17.920 --> 0:11:21.160 that they won't just stick with what they have. I mean, yeah, 0:11:21.160 --> 0:11:23.600 I mean because that's a possibility. Yeah, because because even 0:11:23.640 --> 0:11:25.960 if they did get somebody, are they prepared for that game? Right? 0:11:26.040 --> 0:11:28.959 There's that too. Yeah, There's so many different aspects that 0:11:29.040 --> 0:11:31.480 go into it. And you want one of those three 0:11:31.520 --> 0:11:33.320 guys to win the job. And I guess now you 0:11:33.320 --> 0:11:35.840 can kind of dwindle it down to two, but you 0:11:35.920 --> 0:11:37.920 want one of those two guys to win the job. 0:11:38.080 --> 0:11:41.320 And because it saves you money, it saves you hardach, 0:11:41.360 --> 0:11:44.880 it saves you preparation time, and you want Cooper Rusher 0:11:44.920 --> 0:11:47.679 Garrett Gilbert to be that guy. So we've talked enough 0:11:47.679 --> 0:11:50.319 about the backup quarterback position, I think over last episode 0:11:50.320 --> 0:11:52.160 and then in moving into today, But we do have 0:11:52.200 --> 0:11:55.360 some not so good news to report. The Cowboys added 0:11:55.400 --> 0:11:59.720 a couple more players to the COVID nineteen protocol. Demonte 0:11:59.840 --> 0:12:03.000 Kay was a part of that. So was Connor Williams, 0:12:03.000 --> 0:12:06.079 who we've already seen needed the reps in terms of 0:12:06.160 --> 0:12:10.559 his new responsibilities on the offensive line. Adds to quite 0:12:10.679 --> 0:12:13.160 the extensive list. Now what is it now? Six players? 0:12:13.200 --> 0:12:15.640 Rob and then Dan Quinn a part of that as well. Yeah, 0:12:15.679 --> 0:12:20.440 six players, Um, you mentioned Kazy Connor Williams, Malie Cooker, 0:12:20.679 --> 0:12:25.360 Israel mcquamo, Ceedee Lamb, and Carlos Watkins who did not 0:12:25.480 --> 0:12:29.199 play Sun Saturday and left the stadium early along with 0:12:29.280 --> 0:12:32.160 Dan Quinn. So I think Mike McCarthy told us yesterday 0:12:32.240 --> 0:12:37.880 that two players were close contacts. So it's it's it's 0:12:37.880 --> 0:12:41.920 a confusing deal because there's different Yeah, I mean, it's it. 0:12:42.040 --> 0:12:44.640 Mike said it like there's different variables and different rules 0:12:44.679 --> 0:12:48.640 for players and staff based on their vaccination status and 0:12:48.679 --> 0:12:51.079 whether the close contact and all those things. So to 0:12:51.480 --> 0:12:54.960 really know when when guys are going to be eligible 0:12:54.960 --> 0:12:57.200 to come back, it just depends, and they're not really 0:12:57.280 --> 0:13:00.440 disclosing that they're I can read you some of these rules, 0:13:00.440 --> 0:13:01.920 but I don't know if anybody wants to hear all that. 0:13:01.960 --> 0:13:04.160 But now let's let's listen to it. I want to 0:13:04.160 --> 0:13:06.800 hear it, Okay, I mean, here's this is from the league. 0:13:06.800 --> 0:13:09.400 If a vaccinated I think Mickey found this for me. 0:13:09.400 --> 0:13:13.440 If a vaccinated person test positive and it's asymptomatic, they're 0:13:13.480 --> 0:13:18.480 isolated contact tracing, Uh, they're permitted to return after two 0:13:18.520 --> 0:13:21.400 negative tests at least twenty four hours apart, and be 0:13:21.480 --> 0:13:24.439 tested every two weeks or as directed by medical stats. 0:13:24.559 --> 0:13:27.600 If you're vaccinated, you're not subject to quarantine as a 0:13:27.640 --> 0:13:31.040 result of a close contact. Um. Okay, So if you're 0:13:31.120 --> 0:13:35.160 unvaccinated and you test positive, same protocols from twenty twenty, 0:13:35.200 --> 0:13:38.959 isolated for ten days, and if you're asymptomatic, then can 0:13:39.040 --> 0:13:42.880 return unvaccinated, subject to five day quarantine if they have 0:13:42.920 --> 0:13:46.240 close contact with someone. So it just depends and and 0:13:46.240 --> 0:13:49.120 and what what's you know now? Like I said, I 0:13:49.160 --> 0:13:52.520 said it, we're only a few days now from the opener, 0:13:52.640 --> 0:13:55.080 and you've got multiple guys in this in this protocol. 0:13:55.160 --> 0:13:58.280 It's you know, it's it's it's tough because you're starting 0:13:58.280 --> 0:14:00.600 to feel like this is twenty twenty again, where you 0:14:00.600 --> 0:14:02.440 know they're trying to manage this and they're back in 0:14:02.520 --> 0:14:06.080 virtual mode again today with their meetings, they are practicing today, 0:14:06.320 --> 0:14:08.520 and Mike said, they're you know, their plan is to 0:14:08.559 --> 0:14:10.960 play this game, but your hope that there's nothing else 0:14:11.000 --> 0:14:13.640 that happens tomorrow, because every day it's kind of been 0:14:13.679 --> 0:14:17.560 something new. And you even look at last year, and 0:14:17.600 --> 0:14:20.160 of course twenty twenty was crazy for everybody, more so 0:14:20.200 --> 0:14:23.880 than some, more so than others. But there's more people 0:14:24.920 --> 0:14:28.400 in the COVID protocol now than there was last year 0:14:28.440 --> 0:14:31.080 at any point, right, I mean, this is this is 0:14:31.120 --> 0:14:33.920 as big of an outbreak. I hate using that word, 0:14:34.000 --> 0:14:37.720 but that's kind of what it is. That's what he said. Yeah, 0:14:37.720 --> 0:14:40.160 it was his direct quote, but I mean, this is 0:14:40.160 --> 0:14:41.960 as much of an outbreak as the Cowboys have had 0:14:42.000 --> 0:14:44.840 to deal with. Yeah, and the NFL did not help 0:14:45.000 --> 0:14:48.040 anything this year. They made it more complicated than it's 0:14:48.040 --> 0:14:49.760 ever been. Obviously, we've been dealing with this for the 0:14:49.840 --> 0:14:51.600 last year. So now that you have all these different 0:14:51.920 --> 0:14:55.760 statuses and levels, and you know, they created this division 0:14:55.760 --> 0:14:58.160 where you're if you're vaccinated, it's this treatment. If you're 0:14:58.160 --> 0:15:01.240 not vaccinated as this treatment. You know, you don't want 0:15:01.240 --> 0:15:02.920 to see anybody. You don't want to see this virus 0:15:03.000 --> 0:15:05.040 going room. You don't want to see the virus going around. 0:15:05.280 --> 0:15:08.320 But the reality is it is going around. Um and 0:15:08.880 --> 0:15:10.800 we wish it was clear cut in terms of, hey, 0:15:10.840 --> 0:15:14.080 if you have the virus, this is what happens, regardless 0:15:14.080 --> 0:15:17.160 of what your status is, regardless, but it's not that simple, 0:15:17.440 --> 0:15:19.480 and I think it's really complicated things, and it's made 0:15:19.480 --> 0:15:23.600 it more difficult for organizations to handle now because of 0:15:23.600 --> 0:15:25.720 the rules that they've set in stone. Now they have 0:15:25.760 --> 0:15:28.120 to go back to contact tracing. Okay, how you distinguish 0:15:28.160 --> 0:15:31.400 whether the unvaccinated person had it first or the vaccinated 0:15:31.400 --> 0:15:33.840 person had it first? Like? Okay? And then now if 0:15:33.880 --> 0:15:35.680 you guys can't play the game, whose fault is it? 0:15:35.720 --> 0:15:38.240 Is it the vaccinated persons fause? Is unvaccinated person's fault? 0:15:38.520 --> 0:15:41.840 You forfeit? Yeah? Do you do not happen? Do your 0:15:41.960 --> 0:15:44.560 organization and the organization lose their checks? Or does this 0:15:44.600 --> 0:15:45.960 person have to go sit in the room for five days? 0:15:46.000 --> 0:15:48.000 It does that person sitting room for ten days? It's 0:15:48.280 --> 0:15:51.040 beyond confusing now. I think they've made more of an 0:15:51.080 --> 0:15:53.640 issue of it now than it was last year. You know, 0:15:53.680 --> 0:15:56.680 I disagree with you. Okay, And I feel as though 0:15:56.720 --> 0:16:01.280 the NFL has tried to incentivize team to have the 0:16:02.040 --> 0:16:05.800 facilities vaccinated. I think as a business they realize that 0:16:05.840 --> 0:16:09.040 their business model is struggling because of twenty twenty, because 0:16:09.040 --> 0:16:12.120 of the amount because of COVID. You're not able to 0:16:12.120 --> 0:16:14.960 have people in the stands. You're not You're you're canceling 0:16:15.000 --> 0:16:17.040 games you're having to reschedule. They can't do that with 0:16:17.120 --> 0:16:20.160 a seventeen game season. They put the protocol out there. 0:16:20.200 --> 0:16:22.200 You have teams that are one hundred percent vaccinator, you 0:16:22.240 --> 0:16:25.400 have teams that are seventy eighty percent vaccinated. The way 0:16:25.400 --> 0:16:27.960 that they're making the rules for teams and their guys 0:16:28.000 --> 0:16:31.840 to try and put this COVID, this virus behind us, 0:16:32.120 --> 0:16:35.600 I think is it's smart in a way. You can't 0:16:35.600 --> 0:16:39.960 you can't judge a whole league that's trying to find 0:16:40.000 --> 0:16:44.080 a solution for a global problem. This is what this 0:16:44.160 --> 0:16:46.840 is what we're dealing with. And now that people are 0:16:46.880 --> 0:16:49.800 trying to self diagnose or tell themselves how they can 0:16:49.840 --> 0:16:52.720 deal with this, the NFL said, no, we're gonna put 0:16:52.720 --> 0:16:54.560 these rules out here in black and white, and this 0:16:54.600 --> 0:16:55.920 is the way that it's going to go. And it 0:16:55.960 --> 0:16:58.600 may not be perfect, and it didn't all happen in 0:16:58.640 --> 0:17:01.800 the vacuum, but we're dealing with this as a society, 0:17:01.920 --> 0:17:04.760 and smarter people have to come together and say, look, 0:17:05.119 --> 0:17:07.040 this is how when we're talking about football, when I 0:17:07.119 --> 0:17:10.399 talking about society, how do we get the brand of 0:17:10.440 --> 0:17:15.200 football to go forward post pandemic. And you know, if 0:17:15.240 --> 0:17:18.439 anyone has anything smart to say please send it to 0:17:18.480 --> 0:17:20.720 the NFL. But I think for the from the NFL 0:17:20.760 --> 0:17:23.520 and the owner standpoint, I have to push my guys 0:17:23.720 --> 0:17:26.560 to be vaccinated because that is the road of least 0:17:26.600 --> 0:17:30.160 resistance for us to get this league going forward. Right now, 0:17:30.359 --> 0:17:33.879 you can't go forward because everything is so convoluted with 0:17:33.920 --> 0:17:37.000 the guys that refuse to take the vaccine. And again 0:17:37.320 --> 0:17:39.520 that's a whole nother issue, and we're gonna take up 0:17:39.560 --> 0:17:42.160 the whole show based off of that. But I just 0:17:42.280 --> 0:17:44.840 that's just my that's just my angle. And now it's 0:17:44.920 --> 0:17:47.080 very well said, very well said from your point, because 0:17:47.080 --> 0:17:49.040 there is no cut and dry answer, and you got 0:17:49.040 --> 0:17:51.480 to find a way what's best for you, your organization, 0:17:51.520 --> 0:17:53.480 and the league as a whole to be able to 0:17:53.520 --> 0:17:57.560 further the sport. That's bar nutt. One other thing. As 0:17:57.560 --> 0:18:01.880 of Saturday, the Cowboys announced nine the rosters vaccinated, so 0:18:02.359 --> 0:18:05.399 vast majority, only handful of players are not. So you know, 0:18:05.840 --> 0:18:08.159 your hope would be guys that have tested positive that 0:18:08.200 --> 0:18:11.600 are on this COVID list. Hopefully, hopefully everybody feels better soon. 0:18:12.000 --> 0:18:15.119 If they do have symptoms that can get back relatively quickly, 0:18:15.680 --> 0:18:19.080 we'll see um. But in the meantime for practice they had. 0:18:19.119 --> 0:18:20.840 This is an issue yesterday and it's an issue again 0:18:20.880 --> 0:18:23.440 today even more so. Down to four safeties on the 0:18:23.520 --> 0:18:26.880 roster they're practicing today and Trayvon Diggs at the cornerback 0:18:26.880 --> 0:18:31.600 position not practicing because of a non COVID illness. So 0:18:32.040 --> 0:18:36.600 it's just it's just coming in. Mike McCarthy's got to 0:18:36.640 --> 0:18:39.640 be like, man, this is just my team can't catch 0:18:39.640 --> 0:18:42.760 a break. But you know, when Wilson's got a growing injury. 0:18:41.920 --> 0:18:45.399 To the positive to all this, right, this is all 0:18:45.560 --> 0:18:48.719 very frustrating and all that, But the positive this, if 0:18:48.760 --> 0:18:50.719 this is going to happen, you much rather happened two 0:18:50.720 --> 0:18:54.000 weeks before your game, no doubt, no doubt if it 0:18:54.040 --> 0:18:55.880 was going more than two weeks before. Like you said, 0:18:55.920 --> 0:18:58.000 I mean, we're at two weeks tomorrow, so there's plenty 0:18:58.040 --> 0:19:01.160 of time for week one and whenever the game's count 0:19:01.200 --> 0:19:04.320 to really get back to full strength. It's but it's 0:19:04.800 --> 0:19:06.960 I mean, it's go time now to contain it. So 0:19:07.720 --> 0:19:09.720 lots of pressure on the Cowboys, not only on the 0:19:09.760 --> 0:19:12.480 field but off the field as well. But I'm tired 0:19:12.480 --> 0:19:14.960 of talking about that stuff. I'm tired. I'm so done 0:19:15.000 --> 0:19:16.719 with it. I know people at home are tired of 0:19:16.760 --> 0:19:18.840 listening to it. It's a news story and we gotta 0:19:18.880 --> 0:19:21.360 hit it. We have to. But I mean it's affecting 0:19:21.400 --> 0:19:25.160 the team right now, the meeting. It's affecting practice in 0:19:25.240 --> 0:19:27.360 terms of numbers. I mean, it's just it's like injuries. 0:19:27.520 --> 0:19:29.600 I mean, it's the same, it's the same deal. It's 0:19:29.640 --> 0:19:31.800 still it's a scary virus going around. Man, Yeah, it is. 0:19:31.840 --> 0:19:34.320 It's scary. We so we've We've done our due diligence. 0:19:34.359 --> 0:19:36.200 We talked about it. So now let's move on and 0:19:36.280 --> 0:19:38.720 let's be happy. What's what's one of the happiest things 0:19:38.760 --> 0:19:42.200 about this about this team this year? It's the wide 0:19:42.200 --> 0:19:44.280 receiver group and that Amari Cooper is coming back and 0:19:44.320 --> 0:19:46.600 he's fully healthy. We're gonna talk about Amari Cooper and 0:19:46.640 --> 0:19:48.760 what we saw from Cooper in this wide receiving Corps 0:19:48.760 --> 0:19:53.320 when we come back with more talking cowboys. Honey, big news. Scary, 0:19:53.440 --> 0:19:56.920 are you? Okay? Oh? I'm not Gary anymore. I'm Jackie Flash. 0:19:56.960 --> 0:19:59.280