Rui Pereira Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vet Bledsoe to be treated like rookie by Parcells By STEPHEN HAWKINS Associated Press July 31, 2005 OXNARD, Calif. - Drew Bledsoe was one of the first players on the field for the Dallas Cowboys' first practice of training camp Saturday. While he was eager to be back on the field again as coach Bill Parcells' starting quarterback, Bledsoe had another reason for his early arrival. "I'm just a little old, man. It takes me a little longer to get warmed up than some of these other guys," said the 33-year-old Bledsoe, who is going into his 13th season. Still, Bledsoe is eight years younger than Vinny Testaverde, the quarterback who reunited with Parcells last season and started 15 games. And Bledsoe's about to be treated much like he was as a rookie in 1993 after Parcells took him with the No. 1 overall pick for New England. When Bledsoe started talking this summer to Parcells about old times, the coach reminded him of the "leash" he was on early in his career to keep his impulses from taking over. That leash got longer during those four seasons until their last game together in the Super Bowl. "I'm certain after that, it was even extended out by other coaches. I told him now it has come full circle," Parcells said Saturday. "We want to go back and be a good game manager, try to avoid the bad plays, be a good decision-maker, and just reiterate the same things I reiterated to you when you were a rookie player. That's really what I said to him." Bledsoe is the third starting quarterback for Parcells in his three camps with the Cowboys, who went from 10 wins to 10 losses in his two seasons. He will be the eighth different starter in Dallas since three-time Super Bowl champion Troy Aikman quit playing after the 2000 season. The constraints Parcells is putting on him aren't really a reflection of Bledsoe, who signed a three-year contract with Dallas after being released by Buffalo. "He's a different guy than he was then," Parcells said. "He is a much more mature adult. He's in tremendous condition now." Parcells is just hopeful that Bledsoe won't have to be trying to win games on his own, and instead will get plenty of help from second-year running back Julius Jones, an offensive line that added Pro Bowl guard Marco Rivera, tight ends Jason Witten and Dan Campbell and receivers Keyshawn Johnson and Terry Glenn, a former teammate of Bledsoe's in New England. "You want the challenge. You want the ball to be in your hands when the game is on the line, and that's regardless of how you approach it," Bledsoe said. "At the same time, I think what Bill is getting at is that winning football means that it is an entire team game and that burden has to be shared by everybody, not just one or two guys." The coach doesn't want a repeat of last season. Jones played only half of last season because of a broken shoulder, but ran for 819 yards - 803 in the last seven games. Campbell missed the last 13 games with torn ligaments in his left foot, and Glenn missed the last 10 games with a foot injury. Like Jones, Glenn is healthy and was on the field for the opening practice. Campbell is recovered from the foot injury, but had an appendicitis Thursday. He is on the physically unable to perform due to illness list and could miss up to a week. Bledsoe said he's excited about the potential the Cowboys have, and thinks they are capable of winning a lot of games. But he also knows he has some things he has to prove in a new camp. Bledsoe has already impressed with his conditioning. Parcells said the quarterback was one of the top three players during the team's conditioning drills Friday, and that didn't go unnoticed by his teammates. "He had a great practice today, don't get me wrong," safety Roy Williams said. "But when you see an older quarterback like that make the running test, you can't do nothing but get excited about that." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of BiB Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 The coach doesn't want a repeat of last season. Ours or his. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gavin in Va Beach Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 Bledsoe said. "At the same time, I think what Bill is getting at is that winning football means that it is an entire team game and that burden has to be shared by everybody, not just one or two guys." Translation: So when we start sucking this year and I throw INT after INT and get sacked more than bananas on sale, don't blame me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reuben Gant Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 Translation: So when we start sucking this year and I throw INT after INT and get sacked more than bananas on sale, don't blame me. 394579[/snapback] He's just laying the groundwork so he's not entirely blamed for getting sacked 48 times and getting Parcell fired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvermike Posted August 1, 2005 Share Posted August 1, 2005 WHy are they in California? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mile High Posted August 1, 2005 Share Posted August 1, 2005 WHy are they in California? 394855[/snapback] I was wondering the same thing. Maybe a publicity thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAST MODE BABY! Posted August 1, 2005 Share Posted August 1, 2005 Cowboys training camp is in Oxnard. Heck, I was in Oxnard today. Didn't even realize the statue was in town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvermike Posted August 1, 2005 Share Posted August 1, 2005 I was wondering the same thing. Maybe a publicity thing. 394858[/snapback] Maybe, but their publicity seems more important in Texas where people might, like, come to the games. California's already got three teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Jack Posted August 1, 2005 Share Posted August 1, 2005 Maybe they'll be the team that moves to LA, and they want to increase their fan base there first. "See, we'd like to stay in Dallas, but the fans aren't willing to come to Cali for traing camp, so we decided to move to where our new fans live." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corp000085 Posted August 1, 2005 Share Posted August 1, 2005 by the title of the thread i was looking for some mention of a hall of fame worthy football player. oh well, i guess i'll start reading a different thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo in Pa Posted August 1, 2005 Share Posted August 1, 2005 Gooey lumps of Oxnard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted August 1, 2005 Share Posted August 1, 2005 WHy are they in California? 394855[/snapback] Except for a period in the 1990's (when they had it here in Austin, and in Witchita, TX), the Cowboys always had their training camp in California. It is part of being a "national team". Believe me, the Cowboys don't have problems selling tickets.... while more teams are getting away from that practice, like baseball, there was a time when 4 or 5 teams had their training camps in California, and another 4 or 5 had their training camps in the midwest. As far as I know, the Saints still have theirs in LaCrosse, Wisconnsin. Part of it for weather reasons (it is fuggin' hot in Louisianna this time of year), and part of it is get the team out of their hometown digs, and bonding in a small town, with fewer distrations. A lot of this stuff started in an era when very few of the training camp sessions were open to the public. OBTW, just seeing local news coverage of the Cowboys training camp, Parcells said something to the effect "I have never had any questions about Drew's physical conditioning, or ability to throw the ball, it has always been the "head". My job as his coach is to make sure he stays with the game plan. " Sounds like Parcells is not giving Drew a lot of slack. It should be interesting... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinandjokin Posted August 1, 2005 Share Posted August 1, 2005 WHy are they in California? 394855[/snapback] I'm surprised all of their players are allowed to leave the state. But hey, we're not talking about the Dolphins here... I do think it's a good idea for the Cowboys to install a "manage the game/limit his mistakes" type offense. Why didn't the Bills try that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Posted August 1, 2005 Share Posted August 1, 2005 They hope he can play as well as another JP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted August 1, 2005 Share Posted August 1, 2005 I'm surprised all of their players are allowed to leave the state. But hey, we're not talking about the Dolphins here... I do think it's a good idea for the Cowboys to install a "manage the game/limit his mistakes" type offense. Why didn't the Bills try that? 395139[/snapback] I am thinking that maybe Parcells knows more about Bledsoe's mental deficiencies than his previous 4 HC's did...it seems that Parcells has taken the attitude that Bledsoe will not just automatically be given "respect", he will have to earn it all over again with him. Parcells is not that foolish. I am sure he watched game film of Bledsoe while he was in Buffalo. From the sounds of Parcells comments, he didn't seem to think that some of Drews' previous coaches really reeled him in enough. Parcells seems to be taking this season as a real challange to his own legacy. While I can't ever see him turning the reigns over to Drew Henson (for whatever reason, Parcells does not seem too sold on that kid), I don't think he will handle Bledsoe with kid gloves either. If Bledsoe under performs, Parcells is not going to rush to his defense, as was the case in Buffalo. If Bledsoe has anything left in him (and I may be in the small minority who think he does) Parcells will get it out of him.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts