In each of my past few articles, I’ve mentioned how we are in the quietest part of the offseason. The period between OTAs (Organized Team Activities) and training camp is frustrating to get through as a football fan.
During this time, players and coaches are enjoying their final few weeks of offseason freedom before hitching the wagon back up for another season of NFL football.
The desperate four-letter networks have nothing better to do than speculate and slander, mainly towards players who wear The Star on their helmet. In the most recent case, the subject headline was HC Mike McCarthy.
A report surfaced recently citing a source who was close to the team until recently exchanging information for nothing but an “anonymous” designation in the article. Seems fishy to me, and it should feel the same way for you.
Just wait until “sources” come out and say something bad about QB Dak Prescott, WR CeeDee Lamb, or EDGE Micah Parsons. Oh wait, that’s already happened.
Prescott just had all (sexual assault) charges dropped by that woman who was obviously just going for a money grab after his daughter was born a few months ago.
Lamb has been called a diva for staying away from the team during his contract negotiations and Parsons catches heat every time he sits behind the microphone on his podcast.
Thankfully we get a brief respite from the slander with some actual news. The Cowboys have released their training camp schedule for late July into August in Oxnard, California.
They have an array of events lined up besides several open practices and preseason games. Let’s run through it all. Keep in mind all times are Pacific Standard Time.
Practices
According to the practice schedule, the Cowboys will hold every practice as an open practice, meaning it’s open to the public and not just to the media.
These practices will be heavily scrutinized but it’s a product of desperation. We will all be so desperate for football by the time the Cowboys take the practice field that every action will be magnified.
There are 16 practices on the schedule, not counting one controlled scrimmage versus the near-hometown Los Angeles Rams. If you remember a few years back, those same joint practices didn’t exactly go swimmingly.
I seem to remember several scuffles. Most of them involving the Rams’ Aaron Donald the the Cowboys own Tyler Biadasz. Biadasz and Donald are both gone, but surely two others (and maybe more) will continue that tradition.
Preseason Games
Dallas is scheduled to play two of their three preseason games on the West Coast. Their first is on Sunday August 11th at the same Rams team they will be practicing against.
Their second preseason game comes six days later when the team travels to Las Vegas to take on the home team Raiders at Allegiant Stadium.
The Cowboys will then practice for just one more week before returning to Texas for their final preseason game versus the Los Angeles Chargers.
Remember that after the expansion of the regular season to 17 games, the extra game was also removed from the preseason schedule. Teams used to have four preseason games to evaluate talent, but now they only have three.
Fun For the Fans
It’s not all business in Oxnard. On the schedule for the team are three separate days where fans can get involved in the fun.
The first event is officially named Cowboys Back Together Weekend, and it will officially kick off training camp for the Cowboys the same weekend as their first official practice on July 25th.
Friday July 26th is Oxnard Fan Night. Fans will be featured in what is sure to be a well-planned event where the details are yet to be revealed. The opportunity to be out there is a great one.
Doors open at 9am on Saturday July 27th with an opening ceremony to be held at 10am the same morning.
The next day on the 28th, the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders will host a dance clinic at Rio Mesa High School.
On the following Wednesday is dubbed Heroes Appreciation Day, where veterans and other such deemed heroes will be honored.