Cowboys receiving corps needs to get younger
To put it simply, the Dallas Cowboys' wide receiver corps is old.
Consider the two starting wideouts. Terry Glenn is approaching his 32nd birthday while Keyshawn Johnson is approaching his 34th birthday. You’ll be hard pressed to find an older starting combo than these two.
However, to be fair it should be pointed out that these two oldies but goodies combined for an impressive 133 receptions, nearly 2,000 receiving yards, and 13 touchdowns. The problem is not necessarily with their current production, but with the prospects for the Cowboys’ future at the position. They do have one viable young option in 26-year-old Patrick Crayton but that's about it (unless you count TE Jason Witten).
So what is Bill Parcells’ answer to this quandary? Apparently, it’s bringing yet another aging wide receiver in Terrell Owens. While it’s true that Owens is arguably the most talented and productive receiver in the league, he is no spring chicken. In fact, T.O. is already 32 years old.
Now I understand that Parcells has got a "win now" philosophy, and rightfully so because he is no spring chicken himself. However, it would be nice if he could address the aging receiving corps this offseason via the draft or free agency. Why? Because the last thing Dallas Cowboys need is a bare cupboard at the wide receiver position when the Parcells era comes to an end.
Don't be star-tled, but...
As if Arlington City Council members weren't already aware of a potential pitfall regarding the possible demolition of the 82-year-old Eastern Star Home for the Dallas Cowboys stadium project, they received yet another reminder recently.
Preservation Texas -- a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving the state's historic resources -- placed the building on the 2006 list of Texas' Most Endangered Historic Places last month.
The Eastern Star Home is surrounded by 30 acres on what was originally planned to be the southeast edge of the sprawling Cowboys complex. It would have become mostly a giant parking lot.
The designation by Preservation Texas carries no official weight, though it does put a bit of extra crunch on the city and the Cowboys, neither of which wishes to be seen as indifferent to historic preservation.
The property was purchased from the Eastern Star organization by private investors who have since reportedly picked up other additional investors. Those investors have indicated that they would like to develop the area for a variety of uses, including offices and a hotel, incorporating the original Eastern Star Home as part of the complex. There have been hints that the investors might consider buying additional areas adjacent to the Cowboys complex for part of their project.
This kind of interest in redevelopment of the area is highly related to proximity to the stadium and the entertainment district -- exactly what city leaders hoped would happen. There is also other acreage in the area around the future complex that would serve just as well as the Eastern Star site.
With private development, the city is in an excellent position to insist on both high-quality projects and the preservation of the Eastern Star Home -- a good deal for just about everybody, and certainly no harm to the Cowboys.