Tuesday, June 2, 2009
“4th and Long” Recap: Episode 3
This week's episode opened with a controversial drill called Bull in the Ring, in which one player is inside a smaller ring holding the football, while a number of other players stand on a larger ring around the "bull." When a number is called, whoever's jersey that is gets to hit the player in the middle and try to knock him out of his small circle. Basically a brutal test of strength and balance. What is usually a drill for the defense to knock the crap out of the offense, the coaches turned the tables and put defensive backs in the middle for the second round, and needless to say, they didn't perform very well, with fumbles all over the place, and one player who didn't even understand the rules.
Former Dallas Cowboy Tony Dorsett made a guest appearance on this episode and talked with the player who best performed in Bull in the Ring, Andrew Hawkins. The other nine players had to run stairs through the entire Cotton Bowl, which sparked a controversy when WR Luke Swan got ahead of the group and the others got their jock straps in a wad.
A small, clearly rehearsed spot followed when Jerry Jones and Michael Irvin sat down for a chat to build up the importance of the player to be chosen. Hokey at best.
The main competition of the episode was the first live scrimmage of the season, complete with guest players from arena and college football. The game opens with the defensive backs getting lit up, as all the WRs build up significant stats except for Swan, who strains his groin in the first half.
But the DBs side goes on the offensive as they gradually pick up ground. The faltering WRs get to hear Joe Avezzano's favorite phrase for another episode, in which he tells them they look like "slapdicks." The game is 21-17 in the WRs favor right down to the last play where the DBs get to the 15 yard line, but throw an interception to end it.
Swan and DBs Moses Washington and Erick Jackson are all called into the War Room. Jackson, who was warned in the scrimmage as being on the bubble, was cut from the competition. In his ensuing one-on-one time on camera, Jackson decried the decision, explaining that Irvin, Avezzano, and Bill Bates made a "horrible" mistake.
Posted by Erin
