There isn’t much certainty around the NFL these days.
The impasse between players and owners is threatening to shorten, if not cancel the 2011 season and, rather than participating in “voluntary” offseason workout programs as they would under normal circumstances, players are working out independently, while NFLPA reps wrangle with owners in court ordered mediation talks a Federal Courthouse in Minneapolis.
But if the lockout ends before the regular season--the schedule for which was released on Tuesday--one thing is certain: the Dallas Cowboys season opener will be a peculiarly emotional one.
The team is scheduled to open the 2011 season on September 11--the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center--against the Jets in New York. Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett discussed the added emotional element of the game on Tuesday on the NFL Network.
“There will be a mix of emotions,” Garret said, per ESPN Dallas. “We’ll be excited to get started, but we’ll certainly understand the circumstances for all of the people in New York City.”
Emotion aside, Garrett’s job is to prepare the Cowboys for a football game against a team who has been to two AFC Championship games in the past two seasons--and to this end, he seems ready to welcome a new football season with old, but truthful cliches.
“There are lots of different ways to look at [the schedule],” Garrett said. “Fans have a certain perspective and players do. Really, as coaches, what you’ve got to focus on is that first game. We’ll gear a lot of our preparation through training camp for that first game like we’ve done in the past. That’s just what you do. Coaches preach all the time take them one day at a time, one game at a time, and we’ll certainly do that. We have a lot of exciting challenges after that, but we’ve got to get focused on the Jets game first.”
Stay on top of the latest Dallas Cowboys news with NBCDFW.com. Follow NBC DFW Sports on Facebook or have breaking Cowboys news sent directly to your phone with Blue Star SMS alerts. Text "bluestar" to 622339 (NBCDFW) to subscribe to this free service. Read more about it here.
