Pocket Blog

By Alan Weinkrantz, Contibuting Editor

Starting this month, Pocket is pleased to launch new content for its blog, covering news, views and insights on America’s team.   In  San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, Harlingen, Laredo, McAllen and all around South Texas, we have thousands of Cowboy fans who just happen to be Pocket fans – and customers.  Here’s the scoop. Pass it on…

Cowboys fans might want to keep an eye on rookie CB Mike Mickens and rookie S Mike Hamlin in the pre-season games. One veteran receiver told me these two guys have great “football” ability – meaning their ability translates into on-field production…A couple of offensive players told me the difference between John Kitna and Brad Johnson is more than night and day. One of the players (a defensive player) thinks the Cowboys would have “absolutely no drop-off if Kitna was forced into action this year…Several staff members AND players have noticed that Jason Witten is taking a more vocal leadership approach this year. He has always led by example, but according to teammates, he seems much more confident about becoming THE guy in terms of leadership…One Cowboys player, who did not want to be identified, wishes the team would make Marion Barber the “change of pace” back. He said, “Bringing Barber in after the defense has been chasing Felix would be devastating.” He compared it to bringing in a pitcher who throws in the high 90’s after a guy who has thrown knuckle balls all day. This won’t happen, but it is an interesting thought…My sources tell me that Brett Favre still could see the field this year. The scenario would be where a contending team loses their starting QB to injury. The key would be familiarity – Favre wants to have some knowledge of the system if he is going to come in after the season has started. There are plenty of teams that run a similar offense to what Favre is used to. If you are wondering why he ultimately chose not to sign with the Vikings – simple, he just couldn’t go play against the Packers in the purple and gold (a hated rival of Packer fans). He would have loved to play on the opposite side of Ted Thompson (Packers GM), but not Packer fans…Speaking of Green Bay, rookie LB Clay Matthews (USC) looks like he has already seized a starting spot…Some Browns players are whispering that Braylon Edwards mysterious “injury” has a lot more to do with his contract than anything physical. I ran this by a Browns staffer who simple said, “You think??”…Although most NFL insiders think Michael Vick winds up in New England, one person close to Vick told me not to be surprised if it is Seattle…When the Redskins drafted WR Devin Thomas out of Michigan State last year, the hope was that he would grab a starting role by the midway point in the season. Because of injuries and inconsistency – he didn’t. Apparently the wait is over. Redskin observers told me he has become what they were expecting and that Antwaan Randle El would become the third receiver….Speaking of the Redskins, the pressure is on CB DeAngelo Hall to play as big as his contract. At least one Redskins scout thinks this is a long shot. He thinks Hall is too mentally fragile to ever become a consistent lock-down corner. He said, “the top receivers get in his head.” Good thing he plays in a division that doesn’t currently have a “top receiver”…The Eagles suffered a huge blow this week when MLB Stewart Bradley was lost for the season. Not only was Bradley one of the top players on the Eagles defense, but he was the signal caller as well. Not having his leadership compounds losing the leadership of Brian Dawkins. This was no small deal – this hurts Philly…Michael Crabtree’s holdout might be prolonged. Agent Eugene Parker is angling for a top-5 money deal – although Crabtree was taken 10^th overall. At this point, the 49ers are not buying into Parker’s reasoning of “he should have been taken in the top-5.”

Alan Weinkrantz is a Public Relations and Social Media Consultant to Pocket Communications, and serves as the Editor of the Pocket Blog.  Growing up in Dallas, Weinkrantz’s childhood heroes included Don Meredith, Bob Lilly, and Bob Hayes.