Dallas Cowboys Defensive Gets Defensive

The Cowboys solid performance on defense helped put away the Cardinals, but Head Coach Bill Parcells doesn't expect his defensive to become a dominant unit anytime

“Some of the ones that can eventually be that way, aren’t mature enough to be that way,” says Parcells.

That list includes a number of players, like rookie Linebacker Demarcus Ware, whose pressure on the quarterback helped Anthony Henry get a 58-yard interception return for a touchdown.

At the midway point of the season, Dallas has 8-games down, and 8-regular season games to go and sport a 5-and-3 record.

“To me it just feels like I got done with my college season,” says Rookie Linebacker DeMarcus Ware. “Now its starting the season all back over again. I think the bye week was good since it was in the middle, so it gives the Rookies time to rest, and the veterans time to rest, and we can get ready for the second half.”

During the last four games, the Cowboys have played their best defense of the season, allowing just 39-points. Even more important, on Sunday, there was no defensive let down.

“Right now we just found a way to finish, the last game,” says Linebacker Bradie James. “That's where we've been lacking, we hadn't finished the last, what three of the four games, so this game we were able to finish, and look at the outcome.”

Says Safety Keith Davis, “Overall, I think its a pretty good first half, ah, some things to build on, some things we really need to work on, but we're looking forward to this second half man, just trying to carry the momentum from this victory into the next half.”

Rookie Defensive End Chris Canty is another one of the Rookies getting ready for the second half. “The team, you know we're 5-and-3, we're in a dog fight for the NFC East Division,” says Canty. “We're about to hit the thick of things, we have a lot of work to do, and this week and the following week, in getting ready for that Monday night game against Philly.”

The Cowboys had the number one defense in the league just two years ago. They’re number-five now, and appear to be on their way again.

Fighting A Trend

Failing to put the Seahawks away when they needed to, cost the Dallas Cowboys a precious win. Breaking that trend is a problem the players and coaches face together. They share the blame together.

“Well I don't know, maybe we're not good enough to get separation,” says Head Coach Bill Parcells. “That's such an ambiguous thing we're talking about here. I mean its competition. Sometimes the sides are pretty even, you know. Fifty percent of these games are close games in the league. I mean, that's one of the NFL's goals’ is to have some kind of parity.”

Dallas could easily have put Seattle away, but didn't. The trend is obvious. In the first three games of the season, Dallas scored 9-touchdowns after 10-trips into the red zone. In the last four, Dallas has scored only 4-touchdowns in-15-tries.

“Your not going to get Philadelphia Eagle type games every single week,” says Wide Receiver Keyshawn Johnson. “It just doesn't happen. Even the best teams in the league, don't put teams away like that.”

All three of their losses have come down to the wire. Players on defense know, who gave are establishing a history of letting games get away in the final period, know that the whole team shares the blame.

“We put a limit on it at first, but it looks like its happening every game now,” laughs Defensive Tackle Jason Ferguson. “So that number is already blown out of proportion.”

Defensive Tackle La’Roi Glover says, “We can't allow this to be something that destroys the next two or three games for us. You have got to rebound from it.”

“It’s stressful when you watch our games,” says Linebacker Bradie James. “You better have your battery and your heart monitor, because you never know what you are going to get.”

“We played well for 58-minutes,” reflects Cornerback Aaron Glenn. “The last 2-minutes we didn't play well enough. So, that's what it boils down to.”

Somebody has to take the blame when the Cowboys have a loss like they did on Sunday, and in this case, Field Goal Kicker Jose Cortez is the fall guy. He was cut, and replaced by Rookie from Bowling Green, Shaun Suisham.

Says Parcells, “There were just too many problems with Cortez. Too many erratic things.”

Suisham will be kicking for a team that is having a tough time winning close games.

Texas And Texas Tech Fight For Big 12 South Lead

Texas and Texas Tech are getting ready for a Big 12 showdown. Texas is ranked 2nd in the the first BCS poll of the fall, Texas Tech is 7th. They have never met as Top Ten opponents and have never met undefeated more than three games into a season, until now. Both are 6-and-0.

“Its great,” says Texas Quarterback Vince Young. “Just to see two great teams going at against each other, I mean, for the Big 12, a Big 12 South match up, both teams undefeated, so I mean, I'm just looking for us to out there and dominate the game right now.”

Cody Hodges, the Quarterback for Texas Tech says, “Whether you play college football or your fan of college football, this is a game you can get excited about. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a Tech fan, a Longhorn fan, or just anybody else in the country. I think this is a game you really want to watch, because you have two really good teams, two good offenses and two good defenses. So if you enjoy football, why wouldn't you want to watch this game.”

At the big 12 offices, it’s their job to keep up with all the stats, and in Texas Tech's case, its every point they score. They lead the nation with 53-points per game. In fact, if you listen closely, I think you can hear that Texas Tech just scored again.

“They break records more quickly than people eat lunch, so it’s what we've got this weekend,” says Texas Head Coach Mack Brown. “When you look at throwing for over 6-hundred yards last weekend, it’s just amazing. I laugh, we threw for 336-yards, we're all excited, then Vince said, yeah, but they threw for 636 yards, so that's just what you have. What they're doing in college football is unheard of.”

Of course, Texas is fourth in the nation, averaging 45-points per game, so when it comes to scoring, their no slouches either.

Texas Tech Head Coach Mike Leach says, “I think the biggest concern is their line, they’re defensive line. I think what they do best is play offensive line and defensive line. They’ve got some stars there.” He also said he doesn’t expect much man coverage from the Texas secondary.

Texas hasn't lost a conference game at home since 1999, and have won their last 13-games they have played, but to win this game, they'll have to put the breaks on a high flying offense.

ESPN will bring their college GameDay Show to Austin. Its the third time in seven years that the show will visit Austin, and will certainly help the fans get primed for this rare shootout between Texas and Texas Tech.

Cowboys Lose Patrick Crayton For At Least A Month

The injury to Patrick Crayton has left the Cowboys trying to figure out, what to do at his Wide Receiver position and also, how to replace him as the teams punt returner.

“Patrick was doing a very good job for us, very good job,” says Head Coach Bill Parcells. “Patrick is good in the running game, he's good in the passing game, and he's a pretty good returner. So that's a piece that's not easily replaced.”

Crayton had surgery to repair bone chips in his right ankle on Monday and will be out at least 4-weeks. That’s certainly better news then originally thought, because at first glance, Dallas thought they had lost him for the season.

Either way, the injury to Crayton should give Peerless Price, a chance to play more, but even he isn't sure that will happen.

“Like I said, I haven't heard that I am going to play,” says Price. “But as far as being disgruntled, I don't think I've been disgruntled. I just feel like I can help us win games, that's the main part, and like I stated before, I'm not saying I should play over this guy, or that guy, I just want to play with the guys.”

Playing special teams, which Wide Receiver Terrance Copper can do, is part of the equation, and may dictate how much Price will play. Plus, Parcells hasn't been totally impressed by what Price has done in practice, although he should remember him from his first 6-years in the league.

“I don't think that's fair to assess, because I really haven't him long enough under pressure, to evaluate him,” says Parcells. “Practice is one thing, but actually doing it is another thing.”

Says Keyshawn Johnson, “I probably think that on certain downs and situations, I will probably move back inside, a lot more than I have been this year, just because I know what Parcells wants.”

Before he came to Dallas, Price had never missed a game in his six year career. Since signing with the Cowboys, he's been inactive four out of the first six, but it looks like, that is about to change.

Cowboys Lead The NFC East

Valley Ranch, headquarters for the Dallas Cowboys, was a pleasant place to be Monday. Cornerback Terence Newman was on top the lockers, pretending to listen in on Wide Receiver Keyshawn Johnson's conversation. “Silly man,” Johnson said laughing.

Drew Bledsoe was busy signing footballs at Valley Ranch, balls that will be given to charity, but his hands weren't nearly as full as on Sunday. That's when he was busy leading the Cowboys to their fourth win of the season, a game that didn't draw many compliments from Bill Parcells.

“I'm pleased with some of the young ones, and with some of the others,” said Parcells at his Monday press briefing. “I'd just like to, I don't know kick, kick would be a term of endearment, really. It wouldn't be kick with the idea of hurting them.”

Parcells' list of concerns is long in a game, that his team was lucky to win.

Luckily, we were able to pull some of them out,” said Defensive Tackle La’Roi Glover. “That's the kind of ball game we talked about in training camp. Those are the kind of ball games we're going to be in, and who knew, sitting here now, that each and everyone of them came down to the wire.”

Said Defensive End Greg Ellis, “Both teams played hard, both teams had turnovers, gave great effort, and I think that's why you come out with a close football game like that, its the parity.”

But despite all the close games, Dallas has been winning enough of them, to move to the top of NFC East.

“Realistically, it means nothing right now,” says Wide Receiver Keyshawn Johnson. “Okay, your on top of the division, what does that mean, ‘your the front runner’ your not the front runner. You've got a long ways to go before you become the front runner.”

Where the Cowboys go from here is anyone's guess, but after six games, they have won twice as many as they have lost, and in this day of salary cap football, that is certainly a step in the right direction.

Drew Bledsoe Hitting Mark In Dallas

Quarterback Drew Bledsoe's resurgence with the Cowboys has caught the attention of the rest of the league. Not since the days of Troy Aikman has the Dallas offense shown consistent ability to move the ball.

“I do think he still has that edge of having something to prove,” says Head Coach Bill Parcells. “He feels like it, whatever it is, I mean the guy has thrown for 40-thousand yards. I don't know what else you got to do, but he seems to have that sense.”

In his 12-years before Dallas, Bledsoe had an average quarterback rating of 76. This year, he leads the NFC with a rating of 102. Being sack free, twice in five games certainly helps, and beating the defending NFC Champions has raised the bar.

“That now becomes our standard,” says Bledsoe. “That's what we expect. Can we attain that same level of execution every week, probably not, but that certainly is the standard now that we expect ourselves to live up to.”

“I do think winning and performing is important to him,” adds Parcells. “I do think, especially now, where he is his career. It’s more precious to him now to do well. Also, I think the difference now in Drew, and when I first had him, is his preparation. He knows what to do.”

The 17-points Dallas scored against the Eagles on Sunday in week five, was the first time all year that Cowboys scored in the first period. Bledsoe has also had three games where he has been interception free, plus the protection by the offensive line was superior.

“I'll play until I'm Vinny's (Testaverde) age,” says Bledsoe. “Especially, If we get protection like we had last week. I mean, if we don't run a couple of quarterback sneaks, I didn't get touched the entire game, so that's a great feeling.”

Bledsoe has already thrown 10 touchdowns, and is certainly on pace to top 20. The last time a Cowboys quarterback reached that mark was Troy Aikman in 1992, when he had 23. The Cowboys record for touchdowns in a season is 29, set by Danny White in 1983.

Julius Jones Injured Again

Julius Jones missed 8-of the first 9-games his rookie season last year, so when he limped off the field in the second quarter on Sunday against the Eagles, it was not a good sign.

Brad Sham, who called the game for KLUV, said “Julius Jones, a little gimby after,(the play) in fact, he is limping off. He is injured.”

His on air diagnosis was accurate, given that Jones is now listed as questionable for Sunday's game against NFC East rival, the New York Giants.

“He was rehabbing some today, so we'll just see where he is, says Head Coach Bill Parcells. “I mean, it’s a case of whether he can function or not. I'm not going to put anybody out there who can't function.”

If he can't, it appears rookie Tyson Thompson would get his first regular season start against the Giants. Thompson had his best day in a Cowboys uniform filling in on Sunday, finishing with 20-carries for 75-yards, all in the second half.

“I'm getting reps right now, because Julius can't practice,” says Thompson. “So right now, I'm just going to take it like that and see if Julius is able to go or not, if not, I'm going to step in.”

Also waiting to step in is Anthony Thomas who has been inactive twice this year, and as had only 9-carries all season. He and Bill Parcells have already had a talk, and he hopes Thomas was receptive.

Says Parcells, “Well, it wasn't a two way discussion, I hope so, I hope so, because I was trying to give him real good advice.”

“I mean, sometimes you get frustrated,” says Thomas. “I mean, who doesn't get frustrated. I'm a competitor. I want to go out and compete. When I don't have the opportunity, I do get a little frustrated.”

If he's healthy, Jones will always be Bill Parcells first choice. if he's not, there's never a shortage of guys who are itching to run the ball

Cowboys Real Special Teams

For the first time in a long time, Dallas has gotten all three phases of their game rolling. The Offense is scoring points, and is ranked 10th in the NFL.

The Defense is stopping their opponent, and is ranked 10th in that category as well.

Special Teams are providing field position, and is ranked 10th in kickoff return yardage and 10th in punt return yardage.

“Overall, it was pretty good on special teams,” says Head Coach Bill Parcells.

Defensive Tackle La’Roi Glover knows that the field position provided by the Special Teams has been very beneficial. “Whenever you have the ball at the 50 going in, or around the 40 going in, the percentages are in your favor then,” he says.

Unknown guys like Tight End Brett Pierce, are having a major impact. “Yeah, you gotta get yourself ready for it every time, “ he says. “Its not necessarily a natural thing to do go down there and slam your body into three guys that just standing there.”

Rookie running back Tyson Thompson has learned in a hurry, that his kickoff returns as just as important as filling in for Julius Jones.

“Going in, I know special teams were important,” he says. “Like I said, we work on that the majority of the time, we're prepared to carry out some things.”

Wide Receiver Patrick Crayton needs to learn how to run with the ball differently.

“Crayton is too careless with the ball,” says Parcells. “We're going to have to do something about that, or else I'm going to have to make a change there.”

Against the Eagles, Crayton had 7-punt returns for 84-yards, including a 25-yarder in the 1st quarter.

“I always tell the ten guys in front of me, if you can hold up just a little bit, we can make some others miss,” says Crayton. “If we get a few blocks here, a few blocks there, we got a chance to pop one all the way.”

Special teams rarely get the recognition they deserve, but that has been changing lately. As a result, the rest of the team, has been reaping the rewards.

Cowboys Defense Steps Up Against The Eagles

Sunday's defensive performance against the league's top ranked offense, the Philadelphia Eagles, was a day to build confidence and for the young players, gain valuable experience.

“Well I think you have to give it players and the assistant coaches,” says Head Coach Bill Parcells. “They came up with a good plan, and they executed it pretty well. But this is early on here in the race, folks, so, I don't think you need to get the hats and horns out yet.”

But it is worthy of mention, anytime a defense allows the Eagles just 129-yards total offense, the fewest yards for a Cowboys defense against any team, since 1996. The 19-yards allowed on the ground ranks fourth best in club history.

“Thing is we need to continue to feed on that confidence, and just know that we can go out there and compete, with high level teams,” says Cowboys Cornerback Aaron Glenn. “I mean it give you a lot of joy, you know to go out there and play the way we did against this Eagle team.”1

Cowboys Safety Roy Williams says, “I mean there is always something you can learn and build on, from every game. But this game, it was a good game for us, I know it built a lot of confidence in a lot of young players, and some of the veterans that are here, so I mean, it was a good game for us.”

The Cowboys changed their defense during the off season, and now after five regular season games, things are improving. But is that the real reason?

“I can't put my finger on it,” says Defensive End Greg Ellis. “Bill may be able to, but whatever it is, we need to take that approach, every game, obviously.”

Sunday’s game was also good for Dallas’ defensive ranking. The Cowboys jumped from twenty-third, to tenth overall in the league. That's a giant step for a defense that went philosophical changes, not very long ago, and a defense that never ranked higher than fifteenth last year.

The Original Red River War Wasn't About Football

On the banks of the Red River, its hard to tell where Texas ends and Oklahoma begins. But if you have an expert, like Michael Dean from the Oklahoma Historical Society, it’s easy to spot.

“I would remind you we're in Oklahoma, we're about four feet from Texas,” says Dean laughing and pointing to the grass on the Texas side of the Red River. “So your on my side of the state now, George!”

Dean knows that territory has always been a big deal between Oklahoma and Texas. If it’s not a geographic dispute, its haggling over who has the best football team.

The OU-Texas game was moved to Dallas in 1912, and to the Cotton Bowl in 1929. Students and fans have enjoyed the neutral site ever since.

Says Dean, “Imagine this, thousands and thousands of Model A's, Model T's, Chevy's, Dodges, all head south out of Oklahoma, and once they got the Red River, there's a big traffic jam.”

Before we had expensive bridges and interstate highways, crossing from one state to another wasn't easy. Texas and Oklahoma had disputes involving boundaries and toll bridges. Call it the original, Red River War, a war which earned worldwide notoriety.

The dispute was over a free bridge build across the Red River on Highway 75, now the south bound lane. The fight started when the owners of a nearby toll bridge, wanted the public bridge shut down.

“There was no bridge across the Red River, you had to get across by Ferry,” says Dean. “By the early 1930's, 1929, 1930, and 1931, a private company in Denison Texas had built a bridge, a toll bridge across the Red River, between Durant Oklahoma, and Denison Texas.”

Pillars from that bridge still stand today. Dean gave us a step by step description as we discovered the Pillars, about a mile East of the Highway 75 bridge.

“I just think this is amazing, the piers are there, they're still parts of them visible,” says Dean. “The structure of the bridge, are still there in the red river, the top part of the abutment is still visible, where the bridge came across and then connected to the road on top of this bank. It’s just amazing that all of this is still here, to be as old as it is, to be constructed in the 1920's.”

To underscore the challenge, issued by the Texas owned Red River Bridge Company, Oklahoma Governor Bill Murray plowed up the entrance to the bridge on the Oklahoma side, so it couldn't be used.

On the Texas side, Barricades were in place, thanks to a court order. And, since Governor Murray said the State Boundary actually put the privately owned bridge in Oklahoma territory, there was only one thing for him to do, seize the bridge.

Governor Murray, the Oklahoma Governor from 1931-35, said, “I feel that I should uphold the power of the state.”

Donna Hunt, who was the Editor of the Herald Democrat in Denison, Texas from 1984 to 1994, said “No bullets were fired, but this is the original red river war.”

“He (the former Governor) walked out on the bridge with a gun in his hand, after the bridge was open, but nobody cared then, they had it open.”

Says Dean, “Governor Murray called out the national guard, and inspected the troops there on the Oklahoma side of the bridge, then led the troops across the bridge, brandishing a pistol in his hand. They marched across the bridge and he seized that bridge and opened it up for public traffic. And we call that the Red River Bridge War, and we like to think that was one of the first times that we beat Baja, Oklahoma, or Texas.”

These days, the game has been changed to the Red River Rivalry, instead of the Red River Shootout, but given the history between the two states, the later may be more appropriate.

“Nobody really won, I don't guess,” says Hunt. But being from Texas we like to think we did, but Oklahoma, I'm sure Governor Murray thought he did too. So, he accomplished his purpose. He got it open.”

“Sometimes, we kind of exaggerate and we say the State of Oklahoma declared war on the State of Texas, and we seized that bridge at gun point,” says Dean. “Well, that part of is true, but there was never a formal declaration of war from the Oklahoma Legislature.”

In 1961, the bridge burned down, and today two giant pillars are the only reminders of the standoff between Oklahoma and Texas, in what has become known as the Original Red River War.

Cowboys Eagles Rivalry Heats Up

Sunday's game against the Eagles will give the Cowboys Defense a first hand look at the league's top rated offense, and it’s not even a balanced attack.

Under Donovan McNabb's leadership, Philadelphia is averaging 356-yards passing per game, that’s tops in the league.

“They're very, very, very diverse in what they do,” says Cowboys Head Coach Bill Parcells. “You can see now that Donovan, is really a veteran quarterback because he's very comfortable with what he's doing in pretty much all aspects of their passing game.”

McNabb knows things are clicking. “I think we all understand the system a little bit better,” he says, “and I think our chemistry is where we want it to be.”

Aaron Glenn, Cowboys Cornerback says, “If you’re in the secondary, your going to get attacked, and we know that, so I mean, its just us being able to hold our end of the bargain.”

To make matters worse, the Cowboys haven't had much success against the Eagles, only winning twice in the last 12-games. Philadelphia is been to four straight NFC Title games, and because of that, has earned the respect of the rest of the league.

“They've earned it,” says Cowboys Tight End Dan Campbell. “They've showed why they're one of the elite teams you know, they're up there at the top, and they're pretty much, hey, you want it come get it.”

Says Cowboys Quarterback Drew Bledsoe, “This is a big game for us, no question, no question its a very big game for us. “It’s a division game against a team that was representative for the NFC in the Super Bowl last year, and I think it'll be a good gauge of exactly where we stand.”

“They've been the bullies of the NFC for the last, I don't know, four years maybe, or five years,” says Cowboys Wide Receiver Keyshawn Johnson. “Even the year that I was in Tampa, we beat them, they were still the bullies. I mean it came down to playing Philadelphia, in Philadelphia, beating Philadelphia to go to the Super Bowl. We won the super bowl, and the next year, we were playing Philadelphia, in Philadelphia, opening night.”

Dallas will host the Eagles Sunday at 3:15 central time. The game is a division game, it’s a rival game, so for Dallas, it doesn't get much bigger than this. Until proven otherwise, the Eagles remain the team to beat in the NFC.

John Hart Leaves AS GM Of The Texas Rangers

John Hart's resignation as General Manager of the Texas Rangers came just two days after the season ended. For Hart, it was the third losing season in four years, and any thought that he was forced to resign, were quickly put to rest.

“I'm the owner of the team,” said Tom Hicks. “This is something that has been openly talked about on a very planned basis, and John Hart did resign. Period.

Hart didn’t respond to that question, since Hicks interrupted the question, before Hart had a chance to answer it. Later he did say, “In response to that question there, this was my decision, this was my decision, he said. “I have talked to Tom about it. People are always looking, it seems to be in a lot of ways, for more, and for me it was a personal deal. I'm ready to move into the next stage, it’s that simple. Its that simple.

The teams’ future now lies in the hands of Jon Daniels, who at 28, has become the youngest General Manager in Major League History. He says age will not be a factor.

“I've developed a mutual respect with everyone in the organization,” says Daniels. “I believe that the trust, the loyalty that's there, makes it a non issue.”

Buck Showalter, the teams field general, doesn’t see a problem working with such a young, and inexperienced general manager. “When he has an opinion, he's very confident, and I think that's something that John Hart saw in JD. If he's met John Hart's approval, then he's passed a real tough litmus test.”

As of now, Hart isn’t totally out of the Texas organization, because he will stay with the team as a senior advisor.

“It was the right time for me. I've got other personal interests and things that, I'm looking to do, that I haven't done.”

Hart wanted to leave last year but was talked into staying by owner Tom Hicks. This year, Hart gets his wish and Jon Daniels gets the challenge of his life.

Rangers Miss Playoffs Again

Fans arriving for the Texas Rangers last home game of the year, received schedules for next year. Seems appropriate for a team, that is once again, waiting for another season. No playoffs and no winning season. At least year, they were in the hunt for a playoff spot until the last week. There was no such excitement this year.

Lori Gunnels from Fort Worth, a devote fan of the Rangers, isn’t happy. If you were in charge, I asked, what would you do? “Fire John Hart,“ she said.

Pete Sharyock of Mansfield is a season ticket holder, and will buy season tickets again next year. “I think Hicks is too tight to do it. That's my opinion,” he said. “I think he puts more interest in his hockey team than he does for his baseball team.”

Texas certainly has the power, falling just 4-home runs short of the Major league record, but pitching is still a problem. The team era ranked 26th out of 30-teams, and once again, the playoffs are for those other teams.

Buck Showalter, the teams’ manager says, “You do dwell on it. I know I will, and its always a sense of sadness on a day like today. Its self inflicted though, its nobody else’s fault, nobody wants to hear about injuries, this and that, everybody has had injuries.”

In the third inning, Michael Young received a standing ovation as he was pulled from the game. That batting title is the first for the Rangers since Julio Franco won it in 1991.

“It means a lot,” he said. “This last month has been pretty hectic. I knew that winning the batting title would be very special to me at this point of the year. Its definitely special, it hasn't really hit me yet, but I know that its something I can carry with me for the rest of my life.”

Moments after Young got pulled, it was Mark Teixeira’s turn. He left the game, just 3-short of the Major League RBI leadership.

“I didn't change anything,” says Teixeira. “Its like I said earlier, its just getting better, ah, you know I've had three good years in the big leagues, and hopefully I'll have 20-more.”

The Kenny Rogers incident on June 29th proved to be most serious moment of the year, and it appeared to be an incident from which the entire team never recovered. Larry Rodriguez, the KDFW photographer attacked by Rogers, was finally back at work this week.

When the season ended, it was the Angels who we celebrating a 7-to-4 win, and a division title, while the Rangers watched.

Tom Hicks, the teams owner was asked if he still like what John Hart is doing as General Manager. “Yeah, I think, its not just John, its John's team, John, John Daniels, Dom Chiti, Buck, I think they're one of the best management teams in baseball, so we're lucky to have them.”

Last year, the Rangers were a team on the rise, this year they're a team in decline. What happens now in the off season will certain dictate what the Rangers are selling for 2006, how easy it will be for the fans to buy into next year.