Luis Yanez Prepares for Pro Debut

Luis Yanez is at a small gym in East Dallas quietly preparing for his professional boxing debut.

"We're going to paint the walls red, white and blue and we're going to put some Cowboys' stars on it," Yanez says. "I'm a diehard Cowboys fan."

The gym was set up by his management team so Yanez would have a place to train on his own.

"It's secluded, it's kind of like when Ali used to go to Brown Bear camp," says Michael Montoya of Brown Boy Media. "There's not a lot of traffic around here so Luis can focus on fighting. Train, fish, play basketball, swim, it's all his."

"This is a dream," Yanez says. "A dream that I've been waiting for and I've been waiting for it. And thank God, he gave it to me. He's given all these opportunities to me and he knows that I have worked hard for it."

Six months ago, Yanez was preparing to fight in the summer Olympics in Beijing, after his much publicized dispute with the U.S. head coach, who had him temporarily kicked him off the team.

"A lot of people didn't know what the actual situation was," says Dennis Rodarte, Yanez's trainer. "A lot of people kinda tried to use it against us."

Despite not winning an Olympic medal, Yanez still calls himself the Latin Legend, a name Cuban fighter Yampier Hernadez gave him at the Pan American Games.

"We went back up there and I met up with him and I beat him and I said 'Hey Conyo, yo so Latina layenda,' I said Yeah, I'm the Latin Legend," Yanez says.

His pro debut is Feb.20 at the American Airlines Center.

Careful Who You Cheer For!

The Texas Tech and Oklahoma game Saturday night has made this a weird week for college football fans, especially those who follow the Texas Longhorns. Texas Tech is playing in another one of their "Biggest Games" in program history, and if your a Texas fan, you may have no choice but to cheer for Oklahoma. How crazy is that? A win by Oklahoma would put Texas right back in the hunt for a National Championship.

I asked Cowboys Wide Receiver Roy Williams, a Texas Ex, if he would be cheering for Oklahoma this weekend, and he would only say "I'll be watching the game."

Leonard Davis, another Texas Ex, confirmed that he will be cheering for Oklahoma Saturday night, but he wasn't real crazy about it.

"I'm always rooting for Texas Tech," says Cowboys Linebacker Zach Thomas. As a graduate of Texas Tech, Thomas says "I'm excited that they're even in this situation. We never had Tech in this situation so I'm very excited for the program, and I'm really glad they're taking it to the next level."

There is one place where there is no question who folks are pulling for and that's Ennis, Texas. That's the hometown of Texas Tech Quarterback Graham Harrell.

Cornerback Terence Newman Is Hurt Again

Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman wouldn't say whether he is in our out for Sunday's game against the 49ers.

He didn't practice, and when he was leaving the Cowboys practice facility, he wouldn't confirm or deny that he would be able to play on Sunday.

"Terence had a slight (muscle) pull yesterday," said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. "So, he's working through that and we didn't want him to push off on it." Jones said Newman didn't re-injure the same groin muscle as before, but didn't say what the new injury was. When asked if he will be able to go on Sunday, Jones reply was a simple "Yeah, but I don't know that. But I think he ought to."

Head Coach Wade Phillips was quizzed as he left the practice field, but would only say "it's a secret."

A Cowboys web site says the injury is a slight groin injury, but not in the same area that he had surgically corrected last month.

An official injury report has not yet been released.

Is Terrell Owens' Contentment Vanishing?

We've seen this headline before: "Owens Frustrated with offensive, role," but it showed up again today in the local paper.

Cowboys Wide Receiver Terrell Owens talked to former Cowboys Cornerback Deion Sanders on the NFL network Thursday night. During that interview he said, "For me to have the numbers that I have and not really being involved, it is discouraging."

Owens didn't talk to the media at Valley Ranch on Friday, and said to hear the rest of the interview, "stay tuned." The NFL Network plans to air more of the interview on Sunday.

Head Coach Wade Phillips didn't seemed concerned about the latest interview with his star receiver. "Our philosophy is try to get the best players the football, and that's what we're trying to," Phillips said. "It depends on how it's preceived, sometimes a guy is trying to be honest and say the things that he believes except but it comes out a way that some people take the wrong way."

Owens has had only 40 catches for 505 yards and 6 touchdowns so far this season. His numbers have really suffered the last few weeks.

"Terrell has been exemplary as far as being a team player and wanting to win," says Phillips. "He works hard in practice and does all the right things. I don't think he's trying to do anything that will hurt the team."

Does Dallas Really Need Pacman?

I can't tell for sure how many of Pacman Jones' teammates are truly excited about having him back. I think if you took a poll, you might be surprised to see how much support from his teammates has deteriorated.

After all, the club has managed to climb out of their death defying spiral without having the troubling cornerback on their team.

So, why should any player on this team be excited about having this guy back on the team? Because Jerry said so? Is Dallas truly a better team with this trouble chaser on the team?

Pacman has support, not just from owner Jerry Jones, who is still trying to convince fans they should spend big bucks on buying tickets at his new stadium, but from defensive tackle Tank Johnson.

"I support Pac," says Johnson. "He knows that we're all with him and we're not going to turn our back on him, and as soon as he gets back, it'll be business as usual and I can't wait to have '21' next to me and my locker."

I guess you have to consider the source, but this is from a guy who seems to have learned his lesson. I'm all for second chances, but I'm not convinced he makes the Cowboys a better team.

"He hasn't let me down. I think he let himself down," says Cowboys defensive end Marcus Spears. "It's just like parents teaching you when you're at home. They expect you to do the thing things when you leave. If you don't it's your responsibility to suffer the consequences."

Lately, Pacman Jones has been suffering the consequences.

Colt McCoy Has Small Town Roots

Over the last three years, Longhorn fans have learned how to appreciate Texas quarterback Colt McCoy.

“I remember my first game was actually the Ohio State game,” says Chelsea Eldridge a student at Texas. “I watched that game I was like oh my gosh, my team is going to be horrible for the next four years, but he's been awesome!”

To find even more appreciation for the Texas quarterback, all you have to do is travel 125-miles North West of the Cotton Bowl to Graham, home of the Steers.

“We came in and we did change the logo a little bit,” says Brad McCoy, Colt’s father. “But they've been the steers forever here. But the logo is a little Longhornish, right now!”

Colt's father is the high school football coach in Graham.

“He's the same nice young man, a good son, you couldn't as for a better son,” he says. “Colt loves to come home, still loves to play and fish, help out and out and do things. He hasn't gotten the big head and out grown his status as a son in the family. We love him for that.”

Colt was coached by his dad in Tuscola, Texas just south of Abilene, but when he graduated and moved to Austin, his family picked up and moved to Graham.

“My dad was a great coach, a great teacher. he taught me everything I know about football,” says Colt. “He would just tell me to stay focused, relax, have fun, enjoy and just do what you do. go out there and just play the game.”

“He got a lot of criticism from friends, and people growing up because there were a lot of things he didn't do,” says his father. “He didn't stay up late. He didn't party at night. He just gave a lot of things up socially to put himself in position, he had a goal and he knew where he wanted to be.”

What he has turned out to be is a model citizen who is focused on football. Two years ago, Colt swam across a lake to save the life of a Graham resident who was having a seizure.

Colt's mother, Debra is a teacher at Graham High School. Her nephew died after tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and this year, Colt has dedicated his season to his cousin.

“I'm not surprised by Colt, dedicating his season,” she says. “This is the first time that he has dedicated a season to anybody, and so I think it was with a lot of thought, and coach Mack Brown does a good job with that.”

Case the youngest of Colt's two brothers, is following in his foot steps. He's only a junior at Graham, but like his big brother, wants to become a big time quarterback.

“Colt has been my role model since I learned how to play football,” Case says. “Just looking up to him and trying to follow in his footsteps, and do everything he does from his achievements to almost his failures.
“God has blessed me, he's given me this opportunity,” says Colt. “I'm so thankful for it, I’m loving it. I love being in this position. I love being able to play in a big game like this. I look forward to it. I can't wait until Saturday.”

McCoy family tries to see all of Colts games, and that's why this weekend is so special. Sure its Texas-OU, but it's only a two hour drive from Graham to the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

Growing Pains At North Texas

The Todd Dodge era at North Texas has entered its second year, but don't look for a Sun Belt Conference Championship just yet. One of the reasons is because Dodge is still bringing in his players who are learning his system.

"Five of our guys are either true freshman, red shirt freshman or sophomores," Dodge told me this week. That's a lot of kids running in directions they're not supposed to be running. "It's a young a football team," he says, "We've got only twelve guys that will exhaust their eligibility this year."

North Texas traveled to Kansas State last week where they lost 45-to-6. This week they host Tulsa which beat UAB last week 45-to-22. It is their home opener, so it will be a big day in Denton on Saturday. By the way if you’re looking ahead, North Texas travels to LSU next weekend. No rest for the weary!

Cowboys Special Teams Not So Special

It began with the opening kick off against Houston Friday.

Texans kick returner Andre Davis crossed up midfield for 68-yards.

The Dallas Cowboys special teams have been less than special lately and that has raised eyebrows from everyone except the coaching staff.

"Special teams, you know the return teams are outstanding, have been this preseason," said Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips. "Our punt team had trouble the first game, and we've had some trouble on kick off coverage."

That may be the understatement of the day, but Phillips insists that until he gets his regular special team players in the game, they will continue to struggle.

"Well a lot has to do with losing Keith Davis," says fullback Deon Anderson, a key special teams contributor. "He was the special teams captain last year and he contributed a lot to the special teams."

Davis is gone as a free agent to Miami, creating one of many holes the Cowboys are trying to fill.

"We've had a couple of returns that we don't like, some of it is the learning curve from guys that haven't been in there and some of it is guys that won't be in there also," Phillips said.

Miles Austin, last season's kick returner, and Isaiah Stanback, who also returns kicks, have both been injured this preseason.

"The first game, I felt like it was our worst game on special teams, our last two games, I feel like we progressively got better, a couple of slip ups here and there," Austin says. "We just got to finish it up."

"Whenever we have weaknesses, we put someone else there, its like a chess game," Anderson says. "We still have moving pieces, you know."

Last season, the kick off return unit was one of the worst that Dallas has had in years, and the punt coverage team ranked 29th in the league.

So when it comes to special teams, Dallas hasn't been so special.