Cowboys

[dan]

Word is Jessica Simpson is SO last month - now he's banging Carrie Underwood.

Well, at least these girls are going after a pretty decent guy. I'm sick of famous girls going after retards like Kevin Federline or Fred Durst.

[darin]

No, that would be the team that has the higher score; which, was basically handed to them by the Cowboys. Hell, they even scored two of the points FOR Seattle.

I was less than impressed by either team.

Right - But HOW did seattle get that safety? It wasn't a Dallas mistake - it was a FANTASTIC Play by Seattle's CB Kelly Jennings. Honestly, it was MORE important the ruling was 'safety' rather than TD. IF Seattle had scored a TD, which won the game for seattle because if a TD meant seattle would have been TIED with Dallas - 20 to 20. Then, Seattle would have had to give the ball back. the 15-20 game ensured a seattle lead.

TALK about Clutch? I wonder if Seattle secretly replaced #86 with Tony Gonzalez of the Chiefs.

[avatar4321]

What's it matter? Dallas sucks anyway. The only reason they even made it into the playoffs is because they didnt choke till later in the season then they usually do.

[5stringJeff]

I'm happy the Seahawks beat the crappy-ass Cowboys.

However, I'm not very optimistic about playing the Bears.

[Gunny]

Right - But HOW did seattle get that safety? It wasn't a Dallas mistake - it was a FANTASTIC Play by Seattle's CB Kelly Jennings. Honestly, it was MORE important the ruling was 'safety' rather than TD. IF Seattle had scored a TD, which won the game for seattle because if a TD meant seattle would have been TIED with Dallas - 20 to 20. Then, Seattle would have had to give the ball back. the 15-20 game ensured a seattle lead.

TALK about Clutch? I wonder if Seattle secretly replaced #86 with Tony Gonzalez of the Chiefs.

GMAFB. The receiver mishandled the ball. So did half the Seattle defense; hence, the safety rather than a TD.

Nothing fantastic about a CB being where he's supposed to be.

Doesn't really matter anyway. Be it the Cowboys or Seahawks, the only place they're going after this weekend is HOME.

[darin]

GMAFB. The receiver mishandled the ball. So did half the Seattle defense; hence, the safety rather than a TD.

Nothing fantastic about a CB being where he's supposed to be.

Doesn't really matter anyway. Be it the Cowboys or Seahawks, the only place they're going after this weekend is HOME.

So you didn't see Jennings PUNCH the ball out from the WR's grasp? You are honestly saying that play was an error on the WR's part, NOT a good play by the CB? did you watch the same game I did? The safety was BETTER than getting a TD anyway.

Don't be to sure - Any...given...sunday...

[Gunny]

So you didn't see Jennings PUNCH the ball out from the WR's grasp? You are honestly saying that play was an error on the WR's part, NOT a good play by the CB? did you watch the same game I did? The safety was BETTER than getting a TD anyway.

Don't be to sure - Any...given...sunday...

Naw, afraid I left my Seattle Seahawks colored glasses at home.

May be "any given Sunday," but it won't be this one. Hope it works out for you (not really -- I never have liked the Seahawks). At any rate, I won't be watching. Half of the third and the fourth quarter of the Dallas Seattle game was the beginning and the end of my pro football watching season.

When players started playing for the money, then free agency came along, it kind of ruined the game of pro football for me.

[darin]

Naw, afraid I left my Seattle Seahawks colored glasses at home.

May be "any given Sunday," but it won't be this one. Hope it works out for you (not really -- I never have liked the Seahawks). At any rate, I won't be watching. Half of the third and the fourth quarter of the Dallas Seattle game was the beginning and the end of my pro football watching season.

When players started playing for the money, then free agency came along, it kind of ruined the game of pro football for me.

It's VERY funny when people take the VERY easy prediction. For somebody who doesn't like Pro ball, you seem to have 'some' games figured out. You're cynical - but I think you're that way just because a team you may like isn't in the playoffs.

[Gunny]

It's VERY funny when people take the VERY easy prediction. For somebody who doesn't like Pro ball, you seem to have 'some' games figured out. You're cynical - but I think you're that way just because a team you may like isn't in the playoffs.

The games are easy to figure out because I played football from age ten-18, then from 21-26 in the Corps. It's a game of strategy, and I've spent most of my life studying strategy and tactics, not just professionally, but as a hobby.

My growing lack of interest has been for the reasons I mentioned. When I was a kid, players weren't in it for money. Look it up. Pro football players didn't make squat until the mid-late 70s. When they started playing for money instead of love of the game, it lost something.

Free agency exacerbated that because there is no longer team loyalty from the players, nor player loyalty from the fans. I like the players that started with my teams and ended with my teams. Now like as not, the MVP this year will be playing for the most hated rival next season.

Teams pretty-much get to and win the Superbowl by luck as much as anything else. It takes 2-3 years to actually build a team that works. With the revolving door, that 2-3 year mesh of players is the result of getting lucky with free agency.

The game changed, and not for the better, IMO.

And dude, I get a perverse pleasure when the Cowboys lose. They may be one of my favorite teams, but I get just as much satsifaction from Jerry Jones losing as I do the Cowboys winning.

[avatar4321]

The games are easy to figure out because I played football from age ten-18, then from 21-26 in the Corps. It's a game of strategy, and I've spent most of my life studying strategy and tactics, not just professionally, but as a hobby.

I know this is kind of a side, but what books do you recommend in studying strategy and tactics. Ive been researching alittle myself cause I figure if i understand it, its more power to me. More power is more freedom as far as im concerned.

[Gunny]

I know this is kind of a side, but what books do you recommend in studying strategy and tactics. Ive been researching alittle myself cause I figure if i understand it, its more power to me. More power is more freedom as far as im concerned.

The very FIRST book I would recommend is "Tsun Tzu: The Art of War." It's pretty widely available, and is excellent. There's a lot of psychology involved.

And really, I can't recommend individual books other than that. The reason is, no matter what books I've read, I've taken something away from them. Who won and why, and who lost and why.

Hitler had some of the best generals in the world and if he had let them conduct his wars we might all be speaking German right now. Rommel was one of the very best, and Patton studied Rommel and used the knowledge to defeat him. Rommel's desert strategies and tactics are still studied and used today.

Robert E Lee was probably one of history's best strategists and tacticians. The Battle of Chancellorville is still a textbook example of splitting a numerically inferior force and defeating the enemy with a pincers movement.

Desert Storm 91 is a textbook example of a feint followed by a pincers movement, and the use of combined arms.

I'd just start by googling "basic strategies and tactics" and seeing what comes up. Once you get the basics down, then the battles and Commanders and their decisions make sense. Or don't. Burnside at Fredericksburg comes to mind for the latter.

[avatar4321]

Ive read the Art of War, but Ive actually been wanting to reread it. Im not sure i have a really good translation though. I have it with the Book of Five Rings in my book pile. ill just have to find it.

[CockySOB]

Sun Tzu's "Ping Fa" (also known as "The Art of War") is a solid read on strategy and tactics.

Miyamoto Mushashi's "Go Rin No Sho" (also known as "The Book of Five Rings") encompasses strategy and tactics quite well, and it includes more coverage of the life philosophies.

I also enjoy reading some of the quotes and teachings of Morihei Ueshiba (founder of Aikido, "the Art of Peace"). In fact, most martial arts (as opposed to combat arts) coordinate strategy and tactics in their philosophies. So exploring the origins of various martial arts will probably lead you to some insights as well.

[Gunny]

Sun Tzu's "Ping Fa" (also known as "The Art of War") is a solid read on strategy and tactics.

Miyamoto Mushashi's "Go Rin No Sho" (also known as "The Book of Five Rings") encompasses strategy and tactics quite well, and it includes more coverage of the life philosophies.

I also enjoy reading some of the quotes and teachings of Morihei Ueshiba (founder of Aikido, "the Art of Peace"). In fact, most martial arts (as opposed to combat arts) coordinate strategy and tactics in their philosophies. So exploring the origins of various martial arts will probably lead you to some insights as well.

I see you have been into my bookshelf.

However, it is philosophical disagreement time. Asian martial arts are founded in combat arts. Karate-do was once called "karate-jutsu." Aiki-do -- Aiki-jutsu. "Do" meaning "way of life", "jutsu" meaning "fighting art."

Much of this came about following WWII when practicing Asian martial arts was outlawed as it was believed they fostered the martial spirit that at least was part of the cause of Japanese aggression.

Musashi is definitely a good read. What Tsun Tzu and Musashi emphasize is the psychological aspect of knowing yourself and knowing your enemy. I was trying to answer his question without a dissertation. Bruce Lee also promoted this aspect in Jeet kun do -- anticipating your enemy's next move and striking first.

Basic troop movements are available to anyone; which, is why I emphasized the philosophical side.

[CockySOB]

I totally agree Gunny. Philosophy is the main component of strategy and tactics. And proper understanding (as we know) is as much a weapon as a spear or a sword.