FanHouse TroyAikman

Steve Young has been where Matthew Stafford is going, and he has some advice for the kid: Good luck.

"You have to be a really unique person, not player, but person," Young told FanHouse on Friday. "You can be a phenomenal player, but you have to have an iron stomach. It's not going to be easy for him."

Before Young earned his spot in the Hall of Fame with the 49ers, he struggled trying to be the savior for the woeful Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Now, Stafford, the No. 1 pick in last month's draft, finds himself in that spot with the Detroit Lions.

Who moved to the head of the NFL class during the draft? Find out with FanHouse's team-by-team 2009 Draft Grades.

Jerry Jones might be a little eccentric, but the guy can spot talent. When it isn't top picks like Troy Aikman or Emmitt Smith coming to the Cowboys, it is undrafted guys like Tony Romo or late third-round guys like Jason Witten. Even Patrick Crayton in the seventh round was a success for Dallas.

This year, the Cowboys traded down, but didn't really snag anyone that is going to blow your hair back. Jason Williams of Western Illinois is a player that might see some time for Dallas this season. In college, Williams was a fumble-forcing machine, knocking loose six his senior seasons.

In a shocking development, Brett Favre is back in the news. Apparently, it doesn't matter if he's pretend retired or legitimately done with football, he refuses to go away.

The Jerry Jones Cowboys are in the midst of an offseason makeover. Assistant coaches have been fired, big-named players have been released, and others have been signed to replace them, all in an effort to put the 2008 debaclement quickly in the rearview.

You might've heard that Dallas hasn't won a playoff game since 1996, and if that doesn't change next season, SI.com's Ross Tucker thinks quarterback Tony Romo should take the fall. Not Wade Phillips or Jason Garrett or Jones -- Jessica Simpson's boyfriend.

A few weeks ago, MDS pointed out that during last year's Super Bowl, FOX tag-team duo Joe Buck and Troy Aikman enjoyed a free ride to University of Phoenix Stadium as they prepared to call the Giants-Patriots game. According to the Inspector General (via the Smoking Gun), it was "inappropriate" for the United States Marshals Service to use federal vehicles to transport Buck and Aikman to the game. You think?

Seems like common sense, really, but clearly it's not. At least that was the story a FOX spokesman was pushing after the fact. "We were unaware, however, that those arrangements were in any way inappropriate, and regret to learn now that they apparently were."

When we last left the zany world of the Dallas Cowboys, Hall of Famer and FOX analyst Troy Aikman was breaking down what it means to be the quarterback of America's Team (!) for incumbent Tony Romo. A brief recap: "[H]e hasn't fully grasped what being the Cowboys quarterback is all about ... And you don't go to Cabo the week before a playoff game. You just don't do it."

Aikman admitted that going to Mexico the week before a playoff game didn't affect Romo's preparation, but that's not the point: it's the perception. And as Ciskie pointed out Wednesday, fair or not, as the Cowboys quarterback, part of your job is to avoid Cabo-tastic situations, not pretend they don't exist.

There was little reason to think -- at least as soon as 15 real time minutes ago -- that the Philadelphia Eagles had any chance of beating the Arizona Cardinals and advancing to the Super Bowl. Adrian Wilson was sacking Donovan McNabb frequently, Antrel Rolle and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie were smothering the Guls' receivers (whom are average at best anyway, DeSean Jackson's youth aside).

Then, all of a sudden, McNabb hit Kevin Curtis on a laser-rocket-arm 50 yard completion on third and 19 that set up the Eagles up in the Arizona red zone, a rare occurance today indeed. Four plays later, D-Nasty found Brent Celek in the back of the end zone and the Eagles were suddenly within nine points.

The Inspector General of the Department of Justice says that the United States Marshals Service used federal vehicles and on-duty agents to give rides to FOX broadcasters Joe Buck and Troy Aikman at last year's Super Bowl.

The Smoking Gun has the full report, which also says the U.S. Marshals inappropriately gave rides to Buck and Tim McCarver at the World Series. The Department of Justice investigation centered on a lawyer for the Marshals Service, Joseph Band, who also worked as a FOX Sports statistician.

A Fox spokesman gave the New York Times the following statement:

"At select events, he did offer transportation to some Fox Sports personnel. We were unaware, however, that those arrangements were in any way inappropriate, and regret to learn now that they apparently were."

It's surprising that FOX wouldn't be aware that it's inappropriate for federal vehicles and on-duty agents to be giving rides to sportscasters. While no one is accusing Buck, Aikman or McCarver of breaking any laws, they should have known better. It would be nice if Buck and Aikman offered an apology on the air before Sunday's NFC Championship Game.

Here are a few random thoughts during the Eagles-Giants game that have absolutely nothing to do with anything ... besides questionable commercials, comedians and commentators.

-- The "safety" symbol has to be the most fun motion to make in sports. Honestly, whenever a safety occurs, every defender on the field tosses up the safety symbol. I think it is like the "fist blow up" thing from three years ago. Everyone loved doing that.

-- Did Eli Manning call his brother and ask him, "How do you do that 'God, I can't believe my kicker sucks this bad,' face?" Because he sure has perfected it.

-- Do you think Jesus points back when athletes stick their finger towards the sky after a good play?

Donovan McNabb is a curiously odd fellow. However, he should probably remember to not do anything that involves fun when Joe Buck is calling his games. Buck and Troy Aikman gave McNabb some guff for picking up a phone by the Giants sideline during today's game and really, while he drew a flag, who cares? The game was over and Donovan was just doing something that made him smile. Unlike sitting behind Kevin Kolb.



Again, it's really not that big a deal; Buck just thinks that everyone should play the way he announces -- with zero emotion.