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Trading Barbs
Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas - In this summer of utter uncertainty, no one seems to know anything about the next couple of months.
You have to be prepared as if the lockout might end abruptly, and therefore free agency will take place at a rapid pace, followed by as many minicamp and OTA practices as the NFL will allow, all jammed into June and July before training camp.
Of course, you also have to be prepared for nothing at all. And who knows just how long it will last, maybe the lockout goes into the football season. I think we're all in agreement that we hope that doesn't happen.
Still, it's nearly impossible to try and speculate on anything, but yet we keep trying.
One of the biggest speculative moves is that Marion Barber has likely played his last down with the Cowboys.
No one knows that for sure. At least no one has publicly said it. Maybe Jerry and Stephen Jones know it. Maybe Barber is aware of it. Or maybe we're all dead wrong and he'll back again next year.
But the combination of financial and performance reasons tend to suggest that Barber won't be playing for the Cowboys in 2011.
And based on the earlier assessment that when something does change in regards to the lockout, we know it'll be a furious whirlwind of moves that will make all of our heads spin in unison.
Let's just assume that Barber does get cut. And he's not the only one. Players like Roy Williams, Leonard Davis and maybe Terence Newman if you-know-who is signed from the Raiders.
But I'll focus on Barber today. In all honesty, I guess I've known Marion for about six years now, and I can't really say that I know him at all. Of course, he hasn't been open with the media at all (understatement of the year) but other people who do know him say he's a great guy. Even his teammates voted him as a captain on two occasions and that's shocking to me because he doesn't seem to do captain-like things. Again, that's what we see.
Let's not forget that Barber's dad played in the NFL for nine seasons and his brother has also played in the league for three years. And Marion has seen what goes on with the media, both locally and nationally, and the constant scrutiny surrounding this team. I'm sure he's formed his own opinions about the coverage. I'll say this about Barber: He's pretty much consistent. He doesn't talk after bad games or good games. He doesn't talk to any reporters unless there have been multiple threats that a fine might be coming from the league.
He doesn't look at gender or race when it comes to certain reporters. He basically takes the same stance all together. While many players say they don't care what the media says about them, most of them are lying. But I really don't think Barber cares, or ever did care, what the perception of him is.
To me, there is something refreshing about that. Because everybody seemingly cares what others think. It just doesnt sound cool to say otherwise.
My real point to this column isn't about Barber's personality, because I really don't know it. And it's not to discuss whether he will be with the team next year - don't know that either. And I'm not even going to debate whether or not he's one of the better backs on this team and if he should return in 2011. I feel like I've gone down that road before.
What I do want to express, and it's something that I really think will get overlooked if and when the Cowboys part ways with Barber, is what type of player he was - even for a short period of time.
Let's face it, Barber is going to get cut at some point and about 80 percent of the fans and media will give some kind of "good riddance" chuckle. Tired of seeing him stopped short on third- and fourth-down, and tired of these 14-carry, 53-yard games that have started to pile up over the last couple of years, fans have long turned on Barber. And I'm not saying they shouldn't have.
Again, I'm not taking a side on where this guy stands RIGHT NOW, which to most people is the only thing that matters - right now.
But I think we'd be naïve if we didn't give Barber the respect he deserves. Say what you want about him, but this guy was clearly a beast. Now, he didn't sustain it for too long, but from about 2006-09, he was adequately nicknamed the "Barbarian." He ran with an attitude that resembled a middle linebacker, yet he had the ball in his hands.
Marion Barber was one of the most exciting players the Cowboys have had in the last few years.
It seems like most people I've talked to are completely "done" with this guy. It's a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world. I get that. So it really doesn't matter to most people what type of player Barber was a few years ago. Same goes with Newman, Davis or whoever. It's all about right now.
And that's fine. Right now, Barber is probably on his way out unless he decides to take a serious pay cut. Either he takes one with the Cowboys, or he probably gets released and then will take one with another team.
That's really the point to Barber's situation all along. He's never been a bad player. He just ended with a horrible contract.
Was that his fault? Remember that he switched agents to Drew Rosenhaus, knowing there was a big payday on the horizon. And even though he had never rushed for 1,000 yards in a season and hadn't even been a regular starter, Barber got a five-year, $45 million contract. Was that his fault for signing it? Who wouldn't do that?
We all wondered out loud if that was the right decision for the Cowboys, but they didn't ask us. In fact, the Cowboys tried to beat a league-mandated deadline to avoid the 30 percent rule and signed Barber and Newman to big contracts under the previous league rules.
As it turned out, it was a bad contract for Barber. His production failed to match his salary and therefore it will probably cost him his job.
Sure, Barber has been ridiculed up and down for being a bum or being a waste of money, or someone who doesn't care about football, or whatever else you want to say. And I admit, I've been there for some of that. I've criticized this guy because I've thought at times he has left his teammates out to dry when it comes to the media. When things were swirling downward and nobody had answers in 2008 or last year to why things were so bad, he sat there and played dominoes daily while guys like Bradie James, Keith Brooking, Tony Romo and Jason Witten searched for answers. That's fine if you're not a captain, but if your teammates vote you as one, then you should act like one.
Again, that's really my only beef with Barber. I actually think he's a better player than people give him credit for and personally, I wouldn't let him go. I would definitely try to restructure his deal, but I do think he's one of the top three backs on this team and his services are needed.
All that being said, whatever happens with Barber, let's try to take at least a few seconds to reflect on the fact he WAS a very good, productive player who had some thrilling moments for this franchise.
At least we could give him that.
Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas - In this summer of utter uncertainty, no one seems to know anything about the next couple of months.
You have to be prepared as if the lockout might end abruptly, and therefore free agency will take place at a rapid pace, followed by as many minicamp and OTA practices as the NFL will allow, all jammed into June and July before training camp.
Of course, you also have to be prepared for nothing at all. And who knows just how long it will last, maybe the lockout goes into the football season. I think we're all in agreement that we hope that doesn't happen.
Still, it's nearly impossible to try and speculate on anything, but yet we keep trying.
One of the biggest speculative moves is that Marion Barber has likely played his last down with the Cowboys.
No one knows that for sure. At least no one has publicly said it. Maybe Jerry and Stephen Jones know it. Maybe Barber is aware of it. Or maybe we're all dead wrong and he'll back again next year.
But the combination of financial and performance reasons tend to suggest that Barber won't be playing for the Cowboys in 2011.
And based on the earlier assessment that when something does change in regards to the lockout, we know it'll be a furious whirlwind of moves that will make all of our heads spin in unison.
Let's just assume that Barber does get cut. And he's not the only one. Players like Roy Williams, Leonard Davis and maybe Terence Newman if you-know-who is signed from the Raiders.
But I'll focus on Barber today. In all honesty, I guess I've known Marion for about six years now, and I can't really say that I know him at all. Of course, he hasn't been open with the media at all (understatement of the year) but other people who do know him say he's a great guy. Even his teammates voted him as a captain on two occasions and that's shocking to me because he doesn't seem to do captain-like things. Again, that's what we see.
Let's not forget that Barber's dad played in the NFL for nine seasons and his brother has also played in the league for three years. And Marion has seen what goes on with the media, both locally and nationally, and the constant scrutiny surrounding this team. I'm sure he's formed his own opinions about the coverage. I'll say this about Barber: He's pretty much consistent. He doesn't talk after bad games or good games. He doesn't talk to any reporters unless there have been multiple threats that a fine might be coming from the league.
He doesn't look at gender or race when it comes to certain reporters. He basically takes the same stance all together. While many players say they don't care what the media says about them, most of them are lying. But I really don't think Barber cares, or ever did care, what the perception of him is.
To me, there is something refreshing about that. Because everybody seemingly cares what others think. It just doesnt sound cool to say otherwise.
My real point to this column isn't about Barber's personality, because I really don't know it. And it's not to discuss whether he will be with the team next year - don't know that either. And I'm not even going to debate whether or not he's one of the better backs on this team and if he should return in 2011. I feel like I've gone down that road before.
What I do want to express, and it's something that I really think will get overlooked if and when the Cowboys part ways with Barber, is what type of player he was - even for a short period of time.
Let's face it, Barber is going to get cut at some point and about 80 percent of the fans and media will give some kind of "good riddance" chuckle. Tired of seeing him stopped short on third- and fourth-down, and tired of these 14-carry, 53-yard games that have started to pile up over the last couple of years, fans have long turned on Barber. And I'm not saying they shouldn't have.
Again, I'm not taking a side on where this guy stands RIGHT NOW, which to most people is the only thing that matters - right now.
But I think we'd be naïve if we didn't give Barber the respect he deserves. Say what you want about him, but this guy was clearly a beast. Now, he didn't sustain it for too long, but from about 2006-09, he was adequately nicknamed the "Barbarian." He ran with an attitude that resembled a middle linebacker, yet he had the ball in his hands.
Marion Barber was one of the most exciting players the Cowboys have had in the last few years.
It seems like most people I've talked to are completely "done" with this guy. It's a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world. I get that. So it really doesn't matter to most people what type of player Barber was a few years ago. Same goes with Newman, Davis or whoever. It's all about right now.
And that's fine. Right now, Barber is probably on his way out unless he decides to take a serious pay cut. Either he takes one with the Cowboys, or he probably gets released and then will take one with another team.
That's really the point to Barber's situation all along. He's never been a bad player. He just ended with a horrible contract.
Was that his fault? Remember that he switched agents to Drew Rosenhaus, knowing there was a big payday on the horizon. And even though he had never rushed for 1,000 yards in a season and hadn't even been a regular starter, Barber got a five-year, $45 million contract. Was that his fault for signing it? Who wouldn't do that?
We all wondered out loud if that was the right decision for the Cowboys, but they didn't ask us. In fact, the Cowboys tried to beat a league-mandated deadline to avoid the 30 percent rule and signed Barber and Newman to big contracts under the previous league rules.
As it turned out, it was a bad contract for Barber. His production failed to match his salary and therefore it will probably cost him his job.
Sure, Barber has been ridiculed up and down for being a bum or being a waste of money, or someone who doesn't care about football, or whatever else you want to say. And I admit, I've been there for some of that. I've criticized this guy because I've thought at times he has left his teammates out to dry when it comes to the media. When things were swirling downward and nobody had answers in 2008 or last year to why things were so bad, he sat there and played dominoes daily while guys like Bradie James, Keith Brooking, Tony Romo and Jason Witten searched for answers. That's fine if you're not a captain, but if your teammates vote you as one, then you should act like one.
Again, that's really my only beef with Barber. I actually think he's a better player than people give him credit for and personally, I wouldn't let him go. I would definitely try to restructure his deal, but I do think he's one of the top three backs on this team and his services are needed.
All that being said, whatever happens with Barber, let's try to take at least a few seconds to reflect on the fact he WAS a very good, productive player who had some thrilling moments for this franchise.
At least we could give him that.
