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Rainer Sabin / Reporter
As the expiration date of the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the Players Association draws near, the prospect of an 18-game season becomes more realistic. Among those that favor an expanded schedule is Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who has championed the erosion of an elongated preseason.
"I think we can get our teams prepared with two preseason games," Jones said to a pack of reporters last week.
But if a new format were to be implemented in the way Jones desires, would the Cowboys be able to continue their traveling circus that doubles as their training camp? Last year, Dallas spent 36 days in July and August preparing for the 2010 season while shuttling between San Antonio, Irving and Oxnard, Calif. They then returned home to Valley Ranch, where the Cowboys spent 15 additional days readying themselves for the games that actually mattered.
When Dallas later stumbled to a 1-7 record, a slide that was punctuated by a catastrophic 38-point defeat to Green Bay in November, some wondered if the Cowboys' preseason odyssey - one that seemed more conducive to marketing the franchise's brand than promoting a stable work environment -- had overextended and damaged the team. Based on that supposition, they suggested that the Cowboys would be better served training in one location.
For Jones, the possibility of an 18-game schedule offers a convenient excuse to review and perhaps revise the practice structure the Cowboys use before the season. After all, it appears, at least superficially, the Cowboys would be hard-pressed to train in three cities if the preseason is condensed.
"To me, you would have a shorter time that you'd spend away from your training facility," Jones said. "I don't know how we would address that because we like training in both San Antonio and California."
But last year, the circumstances were different. The Cowboys stayed two weeks in each place while playing five exhibition games - one more than the standard number for NFL teams. If the preseason schedule is reduced when a new CBA is enacted, would it be logistically feasible for the Cowboys to continue their training camp tour?
This is a question they may want to consider now because there is a good chance they will have to address it in the near future.
As the expiration date of the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the Players Association draws near, the prospect of an 18-game season becomes more realistic. Among those that favor an expanded schedule is Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who has championed the erosion of an elongated preseason.
"I think we can get our teams prepared with two preseason games," Jones said to a pack of reporters last week.
But if a new format were to be implemented in the way Jones desires, would the Cowboys be able to continue their traveling circus that doubles as their training camp? Last year, Dallas spent 36 days in July and August preparing for the 2010 season while shuttling between San Antonio, Irving and Oxnard, Calif. They then returned home to Valley Ranch, where the Cowboys spent 15 additional days readying themselves for the games that actually mattered.
When Dallas later stumbled to a 1-7 record, a slide that was punctuated by a catastrophic 38-point defeat to Green Bay in November, some wondered if the Cowboys' preseason odyssey - one that seemed more conducive to marketing the franchise's brand than promoting a stable work environment -- had overextended and damaged the team. Based on that supposition, they suggested that the Cowboys would be better served training in one location.
For Jones, the possibility of an 18-game schedule offers a convenient excuse to review and perhaps revise the practice structure the Cowboys use before the season. After all, it appears, at least superficially, the Cowboys would be hard-pressed to train in three cities if the preseason is condensed.
"To me, you would have a shorter time that you'd spend away from your training facility," Jones said. "I don't know how we would address that because we like training in both San Antonio and California."
But last year, the circumstances were different. The Cowboys stayed two weeks in each place while playing five exhibition games - one more than the standard number for NFL teams. If the preseason schedule is reduced when a new CBA is enacted, would it be logistically feasible for the Cowboys to continue their training camp tour?
This is a question they may want to consider now because there is a good chance they will have to address it in the near future.
