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Cowlishaw: Shenanigans aside, Morris Claiborne was cursed on Day 1 in Dallas
Tim Cowlishaw wtcowlishaw@dallasnews.com
Published: 24 September 2014 11:51 AM
Updated: 24 September 2014 01:09 PM
Mo Claiborne was cursed the day he arrived at Valley Ranch. Anything short of all-pro performances was guaranteed to qualify as a disappointment for a player that cost the Cowboys first- and second-round picks.
Of course, Claiborne has been far, far short of all-pro and on Tuesday he became a no-show when he skipped team meetings after receiving word of his demotion. Could this news following a terrible performance in St. Louis that just happened to conclude with an interception really have shocked him?
On Wednesday, Claiborne was back at practice, having apologized to his teammates, according to Jason Garrett. The Cowboys head coach said in his daily news conference the team would keep its punishment of Claiborne "in house" and move on.
What does Claiborne need to do moving forward?
"He needs to get better from a technical standpoint, from a scheme standpoint, from an emotional standpoint,'' Garrett said.
There's no question any longer that Orlando Scandrick is the better choice as a starter.
Does Claiborne even become the nickel cornerback against slot receivers? Sterling Moore has made a number of plays in that spot and hardly seems in need of a demotion to make room for Claiborne.
Against a wide-open attack like the New Orleans Saints will bring to town Sunday night, Claiborne will get some plays for sure. But how many?
Garrett didn't want to break down details of how Claiborne might fit into plans for the immediate future. "Everyone's competing with everybody,'' he said.
Only Claiborne is competing with the burden of having arrived at such a high cost in draft picks, and he's never going to live up to that. But he's not the first cornerback to walk out on this team and he won't be the last.
I remember Everson Walls walking out on the team in a contract dispute just before the season opener in 1986. Then he announced his return on the Sunday night sports shows the day before the Monday night opener.
The rather large difference?
Walls is the club's all-time interceptions leader. He could play, and in the pre-free agency days, he wasn't alone in having trouble prying money out of Tex Schramm's hands.
Claiborne is never going to be great or anything close to what Walls was for this club.
But hopes of his ever being simply good enough to play are fading fast. Last Sunday and this week haven't done anything to help.
Tim Cowlishaw wtcowlishaw@dallasnews.com
Published: 24 September 2014 11:51 AM
Updated: 24 September 2014 01:09 PM
Mo Claiborne was cursed the day he arrived at Valley Ranch. Anything short of all-pro performances was guaranteed to qualify as a disappointment for a player that cost the Cowboys first- and second-round picks.
Of course, Claiborne has been far, far short of all-pro and on Tuesday he became a no-show when he skipped team meetings after receiving word of his demotion. Could this news following a terrible performance in St. Louis that just happened to conclude with an interception really have shocked him?
On Wednesday, Claiborne was back at practice, having apologized to his teammates, according to Jason Garrett. The Cowboys head coach said in his daily news conference the team would keep its punishment of Claiborne "in house" and move on.
What does Claiborne need to do moving forward?
"He needs to get better from a technical standpoint, from a scheme standpoint, from an emotional standpoint,'' Garrett said.
There's no question any longer that Orlando Scandrick is the better choice as a starter.
Does Claiborne even become the nickel cornerback against slot receivers? Sterling Moore has made a number of plays in that spot and hardly seems in need of a demotion to make room for Claiborne.
Against a wide-open attack like the New Orleans Saints will bring to town Sunday night, Claiborne will get some plays for sure. But how many?
Garrett didn't want to break down details of how Claiborne might fit into plans for the immediate future. "Everyone's competing with everybody,'' he said.
Only Claiborne is competing with the burden of having arrived at such a high cost in draft picks, and he's never going to live up to that. But he's not the first cornerback to walk out on this team and he won't be the last.
I remember Everson Walls walking out on the team in a contract dispute just before the season opener in 1986. Then he announced his return on the Sunday night sports shows the day before the Monday night opener.
The rather large difference?
Walls is the club's all-time interceptions leader. He could play, and in the pre-free agency days, he wasn't alone in having trouble prying money out of Tex Schramm's hands.
Claiborne is never going to be great or anything close to what Walls was for this club.
But hopes of his ever being simply good enough to play are fading fast. Last Sunday and this week haven't done anything to help.
