Bobbleheadrusty wrote:Every team in the league does some form of this, with offseason tryouts for street FAs and rookie camps.
The difference is that the Cowboys are smart enough to make a TV show out of it, gain more fans, and improve on their national following (AKA America's Team).
And I hate them for it and my own Eagles for not thinking of it first.
Eagles did think of it first when they gave bartender Vince Papale a shot in 1976 and he made it, later made famous in the movie Invincible starring Mark Wahlberg. Cowboys are just stealin' your thunder!
Fantasy Football: "Luck is where preparation meets opportunity"
Anyone wonder how is he doing? It appears he is fitting in and the vets are accepting him. Here's a nice article on him:
2009 DALLAS COWBOYS CAMP: Holley dreams big
By Justin Coons Correspondent Published August 8, 2009
SAN ANTONIO — Before this summer, Jesse Holley was thinking of becoming a policeman. Now he wants to be a Cowboy.
A part-time security guard and cell phone salesman just a short time ago, Holley won the reality show “4th and Long” this past summer to earn an invitation to the Dallas Cowboys’ fall training camp and a chance at jump-starting a stalling football career.
Holley reported to camp this month at the Alamodome as the 80th and final man on the Cowboys’ roster, with little over a month to prove himself to the team.
“I’m just so blessed to be out here,” said Holley, 25.
After a standout career at North Carolina, where he was also a member of the Tar Heels’ 2005 basketball national championship team, the 6-foot-3, 213-pound wide receiver was signed and cut by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2007. Holley joined the CFL’s British Columbia Lions the following year but saw his season end with the same result.
The New Jersey native began to ponder leaving football for good – that is, until a surreal series of events changed his life. Following the advice of a friend, Holley auditioned for the show, hosted by Cowboys great Michael Irvin.
Holley was selected along with 11 other contestants for the 10-week show, and was announced the winner over co-finalist Andrew Hawkins on July 20.
It was time to put the police academy plans on hold.
Holley failed to record a stat in the Cowboys first preseason game. I Googled him and couldn't find any more information to determine if he played or what he did, either.
"There is no charge for awesomeness or attractiveness." - Po (Kung Fu Panda)
joejlitz wrote:Holley failed to record a stat in the Cowboys first preseason game. I Googled him and couldn't find any more information to determine if he played or what he did, either.
You can't blame him, considering how McGee played in the second half, which is when Holley would have been playing.
joejlitz wrote:Holley failed to record a stat in the Cowboys first preseason game. I Googled him and couldn't find any more information to determine if he played or what he did, either.
You can't blame him, considering how McGee played in the second half, which is when Holley would have been playing.
Not blaming him. I'm hoping to see him succeed.
"There is no charge for awesomeness or attractiveness." - Po (Kung Fu Panda)
by jake_twothousandfive » Sun Aug 16, 2009 6:54 pm
joejlitz wrote:Holley failed to record a stat in the Cowboys first preseason game. I Googled him and couldn't find any more information to determine if he played or what he did, either.
He was only in for a handful of plays. I didn't watch it, but according to the blog I read (I'll look for a link) he lined up at wideout 3-4 plays and had one special teams play. Apparently he was open over the middle once, but Stephen McGee either didn't see him or just elected to throw it to someone else.
Here's a recent article about Holley that estimates him at 7th on the depth chart or worse for a DAL team that will probably retain only 5 WRs. There's a nice touching story in here, too about how Holley and a child with Down Syndrome got to meet.
He also made his first catch as a cowboy in the last game for 9 yards.
MINNEAPOLIS — Clearly something was in the air at the Metrodome Friday night.
From wide receiver Jesse Holley’s improbable 82-yard punt return for a touchdown to cap a 35-31 comeback victory and script an ending even Spike TV’s 4th and Long producers couldn’t envision...
...After the Cowboys defense forced a punt, Holley showed his flair for the dramatic.
He was not the return man. He is just on the return team. But the punt bounced backward over the defense. Holley grabbed it and scored.
"I felt like that was my opportunity to make that play," Holley said. "What the heck do I have to lose? If I fumbled it, what was the worst thing that was going to happen? They cut me? And if I kept it, what’s the greatest thing that was going to happen? They keep me. So I grabbed it and took off. I could feel a guy behind me running when I got to the 5 so I just jumped in and you know, game winner."
Holley thinks he did enough to keep his dream alive and at least make the practice squad if not the team.
Final cuts are today. The Cowboys must trim 22 players to get to the final number of 53.
Rest of Article: Cowboys Win That's awesome news. I don't know if he will make the team, but good for him.
"There is no charge for awesomeness or attractiveness." - Po (Kung Fu Panda)
The kind of effort that Holley put in on that return play is what wins guys roster spots for special teams duty. Up until that point, I thought the Holley story had ended and he was a no brainer to be cut. But that one play is what could have given Holley that 53rd roster spot. At worst, I think Holley stays on as a practice squad player.
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