After watching her husband on TV Keith Brooking's wife asked "Who are you?"
The difference I see with the Cowboys and especially their defense this year is intensity. Football is a game of emotion and Brooking brings that emotion. I wrote long ago how I liked Marion Barber because he brought attitude to the field without the cockiness that no one likes.
The Cowboys defense was second in the league in fewest points allowed. That wins Super Bowls!!! They will need that "it doesn't matter we are going to kick butt" in Minnesota this week.
Watch Brooking fire the troops up:
Keith Brooking from the Cowboys Website:
Linebacker
Height:
6-2
Weight:
242
College:
Georgia Tech
Years:
12
PRO: A five-time Pro Bowl selection with the Atlanta Falcons, Keith Brooking will be playing for a team outside of his home state of Georgia for the first time in his football career after joining the Dallas Cowboys as a free agent on February 28, 2009. Brooking brings a wealth of knowledge of Wade Phillips' 3-4 defense having played for him in Atlanta from 2002-03. He also has a knack for making plays which he has shown the past eight consecutive seasons as he led the Falcons in tackles. Brooking totaled 200-plus tackle seasons in 2002 (212) and 2003 (207), becoming only the second Falcons player to tally 200-or-more tackles in a season twice and his 212 tackles were the most in season since linebacker Buddy Curry tallied 229 in 1983. He will assume a familiar role as the starting middle linebacker next to Bradie James, where he has started 128 consecutive games dating back to 2001. His five straight Pro-Bowl appearances from 2001-05 tied him with Claude Humphrey (1970-74) and Mike Kenn (1980-84) as the only players in Falcons history to have made five consecutive Pro Bowls. Brooking was originally a first round draft choice (12th overall) by the Atlanta Falcons in 1998 and was part of the Falcons run to Super Bowl XXXIII as a rookie.
TRANSACTION SUMMARY: 2/28/09: Signed a three-year contract with Dallas. 2/20/03: Re-signed by Atlanta. 11/1/00: Placed on Reserve/Injured with a sprained foot. 4/18/98: Drafted in the first round (12th overall) by Atlanta.
2008 (Atlanta):
Started all 16 contests and led the Falcons in tackles (133) for the eighth consecutive season while contributing with three passes defensed.
Had a team-high 12 tackles at Green Bay (10/5) in his 150th career game.
Posted a team-high 10 tackles and one pass defensed at New Orleans (12/7).
Tied a season-high with 12 tackles while making his 14th start of the season against Tampa Bay (12/14). Also registered two passes defensed.
Started his 128th consecutive game at linebacker and posted 11 tackles against St. Louis (12/28).
Started at middle linebacker for Atlanta's wild card match-up at Arizona (1/3/09) and finished with seven tackles (six solo) and deflected one pass.
2007 (Atlanta):
Finished with 127 tackles (82 solo), two sacks, one fumble recovery and four passes defensed in 16 starts.
Posted a team-high 11 tackles and one pass defensed at Jacksonville (9/16).
Led the team with 10 tackles, including nine solo tackles, at New Orleans (10/21).
Logged six tackles and one sack against San Francisco (11/4).
Notched a team-high 10 tackles with one sack against Indianapolis (11/22).
Had a season-high 15 tackles at Tampa Bay (12/16) for a defense that allowed a season-low 109 passing yards.
2006 (Atlanta):
Started all 16 games for the sixth consecutive season and led the team with 165 tackles for the sixth year in a row. He added 2.5 sacks, one fumble recovery and one pass defensed.
Led the team in tackles with 12 against Tampa Bay (9/17) in addition to assisting a defense that did not allow a touchdown for the second consecutive game.
Collected a team-high 13 tackles along with a at Detroit (11/5).
Tallied his fourth straight double-digit tackle game with 15 at Baltimore (11/19).
Posted nine tackles and one sack against New Orleans (11/26).
Led the team in tackles with a season-high 18 at Tampa Bay (12/10). The 18 tackles ties his second-highest single-game tackle total - at New Orleans 11/16/03.
2005 (Atlanta):
Made his team-record tying fifth consecutive Pro Bowl appearance while finishing the season with a team-high 150 tackles in addition to establishing career-highs in interceptions (four) and passes defensed (10). Also recorded one fumble recovery and tied a career-high with 3.5 sacks.
Recorded 12 tackles and his first sack of the season at Seattle (9/18).
Posted eight tackles, one sack and one interception against Minnesota (10/2) in his 100th career game and became the first Falcons player to record a sack and interception in the same game since 2000 (St. Louis).
Started his first game of the season at MLB in place of an injured Ed Hartwell (Achilles) at New Orleans (10/16) and led the linebacker corps with eight tackles while also posting his second interception of the season.
Established a career-high with his fourth interception of the season at Tampa Bay (12/24) and tallied a team-high 12 tackles.
Had sack, one pass defensed and a team-high 10 tackles against Carolina (1/1/06) in the season finale.
2004 (Atlanta):
Earned Pro Bowl honors for the fourth straight year after totaling a team-high 144 tackles. Also added 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and three interceptions as he led the team in tackles 10 times.
Recorded a team-high 10 tackles along with one forced fumble at Carolina (10/3) in a defensive effort that limited the Panthers to 10 points.
Registered 10 tackles and one interception against San Diego (10/17) as he helped limit RB LaDainian Tomlinson to 64 yards on 23 carries (2.8 avg.).
Recorded nine tackles and his first sack since the 2001 season against Tampa Bay (11/14).
Had two forced fumbles, one sack and a season-high 12 tackles against Carolina (12/18).
2003 (Atlanta):
Named to his third consecutive Pro Bowl after registering a team-high 207 total tackles and a career-high 130 solo stops in 16 starts. Also posted two fumble recoveries.
Posted a season-high 18 tackles at New Orleans (11/16), his second-highest total since he recorded 22 stops at Green Bay (9/8/02).
Registered 17 tackles apiece against N.Y. Giants (11/9), at Tampa Bay (12/20) and against Jacksonville (12/28).
2002 (Atlanta):
Earned his second straight Pro Bowl nod after leading the team with a career-high 212 tackles. Also added two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and one blocked field goal.
Became the fifth Falcons player to total 200 tackles in a season, following LB Tommy Nobis (296 in 1966), LB Fulton Kuykendall (284 in 1978), LB Buddy Curry (229 in 1983) and LB Jessie Tuggle (201 in 1990, 207 in 1991).
Established a career-high with 22 tackles at Green Bay (9/8). The 22 tackles were the most by a Falcons player since LB Jessie Tuggle had 22 against New Orleans on September 29, 1991.
Named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts against New Orleans (11/17) when he collected 15 stops and one fumble recovery.
Blocked his first-career field goal at Minnesota (12/1).
2001 (Atlanta):
Started all 16 games for the first time in his career and did not miss a play on defense in 957 total snaps as he made the transition to middle linebacker. Led the team with 167 tackles in addition to registering two interceptions, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, nine passes defensed and 3.5 sacks.
Became the first Pro Bowl player from the Falcons roster since 1998 when six players were voted to Hawaii.
Registered 15 tackles and one sack in his middle linebacker debut at San Francisco (9/9).
Named Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career at New Orleans (10/21) after recording 12 tackles, one sack and two passes defensed.
Had a key interception against Dallas (11/11) to seal a 20-13 win with 0:16 remaining on Atlanta's 30-yard line.
2000 (Atlanta):
Totaled 39 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble in five starts before suffering a sprained foot at Philadelphia (10/1). Placed on Injured Reserve November 1.
1999 (Atlanta):
Played and started in 13 games, finishing fourth on the team with 95 tackles in addition to posting two sacks and two passes defensed.
Made first career start against Minnesota (9/12) and tallied eight tackles.
Recorded first career sack against Baltimore (10/3).
1998 (Atlanta):
Played in 15 games and posted 32 tackles, one interception, two forced fumbles, and five passes defensed as he served as the team's nickel linebacker in passing situations throughout the season.
Tallied eight tackles in the NFC Championship Game at Minnesota (1/17/99).
COLLEGE:
Started 34 straight games to end his college career as he led the team in tackles during his final three seasons at Georgia Tech and became the leading tackler in school history with 467 career stops.
Had two of the top tackle seasons in Georgia Tech history with 147 and 146 as a junior and sophomore, respectively.
Collected 131 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions, three passes defensed, one fumble recovery and one blocked field goal to lead Tech to a Bowl game as a senior. Voted a permanent team captain by his teammates and a finalist for the Dick Butkus Award.
Top tackler in the ACC in 1995 after averaging 13.3 stops-per-game and ranked second in the conference in 1996 with 13.4 tackles-per-game.
Closed out collegiate career with 15 tackles and one interception to help the Yellow Jackets defeat West Virginia in the Carquest Bowl.
PERSONAL:
Served as the team captain and co-team MVP at East Coweta High School in Senoia, GA, totaling 250 tackles and 53 receptions for 622 yards with seven touchdowns in his career.
Named to the prestigious Georgia Tech Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.
He and his wife, Holly, have a daughter, Ella, and a son, Logan.
COMMUNITY:
Founded The Keith Brooking Children's Foundation in 2003 to serve foster children and the agencies who assist and support them throughout metro Atlanta.
Has helped the Atlanta Community Food Bank raise funds and collect food for the last six years through the Player Performance Pledge. As the official team spokesperson for the ACFB, Brooking coordinates the Bird for a Bird turkey drive and prepares holiday meals with other Atlanta celebrities during the Great Thanksgiving Dish.
Named Falcons 2002 Man of the Year for his extensive community involvement.
Supporter of East Coweta High School as he holds a yearly golf tournament in the off-season with proceeds going to the school's athletic department. A plaque honoring the annual "Keith Brooking Most Dedicated Athlete Award" hangs in the school's front lobby.
The Cowboys All- Everything LB DeMarcus Ware was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week. This honor does not begin to describe how a warrior like Ware has played. First he has a broken foot. Then he has a broken wrist, then he is taken off the field in a stretcher. All in just a few weeks.
Then he comes back and forces two fumbles including the game saver and two sacks. Forget stats, this is the play of legend and NFL fans need to appreciate it.
2006 NFL Draft pick #18 Bobby Carpenter has finally started to add to the defensive unit that is beginning to play a little better. Carpenter is in mid-season form as the nickle linebacker. He made 4 tackles against Seattle and even record a sack which was a nice play. If he can continue to step up the Cowboys defense wil only get better.
This is a great signing by the Cowboys.Ware if he stays healthy will be the cornerstone of the defense for years to come.The only concern I have is at 27 years old he will be 33 at the end of the contract.That is old by NFL standards.
Dallas Cowboys All-Pro Linebacker / Sack Machine “Beware’ DeMarcus Ware signed the largest contract in franchise history – six years, $78 million with $40 million guaranteed.
Ware received a $20 million signing bonus and will earn $34 million in the contract's first 12 months, and $40 million, equaling Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs' record, in the first two years.
"It's time for me to get to work," Ware said. "You know what it's time to bring home? I'm not going to say it, but you know what it is."
This explains a lot!It could be a season changer for the Cowboys!
Last season linebacker DeMarcus Ware had a league-leading 20 sacks; he had five sacks after five games. He has only two this season, both of which came in the Dallas Cowboys’ game against the Kansas City Chiefs two weeks ago.
Ware has played the past three games with a stress fracture in his left foot. An MRI last week discovered the stress fracture, which Ware thought was merely a sore foot.
Ware said his foot injury is not to blame for his lackluster start to the season. Ware said the injury should be fully healed in two weeks. He is rehabbing it with a bone stimulator.He has also had a neck injury this season.
"I have been doing what I need to do, and it hasn’t been hindering me," Ware said.
Well something is slowing him down.I know teams double team him on every play but you know something was not right.I am surprised that it took three weeks to figure it out.
The Cowboys best defensive player of the last decade has been on a rookie contract since being signed in 2005.It has one year to go but the Cowboys would be insane not to sign their best player to a $50M+ multi-year contract similar to the contract signed by Pittsburgh’s Defensive MVP James Harrison last April.To be sure if the Cowboys were not 9-7 last season Ware would have been the Defensive Player of the Year.
Sack artists at linebacker
James Harrison's 16 sacks last season, when he was voted NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the AP, were the third most by any linebacker. Tops in '08:
Sacks
Notable
DeMarcus Ware
20.0
34.0 sacks in last 2 seasons
Joey Porter
17.5
4-time Pro Bowl selection
James Harrison
16.0
2008 1st-team All-Pro
The Cowboys have to sign Ware before this Sunday’s game with the Buccaneers. The Cowboys have done a great job staying under the radar so a contract dispute will onl distract from the team’s focus.
This is not good. The Cowboys can not be happy with the LBs they have. Specifically Bobby Carpenter.
The Cowboys made their second waiver-wire claim in as many days by picking up defensive end Curtis Johnson off waivers from Indianapolis. To make room for Johnson, the Cowboys cut guard Greg Isdaner.
Johnson was waived injured by the Colts with a hamstring injury on Monday. Johnson played in seven games last year as a defensive end for the Colts and had five tackles and a sack. At 6-3, 237 pounds, he is expected to play outside linebacker in the Cowboys' 3-4 scheme.
The Cowboys signed LB Tearrius George, who was on their practice squad last season until joining the New Orleans Saints who picked him up in December. He spent the off season with the Miami Dolphins but was released Monday. Dallas made the move after rookie LB Williams was put on IR.
Duke Preston, the center/guard the Cowboys picked up this week, probably won't play Saturday against San Francisco. The 6-5, 320-pound Preston's goal is to establish himself as the offensive line's "sixth man." He made 20 starts in four seasons for the Bills, splitting time at center and guard. He also has limited experience at tackle.
Preston is probably competing with Cory Procter for a roster spot. Procter has the advantage of significant experience in Jason Garrett's system, having started two games at center in 2007 and 11 at guard last season. But Preston would make less than half as much as Procter, who would have a salary of $1.54 million.
George Bio and Video
Tearrius George (born December 3, 1982 in Fayetteville, North Carolina) is an American football linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at KansasState.George has also been a member of the Calgary Stampeders, New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins.
In 2006, Preston appeared in all 16 games for the Bills while starting in 8 of the contests. In 2007, Preston failed to start in any games for the Bills, but made appearances in 13 of the clubs 16 games.
In his final season with the Bills, Preston started 11 games, all at center. He has also played some guard and right tackle for the Bills making appearances in 15 of the teams 16 contests.
During the four years Preston spent with the Bills, he appeared in 59 of the teams 64 contests while getting a starting nod in 20 of them. After the 2008 season, Preston became an unrestricted free agent.
Check out the video, it does not say much about Duke but it is a riot!
Dallas Cowboys All-Pro LB DeMarcus Ware had a league-high 20 sacks but it was not good enough for the Cowboys' outside linebacker to win the Associated Press' Defensive Player of the Year Award. Ware finished second to Pittsburgh's James Harrison with 13 votes to Harrison's 22. Clearly the AP picked Harrison because the Steelers made the playoffs and the Cowboys did not.
"I've got something to shoot for – to become the No. 1 player," Ware said. "There will be a lot of guys shooting for it but it just gives me something to shoot for, like I didn't get the sack record and that's something to shoot for." Harrison had a Steelers' record 16 sacks and seven forced fumbles, while leading the No. 1 ranked defense. Baltimore safety Ed Reed was third followed by Tennessee defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth and Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu.
Ware's 20 sacks were 2.5 short of Michael Strahan's league record. Harvey Martin has the team record with 23 sacks, but the NFL did not count sacks as an official stat until 1982. By Ware's count, he missed six sacks in which he had his hands on the quarterback.
Cowboys LB Bradie James quietly has monster game against Seahawks with more than twice as many tackles as any other defender and two sacks. LB Zach Thomas again has nice game with six tackles.
Zach Thomas signed a four-year, $19.8 million deal with the Cowboys in the off-season, but the contract allowed him to void the last three years if he played 32 percent of the snaps. With eight games to play, Thomas has already played enough to become a free agent after the season.
Crap!
Thomas at the midpoint of the season leads all Cowboys defenders in tackles. Without him the defense would have problems.
The offense had its best-run period of training camp Monday. After the first two plays, Tony Romo shouted, "Defense is getting dominated." Marion Barber had a few big holes to pick his way through, and on one play, offensive lineman Leonard Davis bowled over linebacker Zach Thomas.
*
All reports are that Thomas is having a great camp.
The Cowboy’s Corner welcomes Texas native Zach Thomas to the Cowboys. He will provide senior leadership on defense while he proves all of his critics wrong. Thomas, a 12-year NFL veteran spent his entire NFL career with the Miami Dolphins prior to his release on February 14, 2008. The seven time Pro Bowl selection, led the Dolphins in tackles in 10 of his 12 seasons - recording at least 100 tackles in his first 11 seasons for a career total of 1,866 total tackles. He recorded 52 tackles in 2007 in five games missing the other 11 games with a concussion. For his career he has started every game he has played in for a total of 168 games.
