green_goblin

Wow, what a game!! I give a lot of credit to Arsenal for putting a fight and not to mention, minus one man. Congrats to Barca!!

Yeah, they do have a nice line up. Yet, the Cav's are putting a fight but in the end the Pistons will take the series.

Not to mention the Spurs never lost three games in a row during the entire season! So, lets say we take the series against them. Who would you like for us to play against in the Conference Finals? Suns or LAC

Click Here SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame's decision to schedule a game each season at neutral sites starting in 2009 is an attempt to return the school to its independent roots. Athletic director Kevin White said Tuesday the goal is to travel to different parts of the country and ensure that the only school with a national television contract remains a nationwide school. He said it would help recruiting and give more Fighting Irish fans a chance to see the team. Division I football will go to a 12-game schedule for all schools beginning this season. "I think over time we've really begun to behave like a wannabe conference member," White said. "I think it was real important for us to go back to our roots and behave more like an independent -- go back to the coach Rockne barnstorming era if you will." The game is a sign that Notre Dame is moving further away from possibly affiliating with a conference, White said. He said the games aren't truly neutral-site games, but home contests played away from South Bend. They will not be against what White described as "heavyweights." "We have enough heavyweights on the schedule," he said. "We need to have a schedule that's conducive to success." He said the university is negotiating to play in Jacksonville and Orlando, Fla., New Orleans and Dallas. The school is looking at existing bowl-game organizations to help stage the contests. "It's really not a bad idea for Notre Dame to have relationships with lots of different entities," White said. Some Notre Dame fans contend the team's upcoming schedules are not as tough as previous ones. White said he is not trying to put together the nation's most difficult schedule. "We need to schedule in a way it puts us in a position to win national championships," he said. "We could have a great football team and schedule ourselves out of a championship. You can schedule yourself in, you can schedule yourself out. The last time I checked, the most important thing here is to try to win national championships."

Wait, aren't you a Patriot's fan anyways? I guess I can pay attention to them this year! Congrats to Mr. Cobbs!!

click here “If he's carrying five pounds of marijuana he's either the stupidest man alive or he thinks he's bullet proof,” Harris said. “Because if you've got five pounds of marijuana you're sure not going to call the cops, call 911 and give them to permission slips to search your vehicle.” What in the world was he thinking?

click here FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The New England Patriots signed rookie free agent running back Patrick Cobbs and rookie free agent wide receiver Jakari Wallace today. Terms of the agreements were not disclosed. Both players participated in a tryout at the Patriots’ rookie mini camp this past weekend. Cobbs, 23, attended the University of North Texas, where he played in 47 games from 2001-05. The 5-foot-9-inch, 205-pound running back’s career college totals include 818 rushes for 4,050 yards (5.0 avg) and 36 touchdowns. The Tecumseh, Okla. native also caught 38 passes for 352 yards (9.3 avg) and a touchdown. In 2003, Cobbs led the nation in rushing (152.7 yards per game) and scoring (11.5 points per game). Wallace, 23, attended the University of Minnesota, where he played in 31 games from 2002-05. The 5-foot-8-inch, 170-pound wide receiver’s college totals include 40 career receptions for 603 yards (15.1 avg) and one touchdown. The Lauderdale Lakes, Fla. native also recorded 17 career rushes for 90 yards (5.3 avg) and a touchdown.

Can you say.... 2 games to 1 C'mon..We got home field advantange!

HAZING!

When was the last time NT had a player of that caliber?

I normally don't pay attention to NT's B-ball ( )but it's getting pretty interesting with the players were getting!!

You got that right!

My picks: Big 10: Michigan Big XII: Texas A&M Big East: Pitt SEC: Florida Pac 10: UCLA WAC: La Tech C-USA: SMU MWC: TCU MAC: Northern Illinois Indy: Notre Dame

Happy Cinco de Mayo!! The 5th of May is not Mexican Independence Day, but it should be! And Cinco de Mayo is not an American holiday, but it should be. Mexico declared its independence from mother Spain on midnight, the 15th of September, 1810. And it took 11 years before the first Spanish soldiers were told and forced to leave Mexico. So, why Cinco de Mayo? And why should Americans savor this day as well? Because 4,000 Mexican soldiers smashed the French and traitor Mexican army of 8,000 at Puebla, Mexico, 100 miles east of Mexico City on the morning of May 5, 1862. The French had landed in Mexico (along with Spanish and English troops) five months earlier on the pretext of collecting Mexican debts from the newly elected government of democratic President (and Indian) Benito Juarez. The English and Spanish quickly made deals and left. The French, however, had different ideas. Under Emperor Napoleon III, who detested the United States, the French came to stay. They brought a Hapsburg prince with them to rule the new Mexican empire. His name was Maximilian; his wife, Carolota. Napoleon's French Army had not been defeated in 50 years, and it invaded Mexico with the finest modern equipment and with a newly reconstituted Foreign Legion. The French were not afraid of anyone, especially since the United States was embroiled in its own Civil War. The French Army left the port of Vera Cruz to attack Mexico City to the west, as the French assumed that the Mexicans would give up should their capital fall to the enemy -- as European countries traditionally did. Under the command of Texas-born General Zaragosa, (and the cavalry under the command of Colonel Porfirio Diaz, later to be Mexico's president and dictator), the Mexicans awaited. Brightly dressed French Dragoons led the enemy columns. The Mexican Army was less stylish. General Zaragosa ordered Colonel Diaz to take his cavalry, the best in the world, out to the French flanks. In response, the French did a most stupid thing; they sent their cavalry off to chase Diaz and his men, who proceeded to butcher them. The remaining French infantrymen charged the Mexican defenders through sloppy mud from a thunderstorm and through hundreds of head of stampeding cattle stirred up by Indians armed only with machetes. When the battle was over, many French were killed or wounded and their cavalry was being chased by Diaz' superb horsemen miles away. The Mexicans had won a great victory that kept Napoleon III from supplying the confederate rebels for another year, allowing the United States to build the greatest army the world had ever seen. This grand army smashed the Confederates at Gettysburg just 14 months after the battle of Puebla, essentially ending the Civil War. Union forces were then rushed to the Texas/Mexican border under General Phil Sheridan, who made sure that the Mexicans got all the weapons and ammunition they needed to expel the French. American soldiers were discharged with their uniforms and rifles if they promised to join the Mexican Army to fight the French. The American Legion of Honor marched in the Victory Parade in Mexico, City. It might be a historical stretch to credit the survival of the United States to those brave 4,000 Mexicans who faced an army twice as large in 1862. But who knows? In gratitude, thousands of Mexicans crossed the border after Pearl Harbor to join the U.S. Armed Forces. As recently as the Persian Gulf War, Mexicans flooded American consulates with phone calls, trying to join up and fight another war for America. Mexicans, you see, never forget who their friends are, and neither do Americans. That's why Cinco de Mayo is such a party -- A party that celebrates freedom and liberty. There are two ideals which Mexicans and Americans have fought shoulder to shoulder to protect, ever since the 5th of May, 1862. VIVA! el CINCO DE MAYO!!

No kidding..

DentonRc: Article posted on April 28th The $700 million grant will pay about half the cost to build 21 miles of rail line from Pleasant Grove to Farmers Branch. The first stations from downtown Dallas to Fair Park should open by September 2009. Another 27 miles of lines or extensions to Rowlett, Carrollton, Irving, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and south Oak Cliff will be built with local money. When complete, the new lines will tie together residential areas of southeast Dallas with employment centers in the hospital district and the airport, as well as provide commuting alternatives from southern Denton County along Interstate 35E. Most lines should open by 2010 to 2013. The south Oak Cliff extension is scheduled to open in 2018.

Here is a map on current and future services. It does have Carrollton Farmers Branch included. Future Expansion

Denton Rc Article ARLINGTON — Johnny Quinn couldn’t have asked for more on Wednesday night. The weather was great, it was dollar hot dog night and — best of all — the wide receiver had a chance to follow in the impressive line of players to represent North Texas on Mean Green Night at Ameriquest Field in Arlington. Quinn threw out the first pitch before the Rangers’ game against the Baltimore Orioles. “You can’t turn down ballpark hot dogs,” Quinn said. “It’s a pretty big deal to get to throw out the first pitch. It was exciting to come out and represent North Texas.” Former national rushing champions Patrick Cobbs and Jamario Thomas teamed up to throw out the first pitch last season. Cobbs threw out the pitch two years ago. New UNT running backs coach and former Ryan assistant Ramone Archie came to the game with Quinn and brought his 3-year-old son Ethan along. Both stood on the field as Quinn threw a high strike to Rangers Captain, the team’s mascot. “I have been to just one other Rangers game about four or five years ago,” Archie said. “I got the chance to go because everyone else was on the road recruiting.” UNT rotates its assistant coaches so that one is in the office during each week of the spring recruiting period while the rest of the coaches who recruit are on the road. While Archie earned his trip to Arlington by default, Quinn secured his opportunity to represent the Mean Green at Ameriquest Field by racking up impressive statistics in a running-based offense. The former McKinney standout has caught a pass in all 36 games of his college career heading into his senior season and ranks among the top 10 players in school history in receiving yards (sixth, 2,085), receiving touchdowns (tied for fourth, 17) and receptions (eighth, 130). He has been named to the All-Sun Belt Conference team in each of the last two seasons. Quinn’s family made the trip to Arlington for the game along with a few of his former high school teammates, three of which made their way to the first row of seats behind the plate to say hello to Quinn before he threw out his pitch. The Mean Green can only hope their season goes as well as Quinn’s pitch. UNT is coming off of a 2-9 campaign that ended the Mean Green’s run of four straight Sun Belt Conference titles and four consecutive appearances in the New Orleans Bowl. “I can’t wait for the season to start again,” Quinn said. “Summer workouts start soon. I will rejoin the team after track season is over.” Quinn has shown versatility throughout his college career by running on the UNT track team in addition to developing into a standout wide receiver. Quinn didn’t look too bad throwing out the first pitch at the Rangers game either on a night he said he won’t soon forget. “I never thought I would get a chance to do that,” Quinn said. “It was fun to be on the field in a professional stadium.” BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is +bvito@dentonrc.com .

2006 All-Undrafted Team Unveiling 2006's all-undrafted team Story Tools: Rich Cirminiello / CollegeFootballNews.com Year after year, the NFL's annual draft reaffirms the old axiom that college success does little to guarantee an athlete a spot on a pro roster. Production and post-season honors do count for something, but hardly enough to trump a poor 40 time, character concerns or medical red flags. For these one-time big men on campus, the two-day odyssey of picks and ESPN promos can be an extremely trying and humbling experience that can force a kid and his family to check every few minutes to see if the phone is still on the hook. And while their football careers may be far from over, the next leg of the journey will begin in an unfamiliar spot — at the bottom of the depth chart and as an undrafted rookie free agent. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Offense Brett Basanez was signed by Carolina after the NFL Draft was over. (Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images) QB Brett Basanez, Northwestern — The next stop for the reigning Big Ten offensive player of the year and holder of 30 school records is Carolina, where he'll be looking to earn a spot as the Panthers' third-string quarterback. Also: Josh Betts (Miami U.), Bruce Eugene (Grambling), Darrell Hackney (UAB), Ryan Hart (Rutgers), Joel Klatt (Colorado), Drew Olson (UCLA), Marcus Vick (Virginia Tech), Paul Pinegar (Fresno State) RB DonTrell Moore, New Mexico — Moore rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his four seasons and finished his Lobo career with 4,973 yards on the ground and 59 touchdowns. He signed a free-agent contract with the New York Jets Sunday night. RB Taurean Henderson, Texas Tech — Always a threat on the ground or through the air, Henderson had 5,376 total yards and 69 touchdowns, which is good for No. 3 all-time. He's now a member of the Minnesota Vikings. Also: Mike Bell (Arizona), Patrick Cobbs (North Texas), Andre Hall (South Florida), Mike Imoh (Virginia Tech), Wendell Mathis (Fresno State), Chris Barclay (Wake Forest), Damien Rhodes (Syracuse), Gerald Riggs (Tennessee), Cory Ross (Nebraska), Terrence Whitehead (Oregon), Jerod Void (Purdue) DRAFT TRACKER: See the picks SCOUT.COM LIVE CHAT: Scout.com's team of experts has team-by-team coverage of the draft. Join your favorite team's conversation here. ROUND-BY-ROUND BREAKDOWNS: 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th ANALYSIS: CZAR: Team-by-team grades O'CONNOR: Bush snub Jordan-like SCHEIN: Weekend wrapup SCHRAGER: Tales from the draft Who fell through the cracks? Pick-by-pick analysis Random first-round thoughts Running draft diary VIDEO: Click below for the latest draft news & interviews as well as video profiles of all the top prospects by position: News & Interviews QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | LB | DB PROSPECT PROFILES: QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | T | G | C DL | DE | DT | LB | CB | S | K | P MOCK DRAFTS: Latest version: QBs add drama 10.0 | 9.0 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 6.0 5.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 MORE: Czar blogs on NFL draft Adam Schein's draft blog HISTORY: All-time draft years: Best | Worst Ultimate NFL draft first round Drafts redone: '02 | '01 | '00 | '99 | '98 | '97 | '96 | '95 | '94 | '93 | '92 | '91 | '90 | '89 FANTASY: FOX Fantasy Football is coming! Completely FREE with no hidden charges — FREE live scoring, FREE draft kit, FREE expert analysis and so much more. Click now to stay informed on upcoming game announcements from FOX Sports. WR Martin Nance, Miami (OH) — Ben Roethlisberger's favorite target in 2003 somehow slipped out of the draft despite possessing great size and a resume that includes 208 receptions and 26 touchdowns. He'll try to prove 31 teams wrong when the Buffalo Bills' mini-camp begins later this month. WR Greg Lee, Pittsburgh — One of this year's poster boys for staying in school, Pitt's best offensive weapon the last two seasons never heard his name called Sunday afternoon. He'll now join former Panther teammate Larry Fitzgerald in Arizona. Also: Jovon Bouknight (Wyoming), Dallas Baker (Florida), Hank Baskett (New Mexico), Sean Coffey (Missouri), Erik Davis (Vanderbilt), Jared Ellerson (Minnesota), Nichiren Flowers (Nevada), Ed Hinkel (Iowa), Ben Obomano (Auburn), Drouzon Quillen (UL-Monroe), Charles Sharon (Bowling Green), Clinton Solomon (Iowa) TE Tim Day, Oregon — A year ago, Day was considered one of the hottest tight end prospects entering their senior seasons. Today, he's one of 13 free agents signed by the Chicago Bears after the draft ended on Sunday. Also: Troy Bienemann (Washington State), Greg Estandia (UNLV), Ryan Hamby (Ohio State), David Jones (LSU) OL Travis Leffew, Louisville — A four-year starter on a very good Louisville O-line, Leffew will try to continue his athletic career with the Chicago Bears. OL Will Allen, Texas — Allen started 41 games for the Longhorns and was third-team All-American in last year's national championship season. The New Orleans Saints quickly inked him to a contract Sunday night. OL Adam Stenavich, Michigan — Stenavich was a three-year starting tackle for the Wolverines, but will likely play guard for as long as he can stick around with the Carolina Panthers. OL Mike Degory, Florida — Considered by many to be one of the toughest centers in college football the past two seasons, Degory started 50 games in Gainesville and was named to the All-SEC first team in 2005. He's in St. Louis, where he'll battle fellow free agent Donovan Raiola for a roster spot. OL Donovan Raiola, Wisconsin — Raiola was a three-year starter and a steadying force at the pivot for the Badgers. He's in St. Louis, where he'll battle fellow free agent Mike Degory for a roster spot. Also: Na'shan Goodard (South Carolina), Randy Hand (Florida), Jami Hightower (Texas A&M), Jabari Levey (South Carolina), Mark LeVoir (Notre Dame), Albert Toeaina (Tennessee), Lance Butler (Florida), Matt Lentz (Michigan), Nate Livings (LSU), Grayling Love (Arizona State), Rudy Niswanger (LSU), Pat Ross (Boston College) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Defense DL Eric Henderson, Georgia Tech — Henderson struggled with injuries in 2004 and 2005, but still racked up 60 tackles for a loss and 25 sacks, good enough for All-ACC honors the last three seasons. The Cincinnati Bengals have signed him to a free agent contract. DL Garrett McIntyre, Fresno State — A classic overachiever, who walked on to Fresno State and became the most dominant pass-rusher in the WAC, McIntyre will begin climbing the mountain again with the Seattle Seahawks. DL Ryan Neill, Rutgers — Neil overcame a severe knee injury early in his career to finish with All-Big East honors in 2004 and 2005 and 21.5 tackles for a loss last fall. He'll be mining a spot on the Buffalo Bills roster as either an end or a long snapper. DL Steve Fifita, Utah — Fifita lacked the prototypical size to get drafted, but that couldn't keep him from being one of the nastiest interior linemen in the country and a perennial choice for Mountain West post-season honors. Fifita will now try to wreak havoc as a member of the Miami Dolphins. Also: Larry Dibbles (Texas), T.J. Jackson (Auburn), Nick Leaders (Iowa State), Brandon McKinney (Michigan State), Scott Paxson (Penn State), Brandon Villareal (Purdue), Phillip Alexander (Duke), Thomas Carroll (Miami), Mike Kudla (Ohio State), Devan Long (Oregon), Justin Parrish (Kent), Pierre Woods (Michigan) Spencer Havner hopes to catch on with the Redskins this fall. (Stephen Dunn / Getty Images) LB Spencer Havner, UCLA — Havner finished his Bruin career with 402 tackles, 42 tackles for loss and 11 interceptions, but statistics alone couldn't land him a spot in one of the draft's seven rounds. He has, however, signed a free-agent deal with the Washington Redskins. LB Trent Bray, Oregon State — Bray was the starter in the middle for the Beavers the last two years and led the Pac-10 in 2005 with more than 10 tackles per game. The all-league linebacker is now a Miami Dolphin. LB Nick Reid, Kansas — The former Big 12 defensive player of the year plans to use his draft snub as a source of motivation when he joins the Kansas City Chiefs' mini-camp later this month . Also: Anthony Trucks (Oregon), Justin London (UCLA), Kai Parham (Virginia), Freddie Roach (Alabama), Dale Robinson (Arizona State), Will Derting (Washington State), Brandon Hoyte (Notre Dame), Ricardo Hurley (South Carolina), William Kershaw (Maryland), Kyle Killion (Indiana), Chris Moore (East Carolina), A.J. Nicholson (Florida State), Moses Osemwegie (Vanderbilt), John Syptak (Rice), Travis Williams (Auburn), Kevis Coley (Southern Miss) DB Aaron Gipson, Oregon — An undersized corner, Gipson was an unexpected All-American in 2005 after he led the country with seven interceptions. DB Charles Gordon, Kansas — One of college football's most versatile athletes, Gordon led the Jayhawks in receptions in 2003, interceptions in 2004 and was also a threat on special teams. However, settling for a free-agent deal with Minnesota was evidence he never should have left Lawrence with a year of eligibility remaining. DB Dwayne Slay, Texas Tech — Slay had a monster senior year, causing eight fumbles and earning the Big 12 defensive player of the year, but it wasn't enough to overcome a pedestrian 40 time. On Monday, he signed a free-agent deal with the Chicago Bears. DB Darrell Brooks, Arizona — Brooks had four very productive seasons with the ‘Cats and was the emotional leader of a young defense. He's latched on with the Dallas Cowboys in the hopes of continuing his athletic career. Also: Dion Byrum (Ohio), John Eubanks (Southern Miss), LaMarcus Hicks (Iowa State), Darrell Hunter (Miami U.), Chijioke Onyenegecha (Oklahoma), Anwar Phillips (Penn State), Jahmile Addae (West Virginia), Jaxson Appel (Texas A&M), Brian Iwuh (Colorado), Maurice Lane (Baylor), Mike Lorello (West Virginia), Donnie McCleskey (Cal), Greg Threat (Miami)

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La Michoacana has by far the best fajita meat! My friends grill just about every weekend and we all know where to buy the meat from. Good Stuff!!!

Denton Rc on Patrick Cobbs NFL Draft: Chosen or not, Cobbs set to continue career UNT RB ready to travel to far away places to play football 09:05 AM CDT on Saturday, April 29, 2006 By Brett Vito / Staff Writer When Patrick Cobbs’ career at North Texas concluded in November, one of the greatest running backs to ever play for the Mean Green appeared to have done all he needed to continue his career in the NFL. Cobbs won the national rushing title in 2003 and became one of only 69 players in NCAA football history to rush for 4,000 career yards. For Cobbs, those accomplishments turned out to be just the beginning of what could be a long road to the professional ranks. Cobbs was skipped over when invitations were handed out to the NFL scouting combine, where prospects are measured and timed. That slight sent Cobbs on a journey through a series of individual workouts over the last few months, where he has tried to prove he belongs in the NFL. He will find out if he did enough to convince someone to take a chance on him after the two-day NFL Draft that begins this morning. Cobbs is projected as a late-round pick or potential free agent signee. “I am looking forward to the draft, but I have no idea where things are headed,” Cobbs said. “People get lost in the draft and things go all kinds of ways. You just roll with the punches. As long as I get a chance, I will be all right.” Cobbs is considered to be at the top of a short list of UNT seniors who could find their way into NFL camps through the draft or free agency. Kicker Nick Bazaldua is also considered a pro prospect. Cobbs finished as UNT’s all-time leading rusher with 4,050 yards, while Bazaldua is the Mean Green’s all-time leading scorer with 247 points. Both players are out to prove that their productivity in college is an indication that they can overcome what some pro scouts see as shortcomings in their NFL resumes. Cobbs sat out a nearly a year with a sprained knee in 2004, has never put up blazing 40-yard dash times and is small for a running back at 5-9, 198. Bazaldua didn’t kick off during his collegiate career and lacks the leg strength of some of the top kickers in the draft. Like Cobbs, Bazaldua has tried to improve his draft stock in individual workouts. Both Cobbs and Bazaldua participated in the Mean Green’s pro day in March, when the wind was blowing at 20-25 miles an hour. Cobbs posted times of 4.71 with the wind and 4.94 against it in the 40-yard dash, which is considered slow for a running back. “The conditions were bad at school and our turf is slow,” Cobbs said. “I decided to go somewhere else to run again.” The decision paid dividends when Cobbs ran a pair of 40-yard dashes in 4.47 and 4.51 seconds during a workout at UT-Arlington. “There were a lot of people out there at UTA,” Cobbs said. “I tried to separate myself. A lot of people talked to me afterward and they said it went well. Hopefully, it went well enough to have an impact.” Gil Brandt, a senior analyst at NFL.com and a former vice president of player personnel for the Dallas Cowboys, said that Cobbs will end up in an NFL camp whether he is drafted or not. Cobbs’ 20 bench press repetitions at 225 pounds and his time of 7.10 seconds in a three-cone agility run were both solid, Brandt said. “I think Cobbs will go to training camp and might be like Willie Parker,” Brandt said of the former free agent who rushed for 1,067 yards for the Pittsburgh Steelers last season. “They call him Fast Willie Parker now, but he didn’t have Fast Willie times before the draft.” Falling below most teams’ draft radar is nothing new for UNT players. Former UNT linebacker Cody Spencer was a sixth-round pick of the Oakland Raid­ers in 2004 and is the only Mean Gre­en player to be drafted since 1995. He is now playing for the Tennessee Tit­ans. All-Pro offensive lineman Brian Waters of the Kansas City Chiefs and linebacker Brad Kassell of the Jets both made teams as free agents. “What we have heard is that Patrick has a chance to be a mid- to late-round draft choice or for sure a free agent,” UNT head coach Darrell Dickey said. “That is nothing new for our players. He will get into a camp, give a great account of himself and put himself in position to make a team.” Bazaldua has earned an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, but said he will focus on kicking for the next few months to see if he can continue playing. Cobbs has similar plans. “If I don’t get drafted, then I will sign with whoever wants me as a free agent,” Cobbs said. “I am willing to try playing in Canada or NFL Europe. I will do whatever I can to keep playing football.” BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com .

Cowboys Carpenter is Cowboys' man Dallas top pick expected to solidify 3-4 defense 02:02 AM CDT on Sunday, April 30, 2006 By JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR / The Dallas Morning News IRVING – The Cowboys' goal is clear: They want to build an elite defense. That's not really surprising because coach Bill Parcells won two Super Bowls in the '80s with dominating defensive units. Dallas, 10th in the NFL in defense last season, added two more pieces to its defense Saturday with the addition of Ohio State outside linebacker Bobby Carpenter in the first round and Grambling defensive end Jason Hatcher in the third round. Last year, the Cowboys drafted three defensive starters and linebacker Kevin Burnett, who is expected to be a significant contributor this season. Also Online Complete coverage on CowboysPlus.com More important, owner Jerry Jones said he's committed to the 3-4 defensive scheme whether Bill Parcells is the Cowboys' coach or not. Parcells, who did not make himself available to the media Saturday, signed a two-year contract in January. "We've really covered a lot of ground to be a 3-4 team, and I don't intend to change that for a long time to come," Jones said. "You can't be flipping in and out of systems. Some players fit some systems and don't fit others. We're going – and going strong – defensively with the 3-4." A look at the projected starters on the defensive line and linebacker in 2006 reveals DeMarcus Ware, the 11th player selected in the first round last season, and Bradie James as the only returning starters as the Cowboys have gotten significantly bigger and younger. Last season, starters La'Roi Glover, Greg Ellis, Al Singleton and Dat Nguyen were each at least 30. Now, Jason Ferguson is the only 30-year-old starter in the front seven. Adding Carpenter solidifies the Cowboys' front seven because he fills an important role. In the 3-4 defense, the outside linebackers are the most important players because they provide the pass rush. At Ohio State, Carpenter (6-2, 257 pounds) showed he can handle every job the Cowboys will ask him to do. He can put his hand on the ground and rush as a defensive end, cover running backs and tight ends, and he has the size to be strong against the run even when he is matched against 330-pound tackles. Carpenter, who had 14 career sacks at Ohio State, also can be an effective blitzer at outside linebacker, which will force opposing offensive coordinators to decide which side to slide their pass protections because Ware and Carpenter each have the ability to rush the passer. When they do that, it will create opportunities for defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer to attack the middle of the offensive line by blitzing inside linebackers Bradie James and free-agent signee Akin Ayodele or safety Roy Williams. "Bobby has played the position and done all of the types of things we would ask him to do," Jones said. "His work ethic, skill level and love of the game makes him have good odds of being successful. "I would be disappointed to use that high of a pick and not have a starter. My expectation is for him to move pretty quickly once he gets here." Carpenter's role is especially important in the NFC East, which features quality tight ends such as New York's Jeremy Shockey, Washington's Chris Cooley and Philadelphia's L.J. Smith. "The Cowboys are a solid team, and they've added a lot since the end of the season with T.O. and [Ayodele] and some of the other free agents they've signed," Carpenter said. "I'm hoping I can work my way into the mix and help make us one of the contenders in the NFC." The Cowboys also need Hatcher to contribute because they have only four defensive ends on the roster and one of them – veteran Greg Ellis – was disappointed with his role on the team last year and had asked to be released or traded. The Cowboys informed Ellis that he'll be on the roster this season, but they could be grooming Hatcher to replace him. Ellis is undersized in the 3-4 defense, a scheme that requires him to consistently win one-on-one battles with tackles that often outweigh him by 50 pounds to succeed. Hatcher is 6-6 and 285 pounds with a body frame that should easily allow him to add 10 to 15 pounds. The Cowboys view him as a run-stopper, another important element in a division that features running backs Washington's Clinton Portis and New York Tiki Barber, each of whom gained more than 1,500 yards last season. E-mail jjtaylor@dallasnews.com