Cowboys Open New Training Facility
When it comes to NFL team owners, Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys has proven over the years that he is willing to spend money to make his team one of the best in the league, and to make his players as comfortable as possible. This year, the Dallas Cowboys have a new practice facility known as The Star, which is considered to be the best practice facility in theleague. With a lot pf key players returning from injuries this year, the Cowboys are once again NFL expert picks to win the NFC East.
The Star is a state of the art facility that has all the amenities thatplayers and coaches need. It also has a lot of things that might beconsidered distractions, which makes sense because the facility cost over $240 million to build.
Despite the facility being new and players still trying to feel their wayaround it, Cowboys coach Jason Garrettis not goingto let it be a distraction as he is trying to get his team back into the playoffs. Garrett told his players that he doesn¹t care how they do it, buthe won¹t accept any excuses for being late to meetings, training sessions,or anything else.
Garrett told his team that they are free to do whatever they need to do ontheir own time, but he expects them to be at practices and meetings on timeas they get ready for their game against the Seattle Seahawks.
The coach said his players need to understand that they have a lot of workto do before the start of the regular season, if they want to contend for atitle this year. The coach, who is under some fire this season after thedisappointment of last season, said the players and coaches still have to dotheir jobs, and nothing has changed despite their new training facility.
As the facility was being officially opened, the players were practicing infull pads indoors at the Ford Center, the 12,000-seat stadium that will bethe team¹’s new practice field.
As the practices were coming to an end, several of the invited guests madetheir way into one of the concourses to watch. After that, they had a dinnerat the Training Table, which is more of five star restaurant than a teamcafeteria.
The players had dinner and meetings for the first time in their new offices,surrounded by cutouts of the team¹s Hall of Famers.
While the Cowboys love their new practice facility, the players are hopingit will bring the better fortune on the field than they have had since AT&T Stadium opened in 2009. Since the stadium opened, the Cowboys have gone27-29 at home.
Since they started playing at the new stadium, the Cowboys have never had arecord better than 6-2 at home during the season.
In 2014, the team went 12-4 to win the NFC East, but all four losses came athome. Last year, the team had its worst record playing at the stadium, and finished 1-7 at home.
Since the stadium opened, opposing fans have been louder than Cowboys fansin the new stadium, and there is a theory going around that the fans haven’tbeen as loud as they were at the old stadium because they are afraid to messup the $1.2 billion stadium.