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The Dallas Cowboys have several players coach Bill Parcells often says are immature. They act as if they're just playing a game each week, not recognizing they're part of a team trying to reach a goal.
Now it's the playoffs, which should be enough to get their attention.
Still, Parcells didn't take any chances. He repeatedly reminded them this week that Saturday's game at Carolina is a precious opportunity that can't be taken for granted.
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It started at a team meeting when Parcells asked several veterans how many times
they've been to the playoffs. By hearing how few times in how many seasons those
players made it, he wanted his young players to realize this doesn't happen
every year.
``That just goes to show you, you never know when you're going to get back,'' Parcells told them. ``So grab this moment, take advantage of this moment.''
Parcells brought it up again on the practice field.
``A young guy made a mistake and he jumped him real bad,'' defensive tackle La'Roi Glover said. ``He called everyone together and said, `You (mess) up like that in a game and you're letting down that 11-year vet who's only been to the playoffs once. You're letting down this guy who has never been to the playoffs. You're letting down all your teammates. They will never forgive you for it.'
``That hit home right there.''
Glover has spoken to several of the immature players himself, giving a message similar to Parcells'. He adds a tale that sounds like a ghost story from summer camp.
``A buddy of mine went his rookie year and never went back. He played 10 years and never went back to the playoffs,'' said Glover, who is going for only the second time in eight seasons.
Receiver Joey Galloway has played the longest (nine seasons) with the fewest appearances (one). Linebacker Dat Nguyen is in his fifth season and only went as a rookie. Fourth-year running back Troy Hambrick has never made it.
Tight end Dan Campbell will be going for the second time. The first was with the New York Giants when they made it to the 2001 Super Bowl.
Campbell is so excited that he woke up Thursday feeling jittery, something that usually happens only on game day. While that works for him, he said there's a risk in building this game up to younger players.
``You don't want some guys to start cracking before we even start the game,'' he said. ``You don't want them thinking this is so big they can't handle it.''
Rookie linebacker Bradie James admits he began thinking every season went to a 17th game until Parcells' reality check. Yet, he said Thursday this still feels like a regular work week.
``It's kind of hard for a young player to grasp,'' James said. ``I'm not trying to downplay the hype, I just don't know what it's all about. I don't have a clue. But I'm looking forward to finding out.''
Parcells is making his ninth trip, with a fourth team. He's lost his first game only twice, while reaching the Super Bowl three times and the conference finals another time.
He's 11-6 overall in the postseason, and he told the Cowboys that almost every one of those games was physical and decided at the end. He also told players to just do what he says because he knows what it takes to win.
``That's all he has to say and you know it and you believe it,'' Campbell said. ``I think that does more for us than anything else.''
The Cowboys have eight players who were on their last playoff squad, in 1999. Safety Darren Woodson and lineman Larry Allen are the only players left from the last Dallas team to win a playoff game, way back in 1996.
Only four Cowboys have won Super Bowls: Woodson, Allen, linebacker Al Singleton (with Tampa Bay last year) and deep snapper Jeff Robinson (with St. Louis in 1999).
``The opportunity,'' Singleton said, ``is in front of us.''
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