L.P. LaDouceur News

Jerry Jones echoed a lot of people's opinions after Sunday's 20-17 loss to San Diego, saying he didn't believe the Cowboys had a holder problem.

Okay, so now what? Blame long-snapper L.P. Ladouceur? Said owner Jerry Jones after Sunday's loss to the Chargers, "I don't believe we've got a holder problem." Well mutha-effin'-duh! Now do you see what a folly it is for the Cowboys to be the first team in NFL history to blame a kicking slump on a holder? Tony Romo was fine.

On the plane ride home from Newark, N.J., Tony Romo talked with special teams coach Joe DeCamillis about being the holder after some of the miscues that has played the kicking unit in recent weeks.

Tony Romo doesn't really want to be a holder again for what he calls ``obvious reasons.'' Yet if having him hold will help kicker Nick Folk regain his accuracy, then Romo is willing to resume the role that left him in tears the last time he did it for the Dallas Cowboys.

When it is done correctly, it looks so easy. Snap. Hold. Kick. It all happens in a little more than a second, but for the Cowboys lately, the field goal operation has been anything but easy.

I understand Nick Folk isn't the most popular person right now with his miss from 42 yards Sunday and his inconsistent season, but Wade Phillips continues to say there will not be a change at kicker.

Think for a moment what it is you like about one of your favorite paintings. Maybe it's the color, the lines, the subject.

DALLAS, TX: With all the injuries, that one roster spot for a long snapper is vital.

The absence of receivers Roy Williams and Sam Hurd created an opportunity for Kevin Ogletree, who is making a strong push to be the Cowboys' fifth receiver.

When the Cowboys signed L.P. Ladouceur as their long snapper back in 2005, part of it had to do with where they were.

Three thoughts raced through Mat McBriar's mind the October afternoon he found himself sprawled on the turf at the University of Phoenix Stadium.

Three thoughts raced through Mat McBriar's mind the October afternoon he found himself sprawled on the turf at the University of Phoenix Stadium.

Three thoughts raced through Mat McBriar's mind the October afternoon he found himself sprawled on the turf at the University of Phoenix Stadium.

If the specialists' attire means anything, the Cowboys will not be in pads this morning as they begin the first of three straight two-a-days. Punter Mat McBriar, snapper L.P. Ladouceur and kickers Nick Folk and David Buehler are in shorts and jerseys - not even shells.

Here's my educated guess at the roster after final cuts next month, based on what we knew when we arrived in San Antonio and have seen through 10 practices.

Let's not get greedy. For now we'd settle for a win in December. a This? Just hours before the first practice of training camp here at The Alamodome, I decided to doodle up what the Cowboys' final roster will look like come the Sept.

The seventh in a 10-part series. Safe bets: Stephen Hodge On the bubble: NA Long shots: Matt Stewart What's worth watching: Bradie James, who is coming off the best season of his career, will have his third ILB partner in three seasons.

JAY KAPIKO HAMPSTEAD, NC: With the focus on special teams and the only way some of the players can make the team this year is to contribute in a variety of ways, do you see some of the rookies or free agents helping at the long snap position? If we are carrying two kickers to the game each week, it seems like we would look to avoid carrying a long ...

At first glance, it was a site that was hard to believe. Joe DeCamillis, leading the Cowboys special teams, 17 days after suffering a broken neck in the collapse of the indoor practice facility at Valley Ranch.