Boys who grew up to be Cowboys

By Os Davis  |   Monday, June 19, 2006  |  Comments( 1 )

Dallas Cowboys
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Ah, to live the dream ... the one everyone reading this column has most likely had at one time or another: the dream of playing pro football. And while, for the overwhelming majority of the population, this dream will never be more than the idlest of fantasies, some are blessed enough to consider the NFL a real career opportunity. There are those, too, with a dream within the team: Those young ultra-gifted Texas boys whose mommas want them to grow up to be Dallas Cowboys. Below runs a look at two more men from the Lone Star State giving their all for their boyhood dream.

RB Keylon Kincade attended high school in Troup, Texas (current pop. 1,949), a town near Tyler. The small town boy made much good as a youngster, winning letters in basketball and track, while earning district-level awards in football and basketball. Onto Southern Methodist University he went. As a Mustang, Kincade bagged 3,038 yards rushing to put him at number six on the all-time SMU rushing list.

Unfortunately, nothing much can be known of Kincade's play on the NFL level, despite first breaking in with the New York Giants in 2004. Technically, Kincade was something of a Cowboy in 2005, having been signed to the practice squad after being waived from the New York Giants in 2004. In spring 2005, Kincade spent some quality time across the ocean, playing for the Cologne Centurions of NFL Europe; at halfback there, Kincade ran up some 352 yards on 105 carries in the ten game season.

What we do know about Kincade is that Cowboys' management decided him worthy enough to get his name inked on a three-year deal in January. As for the Dallas squad at running back, the 'Pokes are going young this year. Of the five top backs listed on the roster, undisputed starter Julius Jones is the only one with as much as three years' experience. Marion Barber, Lousaka Polite and Tyson Thompson are two-year men, and Kincade is listed as having one season of experience.

New acquisition LB Akin Ayodele has boomeranged to Texas Stadium a few times, but this time he's hoping to stay. Playing for Irving MacArthur High allowed Ayodele time to shine under the Cowboys' lights come playoff time. And the teen Ayodele actually logged in some work time as ball boy and usher.

With the Jacksonville Jaguars, Ayodele played in exactly sixty-five out of a possible sixty-five games after being drafted out of Perdue in 2002. Other stats from his Florida tenure are just as impressive, highlighted by a four-year run of 100 or more tackles and peaking with a whopping 150 in 2004.

There is some concern that the transition change facing Ayodele may be tricky. The Tuna and company have Ayodele slated in Dat Nyugen's former spot as an inside linebacker in a 3-4; the Jags ran a 4-3 with Ayodele in an outside spot. Ayodele may need a little time to adjust from the outside position, but he'll be pumped to do so.

Ayodele feels he's exactly where he belongs. On his first day of camp, he called it the proverbial "dream come true." Continuing on, Ayodele musings sound more and more like the boyhood dream come back: "I've always dreamed of playing for the Cowboys. I've lived so close for so long. And you wonder if it's ever going to happen. But I'm here and I'm so excited. I can't wait to get started."

Started with chasing that final dream of a Lombardi Trophy, presumably.

Dreaming of the Dallas Cowboys? Check out Realfootball365.com for info on the real thing.
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About Os Davis

Os Davis has taken a twisted route to get to RealFootball365.com in his nearly 17 years in professional writing, working in any number of capacities in the sportswriting, news reporting and film criticism worlds. In print media, Os has served as editor at a few publications, including Albuquerque's...
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