It’s Oscar time! Cowboys recipients of Best Picture titles, and the winner is…

Which Cowboys figures are best described by this year’s Best Picture nominees?

The 96th annual Academy Awards is tonight as many will watch people get awards from some of the great work in cinema over the past year. In honor of the Oscars, we have some awards of our own as we match up some of the biggest Dallas Cowboys storylines to some of the Best Picture nominees. Which one of these is most deserving of the golden statue?

OPPENHEIMER

Mike McCarthy is in the final year of his contract. Dak Prescott has yet to be extended. New coaches have come in on a one-year deal. You don’t need to be able to split the atom to recognize that the Cowboys could be in a position to blow this whole thing up if things don’t go well this upcoming season. Only once in the last 20 years have the Cowboys reset the quarterback position and it had devastating consequences.

MAESTRO

Speaking of McCarthy, he enters the upcoming season in a tough spot. Sure, as of now, he’s still the conductor of this football team. Jerry Jones still views him as a distinguished figure who can make magical music because he’s seen the body of work McCarthy once orchestrated in AT&T Stadium when the Packers won the Super Bowl. Of course, if McCarthy can’t produce better results this upcoming season, there’s a good chance he’ll be vacationing in Tuscany this time next year.

BARBIE

In a way, the Cowboys are the Barbie of the NFL. Their popularity has made them an icon as so many are enamored by them, however, at the same time they perpetuate unrealistic expectations that ultimately lead to some questioning how silly they really are. They look good on the surface and Jerry’s World is a culmination of every dreamhouse you can imagine. And like the Barbie movie where Margot Robbie realizes her feet have become flat, the Cowboys also fall flat in big moments. It’s a self-realization that nobody enjoys facing. Life is drastic, it’s not fantastic.

THE HOLDOVERS

Tyron Smith might be leaving soon. Zack Martin and DeMarcus Lawrence are in the last year of their contracts. These veterans have been through a lot and have very little to show for it in terms of playoff success. They remain after going through many new coaching changes, but whatever the case, they just can’t get over the hump. They are true survivors of past failures, and just like we saw with Tony Romo and Jason Witten before them, they could end their careers without reaching the ultimate prize.

POOR THINGS

Imagine having the brain of a child, but being stuck in an adult body. Well, if you’ve ever listened to Jerry Jones, it’s probably not that hard to imagine. The Cowboys owner never ceases to amaze fans with some of the words that come out of his mouth. For years he’s acted like a child by keeping Jimmy Johnson out of the Ring of Honor. Of course, his brain finally developed enough to right that wrong this past season, but you still gotta watch him. His most recent “all-in” comments created a frenzy among Cowboys Nation and don’t expect his rhetoric to stop anytime soon.

In this week’s episode of The Star Seminar, Rabblerousr and I have a special tribute to the Oscar episode and talk about some of the biggest free agent mistakes with our special guest, OCC.

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ANATOMY OF A FALL

There was a time when people were really excited about the career projections of Michael Gallup, Tony Pollard, and Terence Steele. Sadly, all three of them have endured injuries and none of them looked like themselves last season. Gallup’s future in Dallas is coming to an end and the same could be true for Pollard as he enters free agency. We remain hopeful that Steele can trend back up in the right direction with more time passing from his knee surgery, but only time will tell.

THE ZONE OF INTEREST

Speaking of Pollard, the Cowboys rushing attack struggled last season, particularly in goal-to-go situations. Even though Ezekiel Elliott showed a noticeable decline in play during his last season in Dallas, he still provided some nice punch near the goal line. Whether it’s an improvement in their power running game or just better play-calling, the Cowboys must find a way to get better in the zone of interest, the red zone.

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

Martin Scorsese’s latest film is about greed, wealth, and conspiracy and many would say that describes this Cowboys organization. This team isn’t actually “concerned about winning” and “all they care about is money” as the brand of the Cowboys continues to reach high levels despite not sniffing a Super Bowl for more than 25 years. Jerry Jones made millions from finding oil and that allowed him to invest in the Cowboys, but will that investment ever lead to another Lombardi trophy?