After taking a week off for the NFL Draft, Mickey Spagnola and I are back for another episode of Mickey & Miller's Cowboys Hour.
Interviewing first round pick Zack Martin
Mickey and I were embedded at Valley Ranch and have all sorts of behind the scenes details of the Dallas Cowboys draft weekend. We'll also share our two cents on the Cowboys draft picks and answer your questions live.
Feel free to submit questions in the comments section or join us for the live broadcast at 2pm (CDT) from the Cowboys TV studio at Valley Ranch. You can also watch this Google+ Hangout in the box below.
If you haven't heard, the PGA Tour now has a purse policy. It's similar to the NFL's in how limiting the size restriction is: 6"x6". Yep. The length and height of a dollar bill (which is a perfect six inches).
So if you're heading to the Nelson this week or the Colonial next weekend, here are some options that will work within those guidelines.
Fair warning: there's not much out there. It's HARD to find items that are functional and stylish. Trust me: I looked.
Some of the bags featured, like the smart Coach L-Zip wristlet and consignment Louis Vuitton pochettes, can only be purchased online. If you order now you can get them by this weekend with rush shipping or in plenty of time for the Colonial.
At least three times a week, I am asked about Cowboys defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford. To many Cowboys fans, he represents two things: the future of the Cowboys as well as a bittersweet reminder of an injury-plagued defense that was the worst in franchise history in 2013.
Remember, Crawford tore his achilles tendon on the first day of training camp in 2013. Since then he has been rehabbing, watching game film, working out, studying more game film and repeating that cycle almost daily.
Add to it that the Cowboys lost DeMarcus Ware and Jason Hatcher to free agency and he understands that there is an expectation placed upon him.
"Yeah, I definitely feel a lot of pressure. Those are definitely big shoes to fill," he told me. "I'm ready in any situation to get put in the game whenever its needed and whatever position that could be at."
As for what position he expects to play, that's also in question. Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli has made it clear he could play end or tackle but Crawford has a preference.
"Preferably, defensive end," he admitted. "But if it's defensive tackle I can get down there and play fast."
Watch the entire interview in which he shares how his rehabbing is coming along and the one question he's sick and tired of getting asked. The answer will shock you.
The Cowboys have 11 picks, two of the first 50 picks in this year's draft with the first three coming as 16, 47 & 78.
Our broadcast location tonight on Cowboys Draft Live
Here's a rundown of some other interesting numbers as it relates to the Cowboys and the NFL Draft:
Dallas has picked in the first round 12 times since 2000.
The Cowboys have made 61 draft-day trades since 1989.
Over the last 53 drafts, the Cowboys have selected a player in the first round at every position except kicker and punter.
The Cowboys have selected 28 defensive players in the first round and 22 offensive players over the years.
In the Cowboys 54-year draft history, the Cowboys have selected offensive linemen more than than any other position, drafting 139 of them. Linebackers and defensive backs are next with 102 and 100 picks, respectively.
The Cowboys have drafted players from 208 different colleges with the University of Tennessee offering the most draft choices with 18. UCLA (16), Arizona State (15) and Florida (14) are next.
Tex-Mex doesn't have to be a fat-laden cholesterol bomb. In fact, I contend we have gotten out of control as to what counts as a quality Tex-Mex meal with too many chips to start and pounds of crappy cheese to glop on top of them.
At heart, Tex-Mex and Mexican food features beautiful produce, whole grains, healthy fats (hola, guacamole!) quality meats and a hint of cheese. Look at the lunch I had at Rosario's in San Antonio. It's has a rainbow of vegetables. Sure it's got a cheese-filled pepper but I didn't even touch that after filling up on the veggies.
Restaurant diet tip: If you're eating Tex-Mex in a restaurant, ask for fresh corn tortillas with your salsa and guacamole. Tear your tortilla into four triangles and use that for your chips and salsa appetizer. You will eat slower and consume fewer empty calories. (Tweet this)
Healthy Tex-Mex At Home
You can make delicious and creative Tex-Mex dishes at home. In honor of Cinco de Mayo, here are five outstanding Tex-Mex recipes, featuring simple ingredients, that will have you forgoing greasier offerings in no time:
Get My Favorite Diet Tips
Eating corn tortillas in a Mexican restaurants is one of my favorite diet tips that helped me lose more than 50 pounds and keep them off for more than a decade. Get my free ebook, "The 10 Easiest Diet Tips: Simples Strategies To Help You Lose Weight & Maintain Your Weight Loss For Good". It's yours when you sign up for my weekly newsletter, The Real Skinny. Once a week (usually on a Wednesday) you will receive diet and fitness news (like this) aimed at helping you make fat your bitch. For good.
Understandably, giving a workout-related gift can be delicate. Some women would think that means "Does you think I'm fat and need to exercise?". Not at all. These are gifts that say "I love the way you look...keep killin' it."
Carter addressed why the adjustment to a 4-3 defense was a struggle for him (and more) when I recently shot a story with him and safety Barry Church at Bowl & Barrel in Dallas.
My trusty Oster blender finally went kaput so I bit the bullet and ordered a NutriBullet. (Pun intended). I can't wait for it to arrive and have been looking for new smoothie recipes to try.
Five New Recipes to Try
You can experiment with anything. Wednesday's New York Timesoffered five delicious-looking recipes that are worth trying:
Green Smoothie with Cucumber & Cumin: kefir, celery, cucumber, parsley, mint, kale or spinach, ginger, chia seeds, lightly toasted cumin, lemon juice and a pinch of cayenne. This is the most complicated recipe and perhaps the most interesting.
Pear Smoothie with Celery & Ginger: this includes a pear, spinach, celery, banana, ginger, chia seeds, kefir, agave nectar, arugula and mint. In the past, I felt arugula adds too much flavor but the mint and ginger would mask it.
Blueberry Kefir Smoothie with Greens: contains only blueberries, kefir, banana, chia seeds, spinach or kale, and a teaspoon of honey (which I would eliminate).
Study author Magdalena Cuenca Garcia says that the catechins in chocolate are believed to help regulate hormones related to obesity. Catechin levels rise proportionately with cocoa content, meaning the darker the chocolate, the better. Milk chocolate contains added sugar, it's not good for you. That's candy and it's crap. Dark is the way to go.
Note that it is a small portion of chocolate, about an ounce and a half or a single square. A decadent, complex dark chocolate square is a substantial treat when savored.
The Chocolate Diet
I dropped about five pounds to prepare for a photo shoot while enjoying a square of dark chocolate every, single day. This "diet" included the Easter holiday on which I ate substantially more than a square...more like an acre. While I was in Paris, I joked that I ate the cheese, chocolate and wine diet. You know what? I lost weight. Four pounds to be exact.
Sample meal plan that helped me drop five pounds in seven days:
Breakfast: two scrambled eggs with small sprinkling of cheese and four or five strawberries.
Lunch: broth-based soup or a salad. Sometimes I was on the run and simply had a Pure Protein bar with a tangerine.
Snack: handful of raw almonds with five apricots or an apple and peanut butter.
Dinner: canned salmon with dijon mustard (I love this) with half an avocado and a cup f steamed broccoli or cauliflower.
Dessert: one square (maybe 2) of dark chocolate.
I worked out, generally, 30-60 minutes every day with a mix of aerobic exercise and weightlifting.
I never felt deprived or hungry. In fact, I felt great because I wasn't overindulging or eating too much. It was nice.
UPDATE, 2/2016: while my weight fluctuates 3-4 pounds every month, I have maintained that weight loss. Meaning, I am fitting into my skinny clothes. Yes, I still eat a dark square of chocolate (or two) almost every day.
Dark chocolate-covered strawberries? That's a healthy indulgence home run! The strawberries deliver some filling fiber while the chocolate satisfies your sweet tooth. They also take a while to eat which means you will eat more slowly.
What dark chocolate treats do you love? Please share your favorites in the comments section.
I hope you had an amazing weekend. Mine was educational, fun and enlightening, courtesy of Reward Style's 2014 Conference. What a great time mingling with a slew of smart girls (and a handful of brilliant guys) who are revolutionizing the way we consume and monetize new media.
I met women and men from around the world and learned about some fabulous new lines like UK-based River Island and that gorgeous bag (only $150! buy it here) in the photo above. The online publishers ranged in age from 19-44 who are all dreaming, hustling and owning new media. It's inspiring and exciting to be a part of something that's representing a fundamental shift in the way consumers digest information and shop online.
Most people come away from conferences or rallies inspired to change. That momentum usually wears off in a week or so. But there are common characteristics among successful people who don't let that momentum stop: hustle, perseverance and genuinecuriosity to keep improving.
That's the theme of today's Motivation Monday: Hustle. We can all dream. Grand dreams are what make life fun. But those dreams are rarely achieved without hustling your ass off to succeed. The accomplishment and pride that come from that hustle make life worth living.
The Downside?
Mama did some drinking and eating. I was on a good path lately but, as the nature of conferences, my diet was not what I would endorse: too many processed carbs aka white food, too much sodium and maybe one too many glasses of Ruinart Saturday night which led to a grease-filled Sunday at Village Burger Bar and Fernando's.
Monday's Detox Routine
Produce. Lots of it.
Breakfast: tons of water and a green juice with kale, celery, cucumber and apple.
Lunch: a produce-laden salad featuring spinach, broccoli, red peppers, some beans with some blueberries and strawberries.
Dinner: my Kale, Lentil, Sweet Potato soup. I make a big batch and freeze it in individual containers making it a perfect option to pop into the microwave on nights like this when I am pressed for time. I am going to the Mavs/Spurs game Monday night so I will eat this right before I leave for the AAC.
Kale, Lentil & Sweet Potato Soup - even my daughter loves it!
Broth-based soups, full of vegetables are a great way to end the day on a lower-calorie note.
Cowboys tight end Jason Witten believes Tony Romo will come back "better than ever" from his second back surgery in two years. Witten shared his thoughts on the Cowboys quarterback, the 2014 schedule and more Thursday at Albertsons in Fort Worth.
Rowdy, Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, Fort Worth Police Chief Jeff Halstead and Jason Witten
Witten made the appearance (which I emceed) to work with six junior youth finalists from the Boys & Girls Club of Fort Worth. The kids partnered with him, Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price and Fort Worth Police Chief Jeff Halstead in a healthy recipe competition.
Chief Halstead's team won but the big winner was Jason Witten's SCORE Foundation which received a $75,000 donation courtesy of Albertsons.
On Tony Romo
Witten had high praise for Tony Romo who had surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back in December and missed the final game of the regular season against the Eagles. Romo was cleared for workouts that began on April 21st, which also happened to be his 34th birthday.
"He looks great and I'm excited to see where he is," Witten said with a smile.
"People don't realize the will and kind of toughness he has. I think somewhere it got lost because we were playing Philadelphia but he played most the that game (the Washington game) with the back injury and won the game for us."
"He looks good. I see him running out there. It's always good to have him out there. I think he's gonna be better than ever and I'm excited for this season."
Witten on the 2014 Schedule
With the Cowboys schedule coming out this week, Witten admits he looks at it and says it's "tough" starting right away with the San Francisco 49ers in the opener on September 7th.
What's Crucial for Late Season Success
While it's easy to downplay the impact these offseason workouts have, Witten warns against that.
"Winning in December and January, a big part of this is how the training camp goes and our offseason work," he said after the event. "I think it's critical in our development as a football team."
On the Draft
He also admits he's not a draft geek. While Witten is a college football fan, he's not watching the mock draft or waiting with bated breath to see who the Cowboys select. He's happy to find out with the rest of us.
The Stars look to even their first round series against the Ducks at 7pm tonight at the AAC. Dallas proved it was ready for playoff hockey with an electric, packed house Monday night in the Stars shutout win over Anaheim. It was an AWESOME atmosphere.
The Fashion Conundrum
Stars fans will wear team gear to games. For many women coming from work, though, it's difficult to change into a jersey or throw on a t-shirt. That's why I suggest wearing Stars-green accessories that still prove you're a fan but have you looking the part when you get to the game or watching party.
The Mavericks try to even their first round series with the Spurs tonight in San Antonio. The series shifts to Dallas this weekend when the Mavs host the Spurs at 3:30 on Saturday. Game 4 is Monday at 8:30pm.
Dirk Nowitkzi had a terrible Game 1, posting just 11 points on 4 of 14 shooting. My money on is him not having another lackluster game. He has historically rebounded from bad postseason outings with great performances. Bank on it.
The Solution
Instead of wasting money on an overpriced t-shirt that isn't stylish, try to find clothing in Mavs colors. The team will also have t-shirts on seats for fans going to Saturday's game, so you can throw that one over what you're wearing.
Clothing
Here is a range of looks that work within the Mavs blue color scheme.
Accessories
I love the idea of throwing a scarf over your workday outfit or wearing jewelry in the same color scheme of your favorite team. It's a way to stay stylish and supportive at the same time.
The Takeaway
The good thing about Mavs games is that you can dress up. A dress, a t-shirt paired with a blazer or a simple blue top over jeans will all work perfectly and prove you're a true MFFL.
This reflects the norm in my life and in all the relationships I have had. I have always been the one longing to get the heck out of dodge.
Warwick Castle in Warwickshire, England
What's also interesting is that the "average adventure traveler is not 28 and male but 47 and female, according to the Travel Industry Association of America. Why is that? Is it because these women are facing an empty nest and experiencing an "Eat, Pray, Love" epiphany? Perhaps. Whatever the reason, do it. Travel is one of the few things that costs money but makes you richer. And don't be afraid to do it alone. I have done Barcelona, Paris, Israel and many domestic trips solo. Sure, there are certain safety issues you must consider but the joys of solo travel range from self-discovery to being able to tell some great stories down the road.
Jerusalem's Old City
Travel Tips for the Single Gal on the Go Read this for my travel trips for single women. So if you're on the fence about planning that trip this year, don't be. Do it. Life is too short not explore this wonderful world and experience the best of it.
The Cowboys begin offseason workouts on Monday. Find out who is at the Ranch, who has been working out there for the past few months and how some of the players have been spending their offseason.
Those are just a few things Mickey Spagnola and I will discuss in our upcoming Google+ Cowboys chat.
How will this affect you if you're heading to the HP Byron Nelson Championship May 11-18or Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial May 19-25th? Well, the policy is a bit more liberal than the NFL's because it allows opaque diaper bags, something the NFL prohibits.
The PGA Tour's purse restrictions call for tiny bags, though, allowing a bag that is 6"x6" or smaller. Finding a purse 6 inches (roughly the length of a dollar bill) or smaller is tough. I scoured the internet for bags that work.
A Louis Vuitton Mini Pochette works for just about any purse policy. It measures at 5.5" wide and 3.7" tall.
Let me vent:This screams of another policy designed by a mostly male staff that has no clue about real world problems women face when it comes to carrying our crap.
This is Only the Beginning
Expect restrictive bag and purse policies to become to the norm. Leagues and organizations claim that the policy is primarily for security, citing 2013's Boston Marathon bombing as the impetus for tighter restrictions.
One NFL source told me that these policies simply make the security screening process easier. Meaning fans can get into the game quicker because bags are easier to check and security screeners have fewer judgement calls to make.
The source indicated he wouldn't be surprised if the NBA and MLB followed suit.
Shop Purses That Fit Within the PGA Tour's Purse Policy
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