FYI - I found these regarding Bobby Carpenters #54. The first report says Zach doesnt care about the number and he'll wear whatever. The second report states the Cowboys have already stripped Carpenter of the number and are selling the Cowboy #54 Zach Thomas Jersey. Apparently this is pissing off the Cowboy locker room.
"We interrupt Albert's love affair with DRC and his ability to make snap judgments on players he has never seen play a game based on a five-minute drill to bring you this from Zach Thomas - he's not married to No. 54, which he wore for 12 years in Miami. Bobby Carpenter wears No. 54 now.
"I hope I can get that, but it not it's not going to bother me," Thomas said. "I'll take 55 or whatever. The number has never made it. The name on the back makes me. I'm not too caught up in that. If Bobby wants to sell it to me, I'm cool with that. I'd respect him if he wants to keep the number. It's not a big deal."
http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/02/its-just-a-number.html
"IRVING -- The Dallas Cowboys' merchandising department is already on the Zach Thomas bandwagon, as are many Cowboys fans.
But last week's signing of the former Dolphins and Texas Tech linebacker is not going over well with everybody in the Cowboys locker room.
For starters, the Cowboys are already selling No. 54 jerseys with "Thomas" emblazoned on the back on their Web site. Thomas wore 54 with the Dolphins.
The problem is that linebacker Bobby [COLOR=blue! important][FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][COLOR=blue! important][FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Carpenter[/FONT][/FONT][/color][/COLOR] currently wears the No. 54.
According to a source, the merchandising department might have gotten ahead of itself in marketing Thomas' jersey, considering that a number change has not been worked out with Carpenter, and that Thomas has said he would be willing to wear No. 55.
Carpenter confirmed in a text message Tuesday night that he has not given his number away.
And then there's the little matter of Thomas' role. After signing a one-year, $3 million contract for next season, he is expected to be penciled in as the starting role at weakside linebacker. The problem there is that Akin Ayodele has started at weakside linebacker the past two years.
Ayodele is vacationing in Brazil. But according to a source close to Ayodele, Thomas' signing is an indication that Ayodele's days in Dallas are numbered.
Ayodele does not play special teams. A team normally doesn't keep a backup linebacker that doesn’t play special teams, especially with a $2.5 million base salary for next season.
“They will try to trade him or release him,’’ a source said. “Obviously, Akin is not going to be happy about it. He has done a good job here. Zach is not signing here unless he is starting. I just don’t foresee where they keep them both."
http://cowboyszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=113545
"We interrupt Albert's love affair with DRC and his ability to make snap judgments on players he has never seen play a game based on a five-minute drill to bring you this from Zach Thomas - he's not married to No. 54, which he wore for 12 years in Miami. Bobby Carpenter wears No. 54 now.
"I hope I can get that, but it not it's not going to bother me," Thomas said. "I'll take 55 or whatever. The number has never made it. The name on the back makes me. I'm not too caught up in that. If Bobby wants to sell it to me, I'm cool with that. I'd respect him if he wants to keep the number. It's not a big deal."
http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/02/its-just-a-number.html
"IRVING -- The Dallas Cowboys' merchandising department is already on the Zach Thomas bandwagon, as are many Cowboys fans.
But last week's signing of the former Dolphins and Texas Tech linebacker is not going over well with everybody in the Cowboys locker room.
For starters, the Cowboys are already selling No. 54 jerseys with "Thomas" emblazoned on the back on their Web site. Thomas wore 54 with the Dolphins.
The problem is that linebacker Bobby [COLOR=blue! important][FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][COLOR=blue! important][FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Carpenter[/FONT][/FONT][/color][/COLOR] currently wears the No. 54.
According to a source, the merchandising department might have gotten ahead of itself in marketing Thomas' jersey, considering that a number change has not been worked out with Carpenter, and that Thomas has said he would be willing to wear No. 55.
Carpenter confirmed in a text message Tuesday night that he has not given his number away.
And then there's the little matter of Thomas' role. After signing a one-year, $3 million contract for next season, he is expected to be penciled in as the starting role at weakside linebacker. The problem there is that Akin Ayodele has started at weakside linebacker the past two years.
Ayodele is vacationing in Brazil. But according to a source close to Ayodele, Thomas' signing is an indication that Ayodele's days in Dallas are numbered.
Ayodele does not play special teams. A team normally doesn't keep a backup linebacker that doesn’t play special teams, especially with a $2.5 million base salary for next season.
“They will try to trade him or release him,’’ a source said. “Obviously, Akin is not going to be happy about it. He has done a good job here. Zach is not signing here unless he is starting. I just don’t foresee where they keep them both."
http://cowboyszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=113545
