The Alamo Dome is a bloggers paradise;

I’m probably the only member of the media horde that covers the Cowboys on a regular basis who is happy that training camp has returned to San Antonio.

There’s a lot of whining about missing the California weather and beaches. But here’s why I like the Alamodome: It offers the perfect set-up for live blogging practices.

I can (and will) sit at the 50 in the press box and offer rapid-fire updates from every practice. I can see all the action.

That wasn’t the case in Oxnard, where blog central was a table located by the fence on the tennis court. If I wanted a good view, I had to get off my butt and stand on the sidelines, which meant leaving the blog for long stretches. And I had to choose between, for example, watching pass-rush drills and WR/DB 1-on-1s because of my vantage point.

We’ll do the live practice blogging a little differently this year, using the chat tool. You guys can fire off questions on that, and I’ll answer as many as possible during stretching and slow times. If you want to comment, fire away in the regular comments section at the bottom of the post. A loyal reader was kind enough to set up a separate complaints department.

We’ll have a ton of pre- and post-practice blogging every day, too. Three daily features will be Play of the Day, the Tony Romo/Roy Williams Report and Cornerback Competition (Mike Jenkins vs. Orlando Scandrick).

Today’s practice begins at 2:15. I strongly recommend slacking off at work and reading every word of Live from the Alamodome I this afternoon.

Some players never learn, Quincy Carter misses court apperance;

Because we’re an all-purpose Cowboys blog, here’s the latest on former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Quincy Carter. According to The Monitor in McAllen, Carter failed to appear in two court hearings on charges of marijuana possession and driving while intoxicated. His lawyer says he is not doing it intentionally and that he didn’t know about them.

Was 4th and long a hoax? Jesse Holly isnt on the cowboys roster yet, why?

He still isn’t listed on the Cowboys roster. Check here for details:

Cowboys Upgrades;

Jerry Jones and Wade Phillips talked a lot about leadership, accountability and enthusiasm in the opening press conference of training camp. But if you need something more tangible to fuel your optimism that this team will be better than last season’s, here is what Jones and Phillips offer.

1. Special teams. A new assistant coach and a new point of emphasis. This has now been moved to the start of each practice to stress its importance. Jones and Phillips believe the youth on this team can make a difference here.

2. Speed on defense. More speed could translate into more turnovers, which this side of the ball must produce to have an impact.

3. Backup quarterback. The Cowboys got caught short here last season, but feel much more confident with Jon Kitna.