The Musers The Podcast – Cowboys Weekly Edition (@ Raiders)
Date: November 13, 2025
Hosts: George Dunham, Bob Sturm, Corby Davidson
Podcast Network: Cumulus Podcast Network
Overview
In this deeply reflective episode, The Musers confront a somber week in Cowboys Nation following the tragic suicide of defensive end Marshawn Nealon. The hosts offer heartfelt perspectives on mental health in professional sports, recount the personal and communal impact of such loss, and discuss how the team might move forward. The episode shifts to lighter fare with stories of football pilgrimages—particularly a cold Monday night in Lambeau—and pivots into a nuanced debate on fan trust and accountability in Dallas sports franchises. Following that, the hosts preview the upcoming Cowboys vs. Raiders game in Las Vegas, considering roster shakeups, defensive schemes, and the evolving culture in the NFL.
Segment 1: Remembering Marshawn Nealon—Mental Health in Sports
Timestamps: 00:05–15:52
Raw Reaction to Tragedy
- George Dunham reflects on Marshawn’s suicide:
“It’s just the saddest of news... I’ve had this empty feeling, this pit in my stomach since the story broke— and that’s just us on the periphery. You could only imagine what Cowboy players and coaches have been through.” (00:05) - Both hosts, as fathers, share how the news reverberates personally:
“We both have sons of a certain age…as dads, as men…this constant discussion of ‘man up’…it’s okay to have fear feelings even if you are a muscle-bound man.” —Bob Sturm (02:27)
Discussing Masculinity, Vulnerability, and Social Pressure
- Bob notes the dangerous myth of football players' emotional invincibility, drawing parallels to public figures like Kevin Durant and underscoring the perils of relentless connectivity and social expectation:
"I don’t think our brains and our exterior and our armor were made to be this connected... It’s okay not to be okay, and to admit it.” (02:27–08:07) - The group shares appreciation for recent mental health awareness:
“I’m happy that our sons are in a universe where it’s okay not to be okay—that’s the amazing phrase.” —Bob Sturm (08:07)
Processing Loss—and Team Response
- George recalls the Cowboys’ optimism in drafting Nealon, and the heartbreak of “so much life ahead.”
- Bob highlights that money and fame “do not fulfill you,” and that “sometimes it’s the one between the ears” that is toughest to face (06:51).
- The team applauds the Cowboys for bringing in therapists and fostering open team dialogue, specifically noting Dak Prescott and Solomon Thomas’s wisdom from personal experience:
“You hope in some way that, that that can help these players…start to make some sense of just this thing that’s hard to deal with.” —George Dunham (10:50) - Notable Quote:
“We’re all very fragile. We’re all partly broken.” —George Dunham (05:23)
Takeaways for the Community
- George: “If you haven’t called that family member in a while… maybe make that call. We need some more of that in this world.” (13:15)
- National suicide prevention line at 988 is mentioned as a crucial resource.
Segment 2: Bonding Through Football—A Trip to Lambeau
Timestamps: 18:53–29:55
A Tradition of Football Pilgrimages
- Bob shares stories of father-son sports trips:
“I can’t recommend enough the idea of building traditions with your growing up kids.” (19:46) - Describes a trip to Lambeau Field with his son—a tradition since “he was tiny.” Lambeau experiences are set in the context of rich Americana and football history.
Weather at Lambeau—The Elements and the Atmosphere
- Anecdotes about the notorious cold—layers, hand warmers, the nostalgia and challenge of braving Wisconsin winters.
- “Every year I feel like it gets colder and I get softer.” —Bob Sturm (25:23)
- The challenge is to dress to “outlast the cold”; appreciating true football authenticity (26:45).
Is It Better to Attend as a Fan or a Neutral?
- Debates whether the best Lambeau experience comes as a supporter of the home team, visiting team, or as a pure football fan soaking in the energy.
Notable Quotes
- “Places, the true bucket list stadiums in our sports—usually they’re worth the hype…” —Bob Sturm (27:33)
- “I think it’s a bit like a football museum, but they’ll actually play an NFL game while you’re there.” —Bob Sturm (27:52)
- Reflections on the unique fan-team bond in Green Bay, contrasted with larger-market franchises’ sometimes more corporate feel.
Segment 3: Fan Trust and Accountability
Timestamps: 31:40–49:09
Mavericks’ Crisis and Parallels for the Cowboys
- George draws connections between the Dallas Mavericks’ recent front office turmoil (loss of trust after the firing of GM Nico Harrison) and the Cowboys’ relationship with their own fan base.
- “The Mavericks…have lost the trust of their fan base. Could that ever happen to the Cowboys?” —George Dunham (31:42)
Ownership, Accountability, and Fan Power
- Bob advocates that fans, in a way, "own the team"—the importance of civic ownership in sports:
“You don’t have a franchise if you don’t have fans…You rely on us to provide the fuel…” (34:11) - Contrasts activist Mavericks fandom with relatively compliant Cowboys fans:
“I’ve never seen a single fan protest, not one. Not even to the scale of…Fire Nico signs.” —Bob Sturm (36:53) - Highlights Jerry Jones’s insulation and the lack of public leverage over football operations despite widespread frustration about GM decisions.
What Would Genuine Accountability Look Like?
- Possibilities include: lower parking/food/beer prices, better public transport, and—but perhaps most crucially—a true general manager: “There has to be an accountability…if somebody does not do their job…we can demand change based on facts.” —Bob Sturm (46:22)
- A call for respectful but persistent activism:
“I believe in hanging in there with your franchise, but demanding a better behavior because…this is our franchise. You just hold the deed right now.” —Bob Sturm (41:25) - Notable Convo:
- “Emails to radio hosts do not get you nearly as far as something as profound as chanting ‘Fire Nico’…that actually works over the course of time if you don’t give in. But I kind of think Cowboys fans have given in and given up on this particular topic.” —Bob Sturm (48:34)
Segment 4: Cowboys at Raiders – Game Preview
Timestamps: 49:58–61:55
Las Vegas, Venue, and Expectations
- George and Bob joke about upcoming field access in Vegas; neither has attended a Raiders game in the new stadium.
- The 2-win Raiders are painted as a struggling franchise with “the same old, same old” offensive woes. New coaching changes (Pete Carroll) and high draft picks haven’t solved their underlying systemic issues.
Key Raider Strengths and Matchups
- Discussion centers on edge rusher Maxx Crosby—typically lines up versus right tackle, which is potentially concerning for Dallas.
“I think he might move around a little, but usually he would be going up against the Terence Steele, Nate Thomas right tackle spot, which gets everybody excited.” —Bob Sturm (53:08)
Cowboys’ Defensive Rebuild—New Faces and Scheme Talk
- Multiple new additions:
- Quinn & Williams
- Logan Wilson
- Return of Demarvion Overshown
- Corner Siobhan Ravel (whose name no one can quite pronounce!)
- Bob's scouting report on Ravel:
“He’s everything I look for in an NFL corner—great size, speed, length, aggressiveness, but durability is sometimes tough to come by…” (54:26)- Noted for working overnight at Amazon, overcoming adversity—embodying “culture” additions but with lingering health questions
Defensive Evolution and the Road Ahead
- Bob speculates on shifting to a 3–4/“five-man front,” given new personnel:
“I kind of wonder if the idea is to get Osa Odighizuwa, Kenny Clark, and Quinn & Williams all across the front like a 34…” (57:07) - Cautions that any radical improvement will take time given all the transitions and recent tragedy:
“For us to expect a drastic difference from the defense is probably a little optimistic.” —Bob Sturm (56:27)
Cowboys/Raiders Nostalgia
- Both teams’ historic brands evoke a classic Monday Night Football vibe—even if, in the present, it is “nostalgia” more than top-tier football.
Notable Quotes & Moments
-
“We’re all very fragile. We’re all partly broken.”
—George Dunham (05:23) -
“It’s okay not to be okay, and to admit it and to seek somebody to talk to and just open up.”
—Bob Sturm (08:07) -
“The amount of money in your bank does not fulfill you at all…and the fact that people want your autograph does not fulfill you…”
—Bob Sturm (06:51) -
“If you haven’t called that family member in a while…maybe make that call this week and say, hey, I was thinking about you. How you doing?”
—George Dunham (13:15) -
“You don’t have a franchise if you don’t have fans. You rely on us...”
—Bob Sturm (34:16) -
“Emails to radio hosts do not get you nearly as far as something as profound as chanting ‘Fire Nico’…That actually works if you don’t give in. But I kind of think Cowboys fans have given in and given up.”
—Bob Sturm (48:34)
Key Timestamps
- 00:05–15:52: Reflection on Marshawn Nealon’s suicide, mental health in football, community impact.
- 18:53–29:55: Personal stories of football pilgrimages, especially Lambeau, and sports fandom traditions.
- 31:40–49:09: Analysis of fan trust, public ownership in spirit, and accountability in Dallas sports franchises.
- 49:58–61:55: Cowboys-Raiders preview—roster changes, defensive scheme speculation, and the “Monday Night nostalgia.”
Closing Tone
True to Musers tradition, this episode wove together heartbreaking honesty, personal anecdotes, critical sports commentary, and ever-present wit. Listeners are reminded both of the humanity behind the helmet and of the power fans hold—even when confronted by seemingly immovable sports institutions.