ESPN

Buzzmaster

  (12:03 PM)

Igor should be joining us shortly. Sorry for the delay.

Igor Olshansky

  (12:05 PM)

Hi guys, I'm here. Give me a few minutes.

John Orozco (Huntington Beach,CA)

How do you feel about your chances this year to go all the way?

Igor Olshansky

  (12:06 PM)

I think the chances are good, we have a talented team and its a matter of playing our best football at the best time, we got a few games left and its about making plays and winning games, especially on the road. When you do have a chanc eto go the playoffs, you have a chance to do well there, that's when you play your best football.

Todd (Hurst, TX)

Do you ever go back and visit Russia?

Igor Olshansky

  (12:07 PM)

I've been back to Russia, one time, since I've left and it was in 2005.

Todd (Hurst, TX)

Is the Cowboys defense better than the Chargers?

Igor Olshansky

  (12:08 PM)

Right now, I'd say yes. With Wade PHillips in 2004 and 2005 and 2006 we were I think Top five against the run in all those years. Right now, we're 10th but we have the potential to be better and right now, we are better.

Jojo (Portland)

Igor! As a Duck Alum, I really miss you beating up O-lineman every game. How much fun was it playing with Haloti?

Igor Olshansky

  (12:09 PM)

I played with him at one year and he was a true freshman that year, he was a good young player. He got hurt the next year. He hurt his knee, the first game of the seaosn. A great player and he's doing really well and he will continue to do really well in the league.

Evan (SLC)

Is it bitter sweat playing for the Cowboys, since you grew up in S.F.?

Igor Olshansky

  (12:09 PM)

No, I don't think so. I grew up in SF and I was aware of the cowboys and 49ers and I didnt follow football until i was a teenage, so it wasnt a big deal to me.

Carl (Miami)

What happened this past sunday...whole team seemed flat?

Igor Olshansky

  (12:11 PM)

It was just tough to win on the road, especially when you play a team like green bay. I dont think we're there yet, we have the potential to be great. They made more plays, than we did. the biggest thing was turnovers. I'm pretty sure they won the turnover ratio, if we dont turn the ball over I think we have a better chance of winning.

Evan (SLC)

Do you think your Ducks have what it takes to make it to the Rose Bowl this year?

Igor Olshansky

  (12:11 PM)

Yeah, they're a very high-powered offense and very exciting to watch them play. The loss to USC was a little odd and distirubing and they're back now. Once they're running the ball, like they do, I have a lot of confidence in them. If you can do those things, you have a good chance.

Marco Gonzalez (Pharr, Texas)

Can anyone on the team bench press more than you? Whats your max weight? How much does Bigg Davis bench press?

Igor Olshansky

  (12:14 PM)

I don't compete with bench press anymore, I just go out and workout. We have a lot of strong guys. I'm sure Leonard Davis can bench press 500 pounds. We have a lot of guys who can bench 500 pounds, like Gurode, Flozell Junior and a couple of rookies like Travis Bright and Pat McQuistian, all those guys are real, real strong. I was like 520 pounds when I was in the Chargers and I did 225 pounds 45 times when I was working out heavy.

Emery (Abilene, TX)

Since you practice against the Cowboy O-Line everyday in practice, how big of a loss is not having Marc Colombo for the rest of the season?

Igor Olshansky

  (12:15 PM)

Its a big loss, a great competitor, a seasoned veteran, a really great player, a big loss. But in the NFL you will have injuries liek that and that's why you need depth. I've seen it before and hopefully we can have some success without him.

Mike (Tuscaloosa, Al)

Which is a better feeling? Blowing through the line and having a dead sprint towards an unsuspecting quarterback? Or stopping a running back on a goal line stand?

Igor Olshansky

  (12:17 PM)

for me its splitting a double team and getting a tackle for a no gain or a loss, or beating the man in front of you and making a tackle is just as good as hitting the qb. Sacking the QB means so much, because they're hard to get because everybody puts them on a higher level.

Justin (OREGON!)

Igor....You the man!! how is life in dallas?

Igor Olshansky

  (12:18 PM)

Life in Dallas is good. When I first got here, it was hot, and I was missing san Diego a lot. Now its cool, I got my family here and I go to work and the place is really cool. Wade Phillips is an awesome coach and we're winning games and play in a new stadium, I feel blessed, thank you.

Brad (Gadsden,Alabama)

Did you play any other sports growing up?

Igor Olshansky

  (12:19 PM)

Yes, I played basketball when I was young and then I started boxing and then I did track. Football I did last when i was in 11 grade. I was a thrower not a sprinter. In boxing, I just trained in the fifth-sixth grade, i must have been 165 pounds.

Bryan King (Saint Louis, MO)

Do you think the cowboys can make the playoffs?

Igor Olshansky

  (12:20 PM)

Yes, we're confident we can make the playoffs. we havent made the playoffs yet, but we have to win our division and that starts this week. Yeah, we can make the playoffs.

scott lovett (illinois)

please promise these next 2 homes games the team will be pumped up and ready to play

Igor Olshansky

  (12:21 PM)

I think the effort is there in eveyr game, we play hard, maybe making a couple more plays, that might have to do with other factors, like timing, but we're going to be pumped up and ready to play. People really want to play on this team.

Matt (SC)

Has Tony cut his hair yet?

Igor Olshansky

  (12:22 PM)

I dont really follow that much about his hair style, maybe, I dont know.

Johnny (NYC)

Igor, bigggg Cowboys fan here. I know a lot of the guys were really close with Canty before he went to the hated Giants. You guys seem to have really played well as a unit so far this year, has it been hard to fill his shoes (in which you've done very well!)?

Igor Olshansky

  (12:23 PM)

I didnt follow Chris' career that much and he's been a really good playre for them. I've played a lot of football and Ive done well myself in San Diego and played against the best and I didnt think i was filling Chris Canty's shoes, and this is my position now.

Jeremy (Oceanside, CA)

Have you been back to your old stomping grounds to watch the Ducks lately?

Igor Olshansky

  (12:24 PM)

No, I haven't been back. Ive been busy with my family, I have a baby and wife, they alwasy invite me back for golf outing but I cant go because it alwasy falls on my wifes birthday in June.

brian (atlanta)

What is it like playing for Jerry Jones?

Igor Olshansky

  (12:25 PM)

Its cool. he's a great owner, he takes care of the team well, he keeps a lot of players around for a long time which is a plus to winning and he's won super bowls himself and he knows what it takes, it would be a great honor to win another super bowl for him.

Matt (SC)

When you guys are in the game r there trash talk going on to the O line of the other team?

Igor Olshansky

  (12:27 PM)

I normally don't talk trash, its very rare, but if an offensive linemen is holding me, I dont get blocked very often on the run, it happens maybe a couple time of games and the linemen is trying to use good technique on me, but when he's holding me to dear life, but when you sling him, he's holding you and dragging you and that's when I get mad. If they ran my way 50 times a game, we would have a lot of victories.

Igor Olshansky

  (12:27 PM)

Thanks for the questions, got to take care of the family. Go COWBOYS!!!!!