You're Jason Garrett...

[erod]

Imagine, the name on your business card reads "Jason Garrett, Head Coach, Dallas Cowboys".

You've had your run of the mill now for a good while now. You've been the rare prodigal coach, despite a paper-thin resume, compared to other unaccomplished head coaches before you. Incredibly, you actually got hired and paid handsomely just to be the offensive coordinator BEFORE the last head coach was hired.....how dadgum ego-strokingly cool is that!

Kiss your bad self.

Now, you man the position held in posterity for your eventual annointment. Two years in, it's been a rocky, anguished road behind that stoic face you put forth in public time and again. You're making over the roster without "making over the roster". You're rebuilding the culture without "rebuilding the culture". You're managing the whims and follies of a half-cocked, aging, paranoid man whose means and scruples know little bounds.

You know what the problems are. Rebuilding a secondary was a good idea, just like drafting an offensive tackle and a finding a runner was a year before. Just like ridding the team of declining players with names your General Manager loved because he recognized their names in the newspaper. You've tip-toed lightly, carefully, respectfully.

And you know this isn't finished. Perhaps you're not the best playcaller - it's possible, even for an Ivy Leaguer - but who really knows for sure? What plays work with a front line made of paper mache? Your quarterback is your best ally and worst enemy, because he gives your knucklehead owner/GM the idea that this offense should be better than it realistically is.

You need a little more time, but two 8-8s later, all hell is breaking loose.

Jerry done went and hired the Godfather of a new defense, so your input on that side of the ball is certainly squelched. Maybe you were for it, but it's not hitting Twitter that way. New faces that you won't select will be roaming the halls on that side of the hall soon. That's a done deal.

OK, fine, you say. Better him than the all-talk-and-no-defense yahoo that was over there last year. Tired of the cutesy playsheets and televised f-bombs flying after lucky drops on third down anyway. Better for the defensive personnel on hand, particularly when draft picks and focus needs to be spent on the offensive line soon.

But, again, you didn't really make that hire, and the owner is making sure everybody knows it. And now, rumors are swirling of a new offensive coordinator. A new playcaller. A new tight ends coach, which will unseat not just one of your coaches, but your brother at that. Heavy changes are coming, and you think you're going to be involved, but you're not entirely sure.

You're likely fighting to keep your troops in tact and the changes in house the best you can. Let Callahan call the plays, perhaps, so you can keep it as YOUR staff and YOUR offense essentially. Whatever staff tweaks will be your doing, and the upcoming draft and offseason will reflect the needs of an offense sorely lacking fat guys with good feet that move people.

This way, YOU are still presiding over the sideline as the current and future leader of this football operation.

But you can hear pots and pans flying around behind the closed door at the end of the hall. Something's going on. The madman is full throttle on an offseason binge, and he's listening to everybody and nobody at the same time. Your buddy, Stephen, just shrugs his shoulders and looks at you with empty eyes. This is not new to him, but he feels your pain.

He said "uncomfortable." This is getting more than uncomfortable; it's starting to piss you off.

Is he trying to run you off? Has he lost all faith in you? Does he understand anything about the needs of this team he put together for you to unravel and rebuild? Did he even remember to wear underwear this morning? Is anybody listening to you at all?

Do you even want to be here anymore?

[pancakeman]

Great post erod!

I wonder what his options are outside of the Cowboys.

[SilverStarCowboy]

Originally Posted by erod

Imagine, the name on your business card reads "Jason Garrett, Head Coach, Dallas Cowboys".



Do you even want to be here anymore?

If I'm Red J, the first thing you do is fire Kiffin!

[Yakuza Rich]

There is no doubt in my mind that Kiffin was a Garrett hire.

If we hired Lovie, it would have been something Jerry was pushing for.

Garrett is very keen about having his authority come into question (which I don't blame him). If you hire Lovie or even a Ray Horton, you start to think that the guy next to you is in line to take over if the team fails. We know Kiffin has no chance of being the next HC and doesn't want to be either.

I think people are nuts if they really think this was a Jerry decision. I think they waited and sent out some feelers to see if Kiffin wanted to coach again and when he did, Rob was gone and Kiffin was hired.





YR

[Hostile]

I very highly doubt Jason Garrett is pissed off.

[CATCH17]

If i'm Jason Garrett then i'm going to try and collect that 3 million dollars for this year. Thats all I would be thinking about.


So there is no way I would walk out on this job. Jerry would have to fire me.



If all these things are true then I don't see how Jerry doesn't fire Jason this week unless he really doesn't want to pay him. If that is the case maybe they could reach some kind of settlement.


If Garrett wasn't under contract then I believe we would already have a new head coach.

[erod]

Originally Posted by Hostile

I very highly doubt Jason Garrett is pissed off.

Perhaps.

But if a new OC is hired and his playcalling duties are stripped, is he then?

[erod]

Originally Posted by SilverStarCowboy

If I'm Red J, the first thing you do is fire Kiffin!

LOL, that's funny.

[CATCH17]

Originally Posted by Yakuza Rich

There is no doubt in my mind that Kiffin was a Garrett hire.

If we hired Lovie, it would have been something Jerry was pushing for.

Garrett is very keen about having his authority come into question (which I don't blame him). If you hire Lovie or even a Ray Horton, you start to think that the guy next to you is in line to take over if the team fails. We know Kiffin has no chance of being the next HC and doesn't want to be either.

I think people are nuts if they really think this was a Jerry decision. I think they waited and sent out some feelers to see if Kiffin wanted to coach again and when he did, Rob was gone and Kiffin was hired.





YR

Did you listen to the Lacewell interview?

[CATCH17]

Originally Posted by erod

Perhaps.

But if a new OC is hired and his playcalling duties are stripped, is he then?

He obviously would be but since he backpedaled the day after he said he didn't want to give up playcalling then he can come off as if it's not bothering him.

Smart move on his part. He must have listened to Stephen A's interview lol.

[SilverStarCowboy]

Originally Posted by Yakuza Rich

There is no doubt in my mind that Kiffin was a Garrett hire.



I think people are nuts if they really think this was a Jerry decision.





YR

Look at all Deez Nuts!

[Doomsday101]

seems like a long winded way of saying you don't like Jerry.

I don't know what is in Garrett mind nor do I know the conversations that take place between him and Jerry. I see a lot of opinion on the subject yet none of the people making the comments have access to these talks between the HC and the Owner/GM or how this is that much different from other HC and GM discussions after a season.

[CATCH17]

Originally Posted by Doomsday101

seems like a long winded way of saying you don't like Jerry.

I don't know what is in Garrett mind nor do I know the conversations that take place between him and Jerry. I see a lot of opinion on the subject yet none of the people making the comments have access to these talks between the HC and the Owner/GM or how this is that much different from other HC and GM discussions after a season.

For coaches who haven't gotten it done this is actually not a whole lot different.


It's just strange that since the season has ended that Jerry hasn't said anything about Garrett's future.

[Hostile]

Originally Posted by erod

Perhaps.

But if a new OC is hired and his playcalling duties are stripped, is he then?

I doubt it.

[erod]

Originally Posted by Doomsday101

seems like a long winded way of saying you don't like Jerry.

I don't know what is in Garrett mind nor do I know the conversations that take place between him and Jerry. I see a lot of opinion on the subject yet none of the people making the comments have access to these talks between the HC and the Owner/GM or how this is that much different from other HC and GM discussions after a season.

True, but I'm really trying to put myself in Garrett's head.

On the second point, maybe, but using history as your guide, do you really think that?