Spagnola: Maybe Perceptions Aren’t Truly Reality - Dallas Cowboys Forum

**jobberone** · 02-02-2013

IRVING, Texas – Perception is a cruel disease, a cancerous assumption that takes on a life of its own.

As the former longtime director of operations Bruce Mays used to preach to me for all those many years here at The Ranch, once a perception is out there, well, that might as well be reality. Hard to prove otherwise.

Sort of like the way it’s frustratingly difficult to put something back in the box once you’ve taken it out.

And on Jan. 3 of this year, just four days after the Dallas Cowboys’ 2012 season came to a crashing and crushing halt with a 28-18 loss to the Washington Redskins in the Game 16, winner-takes-the East contest at FedEx Field, relegating these Cowboys to yet another disappointing 8-8 finish, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones opened the barn door.

Understandably frustrated after two consecutive 8-8 seasons, meaning his club would miss the playoffs a third straight year, he uttered this now infamous statement on his weekly radio segment:

“I can assure our fans this, that it's going to be very uncomfortable from my standpoint. It's going to be very uncomfortable for the next few weeks and months at Valley Ranch.”

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/ar...7-eaef8eec8d23

BigDPlayer · 02-02-2013

Spags preaching some truth up in here!

Dhragon · 02-02-2013

I would really hope what Spags says here was the truth, for it would be good news for the Cowboys to actually have a HC with some hutzpah.

But we all know what a shill Spags has always been for the team/Jerry. He is a company man through and through. So sorry, Spags. I just can't trust you for an honest opinion here.

**Idgit** · 02-02-2013

This will be a short thread.

DOUBLE WING · 02-03-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dhragon

I would really hope what Spags says here was the truth, for it would be good news for the Cowboys to actually have a HC with some hutzpah.

But we all know what a shill Spags has always been for the team/Jerry. He is a company man through and through. So sorry, Spags. I just can't trust you for an honest opinion here.

This.

FuzzyLumpkins · 02-03-2013

Quote:

When it comes to total points over the past six seasons, the Cowboys’ 24.1-point average ranks seventh, a tenth of a point from sixth and one point from fifth. Passing offense? Fourth behind the Saints, Patriots and Packers. Now the disconnect is rushing offense, where the Cowboys rank 22nd, 108.6 a game, a number that plummeted further after this season’s franchise low 79 yards a game.

Interesting if true.

**Idgit** · 02-03-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by FuzzyLumpkins

Interesting if true.

Given how much flak the OL gets from the same people who give JG flak for play calling, yes, it's interesting. Those are pretty impressive numbers given the worst OL in football and a guy who can't call an NFL offense leading the charge.

1fisher · 02-03-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Idgit

This will be a short thread.

Looks like you are right, Idgit!

theebs · 02-03-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dhragon

I would really hope what Spags says here was the truth, for it would be good news for the Cowboys to actually have a HC with some hutzpah.

But we all know what a shill Spags has always been for the team/Jerry. He is a company man through and through. So sorry, Spags. I just can't trust you for an honest opinion here.

I don't think that at all.

I like Mickey. He has great info during the week leading up to the game.

In fact on talking cowboys this season he had better info on the team than any other media member IMO. Good news and bad.

I appreciate Mickey who has been here through it all and I think it's kid of sorry when all of these fans who live a thousand miles away always bag on him when he had been one of the main guys for 20 years giving them inside info.

I hae always liked Mickey.

Bluestang · 02-03-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by theebs

I don't think that at all.

I like Mickey. He has great info during the week leading up to the game.

In fact on talking cowboys this season he had better info on the team than any other media member IMO. Good news and bad.

I appreciate Mickey who has been here through it all and I think it's kid of sorry when all of these fans who live a thousand miles away always bag on him when he had been one of the main guys for 20 years giving them inside info.

I hae always liked Mickey.

Be ready to be labeld a shill.

I have quoted Mickey on here several times and all I got was that I'm a homer or whatever they call it these days.

You hit the nail on the head though, Mickey will always give out inside information during the show for both the Cowboys and the other team.

I tend to listen to the shows during the offseason because Mickey tends to give out more info that pertained to the last season than usual.

Just as an example, Mickey said that Mike Jenkins and Felix Jones both had the same surgeries and that the trainers wanted for Jenkins to rehab in Dallas under their supervision but Mike chose not to. Felix was cleared by the start of TC and Jenkins was further behind than they thought when they were able to look at him.

theebs · 02-03-2013

I don't care if I am called a Shill or homer to be honest.

Usually the ones who call people that don't really know what they are talking about anyway and it shows time and time again.

**jobberone** · 02-03-2013

I don't dismiss him but I do try to filter.

CyberB0b · 02-03-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Idgit

Given how much flak the OL gets from the same people who give JG flak for play calling, yes, it's interesting. Those are pretty impressive numbers given the worst OL in football and a guy who can't call an NFL offense leading the charge.

Those numbers are inflated by a huge 2007.

**Idgit** · 02-03-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by CyberB0b

Those numbers are inflated by a huge 2007.

Huge years tend to inflate statistics. Ask any of the other teams right there with us in terms of offensive production during that same period.

brucekr · 02-04-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by FuzzyLumpkins

Interesting if true.

Just a quick browse at the espn statistics section...

2012 we were 15th in scoring offense and 6th in yardage
2011 15th, and 11th
2010 7th, 7th
2009 14th, and 2nd

Aside from 2010, we're an average scoring offense. Over that stretch, maybe we're just more consistent than other teams, so the sum of those years places us higher. But it's alarming to me how we can dominate in yardage gained and still be average at scoring. And I'd love to find a good site for offensive penalities per season rankings, because I'm sure it would paint a pretty unattractive picture.

I think the lack of a power running game is why we lack points. I dunno how many times I've seen drives stall in the red zone either from penalties or just lack of ability to get tough yards at that end of the field on the ground. I miss the days of watching our line blow open holes from Emmitt. Heck, at this point, the Julius Jones/Marion the Barbarian era seems like it was a decade ago. We've had several offensive line coaches, linemen, running backs.... It's just frustrating to watch a good front 7 decimate our offense.

I dunno, I'll always love my cowboys, but I don't see how switching a single thing on defense is going to change anything our offense can do, aside from giving them more opportunities with the ball. All I can do is hope that whatever changes are being made are directly reflected in our W-L column next year.