Recap: JJT: Whispers from the Star (4/17)

BigStar

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Why would Austin say that as a returner...I mean even if he felt it, he needed them to block for him regardless? I would guess it was basically anyone but him tbh and that Garrett thing came later in the season...STs were trash well bf then. Did i miss fair catches that were obv?
 

Cowboysheelsreds053

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LLLOOOLLL, my main man MacGyver.
 

cej757

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Can anyone explain Romo's supposed change in attitude / demeanor after getting paid? Everything I've heard is to the contrary

I think Nick Eatman talked about this before. Basically said Romo was a pretty happy go lucky guy before he became the starter and he would hang out with the media some times and play flag Football with those guys.
After the Seattle playoff game and the cabo trip he started getting scrutinized by the media he became standoffish even with guys in the locker room. I think the pressure started getting to Romo after awhile and he didn't have any help with Garrett on the sidelines. :(
 

Beast_from_East

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So who is the dude on special teams last year telling the younger guys to mail in it, dont get yourself hurt?

Tavon?
 

gjkoeppen

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What is up people? The sun is out, my beer is cold, and my air conditioning is finally kicking (got a new unit installed yesterday) so that means it's time for another segment of Whispers from the Star. Let's do this:

1. JJT first wanted to follow up and see what the status is with Dak Prescott. Not the contract or anything important, but rather, have the Cowboys talked to him since his party was busted all over the media? A source says that yes, the Cowboys have talked to Dak, but they're not upset with him. It was more of a "Man, can you please keep your stuff under raps and also tell your buddy Dez to stop posting thirsty videos of you all in close proximity?" JJT and I seem to agree that, if Dak is telling the truth about him only having a dinner party of 10 or so people, it should be pretty easy to pinpoint who the rat is selling information to TMZ. Dak needs to find out who that guy is, and take him out back to the woodshed. JJT also followed up with this source and asked, has #4 changed any? Money does, after all, change people. JJT was quick to point to Tony Romo. Pre-fame and success Romo differed DRASTICALLY to Romo once he got paid. Team source seemed pretty staunch in the idea that that's ridiculous and the Dak is a "good kid." I guess we'll see once he breaks the bank in the next two months.

2. This is obvious to anyone who follows football, or specifically the draft, closely. Two names that came up on the Cowboys virtual meeting report was DeAndre Swift and Clyde Edwards-Helaire. I know what you're thinking. "Man, we got Zeke! He just got paid. He's got a good four years left in him before we have to address that position. We have bigger fish to fry on the defensive side of the ball than to look at two RB's that are going to go in the top 60!" And all of that is valid, but the Cowboys are obligated to look at EVERY player that they think can help their team win games. They have pages of notes on a hundred or so of players in this draft because it's their job. You don't know what can happen with trades, free agency, or anything in a profession as fluid as football. Likened the situation to Taco Charlton. He was a first round pick in 2017 and was gone by last season. With a player like that with some upside in FA, you could then review your notes on him from your pre-draft evaluation and decide if you like that guy or hate him. JJT also noted that we interviewed a few defensive ends in 2011 before selecting Tyron Smith in the first round. One of them, you ask? Robert Quinn.

3. Special teams was a pure and inept disaster last season. One of the worst units I've ever seen fielded in the NFL in my 25+ years of watching. So JJT asked the question: "how can you tell if Bones Fassel is going to make a difference here?" With an OC, you can tell if he has success calling plays and scheming up a game plan. With a DC, there are plenty of measurables like turnovers to determine how effective you are. ST is a little at least a little bit different. Special Teams coaches have to have a couple of attributes. The first is an innate eye for details. It's all scheming. The second is you have to understand that most of your life is spent being immersed in game tape. You have to understand how, when, and why to exploit certain weaknesses of your opponent. You have to understand that this guy on the other team does this every play and this is how we can capitalize and make a play. The third is that they absolutely have to be able to manage egos. Even the lowliest players on an NFL team are egomaniacs, and sometimes don't buy in because they think they should be a starter and not on ST. Bones Fassel has a track record of getting his guys hype and buying into what he's preaching. Keith O'Quinn had a difficult time managing egos and that was ultimately the downfall of ST. JJT dropped a nugget that there was an established veteran on our ST squad last year who did not buy in, and consequently told younger players to make "business decisions with your body" because all of those "coaches don't care about you." We had THAT kind of guy on our ST unit last year. You can't have that. JJT didn't specifically mention the player in question here for reasons he said were personal, but all indications lead me to strongly believe that it was Tavon Austin.

That's it folks. Let's do it again next week :starspin:

https://www.kesn1033.com/2020/04/17/jam-whispers-from-the-staroffseason-pt-16/

Why you take everything that JJT or any other insider says as gospel is beyond those us that wait until there is confirmed, quoted information and not just speculation.
.
 

Nav22

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I don’t see how #3 could’ve been Tavon Austin.

The guy was a returner. His success depended on teammates buying in and opening lanes for him to run through. Why would he be telling guys to essentially let him get bottled up?

I also can’t imagine Austin’s delusional enough to think he should’ve been a top 3 WR on the team or that he’s somehow “above” being a returner. Usually guys like him want the ball in their hands any way they can get it.
 

JoeKing

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Romo did change. His image was as pure as the driven snow before he got paid. Then he started dating celebrities like a playboy... Carrie Underwood, Jessica Simpson. Even Candice Crawford was a Dallas Cowboys Media employee when they started dating. That is supposed to be a no-no. But bad boy Romo went for it anyway.
 

ClappingCarrot

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So who is the dude on special teams last year telling the younger guys to mail in it, dont get yourself hurt?

Tavon?
"Veteran" is such a tricky word in the NFL because it could be a guy with 3 years experience. Looking at the roster last season, the old guys on ST (not including long snapper) were Heath, Tavon, and Olawale.

Olawale is still with the team (JJT said this guy is gone) and we all knew from Heath's style of play that he's the last dude out there making business decisions.

Austin had sort of a falling out with Garrett and isn't back with the team yet, so that's why I'm inclined to think it's Tavon.
 

Scotman

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We almost broke the record for lowest kick return avg for a season... And we haven't had a kick returned for a td for all of Garrett's tenure as HC.

Mind boggling.
Seriously? Not once? Wow, that really caught me off guard. That's ridiculous.
 

Stash

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"Veteran" is such a tricky word in the NFL because it could be a guy with 3 years experience. Looking at the roster last season, the old guys on ST (not including long snapper) were Heath, Tavon, and Olawale.

Olawale is still with the team (JJT said this guy is gone) and we all knew from Heath's style of play that he's the last dude out there making business decisions.

Austin had sort of a falling out with Garrett and isn't back with the team yet, so that's why I'm inclined to think it's Tavon.

Certain evidence supports that theory.

And it could be that things could a nasty turn after that incident where Garrett threw Austin under the bus.
 

ClappingCarrot

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Seriously? Not once? Wow, that really caught me off guard. That's ridiculous.
I think Lucky Whitehead returned one against the Rams in preseason and Ryan Switzer returned a punt against the Commanders.

Can't think of any other instances. Garrett's idea of special teams was a sure handed guy like Cole Beasley out there making fair catches.
 

Scotman

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I think Lucky Whitehead returned one against the Rams in preseason and Ryan Switzer returned a punt against the Commanders.

Can't think of any other instances. Garrett's idea of special teams was a sure handed guy like Cole Beasley out there making fair catches.
Make sense. Coached not to lose even at the expense of winning.
 

ondaedg

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Seriously? Not once? Wow, that really caught me off guard. That's ridiculous.

From 2011 - 2019 not one KR for a td. And we were 30th in total return TDs with 20. KC only had 45 during that same period..... let that sink in for a moment.
 

CalPolyTechnique

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JJT dropped a nugget that there was an established veteran on our ST squad last year who did not buy in, and consequently told younger players to make "business decisions with your body" because all of those "coaches don't care about you." We had THAT kind of guy on our ST unit last year. You can't have that. JJT didn't specifically mention the player in question here for reasons he said were personal, but all indications lead me to strongly believe that it was Tavon Austin.

This has the stench of LP Ladoucer all over it.
 

jterrell

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Austin makes sense as a voice of dissent about role but not sure it matters as he is a returner... not exactly a guy giving up his body.
No one wanted him to get hit and fumble.

The Dak stuff is literally nothing. No news, no real opinions. Just name dropping.

Dak will likely change more from people leaking stuff than from getting rich.
He's been doing well with off-field endorsements.

Dak posted the Dez stuff on his own TL. JJT hating Dez as usual is why these whispers are often so bad. It's JJT just pro football talking it up.
 

Scotman

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From 2011 - 2019 not one KR for a td. And we were 30th in total return TDs with 20. KC only had 45 during that same period..... let that sink in for a moment.

You can't even blame that on the players because there were too many different ones back there. That's a striking indictment of the coaching.
 

ondaedg

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I think Lucky Whitehead returned one against the Rams in preseason and Ryan Switzer returned a punt against the Commanders.

Can't think of any other instances. Garrett's idea of special teams was a sure handed guy like Cole Beasley out there making fair catches.

We returned 3 punts for a td over that time period. Garrett completely deemphasized special teams play and field position.
 

dwreck27

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Like how everyone hates on Romo for “changing” by dating chicks way outside of his league if he was minus
1.) starting QB of the Dallas Cowboys
2.) had stacks of cash in the bank

Sorry but I’d make that change myself... his personality as a commentator still leads me to believe he is still somewhat down to earth and a true fan of the game. Everyone changes you aren’t the same person you were in your 20s when your 48.

get off yalls high horses.
 
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