I was a self proclaimed tanker last year

JustChip

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Also, it is important for the whole team… from the players to the trainers… to always fight like heck to win. Always scratch and claw to get a victory. Even if nobody says the team is tanking, the players will know what is really going on. Just like the Philly players knew they weren’t really trying to win their last game last year. They knew taking out Hurts at QB was to make sure they lost.

Not trying to win simply isn’t cool with anyone, the players included.

Losing was never acceptable last year to McCarthy, Moore, Or anyone in the Dallas front office. I know some disagree, but I feel that is very important.
Just my opinion, but most team tankers are finding a way to rationalize winning when losing. If we can’t win the Super Bowl, maybe we can win the Draft Bowl.

Good players are available at every every position as well as busts. It’s about who a team picks way more than where they pick (Taco vs. TJ). The only possible benefit to losing and getting a higher draft position is being able to parlay that position into more picks thereby increasing the overall chances for good players.

I’m just a fan, but I have never played any game at any level with any mindset but to win. And I can’t imagine most pro athletes find purposeful tanking, or just losing for that matter, an anathema.
 

DallasEast

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What tanking looks like: 3 super bowls in 4 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Players don't tank. The team tanks by trading assets for draft picks and then using those picks wisely.
Are you stating the Cowboys' front office (a.k.a. Jerry Jones) purposefully tanked the 1989, 1990 and/or 1991 seasons?
 

J_Allen

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I'm glad we tanked. We wouldn't have Michael Parsons. There's absolutely nothing wrong with tanking if you don't have any chance of doing well in the playoffs or making them. Why wouldn't you want a top 10 pick versus a 21 pick?
 

JustChip

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With a higher draft pick Dallas takes Horn or Surtain and would lose Parsons, Joseph and Gholston......... im glad it fell the way it did
But they likely would’ve ended up with 3 other players that would help this team.
 

DallasEast

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I'm glad we tanked. We wouldn't have Michael Parsons. There's absolutely nothing wrong with tanking if you don't have any chance of doing well in the playoffs or making them. Why wouldn't you want a top 10 pick versus a 21 pick?
Tanking means purposefully losing games. The team lost games it tried to win. The team's draft seeding was not the result of trying to lose. However, the team's actual seeding did assist them in drafting Parsons.
 

J_Allen

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Tanking means purposefully losing games. The team lost games it tried to win. The team's draft seeding was not the result of trying to lose. However, the team's actual seeding did assist them in drafting Parsons.

That's true and I don't think they tanked on purpose... But for those who wanted to keep winning and for those who wanted to tank, aren't you glad we lost? So isn't tanking really a good strategy if you have no chance of making the playoffs?
 

Ranching

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Thinking about last season right now, and I just remembered my mentality last season after Dak went down.

I wanted the team to tank and lose for the best draft position possible.

Well, I was wrong and I'll never want this team to tank again.

The team did string together some wins last year and perhaps got lucky this draft by getting Parsons at #12. There was some great talent that went before him, like Surtain and offensive players, but Parsons was the player this team so desperately needed.

I'll never root for another Cowboys loss. Maybe I'll take some solace in a loss knowing it will help improve the draft order.

But I learned my lesson. Always play to win because you never know who is going to fall in the draft.

Go Cowboys.
I don't like tanking at all....draft picks don't always pan out and you set yourself up to losing your players respect. I understand resting some players when a playoff season is wrapped up, but those on the field and coaches should still play to win. My friend @waldoputty and I would always disagree on this....I get the logic, I just don't like losing, especially when it's done intentionally.....Respect the game.
 

Ranching

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That's true and I don't think they tanked on purpose... But for those who wanted to keep winning and for those who wanted to tank, aren't you glad we lost? So isn't tanking really a good strategy if you have no chance of making the playoffs?
Only losers like to lose.....I guess it's in their DNA
 

J_Allen

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Only losers like to lose.....I guess it's in their DNA

Oh God here we go...

It's not at all a losing mentality if you're doing it to win in the future. Do you understand that? I don't think you do. At all. You just see win good. Lose bad. Which is fine.
 

Ranching

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Oh God here we go...
Not going anywhere, I've always said this and I stick to it. The FO may trade or cut players, but the staff and players are playing to win and keep their jobs.....you don't get to that level by purposely losing games.....and , no, I was not happy that we lost 10 games last year.
 

Hardline

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I never expect the players on the field to play to lose .You simply look at the remaining games of a lost season as preseason and call up practice squad players and play second teamers for experience.
The Eagles played it right last year and through wheeling and dealing in the 2021 draft will most likely end up with two first rounders in the top 10 of the 2022 draft. And that's not including the Wentz trade.
 

DallasEast

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That's true and I don't think they tanked on purpose... But for those who wanted to keep winning and for those who wanted to tank, aren't you glad we lost? So isn't tanking really a good strategy if you have no chance of making the playoffs?
I have never wanted any of my favorite teams, in all sports, at every level, to lose a single game, in 45 years. The persistent prevailing justification is being happy with the results of an outcome that no fan can control and future player acquisitions that cannot be guaranteed by simply wishing it.

The truth cannot be twisted. If a fan wishes their team to lose, the team might win. If a fan wishes their team to win, the team might lose. If a fan wishes their team to tie, the team might win OR lose. A team's front office can hit or miss at every draft selection--from the #1 overall pick to Mr. Irrelevant.

Since all of the above is true, the better question is why would any fan hope for their team to lose ANY games?
 

SteveTheCowboy

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Thinking about last season right now, and I just remembered my mentality last season after Dak went down.

I wanted the team to tank and lose for the best draft position possible.

Well, I was wrong and I'll never want this team to tank again.

The team did string together some wins last year and perhaps got lucky this draft by getting Parsons at #12. There was some great talent that went before him, like Surtain and offensive players, but Parsons was the player this team so desperately needed.

I'll never root for another Cowboys loss. Maybe I'll take some solace in a loss knowing it will help improve the draft order.

But I learned my lesson. Always play to win because you never know who is going to fall in the draft.

Go Cowboys.
Thanks for admitting your mistake. Man those were some heated battles back then, huh?

Tanking for the sake of tanking = say for draft picks = is very dangerous. As I said then...there's no guarantee of draft pick success. You play to win and you draft your best player.

Now instilling winning attitude, even in the face of adversity....builds success. This team seems to finally have that!
 

SteveTheCowboy

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I never expect the players on the field to play to lose .You simply look at the remaining games of a lost season as preseason and call up practice squad players and play second teamers for experience.
The Eagles played it right last year and through wheeling and dealing in the 2021 draft will most likely end up with two first rounders in the top 10 of the 2022 draft. And that's not including the Wentz trade.


Some people say that might be "tanking". I disagree. It's a great opportunity to evaluate players in real game time...something that can be very hard to do. And sets you up for better assessment of needs. Might find a gem on your own team too!
 

805BoysInBlue

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Thinking about last season right now, and I just remembered my mentality last season after Dak went down.

I wanted the team to tank and lose for the best draft position possible.

Well, I was wrong and I'll never want this team to tank again.

The team did string together some wins last year and perhaps got lucky this draft by getting Parsons at #12. There was some great talent that went before him, like Surtain and offensive players, but Parsons was the player this team so desperately needed.

I'll never root for another Cowboys loss. Maybe I'll take some solace in a loss knowing it will help improve the draft order.

But I learned my lesson. Always play to win because you never know who is going to fall in the draft.

Go Cowboys.
Takes some big ones to admitted this...
 

MarcusRock

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What tanking looks like: 3 super bowls in 4 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Players don't tank. The team tanks by trading assets for draft picks and then using those picks wisely.

Philly might have 3 top 10 picks next draft as a result of their tanking (which also included their game against us late last season). We'll see how it served them in a few years.
 

CATCH17

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I will always cheer for what benefits us. If that means losing then ill cheer for that.

1 draft doesn’t change that. Especially in a year where a lot of the guys set out and fell because of it.
 

CATCH17

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I don't like tanking at all....draft picks don't always pan out and you set yourself up to losing your players respect. I understand resting some players when a playoff season is wrapped up, but those on the field and coaches should still play to win. My friend @waldoputty and I would always disagree on this....I get the logic, I just don't like losing, especially when it's done intentionally.....Respect the game.

A lot of division winning teams will be resting in week 17 this year with nothing to play for I imagine.
 

Ranching

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A lot of division winning teams will be resting in week 17 this year with nothing to play for I imagine.
They always do, but the backups will play their heart out, because it may save their jobs for the next season......play to win when you are on the field....very simple concept.....my issue is with fans that openly want their team to lose.....I just don't understand that
 
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