Why so much hate for Dez?

Hate is probably a strong word, maybe a better word would be contempt, disdain, venom, etc. I have noticed so many posts with people gleefully letting Dez know "See Ya". I get that he is being paid like an elite/top 2-3 best WR's in the NFL and he is not that anymore. Time and injuries are starting to affect his play so I get the frustration especially with our current cap situation. But still, why such a strong dislike for this guy? He is the Cowboys all time TD leader and has given us a lot of joy in a decade that has not been fun and down right depresssing at times. If not for Blandino his catch at GB would probably be up there with some of the all time great catches in Cowboys playoff history. He has been a great team player, bleeds silver and blue, is great with fans, and is respected and admired by his teammates. Yea I got frustrated by the drops last year and the fumble in the Seahawks game but he is human. He admits he got frustrated last year and the Seattle game was not a good look but he has never been accused of being a selfish player. Even Stephen Jones has taken shots during the off season while giving Jason Witten a free pass even though he is being paid as an elite TE which he clearly is not at this point in his career. When his new contract was announced it seemed like an overwhelming majority of fans were happy at the time. I do believe that we need an infusion of youth and speed at WR and everything points to the Cowboys using one of their premium picks at WR. Every player realizes this is a business and father time is undefeated but I just don't understand the downright nastiness that some fans are throwing his way.

16 million ambivalent reasons

He's a scapegoat for inadequate QB play

he's getting paid an elite #1's pay for an adequate #3's level of performance

is it hate or honest observation of his diminishing skills.??????????????

I'm tired of him talking on and off the field. No hate tho

Fans love players. It’s what we do. GMs are supposed to have a cold hearted forward thinking mindset about every player on the roster. That’s one thing Belechick is great at- he knows when to cut someone loose.

The “it’s time to cut Dez” to me is nothing more than an assessment of what’s best for the team. And it may not be a correct assessment. I think it is time to cut Dez but it’s certainly not out of any kind of hate. It’s just pragmatic.

I hope (probably in vain) that Jerry one day will be able to put aside his love for certain players when it’s in the best interest of the team to say goodbye.

I don't think hate is a strong word at all. It's hard to understand where it comes from.

I *think* people turn on Dez and Witten because they represent the old guard of Tony Romo era offense that we've 'moved on from' now under Dak. I don't understand that type of thinking, but I think that's what's going on. They want a new era with Dak and Elliott and new WRs and want to believe Rico Gathers is a fraction of the player Jason Witten is, even now.

cern said:

is it hate or honest observation of his diminishing skills.??????????????

Click to expand...

Probably both, my point was that it seems so personal.

Bobhaze said:

Fans love players. It’s what we do. GMs are supposed to have a cold hearted forward thinking mindset about every player on the roster. That’s one thing Belechick is great at- he knows when to cut someone loose.

The “it’s time to cut Dez” to me is nothing more than an assessment of what’s best for the team. And it may not be a correct assessment. I think it is time to cut Dez but it’s certainly not out of any kind of hate. It’s just pragmatic.

I hope (probably in vain) that Jerry one day will be able to put aside his love for certain players when it’s in the best interest of the team to say goodbye.

Click to expand...

Good points, well said.

Idgit said:

I don't think hate is a strong word at all. It's hard to understand where it comes from.

I *think* people turn on Dez and Witten because they represent the old guard of Tony Romo era offense that we've 'moved on from' now under Dak. I don't understand that type of thinking, but I think that's what's going on. They want a new era with Dak and Elliott and new WRs and want to believe Rico Gathers is a fraction of the player Jason Witten is, even now.

Click to expand...

I agree. Judging from the Romo thread a few days ago I don’t see to much middle ground when it comes to players from the Romo era. It draws easy conflict which leads to “who can make the better point”. Like playing a game of mini war that is initated on keywords in thread topics. If the thread title has keywords Romo, Dez, or Witten you have to take into consideration that you won’t get far on the “middle ground”.

3rd_n_inches said:

I agree. Judging from the Romo thread a few days ago I don’t see to much middle ground when it comes to players from the Romo era. It draws easy conflict which leads to “who can make the better point”. Like playing a game of mini war that is initated on keywords in thread topics. If the thread title has keywords Romo, Dez, or Witten you have to take into consideration that you won’t get far on the “middle ground”.

Click to expand...

Yep. It's emotion, and not rational. "How can he be any worse that Jason Witten is already?" is an actual argument from one of those threads. You're not going to find middle ground with that logic.

I'm all for upgrading Dez or Wit, too, if we can find better players. In Dez' case, I'd even take a step back if we could find a stretch player to take enough legitimate targets to add a new dimension to the offense and free up some of the underneath guys we've got in Switzer and Beasley and Elliott who I think ought to be getting more looks in the passing game as it is. But I'm not going to pretend those guys suddenly can't play anymore. They're still pretty good players.

Teenage angst.

I don’t hate Dez. I’ve always liked him. I want him released though. It’s a better use of resources to allocate his pay to other positions. Whether it’s him, Dak, Garretts offense or a combination of the three, we aren’t going to get top end production from a WR.

Things were different with Romo because he was a different kind of QB. Right now it’s a waste to spend that much on the WR group. That money would be much better spent on the defense. This team wants to play smash mouth football, then put the funds behind the OL and defense where they would compliment that style. It makes zero sense to have such large cap commitments to WRs when your team wants to function as a run first team.

I don't know. Not his fault the Cowboys overpaid him. I just don't like that he complained and held out at camp and since then hasn't been worth even 4 million a year, let alone 14.

I think it’s more disappointment than hate. The expectations are so high for him. I do think his effort was not what it should of been on various plays that cost us picks this year. He has to at least play the ball and with his career people expect him to come down with it play after play.

I think Dak will grow into it this year - When Romo was here he excelled with Dez because he was the veteran and kept him focused and had a great understanding of his catch radius.

I think he is going to beast out this year - needs to stay healthy

Idgit said:

Yep. It's emotion, and not rational. "How can he be any worse that Jason Witten is already?" is an actual argument from one of those threads. You're not going to find middle ground with that logic.

I'm all for upgrading Dez or Wit, too, if we can find better players. In Dez' case, I'd even take a step back if we could find a stretch player to take enough legitimate targets to add a new dimension to the offense and free up some of the underneath guys we've got in Switzer and Beasley and Elliott who I think ought to be getting more looks in the passing game as it is. But I'm not going to pretend those guys suddenly can't play anymore. They're still pretty good players.

Click to expand...

I hope Linehan can create some opportunity for Switzer in the passing game and overall I feel more hesitant to trash the WR core with Linehan here. I could go further down that road but my perspective last year was that the circus came rolling into town and Linehan looked like a deer in the headlights while Marinelli coached.

cowboyskid29 said:

He's a scapegoat for inadequate QB play

Click to expand...

Exactly what I was thinking. Dez is getting hate because everyone expected Dak to have the same type of year he did his rookie year and they need someone to blame other than Dak. Dez is hardly the sole reason we had a forgettable season. If it were just Dez who had problems, then they might have a better argument. But the entire passing game was bad. The scheme was bad, the coaching was horrible, and again our franchise QB hit a sophomore type slump. Not to mention Zeke missed 6 games, and was distraction up until he finally left.

I’ve been guilty in the past of blaming bad seasons entirely on one player. The most recent was Tony Romo. I was hard on him his last couple of years. We like to love them when they are great and on top of the world, and then run them out of town when we think they are getting to the end of their career. Let’s just not forget how many great things a lot of these guys did for the Cowboys. After all, as pathetic as this organization has been for 23 seasons, their have been a few bright spots. Dez has been one of those. You might not care for him, just like some didn’t care for Irvin or Deion,’or Troy, But Dez is a pure Cowboy, the definition of a lifer as much as we can have these days. If he had just one Super Bowl Ring, he’d be celebrated as one of the best ever to put on The Star.
À
One thing is for sure , don’t claim him and celebrate him if by chance he makes the HOF one day, but despise him now. If Tony wouldn’t have got hurt, him and Dez would’ve been the most successful tandem ever. Probably with a ring or two.

Idgit said:

I don't think hate is a strong word at all. It's hard to understand where it comes from.

I *think* people turn on Dez and Witten because they represent the old guard of Tony Romo era offense that we've 'moved on from' now under Dak. I don't understand that type of thinking, but I think that's what's going on. They want a new era with Dak and Elliott and new WRs and want to believe Rico Gathers is a fraction of the player Jason Witten is, even now.

Click to expand...

Of course as far as experience and knowledge goes Witten has no peer.
But i'd love to see this coming season Rico get equal reps and look at the numbers at the end of the season.
Witten will be open and catch the ball. But the YAC will go to Rico and My opinion is the TD's would be greater in Rico's column.

People on here hate Roger Goodell they don’t hate Dez. If Dez was producing like he was in 2014 or if he was making 7-8 mil a year the Dezzies would be out in full force spewing Dez love Kool-Aid all over the place. People see the other teams with their shiny toys making big plays and they want that for their team.