Audio: Sham and Brown talk T.O. candidly (17 minute version)

[5Countem5]

Bingo...

And the real danger with TO is that he's such a polarizing personality that if he goes off, some people will take his side. You can see it on the board -- there are some people who defend his every action no matter what. And I have no doubt it's that way in the locker room, too... Just like it was in Philly.

The good news is that with Roy here, we wouldn't be completely shut down if he did go off. At Philly and later in his SF career, he was so far above the next WR, they really were hamstrung. So at least we aren't in that position anymore.

And as far as his routes and so forth, theebs is right. Laufenberg has been saying for a couple of years now that he's lousy at beating the press and he does get frustrated and runs very imprecise routes. Even Galloway has said that you can't see it unless you're at the stadium and can see the entire field (which TV doesn't show), but he really does get pushed around in press coverage and runs these "mystery meat" routes where he seems to freelance as he goes. That's why he was so good with Garcia and McNabb and Romo -- because they can buy time and by then it's a freelance situation anyway. TO wouldn't be nearly as good playing with a timing based, precision offense and QB like Aikman.

And his place in the all-time record in catches, yards and tds is due to what? For a guy who can't run a route- he seems to produce everywhere he has been.

 

[khiladi]

That's why he was so good with Garcia and McNabb and Romo -- because they can buy time and by then it's a freelance situation anyway. TO wouldn't be nearly as good playing with a timing based, precision offense and QB like Aikman.

That is a bunch of BS... How was he free-lancing with a Garcia or McNabb when they ran Weste Coast offenses and the bread and butter were quick slants and short routes. While Garcia and McNabb can buy time, they arenb't buying time the majority of the snaps. They are making their reads and throwing the ball. It is much harder to free-lance in that type of system, because the ball is meant to get out quick and the WR doesn't have the time to 'free-lance'. Anybody can 'hand-pick' routes and claim what they want about TO, but that is called manipulating the situation. How the hell does Brad Sham or Galloway no what progression TO is on the particular play they claim he gave up on? BTW, TO is playing in a timing-based, precision offense but Jason Garrett sucks at running it. I say it all the time. Count how many times Jason Garrett calls a play-action pass the whole game. How do you get s safety to bite on a precise timing route, when the safety has no need to worry about that threat because the OC is so dumb? JG is in the league of Burce Coslett right now as an OC and he is nowhere near the level of Norv Turner...

 

[khiladi]

TO doesn't have many friends here to boot-whenever he has his annual bday party, lots of his Eagles buddies come, but VERY few of his Cowboys buddies do. I guess that's a good thing b/c the locker room division is/won't be that bad.

BTW-whenever we play the Eagles, it's been reported that he hangs out at the Eagles hotel with his buddies here in Dallas. It sounds to me like he *misses* Philly. And for that matter, I myself am starting to get suspicious.

I'm sure he misses playing for coaches that actually no how to use his talent, unlike Jason Garrett who over-intellectualizes everything to the point that he can't even take advantage of basic talent mis-matches.For crying out loud, RW caught a TD against Tampa on a fade-route, using his size and JG hasn't used that play once since then. He had the oppurtunity against the Steelers and the very match-up to be effective at it... There is a reason Princeton isn't a football school...

 

[Boysboy]

I'm sure he misses playing for coaches that actually no how to use his talent, unlike Jason Garrett who over-intellectualizes everything to the point that he can't even take advantage of basic talent mis-matches.For crying out loud, RW caught a TD against Tampa on a fade-route, using his size and JG hasn't used that play once since then. He had the oppurtunity against the Steelers and the very match-up to be effective at it... There is a reason Princeton isn't a football school...

Here's what I don't get-Why would Lurie and Reid allow Owens into their hotel to hang out with their players? The same guy who publicly insulted their franchise QB...you would think Reid would make sure this guy is off-limits with their hotel and his players.

Like I said-I'm getting suspicious.

 

[khiladi]

And his place in the all-time record in catches, yards and tds is due to what? For a guy who can't run a route- he seems to produce everywhere he has been.

Seriously...

 

[5Countem5]

Seriously...

I know...

There's young players all over the country hoping and praying they could suck as bad as TO.

 

[tyke1doe]

but I think if Garrett was a better OC/not so pass happy and if Romo was a better qb we would be better off without him.

Imagine how deadly Romo could be with a running attack like the Panthers have?

This team is too pass happy. Romo still needs to grow as a quarterback, both in patience and his decision-making. And the way you do that is to protect a quarterback with a run-oriented offense.

I don't think Parcells was the man to lead this team - he was too old. But I agree with his philosophy and how he wanted to groom Romo, his Seattle playoff strategy notwithstanding.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I never said he sucked.

Obviously TO has been a very productive player in the league. Everyone knows he's extremely talented. I don't know why some people get so bent out of shape when it's pointed out that he does have flaws -- every player does.

 

[Boysboy]

Imagine how deadly Romo could be with a running attack like the Panthers have?

This team is too pass happy. Romo still needs to grow as a quarterback, both in patience and his decision-making. And the way you do that is to protect a quarterback with a run-oriented offense.

I don't think Parcells was the man to lead this team - he was too old. But I agree with his philosophy and how he wanted to groom Romo, his Seattle playoff strategy notwithstanding.

Uhhhhhhmmmmmm.........Parcells abandoned the run when he gave the reigns to Romo.

And in case you forgot, we pounded the rock in the 2nd Skins game.

 

[khiladi]

Here's what I don't get-Why would Lurie and Reid allow Owens into their hotel to hang out with their players? The same guy who publicly insulted their franchise QB...you would think Reid would make sure this guy is off-limits with their hotel and his players.

Like I said-I'm getting suspicious.

Because coaches really don't care what their players are doing as long as they meet their curfew. There are plenty of instances in professional sports where people of opposing teams hang out with their friends from the team they are playing. Chris Paul has friends like Kobe Bryant stay at his place when the Lakers are in town playing against the Hornets.TO came out and obliterated the Eagles last year in Philly....

 

[superpunk]

T.O. is probably the greatest player ever. He has probably never made a mistake, and he probably never will. If anything goes wrong, it's probably because his coordinator is terrible and won't call the right plays/routes for him or his quarterback is a gigantic ****-up like Tony Romo.

 

[Boysboy]

I never said he sucked.

Obviously TO has been a very productive player in the league. Everyone knows he's extremely talented. I don't know why some people get so bent out of shape when it's pointed out that he does have flaws -- every player does.

No-it's b/c 2/3 of Zoners have said it's LARGELY TO's fault that we're not leading the division at this point. They said that if TO isn't on this team, we would be tied, if not leading the Giants in this division.

Didn't you say that yourself?

 

[Chocolate Lab]

No-it's b/c 2/3 of Zoners have said it's LARGELY TO's fault that we're not leading the division at this point. They said that if TO isn't on this team, we would be tied, if not leading the Giants in this division.

Didn't you say that yourself?

Of course I didn't say that.

And do you have any kind of evidence for your constant refrain that most or 2/3 of Zoners blame TO for everything?

 

[5Countem5]

T.O. is probably the greatest player ever. He has probably never made a mistake, and he probably never will. If anything goes wrong, it's probably because his coordinator is terrible and won't call the right plays/routes for him or his quarterback is a gigantic ****-up like Tony Romo.

More silliness from the haters...

 

[khiladi]

I never said he sucked.

Obviously TO has been a very productive player in the league. Everyone knows he's extremely talented. I don't know why some people get so bent out of shape when it's pointed out that he does have flaws -- every player does.

The point is every player has certain flaws, so what good is it by Sham to claim TO doesn't run good routes or points out a case where TO doesn't beat press coverage. TOs whole career is damning evidence against Sham's claims.. TO isn't going to win every battle at the line... But he will win the majority of them. I can find tape of Demarcus Ware can handled by a scrub left tackle on a couple of plays, does that give right for me to generalize about Ware not being able to handle scrubby left tackles.A coaches job is to maximize the talent they have and not expose the flaws of their players... JG is the one that isn't doing a good job at it....

 

[Boysboy]

Of course I didn't say that.

And do you have any kind of evidence for your constant refrain that most or 2/3 of Zoners blame TO for everything?

Do you REALLY want me to name names? Yes, YES-2/3 of Zoners here said if TO *isn't* on this team, we would be 12-1 right now.

 

[Arch Stanton]

Everyone in the organization is petrified to call him out on his nonsense because he's Jerry's pet cat/vanity project (just like PacMan) and he has a proven track record of being such a headcase and volatile personality that any confrontation from his teammates or coaches causes him to completely fly off the handles like he did with the Eagles or swallow a bottle of vicadin like he did under Parcells. And basically he gets off scott free for everything with no accountability, and everyone takes the heat around him. When he doesn't get open Garrett takes the heat for not "inventing" ways to get him open, not that TO can't get seperation. When Romo throws it to him after he's quit on a route then it's Romo's bad throw/decision. I wish there was a Charles Haley on this team that didn't give a crap if he is Jerry's pet cat or TO's sensative feelings who would tell TO where he could shove it.

Good post. Could not have said it better.

 

[theebs]

Do you REALLY want me to name names? Yes, YES-2/3 of Zoners here said if TO *isn't* on this team, we would be 12-1 right now.

lol

your mental.

 

[khiladi]

The people that are criticizing TO and his 'drop-off- in talent are the same players that were riding the jock of players like Roy Williams for years saying he hasn't lost a step as a safety...They were all for 'maximizing' the talent of Roy and using him to his abilities...

 

[khiladi]

T.O. is probably the greatest player ever. He has probably never made a mistake, and he probably never will. If anything goes wrong, it's probably because his coordinator is terrible and won't call the right plays/routes for him or his quarterback is a gigantic ****-up like Tony Romo.

But we should have kept Sparano as a coach, right... Because JG can't get it done...
Talk about how bad the stench of hypocrisy smells...