BTB: The Dallas Cowboys Are Building A "Special Bond" That Is Rare In The NFL

[waving monkey]

It's starting to feel like something very special is brewing for the Dallas Cowboys. The way in which this team operates and how they have dealt with success has been remarkable. A lot of teams have been fortunate enough to win plenty of games but in order to reach the pinnacle, something has to be special about your team. It seems with every passing day, the Cowboys are building toward something bigger than themselves. Through adversity and prosperity, this is a team that is the exact definition of that word - team.

Jason Garrett has had a mantra each season that he's been the head coach, whether it be the "finish the fight" of 2014 or his every day "be your best, regardless of circumstances"; he's always found a way to keep his team dialed in. This season his message has been "let's build a team that we are all proud to be part of" and that's exactly what we're seeing take shape.

The offense is rejuvenated behind an offensive coordinator that can be aggressive in play-calling and two rookies that have outperformed everyone's projections. When you have the top offensive line in football, there is a lot you can accomplish. Much like 2014, these five guys up front set the tone on Sundays and if you're not careful, they will run you out of any building.

Another Garrett-ism is the phrase about "playing consistent football no matter if you are in a stadium, the parking lot, or on the moon." That's what is becoming so impressive to see as this team has had huge wins against NFL stalwarts. The Cowboys beat the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field and the Steelers were 3-1 at home before Dallas walked in and stole one from them last Sunday. Garrett has these players and other coaches so dialed in that they don't worry about anything but themselves.

link/http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2016...boys-are-building-a-special-bond-that-is-rare

 

[big dog cowboy]

Special bond like this?

 

[pugilist]

Chris Christie, cringe

 

[plasticman]

This was all part of Garrett's plan from the very beginning. He told us in the summer of 2011 that he wanted to build a team that was close.

HC listed the ingredients he needed:

1. The "right kind of players" guys who would work hard, who loves th game. Good citizens who were productive and stayed in college, most of them team leaders.

2. Competition among the players regardless of draft position or contract, creating close knit squads.

3. A respect for team traditions and past accomplishments. A high standard of performance.

A HC has many duties and Jason Garrett is ny no means master of them all nut he is pretty good at building, preparing, and motivating a team.

 

[bayeslife]

Chris Christie, cringe

I love how angry it makes the people of New Jersey. Their vote could solely depend on that he's a Cowboys fan.

 

[ksadler1]

I said this in an earlier post about the difference between this team and the 2014 team. 2014 was a good team, but not compared to this one. There were a lot of individuals on the 2014 team. This team has a bond that 2014 just didn't seem to have.....

 

[DandyDon52]

it is sort of like what Seattle had for a couple of years, when they won the SB.

 

[ConstantReboot]

Someone needs to push Chris Christie off a wall.

 

[Zekeats]

It's simple, a team almost always comes together when winning and almost always divides when losing.

 

[zrinkill]

The difference is that Dak and Zeke are both winners.

If you look at their college careers ....... esp Zeke ....... these guys do not know how to lose.

Zeke is 86-9 since high school ........ thats unheard of.

 

[1972COWBOY]

Lets hope it doesnt fall apart after a loss or two. Vikings seemed to fall apart.

We had a softball team that went undefeated for like 5 years (Fote's Cafe') and one player whose brother last name Clemments I think played for the Giants. This guy would bounce balls of the houses beyond the fence. They had all the best players. Eventually the league made a home run rule cause of them.

Well, they finally lost getting base hit to death and boy did their bonding suddenly fall apart. Keeping that bond in spite of a loss is very important.

 

[MileyDancer]

Lets hope it doesnt fall apart after a loss or two. Vikings seemed to fall apart.

It won't.

 

[JD_KaPow]

You read these articles every time a team starts winning. We read the same articles in 2014 about the Cowboys. "They have a lot of talent, they're playing well and they've gotten a few breaks here and there to help win the close games" isn't enough to keep sportswriters employed, so we get a lot of "intangibles" and "chemistry" articles.

Winning creates chemistry, not the other way around.
When you're winning, the jokers in the clubhouse are "keeping it light." When you're losing, they "don't take it seriously."
When you're winning, the loners "lead by example." When you're losing, they're "not leaders."
And so on.

 

[phildadon86]

It won't.

I agree. Even last year when the season was done. Jason still had these guys competing. Have to give him credit for that

 

[visionary]

This was all part of Garrett's plan from the very beginning. He told us in the summer of 2011 that he wanted to build a team that was close.

HC listed the ingredients he needed:

1. The "right kind of players" guys who would work hard, who loves th game. Good citizens who were productive and stayed in college, most of them team leaders.

2. Competition among the players regardless of draft position or contract, creating close knit squads.

3. A respect for team traditions and past accomplishments. A high standard of performance.

A HC has many duties and Jason Garrett is ny no means master of them all nut he is pretty good at building, preparing, and motivating a team.

You forgot

4. Fans who believe half a season of good football trumps 6 years of mediocrity

 

[visionary]

You read these articles every time a team starts winning. We read the same articles in 2014 about the Cowboys. "They have a lot of talent, they're playing well and they've gotten a few breaks here and there to help win the close games" isn't enough to keep sportswriters employed, so we get a lot of "intangibles" and "chemistry" articles.

Winning creates chemistry, not the other way around.
When you're winning, the jokers in the clubhouse are "keeping it light." When you're losing, they "don't take it seriously."
When you're winning, the loners "lead by example." When you're losing, they're "not leaders."
And so on.

No no
Garrett had finally completed his training and learned to become a HC
That just happens to coincide with a great OL and RB

 

[JD_KaPow]

No no
Garrett had finally completed his training and learned to become a HC
That just happens to coincide with a great OL and RB

Yeah, I remember when that happened in 2014. Weird how he completely forgot all his training last year...and then remembered it again this year.

 

[visionary]

Yeah, I remember when that happened in 2014. Weird how he completely forgot all his training last year...and then remembered it again this year.

But you also have to factor in the "fact" that tge running game has no correlation with winning (lol @Idgit )

Zeke's pass catching had made all the difference this year

 

[tyke1doe]

It's simple, a team almost always comes together when winning and almost always divides when losing.

You read these articles every time a team starts winning. We read the same articles in 2014 about the Cowboys. "They have a lot of talent, they're playing well and they've gotten a few breaks here and there to help win the close games" isn't enough to keep sportswriters employed, so we get a lot of "intangibles" and "chemistry" articles.

Winning creates chemistry, not the other way around.
When you're winning, the jokers in the clubhouse are "keeping it light." When you're losing, they "don't take it seriously."
When you're winning, the loners "lead by example." When you're losing, they're "not leaders."
And so on.

I agree to a degree. I think the chemistry must exist first before the winning begins. But because chemistry is so hard to quantify, it appears as if winning generates it.

But I agree with your overall perspective. These stories are generally written when a team is winning. I'd like to see them written before the season starts. But the "good times" will only last if the winning continues. If the Cowboys hit a 7-game losing streak, we won't be hearing much about the "special bond" players have. Winning validates whatever bond exists.

 

[Idgit]

But you also have to factor in the "fact" that tge running game has no correlation with winning (lol @Idgit )

Zeke's pass catching had made all the difference this year

How was the QB efficiency during the three years in question again? I forget. And how was our running game last year during the downturn? I forget that too.

The only reasonable conclusion is that it's the running game boost. Maybe the Titans would give us Cassell back for Dak and an edge rusher. Who's buying?