Chemistry is an interesting thing. While I agree you can't manufacture it per se, watching this team over last few seasons, you could certainly see cliques that were emerging.
The problem as I see it is that even during Parcells final year, this team lacked leadership. In fact, Parcells likes to draft and pick up his guys, but the ones that area available are solid, dependable, quiet, "yes" men, a lot of the time (the real bigtime leaders stay on their respective teams usually, or you get one in twilight of career ala Richie Anderson, etc).
So what I saw happen was a team with a huge vacuum in leadership pick up Pac Man, Tank, and a few others. They had TO who is HUGELY charismatic, and is a double edged sword, because he does push and teach the younger players etc, but then pulls stunts that truly divide a team and divide players/coaching also. So these guys became leaders while Romo was growing, and trying to keep everyone happy, and while Garrett was learning the OC, and Phillips was running around saying "mistakes are on me" (sorry, but you are treating what amounts to rich "kids" like men, which is a strategic error at times).
You are not really giving the right chemistry the chance to develop when outsiders waltz in and dictate the persona of the team rather than the other way around.
This to me was also the major failing of the Ellis's and Roy Williams, etc. These guys were the holdovers, but they couldn't get it done, and their attitudes and personalities were dwarfed by the newcomers.
It is time for Felix, Ware, Romo, Witten, Columbo, Newman, etc to put their mark on this team.
The chemistry or whatever you want to call it was weak last year. Plain and simple, when punched in the mouth, even mighty TO was reduced to a finger pointing, pouting, backstabbing baby. Sorry, he's a huge talent and genetic freak, but he's a double edged sword, and when the chips were down, you don't want him in your foxhole with you. Tank disappeared. You aren't sure Roy Williams even wants to play the game. Pac Man isn't mature enough to save his career, by staying off the sauce and out of trouble.
Watch the games, go back and read about the guys making the speeches, it is the guys on the list. Those that are being culled. I didn't believe they were gonna do it, but they sure are lowering the axe, and frequently. Almost every guy that underachieved or spouted off in the wrong way is getting whacked! Jerry might not have been saying it, or showing it, but someone was PO'd!
TO
Pac Man
Tank
Roy Williams
now, maybe Ellis
That is pretty gutsy, especially when you KNOW the media is gonna have a field day (let alone your old players) cutting you to pieces for doing it.
It is pretty funny to read the concerns of Troy, Emmitt, Michael et all (Sanders is a breed of his own, and could of -would of today - been a cancer in Dallas maybe IF the team wasn't as strong already when he joined). The triplets had those X factors beyond their special playing ability. Irvin wanted to win so bad, and while flamboyant he wasn't a "me" guy or really a pouter. He'd get cheesed off, but he would rather win. Aikman was a serious leader, and knew the role he had to play. He was the straight man, the guy that was a little aloof, and he commanded the team (Romo remains one of the guys, and it might be tough for him to lead the same way). Emmitt was a warrior, who led by example, even if quiet,. But its funny they don't even see the TO's, Pac Man's etc as missing the ingredients that they themselves have/had. It is interesting to watch.
It was bad last year. Going from weeping "that's my quarterback" to pointing fingers, and snitches, and meetings, etc. They weren't scaring anyone!
LarryCanadian