Controversy - Good or Bad? Can the team handle it?

[superpunk]

Perceived or otherwise, controversy hit Valley Ranch hard this week.

From the Roy Williams "split" in the locker room over deserved suspension to TO's comments in print, the Cowboys are all over the sports news today and it has very little to do with football. Will this team rally around the controversy, or let it divide them? Can Wade Phillips handle it, or how do you think he's handling it? The team is banged up, it's a short week, and the locker room has become an access hollywood hub - how do you think they handle it?

 

[Hostile]

I think Tony Romo will be looking to redeem himself from last week. If his thumb is good and the guys see him loose and relaxed the whole team will follow his lead and just handle their business.

 

[justbob]

I think the only trouble is in the minds of reporters who don't have anything better to do

 

[CrazyCowboy]

ROMO will show Carolina WHY he is in the Pro Bowl

He bounced back after the Buffalo bad game.

 

[superpunk]

I think the only trouble is in the minds of reporters who don't have anything better to do

Where else would it come from? :

I don't believe there are any actual locker room problems - but TO's joke session has grown wings since noone has video of it, and it reads GREAT (from a sensationalist perspective) in black and white. Having to field questions about that can get tiring to everyone.

 

[justbob]

Where else would it come from? :

I don't believe there are any actual locker room problems - but TO's joke session has grown wings since noone has video of it, and it reads GREAT (from a sensationalist perspective) in black and white. Having to field questions about that can get tiring to everyone.

SO true --the mind fields of the reporters --where every fact gets blown up

 

[Maikeru-sama]

Meh.

Not a big deal at all.

I heard the audio and it was extremely obvious that he was saying everything tongue and cheek. Especially when he was walking off and said, "I will have something else to say to Jessica when we are in the Playoffs" and everyone, including Owens busted out laughing.

ESPN Radio also reported that Terrell Owens said he had talked to Romo and apolgized (it may have been at the Mavs/Suns Game, can't remember exactly), even though he was obviously joking.

Furthermore, controversy is nothing new in this lockerroom. You had all the Romo groupies contantly talking about who he was dating and what I call T.O. moments last year.

If a weak, overblown non-story like this is able to derail this team and hurt their focus, they don't even need to be in the Playoffs anyway.

 

[Faerluna]

I think all this hubbub is nothing compared to TO's first year here. In a week this will all be a distant memory.

 

[Doomsday101]

Perceived or otherwise, controversy hit Valley Ranch hard this week.

From the Roy Williams "split" in the locker room over deserved suspension to TO's comments in print, the Cowboys are all over the sports news today and it has very little to do with football. Will this team rally around the controversy, or let it divide them? Can Wade Phillips handle it, or how do you think he's handling it? The team is banged up, it's a short week, and the locker room has become an access hollywood hub - how do you think they handle it?

I think it all depends on how Roy takes the criticism

 

[khiladi]

Problem is, if we win and dominate defensively, the reporters will be all onthe "Roy Williams is a liability" train , and this defense performs better without him. Which can really be a good thing for Roy, because it will mean that he needs to step his game up a notch. Roy can take it as extra motivation to destroy opponents.

 

[superpunk]

I think all this hubbub is nothing compared to TO's first year here. In a week this will all be a distant memory.

I think you're right. And I really think Phillips style works for crap like this, whereas Parcells just made things worse sometimes by refusing to discuss it with the media. Phillips is honest, matter of fact, gives a straight answer and moves on - which prevents our local media darlings from trying to divine answers from "what he didn't say".

I can't even watch NFLN with this Simpson bull right now. This morning, lady on the treadmill next to me sees CNN doing a Romo-Simpson thing, she says "Good lord...leave that poor guy alone." I started cracking up. It's madness, I say!

 

[WoodysGirl]

TO Jess comments Audio: http://www.dallascowboys.com/mp3/players/player_owens_comments_121907.mp3

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I was thinking about this topic this morning when I went for a run. I'm kind of glad we're getting all this right now. Not so much the T.O. "controversy" -- I don't believe that's anything -- but the Romo thumb and Cory Procter and the turmoil at safety now with Roy suspended and Watkins hurt. Make no mistake, two of our three best safeties being out is some real adversity. I'm curious to see how Killa and especially the rookie handles it. Heck, maybe even Ball playing for the first time and Carpenter playing some on defense.

I think the new guys and the team will be fine. I feel like there's more of a sense of optimism that the new guys will do well and that other parts of the team will pick up the slack if need be than in the past. And it could even be a confidence boost if we play well and win with so many new moving parts, and the old coach used to say.

So this could even be a positive if we go in there and win. It may not be as easy as we like, but if we do beat them soundly, I think it'll add some confidence going in to Washington.

Though I won't lie -- I'm glad it's Carolina and not Green Bay we're playing with all these challenges.

 

[Faerluna]

I can't even watch NFLN with this Simpson bull right now.

Agreed. I really could care less if she's at the games or not, as long as Tony's head is on straight. It's the incessant shots of her mugging it up during the game that irritate me. Enough already.

IMO, Joe and Troy blew it totally out of proportion and essentially created this whole controversy from their commentary and shot after shot of her on the screen. She managed to keep a low profile for the other games, so please do us all a favor and keep it that way.

If I wanted to see that stupid bimbo's face I'd be watching Entertainment Tonight or some other garbage show.

Between this nonsense and the MNF irrelevant chatter/booth guests, the actual game is becoming the afterthought.

On a side note, I was shocked to see Dukes and Woodson saying that it was uncalled for to suspend Roy for making a tackle, and they should just fine him.

 

[sago1]

Romo has shown in the past that every adversity he faces he has used as a motivation to work harder so he can get better.

He's probably studying every single Panther game that team has played this year looking for clues, particularly the Panther game against Seattle. Not to worry, Romo will be just fine. He's also smart enough not to pay any attention to TO's comments cause that would effect the lockerroom and I doubt Romo will allow anything to do that.

 

[Everlastingxxx]

I am worried about this team. I feel like they are distracted with all this stuff. All the injuries and your Star QB injured and distracted i don’t know. I hope that this team can overcome this. Trying not to get my hopes up too much because another December collapse would be hard to handle.

 

[Doomsday101]

I am worried about this team. I feel like they are distracted with all this stuff. All the injuries and your Star QB injured and distracted i don’t know. I hope that this team can overcome this. Trying not to get my hopes up too much because another December collapse would be hard to handle.

I think people outside the organization are being distracted by all of this more than the players. I don't think Simpson being at the game had anything to do with Romo play or distracted him from his job.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

I think the only trouble is in the minds of reporters who don't have anything better to do

I think the only trouble is in the mind of the OP.

 

[Everlastingxxx]

I think people outside the organization are being distracted by all of this more than the players. I don't think Simpson being at the game had anything to do with Romo play or distracted him from his job.

It is not about her being at the game that is distracting. It is him falling in love with her and going out to look at wedding rings. Instead of watching game film, he is out watching I am Legend with Jessica at the movies. It is LOVE that can completely dominate a persons thoughts and emotions. And the team looked unfocused against the Eagles, Jesus did you see how many times players on offense had no clue where to line up and running the wrong routes?! And players do not live in a box. If Wade is watching the media...the players are too.

 

[Doomsday101]

It is not about her being at the game that is distracting. It is him falling in love with her and going out to look at wedding rings. Instead of watching film, he is out watching I am Legend with Jessica. It is LOVE that can completely dominate a persons thoughts and emotions. And the team looked unfocused against the Eagles, Jesus did you see how many times players on offense had no clue where to line up and running the wrong routes?! And players do not live in a box. If Wade is watching the media...the players are too.

I think Romo is a professional and understands what it takes to be successful in this league and so no I don't think he is out running the streets with Simpsons over preparing himself for the upcoming games or being distracted by her. I think this is enquiring minds want to know BS that the public is buying into. Romo had a bad day no doubt about it but all QB's will have bad days even Manning and Brady have had these off days. Thing that gets me is Romo has a bad day and all of a sudden people want to find blame as to why? Simple players like anyone else in life have off days where things are not clicking