Recap: Dave Campo 12/28 FM The Ticket: How to fix current team, Could Jimmy's style work today, 90's Boys

[VaqueroTD]

No Aikman Show this holiday week, so they pick the next best guy for the job..... Dave Campo? Campo good sport about it though, said he wasn't sure anyone wanted to hear from him. And I love the 90's Cowboys stories, especially with Jimmy Johnson Ring of Honor Week.

https://www.theticket.com/2016/06/15/podcasts/

Campo said he still watches the Cowboys weekly:

• This current team has playmakers. They have ingredients to go all the way. They struggle to play at top level every week though. 11 teams in AFC that are still alive for Playoffs. Looks like Cowboys do an awful lot of check with mes and changes at line. Noise affects that. You have to simplify it on the road so you don't have to rely on voice inflection, and they'll be OK. They struggled though lately because their offensive line is banged up. They need Tyron back.
• I've been in situations where everything was a silent count and you took your chances with the gameplan. If a team showed a certain defense on certain down and distance, you put a few plays together for that, and you stick with it. Rather than put yourself in a situation where your receivers aren't sure what they are doing, or the guys aren't on the same page.

Jimmy/Jerry/Cowboys memories:

• I think Jerry wanted Jimmy in Ring all along. Lot of noise out there about why it was taking so long, but I know Jerry long enough that when someone says he should do something, he'll do the opposite. That's his mentality. I think he felt the whole thing was even split - partly Jimmy's fault, partly his fault, and wanted to make sure it was done on his terms. I don't know why this particular time is different, but maybe it's because he feels this is the year he can go all the way. And bring a legend in the same year he goes all the way to the final game.
• The Charles Haley story.... A number of other situations occurred like that before it where he went off on guys. But with Charles, we're in Minnesota... Keep in mind Jimmy is very calculating. Not because he is mad at someone, but it's the right timing to get a jumpstart. We're in 4th quarter and winning big, Jimmy calls up to press box, tells them to put in 2nd unit. So we do. Vikings go down field twice and score. We still win the game though by a good number. We get in locker room. Jimmy is in a tirade because he doesn't like anything not executed right no matter which team, first or second. Charles comes walking in, during middle of Jimmy talking to team about it. Jimmy went berserk. "Get your butt in here! We didn't finish the way we needed to!" Charles folded up. But he took Charles to bathroom and straightened whole situation out right away. That was Jimmy all the way. Everything needed to be done in organized, and finishing way.
• I'm a media guy in Jacksonville, so can tell you some of it is the media. These kids grow up and already on Sportscenter at 10 years old. Players are different now. Used to be you tell them to run though a wall and they did. Now you have to explain to them why they have to run through the wall, and you have to make a door for them. It's a different mentality. I think Coach Belichick may be going through that right now. And Urban Meyer had a rough time. I thought he would make a difference with the Jags. But he had a little bit of Jimmy in him and it didn't quite work. But it's all sales. You have to be who you are. If you're one of those guys who always gets after guys, you still have to understand who they are, and that was Jimmy's strength. He knew all the buttons. He knew the buttons for me and for Dave Wannstedt. It still comes down to execution and finishing the football game. So I think Jimmy would still be an outstanding coach in today's NFL because he's a psychological coach.
• Jimmy trusted his coaching staff for evaluating more than his scouts in early days because they were still the same scouts from the earlier teams. I went to Arizona State and had a list of guys to look at. I had good corner I was told to look at who was projected in 3rd/4th. So, I'm sitting here with a list of guys but Darren Woodson is way down the list. But I'm watching film in the morning with other scouts and one guy makes a comment "I don't know about this Woodson guy, he doesn't hit anyone." That's when I take notice. He's a weakside linebacker and I see him running around all over the place but they're running away from him all the time. He'd get there, but he'd be a lay on in most situations. But you could see he could run. 6'2 220. Jimmy wanted a strong safety that year because NFC East was a power league, and we didn't have a good strong safety to fight the run. Darren lined up for 40 yard dash, and looks like a runaway freight train. He's runs a 4.35 40. So I think damn, we have to work him out as a DB and look at his footwork. I came back and told Jimmy this kid has really good feet, he could be a nickel! We get to draft day, Jimmy calls me in, says tell me about that Woodson kid again. I tell Jimmy I guarantee he will start as a nickel, and will be on every ST. Don't know if he will be a good interceptor, but he will support the run, and run with anyone. Darren does everything we wanted his first year, and next year Jimmy comes in and says Woodson is going to start. I tell Jimmy, "I don't know Jimmy, I don't know if I trust the young guys, it's my job." Jimmy looks at me and says, "Dave, Woodson is going to start." I look at Jimmy and say, "That's exactly what I was going to say."

 

[VaqueroTD]

I wonder if Big Mac was ever strategic like the Minnesota Haley story? In one of our many lop-sided wins this year where the team played sloppy in second half, did he ever go off on execution after cameras stopped rolling in locker room?

 

[Cowboys5217]

It absolutely could work. I know the modern world is a very weird and illogical place, but you don't have to re-invent the wheel.

 

[VaqueroTD]

It absolutely could work. I know the modern world is a very weird and illogical place, but you don't have to re-invent the wheel.

As Campo said, Jimmy came off like a hothead, but he was extremely calculating and put psychology into everything he did. I still don’t think he gets enough credit for it. They come across as classic lines like the ‘asthma field’ but I guarantee you he did that on purpose based on the player involved and who was watching. Urban Meyer didn’t have that same touch, and Belichick for sure doesn’t have it, which is why those guys are struggling with their style and modern players. Jimmy, like Bill Parcells, also probably does better with younger teams and/or franchises that are in shambles and looking for direction.

 

[plymkr]

No Aikman Show this holiday week, so they pick the next best guy for the job..... Dave Campo? Campo good sport about it though, said he wasn't sure anyone wanted to hear from him. And I love the 90's Cowboys stories, especially with Jimmy Johnson Ring of Honor Week.

https://www.theticket.com/2016/06/15/podcasts/

Campo said he still watches the Cowboys weekly:

• This current team has playmakers. They have ingredients to go all the way. They struggle to play at top level every week though. 11 teams in AFC that are still alive for Playoffs. Looks like Cowboys do an awful lot of check with mes and changes at line. Noise affects that. You have to simplify it on the road so you don't have to rely on voice inflection, and they'll be OK. They struggled though lately because their offensive line is banged up. They need Tyron back.
• I've been in situations where everything was a silent count and you took your chances with the gameplan. If a team showed a certain defense on certain down and distance, you put a few plays together for that, and you stick with it. Rather than put yourself in a situation where your receivers aren't sure what they are doing, or the guys aren't on the same page.

Jimmy/Jerry/Cowboys memories:

• I think Jerry wanted Jimmy in Ring all along. Lot of noise out there about why it was taking so long, but I know Jerry long enough that when someone says he should do something, he'll do the opposite. That's his mentality. I think he felt the whole thing was even split - partly Jimmy's fault, partly his fault, and wanted to make sure it was done on his terms. I don't know why this particular time is different, but maybe it's because he feels this is the year he can go all the way. And bring a legend in the same year he goes all the way to the final game.
• The Charles Haley story.... A number of other situations occurred like that before it where he went off on guys. But with Charles, we're in Minnesota... Keep in mind Jimmy is very calculating. Not because he is mad at someone, but it's the right timing to get a jumpstart. We're in 4th quarter and winning big, Jimmy calls up to press box, tells them to put in 2nd unit. So we do. Vikings go down field twice and score. We still win the game though by a good number. We get in locker room. Jimmy is in a tirade because he doesn't like anything not executed right no matter which team, first or second. Charles comes walking in, during middle of Jimmy talking to team about it. Jimmy went berserk. "Get your butt in here! We didn't finish the way we needed to!" Charles folded up. But he took Charles to bathroom and straightened whole situation out right away. That was Jimmy all the way. Everything needed to be done in organized, and finishing way.
• I'm a media guy in Jacksonville, so can tell you some of it is the media. These kids grow up and already on Sportscenter at 10 years old. Players are different now. Used to be you tell them to run though a wall and they did. Now you have to explain to them why they have to run through the wall, and you have to make a door for them. It's a different mentality. I think Coach Belichick may be going through that right now. And Urban Meyer had a rough time. I thought he would make a difference with the Jags. But he had a little bit of Jimmy in him and it didn't quite work. But it's all sales. You have to be who you are. If you're one of those guys who always gets after guys, you still have to understand who they are, and that was Jimmy's strength. He knew all the buttons. He knew the buttons for me and for Dave Wannstedt. It still comes down to execution and finishing the football game. So I think Jimmy would still be an outstanding coach in today's NFL because he's a psychological coach.
• Jimmy trusted his coaching staff for evaluating more than his scouts in early days because they were still the same scouts from the earlier teams. I went to Arizona State and had a list of guys to look at. I had good corner I was told to look at who was projected in 3rd/4th. So, I'm sitting here with a list of guys but Darren Woodson is way down the list. But I'm watching film in the morning with other scouts and one guy makes a comment "I don't know about this Woodson guy, he doesn't hit anyone." That's when I take notice. He's a weakside linebacker and I see him running around all over the place but they're running away from him all the time. He'd get there, but he'd be a lay on in most situations. But you could see he could run. 6'2 220. Jimmy wanted a strong safety that year because NFC East was a power league, and we didn't have a good strong safety to fight the run. Darren lined up for 40 yard dash, and looks like a runaway freight train. He's runs a 4.35 40. So I think damn, we have to work him out as a DB and look at his footwork. I came back and told Jimmy this kid has really good feet, he could be a nickel! We get to draft day, Jimmy calls me in, says tell me about that Woodson kid again. I tell Jimmy I guarantee he will start as a nickel, and will be on every ST. Don't know if he will be a good interceptor, but he will support the run, and run with anyone. Darren does everything we wanted his first year, and next year Jimmy comes in and says Woodson is going to start. I tell Jimmy, "I don't know Jimmy, I don't know if I trust the young guys, it's my job." Jimmy looks at me and says, "Dave, Woodson is going to start." I look at Jimmy and say, "That's exactly what I was going to say."

Thanks for the summary, I appreciate it.

 

[WoodysGirl]

Darren does everything we wanted his first year, and next year Jimmy comes in and says Woodson is going to start. I tell Jimmy, "I don't know Jimmy, I don't know if I trust the young guys, it's my job." Jimmy looks at me and says, "Dave, Woodson is going to start." I look at Jimmy and say, "That's exactly what I was going to say."

 

[VaqueroTD]

Knew you would catch the Woody story. LOL

I think it's in one of the Deep Blue War Room documentaries where Campo goes even more into that story about unexpectedly finding Woodson at Arizona State.

 

[Whyjerry]

Campo on how to build a winning team…

That doesn’t sound right.