DC.COM Blog: Few Observing Victory Monday

[WoodysGirl]

Posted by jellis at 10/26/2009 1:47 PM CDT on truebluefanclub.com

Wade Phillips' decision to give the Cowboys the day off following their 37-21 win over Atlanta comes with some expected criticism. It fuels the perception the coach is too easy on the player.

Marcus Spears wasn't among those complaining, revealing he would spend his free afternoon in the woods, hoping a deer would walk in front of his ground blind. He said these are the kind of rewards a team needs along the way to keep the players going.

Phillips doesn't see any harm. In fact, giving the players the day off didn't keep too many of them away.

"We had 45 guys already," the coach said at his early afternoon press conference. "It's just the day off from us meeting where we go over the tape with them. Tomorrow we'll go over the same tape with them except we'll leave out the good plays.

"So it's really not a great deal for them, because they don't get to cheer the good plays that they made. We go over all the mistakes that we made and things we need to work on."

The real advantage, Phillips said, was mentally, since the players know they don't have to be at Valley Ranch at any set time, but rather can come in and go through the regular Monday workout on their own.

 

[WarDaddy]

So in other words, this wasnt really a day off. It sounds like more of a mental break. If the guys are given a day off but most don't take advantage of it, to me it sounds like it was a decision by a coach who seems to have a great idea of the types of guys he has on the team. He knows this is a group of professionals so he can trust them to be where they are supposed to be.

"Victory Monday" has turned out to be yet another thing the media has blown out of proportion. Not a big deal.

I wonder if Parcells was on to something when he shut down access to Valley Ranch?

 

[Dave_in-NC]

So in other words, this wasnt really a day off. It sounds like more of a mental break. If the guys are given a day off but most don't take advantage of it, to me it sounds like it was a decision by a coach who seems to have a great idea of the types of guys he has on the team. He knows this is a group of professionals so he can trust them to be where they are supposed to be.

"Victory Monday" has turned out to be yet another thing the media has blown out of proportion. Not a big deal.

I wonder if Parcells was on to something when he shut down access to Valley Ranch?

You can bet he was.

 

[casmith07]

So, basically, all the whining was for nought. They had the day off and still showed up.

That's a good football team, folks.

 

[Plumfool]

My boss says that to me too. "Take the day but don't turn your phone off".

 

[Chocolate Lab]

"We had 45 guys already," the coach said at his early afternoon press conference. "It's just the day off from us meeting where we go over the tape with them. Tomorrow we'll go over the same tape with them except we'll leave out the good plays.

"So it's really not a great deal for them, because they don't get to cheer the good plays that they made. We go over all the mistakes that we made and things we need to work on."

The real advantage, Phillips said, was mentally, since the players know they don't have to be at Valley Ranch at any set time, but rather can come in and go through the regular Monday workout on their own.

Hmm, interesting. So they don't really have tomorrow off?

Some of the doubters should like that they won't even see the good plays, but only the bad ones.

 

[WoodysGirl]

DMN Blog

Victory Monday
4:34 PM Mon, Oct 26, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Bill Nichols/Reporter Bio | E-mail | News tips

Players were rewarded with a day off on Monday, but that's more a figure of speech. They reported for work but had the freedom of punching in whenever they wanted.

``It's just a day off from a meeting,'' coach Wade Phillips said. ``Tomorrow we'll go over the same tape with them except we'll leave out all the good plays they made. We go over all the mistakes that we made and things we need to work on. Mentally you don't have to come in at 8 o'clock, you can be here at any time and get your workout in. It's a little bit different than what is perceived as a day off.''

Players like that freedom. During the bye week, Valley Ranch was stocked with guys lifting weights and going through rehab exercises.

``This year's team reacts to it better than any team I've been around in that they're excited about it then they come in and work out,'' Phillips said. ``I think your morale is important. It's not giving them anything because they get the same thing no matter what. It's kind of unwritten _ your day off is not really a day off.''