DC.COM Blog: It's Time For A Batch Of Cupcakes

[WoodysGirl]

Posted by nickeatman at 7/29/2009 9:43 AM CDT on truebluefanclub.com

If you caught the ESPY awards last week, you probably saw host Samuel L. Jackson and the witty writers for that show attempt to poke fun at Wade Phillips. They were showing fake Twitter posts from the audience and the one for Wade said something about “liking pies” and then coming back again with another reference to pies.

Phillips went along with it and laughed. He’s good at making fun at himself and not taking those things too seriously.

But as the team gets ready for the first practice here Wednesday at the Alamodome, I don’t think Phillips should be looking at pies, but cupcakes, instead.

We all remember two years ago when Wade’s first training camp somehow got dubbed “Camp Cupcake,” apparently implying that the indoors, no-tackling camp was soft and easy.

Obviously the cupcake reference was considered a bad thing. Really? Personally, I like cupcakes. I think they’re pretty good. And if you ask me, if that 2007 training camp was “cupcake-like” then Wade needs to ditch the pies and start whipping up some frosting and get out the sprinkles.

Whatever you called that camp a few years ago, it only prepared the team to go 5-0, 12-1 and 13-3. Sure, they lost in the playoffs. But I’m sure Wade and every player and coach would do anything they could to get right back in that spot again.

So if that was Camp Cupcake two years ago here in San Antonio, then I say the Cowboys need to get to cooking.

 

[theogt]

Wade made a good point. They're 9-1 in the first 5 games of the season in the past two seasons. So, in terms of training camp getting the team ready for the season, Wade's training camp is about as good as you can expect, Cupcake or not.

His emphasis this year is using training camp to get them through the ENTIRE seasons, e.g., by adding more to the playbook early on so that they have more to go to toward the end of the season.

 

[tchoice23]

I like wade and agree with the article, but Nick Eatman and Mickey Spagnola are super homerific. Excuses Excuses Excuses.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

The worst thing about the "cupcake" nickname is that JFE came up with it. And now everyone uses it, making her feel validated somehow.

 

[Stash]

Wade made a good point. They're 9-1 in the first 5 games of the season in the past two seasons. So, in terms of training camp getting the team ready for the season, Wade's training camp is about as good as you can expect, Cupcake or not.

His emphasis this year is using training camp to get them through the ENTIRE seasons, e.g., by adding more to the playbook early on so that they have more to go to toward the end of the season.

I'm hoping Wade gets away from the whole "mistakes are on me" nonsense which enabled players to shed accountability. I feel that this was a big mistake and resulted in a 'sloppy' team that didn't play up to its' talent.

Another season of that and he's sure to be fired. He needs to realize that the players need to be held accountable. The coaches seem to have done that with offseason workouts and I hope it continues (and then some) during training camp.

 

[theogt]

I'm hoping Wade gets away from the whole "mistakes are on me" nonsense which enabled players to shed accountability. I feel that this was a big mistake and resulted in a 'sloppy' team that didn't play up to its' talent.

Another season of that and he's sure to be fired. He needs to realize that the players need to be held accountable. The coaches seem to have done that with offseason workouts and I hope it continues (and then some) during training camp.

This was exactly Wade's point. If it were a sloppy, unaccountable team due to lax rules in training camp, why'd they go 9-1 in those first 5 games each season?

 

[dallasfaniac]

Agreed Stash. I hope the coaches carry over the theme of accountability, subbing offensive players if they false start, etc. I think the departure of a few players that like to point fingers will help foster an environment of accountability.

 

[yentl911]

I thought it was pretty lame to put Wade on the spot during the Espy's about his eating. I know Andy Reid has lost 75+ pounds this off-season but he was way bigger than wade ever hoped of being.

Man, I hate the ****ing Eagles.

 

[Stash]

This was exactly Wade's point. If it were a sloppy, unaccountable team due to lax rules in training camp, why'd they go 9-1 in those first 5 games each season?

That is a good point that they start the season strong.

But, something sure got away from them during the season.

And it seems to me like, despite what they'll say publicly, Jones, Garrett, and Phillips felt the need to tighten things up.

I believe I've read where player fines were raised significantly.

 

[Chief]

The worst thing about the "cupcake" nickname is that JFE came up with it. And now everyone uses it, making her feel validated somehow.

You just know she's telling her colleagues, "I shoulda trademarked that ... hee, hee, hee."

She so frickin' clever.

 

[Chief]

Andy Reid has lost 75+ pounds this ...

What did he do? Take a dump?

 

[adbutcher]

You just know she's telling her colleagues, "I shoulda trademarked that ... hee, hee, hee."

She so frickin' clever.

:laugh2:

 

[AbeBeta]

This was exactly Wade's point. If it were a sloppy, unaccountable team due to lax rules in training camp, why'd they go 9-1 in those first 5 games each season?

Well, in 2007 we had NYG (a good team), Miami, Chicago, St Louis, and Buffalo. A combined 28-52

In 2008, it was Cleveland, Philly, GB, Washington, and Cincy - those teams were a combined 31-49

Now, I'm not counting playoff games and certainly beating NYG, ,Philly, and GB out of the gate is impressive -- but we also had some real cream puffs and honestly, some of those games we played down to our opponent's level when we should have busted their tails (or wings) running away

 

[Chocolate Lab]

What did he do? Take a dump?

 

[BLEU3ASY]

The worst thing about the "cupcake" nickname is that JFE came up with it. And now everyone uses it, making her feel validated somehow.

lol, so right!!!

 

[Yakuza Rich]

The worst thing about the "cupcake" nickname is that JFE came up with it. And now everyone uses it, making her feel validated somehow.

Stole the words right out of my mouth...or fingers.




YAKUZA

 

[theogt]

Well, in 2007 we had NYG (a good team), Miami, Chicago, St Louis, and Buffalo. A combined 28-52

In 2008, it was Cleveland, Philly, GB, Washington, and Cincy - those teams were a combined 31-49

Now, I'm not counting playoff games and certainly beating NYG, ,Philly, and GB out of the gate is impressive -- but we also had some real cream puffs and honestly, some of those games we played down to our opponent's level when we should have busted their tails (or wings) running away

Well, if we beat teams we were supposed to beat, then it seems like that's the point. If we were losing to teams we were supposed to beat, then someone criticizing training camp might have a point. But we didn't, so they don't.

 

[AbeBeta]

Well, if we beat teams we were supposed to beat, then it seems like that's the point. If we were losing to teams we were supposed to beat, then someone criticizing training camp might have a point. But we didn't, so they don't.

So Wade should get credit that we beat -- but in some cases not as convincingly as we should have -- crap teams? To me, that speaks more to the extraordinary talent on the team. To me, he seems to be getting his Switzer on.

Of course, I think the real issue here isn't TC per se -- but rather Wade's overall approach - it isn't like he is one guy in TC and a different guy once we start playing.

 

[Four]

wade saying something to the media doesn't mean he said it to the team, difusing media criticism of the players onto himself is something a good coach should do.

I think it's dumb to crucify the guy for taking it on himself publicly, none of us knows what happens in the locker rooms and meetings.

 

[theogt]

So Wade should get credit that we beat -- but in some cases not as convincingly as we should have -- crap teams? To me, that speaks more to the extraordinary talent on the team. To me, he seems to be getting his Switzer on.

Of course, I think the real issue here isn't TC per se -- but rather Wade's overall approach - it isn't like he is one guy in TC and a different guy once we start playing.

That "extraordinary talent" lost 3 of the previous 5 games before Wade took over, so I'm not sure winning in spite of the head coach is really an argument you can make here.

Again, this isn't about heaping accolades on Wade, it's about justifying criticism. The original claim being attacked here was that training camp was problematic. If someone was making the claim that those starts were a feather in his cap, absent criticism, you might have a point.

Either way, going 9-1 to start off two consecutive seasons is nothing to shake a stick at no matter who you are or who you play.