Dez Bryant attitude and interesting side-line comparisons!

[LarryCanadian]

I really don't know much about Dez, but I have to say, watching him on the sideline and the pre-game highlights and listening to interviews and how respectful he is being ("yes sir, etc) - this guy is going to be alright!

I absolutely loved how he was completely immersed in game on the sideline and was hands on knees watching every play, even late in the game and being a team guy, cheering others on. That doesn't strike me as a prima-donna or a pending problem child. Very encouraging.

Watching him snag balls in his walking boot (one handed at times) and you just get the feeling he wants to play football and is trying to be a contributor.

Also, watching the Cowboys sideline, you see a team that is pretty disciplined. Doesn't look too cliquey.

Compare that to Bengals. They showed a shot on the sideline where TO, Ocho, and Carson Palmer and a couple of others were standing in a circle "holding court" as I'd put it. I just cringed for the QB Palmer. It looked obvious that was the leadership company for the Bengals. TO and Ocho are already entrenched and one just gets the impression that if you aren't in the inner circle you just aren't of the same hierarchical level. That is tough on a QB and Romo didn't have maturity at time to overcome it (have any QB's been able to overcome TO's charisma? - say what you want, but he is a magnetic personality - but not all "team" for sure).

I am real interested to see if the Bengals implode or not. Those guys do all have talent, but are they "winners".

LarryCanadian

 

[7footer]

Interesting observations...

I can't really speak about the Cincy sideline, but I 100% agree about Dez.

Dez was paying close attention to the game throughout...not goofing around or chit-chatting. Also, his eagerness to get back in and play to the point of catching passes in the walking boot also speaks on his love for the game and his deication. The guy lives for football!

 

[dmq]

I thought he should have been giving autographs during the game.

 

[ryanbabs]

I really don't know much about Dez, but I have to say, watching him on the sideline and the pre-game highlights and listening to interviews and how respectful he is being ("yes sir, etc) - this guy is going to be alright!

I absolutely loved how he was completely immersed in game on the sideline and was hands on knees watching every play, even late in the game and being a team guy, cheering others on. That doesn't strike me as a prima-donna or a pending problem child. Very encouraging.

Watching him snag balls in his walking boot (one handed at times) and you just get the feeling he wants to play football and is trying to be a contributor.

Also, watching the Cowboys sideline, you see a team that is pretty disciplined. Doesn't look too cliquey.

Compare that to Bengals. They showed a shot on the sideline where TO, Ocho, and Carson Palmer and a couple of others were standing in a circle "holding court" as I'd put it. I just cringed for the QB Palmer. It looked obvious that was the leadership company for the Bengals. TO and Ocho are already entrenched and one just gets the impression that if you aren't in the inner circle you just aren't of the same hierarchical level. That is tough on a QB and Romo didn't have maturity at time to overcome it (have any QB's been able to overcome TO's charisma? - say what you want, but he is a magnetic personality - but not all "team" for sure).

I am real interested to see if the Bengals implode or not. Those guys do all have talent, but are they "winners".

LarryCanadian

I agree too. Jerry may have caught lightning in a bottle..we'll soon see. I'll be he's got a lot of peoplle to prove wrong and he'll show it in the field.

 

[LarryCanadian]

Funny, Lunch Break crew talking about similar sort of sideline thing on today's show.

Cincy:
TO
Ocho
Antonio Bryant
Matt Jones
Tank Johnson
Roy Williams
Pac Man

Not the greatest "team leaders" but will chemistry be good there. Which approach will work better.

Is Marvin Lewis that good at getting through to a team. Winning teams don't need Choir Boys either. The '90's Cowboys weren't all straight laced. BUT they had passion for game that often or usually superseded their love of "self" is how I'd put it.

LarryCanadian

 

[DallasDomination]

I really don't know much about Dez, but I have to say, watching him on the sideline and the pre-game highlights and listening to interviews and how respectful he is being ("yes sir, etc) - this guy is going to be alright!

I absolutely loved how he was completely immersed in game on the sideline and was hands on knees watching every play, even late in the game and being a team guy, cheering others on. That doesn't strike me as a prima-donna or a pending problem child. Very encouraging.

Watching him snag balls in his walking boot (one handed at times) and you just get the feeling he wants to play football and is trying to be a contributor.

Also, watching the Cowboys sideline, you see a team that is pretty disciplined. Doesn't look too cliquey.

Compare that to Bengals. They showed a shot on the sideline where TO, Ocho, and Carson Palmer and a couple of others were standing in a circle "holding court" as I'd put it. I just cringed for the QB Palmer. It looked obvious that was the leadership company for the Bengals. TO and Ocho are already entrenched and one just gets the impression that if you aren't in the inner circle you just aren't of the same hierarchical level. That is tough on a QB and Romo didn't have maturity at time to overcome it (have any QB's been able to overcome TO's charisma? - say what you want, but he is a magnetic personality - but not all "team" for sure).

I am real interested to see if the Bengals implode or not. Those guys do all have talent, but are they "winners".

LarryCanadian

How did you get all that from just watching them on the sidelines? T.O is made out to be this evil team cancer when in reality nobody really knows because they are not in the locker room. And if anybody has anything to prove on the bengals squad it's Ocho Cinco and Palmer. As I recall Palmer Choked at epic proportions in the playoffs. The guy looked like a highschool QB.

If Palmer and the oline play ok and they use that running game. that team can do some damage.

 

[LarryCanadian]

I don't think I make TO out to be an evil team cancer, but he can be a distraction and he has his group of players that are an inner circle. Witten wasn't part of inner circle. Romo started out there and then TO threw him and Garrett under the bus when he didn't feel he was used enough.

I'm not making a comment on whether TO was right or wrong wanting the ball more, but he is a polarizing figure, I really think that is hard to argue against that.

My comment was one of chemistry. Can Cincy do with this type of guys what the Cowboys could not, that is, make them winners. Most teams/coaches can't do it with that many "individuals" or "me-first" guys. To is talented, hard working, a good mentor to many (Hurd, etc), he is also charismatic, egotistical, outspoken, confrontational, and IMHO "selfish". I think he can be very childish. That can hurt team chemistry.

One Palmer looked bad, the other Palmer gets hurt a lot but has shown some good QB skills in past. What I was referring to, was seeing this little group of 4 or 5 players huddled up, and I think it is a tricky slope for a TEAM leader to have to deal with a group that consists of TO, Ocho, A Bryant, and Matt Jones at WR. That takes a pretty strong personality, and those guys don't like being told what to do. Aikman might have killed a couple of them.

Of course that is all my opinion, and that is why I said I'm curious if the Bengals could do what the Cowboys couldn't.

Isn't the Bengals running back a guy that had some problems as well. He played great last season in a comeback role, good for him.

A lot of times though, guys with trouble (be it police blotter, or personality issues) implode on you eventually (a la Pac Man versus his body guard - when we took the chance or TO versus Garrett/Romo towards end when things chilled). Leopards don't change spots all that often in my experience, although I do believe people can change and mature.

LarryCanadian

 

[miamicowboy21]

Just to play devil's advocate here, Bryant needs every mental rep he can get. Owens and Ochocinco are seasoned veterans. Bryant is just a rookie who needs to be mentally into every practice, and preseason game until he returns. I would've been suprised if Bryant wasn't paying attention to everything last night. I'm sure had he been joking and laughing NBC would've been all over it.

 

[EPL0c0]

Funny, Lunch Break crew talking about similar sort of sideline thing on today's show.

Cincy:
TO
Ocho
Antonio Bryant
Matt Jones
Tank Johnson
Roy Williams
Pac Man

Not the greatest "team leaders" but will chemistry be good there. Which approach will work better.

Is Marvin Lewis that good at getting through to a team. Winning teams don't need Choir Boys either. The '90's Cowboys weren't all straight laced. BUT they had passion for game that often or usually superseded their love of "self" is how I'd put it.

LarryCanadian

Adams Jones seems to be a guy wanting to put his past behind him. IMO he looked pretty good out there. Not GREAT coverage, but on par w/ Sandrick probably. Hopefully this time he's got his crap together.

 

[gmb85]

I don't think I make TO out to be an evil team cancer, but he can be a distraction and he has his group of players that are an inner circle. Witten wasn't part of inner circle. Romo started out there and then TO threw him and Garrett under the bus when he didn't feel he was used enough.

I'm not making a comment on whether TO was right or wrong wanting the ball more, but he is a polarizing figure, I really think that is hard to argue against that.

My comment was one of chemistry. Can Cincy do with this type of guys what the Cowboys could not, that is, make them winners. Most teams/coaches can't do it with that many "individuals" or "me-first" guys. To is talented, hard working, a good mentor to many (Hurd, etc), he is also charismatic, egotistical, outspoken, confrontational, and IMHO "selfish". I think he can be very childish. That can hurt team chemistry.

One Palmer looked bad, the other Palmer gets hurt a lot but has shown some good QB skills in past. What I was referring to, was seeing this little group of 4 or 5 players huddled up, and I think it is a tricky slope for a TEAM leader to have to deal with a group that consists of TO, Ocho, A Bryant, and Matt Jones at WR. That takes a pretty strong personality, and those guys don't like being told what to do. Aikman might have killed a couple of them.

Of course that is all my opinion, and that is why I said I'm curious if the Bengals could do what the Cowboys couldn't.

Isn't the Bengals running back a guy that had some problems as well. He played great last season in a comeback role, good for him.

A lot of times though, guys with trouble (be it police blotter, or personality issues) implode on you eventually (a la Pac Man versus his body guard - when we took the chance or TO versus Garrett/Romo towards end when things chilled). Leopards don't change spots all that often in my experience, although I do believe people can change and mature.

LarryCanadian

You have very good points here.

I noticed the year after TO left, all of the sudden, the team became a team. They also went on to win a playoff game in a season I feel was much more rewarding than the 13-3 season.

 

[LarryCanadian]

Your point about Dez compared to TO and Ocho is well taken. Although, I actually kind of put 2 topics into 1 there. I wasn't saying Ocho and TO needed to watch the game in same way, that was more about the little huddle they had going on sideline - and me wondering where Carson Palmer fits into all that and keeping everyone happy as QB/Team Leader.

My Dez comment was meant one off, which wasn't really clear. I just felt he looked like an interested football player and a team guy and was saying and doing the right things. There is concern about his maturity etc, and I was impressed that he seems on right path. Some guys have the physical talent, do they have the mental strength, toughness, discipline, and heart and love for game to make your team a winner though? I would say Dez looks past where Martellus Bennett was when he was rookie, and I think they are similar talents.

Yeah, Dez might have been "coached" or "media prepped" about how to behave on sideline, but the fact he looked interested and focussed shows a good step regardless, and he is listening to the team and that leads me to believe he will be ok. The media is going to try and make every step and word this guy makes sensationalize, true.

LarryCanadian

 

[Rynie]

How did you get all that from just watching them on the sidelines? T.O is made out to be this evil team cancer when in reality nobody really knows because they are not in the locker room. And if anybody has anything to prove on the bengals squad it's Ocho Cinco and Palmer. As I recall Palmer Choked at epic proportions in the playoffs. The guy looked like a highschool QB.

If Palmer and the oline play ok and they use that running game. that team can do some damage.

That's because HE IS AN EVIL TEAM CANCER! Why do you think he just now got picked up? Nobody wanted his ***. That's why he's on his 5th NFL team, burning bridges behind him. Wake up man. T.O. is a total piece of ****. Real talk.

 

[Rynie]

I really don't know much about Dez, but I have to say, watching him on the sideline and the pre-game highlights and listening to interviews and how respectful he is being ("yes sir, etc) - this guy is going to be alright!

I absolutely loved how he was completely immersed in game on the sideline and was hands on knees watching every play, even late in the game and being a team guy, cheering others on. That doesn't strike me as a prima-donna or a pending problem child. Very encouraging.

Watching him snag balls in his walking boot (one handed at times) and you just get the feeling he wants to play football and is trying to be a contributor.

Also, watching the Cowboys sideline, you see a team that is pretty disciplined. Doesn't look too cliquey.



I am real interested to see if the Bengals implode or not. Those guys do all have talent, but are they "winners".

LarryCanadian

I noticed this too. I REALLY REALLY like that. You could just see the intensity and yearning in his eyes. The kid is hungry! I can't wait to see him eat his fill!!!

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

The biggest difference between Dallas and Cincy...

Dallas knows they're a good team...

Cincy is hoping to be a good team...

 

[Fletch]

How did you get all that from just watching them on the sidelines? T.O is made out to be this evil team cancer when in reality nobody really knows because they are not in the locker room. And if anybody has anything to prove on the bengals squad it's Ocho Cinco and Palmer. As I recall Palmer Choked at epic proportions in the playoffs. The guy looked like a highschool QB.

If Palmer and the oline play ok and they use that running game. that team can do some damage.

That's a mighty big "IF".

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Dez just loves football. That's all there is to it.

 

[Fletch]

That's because HE IS AN EVIL TEAM CANCER! Why do you think he just now got picked up? Nobody wanted his ***. That's why he's on his 5th NFL team, burning bridges behind him. Wake up man. T.O. is a total piece of ****. Real talk.

But T.O. was prematurely released from the Cowboys. Nobody knows why. Every last one of the Dallas Cowboys love them some T.O. :