Dez Bryant hazing start of Cowboys downfall, Jerome Bettis tells ESPN

[MichaelWinicki]

Dez Bryant hazing start of Cowboys downfall, Jerome Bettis tells ESPN

Did the Dallas Cowboys jump the shark before the season even started?

Yes, if you agree with the logic of retired Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis. Bettis appeared as a guest NFL analyst Monday morning on ESPN’s Mike and Mike in the Morning television show and suggested the genesis of the Cowboys’ dreadful season started with the Dez Bryant hazing incident — or technically, the hazing incident that never happened on the football field when Bryant refused to carry the should pads of veteran receiver Roy Williams earlier this summer.

The Cowboys were aiming to become the first team in NFL history to host and compete in a Super Bowl next February. Things quickly fell apart and after Wade Phillips was fired as the Cowboys head coach, the players posted a convincing 33-20 win against the New York Giants Sunday to earn their second win of the season.

The sudden turn-around in play prompted an interesting question from host Mike Golic.

For more... http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sp...of-cowboys-downfall-jerome-bettis-tells-espn/

 

[links18]

Well, that's one way of looking at it.

 

[casmith07]

Interesting, but I think the problems that we witnessed ran a lot deeper than someone not carrying shoulder pads.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Yes I am sure The Bus is right.

 

[bootyhunta]

Probably had more to do with them rarely practicing in shoulder pads...

 

[Cowboys22]

I have posted numerous times that I think the team quit on Phillips before the season even started. Something happened that we don't know about or were told was no big deal. The team was undisciplined and out of sync from day one. All of a sudden and with their backup QB, they play inspired against a very good division rival. Guys who never made plays all of a sudden making big game changing plays. They quit on Wade plain and simple but have repect of Garrett.

 

[Stautner]

Dez Bryant hazing start of Cowboys downfall, Jerome Bettis tells ESPN

Did the Dallas Cowboys jump the shark before the season even started?

Yes, if you agree with the logic of retired Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis. Bettis appeared as a guest NFL analyst Monday morning on ESPN’s Mike and Mike in the Morning television show and suggested the genesis of the Cowboys’ dreadful season started with the Dez Bryant hazing incident — or technically, the hazing incident that never happened on the football field when Bryant refused to carry the should pads of veteran receiver Roy Williams earlier this summer.

The Cowboys were aiming to become the first team in NFL history to host and compete in a Super Bowl next February. Things quickly fell apart and after Wade Phillips was fired as the Cowboys head coach, the players posted a convincing 33-20 win against the New York Giants Sunday to earn their second win of the season.

The sudden turn-around in play prompted an interesting question from host Mike Golic.

For more... http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sp...of-cowboys-downfall-jerome-bettis-tells-espn/

If that's what caused the team to collapse they were on shakey ground to begin with. I think this is BS though.

 

[Baileyneverfailey]

That is an epic reach. It's more like Wade not making them practice until the mistakes were corrected and not hit in practice and be lackadaisical in their preparation led to them being, wait for it......lackadaisical on game day.

It's not rocket science.

 

[Stash]

Wade Phillips allowed the team to become sloppy and mistake-prone and lacking any accountability. His method was to treat them like men and create a family atmosphere. That method failed and it cost him his job.


I think there were several other factors as well.

Wade is a defensive coordinator, not a great head coaching candidate. Not the worst thing in life. It happens. Frequently. Some guys are great coordinators, not great head coaches. Trying to wear both 'hats' as coach and coordinator made things even worse.

Players have been put on notice and now have a coach demanding more hard work and attention to detail. Hopefully that is enough to get this team to play up to their potential.

 

[skicat1898]

There were some rumbling very early in the season. Something about Garrett not liking the way practice was being run. Nothing ever came of it so I guess it was swept under the turf.

I do not recall who reported it, probably Steve Dennis.

 

[tyke1doe]

Oh good grief.

 

[Shinywalrus]

It's more complicated than this. Discipline, fundamentals and motivation are not front burner issues when you're winning. When the TO stuff was going on, when the various other distractions were taking place, we were winning. It's not until that stops, that there's a genuine fear or panic, that the training and repetition and discipline is forced to shine through.

The Cowboys are a pretty good team. They lost close games early this season. That happens in the NFL. They lost on freak plays, odd penalties, strange situations, in addition to the absence of execution in some places. Then they lost their most important player.

This is where a well-coached team digs deep and finds their way out. Continues playing, never allowed to consider taking off a play, make a "business decision", etc. That didn't happen for us because that's not the kind of team Jerry put together and Wade ran - the way I see it, this team was always hanging on the edge of the knife if the wins every really stopped coming. Since Wade has been here, they never had - but once they did, it finally broke.

So maybe in a way Bettis is right, but not how he thinks he is. The drivers of this have been present for a lot longer than this off-season, and yet, Wade absolutely could have taken actions after losing Romo to stop the bleeding. He didn't. The "shoulder pad" nonsense had nothing to do with it, except that it's indicative of the fact that the players determined the culture of the team.

 

[TwoDeep3]

Jerome Bettis' mental affliction began when he rammed his helmet into the defensive linemen helmets.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

The word analyst does not belong next to the name Jerome Bettis.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Jerome Bettis must be into the marijuana again.

 

[Billy Bullocks]

It's more complicated than this. Discipline, fundamentals and motivation are not front burner issues when you're winning. When the TO stuff was going on, when the various other distractions were taking place, we were winning. It's not until that stops, that there's a genuine fear or panic, that the training and repetition and discipline is forced to shine through.

The Cowboys are a pretty good team. They lost close games early this season. That happens in the NFL. They lost on freak plays, odd penalties, strange situations, in addition to the absence of execution in some places. Then they lost their most important player.

This is where a well-coached team digs deep and finds their way out. Continues playing, never allowed to consider taking off a play, make a "business decision", etc. That didn't happen for us because that's not the kind of team Jerry put together and Wade ran - the way I see it, this team was always hanging on the edge of the knife if the wins every really stopped coming. Since Wade has been here, they never had - but once they did, it finally broke.

So maybe in a way Bettis is right, but not how he thinks he is. The drivers of this have been present for a lot longer than this off-season, and yet, Wade absolutely could have taken actions after losing Romo to stop the bleeding. He didn't. The "shoulder pad" nonsense had nothing to do with it, except that it's indicative of the fact that the players determined the culture of the team.

I think the Boys are definitely better than the record, but I'm not sure how much.

There was definitely a few games that could have gone either way...but there was also some howlers. (See last week).

 

[Concord]

The Cowboys truly Jumped the Shark...December 28th, 2008

44-6

 

[Established1971]

The word analyst does not belong next to the name Jerome Bettis.

how about if you insert an s in the middle
anal syst

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

The Cowboys truly Jumped the Shark...December 28th, 2008



44-6

What is so funny about the "jump the shark" and its meaning is....


They created another 100 episodes after that show. So much for its meaning being true??

Stupid humans.

 

[Cajuncowboy]

How many years did Bettis play without a helmet?