DMN: Blog: Wade on the Hot Seat

[Cbz40]

Wade on the Hot Seat

9:59 PM Tue, Jul 01, 2008 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Calvin Watkins


Wade Phillips won 13 games, had a league-record 13 Pro Bowlers, improved a defense, and brought a calmer attitude to Valley Ranch.


Yet, he's on the Hot Seat.
Well, according to The Sporting News he is.


The reality is every NFL coach is on the Hot Seat. But, with Jason Garrett looming, it makes for some interesting theater this season.




Say the Cowboys win a playoff game and reach the NFC championship game. Better yet for you Cowboys' fans, reach the Super Bowl down in Tampa.


Does Wade get to stay?
Of course he does.


But what happens if he loses in the NFC title game? Or wins a wild card game only to lose in the divisional round?
Does Wade stay then?

 

[Boysboy]

No playoff wins in over a decade.

1-5 in Dec NFCE games since '06.

Seriously-the ENTIRE TEAM has a BIG monkey on its back. I really like this year's team, but they're going to have alot to prove this year.

 

[dcfanatic]

Wade has to win the Super Bowl to keep his job.

That's my opinion and I am sticking to it.

Reason?

Because Jerry isn't paying Jason Garrett $3 mil again next season to be the Offensive Coordinator unless he's forced to by the public pressure of keeping him at that position because it would be a horrible PR move to fire Wade if he wins a SB.

And if you bring up Jimmy Johnson's name here it better be in agreement with me because even Jerry knows that he made a big mistake there and he has to have learned from it.

If the Cowboys make it to the Super Bowl and lose then Jerry can easily say in his mind that JG will take over and get them their again in 2009 and he'll be in the difference maker so they can win it.

If the Cowboys just get into the playoffs and lose at some point the same scenario exists as above.

Wade has to make it so that Jerry doesn't have a choice in the matter of paying JG big money again as the OC and also in keeping him as the HC.

 

[Disturbed]

Wade has to win the Super Bowl to keep his job.

That's my opinion and I am sticking to it.

Reason?

Because Jerry isn't paying Jason Garrett $3 mil again next season to be the Offensive Coordinator unless he's forced to by the public pressure of keeping him at that position because it would be a horrible PR move to fire Wade if he wins a SB.

And if you bring up Jimmy Johnson's name here it better be in agreement with me because even Jerry knows that he made a big mistake there and he has to have learned from it.

If the Cowboys make it to the Super Bowl and lose then Jerry can easily say in his mind that JG will take over and get them their again in 2009 and he'll be in the difference maker so they can win it.

If the Cowboys just get into the playoffs and lose at some point the same scenario exists as above.

Wade has to make it so that Jerry doesn't have a choice in the matter of paying JG big money again as the OC and also in keeping him as the HC.

I agree, but also think that Wade could move to a front office job if he wins the SB. I just hope whatever scenario plays out that we don't lose Garrett.

 

[leeblair]

If I had been Jerry Jones, I would have fired Wade after the playoff loss to New York.

In my opinion, there is no excuse for the way the team played against Detroit, Washington, Philadelphia, and then New York in the playoffs.

There were warning signs everywhere; the team wasn't playing well. They barely pulled out the win against Detroit, and Philadelphia hands it to us at home. Washington completely shut us down, and we'd barely beaten them the first time.

There is no excuse for the Cowboys coaching staff to have allowed the team to get that out of sync at the end of the season. They are supposed to be the best.

But, that doesn't mean that Jason Garret takes the head coaching spot, either. He bears some of the blame, too.

 

[tunahelper]

This team has to win a Superbowl or Wade is gone. Not only because of Garrett, but this roster is LOADED!

Nothing short of a SB win should matter and who cares if they have not had a playoff win in 10 years. Why should expectations be just win one playoff game?

How many rosters like this one had the chance to contend during that 10 year span? The last few years we should have won, so we are due for at least a playoff win, in my opinion and should set higher goals and Expectations.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

if this team reaches it's goals this year....it will be because of the defense. If you look at the investment on that side of the ball in terms of money and draft picks....not to mention the money we will have to pay Ware and Canty and Hamlin....that is the side of the ball that will make or break this team. Honestly, I see that being the case for the forseeable future. Because we refuse to invest the draft picks in the WR position.......we have not drafted well on the OL, and the young guys we have picked we do not trust (hence FLozell Adams is back). I truly believe we are going to return to a more run oriented team and that could still mean a top 10 offense, but just not top 5. Now if the defense plays to it's potential, it could mean more turnovers thus more chances to score....and if our special teams plays to it's potential, it could mean a shorter field and the ability to score without having to exahust the playbook. So that might skew the numbers a bit. But I do not envision Romo breaking Cowboy records every year.

With all that said, here is what I am trying to say, Garrett did not look like such a genuis his second time through the division....and he certainly did not look like a genuis in December. So while I think he is a promising coach, we will not win BECAUSE of offense...and when we win, and win because of the defense...Jerry cannot just discard Wade.

 

[Tovya]

Wade has to win the Super Bowl to keep his job.

That's my opinion and I am sticking to it.

I'm with you, but I'll take it down a notch and say that a Superbowl appearance will save his job for one more season.

After that, Garrett gets the job regardless.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

If you are an NFL coach, you are on the hot seat.

 

[Tovya]

If you are an NFL coach, you are on the hot seat.

Very true, but the hot seat controlled by Jerry Jones burns still a few degrees hotter...

 

[Velvet Jones]

I just keep thinking of another team that had a coaching carousel and it hasn't really worked out for Washington.

The team had December-itus before Wade got here. He fixed a lot of stuff but he didn't fix that. The ONLY justification I can possibly entertain for firing Wade is because Jerry always wanted Garrett as his coach and he still invisions that. If that is the what he invisions then ok, go ahead and perform your master plan. But if his goal is to see what Wade can do, you have to give them more than 2 years.

 

[cowboyed]

If I had been Jerry Jones, I would have fired Wade after the playoff loss to New York.

In my opinion, there is no excuse for the way the team played against Detroit, Washington, Philadelphia, and then New York in the playoffs.

There were warning signs everywhere; the team wasn't playing well. They barely pulled out the win against Detroit, and Philadelphia hands it to us at home. Washington completely shut us down, and we'd barely beaten them the first time.

There is no excuse for the Cowboys coaching staff to have allowed the team to get that out of sync at the end of the season. They are supposed to be the best.

But, that doesn't mean that Jason Garret takes the head coaching spot, either. He bears some of the blame, too.

I was very disappointed in Wade's late season and post season personnal and the we are 13 and whatever rationale. I expected us to lose the Skins in the last game of the season but not that horrifically. I also thought since we were struggling again in December we would make more of an effort to play some competitive series at the very least.

That said maybe it wasn't just Wade. With the team talent being bolstered in our weak areas such as the secondary and even linebacking the scrutiny and accountablity will most definitely fall on Wade Phillips this year.

Considering how far we got in the regular season and Wade being in his first year it would have been tough to fire him especially since Parcells experienced the same late season fade problem 3 out of his 4 years here.

I think getting a few more aggressive smart and determined players will make the team and the coaches look better.

On another note leeblair, TwoDeep killed the the longest thread I ever started after you submitted your resignation.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Wade on the hot seat?

Since the day he was hired. It comes with the job of HC of America's Team.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

With all that said, here is what I am trying to say, Garrett did not look like such a genuis his second time through the division....and he certainly did not look like a genuis in December. So while I think he is a promising coach, we will not win BECAUSE of offense...and when we win, and win because of the defense...Jerry cannot just discard Wade.

Thank you...

This franchise hasn't won a playoff game in a decade, yet if this coach doesn't win the Superbowl in his second year, he should be fired? How does that make sense?

Yes, we have a lot of talent, but guess what, so do a lot of other teams. It's the NFL. You can't just say that if you don't win it all in any one particular year, heads should roll. That's crazy.

I think people are getting way too carried away this offseason. It's like everyone is working themselves up into a frenzy from a lot of positive media reports. But, lots of people claim our team has no leaders, no guts, are chokers, etc.... While on the other hand expecting this year us to beat teams with a lot more playoff winning experience. And if we don't, heads should roll. That contradiction just doesn't add up.

I want to know what happens to the team when Garrett takes over. Who runs the defense? Who does a lot of the nuts and bolts work on offense while Garrett oversees the team? Everyone is assuming he'll be a guaranteed upgrade, and why? Because he went to Princeton? Because he backed up Aikman and won a game for us on Thanksgiving? Why?

And most of all, who is the trump card for everyone to look to after Garrett? Who's the next boy genius?

My opinion is that we'd better win it all the next couple of years, because I bet we go downhill once Garrett takes over. Just my prediction.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

In a perfect world we would have gotten Wade as DC last year and Garrett as OC and someone else as HC. 1 out of 3..... well... maybe not... maybe we did get something similar. Wade is all over this defense. As far as I am concerned Wade is DC plus and Garrett is OC plus.... Garrett is driving the engine that makes this team go - THE OFFENSE. Wade and Garrett are Co-HC's IMO.

 

[Doomsday101]

In a perfect world we would have gotten Wade as DC last year and Garrett as OC and someone else as HC. 1 out of 3..... well... maybe not... maybe we did get something similar. Wade is all over this defense. As far as I am concerned Wade is DC plus and Garrett is OC plus.... Garrett is driving the engine that makes this team go - THE OFFENSE. Wade and Garrett are Co-HC's IMO.

Wade is the only one who has to face the media and he is the one they point to when the team loses. Maybe you should have him as DC plus/plus. Wade is the HC plain and simple. Garrett may one day become the HC but as of now he isn't.

 

[Boysboy]

I just keep thinking of another team that had a coaching carousel and it hasn't really worked out for Washington.

The team had December-itus before Wade got here. He fixed a lot of stuff but he didn't fix that. The ONLY justification I can possibly entertain for firing Wade is because Jerry always wanted Garrett as his coach and he still invisions that. If that is the what he invisions then ok, go ahead and perform your master plan. But if his goal is to see what Wade can do, you have to give them more than 2 years.

While I agree there were other better candidates-having either Ron Rivera, Jim Caldwell, or Gary Gibbs would have netted the SAME results, IMHO. Heck-the Chargers finished STRONGLY with NORV TURNER(of ALL people).

And for that matter too-Wade's Dec record in Buffalo was very good. IF that dumb owner hadn't pressured him to bench Doug Flutie for Rob Johnson, the Bills are in the Super Bowl that year.

 

[Boysboy]

Wade is the only one who has to face the media and he is the one they point to when the team loses. Maybe you should have him as DC plus/plus. Wade is the HC plain and simple. Garrett may one day become the HC but as of now he isn't.

While I agree with you, I believe this poster's point is the blame was obviously everywhere over the map.

 

[Doomsday101]

While I agree with you, I believe this poster's point is the blame was obviously everywhere over the map.

I understand that but only the Head Coach had to face the fire of the media and that was and is Wade Phillips.

 

[JBond]

This is stupid, in my opinion. Hot seat? It's not like he went 1-15. I know about Garret, but the term "on the hot seat" makes it sound like he is doing a horrible job. Lazy writers.