DMN: Dan Reeves: You can't win with distractions, different agendas

[Dhragon]

He struggled with an offense that featured Tony Romo, Felix Jones, Marion Barber, Tashard Choice, Roy Williams, Jason Witten, Miles Austin and Patrick Crayton, ... and Terrell Owens.

Our OC did not impress me this year.

Agree 100% with you on this one.

 

[CF74]

You guys do realize RW11 played with a foot injury right? If anything the disappointment was the coaches, specifically Garrett, not forcing him to sit and heal while replacing him with a healthy Miles Austin.

 

[Alexander]

This is just a theory, but I think Terrell Owens and his huge shadow being in Dallas isn't good for Roy Williams.

Owens is such a forceful, dominant personality, that Williams seems content to slack off, run a few routes as the No. 2 guy and just enjoy the circus. Of course, he'll whine a little bit, because in this day and age, that's almost what is expected of receivers.

If Owens is gone, and the coaches sit Williams down and give him a "come to Jesus talk," telling him that the franchise gave up a lot for him, that he is critical to the team's success, that he needs to assert himself as the No. 1 receiver, then I think he might come around and accept the challenge. Austin would be a nice No. 2 to go along with Williams and Crayton could remain the slot receiver, where he's best suited.

But if Owens stays, I see Williams' personality as someone who will just do enough to get by and let Owens continue with all the drama and be the No. 1 guy. Like it or not, I think Williams needs to be built up, prodded and told he's the No. 1 guy for him to be able to really excel in this environment. That can't happen with Owens here.

Then that is a big problem, regardless if Owens is here or not. We should not have to sit him down and explain how costly he was to acquire and have any sort of meeting with him. If he is a professional, then it should be a given, he needs to do that.

Williams has the reputation for not being the most self-motivated so again that begs the question why we paid such a high price for someone who needs to be constantly prodded and poked to perform.

From what I see, he is just another follower. Owens has that type of personality, but the fact that the less than motivated gravitate towards him and feel it is okay to do just what is barely necessary, I find it hard to blame him. What scapegoating Owens does is give the illusion that these things will all go away. The reality is, they won't. The individuals have to be accountable.

 

[DallasEast]

I've not read anyone say it's ALL Owens' fault. Most though realize he is PART of the problem and so want that part taken care of at least since apparantly Jerry is against solving other, bigger problems such as HC,OC, and for some GM. Better to solve some of the problem than none of it.

You're going to be very, very, very hard-pressed to find anyone who has. This is a neverending misconception based upon many threads discussing Owens as A problem and associating the sheer amount of discussion as proof that he is being labeled as THE problem. Personally, I'm blaming iJordanTaber for a portion of the nonsense.

 

[Alexander]

You guys do realize RW11 played with a foot injury right? If anything the disappointment was the coaches, specifically Garrett, not forcing him to sit and heal while replacing him with a healthy Miles Austin.

Yes, it is understood he played with the foot injury. That does not excuse everything. For all we know, he stated he was fine and could play through it. Now if you are a coach and the play says he can play, are you still going to doubt him and start the inferior player? To me, the foot is just another excuse. This team and this staff has a million of them.

 

[WV Cowboy]

Most though realize he is PART of the problem and so want that part taken care of

Since I'm having a hard time with this, how has Owens caused us to lose games?

How was it his fault in the 44-6 Iggles game?

How was it his fault when the Ravens had back to back, 1-play 75 yd drives to beat us in the last game at TS?

How was it his fault when the Rams embarassed us?

You can tell me you just don't like Owens, and I understand that, .. I get it, .. but how has he caused us to lose games?

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

You're going to be very, very, very hard-pressed to find anyone who has. This is a neverending misconception based upon many threads discussing Owens as A problem and associating the sheer amount of discussion as proof that he is being labeled as THE problem. Personally, I'm blaming iJordanTaber for a portion of the nonsense.

You will be hard pressed to find another player people say to get rid of. Johnson and Jones are gone so TO is now the player scapegoat for bad chemistry.

 

[DallasEast]

You will be hard pressed to find another player people say to get rid of. Johnson and Jones are gone so TO is now the player scapegoat for bad chemistry.

That may be true and I will not even try to debate it. However, simply stating that Owens should be subtracted from the roster does not mean that posters making the assertion are also claiming that he is THE problem. They are only stating that it is their belief that he is A problem and that his removal will subtract A problem from the list of problemS.

 

[thisisepic]

Since I'm having a hard time with this, how has Owens caused us to lose games?

How was it his fault in the 44-6 Iggles game?

How was it his fault when the Ravens had back to back, 1-play 75 yd drives to beat us in the last game at TS?

How was it his fault when the Rams embarassed us?

You can tell me you just don't like Owens, and I understand that, .. I get it, .. but how has he caused us to lose games?

He's a coach killer, and brings down the other 52 players. He is THAT powerful.

 

[WV Cowboy]

He's a coach killer, and brings down the other 52 players. He is THAT powerful.

I guess, .. I'm missing something though.

 

[Bleu Star]

It is absolutely mind-boggling to me that educated football fans could watch something as pathetic as our last game against the Eagles, the end of the Ravens game, or our debacle in St. Louis and come to the conclusion, ... "It's Owens, .. we need to get rid of Owens."

Mind-boggling.

Since he has been in Dallas, I don't think he has done anything close to what was reported him having done in Philly or SF.

Is he peculiar? Yes. Does he represent the Cowboys in exactly the way we all want? No.

But are you saying that by replacing him, "all is well in Dallas?"

If 52 guys are so negatively impacted by one person, then they are a bunch of spineless, whiny-butt pansies.

So if we do get rid of T.O., we still have a bunch of spineless, whiny-butt pansies.

I appreciate what he brings to the team, but if we could somehow replace his production then I don't care if he is here next year or not.

As long as we get the same production from our next #1 WR.

So I hope whomever is deciding his fate in Dallas, is considering everything, and not just what the media cries about.

Like I said, if he is gone, fine. I only hope we have a plan to replace all that he brings to the football field.

 

[Yoshimitsu]

If we hire Reeves as consultant.

This will be the best thing Jerry that has happened to this team since we found Romo.

 

[fanfromvirginia]

That may be true and I will not even try to debate it. However, simply stating that Owens should be subtracted from the roster does not mean that posters making the assertion are also claiming that he is THE problem. They are only stating that it is their belief that he is A problem and that his removal will subtract A problem from the list of problemS.

TO's critics (myself included, more or less) are saying a little more than that. He is one set of problems (discipline, focus, morale, etc.) that negatively affects some of the other problems, such as offensive play calling.

So I agree that those opposed to TO understand that this team has a number of problems but I think it's fair to say that many of them put him as priority #1.

 

[wileedog]

So I agree that those opposed to TO understand that this team has a number of problems but I think it's fair to say that many of them put him as priority #1.

I put the GM as priority #1, but that aint changing.

I put coaching as priority #2, but it seems the "coaches are in place"

I put discipline, reality shows and a change of team focus from getting the ball to TO to offensive balance as #3. That's the first one I've come across where there is a realistic chance to do something about it.

I think far more would be accomplished with at least #2, but I don't think keeping all three status quo is going to work, so I'll take what I can get.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Dan Reeves: You can't win with distractions, different agendas

Didnt he go into 3 or 4 SB's with a different agenda than Elway?

 

[dbair1967]

You guys do realize RW11 played with a foot injury right? If anything the disappointment was the coaches, specifically Garrett, not forcing him to sit and heal while replacing him with a healthy Miles Austin.

 

[TNCowboy]

Then that is a big problem, regardless if Owens is here or not. We should not have to sit him down and explain how costly he was to acquire and have any sort of meeting with him. If he is a professional, then it should be a given, he needs to do that.

Williams has the reputation for not being the most self-motivated so again that begs the question why we paid such a high price for someone who needs to be constantly prodded and poked to perform.

From what I see, he is just another follower. Owens has that type of personality, but the fact that the less than motivated gravitate towards him and feel it is okay to do just what is barely necessary, I find it hard to blame him. What scapegoating Owens does is give the illusion that these things will all go away. The reality is, they won't. The individuals have to be accountable.

Many of the best WRs are nutjobs to begin with. TO certainly is. Steve Smith, Randy Moss, and Chad Johnson as well. Bouldin was whining for the ball in the midst of the very drive that got them into the SB.

The problem as I see it is that you rarely want the dominant figure in your lockerroom to be a WR. Listening to Larry Fitzgerald, it's obvious that he considers Kurt Warner to be the leader of the team, on the field and in the lockerroom. He's not a WR, but I heard Marshall Faulk reiterate the same thing this morning. In most cases, if a team has a decent QB, he has to be one of the - if not the primary - team leaders. I believe TO resents that. He did in SF, he did in Philly.

I believe it's 100% right to say that Owens is not the primary problem. Jerry Jones is the big problem in Dallas and TO is just a symptom. But I'd also say that no matter what happens or doesn't happen in the front office, the lockerroom will never be right with Owens in there. I can't recall who said on ESPN radio recently that TO is not a great leader, but is great at rallying people to his cause. He's the only player with HOF credentials on the team, so naturally young players will gravitate to his celebrity, his charisma, the weight he carries because of his huge stats, and the lack of such among most of the other players. I don't think that Romo and the other good, young players on the team can get around that as long as TO is there.

 

[Chief]

Many of the best WRs are nutjobs to begin with. TO certainly is. Steve Smith, Randy Moss, and Chad Johnson as well. Bouldin was whining for the ball in the midst of the very drive that got them into the SB.

The problem as I see it is that you rarely want the dominant figure in your lockerroom to be a WR. Listening to Larry Fitzgerald, it's obvious that he considers Kurt Warner to be the leader of the team, on the field and in the lockerroom. He's not a WR, but I heard Marshall Faulk reiterate the same thing this morning. In most cases, if a team has a decent QB, he has to be one of the - if not the primary - team leaders. I believe TO resents that. He did in SF, he did in Philly.

I believe it's 100% right to say that Owens is not the primary problem. Jerry Jones is the big problem in Dallas and TO is just a symptom. But I'd also say that no matter what happens or doesn't happen in the front office, the lockerroom will never be right with Owens in there. I can't recall who said on ESPN radio recently that TO is not a great leader, but is great at rallying people to his cause. He's the only player with HOF credentials on the team, so naturally young players will gravitate to his celebrity, his charisma, the weight he carries because of his huge stats, and the lack of such among most of the other players. I don't think that Romo and the other good, young players on the team can get around that as long as TO is there.

Great post. I totally agree.

 

[DallasEast]

TO's critics (myself included, more or less) are saying a little more than that. He is one set of problems (discipline, focus, morale, etc.) that negatively affects some of the other problems, such as offensive play calling.

So I agree that those opposed to TO understand that this team has a number of problems but I think it's fair to say that many of them put him as priority #1.

You may be causing more unintended confusion than you're attempting to clear up. Even if there are some who believe that Terrell Owens is both the number one problem AND the number one issue to be resolved on a get-the-problems-fixed schedule, that still does not make him THE problem. That continues to be the conclusion made by some, namely, that others are "claiming" Owens is the ONLY problem which must be corrected. That's the neverending misconception which automatically prompts the same counter-argument being lobbed back at those who never claim otherwise.

 

[khiladi]

Many of the best WRs are nutjobs to begin with. TO certainly is. Steve Smith, Randy Moss, and Chad Johnson as well. Bouldin was whining for the ball in the midst of the very drive that got them into the SB.

The problem as I see it is that you rarely want the dominant figure in your lockerroom to be a WR. Listening to Larry Fitzgerald, it's obvious that he considers Kurt Warner to be the leader of the team, on the field and in the lockerroom. He's not a WR, but I heard Marshall Faulk reiterate the same thing this morning. In most cases, if a team has a decent QB, he has to be one of the - if not the primary - team leaders. I believe TO resents that. He did in SF, he did in Philly.

I believe it's 100% right to say that Owens is not the primary problem. Jerry Jones is the big problem in Dallas and TO is just a symptom. But I'd also say that no matter what happens or doesn't happen in the front office, the lockerroom will never be right with Owens in there. I can't recall who said on ESPN radio recently that TO is not a great leader, but is great at rallying people to his cause. He's the only player with HOF credentials on the team, so naturally young players will gravitate to his celebrity, his charisma, the weight he carries because of his huge stats, and the lack of such among most of the other players. I don't think that Romo and the other good, young players on the team can get around that as long as TO is there.

If that was the case, then why was TO suddenly excited the moment they took out Bledsoe and put in Romo? Why was TO excited as hell to get Brad Johnson out of the line-up and Tony Romo back in?