DMN: Did Jerry Let A Great Head Coach Get Away?

[ajk23az]

Jerry Jones might have let a great head coach get away
2:42 PM Tue, Nov 04, 2008 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Tim MacMahon E-mail News tips

http://cowboysblog.***BANNED-URL***/81706016ES006_RAVENS_DOLPHI.jpg

Now that it seems obvious that the Wade Phillips era won't last long or end well, let's discuss who Jerry Jones should have hired after Bill Parcells bolted Valley Ranch.

I'll fess up to being on the Phillips bandwagon from the start, and I would have been scratching my head if Jerry gave the job to Tony Sparano. A season and a half later, Sparano's Dolphins are making the NFL's most impressive turnaround while Phillips' Cowboys are one of the league's biggest disappointments.

The Chargers are the challenger in the biggest disappointment category. They're coached by Norv Turner, the runner-up in a photo finish for the Dallas job. Jason Garrett was also seriously considered despite having zero play-calling experience at the time. Sparano never really had a shot despite being one of several Parcells assistants to interview.

Instead, Sparano was stripped of his play-calling duties last season, although he had a lot of input in the game plans. The Cowboys clearly miss that input, and it's probably not a coincidence that the offensive line play has dropped significantly since the Dolphins hired Sparano. Jerry certainly didn't make anywhere near the effort to keep Sparano after last season as he did with Jason Garrett, who became the highest-paid assistant coach in NFL history.

The primary reason for hiring Phillips was to fix the Dallas defense. The Dolphins' defense, running a 3-4 scheme with ex-Cowboys LB coach Paul Pasqualoni as the coordinator, has been better than the Cowboys' this season.

Parcells' culture of discipline that Parcells created would have continued under Sparano. However, he still would have been a breath of fresh air for players who tired of the Tuna's voice.

Sparano had already built a good relationship with several key players -- based on respect, not letting them relax. The Cowboys could use a coach like that.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

Hindsight is 20/20. Nobody thought Sparano was really all that at the time. And the Dolphins aren't exactly world beaters. Would anyone be surprised if they don't make the playoffs? Yeah, I know, expectations, blah, blah, blah. It's too soon to make Sparano out as some kind of genius who will be great for years to come. It's also too early to write the Cowboys off as everyone has. It will be that much sweeter when we get it together and turn this season around.

 

[Billy Bullocks]

Same was said about Peyton..I donno if I feel as good about him as I did when NO was hot ****.

 

[tomson75]

Time will tell...but I hope not, if solely for the fact that i don't want to hear people ***** and moan about for the next five years.

Timmy Mac.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Miami is 4-4 and now Sparano is a "great" HC?

 

[TellerMorrow34]

Exactly. Last season, at the start, it was all about how Payton had got away. Then the Saints turned in a piss poor year last year and this year they're 4-4. So now that 'world beater' of a coach that Jerry let get away doesn't seem to be so world beating anymore.

 

[bootsy]

Miami is 4-4 and now Sparano is a "great" HC?

Exactly. I made this point in another post. You always look like a 'great' coach when you sneak on everybody, when expectations are low. Let's see how he does next year and the following years. See the Browns last year and this year and Eric Mangini-Year 2.

 

[QT]

Wasn't Jeff Fisher interested in the job when we had the great fortune of landing Wade?

 

[yesfan]

I don't know about great yet, but the Dolphins went to New England
and Denver and won.Take a look at that game and see how they gave
up just 14 yards in the running game.They also beat San Diego and Buffalo.
They're playing good football and they're young and really have no superstars.

 

[WoodysGirl]

I liked Sparano. Thought he was an underrated coach on the staff.

Do I think Jerry let him get away? Time will tell. 8 games don't make you a HOFer and neither does the Wildcat offense.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

Steve Spagnuolo (pipe dream but it is my dream HC). Alas the Giants are too smart to let go of him. But that would be a dream hire.

And, yes, in hindsight Sparano rocks, but he's not coming back, so that, too, is a pipe dream.

Our best alternative is Jason Garrett. Believe me, this guy will blossom. His early promise will bear fruit if an when he can fully run the show in Dallas.

 

[dfense]

Jerry Jones might have let a great head coach get away
2:42 PM Tue, Nov 04, 2008 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Tim MacMahon E-mail News tips

http://cowboysblog.***BANNED-URL***/81706016ES006_RAVENS_DOLPHI.jpg

Now that it seems obvious that the Wade Phillips era won't last long or end well, let's discuss who Jerry Jones should have hired after Bill Parcells bolted Valley Ranch.

I'll fess up to being on the Phillips bandwagon from the start, and I would have been scratching my head if Jerry gave the job to Tony Sparano. A season and a half later, Sparano's Dolphins are making the NFL's most impressive turnaround while Phillips' Cowboys are one of the league's biggest disappointments.

The Chargers are the challenger in the biggest disappointment category. They're coached by Norv Turner, the runner-up in a photo finish for the Dallas job. Jason Garrett was also seriously considered despite having zero play-calling experience at the time. Sparano never really had a shot despite being one of several Parcells assistants to interview.

Instead, Sparano was stripped of his play-calling duties last season, although he had a lot of input in the game plans. The Cowboys clearly miss that input, and it's probably not a coincidence that the offensive line play has dropped significantly since the Dolphins hired Sparano. Jerry certainly didn't make anywhere near the effort to keep Sparano after last season as he did with Jason Garrett, who became the highest-paid assistant coach in NFL history.

The primary reason for hiring Phillips was to fix the Dallas defense. The Dolphins' defense, running a 3-4 scheme with ex-Cowboys LB coach Paul Pasqualoni as the coordinator, has been better than the Cowboys' this season.

Parcells' culture of discipline that Parcells created would have continued under Sparano. However, he still would have been a breath of fresh air for players who tired of the Tuna's voice.

Sparano had already built a good relationship with several key players -- based on respect, not letting them relax. The Cowboys could use a coach like that.

Blah blah, Tuna's first season in Dallas, he made a 5-10 team into a 10-6 squad. But that didn't last long, did it? Seems to me the defensive problems started as soon as Parcells tried to convert to a 3-4.

 

[theebs]

lol

the same media that celebrated when parcells left and all popped the corks when happy time showed up are now calling for parcells assitants!

lol

Its so sad its not funny.

 

[zrinkill]

Did Jerry Let A Great Head Coach Get Away?

Yes ...... but it was 14 or 15 years ago ...... let it go.

 

[superpunk]

In one offseason the Dolphins under Sparano have increased their win total by 400% and have increased their legitimacy as an NFL team by 10,000%.

In one offseason since Sparano's departure, the Dallas Cowboys have....

 

[CATCH17]

The same people who complained about him while he was here will be the same people who wanted him gone when our oline didn't turn in a great performance.

Even Hudson Houck is catching heat and he is an alltime great.

 

[DallasEast]

http://cowboysblog.***BANNED-URL***/81706016ES006_RAVENS_DOLPHI.jpg

That's a really, really bad picture of Bill Cowher.

 

[utrunner07]

Jimmy Jhonson.

 

[Chief]

I'm not sure how well Sparano would have done in Dallas.

He's a Parcells guy, not a Jerry guy, which basically means I'm not convinced Jerry would have his back when it came to dealing with the players.

Imagining Sparano as the Cowboys coach reminds me of Chan Gailey's short stint. I think there are some similarities.

They're both quiet, low-key offensive-minded guys who stress discipline.

Jerry brought Gailey in to tighten things up and bring a new offensive philosophy. He did and the results were dramatic at first (6-10 to 10-6). But when the players started balking, Gailey didn't have Jerry's support and the thing came crashing down around him.

For Sparano to do well in Dallas, he would have had to have Jerry's full support and backing. He has that in Miami with Parcells and Ireland. My fear would be that he would be on his own in Dallas ... like Gailey was.

 

[superpunk]

I'm not sure how well Sparano would have done in Dallas.

He's a Parcells guy, not a Jerry guy, which basically means I'm not convinced Jerry would have his back when it came to dealing with the players.

Imagining Sparano as the Cowboys coach reminds me of Chan Gailey's short stint. I think there are some similarities.

They're both quiet, low-key offensive-minded guys who stress discipline.

Jerry brought Gailey in to tighten things up and bring a new offensive philosophy. He did and the results were dramatic at first (6-10 to 10-6). But when the players started balking, Gailey didn't have Jerry's support and the thing came crashing down around him.

That's actually a pretty good point. Who knows how it would work out here. Let me just say however, from a completely shallow and unfounded position, that I would much rather see Sparano prowling our sidelines on Sunday than Phillips dundering around our sidelines on Sunday.

For Sparano to do well in Dallas, he would have had to have Jerry's full support and backing. He has that in Miami with Parcells and Ireland. My fear would be that he would be on his own in Dallas ... like Gailey was.

You must not have gotten the memo. Ireland and Sparano are puppets in Miami.