DMN: Ed 'Too Tall' Jones: Cowboys still searching for leadership in locker room

[jobberone]

Ed 'Too Tall' Jones: Cowboys still searching for leadership in locker room

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SPORTSDAYDFW.COM

Published: 03 February 2014 08:11 PM

Former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Ed 'Too Tall' Jones did a radio interview in the lead-up to the Super Bowl. Here are some highlights.

On the Cowboys’ biggest problem:

“Staying healthy. Every year it seems like key players on both sides of the ball are missing a lot of games. In this day and time, you can’t win like that in the NFL. You have to have your key people performing at a high level week in and week out. I don’t know if it has to do with a lot of the rule changes, especially on defense, making players a little passive … but whatever it is I hope they figure it out, because if we can just keep our players on the football field we can win a lot of ballgames.”


On the biggest difference between the locker room now compared to when he played:

“Probably leadership. When I walked into Dallas I walked into a very good situation. At that time Dallas was considered to have one of the best organizations not only in football but in all of sports. We had a lot of great leaders not only vocal but leading by example. Guys like Staubach and Calvin Hill guys who were the first players on the field, last players to leave. That was a good example for a lot of the young players. Without leadership, I don’t care what you’re doing, whether it’s business or sports, you’re not going anywhere without good leadership. I think Dallas is still searching for it.”


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[50cent]

That's a direct shot at Romo, Witten and Ware! I mean, they are the leaders on this team right?

 

[Nav22]

That's a direct shot at Romo, Witten and Ware! I mean, they are the leaders on this team right?

Or since those guys have tried to be leaders for years, it's a shot at your boy DeMarco.

After all, if there's such a big leadership void (YAAAWN at that notion by the way), that means the door is wide open for Murray or anyone else to take the reins!

 

[Wood]

That's a direct shot at Romo, Witten and Ware! I mean, they are the leaders on this team right?

I just don't see players elevate their play around them. To me that true sign of leadership.

 

[Leadbelly]

Ugh. So, the last time Ed was in the locker room was when? I forget.

 

[Nav22]

I just don't see players elevate their play around them. To me that true sign of leadership.

Yeah, Laurent Robinson was a monster before getting to Dallas. Then Romo's poor leadership ruined his career!

 

[Wood]

Yeah, Laurent Robinson was a monster before getting to Dallas. Then Romo's poor leadership ruined his career!

they have nothing to do with the situation. I was referring trend over time not just one isolated incident that lasted only one year. Rewatch that game yesterday...who ever the leaders are for Seattle they had everyone playing out of their minds. The same thing happened in Dallas when they were winning super bowls - guys like Larry Brown started looking like Deion Sanders in the clutch. Dallas hasnt had true leaders for a long long time.

 

[50cent]

Or since those guys have tried to be leaders for years, it's a shot at your boy DeMarco.

After all, if there's such a big leadership void (YAAAWN at that notion by the way), that means the door is wide open for Murray or anyone else to take the reins!

Sad, but I've felt for a while that the vocal leaders and example leaders aka the face of the units should be Dez, Murray and Lee. Dez can't be because if he acts out, the media kills him. Murray (until now) and Lee couldn't because they couldn't stay healthy.

Murray will always have to fight that 100M contract for outright leadership of the offense, but his and Dez' makeup is better suited to be the leaders of the offense than Witten and Romo. They're too soft. As for the defense, I pray the torch is passed to a healthy Lee to replace company man Ware.

Ware, Romo, Witten, Miles and other older players are the real leaders of this team and they have failed. It's time to pass the torch to Dez, Murray, Smith, healthy Lee and Church. However their presence won't allow this to take place.

 

[50cent]

Yeah, Laurent Robinson was a monster before getting to Dallas. Then Romo's poor leadership ruined his career!

Not sure that is leadership, that's more like chemistry.

 

[Idgit]

That's a direct shot at Romo, Witten and Ware! I mean, they are the leaders on this team right?

I took it as a shot at the defensive leaders, but only because he played defense himself, and that's the side of the ball where we're lacking and, other than Lee, and maybe Church, we don't really have any leaders.

 

[50cent]

I just don't see players elevate their play around them. To me that true sign of leadership.

Players don't believe in their intensity for the game if you ask me.

 

[Nav22]

they have nothing to do with the situation. I was referring trend over time not just one isolated incident that lasted only one year. Rewatch that game yesterday...who ever the leaders are for Seattle they had everyone playing out of their minds. The same thing happened in Dallas when they were winning super bowls - guys like Larry Brown started looking like Deion Sanders in the clutch. Dallas hasnt had true leaders for a long long time.

Hahahaha. So you don't know who the leaders are on Seattle, but you're convinced that THEY were the reasons the rest of the players played well? Not the coaches, not the players themselves... but the team leaders?

Sounds like you're more inclined to believe cliches than you are to learn football. Shame.

Isolated incident? Miles Austin, Cole Beasley, Kevin Ogletree and Jesse Holley were all undrafted WRs who have made huge plays or had huge seasons with Romo throwing them the ball. Austin became a Pro Bowler. Laurent Robinson went from a complete scrub to a playmaker in his only season with Romo.

That's the impact of a great QB making guys around him better. Ask Dez about Romo's leadership and he'll rave about him like a proud younger brother.

And when did Larry Brown EVER look like Deion Sanders? When Neil O'Donnell tossed him 2 easy INTs in the Super Bowl? I guess the reason he didn't drop those INTs was thanks to Darren Woodson's leadership, right!?!?

 

[50cent]

I took it as a shot at the defensive leaders, but only because he played defense himself, and that's the side of the ball where we're lacking and, other than Lee, and maybe Church, we don't really have any leaders.

Sad that Ware isn't on your defensive list of leaders but Sapp did warn us about this with Ware. I took it as leaders in the locker room overall.

 

[Nav22]

Players don't believe in their intensity for the game if you ask me.

What exactly is your definition of leadership? Dez raves about Romo's leadership every chance he gets! Do you not see Romo getting in his face (or anyone's face) when he makes a mistake? That's leadership the way Troy used to do it. On top of that, he's one of the hardest workers on the team and has organized offseason workouts which had great attendance.

Not sure what you're looking for... sounds like you just don't like Romo and this is an easy way to criticize him without having anything concrete to use as ammo.

 

[50cent]

What exactly is your definition of leadership? Dez raves about Romo's leadership every chance he gets! Do you not see Romo getting in his face (or anyone's face) when he makes a mistake? That's leadership the way Troy used to do it. On top of that, he's one of the hardest workers on the team and has organized offseason workouts which had great attendance.

Not sure what you're looking for... sounds like you just don't like Romo and this is an easy way to criticize him without having anything concrete to use as ammo.

Leadership has just as much to do with off the field as it does with on the field. Screaming doesn't make you a leader, its when you scream and what point you're trying to convey while screaming. A leader may have to coddle a player and not scream at all to get something out of a player. Leaders commands respect, something I don't think Romo, Witten or Ware command. Dez may love Romo and praise him because a real leader like Michael Irvin told him to never question his QB publicly, but someone like Murray can't stand the dude. Romo doesn't have everyone's respect in the locker room and I know this for a fact. That makes it hard to be a leader and it easy for someone like Murray to challenge his authority. Those organized workouts have incentives in them as well for some players that make it easier to attend. Witten is just as much to blame for lack of leadership on the offensive side, not just Romo. You overlook the fact that I mentioned him too. As for my ammo, DM me.

 

[Bullflop]

I tend to doubt that guys like Too Tall Jones know much more than the diehard fan about what's going on in the Dallas locker room. That's something they're not privy too. Former players can express their opinions and folks will listen as though they think they have some sort of inside eye. They're on the outside looking in almost as much as the fans except for infrequently talking to current players. Aside from that, they're guessing. Much of their "inside info" more than likely comes from the same media reports that we, as fans, depend on for ours.

 

[Jerryrage]

That's a direct shot at Romo, Witten and Ware! I mean, they are the leaders on this team right?

Are they? Or more like, hey we know what to say, however we can't do it.

 

[kevm3]

I like the attitude of the newer players we've drafted like Sean Lee, Dez Bryant, Demarco Murray, etc. These are guys who show a lot of anger when they lose. Some of the stuff that happened under the old guard is simply unacceptable for 'leaders' to tolerate. For example, when tashard choice went over to vick after losing a game to the divisional rival in the Eagles for an autograph... that never should have happened. I simply can't imagine anyone on the seahawks trotting over to the 49ers side and asking for an autograph. You can't have your qb say things like, "Well if losing a football game is the worst that can happen, then I guess my life isn't that bad" or have your key guys smiling after losing games. Another one is when Golden Tate drilled Sean Lee and Ware was in the vicinity and saw it but didn't at least get in Tate's face. our 'core' leadership is too nonchalant. I prefer the passion and disappointment in losing that our younger guys show.

 

[Nav22]

Leadership has just as much to do with off the field as it does with on the field. Screaming doesn't make you a leader, its when you scream and what point you're trying to convey while screaming. A leader may have to coddle a player and not scream at all to get something out of a player. Leaders commands respect, something I don't think Romo, Witten or Ware command. Dez may love Romo and praise him because a real leader like Michael Irvin told him to never question his QB publicly, but someone like Murray can't stand the dude. Romo doesn't have everyone's respect in the locker room and I know this for a fact. That makes it hard to be a leader and it easy for someone like Murray to challenge his authority. Those organized workouts have incentives in them as well for some players that make it easier to attend. Witten is just as much to blame for lack of leadership on the offensive side, not just Romo. You overlook the fact that I mentioned him too. As for my ammo, DM me.

I'd love to hear your all these examples of teammates disrespecting those guys. Seems like they've always gotten plenty of respect in the locker room and on the field.

Hahahaha c'mon man... the Dez/Murray thing you brought up has me chuckling. You say that Dez "loves and praises Romo" because Mike Irvin told him not to question his QB PUBLICLY. So are you implying that Dez doesn't like Romo privately? Of course not, because you know you have zero leg to stand on there. Dez legitimately loves the guy.

On to Murray: Murray's issues with Romo only arise from the number of carries he gets and you know it. If he was getting 20 carries every week, he'd like Romo just fine. As it stands, he might not be Romo's biggest fan but he's ALSO never publicly disrespected Romo. He's smarter than that because he knows it's Romo's team.

Just like Aikman's guys didn't question Aikman publicly, even if they didn't always like him or his ways. Being a leader means not everyone is going to like you all the time, so I'm not sure what your point is about Murray not liking Romo. Not like everyone Troy played with loved him.

 

[RonSpringsdaman20]

He's right. The team is porcelain, and leadership starts at the top…..
But he's not supposed to speak out, he's retired.
Keep your opinions to yourself, you haven't played football in years…, I know i've missed a couple more reasons, someone will remind me.