News: DMN: Tyron Smith: Dallas Cowboys offensive line ‘getting tighter and tighter as a group’

[Carolina Cowboy]

Free has been very good.

Uhm sarcasm detector sprained, or just not functional?

 

[Carolina Cowboy]

Huh? Its not broken! What are you talking about??

Said it to another poster: Sarcasm detector sprained, or just not functional? Search my posts. I'm a proponent of Daddy Free as these young guys obviously view him as the leader. He has also been more than good.

 

[Dave_in-NC]

Its shocking how the Dallas OL got good at run blocking overnight it seems

Not really. We finally committed to the run.

 

[Bullflop]

I see it as good scouting and prudent drafting. When the BPA is an OL, you take him.

Actually, let's recall if it wasn't for LB Ryan Shazier being taken by Pittsburgh, we wouldn't have ever taken Zack Martin to begin with -- we would have taken Shazier. It was, most certainly, very good luck in that sense.

 

[cowboys1981]

Actually, let's recall if it wasn't for LB Ryan Shazier being taken by Pittsburgh, we wouldn't have ever taken Zack Martin to begin with -- we would have taken Shazier. It was, most certainly, very good luck in that sense.

About as lucky when we got Emmitt. I'll take that kind of luck every draft!! Haha

 

[chagus]

Said it to another poster: Sarcasm detector sprained, or just not functional? Search my posts. I'm a proponent of Daddy Free as these young guys obviously view him as the leader. He has also been more than good.

My bad CC... i suppose an internet sarcasm detector is on my list for Santa Claus this year.

 

[VACowboy]

Actually, let's recall if it wasn't for LB Ryan Shazier being taken by Pittsburgh, we wouldn't have ever taken Zack Martin to begin with -- we would have taken Shazier. It was, most certainly, very good luck in that sense.

I guess you can look at it as luck if you want, but a team can only draft the players available, and the Cowboys brain trust chose Zack Martin.

 

[xwalker]

Actually, let's recall if it wasn't for LB Ryan Shazier being taken by Pittsburgh, we wouldn't have ever taken Zack Martin to begin with -- we would have taken Shazier. It was, most certainly, very good luck in that sense.

You greatly increase your odds of being "lucky" when you're prepared. They were prepared to take Martin if the draft unfolded as it did. They didn't force the issue with a trade up for Shazier or Donald, they didn't take Manziel and they didn't trade down. A Guard didn't seem like a top need considering that both Leary and Bern were decent in 2013. They easily could have traded down.

 

[Nirvana]

If Free makes the Pro Bowl it will price him right out of Dallas.

 

[Bullflop]

You greatly increase your odds of being "lucky" when you're prepared. They were prepared to take Martin if the draft unfolded as it did. They didn't force the issue with a trade up for Shazier or Donald, they didn't take Manziel and they didn't trade down. A Guard didn't seem like a top need considering that both Leary and Bern were decent in 2013. They easily could have traded down.

I never implied nor suggested we weren't prepared but llke any draft, luck always plays a role in how draft picks turn out. As it turned out, Martin was the guy we really needed to put us over the hump and it was good fortune that smiled upon us when Shazier was taken by Pittsburgh. He's spent some time being injured there and Zack Martin has been healthy and superb here. I think we were quite fortunate in that respect, imho. I doubt Bernie could or would have given us nearly what Martin has this year, to be totally honest. We have been much better prepared the past several years than we have been in a long time and that's undeniably to this staff's credit.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

Music to mein ears.
Jerra actually had a plan with them O line picks.

 

[Bullflop]

I guess you can look at it as luck if you want, but a team can only draft the players available, and the Cowboys brain trust chose Zack Martin.

I would call it luck in the sense that we were about to take Shazier and ended up with Martin instead. He's been nothing but a blessing and exactly the catalyst that our offense needed to put it over the hump. As it turned out, Durant, Hitchens and RoMac became just what we needed to solidify the LB position. I'd call that luck as well. Now, were we well prepared in the draft to do well? Obviously so and I'm not minimizing that at all. In fact, it pleases me to no end. It certainly wasn't all luck but I surely do believe that it really played a significant role.

 

[xwalker]

I never implied nor suggested we weren't prepared but llke any draft, luck always plays a role in how draft picks turn out. As it turned out, Martin was the guy we really needed to put us over the hump and it was good fortune that smiled upon us when Shazier was taken by Pittsburgh. He's spent some time being injured there and Zack Martin has been healthy and superb here. I think we were quite fortunate in that respect, imho. I doubt Bernie could or would have given us nearly what Martin has this year, to be totally honest. We have been much better prepared the past several years than we have been in a long time and that's undeniably to this staff's credit.

Yes, Martin is better than Bern, but Bern was good enough last season. I actually feel bad for Bern because did some good things last season.

I guess my point is that there are varying probabilities of being lucky. You could be completey unprepared and still get lucky in the draft or you could significantly improve your probability of being lucky by being prepared.

Jimmy's theory about being lucky was to get so many picks that his odds were much better. He had a couple of 3rd round picks that never made it out of training camp. Nobody really noticed because of all of the other picks.

 

[Kaiser]

Jimmy's theory about being lucky was to get so many picks that his odds were much better. He had a couple of 3rd round picks that never made it out of training camp. Nobody really noticed because of all of the other picks.

He also traded second round picks for guys like Danny Stubbs and Alonzo Highsmith, which also gets lost in the "Legend of Jimmy" stuff.

 

[erod]

So the secret is, keep a roster full of unmarried players with no kids.

 

[erod]

He also traded second round picks for guys like Danny Stubbs and Alonzo Highsmith, which also gets lost in the "Legend of Jimmy" stuff.

Jimmy was about culture more than anything. He got guys to play that nobody else could.

 

[Kaiser]

Jimmy was about culture more than anything. He got guys to play that nobody else could.

Jimmy had a lot of strengths but he had his weaknesses also - which was Xwalker's point. Jimmy and Jerry together were a situation where the whole was greater than the sum of the parts. And I don't agree with the people who say it was all Jimmy. Or the one guy who says it was all Jerry (that one guy being Jerry Jones).

 

[Bullflop]

Yes, Martin is better than Bern, but Bern was good enough last season. I actually feel bad for Bern because did some good things last season.

I guess my point is that there are varying probabilities of being lucky. You could be completey unprepared and still get lucky in the draft or you could significantly improve your probability of being lucky by being prepared.

Jimmy's theory about being lucky was to get so many picks that his odds were much better. He had a couple of 3rd round picks that never made it out of training camp. Nobody really noticed because of all of the other picks.

I honestly believe this team has arrived at a point where there are people in place like Will McClay that Jerry is likely to place enough confidence in that he won't feel the need to 'wing it' himself like he did so frequently in the past. While Jimmy isn't available any longer, there are those now in place with a good command of talent evaluation to depend upon. I think that circumstance will carry this team to better drafts and talent acquisitions in the future.

 

[VACowboy]

I would call it luck in the sense that we were about to take Shazier and ended up with Martin instead. He's been nothing but a blessing and exactly the catalyst that our offense needed to put it over the hump. As it turned out, Durant, Hitchens and RoMac became just what we needed to solidify the LB position. I'd call that luck as well. Now, were we well prepared in the draft to do well? Obviously so and I'm not minimizing that at all. In fact, it pleases me to no end. It certainly wasn't all luck but I surely do believe that it really played a significant role.

I also give credit to the Dallas personnel people for signing Durant, drafting Hitchens and talking McClain off his couch. That's not luck in my book. If we were talking about these guys in NE everybody would be babbling about what a great job Belichick has done replacing injured players. I see what you're saying about Shazier, though, and I think you're right--to a degree. Talent acquisition in the NFL is a crapshoot, whether it's through the draft or free agency or whatever. History is full of sure things who have turned out to be huge busts. The draft falls how it falls. You take your choice of who's left when you're up and history determines the rest. Sometimes the guy you wanted isn't there and you end up with a better player. It happens every single year in every single round. Luck? Maybe. But to me that's just how the draft works.

 

[Bullflop]

I also give credit to the Dallas personnel people for signing Durant, drafting Hitchens and talking McClain off his couch. That's not luck in my book. If we were talking about these guys in NE everybody would be babbling about what a great job Belichick has done replacing injured players. I see what you're saying about Shazier, though, and I think you're right--to a degree. Talent acquisition in the NFL is a crapshoot, whether it's through the draft or free agency or whatever. History is full of sure things who have turned out to be huge busts. The draft falls how it falls. You take your choice of who's left when you're up and history determines the rest. Sometimes the guy you wanted isn't there and you end up with a better player. It happens every single year in every single round. Luck? Maybe. But to me that's just how the draft works.

There's no question that this team was overdue for some good fortune to come our way, whether this year or some other. The injury bugaboo that struck this team last year was nothing short of incredible, so perhaps the good fortune we experienced this year was overdue. Some needed precautions were also in order and that bell has been answered. The hiring of Will McClay was yet another step towards our 'luck' taking a turn for the better, IMO. Sometimes it takes additional skill to change your 'luck' as well.

We surely made some adjustments to ensure injuries wouldn't be so likely to befall us by the manner in which we took care to see to injury prevention and conditioning entering this season as well. They sometimes say that "diligence is the mother of good luck" and in that respect, perhaps we can honestly lay claim to creating our own luck by persevering through all of that last year and taking necessary measures to correct the problem. In any event, injuries are being handled more respectfully now than they have ever been in the past. Here's hoping this team continues on that same path in the future.