Emmitt Smith: Dallas Cowboys have lost true identity

[PA Cowboy Fan]

Emmitt speaks the truth.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

When Player X agrees with my opinion, this is what I say to fans who disagree with Player X: "Why do you call our players liars?"

When Player X disagrees with my opinion, this is what I say to fans who agree with Player X: "He's just a disgruntled player!"

 

[birdwells1]

When Player X agrees with my opinion, this is what I say to fans who disagree with Player X: "Why do you call our players liars?"

When Player X disagrees with my opinion, this is what I say to fans who agree with Player X: "He's just a disgruntled player!"

How about when legend x disagrees with my opinion we tear him down to prop up an organization whose recent history deserves no defending.

 

[Corso]

Jerry doesnt call the plays.

True- and admittedly I have not read through this thread so this could have already been debated BUT:

Someone, or someones are calling the plays and the plays they call are near bi-polar sometimes.
Pass, pass, pass, punt.
Pass, run, pass, punt.
pass, pass, pass, FG.
Run, pass, pass, punt.
And so on...

Then the next game:
Run, run, pass, punt.
Run, pass run, punt.
Run, run, pass, punt.
Then the rest of the game is 80% passes.

I know- I could have mixed more scoring in, but you get my point.

It's been kind of schizophrenic for years.
Even the runs-
Sometimes it's power up the middle through and through.
Sometimes it's a bunch of stretch plays.

I know I could be very wrong, but it FEELS like this team has little confidence about anything it does other than what Romo does.

I think it's a detriment to the entire organization.
It affects their gameplans,
it affects their defense,
it affects their drafting,
it affects the contracts that some players get.

Maybe this is a post chock full of FAIL.
I've done it before, but I don't think so...

 

[Rockport]

Jerry doesnt call the plays.

No, but he controls what type of offensive plays do get called. His influence is everywhere.

 

[TheFinisher]

We don't operate with a clear plan or direction in mind, has been the problem for years. How many times have we scratched our heads over moves this front office and coaching staff has made... i find myself saying "that doesnt make sense" or "whats the plan?" far too often about this team.

 

[junk]

Jerry doesnt call the plays.

No, but he hired an in over his head, neophyte head coach. And retained that coach.

He's also the guy responsible for putting the talent on the field.

Like I said in another thread the other day, we can never even get to the interesting discussions of WHY Jerry is a problem and what might possibly be done about it. Most of the time is spent trying to convince people he is a problem.

 

[Corso]

No, but he hired an in over his head, neophyte head coach. And retained that coach.

He's also the guy responsible for putting the talent on the field.

Like I said in another thread the other day, we can never even get to the interesting discussions of WHY Jerry is a problem and what might possibly be done about it. Most of the time is spent trying to convince people he is a problem.

Nobody is trying to convince anybody that Jerry is a problem any longer.
It's now common knowledge.
Don't agree? Show me some posts from the past year of people out and out defending Hoss Jones as a GM.
It's now just posters trying to hammer their point into everyone's skull because they can't think of anything else to talk about on their own.

Now- let's talk about what Jerry has done and the results of it.
He hired a "Neophyte HC" that's in over his head and HE's responsible for the talent on the field. I don't necessarily disagree with that, but I have a question:
Do you agree that it's not easy to win in the NFL or is it?

Well- if you agree that it's not easy to win in the NFL and he's so egregious (and I think he's not good for this team, by the by)...
Why hasn't this team had losing seasons over and over?

What is causing them to win at least as many games as they lose?
Why has there not been any 2-14, 3-13, 5-11 seasons in years?
Romo? Fine, but who signed him in the first place? Their GM Jerry Jones.

I'm not defending anybody, but I ask you-
Is this team really a dumpster-fire? Or are fans, being disappointed and emotionally invested taking it a bit too far?
I dislike treading water for this team, but this isn't the Detroit Lions being run by Matt Millen...

Now THEN there should be some REAL outrage.

 

[phildadon86]

The decision to keep Kiffin has more to do with consistency; it's somewhat hypocritical to blame injuries then fire the guy whose unit has been most beset by injuries two years in a row.

For the record, I'm just explaining the rationale behind the decision. I'm not judging the rightness or wrongness of it.

But Rob Ryan had the same excuse, he was fired. Im confused?

 

[links18]

But Rob Ryan had the same excuse, he was fired. Im confused?

They said Ryan's defense was too complicated and didn't cause turnovers. Of course, it might be said Kiffin's defense is too simple and can't get off the field.

 

[SportsGuru80]

Emmitt is telling the truth!

 

[links18]

Nobody is trying to convince anybody that Jerry is a problem any longer.
It's now common knowledge.
Don't agree? Show me some posts from the past year of people out and out defending Hoss Jones as a GM.
.

Does it need to be "out and out" defending? There are plenty of people on here who continue to defend Jerry's boneheaded GM moves--like retaining Kiffin or even hiring him in the first place. Heck, there is even a contingent on here claiming that retaining the entire coaching staff for next year is "one of Jerry's best football moves of his career," because he can get rid of all of them together and start 2015 off fresh. Some people find a way to credit Jerry Jones even if its just future anticipation about a possible move that would only be an attempt to correct a previous colossal blunder.

 

[Redball Express]

Mixed feelings about this. There are times when keeping quiet isn't the most prudent thing to do. It's like the difference between how you handle it if your best friend (1) gets drunk once or (2) is an alcoholic. In the first case, you might just brush it off and say nothing (we've all been there!) but in the second, an intervention is necessary and you may have to be the one to deliver it because no one else can.

Troy and the others, being media personalities, might come off as just another ESPN/Fox media person piling on the Cowboys. In this situation, Emmitt's words might mean more.

Great post.

Couldn't agree more.

 

[junk]

Nobody is trying to convince anybody that Jerry is a problem any longer.
It's now common knowledge.
Don't agree? Show me some posts from the past year of people out and out defending Hoss Jones as a GM.
It's now just posters trying to hammer their point into everyone's skull because they can't think of anything else to talk about on their own.

Now- let's talk about what Jerry has done and the results of it.
He hired a "Neophyte HC" that's in over his head and HE's responsible for the talent on the field. I don't necessarily disagree with that, but I have a question:
Do you agree that it's not easy to win in the NFL or is it?

Well- if you agree that it's not easy to win in the NFL and he's so egregious (and I think he's not good for this team, by the by)...
Why hasn't this team had losing seasons over and over?

What is causing them to win at least as many games as they lose?
Why has there not been any 2-14, 3-13, 5-11 seasons in years?
Romo? Fine, but who signed him in the first place? Their GM Jerry Jones.

I'm not defending anybody, but I ask you-
Is this team really a dumpster-fire? Or are fans, being disappointed and emotionally invested taking it a bit too far?
I dislike treading water for this team, but this isn't the Detroit Lions being run by Matt Millen...

Now THEN there should be some REAL outrage.

I think the team was in a steady decline until the Parcells years. Jerry was forced, by his own admission, to bring him in to gain support for his stadium. He's also admitted he was "walking on eggshells" and wasn't having any fun during those years.

However, Parcells revamped the scouting department and got the franchise headed in the right direction. Since then, they've consistently whittled away at that and Jerry has gotten back into the same tactics that had them going 5-11.

Yes, in my opinion, Romo is the only real difference between 8-8 and 5-11. I can't recall the scout, but it was a scout and Payton that pushed for Romo if I remember correctly. Jerry gets us the likes of Hutchinson, Henson and Carter.

Is winning in the NFL hard? Sure, but there are teams that are able to consistently do it. One of those teams, New England, used to have a meddling owner as well. He was smart enough to back off and hire competent people.

Not winning for almost 2 decades can't just be blamed on "It sure is hard". That is a result of doing something fundamentally wrong.

 

[Corso]

Does it need to be "out and out" defending? There are plenty of people on here who continue to defend Jerry's boneheaded GM moves--like retaining Kiffin or even hiring him in the first place. Heck, there is even a contingent on here claiming that retaining the entire coaching staff for next year is "one of Jerry's best football moves of his career," because he can get rid of all of them together and start 2015 off fresh. Some people find a way to credit Jerry Jones even if its just future anticipation about a possible move that would only be an attempt to correct a previous colossal blunder.

Someone defending a single move, or several moves betwixt many other moves they disapprove of is not an out and out Jerry defender. People are wrong from time to time. You and I are too.
I have read of some of the things of which you speak and I say- they were wrong, but they aren't blind homers that defend EVERYTHING the GM does like some proclaim with names like "Pollyanna's".
I haven't read anyone like that here in a long, long time.
Take Idgit-
The man defends the things he sees that he agrees with which is more than many other posters here, but he also acknowledges that the pass defense is piss-poor and that has everything to do with Jerry neglecting the DL.
He doesn't sugar-coat it. He calls it how it is.
That's not a blind homer and that's what I'm talking about.
You can like some things and dislike other things and that makes you a fair fan- sometimes tipping the scales a bit from one side to the other, but you get what I'm saying.

Now as far as this "contingent" is concerned- I'd like to see some poster names.
I haven't personally read these posts and I'm on this site much more than I should.
Maybe you've read what I haven't so that would be an illumination to me and I definitely would be appreciative to be directed to what I'm missing.

And for this: "claiming that retaining the entire coaching staff for next year is "one of Jerry's best football moves of his career," because he can get rid of all of them together and start 2015 off fresh."
No. It may not be his best maneuver, but what would you suggest?
Change coaches on a yearly basis? Change the defensive philosophies from one extreme to the other from one year to the next... to the next?
Let's also just switch play-callers every year. That'll work.
I don't see any confusion there... on either side of the ball.
Red's got one year left on the contract.
Which means the next coach, if there is one MAY get the chance to choose his own staff in '15. (I say "may" because you never know with Hoss Jones)
It's almost more like there is no choice in the matter than anything else...

So- YES I am asking for those who out and out defend Jones and his maneuvers.
Those blind homers who advocate whatever he does like some proclaim.
I questioned that proclamation and I'm not moving the goal posts.

I'm not talking about the guy who says things aren't right, but defends a decent signing or contract.
I'm talking about the out and out defenders of Jerry because that is what some posters are proclaiming are on here and trying to defame without naming names.
I want to know the names.
What is so hard to get about this and why won't anyone answer my question when I have asked it many, many times on many threads for the past several days?

I can only conclude that it's simply people's flawed perceptions and until I see some empirical evidence of the contrary-

I will rail on. But if someone does step up-
I will admit to my failure of having seen it before and offer my sincerest apologies to the whole board.
I'm man enough.

 

[Corso]

I think the team was in a steady decline until the Parcells years. Jerry was forced, by his own admission, to bring him in to gain support for his stadium. He's also admitted he was "walking on eggshells" and wasn't having any fun during those years.

However, Parcells revamped the scouting department and got the franchise headed in the right direction. Since then, they've consistently whittled away at that and Jerry has gotten back into the same tactics that had them going 5-11.

Yes, in my opinion, Romo is the only real difference between 8-8 and 5-11. I can't recall the scout, but it was a scout and Payton that pushed for Romo if I remember correctly. Jerry gets us the likes of Hutchinson, Henson and Carter.

Is winning in the NFL hard? Sure, but there are teams that are able to consistently do it. One of those teams, New England, used to have a meddling owner as well. He was smart enough to back off and hire competent people.

Not winning for almost 2 decades can't just be blamed on "It sure is hard". That is a result of doing something fundamentally wrong.

Thank you- great reply.
My retort:
Well- not much of one since I agree with a lot of what you said...

But the fact of the matter is that "the scout" and Payton didn't sign any QB they liked- Jerry did.
He didn't have to.
He did. What's a GM supposed to do?
Give the man credit.

I can see the team crumbling like it did again like from the glory days before Parcells, but aren't there tinges of change since Garrett took over as far as player acquisition is concerned?
You don't see it?
I do. I see an effort to get that part of the program fixed every year from how they do their process to the hiring and promoting of individuals like McClay.
Unless you think that they are doing that to make fans happy. *Ridiculous thought and not one I'm pinning on you*
Jerry will always be the Wildcard, unfortunately, but that is Our reality and there is no getting around it.

Now- New England.
They have an ELITE QB and have had magnificent players for years.
There is no downplaying that. Nor is there any downplaying of their FO and how they've handled success throughout the years, but they are almost THE ONLY TEAM ENJOYING THIS.
Think about that.
You stated Romo is the difference from a poor season to a mediocre one.
Brady- in my opinion does an even better job so does that not stand to reason that they would be better as long as he's around?

Two decades of futility is tough to reconcile.
How many decades have the Eagles fans had to endure?
The Browns?
The Falcons?
The Oilers/Texans?
The Commanders?
The Bills?
The Bengals?
The Raiders?
The Bears?
The Dolphins?

Man- I could go on and on...

 

[Corso]

Does it need to be "out and out" defending? There are plenty of people on here who continue to defend Jerry's boneheaded GM moves--like retaining Kiffin or even hiring him in the first place. Heck, there is even a contingent on here claiming that retaining the entire coaching staff for next year is "one of Jerry's best football moves of his career," because he can get rid of all of them together and start 2015 off fresh. Some people find a way to credit Jerry Jones even if its just future anticipation about a possible move that would only be an attempt to correct a previous colossal blunder.

I forgot to say- this was a good reply to my argument also. Thank you.
Forgive my indiscretion...

 

[Aven8]

This is indeed true.

I agree.

And while I love me some Emmitt..

he sometimes opens his mouth and says things he needs to not say out loud.

While Troy and Moose and Woody and Irvin have gone on to be media personalities..

Smith consistently goes in reverse with his delivery

The best he ever accomplished outside the sport was doing Men's beard coloring commercials.

Sad.

Wrong. He won dancing with the stars.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

But Rob Ryan had the same excuse, he was fired. Im confused?

I agree with you. That's kinda my point, hence why I said "two years in a row." A team can't cry injuries and then always fire the guy whose unit is most beset by injuries.

The truth is, Rob Ryan should never have been fired. It may go down as a mistake on par with Roy Williams trade.

 

[Alexander]

It may go down as a mistake on par with Roy Williams trade.

Whoa whoa whoa, calm down now.