Exuberant

[Doomsday101]

They appease the old man to give him the illusion of still being in control. When a player busts? Give us a name before we get into this argument.

Name any player who has busted and there will be comments of how Jerry made the pick like Mo Claiborne

Jerry Jones was infatuated with Johnny Manziel, the rock-and-rolling, Heisman-winning quarterback out of Texas A&M. Thought he'd be the perfect fit for the Cowboys. And as anyone who follows the NFL knows, Jones is the type of team owner who makes his own calls in the draft.

Commissioner Roger Goodell approached the stage to announce the Cowboys' pick. The TV commentators were talking about Manziel. The network had a camera trained on him to show his reaction just after the pick was made. Everyone was just waiting to hear his name called.

And then the moment came. "With the 16th pick in the 2014 NFL draft, the Dallas Cowboys select Zack Martin, guard, Notre Dame."


How did it happen? How did Dallas avoid busting on the player the ultimate decision-maker loved? What made them pass on a player we now know as an NFL washout in favor of a player we now know as a two-time All-Pro?

Here's how: Jones listened to reason—and to fists pounding on the table.

It can be unhealthy for an owner to have all of the drafting juice if his subordinates are afraid to challenge him. But it doesn't have to be.

Stephen Jones, Jerry's son and the Cowboys' player personnel director, was among those in the team's draft room that day, warning about Manziel's off-field behavior, lack of size and inexperience running a conventional offense.

"If you had an owner who didn't listen, that would be a negative," Stephen Jones said. "But Jerry is a great listener. He loves to have long discussions about guys, hear the whys and why nots and play devil's advocate."

This conversation, this give-and-take between advice and power, is the key to the NFL draft. It's what every team has to balance this time of year.

Is the draft room a democracy, dictatorship or monarchy? Is power distributed evenly between the three branches—executive, scouting and coaching? Is there value in referendums?


The decisions a team makes in how it answers these questions, how it governs its draft room, are more critical to its success than any 4th-and-1, game-on-the-line decision in any big game.



The role of the owner

Some team owners believe they are the most qualified to run the draft. Jones has the final word for the Cowboys, as does Mike Brown for the Bengals, just as Al Davis and George Halas once did. Jimmy Haslam may be on his way to becoming the loudest voice for the Browns, as he has been researching how other teams work when the owner sits on the personnel throne.

There are advantages to this structure. The most significant is this: The owner will not be influenced by fear of drafting a bust.

"It's easier for an owner to take a Dez Bryant [who has a troubled past and volatile personality] after a lot of people pass on him," Stephen Jones said. "Jerry is an entrepreneur. He's been a risk-taker all his life."

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2631445-how-nfl-teams-really-make-their-draft-picks

Simply put why would Stephen have to convince Jerry if Jerry did not have the final say? He makes his arguments to Jerry because he works for Jerry and Jerry is the final word.

 

[JoeKing]

Name any player who has busted and there will be comments of how Jerry made the pick like Mo Claiborne

Jerry Jones was infatuated with Johnny Manziel, the rock-and-rolling, Heisman-winning quarterback out of Texas A&M. Thought he'd be the perfect fit for the Cowboys. And as anyone who follows the NFL knows, Jones is the type of team owner who makes his own calls in the draft.

Commissioner Roger Goodell approached the stage to announce the Cowboys' pick. The TV commentators were talking about Manziel. The network had a camera trained on him to show his reaction just after the pick was made. Everyone was just waiting to hear his name called.

And then the moment came. "With the 16th pick in the 2014 NFL draft, the Dallas Cowboys select Zack Martin, guard, Notre Dame."


How did it happen? How did Dallas avoid busting on the player the ultimate decision-maker loved? What made them pass on a player we now know as an NFL washout in favor of a player we now know as a two-time All-Pro?

Here's how: Jones listened to reason—and to fists pounding on the table.

It can be unhealthy for an owner to have all of the drafting juice if his subordinates are afraid to challenge him. But it doesn't have to be.

Stephen Jones, Jerry's son and the Cowboys' player personnel director, was among those in the team's draft room that day, warning about Manziel's off-field behavior, lack of size and inexperience running a conventional offense.

"If you had an owner who didn't listen, that would be a negative," Stephen Jones said. "But Jerry is a great listener. He loves to have long discussions about guys, hear the whys and why nots and play devil's advocate."

This conversation, this give-and-take between advice and power, is the key to the NFL draft. It's what every team has to balance this time of year.

Is the draft room a democracy, dictatorship or monarchy? Is power distributed evenly between the three branches—executive, scouting and coaching? Is there value in referendums?


The decisions a team makes in how it answers these questions, how it governs its draft room, are more critical to its success than any 4th-and-1, game-on-the-line decision in any big game.



The role of the owner

Some team owners believe they are the most qualified to run the draft. Jones has the final word for the Cowboys, as does Mike Brown for the Bengals, just as Al Davis and George Halas once did. Jimmy Haslam may be on his way to becoming the loudest voice for the Browns, as he has been researching how other teams work when the owner sits on the personnel throne.

There are advantages to this structure. The most significant is this: The owner will not be influenced by fear of drafting a bust.

"It's easier for an owner to take a Dez Bryant [who has a troubled past and volatile personality] after a lot of people pass on him," Stephen Jones said. "Jerry is an entrepreneur. He's been a risk-taker all his life."

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2631445-how-nfl-teams-really-make-their-draft-picks

Simply put why would Stephen have to convince Jerry if Jerry did not have the final say? He makes his arguments to Jerry because he works for Jerry and Jerry is the final word.

I asked for a name not a novel. I'm not reading all that... and yes I blame Jerry for drafting Greg Ellis over Randy Moss... what a mistake that was and Randy made us pay dearly... Cowboy killer.

 

[AsthmaField]

Interesting analogy. But considering the Op was more about my personal perspective, I see the op as a wheel and I intend to ride that optimism through the season.

Shhhh..... I'm trying to look smart.

 

[jday]

I asked for a name not a novel. I'm not reading all that... and yes I blame Jerry for drafting Greg Ellis over Randy Moss... what a mistake that was and Randy made us pay dearly... Cowboy killer.

You should take up bridge building.

 

[jday]

Shhhh..... I'm trying to look smart.

You, sir, don't have to try ..how long have I been knowing you?

 

[waldoputty]

You, sir, don't have to try ..how long have I been knowing you?

 

[Doomsday101]

I asked for a name not a novel. I'm not reading all that... and yes I blame Jerry for drafting Greg Ellis over Randy Moss... what a mistake that was and Randy made us pay dearly... Cowboy killer.

I gave you a name Claiborn. Not my fault you can't read. What I did do is give a power structure according to Stephen. Yes they have to sell Jerry on players and give reasons why they want to select one player over another. These are not yes men they fight for the guy they want but in the end it is Jerry approval. If it was not based on his approval then Stephen would not have to sell anything to Jerry. As for blame again any player who fails falls on jerry as do those who pan out and become productive players.

 

[AsthmaField]

You, sir, don't have to try ..how long have I been knowing you?

A while.... it's been a stretch.

I agree with your OP by the way. I'm pretty damn excited about the direction of this franchise. They've been doing things now the way I have been wanting them to... really since about 2010.

Their focus on intangibles, love of the game, etc. has really transformed the team.

I'm 100% excited about what they can become.

 

[AsthmaField]

LOL

 

[jday]

A while.... it's been a stretch.

I agree with your OP by the way. I'm pretty damn excited about the direction of this franchise. They've been doing things now the way I have been wanting them to... really since about 2010.

Their focus on intangibles, love of the game, etc. has really transformed the team.

I'm 100% excited about what they can become.

Hard not to be. I'd say since they drafted Tyron Smith, the needle has been steadily pointing up.

 

[AsthmaField]

Hard not to be. I'd say since they drafted Tyron Smith, the needle has been steadily pointing up.

You can go back a draft (2010) to Dez and Sean Lee... but I agree that the 2011 draft was the true beginning of the draft process as we now see it unfold regularly in Dallas.

With few exceptions (Mo Claiborne/Greg Hardy), they have been spot on with their evaluations/drafting/free agency acquisitions.

They learned a couple valuable lessons with Claiborne. 1. You have to do a personality/mental assessment on anyone that you want to spend valuable draft capital on (say 1st - 4th rounds). You can't just draft a guy because you get a chance to move up more cheaply than you thought you could. and: 2. Smarts is important anywhere on the field but especially in the secondary where you have 4 or 5 guys working in unison.

Those two lessons weren't cheaply won but they were totally worth it because it was one of their final tweaks in what has become maybe the best draft strategy in the league.

Hardy was just a chance to get high sack numbers at a very fair price (paid per game played). However, here they learned that personality and team fit are more important than simply being able to beat the guy across from you for a sack. The team psyche is the sum of its parts and throwing in a loose cannon like Hardy was catastrophic to a locker room that was already reeling with the loss of its starting QB and the hurt of a lost season that had began with much hope. Greg was gasoline thrown on an already raging fire in that most combustible locker room. He kicked the ant's nest and in the ensuing chaos, there was no hope for redemption.

It is a shame too because had he walked into a team that was winning and had made a playoff run, his antics might have had a completely different result and his team mates, a completely different reaction to him.

But maybe not too. He was poison. It would have shown itself sooner or later.

Anyway, except for those two notable exceptions, the personnel acquisition has been better than great since 2010-2011. I'm loving it, and that has changed my outlook completely on the team and their potential.

I'm expecting good things from this rookie class, just like the other's we've had for the last half decade or so.

 

[JoeKing]

I gave you a name Claiborn. Not my fault you can't read. What I did do is give a power structure according to Stephen. Yes they have to sell Jerry on players and give reasons why they want to select one player over another. These are not yes men they fight for the guy they want but in the end it is Jerry approval. If it was not based on his approval then Stephen would not have to sell anything to Jerry. As for blame again any player who fails falls on jerry as do those who pan out and become productive players.

So Jerry is the Cowboy King and all that that happens is due to his approval? Nice story but it would have been a bit better had you started it with the words, "Once upon a time".

Yes, it's all Jerry's fault that Claibourne was injury prone and thereby never got enough meaningful game time to meet expectations. When Claibourne was drafted, it was widely accepted by most NFL scouting teams that his college gametape matched his drafted position. It was only after his injury that the naysayer made themselves heard.

 

[Doomsday101]

So Jerry is the Cowboy King and all that that happens is due to his approval? Nice story but it would have been a bit better had you started it with the words, "Once upon a time".

Yes, it's all Jerry's fault that Claibourne was injury prone and thereby never got enough meaningful game time to meet expectations. When Claibourne was drafted, it was widely accepted by most NFL scouting teams that his college gametape matched his drafted position. It was only after his injury that the naysayer made themselves heard.

I said many here blamed Jerry as they do most players who fail including Claiborn. Does not matter the reason they blame him. On the other hand players who succeed are claimed to be the pick of someone else.

I give blame and credit not one or the other. Jerry does not make picks alone then again no organization does it is a complete group effort with Jerry sitting at the top. He put himself there and with it comes the overall responsibility good and bad. However some here only want to blame him for all and give credit to others.

 

[jday]

You can go back a draft (2010) to Dez and Sean Lee... but I agree that the 2011 draft was the true beginning of the draft process as we now see it unfold regularly in Dallas.

With few exceptions (Mo Claiborne/Greg Hardy), they have been spot on with their evaluations/drafting/free agency acquisitions.

They learned a couple valuable lessons with Claiborne. 1. You have to do a personality/mental assessment on anyone that you want to spend valuable draft capital on (say 1st - 4th rounds). You can't just draft a guy because you get a chance to move up more cheaply than you thought you could. and: 2. Smarts is important anywhere on the field but especially in the secondary where you have 4 or 5 guys working in unison.

Those two lessons weren't cheaply won but they were totally worth it because it was one of their final tweaks in what has become maybe the best draft strategy in the league.

Hardy was just a chance to get high sack numbers at a very fair price (paid per game played). However, here they learned that personality and team fit are more important than simply being able to beat the guy across from you for a sack. The team psyche is the sum of its parts and throwing in a loose cannon like Hardy was catastrophic to a locker room that was already reeling with the loss of its starting QB and the hurt of a lost season that had began with much hope. Greg was gasoline thrown on an already raging fire in that most combustible locker room. He kicked the ant's nest and in the ensuing chaos, there was no hope for redemption.

It is a shame too because had he walked into a team that was winning and had made a playoff run, his antics might have had a completely different result and his team mates, a completely different reaction to him.

But maybe not too. He was poison. It would have shown itself sooner or later.

Anyway, except for those two notable exceptions, the personnel acquisition has been better than great since 2010-2011. I'm loving it, and that has changed my outlook completely on the team and their potential.

I'm expecting good things from this rookie class, just like the other's we've had for the last half decade or so.

Well said.

But I think Dez Bryant could be placed in the same gamble-category that Claiborne and Hardy were. The difference is, Dez grew up. And to be honest, I would not be surprised to see Claiborne play his best football from here on out. But as has been stated several times, the question on him was no longer mental but rather or not he could stay healthy. Of all the people they let walk, he is the one I kinda wished they could have kept.

But with the draft in the review and an overhauled secondary as a result, I'm not exactly ruing his departure either.

 

[AsthmaField]

Well said.

But I think Dez Bryant could be placed in the same gamble-category that Claiborne and Hardy were. The difference is, Dez grew up. And to be honest, I would not be surprised to see Claiborne play his best football from here on out. But as has been stated several times, the question on him was no longer mental but rather or not he could stay healthy. Of all the people they let walk, he is the one I kinda wished they could have kept.

But with the draft in the review and an overhauled secondary as a result, I'm not exactly ruing his departure either.

I could see Dez being in that category. However, I think that Claiborne's learning disability (or whatever you want to call it) played a huge part in his disappointing first few years.

Now, since he's had so long to learn, the injuries are a bigger factor... but thinking on your feet will always be a vital part of playing football.

 

[jday]

I could see Dez being in that category. However, I think that Claiborne's learning disability (or whatever you want to call it) played a huge part in his disappointing first few years.

Now, since he's had so long to learn, the injuries are a bigger factor... but thinking on your feet will always be a vital part of playing football.

No question, and seemingly, as you pointed out earlier, the Cowboys have learned from their mistakes. I don't know much about Lewis' academic career, but reportedly both Woods and Awuzie are extremely intelligent. Awuzie is graduating college after 3 years, as opposed to 4 and Woods got a 39 on his Wunderlic, which is pretty incredible. Either here or another blog I frequent, we had a member who went to school with Woods. He says the guy was routinely the smartest guy in the room. If I'm going to have the smartest guy on the field anywhere on my defense, I think I'd want him to be my Safety.

Like I have said countless times now, it may take a season or two, but I think this team as a whole is about to be really good.

 

[AsthmaField]

No question, and seemingly, as you pointed out earlier, the Cowboys have learned from their mistakes. I don't know much about Lewis' academic career, but reportedly both Woods and Awuzie are extremely intelligent. Awuzie is graduating college after 3 years, as opposed to 4 and Woods got a 39 on his Wunderlic, which is pretty incredible. Either here or another blog I frequent, we had a member who went to school with Woods. He says the guy was routinely the smartest guy in the room. If I'm going to have the smartest guy on the field anywhere on my defense, I think I'd want him to be my Safety.

Like I have said countless times now, it may take a season or two, but I think this team as a whole is about to be really good.

Lewis is a really smart guy (I think his Wonderlic score was 32). This is just my opinion but I think he probably thinks on his feet better even than Awuzie and Woods.

Dude is sharp.

 

[jday]

Lewis is a really smart guy (I think his Wonderlic score was 32). This is just my opinion but I think he probably thinks on his feet better even than Awuzie and Woods.

Dude is sharp.

I felt sure that I had read something like that somewhere, but when I googled about his academics, I couldn't find anything of note. That said, I'm not surprised. Intellect seems to be a big part of their focus this year. And I think they may be on to something.

 

[AsthmaField]

I felt sure that I had read something like that somewhere, but when I googled about his academics, I couldn't find anything of note. That said, I'm not surprised. Intellect seems to be a big part of their focus this year. And I think they may be on to something.

Indeed it is. And indeed they are.

 

[JoeKing]

I said many here blamed Jerry as they do most players who fail including Claiborn. Does not matter the reason they blame him. On the other hand players who succeed are claimed to be the pick of someone else.

I give blame and credit not one or the other. Jerry does not make picks alone then again no organization does it is a complete group effort with Jerry sitting at the top. He put himself there and with it comes the overall responsibility good and bad. However some here only want to blame him for all and give credit to others.

Blaming Jerry for bad weather is more satisfying than admitting he doesn't control everything under the sun.