Football 101: The Talent Evaluation Process

[Hostile]

If the structure of the organization is really laid out as presented in the original thread, it might help explain why this franchise has 1 playoff win in 15 years.

I suspect a lot of it is probably some sort of attempt to deflect blame from Jerry, but if it really operates this way, it is a huge, huge issue. The GM's job shouldn't be to just read some reports generated by scouts and to call the draft pick.

The GM should be setting the direction for the franchise and should be involved in the day to day scouting of both pro and college talent. It's more than a full time job. However, the Cowboys structure probably is like this. I think Jerry injects himself periodically because he doesn't dedicate himself full time to his GM responsibilities. The result is an uneven approach to team building and talent acquisition.

If it is as focused on the coach as laid out in this post, I guess that means Wade Phillips wanted Roy Williams?

Why people are loathe to blame Jerry is beyond me. Blaming the media? Whatever. If anything the media has been too easy on Jerry. How many GMs around the league could have had a track record like Jerry's and kept their job?

I guess you couldn't read the post above yours or my PM and felt the need to take an underhanded shot.

Thanks. I'll keep that in mind the next time I decide to show you some respect.

 

[Goku]

do you have a link to this article?

 

[Hostile]

do you have a link to this article?

In the post #25.

 

[Goku]

In the post #25.

oh i meant for the first post. but then i realized you wrote it. sorry.

do you work for the organization?

 

[mmillman]

very good post, I disagree with one thing you said however.

"I want to interject something here, no one in scouting can see down the road or into hidden closets. How will money change a player? For most of these kids they will come from poverty to prosperity so fast it will change them as a person"

It is not an exact science for sure. What you can glean from play and talking to coaches, friends, etc............ is how competitive the kid is. How hard does he work. A person that wants to be the best who works hard is less likely to change on the field because of money.

 

[jnday]

Great post Hos . I thought that this thread could do without the Jerry bashing , but it was educational anyway .

 

[Eddie]

Great post Hos . I thought that this thread could do without the Jerry bashing , but it was educational anyway .

I didn't sense any Jerry bashing. Nothing wrong with bringing in an opposing viewpoint.

Perhaps we should just be like sheep and follow along with with the organization feeds us.

With Jerry's track record, there isn't an NFL team, CFL, IFL, AFL, XFL team who would hire him as GM.

It's that simple.

 

[Hostile]

very good post, I disagree with one thing you said however.

"I want to interject something here, no one in scouting can see down the road or into hidden closets. How will money change a player? For most of these kids they will come from poverty to prosperity so fast it will change them as a person"

It is not an exact science for sure. What you can glean from play and talking to coaches, friends, etc............ is how competitive the kid is. How hard does he work. A person that wants to be the best who works hard is less likely to change on the field because of money.

Yes, but you can't see who will want that. If you could Emmitt Smith would have been taken ahead of Blair Thomas. Tom Brady would have been taken ahead of 198 other players. It just isn't visible information.

 

[jnday]

I didn't sense any Jerry bashing. Nothing wrong with bringing in an opposing viewpoint.

Perhaps we should just be like sheep and follow along with with the organization feeds us.

With Jerry's track record, there isn't an NFL team, CFL, IFL, AFL, XFL team who would hire him as GM.

It's that simple.

Hos , if I am wrong please correct me . I feel like the intention of the post was to educate on the process . Of course Jerry is part of the process and some posters can't help themselves when they have a chance to complain about him . I disagree with a very large part of Jerry's actions as a GM . I usually don't get involved in the many threads that debate Jerry , Romo , Garrett or some of the other topics get heated and out of hand . Hos wrote a solid , informative post that had educational value and it would not be good to see it overshadowed by the usual Jerry critics .
I actually agree with about 10% of what Jerry does concerning the team , so I wouldn't say that I would compare to the sheep you speak of . I just don't see the need to point out his well known faults each time his name is brought up .
I was content to learn from the post without rehashing Jerry's faults .

 

[Hostile]

Hos , if I am wrong please correct me . I feel like the intention of the post was to educate on the process . Of course Jerry is part of the process and some posters can't help themselves when they have a chance to complain about him . I disagree with a very large part of Jerry's actions as a GM . I usually don't get involved in the many threads that debate Jerry , Romo , Garrett or some of the other topics get heated and out of hand . Hos wrote a solid , informative post that had educational value and it would not be good to see it overshadowed by the usual Jerry critics .
I actually agree with about 10% of what Jerry does concerning the team , so I wouldn't say that I would compare to the sheep you speak of . I just don't see the need to point out his well known faults each time his name is brought up .
I was content to learn from the post without rehashing Jerry's faults .

For some people the only fun they have is bashing Jerry and the team. Hard to tell them not to enjoy their one trick pony acts.

 

[DallasEast]

Why people are loathe to blame Jerry is beyond me. Blaming the media? Whatever. If anything the media has been too easy on Jerry. How many GMs around the league could have had a track record like Jerry's and kept their job?

Too easy?

Rubbish.

Gosselin on Jerry Jones: If you can't win with eight different coaches, you're the problem

http://espn.go.com/chrismortensen/reviews/index.html

Terry Bradshaw Says Jerry Jones Should Fire Himself

...and that is only a small sampling.

Media commentators such as Norm Hitzges, Randy Galloway and Brad Davis are among a FEW who have voiced their opinions of Jerry Jones' status as general manager for YEARS.

"Too easy?"

Laughable, but some actually believe that as the truth.

Perhaps some of Jones' most ardent media critics should join the board. They could then be asked, "Have you or your media peers been too lenient on Jerry Jones?"

Wonder how Randy "Jerry Jones Is A Football Idiot" Galloway would respond?

The media has gone above-and-beyond in expressing its relative collective opinion of Jerry Jones to the public. What else must they do to please their viewers, readers or listeners and retain some sense of journalistic integrity?

Perhaps some simply want the media to take the only step left for them to fulfill their followers' desires? Logically, the next step for media would be for them to corner Jones, get him on camera and command him to step down as general manager.

Is that really what some want to happen? Maybe, but what else can they do that they have not already done, again, for YEARS?

 

[baj1dallas]

Yup.

And the head coach isn't making all these calls anyway. There's way too much evidence to the contrary. So Dave Campo is the one who wanted Quincy? Parcells' first choice was Ware over Merrriman (or Spears)? Bill wanted Eddie George or Peerless Price, guys he barely wanted to play? Wade wanted Pacman and Tank?

So I guess that means Belichick didn't want Ochocinco or Haynesworth but Kraft forced him to take them?

 

[Crown Royal]

I've never bought into Jerry hate for one reason: If I were in his shoes, I can't honestly say I'd be any different.

Now, what I'd like to think I'd do is know when to shake the system up, change the dynamics, etc. Even if something has worked for the last 5 years, never means that will continue to work. Sometime you have to shake it up.

I like this thread. The front office and success of a team is very much based in it's system, teamwork, ability to make decisions, and strategies put into place. From a business standpoint, it isn't unlike running an organization with many departments that have to work together effectively to achieve results.

 

[junk]

I guess you couldn't read the post above yours or my PM and felt the need to take an underhanded shot.

Thanks. I'll keep that in mind the next time I decide to show you some respect.

What, exactly, did you feel was an underhanded shot?

 

[junk]

For some people the only fun they have is bashing Jerry and the team. Hard to tell them not to enjoy their one trick pony acts.

I'm not sure why people get so bent out of shape about any criticism of Jerry.

Is his track record as a general manager above reproach? Uh, I don't think so. He's been very suspect as a general manager. Why isn't that worth discussing?

I know there is a lot of "Well, you can't do anything about it, so quit talking about" sentiment around here. Also a lot of people wearing rose colored glasses that don't really want to ever address the real issues with the organization.

Is the front office the biggest issue with this team right now? Absolutely, so why shouldn't we talk about it?

 

[junk]

Too easy?

Rubbish.

Gosselin on Jerry Jones: If you can't win with eight different coaches, you're the problem

http://espn.go.com/chrismortensen/reviews/index.html

Terry Bradshaw Says Jerry Jones Should Fire Himself

...and that is only a small sampling.

Media commentators such as Norm Hitzges, Randy Galloway and Brad Davis are among a FEW who have voiced their opinions of Jerry Jones' status as general manager for YEARS.

"Too easy?"

Laughable, but some actually believe that as the truth.

Perhaps some of Jones' most ardent media critics should join the board. They could then be asked, "Have you or your media peers been too lenient on Jerry Jones?"

Wonder how Randy "Jerry Jones Is A Football Idiot" Galloway would respond?

The media has gone above-and-beyond in expressing its relative collective opinion of Jerry Jones to the public. What else must they do to please their viewers, readers or listeners and retain some sense of journalistic integrity?

Perhaps some simply want the media to take the only step left for them to fulfill their followers' desires? Logically, the next step for media would be for them to corner Jones, get him on camera and command him to step down as general manager.

Is that really what some want to happen? Maybe, but what else can they do that they have not already done, again, for YEARS?

Look at the coverage Millen got as a GM versus Jerry. Jerry largely gets a pass from the national media in my opinion.

The local guys have ramped it up this year admittedly, but I still think they aren't too hard on him.

The only way to describe his tenure is inept except for the few times he actually had a football guy around (Parcells/Jimmy). He's all but admitted he only brought Parcells on board to get the public support for the stadium.

 

[DallasEast]

Look at the coverage Millen got as a GM versus Jerry. Jerry largely gets a pass from the national media in my opinion.

:laugh2: Is the national/local media criticism which Millen received your best comparison? In reality, the media's negative commentary about Jones knows no bounds. Heck, how often has the media belittled Cowboys Stadium by calling it "JerryWorld" for instance.

Media criticism of Jerry Jones = Matt Millen.

Ok.

Yeah right.

[Edit] Again, what must the media do or say to give Jerry Jones "appropriate" criticism that they have not stated already?

 

[Mr Cowboy]

Hos, if this is in fact the inner workings of the Cowboys, then they are in bigger trouble than we care to want to know about. You see, there has to be some responsibility and accountability for every decision made. No matter who jumps on the table, because for going on 15 years, its been the same results.

You can't go in every year with the same plan if its not working. And that is what this organization is doing. There is no set direction for what this organization wants to become. This year they try this, and next year that. Fire one coach, bring in another, make bad contract decisions, etc..... But what changes at the top are made to ensure that the organization is on the right path, for now and years to come? None..... And that is why this organization is where it is, with little hope of moving forward. It's like one of the things you mention, "re-arranging the deck chairs."

You look at a team like the Colts, they have been set in their ways with Polian, for years. At the first sign that his method was not going to work going forward, bam, he's gone. What changes have been made here to get rid of the staleness?

This is not a rip Jerry response, but you can post the inner workings all you want, but if those inner workings are not working, and have not worked for 15 years, then its time for a change.

 

[jnday]

I'm not sure why people get so bent out of shape about any criticism of Jerry.

Is his track record as a general manager above reproach? Uh, I don't think so. He's been very suspect as a general manager. Why isn't that worth discussing?

I know there is a lot of "Well, you can't do anything about it, so quit talking about" sentiment around here. Also a lot of people wearing rose colored glasses that don't really want to ever address the real issues with the organization.

Is the front office the biggest issue with this team right now? Absolutely, so why shouldn't we talk about it?

I can't speak for Hos and is no disrespect to you in any way , but the thread was to educate posters to the process that takes place . That is what it is . The thread was not intended to start " Jerry sux " chants . Usually , when any subject comes up about the workings of the front office , it turns into a Jerry bashing thread . Sometimes it is good to hear how things work . There is a new Jerry thread made every couple of hours . That is the place for the bashing . By the way , I don't like Jerry as GM either , but I will voice my displeasure in the proper thread .

 

[junk]

I can't speak for Hos and is no disrespect to you in any way , but the thread was to educate posters to the process that takes place . That is what it is . The thread was not intended to start " Jerry sux " chants . Usually , when any subject comes up about the workings of the front office , it turns into a Jerry bashing thread . Sometimes it is good to hear how things work . There is a new Jerry thread made every couple of hours . That is the place for the bashing . By the way , I don't like Jerry as GM either , but I will voice my displeasure in the proper thread .

So, if this thread was meant to enlighten everyone on what takes place in the Cowboys front office, why is it inappropriate to discuss the roles of those working in the front office?

The original post laid out Jerry's role. I don't really think Jerry's role is as understated as the original poster would like us to think, but if it is, the organization is in trouble. The GM should be doing more than reading reports generated by the scouting department and calling the pick after it has been made.