FWST Blog: Dan Reeves Speaks

[Shake_Tiller]

I guess those weren't Garrett's routes then?

They weren't the offensive coordinators' routes?

Let me guess, Owens went into business for himself out there right?

Couldn't possibly be Garrett's fault.

This is not to knock Owens, particularly, or to defend Garrett in any kind of blanket fashion... but one of the major criticisms of Owens throughout his career has been his route-running. Even when he was a great player, his routes were criticized.

I didn't like some of Garrett's play-calling, but I'm not willing to pretend some of the goofier looking stuff couldn't have been the result of sloppy route-running.

 

[khiladi]

Perhaps not. But I tell you something, it's actually a reflection on me ( as in being prejudice ) than on the coach. I'll give you a perfect example:

David Lee.

When he left he Cowboys, I thought it wasn't a big deal. Just another assistant who didn't make any waves or, in my mind, produced anything. He wasn't " known " or a big name. Now, I'd love for him to come back to the Cowboys even if it's as an OC with Garrett taking over as the HC.

Again, why should Garrett be promoted to HC, even if Wade was getting fired? What has Garrett done to deserve it?

 

[Shake_Tiller]

Again, why should Garrett be promoted to HC, even if Wade was getting fired? What has Garrett done to deserve it?

Who "deserves" it?

 

[khiladi]

Who "deserves" it?

I can tell you what... Garrett surely doesn't... I know that for a fact...

 

[Hostile]

Who "deserves" it?

Tim Tebow.

You didn't think I could name someone did you? I think they should change the Lombardi Trophy and the Heisman to the Tebow Award and Tebow Trophy.

We've devolved to jealousy over who deserves coaching shots. It's unreal.

 

[Stash]

How long did it take Tom Landry?

Ever heard of born to it?

I see your stance.

Garrett = Landry

Gotcha.

Ever think maybe Garrett = David Shula?

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Who did Jimmy Johnson develop or Tom Landry for that matter?

Did Bill Parcells develop Lawrence Taylor? How many coaches can say I took a guy who sucked and made him great? Did anyone develop Brady? Or was Brady just a guy who had certain intangibles that showed up when he actually played the game but had been overlooked by every sharp football mind in the country?

Whoa, whoa... How are Parcells and Landry's career paths anything like Garrett's?

I brought up the development of the QB issue because that's a critical component of being a good OC, especially for a team with a young QB like Romo. You can't compare a DC to a QB coach. QB is such a unique position on the field. Parcells did a good job as a LB coach for the Giants, and there were top performing players on his watch. No, he's not 100% responsible for their being good players, but he still had a positive track record to draw on. Garrett had nothing when he got here and was handed the reins. When you look back on it, it was really quite absurd to demote Tony Sparano for this guy who had proven nothing.

But CL, depending upon perspective, one might argue that Garrett has produced. This hasn't been a bad offense, and while some think it has underachieved, that is a matter of perception. If I assume Owens is still a top five NFL WR, it has underachieved. But I don't make that assumption. If one places Owens, these days, closer to mid-tier, which I do, I'm not sure the offense has underachieved, in terms of total body of work.

But he took a top-5 offense and turned it into a top-3 offense. And then the next year, turned it into a 13th or 18th offense, depending on the preferred criterion.

Now the Romo injury would be a legit excuse for some dropoff, except that by almost every account, the horrendous backup for Romo was Garrett's handpicked old buddy.

And for the record, I'd love to see what Garrett would do without TO on the team. I know many don't agree, but I do think the offense and Romo forced the ball to TO to keep him happy, even when he wasn't open. I'd like to see how things would run without him on the team. (But please don't anyone jack this thread into another TO thread, because that's not my intention.)

So I'm not even saying Garrett is destined to be a failure and can't ever be a good coach. I'm just saying he hasn't earned it yet. I really don't see how anyone can argue that.

 

[Hostile]

I see your stance.

Garrett = Landry

Gotcha.

Ever think maybe Garrett = David Shula?

That isn't my stance. My stance is that fans have no idea of a guy's qualifications and football gurus around the NFL know more.

 

[Randy White]

McDaniels has been in coaching a long time, unlike Garrett. He didn't just walk into the OC position at NE, like Garrett did with the Cowboys. He also developed the QB sitting in for Brady right now, a guy that didn't sniff the playing field as a starter since like high school.

You mean the same Matt Cassell who was almost benched during the season ?

 

[khiladi]

You mean the same Matt Cassell who was almost benched during the season ?

Yor seriously not going to go there, are you? Amazing isn't it... That guy you claim sucks and was almost benched, sniffed out 11 wins... The same Matt Cassell who I believe is going to be franchise tagged and most likely will draw millions and millions of dollars...

How are you proving your point?

 

[Randy White]

Again, why should Garrett be promoted to HC, even if Wade was getting fired? What has Garrett done to deserve it?

Unless the next guy is Bill Cowher, Mike Shannahan, or Mike Holmgren, he's done just about as much as any other candidate the Jerrathor would bring in.

 

[zeromaster]

Right now, Garrett has two years of OC on his resume. One was by all accounts fabulous, the other much less so. Not all of the negative is on him, but coaches deserve some of the criticism where playcalling is involved, otherwise there's little point in having the responsibility.

After the fabulous year, the claim is that either Atlanta or Baltimore would have hired RJ as head coach, but he declined. This past year, he apparently interviewed for similar spots in a couple of places, but wasn't offered the job. I wonder if anything about this paragraph is in dispute?

Perhaps this upcoming season will tell the tale: if we don't see a similar return to the 2007 numbers that can't easily be explained by one or more major (OL or QB) injuries, then a more complete conclusion can be drawn. But there will be arguments nonetheless.

IMO, if it is a dud wthout injuries to rationalize it, the allegations of an inability to adjust will have some merit. Until then, it's largely guesswork.

 

[Stash]

Once again, you are questioning Jason Garrett and no one is stopping you.

If you don't like being disagreed with on a topic...oh well.

I have no problems being disagreed with.

It's when people can't provide any substance to their position that I have a problem.

We continue to get the group that annoints Garrett because of what they hope he becomes rather than what he actually is.

 

[Shake_Tiller]

Just to be clear... I think the apple was rotted, deep inside. I don't know what all caused the rot, but I don't believe Garrett caused it. Given the situation, it's hard for me to find much fault with Garrett. That team played listlessly. It played stupidly. It played as if the guys out there didn't much want to be around each other.

That kind of rot has nothing to do with scheme.

 

[Stash]

That isn't my stance. My stance is that fans have no idea of a guy's qualifications and football gurus around the NFL know more.

That stance didn't seem too accurate when the fans knew that Bruce Read was an unqualified mess a year before the 'football gurus' did.

If they were infallible, nobody would ever miss on a player, coach, or any other decision.

Everybody makes mistakes - even me.

 

[Randy White]

Yor seriously not going to go there, are you? Amazing isn't it... That guy you claim sucks and was almost benched, sniffed out 11 wins... The same Matt Cassell who I believe is going to be franchise tagged and most likely will draw millions and millions of dollars...How are you proving your point?

If you're too obtuse to see it, then that's YOUR problem, but I'll still explain it like you're a 2 year old:

There is NO baramoter to measure the future success of a coach. There have been coaches who have been brilliant coordinators and busts as a HC. There have been coaches who didn't have outstanding records as position coach or coordinators, but have blossom into good HC.

For you to sit there and say that because Garrett has coached for 3 years, instead of 7 years ( like McDaniels ) doesn't deserve the job it's beyond rediculous. Especially when 2 NFL teams were ready to give him such a position a year ago, and three other teams interviewed him for this year.

 

[ethiostar]

Right now, Garrett has two years of OC on his resume. One was by all accounts fabulous, the other much less so. Not all of the negative is on him, but coaches deserve some of the criticism where playcalling is involved, otherwise there's little point in having the responsibility.

After the fabulous year, the claim is that either Atlanta or Baltimore would have hired RJ as head coach, but he declined. This past year, he apparently interviewed for similar spots in a couple of places, but wasn't offered the job. I wonder if anything about this paragraph is in dispute?

Perhaps this upcoming season will tell the tale: if we don't see a similar return to the 2007 numbers that can't easily be explained by one or more major (OL or QB) injuries, then a more complete conclusion can be drawn. But there will be arguments nonetheless.

IMO, if it is a dud wthout injuries to rationalize it, the allegations of an inability to adjust will have some merit. Until then, it's largely guesswork.

I agree 100% with you. I stated the same thing a few pages back but was essentially ignored. I don't think we have enough information on him to anoint him as the future savior nor a total failure. Like i have stated earlier and what you said above, we have two years with him and it's a mixed bag. Another year can possibly shed light on his future with the Cowboys. However, even if he fails to meet expectations next year, it still doesn't mean the guy doesn't have what it takes to be a good OC or HC sometime in the future for some team.

 

[Stash]

So you can't show me where he was told to run right into double coverage?

I didn't think you could even though that was the claim.

Why would I need to?

Who draws up the plays?

The Golden Boy, that's who!

Todd Haley is drawing stuff up to get his best playmaker free from coverages, despite the fact that everyone knows who that playmaker is.

Garrett is incapable of doing the same.

The only other possibility is that big, bad TO is running his own routes out there and poor Jason is somehow powerless to stop him.

Does that sound more plausible to you?

 

[Shake_Tiller]

Why would I need to?

Who draws up the plays?

The Golden Boy, that's who!

Todd Haley is drawing stuff up to get his best playmaker free from coverages, despite the fact that everyone knows who that playmaker is.

Garrett is incapable of doing the same.

The only other possibility is that big, bad TO is running his own routes out there and poor Jason is somehow powerless to stop him.

Does that sound more plausible to you?

Fitzgerald makes plays on the ball Owens simply can't make these days. That's not meant to try to refute your entire point. But Haley doesn't have to work very hard to "get" Fitzgerald free. Fitzgerald wins battles in crowds. Owens can't do that anymore.

 

[Iago33]

Just to be clear... I think the apple was rotted, deep inside. I don't know what all caused the rot, but I don't believe Garrett caused it. Given the situation, it's hard for me to find much fault with Garrett. That team played listlessly. It played stupidly. It played as if the guys out there didn't much want to be around each other.

That kind of rot has nothing to do with scheme.

I agree. I think it goes deeper than our current staff.