Garrett's Three Phases to Success

[Reality]

I've been a Garrett supporter since he became the interim and now head coach though not nearly to the level of Hostile (is that even possible?) . Of course I wanted to keep Sean Payton years ago well before the Saints got him but that's another story.

When Garrett first starting doing daily press conferences I loved how he handled the media. He shut down their story lines and put them in their place using repetitive catch phrases and avoiding words that in any way could be associated with negative thinking or perception.

As this season started, his press conferences became stale and condescending rather than informative as they should be. They could record his Monday press conference and simply replay it Wednesday through Friday and save the media and fans a lot of time and bandwidth. It's the same thing every day. "Day to day", "Focus on today", "Upcoming team is a great challenge", "Be great every day", etc. I understand and get it .. using those phrases periodically creates an environment of positive thinking and keeps the players focused on the here-and-now rather than the what-could-have-been and the what-might-be scenarios.

The problem comes from using those phrases every time Garrett gets near a microphone. If I didn't know any better I'd say he's the perfect example of a human Pavlovian experiment. Seriously .. stick a microphone in front of him and you'll get more repeat catch phrases faster than you can get an "Uhhhh" out of Jerry Jones. At some point Garrett needs to man up and take responsibility for both his performance as well as that of his players. Say what you want about Rob Ryan's defense but when they screw up, he will man up and admit it. It's why fans respect and like him and its why players will play hard for him. Players will respect coaches like Ryan even when they lose because of how they handle themselves. In a perfect world, a Rah-Rah coach like Garrett would be the ideal coach.

In the real world (aka: our world), a rah-rah leader is stepped on, manipulated and thrown to the side especially when things go bad. In the NFL though, most players are making so much money it compensates for losing enough that they won't do those things and of course that leads to average or worse seasons until the "next guy" comes in to right the ship.

I am not a Garrett hater now because the team lost. I believe he is capable of leading this team to the Super Bowl. The losses are tough but his condescending attitude toward the media and fans amplifies the losses even more. At some point he needs to quit trying to win at the end of games and start trying to win in the first half.

Garrett talks about winning all three phases (offense, defense and special teams) and that is where he goes wrong. There are actually four phases, not three. The fourth phase is head coaching decisions and coaching methods. The fourth phase can compensate for failures in one of the other phases and sometimes even failure in all three of the other phases. Look no further than Bill Belichick. With the Cowboys, failing the the fourth phase leads to losing most of the time no matter how much "winning" they do in the other three phases.

#reality

 

[JoeCorrado]

Reality... I am so happy reading your post.

Ahh... the tension just flowing out. Thanks for verbalizing my angst.

 

[Hostile]

I've been a Garrett supporter since he became the interim and now head coach though not nearly to the level of Hostile (is that even possible?)

In a word, nope.

I remain unabashedly his staunchest supporter. I am unapologetic about it to the point of non repentance.



Very good post btw. It has a lot of merit on that final phase of the game.

 

[CATCH17]

Nice post.


The 4th phase. Never really thought about it like that but that is so true.

 

[cowboys2233]

Garrett talks about winning all three phases (offense, defense and special teams) and that is where he goes wrong. There are actually four phases, not three. The fourth phase is head coaching decisions and coaching methods. The fourth phase can compensate for failures in one of the other phases and sometimes even failure in all three of the other phases. Look no further than Bill Belichick. With the Cowboys, failing the the fourth phase leads to losing most of the time no matter how much "winning" they do in the other three phases.

#reality

I like it! But I don't think we should necessarily assume he's not taking responsibility in front of the team, just because that's what he's saying in public. Romo recently said that Garrett is much different in the locker room than he is at the mic, saying something to the effect that "that garbage is for you guys (the media). He is way more emotional and original when talking to us." Or something like that.

 

[Deep_South]

The three phases of the game, offense, defense, and kicking (aka special teams) also include their respective coaches and their decisions. In this case, the special teams coach ran up to Garrett and said he needed a time out. Garrett had to either ignore one of the best special teams coaches in the business, or grant his request. He chose the latter. I don't see that he had much choice because he couldn't possibly know what the special teams coach saw that required the time out. Even if Decamillis told him exactly what he saw, the clock was ticking and Garrett didn't have time to check it, so he called timeout. Rather than throw Joe under the bus at the press conference, Garrett just explained in general what was going on and moved on.

Plus, if Bailey makes the second field goal, this whole thing is just a foot-note. I know Romo said there was a problem with the laces being the wrong way on one of the kicks, but it wasn't clear to me if he was talking about the final kick or not. I know McBriar's holding on kicks has been questioned in the past, so maybe it is time to give the job back to Romo until someone else can be trained to do it.

 

[Stash]

Awesome post!

 

[rcaldw]

The three phases of the game, offense, defense, and kicking (aka special teams) also include their respective coaches and their decisions. In this case, the special teams coach ran up to Garrett and said he needed a time out. Garrett had to either ignore one of the best special teams coaches in the business, or grant his request. He chose the latter. I don't see that he had much choice because he couldn't possibly know what the special teams coach saw that required the time out. Even if Decamillis told him exactly what he saw, the clock was ticking and Garrett didn't have time to check it, so he called timeout. Rather than throw Joe under the bus at the press conference, Garrett just explained in general what was going on and moved on.

Plus, if Bailey makes the second field goal, this whole thing is just a foot-note. I know Romo said there was a problem with the laces being the wrong way on one of the kicks, but it wasn't clear to me if he was talking about the final kick or not. I know McBriar's holding on kicks has been questioned in the past, so maybe it is time to give the job back to Romo until someone else can be trained to do it.

POST OF THE DAY

 

[Outlaw Heroes]

I like it! But I don't think we should necessarily assume he's not taking responsibility in front of the team, just because that's what he's saying in public. Romo recently said that Garrett is much different in the locker room than he is at the mic, saying something to the effect that "that garbage is for you guys (the media). He is way more emotional and original when talking to us." Or something like that.

I think this is a very astute observation. It's quite clear that Garrett believes in giving the media nothing. I can't say I disagree with that approach, even if it causes him to come off as condescending at times. Belichick takes a similar approach to his dealings with the media. If anything, given the hacks that dominate the sports media scene in Dallas, Garrett has even stronger reason to take that approach. It says little about what he may be telling his players behind closed doors.

 

[pugilist]

agreed on the 4 phases and not 3

good post

 

[Outlaw Heroes]

The three phases of the game, offense, defense, and kicking (aka special teams) also include their respective coaches and their decisions. In this case, the special teams coach ran up to Garrett and said he needed a time out. Garrett had to either ignore one of the best special teams coaches in the business, or grant his request. He chose the latter. I don't see that he had much choice because he couldn't possibly know what the special teams coach saw that required the time out. Even if Decamillis told him exactly what he saw, the clock was ticking and Garrett didn't have time to check it, so he called timeout. Rather than throw Joe under the bus at the press conference, Garrett just explained in general what was going on and moved on.

This is actually a plausible explanation of what happened. Very thoughtful post.

 

[CATCH17]

I think this is a very astute observation. It's quite clear that Garrett believes in giving the media nothing. I can't say I disagree with that approach, even if it causes him to come off as condescending at times. Belichick takes a similar approach to his dealings with the media. If anything, given the hacks that dominate the sports media scene in Dallas, Garrett has even stronger reason to take that approach. It says little about what he may be telling his players behind closed doors.

We have nothing else to go off of but questionable play calls, game management, and a brick personality.

Does he hold himself accountable in front of the team or make a bunch of excuses like he does to the media?

 

[DOUBLE WING]

Good post. He really NEEDED to step up and hold himself accountable for what happened in yesterday's presser. Real shame that he didn't do that.

 

[fifaguy]

I think this is a very astute observation. It's quite clear that Garrett believes in giving the media nothing. I can't say I disagree with that approach, even if it causes him to come off as condescending at times. Belichick takes a similar approach to his dealings with the media. If anything, given the hacks that dominate the sports media scene in Dallas, Garrett has even stronger reason to take that approach. It says little about what he may be telling his players behind closed doors.

i don't buy it. he needs to 'fess up just like any other coach-player in such situations. for the fans' sake, not for the reporters...

 

[Outlaw Heroes]

We have nothing else to go off of but questionable play calls, game management, and a brick personality.

Does he hold himself accountable in front of the team or make a bunch of excuses like he does to the media?

I don't know the answer to that question. But I do think it's worth pointing out that what he says to the media may not be indicative of what he says to the team. And it's precisely because the "brick personality" he shows to the media (quite by design) gives us very little to go off of.

 

[ZeroClub]

Nice post, Reality.

 

[Picksix]

We have nothing else to go off of but questionable play calls, game management, and a brick personality.

Does he hold himself accountable in front of the team or make a bunch of excuses like he does to the media?

You make a good point, and bring up a good question. It's a point I try to make often, and that even with all we see, and hear, and read about, we still don't really know what's going on behind closed doors. It may be the same, it may be completely different.

There's another post about Mike and Mike saying Garrett is coaching scared, because Jones ripped him earlier this year. Perhaps, but we don't really know all the in's and out's and the context of what actually happened, or the results from it.

From my perspective, Jason has always carried himself like the smartest guy in the room, and seems to coach not to lose a lot. That's what I see. Is that reality, or is it just I what I perceive based on limited knowledge of the situation?

 

[TheDude]

The three phases of the game, offense, defense, and kicking (aka special teams) also include their respective coaches and their decisions. In this case, the special teams coach ran up to Garrett and said he needed a time out. Garrett had to either ignore one of the best special teams coaches in the business, or grant his request. He chose the latter. I don't see that he had much choice because he couldn't possibly know what the special teams coach saw that required the time out. Even if Decamillis told him exactly what he saw, the clock was ticking and Garrett didn't have time to check it, so he called timeout. Rather than throw Joe under the bus at the press conference, Garrett just explained in general what was going on and moved on.

Plus, if Bailey makes the second field goal, this whole thing is just a foot-note. I know Romo said there was a problem with the laces being the wrong way on one of the kicks, but it wasn't clear to me if he was talking about the final kick or not. I know McBriar's holding on kicks has been questioned in the past, so maybe it is time to give the job back to Romo until someone else can be trained to do it.

Here is the problem. With 2 timeouts, needing a FG to win, You specifically have 26 seconds on the clock after being signaled a first down. You then run 19 seconds off and CLOCK IT - not using 1 of 2 timeouts. So you had 19 seconds plus the play clock to get the FG team out.

Even though not going for more yardage is the biggest and first blunder, the "strategy" to kick a 49yd gimmie via "clocking it" gives you 25 seconds for the next play where as a timeout instead of clocking it gives you 30 seconds plus 25 play clock seconds. Instead we execute a clocking followed by a timeout :laugh2: :laugh2:


The coaching staff blunders the strategy and then blunders the execution of a sub optimal strategy.

Epic Fail for the smartest guy in the room.

 

[Outlaw Heroes]

i don't buy it. he needs to 'fess up just like any other coach-player in such situations. for the fans' sake, not for the reporters...

If he owes a "mea culpa" to anyone, it's to his players. If he hasn't given them one, he deserves to be blamed. As a fan, I don't think he owes one to me. Just don't let it happen again. So long as it doesn't, I'm fine. On the other hand, if it does happen again, I'll expect there to be consequences. But there should be consequences for repeated mistakes whether or not he 'fesses up the first time. Fessing up adds nothing to the analysis.

 

[TheDude]

You make a good point, and bring up a good question. It's a point I try to make often, and that even with all we see, and hear, and read about, we still don't really know what's going on behind closed doors. It may be the same, it may be completely different.

There's another post about Mike and Mike saying Garrett is coaching scared, because Jones ripped him earlier this year. Perhaps, but we don't really know all the in's and out's and the context of what actually happened, or the results from it.

From my perspective, Jason has always carried himself like the smartest guy in the room, and seems to coach not to lose a lot. That's what I see. Is that reality, or is it just I what I perceive based on limited knowledge of the situation?

Bingo

If the first thought in your head after picking up a 3rd and 11 with 26 seconds left is "we need to settle for a 49yrder because we will have 2 negative plays (on the side of the ball I coach)", then you might as well get out.