Improvement starts when you accept what you are

[buybuydandavis]

When your favorite team is bad, and you watch them play every week, you get used to seeing bad players making bad plays. When occasionally, a few of those players make some good plays, many of us get suckered into thinking, “Hey that guy is pretty good.” Compared to what?

Hill.

And it's not just *our* team. The division has stunk for a while too. And we played a lot of bad teams this year.

Just lots of bad football.

 

[Bobhaze]

This organization needs that disciplinarian coach that Jerry hates.

Having a strong HC is the only time Jerry’s teams have been able to have long term success.

 

[75boyz]

When an organization allows players like Xavier Woods to say the defense only plays 70% of plays without any recourse, you get a lazy culture. When you see players like Jourdan Lewis and Randy Gregory take stupid on the field Unnecessary Roughness penalties without any recourse, you get a lazy culture. When the Head Coach does not challenge an obvious questionable catch, you get a lazy culture. When you get players like Zeke and Lawrence bad mouthing fans that support this team without any recourse, you get a lazy culture. When you watch someone like Jaylon Smith consistently show boating and celebrating inconsequential or dumb plays without any recourse, you get a lazy culture.


The fact is this organization has been diseased ever since Jimmy Johnson left. There is no longer a fear of consequences to a player's actions as Jerry Jones has created a lazy culture where players are rewarded with unwarranted contracts and are treated like buddies instead of employees.

The Dallas Cowboys truly are America's Team as it's a symbolism as a lazy, look at me culture that no longer takes pride in hard work and doing the little things to thrive as a team.

I have read a few rare posts here that required a little more than surface level understanding.
Your description and explanation here of the Cowboy culture and its likeness to American culture today is quite impressive.

It was a pleasure to read and I appreciate it.

 

[McKDaddy]

McCarthy was hired for the explicit purpose of never challenging Jerry so the chance of him telling Jerry anything is not going to happen. Strap in and take heart in the fact that some day this mediocrity will end when Jerry kicks the bucket.

given some of his comments, does MM even know what you are suggesting he tell Jerry??

 

[Bobhaze]

When an organization allows players like Xavier Woods to say the defense only plays 70% of plays without any recourse, you get a lazy culture. When you see players like Jourdan Lewis and Randy Gregory take stupid on the field Unnecessary Roughness penalties without any recourse, you get a lazy culture. When the Head Coach does not challenge an obvious questionable catch, you get a lazy culture. When you get players like Zeke and Lawrence bad mouthing fans that support this team without any recourse, you get a lazy culture. When you watch someone like Jaylon Smith consistently show boating and celebrating inconsequential or dumb plays without any recourse, you get a lazy culture.


The fact is this organization has been diseased ever since Jimmy Johnson left. There is no longer a fear of consequences to a player's actions as Jerry Jones has created a lazy culture where players are rewarded with unwarranted contracts and are treated like buddies instead of employees.

The Dallas Cowboys truly are America's Team as it's a symbolism as a lazy, look at me culture that no longer takes pride in hard work and doing the little things to thrive as a team.

Excellent post. Talent alone cannot overcome culture. Culture is the unaddressed elephant in the room.

 

[Rockport]

When your favorite team is bad, and you watch them play every week, you get used to seeing bad players making bad plays. When occasionally, a few of those players make some good plays, many of us get suckered into thinking, “Hey that guy is pretty good.” Compared to what?

When your favorite team only makes the playoffs 7 of the last 21 seasons, the bar gets lowered. We are so starved to see something good, I think sometimes we see “good” in players that in reality aren’t as good as we would love to think.

That in a nutshell is one of the biggest problems with this entire organization. This FO vastly overrates its talent, while also vastly overrating their own abilities to right this organization’s 25 year drift to consistent playoff irrelevance. Let’s face it, 30 other owners would have fired this GM and his children long ago.

What I hope is Mike McCarthy (or someone JJ listens to) has the stones to tell his bosses a series of truths that need to be addressed:

• This roster needs a major overhaul to be competitive for something more than mediocrity. We cannot sit pat. We must accept who we are: A below average football team.
• We need at least 7 new starters on defense. Keepers: DLaw, Gregory, Diggs, and maybe LVE although he’s so fragile, he’s probably worth considering a replacement.
• We need help on offense too. We may need a LT sooner than many want to believe.
  
• This isn’t just a talent problem. It’s a culture problem.
• This culture is diseased. There is a lack of focus and commitment from top to bottom. It’s been there for far too long. These players need to be challenged to show something more or we will keep getting what we’re getting.

We all want this team to improve and start competing. But this team needs a butt kicker in the locker room to start expecting more. Maybe have a Jimmy J training camp again complete with an asthma field.

And finally- like any organization that has 33% rate of even qualifying to compete for a championship, you won’t get better until you look in the mirror and admit your team sucks and you’re sick of losing and everything that contributes to it. Currently I don’t get the feeling from enough people at the Star to make a difference yet. Until enough people get sick of this repeated failure, expect the same.

Must I remind you that the Cowboys lost Tyron Smith, La'el Collins, Zack Martin, Dak Prescott, Blake Jarwin, Trysten Hill, Saivion Smith, Deante Burton, Antwaun Woods, Chris Westry, Cameron Erving, Darian Thompson, Blake Bell, LVE, Rashard Robinson, Bradlee Anae, Justin March-Lillard, Noah Brown, Justin Hamilton, Chris Jones, Tyler Biadasz, Sean Lee, Andy Dalton, Mitch Hyatt, Brandon Knight and Trevon Diggs, most of them for the vast majority of the year? 3 of the 4 starters on the Offensive Line? 3 of the backups on the Offensive Line? Not to mention a new coaching staff with no chance to instill their system due to Covid.

 

[ArtClink]

Several observations:

1. The draught doesn't end once McCarthy is replaced with Kellen Moore as hc since both are toothless lions and yes men
2. The draught doesn't end once Jerry dies as we've seen enough of Stephen to know other than understanding salary cap rules, he is no more a football guy than the fuhrer
   
3. Bill Parcells is the only coach we've had post Jimmy that the players feared and only a hc with a lot of power will impact our entitled culture. As long as the players report to Jerry instead of the hc, expect the draught to continue

 

[CouchCoach]

As long as the owners of this team are focused on "good enough to market, promote and spin", nothing will change.

They do not have to win to win and they know it. The owner was bragging about leading the league in attendance with this team.

The owner sees the importance of the position of Head Coach so critical that he interviews a man he doesn't know and in 12 hours, gives him the job. I remember Parcells saying how important it was to have the Dallas Cowboys on his HC resume. I wonder how he feels now?

 

[MyFairLady]

Gregory as a keeper LOL. We get nothing but stupid penalties and suspension for 4 years from a second round draft pick and you want to double down. Sure thing Jerry.

 

[tm1119]

Well, at some point if we continue supporting his product making it the most popular and profitable without better results then we become the fools.

But I’ve been preaching this for a couple decades to no avail. And been bashed for it by other fans.

Yup, this. There’s no shame from Jerry’s side what so ever. He’s collecting his millions despite continuously putting out a sub par product. That’s every business man’s dream.

It’s the fans that convince themselves that the team will actually be good every year that should feel shame. And not to say that I’m not guilty of the that either...but at some point the collective fanbase needs to wake up.

The fanbase bought hard into the “next man up”/“we like our guys” non sense and haven’t demanded actual talent to be brought in. Free agency is evil and the fan base is afraid of the big bad cap monster at all times...that’s 1 hell of a marketing success the Jones’ have accomplished no one really talks about.

 

[Rayman70]

SEE, Jerry still actually believes winning revolves around HIM.Case and point he has said many times that " I dont know how many more years I got in me" so he wants to speed up the process of team building ...REINVENT the game to leapfrog the process and hoist the Lombardy 1 last time ...but see, its all ego. He wants it because he sorely must have validation that he is a football God somehow lol...that is what this is about. Its not about the coaches getting credit or installing their own culture onto the team...NO...its about doing it HIS WAY, which has been a failed experiment. We will not win until the team is sold to people that understand todays NFL and how championships are won.

 

[MyFairLady]

When an organization allows players like Xavier Woods to say the defense only plays 70% of plays without any recourse, you get a lazy culture. When you see players like Jourdan Lewis and Randy Gregory take stupid on the field Unnecessary Roughness penalties without any recourse, you get a lazy culture. When the Head Coach does not challenge an obvious questionable catch, you get a lazy culture. When you get players like Zeke and Lawrence bad mouthing fans that support this team without any recourse, you get a lazy culture. When you watch someone like Jaylon Smith consistently show boating and celebrating inconsequential or dumb plays without any recourse, you get a lazy culture.


The fact is this organization has been diseased ever since Jimmy Johnson left. There is no longer a fear of consequences to a player's actions as Jerry Jones has created a lazy culture where players are rewarded with unwarranted contracts and are treated like buddies instead of employees.

The Dallas Cowboys truly are America's Team as it's a symbolism as a lazy, look at me culture that no longer takes pride in hard work and doing the little things to thrive as a team.

You sir are a true word smith. I could not agree more.

 

[Darkhound]

When your favorite team is bad, and you watch them play every week, you get used to seeing bad players making bad plays. When occasionally, a few of those players make some good plays, many of us get suckered into thinking, “Hey that guy is pretty good.” Compared to what?

When your favorite team only makes the playoffs 7 of the last 21 seasons, the bar gets lowered. We are so starved to see something good, I think sometimes we see “good” in players that in reality aren’t as good as we would love to think.

That in a nutshell is one of the biggest problems with this entire organization. This FO vastly overrates its talent, while also vastly overrating their own abilities to right this organization’s 25 year drift to consistent playoff irrelevance. Let’s face it, 30 other owners would have fired this GM and his children long ago.

What I hope is Mike McCarthy (or someone JJ listens to) has the stones to tell his bosses a series of truths that need to be addressed:

• This roster needs a major overhaul to be competitive for something more than mediocrity. We cannot sit pat. We must accept who we are: A below average football team.
• We need at least 7 new starters on defense. Keepers: DLaw, Gregory, Diggs, and maybe LVE although he’s so fragile, he’s probably worth considering a replacement.
• We need help on offense too. We may need a LT sooner than many want to believe.
  
• This isn’t just a talent problem. It’s a culture problem.
• This culture is diseased. There is a lack of focus and commitment from top to bottom. It’s been there for far too long. These players need to be challenged to show something more or we will keep getting what we’re getting.

We all want this team to improve and start competing. But this team needs a butt kicker in the locker room to start expecting more. Maybe have a Jimmy J training camp again complete with an asthma field.

And finally- like any organization that has 33% rate of even qualifying to compete for a championship, you won’t get better until you look in the mirror and admit your team sucks and you’re sick of losing and everything that contributes to it. Currently I don’t get the feeling from enough people at the Star to make a difference yet. Until enough people get sick of this repeated failure, expect the same.

This is nothing but the truth. The main issue is Jerry and his kids overrate their players and staff and have the 6th sense syndrome. They see what they want to see.
We ARE a below average Team and we have gotten to used to this that without noticing we now celebrate petty wins and things like that.

 

[cowboyblue22]

until the old man moves on and they hire real nfl people to run the team this is what u will have

 

[Creeper]

When your favorite team is bad, and you watch them play every week, you get used to seeing bad players making bad plays. When occasionally, a few of those players make some good plays, many of us get suckered into thinking, “Hey that guy is pretty good.” Compared to what?

When your favorite team only makes the playoffs 7 of the last 21 seasons, the bar gets lowered. We are so starved to see something good, I think sometimes we see “good” in players that in reality aren’t as good as we would love to think.

That in a nutshell is one of the biggest problems with this entire organization. This FO vastly overrates its talent, while also vastly overrating their own abilities to right this organization’s 25 year drift to consistent playoff irrelevance. Let’s face it, 30 other owners would have fired this GM and his children long ago.

What I hope is Mike McCarthy (or someone JJ listens to) has the stones to tell his bosses a series of truths that need to be addressed:

• This roster needs a major overhaul to be competitive for something more than mediocrity. We cannot sit pat. We must accept who we are: A below average football team.
• We need at least 7 new starters on defense. Keepers: DLaw, Gregory, Diggs, and maybe LVE although he’s so fragile, he’s probably worth considering a replacement.
• We need help on offense too. We may need a LT sooner than many want to believe.
  
• This isn’t just a talent problem. It’s a culture problem.
• This culture is diseased. There is a lack of focus and commitment from top to bottom. It’s been there for far too long. These players need to be challenged to show something more or we will keep getting what we’re getting.

We all want this team to improve and start competing. But this team needs a butt kicker in the locker room to start expecting more. Maybe have a Jimmy J training camp again complete with an asthma field.

And finally- like any organization that has 33% rate of even qualifying to compete for a championship, you won’t get better until you look in the mirror and admit your team sucks and you’re sick of losing and everything that contributes to it. Currently I don’t get the feeling from enough people at the Star to make a difference yet. Until enough people get sick of this repeated failure, expect the same.

Good stuff.

I remember when the NY Yankees were really bad, before Steinbrenner bought the team, they had a guy named Roy White. Nice player. About a .270 hitter, hit a few home runs, played the outfield and had a terrible arm. But he was the best player on a very bad roster. They made him out to be something of a star in NY. Steinbrenner bought the team and started the rebuilding process. Eventually White disappeared as he became just another guy among some better players. The Cowboys have a lot of Roy Whites, but not enough Reggie Jackson's.

I am ready to give up on LVE, but it would take a lot of gets to let him go since we have not really seen enough of him to get a good read on how good he is or can be. The Cowboys lack the courage to make these difficult choices unless they are forced by the salary cap to do it. Nobody on the team should be safe. If they can upgrade a position they should. LB is a position they can upgrade fairly easily IMO.

 

[9darter]

As long as the owners of this team are focused on "good enough to market, promote and spin", nothing will change.

They do not have to win to win and they know it. The owner was bragging about leading the league in attendance with this team.

The owner sees the importance of the position of Head Coach so critical that he interviews a man he doesn't know and in 12 hours, gives him the job. I remember Parcells saying how important it was to have the Dallas Cowboys on his HC resume. I wonder how he feels now?

Wowzers. What a statement post. Our new MODs are killing it in this thread.

Thank you, guys.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

When your favorite team is bad, and you watch them play every week, you get used to seeing bad players making bad plays. When occasionally, a few of those players make some good plays, many of us get suckered into thinking, “Hey that guy is pretty good.” Compared to what?

When your favorite team only makes the playoffs 7 of the last 21 seasons, the bar gets lowered. We are so starved to see something good, I think sometimes we see “good” in players that in reality aren’t as good as we would love to think.

That in a nutshell is one of the biggest problems with this entire organization. This FO vastly overrates its talent, while also vastly overrating their own abilities to right this organization’s 25 year drift to consistent playoff irrelevance. Let’s face it, 30 other owners would have fired this GM and his children long ago.

What I hope is Mike McCarthy (or someone JJ listens to) has the stones to tell his bosses a series of truths that need to be addressed:

• This roster needs a major overhaul to be competitive for something more than mediocrity. We cannot sit pat. We must accept who we are: A below average football team.
• We need at least 7 new starters on defense. Keepers: DLaw, Gregory, Diggs, and maybe LVE although he’s so fragile, he’s probably worth considering a replacement.
• We need help on offense too. We may need a LT sooner than many want to believe.
  
• This isn’t just a talent problem. It’s a culture problem.
• This culture is diseased. There is a lack of focus and commitment from top to bottom. It’s been there for far too long. These players need to be challenged to show something more or we will keep getting what we’re getting.

We all want this team to improve and start competing. But this team needs a butt kicker in the locker room to start expecting more. Maybe have a Jimmy J training camp again complete with an asthma field.

And finally- like any organization that has 33% rate of even qualifying to compete for a championship, you won’t get better until you look in the mirror and admit your team sucks and you’re sick of losing and everything that contributes to it. Currently I don’t get the feeling from enough people at the Star to make a difference yet. Until enough people get sick of this repeated failure, expect the same.

I tend to agree....

- regarding LT, we should be looking, but its not a pressing need, although in 2022 it might be....I think depth wise, the OL showed they can hold up so we shouldn't need to draft any developmental OL men.

the defense does need an overhaul, but as you said its a cultural thing. the organization as a whole is not good on assessing and picking defensive players....it has been this way for over 15 years. since 2005 when we picked Ware, Lawrence is the only player that would qualify as impact player (not dominant) on the defense we got through draft......we don't do a good job in draft, we do a worse job in FA. I think its because Jerry as a whole is so focused on money/marketing. offense sells jersey's. generates excitement. puts butts in seats....a DT, that stop a run and helps us average 3.5 yards rush defense doesnt' generate the excitement or sells jersey's...a DE does, thus we throw numbers at picking DEs, but neglect and give cursory attention to DT positions. we don't pick safties, because safties don't sell jersey's. we go with low round picks and UDFAs....we give cursory attention to DBs....we are just bad bad bad at defensive evaluation and assessment.

now, with that said, yes we need a bunch of starters, but doesn't mean you cut 18 defensive players, just push the current starters to bench and find some new ones and it needs to start at DT. we built the offense inside out, so need to do the same on defense....we should cut Jaylon. he sucks. that opens up a spot. we should let Lee walk and perhaps let him become an assistant coach....I think lewis, X Woods need to be cut out right. if Awuzie willing to take a smaller contract, then he becomes the 3rd corner, while we draft one...

I don't care if we don't draft one offensive player this year. any offensive player outside of a LT has no chance of making this team. so defense defense defense....

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

When your favorite team is bad, and you watch them play every week, you get used to seeing bad players making bad plays. When occasionally, a few of those players make some good plays, many of us get suckered into thinking, “Hey that guy is pretty good.” Compared to what?

When your favorite team only makes the playoffs 7 of the last 21 seasons, the bar gets lowered. We are so starved to see something good, I think sometimes we see “good” in players that in reality aren’t as good as we would love to think.

That in a nutshell is one of the biggest problems with this entire organization. This FO vastly overrates its talent, while also vastly overrating their own abilities to right this organization’s 25 year drift to consistent playoff irrelevance. Let’s face it, 30 other owners would have fired this GM and his children long ago.

What I hope is Mike McCarthy (or someone JJ listens to) has the stones to tell his bosses a series of truths that need to be addressed:

• This roster needs a major overhaul to be competitive for something more than mediocrity. We cannot sit pat. We must accept who we are: A below average football team.
• We need at least 7 new starters on defense. Keepers: DLaw, Gregory, Diggs, and maybe LVE although he’s so fragile, he’s probably worth considering a replacement.
• We need help on offense too. We may need a LT sooner than many want to believe.
  
• This isn’t just a talent problem. It’s a culture problem.
• This culture is diseased. There is a lack of focus and commitment from top to bottom. It’s been there for far too long. These players need to be challenged to show something more or we will keep getting what we’re getting.

We all want this team to improve and start competing. But this team needs a butt kicker in the locker room to start expecting more. Maybe have a Jimmy J training camp again complete with an asthma field.

And finally- like any organization that has 33% rate of even qualifying to compete for a championship, you won’t get better until you look in the mirror and admit your team sucks and you’re sick of losing and everything that contributes to it. Currently I don’t get the feeling from enough people at the Star to make a difference yet. Until enough people get sick of this repeated failure, expect the same.

There is clear evidence that the culture is diseased. Only problem is that you will never get rid of the disease because it comes from the ownership.

In regard to your comment that we are a below average football team, I would have to ask in what way. By record? Yes, we were below average. By talent? I'd say we still are above average in talent. This year so much of it was injured that it is hard to fairly evaluate them. However there are some definite places to upgrade.

Realistically the only place we are going to upgrade the offense is on the line. I would not be surprised to see us take a tackle in the first three rounds. After that we shouldn't pick another offensive player. Unless we are passing on resigning Dak....and that is a whole different story.

You may be right that we could use 7 new starters on defense. But chances are it will be closer to 4. I believe we will have a new S, a new CB, one and maybe 2 DT's and probably a LB. The million dollar question is whether Nolan will be the one running it.

 

[Bobhaze]

There is clear evidence that the culture is diseased. Only problem is that you will never get rid of the disease because it comes from the ownership.

In regard to your comment that we are a below average football team, I would have to ask in what way. By record? Yes, we were below average. By talent? I'd say we still are above average in talent. This year so much of it was injured that it is hard to fairly evaluate them. However there are some definite places to upgrade.

Realistically the only place we are going to upgrade the offense is on the line. I would not be surprised to see us take a tackle in the first three rounds. After that we shouldn't pick another offensive player. Unless we are passing on resigning Dak....and that is a whole different story.

You may be right that we could use 7 new starters on defense. But chances are it will be closer to 4. I believe we will have a new S, a new CB, one and maybe 2 DT's and probably a LB. The million dollar question is whether Nolan will be the one running it.

Well said and well reasoned brother. The only place I differ with you is I don’t think this team has “above average talent”. It’s average at best. There is certainly some talent here, mostly on offense. But when you factor in the current defense with the offense when healthy, overall it’s average IMO.

 

[Bobhaze]

Good stuff.

I remember when the NY Yankees were really bad, before Steinbrenner bought the team, they had a guy named Roy White. Nice player. About a .270 hitter, hit a few home runs, played the outfield and had a terrible arm. But he was the best player on a very bad roster. They made him out to be something of a star in NY. Steinbrenner bought the team and started the rebuilding process. Eventually White disappeared as he became just another guy among some better players. The Cowboys have a lot of Roy Whites, but not enough Reggie Jackson's.

I am ready to give up on LVE, but it would take a lot of gets to let him go since we have not really seen enough of him to get a good read on how good he is or can be. The Cowboys lack the courage to make these difficult choices unless they are forced by the salary cap to do it. Nobody on the team should be safe. If they can upgrade a position they should. LB is a position they can upgrade fairly easily IMO.

Love the Roy White story and analogy. We have several “Roy White” players here that because they play on a 6-10 team, they look better than they are.