Let's talk about culture, Schotty's version vs reality

[CowboysFaninHouston]

I believe Jerry in the 80s changed for sure. But I don’t think the Jerry in the 90s did especially after the first SB. I remember reading a quote from him talking about he runs his football team like he runs his businesses. He has his hands in everything. I don’t think Jerry ever changed who he was….maybe towards Jimmu but Jerry was always this oil salesman producing profit. He spearheaded the addition of the salary cap even though he knew it would kill the edge he and other markets had.

Jerry has an ego. and he did listen to Jimmy a lot. yes, he wanted credit for things as a deal maker and marketer, but nobody is going to say, that Jimmy was the defacto GM and made decisions on football. specially any player/personnel and coaching decisions was always Jimmy and then Jerry just executing it. Jimmy never allowed any players to go directly to jerry and if they did, they were in the shiet house.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

You’re arguing something else. What I’m saying is this whole talk about 90s culture as if those teams were built on that is a lie. Jerry is the same guy now he was in the 90s. The culture is the same hell he let them do what they wanted and he too took part in the culture with all the drinking and cheating he was doing. I don’t care what these guys do I’m just saying the culture never really changed much.

I think the culture did change. yes, all those things still being what they are, but in 90s, there was a focus on winning, football and championship. there was a passion about football with those guys. including Haley and Irvin who were party animals, but they kept the team focused on winning. Irvin was infamous for practicing hard and pushing everyone. Aikman didn't take being ok as acceptable, he pushed for perfection....that culture is not there any more. these players are settled in and just spew cliche's

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Not really........Schotty is the first Cowboys head coach since Jimmy Johnson to choose his ENTIRE staff w/o a leftover being forced on him by Jerry. Look, I see what you are saying about Jerry but what I'm saying is that it appears Schotty is trying to find/mold/strengthen team leadership. Not sure how or why Jerry would interfere with that........

it appears. things allway appear a certain way. the results will speak volumes.

 

[beware_d-ware]

Paintball games and foosball tables, this is Camp Cupcake all over again.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Garrett did try. Mike didn’t give a damn. Mike didn’t try anything. He just showed up to get a check.

they all spoke the cliches. they all tried in their own way. some harder than others. they all eventually got run over by MM. I think MM did want to get back to coaching. he knew right off the bat, that battling Jerry is a losing proposition. he tried to steer the boat a bit, but Jerry just got too meddlesome as usual. so MM just laid back.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Considering his position and contracts ( not just the one recently signed) his leadership has been subpar. In fact, I think I read somewhere that Stephen and Jerry have challenged him to do more.

Yeah I believe he does a good job off the field but I need that on the field to match.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

they all spoke the cliches. they all tried in their own way. some harder than others. they all eventually got run over by MM. I think MM did want to get back to coaching. he knew right off the bat, that battling Jerry is a losing proposition. he tried to steer the boat a bit, but Jerry just got too meddlesome as usual. so MM just laid back.

You may be right. But Mike was not leading. That’s what this team needed. He didn’t care about trades or nothing. He wanted those checks.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Paintball games and foosball tables, this is Camp Cupcake all over again.

Naw that’s not camp cupcake. Camp cupcake was how soft they were practicing….

 

[Vtwin]

Wasnt the Pats so amazing they had a name for it? The "Patriot Way." But as soon as Brady left, the Patriot Way looked a lot like the Jets way to me.

Culture alone doesn't bring success. Culture is the breeding ground for success. You still need talent and for that talent to buy in to the culture.

Brady is a great example of a player who was ALL about the culture and the buy in. He landed in the hands of a coach who was equally ALL about the culture. Together they made NFL history.

Had Brady played his entire career in Dallas, he'd be another Tony Romo or Dak Prescott.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Jerry has an ego. and he did listen to Jimmy a lot. yes, he wanted credit for things as a deal maker and marketer, but nobody is going to say, that Jimmy was the defacto GM and made decisions on football. specially any player/personnel and coaching decisions was always Jimmy and then Jerry just executing it. Jimmy never allowed any players to go directly to jerry and if they did, they were in the shiet house.

Yeah but they did. Mike Irvin for sure did. You can tell who went over Jimmy to Jerry based on who has relationships with him to this day…Haley and Irvin for sure. I feel like Emmitt did to but I can’t say that for sure because I haven’t heard it.

 

[Vtwin]

Yeah but they did. Mike Irvin for sure did.

Can you elaborate on what specifically you are basing this opinion on?

 

[shabazz]

• Leave phones in your bag
• Be on time and don't be late
• Hoods down during meetings
• No maids & valet at the team facility


Well, there goes 80% of the team.....

 

[Reid1boys]

Culture alone doesn't bring success. Culture is the breeding ground for success. You still need talent and for that talent to buy in to the culture.

Brady is a great example of a player who was ALL about the culture and the buy in. He landed in the hands of a coach who was equally ALL about the culture. Together they made NFL history.

Had Brady played his entire career in Dallas, he'd be another Tony Romo or Dak Prescott.

Then Brady went to Tampa and the coach was Bruce Arians. Not exactly the biggest culture guy in the world. Yet they won a SB.

Winning breeds culture, not the other way around.

 

[DallasEast]

Bingo DallasEast.......Is this NOT what Schotty is trying to do?

Answer: Absolutely yes. However, you used the correct description 'trying to do'. Whether Brian Schottenheimer succeeds or fails falls partially on his shoulders.

I say partially because he is attempting a task within an organization environment that favors the owner's opinion of what winning football should be. He is not operating within a working sphere which is shaped 100% around the head coach's unquestioned (good or bad) cultural philosophy.

Your OP was inclusive of Mike Vrabel and Bill Belichick. Did players and coaching staff see the cultures exclusively installed by these gentlemen without question? Or did they see what they tried to do and accomplished as a partial extension of what their owners (or even general managers) were actively promoting--both behind the scenes and publicly?

Personally, I hope Schottenheimer can measurably overcome Jerry Jones' overhanging cloak of "ME ME ME! I AM IN CONTROL! I AM A GENIUS! TALK TO ME! I KNOW FOOTBALL!" I hope he is as successful as Jimmy Johnson instilling himself as the Alpha to Jones' Omega. If not, I wish he can get close to doing so, just like what Bill Parcells almost accomplished.

I am backing Schottenheimer's efforts 100%. Instilling a true (not fake) winning culture is a difficult task for any coach in any sport at any level. It is the undertaking of a mission with a goal infusing a mindset with action that says 'We are the best of the best. Not because we say we are but by what we do on the field--during wins and losses. We will lay it on the line every time in every game. We will demonstrate grit. Tenacity. We will execute our gameplan and dominate our opponents. And when we fall short of winning, you will know you beat a GOOD team and not one masquerading as one.'

Schottenheimer is pushing a boulder up a stiff incline. Perception is his primary adversary that must be beaten. It is rough thing for any coach. He is trying to erase ingrained imagery such as the owner/gm displayed as the dominant personality with the team's draft war room. Best of luck to the guy.

 

[fivetwos]

It appears you are talking about discipline culture, similar to what Vrabel mentions above. I'm not sure that's the culture Schotty is building. I think he is trying to build a core of players to strengthen the leadership in the locker room. Similar to the '90s players mentioned above.

BTW........Jerry was also around during the 90s version of culture and that worked out pretty good. IMO, it's more about a small group of well-respected players who will hold other players accountable.

“Culture” is a vague term and there are probably many interpretations of what it means.

Discipline? Not really what I was aiming at.

The problem is Jerrys insistence on being a celebrity and the voice of the team. The HC has little power and the players know it.

As one small example (although holding media court in front of the locker room isn’t a non factor…no other owner or GM operates that way)….Jerry is in constant defense mode of the job he is doing and/or selling his product, so he ends up publicly praising mediocre to bad play. If the HC ever tries to get a certain message across it could be easily squashed by Jerry mouth.

Jason Garrett during Mahers funk….”we are going to look at kickers this week.”

Jerry Jones….”no we aren’t, you don’t cut a kicker just because they missed a few FG.”

This list goes way beyond there.

If he would shut his mouth, get out of the spotlight and allow his HC some aura of having authority, we may not hear things like “bad culture,” we would simply be stuck with some bad football decisions.

 

[Rockport]

The problem with the “culture” in Dallas is Jerry.

Last I checked he is still around.

There will be no changes. He has been relatively quiet lately but will be front and center again before long and fully undermining his coach.

And when Jerry’s gone, you’ll be crapping on Stephen. Wash, rinse and repeat.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

• Leave phones in your bag
• Be on time and don't be late
• Hoods down during meetings
• No maids & valet at the team facility


Well, there goes 80% of the team.....

I'm Ok with all these except hoods down during meetings. What does this have to do with learning? I mean, shades and caps are OK, but hoods are not?

 

[Rockport]

“Culture” is a vague term and there are probably many interpretations of what it means.

Discipline? Not really what I was aiming at.

The problem is Jerrys insistence on being a celebrity and the voice of the team. The HC has little power and the players know it.

As one small example (although holding media court in front of the locker room isn’t a non factor…no other owner or GM operates that way)….Jerry is in constant defense mode of the job he is doing and/or selling his product, so he ends up publicly praising mediocre to bad play. If the HC ever tries to get a certain message across it could be easily squashed by Jerry mouth.

Jason Garrett during Mahers funk….”we are going to look at kickers this week.”

Jerry Jones….”no we aren’t, you don’t cut a kicker just because they missed a few FG.”

This list goes way beyond there.

If he would shut his mouth, get out of the spotlight and allow his HC some aura of having authority, we may not hear things like “bad culture,” we would simply be stuck with some bad football decisions.

Please provide proof of this. I don’t doubt it, just don’t take your word for it based on your history here.

 

[Vtwin]

Then Brady went to Tampa and the coach was Bruce Arians. Not exactly the biggest culture guy in the world. Yet they won a SB.

Winning breeds culture, not the other way around.

Thats a terrible example. Brady chose the most win ready team available and took over what was the #1 offense the prior season. That bus was ready to roll. For one season. Then it fell apart. In part because that core team identity didn't exist. Antonio Brown doesn't pull that crap in NE.

I find this sentiment fascinating from a Cowboys fan. We literally watched a dynasty rise out the ashes. A dynasty fueled by the bitterness that comes from losing.

The opposite example would be the recent examples of a team winning at a high level only to fall apart in the end.

 

[Bullflop]

The preseason and the season to follow should give one and all of us our indications of what our current culture looks like. If it has truly changed, we should all be exposed to the truth of it all. It just remains to be seen if any changes are reflected in the performance of this team's players. Perhaps remaining tuned in and being aware of what happens when the time comes could work wonders.