MySa Blog: Aikman: Players to blame for December slumps...questions toughness

[WoodysGirl]

By Tom Orsborn on Dec 12, 09 08:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) Save & Share

With their team's first December loss already in the books, speculation among Cowboys fans about who Jerry Jones will tab to replace Wade Phillips is running rampant.

It's a fun game, especially with so many big names out there. Will Bill Cowher want to work for an owner as hands-on as Jerry? Or will Jerry target another guy he could lord over? Or will it be one of the two offensive-minded Mikes - Shanahan or Holmgren?

Fun stuff, but the next coach may not matter if Jones decides to keep the core of this team together.

Think about it. In the past seven years, the Cowboys have been coached by either Bill Parcells or Wade Phillips, two men whose styles couldn't be more different.

Parcells was the warden who searched each player's cell every night. Hard-nosed and demanding, he cracked the whip with regularity.

Phillips? Well, he's been everybody's pal, a player's coach who won't even call out knuckleheads (Flozell Adams) who clearly deserve it.

But Parcells and Phillips do have something in common. Both men coached teams that faded late in the season.

The common denominator: The core group of players.

Troy Aikman apparently sees it the same way. In an interview on Mike Francesa's radio show in New York, Aikman clearly pointed the finger of blame at the players.

"I just don't know that the Cowboys are a real tough team," Aikman said. "The Giants, even though they have been struggling and we've talked about it, they're a battle-tested group. The Eagles are a battle-tested group. But Dallas hasn't yet done anything to make any of us think they're a tough team."

Aikman also hinted that Parcells left the Cowboys after the 2006 season because he didn't think he could win in the playoffs with this group.

"He just didn't know if he could ever get them to get over that hump, and it hasn't gotten better," Aikman said. "In fact, it's gotten worse, I think."

 

[CF74]

Aikman: In other words fans, this group of underachievers are a bunch of losers!!! Now prove the world wrong...:fight:

 

[Boyzmamacita]

Aikman also hinted that Parcells left the Cowboys after the 2006 season because he didn't think he could win in the playoffs with this group.

"He just didn't know if he could ever get them to get over that hump, and it hasn't gotten better," Aikman said. "In fact, it's gotten worse, I think."

Wow. Sobering words right there. If Parcells was so great, he should've stayed around and righted the ship. He abandoned the Cowboys and IMO Wade Phillips has done more/better overall than Parcells did. I hope we beat San Diego tomorrow, but even if we do, all we'll hear is how New Orleans is going to kill us anyway and there is no hope.

 

[tunahelper]

The zone defenders/cheerleaders sure are going to cuss Aikman, since he apparently doesnt know anything in their eyes.

 

[TNCowboy]

Wow. Sobering words right there. If Parcells was so great, he should've stayed around and righted the ship. He abandoned the Cowboys and IMO Wade Phillips has done more/better overall than Parcells did. I hope we beat San Diego tomorrow, but even if we do, all we'll hear is how New Orleans is going to kill us anyway and there is no hope.

IF Parcells was so great?

 

[WoodysGirl]

The zone defenders/cheerleaders sure are going to cuss Aikman, since he apparently doesnt know anything in their eyes.

How so? When it goes against the more popular thought that it's all the coache's thought.

I've said for a while that sometimes you have to put the onus on the players for executing. Coaches can emphasize things all week in practice, but these guys have to execute.

They have to tackle the guy in front of them. They have to break up passes or guess right when going for the INT. They have to catch the balls when they hit them in their hands. They have to break a tackle when defenders go for their shoe strings.

Sometimes it really is as simple as that.

 

[Idgit]

The zone defenders/cheerleaders sure are going to cuss Aikman, since he apparently doesnt know anything in their eyes.

Somebody hasn't been paying attention to what the defenders have been saying. Most of us have put the onus on the players all along.

 

[WoodysGirl]

Aikman questions Cowboys' toughness

December, 11, 2009 Dec 11
9:11
PM CT

By Tim MacMahon



Several Cowboys were angered that a local television reporter had the gall to ask Wade Phillips how he could consider his team winners. The players will surely be perturbed that a national broadcaster questioned their mental toughness.

Of course, the Cowboys can't dismiss Troy Aikman's credibility like they did with CBS 11's Steve Dennis. They can look up at JerryWorld on Sunday and see Aikman's name in the Ring of Honor. Aikman won three Super Bowls, while this core of Cowboys has never won a playoff game.

As Fox's top color commentator, Aikman keeps close tabs on his former team. The Hall of Famer seems to have figured out why the Cowboys keep fading at the end of the season.

"I just don’t know that the Cowboys are a real tough team," Aikman said during an appearance on Mike Francesa's radio show in New York. "The Giants, even though they have been struggling and we’ve talked about it, they’re a battle-tested group. The Eagles are a battle-tested group. But Dallas hasn’t yet done anything to make any of us think they’re a tough team."

Aikman said he thought the Cowboys' lack of toughness is what ultimately led Bill Parcells to leave Valley Ranch.

"He just didn’t know if he could ever get them to get over that hump, and it hasn’t gotten better," Aikman said. "In fact, it’s gotten worse, I think."

http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4664904/aikman-questions-cowboys-toughness

 

[EPL0c0]

Aikman: In other words fans, this group of underachievers are a bunch of losers!!! Now prove the world wrong...:fight:

Aikman's right. Look at last December: the fumbles, the INTs, the missed tackles, etc? That is 100%on the players. At that point, there's nothing the coaches can do but have faith that the players won't fumble at the 4YD line and have the ball returned for a TD or that the QB won't fumble the ball and have it returned for a TD or throw an IINT and have it returned for a TD or miss a tackle that springs a RB for a huge TD (or two).

 

[DFWJC]

I said it here before. This late season losing extends far beyond when Wade was here...and beyond some of the newer players on the roster. The common denominators are some of the core players and the owner.
Where I differ is that I do think this group (with continued added pieces) can eventually get there...they just may not be good enough yet this year.

We'll see!

 

[Disturbed]

Complain and rail against the messenger (Aikman) or take a step back and think about what is being said here. I think Aikman is probably right, and the "core group" will have to change before things get better...is this a handful of players or more. And the owner isn't going to change, so that is a mute discussion.

I wish Aikman would tell us who the "core group" is that needs to change.

 

[DFWJC]

Several Cowboys were angered that a local television reporter had the gall to ask Wade Phillips how he could consider his team winners. The players will surely be perturbed that a national broadcaster questioned their mental toughness.

I think that Wade really DOES think this group is different than ones of the past. He has added some more of guys he prefers via free agency and the draft and ridded the team of some of the negative influences.

His "younger" draftees (Jenkins, Scandrick, Spencer, etc) are growing up and starting to contribute. and the "older" guys here brought in ( Brooking, L Davis, Olshansky, Sensabaugh, ..maybe even Kitna, etc) are doing the right things and leading. Some of his younger guys have big upside too ( Felix, Choice, Butler, Williams, Bennett, M Hamlin, Ogletree, etc.) This is a work in progress.

He has not been here that long and I think he is molding the team to be what he wants. Again, it's a work in progress, despite all of those BS past ProBowl players. He lucky to have solid team guys that are stars like Romo and Ware, but many of that past group did not fit that description.

Right or wrong, I do believe he thinks they are winners. That is the bigger picture and I don't some out there see it.

I'm tempted to make this a thread because I never here anyone saying this...and it seems clear to me...again, wheter Wade is right about it or not.

 

[Idgit]

Complain and rail against the messenger (Aikman) or take a step back and think about what is being said here. I think Aikman is probably right, and the "core group" will have to change before things get better...is this a handful of players or more. And the owner isn't going to change, so that is a mute discussion.

I wish Aikman would tell us who the "core group" is that needs to change.

Who's complaining and railing against what Aikman said?

 

[craig71]

I think I would like to see a younger man at the helm.I think that a younger coach can maintain his energy throughout the whole season,whereas an older coach fades down the stretch.Just look at Wade in his last PC,he looks like an old man on his last leg.The same can be said about Parcells last days in Dallas as well.

Now that is not to say that it is all on coaching.The players have to make plays.You can have a hall of fame staff,but if the players don't execute even that staff will look inept.Maybe a little more purging is in order to get rid of whatever is causing the late season meltdowns.


Craig

 

[bbgun]

Last year it was the bad apples (TO, Pac, Tank). Now it's the yet unnamed "core" players. Maybe one day they'll get their story straight.

 

[UVAwahoos]

Who's complaining and railing against what Aikman said?

The kool-aid drinkers typically come out in full force against any comment that even closely resembles a diss against the team. They're out there. Just wait.

I think there will be a few that complain about how Aikman goes out of his way to not show any bias for Dallas. There will also be some that diss him as a person if we're lucky.

 

[not_a_homer]

Who are the core players from 2006? It's fairly obvious that he must be talking about guys like Flozell, Gurode, Romo (?), Bradie James (notice how poorly he played against the Giants) and Terrence Newman. Those are some of the common players from 2006 when Parcells was there.

 

[DFWJC]

Who are the core players from 2006? It's fairly obvious that he must be talking about guys like Flozell, Gurode, Romo (?), Bradie James (notice how poorly he played against the Giants) and Terrence Newman. Those are some of the common players from 2006 when Parcells was there.

Romo was just coming into his own. Wade and crew got rid of several key "core" guys from years past--including R Williams, Ellis, TO..even Tank to some degree. This years group also has sevral newer guys--either guys just now starting to be major players or guys brought in via free agency. In any case, this team is somewhat in transition (going towards what Wade wants) but also may have a stronger core mentally.

 

[DFWJC]

Last year it was the bad apples (TO, Pac, Tank). Now it's the yet unnamed "core" players. Maybe one day they'll get their story straight.

I think they were partially one in the same. I agree with most of what Troy is saying but I think maybe he is not making the connection that some of the past core is now gone.

The real issue may be that these Cowboys are just not good enough---they are better than most teams but not as good as the very best.

Again, we'll see and hopefully they will pull a 10-6 out of the hat.

 

[LucaBrasi]

I like Troy, but the Giants weren't "battle tested" and were considered a soft team until they manned up against the Pats in late 2007 and went on that playoff run. The same things were being said about that team and the qb until they turned the corner.

Part of me feels like this team just needs to get over the hump, maybe its tomorrow or maybe its the Saints game. A hard fought w in december could propel this team.