Opening a can of worms

[Tabascocat]

I bet ESPN didn't approach him out of nowhere. Witten probably caught wind of the opening and threw his hat in the ring.

He probably didn't even think it was a reality until it became one then he had some serious thinking to do.

 

[Rockport]

Then find some along with a pacifier, please.

Won’t find any talking to you.

 

[SoupcanSam]

But ESPN should be suspended for 6 weeks

 

[Aviano90]

Won’t find any talking to you.

But if you are nice, I certainly wouldn’t mind sending you a pacifier since other people expressing their opinion seems to bother you so much.

 

[Haimerej]

Yeah, but these aren't rival companies. ESPN is a parasite

FIFY

 

[Ranching]

FIFY

Lol. Thanks. What do you expect from an old football coach.

 

[Maxmadden]

But if you are nice, I certainly wouldn’t mind sending you a pacifier since other people expressing their opinion seems to bother you so much.

You seemed to have regressed to the level of a two year old. Just my opinion

 

[Toruk_Makto]

Just because we found out when we did doesn't necessarily mean Jerry and the staff didn't know prior.

Except it was reported Jerry and crew said they didn't know earlier...

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...son-wittens-retirement-during-nfl-draft-week/

 

[Haimerej]

Lol. Thanks. What do you expect from an old football coach.

Most media is parasitic these days. Not much originality left.

 

[Aviano90]

You seemed to have regressed to the level of a two year old. Just my opinion

It’s OK. We all have opinions and I respect them. And I am going down to that level. So, you’re right .

 

[BrassCowboy]

Just because we found out when we did doesn't necessarily mean Jerry and the staff didn't know prior.

Well what if we actually wanted to grab a TE with that second pick. Philly wouldn't of known to jump us if it weren't for public knowledge. Now Jerry says he was grabbing connor anyways but who knew.

That being said, I am happy for Witten. I would of had done the same thing and don't blame him one bit. Hope the best for him. I just wish that maybe he could of just kept it under wraps just for another day. It is what it is and it don't take away from Witten and what he has meant to this organization.

 

[Wood]

I'm happy for Witten, but does anyone else feel that may be crossing the line by going after a current player? Imagine if they talked someone like Brady or Belichek to retire for a TV job.

honestly, ESPN saved Cowboys because they were never gonna release him. He is the goat and huge locker room guy but reality is on field his YAC was almost non-existent. The thing that jumped out to me during Zeke suspension was utter lack of team speed on Dallas offense. They need to get faster and quicker at both WR & TE. I think they addressed that somewhat at WR and will likely use high draft pick for TE next year.

 

[Ranching]

It’s OK. We all have opinions and I respect them. And I am going down to that level. So, you’re right .

Going down or coming up? Lol....Salud, paisano!

 

[SSoup]

I think this is a silly butt-hurt reaction. The truth is that players and their agents are doing the legwork to set up these kinds of opportunities. ESPN didn't poach him from us while he sat there like a wide-eyed innocent. He's a grown-up who hired an agent to make these exact kinds of opportunities happen for him.

And Witten was in the unique position of being a very visible player for a visible team, with a well-known name and a carefully crafted PR image that kept him away from controversy or unlikeable positions or harsher spotlights, and meticulously put him in bland, inoffensive positions for most of his career.

Together with his representation, he positioned himself as most non-Cowboys fans' favorite Cowboy. So signing him poses a double-dipping benefit of appealing to Dallas fans who love him, and Dallas foes who respect him.

To say nothing of the casual fans who just vaguely know his name and production from their Fantasy teams over the last decade.

And fans who think he's the bees' knees for non-football reasons because he stars in commercials with bland, mainstream, vaguely "wholesome" material that appeals to the people who just like players based on them mirroring the way they choose to see themselves. You could live in a Dallas-hating part of the country like Pennsylvania, and when your big, diverse family gets together for Thanksgiving and has a Dallas game on in the background as they spend the holiday together, your conservative uncle probably likes Witten because of that ad where he works out to country music that sounds like the stuff your uncle listens to. But your woke young sister-in-law likes him because of his commercials for that NFL program to get kids physically active to fight childhood obesity.

Witten's people made sure there's something about him for everyone to like. And they didn't do it for nothing. This is where it was always heading. And it wasn't an accident that it happened, though I'm sure Witten would never tell you that (and perhaps he didn't even bother participating in those conversations -- but I'm sure his people did, because he paid them to have those kinds of conversations).

 

[Bleu Star]

I'm happy for Witten, but does anyone else feel that may be crossing the line by going after a current player? Imagine if they talked someone like Brady or Belichek to retire for a TV job.

Man... That is a great point! It is pretty shady & you better believe if they had gone after Tom Brady like that Belicheat would have started WW3.

 

[CouchCoach]

Why wouldn't they go after him? And we are assuming they did, do we know for sure he didn't send out feelers through his agent to gauge the interest if he were to retire? Gruden resigns and Romo puts a bug in his ear about life after football and how much fun he's having with a telestrator, better than the old electric football game.

There's no rule they can't go after each other's people. The Cowboys went after Parcells and the Raiders, Gruden.

ESPN is spending 2B to carry the games, you think they give a damn about ticking off a team grabbing one of their guys? They know Booger needs them a hell of a lot more than they need him. And now he's got one of his inside ESPN, CBS and FOX. Booger Jones, Creator of Analysts. Shame he couldn't learn from them.

 

[Ranching]

Man... That is a great point! It is pretty shady & you better believe if they had gone after Tom Brady like that Belicheat would have started WW3.

Finally! Someone answered the question!

 

[Ranching]

I think this is a silly butt-hurt reaction. The truth is that players and their agents are doing the legwork to set up these kinds of opportunities. ESPN didn't poach him from us while he sat there like a wide-eyed innocent. He's a grown-up who hired an agent to make these exact kinds of opportunities happen for him.

And Witten was in the unique position of being a very visible player for a visible team, with a well-known name and a carefully crafted PR image that kept him away from controversy or unlikeable positions or harsher spotlights, and meticulously put him in bland, inoffensive positions for most of his career.

Together with his representation, he positioned himself as most non-Cowboys fans' favorite Cowboy. So signing him poses a double-dipping benefit of appealing to Dallas fans who love him, and Dallas foes who respect him.

To say nothing of the casual fans who just vaguely know his name and production from their Fantasy teams over the last decade.

And fans who think he's the bees' knees for non-football reasons because he stars in commercials with bland, mainstream, vaguely "wholesome" material that appeals to the people who just like players based on them mirroring the way they choose to see themselves. You could live in a Dallas-hating part of the country like Pennsylvania, and when your big, diverse family gets together for Thanksgiving and has a Dallas game on in the background as they spend the holiday together, your conservative uncle probably likes Witten because of that ad where he works out to country music that sounds like the stuff your uncle listens to. But your woke young sister-in-law likes him because of his commercials for that NFL program to get kids physically active to fight childhood obesity.

Witten's people made sure there's something about him for everyone to like. And they didn't do it for nothing. This is where it was always heading. And it wasn't an accident that it happened, though I'm sure Witten would never tell you that (and perhaps he didn't even bother participating in those conversations -- but I'm sure his people did, because he paid them to have those kinds of conversations).

I don't know what it means for your butt to hurt . Apparently you do, so I guess I respect your looooong answer

 

[CouchCoach]

Man... That is a great point! It is pretty shady & you better believe if they had gone after Tom Brady like that Belicheat would have started WW3.

How so, is Brady not allowed to live his life? How do you know they didn't run it by him? These players are under contract to the team to prevent them from going to another team and Brady had not come forth to say he was even going to play this season until this week.

 

[tyke1doe]

Yeah, but these aren't rival companies. ESPN is a parasite of the NFL

ESPN is not a rival to the NFL.