Our mistake - firing Wade Phillips

[MichaelWinicki]

Our biggest mistake was not firing Wade Phillips, but hiring him in the first place. Wade was hired for two reasons, IMO. First, he's a good defensive coach and, second, he was the polar opposite of Bill Parcells' style. Beyond the personnel failures, hiring Wade Phillips had probably the biggest impact that started the organization's demise from it's very foundation. Just my opinion.....

This.

 

[jobberone]

I agree- sans the Williams pick (Brandon? Jason? Both?).
I'm guessing that being a nice guy is not going to cut it in an NFL locker room.
I think Dodger is very likely right when he said that the players looked upon him as only half a coach with Garrett either actively or passively undermining him.
Don't get that last line wrong: I'm not accusing Garrett of trying to torpedo Wade and the team- I'm saying that may have been how it looked to players at the time.

I have no immediate access to the locker room anymore but I can say the rumors are not suggestive of him being undermined by Garrett. I have heard players went over his head on occasion to you know who but my confidence level in these 'rumors' is not high. It is a consistent story though. Garrett hasn't had the players lie down on him but because he doesn't really really suck doesn't mean he's a good HC.

 

[Corso]

I have no immediate access to the locker room anymore but I can say the rumors are not suggestive of him being undermined by Garrett. I have heard players went over his head on occasion to you know who but my confidence level in these 'rumors' is not high. It is a consistent story though. Garrett hasn't had the players lie down on him but because he doesn't really really suck doesn't mean he's a good HC.

It does sound like sensationalism, true. I don't claim to know anything more than you.
I honestly have been wondering just why did that team flat out quit on him and Dodger came up with as good a reason as I have heard.
Well- to be honest, he's the only one who directly tackled my question head on. Nobody else has offered an alternative yet.

 

[Corso]

I have no immediate access to the locker room anymore but I can say the rumors are not suggestive of him being undermined by Garrett. I have heard players went over his head on occasion to you know who but my confidence level in these 'rumors' is not high. It is a consistent story though. Garrett hasn't had the players lie down on him but because he doesn't really really suck doesn't mean he's a good HC.

And I laughed pretty hard at Zordon's quote you carry in your sig.
I remember that thread fondly...

 

[links18]

It does sound like sensationalism, true. I don't claim to know anything more than you.
I honestly have been wondering just why did that team flat out quit on him and Dodger came up with as good a reason as I have heard.
Well- to be honest, he's the only one who directly tackled my question head on. Nobody else has offered an alternative yet.

Romo went down, losing is contagious and the media had already started a campaign about "camp cupcake." Nobody was afraid of losing their job. Mike Jenkins had already made several business decisions in his career to that point with no repercussions, Barber and Roy continued to "start," etc.

 

[Corso]

Romo went down, losing is contagious and the media had already started a campaign about "camp cupcake." Nobody was afraid of losing their job. Mike Jenkins had already made several business decisions in his career to that point with no repercussions, Barber and Roy continued to "start," etc.

Yes... I had forgotten about some of that. Very good points.
You guys are opening up memories I think I hid from myself on purpose.
I guess I should be careful what I ask for...

 

[jobberone]

And I laughed pretty hard at Zordon's quote you carry in your sig.
I remember that thread fondly...

Muhaha! But credit @Zordon for taking it extremely well.

 

[jobberone]

It does sound like sensationalism, true. I don't claim to know anything more than you.
I honestly have been wondering just why did that team flat out quit on him and Dodger came up with as good a reason as I have heard.
Well- to be honest, he's the only one who directly tackled my question head on. Nobody else has offered an alternative yet.

I'm not certain there is any answer that anyone is aware of. Why did Houston go on a long losing streak? Who is knowing these things??!

 

[Hoofbite]

Should have never hired him or Garrett.

 

[KJJ]

This makes it sound like Parcells wasn't the one who benched Bledsoe.

It may have sounded that way but Parcells was the one who benched Bledsoe but I'm sure Jerry was pushing to see Romo. He pushed to see Drew Henson on Thanksgiving in 04 and Parcells went along. I think Jerry talked Parcells into starting Henson that day but once Parcells saw Henson wasn't seeing things fast enough he benched him at halftime. Parcells probably told Jerry he would go ahead and start Henson but if he wasn't performing he would yank him.

 

[Corso]

Muhaha! But credit @Zordon for taking it extremely well.

It goes without saying The Mighty Zord is one of my favorite reads on this board.

 

[Corso]

Should have never hired him or Garrett.

At this point in time- who can argue?
I had cautious hope that Wade could do some things with his defensive schemes that would push that talented team over the top.
Nope.
I had more hope that the seemingly fastidious Garrett would correct Wade's shortcomings.
Uh... All Signs Point To No.

Like I said in another thread- all we can hope for next season is that Garrett takes a LOOOOOOOOONG, LOOOOOOOOOOONG look in the mirror and makes some personal changes to his approach and philosophy to several of his shortcomings.

He seems smart. Emphasis on seems. He appears like he tries to learn how to better himself every off-season (going to other top coaches to pick their brains every year).
He's obviously going nowhere for another year so either we hope for spectacular failure, forcing Jerry's hand, or we hope for some REAL improvement in all aspects of his job.
Especially on gameday. He also needs to take some psych courses so he can better manipulate his boss without Jerry realizing it.

It's times like this I wish Jedi Mind Tricks were real...

You do not need to select that TE...
Maybe I don't need to select that TE... I select that CB!
Sigh...

 

[BigStar]

I was all for it, and I was wrong. In hindsight he was a great coach for us, Garrett was the problem and is the problem now.

I agree (not necessarily that Wade was great coach but that he was ultimately sabotaged that last season). JG sure seemed to improve the O just fine when he took over the last half of the season. JG is such a weasel. Hard to improve when one side of the team is being handicapped.

 

[RonSpringsdaman20]

hahaha.
wade phillips….

 

[JBell]

Another quality thread by the worst poster on CZ.

 

[percyhoward]

It may have sounded that way but Parcells was the one who benched Bledsoe but I'm sure Jerry was pushing to see Romo. He pushed to see Drew Henson on Thanksgiving in 04 and Parcells went along. I think Jerry talked Parcells into starting Henson that day but once Parcells saw Henson wasn't seeing things fast enough he benched him at halftime. Parcells probably told Jerry he would go ahead and start Henson but if he wasn't performing he would yank him.

In early 2006, when Bledsoe was still the starter, a guy from one of the newspapers in the northeast followed Parcells the week before a game, and during a film review Parcells pointed out to the other coaches that Romo would have escaped the pocket and made plays that Bledsoe couldn't make.

Henson was all Jerry, obviously.

 

[links18]

Another quality thread by the worst poster on CZ.

OUCH, that's gonna leave a mark.

 

[visionary]

Our biggest mistake was not firing Wade Phillips, but hiring him in the first place. Wade was hired for two reasons, IMO. First, he's a good defensive coach and, second, he was the polar opposite of Bill Parcells' style. Beyond the personnel failures, hiring Wade Phillips had probably the biggest impact that started the organization's demise from it's very foundation. Just my opinion.....

This
Only Jerry was stupid enough to hire him as HC

 

[TheCoolFan]

Wade was bad but at least keeping him for that 2010 season wouldn't have given Garrett a chance to be interim. We would have hit rock bottom like the Texans this season and could have started over with a Top-3 draft pick. Garrett never gets hired as HC

 

[KJJ]

In early 2006, when Bledsoe was still the starter, a guy from one of the newspapers in the northeast followed Parcells the week before a game, and during a film review Parcells pointed out to the other coaches that Romo would have escaped the pocket and made plays that Bledsoe couldn't make.

Henson was all Jerry, obviously.

Both Jerry and Parcells wanted to see Romo play due to his escapability/playmaking ability. By all media accounts Romo outplayed Bledsoe during training camp in 06 but Parcells being old school wanted to start the season with an experienced QB. It was clear prior to that season that Parcells was preparing for a changing of the guard at QB by allowing Romo to play the entire game vs Seattle in the Cowboys first preseason game.

Romo looked terrific completing 76% of his passes with a passer rating (I know you'll love this) of 117.9. In the preseason finale Romo put up 349 yards on Minn completing 66% of his passes. Parcells was getting fed up with Bledsoe and when the opportunity came vs the Giants in week 7 he yanked him which marked the beginning of the Romo era and the end of Bledsoe's career.