RECAP: Parcells comments on Ware/Merriman

[TwoCentPlain]

Parcells keeping his mouth shut about who he actually wanted (Ware/Merriman/Spears) leads me to believe he might still want to keep the coaching door slightly open to come back. Or maybe as a GM. If he is officially retired and won't come back to the NFL, then he would probably speak his mind.

No wonder Parcells has very few "true" friends and was hated by most of his players.

I'm glad Wade is here. His press conferences are more informing. He praises players and Wade is a man of his word. Players like Wade.

 

[WoodysGirl]

Agree.
That was what I immediately thought.
There must be something about Al Johnson that stands out with the Cards ponying up all that money to get him in FA.
But...Al Johnson has not lived up to expectations in Arizona either.

Isn't he injured? Thought he went down with a knee thing early on? Prior to then, I'd read, he'd been doing ok.

 

[J-DOG]

Isn't he injured? Thought he went down with a knee thing early on? Prior to then, I'd read, he'd been doing ok.

Yeah he is.
But Johnson was injured a lot with us too.
The guy can not stay on the field for a whole season as a starter it seems.
He had injury flags coming out of college.
Johnson was a very good backup but I think he is marginal as a starter.
We did the right thing in letting him walk.

 

[Rack]

Yeah he is.
But Johnson was injured a lot with us too.
The guy can not stay on the field for a whole season as a starter it seems.
He had injury flags coming out of college.
Johnson was a very good backup but I think he is marginal as a starter.
We did the right thing in letting him walk.

Johnson was injured a lot while with the Cowboys? This is news to me. He missed his first season, but other then that he missed ONE game.


In 32 games as a starter, he missed ONE game.


But don't let the facts skew your agenda.

 

[dbair1967]

Isn't he injured? Thought he went down with a knee thing early on? Prior to then, I'd read, he'd been doing ok.

he's started in 6 games this yr

he's been average at best, which is what he was here

I still cant believe how lucky we got with Witten, who was a 1st rd pick on some "expert" mock draft boards...to me, passing on Witten for Al Johnson at the time was one of the dumbest things Parcells ever did...I remember screaming and yelling quite a bit when we took him instead of Witten...but it worked out in the end, so all is good

David

 

[WoodysGirl]

Yeah he is.
But Johnson was injured a lot with us too.
The guy can not stay on the field for a whole season as a starter it seems.
He had injury flags coming out of college.
Johnson was a very good backup but I think he is marginal as a starter.
We did the right thing in letting him walk.

He blew his knee out with the 'boys. Only injury that I know he's had w/the 'boys. Missed his rookie year. Played one year as the full-time starter, rotate w/Gurode, got beat out by Gurode his 4th eyar, and then left in FA.

Marginal he may be, but I don't recall any injuries other than in his rookie year. As for what he's done in AZ, too bad he's injured. I thought he'd be a good pickup for them. Was really interested to see how he'd do this year.

 

[WoodysGirl]

he's started in 6 games this yr

he's been average at best, which is what he was here

Interesting. I could've sworn he was supposed to miss 3-4 games. Oh well.

I still cant believe how lucky we got with Witten, who was a 1st rd pick on some "expert" mock draft boards...to me, passing on Witten for Al Johnson at the time was one of the dumbest things Parcells ever did...I remember screaming and yelling quite a bit when we took him instead of Witten...but it worked out in the end, so all is good

David

Witten is by far my favorite current player. Eatman wrote a really good article about him yesterday. Something to be said for watching greatness in action.

 

[theogt]

Interesting. I could've sworn he was supposed to miss 3-4 games. Oh well.

He apparently missed Week 2 and 3.

Hard to say whether he's sucked. He hasn't had any holding penalties and hasn't given up a sack.

 

[JPM]

What do you mean, a "radically different" 3-4? They hired Cottrell because he runs Wade's scheme and they wouldn't have to learn a new defense.

I seem to recall rumors that Ted would come to Dallas to run our D after Wade was hired.

 

[Chuck 54]

Whether the call to go with Ware over Merriman was Jerry's or Bill's we may never know, but I always thought the call went to Ware because of exactly what Parcells said above, Merriman is a pure LB and Ware was a DE who would move to LB. When we drafted Ware, we were not a 3-4 team yet...just thinking about it. We went into that season ready to play either depending on which fit our personel better (we weren't sure we could play the 3-4), so taking Ware who could line up at DE and look like Charles Haley was the obvious choice.

 

[AbeBeta]

So Al Johnson was rated in the top-20?

My, that's a frightening thought if true. I wonder what imbecile came up with that draft board.

To be fair, Johnson's career was derailed early on -- he came into TC, looked very good, then had to have microfracture surgery. That's a lot to overcome and his career might have been very different -- in short, we didn't really get the guy we drafted.

Pretty much the only reason we took Johnson instead of Witten is that there were really no other highly rated centers in that draft (although Dan Koppen is making everyone look like fools for letting him last until late in the 5th round). There were several TEs still on the board - Joppru, LJ Smith, Seidman - obviously Witten was the best of that bunch -- but we weren't the only ones with him rated low on the draft board.

 

[Alexander]

Pretty much the only reason we took Johnson instead of Witten is that there were really no other highly rated centers in that draft (although Dan Koppen is making everyone look like fools for letting him last until late in the 5th round). There were several TEs still on the board - Joppru, LJ Smith, Seidman - obviously Witten was the best of that bunch -- but we weren't the only ones with him rated low on the draft board.

Again, if the quote was true, then we had to have Johnson rated as a top twenty talent. That is completely insane.

Either that or we reached for need, which is equally idiotic.

 

[burmafrd]

There were rumors about Merriman and juice; then he got the Postons, who no one likes to deal with; and Ware being a DE meant that he had more flexibility and was quicker. BP was worried about not getting Spears ( who quite a lot of teams were high on) since there were not many 3-4 DE types in the draft. The fact that we got two starters in one draft at a position that is not easy to fill was great. Spears I am sure has not produced like BP thought he would but he has been ok. The rumor that BP wanted to take Spears first I think is just that; it was pretty clear by draft time that Ware was at least a top 15 pick. By the way it was our old friend Lacewell that prepared the draft board BPs first draft. Witten was pretty highly rated but NOT a first rd as I recall= I think he was a late 2nd early third rated prospect.

 

[dallasfan]

Whether the call to go with Ware over Merriman was Jerry's or Bill's we may never know, but I always thought the call went to Ware because of exactly what Parcells said above, Merriman is a pure LB and Ware was a DE who would move to LB. When we drafted Ware, we were not a 3-4 team yet...just thinking about it. We went into that season ready to play either depending on which fit our personel better (we weren't sure we could play the 3-4), so taking Ware who could line up at DE and look like Charles Haley was the obvious choice.

When we drafted Ware, the decision was made. The team didn't want to commit to it at first cause it's possible we wouldn't get either.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Bill Parcells coached a Coke'd up Lawrence Taylor... although he only coke'd up mon-sat and never on gameday

So...

Why wouldnt he want Merriman? Merriman probably on Roids' up during the off season

:laugh1:

 

[burmafrd]

Al Johnson was pretty good and gave us 2 pretty solid years as starter. He was certainly not as good as Gurode has become- but he was decent to good. I would not call him a bust; more like an underperformer. Frankly like Ellis was; he has never really produced anywhere near what his draft status was.

 

[burmafrd]

Taylor was truly ALL World; Merriman at his best was not Taylor. And there were no real rumors about taylor when he was drafted.

 

[Dallas]

I just see far too much Merriman disgust affecting the facts. Yes, he's a cheater and it makes everyone feel better to believe that Ware is so much better and chalk it up to steroids.

I don't. I think Ware is just a better all around OLB than Merriman. He is quicker/faster and plays the spot much better than Merriman. The only thing Merriman has going for him is if you let him only focus on rushing the QB.

Even in those situations this year he has looked bad. I also don't think he is as strong as he used to be. He certainly lost a good amount of weight. Why? I don't want to speculate. Everyone can see it.

He is terrible against the run and can be blocked out of the play pretty easy.

You have the exact opposite w/ Ware. He just keeps getting better and better where Merriman seems to have stepped back this year. Be that because of the roids or the scheme. He has regressed as an OLB. I think that is what most are saying.

Ware > Merriman

 

[Aikbach]

Keyshawn sounds like an ***, he's more than playfully jabbing, he's disrespectful to his former coach.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Taylor was truly ALL World; Merriman at his best was not Taylor. And there were no real rumors about taylor when he was drafted.

Agreed that Taylor was great.


I do wonder though...
Did he have help? Was Coke helpful?