So... uh... who exactly are the leaders now?

[TruBlueCowboy]

Dan Campbell.... former team captain, veteran, good media guy.... Gone!
Dat Nguyen.... former team captain, veteran, directed the defense..... Gone!
La'Roi Glover.... locker room influence, veteran, coach's son..... Gone!
Larry Allen.... 90's dynasty veteran, intimidation teacher.... Gone!
Keyshawn Johnson.... fiery competitive veteran.... Gone!

Who are the leaders of this team now?

Is Bill Parcells the dictator?

I remember reading an article a year ago that said Flozell had replaced Larry as the heart of the offensive line and a team leader. Is Drew Bledsoe a new leader? He always seemed more like Aikman, quiet stoic guy who led by example. Roy Williams, as awesome of an assassin as he is, he has never caught my eye as the leader that Woody was. Terence Newman seems too quiet to be a leader. I never hear much about Ferguson.

Are some of the young guys going to become leaders? Bradie James replacing Dat's place? Jason Witten did a lot of Keyshawn-esque chest pumping last year. Maybe Marco Rivera?

Seems to me you'd want some of these veterans around the locker room when a guy like Terrell Owens comes to town.

 

[THUMPER]

Dan Campbell.... former team captain, veteran, good media guy.... Gone!
Dat Nguyen.... former team captain, veteran, directed the defense..... Gone!
La'Roi Glover.... locker room influence, veteran, coach's son..... Gone!
Larry Allen.... 90's dynasty veteran, intimidation teacher.... Gone!
Keyshawn Johnson.... fiery competitive veteran.... Gone!

Who are the leaders of this team now?

Is Bill Parcells the dictator?

I remember reading an article a year ago that said Flozell had replaced Larry as the heart of the offensive line and a team leader. Is Drew Bledsoe a new leader? He always seemed more like Aikman, quiet stoic guy who led by example. Roy Williams, as awesome of an assassin as he is, he has never caught my eye as the leader that Woody was. Terence Newman seems too quiet to be a leader. I never hear much about Ferguson.

Are some of the young guys going to become leaders? Bradie James replacing Dat's place? Jason Witten did a lot of Keyshawn-esque chest pumping last year. Maybe Marco Rivera?

Seems to me you'd want some of these veterans around the locker room when a guy like Terrell Owens comes to town.

Who are the leaders? Haven't you been paying attention man? Terrell Owens is the only leader we need. He is going to lead us all to the promised land of another SuperBowl.

Come on dude, pay attention. [sarcasm=off]

I totally agree with you, we now have no team leaders and it is going to hurt us big time unless some guys with character step up and that ain't Owens.

In fact, you have to wonder if it wasn't planned all along to get rid of the team leaders who wouold have objected to Owens being on the team. Conspiracy theory? Probably but it still makes you go hmmm.

 

[Doomsday]

Drew Bledsoe, Roy Williams, Rivera for starters.

 

[NovaCowboy]

Who needs leaders on the field when you have Parcells roaming the locker room?

Seriously, it would seem that we're void of leadership atm. Bledsoe doesnt strike me as a leader, either does Roy atleast of the vocal variety. The character makeup of this team has taken a huge hit the last couple of seasons. I guess its time for some of the young and up and comers to step up and take the reigns.

 

[AMERICAS_FAN]

On offense, all that's left is Bledsoe. I'd say witter or Julius Jones but neither strikes me as the out-spoken leader-type. Perhaps TO can step up as a leader as well?

On defense, the only person I can think of is Greg Ellis, and maybe - and I mean maybe - Roy Williams. Who else is there?

**

 

[hmcorp]

Julius Jones its your third year. STEP UP! It is leader time.
Flozell Adams. STEP UP!
JASON WITTEN its time.
ROY WILLIAMS its time.
BRADIE JAMES YOU ALREADY STARTED DIDNT YOU!!! GREAT! leading the defense last year was good. LEADER!
FERGUSON AND ELLIS HOLD THOSE YOUNGINs in LINE!
WELCOME AKIN you have been in the league for four years...its like you DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT TO DO!!!

The ridiculous nature...we are either too old or dont have any leadership.

People will step into leadership roles. They just will. Watch for some guys to step up their vocal nature. relax.

 

[austintodallas]

Offense: Drew Bledsoe, Terrell Owens, Terry Glenn, Jason Witten, Marco Rivera, Flozell Adams, Al Johnson.

Defense: Greg Ellis, Bradie James, Roy Williams, Terrance Newman, Anthony Henry, Aaron Glen.

 

[joseephuss]

I heard that Larry Allen was never considered a true leader. Young guys might follow his example because he was a successful vet, but he wasn't a leader.

 

[texastwister]

Wasnt Burnett and another draft pick from last year captains on their college teams. These 2 along with James,Witten,Jones,Roy and Newman need to step up.

 

[Mavs Man]

Looking at your list, three of the five were free agents brought in no more than three years ago. And of the two career Cowboys, Larry Allen is 34 and Dat Nguyen was forced to retire because of injury. It's way past time we started grooming new team leaders, though it does raise questions if we're supposed to be making a Super Bowl run this year.

 

[Yeagermeister]

I heard that Larry Allen was never considered a true leader. Young guys might follow his example because he was a successful vet, but he wasn't a leader.

Unless you were a kicker complaining about a snap

 

[Pooz]

I think Owen's work ethic will suprise you. Granted no one is going to follow his mouth, but hopefully his dedication to getting ready for a season, rubs off on people. The guy is a physical speciman.

 

[Shake_Tiller]

I'm not going to bash Larry Allen, because he doesn't have to apologize for his contributions to the Cowboys. But it is hard to find leadership in a player who fails to pass the team's conditioning test at the opening of training camp.

In order to develop younger leaders, a team must create opportunities. Especially on offense, I think it would have been difficult for any young guy to step up as a leader of such strong personalities as Keyshawn Johnson, Larry Allen, Terry Glenn, Drew Bledsoe, etcetera. As those players step aside, there will be greater opportunities. Obviously, this has to happen over time, rather than in one fell swoop. I think part of Parcells' plan is to allow younger players to step up and to develop as difference makers as well as leaders in a reasonable progression. Just a feeling, but I could see Parcells envisioning Marion Barber as a leader in the mold of Dan Campbell -- not a full-time player but a solid locker room presence. Given an opportunity, Jason Witten might also assert himself as a "quiet" leader. I also think Patrick Crayton is a young player who might have some leadership qualities.

Again, the only way we will ever know is for there to be opportunities.

Defensively, Roy Williams, James, Wear, Spear and Newman are all obvious candidates, along with Canty. Time will tell whether they develop in that fashion.

I strongly believe that a successful franchise must create opportunities for younger players to succeed, both as on-field talent and as locker room leaders. Unfortunately, such opportunities can only be created by clearing out some of the old guard, and it's painful to see a Larry Allen go. But that is the nature of football. It was painful to see Randy White pushed aside late in his career.

It's interesting to me that Parcells is being strongly criticized for taking an approach that is not at all dissimilar to the one taken by Jimmy Johnson, who early in his tenure surrounded himself with players with whom he was familiar, Miami guys like Randy Shannon, Alonzo Highsmith, etcetera. Sure, they were younger guys, but Johnson had been a college coach, and that was his comfort zone. As talent was added, those "comfort" players stepped aside. Johnson also took some chances on troubled players from other organizations, and there is no doubt that he pretty brutally shunted aside some of the old Landry guys -- the Randy Whites of the world.

Conditions are different with free agency and the salary cap. Johnson could do things that Parcells would find more difficult, because of cap implications. But their approaches are not dissimilar, in my view.

 

[sago1]

You put it in a nutshell. Riveria is obviously the vocal leader on offensive & Bledsoe by being QB & his personality is also a team leader. Witten growing in this role but believe Fabini will be a team leader particularly given his long-time relationship with Parcells.

Defensively it's Greg Ellis but loss of Dat is huge hear. Aaron Glenn has some influence and Bradies James has the personality & as 2nd year starter probably will step up more. Henry might also feel more comfortable in his 2nd year here & think Singleton is also a steadying influence. RWilliams doesn't seem be a vocal team leader but his big heats (although not as many as I would like) seems to big up this team.

Problem is simple: we have 6 offensive players & 4 defensive players who are 30 or over (Adams/Bledsoe/Riveria/Fabini/T.Glenn/TO/Ellis/Ferguson & Singleton/A.Glenn) & of this you'll notice 6 of them were FAs-- not home grown. If you look at our roster, most of the other players have only been on the team 4 years or less & the 1-4 who here longer mostly backup types. Their's your leadership vacuum. Do think Parcells focusing on drafting players (last year in particular) who were captains of their team shows he trying upgrade the leadership on this team.

 

[AbeBeta]

You are kidding yourself if you think LA was a leader. That's why we brought in Rivera -- because he had no leadership on the OL. If Marco is OK physically you will see something from him leadershipwise this year.

Drew Bledsoe is clearly the offensive leader -- go look at the Rams game. He took a beating in a meaningless game when guys like LA has packed it in.

 

[Canadian BoyzFan]

Sometimes it can be hard for younger leaders to take on that role when you have other guys doing this.

I see this as an opportunity, not a bad thing. It's not like this team has been setting the NFL on fire the last few years. A changing of the guard could be a good thing.

You have lots of potential leaders on this team imo.....

Drew (Obviously)
Witten
Roy
James
Ware
Newman

I believe the Cowboys will be watching Roy and Witten closely in determining how aggressive they will be in re-signing them.

Be a leader=you get paid......large
Don't be a leader= you get paid like a supporting cast member.

 

[Zaxor]

They are

be afraid be very afraid

 

[silver]

Roy, James, Ellis on D
Witten, Bledsoe and Adams on O
Davis on ST

 

[Zippy Speedster]

Drew Bledsoe is the undisputed leader of this team. And much like Irvin had his foot on the "adreniline" pedal in the 90's alongside Aikman (yesterday's Bledsoe silent leader-type), so will Owens...coincedentilally, now under Irvin's personal tutalage. We have vets on the line. Good ole' boy in Witten. Someone out to prove something in Jones. Where's the problem?

Year 4 for Roy, he better start stepping up and assumming some sort of leadership role on defense, and I'm sure that's exactly what Bill's starting to think too. After the impact he's shown he has on this league, combined wiht his undeniable popularity, please someone tell me why he's not taking this role as leader?? Still got Greg Ellis on the line. Then Bradie James seems to be making his way towards the leader role slowly but surely.

Keyshawn's pressence and leadership will be missed but I feel atleast for this first year that TO's may be greater then Keyshawn's ever was for us. Glover is the only real sacrafice I see us as making in terms of this topic.

 

[SupermanXx]

Lynn Scott