The Big Picture

[Hostile]

Steve Dennis got confrontational with Jason Garrett in a Press Conference earlier this year. He asked if Jason really can't see "the big picture" and was he really that myopic.

Since then, he and several other DFW media members have been focusing a lot of their questions trying to get the Cowboys coaches and players to discuss this big picture. Namely, winning the NFC East and making it into the Post Season. They also are dying to discuss what happened the last time we faced the Eagles and wanting to know if the coaches and players fear the Eagles like Jerry. Oooh, Jerry said fear. Spooky. They are dying to know if the coaches and players are going to be watching the Giants - Jets score.

I find this line of questioning by SD and the rest of our media to be ironic. You want to talk about "The Big Picture?" Okay, here is the big picture. You (meaning the DFW media) spend countless hours and articles discussing an unfocused football team, but when you encounter one that is focused it drives you crazy.

How did the Philadelphia Eagles proclaiming themselves a Dream Team work out? I literally watched fan after fan after fan on this forum freaking out over all the Free Agents they were landing. I read posts and articles wondering if Jerry is broke. The Big Picture was you have to sign guys to get to the promised land. Again, how has that worked out?

The Eagles are a good football team, but the last time I checked they trail this unfocused group from Dallas by 2 games in the standings. How did their focus on "The Big Picture" pay off?

People like to call it coach speak when players and coaches want to focus on just the next game, and it pretty much is, but do you know why it is so prevalent? Simple answer, because it is proven to work.

The Philadelphia Eagles are this week's opponent. That is relevant on several levels. The 34-7 loss 8 weeks ago, no longer is. Talk of revenge, is empty. You want the big picture? Dallas needs to handle their business on Saturday and that means beating the Philadelphia Eagles.

They cannot do that by worrying if the Giants are going to eliminate the Eagles for them. Why would we rely on that when we can handle our own business? That is focus. That is the Big Picture. That is direction. My apologies to the up in arms few who cannot grasp that concept.

All year long this team has had a 24 hour rule. When 24 hours is over, get to work on the next opponent. All year long this team has said they don't have backup players, just new starters. This guy gets hurt, send in the next guy. No excuses. No diversions. No mourning. No pontificating. Just do your job and focus on the next opponent.

Do you realize how rare this is, especially in a relatively young team in a lot of areas? It is extremely rare. A veteran team led by the winningest coach in their History couldn't grasp this. They looked at the big picture, saw a plethora of big name free agent moves, and anointed themselves Magic, Larry, and Michael.

One problem, someone forgot to explain to the rest of the NFL that they were invincible. Apparently some of our fans didn't get that memo either. I look around the forum this week and I see white flags waving in so many directions I bought a French - English dictionary. The idea that we cannot beat this team is pure nonsense driven bull cookies. <Tribute to Colonel Potter, R.I.P.

Eight other football teams did not get that memo about the pedestal and the kings of the mountain and sent the Eagles fans into heart attack driven frenzies that leave their mothers asking if they want some grits. If you don't have a clue what that was about I am sorry. I'd share the video but the language isn't suitable for this forum.

You want the big picture? Here it is. Dallas doesn't need to worry about the Giants until next week. They played the Jets in week 1 and can't look back. Right now the only team in the NFL that means a pile of biscuits to the Dallas Cowboys are the Philadelphia Eagles. Not the version of 8 weeks ago either. The one we will face on Saturday.

Now, we might lose the game. Make no mistake about that. The Eagles are a good football team run by a top notch football coach. If we were looking ahead to week 17, and worrying about the Jets and Giants in the early game you could bet your brass monkeys we would lose the game.

So while Steve Dennis and his cabal of know nothing media and their sheep are focused on 8 weeks ago and 2 weeks down the road the Dallas Cowboys are not. The true myopia exists in unfounded myths of invincibility, dream teams, and of not focusing on the task at hand.

Would I like the Jets to beat the Giants and us to beat the Eagles giving us our 18th NFC East Crown and eliminating both of our rivals? You bet your silk drawers I would like that. I would like nothing better. But the honest to Pete truth of the matter is I want the win over the Eagles ten times more than the Jets over the Giants, and twenty times more than a Giants win eliminating the Eagles so that they might be despondent when they face us.

Playing and preparing for the next opponent is a winning habit. It is coach speak to be sure, but it is because it has a proven record of working as I said before. We can talk about revenge on the Giants after we take care of the Eagles, and we are going to take care of the Eagles.

Do you know why I can say that? Because our team, this unfocused, untalented, undisciplined, unmotivated platoon of mediocrity does see the big picture while others are grasping around for a needle in a haystack. The big picture is and always has been, handle your business and let other people worry about theirs.

Sorry Steve Dennis but the myopia belongs to you and anyone who subscribes to the theory that anything other than the next game actually matters. When Dallas took the NFC East lead for the first time 3 weeks ago did it matter? No. Because after a loss and Giants win we gave it right back. Does our division lead right now matter? No, because we could lose it.

Know how to lose it? Look ahead too far, or pay attention to what others are doing and forget to do your own job. Kudos to the Cowboys coaches and players for getting that. Zero props to the DFW media for not recognizing the process. A lot of posters here are looking at a dinner of crow about the dream team.

No matter, as soon as the Eagles choked on their potential Green Bay got anointed as the defacto champions. Someone forgot to tell the Chiefs that. While Green Bay was discussing whether they could go 16-0 or not and whether they might rest Aaron Rodgers and other star players with nothing on the line to play for, they lost focus on an opponent who showed up focused.

You want the big picture? Here it is. Even if we win this week and the Giants lose and we vault into the playoffs it is not yet mission accomplished. There will be a game left to play in New York and then guess what? We'll need to focus on our opponent in the Wildcard round.

Oh make no mistake about it, fans and media will say we have no shot against Green Bay even before we face them. They never learn. Will we beat the Packers if we face them at Lambeau?

That isn't the big picture. Leave that talk to the dream team fans in Philly.

 

[ndanger]

Nice..........

 

[xpistofer]

very well written...

 

[Hostile]

very well written...

Thank you. Best compliments I ever get are those.

 

[elcowboi]

Steve Dennis got confrontational with Jason Garrett in a Press Conference earlier this year. He asked if Jason really can't see "the big picture" and was he really that myopic.

Since then, he and several other DFW media members have been focusing a lot of their questions trying to get the Cowboys coaches and players to discuss this big picture. Namely, winning the NFC East and making it into the Post Season. They also are dying to discuss what happened the last time we faced the Eagles and wanting to know if the coaches and players fear the Eagles like Jerry. Oooh, Jerry said fear. Spooky. They are dying to know if the coaches and players are going to be watching the Giants - Jets score.

I find this line of questioning by SD and the rest of our media to be ironic. You want to talk about "The Big Picture?" Okay, here is the big picture. You (meaning the DFW media) spend countless hours and articles discussing an unfocused football team, but when you encounter one that is focused it drives you crazy.

How did the Philadelphia Eagles proclaiming themselves a Dream Team work out? I literally watched fan after fan after fan on this forum freaking out over all the Free Agents they were landing. I read posts and articles wondering if Jerry is broke. The Big Picture was you have to sign guys to get to the promised land. Again, how has that worked out?

The Eagles are a good football team, but the last time I checked they trail this unfocused group from Dallas by 2 games in the standings. How did their focus on "The Big Picture" pay off?

People like to call it coach speak when players and coaches want to focus on just the next game, and it pretty much is, but do you know why it is so prevalent? Simple answer, because it is proven to work.

The Philadelphia Eagles are this week's opponent. That is relevant on several levels. The 34-7 loss 8 weeks ago, no longer is. Talk of revenge, is empty. You want the big picture? Dallas needs to handle their business on Saturday and that means beating the Philadelphia Eagles.

They cannot do that by worrying if the Giants are going to eliminate the Eagles for them. Why would we rely on that when we can handle our own business? That is focus. That is the Big Picture. That is direction. My apologies to the up in arms few who cannot grasp that concept.

All year long this team has had a 24 hour rule. When 24 hours is over, get to work on the next opponent. All year long this team has said they don't have backup players, just new starters. This guy gets hurt, send in the next guy. No excuses. No diversions. No mourning. No pontificating. Just do your job and focus on the next opponent.

Do you realize how rare this is, especially in a relatively young team in a lot of areas? It is extremely rare. A veteran team led by the winningest coach in their History couldn't grasp this. They looked at the big picture, saw a plethora of big name free agent moves, and anointed themselves Magic, Larry, and Michael.

One problem, someone forgot to explain to the rest of the NFL that they were invincible. Apparently some of our fans didn't get that memo either. I look around the forum this week and I see white flags waving in so many directions I bought a French - English dictionary. The idea that we cannot beat this team is pure nonsense driven bull cookies. <Tribute to Colonel Potter, R.I.P.

Eight other football teams did not get that memo about the pedestal and the kings of the mountain and sent the Eagles fans into heart attack driven frenzies that leave their mothers asking if they want some grits. If you don't have a clue what that was about I am sorry. I'd share the video but the language isn't suitable for this forum.

You want the big picture? Here it is. Dallas doesn't need to worry about the Giants until next week. They played the Jets in week 1 and can't look back. Right now the only team in the NFL that means a pile of biscuits to the Dallas Cowboys are the Philadelphia Eagles. Not the version of 8 weeks ago either. The one we will face on Saturday.

Now, we might lose the game. Make no mistake about that. The Eagles are a good football team run by a top notch football coach. If we were looking ahead to week 17, and worrying about the Jets and Giants in the early game you could bet your brass monkeys we would lose the game.

So while Steve Dennis and his cabal of know nothing media and their sheep are focused on 8 weeks ago and 2 weeks down the road the Dallas Cowboys are not. The true myopia exists in unfounded myths of invincibility, dream teams, and of not focusing on the task at hand.

Would I like the Jets to beat the Giants and us to beat the Eagles giving us our 18th NFC East Crown and eliminating both of our rivals? You bet your silk drawers I would like that. I would like nothing better. But the honest to Pete truth of the matter is I want the win over the Eagles ten times more than the Jets over the Giants, and twenty times more than a Giants win eliminating the Eagles so that they might be despondent when they face us.

Playing and preparing for the next opponent is a winning habit. It is coach speak to be sure, but it is because it has a proven record of working as I said before. We can talk about revenge on the Giants after we take care of the Eagles, and we are going to take care of the Eagles.

Do you know why I can say that? Because our team, this unfocused, untalented, undisciplined, unmotivated platoon of mediocrity does see the big picture while others are grasping around for a needle in a haystack. The big picture is and always has been, handle your business and let other people worry about theirs.

Sorry Steve Dennis but the myopia belongs to you and anyone who subscribes to the theory that anything other than the next game actually matters. When Dallas took the NFC East lead for the first time 3 weeks ago did it matter? No. Because after a loss and Giants win we gave it right back. Does our division lead right now matter? No, because we could lose it.

Know how to lose it? Look ahead too far, or pay attention to what others are doing and forget to do your own job. Kudos to the Cowboys coaches and players for getting that. Zero props to the DFW media for not recognizing the process. A lot of posters here are looking at a dinner of crow about the dream team.

No matter, as soon as the Eagles choked on their potential Green Bay got anointed as the defacto champions. Someone forgot to tell the Chiefs that. While Green Bay was discussing whether they could go 16-0 or not and whether they might rest Aaron Rodgers and other star players with nothing on the line to play for, they lost focus on an opponent who showed up focused.

You want the big picture? Here it is. Even if we win this week and the Giants lose and we vault into the playoffs it is not yet mission accomplished. There will be a game left to play in New York and then guess what? We'll need to focus on our opponent in the Wildcard round.

Oh make no mistake about it, fans and media will say we have no shot against Green Bay even before we face them. They never learn. Will we beat the Packers if we face them at Lambeau?

That isn't the big picture. Leave that talk to the dream team fans in Philly.

I vote you get a one week ban for making sense!!!!!!! Lol.... Your right, the Cowboys are taking one day at a time. That includes practices leading up to the games. Garrett has done a lot with the players he has.

 

[Coakleys Dad]

awesmoe post hos. well thought out.

 

[Bigdog]

Nicely written but next time can you give us the Readers Digest version:laugh2:

 

[The30YardSlant]

Very well written and thought out but journalism in the internet/mass media age is by its very nature a sensationalistic industry. The more controversy and wild exaggerations in your reports the better off you'll be. Jason Garrett the myopic narcissist gets more hits than Jason Garrett the cool, collected leader does.

Now, that doesn't necessarily make it ok but we have to acknowledge it as simply the nature of the beast. It can be found in every big market in the world and it isnt going to change.

 

[casmith07]

:eagles:

 

[texbumthelife]

 

[BlueStar3398]

Excellent points and so well written!!

I admit that I was one of the flag wavers. I tend to react on emotion instead of logic. Even though I know it's just football, I was crushed after that last Eagles/Cowboys game. And to make matters worse, my ex, who lives in Jersey near Philly, has decided he's an Eagles fan and thought it would be great fun to call and rib me about the loss. He's not from there and was never an Eagles fan back when I knew him. His teasing really ticked me off! :laugh2:

Steve Dennis tries to get the "story" that will grab the headlines. This week the story has been that Jerry is scared of the Eagles. That one blew up like crazy.

I had forgotten that Sean Lee got hurt in the 1st Q last time. Having him back and healthy will help. Also, I think Tyron will be more ready to handle Babin.

If the 'Boys win Saturday, it sure will help to make the season a little more bright! GO COWBOYS!!!! :starspin

 

[CCBoy]

I have always been a person driven on reasons behind issues, not the function that later gives life to and attempts to force acceptance on the actual choosing of cause for action.

As I grew up, there were actual commitments to genuine causes and a life enriching element to personal sacrifices and cost for winning respect and special human dignity. When today's media, gets a carte blanche freedom to attack the right to inquire as to motive, sacrifice, and team direction for focus and unity, it loses it's own shield of respect and value.

When the media showed up in Granada, with actual lights and filming crew for a combat landing with real dangers to us as Soldiers, the media's imposition into priviledged responsibility was lost to me. I saw how their flagrant intrustions into privacy and personal protections was lost on that group.

We are not talking about journalistic excellence, that gives birth to dangers shared when revealing social injustices here. These efforts no where approach the need elements that give birth to great deeds, such as uncovering law enforcement abuse and scandals throughout the country. The Pulitzer Prize designates quality in literature. Here is a view of that distinguished part of reporting:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulitzer_Prize_for_History

This is the side that gives cause to protection of reporting.

Hos, you did a fine job of describing the sports media, that deals in it's own roots of creating frictions and attempting to shape the arena of sports, itself.

When I was a youth, the effort in the arena, was aimed at capturing the element decision process. As well as the sacrifice that actually went into the play. The effort was at maticulously capturing the spirit of those being followed onto the field itself. It brought a comparison to the actual sweat and blood given in the process. It captured pictures of great dispair as well as over coming and attacking the challenge of the intensity involved.

It is discouraging that instead of reporting the human side to those involved in sport today, that instead an agenda to create emotional dynamics and structure changes on the field are seen as an arm of journalism in sport. Even many fans are accepting this mantra for the very drama they crave, rather than the sport itself. Where two opponents meet, and challenge the team aspects of both groups. It's not enough that the very element in sport gives dignity to that challenge.

The opportunity at any given event, is that through one's own efforts, and dedications along team lines, success is attainable. Today's media, especially in the reporting direction, now attempt to shape and force compliance response to them instead. That is incredably disappointing to this fan.

The media today, are given tremendous opportunities for access as well as privileges the general public has no such opportunity. The cutting part arrives, when they additionally feel that becomes privilege, and not just a benefit extended to develop a general knowledge of interest to fans. Sensationalism, is another storyline. That speaks of the worst and most base elements of human character, when combined with journalistic protections.

I agree with you here also, Hos. That this type of insultive and action directing responses by the media itself, especially in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex, is a far stone's toss from a Pulitzer Prize deserving effort.

Myself, I feel cheapend by those those types of endeavors into our sport.

I still feel that reporting should first, respect the base element that all opponents start off by putting their pants on one leg at a time. To go beyond reporting what is going on, and into the actual management of who they should be reporting about, crosses a line of responsibility, they really don't have access to. That being the deciding of the value behind what they are observing. Their job is the gathering of information, facts, and perspective...but their job requires the deciding upon those elements, be left to the reading to decide upon. Not in taking a predetermined agenda into the process and feeding the reader a steady diet of Editorials instead. Reporting as thus become fictionalized, and apart from sport.

Plain and simple.

Instead, give this fan the sound of pads popping; anxiously anticipating a snap count, and the explosion down a line of scrimmage with ten bodies hurtling to collision points along a territorial line....and this fan can look forward to a game, such as with the Philadellphia Eagles. Put out another in a series of Dream Team escapes by a poorly driven Dallas Disenfranchisement, and you already have lost, at least THIS FAN.

Plain and simply, give me back the game, and let ME see who wins it!

 

[cannonball44]

can someone please summarize in four sentences or less??

 

[CCBoy]

can someone please summarize in four sentences or less??

Why read, if you don't want to hear? In a structured posting, that serves as a starter thread, or in a comment upon infromation, it all follows a standard for present: Introduction, body, and conclusion. If one is lazy, read the intro, and skip to the conclusion. Those should always be concise. But if one is interested in the topic, and participation, then you should consume the body as well.

 

[StevenOtero]

Impeccable writing.

Saturday can't come soon enough!

 

[Hostile]

When the media showed up in Granada, with actual lights and filming crew for a combat landing with real dangers to us as Soldiers, the media's imposition into priviledged responsibility was lost to me. I saw how their flagrant intrustions into privacy and personal protections was lost on that group.

We are not talking about journalistic excellence, that gives birth to dangers shared when revealing social injustices here. These efforts no where approach the need elements that give birth to great deeds, such as uncovering law enforcement abuse and scandals throughout the country. The Pulitzer Prize designates quality in literature. Here is a view of that distinguished part of reporting:

Hos, you did a fine job of describing the sports media, that deals in it's own roots of creating frictions and attempting to shape the arena of sports, itself.

When I was a youth, the effort in the arena, was aimed at capturing the element decision process. As well as the sacrifice that actually went into the play. The effort was at maticulously capturing the spirit of those being followed onto the field itself. It brought a comparison to the actual sweat and blood given in the process. It captured pictures of great dispair as well as over coming and attacking the challenge of the intensity involved.

It is discouraging that instead of reporting the human side to those involved in sport today, that instead an agenda to create emotional dynamics and structure changes on the field are seen as an arm of journalism in sport. Even many fans are accepting this mantra for the very drama they crave, rather than the sport itself. Where two opponents meet, and challenge the team aspects of both groups. It's not enough that the very element in sport gives dignity to that challenge.

The opportunity at any given event, is that through one's own efforts, and dedications along team lines, success is attainable. Today's media, especially in the reporting direction, now attempt to shape and force compliance response to them instead. That is incredably disappointing to this fan.

The media today, are given tremendous opportunities for access as well as privileges the general public has no such opportunity. The cutting part arrives, when they additionally feel that becomes privilege, and not just a benefit extended to develop a general knowledge of interest to fans. Sensationalism, is another storyline. That speaks of the worst and most base elements of human character, when combined with journalistic protections.

I agree with you here also, Hos. That this type of insultive and action directing responses by the media itself, especially in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex, is a far stone's toss from a Pulitzer Prize deserving effort.

This was a really outstanding post. I am commenting mostly on these parts. First of all no fair throwing in real life experiences of media intrusion into this. Okay, all kidding aside, yours is a good example and description of modern media.

I don't think we have to accept modern media and I really don't think we should condone it. I always think of that Don Henley song "Dirty Laundry" when discussing the media. To me that really fits.

I realize the media just want a story. Any story. More is the pity if we accept it. You guys in Granada couldn't turn around and simply kill the media circus. But you can't tell me that a lot of you didn't want to. I know I would, especially if their actions were putting my life in danger.

Now, there is not that aspect of it in sports journalism. My complaint is that they do not even try to understand the goals of the team and how they function. I guess that comes from not being athletes themselves. I understand perfectly why the team is focused on this game, and not anything else. But I've actually been on a team trying to come together and win something.

These guys just want to tear it apart before it even has a chance to become the entity they want to write about. They don't understand the process and unfortunately they have sheep.

 

[Hostile]

Nicely written but next time can you give us the Readers Digest version:laugh2:

can someone please summarize in four sentences or less??

I guess you could look for me on Twitter.

 

[CCBoy]

This was a really outstanding post. I am commenting mostly on these part. First of all no fair throwing in real life experiences of media intrusion into this. Okay, all kidding aside, yours is a good example and description of modern media.

I don't think we have to accept modern media and I really don't think we should condone it. I always think of that Don Henley song "Dirty Laundry" when discussing the media. To me that really fits.

I realize the media just want a story. Any story. More is the pity if we accept it. You guys in Granada couldn't turn around and simply kill the media circus. But you can't tell me that a lot of you didn't want to. I know I would, especially if their actions were putting my life in danger.

Now, there is not that aspect of it in sports journalism. My complaint is that they do not even try to understand the goals of the team and how they function. I guess that comes from not being athletes themselves. I understand perfectly why the team is focused on this game, and not anything else. But I've actually been on a team trying to come together and win something.

These guys just want to tear it apart before it even has a chance to become the entity they want to write about. They don't understand the process and unfortunately they have sheep.

Good stuff, as always Hos. And Merry Christmas and Happy New Years to you and yours...:starspin

 

[CoCo]

As a fan I enjoy looking at the relevancy of the 1st meeting between ourselves and Philly, or vs NYG two weeks ago. I like looking down the road of a season as to what's coming up and what might happen. I get that the team needs to keep all that in balance and I like that Garrett seemingly does a good job of that.

I also think it's quite natural for fans and even teams to get excited about the addition of new talent to their team whether via draft or free agency. So the reaction to Philly's offseason is quite understandable. The same would've been true had it been our team. Teamwork, chemistry, cohesiveness, yes they are critically important. A team can be more or less than the sum of their parts. We see it over and over. It's part of what makes team sports so awesome.

It all just needs to be kept in balance. Stay off the extremes.

 

[Longboysfan]

Thank you Hostile and CCBoy for the great words written.