Hostile
The Duke
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I know this is a bad idea, but I am going to post it anyway.
An archaeology professor that I respect once said this, and I agree. "A man 3 feet from hell walking away from it is better off than a mile away coming at it."
I think it is crucial to be pointed in the right direction. It is my belief that Jimmy Johnson epitomized this while in Dallas. Barry Switzer and the 2 Coaches who followed him out the door demonstrate the opposite effect which is just as valid in learning from.
I believe this team started on the right path on January 2, 2003 with the hiring of Bill Parcells. He did not have the success I hoped for but it is undeniable that he showed the importance of building towards something.
When Parcells left my guy for Head Coach was Jason Garrett. I'd have loved Ron Rivera and several other guys just fine here, but I have wanted Jason Garrett to be our Head Coach since the 1990's. Ernie Zampese once said that Jason Garrett was Troy Aikman's personal QB coach.
Michael Irvin said the QB who stayed after practice was over to throw him footballs was Jason Garrett.
I believe in work ethic. I believe going back to practice in pads on Wednesdays is going to matter. I believe all of the things he has done that are attention to detail are going to matter.
Do you remember the movie "Hoosiers?" Gene Hackman plays embattled basketball coach Norman Dale. The townspeople do not understand his methods. Even some of his boys don't at first. But when Shooter and Jimmy, the two people in the town who really get basketball, both show their support of Coach Dale the team takes off on a winning streak that leads them to a title against a much bigger, more talented opponent.
What was it Coach Dale did? He went back to basics, and he demanded accountability.
Jason Garrett has taken this team back to basics, and every player talks about accountability. Every coach expects it.
Let's talk about professionalism for a minute. The players travel in suits. A small thing? No, I don't think it is. It is obvious that the message is care about your image. The players are responding well to this. Only one time that we know of has a player not followed this policy and he was disciplined behind closed doors and no word of it leaked out. There is professionalism on all levels being displayed.
How about we discuss focus? 24 hours. That is all the time the players and coaches have to get over the last game. Once those 24 hours are over, they only talk about the coming opponent. I noticed my favorite DFW journalist is asking players if unlike their coach they are looking ahead at which games are winnable. As he sees it this is the "big picture." To their credit, the players are remaining focused on the upcoming game. Questions about previous games are going to be non answers and questions about future opponents are going to draw responses about the Bills.
This is how it should be. You cannot beat the Bills by thinking about the Eagles. All teams have similar rules like this, and I am sure this team has had them in the past, but now they are actually acting like they believe in the rule.
Let's talk about no excuses. You don't blame losses on injuries. You don't even focus on injuries. You embrace your opportunity to make your mark in the NFL and step up to the plate. I love it. No matter which player gets hurt, there will be no excuses. They are professional football players in the NFL and they are expected to be able to do their jobs.
I love that. That is what makes it so amazing to see the Cowboys basically clean house and especially along the Offensive Line and not suffer horribly for it. Few people remember that when Jimmy arrived he cleaned house. Let's just talk about a few players who were shown the door in 1989. Randy White, Danny White, Steve Pelleur, Doug Cosbie, and as we all know, via trade, Herschel Walker.
The names this time are not as legendary, but the message was just as clear. It signaled a youth movement and a changing of the guard.
Answers given to the media are very calculated. Ask what an injured player's status is and you will be told day to day. Ask how a young player is progressing and you will be told they are learning part of the process. The upcoming opponent will be praised as a good football team, even if they aren't by record, and that is so that no game feels like an entitlement.
I have said it before, and I am going to say it now, I do not see this team as a Super Bowl contender right now. There was too much talent let go to start this youth movement. By the time the playoffs roll around I do think they could be if things happen right. This team is good enough to play with and even defeat any team in the NFL.
This team is also vulnerable enough to get their butts handed to them unceremoniously. I do believe we could have been further along with OTAs and mini camps, but notice how the team is not decrying those things. They have simply rolled up their sleeves and gone to work accepting the job as is.
But there is not a doubt in my mind that they are headed in the right direction. For us as Cowboys fans that means out of this hell we have been in. We may only be 3 feet away from it, but we're headed in the right direction.
A wise old cowboy once told me, "It doesn't matter how much mud and dust you kick up in the front stretch, it is who is kicking up the mud and dust in the backstretch that matters."
Out of the gate at the halfway pole and we are 4-4. But that doesn't mean anything about the last 8 games. We have some injuries. We have some issues still to fix. We have a favorable schedule in front of us. I can see this team building a little momentum.
I doubt it takes us to Indianapolis, but right now I will settle for making a little noise in the big party and seeing the progress that I believe is there despite the record. I genuinely like this football team. No, I am not satisfied with the 4-4 record. I am satisfied with the direction they are pointed and their determination to get to the right place.
By season's end these inexperienced players won't be. By season's end we might have a fully healthy team. By season's end we will hopefully show that the lessons learned have paid off. By season's end I expect this team at the very least to be 10-6.
I started this season believing in 11-5. I still think that is possible. I even believe 12-4 is possible, I just don't think it is probable. No matter what their final record is going to be I am convinced they will put up a sound and decent fight.
I believe that all of these things will pay off for this football team. I do not know when. I wish I did. But I believe we can all look at this team and see the character, the talent, and the effort. That stuff matters.
Parcells teams didn't have the talent that Wade's did. Wade's teams didn't have the discipline and focus that Parcells teams did. With Jason Garrett we have the makings of both.
That is why I defend this team. The direction is right. I see it. I think several people see it. I know the players see it. Do you see it?
Oh how I hope you do.
An archaeology professor that I respect once said this, and I agree. "A man 3 feet from hell walking away from it is better off than a mile away coming at it."
I think it is crucial to be pointed in the right direction. It is my belief that Jimmy Johnson epitomized this while in Dallas. Barry Switzer and the 2 Coaches who followed him out the door demonstrate the opposite effect which is just as valid in learning from.
I believe this team started on the right path on January 2, 2003 with the hiring of Bill Parcells. He did not have the success I hoped for but it is undeniable that he showed the importance of building towards something.
When Parcells left my guy for Head Coach was Jason Garrett. I'd have loved Ron Rivera and several other guys just fine here, but I have wanted Jason Garrett to be our Head Coach since the 1990's. Ernie Zampese once said that Jason Garrett was Troy Aikman's personal QB coach.
Michael Irvin said the QB who stayed after practice was over to throw him footballs was Jason Garrett.
I believe in work ethic. I believe going back to practice in pads on Wednesdays is going to matter. I believe all of the things he has done that are attention to detail are going to matter.
Do you remember the movie "Hoosiers?" Gene Hackman plays embattled basketball coach Norman Dale. The townspeople do not understand his methods. Even some of his boys don't at first. But when Shooter and Jimmy, the two people in the town who really get basketball, both show their support of Coach Dale the team takes off on a winning streak that leads them to a title against a much bigger, more talented opponent.
What was it Coach Dale did? He went back to basics, and he demanded accountability.
Jason Garrett has taken this team back to basics, and every player talks about accountability. Every coach expects it.
Let's talk about professionalism for a minute. The players travel in suits. A small thing? No, I don't think it is. It is obvious that the message is care about your image. The players are responding well to this. Only one time that we know of has a player not followed this policy and he was disciplined behind closed doors and no word of it leaked out. There is professionalism on all levels being displayed.
How about we discuss focus? 24 hours. That is all the time the players and coaches have to get over the last game. Once those 24 hours are over, they only talk about the coming opponent. I noticed my favorite DFW journalist is asking players if unlike their coach they are looking ahead at which games are winnable. As he sees it this is the "big picture." To their credit, the players are remaining focused on the upcoming game. Questions about previous games are going to be non answers and questions about future opponents are going to draw responses about the Bills.
This is how it should be. You cannot beat the Bills by thinking about the Eagles. All teams have similar rules like this, and I am sure this team has had them in the past, but now they are actually acting like they believe in the rule.
Let's talk about no excuses. You don't blame losses on injuries. You don't even focus on injuries. You embrace your opportunity to make your mark in the NFL and step up to the plate. I love it. No matter which player gets hurt, there will be no excuses. They are professional football players in the NFL and they are expected to be able to do their jobs.
I love that. That is what makes it so amazing to see the Cowboys basically clean house and especially along the Offensive Line and not suffer horribly for it. Few people remember that when Jimmy arrived he cleaned house. Let's just talk about a few players who were shown the door in 1989. Randy White, Danny White, Steve Pelleur, Doug Cosbie, and as we all know, via trade, Herschel Walker.
The names this time are not as legendary, but the message was just as clear. It signaled a youth movement and a changing of the guard.
Answers given to the media are very calculated. Ask what an injured player's status is and you will be told day to day. Ask how a young player is progressing and you will be told they are learning part of the process. The upcoming opponent will be praised as a good football team, even if they aren't by record, and that is so that no game feels like an entitlement.
I have said it before, and I am going to say it now, I do not see this team as a Super Bowl contender right now. There was too much talent let go to start this youth movement. By the time the playoffs roll around I do think they could be if things happen right. This team is good enough to play with and even defeat any team in the NFL.
This team is also vulnerable enough to get their butts handed to them unceremoniously. I do believe we could have been further along with OTAs and mini camps, but notice how the team is not decrying those things. They have simply rolled up their sleeves and gone to work accepting the job as is.
But there is not a doubt in my mind that they are headed in the right direction. For us as Cowboys fans that means out of this hell we have been in. We may only be 3 feet away from it, but we're headed in the right direction.
A wise old cowboy once told me, "It doesn't matter how much mud and dust you kick up in the front stretch, it is who is kicking up the mud and dust in the backstretch that matters."
Out of the gate at the halfway pole and we are 4-4. But that doesn't mean anything about the last 8 games. We have some injuries. We have some issues still to fix. We have a favorable schedule in front of us. I can see this team building a little momentum.
I doubt it takes us to Indianapolis, but right now I will settle for making a little noise in the big party and seeing the progress that I believe is there despite the record. I genuinely like this football team. No, I am not satisfied with the 4-4 record. I am satisfied with the direction they are pointed and their determination to get to the right place.
By season's end these inexperienced players won't be. By season's end we might have a fully healthy team. By season's end we will hopefully show that the lessons learned have paid off. By season's end I expect this team at the very least to be 10-6.
I started this season believing in 11-5. I still think that is possible. I even believe 12-4 is possible, I just don't think it is probable. No matter what their final record is going to be I am convinced they will put up a sound and decent fight.
I believe that all of these things will pay off for this football team. I do not know when. I wish I did. But I believe we can all look at this team and see the character, the talent, and the effort. That stuff matters.
Parcells teams didn't have the talent that Wade's did. Wade's teams didn't have the discipline and focus that Parcells teams did. With Jason Garrett we have the makings of both.
That is why I defend this team. The direction is right. I see it. I think several people see it. I know the players see it. Do you see it?
Oh how I hope you do.
