Today I lost what little respect I had left for Jerry Jones

[rcaldw]

Yeah it tells me Wade Phillips is running the team and saying who plays and who doesn't not Jerry Jones. This is Jerry's team and as long as it is he will be involved with the team. People can complain all they want but it does not change a thing

If you believe that Wade Phillips trumps Jerry Jones on ANYTHING related to this team INCLUDING the coaching, you are just wrong. WHEREVER Jerry wants to assert himself, he will, and Wade Phillips won't do a thing about it. (See the big locker room griping out by Jerry earlier in the year)

And I know you could argue that that is true with any owner, but the difference is that outside of the Al Davis' of the world, no owner with any sense tries to be a coach, a medical advisor and a general manager all wrapped into one.

 

[5Countem5]

I understand the reasoning. I've heard it before. All these things that we PERCEIVE to be distractions are not REALLY distractions. They don't really affect the team. All the while we keep falling short and the same drama gets played out year after year.

When the Cowboys decline began in the 90's it had to do with players being arrested, suspended, rumors about racism, and the way that we dealt with it all was we treated it as keeping the Cowboys in the news. Doesn't really matter what happens off the field, the Cowboys brass will deal with that, once we step onto the field its all about football. Any news is good news (some would have said) because it keeps the Cowboys on Sports Center and in the newspapers.

Problem is, that stuff, no matter what anyone says, was ultimately our demise. Free agency did it to us, no question. But once all the "White House" garbage broke, and then the problems with the law, etc, etc, it was just a matter of time until the team imploded. Even the stuff that wasn't related to "bad" decisions with respect to the law, stuff like Deion Sanders' attitude and approach to the game as compared with what Jimmy Johnson would have allowed, that kind of thing dragged us down too.

Now, I am NOT putting these comments about Barber into the same category. Not even worth mentioning compared to that other stuff. But the idea that the things that happen AROUND the team NEVER affects the team, just isn't true.

Free agency took the dynasty down, period.

We can agree to disagree. I give the players much more credit than you do, thinking they laugh this stupid crap off and laugh at the Ed Werder's of the world and even have fun screwing with them.

I figure they know what Jerry is about and where his loyalties lie. They've seen him take care of players and defend them them to the nth degree. They know his loyalty.

Odds are, they are laughing aboiut this crap right now...

 

[rcaldw]

Free agency took the dynasty down, period.

We can agree to disagree. I give the players much more credit than you do, thinking they laugh this stupid crap off and laugh at the Ed Werder's of the world and even have fun screwing with them.

I figure they know what Jerry is about and where his loyalties lie. They've seen him take care of players and defend them them to the nth degree. They know his loyalty.

Odds are, they are laughing aboiut this crap right now...

We will agree to disagree when you say it was just free agency that destroyed the Cowboys. Its funny, you have a lot of faith in the player's point of view about things, have you ever listened to Moose, Aikman and Woodson about how difficult it was after Jimmy left? They didn't think it was JUST free agency. There was a slackness in that team that Bozo the Switzer brought with him and Jerry Jones allowed, and that slackness was played out in attitudes that affected football, and attitudes that affected an approach to keeping the law outside of football.

 

[Doomsday101]

If you believe that Wade Phillips trumps Jerry Jones on ANYTHING related to this team INCLUDING the coaching, you are just wrong. WHEREVER Jerry wants to assert himself, he will, and Wade Phillips won't do a thing about it. (See the big locker room griping out by Jerry earlier in the year)

And I know you could argue that that is true with any owner, but the difference is that outside of the Al Davis' of the world, no owner with any sense tries to be a coach, a medical advisor and a general manager all wrapped into one.

Yes anything Jerry wants to do he can. However Jerry evidently did not make the call on Barber did he? I don't think so or else all this BS would not be taking place. It does show that Jerry is giving Wade control over what is taking place on the field and with the players. As for Jerry talking to the players in the locker room so what who care Jerry is an active owner and he is going to talk with the players that is just the way it is and I don't think it does anything except show the players how important winning is to their owner and GM but he is not preventing Wade from doing what Wade needs to do.

 

[rcaldw]

Yes anything Jerry wants to do he can. However Jerry evidently did not make the call on Barber did he? I don't think so or else all this BS would not be taking place. It does show that Jerry is giving Wade control over what is taking place on the field and with the players. As for Jerry talking to the players in the locker room so what who care Jerry is an active owner and he is going to talk with the players that is just the way it is and I don't think it does anything except show the players how important winning is to their owner and GM but he is not preventing Wade from doing what Wade needs to do.

Your first point is a good one, and I hope you are right. Nothing would make me happier than to think that Jerry Jones is stepping back and not inserting himself where he shouldn't. I will say, however, that it was probably the trainers that trumped Jerry on this one more than Wade. But I like your version better, so I hope its true.

 

[5Countem5]

We will agree to disagree when you say it was just free agency that destroyed the Cowboys. Its funny, you have a lot of faith in the player's point of view about things, have you ever listened to Moose, Aikman and Woodson about how difficult it was after Jimmy left? They didn't think it was JUST free agency. There was a slackness in that team that Bozo the Switzer brought with him and Jerry Jones allowed, and that slackness was played out in attitudes that affected football, and attitudes that affected an approach to keeping the law outside of football.

Oh I would throw in Switzers laid back style too, but I think that affected the team ON the field.

I've never heard Aikman say that Irvin's legal troubles helped bring the team down- have you?

 

[STSINAZ]

jerry didnt call him out, just said he thought he would be here...dont make more of it than it is

 

[5Countem5]

jerry didnt call him out, just said he thought he would be here...dont make more of it than it is

And he just commented on the TOE, which he was correct about. He COULD have played with the toe injury- but not the calf injury.

 

[rcaldw]

Oh I would throw in Switzers laid back style too, but I think that affected the team ON the field.

I've never heard Aikman say that Irvin's legal troubles helped bring the team down- have you?

I can't remember all the specifics to be honest. I just know, that in general terms, I have heard them comment on all the "distractions" that surrounded the Switzer years which were the undoing of the 90's dynasty.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I find it hard to believe Jerry would do such a thing. I've seen what they've done to TO comments. I would think they did the same thing to Jerry's

I've NEVER heard Jerry trash a player anywhere close to the way they are making it sound. I would need to hear it from the donkey's mouth and see how it was actually said.

I mean, saying something in an email and meaning it one way can come off completely different when read since you don't hear the tone it was said with.

Has Jerry responded to this?

 

[Doomsday101]

Your first point is a good one, and I hope you are right. Nothing would make me happier than to think that Jerry Jones is stepping back and not inserting himself where he shouldn't. I will say, however, that it was probably the trainers that trumped Jerry on this one more than Wade. But I like your version better, so I hope its true.

I don't think Jerry runs the show as he did with Galiey and Campo. Jerry has talked about this before and acknowledged mistakes. Jerry is still active but I do think he listens more to his staff around him as most GM in the league do. I do no see Wade as a puppet of Jerry and I do think Wade has a lot more say and control than coaches like Gailey and Campo

 

[Alexander]

So, no matter what- you think Jerry called him out, and nothing even years of Jerry backing his players to a fault, will change your mind.


This is the stupidest "issue" to date from Valley Ranch. The media scored big here. They drummed up a controversy and you guys bought it.

There are two sides to the issue. On one hand, our GM called out a player. Okay, you say he didn't because you believe his loyal to a fault streak would make that impossible. Fine.

The second issue is that he is making comments once more about medical issues in which he is not in the loop about. He did not mention the calf. Not once. He mentioned he thought he should play when we have reports from players saying they knew as early as Monday that he was out.

Either case is not flattering and simply speaks to the fact he is overextended.

 

[5Countem5]

I can't remember all the specifics to be honest. I just know, that in general terms, I have heard them comment on all the "distractions" that surrounded the Switzer years which were the undoing of the 90's dynasty.

Again, give the players some credit. They know Jerry and they know the players causing the distractions. They know the media spins things. It's like posters fretting over TO's every word, thinking the players just read something in the paper and get mad, sit shivering in their lockers or have it eat at them until they cannot play football anymore. That's ridiculous. They see TO in parctice every day, they know what he is about- they don't buy it.

They know (better than posters here) that a reporter's job is to sell papers and thats how they will spin something-especially in the worthless dinosaur of the print media. The reporter quit caring about truth years ago. That's how it is and they know it.


It's a shame you guys buy into it though.

 

[Chuck 54]

Over-reaction...not unlike Jerry's decision not to discipline Pacman for his screwup at the party...later we learn it was in the best interest of the team as it saved us draft picks.

Here are some other possibilities:

1. MBIII was cleared by the medical staff to play...maybe all he needed was help managing the pain. Maybe he didn't want to take the shot in order to do that. If that's true, I don't have a problem with what JJ said...saying you thought the guy would play and are surprised he isn't playing is not "throwing a guy under the bus"....it's just honest. He didn't make personal comments or take jabs.

2. Maybe the Cowboys knew all week that MBIII wasn't going to play (hinted at by the fact that the rookie said MBIII told him on Monday), but why let the Steelers know that. Maybe Jerry was feigning surprise to avoid being accused, as Belicheat always is, with being dishonest about the injury report.

This is much ado about nothing. I've grown sick of people treating grown men who play a violent sport and earn millions of dollars doing so like they are weak little sissies who might get upset and cry if anyone tells them they didn't do a good job on their finger painting. In the past, QB's like Meredyth, Staubach, and Morton were not shocked if they were pulled at halftime or in the 4th quarter of a game where they were stinking it up...back in the day, you treated the position like any other and you put a guy in hoping it might arouse the team and find a victory...there was no QB controversy. The next week your starter was still your starter and the backup was back on the bench even if he performed better than the starter.

Nowdays, omg...if you pull him out of this game, you can never go back to him...his confidence will be crushed...how can anyone expect to perform when they are disrespected like that....hogwash.

It was refreshing to see Donovan McNabb not go to pieces and needing a shrink when he was pulled in a game for Kolb. He didn't like it; who would? But he handled like the old vets of yesteryear....and so did his coach. Well, that didn't work...we still lost. Donovan will play better next week...wow, guess what?

I wish my bosses were worried about my feelings all the time as much as fans and coaches and owners are supposed to worry about the feelings of their millionaire mega-stars. Our team won't implode even if Jerry was calling MBIII out for not playing...MBIII isn't going to become a shadow of his former self or take his ball and run away during free agency. Sometimes guys even get mad and play harder just to prove someone wrong.

Feelings? Feelings? This is football...there's no crying in football.

<steps off soapbox>

 

[5Countem5]

There are two sides to the issue. On one hand, our GM called out a player. Okay, you say he didn't because you believe his loyal to a fault streak would make that impossible. Fine.

The second issue is that he is making comments once more about medical issues in which he is not in the loop about. He did not mention the calf. Not once. He mentioned he thought he should play when we have reports from players saying they knew as early as Monday that he was out.

Either case is not flattering and simply speaks to the fact he is overextended.

OK- he commented on a medical issue....

What's the big deal other than us couch-riding fans getting worked up?

Do you think it will affect Sunday's game?

 

[Chief]

They know (better than posters here) that a reporter's job is to sell papers and thats how they will spin something-especially in the worthless dinosaur of the print media. The reporter quit caring about truth years ago. That's how it is and they know it.

Do you think they made this quote up?

The columnists will "spin," but this was a direct quote in a news story.

If the story is false or misleading, Jerry would have jumped all over it by now.

 

[rcaldw]

Again, give the players some credit. They know Jerry and they know the players causing the distractions. They know the media spins things. It's like posters fretting over TO's every word, thinking the players just read something in the paper and get mad, sit shivering in their lockers or have it eat at them until they cannot play football anymore. That's ridiculous. They see TO in parctice every day, they know what he is about- they don't buy it.

They know (better than posters here) that a reporter's job is to sell papers and thats how they will spin something-especially in the worthless dinosaur of the print media. The reporter quit caring about truth years ago. That's how it is and they know it.


It's a shame you guys buy into it though.

The "spinner" is you. I DO give the players credit. Players talk about DISTRACTIONS. PLAYERS talk about distractions. And I don't care what the most rabid Jerry Jones supporter wants to say, where you have Jerry you have distractions. How many times a season are we talking about Jerry? And the truth is, Jerry LOVES that. That is what this is really all about. Jerry loves attention, plain and simple.

 

[TNCowboy]

Do you think they made this quote up?

The columnists will "spin," but this was a direct quote in a news story.

If the story is false or misleading, Jerry would have jumped all over it by now.

Exactly.

Jones was upset Barber didn't play, and ran off at the mouth because of it.

 

[Doomsday101]

Spagnola:
Not sure exactly what Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said after the game, or what he intended to say, having heard in person only bits and pieces, but there seems to be some interpreting what he said to be critical of Marion Barber’s willingness to play 10 days after dislocating his little right toe on Thanksgiving Day.

Jones was quoted as saying Barber's “toe was good enough to play,” and that was accurate. He could have, according to the trainers I talked to before Sunday’s game. But while rehabbing and testing just how well he could run – and that would be only running straight ahead mind you – during the past week, Barber developed a significant calf injury, likely because of altering how he normally runs to compensate for the injured toe.

So it was the calf injury that actually sidelined Barber, who was having problems simply running during the walk-through practice out at The Ranch on Saturday morning when the trainers decided it would be too risky for his long-term health to play him on Sunday. At that time, before leaving the complex, the club decided it would be best to leave Barber behind, giving him a better chance of being ready for this Sunday night against the Giants.

And again, if the Cowboys were so sure Barber was going to be ready to play in the first place they never would have signed Alonzo Coleman off the practice squad onto the 53-man roster on Friday. So they were sort of suspecting he might not be ready.

And I’m told that by sitting out the Pittsburgh game gives Barber a better chance of being ready for Sunday night’s game against the Giants.

So there you have it.

 

[5Countem5]

The "spinner" is you. I DO give the players credit. Players talk about DISTRACTIONS. PLAYERS talk about distractions. And I don't care what the most rabid Jerry Jones supporter wants to say, where you have Jerry you have distractions. How many times a season are we talking about Jerry? And the truth is, Jerry LOVES that. That is what this is really all about. Jerry loves attention, plain and simple.

There's a simple fact here.

Just because it bothers us couch-riders- doesn't mean it bothers a player.