Troy Aikman: 'Unless practices change,' Cowboys may not win a title in another 20 years either

[Jarv]

I think the practice he is FINALLY speaking about is Jerry's micro management of the team at every level. There is no chain of command. Troy saw it firsthand after Jimmy left and it is well documented in the book "Boys Will Be Boys: The Glory Days and Party Nights of the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty". To me, it started when Barry Switzer told Mike Woicik Deion Sanders was exempt from doing his workout routines because he was Deion Sanders. Again, chain of command broken because Deion was able to go to JJ and complain.

This is the philosophy and practices Troy is speaking about. It stopped for a short while when the big Tuna was here, Jerry still says that was one of the worst periods of his life, like he was walking on eggshells. Jerry forced him out by shoving TO on BP, when everyone knew he didn't want him. Jerry did to prove he was the boss, not too make the team better.

Troy is a Cowboy at heart and always will be, because he remembers the Jimmy glory years which came from sweat, hard work and dedication. The last 20 years he speaks of are totally on the management, make no doubt about that.

 

[pacy]

So guys there you have it, even Aikman is saying it. 20 years of disappointment and no improvement.

 

[Alexander]

Troy is a Cowboy at heart and always will be, because he remembers the Jimmy glory years which came from sweat, hard work and dedication. The last 20 years he speaks of are totally on the management, make no doubt about that.

Clearly Aikman does not understand how things have changed and the roles Garrett and McClay hold and wield their significant power in the organization.

 

[dreghorn2]

Man when one of our greatest players, one who is also very close to the game (don't forget Troy talks with everyone around the league) and states that he doesn't see us winning in the next 20 years either (to Dallas media no less), well that makes me very sad.

We all know the deal with Jerry and family, we aren't fools, we are constantly swimming against the flow football wise, but when guys like Troy are no longer too politically correct to worry about making such deliberate statements well that just fortifies to the max just how bad things are.

Troy is definitely feeling it man, he is a Cowboy, no doubt, and this 20 year anniversary is hurting him, i'm sure of it.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

"I don't know," said Aikman. "This team, for 20 years, really has been so inconsistent. And unless practices change, I don't see that changing any time soon. You look back at last year and 12-4 and get excited about that, but was 12-4 really what this team is or is 8-8? I don't think 4-12 is this year because of the injuries that occurred.

"But you've got to do it more than once every seven or eight years before you can say, 'Hey, the things that we're doing are really paying off.' It's been a long history of frustration and up-and-down years, and, for the most part, disappointment.

"And I think you've got to be able to look back on something and say, 'OK, we're building something here and these things that we do pay off,' but I haven't seen that, so I don't anticipate any time soon anything being any different from what we've seen the last 20 years."

http://sportsday.***BANNED-URL***/d...cowboys-may-win-title-another-20-years-either

Please, Sir Jones, listen to Aikman's words. This is not just some disgruntled fan spouting off in the Fan Zone, it's one of the Cowboys' icons. Someone who knows the game, has played it and has 3 Super Bowl rings.His words should count for something.

 

[Idgit]

Troy (admittedly) just doesn't see what's being built here.

He's implicitly criticizing Jerry again. And it's a legitimate point.

 

[Sasquatch]

And of course...he can never describe in any detail what is going on in practice.

Perhaps because it is so convoluted, desultory, and without rhyme or reason? What is this team's philosophy?

 

[conner01]

It's all true though.

Wonder just how many practices he has actual watched
His point that you have to be building something I get but doubt it has anything to do with how the team practices

 

[conner01]

I think the practice he is FINALLY speaking about is Jerry's micro management of the team at every level. There is no chain of command. Troy saw it firsthand after Jimmy left and it is well documented in the book "Boys Will Be Boys: The Glory Days and Party Nights of the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty". To me, it started when Barry Switzer told Mike Woicik Deion Sanders was exempt from doing his workout routines because he was Deion Sanders. Again, chain of command broken because Deion was able to go to JJ and complain.

This is the philosophy and practices Troy is speaking about. It stopped for a short while when the big Tuna was here, Jerry still says that was one of the worst periods of his life, like he was walking on eggshells. Jerry forced him out by shoving TO on BP, when everyone knew he didn't want him. Jerry did to prove he was the boss, not too make the team better.

Troy is a Cowboy at heart and always will be, because he remembers the Jimmy glory years which came from sweat, hard work and dedication. The last 20 years he speaks of are totally on the management, make no doubt about that.

You could be right with that because if he is actually referring to practices it's a bad argument since he rarely sees them practice.

 

[Sportsbabe]

Yeah, I assumed he didn't mean player practices, but rather the team actions (practices) over the years.

Oh...good observation.

 

[CWR]

Tom Landry said it best:

"Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about acheiving it and staying with that plan."

....Staying with that plan. That's the Cowboys problem. No matter how well its implemented, its just a matter of time before Jerry Jones reacts to a specific circumstance and deviates from the plan, thus weakening it and eventually destroying it.

The "right kind if guys"....Greg Hardy?

"Obtaining proper value in the draft"...Morris Claiborne?

Hardy will likely be gone. JJ took a shot because he thought we were a pass rush away from the superbowl. Most here loved the signing at the time. Of course it's easy to arm chair qb it now. As far as Claiborne goes he was supposed to be the best defensive player in the draft. Once again most here were pretty pumped to get him.

 

[MrPeanutbutter]

I don't get the feeling anything is being built here. I get the feeling Troy is right. It doesn't make him smart, it just indicates he's not stupid.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

Troy Aikman talking crap about the Cowboys? What else is new.

He must not be a true fan.

 

[the_h0wey]

Troy Aikman talking crap about the Cowboys? What else is new.

I'm one of the few people that thinks Aikman gives unbiased opinions on the Cowboys. Is what he said "talking crap" or is it just accurate and it kind of stings?

 

[AKATheRake]

Troy is as real as it gets in this one.

96 was 20 years ago and we haven't done anything consistently other than have the odd "up" season since.

Interesting how he mentions the practices. That word may not just pertain to player practices.

Could pertain to organizational practices as a whole.

 

[StarBoyz83]

Wonder just how many practices he has actual watched
His point that you have to be building something I get but doubt it has anything to do with how the team practices

Might be part of it. We know coaching and talent so far is part of the problem. I think it may have something to do with all of our injuries.

 

[StylisticS]

He's saying exactly what many of us have said the past decade on this organization. It isn't him talking crap. He's going off observation and was speaking real.

 

[DandyDon1722]

Yeah, that's what I got. He's basically saying the 20 year draught is due to overall mistakes and poor management and that there has to be a shift in how they think and do things or this stuff will just continue to repeat itself.

He also didn't say they were an 8-8 team. He asked the question, which many here have asked, is this team really a 12-4 quality franchise or did they just have that one magic season and are really nothing more than an 8-8 franchise. It's a valid question to ask.

It is absolutely a valid question.

I just can't put my finger on what Troy means. Front office wise, I think McClay's done a pretty good job and even though it didn't work out the way we wanted Jerry went all in on Hardy and I think we'll be active in FA this season too. I know he wasn't talking about "practice" practices because player who left the team would I'm sure immediately say how different our practices are.

I think it just goes back to culture and although it's such a nebulous term and sometimes feels like a cop out I wouldn't know where else to turn. Is it Jerry overwhelming presence undermining the coaching? Probably some of it. Is it coaching? Maybe, again, I wish Parcells would've stuck around a bit longer to gauge how far we were progressing.

There's also other things like lack of a real home field and the constant attention and pressure due to nationally televised games, but in today's NFL everybody get that if not to he extent the Cowboys do. Maybe it's even Dallas itself and how the players are so revered. Maybe the whole thing is just too comfortable.

I don't know but I do wish Troy would just once say what he means instead of dancing around it.

 

[Risen Star]

Well I would direct everyone to the quote from our esteemed Director of Personnel in my signature.

They know better. What's needed is more them. Over and over again. And look here, it's not a damn debate, guys.

Now which real fan is starting the Jerry! chant in camp this summer?

 

[Rogah]

And of course...he can never describe in any detail what is going on in practice.

I can tell you that I spoke to one of Troy's former teammates a few years ago and that's what he used to sell me *on* Garrett. His style of practicing was far better than Wade's according to this player.