When Players Have No Fear

[adbutcher]

So true. This is so true.

Think about this. How many yards were pulled off the field by phantom penalties? I'd wager at least 50, maybe more on Julius Jones (poor kid) alone.

7 points on the drop or 3 points on the jailbreak blocked FG.

These are things that can crush a team's spirit. They really can. The types of things that you look back at a loss and say, that's when the wheels came off.

But instead of this, you have Pat McQuistan running a guy down and making a saving tackle. You have Sam Hurd delivering a "jacked up" block and following it with a big catch. Most of all you have Tony Romo playing so well that not even Al Michaels could find a reason to talk about the Seattle bobble.

Fascinating the difference between this team and last year's. The players had begged Parcells to take the brakes off for 2 years. Now you know why. He did some great things here, but the one bad thing about his tenure is the playing with fear factor.

 

[miamicowboy21]

That reminds me, Wade's got no fear either.

Bingo, when the coach continues to attack and not let up that instills confidence in the players. Wade and garrett continue to keep their feet on the gas.

 

[gbrittain]

Or maybe if we'd have had Leonard Davis, instead of bum-*** Marco Rivera, and a Marion Barber who looks more and more like he is a feature back every game, and established a consistent run game, it would have been similar....blah blah blah.

The players are executing now, that's lovely.

But if Romo and Owens had failed on 4th down, and Grossman tosses a strike to berrian to close the gap over Roy Williams, suddenly this place is in full melt down, and JFE is asking Wade if he's lost control of his team and has let "The Player" mold his playcalling.

And to Wade's credit, he doesn't seem to care.

I am not trying to rail on you here Super. I really do not know/understand how you evaluate a coach? By the other posts I have read, I appears that I am not the only one who has the same question.

I am not here to bash BP or anything of the sorts. However, in your defense of Parcells you have always preached "Execution" and the "players did not execute".

I would think that if every player went out and executed exactly what it was the coach had game planned 32 teams would have Ws this week.

Again, not trying to knock you, just trying to get some perspective on your thought process.

 

[superpunk]

I am not trying to rail on you here Super. I really do not know/understand how you evaluate a coach? By the other posts I have read, I appears that I am not the only one who has the same question.

I am not here to bash BP or anything of the sorts. However, in your defense of Parcells you have always preached "Execution" and the "players did not execute".

I would think that if every player went out and executed exactly what it was the coach had game planned 32 teams would have Ws this week.

Again, not trying to knock you, just trying to get some perspective on your thought process.

The coaches get the players ready to play. That's all they can do. For whatever reason, the previous regime couldn't get these players to play, or at least not all of them. This one can, or at the least, the players have grown since last year. The players are playing with confidence, finally. If all teams had the same level of talent, all that would matter is how well they execute - and if everyone did what they needed, we would have 32 ties every week, because noone would go anywhere.

We have more talent than all but a few teams in the league. They're finally playing like it. Pin that on whatever you want, I'm just glad it's finally happening. And it should continue to develop, in line with the thread, as winning breeds more and more confidence.

 

[gbrittain]

The coaches get the players ready to play. That's all they can do. For whatever reason, the previous regime couldn't get these players to play, or at least not all of them. This one can, or at the least, the players have grown since last year. The players are playing with confidence, finally. If all teams had the same level of talent, all that would matter is how well they execute - and if everyone did what they needed, we would have 32 ties every week, because noone would go anywhere.

We have more talent than all but a few teams in the league. They're finally playing like it. Pin that on whatever you want, I'm just glad it's finally happening. And it should continue to develop, in line with the thread, as winning breeds more and more confidence.

I get what you are saying totally here, but I am still not sure how you grade out coaches? I guess that is not really important.

I do hope the Cowboys continue to build upon what they have and continue to gain confidence...specially on defense.

 

[theogt]

The coaches get the players ready to play. That's all they can do.

But that's not all they do.

They also call the plays in the game. Some coaches are better at that aspect than others.

For the life of me, I can't understand why you think playcalling doesn't matter.

 

[khiladi]

I don't know how anyone can't say that there isn't a clear difference in the quality of coaching. The only thing a person needs to point to is HOW Terrell Owens is being used.

And I don't think that has anything to do with a fear factor, but just, straight bad coaching...

 

[superpunk]

I get what you are saying totally here, but I am still not sure how you grade out coaches? I guess that is not really important.

I do hope the Cowboys continue to build upon what they have and continue to gain confidence...specially on defense.

How does anyone grade out coaches? We don't know what they call, we don't know what was available, we don't know what player may have screwed up, we don't know if Romo checked down when he had a guy long, or if Romo checked out of an aggressive play to a conservative one at the line.

Wins and losses, that's basically all we've got.

I just feel bad when idiot fans radically turn on players and coaching staffs because of some moronic reasoning that they'll trot out like an outdated scheme, or being too conservative. All coaches play to win. They're just easy scapegoats for poor talent and lack of execution, because it's alot easier to blame one person than to admit that your team might just not be as good as you thought they were. I felt bad for Parcells when the mob turned on him and his staff for being "figured out" by Sean Payton, and I'll feel bad for Wade Phillips when the mob turns on him. At the end of the day, all we can hope for is that they win.

 

[theogt]

I just feel bad when idiot fans radically turn on players and coaching staffs because of some moronic reasoning that they'll trot out like an outdated scheme, or being too conservative. All coaches play to win. They're just easy scapegoats for poor talent and lack of execution, because it's alot easier to blame one person than to admit that your team might just not be as good as you thought they were. I felt bad for Parcells when the mob turned on him and his staff for being "figured out" by Sean Payton, and I'll feel bad for Wade Phillips when the mob turns on him. At the end of the day, all we can hope for is that they win.

Some fans were calling Parcells' schemes outdated and conservative long before he left.

Coaches may be a scapegoat at times. We don't know for certain whether it's just the players playing better or it's better coaching or if it's some combination of the two. All sorts of factors play into it.

But it's ridiculous to completely exclude a factor because we can't accurately measure its impact.

 

[superpunk]

But it's ridiculous to completely exclude a factor because we can't accurately measure its impact.

I agree.

It's also ridiculous that every success the 2007 Cowboys have has to be construed as damning evidence to the people who built this squad.

The players are playing better. We've made an already excellent offense other-worldly, and our defense....is at least getting turnovers late in games. I couldn't be happier.

 

[khiladi]

Wait...

Leonard Davis was brought in by Jerry Jones... He sucks at being a GM...

 

[khiladi]

And when it's Marcus Spears, we can blame the player, because it's not about the coach, but the player making the play...

 

[theogt]

And when it's Marcus Spears, we can blame the player, because it's not about the coach, but the player making the play...

Except he's been playing pretty well. Of course, no one will be happy unless he has 5+ sacks.

 

[gbrittain]

How does anyone grade out coaches? We don't know what they call, we don't know what was available, we don't know what player may have screwed up, we don't know if Romo checked down when he had a guy long, or if Romo checked out of an aggressive play to a conservative one at the line.

Wins and losses, that's basically all we've got.

I just feel bad when idiot fans radically turn on players and coaching staffs because of some moronic reasoning that they'll trot out like an outdated scheme, or being too conservative. All coaches play to win. They're just easy scapegoats for poor talent and lack of execution, because it's alot easier to blame one person than to admit that your team might just not be as good as you thought they were. I felt bad for Parcells when the mob turned on him and his staff for being "figured out" by Sean Payton, and I'll feel bad for Wade Phillips when the mob turns on him. At the end of the day, all we can hope for is that they win.

I don't know, but I definitely think you can judge/grade coaches. It may not be as tangible as we would like.

I certainly do perscribe to the Jerry Jones theory of 500 coaches could replace Jimmy.

It definitely takes talent and execution, but I do believe over a period of time the cream rises to the top.

If you give Jimmy Johnson an All-World proven roster and you give Dave Campo an All-World proven roster, I know where I would put my money.

 

[cowboyed]

Arguably there's less "talent" on this team this year than last. There's something different and it obviously comes from the coaching staff.

I think there is more talent most notably Leonard Davis on that Oline has literally made a huge difference. And how about those coaching additions particularly Garrett and Wade Philips.