witten says, we need to execute & focus better

[Doomsday101]

witten was just on the pro bowl game and he said when asked what went wrong with the cowboys last year

witten said injuries, a long season and that the players just need to focus and execute better and follow the game plan

on T O, witten and romo issue, was blown out of proportion

to me, whether what is really going on, no matter what, you dont put your teammates, coaches underneath the bus, and witten didnt,

:starspin

I think Witten is right, I think a lot of the stuff coming out of Dallas is being over blown due to the disappointment of the season but it comes down to players going out and executing and staying focused on the job at hand. I'm not saying there is no drama at all taking place in Dallas but because it is in Dallas a lot of this stuff is getting blown out of proportion

 

[WoodysGirl]

Woodysgirl, because I essentially agree with you, I disagree on this point... or at least, I don't think there's enough evidence. As you said, we don't know exactly the clause Jones wanted included in Reeves' contract. Without knowing, we don't know if it was truly rare. If it were the type of clause that is seldom if ever in an NFL coach's or executive's contract, and if it were inserted at the 11th hour, then Reeves, one could say, was extremely classy in limiting his criticism of Jones, even while agreeing to talk to many media outlets. That's especially true when one considers that Reeves turned down a job with the 49ers because he expected to join the Cowboys.

We don't know the circumstances, so I'm not sure we can know whether Reeves was wrong to talk to whomever he wished after the talks collapsed.

After reading all the recaps and listening to the interviews, he essentially said the same thing over and over. What was the point? He could've just had a single media session with all the media folks call in for a conference call. I kept looking for something new and it never did. After awhile, all the interviews just annoyed me. After the 3rd one, I was just thinking "Shut up, already!"

One other thing: Jones -- if he wanted to be a stickler for contract language, for some reason -- could have asked Reeves to sign a blanket confidentiality agreement before he interviewed him the first time. I imagine it's unlikely he could have made such an agreement stick without including some reasonable exceptions, but I don't know, as I am no contract lawyer. But it would not be unreasonable, given the circumstances, to ask for an interviewee to agree to confidentiality.

One day, maybe we'll all know the exact circumstances.

Eh, I don't know if he could have asked for that or not. I just think all those interviews annoyed Jerry, as well, which is why he broke the Cowboys front office offseason protocol by going on GAC and telling "his side."

 

[Shake_Tiller]

After reading all the recaps and listening to the interviews, he essentially said the same thing over and over. What was the point? He could've just had a single media session with all the media folks call in for a conference call. I kept looking for something new and it never did. After awhile, all the interviews just annoyed me. After the 3rd one, I was just thinking "Shut up, already!"

Eh, I don't know if he could have asked for that or not. I just think all those interviews annoyed Jerry, as well, which is why he broke the Cowboys front office offseason protocol by going on GAC and going off.

The point is, Reeves had every right to do whatever interviews he wished. He's not in Jones' employ. And he might simply have wished not to give any one media outlet an "exclusive." We can say he shouldn't have done it, but for all we know, Jones was highly unreasonable. (And yes, for all we know, Jones wasn't at all unreasonable.)

I've asked for and received confidentiality agreements when I've interviewed professionals, so it's not rare. As to the ability to actually enforce the agreements, I just don't know...

You might well be correct in surmising Jones went to GAC because of the Reeves interviews, but it might also have been because of the opinion columns written on the subject, which would have been done regardless of whether Reeves interviewed.

 

[WoodysGirl]

The point is, Reeves had every right to do whatever interviews he wished. He's not in Jones' employ. And he might simply have wished not to give any one media outlet an "exclusive." We can say he shouldn't have done it, but for all we know, Jones was highly unreasonable. (And yes, for all we know, Jones wasn't at all unreasonable.)

I've asked for and received confidentiality agreements when I've interviewed professionals, so it's not rare. As to the ability to actually enforce the agreements, I just don't know...

Not saying he didn't have the right to interview with all those people. Not even arguing that point. I don't know if Jerry could've or would've offered up a gag order or not. That point I don't even care about.

I just think after giving up a couple statements and such, and then going on every radio station known to man, it became overkill. Especially because he wasn't offering anything new. I kept expecting him to reveal something, anything, that would've given a clue, but he didn't. So my thinking is if you're not gonna give up the goods, then shut up about it.

You might well be correct in surmising Jones went to GAC because of the Reeves interviews, but it might also have been because of the opinion columns written on the subject, which would have been done regardless of whether Reeves interviewed.

I mentioned the interviews, but yeah Jerry was taking a beating all over the place. I guess it's only natural for him to want to "defend" his position.

 

[Shake_Tiller]

Not saying he didn't have the right to interview with all those people. Not even arguing that point. I don't know if Jerry could've or would've offered up a gag order or not to me. That point I don't even care about.

I just think after giving up a couple statements and such, and then going on every radio station known to man, it became overkill. Especially because he wasn't offering anything new. I kept expecting him reveal something, anything, that would've given a clue, but he didn't. So my thinking is if you're not gonna give up the goods, then shut up about it.

I mentioned the interviews, but yeah Jerry was taking a beating all over the place. I guess it's only natural for him to want to "defend" his position.

In any case, I do think you are essentially correct and a reasonable voice amidst all the emotion. Too much blame has been assigned to Jones without any real evidence of whether his contract clause was unreasonable.

 

[cowboyed]

The difference is I don't take an extreme position and then feel the need to defend it in every thread. I say my piece and move on.

I definitely think Witten deserves the least amount of criticism, but he should get some. No one on this team is absolved after this stinker of a season.

I ask this earnestly, what are the criticisms he has earned relative to overwhelmingly performing well as compared to poorly?

 

[Roxxy]

I love Witten. A true player. A true friend.