Wow, semi-bombshell on 103.3 re: Parcells & Drafts

[ThreeSportStar80]

Yeah Parcells knows how to find good TE's, Witten, Fasono and Curtis are all athletic...

 

[Dave_in-NC]

Come on. Does it really seem like a coincidence that things suddenly got better once Parcells showed up?

I know we all hate the way Keshawn is acting over it, but let's not pretend Parcells isn't a major reason this team has gone from Jerry/Campo time folly to a legitimate team.

TO said it himself, the proof is in the pudding. The stats don't lie. This team is 100% better since Parcells' time in Dallas. Don't let the media hype, looking for any angle throw water on a great Cowboy team fool you.

All events of the past 4 years go hand in hand. Bill did a great job of constructing it; Wade, Jason and the players are doing a great job of running with it.

I'm glad Bill came in, I'm glad Wade and the assistants came in. It all works together to make a great team.

:starspin

As much as it pains some people around here, this post is the truth. Nice job VTA

 

[burmafrd]

some people here have convienent memories. I wanted Leftwich- and I was wrong. those people touting Newman now forget all the arguments of the time. The BIG one was his age- and I think that is what worried BP as well.
Plus coming from the Big 12 it was not like he was up against passing teams very much.
As regards Witten- NO ONE thought he would become the monster he has.
Or 32 teams would not have passed him up not once but TWICE.

that first year BP was evaluating the WHOLE organization. He knew major changes had to be made.

 

[CowboyJeff]

Bryan Broaddus was a scout with the team for several years -- until, I believe, 2006.

Well, Galloway and Hensen were having a discussion on Parcells and his drafts. Galloway said look at the 2003 draft -- it was great with Newman, Witten, and Bradie. Broaddus texted in, "Don't give Parcells credit for 2003." So they asked him to call in with more explanation.

He said you could give Parcells credit for Witten, because he was good at evaluating TEs and he preferred Witten over LJ Smith. But Parcells wanted NO PART of Terence Newman. The guy he really wanted was Dwayne Robertson, and he fought Ciskowski (sp?) and the other scouts over Newman. Finally, he just gave up and said, okay, you guys take who you want.

He said Parcells' first draft was more about evaluating the scouts he would be working with over evaluating the players they'd take. He mainly sat back and observed how the scouts worked.

Asked what he thought about Parcells' evaluating skills, Broaddus said that Parcells was good at certain positions like TE and LB, and weak at others, like OL. He said Parcells' parameters were almost too hard to meet on OL, so he forced some things. (I wish he'd explained that further.)

Anyway... There were always rumors to that effect, but it's the first time I've heard it really confirmed.

Feel free to discuss.

As much as I like parcells, I've been saying for years that OL was the weakest aspect of his evaluating abilities. Just go look at every coaching stop he's made. He very rarely drafts a great OL. However, LB, TE and RB are another story.

 

[Next_years_Champs]

that first year BP was evaluating the WHOLE organization. He knew major changes had to be made.

I am in total agreement with this and I will take that thought one step farther. I think that Jerry Jones hired Parcells with that very thought in mind. Parcells coached in three different franchises and when he left, those teams had organizational systems in place that if followed would allow them to stay competitive well in to the future.

Parcells had a system which included player templates, criteria which measured college players against past championship types of players. It also measured how those players fit within the defensive and offensive strategies this franchise was using. Parcells had a complete method to finding players and it has proven successful at least 4 times.

I'm convinced that is the reason Jerry Jones picked Parcells in the first place, I think X's ans O's were only part of the picture. I think Jones was more interested in organizational rebuilding when he hired Parcells and that is exactly what he got.

 

[Hostile]

Bryan Broaddus has an account here. I'd love it if he would come clarify anything.

 

[vicjagger]

Semi-Bombshell. Thought it was a Jessica Simpson thread.

 

[Apollo Creed]

Bryan Broaddus has an account here. I'd love it if he would come clarify anything.

As well as every Dallas-area beat writer.

 

[khiladi]

So if we don't give credit for Newman, it also means that we DON'T give blame for Al Johnson

Can all of you handle that?

Uh, you do know that we are talking about picking a talent like Terrance Newman and picking at number 5... especially considering that Dallas had been suffering at CB for years, and one has the oppurtunity to get the premiere CB coming out of college, who as most reports clearly stated was the best athlete as well....

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Some posters who can't stand any criticism of Parcells seem to be a little touchy. I didn't mean the post to be critical of Parcells -- at least, I didn't take the story that way. I thought it was interesting more than anything.

I do find it a little curious that when I listen to Parcells on the Friday night Primetime show, which I've done every week this year, he *often* mentions that so-and-so has a good defense because they have such good corners (e.g. Green Bay) or that so-and-so has a good offense because they have so much "firepower" outside. And he's criticized our defense several times as lacking corner depth. Maybe he's changed his mind a little over the last few years about the importance of cornerbacks?

But the thing certainly wasn't a defense of Lacewell. Who got that out it? Newman was widely talked about as possibly the best player in the whole draft -- Cincy seriously thought about signing him #1 overall. So it obviously didn't take a genius to draft TN at #5.

And sorry for the "bombshell"... I just thought it was pretty surprising to hear Broaddus say that.

Anyway...

 

[burmafrd]

The big defect with Newman was his age. Still is. That is what had a lot of people jumpy to the point when there was talk about a minor shoulder problem some people went nuts.
How many people on the board have been saying that Newman should not be resigned because his age is catching up with him because of his injuries this year. Not a lot but more then a few.

TNew will be a top CB for at east another 3-4 years; maybe more. And he will be a very good one for more after that. I can see him being good enough for quality play for maybe another 7-8 years. He is so smart and studies his opponents so well that he will be able to compensate for the inevitable losing a step or two.

As for those that say BP is only now - or in the last few years- really appreciating CBs= that is because its really only been in the last 5 years or so - due to rule changes and other factors- that the passing game is dominating the NFL. So of course CBs are more important now then - say- early 2003.

 

[theebs]

Some posters who can't stand any criticism of Parcells seem to be a little touchy. I didn't mean the post to be critical of Parcells -- at least, I didn't take the story that way. I thought it was interesting more than anything.

I do find it a little curious that when I listen to Parcells on the Friday night Primetime show, which I've done every week this year, he *often* mentions that so-and-so has a good defense because they have such good corners (e.g. Green Bay) or that so-and-so has a good offense because they have so much "firepower" outside. And he's criticized our defense several times as lacking corner depth. Maybe he's changed his mind a little over the last few years about the importance of cornerbacks?

But the thing certainly wasn't a defense of Lacewell. Who got that out it? Newman was widely talked about as possibly the best player in the whole draft -- Cincy seriously thought about signing him #1 overall. So it obviously didn't take a genius to draft TN at #5.

And sorry for the "bombshell"... I just thought it was pretty surprising to hear Broaddus say that.

Anyway...

wasnt Bryan Cox that was on a flight with Parcells in 04, the offseason going into 05. I think it was cox who was on the best damn sports show saying the offseason was all about getting quality corners.

So as much debate as I am sure there was with that pick I am sure it is just normal when you have a pick that high, its critical not to miss.

I think he made it pretty clear he loved newman, he didnt want to draft glenn while in new england either but he loved terry too.

also, Bryan broaddus used to be espn 1033 all the time, I wish he would be on more because he was excellent. Last year he was the only one that wasnt afraid to say that kenyon coleman was really our best defensive player not named ware down the stretch, playing hard every down and rushing the passer.

 

[Angus]

Much as I disliked the Dallas Cowboys' version of Bill Parcells, this stuff doesn't strike me as a negative about him.

I'm sure coaches all have different strengths and weakneses when it comes to evaluating talent. In fact, some of them have nothing to do with talent evaluation.

So, I'd assume this is pretty typical stuff.

I think that the positive that Parcells gave to the organization was putting a professional structure in place. It's hard to see that because it's not tangible.

So, while he may have swung and missed on some players in the draft, I'm sure he had a big hand in structuring the staff...scouts...how the draft room operated...etc. And stuff like that is his legacy.

Fact of the matter is, he was a much better GM than he was a coach.

I agree. Not believing Parcells is entitled to all the credit he gets for Cowboys drafts and free agent pickups doesn't mean his other contributions aren't appreciated.

 

[Established1971]

Want Robertson or not, he was off the board before we picked -- so I don't see how Robertson vs. Newman could have been the argument.

what, they didnt discuss things before the draft? maybe even that morning?
the conversation doesnt necessarily have to take place when the cowboys are on the clock

 

[AbeBeta]

Uh, you do know that we are talking about picking a talent like Terrance Newman and picking at number 5... especially considering that Dallas had been suffering at CB for years, and one has the oppurtunity to get the premiere CB coming out of college, who as most reports clearly stated was the best athlete as well....

And Kevin Williams is also a premiere talent who was considerably younger than Newman.

 

[dbair1967]

And Kevin Williams is also a premiere talent who was considerably younger than Newman.

shutdown CB >>> good DT

always has been, always will be

I also think tis doubtful that the 3-4 would be good for Kevin Williams, especially when you look around the league at 3-4 teams this yr and see the rather small numbers DE's are putting up in those schemes

David

 

[Nors]

I'd stock My Dline all day everyday over a Corner.

Spears, Canty, Rat, Fergi, Tank, Hatcher - he did that.

At the time I thought Tnew was the safest pick and the appropriate pick.If he can play at a Pro Bowl level for 4-5 years the pick was solid.

 

[Dodger12]

Yes, I love to hear Larry Lacewell crow about how they "discovered' Terrence Newman with the 5th pick in the draft. Good one Larry. Of course, he doesn't talk as much to the media about his keen eye for cornerback talent when it comes to the Dewayne Goodrich, Charlie Williams, Mario Edwards, Kareem Larrimore, Lee Vaughn, Wendall Davis and Kenny Wheaton picks (just off the top of my head ... I'm sure there were more).

Here's my little personal annecdote...

One year I took my sister,brother in law, niece and nephew to Six Flags when they were visiting from out of town. We were standing in line for a ride and a family standing next to us decked out head to toe in Cowboys gear. I asked them how they thought the Cowboys were going to do that year, and they said they didn't know ... they really hadn't kept up with the Cowboys much before. Their son, Charlie Williams, had just been drafted by the Cowboys in the 3rd round. They were in town to help him get settled in. I remarked that he was kind of a surprise pick to most people (i didn't say reach), and asked them if they knew that was about where he would be drafted. They said they were absolutely shocked. They were told he was probably going to be a 5th-7th round draft pick from all the teams that had talked to him.

If Parcells was highly skeptical and not exactly trusting of the scouting department he inherited it only shows that he had a functioning brain and the ability to access the 1996-2002 draft archives on the interwebs.

Since Broaddus can critique BP's eye for OL talent, then certainly he can crow about some of these gems evaluated by him and Lacewell: Tyson Walter, Matt Lehr, Char-ron Dorsey, Solomon Page, Kelvin Garmon, Oliver Ross, Steve Scifres, Clay Shiver and Shane Hannah. Impressive, very impressive eye for talent............and lets not even talk about some of the diamonds in the rough these guys found at the TE postion. Too bad, we had huge plans for the likes of Mike Lucky, Kendall Watkins, Bob Slowikowski and, of course, that Novachek clone, Eric Bjornson....

 

[theebs]

shutdown CB >>> good DT

always has been, always will be

I also think tis doubtful that the 3-4 would be good for Kevin Williams, especially when you look around the league at 3-4 teams this yr and see the rather small numbers DE's are putting up in those schemes

David

If we could have found a consistent tackle who could stay healthy and rush the passer, all the while stopping the run to go with glover, we might never have switched to the 3-4.

I for one and extremely happy we did, and did take newman.

 

[InmanRoshi]

Some posters who can't stand any criticism of Parcells seem to be a little touchy. I didn't mean the post to be critical of Parcells -- at least, I didn't take the story that way. I thought it was interesting more than anything.

I do find it a little curious that when I listen to Parcells on the Friday night Primetime show, which I've done every week this year, he *often* mentions that so-and-so has a good defense because they have such good corners (e.g. Green Bay) or that so-and-so has a good offense because they have so much "firepower" outside. And he's criticized our defense several times as lacking corner depth. Maybe he's changed his mind a little over the last few years about the importance of cornerbacks?

But the thing certainly wasn't a defense of Lacewell. Who got that out it? Newman was widely talked about as possibly the best player in the whole draft -- Cincy seriously thought about signing him #1 overall. So it obviously didn't take a genius to draft TN at #5.

And sorry for the "bombshell"... I just thought it was pretty surprising to hear Broaddus say that.

Anyway...

My post was in response to the article Adam posted where Larry Lacewell is crowing about how Newman was 'his guy', while taking pot shots are Parcells (which he's been doing ever since his terrifying return to the halls of Valley Ranch). Lacewell has the annoying habit of wanting to boast to the media about the one time he didn't screw up, and sweep the 10 times he did under the rug. Of course, the Dallas meda eats it up because "He's Lace' .. who cares if he was a complete and utter failure for 10 years ... he'll have a beer with you and tell you funny stories!!' It's amazing how badly the Dallas media needs validation from those at the Ranch, like a child tugging at his mother's apron strings for attention.

Anyways, I remember Parcells saying in a press conference that when he was with the Jets he loved Ray Mickens as a cover CB, but he was so small that they couldn't use him for anything other than a nickel back because when they tried to use him as a base starter teams just ran right at him all the time. He said he decided then that he wasn't going to draft anymore small CB's highly. Not that he didn't believe that there aren't good small CB's in the league, Aaron Glenn went to 3 Pro Bowls under Parcells at 5'9", but they're the exception, not the norm, and therefore too risky to take with high draft picks. Ty Law, who was about as tough and physical as any cb to play in the league in the last 15 years, was his prototype. Marcus Coleman was a safety/linebacker hybrid at Texas Tech and Parcells converted him to cornerback ... successfully too, until Coleman couldn't get his personal life in order. And Otis Smith, who was just a mean, codgy, tough sob was his CB with the Patriots. Anyways, there's not a doubt in my mind that Newman convinced him was an exception, and not the rule, and Parcells would be the first one to tell you that. And there's also not a doubt in my mind that having to cut his teeth under a coach who demanded physicality from his CB's made Newman a better player. For a man to man cover corner, Newman is an exceptional tackler in the NFL, much much better than he was at Kansas State.