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2012-2013 Regular Season: For
The Birds & Rekindling Angry Words
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- November 10, 2012
At 9:15 PM CST
By Eric M. Scharf
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- The Dallas Cowboys had another
opportunity to turn their fortunes around . . . by keeping the
Atlanta Falcon’s flight crew on the ground.
Rob Ryan’s Roughnecks lined up ready to go and put on a strong
defensive show for all but the final round. They applied steady
pressure for nearly four full quarters – with D’ Warewolf and
company collecting three more sacks . . . and brutish Cowboy Bruce
Carter gobbling up ball-carriers and a certain Hall of Fame tight
end like midnight snacks.
The Cowboys’ defense held it together until too many stalled drives
by their own offense left them worn out, arm-tackling, and looking
around. An early 3-and-out never materialized on the Falcon’s last
drive and – with less than 30 seconds to go – a Cowboys’ miracle
comeback took an uneventful nose dive.
The offensive side of Garrett’s Gang played reasonably mistake-free
but – once again – they gagged on the artificial red zone grass and
ran out of gas – losing 19-13 to some beatable frequent flyers . . .
and looking unsound.
“America’s Team” lost another game they could have led early and won
. . . only to blow it again on the national stage and become undone.
The Cowboys continue their failure to finish as their postseason
chances rapidly diminish.
Garrett’s Gang continues reading from the same story – just the
latest chapter . . . encouraging even The Tortured Cowboys Fan to
sound like an unreasonable detractor.
While this game was for the birds, the following week of practice
has been interrupted with a rekindling of angry words.
Personal And Professional
Cowboys Nation and prognosticators – on an intergalactic level –
continue to dissect Dallas’ woes from their foggy little heads to
their injury-prone toes.
Other NFL teams can play better, can make the playoffs, and can win
the Super Bowl – while 16+ years-and-counting of familiar Cowboys
mistakes continue to take their toll – and it is never quite enough
to prevent America’s Team from having a prominent national spotlight
role.
Cowboys Nation – from level-headed to restrained and bedded – should
have the expectation that Jerry Jones is here to stay and Jason
Garrett may, in fact, never go on a Sean Payton-sponsored vacation.
The Cowboys – for the past 16+ years – have been suffering from a
personal and professional mission . . . which has prevented Jerry
from making even the most logical decision.
Fans should simply
CLICK HERE to see why Jerry absolutely refuses to steer
clear . . . or even part with just some of the management mechanisms
of his Cowboys so dear.
Jerry – for all of his impressive marketing acumen – was
marginalized by Jimmy Johnson . . . as someone who only excelled at
monetization rather than product creation. If Jimmy had somehow
failed miserably – or been no better than average – then, Jerry
might have been professionally thrilled with his non-game day
involvement . . . and not spent all these years harboring such
personal baggage.
Jimmy – instead – succeeded beyond everyone’s wildest dreams save
his own, and he was not about to share with an interested Jerry any
of the hard-earned meat grown from his self-made bone.
Where Jerry’s interest in being more involved was for gain both
personal and professional, he was not devoid of traditional football
knowledge, nor was he inflexibly conventional. Jerry – by all
accounts – was an accomplished offensive lineman and a co-captain on
the University of Arkansas’s 1964 championship team. The Carolina
Panthers’ Jerry Richardson is the only other current NFL owner whose
football roots even get close to that extreme.
Mike Brown – widely seen as the NFL owner in need of a brain donor –
had the incredibly accomplished and respected Paul Brown for a
father – and yet, with youth, college, or professional football . .
. he did not even bother. Mike, like Jerry, is the owner and general
manager of his team – the Cincinnati Bengals. He, like Jerry, gets
unmercifully hounded and pounded by the press for all of his
perceived management bungles.
Mike – unlike Jerry – likes to run a lean (not necessarily
efficient) operation . . . not even remotely befitting the team
followed by Cowboys Nation. Jerry – like the fictitious John Hammond
from “Jurassic Park” – will spare no expense, and he never shies
away from swinging for the fence.
Jurassic Jerry – though he tends to drive Cowboys Nation insane –
does not have a walnut-sized brain. He has – post Jimmy Johnson –
been “involved in everything regarding the Cowboys, right down to
the jocks and socks.”
While Jerry has personally overseen a number of dud drafts he has
also been a valid participant in recent efforts that have churned out players like Sean
Lee and DeMarco Murray who – even with untimely injuries – have both
produced in a hurry. Jerry's 2012 draft also includes a few gems,
however, fans are starting to see an injury-prone trend . . . with
some of these promising picks taking seriously unavailable time to
mend. And Jerry has always been a big player in free
agency – with and without "parental guidance" – whenever America’s Team has had to fill an important vacancy.
He drove Carr right off the free agency lot and – so far – his
smooth ride has generally hit the secondary spot.
Mike Brown – in comparison – has had quite a few good drafts over
the length of his ownership only to see some of those picks perform
well, claim Cincinnati ain’t so swell and – at the first opportunity
– run like hell. Mix in a few Ki-Jana’s and Akili’s, and Bengals
fans have repeatedly felt stabbed in their Achilles. Some Mike-isms
are debatable while others – like these – are simply unexplainable.
While Cowboys fans seemingly enjoy year round turns taking shots at
Jerry – until it sufficiently burns – he never really had the
ability to avoid his perpetual purgatory. He unceremoniously fired
legendary Tom Landry – followed soon after by tremendous Tex Schramm
. . . which immediately made fans downright incendiary. Though Jimmy
(with Jerry as a ride-along) recovered from a painful start and
achieved back-to-back Super Bowl victories, Cowboys Nation expected
the party to continue. As long as the roster and coaching staff
remained reasonably intact, fans felt they were at the right venue.
The entire world of sports knows what happened during the following
offseason – and no matter who was truly at fault – Cowboys Nation
will NEVER forgive Jerry for his part in Jimmy’s “resignation.”
Jimmy was never going to share the credit for the work he still
believes he (and his coaching staff) accomplished with the money of
Jerry Jones and little more . . . and about that Jimmy – to this day
– makes no bones.
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- It did not matter to Cowboys Nation that – after more than one poor
selection – Jerry was willing to swallow his tremendous ego and ask
Bill “Big Tuna” Parcells for his help in turning around America’s
Team. Big Bill had solid success – rebuilding Dallas from the ground up
through deft drafting not seen since Jimmy –
and getting the Cowboys back in the direction of their “normal”
postseason theme. The Tuna burned out – following Tony Romo’s rip
roaring rendition of “Sleepless in Seattle” – and Jerry hired Wade
“The Fade” Phillips . . . who – along with Jason “Red Ball” Garrett
and a loaded roster – reached the moon in their first season
together only to suffer a humiliating postseason swoon.
After recovering with a wonderful playoff blip two seasons later,
disaster struck again . . . and out came the haters. Fast forward to
the here and the now . . . and the Cowboys are still struggling
behind a Red Ball-powered plow.
What if Jerry had never granted Jimmy such broad leadership powers –
forcing Jerry to sit quietly with the other owners in Rapunzel’s
tower? Would Jimmy have balked and stayed in Miami – where his teams
would have continued kicking fanny? What if Jerry had held his
tongue after seeing Jimmy sitting with former coaches at that NFL
owners’ meeting so long ago? What if he had convinced Big Bill not
to go? What if The Fade had performed so well that Jerry was forced
to conceal his blade? What if Red Ball really was prepared – like
“the man in the funny hat” – to do it all?
None of that matters in the here and the now . . . even if fans have
every right to continue having a cow. Many people – within leagues
circles – believe Jason Garrett has the makings of a fine NFL
head coach . . . as has been proven by those teams – with more
traditional management structures – who were willing to poach. The
issue, of course, is the Cowboys – as they are currently constructed
– have no time to wait for Garrett to completely mature and reach
his prime.
While no one argues that Jerry could (and should) delegate more
authority – for which fans are constantly hot – Jerry remains in the
minority when it comes to grid iron play calls and game day roster
spots. Jerry does not make play calls, and he does not execute
assignments. All he can do – as he has been noticeably absent from
the sidelines – is wait until after each game to huddle with Jason
and see if a bad result can be corrected through roster alignments.
The Tortured Cowboys Fan does not believe Jerry Jones has completely lost his
mind . . . though to anything else, fans seem blind. He continues to
find himself in the starring role of “The Madness of GM Jerry,”
because anything short of bringing Jimmy Johnson back (from
permanent retirement) in his original role with the very same
control . . . leaves the fans less and less merry.
The Dallas Cowboys are not in the same situation as the Los Angeles
Lakers. Phil Jackson – once again – appears rested and ready to
captain the Lakers past all the fakers. Jimmy Johnson – on the other
hand – is happier than a pig in poop with his FOX Sports Sunday
scoop. He spends the rest of his time fishing or relaxing on the
sand with a Heineken in his hand.
Jerry realizes in Jimmy’s shadow he is stuck . . . and it is a trend
he is desperate to buck. He will NEVER admit it, and he fashions
himself the next Al Davis who can find the solution, get back into
the tournament, and win it. If Jerry was simply a fan – like the
rest of Cowboys Nation – he would not have to worry about fans being
more forgiving . . . because fans would not have to worry about
Jerry being the one tasked with delivering.
Jerry is not just a fan. He is the biggest fan who paid the biggest money –
at the time – to become The Man with the plan . . . not just the
owner roaming the sideline occasionally looking funny. Jerry is not
interested in simply being another big dollar bub who merely owns
the local "country club."
Jerry’s issues will continue being split between personal and
professional and – regardless of how the Cowboys continue to perform
– Jerry will continue staying far from a confessional.
Garrett The Parrot
Prognosticators like to say Garrett is on the hot seat. They tweet,
tweet some more, and reheat. The head coach of the Dallas Cowboys is
always on hot seat . . . and for Super Bowls he is always expected
to compete. No matter the coaching, the systems, the salary cap, the
draft, or free agency . . . the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys –
and his roster of talent – is supposed to drink, eat, and sleep
winning through a 24-7 sense of urgency.
While no one argues that Jason could (and should) delegate his
offensive tasks to Bill Callahan or another source – for which fans
have grown extremely course – Jason remains a game day minority when
it comes to how well his players pass, catch, run, tackle, hold onto
the ball, cause fumbles, kick, and punt. Sure – Jason is in charge
of all-things-coaching and – by all accounts – he is doing his
Herculean best to avoid anyone other than Dez Bryant performing like
a mental runt.
Fans may abhor it, but they do not get to ignore it (the dropped
passes on perfectly acceptable play-calls), and demand Garrett
simply forfeit . . . as more and more fans get upset about waitin’
for Sean Payton.
Payton and his representatives were the culprits who drew calculated
attention to his pending free agent status – giving him plenty of
leverage in any direction and plenty of selection. Even if he were
to become Dallas’ new head coach, forward progress may still not be
immediate, as these Cowboys may still resemble a cactus.
Fans associate leadership with not just words or actions but both .
. . as one of pro sports’ prime indicators of growth. Fans – and
Jerry – are desperate to see when Garrett will finally command the
complete attention of his players with the right mental or material
carrot. Garrett must find a way to be consistently good . . . or he
risks – more sooner than later – working in a different neighborhood.
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- Cowboys Nation most associates head coaching success with those who
have used fear as a tactic – from Tom Landry to Jimmy Johnson to
Bill Parcells . . . and – to this day – fans are convinced that is
what compels and sells.
Cowboys Nation remembers seeing Tom Landry fully invested in all
three phases of the game. While he delegated tasks, he still kept
quite a lot on his plate – controlling much of the Cowboys’ fate.
Cowboys Nation remembers seeing Jimmy Johnson fully invested in all
three phases of the game. While he delegated quite a bit, he was
viciously protective of the laser focus with which everyone in the
organization needed to be equipped.
Cowboys Nation remembers Bill Parcells fully invested in all three
phases of the game. While he delegated some, he was more than
willing to personally beat the play-call drum . . . in order to keep
the tightest possible clamp on game day dumb.
Cowboys Nation knows Garrett’s style is aimed at emulating
stone-faced Tom Landry . . . but fans have yet to see Garrett hit
the target with any sustained accuracy.
Cowboys Nation has been asked to give Garrett the same support Tom
Landry and Jimmy Johnson initially needed to get up and going. While
"the
man in the funny hat” and “the man with razor sharp hair” – who both
shared the same cold stair . . . both ascended to the NFL head
coaching ranks with a lot more
experience and many more accomplishments than the man who currently occupies the Cowboys’
head coaching chair.
The more Garrett loses and chooses to parrot how hard he is working
to correct his team’s problems . . . the more everyone will continue
responding like blood-thirsty goblins. Halloween may be over but –
for disenfranchised fans – it is never too late to be mean.
The more Garrett wins – even by a single point – showing how hard he
is working to correct his team’s issues . . . the more fans will put
away the tissues.
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- Troy Aikman put it best when he
indicated Dallas is more of a "winning town" than a sports town, and
fans – no matter how unrealistic – are not interested in another
(perceived) coaching clown trying to turn their collective frown
upside down.
Will They Or Won’t They?
America’s Team makes its annual trek to the “City of Brotherly
Hate” this Sunday.
The Cowboys need to get down to it against the Philadelphia Eagles –
and make more than one play for the full 60 minutes on game day.
The Cowboys continue to collect injured players, and they must
continue to suck it up . . . and see if a motley mix of career bench
warmers and free agents can answer their performance prayers.
Will the Cowboys finally match the personal and professional pride
with which Philly generally makes them look silly?
Will the Cowboys finally do it right and bring a 60 minutes of big
dog bite to their latest fight?
Will Garrett come up short – again – and allow Andy Reid to do the
deed? Will Garrett just inch closer to telling the “next guy” about
the team he will inherit?
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- Will Garrett finally double dog dare
it, go for the throat, and bury the cheese steak in Philly’s back
before they even see it?
We shall see. We always do.
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