Hope is what keeps most of us excited about change and angry when the same things are promoted over and over expecting different results. However there is a sinister new spin on hope that Jason has given us, particularly this year: distorted optimism. It seems as if for every major criticism in the media, there is something dispatched from the Garrett Mindguard to keep everyone in line. Just like a business that has been failing in annual earnings will manipulate the 4th quarter earnings in order to keep stockholders and consumer faith on the upswing, Jason will point to exclusive and tangential events as reasons for optimism. This is where I think that Jason has really locked in the Jones. He can point to sudden gashes and gains of yards that have happened in games to show how effective his system is. But to the trained and analytical eye, Jason (especially during the 8-8 years) would go to 5 WRs, when teams who were leading Dallas before halftime or in the last 2:00 of games, would draw back to prevent defenses which allows for about 5-7 generally uncontested completions of 10-15 yard passes but very little points that make any difference in the game. How many times did we hear: "Well we like some of the things we were able to do at the end of the game". But just like a business or company that rebounds in the fourth quarter for optimism, the question to seasoned stockholders is: what was the story in the previous three quarters? Romo confirmed early this year that he developed certain abilities to survive in games from playing from behind so often in games. Jerry also pointed to the sheer amount of yards that the offense was generating but seemed to still be waiting for points that would win games.
This year was a little different. There seemed to be an urgency to publicly redefine what was exposed when Jason's true coaching ability and leadership were supposed to be leading the team or solving the issues. Distorted optimism.
There have been major criticisms throughout the year but especially at the end of the year and Jason (or Jason through Jerry or Romo etc) points to ridiculous conditions to show that the team is on the upswing and his system/coaching should not be challenged.
Back up quarterback: points to Kitna even though Kitna was trained by Bratkowski and just like the business model of ignoring the first three financial quarters, why was there no explanation of McGee, Weeden, Cassell, Vaughn, etc? Just moved to the only QB with any success. Then, used the second half of the Redskin game when the Redskins had nothing to play for and none of their major defensive players were putting themselves in a position to get hurt before their playoff games, Kellen Moore and Terrance Williams have banner games. To the untrained eye it's a rebound in the 4th quarter but it's a manipulated condition that allowed the perception of gains and potential. But really, how many points were scored in that game? Who scored them? 400+ passing with how many TDs? How many interceptions? Terrance Williams suddenly had the best game of his season but who was actually covering him and what were the Redskins allowing? Both issues are very much staining question marks of Jason's leadership: developing a QB other than Romo such that the draft will force Jason to show his coaching ability and that Terrance Williams who was a Garrett handpick should be replaced this year as he has been routinely incompetent.
I think Jason spends more time issuing face-saving statements than he does actually leading/contriving winning components for his team. Just like a business with stockholders: distorted optimism.
What about not scoring points, what did we hear? Question deflected to defenses faults (the Green Bay game).
What about that many in the Dallas media were looking at the Patriots who change their offensive scheme weekly to attack opposing defenses, in particular the use of "rub" plays, natural picks, and crossing patterns to get their players open. What was the Dallas response? Tony Romo made some random statement which was not even in context to his interview about "all systems being really the same" which was obvious this year more than any other year of being untrue. There are systems that are flexible and have several options all the times (Erhardt-Perkins) there are systems that are highly orchestrated (WCO), there are combination systems (eg Glibrides system was a combination of a run and shoot and WCO) and then there are updated systems like Arians, Kubiak, Gase etc who have modernized and mixed Coryell, WCO, and Erhardt depending on who they are playing.
Dallas needed a running back. They raided the Seahawks cast offs and then released Michael when the needed him. Terrance Williams and Devin Streets had not caught passes in weeks and Michael was released because of performance issues.
Dallas needed LBs. Somehow the personnel department who brought us the distorted optimism of Matt Johnson also brought us Damien Wilson and Mark Nzeocha. They needed Jasper Brinkley but let him go because they had to keep a roster spot for an unused and wasted draft pick in Geoff Swaim.
They needed Corey White but they let him go because of performance issues. The pass first offense was not scoring points or doing anything and yet one of the most pivotal parts of the 15th ranked defense was released???
It's not negative at all. It's realistically asking questions and asking that when answers are given that they match reality.
Hope is what we are hungry for.
Distorted optimism is what we are fed instead.
