What IS that something?

[Statman]

You've made some good, compelling arguments around here. I figured you were a bright guy but this one knocked you down a few pegs.

Granted, my opinion requires an explanation.

Jason Garrett told us exactly how he intended to restore the Cowboys back to their winning ways. He laid it all out for everyone to see. This included practices, personnel attributes, and attitude. It included a philosophy of acquiring talent that included never sacrificing the future for the present. The Cowboy would always go with the guys they had, they would never again sacrifice value for some perceived need.

That team in 2010 went from 1-7 in the first 87 games to 5-3 in the last. The stats almost completely reversed themselves. That wasn't Stephen Jones or Jerry Jones, who looked completely lost after the Packer game. This was all Jason Garrett, he even did it without the starting QB.

In the past four years, how many times have the Cowboys traded a future draft pick?

Jason garrett spent his entire life around NFL scouting. His father was a scout for 30 years. His brother, Judd, was the Cowboy Director of Pro Personnel. What do you think they talk about around the dinner table?

Jason Garrett is a great teacher, a great organizer and a great judge of talent. He was a little green when it came to game coaching and play calling but he was a rookie Head Coach. You should see some of the records for the first few seasons of the guys we consider the best.

Jason Garrett told us he wouldn't draft for need. he would draft for value, typically the best available player. Jason Garrett intended to build the offensive line as well as the defensive. Did he plan on using three #1 picks for the O-line? Of course not, but that's just how it worked out by picking the best available players according to the criteria Jason Garrett described.

He said he wanted guys who were productive in college. They typically drafted seniors that had high production.

He said he wanted leadership traits. The majority of guys drafted were team captains on their college squads.

He said he wanted smart guy. A great many of the picks were All-Academic or had graduated with degrees.

Read my signature. Jason Garrett believes in this. He has a plan, which he described to us, and he is trying to carry it out as best he can. Does he succeed in getting all that he wants, everything his way? Of course not but he gets the majority. And Stephen Jones believes in him.

Occasionally Jerry Jones remembers that he is Jerry Jones and the Cowboy get players that perhaps Jason might agree with in public, but privately this player doesn't fit his profile. So he will work with the player and hope that the culture he has installed with the accountability demanded by teammates will mature these players and help them to make good decisions about their careers and off field activities.

Again, how many players are there from when he wasn't the head Coach. This team has been almost completely rebuilt and there has been no losing seasons, Yes, plenty of 8-8 but the Cowboys were in it until the end every single season.

What we all saw was the fruits of his labor....with some help from Stephen Jones and even Jerry.

That is the "something" we witnessed.

 

[Dodger12]

Jason Garrett told us exactly how he intended to restore the Cowboys back to their winning ways. He laid it all out for everyone to see. This included practices, personnel attributes, and attitude. It included a philosophy of acquiring talent that included never sacrificing the future for the present. The Cowboy would always go with the guys they had, they would never again sacrifice value for some perceived need.

You almost sound like you and Garrett discussed this, because your whole post is kind of like "hey, this is what Jason thinks and believes." I look at the facts. You do to, except when it comes to Garrett. Then you throw out the numbers and base your opinion on certain variables that are not grounded in reality. Case in point....didn't drafting Claiborne and giving up draft picks sacrafice the future for the present? How about D Lawrence?

That team in 2010 went from 1-7 in the first 87 games to 5-3 in the last. The stats almost completely reversed themselves. That wasn't Stephen Jones or Jerry Jones, who looked completely lost after the Packer game. This was all Jason Garrett, he even did it without the starting QB.

And we all looked at that as great start for Garrett and it gave us hope. But at what point does that 5 and 3 finish (with a back-up QB) overshadow the 8 and 8 seasons with a franchise QB with numerous blown games and horrendous play calling? You pimp Murray in one thread yet have no criticism for the guy that failed to utilize him. Sorry, but I don't buy that argument and it makes you look like like a Garrett shill instead of a guy that bases his opinion on the numbers. You said it in one of your posts....the numbers don't lie and there shouldn't even be a debate (or something to that effect) yet they do to you when it comes to Garrett.

In the past four years, how many times have the Cowboys traded a future draft pick?

We traded away valuable picks for Claiborne and DLaw. I mean, how many more do you need? 2 day 1 picks in the span of 4 years (I still consider rounds 1 to 3 Day 1 picks because they're prime picks). Were these Garrett moves? is this how he builds a team and uses his influence? Really?

Jason garrett spent his entire life around NFL scouting. His father was a scout for 30 years. His brother, Judd, was the Cowboy Director of Pro Personnel. What do you think they talk about around the dinner table?

So what? What does this have anything to do with anything? For all this dinner talk, basic game day clock management seems to elude him.

Jason Garrett is a great teacher, a great organizer and a great judge of talent. He was a little green when it came to game coaching and play calling but he was a rookie Head Coach. You should see some of the records for the first few seasons of the guys we consider the best.

Tell me what their records were with a franchise/pro-bowl caliber QB, not when they took over an expansion team. I'll wait for your stats on that one.

Jason Garrett told us he wouldn't draft for need. he would draft for value, typically the best available player. Jason Garrett intended to build the offensive line as well as the defensive. Did he plan on using three #1 picks for the O-line? Of course not, but that's just how it worked out by picking the best available players according to the criteria Jason Garrett described.

Garrett thought Floyd was the BPA. Or will you deny him and TC threw a hissy fit? I believe McClay had more to do with our change in philosophy than Garrett but that's just my opinion.

Again, how many players are there from when he wasn't the head Coach. This team has been almost completely rebuilt and there has been no losing seasons, Yes, plenty of 8-8 but the Cowboys were in it until the end every single season.

This train of thought just fucking disturbs me. Like a splinted piece of fucking wood under my finger nail.

Honestly, since when is this a barometer of success for any team with a franchise QB? Tell me you're going down to the wire with Brandon Weeden or QC or Anthony Wright or Hutchinson or a washed up Ryan Leaf or a Clint Stoerner or a Brad "Noodle Arm" Johnson or some other scrub. I'd enjoy the ride with little expectations. But I have huge expectations when we have Romo, Murray, Ware, Witten, Dez, etc.

What we all saw was the fruits of his labor....with some help from Stephen Jones and even Jerry.

What we all saw was an inexperienced rookie HC who failed miserably and wasted the prime years of a franchise QB. Jerry stripping away his play calling duties was the best thing that could have happened to that dolt and saved him from himself, not to mention saved his job. Thank Jerry......

 

[Omegasupreme]

Statman: That has to be satire. Coaching to win the games is, and always has been, the only mission of Jason's job description. He was not brought in to change the culture, he was brought in because he was thought to be one of the brightest young COACHes available in the NFL. He is a terrible coach during the only times that it's absolutely necessary for Jason demonstrate coaching leadership and coaching mastery: during the games. Last year marked the least amount of active input in the offense (and since he does not thing for the defense or special teams) that Jason has had since he was hired. DeMarco Murray was really compartmentalized as Callahan's direction since Callahan designed the run plays. None of what you posted matches the reality that Jason had less to do with the success of the team winning their games last year than any year prior. That points to satire.

 

[Statman]

I'm sensing some disagreement.

What l'm saying seems off the all to you guys.

What seems off the wall to me is the premise that Jerry Jones suddenly got it right when it came to player acquisition. He woke up after the day he fired Wade Philips and suddenly became a personnel guru.

Yes, the Cowboys have a great scouting department but it was never talent that was the problem when it came to acquiring players. So many fans think that the big difference is the ability to recognize talented players better than other teams. No.

The Cowboys typically acquired players that were talented but didn't fit their scheme. Why? Because basically, they never had a scheme without the presense of Jimmy Johnson and Bill Parcells.

And I don't recall the Claiborne pick involving a trade using Cowboy picks in future years, of course that is what I'm referring to.

I didn't like Jason's playcalling either but, just like a rookie quarterback, you have to give a rookie Head Coach some time to learn and gain experience. What is experience but learning from mistakes?

Suppose Lee and Murray had never been hurt in any if those seasons. That's all the difference between 8-8 and 9-7 or 10-6. That's all the difference between making the playoffs and not. Then what would we be saying about Jason?

On February 1, 2011 Jerry Jones declared that there would never be a coach or player on the Cowboy roster without Jason Garrett's approval.

Jones further claims that he had to move fast in making Garrett HC because he was getting calls from several teams interested in making Garrett their Head Coach.

Some day you will all come to appreciate Jason Garrett for turning this team completely around. In the meantime, let your arrows fly.

 

[Dodger12]

What seems off the wall to me is the premise that Jerry Jones suddenly got it right when it came to player acquisition. He woke up after the day he fired Wade Philips and suddenly became a personnel guru.

He became a personnel guru when he demoted TC and promoted McClay. 2012 was a draft disaster starting with trading up for Claiborne.

And I don't recall the Claiborne pick involving a trade using Cowboy picks in future years, of course that is what I'm referring to.

So trading Day 1 picks is not "sacrificing the future for the present?"

When it comes to Garrett, you throw out all your rational, stat based conclusions.

Jason Garrett is a great teacher, a great organizer and a great judge of talent. He was a little green when it came to game coaching and play calling but he was a rookie Head Coach. You should see some of the records for the first few seasons of the guys we consider the best.

Tell me what their records were with a franchise/pro-bowl caliber QB, not when they took over an expansion team. I'm still waiting.....

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

How many couples have you married, Statman? Maybe around 35?

 

[Doomsday]

Some day you will all come to appreciate Jason Garrett for turning this team completely around.

And someday you will wake up and realize he's a educated idiot. Write this down on your calendar dude and note that I said it: Dallas is going nowhere at all as long as Garrett is the head coach. Fucking bookmark it too.

 

[Everlastingxxx]

And someday you will wake up and realize he's a educated idiot. Write this down on your calendar dude and note that I said it: Dallas is going nowhere at all as long as Garrett is the head coach. Fucking bookmark it too.

What do you mean by nowhere? Was the divisional game nowhere?

 

[Bob Sacamano]

But his dad was a scout.

 

[Doomsday]

What do you mean by nowhere? Was the divisional game nowhere?

There's only one correct definition of a successful season in Dallas, as defined by Roger Staubach immediately after the first Super Bowl win. So when I say "go anywhere" that is what I mean - hoisting the Lombardi trophy. Anything else is, nowhere. Second place is just the first fucking loser.

 

[Statman]

Okay, I know how that game is played. I name highly regarded HC's that flopped in their rookie head coaching years even though they had Pro Bowl franchise QB's......and then you attach the disclaimer that, " They weren't as exalted as the great Tony Romo, so they don't count!"

What the hell.....

Who were the HC's in the last Super Bowl, Belichik and Pete Carroll, right?

Both failed to win with their initial teams, Carroll with the Jets, Belichik with the Browns.

The Jets had Boomer Esiason, pro bowler the previous year. The Brown's had Bernie Kosar, a Pro Bowler and their franchise QB.

I have several more examples, but it won't matter, you'll find some irrelevant excuse to ignore them.

I mostly agree with Doomsday but i will word it differently....you evaluate a season on one criteria, did their results indicate they are closer to a possible Super Bowl championship or are they further away than the previous season?

Its all about championships, nobody remembers what happens in regular seasons and previous playoff rounds are only famous for how they got a team into the Super Bowl to win a championship.

Otherwise, your team is only famous when they are wearing the "other" jersies in those memorable pictures and videos.