Bench Roy Williams

by dfan77 on Nov 6, 2009 12:00 AM CST

The most powerful, motivational, and smart move the Cowboys could make at this moment is to bench Roy Williams for the Philadelphia game.

Hear me out.

Our opinion of ESPN does not matter. It doesn't matter if they have a bias against the Cowboys.

The intent behind Roy's comments does not matter. He's been around long enough to know that the media will twist anything and everything in order to create a story.

The fact is this: Roy opened his mouth to reporters when 110 percent of his words and deeds should have been directed at either/both Romo and the coaching staff, in a productive manner.

The message should be sent by the Cowboys: we WILL NOT tolerate internal team dynamics to be made public. It is public knowledge that TO was let go primarily because of the dissent his brought to the locker room. To tolerate this -- even just a little bit -- moves the line back yet again. It sends a signal that one individual is greater than the team at large.

That attitude needs to be stamped out, with a vengeance, and right now, to reiterate our commitment to "team first."

It will also be a huge boost to the other leaders on this team -- Ware, Brooking, Witten, Ratliff, and more -- when they recognize that the "team first" concept -- the very thing THEY have been fighting for -- is indisputably in place.

For management to remain passive and/or quiet on this will no doubt subtly undermine those individuals who are doing their best, on the field and on the sidelines, to take this franchise to the next level. Ever expect your wife, husband, partner, whatever to have your back in a unified front? Um, yeah.

This might create problems for the Philly game -- and obviously important game. Then again, if he hasn't stepped up yet, how much will RW's absence affect us? It removes another threat, sure -- but I don't think a ton of teams are centering their game plans around RW, right now.

Demonstrate to Roy -- and the rest of the world -- that with Romo, Witten, Bennett, Crayton, Austin, Choice, Barber and Hurd -- we have enough to get a win over Philly.

Because we do.

And imagine the focus, discipline and respect with which those true teammates will take the field at the Linc.

Many of us say "Cupcake". . .we blather on about wanting a tougher-minded coach. . .but when something like this happens, we blame ESPN and make excuses for an underachieving wide receiver.

Time to man up. Act like the team we are and want to be.

Do what's radical.

It will pay off.

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Comments

Nope...

Perception isn’t reality. Just because ESPN and others think there is a chemistry problem doesn’t make it so. Roy has already said he doesn’t wish to be another T.O. and that he wasn’t bashing Romo but simply answering a question about his bad connection with Romo. Then, to add on, Romo defended Williams strongly and even threw after practice with him. People with a problem don’t work together after practice.

Also, it just doesn’t make sense to bench him. Crayton is solid as a slot guy, but I don’t want to see him on the outside. And while he has underachieved, when Roy and Tony connect, it usually is in the form of big plays (see Roy’s 17.8 YPC). If there is any week we could use a breakout game from Roy, it is this game. And this might not mean much, but Roy has owned the Eagles in his career. I just don’t see what tangible benefit you get from benching him.

If I had a nickel for every Super Bowl the Eagles have won, I would have zero nickels.

by Cowboyfan729 on Nov 6, 2009 12:40 AM CST reply actions

+1

Nope

The Knights season may have just ended, but the Cowboys year is just begining!

by aussie_cowboy on Nov 6, 2009 1:31 AM CST up reply actions

I hope you guys are accountable

. . .at the end of this season. I want you here, front and center, when we discuss the next Roy drama.

Deal? :)

Later, cupcakes.

by dfan77 on Nov 6, 2009 2:06 AM CST up reply actions

He's already seeing the bench quite a bit

There were many alignments in which Williams played the part of a spectator.

The team started to pull him out because of sucking.

I think that’s good enough.

Viva México! Go Cowboys!

by Chandus on Nov 7, 2009 12:56 AM CST up reply actions

if you start managing your roster based on ESPN perceptions

then wait to see what they’ll be saying next.

Have some commitment to your locker room and forget about what comes out of ESPN. Roy is part of that locker room and nothing he said warrants benching. Reducing his playing time for his play, perhaps, but you’ve got a player working extra with Romo after practice and focused on fixing the problem. What more motivation does he need…I think he has got the motivation to fix his issues.

And a reason he’s different than TO is that he recognizes he can do something to fix it and is doing that with his extra work. TO would place the blame entirely elsewhere and wait for them to fix it. TO has a great personal work rate, but its all about him and not the team…that’s why I was glad to see him leave!

by Kansas Cowboy on Nov 7, 2009 11:00 AM CST up reply actions

+2

no way jose; another overaction. RW is a good ole’ boy from Odessa Permian. He knows how to spell “team”.

"What we've got here is failure to communicate"

by angie'sdad on Nov 7, 2009 6:26 PM CST up reply actions

Romo said himself

This team is too strong at the core for the media to break up like they have in the past

by Joon on Nov 6, 2009 11:25 AM CST up reply actions

The tangible benefit

is killing a cancer before it metastisizes. Simply put Roy in his place this time — he’ll learn. Nothing more drastic than a one game benching. The other benefit, as I said, was sending a very positive and firm signal to the rest of the team, and backing up the leaders on this team.

I already said I don’t care about ESPN — I made my point clear. Roy should put up and shut up.

There IS an acceptable answer to these questions.

“I feel like I haven’t yet fulfilled my potential in Dallas yet, but I’m working on that daily and I will continue to do so. I am proud to be here and lucky to be a part of a great offense. And that’s what it is about — the offense and, more broadly, the team. Next question.”

by dfan77 on Nov 6, 2009 1:09 AM CST reply actions

He said exactly that during both interviews

Talking about knee-jerk!

He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors. - Thomas Jefferson

by Fighter15 on Nov 6, 2009 7:47 AM CST up reply actions

Your "benefits"

are based off a large number of assumptions about what is going on in the Cowboys locker room and what the leaders on the team need to see happen. But if you wish to continue to speculate, be my guest.

If I had a nickel for every Super Bowl the Eagles have won, I would have zero nickels.

by Cowboyfan729 on Nov 6, 2009 7:48 AM CST up reply actions

Have you ever played a competitive sport?

And are you familiar with human nature? There isn’t a ton of “speculation” going on here — it’s pretty much common sense, discipline, and leadership.

by dfan77 on Nov 7, 2009 1:19 AM CST up reply actions

Wow!

Finally someone who gets it!

I have been telling Cowboys fans the same for 3 years now. Plenty of them just don’t get it!

I am quite sure we all gasped upon hearing the report of Williams blaming Romo. Then in their own logic they make it “OK”, and its not ok.

What Williams said was WRONG!!! Even if everything he said has merit, (which we can argue both ways) you don’t throw team issues , locker room issues, out in public forums. …

A “team” is like family, and I’ll be damned if my wife or brother called me out in front of friends or in a public place .. even if he/she was right. Its just something you don’t do!

by spadesking131313 on Nov 7, 2009 9:55 AM CST up reply actions

Cowboys will never bench RW

They would cut him before they would bench him. The reality of the situation is that highly paid players start and thats just a fact you will have to accept as a fan.

You might not like it, but that’s the economic realities of the league. This isn’t high school or college.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Nov 6, 2009 8:12 AM CST reply actions

Terry

Didn’t say they would bench — I said they should. Get the diff?

Are you gonna go hide away if Tony takes a dump Sunday night?

;) Just checking.

by dfan77 on Nov 7, 2009 1:17 AM CST up reply actions

Right on!

“The message should be sent by the Cowboys: we WILL NOT tolerate internal team dynamics to be made public” .. It is that simple! .. Teams who create this standard .. WIN!!

When the Cowboys WERE winning Super Bowls, you would never hear Michael, Harper, K-Mart or Novacheck complain about Aikman’s passes publicly. But you would have to guess that there were times when some went to Aikman at practice and said things to identify where they like certain passes and the two players worked on it TOGETHER. Publicly, I can recall Michael calling out the team “WE need to get better” .. “WE need to work harder at practice” .. etc etc.

This finger pointing and public call out of teammates is unexceptable!

by spadesking131313 on Nov 6, 2009 12:46 PM CST reply actions

I doubt that they ever complained about Aikman anywhere

Troy was the most accurate passer I ever saw throw a football, dude was always on the money.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Nov 6, 2009 1:36 PM CST up reply actions

Perhaps we should let the media set our lineups

by Benthere on Nov 6, 2009 8:34 PM CST reply actions

No, I disagree entirely

Oh wait. Was that sarcasm? Or just passive/aggressiveness? Or wild lack of comprehension?

by dfan77 on Nov 7, 2009 1:20 AM CST up reply actions

I think that is in essence what you are implying

because ESPN has twisted his words and made a story, he should have known they would and therefore should be benched. You’re making mountains out of mullhills, for lack of a better phrase in an attempt to justify benching a player you feel isn’t performing. If you want to bench him for performance, that is a much better argument than in reaction to ESPN perceptions.

by Kansas Cowboy on Nov 7, 2009 11:03 AM CST up reply actions

I'm hoping Roy works out for us

I was annoyed and ready to let him go after the whole “I’m the #1, balls just aren’t thrown correctly” storyline, but I do think the media manipulated the fans a bit once again. Even I fell for it. It’s a sensitive subject, given all the T.O. drama from a year ago. I think Roy adequately explained himself the next day. He still has to put it all together on the field, but I think he took the right step in rectifying the situation.

Sam Hurd and Crayton(man do I feel foolish for piling on that guy) both look good, and I think the coaches realize that. There ARE a great deal of plays where Roy isn’t even on the field, replaced by one or both of them. I think that position is more of a committee. Of course that means Roy’s grossly overpaid, but by no means does that make him a bad player.

Epic Fail since 1985

by the red scare on Nov 7, 2009 4:11 AM CST reply actions