Cowboys random articles

by Dave Halprin on Jan 21, 2008 6:43 PM CST in Dallas Cowboys News

Well, I got more response to my call for help blogging in the offseason than I expected. Both in the thread and through email, I’ve received close to 15 notifications of people throwing their hat into the ring. I was especially surprised, and gratified, to find out about a whole group of people who read the blog religiously but don’t post diaries or comments. Who knew there were so many lurkers out there? Anyway, I need to figure out what I’m going to do, so to everybody who asked to be considered, please hold tight, it might take me a little while to sort this out.

You can still add your name to the list by posting in this thread or by sending me an email. If you send email, please include your BTB name if you have one.

Nick Eatman takes a cursory look at our own free agents and what the Cowboys may do. I’ll have much more on this over the next week or so.

Mark Peter King down as another press member who thinks if Wade doesn’t get it done this year, Jason Garrett will be the coach.

One more thing about Jason Garrett's decision to stay: Don't buy the stuff about Garrett making so much money he'll usurp the authority of Phillips. First, Garrett is a coach's son. He's a total team guy, a low-ego guy and never would do anything to make Phillips uncomfortable. Now, having said that, if the Cowboys have another one-and-out exit from the playoffs next season, I think Jerry Jones will take about 10 minutes to fire Phillips, interview one minority candidate and then hire Garrett as his next head coach.

The sad story of Ron Springs gets more tangled.

The family of former Dallas Cowboy Ron Springs is expected to file a lawsuit as he remains in a coma following a routine surgery, NBC 5 reported.
Springs was undergoing surgery to have a cyst removed at Medical City of Dallas in October when he slipped into the coma. It is not clear yet if the hospital will be the health care facility named in the suit or if there is a third party involved, NBC 5 reported.

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Comments

I think Garrett is the Cowboys HC in 2009

no matter what the team does in 2008.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Jan 21, 2008 7:08 PM CST reply actions

I disagree...

I honestly believe that as long as Wade wins a playoff game, he keeps his job.

by jgreet on Jan 21, 2008 9:14 PM CST up reply actions

I think so too

Wade had this season which was successful but all for naught, and he'll have next season. Then Garrett takes over.

"On my signal...unleash Hell." Demarcus Maximus Decimus Ware

by APerfectStar on Jan 22, 2008 5:15 AM CST up reply actions

No way

Jerry isn't going to go through this same scenario every offseason.Jason Garrett will be the new head coach in sept.2009 to open the new stadium in Arlington.

You'll never get in a traffic jam,while going the extra mile. -Roger staubach

by TrueBlue24 on Jan 22, 2008 11:54 AM CST up reply actions

I don't think so if...

If Wade gets to the SB next year, how do you fire him? To me it does not make any sense. I'm not saying that I'd put it past Jerry, but that would be something the OLD Jerry would do. I don't think this Jerry would do that. If Wade gets back to the playoffs and wins...he MUST be kept! Just MHO.

by jgreet on Jan 22, 2008 11:59 AM CST up reply actions

I don't think its that simple

Obviously if Wade wins the SB then things get stickier but Garrett is the future and would it be worth it to let him get away so Wade could coach one or two more seasons? It is just like with free agents, if a 33 year old player has a great season but there is a stud 25 year old waiting in the wings you have to put some non-emotional thought towards the future or else you will lose your competitive edge.

by Billito on Jan 22, 2008 12:30 PM CST up reply actions

Can you...

Can you GUARANTEE that Jason Garrett will win Super Bowls as a head coach?

If you can, I'd say fire Wade now...if not, you have to go with the guy that's doing a pretty good job now.

I don't know what kind of head coach JG will make. I think he'll be real good, but guess what...you don't know either. No one does. There is no possible way to know.

Again, if Wade gets back to the playoffs and wins...he MUST be kept! Just MHO.

by jgreet on Jan 22, 2008 12:47 PM CST up reply actions

I think if Wade wins the SB, he'll retire

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Jan 22, 2008 1:11 PM CST up reply actions

I'd sure like to see an accurate "post mortem" on

the Cowboy's breakdown after Thanksgiving.
Was it's Phillips' "laissez faire" approach to the players?
Was it because of poor team leadership?
Or,did the lack of maturity as a team cause it to spiral downward?

Wharter

by Wharter on Jan 21, 2008 8:00 PM CST reply actions

I agree, but take it a step farther

these melt-downs aren't new. We saw them in the Parcells era as well. What has caused them over the past five seasons? I have read a number of theories - offense/defense are too complicated and guys focus on learning new things instead of perfecting execution; relative youth of the team; being mesmerized by earlier success and subsequently losing focus; injuries to key players (Ellis, TO).

What a great topic for some budding cub reporter working directly under the tutelage of The Great Grizzinator. If there is going to be a write-off, this would be a great topic...

by dunkman on Jan 21, 2008 8:07 PM CST up reply actions

Dunkman, you have my vote to take this story

as your inaugural project as "Grizz II"

Wharter

by Wharter on Jan 21, 2008 8:14 PM CST up reply actions

dunkman in 08

if only I was registered to vote....

by Jordan2 on Jan 21, 2008 10:07 PM CST up reply actions

Wait until I unveil my

"no web tax on BTB" platform.

This one looks hard. Maybe I could talk about the jinx of the blue jersey...

by dunkman on Jan 22, 2008 5:51 AM CST up reply actions

this was our year

and we blew it. we were set up to get to the superbowl. carolina lost their QB, the rams lost their line, the bears had a ton of injuries, mcnabb still wasn't healthy, the redskins lost half their secondary, atlanta lost vick. the NFC was bad this year and we had a deep talented team that had been to the playoffs the year before.

still can't believe we lost. I think the team needed someone to "kick them in the ass". They should have treated that buy week like the beginning of their real season and not like a "break from football". Wade should have been saying who cares about the regular season...who cares about 13-3...we want the damn super bowl.

by cosbie84 on Jan 22, 2008 12:11 AM CST up reply actions

We did blow it

but last year we had an ass kicker in at HC and still blew it down the stretch. It's too easy to blame Phillips. My guess is that it's the youth on this team. The last two years will either make them better (as all the crap the Giants and Redskins have taken seems to have) or they'll fold like a cheap tent.

by dunkman on Jan 22, 2008 5:49 AM CST up reply actions

The '92 team under Jimmy Johnson was a pretty

youthful team; but I'll bet that "oldtimer" Charles Haley kicked ass when needed.

Wharter

by Wharter on Jan 22, 2008 7:31 AM CST up reply actions

Lack of Vocal Leaders

You touched on something, Wharter.

Under Jimmy J., no one got complacent, and he had a__-kickers who were very vocal in the locker room, as well.

Although the Tuna ran a tighter ship than Wade, the results still ended up in a December meltdown.

The common denominator when comparing Parcells and Phillips are most of the players... and most of them no being vocal leaders who kick a__.

www.xanga.com/five11nation

by kcbrett5 on Jan 22, 2008 10:00 AM CST up reply actions

Well last year

we would have won if Romo hadn't dropped the ball.

by cosbie84 on Jan 22, 2008 9:28 AM CST up reply actions

Or this year if

Fasano or Crayton hadn't? There's not a heck of a lot of difference if you take the MSM out of the Phillips vs Parcells spin...

by dunkman on Jan 22, 2008 9:41 PM CST up reply actions

I'd like to see Hamlin resigned

What are the chances that JJ actually does what I assume a large poplulation of Cowboy fans would like to see, which would be to trade R.Williams for what should be a pretty good draft pick?
We could then move Hamlin to SS, Henry to FS, then go strong for Samuels (UFA, right?) That would be my dream scenario... Then I'd be happy to fill the rest of our needs with the draft picks we have.

As far as the Cowboys' downturn, I look at Romo's thumb as the biggest factor. His accuracy went from uncanny to downright poor... That injury was more important than TO's I think. Romo would have been able to compensate by simply spreading the ball if he were healthier.

by Cousin Rick on Jan 21, 2008 8:14 PM CST reply actions

I agree...

I actually painted that exact same scenario in an earlier diary comment.

by jgreet on Jan 21, 2008 9:16 PM CST up reply actions

Don't you think

that if we signed Samuel to a huge contract (which is what he will get) that Newman will then hold out for one? You have to think about the effect it will have on other players on the team like Newman, TO, Barber, and Flo.

once they see someone else get paid, they will want to as well and if it's someone who wasn't on the team last year well I would bet it would only increase their motivation to get paid.

but, yes I would love it if we could get Samuel but we would have to trade newman to get him (to free cap space). in my opinion.

by cosbie84 on Jan 22, 2008 12:05 AM CST up reply actions

You gotta pay somebody....

and I think there are weaknesses that can be compensated by a good system and there are some that just takes good personnel and I think Wade's system relies on good cover men. The Cowboys should have good cap room and yeah, it will be tough keeping all of our potential FA's, but if I had to choose, I believe a Samuels is more important to the Cowboys than Flozell (given their ages) and TO... IF we had to choose....

And Newman will have to be paid when his time comes, whether Samuels is here or on another team.

by Cousin Rick on Jan 22, 2008 10:05 AM CST up reply actions

This is what would happen

If we don't extend Newman and sign a big FA CB, unless it is somehow clear to Newman that he will still get extended (and I'm not sure if that's possible under the cap), he is going to hold out and demand a trade. Any agent will force a holdout in that situation.

I hope there's some way we can extend Newman, Hamlin, sign Samuel/Asomugah AND our draft picks, but I don't see how we can do that under the cap, Flozell or not.

by grapejoos on Jan 22, 2008 10:11 AM CST up reply actions