Skins fans need to chill. Seriously. The impulse to dump your QB because a few games went bad is one of the silliest in modern sports. The only thing that comes closer is the impulse to fire a coach for not winning the Super Bowl. People always complained about Marty Schottenheimer. But I don't know a single team--excepting the Skins--that was better off after he left.
Our problems are as much in the O-line and playcalling as they are with the QB. I don't care if you're the second coming of Joe Montana - if the line can't protect you, the coach is going to start calling the run, a lot. And if your star running back's playing hurt, and the run's getting shut down by a savvy defense anyway, that's how you end up with scores that don't hit double digits.
TNC:
Are you sure you don't mean "including the Skins" and not excepting the Skins? I just checked, and Marty was 8-8 in his only year, followed by Steve Spurrier, who went 12-20. So they weren't better off.
Which actually strengthens your point, but it was just a little confusing.
1) Can 49ers fans (and Eagles) fans still refer to TO as a team killer?
2) Sullivan raised a good a good point on his blog. Yeah, Plax is an idiot. But where is all the NRA outcry over the Plax incident? Wouldn't the NRA argue that Plax is being arrested for a "restrictive gun law?"
As a chargers fan -- and I'm far from alone in this -- you'll never hear a negative word about schott coming out of my mouth.
As a Broncos fan I'm damn glad he finally seems to be out of the AFC West for good. When he's back I hope he's in another division and not doing something like rebuilding the Raiders because Al Davis turned the keys over to him in a lucid moment.
The backup QB is always the most popular guy in town. In the late 80s, Denver SportsTalk radio shows were littered with people calling for Gary Kubiak to relieve Elway.
Careful for what you wish.
By the way, when can we get a pool going for the number of millions Danny Boy's gonna wave in front of Bill Cowher's chin? Possible side bet: by how many more millions will Snyder outbid the nearest competitor (Cleveland is rumored to be in the mix)?
Eli Manning around Thanksgiving played a HORRIBLE game against the Cowboys -- remember that? How many Giants fans were in favor of yanking/selling/trading Eli at that moment?
Guys can be both team-builders and team-killers. Billy Martin was the manager you called if you wanted your team to take a big step forward next year. He was also the guy you called if you wanted your manager to punch out your cleanup hitter, rip a urinal off the wall, turn the clubhouse into a 3-ring circus and get fired in July.
TO is in fact a team killer. The only reason he hasn't killed the Cowboys is because Jerry Jones is an enabler. Why do you REALLY think Parcells left? Had Parcells stayed the Cowboys would have imploded all because of TO. For those that want to know what it is about him that kills teams I will tell you. TO is only concerned about TO and to that end he develops cliques on every team he has ever played on. So when he doesn't get enough balls thrown his way he goes back to his clique and b!tches and moans to them. So the next thing you know you have him grumbling to the media about the QB because of course thats the guy who isn't giving him the ball. And then his knuckle head crew starts backing him up. Thus he ALWAYS splits the teams up into factions. Just like when he criticized Jeff Garcia, just like when he said he would rather have Brett Favre instead of McNabb, and just like he was about to do a couple weeks ago when he basically called out his Offensive Coordinator. The only difference is when he complains in Dallas Jerry Jones comes down and tells the coaches to get him the damm ball whether he is open or not and whether anybody else is open or not. People don't understand how close you have to be to be a successful football team. Its hard enough just to win games. But then to have to answer questions about what some other dude on the team said about another guy is more stress than most professional players want to go through. Really and truly its worse that what Plax did because what Plax did ultimately only affects him. But when a guy like TO starts calling other guys out and splitting up the teams then you have half of the guys in one corner saying TO is right and the other half saying McNabb is right and in the mean time guys aren't concentrating on playing football. With Plax yeah some guys have to answer questions about what he did, but other than that they can still can focus on playing and getting on with playing the games.
I grew up a Cowboys fan and I always will be one but I will never be a TO fan and I still believe its just a matter of time before he blows up again and fractures the team. Let the Cowboys get put out in the first game of the playoffs again this year with him not getting the ball. Its gonna be all she wrote
Hell, there are still Steelers fans who will gripe about what a lousy QB Big Ben is. Placing the all the blame on a team's quarterback seems to be as American as apple pie and financial bailouts.
Sure the QB is seen and maybe even is the team leader, but he don't play alone.
When I was in college almost 20 years ago our team had a pretty good team at a school known for football. We had a few "names" but none was the Next Big Thing. We made it to the Sweet Sixteen not because one person carried the team there but because all the players on the team were on the same page and played as a team.
Football, basketball, hockey, baseball, synchronized swimming, beach volleyball, relay races on the track and the pool, etc all all team/group events that require 100% effort by all participants not just the "leader."
By the way if DougEMI is reading I should point out that Minnesota's two pro bowl defensive tackles were suspended today for the rest of the season so this might be Detroit's week after all!
I think Pesto is right on, Marty is a good coach with a ceiling, he won't win it all, the problem in the case of most of the teams that replaced him are two fold:
1) Marty makes a so/so team look better than it is so the team isn;t as close as the owner thinks it is.
2) The new coach was lousy. Norv Turner? The guy was medicore in 3? other HC jobs.
People always complained about Marty Schottenheimer. But I don't know a single team--excepting the Skins--that was better off after he left.
Marty's strength, and his weakness, are the same thing: he can build a consistent and reliable "old school" team. But come playoffs, his ball-control, slow-measured-progress approach borders on the timid. In a 21 year coaching career, the man has a grand total of 5, count 'em 5, playoff victories. And that is with 13 playoff teams.
That's terrible. Really terrible. It's not just that he hasn't won the big one, its that he loses with alarming regularity with some really good teams. And I really believe his style is the cause.
[By the way, I looked it up:
The Browns went from 10-6 under Marty to 9-6-1 the next year, which isn't an improvement, but isn't much of a backslide either. The Chiefs actually did better the year following his departure. The Skins went from 8-8 to 7-9. So, overall, it's mostly a wash, with the Chargers being a pretty big exception.
Of course, if you want to argue that Norv is a worse coach than Marty, you won't hear me disagree. Marty is an otherwise good coach with a terrible Achilles Heel. Norv is just a poor coach.]
And right about Marty. Marty wasn't the problem in San Diego. The problem was/is that their best player - a guy who at times seemed the best player in the entire league - Tomlinson - has a tendency to disappear in playoff games. Literally. He doesn't play due to phantom injuries.
This guy talked so much smack about the Patriots, and then the Pats rolled San Diego two years in a row. And both time LT was a total non-entity.
Until LT grows a heart, the Chargers are doomed.
(Though if you're gonna fire a guy like Marty for "not getting it done in the playoffs," why in the hell would you replace him with Norv Turner, who never gets it done either? Ownership is weak.)
Norv Turner was 9-23 in his two years with the Oakland Raiders. That's not mediocre, that's just bad.
However, I will admit that Norv Turner is much better as an offensive coordinator (with the Cowboys under Jimmy Johnson and the year he spent with the 49ers) than he is as a head coach.
But come playoffs, his ball-control, slow-measured-progress approach borders on the timid.
Except not playing Marty-ball (throwing too much in the second half) helped seal the Bolts' fate two years ago. That, and an incredibly stupid play after an interception, that is.
It's not Campbell's fault. We only have one WR that anyone worries about, the offensive line's getting old, and both Portis and Campbell are taking a pounding.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, we need a freakin' pass rush.
To sum up: the Redskins just don't have the players to go deep into the postseason. They've got a pretty good chance to go 10-6, which is a very respectable record, but not make the playoffs.
I can't bitch about it if they don't make the playoffs: the point of the playoffs is to select a champion, and this year's Redskins don't have a prayer of being that champion.
Better Redskins teams - Pardee's 1979 team, and Gibbs' 1985 and 1989 teams - have gone 10-6 but didn't make the playoffs. I feel bad for those teams, especially the 1979 team with Theismann and Riggins hitting their stride, than I do for this one.
Hopefully they'll draft or trade for some players to take care of some of their weaknesses, and next year will be better.
First of all, what Plax did, did not just hurt humself. If that was the case, why is Antonio Pierce having to lawyer up? They may be fine without Plax, but lets see how they are if their best LB misses any games over this mess.
Second, all this hate towards TO is beyond maddening. Its almost a tired argument...almost. First of all, this notion that the reciever position in the NFL is a bastion of mild-mannered, go out and get it done on the field without talking type player, hasn't been paying attention to the NFL for the last 30+ years. TO complaining about not getting the ball, or thinking that the offense would be better if it went through him(which it would be) is different from exactly what other reciever in the NFL?
If you look at the main gripes that TO has had, he said Jeff Garcia wasn't good enough, D.McNabb wasn't tough enough. Jeff Garcia was not good enough, hence the reason he has been on three teams since San Fran. D.McNabb is soft, or at least TO thought he was, maybe because while he was out there catching 9 passes for 122 yrds on a broke leg, McNabb was throwing crucial picks and puking in the huddle. By the way, McNabb was not innocent when it comes to the TO situation, he was just as guilty at dividing that locker room and using the mic to call out his teamates. In fact it was McNabb who said they really didn't need TO, they were just fine with out him in the run up to the Super Bowl. Even though history clearly proves that they haven't been the same since TO left.
People don't like TO because he is cocky, thats fine. They don't think he is a good teamate, whatever. Steve Young didn't have a problem with him, Romo seems to be fine with teamate TO. If people think their team would be better without TO, just look at San Fran and Philly, and look at Dallas last two games last year after TO went down with a high ankle sprain. Dude wants the ball, and he says it... its not like he wrote a book titled "Just Throw Me the Damn Ball" or changed his name to Ocho Uno...or shot himself in the leg(he prefers accidental overdose to shooting, thank you), or got someone else shot with a gun registered to him:
low-tech cyclist: That's pretty much 100% accurate and complete. Iffy defensive and offensive lines, a paucity of deep threats, and a QB who's still easing in to a very complicated offensive system. It's remarkable that the skins started as strong as they did. '09 could be something to see, if everyone who's working well (Campbell, Portis, and Randell El come to mind) keeps performing and the other pieces fall into place.
Its not TO hate, its the god's honest truth. A zebra don't change its stripes and wherever he has been he has caused problems. Again TO is a good part of the reason that a Hall of Fame coach is no longer coaching Dallas right now. Now does he perform on the field? Of course he does, nobody is disputing that. But if you really think it doesn't matter when the star reciever on a team calls out his quarterback then you need to put the ps3 controller down and step into the real world. Keyshawn Johnson did indeed call out his teammates but you know who he never called out? His frikking quarterback. And guess what, Keyshawn has a ring while TO who definitely has better talent has none. And while you are counting up how many teams Jeff Garcia has been on don't forget that this is TO's third team as well. Garcia took the Bucs to the playoffs last year and has them in first place this year in arguably the most competitive division in the NFC. Donovan McNabb took the Eagles to 4 straight NFC championship games and won one with out TO playing in that game. How many playoff games has TO won without Donovan? Hell how many playoff games has TO PLAYED IN with out Donovan? Maybe you didn't notice but just a couple of weeks ago TO was calling out his offensive coordinator whom everybody else on the planet seems to think is a helluva coach. Like I said, give it to the end of the year and let Dallas lose in the first round of the playoffs IF they actually make it in and see what kinda azzhole TO is.
As for Plax yeah the situation has Pierce caught up in it but what you still don't seem to get is that if anything the situation is bringing the team together because they are ALL rallying to support Pierce. Yeah Plax is out but the rest off the team will still go on and ball out without him and if they lose it won't be because he tore up the team chemistry. And it also won't because he has some guys who are on his side and some guys who are on Pierce's side. Antonio Pierce will be fine as far as the law goes and as far as the NFL goes when this all plays out but don't forget that he is a grown azz man and he had every opportunity to take Plax to a real hospital under his real name and not try to hide the gun. It wasnt like they went and did a driveby and as it usually is the coverup in this situation is probably worse than the actual crime.
Bill Parcells is not at Dallas because he lost the team, and the owner. I don't know how closely you follow the Cowboys, but all the talk going in to training camp last year was how much better the atmosphere was now that Bill was gone. That wasn't TO saying it, it was everyone including the owner. Parcells brought in good talent, although he, like all coaches had his hits and misses. His biggest problem was his system had become simplistic and predictable, especially on defense. Not to mention the ego clash he had with most of the players(Romo especially) and with Jerry Jones. There is a reason he is not coaching, its because he doesn't want to and it showed his last year in Dallas. For you to hang that on TO is ridiculous.
"Keyshawn Johnson did indeed call out his teammates but you know who he never called out? His frikking quarterback. And guess what, Keyshawn has a ring while TO who definitely has better talent has none"...okay. So its ok to call out any teamate thats not the QB...ok. By the way Keyshawn was such a team player that that team he won a ring with released him the next year because he was such a distraction, this after winning a ring.
By the way I was wrong, Jeff Garcia has been on 4 teams SINCE San Fran, and TO is on his second, but hey who's counting. If you want to argure that Garcia is a good QB, fine I guess we just have different definitions of what good is, he certainly wasn't good earlier this year when a pathetic Cowboy team with out Romo out gunned him by scoring 13 pts. He didn't start for Tampa until after Simms got hurt, but he has been ok since. By the way TO won 4 playoff games while at San Fran, and Philly did go to 4 champ. games with out TO and scored a whopping 64 total points which averages out to 16 pts a game, and they lost 3 out of 4 haven been giving the dreadful task in facing the Falcons in the one champ game they did win. The problem with Philly has always been that they did not have a #1 reciever, it still is their problem. The only time it wasn't a problem was when TO was on the team. McNabb was not an innocent victim when it came to that whole situation. When McNabb is asked before the Super Bowl about the impending reurn of TO and how much it would mean, good teamate McNabb says that they really don't need him. There was no beef when he said that, at least not public, which if I am following you is your point. McNabb went public, not TO. How about earlier this year when McNabb called out mangement, saying that they need to upgrade on talent...well thats a hell of a thing for a QB to say about you, especially a good teamate like Donovan.
Your right, if Dallas makes it the play-offs this year and lose in the first rd, TO may blow up. Only they did make it to the first round last year, they lost, TO only caught 4 passes and all he did was defend his QB and team...but I guess that doesn't count.
By the way if DougEMI is reading I should point out that Minnesota's two pro bowl defensive tackles were suspended today for the rest of the season so this might be Detroit's week after all!
I didn't hear about this. The Lions need all the help they can get, the game isn't even near a sellout so having the game in Detroit won't be a huge advantage. I still have a gut feeling they won't go 0-16.
As a Redskin fan, I feel quite comfortable speaking for the entire fanbase when I say we don't need Cowboy followers telling us how to relate to our football team.
That said, I agree that attacking Jason Campbell is pointless, for a number of reasons. The most important of those reasons is that it isn't going to help JC's confidence any. But another reason is that the criticism is unfounded. Jason Campbell is making his reads and making good throws to the open man, just as he was during the 'Skins' great start. The problem is, no one's open these days. And the reason for that is simple. Teams have figured out that the Redskins have only 1 wide receiver -- Santana Moss. Once you double or jam (if you can do it) him, there is no one else on the perimeter to throw to, and you can't just throw the ball to Cooley 20 times a game or you heart your bread and butter -- clinton portis and the running game.
It's pretty easy to commit 8 men to the box to stop the run and still shut down one wide receiver, unless his name is jerry rice, steve smith or randy moss. The hope should be that in a year or two, when the young pups the skins have at WR develop into players (we hope) that JC still has his confidence and his health and the redskins still have the big-time running game and solid 'D' they have now. then we'll be looking at some new rings.
those who can't do, teach; and those who can't coach, coordinate.
Norv resembles that second remark. there are plenty of guys who are great at devising and implementing a scheme but who just don't have what it takes to lead all 44 into battle week in and week out. No shame in that, I guess; unless that's what you're getting paid to do and you're getting caught out.
Keith I will go point by point on your latest diatribe about TO and though I know it won't change your mind because obviously you are the chairman of his fan club some things aren't up for debate.
Bill Parcells is not at Dallas because he lost the team, and the owner.
You know whats funny? Everybody loved Parcells
until TO came to town. Imagine that.
Parcells brought in good talent, although he, like all coaches had his hits and misses. His biggest problem was his system had become simplistic and predictable, especially on defense
How many misses did Parcells have? Demarcus Ware? Chris Canty? Marion Barber? Roy Williams? Jason Witten? Andre Gurode? Chris Canty? Jay Ratliff? Terrance Newman? Bradie James? Tony Romo?
Please tell me all about his misses on talent
Now as for his system, what evidence do you have that it had become too predictable? His last year they were 9-7 with Romo taking over the reigns in the middle of the season. In his Parcell's last year the offense was number 5 in the NFL again breaking in a new QB and the Defense was number 13. Last year the offense was number 3 and the defense was number 9. Doesn't seem like much of a seismic shift upward to me but hey what do I know right?
So its ok to call out any teamate thats not the QB...ok. By the way Keyshawn was such a team player that that team he won a ring with released him the next year because he was such a distraction, this after winning a ring.
Yes you are finally catching on. You ask any great football player and they will all tell you that the one guy you don't call out in the media on your football team is the QB. And that goes for ANYBODY. As much of a sh!t talker Warren Sapp was you NEVER heard him throw Trent Dilfer under the bus and he had every right to. As for Tampa getting rid of Keyshawn, trust me I am not a huge Keyshawn fan but I will point out that Tampa also got rid of Warren Sapp, John Lynch, Simeon Rice and and Shelton Quarles under Gruden's watch all under slimy circumstances. Ask John Lynch what he thinks about Gruden then holla at me about Keyshawn getting shipped away. By the way, the same QB that TO was calling out a few weeks ago before Romo came back, is the same QB that Keyshawn won a ring with.
If you want to argure that Garcia is a good QB, fine I guess we just have different definitions of what good is, he certainly wasn't good earlier this year when a pathetic Cowboy team with out Romo out gunned him by scoring 13 pts. He didn't start for Tampa until after Simms got hurt, but he has been ok since
Well considering the fact that Garcia had a pro bowl worthy year last year yes I would consider him to be good. Now there is no doubt that he had some problems in Detroit and Cleveland but if you look around it might have been more the organization than the player. Oh and just to fix your statements, 1) Garcia started the first game of the year but he was coming off a preseason injury and didnt play well so he got benched the second game. 2) Simms is not even on Tampa's roster anymore, it was Brian Griese and he came in and played well enough so there was no reason to rush Garcia back, but Griese's stats sucked. 3) The Bucs have been on fire ever since Garcia came back. Now maybe you don't know the history of Jon Gruden with QBs but it aint good. And after the great year Garcia had last year they wouldn't renegotiate his contract. So Garcia threatened to hold out but never did. He and Gruden don't like each other but Garcia is the best option to win and he has led the team to first place in the strongest division in the NFC.
McNabb was not an innocent victim when it came to that whole situation. When McNabb is asked before the Super Bowl about the impending reurn of TO and how much it would mean, good teamate McNabb says that they really don't need him. There was no beef when he said that, at least not public, which if I am following you is your point. McNabb went public, not TO
You have REALLY been drinking TO's kool aid haven't you? Show me a quote where McNabb said they really didn't need TO. Seriously I will wait all week if I have to. Donovan said over and over that they would love to have TO but that they would keep it moving without him because they HAD to. Thats a QBs job to keep the team motivated and to point out that the other guys deserve credit too. Or did you forget that they won the NFC championship game without TO playing a down. Now I don't know what you mean by "going public" but as the QB of the team you ALWAYS have to answer questions from reporters before and after games or didn't you know that? The only people that think McNabb said anything wrong are people with TO fatheads on their wall. Maybe if TO didn't get offended like a little biotch he would still be in Philly but because he is who he is he is in Dallas.
How about earlier this year when McNabb called out mangement, saying that they need to upgrade on talent...well thats a hell of a thing for a QB to say about you, especially a good teamate like Donovan.
Again did he call out a QB? No? Ok just making sure. Do you remember when Vanderjadt the kicker for Indy called out Peyton Manning? How did that end up for him? As a matter of fact name a great reciever other than TO that EVER called out his QB.
Your right, if Dallas makes it the play-offs this year and lose in the first rd, TO may blow up. Only they did make it to the first round last year, they lost, TO only caught 4 passes and all he did was defend his QB and team...but I guess that doesn't count.
"As a Redskin fan, I feel quite comfortable speaking for the entire fanbase when I say we don't need Cowboy followers telling us how to relate to our football team.
That said, I agree that attacking Jason Campbell is pointless, for a number of reasons."
Shorter DDU, "You're right, but you're an asshole for pointing it out.
Your right, it won't change my mind. I don't think TO is a team cancer. I am a die hard Cowboy fan, so if he was killing the team I would be the first to say get rid of him, he isn't and I don't think he will. But, if you will indulge me, you said some things aren't up for debate and than write an essay of completely debatable "facts".
First regarding Parcells, I loved him. He was just what the Cowboys needed. But he, like TO, wasn't perfect or beyond reproach. I admittedly have spent way too much time listening to The Ticket, a sports radio show out of Dallas for the past 12 years. They do their show every year from training camp, and after Parcells left every player that they interviewed, G.Ellis, T.Newmann, Romo, Whitten, Henry, Jerry Jones said that the atmospehere was better after Parcells. Mike Zimmermann left Dallas and said that he felt hampered by Parcells in being able to call defensive plays, and wasn't allowed to be creative. Look at their defense this year, they are among the league leaders in sacks a problem they had under Parcells. In fact, Phillips was hired to fix the defense, especially in terms of blitzing, which he has done. Talking about the talent, and his hits and misses: Roy Williams and Gurode were drafted before Parcells got there. Witten, Newman and James were great picks. Julius Jones, Jacob Rogers and Steven Peterman were not, and they happened to be the first three picks he made the year after the Wiiten draft. Ware, Canty, Ratliff, Barber great picks. Bobby Carpenter, K.Burnett, Anthony Fasano, J. Hatcher...not so much. Tony Romo, great pick. Taking 6 games to realize Bledsoe wasn't the answer, than throwing Romo into the game at halftime of a division riival game...not a great decision. Again, hits and misses which makes him no different than any other coach who has coached in the NFL.
Now TO, I don't understand your argument. Some guys can call out other guys, according to you a QB can say whatever the hell he wants about whomever, but nobody better not speak ill of the QB. That doesn't wash, a teammate is a teammate. Either its wrong, or its part of the game.I love the fact that TO tore up the Eagles, I am a Cowboy fan so he gets points from me. He did not tear up San Fran, they did not pay him(or anyone else for that matter). Since he has been at Dallas, he has been great. You say he called out Garrett, he was asked if he was getting the ball enough, and he said no. Which makes him just like every other player in the NFL, but when ever TO says or does anything its news, it riles guys like you up and I just don't get it. You say he is all about himself, all about the money...again that makes him like every other profressional athlete there is. He only gets paid if he produces, his production is key to the success of the team, what do I care what his motivation is. Its not my money. I don't care what selfish reasons makes him play on a broke leg, show up every day to practice, rehab like hell to recover from a high ankle sprain that everyone says takes 6 weeks to fully recover from, yet he is out there in 4 to play in a play-off game. Here is a great article about TO from Bill Simmons that says it better than I can, number 4 is especially pertinent regarding McNabb:
Roy Williams and Andre Gurode I was wrong about him drafting those guys
Bobby Carpenter was a beast in college and looked fine until he hurt his shoulder last year and they wanted him to keeep playing. He definitely aint an all star but he isn't quite a bust yet
Rogers got hurt
Peterman is a starter for Detroit
Julious Jones and Fasano are quality players in the NFL so I don't see how you can say they are misses
By the way I see you didnt answer the question of which other great reciever EVER called out his QB. Now I understand you don't get it. There is a super special reason that I do but there is no reason to get in to that. You just need to do some research and you will see that whether you or I or anybody who isnt an NFL player thinks it isn't right, the QB is off limits for public criticism by their teammates. The truth is most guys keep the rule for ALL teammates, but especially the QB. It is what it is
Did you just say that there is super special reason that you know of as to why QB's don't get called out. Seriously. A super special reason...
ok dude, you win.
By the way, Rogers, Peterman, Fasano, and Jones don't play for the Cowboys anymore, and it wasn't because Dallas couldn't afford their salaries. Thats why I consider them misses. I would have rather had Stephan Jackson instead of Julius Jones, and I think you would to. Bobby Carpenter at no point in his pro career has looked fine, I would like nothing more than for him to be worthy of a 1st rd pick. He just hasn't, he barely makes a splash on special teams, and if you watched Hard Knocks this year there is a reason why his teammates called him Barbie Carpenter, I doubt it was because of his blonde hair.
yes super special with a cherry on top. But you wouldn't believe me if I told you so its not worth talking about.
A miss to me is a guy who doesn't make it in the league anywhere and say what you want about Parcells I would put his draft picks up against ANYBODY'S. You might have missed the part where I said I am a life long cowboys fan. I just truly believe that the TO pickup did and will do a lot more for him than it will ever do for our team.
As for Bobby or Barbie Carpenter, yeah I saw Hard Knocks but again I point to the fact that they had the dude trying to take on 250 pd fullbacks while he was experiencing never damage in his shoulder. But that is the game in the NFL. They beg you to keep trying, to do it for the team even when they know you are hurt. Then later when they are evaluating you they never take into account that you were hurt. Now I am not saying the guy is a world beater but I disagree with you about him on special teams, I see him doing quite a bit. And I think there is still a chance that he ends up starting either in Dallas or elsewhere in a year or so.
By the way, Stephen Jackson has been hurt all year, Julius Jones has been playing pretty well in Seattle. Stephen Jackson also has a history of beefing with his coaches and has already started beefing with the interim guy. Jackson is a baller no doubt, but I don't think picking JJ over him was some big faux pas.
Its not about defending TO to the "death". People make him out to be Judas, and that is simply not the case. Again, he would have won a Super Bowl if McNabb didn't throw key ints and flame out in the fourth qtr of the Super Bowl. That had nothing to do with TO, he did his part. Dude wants you to put out as much as he does, and he didn't feel McNabb did that, and said it.
I don't understand why so many people get so riled up by TO, he is a polarizing figure, but to me he is no different than most any other cock-sure athlete. Dude is brash, cocky, arrogant as hell and not satified unless he catches 10+ passes for 150+yds. The only difference between him and others is he is not a criminal. Yet, he is the one that gets everyone's panties in a bunch. Not a guy like Leonard Little who actually killed somebody(DUI), then got another DUI after he killed someone, or the great Marvin Harrison who gets into a fight with somebody, then that person gets shot by a gun registered to M. Harrison, that happened this year...where was the outrage. Thats all I'm saying.
Here's a piece no one cared about. Meh, whatever, probably the most enjoyable article I did during my stint at TIME. Premiered a month before I got laid-off. The nail in the coffin? Ya think?
Here's me going after Al. I didn't so much have a problem with him, as I had a problem with media acting like this dude was the go-to guy for everything black.
This was my first real story at time. I was writing for the Business section, a real change of direction for me. At any rate, it's about Wal-Mart's attempts to colonize the inner-city. As much as I enjoyed this piece, I mostly enjoyed going out to Chicago, which is a beautiful, beautiful city.
This a piece I did about the cops just outside our nation capitol, in Prince George's County, a few years back. I wanted to offer a counter to the dumb, conventional wisdom that if you paint your police force black, you could eradicate police brutality. In fact, Prince George's--one of the richest, blackest counties in the country--also had one of the most brutal police force's in the country.
The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons, and an Unlikely Road to Manhood 
Our problems are as much in the O-line and playcalling as they are with the QB. I don't care if you're the second coming of Joe Montana - if the line can't protect you, the coach is going to start calling the run, a lot. And if your star running back's playing hurt, and the run's getting shut down by a savvy defense anyway, that's how you end up with scores that don't hit double digits.
schotenheimer is a great coach. i'm glad to see someone giving him his props. i think he'll be back on the sideline next year.
Their loss to the Jets notwithstanding, I'm thinking that the Titans will be this year's champions.
Meh. The Skins have Buddha's patience next to the Florida State Seminoles.
We dump our QB after a bad QUARTER.
As a chargers fan -- and I'm far from alone in this -- you'll never hear a negative word about schott coming out of my mouth.
Owner/GM/current coach - yeah :)
TNC:
Are you sure you don't mean "including the Skins" and not excepting the Skins? I just checked, and Marty was 8-8 in his only year, followed by Steve Spurrier, who went 12-20. So they weren't better off.
Which actually strengthens your point, but it was just a little confusing.
Two comments:
1) Can 49ers fans (and Eagles) fans still refer to TO as a team killer?
2) Sullivan raised a good a good point on his blog. Yeah, Plax is an idiot. But where is all the NRA outcry over the Plax incident? Wouldn't the NRA argue that Plax is being arrested for a "restrictive gun law?"
As a Broncos fan I'm damn glad he finally seems to be out of the AFC West for good. When he's back I hope he's in another division and not doing something like rebuilding the Raiders because Al Davis turned the keys over to him in a lucid moment.
The backup QB is always the most popular guy in town. In the late 80s, Denver SportsTalk radio shows were littered with people calling for Gary Kubiak to relieve Elway.
Careful for what you wish.
By the way, when can we get a pool going for the number of millions Danny Boy's gonna wave in front of Bill Cowher's chin? Possible side bet: by how many more millions will Snyder outbid the nearest competitor (Cleveland is rumored to be in the mix)?
The NRA doesn't care about black people.
Eli Manning around Thanksgiving played a HORRIBLE game against the Cowboys -- remember that? How many Giants fans were in favor of yanking/selling/trading Eli at that moment?
How did that work out BTW? I forget.
Thanksgiving 07 that is.
Guys can be both team-builders and team-killers. Billy Martin was the manager you called if you wanted your team to take a big step forward next year. He was also the guy you called if you wanted your manager to punch out your cleanup hitter, rip a urinal off the wall, turn the clubhouse into a 3-ring circus and get fired in July.
TO is in fact a team killer. The only reason he hasn't killed the Cowboys is because Jerry Jones is an enabler. Why do you REALLY think Parcells left? Had Parcells stayed the Cowboys would have imploded all because of TO. For those that want to know what it is about him that kills teams I will tell you. TO is only concerned about TO and to that end he develops cliques on every team he has ever played on. So when he doesn't get enough balls thrown his way he goes back to his clique and b!tches and moans to them. So the next thing you know you have him grumbling to the media about the QB because of course thats the guy who isn't giving him the ball. And then his knuckle head crew starts backing him up. Thus he ALWAYS splits the teams up into factions. Just like when he criticized Jeff Garcia, just like when he said he would rather have Brett Favre instead of McNabb, and just like he was about to do a couple weeks ago when he basically called out his Offensive Coordinator. The only difference is when he complains in Dallas Jerry Jones comes down and tells the coaches to get him the damm ball whether he is open or not and whether anybody else is open or not. People don't understand how close you have to be to be a successful football team. Its hard enough just to win games. But then to have to answer questions about what some other dude on the team said about another guy is more stress than most professional players want to go through. Really and truly its worse that what Plax did because what Plax did ultimately only affects him. But when a guy like TO starts calling other guys out and splitting up the teams then you have half of the guys in one corner saying TO is right and the other half saying McNabb is right and in the mean time guys aren't concentrating on playing football. With Plax yeah some guys have to answer questions about what he did, but other than that they can still can focus on playing and getting on with playing the games.
I grew up a Cowboys fan and I always will be one but I will never be a TO fan and I still believe its just a matter of time before he blows up again and fractures the team. Let the Cowboys get put out in the first game of the playoffs again this year with him not getting the ball. Its gonna be all she wrote
Interesting comment, sgtwhiteinfla. Makes me wonder whether TO = Dick Allen.
Hell, there are still Steelers fans who will gripe about what a lousy QB Big Ben is. Placing the all the blame on a team's quarterback seems to be as American as apple pie and financial bailouts.
Sure the QB is seen and maybe even is the team leader, but he don't play alone.
When I was in college almost 20 years ago our team had a pretty good team at a school known for football. We had a few "names" but none was the Next Big Thing. We made it to the Sweet Sixteen not because one person carried the team there but because all the players on the team were on the same page and played as a team.
Football, basketball, hockey, baseball, synchronized swimming, beach volleyball, relay races on the track and the pool, etc all all team/group events that require 100% effort by all participants not just the "leader."
By the way if DougEMI is reading I should point out that Minnesota's two pro bowl defensive tackles were suspended today for the rest of the season so this might be Detroit's week after all!
baldamo will beat the skins sunday nite. that is all...
I think Pesto is right on, Marty is a good coach with a ceiling, he won't win it all, the problem in the case of most of the teams that replaced him are two fold:
1) Marty makes a so/so team look better than it is so the team isn;t as close as the owner thinks it is.
2) The new coach was lousy. Norv Turner? The guy was medicore in 3? other HC jobs.
People always complained about Marty Schottenheimer. But I don't know a single team--excepting the Skins--that was better off after he left.
Marty's strength, and his weakness, are the same thing: he can build a consistent and reliable "old school" team. But come playoffs, his ball-control, slow-measured-progress approach borders on the timid. In a 21 year coaching career, the man has a grand total of 5, count 'em 5, playoff victories. And that is with 13 playoff teams.
That's terrible. Really terrible. It's not just that he hasn't won the big one, its that he loses with alarming regularity with some really good teams. And I really believe his style is the cause.
[By the way, I looked it up:
The Browns went from 10-6 under Marty to 9-6-1 the next year, which isn't an improvement, but isn't much of a backslide either. The Chiefs actually did better the year following his departure. The Skins went from 8-8 to 7-9. So, overall, it's mostly a wash, with the Chargers being a pretty big exception.
Of course, if you want to argue that Norv is a worse coach than Marty, you won't hear me disagree. Marty is an otherwise good coach with a terrible Achilles Heel. Norv is just a poor coach.]
TNC is right about the Skins, of course.
And right about Marty. Marty wasn't the problem in San Diego. The problem was/is that their best player - a guy who at times seemed the best player in the entire league - Tomlinson - has a tendency to disappear in playoff games. Literally. He doesn't play due to phantom injuries.
This guy talked so much smack about the Patriots, and then the Pats rolled San Diego two years in a row. And both time LT was a total non-entity.
Until LT grows a heart, the Chargers are doomed.
(Though if you're gonna fire a guy like Marty for "not getting it done in the playoffs," why in the hell would you replace him with Norv Turner, who never gets it done either? Ownership is weak.)
eric K,
Norv Turner was 9-23 in his two years with the Oakland Raiders. That's not mediocre, that's just bad.
However, I will admit that Norv Turner is much better as an offensive coordinator (with the Cowboys under Jimmy Johnson and the year he spent with the 49ers) than he is as a head coach.
But come playoffs, his ball-control, slow-measured-progress approach borders on the timid.
Except not playing Marty-ball (throwing too much in the second half) helped seal the Bolts' fate two years ago. That, and an incredibly stupid play after an interception, that is.
It's not Campbell's fault. We only have one WR that anyone worries about, the offensive line's getting old, and both Portis and Campbell are taking a pounding.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, we need a freakin' pass rush.
To sum up: the Redskins just don't have the players to go deep into the postseason. They've got a pretty good chance to go 10-6, which is a very respectable record, but not make the playoffs.
I can't bitch about it if they don't make the playoffs: the point of the playoffs is to select a champion, and this year's Redskins don't have a prayer of being that champion.
Better Redskins teams - Pardee's 1979 team, and Gibbs' 1985 and 1989 teams - have gone 10-6 but didn't make the playoffs. I feel bad for those teams, especially the 1979 team with Theismann and Riggins hitting their stride, than I do for this one.
Hopefully they'll draft or trade for some players to take care of some of their weaknesses, and next year will be better.
sgwhiteinfla-
First of all, what Plax did, did not just hurt humself. If that was the case, why is Antonio Pierce having to lawyer up? They may be fine without Plax, but lets see how they are if their best LB misses any games over this mess.
Second, all this hate towards TO is beyond maddening. Its almost a tired argument...almost. First of all, this notion that the reciever position in the NFL is a bastion of mild-mannered, go out and get it done on the field without talking type player, hasn't been paying attention to the NFL for the last 30+ years. TO complaining about not getting the ball, or thinking that the offense would be better if it went through him(which it would be) is different from exactly what other reciever in the NFL?
If you look at the main gripes that TO has had, he said Jeff Garcia wasn't good enough, D.McNabb wasn't tough enough. Jeff Garcia was not good enough, hence the reason he has been on three teams since San Fran. D.McNabb is soft, or at least TO thought he was, maybe because while he was out there catching 9 passes for 122 yrds on a broke leg, McNabb was throwing crucial picks and puking in the huddle. By the way, McNabb was not innocent when it comes to the TO situation, he was just as guilty at dividing that locker room and using the mic to call out his teamates. In fact it was McNabb who said they really didn't need TO, they were just fine with out him in the run up to the Super Bowl. Even though history clearly proves that they haven't been the same since TO left.
People don't like TO because he is cocky, thats fine. They don't think he is a good teamate, whatever. Steve Young didn't have a problem with him, Romo seems to be fine with teamate TO. If people think their team would be better without TO, just look at San Fran and Philly, and look at Dallas last two games last year after TO went down with a high ankle sprain. Dude wants the ball, and he says it... its not like he wrote a book titled "Just Throw Me the Damn Ball" or changed his name to Ocho Uno...or shot himself in the leg(he prefers accidental overdose to shooting, thank you), or got someone else shot with a gun registered to him:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3382026
low-tech cyclist: That's pretty much 100% accurate and complete. Iffy defensive and offensive lines, a paucity of deep threats, and a QB who's still easing in to a very complicated offensive system. It's remarkable that the skins started as strong as they did. '09 could be something to see, if everyone who's working well (Campbell, Portis, and Randell El come to mind) keeps performing and the other pieces fall into place.
keith
Its not TO hate, its the god's honest truth. A zebra don't change its stripes and wherever he has been he has caused problems. Again TO is a good part of the reason that a Hall of Fame coach is no longer coaching Dallas right now. Now does he perform on the field? Of course he does, nobody is disputing that. But if you really think it doesn't matter when the star reciever on a team calls out his quarterback then you need to put the ps3 controller down and step into the real world. Keyshawn Johnson did indeed call out his teammates but you know who he never called out? His frikking quarterback. And guess what, Keyshawn has a ring while TO who definitely has better talent has none. And while you are counting up how many teams Jeff Garcia has been on don't forget that this is TO's third team as well. Garcia took the Bucs to the playoffs last year and has them in first place this year in arguably the most competitive division in the NFC. Donovan McNabb took the Eagles to 4 straight NFC championship games and won one with out TO playing in that game. How many playoff games has TO won without Donovan? Hell how many playoff games has TO PLAYED IN with out Donovan? Maybe you didn't notice but just a couple of weeks ago TO was calling out his offensive coordinator whom everybody else on the planet seems to think is a helluva coach. Like I said, give it to the end of the year and let Dallas lose in the first round of the playoffs IF they actually make it in and see what kinda azzhole TO is.
As for Plax yeah the situation has Pierce caught up in it but what you still don't seem to get is that if anything the situation is bringing the team together because they are ALL rallying to support Pierce. Yeah Plax is out but the rest off the team will still go on and ball out without him and if they lose it won't be because he tore up the team chemistry. And it also won't because he has some guys who are on his side and some guys who are on Pierce's side. Antonio Pierce will be fine as far as the law goes and as far as the NFL goes when this all plays out but don't forget that he is a grown azz man and he had every opportunity to take Plax to a real hospital under his real name and not try to hide the gun. It wasnt like they went and did a driveby and as it usually is the coverup in this situation is probably worse than the actual crime.
sgwhiteinfla-
Bill Parcells is not at Dallas because he lost the team, and the owner. I don't know how closely you follow the Cowboys, but all the talk going in to training camp last year was how much better the atmosphere was now that Bill was gone. That wasn't TO saying it, it was everyone including the owner. Parcells brought in good talent, although he, like all coaches had his hits and misses. His biggest problem was his system had become simplistic and predictable, especially on defense. Not to mention the ego clash he had with most of the players(Romo especially) and with Jerry Jones. There is a reason he is not coaching, its because he doesn't want to and it showed his last year in Dallas. For you to hang that on TO is ridiculous.
"Keyshawn Johnson did indeed call out his teammates but you know who he never called out? His frikking quarterback. And guess what, Keyshawn has a ring while TO who definitely has better talent has none"...okay. So its ok to call out any teamate thats not the QB...ok. By the way Keyshawn was such a team player that that team he won a ring with released him the next year because he was such a distraction, this after winning a ring.
By the way I was wrong, Jeff Garcia has been on 4 teams SINCE San Fran, and TO is on his second, but hey who's counting. If you want to argure that Garcia is a good QB, fine I guess we just have different definitions of what good is, he certainly wasn't good earlier this year when a pathetic Cowboy team with out Romo out gunned him by scoring 13 pts. He didn't start for Tampa until after Simms got hurt, but he has been ok since. By the way TO won 4 playoff games while at San Fran, and Philly did go to 4 champ. games with out TO and scored a whopping 64 total points which averages out to 16 pts a game, and they lost 3 out of 4 haven been giving the dreadful task in facing the Falcons in the one champ game they did win. The problem with Philly has always been that they did not have a #1 reciever, it still is their problem. The only time it wasn't a problem was when TO was on the team. McNabb was not an innocent victim when it came to that whole situation. When McNabb is asked before the Super Bowl about the impending reurn of TO and how much it would mean, good teamate McNabb says that they really don't need him. There was no beef when he said that, at least not public, which if I am following you is your point. McNabb went public, not TO. How about earlier this year when McNabb called out mangement, saying that they need to upgrade on talent...well thats a hell of a thing for a QB to say about you, especially a good teamate like Donovan.
Your right, if Dallas makes it the play-offs this year and lose in the first rd, TO may blow up. Only they did make it to the first round last year, they lost, TO only caught 4 passes and all he did was defend his QB and team...but I guess that doesn't count.
By the way if DougEMI is reading I should point out that Minnesota's two pro bowl defensive tackles were suspended today for the rest of the season so this might be Detroit's week after all!
I didn't hear about this. The Lions need all the help they can get, the game isn't even near a sellout so having the game in Detroit won't be a huge advantage. I still have a gut feeling they won't go 0-16.
Marty only left KC because he got a barmaid pregnant and his wife forced him to. I haven't seen him passionate about coaching since.
As a Redskin fan, I feel quite comfortable speaking for the entire fanbase when I say we don't need Cowboy followers telling us how to relate to our football team.
That said, I agree that attacking Jason Campbell is pointless, for a number of reasons. The most important of those reasons is that it isn't going to help JC's confidence any. But another reason is that the criticism is unfounded. Jason Campbell is making his reads and making good throws to the open man, just as he was during the 'Skins' great start. The problem is, no one's open these days. And the reason for that is simple. Teams have figured out that the Redskins have only 1 wide receiver -- Santana Moss. Once you double or jam (if you can do it) him, there is no one else on the perimeter to throw to, and you can't just throw the ball to Cooley 20 times a game or you heart your bread and butter -- clinton portis and the running game.
It's pretty easy to commit 8 men to the box to stop the run and still shut down one wide receiver, unless his name is jerry rice, steve smith or randy moss. The hope should be that in a year or two, when the young pups the skins have at WR develop into players (we hope) that JC still has his confidence and his health and the redskins still have the big-time running game and solid 'D' they have now. then we'll be looking at some new rings.
-- DDU
those who can't do, teach; and those who can't coach, coordinate.
Norv resembles that second remark. there are plenty of guys who are great at devising and implementing a scheme but who just don't have what it takes to lead all 44 into battle week in and week out. No shame in that, I guess; unless that's what you're getting paid to do and you're getting caught out.
-- DDU
Keith I will go point by point on your latest diatribe about TO and though I know it won't change your mind because obviously you are the chairman of his fan club some things aren't up for debate.
Bill Parcells is not at Dallas because he lost the team, and the owner.
You know whats funny? Everybody loved Parcells
until TO came to town. Imagine that.
Parcells brought in good talent, although he, like all coaches had his hits and misses. His biggest problem was his system had become simplistic and predictable, especially on defense
How many misses did Parcells have? Demarcus Ware? Chris Canty? Marion Barber? Roy Williams? Jason Witten? Andre Gurode? Chris Canty? Jay Ratliff? Terrance Newman? Bradie James? Tony Romo?
Please tell me all about his misses on talent
Now as for his system, what evidence do you have that it had become too predictable? His last year they were 9-7 with Romo taking over the reigns in the middle of the season. In his Parcell's last year the offense was number 5 in the NFL again breaking in a new QB and the Defense was number 13. Last year the offense was number 3 and the defense was number 9. Doesn't seem like much of a seismic shift upward to me but hey what do I know right?
So its ok to call out any teamate thats not the QB...ok. By the way Keyshawn was such a team player that that team he won a ring with released him the next year because he was such a distraction, this after winning a ring.
Yes you are finally catching on. You ask any great football player and they will all tell you that the one guy you don't call out in the media on your football team is the QB. And that goes for ANYBODY. As much of a sh!t talker Warren Sapp was you NEVER heard him throw Trent Dilfer under the bus and he had every right to. As for Tampa getting rid of Keyshawn, trust me I am not a huge Keyshawn fan but I will point out that Tampa also got rid of Warren Sapp, John Lynch, Simeon Rice and and Shelton Quarles under Gruden's watch all under slimy circumstances. Ask John Lynch what he thinks about Gruden then holla at me about Keyshawn getting shipped away. By the way, the same QB that TO was calling out a few weeks ago before Romo came back, is the same QB that Keyshawn won a ring with.
If you want to argure that Garcia is a good QB, fine I guess we just have different definitions of what good is, he certainly wasn't good earlier this year when a pathetic Cowboy team with out Romo out gunned him by scoring 13 pts. He didn't start for Tampa until after Simms got hurt, but he has been ok since
Well considering the fact that Garcia had a pro bowl worthy year last year yes I would consider him to be good. Now there is no doubt that he had some problems in Detroit and Cleveland but if you look around it might have been more the organization than the player. Oh and just to fix your statements, 1) Garcia started the first game of the year but he was coming off a preseason injury and didnt play well so he got benched the second game. 2) Simms is not even on Tampa's roster anymore, it was Brian Griese and he came in and played well enough so there was no reason to rush Garcia back, but Griese's stats sucked. 3) The Bucs have been on fire ever since Garcia came back. Now maybe you don't know the history of Jon Gruden with QBs but it aint good. And after the great year Garcia had last year they wouldn't renegotiate his contract. So Garcia threatened to hold out but never did. He and Gruden don't like each other but Garcia is the best option to win and he has led the team to first place in the strongest division in the NFC.
McNabb was not an innocent victim when it came to that whole situation. When McNabb is asked before the Super Bowl about the impending reurn of TO and how much it would mean, good teamate McNabb says that they really don't need him. There was no beef when he said that, at least not public, which if I am following you is your point. McNabb went public, not TO
You have REALLY been drinking TO's kool aid haven't you? Show me a quote where McNabb said they really didn't need TO. Seriously I will wait all week if I have to. Donovan said over and over that they would love to have TO but that they would keep it moving without him because they HAD to. Thats a QBs job to keep the team motivated and to point out that the other guys deserve credit too. Or did you forget that they won the NFC championship game without TO playing a down. Now I don't know what you mean by "going public" but as the QB of the team you ALWAYS have to answer questions from reporters before and after games or didn't you know that? The only people that think McNabb said anything wrong are people with TO fatheads on their wall. Maybe if TO didn't get offended like a little biotch he would still be in Philly but because he is who he is he is in Dallas.
How about earlier this year when McNabb called out mangement, saying that they need to upgrade on talent...well thats a hell of a thing for a QB to say about you, especially a good teamate like Donovan.
Again did he call out a QB? No? Ok just making sure. Do you remember when Vanderjadt the kicker for Indy called out Peyton Manning? How did that end up for him? As a matter of fact name a great reciever other than TO that EVER called out his QB.
Your right, if Dallas makes it the play-offs this year and lose in the first rd, TO may blow up. Only they did make it to the first round last year, they lost, TO only caught 4 passes and all he did was defend his QB and team...but I guess that doesn't count.
When did TO get his contract extention? Oh, lol
"As a Redskin fan, I feel quite comfortable speaking for the entire fanbase when I say we don't need Cowboy followers telling us how to relate to our football team.
That said, I agree that attacking Jason Campbell is pointless, for a number of reasons."
Shorter DDU, "You're right, but you're an asshole for pointing it out.
TNC,
not quite. shorter would have been "You just worry about Romo."
Besides, brevity isn't always best (GASP!) if you can't mouth off for a bit, what's the point of commenting on a blog.
-- DDU
P.S.: I'm relatively new here, so let me add, just once, that I'm digging the blog, despite your misguided allegiances.
sgwhiteinfla-
Your right, it won't change my mind. I don't think TO is a team cancer. I am a die hard Cowboy fan, so if he was killing the team I would be the first to say get rid of him, he isn't and I don't think he will. But, if you will indulge me, you said some things aren't up for debate and than write an essay of completely debatable "facts".
First regarding Parcells, I loved him. He was just what the Cowboys needed. But he, like TO, wasn't perfect or beyond reproach. I admittedly have spent way too much time listening to The Ticket, a sports radio show out of Dallas for the past 12 years. They do their show every year from training camp, and after Parcells left every player that they interviewed, G.Ellis, T.Newmann, Romo, Whitten, Henry, Jerry Jones said that the atmospehere was better after Parcells. Mike Zimmermann left Dallas and said that he felt hampered by Parcells in being able to call defensive plays, and wasn't allowed to be creative. Look at their defense this year, they are among the league leaders in sacks a problem they had under Parcells. In fact, Phillips was hired to fix the defense, especially in terms of blitzing, which he has done. Talking about the talent, and his hits and misses: Roy Williams and Gurode were drafted before Parcells got there. Witten, Newman and James were great picks. Julius Jones, Jacob Rogers and Steven Peterman were not, and they happened to be the first three picks he made the year after the Wiiten draft. Ware, Canty, Ratliff, Barber great picks. Bobby Carpenter, K.Burnett, Anthony Fasano, J. Hatcher...not so much. Tony Romo, great pick. Taking 6 games to realize Bledsoe wasn't the answer, than throwing Romo into the game at halftime of a division riival game...not a great decision. Again, hits and misses which makes him no different than any other coach who has coached in the NFL.
Now TO, I don't understand your argument. Some guys can call out other guys, according to you a QB can say whatever the hell he wants about whomever, but nobody better not speak ill of the QB. That doesn't wash, a teammate is a teammate. Either its wrong, or its part of the game.I love the fact that TO tore up the Eagles, I am a Cowboy fan so he gets points from me. He did not tear up San Fran, they did not pay him(or anyone else for that matter). Since he has been at Dallas, he has been great. You say he called out Garrett, he was asked if he was getting the ball enough, and he said no. Which makes him just like every other player in the NFL, but when ever TO says or does anything its news, it riles guys like you up and I just don't get it. You say he is all about himself, all about the money...again that makes him like every other profressional athlete there is. He only gets paid if he produces, his production is key to the success of the team, what do I care what his motivation is. Its not my money. I don't care what selfish reasons makes him play on a broke leg, show up every day to practice, rehab like hell to recover from a high ankle sprain that everyone says takes 6 weeks to fully recover from, yet he is out there in 4 to play in a play-off game. Here is a great article about TO from Bill Simmons that says it better than I can, number 4 is especially pertinent regarding McNabb:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/051111
Sorry for yet another diatribe, but this is why sports are so great!
Quick follow up
Roy Williams and Andre Gurode I was wrong about him drafting those guys
Bobby Carpenter was a beast in college and looked fine until he hurt his shoulder last year and they wanted him to keeep playing. He definitely aint an all star but he isn't quite a bust yet
Rogers got hurt
Peterman is a starter for Detroit
Julious Jones and Fasano are quality players in the NFL so I don't see how you can say they are misses
By the way I see you didnt answer the question of which other great reciever EVER called out his QB. Now I understand you don't get it. There is a super special reason that I do but there is no reason to get in to that. You just need to do some research and you will see that whether you or I or anybody who isnt an NFL player thinks it isn't right, the QB is off limits for public criticism by their teammates. The truth is most guys keep the rule for ALL teammates, but especially the QB. It is what it is
sgwhiteinfla-
Did you just say that there is super special reason that you know of as to why QB's don't get called out. Seriously. A super special reason...
ok dude, you win.
By the way, Rogers, Peterman, Fasano, and Jones don't play for the Cowboys anymore, and it wasn't because Dallas couldn't afford their salaries. Thats why I consider them misses. I would have rather had Stephan Jackson instead of Julius Jones, and I think you would to. Bobby Carpenter at no point in his pro career has looked fine, I would like nothing more than for him to be worthy of a 1st rd pick. He just hasn't, he barely makes a splash on special teams, and if you watched Hard Knocks this year there is a reason why his teammates called him Barbie Carpenter, I doubt it was because of his blonde hair.
keith
yes super special with a cherry on top. But you wouldn't believe me if I told you so its not worth talking about.
A miss to me is a guy who doesn't make it in the league anywhere and say what you want about Parcells I would put his draft picks up against ANYBODY'S. You might have missed the part where I said I am a life long cowboys fan. I just truly believe that the TO pickup did and will do a lot more for him than it will ever do for our team.
As for Bobby or Barbie Carpenter, yeah I saw Hard Knocks but again I point to the fact that they had the dude trying to take on 250 pd fullbacks while he was experiencing never damage in his shoulder. But that is the game in the NFL. They beg you to keep trying, to do it for the team even when they know you are hurt. Then later when they are evaluating you they never take into account that you were hurt. Now I am not saying the guy is a world beater but I disagree with you about him on special teams, I see him doing quite a bit. And I think there is still a chance that he ends up starting either in Dallas or elsewhere in a year or so.
By the way, Stephen Jackson has been hurt all year, Julius Jones has been playing pretty well in Seattle. Stephen Jackson also has a history of beefing with his coaches and has already started beefing with the interim guy. Jackson is a baller no doubt, but I don't think picking JJ over him was some big faux pas.
I will never understand why people argue to the death for TO. Never.
Never as in you will never see TO win a Superbowl as a Dallas Cowboy (and maybe never period) never.
BTW Jerry Jones is no fool.
Trading for Roy Williams put TO on notice: no one player is bigger than the team, not even you.
Its not about defending TO to the "death". People make him out to be Judas, and that is simply not the case. Again, he would have won a Super Bowl if McNabb didn't throw key ints and flame out in the fourth qtr of the Super Bowl. That had nothing to do with TO, he did his part. Dude wants you to put out as much as he does, and he didn't feel McNabb did that, and said it.
I don't understand why so many people get so riled up by TO, he is a polarizing figure, but to me he is no different than most any other cock-sure athlete. Dude is brash, cocky, arrogant as hell and not satified unless he catches 10+ passes for 150+yds. The only difference between him and others is he is not a criminal. Yet, he is the one that gets everyone's panties in a bunch. Not a guy like Leonard Little who actually killed somebody(DUI), then got another DUI after he killed someone, or the great Marvin Harrison who gets into a fight with somebody, then that person gets shot by a gun registered to M. Harrison, that happened this year...where was the outrage. Thats all I'm saying.