SPORTSDAY

Posted by davej @ 12:55 PM Wed, Nov 14, 2007

Wade is really letting his players grow into men. It's a concept we like except when they make mistakes with penalties or mistakes. While it may be hard to live through and be upsetting if it costs us a game, it's the only way they will really learn and grow.

Think about it - sometimes you need a kick in the rear, but only once in a while. If someone kicks you all the time, it doesn't mean anything anymore and you stop listening to that person.

Posted by dave in austin @ 1:00 PM Wed, Nov 14, 2007

When a team sees a coaching change, it's usually the opposite of the style that was in place. Parcells was old-school, in your face football coach. Phillips is the opposite. Usually there's a coaching change on a team with a bad record and the atmosphere is different from the previous regime.

Jimmy Johnson was tough... Campo wasn't... Parcells - tough... Phillips, easy-going.

Posted by nctrnl @ 1:05 PM Wed, Nov 14, 2007

If you've ever had a boss that talked down plus yelled and screamed all the time for no reason with a strong arm you'll understand. It's not a pleasant atmosphere and could easily make you hate your job. It means a lot that Lil' Bum trusts his players.

Posted by PMS @ 1:16 PM Wed, Nov 14, 2007

We'll soon know how successful Wade's approach is. If the Cowboys avoid the annual "December Crash" this year, we'll know it's been very successful.

Posted by Michael @ 1:19 PM Wed, Nov 14, 2007

I'd bet that Jimmy would say that he was pretty stupid and sounded very petty at halftime on Sunday. What would he have done? gotten rid of Burnett? While he's no DeMarcus Ware, he's certainly no Curvin Richards, either. Burnett is a very good role player on this team and did something stupid. I'd lay money on the fact that he won't do it again.

There's something to be said for not letting your coaches and teammates down. There's even more to be said about not letting yourself down. Wade gets that. When all of the players get it (like they do in NE), then this team will be very difficult to put away in ANY game.

Posted by Jeff L. @ 1:34 PM Wed, Nov 14, 2007

I think Jimmy coming down on Burnett for the penalty was OK, but to stretch it out and then rag on the whole 'relaxed atmosphere' was a bit much.

To think that you have to be heavy handed and bust players' chops day in and day out because you're the tough guy coach and their just stupid players is way out of touch. Not that discipline isn't important, but let's be real. These are grown men, not junior high players.

Was Burnett's penalty a bad thing? Of course it was, but he was the first to admit it, and all of the penalties were corrected in the second half. There was jawing going on constantly in that game, and a lot of it was from the Giants. Burnett just got called because he hovered over Jacobs a little too long while Jacobs was on his back. Otherwise, it was no big deal at all. Quite frankly, before the flag was thrown I was loving the fact that he was letting Jacobs have it.

As far as the relaxed atmosphere leading to more penalties, etc, I don't buy it. There were a lot of Penalties under Parcells as well, maybe even more. The difference was that those teams lost more games than this team. I'll take the current situation.

Posted by nctrnl @ 1:56 PM Wed, Nov 14, 2007

We all remember the Swervin Curvin Richards situation after the fumble and immediately being cut from the team. This may sound dumb but maybe part of the reason Jimmy had to cut his career short was because he was too high strung and he couldn't hack the pressure he was putting on himself and taking that out on everybody else including the owner.

Posted by ron mexico @ 2:42 PM Wed, Nov 14, 2007

Jimmy would have used a certain "p-word" to describe holding practices in Oxnard too, instead of Austin. Screw Jimmy. There, I said it. He wouldn't have amounted to anything without the boneheads in Minnesota.

How's that for flaming!

Posted by sk @ 2:53 PM Wed, Nov 14, 2007

Football not only is physically demanding but can drain you mentally with lot of emotions poured on any given Sunday. Coaches like Wade,Tony Dungy,Lovie Smith,Dick Jauron are excellent examples of Coaches who can remain calm in the face of adversity and show players how to control their emotions on the field better than those like Jimmy or Dennis Green.

If Tuna was still our coach, I don't think Romo would have prevailed on the Bills MNF. Same thing can be said for Peyton Manning during their AFC title game with Pats last year. You need someone to keep you level-headed and motivate you without making you crazy.

My 2 cents.

Posted by Sick of Talking Heads @ 3:20 PM Wed, Nov 14, 2007

I'm so sick and tired of the talking heads on Sunday pre-game shows. Loved Jimmy the coach, but I've had it up to my eyeballs with all of them ripping Wade, yet being the apologists in chief for Bill Bellicheat. Bellicheat was caught cheating. End of story. Doesn't matter if he needed to, doesn't matter if it helped or not. He is a cheater. Stop defending him, you two-faced talking heads.

Posted by Fraggy @ 4:19 PM Wed, Nov 14, 2007

i think it depends on the personality of the team, as to what works best. when switzer replaced jimmy everyone always said that the team needed the change of atmosphere. sure enough they won another super bowl the next year.

Posted by Robb in Atlanta @ 5:45 PM Wed, Nov 14, 2007

I like Jimmy Johnson, but look how many bonehead plays LEON LETT made under the disciplined approach by Johnson.

I'd rather endure a 15 yard unsportsmanlike penalty due to overflow of emotion and passion instead of a 'I don't know the rules of football' mentality by Leon.

Posted by Brandon @ 9:37 PM Wed, Nov 14, 2007

First off Leon Lett was a great tackle. Secondly I personally prefer a tough coach, one who is strict. Look at Parcells, Jimmy - they have both accomplished alot through their careers. Everyone was talking about "camp cupcake" earlier this year, and it mighta been that but since they are winning nobody is saying anything bad about. I am a big cowboys fan and I like the wins, I don't like the laid back carefree stuff, but until we start to loose (hopefully not) I don't think it'll change.

Posted by Not So Crazy Ray @ 10:55 PM Wed, Nov 14, 2007

But, overall, Jimmy was overrated as an NFL head coach. He did a nice job with personnel, but a lot of the Cowboys talent was the result of the "highway robbery" Herschel Walker trade. Without the overwhelming talent, he was just OK with the Dolphins. The best record he had with them was 10-6, and he won only 2 total playoff games.

Jimmy, I hear what you're saying and agree, to a point. But, maybe you should consider the fact that there is more than one way to win football games. You haven't won a Super Bowl in 13 years, so.....

Posted by north carolina @ 8:46 AM Thu, Nov 15, 2007

I don,t understand why everyone wants to compare
Wade to Parcells no one compare Parcells to Campo. All of these coached are different let Wade do his thing. I think Parcell knew his style was no longer reaching the players that he (drafted) guess its not many (Parcells Guys) coming out of college these days,huh what a shocker.Jerry went looking for a coach that fit this team looks a perfit match for now, maybe not
down the road, but for now I'll take it and the record.

Posted by mark @ 3:41 PM Thu, Nov 15, 2007

I'll give Paarcells credit for turning things around for the Cowboys, but the Cowboys were barely an average team with him. They never won any big games with him, and they were very undiscipline. Parcells was stuck in the 1980's and 1990's. One thing I will say about Bellicheat, he knows how to treat his players and he was willing to adapt, something Parcells didn't have a clue about.