The Example of Randy Galloway - The Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones, The Media & Sobriety

Well, the Dallas Cowboys are winners for the first time in this 2014 season! And the spirits are already flowing!

We've got the Cowboys Defense talking as if they're the second coming of Doomsday I & II, as well as Jimmy Johnson's top-ranked version of the 90's, all in one unit.

Then you've got the media, including all the so called professionals who should know better, leading the charge, practically agreeing with everything the Cowboys players are saying. Objective, unbiased reporting and analysis anyone?

Well, I say the media is leading the charge. Actually, that's not quite the case. The media is really following the inebriating trail of Jerry Jones. His 200 proof, vintage, smooth sipping Koolaid, aged all of 24 hours, has found a comfortable home among this close-knit group known as Jerryholics Anonymous. They trail Jones like the faithful all-in-one Bartender-Brewery Magnet he has become, afraid that too many hours without Jerry's special brew will lead them into the vast world of sanity most others experience on a daily basis. God Forbid!

Before we proceed any further, let's perform a Public Service Identification for all forced to suffer their personal space invaded by such second hand dribble this contingent of snared drunkards conspire to peddle as inspired journalism. We start with that bastion of Cowboys' informational integrity from Dallascowboys.com led by ole timer Mickey Spagnola. At one time a professional sports journalist beyond reproach among the likes of Randy Galloway, Frank Luksa and Blackie Sherrod, he now spends his time supporting all things Jerry & the Cowboys by offering the most incredible litany of excuses worthy of the most hardened Jerryholic, then accepting payment from Jerry's ever increasing vault of cash. Journalistic objectivity? Not that would be noticed!

After that comes the DallasCowboys.com underlings such as Nick Eatman, Bryan Broaddus, Rowan Kavner, David Helman, Derek Eagleton, Ed Cahill and Shannon Gross. They are simply paid patsy's of Jerry's and slovenly regurgitate the official utterances from the distillery at Valley Ranch, acting as human breathalyzers for the public to determine the specific level of inebriation being offered for consumption. Accurate reporting? About as much as you could expect from staff drunkards!

Next up are the local Newspaper Journalists, Columnists and Cowboys beat writers. They include, Rick Gosselin, Tim Cowlishaw, David Moore, Kevin Sherington, Jerry Fraley, Barry Horn, Gil LeBreton, Mac Engel, Clarence Hill Jr., Charean Williams and Drew Davison. This group includes some notable personalities known for their NFL expertise as well as concise reporting and analysis. But it seems that tenure has seen many imbibing for so long that Cirrhosis of the Reporter has set in. Too much of Jerry's Brew for too long has seen their Journalistic Liver unable to adequately process the impurities of Jerry's World. This condition finds them tender and unwilling to take in anything not offered through journalistic feeding tubes. Consistent Substance? Nah. Just public pablum!

Next up are the Local and National Television Network Affiliate anchors and analysts along with Local and National Radio Talk Show hosts. This highly visible and audible group may be the most hardened members of JA simply because they employ the most widely consumed broadcast mediums which, not only provide broad avenues for the high ratings Jerry covets, but also instant inebriation for the masses. Jerry readily admits that he monitors the media more than anyone else. What good Brewmaster wouldn't keep tabs on the public response, as well as the entire spectrum of transportation options available to directly deliver that special Brew the public craves. And deliver Jerry Brew they do!

This group is too numerous to mention them all, so I will limit this list to the Television and Cable Networks. ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, ESPN, ESPN1, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, CNN, FOX SPORTS1, NFL NETWORK, CBS SPORTS NETWORK, NBC SPORTS NETWORK, etc.

All of the above tend to form a very loyal, cohesive group, and at best, exist as incestuous parasites, living off of each other with Jerry's Boot Leg Brew providing the common sustenance while inbreeding genetically ingrained cohorts for Jerry's Recovery group. While a few abide on the fringes, offering opinion and analysis that borders on viable, the overall tendency is to remain true to the brand of Brew Jerry provides while offering an obtuse viewpoint for entertainment purposes only. The entertainment drama Jerry readily provides generally trumps hard cold facts, especially if those facts disagree with Jerry's official viewpoint in any way.

Such is the state of stupor the Jerryholic Media currently finds itself in. One Cowboys win has them staggering over each other to report the return of Jerry's 'Boys and their vaunted Defense. One mediocre win and the Cowboys are Super Bowl bound!

Of course, I must mention the one personality to escape this fellowship of Jerry's. Yes, Randy Galloway is the only one able to grab his cigars, nag betting lines, bottle of Jose Cuervo and find the nearest retirement exit. Battered and scarred from Jerry's repeated attempts to convert him to his select group of Brew Master assistants, Randy has faithfully executed his duties without succumbing to the enticements of perpetual inebriation. Randy has performed the journalistic equivalent of Drinking Responsibly by ending a long career as a faithful soldier should, finishing the battle, but on his terms, not Jerry's.

And what do we attribute as the key to Randy's success and survival? Was he just too smart? C'mon, Randy would be the first to nix that idea. Good looking? I think Randy has spoken many time over the years about that issue!  Was he too tough for Jerry? Nah! He's not the combative type!

Randy Galloway has been one thing that Jerry Jones has not consistently been over the years. The word is "sober."

And sobriety, devoid of any of Jerry's flowing spirits, resides in reality, which is where the Cowboys and the rest of the media need to return to as quickly as possible!

Here's to sobriety!

The Education of Jerry Jones - The Dallas Cowboys, Jimmy Johnson & Contracts

"I intend to have a complete understanding of contracts, jocks, socks, and TV contracts.           There’s no way I can look in the mirror if I don’t understand anything about this business."

-- Feb. 25, 1989, the day he purchased the team

It is interesting indeed that Jerry Jones specifically mentions contracts the day he agreed to buy the +Dallas Cowboys. In fact, it was a "complete understanding" of these contracts that he intended to possess.

As a successful business man from the slippery wildcatting world of oil, it is to be presumed that Jerry Jones brought a certain level of understanding about contracts to his new venture. We can also presume that the above quote had more to do with becoming more familiar with contracts in the world of The National Football League.

It can be presumed also that the man he hired to succeed Tom Landry as Head coach of America's Team, Jimmy Johnson, already possessed a certain level of understanding regarding professional football contracts, at least those binding agreements of the Head coaching variety. Connected to this understanding is also the necessary prerequisites for a successful team, for it is the existence of this dual understanding that provided the germination leading to back to back Super Bowl wins for Owner Jones and Coach Johnson as well as the demise of perhaps the greatest team in NFL history.

This dual understanding is taken from the fact that Jimmy Johnson refused to sign a contract to coach the Cowboys unless he had full and final authority over all personnel.

The inglorious beginning of a 1-15 season, coupled with the fact that Jerry Jones was extremely busy trying to plug the huge financial losses the Cowboys were experiencing when he bought the team, kept this vital term of their contract from surfacing. When the next year saw the on-field reward of a playoff berth thwarted only by losing the last two games as a result of a Troy Aikman injury, it was evident that the Cowboys' Star was on the rise. With the financial outlook also corrected, the attention of the General Manager could now be focused elsewhere, including a complete understanding of contracts. And focusing on contracts was what Jerry Jones began to do with a vigor he brings to every business endeavor.

During the next season, Jones approached Johnson about deleting the contractual term giving Johnson all power over personnel. 

And the saga was on!

It would continue until Jones made the following famous quote weeks after their second consecutive NFL Championship in 1994.

“I think there are 500 coaches who could have coached this team to the Super Bowl."

-- March 23, 1994, Jones to the Dallas Morning News on Jimmy                          Johnson after consecutive Super Bowl titles

“Nothing new. Just another day in the life of the Dallas Cowboys."
-- March 24, 1994, when asked about why Johnson stormed out of the NFL owners meetings

It was also just another day in the education of Jerry Jones regarding contracts. With Johnson's continued refusals to cede contractual authority over personnel, Jones came to realize that there was only one way to eliminate that vital term. Eliminate the person holding that power. 

So two months after rare back to back Super Bowl victories, Owner Jerry Jones was now a General Manager holding the authority he so desperately desired. 

The Dallas Cowboys have never been the same. They have never recovered. 

Yes, Jones achieved his third Lombardi Trophy two years later, yet the victory has proven hollow. Jones  has failed to receive credit for that championship. Popular opinion holds that it was achieved with "Jimmy's" players and coaches. 

While the education of Jerry Jones regarding contracts can be considered complete, the gridiron profit has been nil. The Cowboys have just experienced their 18th consecutive season without a championship, an unprecedented stretch of futility in their history. 

And Jerry retains full authority over all personnel.

Cowboys Loss -The Ref's Fault? - Think Again

I see and hear some analysis trying to point fingers at the refs, at least partially, for the Cowboys loss.

While the Cowboys definitely didn't play their best game, credit must go to the Chiefs and Andy Reid. They played well enough to win. And no one really expected the Chiefs to play this well.

The Cowboys have work to do.

Hatin' on Dallas Cowboys' Tony Romo? Big Bill Speaks

Well, a lot of fans seem to be extremely negative toward Tony Romo. And all because he hasn't led Your Heroes to a Super Bowl victory. (Pardon me for the Blackie Sherrod lingo!)  And because his last name isn't Manning or Brady.

Never mind the fact that many teams would jump at the chance to acquire Romo. Why? Well, take a look at their present quarterback situation and...........well, 'Nuff said. Maybe some just don't realize how good they have it.

With that said, I thought the words of a highly respected individual around the NFL might be able to persuade the unconvinced. Let's let no less a figure than Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells offer his insight about the current Cowboys signal caller.

Dallas Cowboys' Decade of Futility - Jerry Jones and Bill Parcells were just one part!

Jerry & Bill - Not exactly a match made in Heaven!

Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells on working with Jerry Jones for four years:
“He’s a straightforward, honest guy,” Parcells said. “He really is. That’s all I look for. He was very supportive of me as a coach. Now were there things going on that occasionally I didn’t like? Yeah, there were, but that didn’t inhibit me from going to him, talking things out. He’s really great about that.”


So what drove these two apart? Find out in Chapters 15 and 16 of Decade of Futility.

For a hard-copy of Decade of Futility, click here:
https://www.createspace.com/4161551


For the Kindle version of Decade of Futility, click here: http://www.amazon.com/Decade-of-Futility-ebook/dp/B00DXFGLSE/ref=sr_1_1_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373808496&sr=1-1&keywords=decade+of+futility

All Is Well - Jason Garrett's In a Unique Position!

Uncomfortable? Can't tell!

If you've been keeping up with the bizarre and unreal at Valley Ranch, especially this season, you will probably be like me when you here this video. If you haven't really cared to keep pace with the Cow Nation, then this will be much ado about nothing.

The fact is, I'm still shaking my head over this one. I saw this two days ago, and.......well,,..........all I can do is shake my head!

Here's the Link to the Propaganda Machine that is Jerry Jones speaking about Jason Garrett being in a Unique Position!.

If you can, please get some enjoyment out of it! Poor Mickey Spagnola!

Jerry Jones - Prophecy, Chaos & Discomfort

Jerry - pointing out flaws

While Jerry Jones holds the sports world in suspense, or rather discomfort, fans that reside closer to that elusive condition known as sanity should at least attempt to soothe their discomfort with repeated shots of logic. Forget the fact that the Cowboys General Manager, in spite of his age, is able to leave logic behind about as fast as Deion Sanders could view opposing return teams in his rear view mirror. Cowboys fans, however, owe it to themselves (and no one else, Jerry) to visit the past in order to bring about some semblance of order from this Valley Ranch imposed chaos. Please momentarily forget the fact that, in the real world, order does not proceed from chaos. Hopefully, my point will be made.

The first stop on this tour of chaos takes us back to just prior to the beginning of this past season. In spite of the hope of the new season about to begin, the upbeat attitude of Jason Garrett's players and the positive outlook of many football insiders, Jerry Jones takes it upon himself to inform the world that the Cowboys have a major flaw, the offensive line. Incredibly, he then takes it upon himself to shoulder the entire blame for this condition. As a GM, he pointed out his own failure in the area of acquiring adequate offensive linemen for the upcoming year. Nothing like a boost of confidence from your boss!

Inconsistent and Erratic Offensive Line

Think what you want about Jerry's managerial skills and his eye for talent, in this instance his cryptic statements turned out to be prophetically apocalyptic for the Cowboys. With the exception of Left Tackle Tyron Smith, erratic and inconsistent play across the offensive line was the norm for much of the season. In fact, only the more drastic injury trouble of the defensive unit kept the woes of the offensive line from constantly being the topic of choice for fans and media types.

Which Way Do We Go?

For those in the know about the psychological sensitivities of the Cowboys General Manager, the defensive tribulations were not what Jerry ordered. Precious attention was being diverted away from the area pin pointed by the man in charge of knowing what the Cowboys were all about. Believe it when  I say that Jerry really wanted, yes needed to get the focus back where it belonged, on him and what he had to say. He did all he could to relieve the defensive pressure. If you don't believe me, ask Jay Ratliff.

No Playoffs!

But, alas, this all culminated in an even worse scenario than Jerry envisioned, no playoff berth. As everyone knows, we still haven't escaped the reactionary wrath of the GM. He has simply gone dormant while everyone waits.

But, Jerry definitely left no one to guess who was in charge. He first dismisses the Running Backs Coach, Skip Peete. I believe it can honestly be said that this move was completely unforeseen. It also makes no sense at all.

Not a Happy GM

For a GM to publicly identify a problem area while taking professional responsibility for its existence is considered by most to be the ultimate in maturity and due diligence. However, blaming the running game by firing the RB coach speaks of a loss of professional equilibrium. Any running back or running backs coach will tell you that a good running game begins with the offensive line. The running back has nothing to do with injuries or the erratic and poor play of his blockers. So why fire the running backs coach if the offensive line was pegged as a liability before the season began?

Your guess is as good as mine, or maybe even Jerry's!

There are more points to come from this chaos. Until them, chaotic discomfort reigns. I just wonder if Jerry realizes that it's his world that is uncomfortable. I refuse to enter such chaos by clinging to logic.

Jerry Jones – The Only People Suffering Are The Fans

Jerry Jones - Not Smiling

After the disappointing loss to the Redskins to end the season and all playoff hopes, Jerry Jones went on the equivalent of a managerial tirade, warning coaches of the discomfort to come. Subsequently, Running Backs coach Skip Peete, Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan and Passing game Coordinator – Tight Ends Coach, John Garrett have been fired. Everyone seems to be walking and talking softly at Valley Ranch, not sure where the ax will fall next.

Meanwhile, the fans of America’s Team are watching what has to considered a type of torture. I’m not necessarily referring to any physical torment, but extreme discomfort of a more psychological nature. If you’ve ever had to endure the acting of a B movie, you know what I mean. The words are recited, the emotion is forced, the plot is too obvious, full of repetitious and trite cliché’s. As I said, torture.

Well, that is what has been emanating from the general Manager’s office for quite awhile, a second rate production that’s full of glitz and glamour, but no substance. In fact, this production is growing so monotonous that fans are growing tired of hearing and seeing the same thing year after year.

Fans couldn’t care less about the financial empire Jerry has created. But they do care about a team being put on the field that is successful. They expect it, especially since the legacy of the Cowboys is about winning consistently.

And the sad fact is that, in spite of the financial success of Jerry Jones, he has been nothing but a loser as a General Manager since their last Super Bowl Win which most think was won with the bulk of Jimmy Johnson’s efforts. That’s almost two decades ago.

The only consistent part of Jones’ production since is the football mantras repeated, the forced emotion, the trite cliché’s, the promises of a different plot year after year after year after year after year………and, oh yes, don’t forget the losing and mediocrity………..Torture, that’s what it is. And after a while, the ones being tortured can decide to invest their attention to something else, for the discomfort is too much.

After all, Fans have their limit when it comes to suffering needlessly.

For Old Cowboys Fans, Jerry Jones is Hard to Endure

Jerry Incognito?

 The current state of the Dallas Cowboys is especially hard for long time Fans to endure. By “long time” I mean pre-Jerry Jones.

This is not to imply that the Cowboys never had their on field difficulties resulting in a less than desirable win loss column. The initial years of Cowboys history records such struggles. It must be remembered that such difficulties are a part of what made the Cowboys available for Jerry Jones to purchase in 1989.

But there was one constant that could be counted on within the Cowboys organization. Ownership, Management and Team were separate, and essentially, at arms length. The flow of authority and responsibility was known and respected as all personnel were allowed to perform their jobs. And of course, occasionally, if their jobs weren’t performed satisfactorily, replacements were found. But the process worked.

But within the NFL family, this scenario was not always followed. Different business models were implemented which mingled positions, job descriptions, duties and authority. The concept of separation of power was not as adhered to in these models. In fact, sometimes, especially when Ownership was vested in a family, power seemed to collect within a particular individual and family members.

In Dallas, Jerry Jones implemented a rather ordinary business model when He purchased the Cowboys, one familiar to the NFL landscape. Yes, Jerry was a shoot from the hip, boisterous, cocky owner, but was relegated to trying to right America’s Team that had become a listing ship threatening to sink. His business acumen was the perfect antidote for such an economically sick, yet proud business enterprise.

A Celebration for all

The landscape began to change, however, with the arrival of success. Back to Back Super Bowl victories put Jones and the Cowboys on the pinnacle of the NFL universe with all the accolades that accompany those that prove to be the best in their business. Jones, however, wasn’t quite content with the acclaim that came his way. He decided, for whatever reason, that he wanted and/or needed more.

With this desire or need came commensurate meddling with coaches and players. At the head of the list was Jimmy Johnson and the authority he wielded through written contract over all personnel, coaches and players. Driving a wedge between himself and Johnson, they parted company on anything but amicable terms. Jerry was finally free to mold the personnel according to his image and prove that Jimmy Johnson the Head Coach wasn’t as necessary or significant as many thought. Partial vindication was won two years later when the Cowboys won another Super Bowl under Barry Switzer, yet the popular consensus among football insiders and fans was that the championship was won with Jimmy’s players.

3rd Super Bowl in four years - with Jimmy's players

The decline then started. The decline continued. The first  decade of the 21^st century saw the Cowboys experience their worst decade in team history. The second decade of the century has started with less than desirable results for Jerry Jones and his Cowboys. Though no longer languishing at the back of the NFL pack, they remain mired in mediocrity, unable to return to the elite status of years gone by.

Current Head Coach - Jason Garrett

 The second decade sees Jones seeking consolation for the long term, this time in the person of Head Coach Jason Garrett. Referring to Garrett as his “Tom Landry,” Jones seems to have long term plans for the even handed demeanor and varied abilities of Garrett. 

Jerry Jones' Tom Landry?

Long term Fans know different, though. The reference to a team Legend rings hollow, but not for any negative on Garrett’s part. In order for Jason Garrett to be considered the Tom Landry of his era, he must be free to have the final say on all coaches and players. Tom Landry never looked over his shoulder worrying about the next meddlesome move by management or ownership. In no way did this mean that he was unaccountable, but was free to be himself as Head Coach.

The Real Tom Landry

In the mean time, this mess is Jerry's creation. And it's hard to watch.

Jerry Jones – The Uncomfortable Search Continues

Just so you understand who's in charge!

With the Dallas cowboys once again left lonely on the sidelines to gaze upon post season activity, Jerry Jones continues his quest to make everyone uncomfortable. While telling the world that he is searching for the right combination of coaches to propel the Cowboys back into Super Bowl glory, the stark reality is one Jerry doesn’t want to conform to.

Right relationships are important!

 While having the right combination of coaches is important and not to be discounted, it is no less important that the relationship of the General Manager to those same coaches and players. And if a return to past glory is so important to Jerry, then a return to that initial relationship between himself as GM and the coaches and players is necessary.

But, this remains an extremely sensitive area with Jones, one which receives an immediate reaction when raised in his presence. As well it should, for it was Jones who destroyed that relationship years ago when he fired Jimmy Johnson after back to back Super Bowl victories. To date he has yet to re-establish it.

Why? Oh, the reason for that is easy and Jerry is will eagerly inform anyone willing to lend an ear to hear, camera or microphone. Jerry wants total control on all final decisions regarding players, personnel and staff within the Cowboys organization. This is why he fired Johnson. Jerry wanted what Jimmy had written into his contract and was unwilling to share with Jerry. Soooooooo, Jerry easily remedied that. Bye bye, Jimmy. The glory slowly departed and has failed to appear within sight of Jerry and his mission.

Bye, Bye Jimmy

In the meantime, everyone is uncomfortable in the presence of Jerry. They all know that the emperor, though fully clothed, is wearing the wrong attire. The mantle of General Manager is unsightly, does not fit and is threadbare. Even Jerry knows this.

Scapegoat

So, leave him alone to his task. If he keeps on, who knows?! The odds may be on his side. He may hit upon the right combination of discomfort and make it to the playoffs, maybe win a playoff game and, dare we dream, win a Super Bowl. Until that happens, the nightmare continues and the coaches fired are nothing more than scapegoats.

Dallas Cowboys Open Home Schedule With Sloppy 16-10 Win Over Tampa Bay

by Ryan Bush

Hey, it’s only fair to give credit where credit is due.  And, for once, the Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager nailed it perfectly.  Arlington was, in fact, the sight of spectacular and improbable happenings on this second afternoon in autumn.  An attraction was in plain sight for all to see at Cowboys Stadium.  Yes, everything was bigger – and dumber – in Texas.

Jay Novacek was there.  Randy White.  So were 80,000 other fans.  If only the Cowboys didn’t have to show up the afternoon would have gone by without a single hitch.

The starred ones were out and about Sunday, ready to prove to the football world that last week was an absolute aberration.  Don’t trust them to inform you of what, because there were too many similarities that surely had many in attendance making early dinner reservations.

Jason Witten was dropping passes.  Tony Romo spent four quarters in life-preservation mode.  And Dallas receivers were running enough dysfunctional pass patterns to make Romo wish for the return of Roy Williams.

Just maybe the Cowboys didn’t realize that there was an actual game to be played.  It is, after all, quite possible in these parts.

Elaboration pertaining to in-game matchups was minimal this week.  Everybody was too busy talking about kneel-downs to concern themselves with worrying about Ronde Barber, Vincent Jackson, or anyone else on the Tampa Bay roster.

Oh, and the owner was busy trying to conceive of a magical way to attract fans to Arlington’s glass-plated mosque for a Dallas-Tampa Bay home opener that held little local appeal.  Who really cares about banners from two decades before anyway?  The magic from those years departed from Valley Ranch in a windstorm the minute Jerry up and kicked Jimmy out of his trophy-lined office.

The last time Tampa Bay was in town for a home-opener was in 2001 at the dawning of the infamous Quincy Carter era.  I guess Jerry’s busy trying to usher in a new era of his own.  Oh, well.  Just the latest operation of futility around here.  What’s one more?

And speaking of futility, how about pegging these 2012 Cowboys.  Love’em one week, spit on ‘em the next.  What should the proper attitude be this week by Dallas’ world-famous reception committee?  It surely won’t be as forgiving as today’s.

Let’s give a shout out to the home faithful who stuck it out through three hours of perplexing miscues.  It would have been understandable had they walked out.  Especially after such a familiar start.

For the second consecutive week, Dallas received the game’s opening kickoff only to turn the ball over.  In Seattle it was Felix Jones offering up a fumble as an offering – no surprise registered here – and this time it was Tony Romo celebrating an early Christmas with an early interception to former Kansas cornerback Aqib Talib.  Tampa Bay used that early gift to move 29 yards and go ahead 7-0 on a Josh Freeman touchdown pass.

But if there were any concerns of a impending re-run from last week when Seattle used an early score as impetus to run away with the game, those were as wasted as all those high-flyin’ pre-game predictions.

Romo didn’t throw for 500 yards like Eli Manning did against these same Bucs a week ago.  His 283 doesn’t even come close.  But he was able to move the offense, blessed with a short field after a Sean Lee interception, in position for a Demarco Murray touchdown run to tie the score.  Murray finished the day with just 38 yards on 18 carries.

Romo, meanwhile, was dealing with his own set of problems.  When it wasn’t his receivers running ill-advised patterns, it was his offensive line breaking down in their protections, leaving Romo primed and ready for a Texas-sized beating.  Romo was hit from every angle throughout the course of the game, resulting in two second-half fumbles that did nothing but keep the score close.

The Dallas defense completely shut down Tampa’s passing game, holding Freeman to just 110 yards through the air on ten completions, about half of those yards coming in the final two minutes.

As much as team officials try to shrug off Dallas’ 13-11 record inside the palatial Cowboys Stadium, it’s evident that the Cowboys possess anything but a home-field advantage.  Some might say they don’t have any advantage, but that’s beside the point.  Today was a day of homecoming, a day to salute the raising of five banners commemorating championships from so long ago.  While we’re at it, let’s honor Jason Garrett’s team for walking with Lady Luck in a game that each team seemed content to give away.

It wasn’t pretty, but they got the job done at the end of the day.  There was a blocked punt that wasn’t, and a fumble return for touchdown called back, even when replays showed that it shouldn’t have been.

It was a game the Cowboys could not afford to lose.  But enthusiasm should be tempered by realizing that it was a victory with as much meaning going forward as Jerry’s overdone banner raising.

This mess is going on two weeks running, and needs to be cleaned up in a hurry.  Otherwise, it could be another seventeen years before the next banner is hoisted.

Dallas Cowboys Blowout Loss To Seattle Not Indicative Of Direction Of Team

by Ryan Bush

Let’s be proactive about all this and agree that the Dallas Cowboys were mentally deficient in nearly every conceivable category Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.  Blocked punts, dropped passes, ill-timed penalties, and a gutless front-seven at crunch time… Those are all earmarks of any local junior high squad and provide the classic example of why so many refuse to consider the Cowboys as professional material.  Too often, they fail to resemble it.

Blocked Punt

So the big ‘Boys from Big D’ had their heads in the clouds after a statement win over the Giants, is that it?  Well, there are worse reasons to lose a football game.  Like, say, having your head served up on a platter.  Which was not the reality of Sunday’s 27-7 loss.

As many opportunities as Dallas made the most of during the opener in East Rutherford, they threw just as many away eleven days later. It was ugly in the extreme, as has been noted by the media since then, but in no way is an indication that this team is just another head-case that maximizes its potential by merely flirting with a postseason berth.

To compare this debacle to last season’s 34-7 loss at Philadelphia is doing Andy Reid and the Eagles a great injustice.  The Eagles team of a year ago was simply better than the Cowboys, no room for argument allowed. 

Such was not the case Sunday, even though the Cowboys’ superiority was never allowed to be evident.  It’s only fair to give Seattle credit for the victory, but there are a boatload of Cowboys that are deserving of a wholehearted assist.

1 of 4 Dropped Passes by Jason Witten

 When has Jason Witten ever dropped one pass in a game, let alone four?  And why couldn’t Dan Connor block the man right in front of him?  And why can’t Felix Jones hold onto the ball?  Dez Bryant let one pass from Tony Romo slip through his hands, as did Miles Austin.

Leave it to Cow-lovers to ignore the long list of football offenders above and fault the defense completely for this loss.  This is a classic example of why the majority of Cowboy fans are considered eccentric nerds.

It’s easy to blame Rob Ryan for a conservative game plan that failed to apply consistent pressure on rookie quarterback Russell Wilson.  But lack of a pass rush wasn’t the primary reason Dallas failed to produce a turnover.  The scoreboard, in fact, was.

By falling behind 10-0 and never recovering, the Cowboys never forced Seattle to divert from their run-first game plan they started the game with.  With at least one leg up on the competition from the game’s outset, the Seahawks head coach was able to ride the legs of Marshawn Lynch until the Dallas defense finally flopped down dead in the final quarter.

Arms weren't enough to tackle Lynch

Part of that can be attributed to fatigue, an understandable factor when considering Seattle controlled the ball for more that 20 minutes in the second half.  Yet a more perplexing problem was a lack of discipline by multiple players that allowed Lynch to gain extra yardage on several occasions.

The Dallas defense was playing without Pro Bowl nose tackle Jay Ratliff in the middle, and it’s a credit to Garrett and Ryan for not overblowing his absence as an excuse.  Lynch’s 100-yard outburst in the second-half had little, if nothing, to do with any inadequacies of replacement Josh Brent. The Cowboys were either out of position defensively, or simply failed to wrap the ball-carrier up.  There were too many attempted arm-tackles and inconsequential big hits, two notorious no-no’s against a powerful runner such as Lynch.

No, it wasn’t the ideal performance against an inferior opponent on the road, but it wasn’t nearly as ground-shaking as it appeared to some.  The Cowboys can play fundamentally sound football.  We all saw that against the Giants.  

There will be a come-back-to-fundamentals cry from Camp Cowboy this week, and with the humiliation of Sunday’s loss haunting them every step of the way, it’s safe to say next week’s game against Tampa Bay will introduce a refocused Cowboys team to their host of distraught admirers.

Circumstances Surrounding Hit On Dallas Cowboys LB Sean Lee Clear Indictment Of Replacement Officials

 by Ryan Bush

As bad a game as Sunday afternoon’s hit-parade was for the Dallas Cowboys, three hours in Seattle might have been just as brutal for the replacement referees.  No, the Dallas-Seattle crew didn’t bungle the game like their colleagues allegedly did in Philadelphia and St. Louis, but one particular fourth-quarter play is deserving of a second look.  And, if I know the media, they’ll replay it many more times than that over the course of this week.

 

Seahawks Golden Tate "blocks" Cowboys Sean Lee

Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee was in pursuit of a scrambling Russell Wilson when Seattle wide receiver Golden Tate reversed field and planted his helmet squarely in Lee’s chest, resulting in what is commonly referred to as a “de-cleater.”   Lee, one moment on his feet, blinked only to find himself on his back, while Seattle players erupted in celebration on the sideline.

As any rules guru would have expected, a yellow hankie then fell to the turf.  Tate’s hit was golden without a doubt, but also illegal.  Any defensive player in Lee’s position heading downfield at a vertical angle is considered in a defenseless position, which prohibits an offensive player from going against the grain and blocking him while leading with the head or shoulder.  The rule was implemented several years ago to avoid what happened Sunday, Lee on his backside staring wide-eyed through the stadium’s partially-enclosed roof.

Come to find out, the yellow flag wasn’t for Tate’s sniping incident, but for an altercation downfield involving Dallas linebacker Bruce Carter.  Carter was deemed guilty of a late-hit on Wilson, after the quarterback had scampered out of bounds. There was no mention of a Seattle infraction, and the officiating crew started marking off the fifteen-yard penalty.

It’s a mystery how the entire crew managed to miss a collision so close to the ball-carrier that nobody else in the stadium missed.  Couple that with replays of the personal foul penalty they managed to slap Carter with, who ran Wilson out of bounds only a few yards away from where Lee was unexpectedly reclining, and you could almost envision the Union and League reaching an agreement today in a consolidated effort to protect the league’s integrity.

Local writers tried to protect the refs, referring to Carter’s late-hit as a “soft shove.”  Actually, Carter barely laid hands on Seattle’s quarterback.  It was a powder-puff example of touch football.  Somehow, someway, somewhere, the refs interpreted the incident as unnecessary roughness, completely ignoring Lee’s pulverized frame nearby.

It’s a double-whammy against the replacement refs that could have affected the outcome of a game. Fortunately for all involved, this wasn’t one of those times.

“Just to answer that as unemotionally as possible,” Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said, “I thought that was a defenseless player who was hit.  Initially, that’s what we thought the call was going to be.  Apparently something happened at the end of the down where they called it on us… It seems to be that’s something the league is trying hard to guard against, and that might be a pretty good example of what that was..........There were a lot of football plays in the game.  And that really had nothing to do with the outcome of the game.”

Head Coach Jason Garrett reacts to Late Hit penalty

But with that said, it can hardly be considered good business for the NFL to have an officiating crew on the field who are oblivious to such an obvious foul, and then justify the landing of a flag by pulling a personal foul out of a place where nothing of the kind exists.

The NFL needs to stop squabbling over nickels and dimes, and get the pros back out there.  Before this gets any worse.

Self-Destructive Mistakes Cost Dallas Cowboys Big In 27-7 Loss

  by Ryan Bush

The self-destructive impulses of the Dallas Cowboys were out in full force Sunday afternoon at Seattle’s sunny sea of green and blue.  As has been the case of late, Felix Jones was the leader of a pack of clowns that contained more than just the usual suspects.

It was Jones’ fumble of the opening kickoff that set the tone for Jason Garrett’s squad, from which started a 27-7 west coast avalanche that promised no cover for any Cowboys player or coach this week.

There are no scapegoats from this debacle. From Jerry the Wipemaster himself, to Garrett the head coach, all the way down to the team laundry boy.  They’re all guilty…excepting quarterback Tony Romo.

The Cowboys had an unusual eleven-day gap between their season-opening victory at the Meadowlands and Sunday’s game against the Seahawks.  And all they could show for the extra time was a rotten egg that smelled far worse than Seattle’s latest chicken-fried version of a home jersey.

There were an inordinate amount of dropped passes, too many special teams gaffes, and an over-abundance of alligator-arm tackles of Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch in the second-half.  All in all, it was just the kind of performance that the officials union so desperately needed.  Not even the questionable calls of the replacement referees could affect the outcome of this one.

From the very outset, the Cowboys were bound and determined to go down the toilet, and just as anxious to prove they needed no help from the second-team zebras sharing the field.  In that vein, an otherwise forgettable afternoon in balmy Seattle can be considered a success.  Better hang that on the wall, because that’s the only trophy of achievement Dallas walked away with from this showing.

Any advantage Seattle held in the defense and special teams departments were supposed to be nullified by Dallas’ edge at the quarterback position.  Even on the road in a loud stadium, the Cowboys were the logical favorites to take this one. 

Nothing nullifies a home-field advantage quite like a rookie quarterback.  They miss blitz assignments, throw into coverage, or anything that gives the defense an opportunity to turn the tide of the game.

As it turns out, both quarterbacks had little to do with the outcome.  The rookie Russell Wilson admittedly played composed for only his second NFL start, completing 15 of 20 passes for 151 yards.  It also should be noted that Rob Ryan’s defense applied minimal pressure on him.

Rookie QB Russell Wilson was Steady

On the other sideline, Romo did have one blemish on his stat-sheet, a first-quarter interception deep in Seattle territory.  But a failing support system around him rendered his mistake inconsequential.  Romo was good when his teammates allowed him to be, which, unfortunately, wasn’t very often.

Kevin Ogletree makes the tackle after a Romo Interception

 Felix Jones’ fumble on the opening kickoff set up a quick Seattle field goal of 21 yards.  That was followed by a Chris Jones blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown, giving the home team a 10-0 advantage with less than five minutes gone.

Felix Jones Fumble

 When Romo connected with Miles Austin for a 26-yard scoring play in the second quarter to draw within three, it appeared the Cowboys were about to seize control of the game.  But a gutless defense and a myriad of drops from an unlikely source helped stall the comeback.

Miles Austin TD

 Perennial Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten is still not one-hundred percent recovered from a preseason spleen injury, as his career-worst four drops attest to.  Two of his drops were especially costly.  One came on third-down that set up a punting situation and another occurred after he got behind the defense in the first-half and had a good chance of scoring.

Jason Witten - 4 dropped passes

 Equally as mind-boggling was the performance of a new-look no-gut defense.  A week after manning-up against a notoriously tough Giants team, the Dallas defense laid down like a beaten dog in the second-half, allowing Wilson to control the game with handoffs and short, underneath passes.  Two consecutive second-half drives by the Seattle offense spanned 20 plays, totaling 178 yards, and turned a 13-7 score into a 27-7 rout.

Any hopes of a miracle comeback were then thwarted by personal foul and substitution penalties on the same drive, which allowed the Seahawks to virtually run the clock out.

It will be a long week at Valley Ranch, as players long to get the taste of this tail-whipping out of their swollen and bloodied mouths.