Jean-Jacques Taylor
ESPN Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas - As the Dallas Cowboys coach, Jason Garrett has built his entire philosophy on acquiring a roster full of the right kind of guys.
Ironically, Garrett finds his team compromised by the right kind of guys doing the wrong thing.
Again.
It's a troubling trend for Garrett, who started last season without starters Rolando McClain and Greg Hardy because of off-the-field issues. McClain, a middle linebacker, was suspended for the first four games of last season for violating the NFL’s substance- abuse policy, while Hardy, a defensive end, missed the first four games for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
Now, there’s a chance Garrett will start the 2016 season without two starters. Defensive end Randy Gregory will miss the first four games for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy, and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence is facing a four-game suspension after testing positive for amphetamines, according to a source.
That's three players, maybe, four in two seasons, who will miss a quarter of the season. That’s way too much.
The problem? The players on this roster don’t fear Garrett.
It’s time for Garrett to re-evaluate his approach because the talent in this league is way too close for the Cowboys to compete at the highest level without a full roster becasue they make dumb, impulsive decisions off the field.
Players in the Cowboys’ locker room respect Garrett because his approach and message remains consistent whether the Cowboys have a blowout win or an embarrassing loss. Garrett is all about the process of creating a winning team and culture because he believes a process that’s consistently replicated will eventually yield the desired result.
Talk to enough players around the Cowboys’ Valley Ranch training complex and virtually all of them repeat Garrett’s mantras, an indication they listen to him and believe in his approach. Talk to the club’s leaders from Tony Romo to Jason Witten to Tyron Smith to Orlando Scandrick and they’re effusive in their praise for Garrett.
All of that is great, but it helps to have players who fear their coach just a little. Understand, that doesn’t mean a coach who’s cussing out players and grabbing them by the facemask when they make a mistake.
It means a coach that players know is in complete control of their future.
The two best coaches in franchise history, Jimmy Johnson and Bill Parcells, each found the right mix between creating an atmosphere of fear and one of winning because players knew they had power. Sure, those coaches had players who committed off-the-field transgressions, but they always knew Johnson and Parcells were in complete control.
Even when Jerry Jones refused to remove Larry Allen from the roster, while adding Terrell Owens - two players Parcells didn’t want - the players always knew Parcells remained in complete control of the team.
It’s impossible to feel that way with Garrett, at times, because you never know just how much power he actually wields.
Garrett cut running back Christian Michael and defenisve back Corey White, a couple of fringe NFL players, last season, in part, because they didn’t wear the required suits on a trip to Tampa Bay.
Meanwhile, Greg Hardy was consistently late to meetings, while occasionally no-showing Saturday morning walk-through practices and never missed a start.
You think players don’t see the ridiculous double-standard and react accordingly? Johnson telling Hall of Fame defensive end Charles Haley that the defensive end was flushing his career down the toilet is among the most famous stories in franchise history. Johnson and Parcells made examples of star players when necessary.
Garrett doesn’t; maybe, Jerry won’t let him all of the time. If that’s the case, then Garrett needs to anger the owner and show the players he’s in control.
What you have to understand is being the right kind of guy has nothing to do with players who read Bible scriptures during their lunch break and attend chapel every week before games. It’s about guys who practice, prepare and play as hard as they can every day.
Michael Irvin is the epitome of the right kind of guy and he probably partied more than any player in franchise history. He’s also in the Ring of Honor and Hall of Fame because he handled his business on the field when it mattered most.
Still, Johnson left him in Dallas one time he was late for a flight to prove a point. Can you ever see Garrett leaving Dez Bryant if he were ever late for a flight?
Nope.
Sometimes, stars have to be punished to keep everyone else in line. Garrett needs to try this approach, since the other one isn’t working.
ESPN Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas - As the Dallas Cowboys coach, Jason Garrett has built his entire philosophy on acquiring a roster full of the right kind of guys.
Ironically, Garrett finds his team compromised by the right kind of guys doing the wrong thing.
Again.
It's a troubling trend for Garrett, who started last season without starters Rolando McClain and Greg Hardy because of off-the-field issues. McClain, a middle linebacker, was suspended for the first four games of last season for violating the NFL’s substance- abuse policy, while Hardy, a defensive end, missed the first four games for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
Now, there’s a chance Garrett will start the 2016 season without two starters. Defensive end Randy Gregory will miss the first four games for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy, and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence is facing a four-game suspension after testing positive for amphetamines, according to a source.
That's three players, maybe, four in two seasons, who will miss a quarter of the season. That’s way too much.
The problem? The players on this roster don’t fear Garrett.
It’s time for Garrett to re-evaluate his approach because the talent in this league is way too close for the Cowboys to compete at the highest level without a full roster becasue they make dumb, impulsive decisions off the field.
Players in the Cowboys’ locker room respect Garrett because his approach and message remains consistent whether the Cowboys have a blowout win or an embarrassing loss. Garrett is all about the process of creating a winning team and culture because he believes a process that’s consistently replicated will eventually yield the desired result.
Talk to enough players around the Cowboys’ Valley Ranch training complex and virtually all of them repeat Garrett’s mantras, an indication they listen to him and believe in his approach. Talk to the club’s leaders from Tony Romo to Jason Witten to Tyron Smith to Orlando Scandrick and they’re effusive in their praise for Garrett.
All of that is great, but it helps to have players who fear their coach just a little. Understand, that doesn’t mean a coach who’s cussing out players and grabbing them by the facemask when they make a mistake.
It means a coach that players know is in complete control of their future.
The two best coaches in franchise history, Jimmy Johnson and Bill Parcells, each found the right mix between creating an atmosphere of fear and one of winning because players knew they had power. Sure, those coaches had players who committed off-the-field transgressions, but they always knew Johnson and Parcells were in complete control.
Even when Jerry Jones refused to remove Larry Allen from the roster, while adding Terrell Owens - two players Parcells didn’t want - the players always knew Parcells remained in complete control of the team.
It’s impossible to feel that way with Garrett, at times, because you never know just how much power he actually wields.
Garrett cut running back Christian Michael and defenisve back Corey White, a couple of fringe NFL players, last season, in part, because they didn’t wear the required suits on a trip to Tampa Bay.
Meanwhile, Greg Hardy was consistently late to meetings, while occasionally no-showing Saturday morning walk-through practices and never missed a start.
You think players don’t see the ridiculous double-standard and react accordingly? Johnson telling Hall of Fame defensive end Charles Haley that the defensive end was flushing his career down the toilet is among the most famous stories in franchise history. Johnson and Parcells made examples of star players when necessary.
Garrett doesn’t; maybe, Jerry won’t let him all of the time. If that’s the case, then Garrett needs to anger the owner and show the players he’s in control.
What you have to understand is being the right kind of guy has nothing to do with players who read Bible scriptures during their lunch break and attend chapel every week before games. It’s about guys who practice, prepare and play as hard as they can every day.
Michael Irvin is the epitome of the right kind of guy and he probably partied more than any player in franchise history. He’s also in the Ring of Honor and Hall of Fame because he handled his business on the field when it mattered most.
Still, Johnson left him in Dallas one time he was late for a flight to prove a point. Can you ever see Garrett leaving Dez Bryant if he were ever late for a flight?
Nope.
Sometimes, stars have to be punished to keep everyone else in line. Garrett needs to try this approach, since the other one isn’t working.
