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Moore: Jerry Jones, players showering Jason Garrett with praise
12:50 AM CST on Tuesday, December 7, 2010
David Moore
IRVING – Jason Garrett has yet to devise a game plan to tackle a stubbornly high unemployment rate.
He has not brokered a deal for peace in the Middle East.
Maybe someone should ask.
Talk to the Cowboys these days and you're left with the impression that Garrett can do almost anything. It's striking how good a 4-8 team can feel about itself and an interim head coach four games deep into his audition for the permanent position.
"The way he's responded," linebacker Bradie James said, "I think he was born to be a head coach."
Will he be hired to be the head coach? Owner Jerry Jones won't address that question until the season ends.
But each week brings a new round of testimonials and a growing sense that Garrett will be the choice. The way he comports himself and what he brings to the table are supported by three wins in four games.
James calls Garrett and defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni the difference from the team's wretched 1-7 start. He credits them for having the players prepared.
"Jason Garrett is the fire," James said. "He has that fire in his belly and he motivates us, man. He really does.
"I'll be honest with you. He gives you something to think about, and guys respond."
Quarterback Jon Kitna believes the Cowboys play with a sense of urgency that was lacking in the first half of the season. He credits Garrett for helping this team bond and play with cohesion.
Tight end Jason Witten talks about how the players have bought into Garrett's theme of how they must play through the bad times.
Garrett has had the players pick up the pace and be more physical in practice. What else has he been able to get across in his brief time in charge?
"I think his attention to detail," linebacker Keith Brooking said. "His approach and his demeanor.
"He's an extremely intelligent football coach. He doesn't stand up and talk for 45 minutes, but when he says something, it has great meaning and needs to be said.
"I've said it from the beginning. You know where you stand with him immediately. There is no gray area whatsoever. As pros and grown men, I think you respond to that much better than the opposite."
A few days before the Cowboys faced Indianapolis, Jones asked Garrett how he was handling the increase in duties and responsibility.
"Man, I love it," Garrett replied.
Jones has always been high on the former backup quarterback. Remember, he put Garrett in place as offensive coordinator before Wade Phillips was hired.
Jones calls Garrett well-spoken, organized and "smart as a whip." He didn't blink when the owner asked him to take over for Phillips and exuded a let's-go attitude.
This is the point of the conversation where Jones begins to tap the brakes. He stresses that Garrett, along with himself, Phillips and everyone else in the organization must own that 1-7 start. He mentions the resolve the players have shown since the coaching change and is quick to give them credit for the surge.
Then, it's back to Garrett.
"What I don't want to do is minimize the value of having his energy level, having his background and having his ability to do several things at one time," Jones said. "There are a lot of people that don't necessarily come in here and hit the ground running like he has."
All of this tracks with an idea Garrett has worked to instill.
"It takes everybody," Brooking said. "That's one of his messages. Every day, it takes everybody to do this from our equipment guys to Tony Romo. It takes all of us.
"Guys have bought into that and everybody is doing their part."
Everyone seems impressed, with one key exception.
"Well, I don't know if this is the time to be impressed by anything," Garrett said. "We've got work to do."
Have you taken a look at the country's mounting debt lately?
12:50 AM CST on Tuesday, December 7, 2010
David Moore
IRVING – Jason Garrett has yet to devise a game plan to tackle a stubbornly high unemployment rate.
He has not brokered a deal for peace in the Middle East.
Maybe someone should ask.
Talk to the Cowboys these days and you're left with the impression that Garrett can do almost anything. It's striking how good a 4-8 team can feel about itself and an interim head coach four games deep into his audition for the permanent position.
"The way he's responded," linebacker Bradie James said, "I think he was born to be a head coach."
Will he be hired to be the head coach? Owner Jerry Jones won't address that question until the season ends.
But each week brings a new round of testimonials and a growing sense that Garrett will be the choice. The way he comports himself and what he brings to the table are supported by three wins in four games.
James calls Garrett and defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni the difference from the team's wretched 1-7 start. He credits them for having the players prepared.
"Jason Garrett is the fire," James said. "He has that fire in his belly and he motivates us, man. He really does.
"I'll be honest with you. He gives you something to think about, and guys respond."
Quarterback Jon Kitna believes the Cowboys play with a sense of urgency that was lacking in the first half of the season. He credits Garrett for helping this team bond and play with cohesion.
Tight end Jason Witten talks about how the players have bought into Garrett's theme of how they must play through the bad times.
Garrett has had the players pick up the pace and be more physical in practice. What else has he been able to get across in his brief time in charge?
"I think his attention to detail," linebacker Keith Brooking said. "His approach and his demeanor.
"He's an extremely intelligent football coach. He doesn't stand up and talk for 45 minutes, but when he says something, it has great meaning and needs to be said.
"I've said it from the beginning. You know where you stand with him immediately. There is no gray area whatsoever. As pros and grown men, I think you respond to that much better than the opposite."
A few days before the Cowboys faced Indianapolis, Jones asked Garrett how he was handling the increase in duties and responsibility.
"Man, I love it," Garrett replied.
Jones has always been high on the former backup quarterback. Remember, he put Garrett in place as offensive coordinator before Wade Phillips was hired.
Jones calls Garrett well-spoken, organized and "smart as a whip." He didn't blink when the owner asked him to take over for Phillips and exuded a let's-go attitude.
This is the point of the conversation where Jones begins to tap the brakes. He stresses that Garrett, along with himself, Phillips and everyone else in the organization must own that 1-7 start. He mentions the resolve the players have shown since the coaching change and is quick to give them credit for the surge.
Then, it's back to Garrett.
"What I don't want to do is minimize the value of having his energy level, having his background and having his ability to do several things at one time," Jones said. "There are a lot of people that don't necessarily come in here and hit the ground running like he has."
All of this tracks with an idea Garrett has worked to instill.
"It takes everybody," Brooking said. "That's one of his messages. Every day, it takes everybody to do this from our equipment guys to Tony Romo. It takes all of us.
"Guys have bought into that and everybody is doing their part."
Everyone seems impressed, with one key exception.
"Well, I don't know if this is the time to be impressed by anything," Garrett said. "We've got work to do."
Have you taken a look at the country's mounting debt lately?
