Parcells kicks himself for drafting Pat White, picking Long over Ryan

[sbk92]

Only thing Jerry did correct was hiring Jimmy. You know, the college coach from a cocky school that everyone thought would fail, but, Jerry brought on anyhow.

Complete ****ing stupidity and just blind hate for Jerry if no credit is given to him. Which is fine. But, without him, the "architect" may not of had the chance.

No doubt , Jimmy deserves most of the credit, EGOman deserves some as well. I can give him "that much", that is it.

He hired his college roommate. Like he hired his family to work for him too. He gets no credit for that. He was hired because he was his buddy.

He did the same thing with Switzer. Not so good there.

 

[sbk92]

You know this how? We get it, you don't like Jerry, but don't make stupid crap up.

He knows it because he's not an idiot and it's been touched on over and over again through the years. You're probably the only Cowboys fan on the planet who doesn't know about it.

One fact I remember is how Jimmy Johnson didn't initially want Emmit Smith, because Johnson tried to recruit Emmitt for Miami and Emmitt spuirned him and went to Florida, because he felt that the Canes passed too much for him.

What were you saying about making stupid crap up?

Nobody remembers that. Because it isn't true.

 

[marionbarberthe4th]

Felix Jones is a good player. Mike Jenkins made a probowl after an outstanding 2009 season. Scandrick is a good role player. Nick Folk was a great kicker for two years, the injury ruined him. Anthony Spencer at times has been good to even outstanding (2nd half of the 2009 season in particular). Sean Lee is going to be a very good player.

Felix Jones? He has like 6 TD's in his career and he was drafted over the other better RB's b/c he was supposed to be the lightning to Barbers thunder. They also took him off returns pretty quick and that was part of his allure.

None of the others have put themselves in "keeper status". Except Sean Lee who is a sure thing if hes healthy.

 

[sbk92]

Felix was a Garrett supported pick. They showed that video from the war room while we were on the clock. Red went to bat for Felix.

I was a Felix guy too. But not for the retarded reason of matching up with Barber. I still don't understand why that would matter. You take the best back not the guy who does what your current back can't.

 

[cmd34]

I really wanted Chris Johnson and DeSean Jackson that year but I thought the pick was too high (he went the pick after so what do I know) for CJ. I also wanted Mendenhall over Felix. I just didn't think Felix was a complete back while watching him at Arkansas.

 

[marionbarberthe4th]

I hated both Razorback running backs to be honest. The offense was too gimmicky for my taste and Mayock thought DMac was too upright and also soft between the tackles. Turns out I think DMac will end up being all right.

My brother was in love w/ Desean, I was afraid he would be in and out of the lineup every other week b/c of his insanely small build. I did want him in R2.

I liked Mendenhall and Rice/CJ in a trade down. Also was intrigued by Devin Thomas #keepinitreal

 

[sbk92]

I really wanted Chris Johnson and DeSean Jackson that year but I thought the pick was too high (he went the pick after so what do I know) for CJ. I also wanted Mendenhall over Felix. I just didn't think Felix was a complete back while watching him at Arkansas.

I was wrong on both.

Well, I thought Johnson was good. I just preferred Felix. I did love Ray Rice too. So I can salvage a little pride there.

With Jackson, I was just way off. I didn't think he could hold up in the NFL. At best I thought he'd be a returner and maybe a slot receiver. He's done nothing but making me look like a talent evaluating ****** ever since.

 

[sbk92]

I hated both Razorback running backs to be honest. The offense was too gimmicky for my taste and Mayock thought DMac was too upright and also soft between the tackles. Turns out I think DMac will end up being all right.

My brother was in love w/ Desean, I was afraid he would be in and out of the lineup every other week b/c of his insanely small build. I did want him in R2.

I liked Mendenhall and Rice/CJ in a trade down. Also was intrigued by Devin Thomas #keepinitreal

I didn't like McFadden at all. I agree with the lisping fag on his running style. And his thin legs scared me.

I thought Hillis was good but nowhere near what he's doing now. Maybe a good H-back.

That was a pretty epic RB class.

 

[marionbarberthe4th]

I didn't like McFadden at all. I agree with the lisping fag on his running style. And his thin legs scared me.

I thought Hillis was good but nowhere near what he's doing now. Maybe a good H-back.

That was a pretty epic RB class.

And we got the worst one


The Browns must have a great line b/c Hillis sucks and will come down to earth.


All that talent and we have a bust in Martelleus(who they turned a 1st rounder down for). Jenkins who is too cool for school, and Felix who is a home run threat twice a season

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I may have been the only poster who did think DeSean Jackson could overcome his slight build in the NFL. Hell, all anyone had to do was look at Marvin Harrison and how he survived and thrived for so long, and his optimum playing weight was 190. He hardly was asked to go over the middle and always ran out of bounds or fell to the ground instead of trying to fight tacklers after the catch.

 

[dbair1967]

I had no idea you knew our scouts' opinions. Tell me more on that. And is this just a one year thing or do you have that info on all years?

Jacob Rogers had the talent to play in the league. Bobby Carpenter doesn't. Rogers was a 2nd round pick. Carpenter a 1st. There's no comparing the two selections.

Pretty widely documented the scouts were dead set against Rogers due to numerous concerns, there's even a story about everybody in the room telling Parcells not to pick Rogers. On Al Johnson, reportedly we had red flagged him but Parcells comemnt was "we have to have a good center"...unfortunately Johnson wasnt a good center and he had injury problems.

 

[dbair1967]

He hired his college roommate. Like he hired his family to work for him too. He gets no credit for that. He was hired because he was his buddy.

He did the same thing with Switzer. Not so good there.

IIRC there were reports that Jerry really wanted to hire Frank Broyles, but Broyles said he was too old and that he should look hard at Jimmy Johnson. I dont know if this was ever proven or not, but I seem to recall the story.

The dynasty never happens if Broyles would have been here instead of Jimmy.

 

[VA Cowboy]

IIRC there were reports that Jerry really wanted to hire Frank Broyles, but Broyles said he was too old and that he should look hard at Jimmy Johnson. I dont know if this was ever proven or not, but I seem to recall the story.

The dynasty never happens if Broyles would have been here instead of Jimmy.

I also heard he was looking at Switzer back then too and recall Holtz' name being thrown around. The man is incredibly clueless. He lucked into Jimmy ONLY because he was his former teammate. If he didn't have those ties to him he never would've been hired. It's safe to say that instead of looking back to 15 years to our last SB we'd still be looking back to 1977.

 

[Midswat]

I also heard he was looking at Switzer back then too and recall Holtz' name being thrown around. The man is incredibly clueless. He lucked into Jimmy ONLY because he was his former teammate. If he didn't have those ties to him he never would've been hired. It's safe to say that instead of looking back to 15 years to our last SB we'd still be looking back to 1977.

That makes sense.

Holtz had incredible success with the Jets.

 

[dbair1967]

That makes sense.

Holtz had incredible success with the Jets.

Holtz:

"The Cowboys will regret taking Troy Aikman over Tony Mandarich"

 

[Cr122]

Holtz:

"The Cowboys will regret taking Troy Aikman over Tony Mandarich"

lol

 

[Cr122]

Parcells does not regret drafting Jake Long

APR 13 2:00 PM ET
By Tim Graham

AP Photo/Tony Avelar
Jake Long has been an anchor on Miami's offensive line and a three-time Pro Bowler.



Four words Bill Parcells uttered as a musing exploded into a sexy headline that bothered him:



"Parcells: Dolphins should have taken Ryan, not Long, in '08."

The NFL.com headline was 150 percent longer than the actual quote. The former Miami Dolphins personnel executive, a bit stunned, also insisted it was inaccurate.

Parcells said he doesn't lament drafting Michigan left tackle Jake Long first overall in 2008 and claimed if he had to do it all over again -- even knowing what we know three years later -- he would still select Long ahead of quarterback Matt Ryan.

"Absolutely," Parcells told me Wednesday morning. "I do not regret taking Jake Long."

Parcells recently told Miami Herald columnist Armando Salgeuro he could understand the idea that "maybe we should have" taken Ryan instead of Long in 2008. Salguero treated the comment appropriately. The quote appeared in the 21st paragraph in a story that was 31 paragraphs long. The quote wasn't significant enough to make the front page of the sports section.

"Maybe we should have" doesn't equal an apology to Dolfans or anyone else.

"You always wonder if you should've taken a quarterback," Parcells said when I called him Wednesday. "You always wonder about that. But I don't regret taking Jake Long. The guy has been in the Pro Bowl every season he's played. What else you want?"


Taking Jake Long instead of a quarterback like Matt Ryan was part of Miami's overall draft strategy in 2008.
"Perhaps Matt Ryan instead," I replied.

There was silence for a few seconds.

"Well," Parcells said, "I've seen him as well."

The comparison to be made is not between Long and Ryan. The Dolphins already have been proven correct with their decision. Long has been to three Pro Bowls in three seasons. He was voted first-team All-Pro last season. He's an elite performer at a critically important position.

Miami was so certain of Long's future it signed him four days before the draft.

"Historically, offensive tackles are the position with the least margin for error," Parcells said.

Any debate is rooted in the Dolphins' broader approach to the 2008 draft. They decided to take Long first and a quarterback with one of their two second-round draft choices. The latter part of the plan has failed.

The Dolphins selected Michigan quarterback Chad Henne with the 57th pick. Henne's struggles in two years as the lead quarterback have Dolfans on edge. Fifteen starters after Dan Marino retired in 1999, the Dolphins are still on the lookout for a satisfactory answer.

The Atlanta Falcons drafted Ryan third overall. He has guided them to the playoffs twice. His 33 victories tied Marino for the most in an NFL quarterback's first three seasons.

Given all that, Parcells is content the Dolphins made the proper choice for the foundation of a franchise that was in cinders. Long was the first draft choice under Parcells, general manager Jeff Ireland and head coach Tony Sparano after a 1-15 season.

"No matter who he is or where he played, a quarterback has to make a major transition to professional football," Parcells said. "Offensive tackle, the game is faster and against bigger, stronger guys. There is a transition. But it's not as great. He's doing his job in one-on-one situations. If he's capable of doing that, there really aren't any overriding factors.

"But the quarterback, there's a lot of other moving parts. The cast around the quarterback has a lot to do with his success. The system he gets into and the coach that he has and the vision for the player and all that."

The flip side of that philosophy is never passing on a great quarterback. Snap him up and build around him.

A common sentiment specific to the Long-versus-Ryan argument is that Ryan couldn't have succeeded in Miami the same way he has in Atlanta because Miami's offensive line would be so much worse.

That's not true. The year before Ryan and Long entered the NFL, the Falcons gave up 47 sacks. Only six clubs allowed more. The one-win Dolphins gave up 42 sacks.

In their rookie seasons, the Falcons yielded 17 sacks. Just four teams were better. The Dolphins also improved to 10th in the league, allowing 26 sacks.

The Falcons found a way to draft a franchise quarterback and, with a first-year head coach and general manager (just like the Dolphins), build a supporting system around him.

"We did our homework," Parcells said. "We sent everybody, the head coach, the general manager, offensive coordinator, the quarterback coach to work out all the quarterbacks.

"When we came back, we decided to take Jake Long and try to draft [a quarterback] second. That's exactly what we did."

The Falcons took the opposite approach, picking the best quarterback in the draft and targeting protection in the 21st slot. It was such a deep draft for tackles. The first eight tackles taken that year -- as late as the 59th pick -- have started at least two seasons. The Falcons went with USC tackle Sam Baker, who was limited by injuries as a rookie, but has been their left tackle the past two years.

Nevertheless, Parcells is convinced the Dolphins did the right thing.

"Jake Long's a very good player," Parcells said. "I'm happy that we drafted him, and I'm certain the Dolphins are happy they have him."

 

[Midswat]

Jake Long is great.

That said, it's a QB driven league. You take the QB first overall. Especially if you haven't had an ounce of stability at the position in well over a decade.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Well at least Parcells drafted a good lineman for the 1st time in 2 decades lol

 

[Bonecrusher#31]

I really wanted Chris Johnson and DeSean Jackson that year but I thought the pick was too high (he went the pick after so what do I know) for CJ. I also wanted Mendenhall over Felix. I just didn't think Felix was a complete back while watching him at Arkansas.

Anybody that ever posted at the old CC knew my stance on CJ....I knew he was a star and what we needed BUT I wasn't mad when we picked up Felix like I was when Parcells went with Julius over S. Jackson.....I needed a new TV remote afterwards.