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Bob Sturm: Ray Sherman's exit a step in right direction for Cowboys
Posted at 9:44 AM on Mon., Jan. 10, 2011 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Bob Sturm / Contributor Bio | E-mail | News tips
Plenty of good NFL playoff football this weekend without the presence of the Dallas Cowboys. However, 2 different threads inspired my blogging for this morning from different places, so let's get to it:
1) Ray Sherman Out as Cowboys' WR Coach
This one is obviously the one that has generated the most email with me over the weekend, so it makes sense to start here. I have to tell you, it shocks me that the prevailing theme of my emails is disbelief. Let me summarize about 2 dozen: "How could he be interviewed for 3 hours for the head coaching job during the week, and then at the end of the week he doesn't even get to keep his position coach job?"
Easy. And if you are a believer in what I believe in, this should actually be considered a step in the right direction.
Think about it. He interviews for the Head Coach position with Jerry Jones. Whether this was a legitimate opportunity to coach the Cowboys or following the "Rooney Rule" is open for debate, but Jerry decided he wanted to visit with Sherman, and took 3 hours to do so. Jerry Jones wants to talk with a guy who has a number of ideas. Let me now jump to conclusions and assume that part of the 3 hours is "his side of the story" on all of the events that have happened that may have put Sherman and Jason Garrett on opposite sides of a debate.
Now, Garrett gets the job on Wednesday/Thursday and the theme for the better part of Thursday afternoon is that "Garrett has the full and final say of who is on his staff". I personally believe that he did not have final say on his offensive coaches - despite being their immediate superior as offensive coordinator - until this week. For 4 years, those who served under him were not appointed by him, and for all we know, not approved by him.
So, part of Garrett's negotiation is surely his leverage that he received by being the hot name across the NFL, and perhaps as we suggested a week ago, he used some of his muscle in the negotiations to do something that has to be done in most coaching situations. He had to have complete say on his staff. Why? Because, as a guy who has been a part of the Cowboys organization through one way or another since his Dad accepted a job in 1987 with the team, Garrett knows that the cancer that slowly can kill a coach's regime is if his assistant coaches do not buy in.
Assistant coaches who serve the head coach are required for success. You cannot have 5 agendas on a coaching staff in a healthy environment. Or 2. Why? Simply put, the players can sniff that out in a second. If a head coach is saying something, but their position coach doesn't have the HC's back in their closed door meetings, then you can see the fracture. A simple roll of the eyes is all it takes.
I honestly don't know if that is the case here. But, I do remember December of 2008. One of the most embarrassing times in the recent history of this team, when there was a major rift in the Cowboys locker-room involving the key members of the offense. Reports indicated Terrell Owens and Tony Romo had a major divide. Accusations of Romo and Jason Witten creating plays on the side and the Wide Receivers were hopping mad and demanding a meeting with Jason Garrett. How much of that was true is still a matter of great debate, but if you are telling me the WRs were involved in some manner of a revolt against the Offensive Coordinator and they demanded answers, well then it doesn't take a rocket scientist to connect the dots and realize that the OC would have a word or two with their position coach after the smoke cleared. Garrett and Sherman might not have been on great terms - and knew the day would come when one would have to go.
I realize I am making a mighty leap here with this conclusion, but to take it a step further, the second one of them was given control of whether the other was safe, is it crazy to assume the other might be in trouble?
Loyalty matters on coaching staffs. Trust me. And if your loyalty is questioned, you need to go.
So, here is the good news: In my opinion, this shows that Garrett really is in charge. It is strictly immaterial to me that Sherman was interesting to Jerry Jones as a Head Coach candidate. If Jones is the head coach, this might be curious. He is not. Garrett is the head coach, and therefore, the only person that should tell us if he is comfortable with the guys on his staff. And if he is to be given a fair chance, I need everyone at Valley Ranch in full solidarity of the man to see this thing work. I cannot have eye-rolling or under-cutting or anything else that allows things to slide like they did in 2008. I need a coach who is in charge and the players and assistants know it is "his way or the highway".
Will it work? I have no idea. But it has to be this way. There are many WR coaches available. Ray Sherman is a fine position coach, but if he has an issue with his new boss (or the other way around) then this had to happen.
Posted at 9:44 AM on Mon., Jan. 10, 2011 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Bob Sturm / Contributor Bio | E-mail | News tips
Plenty of good NFL playoff football this weekend without the presence of the Dallas Cowboys. However, 2 different threads inspired my blogging for this morning from different places, so let's get to it:
1) Ray Sherman Out as Cowboys' WR Coach
This one is obviously the one that has generated the most email with me over the weekend, so it makes sense to start here. I have to tell you, it shocks me that the prevailing theme of my emails is disbelief. Let me summarize about 2 dozen: "How could he be interviewed for 3 hours for the head coaching job during the week, and then at the end of the week he doesn't even get to keep his position coach job?"
Easy. And if you are a believer in what I believe in, this should actually be considered a step in the right direction.
Think about it. He interviews for the Head Coach position with Jerry Jones. Whether this was a legitimate opportunity to coach the Cowboys or following the "Rooney Rule" is open for debate, but Jerry decided he wanted to visit with Sherman, and took 3 hours to do so. Jerry Jones wants to talk with a guy who has a number of ideas. Let me now jump to conclusions and assume that part of the 3 hours is "his side of the story" on all of the events that have happened that may have put Sherman and Jason Garrett on opposite sides of a debate.
Now, Garrett gets the job on Wednesday/Thursday and the theme for the better part of Thursday afternoon is that "Garrett has the full and final say of who is on his staff". I personally believe that he did not have final say on his offensive coaches - despite being their immediate superior as offensive coordinator - until this week. For 4 years, those who served under him were not appointed by him, and for all we know, not approved by him.
So, part of Garrett's negotiation is surely his leverage that he received by being the hot name across the NFL, and perhaps as we suggested a week ago, he used some of his muscle in the negotiations to do something that has to be done in most coaching situations. He had to have complete say on his staff. Why? Because, as a guy who has been a part of the Cowboys organization through one way or another since his Dad accepted a job in 1987 with the team, Garrett knows that the cancer that slowly can kill a coach's regime is if his assistant coaches do not buy in.
Assistant coaches who serve the head coach are required for success. You cannot have 5 agendas on a coaching staff in a healthy environment. Or 2. Why? Simply put, the players can sniff that out in a second. If a head coach is saying something, but their position coach doesn't have the HC's back in their closed door meetings, then you can see the fracture. A simple roll of the eyes is all it takes.
I honestly don't know if that is the case here. But, I do remember December of 2008. One of the most embarrassing times in the recent history of this team, when there was a major rift in the Cowboys locker-room involving the key members of the offense. Reports indicated Terrell Owens and Tony Romo had a major divide. Accusations of Romo and Jason Witten creating plays on the side and the Wide Receivers were hopping mad and demanding a meeting with Jason Garrett. How much of that was true is still a matter of great debate, but if you are telling me the WRs were involved in some manner of a revolt against the Offensive Coordinator and they demanded answers, well then it doesn't take a rocket scientist to connect the dots and realize that the OC would have a word or two with their position coach after the smoke cleared. Garrett and Sherman might not have been on great terms - and knew the day would come when one would have to go.
I realize I am making a mighty leap here with this conclusion, but to take it a step further, the second one of them was given control of whether the other was safe, is it crazy to assume the other might be in trouble?
Loyalty matters on coaching staffs. Trust me. And if your loyalty is questioned, you need to go.
So, here is the good news: In my opinion, this shows that Garrett really is in charge. It is strictly immaterial to me that Sherman was interesting to Jerry Jones as a Head Coach candidate. If Jones is the head coach, this might be curious. He is not. Garrett is the head coach, and therefore, the only person that should tell us if he is comfortable with the guys on his staff. And if he is to be given a fair chance, I need everyone at Valley Ranch in full solidarity of the man to see this thing work. I cannot have eye-rolling or under-cutting or anything else that allows things to slide like they did in 2008. I need a coach who is in charge and the players and assistants know it is "his way or the highway".
Will it work? I have no idea. But it has to be this way. There are many WR coaches available. Ray Sherman is a fine position coach, but if he has an issue with his new boss (or the other way around) then this had to happen.
