CBS: Sports Xchange: Cowboys report: Inside slant
Cowboys report: Inside slant
May 12, 2007
The Sports Xchange
The first official team activity of the Wade Phillips era took place with the team's first minicamp, which opened May 12.
Phillips has observed his team during the offseason programs and one hour practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays since early March.
But he is excited to see them on the field together and going full speed for the first time, even if it's just t-shirts and shorts.
"I think it's kind of exciting for us -- the staff -- and even though some guys have been here before, it's still a new staff," Phillips said. "It's a new team for most of us. The anticipation of just getting together -- although they've been working out, but not as a football team, but in the off-season program. The rookies, we haven't seen, but it's just an orientation for them. They'll get to know what NFL football is about."
Phillips wants to continue to teach the fundamentals of his new offense and defense. He said they have installed roughly 80 percent of both.
And while he is excited to see his players on the field, he said the minicamp is just as important mentally.
In addition to teaching the rookies about the ways of the NFL, he wants the veterans to learn how things will be like with him as head coach.
"I think it's all of them," Phillips said Thursday from his office at Valley Ranch. "You see them on tape, but that doesn't necessarily tell the story. And seeing them in shorts won't completely tell the story either. But it starts the process. I'm going to tell them, they're not going to make the team this weekend. But we'll get some ideas as far as what they do."
Phillips said it's going to be a good learning experience for the coaches as well. Not only will they continue to learn to work together, they will also learn what they need to know about the players and how they react to different situations.
"Part of it is for me and the coaches, getting to know these guys and what their strengths are and what their weaknesses are," Phillips said. "That's football-wise, personality-wise as a person. Those things are important. Bear Bryant, he never talked to his coaches about football. He talked to them about what kind of character does this guy have and what's he going to do on fourth and 1. So there's a lot involved in knowing players, not just knowing what he can do on the field."
In the past the Cowboys have held their first minicamp the weekend after the draft. But Phillips moved the camp back a couple of weeks -- until after exams were over for most colleges -- so when the rookies showed up they could stay for the duration.
"I thought it was an easier transition for them and us," Phillips said. "I think it makes sense to me to do it that way. Other teams do it another way. You get started on something, let's just keep going with it, rather than taking a week off, especially for rookies who haven't seen it before and don't know anything about it."
May 12, 2007
The Sports Xchange
The first official team activity of the Wade Phillips era took place with the team's first minicamp, which opened May 12.
Phillips has observed his team during the offseason programs and one hour practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays since early March.
But he is excited to see them on the field together and going full speed for the first time, even if it's just t-shirts and shorts.
"I think it's kind of exciting for us -- the staff -- and even though some guys have been here before, it's still a new staff," Phillips said. "It's a new team for most of us. The anticipation of just getting together -- although they've been working out, but not as a football team, but in the off-season program. The rookies, we haven't seen, but it's just an orientation for them. They'll get to know what NFL football is about."
Phillips wants to continue to teach the fundamentals of his new offense and defense. He said they have installed roughly 80 percent of both.
And while he is excited to see his players on the field, he said the minicamp is just as important mentally.
In addition to teaching the rookies about the ways of the NFL, he wants the veterans to learn how things will be like with him as head coach.
"I think it's all of them," Phillips said Thursday from his office at Valley Ranch. "You see them on tape, but that doesn't necessarily tell the story. And seeing them in shorts won't completely tell the story either. But it starts the process. I'm going to tell them, they're not going to make the team this weekend. But we'll get some ideas as far as what they do."
Phillips said it's going to be a good learning experience for the coaches as well. Not only will they continue to learn to work together, they will also learn what they need to know about the players and how they react to different situations.
"Part of it is for me and the coaches, getting to know these guys and what their strengths are and what their weaknesses are," Phillips said. "That's football-wise, personality-wise as a person. Those things are important. Bear Bryant, he never talked to his coaches about football. He talked to them about what kind of character does this guy have and what's he going to do on fourth and 1. So there's a lot involved in knowing players, not just knowing what he can do on the field."
In the past the Cowboys have held their first minicamp the weekend after the draft. But Phillips moved the camp back a couple of weeks -- until after exams were over for most colleges -- so when the rookies showed up they could stay for the duration.
"I thought it was an easier transition for them and us," Phillips said. "I think it makes sense to me to do it that way. Other teams do it another way. You get started on something, let's just keep going with it, rather than taking a week off, especially for rookies who haven't seen it before and don't know anything about it."
posted by The Gryphon at 11:28 AM
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