Credibility check reveals Dallas Cowboys' Phillips has lost his
by Jean-Jacaques Taylor
Jerry Jones removed the duct tape from the only NFL head coach under a gag order this week and let him speak during the owners' meeting.
The removal of duct tape was necessary because head coaches must talk if they attend, per league rules. Still, it was a bad idea.
All Phillips did is remind everyone why Jerry should've already hired Mike Shanahan.
After the most sensitive coach in franchise history spent some time whining about all of the meanies in the local media, he actually said it usually takes four years to find out whether a coach is any good.
Poppycock.
Mike Tomlin won a Super Bowl in his second season, and he's never had the privilege of having 13 Pro Bowl players on his team. Ken Whisenhunt took the Arizona Cardinals, among the worst franchises in sports for decades, to the Super Bowl in his second season.
And let's not even talk about first-year coaches such as Miami's Tony Sparano, Atlanta's Mike Smith and Baltimore's John Harbaugh who took teams to the postseason that didn't make the playoffs the previous season.
We've spent much of the off-season talking about all of the things Tony Romo must do to regain favor in the Cowboys' fractured locker room. Yes, it's fractured no matter how much Jerry wants you to believe it isn't.
Well, Romo isn't the only person who needs an image makeover.
So does Phillips.
He arrived two years ago preaching family and loyalty, a wonderful concept but one that's hard to sustain in the cutthroat world of professional football. That's because winning and losing takes precedence over everything else.
Talk to enough players since the season ended, and they'll tell you they're disappointed Phillips declined to address the players after the debacle in Philadelphia.
He also lost the respect of some players when he let former defensive coordinator Brian Stewart, the only coach he brought with him from San Diego, take the brunt of the criticism for a string of poor defensive performances and stripped him of his play-calling duties after six games. Later, Phillips took credit for the team's defensive resurgence before its December meltdown.
Just so you know, Stewart viewed Phillips as a mentor and father figure. That's not how you treat family. And it's certainly not how you display loyalty.
Now, Phillips will vehemently disagree. He'll say a change had to be made.
Whatever.
This isn't about firing Stewart. That happens in sports. It's not personal. The criticism comes from betraying a friend.
Players and assistant coaches aren't blind. They must wonder if Phillips did that to Stewart, his most loyal ally, then what is he capable of doing to others.
Phillips can regain credibility in the locker room, but it won't be easy.
Not as a lame duck coach – Phillips is in the final year of his contract – coming off a disastrous finish to a disappointing season. The first time the Cowboys lose a couple of games in a row or go through a rough patch, the coach is going to be inundated with questions about his job security.
Of course, Jerry could alleviate that by giving Phillips an extension, but we all know that's not going to happen just like we know if Dallas doesn't make the playoffs and end this dreadful 12-year streak without a playoff win, then Phillips and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett will each be unemployed.
There's no tangible evidence to suggest Phillips can stop this organization's downward spiral.
Look at his track record.
In Denver, he followed a 9-7 season with a 7-9 year before getting fired. In he went 21-11 in his first two seasons in Buffalo before dipping to 8-8 and getting fired.
It's not my job to be the eternal optimist and paint a rosy outlook. I deal in reality.
It's hard to see Phillips convincing the players that he's going to be considerably more demanding in Year 3 than he was in Years 1 and 2.
His career record is 67-45, not including two stints as an interim coach, but head coaches are judged their postseason success, when the competition is fierce and the pressure is most intense.
Phillips is 0-4 in the playoffs.
Jerry Jones removed the duct tape from the only NFL head coach under a gag order this week and let him speak during the owners' meeting.
The removal of duct tape was necessary because head coaches must talk if they attend, per league rules. Still, it was a bad idea.
All Phillips did is remind everyone why Jerry should've already hired Mike Shanahan.
After the most sensitive coach in franchise history spent some time whining about all of the meanies in the local media, he actually said it usually takes four years to find out whether a coach is any good.
Poppycock.
Mike Tomlin won a Super Bowl in his second season, and he's never had the privilege of having 13 Pro Bowl players on his team. Ken Whisenhunt took the Arizona Cardinals, among the worst franchises in sports for decades, to the Super Bowl in his second season.
And let's not even talk about first-year coaches such as Miami's Tony Sparano, Atlanta's Mike Smith and Baltimore's John Harbaugh who took teams to the postseason that didn't make the playoffs the previous season.
We've spent much of the off-season talking about all of the things Tony Romo must do to regain favor in the Cowboys' fractured locker room. Yes, it's fractured no matter how much Jerry wants you to believe it isn't.
Well, Romo isn't the only person who needs an image makeover.
So does Phillips.
He arrived two years ago preaching family and loyalty, a wonderful concept but one that's hard to sustain in the cutthroat world of professional football. That's because winning and losing takes precedence over everything else.
Talk to enough players since the season ended, and they'll tell you they're disappointed Phillips declined to address the players after the debacle in Philadelphia.
He also lost the respect of some players when he let former defensive coordinator Brian Stewart, the only coach he brought with him from San Diego, take the brunt of the criticism for a string of poor defensive performances and stripped him of his play-calling duties after six games. Later, Phillips took credit for the team's defensive resurgence before its December meltdown.
Just so you know, Stewart viewed Phillips as a mentor and father figure. That's not how you treat family. And it's certainly not how you display loyalty.
Now, Phillips will vehemently disagree. He'll say a change had to be made.
Whatever.
This isn't about firing Stewart. That happens in sports. It's not personal. The criticism comes from betraying a friend.
Players and assistant coaches aren't blind. They must wonder if Phillips did that to Stewart, his most loyal ally, then what is he capable of doing to others.
Phillips can regain credibility in the locker room, but it won't be easy.
Not as a lame duck coach – Phillips is in the final year of his contract – coming off a disastrous finish to a disappointing season. The first time the Cowboys lose a couple of games in a row or go through a rough patch, the coach is going to be inundated with questions about his job security.
Of course, Jerry could alleviate that by giving Phillips an extension, but we all know that's not going to happen just like we know if Dallas doesn't make the playoffs and end this dreadful 12-year streak without a playoff win, then Phillips and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett will each be unemployed.
There's no tangible evidence to suggest Phillips can stop this organization's downward spiral.
Look at his track record.
In Denver, he followed a 9-7 season with a 7-9 year before getting fired. In he went 21-11 in his first two seasons in Buffalo before dipping to 8-8 and getting fired.
It's not my job to be the eternal optimist and paint a rosy outlook. I deal in reality.
It's hard to see Phillips convincing the players that he's going to be considerably more demanding in Year 3 than he was in Years 1 and 2.
His career record is 67-45, not including two stints as an interim coach, but head coaches are judged their postseason success, when the competition is fierce and the pressure is most intense.
Phillips is 0-4 in the playoffs.
posted by The Gryphon at 5:52 PM
<< Home