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Jason Garrett

January 6, 2011 by · Comments Off on Jason Garrett 

Jason Garrett, (AP) – Jason Garrett scored his hearing. He gets to remain coach of the Dallas Cowboys. Owner Jerry Jones has taken the interim label off Garrett, on Thursday and is – officially – the eighth head coach in the history of this proud franchise. It is the first head coach who also played for the Cowboys, as he was a backup to Troy Aikman in the 1990s.

“It is really one of us,” Jones said at a news conference at Cowboys Stadium. “We know him well in qualifying, he has for this position. I know he has spent his entire life preparing for this day. And he is well qualified.”

Garrett has made the choice easy for Jones going 5-3 at the half-season in charge. He took over a club that was 1-7 and was invited to simply make them competitive. Not only has he compiled a winning record, but also its losses were by a total of seven points.

Having seen what could be Garrett Jones did not even ask. He said receiver’s coach Ray Sherman and Miami assistant head coach Todd Bowles, who could still join the staff as defensive coordinator.

“I was lucky to be on the teams here in the 90s who went up the National Football League, said Garrett.” I understand how these teams played. I like to refer to it as the way the Cowboy. ”

The Cowboys need new leaders during a season that began with the legitimate aspirations of becoming the first team to play in the Super Bowl in their home stadium has decayed. Jones fired Wade Phillips in mid-season and turned to Garrett, the head coach 44-year-old assistant and one of the highest paid assistants in the league.

The deck seemed stacked against him. The team had offset losses resulting eruption, playoff hopes are gone and quarterback Tony Romo was out with a season-ending injury. It was also the first time Garrett as head coach at any level. And, as offensive coordinator, he was partly to blame for the disorder.

But the Princeton graduate had spent years preparing for the occasion and knew exactly what he wanted.

He started the workday earlier, said hitting practice in midweek, players needed to jog between exercises and Punishment on the rules, including “he added. He had huge digital clocks installed in the locker room to avoid any excuse for being late to a meeting. He was always optimistic.

The Cowboys responded, thus reducing turnover and sanctions, and began forcing the other teams make mistakes. They won four games with 38 years of backup Jon Kitna quart and another with third countries-stringer Stephen McGee made his first start.

Jones said the Cowboys have enough key players in place to bounce back quickly. Despite the ugly record, Dallas had five players make the Pro Bowl, the most any team.

Garrett will have his say in who stays and who goes, including coaches. The defense is particularly likely to be revised after allowing the most points and yards in franchise history. Jones remains committed to a line of 3-4.

The uncertainty of the NFL labor and the possibility of a lost season played in the decision to Jones. Each time the players return – as expected during the off-season, or whenever a new collective bargaining agreement is – they already are familiar with Garrett. From more than Jones could slow recovery ahead.

Garrett is well aware of the challenges and pressures of this work, one of the most prestigious professional sports. He spent 12 years with the organization as a player or coach. His brothers John and Judd are also part of the organization, and his father, Jim, has been with the club over 20 years, working for each head coach in team history, except Phillips.

Background coaching Garrett is working with many top offensive minds, including Norv Turner and Sean Payton. He also consulted with his first coach with the Cowboys, Jimmy Johnson.

Dallas has appeared in eight Super Bowls a record and won five. However, the club is in the midst of its longest drought – 15 years since reaching the big game, and counting. Dallas has won only two playoff games since its last championship in 1996 and 2009.

Jones cannot afford any worse season because he needs to sell tickets, suites – and perhaps naming rights – for the team $ 1.2 billion stadium that opened last season.

Copyright © 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Vince Young Meltdown

November 22, 2010 by · Comments Off on Vince Young Meltdown 

Vince Young Meltdown, (AP) – An injured Vince Young tossed his shoulder pads and No. 10 jersey into the stands following Tennessee’s 19-16 overtime loss to the Washington Redskins on Sunday.

Young, who injured his right thumb late in the third quarter and was replaced by rookie Rusty Smith, left for the locker room but returned to the sideline and had the thumb taped and re-taped in an effort to return. He even tried a glove, but coach Jeff Fisher stuck with Smith.

After the game, Young walked toward the tunnel and suddenly tossed his shoulder pads and jersey into the stands.

A few minutes later he walked past reporters already dressed, ignoring both questions and his old college teammate who tried to talk to him. Three hours after the game, Young wrote on Twitter that he was fine and apologized to his teammates. He then tweeted, “Just want to play.”

Fisher said Young has a torn flexor tendon in his right thumb and may need season-ending surgery. Either way, Fisher says Smith now is Tennessee’s starter after the fifth-year veteran’s latest meltdown that has Young’s future with this franchise in question in a season he needed to prove he could be their franchise quarterback.

“He threw half his uniform in the stands. I think clearly that is no way to respond, and so we have some things that we have to sort out with him,” Fisher said of Young. “He may need surgery. And if that’s the case, he’s done for the year.”

Fisher and Young spoke in the locker room in what apparently was a heated discussion. Fisher wouldn’t discuss what Young said to him.

“That is between me and him and the team,” Fisher said.

And the Titans aren’t talking either.

“We were told to keep our mouths shut, and that’s what I’m gonna do,” receiver Nate Washington said.

The Tennessean reported Sunday night team officials will discuss Young in a conference call with owner Bud Adams on Monday. Adams was at the game but left quickly.

Young was the No. 3 overall pick in 2006, that season’s Offensive Rookie of the Year. He led the Titans to the playoffs in his second season but he got hurt in the 2008 season opener where he reacted poorly to fans booing him after a second interception. A day later, Fisher contacted police for help because family worried Young might hurt himself.

Kerry Collins finished that season as the starter, leading the Titans to a 13-3 record and a playoff berth.

Young got his job back last season after Tennessee opened 0-6 on orders from Adams. Young is 30-17 as a starting quarterback, but Tennessee now is 5-5 with three straight losses.

Fisher said he was very disappointed and thinks Young’s teammates are disappointed in Young’s behavior after this loss.

“There is going to be frustration in losses,” Fisher said. “There is going to be times when you have to dig deep and fight and turn to one another. I don’t think you run, and so I am disappointed.”

Titans safety Michael Griffin, who ran after Young out into a loading dock while wearing just his shorts and with his ankles still taped, said he hoped people can set aside their egos and personal feelings so they could stick together as a team. Told that Young’s injury could end his season, Griffin said he didn’t know that

“Whatever happens, that’s between them two,” Griffin said of Fisher and Young. “I’m just trying to be a loyal teammate and a supporter.”

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