Romo Talks T.O., More on Reeves Hire

Last Friday, Dan Reeves decided that maybe working for the Cowboys wasn't such a great idea and, after one day on the job, walked away. But what if Reeves had stayed? What would that have meant for Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett?

During a post-Cowboys-employment radio interview, Reeves said that he would've been heavily involved in coaching the offense. This might've hastened Terrell Owens' departure from Valley Ranch, but more than that, it could've marginalized Garrett's role as the offensive coordinator.

As the Dallas Morning News' Tim MacMahon pointed out last week, "The Cowboys tried to help Garrett by hiring Reeves, but that isn't exactly a vote of confidence for the highest-paid assistant coach in NFL history."

Also, as ESPN.com's Matt Mosley writes, Phillips' was interested in bringing Reeves on staff to deal with the "fact that he basically has no authority over offensive coordinator Jason Garrett."

When Jones made Garrett the highest-paid assistant in the NFL, he unwittingly divided his coaching staff. I'm told by sources close to Phillips that he was bothered by the Terrell Owens-related drama in the locker room, but felt as if he had to let Garrett handle the situation.

In a sense, Reeves would've given Phillips a conduit to Garrett. (See what I mean about subterfuge?) ... Reeves would've basically served as a spy for the head coach, and that's why Phillips was pushing the idea in the first place.

Hello, team chemistry.

MacMahon's colleague, Calvin Watkins, respectfully disagrees, writing that "Garrett is a chain-of-command type of guy, so he expected Phillips to do some of the police work regarding any problems with the team. He is, after all, the head coach."

Wherever the truth lies, the point remains: the Cowboys are a mess. And it has little to do with Tank Johnson, Pacman Jones or TO and almost everything to do with the coaching staff and front office.

As for Owens' future with the team, Tony Romo, doing his first interview since the Cowboys' season ended in December, offered this when asked if he wanted T.O. back in '09:

"I think everybody on our team wants everybody back ... We want to make another run and do it and show everybody that we can. I don't know. You know, I don't make any decisions. I don't pretend to think that I can control anything in that regard.

Not exactly "he's my quarterback"-type support. This is somehow Ed Werder's fault.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

2-09-2009 @ 3:33PM

jeff said...

It has nothing to do with T.O., Pacman, or any other player. It's all about the little wrinkly guy with the bad face lift. No winning coach can fit in the stadium with his ego. Phillips got a couple of decent years out of the Parcells team just like Switzer did with Johnson's team. This year it's the Phillips team....6-10 at best.

2-09-2009 @ 4:00PM

theBIRD said...

The Cowboys will be back with something to prove next year. If only the media didn't have a story about them every single day. I guess that goes along with being the most popular team in the NFL. I think it really messed up the chemistry this year though, that 'Hard Knocks' series on HBO had to be a huge distraction this past season.

2-09-2009 @ 5:42PM

Httr said...

Wake up pal, the most popular team has been the Steelers in recent history; although the Cowgirls have been good for comic relief.

However, expect Dallas to regain their status in the toilet once more.

2-09-2009 @ 4:07PM

roadhouserob12 said...

t o thinks he is super. he is not even good

2-09-2009 @ 4:59PM

Greg said...

If Garrett is an offensive genius, then Im a rocket scienist. Secondly, if Wade is head coaching material than Im a Super Bowl hero. And finally, if Jerry Jones is a smart owner, than Im a millionaire,

2-09-2009 @ 8:11PM

MICHAEL A WEBER said...

JERRY JONES NEED TO TALK TO JIMMY JOHNSON AND ASK HIM TO COME BACK INTO COAHING THAT WILL BE THE ONLY WAY THE BOYS WILL BE A GOOD TEAM. JERRY YOU CAN CALL ME UP AND I CAN COME AND TALK TO THE TERAM ABOUT HOW TO WIN A GAME. T.O WILL BE A BETTER PLAYER IF SOMEONE CAN SIT HIM DOWN AND HAVE A MAN TO A MAN TALK WITH HIM JUST LET HIM KNOW IT IS NOT ABOUT T.O IT ABOUT THE COWBOYS.

2-09-2009 @ 8:31PM

Redskins0492 said...

hahahahahahahahaha cowboys

2-09-2009 @ 11:58PM

Jaime Cadena said...

Things will get better next year, Keep repeating that over and over and over, til you realize. The inmates are running the asylum. Thanks for Nothing jerry.

2-10-2009 @ 3:54PM

Robbo24 said...

The Dallas Cowboys will compete to win games, along with the coaches and ownership just remains to be seen how effective it will be.

This blogger like many seem to be fixated on the negative aspects the Cowboys may or may not be facing only time will tell. One thing about it the Cowboys have a chance to redeem themselves next year.

That's all you can ask, to be able to have fair chance at winning.

2-10-2009 @ 6:22PM

Well let me think on all the positives, Jimmy Johnson wins two super bowls, Jerry can't stand being on the side line and boots Jimmy. One super bowl after that and a long dry spell. Bill Parcells brings life to a dying team. Jerry cannot fit him in anywhere he'd make a difference, ie. General Manager, We follow that with 13-3 season, and it's going o be down hill from here on out. Yea, next year 8-8 will sound like a possitive to alot of teams.
Face it, the Cowboys will be par at best with out a dominant force, such as a Dan Reeves around. Wade had them going for three months before the players lost all focus. The mentality is "Do enough to get by, let everyone else pickup the slack."

2-11-2009 @ 2:55PM

Beer Slinger said...

redskin0492-why are you laughing? The skins finished the seaon in last place in the NFC East-HA!HA!HA!HA!HA!HA!HA! More pathetic than the Cowboys! HA!HA!HA!HA!HA!HA!

2-11-2009 @ 7:21PM

That laughing redskin makes sense to me. he's in our blog to jab my Cowboys and get a giggle cause there's nothing funny about listening in on a redskin whineing and crying about everything wrong over there.
Maybe, or could be, a wanna be a COWBOY fan.
YeeeHaaaaaaa How I love my Cowboys.

2-11-2009 @ 7:31PM

Jeff, you made me sick after what you said, but the reality is, The TRUTH, is a hard pill to swallow.
God bless the Cowboys, and please God, may Jerry grow some ba11s, so he can hire a General Manager.

2-12-2009 @ 7:33PM

jesse said...

heck its about owens, it about tony homo, he cant win the big games, remember the seattle game, he chocked and again he said he will focus alot on the philly game guess what? he chocked again, trade this second life of two danny white and get derek anderson, at least anderson cares if his team wins, in the interview after dallas lost homo said if we win we win if we lose we lose, he dont give a crap about the team winning, give owens a qb that wants to win and it isnt tony homo case n point