Aug 25, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) talks with head coach Jason Garrett and offensive coordinator Bill Callahan during the game against the St Louis Rams at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

As Jason Garrett and Bill Callahan continue coyly avoiding the question of who’s gonna call the plays for the Dallas Cowboys, owner and GM, Jerry Jones is hinting that it might not be either one of them. (more…)

What’s always funny to me about the DFW mediots crowned Garrett after only two freakin’ days of the 2011 training camp in San Antonio. Even the chronically nihilistic Jean-Jacques Taylor wrote this back then:

Jerry Jones must be patient while Garrett changes the franchise’s demeanor. The process can’t be rushed.

Too bad Taylor didn’t share that with his collegaues shortly after the press conference. Instead, what we, the fans who pour over every bit of information in this interminable off-season, got were snarky articles that said nothing. It was typical authority-disorder bias agenda setting from the same people who told you how much of a puppet Garrett wasn’t.

Sanctimonious.

The fact that Jason Garrett will eventually give up his play-calling isn’t proof he’s being manipulated by Jerry Jones. After all, Jason Garrett himself admitted last off-season to giving the idea consideration. In other words, it’s a process. This is the natural conclusion of things.

Jimmy Johnson wasn’tcorpus dominiwhen he came to the Dallas Cowboys in 1989. He had his warts for the first two seasons. Firstly, he was relying too much on his glory days guys at the University of Miami to bring the Cowboys up to speed. Secondly, he hung on too long to offensive coordinator Dave Shula, who was responsible for the erratic 1990 Cowboys offense.

Jason Garrett spends an hour explaining football decision to most who don’t understand football. Photo: LM Otero

Oh, and by the way, in that same article from MySanAntonio.com, you’ll notice Jimmy Johnson advocated Garrett giving up play-calling duties. Remember that the next time the mediots try to hypnotize you like a schmuck into believing this is all Jerry Jones’ idea.

The mediots are also puzzled as to why Garrett could decide in 8 days to give up on Rob Ryan and the 3-4, but needs to wait until preseason to decide on naming a play-caller. Bryan Broaddus from DallasCowboys.com explained that this may go a lot like his time in Green Bay. Garrett may give up play-calling duties during a game if he feels like he’s in a rut. Or, he may let Callahan take an entire game in pre-season and evaluate from there.

Personally, I think it all hinges on how well assistant offensive line coach Frank Pollack does. If he’s able to free up Callahan from his offensive line coaching duties to coordinating game plans, then Garrett may be more likely to give up his play-calling duties. If not, then we may see Garrett hang on to the menu.

Of course, why are we making a big deal out of who is calling the plays? To me, having your coach double up as an offensive coordinator or your position coach double up as a coordinator is a much bigger problem. Organizations where there are dual roles aren’t among the most successful. Delegation of tasks is a key to success, and it is still missing regardless of Callahan calling the plays or Garrett calling the plays.

But let’s not get hysterical and concoct quarter truths. Garrett has said before that he has considered giving up his play-calling duties. Why is that a big shock to everyone? Kind of like how when former Super Bowl-winning Buccaneers coaches started showing up Dallas, it was proof Jon Gruden was going to be head coach. Never mind all of their ties to Jason Garrett and his admiration for them.

The Dallas Cowboys are going to do things to upset us this off-season. Can we wait until they do it instead of fabricating that they already have?

Dec 23, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett on the sidelines against the New Orleans Saints at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

The point being that the Cowboys would be better off with Garrett concentrating on the “big picture”, including clock management.  Fans jump on board big-time saying “yeah, Garrett is putting too much on his own shoulders and needs someone else to call the plays.  If only Jerry Jones were not so adamant about Garrett doing both.”

Fast forward to last week and we see that Jerry had an epiphany.  Jerry is now of the mind that the dual responsibility of head coach and offensive play caller are too much for his young coach and that someone else should call the offensive plays during the 2013 season.  Now we don’t know how this was decided internally by the Cowboys.  It appeared that Garrett was still planning on doing both when asked about it after the season ended.

But it would not be unlikely that the head coach met with the general manager and jointly came to the conclusion that the team would be better off if this responsibility were delegated to someone else, likely Bill Callahan who already has the title of offensive coordinator.  And this is what happens all the time in the NFL.  The GM is the head coach’s boss, and just like your boss during a performance review, will recommend changes in how you do your job, or what responsibilities you keep or delegate, in order to be able to do a better job.

But when Jerry, during a press conference at the Senior Bowl, announced that Garrett will likely not be the play caller in 2013, the headlines screamed “Garrett Gets Demoted” or, “Garrett Loses Respect Of Team Along With Play Calling Role”.  These headlines are from the same people that were calling for Garrett to delegate this role not so long ago!

As a result, the fans are in a tizzy saying “yeah, that Jerry Jones, overstepping his bounds again and doing things that hurt the team.  Garrett is losing the players’ respect and they won’t play well for him” and “Jerry is setting Garrett up to fail.  He’s already hired most of the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coaching staff and is just lining things up to bring in former Bucs coaches Jon Gruden or Lovie Smith as the new head coach.”

First, let me say that if Jerry wanted to fire Garrett and replace him with someone else he would go ahead and do it.  He wouldn’t have to wait for Smith or Gruden, they are available now.  This team does not have time to play games like that, which would ensure another season of mediocrity.  On the contrary, Jerry wants Garrett to succeed and whether the decisions he makes help or hurt, time will tell.

Secondly, the sports media sees it as their job to rile the fans up.  That’s what sells newspapers, ensures a lot of hits on their website or gets fans to tune in to their show.  If you watch closely enough you will see that they change sides on an issue all the time.  Whatever it takes to keep fans agitated and reading their columns or listening to their opinions.

Nov 18, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on the field before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Cowboys Stadium. The Cowboys beat the Browns 23-20 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Over and above that, there seems to be a genuine dislike of Jerry Jones, and/or the Dallas Cowboys, by many sports columnists.  While we are on that subject, no one seems to hate them more than that big newspaper in Dallas.  Try reading their columns and find something they have good to say about Jerry or the Cowboys.

The bottom line is this, many of these sports columnists that present themselves as experts on the NFL and/or the Dallas Cowboys, also purport to be experts on the NBA, Major League Baseball, the NHL, NCAA Football and NCAA Basketball.  The next time you start to run with one of their opinions on the Cowboys ask yourself, is the level of expertise even possible?  Or is it more like the old saying “jack-of-all-trades, master of none”?