I will admit, I have judged this year’s Dallas Cowboys by their promises. But heck, if you’re going to promise to go to the gosh-darned Super Bowl, you better go to the gosh-darned Super Bowl. And you don’t get to go there by being 3-7 going into Week 12.
And I’m still not convinced that this sudden resurgence isn’t so much the work of a wunderkind Ivy League ginger and not the Cowboys have been playing crappy teams. Beat the Saints, and I’ll reconsider my position.
But then along comes this interview Wade Phillips did, wherein he states that he went out with the same record Tom Landry had. And maybe I’m just super cranky and kind of in need of a nap, but seriously, shut your mouth.
Now, yes, if Landry’s record was .602, and we’re only counting Phillips’ record with the Cowboys (.620ish), then sure. But if you’re counting Phillips entire NFL career, well, that’d be more like .580. Max. So not so close. Landry had 29 seasons of excellence. Phillips had a handful where he failed to capitalize on talent provided.
And if we’re using Phillips’ math, Jason Garrett is the best coach in the history of ever.
Or maybe I just don’t understand football math. I am a girl, you know.
15 comments
Nope, you understand football math perfectly. It is our former coach who doesn’t. Math and common logic, that is where he falls short. Oh, and coaching football. Don’t forget that.
Plus, I hate to point out the realities of life to Mr. Phillips, but numbers aren’t all that make a great coach. How you are perceived (quiet leader vs. dumb bumbler), how you present yourself to the world (the hat vs. the pudge) and how your players speak about you also factor into the equation. And, I’m not JUST saying that because my last name is Landry! ha
Damn, I love it when Bethany goes all Mike Ditka on somebody. It’s like Wade took a target and pasted it on his, uh, gut. Without looking at the records, I’m thinking Wade Phillips might (MIGHT!) have a better record than BUM Phillips. But here’s a fact: Wade is not even the best coach in his own family.
Turns out that Wade is just as confused off the sidelines as he was on it.
Cue the Yakety Sax.
Heck, if you’re going to promise to go to the gosh-darned Super Bowl, you better go to the gosh-darned Super Bowl Bethany, I expect more of you than plagiarizing from Steve Blow.
Tom didn’t exactly have “29 seasons of excellence.” More like 20. Pretty much have to toss the first and last handfuls.
His last season in particular, 1988….a puny 3-13 record. The cupboard was bare by then, although one of those three wins was at the archrival Redskins. The following year, Jimmy Johnson’s first, the team did even worse, going 1-15, although that sole victory was ALSO at Washington! heh heh heh
I would still argue that 3-13 with a bare cupboard trumps Wade’s 1-7 with an alleged embarrassment of riches.
@Bethany, agreed!
Wade didn’t coach in Dallas for 30 years, or 20 years, or even 5 years. We need another Landry-like coach. Is it Garrett?
However, Wade is a good coach, but he’s better as a Defensive Coordinator than a head coach. Maybe Jerry should have made Garrett head coach and Phillips the highest paid D Coordinator when he hired them both.
At least Wade can say he is in the top 8 of all Cowboy coaches.
Next time, please tell us you’re “a girl” at the beginning of all sports-related posts.
That way we can be sure to read it from the start with our heads slightly tilted and a pleasant “how cute” expression on our faces.
I hate to put myself in the unenviable position of defending those comments. However, here is what Wade did NOT say:
1. I’m a better coach than Tom Landry.
2. I wrung the most out of the talent in Dallas. Or even,
3. The decision to fire me was a bad one.
I think what Wade is trying to say, in the face of withering fire from the Junior Millers of the world, is that his entire tenure in Dallas was not a total disaster. He took Parcells’ last team, and with the same talent improved from 9-7 to 13-3. He had a decent regular season record, and did win that one playoff game. Yes, THIS YEAR’S coaching job was one of the all-time worst, and he lost the team, and it was time for him to go, but let’s not paint his entire tenure with the same brush.
But, yeah, idiotic to invoke the name of Tom Landry, because it was 100% certain to provoke exactly what has happened.
Another thing, it was the wrong year to fire Wade. He had a 13-3 season, then a 9-7 with no playoffs, then a playoff win team. This year would have been bad and next year would have been good. He’s an every-other-year coach.
Super Bowls won by Tom Landry-coached Cowboys teams: 2
Super Bowls won by Wade Phillips-coached Cowboys teams: 0
Discussion over. Enjoy the time off, Wade.
By that logic, let’s fire Ron Washington, too.