120 replies to this topic

[Jaymze13]

Falcons hire Zimmer

By CLARENCE E. HILL JR.
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER

IRVING - Mike Zimmer is leaving the Cowboys after 13 years to be the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons.

According to multiple sources, Zimmer has agreed to a two-year deal to head the Falcons defense.

Zimmer, who had been the Cowboys defensive coordinator since 2000, would only confirm that things were close as he was leaving the Cowboys Valley Ranch headquarters on Tuesday.

“I am just trying to have a job,” said Zimmer.

Considering his contract was up with the Cowboys and his uneasy place as coordinator of the team’s 3-4 defense when his roots are as a 4-3 coach, Zimmer has ensured himself of a new job and a more comfortable situation in Atlanta.

He will be reunited with new Falcons coach Bobby Petrino from their days on the staff together at Weber State in 1987 and 1988.

“I am not too surprised,” Cowboys linebacker Bradie James said. “I think he got another opportunity to do his own thing. We are going to miss him.”

Said Greg Ellis, “I am glad for Zim. Maybe he can get into a situation where he can be happy about what he’s doing. He’s a good coach. I believe he is going to have success and I enjoyed my time with him.”

Zimmer can’t escape being linked to the Cowboys failures on defense in 2006. They Cowboys allowed 132 points in losing three of their last four games, as a defense that was expected to be the next Doomsday gave up too many big plays, couldn’t rush the passer and couldn’t get off the field on third down.

But what’s also true is that Zimmer was making the best of situation he was forced into when Cowboys coach Bill Parcells changed the defensive scheme from the 4-3 to the 3-4 in 2004.

Zimmer, who shepherded the No. 4 and No. 1 ranked defenses in the league in 2001 and 2003 respectively, will run the 4-3 defense in Atlanta.

The Cowboys must now decide who replaces Zimmer as defensive coordinator. It’s a question that is clouded by the uncertainty surrounding Parcells’ future with the team. Parcells is under contract through 2007. At 65, he acknowledges that retirement is a possibility.

If he comes back, look for either secondary coach Todd Bowles or linebackers coach Paul Pasqualoni to among the candidates head to the defense.

According to a source, Bowles would have been the choice last year if Zimmer, who interviewed to be the St. Louis Rams head coach, had taken another job.

Pasqualoni, who joined the Cowboys staff in 2005 after a run as the Syracuse head coach, has quickly become one of the most respected coaches on staff.

[Jaymze13]

Maybe we should start a Cowboy's offseason thread and pin it. It's surely going to be an interesting off season for them.

[texlong9]

Probably best for both teams

[lorenzo]

well the first question is will parcells return? many have already chimed in on that regard here on this forum. But what do you all forecast for the boys. I think we could use a solid vet at F.S. obviously we need a 3-4 defensive coach, but the boys may just promote from within as parcells often does. Of corse you can never run out of linebackers. Having another massive N.T. to go along with Ferg. would be a huge + as well. The cowboys need stronger play from their front 7. maybe that means adding a few more players. Having Ellis healthy will hopefully help. bobby carpenter looked a lot better late in the year. I thought he was one of the best players on the field against Seattle.

[Nedfan]

well the first question is will parcells return? many have already chimed in on that regard here on this forum. But what do you all forecast for the boys. I think we could use a solid vet at F.S. obviously we need a 3-4 defensive coach, but the boys may just promote from within as parcells often does. Of corse you can never run out of linebackers. Having another massive N.T. to go along with Ferg. would be a huge + as well. The cowboys need stronger play from their front 7. maybe that means adding a few more players. Having Ellis healthy will hopefully help. bobby carpenter looked a lot better late in the year. I thought he was one of the best players on the field against Seattle.

lorenzo, I can't add much to that at all. A.J. Hawk was taken earlier in the draft, but I have been told that Carpenter was the better all around LB. You're right, he looked like a seasoned vet against Seattle. If I can only name one thing the Cowboys need most, it's a pass rush. Whether they stay in a 3-4 or go back to the 4-3, they need a DL pass rush specialist....a la Charles Haley. Talk about someone who could control a game...man! I miss that a lot. I've always been a defensive guy. Our defense was ranked pretty high, then they fell off the map. Our offense was playing well enough to win, but the defense was giving up too many points...39 to Detroit really hurts. Miscues and reality checks played a huge part in the demise.

Let's start a new season with Romo, draft some defensive help, hire a kickbutt DC, and hopefully Parcells will cut the strings on all his assistants and let them coach the game to their fullest abilities.

Oh yeah, find a quality backup QB because I don't think Bledsoe will stay around.

[yallerjacket]

lorenzo, I can't add much to that at all. A.J. Hawk was taken earlier in the draft, but I have been told that Carpenter was the better all around LB. You're right, he looked like a seasoned vet against Seattle. If I can only name one thing the Cowboys need most, it's a pass rush. Whether they stay in a 3-4 or go back to the 4-3, they need a DL pass rush specialist....a la Charles Haley. Talk about someone who could control a game...man! I miss that a lot. I've always been a defensive guy. Our defense was ranked pretty high, then they fell off the map. Our offense was playing well enough to win, but the defense was giving up too many points...39 to Detroit really hurts. Miscues and reality checks played a huge part in the demise.

Let's start a new season with Romo, draft some defensive help, hire a kickbutt DC, and hopefully Parcells will cut the strings on all his assistants and let them coach the game to their fullest abilities.

Oh yeah, find a quality backup QB because I don't think Bledsoe will stay around.

Ned, we have two pass rush specialists on the roster already: Greg Ellis and DeMarcus Ware. If those two are healthy, there shouldn't be any problem with getting pressure on the passer. It would be nice if somebody else would learn how to do it in case one of them gets hurt.

I agree about Carpenter. I liked the pick when they drafted him and it looks like he's gonna be a pretty good player.

The secondary is the real problem with the defense. Newman can cover as well as anybody. He's the only one. Anthony Henry is a joke. We all know about Roy Williams in coverage. Watkins has a lot of upside. Let's hope he improves over the offseason and we won't have to worry quite as much about Roy.

It would be nice if Bledsoe would stick around another year. Although from what I've heard, he isn't a happy camper and hasn't offered any kind of help or advice to Romo. He's about as good a backup as you could hope for though.

[Jaymze13]

'Boys have an idiotic business model

RANDY GALLOWAY
In My Opinion


Consider the case of Jerry Jones, a brilliant bidnessman who became a football idiot more than a dozen years ago, and to this day has never advanced beyond the first stage of recovery.

March of '94, the Jimster left town.

Football-wise, it has not been right since then at Valley Ranch, and the only large-and-in-charge constant over this long stretch of years has been... yes, Jerry.

True story. In my business, and just from a personal standpoint, you cannot help liking Jones. And I do like him. If you knew him, you would, too.

Give me a room full of the one hundred most devout Jones-haters in town, and then let me unleash Jerry on them. Guaranteed, that in about a half-hour, 90 of them would be yukking it up with Jerry like he was an old friend.

But football-wise, that changes nothing.

In this area, Jerry is now approaching terminal idiot stage. There is, apparently, no known recovery.

Jones' immense bottom-line success over the years should be a college business school blueprint for students.

But the football bottom line continues to be an ongoing bust. It's 13 years, and counting, with no progress, once the last remnants of the Jimster dynasty faded away.

Yet, even after this latest Cowboys failure, all we've heard so far this week at Valley Ranch is silence.

A head coach, we are told, is making up his mind about whether he wants to work for $6 million next season.

Amazingly, it does appear to be Bill Parcells' choice. I'm already on record as saying Bill wouldn't be back. So I could be wrong, although not necessarily about "shouldn't" be back.

For those who dread the turmoil of a coaching change, and the long process they think would be involved, how does that explain Sean Payton?

Last summer, Payton took over in New Orleans, and basically spent 28 days rebuilding the woeful Saints. He's now one win from the NFC title game.

For Parcells, there have been four seasons with the Cowboys, the last three of which have produced a combined record of one game under .500.

This season was lowlighted by a horrific December collapse. No coach should survive this, but the name is Parcells, and Jerry is apparently allowing it to happen.

Based on what he said postgame Saturday night in Seattle, Jones is prepared to pay Parcells six mil to come back, and then give another $7 million to the fool, Eldorado Owens, for his return in '07.

Which is the worst investment?

The answer is probably the $11 million Jones gave safety Roy Williams last year.

It might take at least another 11 mil, or probably more, to go sign a cover safety to play alongside Roy and hopefully restore Williams to his former self.

Parcells now has a defense that is shell-shocked and an offense that needs Sean Payton, but I guess it's too late for Sean, huh?

Meanwhile, let's not make a coaching change around here. It might be a "setback."

But as this off-season begins, Jones has two lightning rods in Parcells and Owens, neither of whom should return, although if it's only going to be one coming back, by all means, make it Parcells.

Jerry, however, is telling us he has the '07 welcome mat out for both. I'd say there's no way Parcells would agree to another season with Owens, but he did it once, so why not take the six mil and live with it?

Just another reason why this is NOT the Bill Parcells I thought the Cowboys were getting.

But allow me to also praise Eldo.

At 33, it's only about the money for a player with skills that are obviously eroding. Admittedly, no one is harder on Eldo that yours truly, but even I admit to shock about how far he has fallen from elite receiver status.

One NFL owner, and only one, will continue to pay him like a special player. That's our man, Jerry. Our football idiot.

Owens' game, or what's left of it, is all about the West Coast offense, which is not remotely close to how the Cowboys' offense looks. But Jerry gave Eldo 10 mil this season to underperform, to not be a game-changing receiver.

And now he will apparently reward Nine-Fingered Eldo another seven mil for next season in the same offense.

So Owens, knowing full well this is not his type of offense, gripes about not getting the ball enough, even when he's dropping balls all over the place, but he's still cashing in on the big bucks.

Owens is the winner here. Jerry is the loser. And Big Bill is the gelding.

Damnedest thing I've ever seen around here.

Jerry, luv you, man. But you, sir, remain a football idiot.

Randy Galloway's Galloway & Co. can be heard weekdays 3-6 p.m. on ESPN/103.3 FM.

[Jaymze13]

Parcells not yet ready to make call

Coach wants more time to decide his future with team

12:38 AM CST on Thursday, January 11, 2007
By TODD ARCHER / The Dallas Morning News

IRVING – Five days after the 2005 season ended, Bill Parcells signed a new two-year contract, but the Cowboys coach does not appear ready to make a decision on his future five days after the 2006 season.

According to sources, Parcells addressed his assistant coaches Wednesday about his future for the first time since the season ended, and said he would need more time to decide if he wants to coach again.

Parcells, 65, has one year left on his contract with the Cowboys and is scheduled to make $5.5 million. Contractually, he has to decide by Feb. 1. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones has said repeatedly that he wants Parcells to return for a fifth season.

In the past, Parcells said he has had to decide whether he has the energy to not just coach a 16-game season, but to go through the whole process of a season, such as preparing for free agency and the draft.

As Parcells continues to mull his decision, four assistants – Bruce DeHaven, Anthony Lynn, Mike MacIntyre and David Lee – are in limbo because their contracts will expire shortly. Other teams would need the Cowboys' permission to speak with them, because the team holds an exclusive negotiating period with the assistants even after their contracts are up.

Also, the Cowboys have to fill the defensive coordinator vacancy created when Mike Zimmer joined Atlanta's staff. The in-house candidates, if Parcells chooses to stay, would be secondary coach Todd Bowles and linebackers coach Paul Pasqualoni.

[Jaymze13]

T.O. has surgery on his finger

By CLARENCE E. HILL JR.
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens underwent successful surgery Thursday in Miami to repair a torn tendon in his right ring finger.

Owens played the latter part of the season with the injury, even though he was told he was risking permanent damage.

He went to Miami for another consultation before having the surgery and was encouraged about making a full recovery.

"The doctor is very optimistic," Owens said from Miami on Thursday night. "I am happy I had the surgery. I am happy with the news he gave me that I will return to 100 percent."

Owens said his Miami doctor stayed in constant contact with Cowboys trainer Jim Maurer during the process and said they were on the same page.

Owens wouldn't put a timetable on when he will catch passes again, but said he will be ready for the 2007 season.

Despite catching 85 passes for 1,180 yards and a league-high 13 touchdowns, Owens remains troubled by his play during the 2006 season, including the 18 dropped passes and belief he wasn't utilized properly.

But his main frustration comes from how the Cowboys' season ended. Dallas went 9-7 before losing 21-20 at Seattle in an NFC wild-card playoff Saturday.

"I am sitting here watching a lot of basketball," Owens said. "I hate the fact that we are out of the playoffs. I feel bad about the season. I am just trying to get my mind away from everything right now. But I can't wait to get back on the field."

The question is whether he will be back with the Cowboys next season, considering his weekly penchant for drama in 2006. He is owed a $3 million roster bonus in June.

Although Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has repeatedly said he wants Owens to return in 2007, a final decision probably will not be made until coach Bill Parcells decides if he is going to return next season.

Parcells has told his assistant coaches he plans to take his time in the process. However, Parcells is expected to make a decision well before the contractual deadline of the first week in February.

[tarpon time 34]

BLEDSOE NOT LIKELY TO BE BACK

ESPN.Com services


Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he expects to have veteran receivers Terry Glenn and Terrell Owens on the roster next season.

Drew Bledsoe is another story.

"Well, I don't know that he'll retire," Jones was quoted Friday on the Dallas Morning News Web site. "That would surprise me. But it's probably not realistic to think that we could work something out here."

Bledsoe has two strikes against him. He is due a $1 million roster bonus in March and likely will count about $7.5 million against the salary cap should he return. Plus, the Cowboys have a promising young quarterback in Tony Romo, who directed Dallas into the playoffs.

Bledsoe, a 14-year veteran out of Washington State, has said that he would not want to end his career as a backup.

Bledsoe had seven touchdowns and eight interceptions in six games before getting benched.

Edited by tarpon time 34, 14 January 2007 - 08:13 PM.

[texlong9]

He will not be a starter anywhere, he has got to be realistic.

[MickSwagger]

Owens reportedly needs another surgery on finger
ESPN.com news services


Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens, who had successful surgery on Jan. 11 to repair a torn tendon in his right ring finger, apparently needs additional surgery on the same finger.

Owens told The Dallas Morning News for a story on its Web site Wednesday that he needs surgery on his fingertip. The second surgery, which is necessary to reattach a torn tendon, will take place in eight weeks, the Morning News reported.

In the day leading up to his first surgery, Owens didn't say when he would start catching passes again but vowed to be ready for the 2007 season. It is unclear if he will be ready for Dallas' minicamp in May.

It would be the third surgery involving Owens' right ring finger in five months. He had a plate screwed into the finger after breaking it while blocking in a victory over the Redskins in September.

Owens caught 85 passes for 1,180 yards and an NFL-high 13 touchdowns, but he was plagued by drops for a team that had a disappointing season. The Cowboys dropped four of their last five games, lost their grip on the NFC East and fell to Seattle 21-20 in a wild-card playoff game on Jan. 6.

The Cowboys face the question of whether to bring Owens back for the second year of his three-year contract. If they keep him, they'll have to pay him a $3 million roster bonus in June.

http://sports.espn.g...tory?id=2734382

[Jaymze13]

WWHHAAATTTT!?!?!

The last I heard, which so help me was no later than the day before, possibly yesterday, was that everybody between Owens, the Cowboys trainer and the surgeon said it was a success.

Oh well, if we have to put up with him another year, here's to a speedy yet safe and full recovery.

[tarpon time 34]

WWHHAAATTTT!?!?!

The last I heard, which so help me was no later than the day before, possibly yesterday, was that everybody between Owens, the Cowboys trainer and the surgeon said it was a success.

Oh well, if we have to put up with him another year, here's to a speedy yet safe and full recovery.

Calm down Jaymze he might only miss a minicamp

[texlong9]

OK, this is bugging me, changing 'offical' to 'officIal'.

[Jaymze13]

OK, this is bugging me, changing 'offical' to 'officIal'.

Did I mispell something? Sorry. I usually catch things like that. Most of the time.

[Jaymze13]

Indecision equals departure

January 18
Fort Worth Star-Telegram (registration required): "After waiting for the past five days, Cowboys assistant coach David Lee's conversation with The Boss on Wednesday morning took on a different tone. 'I don't know,' Cowboys coach Bill Parcells told Lee. 'Coach, I need to go,' Lee said. Shortly thereafter, Lee accepted a three-year contract to become the offensive coordinator at the University of Arkansas."

[lorenzo]

yes and another coach leaves on friday......
everybody is kinda just sitting back and waiting right now........
you can't blame these assistants, whose contracts are up, for taking other offers.

[tarpon time 34]

Parcells retiring after four seasons in Dallas

NFL.com wire reports



IRVING, Texas (Jan. 22, 2007) -- Bill Parcells could have returned to the Dallas Cowboys for one more shot at becoming the first coach to lead three teams into the Super Bowl.

He could have come back to try ending the longest playoff drought in the franchise's proud history. Or he could have come back to finish what he started in developing quarterback Tony Romo and a 3-4 defense.

Instead, 15 days after a gut-wrenching playoff loss in Seattle, Parcells decided to call it a career, ending a four-year run in Dallas. Over 19 seasons in the NFL, Parcells led teams to three Super Bowls, winning two championships.

"I am retiring from coaching football," Parcells said in a statement. "I want to thank Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones for their tremendous support over the last four years. Also, the players, my coaching staff and others in the support group who have done so much to help. Dallas is a great city and the Cowboys are an integral part of it. I am hopeful that they are able to go forward from here."


Bill Parcells' decision to retire came as a surprise to many.
Known for a gruff demeanor and colorful quotes, Parcells leaves with the ninth most wins in NFL history and a career record of 183-138-1. He was 34-32 in Dallas, counting two playoff losses. He had one year left at more than $5 million on a contract extension signed last January.

"I am in good health and feel lucky to have been able to coach in the NFL for an extended period of time," the 65-year-old coach said.

Although he failed to make the Cowboys champions again, Parcells leaves the Cowboys better than he found it. The club went from three straight 5-11 seasons before he arrived to making the playoffs twice in four years: his first season, 2003, and his last.

Parcells expected big things in 2006 and, thanks to the emergence of Romo, Dallas had a two-game division lead in December. Then the Cowboys lost four of their final five games, including the last three. The capper came against the Seahawks after Romo bungled the hold of a short field goal with a little more than a minute left.

"I did the best I could," Parcells said following that game. "But it wasn't quite good enough."

The going theory was that Parcells wouldn't end his career that way. The longer he waited to make an announcement, the likelier it seemed that he would return -- especially since he was going to his office every day.

Then came the statement via a morning e-mail. He didn't even hold one last news conference to entertain with old stories and witty lines.

"I will never leave this game with anything but good feelings about it," Parcells said during a Jan. 3 conference call. "It's been a great experience for me, and it's also been a lot of fun. I've met a lot of good people: players, coaches, owners, personnel guys, guys that I like."

Now team owner Jerry Jones will have to find someone o pick up where the Big Tuna left off. Jones was not immediately available for comment. The team said he, too, would be releasing a statement.

The next coach will be only the seventh in team history and the sixth hired by Jones.

He's given no indication of what kind of coach he'd hire next, always saying he wanted Parcells back. While Jones waited for Parcells to decide, four other teams picked new coaches and a fifth, Oakland, is well into its search.

Tom Landry made the Cowboys coaching job synonymous with winning during his 29 years, then Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer kept it up by combining to win three Super Bowls.

But the Cowboys haven't even won a playoff game since 1996, under Switzer. Chan Gailey, Dave Campo and now Parcells couldn't end the skid.

Jones hired Johnson and Switzer because he knew them and they were successful in college. Gailey and Campo were successful NFL coordinators who'd never been a head coach. Parcells was an easy choice once he decided to give up television and get back into coaching.

Jones could go for proven commodities like Tennessee's Jeff Fisher or Bill Cowher, recently resigned from Pittsburgh, but both would require compensation for their teams and massive salaries. He might also chase a big-name college coach, from Notre Dame's Charlie Weis, Oklahoma's Bob Stoops to Southern California's Pete Carroll, who replaced Parcells in New England a decade ago.

Jones also might pursue Chicago defensive coordinator Ron Rivera, or former NFL coaches like San Diego defensive coordinator Wade Phillips or San Francisco offensive coordinator Norv Turner. Turner would be a popular choice locally; he called plays for Dallas' Super Bowl team in 1992 and remains close to Troy Aikman.

All candidates will have to accept Jones being the general manager. That might have driven away others before, but four years of avoiding ego clashes with Parcells likely has changed his reputation.

The next coach also will face a decision of what to do about receiver Terrell Owens, who is due a roster bonus in March. T.O. certainly isn't Parcells' problem any more.

The first time Parcells walked away from coaching, his heart was an issue. The next time he supposedly was content that coaching was out of his system.

He turned down several chances to return before accepting Jones' offer. He said he took it because he liked the challenge of trying to make the Cowboys champions again, comparing it to playing on the main stage instead of being a lounge act.

After four well-paid years, Parcells could be serious about retiring this time. He's already built a home in Saratoga, N.Y., to spend his post-football days near his family and the racetrack.

Parcells' influence will remain because of all the coaches who worked for him, from three-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick of New England to New Orleans' Sean Payton, this past season's coach of the year. Tom Coughlin of the Giants and Romeo Crennel of Cleveland also paid their dues under Parcells.

"Bill's an excellent football coach and a very good friend," Coughlin said. "We're going to miss Bill Parcells on the sideline and we'll miss him in the NFC East. I look forward to the continuation of our friendship at a different level now. I think Bill's looking forward to having the opportunity to do some of the things he truly wants to do. I wish him well."

Parcells' specialty in football was defense. His greatest trait as a coach, though, was his ability to turn around downtrodden clubs.

All four teams he coached had losing records before he arrived, but all four were in the playoffs by his second season. No other coach has taken that many franchises to the postseason.

Edited by tarpon time 34, 22 January 2007 - 08:06 PM.

[Jaymze13]

Parcells walks away from coaching

January 22
Dallas Morning News (registration required): "The Bill Parcells era is over. Parcells has decided to end a coaching career that one day will land him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame after a four-year run with the Cowboys that failed to produce a playoff victory. "

Parcells steps down as Cowboys coach
January 22
Fort Worth Star-Telegram (registration required): "Bill Parcells has resigned as head coach of the Cowboys, saying: 'I am retiring from coaching football.'"

Parcells makes the right call
January 22
Fort Worth Star-Telegram (registration required): "In his four years here, he was a constant study in contradictions, entertaining and personable one moment, cold and impersonal the next. We never could figure out Bill Parcells."