Post by prossman on Jan 29, 2009 16:02:09 GMT -7
USAToday: Staubach: Distractions doomed Cowboys' season
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Staubach: Distractions doomed Cowboys' season
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TAMPA -- Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach said today the Cowboys' off-field drama damaged the team during its slide out of playoff contention.
"I feel there's a lot of stuff that goes on in the locker room that should stay in the locker room," said Staubach, who appeared at the Super Bowl media center to promote next year's final game in Dallas. "And that's a shame because I think the distractions have really hurt the team."
The Cowboys devolved into what seemed like a daily soap opera with receiver Terrell Owens leading a cadre of wideouts unhappy with quarterback Tony Romo. Owens even met with offensive coordinator Jason Garrett about it.
Staubach said receivers were angry with him during his career (1969-1979), but that the frustration didn't leave the locker room.
"You can do that in a way that you're still a team player," Staubaugh said. "You don't go get the rest of the receivers and go meet with the coach. None of that ever happened."
Among other Cowboys items Staubach touched on:
-- He said team owner Jerry Jones does not consult with him on football matters. And he said despite the late-season collapse and the 44-6 loss at Philadelphia in Week 17, the Cowboys can still be contenders next season. "I mean it's still a heck of a football team," he said. "It's not like we're the Detroit Lions. We were 13-3 last year. It can get turned around."
-- Staubach said former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman was right to criticize Romo for his vacation to Cabo during the team's January 2008 playoff bye week. Aikman said earlier this month that Romo "hasn't fully grasped what being the Cowboys quarterback is all about."
"Troy was right about that," Staubach said. "I would have said the same thing.
"To take three days off and forget about the season ... it's a momentum thing and you don't do that. ... All of that publicity and all of that Cabo stuff, going into the next week it's a distraction. But that's kind of a maturing process to go through all that."
-- Still, Staubach said he's very confident that Romo is the right person to lead the Cowboys on the field. "There are certain quarterbacks that no matter how bad they play, you know and feel that they're going to figure it out," Staubach said. "And I have not felt that way about a Dallas Cowboys quarterback since Troy Aikman. And I do feel that way about Romo."
Posted by Sean Leahy at 01:16 PM/ET, January 29, 2009 | Permalink
blogs.usatoday.com/thehuddle/...ch-distra.html
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Staubach: Distractions doomed Cowboys' season
Like this story? Share it with Yahoo! Buzz
TAMPA -- Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach said today the Cowboys' off-field drama damaged the team during its slide out of playoff contention.
"I feel there's a lot of stuff that goes on in the locker room that should stay in the locker room," said Staubach, who appeared at the Super Bowl media center to promote next year's final game in Dallas. "And that's a shame because I think the distractions have really hurt the team."
The Cowboys devolved into what seemed like a daily soap opera with receiver Terrell Owens leading a cadre of wideouts unhappy with quarterback Tony Romo. Owens even met with offensive coordinator Jason Garrett about it.
Staubach said receivers were angry with him during his career (1969-1979), but that the frustration didn't leave the locker room.
"You can do that in a way that you're still a team player," Staubaugh said. "You don't go get the rest of the receivers and go meet with the coach. None of that ever happened."
Among other Cowboys items Staubach touched on:
-- He said team owner Jerry Jones does not consult with him on football matters. And he said despite the late-season collapse and the 44-6 loss at Philadelphia in Week 17, the Cowboys can still be contenders next season. "I mean it's still a heck of a football team," he said. "It's not like we're the Detroit Lions. We were 13-3 last year. It can get turned around."
-- Staubach said former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman was right to criticize Romo for his vacation to Cabo during the team's January 2008 playoff bye week. Aikman said earlier this month that Romo "hasn't fully grasped what being the Cowboys quarterback is all about."
"Troy was right about that," Staubach said. "I would have said the same thing.
"To take three days off and forget about the season ... it's a momentum thing and you don't do that. ... All of that publicity and all of that Cabo stuff, going into the next week it's a distraction. But that's kind of a maturing process to go through all that."
-- Still, Staubach said he's very confident that Romo is the right person to lead the Cowboys on the field. "There are certain quarterbacks that no matter how bad they play, you know and feel that they're going to figure it out," Staubach said. "And I have not felt that way about a Dallas Cowboys quarterback since Troy Aikman. And I do feel that way about Romo."
Posted by Sean Leahy at 01:16 PM/ET, January 29, 2009 | Permalink
blogs.usatoday.com/thehuddle/...ch-distra.html