Integrity28 Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Quote Why 174 words and 21 sentences that Cowboys don't want made public might hold the key to their 2016 success Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant (88) shakes hands with tight end Jason Witten (82) before an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears at AT&T Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016, in Arlington. (Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News) By Jon Machota, Staff Writer Contact Jon Machotaon Twitter:@jonmachota FRISCO -- Standing in a hallway connecting the locker room to the showers at The Star, Jason Witten proudly explained to a few reporters Thursday how the team had finalized the players' creed and core values fastened to the wall in front of him. Ezekiel Elliott interrupted the conversation. "Oh, now you guys care about the players' creed?" the rookie running back jokingly asked reporters as he walked by. "This has been here all year." To Elliott's credit, he did mention it after the Cowboys' comeback victory in Pittsburgh on Nov 13. "Our players' creed reads that you're never out of the fight," Elliott said that night. "We showed that today." Twenty-one sentences, 174 words are printed on a navy blue board that stands about 5 feet tall and 3 feet wide. It is removed, shipped over to AT&T Stadium and secured to the wall inside the Cowboys' locker room during home games. Players and coaches don't want the exact words printed in stories. They don't want images posted on social media. "That's exclusive information," Dez Bryant said. "It means everything. Don't be taking pictures and putting it on the internet, either. That's in-house news." Witten and Bryant were two of the 14 players responsible for the final product. A leadership group made up of offensive, defensive and special teams players got together once a week for three weeks at Valley Ranch in late May and early June. Head coach Jason Garrett presented the idea to the players. He wasn't in the room when the discussions took place, but he could hear some of the noise from his office. Witten, Bryant, Sean Lee and Orlando Scandrick were among the most vocal. "You got a lot of different personalities and emotions in there," Witten said. "There were a lot of good topics. 'I think this should be in there because you remember when that happened.' So there were different things that got talked about. I don't think it was heated, there was just a lot of emotion with that. "Very spirited." One of the biggest debates was about the format. How would it start? What should it look like? Would it be a mission statement or core values? The Cowboys star and "2016 Dallas Cowboys" are printed near the top. The players' creed is followed by four team core values. Accountability, brotherhood and being a team are among the key themes. But there are more than just words on the board. A signature and fingerprint from each player on the roster cover it in silver ink. Bryant and Randy Gregory signed near the top. Tony Romo, Sean Lee and Witten in the middle. Dak Prescott in the lower left. Elliott in the lower right. "The neat thing for me when I look at it is I know each person's line," Witten said. "I'm really proud of it." Video screens around The Star remind the players of the creed and core values. Each monitor rotates through a quote from one of the 14 players in the leadership group. The comment includes the player's name and date it was said, each between May 25 and June 16. Witten mentioned his on Thursday: "It's really not worth the paper it's printed on if everybody's fingerprints aren't on it and we don't live it out in everything we do this season." Tyron Smith's is the most colorful. The 6-5, 320-pound left tackle's comment includes an expletive as he suggests teammates can leave if they aren't willing to do what's necessary to win a Super Bowl. "I think any time on the outset if you're able to set standards and expectations as players for what you want to accomplish, that trickles down throughout your entire team," Witten said. "I think everybody's like, 'All right, I'm with that, I understand, I buy into it.' "It's just really good for our team that we did that on the outset, coming off a 4-12 season." What was Garrett's reaction when handed the finished product? "I thought he was pretty proud," Witten said. "He had a smile on his face." Bryant didn't have the best experience as a rookie. He felt some of the veterans were disrespectful. He's gone out of his way to make the younger players feel welcome throughout his career. Bryant's proud that this rookie class has bought into the creed and core values. "I've been part of where we got together as leaders and came up with goals or things we wanted to do as a team to make each other better," Prescott said. "But to put a statement like that together and put values with it is special. Done by the players." Although the rookies weren't in the room those three days over the summer, it's unlikely the Cowboys would be entering Week 17 at 13-2 if they hadn't taken the words to heart. "It's everything," Elliott said. "It's about how we live our life every day in this building. I guess you could call it the backbone of this team." I came across this article this morning. This is an interesting anecdote about leadership - something our locker room is severely lacking. Note that this is an initiative of the players - that was suggested by the head coach. This is what we're lacking. We're lacking a coach with the ingenuity to come up with something players can congeal around, and we're missing players that are committed to congealing. In the coming months we're going to be talking about coaching a lot. I just don't want to lose sight of the fact that problems are not exclusively the coach or the players, but often both. Just as the solution is often in both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smashmouth Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 The Jets have a creed its 2 sentences and 11 words. WTF Just Happened We were supposed to be good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Integrity28 Posted January 1, 2017 Author Share Posted January 1, 2017 1 minute ago, Smashmouth said: The Jets have a creed its 2 sentences and 11 words. WTF Just Happened We were supposed to be good Under Rex it was "take a swipe at one of ours, and we're going to throw someone under the bus" ... or was it "whatever we just did is good enough"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smashmouth Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Just now, Integrity28 said: Under Rex it was "take a swipe at one of ours, and we're going to throw someone under the bus" ... or was it "whatever we just did is good enough"? Or Wait !!!! We had a meeting today ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Integrity28 Posted January 1, 2017 Author Share Posted January 1, 2017 Just now, Smashmouth said: Or Wait !!!! We had a meeting today ?? Or, "man, **** this game, where dem hoes at??" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smashmouth Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Just now, Integrity28 said: Or, "man, **** this game, where dem hoes at??" sh*t Sheldon I forgot about the Hoes ... Wait we had a meeting today ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larz Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 During the Alabama game they said the accountability culture is so deep the players will make each other repeat a drill if it isn't good enough, the coaches don't have to. Very impressed by that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASH1962 Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 8 minutes ago, Integrity28 said: Or, "man, **** this game, where dem hoes at??" Stole my thunder LOL... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRONX DUDE Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 But where are dem hoes at? The season is finally over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinstar Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Jason Garrett has been the HC of the Cowboys for several years . During that time, the Cowboys have endured some awful seasons where fans like some of you were calling for his head . Today, he's the kind of HC every team needs because his team is winning . Last yr, the Carolina Panthers had a magical season that ended up in the SB . One yr later, they have managed to scratched out 6 wins going into the final week of the season . What kind of HC is Ron Rivera ? Just like good QBs, good HCs take time because for the most part they are hired by teams who're awful and need building . Human Beings are not perfect, but time, desire and patience brings them closer to perfection even if it's still moons away . Time and Patience help Marvin Lewis turn around the Bungles . Time and patience help Jason Garrett turn around the Cowboys . Luck and Misery within the AFC East aided by cheating turn the Cheaters into a dynasty . They is no short cut, you plant a seed in good soil, allow it to die, water it and watch it grow into a beautiful tree . Along the way, you might have to cut away some thorns, but with patience, the tree will grow . When the thorns start to sprout, if you cut the plant down, you will just start the process all over again . Guess what, the thorns will be back when you plant your seed . For 40 years, the Jets have planted and cut, and the same results have occurred . Fear is a powerful weapon against those of little faith . I'm preaching to myself and I needed it . Thanks for your time . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Clouds Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 16 minutes ago, Tinstar said: Jason Garrett has been the HC of the Cowboys for several years . During that time, the Cowboys have endured some awful seasons where fans like some of you were calling for his head . Today, he's the kind of HC every team needs because his team is winning . Last yr, the Carolina Panthers had a magical season that ended up in the SB . One yr later, they have managed to scratched out 6 wins going into the final week of the season . What kind of HC is Ron Rivera ? Just like good QBs, good HCs take time because for the most part they are hired by teams who're awful and need building . Human Beings are not perfect, but time, desire and patience brings them closer to perfection even if it's still moons away . Time and Patience help Marvin Lewis turn around the Bungles . Time and patience help Jason Garrett turn around the Cowboys . Luck and Misery within the AFC East aided by cheating turn the Cheaters into a dynasty . They is no short cut, you plant a seed in good soil, allow it to die, water it and watch it grow into a beautiful tree . Along the way, you might have to cut away some thorns, but with patience, the tree will grow . When the thorns start to sprout, if you cut the plant down, you will just start the process all over again . Guess what, the thorns will be back when you plant your seed . For 40 years, the Jets have planted and cut, and the same results have occurred . Fear is a powerful weapon against those of little faith . I'm preaching to myself and I needed it . Thanks for your time . You make a valid argument regarding having patience. I also believe that you should be named the "Official Gardening Consultant Of JetNation". ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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