Camp Schotty: The Fun and Games of the Dallas Cowboys’ OTAs

Camp Schotty opened this week at The Star, and the Cowboys’ first round of OTAs had everything a kid could want. A basketball goal in the player’s lounge, Nerf basketball in the camp director’s office, pingpong in the locker room. Putting contests. Story times. Dinners with the head coach, and he picks up the check.

Frankly, I don’t know Micah Parsons’ objections, but if I’d known it would be this much fun, I’d have signed up the grandkids.

This team-building effort is all part of Brian Schottenheimer’s oft-stated goal of creating “one of the greatest cultures in professional sports.”

And here you’d probably settle for a playoff win or two.

The Cowboys have been working hard to build a strong team culture, and it seems to be paying off. The players are having fun, and the coaches are creating a positive and supportive environment.

The Importance of Team Culture

Mike McCarthy was also big on culture, and, by all accounts, he did a bang-up job. Won a lot of games, too, even if he wasn’t so good at the playoff thing. Probably why he no longer works around here, though with Jerry Jones you can never be sure. He fired the best coach he ever had because Jimmy Johnson wouldn’t share bragging rights. For all we know, McCarthy might have refused to curtsy.

New coaches generally are hired to fix what went wrong with their predecessors, but if culture wasn’t the issue under McCarthy, Schottenheimer simply seems to be kicking it up a notch.

If we still don’t know what kind of head coach he’ll be for the first time at 51, he’s getting rave reviews as a camp director.

Kaiir Elam, the cornerback the Cowboys acquired from the Bills, told reporters the atmosphere at Camp Schotty “is something I thought was never possible.” In his experience, Elam said, coaches were on one level, players another, “and we follow their rule.”

Building Relationships with Players

The concept seemed to work well enough for Elam’s former team. The Bills won their division every year he played there, making it all the way to the NFL semifinals last season before losing to the Chiefs.

If Cowboys fans thought they could see a conference championship game for the first time in 30 years, they’d be down if Vladimir Putin was in charge of culture.

The question of whether today’s athlete needs a hand on the shoulder or a foot to the backside has been debated endlessly. Recent developments suggest the former over the latter. Might be the reason crusty old Bill Belichick, maybe the greatest football coach ever, couldn’t get another NFL job.

Or maybe his girlfriend kept interrupting the interviews.

Like it or not, the days when Jimmy Johnson banished a player to the “asthma field” are over. Obedience is no longer a natural reflex. Orders require explanations. Chip Kelly, the Raiders’ offensive coordinator, didn’t tell Ashton Jeanty, their No. 1 pick, to get down in a traditional running back stance instead of standing straight up before the snap as he did while leading the nation in rushing at Boise State. Jeanty, the pride of Frisco Lone Star, is fond of a stance that drew comparisons to Michael Myers in “Halloween.” Kelly, who apparently has learned a thing or two since the Eagles mutinied on him, asked Jeanty if he’d ever played basketball. Then he told him to act as if he were guarding the ball in Kelly’s hands. Jeanty got the point and complied, at least for now.

The Challenge of Getting the Best out of Players

Schottenheimer has a bigger psychological project. He’s trying to get the best out of George Pickens, a wide receiver even Mike Tomlin couldn’t reach. Months before the trade, the Steelers’ head coach famously said Pickens needed to grow up. Schottenheimer is taking a different approach to a player chronically late to work and prone to fights on the field. He termed his interactions with Pickens thus far “incredible,” predicting, “He’s gonna be awesome.”

Maybe so, but for now all we know is he leads his head coach in free throw wins, 2-1.

Schottenheimer considers it part of the job to know his players personally, once a taboo subject for head coaches. Not so long ago, the last thing they wanted was to make it personal. Relationships complicated the business of winning by getting in the way of tough decisions. Players and assistant coaches could get close, but not players and head coaches.

Creating a Family Atmosphere

Schottenheimer not only wants his charges to become a family — “to believe in each other and more importantly love each other,” as he put it — he’d like a seat at the same table.

As long as he keeps picking up the check, it won’t be a problem. Not with me, either, as long as he manages a couple of potential issues.

The first is that Schottenheimer, an authentically nice guy who should have no trouble connecting with his players, must retain his mantle of authority over them, too. Mark Schlereth, who played a dozen years in the NFL, said the secret of the Eagles’ success in Philadelphia is that Nick Sirianni has handled both ends of the spectrum “and that’s a really hard thing to do.”

Challenges Ahead

Wade Phillips couldn’t do it when he was running Camp Cupcake in San Antonio, which is how Jason Garrett became a head coach.

The second issue for Schottenheimer is he can sing kumbaya until the cows come home, but if his players aren’t good enough, it won’t matter how much they love each other. Schotty joked this week that Parsons thinks he’s the best pingpong player in the building. He’d better be the best defensive player in the league. Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Tyler Smith, Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland, Osa Odighizuwa and DeMarvion Overshown better rank right up there, too, or the only thing they’ll win this fall is the Tuesday men’s basketball league at the Y.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, the Dallas Cowboys are working hard to build a strong team culture, and it seems to be paying off. The players are having fun, and the coaches are creating a positive and supportive environment. However, there are challenges ahead, and Schottenheimer must retain his authority while creating a family atmosphere. If the players aren’t good enough, it won’t matter how much they love each other.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is Camp Schotty?

A: Camp Schotty is the Dallas Cowboys’ OTAs, which are a series of practices and team-building activities designed to help the players bond and prepare for the upcoming season.

Q: Who is Brian Schottenheimer?

A: Brian Schottenheimer is the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. He is a former NFL player and coach who has been hired to lead the team and create a positive team culture.

Q: What is the goal of creating a strong team culture?

A: The goal of creating a strong team culture is to help the players bond and work together as a team, which can lead to success on the field. A positive team culture can also help to attract and retain top talent, and create a positive and supportive environment for the players.

Q: What are some of the challenges facing Schottenheimer and the Cowboys?

A: Some of the challenges facing Schottenheimer and the Cowboys include retaining his authority while creating a family atmosphere, and ensuring that the players are good enough to compete at a high level. The team must also navigate the challenges of the NFL season, including injuries, tough opponents, and high expectations.