Post by MR. COWBOY on Jan 17, 2019 9:20:41 GMT -7
Don't expect too much from the Dallas Cowboys. Jerry Jones no longer does.
Tim Cowlishaw
For years, I argued with fans and wrote columns stating that Jerry Jones really, really wants to win as much or more than any owner in the National Football League. He just happens to be good at making money in the process. I can't make that argument any longer.
As one of the few local voices -- or even national as far as I could tell -- to suggest it was silly to place Jones in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I would say the last two seasons have only added fuel to that argument.
(This is different from the "fuel" that head coach Jason Garrett believes the Rams' record-shattering victory Saturday night will provide the Cowboys in 2019.)
Jones is, if not the consummate businessman, almost magically skilled at making money. This is true whether it's for his team or the league, although it would be wise to remember that the whole LA stadium deal he brokered and was given so much credit for by Hall of Fame voters puts more money in his pockets than those of his fellow owners.
Regardless, Jerry is first ballot in the Businessman's Hall of Fame. He sees the future whether it's with his stadium or league matters. But his team lives in the past, stalled in traffic while the sports cars driven by Sean Payton and Sean McVay and Andy Reid go racing past.
None of this ruffles Jones. I mentioned last week in a column that after the LA Rams disposed of the Cowboys the last time the teams met in the postseason (1985), an angry Tex Schramm growled, "I can't wait to get back to being arrogant."
There is no growling from Jones this week. On his radio show he served notice once more that he is more interested in being proven right on the Jason Garrett issue -- no matter how long it takes -- than in doing the right thing.
Now there is this sliver of hope out there, I believe, that Jones has been careful enough with his words on Garrett that a coaching change could still be in the works. A sliver, I said. His answers of late have been "what would you do" or bragging that Garrett "would have had five head coaching offers" if he had been on the market this winter. Nothing specific about an extension or even keeping him.
But I do believe he will retain Garrett and possibly even beleaguered offensive coordinator Scott Linehan because Jones is content. A playoff home victory put more money in the bank. For all the critics out there, Jones still maintains (somehow) thousands of true believers. Once again next season the stadium will have 90,000 fans and people running over each other when the doors open to get to those standing-room-only rails like the Beatles have just pulled into town.
If that's what people want to do, I would never be one to tell them not to. Just don't expect too much because Jerry never does. He has turned the old Lombardi quote (whether Vince ever truly said it or not) on its head.
Winning is no longer the only thing. It's just a thing that happens sometimes.
Even a repeat as NFC East champs with the Saints and Rams on the schedule while the Eagles are playing Seattle and Atlanta looks challenging in 2019.
Regardless, here's one thing Jones should not be allowed to get away with from his radio show. He compared criticism of Garrett -- longest-tenured coach in the league without a trip to a conference title game -- to early critiques of the original Cowboys coach.
"The great Tom Landry had criticism because he couldn't get past a certain round. And he ended up winning two Super Bowls here," Jones said.
OK, let's start with this. Landry inherited an expansion club that wasn't even allowed draft picks in its first season. Garrett inherited -- at midseason -- an underachieving club that had won a playoff game the year before.
By the time Landry was eight full seasons into his run, the Cowboys had lost to Green Bay twice in NFL Championship Games. That's the equivalent of NFC title games today, the contest that Chan Gailey, Dave Campo, Bill Parcells, Wade Phillips and Garrett have not sniffed.
Landry was also two years into his run of 20 straight winning seasons. The team would go to five Super Bowls, winning two over the next dozen years.
And yet Jones, who proudly presides over a franchise of ghosts, examines his current team and says, "When I look at how our coaching staff has evolved, I give it a good grade."
Two playoff wins in eight years for this staff. Three in 12 if you include Garrett's time as offensive coordinator. Jones likes to believe this group is just getting started. Meanwhile 30-year-old fans have to think back to first grade to remember when this franchise was truly Super, when winning was what the Dallas Cowboys were all about.
..................................................
Same old , same old !
Tim Cowlishaw
For years, I argued with fans and wrote columns stating that Jerry Jones really, really wants to win as much or more than any owner in the National Football League. He just happens to be good at making money in the process. I can't make that argument any longer.
As one of the few local voices -- or even national as far as I could tell -- to suggest it was silly to place Jones in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I would say the last two seasons have only added fuel to that argument.
(This is different from the "fuel" that head coach Jason Garrett believes the Rams' record-shattering victory Saturday night will provide the Cowboys in 2019.)
Jones is, if not the consummate businessman, almost magically skilled at making money. This is true whether it's for his team or the league, although it would be wise to remember that the whole LA stadium deal he brokered and was given so much credit for by Hall of Fame voters puts more money in his pockets than those of his fellow owners.
Regardless, Jerry is first ballot in the Businessman's Hall of Fame. He sees the future whether it's with his stadium or league matters. But his team lives in the past, stalled in traffic while the sports cars driven by Sean Payton and Sean McVay and Andy Reid go racing past.
None of this ruffles Jones. I mentioned last week in a column that after the LA Rams disposed of the Cowboys the last time the teams met in the postseason (1985), an angry Tex Schramm growled, "I can't wait to get back to being arrogant."
There is no growling from Jones this week. On his radio show he served notice once more that he is more interested in being proven right on the Jason Garrett issue -- no matter how long it takes -- than in doing the right thing.
Now there is this sliver of hope out there, I believe, that Jones has been careful enough with his words on Garrett that a coaching change could still be in the works. A sliver, I said. His answers of late have been "what would you do" or bragging that Garrett "would have had five head coaching offers" if he had been on the market this winter. Nothing specific about an extension or even keeping him.
But I do believe he will retain Garrett and possibly even beleaguered offensive coordinator Scott Linehan because Jones is content. A playoff home victory put more money in the bank. For all the critics out there, Jones still maintains (somehow) thousands of true believers. Once again next season the stadium will have 90,000 fans and people running over each other when the doors open to get to those standing-room-only rails like the Beatles have just pulled into town.
If that's what people want to do, I would never be one to tell them not to. Just don't expect too much because Jerry never does. He has turned the old Lombardi quote (whether Vince ever truly said it or not) on its head.
Winning is no longer the only thing. It's just a thing that happens sometimes.
Even a repeat as NFC East champs with the Saints and Rams on the schedule while the Eagles are playing Seattle and Atlanta looks challenging in 2019.
Regardless, here's one thing Jones should not be allowed to get away with from his radio show. He compared criticism of Garrett -- longest-tenured coach in the league without a trip to a conference title game -- to early critiques of the original Cowboys coach.
"The great Tom Landry had criticism because he couldn't get past a certain round. And he ended up winning two Super Bowls here," Jones said.
OK, let's start with this. Landry inherited an expansion club that wasn't even allowed draft picks in its first season. Garrett inherited -- at midseason -- an underachieving club that had won a playoff game the year before.
By the time Landry was eight full seasons into his run, the Cowboys had lost to Green Bay twice in NFL Championship Games. That's the equivalent of NFC title games today, the contest that Chan Gailey, Dave Campo, Bill Parcells, Wade Phillips and Garrett have not sniffed.
Landry was also two years into his run of 20 straight winning seasons. The team would go to five Super Bowls, winning two over the next dozen years.
And yet Jones, who proudly presides over a franchise of ghosts, examines his current team and says, "When I look at how our coaching staff has evolved, I give it a good grade."
Two playoff wins in eight years for this staff. Three in 12 if you include Garrett's time as offensive coordinator. Jones likes to believe this group is just getting started. Meanwhile 30-year-old fans have to think back to first grade to remember when this franchise was truly Super, when winning was what the Dallas Cowboys were all about.
..................................................
Same old , same old !
