Courtesy of Fonda Bryant
Jerry Jones is a HOT TOPIC this week in the media for two reasons. One is his interview with Bob Costas during NBC Sunday Night Football, and two is the show that aired last night on the NFL Network called “A Football Life ” about Jimmy Johnson’s time as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. It was a very interesting as well as eye opening show, especially when it revealed the sometimes very volatile relationship between Johnson and Jones. Johnson was a “no nonsense” coach and wasn’t intimidated by Jones at all, and of course, Jones wasn’t used to that.
Jerry may need to add this song to his iPhone or iPod song list, if he has one, and listen closely to the words of Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror.” I changed the lyrics a little because after reading the article in Tuesday’s Dallas Morning News regarding Jerry Jones refusing to give up his role as GM of the Dallas Cowboys, I found it befitting of my subject matter. “I’m starting with the man in the mirror, I’m asking him to change his ways and no message could have been any clearer if you wanna make the Cowboys a better team, take a look at yourself (Jerry) and then make a change”. Great advice, Jerry, and you can nod your head to it!
The one thing that has been consistent in the inconsistency of the Dallas Cowboys is Jerry Jones’ refusal to hire a GM because of his dictator attitude. It appears he has to have his hands in EVERYTHING! Jones bought the Dallas Cowboys in 1989 and immediately ruffled fan’s feathers by firing the longtime and beloved Coach Tom Landry. However, those feathers smoothed a little when the Cowboys won three Super Bowls in the 90′s, with the last championship in 1995. Since then, the Cowboys have continued a downward spiral of losses. Their record to date is 123-124, winning ONE playoff game in FIFTEEN years and they haven’t been to a playoff game in THREE years. Does that sound like a GM who knows what he is doing? Where other teams have found their rhythm and continued to improve, like the 49er’s, Bears, Texans, and Packers, the Dallas Cowboys have had flashes of improvement but haven’t quite found that combination to be a consistent winning or playoff team.
In Jerry’s defense though, he can’t open up holes for the running backs to get through, or pass block for Tony Romo to give him time to complete a pass. Nor can he catch the balls, make tackles, or keep the team from getting penalties, but what he CAN do is relinquish the choke hold he has on the Cowboys and hire a GM. Yes, he is the owner but that is what he should be, an owner making financial decisions not trying to coach or be a GM. For instance, the interview he gave on NBC Sunday Night Football before the game where he said to Bob Costas, “I have always worked for myself and you can’t do that. You basically have to straighten that guy out in the mirror when you work for yourself. But certainly, if I’d had the discretion, I’ve done it with coaches and certainly I would have changed a general manager.” What I got from that comment was, “I am NOT talking about me though, and I think I am doing a fine job running this team into the ground.” That’s where the frustration comes in as a Dallas Cowboys fan. Our owner can’t see the forest for the trees.
Jerry’s ego is huge and as he gets older, he becomes more stubborn. I don’t question that he doesn’t love this team or want to win championships and all that it stands for, but he loves it to death like a jealous lover. He just doesn’t seem to want to share any aspect of it with anyone else. It’s like he’s afraid someone might get more attention or more credit if the Cowboys become a success like in the 90’s. He needs to realize that what worked in the 90’s when Dallas were winning Super Bowls is gone, a no nonsense coach. His ego wore thin with Coach Jimmy Johnson, who outside of Tom Landry was the best coach Dallas ever had and who would have certainly gotten the Cowboys another Super Bowl ring. Johnson was the man that got us where we needed to be on the field and did it without taking crap off the players, coaches and especially the owner, which was probably his downfall. Coach Johnson left the Dallas Cowboys in 1993.
For now, Jerry knows the fans will still come to the games and continue to buy Cowboys merchandise no matter what the record. But to be honest, Cowboy fans are enabling him and until we as a group let him know, we are sick and tired of this mediocre team, nothing will change. He is a smart business man that came from oil and knows how to make money, Dallas is the richest team in pro sports in the US worth over two billion dollars, but that doesn’t equate into knowing how to run a football team.
The last thing Michael Jackson says in “Man in The Mirror” is make that change.” Make that change, Jerry, and put the team before self for once.
