A couple of written blasts from the recent past concerning the Dallas Cowboys:
- The Cowboys are what the New Orleans Saints were for so long: one of the NFL’s laughingstock teams. (Wrote that in 2013.)
- It has been a mediocre football organization on the field — making gazzilions of dollars — for, oh, 23 years. (Wrote that in 2019 … so change that to 30 years.)
And guess — just guess — what is the constant for those 30 years? Could it be the owner/general manager/chief spokesman?
Of course, it could. He can change head coaches, offensive and defensive coordinators, he can bring in hundreds of players. But Jerry Jones remains what the Dallas Cowboys are all about.
Mediocrity.
It is about Mr. Jones’ enormous ego, nothing else really matters. It is all about Mr. Jones getting his say in front of any camera he can find.
He is a generous guy, and his family is generous in the D-FW community. But — as sports columnist Randy Galloway used to write in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram — he is a football idiot.
There he was Sunday, after the latest 34-17 disaster — a shutout second half as the Los Angeles Chargers coasted to victory at his big stadium — telling the world that this season’s Cowboys underachieved.
Of course they did. Because Jerry was sure he had put together a Super Bowl team … again.
No, he didn’t. This season’s defense — or should that say defenseless — is about as poor as any in the Cowboys’ 66 years. That’s the main reason a second consecutive losing season could happen.
(They might get to 8-8-1, with only the equally woeful Commanders and Giants remaining on the schedule. As if many people will watch those games.)
You can be certain that Matt Eberflus won’t be back as defensive coordinator. Because it can’t be Jerry’s fault.
And then Mr. Bluster talked about how good the future looks for this franchise, how good the offense has been at times this season and how there are building blocks on defense.
Really? Yes, the next Super Bowl victory is only 14 months away.
Because it’s only been 30 years since the last one.
Even the Saints — the Cowboys’ TV rivals/nemesis in North Louisiana — have one more Super Bowl championship (2009 season) in that time.
Mind-blowing fact, disheartening for Cowboys fans: Since Dallas’ last Super Bowl appearance (1995 season), 21 NFL franchises have made it to The Big Game.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys have not even reached the NFC Championship Game. There have been nine NFC East titles, so it’s not a total misfire, but always the eventual playoff failure.
So think about of some of the non-NFL championship franchises: Steelers before the 1970s, Cardinals after the late 1940s, Redskins under Dan Snyder’s ownership, Browns after 1964, Lions after 1957. Four teams have never played in the Super Bowl; nine have never won one.
The Cowboys — with their 30-year drought — are right there in the “least successful” category.
This is particularly hurtful for those of us who have rooted for this team for almost seven decades, who loved coach Tom Landry’s class and were fascinated by Jimmy Johnson’s hard-nosed approach.
Plus, there’s the recent local connection: QB Dak Prescott (Haughton) and safety Donovan Wilson (Woodlawn).
Let’s face it: America’s Team? Not sure they are even Dallas’ team these days. Or Fort Worth’s team. Or anyone’s team.
However, it does please the anti-Cowboys people. ESPN “mouth” Stephen A. Smith is loving it. And they’ll be fine as long as Jerry Jones is calling the shots.
Interesting to hear Mr. Jones on Sunday tell the media: “I’ll admit that the Cowboys management has played a role, a big role” in this season’s demise.
C’mon, Jerry. You don’t really mean that.
Here’s some advice for Mr. Jones: Just shut up, and get out of the way. You want a Super Bowl championship? Bring in Nick Saban to run your franchise.
Contact Nico at nvanthyn@aol.com