At the time I couldn't imagine the team being coached by anyone else but also understood the team was going nowhere with him. It was a weird time of change and not knowing what the future held for the Cowboys.On this day 31 years ago the great Tom Landry was fired.
I was 9 years old in 1989 so I missed the Landry golden years but for those of you who witnessed it all consider yourself fortunate.
While I’d agree with this I still often ponder if it was all worth it for having to deal with Jerry’s embarrassing dysfunction the last era.For those who criticize Jerry for firing Landry:
1. He had no choice. The Cowboys had gone 3-13 and the game had clearly passed Landry by. It was time for Tom to go. Yes, Jerry should have done it more tactfully, but time was time. It's not like Jerry could allow Landry to go on coaching til the ripe old age of ninety.
2. A poll showed that 61% of respondents in the Dallas-Forth Worth area, at the time, wanted Landry fired too. So Jerry was simply acting in accordance with fan majority opinion.
3. Only Jimmy Johnson would have pulled off the Herschel trade and done the many other things that gave us a 1990s dynasty. If Landry stayed on instead of JJ becoming coach, there would have been no 1990s dynasty. We might still be stuck at just two Super Bowl rings all the way to this present day.
For those who criticize Jerry for firing Landry:
1. He had no choice. The Cowboys had gone 3-13 and the game had clearly passed Landry by. It was time for Tom to go. Yes, Jerry should have done it more tactfully, but time was time. It's not like Jerry could allow Landry to go on coaching til the ripe old age of ninety.
2. A poll showed that 61% of respondents in the Dallas-Forth Worth area, at the time, wanted Landry fired too. So Jerry was simply acting in accordance with fan majority opinion.
3. Only Jimmy Johnson would have pulled off the Herschel trade and done the many other things that gave us a 1990s dynasty. If Landry stayed on instead of JJ becoming coach, there would have been no 1990s dynasty. We might still be stuck at just two Super Bowl rings all the way to this present day.
And why he chose Jerry who otherwise had the lowest bid cause he knew Jerry was bringing Jimmy in meaning Landry was out.1. He had no choice b/c Bun Bright made firing Landry a condition of sale.
2. That wasn't a scientific poll. Jerry paid a huge price for firing Landry and was universally vilified for it.
3. A crystal ball did not come with the franchise. So, the Walker trade had nothing to do with it. We have no idea if Landry could have rebuilt the team but he would have had a pretty good start drafting Aikman and Irvin already on board. The reason the franchise slipped was the premature ending of Danny White's career and the inability of the franchise to replace him.
I’ll never forget the tv interview with him sitting at his desk, cleaning everything out. While I loved Landry, I did think it was time for a change. We were struggling big time in his later years. He will always be the greatest coach who ever lived in my mind.On this day 31 years ago the great Tom Landry was fired.
I was 9 years old in 1989 so I missed the Landry golden years but for those of you who witnessed it all consider yourself fortunate.
That’s a great question .Does Johnson still coach the cowboys if Landry isn’t fired?
Jerry has a habit of getting rid of Super Bowl winning coaches - Landry, Jimmy, Switzer, Parcells.
The second one is the biggest mistake Jerry ever made. He’s never recovered from it.
It’s just a matter of time before McCarthy joins the list.