Since our Cowboys last won a SB, there have been 24 other SB winners. Here’s a not so surprising fact about the owners of the last 24 SB winning teams:
- Those owners all hired someone besides themselves to be the general manager.
The good news is, we certainly have had some good things to celebrate this offseason. Just look at the highlights of the last several months:
- We finally got rid of an incapable HC.
- We hired a bonafide NFL HC with skins on the wall.
- We had an outstanding draft.
And that’s just to name a few good offseason outcomes.
But the best thing that could come out of this offseason is a fundamental truth about why we haven’t been able to return to the glory days of yesteryear. That truth is our owner has meddled and micromanaged his head coaches too much, while making himself the face of the franchise.
So here’s hoping the business genius that owns the Cowboys wakes up and realizes that he’s got the most financially valuable sports franchise in the world because he’s a great businessman. But he must also realize he hasn’t been to a Super Bowl in a quarter of a century because he micromanages and meddles way too much.
If at 78, Jerry can learn how to let his very qualified HC run the locker room, we actually have a much better chance of getting back to the playoff glory we all want.
That would be the best offseason move we have had in a very long time.
Being hung up on who carries the title of General Manager for the Cowboys is beyond tired. Get over it already. The Cowboys have split the conventional duties of General Manager between Will McClay (player acquisition) and Stephen Jones (contract negotiations). The one major failure of the Cowboys management model since Stephen and McClay took over was giving the Head Coach the authority he needs to build a staff. And the Cowboys have now done that with the hire of Mike McCarthy.
The fact that Jerry retains the GM title doesn't matter. In today's NFL, EVERY owner is deeply involved in the mega-million dollar contracts. It would be irresponsible for them to remain detached. The Clint Murchison hands-off model is as dead today as head-hunting safeties, focusing on the run game, and allowing hits on the QB. It's a relic of times past.
Jerry, who is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame because of his major impact on marketing and building both the NFL brand, and maximizing NFL revenue (which, by the way, is also allowing playet salaries to skyrocket), can retain the title of GM because he does so much more than jusy manage football operations. He manages the business of the Cowboys, including corporate sponsorships, corporate partnerships, stadium and property management for both Arlington and Frisco developments, entertainment venue management (all the non-football stadium revenue generated in both Arlington and Frisco), other entertainment entities (multi-media productions and outlets), and public philanthropy. Honestly, there is not a single person more qualified to fill that role than Jerry Jones.
He has delegated more than 95% of the daily football operations to Stephen, McClay and McCarthy. Pining for the good old days of having a hands off owner is as worthless and futile as wishing offenses still ran the single wing. It's not only a waste of time; it's downright stupid.
