News: Former Cowboys Director of Scouting Larry Lacewell passes away

[Aven8]

He was a knowledgeable football man but he was more of a friend to Booger and an enabler. He was one of those people Booger surrounded himself with, the good ole boys, and it was more important to try and make him feel special than tell him the cold hard truth.

The reality was it really didn't matter because the team was in the black and gaining revenue every year so why rain on Booger's parade? And Lacewell was most likely one of those close enough to know the burr under Booger's saddle, Jimmy Johnson. Like Switzer, they all went way back a long way. Just think about it, been 60 years since Booger, Johnson and Switzer were together at Arkansas.

I think it was his idea to bring in Monte Kiffin if my memory is correct?

 

[J_Allen]

It was bad, I will say I think the draft was easier for Jimmy and Lacewell at the get go, since as a college coach he had recruited or tried to recruit many player he drafted. I think further removed from the game the more misses occurred.

Jimmy last draft with the Cowboys

Kevin Williams
WR
Miami

2
54
Darrin Smith
LB
Miami

3
84
Mike Middleton
DB
Indiana

4
94
Derrick Lassic
RB
Alabama

4
96
Ron Stone
OG
Boston College

6
168
Barry Minter
LB
Tulsa

7
196
Brock Marion
DB
Nevada

8
203
Dave Thomas
DB
Tennessee

8
213
Reggie Givens
LB
Penn State

That's still a solid draft. Brock marion, Ron Stone, Darren smith. Kevin Williams was taken way too high. He was just too small, not much of a factor, at least for a number two receiver. I cannot believe we never replaced Alvin Harper until 1998 with Rocket. And it was working so well...

 

[J_Allen]

He was also one of the biggest reasons why the dynasty died after Jimmy left. He was horrible as a scouting director. “Lacewell” is a four letter word in my dictionary.

RIP. It seems he was a much better person than scout.

It would have been better if we had just been blindfolded and thrown darts at the draft board.

Those guys were such bums. Oh my God it was horrible. Once you start losing pieces in free agency and replacing them with that garbage you're going to go downhill.

We tried trading up and getting Willie mcginnis, which would have been a game changer for us in 1996. Instead we draft chante carver, who was a full-blown alcoholic from the get-go. You can't plan NFL and drink that heavily. Sherwin-Williams in the second round. The list of bus went on. Larry allen, Dat, Dexter coakley, and Randall Godfrey are all they had to show for it. None of them were taking below the third round.

That's why we never won more than three super bowls. We were already on fumes in 1995. Rest in peace Larry lacewell but thanks for nothing.

 

[johnintx]

I'm a lifelong fan of both Oklahoma and the Cowboys.

I first remember Larry Lacewell as the DC for OU in the 70's, when we won two national championships. Those were some great teams. He had a high profile then, and even had his own TV show as a defensive coordinator.

In 1977, OU had a chance to win another national championship by defeating Arkansas in the Orange Bowl (played January 1, 1978). OU basically didn't show up, and Arkansas won 31-6 in a game that could have been much worse. It was one of Arkansas' greatest wins and one of OU's worst losses. It later came out that Barry Switzer was having an affair with Larry Lacewell's wife. Lacewell then took the head coaching job at Arkansas State, where he was very successful.

After working for Arkansas State, Larry went to work for the Cowboys under Jimmy and Jerry. He and Barry mended their relationship before Barry ever thought about becoming head coach of the Cowboys.

RIP.

 

[Seven]

Wow. So what happened to our drafts after Jimmy left?

........Jerry.

 

[Floatyworm]

RIP.

Unfortunately those were some of the worst drafting years that the Cowboys have ever had. But I'm sure that he was a nice guy.

I'm sure that his family will miss him.

Glad someone said it......that was the beginning of the end. I'm sure Larry was a nice guy....but nice guys usually finish last. And Jerry just continued to rely on the good old boy network. Never learned....nor adapted.

 

[links18]

RIP. That's all I can really say....

 

[mrmojo]

RIP

He came in 92 so the dynasty was already pretty much in place. He had too much of Jerry's ear after Jimmy left and is probably partially responsible for the last 27 years.

Godspeed....

 

[eromeopolk]

It was bad, I will say I think the draft was easier for Jimmy and Lacewell at the get go, since as a college coach he had recruited or tried to recruit many player he drafted. I think further removed from the game the more misses occurred.

Jimmy last draft with the Cowboys

Kevin Williams
WR
Miami

2
54
Darrin Smith
LB
Miami

3
84
Mike Middleton
DB
Indiana

4
94
Derrick Lassic
RB
Alabama

4
96
Ron Stone
OG
Boston College

6
168
Barry Minter
LB
Tulsa

7
196
Brock Marion
DB
Nevada

8
203
Dave Thomas
DB
Tennessee

8
213
Reggie Givens
LB
Penn State

Sorry but 5 players in that draft became starters (if not for the Cowboys, it was for another team). One player holds KR/PR all time records for the Cowboys, the other became a Pro Bowler, one was the key to stopping Randall Cunningham, and everyone that made the Cowboys roster got Super Bowl rings.

I am sorry Mr. Lacewell died. However, he had nothing to do with building the 90's Dynasty and everything with tearing it down. On May 21, 1992, he joined the Dallas Cowboys as the Director of College Scouting, replacing Dick Mansperger (go look him up he was the big 3 of Brandt, Wooten, and Mansperger for the Cowboys from beginning to end). The draft was in April 1992. Lacewell was not part of putting together the 1992 draft or selecting the talented players in that 1992 draft. That was done during the 1991 football season. Bob Ackles, John Wooten, Mansberger, and the 1991 scouting department had done the heavy lifting. Jerry Jones fired Ackles as he was a Jimmy Johnson man, Mansberger, and Wooten left for Philly as Jerry dumbo GM Jones wanted control and all the credit. 1993, Jimmy Johnson with Tom Ciscowski adding Lacewell ran that 1993 draft. Tom Ciscowski was given the background for the 1994 draft but pounded the table for the only Hall of Fame player drafted in the Jerry Dumbo GM Jones and Larry Lacewell era....Larry Allen. Ciscowski was the last scout hired by Jimmy Johnson.

Lacewell basically told jimmy he was hired by Jerry and would do what Jerry said. That lead to all those horrible drafts from 1994-2002. When Parcells was hired it was conditioned on Jerry firing Lacewell and hiring a new Director of Player Personnel which was Jeff Ireland he was hired as Director of College Scouting in 2002 for that draft.

This is a brief summary. Go did up my post on Jerry Jones Dysfunctional Player Personnel for more in depth info.

 

[atlantacowboy]

RIP.

Unfortunately those were some of the worst drafting years that the Cowboys have ever had. But I'm sure that he was a nice guy.

I'm sure that his family will miss him.

The guy had a great life and lived to a very respectable age. But, I think it became really clear when Jimmy left that Larry struggled in the evaluation department. He was Jerry's right hand man for the worst stretch of drafting in Cowboy history from 96-2001.

 

[atlantacowboy]

Do you know that he was making picks or was it possibly Jerry making picks?

And who do you think was Jerry's primary advisor? It was Larry Lacewell. Jerry has never been a dedicated full time GM. He just likes the title and being at the center of attention.

 

[darthseinfeld]

I think Jimmy did great with the draft especially early on, he had an insight to players many he recruited in college even if the player when elsewhere like Emmitt who went to Florida but Jimmy recruited him. There is no way of knowing the further Jimmy was removed from college that his draft would have continue to hit. He brought Lacewell to Dallas to head up scouting and player evaluation. As we saw Lacewell did not do a very good job. Jerry hired Ireland which was an improvement and now McClay which I think is a improvement and the quality of players has improved. I would say he has hit more than he has missed.

He has also had an obscene amount of picks, so it was very hard for him not to leave those late 80's/early 90's draft without 5 or 6 good players. He definitely some outlandish misses. Alexander Wright was the 26th pick in the draft

 

[JoeKing]

RIP Larry Lacewell