Thanks for your memories...
On a side note, Jerry had gone to San Francisco to learn about ownership of an NFL team, and spent a learning experience with them before going ahead and deciding to get out of oil and into the NFL.
Jerry developed a good friendship with Al Davis. Al Davis taught Jerry how to be both owner and GM successfully. They both were successful franchises that left full responsibility for their Franchise in the owners hands. They were easily top 5 teams and winners of Super Bowls when things started to go down in the merged NFL. High success rates for both.
Sidenoted, this was an era where much gambling was required to even survive. The media, as it still remains, motivated and watered the fan base as well. The rights of teams and players themselves, were secondary to cash flow on major issues.
Joe Namath and the Jets opened up the sport as to competitiveness and respect. He became a Jet through behind scene negotiations and elevation of contract attractions.
Free wheeling negotiations upon entry, is somewhat counter directed with what is being done now against positional limitations on contracts.
That is counter protective of hard fought values of the NFL Player's Association up to now.
I enjoyed your view of the beginnings of the Dallas Cowboys. Fred Murchison, the first owner, was described as an owner that had family money and did this venture for the excitement and lifestyle. He paid the bills from the start, until his Dad eventually cut the money out. That is when Jerry Jones came into the picture.
The rights of players and teams were worked hard for, by Jerry and he did a lot of hard ground breaking work for their and team rights. He made accountability to rights accessible and protected. Free agency changed the nature of player rights as well as opened up salaries and the ability to not mostly being chained to the original team they were drafted by. Jerry was fighting rights for all and paying all the bills as well, that surely was the prime motivation and deep resentment for being insulted and a show of team disrespect by Jimmy Johnson. He was a strong Coach, agreed. I am extending now, an understandable as well as reasonable look at what the Dallas Cowboys owner had to deal with beyond a fan's disappointment.
Fans looked for excuses for not becoming an even better dynasty during a period of time where things were tough and vanity was easier to seel
Free agency, a cap requirement, and old player injuries changed and spelled the doom of the Jimmy led team. During the Dynasty, Jerry had to pay the key players with the new status of free agency. The aspects now known by the average fan now, had to be walked through and developed. It was a harsh lesson for Jerry.
I loved Don Perkins and knew nothing about a fullback's role other than he was a tough runner. Fullbacks and pounding run games were the forte as was brought home by Jim Brown and Franco Harris as well. I still recall the star on the shoulder pads of Perkins bouncing around as his runs developed out.
I loved Bob Lilly. He was just as friendly to someone in a restaurant in Dallas, as he was nearly unblockable going for a sack.
There were many comparable failures, such as when Danny White and Don Meredith came along. The Cowboys retained being competitive at very high levels, but lady luck of football is sometimes a tough mistress...LOL.
