Hypothetical Tom Landry Question

[Stryker44]

Lets say in 1988 the Cowboys went 13-3 rather than 3-13.

Jerry Jones buys the team in 1989. He has said he would only buy the team if he could choose the coach.

Do you think he still would have hired Jimmy Johnson? If not, do you think Landry would have stayed 10 more years (or at least until he was diagnosed with leukemia)? Or do you think Landry wouldn't be able to stand Jones and leave?

I know Landry and Tex Schramm were close, and I'm assuming if Jerry would have fired Tex regardless as he wanted GM say.

Do you think the success of the 90s championship teams could have been possible with Landry? Or was Johnson instrumental in bringing in the majority of the talent?

Just curious what people here think.

 

[Doomsday101]

Lets say in 1988 the Cowboys went 13-3 rather than 3-13.

Jerry Jones buys the team in 1989. He has said he would only buy the team if he could choose the coach.

Do you think he still would have hired Jimmy Johnson? If not, do you think Landry would have stayed 10 more years (or at least until he was diagnosed with leukemia)? Or do you think Landry wouldn't be able to stand Jones and leave?

I know Landry and Tex Schramm were close, and I'm assuming if Jerry would have fired Tex regardless as he wanted GM say.

Do you think the success of the 90s championship teams could have been possible with Landry? Or was Johnson instrumental in bringing in the majority of the talent?

Just curious what people here think.

I loved Coach Landry but fact is before Jerry bought the team fans were calling for Landry head, they said the game had pasted him by. When Jones bought the team and hired Jimmy fans then started going on about Landry many of them the same one hollering he needed to go.

I think if we could go back in time that Jerry likely would have done just as he did.

 

[KalEl]

Wasn't Landry also showing early signs of dementia as well? I thought I read that in his biography.

 

[mahoneybill]

JJ wanted his own team, and brand.

As much as he wants football success he also wants marketing revenue success outside of the game/stadium side.

 

[Future]

That's a pretty fascinating question actually.

I think it kind of depends on, had they gone 13-3, what they did in the playoffs. If they won the SB, there's no way you fire Landry, but he'd probably be out after the next season if he didn't win it.

 

[tyke1doe]

I loved Coach Landry but fact is before Jerry bought the team fans were calling for Landry head, they said the game had pasted him by. When Jones bought the team and hired Jimmy fans then started going on about Landry many of them the same one hollering he needed to go.

I think if we could go back in time that Jerry likely would have done just as he did.

You summarized it perfectly. I loved Coach Landry (got to interview him once and asked him about being unceremonially dumped by Jerry Jones), but it was time for a change. It was just hard for him to see it, and rightly so. It's usually hard for the great ones to see it.

 

[Doomsday101]

JJ wanted his own team, and brand.

As much as he wants football success he also wants marketing revenue success outside of the game/stadium side.

True but the Tex wanted that for the Cowboys as well. Texas Stadium when 1st built was considered state of the art, the marking of the Cowboys was a big priority of Tex, he shaped and molded an image and when NFL films used the title America's team Tex jumped on that despite the fact Landry did not like it. I know some will disagree but Tex and Jerry are not that far apart when it comes to selling the Cowboys Brand

 

[Doomsday101]

You summarized it perfectly. I loved Coach Landry (got to interview him once and asked him about being unceremonially dumped by Jerry Jones), but it was time for a change. It was just hard for him to see it, and rightly so. It's usually hard for the great ones to see it.

No doubt and I'm sure deep down Landry felt he could get things turned around, maybe he could I don't know but I do know the pressure coming from Bum Bright and fans in Dallas was that it was time for Landry to leave. Jerry walks in and becomes the villain

 

[CCBoy]

Lets say in 1988 the Cowboys went 13-3 rather than 3-13.

Jerry Jones buys the team in 1989. He has said he would only buy the team if he could choose the coach.

Do you think he still would have hired Jimmy Johnson? If not, do you think Landry would have stayed 10 more years (or at least until he was diagnosed with leukemia)? Or do you think Landry wouldn't be able to stand Jones and leave?

I know Landry and Tex Schramm were close, and I'm assuming if Jerry would have fired Tex regardless as he wanted GM say.

Do you think the success of the 90s championship teams could have been possible with Landry? Or was Johnson instrumental in bringing in the majority of the talent?

Just curious what people here think.

The hand writing was already on the wall...and from Dallas ownership and management leaders, concerning Tom Landry. The team was sold with the gentlemen's agreement that Tom Ladry would not be it's leadership going forward. Jerry was given the opportunity because his plan included a complete break as to team leadership, current philosophies, and not a binding attachment to the players of the Cowboys' team at that point.

The initial arrangement between Jimmy and Jerry, was a combination, with Jerry forging money issues to where the team could accomplish the great strides that were achieved. Day one, Dallas was losing millions in cash flow, weekly.

Jerry first developed trade abilities, and then, a sense of appropriate media communications. Too bad that his merit was lost in adjusting and judging how to address media confrontations on issues...without appearing as an Arkansas 'hick.' Jerry, although, played a very prominent role. Jimmy was good at motivating and directing an intense on the field result. But he relied upon this offensive and defensive coordinators: Norv Turner, who developed Troy Aikmen, and Dave Wannstedt. These two buffered the players from Jimmy.

 

[Doc50]

True but the Tex wanted that for the Cowboys as well. Texas Stadium when 1st built was considered state of the art, the marking of the Cowboys was a big priority of Tex, he shaped and molded an image and when NFL films used the title America's team Tex jumped on that despite the fact Landry did not like it. I know some will disagree but Tex and Jerry are not that far apart when it comes to selling the Cowboys Brand

Agreed, but two GM's in the FO would never work, and JJ would have respectfully let Tex and Tom go.

He's always been Frank Sinatra on his bidness ("My Way"), and the total transition would still have needed to happen. It just wouldn't have been so abrupt if they had great success on the field that year.

 

[waving monkey]

The hand writing was already on the wall...and from Dallas ownership and management leaders, concerning Tom Landry. The team was sold with the gentlemen's agreement that Tom Ladry would not be it's leadership going forward. Jerry was given the opportunity because his plan included a complete break as to team leadership, current philosophies, and not a binding attachment to the players of the Cowboys' team at that point.

The initial arrangement between Jimmy and Jerry, was a combination, with Jerry forging money issues to where the team could accomplish the great strides that were achieved. Day one, Dallas was losing millions in cash flow, weekly.

Jerry first developed trade abilities, and then, a sense of appropriate media communications. Too bad that his merit was lost in adjusting and judging how to address media confrontations on issues...without appearing as an Arkansas 'hick.' Jerry, although, played a very prominent role. Jimmy was good at motivating and directing an intense on the field result. But he relied upon this offensive and defensive coordinators: Norv Turner, who developed Troy Aikmen, and Dave Wannstedt. These two buffered the players from Jimmy.

exactly,I have never understood why this isn't understood and excepted

 

[daveferr33]

I don't know if the game passed him by (I was way too young at the time to consider something like that; the man was considered a god in my household), but its interesting to me that the top three great coaches of the 70s all struggled during the 80s--Landry, Knoll, Shula.

 

[BoysFan4ever]

He would have fired him anyway.

I don't think Coach Landry would have lasted long anyway no matter his record. Tex didn't last long did he? Jerry has been hands on right from the beginning.

 

[burmafrd]

A LOT of the reason things went downhill was Bum Bright refusing to spend money. We could not pay top dollar for assistant coaches; the scouting department was starved of funding.

 

[Doomsday101]

Agreed, but two GM's in the FO would never work, and JJ would have respectfully let Tex and Tom go.

He's always been Frank Sinatra on his bidness ("My Way"), and the total transition would still have needed to happen. It just wouldn't have been so abrupt if they had great success on the field that year.

I did not intend to think they would co-exist, only talking about similarities I see in both Jerry and Tex. Jerry was going to do things his way, the man staked everything on his franchise and knew this team needed to win and win as soon as possible or else he risked losing everything. I don't agree with many things he has done but there is a respect I have for him knowing all he has risked and now all he has gained. People say he just wants to make money? I agree he wants to make money why not if you’re not making money then you’re losing money but I have never doubted his desire for this franchise to be successful on and off the field

 

[jazzcat22]

If the Cowboys would have gone 13-3, need to consider that the team may not have ben sold either. Not at that time, or the asking price may have gone up.
The sale could have been delayed a year or two.

 

[tyke1doe]

The hand writing was already on the wall...and from Dallas ownership and management leaders, concerning Tom Landry. The team was sold with the gentlemen's agreement that Tom Ladry would not be it's leadership going forward. Jerry was given the opportunity because his plan included a complete break as to team leadership, current philosophies, and not a binding attachment to the players of the Cowboys' team at that point.

The initial arrangement between Jimmy and Jerry, was a combination, with Jerry forging money issues to where the team could accomplish the great strides that were achieved. Day one, Dallas was losing millions in cash flow, weekly.

Jerry first developed trade abilities, and then, a sense of appropriate media communications. Too bad that his merit was lost in adjusting and judging how to address media confrontations on issues...without appearing as an Arkansas 'hick.' Jerry, although, played a very prominent role. Jimmy was good at motivating and directing an intense on the field result. But he relied upon this offensive and defensive coordinators: Norv Turner, who developed Troy Aikmen, and Dave Wannstedt. These two buffered the players from Jimmy.

I can remember how the media portrayed Jimmy and Jerry as two bumpkins who were out of their league and merely together because they were college friends. I can remember when writers actually laughed at the Cowboys for the Herschel Walker trade, saying the Cowboys got the short end of the trade.

But Jimmy and Jerry were smarter than people in the league and people in the media gave them credit for. I remember George Seifert saying if he had known Charles Haley would turn out to be a critical player in the Cowboys dynasty, he never would have made the trade. And Jimmy and Jerry snookered poor Mike Lynn, who thought he was making it difficult to keep those 1st, 2nd and 3rd round picks because he tied them to marginal players.

And Jimmy Johnson found a way to keep the players (Issac Holt being one of them) AND keep the picks.

They, in the end, snookered the league. Too bad they couldn't put their egos aside and work together. Though there's no way of knowing this, I believe we could have won 5 consecutive Super Bowls. I honestly believe had Jimmy been around Erik Williams wouldn't have gone crazy nor Michael Irvin. And Jason Taylor would have stepped in to replace Charles Haley, and we wouldn't have missed a beat.
But at least we got 3 Super Bowls out of the deal.

 

[jazzcat22]

I can remember how the media portrayed Jimmy and Jerry as two bumpkins who were out of their league and merely together because they were college friends. I can remember when writers actually laughed at the Cowboys for the Herschel Walker trade, saying the Cowboys got the short end of the trade.

But Jimmy and Jerry were smarter than people in the league and people in the media gave them credit for. I remember George Seifert saying if he had known Charles Haley would turn out to be a critical player in the Cowboys dynasty, he never would have made the trade. And Jimmy and Jerry snookered poor Mike Lynn, who thought he was making it difficult to keep those 1st, 2nd and 3rd round picks because he tied them to marginal players.

And Jimmy Johnson found a way to keep the players (Issac Holt being one of them) AND keep the picks.

They, in the end, snookered the league. Too bad they couldn't put their egos aside and work together. Though there's no way of knowing this, I believe we could have won 5 consecutive Super Bowls. I honestly believe had Jimmy been around Erik Williams wouldn't have gone crazy nor Michael Irvin. And Jason Taylor would have stepped in to replace Charles Haley, and we wouldn't have missed a beat.
But at least we got 3 Super Bowls out of the deal.

I believe Al Davis called Jerry after the SB trade and told him....congratulations Jerry, you just won the SB...
I read that several times in several articles. I think Jerry and / or Al even said that in interviews.

Just think too, Terrence Flagler was a part of that trade, and refused to come to Dallas. He was subsequently traded to another team that missed the playoffs, but I believe Dallas got thir draft pick back plus cash or a better pick, can't recall.

 

[tyke1doe]

I believe Al Davis called Jerry after the SB trade and told him....congratulations Jerry, you just won the SB...
I read that several times in several articles. I think Jerry and / or Al even said that in interviews.

Just think too, Terrence Flagler was a part of that trade, and refused to come to Dallas. He was subsequently traded to another team that missed the playoffs, but I believe Dallas got thir draft pick back plus cash or a better pick, can't recall.

The SB trade?
I remember the Flagler trade but not the details. Did Flagler not want to come because the Cowboys were awful?
Too bad for him. He missed out on at least two Super Bowl rings. I wonder if he regrets it?

 

[casmith07]

The 3-13 season wasn't some anomaly. The team had been in decline for some time. It was time for Coach Landry to move on. The way it happened just wasn't that cool.