There is something major not being understood by many fans...and that was the perspective and roles of both of it's primary owners - Clint Murchison and Jerry Jones.
The Dallas Cowboys came into existence, after H.L. Hunt was denied the opportunity to purchase a NFL team. Hunt was an oil man with unlimited money in his pocket. George Halas, with the Bears, didn't want to share the NFL with him. So, Hunt forged his own league...the AFL. That is when later Oakland owner, Al Davis was given the role of Commissioner of the new AFL.
Even with the Dallas Texans in Dallas and challenging developing market trends for the NFL, the powers to be were still not going to allow a NFL team into that new money arena. The new money in Dallas wasn't good enough for them.
It wasn't until Murchison purchased the publishing rights to the Washington fight song and he signed an agreement with Washington ownership, to give them rights to their fight song, if they voted in support of a new NFL team in Dallas. That swayed the voting and gave Murchison an opportunity to give birth to what was later called, the Dallas Cowboys.
Both Murchison and Jerry Jones have the same degree of love for the sport and a respect of developed traditions. But they were different people and brought to a difference in function which affected their respective time as owners.
But yes, Hail to the Commanders, established the Dallas franchise...and despite the angst of the newly possession of the wipersnapper Murchison, The unseen side, was that Murchison, the son of a very rich and 'older' source of money, was preferable to that of Hunt. Murchison used his father's money to run his side effort - the Dallas Cowboys. Murchison hired Tex Schramm...who then hired Gil Brandt. This pair ran the business side of the franchise all the way to firing Tom Landry and selling the team, under that condition, to Jerry Jones.
To Murchison, the playboy, the team was a hobby. He didn't need the proceeds for more than play. But he loved the team, and gave to the franchise until his cash flow bottomed out in the red, at the end of Tom Landry's coaching career.
Both Clint Murchison and then, Jerry Jones, had a deep respect for the Cowboys. Jerry spent 10 years studying and talking to NFL people and teams. When Jerry made the purchase, San Francisco was the top team in the NFL. Jerry had extensive talks with their owner and Head Coach.
When Jerry made the purchase, he KNEW that the purchase as it was initiated, was a bad investment...but he loved the team and wanted to bring it back up again. But Jerry committed himself to presenting the top level of organization, for the benefit of fans.
Yea, Jerry has made mistakes through the years, but they were at least honest mistakes - driven by love and necessity...sport is a gamble.
When the team started out, Jerry was losing $1 million dollars a week on the team. That wasn't the problem of Jimmy Johnson. Ego brought those two together, but was understood by both. It was a joint venture that was required to get a base level to grow from.
Well, Jerry was a wildcatter, before he went into the financial spheres of business.He was of the new money that had been rejected by the old NFL ownership...be he was smart. Having won a National Championship at Arkansas and then working with gambles in the oil industry, Jerry had a base level respect for the 'little man.' He sometimes got in cap trouble, due to his honest desire to protect and give back to those that faced the dangers of sport and made success. That was also an honest trait, as well.
Point blank, it took both Jerry and Jimmy Johnson to forge the resulting Dallas Cowboys and lay a foundation for the return of the Cowboys to their heritage. BOTH.
Don't kid oneself, Jerry pulled the trigger on the Herchel Walker trade...acquired the likes of Jay Novachek, Mark Tuinei, Charles Haley, and Deion Sanders. They weren't minor pieces to those teams.
But ego got the best of Jimmy Johnson...no way around that element. Roles for the two had already been established in that first losing season. They evolved together, but that didn't quinch the thirst for Jimmy. LIke it or not, Jimmy brought the divorce on himself...even forcing that direction taken.
Jimmy tried to invite Jerry into his world...but that was both naïve, and pompous in nature. Sure, Jerry could have used kid gloves with Jimmy,,,but get real here. Dallas was a target and the gamble taken, was Jerry's. He was owed a head of organization status, That is just the way that all business functions,
No, Jimmy, when his team was a week away from playing in their second straight Super Bowl...went to Buffalo attempting to negotiate another Head Coach job WITH GM function as well.
His team was attempting a second straight Lombardi, and that is a very difficult task at the least. No, he purposely sold out his team and his boss. That I won't cover up in idle worship, now,
Immediately after the team victory, and intentionally, he forced Jerry's hand by publicly insulting and humiliating his boss. No way around that fact. It was cheap and completely unprofessional and lacked ethics. Naw, the onus was on Jimmy then, for his departure. Jerry had no realistic alternative then.
Jerry earned credit as well...and if not for a strong rivalry between San Francisco, who was the team of that period, the Cowboys would have won four Lombardis. But that wasn't because of the departure of Jimmy. It was because they lost to a strong San Francisco team in the NFC Championship game.
No one...no one has ever won three straight Lombardis in the NFL. Dallas almost did, and Jerry gets credit as well...
.
