Some have asked why? Here are three reasons

[coult44]

We all know the statistics, Last 250 games; 4 games above 500. Last 200 games; +6, Last 4 seasons (including this year); -4. The team is not built to be anything other than 8-8. Why? First, I'll say for 18 years we have had the least amount of depth as any team in the NFL. Contending teams deal with injuries, because they are built with depth and can replace guys who go down without missing a step. This is 100% on the GM. Crazy and unreasonable contracts have ate away any money that could have been spent on quality backups. Second, The Cowboys have not had an identity since Jimmy left. This too is on the GM. We have not been known for anything other than being a sporadic, mediocre, and inconsistent team. An identity is established either through how a team is assembled, or by the traits and characteristics of it's coach. The Cowboys have been in an identity crisis for almost two decades. I could make a very long list, but for now the last thing I will say is that a huge contributor to the deterioration of this once GREAT franchise is lack of accountability that has been emphasized. From the GM, to the HC, to the team leaders, older veterans, or young players and even rookies, no one has ever been held accountable. For a brief time when Parcells was here, the culture began to change a bit. However, JJ undermined Parcells with the entire TO thing, and that even was changed. Players love to play for JJ, because they know they will be taken care of. However, his loyalty has been a huge downfall. Watch what it will do to our team in the next two years, when we enter what some have termed as "salary cap hell".........Why will we be 8-8 this year, and continue the same trend? Because our GM (not our owner) is by far the worst GM in professional sports. His "do it my way" all the time philosophy has destroyed the tradition of the STAR. Whatever fantasy world that he lives in to make him believe we are "close" in anyway to turning it around, is simply delusional!!!! When other teams such as SF, Seattle, NO, Detroit, and even Carolina are legit contenders, and the DALLAS COWBOYS are not, a COMPLETE restructuring is the only thing that will get us back on the right track!!!

 

[slomoxn]

Good post but the owner should be included along with the GM at this point. We all know they are one in the same and the owner has already states no matter how bad the GM is he would never fire him... The owner is part of the problem also then.

 

[BotchedLobotomy]

No paragraphs - no read

 

[popp1234]

We all know the statistics, Last 250 games; 4 games above 500. Last 200 games; +6, Last 4 seasons (including this year); -4. The team is not built to be anything other than 8-8. Why? First, I'll say for 18 years we have had the least amount of depth as any team in the NFL. Contending teams deal with injuries, because they are built with depth and can replace guys who go down without missing a step. This is 100% on the GM. Crazy and unreasonable contracts have ate away any money that could have been spent on quality backups. Second, The Cowboys have not had an identity since Jimmy left. This too is on the GM. We have not been known for anything other than being a sporadic, mediocre, and inconsistent team. An identity is established either through how a team is assembled, or by the traits and characteristics of it's coach. The Cowboys have been in an identity crisis for almost two decades. I could make a very long list, but for now the last thing I will say is that a huge contributor to the deterioration of this once GREAT franchise is lack of accountability that has been emphasized. From the GM, to the HC, to the team leaders, older veterans, or young players and even rookies, no one has ever been held accountable. For a brief time when Parcells was here, the culture began to change a bit. However, JJ undermined Parcells with the entire TO thing, and that even was changed. Players love to play for JJ, because they know they will be taken care of. However, his loyalty has been a huge downfall. Watch what it will do to our team in the next two years, when we enter what some have termed as "salary cap hell".........Why will we be 8-8 this year, and continue the same trend? Because our GM (not our owner) is by far the worst GM in professional sports. His "do it my way" all the time philosophy has destroyed the tradition of the STAR. Whatever fantasy world that he lives in to make him believe we are "close" in anyway to turning it around, is simply delusional!!!! When other teams such as SF, Seattle, NO, Detroit, and even Carolina are legit contenders, and the DALLAS COWBOYS are not, a COMPLETE restructuring is the only thing that will get us back on the right track!!!

I did not read, but I will say this. Paragraphs are your friends.

 

[MissionCoach]

Good post, I did read it. I would have to say these Cowboys do have an identity... as chokers. Deserved or not..that is the perception.

Granted we have sustained more than our fair share of injuries. But that is on the GM to assemble a solid core of players with good depth. At the risk of beating a dead horse, Jerry Jones has failed miserably as a GM in that department for years...and we all know it by now.

That being said, I am a longtime Cowboy fan since 1966. I will continue to root for the Cowboys in spite of the mediocrity that has been created by our GM/Owner.

I think many of these Coaches and players would and could do well...certainly much better, on other teams. We have seen it happen time and time again. Unfortunately the pieces of the puzzle just don't mesh here in Dallas with our dysfunctional GM/Owner leading the way. No accountability, puppet Coaches that aren't allowed to even assemble their own staff, huge contracts to players past their prime, failure to address the O-Line and D-Line adequately for years...just to name a few. Even a "non football guy" like myself can see some of the obvious reasons we have become a perennial 500 club. Isn't that the definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over the same way and expecting different results?

Sure Jerry finds a hidden gem sometimes...but as they say even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in awhile.

Jerry has been producing an average (at best) product for years and still continues to make a fortune. Obviously that is the problem in a nutshell. Until Jerry puts pride before ego, nothing will change, and a once proud franchise let by NFL legends and innovators is doomed to mediocrity and failure by an ego driven owner who won't do the right thing hire and a real football GM. Just my 2 cents.