Some perspective on patience

[glimmerman]

Seems we make a playoff run every other year. We didn’t make it last year. And we have a new coach with a high power Offense. Our ST have got to be better this year. Our new Defense is a concern because it’s unknown.

I have been patient for a decade as we all have had to be. We knew it’s been time for a new HC so now we have one and want to be patient to get his system implemented and the players to get on board.

 

[Longboysfan]

I’ve been a Cowboys fan since I was 6 years old in 1964 when my dad took me to my first Cowboys game at the Cotton Bowl. I grew up loving Bob Hayes, Bob Lily, Roger Staubach, Drew Pearson, Mel Renfro and many many other great stars that wore the star. I’ve seen the Cowboys play in all 3 of their home stadiums- Cotton Bowl, Texas Stadium and AT&T (Texas Stadium was my favorite) I have watched every single Cowboys playoff game on TV.

Luckily, patience was not something I had to use very often when it came to waiting on my favorite team to win big. In the 25 years between my first game at the Cotton Bowl in 1964 and the day Tom Landry was fired in 1989, I watched my favorite team:

• Play in 5 SBs, winning 2
• Play in 12 conference championship games, winning 8
• Play in 4 straight conference championships 1970, 71, 72 and 73, winning 2.
• Win 11 divisional playoff games
• Have 20 straight winning seasons.

As Cowboys fans we were spoiled. By 89, when the Jones boys took over, we had suffered 3 straight losing seasons, including two more seasons under Jimmy. Then in 91, we turned it around and famously won 3 SBs in 4 years- the FIRST NFL team to do that!

We only had to wait a decade between the last conference championship game we played (1982) and the next one in 1992, which was the start of another great run as a franchise.

We all know the 1995 season was the last time Cowboys fans got to see our favorite team win a Super Bowl- or even win a divisional round playoff game, or appear in a conference championship game.
We have waited longer than any other time in our storied history for even a divisional playoff win, much less a conference championship game or SB.

Here’s some perspective on the “patience” we are practicing now:

• The last time the Cowboys won a divisional playoff game, Tony Romo was a Sophomore in High School in Wisconsin.
• The last time the Cowboys won a divisional playoff game, Dak Prescott was two years old.
• Since the Cowboys last SB in Jan, 1996, all three other local pro sports teams in the Dallas area- Dallas Mavericks, Dallas Stars, and Texas Rangers have all won either outright championships or have played in the Finals of their sport.
• We are now looking at nearly 25 years since we have even won a divisional playoff game.

I would like to think I’m a patient man. But a quarter of century under the same GM, with these results tests my patience. I’m hopeful about the Mike McCarthy hire, and I love what Will McClay brings to personnel acquisition and drafting. But the winners of the last 24 SBs all had owners who hired a separate GM.
That’s not a coincidence. And yes, I know JJ will never change.

Guess patience is still needed.

1 - Great post.
2 - All long time Cowboy fans, I started in 1963, Should think they are playing way ahead with house money. With the number of teams now the odds are your team should win 3 Super Bowls in your life time of watching and backing. I'm up 2. I hope they do win another few while I'm about walking the planet.

 

[GenoT]

Been a fan since 1960 (8yo). Seen all the good times and the bad.

If more patience it what it takes, I’ll still be here. However, there may be some whining and complaining.

 

[Point-of-the-Star]

Sadly, I have 3 sons, all born in the 80s, that I raised watching and loving the Cowboys. The last time the Cowboys were in the SB in Jan, 96, my oldest son who is nearly 37 year old son was 13.

Like so many DFW millennials, they look at the Cowboys as a sad relic of the past. They are now barely Cowboys fans. They are all big Mavericks and Rangers fans. They consider Jerry “a joke.” They will occasionally watch a Cowboys game with me.

I’m being patient hoping the Cowboys will return to playoff relevance soon.

This describes me to a "T".

I became a fan at 14 watching the Ice Bowl (I'm a self-taught fan coming from a baseball only family ... grandparents). I vividly remember the disheartening feeling the 2 years losing to Cleveland after the Ice Bowl .

I am a passionate fan. But becoming a severely impatient one. I'm very very tired of Jerry's results as GM. I buy no merchandise now, and walk away anytime I see a Jerrah interview on TV. I solely blame him for this quarter century of very poor results. I live on memories and hope and feel for our younger fans who wouldn't even recognize Cowboy excellence.

 

[Big_D]

This certainly isn’t the Jerry of years past. He finally rid this team of the nepotism situation that most of us thought was never going away! 2020 is a step in the right direction after a very long time! Hope has returned cause there was absolutely none before! At least he woke up! Could’ve stuck with his boy toy another 10.

 

[Diehardblues]

My 19 yr old son thinks the Cowboys are a joke, as he has never lived to see them win a div playoff game. There is an entire generation of would-be Cowboy fans in the Dallas area that were lost while Jerry pursued call girls harder than he did winning.

I think it’s important to separate the players or team from the dysfunctional organization.

Jerry and how he runs Cowboys football is a joke. It provides an obstacle, hindrance and handicap other teams aren’t challenged to overcome.

For 60 minutes 16 weeks a year and hopefully more our players appear to perform the best they can under the circumstances.

It’s not our teams fault they have poor leadership and usually lesser coaching who aren’t building a better team addressing the areas of concern which are holding us back , along with a better culture and atmosphere for success.

 

[Batman1980]

Jason Garrett - symbol of a larger problem or a big part of the problem himself? McCarthy knows how to win a championship so that's a massive upgrade by itself. I expect us to be better in all 3 phases whenever we resume play.

 

[Aven8]

He’s only hired a real HC three times now. Jimmy, Bill, and now Mike. We know the story on Jimmy. Bill built a team rather quickly but got out too soon. And Mike’s story is unwritten.

I have faith as all three have won SB’s.

Campo, Gailey, Wade, and especially JG were all a waste of our time.

 

[Diehardblues]

This certainly isn’t the Jerry of years past. He finally rid this team of the nepotism situation that most of us thought was never going away! 2020 is a step in the right direction after a very long time! Hope has returned cause there was absolutely none before! At least he woke up! Could’ve stuck with his boy toy another 10.

We’ve had several other experienced and qualified HC’s this generation than Garrett who haven’t had any more success in this toxic atmosphere including a HOF Super Bowl caliber HC ( Bill) and Super Bowl DC ( Wade).

Our lack of success in the last 20+ years isn’t just about coaching. It starts at the top. There’s been one constant thru it all. And it’s still here.

 

[Diehardblues]

He’s only hired a real HC three times now. Jimmy, Bill, and now Mike. We know the story on Jimmy. Bill built a team rather quickly but got out too soon. And Mike’s story is unwritten.

I have faith as all three have won SB’s.

Campo, Gailey, Wade, and especially JG were all a waste of our time.

I’m not sure why Wade wouldn’t be considered a real HC. He’s a proven DC who had other opportunities as HC. Gailey would certainly be close to fitting that criteria as well.

 

[Aven8]

I’m not sure why Wade wouldn’t be considered a real HC. He’s a proven DC who had other opportunities as HC. Gailey would certainly be close to fitting that criteria as well.

They were all better DC’s and OC’s than HC’s. The other three are real HC’s.

 

[Diehardblues]

They were all better DC’s and OC’s than HC’s. The other three are real HC’s.

The other 3 are proven successful HC. I agree.

But that doesn’t mean Wade and Chan weren't legitimate choices for HC’s who simply didn’t have more success.

And remember while Garrett was OC he was offered two other HC positions as well.

 

[Big_D]

We’ve had several other experienced and qualified HC’s this generation than Garrett who haven’t had any more success in this toxic atmosphere including a HOF Super Bowl caliber HC ( Bill) and Super Bowl DC ( Wade).

Our lack of success in the last 20+ years isn’t just about coaching. It starts at the top. There’s been one constant thru it all. And it’s still here.

wade 3 and half, bill 4, Garrett 13. Plus drafting and team building was on the right path during the Parcells era, but right back to crap after he left. Didn’t turn the corner in that area for quite some time! Now there’s a night and day difference in that regard. This was a great first draft for McCarthy adding to some talent already here. No dumazz trade ups or stupid Jerry gambles. Plus some quality additions in FA and a smart offseason. There’s a huge difference. Bill had an uphill battle, there’s talent here now and finally a good coach to bring it out. Comparing today’s team to the past teams very different situations! Parcells was here to build a stadium! That was made pretty clear after the fact!

 

[Diehardblues]

wade 3 and half, bill 4, Garrett 13. Plus drafting and team building was on the right path during the Parcells era, but right back to crap after he left. Didn’t turn the corner in that area for quite some time! Now there’s a night and day difference in that regard. This was a great first draft for McCarthy adding to some talent already here. No dumazz trade ups or stupid Jerry gambles. Plus some quality additions in FA and a smart offseason. There’s a huge difference. Bill had an uphill battle, there’s talent here now and finally a good coach to bring it out. Comparing today’s team to the past teams very different situations! Parcells was here to build a stadium! That was made pretty clear after the fact!

Garrett was actually only HC for 9 1/2 not 13. And some of our drafts were good during his tenure or we wouldn’t have the core of talent we currently have.

The best measurement for coaching or Mgmt is: are we in a better place that when you took over? Under Jerry I’d say only 3 coaches meet that criteria. Jimmy, Bill and Jason.

 

[Diehardblues]

They were all better DC’s and OC’s than HC’s. The other three are real HC’s.

I totally agree.

But the point remains the others were legitimate hires since were good coordinators including Garrett who had top 10 offenses and sought after by at least 2 teams for HC while an OC.

 

[Big_D]

Garrett was actually only HC for 9 1/2 not 13. And some of our drafts were good during his tenure or we wouldn’t have the core of talent we currently have.

The best measurement for coaching or Mgmt is: are we in a better place that when you took over? Under Jerry I’d say only 3 coaches meet that criteria. Jimmy, Bill and Jason.

he was still here for 13 and still very much a part of the decisions. Plus although the drafts were solid and they found some talent, They still made dumazz decisions with early draft picks. The mo trade up, Escobar, Gregory, trystan Hill, RB at 4, an injured LB who won’t be ready for 2 years.. the list of questionable draft day blunders was huge even when the drafts looked ok. The overall 53 was basically terrible. Scattered talent wasn’t winning anything and they just finished 8-8. lol saying he left it better than he found it after a decade here is just more garbage!

 

[Diehardblues]

he was still here for 13 and still very much a part of the decisions. Plus although the drafts were solid and they found some talent, They still made dumazz decisions with early draft picks. The mo trade up, Escobar, Gregory, trystan Hill, RB at 4, an injured LB who won’t be ready for 2 years.. the list of questionable draft day blunders was huge even when the drafts looked ok. The overall 53 was basically terrible. Scattered talent wasn’t winning anything and they just finished 8-8. lol saying he left it better than he found it after a decade here is just more garbage!

What other HC’s do we include their tenure as an coordinator referencing them in such fashion? It’s an obvious attempt at further bashing them.

I didn’t say all of their drafts were good. They obviously made some poor decisions, mostly on defense.

The bottomline is he left a good core of talent for this regime to build on. And my point remains that we are in a better place than when he took over.

And he won more division titles and playoff games than the 4 head coaches cumulatively over the previous 13 years.

 

[Big_D]

What other HC’s do we include their tenure as an coordinator referencing them in such fashion? It’s an obvious attempt at further bashing them.

I didn’t say all of their drafts were good. They obviously made some poor decisions, mostly on defense.

The bottomline is he left a good core of talent for this regime to build on. And my point remains that we are in a better place than when he took over.

And he won more division titles and playoff games than the 4 head coaches cumulatively over the previous 13 years.

Ones who are named assistant HC on day 1 and clearly the future of the franchise. That’s not obvious considering how they scapegoated Phillips out of town? lol The previous 13 were a complete mess. That’s when Jerry was full on horrendous. From the ridiculous Galloway trade to the pathetic Williams trade. Parcells could only do so much in between some of the worst management possible. Like I said before, better drafts were still a long way off!

 

[Diehardblues]

Ones who are named assistant HC on day 1 and clearly the future of the franchise. That’s not obvious considering how they scapegoated Phillips out of town? lol The previous 13 were a complete mess. That’s when Jerry was full on horrendous. From the ridiculous Galloway trade to the pathetic Williams trade. Parcells could only do so much in between some of the worst management possible. Like I said before, better drafts were still a long way off!

I agree. It was a mess. The evermore reason to appreciate the influence Garrett presented despite his coaching flaws. Wade wasn’t set up for success. Jerry undermined his authority from the onset.

And it was obvious to me the influence and better drafts begun in 2011 when Garrett became HC not while he was still OC.

 

[Diehardblues]

Remember , I’m not arguing Garrett was a good HC. I’m arguing he was a better influence on Jerry building a better team.