Strange but true

[muck4doo]

During the time Jerry Jones took over the team I was living in upstate NY(Capitol District), and I got into many discussions with Bills and Giants fans(rare to find one admitting to be a Jets fan at the time). They knew I was Cowboys fan and would give me a hard time, but much more so the Bills fans than the Giants fans. What I thought was odd was when Jerry Jones fired Tom Landry the Giants fans were livid about the whole situation.

"OMG! He fired Tom Landry! How dare he!!!"

My thoughts, "Yeah, it could have been handled better, but the game has passed by Tom Landry".

They were seriously angry over it. Maybe because Landry is a former NY Giant? I just thought it was weird at the time they seemed more angry about it than the Cowboys fans in the area.

 

[LandryFan]

During the time Jerry Jones took over the team I was living in upstate NY(Capitol District), and I got into many discussions with Bills and Giants fans(rare to find one admitting to be a Jets fan at the time). They knew I was Cowboys fan and would give me a hard time, but much more so the Bills fans than the Giants fans. What I thought was odd was when Jerry Jones fired Tom Landry the Giants fans were livid about the whole situation.

"OMG! He fired Tom Landry! How dare he!!!"

My thoughts, "Yeah, it could have been handled better, but the game has passed by Tom Landry".

They were seriously angry over it. Maybe because Landry is a former NY Giant? I just thought it was weird at the time they seemed more angry about it than the Cowboys fans in the area.

That is a bit odd, but I guarantee you they weren't as livid as I was. I will hold the handling of that firing against JJ 'til the day I die.

 

[erod]

Landry was the only coach the Cowboys had ever had. That marks time with people. It's a comforting presence. It's like when a celebrity from your childhood passes away. It jolts you into your own mortality.

When I see Roger Staubach, it hurts my heart. He looks great for his age, but he's not supposed to get old. When I saw Bart Starr go out on the golf cart to hug Brett Farve at the number retirement, that hurt, too.

Want a shock?

Bill Bates is 55 years old. Tony Dorsett is 62.

 

[jaybird]

Landry was the only coach the Cowboys had ever had. That marks time with people. It's a comforting presence. It's like when a celebrity from your childhood passes away. It jolts you into your own mortality.

When I see Roger Staubach, it hurts my heart. He looks great for his age, but he's not supposed to get old. When I saw Bart Starr go out on the golf cart to hug Brett Farve at the number retirement, that hurt, too.

Want a shock?

Bill Bates is 55 years old. Tony Dorsett is 62.

Bill Bates is 55 years old. Tony Dorsett is 62.--that's crazy-- dang Im getting old

 

[MRV52]

During the time Jerry Jones took over the team I was living in upstate NY(Capitol District), and I got into many discussions with Bills and Giants fans(rare to find one admitting to be a Jets fan at the time). They knew I was Cowboys fan and would give me a hard time, but much more so the Bills fans than the Giants fans. What I thought was odd was when Jerry Jones fired Tom Landry the Giants fans were livid about the whole situation.

"OMG! He fired Tom Landry! How dare he!!!"

My thoughts, "Yeah, it could have been handled better, but the game has passed by Tom Landry".

They were seriously angry over it. Maybe because Landry is a former NY Giant? I just thought it was weird at the time they seemed more angry about it than the Cowboys fans in the area.

I am still pissed about that.

 

[JackOfNoTrades]

the handling of Landry's firing by JJ did not help the majority perception but I'd say it has a lot to do with it being a different era for the NFL and our country as a whole as well. Dynasties, endless employer loyalty, people making a career at one job.

 

[bandfan]

I wonder.... if JJ had handled Landry's departure in a manner considered more respectful, would the public perception of JJ be different today?

 

[muck4doo]

I am still pissed about that.

I knew Tom Landry's days were numbered when they lost that game against the Miami Dolphins in I think 1984? Tony Hill made an amazing catch off of his foot but it was ruled incomplete. The Cowboys lost, missed the play offs, and slid downhill after that game. I love Tom Landry, and am proud to say he and my great grandfather were born one day apart in September in Mission TX 1924. I like to think as babies in the hospital they were next to each other. That statue outside the stadium is well deserved, but it was time for him to step down and let it go. How Jerry Jones handled the whole situation is an entire disgrace.

 

[jazzcat22]

Tex Schramm took the fault of how they handled Tom Landry. Every always wants to blame Jerry for everything, but will never give him credit.

I did not like that Landry was let go either, but i understood it, and was excited to see what Jimmy and a new era could do.
I was living in South Florida at that time. I was not a big Hurricane or Jimmy fan, but they didn't bother me either.

so when I heard that he was going to be the new HC, I thought, what?. Then the more I thought about it, I was thinknig, well we won in college, and this is a new slate, I thought, this was needed, and this is good.

The report got out BEFORE they had a chance to even announce Jimmy as the new HC, and before they could arrange to tell Tom.
Tom knew what was coming and he took off to play golf.

By pure coincidence a reporter was in the same restaurant at the same time Jimmy and Jerry were having dinner, the night before the announcement was to be done. So he put it all together, and reported, Landry fired, Jimmy the new coach, or however it read.
Then they had to locate Tom to officially tell him. Tex came out and said he botched that, he should have handled it better.

 

[MRV52]

I knew Tom Landry's days were numbered when they lost that game against the Miami Dolphins in I think 1984? Tony Hill made an amazing catch off of his foot but it was ruled incomplete. The Cowboys lost, missed the play offs, and slid downhill after that game. I love Tom Landry, and am proud to say he and my great grandfather were born one day apart in September in Mission TX 1924. I like to think as babies in the hospital they were next to each other. That statue outside the stadium is well deserved, but it was time for him to step down and let it go. How Jerry Jones handled the whole situation is an entire disgrace.

Totally agree with you it was time, but the organization could have done something for him for what he did. Totally disgraceful.

 

[erod]

I wonder.... if JJ had handled Landry's departure in a manner considered more respectful, would the public perception of JJ be different today?

Winning 2 playoff games in 20 years is Jerry's perception problem now.

He botched Landry's firing. He botched Jimmy's firing. And he's botched everything since.

He's a.....botcher.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I know it's popular to say that the game had passed Tom Landry by but I wonder if that's really true? In 1988, Michael Irvin was already on the team. Nate Newton, Kevin Gogan, Mark Tuinei were all already here. Tom Landry was smart enough to draft Herschel Walker in the 5th round in 1985. Tom Landry wanted to actually hire Jimmy Johnson as an Assistant Coach, prior to being fired. It was Coach Landry's staff that did all of the work on Troy Aikman and it was Aikman that Tom Landry had already settled on as their selection in the 1989 Draft, had he still been with the team. Basically, Jerry and Jimmy took what Coach Landry's staff had already done and just drafted Troy. By the time Jerry and Jimmy came on board, there was no time to do a real job of scouting players for the 89 draft. They used a lot of what Coach Landry had already done in that draft.

I wonder what might have happened if Coach Landry had stayed? What did Troy like? He liked structure and what was Coach Landry all about? Structure and detail, down to the smallest detail in fact.

 

[muck4doo]

I know it's popular to say that the game had passed Tom Landry by but I wonder if that's really true? In 1988, Michael Irvin was already on the team. Nate Newton, Kevin Gogan, Mark Tuinei were all already here. Tom Landry was smart enough to draft Herschel Walker in the 5th round in 1985. Tom Landry wanted to actually hire Jimmy Johnson as an Assistant Coach, prior to being fired. It was Coach Landry's staff that did all of the work on Troy Aikman and it was Aikman that Tom Landry had already settled on as their selection in the 1989 Draft, had he still been with the team. Basically, Jerry and Jimmy took what Coach Landry's staff had already done and just drafted Troy. By the time Jerry and Jimmy came on board, there was no time to do a real job of scouting players for the 89 draft. They used a lot of what Coach Landry had already done in that draft.

I wonder what might have happened if Coach Landry had stayed? What did Troy like? He liked structure and what was Coach Landry all about? Structure and detail, down to the smallest detail in fact.

Good point.

 

[bayeslife]

Winning 2 playoff games in 20 years is Jerry's perception problem now.

He botched Landry's firing. He botched Jimmy's firing. And he's botched everything since.

He's a.....botcher.

He's also got 3 titles fwiw

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

He's also got 3 titles fwiw

Thanks to Jimmy and we've been paying for it ever since.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

I know it's popular to say that the game had passed Tom Landry by but I wonder if that's really true? In 1988, Michael Irvin was already on the team. Nate Newton, Kevin Gogan, Mark Tuinei were all already here. Tom Landry was smart enough to draft Herschel Walker in the 5th round in 1985. Tom Landry wanted to actually hire Jimmy Johnson as an Assistant Coach, prior to being fired. It was Coach Landry's staff that did all of the work on Troy Aikman and it was Aikman that Tom Landry had already settled on as their selection in the 1989 Draft, had he still been with the team. Basically, Jerry and Jimmy took what Coach Landry's staff had already done and just drafted Troy. By the time Jerry and Jimmy came on board, there was no time to do a real job of scouting players for the 89 draft. They used a lot of what Coach Landry had already done in that draft.

I wonder what might have happened if Coach Landry had stayed? What did Troy like? He liked structure and what was Coach Landry all about? Structure and detail, down to the smallest detail in fact.

Cowboy fans were used to excellence back then. It was unthinkable for the team to have 3 straight losing seasons. I don't know if Landry could have built the team up again but it does take time. He deserved the benefit of the doubt. I think fans would be a lot harder on Jones if Jimmy hadn't succeeded. Winning cures all. As mad as I was at the time, it vanished when we were winning SB's.

 

[bayeslife]

Thanks to Jimmy and we've been paying for it ever since.

Jimmy didn't hire himself.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

Jimmy didn't hire himself.

Nope but he did everything else. I'll give Jerry credit for hiring him.