The Jimmy Johnson Era

[KJJ]

Taking Deion away from SF and adding him to the '95 Cowboys help as well.

No doubt because the addition of Deion the year prior in 94 without question helped SF overtake the Cowboys that season. SF was 10-6 in 93 after being 14-2 in 92 and although they made it back to the NFC title game in 93 vs the Cowboys they appeared to be a team that might be on the way down which is why they went after Deion.

 

[KJJ]

I have a simple, yet complicated question for everyone here.

Do you think Jimmy Johnson tanked the 1989 season to obtain the first round draft pick?

No, because by selecting Steve Walsh in the supplemental draft in 89 that cost the Cowboys their #1 pick the following year which ended up being the #1 overall pick. Jimmy knew it would probably get worse before it got better dumping several veteran players and trading Walker but once he selected Steve Walsh in 89 the only #1 he had entering the 1990 draft was from Minnesota.

 

[BringBackThatOleTimeBoys]

Taking Deion away from SF and adding him to the '95 Cowboys help as well.

Deion definitely helped Dallas, but it also put them deep in a salary cap hole.

Still laugh when the Commanders overestimated the number of prime years he had left.

 

[Red Dragon]

As great as Jimmy Johnson was, I'm not convinced the Cowboys would have necessarily exceeded their 3 Super Bowls in the 1990s had he stayed on as head coach.

His coaching style wasn't made to last for more than a few years with a particular group of players.

People mention the 1994 NFC Championship Game, but Emmitt Smith was playing injured and that Niners team was a force to be reckoned with. There is no reason to blithely assume that a Johnson-coached Cowboys team would have simply coasted in and out of Candlestick Park that afternoon with a win.

Plus, the Packers' rise to power in 1996 and thereafter, and free agency, would have still caused a Cowboys decline.

 

[Red Dragon]

Long story short: Had Jimmy Johnson stayed on longer, I think the Cowboys would have won maybe 2-3 extra playoff games in that decade, but not necessarily any extra Super Bowls.

The Cowboys' decline might have been postponed a couple of years, but the Green Bay Packers from 1996-1998 were a really, really good team. (Don't give me the Cowboys' mental advantage over the Packers; all such mental advantages fade away sooner or later.)

 

[KJJ]

I think he would just have burned out the coaches with his abrasive coaching style.

Had Jimmy's intense coaching style been an issue the coaches on his staff would have burned out the first few seasons. It wasn't pretty in 89 and 90. Never once heard any of the coaches on Jimmy's staff say anything negative about his style. He was demanding like all great coaches are from Lombardi to Noll.

Can't ever recall hearing any coach say that a coach they worked under burned them out. Coaching is a tough demanding business that involves long hours and dedication. All coaches from head coaches to assistants are prepared for it. If an assistant coach can't handle the heat of working under a successful head coach then they won't have what it takes to become a head coach themselves which is what they all aspire to be one day.

If the players weren't burning out under Jimmy the coaches wouldn't of especially with all the success the Cowboys were having. I suspect had Jimmy stayed around he would have mellowed at least some with age.

 

[BAT]

You hear a lot of Cowboy fans say the Cowboys won SB XXX in spite of Switzer but I don't believe a team can win a championship in spite of a coach 2 years after they take over if they can't lead. After the Cowboys lost the NFC title game to SF in 94 it appeared the Cowboys SB run was over. Free agency had started eating away at the talent after the 92 season. The players had to buy into Switzer for the team to bounce back after that disappointing 94 title game loss and win another championship the following year.

The Cowboys were 3 years removed from winning their first SB under Jimmy and with free agency tearing away at the team the players had to buy into Switzer for the team to stay focused. The players liked him and Aikman said that Switzer was one of the best motivators he had ever been around. The Cowboys needed another SB win during the 90's to become the undisputed team of that decade. Say what you will about Switzer but he deserves some credit for keeping that team together for one more championship.

Hard for me to dislike a coach who helped lead the Cowboys to a SB win over the hated Steelers who dominated the Cowboys during the 70's and helped secure the Cowboys as the greatest team of the 90's. Unlike Jimmy Switzer had to deal with Jerry's meddling ways. Once Jimmy left the draft was in Jerry's hands and other than Larry Allen the team was coming up empty with Jerry having the final say on draft picks. A lot of Cowboy fans blame Switzer for the teams decline but it was free agency and Jerry hand picking players like Quincy Carter that caused the Cowboys to fade.

Many Cowboys' PLAYERS have said the same thing. And they are now saying it more often and more vociferously of late, especially the Triplets.

 

[BAT]

Long story short: Had Jimmy Johnson stayed on longer, I think the Cowboys would have won maybe 2-3 extra playoff games in that decade, but not necessarily any extra Super Bowls.

The Cowboys' decline might have been postponed a couple of years, but the Green Bay Packers from 1996-1998 were a really, really good team. (Don't give me the Cowboys' mental advantage over the Packers; all such mental advantages fade away sooner or later.)

Tell that to Brett Favre. He hated playing the Cowboys, especially in Texas Stadium.

 

[KJJ]

Many Cowboys' PLAYERS have said the same thing. And they are now saying it more often and more vociferously of late, especially the Triplets.

Interesting because I've never heard any of the players say they won that SB "in spite" of Switzer. The fans sure have been saying it for years but I don't know how you can keep a team focused for 2 years and have them bounce back from a championship game loss to win the SB the following year if the players aren't buying into the head coach. I know Aikman wasn't happy with the teams discipline at the time and made it known so maybe now with time their true feelings are starting to surface.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

As great as Jimmy Johnson was, I'm not convinced the Cowboys would have necessarily exceeded their 3 Super Bowls in the 1990s had he stayed on as head coach.

His coaching style wasn't made to last for more than a few years with a particular group of players.

People mention the 1994 NFC Championship Game, but Emmitt Smith was playing injured and that Niners team was a force to be reckoned with. There is no reason to blithely assume that a Johnson-coached Cowboys team would have simply coasted in and out of Candlestick Park that afternoon with a win.

Plus, the Packers' rise to power in 1996 and thereafter, and free agency, would have still caused a Cowboys decline.

No one said it would have been a lock... But the opportunity was taken away.

Had Jimmy's intense coaching style been an issue the coaches on his staff would have burned out the first few seasons. It wasn't pretty in 89 and 90. Never once heard any of the coaches on Jimmy's staff say anything negative about his style. He was demanding like all great coaches are from Lombardi to Noll.

Can't ever recall hearing any coach say that a coach they worked under burned them out. Coaching is a tough demanding business that involves long hours and dedication. All coaches from head coaches to assistants are prepared for it. If an assistant coach can't handle the heat of working under a successful head coach then they won't have what it takes to become a head coach themselves which is what they all aspire to be one day.

If the players weren't burning out under Jimmy the coaches wouldn't of especially with all the success the Cowboys were having. I suspect had Jimmy stayed around he would have mellowed at least some with age.

Yep.

Tell that to Brett Favre. He hated playing the Cowboys, especially in Texas Stadium.

He has more than once said that he considered the season over before going a playoff game vs the cowboys.

Saying things like... "well guys it was a good season, see you next year"

 

[perrykemp]

Tell that to Brett Favre. He hated playing the Cowboys, especially in Texas Stadium.

If I recall, due to some odd scheduling quirks, that Cowboys team NEVER played at Lambeau during the Cowboys 1990s Superbowl years -- ALL the games, including the regular season games, were at Texas Stadium.

It wasn't until 1997 that the Cowboys, who were then in serious decline, went to Lambeau and got trounced 45-17.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I wanted Irvin to win an MVP during either the larry brown game or the year we missed the superbowl. Either way I wanted Irvin to in an Superbowl MVP so we could have had each of the triplets with the honor.

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

Interesting because I've never heard any of the players say they won that SB "in spite" of Switzer. The fans sure have been saying it for years but I don't know how you can keep a team focused for 2 years and have them bounce back from a championship game loss to win the SB the following year if the players aren't buying into the head coach. I know Aikman wasn't happy with the teams discipline at the time and made it known so maybe now with time their true feelings are starting to surface.

I watched some sort of documentary where Moose said something to the effect that they won in spite of the coaches. IIRC he actually went as far as saying some of the assistant coaches felt that way as well.

But carry on

 

[KJJ]

I watched some sort of documentary where Moose said something to the effect that they won in spite of the coaches. IIRC he actually went as far as saying some of the assistant coaches felt that way as well.

But carry on

Coming from you it's probably a spin. :laugh2:

 

[Red Dragon]

I wanted Irvin to win an MVP during either the larry brown game or the year we missed the superbowl. Either way I wanted Irvin to in an Superbowl MVP so we could have had each of the triplets with the honor.

Same here. Would have been nice for Aikman, Smith and Irvin to each have been Super Bowl MVP once.


Just like right now I wish Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker would each have a Finals MVP. (Ginobili is the only one who hasn't won Finals MVP before; I personally think he should have won it in 2005.)

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

Coming from you it's probably a spin. :laugh2:

I cant hold a candle to you when it comes to spin. I'm a novice by comparison.

I dont remember if the Moose comments were on an BSPN show or NFLN show. But I remember him saying something along those lines.

 

[KJJ]

I cant hold a candle to you when it comes to spin. I'm a novice by comparison.

Just another SPIN you simply can't stop it's an affliction. :laugh2: Seriously you should use that pic as your avatar it's so you! LOL

 

[KJJ]

.

I dont remember if the Moose comments were on an BSPN show or NFLN show. But I remember him saying something along those lines.

Something along those lines isn't going to cut it especially coming from someone like you who has a reputation for giving their own interpretation of what people say...SPIN ON!

 

[TwoDeep3]

A little off topic here but I was looking up the comment that they won in spite of Switzer.

I found this article.

Judge it for yourself.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/11/07/jimmy-johnson-calls-jerry-jones-g-m-claims-a-crock/

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

Just another SPIN you simply can't stop it's an affliction. :laugh2: Seriously you should use that pic as your avatar it's so you! LOL

I can say the sky is blue, the grass is green, and the sand is white on Longboat Key, and whether or not you choose to acknowledge it as true does absolutely nothing to validate or negate it whatsoever. You can call it SPIN just because it refutes what you post or you dont agree with it, but it doesnt make it SPIN. You can SPIN however you want and claim others are the SPINNERS, but your SPIN is SPIN nevertheless. And thats why you are the resident SPIN Doctor here on CZ!