Where is the media's courage?

[rcaldw]

When it comes to Jerry Jones? Why, even when they try to question him about "meddling" do they do it as if they are his drinking buddies? There is usually laughter and cutting up, and all the rest. Why doesn't someone, in a very serious tone, ask him the tough questions that a lot of the fans of this team want delivered to him?

I really believe that a majority of fans (not discounting the many on this board that disagree with me, I'm not oblivious to that), wish that Jerry would stop the kind of nonsense we have seen the last two weeks. First he questions his head coach openly in the lockeroom, and then makes the idiotic statement today about basically "giving permission" for Murray to break a record.

The media tries to act so bold on other occasions, where is the serious minded boldness needed to ask this man those questions?

You can criticize Dale Hanson for a lot of things, and I would agree with you about many of them, but at least it seemed to me that he never kissed Jerry's ring.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

When it comes to Jerry Jones? Why, even when they try to question him about "meddling" do they do it as if they are his drinking buddies? There is usually laughter and cutting up, and all the rest. Why doesn't someone, in a very serious tone, ask him the tough questions that a lot of the fans of this team want delivered to him?

I really believe that a majority of fans (not discounting the many on this board that disagree with me, I'm not oblivious to that), wish that Jerry would stop the kind of nonsense we have seen the last two weeks. First he questions his head coach openly in the lockeroom, and then makes the idiotic statement today about basically "giving permission" for Murray to break a record.

The media tries to act so bold on other occasions, where is the serious minded boldness needed to ask this man those questions?

You can criticize Dale Hanson for a lot of things, and I would agree with you about many of them, but at least it seemed to me that he never kissed Jerry's ring.

His meddling? Hes the owner and the GM. He is going to discuss the roster and how players are used because that is a GMs job. It is what it is.

You really want to start the 'FIRE JERRY AS GM' chant now?

 

[JoeCorrado]

Jerry Jones is the OWNER of the team, not "just" a high ranking management type. that does make a difference. Not just because Jones can take punitive actions against a sports writer, but because it is akin to asking a homeowner why they planted flowers instead of shrubs in the front yard. Jerry spends the money and "he" gets, what "he" wants. Pretty simple.

Just curious to know, what are some of the "tough" questions that you would like to have answered?

 

[rcaldw]

His meddling? Hes the owner and the GM. He is going to discuss the roster and how players are used because that is a GMs job. It is what it is.

You really want to start the 'FIRE JERRY AS GM' chant now?

Of course he is not going to be fired. But he can be shown to be the egomaniac that he is. And maybe if more of that was done he would begin to feel a bit sheepish about his more ridiculous behavior. Being the owner and GM and discussing roster makeup and that sort of thing is one thing... to openly question your head coach's play calling in the lockeroom after game 5 of the regular season in his first year is just stupid. And the comment about the record, again, is nothing more or less than Al Davis behavior. Maybe if people began to point that out in a serious manner instead of yukking it up with him, he would begin to have the perception of that behavior that I believe the majority of the fan base have of it.

 

[rcaldw]

Jerry Jones is the OWNER of the team, not "just" a high ranking management type. that does make a difference. Not just because Jones can take punitive actions against a sports writer, but because it is akin to asking a homeowner why they planted flowers instead of shrubs in the front yard. Jerry spends the money and "he" gets, what "he" wants. Pretty simple.

Just curious to know, what are some of the "tough" questions that you would like to have answered?

1. Mr. Jones, do you believe that most of your fan base want to believe that you actually make calls to the coaching staff during a game to dictate how players are used?

2. Mr. Jones, what statement does that make about your contention through the years that you allow the coaches to do their job, and that you have NEVER interfered with the coaches in their duties?

3. Mr. Jones, do you believe that your behavior undermines your head coaches. It seems to be a repetitive pattern with you.

Of course, a professional journalist could form the questions better than I have, but a similar line of questioning would an interesting thing to listen to and to hear his responses to.

 

[JoeCorrado]

Well, in all honesty, there are certain similarities between Al Davis and Jerry Jones. Now that Al is gone, Jerry is the next closest thing.

Nobody could ever doubt Al's passion for the game, his love for his team, or his tireless efforts in support of each.

I think that you are too tough on Jerry Jones. He is not the worst GM in the league by a long shot. He does support Garrett and he seems to defer to him more than he ever did for most guys who have been HC here.

I note that Jerry has signed three offensive linemen recently in an effort to address a weakness on the team.

I notice that Jerry signed a WR lately also, Robinson, again to address a need.

What's the beef? Those efforts on his part seem to have been positives. He is a passionate owner, not surprised that he does "critique" his HC, he hired him after all.

 

[rcaldw]

Well, in all honesty, there are certain similarities between Al Davis and Jerry Jones. Now that Al is gone, Jerry is the next closest thing.

Nobody could ever doubt Al's passion for the game, his love for his team, or his tireless efforts in support of each.

I think that you are too tough on Jerry Jones. He is not the worst GM in the league by a long shot. He does support Garrett and he seems to defer to him more than he ever did for most guys who have been HC here.

I note that Jerry has signed three offensive linemen recently in an effort to address a weakness on the team.

I notice that Jerry signed a WR lately also, Robinson, again to address a need.

What's the beef? Those efforts on his part seem to have been positives. He is a passionate owner, not surprised that he does "critique" his HC, he hired him after all.

Joe, maybe you are right and maybe I am wrong. But what I look at is that during the time we had the most success under Jerry Jones, there was zero question who was in charge of football matters, and Jerry was NEVER vocal in the way he has been ever since Jimmy Johnson. That is just undebatable. Any honest person will admit that whether it was just public perception, or reality (and Jimmy says it is reality), Jerry never tried to cross into Jimmy's territory. Not publicly at least. The only other coach I've seen Jerry do that with is Parcells when he was here.

Jerry started out (with Garrett) in the way you say, but now two weeks in a row here comes mouthy Jerry again. And the comment about the record is beyond the pale.

I have no beef with Jerry the passionate owner. I have no complaints about the money that Jerry puts into his team. I've said it on many occasions... Jerry the owner I'm more than happy with. It is the behavior of the last two weeks (that I mentioned) that I despise. And I don't buy the usual response of those who defend him (well, its his team). While the FACTS stated are without dispute.... he's the owner and no one can tell him what to do... it still doesn't make it smart football behavior. And while no one has the authority to check him, at least he could begin to realize that the fan base (the majority) doesn't want him to be Al Davis.

 

[JoeCorrado]

1. Mr. Jones, do you believe that most of your fan base want to believe that you actually make calls to the coaching staff during a game to dictate how players are used?

2. Mr. Jones, what statement does that make about your contention through the years that you allow the coaches to do their job, and that you have NEVER interfered with the coaches in their duties?

3. Mr. Jones, do you believe that your behavior undermines your head coaches. It seems to be a repetitive pattern with you.

Of course, a professional journalist could form the questions better than I have, but a similar line of questioning would an interesting thing to listen to and to hear his responses to.

I can maybe help with the first question:

As GM/Owner he signs the checks. He hires and pays the salaries of the players and coaches. Of course he is entitled to ask that a player be utilized as envisioned when he was hired to fill a role. Coaches should be doing that without having to be asked. If Garrett is asked "why" anything, he best have an answer. Coaches always answer to the GM.

Regarding your second and third questions; sometimes Jones does overreach in his statements. I agree that he should realize that his comments can do more harm than good. He MUST support the coach publicly or Garrett's authority/credibility could be jeopardized. What he does privately though, is different. I have no doubt that some of those "discussions" that Garrett talks about, have been less than agreeable.

Just my take on it, from the outside looking in. I am sure that if the media asked pointed questions, they would get canned responses till the cows came home, and then they would lose their parking rights. :

 

[bbgun]

When it comes to Jerry Jones? Why, even when they try to question him about "meddling" do they do it as if they are his drinking buddies? There is usually laughter and cutting up, and all the rest. Why doesn't someone, in a very serious tone, ask him the tough questions that a lot of the fans of this team want delivered to him?

I really believe that a majority of fans (not discounting the many on this board that disagree with me, I'm not oblivious to that), wish that Jerry would stop the kind of nonsense we have seen the last two weeks. First he questions his head coach openly in the lockeroom, and then makes the idiotic statement today about basically "giving permission" for Murray to break a record.

The media tries to act so bold on other occasions, where is the serious minded boldness needed to ask this man those questions?

You can criticize Dale Hanson for a lot of things, and I would agree with you about many of them, but at least it seemed to me that he never kissed Jerry's ring.

Because they know he's never going to change and he's always good for a quote. In their defense, they scolded him pretty good for publicly second-guessing Garrett after the Pats game, which is why Jerry backpedaled a few days later.

 

[rcaldw]

I can maybe help with the first question:

As GM/Owner he signs the checks. He hires and pays the salaries of the players and coaches. Of course he is entitled to ask that a player be utilized as envisioned when he was hired to fill a role. Coaches should be doing that without having to be asked. If Garrett is asked "why" anything, he best have an answer. Coaches always answer to the GM.

Regarding your second and third questions; sometimes Jones does overreach in his statements. I agree that he should realize that his comments can do more harm than good. He MUST support the coach publicly or Garrett's authority/credibility could be jeopardized. What he does privately though, is different. I have no doubt that some of those "discussions" that Garrett talks about, have been less than agreeable.

Just my take on it, from the outside looking in. I am sure that if the media asked pointed questions, they would get canned responses till the cows came home, and then they would lose their parking rights. :

Joe, most of your response I can agree with, but I don't agree with your response to #1. I don't believe that the GM's in this league are calling down to the field about breaking rushing records. Just don't buy that. In fact, I don't think most of them are talking about how the head coach uses players, in terms of his week by week game plans. I don't think A.J. Smith is telling Norv Turner, in San Diego, how to use Ryan Matthews. I just don't see it.

So, it is an OWNER thing. And I say again. The owner can do what he wants, who can argue against that. But public perception cannot be controlled by the owner, and I'm absolutely convinced that most of the fan base thinks Jerry Jones needs to stay out of his head coach's way.

 

[rcaldw]

Because they know he's never going to change and he's always good for a quote. In their defense, they scolded him pretty good for publicly second-guessing Garrett after the Pats game, which is why Jerry backpedaled a few days later.

I agree with both of your points BB.

 

[JoeCorrado]

The owner can do what he wants, who can argue against that. But public perception cannot be controlled by the owner, and I'm absolutely convinced that most of the fan base thinks Jerry Jones needs to stay out of his head coach's way.

We can certainly agree on that. Jerry hired Garrett to do a job, he needs to let him do it. If he fails, fire him and try again- but let the HC do it the way he feels it needs done, within reason.

Jerry sure hasn't critiqued Rob Ryan's performance on defense.

If Garrett had an OC, most of this would likely not be an issue and Jones would rip the OC through Garrett's office.

If a HC critiques offensive play calling by making a comment in response to a question from the press, "We needed to run the ball in that situation." kind of stuff. Is that meddling?

 

[rcaldw]

We can certainly agree on that. Jerry hired Garrett to do a job, he needs to let him do it. If he fails, fire him and try again- but let the HC do it the way he feels it needs done, within reason.

Jerry sure hasn't critiqued Rob Ryan's performance on defense.

If Garrett had an OC, most of this would likely not be an issue and Jones would rip the OC through Garrett's office.

If a HC critiques offensive play calling by making a comment in response to a question from the press, "We needed to run the ball in that situation." kind of stuff. Is that meddling?

If the HC criticizes one of his coordinators it is a part of being the HEAD COACH. It is within the confines of his job... coaching.

When the Owner/GM begins to do it, it now puts him within the confines of the head coach's job.

Of course it is the Owner/GM's job to critique the coach's overall performance when it comes to hiring him and firing him. Even privately I'm sure discussions go on within football organizations about ways that upper management believes things can be improved. But what Jones does GUTS his coaches, and he has done it for years.

There have been two notable exceptions (Johnson and Parcells), and I was sure hoping Garrett would be the third.

 

[Beast_from_East]

Of course he is not going to be fired. But he can be shown to be the egomaniac that he is. And maybe if more of that was done he would begin to feel a bit sheepish about his more ridiculous behavior. Being the owner and GM and discussing roster makeup and that sort of thing is one thing... to openly question your head coach's play calling in the lockeroom after game 5 of the regular season in his first year is just stupid. And the comment about the record, again, is nothing more or less than Al Davis behavior. Maybe if people began to point that out in a serious manner instead of yukking it up with him, he would begin to have the perception of that behavior that I believe the majority of the fan base have of it.

He openly questioned Garrett because Garrett blew the game. 95% of the threads on this board was calling Garrett out for basically throwing the game, so what Jerry was being Captain Obvious here.

What did you want Jerry to do, lie about how great Garrett is?

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

Anybody that CANNOT see the "problem" with Jerry Jones is just BLIND or worse! Even if Jones DID give the green light for Murray to break the records.....WHY did he have to make that public knowledge? YEARS after firing Jimmy Johson...Jones STILL does not get it. He will NEVER be regarded for the "football man" he craves to be. So his continued efforts to win HIS way have left us with going on 20 years of futlility because of his EGO. And yet there are people on this board that continue to ring the "it's his team, he can do what he wants" bell. How's tha worked out over the last 15+ years?

 

[Gadfly22]

Here's why:

1. Mr. Jones, do you believe that most of your fan base want to believe that you actually make calls to the coaching staff during a game to dictate how players are used?

Answer: "The Dallas Cowboys have the greatest fan base in the league and...uh...Ah think they know..uh..are fully aware..uh...that I have the highest level of confidence in out fahne coaching staff. Ah think our staff has gotten stronger, and Ah have never...uh...had more confidence in any group."

2. Mr. Jones, what statement does that make about your contention through the years that you allow the coaches to do their job, and that you have NEVER interfered with the coaches in their duties?

Answer: "Ah am the general manager of the team and...uh...it's mah responsibility...uh...in that capacity to oversee the...uh...our...our coaches, raght down the line. But ah do respect our coaches and..uh...expect them to do their jobs. Uh...which they do very well. So Ah'm very happy with how...uh...they, the coaches, have been going about their duties. Especially...uh...this year with the..uh...shortened preparation tahme we had to deal with."

3. Mr. Jones, do you believe that your behavior undermines your head coaches. It seems to be a repetitive pattern with you.

Answer: "As Ah said, I have the highest respect...uh..for the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff...uh...uh...now and over the years. And...uh...Ah have always trahed to have a good relationship, worked at that relationship. So Ah think any general manager...uh...as Ah am...has to have a good business relationship with the coaches...uh...for communication and..uh...mutual respect."

That's why journalists don't bother with adversarial or accusatory questions with Jerry. Because you will invariably get a cartload of wool in return.

 

[rcaldw]

Here's why:

1. Mr. Jones, do you believe that most of your fan base want to believe that you actually make calls to the coaching staff during a game to dictate how players are used?

Answer: "The Dallas Cowboys have the greatest fan base in the league and...uh...Ah think they know..uh..are fully aware..uh...that I have the highest level of confidence in out fahne coaching staff. Ah think our staff has gotten stronger, and Ah have never...uh...had more confidence in any group."

2. Mr. Jones, what statement does that make about your contention through the years that you allow the coaches to do their job, and that you have NEVER interfered with the coaches in their duties?

Answer: "Ah am the general manager of the team and...uh...it's mah responsibility...uh...in that capacity to oversee the...uh...our...our coaches, raght down the line. But ah do respect our coaches and..uh...expect them to do their jobs. Uh...which they do very well. So Ah'm very happy with how...uh...they, the coaches, have been going about their duties. Especially...uh...this year with the..uh...shortened preparation tahme we had to deal with."

3. Mr. Jones, do you believe that your behavior undermines your head coaches. It seems to be a repetitive pattern with you.

Answer: "As Ah said, I have the highest respect...uh..for the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff...uh...uh...now and over the years. And...uh...Ah have always trahed to have a good relationship, worked at that relationship. So Ah think any general manager...uh...as Ah am...has to have a good business relationship with the coaches...uh...for communication and..uh...mutual respect."

That's why journalists don't bother with adversarial or accusatory questions with Jerry. Because you will invariably get a cartload of wool in return.

I completely agree, and of course, with everyone else, have seen enough of these answers to know what we will get. I think what I would hope for is that eventually with enough questions and enough scrutiny, the thing that most drives the guy anyway (PERCEPTION) would force him to do more of what is better for his football team.

 

[Jed_70]

His meddling? Hes the owner and the GM. He is going to discuss the roster and how players are used because that is a GMs job. It is what it is.

You really want to start the 'FIRE JERRY AS GM' chant now?

Here's the thing. Look around the league and tell me how many successful owners/GMs are giving "permission" for a player to break a team record. Or how many of them are constantly providing injury updates.

Yeah it's his team but there's a reason his team hasn't been very successful over the past several years.

I'm not going to engage in some long drawn out Jerry debate because it's old and neither side gets anywhere.

I just get tired of people defending his idiocy by dropping the "it's his team" line.

If the Cowboys were a publicly traded commodity with Jerry as CEO the board of directors would have voted him out a long time ago. I'll just leave it at that.

 

[Eric_Boyer]

His meddling? Hes the owner and the GM. He is going to discuss the roster and how players are used because that is a GMs job. It is what it is.

You really want to start the 'FIRE JERRY AS GM' chant now?

the role of the gm is not to decide on in game player packages. he admitted to doing something no other gm in this league would dream of claiming is their role.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

As someone said, Dale Hansen has absolutely hammered Jerry on his GMing. He's even done it to his face on live TV.

But Jerry doesn't care. If anything, it only seems to strengthen his resolve.