Dallas Cowboys Decade of Futility Book Signing

Many thanks to Brent Bankston's and his hard working staff at Bankston's Cards & Comics in Waco. Ryan Bush had another successful Book Signing for Decade of Futility today.

Anthony Wright is One Reason for Dallas Cowboys' Decade of Futility

Anthony Wright, shown here in a game against Oakland, started six games for the Cowboys after Troy Aikman's career-ending injury in December of 2000. Wright never topped the 200-yard mark in passing, a big reason he left the Cowboys with a 1-5 mark as a starter. His 9-yard performance against the Titans to end the 2000 season will forever be remembered as one of the most uninspiring outings in the history of America's Team.

For a hard-copy of Decade of Futility, click here:

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Dallas Cowboys Decade of Futility: Decade of Futility Answers Questions For Dallas Co...

Dallas Cowboys Decade of Futility: Decade of Futility Answers Questions For Dallas Co...: "How could the Team of The '90s follow such a thrilling decade up with one of such infamy?"  One of the most oft-asked q...

Jerry Jones & the Super Bowl - A Cowboys' Traditon of Futility

 by Ryan Bush

 

In Thursday's "State of The Cowboys" address, Jerry Jones showed several signs that three consecutive seasons without a playoff berth were taking its toll, admitting that the Cowboys "have got a lot of work to do."
 
Yet, being the cheerleader that he is, he couldn't help but talk about how much better the team is at this juncture than a year ago, and even managed to insert a comment - though tongue-in-cheek it may have seemed - about making a run at the Super Bowl.

This pre-training camp talk about a push to the Super Bowl is a Jones trademark. During the writing of Decade of Futility, I was shocked to learn just how much so. Since the "One Year Away" Cowboys shocked the world in 1992 by destroying Buffalo in Super Bowl XXVII by a 52-17 score, Jones has neglected to thrill listeners with Super aspirations a grand total of four times. That's four out of a possible twenty-one opportunities. Truly incredible.

Even more incredible are the circumstances surrounding those times when he deemed it better to be humble, rather than bold. The first occurrence was in the wake of Troy Aikman's retirement in 2001, when all the Cowboys were leaning upon was the unproven right arm of Georgia rookie Quincy Carter. Yes, Jones was magnanimous that day in his respect for the dark hour that his Cowboys found themselves in, foregoing any Super Bowl predictions, prophesying instead for a ho-hum mediocre campaign filled with only - yes, only - ten wins.

The only other times that Jones was silent on any personal visions of impending glory just happened to be during the first three years of Big Bill Parcells' four-year reign of pigskin terror, when Jones was effectively kept under wraps.

Jones talks so boldly because he wants the fans to know that he cares, and that he - in his position as the team's General Manager - has pieced together a roster that everyone will be proud of. He envisions himself as the sharpshooter in a darkened gym that calls his own shot on one three-pointer after another.

More importantly, is the fact that Jones believes these predictions are within the bounds of reason, even when others around him are pleading with him for patience, and temperance. 

The passing years have revealed that Jones is oblivious to any personal prohibitions related to drinking that most seductive of drinks, Cowboy Kool-Aid. The Cowboys have reaped the rewards this millennium of changing head coaches a mind-boggling four times. Five losing seasons, countless melodramas, one measly playoff victory, and a decade (2000-2009) that houses the lowest winning percentage in franchise history. 

And there, impervious to reality, criticism, and countless glaring statistics, stood the Cowboys owner yesterday, handing out a beverage that has enslaved the innocent and gullible for more than a decade. Yes, drinks are always on the house at Valley Ranch, no matter the hour, the venue, or circumstance.

Read more about Jerry Jones and the Worst Decade in Dallas Cowboys History in my new book Decade of Futility.

For a hard-copy of Decade of Futility, click here:
https://www.createspace.com/4161551


For the Kindle version of Decade of Futility, click here: http://www.amazon.com/Decade-of-Futility-ebook/dp/B00DXFGLSE/ref=sr_1_1_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373808496&sr=1-1&keywords=decade+of+futility

Dallas Cowboys' Decade of Futility - Jerry Jones and Bill Parcells were just one part!

Jerry & Bill - Not exactly a match made in Heaven!

Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells on working with Jerry Jones for four years:
“He’s a straightforward, honest guy,” Parcells said. “He really is. That’s all I look for. He was very supportive of me as a coach. Now were there things going on that occasionally I didn’t like? Yeah, there were, but that didn’t inhibit me from going to him, talking things out. He’s really great about that.”


So what drove these two apart? Find out in Chapters 15 and 16 of Decade of Futility.

For a hard-copy of Decade of Futility, click here:
https://www.createspace.com/4161551


For the Kindle version of Decade of Futility, click here: http://www.amazon.com/Decade-of-Futility-ebook/dp/B00DXFGLSE/ref=sr_1_1_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373808496&sr=1-1&keywords=decade+of+futility

Will The Cowboys Decade of Futility Continue? Is Tony Romo the Answer?

 

2004 Pre-season game against Raiders

That Tony Romo has had his share of difficulties in win-or-go-home games has been well documented, but nobody can rightly question the fact that he is a championship-caliber quarterback. Romo is the reason that Jerry Jones and a whole host of expectant Cowboy fans can hold out hope that America's Team can get back to the top of football's steep, and winding, staircase. Yes, Romo often drives coaches crazy with ill-advised impulse decisions, but has also used this same gunslinger mentality to give his team many more victories that otherwise would have been improbable, if not impossible.
What, you ask, is his most important last-minute effort over his ten-year career? Well, only a meaningless preseason contest from the Black Hole in Oakland where Romo's go-for-broke mentality not only won a game, but might very well have saved a franchise with it.

Read the full story in Chapter 13 of Decade of Futility by Ryan Bush.

For a hard-copy of Decade of Futility, click here:

For the Kindle version of Decade of Futility, click

Dallas Cowboys Worst Decade? Who Knew?

Available now is Decade of Futility: How the Leadership of Jerry Jones Transformed America's Team into a 21st Century Debacle, Resulting in the Worst Decade in Dallas Cowboys' History.

Authored by Ryan Bush, this tale of the incredible chronicles the failed attempts of General Manager Jerry Jones to maintain the momentum created by Jimmy Johnson, then to return the Cowboys to the glory of yesteryear. In the midst lies a fact that few realize. The first decade of the 21st century was the worst decade in Cowboys History.

Now you can relive the timeline of the Cowboys descent into uncharted territory with Jerry Jones leading the way.

Click Here for your Amazon Createspace Paperback Version.

Click Here for your Amazon Kindle Version.

All Is Well - Jason Garrett's In a Unique Position!

Uncomfortable? Can't tell!

If you've been keeping up with the bizarre and unreal at Valley Ranch, especially this season, you will probably be like me when you here this video. If you haven't really cared to keep pace with the Cow Nation, then this will be much ado about nothing.

The fact is, I'm still shaking my head over this one. I saw this two days ago, and.......well,,..........all I can do is shake my head!

Here's the Link to the Propaganda Machine that is Jerry Jones speaking about Jason Garrett being in a Unique Position!.

If you can, please get some enjoyment out of it! Poor Mickey Spagnola!

Jerry Jones - Prophecy, Chaos & Discomfort

Jerry - pointing out flaws

While Jerry Jones holds the sports world in suspense, or rather discomfort, fans that reside closer to that elusive condition known as sanity should at least attempt to soothe their discomfort with repeated shots of logic. Forget the fact that the Cowboys General Manager, in spite of his age, is able to leave logic behind about as fast as Deion Sanders could view opposing return teams in his rear view mirror. Cowboys fans, however, owe it to themselves (and no one else, Jerry) to visit the past in order to bring about some semblance of order from this Valley Ranch imposed chaos. Please momentarily forget the fact that, in the real world, order does not proceed from chaos. Hopefully, my point will be made.

The first stop on this tour of chaos takes us back to just prior to the beginning of this past season. In spite of the hope of the new season about to begin, the upbeat attitude of Jason Garrett's players and the positive outlook of many football insiders, Jerry Jones takes it upon himself to inform the world that the Cowboys have a major flaw, the offensive line. Incredibly, he then takes it upon himself to shoulder the entire blame for this condition. As a GM, he pointed out his own failure in the area of acquiring adequate offensive linemen for the upcoming year. Nothing like a boost of confidence from your boss!

Inconsistent and Erratic Offensive Line

Think what you want about Jerry's managerial skills and his eye for talent, in this instance his cryptic statements turned out to be prophetically apocalyptic for the Cowboys. With the exception of Left Tackle Tyron Smith, erratic and inconsistent play across the offensive line was the norm for much of the season. In fact, only the more drastic injury trouble of the defensive unit kept the woes of the offensive line from constantly being the topic of choice for fans and media types.

Which Way Do We Go?

For those in the know about the psychological sensitivities of the Cowboys General Manager, the defensive tribulations were not what Jerry ordered. Precious attention was being diverted away from the area pin pointed by the man in charge of knowing what the Cowboys were all about. Believe it when  I say that Jerry really wanted, yes needed to get the focus back where it belonged, on him and what he had to say. He did all he could to relieve the defensive pressure. If you don't believe me, ask Jay Ratliff.

No Playoffs!

But, alas, this all culminated in an even worse scenario than Jerry envisioned, no playoff berth. As everyone knows, we still haven't escaped the reactionary wrath of the GM. He has simply gone dormant while everyone waits.

But, Jerry definitely left no one to guess who was in charge. He first dismisses the Running Backs Coach, Skip Peete. I believe it can honestly be said that this move was completely unforeseen. It also makes no sense at all.

Not a Happy GM

For a GM to publicly identify a problem area while taking professional responsibility for its existence is considered by most to be the ultimate in maturity and due diligence. However, blaming the running game by firing the RB coach speaks of a loss of professional equilibrium. Any running back or running backs coach will tell you that a good running game begins with the offensive line. The running back has nothing to do with injuries or the erratic and poor play of his blockers. So why fire the running backs coach if the offensive line was pegged as a liability before the season began?

Your guess is as good as mine, or maybe even Jerry's!

There are more points to come from this chaos. Until them, chaotic discomfort reigns. I just wonder if Jerry realizes that it's his world that is uncomfortable. I refuse to enter such chaos by clinging to logic.

Jerry Jones – The Only People Suffering Are The Fans

Jerry Jones - Not Smiling

After the disappointing loss to the Redskins to end the season and all playoff hopes, Jerry Jones went on the equivalent of a managerial tirade, warning coaches of the discomfort to come. Subsequently, Running Backs coach Skip Peete, Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan and Passing game Coordinator – Tight Ends Coach, John Garrett have been fired. Everyone seems to be walking and talking softly at Valley Ranch, not sure where the ax will fall next.

Meanwhile, the fans of America’s Team are watching what has to considered a type of torture. I’m not necessarily referring to any physical torment, but extreme discomfort of a more psychological nature. If you’ve ever had to endure the acting of a B movie, you know what I mean. The words are recited, the emotion is forced, the plot is too obvious, full of repetitious and trite cliché’s. As I said, torture.

Well, that is what has been emanating from the general Manager’s office for quite awhile, a second rate production that’s full of glitz and glamour, but no substance. In fact, this production is growing so monotonous that fans are growing tired of hearing and seeing the same thing year after year.

Fans couldn’t care less about the financial empire Jerry has created. But they do care about a team being put on the field that is successful. They expect it, especially since the legacy of the Cowboys is about winning consistently.

And the sad fact is that, in spite of the financial success of Jerry Jones, he has been nothing but a loser as a General Manager since their last Super Bowl Win which most think was won with the bulk of Jimmy Johnson’s efforts. That’s almost two decades ago.

The only consistent part of Jones’ production since is the football mantras repeated, the forced emotion, the trite cliché’s, the promises of a different plot year after year after year after year after year………and, oh yes, don’t forget the losing and mediocrity………..Torture, that’s what it is. And after a while, the ones being tortured can decide to invest their attention to something else, for the discomfort is too much.

After all, Fans have their limit when it comes to suffering needlessly.