Showing posts with label America's Team. Show all posts
Showing posts with label America's Team. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

The Example of Randy Galloway - The Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones, The Media & Sobriety


Well, the Dallas Cowboys are winners for the first time in this 2014 season! And the spirits are already flowing!

We've got the Cowboys Defense talking as if they're the second coming of Doomsday I & II, as well as Jimmy Johnson's top-ranked version of the 90's, all in one unit.

Then you've got the media, including all the so called professionals who should know better, leading the charge, practically agreeing with everything the Cowboys players are saying. Objective, unbiased reporting and analysis anyone?

Well, I say the media is leading the charge. Actually, that's not quite the case. The media is really following the inebriating trail of Jerry Jones. His 200 proof, vintage, smooth sipping Koolaid, aged all of 24 hours, has found a comfortable home among this close-knit group known as Jerryholics Anonymous. They trail Jones like the faithful all-in-one Bartender-Brewery Magnet he has become, afraid that too many hours without Jerry's special brew will lead them into the vast world of sanity most others experience on a daily basis. God Forbid!

Before we proceed any further, let's perform a Public Service Identification for all forced to suffer their personal space invaded by such second hand dribble this contingent of snared drunkards conspire to peddle as inspired journalism. We start with that bastion of Cowboys' informational integrity from Dallascowboys.com led by ole timer Mickey Spagnola. At one time a professional sports journalist beyond reproach among the likes of Randy Galloway, Frank Luksa and Blackie Sherrod, he now spends his time supporting all things Jerry & the Cowboys by offering the most incredible litany of excuses worthy of the most hardened Jerryholic, then accepting payment from Jerry's ever increasing vault of cash. Journalistic objectivity? Not that would be noticed!

After that comes the DallasCowboys.com underlings such as Nick Eatman, Bryan Broaddus, Rowan Kavner, David Helman, Derek Eagleton, Ed Cahill and Shannon Gross. They are simply paid patsy's of Jerry's and slovenly regurgitate the official utterances from the distillery at Valley Ranch, acting as human breathalyzers for the public to determine the specific level of inebriation being offered for consumption. Accurate reporting? About as much as you could expect from staff drunkards!

Next up are the local Newspaper Journalists, Columnists and Cowboys beat writers. They include, Rick Gosselin, Tim Cowlishaw, David Moore, Kevin Sherington, Jerry Fraley, Barry Horn, Gil LeBreton, Mac Engel, Clarence Hill Jr., Charean Williams and Drew Davison. This group includes some notable personalities known for their NFL expertise as well as concise reporting and analysis. But it seems that tenure has seen many imbibing for so long that Cirrhosis of the Reporter has set in. Too much of Jerry's Brew for too long has seen their Journalistic Liver unable to adequately process the impurities of Jerry's World. This condition finds them tender and unwilling to take in anything not offered through journalistic feeding tubes. Consistent Substance? Nah. Just public pablum!

Next up are the Local and National Television Network Affiliate anchors and analysts along with Local and National Radio Talk Show hosts. This highly visible and audible group may be the most hardened members of JA simply because they employ the most widely consumed broadcast mediums which, not only provide broad avenues for the high ratings Jerry covets, but also instant inebriation for the masses. Jerry readily admits that he monitors the media more than anyone else. What good Brewmaster wouldn't keep tabs on the public response, as well as the entire spectrum of transportation options available to directly deliver that special Brew the public craves. And deliver Jerry Brew they do!

This group is too numerous to mention them all, so I will limit this list to the Television and Cable Networks. ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, ESPN, ESPN1, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, CNN, FOX SPORTS1, NFL NETWORK, CBS SPORTS NETWORK, NBC SPORTS NETWORK, etc.

All of the above tend to form a very loyal, cohesive group, and at best, exist as incestuous parasites, living off of each other with Jerry's Boot Leg Brew providing the common sustenance while inbreeding genetically ingrained cohorts for Jerry's Recovery group. While a few abide on the fringes, offering opinion and analysis that borders on viable, the overall tendency is to remain true to the brand of Brew Jerry provides while offering an obtuse viewpoint for entertainment purposes only. The entertainment drama Jerry readily provides generally trumps hard cold facts, especially if those facts disagree with Jerry's official viewpoint in any way.

Such is the state of stupor the Jerryholic Media currently finds itself in. One Cowboys win has them staggering over each other to report the return of Jerry's 'Boys and their vaunted Defense. One mediocre win and the Cowboys are Super Bowl bound!


Of course, I must mention the one personality to escape this fellowship of Jerry's. Yes, Randy Galloway is the only one able to grab his cigars, nag betting lines, bottle of Jose Cuervo and find the nearest retirement exit. Battered and scarred from Jerry's repeated attempts to convert him to his select group of Brew Master assistants, Randy has faithfully executed his duties without succumbing to the enticements of perpetual inebriation. Randy has performed the journalistic equivalent of Drinking Responsibly by ending a long career as a faithful soldier should, finishing the battle, but on his terms, not Jerry's.

And what do we attribute as the key to Randy's success and survival? Was he just too smart? C'mon, Randy would be the first to nix that idea. Good looking? I think Randy has spoken many time over the years about that issue!  Was he too tough for Jerry? Nah! He's not the combative type!


Randy Galloway has been one thing that Jerry Jones has not consistently been over the years. The word is "sober."

And sobriety, devoid of any of Jerry's flowing spirits, resides in reality, which is where the Cowboys and the rest of the media need to return to as quickly as possible!

Here's to sobriety!

Friday, February 28, 2014

The Education of Jerry Jones - The Dallas Cowboys, Jimmy Johnson & Contracts


"I intend to have a complete understanding of contracts, jocks, socks, and TV contracts.           There’s no way I can look in the mirror if I don’t understand anything about this business."
-- Feb. 25, 1989, the day he purchased the team

It is interesting indeed that Jerry Jones specifically mentions contracts the day he agreed to buy the +Dallas Cowboys. In fact, it was a "complete understanding" of these contracts that he intended to possess.

As a successful business man from the slippery wildcatting world of oil, it is to be presumed that Jerry Jones brought a certain level of understanding about contracts to his new venture. We can also presume that the above quote had more to do with becoming more familiar with contracts in the world of The National Football League.

It can be presumed also that the man he hired to succeed Tom Landry as Head coach of America's Team, Jimmy Johnson, already possessed a certain level of understanding regarding professional football contracts, at least those binding agreements of the Head coaching variety. Connected to this understanding is also the necessary prerequisites for a successful team, for it is the existence of this dual understanding that provided the germination leading to back to back Super Bowl wins for Owner Jones and Coach Johnson as well as the demise of perhaps the greatest team in NFL history.

This dual understanding is taken from the fact that Jimmy Johnson refused to sign a contract to coach the Cowboys unless he had full and final authority over all personnel.

The inglorious beginning of a 1-15 season, coupled with the fact that Jerry Jones was extremely busy trying to plug the huge financial losses the Cowboys were experiencing when he bought the team, kept this vital term of their contract from surfacing. When the next year saw the on-field reward of a playoff berth thwarted only by losing the last two games as a result of a Troy Aikman injury, it was evident that the Cowboys' Star was on the rise. With the financial outlook also corrected, the attention of the General Manager could now be focused elsewhere, including a complete understanding of contracts. And focusing on contracts was what Jerry Jones began to do with a vigor he brings to every business endeavor.

During the next season, Jones approached Johnson about deleting the contractual term giving Johnson all power over personnel. 

And the saga was on!

It would continue until Jones made the following famous quote weeks after their second consecutive NFL Championship in 1994.

“I think there are 500 coaches who could have coached this team to the Super Bowl."
-- March 23, 1994, Jones to the Dallas Morning News on Jimmy                          Johnson after consecutive Super Bowl titles

“Nothing new. Just another day in the life of the Dallas Cowboys."
-- March 24, 1994, when asked about why Johnson stormed out of the NFL owners meetings

It was also just another day in the education of Jerry Jones regarding contracts. With Johnson's continued refusals to cede contractual authority over personnel, Jones came to realize that there was only one way to eliminate that vital term. Eliminate the person holding that power. 


So two months after rare back to back Super Bowl victories, Owner Jerry Jones was now a General Manager holding the authority he so desperately desired. 

The Dallas Cowboys have never been the same. They have never recovered. 

Yes, Jones achieved his third Lombardi Trophy two years later, yet the victory has proven hollow. Jones  has failed to receive credit for that championship. Popular opinion holds that it was achieved with "Jimmy's" players and coaches. 

While the education of Jerry Jones regarding contracts can be considered complete, the gridiron profit has been nil. The Cowboys have just experienced their 18th consecutive season without a championship, an unprecedented stretch of futility in their history. 

And Jerry retains full authority over all personnel.


Monday, February 3, 2014

Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl Victories - When Real football was the Norm in Dallas

I thought it was time for a little reminiscing, back to a time when Winning football was the real attraction in Dallas, not glitz and glamour. Enjoy the parade of pics from Super Bowl VI, the Cowboys first Super Bowl victory over the Miami Dolphins.

Some players deserve a second mention. That's the case for Roger!

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl Victories - When Real Football in Dallas was the Norm

I thought it was time for a little reminiscing, back to a time when Winning football was the real attraction in Dallas, not glitz and glamour. Enjoy the parade of pics from Super Bowl VI, the Cowboys first Super Bowl victory over the Miami Dolphins.

Next up is the Legend himself, Head Coach Tom Landry, celebrating victory with his players.

Dallas Cowboys Jerry Jones - Did He Finally Get it Right?

With the addition of Passing Game Ccordinator Linehan, it's nice to know that Jerry finally got it right!
Congratulations should be extended for a job well done!

Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl Victories - when Real Football in Dallas was the Norm

I thought it was time for a little reminiscing, back to a time when Winning football was the real attraction in Dallas, not glitz and glamour. Enjoy the parade of pics from Super Bowl VI, the Cowboys first Super Bowl victory over the Miami Dolphins.

Next up is Mr Cowboy, The original draft pick of the Cowboys, Original Doomsday Defensive Tackle #74 Bob Lilly.

Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl Victories - When Real Football is Dallas Was The Norm!

I thought it was time for a little reminiscing, back to a time when Winning football was the real attraction in Dallas, not glitz and glamour. Enjoy the parade of pics from Super Bowl VI, the Cowboys first Super Bowl victory over the Miami Dolphins.

Next up is the Wide Receiver and return man, The Fast Human #22 Bullet Bob Hayes

Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl Victories - A Time When Real Football was The Norm

I thought it was time for a little reminiscing, back to a time when Winning football was the real attraction in Dallas, not glitz and glamour. Enjoy the parade of pics from Super Bowl VI, the Cowboys first Super Bowl victory over the Miami Dolphins.

First up is Running Back #33 Duane Thomas

Pro Football Hall of Fame - The Travesty of Dallas Cowboys' Charles Haley






It is a truly sad fact to report that former Dallas Cowboys' player Charles Haley has failed to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the fifth time.

This is truly amazing because Charles Haley is the only NFL player in history to earn five Super Bowl Rings.

It's almost inconceivable that he would miss this deserved honor this many times.


If there's any question about Charles' ability, ask Jimmy Johnson, who brought the two time Super Bowl Champion to the Cowboys for another three NFL Championship wins.

Friday, January 3, 2014

Dallas Cowboys and Jerry Jones - The Thoughts & Smells of Old School Fans

For many fans who are used to seeing their beloved 'Pokes in the NFL playoffs on a very, very regular basis, this mire of mediocrity produced by the current General Manager has become unbearable. I regularly hear fans who grew up with The Cowboys in the 60's and 70's tell me that they no longer watch the Cowboys.

And the reason for this behavior?

You guessed it! General Manager Jerry Jones!

Believe it or not, they don't seem overly enamored with the product on the gridiron. OK, OK!!! I'll modify that. They're not enamored at all with the product on the field!

In other words, compared to the tradition of winning that most have grown up with, the last decade and a half has been everything but desirable. And the lingering staleness of continuing mediocrity seems to have created a rather unsavory aroma to the noses of fans used to the refreshing air of success.

In short, there is a stench wafting public from the offices at Valley Ranch.




So, in an effort to do my part to assist Jerry Jones perform due diligence as General Manager, I highly  recommend that Jerry Jones the Owner freely mandate the following product as a necessity for all walking through the turnstiles at AT&T Stadium this next season. 


Sunday, September 15, 2013

Cowboys Loss -The Ref's Fault? - Think Again


I see and hear some analysis trying to point fingers at the refs, at least partially, for the Cowboys loss.


While the Cowboys definitely didn't play their best game, credit must go to the Chiefs and Andy Reid. They played well enough to win. And no one really expected the Chiefs to play this well.



The Cowboys have work to do.

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Dallas Cowboys Mediocre? - Read the Article and Decade of Futility

Jerry Jones and a few of his Cowboys

This article by +Bart Hubbuch  on Jerry Jones, the Cowboys and mediocrity is right on. +Ryan Bush has published a detailed account of the state of the Cowboys under the tenure of Jerry Jones. Go to RyanBush.biz to order your copy of 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.

Hatin' Tony Romo - The Captain Speaks!


For all you Romo Haters, listen to the words of Captain America, +Roger Staubach. He just might know a thing or two about playing the game of Football in the NFL at the highest level.


You might want to listen to his latest thoughts in this video.




Saturday, September 7, 2013

Hatin' on Dallas Cowboys' Tony Romo? Big Bill Speaks


Well, a lot of fans seem to be extremely negative toward Tony Romo. And all because he hasn't led Your Heroes to a Super Bowl victory. (Pardon me for the Blackie Sherrod lingo!)  And because his last name isn't Manning or Brady.

Never mind the fact that many teams would jump at the chance to acquire Romo. Why? Well, take a look at their present quarterback situation and...........well, 'Nuff said. Maybe some just don't realize how good they have it.

With that said, I thought the words of a highly respected individual around the NFL might be able to persuade the unconvinced. Let's let no less a figure than Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells offer his insight about the current Cowboys signal caller.



Thursday, September 5, 2013

Jerry Jones is Not in Control of the 2013 Dallas Cowboys



In spite of the  refusal of Jerry Jones to admit it, the fate of the 2013 Dallas Cowboys could be decided by the same issue that relegated them to another season on the outside looking in at the playoffs this past year. That issue is nothing more than injuries.





Friday, August 30, 2013

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.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

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:

For the Kindle version of Decade of Futility, click here

Friday, July 19, 2013

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

Thursday, July 18, 2013

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

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

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