Jerry The Great, King Of The Dallas Cowboys.

He is the most well known owner in the game, and gets more face time on SportsCenter than any two NFL players combined.  He runs the Cowboys with complete control, what some might call a dictatorship.  He is Jerry Jones, and he runs things the way he wants.  He always has, and he always will...... wait, has he always?

When Jones bought the team in 1989, and fired Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry, he hired Jimmy Johnson as his new head coach.  During the four years that Johnson was the coach, Jones also gave him complete control over player personnel decisions. 

It did not take long for Johnson to take the Cowboys to the promised land.  He traded Hershel Walker for six high draft picks, and used them to build the foundation of what would become a team that won three Super Bowls in just four years. 

Johnson was also known for his ability to find talent in free agency, signing Jay Novacek in '90.

What happend after the Cowboys second straight Super Bowl victory has been in the back of every Cowboys fans mind since then.  Jerry, reportedly jealous of the praise being poured on head coach Jimmy Johnson, fired Johnson to hire his old buddy Barry Switzer. More importantly, Jerry named himself general manager.

The Cowboys did win one more Super Bowl for Jerry, but many fans will always be quick to point out that he did it with the team that Johnson had assembled.

Since the Cowboys last Super Bowl victory in '95, Cowboys have had no fun in the postseason.  However, the Dallas Cowboys remain one of the most recognizable, and the most valuable sports franchises in America.  The Cowboys are the second most valuable franchise in the world, behind the U.K.'s Manchester United.

So does Jerry really mind that there is certainly a problem with the superstar lineup that he has put together?  They are the brightest shining stars in the NFL.  As a Cowboy fan, you can turn on any ESPN or NFL Network any time, day or night, and you will almost certainly see something about your team in the first few segments.  How many fans in Cleveland can say that? Or in Miami? Or how about New England?

Jerry Jones has said that he loves the drama.... and I believe him.

However, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft says that he loves to win and he has shown it. 

Since purhcasing the team in '94, the Patriots have made the playoffs nine times in 13 years. They have also appeared in five Super Bowls, winning three of them.

How could two successful businessmen, and seemingly similar men in general, have such different results? What is Robert Kraft doing that Jerry isn't?

The answer is obvious.

Kraft isn't doing anything—with the personnel decisions that is. He has been smart enough to locate and hire the best talent evaluators in the game. He has hired a coach, that he actually intends on letting "coach" the team. What an interesting concept.

The bottom line is that Jones, king of the Dallas Cowboys, needs to give up some control. The Cowboys need a coach that has the respect of his players, and a general manager. Wade Phillips is fighting a battle that nobody could win, even Bill Parcels saw the future, and knew that it was not a battle worth fighting.

To GM Jerry Jones: All Cowboy fans love you as an owner, and we know that you are passionate about the team.  We understand that the Dallas Cowboys are your entire life, we are simply suggesting (or pleading) that you hire a general manager. 

Do it the "Jerry Way", throw a bunch of cash at one of the best GM's in the league, then announce it five minutes before the first pick in the '09 draft! 

Think of how much fun it would be to steal the thunder of the 0-16 Detroit Lions, and even the thunder of the entire draft. Then sit back, and enjoy watching your investment grow.

radponte.com