IRVING – Jerry Jones placed his legacy as an owner and general manager in the hands of a native Texan, who wore black ostrich-skin boots and delivered one-liners like a veteran comic.
The success of Wade Phillips, son of a legendary coach and father of an aspiring coach, will define whether Jerry is thought of as an oil and gas man, who lucked into three Super Bowl championships because Minnesota's Mike Lynn made one of the dumbest deals in NFL history, or whether he's remembered as the guy who pulled a great franchise out of an abyss.
While the atmosphere was relaxed Thursday at Phillips' news conference, Jones understood the importance of the moment.
Twice, emotions overwhelmed him. His voice quivered and he needed time to compose himself. Whether you think he's a genius or a fool, understand the Cowboys are his life.
So when the criticism comes as it should after 10 years without a playoff victory, especially from fans, it hurts. The Cowboys are more than just another successful business venture.
"We needed to get this right," Jerry said. "In my mind, we got it right.
"... That's not fake stuff – emotion. If you want to call that pressure, I wouldn't. I'd call it passion. I just feel a real obligation beyond the ownership thing. I feel an obligation to do every little thing we can to have a winning team."
A faction of Cowboys fans, who think Jerry is the NFL's worst owner, would disagree. Some even think he's the worst in pro sports. Obviously those folks have never rooted for a team owned by Al Davis (Raiders), Bill Bidwill (Cardinals) or Donald Sterling (Clippers), though they can point to the longest stretch in Cowboys' history without a playoff win as evidence of Jerry's incompetence.
Three Super Bowl wins have rightfully given Jerry a pass for a long time. Perhaps, longer than it should have.
Time is up.
Lynn delivered a king's ransom – he'd been better off giving up his first-born – for Herschel Walker in 1989.
One of the draft picks from that deal turned into Emmitt Smith and the Cowboys' 3-13 record in 1988 allowed Dallas to draft Troy Aikman. The Cowboys had added Michael Irvin in 1988
When you think about it that way, it's easy to understand why Jerry probably thought winning in the NFL was going to be as easy as succeeding in the business world.
Dallas might have seven players in the Pro Bowl, but there's not a current player guaranteed a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Cowboys' team that won Super Bowl XXX already has two Hall of Fame players and at least three others – Emmitt, Deion Sanders and Larry Allen – will get in. Charles Haley and Darren Woodson will receive significant consideration.
Winning three titles in seven seasons can breed arrogance. Is it any wonder Jerry really thought any one of 500 coaches could take the Cowboys to the Super Bowl? Now, he understands the absurdity of that statement.
It's also the reason Jerry needs Phillips to win so badly.
With a .457 winning percentage in the last decade, the Cowboys are closer to being the Arizona Cardinals than the New England Patriots. It's blasphemous, I know, but it's the truth.
The franchise that used to be synonymous with stability just hired its fifth head coach since 1997. Only the worst franchises operate that way. The most successful franchises have stability at the top. All you have to do is look at how changing coaches has affected the Cowboys.
Dave Campo wanted undersized defensive players with speed for a 4-3 defense. Bill Parcells preferred size over speed because the 3-4 defense is based on winning one-on-one battles and he thought big guys tended to fare better.
Don't question Jerry's commitment to winning. He'll spend money and do whatever it takes to win. Hiring Parcells proved that.
But whatever he's been doing isn't working. Dallas has four playoff appearances in the last nine seasons, but it hasn't had a first-round bye since 1995. There hasn't been a division title since 1998.
Sorry, that's simply not good enough for a franchise with five Super Bowl titles and 12 members in the Hall of Fame. The Cowboys' illustrious history means expectations will always be high.
"This is a labor of love for me," Jerry said. "I know the responsibility I have to do it as good as I can."
Any other general manager would probably be fired after such a lengthy slump. Jerry will never relinquish his role as general manager, but the pressure to do so will increase dramatically if Phillips fails.
