Well, At Least Filthadelphia Isn't Playing for the Super Bowl

Well, I have somewhat of a rooting interest in the Super Bowl this year as it looks like it’s going to be the Cardinals and the Steelers playing for the Lombardi Trophy on February 1st. Arizona gained only the 5th playoff victory in franchise history on Sunday when they beat Fithadelphia 32-25. The Cardinals’ only other wins were the 1947 NFL Championship (then the Chicago Cardinals), at Dallas in the first round of the 1998 postseason, and then this post season over Atlanta in the first round and Carolina in the second round. The worst case scenario, for me, would have been if Filthadelphia and Pittsburgh would have both won. If that had been the case, I don’t even know if I would have watched…seriously. I do think that Arizona being there kind of cheapens the SB a little. Maybe I'm just an elitist, I don't know. But that being said, I will be rooting on Arizona to pull off the massive upset. Hopefully they’ve got one more piece of magic left in them.

Lately I’ve been thinking about how it could have gone so bad for Dallas when it looked like they had the bass ring right in front of them…all they had to do was reach out and take it. I am a Cowboys fan whether they are 1-15, SB Champs and everywhere in between. But I also try to be a realist and objective…or as objective as I can be. And seeing how other teams are run from the top down and seeing what has become of the Cowboys over the past couple of months, I am now convinced (and, believe me, I hope I’m wrong) that Dallas will not win another SB unless Jerry changes how he runs the team, period…and I don’t think he will do that anytime in the near future. So it could be a long, long wait before we see Dallas in another SB.

Last season, I just KNEW the Cowboys were going to the SB and for them to lose like they did was like getting punched in the stomach. It's funny how this year's Giants season mirrors last year's Cowboys season...almost exactly. Both teams started out white hot and didn't look like they could be beat. Both team secured the #1 seed with several weeks to go in the regular season. But then both teams lost 3 of their final four games and both teams lost in their 1st game of the playoffs in the Divisional round. However, that is where their similarities stop as the Giants organization has leadership, accountability and promise for the future. The current Cowboys organization has none of that.

Being a fan of the Cowboys, I despise the Pittsburgh Steelers. But in all honesty, I do admire the way they run their organization. The last 40 years, they have had 3 coaches…just 3. The Steelers organization gives their coaches autonomy and empowers them to do their job. I recently heard a quote from the Steelers 2nd year head coach, Mike Tomlin (who I’ve heard body doubles for actor Omar Epps), when asked about his coaching style. This is what Tomlin said: “I coach, they play…that’s it.” I see each player in that organization come off the field and Tomlin gives them a confident look in the eye and shakes their hand. You can just tell that even though he is young and hasn’t been the head coach very long, he has the respect and attention of every player in that locker room and, unfortunately, I fully expect them to win their 6th SB. However, I am less optimistic that Dallas will win a SB anytime in the near future.

The only 2 NFC teams NOT to win a playoff game in the past 12 years: Dallas and Detroit. Yes, the same Detroit team that was the first team in the history of the NFL to go 0-16. The same Detroit team that went 31-84 under Matt Millen. We all know that Matt Millen has become a punch line and an example of how not to run a team. However, in that span of time with Jerry running the team, Dallas win percentage may be higher than Detroit but the Cowboys have the exact same number of playoff wins...0. So, why is Millen the only laughing stock here? Why isn’t Jerry’s name along side Millen? Let’s put this in perspective, shall we? In the last 12 years, 25 of the 32 NFL teams have won at least ONE playoff game. Here are the teams that haven’t: Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Kansas City, Buffalo, Houston (who only because a team in ’02) and Dallas. That is the company the Cowboys share. If that doesn’t open your eyes, I don’t know what does. Answer this question: based on his body of work as the Cowboys G.M. (which is what Millen was in Detroit), do you think Jerry could get hired by ANY other team in the NFL as their G.M.? If you come up with a single team that would hire Jones as their G.M., then I’ve got some prized beach front property to sell you located in Odessa, TX.

Sometimes, I really think that last SB that Dallas won in '96 was horrible for the franchise because it fooled Jerry into thinking he can do it his way and put a figure head, lame duck coach in and win...he can't. That '96 team was one of the greats of all time with, arguably, more talent than any other team at the time. That team had been built by Jimmy and everyone knew, and still does know, it. It’s just not the same today. All the discipline that Parcells instilled in his 4 years in Dallas has completely evaporated in half that time. And I lay it at the feet of Jerry who is running this team like it's his Fantasy Football team which will not work. You can’t go out an sign every big name free agent and just think they are going to win the championship.

An organization full of stars does not make a team. Case in point is the Yankees. How many World Series titles have the Yankees won since their last title in ’01? None. And they consistently sign the biggest pitchers and free agents EVERY year to huge contracts. But just because they have the best players on their team doesn’t mean the TEAM is united in purpose and goals. And as much as I despise them as well, look at the New England Patriots and how they run their team. Year after year, they lose player after player to free agency (good players too) and yet they still find a way to keep winning. When their QB goes down for the season in their 1st game, they still manage to win 11 games. That is the definition of a single minded TEAM.

The Cowboys are a bunch of spoiled petulant children who throw tantrums, pout, and go run to mommy when they think things aren’t fair. The team (notice small letters) as presently constructed has no spine, no heart and no stomach for a fight. The players don’t respect the coaches (or some of them), the coaches don’t respect the players (or some of them) and the players don’t respect the players. What kind of a team is that? It’s a team that finished exactly where they should have at 9-7 and they were probably lucky to finish with that. And Jerry wants to bring this set of coaches and players back next year? What?!?!? What am I missing here? How in the world does Jerry think this will work? It won’t and this organization with such a rich history will be relegated to another year of sitting at home and wondering what could have been.