With Jerry Jones, Greatness Courts Failure

By Robert Wilonsky Wed., Jan. 21 2009 at 1:00 PM

Categories: Sports

A Friend of Unfair Park directs our attention to the Dallas Cowboys' official Web site, which published a Q&A with owner and general manager Jerry Jones last night. It's not exactly the most illuminating interview -- lots of assessing and evaluating going on, which is only, what, six months too late? But while you won't find out what Jerry's plans are for safety Roy Williams ("He's a part of our evaluation and assessment") or how he feels about linebacker Anthony Spencer's arrest for public intoxication last week (Jerry has the police reports but insists "I haven't seen the details on it," say wha?), there is this fascinating quote near the end dealing with the Cowboys' transition from early-season Super Bowl fave to league laughingstock:

"I am very sensitive to how our fans are feeling and our fans being disappointed or our fans being excited about our team. I am very aware that we have the visibility that we have. We are the most visible team, period, and with all of that goes a lot of criticism when you get it. Not just a teaspoon-full, but a real large amount of criticism. It's structured that way. On a management basis, we push a lot out. I push a lot out on the table every time I throw. It hurts when it comes up snake eyes or when it doesn't come up right. It hurts. But by pushing a lot out -- I've said this before -- my style is not to lay up, but it's to drive the ball across the water. And that's disaster, or that hurts when it doesn't get in there. But I believe ultimately that's how we can get where we want to go, to a Super Bowl."

In other words, Jerry Jones is Roy "Tin Cup"' McAvoy. (Photo by James Smith/DallasCowboys.com)

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