Earlier this year, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said “nobody living” could do a better job as the Cowboys’ General Manager.
While that was already a rather arguable claim, it came before the Cowboys once again faltered despite endless Super Bowl hype. Then came the blowout loss to the Lions in Week 6, in which everything seemed to go wrong for the Boys.
Obviously, fans (and radio hosts) are concerned about the state and direction of the team.
On the “Shan & RJ” radio show, the hosts asked questions that were on everyone’s mind. Jerry doesn’t like questions.
After being asked about the Cowboys’ off-season moves (and lack thereof), Jerruh went on a tirade. It can’t even be properly explained, you just have to see it for yourself. Here’s what he said:
“If you think I’m going to get on a damn phone call with you over the radio and sitting here throwing out all the good with the dishwater, you must be smoking something.
“This is not your job. Your job isn’t to make me go over all the reasons I did something and that I’m sorry that I did it – that’s not your job. You’ll do your job, or I’ll ask somebody else to ask these questions.
“I’m not kidding, I am not kidding. You are not going to figure out what the team is doing right or wrong,.. y’all really think that you’re going to sit here with a microphone and tell me all the things that I’ve done wrong without going over the right things?”
Now, most people would see this reason as completely unnecessary and inappropriate.
Then again, most people are not billionaire football team owners.
Not only did Jones defend his behavior, he made an admission that ought to be highlighted – especially for Cowboys fans.
In defense of his actions, Jones said, “I don’t know that I would go as far as (calling) the volume connotation as yelling. OK? But the facts are that if I’m going to be grilled by the tribunal, I don’t need it to be by the guys I’m paying. I can take it from fans and take it from other people. I take a lot of pride in how fair and how much I try to work with the media, we’re brothers and sisters. But I was a little frustrated there today.”
I’m going to pause to highlight this line here: “But the facts are that if I’m going to be grilled by the tribunal, I don’t need it to be by the guys I’m paying.“
Admittedly, I could be entirely ignorant – but is it normal for team owners to have the press on their payroll? Seems biased. Anyway, Jones continued: “We got in there as of accounting for decisions made in the offseason. OK? They might as well gone back to decisions made in 2010. My point is, and that’s from my perspective, there’s no question, I’m sure that they would have liked to have grilled me like the fans are thinking, what are you going to do about that? I get it. I get all of that. And really will go along with it.”
Honestly, it’s hard to even suss out how Jones thinks he’s defending himself here. And if there was a question about decisions in 2010, what’s the big deal? He’s there to answer questions.
You can always count on NFL Hall of Famer and current ESPN analyst Shannon Sharpe to bring the conversation right down to earth.
Here’s what he said about Jones’ initial interview and his behavior:
“I hate, I detest, I despise someone that will prey on the weak. And because Jerry Jones is in an advantageous situation, because he has the power in this situation, he would actually say that publicly. That tells me a lot about a man.”
"I hate, I detest, I despise someone that will prey on the weak…If the Cowboys don't win another playoff game or another game as long as Jerry Jones is the owner, I'll be the happiest man in the world." Shannon Sharpe torched Jerry Jones for threatening Dallas radio host. pic.twitter.com/ueGFczSdgO
