Monday, January 28, 2013

The Time Has Come to Reveal My Far-Fetched but Deeply-Held Belief on Solving the Problem of Perpetual Cowboys Mediocrity; or, The Brontosaurus Theory


Confessors, with a title like that, I deem that you have been given fair warning that this is one of those blessedly rare Plainsman sportsy posts, wherein I demonstrate rather small knowledge about sports.  I suppose that's what comes of listening to The Ticket.
But, in honor of the entrepreneurial spirit embodied in Danny Balis (there's your Ticket connection for this post), let me ask you to put aside preconceived notions and use your imagination.  You can probably come up with some variations of what follows that may make more sense.
The conventional wisdom – and this view is held not only by me and many of you, but by an acquaintance of mine who might in fact be the No. 1 Cowboys fan in DFW, I kid you not – is that the Cowboys will not return to greatness as long as they are owned by Jerry Jones.  That the Cowboys will, in fact, get worse as his ego continues to eat away at judgment with the passing years.  Because Jerry Jones will not give up control as he struggles to cast off the shadow Jimmy and win a title for which he can claim principal credit.  And because Jerry Jones will not sell the Cowboys, their averageness-or-worse will soil that beastly stadium out there for years to come.
I grant that this is a very likely scenario.  But it is not the only possible scenario.  Let me toss out a few concepts.
Jerry Is a Very, Very Bad General Manager and Owner.  I won't spend much time on this, we all know it.  His latest machinations, castrating Jason Garrett, loading up the coaching staff with people he selects, is a recipe for failure.  It is widely accepted that 2013 is make-or-break for Garrett – but what earthly sense does it make to (1) reduce his responsibility for the offense and (2) stick him with personnel not of his choosing and then to increase his accountability?  I happen to think Garrett bears a large share of the blame for fielding offenses that apparently don't know the plays after two-plus years and that can't get them called before a half-second remains on the play clock.  Maybe Jerry has selected players of incorrigible stupidity, but more likely is that they're not prepared, or the plays require calls that are not appropriate for the hurly-burly of the gridiron, or Tony doesn't transmit the playcalls efficiently.  But if that's the way you as GM feel about the guy, fire him, don't play games for another season that do nothing more than establish the head coach's lack of authority and your own poor judgment, begging yet the further question:  What accomplished, self-respecting coach would play for the  meddlesome savant-wannabe caricature that is Jerry Jones? 
And he's a bad owner because he refuses to hire experienced professional football management, or listen to the people in his organization who fit that description.
Since we all pretty much believe that Jerry is incompetent, why do I even bother to mention it?  Because:
Jerry Jones Is So Incompetent, That in the Process of Manufacturing Year After Year of Mediocrity and Worse, Jerry Jones Is Also Managing to Embarrass Texas in General, and, in Particular, the Wealthy of Texas.   Jones is pathologically incapable of keeping his piehole zipped.  And in its unzipped state, it emits torrents of disconnected phrases, 180-degree contradictions within a single breath, and downright nonsense.  It would be tolerable and possibly even charming if he'd shown a molecule of talent for running a football team, but since he hasn't, he looks like the kind of Texan, especially the kind of rich Texan, that non-Texans like to sneer at – ignorant, arrogant, incoherent. (Although he was born in Los Angeles and raised in Arkansas.)  The kind who thinks it's classy to hang the world's biggest video screen in his stadium, so big it renders the live contest irrelevant, and to feature caged go-go dancers.  You can't tell me that his pals in whatever the Rich Guy Club is in these parts (um, I don't belong) don't cringe when they see his latest high-wire act before any nearby open mic and hear everyone, even media types who might be expected to curry his favor, shaking their heads in disbelief that this well-meaning but thoroughly deluded soul is helming the destruction of the most valuable sports franchise in the country. 
There Are Lots of Really, Really Rich People in Texas.  And when you put a few of them together, a billion here, a billion there, pretty soon you're talking about real money.  And maybe they'd rather people think of them more like J.R. Ewing, and not J.W. Jones.
Everything Has Its Price.
Including Jerry.
Ah, but you say, Jerry does not have his price.  His pride would never let him sell the team while it's down, before it does something really terrific, at least get to a Super Bowl if not win it.
I agree that Jerry will never accept market value for the team, however that may be measured (although every year there are organizations purporting to do it, including one that reported today).  
So the first step is for a bunch of these rich guys who have had enough losing and ridicule to get together and offer Jerry crazy money.  I don't know how crazy it would have to be to let Jerry claim that as his ultimate victory.  Maybe he wouldn't take it.  Maybe the crazy money would have to be so crazy that not even a consortium of the extremely wealthy would consider offering it.  I would, however, ask you to remember the difference between the price Nolan Ryan's group agreed to pay for the Rangers at the outset, and what they eventually paid after Mark Cuban got the bidding way up there.
Then what?
Creativity.
Find some way to let Jerry save face.  Make him Chairman Emeritus.  Name the stadium after him and pay him for the right to use his name.  A permanent suite at the stadium.  (With parking!)  Perhaps work something where he keeps the stadium or some piece of it.  There are all kinds of ways to compensate selling business owners.   Insist that they pay him personally millions not to take his incomparable football management skills to any other NFL team.   Give him a consulting deal and actually have meetings and let him have his say.
OK, let's say that none of this moves the old razorback.  
There's always:
Leverage.
How do you get leverage over an ego?
Include Stephen and Jerry Jr. in the Consortium.  Is Stephen Jones the Prince Charles of DFW or what?  Waiting for His Majesty to abdicate or die.  Perhaps it would be meaningful to Jerry (in addition to the crazy money, let's not forget) to know that his beloved offspring would have some kind of management and ownership role, and that he'd still have his son's ear on matters Cowboys, even if he would have no authority.  I can imagine that the boys (!) would have some reluctance to show up with a group offering to buy the team – I'm sure they love and feel loyalty toward their Pop and might fear a family falling-out if appearing to want to oust him.  Still, there may be creative ways to involve them in a subtle and diplomatic approach that would not offend Jerry.
The Brontosaurus Theory.  But here's my gee-whiz solution, and I'm sure that there are NFL-savvy readers out there who will tell me that this could never, ever happen in a squillion years. 
But, like Anne Elk (John Cleese) who offers her theory on the brontosaurus on Episode 31 of Monty Python's Flying Circus, this is my theory, and it is mine, and belongs to me, and what it is, too.  The next thing you will read is my theory:
This rich-guy consortium goes to Jerry – again, with their crazy money, maybe really crazy in light of this (my) theory and the thinking they want to inspire in Jerry, and they say this: 
Jerry, we have crazy money for you.  You know as sure as you're sitting there that this is easily a 30% premium over the highest valuation that any so-called expert places on this team.  You take that and walk away and you can hold your head high, laughing at your critics, knowing that win or lose, you, by the sheer force of your personality and will and balls in getting that stadium built, and, yes, winning three Super Bowls, created immense, incredible value, made this the second most valuable franchise in the world, second only to Manchester United.  Incredible accomplishment, Jerry.
You take this crazy money, Jerry.  You take it.  We'll put your name on that stadium.  Take a look at this term sheet, there's a bunch of other goodies in there, and looky here, Jerry, we're going to give Stephen and Jerry Jr. the opportunity to invest at a very high level and give them significant management responsibility.  You can be Chairman Emeritus.  
Take this crazy money, Jerry, and all the rest, because if you don't take this crazy money, we're going to keep an appointment that we made some months ago with Roger Goodell to discuss with him our strong commitment to putting an NFL team in Fort Worth, Texas.  As you can see, it will be hugely well-financed, with a stadium – oh, Jerry, it will not be a stadium like yours – it will be a big stadium, for sure, but it will be one that people will love, a real Texas stadium, like Fort Worth is a real Texas city, like people love the Ballpark at Arlington.  It'll be right near downtown -- those city fathers know how to work with businessmen.   Maybe we'll swipe Jacksonville or some other lame franchise – maybe we'll argue for expansion.  And Roger Goodell will listen, because Texas is a football state, and DFW is a gigantic market with lots and lots of people who have given up their Cowboy season tickets and lost all faith in you, and because major and lesser markets have fielded two NFL teams at once:  New York, Bay Area.  Crazy money, Jer.  You think your fellow owners would never allow it?  Think again.  Crazy.   And when we get that franchise -- don't you doubt us, Jerry, you know who we are -- we are going to treat our fans like royalty and we're going to get the best football people in the country and we're going to have a fracking party every week over in crazy Fort Worth over this team we're going to put together, Jerry.  Ground floor fans who don't give a bag of dirt about what your franchise did 20 years ago.  And we'll grab your fans, we'll grab your concession dollars, we'll grab your capital appreciation, we'll grab all of it and we will keep grabbing because that is how we got this crazy money in the first place.  It won't be hard . Crazy money, Jerry.  We got it.  We can get more.  
Because we're winners.  
Sign here. 

*     *     *

A bit melodramatic, perhaps.  And with a number of strategic difficulties. But God, that was fun.
Here's my point – we shouldn't assume that no circumstances exist under which Jerry would consider selling the team.  You won't know until you try.  Until you try, and let it leak that you're trying.  And I'm serious about a Fort Worth team.
So here's the plan, Confessors.  Send the link to this post to all of your billionaire friends.  Let's see, do I know any billionaires, let me think  .  .  . 


Twitter:  @Plainsman1310

39 comments:

  1. I appreciate your imagination, but there's no circumstance, other than him losing everything and being forced to, that Jerry Jones sells the Cowboys. His ego will not allow for it. Your point about winning without Jimmy and finally being able to take every bit of the credit is the main reason why. And there's the celebrity factor. Indeed, that might have overtaken the Jimmy angle. Fame is every bit as addictive as money, sex, alcohol, or drugs. Jerry is hooked like a crack whore gold digger on fame. And for all of you who think that things will be different once he's either too old and feeble to run things or passes away, think again. If you believe this, then you obviously haven't been watching or listening to Stephen Jones. He IS his daddy. He's on radio shows (he might even have his own weekly), he's in love with celebrity, in love with being deemed a football man (and with now nearly 20 years of being involved in all aspects of the business, he thinks he is), and while it's been said that he's talked Jerry out of some of completely insane ideas, insane even by Jerry's standards mind you, as he's aged, he's come round to Jerry's way of thinking. Hell, he sounds more like Jerry with each passing year. Scary stuff, Cowboy fans. Very scary stuff. Your only recourse is to stop watching, stop buying the merch, stop going to the games, and stop buying/do not renew season tickets and seat rights. The wallet is the only thing these Arkansas hillbillies understand outside their egos. Other than that, it's bleaker than bleak.

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  2. Two thoughts:

    1) Living here in Detroit now, I see how the son taking over for the aged dad in the Ford family HAS been good. So, I still hold out of Stephen.

    2) Norm brought up the good point Monday about Jerry making it uncomfortable for everyone at the Ranch, except those who have the biggest impact - the players. The GM must be cut-throat and Jerry is too much a buddy and a friend to the players. That is why the coaches change, but the results stay the same. The same GM brings in the same kind of players to the same safe, player-friendly locker room. How can a player respect his coach when he knows that the coach can and will be canned long before he is himself?

    P2 in MI

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  3. Would you find it interesting to know that Candlestick Park is only about ten miles from Oakland-Alameda County Stadium, about a half-hour's drive?

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  4. Forgot Charlotte. She can buy in, too.

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  5. Getting the fans to stop watching, stop buying tickets, and stop buying the merch is about as likely as coaches passing on interviews for Cowboys jobs.

    In which case Jerry would just put on the coach's pants, put the whistle around his neck, and take up the job he's always wanted anyway.

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  6. I love the FW idea, and the money would be there, maybe even fan's ten years down the line. God knows the Jags or Chargers would be better off in FW. The problem is Goodell would never split up the DFW market, there's too much to lose. Upside is another NFL brand is built and makes up for the embarassment of Jacksonville. The downside is splitting the same audience over two teams-you're not gaining any more net ticket sales or tv views.

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  7. 930: Very good points. But you're kind of making my argument here, sort of: When the money is crazy enough, Jerry only has to think that the Niffle just might put a team in FW that will bring about all those negative things you mention -- and those negative things will happen to HIM. So he decides to take the crazy money and exit, stage left.

    And again, baseball and football have successfully maintained franchises in the same metro for years. If there is sufficient demand, increasing supply only increases overall league revenues.

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  8. The NFL is going to put a competing NFL franchise within a 30 mile radius of the most valuable franchise in the league, with 6 of the top 10 games with highest TV rating in the 2012 regular season? Isn't Jerry Jones the NFL Network Chairman? Aren't the owners involved in deciding what city is awarded a new NFL franchise?

    I know part of your argument for FW is that other franchises in the NFL, etc. have existed in the same metro, but weren't most of those teams started long ago in different leagues before mergers? I don't think you'd have two NFL teams in the Bay area had the NFL not been forced to merge different leagues, operating independently prior to the merger.

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  9. blergoyen, you are putting flesh on my ackowledgment that there are some strategic roadblocks to my proposal. Those are (1) Niffle politics and Jerry's prominence amnong the owner ranks, and (2) the reality -- which I believe is already starting somewhat to erode -- of the Cowboys' continuing popularity.

    But there are rich guys out there who don't give a rodent's patoot about either of those things, and they could make a lot of embarrassing noise with the right kind of slick proposal and a large container of money. There are Cuban-like guys out there who would not be afraid of either of these roadblocks and could get a local public considerably riled up for a Fort Worth team, to Jerry's vast mortification.

    But, as I say -- good points.

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  10. The NFL is not going to expand and since relocating another team to Fort Worth would never get approval, this is more like an Ed Carter commentary.

    The NFL still has the lure Los Angeles for one, if not two teams. The Chargers are committed to Qualcomm Stadium for at least 2013 and the Raiders have asked for five more years at O.co Coliseum. (Also, as far as Bay Area distance, the 2013 season will be the 49ers last at Candlestick as they move to Santa Clara, which is 35 miles from O.co).

    The Rams are going to arbitration with the St. Louis CVC regarding the Edwards Jones Dome, so they could move.

    The Anschutz Co. has yet to sell AEG and how ever that sale is split can give the NFL a greater sense of who will still have to cash to buy a team and move it to L.A.

    The Falcons are trying to use L.A. as leverage to raise the hotel tax for a Georgia Dome replacement and Buffalo already used it to improve their situation, so the Dolphins are next up to use them to get public stadium money to stay put.

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  11. Plainsman, I'm not really saying those points are the strategic roadblocks. Those points support the strategic roadblock of the NFL not wanting a team in the same MSA. I think the NFL cares about what Jerry cares about - net worth, ratings and, to a lesser degree, attendance. If one or more of those things suffers, they would look at forcing Jerry to sell the team before ADDING a team in the same MSA.

    In regard to a consortium of the 0.1% collectively making an offer Jerry couldn't refuse - while Nolan & co. did pay more than they started out, that final price was apparently within the constraints of making the economics work. What is the economic threshold for the cowboys? I think it's much lower than what Jerry would accept. Jerry's price would cause financial losses for an unknown number of years and I doubt a group of frustrated rich fans are willing to accept these losses, and I doubt the NFL would approve this economic scenario.

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  12. Thanks to everyone for the technical analysis. Very helpful. That Acme Brick guy's got nothing on the Confessor when it comes to all the business about sports.

    So, who's in on my crazy-money consortium? birq? atlanta? Anonymous?

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  13. I love your Crazy Money idea, Plainsman, but I subscribe to the general consensus that Jerry has no price, no matter how crazy. You could double the estimated value of the franchise and it wouldn't make a difference. Hell, quadruple it. Offer Jerry $10B and he'll have you forcibly removed from the Ranch by the Mickey RC Plane.

    Jerry isn't in the Cowboys for the money. Sure, he'll make the most ridiculous Papa John's commercial possible and rape the fans with seat licenses, but when it comes down to it, he does those things because he can, not because he has to. I don't foresee any scenario where Jerry would sell the team. If his health declined to the point where he couldn't be at the Ranch every day, he'd delegate to (read, "micromanage") Stephen and Jerry Jr. and they'd assume his responsibilities. As long as he draws breath, Jerry Jones will be the owner and GM of The Cowboys.

    The other part of the Crazy Money scenario is that Jerry cares that he and his crazy-ass ways are the laughing stock of the NFL and that he cares that he's making rich Texans look bad. I believe that he believes that he can do no wrong. Or, at least, he has and will continue to learn from his mistakes and is overall a pretty good owner and GM.

    Your idea is based on the assumptions that Jerry A) will listen to logic and B) isn't, at his core, a raving lunatic and egomaniac. I believe those assumptions are not correct. I just can't see it happening.

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  14. I didn't say it was likely, Anon Ron, only the sole way to grab the Jones's attention. But you're right, it'll never happen. That's why the situation for you Cowboy fans is bleaker than bleak. The only thing you can hope for is for a Jones financial meltdown; one so disastrous that total liquidation of all assets is the only recourse they have. And to be blunt, if things come to that, then the overall economic picture is so dark, the last thing you, me, or anyone is thinking or cares about is Dallas Cowboy football. I say that, because say what you want about Jerruh's football man skills, his business acumen is as sharp as it gets; so if he has to liquidate, things in the world have gone horribly wrong.

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  15. Grubes and Rory McIlroy... separated at birth????

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  16. atlanta rhythm sectionJanuary 29, 2013 at 10:50 PM

    @9:21
    Brilliant!

    @Plainsman
    You're wild, baby. Love the plan. Too bad it'll never happen.

    @ausgang
    You're the scary one, brutha! I tease, I tease. There might be something to what you're sayin'.

    My thing is, and I'm being deadly serious, I wanna see Jerry coach the thing. Al Davis style. Go all the way with it. I'm ready for it. What else is there to lose? Dignity and pride sure ain't in the mix anymore for us Cowboy fans. So let's go for it! Besides, it would be a helluva lot more interesting than anything or anyone else they're gonna put out on the field.

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  17. In my opinion, the ONLY way the NFL would even consider a FW team is if the Cowboys were still in Dallas County. But now that they are in Tarrent county, I don't see it ever happening. But it is fun to consider.

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  18. San Antonio has always been a much more viable NFL market (with a stadium already built), but Jerry has successfully blocked a team from relocating there because of the impact on the Cowboys. You think he'd allow a team to be put in Fort Worth? Hah!

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  19. Super Bowl week has been awesome radio.

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  20. To each his own, because Super Bowl week is my most disliked time of the year for radio.

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  21. I'm kinda halfway with Scruffy on this. I like the stories that come from the entire station being stuck together in one place and having to interact outside normal office hours, but I can do without all the interviews with players that have no relevance to me. From what I heard of The Musers today, it sounded like we were going to get to hear Victor Cruz and Thurman Thomas interviews. Wow. That's thrilling.

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  22. Yeah, and Thurman Thomas came on to discuss how Superbowl weekend is like Valentine's Day, and how Valentine's Day is still Valentine's Day. . . so remember to use Pro Flowers for all your Superbowl as Valentine's Day and actual Valentine's Day gift/flower giving needs. Confusing? Ya should've heard it live.

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  23. I hold with those who find Super Bowl week a mixed bag on The Ticket. The athlete interviews are seldom interesting, and I could do without the common-man interviews altogether. But yeah, OK, The Ticket wants a presence at The Big Game, I'm OK with that.

    What I'm not OK with is something that The Ticket probably doesn't have a whole lot of control over, and I include the technical wizards who have to deal with what they're given -- almost every host on every show is seriously overdriving his mic. Even those Gentlest of Musers, the Mic Non-Abusers, sound like the mic is suspended just beyond their epiglotti. Awful fuzzbox sound. Corby, who is one of the few Ticket guys who seldom overdrives the mics back at The Mother Ship, distorts and fuzzes up when he raises his voice even a little bit. It's a tough listen, and I'm by no means an audiophile (listening to The Ticket for any extended period of time will rob one of any aural acuity they may have one time possessed). On Super Bowl Week, the station just sounds bad.

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  24. The first hour of Bob and Dan today was exactly what I hate about Super Bowl broadcasting. Dan and Donnie act like they've never seen women before, and the show gets stopped down for them to horn out on a sales chick that used to work at The Ticket. It had very little appeal to the listener, and most everyone at the station outside of Bob and Norm seem to get instantly derailed anytime they spot boobs.

    But that and the trip stories I'm usually okay with, if it wasn't for the horrendous interviews forced upon them and us all week. No, I don't care to hear from Alvin Harper or Dat Nguyen or Dinglebert McPlayerstein or that spare 3rd teamer from the Patriots in the mid-2000s. And as much as I love Gordo, he can be really irritating with a wireless mic. I've liked hearing the Musers this week, but only because I listen to the first hour before much is up and going. I had NO interest in Thurman Thomas.

    Sending your station to the Super Bowl seems to now be an "us too!" radio circlejerk requirement, but I find it hard to see how it's really better for listeners that they're on location.

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  25. It's time for Dan to put the hipster restaurant behind him. Between listening to corky interview the "hot" chick from the poughkeepsie journal, BaD radio talking to the ex-sales lady who's now in Low-T marketing, and gordo verbally assaulting the same girl from last year about "Cesarean or vag?" this week is turning out to be a net negative. The only thing that can pull The Ticket Superbowl week's head back above water is more Mike's Old Man On The Street and corby spraining his vocal chords.

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  26. I'm still solidifying my opinion about yesterday's Old Man On The Street segment, and I'm pretty ambivalent. Yeah, the actual audio was moderately funny, but it had a bit of an unintentional trainwreck air about it as it played out. Mike couldn't keep track of which clip was which and kept replaying ones they had heard before. He couldn't find the one that he wanted to showcase. He didn't sound like he had much of an idea of what he was doing. That's okay, but then we find out they had it all prepped and noted before he started. They had taken the time to go through and pick out which clips they were going to play ahead of time, and he still got lost. It was hard to listen to and annoying. They thought it was hilarious, but it came across to me as kind of sad.

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  27. Mike's man on the street and player "Did Ray do it" interviews were greatness. However, the wasting of several segments on he and Cat's New Orleans musical journey was horrible. Wow, Mike, you normally hate banjos but this one band was so good you actually didn't mind them. AND you bought their CD? NO WAY! I think these guys are losing touch with the listeners. I wonder if Gavin Spittle is picking up on this? If he is, and he's smart, he'll know that this is the time to attempt to put something together to make an actual run at THL. Meaning, get rid of RaGE. At least the R half of the duo. I think Greggo still has some gas left in the tank, but he needs a strong (and real) Batman. He's a Robin. If they could get, say, Bacsik, paired with Greggo I'm in. At least I'll give it an extended tryout period. Or perhaps poaching someone from The Ticket? Maybe Newbury or Ty Walker? While I don't have the answer, I sure hope Spittle tries. Why? Because it would, I hope, force THL to bleepin' give a rat's ass and actually try to get better. Or at least to get back to where they once were.

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  28. I'll go ahead and tell everyone what to expect in NFL Franchise movement in the next few years.

    The NFL has long sought to become a more international brand with multiple international exhibition games and the failed World League of American Football.

    The next relocations will be international in nature. The Bills will move to Toronto and play in the Rogers Center (Sky Dome) where they already play one home game a year. Buffalo is a worthless rust-belt town with no money and no people (there are at least 3 Dallas suburbs with more money and people than Buffalo).

    The Jaguars will relocate to Mexico City assuming the NFL can get it past Jerry. That's thin thing that I don't think you are considering Plainsman; the impact of franchise moves on existing teams.

    Ever wonder what the catalyst for the Redskins-Cowboys rivalry was? It started because the Redskins were the team of the American South being the most popular NFL team in every former Confederate State. Knowing that a franchise ANYWHERE in the south would eat into Redskins revenue they fought against adding a team in Dallas (or anywhere in the south) tooth and nail.

    Why do I mention this? Well why do you think the Cowboys still pull in so much cash when their core following is frustrated with them? It's because the Cowboys are by far the most popular team among the 115 Million Mexican fans to our south.

    I think the Jaguars will move to Mexico City and become the Aztecs, but only if they can sneak it past Jerry.

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  29. Great stuff, Confessors, and special thanks to 303, who seems to have some pretty squared-away knowledge.

    Although: My whole theory is based on the fact that franchise moves DO have an impact on existing teams, and if a franchise gets moved into Jerry's sphere of influence it will have a really negative impact on Jerry. Only the prospect of elimination of his margins on his hugely expensive operation might shake something loose.

    And by the way -- what do you think of s Niffle management that would hold Jerry in high management esteem? He's making the whole league look clownish. I'm not a mogul, but I gotta tell you -- whenever I hear that a businessman will never in a million years do this or that, I have to smile. The total DFW give-up on loosening Jerry's talons on the 'Pokes football operations says more about the lack of imagination and balls among the local wealthy (and other wealthy who care about the Cowboys) than it does about Jerry's megalomania. If the people who have some chance of altering the Cowboys' next decade or two of futility sit on their hands, they deserve the directionless mess that they see every Sunday.

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  30. Hey all, I have a request to ask amongst the hardcore P1s:

    Is there anywhere on the internet or anywhere, written or audio that details the whole Nasty Nestor/Ticket fued? It's one of those things that always gets mentioned around Super Bowl time and I've heard bits and pieces. However, other than the choking incident a few years back, I know very little about this story. Thanks for any details on this.

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  31. Not to derail this conversation but sometimes that is my mission. A touching (to me) about Sean Bass and his loss last year in the DO.

    http://www.dallasobserver.com/2013-01-31/news/sean-bass-and-the-ticket-s-sobering-take-on-drunken-driving/

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  32. Walrus: Go to

    www.theunticket.com and type in any variation of Nestor that you can think of. Most of it should be there.

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  33. Excellent and important story to get out there, Sea Bass. That must have been awfully tough to do. 'Preciate ya, pal. For real.

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  34. harrison and mclearin leaving the ticket - who is next???

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  35. atlanta rhythm sectionFebruary 1, 2013 at 10:40 AM

    @9:04
    Whatchoo tawkin' bout, Willis?????

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  36. ars, 9:04 is just a troll. The same troll who pathetically haunts these comboxes in order fill the gaping hole in its empty, meaningless existence. Why else would it behave in such a manner? It's sad. And I hope it seeks out and receives the psychological help it needs.

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  37. well, yeah, anon 9:04 is all that stuff too but the mass show is headed to birmingham as well

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  38. @:2:26
    Where'd you hear this? LInk?

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  39. Alas. Our laconic Anonymi speak truth. See next post.

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