Here’s a sobering thought:

Since the Jimmy Johnson – Jerry Jones split occured, now beginning to approach two decades ago, a Jones-led Cowboys team has managed to improve its record from the previous season just FOUR times.

Two of those occurences came with Jerry in a limited capacity when Bill Parcells was head coach. Another came with Bill Parcells’ roster and assembled talent and was mainly the result of a full year with Tony Romo as the starting QB.

The only other time? 1998, with Chan Gailey as a first year head coach, rebounding from the disastrous Switzer regime.

Every single other year (that’s 11 seasons, for those of you at home slightly intimidated by basic math), the Jerry Jones Dallas Cowboys have either gotten worse or failed to get better from their previous campaign. Here’s the full list:

1994 12-4
1995 12-4
1996 10-6
1997 6-10
1998 10-6 IMPROVED
1999 8-8
2000 5-11
2001 5-11
2002 5-11
2003 10-6 IMPROVED
2004 6-10
2005 9-7 IMPROVED
2006 9-7
2007 13-3 IMPROVED
2008 9-7

What does this data indicate, trend-wise?

Consistent backsliding at a fairly alarming pace, interrupted by brief periods of managerial competence that has a short term boosting effect, but in the long term is diluted and eventually the positive aspects of the new administration are eroded.

There’s only one constant through all this.

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Many of the more level-headed among us had a feeling that this team wouldn’t open up Yet-To-Be-Decided-Corporate-Sponsor Stadium with Wade Phillips at the helm. Or at least, that’s what we hoped.

Come on. Wade Phillips? A head coach who has never won a playoff game in his long, long, NFL career? A man who has just presided over quite possibly one of the most embarrassing seasons ever for your Dallas Cowboys? A character who, in terms of the always important marketability angle, is more likely to cause fans to part with their hard earned dollars for a multitude of various prescription and non-prescription drugs as opposed to personal seat licenses?  

So it was no real surprise when I logged onto the interweb recently and found out, officially, that he’s no longer running the show. Sure, there had been evidence before. Hints dropped here and there. But now we know for sure. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Head Coach for the 2009 Dallas Cowboys will be…. (more…)

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