With moves made by owner Jerry Jones this season, it is becoming increasingly clear that he is more willing to gamble on the bad seeds of the league. The first and pretty much only guy to do this in the past was none other than Al Davis. T.O., Tank Johnson, Pac Man, and many more. Sure Jerry Jones and Al are friends, and maybe their similar personalities and dealings are a reason for that. But it is becoming a little more clear that these once maverick owners are becoming a little more out of touch with the game. The only difference in time frame is that the Cowboys have started their decline, and the Raiders have been in freefall for a while.
Sure each team is competitive every so often, one a little moreso than the other, but they definitely have a lot of similarities. Al Davis is the owner, and GM of the Raiders. Jerry Jones is the owner, and GM of the Cowboys. While running the show, Al Davis has 3 Super Bowl titles, same as Jerry Jones (Cowboys have 5 overall). And while the Raiders haven't won a Super Bowl in 25 years, the Cowboys haven't even won a playoff game since 1996. Both owners like to make very risky investments in free agency and the draft, and they usually don't pay off anymore.
The Cowboys are definitely a lot better off with Jones than we are with Davis (Jones just personally financed a beautiful brand new stadium, Al is too cheap to pay his coaches), with I think the Cowboys shouldn't be overlooked in terms of dysfunction or lack of success in recent years. Organizational value is highly based on stadium value, and in term, marketability. The Cowboys are always in the Top 3, but they do have a new stadium and have been known as "America's Team" for as long as I can remember. The Raiders on the other hand, have recently been ranked in the bottom 5, which is reflective of the value of their stadium. If the teams switched cities or even stadiums, it could be safe to assume that their status on the Forbes' rankings could be switched as well. Since that can't happen, both teams will likely continue to implode, but one will be at a lot slower rate than the other.
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your entire last paragraph negates your entire point, this is rubbish
TunaBallKing
Ottawa, ON
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I beg to differ here. Al Davis is 134 years old, and is a worse meddler than Jones. Jones, who is just 120 (but with his new facelift, looks 102) does his share of meddling, of course, and he isn't always on target with his hiring of people, (coaches and players). But, Jones at least gives a coach a chance . Dave Campo got 3 years of consecutive 5-11 seasons, and then was brought back to do what he is better at.
I had to wonder why Davis went and hired Art Shell (again) and gave him only ONE year, and then fired him again. Of course, Jones is as guilty as anyone about firing, but he has yet to fire a coach who only coached 20 games like Davis did with Kiffin and Shell. Switzer don't count. He was mainly a fill in anyway. Cable will last a few months, if he makes it to the end of the season, and Davis will find some fault with him as well. Everyone knows the excuses Davis gave for firing Kiffin, but there are 2 sides to every coin.
So, to say the Cowboys are in a decline is a bit premature. The Cowboys have a lot of talent, but to get them to utilize it, is another matter. I'm sure they will rise to the occasion, because the season is not finished yet. Look at the Colts, Chargers, and Patriots. They are also having problems as well. Are they in a deline too? I doubt it. They're just having some problems, much like everyone else does. All of the teams from the playoffs last year, are having problems here and there, save for the Giants, (and the Browns whipped them last week) and they have a point to prove to all their naysayers. The media has made out the Giants as a "fluke", for lack of a better word. They're out to prove something. So, with that being said, the 'Boys find themselves in the same kind of boat the Giants are in, in that they're going to have to prove themselves again.
Jones wants to win, plain and simple. Davis couldn't care less, and it shows in the W/L column. Just lose , baby. Eventually, he'll get enough 1st round picks to stock his team, but by the time he does that, some of the first ones will be too old to play anymore. I don't think the stadiums have anything to do with it. Texas Stadium is still serviceable, but Jones wants his legacy to be remembered. Ego? Of course, but the man wants to win. Just have to get the right parts in place and meshing together. They will.
Bull_of the_Woods
Orange, TX
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Most of what Davis does makes no sense to anyone other than him. Nothing he does anymore is fair, logical, or fiscally responsible. There's no doubt that Davis has the desire to win, his actions however, prove otherwise. So to say that Davis couldn't care less about winning is incorrect and without merit. Every owner in the NFL wants to win and each has their own method in going about that goal, some ways work, others don't. For Al Davis and Jerry Jones, their methods do not work anymore, plain and simple.
Throwing money at your problems is not the appropriate way to go about fixing them. Sure Roy Williams is a good receiver, but he does not address any issues with the secondary for the Cowboys. The reverse can be said for the Raiders. Sure D'Angelo Hall is a good corner, but he does not address any issues with the receiving corp for the Raiders. You could have the best 5 players in the league on your team and not be any good. If they all happen to play the same position, you just have a lot of money tied up and no progress to show for it. This is where both owners fail.
As for the Colts, Chargers, and Pats in a decline, they most certainly are. the Chargers have never won anything, just flirted with success. Their window may have closed. The Colts and Pats have been the toast of the league for the last 8 or so years, and when you are on top, the only direction you can go from there is down. That is why teams like the Bills and Titans are moving up. All good things must come to an end, and for teams like the Chargers, Colts, & Pats, it may be for their time in the sun, for owners like Al Davis and Jerry Jones, it is their organizational success.
RaiderDave
Dublin, CA
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