Awesome piece Bob, as a Liverpool supporter myself and a Cowboys doubter, I think you nailed it. Don’t know if there’s a current coach out there who could succeed under the Jones Family’s ownership/leadership, they never let the spotlight stray too far from themselves. Jurgen always seemed to find a way to deliver, and I feel like I’ll remember his press conferences just as much as some of the on-the-field moments he and the team produced. When’s the last time you could say that about a Cowboys coach?
Two of the biggest problems with the Cowboys fan base are that they do not understand how hard it is to win a championship. People are wanting to toss it all because they've won 12 games 3 years in a row and because they didn't win a championship it's time to start completely over. The other is not realizing what you have. In a quarterback driven League and you have one of the top 5 to 10 quarterbacks in said League you don't just want to toss him to the side.
I see that a lot - "its hard to win a championship" - but that is missing the point which is they are not even competing for a championship. Since 1996 ONLY the cowboys and Redskins have not played in an nfc championship game.
Since 1996 the cowboys are bottom 5 in the entire league in playoff wins and in playoff win%.
Similar to what Mark C replied, it’s not the failure to win Super Bowls that has a lot of Cowboys fans frustrated. It’s the inability to follow up the 12 and 13 win regular seasons with an appearance in a conference championship game. Find a way to get to one NFC Championship Game, and I think some of the weight these players are carrying around goes away. Not all, but some.
That's bull. Getting to the championship game is not enough! Keep moving the goal post and you're proving what was written in this piece. Winning back to back to back 12 and 13 games gives you a chance. Throw it all away and you don't have a chance
I don't think Chris is advocating burn it all down. The cold hard facts are we have had several good teams and very good players but have little to no playoff success. Something is missing, that iron that takes you to the next level. Dak is a top 10 QB as well as was Romo, they both got us a lot of regular season wins. I think Bob's piece tells us we need something more to get to that level of perennial championship contenders.
Not advocating a throw it all away approach. The hurdle that the post-'95 Cowboys have failed to clear is the divisional round of the playoffs. Clear that one, and maybe some of the doubt and negativity surrounding the team starts to fade.
I think it's more that they stink against the better teams and don't even sniff the championship game. Which leads to the no real hope for greater success that Bob references. I blame the Jones boys and their culture more than anything else.
Klopp as described here reminds me a bit of Mike McDaniels. McDaniel’s opening quote that I remember was “I am not like any other coach I have worked with before”. He expected to win right out of the gate. Big talk for the coach of a team that hadn’t made the playoffs in the last 5 years and 18 of the last 20. Then he backed it up and took them to the playoffs his first year, transforming Tua from a bust suspect to a semi-elite QB1.
An excerpt f rom a 2022 Athletic article by Dan Pompei
“He talks about the inverse correlation between his ascension in the profession and how dependent he now is on others, the nuts and bolts of human relationships, creating an aura that enables each individual to have the best day-to-day experience, thinking more macro as a head coach, maximizing variables he can control, seizing the opportunity to make 2022 memorable and the power of a group of people working for a common goal”
I love watching him operate because he seems so human and humble. The opposite of the unapproachable Belichick and the alpha male driven culture of the NFL. Like everyone else that commented though, I wonder if Jerry would stand for it.
Agree with most that the Jones boys will never let that happen. How about Dan Campbell as a contemporary in that class of coach. At least Detroit is Silver and blue too. As a lifelong Cowboy fan I need someone else to root for the on the side.
I was also thinking about the Dan Campbell opening press conference that Bob showed us during the playoffs. Bob, do you know if Dan Campbell is aware of Klopp’s style and leadership?
That said with Jerry though, there will be no Jurgen Klopp on his watch as owner and GM.
Jerry will not let anyone else be the voice, face, or culture setter of the Dallas Cowboys. No one will get credit, except for Jerry. And Jerry doesn’t delegate except very specific limited authority to Stephen and Will McClay, who do not speak for Jerry.
Dallas Cowboys NEED a Jurgen Klopp, but that just ain’t happening IMHO while Jerry calls the shots.
I would retort to you and Poncho that Dallas did have a Klopp under Jerry and his name was Jimmy Johnson.
Jimmy galvanized the Cowboys unlike any other (including Landry — who multiple players to include Staubach said wasn’t a very affable leader).
Ask Darren Woodson. Ask Ken Norton Jr. Ask Aikman, Emmitt and Irvin. Jimmy was so transcendent that Woodson even is on record saying that the Super Bowl XXX win was in spite of Switzer.
But alas you and Poncho (and all the Sturm faithful) are also correct that we are unlikely to see such a dynamic leader again until father time forces it.
But Dallas did have its transformative leader and he strolled the sidelines of Irving, TX long before Klopp paced the Anfield pitch. All respect to Jurgen and the Kop, but they were lucky to find their Jimmy.
“HOW BOUT DEM COWBOYS!!!! Yeah!” The hair on my neck still rises.
“Pure gold, Jerry!” Well, except for *that* Jerry.
Ain’t enough hearts or likes for Jimmy’s Candlestick Park victory speech.
And there ain’t enough thumbs down for the heart of darkness in Jerruh.
But this really gets after Bob’s point that the best hire was never any player, it was the coach. And as we continue to wander in the wilderness, it is unfortunately also the worst firing of this franchise’s illustrious history.
So well-articulated, Bob. You hit the nail on the head. I appreciate you drawing the parallels between Liverpool and my beloved Cowboys. Klopp is a rare leader as well as a brilliant tactician. I have no idea what current NFL coach possesses those kinds of attributes but it seems unlikely at the moment that either JJ or SJ will relinquish their compulsive need to always be front and center. God help you if you come between the Jones boys and a microphone. It feels kinda desperate and narcissistic — and sad, to be honest. I think McCarthy is probably a much better football coach than fans tend to give him credit for (it’s HARD to win in the NFL) but he seems to have made peace with his role in the organization’s hierarchy, so he wouldn’t be able to address the fans in the way Klopp did even if he wanted to. I started watching the Cowboys in 1965 and the current draught has lasted almost half my lifetime. SMH.
I’m not sure I know the answer to this, but would the American culture of the professional athlete also be willing to operate under such conditions? I’m doubtful.
Good question. My guess is that if the team is winning, it would be very clear who’s on board with the coaches and who’s not. And if you’re not, in that environment, you’ll soon be traded or otherwise cut loose.
Excellent, excellent piece. I so respect Klopp, especially when contrasted with what my team, ManU, has been through. With respect to the Cowboys, we come back to the real problem: Jerry and Stephen. Not sure there's an easy solution to that.
Bob, unreal piece. These are my two teams and damn did this piece hit home and nail it. I often joked(I was only half joking due to JG’s ineptitude and lifelessness and Klopps aura) during the late Jason Garrett years that Klopp could literally have coached the Cowboys better, maybe I wasn’t too far off!
Great article Bob. Always have thought Pep and Klopp were the two best managers in the EPL these days. As a longtime Arsenal fan I am hoping Mikel Arteta can be that guy for us after being in the desert for so long. And as a longtime Cowboy fan I have just about given up all hope that Jerry will ever hire anyone like Klopp.
Awesome piece Bob, as a Liverpool supporter myself and a Cowboys doubter, I think you nailed it. Don’t know if there’s a current coach out there who could succeed under the Jones Family’s ownership/leadership, they never let the spotlight stray too far from themselves. Jurgen always seemed to find a way to deliver, and I feel like I’ll remember his press conferences just as much as some of the on-the-field moments he and the team produced. When’s the last time you could say that about a Cowboys coach?
Two of the biggest problems with the Cowboys fan base are that they do not understand how hard it is to win a championship. People are wanting to toss it all because they've won 12 games 3 years in a row and because they didn't win a championship it's time to start completely over. The other is not realizing what you have. In a quarterback driven League and you have one of the top 5 to 10 quarterbacks in said League you don't just want to toss him to the side.
I see that a lot - "its hard to win a championship" - but that is missing the point which is they are not even competing for a championship. Since 1996 ONLY the cowboys and Redskins have not played in an nfc championship game.
Since 1996 the cowboys are bottom 5 in the entire league in playoff wins and in playoff win%.
See Dan Snyder and Jerruh.
Similar to what Mark C replied, it’s not the failure to win Super Bowls that has a lot of Cowboys fans frustrated. It’s the inability to follow up the 12 and 13 win regular seasons with an appearance in a conference championship game. Find a way to get to one NFC Championship Game, and I think some of the weight these players are carrying around goes away. Not all, but some.
That's bull. Getting to the championship game is not enough! Keep moving the goal post and you're proving what was written in this piece. Winning back to back to back 12 and 13 games gives you a chance. Throw it all away and you don't have a chance
I don't think Chris is advocating burn it all down. The cold hard facts are we have had several good teams and very good players but have little to no playoff success. Something is missing, that iron that takes you to the next level. Dak is a top 10 QB as well as was Romo, they both got us a lot of regular season wins. I think Bob's piece tells us we need something more to get to that level of perennial championship contenders.
Sure you need more than a top 10 quarterback. But you need one. you need other things too.
Not advocating a throw it all away approach. The hurdle that the post-'95 Cowboys have failed to clear is the divisional round of the playoffs. Clear that one, and maybe some of the doubt and negativity surrounding the team starts to fade.
I think it's more that they stink against the better teams and don't even sniff the championship game. Which leads to the no real hope for greater success that Bob references. I blame the Jones boys and their culture more than anything else.
Klopp as described here reminds me a bit of Mike McDaniels. McDaniel’s opening quote that I remember was “I am not like any other coach I have worked with before”. He expected to win right out of the gate. Big talk for the coach of a team that hadn’t made the playoffs in the last 5 years and 18 of the last 20. Then he backed it up and took them to the playoffs his first year, transforming Tua from a bust suspect to a semi-elite QB1.
An excerpt f rom a 2022 Athletic article by Dan Pompei
“He talks about the inverse correlation between his ascension in the profession and how dependent he now is on others, the nuts and bolts of human relationships, creating an aura that enables each individual to have the best day-to-day experience, thinking more macro as a head coach, maximizing variables he can control, seizing the opportunity to make 2022 memorable and the power of a group of people working for a common goal”
I love watching him operate because he seems so human and humble. The opposite of the unapproachable Belichick and the alpha male driven culture of the NFL. Like everyone else that commented though, I wonder if Jerry would stand for it.
Agree with most that the Jones boys will never let that happen. How about Dan Campbell as a contemporary in that class of coach. At least Detroit is Silver and blue too. As a lifelong Cowboy fan I need someone else to root for the on the side.
I was also thinking about the Dan Campbell opening press conference that Bob showed us during the playoffs. Bob, do you know if Dan Campbell is aware of Klopp’s style and leadership?
Very nice piece on Klopp.
That said with Jerry though, there will be no Jurgen Klopp on his watch as owner and GM.
Jerry will not let anyone else be the voice, face, or culture setter of the Dallas Cowboys. No one will get credit, except for Jerry. And Jerry doesn’t delegate except very specific limited authority to Stephen and Will McClay, who do not speak for Jerry.
Dallas Cowboys NEED a Jurgen Klopp, but that just ain’t happening IMHO while Jerry calls the shots.
I would retort to you and Poncho that Dallas did have a Klopp under Jerry and his name was Jimmy Johnson.
Jimmy galvanized the Cowboys unlike any other (including Landry — who multiple players to include Staubach said wasn’t a very affable leader).
Ask Darren Woodson. Ask Ken Norton Jr. Ask Aikman, Emmitt and Irvin. Jimmy was so transcendent that Woodson even is on record saying that the Super Bowl XXX win was in spite of Switzer.
But alas you and Poncho (and all the Sturm faithful) are also correct that we are unlikely to see such a dynamic leader again until father time forces it.
But Dallas did have its transformative leader and he strolled the sidelines of Irving, TX long before Klopp paced the Anfield pitch. All respect to Jurgen and the Kop, but they were lucky to find their Jimmy.
“HOW BOUT DEM COWBOYS!!!! Yeah!” The hair on my neck still rises.
A little long, but this full clip captures Jimmy’s leadership, recognition, respect, and joy for his team; and Jerry’s jealousy.
https://www.reddit.com/r/cowboys/s/IKARct1Sjd
“Pure gold, Jerry!” Well, except for *that* Jerry.
Ain’t enough hearts or likes for Jimmy’s Candlestick Park victory speech.
And there ain’t enough thumbs down for the heart of darkness in Jerruh.
But this really gets after Bob’s point that the best hire was never any player, it was the coach. And as we continue to wander in the wilderness, it is unfortunately also the worst firing of this franchise’s illustrious history.
What if the Cowboys *just* hired Klopp? A reverse Ted Lasso.
So well-articulated, Bob. You hit the nail on the head. I appreciate you drawing the parallels between Liverpool and my beloved Cowboys. Klopp is a rare leader as well as a brilliant tactician. I have no idea what current NFL coach possesses those kinds of attributes but it seems unlikely at the moment that either JJ or SJ will relinquish their compulsive need to always be front and center. God help you if you come between the Jones boys and a microphone. It feels kinda desperate and narcissistic — and sad, to be honest. I think McCarthy is probably a much better football coach than fans tend to give him credit for (it’s HARD to win in the NFL) but he seems to have made peace with his role in the organization’s hierarchy, so he wouldn’t be able to address the fans in the way Klopp did even if he wanted to. I started watching the Cowboys in 1965 and the current draught has lasted almost half my lifetime. SMH.
One doesn’t even have to be a soccer fan to appreciate the greatness of this piece. Well done.
I’m not sure I know the answer to this, but would the American culture of the professional athlete also be willing to operate under such conditions? I’m doubtful.
Good question. My guess is that if the team is winning, it would be very clear who’s on board with the coaches and who’s not. And if you’re not, in that environment, you’ll soon be traded or otherwise cut loose.
Great piece Bob. I won't be holding my breath though. Liverpool got its Jurgen Klopp. We have Bogus Crapp and Bogus Crapp, Jr. is on deck.
Excellent, excellent piece. I so respect Klopp, especially when contrasted with what my team, ManU, has been through. With respect to the Cowboys, we come back to the real problem: Jerry and Stephen. Not sure there's an easy solution to that.
Phenomenal read Bob!
Bob, unreal piece. These are my two teams and damn did this piece hit home and nail it. I often joked(I was only half joking due to JG’s ineptitude and lifelessness and Klopps aura) during the late Jason Garrett years that Klopp could literally have coached the Cowboys better, maybe I wasn’t too far off!
Also, it feels like the Lions found their Klopp in Dan Campbell…? Just a thought
Great article Bob. Always have thought Pep and Klopp were the two best managers in the EPL these days. As a longtime Arsenal fan I am hoping Mikel Arteta can be that guy for us after being in the desert for so long. And as a longtime Cowboy fan I have just about given up all hope that Jerry will ever hire anyone like Klopp.
We had our Jurgen, but Jerry ran him off.
Man, I couldn’t really care less about EPL, but this story made me cry!