1 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: A prologue to today's story. We have been asking Cowboys 2 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 1: players to tell us stories about their time as Dallas Cowboys. 3 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:14,360 Speaker 1: Some of these players played in the sixties, seventies, eighties, 4 00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 1: and nineties, and the two thousands, and some are on 5 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:18,880 Speaker 1: the team today. But this will be the first story 6 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:21,160 Speaker 1: told to us by one of the two most influential 7 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:24,759 Speaker 1: people in the Cowboys organization. Steven Jones is the chief 8 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 1: financial officer of the Dallas Cowboys and the director of 9 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:31,480 Speaker 1: player Personnel. He, along with the GM and owner Jerry Jones, 10 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:36,040 Speaker 1: oversee an orchestrate almost everything, including trades and key free 11 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 1: agent signings. Today, we asked Stephen to tell us about 12 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:42,560 Speaker 1: his role in two of the biggest trades in NFL history. 13 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:45,640 Speaker 1: We begin with the addition of Charles Hayley to the 14 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety two Dallas Cowboys team. I couldn't control my 15 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 1: emotions and the anger and hay came out. You know, 16 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 1: they cut Ronnie at the Pro Bowl. I was right 17 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 1: there with Rynie when he got cut. They humiliated him, 18 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:06,560 Speaker 1: and I couldn't forgive him for that. So whatever I 19 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 1: had to do to get out, I did. George said. 20 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:12,160 Speaker 1: The last straw was when I told him, I wasn't 21 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 1: going to go to London or Japan or wherever they 22 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 1: were going. And when they got back, they told me 23 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:21,679 Speaker 1: just go home. And then I went home and they 24 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 1: said I was traded to the Dallas Skoutboys. That's the 25 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 1: familiar voice of Hall of Fame defensive end Charles Haley, 26 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:35,480 Speaker 1: who had won two Super Bowls in San Francisco, but 27 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:37,559 Speaker 1: was not seeing eye to eye with his head coach 28 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 1: George Seyfert for various reasons, including the one you heard 29 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:43,320 Speaker 1: that his closest friend on the team in future Hall 30 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 1: of Fame safety Ronnie Lott, had been told he would 31 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 1: no longer be a forty nine Er, and that news 32 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,560 Speaker 1: was passed to him ironically at the Pro Bowl in Hawaii. 33 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 1: Another Haley confidant was Joe Montana, who, after winning four 34 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 1: Super Bowls, was being pushed out of his job by 35 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 1: an up and coming Steve Young. That pissed Earls off, too, 36 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 1: so he wanted out of San Francisco. And maybe the 37 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:06,720 Speaker 1: strangest twist in all of this was that the forty 38 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 1: nine Ers were shopping Charles Haley, and they were willing 39 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:11,959 Speaker 1: to trade him to their biggest competition in the NFC, 40 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 1: the Dallas Cowboys, the forty nine ers, McVey and Seaport 41 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 1: had called, and of course we were trying to get 42 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:27,080 Speaker 1: over the hut. In terms of taking the next step, 43 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:28,800 Speaker 1: I felt like we had a really good team on 44 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 1: the offensive side of the ball, but really thought we 45 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 1: were missing that pass rusher. That's the voice of Stephen Jones, 46 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 1: the CFO and VP of player personnel for the Dallas Cowboys, 47 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: And as you know, the Dallas Cowboys are often referred 48 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 1: to as America's team. But there was also always that 49 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:46,799 Speaker 1: old adage that the hole in the roof of Texas 50 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:50,160 Speaker 1: Stadium was put there so God could watch his favorite team. 51 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 1: And in some ways, looking back on this very unlikely 52 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 1: trade of Charles Haley to the Cowboys from the forty 53 00:02:56,639 --> 00:02:59,440 Speaker 1: nine ers, well God must have been involved somehow, I mean, 54 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 1: else can you explain it? Whatever you believe. The Cowboys, 55 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 1: led by Jerry Jones and his son Stephen Jones, who 56 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:07,640 Speaker 1: it should be noted, was in the middle of this 57 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 1: high level acquisition representing the most famous team in the world. 58 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:13,920 Speaker 1: While he was still in his twenties. Stephen and his 59 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 1: chemical engineering degree were just settling into reading drill logs 60 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:19,639 Speaker 1: and laying grades on what those drills were unearthing for 61 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 1: the Jones family oil business. When his father called and said, 62 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:25,840 Speaker 1: come help me round the Cowboys. As you might expect, 63 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:29,000 Speaker 1: the team of Jones and Jones jumped at the opportunity 64 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:31,520 Speaker 1: to add a freak athlete to their fast, young team 65 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:34,240 Speaker 1: that they felt was on the verge of greatness. But 66 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 1: this was a decision that needed some careful thought. You know, 67 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:41,200 Speaker 1: we ended up getting into a good discussion about whether 68 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 1: we should make a trade for Charles or not. I 69 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 1: have a feeling that NFL fans outside of San Francisco 70 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 1: were probably not aware of the dichotomy between the physical 71 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 1: talents of Charles and the personal daily challenges for Charles. 72 00:03:55,240 --> 00:03:58,280 Speaker 1: But I assume that you and Jerry were. They were 73 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 1: upfront that he was certainly a challenge for them to 74 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 1: the point where they needed to trade him. From a 75 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: chemistry standpoint, just still like it's best for us to 76 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 1: move on, and normally they'd never trade a player of 77 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 1: his caliber. There was obviously a mutual respect between the 78 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 1: forty nine ers and the Cowboys front offices for them 79 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:17,840 Speaker 1: to be so transparent about their need to trade Charles. 80 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 1: That honesty no doubt led to intense discussions within the 81 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 1: walls of Valley Ranch. But Jerry Jones hadn't made it 82 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 1: this far by being cautious. He believed in his inner 83 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 1: core and trusted them to make things work. Jerry was in, 84 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:33,279 Speaker 1: but Stephen and Jimmy and the coaching staff were the 85 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:35,800 Speaker 1: ones who really had to decide if this piece to 86 00:04:35,839 --> 00:04:40,080 Speaker 1: the puzzle was worth the gamble. Now, I think overall 87 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:42,240 Speaker 1: he was pretty much one hundred percent with Jerry. I 88 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:44,560 Speaker 1: remember Jerry went could get him at the airport when 89 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 1: we finally made the trade. Come on hand, stick off, Hi, 90 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:51,960 Speaker 1: I'm Jared Johnald going to dial a cow Ma, Welcome 91 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:55,600 Speaker 1: to Dollar. I learned all the stories from Arkansas and 92 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 1: Cowboys how much money would lose. First impressions in business 93 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 1: often mean everything. Jerry was going to make him good 94 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 1: first impression with Charles. He was going to show him 95 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:07,520 Speaker 1: how happy he was to have him in a Cowboys uniform, 96 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 1: and he was going to impress upon him just how 97 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:12,560 Speaker 1: much he had invested in his new football team. He 98 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 1: wanted Charles to go from the team of the eighties 99 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 1: to the team of the nineties. So Jerry was all in. 100 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:20,480 Speaker 1: Oh and the new voice is the Hall of Famer himself, 101 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:23,040 Speaker 1: Charles Haley, who has told his version of this story 102 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 1: a few times. Once to me, Jerry being all in 103 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:28,559 Speaker 1: on Charles was no surprise. He was a risk taker 104 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 1: at heart. But the challenge of Charles on a daily 105 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 1: basis would fall to Stephen Jones, Jimmy Johnson and his 106 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 1: coaching staff. Jimmy just felt good that he could handle him, 107 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 1: felt like we had a great group that you could 108 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:51,800 Speaker 1: league with Charles. There was the rub. The nineteen ninety 109 00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:55,159 Speaker 1: one Cowboys had one eleven games, and the entire league 110 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 1: knew they were a fast, young, talented team that was 111 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:00,720 Speaker 1: getting ready to be a force. So adding talent to 112 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:03,720 Speaker 1: a team that's already feeling their oats can be ticklish, 113 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:06,279 Speaker 1: especially if that person is a day to day challenge. 114 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:14,160 Speaker 1: From a personality standpoint, there were already plenty of egos 115 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 1: in the room, led by Jimmy, Emmett, Michael and Kenn 116 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:19,560 Speaker 1: Norton Junior, just to name a few. Can an outlandish 117 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 1: personality with off the charts talent fit into your group? 118 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:26,680 Speaker 1: Will the group let him in? You know? Between guys 119 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 1: like Michael Irvan and Eric Williams and Tony Tolbert ken 120 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 1: Norton had a really strong group, you know, could handle 121 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:40,280 Speaker 1: Charles and his indiscretions if you will. So after plenty 122 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:43,200 Speaker 1: of teeth gnashing at Valley Ranch, the Cowboys decided that 123 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 1: adding more speed and more talent and taking away a 124 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:49,080 Speaker 1: great player from the forty nine ers was worth the risk. 125 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 1: The upside was just too great to pass up. What 126 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:55,479 Speaker 1: if Charles is the final piece? But what if he 127 00:06:55,520 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 1: interrupts the chemistry and turns this team upside down? So 128 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:02,880 Speaker 1: I put my uniform on. You know, they go between 129 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 1: fifty and a thirty to stretch. I went all the 130 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:08,720 Speaker 1: way back to the Enzo and I'm sitting back there 131 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 1: because you know what, I gotta visualize what I'm gonna 132 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:13,160 Speaker 1: do to that asked And let me tell you won't 133 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 1: go be nice. And if there was concern about Charles 134 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:20,800 Speaker 1: fitting in, well, the concern was validated because Charles found 135 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 1: a grudge against some of his new teammates on his 136 00:07:23,760 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 1: first day. I'm sitting back there and now Jimmy, Jimmy 137 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 1: and them looking going like, what the hell have we done? 138 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:33,240 Speaker 1: They're going, hey, that's the first day to me. I know, 139 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:36,560 Speaker 1: he going like, oh my god, is this guy, I 140 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:39,680 Speaker 1: gotta do this the whole year. Charles did clash with 141 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 1: several of his teammates throughout that first year, but when 142 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 1: a team realizes that they have a chance to do 143 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:48,200 Speaker 1: great things, they tend to put grievances among themselves aside. 144 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:51,600 Speaker 1: The leaders see to that. Plus, Charles wasn't the only 145 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 1: new face in nineteen ninety two. They once again had 146 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:57,600 Speaker 1: a wonderful draft that brought in cornerback Kevin Smith, linebacker 147 00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 1: Robert Jones, plus safety Darren Woodson, and they added safety 148 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 1: Thomas Everett. The Cowboys started the season eight and one 149 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:06,680 Speaker 1: and went on to win thirteen games, then whipped the 150 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 1: Eagles in the Divisional round of the playoffs, and then 151 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 1: almost predictably, they faced the forty nine Ers in the 152 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:15,720 Speaker 1: NFC Championship Game and they beat them thirty to twenty, 153 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 1: with the defense harassing Steve Young with three sacks and 154 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:22,760 Speaker 1: an interception, plus forcing a Ricky Waters fumble. The Cowboys 155 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:24,880 Speaker 1: were in the Super Bowl for the first time since 156 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy eight, and Charles Haley two this day, gets 157 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 1: a great amount of credit for that push, that final 158 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 1: push that the defense needed. Jeril Stay to this day, 159 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:41,840 Speaker 1: you know it's trade more than any maybe even more 160 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:44,080 Speaker 1: than Herschel that put us over the top in terms 161 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:47,920 Speaker 1: of taking that last step. What Jerry loves to tell 162 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:51,000 Speaker 1: us media guys is quote, we couldn't spell super Bowl 163 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:53,720 Speaker 1: until we traded for Charles, and that we don't win 164 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:55,800 Speaker 1: those three super Bowls and become the Team of the 165 00:08:55,880 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 1: nineties without that move. Trading four Charles really us over 166 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 1: the top in terms of having the caliber defense that 167 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:06,920 Speaker 1: we needed to win a championship. Three World championships in 168 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:09,880 Speaker 1: four years for the Team of the nineties, quite possibly 169 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:13,319 Speaker 1: the best gathering of talent that the NFL has ever seen. 170 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:16,680 Speaker 1: But how many discussions did it take internally Stephen to 171 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:19,720 Speaker 1: be ready for number ninety four. We were eyes wide open. 172 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 1: We knew we were getting a handful, and they were 173 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:24,720 Speaker 1: pretty open about it. Timing is everything, it turns out, 174 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:26,960 Speaker 1: and the timing of a phone call from the forty 175 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:30,360 Speaker 1: nine ers to the Dallas Cowboys offering up a stubborn 176 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 1: star might seem even serendipitous except for the fact that 177 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:36,920 Speaker 1: the Cowboys were on the lookout for help on the 178 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:39,559 Speaker 1: pass rushing front. At the end of the day, we 179 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 1: knew what we were getting into. We were all in 180 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:45,079 Speaker 1: for Jimmy was all in. The team was all in. 181 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 1: I think Jimmy covered his basis with the Michaels and 182 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:52,080 Speaker 1: the Troys and Tolberts and the Nortons and so on 183 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:54,440 Speaker 1: and so forth, and you know, we just felt like 184 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:56,959 Speaker 1: it was a rare opportunity to get a great player, 185 00:09:57,360 --> 00:10:00,480 Speaker 1: knowing didn't well, we were going to have challenges. Players 186 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:04,120 Speaker 1: are worth it and most aren't. Before there was a draft, 187 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 1: you could size up a cowboy by three simple factors, 188 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:09,200 Speaker 1: the crease at his hat, the bend of his brim, 189 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:12,840 Speaker 1: and his unbending attitude a man. Stetson didn't just protect 190 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:15,720 Speaker 1: him from what life through at him, It projected a rugged, 191 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:20,080 Speaker 1: unstoppable spirit. Stetson hats are still American, made with pride. 192 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:23,320 Speaker 1: Right here in Texas, there's still the unofficial crowd of 193 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:26,640 Speaker 1: all self respecting cowboys, and Stetson is proud to be 194 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:29,880 Speaker 1: on the field with America's team. Find a retailer nearest 195 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:34,880 Speaker 1: you at Stetson dot com. Slash Cowboys The Cowboys Way, 196 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 1: where sixteen Hall of Famers and five championships shows us 197 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 1: what success looks like. Where Turkey is always the second 198 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:45,400 Speaker 1: best part of Thanksgiving Day, where we are all defined 199 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:49,560 Speaker 1: by one single thing, the Star, where we as fans 200 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:52,640 Speaker 1: know it's our job to keep the tradition going. Bank 201 00:10:52,679 --> 00:10:54,760 Speaker 1: of America is proud to be the official bank of 202 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:57,559 Speaker 1: the Dallas Cowboys and to support the quest of living 203 00:10:57,600 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 1: life the Cowboys Way. Copyright twenty twenty. Bank of America Corporation. 204 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:04,560 Speaker 1: Want to use what the pros use? 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Most times in 223 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:07,760 Speaker 1: the NFL draft, picks have actually defined organizations. Drafting Roger 224 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:10,040 Speaker 1: Staubach with a tenth round pick when he had five 225 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:12,679 Speaker 1: more years left on his commitment to the Navy helped 226 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:16,960 Speaker 1: turn the Cowboys into America's team. Drafting Michael Irvin, Troy Aikman, 227 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:19,400 Speaker 1: and Emmett Smith in a two year period gave the 228 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:23,000 Speaker 1: Cowboys the Triplets and three more Super Bowls. But in 229 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:27,199 Speaker 1: rare times, the big trade, orchestrated under tremendous scrutiny with 230 00:12:27,240 --> 00:12:30,480 Speaker 1: a pressure of time laying on our organization's back, has 231 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:33,679 Speaker 1: also helped write an amazing script for an NFL team. 232 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:36,480 Speaker 1: In this case, the team of Jerry Stephen and Jimmy 233 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:40,080 Speaker 1: did it with two trades. They moved herschel Walker, the 234 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:42,600 Speaker 1: great running back, which brought a massive talent in a 235 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:45,160 Speaker 1: short period of time, and then they followed it with 236 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 1: the addition of Charles Haley. At the end of the day, 237 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 1: you know what would think to him. He's still around 238 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 1: our complex quite often and just thank the world of 239 00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:56,679 Speaker 1: Charles and would do it again and again and again. 240 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:05,960 Speaker 1: Very few trades for big time, expensive players result in 241 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:10,120 Speaker 1: an organization saying we'd do it again and again and again, 242 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:13,520 Speaker 1: very few. But Charles Haley's love for football and for 243 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:16,720 Speaker 1: winning far outweighed any issues that he made the Cowboys 244 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:19,240 Speaker 1: deal with in his five years in Dallas. When it 245 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:22,360 Speaker 1: came time to play and to compete and play at 246 00:13:22,400 --> 00:13:24,680 Speaker 1: the highest the levels he played hurt. He just did 247 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:27,800 Speaker 1: everything that was asked of them, and certainly, you know, 248 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:30,320 Speaker 1: a truly great player. How did you get a Hall 249 00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:33,280 Speaker 1: of Fame type player for the second round pick for 250 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 1: the Cowboys and their magical five year run of winning 251 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:39,600 Speaker 1: three Super Bowls? The answer was twice. The second one 252 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:42,200 Speaker 1: is coming up in just a moment. You know, at 253 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:43,920 Speaker 1: the end of the day, most of those guys were 254 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:48,120 Speaker 1: even though they had their challenges at times off the field, 255 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:51,319 Speaker 1: there were such competitors on the field and all of them. 256 00:13:51,440 --> 00:13:53,240 Speaker 1: The one thing you could say about him as they 257 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:55,880 Speaker 1: came to work, They came to practice every day to 258 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:59,680 Speaker 1: be great. Now. Did they cut loose once they left 259 00:13:59,679 --> 00:14:03,080 Speaker 1: that bill? Absolutely, But you know that's part of what 260 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 1: made it that never forget, David Hill told Jerry. He said, 261 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:09,679 Speaker 1: Jerry called David John, I know, I know you're thinking, 262 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:14,400 Speaker 1: you know, with Michael Hill and Charles Still and Eric Williams, 263 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:17,120 Speaker 1: and I'm gonna get my hands around that. He said, Oh, 264 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:19,560 Speaker 1: don't do that, Jerry. That's part of the soap opula. 265 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 1: He said, that's what makes it all the more fun 266 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:24,560 Speaker 1: to cover. You guys, don't take all the fun out 267 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:27,320 Speaker 1: of it. Now that a group of comments needs its 268 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:30,320 Speaker 1: own podcast or maybe even a movie. Because David Hill 269 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 1: that Stephen refers to was the executive producer of Fox 270 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:36,400 Speaker 1: Sports in the nineteen nineties. He was first hired by 271 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:38,960 Speaker 1: Rupert Murdoch to run twenty first Century Fox in the 272 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:42,760 Speaker 1: late eighties, and he was majorly involved in Fox Sports 273 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 1: stepping up and winning the bid to televise the NFL 274 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:50,480 Speaker 1: on Fox by pushing aside CBS. Fox was so edgy 275 00:14:50,520 --> 00:14:53,440 Speaker 1: in those days that a brief conversation was actually had 276 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 1: to assure the NFL owners that indeed, Fox would not 277 00:14:56,280 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 1: have Bart Simpson doing play by play for any of 278 00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:02,640 Speaker 1: their games. Barton Homer and The X Files were really 279 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:05,280 Speaker 1: the best known programs on Fox at the time, which 280 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:09,440 Speaker 1: had zero sports. They started with the NFL, and Jerry 281 00:15:09,440 --> 00:15:12,400 Speaker 1: and Stephen were big proponents of them bringing new blood 282 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:15,000 Speaker 1: and excitement to their league. I know you're going to 283 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:17,800 Speaker 1: ask me about Dion and bringing that personality to the 284 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:26,920 Speaker 1: group when talking about the Cowboys trades. You may have 285 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:30,000 Speaker 1: heard me say twice when talking about making big time 286 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:33,800 Speaker 1: acquisitions that helped the Cowboys win Super Bowls. Charles was one. 287 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:37,840 Speaker 1: The other was Dion Sanders. Primetime homed his skills at 288 00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:41,240 Speaker 1: Florida State University before making a giant splash in the 289 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:44,480 Speaker 1: NFL with the Falcons of Atlanta. In nineteen ninety four, 290 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:47,320 Speaker 1: he was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 291 00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:50,360 Speaker 1: San Francisco. It was the forty nine Ers that ended 292 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:52,840 Speaker 1: the Cowboys run of Super Bowls at two straight, led 293 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 1: by Dion Sanders at cornerback. He was the best player 294 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:58,360 Speaker 1: in the league that year. He played a big role 295 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 1: and are to have a forty nine Ers VATA set day, 296 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:04,840 Speaker 1: But as Bill Parcels would say, the twenty one nothing 297 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 1: before the Tubers were even in their cases. My first 298 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:09,960 Speaker 1: year we wouldn't have been down twenty one or nothing 299 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:12,040 Speaker 1: in the first five minutes. We might have one minute game. 300 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:15,640 Speaker 1: In nineteen ninety four, the two time defending Super Bowl 301 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:18,640 Speaker 1: champion Cowboys went for a three peat, and they did 302 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:20,840 Speaker 1: it with that new voice you heard as their head coach, 303 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:25,080 Speaker 1: Barry Switzer. Coach Switzer had won three national championships in 304 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:28,000 Speaker 1: dominant fashion at the University of Oklahoma, and he was 305 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:30,560 Speaker 1: a long time friend of the Jones family. He took 306 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:33,160 Speaker 1: over in nineteen ninety four after Jimmy Johnson and Jerry 307 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:36,960 Speaker 1: Jones agreed to shocking league part ways. Switzer led those 308 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:39,200 Speaker 1: ninety four Cowboys to a twelve and four record and 309 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:42,600 Speaker 1: right back to the NFC championship game again against the 310 00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:45,840 Speaker 1: forty nine Ers, Only this time, despite a valiant comeback 311 00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:48,960 Speaker 1: effort by the Cowboys, the forty nine Ers won thirty 312 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:52,880 Speaker 1: eight twenty eight. During that painful offseason, s fate or 313 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:55,360 Speaker 1: luck would have it, the Cowboys once again had an 314 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:58,640 Speaker 1: opportunity the snatch a game changing player from their hated 315 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:02,000 Speaker 1: rivals and to add him to their championship mix. In 316 00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:04,920 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety five, but now there was a salary cap 317 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:07,200 Speaker 1: in the NFL and the days of collecting the most 318 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:10,120 Speaker 1: talent and paying them the most money were simply over. 319 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:13,640 Speaker 1: Crime time was a free agent and he wouldn't come 320 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:16,200 Speaker 1: cheaply to the Cowboys. You know, one thing we did 321 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:18,720 Speaker 1: see is Don was the difference in that forty nine 322 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:21,480 Speaker 1: er team that year, And of course Jerry being the 323 00:17:21,520 --> 00:17:25,359 Speaker 1: competitor he is, and Verry of course just said, are 324 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:27,080 Speaker 1: your kid and me if we can get our hands 325 00:17:27,119 --> 00:17:29,840 Speaker 1: on that gage, you know, we'll not only makes forty 326 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:33,879 Speaker 1: nine ers weeker, but we'll be mensely better San Francisco 327 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:36,200 Speaker 1: and US with two best teams in the NFL that time. 328 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:40,960 Speaker 1: Dion senders nineteen ninety four season included six interceptions that 329 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:43,960 Speaker 1: he returned for over three hundred yards, three of them 330 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:47,200 Speaker 1: went to the house for touchdowns. He also returned kicks 331 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:49,719 Speaker 1: and punts and could potentially line up at wide receiver. 332 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:52,479 Speaker 1: He was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, as 333 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:55,360 Speaker 1: we mentioned, and was an unusual force in the football 334 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:59,480 Speaker 1: field from the cornerback position. He was a shutdown corner. 335 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 1: After the forty nine Ers beat the Cowboys in the 336 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:04,960 Speaker 1: NFC Championship games, Dion finished off their Super Bowl win 337 00:18:05,040 --> 00:18:07,960 Speaker 1: with an interception in the end zone against the Chargers 338 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:11,879 Speaker 1: to seal their Super Bowl victory. And now Dion was 339 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:14,800 Speaker 1: a free agent, and Jerry Jones was in line with 340 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:18,240 Speaker 1: his hand up. You know, Jerry for the most part, 341 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:21,800 Speaker 1: left to negotiations on a lot of these contracts, detailed 342 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:26,639 Speaker 1: negotiations up to me. But in this particular case, you know, 343 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:29,159 Speaker 1: we got on the phone talking to the player and 344 00:18:29,560 --> 00:18:31,760 Speaker 1: selling the player on Dallas, and of course we got 345 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:34,800 Speaker 1: on the phone with Eugene, and so we decided we'd 346 00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 1: meet the mansion in Dallas away from the complex because 347 00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:40,720 Speaker 1: we didn't want all the moving parts that might come 348 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:43,080 Speaker 1: with a NIX. You know, they saw that Eugene was 349 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:46,960 Speaker 1: in town. Eugene Parker was becoming a big time name 350 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:50,080 Speaker 1: in the sports agency business. He is known by many 351 00:18:50,119 --> 00:18:52,439 Speaker 1: to be the first African American lawyer to make his 352 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:56,480 Speaker 1: way into the business, and his reputation was fantastic. He 353 00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:59,159 Speaker 1: was known for his integrity and his straightforward approach to 354 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:01,480 Speaker 1: getting his client signed with the teams that they wanted 355 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:04,040 Speaker 1: to play for. The Cowboys decided that they wanted to 356 00:19:04,119 --> 00:19:07,960 Speaker 1: keep Eugene's presence in Dallas from the learing press until 357 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:15,879 Speaker 1: things went one way or another. Eugene said he had 358 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:19,080 Speaker 1: a deal that he thought would work for us, and 359 00:19:19,160 --> 00:19:22,719 Speaker 1: of course we had just signed Michael and Troy, and 360 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:26,160 Speaker 1: part of negotiation when there with all three of those 361 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:29,280 Speaker 1: guys was being all three hold us up for more. 362 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:32,200 Speaker 1: But if we want to keep the team together in 363 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:34,840 Speaker 1: the salary cap there, you know we need everybody not 364 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:39,000 Speaker 1: to just max happ here. Stephen Jones is the CFO, 365 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:43,040 Speaker 1: and he had spent countless days and months negotiating with 366 00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:45,679 Speaker 1: a core of the skill position players on the Cowboys 367 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:48,840 Speaker 1: offense to think of the team and to understand that 368 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:51,600 Speaker 1: the new salary cap was not going to allow them 369 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:54,400 Speaker 1: to give everyone max money. If they wanted to keep 370 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:56,840 Speaker 1: winning Super Bowls, they needed to be team players with 371 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:00,879 Speaker 1: their salaries too, A very tough sell. All too often, 372 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:03,720 Speaker 1: Stephen has been reminded through the years that the salary 373 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:07,720 Speaker 1: cappys quote not the players problem. They don't care. They 374 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:10,200 Speaker 1: want their money and it's his job to figure it out. 375 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:13,480 Speaker 1: But he got Troy, Emma and Michael to come his 376 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:16,000 Speaker 1: way a little bit for the good of the team. 377 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:18,440 Speaker 1: That's one of his jobs and it's no doubt a 378 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:21,399 Speaker 1: tough sell. Part of my issue with Jerry was We 379 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:23,760 Speaker 1: got to be careful here, you know, after we've really 380 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 1: traded tough with Troy and Michael and Emmett that we 381 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:31,480 Speaker 1: don't open the books to Dion, and hear Michael and 382 00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:33,240 Speaker 1: Troy and Emmet are a big part of while we're 383 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:36,959 Speaker 1: sitting here today. He agreed with that. Jerry heard Stephen 384 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:40,160 Speaker 1: and he understood his consternation with jumping in on Dion 385 00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:42,960 Speaker 1: Sanders because it was going to be expensive and in 386 00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:45,119 Speaker 1: the end it was probably going to cost more money 387 00:20:45,119 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 1: in some fashion to get Dion than Stephen had just 388 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:50,639 Speaker 1: convinced Troy, Emma and Michael to take. He should be 389 00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:54,160 Speaker 1: working on some ideas and had the pensil sharp because 390 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 1: Eugene's got a deal that he wants such a left chat. 391 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:05,440 Speaker 1: Really good agents like Eugene Parker was will be diligent 392 00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:07,720 Speaker 1: in knowing where the team is with their salary cap, 393 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:10,440 Speaker 1: who has big money coming, when is other money falling 394 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:12,720 Speaker 1: off the books, all that sort of thing. They come 395 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:14,840 Speaker 1: ready with a proposal that they think a team like 396 00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:17,919 Speaker 1: the Cowboys will be able to make work as it 397 00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:21,200 Speaker 1: pertains to their finances. How it works as it pertains 398 00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:24,199 Speaker 1: of the star players already on the team, well, that 399 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:26,480 Speaker 1: may be another issue. Well, Jerry went in that room 400 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:29,119 Speaker 1: and he seemed like eternity. But I think he was 401 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:30,520 Speaker 1: in there an hour and a half or so. It 402 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:33,840 Speaker 1: seemed all night. And then he comes back and he said, Steven, 403 00:21:33,880 --> 00:21:36,080 Speaker 1: I think he's got a deal. He's run it by 404 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 1: the union, the league. It all worked. It's so cat 405 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:42,359 Speaker 1: friendly for us. We can get under the cap. It works. 406 00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:45,240 Speaker 1: And he said pretty much, we've agreed to it. And 407 00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:47,000 Speaker 1: of course I said, what do you mean you've agreed 408 00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:49,720 Speaker 1: to it? I said, we can't do that. Hi, I'm 409 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:52,280 Speaker 1: Clint Tillison. Will you not at agin turf before you 410 00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:54,840 Speaker 1: can park yourself in front of the game, park yourself 411 00:21:54,840 --> 00:21:57,560 Speaker 1: in a John Dear and power through your chores. Our 412 00:21:57,640 --> 00:22:00,359 Speaker 1: land Run package is a ten twenty five R twenty 413 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:03,600 Speaker 1: five horsepower tractor with a loader, rotary cutter and a 414 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:06,240 Speaker 1: box blade for two twenty nine a month. And the 415 00:22:06,320 --> 00:22:09,320 Speaker 1: price you see is the price you'll pay. No surprises, 416 00:22:09,520 --> 00:22:13,040 Speaker 1: so don't miss another kickoff. Visit United egginturf dot com. 417 00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:16,000 Speaker 1: Offer INDs February first, twenty twenty one. Restrictions apply. He 418 00:22:16,040 --> 00:22:19,200 Speaker 1: see dealer for details. Now let's get to work, honey, 419 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:22,520 Speaker 1: Big news Gary, Are you okay? Oh? I'm not Gary anymore. 420 00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:25,920 Speaker 1: I'm Jackie Flash. What see? I want the latest smartphone. 421 00:22:25,960 --> 00:22:27,720 Speaker 1: But the best deals are only for new customers. So 422 00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:29,720 Speaker 1: to get a new customer deal, I change my name 423 00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:33,120 Speaker 1: to it Jackie Flash. Okay, But the best smartphone deals 424 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:36,240 Speaker 1: at AT AT and T are for everyone, new and existing customers. 425 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:39,320 Speaker 1: That's huge. Then guess who's getting a deal. Is it 426 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:43,600 Speaker 1: Jackie Flash, Jackie Flash? It's not complicated at AT and 427 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 1: t our best smartphone deals are for everyone. Restrictions apply. 428 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:50,840 Speaker 1: Is it att dot com for details? New Doctor Peppers 429 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:54,639 Speaker 1: zero sugar. You deserve it. I do deserve that. You 430 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:58,119 Speaker 1: deserved decadent flavor without sugar, and a day at the 431 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:02,760 Speaker 1: beach without sand getting rewear, and a relaxing bath that 432 00:23:02,840 --> 00:23:06,359 Speaker 1: your children don't interrupt. I deserve all that. It's a 433 00:23:06,440 --> 00:23:10,080 Speaker 1: visual metaphor for doctor Pepper zero sugar. Everything you want, 434 00:23:10,320 --> 00:23:13,399 Speaker 1: nothing you don't. A visual metaphor on the radio. I 435 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:16,399 Speaker 1: do deserve that, Doctor Pepper, zero sugar. The zero you 436 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:20,000 Speaker 1: deserve is finally here. Before there was a draft, you 437 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:22,960 Speaker 1: could size up a cowboy by three simple factors. The 438 00:23:23,040 --> 00:23:25,119 Speaker 1: crease in his hat, the bend of his brim and 439 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:28,800 Speaker 1: his unbending attitude a man, Stetson didn't just protect him 440 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:31,480 Speaker 1: from what life throw at him. It projected a rugged, 441 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:35,840 Speaker 1: unstoppable spirit. Stetson hats are still American made with pride. 442 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:39,040 Speaker 1: Right here in Texas. There's still the unofficial crowd of 443 00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:42,399 Speaker 1: all self respecting Cowboys, and Stetson is proud to be 444 00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:45,679 Speaker 1: on the field with America's team. Find a retailer nearest 445 00:23:45,720 --> 00:23:50,919 Speaker 1: you at Stetson dot com slash Cowboys. Stephen didn't know 446 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:53,399 Speaker 1: exactly what the deal was yet, but he knew it 447 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:55,800 Speaker 1: wasn't the best deal because he hadn't been able to 448 00:23:55,800 --> 00:23:58,359 Speaker 1: see it and counter it and examine it as it 449 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:01,080 Speaker 1: pertains with the Cowboys cap, not to mention how it 450 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:03,840 Speaker 1: pertains to the other players on the team. He wasn't happy. 451 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:06,080 Speaker 1: He said, let me say, do you see any problems 452 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:08,160 Speaker 1: with He's showing it to me and I'm looking at 453 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:10,400 Speaker 1: it and going to it all and and said, well 454 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:12,919 Speaker 1: it works. But I said, we didn't even addressed this 455 00:24:13,119 --> 00:24:15,040 Speaker 1: with Joy and Michael. And he said, well, I'll handle 456 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:18,840 Speaker 1: that tomorrow morning, and he goes, I'll tell Eugene as 457 00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:21,159 Speaker 1: long as my guys are all good with it. We 458 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:24,000 Speaker 1: got a deal. If you were the CFO and e 459 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:26,840 Speaker 1: VP of player personnel the Cowboys and a deal had 460 00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:29,040 Speaker 1: been struck while you were not in the room, you 461 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:33,360 Speaker 1: wouldn't be happy either. So Stephen persisted, let's negotiate. Let 462 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:35,680 Speaker 1: me get in here and do some things. He said, 463 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:37,879 Speaker 1: you don't understand. I think he's got this deal at 464 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:40,960 Speaker 1: other places. Any salesman's job is to make sure that 465 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:43,200 Speaker 1: you feel like you need to hurry up and say 466 00:24:43,320 --> 00:24:46,600 Speaker 1: yes to their fantastic deal before someone else scoops you 467 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:50,040 Speaker 1: on it. Eugene Parker had succeeded in doing his job 468 00:24:50,080 --> 00:24:53,240 Speaker 1: in that room with Jerry Jones. Jerry had visions of 469 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:55,760 Speaker 1: more Super Bowls and knew he had Stephen on his 470 00:24:55,840 --> 00:24:58,640 Speaker 1: side to quote work his magic with his sharp pencil, 471 00:24:58,920 --> 00:25:01,840 Speaker 1: and he knew he could work his magic on Troy, 472 00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:05,399 Speaker 1: Mike and Emmett. He starts walking out the door, and 473 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:07,399 Speaker 1: this is the part he loves to tell as I 474 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:11,120 Speaker 1: kind of stopped him and kind of put my arm 475 00:25:11,119 --> 00:25:12,800 Speaker 1: out and pushed him up again. He said, what are 476 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:15,879 Speaker 1: you gonna do? Hit me? No, sir, I'm not going 477 00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:18,840 Speaker 1: to hit you, but I go let's talk. He said, Steven, 478 00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:23,960 Speaker 1: you don't understand this deal's done. So I finally backed 479 00:25:24,040 --> 00:25:26,639 Speaker 1: off and I said, okay, and he said, believe me, 480 00:25:26,680 --> 00:25:30,159 Speaker 1: I understand what you're concerned about. How hard you worked to, 481 00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:32,520 Speaker 1: you know, get this cap in the right place. To 482 00:25:32,640 --> 00:25:34,480 Speaker 1: Troy Michael and in that he goes, but I'm gonna 483 00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:36,280 Speaker 1: work with him on this, and he said, if they 484 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:38,960 Speaker 1: got pushed back, then we'll tell you, Gene, we'll have 485 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 1: to talk about. Back to Stephen and Jerry's days in 486 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:44,800 Speaker 1: the oil fields. You know, sometimes the logs that Stephen 487 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:47,359 Speaker 1: had to study so hard said you drill the hole, 488 00:25:47,520 --> 00:25:50,240 Speaker 1: and sometimes they said you don't drill the hole. And 489 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:52,800 Speaker 1: sometimes you just want there to be a glory hole 490 00:25:52,840 --> 00:25:55,960 Speaker 1: so badly that maybe you rush into things. Stephen's job 491 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:57,879 Speaker 1: was to prevent drilling a hole that just had to 492 00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:00,679 Speaker 1: be filled back up with water. But Jerry had already 493 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:11,560 Speaker 1: decided he was digging up some primetime. Jerry gets in 494 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:13,840 Speaker 1: the team meeting and said, hey, there's a lot of 495 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:17,080 Speaker 1: money we're playing beon, he says, anybody not wanting And 496 00:26:17,160 --> 00:26:20,160 Speaker 1: of course, you know, everybody was fired up about getting man, 497 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:22,199 Speaker 1: you know, because everybody was in the one to win 498 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:24,440 Speaker 1: a championship. And then ly what Dion could mean to 499 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:29,439 Speaker 1: the team, and the rest is history. Eugene Parker had 500 00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:33,280 Speaker 1: written a smart contract. It paid his client, Dion Sanders, 501 00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:37,439 Speaker 1: the highest upfront bonus ever paid in the NFL, twelve 502 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:41,359 Speaker 1: point nine nine nine million dollars. It's an odd number, 503 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:44,800 Speaker 1: but Jerry Jones is superstitious about the number thirteen. The 504 00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:47,959 Speaker 1: contract was a seven year deal that paid Sanders, however 505 00:26:48,240 --> 00:26:52,520 Speaker 1: the league minimum for his actual yearly salary. They ultimately 506 00:26:52,520 --> 00:26:54,919 Speaker 1: came up with the Dion rule where you could do 507 00:26:54,960 --> 00:26:57,520 Speaker 1: a contract like that again, and it's the Dion rule 508 00:26:57,560 --> 00:27:00,800 Speaker 1: based on this contract. Once the exam at the NFL 509 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:03,399 Speaker 1: knew the contract written by Parker and the Cowboys was 510 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:06,399 Speaker 1: an obvious circumvention of the salary cap, but it was 511 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:09,280 Speaker 1: well thought out and it played just barely inside the 512 00:27:09,320 --> 00:27:12,040 Speaker 1: lines as far as the rules were concerned. But it 513 00:27:12,119 --> 00:27:15,520 Speaker 1: only happened once. Sanders played five years with the Cowboys, 514 00:27:15,520 --> 00:27:17,680 Speaker 1: and he did help them win that third Super Bowl 515 00:27:17,680 --> 00:27:20,439 Speaker 1: of the nineties. You know, the longer we talked, the 516 00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:23,800 Speaker 1: more intrigued I became about Steven's job. I found myself 517 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:26,200 Speaker 1: trying to put myself in his shoes as we went along, 518 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:28,840 Speaker 1: and I had to ask him about having a pivot 519 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:31,320 Speaker 1: from a non salary cap league that he worked under 520 00:27:31,320 --> 00:27:33,359 Speaker 1: in his first four years as the CFO of the 521 00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:37,520 Speaker 1: Cowboys to now a hard cap league. That massive adjustment 522 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:39,720 Speaker 1: it just had to have sucked. We had so many 523 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:43,800 Speaker 1: great players assembled, no matter how he figured, you couldn't 524 00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:46,359 Speaker 1: fit at all. The good news for me and for 525 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:49,440 Speaker 1: Jerry as opposed to a George Young in New York 526 00:27:49,560 --> 00:27:52,600 Speaker 1: or a Bill Poli and our Charles Cassidy. I'd only 527 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:54,800 Speaker 1: bit at the league for a couple of years when 528 00:27:54,800 --> 00:27:57,280 Speaker 1: the new CBA hit, so it wasn't my teaching an 529 00:27:57,280 --> 00:28:00,720 Speaker 1: old dog new tricks, which can be hard. Cap itself 530 00:28:00,880 --> 00:28:04,119 Speaker 1: was something that was probably a lot easier for us 531 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:08,479 Speaker 1: to digest Another teams because they had general managers, had 532 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:10,520 Speaker 1: never dealt with the cap before, and had been in 533 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:13,960 Speaker 1: the league for twenty five thirty years. Great players like 534 00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:17,040 Speaker 1: Ken Norton Junior and Jim Jeffcote ended up on other 535 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:20,400 Speaker 1: teams because of the new salary cap. The Cowboys had 536 00:28:20,440 --> 00:28:23,520 Speaker 1: so many premium players on those early nineties teams. They 537 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:25,760 Speaker 1: all deserved to be paid a high price, and Stephen 538 00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:28,560 Speaker 1: and Jerry had to make hard decisions to let players 539 00:28:28,560 --> 00:28:32,080 Speaker 1: they knew were really good who had been great Cowboys leave. 540 00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:36,040 Speaker 1: Mark Stepnoski was Troy Aigman's friend and his Pro Bowl center. 541 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:39,280 Speaker 1: He was allowed to leave. Alvin Harper was the wide 542 00:28:39,280 --> 00:28:42,640 Speaker 1: receiver on the opposite side of the playmaker he left two. 543 00:28:43,160 --> 00:28:45,880 Speaker 1: The NFL was changing, but the focus for Stephen and 544 00:28:45,960 --> 00:28:48,880 Speaker 1: Jerry Jones has been the same since February twenty fifth, 545 00:28:49,280 --> 00:28:58,160 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty nine. Unless you win it, you're disappointed. The 546 00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:01,000 Speaker 1: harder thing for me to digest this long expen since 547 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:03,640 Speaker 1: we've been you know, we've been to championship games and 548 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:06,240 Speaker 1: Super Bowls that just eat at you, and I know 549 00:29:06,280 --> 00:29:08,840 Speaker 1: it eats at Jerry, is you know what are we 550 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:13,440 Speaker 1: doing wrong here? When the Cowboys aren't threatening to win 551 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:15,800 Speaker 1: a championship? Those of us in the media spend our 552 00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:18,720 Speaker 1: days breaking down the players and the coaches and the ownership, 553 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:22,200 Speaker 1: giving the fans a preponderance of evidence as best we 554 00:29:22,280 --> 00:29:26,120 Speaker 1: can that may answer their question, why isn't my team 555 00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:28,959 Speaker 1: playing as well as I want them to. The absolute 556 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:32,080 Speaker 1: constant on this Cowboys team since nineteen eighty nine has 557 00:29:32,120 --> 00:29:34,360 Speaker 1: been that they are always trying to win. There is 558 00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:39,000 Speaker 1: no rebuilding year, only reloading, and yes, I'm sure you're 559 00:29:39,040 --> 00:29:41,360 Speaker 1: glad to hear that it keeps Stephen and Jerry up 560 00:29:41,360 --> 00:29:44,240 Speaker 1: at nights when they aren't. Thank you, Stephen Jones for 561 00:29:44,280 --> 00:29:46,520 Speaker 1: taking us back a bit and reminding us why we 562 00:29:46,600 --> 00:29:49,320 Speaker 1: are true fans of the Dallas Cowboys