Dallas Cowboys - Too Little, Too Late

On Monday January 6, Jerry Jones, owner of Dallas Cowboys, decided to address his team before they departed for an off-season that will include court ordered community service for many of his boys. His speech was reported in papers from coast to coast . A day after being eliminated from the NFL playoffs by the upstart Carolina Panthers and coming on the heels of yet another controversy involving his players' now frequent mention in the Dallas police blotter, his words were anticipated with great inter est. What would he say?

The headline read, "Jones Lays Down Law in Dallas". The gospel according to Jerry was an animated challenge to his players to stay out of trouble, conducting themselves with the restraint of holy men. While Jerry's message is admirable, and necessary for a team looking to rebuild its image, the reaction of the people in attendance might lead one to believe that this tough love approach may have been new for Jerry. Running backs coach Joe Brodsky noted, "It was the best thing I've heard in eight year s here. It's about time. It definitely came from the heart." With this in mind, was this the first such challenge to the team once tagged, "America's Team"? If so, it came too late.

The Dallas Cowboy once represented all that was good in America. Their image was refined and polished. With Tom Landry at the helm and Roger Staubach tossing bombs to the likes of Preston and Drew Pearson, the 'Boys captured the hearts of people ever ywhere. They were a model for what is possible when potential meets performance. Today's Cowboys have unfortunately come to represent all that is bad in our world of million-dollar contracts, billion-dollar endorsements and super athletes who believe th eir wallets are a weapon to be used against the kryptonite of controversy. Is this the fault of the Dallas Cowboys? No. They are simply the team most publicly plagued by problems sprouting from out-of-control athletes.

Could it have been different in Big 'D'? Could they have avoided the systematic destruction of their image? Although many of their woes are common in our changing world, the frequency and long term damage of such could have been avoided. There have been problems with player behavior in Dallas for several years, but it seems only now as the Nike emblazoned Gravy Train has ground itself to a halt that Jerry Jones feels moved to address his team about their conduct. It has been proven that people will meet expectations when they are clearly defined and shortcomings are addressed with speed and fairness. It shouldn't take a multitude of arrests and allegations for an organization to take action. It takes only one poorly dealt with crisis to taint an image.

In a world market where image has become everything, American athletes, teams and coaches need to be aware of the damage controversy can cause and guard against it. We need to be proactive in educating and protecting our commodities. Reactive thinking o nly works when situations are out of control and then, it is usually too late. Jerry Jones needs to embrace Oscar Wilde's assertion that, "No man is rich enough to buy back his past." The ruins of a shattered reputation leave little with which to rebuil d.

Kathleen Hessert
President

Sports Media Challenge