Cowboys choose a proven winner

By David Mullen

Dallas Cowboys’ new head coach Mike McCarthy got more laughs during his introductory press conference than former head coach Jason Garrett got in nine and one-half years behind the podium. But leading “America’s Team” on the field is no laughing matter.

One year removed from pro football, the 56-year-old McCarthy is already building autonomy from the meddlesome “socks to jocks” owner Jerry Jones. He has found some professionals to join his team as assistant coaches on his own. He pledges to create team unity, which he was able to achieve during his stint with the Green Bay Packers, except for an infamous disagreement with starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers. And he gives Cowboys fans renewed promise as they desperately want to return to the Super Bowl, a promised land that they have not visited since 1996. 

Since the Cowboys have gone to the Super Bowl, the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, Oakland Raiders, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans and the usual suspects (New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers) have made it to the big stage. With the Pack, McCarthy has been there, won that. Garrett never really came close.

It appears that McCarthy will inherit some talent to work with, the same talent that Garrett, with Jones’ influence, led to a disastrous 8-8 record in 2019. After an offseason of hype and hope, the 2019 season agonizingly became the lowest moment in Cowboys history.   

The 2020 Cowboys have next season’s schedule to look forward to. They should beat the Washington Redskins, New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles often. They also play Arizona, Atlanta, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns. All of those teams, except for 9-7 Philadelphia, had a losing record in last season.

“I haven’t watched every play of the season, but you do what you got to do, right?” McCarthy said when introduced as the new coach. But he joked, “I’ll just say this. If our players in Dallas listen to me the way my daughters listen to me, we’re in trouble.”

Among the many questions that Jerry Jones should, but won’t, answer is “What took so long to fire Garrett?” He had nearly a decade to return the Cowboys to glory. McCarthy hopes to do it in one, as long as his players listen to him. 

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What if they had a party and nobody came? That can be said of the AT&T Byron Nelson held at Trinity Forest Golf Club, a links-style course with no trees to combat the Texas heat and built on a toxic landfill. The professionals disliked the course. The partygoers that were part of the lore of the Nelson, as it was simply known, liked it even less. It was sorely lacking amenities. No convenient parking. No afterparties at Cool River or the many other Las Colinas bars and restaurants near the former tournament home at TPC at Four Seasons. No nearby places to safely stay.

Some cited bad weather as a reason for disappointing attendance. But the Nelson sloshed through many rainy days during its run at the TPC. It was simply the location that led to poor attendance and adversely impacted the event’s charity sponsor, the Salesmanship Club of Dallas, that does so much good in the community, including South Dallas. The tournament revenues and charitable contributions suffered mightily. The City of Dallas, the PGA Tour and the main corporate sponsor AT&T were expecting way too much from the area, way too soon.

The AT&T Byron Nelson leaves South Dallas in 2021. Area residents complained that the golf traffic caused them to be late for work or church. Twice on “NBC 5 News,” Dallas city councilman Tennell Atkins, whose District 8 includes Trinity Forest Golf Club, said that he was disappointed to lose the “Brian” Nelson. Those words may say it all.

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On a clear, blustery day at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wis., my group spotted an older gentleman and his dog surveying work being done on the fourth green. It was noted golf designer Pete Dye, whose work in addition to Whistling Straits included Stonebridge Ranch (McKinney), Harbour Town (Hilton Head Island, S.C.), Crooked Stick (Carmel, Ind.), PGA West (La Quinta, Calif.) and TPC Sawgrass (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) with the legendary island green on 17. He autographed my scorecard and having played the devilish Sawgrass course, I said, “Let’s talk about Sawgrass.” He said gruffly, “I don’t talk about Sawgrass.” Then with a wry smile, said, “They don’t pay me anymore.” 

Dye passed away on January 10, just 10 months after his wife of nearly 70 years, Alice, died. Dye was 94.