Change at the top might help. Sarcasm and stubbornness will not. But that's where Cowboys boss Jerry Jones is leaving this.
FRISCO - A key word is "sarcastic.''
The Dallas Cowboys' championship drought has officially reached 30 years, with Dallas' last Super Bowl trophy coming in the 1995 season, the team's third title in four years.
That was part of a streak that saw the Cowboys make the NFL Championship Game 16 times in 30 years.
Yes, that is a notable pair of bookend numbers ... 30 years that way, 30 years this way.
On Sunday in NFL Week 16, Dallas lost again, the Chargers whipping past them to drop the Cowboys to 6-8-1, a spot from which "mediocrity'' is an uphill battle.
And after the game, owner Jerry Jones - a co-architect of those all-time great teams of the '90's - was asked about "The Drought.''
"I'll admit that the Cowboys management has played a big role (in the drought)," Jones said. "But seriously ...''
Stop there.
Not everybody seems to be catching this. But when Jones adds, "But seriously,'' he's playing comedian - meaning he's being sarcastic about the blame.
To be sure, Jones has annually given a sort of "the-buck-stops-here'' address when it comes to his role as the owner and GM.
But ...
Dallas is now the only NFC team that hasn't reached a conference championship game in the past 30 years. And on the one hand, on Sunday, Jones took accountability for all of that and suggesting that his evaluation could include a major change.
"I can tell you right now one of the reasons I've enjoyed some of the things that worked for me is because I will change, and I do change.''
But if you think sarcastic self-blame could lead to the one major change that could make the biggest difference - a change at GM - think again.
"I really am better when I'm getting my ass kicked than I am when I'm having success, and I will eat the cheese,'' said Jones, turning 30 years of negatives into a fraudulent positive. "We're qualified ...''
And then he spun it all into his familiar spiel.
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"When I got involved with the Cowboys, it was for an occupation. It was for a job, not as some type of investment," Jones said, referencing back to his 1989 purchase of the franchise. "There was nothing to invest in in the Cowboys. There was too much work and too many things you had to do. ... Financially, there were a lot of challenges, but there's a lot of challenges everywhere. ... There are challenges today, and I welcome them. I'm proud I'm healthy enough and alert enough to address them."
We can question Jerry's health and alertness at age 83 another day. At this time, it's about leadership and results.
Change at the top might help. Sarcasm and stubbornness will not.