This summer, according to valuations from Sportico, the Cowboys became the first pro sports franchise in the country to be worth more than $10 billion. So, as we’re watching an embarrassing public meltdown from team owner Jerry Jones, let’s remember to keep some perspective: He does not really need our sympathy.
In fact, his outburst on the “Shan and RJ” show on The Fan 105.3 in Dallas on Tuesday probably gave many Cowboys backers the willies, as it is never very comfortable to have an octogenarian billionaire telling other people how they should do their jobs, and threatening to stop paying them if they don’t take his advice.
But if anyone can offer some condolence for a very rich elderly man, it’s a very rich younger man. Like billionaire Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.
Cuban happened to be on ESPN’s “First Take” on Tuesday morning not long after Jones’ run-in with Shan Shariff and RJ Choppy on the Dallas airwaves, and during one of the outros as the show headed to commercial, it was mentioned that the panel would be talking about Jones.
Cuban, not knowing his microphone was on, could be heard to say, “I feel bad for Jerry. I really do …”
Cowboys’ Jerry Jones Taking Incoming Fire
Cuban did not have a lot of company in that regard on Tuesday. Jones and the Cowboys became the subject of scorn nationally because of his reaction to the hosts’ questions.
On Fox4 in Dallas, anchor Mike Doocy said, “That was a billionaire bully pissed off because he wasn’t hearing exactly what he wanted to hear.”
Former star tight end Shannon Sharpe said on ESPN, “I hate, I detest, I despise someone that will prey on the weak … If the Cowboys don’t win another playoff game or another game as long as Jerry Jones is the owner, I’ll be the happiest man in the world.”
Said longtime host Dan Patrick on “The Dan Patrick Show,” “Jerry loves to go on these shows and talk. I applaud the hosts if you’re asking questions, that’s what your job is. Instead, Jerry just threatened their jobs because they were doing their jobs. Like, how dare you question me?”
Radio Host: ‘I WISH Jerry Jones Paid Me’
Jones, in case you missed it, was confrontational from the get-go during his weekly visit with the radio station. While fans and talking heads who have been observing the Cowboys for the last few months have noted, with consistency, that the team could be in trouble after it made no significant additions in the offseason, Jones somehow acted like such questions were new and outrageous.
“This is not your job,” Jones said, via the Dallas Morning News. “If you think I’m interested on a damn phone call with you over the radio, sitting here throwing all the good out with the dishwater, you have got to be smoking something over there this morning. That’s not your job or I’ll get somebody else to ask these questions, men.”
To make sure his threat was heard, Jones added, “I’m not kidding.”
Shariff, for his part, weighed in to point out that in no way does Jones pay him, and really can’t fire him.
He wrote on Twitter: “Is this real life??? I WISH Jerry Jones paid me He insults us again and we’ve had back and forth over WAY bigger things in our 14 years. I truly don’t understand what the hell is going on.”
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Hot Mic Catches Mark Cuban’s Sad Message on Cowboys Jerry Jones