Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is a loyal Texas Rangers fan who looks forward to seeing the team play in the 2023 World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Although Jones’ franchise has not won a championship since the 1990s, he said he knows how challenging it can be to build a championship contender, especially after years of losing.
“I’m elated, but I’m envious,” Jones told members of the media at Cowboys practice on Thursday. “I assure the fans I have all the right feelings when they come out there and are successful. Knowing how competitive that is, it’s inspirational because I know where they’ve come from. And I know how hard they’ve been trying at it. Congratulations to everybody involved.”
One can understand from where Jones’ “envy” comes.
When he purchased the Cowboys from H.R. “Bum” Bright in 1989, the team had suffered three consecutive losing seasons, all on the heels of a remarkable 20-year run without a losing record. He had to make the difficult choice to move on from legendary coach Tom Landry and, for all intents and purposes, start over.
The franchise went 1-15 in his first season as owner, but in the end, Jones helped build a team that won three Super Bowl titles and became the dynasty of the NFL throughout the 90s.
Since 1996, the Cowboys have not returned to the Super Bowl. However, the Dallas Stars won a Stanley Cup and made three Stanley Cup Final appearances. The Dallas Mavericks have made multiple trips to the NBA Finals and won the 2011 NBA Championship. For their part, the Rangers have reached the World Series three times.
While Jones’ team has not reached the summit over the last two decades, he acknowledged that having any successful teams and long playoff runs in the metroplex is good for all of them.
“When you have this kind of interest in sports, it lifts all boats,” Jones told Dallas’ 105.3 The Fan earlier this week. “There’s no question that it’s a lift — my town against your town. Dallas, the entire North Texas area, against the rest of the county, and that’s alive and well with this great World Series we’ve got coming up. … It’s exciting to see what happens when it comes together. It’s hard. It’s rare. When it does come together, you need to celebrate it.”