It's a rich rivalry for Dallas Cowboys, Redskins owners
By DAVID MOORE / The Dallas Morning News
dmoore@dallasnews.com
So, did you hear the one about three billionaires stranded on the beach without a dime among them?
It's a good one. But hours before yet another game in the long and bitter rivalry between the Cowboys and Redskins, maybe this is a better place to start.
Stephen Jones and his family spent a pleasant evening at the Aspen home of Dan Snyder a few years ago. Once Jones returned home, he realized he had left his cellphone.
No problem, Snyder said. Jones could have one of the kids come by and pick it up. The moment Jones' nephew returned and put the phone in his hand, it rang.
"It was this God-awful song," Jones said.
It was "Hail to the Redskins." Snyder's oldest daughter downloaded the ring tone for the Cowboys' executive vice president.
For those weaned on the delicious and often dysfunctional details of this rivalry, don't worry. The competitive fires still burn. When Snyder, the Redskins' owner, bumps into Jerry and Stephen Jones on the Texas Stadium field before today's game, he won't do much more than shake their hands and smile. His obsession to beat the Cowboys is too strong to allow much more.
But Snyder has developed a relationship with the Jones family. He sits next to Jerry in NFL meetings so the two, in Snyder's words, "can horse around." His family has vacationed with Jerry and his wife in the Caribbean and dined on sashimi and lobster with wasabi pepper sauce with Stephen and his family in the Rockies.
"We have a little better friendship than people might think," Jerry Jones said. "We sure don't have it because of him being the owner of the Redskins.
"There is a chill when we get near game time and start thinking about it from a competitive situation."
Give and take
Jerry Jones remembers the day Snyder dropped by his office unannounced. He had flown in early for the game and wanted to take Jones to lunch.
Jerry and Stephen got into a car driven by one of Snyder's friends. As the car pulled out of the parking lot, Snyder put in a tape. It was a rap song about beating the Cowboys.
"They spent 30 minutes driving all over Dallas playing that song," Jones said as the car passed one restaurant after another. "I tolerated it."
Snyder laughed. His recollection is different.
"First of all, it was the night before the game, and I think Jerry picked us up at the hotel," Snyder said. "I was with a friend of mine, Tony Roberts. We put the tape in, and Jerry took it out so quick.
"The rest of it is Jones, as you know, exaggerating."
The banter between the two is good-natured. But Jones will tell you most of it is instigated by Snyder, who is 5-13 against the Cowboys since he assumed control of Washington.
"I don't know that I have gotten into it as much as he has," Jerry Jones said of the verbal digs. "I really haven't.
"You've done the numbers. It's pretty lopsided."
Admiration, respect
There are similarities. Both owners are respected for their business acumen. They are on the same page philosophically with where the league is headed and how to get there. Jones was once a young, brash owner himself.
The difference is that Jones altered the initial perception of him by revealing himself to the fans and media. Snyder isn't interested in sharing himself with the public.
And there's at least one other difference.
"We have some things in common," Jerry Jones said, "but I know I'm high maintenance."
Snyder's response?
"He's right. Jerry is definitely high maintenance."
This is a side Snyder shows to friends but rarely the public. Stephen stressed there is nothing contentious or confrontational about Snyder's comments. They are all done in fun.
Jerry likes Snyder's style and said, "There is a little bit of Mark Cuban in him." Snyder knows Cuban and said he considers that a compliment.
Now about those three billionaires in their bathing suits on the beach ...
Snyder and Jerry Jones were vacationing near St. Thomas one summer on the boat of Miami's Wayne Huizenga. Snyder and Jones, along with Houston's Bob McNair, had someone run them over to the island so they could get something to drink. Once there, the three men realized they didn't have any money.
"Jerry went to get the drinks," Snyder said. "He said, 'I'll try to sell the guy.' He is the master salesman."
Jones got the beer by convincing the man he would return to the boat and come back with the money. And what does this have to do with the Cowboys-Redskins rivalry?
"Well, I couldn't trust the other two, but I'm a Cowboys fan," the bartender told Jones. "I can trust you."
Score one for the Jones family in this rivalry.
It's almost enough to make up for the cellphone stunt.
dmoore@dallasnews.com
So, did you hear the one about three billionaires stranded on the beach without a dime among them?
It's a good one. But hours before yet another game in the long and bitter rivalry between the Cowboys and Redskins, maybe this is a better place to start.
Stephen Jones and his family spent a pleasant evening at the Aspen home of Dan Snyder a few years ago. Once Jones returned home, he realized he had left his cellphone.
No problem, Snyder said. Jones could have one of the kids come by and pick it up. The moment Jones' nephew returned and put the phone in his hand, it rang.
"It was this God-awful song," Jones said.
It was "Hail to the Redskins." Snyder's oldest daughter downloaded the ring tone for the Cowboys' executive vice president.
For those weaned on the delicious and often dysfunctional details of this rivalry, don't worry. The competitive fires still burn. When Snyder, the Redskins' owner, bumps into Jerry and Stephen Jones on the Texas Stadium field before today's game, he won't do much more than shake their hands and smile. His obsession to beat the Cowboys is too strong to allow much more.
But Snyder has developed a relationship with the Jones family. He sits next to Jerry in NFL meetings so the two, in Snyder's words, "can horse around." His family has vacationed with Jerry and his wife in the Caribbean and dined on sashimi and lobster with wasabi pepper sauce with Stephen and his family in the Rockies.
"We have a little better friendship than people might think," Jerry Jones said. "We sure don't have it because of him being the owner of the Redskins.
"There is a chill when we get near game time and start thinking about it from a competitive situation."
Give and take
Jerry Jones remembers the day Snyder dropped by his office unannounced. He had flown in early for the game and wanted to take Jones to lunch.
Jerry and Stephen got into a car driven by one of Snyder's friends. As the car pulled out of the parking lot, Snyder put in a tape. It was a rap song about beating the Cowboys.
"They spent 30 minutes driving all over Dallas playing that song," Jones said as the car passed one restaurant after another. "I tolerated it."
Snyder laughed. His recollection is different.
"First of all, it was the night before the game, and I think Jerry picked us up at the hotel," Snyder said. "I was with a friend of mine, Tony Roberts. We put the tape in, and Jerry took it out so quick.
"The rest of it is Jones, as you know, exaggerating."
The banter between the two is good-natured. But Jones will tell you most of it is instigated by Snyder, who is 5-13 against the Cowboys since he assumed control of Washington.
"I don't know that I have gotten into it as much as he has," Jerry Jones said of the verbal digs. "I really haven't.
"You've done the numbers. It's pretty lopsided."
Admiration, respect
There are similarities. Both owners are respected for their business acumen. They are on the same page philosophically with where the league is headed and how to get there. Jones was once a young, brash owner himself.
The difference is that Jones altered the initial perception of him by revealing himself to the fans and media. Snyder isn't interested in sharing himself with the public.
And there's at least one other difference.
"We have some things in common," Jerry Jones said, "but I know I'm high maintenance."
Snyder's response?
"He's right. Jerry is definitely high maintenance."
This is a side Snyder shows to friends but rarely the public. Stephen stressed there is nothing contentious or confrontational about Snyder's comments. They are all done in fun.
Jerry likes Snyder's style and said, "There is a little bit of Mark Cuban in him." Snyder knows Cuban and said he considers that a compliment.
Now about those three billionaires in their bathing suits on the beach ...
Snyder and Jerry Jones were vacationing near St. Thomas one summer on the boat of Miami's Wayne Huizenga. Snyder and Jones, along with Houston's Bob McNair, had someone run them over to the island so they could get something to drink. Once there, the three men realized they didn't have any money.
"Jerry went to get the drinks," Snyder said. "He said, 'I'll try to sell the guy.' He is the master salesman."
Jones got the beer by convincing the man he would return to the boat and come back with the money. And what does this have to do with the Cowboys-Redskins rivalry?
"Well, I couldn't trust the other two, but I'm a Cowboys fan," the bartender told Jones. "I can trust you."
Score one for the Jones family in this rivalry.
It's almost enough to make up for the cellphone stunt.
posted by The Gryphon at 11:12 AM
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