I've made this point before, several times in fact, that no matter what you think about Jerry Jones and his knowledge of football talent, in other areas of ownership he excels. Now, I've got some back-up as SI.com ranks the best owners in football. When Jerry does the right thing and backs out of the traditional GM role and hands that over to good head coaches (Jimmy Johnson, Bill Parcells), the Cowboys are a force to be reckoned with.
Kraft and Jones have many similarities. Each has parlayed controversial coaching hires into three Super Bowl rings. Both men have smart, forward-thinking eldest sons who play major roles in running the team and wield influence within the NFL -- Patriots president Jonathan Kraft was instrumental in forging the revenue-pool compromise that led to labor peace in March, and Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones has spearheaded the team's drive toward a new stadium. And best of all, both owners care deeply about two things: making money and winning, not necessarily in that order.
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Jones, upon entering the league in 1989, became an entrepreneurial upstart in a league of sluggish old-liners enjoying the fruits of de facto communism. His successful efforts to increase the Cowboys' revenue have been exemplary and often emulated, and he has been willing to pour a significant portion of his profits back into the franchise in search of on-field excellence.