Ep 343: Let's Talk About It, Cowboys' Playoff Woes and Texans March Forward, Plus Honoring MLK's Legacy

Feel that chill in the air? It's not just the winter breeze but a cold reminder that now's the perfect time to prep our HVAC for the sweltering Texas summer. And speaking of heat, the Dallas Cowboys are certainly feeling it after their wild card game left fans and legends like Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith in a state of disbelief. We're peeling back the layers on the Cowboys' frigid exit from the playoffs, examining the future of the McCarthy era, and whether Jerry Jones will navigate the team out of this icy patch to their former glory. Plus, get ready to explore the commendable defense of the Green Bay Packers and what it meant for our boys in blue.

Amidst the football frenzy, we're tipping our hats to the Houston Texans, defying expectations and marching on to the AFC Divisional Round. Their journey, built on a faith-driven culture, is a beacon of hope for the underdog spirit. And as we honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we're reflecting on MLK's enduring legacy, contemplating the unity and progress he championed, and how it resonates in today's world. So, buckle up as we tackle the gridiron upsets and look to the horizon for potential changes within the Cowboys' ranks, all while keeping the dream of improvement and community at the forefront.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:08

I know the winter season just begun here in central Texas, but it's actually the ideal time to start talking about your HVAC unit or your air conditioning. I'm Sean Clinch, the host of Stories Inside the Mankay podcast, and our partners and friends at Honest Plumbing and Air. They are the ideal group and set of people who will take care of you, because we all know our summers are long and hot and if you think your AC unit is on the brink right now, the winter season is the best time price wise, because we're all looking for bargains. We're all looking for an idea to fit things into our budget. So give Honest Plumbing and Air a call at the number on your screen 512-238-2058.

Speaker 1: 0:56

Honest Plumbing and Air, where a handshake still means something, the 24 hour rule has been applied. We can now talk about the Cowboys loss in the wild card playoff game. One of the worst losses, one of the worst display of Dallas Cowboys football. It's really hard to think about. But the emotions have cooled a little bit and I can speak for all of Cowboys Nation. So what now? Does the McCarthy era continue and do you make changes to that roster? Let's talk about it.

Speaker 2: 1:40

My job while I was here is to match what they have done to this. They built it, they handed it to me. Put my damn championship on the table, because all we have put your damn championship on the table and you're gonna do it. Honest has got to go.

Speaker 1: 2:04

I feel, as the playmaker Michael Irvin, one of the best to ever suit up for the Dallas Cowboys. I think all Cowboys fans can relate to the emotions you just saw Michael Irvin last night talking about when he entered the Dallas Cowboys program in 1988. From the Miami Hurricanes, the old hat, the old regime of former Dallas Cowboys, talked to him about those Super Bowl championships, the end of the Tom Landry era. His final season was on Michael Irvin's watch, the 88 season. All the old hat, like Drew Pearson, eugene Lockhart, you go back much farther than that talked about hey, you've got to bring back the Super Bowl champion style of football. You're gonna be a part of the change Back to the old ways they did. Unfortunately, the legend Tom Landry, his era ended. Then Jimmy Johnson took over and we all know what happened there Two more Super Bowl, three more Super Bowl championships. The Dallas Cowboys and Michael Irvin he's pissed, even him at Smith went off. Everybody was talking, everybody was talking about it, even Jimmy Johnson, part of the broadcast crew. At half time he gave a speech at half time cleaned it up for television. I'm right there with the playmaker. I think we all felt that emotion. What is wrong with the Dallas Cowboys. Why can they not achieve what they did in their past? We're talking about just a regular playoff team now, a team that hasn't won many playoff games. Before we continue, let's talk about the Dallas Cowboys. I definitely want to give a shout out to Shoal Creek Saloon, your home, away from the arena for Texas men's and women's basketball, and honest plumbing and air, right here, where a handshake still means something. Right now is a great time to start shopping for HVAC units. We're in the midst of a freeze, a polar vortex if you will, but HVAC AC units are decently priced at the moment. Alright, we saw it Cowboys season ends blasted by Green Bay, the seventh seed, the last team to make it Wildcard game. No one gave Green Bay a chance, but I think everyone has a lot of respect for them now. Green Bay is a good ball club. They're young, the youngest, jordan Love. Bright future ahead of him.

Speaker 1: 5:02

At quarterback, through three touchdown passes, the Green Bay defense sacked that presscott four times. Aaron Jones, the story of that offense, the running back from El Paso, ran all over the Dallas Cowboys defense. I don't understand what was going on with the Cowboys rush defense. It was not there, it was porous, it had many holes, as Green Bay Packers cheese Packers offense had, they moved at will. It was really embarrassing, really hard to watch the Cowboys defense. They were not existing, they were a non factor. A non factor, you saw it. I mean, there's no if ands or buts about it. The Cowboys weren't prepared. Their game plan sucked. Their game plan was not up to par. They were at home. They had a path designed for them to at least make it to the NFC championship game. Jerry Jones, the owner he's got to be used to this by now. We've seen these press conferences so much over the last few years. This was JJ. After that demoralizing playoff exit, the latest one.

Speaker 3: 6:27

Everybody in this room thought we were in a position to advance this thing in the playoffs and maybe get as far as our dreams might take us. But this seems like the most painful, because we all had such great expectation and we had hope for this team. I know where the responsibility starts and ends and I've got that real clear and I know that.

Speaker 1: 6:57

I'm sorry, jerry, but we've heard that now for several seasons that you know that Jerry's done a lot of great things for the Cowboys organization early on, obviously rebuilding and turning them into a powerhouse again America's team, what they once were. He had them and he's made them relevant through marketing, great business decisions. But he's made the Cowboys relevant throughout all these seasons in which they were not relevant but they were always the topic of discussion, always overhiked. And there's been great players, don't get me wrong. Tony Romo, des Bryant, all those teams, some of those teams had great players. They had great opportunities. The catch that wasn't in Green Bay, which would be a catch. Now I firmly believe that team was a super bold type team. Tony Romo, the bobbled snap against Seattle which lost that playoff game, the list goes on. There's a lot of pressure to play for the Cowboys. I mean I don't know. I don't know what the decision should be, but here are the players Dak and CD. Dak, two-pick sixes, and I know that sounds like he had a horrible game which he did Two-pick sixes, but the same and the same token.

Speaker 1: 8:23

I don't think number four deserves the brunt of the criticism for what happened against Green Bay. I mean the receivers recovered all game against a zone defense. The offensive game plan was garbage. Couldn't run the ball. The tight end was clearly involved. I mean they did a great job with Jake Ferguson. He had three touchdowns, ten receptions for 93 yards. Great plays, a devising plays for him. But the rest of the receivers were not open. Dak Prescott, humble, he has humility. This was Dak and CD. After the game.

Speaker 4: 9:07

Obviously I didn't play well and shocked, just play our football, you can't give anybody an edge, and I feel like that we did today, and Jordan Love found a groove. We have a good call by surprise. We got everything you wanted in the seed home field, everything we just encapsulated.

Speaker 5: 9:28

As you know, it's going to be speculation about your coach and his status.

Speaker 4: 9:31

You had thought about Mike and everything he's done this year.

Speaker 5: 9:35

Yeah, he's been amazing. I don't know how there can be, but I understand the business. In that case, it should be about me as well. Honestly, I mean that guy. I've had the season that I've had because of him.

Speaker 1: 9:54

A lot of players are saying that Obviously I or you are not behind the scenes. Mccarthy is a player's coach. It's clear and evident by everything that every player has said. But there's got to be an end game here. What is holding back this franchise and I feel like I'm speaking what you're thinking Is this the end of the Dak Prescott era? Mike McCarthy, I mean three straight 12 win regular seasons, but only one playoff win to show for it. Mccarthy, this is his response after the game and it just feels like the same press conference every year, including last year when they won a wild card game and lost to San Fran in the divisional round.

Speaker 6: 10:50

I don't think anybody saw this coming. I mean, you got to give Green Bay credit that came in here hot and this what you saw in film over the past month, you know they executed and we did. Jerry had said. We'll take it game by game. Regarding your job status, do you think this could lead to a coaching change? I think the biggest thing is, you know, we're disappointed. I got a whole team in the locker rooms. That's hurting and that's you know. I haven't thought past the outcome of this game.

Speaker 1: 11:26

You probably won't hit him for quite a while. I mean, there's going to be something done, I would assume this week. I mean the cleaning out the lockers today, meetings with players, what not? I have been an emotionally invested Dallas Cowboy fan probably since I was three or four years old. I remember Roger Stalbach's last game watching I really do, but I think you can relate to this. I think this is the tipping point to where I'm going to reduce, eliminate, decrease the emotional attachment to the Dallas Cowboys, Be a fan, but this is just becoming too. You know they're a very complacent organization as far as results. There's a ton of pressure, ton of pressure, as Jordan Lewis, the Dallas Cowboys cornerback, he alludes to that that pressure of being a Dallas Cowboy and the thought that they were going to lose. There's a possibility that they're going to lose their head coach, who they like.

Speaker 4: 12:42

No, I just feel like he just he wants to win right now. The urgency is now. I mean, it was always that we always had that, that on our shoulders. But you know, he made it clear that that's. That was the point.

Speaker 1: 12:54

Jordan talking about Jerry Jones, met with the players today and that was Jerry's message Enough of this, we must win now. But how, what? I mean they're just like any businesses, any businesses, corporations. You really got to dive deep and analyze yourself, first and foremost in the mirror. But is Jerry capable of that? I mean, look at these records right here. I mean this is the Cowboys, what they've achieved since their last Super Bowl, that being the 1995 season, the Super Bowl and in January of 1996. I mean, yeah, they've been at the playoffs often, but they've won five playoff games since 1995. And a ton of coaches, I mean Barry Switzer, he won a Super Bowl and he bounced a year after that. And yet Chan Galey, wade Phillips, dave Campo, chan Galey, I mean we're looking at, I believe, that McCarthy is the seventh coach since Jimmy Johnson. Jimmy Johnson, that era should have lasted probably three to four seasons longer, maybe five could have been longer. But there's some egos there and they've sent some mended those. But let's be honest, as a Cowboys fan, when you look at this, mike McCarthy, it's four seasons, 42 and 25, one in three in playoff games.

Speaker 1: 14:41

I want to hear from you, I mean, what's your solution? I really think at some point. I don't think we're going to have any wholesale changes until the Jones family sells the Cowboys. Or can the unthinkable happen, that being Jerry Jones steps away from being as heavily involved in his son, stephen a point, an independent football operations guy as the GM. I mean. I think the chances of that happening are probably less than 5%. Less than 5%.

Speaker 1: 15:26

I can't tell you now that since the Houston Texans began in Houston in 2002. They beat Dallas that year, their first season. They beat the Dallas Cowboys. They have won more game playoff games since 02 than the Dallas Cowboys. Let that sink in. The Houston Texans, who are now in the AFC Divisional Round, have won five playoff games since the inception. They began in 2002. The Cowboys four. Let that sink in. Yep, I hope Houston does well. I'm not a Texans fan, but there are. I think they're gaining some fans here along the way. Cj Stroud, the strong, faith-based Houston Texans team in that locker room and D'Amico Bryant's, the head coach, have admitted and talked about their strong faith and I think they're a likeable team. They moved on. They'll play the Baltimore Ravens Saturday and a AFC Divisional Round playoff game. It'll be Saturday afternoon.

Speaker 1: 17:15

Hey, let's not forget what today is MLK Day, martin Luther King Jr. Just think about what he would think right now of this world. There's a lot of things that have changed for the better and things right now with just we look at ourselves as Americans and think, god, we could be better. What would MLK do? Think about that? Celebrate that late, great American icon today. Happy MLK Day to you. Let's all come together, much love and, even without the Cowboys in the postseason, let's find a way to make this country better and hopefully Jerry Jones maybe will do the unthinkable and do something drastic to make the Dallas Cowboys a better organization, because it clearly has not been working for 28 years. Hey, just always remember. When in doubt, it's always the best option to talk about.