Cowboys Owner JERRY JONES was "lost for words" when talk turned to "why he chose his wife GENE to be his presenter" when he is inducted into the Pro Football HOF on Saturday, according to Clarence Hill Jr. of the FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM. It began with him "explaining pillow talk with his wife of 54 years." She has had a "front row seat to his rise from being a college football player at Arkansas to an insurance salesman, owner of a Shakey’s Pizza chain, to oil and gas prospecting en route to joining the NFL as a rebellious outsider" when he bought the Cowboys in '89 before "morphing into the most powerful man in the NFL and ultimately a Hall of Famer." Jones had "many options to choose as a presenter," including sons STEPHEN and JERRY JR. and daughter CHARLOTTE JONES ANDERSON, who all "work closely with him with the Cowboys." Stephen Jones said he believes his dad made the "perfect choice." He said, "My mother represents all of us." Being named as the presenter is a "well-deserved tip of the cap to Gene Jones and another strokes genius from Jerry Jones, the ultimate salesman" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 8/3). Pro Football HOFer EDDIE DEBARTOLO JR. said of Jones' impact on the NFL, "Everybody that owns a team, from (Redskins Owner DAN SNYDER) to (Patriots Owner ROBERT KRAFT) and the other successful owners in the league, I think they owe him a very, very big debt of gratitude" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 7/30).
MAN OF THE PEOPLE: Stephen Jones said his father can sometimes be "loyal to a fault to his players and sometimes gets an immense amount of criticism. ... He understands people aren't perfect, they're going to make mistakes. But he also believes people will strive to be better." Jones added there is "no question" his father will shed tears during the induction ceremony. Jones: "Jerry's an emotional man. He wears his heart, everything's out, he's transparent and he has such a passion. ... Every time he's rehearsed his speech, I think he's cried through half of it" ("NFL Total Access," NFL Network, 8/3). Meanwhile, NBC's AL MICHAELS during last night's Pro Football HOF Game called Jerry Jones "one of the most influential owners in any era in any sport." Michaels presented Jones with the SBA Lifetime Achievement Award in May. The Cowboys owner joined the NBC booth during the broadcast and said, "It's hard for me to believe that you can get some recognition or get a little pat on the back for something that I've had so much fun doing." Michaels added of the Cowboys, "You can love them or you can detest them, but you can't ignore them. It's great fun for people to watch the Dallas Cowboys and believe me, our television ratings prove that" ("Cardinals-Cowboys," NBC, 8/3).
News outlets around the country weighed in on Jones' historic career. Below are some headlines from around the country.
