Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones played football at Arkansas and remains a Razorbacks fan and booster.
But his role in helping the Razorbacks acquire their new coach will raise some eyebrows.
Although the Falcons are not accusing Jones or the Cowboys of any wrongdoing, Falcons owner Arthur Blank said at his press conference today that Jones was the first person to approach him about the possibility of Bobby Petrino leaving Atlanta to coach Arkansas.
"Jerry called me Thursday afternoon," Blank said. According to Blank, Jones started out by making clear that he was not calling officially on behalf of the university, but that he knew, as an Arkansas booster, that there were people in Arkansas who wanted to talk to Petrino. At that point, Blank turned Jones over to Falcons general manager Rich McKay.
McKay said today that he told Jones that Petrino had assured the Falcons that he wasn't looking to leave for Arkansas, and that therefore McKay felt comfortable telling Jones that Arkansas did not have permission to talk to Petrino. According to McKay, Jones then said, "I'll relay that to Arkansas and that will be the last you'll hear of it."
It didn't quite work out that way.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-12-2007 @ 3:08PM
boom_slang said...
I seriously doubt Jerry's going to be getting any of his new stadium building supplies at Home Depot.
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12-12-2007 @ 3:30PM
milton thuroughgood III said...
Looks like Lowe's just picked up a client by default.
Arthur "Fried Chicken" Blank will have to hope for another natural disaster.
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12-12-2007 @ 3:36PM
chiefsfan69 said...
Classless......
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12-12-2007 @ 3:59PM
tom stovall said...
can you imagine if this situation had been reversed? would jones have just handed off the phone to his gm, told him to handle it and walk away? i think not.
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12-12-2007 @ 5:12PM
sports bettor said...
what a joke
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12-12-2007 @ 5:55PM
Elsquare said...
This mess, along with the messes of the past couple of years or so, rest on general manager Rich Mckay. Atlanta has been going downhill since McKay assumed the gerneral manager job. The Head Coach/General Manager neede to clean up the front office and on field coaching is Parcaells. He is a pain in the ankle, but he can get the job done in two years and then Art can relieve him of his duties. Do it now! G Falconos. Way to go AOL!
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12-12-2007 @ 7:29PM
GROWLERBOB said...
What are you people smoking? An owner calls another
and asks if his college can talk to a coach in the middle of a season? Highly unethical as well as poor business. If you think Jerry Jones did nothing wrong
you need a check up from the neck up.
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12-12-2007 @ 11:31PM
milton thuroughgood III said...
What Jerry did was quite thoughtful. It was unecessary in this day and age of Nick Sabans and the Ole' ball coach(i forget that losers name).
The Hawks are clearly a sinking ship and Petrino was no lock to come back regardless of Jerry calling.
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12-13-2007 @ 12:35PM
scootnboot said...
Petrino had every right to do what he did, Atlanta Falcons are looking for excuses to why they can't win. Petrino didn't tell Vick to get jailed for dog fighting, the Falcon players had all season to suck it up and show that they were a team without Vick. Arkansas needed a coach and Petrino was that coach. If I didn't like a job and something came along then I would take it. He took a big pay cut to do what him and his family thought was right. whether Petrino stayed or left doesn't matter, three games to go they need to start rebuilding for next year and show all those high price dollars the players make are justified. to ESPN commentators, get over it. GO ARKANSAS
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12-13-2007 @ 11:47PM
Desides said...
"Petrino had every right to do what he did, Atlanta Falcons are looking for excuses to why they can't win."
Yes, because clearly the problem is that Petrino left, as opposed to the manner in which he left.
What's hilarious is that you support a man who bailed in the manner he did. You think he won't do the same to your program when a better job opens up?
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