In deciding when to sever relationships with brand-name players who have, in some cases, been with the Cowboys as long as 10 years, Jones is lucky that Chan Gailey is his coach. When Gailey was hired in 1998, the loyalty issue went on the back burner. From afar, Gailey knew about the past achievements of the Cowboys. Yet the Troy Aikmans, the Emmitt Smiths, the Michael Irvins, the Deion Sanderses and the Darren Woodsons had to prove themselves all over again. That's true whether you are talking about IBM, Burlington Northern or whomever.
Business takes precedent over the loyalty factor, right, wrong, good or bad.
That's just the way it is. You've got to weigh the good and the bad about anyone and make a decision. The way it has been is that with all of the big-name stars sent packing the past few years, the Cowboys could add to their Ring of Honor. Tolbert, Bates, Newton, the late Mark Tuinei, Jay Novacek and Charles Haley were household names who became a part of the housecleaning. This, of course, isn't the first time a great Cowboys dynasty has been faced with big decisions about aging stars.