As the NFL’s owners gather in Dallas to meet in the aftermath of the new contract signed last week by the league and Commissioner Roger Goodell, there’s an expectation that the Texas excursion could be memorable.
One source with knowledge of the dynamics and the process expressed a belief on Tuesday that it will be “as interesting of a day as I have ever had” at one of these events.
The intrigue flows from the likelihood that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones won’t go away quietly regarding his opposition to the Goodell deal. Jones said Tuesday that he won’t be withdrawing a resolution aimed at delaying the contract for six months, even though the contract already is final and binding.
But the sense is that he’s got some other plan, unknown for now, to advance his agenda -- and if necessary to create a little chaos. Eventually, it’s believed he’ll find a way to declare victory, even if the end result (in the eyes of most of his peers) is that the league, by virtue of the ugliest, most public fight among owners in years, has lost.
And that’s the other thing that will make this meeting memorable. The lingering anger and frustration among plenty of owners toward Jones could manifest itself in a dressing down of Jones and his tactics, which could serve only to set Jones off all over again.
However it plays out, it’s going to play out on Wednesday in the town where Jerry’s team resides.