FRISCO – Mike McCarthy is claiming the Dallas Cowboys are a “championship program.” And as we sat down here at The Star during the Wednesday presser as he said it? We were not quite sure how he was coming to that conclusion, based on … you know … the evidence. Nor were we sure how he is differentiating between what he called Dallas’ present status as a “a championship program” and where he plans on taking “America’s Team” – to being a “world championship” team. “We have established a championship program; it’s just not the world championship yet,” McCarthy said. “We know how to win, we know how to train to win, we have the right people, but we have not crossed the threshold winning playoff games.”
Again, we’re unclear. But as CowboysSI.com and the assembled media quizzed the coach about it, we did so with respect. Meanwhile, from a TV studio far, far away comes a reaction with the expected disrespect. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith belted out one of his patented over-acting rants in response to McCarthy’s confouding comments during First Take on Thursday morning. “Excuse me … are you telling me – did I miss something – that championships are won without winning playoff games?” Smith said. “That is the most asinine quote that I have heard in recent memory!” Smith specifically mentioned that the quarterbacks who’ve played for McCarthy over the years should’ve been involved in winning more than his one Super Bowl
You’ve had Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and Dak Prescott and you have one championship to show for it in 17 years!” Smith bellowed. “You are 1–3 in the postseason since you arrived in Dallas four years ago, and you’re gonna sit up there with a straight face, just days after an embarrassment, and say to the world ‘We have a championship program!’”?
The 2024 season will see McCarthy in charge again, but on the final year of his five-year contract. If the Cowboys can’t truly be a “championship team” – meaning, you know, actually winning a championship – the run figures to be over. “Awful Announcing” describes Smith’s work here as “blowing a gasket” when in fact it’s actually just “performance art.” But it’s well-acted and rude. And while we’re choosing to be respectful of McCarthy’s position? We understand how Smith’s mock anger connects him with an angry Cowboys-loving ESPN audience.
