January 19, 2010 (The Presser…and The 8th Wonder of the World)
Room service breakfast at the Dallas Four Seasons is something to savor and remember and I shall do both. Limo pickup at noon and off to Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, a twenty minute ride without traffic. I am looking forward to seeing Jerry Jones again as it’s been 14 years since the last time I saw him when I did the 1996 Cowboys home opener team intros from the 50 yard line in the old stadium. As we approach, it becomes visibly obvious that this place is something special. The security at the gate to the underground entrance is efficient and courteous. We drive down a long tunnel to more security who then direct us to left turn toward the VIP parking and entrance. We are now at field level but still under the stadium. It is 90 minutes before the presser but I’ve been asked to report early for a briefing and sound check. Making my way to the field the first thing to catch my eye is the video screen hanging down over the center of the field. We’ve all seen it on TV and read about it but nothing–NOTHING–prepares one for the impact it makes when standing in its presence for the first time. Ladies and gentlemen, this is “JERRYTRON”! The HD 1080p picture is crystal clear as the glory of the Cowboys greatest moments for the past season is playing. Once I stop zombie-staring at the screen I begin to notice the expanse and quality of this place. I’ve stood on many fields in many stadiums around the world, but this a new experience.
I meet the producer for the presser and because of the timing of special effects and special guest intros, I’m asked (for the first time ever at a presser) to wear an IFB (audio earpiece). Usually I get a basic format with names of the speakers and I put together the whole thing myself in thirty minutes but this really is an exceptional presser. We have just gone from Ford Model T to Rolls Royce. We do a walk through and sound check and some of the special guests start to arrive. They include former Cowboys legends whose names appear around the stadium on the Cowboys Ring of Honor such as Lee Roy Jordan, Preston Pearson and Rayfield Wright. Right now I am in NFL fan heaven! The press, local, national and international have been arriving and setting up, fans are starting to come in and I see that Bob Arum, Todd DuBoef, Lee Samuels and Carl Moretti have arrived. Necks are bent staring at the Jerrytron. I see Cowboys Executive Vice President and COO, Stephen Jones and I know that Mr. Jerry Jones can’t be far behind. Flags of the Philippines are in the stands now. Jerry is now backstage greeting his former players and spots me. First things he says is, “When are you gonna come and introduce our team again?” Bob is now on the scene and we go over the running order of the presser.
Buffer to center stage to welcome the press and the fans to Cowboys Stadium, etc. and intro special guests then a special video presentation. Now to the podium is Mark Taffet, President of HBO PPV, followed by Bob, then Jerry. They each do a great job and now it’s time for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders to line up for the fighters’ entrances. With music and special effects, Clottey is first and looks up at the Jerrytron to see his image appearing on a screen perhaps larger than the biggest building in his native Ghana. Now, with music and SFX again, Manny makes his entrance and it’s his turn to be mesmerized by 25,000 square feet of Pacman live video. They both give speeches and are humble and gracious in their promises to try and knock each other out. Now, it’s photo op time with the standard poses on stage. The fighters pose face to face then shoulder to shoulder making victory signs…the usual stuff. Jerry presents each fighter with Cowboys jerseys bearing their names and the number “1”. Great shots are now being taken with the fighters wearing their jerseys and posing with the cheerleaders and Jerry Jones. Bob Arum is loving it. Boxing promoters do not like partners but this seems to be quite the exception. Hey, it’s THE EVENT with Jerry Jones and the 8th Wonder of the World!
The Cast, The Players, Or The Answers To “Who’s That?”
COWBOYS STADIUM
Where do I begin? The house that Jerry built! There is nothing else like it in the world, plain and simple. It cost $1.1 billion and holds 80,000, expandable to 100,000 and more if you consider the large standing room only are. It has a retractable roof and retractable end zone doors, luxury suites abound, and hanging over the field are 25,000 square feet of HD video! Home of the Cowboys, it will host the 2011 Super Bowl, NCAA Final 4, NBA All Star game, Cotton Bowl, hundreds of concerts and much more.
JERRY JONES
I should just paste and copy his Wikipedia page but instead I shall give you my thoughts and let you wiki him on your own if you wish to know more.
I first met Jerry at the Cowboys vs. Packers 1995 NFC title game when he hired me to come in and intro the ‘Boys (at the old stadium). They won 38-27 and went on to win the Super Bowl. Jerry had me come back and do the same thing for the ’96 home opener. Hours before that game he took me for a stroll on the field and told me he wanted to expand that stadium to 100,000 capacity by lowering the field. I think the second plan is working out very well!
He has a reputation as a determined, no-nonsense guy. That probably comes from his college football days. How tough do you think he had to be to play on Frank Broyles’ 1964 undefeated University of Arkansas National Championship team? Wait, there’s more…at 6 feet, 1 or 2 inches and 188 pounds, he was an All SW Conference offensive lineman and team co-captain. He accomplished that while giving away at least 20 to 30 pounds with every snap of the ball!
One of the best compliments I ever received was hearing from someone who was in Jerry’s home office and said he saw, among all the pictures with presidents, governors and sports stars, a picture of Jerry and I together.
Welcome to boxing, Jerry!
NEXT IN PART 3–BIG FIGHT WEEK, TEXAS STYLE!
