Tony Romo's assertion that Sunday's outcome was no big deal because "it's just a sporting event" finally helped me understand why he can't figure out which color uniform to throw or give the ball to.

It's a sporting event for the rest of us. To him, it's supposed to be a job.

The Cowboys have tons of problems with their franchise, but having a vacuous, cavalier celebrity at quarterback is going to be one of the hardest to overcome.

Dan Smith, Plano

Several observations

Some random thoughts from a longtime Cowboys follower to Jerry Jones:

*Don't fool yourself into thinking there is an infinite supply of public support and adoration for the Cowboys.

*Wade Phillips should not be the head coach.

*You need to stop wanting to be loved by your players. As owner and general manager, you need to make smarter and more businesslike personnel decisions.

*And finally, need I say there are some serious questions about your "franchise" quarterback?

Fred Neary, Carrollton

Going back in time

We're now in the same position we were in before Jerry Jones brought in Bill Parcells. Jones was finally ready to admit he was incompetent as an NFL GM, but after tasting one season of success, he went back to his know-it-all ways and started tinkering where he had no business or ability. He drove Parcells out, and what we have now is a bunch of heartless, gutless crybabies from the top down.

John Angell, Dallas

How about it?

How about them Cowboys?

How about them overpaid and underperforming players?

How about them laid-back and unaccountable coaches?

How about Jerry's New Year's at home?

Billy Crawford

Waxahachie

The man for the job

No head coach in his ever-loving right mind would want to coach the Cowboys. Therefore, Jerry Jones should announce he's the new head coach. Let's see how Jones tolerates dealing with interference by the owner.

Roger T. Horrell, Denton

A call for Colin Powell

Tank Johnson said it best after the game in Philadelphia: "I'm a free agent, baby!"

That statement sums up the entire Dallas season - I only care about myself.

I have the perfect coach for this team: retired Gen. Colin Powell. You have a proven battlefield commander who can bring all types of personalities to fight for one cause. Gen. Powell has the guts to make the tough call, and he does not need to steal the limelight from Jerry while doing it.

Tracy C. Smith Rowlett

Let's get real

What the Cowboys need is a real coach and a real general manager. Then Jerry Jones should get himself a copy of Madden '08. Then he can be the coach and GM and leave the real Cowboys to the pros.

Tony Fisk

Trinidad, Texas

Better make changes

The Cowboys are 9-7. They weren't unlucky or hit by injuries; they earned it. You bring back this GM and these coaches and players with the same attitude, and you will finish 2009 at 9-7.

Gary Huber, Mesquite

Nightmare over

The Cowboys are not ready to play on Sundays. Their obvious lack of serious practice time through the week shows up in the lack of execution on game day. They cannot make basic plays on offense or defense and so often seem to be going through the motions. Thank you, Eagles, for ending this nightmare.

Charles E McEntire Hutto, Texas

Owens the problem

Terrell Owens is a cancer to the game of Football. He has brought down every team he has played for, and any team he's signed to will play no further than 16 games in the season.

It is pure irony that Owens' last game of the season was a humiliating blow dealt by the team he had brought down before, and by the quarterback he tried to smear in public.

Stop blaming Tony Romo's bad nights on Jessica Simpson being in the sky box. The real problem is Terrell Owens down on the field.

Scott T. Schlief, Chicago

The money will pour in

Every couple of years, Jerry Jones sells his soul to the devil. Most recently, it was Pacman Jones. Previous to that, Terrell Owens. He hires a great defensive coach whom he can control to be his head coach. He hires a coach-in-waiting - quite the idea, but one that never seems to work. The media anoint the quarterback as the Cowboys' next Hall of Famer after about a season of play.

What were we expecting? Oh yeah ... a new revenue stream for Jerry: a brand new stadium.

Keith Currens, Ennis

Romo not a leader

The Cowboys need to draft a real quarterback. I am tired of watching Tony Romo sit on the bench pouting. This team needs a true leader.

John Gray, Rowlett

Fans deserve better

Does Jerry Jones really believe that people are going to pay his outrageous prices in this Arlington shrine to see the incompetence he fielded this year? He really should refund the money that has been paid for the right to purchase tickets.

Does Jones know the difference between Football players with character and characters who play Football?

Nancy Jones, Lewisville

Get a new GM

To Jerry Jones:

It's become obvious you must hold the general manager accountable for the Cowboys' sustained failure. Players and coaches have come and gone during that tenure, but the buck stops at the desk of the man who hired them.

If you want to serve your franchise and its fans, you will do everything in your power to find the best person available to manage a professional Football team.

Randall Wirth, New York

The ultimate blame

Re. "Garrett's star not so bright - Criticism can't be ignored after Cowboys' struggles on offense," Jean-Jacques Taylor column, Dec. 31

Your commentary on Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett was right on. But the real culprit in the total waste of talented Football players is his majesty, Mr. Jerry Jones. His tenure as general manager has completely compromised the legacy of a once proud and winning tradition.

Ronnie Smith, Garland

Still missing Jimmy

Wade Phillips' new coaching philosophy should be simply: "What would Jimmy do?"

Joe Jordan, Dallas

Choosing to move on

We all have choices to make. Jerry Jones has made his choice, to continue as general manager of the Cowboys with Wade Phillips as coach. As an avid sports fan, I now make my choice. I quit watching, quit reading about and quit supporting such a lousy product.

Marty Hiter, Plano

Change the topic

I really don't care what happens to Wade Phillips. I've met him and his wife, and they are the most down-to-earth people you will meet, especially given the job Phillips has. But as for Jean-Jacques Taylor, he needs to stop whining about Jerry Jones not firing Wade Phillips. The bottom line: Wade is keeping his job because Wade lets Jerry Jones run the team, which is exactly the reason Bill Parcells was run out of town. Taylor needs to stop whining about Jerry's decisions and move on to something else.

Steve Anthony, Dallas

Intensity needed

Re. "A case for change - No more Mr. Nice Guy? It'll never work for Phillips," Jean-Jacques Taylor column, Dec. 30

I agree for the most part that a different coaching philosophy should be in order. A case in point is 49ers coach Mike Singletary. His less-than-mediocre team finished 5-4 in their last nine games.

Coach Singletary has a fired-up, hands-on approach to his players for four quarters.

Maybe Mr. Phillips can learn from this Mike Ditka product and quit imitating a librarian on the sidelines.

Kevin Kooyman, Richardson

Simply embarrassing

I have been a loyal Cowboys fan since their inception. In all those years, through good and bad, I have kept the faith.

The debacle of Dec. 28, 2008, has shaken that loyalty and faith to the core.

I am grateful that Clint Murchison, Tex Schramm and Tom Landry were not here to see the biggest embarrassment in the history of the franchise.

Rick Salisbury, Garland