As owner and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys , Jerry Jones has fulfilled his yen for the spotlight and then some. While Jones has attracted plenty of negative publicity for what he calls his "legal pad full of mistakes," the former oil and gas wildcatter also has produced three Super Bowl champs and brokered maverick licensing deals that propelled the team to unprecedented financial success and changed the way the league does business.

"He's pushed the envelope, and the league has benefited," said Andrew Zimbalist, a professor at Smith College (Mass.) who studies sports economics. "In some instances, he stepped out a little too far because he is a partner with the other 31 teams. But as he stepped out, he invoked the NFL to be more innovative and aggressive."

On the 20th anniversary of the day Jones purchased the Cowboys and the lease to Texas Stadium for $140 million from H.R. "Bum" Bright, Express-News Cowboys beat writer Tom Orsborn takes a look at some of the biggest successes and failures of the Jones era:

FEB. 24, 1989

CAUGHT RED-HANDED: Jones and University of Miami coach and former Arkansas teammate Jimmy Johnson meet at Mia's, a Dallas restaurant that was one of Tom Landry's favorites. The Dallas Morning News splashes a photo on its front page the next day of Jones and Johnson talking over beers and chips, sparking immediate speculation that Landry will be out as coach should Jones gain control. The end result: A public relations nightmare of massive proportions for Jones.

FEB. 25, 1989

FIRING LANDRY: At his introductory news conference, Jones audaciously declares he'll be involved in everything from "socks to jocks." For a franchise accustomed to owners who enjoyed staying in the shadows, it's a sea-change moment. "You could tell right from the beginning he didn't give a damn about history," longtime general manager Tex Schramm, now deceased, would later say of Jones. "You almost expect him to take the stars off the helmets." Jones doesn't go that far, but his firing of Landry at the coach's resort home near Austin - a move Jones later admits he botched badly - sends shock waves throughout the NFL and even prompts NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle to compare it to the death of Vince Lombardi. The cold dismissal of the beloved Landry cements Jones as a villain in the eyes of many fans.

OCT. 12, 1989

WALKER DEAL: Jones pulls the trigger on one of the most famous trades in league history, sending Herschel Walker and some throw-in picks and players to Minnesota for five players and eight draft picks, two of which became Emmitt Smith and Darren Woodson.

DEC. 24, 1989

ONE-WIN SEASON: Cowboys lose 20-10 to Green Bay to complete a 1-15 season.

AUG. 27, 1992

HALEY TRADE: In a trade with San Francisco, the Cowboys acquire defensive end Charles Haley, the first of many high-profile troubled players Jones would take on.

JAN. 31, 1993

SUPER BOWL XXVII: Cowboys defeat Buffalo 52-17.

JAN. 30, 1994

SUPER BOWL XXVIII: Cowboys defeat Buffalo 30-13.

MARCH 23, 1994

JERRY-JIMMY DIVORCE: On the surface, the relationship between Johnson and Jones seems solid following the Cowboys' back-to-back Super Bowl wins over Buffalo. But behind the scenes, tension is building as both men resent the other receiving too much credit for the team's success. The feud comes to an ugly head on this day when Johnson publicly snubs Jones at a hotel bar during the NFL owners meeting. Later that night at the same watering hole in Orlando, Fla., Jones tells two Dallas Morning News sportswriters he plans to fire Johnson. "I think there are 500 coaches who could have coached this team to the Super Bowl," Jones said. Upon hearing the explosive insult, Johnson flies into a rage. Six days later, the two announce their divorce at a news conference.

MARCH 30, 1994

HIRING SWITZER: Jones brings in former Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer to replace Johnson, another move that sends a gale of criticism Jones' way.

APRIL 24, 1994

BAD PICK, GOOD PICK: In a draft typical of many of Jones' hit-and-miss efforts, the Cowboys select defensive end Shante Carver in the first round and guard Larry Allen in the second. Carver turns out to be a bust, while Allen becomes one of the league's greatest offensive linemen.

AUG. 3, 1995

MARKETING WAVES: Wearing boots bearing the Pepsi logo, Jones shocks the league by announcing he's kicking Coca-Cola out of Texas Stadium to grant the building's pouring rights to Pepsi. Within a span of weeks, Jones brokers lucrative licensing agreements with Nike and American Express. The three audacious deals circumvent the league's revenue-sharing plan and forever brand Jones an outlaw. "He's going to tear down this league," Cleveland owner Art Modell tells Sports Illustrated. The league sues, and Jones counter sues. The matter is settled out of court the following year, allowing Jones to continue to license independently of league control and gain millions of dollars for signing bonuses.

SEPT. 9, 1995

DEION IN NEON: Jones signs cornerback Deion Sanders to a sevenyear, $35 million contract with a $12.99 million signing bonus, making him the highest paid defensive player in the NFL.

JAN. 28, 1996

SUPER BOWL XXX: Cowboys defeat Pittsburgh 27-17.

FEB. 12, 1998

GAILEY ON BOARD: Jones hires Chan Gailey as the franchise's fourth head coach.

JAN. 26, 2000

NEXT UP, CAMPO: Jones names defensive coordinator Dave Campo as the club's fifth head coach.

JAN. 2, 2003

TIME FOR TUNA: Jones hires Bill Parcells as the sixth head coach in team history.

NOV. 2, 2004

JERRY-TOPIA: Few owners can match Jones' far-reaching vision. Two decades ago, he envisioned the Cowboys in a state-of-the-art stadium with a variety of revenue streams that would allow him to dole out millions in signing bonuses. That dream comes true when Arlington voters approve a tax increase funding the city's $325 million portion of the cost for a new stadium. The $1.1 billion building, set to open this summer, will include the world's largest video board, a retractable roof, 100,000 seats and 300 luxury suites. Personal seat licenses and naming rights could offset much of Jones' $750 million share of the stadium cost and help the Cowboys continue as one of the NFL's most profitable franchises.

MARCH 20, 2006

TAKING ON T.O.: Jones signs controversial receiver Terrell Owens to a three-year, $25 million deal that includes a $5 million signing bonus.

FEB. 8, 2007

WADE S WORLD: Jones hires Wade Phillips as the seventh head coach in team history.

APRIL 24, 2008

ENTER PACMAN: Jones agrees in principle to a trade with Tennessee for suspended cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones.

DEC. 28, 2008

PHILLY FLOGGING: The Tony Romo - led Cowboys lose 44-6 at Philadelphia in regular-season finale, ensuring their club-record streak of seasons without a playoff win would rise to 12.