Tell me about Jack Kent Cooke

I soooo misread that. I thought you were typing the longest paper in world history.

Actually when I first posted the thread I wrote 2,000 page paper. It has obviously since been edited. So it's not like you're the only one.

Wilson worked two years under the legendary Jack Kent Cooke of the Lakers. He and a co-worker were the stars of the Lakers sales staff, which worked solely on commission. In his brief stay there, he made considerable money for the times. When the season ended, the two were summoned to Cooke’s office for what they assumed would be a pat on the back – and, very likely, a bonus. Instead Cooke told them they’d never make that much money again, pulled all their files and distributed their business among the rest of the staff.

“Cooke ran an organization by fear,” Wilson said. “That affected (his relationship with Davidson) for years. The first two or three years, when we were really struggling, I kept thinking he was going to come to his senses soon and realize this was a mistake. Cooke fired three-quarters of the people who worked there in the two years I was there, and that figure is probably low. The VP of sales changed five times in two years. There was no trust there; here it’s complete trust. That sort of freedom allows you the daring that you need. If you don’t have the ability to be wrong, you don’t have the ability to be really, really right.”

PISTONS: A Simple Plan (http://www.nba.com/pistons/features/davidson_parttwo.html)

Was he in the first Pay per veiw? Boxing at the Garden. Foreman, Ali? Like Brokered the deal maybe an agent?

Was he in the first Pay per veiw? Boxing at the Garden. Foreman, Ali? Like Brokered the deal maybe an agent?

Right. He bankrolled that fight and was the promoter. Don King before Don King

JKC also at one point owned Muzak (so all that music you'd hear in elevators and in retail stores, that belonged to him), and part of Showtime

For what's it worth, growing up in the city, DC loved Jack Kent Cooke the owner. His personal life was another story. Cooke was a winner to the core. I also suspect it's one of the reasons the area hasn't, 'till this very day, fully embraced Dan Snyder. Every now and then, I still hear the old timers talk about Cooke.

I can say for me at least, there are probably three or four faces that I've come to associate with the franchise over the years. Jack Kent Cooke was most definitely one of them. I still remember him wearing those dark sunglasses and a checkered hat like it was yesterday.

portscurmudgeon is correct about JKC's will and the ownership succession problems. I have continued think that this was a great tragedy for the Redskins. What if the Redskins had stayed in the Cooke family instead of entering Snyder's hands?

JKC enthusiastically supported the Redskins in every positive way. He also kept his nose out of practical football business and was not one of those owners who micromanaged personnel decisions or coaching/strategy. He left winning games up to the football professionals, whom he paid well. As such, in terms of micromanaging the team he was the anti-Snyder. Because of this, he was a great owner and we won three Super Bowls with the checkbook in his hand.

well put. The most memorable thing about JKC to me was sadly when he was interviewed by the Wash Post in about 95 or so when the team was falling & he was at the end of his life.

He was asked about Art Monk leaving and said that he wouldn't have changed anything he did or intervened, "because that's when you become a football coach and not an owner, however that was poorly managed." (not a direct quote but similar)

That was a sad time for skins fans & it was even sadder when he passed away. It's always interesting to think about what the team would've been like w/John K. Cooke as owner. He didn't have the drive & ambition of Snyder, and wasn't on par as a business man, but he likely would've followed his Dad's lead & left football to football people.

If I remember correctly he made his start selling encylcepedia's from door to door in Canada.

Also, JKC is known as the only owner to never ask for a dime from the city for his stadium and/or his orginzation !

For what's it worth, growing up in the city, DC loved Jack Kent Cooke the owner. His personal life was another story. Cooke was a winner to the core. I also suspect it's one of the reasons the area hasn't, 'till this very day, fully embraced Dan Snyder. Every now and then, I still hear the old timers talk about Cooke.

I can say for me at least, there are probably three or four faces that I've come to associate with the franchise over the years. Jack Kent Cooke was most definitely one of them. I still remember him wearing those dark sunglasses and a checkered hat like it was yesterday.
I agree he is part of the reason Snyder is not embraced in the DC area but if he had won a few SB's like Jerry Jones did in Dallas that would change very fast. Remember how much Jerry Jones was first hated in Dallas when he came in and fired the legend (shoot I forgot his name) but you get my point.