Conor McGregor couldn't win his fight, though he seemed to help the Dallas Cowboys win theirs.
Just ask Jerry Jones, who had reason to be smitten with the UFC star after the team Jones owns blew out Jacksonville on Sunday with the fighter/whiskey salesman providing the emotional spark.
"He just energized every place he went in the stadium," Jones said. "You'd like to say we're going to have to get him in here for every game in order to have a good first half, at least."
McGregor not only wowed the crowd but inspired players to do his signature walk. The Cowboys responded like they were entering the octagon instead of playing football in a performance that was as dominating as it was surprising.
"I don't know if it was Conor McGregor or whatever it was, but we came out and attacked," Dak Prescott said.
Maybe the Cowboys should try to persuade McGregor to hang around. He's got some free time, after all, after losing his much-hyped fight to Khabib Nurmagomedov in Las Vegas.
No reason, though, to stick to combat sports when there is so much more to do in the ever-expanding sports world. McGregor has already tried boxing, but there are some other options should he decide to pursue something different.
Here are a few spots he just might fit in:
THE MASTERS: What could be more proper than McGregor selling his Proper No. Twelve whiskey on the iconic 12th hole at Augusta National? If that doesn't get the patrons (they're always called patrons at the Masters) buzzing, give McGregor a microphone and have him trash-talk the players as they come through Amen Corner. Imagine the fun on Sunday when Tiger Woods hits a ball into Rae's Creek after McGregor threatens to put a hole in his skull if he misses the green.
WIMBLEDON: If there was ever a place that could use someone to break up the stuffiness, it's Wimbledon. Forget wearing all white, how about McGregor in the royal box, tiara on his head and wearing a full-length mink to spice things up? "There are two things I really like to do and that's whoop (rear ends) and look good," McGregor crows.
KENTUCKY DERBY JOCKEY: Like humans, horses don't like getting whipped by McGregor.
ANGELS MANAGER: No, McGregor knows nothing about baseball, but that shouldn't be a problem with the Los Angeles Angels. Passing the two-hour test the team is requiring for applicants might prove problematical, but who in the organization is going to tell McGregor he failed?
SOCCER: This is a sport McGregor does actually know something about, and he's not one to tolerate mediocrity. Put him in charge of the U.S. national team, then sit back and watch the fun begin. The Americans may not win the World Cup, but you can pretty much be guaranteed they'll never lose to Trinidad — or Tobago — again.
OLYMPIC ATHLETE: Yes, McGregor could probably compete for a medal in judo or taekwondo but he likes to set records and, as Michael Phelps showed, there are more medals for the taking in the pool than anywhere else. True, McGregor would have to learn to swim and probably shave his beard, but imagine the fun when he parades to the starting block and screams out to his fellow swimmers that they're petrified of him and should run home to their mommies.
MONDAY NIGHT ENFORCER: Security too lax at your stadium? Fans throwing beers in the faces of wide receivers? How about Conor and his guys pay them a visit to sort things out. It worked well in Brooklyn, as you might remember, with an assault that helped McGregor earn a $50 million payday. Fans may mess with big football players, but no one is going to toss a beer at McGregor as he's throwing a hand dolly through a bus window.
NFL QB: Actually, maybe not. Anyone who saw McGregor's attempt to throw a football before the game in Texas would know Prescott doesn't have to worry about the UFC fighter taking his job. On the plus side, he usually gets up after a hit.
So there you have it. McGregor has a lot of options, a lot to bring to the table.
And after losing three of his last five fights, maybe he's up for a new challenge.
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Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlberg@ap.org or http://twitter.com/timdahlberg
